On January 26, 1973, Tara Olliana Aguilar was born via cesarean section at a hospital in Olympia, Washington. Jose first saw Tara in the hospital elevator just 30 minutes after her birth as doctors were taking her to the nursery. He was amazed by how perfectly formed her body was. The baby was so quiet that he didn't even believe she was breathing until a nurse reassured him that Tara was doing well.
The six months following Tara's birth were some of the worst for Joshi's health. At three years old, Joshi had always been a weak child, dependent on oxygen, living in their duplex home nestled in the woods outside Olympia. Western medicine doctors suspected sepsis, but Jose and Miriam felt this diagnosis was inaccurate and continued searching for other options.
In the spring of 1973, Ethel and Enrique came from Minnesota to visit their grandchildren in Olympia. Jose and his students performed "The Lord of Dawn," a mysterious play adapted from a Tony Shearer work, to welcome them. The performance took place in a clearing in the woods near the academy where Jose played the role of Quetzalcoatl. After the show, Ethel told Jose: "I used to think religion was only Christianity. Watching this play made me realize the concept of religion is much broader than I understood."
By late spring 1973, "Mandala" had been published for nine months and was selling well. Although Jose and Miriam were satisfied with the book, they had other concerns. Joshi had been sick for several months with no signs of improvement. Jose and Miriam grew increasingly worried and decided they needed to find better treatment options for Joshi in California. With royalties from "Mandala," their financial situation improved enough for Jose to take an academic sabbatical starting in June 1973 for one year. They could return to California to seek medical help for Joshi while Jose focused on researching and writing "Elephant Without Form."
In June 1973, Jose, Miriam, Joshi, and Tara moved back to California, renting a house on McGee Street in the old North Berkeley neighborhood. They found the area near the bay refreshing. During the end of the Vietnam War in 1973-1974, the U.S. experienced a severe gasoline shortage that caused social panic with long fuel pipelines and few operational gas stations. To prepare for potential crises and food supply issues, Jose and Miriam stocked up on dehydrated foods.
At this point, Jose finally began systematically conducting research and planning to write a book later titled "Elephant Without Form: Reflections on the Essence and History of Human Manifestation." He spent his free time organizing notes accumulated over seven years filled with art history research and reflections on art.