Love Street Lamp Post 4th Qtr 1999 by ANCIENT ONE

OCTOBER

Lo v&Street ÂŁamosr

Avatar Meher Baba in Quetta, 1925

DECEMBER,

1999

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Editor’s Page Dma Snow

et another of the Beloved’s Mandali happily heeds His call and goes home. Korshed Irani, born in 19 10, grew up with Baba and was called to His ashram in 1925. Dr. Anne and others give us an accounting of her life. Korshed’s passing, following closely on Mansari & Nana Kher’s, reminds us very forcefully of Bhauji’s words: “The Wineshop is closing, make haste to get there.” Those who did not get the chance to meet the Beloved in the flesh, have been so lucky to share the closeness of His Mandali, who could bring Him to life so vividly with their sto ries, their hugs; just their very essence im parts a glimpse ofwhat it was like to be with Him. Don’t let the chance to meet these very special men and women slip by. Make every effort to get to Meherabad and Meherazad as soon as you can. It really is very impor tant! I have taken all 3 of my children to India Teresa got to meet Mehera and Mani, Christopher went after Mehera had passed, and Michael missed them both, but derived so much from just being with the other Mandali. emember aba has said, the children being born —

ing us hourly updates. Finally came the news that the storm had, once again, passed over the Center and done very little damage there. Other places close by were not so lucky! But this seems to happen every hurricane season. I remember hearing one year how the raging storm parted as it approached the Center blew destruction to the north and south of it, but again little damage to Baba home as it passed over. Maybe in the de cades to come when Babaism has regretta bly become a fully fledged religion, we too can celebrate our own Passover! Whatever happens in this world of ours, happens at His whim. He always has His Nazar on us. Remember Mother Teresa’s words, “It is easy to tell what is God’s will it is what happens!” I felt the dream Mani had that is ex cerpted from her divine book Dreaming of theBelovedis very apropos at this time: —

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Flooding Waters Mani S. Irani

had this dream when we were going through a very stressful time at the Ava tar Meher Baba Trust, when all of us old mandali whom Baba had nominated as trust-

to Baba lovers the world

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Adi K. Irani squatting by the edge of a field, frantically trying to put together two ends of a burst pipeline which was flooding the whole area. Water was gushing out at a tre mendous rate, no matter how hard Adi tried to fix the pipes. Soon I saw that the matter was getting totally out of hand and Adi could not save the situation. There were none of the mandali around to help him. So I ran, calling out to Eruch. I was running alongside a public trans port bus calling out Eruch’s name, while the people seated in the bus looked down at me. At last one of the passengers put his hand out of the window and silently pointed to a little hill in the distance. I understood him to mean “the person you’re calling is over there.” I found the hill he was pointing at; it was right out of a fairytale, with a little crystal castle on the hilltop. There were small steps going up, and I hurriedly went up the steps and entered the castle. I went from room to room but could not find Eruch. At last I found him sitting at a table in the central room of the castle busily writing. In a very agitated voice I called out, “Eruch, Eruch, you have to help Adi! He can’t control the water which is gushing out from the broken pipes. It won’t stop! It will cause a flood and everything will be drowned!” Very calmly Eruch looked up from what he was writing and said, “It will stop when Baba turns it off at the mains.” I woke up and said to myself, “Yes, Baba is at the mains, and in control of every situa tion.” And so it was with the court case. It ended suddenly when the person who had initiated it passed away at his home town shortly after the Irani dream.

