Love Street Lamp Post 3rd Qtr 2004

JULY 2004

Love &reerLamp?osr

__A4ani, Dr. 9oher, and Crucli itrnvc faTelvell to the Jiil9TIttLS outside the old J4leher3ree Dispeusary (c71/leherozacO, 1982

73ui1ding the 24ew J4Ieher 3ree Dispensary

Editor’s !.Report Jai Baba Folks, irst off a big thank you to the 248 people (so far to date) who used the little envelope in the last issue to send in your donation to cover your magazine for the next year. Thank you also to the people who sent well over the $15 cost of the magazine, it helps cover for the 752 who have not yet used their envelope. It would be so nice if the people who don’t wish to receive the LampPost would tell us to take them off the list—but then they wouldn’t be reading this column now, would they? What bothers me is the thought of all these beautiful photos ofBaba being thrown in the trash!

I have heard a couple ofpeople say that they bundle up a few years worth up and take them to a prison for their reading room. Talking of prisons, Baba has snared two people in a Minnesota prison. I am told they are never without a Baba book in their hand, (sent from the Love Street Bookstore) and are on the second, or is it the third read through of God Speaks?! If any of our readers would like to start a correspondence with these men, contact me and I will give you the necessary information. They are most eager to learn more and more (and still yet more) about our Beloved.

It seems we cannot bring the magazine in under 56 pages, try as I might! There is always a plethora of interesting articles from which to choose, many ofwhich are time sensitive, and so must take precedence over ones ofgeneral interest that you have sent us.

Dr. Michael Ramsden (my wonderfiil chiropractor until Charles Gibson came into my life and took over for him) is now living in Meherazad and will be very involved with the day to day running ofthe new Dispensary. He sent us our lead story this issue—the building ofthe new Meher Free Dispensary (Meherazad) with photos by Phill Smith. Be sure to check it out when you are at Meherazad.

Unfortunately the computer gremlins attacked the magazine last issue and what was supposed to be a ftill centerfold spread of the enormous crowd at Amartithi instead had a black hole on the top of the left page. I know many of you like to save your magazines and the Archives in India especially need the corrected version, so we are trying to put a reprinted center page loosely in this issue so you can transfer it to the April one.

I read a very interesting collection of Baba’s quotes on ‘the evils of meat eating’ on the Meher Baba Listserv. It will certainly make all the confirmed vegetarians stand a little taller and shake their tail feathers proudly, but meat eaters can always come back with the story ofBaba and the can of Spam. ‘What was that?’ you say. read this excerpt from LordMeher Vol 15 page 5454. No lunch was to be served on thisflight or theirfiight to California. Baba asked the stewardess whether she had anything on board to eat. She had a breakfast tray left, and Baba requested that she bring it. He tasted a little and then set it before Lud, telling him to have it as his lunch. Baba asked the Mandali whether they had anything along to eat. All they had was one can ofSpam meat. After asking Donkin whether it would be all rightfor his digestion, Baba finished most ofthe can. I leave it up to you dear Reader to draw your own conclusions.

If you are interested in acquiring some original Baba artwork by Diane Cobb (Baba’s 3B) Wodin and Phyllis Ott, turn to that page quickly. I have a feeling it will be gone before very long.

F

. .

In His love, Dma

Oops, We Goofrd! the April 2004 issue we mis-identified this photo. The folks you see in this photo are the Mother ofthe Bride, Meghan Wyld, the Father of the Groom, Joel Mednick, and Reid Pearson, grandson ofChris and Christie Pearson.

In

We apologise for the mix-up.

IfpuJa/in2 o//& 7iua/ar ]JCeJer iaa Cen/er o/c ou/Jerrn Cah/ornth 3

Love &reeriiimjlosr features

efcome...

Love Street £ampEost is dedicated with love to .J1vatar J4leher 73aba. Dts primary purpose is to contribute to a sense of community among all IIis lovers by providing a place for sharing 2-1is remembrance. ..J1ll members of the 13aba family are invited to contribute to this feast of Love.

THE NEW FREE DISPENSARY (MEHERAzAD) MEHER BABA AND VEGETARIANISM DIGGING INTO THE MASTER’S PRAYER

4

MICHAEL RAMsDEN

BHAU KALcHURI ON “THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST”

11

COMPILED BY MARKAR

15

LAuRENT WEICHBERGER

18

ALOHA TO MEHER BABA’S SAHAvAS

PEGGY STEPHENS

19

ROY HAYES

22

ERuCH—REMEMBERING THE PASSING

Eour stories, photos, artwork, poetry, letters, articles, and humor are all actively solicited.

We seek e.xpressions of 73aba’s message ofLove and 7rutk.

OF ONE OF BABA’S GREAT ONES

Submissions, Subscriptions, Donations: Love Street £amposr

CHARMIAN DuCE KNOWLES

FROM THE GLOW

29

DO You REALLY WANT BABA’S BLESSING?

ERUCH JESSAWALLA

34

THE DISCOuRSES—6TH OR 7TH EDITION?

DAN TYLER

39

FoRuM ON HOMOSEXUALITY

JENNY ZENNER

46

MEHER BABA’S MOST IMPORTANT LADIES

DON STEVENS

54

Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California 1214 South Van Ness Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90019-3520 323-731-3737

departments

website: www.meherabode.org e-mail: Bababook@pacbell.net

Deadlines:

EDITOR’S REPORT .

for the January issue: April issue: J uly issue: October issue:

November 8th February 8th May 8th August 8th

Love Street Bookstore: Dma Snow (at the addresses above) 310-837-6419 from 9 am. to 4 p.m.

310-839-BABA (2222) 24-hour fax

e-mail: Bababook@pacbell.net website: www.lovestreetbookstore.com or www.MeherBabaBooks.com

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT MEHERABAD OUR GAL IN MEHERABAD CHILDREN’S PAGE WHAT’S HAPPENING AT MEHERAB0DE BOOKSTORE REPORT REvIEWS NEWS FROM MEHER MOUNT HUMOR FOR HUMA PASSINGS POETRY

9 24 25 27 32 36 38 40 45

ANNOUNCEMENTS WORLDWIDE MEHER BABA MEETINGS

55

Credits: Dma Snow Pris Haffenden, Dma Snow Michael Franklin, Dma Snow Tom Hart Pris Haffenden, Charles Gibson, and Dma Snow Pris Haffenden 3616-1/2 South Centinela Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90066-3124 Phone: 310-390-2779 Please call with address corrections or questions. cover: Cover Photo, Alan Levinson; Collage, Cherie Plumlee back cover: Art cards by Kcndra Crossen Burroughs

editor: design and layout: proofreaders: pre-ffight: distribution: mailing list information:

£ouc..StrcctJariipPosris published quarterly, inJanuary April,July, and October.

All contents © 1996 Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California.

AU quotations, photos, or books ofAvatar Meher Baba, © AMBPPC1, India

thank you We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the individuals and organiz ations that own tite copyrights to the J4lelter 1 EBaba pictures we have used throughout this issue to bring joy and love to the hearts ofall Love Street L ampJ2ost readers.

All worc&, images, andgraphics in thispublication areproperty ofihe copyright holders and/or the contributors. Messages andphotos ofMeher Baba © Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust, Ahrnednagar India, and © Lawrence Reiter. Unau thorizedduplication isprohibitedby law.

WIuit’s 2fappening at cYI’khernbad A1ekcr 31ee Dispensnry 1 ( A ’1e1terazad), i2 lfrtct1vi mpaIgRon, 4 I4icItael Raiiisden, ‘D. C., J4lelterazad 7 .

April, 2004

IleJter 3:ree rDispensctry 7 LA

Brief Jlistory

hortly after Baba dropped His Body and after the Last Darshan, Dr Goher began treating patients in what was “Kaka” Baria’s bedroom with the door opening on to the men’s veranda. (“Kaka” used to be the prime caretaker at Meherazad but he passed away shortly after Baba.) Dr Goher was origi nafly encouraged and assisted by Mani and Eruch who also used to help with dressings and injections for many years. Pendu used to handle case papers up until the time ofhis passing.

Aloba used to supply tea!

Bhau was and continues to be, involved in the admin istration of the Dispensary.

Dr Goher became very busy and within 2 years had ex panded by adding a go-down behind the original bedroom to store medical supplies.

(This is now Roda Mistry’s bedroom). After several years and more practice growth there was quite a traffic jam on the men’s veranda with pilgrims coming in larger numbers as well. So the decision was made to build a separate building from ftinds donated by Arnavaz as a memorial to Nariman [her husband].

This is the building still in use.

Additionally a separate Public Chari table Trust, called Meher Free Dis pensary (Meherazad), was formed to support the clinic as a result of funds being made available from Ben Hayman’s trust. Ben Hayman, a long time follower of Baba, who was a Doctor of Chiropractic, made Mani a beneficiary of his Trust, and funds from his trust were used by Mani towards the operating costs and further development of the current Dispensary. Consequently the building that currently houses the

S

Dispensary was built and opened in 1978.

It has served well since then.

The clinic was also assisted by Katie Irani upon her retirement from thejapanese Consulate in Mumbai 1979.That same year Falu Mistry moved to Meherazad and he joined in the running ofthe Dispensary. Meherwan J essawala also assisted as soon as the Jes sawala family moved to Meherazad.

As thought was given to the fhture of Meherazad, it became evident that the free dispensary would have to be moved as it would become difficult to run the clinic and deal with large volumes ofpilgrims and patients at the same time and in the same

place. In the Master Plan for Meherazad developed in 1999, the decision was made to move the clinic to a new location. A great deal ofthought was given to its new location and to its projected growth and the kind of services it would offer. This has resulted in the development of a project which is already nearly half built. See photographs and plans.

(Interesting footnote: The current building was built around several gravesites: Kaka is the only Mandali member buried at Meherazad just behind the current dispensary building. There are also several of Baba’s pets, Peter, Mastan and Rammu buried just behind the building. Mastan is inside the go-down, a storage building, which was built later.)

Current Operations ofJlllelier 3ree ‘Dispensarij urrently there is one Medical Doc tor who is a specialist in Lungs and Tuberculosis.

He practices also as a family practitioner in the clinic. There are two Ayurvedic Doctors.

Each practices primarily as an allopathic doctor.

(Of note: 10 years ago India recognized that it was very short of allopathic doctors and passed a law that permitted Ayurvedic colleges to train their doctors as allopaths—Modern Medicine— even though they were not given the allopathic degree.) Romeopathic services are provided.

There is one Pharmacist to dispense medicines and one reg— istered nurse who handles medi cal treatment needs such as dressings and injections. There are two other assistants in the dispensary and clinic. Many pilgrims and residents from Meherabad have

C

Front view ofnew Dispensary

.

..

Carrent Free Dispensary

.—-.-

..:

performed a wide variety of tasks over the years; from patient registration, assisting in the pharmacy, drug and medicine ordering, performing professional services and running the laboratory Alaboratory technician runs the laboratory at all clinic open hours

professional services for clinic patients due to her other very pressing duties with Dr Goher, the Mandali and other members of the Meherazad household.

7;Iie

3uture ‘JPlans for the 2’Iew rDispensary

JIlelier 3ree Dispensary

A

you can see from the photos and plans, the new building is much larger than the old. It is 7350 square feet and has the capacity to offer significantly more services by a greater number of staff. The Dispensary is located 2 kilometers by trail from Meherazad (1km as the crow flies) and faces Seclusion Hill. ¶t)UNDF1OQR PLA\ There are also staff that will be used quarters with resident volunteer supervision. in part for housing the Dispensary staff at At present the clinic is open on three as well other as Meherazad workers. These days: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday quarters consist of separate individual 8 and sees up to 130 patients each day and rooms with 4 shared bathrooms between th 4 there is pressure to begin a day or to stay open longer. A wide variety ofproblems are treated in men, women, children, babies and the elderly who come from an area that includes approximately 60 villages. All medical services, medicines and medical supplies are given free to all patients. In some cases that includes nutritional support and food. The dispensary also covers many ofthe costs for hospitalization and surgery for its poorer clientele who require more intensive medi cal services.

Dr Goher is in full charge of the clinic but does not see patients. She retired from providing those services in 1999. Shelley Marrich currently helps manage the Dispen sary for Dr Goher but is unable to perform

I

nitiallywe shall only be able to move current operations to the new facilityc Thankfully the building has been fully funded.

While there is hope to be able to purchase some new equipment there are insufficient funds. We are also facing some problems concerning the future operating costs for the envisioned expansion due to a recent drop in interest income from massive interest cuts.

However Baba will take care ofthose needs at which time we will be looking to expand services as well as purchase needed supplies and equipment.

When that time arrives we will need additional volunteer staff At this time therefore, we are exploring the possibilities for Baba lovers seeking to serve our Beloved by helping the poor at Meher Free Dispensary (Meherazad). Living quarters and all utili ties will be provided for those volunteers.

All other living expenses including food, personal help and trans I portation must be borne by each individual. 5everal 3-4 month trials, as established by Mani, will be expected at the commencement of vol untary service before permanent residence is considered.

The range of services and help required are for permanent/semipermanent doctors, nurses, therapists of all kinds, clerical staff, handyman or any other related services for running the Dispensary. By Baba’s grace we hope to develop specialty services in medicine such as: Gynecology, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Chiropractic, Cardiol ogy, Orthopedics, Osteopathy, Physical Therapy and other affiliated disciplines, Geriatrics, Rehabilitation, Acupuncture, Nutrition, Public and Mental health.

Currently we are seeking a pathologist who would be able to help develop the laboratory services primarily in Meherazad and later perhaps in Meherabad. (Also needed are 2 handymen who can work with electrical, plumbing, carpentry and security in both Meherazad and the new buildings).

Eventually as development continues, ad-

each 2 rooms. There is a community kitch en, dining room and lounge. AU rooms face Seclusion Hill and the building is equidistant [:1.1 from Meherazad and the Dispensary.

Both buildings can be seen from Seclu sion Hill but do not spoil the view! There are more plans that would facilitate development of the Dispensary and activities at Meherazad as demands increase, and ofcourse, ftinds.

i

..

Seclusion Hill behind staffquarters

Completion ofboth buildings is expected byjuly 2005.

.—.—

S

ditional facilities will be added to house Radiological and other diagnostic equipment with minor surgical facilities envisioned. It is also envisioned that a multi-disciplinary teaching facility could be developed.

Obviously, developing a long-term commitment is M.F.D.’s (Meherazad) aim for all volunteer staff as this would provide a more stable Dispensary staffand hence better service to the patients. Speaking Marathi, ifyou are giving a long-term commitment, will become necessary for long-term volunteers. Professional instruction is available from local high schools after school hours. It is not too difficult once the alphabet is understood!

For further information and enquiries contact Michael Ramsden mcardcind@earthlink.net.

2Jcws ofDr.

I

::frnhh

Loving greetings to all Babô family,

many ofyou know who have been visiting Meherazad and Meherabad over the last several years, Dr. GoheA health has been ather unpredictable. During the beginning ofthe last pilgrim season, many pilgrims expressed their surpñse that she looked so much better than their previous trip 2-3 years earlier. And this was true. About three years ago GoheA health was so unstable because of her heart failure that we all wondered how much longer Baba would allow us to have her remarkable company. But she rallied and came back so strong over time that she even attended the clinic once in a while.

However, Goher’s heart failure worsened this past Christmas Day and despite the fact she fully recovered from that episode, she has faced one taxing ailment after another since then. Her ability to overcome each difficulty was astonishing for not only was I she ill, she is also 87 (soon to be 8$ years old) an age which is a trial in itself But now, after months of coping with ill health, Goher has become considerably weaker and is presently moving around the house and the gardens in a wheelchair. Ofcourse, we still hope and pray that Baba will give her the strength to rally once again but we wanted to share this news with Babas family around the world who know and treasure Goher, Baba’s jewel, as we all do.

5

•

.

.

-

.

4j

With love from all at Meherazad and a heartfiil Avatar Meher Baba Id Jail In Babils Love, Shelley Marrich In correspondence for Meherazad June 9, 2004 To Babis dear family around the world,

I

v_...

We’ll keep you posted

‘>

.t

.

.4’

.;

,

,

$.

:

t

Ibr

—‘

r1

I

5r

Since I wrote last, our dearest Goher has grown steadily weaker. Although she has stopped going on her morning rides around Mehe razad, she still gets out ofbed several times a day. But the effort required increases daily and once out ofbed, she tires quickly, asking to be returned. This is due to the heart failure which makes her feel very, very sleepy. By Baba’s Grace she is not in anypain and is able to rest comfortably in her bed. And amazingly, despite Goher’s great physical weakness, she still remembers and remains interested in the littlest details about those around her. This has always been her trademark and even in her failing health, her generous heart can’t help but reach out and touch the hearts of others.

.;.

Goher has received many loving messages which are read to her during the time she sits on the front veranda in her wheelchair and she listens to each one with interest. She is deeply touched by the outpouring oflove and good wishes for her recoveiy and sends her love andJai Baba to you all.

I will write again soon to keep you informed.

In Babis Love, Shelley Marrich In correspondence for Meherazad June 14, 2004

71w Jilcrndla irust Prpcrty Friday, 19th March, 2004 hauji’s workload has been increasing and increasing. Following is an example of what he told people during the week of29th October, 2003.

Beloved Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai! During the year 1939, Meher Baba went on His Blue Bus tour. He would visit dif ferent places, and then He would select one where He would create a mast ashram. Baba Himselfwould bring the masts from various places and workwith them. When His work was completed, He would move on.

During the tour, He was going to Ja balpur in Madhya Pradesh (M.P), India. Alter Baba and the women Mandali (Eastern and Western) had visited different places, they reached Nagpur, which was extremely hot. Baba became a little bit compassionate, and He said that all the women could stay in a hotel. Previously, they would stay in dhak bungalows (government rest houses), but in Nagpur, He elected to stay in a hotel.

There was no air conditioning at that time, so khus matting was used instead.

Khus is a thick grass that gives off a fra grance when wet. Mats of khus would be hung on the doors and windows, and water would be sprinkled upon them. Then the room would be very cool, and the khus matting would give off a nice perfume.

The women were enjoying themselves for the first time during this tour. It was a nice experience for them. Baba was in one room, taking rest, and the women were in others.

Then, at about 2:00 a.m., a man came near Baba’s room. The night watchman was sitting outside, and the man asked, “Where is Meher Baba?”

The night watchman replied very softly and slowly, “Be quiet. And don’t make any noise. Baba is in seclusion.”

“Where is Meher Baba? I want to see Him,” the man insisted.

“Be quiet, and don’t make noise,” the night watchman repeated. “Baba is in se clusion, and He does not see anyone.”

And the man said loudly, “It is a question ofmylife and death! I want to see Him, and I will not go without doing so!”

Again, the night watchman warned him, “Keep quiet.”

Baba heard them speaking, and He clapped. The night watchman told the man, “You remain here. Don’t come inside.”

B

And then he went to Baba.

Baba asked the night watchman, “What is the matter?”

“A man has come, and I don’t know who he is. He looks like a stranger, and he wants to see You. He says that it is a question of his life or death.”

“Bring him,” Baba said.

So the night watchman called the man inside, and as Baba was observing silence, the night watchman interpreted. Baba asked the man, “What do you want?”

And the man replied, “A warrant has been issued against me. I will be arrested at any moment. I am involved in a murder case, and I have come to You to request that You save my life.”

“I will save you, provided you follow My orders,” Baba said.

“I will follow any order You give me,” the man promised, “but, please, save my life.”

And Baba said, “Ifyou want Me to save you, go immediately to the police and sur render yourself.”

“Baba!” he exclaimed. “What are You saying? I have got my family and children!

I have come to You so that You may save me, and You are asking me to go to the police!?”

“I am saving you,” Baba told him. “Do whatever I say.”

And the man said, “I will follow any order, but not this one. I cannot do it.”

“All right then, go home,” said Baba.

“Nothing will happen to you.”

And he asked, “I will not be arrested?”

Baba said, “I tell you, nothing will happen to you. Just go.”

So the man left.

Beloved Baba wanted to save him in the real sense. The man had murdered someone, so he had taken all the victim’s binding impressions in addition to his own. Beloved Baba wanted to make him free from all his binding impressions (not only his own, but those which he had also collected from the person whom he had murdered) and give the man Liberation. But the man did not listen.

Therefore, Baba freed him from the binding impressions that he had collected from the victim, but his own binding impressions remained intact. Nevertheless, that man was happy. Without doing anything, he would have been able to enjoy complete Freedom, but this was not destined for him. That is why he refused to follow Baba’s order.

Baba then went to Jabalpur and estab lished an ashram where He worked with the masts. One day, this very man came, placed some paper on Baba’s feet and requested Baba to accept it. Baba asked, “What is this?”

And the man replied, “I have transferred 37 acres of land and 300 mango trees into Your name. Now You accept this.”

Baba said to him, “You are giving Me this in exchange for what I did for you? Take it back. I don’t want anything. What I wanted from you, you did not give Me. You took from Me what you wanted.”

And the man said, “Whatever I have done, I did for my family. So please, forgive me and accept this.”

“Take it away,” Baba said.

“I cannot do this,” the man said. “I have already transferred the land into Your name, and now it is registered. You have to take it.”

And the man left. Afterwards, one day Baba went to see that property in Deodhara.

It was in Mandla District, 80 miles from Jabalpur and very close to Mandla village.

Baba went around the property. It was a very good place, and the River Narmada was nearby. Baba then purchased an additional 71 acres, so there were 108 acres ofland and many mango trees, about 100,000.

Afterwards, in 1939, while He was still in Jabalpur, Baba gave instructions to Papa J essawalla to construct a guesthouse and a very big well on the property. Baba also asked him to build a replica of His Tomb (constructed in Meherabad in 1938) as a place of worship. Then Baba left Jabalpur.

He went to different places to contact masts, and He would remain in seclusion. Baba also gave instructions to Dadi Kerawalla to stay at the Mandla property to look after the mango trees. He was there for some time, but then he went back to Pune to continue his studies.

In 1949, Baba was leaving Ahmednagar to go on the New Life, and, with the ex ception of His Tomb, He did not want any property in His name. So He asked Papa J essawalla to create a trust, which was named “Shri Meher Baba Charitable Trust.” The property was listed as “Meher Baba Property” in the Trust deed. Two trustees were appointed, and they had the right to appoint a third trustee.

Papajessawalla came back from Mandla,

and Baba left for the New Life. Since then, there had been no information about this Shri Meher Baba Charitable Trust. Baba did not ask about it, and so it was completely forgotten.

In the last three years, Baba lovers from different places came to know about it, and they are now giving us information about this property They found that out of 108 acres of land, only 27 remain [Note: this was recently recalculated, and actually only 22 acres remain], and the replica of Baba’s Samadhi (called, “Meher Kuti”) is in very bad shape. The guesthouse has already fallen down, but the well is safe. There are also several encroachments on this remaining land.

I heard this information, but still I paid no attention to it. In 2002, I was thinking about this property. All ofa sudden, because two of the Trustees appointed there were gone, I felt that we must do something about the property Only one trustee remains alive, but he does not pay any attention to the matter.

In 1949, there had been no Public Chari table Act, and therefore, this property is not registered as a Public Charitable Trust but as a private one. In the revenue department, the 27 acres ofland remain registered in the name of”M.S. Irani, alias Meher Baba.” The rest ofthe land is registered in the names of those who have taken possession of it over the years.

According to Baba’s legal will, it is clear that any property which was gifted to Him, or which may be gifted to Him, the Avatar Meher Baba Trust is entitled to have. Only a part of this property was gifted; the rest Baba Himself purchased.

So I then called for the documents from the Mandla Revenue Department and started studying them. As Meher Kuti was constructed as a replica of Baba’s Samadhi under His direct instruction, I felt it neces sary that this property be saved.

Previously, people in Nasik had requested permission from the Trust to construct a replica of Baba’s Samadhi, but we did not grant it. So this is now an indication from Beloved Baba that anywhere there is a Baba Center, Baba lovers who wish to construct a replica of His Samadhi may do so. And therefore, I am taking an interest in saving this propertyc There are several encroachments on the property and court action is necessary to free it from them. There are a lot of headaches involved in trying to save this property and though it will require a lot of expenditure, 8

it is our responsibility to save it according to the legal will ofBeloved Baba.

With all love and Jai Baba to you, In His love and service, Bhau

Note: The situation with the Mandla property is still in flux, and updates will be sent as soon as they become available.

Pps. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your email address for Bhau’s messages and Awakenings, please email Bhaulist@yahoo.com, with Subscribe, Unsubscribe or Change in the Subject line. No need to put anything in the body of the email for Subscribe or Unsubscribe.

For Change, simply list Old: and New: email addresses. As a precaution, to allow these emails past spam blockers, please add shiva@jaibaba.com to your email address book. If you are unsubscribing, please add shiva@jaibaba.com to your list of blocked email addresses.

tr

BIuiuji tmd Cirrespondence jjj J$ Dr €tes.

wonderful methods to relay messages and questions to Bhau.

The optimum would be for you to come to one of his talks during his tour, or relay your question to someone who is attending.

They can ask your question during one of Bhau’s many Q&A sessions. His itinerary is posted at: www.jaibaba.com/mandali1bhau/2004Tour-West-Final.html: The other method, also highly recom mended, is that you correspond with Bhau through the INNER-NET (i.e., the silent inner connection of the heart), rather than the Inter-net or snail mail.

As Eruch always used to remind us, ‘Blessed be he, Blessed be she, Who keep the Mandali, Correspondencefree.”

Bhau very much looks forward to seeing you in person during his tour, and we thank you in advance for lovingly conveying this message to those dear ones who are not yet online.

With all love in the Beloved, Bhau’s secretarial and medical helpers

Date: Sunday, 13th June, 2004 Subject: Aloving request from Bhau’s medi cal and secretarial helpers Beloved Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!

T

he number of emails, cards and letters Bhau receives has grown exponentially since he has begun his American tour. Every morning, it takes him several hours to read them and then several more to respond. As a consequence, he is forced to reduce the time he is able to spend with Baba lovers later on in the day. Plus, even in America, Bhau has to deal with a tremendous volume ofTrust matters conveyed to him from India by email It is in Bhau’s nature and training to reply to every item of correspondence, whether a letter, greeting card, or email, whether direct or indirect, and ALL instructions NOT to reply will be expressly ignored.

Consequently, his two sets of helpers ( secretarial and medical), lovingly beseech all to correspond with Bhau only regarding matters ofthe UTMOST URGENCY. For non-urgent matters there are two

1in•

to e

ou can help others to gain spiritual freedom, and to come out ofthe illusion of duality only ifyou yourself do not lose this idea ofunity while working for others.

When you launch upon your spintual work, you will encounter divisions that people desperately seek to maintain, which they accentuate and fortify and strive to perpetuate consciously or unconsciously. You have to win people to the life ofTruth, they cannot be coerced into spirituality.

You must not divide life into departments and then attempt to deal with each department separately. As spiritual workers, you have to aim at an inclusive and creative attitude to the individual and social prob lems of life.

Never tell others what you do not feel yourself Tell others only what you honestly take Me to be—for I am anything and cveryrthing that one can honestly believe.

Meher Baba Calling ©1964 AIVIBPPCT

Oui9aI in clWkIwrabcid 3iidy &ephens 1st

Ilarch to 23rd J4larcIt, 2004 7 J

will be leaving on vacation to America this Saturday 27tI, March, so this will be the last Meherabad Diaryuntil I return back to Meherabad on 16 June. I will be visiting my family—one daughter with family lives in Southern California. The other daughter with familylives in NewYork City I am kept very busy during my visit to the States, because I have a total of five grandchildren.

Now, before we cover the schedule of events I want to share a very sweet story with you. Stuart Baker is a Baba Lover who comes here often, and while on pilgrimage also offers service. He tells me this story: This trip was good as always but frill of inner challenges, and he had not felt Baba very deeply. The night before leaving on the 8th, he was talking to his wife on the phone (she is in the States). He had told her Baba just had not broken through to his heart, but also that the trip was not over yet! The next morning, the 8th, he had gone to the Samadhi early and stayed for Arti before leaving. Before Arti began he felt Baba starting to stir him. He had asked Ted to sing Michael DeCosta’s “I Shall Return”, a raw, emotional Baba song that always pulled on Stuart’s heart.

