OG CULT PSYCH_INTERESTING SHIT_FATHER YOD RELATED
NateBizzo
2,328 Posts
Anybody up on Father Yod and the Spirit of '76? 
Very interesting stuff.THE YA HO WA 13 INTERVIEW Father / Yahowha and Pythias, Djin, Octavius, Sunflower... Yahowha 13 band at the Source Family House in L.A.(early 1970's) By Gary Bearman (June 2002)In 1988, I bought a new book called After the Acid Trip - The Ultimate Psychedelic Music Guide by Vernon Joynson. In it a music group called Ya Ho Wa 13 is described as such: "this band of Hollywood misfits reputedly made at least 9 albums for Higher Key during the '70's." They are referred to as "musically very weird??? largely mellow, mystical and probably drug induced." In addition, there are pictures of two album covers - one has five men wearing only loincloths, all with bows and arrows crouching around and on top of a Rolls Royce. The other has a very intense looking older man in a white robe with a long beard singing and banging on a kettledrum. Once I finally got a chance to hear them, it became rapidly clear that there was something more than a little unusual going on here. Upon superficial listening, it sounded like a bunch of crazy musicians making a lot of truly wonderful and bewildering psychedelic music with this deep-voiced man talking, singing, whistling and sometimes screaming over the top of it. And the wild bizarre things he was saying??? Needless to say I was intensely curious about this mysterious group of people with names like Djin, Sunflower, Octavius, Pythias, Rhythm, all with the last name Aquarian, and their enigmatic leader Father Yod (rhymes with road). I was only able to hear a couple of reissued albums at the time since all the originals were ludicrously rare and expensive. For a long time I tried to find out more information about this group and what they were about, only to be met by a stunning lack of information. What scant information I did find was quite odd, and still the group seemed somehow cloaked in mystery. Then lo and behold - the heavens opened and I was to discover in 1998 that they released a limited edition 13-cd box set on the Japanese Captain Trip label called God and Hair - Yahowha Collection! Here were more pictures of Father Yod, the band and a large group of longhaired men, women and children that all seemed to live together. One of the albums covers even has Father Yod pictured with a woman in a sexual tantric position! I learned that there were 9 original albums. The first four were released under the name "Father Yod and the Spirit of 76." These were Kohoutek, Contraction, Expansion and All or Nothing at All. The remaining 5 were released under the name "Ya Ho Wa 13." These were Yahowa 13, Savage Sons of Yahowa, Penetration: An Aquarian Symphony, I'm Gonna Take You Home and To the Principles for the Children. All were released between 1973 and 1975. A 10th album was released without Father Yod in 1977, but with a lot of the same musicians, this time including Sky Sunlight Saxon, formerly of The Seeds. This went under the name "Fire, Water, Air" and was called Golden Sunrise. There were also 3 cd's of additional material called Yodship, Related Singles, and Unreleased Material. Unfortunately for me, the liner notes in the booklet are in Japanese. I came to the conclusion that this was somehow a very secretive sect that for some unknown reason had a band as part of it and released albums. I figured though that by now there had to be literally hundreds of people out there in the world who were part of this group or children of the group, and someone somewhere had to be willing to tell the story. By a miraculous twist of fate, I was led in my searching to an Internet discussion group where one of the musicians from Ya Ho Wa 13 was actually answering questions! It turns out this was Djin, the guitarist. I worked up the courage to e-mail him, became friendly and asked him some questions. He led me to Sunflower, the bass player, and before long I popped the question, "Would you be willing to be interviewed?" To my surprise they happily accepted and before long I was put in contact with the drummer Octavius, and much later Pythias, who also played bass on some of the albums. I was also introduced to Isis, one of Father Yod's "wives" (more on this later). She is the family's record keeper, did business for the family and wrote a book about the life of the family which is being re-done for the public. She was also kind enough to forward the photos to me. Most of the entries below by Isis are direct passages from the book. So what is this family? As I began to get information back, there started to unfold one the most incredible stories of a band I have ever heard. It wasn't just about music, however, it was a whole community/commune of people who lived together with Father Yod (later called Yahowha) as their spiritual leader. Not only is the story about one of the most unique musical groups ever, but the story of the Source Family is unparalleled in human history. I wondered what all the secrecy seemed to be about, but Djin and Sunflower clarified this for me. DJIN: The Source Family of Father Yod was and is a great western mystery school. Many of the stories that go around about us are at best partial truth, and as we know FIRST HAND TRUTH is the best source. SUNFLOWER: We have been somewhat secretive with respect to some of the teachings that we were privileged to acquire through our searches, however the Family was located in L.A. and had a restaurant on the Sunset Strip for a number of years called the Source Restaurant. We were/are a Family (commune) of about 250 people, and were quite privileged to have found our Earthly Spiritual Father who is the voice of most of the music. Octavius added, "First I would like to set the direction of the looking glass. When you read through my eyes, you will know a pilgrims' view. You will hear the fruit of my experience with my Earthly Spiritual Father. A saying, "Some follow the teacher, some follow the path the teacher is on." I will never stop reflecting on the experiences and the insights gleaned from those days, much of which is the basis of who I am today." So who exactly was this Father Yod character? Isis tells some of the history of the man originally known as Jim Baker: Jim was a judo, archery, and martial arts expert in his teens, and a war hero in his 20s. He was in the marines and was awarded the medal of gallantry and the Silver Star. After he came to California, he adopted a bohemian lifestyle, tried to become an actor, and joined the Los Angeles group of "health nuts" called the Nature Boys. These well-muscled, healthy and handsome young men exemplified the natural lifestyle, and explored ways of eating and living according to Nature's laws. Refinement of his physical being led Jim to mental development, and he studied philosophy, world religions, and many esoteric spiritual teachings. His search for truth led him to a Sikh teacher of Kundalini yoga, Yogi Bhajan. Jim recognized him as his spiritual Father, and he became a devoted student of the Yogi's teachings. He married his fourth wife, Robin, when she was 19 and together they started what was known as The Brotherhood of the Source. Young people in the 60's and early 70's were looking for freedom, health, truth, love, and spirit. It was a time of great experimentation in lifestyles, a breakdown of the old forms of traditional behaviors that were not working anymore and caused widespread hypocrisy in American society. The youth of the nation were looking
for higher truth to incorporate into a more righteous lifestyle. Many young people were attracted to the Source Restaurant, which served fresh, delicious, vegetarian food, and to the spiritual atmosphere of love, peace and wisdom that was growing there around Jim Baker, and the group of young men and women who staffed the restaurant. Jim Baker really looked the part, with his grand stature and well-formed physique, his long beard and hair, penetrating blue eyes and deep resonant voice. Father lived for the family. He adored his sons and loved having the women and children protected and safe. We were totally into spirit and really enjoyed life. It was a magical time of special dispensation, where we experienced what a heaven could be like. Spirit and matter were one, and we did not have to deal with any worldly attitudes or problems. We were given the tools to go out and replicate this heaven on earth.Octavius added, "The earth man Jim Baker's life reads like an adventure drama movie. Let's just say he lived many lives in one life. It borders not believable, but all true. A very successful restaurateur in Hollywood, several times he was a millionaire. Then he evolved into the #1 son of Yogi Bhajan, a very well known Master of the Sikh religion. Grew out of that which was a big political spiritual trip to leave. He started the Source Restaurant and morning meditations. He was meditating by himself because that is what he did. Then people started coming. The vegetarian restaurant was the first of its kind on the West Coast, or anywhere as far as I know. He was very informed about health food and healthy living. He was curious about all the energies the kids had in the '70's. He called them fallen angels. Los Angeles (the angels). He was very charismatic, obviously. He hired people at first. After that, more kids and adults would be curious and drop by. Only the people who had the right, I don't know what, wanted to stay. Big commitment, really. The restaurant supported us. We all worked there. We were all taken care of." I have had the pleasure of speaking with these men on the phone. Isis says, "you could not come across a greater bunch of men than these," and I am inclined to agree. They all have their unique personalities, however all come across as sincere and intense spiritual men with a sense of humor that also happen to be musicians. They all speak so highly of this man who was and is their father and teacher. Sunflower talks about witnessing so many miracles, one of which in particular is talked about in the interview below. You'll know it when you get to it. Sunflower says, "He was to me the most extraordinary man to have walked the face of this planet in at least my lifetime, and contributed much to the times in which he lived. He died as a result of a hang-gliding accident in 1975, and the Family went out to do their own thing after that. We have all stayed in touch through the desire to have those days back." I must admit that before I started this process, I had many misconceptions about what this group was about, but as I learned more and more the illusions began to fall away. Also, before I started I loved some of the music, but some of it I just couldn't get. Once I learned the context in which the music was created, it all started to make brilliant sense. As Djin says, "Context is the focalizer. The music is a treasure for us all. Father was so sincere and caring for humanity all his life, the music was just a continuation of his attempts to help improve people." Sunflower says, "This music was created all spontaneous from start to finish. Creating this music was a complete experience." Djin has recently made a beautiful album called Destiny of America. He also says, "Coda Records in Florida (www.coda-records.com) is going to re-release the box set in English as individual CD's, and make the 4 remaining YHW13 recordings from the '70's era, not yet put out, available. This should happen around Christmas. Of course, because Father left the body in '75, and the family dispersed in '77, there weren't any more recordings made. However, the musicians Octavius, Sunflower, Pythias, Rhythm, myself and other various sons and daughters of Yahowha who are in the world plan on regrouping at some point in the near future to add to the tradition of YHW13 music. We are also soon going to publish a great book of teachings of YHW, to share with you our "Aquarian Path" of self-development and Magical Transformation. We are also using the funds from the music to help purchase land in Hawaii for a retreat and spiritual center where we can all gather, learn and celebrate the Aquarian Age." I have no doubt you will find their experiences and perspectives truly fascinating, and I certainly hope you will approach it with an open mind... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------INTERVIEW: PSF: Who did Father Yod claim to be? SUNFLOWER: It all started with the process of evolution that was predominant in the 60's beginning with the Yogi's that came from India and were teaching Yoga everywhere. They were charging money and weren't hitting the mark with respect to the generation of hippies whose awareness came from the culture here in America. Jim Baker, who was a very heavy individual to start with, started with the Yoga and when he realized there was a path that was more in tune with the times, he naturally evolved into the stage where the Father was the consciousness that was needed. Father Yod was the start of the Source Family. You can't have a Family without a Father. OCTAVIUS: Father Yod did not claim to be anybody besides a pilgrim that wanted to share what he was discovering daily. He was always excited and positive about the mystery. The name Father Yod was one of several names in an evolution of his own making. He was in many ways a spiritual kick-anybody's-ass Peter Pan. In short, he was a total Man's Man. A guy who stood the tallest in all situations. A spiritual adventurer who basically called out the Laws of the Universe to see what they were made of - to test the ancient wisdom and put the Laws to work for us "little kiddies." PSF: Was he looked upon as a guru, and did he give initiations? OCTAVIUS: He was not looked upon like a "Guru" even though he was a teacher. Most of us were real young and related to him more like a father, teacher, example, man - supplemented a lot of dynamics as you can well imagine. And there were no initiations other than being put in an environment where you had only to deal with your own reflection every moment of the day by every one around you. About 150 people all the time on an average. Trippy, trippy, a real stretch. People like the reality TV that is the latest craze. He used to say that if they put a camera on us we would have a hit show. SUNFLOWER: He was looked upon as a Father. The Father that none of us ever had. A Father who was conscious in the higher truths and passed them on to his Children, the same as our physical Father might have done providing he was conscious (and none were). The only initiation was when you finally realized that you had found your Earthly Spiritual Father. After that we practiced certain teachings that were only for the Family Members, and when you were ready these teachings were freely given, however the pearls were never cast before the swine. DJIN: Father was the "first earthly spiritual father for the Aquarian Age," when all fathers of the flesh will also be fathers of spirit, and there will be no longer any need for gurus, masters or priests as middlemen between man and God. Yes, he gave initiations, but not in the sense of individual promotions. They were given in accordance with "cosmic timing of spiritual events" we were in harmony with at the time. PSF: How did you come in contact with Father Yod? SUNFLOWER: At the Yoga class with Yogi Bhajan - that's kind of a long story for me. b
