Paul Twitchell
Encyclopedia
Paul Twitchell (October 22, 1908(?) - September 17, 1971) was an American
spiritual writer, author and founder of the group known as Eckankar
. He is accepted by the members of that group as the Mahanta, or Living ECK Master of his time. He directed the development of the group through to the time of his death. His spiritual name is believed by Eckists (students of Eckankar) to be Peddar Zaskq.
, although this, too, is uncertain. Paul Twitchell reported that he was born just after a major earthquake, which seemed like a wild claim to his critics. However, Volker Doormann was the first to discover that a 4.6 magnitude quake hit about 30 miles away from Paducah, centered on the Mississippi River, shortly after midnight on Oct 22, 1909.
In his later life, Twitchell attended Murray State College
and Western Kentucky State Teachers College
in the 1930s but never graduated from either. He married for the first time in 1942. He served in the United States Navy
during World War II
, and became a correspondent for Our Navy after the war. He later went on to become a freelance journalist.
He also investigated a number of spiritual movements. In 1950, he joined Swami Premananda's Self-Realization Church of Absolute Monism, an offshoot of Paramahamsa Yogananda's Self-Realization Fellowship
. He lived on the grounds of the church, and edited the church's periodical, The Mystic Cross. He was asked to leave the church in 1955, the same year that he broke up with his first wife.
Later that same year, he was initiated by Kirpal Singh
into surat shabd yoga
. He also became involved in the Church of Scientology
, becoming a member of the Church's staff and one of the first Scientologists to achieve the status of clear
.
In Seattle, he met Gail Atkinson. Twitchell later introduced the woman to Kirpal Singh and later married her. They moved to San Francisco in 1964, where Twitchell began writing about his new teaching, Eckankar. In late 1964, he gave a series of workshops on "bilocation" which he would later call Soul Travel. These workshops at the California Parapsychology Foundation in San Diego, proved to be popular and showed that people could gain person spiritual experience using his techniques.
about the problems of those who wrote to him. He included prophecy
, predicting that the Vietnam War
would end in 1968 and that Lyndon Johnson would be elected US President
for a second time. Many of his answers were concluded with the words "I HAVE SPOKEN!"
on September 17, 1971, shortly after meeting with long-time students of Eckankar at a dinner in Cincinnati. His death, like his life, was not free of controversy. Some critics cite the comments of Louis Bluth, who was once a prominent leader in Eckankar. After leaving Eckankar, Bluth said that he believed his death was necessary; since Twitchell had defied the ECK masters of the past. However, he only made these comments after the leadership was not passed to him, as he hoped, but to Darwin Gross. In fact, Bluth's first comments about Twitchell's death was that he saw Twitchell carried out of his body by a "celestial cloud of light." Additionally, a few others who hoped to become Twitchell's successor, but who were passed up, came to question Twitchell's honesty after his death, since he had predicted that he would continue to lead the faith for another decade and a half. This issue was perpetuated more by David Lane and other outsiders, however, as it never gained any serious concerns amongst ECKists. The reason for this is that Paul's comment about the next Mahanta who would come in 15 years was not about his next successor, who would be an ECK Master only, and not a Mahanta. Paul was simply pointing out different levels of mastership, because, as he explained, there were a number of people who were claiming to become his next successor and what they said simply wasn't true. His death did create some concerns because Twitchell did not name his successor. His widow Gail eventually selected Darwin Gross
. According to Gail, Gross was indeed Paul Twitchell's choice, as he had visited her in a dream to give his endorsement. Critics make light of Gail's dream and suggest that Gail made this choice herself. However, Gail made it clear that she would not pick who the successor would be. She refused. She trusted that Paul would make the choice clear. She then had a dream, where Paul showed her that Darwin Gross was to be the next ECK Master, and that Gail would receive two confirmations from others to verify this fact, which in fact took place from Millie Moore and Patti Simpson, foremost leaders in Eckankar, who also had inner experiences showing Darwin Gross as the successor.
