Idries Shah's Address

to “New Alpha”

Features “A Personal Introduction to the Work of Idries Shah”

by Martin Mathieson
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 2 of 21

Notes on an address by the writer and Sufi teacher Idries Shah, given
to “New Alpha” class leaders, at Langton House, Langton Green,
near Tunbridge Wells, Kent in England, on 14th January 1979.

With many thanks to Martin Mathieson of the yahoo! Groups Caravansarai

and The Tenth Donkey for providing an excellent personal introduction
and scans of the Notes on the Address itself.

First edition: 15 December 2009

Second edition: 1 February 2010 (now with intro)

Sher Point Publications, UK

in association with

sarmouni.dyndns.org
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 3 of 21

Contents

Key 4

Part I 5

A Personal Introduction to the Work of Idries Shah 5

by Martin Mathieson

Part II 11

Notes on Idries Shah's Address to New Alpha 11

1. The Institute for Cultural Research 11

2. The Sufi Trust 12

3. Society for Sufi Studies 12

Questions and Answers 18

Other Points 20
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 4 of 21

Key

The original layout, which was produced on a manual typewriter, has

been updated. For example, underlines have been replaced with bold or italic
text. However, the content is that of the original, with the exception of minor
copy editing to punctuation and quotation marks (one or two of which were
uncertainly placed) where the intent of the original was clear. Paragraph
grouping has been preserved.

Text in square brackets [thus] has been inserted by the current editor
and was not a part of the original document. Rounded brackets (thus) are part
of the original.

Odd words in the original were struck through (as indicated in this
edition by struck through red text) and corrected with a pen (blue text) or
with a typed additions inserted between the lines (green text). In many cases,
due to the limited resolution of the scanned image of the original document,
it was not possible to read the penned replacement words. Text missing from
the bottom of pages 2 and 3 of the scans of the original document and since
verified is shown in purple text.

The scans of the original (comprising five pages) may be found at

the yahoo! group The Tenth Donkey in the Photos → Scanned articles
section, with many thanks to Martin Mathieson for providing the scans and
for penning the introduction.
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 5 of 21

Part I: A Personal Introduction to

the Work of Idries Shah
by Martin Mathieson

My reason for writing this introduction is quite simple. Most people

these days believe, and in fact many at the time to which I am referring
believed, that if one was interested in Sufism one approached Idries Shah
directly after either reading his literary works, seeing an article about him, or
hearing about him from another person. My introduction to the work of
Idries Shah, my involvement with Langton and subsequently the Society for
Sufi Studies was nothing like this. I also believe that many who have read
Shah’s works might find the type of literature and group activities which led
me to Idries Shah to be totally out of keeping with what they recognise as
typical Shah-type material. My reason for writing this introduction is
therefore to explain how this ‘material’ fitted into my introduction to the
work of Shah because if I had not been introduced to Shah via this route I,
like others, would not have believed there was any connection whatever
between what went on at the ‘New Alpha Society,’ at Shah’s house at
Langton Green, or indeed the Society for Sufi Studies.

I had been involved with Beat Zen, The Buddhist Society and the
Theosophical Society between the age of 15 and 22. At around 22 I met Ken
Radcliffe who was a long time student of Eugene Halliday. (See
www.eugenhalliday.com and www.eugenehalliday.org.) I spent a couple of
nights a week for several years around this guy until he went to set up a
centre in Wales. (I still have contact with many friends involved with
Halliday and as the two aforementioned websites indicate, this work is still
ongoing. I no longer have any personal interest in this material although at
one point I later spent several years with Eugene Halliday.)

Although I went to Radcliffe’s centre in Wales at the weekends and

was married with children I now had several free evenings in the week so
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 6 of 21

when I saw an advertisement in the personal column of a local newspaper

which asked What’s Life about and why are we here?, I contacted the
advertiser for details of the first meeting.

At the first meeting there were about 40 or 50 people and the man
who called the meeting introduced himself as Derek Gow. (I am almost sure
Derek Gow is the author of First Year Studies a paper in the files of The
Tenth Donkey website and which is typical of his brevity, clarity and
insight.)

