CONTENTS

For July, 1964

“THE WORLD IS GOING TO THE DOGS!”   …………             2

DO YOU HAVE THE TIME?   ……             3

A BASIC FAITH   ………             4

world report   …………..             6

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING   ……………             9

MUST WE COME BACK?   ………             11

Poet’s corner   ………….             12

book reviews   ……             13

DIRECTOR’S MEETING   …             15

bulletin board   ………..             16

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THE STAFF

EDITOR ……. Dr. DANIEL W. FRY

asst. editor …   cleve twitchell

circulation manager ……..  edna basmajian

staff artist …………..  gus tanasale

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UNDERSTANDING

VOLUME IX                                 JULY, 1964                                                 NUMBER 7

Dedicated to the propagation of a better understanding among all the peoples of the earth, and of those who are not of earth.

“THE WORLD IS GOING TO THE DOGS!”

Many persons, after having read the headlines of today’s newspaper, will sigh deeply, and remark that, “The world is surely going to the dogs.”

It happens that this particular expression of pessimism has beer in common usage throughout the world, at least since the earlier days of Greek history, some hundreds of years before the birth of Christ.

Your editor can only remark that the “dogs” must be very patient, because they have waited so long.

A casual perusal of almost any newspaper in this country today is likely to bring about in the mind of the reader, the conclusion that the world is one seething, fuming mass of evil, full of injustices brought about principally by the deep laid plots of self-seeking individuals. While there is a considerable amount of obvious truth in this conclusion, there is no apparent justification for a belief that the world is, on the average, any worse today, than it has been a any time in the past.

The fact is simply that our present civilization is becoming more conscious of evil than it has been in the past. The combination

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almost instantaneous communication of news throughout the world, and the growing realization by man, of his basic responsibility to his fellow man, has brought about a degree of awareness of injustice, inequities, and general evil such as has never before existed. It is not that the world is becoming more evil, but that mankind is becoming more acutely aware of the evils which have always existed.

Evil works smoothly, efficiently and almost, unnoticed in darkness, but cannot long continue to exist when exposed to the light of human understanding. Therefore the present rate of exposure of evil throughout the world should be taken as an encouraging sign of. human progress, since it is necessary to understand a given situation before practical steps maybe taken to correct or to improve it.

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DO YOU HAVE THE TIME?

Time is not a matter of divisions on a calendar; therefore, today is no newer than yesterday was. The act of chopping time into periods of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc., is an arbitrary human convention designed to give tangibility to an intangible. It is an attempt to measure the unmeasurable, classify the unclassifiable, limit the unlimited, fence in infinity, and humanize divine order.

This convention, no doubt, has its values and contributes to what we call civilization. On the other hand, it sets limits on the human mind and tends to make man a victim of time, rather than a part of time. We have adopted the habit of looking on time as an enemy. We associate the passing of time with the approach of death. We assume that because change is inevitable, death is inevitable and that death means ending. Since we grow up with this concept of ending, we measure life and everything else in terms of beginnings and endings, births and deaths.

The reasons for such thinking and for such assumptions are based on the very common misconception that what seems to be true is true and that what men have believed for centuries must be true. Although this kind of illogical logic has been proven false again and again by history, we still do not accept the fact that time is relative and that time, being apart of truth, lends to truth a part of its

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untouchable, unmeasurable components. This is not saying that truth is unstable and changeable. It merely means that man’s interpretation of truth is subject to error and cannot be accepted as final in any respect.

What men consider truth in one age is revised or proved false by a later age. Man no longer believes in a plurality of anthropomorphic gods, that the world is flat (or even round), or that all that goes up must come down. In fact, if we examine the matter closely and astronomically, we must admit that there really is no “up” or “down.” Because we can have no final dogmatic attitudes and admit that, we are merely growing toward an understanding of what truth is. The only final and definite concept we have is that time exists and that it is somehow- linked with truth, love, beauty, order, God. We can have only a partial understanding of truth as long as we limit ourselves to conventional methods of approaching truth or time.

