Shirley MacLaine and the New Age

In his article about my “Connecting With the Higher Self” seminar (“650 Disciples Spend a Weekend in the Lives of Shirley MacLaine,” July 19), Dick Roraback reported that in exploring the theme of spirituality versus materialism I had come down on the side of materialism. What I said was that it is extremely difficult to spiritualize materialism.

In charging money for my seminars, I solved that problem for myself by fulfilling a long-held dream of building a spiritual center with the money realized. I have chosen the land for this center and am working with an architect. I fully expect it to be in operation sometime next year, making available color healing, sound-vibrational healing, acupuncture (psychic and physical), transchanneling and other holistic and metaphysical therapies.

It is becoming evident to me that many reporters assigned to cover the blossoming New Age movement are not well enough informed on the subject of metaphysics to understand what they are hearing and experiencing. Thus they resort to sarcasm and are left to commit the age-old journalistic ploy of quoting the subject extensively, even if out of context and without basic comprehension.

If Roraback would like to take another seminar, tell him the money will go to the building of a spiritual center that will help others like himself be more consciously aware of the inner potential they have. That is how you spiritualize materialism.

SHIRLEY MacLAINE

Malibu