Stuart said Ted had only played two notes, and Baba started to melt his heart.

Tears of wonder and gratitude were welling up, and he had to work hard to stop from just sobbing. He kept himself under control and read out a poem that he had written a few days before. Stuart said there was absolute stillness when he was reading, apparently because it was coming from someplace deep inside himself. He didn’t even hear the birds.

Stuart goes to Pune for the night, and is meeting up with another Baba lover the next afternoon to drive to the airport in Mumbai. Meanwhile that evening, he had a remarkable dinner meeting with someone with close Baba ties, and Stuart felt Baba’s hand continue to stroke his heart and un fold things. Here is where I come into the story: I had gone to Pune on the 8th to help a friend move back to Meherabad. She had a van coming the next day to carry her ftirni ture. On the 9th I have some errands to run.

I

First I go to buy some special blended tea thejessawala family use to buy to serve up to Baba. This tea is for the Los Angeles Baba Center’s annual auction. While I’m waiting for the tea I decide to walk around. It is King Shivaji’s birthday. His portrait in flowers is everywhere. There are garland stalls on most streets. Baba had said he was Shivaji in one ofHis minor incarnations.

After getting my tea I decide to buy a garland and take it to Baba’s house. I am only a couple of blocks away. When I go up the main street, just before turning into the little side walkway to Baba’s house, who do I see just about to pass by? Stuart! I said ‘Stuart, what are you doing here?’ He said he was looking for Baba’s house. I told him here it is, and that I was also going there.

We were standing directly under the sign that says ‘Baba’s house’.

I told Smart he could share in garlanding Baba’s room in His house. So, we enter His room and place the garland on His chair.

There were also some loose flowers and we put them on different photos.

Stuart said the past two days had been so special for him. We went for coffee and he tells me his story, about what happened at the Samadhi the day before. I tell him it seems the garland was probably meant for him to give Baba, because in all the years I have lived here I have never bought a garland for Baba’s house. I had never even thought to buy a garland when in Pune. And when I reach Baba’s street, with garland in hand, there is Stuart.

Only the Divine Beloved could time things with such loving perfection.

Monday 1 March. Bhau came to the

Meher Pilgrim Center and gave a talk at teatime.

Tuesday 2 March. At teatime in the MPC, Burjor Bode, a Baba Lover from Pune, gave a talk about his years with Baba.

And in the evening a Mandali video was shown at 9:00 pm in the MPC dining hall.

Wednesday 3 March. Sam Kerawala shared some of his Baba stories at teatime in the MPC. In the evening Heather came to my room to talk about something. She was upset and I asked what was wrong. You see, in the morning I cleaned Baba’s cabin room on the hill, and there is a beaded gar land that is on one of the photos of Baba.

Well, I noticed it was quite dirty near the bottom and removed it to have it cleaned. I thought it was Janet’s and was going to have it sent there.

Well, poor Heather did not know where it went. She did not know I thought it was Janet’s. Shejust thought I might have given it to someone. When I explained what happened she was so relieved. She then told me the story of the beaded garland, and why it means so much to her. I am glad to have had a chance to hear this lovely story.

Mehera picked all the photos to be put in Baba’s cabin room on Meherabad hill, except the one from the Samadhi. Mehera had a bead garland placed on the photo above the stretcher Baba’s body was carried on. When she would come for the Women Mandali’s Arti, Mehera would always stand before that photo. In fact, one time Mehera thought the color ofBaba’sjacketwas fading. So, Mehera had Panday touch it up.

In time the beaded garland had to be replaced. Heather found one that is very similar to the original one. It is this beaded garland that has such sweet memories for Heather.

Thursday4March. I gave the Historical Tour at 8:30 am. I went so early because by the usual time of the tour, which is 10:00 am, it is simply too hot. The temperature has been in the high 90s.

Friday 5 March. Bhau came to the Meher Pilgrim Center to give a talk during afternoon teatime. In the evening, a Baba movie was shown in the MPC dining hall.

Saturday 6 March. In the afternoon at 4:00 pm, tea and cake was served on the verandah of the theater. At 4:30 pm the

9

special children’s movie When Merwan Grew Up was shown. This is such a special movie, because the children from the Meher English Schooldrewpictures ofBaba. Then Bob Fredericks used photos ofBaba to show how much like the photo the drawings were.

One ofthe children narrated in English the whole movie. It was so well done. I think it was hard to find a dry eye in the crowded theater.

Sunday 7 March. Bhau came to the Pu grim Center to give a talk at teatime. Bhau was asked to speak by some pilgrims who would be leaving the next day, and they really did not want to miss him. It was very sweet of Bhauji to come. Our Bhau, he loves to talk and talk and talk!

Tuesday 9 March. A Mandali video was shown in the evening at 9:00 pm in the MPC dining hall.

Wednesday 10 March. Sam & Roshan Kerawala shared some Baba stories.

Thursday 11 March. Some more pu grims asked Bhau ifhe would give a talk on Thursday, since they would be leaving on Friday. So, Bhau came at teatime.

Friday 12 March. Dhuni Day. Evening Arti was at 5:45 pm and the lighting of the Dhuni was at 6:45 pm.

Saturday 13 March. There was a poetry workshop on the inside verandah of the MPC at 4:30 pm.

Sunday 14 March. Some pilgrims had been asking for a tour of the new Meher Pilgrim Retreat, so I met those who were interested up on the hill directly after morning prayers—7: 15 am. I always enjoy going there and seeing what new has been done.

But I will save the update for when I get back from the States.

Monday 15 March. Closing ofthe MPC. Morning Arti was allowed to go longer than normal, because it was the last day of the pilgrim season. The ‘HappyTrails’ song was sung to the pilgrims.

I was on duty at the MPC, and so had the job of closing up. All the pilgrims had to be out of their rooms by 9:30 am. And they would not have access to the facilities after 10:00 am.

The receptionist has all the brass hooks that hold the nametags, taken offthe mos quito net frames and stored in one of the rooms. Then all the table lamps are also stored in the same storeroom. Next, the watchman brings all the bicycles we let pilgrims use into the storeroom. After that we take the whole office computer setup and store it in the cupboard ofthe storeroom. We take down all the notices from the informa

tion board—those go into the Receptionist cupboard.

Now, it is time to lock up all the musical instruments and lock up the cabinets in the dining hall. These are the music, games, and sound system cabinets.The carom board and stand are locked in the Reading Room. All the decorative displays on our Receptionist shelves are stored in the office cupboard. The office is left with only the furniture and the photos on the walls.

Meanwhile housekeeping is usually stripping the beds ofmattress, mosquito nets, etc.

However, this particular day the rooms were simply locked up. A ‘workers’ lunch’ was going to be at 1:00 pm. And the women had to clean the dining hall for the lunch.

Every year when the pilgrim season is over, there is a ‘workers’ lunch.’ This is usu allywithin a couple ofdays ofclosing of the MPC. All workers of Meherabad and the Trust are invited. Community members and we residents, who would like to help, did the serving ofthe food. I always enjoy having an opportunity to serve the workers, since they are helping us all year long.

The food is put on the dining room tables. We stand behind and the workers are given plates and we put their food on the plates. The verandahs along side the dining hall are also used for eating, as there is not enough room inside the dining hail to seat everyone. There are Residents also who walk around serving those who want more. It is a nice community feeling between everyone.

Unfortunately, the Meher Pilgrim Center kitchen staff had to work during this time—you see, they prepare the food!

Those guys work so hard, and they are such responsible workers. The food they cook is always delicious. What is more, they also cater to private parties.

Before closing this Diary, I want to tell you about one more thing that has been going on here at Meherabad. Peter Booth has been planting trees and flowering bushes in the areas he had all that dirt brought in a few months back. He also extended the water pipes, so the plants we planted can grow. I tried to lay the drip piping by myselfa couple ofyears ago, but there was not enough water pressure. This caused the plants to not grow much, or just plain die on me. It was most discouraging, to return from visiting the States and find my little plants dead.

Now, I am looking forward to planting again. It is such a wonderful feeling—interacting with nature, especially here at Meher abad. You feellike you are making this place

pretty for Baba—tending His garden.There are pictures of Baba’s Jhopdi taken when Baba used it. Baba had plants and flowering bushes put around it. The Jhopdi is where Baba began His silence and started writing The Book.The garden Baba had made then was very pretty—it was the garden of Allah!

That is what it feels like working on a garden here—it is like being merged in Him. Doing anything here feels like you are working in the garden of Allah!

In His love and service, Judy

K..

14)11

Ehau 4 7<akIiuii on ‘‘7hc J?ctssion of the Christ” Jlleherabad From an email dictated by Bhau on 4th March, 2004 after a review ofThe Passion of the Christ was emailed to him: received your loving email dated 3rd March regarding The Passion ofthe Christ with your remark that the film performed a box office miracle at theaters around the country, achieving divine numbers not seen before from an independently produced and distributed film. I am anxious to know what is depicted in The Passion ofthe Christ. The article was about distribution, but about the film there was nothing. How the Lord suffered for humanity was not mentioned.

People who have seen the film may know and may realize what the Lord has to do as far as a humanity that does not follow His Wish. He has to come down on earth, and then He suffersfor humanity’s misdeeds.

With His love and compassion, He guides humanity towards God. We had been given the opportunity to remain with God when He was in human form, and we observed His physical suffering. It was too much for us to bear. Every moment, every hour, every day, how Meher Baba suffered!

The physical suffering was the only kind we could see, but He also suffered mentally and spiritually, and that we could not ob serve. We have not even one iota of His infinite suffering. The Perfect Masters are the only ones who know how the Lord suf fers for humanity and all the lower kingdoms in order to give them a Universal Push. He is the Compassionate Father, and we are all His mischievous children. No one accepts Him unless He makes us accept Him, and how does He do this?

He has to clean the dirt that we have collected by washing our dirtylaundry. And we don’t know what He does or what dif ficulties we cause Him when He washes it.

This laundry smells so bad that it is impos sible to touch! We are so ignorant that we do not realize that our laundry is stinking, and how it started stinking because of lust, anger, seffishness, greed, hypocrisy, dishon esty, jealousy, pride, attachment, cruelty, etc. We become one with it, unconscious of Reality.

There are actually two types of laundry, one good (which consists ofhappiness), one bad (which consists of misery). The difference is that the good laundry does not cre

I

ate physical suffering, but bad laundry does.

Why do both laundries stink? Because both are binding and illusory. We have to go beyond both good and bad. If one has good sanskaras, the mind wears good laundry, if bad sanskaras, bad laundry. But after all, both are stilllaundry which keep us attached to Illusion. This laundry is the dress of the mind, and both are binding. Therefore, we have to be free from both types, and the only way to do this is to remain dedicated to Him and follow His Wish.

No one knows that He is washing our laundry, yet how do we behave with Him? As if He is our enemy! We obstruct Him because we are so attached to our laundry and only the few fortunate ones serve Him. The rest ofthe world tortures Him, and He remains humiliated. But then at the end, when humanity comes to know that He was cleaning our dirty stinking laundry all the time, humanity accepts Him. Everyone sheds tears for the torture He passed though because oftheir indifference. No one understands how they have come to know about Him, nor how He comes down on earth in order to wash our dirty and stinking laundry.

This is the play of Illusion, and He has to suffer for His own play. He is the one who cannot be free from it, though He is free in His own form as Reality.

Dictated by Bhau in the Trust Office on 2nd April after he watched The Passion in Hyderabad earlier that week.

The critics pointed out the violence they observed in the film. They also said that there was no love or compassion shown in it. Actually, the violence against Lord Jesus was shown because it happened. In some ages, this violence is seen externally. But in others, the violence is internal. No one knows about the violence that we ourselves create. When we do anything against the Lord’s wish, it is violence against Him, and He suffers. Therefore, whatever violence was shown in the ftlm was shown externally. Nobody understands the internal violence that we create against Him. The priest class did not believe Jesus and opposed Him to every extent. They would not have been able to retain their position if they allowed Jesus to say all the things He did, things which were nothing but the Truth. Even Herod said that he did

not find any crime in Jesus. But the priest class was scared ofHim and bent upon His crucilhion.

“7Jte film 3 liked very much, because when 13eloved .Avatar Jll4eher 13aba had been suffering tremendously for many months, 2/c said, When 3 was 3esus, Jfrly Crucifixion was only for one day. Row 3 am suffering continuously, and no one has any idectabout this suffering.

When the Avatar or Christ comes down on earth, He does not use His Infinite Power or Infinite Bliss for His UniversalWork. He uses only His Infinite Knowledge. Because He does not use His Infinite Power, He suf fers. And because He does not use His Infi nite Bliss, He feels the pain of humanity.

When the Ancient One comes down on earth, His work differs from age to age.

When He came as Zoroaster, His work was particularly in Iran and other countries in general. When He came as Rama, His work remained particularly in India and Sri Lanka and for the world in general. When He came as Krishna, His work remained in India and Dwarka in particular. For the world, it remained general. When He came as Buddha, His work remained in India, Burma, China, Sri Lanka and Japan and other parts ofthe Eastern world in particu lar and for the world in general. When He came as Mohammed, His work remained in the Arabian and Middle Eastern countries in particular and for the whole world in general. Now, when He has come as Meher Baba, His work is particular for the world, though the awareness ofDivinitywill differ from country to country.

This time, Beloved Baba has said that His Universal Manifestation will be worldwide, and the whole world will recognize Him. But humanity’s awareness will differ from person to person. After His crucifixion, Jesus came to India, walking with His two II

disciples, Thomas and Bartholomew. He walked to all the places of pilgrimage in India, including Sri Lanka and Dwarka, where Krishna was the king.

After Ravan took Sita to Lanka, for many years Rama searched in the forests for her, suffering all the time. No one was with Him except for His brother, Laxman. Then He went to Lanka, where Ravan was ruling.

Ravan created a lot ofviolence against Rama, until Rama killed him.

Krishna also suffered a lot of violence through His maternal uncle, Kansa, who wanted to kill Him. Kansa was the king of Mathura, and Krishna was the son of Kansa’s sister, Devki. Kansa had put Devki and Krishna’s father, Vasudev into prison. Krishna was born inside it. When the doors to the prison opened automati cally, Krishna was taken out

by His father. Even though there were guards posted, no one suspected anything.

When Vasudev and Krishna came to the River Yamuna, it was in flood. But then a passage opened up for them to cross. That same day, in Gokul, a daughter was born to Yashoda, the wife ofVasudev’s friend, Nand. Vasudev handed over Krishna to Nand, who in turn gave his daughter to Vasudev. When he brought the daughter to the prison, again the doors opened automatically. Then Kansa killed the daughter, as he had killed Devki’s other seven children.

Afterwards, when Kansa came to know that Krishna was still alive, he played havoc all the time as he tried to kill Krishna.

Then came the Mahabharata, where again there was much violence.

Why this violence?

This violence is the creation ofthe Lord.

He Himselfcreates it to face Illusion, which rules over the universe. People become mad as they get caught up by Illusion and forget God. In order to make people aware of Illusion, the Lord has to suffer so that people may become aware of Truth and remain detached from Illusion’s clutch.

In the film, The Passion ofihe Christ, people say that there was a lot of violence and no love. But nobody knows that the

violence takes place because the Lord takes on the burden oflllusion to make humanity free from the attachment oflllusion (which is called the devil or Satan or Maya).

This devil or Satan or Maya keeps people so attached that they want to enjoy worldly happiness, which is nothing but Illusion.

But when they suffer worldly misery, they don’t understand that misery is also Illusion.

That’s why violence takes place.

The priests were opposing Lord Jesus.

Why? The devil or Maya was making them

turn against the Truth. Truth had to pass through this violence to make the priests detached from the devil. In the film this is shown in the form of violence. But see the love and compassion of the Lord that He could bear the atrocities inflicted upon Him by the violence of the devil in those who opposed Him. He worked through His compassion and love.

He performed miracles, gave life to the dead, gave sight to the blind. Could He not save Himselfr Could He not do that? He got Himself crucified. It was His love and His compassion towards the terrorists who

were opposing Him. And words of Truth came from the Lord, through His disciples, “Love those who are crucifying Me.” And He said, “Forgive them all, for they know not what they do.”

Baba said it was not Christ Who was crucified. It was Jesus Who was crucified.

Nobody can ever kill Christ. Christ is eter nal, and the same One takes human form, age after age. The physical body of Jesus was crucified, not the immortal Christ. He remains immortal; He is the Eternal One. That’s why after the cru ciftxion, Christ manifested universally. A long time after His crucifixion, all the Westem world and, here and there, some parts of the Eastern world were awakened and recognized Him. Christ, or the Avatar, lives eternally. But He suffers infinitely. What does He do after He drops His body? He takes the burden of obstruc tive impressions (sanskaras) of everyone and everything, and He goes on wiping out those impressions, so that people may gain awareness of Divinity and also become aware of the devil.

When I was watching this film, the picture came before my eyes of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba’s suffering. During the last phase of His seclusion, for days and months together, He was suf fering for humanity and the lower kingdoms. The lower kingdoms are exploited by human beings, particularly scientists. They do this by using unnatural processes, by crushing the stones, by creating hybrids, by creating different chemicals, by breeding and crossbreeding in kingdoms of consciousness up to the animal kingdom. We feel amazed to see what progress is going on.

It makes us happy. For outer progress, this looks good. But inner progress is stopped; it remains stagnant. This progress is in materialism for gross-conscious people, but it affects the natural process ofevolution of consciousness which becomes unnatural.

Therefore, He comes down upon the earth and manifests universally one hundred years after dropping His physicalbody. People get awareness when He wipes out the burden

that He takes upon Himself God through our deeds, thoughts and When Beloved Avatar Meher Baba was words. Then we are doing our required in the last phase ofHis seclusion, from 1967 duty towards Him. until 31st January 1969, He was suffering When I watched the film, it reminded spasm after spasm. His whole bodywould be me of the suffering of my Beloved Avatar lifted up and down, up and down. Through Meher Baba. The whole picture came before these spasms He would say, “I get an elec my eyes, and that’s why, my dear brothers tric shock. I am breaking this human body and my sisters, I am drawing your attention for My Universal Work in Creation, and I towards love and clearly explaining how offer My body in the form of powder to the Creation.”

And because I watched the ftlm, I could understand what infinite suffering Beloved Baba was passing through.

People witnessed that Jesus Christ suffered externally. But nobody could understand His internal suffering. Beloved Meher Baba’s suffering was witnessed by the close ones, but only externally, through the spasms and the two ac cidents, one in America and one in India. People could witness Lord Jesus suffering externally, and His disciples could witness Lord Jesus suf fering internally, too. But though Christ was suffering through this violence, to His disciples, He appeared glori ous. And because ofthat, they could sustain their lives. John sustained his life because the Lord had given him the duty of taking care of His mother, Mary. He was duty-bound. It is said that when Peter witnessed the crucifixion, he wept until his tears wore grooves in his cheeks. Ultimately, Peter was crucified upside down.

What a game the Lord plays!

He made Judas play His Photo ofBaba taken in 1948 by Charmian Duce Knowles game for a few coins. Acmally, Judas could not be tempted the work of the devil has made us tools in for a few coins. It was the Lord Himself its hands. Because of His compassion and who made Judas betray Him. He was the love towards us, how the Lord suffers due medium, and onlyjudas could have done it. to our ignorance.

Had he not loved Jesus, why did he spend And though this film showed the more time with Jesus than any other dis violence, it has also given expression to the ciple? And what did he do afterwards? He Lord’s love and compassion and how the hanged himself Lord faced this violence for the benefit of The game ofthe Lord cannot be underhuman beings. stood. Only love can experience it.

I liked the film very much, because it Do we want God to suffer for us? Or brought before me the suffering for the do we want to please Him with our words, world Beloved Avatar Meher Baba was thoughts and actions? We should please

facing during His seclusion. Ultimately, He dropped His body, taking the burden of the Universe in the form of sanskaras from all ofhumanity and the lower kingdoms. Still, until His Universal Manifestation, He will be suffering. We find awareness towards Him is coming gradually to people. And more and more are following Him. And dur ing the end ofHis Universal Manifestation, the whole world will recognize and follow Him. I went to Meherabad on Good Friday, and I prayed for those who created violence against Jesus. I remembered His words at the crucifixion when He told His disciples, Love those who are crucifying Me. What a great gift the Lord gave to His disciples! Because the Christ is in everyone, He made the disciples love those who were persecuting Him. Everyone accepts that God alone exists. Whatever else there is in the world that ap pears to exist must be Illusion (called the Devil, Satan, or Maya). Though it appears to exist, it does not. Only God alone exists. And Illusion is the medium to realize that God alone exists, but it deceives us so much that we forget God. Today, the day of Happy Easter, I went to Meherazad, the resident place of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba during His physical lifetime. It is difficult to express what I was feeling.

There had been a wave of flu, and all the Mandali members were sick. I was informed that I should not go there because I would catch the flu. But I went outside of Meherazad to see the construction ofthe Meher Free Dispensary, the Staff Quar ters and the Archives Building. Though construction is going on, there is no water.

Water comes to Ahmednagar by tankers.

Likewise at Meherabad. And now, the level ofwater in Mulla Dam is going down and down. It means Ahmednagar will get less and less water. How will the Municipality then supply water to different villages?

I remember what Beloved Baba said: The time will come when there will be no water to drink, and there will be no grain to eat.

People will eat dry leaves, and the scientists

‘3

will not be able to do anything. They will then realize that there is some power beyond them who is controffing everything.

That will be the time for His Universal Manifestation.

What did I find on Good Friday at Meherabad and Happy Easter at Meherazad?

The vegetable kingdom, that is, the trees and the plants, were dying in both places because ofthe water shortage. Standing outside Baba’s Samadhi, I was looking all around, and I found the trees dying. Last year also, many plants died. This year, we just see the hot sun and the dry trees near Baba’s Samadhi.

Again, while coming from Meherazad, I saw animals in trucks. Why? To be sold to the slaughterhouse because there is no water for them. This is happening in different parts of India, and one day, it will happen throughout the world. All seven kingdoms of the evolution of consciousness will be in a bad plight. This will go on for years and years in the material world, even though scientists are doing their best to make progress. But progress at what?

To give comfort to human beings, but also to invent destructive weapons: atom bombs, hydrogen bombs, nuclear bombs and other deadly weapons. People are involved in the progress of the material world, while they have forgotten God. This is the work of the Devil. No one is to be blamed. It is the game of God, and it happens in every age, when the Devil becomes very strong and powerful in order to attract people to itself.

Actually, we are crucifying Him every day, every moment, every hour, not knowing that our Compassionate Father is hu miliated by our actions. And still, what is He doing? He is cleaning the garbage of obstructive sanskaras (impressions), which He had collected from us. He is working and working on that garbage, every day, every moment, every hour, while we are attracted to the Devil and go on doing things that are not only humiliating the Lord but crucifying Him. He is always at the junction ofHis Infinite Power, Knowledge and Bliss and the Devil. But He gives power to the Devil to play its role. No one knows that one day, this humiliation will turn into His glorification.

He is giving the Devil along rope to work and work and create such a situation that one day, egg-headed humanity will realize that the Beloved is cleaning the garbage ofall hu man beings, as well as the lower kingdoms.

The lower kingdoms have no consciousness of suffering, because in them, the mind is not developed. But the Beloved is suffering

because there is much exploitation of these lower kingdoms by different means. Breeding, crossbreeding, chemicals and other methods invented by scientists. Nobody knows why it is happening. We feel very, very happy when we find big tomatoes, big oranges, big eggplants. Everything is progressing, and we think, What progress!

But it is the exploitation of the veg etable kingdom. Breeding, crossbreeding, and using all these chemicals keeps natural consciousness unnatural and stagnant. The evolution ofconsciousness cannot progress.

2iis Ljniversal frnftiot there will lie

e people will see Jijpénd ‘

not the world,.

Iollow, liii! drc

ce

awareness from 7fersontqieijfn. _/ c4 ..

cording to their awareness, some people will be closer to the Sun, sonic will be

..

.

at a distance, and others will be at a still grcater distance. #13ut everyone will be attracted totlic Sun. 7.liai will he

hh

nllniversul J4tanifcsiaiion.

The same thing is happening in the animal kingdom. In such a situation, God has to come down on earth as a human being to put consciousness back into the proper state for everyone and everything.

People think that Meher Baba came and then He left. Why did He not put everything in a proper state? But no one knows how much burden He collected from each person and each kingdom. And what is He doing? He is cleaning their garbage.

J esus Christ came down, was crucified, and everyone except His disciples forgot about Him. How is it that the world ac cepted Him after such a long time? How did it happen? The Lord took the garbage along with Him and went on cleaning and cleaning. And at the time of His Universal Manifestation, awareness came to humanity.

If He cleaned everyone’s garbage immedi ately, people would go mad. Therefore, He

has to clean this garbage gradually, so that the consciousness of everyone and everything remains natural and that everyone and everything do not suffer a shock.

When He drops His body, or when He is crucified, He takes this burden. He does not clean it immediately, but takes time to clean it through a normal process. That is why His Universal Manifestation takes time. Beloved Baba has said that after the Avatar drops His physical body, it takes one hundred years for His Universal Manifestation. That is why, for the present, the world is not recogniz ing Him. But He also finds that more and more people are coming to Him. One day, the world will come, and that will be His Universal Manifestation.

Now, the people are running after the material world and the progress of materialism, not knowing the Sun is behind them.

The Real Experience is for you to know Who you really are. The rest of the experi ence in illusory life is nothing but the game oflllusion, the Devil, which created awareness within you. You have started following Him, and you will follow Him wholeheart edly, without falling into the clutches of the Devil.

The time is coming, but before that time, many things will happen. There will be a lot of destruction. It is destined. No one can check it. We will know that what happens then is of our own creation.

Editorc notes. This movie, The Passion of the Christ, obviously moved Bhau greatly.

How could it not, having witnessed so closely the suffiring ofhis own Christ. But as all ofus know, who love Bhau so dearly, he is able to go offon a tangentfrom the original subject and give us so much more information! The emails thathave beenflowingforthfrom India since he saw thefilm have beenprodigious. Atpress time we have received3Opages with no end in sight.

His writings contain so much information, so valuable to so manypeople, thatlstoppedtrying tofit it all into one magazine and therefore we will end herefor thejuly issue andpick up the threadin the OctobeiJanuary andmaybe even theApril200s issue!

1 A ’kIiei rEaba and 7)e9etarianism Quotes Collected by ,JI4arkar, South Carolina Editorc note: There have been many arguments between people about whether Baba categorically stated we should not eat meat. Is it really neces— sary to be a vegetarian to be on the SpiritualPath? Thanks to Markai we have laid out here foryou some veryforcefulstate— ments by Baba actual quotes, not just hearsay or possibly apocryphalstories. For instance I remember my Mother told me Baba had said not to eat eggplant, but any time I have told that to some Baba lover whom Isaw eating the purple vegetable, the comeback was invariably “Oh no, He just meant thatfor one particular person, noteveryone. Wellreadthis: ‘Eggplant is the worstpossible thingforyou. Th eat egg— plant is to commit suicide, because it spoils the blood and turns it into water!”

Slight hyperbole perhaps, but it leaves no doubt as to how HeJèlt about it! One could not befaultedfor wondering why then, did He create it’ Read on... “ 0 eat meat is detrimental to some extent in controlling one’s sexual nature.

The main disadvantage is that eating meat increases sexual desires...

So if we eat meat, the degree of sexu ality increases in us. But if we remain on vegetarian food, then it neither increases nor decreases.”

26 April 1 924 Meherabad, Lord Meher volume 2, page 626

“I must ask all aspirants to remember once and for all, that if they are desirous of rapid progress and quick enlightenment, they should live up to the following four laws:

Dfpossib!e, observe celibacy. EJf already married, keep as little sexual intercourse with your partner as possible.

Consider, ifyou are a man, all other women as your sisters; if you are a woman, consider all other men as your brothers.

I.

—

“

“What is the use ofslaughtering defenseless animals?”

21 June 1926, Meherabad Lord Meher volume 3, page 815 “It is said that the chiefcomplaint of the Hindus is the Moslems’ killing of cows. It is wrong for the Hindus to do so. If they protest on economic and humanitarian grounds against cow-killing, then why do they restrict themselves only to cows? Why don’t they feel equal mercy for other animals that are being slaughtered?

