Love Street Lamp Post 2nd Qtr 2000

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Baba’s Home in the West, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Tuesday, January 25, 2000

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Editor’s Page

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Jai Baba folks!

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Dma Snow

e1come to Spring! And hew wel come it Most parts of the United States had some very nasty weather this past winter. But some of it was very beautiful.

Dean Nordquist, a carpenter who is one of the caretakers at the Meher Spiritual Center in Myrtle Beach was in the right place at the right time and captured the beautiful photo on our cover. It is ofthe bridge across the lake, after a very unusual snow fall had coyered the Center with its beautiful mantle.

On page 17 you will find a photo of the Lagoon Cabin in the snow, also by Dean. Bal Natu sent us an article he had written on Baba’s Home in the West, and we felt this was a beautiful photo with which to illustrate Bat’s story.

We have put togetherfor you an ex tensive article on Amartithi, starting with January 3P t 1969. These days, a trip to India is not as far-fetched as it used to seem back in the ‘70s. More and more people are making the pilgrimage to the Samadhi, but for those who can’t, the cyber-age is making it possible for you to participate in a waythat would have been beyond imagination and conth, ception back in 1969! On January 30 Joe Stewart, manager of the Baba list serv posted this message: “I’ve just received late news from India that a groujofIndian Baba levers (MVRK Balaji) are planning to take live images ofthe Amartithi celebration and make them available to the west. The plan is to rush to Ahmednagar where communications are suitable and transfer the images to the AvatarMeherBaba.org web site. We will receive the files about 4:30 a.m. on January 31, EST. P11 quickly construct a web page which will be available at the following un: http://www.

AvatarMeherBaba.org/india/ A link will also be available from the http://www.AvatarMeherBaba.org home page. This is as close to live shots

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What Should We Do About That Moon?

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as possible given the communication infrastructure in India.”

What a world we live in! Possiblyi. coverage of the 2020 Amartithi will be beamed around the world and carried live on every network The LA Baba Center lost a very dear friend in January. Rocky Rogers passed quicklyinto the waiting arms ofthe Beloved. There were some very interesting happenings at his memorial (see page 18). Rocky had a great wit, but kept it close; to most people he seemed quiet and reserved, but with close friends he would cut loose. He even wrote his own ‘obituary’ two years before he died! While creating a new re sume for himself, he got to thinking what a resume for the Avatar would look like. The results are on page 21.

The email address for the Love Street Bookstore has for the past three years been Bababooksaol. coin. Time for a change AOLjust could not support the work needed to produce the LampPost. From now on, our address will be

Hafiz

A wine bottlefelifrom a wagon And broke open in a field.

That night one hundred beetles and all their cousins Gathered And did some serious binge drinking.

They evenfound some seed husks nearby And began to play them like drums and whirl.

This made God very happy.

Then the “night candle” rose into the sky And one drunk creature, laying down his instrument, Said to hisfriend —for no apparent Reason, “What should we do about that moon?”

Seems to Hafiz Most everyone has laid aside the music Tackling such profoundly useless Questions.

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From The Gift, Poems by Hafiz, Translations by Daniel Ladinsky, Copyright 1999 Daniel Ladins1q Published by the Penguin Group.

Bababook@pacbell.net since PacBell will only allow 8 letters, we had to drop the from books, so note carefully.

I am very happy to be able to say “Thank you so much” to the many people who have been kind enough to send in donations for another year of the Love Street LampPost. This is not a money-making venture we need your support in order to keep publishing.

I also say, “Thank you Baba” for al lowing me the joy of helping to create, along with our staff members, this magazine dedicated to our Beloved.

May it make Him, and you our readers, happy.

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£oveSfrectEamjthW

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A publication of the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California

£ove&reet LamjLPosr welcome Eruch Jessawalla

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Arnavaz Dadachanji

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James Cox

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Heather Nadel

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Bal Natu

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Dr. C. D. Deshmukh

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Gary Kleiner

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Baba’s Home in the West

Bal Natu

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Rocky Rogers Memorial

Lois Jones

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various contributors

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Irene Holt

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Bhau Kaichuri

32

Baily Irani

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Irene Holt and James Cox

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various contributors

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T.K. Ramanujam

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Dma Snow

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Announcements

various contributors

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From Meherabad

various contributors

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Dma Snow

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Bo Lozoff

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various contributors

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Annonymous

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Meher Baba’s Final Days

The £ove5trectEam1Posr is dedicated with love to Avatar Meher Baba. Its primary purpose is to contribute to a sense ofcommunity among all His lovers by providing a place for sharing His remembrance. All the members ofthe Baba family are invited to contribute to thisfrast ofLove.

Mehera’s Grief

Our Man in Meherabad AWorid Apart I Am Here Lord Buddha and Lord Meher Dancing with the Beloved

Your stories, photos, art work, poetry, letters, articles, and humor are all actively solicited. We seek expressions of Baba’s message ofLove and Truth.

Hot Offthe Presses

Please submit your text on computer disks if possible (in any software format); typewritten copy on white paper is also acceptable. Be sure to clearly identify all submissions and credit every quote or reference.

New Years Eve in Meherabad The Birth ofLord Meher Merwan’s Good Nature

submissions, subscriptions, donations:

Baba’s Birthday at Meherabad

Love Street LampPost Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California 1214 South Van Ness Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90019-3520 323-731-3737 or Bababook@pacbell.net

Baba’s Birthday at Meherabode Manzil-e-Meem

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deadlines:

Editor’s Page

for the January March issue: April June issue: July September issue: October December issue: -

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

The Love Street Bookstore Huma

Love Street Bookstore: Dma Snow (at the addresses above) 310-837-6419 between 7 and 11pm 310-839-BABA (2222) 24 hour fax

Poetry Page

Children’s Corner

Bababook@pacbell.net credits: editor: Dma Snow design and layout: Cherie Plumlee, Pris Haffenden, and Nancy Perham research assistant: Barbara Roberts digital preflight: Betty Lowman and Tom Hart distribution: Chris Lyttle cover: Dean S. Nordquist ih £oveSfteetCain;Lsr Is published q.’Jsii pril July and October contents © 196 Avatar Meher Baba Center of:h::Pb, J !

California / or books, of Avatar Meher Baba4 quotations Afl ‘:c’ : © AMBPPCT4d 5—, III .

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the individuals and organiza tions that own the copyrights to the Meher Baba pictures we have used throughout this issue to bring joy and love to the hearts of all Love Street LampPost readers. Photos ofthe Meher Spiritual Center used by kind permission of their Board of Directors.

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All words, images, and graphics in this publication are property of the copyright holders and/or the contributors. Messages and photos of Meher Baba © Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust, Ahmedna gar, India, and © Lawrence Reiter.

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Unauthorizedduplication isprohibitedby law.

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Meher Baba’s Final Days

by Eruch Jessawala

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January 27, 1969, Baba told me that although the doctors had recommended He should be moved to Poona, He would not go there until His customary time at the end ofMarch. However He was willing to permit Dr. Ginde to come and stay at Meherazad in order to check Him every day for the nasty spasms which were plaguing Him. The spasms lasted almost continuously for about sixteen hours on the following day leav ing Baba quite exhausted and restless. The sensation was like that of a very severe shock received by a person who accidentally touches a main, and it tookfour ofthe mandali to hold His body down in bed. Every jerk from a spasm almost broke Baba’s back, and any movement on His part, like raising His hands or fingers to tell us something, would result in a jerk that lifted the body from head to foot.

Baba even found breathing difficult. Dr. Goher who was attending to Baba around the clock, advised that Dr. Ginde should come prepared ifpossible, to operate in Baba’s room Wit were necessary. Dr. Grant who examined Baba’s nervous system, found everything normal ex cept that His reflexes had diminished.

On January 30, Baba announced that He wanted five disciples to be always-near Him, included among whom Padri and Chagan were specially mentioned.

The mandali began their watch throughout the day and that night, attempting with Baba’s encouragement, to press hard on His body to eliminate the spasms if possible, or else to hold His bodydown ifthe spasms came, in order to avoidjerks to His spinal cord that were causing Him severe pain in the back and shoulders. While we were pressing His body, we would first feel ripples passing under our hands and when they got stronger we knew He was going to have another massive spasm.

Accordingly, we tried to press harder but then the doctors advised that the pressure should be lighter, otherwise the jerks might damage the bones which had already been injured in Baba’s two car accidents in 1952 and 1956.

This attention to Baba kept us all on our toes, including ofcourse the women mandali.

Baba had reduced His food intake about two weeks previously and Mehera did her best to provide nourishment by sending Him things like fruit, juice, grated apple and so forth. At first He said that He did not want the grated apple but Mehera would send word back that

dIt is completed satisfaction. The result of this also be 100% and will manifest from the end of September.”

(Family Letter #78, 9th September 1968.)

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C?< Jan 31st 1969 <>6 The First Amartithi AVATAR MEHER BABA DROPPED HIS PHYSICAL BODY. ATTWELVE NOON 31JANUARY..

AT MEHERAZAD TO LIVE ETERNALLY IN THE HEARTS OF ALL HIS LOVERS STOP BE-.

LOVED BABA’S BODY WILL BE INTERRED AT MEHERABAD ARANGAON ON 1 FEBRUARY AT 10 A.M. IN THE TOMB HE HAD ORDERED TO BE BUILT LONG AGO. —Adi K. Irani Cable received on 1 Feb.1969 44a7

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He should have it, and after taking a spoonflil or two, Baba would offer the remainder to the mandali, much like prasad. However, since we felt that He needed the food, we would tell Him thatwe could not eat anything as we had just eaten pan, but that did not deceive Him. “Come on,” Baba would say amusingly, “you are all making excuses, saying that you have just eaten pan in order to avoid eating what I offer you.” Baba was very humorous up to the time He dropped His body.

Since the spasms did not lessen or disap pear, Padri suggested homeopathic medicine and Baba agreed to take some of his pills.

Chagan who was an ayurvedic specialist, rec ommended herbs which he said were very good for spasms. Baba wanted to know if they were reallygood and requested Chagan to read out their properties from his book, after which He would approve of certain ones and ask Chagan to administer them. So it was that Baba gave a chance to all the mandali mem bers to minister to Him. Somewhat earlier, Dr. Ram Ginde of Bombay who had sent word that he was pre pared to come and spend some days at Baba’s side, was informed that Baba would notify him, but meanwhile he should arrange his af fairs so that his patients were notleft stranded.

At the time, Dr. Ginde thought he would be free by February 15 and when this informa tion was given to Baba, He wondered whether he could not come sooner. Eventually Dr. Ginde was informed that Baba wanted him at Meherazad on January 3 1 and since he would be passing through Poona, we suggested he should see Dr. Grant whose last report would be helpfiil. Dr. Ginde thenleft Bombay in the early morning hours ofJanuary 31.

In Poona, Dr. Ginde was informed by Dr. Grant ofthe latest report on Baba’s condition, and after receiving this medical report over a hasty breakfast, Dr. Ginde left Poona imme diately for Ahmednagar.

Baba had only about two hours of sleep on the night ofJanuary3O due to the frequency of the spasms and the intense pain He was having in the small ofHis back, and He was pleased to learn that Dr. Ginde was coming to see Him by lunch time.

It was close to midday when Baba looked at the clock as ifto remind Padri that it would soon be time to give Him the last two homeopathic pills at noon and after taking them, Baba, reflecting His long-held opinion about homeopathic treatment, said to Padri, “What’s the matter with your drugs? Your homeopa thyis useless; it does no good.Throwthe bottle out!”We aillaughed andjoked about the matter. Meanwhile, Baba had not forgotten about Dr. Ginde andwhen an exchange oftelephone messages revealed that he had not yet arrived at Adi Sr.’s office in Ahmednagar, Baba said it was getting late and that another message should be sent to Adi Sr. telling him not to detain Dr. Ginde on arrival with tea or anything, but to send him on to Meherazad forthwith.

It was at fifteen minutes after noon when a fresh spasm took hold ofBaba as He rested in the reclining position to which His special bed had been set. As He was thus sitting with His head and back propped up, His frame shook with a final jerk. He flexed His arms, closed His mouth firmly, and all movement in the Beloved’s body came to a halt, indicat ing to all around Him that He had left us to embark upon that “unique and direct journey to the unbounded and indivisible ocean of divinity” I immediately opened His mouth and re sorted to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for a period ofabout thirtyminuteswhile Dr. Goher

gave several injections to help revive Him. But all our efforts in this desperate attempt to re store life into the One who gives and sustains all life, drew no response from the body on the bed, and I collapsed on the floor out of sheer exhaustion.

About thirty minutes later Dr. Ginde and Dr. Brieseman arrived from Ahmednagar carrying an oxygen cylinderwith them.They too made attempts to revive Baba, however, the heart had definitely stopped, the reflexes were gone and life was now extinct without a doubt.

In retrospect when Drs. Grant and Donkin togetherwith Meherjee visited Baba onjanu ary 30, He suffered a spasm but said that it was His crucifixion and that His time had come but that everything was all right and there was no need for Him to go to a Poona clinic as Dr. Grant was suggesting. In fact Baba even discussed His forthcoming darshan programme with Dr. Grant who reminded Baba that it would be a very strenuous affair for which He should first get strong. Once again Baba told the doctor not to worry, that He would indeed carry out the programme as planned, and invited him to see for himself from his house opposite to Guruprasad in Poona the site of the darshan programme exactly how He would give His darshan.

“It wdl be something unique,” said Baba. In connection with this, I might mention that previously Baba had told the mandali, “You will see My boys and My girls who will come with all love” in such waves that the great rush to Him willjust push the mandali aside. Baba was giving us hints that His stay among us was coming to an end but we never antici pated that He was going to drop His body even though, as we now look back on the dis cussions He held with us about His darshan programme, the hints were not so veiled.

We who were responsible for and knew what was involved in any darshan programme, were worried whether Baba would physically be able to bear the strain, but to Baba, the darshan He had in mind, was nothing for us to be alarmed about. “Don’t you all worry about that;” He said, “giving my darshan this time will be veryeasy.”And turning to Francis, Baba inquired, “Francis, will it be all right if I give darshan in a reclining position?”

“Why, have Your way, Baba,” Francis answered.

“But what will Mylovers think. Will they ask why is it that Baba is just lying like that?” persisted Baba who again stressed, “I will be rechmng when I give darshan.”

At the time we thought that this reclining position Babawas talking aboutwould be due —

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to the fact that He would be incapacitated by fever or some other symptom, just as we earlier thought that when He said His time had come, He was referring to the great days of the forthcoming darshan when His lovers would be coming with all love. We never realized then that it was all hinting at something deeper.

Anyway the more we thought about the darshan programme and Baba stressing a re dining position, the more we wondered about what it would impose on Him in the way of a handicap to His gestures and certainly of course to His facial expressions which always spoke so eloquently.

But Baba was prepared for this too.

“What will be the harm ff1 give darshan in complete silence?” He asked, supplying us with yet a flirther glimpse ofevents to come.

So we said, “All right,let itbeYourway Baba.”

Even then Baba did not drop the matter.

“They will feel let down about it, won’t they?” Baba continued, but even though we assured Him thatwould not be the case, I still felt His body could not stand the strain of a programme which would most certainly stretch to four hours in the morning and another four hours in the afternoon, and I was afraid. When I expressed this feeling to Baba, He told me not to worry and at another time He rebuked me saying, “Don’t talk about the darshan to Me. It will be very easyfor Iwillbe very strong. Go and attend to other work!”

And then He told us, “The time to worry is now when I am very weak and you have to take care of Me. I might be well, by, say, March, to meet the crowd on April 10, and March means ‘quick march!” It was another allu sion which we missed.

Once dur ing the confinement to room, His

among the tidbits of daily information I brought to Baba, was a story I had read about a monk who was much revered by his followers. One day as this monk was preparing to walk out ofhis room, he informed his followers that he was leaving them but he would eventually return though he did not specify a time. Accordingly, the faithful followers pre pared his bed every day with fresh bed sheets and clean linen in anticipation of the event and this routine, according to what I read, had resulted up to the time of the report, in the usage of millions of yards of bed sheets and linen because 2000 years had passed and there was still no sign ofthe monk.

We all enjoyed the report and had a good laugh with Baba saying that He too would return and adding, “But not like the monk!”

From TheAncient One, by Eruch Jessawala, Pages 144 148, ©1985 Naosherwan Anzar, Published

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“I am never born, I never die. At every moment Itake birth and undergo death. ...Although I am present everywhere eternally in Myformiess Infinite state,from time to time Itakeform, and the taking oftheform and leaving it is termed My physical Birth and Death.

In this sense, lam born and Idie when My Universal Work is finished.”

(Meher Baba Calling, Pg. 88)

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hen we reached Meherabad, we were told that Beloved Baba’s body had been placed in the crypt. We went straight up the Hill to His Samadhi, where we found Padri and sev eral others. Padri told us that Mehera had broken down and Eruch and others, unable to bear seeing her in such pain and fearing that she would collapse, had convinced Mani and the other women to take her back to Meherazad for the night. He felt that after the whole day’s ordeal the women would not have been able to withstand spending all that night and the following day in Meherabad. Padri opened the door ofthe Samadhi, and Katie, Sarosh, Nariman and I went inside. Beloved Baba’s body was lying in the crypt, but when I looked down, my shock at seeing Him the way I had imag med a few weeks earlier made it seem as though He were lying fifty feet below us. Padri, seeing our stunned expressions, imme diately told Sarosh to take us to ‘his house for the night.

The following morning at 4:00 we returned to Upper Meherabad to wait at the Samadhi for Mehera, Mani and the other women to come. When their car arrived, I opened the door and Mehera got out. I was about to embrace her when she cried out in anguish, “What will I do without Baba? How will I live without Him?” There was nothing I could say, so I silently held her in my arms.

Mehera’s griefwas so deep that we all suppressed our own in an attempt to console her.

It is impossible to describe the experi ence of being present when the Avatar of the Age leaves His human body. Baba byers from all over India started phoning and sending telegrammes to Adi, Sr., begging him to postpone the interment of Beloved Baba’s body. Dr. Ginde said that His body could remain uncovered in the crypt for darshan as long as it showed no signs of de terioration, and he instructed Goher to ex amine Baba’s body every day to determine when to cover it and close the crypt. Day after day thousands ofbovers flocked to Me-

Mehera’s Grief

by Arnavaz N. Dadachanji, Meherazad

hours a day. The bight from the lamp re minded me that even though Beloved Baba had dropped His physical body, the light of His Divine Presence would continue to bum eternally.

During the days before Baba’s interment we women stayed by Mehera’s side wherever she was.

She cried inconsolably to Baba in the Samadhi, and it was good that her tears flowed easily. Had she not expressed her anguish, it would have been very difficult for her to maintain her mental and emotional balance. Her grief showed others how deeply she loved her Beloved Darling Baba.

When we could bear Mehera’s tears no longer, we would take her to Baba’s cabin and sit talking with her near the stretcher that had borne His body from Meherazad to the Samadhi. Sometimes she would become quiet and com posed, greeting with great poise the women who came to her with folded hands, saying “Jai Baba.”

Men with folded hands would also try to catch a glimpse ofdear Mehera.

Those closest to her had witnessed the total devotion Mehera had for Baba, and we honoured her as Baba’s beloved. Now Mehera was to leave the secluded life she had led thus far, so that all of Baba’s lovers, both men and women, would witness the perfect love of His closest disciple. I felt that Baba had left her behind to play the very important role that He had been gradually preparing her for, carrying on His mission of Pure Love.

In order for Mehera to play this role, she had to accustom herself to many new situa tions, among them learning to converse with men, something she had not done before.

Baba led me intuitively to use the circum stances to help Mehera take a first step in this direction. When some of the Western men arrived in Meherabad, I took the op portunity to ask Don Stevens if he would like to say “Jai Baba” to Mehera. Surprised, Don asked ifthatwere possibbe.Then I went to Mehera and told her that Don Stevens wanted to say “Jai Baba” to her. Mehera, in her grief agreed automatically, so I brought Don into Baba’s cabin. Facing Mehera, he

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herabad by plane, train, bus, car and bullock cart, even on foot; as one group left, another arrived, singing bhajans to our Beloved Lord.

Even though we were heartbroken, we were sustained by the love that flowed from the hearts ofthose who had come to bow down to Him and gaze upon His face one last time.

Years later I was booking at the picture of Christ I kept in the room with the pho tograph ofBaba that He had given Nariman and me at our wedding. For the first time I noticed the words “Jesus in the Sepulcher” written beneath it. Suddenlyit struck me that J esus looked very much the way Baba had looked while His bodywas lying in the crypt in His Samadhi. I knew at that moment why I had been compelled to buy the picture and remembered the day when Baba had asked me about it and told me to keep a lamp un der His photograph burning twenty-four

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said “Jai Baba.” Mehera, without looking at him, softly said “Jai Baba” and told me something to say to Don for her. Don said a few words in response. The next day I told 5everal men to stand outside the Samadhi in a row and, one at a time, say “Jai Baba, Mehera” when she came out. They did so, and she replied “Jai Baba” in return. Mehera was in a state of shock and responded to the words “Jai Baba” without giving any thought to the fact that she was speaking to men.

From Gift ofGoc4 Arnavaz N. Dadachanji © 1996 AJVIBPPCT Published by Beloved Books

A Song to The Beloved ftam His Mehera by l\’Iehera

Meher Baba, Lord a ;zd Friend, I[(v Beloved to the end.

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are my heart, my life, my soul, You are 1fl)’ all, my only Goal.

J, Jal, Jal

Beloved, I am by Your light.

Your love-Sun makes mv moon bright. .Jai, Jai, ,Jai (Chorus) All day longfor You I long.

Sing urVame and Yourlove song.

Jai, Jai, .Jai (Chorus)

From our man in Meherabad January 30th byjames Cox, martithi officially started at noon today, but there were many who jumped the gun and arrived last night, just to sleep under a tree, or anywhere. My first Amartithi was in 1972, and the total crowd then was less than that ofthe volunteers and early arrivals yesterday, probably not even 5% ofwhat it will be tomorrow. In the expanding scheme of things, Meherabad Hill has once again been enclosed under a great fes tive sky ofundulating, brightly colored fab nc, punctuated by poles holding vertically mounted tube lights, the dusty dry ground covered by a sea of green tarpaulins. Although the count for people staying below is about 500 less than last year, the crowd on

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Judy Stevens, standing near Baba’s cabin to

the right, caught my attention and asked me why the window to the Samadhi from Mani’s side was not open. I hadn’t even noticed that it was closed, and I had no idea why it might have gotten that way, so I told her that, and we both agreed that it would have been nice if people could also see inside from that angle. Around here, one never knows what new rule might have been made or policy changed, so the best thing to do in such a case is nothing until one can find out more information. Then, as I walked back to my place on the Samadhi platform after talking with Judy, Raphael Villafane immediately approached me from the other side of the Tomb, where he could not have seen or heard my conversation withJudy, and told me that he was wondering whether we should open the window on Mani’s side now that the sun was not shining in. He said he had closed it earlier because of this, but as there was no more sun, what did I think? I said, I thought then it must be time to open the window.

the Hill seems more, but who can really tell?

Baba’s magnet continues to draw in His drunken filings from all over the board.

As the crowd grows, procedures change, and there have been a few new additions this year, probably the most noticeable being the

addition of the “Meherabad Mall” between the railway tracks and the Nagar-Daund Though my heart weeps all the while, road. All ofthe lower stalls have been shifted For Your sake, I wear a smile. from the side of the path up the hill to a .Jai, Jai, Jai (Chorus) large compound just to the left as you walk up the Hill, and this gives the impression of Your dearpleasure is ;nyjoy. more space and less chaos for those going Mine is not to question why. up and down. There have also been changes .Jai, Jai, Jai (Chorus) to the darshan procedure, those being that You Who play the perfect game no one is allowed to bow down at the threshVaine.

Shape my heart into Your 1 old while entering or exiting the Samadhi, Jai, Jai, J(ii (Chorus) or to prostrate oneselfon the floor in a prone position. As small as these two changes may iiiake me, Lord, Youi song ofpraise. seem, they have speeded up the rate at which Fill all hearts wit/i Your dear grace. persons can actually take darshan, and the Jai, .Jai, Jal (Chorus) line is moving more smoothly than in the past.

Amartithi is also a time ofintense activ I form. this by “I am not limited use it like a garment to make Myself ity by most ofthose who live here, but while de visible to you; and I communicate we live in the Sun, sometimes the work that extent an such with you—Don’t try to understand mands our attention to Me. My death is unfathomable. Just we are not able to appreciate the subtleties this love Me. I eternally enjoy the Christ which flow around us. About 1:00 p.m. an for Samadhi the state of consciousness, and when I afternoon I had been at flowing line speak I shall manifest My true Self hour trying to keep the darshan besides giving a general push to the smoothly, seeing to various requests for flowand whole world, Ishallleadallthose who ers from the Tomb, prasad donations, assortment an touch come to Me toward Light and Truth.” dealing with requests to of photos, books, etc. to Baba’s slab, when (Awakener, Vol. V. No.4, p.33)

February 3 think on the 30th, Bhauji made some comment about Amartithi darshan going on for seven days. But the physical shop definitely started closing up on theist, the mam moth brightly colored pandal slowly peeling offendless emaciated limbs which had sepa rated it from the ground.