At this meeting I remembering liking what Derek had to say, which

just means I identified with what he said. However, he made no attempt to
persuade his audience to come back to any further meetings and his manner
was more off putting than inviting! (This was not his personality which was
friendly and open but a deliberate attempt to discourage those who could be
easily discouraged.) At the following meeting there were less than half the
original numbers and after the third meeting at which we started to work
through P.D. Ouspenky’s The Psychology of Man’s Possible Evolution we
were down to about six or seven members.

For those tempted to label this as a Gurdjieff group due to an

Ouspensky’s text being used, it was not, Gurdjieff was not mentioned other
than by certain members of the audience and this material was never used
again after that first year. Derek’s use of the text appeared to be to introduce
certain ideas yet at the same time to convince the more fanciful amongst us
that Derek’s approach would not be to their liking. This was very successful,
by the end of the year there was just Derek and I.

During the second year we advertised on the Wirral and started the
process over again. At the same time I used to visit Derek at his home in
Southport. It was in his library that I first noticed Shah’s books. ( I had read
The Sufis which I liked very much but at that time I was involved with
Radcliffe.)

At some point during this year, I started to learn of the dozen or so

groups with about 200 or more members stretching from around Stoke-on-
Trent to Southport. These groups went under the heading of the New Alpha
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 7 of 21

Society and were under the direction of Laurence Burchell. The origin of
this organisation went back to the late 1940’s. The guiding philosophy of
the group appeared to have been developed over a long period of time by
Burchell and was called the ‘Philosophy of Developmental Change.’ [i] The
essence of this viewpoint was that mankind was the direct result of
evolutionary developmental processes. These processes have given rise to
ever more complex matter, leading eventually to the complex human nervous
system which is capable of suffering thoughts, feelings and sensations.
However, these experiences of having thoughts, feelings and sensations are
the result of prior changes in the nervous system and therefore consciousness
is impotent.

One of Burchell’s booklets was called Small Change after a piece in

Shah’s The Way of the Sufi, page 228:

‘When a man is a beggar, he thinks that small change is a fortune.

It is not.
In order to rise above beggarhood, he must rise above small
change, even though he uses it as a means. Used as an end it will
become an end.’ (Ibn Ikbal.)

Burchell wrote several books, booklets and series of papers and the
organisation also produced a magazine and a couple of books of poetry.[ii]

During this time, as I understand it, all Idries Shah’s group activity
had ceased. This was also true of all the groups associated with Gurdjieff
and Bennett that had been under Shah’s direction and which had been
disbanded. For some reason or other the N.A.S. groups which were
associated with Shah at this time were neither disbanded nor did their
activities cease.

After I had known Derek Gow for a year or maybe longer I was
given a printed Octagon symbol, this design about half a metre square (black
on a white background). I had seen a similar one in Derek’s study framed on
the wall and was told to do the same with this one. I was also given crystal
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 8 of 21

pebble in a small pouch which I was told to take care of. (This was
eventually stolen and I asked and was given a replacement. Later, I lost this
one, too, and I didn’t want to advertise my carelessness by asking for
another.)

For one of the themed Arabian nights parties our local N.A.S. Group
printed some cards with the Octagon symbol on the cover and various Sufi
quotations printed on the inside. I took them to the party so they could be
sold for the charity. For some reason Shah looked at them and withdrew
them from sale. I think it had to do with the size of symbol but actually we
never found out the reason.

Members of the N.A.S. were also invited to visit Langton for several
weekends a year. The number of times members were able to go appeared to
depend on how many other members went over a specific period. I have
records of four of us going for one weekend but I also went on my own on
other occasions. As everyone in the N.A.S. was from north of Birmingham
this necessitated that we stayed in the guest house within the grounds of
Shah’s estate. So this also limited the availability of places on weekends.
The highlight of the weekends was the meal in the Elephant on Saturday
evening for everyone who wanted to stay. Shah was usually present and he
just sat anywhere on one of the long tables like the rest of us. I can’t clearly
remember how many the Elephant could hold but anything between 30 to 60.
However, if Shah was there at some point it would go quiet as everyone
wanted to listen to what Shah had to say. Without apparently raising his voice
Shah would talk for some time, usually puffing on a cigar. Then he would get
up and the evening was over. Some talk would carry on in the guest house
where it became obvious why it was called the Elephant as we all described
what we thought was the relevant part of the talk. When Shah was not at the
house the dinner meeting had a different flavour but was never disappointing.