It is only when we feel that we are a part of time and truth that, we eliminate our limitations. Whatever power set human thoughts and dreams in motion and established the intricate rhythm of the atom and the universe, certainly had no beginning and will have no end. To whatever extent we recognize this power, we share it and are a part of it. The circle and the sphere set the pattern of all things that exist. Circles and spheres have no real beginnings or endings. Yet we speak in terms of beginnings and endings because we have developed the habit of looking at only a part or section of the circle of time in which we exist. We see only a straight line, and because this line seems to have a beginning and an ending, we assume that this is true.

But the revolving circle-sphere of time of which we are a part is so enormous that its infinity can be visualized only through acceptance of its existence and through belief that. the God who gave man a mind capable of such comprehension certainly expects man to keep his mind free of limitations. Since there are no actual limitations to time and truth, there should be no limitations in the human mind which is a part of the eternal flow of time and truth.

-John D. Eagle, Jr.

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A BASIC FAITH

A quick glance at the apparent wide variety of religious faiths or personal philosophies might cause us to exclaim with Cicero, the Roman writer, “O ye immortal gods! Where in the world are we?” However, a closer inspection and view will reveal a basic faith, a living belief or expression.

There are gods. These vary with individuals. The miser’s god is money or material wealth. Whatever is continually uppermost in the person’s mind and life becomes a god for that, individual. It is not uncommon for such gods to be changed by the person. Such gods have no real part in the individual’s faith or philosophy, although they often have a marked influence upon it.

Then, there is God, the center and guide for a person’s faith or philosophy. The actual name, “God,” is not an absolute necessity. However, the existence is a fact, no matter how much it may be questioned or even denied.

The Bible begins with four significant words, “In the beginning God,” which calls attention to this basic God. No matter what views or beliefs may arise later, we find and acknowledge that back in the beginning, wherever or whenever that may have been, there must have been something to start, and later to help determine, what followed. For want of a better title, the name “God,” is given to this.

What is this “God?” It is not a’ physical person, for a white “God” would not be acceptable to the Brown, Yellow, Black or any other race than the White. “God” is a force or a spirit. The Bible calls attention to this by stating “God is spirit.”

What kind of a spirit is God? No matter what the immediate expression of this God spirit may seem to be now, time reveals that it is good and helpful. The Bible expresses this with three simple words, “God is love.”

What then is the individual’s use of this basic faith? To be at his best in the use of this basic faith, each person will, or should, fill his life continually with God’s good and helpful love, so that there will be little time or desire to consider personal interpretations and applications of a doctrinal nature.

People are different, so their thinking, their interpretations and

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applications will naturally be different. That privilege is granted to each person.

Why this perplexing maze of religious faiths, beliefs, expressions and practices we have today? This love is expressed to people in away they will understand. For example, to people who prize precious gems and gold, Heaven or the future life has been described as a place with pearly gates and golden streets. But what would an American Indian in his forest tepee know or understand about pearls and gold? To him his future life is located in a Happy Hunting Ground. Also, to people who live in houses and are acquainted with large palatial ones, Heaven or the future life is described as a place of many mansions. What would this mean to a nomadic people, going from place to place with their tents or possibly out in the open without artificial cover?

Great emphasis is placed by some upon the Golden Text of the Bible, John 3:16. Too often the first four words are completely overlooked, or at least not given their proper attention” For God so loved…” What followed was an expression of that love in a manner which the people then would more fully understand.

This maze of religious faiths, beliefs and practices has arisen because the personal interest in, or even worship of, personal interpretations and applications has eclipsed the basic faith and its daily expression. Some Christian groups have exalted the cross until it has become for them a sacred relic. What was the cross? It was the cruelest form of death penalty of the time. Had the Nazarene lived in our time the symbol might well have been the gas chamber or electric chair. The worship has been directed toward a familiar expression of love rather than toward the spirit of the love itself.