r />DJIN: I was told about him when I was living and singing in Chicago by a friend of mine, James, who had friends already there in L.A. He thought my music reflected the family spirit and that father would blow my mind, so we came out together in '71 on July 4th, Father's birthday. OCTAVIUS: I met Father Yod '71 or '72, something like that. I was a musician trying to stay alive in Hollywood; a little record stuff, some touring, radio, a little TV, you know, stuff. I was going to go to Las Vegas with John Davidson Kraft Music Hall, etc., 1500 a week room and board. On the day I was to go for the first practice, I joined the Source. I gave up my drums and everything else. Of course, before I did, he wanted me to play with Sunflower who I had heard played bass. He came and listened to us playing in the dining room of the mother house, just the two of us, and was excited. Since music is what I did and who I was, he decided to make me the head of the music. That was the beginning of the music thing, and I became the recording engineer, (and was also) mixing, building the studio, pressing the albums, etc., because I knew how. Well that sounded good to me, unknowing that it was his way to purge me of many things. "Destroy to build again." I was really in pursuit of a spiritual life. He was everything I needed on so many different levels. I stayed till the end. I was there entirely to absorb every drop of knowledge, life experience, wisdom, that he gave me. To this day, I thank Ya Ho Wa. PYTHIAS: I started playing when I was 12. By the time I was 19, I had joined the family, began playing improv with the family and Father. Father created a feeling of freedom in the music as if we could do no wrong, so we just played whatever came to us. At that point, spirit and the music became one. It was all about the feeling and the message. What a natural high. PSF: How did your meeting influence your life at that time and long term? SUNFLOWER: It changed my direction in my life immediately. I quit my band and started washing dishes at the Source. That meeting changed the way I would interpret everything for the rest of this and I'm sure many lifetimes to come. DJIN: I wasn't immediately impressed, because the family meditated on sheepskins and I was a profound harmlessness freak, but felt moved by something unknown. Later in my life after he was out of the body, I met my flesh uncle as I was put up for adoption before I was born, and found out that Jim Baker was my mother's mentor in Hollywood where I was born in '48. My mother died in '54, so not knowing all of this found my way back to Father on my own inner guidance. Now that's what I call destiny. Father and I always had and have a special connection, which although speaking for myself, I was only subconsciously aware of back in '72. Whether he was conscious of this or not at that time I cannot say, but that I was his accompanist in the music which is like being two halves of one coin, and that he and I were both way into the Most Ancient Name of God YHWH is a deep indication of our destiny on Earth together, and in this First Family of the Golden Age of Aquarius. ISIS: Jim was really our Father/Mother, and everyone who came was magnetized by the power of his love and wisdom. Although he used many of the teachings from the Yogi, Jim had a lot of ideas of his own, and he drew truths from many diverse philosophies and spiritual paths. PSF: When did Father Yod come into his awareness of who he was? SUNFLOWER: Very early on. In the beginning there was Jim Baker who was studying yoga with Yogi Bhajan from India. When he realized that the teachings were missing some all important truths, he decided to open up the Source restaurant on Sundays to teach what was channeling through him, and when people began to come on Sundays, Father Yod was born. DJIN: According to father, he knew he was going to have to be the first Earthly Spiritual Father for the Aquarian age when he was in India with Yogi Bhajan. Father saw the Yogi as his father, but the Yogi didn't want to take on that concept, so father knew then that it must be his mission to set the example of being the ultimate physical and spiritual father and show us what most of us missed from life so that we could pass it on to future generations. PSF: What did you call yourselves? DJIN: We called ourselves sons and daughters of Yahowha, but we were actually disciples of the ancient wisdom teachings of all ages. PSF: How and when did the children of Yahowha form? Your albums were released in the '70's, but you all got together at some point in the '60's? SUNFLOWER: I was the first in the family, and I had just come off the road in the '60's traveling a lot with my band. I was complaining that there was no music in the family, and left for a short time. Father told me to be patient and when I returned there was Octavius who had joined, and then Djin. DJIN: There was first Ahom, his wife, and Sunflower who came from the Yogi's group with Jim Baker around '69. Soon after he became Father Yod. Then others began to come to work at the restaurant and listen to father teach. PSF: What was his relationship with the Source restaurant - did he own it, run it? DJIN: He owned it and ran it himself at first till the family grew. SUNFLOWER: Jim Baker started the Source and the family ran it. Damian was the manager. PSF: Why vegetarianism? SUNFLOWER: We did not feel that man has the right to kill another sentient being. There are too many chemicals in the processed meats of today that are harmful. All of the truly enlightened beings are vegetarian. DJIN: We believe this was the first diet given to mankind, that it is part of the humane and ethical path of harmlessness, and that we are physically made to eat this way. We have 24 feet of intestines, unlike a carnivores of 10 feet, because our foods need to ferment and meat needs to pass out quickly. Our teeth, unlike a carnivores, are mostly flat. We like to say, "we don't eat anything that would run away if it could." PSF: Where was the restaurant? DJIN: Sunset and Sweetzer in Hollywood, on the Northwest corner, between Crescent Heights and La Cienega. We were the first major health food restaurant in Los Angeles that was successful and served all local organic produce and raw dairy. PSF: What were the logistics of the living situation back then? Obviously 150 or so people didn't all live in the same house. Did you live in various houses on the same property, or did some people live elsewhere and commute there every day? OCTAVIUS: It was an evolution. It wasn't suddenly all of us. In the early days, there were only a few. DJIN: At first people lived in their own places, then they started to move in with each other until around '71 when the restaurant was doing very well and we rented a mansion beneath Griffith park which had 22 rooms and an Olympic size swimming pool. All this time Father lived in his one room above the Source restaurant. Then, to step up our training program, to become more one and selfless, Father moved us to a 3 bedroom house tucked away in Nichols Canyon. We numbered about 140 with children, so to provide sleeping accommodations for everyone, the children all lived together in a large den room off the backyard, and the adults lived in what we called cubbyholes which were like beehive type 3 foot by 6 foot spaces our carpenters built vertically coming out of the walls, two rows high stacked so we got about 30 people in one room. Then we had a few platforms hidden outside in the bush. We were pretty private up there to pull it off. PSF: That produces quite a stunning mental image - thankfully the authorities didn't know about that. You guys probably broke hundreds of building codes! DJIN: No, we did everything u
p to code, we just didn't pull permits or ask permission. PSF: Basically people had just enough room to lie down? DJIN: Lie down or sit up and meditate. OCTAVIUS: If you had a woman, you could remove a partition. PSF: Were they comfortable - mattresses and wall coverings, etc.? DJIN: Yes, but austere. PSF: How did the platforms outside work? DJIN: They were mainly for sexual privacy, but people took naps out there. PSF: Did people live outside? DJIN: No, not really. PSF: Did Father live with you all at that point? DJIN: Yes. SUNFLOWER: We all had a bedroll and very few (no) possessions. We all lived in the same house, and when it was time to sleep you would roll it up. OCTAVIUS: It seems like a dream to me now. Just like he said it would. I learned more about the human being and its ways - mass psychology, and many more aspects of us as a creature, bound to habitual responses and learned behaviors than I could have if I had gone for a PhD. He used to say we were in a "spiritual boot camp." We lived as a group wherever we went. It was always a movie whenever we went anywhere. SUNFLOWER: Ours was a family as in nature there is a father and a mother. The children of the 60's were lost in drugs and most had come to the end of their path as hippies. We offered a way to stay high and be free on the next level of being. The hippies had experienced the ways of communal living, however they needed the concept of how things work in nature to hold their communes and lifestyles together. Ours worked because we were not followers of someone that held a position of power over their followers. This is the reason that Father had the lasting concept. PSF: What was a typical day like? DJIN: A typical day at the Source, wow! The beginning of all of everyone's days for seven years in some cases was exactly the same in form, though differing in substance. Let me first say no one came in to the family owning anything. Material possessions were either given away outside or to the family, but we all began with nothing, and if you left it was nothing, as in life, and this was a rebirth. Our "aim" is to 1) Purify the body, 2) Refine the Emotions, 3) Elevate the Mind and 4) Liberate the Soul so that we can be of service to humanity. So our days were spent with that aim in mind in all we did, spoke and thought directing our wills through our daily work. Our meditation, chanting, yoga, conscious breathing, sometimes recording spontaneous music, but above all hearing the WORD of Father Yod/Yahowha, who for an eternal moment in time showed us the "promised land" locked up inside of each and everyone. At about 7 AM, those of us who had duties to perform got to it with "energy, intelligence, truth and love," our 9th commandment. At the restaurant, there was prepping to be done, and when the doors opened it was jump to light speed for the next 8 hours of your shift. The restaurant was every prospective member's testing ground, and the source of our physical support and service to the community of L.A. It took 33 people to run her each day. Behind was a redwood temple and meeting place for candidates. Along side that was an exercise area where brothers and sisters met with people who wanted to know what we were about and hang upside down, literally. When we weren't working we were studying the ancient teachings of Quablah, Tarot, Masonry, White Magic, but most importantly of all the Essene teachings of health of body/mind. It takes more than wishing to create heaven on earth. OCTAVIUS: Everything that occurred had a meaning and a purpose. It never ended. There was no time off. The door was always open. Anyone could leave anytime, and some upon just arriving to meditate in the morning were so caught off guard because of their own preconceptions about what it all was, would literally jump up and run out because they couldn't handle the voltage. I'm laughing out loud right now just remembering some of those times. What a movie it was. PSF: There's a Rolls Royce on the cover of the Savage Sons album. Were the sons and daughters of Yahowha a wealthy group? SUNFLOWER: The family had a lot of money from the restaurant. This was put into the pot, and the women were dressed, and the image was that of success - not of poverty. That Rolls Royce was bought brand new for $34,000. DJIN: We weren't wealthy, we just worked hard and served what people wanted and needed. Our restaurant did very well, and we were open from 8AM to 12 Midnight, 6 days a week. We also had a book and record store attached. PSF: Is this where you sold the Ya Ho Wa 13 albums? Were other of your teachings available there in book format? DJIN: This is where we sold our albums and father's book, Liberation, which contained the 10 commandments. I like to call them the 10 codes of conduct rather than commandments to not usurp the Mosaic ones. PSF: Tell me what you can about the tenants of Father Yod's teachings and the "Aquarian Path?" Do you still use and live these teachings in your day to day life today? DJIN: I still live by the ten commandments of the age of Aquarius father channeled in 1970 and are in his book Liberation. They are simple, but profound, and offer the person looking for a higher code of conduct a footing. PSF: Was this ever published or only disseminated within your group? DJIN: Father published it himself and we sold it for $1 at the restaurant. PSF: Is this something that can or will be made available to people? DJIN: Yes, soon we will re-release it. PSF: Are the 10 commandments you speak of something you'd be willing to share here? DJIN: Sure, here goes: Obey and live by the teachings of your earthly spiritual father. Love your earthly spiritual father more than yourself. Harm not one of your body parts either by neglect, food, drink or knife. Allow each vibration to complete its own cycle without interference. Possess nothing you do not need and share all that you have. The man and his woman are one - let nothing separate them. Squander not your creative force in lust, but come together only when the three vibrations of the physical, emotional and mental are in harmony with spiritual love. Each morning join your vibrations with the ascending currents of universal life energy using the method your earthly spiritual father has taught you. Do every act energetically, intelligently, truthfully and lovingly. When these commandments have been mastered, leave the house of your earthly spiritual father and do the work of your heavenly father. PSF: It sounds like the teachings were used as a guide and people weren't expected to be perfect in their execution of them. Was there leniency towards people breaking the guidelines that were set within the group? DJIN: Yes, to some degree, but not much. PSF: Were people discouraged from repeating undesired behavior? DJIN: Sure. PSF: Were people ever kicked out for not respecting the guidelines? DJIN: Yes. PSF: Does it bother you that your group is sometimes referred to as a cult? SUNFLOWER: Yes and no. Personally anyone can refer to anyone however they want and labels don't personally affect me, however the term signifies something that we were not nor had any part in. We were continuously mislabeled. When we went to Kauai to live, they called us the Manson Cult and we were run off of the Island. The thing that bothers me is that we were the purest form of the communes anywhere and we were continuously seen through the persecuting eyes of the ignorant. DJIN: People have said many things in ignorance about what they saw us as, not really giving it any intellige
