Dear Friends and Family:
As you may already know from watching the Rudi Video, Big Indian was a major site for the development of the Work which Rudi left us as our inheritance. In the years following his death, Big Indian continued to function as an Ashram devoted to sharing and spreading this Work.
In 1979 I bought the property in order to preserve and expand its existence as a unique Spiritual Power Center. For the next five years, working with a small group of students and friends, I devoted my summers to renovating and repairing the physical structures, starting with the Meditation Hall. Since that time Big Indian has functioned as a Spiritual Retreat Center, with Rudi’s Energy at its heart.
And so it continues to the present day, containing Rudi’s Shrine and a 50-foot Stupa dedicated to him, each of which houses a life-size statue of Rudi sculpted by Professor Manjrekar, who also created the larger than life figure of Bhagawan Nityananda which Rudi had ordered shortly before his own death. It now graces the Meditation Hall.
Big Indian is the only site in which Rudi functioned during his lifetime that is still open to all who approach it with interest, love and respect. Those who do so continue to experience Rudi’s energy and spirit as a living presence, whether or not they knew him when he was still here with us. If you doubt it, come and visit.
In the past few years there has been less activity and no income. But the taxes still needed to be paid and the property maintained. I have been happy to do this because I truly love the place, but I have to be practical. Five years ago I contracted Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, a form of cancer. I am in remission but I am also 82 years old, all of which causes me to consider my own mortality.
When I die my wife, Capella, will not be able to afford to maintain the property. While I hope to be around for some time, I have decided to take a short range step to lighten the load. Specifically I have subdivided the property. One lot contains the main house, the shed and the pole barn on 12 acres which is being placed on the market at this time. The second lot contains the Shrine, the Stupa, the Meditation Hall, the pond and the cabin.
For the time being I plan to maintain the second lot— the Shrine, Meditation Hall, the pond & cabin— as a pledge to the future, in the hope that those who revere Rudi and what they have received from him will appear to assume financial and spiritual responsibility to make it possible for this Sacred Site to be maintained in perpetuity. If you wish to contact me I can be reached at: johncapellamann@msn.com
John Mann