, that he expected The Tiger's Fang to be controversial, having announced that it "would shake the foundation of the teachings of orthodox religions, philosophies, and metaphysical concepts." Twitchell even claimed to have been informed that the Pope
saw the book and "was greatly disturbed by it, perhaps to the point of condemning it."
is a liberal arts Professor and researcher who, along with others, uncovered evidence that Twitchell plagiarized
much of his work from the writings of Julian Johnson
, Kirpal Singh, Lama Govinda, Walter Russell, L. Ron Hubbard, H. P. Blavatsky, and others. A member of Eckankar's clergy named Douglas Marman presents information that challenges the critiques of David C. Lane and Ford Johnson by presenting examples such as the Paducah, Kentucky Library among others for historical reference related to Twitchell's career and personal information. Lane's thesis and his debates with Eckists and Eckankar officials are available online as well as Doug Marman's critiques of David C. Lane's findings.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
spiritual writer, author and founder of the group known as Eckankar
Eckankar
Eckankar is a new religious movement founded in the United States in 1965, though practiced around the world long before with a solid following in China. It focuses on spiritual exercises enabling practitioners to experience what its followers call "the Light and Sound of God." The personal...
. He is accepted by the members of that group as the Mahanta, or Living ECK Master of his time. He directed the development of the group through to the time of his death. His spiritual name is believed by Eckists (students of Eckankar) to be Peddar Zaskq.
Birth and early life
Much of Twitchell's life is shrouded in controversy and uncertainty. His birth date has been disputed; no certificate was originally filed for his birth, two family bibles report conflicting years and days of birth (1908 and 1910, Oct 22 and Oct 23), a belated birth certificate filed by his father in 1941 claims a birth year of 1912, and Paul Twitchell himself refused to talk about his age or when he was born. His death certificate, filed by his wife, Gail, states he was born in 1922. Therefore, his birth date was inaccurately reported from the day he was born to the day he died. Author Doug Marman, on the other hand, has sided with 1909, based on census information first discovered by Dean McMakin. The 1910 Census indicates that Twitchell was six months old in April 1910. He was probably born in Paducah, KentuckyPaducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
, although this, too, is uncertain. Paul Twitchell reported that he was born just after a major earthquake, which seemed like a wild claim to his critics. However, Volker Doormann was the first to discover that a 4.6 magnitude quake hit about 30 miles away from Paducah, centered on the Mississippi River, shortly after midnight on Oct 22, 1909.
In his later life, Twitchell attended Murray State College
Murray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
and Western Kentucky State Teachers College
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....
in the 1930s but never graduated from either. He married for the first time in 1942. He served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and became a correspondent for Our Navy after the war. He later went on to become a freelance journalist.
He also investigated a number of spiritual movements. In 1950, he joined Swami Premananda's Self-Realization Church of Absolute Monism, an offshoot of Paramahamsa Yogananda's Self-Realization Fellowship
Self-Realization Fellowship
Self-Realization Fellowship / Yogoda Satsanga Society of India is a worldwide spiritual organization founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1920 and based in Mount Washington in Los Angeles, California....
. He lived on the grounds of the church, and edited the church's periodical, The Mystic Cross. He was asked to leave the church in 1955, the same year that he broke up with his first wife.
Later that same year, he was initiated by Kirpal Singh
Kirpal Singh
Sant Kirpal Singh was a spiritual teacher who was born in India in the village of Sayyad Kasran, in the western part of the Punjab which now belongs to Pakistan. Further biographical information is available...
into surat shabd yoga
Surat Shabd Yoga
Surat Shabd Yoga or Surat Shabda Yoga is a form of spiritual practice that is followed in the Sant Mat and many other related spiritual traditions...
. He also became involved in the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
, becoming a member of the Church's staff and one of the first Scientologists to achieve the status of clear
Clear (Scientology)
Clear in Dianetics and Scientology is one of two levels a practitioner can achieve on the way to personal salvation. A state of Clear is reached when a person becomes free of the influence of engrams, unwanted emotions or painful traumas not readily available to the conscious mind...
.
In Seattle, he met Gail Atkinson. Twitchell later introduced the woman to Kirpal Singh and later married her. They moved to San Francisco in 1964, where Twitchell began writing about his new teaching, Eckankar. In late 1964, he gave a series of workshops on "bilocation" which he would later call Soul Travel. These workshops at the California Parapsychology Foundation in San Diego, proved to be popular and showed that people could gain person spiritual experience using his techniques.
