The Source Family
was a high-profile spiritual commune and cult founded in Hollywood in the early 1970s by James Edward Baker, better known as Father Yod. The group is famous for its early adoption of organic health foods, its psychedelic rock band, and its eventual tragic relocation to Hawaii.
Key Aspects of The Source Family
- The Leader: Father Yod was a former WWII hero, Hollywood restaurateur, and stuntman who reinvented himself as a guru. He lived in a mansion with 14 wives and drove a Rolls Royce, claiming he was a "spiritual father" to his 140 followers.
- The Source Restaurant: The group operated a popular vegetarian restaurant on the Sunset Strip that became a celebrity hotspot for figures like John Lennon and Warren Beatty. It is famously parodied in Woody Allen's Annie Hall.
- Music: The Family formed an experimental psychedelic rock band called Ya Ho Wha 13. They recorded nine albums between 1973 and 1975, which are now considered cult classics in the psych-rock genre.
- Beliefs & Lifestyle: Members practiced communal living, yoga, and meditation based on a blend of Western esotericism and the Age of Aquarius. They all adopted the last name "Aquarian".
- The End: Following pressure from local authorities, the group moved to Hawaii in 1974. In 1975, Father Yod died following a hang-gliding accident on Oahu. The Family largely disbanded shortly after his death.
Media & Legacy
The story of the group was brought to a wider audience through the 2012 documentary
The Source Family, directed by Jodi Wille and Maria Demopoulos. It was based on the book The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13 and The Source Family by original members Isis Aquarian and Electricity Aquarian.
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