nt thought. No problem. One must have the courage of their convictions in anything they want to do out of the norm. OCTAVIUS: I couldn't care less about being referred to as a cult. Don't forget a cult is really a group of people that are just a few members short of being a religion. PSF: How were the sons and daughters of Yahowha named, and what was the significance of the naming? DJIN: Father named us for what or who we really were or what we needed to attain. SUNFLOWER: All of the Family names were spontaneous. My son was named Sol Amon, God of the Sun. All of the names had some spiritual meanings. PSF: Were children considered sacred in some way to your group? DJIN: Absolutely, but savages. PSF: The front and back cover of Expansion show 2 children being held in very high regard. DJIN: They're both Sol Amon, the first born in the family. That's a picture of Jim Baker before Father Yod. THE YA HO WA 13 INTERVIEW Sunflower, Octavius, Father Yod & Djin from back in the early 70's at the Source Family Band Room in Los Angeles photo courtesy of Source Archives-Isisby Gary Bearman (Part 2 of 3)PSF: Was there a lot of promiscuity (it was the heart of the sexual revolution after all)? Were you nudists? SUNFLOWER: Nudists - yes, promiscuity - not tolerated. DJIN: There was some promiscuity at first, but with the teachings it couldn't last. We were nudists to some degree, but more modest. We believed the human form was a great magnificent gift from the creator and the temple of the holy spirit, and not to be defiled or lusted after. PSF: Is it true Father had 13 wives? DJIN: Actually, he had 12 wives and 1 "mother angel" he regarded as his true complementary opposite. They all chose to be with him of their own free will. The women in the family were free to seek their own highest affinity without negativity. This promoted our learning to drop jealousy, envy, competition, etc. SUNFLOWER: The thing about consciousness is that women are attracted to the ones who have the truths and manifest them. Those that don't usually are not as desirable to some women, especially in the Family. He was the center of all of the wonder that was manifested, and certain women could not be with anyone else. If two women came to you out of the blue and both refused to go anywhere else, how can you tell one of them, "I love you," and the other to "leave"? This would mean that your love is based on the ability to pick and choose and not given freely in its purest form. The women were given other "tests" to see just how clear they were with this, but these 13 women were just with Father and no one else. They were the Council by whom certain problems were discussed and solved with the wisdom only a woman can provide. OCTAVIUS: Now the question that is, was, and always has been a big curiosity for all red blooded, breathing creatures of both sexes. "Is it true he had 13 wives?" "And, what was going on there with all that, and all those people and scantily dressed women and babies???" Please, please tell me before my own tweaked mind takes over again. In the heart of Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. in downtown humanity, people were shocked from their slumber and raised to curiosity. All humanity is subconsciously blueprinted to participate in the cosmic Law of Gender and the merging of opposites. It is like noticing from the mountain top which way the river flows. Sorry, you see what it has done to me. I start teaching at the drop of a question. About the women, how can I explain? Oh yeah, "The Law of Correspondence." The family was structured in the same way nature is structured. The Fractal is one. "As above, so below, as below, so above." The planets revolve around the Sun. The bigger the Sun, the larger the system. In Nature, gender plays out the same dance. In the atomic world, the electrons and protons are interrelated through the electromagnetic charge of Gender. Men and women are attracted and repulsed from each other just like everything else. So a big bright positive Sun, source of light, is a strong attraction for women as well as men in a different dynamic. He used to say with a "Cheshire Cat" grin, "all the women are mine, son." Then he would laugh a deep Santa laugh and say, "they are with you because they want to be, and because you are treating them properly, but if you make them unhappy they will just come back to me because I am the sun. I am constant, positive and they are secure that I will not mistreat them. So in this way I am letting you experience women in her purest nature. So if you are a Godman, then you will be uninvolved with what the feminine nature does, for everything she does, she does subconsciously being my daughter, to help bring you to your full maturity as a son of god." (A jagged pill for an earthman to stomach.) Like nature, some revolving planets did not want to be anywhere but next to him. There were eventually 12 women which for some reason or another were constant. They were referred to as "The Mothers," and one women was referred to as "his mother," the 13th woman. He was very powerful . He actually could and apparently wanted to be balanced by that much feminine energy (not my cup of tea). He handled it like nothing you have ever seen. Being with the opposite gender is mostly about communication, not sex. Union is the given. PSF: What part did sex, and more specifically, tantric sex play in the family? What was the philosophy or teachings regarding sex in the group? DJIN: We believed sex was sacred and a power not to be toyed with, but absolutely important to be mastered and understood for what it could do when properly used to regenerate people. The women were free to choose their affinity and change without negativity. The men were to stay focused on spirit and not pursue women. PSF: When you say they weren't to pursue women, was it OK for them to be sexual if they were pursued, or were they abstinent for a period of time there? DJIN: No abstinence. They were to show non-differentiation to the women and accept whoever came to them. SUNFLOWER: Sex is the highest form of energy used to direct man to consciousness. There are many traps within the direction of this energy all the way from lower forms of lust and desire, to the attainment of enlightenment. This is a very secret and not attainable state for most beings, and requires a tremendous amount of control over the senses to be understood. Most will never achieve what is possible. PSF: Why did Father Yod have 13 wives? Was the purpose of this to demonstrate the futility of jealousy? DJIN: It was only tangently a challenge to Western society's monogamous marriage institution, and it did demonstrate that it could work, but mainly it was a cosmic formula for anchoring a certain positive consciousness into the kingdom of flesh; i.e. the 12 around the one thing. He personally worked on and prepared these 13 to become the council mothers to the rest of the family so we could be self governing without one as a head. ISIS: The most revolutionary concept he introduced into the family was liberating all women. He raised women up as "God's first creation," and allowed each woman to do as she pleased, choosing her work, choosing her mate, freely expressing her soul as the creative force of the universe. This freedom resulted in many women choosing him. And his great love and concern for women influenced him to want to give them what they wanted and needed. The result was that quite early in the growth of the family, Jim began to bring other women into his relationship. There was a point when he asked Robin for a divorce, but asked her to stay in the family. Robin never left, but she did not send in the divorce papers. When Father became Father Yod and into Yahowha, Makushla re
placed Robin in Father's heart and became his other half, his mother/angel. She was the one who was with him constantly. Father continued to accept other women, and Makushla had to handle the same anguish of sharing him that Robin had. Most of the young women who were attracted to the family were irresistibly attracted to Father and wanted to be "his woman." Almost all he attempted to turn back to serve his sons. He would say, "If you love me, serve my sons." Usually to no avail. It was the freedom of the women to choose the godman they wanted to be with in a closed group with a relatively fixed number of choices (although new sons and daughters did constantly flow in, as some flowed out), that resulted in some sons and Father being surrounded by clusters of women, and other sons being left as singletons. It was the women themselves who created the unions within the family, and it was their free choice that formed polygamous groupings. Father taught that a godman should be passive in such matters, not signaling preference or pursuing any particular woman. He taught that his sons should be one-pointed into God, and that any woman who came should be graciously accepted as a gift from God, without judgment. So the sons were like rocks in the lake, and the women swam around from rock to rock as they chose. Father also taught that a woman would always desert her current mate for a higher affinity. Thus a man could not hold onto a woman, and must allow her to come and go as the fluctuating pulse of the creative force of God. Thus Father allowed the women to create the family in its many metamorphoses. There was never a dull moment! PSF: Did the current events of the times influence the direction of your group in any way? I'm speaking of things like the sexual revolution, civil rights, women's rights, the Summer of Love, Woodstock, Vietnam, Watergate, etc.? DJIN: Yes, of course. In my opinion, Father's Source was the ultimate protest and drop out from contributing to all the negativity while living in the love the hippies were trying to hold on to. PSF: Were you/are you pacifists? SUNFLOWER: No DJIN: We would defend our women and children if threatened, but not go out of our way to fight someone. PSF: All of the musicians in the group played before you joined the Source? SUNFLOWER: All of the musicians were previously adept. PSF: How did it come about that such a unique spiritual group decided to create music? DJIN: Father knew the power of music to influence the young and old, and that he had a number of accomplished musicians in the family. We didn't get into spontaneous music 'til father started playing with us and singing wisdom teachings, a new genre created. Father had us press only 9 of over 65 albums we recorded. Most of the rest were destroyed in carelessness, some of my favorites too. PSF: Wow! Most all of the albums you released were within a 2 year period. Were all 65 albums recorded with in that period primarily? DJIN: Yes! SUNFLOWER: I had been a very successful musician in the Hollywood scene, and when I came to the family there was no music, then naturally when the other brothers came in one by one there was a tremendous talent and it evolved. We had a bid grand piano at the big house in Griffith park, and that's where we started to record on a Teac 4 track. OCTAVIUS: We created music because we had pent up musicians and egos to deal with that needed the refiners fire, so the master blacksmith came and joined us in the ring of fire. His fire roared as he beat the edges of our swords. The music started when Father Yod found musicians among us. Everything that happened in the music was first about teaching the people involved to get over themselves. After all, musicians are among the biggest egos. There we were, musicians more or less accomplished to different degrees, but all of us could play. After we had gone through many different configurations of the people who wanted to be playing music and what worked and what kind of music we would play, what the point was and all the dynamics of will and ego, he stepped in. He then told us he was going to play too. No one was aware that he played or sang, really. Well that was when the fire went up. We no longer would be playing anything rehearsed. Only spontaneous sound that would penetrate all minds and be a vehicle for the wisdom. The mind says all the things it will say about the music per se, but the wisdom that is carried by sound will be planted no matter what. The mind cannot stop the truth in this format. That is why we love it, because it arrests the thinking mind and sets it on fire. The more you listen without thought, the more beneficial and cleansing it can be. Try listening with no thought the whole time, if you can. All the time the music itself was the soundtrack to planting seeds of wisdom in a disguised manner without the interference of Left Brain. Sometimes we would play and people would stop in their tracks, stunned, as if a bright light was suddenly shined on them in the dark. To this day I laugh with the power of it when done in consciousness. By the way, this all occurred between 3AM to 6AM every, yes, every day. We the band, and different configurations with Yahowha, would go into the studio (soundproofed garage) and record the moment he walked through the door. Then later for the albums we just put the music. His voice was pure fire to me. His kettledrum beat had a life of its own. In the beginning, I was in musician's ego HELL. He knew it too. It wasn't long before I could observe myself going through a total mental trip while I was playing. So the music was cleansing me at the same time we played it. Incredible!!! All of us got soooo burned. All that was left was the Good Stuff. The reason on one level for the albums was that it was just the next thing to do. It was ahead of its time. We planted seeds. The "Spirit of 76" was 13 people who wanted, needed, had to be part of the music. We even played at the "WHISKEY" on Sunset Blvd. one night. There we were, coming from our own little heaven to play a gig in downtown Hell. Wow! Get the picture? Oh these memories. "The densest form of spirit is in the material, little kiddies." DJIN: We were in a garage/manger converted into a studio. We recorded on an 4 track Teac 1/2" with Sennheiser mikes. All recordings with Father took as long to record as it takes to listen to. He wanted the raw honesty of the eternal now. PSF: How many albums were pressed? DJIN: As I recall, I remember either YHW13 or Principles was a 5,000 copy run, and all the others were 500 or 1,000. PSF: Was the entire community present when you played and Father Yod sang? SUNFLOWER: No. Generally, people would disperse to go to work at the Restaurant, and we had to work hard and didn't have all of our equipment to go into the studio to play. We would generally finish at around 10AM and go to do our other duties. I made the Family Jewelry - over 5000 pieces for all to wear. DJIN: Octavius rigged up speakers in the gathering room for the family, and they listened there if duty didn't call. PSF: What did the sons and daughters of Yahowha think at first with the teachings being spoken and sung to them with psychedelic music playing in the background? It must have been quite a trip?! DJIN: There were mixed responses, to the extremes. SUNFLOWER: Everyone loved the music. We would always end our morning meditation with listening to the tapes from the day before, and then go into the studio to play some more. PSF: Did you believe that the energy that Father Yod and Ya Ho Wa 13 contained could be transferred to people through listening to the music? DJIN: Good question. Yes, absolutely the best medium. SUNFLOWER: It was designed to be a vehicle that would attract tho