How does this basic faith operate in the individual? It manifests with an expression of God’s good and helpful love toward every one, everywhere. The eyes look through love tinted glasses to see the many expressions of God’s love, where there is a lack, a challenge to create that supply is presented. The mind will wrap each thought with God’s love; the tongue and, lips will be ready and quick to: express this faith, and the hands and feet will keep busy expressing this love unselfishly.

What does this basic faith, accepted and used, do about the confusion and contradiction of the various interpretations and applications?

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This basic faith-God is love–acts as a steadying anchor amid the perplexing waves of the various interpretations and applications. A clearer perspective is also gained, that what may be quite interesting is not necessarily vital and important.

How long has it been since you analyzed your basic faith?

-Leslie E. Dunkin

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world report

Ancient Writing Cited

(Sun Telegram, San Bernardinc, Calif.)

Is it possible that hundreds of years before the birth of Christ a tribe of Hebrew people visited or perhaps lived in the American Southwest?

C. R. Blake and Lawrence F. Halousek, both of Loma Linda, believe it is so, and say they have examined a writing in ancient script in New Mexico that proves it.

The two men along with Herman Opp of Loma Linda, Wesley Nelson and Jerry Blake of Sherman Oaks, traveled to the inscribed rock located some 18 miles from Los Lunas, N.M.

The men heard about the stone in a magazine article several years ago. The article said the writing had been examined by an authority on ancient languages and it appeared to be kin to early Hebrew.

The Loma Linda men, who have been doing some studying into ancient writings on their own, say the writing appears to be most closely to an old Samaritan script.

Blake and Halousek said experts have definitely dated the script as having its origin between 800 B. C. and 500 A.D.-most likely between 500 and 200 B. C.

They said the writing is an abbreviated listing of the Ten Commandments. Its wording appears to coincide with that found on the “Dead Sea Scrolls,” they said.

Both the stone and the scrolls give the name “Yhwh” to the God of Israel, they said. And that the name is pronounced “Yahew.” Both men believe the writing on the rock gives proof to historical

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chronicle about the tribes of Israel as set down in the Old Testament.

The rock and its writing, they said, have been known for some time. On the rock itself and the rocks around it others have scratched initials and dates-some of these going as far back as pioneer times.

Yet, the steel tools used to scratch on the rock in modern days did not make as deep and clear an impression as the tools of the ancients, they said.

Still, the two are sure that the writing was done by human hand, pointing out that otherwise perfect spacing was interrupted in one place where it appeared that a line, inadvertently left out, was inserted.

Some Sighting Reports

Socorro, N.M. April 24, reports landing of a craft, which left four small indentations in the ground, was extensively investigated by the Air Force. Dr. J. A. Hynek, investigator, remarked he “was puzzled” but did not doubt the reliability of Lonnie Zamora, police officer, who saw the four-legged, car-high object take off.

Helena, Mont. April 30, reports that a 10 year old girl saw a bright light in the sky that “went whoosh” as it passed her home. Tracks left near the home resembled the indentations at Socorro, N. M.

Las Vegas, Nev., April 30, reports that three Californian’s watched for 5 or 6 minutes a “weird dome shaped object.”, perched upon a hilltop some 10 miles west of Baker, Calif.

Green River, Wyo., April 30, reports a sighting of 30 minutes by two families, described as “a shining round light”, standing on its edge, like a silver dollar, high in the sky.

Newark Valley, Penn., May 9, reports that. investigations are being made of the “Men from Mars” landing story of Gary Wilcox. Also, sets of markings on two fields of Warren Feister have him curious as they are perfect circles, 8 feet in diameter, surrounded by scorched rings, 6-8 inches wide.

Grangeville, Idaho, May 12, reports sightings of unidentified flying objects twice within a week. Local residents gave the first report., while the second was given by an officer of the Cottonwood Air Force Base. Pictures were taken of the second sighting, as the craft hovered about 500-600 feet above ground for two hours.