Role in Eckankar
Some people believe it was actually Gail's idea that Twitchell adapt some of his spiritual education into a new religion, Eckankar. However, Twitchell wrote three of his leading books on Eckankar years before meeting Gail. What seems most accurate is what Paul says in his biography, In My Soul I Am Free, that Gail's encouragement was a spark for him to do something more with his writings. Critics state that at first Twitchell allegedly claimed his teachings were new, but he eventually referred to them as an ancient science that predated all other major religious belief systems. However, this interpretation is based on comments Paul made before he officially started Eckankar, when he was promoting what he called his Cliff-Hanger philosophy, which was an outsider's view on modern society. Those were indeed his own views and ideas. However, once he launched Eckankar in Oct. 1965, he always referred to it as being an ancient teaching. Indeed, in his book Eckankar: The Key to Secret Worlds, Twitchell lays out wide ranging examples of the teaching down through history, while also explaining his own personal experiences with his teacher, ECK master, Rebazar Tarzs. After the religion was founded, Twitchell wrote and published a series of books, personal study discourses, while actively giving talks around the world, writing thousands of letters to students, and continuing to write articles for magazines. He wrote a series of articles shortly after starting Eckankar that some critics have raised concerns about. In a series that Paul lightheartedly referred to as "The Man Who Talks To God", he pokes fun at gurus, including himself. He says that he wrote the series in exchange for getting a booklet printed on Eckankar, during a time when he couldn't afford it himself. In that column he gave out spiritual advice, claiming to communicate with GodGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
about the problems of those who wrote to him. He included prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
, predicting that the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
would end in 1968 and that Lyndon Johnson would be elected US President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
for a second time. Many of his answers were concluded with the words "I HAVE SPOKEN!"
Death
Twitchell died of a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on September 17, 1971, shortly after meeting with long-time students of Eckankar at a dinner in Cincinnati. His death, like his life, was not free of controversy. Some critics cite the comments of Louis Bluth, who was once a prominent leader in Eckankar. After leaving Eckankar, Bluth said that he believed his death was necessary; since Twitchell had defied the ECK masters of the past. However, he only made these comments after the leadership was not passed to him, as he hoped, but to Darwin Gross. In fact, Bluth's first comments about Twitchell's death was that he saw Twitchell carried out of his body by a "celestial cloud of light." Additionally, a few others who hoped to become Twitchell's successor, but who were passed up, came to question Twitchell's honesty after his death, since he had predicted that he would continue to lead the faith for another decade and a half. This issue was perpetuated more by David Lane and other outsiders, however, as it never gained any serious concerns amongst ECKists. The reason for this is that Paul's comment about the next Mahanta who would come in 15 years was not about his next successor, who would be an ECK Master only, and not a Mahanta. Paul was simply pointing out different levels of mastership, because, as he explained, there were a number of people who were claiming to become his next successor and what they said simply wasn't true. His death did create some concerns because Twitchell did not name his successor. His widow Gail eventually selected Darwin Gross
Darwin Gross
Darwin Gross was an American spiritual teacher who succeeded to the leadership of Eckankar in 1971 at the death of its founder Paul Twitchell. Gross officially took up the position of "Living ECK Master" on October 22, 1971 and appointed his successor Harold Klemp as Living Eck Master on October...
. According to Gail, Gross was indeed Paul Twitchell's choice, as he had visited her in a dream to give his endorsement. Critics make light of Gail's dream and suggest that Gail made this choice herself. However, Gail made it clear that she would not pick who the successor would be. She refused. She trusted that Paul would make the choice clear. She then had a dream, where Paul showed her that Darwin Gross was to be the next ECK Master, and that Gail would receive two confirmations from others to verify this fact, which in fact took place from Millie Moore and Patti Simpson, foremost leaders in Eckankar, who also had inner experiences showing Darwin Gross as the successor.
As a writer
Twitchell wrote dozens of books and discourse study programs under Eckankar, gave public lectures around the world, and also wrote thousands of letters. Some critics claim the mail Twitchell sent to Kirpal Singh was published as the book The Tiger's Fang. This misunderstanding started with comments that Kirpal Singh made publicly. It now seems likely that Singh may not have even read the book before making his comment, since he appears to have confused it with another book, Dialogues With The Master, that was composed on Twitchell's early experiences. Singh would go on to claim that he had dictated The Tiger's Fang to Twitchell on the inner planes, and then criticized it because it was made up of dream experiences rather than real spiritual experiences. All of these comments, however, were misunderstandings based on his confusion with another book, since none of his comments fit with what The Tiger's Fang actually was about. Later, critics would claim that Kirpal Singh told Twitchell about his criticisms of The Tiger's Fang, and that he rejected it, and this was what led to Paul breaking away from Kirpal Singh. However, this is also a series of misunderstandings. Even David Lane has retracted his belief in these Tiger's Fang Incident claims, since his own notes show that Twitchell and Singh had a friendly relationship long after 1963, when the Tiger's Fang Incident was supposed to occur. Twitchell told biographer, Brad SteigerBrad Steiger
Brad Steiger is an American author who has written or co-written over 170 books, a number of which focus on paranormal subjects.-Childhood:...