se who could relate. It was always felt that music was the biggest influence of the free loving spirits of the times, and that was the way to reach the most souls. PSF: Why did you release albums? Was part of the purpose of releasing music an attempt to gather more followers, or at least to transfer the energy to people who would hear this? Was the intention to enlighten people or raise the vibration of the planet in any way? DJIN: All of the above, right on. SUNFLOWER: The intent was always to be seen and heard in a way that would offer our teachings and our leadership to all in a big way, but Father never sought followers. Ours was not a cult, and so followers were the one thing we did not encourage. PSF: No offense, but Father Yod didn't exactly have the most melodic of voices, although it does certainly have its own charms. What made him decide he wanted to sing? DJIN: He wanted to archive the wisdom teachings on record and have fun doing it. SUNFLOWER: He was the voice that had the talent to be spontaneous. He always tried to have someone else step up to the plate, but as they say, "that was a tough act to follow," and in his presence it was obvious that no one could. Besides that, he loved to have the music. That was his time to have fun, so to speak. OCTAVIUS: I think it is fair to say that everyone would agree that he wanted to play, and have people to play with and teach people how to play. PSF: Why the name "Spirit of 76" - what was the significance of that? SUNFLOWER: The 200 year anniversary of the USA. DJIN: We had 8 VW buses with the spare tire covers painted with the obverse and reverse of the great seal of the U.S. We also had the seal as our restaurant sign on Sunset. Father taught us that the founding fathers of our country were divinely inspired to create this land of freedom for all, and that the movement of the Hebrews from slavery to individual rights here was our destined purpose -76 as in 1776. PSF: In listening to many of the earlier albums, it seems like Father had a great sense of humor and a high level of irreverence, though certainly a great deal of sincerity. Please say more about this and his personality in disseminating his teachings. DJIN: Well, he did make sure we had a lot of laughs, and considering the weight of what we were doing in the midst of a society and ourselves in upheaval, the laughter was like medicine. He made spirit fun and pleasurable, unlike the heaviness of the worlds' religions which he did have a certain irreverence for because of how they, more than not, mislead people about god, heaven, hell, life/death, purpose and plan, etc. SUNFLOWER: He was free of personality. My son was the first born in the family, and when he was born, he was born dead. Father raised him up and said, "God, if you let this child live, I will never speak anything but the word of God again." He blew his breath into my son and he came alive. Thus he never spoke anything but the word of God again. This is the picture of Father holding the baby on one of the albums. He never taught with personality. PSF: Were the albums released in the order they were recorded? SUNFLOWER: Yes PSF: Kohoutek - is this totally improvised, even the women singing on it in the background? DJIN: Totally improvised - no editing or overdubbing, even the women singing.PSF: Who is the woman singing on this? DJIN: Which, there are several? The high voice was Aquariana who stands out, the rich lower voice is Ahom. There was also Cinderella. PSF: What was the influence of the coming of the comet Kohoutek on the group? DJIN: Kohoutek was the cosmic emissary that transformed Father Yod into Yahowha. He recognized it as kind of an anointing presence of God consciousness. PSF: On Kohoutek, Father Yod says, "At any given time only a few can hear." Please speak more about this. DJIN: He was putting the musical message out to reach the few that rise up at the end of an age and start a new age having mastered the lessons that dominate the previous age to bring forth soul qualities that can inspire a new age, like passing grades. These are the courageous ones who individualize to attain levels of consciousness and sensitivity that the "masses" who blindly follow the trends cannot. The prophecy of the 144,000 exemplars of a "new day on earth" are such as these. However, prophecies don't always come true in the way we may expect them to, so not to be taken literally, necessarily. SUNFLOWER: Even with such a magnificent example and being in his presence, many had no idea what he was about. Very few could get past their own personality and ego to be able to truly understand what he was about. The lifestyle and the teachings were not something for the weak PSF: Contraction and Expansion - these are beautiful albums with truly wonderful musicianship. Are the two related? DJIN: Yeah, as I recall we did them two days in a row back to back. The musicianship was tops, and all of our instruments and band room were new then so we were stoked. I think a lot of the excitement then was because spontaneous recording with singing was a leap of faith to us, and created the tension that is indicative of yhw's music. By the way, I used a dogs bone on my guitar to get that high pitch slide sound on Expansion/Contraction. SUNFLOWER: They were recorded in two days - Expansion first, and then Contraction. PSF: On Contraction he talks about the Akashic records, and says the teachings are all in there. DJIN: Yes, it's a term for the memory banks of the universal mind. Science even now admits that somewhere in the universe the sounds of the dinosaurs are still reverberating and theoretically could be heard with the right technology. PSF: He also says on Contraction that you are Jesus, and that the story is to show you the path. What did he mean by that? Was he a follower of Jesus? SUNFLOWER: The story of Jesus was an ancient way of concealing the many truths. If you follow a certain path as is concealed in the story, you too can be the Jesus consciousness. Example: Jesus carried his own cross (burdens) to the top of the Hill at Golgotha (crown in the pineal). When he entered the cave and the stone was rolled back in three and a half days, he was risen to the flesh again. This is the story of reincarnation, where the soul returns to be born again in three 1/2 days. In the early times of Catholicism, people were being crucified for everything against the Church. The truths had to be concealed in a story that would last. The Bible has been rewritten so many times that it is difficult to find the original purpose. The truths are all in the Akashic records that are possible for their initiate to access and read. DJIN: He followed only the voice of god, yhwh (Yahweh), within, and taught us how to recognize and do that too. The story of Jesus in the bible, there are many other stories of him too, is a Qabalistic mystery school teaching to inspire and guide the disciple, one who takes knowledge. Jesus, meaning Jah, saves or liberates, is a story of an Aquarian age person, a future being, who was destined to inspire large numbers of people to self develop over lifetimes on earth, and then, having graduated, to express their attainment at the end of the Piscean age, today. This was the purpose of our family, to liberate the Jesus Mary, son/daughter of yhwh in the now. PSF: All or Nothing at All - who is on the front cover? OCTAVIUS: From Left to Right is: Aquariana, Zoraster, Electric, Djin, Ahom, cannot remember his name, Octavius, Omega, and Sunflower. PSF: Who is the woman in the center? DJIN: Ahom, who was Jim Baker's legal wife before
the family - a great voice. She was in Hair for a while, I believe, at the old Aquarius theatre near Sunset and Vine. PSF: What is the significance of the title? DJIN: Many things. For instance, to be in our family one had to give up all they thought they possessed and were, or they received nothing at all because they couldn't join. PSF: Who sung on this album? It's one album without Father and without the full jamming of other albums, almost like a folk album, but mostly singing about Father Yod and freedom. These are obviously rehearsed songs as opposed to some of the others? DJIN: It was kind of a devotional album that introduced his children, their compositions, and their mutual love for him and their new life of light and wisdom to the universe. OCTAVIUS: Let me reiterate - musicians have very big egos. On a mundane earth level, this album was for all the big egos that needed to be part of the music. The individuals that had spiritual songs, etc., and they wanted to be on the album. Father had to do something with them. The album cover name I think states in a way that is kind, the purpose of this album, and at that time there was no way we were ready for the spontaneous energy. PSF: Everyone on the cover is dressed similarly. Why did everyone wear these loose fitting robes? OCTAVIUS: The robes were what we wore every day except when we wore nothing. Again a number of reasons. We were modern day Essenes and robes are healthy simple garments that free the mind from vanity and declare holiness of the one wearing it. SUNFLOWER: The clothes were communal, and each day your angel would provide a robe to wear from the freshly cleaned homemade supply. This was the greatest way to dress, totally free from the burdens on your balls imposed by today's underwear and Levis. And it sure made a statement when you saw 250 people in one place on the Sunset Strip. PSF: Yahowa 13 - this album seems to be a transition and sounds also like it consisted of rehearsed songs? The lyrics don't seem particularly spiritual or seem to fit with some of the content of the Spirit of 76 albums. Please say more about this. DJIN: The YHW13 album was father's personal, sometimes hidden, sometimes confessional, message to women of the world. It was spontaneous, believe it or not, but it was the solid and basic 3 musicians who are on almost everything plus Father, so this album like Penetration had less complications than the others. I personally liked the four of us combination best because it afforded greater flexibility and freedom of expression, but was considerably more pressing to keep interesting. PSF: Why the change to the name Ya Ho Wa 13? DJIN: Ya ho Wa 13 is the name of the band because of the 13 original states and the number of change and unity and love in the Qabalah. OCTAVIUS: Technically, when father shed his animal skin he was known and referred to as Yahowha, not Father Yod. The band Ya Ho Wa 13 - the name is the higher octave of Yod He Vau He - the 13 is the esoteric "Christos," the light, the master (of ceremonies - ha ha), the 1 + the 3 of us. PSF: Savage Sons of Yahowa - perhaps my favorite album, but I have several I love. This album didn't include Father at all and is also an album of rehearsed songs? There aren't any references to Father Yod and the lyrics are ALMOST (but a little too edgy to be entirely) mainstream rock. OCTAVIUS: Savage Sons was the result of fulfilling what the core musicians wanted to play. We wanted to play some good rehearsed music. The cuts are the best of material written by the musicians themselves. All of the progression was for us. Led by father, he slowly let us complete our own desires, all the while turning the temperature of the spiritual tension up, preparing us "to go where no sane man has gone before." PSF: Who was Electron on the Savage Sons album? DJIN: A brother who came from South L.A. SUNFLOWER: Electron is the big scary looking black brother. He wrote that song "Fire in the Sky." It was always a pleasure to watch him perform. Intimidating to say the least. This album was some of the rehearsed stuff, although we never really spent much time rehearsing - pretty spontaneous also. OCTAVIUS: Yes, that is the one and only "ELECTRON." You should have seen him when he played. People were not sure if he was only going to play the music, or if he was going to jump off the stage and attack them. It was fabulous!!! PSF: Was this the only album he appeared on? DJIN: Yes. PSF: Is he the one with the deep voice on songs like "Fire in the Sky?" OCTAVIUS: Yes, the only song of his that was on the album. He had some others, but they were very deep and dark. DJIN: I dug playing on his songs. PSF: Penetration: An Aquarian Symphony - a brilliant album, and considered a classic with some amazing psychedelic jamming with Father teaching, whistling and singing over the top. In the box set, there's a press release that says among other things that "there's a saying among those who have listened to Penetration three times - that the listener finds it impossible to listen to any other sound after that." Do you literally believe that to be true? DJIN: Yes. It means if you listen 3 times and put the normal rehearsed and structured sounds on immediately afterward, your soul's audio receptors will tend to reject the structured constricted sound of contrived music, that is if you really listen not just as ambient music, but with devoted attention. SUNFLOWER: Great promotion, but we all listen to other things too. I have a band that I am in now that is for real a cross between Cream and Jimi Hendrix that sounds a lot like some Van Halen thrown in. I love it. I am going to produce and distribute this also soon. OCTAVIUS: Father said that our music could not be played as background music. Turn it up, or turn it off. After experiencing "The Source," nothing is the same. PSF: I'm Gonna Take You Home - another classic album where there are some nice spoken parts by Father Yod that are easy to hear without the music playing (not to mention some killer psychedelic jamming). Please tell me more about the rather provocative cover and gatefold picture? DJIN: I could write a book on the cover. It is an absolute masterpiece of design, and probably the greatest cover in music history. Suffice it to say if you were to fully grok the meaning and symbology of it, you would have the keys to magically transform your person and environment into your hearts desire and ride the chariot of god into the future of your own will, one with god. PSF: To the Principles for the Children - what is meant by the title of this album? OCTAVIUS: A play on words. The great principles of truth for the children who have ears. DJIN: It has double meaning. The principles are they who are the care givers of the children. The more esoteric hidden meaning is a play on words, "to/two and for/four," as there are two basic principles in the universe, darkness and light, nothing and something, being and non-being etc., and their children or offspring the four symbols of which yhwh represents; fire, water, air and earth (matter). PSF: Golden Sunrise is the one with Sky Sunlight Saxon. These songs were rehearsed? How did he become involved with Father and the family? DJIN: I can't say exactly how Sunlight, then Sky Saxon, first met Father. I do know the Seeds had just broken up and Sky was drifting a bit when he met Father, and saw God in him. Sunlight was in and out of the family body because of his personal music career which was understandable to Father, and he never played with Father because Father sang solo to get the wisdom teachings across. Sunlight was di
rected by father, around 73, to do an album with the other music
Very interesting stuff.THE YA HO WA 13 INTERVIEW Father / Yahowha and Pythias, Djin, Octavius, Sunflower... Yahowha 13 band at the Source Family House in L.A.(early 1970's) By Gary Bearman (June 2002)In 1988, I bought a new book called After the Acid Trip - The Ultimate Psychedelic Music Guide by Vernon Joynson. In it a music group called Ya Ho Wa 13 is described as such: "this band of Hollywood misfits reputedly made at least 9 albums for Higher Key during the '70's." They are referred to as "musically very weird??? largely mellow, mystical and probably drug induced." In addition, there are pictures of two album covers - one has five men wearing only loincloths, all with bows and arrows crouching around and on top of a Rolls Royce. The other has a very intense looking older man in a white robe with a long beard singing and banging on a kettledrum. Once I finally got a chance to hear them, it became rapidly clear that there was something more than a little unusual going on here. Upon superficial listening, it sounded like a bunch of crazy musicians making a lot of truly wonderful and bewildering psychedelic music with this deep-voiced man talking, singing, whistling and sometimes screaming over the top of it. And the wild bizarre things he was saying??? Needless to say I was intensely curious about this mysterious group of people with names like Djin, Sunflower, Octavius, Pythias, Rhythm, all with the last name Aquarian, and their enigmatic leader Father Yod (rhymes with road). I was only able to hear a couple of reissued albums at the time since all the originals were ludicrously rare and expensive. For a long time I tried to find out more information about this group and what they were about, only to be met by a stunning lack of information. What scant information I did find was quite odd, and still the group seemed somehow cloaked in mystery. Then lo and behold - the heavens opened and I was to discover in 1998 that they released a limited edition 13-cd box set on the Japanese Captain Trip label called God and Hair - Yahowha Collection! Here were more pictures of Father Yod, the band and a large group of longhaired men, women and children that all seemed to live together. One of the albums covers even has Father Yod pictured with a woman in a sexual tantric position! I learned that there were 9 original albums. The first four were released under the name "Father Yod and the Spirit of 76." These were Kohoutek, Contraction, Expansion and All or Nothing at All. The remaining 5 were released under the name "Ya Ho Wa 13." These were Yahowa 13, Savage