Perhaps the crowd this time was ten percent greater than last year, and who knows what that number might be, but every year the organization gets better and better, and

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things seemed to go smoothly, with only

minor glitches. I also felt there was a certain sweetness present this time, which I don’t always perceive.

The line for Darshan, which used to get over at midnight of the 3ist, went on until 3:00 a.m., and then was heavy again on the first morning, but it seemed to move faster with the new procedure ofpilgrims not bowing down at the threshold. And although a few people created trouble by cutting lines and jumping over railings, by and large it was a rather subdued and disciplined crowd.

Only the dust was unruly, and some people are still recovering from that, cough, cough.

Ofcourse most people would say that the high point ofAmartithi is the Silence which is observed from noon to 12:15 p.m., the time at which Baba dropped His body, and this year the crowd under the pandal must have numbered in the tens ofthousands dur ing those 15 minutes, punctuated only by

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babies’ cries and coughs. But there are other touching moments also, like at 5:00 a.m. on the 31st, when Kusum Singh and group from Delhi sing the rose song as hundreds of people, including some of the Women Mandali, shower roses on Baba’s Gadi (couch).

More and more people always are com ing, and similarly, one of my friends from Nagar, who does not claim to be a Baba lover, was on the hill for the afternoon ofthe 3 1st.

As all the tokens for darshan had been issued many hours before, she decided to have her darshan from the outside, and then left.

The next day she called to tell me that this most incredible thing had happened to her, that while standing there, she felt Baba take away the effect ofall her many problems that were weighing on her head, and although the situations were still there, they didn’t bother her anymore. She said, “It’s really like ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy,’ amazing, I must come for Baba’s darshan more often.”

Yes, isn’t it?

You Are Not Dead You are not dead Your gaze warms and armors me When i’m all alone in the desperate hours of darkness

You are not dead ‘ibur liands are firm on nrv shoulders turning me guiding me veiled for safety through the mirror maze You are not dead i hear Your footsteps in my own and Your silent voice reminding imr heart of itself

A World Apart Heather Nadel, Meherabad

T

oday is February 7th, the day Beloved Meher Baba was interred in the Samadhi 31 years ago. The women mandali are coming for Arti and darshan, as they do every year. It is the “real” end of Amartithi.

The 11,504 people who stayed overnight at Meherabad this year on the 30th January have all gone home. Most of the tents are down, and the sense ofMeherabad being a world apart from its normal self (if there is such a thing) has gone. The queue railings that guided thousands ofpeople to His feet on the 31st have come down, the sides of the tent covering the hill are gone, (though the colorftil top tent is still flapping in the wind, protecting people from the strong Feb ruary sun). There are no more non-stop bhajans and songs pouring out from the amphitheatre. The leftover Baba photos, lockets, books, t-shirts, stickers and calen dars have all been packed up and carted away by the groups from all over India who brought them to sell here, and the food and flower shops down the Hill in the “Mehera badTent Mall” by the railway tracks are gone too.

People are back in the Pilgrim Centre or the hostels, out of their makeshift lodgings on a floor somewhere. For a few days after Amartithi, the 600 volunteers were still around, helping to dismantle things, and it felt like they were a skeleton crew after the masses who came for the Silence and darshan on the 31st 25,000 by one estimate.

Like some old-time magic show on a prairie, it is all suddenly gone, whisked away that time apart that feels unlike any other ever. Now you can walk to the Samadhi and take darshan after a 10-minute wait at the most. You can sit on the portico outside the Samadhi for as long as you want. You can no longer buy soft drinks behind the com pound up the Hill, or coffee or ice cream, or a south Indian meal, caprices that come with Amartithi. Meheru and Katie and Aloba and Eruch and Bhauji and Bal are no longer strolling on the Hill, just around the corner.

But the memory of the One thing that matters about Amartithi is still in the air. A recollection of that great fire of Baba’s incomparable Love that spilled out from the Samadhi, with an all-encompassing warmth that lingers on in the very walls, like the warmth of a great kiln that glows inside for days after a firing The photos that came —

—

‘Thu are not dead i smell ‘Thur perfume bliss enticing lurmg me to Your illusive elusiveness You are not dead ‘We have become entwined so that i can hardly tell which ofUs begins where dead so to grieve is a lie Ydu are not dead so to cry is a farce Yàu are not dead so the depths of my soul proclaim

You are not

Avatar i’vleher Baba ki jai!

Avatar l’vleher Baba Ki jai!

Avatar i’vleher Baba Id jai!

Jack ]\‘Ic Tamne 1/31/2000

. . . .

alive, the remembrance ofHim that suddenly was so easy, His Name that came without effort straight from the heart, the smiles among people from all over the world who all at once truly seemed your family, the talks ofHim, the closeness shared, the vast shout ofHisJai from all those throats and all those hearts at 12:15 pm after the great silence, His recollection that flowed through the tent and up and down the Hill like wine, and all the things you forgot remembering Him. “How could anyone be so beautiful, so beautiful as You; and were all of my lives of bying just to bring me to loving You” (as the song says).

Amartithi at Meherabad: for all the dust and chaos, disruption and discomfort, in Baba’s world there is really and truly noth ing on heaven or earth quite like it.

“Believe thatlam theAncient One. Do not doubt thatfor a mo ment. There is nopossibility ofMy being anyone else. I am not this body thatyou see. It is only a coat I put on when I visityou. I am infinite consciousness. (The Ev erything and the Nothing, p.56)

A Message from Bhau to the L.A. Group for Amartithi 2000

I

just give one message for the L.A. group for the Amartithi program: What is Amartithi? Amartithi means Eternal Date. How is this date eternal?

This is the date when Beloved Avatar Meher Baba released His Universal Work to the creation. He was suffering and suf fering at that time terribly and He said, “Maya is killing me but I will win.” And then just before He dropped His physical body He said to Padri who was giving Him homeopathic medicine,”Your medi cine will not work.” And he pointed out the board ofthree couplets of Hafiz which were for obedience. That was the last mes sage from Beloved Avatar Meher Baba, and then He dropped His body.

Now people may think that Maya killed Him but it is not so. Maya was ob structing His Work which He was to re lease and He had come to release His Work. Unless the Work was released He could not have dropped the body. And the

dropping of the body was the indication that His Universal Work was released.

And therefore the time when He dropped the body, the time became Eternal, and that is why it is called Eternal Date or Amartithi.

Had He not released His Universal Work He would not have dropped His body because He comes in every age to Work for the universe and to release the Work to the universe. That is His respon sibility. And what is His Work? To make the creation free from bindings, or to open the way to move towards the Eternity and not towards illusion. Once, before dropping the body, He had said, “I am stretch-

The Shepherd and His Sheep

by Mani in From a talk iVlandali Flail 197?, recorded by Peter Raymond, England given

W

hen we returned to Meherazad the 1969 Darshan at Gu ruprasad it ras the first chance we had to be conscious ofour own feelings, and to realize ust how very much we were missing Baba’s physical presence. It was a flood of memories, because there is nothing in Meherazad that Baba has not either touched or used, or that is nor personally associated with Baba. But Eruch had made it very clear from the begin start, that this was no time ourselves. Ve had to do thinking what we knew Baha would want. This was merely a continuation of our life rith Baba.

A few days after our return Eruch told me that he needed a certain docu he sent off to ment I had, as it was Adi. 1 promised to bring it, and promptly forgot. Suddenly that evening I remembered and decided to take it to Eruch before the night became too dark.

1 got the document from my cupboard and went across the compound to Eruch’s room. \‘Vhen I arrived Eruch was washing his face at the tap outside.

“Eruch,” I said, “I’re brought the document that you asked for.” fle said nothing, finished washing, stood up and dried his face. But instead of going to his room he walked awa straight to— wards the field that lies beyond.

I said, “But Eruch...”

ing and stretching the bow, and when I release the bow it will go on touching heart after heart. It will not leave out any heart.” And we see that at the time of dropping His body He released the Arrow and that Arrow is touching heart af ter heart in the creation and that’s why people are coming to Him. One day the whole world will come because the Beloved released the Arrow on that Eternal Date when He was dropping the body.

And therefore this Eternal Date is very, very important.

We must bow down to our Beloved Avatar Meher Baba and pray to Him that His Arrow should go on pricking our All he said was “Come.”

We stopped at the edge ofthe field and stared In to the vast expanse of darkness before us. “Can you hear?” asked Eruch. I strain ed my ears in the siince and I heard coming from across ..

..

after

to

of

to

hearts so that we may not be able to lift our heads from His feet and will remain bowed down to Him until we become one with Him.

At the darsha n-discussion gathering in Meherazad, (Oc tober 13, 1968) Beloved Baba said: “I have been saying: the Time is near, it is fast ap proaching, it is close at hand.

Today Isay: the Time has come.

Remember this!” (Family Letter #79, 1st November 1968) the field, “Baa-baa, baa-baa...”

“Yes.” I said.

“Can you see?”

I looked; there were some white sheep in the flock, I could just see them moving about.

“Yes Eruch, I see the sheep.”

“No. To the left. Look to the left.”

To the left I could see nothing.

But as I stared I noticed that there was a form darker than the darkness, it looked like a large rock. I stared harder and realized that it was a person. He was seated on the ground beside the flock, with a blanket draped over his head and shoulders. “Yes,” I said, “I can see the shepherd.”

“The sheep think that their shep— herd has left them.” explained Eruch, “rle are restless and confused, looking for him and calling out to him. But he’s there, he’s right there and his whole attention is on them. He is watching over his flock with such one—pointed— ness, ai-icl he rill stay like that all night. ‘\‘Vhen the davn comes the sheep will realize that their shepherd is with them, and has always been with them. They did not know he was there because it dark and they could not see him.”

And when Eruch said that it made such a difference.

I said, “Yes Baba I know von are here, but it is dark, we cannot see you and ;ve may sometimes feel that you have left us. But you haven’t, you are right here with us and when the dawn comes re will know that you have al— avs been here.” ras

1I

I Am Here BalNatu

W

.

.

hen Baba veiled His visible physical form in 1969, I was suddenly at a loss as to how to relate to Him. As I sat or stood outside the Samadhi during that first week of February 1969 and watched His lovers taking darshan, it became clear to me that Babawas still activelygreeting His lovers and showering them with His love. But the ques tion arose in my mind, “Where is Baba as Meher Baba, that dynamic Avataric personality? His body is in the crypt, this is clear, but where exactly is the Source, the Powerhouse, of the love His lovers feel?”

During the next few years, in the early ‘70s, I would be struck time and time again

by Baba’s active dispensation oflove to those who would visit Him in the Samadhi. People would also pour into Meherazad from all over the world at all hours of the day and share their stories of Baba’s loving presence in their lives, felt especially when they were in the Samadhi. I was drenched in the showers oftheir love for Baba as the Eternal Beloved, but my mind would ask, “But where is the fountain that is showering us with this living water of Love?”

In talking to Indian Baba lovers and ustening to their stories, I also felt Baba’s love very strongly. I would often be reminded of places I had been with Baba and of darshan programs I had attended, especially those at Guruprasad. Various incidents of my life with Baba would be replayed in my mind with sudden vividness. Each time, my heart felt illumined as if a light had been turned on. But again my mind asked, “But where is the generator that is providing the power?”

With Meher Baba’s veiling of His physical body, the form which had been the focus of my thoughts and feelings for so many years, I felt as if my link to Baba had in some way been disrupted. I would inwardly ask Baba, “Where are You?” I felt that if I knew the answer to this question, it would help me reestablish the same sense ofrapport with Baba which I had felt before. I wondered, “Should I try to pic ture Baba now in the Samadhi?” But somehow there seemed to be a contradiction in associating Baba’s divinely dynamic personality with the place which He used to sometimes refer to as His “Final Resting Place.”

My mind was in a state ofextended suspense awaiting a resolution to this turmoil which would appeal to my heart. Some years later

this distressing problem was finally resolved by an experience which, even to this day, I find difficult to categorize.

One morning in May 1987, I was resting on my bed at Meherazad with my eyes closed, waiting for the call announcing that the car was ready to leave for the Trust Office in Ahmednagar. Baba chose this mo ment to reveal the answer to my question in a way that not only totally eased my mind, but also consoled and convinced my heart.

While resting, I suddenly found myself in the midst of a kind of”waking dream.” I saw myselfstanding on the platform in front of the Samadhi at Meherabad, just to the right of the door. There was no furniture as there is now, no cabinets or benches. No one else was present. It was all blissffilly quiet when, most unexpectedly and to my great surprise and joy, I saw Meher Baba and

,.‘

—

I

Eruch, one ofHis dear disciples, coming up the slope from the south. As they approached the platform, Baba asked Eruch to wait at its edge. He then walked graceftilly towards the door of the Samadhi, His arms swinging, hair flowing, His eyes flashing brilliantly.

He gave me a glance of deep intimacy that words cannot convey, then entered the Samadhi. I waited with great anticipation for Him to come out, trying to decide how I would greet Him. “Should I bow down to Him, do this, or that or what?”

Just then, from inside the Samadhi, I heard a deep voice with a sweet ring to it, and the words resounded, “I AM HERE, I . . .

AM HERE, I AM HERE.” These words reverberated throughout my whole being.

J ust then I heard someone calling my name, saying that the car was ready to go to the Trust Office. As I opened my eyes, I found myself uttering the word “EVER.” My heart was filled with an inexpress ible joy. I felt deep within me that Baba had clearly shown me: HE IS THERE, HE IS THERE, HE IS THERE, in the Samadhi, as the Ancient One, ever divinely vibrant, responding to the calls of those who visit Him for darshan, or think ofHim wherever they may be.

Thus, thinking of Meher Baba in the Samadhi has come to be, for me, the same as thinking of Him when He was visible in the physical body. This has become the natu ral way for me to feel closer to the presence of the Avatar the Infinite, Active Consciousness that assumed human form as Meher Baba. Since that day, Meher Baba’s living physical presence in the Samadhi has been for me a fact beyond all doubt.

This experience reminds me of an mcident from Baba’s life when He also spoke three significant words. Once, Baba was vis iting the Ellora Caves with some of His Eastern andWestern women disciples. One of the caves they visited is known as the Buddha’s cave. Mani sometimes shared the story ofthis visit and commented that as they were inside, looking at the impressive statue of the Buddha which dominates the cave, theywere moved by the spiritual atmosphere which they felt there in Baba’s presence.Just then, Baba took His alphabet board from under His arm and dictated to Mani these three words, “I A]VI BUDDHA.” As Mani read aloud from the board, she felt as if ev ery particle of the cave resounded with the truth ofHis words.

One evening a few years after I heard the three words, “I AM HERE,” I found upon returning to Meherazad from the Trust Office that, as usual, someone had placed on the table in my room some pictures of Baba and a few pamphlets to be distributed to pil grims. I was tired and went to bed immedi ately after having supper. The next morning, when I rolled back my mosquito netting, I saw a painting of the Samadhi on the windowsill next to my bed which I had not noticed the night before. Later, I learned that it had been sent to my room from Baba’s House, where the women mandali stay, to be given away or kept as I chose.

Naturally, I decided to keep it. In fact, I was overjoyed to receive it. I had been want—

ing a picture of the Samadhi ever since my “vision.” Not only that, but this painting showed the Samadhi with the door open as I had seen it, and I took this as an objective confirmation from Meher Baba that the words I had heard were trulyHis.This painting adorns the wall of my room to this day, proclaiming from the Samadhi Avatar Meher Baba’s message, “I A1\4 HERE.” And yes, He is.

From The Samadhi, Star ofIflnity, by Bal Natu, Pages 29 33, © 1997 Sheriar Foundation

This Longing You Express One night a man was crying, “Allah! Allah!”

His lips grew sweet with the praising, said, until a “So! I have heard you calling out, but have you ever had a response?” cynic

*5

The man had no ansver to that.

He quit praying and fell into a conftised sleep.

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From The Samadhi Star of Infinity,

: C

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byBalNatu y personal feeling is that from Feb ruary 7, 1969, a fresh dimension of Baba’s spiritual work has commenced. The veiling of Meher Baba’s body heralded the beginning ofa new adventure in love. It was as if Baba had decided that the time had come to hide His physical form from our sight so that His divine presence could biossom all the more in our hearts. The Ancient One, in each of His advents, veils His form at an appointed time, so that humanity may be able to experience His formlessness in a multitude ofbeguiling ways. I feel it is im portant even for those who met Baba to avail themselves ofthe opportunity to meet Him again in this new dimension of His work.

I do not expect all to agree with me, but this is what I sincerely feel. Meher Baba once conveyed to His close ones, “This [body] is only an overcoat that I am wearing; this is not the real Me.” That “Real Me” of the Avatar’s presence is now manifesting itself in innumerable ways through the Samadhi.

There the atmosphere is permeatedwith His divine presence, awakening hearts to His glorious love. To enter the Samadhi is to bathe in a clear pool of puritc It not only cleanses the impurities of mind and heart, but perfumes one’s entire being with His iiluminating presence. The Samadhi is where Meher Baba responds to His lovers’ longing for the Avatar’s physical company. Whenever one has the rare fortune to visit there, either physically or in one’s thoughts, it performs a wondrous sanctification of one’s mind and heart. That little room holds the key that unlocks any human heartwhich sincerely calls to Him, the Eternal Beloved.

From The Sarnadhi, Star ofIifinity, by Bal Natu, © 1997 Sheriar Foundation

M

He dreamed he saw Khidr, the guide of souls, in a thick green foliage.

“Why did you stop praising?”

“Because I’ve never heard anything back.”

“This longing you express is the return message.”

T out from The griefyou cr draws you toward union.

Your pure sadness that wants help is the secret cup.

Listen to the moan of a dog for its master.

That whining is the connection.

There are love-dogs no one knows the names of.

Give your life to be one of them.

From The IllaminedRuini, © 1997 by Coleman Barks and Michael Green, Publiched by Broadway Books, 1997, NY, NY

A Part of the Truth Naosherwan Anzar, Eruch Jessawala

Anzar: After Meher Baba dropped His body at the end ofJanuary 1969, a number of false saints who claimed to be Perfect Mas ters, began to appear on the scene. How do you react to this situation?

Eruch: Meher Baba gave us a profound sense ofunderstanding and awareness of this matter. First ofall, He pointed out that everything in this phenomenal world of existence is nothing, but simultaneously it is also part of the Truth; not the wholeTruth but only a part oftheTruth.Therefore,having livedwith Baba for so long, I would not presume to point a finger at anyindividual,be he a false guru, false saint or false Perfect Master. I have no basis for forming ajudgment and thus I must con— sider him to be a part ofthe Truth, for he un doubtedly plays his role.

What I have said does not mean that I will encourage anybody and everybody. I realize that it is all Baba’s Will that the individual is doing what he does, and because he is there, others eventually will come to realize what is false and what is true, and discern right from wrong. Thus, because ofthe awareness I have received from Baba, I will never condemn, knowing that everyone has his role to play in that part ofTruth represented bythe phenom enal world.

Anzar: What is your advice to Baba byers faced with the situation ofhaving to trust someone who makes such claims?

Eruch: Trust in God, or ifthat is too im personal, put your trust only in Meher Baba who is the God-Man of the age. Also don’t scoff at or ridicule anyone for the claims they make, but stay away from such individuals.

Anzar: Would such false masters cause harm to their would-be disciples and to what degree?

Eruch: Meher Baba Himself used the term ‘wolves and lambs’ to describe what happens. The pseudo gurus borrow from Baba’s messages and discourses without revealing the source ofwhat they have to say, and their lis teners being carried away by the words oftruth, are deceived into paying homage and accepting the pseudo guru as the real master he pre tends to be.

When such situations arose, Baba re-. minded us that whenever He came in our midst, He suffered threefold. “I suffer physi cally which all are witness to,” He said. “My mental suffering is when I come in your midst and assure you that I am the One for whom you are longing, and give My love to you in abundance. You accept me as that but yet you go out and search for another guru, another master. Despite mywarning, despite Mywant ing you not to be with such people, you try to gather as much blessings as possible from these different persons. My spiritual suffering is finding Myselftotally bound in each one. Although I am eternally free, I am bound in each ofyou. So I suffer threefold.”

This then is one of the most important things Baba has warned us about. Once Meher Baba is accepted as the God-Man, as your Master Guide, Guru, Companion or Redeemer, it is totally absurd for anyone even to think ofgoing to another for relieffrom suf fering or for spiritual guidance. Ifone is a Baba lover, hold on to Baba’s daaman and don’t go elsewhere.

From TheAncient One, by Eruch Jessawala, Edited by Naosherwan Anzar Pages 7 9, © 1985 Naosherwan Anzar, Published by Beloved Books -

11

Lord Buddha and Lord Meher

is one of the most tragic ironies I of history that Buddhism should have been all but extirpated from the land where it first came into existence. It is needless for us to go into the various causes of the decay of Buddhism in India. But we may be sure that the causes of the decay of Buddhism were mostly connected with the vast and complicated super-structure ofBuddhistic societyand the network ofbeliefs which came to be builtup during the centuries that followed the original Teachings ofLord Buddha.

Every religion tends to become corrupt and gets mixed up with a heap of irrelevant and inessential details as time rolls on until atlast the followers lose their grip upon the original vision ofits founder.

The truth contained in the original Teachings ofLord Buddha is eternal and therefore incapable ofbeing shaken bythe storms which the course of time brings in its train. It will be my endeavour to disentangle the truth in Buddhism from the various inessentials with which it got mixed up during the centuries that followed, and to draw parallels between the Teaching of Lord Buddha and the new dispensation of the Truth which we are having through the Teaching of Shni Meher Baba.

It is not possible for us to appreciate the frill significance of the Teachings of Lord Buddha except in the light of the wonderfiil life which he led. Those critics of Buddhism, who describe it as the philosophyofthosewho have failed in this life will do well to remember that Lord Buddha came from a royal family and was in his youth surrounded by every pleasure which this world can give. He had around him all the power and prestige, wealth and fame, comforts and luxuries, which a prince could command; and he was very happily married to Yashodhara who was one ofthe fmest flowers ofhumaulty In his palace he was all the time surrounded by music and dance. But one day when he was going to his pleasure garden, in his chariot, for the first time in his life, he came into contact with the sufferings of this life. He saw an old man crippled with age. He was on the way to death and the sight of this person was enough to set him thinking about the sufferings of life. Again on another occa sion, he saw a sick man who was coursing his way to death with slow but sure steps.

And on the third occasion he actually saw a dead body, which was being carried for

Enlightenment attained, he came back to the world and began to turn the wheel of Dharma(Law)Andtheyearsofhismin— istry are one of the most marvelous pen— ods, which the world’s history has seen. It is said ofNapoleon that wherever he went crowns and thrones came crashing down.

The same was the case with Lord Buddha. Wherever he went to announce his Noble Teaching, not only the vast multitude of common people but even kings and princes, as well as the most learned people, came to his feet in order to receive the dispensation ofthe Truth.

Before we can füllyappreciate the sig nificance ofthe Teachings ofLord Buddha it is necessary for us to understand the atmosphere which was prevalent in his time. The intellectual atmosphere of his time, as in our own, was full ofbarren Metaphysicalquibbles.The Great Pandits ofhis day were preoccupied with fruitless wranglings andhairspliffing debates about things that did not matter, for that was thelegacywhich corruptBrahmanism had leftforhis age.The Pandits ofhis daywere more concerned with the interpretation of the sacred scriptures than with the Photo by Patricia Adams Smith search after theTruth. For them the most Indian Buddha statuefound in Ellora Cave #10 vital question was not life but the interfuneral on a bier. These sights of sufferings pretation of the Shastras. It was therefore impressed upon him very strongly two stern no wonder that a multitude of Schools of truths aboutlife: (1) sarvam kshariikam ev Philosophy came into existence in order to erythingis transitor and(2) sarvam dukkharn afford for these Pandits opportunities to dis everywhere there is suffering. He there- playtheir extensivelearning and intellectual fore set his mind to the discovery ofthe cause skiltThese schools always identified themof suffering and to the search after the real selves with a set ofunrelated and unimpor meaning oflife. Itbecame now impossible for tant beliefs and dogmas. And they tried to him to lull his mind into stupor by drowning secure following not so much by any appeal it in the delights ofhis palace and one day (in his 29th year) he quietly renounced his abode ofpleasure at midnight in order to go out in the world in search of understanding.

After leaving his home he made many experimentswith life in order to have the final solution of the problems of life. He tried all the existing systems, not excluding extreme asceticism. But he found all these methods fhtile.Then he turnedbackupon his own inner resources and spent years in the earnest search fortheTruth. Before attainingunder- standing hehad to conquer all the temptations ofMara (who symbolises the forces of darkness) who opposed him with his three sons (1) Confusion, (2) Gaiety and (3) Pride and, his three daughters (1) Lust, (2) Delight and (3) Thirst. But he resolutely freed his mind from Dr. CIX Deshmukh, MA., Ph.D.

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1rc1

ius iiigiitst siaie oi iiicuiiauoii, iimgiiceiuiiem.

Asiai Buddha statue

and they had turned these descriptions to their intrinsic claims for our acceptance, recognised their right to attain the hightools for carrying on their unend into est spiritual value. as by drawing upon strings of quotations God was for them not controversies.

