Sacred Art of Living Board of Directors
Dan Martin, Chair
Dean Sharpe, Vice Chair
Kevin Dieter
Patty Christopher, Secretary
Andrew Elliott
Jenni Carver-Ross

May 6, 2025

Dear Sacred Art Community,

I am writing to urgently request your support in light of a tragic development affecting our dear friend and colleague, Joe Richter. Joe has been hospitalized for the past two weeks with Stage 3 Kidney Cancer.  Joe’s medical situation is very grave and life threatening.  There are so many of you who know and love him as I do.  Joe is my step-son, dear brother and closest companion.  All of us in the SALC family are profoundly grateful for Joe’s creativity and tireless dedication for the past twenty years.  He has been an essential part of every live and virtual Art of Living & Dyingworkshop around the world, the creation of our Soul & Science for Caregivers series, SALC Podcasts and our new Becoming Anamcara and interactive websites.  When Joe’s mother and my wife Mary died of the same cancer, SALC would never have continued to evolve in extraordinary ways without his commitment. Ironically, last week I buried a daughter-in-law and Joe’s sister-in-law who also died of kidney cancer.

Joe’s sudden illness and absence has created a financial emergency that requires the immediate closing of our SALC physical facilities of 30 years.  In addition, we must postpone our new Anamcara Apprenticeship cycle that was to begin this Fall.  In order to drastically minimize operational overhead, our incredibly small team will be limited without Joe’s support at this time as we work from our homes to keep SALC alive during this crisis.  I intend to fulfill other scheduled programs including the John Philip Newell Circle of Life event and our 2026 pilgrimage.  We also need to use this time to plan new ways to keep our vision and legacy of healing available as it is desperately needed today.

Most importantly we cannot allow Joe’s SALC insurance to expire during this time!  His monthly chemo therapy costs alone are $36,000 and fortunately are currently covered by our health care benefits.  We are NOT asking for contributions benefiting Joe’s personal medical and financial situation; to that end his family will create a separate Go-Fund-Me launch not related to SALC’s non-profit organization.  We are pleading for your urgent financial support to offset our immediate losses and expenses which will in turn be a critical support for Joe.

Since 1996 SALC has been the source of healing and support for hundreds of people like yourself around the world.  Today, we are asking you to bless us in return through your prayer and financial assistance.

We find ourselves in a place of profound unknowing and deep suffering, even as we teach that such times are life’s most important teachers.  As never before I am asking our community to support this EMERGENCY APPEAL now.  Your generous contribution will ensure we can provide critical health care insurance and support SALC’s future.  And I promise to provide ongoing updates for you on our website.

In humble gratitude,
Richard Groves

Founding Director, Sacred Art of Living

P.S.  Please consider sending Joe a message of prayerful support by clicking the button below.