Conversations with a Mystic

Thanks for checking out my page. I’m a writer, with three books under my belt (The Waking Dream - Quest Books, 1996; Signs of the Times - Hampton Roads, 2002; Under a Sacred Sky - Wessex, 2015). My next project is very different, and very personal to me—and as a way to insure creative control over the end product, I hope to self-publish it as a book titled "An Infinity of Gods: Conversations with an Unconventional Mystic - The Teachings of Shelly Trimmer.” (Find the table of contents posted below.)

Who is Shelly Trimmer?

During the late 1970s and early 1980s I conducted a series of interviews with a remarkable figure in Florida, a yogi and mystic by the name of Shelly Trimmer (1917-1996). Raised in the Pennsylvania "Dutch" country with all of its magical traditions, he studied with the famed yogi Paramahansa Yogananda during the early 1940s, but developed into a formidable mystic and yogi in his own right. He studiously avoided the limelight, caring nothing at all about fame or popularity, and remained almost completely unknown outside of a small circle of students and friends.

I’ve encountered many remarkable figures over the years, from Buckminster Fuller and Marshall McLuhan to Joseph Campbell, among others; but to my mind, Shelly was perhaps the most unique of them all. This book attempts to shed light on exactly why I believe that, and will present some of the key teachings of this mysterious teacher. 

The Project So Far
The manuscript itself is finished, but now requires a final edit and graphic layout, and I want to enlist top-notch individuals to help with that. I already have the specific individuals in mind, and with marketing and printing expenses included I’m estimating the final cost to run me roughly $3500. Estimated delivery time of the finished book is Autumn of 2017 (hopefully sooner).

Richard Smoley, former editor of Gnosis magazine and author of books like "How God Became God: What Scholars Are Really Saying About God and the Bible," has read the manuscript and volunteered this endorsement: "Rule number one in the spiritual search: the best masters are the ones you never hear of and can hardly find. Ray Grasse's absorbing portrait of Shelly Trimmer proves yet again that this is true.” 

As for me: I’m a writer, astrologer, and photographer, and worked for 10 years on the staffs of Quest Books and The Quest magazine. I've studied with teachers in both the Kriya Yoga and Zen traditions. My primary website is www.raygrasse.com 

As those aquainted with me know, I’ve never undertaken any of my creative project for reasons of profit—but this one least of all. My primary concern is sharing these teachings with others, which I believe readers will find thought-provoking, and hopefully inspiring. Anything you can manage to contribute to this project—even the smallest amount—will be deeply appreciated. For those who can afford a bit more, here are some perks I can offer at the various levels: 

* 50 dollars or more gets a signed copy of the book

* 100 dollars or more gets a signed copy plus a special thanks in the book’s acknowledgments

* 500 dollars or more gets both of the above plus an in-depth natal horoscope reading from me

* 1000 dollars or more gets all of the above plus an update, “progressed” horoscope reading from me

Here is the table of contents as it stands now:


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
Introduction

1. On Yogananda

2. On Creative Breakthroughs

3. Self-Observation

4. The Three Channels

5. God

6. What Three Books To A Desert Island?

7. Spiritual Evolution

8. The Astral and the Afterlife

9. Self-Acceptance

10. Bilocation?

11. Babaji

12. A Powerful Link From the Past

13. Time

14. The Dream State

15. Karma

16. Flying Under the Radar

17. Music, Art, Inspiration

18. Love of Animals

19. Dealing with Stress and Anxiety

20. Meditation

21. Sex, Relationships, Love

22. War

23. Imagination, Tulpas, Possession  

24. Psychic Investigations

25. Illusion, Reality, Propaganda  

26. Magic

27. Saint Lynn

28. I Don't Like Cold Weather

29. The Binary Self

30. Astrology

31. Your Little Toe

32. Future Science

33. Palmistry

34. I Never Did The Guy Any Favors

35. The Blessing

36. Self-Mastery

37. Parting Words 

Appendix I 

Appendix II


Thank you for considering my project!

Ray Grasse