ma Fred. He personally assisted in the baking of
several LARGE rye breads at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. A devotee of Sri
Ramana Maharshi and baseball, the Swami actually is a good guy. He
doesn't claim to be any better than the rest of us. But he's happy.
So maybe happiness can be learned? Come and find out... We may hit you
for a few bucks--but we'll give you a good time... Lots of pomp and
ceremony for you Western types who can't accept that enlightened souls
can look and act like normal human beings... "

I liked the ad. I saw no reason why enlightened souls should not look
and act like normal human beings. I liked the way Atmananda poked fun
at the pomp and ceremony which had distanced Chinmoy from many of his
disciples. I also found Atmananda's deflated view of himself a relief.

A number of Atmananda's advertisements, however, were of a more serious
nature. In the first issue, for instance (January, 1981), he wrote:
"1st WORKSHOP OF 1981... another exciting Castaneda experience at
UCSD... inspired posterers--here's your chance!" In later issues, he
repeatedly ran "The Experience of Luminosity" ad (Issue #6; March,
1981): "DR. FREDERICK LENZ is a spiritual Benefactor. Each month... he
offers several free workshops to members of the San Diego community.
At these workshops he provides solid information and techniques that
will help you to gain inner peace and happiness. Dr. Lenz does this by
discussing the most helpful aspects of Buddhism, Yoga, Vedanta, Zen,
Taoism and the psychic and spiritual arts... During meditation, Dr. Lenz
enters into Samadhi and directly channels Peace, Light, Power and
Ecstasy to you... ADMISSION FREE... "

At the top of this full-page ad appeared the words, "Paid
advertisement"--as if WOOF! had been published by someone other than
Dr. Frederick Lenz.

Atmananda, who at times seemed as cautious as he was bold, told me to
instruct WOOF! distribution volunteers to be highly inaccessible. I
kept this in mind one Saturday afternoon as I approached a health food
store with Marty, a shy, soft-spoken UCSD student with a sense of
wonder in his eyes. Marty had been a disciple of Chinmoy for about a
year.

Raising the WOOF!'s to the counter, I said, "Could we leave these by
the door? They're free!"

"Sure," the manager replied and he took one.

I placed my stack, and Marty, who had been lugging additional copies,
placed his as well. We were almost out the door when the man said