Astabula, Ohio, May 17, reports the state highway patrol is investigating

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reports of a motorist and truck driver, traveling on Interstate 90, seeing an unidentified flying object south-west of Astabula.

Hubbard, Ore., May 19, reports a sighting by 10 year old Michael Bizonz which is being investigated by the sheriff’s office and a team from Adair Air Force Base of Corvallis.

Washington, D. C. The latest issue of The Little Listening Post reports that an Adamski-type saucer was seen over the city. Body was silvery metallic substance, 3 ball landing gear clearly visible… going fast … estimated altitude 12,000 feet. ..”, spotted by two individuals who alerted others.

Telepathy For Space Flights

By Howard Benedict

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP)-A space psychologist declared today that scientists must explore extra sensory perception-ESP-or other mental processes as a means of communicating with future astronauts who voyage millions of miles from earth.

Everett F. Dagle, chief of data sciences for the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories, told the 35th annual meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association that the research may produce nothing.

However, he said: “not only do we have a scientific, responsibility for doing this research, we also have a moral responsibility for doing so, even in the face of strong ultraconservative opposition.”

Dagle noted that there have been hundreds of examples of extra sensory perception reported, involving mental contact between persons far apart, clairvoyance or precognition of events to come. He conceded none have been explained satisfactorily on a scientific basis.

Dagle said that neither the United States nor the Soviet Union has yet put a man in true space.

“While it is true that impressive orbital flights have been made by American and Soviet astronauts,” he said, “it must be realized that as they went spinning around they still had visual reference to mother earth below them and they still were tied to her gravitational apron strings.”

Dagle said “we can only theorize as to how an astronaut might react when, finally, the gravitational strings are severed, and he

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finds himself in the apparent center of a dimensionless sphere of black, relieved only by sharp pinpoints of light from the stars. There will be no up, no down, no front, no back.

Dagle said that space travelers, to minimize any sense of disorientation, should be provided with a swift, effective means of communicating with earth.

`Flying Egg’ Puzzle

(From Salt Lake City Tribune, April 30, 1964)

SOCORRO, N. M., April 29 (AP)-One of the things that bothers the scientist investigating unidentified flying objects reports for the Air Force is the lack of mention of radar contacts.

“It’s my understanding New Mexico is infested with radar equipment,” said Dr. J. Allen Hynek of Northwestern University, an astronomer who is a special consultant to the Air Force. “I am going to check to see if there have been radar contacts that might tie into these reports.”

Dr. Hynek visited Wednesday the secluded hill where Socorro policeman Lonnie Zamora reported seeing an egg-shaped object fly away from a draw last Friday evening.

Other reports have followed. The Socorro report and another at La Madera in northern New Mexico were similar in that state and military authorities confirmed a scorched area where the object was supposed to have landed, and wedge-shaped impressions that appeared to have been left by some type of landing gear.

He said he had investigated many such sightings but, “this is one of the clearest-no, that’s not the right word; just say it is one of the soundest, best substantiated reports as far as it goes.

“Usually one finds many contradictions or omissions in these reports,” Dr. Hynek said.

“But Mr. Zamora’s story is simply told, certainly without any intent to perpetrate a hoax. The story of course was told by a man who obviously was frightened badly by what he did see. He certainly must have seen something.”

He said soil samples had been taken to “see if there are any particles in the ashes or at the site that might be foreign to this area.” Dr. Hynek also was interested in the wedge-shaped impressions.

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WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

(“The Religious Digest,” of Ceylon, in its October-December, 1963, issue has an article by P. B. Mukharji entitled: “Peace and Intercultural Understanding.” Though the entire article is recommended we can quote only the paragraph which dunes Understanding.)

