Last Christmas, David Zimmerman hosted a Christmas party for the Edgar Casey group. I attending the party through a mutual friend, Marie Gibbons, and much enjoyed a lecture David presented for his guests prior to dinner. He talked about several interesting topics, providing us with new insights suitable for our time and setting us up emotionally and spiritually for the New Year. I had never met David before but by the time I left his home, I learned quite a bit about him.  

David is a retired GM executive and a Vietnam War Veteran. He studied Art at the Fort Wayne Art Institute which is now the art department for Indian University, is a graduate of Claregate College of England, and a lifelong student of The Ageless Wisdom Teachings. He’s also a lecturer, producer and generous supporter of educational DVD’s and writings on esoteric subjects throughout the United States, England, Australia, Europe, and South Africa.

The Ageless Wisdom Teachings, which has been handed down from generation to generation, refers to an ancient body of teachings regarding the nature of our cosmos, how it devolved from an energetic unity known as the One Life, the laws by which it operates, and humanity’s evolutionary role within it. It is the source of all spiritual teachings and religious traditions. Its primary focus is on the energetic structure of the universe, the evolution of consciousness, the spiritual reality of our lives as humans, and the development of “right human relations.”

According to the website http://www.esotericstudies.net, The Ageless Wisdom Teachings’ emphasis on all life as energy is being confirmed by the current work in cosmology and quantum physics. No student of the Ageless Wisdom is expected to accept any of the teachings without testing them. As the Tibetan says, “If the teaching conveyed calls forth a response from the illumined mind of the worker in the world, and brings a flashing forth of intuition, then let that teaching be accepted. But not otherwise.” 

As for Claregate College of England, the idea was first started by Dr. Douglas Baker who established a college in the United States in 1972. The college was the first of its kind to offer a systematized course in the Esoteric Sciences. The venture proved very popular and soon enabled a college to be opened in England. Claregate College was thus founded in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire in 1977. Hundreds of students attended the college for weekend seminars and evening classes; the college attracted groups from America who came for summer seminars and was the base for Dr. Baker’s extensive lecture tours around England. The college also served as a research center, where information was gathered from various projects involved in the effects of magnetism, color, sound, radionics and flower remedies on the human organism.

Due to expensive travel and time delay, many people later found it difficult to undertake a systematic course of studies which requires attendance and an educational institution.  It was in response to these needs that The Claregate Correspondence Course was inaugurated, thereby giving people all over the world the opportunity to study the fascinating field of the Esoteric Sciences.

David’s educational background and experiences in life make him a sought after lecturer and an interesting conversationalist. During my interview with him, he talked about the Lost City of Atlantis. It was the Greek philosopher Plato who told the story of Atlantis around 360 B.C. He said that the founders of Atlantis were half-god and half-human who created a utopian civilization and became a great naval power. The story goes that there was a catastrophic destruction of this ancient civilization which some say was fictional and others believe is true. Regardless, this place reminds me a lot of ancient Mesopotamia and conversations like this allow for a person to think, to imagine, to perhaps learn something new.

David recently shared two paintings with me to share with my readers: one is by his friend and artist Don Kruse, who like David happens to be a Theosophist. This famous American folk tale has a universal mythological significance. The fox, known as Brer Foxin in the story, was always at odds with the wile rabbit and desperately wanted to catch him. One day the fox had an idea of just how to catch the rabbit. He decided to make a doll baby out of tar. The rabbit who was a very curious creature indeed, would jet stick to the tar baby and wouldn’t be able to get unstuck and the fox would then catch him. And so it was, the rabbit by his curiosity got stuck to the tar baby and the fox caught him.

The wile rabbit not wanting to be eaten by the fox devised a plan to trick the fox into releasing him, when he said, “Now Brer Fox, you caught me fair and square and I know you want to eat me, but I also know how much you hate me and the worst thing you can do to me, is to throw me into that Briar Patch over there.” Brer Fox thought about it and decided he would do just that, and so he did throw the rabbit into the briar patch. The rabbit was able to escape through the briar patch which he knew all too well.

David added that “This picture also includes in its symbolism the picture of many Buddhists and the Halo Nimbus of both the Buddha and The Christ. The great esoteric significance of this tale is this: When students of Buddhism graduate from their training, they are told in order to prove the teachings to be accurate and correct they must put themselves in the service of people who make the difficult situations of life, like the rabbit in the briar patch. ‘The Briar Patches of Life’ will prove the Wisdom Teachings of The Christ and Lord Buddha and by using this Wisdom correctly you will be able to navigate the difficulties of life.”