In Pursuit of Valis Read online

  TDHG: Narrative sequence of letters by PKD, THE DARK-HAIRED GIRL, written in 1972 and published posthumously in 1988.

  To Scare the Dead: Proposed title for PKD novel—the principle subject of which would be the events of 2-3-74—as to which PKD made notes in 1974-75. The novel was never written. The title was intended to refer to the reawakening of seemingly dead personages (such as the early Christian Thomas) as a result of the same forces that were at work in PKD’s 2-3-74 experiences. See Valisystem A.

  Thomas: Early Christian personage who, according to one line of speculation of PKD, had crossbonded with PKD during the events of 2-3-74. Thomas was the embodiment of the living knowledge of early Christianity. See Homoplasmate and Plasmate.

  Two-Source Cosmology: Phrase employed by PKD to describe one ofhis most persistent theoretical viewpoints in the Exegesis: that the universe (and, in particular, our own world) was a dualist admixture of genuine and spurious reality. This dualistic viewpoint was intertwined with PKD’s own tragic experience as a survivingtwin—his sister Jane died at age five weeks. See chapter one of my DIVINE INVASIONS: A LIFE OF PHILIP K. DICK(1989) for an extensive discussion of this episode and its reverberations in PKD’s thought. On a more formal level, PKD drew from the dualisms of Gnosticism, the Presocratic philosophers Heraclitus and Parmenides, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism in fashioning (and ceaselessly refashioning) his various theories on the nature of the two-source cosmology.

  Valis: Acronym coined by PKD; its meaning is “Vast Active Living Intelligence System.” PKD utilized Valis in the Exegesis in a variety of contexts to express his sense of the nature of ultimate reality. See definition set forth by PKD as the opening epigram to his novel VALIS (1981).

  Valisystem A: PKD novel as to which he made notes in 1974-76 (sometimes in conjunction with notes onTO SCARE THE DEAD). The novel was finally written in 1976; it was posthumously published in 1985 as RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH.

  Xerox Letter or Xerox Missive: See the “Editor’s Preface” to this volume at page xiii.

  Yaldabaoth: Blind, deranged Gnostic demiurge who created the spurious world—the Black Iron Prison that ensnares consciousness. See James-James.

  Zagreus (Greek): A name of the Greek god Dionysus, which means literally “torn to pieces.” The name reflects the Orphic myth that Dionysus (god of vegetation and of the spring renewal) was, as a child, torn to pieces by the Titans, only to come back to life through the agency of his father Zeus, who restored his son to life by eating the heart of his sundered corpse. Zagreus was regarded by PKD as an alternate divine form of Christ.

  Zebra: Term coined by PKD to describe how ultimate reality conceals itself in the spurious world through mimicry of the everydaybanal “trash” that surrounds us. Theanalogy, of course, is to the concealing mimicry afforded by the stripes of a zebra. Zebra is a cognate term for Valis.

  —Lawrence Sutin

  1

  An alternate chronology of these events has been expressed by PKD’s wife, Tessa B. Dick, in an interview by J. B. Reynolds published in The Philip K. Dick Society Newsletter, #13, February, 1987, p. 6. According to Tessa Dick, Dick had oral surgery the day before the incident in question, was “full of codeine, for the pain” and was awaiting the delivery of medication for his high blood pressure.

  2

  From “How to Build a Universe that Doesn’t Fall Apart Two Days Later”, published as an introduction to I HOPE I SHALL ARRIVE SOON, Doubleday, 1985

  3

  From interview in DREAM MAKERS: THE UNCOMMON PEOPLE WHO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION, Charles Platt, Ed., Berkley, 1980, page 155.

  4

  Ibid, p. 155-156.

  5

  PKD letter to Ira Einhorn, February 1978.

  6

  PKD letter to Peter Fitting, June 1974.

  7

  VALIS, Philip K. Dick, Bantam, 1981.

  8

  VALIS, pg. 17.

  9

  STARSEED, Timothy Leary, Level Press, 1973; THE SCIENTIST, John C. Lilly, Bantam, 1981.

  10

  MEMORIES, DREAMS AND REFLECTIONS, C. G. Jung, Vintage, 1961, pp. 190-191.

  11

  Jung, op. cit., p. 190. The Seven Sermons are reprinted as an appendix in the book. For an insightful discussion of the Seven Sermons, Gnosticism, and depth psychology, see THE GNOSTIC JUNG, Stephan A. Hoeller, Quest Books, 1982.

  12

  THE EXPLORATION OF THE INNER WORLD, Anton Boisen, Harper, 1936, pp. 30-33.

  13

  PKD letter to Claudia Bush, July 16,1974.

  14

  Ibid.

  15

  Boisen, op. cit., p. 119.

  16

  “Shamans and Acute Schizophrenia,” Julian Silverman, American Anthropologist, Vol. 69 (1967): p. 28.

