However, my path there didn't end but continued

 Then I studied at Summit University in Pasadena then in 1977 which was a religious school run by Elizabeth Clare Prophet who had been married to Mark Prophet before he died.

Then I had become interested in Tibetan Buddhism while my friend was studying at UCLA "History of Religion who eventually got his master's degree in History of religion (as well as a bachelor's degree before that) specializing in Sanskrit and Buddhism. So, he was translating a lot of ancient Sanskrit Texts which I found interesting too. Also, if you know Sanskrit you might speak some Hindi and Tibetan Because they are from the same family as Sanskrit sort of like how Spanish, French and Italian evolved from ancient Latin.

this is one of the things that he translated from Sanskrit to English directly:

begin quotes: 

Thoughts that turn the mind

Certainty of death

Precious human birth

The nature of the mind is emptiness and luminosity

The three effects of these thoughts are: Bliss, Clarity and No Thought

note: the following is my reaction after meditating on the above Ancient Sanskrit Buddhist translation directly to English

Acceptance of the Void

The void is unknowable
Therefore many fear it
The mind cannot grasp the Void
Fear dissipates when the mind realizes
that the Void is Primal and Unknowable
Acceptance of the Unknowable nature of the Void
allows the pilgrim to have Peace in the Unknowable

Peace in the Unknowable can be like standing in the heart of the Primordial Creator - - -

end quotes:

Many people just get overwhelmed with how big the universe is and sort of crawl back in their hole so to speak in fear.

However, I have learned that embracing the Void of the entire universe is much more useful. But, maybe one has to be brave or something to actually do this.

The nature of the universe is infinite and so when you embrace the entire universe you become infinite too.

The logic Follows and so does the reality.

In fact one of my favorite meditations especially as I grow older (now 77) is that I experience the entire universe because this is God I am experiencing to the best of my ability.

The beauty of this embracing God and the Universe is one might be okay with this state with or without ones body if one died during this meditation.

There is Great Peace being with God 24 hours a day in this experience. Peace in the overwhelm of God's Bliss.

By God's Grace

However, my experience so far is that doing this more than anything else tends to extend one's physical life over and over again. God seems to like us to be one with him.

Often when you see someone over 100 years old you see God in their eyes because they are with God 24 hours a day too.

By God's Grace