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over are ones that have

been with Him. These are the 6 month old ba bies that will grab a photo of Baba and kiss it! They know who He is take them to India while His -

closest ones are still with us. We have just had the devastation caused by Hurricane Floyd, who created the largest peace time evacuation in America. Two million people on the East Coast had to leave their homes Wodinpaintingfrom Dreamingofthe Belovec’ byMani S and flee to higher ground. on the Baba Listserv we kept track of how ees of His Trust were drawn into a court case. it was affecting South Carolina and the In the dream I was walking along a coun Meher Spiritual Center, with residents giv try road in Ahmednagar, and came across

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rn California A publication of the A vatar Meher Baba Center of Southe

£ove&eet JCamj2osr welcome various contributors

Irene Holt

Brian Jones

Barbara Robertsand Steven Berrie

Meherana Sahavas

Cheryl Johnson

McNeely Nuptuals

Dma Snow

Staff

James Cox

Steve Koren

Khorshed Joins Her Beloved

The £oveStreetfamEPosr is dedicated with love to A vatar Meher Baba. Its primary purpose is to contribute to a sense of community among all His lo vers by pro viding a place for sharing His remembrance. All the members of the Baba family are invited to contribute to this feast ofLove.

Third Anniversary of Manis Passing Finding God Los Angeles Sahavas

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

Our Man in Meherabad

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.

Palace Chats with Bhau

Kendra Burroughs and Gary Nedzweck

Is That Baba with You?

Eruch Jessawala

Avatar’s Abode Sahavas

Brad Kunin

T.K. Ramanujam

Bhau Kalchuri

Book and Music Reviews

various contributors

Kudos to the Gift

various contributors

DinaSnow

various contributors

DinaSnow

various contributors

BoLozoff

various contributors

Mani Kunin and Gavin Davenport

NorthEast Gathering

Live on Earth... Adi Shakti

submissions, subscriptions, donations: Love Street LampPost Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California 1214 South Van Ness Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90019-3520 323-731-3737 or Bababooks@aol.com —

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Notes from the Internet

Dma Snow (at the addresses above) 310-837-6419 between 7 and 11pm 310-839-BABA (2222) 24 hour fax Bababooks@aol.com

Huma: a Letter from God Poetry Children’s Corner

credits: editor: Dma Snow design and layout: Cherie Plumlee, Nancy Purham

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the individuals and s organizations that own the copyrights to the Meher Baba picture the to love and joy bring to issue we have used throughout this hearts of all Love Street LampPost readers.

digital preflight: Tom Hart

distribution: Chris Lyttle cover:

AvatarMeherBaba in Quetta, 1925

Painting by Dma Snow

The £oveStreetJ.amjLbsr s published quarterly in January April July and October 1996 Avatar Meher Baba Center of All contents ri

SouthcrnCahfoia

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All quotihons otos or books ofAvatar Meher Baba i t AM1PCt Indit;, .

ty of All words, images, and graphics in this publication are proper photos and ges the copyright holders and/or the contributors. Messa ble of Meher Baba © Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charita Trust, Ahmednagar, India, and © Lawrence Reiter.

Unauthorizedduplication isprohibitedby la w.

e:’ w 1 ’

Khorshed Irani Joins Her Beloved A

little after 7 am this morning, India time, Khorshed Irani went to Baba. She had been ill over the weedend, but seemed to improve on Monday, when she suffered what was apparently a heart attack. Even thought she was in a great deal of pain, at one point she laughed, and her doctor and those who were around her said it was as though she had been tipped off to some spe cial information. After that, she lapsed into a coma for a bit over a day, and finally breathed her last this morning. Khorshed had first met Baba around 1920 in Sakori, when she was a little girl, and is the last person ofwhom I know that had actually heard Baba speak. Khorshed lived in the Trust compound for the last part of her life, and many Baba lovers would go to visit her there, hearing wonderful stories of Baba and learning songs from her. She was also unique, I believe, among the Mandali in wanting to live a long life, which she did. She will be greatly missed. J ames Cox, Post Meherabad, Ahmednagar, India

Memories of Khorshed by Anne Moreigne, India

At7lOaiii on4thAt, 1999 dearest Khorshed o1d man1! close companion or early ?twent to Baba her Beloved J.rd and Master whom; adored through-

horshed Kaikhushru Irani left us on 4th August 1999 to be reunited with her Lord, Avatar Meher Baba. She had been with Him since her childhood, and her life encompasses most of Babas history. What a life she had! She was born on 2nd

