The Source Family
The Source Family was a unique, Aquarian-age experiment in communal living and spiritual seeking that took root in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Its story is a fascinating exploration of the counterculture movement that swept through the United States during that era, centered around a charismatic leader and his followers' quest for enlightenment and a new way of living.
Beginnings
The Source Family's origins trace back to Los Angeles in 1969, when a man named Jim Baker, also known by his spiritual name Father Yod or YaHoWha, founded the group. Baker was a World War II veteran, a successful restaurateur, martial artist, and health food pioneer who owned a popular restaurant on the Sunset Strip called The Source, which served organic vegetarian food to Hollywood's elite and was featured in Woody Allen's film "Annie Hall."
Philosophical and Spiritual Foundations
Father Yod was heavily influenced by various spiritual paths and teachings, including Western esotericism, the teachings of the Gurdjieff Foundation, the I Ching, theosophy, and Kundalini yoga. He was also inspired by the communal living experiments of the time. The Source Family was based on principles of love, communal living, spiritual awakening, and the pursuit of enlightenment. Father Yod saw himself as a spiritual teacher and took on the role of guiding his followers on their spiritual journey.
Communal Living
The Family lived communally, initially in a mansion in the Hollywood Hills called the Mother House. At its peak, the group numbered over 140 members. They followed a strict vegetarian diet, engaged in daily meditations and rituals, and adhered to a lifestyle that was at once disciplined and hedonistic. The community was self-sustaining, supported by the income from The Source restaurant, and later, from their own businesses and musical endeavors.
Music and Cultural Impact
The Source Family was also known for its musical contributions, with Father Yod and the family band, Ya Ho Wa 13, recording numerous psychedelic and experimental albums. Their music, much like their lifestyle, was unconventional, blending rock, jazz, and spiritual chants. These recordings have since gained a cult following.
Controversy and Decline
Despite its ideals, the community faced internal and external challenges. Controversies over Father Yod's leadership style, relationships within the community, and the unconventional beliefs and practices of the Family attracted scrutiny. After Father Yod's death in a hang-gliding accident in 1975, the group struggled to maintain cohesion. The Family dispersed in the late 1970s, with many members integrating back into mainstream society while continuing to practice the spiritual principles they had embraced.
Legacy
The Source Family's legacy is preserved through documentaries, books, and the music they produced. They remain a symbol of the utopian spiritual seeking of the 1960s and 70s, illustrating both the potential and the pitfalls of communal living experiments. The Family's archives, including photographs, recordings, and writings, provide a window into their world and the broader countercultural movement of the time.
In essence, The Source Family's history is a vivid tableau of a transformative period in American culture, reflecting the search for new spiritual horizons and the exploration of alternative lifestyles that defined the era.