The Source Family (Father Yod / James Edward Baker)
1970s Los Angeles commune led by James Edward Baker ('Father Yod' / 'YaHoWha'), centred on his Source restaurant and a 14-member rock band. Practiced communal living, polygamy, and esoteric ritual. Subject of the 2012 documentary 'The Source Family'.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — historical 1970s commune; founder died 1975; documented in 'The Source Family' documentary (2012).
In context
The Source Family operated 1970–75 in Hollywood Hills, attracting ≈140 members. Baker took multiple 'spiritual wives' and produced a substantial back-catalogue of psychedelic spiritual rock under YaHoWha 13. After Baker's 1975 hang-gliding death in Hawaii the group dispersed. The 2012 documentary and Isis Aquarian's memoir provide detailed inside-view documentation. Largely a historical case study now.
History
The Family was an iconic LA-counterculture commune now extensively documented through Isis Aquarian's archive and the 2012 documentary.
Key control doctrines
- Baker as 'Father Yod' / spiritual father
- Polygamous spiritual marriage
- Communal property
Notable public ex-members
- Isis Aquarian
- Sky Saxon (briefly)
- Multiple 2012 documentary interviewees
Legal cases & controversies
- No major legal cases; historical interest
Evidence by BITE axis
- Total surrender of personal assets
- Communal living in single house
- Polygamous spiritual marriages
- Children raised communally
- Strict vegetarian diet
- Baker's teachings provided primary information frame
- Outside news / family contact reduced
- Internal name changes (all members took new spiritual names)
- Baker as messianic figure
- Esoteric / Aquarian Age teachings
- Group worldview filtered all experience
- Family of origin replaced by Source 'Family'
- Spiritual marriages bound members emotionally to Baker
- Loss of Baker prompted community dissolution
Timeline
- 1969Baker opens The Source restaurant in Hollywood
- 1970The Source Family formally constitutes
- 1975Baker dies hang-gliding in Hawaii; group disperses
Sources
- Isis Aquarian, 'The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod' (2007)
- 'The Source Family' documentary (2012)
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Search the source title plus the group name to find the original.
Recovery resources
See the full curated list at /resources.