Baba Shri is Buddha, ing Lord Meher Like of the result as a Shastras.

And from the a living reality, but merely a possible hy conffict of the diverse traditional systems a great reformer who throws an uncom of philosophy the spirit of general scepti promising challenge to the entire existing pothesis And although they played with social order. And on the whole, he takes a the idea they did not have any genuine cism was in the air. similar attitude with regard to the desire for knowing him. It is true that As in our own time, the social atmo sphere which was prevalent at the time of intellectual tendencies of our age. He is the Upanishads had declared that God Lord Buddha was also full of confusion. never tired of proclaiming the futility of was unapproachable through the intellect alone. In spite of these dec The Hindu societywas, as it is toss 4 larations these Pandits wanted to castes day, divided into numberless I prove or disprove the existence of and creeds. And religion was God merely through intellectual mostly a matter of observing cer debates. Whenever, therefore, tam prescribed ceremonials and :* Lord Buddha was invited to give performing superstitious rituals his opinion about God he emwith the hope ofgaining some re phatically said that the belief or ward in the life after death. One of disbelief in the existence of God the most wicked rituals was the ofvery little importance so long is re practice ofsacrificing animals in the everyday life of man re as of mind the And functions. ligious mains unchanged. the age had been so much deadThe mind of our age is simi ened by theweight ofagelong tra larly caught up in the craving for ditions that people had become intellectual gymnastics from incapable ofrealisingthe appalling which it has to be emancipated cruelty and stupidity involved in before it can be pursuaded to seek such religious practices. the Truth. Shri Meher Baba once It was in such an intellectual asked one of his Mandali the that Lord and social atmosphere question, “Where is God?” And Buddha made his appearance in when he said that “One should the world, and became a great and first form a conception of God an unsurpassed reformer in both and then reply”, he gave the fol fields. He vehemently denounced lowing discourse: “All these talks the existing caste system and are cut and dry. Pandits babble it showed to the people how the everywhere, for years, without distinctions based upon birth finding any clue, till they die bab alone are not only ridiculous but bling.

The orthodox section of all vehe equally pernicious. He communities listen to these innu mently denounced distinctions meràble dissertations by religious based upon race and the pride students and scriptural scholars, which was usually associated with and forms various pet beliefs MeherBaba in Bangalare, Mysr6Jiy 1939- February 1940 it. When after his enlightenment about God and His existence he came back to the city of his in the skies or in the best somewhere divorced father in the garb ofa Monk, with a beg- barren metaphysical discussions in others, and clings to not and the things, He throws and experience. life from ging bowl in his hand, his father re ideas tenaciously witherroneous these personality magnetic his of weight whole Solar to the belonged he minded him that race in order to put him to shame. But against the tendency to separate Philosophy out the least effort at enlightenment or his answer was that he refused to take from life and invites the attention of our age to go beyond the four walls. They refuse even to talk or listen to the fact of hayto the vital issues of life. any pride in his race or extraction beLord Buddhas general attitude to bar— ing actual experience, and consider it cause he now belonged to the race of the Buddhas. Nor did he recognise any ren Metaphysical problems may be illus blasphemy even to think of it. It is only trated by his attitude to the problems of these talks and philosophies that appeal superiority of one sex over the other The traditional Hinduism did not (i) the existence ofGod and (ii) the exist- to them, and they are quite satisfied with recognise any salvation for women and ence of the individual soul. He is said to these. That is why I say it is all philoso as a rule, convention prevented them have refused to answer the question, ‘Does phy and of no use without experience. from reading the scriptures or taking God exist or not?’ Even when he was re One must try not only to learn and peatedly asked that question, he scrupu know, but to feel and experience.” to renunciation. The privileges of be“Parallels Between the Teachings of Lord coming a Sanyasin was reserved only lously maintained inviolable silence on Buddha and Meher Baba,” by that point, because for the Pandits of his for men. As against this unfair dis C.D. Dr. Deshmukh, M.A, Ph.D., crimination Lord Buddha stood for the age God was merely an idea to play with.

The MeherBabaJaurna4 from de some emancipation ofwomen and threw his They had encountered upon Vol. 1 No. ii, p 65-65. Copyright 1939 study extensive their in of God scriptions Order open to them. He fully -

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God and Truth Are Far Above Religions Meher Baba

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hink of me every day for five minutes only, at any time ofthe day. Of course, the best time would be at five in the morning when I remain almost everywhere. This little beginning of a mere five minutes will also be your first step on the spiritual path.

Once you get interested in and attuned to the thought of God, you will have a constant urge to think of Him for a certain pe nod every day. It is sincere thought I want.

No amount of prayer and chanting would be of any value if done as a ritual. This five minutes of thought, meditation or concen tration on God or the master are a thousand times better than any prayer. God wants love pure, sincere love. He does not want to hear bombastic, jaw-breaking words and shiokas from the shastras and passages from

I therefore once again repeat that instead ofwasting your time on religious discussions, reading and listening to doctrines and dogmas of different religions, love God and think ofGod. Meditation, concentration and the creation of a feeling oflove in the heart are the essence and substance ofall religions; all else is illusion.

The alphabet is taught to the beginner with a view to making him master of the language. But if the student merely learns the alphabet and does not make an effort to form words, he has learned nothing. Simi larly, if an aspirant sticks to religious doc trines and dogmas, he will never achieve his ultimate aim, realization of the Truth. God and Truth are far above religions.

The Best of The Glow, ed. Naosherwan Anzar, pp. 1-3, Copyright 1980 AMBPPCT

Why do the Avatars Differ?

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the Avesta.

The prayer books ofall the religions, the Avesta of the Parsis, the Koran of the Mus urns, the Bible ofthe Christians, the 1das of he Hindus and all other religious books are long treatises and have nothing to do with -the truth. Zarathustra taught that you must burn your “heart” in love of God and the dasturs thereafter changed the meaning of it and altered it to mean burning externally with sandalwood. The religious dogmas and doctrines ofthe “Kasti” and other prayers in the Avesta have all been changed from time to time. Take one name sincerely, lovingly, devotedly for a few minutes without the thought of anything else and that is worth more than hours of mechanical prayers.

Zarathustra had fourteen disciples to whom he gave God-realization. Thereafter there was only one God-realized disciple, and from him the knowledge and experience of God enlightened the communityfor 700 years.

This knowledge came down from father to son.The last true dastur was Azar Kaivan. Ever since, there have been false priests among the Zoroastrians who have given their own ver sions oftheAvesta. From that period until today there has been no realized saint among the Zoroastrians.Whatever religious books the Zoroastrians have today are the works ofthose dasturs and not of Zarathustra. However, to his special fourteen disciples he gave real knowledge and experience, and to the world he gave a way of life. As changes were made

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Meher Baba as Zarathzistra, MeherabadHill, 1938

by the dasturs in the teachings of Zarathustra, so were similar changes made by the priests in Christ’s Bible and Mohammed’s Koran. Sometimes these changes came about inadvertently.

Members ofthe Avatar’s Circle would go out to different parts of the world and address masses of people. These lectures would be taken down by scribes and later attributed to theAvesta, Bible, Koran and the l4das. As time passed, the changes became so complete that the original teachings were lost.

he Avatars are the manifestation of the same Divine element incarnate in this world at different times; therefore their teachings have to be adapted to the mentality of their epoch.

At times the Avatar bases His teaching on the search for the personal God; and at another time on the search for the imper sonal aspect of God. At one time He will prohibit the eating of pig’s meat, drinking ofwine, or the eating ofcow’s meat. It is as in a hospital where the sick complain about their thirst; the doctor will prescribe tea or coffee in the morning, water or a refreshing fruit juice in the afternoon and in the evening sour milk; then before sleeping, hot milk.

God, manifesting through the Avatar of different periods, quenches the thirst of man in different ways. All human beings, whether consciously or unconsciously, have the same thirst for truth.

Treasures, ed. Jane Barry Haynes, pp. 175-176 © 1980 AMBPPCT

The Now

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he ‘yesterdays’ ofthe past and the ‘tomorrows’ of the future hinge on a point in time which is the NOW of the present moment in Eternity.

Meher Baba

The Goal in Our Midst Eruch Jessawala vatar Meher Baba told a group of His lovers, “I will teach you how to move in the world and yet be at all times in inward commurnon with Me as Infinite Being.”

The period that we are now in is exceedingly special because direct relatedness with the Divine Being, the Avatar, is most available. His atmosphere and influence remain for one hundred years even after He has dropped the body.Therefore, His cardinal advice which should never be for gotten, is: “Hold on to My daaman. Remember that I love you so that you can reflect Mylove. Be loving towards all, be honest, simple, natural and childlike.”

That is all that we have to do. That is our no more than that. That also is our path spirituality for everything lies in holding on to Him.There is nothing beyond that. All the the philosophies, the theologies, etc. rest - has no meaning, for true spirituality lies in our relationship with Meher Baba.True spintuality is total effacement without giving a thought thatwe are taking this step or the next in our spiritual progress. The practical way of effacement then is simply to hold on to Him and to be simple and natural. In this way, we wear ourselves out by holding on to Him. It sounds so simple but it is very difficult.

Accordingly, we have not to concern ourselves with following some spiritual path because in holding on to Him, wherever we are, that becomes the path. Even ifyou turn away from Him, the path will follow you whenever you go for He will give you another opportu nity to turn back to Him. Remember that He is the pivot and as long as the concentration is all on Him, there is no such thing as path.

What happens is that when our focus is on Him, whatever path there is will follow us because we are headed towards Him. We have nothing to do with “path.” We have no time for that for we are all the time focussing on Him.That is the advantage ofthose who come into the orbit of His love. The path follows them while for other wayfarers they have to follow some path.

However, for the latter there will come a time when the Beloved is available and they will be able to focus on Him alone and then there will be no need for a path. The lovers of Mehen Baba do not follow any path because they have the Beloved. They have direct contact with Him, so their energies, their might, their soul and their very being are all focussed on Him. That is the difference between the --

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lover ofMeher Baba, the God-Man, and the wayfarer who follows some path.

One must remember that the dispensa tion is ever there to dispense with the path when the Beloved,being the goal,brings Himselfinto our midst.

Let me try and put this in a figurative way.

We are here now at Meherazad where Meher Baba lived. So this is His seat and many have been permitted to come here on a visit. And because of the opportunity which had been given them, these lovers ofMeher Baba were anxious with thoughts aboutwhen theywould see Him, or be embraced by Him and similar thoughts about Him to the exclusion of all other thoughts.

No there is a long approach road from the bus stop to Meherazad and along that road there are many sights. There are a great vanety of trees, many huts, many shepherds and cowherds and other similar sights to behold.

But in their eagerness to be in His arms, did these lovers take notice ofany ofthese sights?

Ifyou had asked them, “Did you notice that particular chernytree alongside the road?” they would have said, “No. Is that so, is there a cherry tree? I haven’t seen it!”

“You were passing right alongside of it, how could you have missed it?”

And the reply would have been, “We were not even aware we were walking on the road, much less paying attention to a cherry tree on the side. All our attention was fixed on the destination to which we were headed.” In other words, the path was following them.

But for the one who is very much concerned with the path, siich a one will notice every rock, every pebble and all the ruts on the roadway. He will also notice the shepherds and cowhends and the people living in all the huts. He will also stop to converse with those people and allow himself to be invited into their homes to have a meal with them, and he will derive a sort ofhappiness in spending time on such activities. And so it will take him a long time to reach the destination, and visiting time will be over when he gets there. All he will get for his efforts will be the opportunity to admire the mansion where the Lord lived, and that is exactly what happens to a wayfarer on the path.

Every time with each advent it is a great blessedness, and it is a blessing that we are now in such an era when He has been with us and is still with us.

Thus it is that the path is created by us, but for the one who concentrates all his thought and devotion upon Meher Baba, there is no such thing as a path. Such a one discards even the very thought of God-Realization, but the path is still there though there is no experience of it. One may think of it as being blindfolded but it is notjust a mechani cal blindfolding because the heart, the whole consciousness of the lover is set on Mehen Baba. He then becomes the path, the way and the goal.

From TheAnciern’ One, by EruchJessawala, Copyright 1985 Naosherwan Anzar. Published by Beloved Books

How He Planned for Us Eruch Jessawala From a talk by Eruch in Mandali Hall, 10 February 1979, on theAvatarc work. aba once told the mandali that ‘all you find and see of My Work while I am Meher Baba was planned and chalked out at the time when I was Mohammed.’

“All those whom He met as Meher Baba and all that He did as Meher Baba He had planned for when He was Mohammed. It was all so to say, ‘filmed’ at the time He was Mohammed, and was ‘projected’ while He was Meher Baba.

“All that has happened since 31st Janu any 1969 was planned while He was Mehen Baba. It was ‘filmed’ then and is being ‘pno jected’ now.”

Someone asked about those who had met Baba for only a short time, towards the end as it were. Eruch said: “Your meeting with Him in 1962 was planned when He was Mohammed, and what you have done since He dropped the bodywas planned while He was Meher Baba.

“So for all who met Him as Meher Baba there is an overlapping, a continuing, of His ministry as Mohammed and His ministry as Meher Baba. Those who have come to Him since He dropped the body, He planned for as Meher Baba, and those whom He meets and all He does as the next Avatar has been planned while He was Meher Baba.”

From Lettersfrom the Mandali ofAvatar Meher

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Baba, Compiled byjim Mistr Copyright 1981 AMBPPCT.

“Inscribe these words upon your heart: Nothing is real but God. Nothing is matters Meher Baba but love for God.” —

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Dancing with The Beloved

by Gary Kleiner, Meherabad

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hen I wasjust a little boy, I wondered where I would be when the year 2000 came around, and what my life would be like.

I figured out that I would be 46 years old when 2000 came. and that sounded so old at that time. This was the early 1960’s and my family was living in Poland then, haying moved from Russia a few years earher. My father was a survivor of the Holocaust. Everyone in his family was murdered. Ofthe 25,000Jews in his town, less than 100 survived. My mother survived the bombing and the battle of Stalingrad, which was one of the major turning points ofWorld War II. As a young boy I would take short cuts to school through bombed-out buildings that had not been repaired after the war.

One day I sat down in one ofthose buildings and thought about Life. It seemed to me that one is born, one grows up a little, one goes to school, possibly to college, get a job, get married, have children, then watch them grow up a little, send them off to school. and the whole process just gets re peated over and over, one generation after another.

As I sat there, I knew that I somehow wanted out of this cycle of Birth and Death. but of course, I would not have called it that, then. It was my first feeling of angst. through which I realized that by just following the formula oflife, as I saw others doing, it would not bring happiness to my heart. I was seeking an alternative to this relentless and inexorable Life current, in which I felt that I could soon drown. And this was not the ocean that I wanted to drown

beatitude, a blend ofperfect blessedness and perfect happiness. At the stroke of midnight I was standing at the window ofBaba’s Tomb, next to Mehera’s Tomb. As we were shouting out “Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai” seven times, I realized that my question and my

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Although I could not have phrased it then, I longed to drown in the Ocean of Love. I had no idea, at that time, that a Meher Baba existed, but already my young mind knew that ifHe did not exist, it would be necessary for me to invent Him. So, whether He invented me or I invented Him. does not matter. what does matter is that we finally got in the ring. and al though we promised to LOVE each other... we quickly started to beat each other up!

This brings me around to today Janu st ary 1 2000. I have just come down from Meherabad Hill, Baba’s Tomb, where we had a “Midnight Mass Gathering.” It was beautjful! In fact, for me it was an experience of . .

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for this dance! I don’t want to lose Him, and He does not want to lose me. We want to hold this embrace. Neither ofus wants someone else to cut in. We are dancing naked... the music is coming from within us “and the palms seem to be swaying”.

The nakedness which we bring to this dance only heightens the attraction. There is nothing as beautiful as vulnerability... because in that state one is open to the greatest possible joy and the greatest possible pain. In one ofHis other disguises as The Buddha. my dancing partner said, “Vulnerability is the greatest strength.”

And now, with the mask ofMeher Baba, He gestured that, “THERE IS NO POWER GREATER THAN LOVE.” Perhaps love and vulnerability are two sides of the same coin. Perhaps He and I are two sides of the same coin. Perhaps He and I are One, and love and vulnerability is the coin with which we pay for this Dance! My name is Gary Kleiner.

I have just entered the New Millennium with my Beloved. His name is Meher Baba!

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prayer from almost 40 years before, had been answered. I AM HERE. IT IS NOW! It is always like that. It will always be here and now. no matterwhere andwhen it is!!! And it will be like that whether I am in my own “Heaven or Hell” state. but tonight as I stood between the Beloved and His Beloved, and we shouted out His Praise and His Glory, there was magic in the air!!!

The beauty ofMeher Baba to me, is that He identified the game that we all play as “The Lover and the Beloved.” And my entry into that game took me out of the normal birth and death cycle. For that I am eternally grateflil. Baba said, “To be most natural is to be most Godly.”With that statement, He toppled more religious dogma than J esus overturned by knocking around some vendors at the Temple in Jerusalem. But being the same guy, He wasjust doing the same thing at a different time. I AJVI HERE. IT IS NOW. And all this is what Meher Baba had to do get me Dancing with Him. And everything that I did, is what I had to do to get Him dancingwith me! I love our Dance, I love our Song, I love our Story, I love our Play!!! I love that He can embrace my natu ralness without condemnation. It is this ac ceptance that encourages me to become vulnerable. to be naked. transparent and yet to be open to the embrace and to be open to love.

It takes two to tango and the Eternal Beloved and I have been waiting a long time . .

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The Now

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he ‘yesterdays’ ofthe past and the ‘tomorrows’ of the future hinge on a point in time which is the NOW of the present moment in Eternity.

Meher Baba

The Strings of my Life are in Your Hands

by Adi K. Irani

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ompletely entrust yourself read his books, discuss what he has said, argue about it, try to understand, contemplate, meditate. But remember one thing, these things will not give you spiritual position.

It is only your love, it is only your adher ence, it is only your understanding, your conviction about him, and your service to him, that will give you a push forward.

AU I have to do is submit myself and be the humblest man in the world and say, “Baba, the strings of my life are entirely in your hands, you guide me. Whatever you want me to do I shall do, for the rest of the things, you are responsible.”

Originally from a transcribed interview with Adi K. Irani, October 1975, Printed in The Mastery of Consciousness, by Allan Y. Cohen, page 124, copyright 1977 by Ira G. Deitrick.

Baba’s Home in the West Bal Natu

The Laioozi Cabin, A’Icher Spiritual Ciz/ei; Pvlyit/e Beach, South Carolina onjainiary 28, 2000.

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is difficult to narrate the incredible experiences of those who were drawn to Baba during His first stay at the Centei An.d it is still more difficult to put into words how this contact, as time passed, intensified in each one’s heart. So here I prefer just to add a few comments about the Center itself For when Baha stayed there fir two months, beginning April 22, 1952, He was inaugurating notust the physical property of 500 acres, but a phase of His Divine Plan which continues to this day.

Even now, the various activities carried out at different parts ofthe Center are still fresh in the memo— or big, ries of those who were with Baha. But more than that, every structure built on the propert small vas endowed with its o\vn outstanding feature and eternal inner importance: the Ne\v [louse, especially built fhr Baba, retains its unrivalled spiritual importance; the Guest House, where the Indian women mandali staved; the Lagoon Cabin, the Avatar’s audience chamber; the Barn, where the God-ian dispensed His spiritual bounty; all are still fragrant with the perfume of His presence.

In short, Baba’s love and presence, experienced by His dear ones and the visitors during the earlier interviews and darshan on the Open Dax still permeate the entire property with a penetrating sublirnit The following quote, from one ofBaba’s interviews given in the Lagoon Cabin, sheds light on the continu— ity ofthis exalting experience. To one of the visitors Baba had conveyed: “I will tell you \vlw you feel happy here. Those who are connected with me ought to feel happy here for tvo reasons. Ages ago this was a place where Baba visited, moved about and stayed, and the combination of the lake, ocean and the woods gives it a unique atmosphere.”

No wonder that in His subsequent visits to Myrtle Beach, Baba referred to the Meher Center—on—theLakes as His Home in the West.

From Glimpses ofthL’ God-iVIan, Me/er Baba, Volume 3, by Bal Natu, © 1982 AI\IBPPCT

Our Dear Friend, Rocky Rodgers

by Lois Jones

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ocky Rodgers went to Baba on January 6, 2000 (in Christianity, January 6 is the day of the Epiphany). He had only recently been diagnosed with myositis, an auto-immune disease, which attacks the body’s muscles. Needless to say, we were all extremely shocked at the swiftness with which this disease ravaged his body. No one, not even the doctors,

wayback in 1989 andlovingly carried out his ‘sometimes challenging’ duties for ten years. Rocky had an amazing mind, as you will see in the fliture, when we publish articles he wrote. Rocky was a talented artist whose beautiful drawing of Baba once graced the cover of the Awakener magazine and two ofwhich were featured in the last issue of The Love Street LampPost.

Most importantly, Rocky was a good friend and loving brother.

He was so much Rin and such great company. While we rejoice at his union with Beloved Meher Baba, our world won’t be the same without him.

We love you, Rocky, and we miss you.

A Letter from Gloria Reck Rocky’s eldest sister —

expected Rocky to depart when he did.

Purely by Baba’s grace, Nancy Merwan and Lois Jones, along with Rocky’s sister, Mary Ellen Holmen, were at his bedside when he went to Baba. Earlier that morning, he told Mary Ellen, “Everything is going ac cording to schedule.” On Sunday, January 9, we celebrated Rocky’s life in a moving and uplifting memorial, here at Meherabode.

Rocky was the kindest, most generous and harmonious person. Many people saw him as a “behind the scenes” kind of person. But, he did so much for so many behind the scenes. Rocky had been actively involved in the L.A. Center since his ar rival in Los Angeles in the mid-seventies.

He served on the Board ofDirectors as Sec retary and Director ofFixed Assets. Rocky is probablybest known throughout the U.S., as the “Transportation Walla” for the L.A. Sahavas. He was “volunteered” for the job

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0 the members of the Meher Baba Center in Los Angeles.

On behalf of my husband John and I, my daughter Maren Schouw, Mark and Mary Ellen Holmen and John and Trish Rodgers, I want to take this opportunity to formally express to each and every one of you, our sincerest appreciation for your ex traordinary caring and efforts, especially ex emplified by the memorial service you so graciously provided for Rocky, our beloved brother. We will especially treasure the lovely “A Celebration of Rocky’s Life” brochure so beautifully created on such short notice

by Pris Haffenden and the rapid organiza tion ofso much, no doubt generated by Lois J ones and others.

Obviously the rapid progression of Rocky’s illness and sudden demise were devastating events for us, but our loss was certainly cushioned by the love and acceptance we all felt pour forth from your members. We are very grateful that Rocky had such a tremendous circle of wonderful,

supportive friends. We do lament that our initial meeting with you was under such circumstances. But I, particularly, now understand much that I did not previously understand much less appreciate.

There is no doubt in my mind that Rocky knew full well, for at least two weeks and probably for much longer —what was around the comer. Although always orga nized and meticulous, his records and affairs were in pristine order, with only a few items seen to by me according to his instructions during those last few days. He could not have accomplished this unusual order injust a few days, especially considering his weakened condition. We can see now that he had made detailed preparations well before any of us in the family had any realization ofthe grayity of the situation. How like him to spare us anguish as long as possible!

I should mention also that in the ten days he spent at my home before I called EMT personnel to take him to the Hospital on J anuary 3, and even thereafter, he continued to give me detailed, strict instructions about many things, and tolerated with loving patience my arguments that he was absolutely mistaken—that there was no reason to be making such plans.

Immediately after his death I was puzzled when I realized that he had covered literally “every base” except the mention of any fu neral or memorial service preference. Within —

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His Ocean ofLove, and when we finally washed up on shore, we couldn’t believe what we had experienced.

We are changed forever.

Michael Compagnac band “The AverageJohnsons”, one ofRockycfavorite bands.

Mia Campagna andDebraAshe singing.

freely and spontaneously given without a few days I understood his “neglect” of this hesitation or reservation. particular item—it too was thought out and Again, we all extend to you all our prodeliberate. He certainlyknewwho his friends found “Thank You” and appreciation for your were, and knew frill well that your group and members would provide for that need with generosit caring and incredible support and display of love when it was most needed. incredible speed, efficiency and graciousness.