Sons of Yahowa, Penetration: An Aquarian Symphony, I'm Gonna Take You Home and To the Principles for the Children. All were released between 1973 and 1975. A 10th album was released without Father Yod in 1977, but with a lot of the same musicians, this time including Sky Sunlight Saxon, formerly of The Seeds. This went under the name "Fire, Water, Air" and was called Golden Sunrise. There were also 3 cd's of additional material called Yodship, Related Singles, and Unreleased Material. Unfortunately for me, the liner notes in the booklet are in Japanese. I came to the conclusion that this was somehow a very secretive sect that for some unknown reason had a band as part of it and released albums. I figured though that by now there had to be literally hundreds of people out there in the world who were part of this group or children of the group, and someone somewhere had to be willing to tell the story. By a miraculous twist of fate, I was led in my searching to an Internet discussion group where one of the musicians from Ya Ho Wa 13 was actually answering questions! It turns out this was Djin, the guitarist. I worked up the courage to e-mail him, became friendly and asked him some questions. He led me to Sunflower, the bass player, and before long I popped the question, "Would you be willing to be interviewed?" To my surprise they happily accepted and before long I was put in contact with the drummer Octavius, and much later Pythias, who also played bass on some of the albums. I was also introduced to Isis, one of Father Yod's "wives" (more on this later). She is the family's record keeper, did business for the family and wrote a book about the life of the family which is being re-done for the public. She was also kind enough to forward the photos to me. Most of the entries below by Isis are direct passages from the book. So what is this family? As I began to get information back, there started to unfold one the most incredible stories of a band I have ever heard. It wasn't just about music, however, it was a whole community/commune of people who lived together with Father Yod (later called Yahowha) as their spiritual leader. Not only is the story about one of the most unique musical groups ever, but the story of the Source Family is unparalleled in human history. I wondered what all the secrecy seemed to be about, but Djin and Sunflower clarified this for me. DJIN: The Source Family of Father Yod was and is a great western mystery school. Many of the stories that go around about us are at best partial truth, and as we know FIRST HAND TRUTH is the best source. SUNFLOWER: We have been somewhat secretive with respect to some of the teachings that we were privileged to acquire through our searches, however the Family was located in L.A. and had a restaurant on the Sunset Strip for a number of years called the Source Restaurant. We were/are a Family (commune) of about 250 people, and were quite privileged to have found our Earthly Spiritual Father who is the voice of most of the music. Octavius added, "First I would like to set the direction of the looking glass. When you read through my eyes, you will know a pilgrims' view. You will hear the fruit of my experience with my Earthly Spiritual Father. A saying, "Some follow the teacher, some follow the path the teacher is on." I will never stop reflecting on the experiences and the insights gleaned from those days, much of which is the basis of who I am today." So who exactly was this Father Yod character? Isis tells some of the history of the man originally known as Jim Baker: Jim was a judo, archery, and martial arts expert in his teens, and a war hero in his 20s. He was in the marines and was awarded the medal of gallantry and the Silver Star. After he came to California, he adopted a bohemian lifestyle, tried to become an actor, and joined the Los Angeles group of "health nuts" called the Nature Boys. These well-muscled, healthy and handsome young men exemplified the natural lifestyle, and explored ways of eating and living according to Nature's laws. Refinement of his physical being led Jim to mental development, and he studied philosophy, world religions, and many esoteric spiritual teachings. His search for truth led him to a Sikh teacher of Kundalini yoga, Yogi Bhajan. Jim recognized him as his spiritual Father, and he became a devoted student of the Yogi's teachings. He married his fourth wife, Robin, when she was 19 and together they started what was known as The Brotherhood of the Source. Young people in the 60's and early 70's were looking for freedom, health, truth, love, and spirit. It was a time of great experimentation in lifestyles, a breakdown of the old forms of traditional behaviors that were not working anymore and caused widespread hypocrisy in American society. The youth of the nation were lookingfor higher truth to incorporate into a more righteous lifestyle. Many young people were attracted to the Source Restaurant, which served fresh, delicious, vegetarian food, and to the spiritual atmosphere of love, peace and wisdom that was growing there around Jim Baker, and the group of young men and women who staffed the restaurant. Jim Baker really looked the part, with his grand stature and well-formed physique, his long beard and hair, penetrating blue eyes and deep resonant voice. Father lived for the family. He adored his sons and loved having the women and children protected and safe. We were totally into spirit and really enjoyed life. It was a magical time of special dispensation, where we experienced what a heaven could be like. Spirit and matter were one, and we did not have to deal with any worldly attitudes or problems. We were given the tools to go out and replicate this heaven on earth.Octavius added, "The earth man Jim Baker's life reads like an adventure drama movie. Let's just say he lived many lives in one life. It borders not believable, but all true. A very successful restaurateur in Hollywood, several times he was a millionaire. Then he evolved into the #1 son of Yogi Bhajan, a very well known Master of the Sikh religion. Grew out of that which was a big political spiritual trip to leave. He started the Source Restaurant and morning meditations. He was meditating by himself because that is what he did. Then people started coming. The vegetarian restaurant was the first of its kind on the West Coast, or anywhere as far as I know. He was very informed about health food and healthy living. He was curious about all the energies the kids had in the '70's. He called them fallen angels. Los Angeles (the angels). He was very charismatic, obviously. He hired people at first. After that, more kids and adults would be curious and drop by. Only the people who had the right, I don't know what, wanted to stay. Big commitment, really. The restaurant supported us. We all worked there. We were all taken care of." I have had the pleasure of speaking with these men on the phone. Isis says, "you could not come across a greater bunch of men than these," and I am inclined to agree. They all have their unique personalities, however all come across as sincere and intense spiritual men with a sense of humor that also happen to be musicians. They all speak so highly of this man who was and is their father and teacher. Sunflower talks about witnessing so many miracles, one of which in particular is talked about in the interview below. You'll know it when you get to it. Sunflower says, "He was to me the most extraordinary man to have walked the face of this planet in at least my lifetime, and contributed much to the times in which he lived. He died as a result of a hang-gliding accident in 1975, and the Family went out to do their own thing after that. We have all stayed in touch through the desire to have those days back." I must admit that before I started this process, I had many misconceptions about what this group was about, but as I learned more and more the illusions began to fall away. Also, before I started I loved some of the music, but some of it I just couldn't get. Once I learned the context in which the music was created, it all started to make brilliant sense. As Djin says, "Context is the focalizer. The music is a treasure for us all. Father was so sincere and caring for humanity all his life, the music was just a continuation of his attempts to help improve people." Sunflower says, "This music was created all spontaneous from start to finish. Creating this music was a complete experience." Djin has recently made a beautiful album called Destiny of America. He also says, "Coda Records in Florida (www.coda-records.com) is going to re-release the box set in English as individual CD's, and make the 4 remaining YHW13 recordings from the '70's era, not yet put out, available. This should happen around Christmas. Of course, because Father left the body in '75, and the family dispersed in '77, there weren't any more recordings made. However, the musicians Octavius, Sunflower, Pythias, Rhythm, myself and other various sons and daughters of Yahowha who are in the world plan on regrouping at some point in the near future to add to the tradition of YHW13 music. We are also soon going to publish a great book of teachings of YHW, to share with you our "Aquarian Path" of self-development and Magical Transformation. We are also using the funds from the music to help purchase land in Hawaii for a retreat and spiritual center where we can all gather, learn and celebrate the Aquarian Age." I have no doubt you will find their experiences and perspectives truly fascinating, and I certainly hope you will approach it with an open mind... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------INTERVIEW: PSF: Who did Father Yod claim to be? SUNFLOWER: It all started with the process of evolution that was predominant in the 60's beginning with the Yogi's that came from India and were teaching Yoga everywhere. They were charging money and weren't hitting the mark with respect to the generation of hippies whose awareness came from the culture here in America. Jim Baker, who was a very heavy individual to start with, started with the Yoga and when he realized there was a path that was more in tune with the times, he naturally evolved into the stage where the Father was the consciousness that was needed. Father Yod was the start of the Source Family. You can't have a Family without a Father. OCTAVIUS: Father Yod did not claim to be anybody besides a pilgrim that wanted to share what he was discovering daily. He was always excited and positive about the mystery. The name Father Yod was one of several names in an evolution of his own making. He was in many ways a spiritual kick-anybody's-ass Peter Pan. In short, he was a total Man's Man. A guy who stood the tallest in all situations. A spiritual adventurer who basically called out the Laws of the Universe to see what they were made of - to test the ancient wisdom and put the Laws to work for us "little kiddies." PSF: Was he looked upon as a guru, and did he give initiations? OCTAVIUS: He was not looked upon like a "Guru" even though he was a teacher. Most of us were real young and related to him more like a father, teacher, example, man - supplemented a lot of dynamics as you can well imagine. And there were no initiations other than being put in an environment where you had only to deal with your own reflection every moment of the day by every one around you. About 150 people all the time on an average. Trippy, trippy, a real stretch. People like the reality TV that is the latest craze. He used to say that if they put a camera on us we would have a hit show. SUNFLOWER: He was looked upon as a Father. The Father that none of us ever had. A Father who was conscious in the higher truths and passed them on to his Children, the same as our physical Father might have done providing he was conscious (and none were). The only initiation was when you finally realized that you had found your Earthly Spiritual Father. After that we practiced certain teachings that were only for the Family Members, and when you were ready these teachings were freely given, however the pearls were never cast before the swine. DJIN: Father was the "first earthly spiritual father for the Aquarian Age," when all fathers of the flesh will also be fathers of spirit, and there will be no longer any need for gurus, masters or priests as middlemen between man and God. Yes, he gave initiations, but not in the sense of individual promotions. They were given in accordance with "cosmic timing of spiritual events" we were in harmony with at the time. PSF: How did you come in contact with Father Yod? SUNFLOWER: At the Yoga class with Yogi Bhajan - that's kind of a long story for me. b
r />DJIN: I was told about him when I was living and singing in Chicago by a friend of mine, James, who had friends already there in L.A. He thought my music reflected the family spirit and that father would blow my mind, so we came out together in '71 on July 4th, Father's birthday. OCTAVIUS: I met Father Yod '71 or '72, something like that. I was a musician trying to stay alive in Hollywood; a little record stuff, some touring, radio, a little TV, you know, stuff. I was going to go to Las Vegas with John Davidson Kraft Music Hall, etc., 1500 a week room and board. On the day I was to go for the first practice, I joined the Source. I gave up my drums and everything else. Of course, before I did, he wanted me to play with Sunflower who I had heard played bass. He came and listened to us playing in the dining room of the mother house, just the two of us, and was excited. Since music is what I did and who I was, he decided to make me the head of the music. That was the beginning of the music thing, and I became the recording engineer, (and was also) mixing, building the studio, pressing the albums, etc., because I knew how. Well that sounded good to me, unknowing that it was his way to purge me of many things. "Destroy to build again." I was really in pursuit of a spiritual life. He was everything I needed on so many different levels. I stayed till the end. I was there entirely to absorb every drop of knowledge, life experience, wisdom, that he gave me. To this day, I thank Ya Ho Wa. PYTHIAS: I started playing when I was 12. By the time I was 19, I had joined the family, began playing improv with the family and Father. Father created a feeling of freedom in the music as if we could do no wrong, so we just played whatever came to us. At that point, spirit and the music became one. It was all about the feeling and the message. What a natural high. PSF: How did your meeting influence your life at that time and long term? SUNFLOWER: It changed my direction in my life immediately. I quit my band and started washing dishes at the Source. That meeting changed the way I would interpret everything for the rest of this and I'm sure many lifetimes to come. DJIN: I wasn't immediately impressed, because the family meditated on sheepskins and I was a profound harmlessness freak, but felt moved by something unknown. Later in my life after he was out of the body, I met my flesh uncle as I was put up for adoption before I was born, and found out that Jim Baker was my mother's mentor in Hollywood where I was born in '48. My mother died in '54, so not knowing all of this found my way back to Father on my own inner guidance. Now that's what I call destiny. Father and I always had and have a special connection, which although speaking for myself, I was only subconsciously aware of back in '72. Whether he was conscious of this or not at that time I cannot say, but that I was his accompanist in the music which is like being two halves of one coin, and that he and I were both way into the Most Ancient Name of God YHWH is a deep indication of our destiny on Earth together, and in this First Family of the Golden Age of Aquarius. ISIS: Jim was really our Father/Mother, and everyone who came was magnetized by the power of his love and wisdom. Although he used many of the teachings from the