Sheelagh Rouse was Lobsang Rampa's devoted secretary, companion and friend for the entire span of his writing career. Referring to her by the nickname 'Buttercup', Rampa considered Sheelagh to be his adopted daughter.

Sheelagh made enormous sacrifices to assist Rampa with his writing and research; leaving her family, reputation and privileged lifestyle to live a simple life with him and his wife.

After fifty years of discreet silence, she has now written a book about her years with the man she esteemed above all others. 'Twenty Five Years with T. Lobsang Rampa' is an honest, witty and immensely readable tribute to the famous author.

Lobsang Rampa In Habitat, Early 70's.
 

Excerpt from her book:

"I opened the garage door, and as I mounted the stairs to Mrs. Wood's flat I seemed to hear voices. She must have a visitor, I thought, but I needed to find Chester, so I knocked on the door and waited. The voices inside ceased, and the door was opened. Mrs. Wood appeared, but as I looked past her to the figure of a man seated beside the window she faded into insignificance. I knew nothing about vibrations, auras and the like, but such power radiated from this person that I had the distinct feeling of a fire burning brightly.

 

I was awed. My eyes were drawn to and met his, which were somehow long and narrow, piercing without being large, calm and still with a hint of amusement in them. Although he remained seated, my impression was of a short, stocky man with a shaven head and wearing a greying beard. His expression was unreadable. He wore a black suit with a pink shirt and black bow tie. All this I took in in a matter of seconds. He was unusual. I had never encountered anyone with such a presence.

What happened next was at the time completely inexplicable to me, but since then I have read of similar cases; only a few weeks ago I read an account by Sybille Bedford of a person's first meeting with a psychic in which she mentions the feeling of receiving an electric shock. As this man looked at me, I experienced something utterly strange. I felt his eyes boring into my very soul, into the being, the self I did not expose, almost did not know or recognize so used was I to covering up, to pretending, to denying.

 

It was as though I was standing there with my soul stark naked, no pretense, no protection. I had never experienced anything like it before, and never have since. Then I became aware of an awesome tingling all over my body, as though I indeed was receiving an enormous electric shock, and I seemed to be looking at myself from a distance, from above, and I was aware, did not actually hear, but was aware of the knowledge that this was momentous for me, this was a unique chance, take it or leave it. The whole sensation could not have lasted more than a minute perhaps, but a minute can represent a lifetime.

Then the man spoke..."