We were also invited to certain other activities such as auctions and

parties which were held at Langton House. I think that all New Alpha Society
members were invited to join I.C.R. but as it was not discussed I can’t be
certain of this. I certainly was and went to the first weekend course on the
Nature of Religious Man.
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 9 of 21

Another time Robert Ornstein came to lecture somewhere in

London. I am not sure if this was open to all or only to Shah’s students. I
suspect the former. However, Ornstein also gave an evening lecture at Keele
University which although open to all the university students I believe was
essentially for the N.A.S. Groups in the north as Keele University was based
very near Stoke-on-Trent, Burchell’s home. As far as I know he only gave
these two lectures at that time.

Whilst much of the work of the N.A.S. involved lectures and papers,
we were also expected to read all of Shah’s works, keep abreast of popular
scientific material such as Desmond Morris’s ‘The Naked Ape’, Monad’s
‘Chance and Necessity’, Alvin Toffler’s ‘Future Shock’ etc. Members were
also encouraged to attend local evening classes on philosophy and
psychology. Nevertheless, the practical work went beyond a theoretical
appreciation of the ideas as members were also involved in calligraphy,
poetry and wine making. In the N.A.S. centre where these activities were
carried out were two books which were always open at a different page every
day. One of these was the Bible and the other book the ‘Divan of Hafiz’, the
edition produced by Octagon. I once told Burchell I could not understand a
word of it and he told me that it was not meant to be understood as
information but in time I would come to understand some of it. I am not sure
he was right.

Later, after the publication of ‘Learning How to Learn’ several group

leaders contacted Shah and were invited to Langton for a meeting with him
in the Library on the Sunday morning. Notes from this meeting at which was
discussed the setting up of the Society of Sufi Studies are available on ‘The
Tenth Donkey’ website.

Following this meeting as far as I know all those New Alpha Society
members who wished to join the Society for Sufi Studies could do so. I also
know that many former group leaders of the N.A.S. became group leaders in
the S.S.S., both of former N.A.S. groups and the newly formed S.S.S.
groups. I believe Derek Gow was involved with one of the central London
groups. [iii]
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 10 of 21

This then is how I was introduced to the work of Idries Shah,

ostensibly though the New Alpha Society but really through my friend and
mentor Derek Gow. I was in touch with him on several occasions after
Shah’s death and then lost contact with him. I tried to get in touch with him
over several years and finally caught up with his wife who informed me he
had died a year earlier. For my part, my time spent with Derek was the one
of the most productive and useful periods of my life in this area. [iv]

Footnotes to the Introduction:

i. Lawrence Burchell wrote several books and papers on the Philosophy of

Developmental Change, and an outline by Derek Gow is available from the files
of yahoo! group The Tenth Donkey.

ii. Burchell wrote also under the name C.B. Henwell and these were printed in
house for members of the society. Some of his works were entitled Just Another
Reason, Small Change, Diary for a Year, Magic Pass and The Little Read Book
and Talks by C.B.Henwell.

iii. On reflection I do not know this applied to all of the N.A.S. It certainly
applied to the Northern groups set up by Derek Gow, such as Manchester, Wirral,
Liverpool and North Wales. I don’t know if the Stoke groups actually chose to
join the S.S.S. or not.

iv. When I met Derek he was in charge of nine factories for an International
Chemical Company. Later when I was speaking to someone who appeared quite
close to Shah they described him as a high flyer. As far as I am concerned I
would describe him as a Sufi and certainly a man of the late 20th century. He
was very bright, very open and very talented at whatever he did, a Sufi.

Martin Mathieson,
31st January 2010.
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 11 of 21

Part II: Notes on the Address

Address by I. Shah to “New Alpha” Class Leaders

Langton House, 14th January 1979
11 am. - 1.30 pm. approx.

Copy of Notes
Three activities were current:

1. The Institute for Cultural Research

The I.C.R. [still operating and now based in London] exists to infuse
and make known valuable psychological and cultural information. There is
nothing metaphysical or religious about it.

