Life and Background

Gold grew up in New York City in an immigrant family that included Jewish, Muslim, and Russian Orthodox Christian family members. His early interests included horse racing and amateur boxing,^[8] as well as poker, which he began playing at age 15.^[7] Gold has traveled internationally, including to Afghanistan, India, Algeria,^[8] Cambodia, Thailand, and Turkey.^[9] According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, these experiences contributed to his philosophic perspective and capacity to connect with people of diverse circumstances and backgrounds.^[8]

Gold has lived collectively for the past four decades, working with others in business and creative endeavors, as well as providing humanitarian aid. As a teacher of meditation, he has been assisting people in their search for inner meaning for over 40 years. Gold does not request compensation for his teaching and mentorship.^[2][10]

Writing Career

Gold’s first book, Another Heart in His Hand: A Spiritual Anomaly, was described by Booklist as, “A philosophic questioning of life via the game of poker,”^[11] and by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as life lessons learned from a professional poker player/mentor.^[4] A review in The Dallas Observer characterized the poker player’s worldview as a “constant scheming to gain control or achieve ‘victory.’”^[6] The Los Angeles Times highlighted Gold's comparison between the overt competitive behavior at the poker table and similar dynamics in everyday life that may be masked by politeness and subtle dishonesty.^[3]

More recent books Highway of Diamonds and The Currency of Moments have been described as exploring travel and service work and their connection to one’s “inner life.”^[12][5] Gold’s autobiographical stories in Justin Time and Another Heart in His Hand have been described as using storytelling as a device to challenge readers to re-examine their own lives.^[8]  

The Center for Cultural & Naturalist Studies (CCNS)

Gold founded the Center for Cultural & Naturalist Studies, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, in 1983.^[13] CCNS international service projects have included building an eye clinic for Burmese refugees in Thailand, a birthing clinic in rural Cambodia, and upgrading a school for Syrian refugee children in Turkey. In addition to participating in hurricane relief work in the US and Puerto Rico,^[14] CCNS helped newly arrived Afghan refugees settle in Sacramento, California, after the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. They also perform puppet shows for children as part of their outreach.^{[9][1][15][14]}

Public Speaking and Media Appearances

Television interviews with CBS-TV, ABC-TV, and NBC-TV affiliates and others,^[16] public radio programs,^[9][1] and podcasts^[2] have featured discussions of Gold's writings, spirituality, and volunteer outreach. The Daily Trojan of the University of Southern California reported on Gold’s lecture with the Dean of Religious Life on the connection between world peace and inner peace.^[17]

In an interview on Sacramento’s CapRadio, Gold discussed the relationship between self-examination and service work. He emphasized the study of “personal obstacles” with the aim of reducing fear, blame, and self-consumption as a means to become more giving and compassionate.^[9]

In an interview on regional radio station KVMR, Gold described providing assistance to others as a response to what he views as the danger of “self-importance,” viewing the passing on of one’s good fortune to those in need as central to the organization’s work.^[1]

Bibliography

• Another Heart in His Hand: A Spiritual Anomaly (1994, Peradam Press)
• Highway of Diamonds: An International Travel Adventure (2015, Peradam Press)
• The Roca Group: A Tale of Financial Espionage (2016, Peradam Press)
• Justin Time: Autobiographical Stories from an American Spiritual Master (2016, Peradam Press)
• Currency of Moments: Exploring Life's Anomalies Through Images and Ideas (2022, Peradam Press)

References

External links

Official website