“But the real question is not one of mercy, for an animal gets evolutionary advancement when it is killed. It is the man who kills the

animal who is to be pitied, not the animal that is killed. For the persons who kill innocent animals like lambs and cows have to suffer terribly, not only in their present, but also in their several future lives.”

July 1927, Meherabad, The Silent Word by Francis Brabazon, page 400 “There are three things that are good for increasing and purifying the blood: pome granates, grapes and tomatoes. But grapes have one defect: they create bile. Okra is good for people with backaches. Potatoes give strength, but create gas. Lentils are good. Beans, pumpkin, cabbages and cauli flower are not nourishing, but are tasty Eggplant is the worst possible thing for you. To eat eggplant is to commit suicide, because it spoils the blood and turns it into water.

Radishes create gas, but they are good for the intestines. Spinach is also very good...

We are not talking of sanskaras, but of the quality ofthings. Among non-vegetarian food, fish is the best for the brain because it contains phosphorus. Eggs are good but are hard to digest.

Among all foods, milk is the best, because nothing is killed in obtaining it. The next best are vegetables, because life in them is not fiiily developed. The worst impressions lie in non-vegetarian food. By eating meat, a person at once contracts animal sanskaras, which stimulate anger and lust.”

29 March 1929, Meherabad “The Meher Message” volume 1, number 5, page 26

...u1void all animal food, except milk and the products of milk.

Don’t partake of even eggs.

2.

3. ..u1void all intoxicating drugs and drinks. 7ea is not an intoxicant, provided it is weak. 73 ut be moder ate in your habit of tea drinking.

4. Curb yourself and never give way to anger. Whenever you fly into a passion, you contract red sanskaras, which are the worst of all.”

February 1930, TheMeherMessage volume 2, number 2, page 8

“For years I have been a vegetarian...

My Mandali have also been eating only vegetarian food for years now. I would rarely make any of them fast on milk. However, once. I kept over twenty of my Mandali fasting onjust milk for two or three months, but none of them felt any discomfort. A Parsi named Pleader has been living only on milk for the last two and a halfyears. He . .

Is

is quite healthy and happy...

There is another devotee ofmine named Dixit in Koihapur, at a school there. He has also been on milk for the last twelve years, although he takes bananas with it. He is quite fit and works all day...

Milk is the best food. It sustains the body and purifies the mind. And the more the mind becomes pure, the more it can be controlled. Desires become less, which is necessary for spiritual aspirants, as there is no progress on the Path without the mind being under control. So long as desires and longings persist, the mind cannot be controlled. From that standpoint, therefore, milkisthebestfood.

The Parsis defame me and call me shaitan—devil—simply because I do not eat meat and fish. I don’t drink liquor, and have never been to a brothel. Their definition of a Parsi is that he should be a non-vegetar ian, drink wine, and lead an immoral life, while at the same time wearing the religious symbols of the sadra and kusti, visiting the fire temple, and paying heed to the priests.

Thus by their behavior they themselves have become devils, in fact.”

even eat cakes or chocolates. Because ofthat restriction, during Baba’s first visit to the West, the Mandali who accompanied Him had to appease their hunger mostly with bread and butter, and it was winter.”

Meher Baba to Mahatma Gandhi 8 Sep tefl2ber 1 931 on board the Raj rntana en route 7 to Marseilles, France. Lord Meher v. 4, p.

1394-1396

“Killing an animal for sport, pleasure or food means catching all its bad impressions, since the motive is selfish.

“But no such bad impressions are caught from snakes or germs and the like,which are a danger to humanity, when they are killed out ofphilanthropic motives and only when absolutely necessary.

“Such killing, when it is not a duty, will certainly create binding impressions...

“Impressions are contagious. Eating meat is prohibited in many spiritual disciplines because therein the person catches the im pressions ofthe animal, thus rendering himself more susceptible to lust and anger.”

“...

“Vegetarian food and milk assist the development of the divine nature in man, whereas eggs, meat, alcoholic drinks and fish tend to excite the animal nature in man.”

Sayings ofShri Meher Baba (1 33)p. 8 9

Question: Why does He encourage vegetarianism?

He advises vegetable food for spiritual reasons, and also for reasons ofhealth. Ani mal food stimulates excitement, lust, passion, and evil desires, which are all detrimental to spiritual progress. Vegetable food helps one to keep the feelings, emotions, and desires balanced and normal, and hence assist the aspirant on the spiritual path. Also it im proves health, aids digestion, and is free from certain poisons contained in animal food.

ShriMeherBaba, The PerJèctMaster Ques tions and Answers (1 933) Part 6, Personal Questions. p. 49 “No one can eat meat or fish in my ashram.”

1939,Jabalpui; India, LordMeher volume 7, page 2406

Bal Natu wrote: Until 1932, Meher Baba did not allow His Mandali to have eggs, so they could not “...

Glimpses of the God-Man Meher Baba volume 1, page 316

Abdul Ghani: Flesh-eaters, similar to lions and tigers, are very powerful and energetic creatures. Their stomachs are never bloated. But the grass-eating bullock has a big stomach without the strength, power and courage ofthe carnivores. So ifthe Mandali become non-vegetarians, we will be strong like lions.

Meher Baba: The elephant is also a veg etarian, and just see how strong he is. Why don’t you be like an elephant instead?

Ghani: But the elephant carries a big stomach.

Meher Baba: Then let your stomach grow. Your stomach should be as big as your head,Then you willlook fine. So take plenty ofvegetarian food while you’re here.

10 February 1940, Bangalore Lord Meher volume 7, page 2514

Sparks ofthe Truthpage 26

“I have abstained from fish, eggs and meat, not for my benefit, but to create and impress upon humanity an example, which, later, when I speak, will become an estab lished law.”

31 October 1937, C’annes, France, Lord Meher volume 6, page 2232

Here’s an explanation written by Dr. C. D. Deshmukh, at Baba’s request, from notes Baba dictated to him: There is in the heart of divinity a thought for all that breathes—bird, animal or man. Beloved Baba, in His impersonal aspect, is concerned not only with the wellbeing ofman, but also with that ofall other “...

forms oflife. According to Him, all animals, and even plants and trees, are an inalienable part of the larger brotherhood to which we all belong. As a natural corollary of this, we have to be affectionate and considerate toward birds, animals, etc., not out of any sense of duty or even obligation, but out of the spontaneity ofrecognised values.

“Thus, according to beloved Meher Baba, love for animals or birds would be more than sympathy or consideration. It is a natural coordinate of acknowledged kinship with them. To deny love to birds or animals is, according to Him, to repress one’s own divinity. Beloved Baba’s often repeated mandate to humanity is ‘Love life in all its forms.’

Beloved Meher Baba is God, and as such, experiences Himselfin all living beings, including birds, animals, vegetables, etc. We cannot adequately raise any question about what God’s attitude is toward animals. God cannot take up a specific attitude in rela tion to His creation, because He has himself become that creation. Since beloved Meher Baba is an incarnation ofGod, there can be no question of his taking up any attitude toward any forms ofhis own being...

All who have had the opportunity to be with him have invariably observed that he loves birds and animals as much as he loves human beings. He often feeds them with his own hands, gets all their ailments attended to by competent doctors, and looks after them with the same parental care and love which we find expressed in relation to those humans who have the good fortune to come within his personal environment...” “. . .

“...

ChakradharDeshmukh,from notes dictated

by Meher Baba in a letter to Irene Coneybeare, 1957, “Glimpses ofthe God-Man MeherBaba” volume 1, page 306-307

Kitty Davy who spent about eighteen years living with Baba, wrote: “Baba had a great feeling for all life. Life must not be treated lightly. Not a worm or an ant must be trodden on consciously. If un conscious, then it was excusable. If a mouse or a rat was caught on the hill, or fell in a well, it had to be rescued, and taken in a trap a mile from the compound and given its freedom. Or again, ifa lizard was seen on the wall, it was caught in a towel or shooed through the door.

“Sick birds, little hares, lame dogs, all found a haven near Baba, and were given into the care of Naja, who had a healing touch. When any of our pets died, Baba would always see that they were properly

buried, supervising the operation himself but he did not want us to be emotionally upset. Had they not been touched, cared for and loved by Baba? Thus death for them meant a progression in evolution.”

LoveAlone Prevailspage 295 Baba told Dowla and Katie: “Don’t kill lizards. Any animal that directly injures should be killed, but not lizards. Catch them and throw them outside.

They eat ffies and are useful. Ifyou kill them, you will be a lizard in your next birth.”

1 7 November 1940, Kandy, Ceylon Lord Meher volume 7, page 2641 Mehera wrote: Baba instilled in us respect for all forms oflife. Through His tireless and by ing example of care and concern for even the tiniest creatures, we too were inspired with such feelings.”

Baba Loved Us Thopage 40

the life-term in the Gross body. In the same way, inteffigent use ofknown laws will affect happenings during this term of life.

But whether or not there is going to be a disregard of such laws on the part of some particular soul, is itselfimpressionally determined, i.e. it is dependent upon his gathered dispositions. Thus physiological and other

‘V Want ti Candj!”

Excerpted from J4lemoirs of a 2etctic by Aniiya 7<umar 2tazra

“. . .

I knew from my experience with Baba that He was always most particular never to kill ants. ants Baba never wanted harmed.

If we were walking along, Baba would sometimes suddenly alter His stride, and then point down to the ground and gesture to us to go around. Be careful, He would gesture, there are ants there, don’t step on them. And so we would take great care to step over them, to walk around them, so we wouldn’t inadvertently kill any.”

Eruch Jessawala, Determined to be His page 12 “. . .

. .

eggplant “Eggplant is the worst possible thing for you. To eat eggplant is to commit suicide, because it spoils the blood and turns it into water.”

10 Octoberl928Meherabad, Lord Meher volume 3, page 1107 “Elderly people should not eat eggplant.”

1939 Bangalore, LordMeher volume 7, page 2490

3:ood and 2 <anna “The days of every incarnate soul in the Gross world, and what they bring, are both definitely determined by the accu mulated impressions of past lives. But this impressional determinism does not work itself out independently of or in defiance of, ordinary causal laws. On the contrary, it works through established causal laws.

For example, wrong diet or gluttony, or any other disregard for natural physiological laws, will definitely affect the duration of

causal laws are subsumed by higher karmic laws, and lend themselves as pliant fabricwork for them. The law ofkarma supercedes and uses the other laws of nature without violating them.”

Beamsfrom Meher Baba on the Spiritual Panorama page 34-35

hat evening, our coach Eric Charles had made us do a little more work than usual and when we left the grounds, I felt a dry mouth. Only a sweet thing, perhaps a candy, could best act in such a situation, I mused.

Home was about half a kilometer away, but the desire to have a candy increased as I went ahead. Then suddenly I remembered my mental request to Meher Baba the previ ous night. I thought, “Why then not test, as YLM says, ‘His all-knowing grace’ by asking for a candy right now?”

I was in a half-playftii mood, as is the case where faith has not yet pitched its tent firmly. I tossed the prayer to Meher Baba, “Please, get me a candy from someone. If it happens, I’ll believe that You have provided it.” Meher Baba was physically over a thousand kilometers away from where I uttered the prayer.

I hurried home, my mouth getting dryer.

About 30 paces from home stood an elderly gentleman. He knew me, as we were fellowmembers ofthe Bai-ka-Bagicha club.

He greeted me obviously in a mood for conversation and I was, at least at that mo ment, desiring to return home immediately for a glass ofwater. But it would have been impolite to ignore his invitation to stop, and so I went up to him with a “Good evening.”

“Good evening, Hazra Saheb, you seem to be in a great hurry,” he smiled.

“Well, a bit, no doubt, as I am returning from the playgrounds after a two-hour ses sion at the ‘throws.”

“Okay, you can go in that case, but before that please have this candy.” He offered me a candy in his hand.

“Candy? You keep them with you, do you?” I was so confrised that I was at a loss to know what I ought to say.

T

“Oh no, I’m not a kid. It’s only because the doctor suggested the other day that I should defer smoking for a few days to recover from pharyngitis—and you know what a job it is to overcome the temptation to smoke. So, I bought some candy to eat whenever I get the itch to smoke. Please have one.” He smiled.

As I ate the candy, the thought ofMeher Baba unavoidabbyboomed large in my mind.

Was the timely arrival of this candy just a chance incident, or was the event really directed by Meher Baba from afar?

“Thank you. Why are you standing here alone? Waiting for someone?” I asked.

“No, I came out for a stroll, and then came up here and decided I wouldn’t go further.”

“Well, er, thank you very much for the candy. Goodbye,” I said and hurried home.

As I was washing my face in the bathroom, one halfofmy mind kept telling me, “It was just a coincidence, Amiya, dont give it anyundue importance,”while another half ofmy mind kept saying, “You asked Meher Baba to get you a candy and see within mmutes an elderly gentleman standing 30 paces from your home with a candy in hand offers it to you instead ofeating it himsell as if he had no other work to do butjust to wait and catch you to give you the candy. Dont doubt Meher Baba’s Grace. It has begun to shower itself on you already!”

Clearly I was unable to decide which side of my mind was right in its promptings. I sighed and like Joseph Addison’s poor dear Sir Roger mused to myself, “Well, much could be said on both sides!” and thus shrugged off the problem.

Memoirs ofa Zetetic, ©1987/2001 Avatar Meher Baba Navsari Centre

the çA’kster’s Prnyer

Diiginti

_t:mirent °i’Veicltbcrger, London March, 2004

T

he following was initially written as a response to an email from a Baba-lover in California who had questions about four ofthe “arcane” words used by Avatar Meher

“Parameshwar”, yes, it is Vedic, Sanskrit, Hindi... I have actually been studying a bit of Hindi with a teacher. My book Glossary ofSanskrit Terms by Geoffrey A. Barbo rka (Point Loma Pub., San Diego) defines “Para” as beyond, far, distant. This is consistent with Baba’s usage, as in “Paramatama, Parabrahma,” etc. The word “eshwar” is acmally what Baba calls “Ishwar”, and the “m” between the two words joins them, since “Para” ends with a vowel and “Ishwar” starts with a vowel. So, Paramesh war would mean, “Beyond Ishwar.” Ishwar, is a state (aspect) of God that Baba doesn’t bring up too often, but Bhau has a chapter on Ishwar in The Nothing and The Everything: “Ishwar is the infinite uncon\ sciousness of infinite mind and through its “ infinite thinking Ish war manifests in three impersonal aspects Brahma, Vishnu and 2 Be aware that with The Nothing Mahesh.” and The Everything, as Bhau recently told us, when he wrote, he did not use the notes he made ofpoints dictated by Baba for that book. “I just wrote,” he told me and those gathered at Meherabad (July, 2001). A tape was made of this session with Bhau, so it can be reviewed.

Ezad is Persian (Sufi), I am certain of that...Ijust went to a special web site 3 and if you put “God” in English, one ofthree words it gives you back in Persian is “Izad.” I believe Baba himselfprovided the translation of: “the only One worthy ofworship.” It is fascinating that Baba opens and closes the prayer on a Persian note. It is also remarkable that the other two words that web site gives you back for God are “Parvardigar” Baba’s opening word, and “Xoda,” which is a new one for me.

Prabhu may be a little more than just plain Lord. I will be happy to look more into

—.—

“The Highest ofthe High”painting by Diane Cobb

Baba in the Master’s Prayer: “Parameshwar, Elahi, Prabhu,” and “Ezad.” I showed the response to my friend Mahmoud Ajang, a Persian Baba-lover, when I was in Los Angeles, and he carefully read and approved of what is said below about Elahi and Ezad. It has been edited for publication.

I believe on the point of “Elahi” it is a Persian word, singular, with a deep link to the Hebrew word “Elohim,” which we know is used in the Torah (Hebrew Bible) but is a plural form of the word. Elohim meaning divine beings, and the dictionary’ doesn’t help much, saying: “Elohim: One of the principal names by which God is designated in the Hebrew Scriptures.” I can get the Persian and Hebrew particulars if you want it all broken down properly.

To me the most interesting point about Elahi is that it is singular NOT plural.

—

that word as well. Ah, I just found this on the web : “Prabhu: superior, ruler, governor, 4 master, lord, owner, proprietor, commander, principal.” Some day, someone will have to do this for the entire prayer.

,

.

Notes: 1. See http://www.thefreedictionary.c om/elohim 2. The Nothing and The Everything, by Bhau Kaichuri, p.21 1 (© Manifesta tion Inc) 3. See http://iranianlanguages.com/ dictionary.php?eng-per 4. See http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/platts/

3niellectual disputaiions about 8od tvill not briiig joii rniy nearer lv 2titn and may lake jOi1 farther away... rl3ut persisleril Iteaiifclt pniyers to -Iini will lower the veil thai non; cijuel— 2 : Otis you in darkness.

—_7frk1ter Ba1)a

rAIoha to J4’khcr Babds &ilwvns!

by Peggy &epliens, 2lawaii

Photographs by EBill .Stephens

T

he first Hawaii Meher Baba Sahavas, a couple of years ago, was held at a lovely retreat on the island of Maui, and Leatrice Shaw Johnston was the featured speaker and guest. But only is— landers could be invited, as space was limited.

This year a YMCA camp on the scenic Keanae peninsula of Maui was selected as the site, and Baba-lovers from everywhere were invited. Posters were distributed, notices were printed, and personal notes were written. Although only about a dozen Hawaii residents Pat Griffin, Steve Essley andJ&Craddock admire the viewfrorn below the lanai were able to attend, almost two ,

+

r

:

-

set up the camp, which was off limits to the folks renting it unti noontime on Friday, April 30. It’ easily an hour and a halfdrive fron town and airport, much of th road winding and picturesque, bu the workers were there promptl at noon to begin decorating anc moving furniture under the direc tion of indefatigable Caran St John. Meredith Moon and Kath leen Barber arrived shortly after and there was a frenzy of activity as Camp Keanae was turned intc Meher Baba’s ocean-side retreat Billy Graywas a tremendous help with the setting-up, but had tc

——‘:r•••

‘ “.iS-’

A happygroup on the lanai

dozen others—from the Mainland U.S. and from India and Austra ha—enthusiastically accepted.

Transportation was provided from the Maui air terminal to the camp, located about two-thirds of the way down the famous twistycurvy Road to Hana. Many visitors rented their own cars, but quite a few others were driven to the gathering on Friday and back to the airport on Monday afternoon by lo cal Baba-loversDiana Drossel flew in a day early so that she could rent a van and take two different loads of Sahavasees to Keanae.

Ron Greenstein and Steve Essley also came to Maui early to help

Special GuestsJal

..

Caran St. John performs with the hula dancers

Dolly Dastoor

leave early to get back to work.

Roger Stephens (who with his wife Wanda is soon relocat ing to Maui) contributed a 4’ x 6’ painting ofMeher Baba (from the Chase Studio photo of Him wearing a white garland), and this was hung on the stage in the meeting area and framed with greenery and flowers, with a background drapery of soft pink. Jack Mormon brought a pink-patterned drape cloth that once hung in Guruprasad, and it was hung beside the picture.

Gorgeous tropical flowers in large vases were placed under the pic ture and around the stage area.

‘9

Kathleen Barber’s bunk for sleeping and an upper for storage. beautiful paintings of Bathhouses were close by.

1\’Ieher Baba also decoThe scenery was take-your-breath-away spectacular. Within easy walking distance rated the meeting place, along with many photo- were waterfalls, gardens, ocean-side cliffs, graphs. Tables were set and overlooks. Each afternoon there was free with books, time tapes, to explore the surroundings.

2 CDs, and of particular But the highlight of each day was the I interest were the newest wonderful companionship and the delightftil programs. Invited guests werejal and Dolly book by Bill Le Page Dastoor from Meherabad, Bill and Diana Le __j new CD by Ron. In another area were Page from Australia, and singer/songwriter the items that had been Ron Greenstein from the Bay Area. A . : :Ij contributed for the Sifeatured speaker also was Robert Dreyftiss L. lent Auction, which on from California, and on Saturday evening L to R Peggy Stephens, A/isa DreyJiiss, Ja/ Dastooi; Robert Dreyfiss and Sunday turned into a two teachers ofsacred hula (they have taught Winifred Kershaw—with Do//v Dastoor in the background lively free-bidding auc Caran some oftheir lovely hulas and almost tion. Proceeds, along everyone joined in when they tried to teach with generous donations, went to help pay the rest of us). Jeff DeLoe of Denver had brought his guitar and performed some of for the camp and the definitely un-camphis great songs. And JalJDolly and Bill and like food. (Everyone raved over it!) get-togeth Robert gave talks and told stories of their for the large building The ers was divided into a meeting area with nice chairs, a dining area (real cloth tablecloths, Baba pictures and ti leaves on the picnic tables), and the open kitchen where caterers prepared the delicious meals. On the ocean side ofthe building was a covered lanai with lounge chairs, tables, and a Toddy Shop atmosphere. Here Dolly served her fabulous freshly made rava one Groupfitn on the lanai. L to R. Krista Bienerfrorn Maui, Karen Thlbot, Jal, afternoon with tea. An- Hugh McCleneghan, Jack Mormon andArwind Diwanfrorn Honolulu Specia/ Guest Robert Dreyfuss other teatime treat the glorious days with our Beloved, Meher next daywas Honolulu-made fortune cookBaba. ies provided by Kath Saturday morning group activities inleen. The “fortunes” choice of a session on dreams with cluded were quotes from Me(who hosts a dream circle on Meredith her Baba, of course. soul Maui), a art group led by Kathleen, Each arriving Sa discussion group on “Relationships a and havasee was greeted led by Bill and Peggy Meher and Baba” with a pretty lei made Stephens. of shells, a straw beach Sunday night Diana Le Page gave a slide mat, a colorful folder show of her magnificent paintings which (with a beautiful photo of Meher Baba on the will be hung in the new pilgrim centre at cover), and a name tag Meherabad. Following this, there was a dhuni in an open-but-covered area not far in bright colors. Wom the buildings. Jal Dastoor and Bruce from en were assigned to were in charge of the fire, which Glen one dormitory building, men to another. Bunk burned beautiftilly for the hour of singing Musical Guest Ron Greenstein sings his heart outfor Baba and prayers. The weather was cool enough beds were plentiful, so jackets that evening, and Baba held off for each person had a lower , ‘

‘

, !IIl!!l!!!•I

the rain for the weekend, only sending rarely a light shower.

A highlight of the first evening was a lively concert by Ron Greenstein ofsome ofhis new and old Baba songs, and a skit presented by Meredith, Kathleen, Caran and Ron (with the help ofothers), tell- i ing about Meher Babaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visits to Hawaii. There is no doubt He has His Nazar on these islands, Kathleen, Caran and Meredith giving some directions and we hope to be able to have more gatherings in the futureâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and even more Sahavasees from the other islands of Hawaii and from all over the world.

BillLe Page talks about his days with Meher Baba

Manyparticiated in hula lessons

Jal and Dolly tell Baba stories

A livelygroup on the lanai

Grozppicture ofhappy Sahavasees 21

ErucIi—Rememberinj tiw Pissinj of One of 1’CJI Oii ......

:Roy 2 Iayes, Queensland, .J1ustralia wife Rosalind and I arrived in Meherabad on Wednesday 29th August 2001 for nine days of pilgrimage at our Beloved Lord’s Samadhi and to be with His dear ones at Meherazad. It was an unusual time for us as we usually go to India in Februarc We felt very fortunate to be there at that time and staying with our close friends Jal and Dolly Dastoor.

We went to Meherazad on the Thursday, we had heard Eruch had been very unwell and we did not expect to see him. We later found that he was feeling much better that day and had insisted in going to the Trust office on a day that he usually was at Meherazad. A fellow Indian pilgrim told us a story of how he did see Eruch at theTrust office that day: his mother had instructed him to give her love and a jar of cookies to Eruch. He had forgotten the cookies in the rush. He found Eruch in good spirits and after conveying his mother’s love and the big Eruch Baba hug he was about to leave when Eruch said “Where are the cookies?” He said Eruch had no way ofknowing about the cookies!

That night our sleep was restless. About lam (31st August) the phone rang and after Jal banged on our door saying “Get dressed brother, we are going to Mehe razad, Eruch is having trouble breathing and will not last long.” We got dressed when another call came telling us not to come Eruch had stabilised and they were calling Dr Gus and Dr Anne. We got un dressed and went back to bed. We couldn’t sleep, the atmosphere was very charged.

At about 2:35am Jal called again. “Eruch has passed on! Get dressed, we are going to Meherazad, (Eruch died at 2:31am).

There was a flurry of phone calls by Jal going out all over India. We picked up Perviz, Shridhar, Sam and Roshan, Dadi and others in the cars at lower Mehera bad. I phoned Bernard Bruford at about 3am to tell him of the important event and to let Australia know. It was the first time I had taken a mobile phone to India and I was very grateful when it connected.

Alighting from the car when we arrived at Meherazad we went straight to the yerandah where Bal and Aloba were sitting,

M

22

an overpowering and intoxicating smell of sandalwood filled our nostrils. Eruch had been placed on a stretcher in front of Baba’s chair in Mandali hall. Sitting around him were Meheru, Goher, Katie, Arnavaz, Manu, Merwan, Steve, Gary, Davana, Flint and Shelley(I have probably missed some).Those with us were taking darshan at Eruch’s feet. I felt out ofleague among the grand Mandali and relatives. I guess our passport was the fact that we loved Eruch and those around him and we felt that Baba had invited us.

On entering the hail and bowing at this great man’s feet my tears were unstoppable ( I know Baba says not to waste them and I hope He will forgive me on this rare occasion). I then sat beside him and saw how beautiful he looked, for all ofyou who have met him— imagine the look on his face and the feel of his cuddle as he made you feel loved and very special. That was the look and the feeling.

Memories ofEruch flooded my mind. .hav ing us sit around the walls of Mandali hall and yelling outJai Baba as loud as we could, trips to Ellora caves with him as our guide, stopping at the mosque where Baba spent the last night of the New Life, his delight as we sang at the top of our lungs in the back seat of a bus, climbing seclusion hill many times, being lovingly nursed by him and fed electrolytes to recover from dysentery, being counseled by him in dif ficult times, the inspiring consolation when my father died and stories, stories, stories and more stories where you felt Eruch disappear and Baba’s love fill Mandali hall Bhau,Ted,Janet, and Allan arrived. Allan read a most beautiful email from Rick and Cheryl Chapman which was a tribute to Eruch.

One of the cars was going back at 5:30am to Meherabad and Ahmednagar flower market to collect heaps of roses, so we went back to Jal and Dolly’s. We thought we might get a bit of a rest but phone calls were coming from all over. English, broken English and many other languages—people trying to delay the funeral and wanting information. Somehow, I managed to convey the details of the day’s events.

Eruch was due to come to Baba’s Samadhi at 9:30 am, he arrived at 10:15 am. We car.

ned him in his stretcher into the Samadhi and placed him in front ofBaba. I put some flowers onto Eruch for all Australian Baba lovers whose hearts Eruch had touched.

We then said a resounding Master’s Prayer, Beloved God Prayer and sang the Gujerati Arti. Sam Kerawala then gave a great talk on Eruch encompassing the recent Avatars’ unparalleled right hand men. We then placed Eruch in the Mandap opposite Baba’s Samadhi. There were about eighty people by this time including Bhau, Aloba and Bal. Baba lovers again took darshan and put flowers onto Eruch. It was a chance to place a last kiss onto that wonderful cheek.

About 11:30 Eruch was taken to lower Meherabad. We placed him in front of Baba’s chair in Mandali hall. People had started to arrive from other parts in India. A day of Bajaans, Ghazals, guitar, song and readings started. We went away for a few hours in the afternoon and returned to find the building pulsing with Baba in song and music. About three to four hundred Baba lovers (From as far as Hyderabad—12 hours away) were now present. At 4 pm the women Mandali came, Bhau also came and put a seven colour flag onto Eruch’s chest upon which flowers were placed. Darshan took place with many hundreds paying their respects to a man whom they all clearly loved.