Please know that we are grateful in ways far We were of course impressed, but, more exceeding my poor ability to express in mere importantly, deeply touched. I fear we were Gloria Reck words. all still in somewhat ofa state [Babapulledihisfamily in of shock and probably were with a speed that was aswoefully inadequate in ex toundingandhas touchedtheir pressing aloud, at the service, lives in a veryprofbund way. the true depth of our grati Mary Ellen, who lives in Altude. buquerque, very soon after The loss ofRocky still has joined the Baba list serv and me, when the reality ofit sud is now chatting with Baba denly descends without lovers all over the world via warning, rather stupefied and her computei She wrote me stunned. I suppose the realthisprofiundty moving letter.] hit me fully, to yet has ization From my heart to I could acceptance. less much you should know yours, Baba Meher your see that happened miracles that accep an group possesses Center. the at day that faith and tance, tranquility normal our With I fear envy. that I certainly defenses in shreds, the that my traditional up-bringRockjlc sister Gloria perfume of Baba’s heady Church ing in the Episcopal our hearts and into wafted Love so of support sort the has failed to provide Our individual minds. our penetrated group. evident among your but one varied, ofcourse, to this well responses as efforts foryour Again, thankyou all: us to manifest became of thing there ofus those as your kind words about I had, REAL. it’s is this the WHATEVER for praying I am Rocky’s blood relatives. by the time ofthe Memorial Service, spent acceptance, tranquility and faith that was so some time reassuring the family that whom to evident in the attitudes ofeveryone a Rocky didn’t belong to some weird cult of less little a I spoke. I wish I had been in that would try to talk us into castrating many so after blur. I was, ofcourse, quite weary , ourselves and catching the next comet, for so days ofworry and stress and sleeplessness (Remember Heaven’s Gate? instance. best. at my not I’m certain that I, at least, was of it, maybe you guys think to Come was surely But I feel certain everyone there sign on your door at big hang a should of us if acutely aware and forgiving, some Another Southern —“Notjust the Center words. seemed to be at a loss for appropriate I digress.) but Religion”, California that know I am very pleased and grateful to of us expected, each what Regardless loving caring, Rocky was so sunuunded by such of warmth deluge a was received we an what such friends. Rarely have I witnessed a dip in truly was It sensitivity. sweet so and warmth ss and outpouring of thoughtIidne —

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Marc Brutus read from The Silent Word ofMeherBaba, “Men are born, and die, and are reborn; until they die into the Deathless and are never born again. But one being Man, birthless and deathless, takes bir-th again and again because of the cry of the world for relief from the burden of living; and to mirror himself in the tears of his lovers.

This Man is the God-Man:Whole God; Perfect Man. Because He is God, His actions as a Man are perfect and because He is a Man mankind partakes ofthe divine qualities of his Godhood... He comes His not-coming—just as the sun rises it’s not-rising...” ? ••

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[Rocky wrote this poem in April 1996 and described it in thefollowingfashion.]

This poem was hashed out one afternoon when toying with a “Magnetic Po etry Kit” given to me by my sister. The side ofa metal file cabinet in the bedroom served as my work surface. The outcome is a poem about dreamy desire, reality and the notion that time erases everything.

You Ask Swim under the rose garden rock Soar beneath the cool music ofmist Recall the delicate sweet dream But itc always less than it could be And we moan when the honey sleep is gone Yet lustfor the essential moon—vision And luscious rainforest water symphony And though a sadshadow of bitter lfè—rust Mavplace us in some delirious void We must let lie thefrantic moments For languid time is our true gft.

You ask.

19

I This document wasfoundon Rockys cornputer by his sistei He had written it in 1998]

Postmortem

I

fyou have discovered this “document,” it’s a probable indication that I have already passed away (died) in some abrupt manner. It may have been scuba diving orjoy riding in a small plane, my two favorites, or in some other type of accident. Regardless of the details, I assure you that itwas OKwith me, and I didn’t suffer any undue fear or resistance. And if I diso what, it’s over with, it’s in the long gone past. If someone else did me in, absolutely beyond question I forgive them completely and also, quite truthftilly, they did me a favor.

I have had an interesting and long enough life, and I always wanted a quick transition to the other side. I’m not a “goodbye” type person anyway. Well, all right then, goodbye!

The purpose for this letter is to share my final farewell and comments about death and dying. Chances are that WI have already gone, I’m fine. I guarantee it. It is you that are perhaps experiencing discomfort and feelings of sadness. Thanks, I’m glad I meant something to someone. And I shall miss all ofmy friends also, but I will of course be hdavily distracted with the potential enchantments of exploring the “other side.”

The freedom from the release from the dense plane of this solid world will be posi tivelywonderfiil. I have no doubts, trust me. I have worked hard all my life to enlighten myself I have done so in hopes ofunderstand ing enough of the big spiritual picture to not have to fear death. And I didn’t—that is, the philosophical aspect of dying. Of course the ego is not philosophical when it faces its own demise, and itwill instinctuallyreactwith fear or try to fight. Regardless ofone’s fair weather beliefs, when the reality hits, there will be aspects ofthe ego that won’t be tamed. Sickness and suffering, however, are another story I would much rather die suddenly, without warning, than go through a process of prolonged and increasing levels of suffering.

I will miss myself I will miss who I was. I rather liked most things about myself However, I will not miss my life. My life was very unsatisf5ring and lonely. It seemed like a waste of a “lifetime” from certain perspectives. I wanted to accomplish more in the name of wealth, social relationship and notorietyc I was such a nobody in comparison to the world of celebrity I was definitely mediocre in all re spects.

One small item, however, chipped away at my guilt meter sometimes. I was not proud ofthe fact that during mylife I exhibited gen

20

erosity and unseffishness. But these acts were motivated more from social fear or having a people pleaser’s personality trait. There was giving only when trying to impress or only when I was outright asked to lend someone some assistance that I acted. I did not volun teer or go out ofmyway to help anyone, espe cially strangers,just for the sake ofhelping. I didn’tjoin philanthropic causes. Most ofwhat ever indulging I did was done exclusively for myself I was less than mediocre in the helpfulness departments. So that concludes the long list ofweaknesses I possessed.

The only thing I ever positively excelled at was being Rocky No one could have done itwith better insight and subdety I played that roil perfectly, don’t you think? However I de sired to be better looking, have a lot more money, and most importantly, have a loving relationship with the opposite sex. OK, so much for unfulftlled ego desires. I’m not a whiner. In all fairness, however, I enjoyed a good enough life and was always thankftil on a dailybasis that my life was as good as it was.

Sometimes, secretly, I would actually feel lucky to be so unencumbered (no family, no girlfriend) and incrediblyfree. I didn’t think it was normal to enjoy such unattached freedom, so I had a difficult time in acknowledging my enjoyment ofthe unusual predicament. I was able to focus myselfon the things I was interested in. I was not having to give 99% of my time and energy to others (wife and children).

I didn’t miss children because I didn’t want children. Mostly because I never believed I could manage a family financially. The finan cml responsibility required to operate a family was a formidable proposition. I always realized that I would never have the financial nor vocational security necessary for such a respon sibility. I began adult wage earning quite late by returning from fours years with the Viet Nam waste and then going back and finishing a four year university degree in art. Then I blew another sixyears attempting to be an artist. Then when I finally didjoin the work force, I was un der-skilled and quite late getting started on the earning curve.

I was very careful also not to create an ac cidental pregnancy (family) by mostly not chasing after sex. Hence the loneliness. This is the truth 98% ofmy life was unwillingly spent celibate as a monk but without any of the benefits monks have.

It is ironic how I was always preparing myseifto be in a relationship. I constantly read everything I could about the psychology of relationships and careftilly observed everyone else around me. I-was always making myself into a real catch. Many people sought my —

counsel about their own relationships. Many said I had a great talent for it and that I should be a family therapist. I was deeply committed to being an unusually good mate for some woman. All that study, preparation, observa tion, counseling others, practicing on friends— it was all for nothing. It all went down the tubes. No one ever took advantage ofall that I wanted to offer. Can’t you just hear the sad music now as I type this in October of 1998?

The humorous aspect of all my Mr. Goodguy self-awareness in this life is that in my next lifetime, I’ll probably be the oppo site. I’ll be an unsophisticated, narcissisticjerk and destroy a dozen relationships and three or four of what could have been successful marriages. And I shall die still clueless and bitter. And there won’t be a single woman at the funeral. About the same count as you will see or saw at this one. Leave to me, the overly responsible and practical cynic, to already be complaining and worrying about mynext lifetime.

I’m “dead” now and there should be no embarrassment on mypart to divulge my most guarded personal secret since childhood. I hope I don’t embarrass you either in case you are offended by such a disclosure. I have had a continuous and deeply personal belief (conviction, perhaps) or “relationship” with God. A relationship atleast in myimagination. And no one, of course, is expected to necessarily join my club nor make a big deal about my ingrown spiritual subjectivity You have only to be aware that I derived great comfort from this delusional state of mind. Even ifGod does exist, it is still a delu sional act to believe it. The word “faith” is often used instead of”delusion” or “hope,” and I don’t know what “conviction” is supposed to mean. Intellectual stubbornness, maybe? Well, I had it. Many people, perhaps yourself included, don’t require comfort ofmind such as I needed, so as always, we are all just slightly different from one another, so live with it. No pun intended.

Keep well, be happy, and what is the use of taking anything too seriously? I’m only a little ahead of you getting back here to the soul reclamation center. Nothing is wasted, souls are repackaged and shipped back down in an unrecognizable format. Don’t worry about forgetting me sooner than you thought you would. When it happens, know that it is only a sign ofyour own spiritual health. I move on, you have a right to also. May you find knowledge and understanding. And never pray to me. And no, I’m not allowed to help you win the lottery.

Rocky

Meher Baba

do AMB Trust Office, Kings Road, Ahmednagar, India 414001

Professional Resume OBJECTIVE

Continued employment in a Parvardigar position with power infinite and omnipresent responsibilities. Qualifications reflect a mature and wide background in Universe Management.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Established a trinity ofleadership fimctions as Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President of the Three Worlds. Included: highest of the high decisions on all planes, management and operations ofMandali and direct supervision ofMasts and the Inner Circles. Possess expert awakening skills including techniques for creating final manonash. Formerly held frill time positions as Zoroaster, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed. Expertly adept with maya management and applied cosmology.

QUALIFICATIONS

Capable ofmaking imperceptible and independent decisions. Skilled at being manifest and unmanifest. Fully knowledgeable in the economic manipulation of sanskaras. Adept at performance evaluations of followers and the administration of mind and heart experiences.

Reliable, organized, and productive in coordinating journeys of souls. Continual management ofgross, subtle, and mental divisions of consciousness.

EDUCATION

Ph.D.in Divinity of the Everything and the Nothing, from the “Ocean of Knowledge Institute”, majored in ‘Infinite Attributes and Knowledge Itself’. Completed seminars in “All Merciful Benevolence”, and mastered “Unlimited and Unfathomable Truth” with emphasis on the evolution of consciousness towards REALIZATION of Divinity Experienced the “School ofAll Knowing”, experienced the gaseous state up through the 6th plane ofawareness including the final 7th plane ofReality Possess in-depth knowledge of suffering and ignorance balanced with continuous outpouring of compassion.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Mastered the Disciplines of Creation, sustaining creation and Mahapralaya. Authored various discourses and books. Conducted darshans, training and workshops with realistic life experiences for the multitudes. Ability to forgive anything, and radiate LOVE at all levels. Expert at initiating cosmic events and knowing everything in advance. Invented psychology, acting, the universe, and life.

MEMBERSHIPS

President of the Perfect Masters Society. Hold the titles of Elahi and Yazdan including Parameshwar status for attainingfanafillah. Crowned “Ancient One” for achieving “Without Beginning and Without End” consciousness. Membership in Club Bliss. Annual guest ofhonor at the Adoration by Saints Association. Possess the only ‘I Am” awareness in the perfect and exclusive AVATAR experience known as the ‘Beyond Beyond

PERSONAL

Happily married with illusion and have many children. Enjoy giving prasad, cricket, marbles and other Divine sports, including teasing, mind reading, humor and universal compassion. Love spiritual themes and hearing ghazals and music and people saying they LOVE ME.

REFERENCES

Excellent references available upon request, including sublime testimonials and recommendations from the enlightened and the spiritually advanced.

5/91 Rocky Rodgers, revised 5/95

Don’t Worry About Sanskaras

by Eruch Jessawala

Kill a man

M

ost of the time when we were with Meher Baba, we did not talk about God, or spirituality. We talked about whatever work we were engaged in at the time, or we talked about commonplace things; it was not often that Baba was in the mood to give a discourse. But in the earlyyears, Baba would repeatedly bring up the subject of sanskaras. He would explain how it was our sanskaras which kept us from realizing our oneness with God. Because ofthe emphasis Baba put on it, many in the mandali became convinced that their goal should be to get rid of their old sanskaras and avoid taking on any new ones. And Baba did not discour age them in this.

But as Baba explained more and more about the nature of sanskaras, the mandali were forced to adopt more and more desperate measures to avoid taking on more sanskaras. It reached the point where people vrere reluctant to sit near each other, or to have someone look at them while they were eating it became almost impossible for anyone to do anything, and it wasthen that Baba told the following story.

There was a notorious bandit, a highwayman who not only robbed but also mur dered people. This was how he supported himselfand his family. In the course of earning his livelihood, he had killed ninety-nine people. It was at this point that he experi enced a sudden and intense change of heart.

He realized for the first time what terrible karma he was creating for himself through his occupation. Deeply tormented with the thoughts of his evil deeds and in great de spair, he left his family and wandered the country seeking peace of mind.

He grew more and more desperate, constantly beseeching God to forgive him his sins. One day so happened that he had the great good fortune to attract the attention of a Perfect Master. The Master asked him what was troubling him, and he told the Master his whole stor poured out his heart to him, and pleaded with him to help.

The Master agreed to do so and led the repentant man into the surrounding jungle.

He took him to a certain spot and instructed him to sit there and repeat God’s name.

—

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get God Realization?

“Never leave this spot, except to beg for food or to attend calls of nature, and even then return to this exact spot immediately and stay here.”The man was overjoyed that there was the possibility ofescape from his karma and immediately began following the Master’s instructions.

Well, years went by, and because the man was sincere in his quest for forgiveness, he continued to sit where his Master had instructed him and repeated God’s name. In fact, he became lost in the repetition of God’s name and graduallyleft the spot less and less.

Although he seldom came into town now to beg for his food, the people there began to respect him and eventually to revere him for his dedication in repeating the Lord’s name. so happened that thejungle where the man sat lay in between one town and another. The king decided that a path should be cut through the jungle so that his sengers could more speedily travel from one town to the other so, accordingly, townspeople were hired to cut a track through the jungle. When they reached the spot where the man sat, they stopped and waited until he had gone off to beg for food, and then they worked hurriedly so that the section would be done by the time he returned.

Absorbed in his repetition of God’s name, when the man returned, he simply resumed his spot which was now in the middle ofthe king’s highway. Years went by and the man continued to sit there. Travelers respected the man and would always edge to one side of the path so as not to disturb him when they passed. And always the man held to the repetition ofhis Beloved’s name.

Nowit so happened that one daythe king sent a courier on this road to deliver a mes sage to a neighboring king. The messenger was full of arrogance and self-importance, and he reacted to the spectacle of a man seated in the middle ofthe track, forcing him to slow down and go around. He reined in his steed and called out to the man, “Hey, you, are you blind? Move aside, and at once!”

The man was so absorbed in his repeti tion that he didn’t even hear the messenger, who continued to yell at him and to abuse him. The messenger got so angry at the man’s

lack of response that he reached down and slashed the man across the cheek with his riding whip. In a flash, the highwayman’s old skills reasserted themselves and instinctively he reached up, yanked the messenger from his horse, and throttled him, thus making him his one-hundredth victim.

But the messenger happened to be carrying an order from the king for the execu tion ofone hundred innocent people. Thus, the one hundred people the highwayman had killed were exactly balanced by the one hundred people he had inadvertently saved, and because his sanskaras of killing and saving were thus so balanced, he instantly became God Realized.

This was the story Baba told us. But of course its point was not that it is okay to kill, but rather that balancing one’s sanskaras is such an exceedingly subtle operation that there is no way one can hope to do it on one’s own. The intricacies of the path are finer than the finest hair. So be natural, Baba urged. Simply do as I tell you to do, obey Me, and don’t worry about sanskaras.

From Thatc How it Was, by Eruch Jessawala,

Pages 280 282, Copyright 1995 AMBPPCT -

Action Without Creating Impressions Meher Baba

A

long as the mind is there, the body is also there and there is continuous ac tion. Only when the mind is at rest, com pletely stilled or unconscious, does action stop ninety-nine per cent. Even then the one per cent ofactions continue, such as breathing, snoring, turning in bed, etc. Thus ac tions continue and there is no escape from them. Actions create impressions which again feed the mind, and so there is no remedy or way for the ego to rid itself of im pressions and experience its Real State. So the Masters suggested action to kill action, that is, action done in such a way that the effect of the action is impotent, i.e., it cre ates no result which leads to any kind of binding. For example: a scorpion by nature wags its tail and stings anyone who comes near it. Now suppose the dangerous sting is removed, even then the scorpion goes on wagging its tail and continues to behave as before; but the action is rendered impotent, without dangerous results—that is, the bad effect of the action is removed. If actions have to be without binding, their effects which lead to binding have to be eliminated.

The world and its activities are really worthless. Actions continue whether they are good or bad, and therefore the Masters have said, “Act in such a way that the ac tions do not bind you and impressions are not created.” This is an almost impossible task, as explained below. Yet there are three ways by which action can be done without creating the impressions and the consequent bindings: 1) To act, but with absolutely no thought that you are acting. This must be a continu ous process. The ego must not give even one moment for the mind to exert its influence.

In fact, you act for others and not for yourself. This selfless action, which is also called selfless service, or Karma Yoga, is also al most impossible, because the moment you think, “I am serving others, I must help, I must uplift a certain cause,” you are caught.

For a leader it is very risky unless this thought about himself is given up 100 per cent continuously. This point may be ex plained further. If a leader asks another to sacrifice everything for some cause, with the best ofmotives and with no self-interest, but

Spiritual or Moral Life?

Meher Baba

fails to give up every thought ofselflOO per cent continuously, then the result is a disas ter. All the Sanskaras (impressions) of the whole group fall on him and even his fol lowers are caught up in the impressions, even though they might have acted with the best of intentions. A similar disaster occurs in case of a guru and disciple, if there is any thought ofselfon either side. Even pity for others should not be there. In short, when action has to be without effect then it must be done without self-interest, which is al most impossible.

2)The second way is that whatever good or bad you do, you dedicate to God or your Master. This, too, is almost impossible as the dedication has to be continuous without a moment’s break. Ifyou are able to do so, then impressions are not created by your actions; but if there is a break even once, the reaction is disastrous and all the sanskaras fall upon you.

3) The third way is to do whatever you are asked to do by a Master who is free from impressions and whose mind is de stroyed. Such actions do not bind you.

This, too, is difficult. You must have 100 per cent unflinching faith in the Master; even a moment’s doubt is fatal. Krishna had to convince Arjuna that He was in everyone and that no one died, as all were dead already. Then what Arjuna did was “action without action.”

The above three ways are thus almost impossible to attain. So how should one act?

To be involved in the mere “sansar” [worldly matters] with your wife, children, and to act, results in your getting bound with hoops of iron. But submissive, loose and weak im pressions are created by actions done without self-interest, even if at times thoughts of helping or pitying others come into the mind, because mind’s part is to make the ego identifywith the body and not feel false, and to experience the sanskaras. But when the mind sees that the ego is not so ready to accept its dictatorship, then the impressions formed by the actions ofthe above type are weak. Such actions are therefore eventually of help towards attaining Man-O-Nash.

From The Path ofLove, by Meher Baba, Pages 50 52, Copyright 1986 AMBPPCT

W

ith me, no one can live what the world considers a moral life. Here, we are concerned with spirimalit not mor als. A spirituallife is not ruled nor bound by any principles. The sanskaras ofeach one are different, and so the behavior and temperament of everyone are different.

In a virtuous life, evil is suppressed and good surfaces; but the evil is still there. The bad sanskaras remain and have to be worked out, ifnot in this life then in the next or the one after. In the spirituallife, both good and bad sanskaras express themselves, and both get nullified. A spiritual life leads one toward naturalness, whereas a virtuous life, in the guise of humilit inflates the ego and perpetuates it! A spiritual life, though, is only led under the guidance and orders of the Avatar or Perfect Master, who knows the pulse ofeveryone and treats everyone according to his particular malady.

You do not like Aloba’s behavior, but his behavior was quite natural and necessary for him. How can you understand that? People of the world act according to moral stan dards and socially acceptable behavior, but the Avatar or Perfect Master deals with ev eryone according to his or her sanskaras.

Thus spiritual life is totally different and cannot be judged on the basis of morality, ethics or any principle.

From LordMehei; The Biography ofiheAvatar of the Age, Meher Baba, VAzime Thirteen & Volume Fourteen, 1954-1956, Page 4591, by Bhau Kaichuri, Copyright ofMeher Baba’s Words: AMBPPCT

TVhat We speak Becomes the house we live in. ho ze’i1l W(lflt to sleep ifl your bed 1 Tl Ifthe roof leaks Right above it?

Look what happens when the tongue C(iflflOt say to kindness.

“I will heyour slate.”

The i;zoon (‘overs herfrice with both hands And can’t hear lo look.

•

‘

The Gift Poems by Hafiz, the great Sufi laster Renderings by Daniel Ladinsky, Penguin, Arkana, 1999

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I The Love Street LampPost comes from ‘Meherabode, “the home oftheLosAngelesMeherBaba Center which is a hop skzp and ajumpfrom Hollywood Infac4 asyou are walking towards the Dome, wherein we have our Baba room that holds His chair and sadra, you can see the worldfamous HOLLYWOOD sign. Many ofour members are in the Entertainment Industry, both here in L.A. and around the world For thesepeopleparticularly, weprint these very interesting wordsfrom Baba.]

I

do not need to tell you who are engaged in the production and distribution of mo tion pictures what a power you hold in your hands, nor do I doubt that you are ftilly alive to the responsibilities which the wielding of that power involves. He who stimulates the imagination of the masses can move them in any direction he chooses, and there is no more powerful an instrument for stimulating their imagination than motion pictures.

People go to the theater to be entertained.

If the play is strong, they come away trans formed.They surrender their hearts and minds to the author, producer, director and the stars, and follow the example which they see por trayed before their eyes more than they themselves realize.

Both the press and the radio influence thought, but both lack the power of visible example, which is the greatest stimulant to action, and which the motion picture offers b<rtter now than any other medium.

We find ourselves today in the midst of a worldwide depression which affects everyone, rich and poor alike, and from which all are gropingblindlyfor deliverance.The film com panies, the picture theaters and the stars have also suffered from it. Ifthey could help to end the depression, I am sure they would be glad to. How could the motion pictures help in this respect?

First, it must be understood that the de pression is not an accident, nor is it purely the result ofoverproduction and inflation. Those, although the immediate causes, are merely the instmments which were used to bring the de pression about.

The depression itselfwas caused by those entrusted with the “evolution of humanity” Man has to be stripped ofhis material possessions in order that he may realize through ac tual experience that his true base is spiritual and not material. Then will he be ready to re ceive the Truth which I have come to bring.

This Truth consists ofthe knowledge that man, instead of being a limited, separate individual completely bound by the illusion of time, space and customs, is eternal in his nature and infinite in his resources.The world illusion is a dream of his imagining, a play enacted in the theater ofhis consciousness a comedy in which he is at once the author producer director and star. But his absorption —

24

Man Must Be Awakened to His True Nature Meher Baba, Hollywood, 1932 in the role, which he has chosen to enact, has made him forgetful of his true seff and he stumbles now as a creature through the path he has created.

Man must be awakened to his true na ture. He must see that all material expres sion depends upon and flows from a spiritual being. Then he will be steadfast and serene under all circumstances. There will be no further need then for the depression and it will disappear.

Now how can the motion pictures help man attain this realization? The character of the film need not be changed. Love, romance and adventure are themselves ftindamental.

They should be portrayed as thrillingly, as entertalningl and as inspiringly as possible.The wider the appeal the better.

What needs to be changed is the empha sis, or stress. For example, courage is a great virtue but it may, ifmisapplied, become a vice.

So it is with love, the mainspring ofour lives, which maylead to the heights of Realization or to the depths ofdespair. No better example can be given ofthe two polarities oflove and their effects than that of Mary Magdalene before and after meeting Jesus*. [*When the Prophet Jesus was in Jerusa lem, Mary Magdalene was a prostitute who was condemned to death by stoning by the Jewish community At the time of her ston ing, Jesus intervened and saved her life, de daring, “He who is without sin may cast the first stone!” No one could cast a stone. Mary Magdalene gave up her prostitution and became a devoted follower ofJesus. ed.]

Between these two extremes are many kinds oflove, all ofwhich are good, but some ofwhich are better than others. I use the terms “good” and “better” simply to designate the degrees of liberation which they lead to or confer. Even the love which expresses itself through physical desire is good to the extent that it frees one from the thraildom of personal likes and dislikes, and makes one want to serve the beloved above all other things.

Every human relationship is based on love in one form or anothe; and endures or dis solves as that love is eternal or temporal in character. Marriage, for example, is happy or unhappy, exalting or degrading,lasting or fleeting according to the love which inspires and sustains it. Marriages based on sexual attrac tion alone cannot endure; theylead inevitably to divorce or worse. Marriages, on the other -—

hand, which are based on a mutual desire to serve and inspire, grow continually in richness and in beauty and are a benediction to all who know of them.

To lead men and women to the heights of Realization, we must help them to overcome fear and greed, anger and passion. These are the result oflooking upon the selfas a limited, separate, physical entity having a definite physical beginning and definite physical end, with interests apart from the rest oflife, and needing preservation and protection.

The “self”, in fact, is a limitless, indivis ible, spiritual essence eternal in its nature and infinite in its resources. The greatest ro mance possible in life is to discover the “Eter nal Reality” in the midst of infinite change.

