I thank my editor, Jason Gardner, who has lovingly helped shape the content of this book into its present form; kudos also to Carol Venolia for her razor-sharp copyediting and many helpful suggestions. Much gratitude is due to my wife Asha, who is also my best friend and beloved playmate. What a gift! I thank my parents Anthony and Josephine for the immense freedom and love they gave me, and my sister Marlene for her many literary influences. Special thanks go to my in-laws, the Muthayah family, for their unconditional love and faith in me.
I thank Paul Winter, Carlos Santana, Mozart, and all the other musical icons who have influenced my world of sound through their genius. Special thanks go to Arlo Guthrie for his spiritual presence and loving support. I offer my deepest respect to all my teachers of yoga, music, and Sanskrit.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to my dear friend Diane Kelliger, who was also my business advisor and moral support for many years; her dedication to spiritual practice and a healthy lifestyle never ceases to amaze and inspire me. Much gratitude is due to Andre Poirier, who has been a loving godfather and a great source of comfort throughout my life in the West. I also thank my friends Margy and Jim Gresham for investing unconditionally in my art. I thank Wayne Teasdale for his tremendous faith in me as a writer and for all his assistance to me over the years as friend, mentor, spiritual brother, and literary inspiration; we go back a long way.
I thank Matthew Fox for his love of my artistry, his friendship, and his devotion to recovering the sacred in art. I thank my students of the past twenty years. Without them, this work could not have developed as it has. I thank the institutions that have allowed me to teach this work, particularly the graduate department of Naropa University in Oakland, California, and the Doctor in Ministry program of the University of Creation Spirituality, also in Oakland. Last but not least, I thank my devoted fans and well-wishers.