First Become Human

""This is a collection of vignettes from Brad Crawford's ongoing, now settled, search for spiritual enrichment through his growing and maturing relationship with the spiritual leader, Adi Da. It's unusual and interesting, as everyone's story is. And it is his story. His spiritual quest has filled his life. Insightful and revelatory, it is a sometimes poignant, sometimes celebratory, insight into the growing relationship between a searching student and his uniquely powerful teacher. This is not a gospel. Or epistle. Frank, sincere, self-effacing, and funny, it is a bittersweet journey perhaps best described as a declaration of love."" - James McCague, Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery, McGill University, winner of the Hodge Prize for poetry ""Brad Crawford shares deeply personal and heartfelt stories of his personal experiences with the master, Adi Da. Readers will be touched through reliving Brad's journey of awakening."" - Brother Sage, Wellness practice since 1979, director Shivambhu.org ""When I first met Brad, I saw him caring for Bhagavan Adi Da's birds with such great love and, as it seemed to me, in a state of complete self-forgetfulness. It was a truly beautiful sight. Brad has always been a wonderful teller of the most delightful little stories about our Guru. Again and again he surprised me with the gentle and unexpected way he would reveal the very heart of the matter. Bhagavan's divine presence and transmission shines through when reading this beautiful collection of Leelas, which is a true source of divine humor and deep happiness."" - Christian Guth, MD, Psychiatrist, Neurologist, and Psychotherapist ""Adi Da Samraj is an extraordinary Divine God-Man whose appearance is still largely unknown. Brad Crawford's stories of his years as Adi Da's student are a valuable introduction and inspiring testimony to the Grace that was brought to men and women so recently by Adi Da, who lived even in our time."" - James Steinberg, author, Divine Distraction: A Guide to the Guru-Devotee Relationship ""As a practitioner in the healing arts, I encounter many works that speak about transformation, but First Become Human stands apart in its depth, sincerity, and transmission of lived spiritual experience. Brad Crawford offers a rare and unguarded account of his decades of devotion to Adi Da Samraj, illuminating the radical possibility that Perfect Love is not an abstraction but an eternally present Reality. His writing carries the unmistakable resonance of someone who has been profoundly changed at the level of being. This book is not merely a narrative - it is an energetic invitation. For readers seeking clarity about the nature of existence, or longing to feel the Divine as a living presence, this work offers genuine guidance and blessing."" - Natalie Rimbert, LMT, Licensed Hypnotherapist, B.Msc. ""Crawford's writing is a thoughtful exploration of life centered on the Divine and living with absolute focus and intention. His personal accounts of a lifetime of devotion to Adi Da offers insight into the depth of connection and complete commitment between a devotee and a spiritual master. There are questions to contemplate and lessons to reflect upon, all delightfully presented with humor and poignant observation."" - Karen Basche, Masters of Early Childhood Education