Yogi, Jim had a lot of ideas of his own, and he drew truths from many diverse philosophies and spiritual paths. PSF: When did Father Yod come into his awareness of who he was? SUNFLOWER: Very early on. In the beginning there was Jim Baker who was studying yoga with Yogi Bhajan from India. When he realized that the teachings were missing some all important truths, he decided to open up the Source restaurant on Sundays to teach what was channeling through him, and when people began to come on Sundays, Father Yod was born. DJIN: According to father, he knew he was going to have to be the first Earthly Spiritual Father for the Aquarian age when he was in India with Yogi Bhajan. Father saw the Yogi as his father, but the Yogi didn't want to take on that concept, so father knew then that it must be his mission to set the example of being the ultimate physical and spiritual father and show us what most of us missed from life so that we could pass it on to future generations. PSF: What did you call yourselves? DJIN: We called ourselves sons and daughters of Yahowha, but we were actually disciples of the ancient wisdom teachings of all ages. PSF: How and when did the children of Yahowha form? Your albums were released in the '70's, but you all got together at some point in the '60's? SUNFLOWER: I was the first in the family, and I had just come off the road in the '60's traveling a lot with my band. I was complaining that there was no music in the family, and left for a short time. Father told me to be patient and when I returned there was Octavius who had joined, and then Djin. DJIN: There was first Ahom, his wife, and Sunflower who came from the Yogi's group with Jim Baker around '69. Soon after he became Father Yod. Then others began to come to work at the restaurant and listen to father teach. PSF: What was his relationship with the Source restaurant - did he own it, run it? DJIN: He owned it and ran it himself at first till the family grew. SUNFLOWER: Jim Baker started the Source and the family ran it. Damian was the manager. PSF: Why vegetarianism? SUNFLOWER: We did not feel that man has the right to kill another sentient being. There are too many chemicals in the processed meats of today that are harmful. All of the truly enlightened beings are vegetarian. DJIN: We believe this was the first diet given to mankind, that it is part of the humane and ethical path of harmlessness, and that we are physically made to eat this way. We have 24 feet of intestines, unlike a carnivores of 10 feet, because our foods need to ferment and meat needs to pass out quickly. Our teeth, unlike a carnivores, are mostly flat. We like to say, "we don't eat anything that would run away if it could." PSF: Where was the restaurant? DJIN: Sunset and Sweetzer in Hollywood, on the Northwest corner, between Crescent Heights and La Cienega. We were the first major health food restaurant in Los Angeles that was successful and served all local organic produce and raw dairy. PSF: What were the logistics of the living situation back then? Obviously 150 or so people didn't all live in the same house. Did you live in various houses on the same property, or did some people live elsewhere and commute there every day? OCTAVIUS: It was an evolution. It wasn't suddenly all of us. In the early days, there were only a few. DJIN: At first people lived in their own places, then they started to move in with each other until around '71 when the restaurant was doing very well and we rented a mansion beneath Griffith park which had 22 rooms and an Olympic size swimming pool. All this time Father lived in his one room above the Source restaurant. Then, to step up our training program, to become more one and selfless, Father moved us to a 3 bedroom house tucked away in Nichols Canyon. We numbered about 140 with children, so to provide sleeping accommodations for everyone, the children all lived together in a large den room off the backyard, and the adults lived in what we called cubbyholes which were like beehive type 3 foot by 6 foot spaces our carpenters built vertically coming out of the walls, two rows high stacked so we got about 30 people in one room. Then we had a few platforms hidden outside in the bush. We were pretty private up there to pull it off. PSF: That produces quite a stunning mental image - thankfully the authorities didn't know about that. You guys probably broke hundreds of building codes! DJIN: No, we did everything u
p to code, we just didn't pull permits or ask permission. PSF: Basically people had just enough room to lie down? DJIN: Lie down or sit up and meditate. OCTAVIUS: If you had a woman, you could remove a partition. PSF: Were they comfortable - mattresses and wall coverings, etc.? DJIN: Yes, but austere. PSF: How did the platforms outside work? DJIN: They were mainly for sexual privacy, but people took naps out there. PSF: Did people live outside? DJIN: No, not really. PSF: Did Father live with you all at that point? DJIN: Yes. SUNFLOWER: We all had a bedroll and very few (no) possessions. We all lived in the same house, and when it was time to sleep you would roll it up. OCTAVIUS: It seems like a dream to me now. Just like he said it would. I learned more about the human being and its ways - mass psychology, and many more aspects of us as a creature, bound to habitual responses and learned behaviors than I could have if I had gone for a PhD. He used to say we were in a "spiritual boot camp." We lived as a group wherever we went. It was always a movie whenever we went anywhere. SUNFLOWER: Ours was a family as in nature there is a father and a mother. The children of the 60's were lost in drugs and most had come to the end of their path as hippies. We offered a way to stay high and be free on the next level of being. The hippies had experienced the ways of communal living, however they needed the concept of how things work in nature to hold their communes and lifestyles together. Ours worked because we were not followers of someone that held a position of power over their followers. This is the reason that Father had the lasting concept. PSF: What was a typical day like? DJIN: A typical day at the Source, wow! The beginning of all of everyone's days for seven years in some cases was exactly the same in form, though differing in substance. Let me first say no one came in to the family owning anything. Material possessions were either given away outside or to the family, but we all began with nothing, and if you left it was nothing, as in life, and this was a rebirth. Our "aim" is to 1) Purify the body, 2) Refine the Emotions, 3) Elevate the Mind and 4) Liberate the Soul so that we can be of service to humanity. So our days were spent with that aim in mind in all we did, spoke and thought directing our wills through our daily work. Our meditation, chanting, yoga, conscious breathing, sometimes recording spontaneous music, but above all hearing the WORD of Father Yod/Yahowha, who for an eternal moment in time showed us the "promised land" locked up inside of each and everyone. At about 7 AM, those of us who had duties to perform got to it with "energy, intelligence, truth and love," our 9th commandment. At the restaurant, there was prepping to be done, and when the doors opened it was jump to light speed for the next 8 hours of your shift. The restaurant was every prospective member's testing ground, and the source of our physical support and service to the community of L.A. It took 33 people to run her each day. Behind was a redwood temple and meeting place for candidates. Along side that was an exercise area where brothers and sisters met with people who wanted to know what we were about and hang upside down, literally. When we weren't working we were studying the ancient teachings of Quablah, Tarot, Masonry, White Magic, but most importantly of all the Essene teachings of health of body/mind. It takes more than wishing to create heaven on earth. OCTAVIUS: Everything that occurred had a meaning and a purpose. It never ended. There was no time off. The door was always open. Anyone could leave anytime, and some upon just arriving to meditate in the morning were so caught off guard because of their own preconceptions about what it all was, would literally jump up and run out because they couldn't handle the voltage. I'm laughing out loud right now just remembering some of those times. What a movie it was. PSF: There's a Rolls Royce on the cover of the Savage Sons album. Were the sons and daughters of Yahowha a wealthy group? SUNFLOWER: The family had a lot of money from the restaurant. This was put into the pot, and the women were dressed, and the image was that of success - not of poverty. That Rolls Royce was bought brand new for $34,000. DJIN: We weren't wealthy, we just worked hard and served what people wanted and needed. Our restaurant did very well, and we were open from 8AM to 12 Midnight, 6 days a week. We also had a book and record store attached. PSF: Is this where you sold the Ya Ho Wa 13 albums? Were other of your teachings available there in book format? DJIN: This is where we sold our albums and father's book, Liberation, which contained the 10 commandments. I like to call them the 10 codes of conduct rather than commandments to not usurp the Mosaic ones. PSF: Tell me what you can about the tenants of Father Yod's teachings and the "Aquarian Path?" Do you still use and live these teachings in your day to day life today? DJIN: I still live by the ten commandments of the age of Aquarius father channeled in 1970 and are in his book Liberation. They are simple, but profound, and offer the person looking for a higher code of conduct a footing. PSF: Was this ever published or only disseminated within your group? DJIN: Father published it himself and we sold it for $1 at the restaurant. PSF: Is this something that can or will be made available to people? DJIN: Yes, soon we will re-release it. PSF: Are the 10 commandments you speak of something you'd be willing to share here? DJIN: Sure, here goes: Obey and live by the teachings of your earthly spiritual father. Love your earthly spiritual father more than yourself. Harm not one of your body parts either by neglect, food, drink or knife. Allow each vibration to complete its own cycle without interference. Possess nothing you do not need and share all that you have. The man and his woman are one - let nothing separate them. Squander not your creative force in lust, but come together only when the three vibrations of the physical, emotional and mental are in harmony with spiritual love. Each morning join your vibrations with the ascending currents of universal life energy using the method your earthly spiritual father has taught you. Do every act energetically, intelligently, truthfully and lovingly. When these commandments have been mastered, leave the house of your earthly spiritual father and do the work of your heavenly father. PSF: It sounds like the teachings were used as a guide and people weren't expected to be perfect in their execution of them. Was there leniency towards people breaking the guidelines that were set within the group? DJIN: Yes, to some degree, but not much. PSF: Were people discouraged from repeating undesired behavior? DJIN: Sure. PSF: Were people ever kicked out for not respecting the guidelines? DJIN: Yes. PSF: Does it bother you that your group is sometimes referred to as a cult? SUNFLOWER: Yes and no. Personally anyone can refer to anyone however they want and labels don't personally affect me, however the term signifies something that we were not nor had any part in. We were continuously mislabeled. When we went to Kauai to live, they called us the Manson Cult and we were run off of the Island. The thing that bothers me is that we were the purest form of the communes anywhere and we were continuously seen through the persecuting eyes of the ignorant. DJIN: People have said many things in ignorance about what they saw us as, not really giving it any intellige
nt thought. No problem. One must have the courage of their convictions in anything they want to do out of the norm. OCTAVIUS: I couldn't care less about being referred to as a cult. Don't forget a cult is really a group of people that are just a few members short of being a religion. PSF: How were the sons and daughters of Yahowha named, and what was the significance of the naming? DJIN: Father named us for what or who we really were or what we needed to attain. SUNFLOWER: All of the Family names were spontaneous. My son was named Sol Amon, God of the Sun. All of the names had some spiritual meanings. PSF: Were children considered sacred in some way to your group? DJIN: Absolutely, but savages. PSF: The front and back cover of Expansion show 2 children being held in very high regard. DJIN: They're both Sol Amon, the first born in the family. That's a picture of Jim Baker before Father Yod. THE YA HO WA 13 INTERVIEW Sunflower, Octavius, Father Yod & Djin from back in the early 70's at the Source Family Band Room in Los Angeles photo courtesy of Source Archives-Isisby Gary Bearman (Part 2 of 3)PSF: Was there a lot of promiscuity (it was the heart of the sexual revolution after all)? Were you nudists? SUNFLOWER: Nudists - yes, promiscuity - not tolerated. DJIN: There was some promiscuity at first, but with the teachings it couldn't last. We were nudists to some degree, but more modest. We believed the human form was a great magnificent gift from the creator and the temple of the holy spirit, and not to be defiled or lusted after. PSF: Is it true Father had 13 wives? DJIN: Actually, he had 12 wives and 1 "mother angel" he regarded as his true complementary opposite. They all chose to be with him of their own free will. The women in the family were free to seek their own highest affinity without negativity. This promoted our learning to drop jealousy, envy, competition, etc. SUNFLOWER: The thing about consciousness is that women are attracted to the ones who have the truths and manifest them. Those that don't usually are not as desirable to some women, especially in the Family. He was the center of all of the wonder that was manifested, and certain women could not be with anyone else. If two women came to you out of the blue and both refused to go anywhere else, how can you tell one of them, "I love you," and the other to "leave"? This would mean that your love is based on the ability to pick and choose and not given freely in its purest form. The women were given other "tests" to see just how clear they were with this, but these 13 women were just with Father and no one else. They were the Council by whom certain problems were discussed and solved with the wisdom only a woman can provide. OCTAVIUS: Now the question that is, was, and always has been a big curiosity for all red blooded, breathing creatures of both sexes. "Is it true he had 13 wives?" "And, what was going on there with all that, and all those people and scantily dressed women and babies???" Please, please tell me before my own tweaked mind takes over again. In the heart of Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. in downtown humanity, people were shocked from their slumber and raised to curiosity. All humanity is subconsciously blueprinted to participate in the cosmic Law of Gender and the merging of opposites. It is like noticing from the mountain top which way the river flows. Sorry, you see what it has done to me. I start teaching at the drop of a question. About the women, how can I explain? Oh yeah, "The Law of Correspondence." The family was structured in the same way nature is structured. The Fractal is one. "As above, so below, as below, so above." The planets revolve around the Sun. The bigger the Sun, the larger the system. In Nature, gender plays out the same dance. In the atomic world, the electrons and protons are interrelated through the electromagnetic charge of Gender. Men and women are attracted and repulsed from each other just like everything else. So a big bright positive Sun, source of