Charlie's Light by Kenny Balagna-Russo

Charlie was by far the most highly evolved and cosmically conscious person I've ever known... he was also the most gentle, friendly, giving and natural person as well.

Charlie's Light
by Kenny Balagna-Russo

A Very Friendly Looking Gentleman

I learned TM on June 1st, 1974, and it was the very end of my senior year of high school. Even at that young age I found myself asking profound questions, and having observations like 'where do my thoughts come from' and 'it's always now'. Deep! I had become very analytical about life and it's mysteries. Though I was not brought up in a religious family or belonged to any traditional faith, I had become somewhat 'spiritually curious' and looked at life much differently than most of my classmates. I began having too many questions that I could not answer. Billy, a close classmate and friend of mine, told me about this introductory lecture about Transcendental Meditation that he saw advertised, and that they were having it at Fullerton State University.

At that point in my life, I had never heard of TM and knew nothing about it. Billy showed me the flyer and something inside me said 'you should go'. We both went to the presentation which was given in one of their large lecture halls. The stage was set with diagrams, easels and a projection screen. There was around 30 or so people there attending but the room was probably only a third to a half full at best. A very friendly looking gentleman dressed in suit and tie came out to greet us, and then began the lecture. I immediately became awe stricken and engrossed with him and his words. He talked about things like 'the source of thought' and 'subtle levels of the mind'. Everything he was saying was presented in a very scientific and intellectual format. Perfect for me. Including the benefits of health and expanded state of mind. Questions that had been plaguing me for a while. I immediately said to myself... this is IT! This is what I have been looking for.

The next week I came to the 2nd preparatory lecture for learning TM. My friend Billy who initially told me about this TM lecture was not interested in going and did not go. But during the week I had inspired and energized at least a half dozen or more of my other friends to come with me. When the lecture opened the same gentleman asked the crowd how many had come to the first lecture? I raised my hand with others. Then he asked how many did not attend the first lecture and if this was their first night hearing about TM? All my friends raised their hands. The TM teacher was stunned, and quite impressed. He asked me 'you brought all these people with you'? I smiled and nodded my head. After that night, I went on to learn TM and anxiously awaited my TM Instruction date. A week later school was out and my adult life began. Some of my friends who attended that second Lecture with me eventually went on to learn TM as well. Funny thing was being as anal as I was at the time, I was totally disappointed after the initial TM learning procedure. I felt let down and that I had been ripped off. I thought to myself 'that's it'??? But then after my first solo Meditating session, I transcended and was completely enamored with the Teaching and what it had done for me with just one meditation. I wanted to run out and tell the world!

After a year or so of Meditating, it became obvious to me that TM was far beyond what they presented it to be at the Lectures. I once again began having far more questions about life and reality than I had answers for. I became somewhat distraught and confused at all this and didn't know what to do about it. I went to the local TM center I frequented and began talking with one of the Teachers. Jim saw something in me that he felt compelled to help me with. After explaining myself to him, he said I think it's time for you to go and see Charlie Lutes. Who's that I asked?

(L-R) Charlie Lutes and Kenny Balagna-Russo.

I first saw Charlie at the SRM building in Santa Monica, California, where he gave Friday night lectures in a very large...almost theater like lecture hall. It had cascading rows of seats in I believe 3 big sections. That's how I remember it anyway. I had never heard of the term SRM before but was eager to see what Charlie...and it...were all about. When I first saw Charlie, he appeared to be a pleasant looking business man, nothing special I thought, but his friendly and gentle demeanor projected a welcoming charismatic charm. We started with a group Meditation which I thought was unusual at the time since this would add a '3rd Meditation' to my normal day of 2. But I happily went along with it. He ended the Meditation by gently saying...' Jai Guru Dev'. And then a minute or so later... 'slowly open the eyes'.

When he began his Lecture I right away, and once again... said to myself, ‘this is it'! This is what I've been looking for! Just in that first Lecture Charlie covered several issues I had been perplexed about. An amazing coincidence I thought?! I was hooked right away. I learned that SRM stood for Spiritual Regeneration Movement, a term that Maharishi Mahesh Yogi first gave to his Transcendental Meditation campaign. I realized that what had been happening to me by using this 'scientific' based technique called TM, was actually a profound and highly Spiritual Teaching causing amazing changes deep inside me that I had never before experienced. This was now clearing up a lot of questions and I was eager to attend SRM meetings every week.

But after seeing Charlie several times, I became somewhat intimidated of him. He was larger than life and commanded your attention by his sheer presence. Before the lecture, some people would often walk up to Charlie's podium where he stood at the front of the lecture room. They asked him what I assumed were personal questions that they had. I was most apprehensive of ever doing this myself, even though I always had many questions I wanted to ask of him. One Friday night however. I was feeling very confident and at ease with the idea of being one of those people who were brave enough to directly confront Charlie Lutes. I had been experimenting with Meditating inside a large cardboard pyramid frame which were very popular at that time. But I had a couple of quite unusual experiences and I wished to ask Charlie his advice on the topic of meditating inside this pyramid. This would be the night I finally speak directly with Charlie.