Once a person has experienced this, one sees oneself in everything that lives. One recog nizes all oflife as his life, everybody’s interests as his own. The fear of death, the desire for self-preservation, the urge to accumulate substance, the conffict of interests, the anger of thwarted desires are gone. One is no longer bound by the habits of the past, no longer swayed by the hopes of the future. One lives in and enjoys each present moment to the frillest. There is no better medium to portray this than motion pictures.

Plays which inspire those who see them to greater understanding, truer feelings, better lives need not necessarily have anything to do with so-called religion. Creed, ritual, dogma, the conventional ideas ofheaven and hell, and sin are perversions of the Truth, and confrise and bewilder, rather than clarify and inspire. Real spirituality is best portrayed in stories ofpure love, ofseffless service, ofTruth realized and applied to the most humble cir cumstances of our daily lives, raying out into manifold expressions, through home and busi ness, school and universit studio and labora tory everywhere evoking the heights ofjoy, the purest love, the greatest power produc ing everywhere a constant symphony ofbliss.

This is the highest practicalityc To portray such circumstances on the screen will make people realize that the spiritual life is something to be lived, not talked about, and that it, and it alone, will produce the peace and love and harmony which we seek to establish as the constant ofour lives.

—

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LordMehei; T’i V, Bhau Kaichuri, pp. 16561659, Copyright 1986 AMBPPCT

The Spiritual Potential of the Film World

I’

Meher Baba r better or for worse, the world of mo tion pictures has grown up extensively within the larger world of so-called realities.

But the film world is not foreign to the “real” world the two are affiliated so intimately that they can beseen, essentially, to be made ofthe same fabric. For everyone is, in a sense, an ac tor and the world has often been compared to the stage by poets and philosophers. In point offact, much ofwhat goes for “action” in modem life can be called little but “acting”; and so the larger world has little ground to regard only the film world as being imitative. In the film world, the actor has to think, feel and act according to the pattern held before him; to mirror, though temporarily, the personality of the character being portrayed by him.

This can be said to be equally true, to a considerable extent, of those outside the world of motion-pictures; who struggle to follow the conventional pattern ofliving as they imagine it is expected of them, even if it cramps their inner individual expression.

This is so not only figuratively but literally.

While looking in the mirror, people often see themselves more through the eyes of others than through their own.The reflected image evokes in their minds the impression they will make on others and the expecta tions which others have of them and the best that most can do is to try to look the part they play. Thus the mirror, literally and figuratively, has become such a seemingly indispensable part of modern life that we might almost name this age a mirror-civili zation.

When the actor plays the part ofa king he knows it to be an illusion and has, in a sense, an advantage over the king in the outer world who is not necessarily aware of any illusion.

Both, however, are equallyhelpless in their failure to find the Real. No one condemns the actor who plays the part of an emperor or re former as a hypocrite, for although he appears to be what he is not, his honesty is taken for granted because his audience knows that he is acting a part. But there are many outside the world of stage and screen who, in actual life, do not appear as they really are. The former are on the screen of their creation, the latter —

—

behind the screen of their cre ‘1 ation.

—. \ There are 5 p e c i fi c claims and privileges as c well as spe cific duties and potenti / alities that no actor can af 4: ford to ig nore.

An actor who may be techBaba with Thllulah Bankhead at movie studio in Hollywood, May-June 1932 nically faultless in his part, is yet trivial and worthless ifhe to face the responsibilities of the world of tries to evade his inherent spiritual potential. tomorrow, or retarding youth’s inner growth The film world cannot escape its obligations with an overdose of sex and crime films; and to the larger world on which it makes so subwhether it is striving after wealth and fame at stantial an impression; and these obligations the cost ofman’s inherent thirst for the spiritual demand that its spiritual potential take prece and uplifting. dence over the desire to make money. The So my message to the film world is: Do script writers, the producers and the actors not play to the gallery or the salar but play should realize their spiritual potential instead also to the Infinite within. Live in the pres oflooking at their art as merely or mainly a ence of God, even while acting your part, so business. The more vividly they realize this, that you can be true to yourself to your partthe more dignified and satisfactory will the ners and employers, and to the larger and one result of their efforts be; and their inner ac Indivisible Life ofwhich you are each an in— count with themselves will be vastly gratif,r separable part. Ifthe world is a stage, God is ing, even though the same might not be said the only producer and you can never be anyoftheir account in the bank. Ifthe film world thing but a trivial actor ifyou are not in uni cannot or will not give the greatest importance son with Him. to this spiritual potential, it is a failure.

From The Path ofLove, by Meher Baba The ordinary man, whose urgent need is Copyright 1986 AMBPPCT Published by The Awakener Press to relax from the stress of life, to lessen the sense ofinsecurity and try to fill the emptiness While (a student) at St. Vincent’s, within (for which greed and war are mostly Merwan wrote a complete scenario of responsible), turns instinctively to the fleeting nearly two hundred typed pages in Endiversion of entertainment and the film glish and mailed it to the Universal Film world affords this to a great extent. The film Studios in Hollywood, California. Unworld therefore, which still has one of the fortunately, what became of this manu greatest scopes for influencing the lives of script nobody knows since he never myriads, should askitselfwhether it is utilizing received a reply from the film company its spiritual potential to the full so that man in America. may be helped in his search for Truth, or From LoidMeher Volume I p merely pandering to his pleasure in the false; 182 by Bhau Kalchun ©1979 Lawrence Reiter whether it is encouraging and inspiring youth -

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TheWho’sTownshend premieres new rock opera Feb 25, 2000

By Rajiv Sekhri

LONDON (Reuters)

Rock legend Pete Townshend brought to fruition 30 years ofworkwith the live premiere of his rock opera Lifehouse in London on Fri day. Townshend, who was part of the rock group The Who, has been developing Lifehouse since 1970.

The story of a post-apocalyptic soci ety has become topical with its portrayal of a vast communication network called used similar to the Internet the Grid for all interaction by urban communities who have fled indoors from rampant pol lution.

In fact, the piece is scheduled to be broadcast on the Internet in April or May

by MCY.com, a New York-based com pany that offers digital downloads of popular music.

“The inspiration for Lifehouse came from a lot of things,” a tired Townshend told Reuters after the performance at a packed Sadler’s Wells Theater in London.

It came from a spiritual journey into the cosmic world ofWoodstock and Sufi writings ofMeher Baba.”

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Three decades ago, when Townshend began work on the rock opera and the Internet was still a fantasy, he found little interest for his mix of science fiction, spirituality, eastern mysticism and good old rock and roll.

“Lifehouse was intended as film script but floundered effectively every time,” said Nick Goderson, Townshend’s business manager. He said Friday’s performance might lead to a bigger, more dramatic show with more interaction with the au dience.

At the premiere, Townshend, 54, took the risk ofputting a rock band —without in front of the 28-piece a drummer London Chamber Orchestra, and interspersing both with poetry, for a show that had seen only two weeks’ practice.

Townshend apologized for what he felt was an unrehearsed performance, but the 1,500 fans clapped, cheered and screamed as he sang Baba O’Riley, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won’t Get Fooled Again.

Goderson said Townshend’s goal was to take Lifehouse, which was playing again at Sadler’s Wells on Saturday, to a —

much wider audience: “It seemed to us that the best way to do this would be to webcast rather than go the traditional route by television or video.” *Used by permission-Reuters.

[See Announcements (page 37) for the latest on Pete Townshend’s new releases on CD ofthe Baba albums.]

Religion has place in U.S. Schools, Clinton says

By Deborah Charles WASHINGTON (Reuters) Religion has its place in U.S. public schools, President Clinton said on Satur day as he unveiled new guidelines showing teachers how to include religion in schools and stay within the Constitution. “That’s why this is a breakthrough,” said Charles Haynes, who was involved in writing the guidelines. “This is neither imposing reli gion in schools, which is wrong and uncon stitutional and unjust, nor is it leaving reli gion out which is also wrong and I would say unconstitutional and certainly unjust.” (excerpted) .

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‘God alone exists,’ says disciple of Indian Leader S A close adherent ofMeher Baba’s brings his master’s message to a lo cal church.

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE Times Staff Writer

ST PETERSBURG— Outside St. Petersburg’s Unitarian Universalist Church, a Mazda Miata’s license plate read Baba Lvr. Inside, where the cloying fragrance of incense hung in the air, the car’s ownerjoined other Baba lovers, devotees of Meher Baba, an Indian-born religious leader said to have been the world’s lat est manifestation of God. Delivering Baba’s message at the Mir ror Lake church last ; week was disciple i• Bhau Kalchuri, on a * speaking tour span:-4 ‘, fling Australia, rdil 1Iê.

Canada and the United States. , “God alone exists,” b

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of about 50 people. “What ever we see existing,

exists in non-existence.”

Kalchuri’s knowledge of Baba stems from eyewitness experience.

As a graduate student, Kalchuri recalled in an interview that preceded the evening’s program, he became captivated by Baba.

“From a distance, I saw him. He was so radiant, so glorious,” he said.

When Kaichuri pleaded to become his disciple, Baba asked, “will you obey my instructions? If I ask you to become naked and go begging, will you?”

Kaichuri assented and began to undress. Baba stopped him. In 1953, after completing his studies at age 26, Kalchuri willingly became Baba’s night watchman, secretary and translator.

His master did not come to create a new reli gion, Kalchuri said.

Baba taught that the world’s religions “are the rivers that go to the ocean, but the rivers are dry” Kaichuri said. Additionally, the world is “addicted to the rituals and ceremnoies; and doesn’tlove God, Baba is reported to have taught.

Born in 1894, Baba claimed to be the most re cent incarnation of God, following in the foot-

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steps of such figures as Zoroaster Gautama Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed. For the last 44 years of his life, he did not speak, preferring instead to communicate with an alphabet board and eventu ally only with gestures. He traveled to the United States several times. In 1952, he established the Meher Spiritual Centerin Myrtle Beach, S.C. Baba died in 1969, though his followers prefer to use the term “dropped his bod)a” “He has said,” Kaichuri explained, ‘I will come back after 700 years.”

Baba’s tomb at Meherabad, India, has become a sacred destination for believers.

Locally the number ofknown Babalovers is quite small. There are about 30 to 40, said Dr. Tom Decker, a Baba devotee since 1969. Decker was Kalchuri’s host during his visit to Tampa Bay. The Clearwater physician, who said he was inspired bythe disciple’s presence in his home, added that he attempts to follow Baba’s teachings in his daily life.

“One tries to see the Lord in everyone, to see God in every soul, and treat everyperson with equa nimity and a fair sense. And to accept what comes along with the feeling that it is all in his hands and not to worry” he said.

Like Decker Danny and Pam Rubenstein are fervent believers. Lastweek they traveled from their south Tampa home to hear Kalchuri speak.

The couple first met the disciple six years ago.

“We went to one ofBhau’s (Kaichuri) public talks and we just kind offell in love with Baba through Bhau,” Danny Rebenstein said.

“We were just struck by how personable, how sweet Bhau was, and he seemed to say things that we were looking for. He tcild a lot of humorous stories aboutlivingwith Baba. Iwas struckby never having thought of God as having a sense of hu mor. I was really charmed by it. It made the concept of God seem much more real, because he was talking about a person who had lived in recent times, whose life was well documented, well pho tographed,” Rubenstein added.

Last Wednesday the couple again listened as Kalchuri told stories ofhis life with Baba.

There is a bond among fellow believers, said Danny Rubenstein, who hosts one of the weekly gatherings of Baba followers at his home.

Worldwide, they are a large, generous family, he said.

“There are thousands and thousands of Meher Baba devotees around the world. There are a lot of Baba lovers all over the world.” . .

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 1999 ,

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I Enjoy Playing Meher Baba I enjoy games, chiefly cricket, pIaying marbles, flying kites and also us tening to music, although I can do so only on rare occasions. From time im memorial, I have been playing with the Mayavic universe and this enjoyment ofplaying still persists I sometimes see motion pictures ( mostly humorous ones), and enjoy my real state ofbeing the eternal Producer ofthe vast, ever-changing, never-ending film called the universe. I also find relaxation in listening to humorous stories, all the time being aware of the humor that lies in the aspect of the soul, which is the source of infinite power and glory, being made to feel so helpless in its human bondage of ignorance arising from its various forms of duality.

From Life atits Best, by Meher Baba, edited by Ivy 0. Duce, ©1957 by Sufism Reoriented

Listening to Stories Meher Baba

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fter a cricket match on Sunday, August 2nd, Baba reminisced about his childhood: As a boy, I used to get up early in the morning and after tea go out and play cricket. On return I would have breakfast and thereafter play marbles.

After lunch I would rest a while and then start playing gillidanda. I would have afternoon tea and at about five o’clock go out again to fly kites. Af ter dinner I would play cards. Thus I would pass my time.

I want to live such a life now, but the mandali have changed my luck, my fate. From the very beginning I have been fond of games and listening to stories. I will come again after seven hundred years and be able to spend my time like that.

From LordMehei Volume 11 & 12, p. 4204, by Bhau Kalchuri, ©??

Reminder we are now: Bababook@pacbell.net 27

Hot Offthe Presses

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[We had originallypub/ished an article on Earl Starcher in our October 1997 issue. Nice to see it in a commercial newspapei Ed]

Deming, N.M. (AP) Travelers and tourists coming through Columbus rarely notice the small, domed shrine on the windswept southwest fringe ofthe village.

The temple is called “The Perfect Man Shrine.” Only a few locals know the story of the man who erected it, and ofthe Indian guru to whom he was devoted. “When Earl Starcher was living in Florida, I understand he had a very comfortable life,” said July McClure, a Columbus acquaintance. “He said he used to have a great job as an air traffic controller and lots ofmoney, friends and material things.Then he had an experience which totally changed him.”

The change, McClure said, happened while Starcher was on a trip to India. Despite successes in his life, she said, Starcher appar entlyhad been feeling a great spiritual vacuum.

Starcher may have heard about Avatar Meher Baba in the United States, but itwas while he was in India that he found the answer to his quest and became a devoted disciple.

Born in India in 1894, Meher Baba was considered exceptional from his infancy.

When he was in his early 20s, he was publicly acknowledged as Sustainer of the Universe.

Meher Baba trained an inner circle ofdisciples and founded a spiritual community, then stopped speaking for the remainder ofhis life.

In 1931, Meher Baba sailed to London with Mahatma Gandhi and became Gandhi’s spiritual advisor. AfterWorldWar II, he trayeled around India, working with the poor the lepers and those with mental disabilities. Still not speaking, Meher Baba established places -

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Discovering Divine Love

Man who helped disadvantaged honored with shrine in Columbus

By Sylvia Brenner Deming Headlight

The Heart *.

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ofpilgrimage outside India: Meher Spiritual Center in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Avatar’s Abode, near Brisbane, Australia.

When the popularity ofdrugs and Indian gurus crashed on the shores ofAmerican cul ture in the 1960s, Meher Baba wrote an ar tide entitled, “God in a Pill?” in which he condemned the use of drugs as an aid to a spiritual high. He died in 1969.

Starcher chose a remote desert village as the perfect place to live and express his devo tion to Meher Baba. He bought land in Co lumbus with the intent of building both a shrine and a museum.

He began work on the shrine first. He hired local workmen and used structural steel beams from Silver City to reinforce the building against high winds.

“Earl was interesting to talk to and enthusiastic,” said David Sha, who met Starcher around 1983, “I found the information he shared with me about Meher Baba fascinat ing. I was amazed the personality and mag netism of one teacher could cause such an outpouring oflove, attracting people from all over the world.”

Starcher completed the shrine and opened a temporary museum in his home across the street, but he never lived to see the completion ofhis dreams. He became ill with cancer in 1990 and died at the Meher Center in Myrtle Beach in 1995.

Before he left for Myrtle Beach, Starcher had a monument constructed next to the shrine, “The Perfect Man Shrine,” the caption reads in both Spanish and English.

Starcherleftbehind alastinglegacyto the man who had forever changed his life.

THE DURANGO HERALD 30, 2000

SUNDAY, JANUARY

The article is accornpaniedby aphotograph taken by Sylvia Brenner ofiheDerning Head— light. Thephoto is ofEarlc replica ofAvalar Meher Babac Samacihi in Meherabad, India.

Meher Babas motto, ‘Mastery in Servitude” is above the doorway with the WheelofLfl, the Eight-Fold Path ofBiiddha. beneath the slogan, and capping the roofareffiur ofthe other Avataric symbolsfrom thepast. The caption reads, “On thefringe ofthe village ofColumbus stands a shrine dedicatedto AvatarMeher Baba called ‘The Perfect Man Shrine.”

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hen you meet a follower ofMeher Baba for the first time, one of the initial questions oti ask is, “How did you come to know about Baba?” The story is always fascinating, and it becomes the link that immediatelvjoins you and your new friend in otir love for Baba.

The Heart Chronicles is a compila tion of these heart-warming, how-Icarne-to--Baba stories. Each story reminds us how unique we are and how Baba continues to find ways to draw us to Him. The stories range from long, dramatic journeys of surrender to simply saying, “Yes.” The Heart Chronicles, written by the Avatar Meher Baba Listserv contributors and compiled by Tern Zee, published by The Love

Street Press, will be available through the Love Street Bookstore in a few months. All proceeds go to the Avatar Meher Baba Trust.

(Volume II ofThe Heart Chronicles is in the thought stage.)

The Language ofthe Heart Meher Baba

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od does not listen to the language of the tongue, or ofthe mind, but He re sponds to the language ofthe heart. The language ofthe heart is the song oflove for the Beloved.

When the heart weeps for the Beloved’s union and the mind suffers the pangs of separation, then the Beloved’s response is the final embrace into Oneness.

This means to love God one has to keep Him present and never be absent from Him. This means while doing all duties, domg all deeds, while thinking all thoughts and speaking all words, we have always to have His remembrance, remembering Him as the background to everyone and everything.

This means in every little thing, good or bad both, we should remember Him and then all responsibility rests with Him. LordMeher, Volume 11 & 12, p. 4258, Bhau Kalchuri © 1997 AMBPPCT

A NEW DIMENSION FOR PUBLIC RADIO Mary Marino, Portland OR the early 1940’s Meher Baba said “Now In when you go out and try to tell people in the world about

Meher Baba, you find that most ofthem have not even heard ofMe. But in the future you will have to search hard to find a person who has not heard of Me.” [ source: “In His Service” December 1998 newsletter].

For the Mandali “The future began at sun— set on the 31st ofJanuary 1969...”, as told by Mani in the March 14, 1969 “Family Letter.”

For many ofus “the future” isjust dawning on us and while many have long had a desire to spread Meher Baba’s Name, it seems of late He is making it far more possible than ever.

His Precious Name was brought to the hearts of untold numbers during Bhau Kaichuri’s recent tour ofAustralia and the US. Interviews of Bhau on national and local ra— dio stations, and newspapers took place in Australia and the U.S. In Portland, OR, NYC, and possibly other US cities, videos such as “Eternal Beloved” “Meher Baba’s Call” “3/4 ofthe World” and “A View ofGod” were aired on cable TV. Being the “Thief of Hearts” it seems Baba used these media airings to stir the hearts ofmany, drawing new faces to well attended public talks across the country One radio interview taped in late June, 1999 re mains to be aired at a later date.

The persistent and loving labors of Barbara Brustman came to fruition in late June when MichaelToms had the good fortune to interview Bhau Kaichuri on “New Dimen sions”. A national institution ofpublic radio in its own right, Michael and his wife Justine have produced “New Dimensions” for nearly 30 years for national and international broadcasting by PBS. “New Dimensions” makes audio tapes of their interviews available byphone (800-9358273) or through their web site (www.NewDimensions.org). [Just click on “Program Library” and search by name, keywords, etc. and follow the links to order online.] Bhau’s interviewis Program No. 2782.

Michael described being drawn to three skinny little volumes for some 30 years, little books he comes back to now and again, “The Discourses” of Meher Baba and so he began the interview. Bhauji was pleased with his questions and sincere interest in Meher Baba.

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It was clear the studio staff Michael & Justine Toms and their engineer, were very touchedbyBhau and especiaflyloved his wonderflil stories.Justine said to dojustice to them Bhau should have a 4 hour sho as they used to have in their early radio days.

[Those ofyou who live in Northern Callfornia may want to send an email to ndradio@pacific.net requesting the airing of the show”SilentWisdomwith Bhau Kaichuri and Marilyn McGivney” (show#2782). Their mailing address: New Dimensions Radio, P0 Box 569 Ukiah, CA 95482-0569. Address your letter to New Dimensions.

Mast of Baramati Bal Natu

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eher Baba graceftully permitted me to M visit him during my vacations from school. In the

early 1960’s, during one Desi (Festival ofLights)vacation I enjoyed Beloved Baba’s company for over ten days at Meher azad. Being in Baba’s presence is always inde scribable, like the perfume of a rose.

At the end ofmy stay, I took Baba’s leave and went to the Ahmednagar train station. I was waiting for the train when I saw Nariman Dadachanji, one ofBaba’s close disciples, who had also been staying at Meherazad. After the usual greetings, he said he had a message for me from Baba. I was surprised because I had just been with Baba for over ten days and wondered what the message could possibly be.

Nariman said, “Baba wants you to visit Baramati (a town in the district ofPune) and contact a mast.” “What is the name of the mast?” Iasked. He replied, “Baba doesn’t re member the name, but He gave a description of him.” He is like a born mast, doesn’t take care ofhis clothes, moves about aimlessly, and chatters meaninglessly” As I reached my home town, I thought that Baba’s instruction should be my first priority. If I were to die soon I would not be able to carry out His order. So I decided to visit Baramati the next weekend. Since I had never been to Baramati, I wondered where I could staywhile there. Some days later, one of my colleagues told me that his daughter lived in Baramati and would be happy to receive me for the weekend. I took it as a sign from Baba andleft for Baramati, reaching the town

by Saturdayevening.The familyvery cordially received me and asked me the purpose of my visit. I said I was in town just for a change of pace and reported on the welfare of their relatives.

The next morning after having my breakfast, without any plan, I started roaming around the town. An idea struck me that I could talkwith those who came to the barber’s shop and so I entered one on the main street.

Whenever a new customer would arrive I would ask those who sat near me about the mast. Luckily, one man who sat beside me, not only knew of such a person, but looking at his watch said, “It’s about this time that he goes by this road.” And lo and behold, just then I saw the mast walk by. I asked the man to please help me in dealing with him. He readily agreed and we began to follow the mast.

Inwardlyl felt that this was the mast that Baba wanted me to contact.

I wondered what to do now that I had found him. I remembered that Baba gener ally bathed, clothed, and fed the masts He came in contact with. Not knowing the topography of the town, I asked the man whether there was a river nearby. He replied that there was a canal. As we walked, I saw a shop of ready-made clothes. I rushed in and hurriedlypurchased some clothes for the mast: Along with my guide, we entreated the mast to follow us to the canal. To my surprise, he readily agreed. I gave him a bath, changed his clothes, and returned with him to the main street. I found a restaurant with benches and a few tables outside. I sat down and requested the mast and my guide to join me. I ordered tea and bread and, as far as I remember, fed the mastwith myhand.Then I wonderedwhat to do next. Somehow I felt that the work entrusted to me was done. I thanked my guide and left the mast, who appeared totally indif ferent to what hadjust transpired.

I went home, had my lunch, and told my hosts that I would like to leave on the next bus. The hostess was surprised at the change ofmy plans, but somehow I convinced her that I had enjoyed mywalk through the town, but was ready to go. When I returned home, I wrote to Baba informing Him that I had carned out His instructions.

During my successive stays with Baba, He never inquired about the details ofmyvisit to Baramati. I knew in my heart that, not only did He know the details, but He was the One who had been guiding me throughout the ac tivities.When Baba on His own gives any order, I have found that He opens all doors necessary to carry it out.

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New Years Eve in Meherabad Irene Holt, Meherabad, 4 January, 2000 Meher Baba!We really had alovely time at Meherabad ushering in the new year in a new way for everyone. There had been quite a bit of pre-new year’s discussion about how to go about celebrating the event.The central point was to be prayers and arti at Baba’s Samadhi right at midnight.That was exciting enough. But what would we do to lead up to that moment? Because it is the year 2000, it was felt that people reallywanted to do something special and that we should offer that something at Meherabad, something which would indeed be uniquely Baba’s and different from how theymayhave celebrated ifthey had been anywhere else. And so it evolved that the evening would consist of several celebratory parts, revolving around our gath ering at the Samadhi with Baba.

The planning and preparations began a few days ahead of time. It was wonderftil to see the enthusiasm andjoywith which people got ready for New Year’s Eve at Meherabad.There were several behind-thescenes teams of folks making things happen.

Of course Alan’s catering was central to the event! He and his staff created a wonderful buffet supper for the New Year, held after our return from arti at the Samadhi. The decorat ing team,with support from Gar was a group ofpilgrims headed byjeda (age 16) who de signed the re-creation of the Pilgrim Centre dining hail interior. They hung tiny colored lights and colorful streamers all across the high ceiling and adorned the walls and paintings of Baba with streamers, lights and balloons.The whole room sparkled. Tom set up the sound and made the dance tapes. One team of artists designed and made masks for party-goers. Another group planned the

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Samadhi singing by preparing typed copies ofwords to Baba songs (western and eastern), and arranging instmmentation Another planned and provided for a candlelight procession up the hill. Yet another, mostly ofteenage boys, set up a fireworks display. For hours on the 31st, the teams worked and created. Afternoon tea was served on the verandah because the dining hail was still “in process.” A little light music suppported the happy mood.