At 5 pm as planned, Baba’s twins Rus tom and Sohrab, Steve, Gary, Arsenio and myself lifted Eruch to our shoulders to go to the gravesite. Many people had a chance to share carrying him. Because the crowd was pushing in close I had to bend and lift at an awkward angle, which twisted and hurt my back. It caused a strong, sweet pain that would bring the image of his face whenever my back caught over the next week.

At the gravesite there were songs and prayers. At 5:30 he was lowered into the grave that is next to Meherjee’s. The finality at this moment was very mov ing for many; there was a tear in Goher’s and many others’ eyes. People then had a chance to throw in flowers and earth beftre a chain of people was formed to fill in the grave with earth and rocks. A mound now stands over him, which is garlanded daily.

The day was an intensely beautiful one that containedjoy at his release, grieffor our loss and memories upon memories. Eruch is the most wonderful example ofhow a life can be lived. Rosalind and I feel immensely privi leged to have met and had close contact with such a man over the last 30 years. We hope we are around when Baba moulds another like him in 700 years.

:Rcpeat )Vty 24amc with J7I/1eher Ei3ciba want every lover of mine to repeat my name with every breath. The repetition should be continuous and such that even in sound sleep it should continue like your breathing. Then there is some possibility of experiencing a glimpse of me. Never worry about thoughts while repeating my name.

Do not check them because when you repeat my name, the thoughts will not create binding for you—good or bad.

Baba repeated the simile of one’s mind being inside a mosquito net and the mos quitoes (thoughts) buzzing outside. Then he stated: In the same way, let thoughts “buzz” in the mind and be within Baba’s “net” of nam jap. Repeat my name so continuously that if and when you lose consciousness of your body, the repetition will be there because I then become you. You lose yourself cornpletely in me. Ifyou cannot do that, just a moment before dying take my name. Even then you will come to me. But how will you remember at the last moment unless you start remembering from now on!

I

—LordMeher ©AMBPPCT

One who cannot restrain his tongue cannot rcs(rain his mind; one who cannot res&ain his mind cannot restrain his aclions; (mc who cannot restrain his actions cannot restrain himself; and one who cannot restrain himself cannot attain his real Dnflnite 5df

4

—J.ifc at it’sJ3est 1 J4lcher ¶Baba

f7 rfljQfle$

of ,j.maTtithi

Jfrlichctl Sivctn, 3erusalem, Dsracl 16 Feb.ruary, 2004 am back from Meherabad more than a week, and the scenes from Amartithi keep floatin in and out through me during my various actions and activities throughout the day. It is like my inner eye will capture a moment and a flavor I might have not been aware of at thc time. Do you know how you can tell that a couple is in love byjust seeing how they stand close to each other?

They might be just very silent, maybe holding hands very softly. One can actually feel how they are wrapped by their mutual soft and silent love. I saw this near Baba’s Samadhi at different hours of the day and night.

People would stand or sit near Baba’s Samadhi, where one can come right up to the back wall and touch and sit there. You can see from the way they touch with their hand the black stones of the wall, by the way they lean their head towards the wall; by the way their body seems to dissolve softly, lovingly. You sense their intimate union with the Beloved. As an echo to this, the colorful awnings overhead moving like sweet silent : breath, and the silver edged frills running across some of them like little ripples on a peaceful sea. It feels like an overhead caress, like a warm embrace, like the hand of the Beloved within and without. I was not staring.

I was one of those touching my hand to the Samadhi wall, bowing to Baba’s love, sitting in His embrace, tak ing reftige in Him. But just being on the Samadhi Hill my senses were capturing, drinking all in, and like flowers, opening ftilly and releasing their fragrance, the senses are releasing their treasures in my mind now.

I

S.iS

..

.‘

%‘.

..

::S:uffr.riug uffering comes and goes;joycomes and goes; pleasure comes and goes.Theywill demand your utmost patience, courage, poise, and above all, your love and obedience to Me. Whoever stands for Me stands for the Truth, the Eternal Light that is forever illuminat ing the hearts ofyou all.

Through darkness to light, through suffering to happiness, through chaos to harmony will be the end of the journey. All suffering has an end. Spiritual happiness has no end. It is perennial.

Giving over your goodness, your strength and your weaknesses in entire submission to Me, you will share MyTreasure of Happiness.

MeherBaba Calling 1946, copyright 1964 AMBPPCT

S

23

ChildieW’s Page 7he SIie-J4’louse by 73hau SXalchuri

T

here once was a Saint who lived in the Himalayas. He wanted to remain in a trance, undisturbed. So he made a circle and sat inside it. Many insects, however, would disturb the Saint, until one She-Mouse came along. She ate all the insects, thus allowing the Saint to remain undisturbed.

When the Saint came out of his trance, he found the She-Mouse eating the insects.

He was very, very happy with the SheMouse, and he said to her, “Ask anything today, and I will give you that boon.”

The She-Mouse replied, “I want to become a most pretty girl.”

“So be it,” said the Saint. “You will become a most beautiftil and pretty girl!”

Instantly, the She-Mouse was trans formed into a most beautiftil girl.

The Girl who had been a She-Mouse went to the Sun and said to him, “You are the most powerful, and I am the most pretty so marry me!”

“I am not the most powerfiil,” the Sun replied. “The Clouds are more powerftil, because they can cover me.”

The Girl then went to a Cloud and said, “I am the most pretty and you are the most powerful, so marry me.”

The Cloud said, “I am not the most powerful. The Mountain is the most powerful, because when I blow, the Mountain checks me and prevents me from moving.”

The Girl then went to the Mountain and said, “You are the most powerful, and I am the most pretty so marry me!”

The Mountain said, “I am not the most powerftil. The mouse is most powerftul, because she makes holes in me.”

The Girl went to the Saint and said, “Please change me from a pretty girl back to a She-Mouse, because a mouse, who can make holes in the mountain, is the most powerful.”

The She-Mouse achieved her ambition ofbecoming a beautiful girl, and she became a very beautiful one indeed. But this change was not according to Divine Will. Divine Will is very natural. The She-Mouse had an ambition. She wanted to flilfill this ambition, and so it was fulfilled. But then she had to come back to her Original State.

Had this happened according to Divine Wish, there would have been no difficulty She would have received a clear way to proceed further in the progression of consciousness.

—

—

•

*******

This story is very significant. In the evolution of consciousness, you must pass through different kingdoms, but you cannot jump from any kingdom to the last one (hu man being). Evolution is a natural process and happens according to Divine Will.

God is Infinite Knowledge, Infinite Power, and Infinite Bliss. God can do anything according to His Wish when He is in human form as the Christ or the Avatar.

24

He is the Highest ofthe High, and He can do anything according to His own Wish.

For this purpose, because He is the Sole Authorit nothing binds Him. How difficult His work is!

Even if He wipes out the sanskaras of one person, it affects the whole world.

Each individual is connected directly with his own family members and friends. They are connected with others, and still others are connected to them. In this way, you are connected directly with your family and friends and indirectly with the whole world.

Therefore, the Avatar’s work is infinitely difficult.

When He comes down on earth, He takes the burden of the whole world upon Himself. What is this burden? It is the burden of sanskaras which keeps Him bound to Creation. He is eter nally free in His Own Form, and He is eternally bound with everyone and everything.

What a burden it is!

He can never be free from this bur den, because He is the One responsible for Creation.

When He comes down on earth, He wants to take the burden of everyone.

But attachment to the world is such that nobody wants to give their burden to Him. He wants to collect all the rubbish (sanskaras) which keeps everyone bound, but nobody comes forward to give their rubbish to Him. They may garland Him, bow down to Him, and sing His glory, but the rubbish theywant to retain.They are attached to it because they don’t know how they remain bound to it.

That is why, in order to get rid of your rubbish, you have to obey the Master, lead a dedicated life to serve His cause in His love, and surrender to Him. This is most important. Because they are so intelligent and smart, people wonder why they should become the slave ofthe Master. But they do not know how they have become the slave of their own intellect.

How the devil (mind) has made them its slave, and how they dance at its tune, thinking that they are intelligent and smart!

It is the game of Maya.

To see Nadia Wolinska’s illustration in color ofthis story, go to: www.jaibaba.com/ mandali/bhauji/book!shemouse.html

See how ambition becomes a great dis traction in the path. How is this ambition created? It is created by the sanskaras of the seven-colored dress composed of all thoughts , desires , ambitions, attractions, wants, likings, slander, backbiting, ego, pride, etc. This seven-colored dress is the garment of the mind.

This seven-colored dress also goes on changing because it depends upon sanskaras, and the sanskaras are also changing. You spend your sanskaras, and you create new ones. That’s why you pass through different kingdoms and take different forms.

According to Divine Will, you pass through 8,400,000 births in the human form. When you become One with God, whether after 1,000,000 births, 2,000,000 births, or after your first birth, it happens according to the Divine Wish. The Avatar (the Christ) can do anything at any time. He is above Divine Law. He is above everything.

What’s 2lappcning at cAlehcmibok e have had some wonderful programs this quarter. Why in May alone, Meherabad residents Gary and Mehera Kleiner are visiting their family and friends in the States and stopped byto give us a talk, Diana and Bill Le Page flew in from Australia, and Dr. Moorty is on a whirlwind tour of the Baba Centers in the United States directly from India.

Gary brought his father to our Center and the talk got around to the fact that Moishe was a Holocaust survivor and oh, the tales he had to tell!

W

Gary Kleiner andhis Dad

love and laughter with Dr. G.S.N. Moorty Dr. Moorty is a blessed soul who was fortunate enough to be in the physical presence of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba for many years. He was born and brought up in an orthodox South Indian Brahmin (priest class) family. His Upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony) was performed in his teens and the Mantra deeksha (initiation) was received by him from His Holiness Swami Sivananda Saraswati of Rishikesh, under whose direct personal guidance he was also studying Yoga-Vedanta, and many deep spiritual practices.

With his father in 1936, he met “Baphujee” (known to au as Mahatma Gandhi) when Baphujee visited the Adra district in connection with the Harijan Movement. Moorty was called byMahatma Gandhi to recite

Diana Le Page, as we told you in the last issue, is painting the huge scenes ofBaba’s life to be hung in the Dining Room ofthe Meher Pilgrim Retreat in Meherabad. She gave us a slide show of these magnificent paintings and told us a little about her life as an artist. Before she moved to Australia, Diana was a resident ofLos Angeles and is sister to Charlie Mor ton, the artist who, under Mehera’s watchful eye, painted the portrait of Baba that is now at the head of the Tomb in Baba’s Samadhi. A talented family indeed! Bill spoke of his times with Baba in the 50’s and 60’s.

And Dr. Moorty gets a little write up from Cathy Broadley who was very happily designated as his chauf feur:

L

One ofDiana Le Page drawings ofMeher Baba Meher Babajournal. Moorty’s passionate de

B

.

Dr. G.S.N. Moorty’s visit, May 9th

O

n Mother’s Day we had the delightful op portunity to share in Baba’s

Diana Le Page

Mehera and Gary Kleiner

the Purushottama Prapti Yoga (Fifteenth Chapter) from the Srimad Bhagvad Geeta. Several years later he had the great fortune to stay with Mahatma Gandhi at the Sevagram Ashram.

Dr. Moorty’s father was the editor of an English monthlyjournal called “Sri Ramakrishna”, and had a vast library of religious, yedantic and spiritual journals, including MeherMessage and

termination to gain knowledge on spiritual subjects led him to pick up a stout volume called Geetank, where he first gazed upon Meher Baba’s irresistibly beautiflil face. The rest is history.

This was Dr. Moorty’s first trip to the United States, and Los Angeles was midway through his coast-to-coast tour. Many of the Baba Centers across the country were tak ing advantage of his presence to hear him speak.

Described by Meher Baba as “The talkative disciple of the Silent Master,” Dr. Moorty shared in his unique and humorous way, many compelling incidents of his life with Baba, beginning with his first autographed message from Baba in 1941 that read: “The greatest need ofhumanity today is Love—Divine Love, which is pure and selfless, which awakens man to the proper sense and understanding ofhis real duty in life, to find true happiness in giving, not receiving, in serving and not in being served, and in willingly participating in the suffering of others more than in their happiness. My mission in life is to kindle that Divine Spark ofLove in all.” Signed M.S. Irani -

25

Due to Divinely timed rib tickling, (of which the detailed retelling left us all in stitches oflaughter) Dr. Moortywas unable to complete more than the following words ofhis speech before Beloved Baba: “Brothers and Sisters”. Baba gave him a smile and gestured to him saying, “Don’t worry Since I am present everywhere, I was also present every time you spoke at every place you went. Still, I have allowed you to utter just the two words ‘Brothers and Sisters’ which constitute the essence ofUniversal Brotherhood. There is nothing beyond these two words to understand and realize.”

Although all these stories, and many more beautifully detailed experiences, can be found in Dr. Moorty’s 1992 book entitled The Wonders ofSilence, it was a lovely gift to hear them first hand in such an intimate atmosphere. [The book is currently out of print, but rumor has it that a new edition is in the preliminary planning stages now.]

Dr. Moorty left that same evening to spread Baba’s message and share his pre cious stories with Baba lovers in Northern California, and then onward throughout the United States ofAmerica for the remainder of his tour ending June 28th. He left us with this: . .

Di Moorty

He also related an endearing story of Baba sending him a telegram stating, “I AM YOUR FATHER, MOTHER AND WIFE. SO BE BRAVE AND DO YOUR DUTY. MY LOVE TO YOU.” Dr. Moorty went on to narrate how he took extreme advantage of the above statement about Baba being his wfl!!—te1ling Baba that if he was His wife, he should be allowed to see Him any time he wished! Baba went along with this, so Dr. Moorty could have Baba’s darshan and loving embrace whenever he wished for it!

The heart-warming finale of the afternoon was his “Sample Speech” story, and its conclusion is one that will stay fresh in our hearts forever. Dr. Moorty was a Doctor ofPhilosophy (along with other degrees—a very learned man) and Baba had sent him out on a six-month tour oflndia to tell the people about the Avatar.

After finishing the first phase of his all-India lecture tour, he was permitted by Baba to stay a few days at Guruprasad. Baba said that He hadn’t had the opportunity of hearing Dr. Moorty’s talks and speeches, yet He heard they were highly appreciated by all. He asked Dr. Moorty to deliver a sample speech but he had a problem with this. “The audience makes the speech,” he was thinking to himself “How can I give a speech if there is no audience?”Just then Baba gestured to him saying, “Don’t waste My time. Start your sample speech at once. Don’t worry for the audience. The whole universe is in Me. So close your eyes and see within, that the entire world is listening to your speech.

Start, Start!”

26

Don’t rtrLI. to

rttnderstand Aie Jlleher EBaba he moment you try to understand God rather than love Him, you begin to misunderstand Him, and your ignorance feeds your ego. Mind cannot reach that which is beyond it—God is infinite and beyond the reach of mind.

Do not try with your limited mind to understand the significance of My actions, nor try to imitate them. You must not do what I do, but do what I tell you to do.

To try to bring My every action within the orbit of your understanding is but to understand the limitations of your own understanding. The utter simplicity of My Divine Game appears to be highly intricate as soon as you try to understand it through your intellect.

To ask for a purely intellectual proof of the existence of God is like asking for the privilege of being able to see with your ears.

T

Meher Baba Calling ©1964 AMBPPCT

7 : i Secret Science of Divine Love Go to the Lordc Laboratory ofLove Clean the table ofyour mindfrom the crude dust ofunfertile intellectuality.

Thke the test-tube of Truth.

Hold itfirmly with the heart.

Wash itproperly with the spirit ofse(f—sacrj,fice.

Dissolve all dictionary words.

Add the essence ofall religions.

Mix it well with an ounce ofpure Faith.

Stir itgently with the rod ofReality.

Apply heat with the burningfiame ofLjft.

Allow it to reach the boilingpoint of God—Love.

It will then be observed that all words have soon evaporated through vibrational vapoui leaving only the solid Silence of God at the bottom ofthe test—tube ofTruth.

This is the secret science ofDivine Silence!

Happy trails dear Dr. Moorty! Your love stories will never be forgotten!

4; )

2<eep )3our 3ace TOU..t.TdS

J4leher 13aba eep your faces turned towards the Sun ofTruth and your shadows of individu alised Maya will lie behind you, and though still existent, will have no power over you.

But ifyou turn your backs to the Sun your shadows will be before you and you will be following them.

Although by yourselves you cannot get rid ofyour shadows, ifyou turn your backs on them and keep facing the Sun at the time of His ftill ascendance and glory, your shadows will disappear forever.

For those on the spiritual Path, I am the Sun, giving them Light and Life.

God is not to be found in the skies, or in caves ofthe Himalayas. God is in the heart of each one. Once your heart is clean, God will shine out of it.

K

MeherBaba Calling ©1964 AMBPPCT

J3ookstoic !Rcpin Jai Baba Folks, Welcome to the Bookstore!

T

he best seller of the past months has been the 18 CD set of the complete Discourses, read by 30 different people in India; some of the Mandali, Western resi dents and visiting pilgrims. All have good diction and the sound quality is excellent.

They come in three sets of six, 18 CDs in all, although for the second pressing we are considering placing them in DVD covers of four. That will make them stronger and easier to handle. There was an omission on disc seven of one reading—track # five, so if you were one of the earlier buyers and find you do not have the fifth track on your set, please let me know and we will mail it to you. The entire book of Meher Baba’s Discourses takes up 18 CDs. The cost of $75 for the entire set works out to be just over $4 a CD. What a price!

The book titled Spread My Love, the memoirs of Charmian Duce Knowles, daughter ofMurshida Duce, has arrived— and what a beautiftilbook it is. The story of a teenager who fell in love with Baba and one whom Baba definitelywanted around Him. The title comes from a command Baba gave her—”spread My love!” It is well written, a great read and beautifully produced. Who could ask for more in a book? Paperback, 318 pages, great photos and lots ofthem! $20 While in India I was scouting for new books at Meher Nazar, the Bookstore in the Trust compound in Ahmednagar. I found a very few copies of a very old book The Lfè Circulars ofAvatar Meher Baba (a compila tion of 71 circulars, starting in 1953.) First come first served, $5.

We have three new musical treats for you: the first, a double CD from the tal ented GabriellaTal, is especially appropriate nowwith Bhauji touring the country. Titled Happiness is Better, Gabriella has taken 20 of Bhau’s ghazals and set them to music, and if you have ever heard Bhau’s ghazals (and who hasn’t?!) you will appreciate that that is no mean feat! She has chosen a beautifttl selection of his most potent ghazals dating from 1984, ‘86, ‘87, ‘88 and 2000. $18 Going one step fttrther, Californian musician Ron Greenstein has taken theAvatarc words and set them to music! Not woven

a song around a certain sentence, but used the actual words as Baba spoke them (well, you know what I mean!) A sentence may be repeated, but nothing is cut short or pieced together. Amazingly it all flows easily, beautiftilly accompanied by Ron’s acoustic guitar and gentle caressing voice. Baba Says. is probably not a CD you would sing along to, but I love hearing Baba’s words floating around the room as I go about my business.

If sitting quietly, absorbing the music and thinking of the Beloved is your ‘thing’, you couldn’t have a better accompaniment. $15 I have onlyjust received the latest CD— Heartbeat ofthe Worldfrom the bountiful pen ( and voice) of Mischa Rutenberg and am .

can’t reproduce them like that here, but you can check them out on our website at www. lovestreetbookstore.com/artcards.htm There are seven cards to the set, seffing

.

listening to it as I write. I remember back in the 50s (yes I really am that old!) that Mel Torme was called the ‘Velvet Fog’.

Well whoever gave him that sobriquet had not heard our Mischa. Talk about mellow velvet! He has a really beautiful voice and the songs aren’t missing anything either.

Mischa wrote the lyrics for all the songs except ‘Tonight’ by Francis Brabazon and all the melodies but for two. He wrote them all and presented them, with help from his friends, at the Birthday celebration for Baba this past February. A beautiful gentle CD forjust $14.50 A number of years ago, Tom Riley was our guest at the Los Angeles Sahavas. Not only did he have great tales to tell, but he bought with him many ofhis paintings. Tom is a very accomplished artist with an unusual style. The prints of his paintings sold like wildfire, and now we have greeting cards with these very same paintings on them.

The colors are vibrant, such a shame we

for $12.50. Or you can buy them separately for $2 each.

Another artist, Laurie Blum, has just returned from 3 months in Iran. She set up her easel in Shiraz at the very best of places! Tomb of Saardi, a Perfect Master, The Garden of Paradise and lastly—the Tomb of Hafiz. At first the keepers of the Tomb told her she could not paint there, but she insisted and eventually they relented 27

and she painted away to her hearts content.

She brought back a magnificent body of work—very Persian!

One ofthe paintings she has for sale was done in 1977 at the urging ofPendu; he was the Mandali member that actually built the tomb. He was familiar with the caliber of her work and so prevailed upon her to paint the interior. Padri then gave Laurie his own paints and brushes so that she might do it.

Six weeks of sitting inside the Tomb and painting! Can you imagine what a medita tion that would be?

The painting of Baba sitting atop Champa, the white donkey, she has titled Begin the Beguine.

The very high quality reproductions are 15 x 20 and sell for $125 each. They also can be seen in their full colored glory on our website.

We had such a favorable response to the beautifttlphoto that we featured on the back page ofthe April issue that we have decided to make 8 x 10 prints of it available to you.

It was taken by Pris Haffenden in October 2001 on her last trip to Meherabad. It is the walk up The Spiritual Path—to the Samadhi. How beautiftil to have it framed and hanging on your wall, reminding you of His call. You need to get over there!

Would you prefer the photo in color or black and white? $10 or $7.50 I’m sure you will find some things here that will tickle your fancy. Call me, write me, fax me or send an email. I am here to help!

Since we have a little space left after telling you about all the new releases, here is a quick reminder of the less recent, but excellent just the same, books, videos and music tapes.

If you are one of the few people left in the Baba world that does not own the boxed set of three magnificent books— Mehera-Meher A Divine Romance you can now rectify that omission. We have plenty of copies, having ordered over 400 from India. David Fenster, Bhau Kaichuri’s sonin-law, taped conversations with Mehera for eight years and also spoke at great length with the other women Mandali to put together Lord Meher from the woman’s point of view. With many :

.

.

28 -

I

photos from Mehera’s private collection, these three volumes tell with intimacy the greatest love story of our time.

They are a mere $75 for the set of three large hardbound books with a combined total of 1778 pages.

Got friends on drugs, or children contemplating the temptations?

Laurent Weichberger has put together a very informative little book titled A Mirage Will Never Quench Your Thirst. It is a reprint of the old book God in a Pill, and includes all of Baba’s words on the subject plus interviews with Allan Cohen, Robert Dreyftis and Rick Chapman, the three men Baba charged with spreading His words on drugs throughout the campuses of America during the ‘60’s. $5 Looking for ways to explain Baba to your friends and relatives? No easier way than to play the latest documentary God in Human Form. An excellent production by Peter Nordeen that has been receiving rave reviews. It comes in video $30 and DVD $24 In the music arena some popular releases have been Charles Gibson’s Rough Around the Edges an eclectic collection of mostly his own compositions that includes Baba Blues, Ballards and a rockin’ Gospel number! $15 A gentle and beautiful, meditative CD of songs by Maraiya Potter—Eternity is Now $14 Love Man by Pam and Danny Rubenstein contains two of my favorites: the Prayer of Repentance and Song ofthe New L/è, great music, harmonizing and fun to sing along with. $12.

That’s all for this month. Happy shopping!

In His love and service, Dma

Ci•••.iniifrm

3nowks

Reprintcd from The9low J 4agazine 4

ICharmian Duce Kiwwlespassedaway on February 28 thisyear at the age of 73.

In the May 2003 issue ofthe Glow International, stories ofCharmian growing up in Godcpresence werejèatured In the August issue, Charmian tells ofthe lessons she learned while serving her Beloved The LampPost presents excerpts from these two issues, where these stories were sharedfor thefirst time. They were tran scribedfrom interviews taped in 1985 and stored in the records ofBeloved Archives.

For the full stories as printed in Glow International, the Love Street Bookstore carries these and a great many other back issues ofthis wonderful magazine. Our gratitude goes to Naosherwan Anzarfor granting uspermission to print thesefas— cinatingglimpses into the l/è ofa teenager caught in the spell ofthe Avatai]

—

A

bout three years after I had become a Sufi, Mother had by then become the Murshida ofthe Order, and following a lead from Murshida Martin, she became interested in going to India to see Meher Baba. Itjust happened at that time I was then in college that my father, whose oil company had interests in the Middle East, suggested that we take a trip over there. He had to go on business, and Mother and I could go along. So she wrote to Baba regarding this, and I was set to go as well.

Earlier, I had been at the house in Gramercy Park in New York where Elizabeth Patterson and Norma Matchabelli and other earlier devotees lived and gathered. They talked about Baba all the time, and I remember that after that first week I was left absolutely bub bling with enthusiasm. But when we went to Arabia I met a young man there and we became romantic. We were well chaperoned in those days. At that point I couldn’t quite see why I had to go running off to India to see some swami or yogi, or whatever this man might be, and I was very skeptical of my mother’s going. It was at the time of the Partition [between India and Pakistan], and I was very concerned about her safety My father was even more concerned, but he couldn’t go, and it became apparent that I was the one who had to go along to take care of Mother.

—

to go back home to the United States.

So naturally, we decided that we could forgo the sightseeing and just spend our week with Baba which, after all, we had traveled halfway around the world to do.

Soon they came to get us and drove us out into the field to a little whitewashed house. We went to the door and walked inside, and there was Baba, down at the end of the room sitting on a bed. Now just before we had gotten there, my mother had broken down in tears. Since I had a good English father who always believed in publicly keeping a stiffupper lip, my mother’s crying was very humiliating to me. So I was quite grumpy by the time I walked into the room and I determined that I wouldn’t be hypnotized by anybody. I flung myself on a bench with my arms crossed, with every signal ofmy body, I am sure, expressing sheer outrage.

Meher Baba called my mother forward. She sat next to Him on the couch and talked to Him about the main pur pose ofour visit. She knew that Sufism had to have an illumined Murshid at its helm, which it had always been led that way, and she didn’t feel she was illumined, so she wanted Meher Baba to take over the work for her. Baba said, “You are honest. That is good. That is what counts.” Later He told her, “But this was your destiny in this incarnation and this is why I have drawn you here.”

He said, “Do not worry. I will help you with these matters.”

They were in the middle of conversa tion when suddenly He looked up across the room to me and just met my eyes, and He said “Innocent,” and I started the biggest river oftears you have ever seen in your life. I had tears pouring down my cheeks. I tried hard not to make a sound as I blub bered away.

Ofcourse, when Baba looked at you like that, it was as iffor the first time you looked at your own real self. But when you go to Him, you have these preconceived ideas about yourself like feelings of guilt, things that you have done wrong. You think, what is He going to see when He looks inside me? I mean, you are scared. In fact, one has to be very careftil to not get scared off I

—

Charmian in India, 1948

So the arrangements were made and we left, finally arriving in Bombay on January 5, 1948, to be greeted at the airport by Meherjee Karkaria.

We left Bombay on the morning of J anuary 7 and drove first to Poona where we rested for an hour per Baba’s instruc tions. Mother and I talked about doing a little sightseeing, perhaps on the way back, but before long Baba sent word that if we were going to do that, we must go ahead and leave the ashram and go sightseeing and then come back and spend a few days; or else we could stay there for the ftiil week, then return straight to Arabia and go home from there in February. He gave the date

29

the way it is.” Finally the little voice and Baba spent a long time there. He loved became irresistible, and I remember the airport, it seemed. If you can think of one night having a dream about howMasters workwith people, what a lovely Baba. It was as ifl was on the hill in place an airport must be; people coming in India, walking along, and I saw Him and out from every part of the world. They sitting there with all His Mandali. I are very concentrated on what they are dostarted to walk up to them, because ing, and it is a wonderftil place for God to obviously He was working with turn them around or reorient them in some them and I was drawn to be there. way. So we spent a lot of time in different But suddenly Baba stood up and cities sitting in airports before takeoffs. walked down the hill towards me We got on the plane, and Baba had to and told me not to come any closer, have special seating because He had to be and for the first time I felt like I saw able to put His foot up; He was still in a the awesome side ofHim, a side that cast. All of the accident victims needed really made me know He was God. special care. It used to take around thirteen I don’t remember the rest of the hours to get over to London, and it might dream, but I know that my total conhave been a bit longer. In those days, it took viction started then, and I absolutely thirteen hours just to go from New York believed that was who He was. to San Francisco! I think London is a bit I walked up this beautiful, farther, and I know it was a long trip by the lovely hill [Seclusion Hill] to the top time we got there. where Baba had done so much work. .After spending time in London, we I found it very peaceful up there and flew down to Geneva and were met by also out in the fields, so from time Irene Bib. I can’t remember who all came to time I wanted to sneak out of the to the airport, but I do remember Irene and compound to go walk in the fields.

