Historical Santas across cultures. Click to enlarge
My friend and favorite Santa Claus, Brother Paul H. Trattner, has returned to spirit, but, as Benjamin Franklin said, he will "appear once more in a new and more elegant edition revised and corrected by the author." Over 40 years ago Santa Paul was the best student I ever had at the AUM Esoteric Study center, and he eventually outpaced me and everyone else in his mastery of the occult sciences, mystical arts and religious metaphysics. In fact, he was the lone student in AUM’s history to pass the rigorous course outline to earn certificates in all three sections of our curriculum.
In his Santa Paul persona, he delighted audiences with real magic tricks and fact-based stories on the pagan origins of Santa and our Christmas traditions. He adapted the judgmental concept threatening children they will appear on the "Naughty or Nice List" to the more empowering concept encouraging children to appear on the "Nice and Awesome List."
1. Be Kind to Everyone
2. Be grateful for everything – say “Thank You” often
3. Be helpful and of service to others
4. Give praise often to others
5. Never leave angry
6. Be careful of what you think – thoughts are things
7. Be honest
8. Recognize that we are all special in some way
9. Do your best always
10. Treat others as you would like to be treated
Thank you Santa Paul for making our spirits bright during the holiday season, and all year round.
The groundwork for 21st Century Radio® was laid when we founded the Aquarian University of Maryland. With an M.F.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Paul Trattner was the instrumental element we needed to get the state approved accreditation for this school. AUM began at Johns Hopkins University in 1969 and went on to become the first school of its kind to be allowed to grant state-approved certificates in the areas of the occult sciences, mystic arts and religious metaphysics. It made world headlines. While many expected such a school would have come from the West Coast, Baltimore led the way. It still exists as an online educational resource here and through educational programs hosted at the Ruscombe Mansion Community Health Center.