It provides an infrastructure and supplies adequate information upon

which the studies (which they are included instructed in) might be built.

An example of the way this works: to develop technology in an area,

you might begin with public health (in order to sustain a technological
society it helps if the public is healthy, so although there seems to be no
obvious connection, establishing a public health programme may be a very
firm way ??? to introducing a technology). A form of basic education is
necessary (in our culture before spiritual studies might begin) and I.C.R.
exists to promote this.

I.C.R was established (historically) at a time when psychological

“propaganda systems” (Freud, Adler; etc.) were beginning to decay in their
influence and when new information about brainwashing, propaganda and
indoctrination was coming in. (It would not have been possible before this).

I.C.R. is there to enrich the culture by doing useful educational work

and provide the ground for something else.
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 12 of 21

It was assumed (by some people) that the I.C.R. was the “cover for a
cult” and this is exactly the frame of mind which they wished to avoid.

I.C.R. is “clean” (as it were) and not a “cover.”

There is also a social and professional aspect so “we can interact with
scholars”; etc. it is not therefore a subversive organisation.

2. The Sufi Trust

This is a registered charity with the aims of preserving, maintaining
and propagating “the spiritual and literary traditions of the Sufis.” This
organisation will publish and in other ways maintain the flow of the authentic
material of the spiritual tradition.

Orientalists will always change the documents which they translate.

To maintain the currency of the documentation specifically written

and published for teaching purposes in the past.
Once you are in a position of knowledge (You “know something”)
they (the materials) can be made use of and are therefore not superceded. (He
is talking here, I think, about the heritage of spiritual materials from “the
past”). When you know something then they can be made use of.

3. Society for Sufi Studies

[An announcement was made on 1st September 1989 that “The
Society will be suspending all activities for the time being” and these
activities have not yet resumed, if they ever will.]

This society has been formed because the time is right. (In the past)
groups have been formed/re-formed; etc. The pattern has been irregular and
there has been xxx no recognisable “cult.” This has been very useful in that it
has avoided numerous things that detract, such as the requirement people
might feel for a substitute family; etc. The materials had been widely
discriminated disseminated? And such “came out of the woodwork” in
response to this material. Some of the things in the books are obviously
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 13 of 21

wrong but were put in to see “who would adopt them because of the
bankruptcy of their own ideas.” These people were to be isolated from “the
main stream.”

Like/dislike, acceptance/rejection, belief/disbelief (this coupling was

inappropriate here, we could not use such a mechanism when approaching
the Society. People have not been taught that certain things are subject to
this. We know that there can be no question about the 5 times table (but don't
see this as applying in other areas).

This either/or has been bought at too high a price, we have sacrificed
flexibility. Most of us have been taught that we can conceive and evaluate.
The Society for Sufi Studies “is in fact a school.” We cannot approach you,
nor can you approach us in a spirit of acceptance/rejection.

We find this difficult because it is almost always in our culture

“threat and promise” “we don't do that.” It is an educational system designed
to overcome this.

The next section deals with the principles upon which the Society
works. It is not informational – [it] demands to teach what there is to be
taught in a manner which the teaching requires. Normally in science (for
example), people make a hypothesis and test it out, but we are trying to lead
you to something which we already know about. This is normal when
somebody has done something before.

We cannot use the study systems which have already been

developed. If the material goes into a scholastic organisation (for example) it
will come out “with a scholastic coat on.” The scholastic technique cannot be
used in our field.

(They) cannot rely on prestige, which increases expectation. (They)

cannot use threat/promises, cannot use force, therefore what they do is to
attract interest, and they keep this interest on as low a level as possible.

There will always be in the human being the desire for another
family or tribe; etc. (you have it, I have it, and we always will have) – there
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 14 of 21

are ice-flows to be navigated around. They don't want the psychiatric case,
the type who says “I felt so much better after I saw you”; etc. I deal with
such people in my civilian capacity.

(They) have to set up a structure which avoids the mechanism (the

kind of study symbolised by “the college”, for example). A body of
knowledge must avoid all the impositions which the undisciplined mind
demands of it. “We are not giving out a stimulus, therefore it is hard to keep
an audience” (but) we are not all (stupid, mechanical) “like that.”