I remember riding up over these beautiful I would get up to the edge of the Alps heading into Locarno, which was our garden thinking I would sneak out final destination. As we were driving along, just for a minute, and always without Goher said, “Oh, Switzerland must be a Baba surprises Charmian with a caress at Longchamps a hat, even though of one rules the wonderful place to live. They have such Restaunuit iii New York City onjuly 2, 1956. there was that we had to wear a hat marvelous hospitals here. Every place that felt very lucky that I was dragged to Him. at all times. (I didn’t know it then, but we’ve been, they are the biggest buildings in Most people’s egos get involved, and before that area in India had some of the highest town.”Then we realized she was seeing these you know it your ego is pulling every trick ultraviolet light in the world.) Anyway, I big buildings in the middle ofeach town and in the book to keep you away. You think of would get up to the edge of the compound seeing this flag flying from them with a red every excuse possible, such as fear of losing to head out, and every time I did this, your job. I know that on more than one trip Baba would pop out of nowhere. I I gave up my job and just went along. It mean, He materialized in front of me! seemed to me by then, having achieved some I couldn’t have been more startled. conviction in the matter, that first things had He said, “Where is your hat?” and I to come first, and if I had the chance to go would tell Him, “Oh, Baba, I was just traveling with Baba I would rather do that. going for a minute!” I would then run .In any event, I remember Him talking off and get the hat and then never go to Murshida, telling her that indeed He was out of the compound anyway. It was going to personally supervise her work in the really funny. He had a knack for being Order and really do it for her and protect her there the instant you did something students. After that He always took a very you weren’t supposed to do. intimate interest in everything she did. He One day Baba said to Murshida wrote the Charter for us. He did so many that He thought He would take me to things, constantly revamping little pieces for Europe, and was she jealous? Mother Sufism, and He always said He loved Sufism said, “Ofcourse not, Baba.” So plans loved it with all His heart. were made for me to go off to Europe So, the trip for her was a very rich re with Baba. This was a pretty exciting ward indeed; and as for me, for three years adventure for a young lady of my age. after that I was constantly looking inside And I was to help drive the car for myself. I mean here I was, in college, taking the girls when we were going around. psychology. I would say to myself, “God is Finally, the day dawned when we were in human form here? Now? I mean who is to leave and, as always, Baba wanted to Charmian and her rnothei Murshida izy Dace, kidding who?” And all the while there was get out to the airport atleast two to three entertaining King Saud fSaudiArabia in the Duce a little quiet voice inside saying, “Yep, that’s hours early. We arrived at the airport home in Washington D.C. . . .

. .

. .

. . .

—

Charmian andBaba in New York—Baba met with Charmian and her mother in New York at the Delmonico Hotel onjuly 22, 1956

cross on a white background. She thought these were the hospitals, not realizing that this was the national flag of Switzerland!

We then pulled into Locarno to this sweet little house. As we walked to the house we saw a big pink wall and then a little gate into a beautiful garden. Baba’s room was down on the ground floor with its own entrance offthe gardens. The rest of us were on the second floor. We had a balcony that overlooked Baba’s room. At night Baba always had a watchman with Him, and I would sometimes wake up at night and slip out onto the balcony and take a peek down below to see what was happening. It was obvious that no matter what hour of the night I went out, He was awake. He would be talking to people and you could just see His hand moving.

It just happened that there in Locarno, Delia and I shared a room and we had a bathroom off our room. None of the girls wanted to use the bathroom that was off Mehera’s room down at the other end of the house because her room was over Baba’s. They didn’t want any noise from the bathroom to disturb Him. So everybody used our bathroom and came through our room. Meheru was so cute. She would come through, and every time she would say, “Ah! You are reading a book.” “Ah! You are taking a nap.” “Ah! You are doing something.

And this would go on every time she walked through. At one time I thought she was going to walk in and say, “Ah! You are breathing!” It was so ftinny! But after a little bit I not only got used to it, I welcomed it. It was .

ftrn. And it was always fun having someone to talk to and chatter with or be with—just companionship.

I had always thought of Switzerland as being cold—the Alps and so on. Yet down in Locarno, even in Geneva and some of the other towns there, the cities grow palm trees. They are common on all the streets.

One of the things I had never thought of was insects. I used to run around in my bare feet all the time in the garden and down to Baba’s room. One day I saw Dr. Donkin come out ofBaba’s room with a big dustpan and there was something in it. I looked down and asked, “Dr. Donkin, what have you found?” There was an enormous scorpion in the dustpan. He had found it right under the doormat to Baba’s room. I suspect even scorpions try to get as close to the Avatar as they can. But it just gave me the willies. I am sure Baba was protecting all of us; we were walking over this mat in our bare feet all the time! And here was this great big creature under the doormat. Well, this scorpion disappeared into the dustpan, but that was the last time I went barefoot in Switzerland.

Lessons Learned at the Beloved’s Feet Many of Meher Baba’s discourses have been published and are recorded in The Awakener and other publications. Filis Frederick took meticulous records with the help of”Energy” Florsheim, Darwin Shaw, Kitty Dav my mother and many others.

We tried to take down every word because we were always worried that the people who came after us should know the details of Meher Baba’s advent, and retrospectively we have been very glad we did, because only later could we reflect on them. There wasn’t any time back then, because Baba as the Avatar worked through your being. You had to experience; you had to live; there was no airy-fairyness about it. It was practical; it was down to earth; it was rooted; it was grounded. And we had to be concentrated on things; we didn’t have time to sit around figuring out what the meaning of this was or how that worked or what went on anywhere.

I remember Baba standing up on that hillside in Ojai. It was just beautiful. It was close to morning, there was a fog, and it was misty in some of the valleys. it was so beautiftil. The California oaks had turned golden, and He was staring out across this scene. He looked around at everybody and said, “Now go out and see the view and try to love Baba through nature. This is all due to My love. This whole creation, this

nature, all the beauty that you see, all came out of Me.” All ofthis was His work, everything that is here. And so, ofcourse, when He comes, He has to touch all of it, every single little thing. There is nothing that does not have life, even a stone.

Some ofthe people around Meher Baba would surprise you. We had our prickly pears of every variety including me. We had the stubborn ones, the ones who did this and the ones who did that, and all of them had one characteristic, ifl were to think of one, which was that they were all strong personalities, all strong people. Baba had to have that in order to work.

When you are a Perfect Master, you gather around you a representative sample ofthe world. So, ofcourse, there are all sorts ofdifferences in these people and how they function and what they think and how they approach anything. The Master then tries to harmonize that and to work with it. And He uses them to work through problems, to anchor in Reality the whole ftiture path of humanity until He comes again. He does it in very concrete, very physical, very practical ways. He has to lay down a whole network for the future of mankind and all the uni verses. He uses people who represent every phase and creature in creation so He can do His work through them. He gets them involved in issues, in conflicts and He gets them to overcome challenges. They are drawn to Him from around the world as He needs them for His work and as they are ready to receive His love. That is the magnet.

It is His love and His light. And they come to Him to receive that love.

When Baba was at the Hotel Delmonico in New York in 1956, He talked about the Eternal Now, and He told us that by being enslaved to temporary conditions oflife, we deprive ourselves ofthe eternal and lasting.

He said it is better to stake everything on God and live in the Eternal Now than to make fruitless surveys of the past or have elusive longings for the fttture.

Another delightful statement that He made was, “Ifyou cannot love Me, do not worr I will be loving you.” I always loved that.

Ed Note. jfthis has whettedyour appetite as it dia’ mine, you can reaa’the entire transcript ofthe interview by requesting the May and August 2003 Glow from the Bookstore. And then buy C’harmianc delighzfulmernoirs Spread

MyLove

. .

3’

Rcviews 5pread LAXly Love

¶i3aba says...”

ufism Reoriented is pleased to announce the publication of Charmian Knowles’ memoir, titled Spread My Love. In this delightful, longawaited chronicle, Charmian tells the story of her very full life in Meher Baba’s ser vice, which began when she was only 18. Over the last 21 years of Baba’s life, Charmian spent 100 days in His physical cornpany. She traveled with Him across America and Europe, assisting during the critical period ofBaba’s automobile accident in 1952 in Oklahoma and His subsequent recupera tion. Charmian tells her storywith sparkling humor and insight. She brings to the book the unique perspective of her life-long association with Sufism Reoriented, beginning in her teens with Murshida Rabia Martin and continuing with her mother, Murshida Ivy Ducc, and her successors, as Sufism in America developed under the guidance of the Avatar. The book is deeply personal and moving, and a rich addition to the literature of Meher Baba memoirs.

To quote Charmian from the back cover of the book: “Meher Baba said that he drew mc to him so that I would spread his love wherever I went. Meher Baba was my Master for more than fifty years. I was with him for twenty-one years while he was on earth, spending one hundred days in his physical company. This is that story.” © Sufism Reoriented—Paperback, 318 pages and 31 photographs. $20.00

fuotes .,-4ttributed to ..J1vatar J4leher 13aba, Composed for Singing and CJ2erformed 11 !Ron 9reenstein b c.cD. .:Revien) hg Jiin Wilson, Oregon

S

..

.

.

:

..

32

anylovers ofMeher Baba have favorite sayings ofBaba that touched them at times when only the Master could turn the key or open the door. Sometimes things were “said” by Baba that everyone heard, but for that one person sitting in the back row, what

M

I -.

‘

S

.

•: \

.

.‘

4

S

S

5’

S

‘

3iI”( 5

t’wLu

.

‘tein

Such a Beloved! Such a lyricist! At times Ron used certain parts ofa quote as a refrain or repeated line in the style of folk music or sacred traditional songs, but more often the quotes contain the straightforward, undis turbed “lyrics” of the God-Man. The songs are short, heartfelt, beautiftilly vocalized, yet unencumbered in the same natural way Baba’s gems of truth reflect His light and wisdom. Ron mines these dia monds from the pages of Baba’s biography, from The Glow magazine, and from other sources. Baba’s words need no shaping or polishing. Ron simply sets them in a musi cal bezel for our inner listening. The music stirs the heart, nudges us to let our thoughts subside as His Ocean waves sweep clean the shores of our worldly concerns. Profundity rescues us from the shallows where we drift.

His presence pervades and lingers in the joy, the clarity the sweetness and the soulfulness.

Ron’s four-string Gibson guitar comes alive for the Master’s pleasure; one small instru ment so bountiftullyvibrating with the subtle rapture oflove and devotion.

This C.D. is not heady, nor sentimental; nor is it self-conscious. It seems so simple in its design. Baba says. is truly music to our ears, enchanting, uplifting, unique, and like all good craftsmanship, natural, as if it has always been here. Whether you like milk and honey in your tea orjust like it straight, you’ll find much to like in Baba says... .

•

Baba said provided the exact remedy for his predicament in a way that no one else could know. These stories abound and, of course, what Baba has said will be the guiding light oftruth and mercy for endless generations to come. His words, sayings and discourses go straight to that consciousness struggling to awaken from years of sleep. When we hear His Word, particularly enlightening to our own journey, we cherish it as a treasure.

Ron Greenstein’s new C.D., Baba says... explores various chosen sayings, many familiar, some less so, through the “voice” of music. Baba the divine lyricist, Ron, the composer; Baba the music, Ron the instru ment. Such collaboration hints so graciously at the dance ofLover and Beloved, that deep longing to reside in and to penetrate deeply into the essence and bliss of union.

Crafting a song from Baba’s words is not new, but keeping entirely to the text without altering or adding to the quotes is challenging. The texts are not in verse or rhyme, or metered rhythm, but to his delight Ron found that Baba’s written words and phrases contain a wonderftii poetic tempo and sound that easily translated into music.

.

2tappiness is 73etter £yrics/loetrg by

J3hau 7 <alcltnri,

7I’lnsjc by9abriella Tal 2

‘4llan

CD Set

7 1C’asltington, rD.C. )3. Cohen

abriella Tal is one gutsy woman.

Wheelchair-bound (in body only), with little financial backing, she was de termined to approach a musical feat that might well terrify the most accomplished Baba-lover musicians. Gabriella was driven to put to music the moving poetry (mostly in ghazal form) ofBhau Kalchuri.

To aficionados ofthe burgeoning musical creativity dedicated to Avatar Meher Baba, Gabriella Tal is no stranger. Two previous Baba albums—So Close (cassette) and Graceful and Magnjficent (a recent CD) feature

G

primarily original songs and music that are lyrically enchanting and especially vibrant in the use ofrichlyvaried arrangements and orchestration. But Happiness is Better is even more wildly ambitious and I think remarkably successful.

As a non-musician, even this reviewer can appreciate the challenge of integrating the non-rhyming, non-Western, irregular meters and irregular phrasing of the ghazal form into pleasing and credible songs. Gabriella resists the temptation to compro mise, either taking liberties with the lyrics or using abstract oratorio-type approaches.

Every track is a real song, with delightful melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. Almost every syllable is married to a note. Articula tion is wonderful—we can understand every word.

Don’t think this is a monochromatic work. Gabriella’s compositions explore individualized melodic and stylistic versions of each ghazal. Remarkably, each song is satisfyingly accessible to the Western ear.

For example, try not to sing along with Gabriella on Track 5 (StayAwayfrom Love) or hum the gorgeous melodic refrain on Track 9 (The Pearl) delivered by an inspired Lisa Nelson. Other listeners will be taken with the treatment ofMyBeautjfulMessage, artis tically delivered by Karma Miller’s vocal and Michael Kovitz’ lush guitar (Track 13).

Extraordinarily, ifyou didn’t know better, you’d think that all the tracks were original songs, perhaps even songs in which the melodies came first with lyrics built to fit the music, not the other way around.

Gabriella and her musicians use a vanety of musical styles—you’ll hear shades of folk music, country-western, pop, gospel, soft rock andjazz. Gabniella is the primary vocalist on the album; her voice is filled with drama, electricity and joy. Her vocal companions are featured in solos as well as a variety ofback-ups. In addition, each song

features one on more instrumental collabona tions with extremely accomplished players ( on guitar, piano, hanmonium, flute, pencus sion, sax and cello). Arrangements, accom paniment and orchestration are polished and constantly enjoyable. Sound technicians did a ternificjob with audio quality and balance.

Happily, the liner notes include complete texts ofeach ghazal and poem, with precise references and engaging photographs.

But the comments above refer mostly to the creative success and production quali ties of this album. It is well to reflect that this is true devotional music. Its essence is a direct meditative remembrance ofthe One, specificallyMeher Baba. Thus, we listen also on quite another dimension. We understand why the natural styles and interpretations of the singing feel more satisfring than highly trained “operatic” voices. It seemed to me that the heart quality ofthe vocalists’ dedication and their understanding of the meaning of the ghazals get communicated in subtle ways.

I offer as additional evidence a reaction by the “lyricist”—Bhau Kalchuni, in an e-mail sent to Gabniella: “I received your CD containing ghazals written by me from Beloved Avatar Meher Baba’s instructions, and though I wrote the ghazals I can not sing them, and what a gift Beloved Meher Baba has given to you.

You have the voice ofa nightingale and you sing those ghazals like a nightingale. I am reallyvery much touched with your singing, because they are full oflove and express the beauty ofghazals. I feel very much touched.

I never thought that these ghazals will be sung at any time, but you make it possible and you have started singing, and not only singing but also making the CD so that people may hear. I have no words to thank you for this work which you have taken upon yourself, and you are doing it as a duty given to you by Beloved Baba. I love you and I love your singing. It is just like a nightingale because the singing is from the depth ofyour heart.”

—[Permission granted for quotation.]— Be assured that the heart-felt quality of the CD does not sacrifice real musicality.

Gabriella and her companions rolled the dice and took a chance with Happiness is Better. One of the ghazals warns to “Stay away from love ifyou do not have the cour age.” We are thankful that she did not stay away from love.

7lr::; ftJ:$ f.ii.:

A1cher Baba Avatar 1

T

he moment you try to understand God rather than love Him, you begin to misunderstand Him, and your ignorance feeds your ego. Mind cannot reach that which is beyond it—God is infinite and beyond the reach of mind.

Do not try with your limited mind to understand the significance of My actions, nor try to imitate them. You must not do what I do, but do what I tell you to do.

To try to bring My every action within the orbit of your understanding is but to understand the limitations of your own understanding. The utter simplicity of My Divine Game appears to be highly intricate as soon as you try to understand it through your intellect.

To ask for a purely intellectual proof of the existence of God is like asking for the privilege of being able to see with your ears.

Meher Baba Calling ©1964 AJVIBPPCT

T

urn to God in complete surrenderance and receive the divine love. You are equally a part of the one indivisible divine life. There is not a single atom that does not vibrate with this divine life. There is no need for anyone to despair.The greatest of sinners as well as the greatest ofsaints has the same unfailing divine assurance.

—LfèAt Itc Best @AMBPPCT

sooner does one recoil on himself and is eager and anxious to elicit replies to interrogative introspection, “Whither and Whence?” surely such a one may be said to have had Spiritual Birth.

This poise of mind once gained, automatically and unknowingly brings about a readjustment of material surroundings and the man finds himself in harmony and at peace with the world. Conservatism, intolerance, pride and selfishness will fall away. Everything will put on a new meaning and assume a purpose. Sinner and saint will appear to be waves differing in size and magnitude on the surface ofthe same ocean, a natural outcome of forces in the universe, governed by time, space and causation. The saint has neither the pride ofplace, nor the sinner the stigma of eternal degradation.

Nobody is utterly lost and nobody need despair.

N

—LordMeher @AMBPPCT

33

•Do E° iReaII!J Want Eabds Ekssings?

Crucit 3cssaii;ala

peaking ofgetting money the easy way, that reminds me of another story: It concerns a couple who were very close to Baba. They were not living with us, but in a sense, you could say they were one of the family. Whenever Baba went to Poona, this couple would come and see Him at Guruprasad. And because theywere so close to Baba, Baba would tease them. That was a mark of His intimacy. And how would He tease them? He would always tease the husband for not buying his wife bangles and ornaments and nice saris.

You see, this couple was poor. The husband used to do various odd jobs to make money and they were not starving or anything like that, but they were very poor.

So when they used to come visit Baba, Baba would look at the wife and innocently inquire, “What, no bangles, no ornaments?”

“No, Baba,” she would say.

Baba would turn to the husband, “How’s this, your wife is so beautiful and you don’t buy her any ornaments.

Not even earrings! Every time you come she is wearing the same sari. Such beauty needs a little adornment to set it offproperly. Why don’t you spend some money on her?”

And the wife would be embarrassed and the husband apologetic and he would reply, “Yes, Baba, she is very beautiftil, but what can I do? I would like to adorn her with gold bangles and all sorts ofjewelry but I can’t afford it.” Of course Baba was not serious, He was simplyjoking with this couple. That was one of the signs of His intimacy with them, for Baba never would have joked in that way with someone who was not close to Him, who was not one of us.

And this couple really did seem to love Baba very much and so it went for several years. But then, I don’t knowwhat happened, but it seems as if somehow this man’s head

S

34

got turned. For one time when Baba was lovingly teasing them in the usual way, the man blurted out, “But Baba, what can I do, You don’t give me any money. Bless me so I may get money so that Your wish may be fulfilled and I may buy my wife everything You want.”

Baba seemed surprised, “What, you want money?”

“Yes, Baba, then I will be able to dress

my wife properly.”

Baba looks at the wife and shakes His head pityingly as if the husband has taken leave ofhis sense. “What is he saying?” Baba asks the wife. “You are already dressed in My love, and he thinks that isn’t proper!”

But the man could not be dissuaded.

Even though Baba tried to turn it into ajoke and make light of it, each time the couple came to see Baba, the husband would start begging Baba to bless him with wealth.

“Don’t you realize,” Baba would ask him, “that I was only teasing you? What need do you have for money? You have the greatest wealth ofall, you have Me.” “No, Baba, I want money. You have been telling me all these years that I should buy my wife nice ornaments and I want to do that now.”

Baba would turn to the wife, “Do you

really want bangles or ornaments or new saris?” He would ask her.

“No, Baba, I only want You,” she would answer.

“See!” Baba would gesture to her hus band. “Now forget this nonsense of yours.”

But the husband could not forget it. No matter how much Baba would try to persuade him to forget about it, he would insist that Baba bless him for money.

“What’s this, all the time wanting money?”

Baba would ask. “It is not good for you; dal roti is good.” Dal-roti is a way of describing a poor man’s diet, one who can only afford to make a little dal and a plain roti to eat, and Baba would say, “Dal roti is good,” meaning, you don’t need luxuries, the simple life is fine.

But the man kept insisting and Baba, finally ordered him, “Get out. Get out of here if you only want money.”

But every time the couple came, the man would begin all over again. Baba told him, “I can give it to you, but do you want Me to soil My hands, to reach into a pile of shit to give it to you?”

Baba, turned to the wife, “Is that what you want? Do you want Me to have to soil My own hands so I can give you shit?”

“No, Baba. Do whatever You want.”

“So can’t you talk some sense into your husband?”

“Baba,” the husband spoke up, “whatever it is, I want the money.”

Baba looked at the wife again. “See what madness he’s saying?”

Baba did everything He could to convince the man to stop asking for this blessing but the man was deaf and dumb to all of Baba’s words. Why it was that this man took something Baba said injest and seemed de termined to obey it, I don’t know, but when Baba explicitly repeated over and over that

it wouldn’t be good to ask for money, that he

should not do this thing, the husband paid no attention and insisted that Baba bless him so he could have money.

Finally, Baba said, “You have pestered me enough, I bless you, now go.” And that was that. But next year when we were in Poona again, this couple came to visit us. And as soon as the wife walked in I noticed that she was wearing an expensive sari, and she had so many costly bangles and jewelry and ornaments adorning her. When I saw her coming, I said, “Ah, now this is what your beauty needs. Before you were like a gem that hadn’t been set, but now that the jeweler has set you, your beauty sparkles all the more.” Not that I cared that she had orna ments, but this was something the husband wanted, and I was happy that financially they were doing better now. And, as I have said, they were very close to us, so we would indulge in this kind ofbanter. The husband seemed very happy. Not only was he dressed well, but he even had a paunch now!

When Baba saw them, He expressed surprise. “What is all this?” He gestured.

“Baba,” the husband explained, “by Your grace I am earning nicely now.” And then the conversation moved on to other things and no more was said about it. And if we ever thought about it or mentioned this couple amongst ourselves, we would just express our happiness that they were now financially better off.

But the next year when we returned we discovered that now the husband had pur chased a new car and a nice bungalow. All of this in a year and a half or so, mind you.

And cars were not all that common back then. They were very expensive and only those who were quite well off could afford them. And a bungalow means what? So sometimes, amongst ourselves, the mandali would wonder, “How is this possible? How has he been able to earn so much money?”

And I remember that Kaikobad would say, “Why not, with Baba’s blessings anything is possible.”

“That’s true,” I replied, “but these blessings don’t occur in a vacuum. How is he ac tually making the money?” It was a mystery for us, for even a goodjob with a good salary wouldn’t enable you to save so much money in such a short time.

And then, one day while we were at Meherazad the newspaper came, and there on the front page was this man’s picture. And the whole story came out. It seems he had started passing himself off as a relative of an important political figure. In those days

there was still rationing on certain industrial equipment. To do certain types of business, you needed a license. To purchase equipment, you needed to be licensed by the government, and this man would go see businessmen and let it be known that as a close relative of this important official, he could procure the license for them. The businessmen would give him money then so he would use his influence. And then, having established all these connections with the business world, he would go to the gov ernment and tell them that he could easily arrange contracts and business deals for the government iftheywould give him a certain percentage. And so he was making money from both sides. I can’t recall how he was caught, but he was and he was sentenced to prison. He lost his money, he lost his health, and I think he died not too long after that.

One of the mandali expressed their surprise, for it never occurred to us that he would resort to anything like that, and Baba replied, “What can I do? He forced Me to put My hands in shit and give it to him.”

Thatc How it Was Eruch Jessawala ©1995 AMBPPCT

7h.. u’pose oC4: Jl4eher ‘13aba by seeking individual happiness or

Notsafety but by again and again offering

one’s life in the service ofothers is it possible to rise to the unsurpassed completeness of realized truth. God is not to be sought by running away from life but by establishing unity with the One in the many. Purity, love and service are the elements of spintual life.

Those who cleanse their hearts of the embittening poison of selfishness, hate and greed find God as their own true Self The truth ofdivine life is not a hope but a reality; all else is illusion. Have faith and you will be redeemed. Have love and you will conquer the limited selfofcravings that veilyour own true being as God. The so many deaths during the one whole life, from the beginning of evolution ofconsciousness to the end ofinvolution of consciousness, are like so many sleeps during one lifetime.

The !:River wui. the Dnmr Path A1eher EBaba t five o’clock on October 7th, Baba went for a walk to the riverbank with the boys. The river was more than a mile away, and while walking they had to remove thorns and walk on stones along the rough path. When they reached the river and all had gathered around Baba, He stated: “See what troubles we have taken to reach the bank. We decided to come and have arrived. Had we been in the ashram, we would have no idea about the river—its powerful current, the expanse ofits water, et cetera. You drink water here and tell others you have drunk it and invite them to do the same. The inner path is similar. A person has

to undergo terrific hardships and becomes

annoyed and tired, but I tell you not to give up patience and not to retrace your footsteps.

Once you step on the path, never go back, but always go forward.

This is only a river, but I am the Ocean.

Remember that.

LordMeher ©AMBPPCT

MeherBaba Calling ©1964 AIVIBPPCT

35

4 w s from cA.cher cAkunt IeflJ r:Director 7frteher J4/tount EI3oard

.i22,2004.

The ongoing process is open to any who want to participate.

It is anticipated that a long range Master Plan would be completed in April of 2005.

To find out more information, contact Sam Ervin, Chairman of the Board of Directors, at: 562-498-0883 or sam.ervin@verizon.net

to

Ebrahimzadeh ofIrvine, California, has been elected to the Board of Directors for Meher Mount Corp. in Ojai, California.

Jamshid most recently chaired the Meher Mount Community Planfling Meeting held on February 7, 2004 to solicit input into the development of the long-range master plan He was also on the Weeds n Water Fund Raising Committee helping to raise more than $25,000 and took responsibility for developing the Meher Mount mailing list. As part of the Weeds ‘n’ Water effort, he also participated in the selection and evaluation ofthe water system vendor, including development ofthe crite na, review of the proposals, and interviews with the vendors.

Meher Mount has five members on the Board ofDirectors. The others are Sam ErChairman, of Long Beach, California; Bing Heckman, Secretary/Treasurer, ofPalo Alto, California; Bobby Hazard of Goleta, California; andJim Auster ofVail, Colorado.

Jamshid filled the opening left by the resig nation of Lola Long, a Sulphur Mountain Road resident and member ofthe Board for the Ojai Foundation, who was appointed by Agnes Baron.

Individuals interested in volunteering for any activities may contact Meher Mount at 9902 Sulphur Mountain Road, Ojai, CA 93023.

Phone: 805-640-0000.

r

Jamshid

.

yin,

l/1eeting 7 Community J 2<icks-Off J4leher aster Planning JProcess J44ount’s

rbtn February 7, 2004, more ‘.....Jthan 50 people gathered at Meher Mount in Ojai, California, to begin developing its long-range Master Plan: The Master Plan process contains with many steps, 36

and the first was a general community meeting to gather ideas, to brainstorm, and to help visualize the future.

The meeting was chaired by Jamshid Ebrahimzadeh and facilitated Tom Dortch, a management consultant who has worked with other Meher Baba groups with long range planning.

After a review ofthe zoning and land use restrictions, the full group was divided into smaller discussion groups to address three questions: •What is the purpose ofMeher Mount?