  17

  Platt, op. cit., p. 155.

  18

  VALIS, pp. 216-217.

  19

  VALIS, pp. 217-228.

  20

  PKD was voluntarily admitted to Hoover Pavilion, in Palo Alto, California, on 3 May 1971 and checked himself out on 6 May 1971 with the approval of Dr. Bryan, the examining psychiatrist.

  21

  The character Glen Runciter in UBIK.

  22

  Bishop James A. Pike, who died in the Judean desert in September 1969, while in quest of the truth as to the historical Jesus. PKD and Pike had formed a friendship in the mid-1960s. Pike was the inspiration for the title character in PKD’s final novel, THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER (1982)

  23

  Bishop Pike’s son, Jim Jr., committed suicide in February 1 966. In Pike’s book THE OTHER SIDE (1968), Pike asserted that he had made postmortem contact with his son through seances and other psychic means. PKD and his fourth wife Nancy Hackett, who participated in some of these seances, were thanked by Pike for their assistance in his “Foreword” to the book.

  24

  THE EXORCIST (1971), novel by William Peter Blatty.

  25

  In May 1974, PKD briefly dismissed the Scott Meredith Literary Agency due primarily to his dissatisfaction with the royalty statements supplied him by publishers. The rift was formally patched within a month, and the Meredith Agency continued to represent PKD.

  26

  See next paragraph. As a result of this accident, PKD suffered a broken arm and wore a body cast for two months.

  27

  The likely reference here is to Harvey Ross, “Orthomolecular Psychiatry: Vitamin Pills for Schizophrenics,” Psychology Today April 1974.

  28

  Reference to Morey Bernstein, THE CASE OF BRIDEY MURPHY (1956), in which a contemporary woman was apparently able, while under hypnosis, to recall a previous life under the name Bridey Murphy in nineteenth century Ireland.

  29

  The Golden Rectangle, which formed a part of the hypnagogic visions experienced by PKD during this period, embodies the Pythagorean ideal of harmonious proportion that points to ultimate unity.

  30

  THE ROBE (1942), novel by Lloyd Douglas.

  31

  From Stanislaw Lem, “Science Fiction: A Hopeless Case-With Exceptions” (1972), an essay included in PHILIP K. DICK: ELECTRIC SHEPHERD (1975), edited by Bruce Gillespie.

  32

  The ongoing thought and works of the Pythagorean wisdom school.

  33

  “Terrible Separation” is a reference to PKD’s own sense of the gulf that existed in the 1960s between his own limited human existence and a genuine. encounter with the divine as a positive, redeeming force in the universe.

  34

  This final sentence is a paraphrase of the lyrics of one of PKD’s favorite lieder by Franz Schubert.

  35

  PKD’s cat.

  36

  THE DECODED NEW TESTAMENT (1974). Published by Gene Savoy’s International Community of Christ in Reno, Nevada. An alternate reading of the New Testament from an esoteric organization that briefly influenced PKD.

  37
/>
  Dr. Richard Maurice Bucke (1837-1902), friend of Walt Whitman and author of COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS, A STUDY IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE HUMAN MIND (1905).

  38

  1975

  39

  Altered state of consciousness.

  40

  The ancient Egyptian goddess Ma’at (or Maat) symbolizes equilibrium, poise, and harmony. “Ma’at” also serves as an abstract term indicative of such qualities; it is in that abstract sense that PKD uses it here.

  41

  Hexagram 36 of the I CHING.

  42

  The photo referred to here is unknown.

  43

  Country music singer.

  44

  Tessa Dick, PKD’s fifth wife, and Christopher (Chrissy), his infant son.

  45

  The events described here, including the surgery on Christopher, occurred in September-October 1974.

  46

  “X” seems to be PKD’s symbol for the one or more of his works (just which remained uncertain to him) that he believed may have contained a vital message that could spur the process of divine salvation of the world. In the next paragraph, PKD makes reference to “Nats” and “Pol”-the colloquialisms PKD invented for the national guard and the police in FLOW MY TEARS, THE POLICEMAN SAID (1974), a novel that PKD frequently posited as the most likely identity of “X”.

  47

  AMORC is the acronym for the American Rosicrucian society founded in 1915 by Harvey Spencer Lewis-the Ancient and Mystic Order Rosae Crucis. PKD briefly joined in 1974.

  48

  John.

  49

  Nancy Hackett, PKD’s fourth wife, decided in 1970 to end the marriage. For an account that includes the views of Nancy Hackett as to the events of that year, see chapter seven of DIVINE INVASIONS: A LIFE OF PHILIP K. DICK (1989).

  50

  During the 1970s, comic book artist R. Crumb underwent an intensive tax audit conducted by the I.R.S.

  51

  K.W. Jeter, a friend and fellow science-fiction writer.

