The Surrender Experiment

Singer describes the intense experience of preparing for and attending Baba Muktananda’s retreat, which transforms his understanding of spiritual surrender. Determined to bring Baba to Gainesville, Singer and Donna, organize retreats and make countless calls to gather enough participants. Despite his lifelong belief that solitude and meditation are key to his spiritual journey, Singer finds himself increasingly pulled into the flow of life’s events, realizing that the flow is now guiding him entirely.

During Baba’s retreat in Atlanta, Singer initially struggles with meditation, feeling disconnected. However, on the final day, he decides to fully surrender to the experience and begins chanting Baba’s mantra. As he meditates, Baba’s presence intensifies. When Baba touches him during the final session, Singer experiences a profound surge of energy from the base of his spine, which he describes as “ten thousand volts of electricity” (90). The energy dislodges him from his usual sense of self, creating a terrifying but transformative out-of-body experience. Baba eventually calms him by rubbing his back and heart, restoring his physical state.

This overwhelming spiritual encounter makes Singer deeply respect Baba’s power as a Siddha master. He realizes that Baba’s touch has brought about more change than years of his own meditative discipline, humbling him profoundly.

Singer reflects on the transformative events surrounding Baba Muktananda’s visit to Gainesville. After experiencing shaktipat in Atlanta—a powerful spiritual awakening—Singer is told that people are often drawn to a living master. Despite his confusion, he surrenders to the flow of life, reaffirming his connection to Yogananda during a profound spiritual moment. When Baba arrives in Gainesville, the energy surrounding his presence draws large crowds everywhere, and Singer arranges for Baba to visit a maximum-security prison. The inmates respond warmly and Baba’s prison visits inspire future global prison work by his organization.

The weekend retreat becomes the largest on Baba’s world tour at that point. While preparing for the event, Singer unexpectedly reconnects with his ex-wife Shelly’s brother, Ronnie Friedland, now a successful attorney. Singer is surprised to learn that Ronnie has also formed a deep bond with Baba, despite their vastly different lifestyles. By the end of the chapter, Singer marvels at how both his and Ronnie’s lives have taken such unexpected, yet spiritually profound, turns—culminating in Ronnie becoming the president of Baba’s newly formed American organization.

Singer describes the shift of his life from solitude to service after Baba’s visit to Gainesville. The spiritual community around Singer expands rapidly, with 40 to 50 people attending his Sunday services and many having to sit outside. Despite this, Singer’s resistance to building a temple on his land remains strong until Mataji, an Indian saint, visits and declares that a great temple will one day stand there. Singer realizes that following this path of service is essential to his spiritual growth.

The community begins raising money and offering labor for the temple, and Singer designs the structure himself with a unique butterfly roof. As construction progresses, money appears in miraculous ways, often just as they are about to run out of materials. With volunteer labor and timely donations, the temple is completed in about three months.

In September 1975, they hold their first Sunday service in what becomes known as the “Temple of the Universe” (98). The temple is adorned with items representing various religious traditions, including a Buddha statue, a picture of Jesus, and Singer’s own cherished photo of Yogananda. The temple symbolizes universal spirituality, embracing all religions and the boundless nature of the cosmos.

Singer describes the ways his journey continues to evolve toward serving others spiritually, following the visit of a teacher named Amrit Desai. Amrit, who had lived in the U.S. for years and attracted large crowds, deeply impacts Singer by opening his heart chakra. In a powerful and unexpected moment, Amrit places his hand on Singer’s forehead, transmitting a warm, overwhelming flow of energy. This experience fills Singer with love and leaves him with a continuous flow of energy passing through his heart.

Amrit encourages others to come to the Temple for daily meditation practices—something that Singer initially resists. He values his solitude and doesn’t want to share his morning and evening meditations. However, surrendering to life’s flow, Singer hosts regular sessions, guided to serve others’ spiritual growth instead of focusing solely on his own.

Singer reflects on his initial fears that the Temple would become useless. Yet, 35 years later, the Temple remains an active spiritual center, regularly drawing people without advertising or signs. Singer concludes that life had its own plans, far beyond his mind’s understanding.

The Temple of the Universe officially becomes a nonprofit organization in 1976. By signing over his ten acres, house, Temple building, and Donna’s cabin, Singer relinquishes material ownership, returning to a life of simplicity, owning only his van and earning less than $5,000 a year. He values this minimalism, wanting to focus on quieting his mind and avoiding entanglement with finances. Though Amrit’s group offers the Temple a portion of retreat profits, Singer refuses, finding beauty in keeping the Temple free from commercial ties.

Throughout this period, spiritual retreats at the Temple continue to grow, attracting well-known spiritual figures like Mataji, Amrit, and Ram Dass. Donna, who has become an essential part of Singer’s life, helps with the organization and logistical aspects of the Temple’s activities. Their bond deepens, and they marry in 1976, continuing to maintain separate houses.

Upon their return from their wedding trip, they discovered that their property has evolved into a spiritual community. Radha Kautz, a spiritual seeker, has moved in, marking the shift towards the creation of a communal living space. From Singer’s perspective, this spiritual center emerges not by his design, but through his surrender to life’s flow. What started as his personal quest for solitude has gradually transformed into a community dedicated to serving others' spiritual growth, a higher purpose than he had originally imagined.