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2013 Franklin Merrell-Wolff Conference Report

August 18, 2013  /  Leave a Comment  /  Trackback  /  Posted in News

Our annual Franklin Merrell-Wolff Conference was a wondrous experience. The self-selected group came from as far away as Canada and Hawaii (originally Turkey). Many overcame significant and unexpected adversity to be here at the Great Space Center (which is better than ever due to the tireless work of Bobby Young&#8212Doroethy’s youngest son&#8212and Ron and Doroethy Leonard), and were rewarded by being part of an exceptionally harmonious group. Imants Baruss, relating his personal story, and a lifetime of research, invited us to restructure our assumptions about our consensus worldview concerning sickness, aging and death. Ron Leonard explored issues concerning magic (in the sense of intentional use of paranormal powers) on the spirutual path, with reference to Frankln’s teachings. Our other conference theme was the personal sharing of memories of Franklin (by Doroethy, his granddaughter) and Sherifa (by Sherie, her great-granddaughter), providing a sense of personal connection only possible by those who have known them intimately. A more elaborate account of these presentations will be found in the next Sangha newsletter, but the personal connections that we made, the ’round table’ sharing, the discussions of Franklin’s Experience and Philosophy, and Baiba’s profoundly moving Closing Ceremony, in the Sufi tradition, cannot be captured.