May 19 10. Her parents, Soona Masi and Kaikhushru Masa Beheram Irani, were spintual seekers. Her childhood memories were ofSheniarji coming to visit her father and talking about his wanderings in the desert in search of God; of going to Sakoni with hen mother

and meeting Upasni Maharaj; ofbeing treated by Hazrat Giloni Shah for a stomach ache; of having visions of Laxmi Devi asking her not to marry her’s was no ordinary childhood! Khonshed was also present at Sakoni in May 1922, when Upasni —

I Maharaj announced to his followers gathered for his birthday that he had

“given his key to Merwan’. She would recall how Maharaj had asked Shireenmai, Gulmai and Soonamasi to prepare bajias with neem leaves to

[Posted by Liselotte Scheu on the BabaListServ as soon as it was re ceived from her husband Rick posted from the Cyber Cafe in Y\/agerJ

distribute as pnasad for this occasion. Later, when Baba was staying in Manzil-e-meem, He instructed Khorshed to stop by and visit every

have just come from Khorshed. She is in the process of dropping her body. Her pulse stopped at 7:15 am Wednesday. I came in on the ricshaw and have been sitting with her since lOam. She has the sweetest smile on her face. She is on her bed. She has on a very pretty pink scarf, lined with gold thread. Her head lies on 2 pink pillows embroi dered with white flowers. A white cloth coyers her. Two garlands of tuber roses and marigolds lie on her chest in a circle with a golden marigold in the middle. Rose petals are sprinkled all around with about 2 dozen roses lying on top of her feet. Music is playing, songs sung at the Sahmadhi: GataChelo, Babas arti, You Are the Ocean. Incense is burning. The room is lit and her favorite songs sung. All through the night a vigilwillbe kept. Larry and Mehera and Bif and myself and I alT’ sure others will stay through the night. •:

day before going to school. In 1925 Baba called her, along

with her mother, to stay at Meherabad to be a friend to Mehera. They lived in the Post Office building, cooking,

stitching clothes for Baba to distrib Mehera,

dandMani

Guitars and tablas and hanmoniums will be

there. Bifsaid that the fine will burn for 2 days. Then her ashes will be interned next to Mehera and the women Mandali that are on the Hill.

Telegram from AMBCSC: We rejoice that Baba’s beloved Khorshed is reunited with her eternal Beloved. With our love in Meher Baba, Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California.

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ute to the poor, doing whatever Baba ordered them to do. The only daugh

ten of rich Bombayjewelers accepted this aus tere life because of her immense love for Baba. Later, Mehena, Khonshed and the other women moved to Nasik, while Baba spent most ofhis time traveling. In November 1933, they returned to Mehenabad. Khorshed loved to tell the story of Baba walking the women up the Hill and surprising them with the key to the East room, where Mehena, Mani,

Konshed and Soonamasi stayed for some years with Naja and Valu. It was Baba order that

Mani on Khonshed should always be with

:zi”

@ t Mehera, who was never to be alone. I remember Khorshed saying: “When there were only the six ofus, we were so happy. No dispute, no complaining. Sometimes it was cold, and we would have to drink tea without milk, yet we would still feel happy. These were very good times.” Very good times indeed. ‘Small’ Khorshed was on the Blue Bus tours and went to France with Baba in 1936. Baba gave her the duty of looking after various children. At one time she took care of a baby whose mother had died. “Baba knew I loved children, so He gave me some,” Khorshed would say. She lived on Meherabad Hill till Baba disbanded the ashram for the New Life and told her to go back to Bombay with her mother Soonamasi. There, they continued to live under Baba’s direct orders. Khorshed was often called to join the women in Meherazad or Guruprasad ev ery summer, even during the last summer in 1968, when Baba was in strict seclusion. After her mother passed away, Khorshed returned to Nagar in the mid-seventies, to be near Mehera as per Baba’s wish. They re rnained close friends till the end. Khorshed had an independent, adven turous spirit, andwas always ready to go to Goa, or Hamirpur, or to lunch in a restau rant in Nagar. And when she was unable to walk more than a few steps, she still loved company; loved the opportunity to tell the stories of the beautiful good old days with Meher Baba. She was very hospitable, and also very perceptive. She would know im mediately if something was wron, or if you were not in a good mood. She was a real friend to so many of us. She would often dream of Baba and Mehera, and these dreams made her very happy. Awake or asleep, she was always centered in Baba, and that made her very strong. Looking at pic tures of her with her thick white curly hair, I can understand why Adi Senior would call her “Babajan”. Khorshed’s life with Baba was not all roses. She had a good share of suffering, starting early with her father’s death in 1931. Baba had told her not to cry then, and so Khorshed endured all the other troubles down the years without shedding a tear. Her -

