Tribute to our dearest Thomas, Dr. Parker.
Thomas was a dear friend of ours. He was a wonderful, inspiring soul, a wise Yogi Renowned Jungian Analyst and a brilliant teacher who passed on November 23rd 2020, and went to the Astral to join his beloved wife Victoria, his Beloved Gurus and our Beloved Creator. It is with much love, joy and sorrow, that we say goodbye (for now) to the man, who with Victoria's life, was entwined with ours in so many ways.
He and Victoria were the first people I met in Encinitas in 1988 after Sri Daya Mata encouraged me to go to India with them, rather than my plan of traveling alone. We had a long and incredible relationship. Our lives were entwined from day one. I met them the very first day I arrived in Encinitas, and as Thomas said, we played many 'parts’ together. They took me under their wing and shared their extraordinary selves with Charles and I.We went to SRF Mother Center together several times, once with me sitting between them in the car on the long front seat. We listened to Yogananda in silence and deep reverence and then laughed joyously the rest of the way about many things. We arrived in an open, joyous and receptive state. That is what our India trips were like also.
We served together at convocation selling harnmoniums for almost 20 years straight, which were, ordered and purchased on our trips together. He could be found by the Harmonium tables greeting and helping the devotees choose the perfect one. People were drawn to him as a familiar face throughout the years. We had a lot of fun serving together in many different capacities. We shared Birthdays, Thanksgivings, Christmases, New Year's and very holy SRF Commemorative Services together. Thomas and Charles went to many football games together and favorite restaurants in Encinitas & San Diego. They had the same taste in many subjects and food!
Thomas was MC at the 10th anniversary of our Yoga Room in 2000 which was a wonderful event, and at our marriage celebration, in 2005. Sri Mukti Mata married us at The Hollywood Temple and Thomas and Victoria and our beloved friend Sheryl Wong were witnesses.Thomas was also the MC at the small wedding celebration in Laguna Beach that day, and later on at a big marriage celebration in Rancho Santa Fe. They created, with her daughters Karina and Tahra, a most beautiful wedding reception tent. They helped in the kindest way on so many occasions. Tahra played her beautiful and brilliant songs with angelic voice, blessing everyone as well as our dear friend Jeff Calcara and the Kirtan Group, playing Yogananda’s Cosmic Chants. Victoria's idea! It was a divine contribution and they got our other friend and student, Cia, the 'other daughter' and longtime family friend of the Parker’s to do the filming for the event.Thomas & Victoria and the family came to Point Arena in 2006 to officially open the yoga studio here. Thomas led a very special meditation for friends and students. They came a couple of days early and helped set up the studio and we are amazed yet again at all of their loving contribution, giving on and above to us again. He impacted many students with his wisdom and love- some experiencing their very first meditation. That event began our SRF Meditation circle as well.
They played so many parts in their wonderful lives together besides being gifted Therapists, they were the originators and Creators of Polestar Tours who lead and shepherded many groups to India and Egypt, and many other places in the world. They were the idea and inspiration for others to learn and follow in their footsteps, however never has there been such a dynamic, spiritual, powerful duo leading groups as Drs. Thomas and Victoria Parker with their Polestar Tours. The tours were organized brilliantly and thoughtfully and based on the following the footsteps of Yogananaji to the holy sites mentioned in the Autobiography of a Yogi. Sri Daya Mata, past president of SRF, asked and blessed Thomas and Victoria to take devotees on pilgrimages throughout India, to all of the holy spiritualized places of Yogananda’s, which they did for over 40 years. I was blessed to go on five trips with them and Charles and I lead a group for them to the once in every 144 years "Maha Kumbha Mela” in 2001, when they had four groups going.We traveled together extensively in India and Nepal and discussed many topics especially our families and of course our beloved Gurus. On a shaky landing to Kathmandu Airport in Nepal one could hear Victoria singing with her beautiful voice, her favorite chant of Yogananda’s - Divine Gypsy. This memory is indelibly marked in my consciousness.
Thomas was an imposing figure: tall with an uncanny resemblance to the great Sri Yukteswar, Yogananda’s Guru. He and Victoria fell in love at first sight. The day of their marriage they received initiation into Kriya Yoga from Brother Anandamoy, a direct disciple of Yogananda. Thomas often said Victoria changed his life, studying Yogananda's teachings together. They were a Beautiful and brilliant couple. Victoria was an Art therapist, an extraordinary artist, and a great teacher and Energy Healer. She was also the first teacher that I taught to teach Synergy Yoga at the Yoga Room in Encinitas and she taught every time I was away. They were my first students along with Jane Sweeney, from the first day I opened the studio 31 years ago. They came to class every day, for years.
Thomas lectured at our Synergy Yoga trainings for many years, introducing students to the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita, as well as leading the Emotional Release Process, teaching the Philosophy of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga, specifically the Yamas and the Niyamas, the first step in learning yoga, and he led many meditations during the trainings. We sent hundreds of students to him over the years for therapy. Thomas told Charles at their last meeting how much he loved teaching at the Yoga Trainings and how it was an opportunity for him to do what he loved best - teaching from the Gita to large groups of receptive souls, and how grateful he was that we sent so many people to work with him. We are humbled that he commented on this in his last days. He was a gift to work with and an asset to our work. He had a wonderful way about him. One person in a training asked in the group session about Reincarnation. He said he could not believe in it and scoffed at those who did. Thomas gently said “ Well, that is the way it is." He spoke with firm conviction and a calm and kind demeanor. We have had so many friends and students express their loving thoughts about Thomas.
Charles was very close to Thomas. As devotees, they shared a mutual deep understanding of Yoga. They were both surfers from different eras: Thomas loved to body surf, Charles was a board surfer and they were great and loyal football fans. Thomas 49ers and Charles’ Chargers. They enjoyed going to many games together sometimes with our mutual dear friend Dr.William Hitt - they all had a wonderful friendship and loved eating sweets!Charles went to see Thomas two weeks before he left us, after I woke up on Friday and had "the feeling" and urged him to go. It was really wonderful but bittersweet. They made a little video for me with Thomas sending me a message- which was so very touching. Hearing his voice and sweet words made the tears drop as I listened. He was very weak but it was wonderful for them to be together and once again recollect the memories of our very long relationship.
Our ‘forever’ love and gratitude to Thomas and Victoria, and our love to their family.Jai T&V! Jai GURUS! Peri & Charles DeFay
Below some photographs;I took the photo of Thomas and Victoria from outside Babaji’s cave, Taj Mahal, Varanasi, shopping, with Bishu Ghosh in CalcuttaCharles and I with Thomas & Victoria at Convocation Harmonium sectionLunch when they came to visit us here on the land at Rancho Tranquilo, Manchester, CAThomas, Victoria and Janie at our 10th anniversary of the Yoga Room in Encinitas- Thomas MCOur wedding day at Hollywood Temple with Mukti Ma- they were witnessesThomas, William Hitt and Charles at the football gameOur wedding party in Rancho SantaFe- Thomas MC blowing the ConchThomas teaching at our trainingsin the park next to the Hermitage groundsThomas and Charles talking at our home in Encinitas at a birthday partyThomas holding our Beloved Samadhi Boy At the Yoga Room, Sunday MorningsCharles visiting Thomas 2014, 2019 and 2020Beautiful notes from Thomas that says everything from 2005, 2015, 2017 and one from Victoria from many years ago about her teaching Synergy yoga with us
The link to the newsletter with our tribute in full with some India stories and lots of photographs can be seen at www.synergy-yoga.com on the home page.