Finding the Teachings in Tucson

By Rev. Karen Campbell

I found the teachings in April of 1979 in Tucson, Arizona, after making a 2-year-long spiritual trek that included living in a Sikh ashram and a Moslem mosque while practicing those faiths. A kind soul gave me The Human Aura book, which I eagerly read. I then got a decree book and started doing all the decrees on the seven rays, which I enjoyed even more. My unborn child enjoyed them, too, as I was about 7 months pregnant at the time. My husband and I had recently separated, so it was just my child and me in communion with the ascended masters through their decrees and teachings.

Shortly thereafter, in early September, I was invited to move into the Tucson ashram, a live-in center with two women and two men and now, a 10-day-old baby (my newborn son, who kept us all alert!) Mrs. Annice Booth came from Camelot to shepherd our group, staying with us for several weeks and advising me to be a proper chela. For one thing, she made sure that I was going to clean the oven!

I was not yet a Keeper of the Flame when I moved in, but we held 5 a.m. decrees and afternoon Astreas each day in addition to hosting three services each week. There were 13 witches’ covens in Tucson at the time, so the center helped hold the balance for the energy. I learned the rigors of the path quickly this way—what an introduction!—and became a Keeper of the Flame in December of that year.

I thank God for that experience; it was truly a blessed start to a lifelong love of decrees and services. It also introduced me to the joy of living in community, which I credit for the many years I’ve lived at the Inner Retreat. I also think it had something to do with my future ashram experience. In late 2000, I moved into Mother’s former home—the Ashram at the Inner Retreat—after she had retired. Five of us were in that group, charged by Ranch Headquarters to keep the spiritual focus of light that Mother had anchored there and which amazingly—at that time—had not been withdrawn. But that’s another story altogether!

Not being a Keeper of the Flame before moving into a chela house is probably not done these days, but it just goes to show—you never can tell what the ascended masters have planned.