( them the fragrance of those early years when Khorshed was among the select few who had earned the honor of being a companion to the Avatar of the Age. Khorshed was probably the last person alive to have heard Baba’s voice, to have heard Him sing. What a witness she was. When her body was brought to Beloved Baba’s feet in Meherabad’s Mandali Hall, I felt as if it was Christmas. The hall seemed unusu ally bright, alive, vibrant. And Khorshed had such a smile on her face that it left no doubt that she was with her Beloved. All men and women mandali came from Meherazad. We sang “Ishtiake” “Deva maza mi deva cha” and also “Swanee” the English song that Baba had learned from Mehera... Sudam lit the pyre and the wind whipped the flames. It burned beautifully. The Christ’s Cradle cactus in the Pilgrim Center had bloomed that night, as it had for Mehera, and for Mani. The smoke from the pyre was blue. By Baba’s order she is one of the women mandali whose ashes are to be interred on Meherabad Hill next to Baba’s Samadhi. Yes, dear Khorshed, you really had a great life. An incomparable life. We will miss your company. We will remember you as we continue the singing of God’s songs. Thank you Khorshed! Thank you Baba!Jai Meher Baba! ...

. . .

old age was plagued with numerous health problems and broken bones, and she ac cepted it without complaining. “Now I cannot walk, but before this I roamed so much, traveled so much, how can I complain?” About a year ago, after she had been quite ill, I remember her telling Don Stevens: “Those were good times with Baba. I had a good life, I am very happy with my life.” Khorshed never doubted that Baba loved her, and this gave her an unusual strength. This was even more obvious during her last days, when she seemed to know what was in store, and was radiantly happy, yet very calm. After she was diagnosed with pneumonia on Sunday and then had a heart attack on Monday, there was an incredibly peaceful atmosphere in her room. She slipped into unconsciousness, surrounded at all times with a lot offriends and music, and faithfully cared for by Asha, Sudam and family. The children who live in the Meher Nazar Compound came every morning to sing her the songs she had taught them over the years, and rushed back to her side the moment they returned from school. At night we played the tapes of the Songs of Huma, and the beauty and power of these words from Baba were astounding. Khorshed had grown up with these songs, had sung them to Beloved Baba, had taught them to many Eastern and Western Baba lovers. And now the songs were coming back to accompany her in her last moments, bringing back with -

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Khorshed with IvyBoyen (top right) and Miranda Kentf!eid (lower I7ght), byLynn Douglas, 1999.

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Collected Stories

Khorshed

Excerpts taken from Lives ofLove by Judith Garbett and LordMeherby Bhau Kalchuri, AMBCPPT Meditation, Writing God’s Name, taught them to play cricket in their com the Hill to visit Him. Baba sent back a mes pound which they enjoyed for an hour ev sage that He had put them on, and that He and Sewing

fter returning to Meherabad Baba called many for darshan. He asked the girls how they occupied themselves, and then gave them orders. Baba told Khorshed to get up at 6:00 AM and take a bath, medi tate on Baba’s photo for an hour, write for one hour the name of Yezdan in tiny writing, cut off each name of Yesdan for one hour, and to sew on the machine three sizes of shirts. These they made on Baba’s instruc tions for Him to give as prasad to the poor villagers of Arangaon. They sewed the shirts after lunch and tea, but after 15 days only 100 were sewn. When a much larger num ber were done Baba said that was enough, and the shirts were sent to Meherabad.

