Christopher Isherwood -- 26 juni 1958

June 26. Talk with Swami last night. He told me that he feels the presence of the Lord almost continuously; he no longer has to make much of an effort. When he wakes up in the night – which he has to do two or three times, to go to the toilet because of his prostate – he feels the presence. Sometimes it is Ramakrishna, sometimes Holy Mother, Maharaj or Swamiji. I asked if it made any difference that he had known Maharaj and seen Holy Mother in life, but not the others. No, he said: they were all equally real. Swami says he never prays directly for problems to be solved. He only asks for more devotion to the Lord.
Later I went on to see Salka [Viertel], who was alone. We talked about Garbo. Berthold had said: "She lives by rejection." When young, she was eager to learn – watched Salka for hours playing out her old roles. Garbo was so inadequate in the last scene of Camille that Salka had them give all the lines to Robert Taylor. Garbo had only to say "Yes and "No", and it came out great.
Salka is sick of movie writing. She would like to become a story editor.
She doesn't mind being alone, I think. But she is very worried about Christine.


Christopher Isherwood (1904-1986) was een Britse, in de VS wonende schrijver. Hij hield het grootste deel van zijn leven een dagboek bij.