The Langton parties [social occasions] exist to bleed off pent up

emotion (a safety valve). “I never promised you fun and knowledge at the
same time.” Enjoyment and learning have to be separated – like the man who
watches a T.V. Documentary as pure entertainment, knowing it's not true.

We are specialists and we unfortunately have to appear critical of

other organisations – but we are only being descriptive. People who
complain are often saying “what you call emotion, I call spirituality.” We can
distinguish between two things which they cannot. The Society has to do
that, i.e. make subdivisions (which others perhaps cannot).

The society has three kinds of constituency:

1. Individuals who write or telephone; etc.

2. Existing groups of people who have, or think they have been

working in this field.

3. Groups which we have set up.

At the very best, collecting people at random is a useful activity; at

worst it is a simple “processing” – like an industrial process.

(Now for the “bad news”) “I think you see people as needing to be
processed.”
The good news (is that) it is not difficult to put flexibility into these
studies.
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 15 of 21

A peculiarity of (certain?) human beings is the compulsive imitation

of authorities – auto mimetic.
He had to give up smoking, not because he would get cancer, but
because the people around him who took up smoking (even going so far as to
adopt the same brand) would have. This behaviour is rooted in greed. The
person wants to get something, he doesn't know what the basis is, but he
wants the manifestation, and thus he copies.

People who have not been placed in any group sometimes form their
own “because they go to Langton” (this being regarded as some kind of
qualification). These are the “spiritual cannibals”, Thus we find that “we
cannot trust the community in which we find ourselves.” The Society has
been formalised so that no study group can “make itself.”

As a further example of how things have gone “haywire”, Shah said

that he now even has an “imposter”, someone who claims to be him and who
does things that he will not do.

People who (actually) want to learn do not display compulsive

imitation; etc. – the signs are very obvious if they manifest – it doesn't take
“eyes” to spot them.

Groupings: There are far more people studying our ideas than were
ever authorised to do. People say “don't shoot the pianist – he's doing his best
(laughs) but who says we need a pianist? We don't need the pianist.

The Society is there to harmonise and structure groupings so that

they can function. It is impossible for him to give lectures. People often ask
him to do this but (there is no point), they could get just as much from a book
(the implication was that only low level teaching is possible with
undeveloped groups).
It has to be organised: It is an organism and it cannot be done by any
other method (paraphrased). We have to have the control.
He was very much against the idea put to him by a long standing
“spiritual leader” in this country that “we must keep the boys and girls
together.” These types of organisations say “join, pay our subs, and if you
don't get anywhere, it's your fault.”
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 16 of 21

Our organisation is different. It exists primarily to organise the

teaching in this area and must have the ability to develop its own groups, its
own curriculum. It must operate as efficiently as possible. It is not there to
feed something into a waiting organisation.
Mentions how people are always asking him to “throw in a bit extra”
like the Jesuits who joined saying “Give us a few exercises to keep up what
we are doing.”
We find very obvious non-requisitors in “metaphysical/spiritual”
groups which are not aware of them. These are “heroic groups” in our
terminology (i.e. they are like ignorant heroes on the battlefield, going on
oblivious of danger – they are ignorant, stupid heroes). They are
entertainment organisations. The studies are developed to attract the people.

To maintain the vitality of his organisation 90% of the effort must go

into that – and he must avoid the superficialists; etc. Anything left over for
“other groupings” i.e. self-appointed teachers (they are self-appointed, even
if they do not realise it) must be at little more than an informational level.
He cannot connect with existing dilettante organisations. “If any of
you are interested in what we are doing, we cannot offer more than a certain
amount of experience and information. We do not tinker with other people's
organisations, because this is not possible.”
He has introduced a new concept: “time, place, people” [i.e. right
time, right place, right people] – such a new concept brings many things in
its train. He cannot provide you “with materials if you have no school with
which to handle them.”

(Emphasised) He invited our attention to the fact that a

psychological/spiritual organisation often exists for the people to have
something to belong to (He said that people in our culture have shown a taste
for the phoney).

“There is a also lot of material about, but nobody accepted it.”