•What are your dreams for Meher Mount?

•What would you like to see accomplished in the next five years?

At the end of the day, the community gathered together again to hear the ideas and comments from each discussion group.

The comments have been compiled and organized for use in long-range planning.

The next planning meeting with the Board ofDirectors and open to the com munity was scheduled for Saturday, May

Veeds ci

T

‘n’

Vctter

5uccess

he Weeds ‘n’Water Fund Raising Drive was a success! Thank you for all your donations, words of encouragement and support, and your labor in this effort.

Meher Mount raised 25,000 with the purpose of providing drinkable water for the caretakers and guests, purchasing an industrial mower for weed abatement and to reduce the fire danger, and building tent pads for overnight guests.

Water was the number one need at Meher Mount. Meher Mount is blessed with a productive well, but the water quality is terrible. It has high levels of sulfur, manga nese, iron, and other minerals. In the 57-year history of Meher Mount, the water system has never produced drinkable water.

After identifying the key criteria for a water system, a committee identified a list of potential vendors. Each was asked to bid on the system. After reviewing the proposals, the committee interviewed the two finalists and selected REMCO. The water system has been installed.

Ongoing weed abatement was the second issue addressed. Mowing around the buildings and the path to the Baba tree and other important spots must be done year round, especially during the rainy season. Continual weed abatement is critical for making Meher Mount welcoming and usable by visitors and for reducing the danger of fire, rattlesnakes, and other problems.

More than SOpeoplejoined in the discussion about creating a Master Flailfor After substantial research, MeMeher Mount in Ojaz.

r

—

—

EEzzz

. •

L

,

.

i

..;

‘1,: ;e

Volunteers roll the new 5, 000—gallon water storage tank zp the hill to be installed aspart ofthe new water treatment system.

her Mount purchased a John Deere indus trial mower is now in regular use by Ray J ohnston, the caretaker. In addition, a local neighbor has a tractor and does annual discing of outlying areas.

The building of the tent pads is being evaluated and will be determined based on available ftmds.

Weeds ‘n’ Water represents a major milestone in building the Meher Mount infrastructure by taking care of some basic needs. The Board of Directors, with com munity input and participation, has begun the process of developing a long-range master plan for Meher Mount, which will address future infrastructure needs.

Cvents at J4leher J4lount ark your calendars for upcoming events at Meher Mount.

Meher Mount is 173 acres of wooded wilderness on top of Sulphur Mountain in Ojai. After Avatar Meher Baba asked His lovers in the West to find a spot for a center two hours from a major city, a foundation including Jean Adriel and Agnes Baron discovered the property and purchased it in 1946, naming it Meher Mount.

In 1952, Meher Baba told Agnes He wanted her to put Meher Mount in her name and to take care ofit for Him. Agnes replied, “If that’s what you want, Baba, I’ll keep Meher Mount for you through hellfire and damnation.” Meher Baba remarked, “Next to Myrtle Beach, I love this place best,” referring to Meher Mount.

Meher Mount is now a non-profit cor poration governed by a Board of Directors, and is open to all. It is a place ofbeauty and refuge. And it is a place for work, medita tion, and losing oneself in service. Most of all, it’s a place where the Avatar of the Age

M

Volunteersput the new 5, 000—gallon water storage tank in place to hook it up to the new water treatment system.

walked, and it carries a special feeling and significance because ofHis presence.

Upcoming events: th• .

Silence Day: Saturday, July 10 Traditionally, Silence Day at Meher Mount is a service day at Meher Mount. Come participate in large or small work projects as needed, or simply be with Beloved Baba at “Baba’s Tree” and on Baba’s Mountain.

Meher Mount is open from 10:00 a.m. .

Anniversary Celebration ofMeher Baba’s Visit: Saturday, August 7th Avatar Meher Baba visited Meher Mount on August 2, 1956, for a day ofrelaxation,joy and intimacy with His Lovers. The anniversary celebration is always the first Saturday in August. Join us for talks, music, food, and fellowship. The program will begin with Prayers at Baba’s Tree at 1 1 :00 AWl followed by a potluck lunch. The program begins at 1:00 PM. Most recently, Meher Mount hosted several visitors, each of whom gave inspir ing, heartfelt talks that evoked the sweet presence of beloved Avatar Meher Baba.

Baba blessed both these days with beauti ful weather and clear views of the Channel Islands off the coast. on Saturday, May 8, Dr. G.S.N Moorty spoke of his life with Beloved Baba. Dr. Moorty first contacted Meher Baba by letter in the 1940’s. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, he had extensive contact with Baba, organizing, among other things, Meher Baba’s incognito visit to Rishikesh. Dr. Moorty was one ofthe last lovers outside ofMandali and family to visit Meher Baba in October, 1968. Dr. Moorty said he felt happy at Meher Mount, and strongly felt Beloved Baba’s presence there.

On Saturday, May 15, 2004, Bill and Diana Le Page each spoke ofBeloved Baba

and of their respective work for Him. Bill met Meher Baba in the 1950’s and shared many sweet and fascinating stories from his life with Baba. Bill noted he was directed by Baba to Chair Avatar’s Abode at Woombye, Australia. Bill also discussed the parallels between Avatar’s Abode and Meher Mount, offering useftil suggestions to Meher Mount volunteers. Artist Diana Le Page showed slides of her artwork, murals depicting Meher Baba’s life that will adorn the dining hall in the new Meher Pilgrim Retreat at Meherabad, India. Bill commented that he hadn’t been to Meher Mount for quite a few years, and that Beloved Baba’s presence here struck him all over again. ‘:llii

ci sooner does one recoil on kunsdf and is ea.jcr nnd anxious !o elwitre plies to infriragntwe iztropecflan, ‘)V!ntIEi

andhna?’sure1jjsih aonimaj hesaid to have had 5p:ntua1 &rth 7:kis paiseofmind once ained, automati 9 cally and unkrwwinj1y brings akut a readjusiment of material surroundings man fin s imse f rn cinnony an with tIu worId Consertatisrn, into!erance pride and setfishness will fall away. veij

j?;

wiliput onanew meaning and assume ••a purpose. SiUflET and saint willappearta be waves differing in size and magnitude on the surface ofth same ocean, a natural outcome offorces in the universe, governed by time, spaii• and causation. The saint has neither !w nde ofplace, northe smnerthe stigirm of eternal degradation. 12’Iobody is utterly lost . and noiwdu need despair.

—MeherBadMeher 4 ‘I

37

2umQr fi 2Iuma 9od 5peaking

as Babajan’s kiss, that I was brought crashing down to Earth, but without loosing My new-found God consciousness. I was God

(as imajined b 11 J7I4ichael EDa Costa, Cngland) there I was in the Beyond, $ enjoying my infinite Power, Knowledge and Bliss. I could see that Maya was raising its 1 head again and ignorance was beginning to run riot in the world, so I wasn’t surprised when I got a call from the five Perfect Masters. I already I knew what it was about (well I would wouldn’t I with my infinite knowledge!), and to be honest I didn’t want to hear it.

They were calling Me down to Earth again and I knew from past experience what that was like; so I didn’t savour the thought of going through it all again. “But look” they said, “see what a mess the world has got itself into; look at all those lost and suffering souls.

There’s no way out for them except through you going into their midst.”Theywere right of course, so with a sigh, I gave up everything (except my sense of humour) and before you could say “don’t worry, be happy”, zoom, there I was on earth, fast asleep, as a little baby.

And in a sense I stayed asleep for years, until one day, when I was cycling home from school thinking about cricket, sweet Hazrat Babajan stopped me and gave me a big fat juicy kiss right in the middle ofMy forehead.

This was no ordinary kiss, I can tell you; this kiss sent Me offinto “extremes of screaming ecstasy”. It was so blissfully unbearable that at times I could only cope with it by banging My head on a stone floor (you can still see the cracks!). What that kiss had acmally done was to set in motion the tearing away ofthe veils from My consciousness so that I would be able to remember and fully experience that lam God, andlhave always been God! Well, I must say that this was all very mind blowing—so to speak—and it wasn’t until dear old Upasni Maharaj threw a stone at Me, hitting me on the same spot 38

S

°

f

‘

‘

.

14 I’

‘

•:

,

S

S

Whim and the great journey of the soul, from unconscious divinity through evolu tion, reincarnation and involution through the inner planes, to conscious divinity; I explained about Maya, and Karma, and sanskaras, and the guerilla warfare carried out by a slippery hy dra-headed ego; all this and so much more. But the more I explain the more you want to know: “What about this?” and “How about that?” and “Why this, that and everything”. You even argue amongst yourselves which of my words are true.

The truth is that the mind can never fully grasp that which is beyondmind Ahwell’ Butenough already; enough ofexplaining; enough ofwords.

Why do you think I kept silence for all those years? Didn’t I tell you: “You have had enough words; I have had enough words; it is not through words that I give what I have come to give”? So please, enough of explanations; I’m far too busy; I’ve got universes to run!

However, one thing you can be certain of: I never stop beaming out My love to you all; which means that all you have to do is to be open to receive it, then love Me in return, that’s all. Just love Me and love Me and love Me, and one day, when you learn to love Me as I should be loved, you will understand everything. But by then, none ofit will matter...will it?!

‘

..

,SS

.

r

/

I

.

I

and Man. So now, it was time to get down to work; I had My job description: My overall task was to give a great big spiritual push to the whole of creation. That bit seemed easy enough, but I was also expected to help all you suffering and lost souls to get closer to your true self...to God...to ME, and I know how resistant you all are to that! And what’s more I had to do it with both hands tied behind my back, as it were; that is, I couldn’t use my infinite power (please don’t ask why!). It was also my brief to unfold a few more of the great Truths of creation, which go far beyond anything I had given in previous visits. How on earth was I going to do that? It’s like trying to explain calculus to a four-year-old child, but without speaking! But in My infinite patience and compassion I did My best to explain things in your language.

For example, I told you all about the

¶BI

aba was vcry childlikc and enjoyed

things. .2k !1tim— self was very witty and CICVCT. 1’ViIli tiw sliqtitesl cxcuse ‘J3aba n;oiild /hid humour in a situation, and 2Ic used to amuse everybody. EBaba had so much serious work on .Iis mind, and ! tc told us that 2 humour lightened the burden of it. 21e was so lovely, Baba was. 2 1c still is tLfl thu 1

funny

beautiful, hut you cannot sec 2tini!

—Mehera Irani

IIie rDiscouises 6th —

h Edition? t7

Dnn 7yler, Oregon eher Baba is the only Avatar to whom we can attribute words with certainty. The words He gave us are unique and wondrous gifts. He prepared them to unfold in ways we can neither predict nor should attempt to control. The 6th edition of the Discourses was published shortly before Baba dropped His body, and we have no reason to assume He made mistakes in that major address to humanity Editing the Avatar’s words without His authorization turns God’s words into gossip. Apart ftom the monumental blunder of confusing the Discourses with a technical reference that needs tweaking to remain current, the editing itself applies irrelevant conventions, fixes non-problems with inelegant solutions, deflavorizes delightful language, eviscerates the unique tone and presentation ofthe 6th edition, and subverts meaning. The 7th cdition should take its place in history as an unfortunate oddity, and friture printings of the Discourses should restore the 6th edition in all of its magnificent idiosyncratic glory.

Introduction Over the years I have heard people com ment on the differences between the 1967 three-volume 6th edition of Meher Baba’s Discourses and the 1987 one-volume 7th edition published by Sheriar Press. The comments have sounded a recurrent theme about a loss of music in the newer edition.

Although a nicely designed book, the 7th edition has always felt colder to me than its predecessor, more like a rule book to consult and less like a friend to turn to. It does not fit in pockets, so is carried around less than the small paperback gems it replaced. But if the color of the cover and the size of the pages were the only problems with the 7th edition, this analysis would not exist.

What exactly changed in the 7th edition to cause people, myselfincluded, to react in a vaguely negative way? I began this inves tigation with no knowledge of the editorial changes. I had never read the foreword to the 7th edition, which explains the reasons for the changes. But I did have a prejudice that it is wrong to change any of the words Meher Baba wrote or approved with His name as author. A close look at the editing changes fortified that prejudice into a profoundly held conviction.

If the Discourses needed to be edited

M

DISCOURSES Meher Baba

in 1987 to make them more “current and appropriate,” then why not in 2007? 2017?

2027? Where does it end? The editing establishes a dangerous precedent. And if the Discourses, why not Meher Babac Call?

It too suffers from some of the same “mistakes” that required editorial correction in the Discourses. Maybe you have played the game called telephone, in which somebody whispers a sentence to one person who in turn whispers the sentence to another person, and so on. Usually after only a few whispered repetitions the original sentence has transmuted into something quite dif ferent and surprising. Similarly, editing changes have a tendency to compound. A trivial modification in tone, language or punctuation, repeated over time, can lead to a calamitous change in meaning. The 7th edition sets in motion such distortions.

The foreword to the 7th edition flavors the revisions as adjustments to punctuation, capitalization, spelling, italics, and the like— pedantic concerns ofeditorial savants wielding red pencils. What harm is there in that?

That question has three basic answers.

1. The simple fact ofthe editing implies a deep misunderstanding of the nature of the Discourses. It presupposes that without periodic maintenance the book will stop working at optimum efficiency. It conflises the Discourses with The Chicago Manual of

Style and or any other reference that must be tweaked to stay current. Ifthe Discourses are for the future, as Baba explained, why should we second-guess His judgment and assume He prepared them incorrectly?

2. Punctuation, capitalization, speffing, italics, and so on are not merely mechanical.

These aspects of the printed word are not pedantic details of little or no concern to the reader. They cannot be altered without affecting the realms of tone and meaning.

For example, by doing away with virtually all the italics, the 7th edition is sadly im poverished.

3. Arbitrarychanges in language are edits that fall outside the scope of the explicitly given justifications in the foreword to the 7th edition. They are numerous in both the text and the bold-face insets. Some are stylistic tinkerings (which often destroy the charm ofthe original phrase or inflict some other damage), others modify the original meaning. These changes establish a terrible precedent by making the Discourses subservi ent to an editor’s whim, tastes, and opinions.

Do we allow museum patrons to dab paint on a Picasso? Why should Baba’s words be afforded less respect?

Editorc note:space does notpermit us topub— lish this article in its entirety asMi Tylergoes on togive side by side examples ofthe changesfrom tb editions. He makes some very to the the 6 thoughtprovokingpoints. To readthe complete article log on to http.//www.winfiniiy.com/ beachwalla/mishandle. htm Ifyour curiosity has been piqued by whatyou have read sofar and wish to read the rest ofit butyou do not have access to a computerplease write to us and we will sendyou a printed copy. [The views expressed in this article are those ofthe author and are not necessarily those ofthe LSLR] As wego topress we havejust been notJied that Dan and his wife Sweeta Tyler along with his sister Deborah, have justfinished creating an excellent website homefor the sixth edition ofMeher Babac Discourses, all three original volumes, in their entirety.

You can now read Babac discourses online at: http://discoursesbymeherbaba.org/index.php —Ed.

39

rj?assings :Rajt:ttti .7<ant LIpadIiyaa in Jl4emoriam _rDied J1pril i2, 2004 5 2 9 Born December i8, 1

Keit1i 9unn, California

T

his material is taken from a new book in preparation, “Searchers for Love,” a compendium of stories mostly from Baba’s northern Indian lovers who were friends of Professor A. K. Hazra. Professor Hazra (Amiya) is known to those who have read his autobiography “Memoirs of a Zetetic” and his novel “Of Men and Meher Baba” and perhaps may have seen his letters from Beloved Baba at www.trustmeher.org/zetetic.

Rajani Kant was interviewed in 2001 by Amiya, and the material from that interview was supplemented by material contributed by his son, his daughter in law and wife.

The story makes reference to the Nar mada river, a river taken by many Hindus to be of special spiritual significance.

Rajani’s youth contains one great mcident: his chance meeting with Beloved Baba.

In 1939 when this incident took place, he was only 14. When interviewed, he no lon ger remembered, but his son narrates the story he heard from his childhood: “My father and his mother were at the Narmada river in Mandla. A replica of Baba’s Samadhi, called Meher Kuti is there, and standing near the building my father saw a Persian man, very beautiful. He said to his mother, ‘See how beautiful this man is. I have never seen such a beautiful man.

Let us go near the man and find out who He is.’

“My father asked the people standing there, ‘Who is that man?’ and they responded, ‘He is our elder brother.’ My father went to the man and asked him for water. My father put his hands together, and Beloved Baba poured water from a pot into his hands.

That was my father’s first darshan.”

Prior to becoming a Baba lover Rajani Kant was greatly interested in “spiritual masters,” and studied under various tantriks.

Eventually he came to regard one ofthem as his guru. Rajani Kant sought siddhis (“pow ers” is the closest translation). A diversion on this topic:.

In India, there are so many who assert their status as “masters.” But contact with spiritual greatness is uncommon. More common is the Indian expectation that 40

occultism and Ram Sanahi Maharaj came to the spot and all ofa sudden ordered me to come to him. He addressed me as ‘Babu’.

“Babu, you come here.’ I thought there was something wrong. ‘You go to the bank of the Narmada [one of the few bodies of water into which Beloved Baba dipped his hands and feet] He gave me a cloth towel and told me to request the River Narmada to give me two fish. ‘I would like to have fish for my evening meal,’ he said.

“For the first time in my life I thought, ‘What kind of man is he? He is asking for something impossible. Why would the fish come out of the water and jump into the towel?’ Many people overheard, and they wanted to see this. What to do? If it does not go correctly, my position will be worse.

I was worried about my position, because I can say frankly, though Ram Sanahi Maharaj was the man ofsuch status that people were following him, I was ofthe impression that people were following him because of me.

He used to say, ‘You are responsible for these large gatherings ofpeople here.’ [Then, and later in the service ofBeloved Baba, Rajani Kant was a captivating public speaker.]

“So when I went with the cloth, some persons followed me. I was in a fix what to do and what not to do. I was irritated that he had shown such lack of common sense and inwardly complained, ‘He thinks he is such a big sadhu and an experienced man.’

But somehow I went there. It was evening.

I spread the cloth on the side ofthe bank of the river and sat down and started praying to Maharaj, ‘Baba (means Maharaj), see that my master’s reputation is not lost in vain.’

And I did what he wanted me to do: I went down to the river and started praying to the river, ‘Please help my master because he wants fish for the evening meal, and I have come to get it, so the fish should jump out of the river into this cloth.’

“What happened was very strange. Sud denly, two fishjumped out ofthe river onto the cloth! I wrapped them in the cloth and took them to the ashram. I was happy to bring the fish with me, and he looked at me, also very happy, and he said to me, .‘

“saints” are those who perform “miracles.”

These miracles ensnare the people, captur ing the credulous. But what are the miracles?

Beloved Baba made it clear that there are hidden facets to the illusion we call “reality” and that there are various ways one can manipulate reality if one becomes aware of hidden “strings.” One way these methods of manipulation become revealed is a byproduct of progress on the spiritual path.

Thus the power to alter people’s perception of reality is latent in one’s advancement toward God. Another way, the way of tantra, lies in breath control, certain mantras and some quite unsavory practices.This has nothing to do with the spiritual path, and in many ways is antithetical to spirituality. But, through repetition of these practices, one can gain various siddhis, such as telepathy, the ability to hear people from long distances, to see them at long distances, to contact occult beings, and so forth. One may even gain the ability to take or give life, as in the story of Ganj-e-Shakkar recorded in Lord Meher (page 1126).

To resume our story, Rajani Kant joined the ashram of a famous occultist, Ram Sa nahi Maharaj. Picking up the story verbatim from Rajani Kant: “Once we students were talking about

-

‘Well, you have been doubting me, and do you know that it is doubting that destroys a person? You should not doubt. Anyway, at last you have been sincerely praying and that is why the river has yielded up the two fish for me.’

“Once he and I went walking in Amar kantak forest, which was very dear to him.

He used to take me to different places, and tell me that great saints used to be there meditating and praying to God, and he also told me about certain other very important places ofpilgrimage there. On this occasion, we had lost track oftime. It was evening and we didn’t have any food with us and we felt hungry. I didn’t know Ram Sanahi Maharaj’s intentions, of course, but though we were in the depths of the forest suddenly a girl came who was just about 15 years old. She was exceptionally beautiful. When I saw her I was very much enamored ofher. But Ram Sanahi Maharaj said, ‘Do you knowwho she is? She is the River Narmada herself’ “So I said, ‘Maharaj, as the story goes Narmada herself is unmarried, but this girl looks like she is married.’

“He simply said, ‘Oh, you think so?’

After that, the girl looked at me and said, ‘I have brought a tiffin (food container) for you both for your dinner. My mother was making food, and then she said, “let’s make a bit more, because there will be two persons coming to this place, and they will be needing food.” So I brought that food for you. So please take this food.’ We took the food, we ate it, and then she started to go away. Suddenly I saw to my great astonishment that her height had diminished. She had become just about 6 or 7 inches less in height. She looked so glowing, and now she looked like a virgin. When I looked at her in this way, I had to ask Maharaj, ‘What is happening?’

“He said, ‘Let her speak for herself.’

“Then she said, ‘I am Narmada. I have come to feed you. And, you should not have doubted me. I know everything about you, right from your very childhood. You’re a fool for one who loved me from childhood. Don’t you know that I am a virgin?’

“I was inspired and I fell at her feet, and said, ‘It is my mistake.’ I said that I had indeed worshipped her from childhood, but that I had never seen her before. All this happened in Amarkantak—a special place.

At the time I was very much impressed

by Ram Sanahi Maharaj, but in time I came to understand that I had conftised spirituality with these simple tricks. I came to un derstand that this tantrik cult was actually “

a means to strengthen your personality so you could overpower other people and make them your devotees. I was eventually very irritated at the students, who wanted to be worshipped. But first I had to get it all out of my system, because I had come to wish very much that people would worship me!

How did I come to my senses? It happened because I began to get some good advice.

First to advise me was Girinari Maharaj, another person who had attained occult powers.

“When I came in his contact, I started serving him, and then I started wanting to create my own personality One day, this temptation of becoming a person of occult status started emerging in me, and it did not go unnoticed by Girinari Maharaj, and he became very angry with me.

“He said, ‘You have not come here for spirituality. Youjust want to be worshipped by others.’ He was saying exactly what I was inwardly wishing for.

“Then I argued with him, ‘When I see you, when I see people coming and worshipping you and you are my master, is it very much more to expect that I should also be worshipped by people? What do I lack when you are there and you can help me attain some ofthe siddhis and I can become a very powerftil person.’

“Girinari Maharaj looked very angry still and he said, ‘Do you know how difficult and dangerous this road is?’

“I said, ‘Well it may be a dangerous prac tice and a dangerous road, but then you have been traversing it.’

“Girinari Maharaj then said, ‘But do you also know that there is a lot of competition and rivalry on this road of occultism?’

“I asked, ‘Competition?’

“He rejoined, ‘Other people will be trying to put you offthe road and maybe harm you through using their siddhis and you may be damaged. That is the reason why I do not want you to go into this path. You should go only for pure spiritual practices and never deviate from that.’

“That was how Girinari Maharaj ex plained things to me and I was uncomfort able with it, because he was saying something that he was not doing himself He was after attaining occult powers. I told him that I had not attained any of the powers, and when I had attained some I would think of spiritual progress and all that. At present, I said that I was only interested in my fame and the occult attainments.

“Soon after, I found another saintly person, whose name was Atma Ram. He

gave me a fatherly love, and he explained everything in a very beautiful way. He said, ‘You are quite young and you will definitely get trapped in the powers that will come to you, and that is not a good thing for your future.’ At that time I was hardly 24 years old. He also gave me some instruction on how to control the senses. You have all said that I have a powerfiil way of speaking and a powerful bearing. That is the gift of the practices that he taught me to do. In the process, these practices made me absolutely fearless.”

In the early 1950s, Rajani Kant took a job in the electrical power generation plant of Jabalpur, working as the attendant to a turbine that generates electricity. He met Amiya and his friends because he played various sports at their playing field, and discovered that they were all outspoken atheists—men of science. He offered to take them to Ram Sanahi Maharaj, whom he continued to serve and to regard as his guru but Amiya wasn’t having any of this guru talk, and their friendship was confined to sports, though Amiya’s circle was quite impressed with Rajani Kant.

Rajani Kant went away for a few months in 1957, and when he returned and met them again he discovered that Amiya had become mad for Meher Baba—a complete aboutface, and that Amiya’s ensemble of friends were all really excited about spirituality.

Rajani Kant initially found this quite annoying. He had studied the Ramayana, knew it from end to end, had apprenticed with all these spiritual persons, and yet these former atheists, spiritual beginners, were telling him that they had found God in human form.

Implicitly theywere claiming to know more about spirituality than he did. Rajani Kant got wild, and he said to Amiya, “You guys are lovers of sports, lovers of cinema, byers of this and that and you never thought about God. And now you think you have discovered an Avatar? This is absurd. You are not fit. You are not spiritually worthy to understand what spirituality is. You must have been misled. I have been all my life chasing after spiritual persons and had lots of experiences with them.”

Soon after this, he decided to write a better to Meher Baba to express his scorn. His first thought was to put down a line from a song in a Hindi film, which translated goes, “IfI had known your address, I would have written you a letter. Here I’ve got a five paisa [ e.g., a penny] postcard which I can send you.” The spirit ofthis communication was mocking—it’s so easy now that you’ve an-

4’

nounced you are an incarnation of God, so I can send you a cheap card and be on your mailing list. Ironic. What kind of God can be contacted by a five-paisa postcard?

He wrote a draft of these thoughts, but he didn’t write them on the postcard itself After a time he thought, “This is not very polite. Let me make it more polite.” So he wrote another draft, but still he wanted to criticize Baba for misguiding people like A. K. Hazra and others. “Why do you call yourselfAvatar and things like that? I am a worshipper of Ram Sanahi Maharaj and I have seen miracles and many occultists.

Again he rejected this draft. It went on. He used to tell Amiya in those days, “Hazra, every time I wrote a letter to Baba, I waited, and then I thought that this was not the right way to address Him.” Suddenly, in the middle of night, he saw an intense red light. The whole room was filled with red light, and he was scared. That was the first experience Baba gave him. He took the red light to say, “Stop, don’t proceed further.”

Baba knew that he was going to be one of the precious gems, and a most powerful speaker on Him. Finally, after some more experiences, he wrote his letter, very mild tone, very pol ished and polite because he was very good at Hindi. He went to the letter box and put it in. The very next morning the postman came to his house to deliver him a letter of the same date, responding to his letter. This is impossible. It takes four days for a letter to transit to Ahmednagar fromJabalpur, and four days to return.This letter was dated the same date.

He started shaking all over, as the mi raculous nature of the response was totally unexpected. He showed the letter to Amiya.

It said that he was a very good person, and he should do this thing and that thing, and so forth. Then a series ofincidents followed.

And then finally he fell in love with Baba.

Suddenly he started talking of Baba, and composing poems in the form ofsongs, calling Baba “Beloved Meher.” Amiya set one ofthe poems to music and began singing it at gatherings.

Rajani Kant stopped going to Ram Sa nahi Maharaj, who became furious. This all happened in the twelfth year ofhis discipleship to Ram Sanahi Maharaj. Ram Sanahi Maharaj had promised Rajani Kant to make him his chargeman give him charge of the ashram and give him all the occult powers.

All he had to do to get the power was to stick with Ram Sanahi Maharaj for one more year.

But instead Rajani Kant changed his affili

ation completely.

When he went to Ram Sanahi Maharaj for the last time, Ram Sanahi Maharaj criticized him. Rajani Kant even argued with Ram Sanahi Maharaj, even though he knew how powerful Ram Sanahi Maharaj was, and said, “You may have occult powers, but here is perfection. I am in love with Him (Baba).”

“No,” said Ram Sanahi Maharaj, “you should not go to anybody else. Do you

. .“

-

42

know what I am going to give you, and do you know what I can take away from you in case you follow somebody else? Many ava tars have come and gone, but I can give you something that nobody else can give.”

Rajani Kant said, “I don’t care for any of the occult siddhis, and I think I will stop coming to you.” So Amiya suggested to him that he ought to write a letter to Baba, and try to find out what Baba says about all this, because he was in a fix.