“Understanding is not compromise. It is not an expedient. It is appreciation of variety. Variety means both agreeable and disagreeable differences. The capacity to stand disagreeable differences is the measure of true understanding. It does not mean surrender of one’s conscience. It does not mean lack of conviction. It means that wisdom, tolerance, and patience know that one’s own life, one’s own problems, and one’s own way of looking at values and standards and problems are not exclusive and are not the only way. It accepts the possibility and the fact that there may be and are other ways. That knowledge is wisdom. That again is rendered effective by tolerance. Tolerance does not mean that you suffer the other fellow to live and think as he likes. It means glad acceptance and acknowledgement of the same right in others as you claim for yourself. It is based on the forgotten principle of education that no lesson can be taught; all lessons must be learned. Then there must be patience. Patience is not a. disagreeable trial and a painful struggle in endurance. Patience is that expectant mood of Faith which believes that seemingly oppressive differences are momentary and that the angularities of today will be the regularities of tomorrow. It is an attitude of conviction, but with the self-confidence that, if need be, by experience and under fresh circumstances, one may be prepared to change and develop new convictions and beliefs. It means that while I wait with conviction and faith that I shall change others to my point of view, yet I do the waiting with gladness and catholicity so as not to shut the door on the reformation of my own views and convictions in the process of waiting, True understanding therefore rests on knowledge, tolerance, and patience. That is real comprehension, the pressing need of the modern age.”

(The “California (alumni) Monthly” of March, 1964, presents an article: “Population Problems in Mental Health” by Irving R.

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Babow. From it we extract, this significant fable as it relates to the consideration of mental health.)

Porcupines’ behavior would seem to have no bearing on human population problems and mental health. However, a fable that neatly tied them together-more in the style of Thurber than Aesop-was told during the sixteenth annual meeting of the World Federation for Mental Health in Amsterdam last year.

Addressing some 400 participants from 29 countries, Dr. Arie Querido, professor of social medicine at the University of Amsterdam, described how one of the more pessimistic German philosophers of the last century compared human society with a collection of porcupines. Seeking each other’s company for warmth, but forced to keep at a distance in order to avoid each other’s quills, these animals were alternately tormented by cold and skin pricks. After studying the dilemma, a genius among the porcupines suggested solving their problems by shedding their quills so that togetherness could be enjoyed without restriction.

“Enthusiastically,” said Dr. Querido, “the porcupines accepted this idea. They not only caused their quills to be removed but, by scientific manipulation of hereditary factors, within a short time young porcupines grew up quill-less. They nevermore suffered from cold, but since they had lost their essential porcupine-ness, they became in no way different from any other rodent, and in fact were considered and treated as the lowly rabbit by the rest of the animals. Frequently they appeared on the table of the fog and the buzzard.”

According to Dr. Querido, “Human society is the expression of an equilibrium-a balance struck between the amount of comfort to be obtained from fellow-members, and the discomforts arising from the same source.” Both values are related to a third, the number of individuals making up the society. A change in population figures results in a change in the way of life.” “Mental health,” he explains, “is concerned with the question of how man can be brought to the full deployment of those faculties which are essential human attributes. .. When facing the problems offered by shifts in population density and population distribution, it is the duty of the mental hygienist to keep this principle to the fore.”

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MUST WE COME BACK?

Reincarnation is a fact in Nature, but like all facts in Nature it is not compulsory when once the thinking human takes himself in hand. What is called Karma, the Balancing of the Scales, must be done, and will have to be done by the student as he begins work on himself. As the individual feels the weight of too much development on one side or other of true balance in his character he should take matters into his own hands and adjust that balance. Habits, trends, weaknesses, overpowering strengths, all will become a matter of adjustment for the true disciple, and in that adjustment will appear the opportunities to clear up injuries formerly caused, and favors showered in excess amounts.

Reincarnation is a need of the soul to come to a place where it can find the opportunity for balancing the areas of imbalance. If that need can best be served on this earth, surrounded by those with whom former lives were spent, the soul in its heaven-of-residence will know this. It will be taught and led into those paths of rebirth which will give it that opportunity for balance and growth in a cleared path.