  52

  Joan Simpson, with whom PKD had a romantic relationship in 1977.

  53

  In February 1976, PKD attempted suicide after his fifth wife, Tessa Dick, moved out of their house with their son Christopher. Tessa Dick recalls that PKD insisted on the move. See chapter eleven of DIVINE INVASIONS: A LIFE OF PHILIP K. DICK (1989).

  54

  Dorothy Kindred Hudner, PKD’s mother, died in August 1978. The relationship between mother and son was a difficult one. See chapters one and two of DIVINE INVASIONS.

  55

  The postmortem realm described in the TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD.

  56

  The reference here is to Virgil’s Fourth Eclogue, which was asserted, by the Church Fathers, to contain a prophecy of the coming Christ.

  57

  Character in the Mozart opera THE MAGIC FLUTE.

  58

  See note on page 25.

  59

  The reference here is to VALIS, written in 1978.

  60

  PKD’s two daughters, by his third and fourth marriages, respectively. PKD had arranged for each of them to visit him at his Santa Ana condominium during this period.

  61

  Joan Simpson. See note on page 36.

  62

  This is a cognate term for Saint Sophia.

  63

  * From the poem “Brahma” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

  64

  From the poem “Brahma” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

  65

  Krishna to Arjuna in chapter 10 of the BHAGAVAD GITA.

  66

  George Herbert (1 593-1633), English Christian poet and mystic. The lines quoted by PKD form the final stanza of the poem “The Pulley.” In line five, “my” is capitalized in the original.

  67

  Ray Torrence, bookseller and friend of PKD. Torrence was paying a visit to PKD and was with PKD on 1 7 November 1980, the date of what PKD called the “theophany.” In interview with the editor, Torrence stated that he recalled nothing unusual about PKD that day.

  68

  Ultimate cosmic body or structure.

  69

  PKD would group various of his past works into thematic wholes to which he gave the name “meta novel”. See chapter four herein, “Interpretations of His Own Works,” for examples of this process. The precise configuration PKD had in mind here is unclear.

  70

  PKD footnote here reads: “See separate envelope notes dated 12/10/80 p 10 passim.” Pages 1 through 4 of these notes are excerpted in the next selection (pp. 59-62)(In this eBook—in the folowing “Footnote” section) in this chapter.

  71

  PKD foonote: “World, not God (as I had supposed).” This same note was referenced by PKD for each of the two indicated references to “Valis”

  72

  Sanskrit for the “Lord of Creatures”. Prajapati, as a demiurgic figure, is mentioned frequently in the RIG VEDA.

  73

  The reference here is to marijuana. PKD had smoked some on 11-17-80.

  74

  In high school, while taking a physics test, PKD became anxious and forgot the key principle behind displacement of water, on which eight of the ten test questions were based. When the exam period was nearly over, PKD began to pray. Then, an inner voice stated the principle simply—and PKD finished the test and earned an A. The episode remained in his memory his entire life.

  75

  VALIS REGAINED, PKD’s original title for THE DIVINE INVASION (1981).

  76

  Ruah is the Hebrew term for “spirit”; it also means “breath”. In kabbalistic tradition, it is the intermediary spiritual state between direct awareness of the godhead and the animal soul.

  77

  Glen and Ella Runciter are characters in UBIK (1969).

  78

  Sun god of the ancient Egyptians.

  79

  Holy Spirit.

  80

  Physicists pose the theoretical existence of tachyons—particles that move faster than light in retgrograde time.

  81

  Ursula Le Guin, the science fiction writer. She and PKD were in correspondence at this time.

  82

  Fragment 51 of Heraclitus, in the translation by Edward Hussey favored by PKD, reads: “They do not understand how what is at variance is in agreement with itself: a back-turning structure (palintropos harmoni) like that of the bow and of the lyre.”

  83

  See Glossary.

  84

  THE DECODED NEW TESTAMENT. See note on page 23.

  85

  Plural of kosmos. Hussey (see subsequent note) discusses, in chapter two of THE PRESOCRATICS (1972), the analogy-perceived by both Presocratic and Hindu thinkers-between the creation of a kosmos and animal reproduction.

  86

  Edward Hussey, Oxford scholar and author of THE PRESOCRATICS (1972), a work cited in chapter four of VALIS (1981). As to PKD’s reference here, see chapter two of Hussey’s book.

  87

  It is not entirely clear which novels PKD is referring to here. UBIK (1969) and FLOW MY TEARS, THE POLICEMAN SAID (1974) are certainly among them, as is stated in this selection. For other likely candidates, see the selections in chapter four herein.

  88

  See “Afterword” page 255

  89

  Doris Sauter, a close friend of PKD during the last decade of his life. The book referenced here is unknown.

  90

  See Robert Anton Wilson, COSMIC TRIGGER: THE FINAL SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATI (1977).