Baba’s reply said, “Do not disrespect your guru. Be very cordial to him, but remember one thing—that he is your guru and I am God.” So Rajani Kant went back and to some extent he was able to make up.

So now Rajani Kant was a Baba lover, but his initial enthusiasm was so intense that his entire life was thrown out ofbalance. He had a wife and children to look after, but he was not going to the electrical plant to his job.

Turbine maintenance is a job like milking cows: ifyou forget to do it, great disaster re suits. He was supposed to be working, but he was not. And, he was not taking care of his dress, he was disheveled and he was not eating. Complaints were coming in. Amiya, his friend, took it upon himselfto chide Rajani Kant for it. Amiya told him that loving Baba

does not mean neglecting dutyc He said, “No, I can not rest. You do not understand. I have got the most important prize of my whole lifetime by coming in contact of Baba, but I have not been called by Him. If he does not call me, I will die. I must meet Him, I must have His darshan.” Amiya told him not to be desperate, that one day Meher Baba would call him.

Within only a short period, he received a letter from Beloved Baba that said, “I have come to know from sources that you are not taking care ofyour duty and are neglecting your family. You should not mistake this for loving me. You go back to doing your duty and being part ofyour family, and at some later time I will ask you to come to me.”

Rajani Kant’s first darshan came soon after, in 1958, on the tenth of July, the gathering at which Baba gave His Univer sal Message. When the list ofpeople invited to attend reached the Jabalpur Baba group, Rajani Kant’s name was on the list for Baba’s darshan. Afterwards, Rajani Kant told his friends that when Baba’s car came and he looked at Baba, he saw Baba as Ram. Rajani Kant started taking care of his job thereafter, because he didn’t want to disobey Baba. And he became one of the staunchest Baba lovers, so self-sacrificing in Baba’s work, and so convinced of Baba’s Avatarhood that he would go anywhere and tell anyone that Baba was God in human form, and they should rush to see Him. He was a very magnetic speaker—he could attract audiences, because he was a great scholar of Ramayana, and he knew how to start a speech on Baba. Amiya remembers reading a letter from Baba to Rajani Kant in which Baba said, “People will remember you for many hundreds ofyears,” and another letter in which Baba said, “You are my precious gem (nagina).”

He was dedication personified for Baba—one of the rarest Baba lovers who had turned into the perfect worker. Amiya recalls Rajani Kant’s going six miles to a Baba meeting with a fever of 103 degrees.

When Amiya asked him not to go, to take rest, medicine, he said, “It’s okay, I must go, people will be waiting there for me.”

In response to a question of how village programmes would come to be organized, Amiya explained that the starting point for such a programme was always a local village person or headman who had found out about Baba. That person might visitJa balpur typically for business or purchases, and might inquire whether there was a Baba group there, and would come in contact with

someone from the group, attend a Jabalpur meeting, and then invite the Jabalpur Baba lovers, speakers and musicians to come to the village and give the programme.

After a while it seemed that the Jabalpur troupe was invited mainly because the vil lagers wanted to hear the renowned Rajani Kant speak. He would always talk in a way that would enthrall them.

Rajani Kant and the Jabalpur troupe specialized in visiting the scheduled castes the untouchables and tribals—who were downtrodden and rejected by Brahmins.

Rajani Kant Upadhyaha has done untold work to spread Baba’s love. Because of him, hundreds ofpersons went for Baba’s darshan who wouldn’t otherwise have gone.

There are more stories about Rajani Kant in Memoirs ofa Zetetic, where his name is abbreviated as RKU.

ence best? It is very simple. Through love.

If you love your work, you can do it with love, and anything that is done with love has perfect results. To be a good doctor, always have in mind that to you all patients—good or bad, big or small—are equal. Treat with as much care and interest a beggar as you would a millionaire, and in case you find that you are not paid the price, you must not for a moment think of refusing.”

Jim will be missed by many who loved

—

3:cirewell, 3im Robinson, )3 ou Werc Loved

Some Comments from the9uest 73ook on the J 4emorial Website 4

Compiled by 7<athy 21i11, 7 }irginia

in The Sun News on 4/28/2004 published ( reprinted with author Bevan Robinson’s permission): Myrtle Beach—James Paton Robinson, M.D., 59, left this earth April 23, 2004 fol lowing a complication from surgery.

Jim was born May 13, 1944, in Seattle, Washington, son ofVerna Paton Robinson and John Franklin Robinson. He grew up in Seattle with nine siblings and attended Catholic school. After Army service, Jim settled in Hampton, Virginia and graduated from the College ofWilliam and Mary. He completed medical school at the Medical College of Virginia, and a psychiatric resi dency at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Jim was a wonderful physician, but truly this capacity derived from Jim’s enthusiasm for God. It was Jim’s search for deeper un derstanding of God’s Truth that led him to his long association with Meher Baba, who was, forJim, the ultimate source of informa tion about love for God. The precepts Jim learned from his Catholic training were reinforced by the words of Meher Baba, and provided an invaluable foundation for his search to better understand the precision and nuance ofGod’s grace.Jim tookwhat he found in his spiritual preparation and crafted it into a life ofservice. He sought guidance both from his Catholic discipline, and from the silent wisdom ofMeher Baba, who said: “How can one be a good doctor and use sci

At a recent meeting at Henry Kashouty’s house, the group was full ofloving reminis cences ofJim, who was a member for many years. My favorite tale: When the regular meeting fell on Halloween, participants were asked to come in costume. One by one, participants turned up in colorful and imaginative outfits, but no sign of Jim. After “Begin the Beguine” began playing on the stereo to get the meeting started, J im arrived at the door, unrecognizably attired and caparisoned as a belly dancer, with diaphanous veils and flowing hair. He had been running late and was stopped for speeding, and when the trooper requested his license and registration, Jim burst out, “You won’t believe this, officer, but I’m on the way to Judge Kashouty’s house!” He did not receive a ticket.

—Kathy Hill

On this earth Ihave known two gentlemen in my life who have my respect, as they served God and knew what gentleness is. One was my grandfather who was therefor me during dJficult times as a child and the other I knew as Dr. Robinson who guided me with his love and gentleness back to a sane basisfrom an insane place. I will connect with him many times in the spiritual world as I travel this path. He has a most beautil soul. lam glad that ourpaths crossed.

—Jean Roberts (Myrtle Beach, SC) . .

fim with wjft Bevan

him, and whom he loved. These include his stepmother, Nancy Robinson; nine siblings (Dave, John, Mel, Mike and Tim, Jeannie Cunningham, Trish Nolan, Ressie Smith, and Virginia Welch) and their families; first wife, Jeannette Robinson and daugh ter, Sarah Gray Robinson; mentors, Adele Wolkin and Judge Henry Kashouty and wife, Kecha; stepsons, Tommy and Charlie Eaton; stepdaughter Marie Romanczuk and her fiancee, Robert Haynes; grandbabies, Reyna Haynes and Makayla Ann Cook; and his wife, Bevan.Jim loved his family deeply, and had deep regard for his friends in the Meher Baba community. His colleagues at Waccamaw Center for Mental Health were also held dear in his heart. To say all these nice things about Jim is not to say he was not also fully human with all the faults and foibles that we human subjects share. His faults too he marshaled up together and offered full-fisted to his Lord God to be surrendered at His feet. He lived and died this way, for all the time I knew him on this earth. Jim’s great and tender heart would want those he leaves behind to help each other without ado, with full assurance that God hides within each human form.

HappyforJim butpersonally devastatedto not have met a bloke I really email_admired* blessings mate. I will missyou terribly on the list. Really will. You were one ofthose blokes whocposts Ialways read. Catch up with you next lifetime? Big deep loving hugs to Bevan andfamily. xxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooo —Jen Buggia (by email)

Jim was a member ofthe Hampton Meher Baba groupsfor years, we loved him very much. Hefoundgreatjoy in his newfamily and friends in Myrtle Beach. We will all miss his greatspirit. Ourprayersgo outto hisfamilyfor strength and understanding. Much Love.

—Linda and MichaelHansen (Hampton, VA) Our hearts go out to Jimcfamily and friends. We will all miss his presence deeply.

43

He was an exceptional man, and we have no doubt that the lovefor his Master shined through in his everyday life andwork. Happy Trails, dearfriend.

—Shar and Sky Wiseman (Fredericksburg, VA)

to read. Thankyou to each one who has taken the time to honorhis memory. Iloved and love my brother deeply, deeply; andyour words are sweet honey to my aching soul.

—MaryEllen Robinson (Tacoma, WA)

Icelebrate the life andspiritofJim Robinson and his dedication to trying to love more and more God,family,friends and strangers alike. His strong and caring speech and ac tions revealed an open heart that reached out to others even as itexpressedhis own strengths and vulnerabilities. I am very grateful to have knownJim andto have heardhim share the inspiring story ofhis spiritual search so well expressed in his orbituary. My hearifelt condolences to Bevan and all who are in pain ftom such a sudden and unexpectedpassing. In the surefaith thatJim is happy with his Lord and will ever seek to serve and love God more and more, Ishout:JaiMeherBaba! To God be the victory!

—Jonathan Burroughs (iV Myrtle Beach, SC)

Sending dearest love in our sweet Beloved Meher Baba, ourftiend, andfathei, and mother. .our All. Unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to knowJim well. Iwas in India at the time ofone ofhis stays where we didhave a shortopportunity to talk. Iwas most moved by his devotion to Meher Baba and by his willingness to do what heftlt that Baba would like. Aftw months past I again spoke withJim regardinga situation that was dfficultfor me. He kindlyguided me with the awareness that we knew that the aim ofour conversation was toplease Meher Baba. .and do ourbestin allsituations. In my mindlhave gone back to this talk andalways remember his caring. Bevan and I have been friends since 1971. It was through her that I knew about Jim. I Thank Baba that they had their time togetherandwerehappy. Iwouldhave enjoyed knowing him better.

—Nancy Sasser (Mountain View,AR)

Nothing could brighten my day like running into Jim at a Meher Baba gathering.

Eighteen years ago he “held my hand” during a majorfamily crisis (over thephone—not in p erson) and his warmth, wisdom and understandingsoon set me straight. Ilovedhim and Iwill miss him greatly.

—Kathy Hill (Norfolk, VA) Much love and Godspeedtoyou,Jim. Your compassionate heart and kindness will be remembered and carried deep in the hearts ofthose who loved and sharedprecious life withyou. Though we knew each other only a short while, our lives did touch and my heart has grown in its capacity to love because of yourgenerous, caring spirit thatyou shared softeely. You will be missed and remembered tenderly, andwith all love.Jai BelovedAvatar Meher Baba!

—Cathy Broadley (Orange County, CA) Ihaveftit that the Belovedhas taken Jimc surrendered “hand” as one worthy ofit, one who earnedHis blessing, by taking a stand on Truth, Love and Honesty. May we too take this stand.

—Adele Wolkin (Redondo Beach, CA) Jim was my beloved brother, and this is the only guest book Pve had the opportunity

44

.

.

Th holdfastto the hem ofthegarmentofthe Avata, one must have intense conviction He Is Love, the Only Reality. We salute you,fim foryour intense conviction in Avatar Meher Baba andsay toyou, WeilDone!In His Infinite Love andEverlasting Grace.

—Henry &Kecha Kashouty (Hampton, VA) DearJim, Iwas so happy to seeyou,just two months ago. Although we “knew each other” foryears in the disembodied online world, we only got to spend time together in His loving p resence thisyear. Iwas touchedbyyoursweet, gentlepresence, and wantedto reach out toyou, andldid. And Iftltyour heart reach back in that teddy bear smile and hug—so different ftom meeting in the email world!

When I saw you, I was struck by how much you reminded me ofa mellowed down version ofone ofmy earliest mentors in Baba, Dr. Harry Kenmore. Dii sure you must have been surprised when I said that, but no more than Iwas!

Ah, Jim, Tm glad I got to really see you before you left this stage. And Dii especially glad that we got to see Baba, to see God and thegodliness in each other.Aftersome difficult moments before we really “met”, lam happy to take this sweet memory ofyou with me, andl

hope you are able to do the same. With much love,Jai Baba!

—Tony Paterniti (New York, A11) I did not know Jim well, but there was a loving warmth about him that was obvious.

Iwill neverforget his kindness to my mom in December after myfather passed away. My lovingsympathy to Bevan andallofJimcfam ily. He is with ourBelovedMeherBaba now, so he is in the best ofhands as always. Avatar Meher Baba KiJai. —Louise Garnant (Montgomery Village, MD)

70 .Add )3our Own Comments to the On-line9uest EBook: Go to http://legacy.com/ myrtlebeachonline.

Click on the blue “Guest Books” button.

Type “Robinson” in the search window.

Click on “Robinson MD, James P.” Click on “Display.”

Click on “sign this Guest Book” in the upper right corner.

?oeiru Lifetimes She sees a stone skipping along a cool mountain pooi of shimmering gold a glistening glittering sphere of antiquity

Each time it touches the brilliant water a lifetime reverberates upon the stillness

The raft was constructed ages ago by my Beloved and I find myself riding in harmony

within the womb of God. —Sharon Wisema

the calm.

A man-child drenched in uncertainty the ripples circles so much not yet experienced the boy dressed in a blue suit with short trousers and a starched white collar eyes as bright as saucers in a library dimly lit.

With the next skip the puddles waltz and she is a ballerina an ice dancer in the splendor ofthe waters depths and heights

her partner has not yet revealed His true identity.

Another, and then yet another skip ofthe pebbles dance and she witnesses the agelessness of a woman wrinkled and knowing bent and broken but knowing what?

Knowing the ages have taken her to this space in time this epic accumulation ofthousands and thousands of lives the dream of the sages, the dream

of God. The sand dust pebble the drop of the beginningless beginning has begun its descent into the shoreless Ocean

of bliss and she cannot escape the excruciating enfoldment the crashing ofwaves upon waves and lives into lives and yet she sees the inevitable

the involution torturous

intoxicating rapturous.

The drop has descended upon the floating leaf of the lotus so familiar intensely personal

the naked soiled feet of the man-child the destiny of a soul’s longing for God for Self.

7hree 3rom 2Iaflz With renderings by Danny Ladinsky

_/4 Thvine Dnvitcttion You have been invited to meet The Friend.

77te 7Jtings 3 Do 5or )3ou Beloved God, what you are saying Is that you need me to Die— Completely, every bit of me.

Because as long as I exist, I’m in Your Way...

I’m blocking Your Consciousness From seeing and realizing Your Self...

Hold on, Beloved God! Do you know what this means?

That the Seer and the Seen Are One and the Same!

No One Can resist a Divine Invitation.

And ifthe Seer and the Seen

That narrows down all our choices To just two: We can come to God Dressed for Dancing, Or Be carried on a stretcher To God’s Ward.

Only realized this,

I would cease to exist immediately!

That’s that sorted out!

The things I do for you, Beloved!

Yet the way you treat me, at times!

—Mirek

J4lanic Screaming We should make all spiritual talk Simple today:

God is trying to sell you something, But you don t want to buy.

1 That is what your suffering is: Your fantastic haggling, Your manic screaming over the price!

3for A While We have all come to the right place.

We all sit in God s classroom.

1 Now, The only thing for us to do, my dear Is to stop Throwing spitballs for a while.

The Only Sin I Know If someone sits with me, And we talk about the Beloved, IfI cannot give his heart comfort, IfI cannot make him feel better About himself and this world, Then Hafiz, Quickly run to the mosque and pray-For you have just committed The only sin I know.

13aba

••‘:

In the beginning was a picture, a face, your Jesus face with eyes from the cosmos calling me, whispering, caressing my shattered self; beckoning me to dance with Govinda and forget what pained my breath.

Smiling with a lotus, kneeling toward a Tomb on a hill you rose and asked “What do you wish?”

“Fire” I said.

You laughed, and your mouth was frill of stars

“Do not ask what you can not hold”.

Embarrassed and exhilarated I said simply “You”, and here I am.

—Patrick Hogan

45

3ntm on 2iornosauahty jenny Califf2enner, l/lyrtle Beach

May, 2004

T

he news that Don Stevens would be speaking with a small group of Baba lovers for the first time (and quite possibly the only time in a group setting) on the sensitive topic of homosexuality was both exciting and explosive, and was greeted with a wide range offeelings in our Myrtle Beach community of Baba-lovers. Enthusiasm and interest were high. Because the Meher Spiritual Center does not have forums, workshops, etc. as part of their programming, the forum was held in a private home, with limited seating.

The following is a partial transcript of the “Forum on Homosexuality” held May 4 in Myrtle Beach (based on recordings made and transcribed byjenny Zenner and Laurent Weichberger). Shortly after the forum, Don and Laurent decided to produce a book based on what was shared at the fo rum, with further contributions from certain Baba-lovers, and additional material from Don. Because of this new book project, the tremendously sensitive nature ofsome of the topics discussed at the forum, and the limita tion on words in an article, this transcript has been greatly edited. Over one third of it has been cut. For a complete transcript of the forum readers are directed to the upcoming book, Sexuality on the SpiritualPath, by Don Stevens & contributors. Below we use when we have removed a section.

Don: .Well, originally, I was going to come to Myrtle Beach in order to do another one of these seminars that we’ve been putting on for almost a year now, called Meher Babac Wordand The Three Bridges. So that’s going to take place on the weekend. Then the subject came up of discussions on homosexuality and I said to myself—Well, Fve always promised myselfthat before I slipped offthis mortal coil, or got kicked off, that I’d get involved someway or another and express one or two things that I felt were terribly important to Meher Baba. I just want to be sure that got thrown into the pot. So I sent an email to Marshal Hay saying, “Why don’t we do a panel discussion on homosexuality?”

And he came backwith a favorable message, and said, “Well Don, of course its been a pretty hot issue on occasion, so let’s just be sure that we do it from Meher Baba’s standpoint.” And that wasn’t hard at all to agree

to, because that is exactly what I wanted to do, because I’ve been around Meher Baba in various occasions which I thought clanfled the subject, at least it certainly did in my mind, as to what Baba did, and how He went about such a thing with people who were, let’s say “openly gay.”

Broad 73rush .Strokes Don: So I would like to go way, way back to the beginning, not long after the Whim, maybe to a tenth of a millisecond . . .

,

‘

g.

i

4r$i. .

46

.

. .

. . .

-...

7;wo senders

I after the Big Bang, and all hell is breaking loose, and try to figure out where, as far as we know (everybody has certainly read God Speaks ten or fifteen times), so where does Baba say that “sexuality” comes in? .where Baba first quotes the word “sex”, or something that might be associated with it? Let’s go back early.

Participant: Vegetable?

Don: Isn’t that interesting. Sex appar ently starts in vegetable kingdom, I find in my notes. It is terribly ancient. we go back into the whole subject of sanskaras. Does anybody know anything in relation to natu ral and non-natural (I think sometimes they are classed as un-natural, but this gets into a later nomenclature. .) Would anybody like to take us back into the even pre-vegetable kingdom when we dredge up these very key two words, “natural” and “sanskaras”?: Anyway, natural sanskaras are pretty natural and sort of happen free and easy I suppose, . .

. .

. .

.

But in any case .we start getting into all these complexities ofform. The whole process then goes on very, very rapidly through the various kingdoms and sex becomes, let’s say, associated with the more and more complex processes of fertilization of bodies and so on. And we start getting into things that almost begin to look familiar to us. But the whole process, the living processes, and then the differentiation into form, into two genders, is pretty early in the game, and we are already getting a great big build up of what Baba calls the natural sanskaras which are almost impossible to eradicate, to de-energize without outside help. So it goes back with tremendous length into past history. So this is what we are building up.

It is so tough. It is so fundamental that it is so. so rooted in our nature, so terribly long and primitive. So eventually, of course we start getting up into a situation where Baba says we first may be on the masculine side ofthe fecundation process, even for several lifetimes; and then we switch over and we’ll be on the feminine side for quite some time. . .

“...“

. .

people think fairly early on in the game...

But this whole business about a conscious decision being made. .is a pretty key fac ton in non-natural sanskaras. Then can we take it a stage further, because we’ve got to build. a little bit of a feeling for the early stages, where real trouble already started.

And that is, what does Baba say about the eventual fate of non-natural sanskanas and natural sanskaras? What about that?

Baba points out to us that these sanskaras, which are formed absolutely without any component of decision, volition, involvement, are first of all, the most ancient.

They are the toughest and He says they are almost impossible to eradicate without outside help.

Participant: Are you saying the sexual im pulse is based in natural sanskaras because they have their roots in pre-human form, hence they are very entrenched, and are very difficult to eradicate?

Don: This is precisely what Baba says.

This is one of the reasons that the sex sanskara is so terribly difficult to eradicate. In fact, He says that it goes right up to the last plane before God—Realization...

. .

Are all ofyou familiar with how Baba talks about the way that we switch between op posites or dissimilar functions over a period oftime? So this goes on for quite along time.

So we, each drop soul, go on through, let’s say, a male process for quite some time, and then we go through a female. Baba never put statistics to it, but He said sometimes there can be a continuation in bodily form through several incarnations. So this is. the first big thing that always strikes me when I think about this subject is, how ancient it is, how terribly fttndamental it is, how rooted in the very, very basic framework of our being; all this business about reproduction, desire, emotions. So it’s no wonder. when finally we’re in the final stages of getting rid of sanskaras and starting to knock on the pearly gates that we still have an awful lot of trouble involved. And we have both sides of the picture. we have both. the fertilizer and we have the fertilized carrier.

This is in all ofour natures, it’s stored back there. You know what Baba says. about these impressions, experiences, that they are stored in the mental body. The important thing about that, as you may remember, is that He makes it very clear that when a drop souldrops the physical body, it does not drop any of the subtle body or associations, nor the mental body or associations. So if all of this is stored in the mental body, itjust goes on ad-infinitum, on and on and on.

[A participant shares that she had been told in India that people usually switch gender every lifetime, except occasionally that’s not true.]

Don: Well, perhaps my reading is wrong. I had the impression that, yes, frequently it was from lifetime to lifetime, but I’ve also had very much the impression that lots of times it goes on and on and on in the same type of form, not just sex, but other experiences as well. In other words if it’s the time for you to get an awful lot of ugliness out of your system you can go on being just “pug-ugly” for lifetimes and lifetimes before you switch... This isjust my impression. Baba did not comment to me on this. I must be clear on that. What I have learned has come mostly, on this particular subject, from the Discourses and God Speaks, and part two ofListen, Humanity. I don’t think there is a hard rule, as every lifetime back and forth, except for once in a while.

I think it depends. what is accumulated and how difficult it’s going to be to express the sanskaras that have been accumulated in one or two lifetimes of being the same sex, and it may take several lifetimes for the . .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

power, the energy factor, to be expressed in a bodily form.

Participant: It’s probably very mdividual.

Don: I think it is. And I think it also changes from one phase of the drop soul’s ongoing to another phase. Maybe this is too much freewheeling on my part. If it is, I apologize for it. Just giving you my impression...

Participant: Well, I think this is rather pivotal to the point that we are looking at tonight. It was my impression that it could be either. It would either go from male to female or vice versa, or, it could stay in one sex for many lifetimes, which brings then the problem of homosexuality because if you had, say, many male lifetimes and then you’re switching to a female lifetime, it doesn’t feel very comfortable. And so then you have more of a transition...

Don: The habit-of-a-habit is pretty deeply ingrained...

Participant: So it is harder to make a complete switch, and you can have a lifetime that’s sort ofin between.

Don: Yep, this is also quoted. I certainly can’t point out chapter and verse, but it has always made great sense to me.

¶JLsychic EBaffier Don: Well, here let’s go to what Meher Baba Himselfhas put it in print, because He has said something very specific about this.

He points out that we have had many incar nations in male form, and many incarnations in female form. And we are not going to argue whether they always go in the same number and sequence or not. But the fact is that everybody sitting in this room has had umpteen thousand male forms and umpteen thousand female forms. We’ve got all of these stored in our mental bodies, and then Meher Baba makes a very, very significant statement. He says normally when one is in. male form, then normally the female experiences, or sanskaras, or energy drives, are suppressed during the lifetime in the male form. In other words there is a natural, what I would call a. [Stevens terminology, not Baba’s,] a “psychic barrier” in the mental body, which holds these, upbehind, sdrt of, the dam. And there is no barrier in front of the ones of the opposite sex. Z the sex that corresponds to our body. They flow freely.

The whole point is that that barrier, appar ently, is not a hundred percent foolproof in everybody’s case. And even somebody who has never had an experience of this or that or another thing, the repression mechanism . .

. .

. .

has functioned perfectly for donkeys-years, and all of a sudden, they have a dream and five days later. the situation happens. So very, very strange things very unexpectedly can happen when the barrier develops sort of... a hole in the protective barrier. And very unusual things, sometimes very distressing things begin to happen. . .

. .

Weakened 13affier 3unction So, is this perhaps the type of thing we are dealing with when we have all of this enormous mass of highly energized, activated things sitting around our mental body’s storage. normally behind the barrier, they don’t express themselves. Then all ofa sudden, in some situation, bang, out they come! And maybe that hole stays there for the rest of the person’s life. I have known people who, when they start having one psychic experience, they go on having them indefinitely, continually. So you might say that the hole becomes permanent.

I hope we’ve built up some of the background to see, first of all, positive-wise and energy-wise, there’s a huge mass that is involved in the sexual problem. And, sec ondly, that we ourselves are the container, and Baba Himself, tells us this. We contain the seeds of potential trouble if something goes wrong in the normal barrier function that Baba says normally represses the ones that do not correspond to the body form that one has at this particular time. It gets into a complication, and they are highly powerful and energized at that point. . .

. . .

7urinng

to Ei3ttha

So I thinkwhatwe need to do now is start getting into how Baba fitted into all of this.

What do we know from Baba Himself? And there I would just like to open up the floor immediately, because a number ofyou have hair almost as gray as mine, and so many of you have been around during Baba’s time and perhaps have been with Him, or His Mandall who have been closely associated with Him for years. We are trying to pool our knowledge ofBaba. the individual we trust totally, to see what He had to say, what He may have given to us as a heritage in this very complex subject...

The important thing, and this is crystal clear from everything we get from Baba, regardless, every drop soul before he gets back to home, to his own Godhood, is going to exhaust all of the sex drive; all the male experiences he has had, and all ofthe female experiences.The tricks ofthe trade, how you get there are manifold, and arguments are . .

47

infinite; but nevertheless, this is the end of the game, and that is what has to be done.

We have to be realistic about it.

Participant: [discusses that in the Dis courses, marriage is offered as a way to help put sex on a back burner] Don: That it could be “de-fanged” gradu ally, in the institution of marriage. This is a terribly important point, and I’ve got a suspicion that Baba is giving us one or two more important tools here, along the line. I think He is beginning to take pity on us in that terribly, terribly tough bout, especially in the final stages that I see so many people going through.

Ei3aha9ives 2’Iew .}lrcltctype Don: I think it is about time for me to start weaving in some of my own observa tions here.

The first time, I think, that I was ever around Baba was the first time that I was ever touched by the Master Himself, and it wasjust a very, very warm, pleasant embrace.

I thought—well, this is lovely. And over the course of the years, because of the fact that Baba kept giving me all these editing things to do, He gave me the privilege every time I was anywhere in “shooting distance” of India, to come and see Him, and talk over the things that were going on, and the problems involved. So every time that I arrived, I had the right to the Avatar’s embrace. And it was a warm embrace, and it would be this way one time, another time a kiss on the side of the cheek thrown in; another time on the side of the neck thrown in; another time it would be just a very, very pleasant holding ofthe hand for some period oftime.This is not meant to brag, but I just say that I had an inventory that I think is almost unique, because I don’t know anybody who was in and out so many times and always had the right ofphysical contact with the Avatar. He gave it generously. So, over a period of time, I began to thinkback... And then I began to think, well, yes, when I think ofit, that He certainly was doing something very delib erately and very importantly with this. And I began to think of how many times I had been around Baba, when my activities with Him on the editorial side were interrupted, and He would go off somewhere and greet a hundred people He hadn’t seen for some months or so; and almost every single time He would line up the people. go down the line embracing them warmly, sometimes chucking them under the chin, and so on, they were not just little warm gestures.

And I began to think. the Avatar has an 48 .