, that he expected The Tiger's Fang to be controversial, having announced that it "would shake the foundation of the teachings of orthodox religions, philosophies, and metaphysical concepts." Twitchell even claimed to have been informed that the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
saw the book and "was greatly disturbed by it, perhaps to the point of condemning it."
Lane's Accusations of Plagiarism
Comparisons of Twitchell's Eckankar writings reveal that Twitchell possibly plagiarized the works of several authors. David C. LaneDavid C. Lane
David Christopher Lane is a professor of philosophy and sociology at Mt. San Antonio College, in Walnut, California. He is most notable for exposing Eckankar as a cult and its founder, Paul Twitchell, as a plagiarist in his book The Making of a Spiritual Movement: The Untold Story of Paul...
is a liberal arts Professor and researcher who, along with others, uncovered evidence that Twitchell plagiarized
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
much of his work from the writings of Julian Johnson
Julian Johnson
Julian P. Johnson was an American surgeon and author of several books on Eastern spirituality. He spent much of the 1930s in India, is most closely associated with the Radha Soami movement and Surat Shabd Yoga, and wrote four volumes as a result of his experiences.The writings of Paul Twitchell,...
, Kirpal Singh, Lama Govinda, Walter Russell, L. Ron Hubbard, H. P. Blavatsky, and others. A member of Eckankar's clergy named Douglas Marman presents information that challenges the critiques of David C. Lane and Ford Johnson by presenting examples such as the Paducah, Kentucky Library among others for historical reference related to Twitchell's career and personal information. Lane's thesis and his debates with Eckists and Eckankar officials are available online as well as Doug Marman's critiques of David C. Lane's findings.
Books
- Twitchell, Paul (1967) The Tiger's Fang, Illuminated Way Press, ISBN 0-914766-17-1
- Twitchell, Paul (1988) Dialogues with the Master, Illuminated Way Publishing, Inc.; ISBN 0-914766-78-3
- Twitchell, Paul (1969) Eckankar: The Key to Secret Worlds, Forward by Brad Steiger. Illuminated Way Press, ISBN 1-57043-154-X
- Twitchell, Paul (1978) Letters to Gail, Volume 1, Eckankar, ISBN 1-122-54173-2
- Twitchell, Paul (1977) Letters to Gail, volume II, Illuminated Way Publishing Inc., ISBN 0-914766-33-3
- Twitchell, Paul (1971) Herbs: The Magic Healers, Eckankar, Library of Congress Catalog Number: 86-80814
- Twitchell, Paul (1972) The Eck-Vidya Ancient Science of Prophecy, ISBN 1-57043-030-6
- Twitchell, Paul (1999) Stranger by the River, Eckankar ISBN 1-57043-136-1
- Twitchell, Paul (1988) Far Country, Illuminated Way Pub., ISBN 0-914766-91-0
- Twitchell, Paul (1998) Sharyat Ki-Sugmad Book I, Eckankar, ISBN 1-57043-048-9
- Twitchell, Paul (1998) The Spiritual Notebook, Eckankar, 1998, ISBN 1-57043-037-3
- Twitchell, Paul (1999) The Flute of God, Eckankar; ISBN 1-57043-032-2
- Twitchell, Paul (1999) Sharyat Ki-Sugmad Book II, Eckankar, ISBN 1-57043-049-7
- Twitchell, Paul (1999) Talons of Time, Authorized Eckankar ed edition Twitchell, Klemp and Klemp, ISBN 1-57043-147-7
External links
- Paul Twitchell article archive
- Harold Klemp, the Spiritual Leader of Eckankar
- Dialogue in the age of Criticism
- A short biography of Paul Twitchell
- The Neural Surfer, David Lane's webpage
- The Center for Twitchillian Plagiarism
- David C. Lane: The Making of a Spiritual Movement: The Untold Story of Paul Twitchell and Eckankar, del Mar Press 1993, ISBN 0-9611124-6-8. Note: This book is also available online for free here.
- The Whole Truth - The Spiritual Legacy of Paul Twitchell, by Doug Marman. A biography on Paul Twitchell with the latest research on the controversies, written by a Higher Initiate of Eckankar. The book has received high acclaim from Gail Twitchell (Paul Twitchell's wife), and Brad Steiger (previous biographer of Paul Twitchell).