The feeling ofanticipation began to build as the environment took shape under the creative hands ofall who helped.

After dinner the partybegan, launched into orbit by the fireworks, set offin outer MeherabadbyMorgan, Ben and the other boys. Big sound, big color, big light. We loved it. The dance music started in the dining hail and before long the place was packed. Our whole Meherabad commu nityjoining together for fun in His Love.

Because we were at Meherabad, it was a non-alcoholic New Year’s Eve, yet the evening was hardly sober! Even those who did not dance were enjoying the atmo sphere ofcelebration. There was an infectious feeling ofjoy and togetherness and maybe intoxication in the air.

At about 11:00 p.m, everyone took a lighted candle and, led by a couple of drummers, walked in a very long line up the hill, chanting Baba’s name all the while. Then fol lowed a lovely hour ofsinging together to the Beloved in front of the Samadhi, while the darshan line snaked its way forward, giving each one their special moment inside with Baba. Five minutes before midnight, we stopped the music to call everyone’s attention to the time. Then we chanted together “Meher Dhoon” (a repetition of Baba’s name in a certain tune) until 12:00. Then seven ringing calls all together of “Avatar Meher Baba lii Jai!” I think I can speak for most who were there that there was a tre mendously powerful feeling at that moment and the feeling seemed to take ex pression as we spoke aloud Photo byjudy Phillips together the words ofBaba’s —

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byJudyi Decorations in the Pilgrim Center U

prayers. “Oh Parvardigar....”Theywere recited in a perfect unison, as if in one voice, at a slightly quick pace, which may have been due to the feeling ofthe energy ofBaba’s unif,ring Love. For me, that was how it seemed. After the Gujerati arti and Australian arti, more singing continued while the darshan line was completed, until about 1:00. Down the hill again, in the dining hall, we mingled together a short while enjoying the light supper provided and wishing each other and the whole world, happiness in the brotherhood of the Avatar’s Love. Jai Baba!

Shelley Marrich

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28 January 2000

Meher Baba and belated Happy New Year to all from Meherazad.

The excitement ofentering a new century and a new millennium inspired a quiet cel ebration at Baba’s Meherazad Home. As the Indian subcontinent prepared to cross over the millennium threshold, Baba’s men and women mandali arose fromtheir sleep to gather respec tivelyin Mandali Hall and Baba’s Room where theyjoined in saying Baba’s “Jai” seven times at the midnight stroke, and greeted the New

Jai

Year with His arti and prayers. Baba’s Room All pups have been placed in good homes glowed in the candlelight, reflecting a softpink except for two who are now permanent Mefrom the elegant counterpane gracing Baba’s herazad residents Rolly, a convincing double bed and from the beautiftil sari given by Mefor a baby black bear whose gentle nature re hera to Meheru who gently draped it in scal minds the women Mandali of Mastan, and lops around the canopy on Baba’s bed for this Rust a black and white spitfire who survived occasion. Shortlyafter midnight each returned a stray dog attack when he was only 7 weeks to their waiting beds with a sense of having old which punctured his lung, his abdomen shared a unique moment in Beloved Baba’s and fractured his ribs. With these two ener Advent with the entire world. getic additions to the Meherazad Kennel, I’m The New Year has brought many health sure there are many canine capers in store for challenges to the Meherazad Mandali. Prom us all! the latest version ofinfluenza currently circu And with this I close wishing each of lating the Pilgrim Centre and environs (which you a happy, healthy New Year and a affected Eruch and others in the household), millennium filled with Baba’s Love and to the ongoing problems experienced by those companionship. with heart and other conditions. I’m happy to say that Eruch returned to work after a week’s absence from the Trust Office and Mandali Hall, that Goher has rallied after a 10-day illness, and everyone else affected by the “Y2K Meher Baba bug” is slowly on the mend. eher Baba dictated the following With each year we see that as Baba’s statement when he arrived in Enbounty increases, attracting more and more gland, in view of the many questions that old and newlovers to His Home at Meherazad had been asked of him, which I print here and Meherabad, the capacity of His dear for the first time: Mandali lessens, leaving them easily fatigued “My coming to the West is not with the and susceptible to illness. Often these illnesses object of establishing a new creed or spintravel from Meherabad to Meherazad where tual society on organization, but is intended they spread throughout the household. That to make people understand religion in its is why it’s particularly important to heed Dr. true sense. True religion consists of devel Goher’s request for pilgrims who are ill to oping that attitude ofmind which ultimately refrain from visiting Meherazad until the results in seeing one Infinite Existence pre attendingMeherPiigrim Centre doctorgives vailing throughout the Universe, thus findthe green light. As Mani would say, Baba’s ing the same divinity in art and science and Mandali are also precious relics in need of experiencing the highest conciousness and preservation! indivisible bliss in everyday life.

So let us all participate in the Archive “The West is inclined towards the ma‘subcomittee’ for maintenance of the health terial side of things, which has from untold and welfare ofBeloved Baba’s Mandali! ages brought in its wake wars, pestilences Baba’s canine capers continue at Meher and financial crises. It should not be underazad on a lighter note this time. About two stood that I discard and hate materialism. I and a halfmonths ago a stray black and white mean that materialism should not be confemale dog, who has attended Baba’s Meher sidered an end in itself but a means to the azad clinic for years to beg for food from the end. patients, gave birth to eight darling puppies “Organized efforts such as the League in the cactus hedge on Meherazad property’s of Nations are being made to solve world perimeter.Ten days after their birth, the problems and to bring about the Mullenmamma dog carried her pups one by one to a nium. In some parts of the West, particu safer Meherazad den underneath a raised larly in America, intellectual under standing flowerbed near the clinic where she tended of truth and reality is attempted but withthem devotedly. As they gre this black and out the true spirit of religion. This is like while avalanche of puppy fhr would roll out groping in the dark. from under the flower bed to enthusiastically “I intend to bring together all religions greet whoever came to visit. They were a de and cults like beads on one string and revi light to behold (especially at nursing time) talize them for individual and collective and a major attraction at Meherazad for needs. This is my mission to the West.” several weeks.

“Literature and Life,” from Everyman, London, April 21, 1932, by Charles B. Purdom

The New Humanity Meher Baba

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A Message for the New Milleneum

M

T

he New Humanity will come into ex istence through a release oflove in mea sureless abundance, and this release of love can come through the spiritual awakening brought about by the Perfect Masters. Love cannot be born of mere determination; through the exercise of will one can at best be dutiftul. Through struggle and effort, one may succeed in assuring that one’s external action is in conformity with one’s concept of what is right; but such action is spiritu afly barren because it lacks the inward beauty of spontaneous love.

Love has to spring spontaneously from within; it is in no way amenable to any form of inner or outer force. Love and coercion can never go together; but while love cannot be forced upon anyone, it can be awak ened through love itself. Love is essentially self-communicative; those who do not have it catch it from those who have it.Those who receive love from others cannot be its recipi ents without giving a response that, in itself, is the nature oflove. True love is unconquer able and irresistible. It goes on gathering power and spreading itself until eventually. it transforms everyone it touches. Humanity will attain a new mode ofbeing and life through the free and unhampered interplay ofpure love from heart to heart.

When it is recognized that there are no claims greater than the claims ofthe univer— sal Divine Life which, without exception, includes everyone and everything love will not only establish peace, harmony, and happiness in social, national, and international spheres but it will shine in its own purity and beauty. Divine love is unassailable to the onslaughts ofduality and is an expression of divinity itself. It is through divine love that the New Humanity will tune in to the divine plan. Divine love will not only introduce imperishable sweetness and infinite bliss into personal life but it will also make possible an era ofNew Humanity. Through divine love the New Humanitywill learn the art ofcooperative and harmonious life. It will free itself from the tyranny of dead forms and release the creative life of spiritual wis dom; it will shed all illusions and get estab lished in the Truth; it will enjoy peace and abiding happiness; it will be initiated in the life of Eternity.

From Discourses by Meher Baba, Copyright 1987 AMBPPCT —

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31

The Birth ofLord Meher S

ome months passed after Jamshed was born, Shireen again conceived.This pregnancy, from the beginning, was nearly a blissftil experience. She felt the natural joy ofan eagerly expectant mother. Shireen had been unprepared for her duties with her firstborn. Whenever her sister, Dowla, would bring Jamshed to her, she would shy away from the baby. During this pregnancy, however, her feelings were quite the reverse as her maternal instincts had matured. The young woman’s heart longed to shower her love upon her unborn child; this time Shireen desired to be a mother.

The family was now residing in their own house at 816 Butler Street in Poona (later called Meher Moholla).The house was called Bhopla, which means Pumpkin House, for next to its entranceway was a large round stone resembling the shape of a pumpkin.

During her pregnancy, Shireen would often have wonderful dreams and describe them to her mother, Golandoon, who would interpret their meaning. From the day of conception, the young woman was convinced that this child would be extraordinary and remarkable. Sheriar could sense his young wife’s expectation. He would read beautifril ghazals to her from the Divan of Hafiz, ex plaining the poetry’s hidden meaning.

Sheriar was a poet and he would occasionZoroastrian ally compose monajats prayers or spiritual songs in honor of this child’s birth.

As to be expected, the whole family and even the neighbors anxiously awaited the birth of Shireen’s second child. Shireen was more lovely and radiant than ever and all anticipated a remarkable and beautiftul child.

The atmosphere of the earth seemed sur charged and it was emanating from a humble Poona lane. The whole universe was stirring with new energy from what was emanating from earth. A new Age was dawning. God Himselfwas incarnating! The most wonderftil event in fourteen hundred years was about to occur.

In the early morning of Sunday, Febru ary 25th, 1894, the long-awaited moment of our Age arrived. Shireen was lying asleep in bed at the David Sassoon Hospital; her mother, Golandoon, was by her side. The midnight gong sounded twelve times in the distance. Nurses came frequently to look in on her; the expectant mother was relaxed in a deep sleep. Suddenly, Shireen awoke and —

32

Bhau Kaichuri

distinct merriment in their voices. How how healing the sweet were their songs effect oftheir chirping in the stillness of the coming dawn. If only life’s noises were subsided in their melodies, then truly the soul of man would blossom forth.

Shireen’s labor pains started and a Catho lic nun was summoned from her morning prayers. Golandoon sat near her daughter, watching anxiously. Sheriar waited outside the hospital room, continuously repeating God’s name, “Yezdan Yezdan Yezdan —

a told her mother she had had a vision dream.

Golandoon anxiously inquired, “A vision?

What did you see in the dream, my dear?”

Shireen answered: “I saw a glorious person like the sun sitting in a chariot, and his cool brilliance pervaded the atmosphere. A few people were pulling his chariot, while thousands ofpeople led him in a procession.

Tens ofthousands ofeyes were gazing at him, consoled by his divine radiance “I, too, was in the procession and marveled at the luster of his face. His light fell on the whole procession and people’s eyes were fixed on him; they could not look away.”

Hearing this, tears of joy came to Golandoon’s eyes, and she said, “Shireen, my daughter, a very auspicious son will be born to you. His name will be spread all over the world. He will be among thousands ofpeople one day and will be carried in grand proces sions, as you dreamt. He will be given spe cial reverence and honor.” Her mother’s interpretation comforted Shireen and she soon fell fast asleep again.

The hospital was quiet. A change in the atmosphere of the planet was about to oc cur. However much our Age anticipated what was about to take place, it would take many years for mankind to interpret what this change would mean. A gentle sweetness filled the air. In the silence, an unimagin able joy pervaded the hospital.

—

...

He whopervades was coming!

Daily, hundreds of thousands of human beings are born in the world, but there is no discernible change in the atmosphere of the planet at their birth. That Sunday morning the weather was neither hot nor cold; the breeze that was blowing through Poona had a different significance. While people slept, the cool breeze gently wafted over them, soothing them in their slumber. Stillness came; the quietude blanketed the city and it seemed as if all the din and hubbub of the world had been absorbed in a state of soundlessness. How our Age must wish that this peace would be ever-present; how happy lifewouldbe.

Then the birds started singing, piercing the stillness with their songs. There was

.

.

.

.

.

.

The hospital’s night watchman made his rounds; as he struck the gong five times, the crying of a baby was heard. How innocent how pleasant was the sound of the newborn. The birds increased their joyous notes, and even the sun seemed excited eager to rise over the horizon. Golandoon emerged from the room withjoy. She smiled at Sheriar and lovingly exclaimed, “A son... a son!” Sheriar was filled with happiness and immediately rushed into the room to see his newborn son.

Poona was just starting to awaken. Was it because of the baby’s first cry? It was as ifhe had proclaimed, “Arise now, I am the Awakener!” Although people were awak ening at the time of his birth, little did they know that a day would come when he would awaken them from their life of sleep. At that holy moment, by taking birth in the early hours ofdawn, the child had signaled his arrival as the Awakener the Avatar of the Age.

—

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From LordMeher, Volume One & Volume Two, Pages 143 145, © 1979 Lawrence Reiter, Published by MAN-ifestation, Inc. -

February 25th A BIRTHDAY MESSAGE On this anniversary of nw birth— davl give you im b1essing for the death—

day of your false selves and for the birthday in \Ie ofyour one True Self.

It i open to every man to choose God or self, to flower or to whither, and the choosing is continuous.

—

Meher Baba

Merwan’s Good Nature Baily Irani 4%

I

‘.

•

\

L

,

,,

But the incident did not end there. After Merwan and Jamshed had returned home, the Muslim boy brought his mother and a few neighbors and sought out Shireen.

Her name was yelled out and she rushed to the street, followed by Merwan. The Muslim boy’s face was bruised and his mother wanted a word of apology. When asked who had beaten him, the boy pointed to Merwan.

Merwan took it calmly and offered his apology in the presence ofall the neighbors and passersby gathered there and the Muslim e boy and his mother left, satisfied Shireen, however, did not believe it and knew instinctively that Merwan had been a scapegoat for 1 Jamshed. Afterwards Shireen scolded Jamshed and warned him to stop fighting. The accusation did not perturb Merwan. On the contrary, he seemed to enjoy it by the reaction on his face he had a smile while apologizing.

From LordMeher, Volume 1, p. 167, by Bhau Kaichuri, © 1979 by Lawrence Reiter

.

Merwan by I

I

age

so happened that once Merwan’s mother told his elder brother Jamshed to make some purchases from the Cantonment market, and he asked Merwan to accompany him. Merwan was absorbed in his studies and was disinclined to go, but his brother persisted so he agreed.

J amshed, who had a rough nature, was not in the mood to go shopping and was upset that his mother insisted he do this errand. On the way,Jamshed collided with a smaller Muslim boy and both of them started arguing about who was at fault.

Merwan tried to pacify them, but in the heat of the moment the Muslim boy ut tered a particular word of abuse which made Jamshed lose his temper. Without regarding the consequences, he slapped the boy across the face and was about to do so again when Merwan intervened by thrusting the Muslim boy aside and tak ing the slap himself.

As soon as Jamshed’s hand touched Merwan’s face, he calmed down and they continued to the market. A crowd had gath ered on the road and witnessed how Merwan took the slap in defense of the smaller boy.

This was the quality of character possessed

by Merwan at the age of ten.

—

M

erwan. seemed to innately understand the meaning of true spirituality as evidenced by these words spoken to his friends when he was only twelve years old: Every soul lives in the world only for a short time, and when it is our time to leave this world we go empty-handed. We do not know in the least at what moment we will make our departure from this caravan serai ( caravansary); but sooner or later we have to go, leaving everything dear to us.

In spite of knowing this, it is sheer foolishness to be attached to this world and its possessions, and hold to them at all costs.

It is meant for us to make good our shortlived and momentary existence, which we can do by following the teachings ofour Prophet, Zarathustra. Ifwe strictly carry out the tenets ofour religion good thoughts, good words and good deeds our life will be a success.

And by freeing ourselves from this life’s toils, we will enjoy quite a different life.

From LordMeher, Volume 1, p. 161, by Bhau Kalchuri, © 1979 by Lawrence Reiter . .

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A

St. Vincent’s, Merwan ranked high in almost ail his subjects. He was at the top of his class in Persian, which he loved.

At fifteen, he liked history and literature, es pecially poetry, but did not care much for geography, science and his nemesis mathematics although he never failed in these subjects. One remarkable characteristic about the boy was that he possessed such a sharp memory and would never forget any particu lar fact about a subject he either heard or read about. In fact, Merwan was considered to be so inteffigent that some thought he cheated during his exams. No one grasped that the boy’s memory stored every fact, and that it was easy for him to recall facts during his exams. One priest who thought he was cheating caned him, but afterward admitted, “There is something different about you Merwan something special. Forgive me for having beaten you.”

“What is there to forgive?” replied Merwan.

“It is all right. It was a mistake. It is forgotten and forgiven.”

From LordMeher, Volume 1, p. 177, by Bhau Kalchuri, © 1979 by Lawrence Reiter —

—

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I Have Learned So much from God That I can no longer Call Myself

‘

A Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, A Buddhist, aJew The Truth has shared so much of Itself With me That I can no longer call myself A man, a woman, an angel, Or even pure Soul.

Love has Befriended Hafiz so completely It has turned to ash And freed Me

—

Ofevery concept and image My mind has ever known.

Daniel Ladinskjr - ‘The Gf/

33

Birthday Preparations in Meherabad Irene Holt, Meherabad

F

-

ebruary is always a busy and exciting time for us here in Ahmednagar. The weather is dr still cool in the mornings and evenings, andbeautiftillysunnyin the daytime.

Baba lovers are arriving day by day, most intending to stay for Baba’s 106th birthday on February 25th. And everywhere preparations are being made for that special day.

At Meher Nazar in town, the buildings of the Trust compound are whitewashed and spruced up every year at this time. The flower pots and garden bricks are painted red. Soon the tinycolored lights will be hung in the trees to decorate the area at night.The AMB Ahmednagar Centre has scheduled a number ofevents to celebrate Baba’s birthday and the announcement sheet for these has just come out today. They have planned evenings of bhajans, music, lectures and a magic show spanning three days, as well as two perfor mances by professional sitar musicians, to be held at Meherabad on February 28 and 29.

At Meherazad special decorating of the Mandali Hall and Baba’s room is always done for His birthday. Pilgrims visiting Meherazad on Tuesday were treated to the special beauty of colored tinsel streamers and decorations over Baba’s chair in the hail and on Mehera’s porch. Soon the portico outside Baba’s room will sport a big star with lights, the coloredpowder “rangole” designs will be crafted on the ground in front ofthe house, and candles and flower arrangements willgrace His bedroom.

At Meherabad the elaborate decorations for the Samadhi and tin shed area are being worked on now. Every year the artistry put into these decorations seems to hold new de lights and surprises. Also ofcourse the rehears als, set-building and costume design for the dramatic performance are going along at full speed at Meherabad. The play this year will be held at the Music and Arts Demonstra tion Centre at Meherabad, as usual, but at a new time: 4:00 p.m., following tea and birthday cake on the verandah there.

The play is tided “The Time Has Come” and is an adaptation of a play and filmscript originally written by Bhau called “The Ancient One.” Last year the birthday play at Meherabad was based on Act One of Bhau’s filmscript, and this year represents Act Two ofthe same piece. The original playwas performed in front ofBaba during the 1960’s by the Ahmednagar Centre.

34

At last on Thursday evening, hopefully, all the busy preparatory activitywill come to a happy conclusion and some ofus may even be able to “turn in” early. For well before 5:00 a.m., we will rise in the darkness of early morning to get ready to celebrate the hour ofHis birth.

At the three locations, Meherazad, Meher Nazar, and Meherabad, 5:00 on the dot will hear the resounding sound of”Avatar Meher Baba ki Jai” seven times, followed by prayers and arti, and the singing ofHappy BirthdaAt Baba’s Samadhi, the singing programme will continue for some time, as the air grows even chillier before dawn, as the sun pops up over the horizon, and as hundreds of hearts bow down to the advent of God in our time.

Friday, the 25th of February, 1944

Baba’s Birthday J ames Cox

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Meherabad

I

t’s 6:10 am on Meherabad Hill, and the queue has dwindled down to dozens from hundreds an hour ago. Avatar Meher Baba’s 106th birthday celebration has started off as the largest yet, the Samadhi adorned with twinkling Christmas lights, flower buntings, sewn decorations, tinsel and roses, roses, roses.

By 3:00 am people had started arriving on the Hill, but I had set my alarm for 4:30, just in time to make a last minute dash up for the prayers and songs at the hour ofBaba’s birth, 5:00 am. But I got a phone call at 4:00 am, and it must have come from Baba, because no one else was on the line, so I managed to make it half an hour early, although even then, the line was 45 minutes long.

The sky has been unseasonably cloudy here for the last two days, sprinkling a bit yester day, and the weather has turned warmer. It’s been the coldest February I can remember, but this morning you were comfortable without a sweater under the hazy half moon.

At 5 minutes before five, the queue stopped while we all sang “Meher Baba, Meher Baba.. and at 5:00 am, seven shouts of “Avatar Meher Baba ki Jai,” then Prayers and Arti. In single file, out from the dark, the serpentine line wound its way to the door of the Samadhi, while lover after lover placed their flowers and hearts at His feet, always singing. At times like this, Baba’s Tomb has a subfle glow or radiance that is very difficult to describe, kind of a light ofwarmth and happiness, almost breathing, which spreads out into the dark and charges the air around it, invariably touching those that are present.

After darshan, Mansari’s tea was served under the shed, next to Baba’s Gadi, and people, as usual mingled and wished each other a happy birthday until dawn.

Later today the Women Mandali come for their Arti, then the traditional play is at 4 pm, the schedule having been changed this year.

Dinner at the PC will be half an hour early, and the buses will take anyone wishing into ‘Nagar for an evening ofBaba music. As usual, the after dinner music programs will continue on for several days, and will alternate between Western and Indian music at the Ahmedna gar Center and the theater at Hostel A. From Meherabad, I wish all ofyou, all over the world, a very happy Baba Birthday in His Love. He is still very much with us, where ever we might be. .“

Baba was busy chalking out a plan to dis tribute grain and clothing to the poor of the area. Eruch and brotherJal were sent for from Poona to assist in the work. The work began on Friday, the 25th of February, 1944, when Baba distributed two meters ofcloth and three seers of millet to each poor person gathered in the Aurangabad Town Hall. Baba handed out the prasad continuously from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The grain had been brought in trucks, and had been tied in two meters of cloth bundles by the mandali. This making of bundles had been going on day and night for some time. The wonderful fact was that these were the days ofstrict rationing, and no millet was available in the market. The millet andcloth had been procured from the government with great difficulty From LordMeher, Volume 7 & 8, p. 2936 by Bhau Kaichuri, ©1979 Lawrence Reiter

We Celebrate Baba’s Birthday at Meherabode

Babdc Birthday Cake

Baba’s Birthday at Meherab&e was celebrated with musicians from all over.

Henry Kashouty entertained us with the trombone with which he played Begin the Legume at the Sarnadhi after Baba was interred.

There was great ! audience

partici I I pation and much

fmi was had

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IvIark DeMatteis cings.

Damzv Maguire, 41 Josh LLe & Jancnu “ Leepeiform.

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35

From Meherabad Trust Development Plan moves forward

By Emory and Susan Ayers, Connecticut

T

he Trust Development Plan contin— ues to manifest those objects of pur pose as stated in Beloved Avatar Meher Baba’s Trust deed. Bhau reports, “Over the last fifteen months, a large volume of work was completed, and in several months more the first phase ofthe Development Plan will have drawn to a close. Construction of an Annex to the Meher Health Centre and a Meeting Hall for the Spiritual Academywas finished, and by June the final wing of the Education Building housing the Meher English School will be ready for use. In the Pil grim Education Site, work began on the new Amartithi accommodation facilities, which, according to the plan, will be ready to host 4000 additionalAmartithi pilgrims in about three years. Significant infrastructure in the form of water tanks, roads, and high-tension electrical wiring was put in place. On Meherabad Hill, more than 2000 new trees were planted, for which drip irrigation lines were laid and brought into use.’

“During the year 2000, the second phase of the Plan will be inaugurated with the groundbreaking for the new Pilgrim Cen tre, a facility that in the future will accom modate 200 pilgrims throughout the nine month pilgrim season. Meanwhile, construc tion will continue on the Asnartithi site. On another front, the furnishing ofthe Archives museum, and Research Building, completed at the end of 1999, will begin with the pur chase of about 200 cupboards that will be used to house precious articles, documents and films.”

The team contacting Meher Baba lovers informing them of the need for firnds re ports that of the total budgeted need of $3,227,000 for the Development Plan, 136 Meher Baba lovers have made contributions in amounts ranging from $5 to $10,000 or more for a total of $500,000 to date. Contributions of $400,000 are needed in 2000 in order to keep t he Plan on schedule.

In the United States those who wish to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Plan may do so by contributing to —

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36

AMBCSC grant program. Please send your check, stock, or credit card contribution with a note requesting the contribution be used for the Trust’s Development Plan to: Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California, do Kanji Miyao,Treasurer, 1214 South Van Ness Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90019-3520 phone (213) 731-3737.

