Paul Twitchell - Knowledge and Understanding/Philosophy of No-Thing
released on cassette in 1995
I recently found this cassette in a local thrift store. I have been having a little luck lately finding "quality" stuff at the thrift stores. During most of the year, there was a long spell of not finding anything interesting. I should mention that I had not much time either to dig this year. Just about every time I had a little free time to browse the thrift stores, there was nothing interesting to be found.
Enough of my thrift store woes, it's onto the topic of the post. The cassette contains two lectures by an interesting fellow named Paul Twitchell who founded his own spiritual group called Eckankar in 1965. As mentioned on the cover, the first one, "Knowledge and Understanding", was recorded in 1970 at the 1970 International Youth Conference in Chicago, Illinois. I have not found anything about the 1970 International Youth Conference. Was it organized by Twitchell and Eckankar? Was it organized by some youth organization and happened to invite Twitchell to speak? The second one, "Philosophy of No-Thing", was recorded sometime in 1967. There is no mention of where it was recorded.
Since I am not highly familiar with Eckankar, which sounds like a melding of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, I'll post the explanation of Eckankar from its website:
Each of us is connected to God through Divine Spirit (the ECK), which can be heard as Sound and seen as Light. Eckankar offers a spiritual toolkit to help you experience the Light and Sound of God.
...
Eckankar means "Co-worker with God." It offers ways to explore your own unique and natural relationship with the Divine.
With the personalized study that is a part of Eckankar, you get divine guidance to apply in your everyday life and on your journey home to God. The full experience of God is possible in this lifetime!
Eckankar is mainly about your daily, personal connection with Divine Spirit. You'll also find people of like mind and experience in Eckankar who share your desire for truth.
Your spiritual experiences reach welcoming ears among ECKists, those who study the ECK teachings.
The What is Eckankar? page from which the above explanation is quoted also provides a pdf file for download a brochure that further explains Eckankar.
From the brochure:
The teachings of ECK define the nature of Soul more carefully than do other current religions. Each person is Soul, a particle of God sent into the lower worlds (including earth) to gain spiritual experience. Purified by the spiritual exercises, he comes into contact with the Holy Spirit. His goal is spiritual freedom in this lifetime, after which he becomes a Co-worker with God, both here and in the next world. Karma and reincarnation are primary beliefs.
Key to the ECK teachings is the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master. He has the special ability to act as both Inner and Outer Master for ECK students. He is the prophet of Eckankar, given respect but not worship. He teaches the sacred name of God, HU, which lifts one spiritually into the Light and Sound of God, the ECK.
The ECK (the Holy Spirit) purifies one of karma (sin), making it possible for him to accept the full love of God in this lifetime. Then he gains wisdom, charity, and freedom.
Personal experience with the Light and Sound of God is the cornerstone of Eckankar. Of all the religions on earth today, Eckankar offers the most direct teachings on the Light and Sound of God. These twin pillars are missing in whole or in part from the rest. People who truly find these two aspects of God undergo a complete spiritual change. Life becomes fresh and new again, as it was in early childhood. (Harold Klemp, current Mahanta, the Living ECK Master)
The Eckankar website obviously provides a biography of Paul Twitchell and so does the Om-Guru website and so does that awesome resource of information, Wikipedia. Wikipedia says that Twitchell was a plagiarist who stole from the likes of Kirpal Singh, L. Ron Hubbard, H. P. Blavatsky, Julian Johnson, and others. In the world of academia where I currently reside as a student, plagiarism is the biggest sin one can commit. Everywhere else, like in the real world, to steal would be genius or somewhere along the lines of what that quote is. This means that Paul Twitchell is a genius. After all, he is the original ECK Master.
Tracklisting:
Side 1
1. Knowledge and Understanding [side 1] {36:51}
Side 2
1. Knowledge and Understanding [side 2] {9:35}
2. Philosophy of No-Thing {24:40}
