Meeting Dr. Douglas Baker....

Dr. Douglas Baker is somewhat well-known in esoteric circles. Here is a link to him, and his site.

                     http://www.douglasbaker.com/


It is claimed that he has written over 100 books on esoteric subjects. Having seen some of them they appear I am afraid to be often, or not short, and shallow. Moreover, from what I have found so far at least that there is no obvious reference to his wholesale use of Theosophy, and the Alice Bailey Teachings. He should by rights give direct indications of his source materials otherwise it gives the false impression that he is an innovator.

Anyway, back in the early eighties I used to meet a  plump well-dressed Indian astrologer who was called Matthew. He claimed that he was jeweller, and emanated from Brighton. On occassion, I met him at a hotel that used to exist opposite Slough train station. We often talked about esoteric subjects, and once I said that I believed I had been killed in the last world war. In response, he said that he had been a saint in India in another incarnation!

For whatever reasons, Matthew seemed impressed by the writings of Dr. Douglas Baker. He recommended them to me but I was not overly impressed. However, I did go to see Baker at the former workings mens club in Slough where he was giving a talk on astral projection. Among other things, he mentioned his friend Peter Sellars, and his heart attack in which he had out-of-body experience (though if I recall correctly there was more than one instance of this).

At the end of this ofcourse came the book signing session. I used this as an opportunity to ask him why he had no replied to me on a letter concerning greater information on surat shabd yoga, and the Radhaswami Faith. At this, he said nothing, and gave me a sssh! with one finger over his mouth. He seem to realize the huge esoteric importance of the subject, and clearly was not willing to discuss it.! However, apart from this I was not impressed overall by him as a person, or indeed, his books!!

 I am sure Dr. Baker means well in his own right along with his Claregate College on esoteric studies but I just feel that perhaps the genuine motivations for it all were somehow lacking. However, whether true, or not he has played an important in popularising the subject for which we should be thankful.