For those interested in more detailed information abou the Plan and its progress, or for more information about making a contribution, please contact Emory and Susan Ayers at P.O. Box 398, Mystic, CT 063550398; phone (860) 536-0303, or email TrustPlan@ambppct.org.

Computer Update from Meherabad Jerry Edwards, December 31st 1999

T

he computers for the school have ar rived and will be installed soon. The computer lab is being renovated to protect the new equipment. Glass or plastic windows, (presently only shutters which are open during the day), a new door, plywood ceiling (to help reduce the heat from the metal ceiling), exhaust fans and air filters at the intake vent. The steel security desk for the computers has been completed. It has a cage top which fits over the Monitors and is locked (after school) so that the entire structure will not fit thru the door. It is the same design which was used previously with success.

The school now has 6 computers, 3 old 386’s and the new 400 mhz Celeron’s with 32MB Ram, 4.3 GB Hard disk, 14” color monitor, floppy Drive, 52x Multimedia kit, 56kbps modem, an HP 610C Deskjet printer, Printer switch for the 3 comp’s and a UPS. This was to meet the new all India requirements, which include graphics, and the internet. We hope to have this up and running when school opens for the Millennium.

The Meherabad computer system needed an upgrade this year. The old Mac LC 475 system running at 25mhz was much too slow for the work that Jal Dastur is doing with Ramesh Vangar, and Kishore Bojja who program and operate the system. So about 2 weeks ago, we installed a 400 mkz

Celeron with with 64MB Ram, 8 GB Hard disk, 17” color monitor, floppy Drive, S2x Multimedia kit, 56kbps modem, an HP 810C Deskjet printer, and UPS. Jal hopes to be able to accept reservations by email from throughout India.

The cost of a Mac system became prohibitive this year, and Windows 95 (and later) is much easier to handle, and the sys tem can be serviced right here in Ahmed nagar. ACCESS is currently taught here by two schools, and programmers are available locally, if needed.

The Amartithi programs have been mostly converted to the new system using ACCESS data base, and Ramesh is learning to program with it. The Volunteers & Helpers (VoHelp) is 3/4 complete and with Ramesh’s help with reports &layouts, we hope to be fmished soon.

We are expecting about 10,000 pilgrims for Amartithi, and about 600 volunteers.

As always, if anyone wants a tour of the computer facilities, theyjust have to ask me.

I’m usually at morning arti singing blues for Baba. During the day at my house, or the school, or Jal’s office, all in Meherabad, or Mehernath’s office in ‘Nagar, programming for Baba.

We have a great need for the following items: 1) Dara Irani needs some software for the blind so he can do word processing. He uses the touch typing system, but needs something to tell him what he’s done. He has an IBM 100mhz Computer with 64MB RkM,Windows 98, 3GB internal drive, 14” Color Monitor 3.5 & 5.25” Floppy Drives.

2) MS DOS manuals for School.

3) Both Black & color ink Cartridges (HP 810C Deskjet printer) for the Mehera bad computer in Jal’s office.

Ifyou happen to have any ofthese items and can arrange for transportation to India ( someone must take them they can’t be shipped!) or failing that, the money to help us buy them it would help us enormously.

I can be emailed atjerrye@pn2.vsnl.net.in —

“Think of things you will not hesitate to thinkin God’s presence. Speakwords that you will not hesitate to speak in God’s pres ence. Do things you will not hesitate to do Meher Baba in God’s presence.”

—

Announcements from Meherabode T

he winner of the 1999 Fly 4.4: to India Sweepstakes. :J$ . .

Marriages:

atour Christmas partywas CathyBroadley of Mission Viejo California Cathy has worked tirelessly on the Sahavas committee for many years, so we are very happy to see Baba rewarding her this way.

Second prize, a $50 gift certificate to the Love Street Bookstore, was won by Mary Sandberg ofRedmond Wasffington & third place went to Richard Fox of Lowell Massachusets. We sent him a copy of the latest book from the pen of Don Stevens —AvatarMeherBabg, Awakener of theAge. Congratulations to all three ofyou and many thanks to all who helped our Center by buying tickets. You never know when Baba decides it’s your turn to win!

Also on the home front, we Bon Voyaged another Board member on his first trip to India last Decembet Kennedy Macintosh (ex ofthe Cfficago Bulls) was to go for a 4 week visit. Imagine our shock to get the news he met, fell inloyewith and marrieda pllgrim he met there!! Prasava Alexander from San Rafael, California is the bride.Theystayed till Babôbirthday. Congratulations to themboth.

Merwan Scott, son of Ten Adams and Hank Scott,married Cecilia Cerda.The wedth, ding, on January 29 was held at Meher Mount, Ojai. The couple exthanged vows at the Point near to Baba’s tree.With 70 oftheir friends attending, it was averybeautiful wedding. Congratulations and Babis blessings on you both.

Births:

Passings:

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orn to Kevin & Jane Mossberger in NSW Australia Ellora Jane Mossberger is as healthyas can be at 3.4 kg (7lbs,8ozs), 483cm (19”),bom at 12:25pm on Feb. 14, 2000 (Valentine’s Day! Austra— ilan time).

Kevin tells us Ellora means “light” and comes from India. “However the root of Ellora is Helen, so I assume this is because the Greeks had part of India during Alexander the Greañ era.

Another BabaAmeralianisborn.(Kevin is American andJane Australian. For Key’s friends in the US (and around the world) you can check on his creative and beautifbl web site for family photos: http:// wwwusers.bigpond.comiMSN/ke_dude/ ellora.htm

At home here in Meherabode, past Board member Mehernoush Lorkalantañ McPherson followed herbigsister Golnaz’s production announced in ourJanuaryissue with alittle production number ofher own!

Mehera Isabellajoined us at 9.23am on the 17t January She weighed in at 7lb 6 ozs and 19” Our congratulations to both families and a hearty welcome to the Baba world to the two girls!

Our loss is their gain but we will sorely miss our dear friend Rocky Rogers. Read more ofRockyonpage 18.

A shock to all who knew him was the very sudden passing ofa youngJosh Clayton.Josh entertained us all with his guitar playing at our last Sahavas and on a few occasions, here at Meherabode. The following is excerpted from the obituary in the Los Angeles Times.

Josh was quite famous in the Rock world.

“Josh Clayton-Felt, Co-founder and lead singer ofthe band School ofFish who went on to become a solo recording artist, is dead ofcancer at the age of32. Clayton-Felt, who also perfomed under the name Josh Clayton, diedJan. 19 in Los Angeles,less than a month after his il]ness was diagnosed.

The lead singer, composer and guitarist released his first solo album, Inarticulate Nature Boy in 1996. It proved somewhat different from his work with School of Fish from 1989 until the group disbanded in 1993.

“This is classic rock in the best sense of the term;” noted a Times reviewer evaluating the solo album. “Clayton has found his voice, fbll of melodic ideas and throbbing hooks of groove-laden funk crossed with notable, memorable song craft.”

For the album, Clayton wrote and sang the songs and played all the instruments guitar, drums and an old Wurlitzer piano he -

taught himsefftoplnyThe CD, whose best known song is “Windoi”was accompanied by a surrealistic video that Clayton-Felt made in NewYork, Prague and New Delhi.

Another song, “Soon Enough,” was used in the 1996 motion picture “Kingpid’ starring Woody Harrelson.

Broughtup in Boston, Clayton-Feltwas always interested in music, once telling an interviewer: “In fourth grade I had a music class I’d always get to early so I could bang on the bongos.”

Clayton dropped out bf college and moved to Los Angeles in 1988 to make his career in music.”

Two close friends lost their husbands within 4 days ofeach othe; husbands that had also been dose friends for years. Faith and George Knox, who had been married for 22 years, were members of the wedding party when October Woods married Ira Whelchelon Valentine’s Day 1998. Ira died onValentinës Day2000. George died 4 days later. Faith told us that both men were jok ing about going fishing ‘on the other side’S We hope Baba gives them a great river to fish in, and leads them to His ocean oflove.

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Happenings:

All Baba lovers abroad can heave a sigh of relief with the news that the new Mumbai-Pune Ø’ress highway is almost complete. It is expected to be opened for public use in the secondweek ofApril 2000.

It promises a tnvel time of about 2 hours between the two cities. Currently, it is anywhere between S hours to...

EelPie Recording Productions Limited has released a limited edition box set tided “Avatar” which consists of three albums made by PeteTownshend and friends in the 1970’s, ‘Happy Birthday’, ‘With Love’, and I Am’. It also includes a CD-ROM ver sion of’O’Panrardigar’. Also for sale is Pete’s “Lifehouse Chronicles” a six CD box set.

Your Love Street bookstore walli is negoti ating with Pete Townshend to have them available for your purchase through us.

Read about Pete’s new rock opera on page 26. ‘

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Velcome to

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The

Jai Baba!

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his is the month I have been waiting for for some time now a month where there are few new releases. So now I have the space to tell you about a number ofbooks that only those who actually walk into our Bookstore get to see.

The first is of interest to anyone who has ever pickedup a guitar and tried to strum along to some of the Baba songs. Chris Haffenden spent 2 years putting togetherFrom the Source.

He tells us: “Back in 1973, when I first began coming to Baba meetings here in L.A., we all used to enjoy singing Baba songs.John Connor would bring little booklets with the words to all of the popular songs. I vanted to learn these songs, and was surprised to find so few ofthem available in musical notation. I decided, for my own benefit, to transcribe some ofmy fa vorites in this manner. Steve Edelman saw what I was doing and insisted that I continue this work so he could publish it as a music book. It took me two years to complete all of the pieces in the book (with the exception of the children’s music, which was added later), and finally in 1977 From the Source was re leased. $7 Back in 1956 when Baba first came to Sydney Australia, during one ofour meetings with Him, He asked to be entertained. “Sing to me,” He said. There was an embarrassed silence and much shuffling offeet as we tried to come up with an appropriate song. Eventually, much to Francis Brabazon’s extreme mortification, we sang Him a Christmas carol in August! When Baba returned to India, determined this would never happen again, Francis immediately set to composing songs!

Mostly he set them to existing tunes, but some he composed himself —

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These have all been put in a book, words and chords, Golden Book ofPraise that sells for $6.

Ifyou wish to hear these beautiful songs and ghazals sung as Francis intended them, buythe tape RainyDay, $10. Raine EastmanGannett learnt about Baba and singing at Francis’ feet. A really beautiftil tape recorded in the 70s and recently remastered.

Raphael Rudd, pianist extraordinaire, has got a number of exciting projects going. He gave me a demo CD ofsongs that he recorded with PeteTownshendbetween 1978-1980. He told me: “I have remastered the Pete Townshend/ Raphael Rudd Oceanic Meher Baba records whichwere recorded at EelPie Studios in front ofalive audience ofapproximately 100 people, includingDelia de Leon and Maude Kennedy.

This remastered copy as it now stands has 19 live songs that either Pete or I have written and we have performed either solo or as a duet together. Some ofthe pieces from Pete include Bargain, Drowned,The Seeker, 0 Parvardigar, and Who is Meher Baba. Some ofthe pieces that I perform are Kitty’sTheme (on harp), as well as some early solo piano pieces that have never been released on previous recordings.

Some duets that we performed together indude songs not previously released on either Who or Pete Townshend solo records. Also on this CD, are the first live versions of Townshend’s hit single Let My Love Open the Door (in which I accompany him on the harp), as well as A Little Is Enough, on which I accompany him on piano. I am waiting to hear from Pete as to a release date.”

Keep tuned folks, we’ll let you know as soon as theybecome available.Asyouwiil have read in the announcements column (you did read it didn’t you?) Pete is also releasing on CDs the 3 albums he made to Meher Baba in the 70s. I am emailing Pete as to the possibil ity ofgetting them in our Bookstore. Will let you know.

Raphael has also produced a very touching, and ftinnyvideo, Memories ofMeherBaba.

It is an interview with his mother. The video jacket describes it as follows: Virginia Rudd is an earlywestern disciple of Meher Baba, a great spiritual master rec ognized by many to be the Avatar ofthe Age. In 1952 Virginia first met Baba at the Meher Spiritual Center, a retreat devoted to Meher Baba in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She subsequentlymetbim againin 1956, 1958 and 1962 (at the East/West Gathering in India).

Interspersed with photographs and film footage of Meher Baba, this video weaves an extraordinary story of the impact of the God Man. Before retiring, Virginia was Chair- Person of the English Department at Rutgers University where she pioneered the development ofcourses in Mythology, drawing on her work with Joseph Campbell (“The Power of Myth” with Bill Moyers).

Memories ofMeher Baba is the touching and often humorous account of Virginia’s awakening to the soul’sjourney to God, and conveys the sense of what it was like for a westerner to have a close association with the Avatar.

In this video her recollections of personal stories of her years with Meher Baba before he died in 1969 capture the unique flavor of a charming, witty and accomplished woman whose encounter with Meher Baba 48 years ago, changed the course ofher life. $25 People often ask me to recommend Baba books to give to a friend who has asked “Who is Meher Baba?” We actually have a small book by that title. $3. Gives a basic outline of the Avatar.

I believe the best of the starter books is What am I Doing Here? by Ivy 0 Duce. It gives an overview of the spiritual life, and explains about reincarnation. A small paperback, it is just $3.

Much Silence, a little larger, tells the story ofDorothy and Tom Hopkins’ search for the truth, and how they came upon Meher Baba.

It also contains a lot of Baba’s messages and teachings. $6. Two small hardbound books, excellent to have on any shelfofBaba books, are fill ofBaba’s wondrous wisdom, edited by Ivy 0. Duce.They are Beamsfrom MeherBaba and Ljfè at its Best $12.50 and $6 respec tively. Meher Baba Calling is a 4” x 4” paperback printed in India that has a beautiful collection of sayings. Many people buy 6-12 at a time to have handy to give away. They are $1.50 each.We also haveThe Universal Mes sage pamphlet, which includes, besides that one, The Seven Realities, How to Love God and two beautiful photos. Just 50 a piece.

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In 1962 Francis Brabazon wrote in the introduction to his book The Everything and the Nothing: Baba says “I am the One whom so many seek and so few find.” “Naturally,” Francis continues, “many will not accept this assertion.

Indeed, while all men are praying for Someone

or Something to save the world, some will be praying that this Man be saved from the gi gantic deception ofbelieving he is God!” Some excellent messages and discourses from Baba lie within these pages. $8. The above mentioned books are small, unobtrusive ones that can be given without feeling you are pushing the St. James version of the Bible on someone. I know we are all most careful not to prosyletise, but ifyou know someone really is most anxious to learn more about this Master, well then you can step up to the following: Listen Humanity, hardbound $20, paperback $15, Don Steven’s latest Meher Baba The Awakener ofthe Age, $15, followed by Dis courses, hardbound $25, paperback $15, and ending up with the Daddy of them all God Speaks.

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For artists and people who appreciate the beautiful drawings and paintings by Rano Gayley and Lynn Ott, we have two beauti ful large format books, with many colored reproductions of their paintings. In Because ofLove -$35- Rano tells us what life was like living in the Ashram at Meherabad, as well as how Baba instructed her to paint The Ten Circles of the Avatar. This is the huge painting that now hangs in the Museum on the ground floor of the Water Tower at Upper Meherabad. We sell 11 x 17 reproductions ofthis painting for $10. Rano also painted, under the strict supervision ofBaba, the chart showing the evolution and invo lution ofMan that is explained in the book God Speaks. We have these charts for sale: the 18x22is $l2andthe8 1/2x14 $8.50.

Lyn Otts book, In Quest ofthe Face ofGod $30, gives us much ofhow Lynn felt at meeting Baba while he still had minimal vision.

He tells us the story ofhe and his wife Phyllis journeying to India for the greatest moment of their lives. The book features many of his paintings full page, in color, with what was going on with the artist as he painted how the inspiration came through —for him to paint such impressive portraits of the face of God when he had almost no eyesight. Phyllis, an artist herself helped him with many of the paintings done in his later years.

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In the foreign language section, we have two books in Farsi, God Speaks and While the World Slept, $25 and $10. We have the Dis courses (complete) in German Darlegungen $32 cloth bound.

We have selections from the Discourses in French, Italian and Spanish, $8 each.

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We have the full Discourses in Spanish, paperback for $14. Ecoute 0 Humanite is the French version of Listen Humanity. $14 Paperback.

Then of course, we have the latest from the pen ofDon Stevens Ensenanzas deMeher Baba., $15. This is the bookwe asked you, in our last issue, to help us get into bookstores all across the country that sell foreign language books. A few ofyou wrote asking for the names ofbooksellers in your area; to these few we say a hearty thank you! Any one else who would like to help with this very worthy project, please let me know and I will send you the names of your local bookstores. Along with this comes a sheet telling you how to present the book and the information you need to give them as to how they can go about ordering them. Remember the Spanish publisher has set the sale of 600 of these biographies of Meher Baba as the magic number before he will go ahead with the publication of Dios Habla (GodSpeaks in Spanish.)

Don tells me sales are going well, I guess Baba wants it to happen, but He can always use your help! Remember what a privilege it is to serve our Master.

Ensenanzas de Meher Baba. sells for $15, the same price as the English version of this very interesting new release. Don tells us he came upon a lot of new insights into Baba’s teachings while writing this book.

There are so many more books I could tell you about, but space prohibits. We are edging yet closer to getting a new catalog printed, also to getting a web site.

But when we can only have volunteer la bor, no matter how dedicated, it does take time.

See you In the Bookstore! Dma -

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ing flowers, coconuts, fruits and garlands.

The scene is still vividly imprinted upon my consciousness. Hour after hour, His lovers approached Him with their offerings, as He sat on the dias.

Suddenly, Baba signaled to me to stop the crowd. Baba’s expression was intense.

He gestured to me to speak out: “I am the Creator, the Provider and the Sustainer of the Universe. All these offerings are noth ing other than that which I, as the Provider, have already given to you. Now you are offering to Me that which is already Mine!”

I tell you, I can see Baba’s expression still to this day, as He continued to admonish the crowd, gesturing, “I don’t need your fruits and garlands, they are of no use to Me.” Then Baba shook His head, pressing His hand to His forehead in consternation.

“Nobody gives Me what I really need....

Nobody offers me what I really want.

The hall was packed, but there was pindrop silence. Finally, a single high pitched lady’s voice petitioned Baba, cutting through the silence. “But Baba, what is it that you need? Tell us so we can offer it to You.” Once again, Baba held His head in His hand, shaking His head from side to side, sadly conveying, “Nobody. nobody. nobody gives me what I need. All your offermgs are nothing other than what I, as the Provider, have given you. There is only one thing that I do not possess, and that is your imperfections. I am Perfection personified.

Offer Me your imperfections so that you may one day become free, and I may one day be released from being bound in you!”

The Love Street Bookstore sells a video ofthis talk (much longer), $30 . . .“

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Offering Oui Imperfections

by Heather Nadel, Meherazad

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ruch has been telling this story often over the past year in Mandali Hall, and it seems a great one to share. Here’s how Eruch tells it: I am reminded of a mass darshan programme which took place in Poona. Thousands of His lovers traveled long distances to have His darshan; to look into His eyes for a fleeting moment, and to bow their heads at His Feet, offer-

: ,

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Finance Report for Meherabode Michael Ramsden, Vice-president & Director of Finance February 7, 2000

At this time the Board has authorized all surplus money raised for general finding of Center Operations and not needed for operations, to be put aside for renovation.

We expect that Center operating costs will be reduced from $5,000 per month to $3,500 due to mortgage payoff, property tax exemp tion and other reduced payments.

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all Voting Members, Associate Mem bers and Interested parties.

Good news! Your Board was able to au thorize the final pay off of the outstanding mortgage January 17, 2000. This was pre ceded by several large unexpected donations given expressly for mortgage reduction. The Board wishes to thank all contributors to the purchase, going back as far as 1975 when the idea for owning property dedicated to Avatar Meher Baba was first put forward.

Your Board recognizes that it is only by the Grace of Avatar Meher Baba that frill unencumbered ownership has been achieved.

It is all His doing. Thank you Baba.

However we still have work to do to complete the Renovation project! As au thorized by vote of the Membership on th, application to the Zon September 12 ing Administrator was made to give a full one year extension to delay the start of construction. The extension was granted.

Architectural plans have been completed and approved by the city and await final approval by the Zoning Administrator when enough contributions have been re ceived to finish Renovation Construction th• We will then have on or by November 28 a further 2 years to complete the renova— tion. If all money is available, the Board projects a start date in September, 2000 with expected finish by December, 2000.

Center Membership authorized a construction Budget of $188,180 on September 12, 1999 for Phase 1. At this time the archi tect has been paid 95% ofhis fee, $24,000 last year and $4,620 this year. The remainder is due at start ofconstruction. This leaves a budget of$160,000 to complete Phase 1.We have $74,130 in hand.This leaves $85,870 to raise.

We have yet to receive about $10,000 in property taxes due to our exemption and we have in hand a book donated by Don Stevens, Stay With God written and signed by Francis Brabazon and Avatar Meher Baba, to be auc tioned with benefits to be used for renova tion. Don has requested a reserve of $10,000.

That would leave about $65,000 to be raised for Phase 1. How about Phase 2 as well within the next 2 years! That would require an addi tional $60,000.

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President’s Report Lois Jones ai Baba! We would like to congratulate and introduce the Board of Directors for the year 2000: Lois Jones President Michael Ramsden Vice President and Director of Finance Harry Thomas Secretary Steve Berry Publications and Communications Director Mahoo Ghorbani Fundraising Director Kennedy McIntosh Personnel Director Golnaz Manouchehr-Pour- Service Director Nancy Merwan Program Director Ken Pellman Fixed Assets Director The Board would like to thank the retir ing directors, Mehernoush McPherson, Dma Snow, and Linda Zavala.

The Board has again appointed Kanji Miyao as Treasurer. We greatly appreciate Kanji’s continued faithful service in this posi tion.

The new board’s first order ofbusiness was to authorize the final payment on Meherabode’s mortgage (see Michael Ramsden’s report). What a great way to start the year! Avatar Meher Baba IC Jai!

Some projects, however, require the assis tance of paid Indian workers, and as India raises its standard ofliving, the cost ofmateri als and labor is on the rise also.

More love-donations are also needed for the ongoing archives project; preservation of the precious articles used and touched byBaba that mean so much to all of us.

If this appeals to you, please make your checkpayable to Friends ofMeher BabaTrust, and send it to: Lynne Berry, 267 Hanover Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

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Audio Tape Lending Library

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A Note from Our Trust-walli Lynne Berry

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you’ve been thinking that some time you’d like to make a love-donation to the Trust, today may be the perfect time.

The Avatar Meher BabaTrust runs a firstrate school, provides medical care for villagers and maintains Baba’s tombshrine and Trust properties. There are also beneficiaries of the trust whose living expenses are covered by donations from Baba-lovers. All ofthese wor thy projects were specified by Baba Himself in the Trust Deed. Many ofthe Trust’s charmtable projects and outreach projects are carned out by Eastern and Western volunteers.

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you ever find yourself in a ‘dry spell’ spiritually? Are you bored listening to the same old negative news, weather and traf fic reports on your way to work? Would you rather have something inspiring to listen to?

Do you need an interesting theme for your Baba meetings. . .? Well, the audio library has many interesting and intellectually stimulat ing discourses on life with Baba. We have over 150 titlesjust waiting to be delved into by inquiring minds. What unsuspecting treasures to behold! Don’t waste your time on this tired old world any longer. Make your choice to move into the cosmic Baba linkup. Lynne Berry(official tape waUl) is ready to assist you.

For catalog or info write to: AMB Lending Audio Library do Lynne Berr 267 Hanover Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626-6173.

Humor for Huma

The Pope

The Test

A man who reeked of alcohol flopped on a subway seat next to a priest. The man’s tie was stained, his face was plastered with red lipstick, and a half empty bottle of rum was sticking out ofhis rippedjacket pocket.

He opened his newspaper and started reading. After a few minutes, the disheveled guy turned to the priest and asked “Say, Fa ther, do you know what causes arthritis?”

The priest, disgusted by the man’s appearance and behavior snapped “It’s caused byloose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol, and a contempt for your fellow man!”

“Well, I’ll be,” the man muttered and re turned to his newspaper.

The priest, thinking about what he had said, nudged the man and apologized, “I’m sorry to have come on so strong I didiñ mean it. How long have you been suffering from arthritis?”

“I don’t have it, Father. I was just reading here that the Pope does.”

Two college seniors had a week of exams coming up. However they decided to go to a party instead and they didn’t get any studying done.

When theywent to the test, they decided to tell the professor that their car had broken down the night before due to a flat tire and they needed a bit more time to study.

The professor told them that they could have another day to study.

That evening, both ofthe boys crammed all night until they were sure that they knew just about everything.

Arriving to class the next morning, each boy was told to go to separate classrooms to take the exam. Each shrugged and went to two different parts ofthe building.

As each sat down, they read the first ques tion. “For 5 points, explain the contents of an atom.”

At this point, they both thought that this was going to be a piece ofcake, and answered the question with ease.

Then, the test continued... “For 95 points, tell me which tire it was.”

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01’ Fred Church Bulletin Bloopers 1. This afternoon, there will be a meeting in the south and north ends of the church.

