Spiritual Slavery Volume 1

This first of 7 volumes introduces the life and work of the American spiritual teacher, Lee Lozowick (b. 1943). Acknowledged with appreciation by peers from a wide variety of religious and metaphysical traditions-including Hinduism, the Bauls of Bengal, Sufism, Zen, Christianity, Tibetan Buddhism and Fourth Way-he remains a figure of controversial interest based on his uncompromising views about the work of human transformation, and his critical analysis of contemporary spiritual culture.  In an age where the guru-devotee relationship is seen as obsolete at best, dangerous at worst, Lozowick uniquely upholds and practices the highest potential of this tradition. Furthermore, he demonstrates this time-honoured path of devotion through obedience and surrender to his own guru, the beggar saint Yogi Ramsuratkumar (1918-2001) of Tiruvannamalai, India.  Lee has been no ivory-tower guru. From his earliest years he was in the trenches with his students-sharing in the labours of their daily lives, orienting them toward right livelihood and conscious child raising, immersing them in the universal teachings of the world's great religions, introducing them to his own vast view of Reality and mentoring their many practices, including meditation, study and self-observation. Part I, Volume I begins with an extensive Prologue, setting the context of Lee Lozowick's work with a free-ranging overview of his life and teachings to date. It proceeds with an in-depth coverage of his activities from 1975 through 1980, extending into Part II. The Years of Milk and Honey highlights Lee's 1975 spiritual awakening and the events that followed upon that, including the incendiary impact of his first book, Spiritual Slavery, thrown into the spiritual scene in New York City in 1975. It covers the establishment of the community of Hohm, which formed around him in 1975, and elaborates upon his friendship with the enigmatic Mr. E.J. Gold. Here the reader will learn of Lee's life-changing journey to India (1977) where he first met his master, Yogi Ramsuratkumar, and his subsequent move (1980) from the East Coast to establish a residential ashram in hills of northern Arizona.  Later decades of Lee's life will be given equal in-depth attention in future volumes of this biography. The aim of this entire series of volumes is to represent Lee Lozowick in the full spectrum of the guru, the teacher, the man and the Godman, known by his students, devotees and friends.