ftware back in Atlantis, back when computers
were far more advanced than they are today. Keeping track of all those
variables will help you strengthen your mind. Besides, programming
pays extremely well after a relatively short period of time."

Atmananda interspersed talk of raising consciousness and money with
stories from the rich world of his imagination. He told stories, for
instance, about a legendary character that he called "The Gwid."

"The Gwid is close friends with Roshi Megabucks," he said, stroking his
chin and smiling. "The Gwid leases all of reality to God."

At one Centre meeting, a UCSD anthropology graduate student pointed out
that millions in the world were starving. "Shouldn't we be doing
something to help?" she asked.

"On the surface," Atmananda replied, "Elizabeth is asking a perfectly
legitimate question. But if you could see, you would have detected the
underlying hostility in her tone."

The room filled with uneasy silence.

"But that is why we study meditation," he went on. "We are constantly
striving to perfect our different selves."

He slowly scanned the disciples. "Many of you send Guru hostile
vibrations in the inner worlds, so don't hide behind your
holier-than-thou facade. It isn't necessary. We understand."

He turned back to Elizabeth, his sarcastic pout transforming into a
compassionate smile. "There are many who are suited for helping the
poor. What we do here is help people on a higher level." He went on to
provide a framework through which to view poverty. Each soul, he
explained, chooses the circumstance of its birth so that it can best
work out its karma.

At first, Elizabeth's question struck a chord in me. But I associated
her question with Atmananda's accusation--that many of us were sending
hostile vibes to Guru. This made me upset, so I tried to think about
something else. But there was something else I was trying not to think
about.

"Has anyone noticed that I have been going into advanced states of
consciousness?" Atmananda had started to ask at the Centre meetings.

At first there had been no response.

"The powers from my past lives are returning," he continued in a
sincere-sounding voice. "My consciousness is cycling. Those of you
who can see will easily feel The Change."

Several disciples nodded, as though for the first time they were
feeling The Change.

I knew that if I gazed at him intensely for several minutes, I saw
auras in