24
Enlightenment Journal | 35
th
Anniversary Issue | Fall/Winter 2016–2017
Tilling Spiritual Soil:
30 Years of Selfless Service
An Interview with Jerry Caldwell
In honor of CSE’s 35
th
Anniversary, Enlightenment Journal interviews long time
CSE member, Jerry Caldwell. Jerry and his wife, Illy, have been attending CSE
for thirty years and have served, and continue to do so, in significant and varied
volunteer roles during the entire time. We are delighted to include Jerry’s story of
his CSE experience in our anniversary issue.
How did you first discover CSE?
Thirty years ago, my wife, Illy Caldwell, was part of a women’s prayer group
that met at the Day Spring Chapel in Los Gatos. She and I began to attend the
services at this small church and there we met Yogacharya O’Brian in the earliest
incarnation of what later became the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment (CSE).
There was a strong emphasis on being inclusive of all religious and spiritual
beliefs and I knew right away that this was the place I wanted to be.
We followed Yogacharya O’Brian’s ministry from Los Gatos to the Odd
Fellow’s Lodge in Campbell and then on to Winchester Plaza where CSE had its
own space in an office plaza instead of sharing a space with others. This was a
step up for the CSE community and we enjoyed our own garden pathway and
glass windows. At the end of each service we all picked up our chairs to make
space for the Hatha Yoga class that Julianne Rice gave each Sunday after service.
Tell us about your history of volunteering at CSE
We both started out as greeters at the Winchester location, but pretty soon we
were so “blown away” by Yogacharya’s vision of things to come that we became
CSE Board members as well. That’s when CSE became incorporated and its own
“entity.” We kept growing and before we knew it, we needed a larger and more
visible location so we started a fund drive to raise money to help bring about the
manifestation of CSE’s new home.
Once we were in our current location, I became the Ground & Garden’s keeper.
I thoroughly enjoyed working with my team to keep the grounds beautiful and
stayed in this volunteer position for ten years. We re-built the underground
sprinkler and watering system and cleared up a lot of overgrowth to support
Yogacharya’s vision of the atmosphere that she wanted to create for all of the
guests who would be welcomed into our beautiful new home. At the same time,
Illy and I were on the Board for a few more terms over the years.