People do not want to learn but to dominate and be dominated. It is

not our task to change anybody – they ((can only) change themselves.
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 17 of 21

The “way through” is not by means of setting up an organisation “to

gain satisfactions”, “You cannot be paid twice.”
You can only do a very small amount by yourselves (e.g. by “self
observation”; etc.). After a point it becomes self-immolation or flagellation.

Don't (try to) give up all your hang ups. We are trying to get you to
suspend certain assumptions for certain purposes. “We are studying you.
We've got no problems except for you.”
The student cannot study the teacher (only himself).
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 18 of 21

Questions and Answers

Somebody said “You've said what not to do, but what can we do?”

Shah: “Exclusion is a primary thing – give me exclusion any time.”

When you have no knowledge you are prey to people who will
supply entertainment.

Shah then offered a summary of what has been said.

“We have an unfamiliar organisation. Occasionally these arrive, and

are dissolved. Some bits go on (as relics). It would not be fair to say that it is
familiar to you. It (the Society) has the right to do nothing, to offer you
nothing – if that is what it wants to do.

It will always exist, but you won't always be interested in it. It can be
easy to avoid such an organisation. People who want authority, repetition;
etc., should avoid such an organisation because they won't get them.

At least: it is possible to have an organisation without the de-merits

that the familiar ones have. Your (everyday) society offers you
“satisfactions” – so why not get them from there.”
“We are able to maintain such an organisation because there is a
sufficient number of people who take to it like a duck to water” and who find
no difficulty in accepting such an idea. Our duty is primarily to them. It is
only when the basic people are there that they can begin to offer things to
other organisations.

The larger numbers of people are at cross purposes with us – they

want authority, stimulation; etc.

(He then cited or named “spiritual tradition” which goes “don't enjoy
yourself” – once this is accepted we become the victims of our
hangovers[?]).

This material is not to be discussed “publicly.”

Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 19 of 21

“Re-act to it as you think fit” (if you want information or

classification clarification you can have it – direct from Shah or Fry).

The Society has two sides:

1. The groups set up on the basis of the society's assessment of who

can best be grouped together.

2. Groups which do not come under its organisational structure but

which are affiliated to it – educationally these are at a disadvantage: they will
tend to work mechanically – their ability to use the materials the others do is
severely limited.

There are two kinds of membership: full members (very limited

number) and associate member (“you could be one”), you would receive a
certain quantity and quality of materials (books, papers, cassettes; etc.) which
are not to be passed on and which are specifically for you.

The two kinds of groups may receive the above and also receive
material through the class. “class leaders” receive additional materials which
will enable them to run the groups. The class leaders meet three times a year.

This looks mechanical but mechanicality is countered in response to

feedback. Within the structure (things) are not acting mechanically.

But the organisation does not undertake to do anything: there should

be no expectation of mechanicality because this inhibits your capacity to act
[with] flexibility.

There should be no expectation beyond the very minimum. The

secret is “how much, when, where, how.” If this is not known then “you are
treating people like animals in a factory.”

“We cannot use labels which have developed bad associations over
the years.”
“You must decide what to do either individually or collectively about
this and I hope that there may be some communication in writing.”
Notes on Idries Shah's Address to “New Alpha” 20 of 21

Other Points
Other points not noted down in correct succession but recalled after
meeting (paraphrased):

1. “I shouldn't speak of this too much because it soon gets spooky,

but we are in connexion with “another realm” which is beyond all this – it is
non-systemised [sic = systematised] (“organic”).

2. I was told you were a nation of truth-seekers when I was sent to

you, that you would stop at nothing... (heavy pause, thinks) – I suppose I
can't deny that.”

3. “This is an organic not a mechanistic organisation.”

4. We have introduced a new concept “time, place and people”, but if

everybody else – down to your local bus conductor – starts using it then we'll
have to move on, we have to stay ahead of the game.”

5. “My father [Sirdar Ikbal Ali Shah] taught me to listen to

conversations and to try, by thinking very quickly, to anticipate
subconsciously exactly what the other person was going to say” (advocated
this as a technique).

---oOo----
 Notes on an address by the writer and Sufi teacher
Idries Shah, given to “New Alpha” class leaders in 1979.