light, is a strong attraction for women as well as men in a different dynamic. He used to say with a "Cheshire Cat" grin, "all the women are mine, son." Then he would laugh a deep Santa laugh and say, "they are with you because they want to be, and because you are treating them properly, but if you make them unhappy they will just come back to me because I am the sun. I am constant, positive and they are secure that I will not mistreat them. So in this way I am letting you experience women in her purest nature. So if you are a Godman, then you will be uninvolved with what the feminine nature does, for everything she does, she does subconsciously being my daughter, to help bring you to your full maturity as a son of god." (A jagged pill for an earthman to stomach.) Like nature, some revolving planets did not want to be anywhere but next to him. There were eventually 12 women which for some reason or another were constant. They were referred to as "The Mothers," and one women was referred to as "his mother," the 13th woman. He was very powerful . He actually could and apparently wanted to be balanced by that much feminine energy (not my cup of tea). He handled it like nothing you have ever seen. Being with the opposite gender is mostly about communication, not sex. Union is the given. PSF: What part did sex, and more specifically, tantric sex play in the family? What was the philosophy or teachings regarding sex in the group? DJIN: We believed sex was sacred and a power not to be toyed with, but absolutely important to be mastered and understood for what it could do when properly used to regenerate people. The women were free to choose their affinity and change without negativity. The men were to stay focused on spirit and not pursue women. PSF: When you say they weren't to pursue women, was it OK for them to be sexual if they were pursued, or were they abstinent for a period of time there? DJIN: No abstinence. They were to show non-differentiation to the women and accept whoever came to them. SUNFLOWER: Sex is the highest form of energy used to direct man to consciousness. There are many traps within the direction of this energy all the way from lower forms of lust and desire, to the attainment of enlightenment. This is a very secret and not attainable state for most beings, and requires a tremendous amount of control over the senses to be understood. Most will never achieve what is possible. PSF: Why did Father Yod have 13 wives? Was the purpose of this to demonstrate the futility of jealousy? DJIN: It was only tangently a challenge to Western society's monogamous marriage institution, and it did demonstrate that it could work, but mainly it was a cosmic formula for anchoring a certain positive consciousness into the kingdom of flesh; i.e. the 12 around the one thing. He personally worked on and prepared these 13 to become the council mothers to the rest of the family so we could be self governing without one as a head. ISIS: The most revolutionary concept he introduced into the family was liberating all women. He raised women up as "God's first creation," and allowed each woman to do as she pleased, choosing her work, choosing her mate, freely expressing her soul as the creative force of the universe. This freedom resulted in many women choosing him. And his great love and concern for women influenced him to want to give them what they wanted and needed. The result was that quite early in the growth of the family, Jim began to bring other women into his relationship. There was a point when he asked Robin for a divorce, but asked her to stay in the family. Robin never left, but she did not send in the divorce papers. When Father became Father Yod and into Yahowha, Makushla re
placed Robin in Father's heart and became his other half, his mother/angel. She was the one who was with him constantly. Father continued to accept other women, and Makushla had to handle the same anguish of sharing him that Robin had. Most of the young women who were attracted to the family were irresistibly attracted to Father and wanted to be "his woman." Almost all he attempted to turn back to serve his sons. He would say, "If you love me, serve my sons." Usually to no avail. It was the freedom of the women to choose the godman they wanted to be with in a closed group with a relatively fixed number of choices (although new sons and daughters did constantly flow in, as some flowed out), that resulted in some sons and Father being surrounded by clusters of women, and other sons being left as singletons. It was the women themselves who created the unions within the family, and it was their free choice that formed polygamous groupings. Father taught that a godman should be passive in such matters, not signaling preference or pursuing any particular woman. He taught that his sons should be one-pointed into God, and that any woman who came should be graciously accepted as a gift from God, without judgment. So the sons were like rocks in the lake, and the women swam around from rock to rock as they chose. Father also taught that a woman would always desert her current mate for a higher affinity. Thus a man could not hold onto a woman, and must allow her to come and go as the fluctuating pulse of the creative force of God. Thus Father allowed the women to create the family in its many metamorphoses. There was never a dull moment! PSF: Did the current events of the times influence the direction of your group in any way? I'm speaking of things like the sexual revolution, civil rights, women's rights, the Summer of Love, Woodstock, Vietnam, Watergate, etc.? DJIN: Yes, of course. In my opinion, Father's Source was the ultimate protest and drop out from contributing to all the negativity while living in the love the hippies were trying to hold on to. PSF: Were you/are you pacifists? SUNFLOWER: No DJIN: We would defend our women and children if threatened, but not go out of our way to fight someone. PSF: All of the musicians in the group played before you joined the Source? SUNFLOWER: All of the musicians were previously adept. PSF: How did it come about that such a unique spiritual group decided to create music? DJIN: Father knew the power of music to influence the young and old, and that he had a number of accomplished musicians in the family. We didn't get into spontaneous music 'til father started playing with us and singing wisdom teachings, a new genre created. Father had us press only 9 of over 65 albums we recorded. Most of the rest were destroyed in carelessness, some of my favorites too. PSF: Wow! Most all of the albums you released were within a 2 year period. Were all 65 albums recorded with in that period primarily? DJIN: Yes! SUNFLOWER: I had been a very successful musician in the Hollywood scene, and when I came to the family there was no music, then naturally when the other brothers came in one by one there was a tremendous talent and it evolved. We had a bid grand piano at the big house in Griffith park, and that's where we started to record on a Teac 4 track. OCTAVIUS: We created music because we had pent up musicians and egos to deal with that needed the refiners fire, so the master blacksmith came and joined us in the ring of fire. His fire roared as he beat the edges of our swords. The music started when Father Yod found musicians among us. Everything that happened in the music was first about teaching the people involved to get over themselves. After all, musicians are among the biggest egos. There we were, musicians more or less accomplished to different degrees, but all of us could play. After we had gone through many different configurations of the people who wanted to be playing music and what worked and what kind of music we would play, what the point was and all the dynamics of will and ego, he stepped in. He then told us he was going to play too. No one was aware that he played or sang, really. Well that was when the fire went up. We no longer would be playing anything rehearsed. Only spontaneous sound that would penetrate all minds and be a vehicle for the wisdom. The mind says all the things it will say about the music per se, but the wisdom that is carried by sound will be planted no matter what. The mind cannot stop the truth in this format. That is why we love it, because it arrests the thinking mind and sets it on fire. The more you listen without thought, the more beneficial and cleansing it can be. Try listening with no thought the whole time, if you can. All the time the music itself was the soundtrack to planting seeds of wisdom in a disguised manner without the interference of Left Brain. Sometimes we would play and people would stop in their tracks, stunned, as if a bright light was suddenly shined on them in the dark. To this day I laugh with the power of it when done in consciousness. By the way, this all occurred between 3AM to 6AM every, yes, every day. We the band, and different configurations with Yahowha, would go into the studio (soundproofed garage) and record the moment he walked through the door. Then later for the albums we just put the music. His voice was pure fire to me. His kettledrum beat had a life of its own. In the beginning, I was in musician's ego HELL. He knew it too. It wasn't long before I could observe myself going through a total mental trip while I was playing. So the music was cleansing me at the same time we played it. Incredible!!! All of us got soooo burned. All that was left was the Good Stuff. The reason on one level for the albums was that it was just the next thing to do. It was ahead of its time. We planted seeds. The "Spirit of 76" was 13 people who wanted, needed, had to be part of the music. We even played at the "WHISKEY" on Sunset Blvd. one night. There we were, coming from our own little heaven to play a gig in downtown Hell. Wow! Get the picture? Oh these memories. "The densest form of spirit is in the material, little kiddies." DJIN: We were in a garage/manger converted into a studio. We recorded on an 4 track Teac 1/2" with Sennheiser mikes. All recordings with Father took as long to record as it takes to listen to. He wanted the raw honesty of the eternal now. PSF: How many albums were pressed? DJIN: As I recall, I remember either YHW13 or Principles was a 5,000 copy run, and all the others were 500 or 1,000. PSF: Was the entire community present when you played and Father Yod sang? SUNFLOWER: No. Generally, people would disperse to go to work at the Restaurant, and we had to work hard and didn't have all of our equipment to go into the studio to play. We would generally finish at around 10AM and go to do our other duties. I made the Family Jewelry - over 5000 pieces for all to wear. DJIN: Octavius rigged up speakers in the gathering room for the family, and they listened there if duty didn't call. PSF: What did the sons and daughters of Yahowha think at first with the teachings being spoken and sung to them with psychedelic music playing in the background? It must have been quite a trip?! DJIN: There were mixed responses, to the extremes. SUNFLOWER: Everyone loved the music. We would always end our morning meditation with listening to the tapes from the day before, and then go into the studio to play some more. PSF: Did you believe that the energy that Father Yod and Ya Ho Wa 13 contained could be transferred to people through listening to the music? DJIN: Good question. Yes, absolutely the best medium. SUNFLOWER: It was designed to be a vehicle that would attract tho
se who could relate. It was always felt that music was the biggest influence of the free loving spirits of the times, and that was the way to reach the most souls. PSF: Why did you release albums? Was part of the purpose of releasing music an attempt to gather more followers, or at least to transfer the energy to people who would hear this? Was the intention to enlighten people or raise the vibration of the planet in any way? DJIN: All of the above, right on. SUNFLOWER: The intent was always to be seen and heard in a way that would offer our teachings and our leadership to all in a big way, but Father never sought followers. Ours was not a cult, and so followers were the one thing we did not encourage. PSF: No offense, but Father Yod didn't exactly have the most melodic of voices, although it does certainly have its own charms. What made him decide he wanted to sing? DJIN: He wanted to archive the wisdom teachings on record and have fun doing it. SUNFLOWER: He was the voice that had the talent to be spontaneous. He always tried to have someone else step up to the plate, but as they say, "that was a tough act to follow," and in his presence it was obvious that no one could. Besides that, he loved to have the music. That was his time to have fun, so to speak. OCTAVIUS: I think it is fair to say that everyone would agree that he wanted to play, and have people to play with and teach people how to play. PSF: Why the name "Spirit of 76" - what was the significance of that? SUNFLOWER: The 200 year anniversary of the USA. DJIN: We had 8 VW buses with the spare tire covers painted with the obverse and reverse of the great seal of the U.S. We also had the seal as our restaurant sign on Sunset. Father taught us that the founding fathers of our country were divinely inspired to create this land of freedom for all, and that the movement of the Hebrews from slavery to individual rights here was our destined purpose -76 as in 1776. PSF: In listening to many of the earlier albums, it seems like Father had a great sense of humor and a high level of irreverence, though certainly a great deal of sincerity. Please say more about this and his personality in disseminating his teachings. DJIN: Well, he did make sure we had a lot of laughs, and considering the weight of what we were doing in the midst of a society and ourselves in upheaval, the laughter was like medicine. He made spirit fun and pleasurable, unlike the heaviness of the worlds' religions which he did have a certain irreverence for because of how they, more than not, mislead people about god, heaven, hell, life/death, purpose and plan, etc. SUNFLOWER: He was free of personality. My son was the first born in the family, and when he was born, he was born dead. Father raised him up and said, "God, if you let this child live, I will never speak anything but the word of God again." He blew his breath into my son and he came alive. Thus he never spoke anything but the word of God again. This is the picture of Father holding the baby on one of the albums. He never taught with personality. PSF: Were the albums released in the order they were recorded? SUNFLOWER: Yes PSF: Kohoutek - is this totally improvised, even the women singing on it in the background? DJIN: Totally improvised - no editing or overdubbing, even the women singing.PSF: Who is the woman singing on this? DJIN: Which, there are several? The high voice was Aquariana who stands out, the rich lower voice is Ahom. There was also Cinderella. PSF: What was the influence of the coming of the comet Kohoutek on the group? DJIN: Kohoutek was the cosmic emissary that transformed Father Yod into Yahowha. He recognized it as kind of an anointing presence of God consciousness. PSF: On Kohoutek, Father Yod says, "At any given time only a few can hear." Please speak more about this. DJIN: He was putting the musical message out to reach the few that rise up at the end of an age and start a new age having mastered the lessons that dominate the previous age to bring forth soul qualities that can inspire a new age, like passing grades. These are the courageous ones who individualize to attain levels of consciousness and sensitivity that the "masses" who blindly follow the trends cannot. The prophecy of the 144,000 exemplars of a "new day on earth" are such as these. However, prophecies don't always come true in the way we may expect them to, so not to be taken literally, necessarily. SUNFLOWER: Even with such a magnificent example and being in his presence, many had no idea what he was about. Very few