Mark Edson Griffin, age 64, died on Wednesday, Oct. 24. He was laid to rest on Monday, Oct. 29, at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Griffin is remembered for being a spiritual teacher.
His family describes his personality as “an unusual combination of American-moto-jacket-artistic-approachability and sublime spiritual accomplishment.”
Griffin was a disciple of Swami Muktananda, a master of the Siddha lineage tradition, and a disciple of the Indian Saint Bhagawan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri in Maharashtra, India. The date of Griffin’s passing coincided with the lunar anniversary of the death of his own guru (Muktananda) in 1982.
In the tradition of the Siddha lineage, his body was laid in repose for three days while his sangha (student body) from all over the world conducted a vigil in honor of his merging into the Great Light.
Griffin was the head of the Los Angeles-based Hard Light Center of Awakening, where “he shared his deep knowledge of the infinite realms of existence and guided his students to experience the inherent subtle/physical architecture of the human form as a vehicle of enlightenment,” since 1987, according to his family. An accomplished yogic teacher, Griffin described the metaphysical processes of spiritual evolution through weekly meetings and meditation intensives and philosophy classes in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu. He conducted retreats at centers throughout the United States and in wilderness settings. He directed spiritual pilgrimages (yatras) to his Fire Mountain Retreat Center in Nimboli, located in Maharashtra, and to other places of spiritual power.
Griffin was also an artist, educated at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. His art was driven by innermost idea and expression.
Griffin was a Malibu resident for 30 years. He lived with and was supported in his work over the years by Linda Horan and Lee Schwing. Mark was the son of Jack and Barbara Griffin and is survived by his brother Dan Griffin, sister-in-law Robin Garthwait, niece Alexandra, nephew Nathaniel, aunt Jan Huston, cousin Ken Stringfellow and his sangha all over the world.