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While studying under Alan Watts at the American Academy of Asian Studies after graduating from Pomona College in 1956, Eugene discovered the writings of René Guenon. Through Guenon's writings, Eugene was inspired to seek out an authentic, grounded spiritual faith tradition. Gregerson, a practicing Russian Orthodox Christian at the time, introduced Eugene to Orthodoxy. Just as Gregerson was choosing to abandon his Orthodoxy, Eugene was inspired to learn more about the faith. This culminated in Eugene's decision to enter the Church through [[chrismation]] in 1962.
Eugene and another Orthodox Christian, [[Herman Podmoshensky|Gleb Podmoshensky]], later formed a community of Orthodox [[booksellers]] and [[Magazines and Publications|publishers]] called the [[St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood (Platina, California)|St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood]]. The community eventually decided to flee urban modernity into the wildrness wilderness of northern California to become [[monasticism|monks]] in 1966. At his [[tonsure]] in 1970, Eugene took the name "Seraphim" after St. Seraphim of Sarov.
Following his [[ordination]] as [[hieromonk]], Fr. Seraphim began writing several books, including ''[[God's Revelation to the Human Heart]]'', ''[[Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future]]'', and ''[[The Soul After Death]]''. He also founded the magazine ''[[The Orthodox Word]]'', still published today by the Brotherhood. The collective body of work that Fr. Seraphim published was quickly proliferated throughout America upon Fr. Seraphim's death and later in Russia and Eastern Europe upon the fall of atheist Communism in those countries.
As a monk, Fr. Seraphim developed a close relationship with St. [[John Maximovitch]], then [[bishop]] of San Francisco for the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia|Russian Church Abroad]].
