"Just a wild-assed spark of the Infinite functioning in the finite" - Celebrating the 33rd Anniversary of the Paranirvana of Legendary American Sage Joe Miller

Today we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the parinirvana of

 the legendary American sage Joe Miller on 8/19/92 - SFTS Lodge 

"I know I'm NOTHING," Joe once bellowed, "no-thing, no-thing ... just a wild-assed spark of the Infinite functioning in the finite." -- Great Song: Life & Teachings of Joe Miller 

Joe was a retired vaudeville and burlesque entertainer, with an 8th grade education. He never traveled to the East. But the East came to him. Visiting Tibetan teachers called him a "Lama" and a "Tulku." Visiting Sufi teachers called him "Murshid" (Master) and "Madzoub" (Idiot of God). Visiting Indian teachers called him "Swami" and "Guru" and thanked him for his Darshan. Visiting Korean and Japanese teachers recognized him as a "Zen Master." He was given numerous unsolicited titles, but never used them. He shared the deepest teachings for free. He said he was not a teacher, he said he was "just a friend." He never took any money from any of us, he said he lived off his "rich uncle" (i.e., his social security check). Hundreds of people gathered in Golden Gate Park every Thursday morning to take a walk with him. His only official affiliation was with the San Francisco Lodge of the Theosophical Society. His story is told in my first book, "Great Song: Life and Teachings of Joe Miller" (Maypop, 1993). Published by our friend and colleague Coleman Barks (famed for his renderings of Rumi's mystical poetry). - Richard Power 

"Great Song" is available in both soft cover and Kindle versions from Amazon.com

#theosophy #theosophicalsociety #noreligionhigherthantruth #nopowergreaterthanlove

From August 10, 1901 to August 10, 2025 & On & On - "No Power Greater Than Love"

 

Today is the 124th birthday of the San Francisco Theosophical Society (SFTS) Lodge. Our charter was signed by the remarkable Annie Besant on August 10th, 1901.

SFTS Lodge has borne witness to two World Wars, the Great Depression, the rise of the Information Age, the ongoing planetary Climate Emergency, the global Covid pandemic and other dire threats.

The legendary American sages Joe and Guin Miller brought many of us into the circle of this Lodge and some of us have kept it alive and thriving since the Millers’ passing in 1992. Yes, over three decades ago. Poignantly, a new generation of members, friends and allies who never met Joe and Guin have felt the power and holy atmosphere of this space and have made it a part of their lives.

The circle is unbroken. As Joe used to say, “We pray to the great god ‘On’!”

"The motto under our symbol out there on the wall says, 'There is no religion higher than Truth.' Of course, we in this particular lodge have added another line to that, 'And no power greater than love.' Because love is what makes it all go around. That’s what Theosophy is all about — wisdom and love. There is a place in The Secret Doctrine where it states very clearly that Theosophy isn’t the 'love of wisdom,' but rather 'the wisdom of love.' If each one of you thinks back over your life, you will see that it is always feeling that moves you, the feeling of love."

- Joe Miller, Great Song: Life and Teachings of Joe Miller

#theosophy #theosophicalsociety #noreligionhigherthantruth #nopowergreaterthanlove #agape #bhakti #jnani #dharma #meditation #yoga #thecircleisunbroken #thegreatwheelturns