________________
ACKNO
NOWLEDGMENTS
Though painfully aware that the gratitude the author wishes to express for
this is,
"beyond words," nevertheless, he has to give it a try.
Sufficient thanks can never be given to the following friends and colleagues in the work: to Harold McMullen, professor of education and philosophy at Lord Fairfax Community College in Virginia, for the many conversations and welcome advice over the years, and especially for his taking the lead in organizing the annual "Being Together" conferences over the last decade, which are cosponsored by the monastic communities of the Bhavana Society and Holy Cross Abbey. Brother Benedict Simmonds OCSO is recalled for his vital, early support of the book. I also gratefully bow to the sannyasis of Yogaville, swamis Karunananda, Sharadananda and Hamsananda, and to Dayananda, the personal secretary of Swami Satchidananda, who did assuredly vouchsafe an ashram conversation on a cold January evening. Thanks also to David Rees at WCCM in London and Rosemary O'Connell in New York who ably facilitated my contact and meeting with Father Laurence Freeman at the House of the Redeemer in New York City. Additional thanks are also due to Mamata, who facilitated my meeting with Shree Chitrabhanu at the Jain International Meditation Center in New York. And closer to home in Virginia, I am grateful for the generous support of Becki Mosteller, Deborah West, Donna Cintron, Jackie Adams, Jayanne Bixby, Kim Bean, and Shirley Echelman at the reference desk of the Handley Regional Library in Winchester, Virginia, for their gracious assistance and support during the preparation of the final manuscript.
John Massie of Ligminch proved indispensable in advance of my meeting with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Noted author and educator Laura Robb has provided great enthusiasm and real guidance and friendship in this writer's journey.
A special word of thanks is also due to Ron Morris, managing editor of the Winchester Star, for his far-sighted support of religious news reporting and for launching the weekly religion feature during my time with the newspaper; and to editors Susan Burke, Wayde Byard, and Roger Hendrix for their editorial expertise.
My heartfelt salutations go out to Michael Fitzgerald of Winchester— poet, essayist, Baha'i, and friend-extraordinaire-who here is celebrated for his
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