. .

. .

.

extraordinarily warm nature, and I suspect that He is laying down a form, somewhere or another, to help us, let’s say. to sublimate some ofthe sexual energy. I think this is the best term for it, within certain well-defined boundaries. He’s putting up, what I think the Jungians call an archetype to help us...

Remember what He said when He came out ofthe New Life—I have lived the New Life. I have put the form down and it will continue even ifthere is not a human being left to live it. That is a description of a very powerftil psychic form, isn’t it? . .

.

7;actztcil Sublimation

And here is one thing in my own personal experience I have begun to think more and more very deliberately, He wasgiving us an example ofguidelines thaiperhaps can express, and also allow to escape in a much less painful fashion, an awful lot ofthisphysical sex drive energy. Another aspect of this particular beginning idea came up when I had done something that Eruch had thought was a little bit brave ofStevens to have done. And he said to me, “Don, for that I’m going to tell you the full story of the New Life with Meher Baba.” When I came back the next time, he had written notes that took almost two solid days for him to discuss, and I tape recorded, which became [the book] Thles from theNewL/è withMeherBaba. But not only Eruch. he had gotten the women Mandali into it also, and they spent hours, and we spent a half a day recording their parts of it. At the end of all this, he looks triumphantly at me and says, “Don, how do you feel about the New Life?” He had spent all ofthis time—Eruch was a busy person—I was really touched, but also he had told me many of the adventures, the hardships, the crises they went through; so I said, “Eruch, it’s just a fantastic story that you have told me of the New Life, but you know Eruch, the thing that I can not understand is how did you Mandali have the courage, and the strength to live through all these crises for that long period oftime and notjust toss in the sponge?” This was the thing that flabbergasted me more than anything else. I’ve never seen Eruch look as crushed as he did when I said that to him.

He said, “Don, then I’ve failed you.” To hear Eruch say that cut my heart out. I knew how much time and energy he had put into it, to give me this great reward, and I say, “I just don’t know how you stood it all.” So I said, “I’m just terribly sorry I didn’t mean it that way,” and he said, “No, no, Don, I re ally have failed you, and what I have really . . .

. .

failed to do is to convey to you the essence of the New Life, and that was the wonder, the glory of companionship with Baba.” Com panionshi with Baba. And I thought—good heavenly days, this is the central pillar of the New Life for these Mandali, and several of them have expressed almost exactly the same thing to me. And Eruch put it so terribly clearly, and almost in desperation: “You cannot imagine the glory of being with the Avatar, on the same plane as He is, and sharing in the wonder of His companionship.”

Oh boy, that touched me. So here I am thinking—I wonder if Baba is laying out an enormous depth of new value in just sheer human companionship. And is this then somewhere or other tied into maybe something that is going to make these later stages of trying to bring, let’s say, “sex drive” and you know, just being crucified by things going wrong, that I had listened to so many times. Is it possible? So this is something that fascinates me and I think from everything that I’ve seen the last two or three years, since it began hitting me over the head, that He has done something that we will find is terribly real, and I’m sure that people will find is an enormous help, on this particular aspect of the return to God, to Reality Ijust pass it on to you.This is simply a Stevens’ extrapolation and personal ob servation from things that I have seen and experienced with Baba. As I look back over Don Stevens, over the course of twenty-five years, ofbeing in contact with Meher Baba, and I look back and think about my own sexual drive and things of that sort (and in a second I’ll go more into my own personal aspect of the moment, I’ll tell you a little personal history). But as I look back over it, I can say. I can certainly see in myself an enormous, unconscious shift that I was not even aware of. And now when I go back and. try to imagine doing this or that, or being attracted by this or that. No. It’s in a totally different field nowadays. So I’m not just talking through my hat. I’m talking about things that I’ve experienced over a course of time in relation to Baba, putting two and two together and making observa tions, and look what happens. And Eruch giving me such a magnificent key to the great emotional factor in reality and in the New Life. It’s important. .1 call it tactual sublimation. This is my theoretical terminol ogy for it, myself. And I’m certainly going to look to what goes on in this field for the rest ofmy life with great interest. I call it to your attention. Suggest you do too. . .

. .

. .

Obseruing :Btiba Dii JJI4yrtle 73each Now what I wanted to do is go back into looking over my own experience of seeing Baba handle individuals who were openly gay and publicly well known. That goes back into 1956, when Baba came out here in Myrtle Beach. My first experience was, almost immediately, I was put into a room with two or three ofMargaret Craske’s male dancers. Several ofthem, as you well kno never made any bones about their sexual inclinations. The first thing I noticed was that they were some of the most delightflil, expressive, and creative people I had ever been around in my life! I thought this was just absolutely wonderful. The second thing, because it was so terribly obvious and I hadn’t known before that, was that I was just sort of dunked into the middle of an experience and found out how very obvious their leanings were. So I looked with a little bit of interest, wondering how Baba feels about all of this, because I had read enough of the Discourses to know there might be “thunderation” [Don slang] on such a .situation. Well, as a matter of fact, I just had to say to myself I could never see the slightest, the slightest hint of condemnation or difference ofemotionallybased treatment.

The only thing that I could say, I really had noted, was that He was especially tender and warm to these kids, especially so. He would single them out to help carry His chair. You’ve seen the scene of them going down to the beach. and almost always there were several of the dancers who were involved there. And He would take special occasions to come up and pinch their cheek, and do nice, warm, friendly, human things; condemnation? Not at all.

I remember also that some people who were little children at that point were Baba’s special pets and He loved them and He would cuddle them and chuck them under the chin, and so on; and one or two of those grew up to be either homosexual or lesbian and maintained the deepest, deepest trusting relationship with Baba, and have been around Baba, even in India. It wasn’t a particular show that was put on in Myrtle Beach, especially for them. It continued straight along. So all this I observed, myself. . .

.

.

. .

. .

73aba .Accepts Don 7otally But then when I became a Sufi, and the Sufis came under Meher Baba. .1 went to New York and met Baba in ‘52. The stunning thing that I have told you all many, .

many times. was to realize in the first half a minute of being in front of Baba, for the first time in my life, that He knew me better than Iknew myse’f and the second thing was that He accepted me totally, in a fashion that I couldn’t even accept myself. Not because I was ashamed of an episode that had oc curred; but that I felt so many things about my nature were crummy, or wormy, or so on and to find that another human being existed that I knew instinctively did not regard me that way, itjust absolutely stunned me. And of course, it was the most important thing that ever happened in my life: to find that total acceptance; total, totallove. I knew instinctively that He knew about this particu lar episode with my older male friend and I didn’t even think there was any necessity to tell Baba about it. I just knew He knew it, and that His acceptance was total and included that. And so things went along in that particular area.

Participant: Did you take him to be God at that moment, or in that time frame?

Don: I didn’t care whether He was God or the Avatar or not. He was total realityfor me. I didn’t give a hoot in Hades what He was. I even got annoyed with people who would bring up all the things: He’s got to be the Avatar and this is terribly important. He was even more important than the Avatar to me, quite frankly—just to be blunt. Well, anyway, here was Baba, and here was Don. And I knew He knew every single thing about me. He made no effort to discuss anything about where my sex life was, or anything of the sort. And that went on for a period of several years while I tried to un tangle that particular knotted string in my life. And boy it was a toughie because I think I’m a fairly honest person with myself or try to be; and so I knew what I would have to be when I finally freed myselfinside, and it was a hell ofajob.

Participant: You were saying you were getting untangled from something. It’s not quite clear what you were trying to get untangled from.

Don: I wasn’t clear. That’s why it was so hellishly difficult.

Participant: But untangled from someone? Untangled from your homosexuality?

Untangled...

Don: I wanted to find freedom of expres sion within myself, and a feeling of basic honesty and comfort inside ofrnyself whatever it turned out to be. If a homosexual life for a whole life, okay, but I wanted to know that for me, internally, it was right and I felt right and good within it. I had not been . .

. . .

able to get anywhere close and .ifit meant becoming heterosexual totally, or bisexual, I was willing to do anything, but I wanted to feel inside ofmyselfthat it was right for me internally and that I was doing an honest job with myself and with Baba. Because I knew He knew every step of the way what was going on...

Participant: He wanted you to get that clear in yourself so that you could be free to express your inner nature.

Don: Well, this is what I knewwas neces sary inside myself and I knew Baba knew what was necessary. And if anything, He was egging me on to get on with it. But He did not want me to get on with it at a price which undermined my physical makeup.

I’ve seen Him again and again suddenly call on a person, and quiz them thoroughly about what they were doing because their physical makeup looked so lousy to Him. He would stop a whole big session ofpeople He was greeting and look at a person and say, “What’s happened to you?” He’d go into their diet, and the work they were doing, what the economy ofthe family was at that point, in order to get to the bottom of that person. Because it was pretty clear, again and again and again, Baba simply felt ifyou don’t take care of your body and take care of the vehicle by which the spiritual progress can learn any of this, you’ve got nowhere; you’ll kill yourself, and then you’d simply slow the whole process for another incarnation...

Participant: In other words, you’re saying if you make a decision, or. whatever decision you make starts to undermine your health, you can say...

Don: He didn’t say, “Never be a homosexual.” He didn’t say, “Never be a heterosexual.”

He didn’t say, “Never be etc. etc.”...

Participant: .You were able to live with your homosexuality now without conflict?

Don: I don’t know what to callwhat. You know, as far as I am concerned, I love people.

I don’t know. Is that bisexuality? I don’t know whether it is or not.

Participant: Do you think that this current thing that’s happening in America right now, with the discussion of same sex marriages, is kind ofperhaps a blessing from Baba because He said that sexual expres sion should only happen in the incidences of marriage?

Don: I don’t know that He said it should only happen. He says in marriage there is a chance to resolve the desire which has to be eliminated finally from our natures. . .

. .

. . .

. .

. . .

49

one Last &ory Don: Can I tell you one last crazy little story? Our family has always had, since I was a kid, a very, very wonderfiui friend who was one ofCarlJung’s earliest students, and one ofhis most famous and successful ones. And when I was doing my thought experiments, I said, “Well, Dr. Whitney, I’m in over my head in dangerous water and please, now, take me on as a patient during the time that I do these experiments.” So, she did. And, incidentally, we’d talk about this and that, and so on. And I remember one day she said, “Don, incidentally, in relation to love rela tionships and so on, I must tell you about an awfrilly interesting fellow who had a sexual compulsion. He was never satisfied; he’d have a fresh girl every night and at the end of the evening. he was just as dissatisfied as when the evening started. he became so desperate that he came to me as a qualified analyst to help him get through this. You know. I just suddenly had an instinct.”

She said to him “Look, have you ever tried, when you pick up the girl, to invite her to have a cup of coffee, and then just have a cup of coffee with her and chat?” And of course he thought she was nuts to even suggest such a thing. But apparently this suggestion stuck in his mind; and so, three or four days later she said, he came back and he said, “Dr. Whitney, oddly enough when I saw this absolutely stunning girl, all of a sudden I remembered your suggestion to me. It slayed me to think of not taking her home, but simply to invite her for a cup of coffee, but I did. And do you know, this is the first time that I have ever felt a deep sense of satisfaction?” Isn’t that incredible!

That really touched me deeply.

Laurent: What a great way to end!

Don: I think that is a perfect way to end. Now, can we please have this lovely prayer that Baba wrote, the Prayer of Repentance. Incidentally, I don’t regard this as a prayer for repenting for anything that I ever did on a homosexual side, but simply the Prayer of Repentance. Jai Baba and thank you all.

LJenny, am one ofthose who hadbeen waitingyearsfor thisforum, and I left that night freling very satifiecL Thank You, BelovedBaba for making it ailpossible and thankyou, Don, for all thatyou shared during thisforum. It is a gft so many ofus appreciate.

Obedience 7o EBaba—2iow 7o Accornp1isk Dt A1lan

Cohen, Washington ‘DC and 7frIeJter Baba

T

he question of obedience to Meher Baba became more subtle after He left His physical body. The value of individualized advice from Baba is clear; He knew infinitely well exactly what experiences lovers needed in order to progress most quickly. He knew precisely

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

so

how to expose weaknesses and nurture strengths. Obedience gave the Mastersurgeon the best opportunity to cut out the ego.

Most Baba lovers who received specific instructions from Baba before January 1969 feel those orders are still applicable.

But how can new followers obey Him without being sure ofHis special wishes for them? One source of guidance is found in Baba’s comprehensive written and recorded messages. By submerging themselves in this material, new disciples can obtain a basic grounding in Baba’s general wishes for His lovers. Then aspirants can apply the general spiritual principles to specific situations in their lives.

A second, perhaps more important approach to obedience involves the faculty of intuition, the voice of enlightened conscience. Intuition for obedience is stimulated by such questions as, “What

would most please Baba in this situation?” and, “How would Baba wish me to act?”

Cultivating an inner sense demands maximum sincerity and self-honesty.

Aspirants should not expect Baba to provide direction by audible voices or external signs.

More likely, He will respond through one’s own intuition and discrimination, almost as an inner gyroscope. Actually, Baba set a precedent for new seekers in the last few years of His physical life. He began to answer questions from His lovers in very general ways, telling them to do what they felt in their hearts, and stressing that He would be with them in their decisionmaking process.

Assuming the aspirant is sincere, a trialand-error process can mature his ability to intuit the specific guidance Baba might give if He were physically present: Neither praise nor blame should distract you from the path ofyour duty. Leave aside all other considerations; ifyour conscience tells you that you have discharged the duty properly, that is enough. Your conscience is the best judge. It is human to err, and there must be mistakes, you can only do your best.(1) As summarized by one of Baba’s close Mandali, “When you read Baba’s literature, when you read His discourses, you understand what type of life Baba would like you to lead. So you lead that type of life; satisfy your conscience also.

That is the best form of obeying.”(2) (1) Quoted in The GodMan, Purdom p. 72 ( 2) Sarosh Irani, transcript of interview, May 1972 From The Mastery ofConsciousness by Allan Y. Cohen, as given by Meher Baba, ©1977

by Ira G. Deitrick and ©1977 by Adi K. Irani for selected quotations from Meher Baba, Published by Harper Colophon Books, 1977 Editorc note: This invaluable book has been out ofprintfor many years now. I hearfrom so many Baba lovers that this was the first spiritual book they read and how it started them on the Path with a lovefor Meher Baba.

Mi Cohen tells me the wheels are turningfor a re-print. Letc hope they turn quickly!

iInnounccmeiits J4’teherctbad )3oung .,.u1dult &thctvas

Robert Cen Wins Obie }1wctrd

“Sahavas is the intimacy ofgive andtake of love..Drink deep at thisfountain oflove, but do not lose consciousness!

Ifyou can but taste even a drop ofthis love, what a wonderful experience it will be!”

obert Een has received a 2004 Obie ward for his original music score for “Hiroshima Maiden”, which premiered at St. Ann’s Warehouse in January, 2004. The theater/puppet piece was concieved and directed by Dan Hurlin.

The Obie Awards, in their 49th year, are given annually by the Village Voice for excellence in Off-Broadway theater productions.

Only one award for music was given this year. [ Bob Een, Los Angeles Baba lover, has achieved international fame and we are so appreciative when he plays for us at Meherabode. He has a CD available from the Bookstore Your Ljft is Not Your Own $12]

—Meher Baba

Jai Meher Baba!

II young adult Baba lovers are invited to participate in the 2004 Young Adult Sahavas held at Meherabad, India.

Date: 2nd August to 9th August 2004.

Please note the date has changed from [ previous years & the change in e-mail address.]

Who: Young adults from around the world between the ages of 19 to 30.

What: The Sahavas is a gathering for young people to join together in their love for Meher Baba while in His home at Meherabad.

Program: The events that will take place include talks by guest speakers, visits to Meherazad, music and art programs, discussions on Meher Baba’s life and teachings, service projects, sports and much more.

We are happy to announce that on the Avatar Meher Baba Trust’s web site you can read more information, download forms to e-mail or mail, and see photos of previous Sahavases. Please visit http: //www.avatarmeherbaba.com/events/ sahavas.php For more information or to receive an application form, please write to: Meherabad Young Adult Sahavas Avatar Meher Baba P.P.C. Trust King’s Road, Post Bag #31 Ahmednagar, M.S., 414001 INDIA Email: mbyas@ambppct.org http://www.avatarmeherbaba.com/ events/sahavas.php

A

..

.

_;

:

J44eher i3cthct Chooses }alerie Razutis!

7 alerie’s name was pulled out of the box as the winner in our annual Fly to Myrtle Beach Sweepstakes. Thank you so much to everyone who helps support our Center in this (or indeed any other) way.

-

.

“The Master” Watercolor mosaic by Deborah Ashe

Los J1ngeles .J1rtist Deborcth J1she’s /1rtwork 7:0 ‘i3e Displayed At The ilgrim JRetreat 2 JI4eher . ed Judson, architect and art curator for Meher Baba’s new Pilgrim Centre in India, has accepted Deborah Ashe’s watercolor mosaic “The Master” to hang in the new Pilgrim Retreat.

T

.7Karen Lynn Sterkin aren Lynn Sterkin tells us she has ade some CDs and would like you to go to her website to sample them. www. meherkaren.com White Flowing Sadra

A collection oforiginal love songs to Meher Baba inspired by Irish, French, North Indian Classical, Persian and Pakistani ghazals, New Zealand, Scottish, Russian, and other international compos ers and singers. Karen’s songs are accom panied by bansuri flute, guitar, piano, tabla, and tanpoura.

Ghazals ofFrancis

Karen sings Francis Brabazon’s lyrics to classical ragas, Gaelic aires, and gypsy melodies accompanied by bansuri flute, tabla, tanpoura, guitar, and keyboard. Francis said, “The ghazal form has not existed in English before.”

Karen Lynn Sterkin presents spirituals, international multi-cultural folk songs, bha jans, ghazals, devotional Sufi poetry, thumri and light classical in English. Her love songs presented in English share the love and joy ofthe Divine in devotional songs to a Westem audience and give more exposure to the great saints and masters: Meher Baba, Saints Mira, Kabir,Tulsidas,Tsoordas, the Sufi po ets (Haflz, Rumi, Ghalib), Tibetan, Middle Eastern, Persian, and other poet saints.

Leslie Baer-Carrington writes: “Karen’s music is so wonderftil. It is the only music I have been listening to. It really transmits the presence of Baba’s love and grace, with a West/Eastern punch, flare, and dance to it. You will really love them.”

J4”Ieher i3aba Dsrciel Site 2qow Online eher Baba Israel site is dedicated to portray the actions of beloved Baba in Israel, the stories of those who participated in this; general information concerning publications of Baba works and other projects; and some informa tion concerning the people who run this site. It will contain also a large gallery of photographs. It is under construction right now, but come visit us and watch us grow. http://meherbabaisrael.org.il/

M

SI

cA’kltei Eaba’s A1ost 3mportnt £cidies Don C. Stevens, 3rance day I will trace back for my own curiosity the exact lineage of Mehera Irani. For now she is one of that maze of persons named Irani, a number of whom were actually close relatives of Meher Baba.

It was all too much for me when I first met most of them, and still is.

It was only a very short time ago that I found out for instance that one of the most beloved of Baba’s Mandali, Pendu Irani and Naja Irani, who made the world’s greatest herb om elets, were actually brother and sister as well as first cousins of Meher Baba. (‘Pendu’ because his head waggled like the pendu lum on a clock as he did the early morning meditation.

Pendu would be standing in order not to fall asleep, but he swayed, so Baba called him “Pendulum,” then shortened this to Pendu.)

I had known them for years, and yet these little facts had never pierced through my skull.

But being around Baba was like that. The focus ofone’s attention was always inevitably on Baba, and the universe about one could fold and collapse and form again while one rested in oblivion. Hejust commanded that attention. There was no way to concentrate on anything but the top priority. However, let us return to Mehera Irani.

Ifit were possible for Meher Baba to ex perience competition within the hearts of humanit it would be due to the grace and beauty of this, his closest woman disciple.

There is a tradition that the Avatar always has his close woman consort. Mehera is compared to the traditions ofJesus’ Mary, Krishna’s Radha, Ram’s Sita and others of legendary qualities. Certainly it would be very difficult to imagine a woman more attractive than Mehera Irani. Further, her devotion to Baba was total, and Baba’s love

Qne

54

for his Mehera was unmatched. Long after Baba’s dropping of the body, Mehera continued in life to fascinate those who had the unmatched privilege to contact her.

While during Baba’s lifetime she was guarded from any contact and, almost without exception, from any view by males other than Baba himself, at the end of Baba’s life in the physical body she began to be allowed to see and be seen by selected men close to Baba. She was often referred to as one of the Four “Perfect” Women.

J ust what this was all about is another of the seemingly endless riddles associated with Baba’s life. One part of the riddle, though, is not difficult to interpret. To have met these four perfect ones was to have a supreme experience of individuals of such grace and warmth as to lend new meaning to the word “perfect.”

Mani, Baba’s sister was adorable. There

is no other term that describes her physical appearance and her actions. Petite, smiling (her eyes could flash anger, though, like her brother’s), highly intelligent, with the center of her life focused on Meher Baba.

I had the lovely ex perience oflong years of close contact with her, when she would often appear around the corner ofMandali Hall and the shelter for the blue bus with a message or often even a gift. Once when I arrived in November she had a large manila envelope in her hands containing, I immedi ately supposed, some manuscript that Baba intended for some literary project. But then why were her eyes dancing like a little girl’s about to go on a picnic?

“This is a present from Baba. It is the sadhra he was wearing on your birthday, January 14. He gave it to Mehera to give to you on your next visit.”

Dear Mani, you have joined your big brother now, but what a treasure trove of memories you have left—of fun, of serious questions while editing so many of Baba’s words, of scenarios for motion pictures of Baba that you and Mehera egged Him into enduring as the hero-actor when I arrived camera in hand. (I detest photography, but it brought whole hours ofmy most treasured experiences ofBaba with Mani.)

It was Mani who shouldered the respon sibility, when Baba left His physical form, of presiding over the Avatar Meher Baba Trust—an arduous, demandingjob that she fulffled with great competency, balance and delightful admixtures of humor.

Meher Baba The Awakener ofihe Age by Don E. Stevens ©1999 by D. E. Stevens

WORLDWIDE MEHER BABA MEETINGS

T

he following is information about the various Baba groups around the country and a few from overseas. If your local data is not included please send it to me and should things change from the published details, please let me know that before the next issue’s deadline.

—Dma

MONTANA

Andy Shott, phone: 406-549-5949 336 Connell, Missoula, MT 59801 NEW YORK

Meher Baba House Angela and George Chen 124 Pondfield RoadWest, Bronxville, NY 10708 e-mail: info@MeherBabaHouse.org www.MeherBabaHouse.org

UNITED STATES ARIZONA

NORTH CAROLINA

Irma Sheppard, phone: 520-321-1566 3562 East Third Street, Tucson, AZ 85716 e-mail: ihs22@theriver.com

Winnie Barrett 22 Chunns View Drive, Asheville, NC 28805 e-mail: winkiebai@mac.com Sheldon Herman, phone: 336-288-8090 or 336-235-2730, 2405 Kery Drive, Greensboro, NC 27408, e-mail: bikewalla@gbronline.com Peter and Debbie Nordeen 5 Fern Street, Ashe ville, NC 28803 e-mail: nordeens@msn.com

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (EL CERRIT0)

Call for information regarding meeting times and related information: 510-845-4339 or Ben Leet at 510-351-8259 e-mail: Benleet@earthlink.net The Northern California Avatar Meher Baba Center is located at 6923 Stockton St., El Cerrito, CA 94530-293 1 www.MeherBabaMeherBaba.org

TEXAS

Chris &Anne Barker, phone: 936-560-2631 3101 Skyline Drive, Nacogdoches,TX 75965 e-mail: rockbl@yahoo.com

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (SACRAM ENTO)

Meetings first Friday of the month at 7 p.m.

Marilyn Buehler 916-812-9496 e-mail: premsay@sbcglobal.net wwwpremsay.com/MeherBaba SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

NY HAWAII (M0LAKAI)

Shirley Alapa at “Meher Dham” Phone: 808-567-6074 or 808-567-6383 Fax: 808-567-6363 Message: 808-567-6363 e-mail: salapa@aloha.net 69K Farrington Ave., Hoolehua, HI 96729 mail: P.O. Box 177 Kualapuu, Hawaii 96757

(Los ANGELES)

Meetings are Saturday evenings 7-9 p.m. held in our center”Meherabode,” phone: 323-731-3737, 1214 South Van Ness Ave., Los Angeles, CA 9001 9 (JustEast ofthe intersection ofArlington and 12th Streej,) The Avatar Meher Baba Center of Los Angeles now has its own web site at wwwMeherabode.org to bring the local news, programs, activities and announcements to the Baba community and the public.

COLORADO

Meetings Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. at various homes in the Denver-Metro area. (Also the contact p ersonfor Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, andArizona.,) Barbara A. Roberts, Phone: 303-238-4649 3475 Moore Court, Wheat Ridge, CO 800335543 (suburb of Denver) e-mail: babara@fone.net FLORIDA (TAMPA BAY)

Jane Paladino, Tampa, FL, (813) 962-8629 Tom Decker, M.D., Clearwater, FL 727-536-9282 HAWAII (MAUI)

Meredith Moon Phone: 808-573-1188 or 808-572-6556 Fax: 808-573-1189 e-mail: mm@dreamcircle.org 1940 Olinda Road or P0 Box 1269 for mail Makawao, Maui, HA 96768 USA

MAINE

Group meets once a month on the third Sunday.

We take turns hosting the gathering. It’s always at 1 p.m. with potluck first and then meeting.

Connie and Doug Leavitt, work: 207-594-0909 home: 207-594-1968 evenings and weekends.

P0 Box 125, Spruce Head, ME 04859 e-mail: publisher@sevencoinpress.com or Noreen O’Brien, phone: 207-354-7005 P.O. Box 42, Rockland, ME O4841ompoint@yahoo.com or Ken Lux, phone: 207-594-6391 P.O. Box 108, Rockland, ME 04841 e-mail: kenlux@aol.com NEW HAMPSHIRE

Call for info: Liz Miller at 603-749-3668 e-mail: mceliz2001@yahoo.com MAS5AcH USETTS

Meher Baba Information Center (Cambridge) Michael Siegel 617-864-3997 or Linda Porelle e-mail: lpgp@verizon.net NEW MEXICO

Robert Reser and Edle Andersen Meetings are held the last Thursday of the month at 7 :00pm in our home 1921 Fort Union Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505 Phone 505983-662 1 robertreser@yahoo.com

NJ

PENNSYLVANIA

(Tm-STATE AREA)

Philadelphia and surrounding tn-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Bi-weekly meetings on Saturdays at 4 p.m.

Frank Bloise, phone: 856-696-4374, 431 West Garden Road, Vineland, NJ 08360 e-mail: fbloise@earthlink.net WASHINGTON, D.C. Pamela Butler-Stone, phone 310-946-0236 Friday and Saturday Meetings. www.lifeimages.com/MeherBaba

INTERNATIONAL ISRAEL

Michal Sivan, phone/fax: 02671-5835 46 Hebron Road, Jerusalem, Israel 93513 e-mail: myb@netvision.net.il MEXICO

Rafael Villafane Phone from US: 01 152555295-0512 Cell from US: 01152555502-7225 E-mail is best as I travel alot: raal@royerlabs.com We have meetings about every month, in Mexico City at 7 p.m. No particular meeting day, people on the list are contacted prior to any meeting, e-mail addresses are preferred. I am also found in Cancun or Acapulco at times, so e-mail me if you will be in those areas.

55

flLMt4OPQR1 I5T0VTZ I 2 34567SO flEFGH1

S

ao p Q’ F? STLJVWXTZ

i2343&7890

fa nS •

YKLM 14c? PQ:R

157UV½kTZ i23434 ‘o a These whimsical cards arefrom thepen ofKendra &ossen Burroughs.

They are available in the Love Street Bookstore.

AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER or

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

1214 SOUTH VAN NESS AVENUE LOS ANGELES, CA 90019-3520

NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE

PAID LOS ANGELES, CA

Address Service Requested

PERMIT #3 I 394

1.11..

-

DATED

MATERIAL

PLEASE

EXPEDITE

!