Children will be baptized in both ends.

2. Tuesday at 4 pm there will be an ice cream social. All ladies giving milk come early.

3. Thursday at 5 pm there will be a meeting ofthe Little Mothers club. Ailladies wishing to be Little Mothers please meet with the pastor in his study.

4. This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs.Johnson to come forward and lay an egg at the altar.

5. The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement on Friday afternoon.

6. A bean supper will be held on Satur day evening in the church basement. Music will follow.

7. The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth ofDavid Alan Belzer the sin ofRev. and Mrs. Belzer.

8. For those ofyou who have children and dont know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

9. Remember in prayer the manywho are sick of our church and community 10. Potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.

11. Don’t let worry kill you off let the church help.

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01’ Fred had been a faithftil Christian and was in the hospital, near death. The family called their preacher to stand with them. As the preacher stood next to the bed, 01’ Fred’s condition appeared to deteriorate and he mo tioned frantically for something to write on.

The pastorlovinglyhanded him a pen and a piece ofpaper, and 01’ Fred used his last bit of energy to scribble a note, then suddenly died.

The preacher thought it best not to look at the note at that time, so he placed it in his jacket pocket.

At the ftmeral, as he was finishing the message, he realized that he was wearing the same jacket that he was wearing when 01’ Fred died.

He said, “You know, 01’ Fred handed me a note just before he died. I haven’t looked at it, H H r but knowing Fred, I’m sure there’s a word of inspiration there for us all.”

He opened the note, and read, “Please step to your left— you’re standing on my oxygen tube!” iilThBCASE

There once was a Beach called Myrtle Where the Avatar met an old turtle and a big aligator Who said ‘see you later’ Now the Centre is spiritually fertile There once was a sixth plane mast Who transcended his anger and last When brought to the master He moved on even faster And now he’s in bliss in the dast Michael Da Costa [We will missyou Charlie Brown! Thank youfor all thejoyyou gave us!]

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WC?N MXE $4 EX(lfl MRSCHULZ

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Children’s Corner

[Shirin Borthwick ofSydneyAustraliasent us thefollowing enthusiastic descrzpeion ofThe Youth SahavasAtAvatarcAbode.]

Go to the Sahavas!

Baba ROCKS! Shirin Borthwick, Australia

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Ice Cream for the Soul Author unknown

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ast week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked ifhe could say graceS As we bowed our heads he said, “God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thankyou more ifMom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!”

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearbyl heard awoman remark, ‘That’s what’s wrong with this country. Kids today don’t even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream!

Why, I never!”

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, “Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?” As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. Hewinked at my son and said, “I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer.” “Really?” my son asked “Cross my heart.” Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), “Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.”

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, “Here, this is for you.

Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes and my soul is good already.”

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arrived with a slight feeling ofdread deep down in my stomach. Would I survive a week with herds of unruly, hormonal teenagers roaming the green expanse of Avatar’s Abode? I had my doubts. And on top ofthat, I had brought along one ofmy school friends!

Would she manage to have a good time and get a better idea ofthe Baba scene? Or would she be turned off it forever...?

These rather melodramatic thoughts th dominated my thinking right up to the 8 ofJanuary, 2000.

But upon entering Avatar’s Abode on that sunny morning, I happened to reach into my backpack and by chance pulled out an old Baba card along with my sunnies. [OZ for sunglasses. ed.] Its inscription read: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy, and I will help you.” I was somewhat comforted, as I was reminded that this was a Baba event, and He would ensure that it was filled with His love.

And right from the moment God drove around the corner in his funky red jeep to a crescendo of drumming, I knew this was going to be cool. It was also fascinating to learn first off not only each of the youthwallas’ names, but also what their favourite soft toy had been.

So began a week that I will never forget.

Thoughts of Baba prevailed in every activ ity we did, be it lanternmaking, getting to know each other, dancing, looking at the stars, dodging cane toads or struggling through the rather large (from my perspec tive, anyway) surf at the beach. I even had a chance to improve my coordination skills with the daily ball game!

The discussion groups were great, because everyone had their own unique view to share, while everything was still brought back to what Baba said. No one ever lost sight of what they were there for, and lifelong friendships were formed by all involved.

My schoolfriend was immediately accepted with love into the group, and seemed to have the time of her life, saying “I’ve never met such a big group of people, and such nice people all at one time before!” I felt the same

way Everyone was so great! And it’s so lovely to know that as long as we have a connection with the Baba community, we will have a connection with each other.

So on the whole, it was one of the best times I’ve ever had, and the first time I’ve ever felt so much Meherabad-like energy and happiness flowing through the Abode. I left with a heightened awareness ofBaba’s constant presence in my life, and a thousand and one beautiftil memories.

If only next year’s Sahavas would come around sooner!

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1* I am very happy to hear music. It reminds Me of the First Song that was sung ages ago, and that Song produced this. phenomenon called the Univere.

Goi will make Me soon break My Silence and that first original Song will be sung again and theworldwill realize that God alone is real and that everyone is eternally one with God.”— Meher Baba

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Se(f-pity is the worstpoverty; it overwhelms one untilhe sees nothing but illness, trouble and Hazrat Inayat Khan pain.

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Commentary by Hazrat Samuel L. Lewis:

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his is a concentration upon nufs [false ego], the cause of all disharmony.

When one concentrates upon God, nothing but love will be found, but when the attention is centered around the thought of self, all ugliness, pain and illness will rise.

Of course in a certain sense they were al ways there, but this concentration gives them more life. It deprives the body and mind of the usual life which is naturally bestowed upon them by the Grace of God. It feeds the elementals who derive their potency from the excrescences of man, and these elementals in turn increase his trouble.

Concentration upon darkness does not increase the darkness, but it does impede the opportunity for light and health to reach the place of sickness.

Reminder we are now: Bababook@pacbell. net

One Foot in the World One Foot in the Spiritual Life -

Rich Blum I want to resist your bliss because it will only lead to more suffering when I leave your company. I have one foot in the world, and one foot in the spiritual life.

I feel as though I am standing on two rocks in the ocean near the coast. Water surrounds these rocks and the waves crash against them. High cliffs rise above the coast. I have one foot on each rock. But the rocks are not stable they are not anchored. They begin to slide away from one another. My legs are being pulled apart in opposite directions. The rock ofthe world drifts towards the coast, while the rock of the spiritual life drifts out to sea.

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Now it is time for me to make a decision.

Either lift up the foot on the rock of the world and put both feet into the spiritual life, or lift the foot on the rock ofthe spintual life and put both feet back into the world.

I try to lift the foot on the spiritual rock, but it is cemented to the rock. I then try to lift the foot on the rock of the world, but it is also cemented to its rock.

With my feet cemented to both rocks I am pulled apart, nipped apart. Slowly, I sink, my head is nowjust above the water.

A splitting pain is focused in my heart.

With waves crashing against me, I can resist you no more.

Poetry Page

Ed Flanagan, Boston MA

0 You Walk with Me

Terry McCarthy, February 22, 2000

As you walk alone you walk with Me My waves ofgrace lap at you feet My love requites your burning fire consumes false hopes brings true desire to one whose hope and heart are true it’s through your loving that lam you (With a little help from The Friend... a lot really.)

-

I cry out for you. Neither the spiritual life nor the worldly life only you.

Do You Know’

The Only Game George Snow, ©1997

All the worldc museums couldn’t begin to hold the massive treasure injust one tiny ray ofyour bodyc Infinite Radiant Light One sparkfrom that Divine Fire will one day ignite the crudities ofmillenia in a conflagration worthy ofa million suns.

Ifall theparallel lines in the universe— just the vertical and horizonal ones speak such volumes ofthe Divine Belovedc care for each and every single cell in existence just imagine fyou were to start counting all the oblique ones!

One whffofHisperfume unsettles one, disarms anothei ravishes a third and completely slays the rare chosen one.

When that breeze blows will there be even one left not changed, irrevocably andforever’ Doyou know what manner oflfèforms—

fairies, elves and even angels passjoyously

in and out ofthe secret thresholds and openings inyour body asyou sleep at night For they know thatyour heart is the very temple oftheir most Divine Beloved

Now, the onlyTime You, the only One, Love, the only Game ,-

-

-

I see you on top ofthe cliffs. I see you on the ocean coast. I see you hovering directly in front of me. All light surrounds your form. My heart reflects your light. And your bliss flows from heart to my head.

There are no more rocks, no more cliffs, no more ocean. Only your light and bliss.

Once more I surrender, and there is only You.

As marbles you play with us Little solid drops of light 4*A; Rolling around in Your Fingers Melting to glow in the warmth ofYour Love

:

Play the game, draw us near Pick us up To be played in your Hand One more time Then return in another Age And it will continue to be

Øt ,

%?

4’

;.Zj

‘

,,,,.

;

,

Now, the only Time With You, the only One Playing Love, the only Game

43

How Can I Touch Him? Bhau Kaichuri fter dinner, Baba got up to leave three times, but Mary Pickford would not allow him to go. Finally, when he stood up, all surrounded him. Dictating from his al phabet board, he continued to converse with them while standing. After a few minutes, his roving glance fell on a young lady standing isolated at the far end of the room with her back to him. Baba beckoned for her and when his summons was relayed, she turned her face toward him but remained aloof. She was called again. Slowly coming forward, she stopped at a distance. Norma told her, “Come and shake hands with Baba, child.” The young lady remained reserved, and Elizabeth said to her, “Why are you afraid, dear? Come nearer and meet Baba.”

She asked, “How can I touch him?”

“Why not?” Norma replied. “All can meet Baba!”

This brought tears to her eyes, and she pitiably asked, “But I am a sinner! How can I touch a holy being like him?”

Baba then went to her, and passed his hand over her head and shoulders. She started weeping, and Baba gestured to her, “I am the purest ofthe pure. I can purify the worst sinner. You have understood your mistakes and acknowledged them faithfully in the presence of others, and so you are forgiven. This penance from the depths ofyour heart is adequate, and you are now cleansed.

Now, don’t fear in the least and don’t repeat your past mistakes. I give you my blessings!”

The girl burst into tears, and Baba lovingly embraced her. The tears which Baba had drawn from her heart wiped out all her sins.

Those who witnessed this were deeply moved; their hearts overflowed and their eyes also teared. Before departing, Baba again embraced all the guests and putting his hand on the girl’s head, consoled her, “You have received forgiveness for everything! Forget the past and don’t worry at all.” The girl pressed her eyes to Baba’s hand and kissed it. As Baba left, all eyes followed him. In their films, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks had depicted scenes ofdeep human love, but witnessing this sight ofpure divine love from Meher Baba was a rare experience indeed.

Their hearts were fill.

From LordMeher, Volume 5, p. 1659, by Bhau Kalchuri. ©1990 Lawrence Reiter,

A

44

Do Rain Dances Really Work?!

Meher Baba informed Baba that in his ab had been a heated argument there sence ustadji between Rustom K IraniandNavalThlati. Naval was certain that jfa megha rag (rain tune) wasproperi5isung, rain wouldfalL Rustom, howevei wasfirm in his opinion that withoutspiri

titalpowers,

it was

not possible to bring rain.

In order to appease them, the Master gave this discourse on soundandUniversal Sound:

dus’ Gita, or in the Muslims’ Koran, and in other scriptures, are so harmoniously arranged that when they are pronounced the sound cre ated comes very nearly in unison with the Uni versal Vâice, or the Universal Sounc4 and is a great help in influencing a person spiritually.

From LordMeher, Volume 2, 1922-1925

by Bhau Kaichuri, © Lawrence Reiter 448-9, p.

What Naval says is true. By singing the megha rag, rain is possible and no spiritual power is necessary It is an acknowledged fact

by Adi K. Irani that by rain clouds colliding, rain falls. Sound also travels in waves, and scientists have proven 2 October 1976. The important thing that it takes time for them to travel. The trayconcerning your life is that you do whateling ofsound waves can be easily understood ever draws you closer to Baba. The details if you look at a person washing clothes at a of one’s profession and career are not so distance. When he strikes the clothes on the nearly important as maintaining and increas stone, the sound does not immediately reach ing the connection one has with Him in the you; he strikes the clothes, but you hear it af abode of the heart. ter a few seconds.

Baba will be with you no matter what Similarly, in singing the megha rag, when you study. Try your best to decide in your the sound has the required pitch and vibra heart what Baba wants; then make a deci tions it creates waves causing a disturbance in sion, and as long as you take His name with the clouds which results in rain.This is a natu you, you will be doing the right thing. ral phenomenon; what is there to disbelieve All the divisions you speak about exist in it? Compared with this, the discovery of in the mind only. The heart is only one. the radio and the telegraphic wireless is harder See from the heart, not the mind. It is the to believe; without any apparent connecting mind that wants to divide and separate. It link, message or sound is made to travel great is the heart that is one. Through your condistances between two points. stant remembrance ofHim, His grace will Now what is the voice? Where does it flow to you to help you seek and experi originate? When one hears sound coming ence everything as one, as parts of the out ofhis mouth, it must be existing some- whole unity of life. where. In truth, sound pervades the universe.

In deciding not only what to take in God is sound, light everything. There is a school, but what personal relationships to point from where sound issues forth, and develop in friends, and what life partner to from that Creation, or Om point, evolution choose ifyou decide to get married, ask this starts. Sound has been given a door our question: Will this relationship help bring mouth to manifest from. When a sound me closer to my heart’s desire: Meher Baba? comes out ofthe mouth it is lost in the Uni In deciding where to live, where to go for versal Sound which is everywhere. your vacations in virtually every decision So what wonder is there if the sound in your life the criteria for making the deci produced by singing the megha tune reaches sion should be: Will this action ofmine bring the clouds two miles above the earth and me closer to Him, and will it please Him? produces rain, when it is a recognized fact Or can I do something else which, although that sound waves are sent through telegra it isn’t something I like, will please Him and phy thousands ofmiles away. There is noth will bring me closer to Him? ing spiritual or supernatural in producing Ifyou do this with the attitude ofa child, rain through sound waves. looking to its parent to see what the parent It is for this reason, because sound travels would be happy with, then Baba will guide and creates various vibrations, that a person you and His Grace will be upon you. should read the holy books whether he UnFrom Lettersfrom the Mandali ofAvatar Meher derstands their meaning or not. The words in Baba, Compiled byjim Mistry, pp 91-92, © 1981 AMBPPCT, published by Sheriar Press. the Zoroastrians’ ZendAvesta, or in the Hin

On Pleasing Baba

1

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—

—

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Manzil—e-Meem

—

1980

by Dick Duman Colorado

M

anzil-e-Meem in Bombay is one of the extremelyimportant holy sites con— nected with Meher Baba, but it is also among the least visited.When Baba had completed his work in this building on April 19, 1922, no provision was made to conserve it. Baba did not insist or say it was his wish to preserve it and the Indian devotees regrettablylet it slip away from their grasp. The building at 167 Main Road, Dadar, had in fact been rented for a year in Beheramji’s name the previous June 7th, for Rs. 350.

Many Baba devotees seem reluctant, even a little embarrassed, to discuss Baba’s behav ior during this early period of the Advent.

More than at any later time, Baba could ap pear to be impatient, stormy and explosive, capricious and arbitrary like a supremely spinmal version ofa U.S. Marine Corps boot camp drill sergeant. Yet many of the people who gathered around Baba at that time were well acquainted with the irascible demeanor of Upasni Maharaj and might even have expected their new Master to manifest exactly these jala1i qualities ofdivine glory “They were given the opportunity of livrng with men ofdifferent religions and com munities something none ofthem had ever done before. In Meher Baba’s camaraderie, they were inspired to shed their various mdividual differences, prejudices and respective likes and dislikes, for the general benefit and welfare ofall.”(Lord Meher Volume II, p. 503) By the time Don Stevens and I got to —

Bombay in 1980, the place had been declared virtually off-limits.What had been a clean and safe neighborhood in the early 1920s had become a den of thieves and too many unpleas ant incidents with the residents of the place had piled up, and the place itselfwas an kempt and deteriorated ramshackle. Nevertheless, Nargis Dadachanji volunteered to take us there and to show us around.

I spent a lot of time with Nargis during my pilgrimage in 1973. She was a wonderful example ofthe consummate Parsi matriarch.

These extremely capable and formidable women have a way, over tea and sweets, like myjewish mother, ofquickly sizing men up.

From the first moment I felt as though I were being probed, tested, interrogated, observed and evaluated. I was being screened.

Yet the process was gentle and courteous, gracious and warm, accompanied by humor by deep natural good will and hospita1ity Her home was like an outlier, a satellite of old Meherabad, and Nargis, like Mansani alone on the Hill. I must have somehow passed the test, because seven years later I was invited to string along with her and Don to view the remains of Manzil-e-Meem in February of 1980.

The building itselfwas dead as a doornail.

The living spirit of Manzil-e-Meem within Bombay seemed to me to have relocated to Nargis’ home in Dadar. But the place came alive again for a short time when Nargis set foot on the property.

The residents were not a bit welcoming, but Nargis regally intruded s right into the interior, which was by then accessed through a different doorway than that in use in the early 1920s. That old entryway was blocked, the lovely latticework and the windows painted over thickly, the steps crumbled and the pieces left to lie in place. Little makeshift planters were hung over the steps at some past time. These were rusty and one held a plant clinging to life, perhaps by fortuitous rain catchments.

Inside, the rooms were nearly as unfurnished as they had been when inusebyBaba and the first group ofMandali. Strange as it

seems, there was a worn and decrepit overstuffed armchair, set at an angle in a sunny corner ofthe big room, with only a single torn pillow to sit on. I thought of this chair again later thatweekduring Baba’s birthday celebra tion at Meherazad, sitting in Mandali Hall with Eruch and Don, Francis and Mani and Baba’s chair there at the same angle. on the balcony overlooking this former entryway, moribund car tires had been piled up. Resentfully, the residents permitted the tour, but I kept my camera under wraps and got offonly a few surreptitious exterior shots.

Every mm has its own unique atmosphere.

The shell of Manzil-e-Meem was momen tarily brought to life for me by the company ofNargis and Don, but it was stark neverthe less, a place for zen-like appreciation of im permanence, emptiness and eternity The feeling was closer to my experience ofBabajan’s much reduced Samadhi in Poona than to the terrible loss I felt in 1973, standing on the construction sitewhich I had known in 1969 as Guruprasad. I believe it is largely subjective, but not entirely.

—

I wonder if

the Manzil-e Meem structure in some form is standing today?

Are mine the

very last photos ofthe holy site? I was privileged to get to go there.

45

My Peace Is In Pieces! byBalNatu was sitting on a bench in a quiet corner ofthe garden, enjoying the variety offlowers with their glorious colors. They reminded me of Your matchless creativity and infinite beauty What a wonder!

In response to this fleeting appreciation, You appeared before me with a smile ofgood humor. Being everywhere, You can manifest anywhere, although it may seem as ifYou come from nowhere! I was so stunned that I greeted You with an awed and grateftil silence.

Before I could recover from this unex pected heavenly surprise, You asked me casu ally, “How are you?”

“I’m okay,” I replied vaguely, still under the spell ofYour arrival.

You looked probingly at me. “Really?”

I felt my mood shift, and answered somewhat defensively “Why? Don’t you think so?”

“But are you at peace with yourself?” You asked gently.

Your loving concern disarmed me cornpletely, and gave me the courage to open my wounded heart. “In fact, my mind is in shambles, and my peace is in pieces!” I confessed.

“Yet you look quite composed,” You ob served.

“That is only camouflage,” I answered.

You nodded, as though in sympathy. “I’m glad you say so. Generally, people do camou flage themselves, especially when they are at parties and public gatherings.”

I

46

“But aren’t these occasions supposed to be times for relaxation and relief from the stress of life?”

“Yes, but you soon find that all this merri ment is only temporary. By the time you reach home, you begin to brood on unpleasant events connected with some ofthe persons you have had conversations with.”

“You’re right,” I admitted. “Even when I open certain letters, the contents irritate me.

Or when I occasionally hear comments made during the day that I disagree with, I feel ag gravated. I often lose my mental balance as a result. How can I get over this?”

“Don’t lose heart, and you will receive My help,” You assured me.

“But what is the real cause of all this annoyance and irritation?” I asked.

“It is natural that manyunexpected things happen to you which annoy you, and this cre ates a sense offrustration. Sometimes you cannot help but express your irritation outwardly.

But the more you see your life as being har moniously interwoven with those you meet, your responses will be less selfish and more loving. The truth is, meeting others is really a meeting with your own many selves, in order that you may eventually find your real Self in Me. When you begin to feel My presence in others, then the qualities thatyou envyin them wall exude a new perffime of appreciation for you. Discovering My presence in others is al ways a joyous surprise, and goes a long way toward helping Me to help you.”

“You are right,” I acknowledged. “I have experienced this. But then I totally forget the blessings You have showered on me, and I continue the bad habit of keeping a careftil count of all my troubles. This seems to be deeply ingrained in me.”

“That is because you forget that delightftil encounters are waiting for youjust around the corner.”

“Are they?”

“Yes, because life is always moving, consciously or unconsciously, toward that Bliss which is your Real Nature.”

“Yet it seems that in spite of anticipating this Bliss, I am constantly passing through disturbing experiences.”

Again, I saw a look of deep sympathy in Your eyes. “The disturbances you speak of are always relative to your acceptance of My will.

Ifyou take the things that happen to you as expressions of My will, you will feel less annoyed, and the spirit of acceptance will be awakened in you. Learn to accept life as it is, without getting annoyed, and I will help you.

Do you think that I am cruel?”

I could only look at You. You shookYour head solemnly. “No. Even ifl wished to be, I could not. I love you. I love all.”

From Intimate Conversations with The Awakener by Bal Nato, pages 27-30, Copyright 1998, Sheriar Foundation, Published by Sheriar

Foundation

This is not written by a Baba lovei but we feel it has a very good message that seems right in keeping with Baba’s teachings.

lAsked God lasked Godto take away mypain. Godsaid No. It is notfor me to take away, butforyou to give it up. lasked God to make my handicapped child whole. God said No. Her spirit is whole, her body is only temporary. lasked Godto grant mepatience. God said, No. Patience is a byproduct oftribulations; it isntgranted, it is earned lasked Godtogive me happiness. God said, No. Igiveyou blessings. Happiness is up to you. lasked Godto spare mepain. Godsaid, No. Suffiring draws you apartfrom worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, No. You must grow on your own, but I willpruneyou to make youfruiful.

Iaskedfor allthings thatl might enjoy lfr.

God said, No. I will give you ljfè so that you mciv enjoy all things. lask Godto help me LOVE others, as much as he loves me. God said.. Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

“To love God for what He may give you is not loving Him at all. To sacrifice anything in His cause to gain something for

yourself is like a blind man sacrificing his eyes for sight. God is the Divine Beloved worthy of being loved because He is Love.

He who loves God because of this will be blessed with unlimited sight and will see Him as He is.”

“To penetrate into the essence of all being and significance and to release the fragrance ofthat inner attainment for the guidance and benefit ofothers, by expressing, in the world of forms, truth, love, purity and beauty,—this is the sole game which has any intrinsic and absolute worth. All other happenings, incidents and attainments can, in themselves, have Meher Baba no lasting importance.”

—

t

Staywith God A Statement in Illusion on Reality

by Francis Brabazon

.,.

:

I

.

; .

For lovers ofBeloved Meher Baba and Baba bibliophiles alike, here is a rare opportu nity to obtain Francis’ book of memories and illuminations from his life of many years spent in Baba’s presence. This hardbound edition, which is signed by Baba and includes a note enclosed with Francis’ signature will be auctioned on May 6, 2000 at the Annual Dinner Auction to benefit the Renovation Project for Meherabode.

This book ofprose, published by Francis Brabazon in 1959, is written in six parts as a reflection and analysis on the human predicament between human love and awareness and Divine Love and Divine Wisdom as personified in the Divine Beloved as Avatar.

Francis shares his views on many different aspects of the search the spiritual seeker inevitably finds himself drawn into. He also shares his reflections on time spent with Meher Baba and poetic revelations he gained through the love Meher Baba gave him.

‘Stay with God’ which is in excellent condition, has been lovingly donated to the LA Center by Don Stevens.Although 5,000 copies werepublished, veryftw copies were signedby Baba.

Don’t Miss this Rare Opportunity.

Auction Bid for “StayWith God”

Yes I am bidding $ Name: Address:

Reserve: Ifnot met book will be withdrawn

by mail for this book.

Telephone:

©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©

Return Bid by April 29 in enclosed envelope or Bid by Cell Phone at Auction.

Payment may be made via MC/V/AX, bank draft or Money Order.

‘Babac Garden ofLove’Dinner andAuction. Saturday May 6th between 4:30 and 9.30p. m. at Meherabode. Many Baba related items will be auctioned All net proceeds to benefitAMBCSCgeneral operationsfund. You may bid byphone during the auction. For more information callMahoo Ghorbani at 310-732-0299.

“I will tell you why you feel happy here. Those who are connected with me ought to feel happy herefor two reasons.

Ages ago this was a place where Baba visited, moved about and stayed, and the combination of the lake, ocean and the woods gives it a unique atmosphere.”

From Glimpses ofthe God-Man, Meher Baba, Volume 3, by Bal Natu, © 1982 AMBPPCT

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