If, however, the soul can assimilate knowledge and continue to grow in finer vibratory realms, then reincarnation is but a waste of good effort and the soul will not hover over the birth-paths looking longingly down to old familiar surroundings. If the spiritual nature of a man has opened up to the extent that the tasks and joys of earth mean nothing to that nature, then be has no earth-tie; he is not earthbound, and he can be free for other travel.

Jesus did not teach Reincarnation; it was understood in His day as a necessary step. He taught things of the Heaven worlds, and of the hopes and joys there when the calls of earth have been discarded. Reincarnation would have been entirely out of place in His teachings-much as if he had said, “If you are a good boy I’ll let you live in an hotel for a little while, but you will have to come back to the hovel after a couple of years.”

Jesus was a “Fisher of Men,” and to fish you must bait your hook with the finest worm, the most enticing fly that you can find, and it must be well and tightly set on the hook so that the fish does not wiggle away. Reincarnation was not good bait to the Hebrews whom

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He taught. They piled their wealth where they could see it, where they could use it right now-not for a time some hundreds of years later, with no guarantee of returning to the family where the wealth had been accumulated.

Jesus brought the message to the Worlds beyond this physical earth, where untold wealth and happiness reigned, where, by right living here on this earth and in this short life, a residence could be had amid surroundings much more enticing than anything they then knew. He was a Fisher of Men, and knew when, and where, and how and with what to bait His hook. He was a connoisseur of Men, as well as a walking reference library of all the Holy Teachings that had been given before His time, and He was a living example of the efficacy of those Teachings.

So it is that Reincarnation is an individual choice. Return if you must, or if return is abhorrent to you then know that you must work for your own salvation here and now in this life, for imbalance cannot exist in the higher realms of Being.

-Bess R. Neeper

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Poet’s corner

Solace

Up from the depths they come,

Barring none.

Wide is the range, and vast the sweep

Of infinitesimal atoms

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Rushing to fill and keep

Earth’s negative forces still

And harmless in yonder Deep,

Where all is Peace and Harmony.

Down from on High they steal,

Chosen Ones.

Silent and swift, destroying debris

With poisonous content;

Bringing to Nature on Earth

Positive Rays to soothe

All that can, somehow, receive

A part of God’s Love from on High.

They meet and they blend

On high planes, weak and strong.

Joy is triumphant and good prevails.

Dancing through clouds

Our Space Brothers serve in their Ships,

All of Earth’s children who pray

For the Kingdom of God to descend

And usher in life’s brighter day.

-Marian E. Nigl

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Supplication

Dear God of the universe

Of infinite power

Of boundless love

Please give us peace.

Give us the light to see

   Patience to know,

Courage to follow

The way that we must go.

-Lorena Marsh Gary

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book reviews

Tapestries In the Sand

A Healdsburg, California, publisher, the Naturegraph Company, offers books covering a wide variety of subjects: edible and useful plants, wildlife regions, seashore guides, and several on the American Indians. The books are written with a wider vision than usually employed in the discussion of these topics. The material, while searching into the very heart of nature and man, remains scientifically accurate. Extensive bibliographies and references are given.

The book chosen for review-Tapestries In the Sand-is not only the biography of the author, David Villasenor, but also an esoteric interpretation of his experience in living among and being reared by several different Indian families. Part Otomi Indian, David has been successfully treated by Otomi, Mayo, Yaqui, Papago and Apache Medicine Men and Women. On several occasions he has been the patient during sandpainting ceremonials performed by his Navajo friends.

Mr. Villasenor entered the United States at the age of sixteen, and it was then he saw his first sandpainting being made on the Navajo Reservation for sacred ceremonial purposes. His imagination fired, he vowed that one day he would find the means of preserving the beauty and significance of this ancient art.

As they had no written language, art was a necessity among the North American Indians, the various tribes employing that material most abundant in their locality: sand for painting, grasses for basket

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weaving, stones for jewelry, clay for baskets, or wool for blankets.