Speaking With Charlie

I stood up from my seat and made my way to the aisle on my right. As I was walking down the aisle, making my way to his podium where Charlie always stood overlooking the entire room before the lecture, I felt very calm and at ease. No apprehension or anxious anxiety at all. I saw his eyes briefly glance over at me as I got close. I arrived at Charlie's side, but he didn't turn to look at or face me. He just remained focused with his view of the crowd finding their seats. I began to ask him about the pyramid situation I was concerned about. But suddenly, I could not speak! I starting babbling nonsense and could NOT find the words, nor could I think clearly. Something profound and quite powerful was happening to me. As I struggled to speak my question to Charlie, I felt like I was being bathed in an invisible fountain of light waves. It was a REAL physical and mental feeling of basically bliss, running all over and through me. I can almost feel it now as I write this experience. A gentle energetic rush of sensation totally overwhelming me. But at the same time, it was still, quiet, silent and peaceful. Like sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool by yourself and seeing the surface of the water twinkling above you. I somewhat lost awareness of where I was, and exactly what I was doing. I was turning my head about, looking here and there, restless, smiling, still struggling to find the words to ask Charlie my pyramid question. I have no idea how long that went on for, maybe a minute or so, but I finally managed to blurt out a few words regarding my pyramid question. Charlie calmly then turned to me and said something to the effect of '... he didn't recommend it “because it might set up some kind of counter vibration's”. I had no idea what that meant. But I then realized that during the confrontation, my pyramid question was being answered without words inside of me as I was being bathed in Charlie's cosmic attention.

When I was finally able to verbally ask him the question, it was already moot. I thanked him, and giddy with excitement, grinning from ear to ear and completely spaced out, I made my way back to my seat. When I sat back down, the person I came with was looking at me in a most peculiar way. They asked what had happened. I tried to explain but the whole thing rendered me speechless. I could not explain. And though I remember it most vividly even until today, words can never articulate what I felt and experienced.

Inspired by Charlie's Lectures

I was fortunate enough to continue to attend Charlie's Friday night meetings for almost 20 years. The venue changed from the original SRM building to another smaller hall, but still in Santa Monica. The crowd got smaller as time passed, but more dedicated and faithful to the inspirational, spiritually informative and comforting lectures that Charles Lutes gave. We retained and carried on the initial labeling of the SRM even though the TM movement itself had moved away from Maharishi's Spiritual foundation. I guess in order to attract more interest with a more scientific and health benefit basis. Over the years I always sat in the front row of those Friday night meetings. Most all the same meditators attended the weekly gathering, and most usually sat in their same chairs and spots. Like we had found our space in that room that was most comfortable to view and absorb Charlie's words. Like a family taking the same seats at the dinner table.

I never had that experience with Charlie again though I spoke with him directly many times over the years. I am a musician/songwriter who has put out 3 album releases of music over my lifetime so far. I am proud and humbled to say that Charlie Lutes was... and is... the main creative influence and motivation in my life. Most all the songs that came to me were spiritually based (though not sitting in the clouds type of music), and lyrically very much inspired by Charlie's lectures and the wisdom he gave to all of us.

Neither I or my music ever became popular. And this always confused me. I thought people would be lining up to get this music I was offering since it was so spiritually influenced by a great teacher like Charlie. One Friday night in the late 90's at his lecture, I was especially feeling down and frustrated about my lack of musical success. At the end of the lecture, I asked Charlie what I should do. If I should just quit music or keep going, as it really seemed at that juncture to be rather pointless to continue on. He said he'd think it over and let me know. A few weeks passed and though I anxiously awaited Charlie's insight, I didn't bother him about it. Then one night he came over to me and said, “I haven't forgotten about you. And, after thinking it over my advice to you is to 'hang in there'.” He nodded his head and smiled. It was very profound! I took Charlie's advice to heart and have continued to be musically creative and active putting out songs to this day.

Spirituality is Being Totally Natural

I attended Charlie's lectures and courses until the last one he gave where he announced to everyone that he was retiring. It was a shock but inevitable, as he pointed out that all things must come to pass. I never saw him again after that, but his influence on my life...both Spiritually and musically have never left me. The one thing I also remember most about Charlie that people don't mention, was his amazing sense of humor. You wouldn't think A man of his level of Spiritual consciousness would also be funny. He was. There was very seldom a lecture I attended that was void of levity or his humor. He would often be lecturing on a most powerful and deeply Spiritual topic, with everyone listening intently and glued to his every word and expression. Then out of the blue, suddenly, he would make a humorous analogy or say something totally hilarious, and the deep silence of the room would BURST into a roar of laughter.

Charlie always said Spirituality is not about chanting and cloud sitting or walking about in robes. It's about being totally natural. Becoming enlightened was such a natural state of being, that someone else would have to tell you that you had arrived there. Charlie was by far, the most highly evolved and cosmically conscious person I've ever known. He was also the most gentle, friendly, giving and natural person as well. That was our friend Charlie Lutes, and I miss him dearly.

Copyright © 2026 Kenny Balagna-Russo
Edited for the Institute of Spiritual Sciences (ISS) by Ray J. Rousseau.

www.institutespiritualsciences.org

May the light and love of God prevail. Please let us know how we can help.

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