Acknowledgments

There are three women whose contributions have made this book possible—the Three Graces: Jo Anne Baughan, Gita (Lee) Brady, and Parvati (Betty) O’Neill. Without the gifts of each of them, this book could not have happened.

At many gatherings nowadays, there is what is called a “Keeper of the Heart”—someone whose task it is to hold an open, loving space, no matter what is going on around her. Jo Anne has been the Keeper of the Heart for this book. In a thousand unsung ways, she has literally loved this book into being.

Gita created both the glossary and the resources guide for this book, starting from a shoe box full of random clippings and scribblings. Out of her deep familiarity with spiritual literature, she has spun straw into gold and created a spiritual storehouse full of all sorts of rich and tasty treats.

Parvati, who was one of the students at Ram Dass’s Naropa workshop, phoned to offer her help at a crucial moment, when the transcription of the lectures was hopelessly stalled. Not only did she transcribe some of the tapes, but she sent along a treasure of Naropa memorabilia, including some personal photos of the event and a copy of the original syllabus, which we’d given up hope of finding. Parvati died of cancer in 2001. Her gift lives on in this book.

In addition to Jo Anne, Gita, and Parvati, we also want to extend thanks to the staff members of Naropa University for their encouragement and cooperation, and special thanks to Richard Chamberlain of Naropa’s Development Office for somehow managing to lay his hands on a copy of the original 1974 summer schedule, which provided a wealth of information about the event. Our thanks to Joseph Goldstein and to Jack Kornfield for generously allowing us to use their food meditations in this book; their practices added a fresh dimension to the workshop, and now to this book as well. And thanks to Rameshwar Das for being our “eyes” at the workshop, and for sharing some of the photographs he took there.

When, at the last moment, we found we needed to track down sources for the many quotes that had been included in the Naropa lectures, a number of volunteers stepped forward to help with the task. Our thanks to all of those who joined the treasure hunt: James Beane, Carolyn Behnke, Caroline Bloomfield, Denise Coates, Stefani Cohen, Robin Collins, Aaron Crawford, Nonda Gaylord, Deborah Hopping, Linda Kleckner, Dale Martin, Bobbie Mims, Ralf Mrutzek, Kathleen Murphy, Linda Nicholas, Sharon and Larry Roll, George T. Stergiou Jr., and Paul Wilson.

And, of course, most of all, thanks to Neem Karoli Baba, for gracing us all with parts in this dance. Ki jay!