Sandpainting is a very old Southwest Indian art in -which the Medicine Man “paints” loosely- upon the ground or, on occasions, upon buckskin or cloth, by allowing the sands to flaw through his sensitized fingers. Because of the sacred nature of this ceremony, the sandpaintings are begun, finished, used and destroyed within a twelve hour period. While the ceremony may or may not cure the physical body, the Indian believes deeply in the power of the Ancient One that comes to assist him resolve his inner conflicts by establishing a peaceful and harmonious condition within him and the world about him. Both Dr. Jung and Dr. Rhine, among others, have stated that advances in modern psychology are beginning to show, more and more, the value of this subjective and spiritual approach.

An expert artist and sculptor whose sandpaintings have had one-man shows in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Mr. Villasenor is also a prominent lecturer on the exposition and explanation of Indian sandpainting.

The sixteen beautiful color photographs of sandpaintings in the book were produced in the Los Angeles County Museum. They were executed with a new permanent technique developed by Mr. Villasenor after many- years experimentation.

The explanations of the sandpaintings of this book emphasize, not tribes and rituals, but the intrinsic beauty and wisdom of a mystical people.

(Naturegraph Co., Healdsburg, Calif. $2.95)

-Peg Ham

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“Precipitation is a power, the use of which men so eagerly seek. They are not conscious that when the active ability to precipitate is released through them, all secret thoughts and feelings, spoken words and actions will also be externalized with power. It is therefore, mercy- and wisdom to purify the inner vehicles of the chela before he experiences the conscious use of the power of precipitation.”

-The Bridge, June 1964

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DIRECTOR’S MEETING

The National Directors of Understanding, Inc. met on Saturday, June 6th at the Hotel St. Marks, in Oakland, California.

The vacancy on the board, created by the resignation of Mr. Cleveland Twitchell, was filled by the appointment of Mrs. Angela Kilsby, President. of San Francisco Unit #11. The ambition and drive of Mrs. Kilsby will provide a welcome new source of ideas and inspiration for the Board in the formation of policies and decisions that vitally affect the future of Understanding, Inc.

Copies of the Swedish edition of the Understanding Magazine were examined, and the Board expressed the hope that the American membership would write to the Swedish Unit to express pleasure and appreciation for this significant achievement. The address is Mr. Sven-Erik Asklund, Skyllbergsgatan 18, Bandhagen, Stockholm, Sweden.

In addition to the normal business affairs of the organization, the Directors discussed the plans and progress of the Understanding Booth for the California State Fair in Sacramento in September. Mr. Steele Goodman, one of the Board members, vitally concerned with this project, expressed the hope that individual Units would send to him a report of their activities. Not only should the public be made aware of the scope of the Understanding organization but the booth personnel should also be prepared to answer questions concerning other Units. To achieve better co-ordination and more effective communication it is important that the Units co-operate in this venture. Please send details of your activities to: Mrs. Steele W. Goodman, 2426 G. Street, Sacramento, Calif. Those willing to assist at the booth should contact Mr. Goodman for information concerning available accommodations and other arrangements.

Dr. Daniel Fry reported on the progress of the new Understanding motion picture-The Romance of Space-which will be used at the Fair. The movie, which will run for approximately thirty minutes; is based on the television series that Dr. Fry presented in Douglas, Arizona, several years ago.

Other Units can help promote understanding by following the progressive example of the Sacramento Unit and sponsor fair exhibits in their own areas.

It was the opinion of the Directors that the meeting had been both harmonious and productive.

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bulletin board

Unit # 1 Library

The library, sponsored by the Merlin Unit, is now in full operation and in a position to accept more books.

It is felt that, for the present, the library should concentrate on Flying Saucers, the Space Sciences (Astronomy, Rocketry, Cosmology, etc.), Metaphysics, and children’s books.

Please send all donations to: Understanding Library, P.O. Box 76, Merlin, Oregon 97532.

Radio Progress Report

The discussions held and the decisions reached at the recent board meeting of the Merlin Radio Guild contributed much to the progress of our goal: Understanding on the Air.