could get past their own personality and ego to be able to truly understand what he was about. The lifestyle and the teachings were not something for the weak PSF: Contraction and Expansion - these are beautiful albums with truly wonderful musicianship. Are the two related? DJIN: Yeah, as I recall we did them two days in a row back to back. The musicianship was tops, and all of our instruments and band room were new then so we were stoked. I think a lot of the excitement then was because spontaneous recording with singing was a leap of faith to us, and created the tension that is indicative of yhw's music. By the way, I used a dogs bone on my guitar to get that high pitch slide sound on Expansion/Contraction. SUNFLOWER: They were recorded in two days - Expansion first, and then Contraction. PSF: On Contraction he talks about the Akashic records, and says the teachings are all in there. DJIN: Yes, it's a term for the memory banks of the universal mind. Science even now admits that somewhere in the universe the sounds of the dinosaurs are still reverberating and theoretically could be heard with the right technology. PSF: He also says on Contraction that you are Jesus, and that the story is to show you the path. What did he mean by that? Was he a follower of Jesus? SUNFLOWER: The story of Jesus was an ancient way of concealing the many truths. If you follow a certain path as is concealed in the story, you too can be the Jesus consciousness. Example: Jesus carried his own cross (burdens) to the top of the Hill at Golgotha (crown in the pineal). When he entered the cave and the stone was rolled back in three and a half days, he was risen to the flesh again. This is the story of reincarnation, where the soul returns to be born again in three 1/2 days. In the early times of Catholicism, people were being crucified for everything against the Church. The truths had to be concealed in a story that would last. The Bible has been rewritten so many times that it is difficult to find the original purpose. The truths are all in the Akashic records that are possible for their initiate to access and read. DJIN: He followed only the voice of god, yhwh (Yahweh), within, and taught us how to recognize and do that too. The story of Jesus in the bible, there are many other stories of him too, is a Qabalistic mystery school teaching to inspire and guide the disciple, one who takes knowledge. Jesus, meaning Jah, saves or liberates, is a story of an Aquarian age person, a future being, who was destined to inspire large numbers of people to self develop over lifetimes on earth, and then, having graduated, to express their attainment at the end of the Piscean age, today. This was the purpose of our family, to liberate the Jesus Mary, son/daughter of yhwh in the now. PSF: All or Nothing at All - who is on the front cover? OCTAVIUS: From Left to Right is: Aquariana, Zoraster, Electric, Djin, Ahom, cannot remember his name, Octavius, Omega, and Sunflower. PSF: Who is the woman in the center? DJIN: Ahom, who was Jim Baker's legal wife before
the family - a great voice. She was in Hair for a while, I believe, at the old Aquarius theatre near Sunset and Vine. PSF: What is the significance of the title? DJIN: Many things. For instance, to be in our family one had to give up all they thought they possessed and were, or they received nothing at all because they couldn't join. PSF: Who sung on this album? It's one album without Father and without the full jamming of other albums, almost like a folk album, but mostly singing about Father Yod and freedom. These are obviously rehearsed songs as opposed to some of the others? DJIN: It was kind of a devotional album that introduced his children, their compositions, and their mutual love for him and their new life of light and wisdom to the universe. OCTAVIUS: Let me reiterate - musicians have very big egos. On a mundane earth level, this album was for all the big egos that needed to be part of the music. The individuals that had spiritual songs, etc., and they wanted to be on the album. Father had to do something with them. The album cover name I think states in a way that is kind, the purpose of this album, and at that time there was no way we were ready for the spontaneous energy. PSF: Everyone on the cover is dressed similarly. Why did everyone wear these loose fitting robes? OCTAVIUS: The robes were what we wore every day except when we wore nothing. Again a number of reasons. We were modern day Essenes and robes are healthy simple garments that free the mind from vanity and declare holiness of the one wearing it. SUNFLOWER: The clothes were communal, and each day your angel would provide a robe to wear from the freshly cleaned homemade supply. This was the greatest way to dress, totally free from the burdens on your balls imposed by today's underwear and Levis. And it sure made a statement when you saw 250 people in one place on the Sunset Strip. PSF: Yahowa 13 - this album seems to be a transition and sounds also like it consisted of rehearsed songs? The lyrics don't seem particularly spiritual or seem to fit with some of the content of the Spirit of 76 albums. Please say more about this. DJIN: The YHW13 album was father's personal, sometimes hidden, sometimes confessional, message to women of the world. It was spontaneous, believe it or not, but it was the solid and basic 3 musicians who are on almost everything plus Father, so this album like Penetration had less complications than the others. I personally liked the four of us combination best because it afforded greater flexibility and freedom of expression, but was considerably more pressing to keep interesting. PSF: Why the change to the name Ya Ho Wa 13? DJIN: Ya ho Wa 13 is the name of the band because of the 13 original states and the number of change and unity and love in the Qabalah. OCTAVIUS: Technically, when father shed his animal skin he was known and referred to as Yahowha, not Father Yod. The band Ya Ho Wa 13 - the name is the higher octave of Yod He Vau He - the 13 is the esoteric "Christos," the light, the master (of ceremonies - ha ha), the 1 + the 3 of us. PSF: Savage Sons of Yahowa - perhaps my favorite album, but I have several I love. This album didn't include Father at all and is also an album of rehearsed songs? There aren't any references to Father Yod and the lyrics are ALMOST (but a little too edgy to be entirely) mainstream rock. OCTAVIUS: Savage Sons was the result of fulfilling what the core musicians wanted to play. We wanted to play some good rehearsed music. The cuts are the best of material written by the musicians themselves. All of the progression was for us. Led by father, he slowly let us complete our own desires, all the while turning the temperature of the spiritual tension up, preparing us "to go where no sane man has gone before." PSF: Who was Electron on the Savage Sons album? DJIN: A brother who came from South L.A. SUNFLOWER: Electron is the big scary looking black brother. He wrote that song "Fire in the Sky." It was always a pleasure to watch him perform. Intimidating to say the least. This album was some of the rehearsed stuff, although we never really spent much time rehearsing - pretty spontaneous also. OCTAVIUS: Yes, that is the one and only "ELECTRON." You should have seen him when he played. People were not sure if he was only going to play the music, or if he was going to jump off the stage and attack them. It was fabulous!!! PSF: Was this the only album he appeared on? DJIN: Yes. PSF: Is he the one with the deep voice on songs like "Fire in the Sky?" OCTAVIUS: Yes, the only song of his that was on the album. He had some others, but they were very deep and dark. DJIN: I dug playing on his songs. PSF: Penetration: An Aquarian Symphony - a brilliant album, and considered a classic with some amazing psychedelic jamming with Father teaching, whistling and singing over the top. In the box set, there's a press release that says among other things that "there's a saying among those who have listened to Penetration three times - that the listener finds it impossible to listen to any other sound after that." Do you literally believe that to be true? DJIN: Yes. It means if you listen 3 times and put the normal rehearsed and structured sounds on immediately afterward, your soul's audio receptors will tend to reject the structured constricted sound of contrived music, that is if you really listen not just as ambient music, but with devoted attention. SUNFLOWER: Great promotion, but we all listen to other things too. I have a band that I am in now that is for real a cross between Cream and Jimi Hendrix that sounds a lot like some Van Halen thrown in. I love it. I am going to produce and distribute this also soon. OCTAVIUS: Father said that our music could not be played as background music. Turn it up, or turn it off. After experiencing "The Source," nothing is the same. PSF: I'm Gonna Take You Home - another classic album where there are some nice spoken parts by Father Yod that are easy to hear without the music playing (not to mention some killer psychedelic jamming). Please tell me more about the rather provocative cover and gatefold picture? DJIN: I could write a book on the cover. It is an absolute masterpiece of design, and probably the greatest cover in music history. Suffice it to say if you were to fully grok the meaning and symbology of it, you would have the keys to magically transform your person and environment into your hearts desire and ride the chariot of god into the future of your own will, one with god. PSF: To the Principles for the Children - what is meant by the title of this album? OCTAVIUS: A play on words. The great principles of truth for the children who have ears. DJIN: It has double meaning. The principles are they who are the care givers of the children. The more esoteric hidden meaning is a play on words, "to/two and for/four," as there are two basic principles in the universe, darkness and light, nothing and something, being and non-being etc., and their children or offspring the four symbols of which yhwh represents; fire, water, air and earth (matter). PSF: Golden Sunrise is the one with Sky Sunlight Saxon. These songs were rehearsed? How did he become involved with Father and the family? DJIN: I can't say exactly how Sunlight, then Sky Saxon, first met Father. I do know the Seeds had just broken up and Sky was drifting a bit when he met Father, and saw God in him. Sunlight was in and out of the family body because of his personal music career which was understandable to Father, and he never played with Father because Father sang solo to get the wisdom teachings across. Sunlight was di
rected by father, around 73, to do an album with the other music
Comments
Note: Once you start investigating this guy you cannot get out.
I see a Wes Anderson movie in here somewhere...
Oh Yod, dont say that.
I know, what's really scary is that these guys are actually on to something. Just looking into Father Yod's eyes makes you want to join the family.
who's got the boxset???
i remember seeing it in Ptolemic Pterascope
Gene Hackman should play Father Yod. Flanked by Owen and Luke Wilson, as Pythias and Djin respectively.
Seu Jorge as Octavius...
Bill Murray as Sunflower, perhaps?
I'd love to hear all of it as well.
Anybody?
Even if the music is unbearable, the story is compelling enough to merit 1 listen.
far from it.
that first picture was my avatar for months.
Which album is the best would you say?
This cover is next level.
Nate, get out while you can, you're getting sucked in!!!
please post cover
!!!!!
I'd love to find the boxset (God and Hair) someday. Ran into about 5 or six of the individual discs at a used CD shop in Dallas last year, but decided against paying $13/disc individually.
Here's the description of the DVD from Aquarius Records site:
"If you're at all like us, you're a fan of the Ya Ho Wha 13 records. Maybe you even have the giant God & Hair 13-cd box set! But even then, your knowledge of the true story of Ya Ho Wha (or Yahowha) is probably pretty fuzzy, unless you read Japanese ('cause that's what the booklet in the box set is written in). Chances are, even really big fans don't know much more than that the Yah Ho Wha 13 was a band that belonged to a '70s hippy religious commune (some would say, a "cult") known then as the Brotherhood Of The Source and now as the Source Family, that was based in California (and later, Hawaii), led by a fellow named Father Yod, who eventually perished in a hang-gliding accident. Pretty mysterious really. And if you're like us you're curious about the folks who made all that weird music. Well, now you can learn the rest of the story from this DVD documentary. And it's a long story -- about two and a half hours. Very entertaining though. In part 'cause the actual facts are so strange, in part 'cause the interviewees are really rather charming... and in part 'cause this was a student film project. The filmmaking isn't so much amateur or low budget as it is simply bizarre. It fits with the subject though!! The young filmmaker himself sometimes appears on-screen, hosting the proceedings. A lot of the time, he has the back of his head to the camera, superimposed Mystery Science Theatre 3000 style over whatever he's discussing. Weird. And he really tries to generate a "psychedelic" mood with the use of computer animations and the overlaying of multiple video images. It's a pretty darn trippy movie he's made. But once you're used to it, you'll be able to focus on what the former "Family" members are talking about in the interviews. You'll learn that Father Yod's real name was Jim Baker. And that supposedly he was an Olympic athlete and WWII hero. Well, that's what his former followers still think. Further viewing will reveal how Tarzan, salad dressing, Jodie Foster's dad, and the Egyptian pyramids, among many other things, all play parts in the story... And don't worry, in addition to the present-day interviews, this makes use of all sorts of vintage footage and photos, both "home movies" and what appears to be a local Los Angeles TV news feature on the Father Yod and his followers from back in the day.
In a lot of ways, this film is basically a case study in how to start and run a cult. In Jim Baker/Father Yod's case, the idea is to become an esoteric-wisdom-spouting father figure to a group of "lost" youths (it's helpful if there happens to be a whole hippie generation running around looking for spiritual enlightenment and belonging). And get them all working at your successful health-food restaurant, to make money to pay for Rolls Royces, mansions, and nice suits. And have amazing hair! (The sequence where one former Family member describes the colors and texture of Father Yod's hair is really intense!) For instance, would-be cult leaders probably are curious to know just how Father Yod wound up with so many attractive young "wives"? Well, he taught his flock that women were god-creatures, creative spirits who should be utterly liberated and free to choose their partners as they wished. If a man was chosen, he should accept the attentions of the woman gratefully, no matter what. Now, could Father Yod help it if many of the women in the Family chose him, leaving many of his male "children" without partners? No, he could not.
An interest in cults, gurus and sixties spirituality aside, despite the fact that the Ya Ho Wha 13's music (which you'll hear throughout the film) doesn't really get discussed much until about an hour and a half into the movie (and Djin Aquarian, the guitarist in the band, isn't talked to for some reason, though you can find a fascinating recent interview with him online here: http://www.nicepooperzine.com/interviews.html), this is still pretty much essential for any fan of Father Yod & Co.'s musical endeavors. We think you'll "hear" a lot more next time you spin one of their albums, after viewing this. "
Paging AP and Bearded Douglas...perhaps you guys could shed some more light on these obscure artists?