Mr. G. W. Bauguess was appointed to fill the post of Publicity Chairman, left vacant by the resignation of Mr. Cleve Twitchell. Mrs. Margaret E. Ham accepted the pro-tem appointment of the newly created post of Program Chairman.

The matter of publicity for the radio station was discussed. The consensus of opinion was that, in order to make the station an effective instrument in educating and informing its listeners about space and current social, spiritual and scientific realities, it would be necessary to present an intelligent, well-considered concept of the station to the public. The decision was, therefore, reached that publicity, from any source, concerned with Radio Understanding should be approved by Dr. Fry.

JULY, 1964                                  19

Recent donors are Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Hurtieme, San Marcos,

Calif.; Elie D. Huber, Baltimore, Md., and Mrs. Frances Wyatt, Sonoma, Calif.

New Officers

Unit #37 of Buffalo, New York, recently elected new officers as follows: President, Mr. B. W. Pierce (13515 Broadway, Alden, New York) ; Vice-President, P. W. Weast; Recording Secretary, Elizabeth Mower; Corresponding Secretary, Cora Prantner ; Treasurer, George Adams, and Chaplain, Alma Strassner.

Harmony Grove Understandorama

From Robert Crichton, under whose able direction another successful Understandorama was presented in late April, comes word that the varied panel of speakers included: Fern Schaffer, Fred Kimball, Michael X. Barton, Marianne Francis, Dr. Bernard Jensen, Lloyd Flowers, Rev. John Josef, Col. Arthur J. Burks, Mary Copeland, Frances Tabor Crichton, Hal Wilcox, and Dr. George Marrissette.

Unit Lectures

Santa Cruz, California, #0, recently viewed the 250 color slides of Therese Whitesidem covering such subjects as nature, moonlight and metaphysics.

Inglewood, #15, invites everyone in the Los Angeles area to attend their July 25th lecture, at 820 Java Street, Inglewood, to hear Joseph Busby on: The-Emerging Plan of the Forces of Light.

Riverside, #22, has recently presented Dr. Fry, Michael X.; Lloyd Flowers and Dr. G. Marrissette, and in July will present Mr. Joseph Busby of the “Voice Universal” of England. No public lecture will be held during August.

Sacramento, #45, featured a lecture in April by George Van Tassel. Their June program schedule included a lecture by Joseph Busby and the Dr. Stranges film: Strange Sightings.

Understanding In Swedish

The first copies of our Swedish translation of the Understanding magazine have arrived-the January and February numbers.

The format and size is similar to the American issue, even to the cover design and emblem.

20                                                  UNDERSTANDING

It is a thrill to turn the pages even though the only words understood are the names and places. It is an achievement on the part of our Swedish membership that deserves our heartest congratulations! Well done, Sweden #1! May it bring to you a wide readership interested in Understanding.

Peace and Rest

Word has been received of the transition of the Presidents of two Understanding Units: Mrs. Percy Frailey of Unit #10 of Baltimore, Maryland, and Mr. Wilbert Eble of Unit #45 of Toledo, Ohio.

It is now for others to assume the responsibilities and challenges which both Mrs. Frailey and Mr. Eble met always in the spirit of understanding.

Theme of the World’s Fair: World Peace Through Understanding

CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT

10c per word per insertion; 3 or more insertions same copy, 8c per word.

SUMMER READING SPECIALS: “Atoms, Galaxies and Understanding,” Daniel W. Fry, paper $1.25, hardbound $2.00. “White Sands Incident & To Men of Earth,” Daniel W. Fry, paper $1.50. “Night Has 1,000 Saucers,” Calvin Girvin, paper $1.00, cloth $2.00. “Call At Dawn,” Kelvin Rowe, cloth $2.00. “Many Shall Be Called,” Marke Norman, paper $1.25, cloth $2.25. “Diary Into the Unknown,” Eugene Whitworth, cloth $2.50. Understanding, Inc., P.O. Box 76, Merlin, Ore. 97532