Khorshed Called to Stay Permanently at Meherabad

ery day.

was happy with their loving thoughts for

Baba had by now started the Meher Free

Dispensary and the Babajan School for vil

Him.

Champa

lage boys. Naja, helped by Mehera, Khorshed, Dolly and others, cooked for all the children in the makeshift kitchen which had also been built in the compound, and

A white donkey named Champa was brought to Meherabad for Baba to ride,

they were kept very busy.

the first time. Dr. Ghani was specially

Making Oleander Garlands

for Baba 1927 The girls were still living in the Post Office, but as Baba did not come down from the Hill they had not seen Him for some months. So one day they decided to make a garland to send to Him with Masa. They could not leave their compound, or send to the bazaar, so how to obtain the flowers? Then they thought of asking Valu to try to find some growing nearby and bring them back to the Post Office Valu was a wealthy landowner of Arangaon. She had married when a girl and

and on July 8th, 1936, Baba sat on it for called from Lonavlajust to hold the reins. It was a matter of amusement for all the mandali and provided them an occasion of merriment.

Gustadji was fond of riding, and Baba once directed him to ride the donkey. No sooner had Gustadji climbed onto its back than the donkey, instead of moving for-

ward, went backwards! Gustadji did his best to bring it round, but it stubbornly kept going backwards and then threw Gustadji off. Laughing all the other men ran to help him to his feet. One day in July, Mani took photo-

graphs of Baba on the donkey.

was widowed while still very young. When Baba came to Arangaon she

was very drawn to Him and wished

it 4’: f

Seated: Mani andSoona, Standing: Khorshect

to be with Him and serve Him. In those early days she would work hard all day at Meherabad carrying water from the well to the Post Office compound, sweeping and do-

ing other duties, returning to her home in the evening.

At this time when Mehera and the girls wanted to make a garland for Baba, Valu finished her work,

walked some distance to a creek bed At the end of 1924 Baba called Mehera, Daulatmai, Naja, Khorshed, and big Khorshed to stay with Him permanently at Meherabad. They lived in the Post Office building. The two Khorsheds had good singing voices, and Baba one day taught them a beautiful Krishna song. He was still singing and speaking at that time. His Silence began on 10th July 1925. During these two years the women re mained in the Post Office. Baba had a bam boo-matting fence built round it for privacy to screen them from the outside world and they did not go beyond it. For exercise Baba

near the village and gathered many flowers from the oleander bushes

which grew there. Although it was getting rather late, she went straight back to the Post Office carefully

carrying the flowers in her sari and gave them to the delighted girls.

Mehera anciNaja.

There were so many flowers that

they sat down straight away, happily able to make a garland, bracelets, and small crown

which they wrapped in a damp cloth to keep fresh until they could send them to Baba. In the morning the girls asked Kaikhushru

Masa to take them to Baba when going up

vie:amjI:thsr

Cannes And then followed in mid-1937 the wonderful time when Baba took Mehera, Mani, Naja, Khorshed, Soonamasi and Valu to Cannes for a few months. Some

ii stand there, marveling at the delicate design and fine stitches done with such love for Him. Baba wore the robe at the time of His birthday celebration at Meherabad in 1938. ! Hanging in the East Room, which is at the : ;‘:. ‘4 opposite end of the fr ,, building from the MuVilla Caledona, Cannes, 1937 SoonamasL Anita de Caro, Naja, Mani, seum, there is a lovely Mehera next to MeherBaba, KittyDavy Rano Gayley, Irene Bib, large photograph taken unidentifle Debia DeLeon, Khorsheci unidentifiea and Vbu Pa war

: c.

Poona—being in the ashram they could not go and get anything themselves. They made use of what they had on hand there, and cut up another silk sari to make the flowers for the garland—small pink roses and buds with touches of green for leaves, each flower so carefully fashioned. Truly these were gifts fit to adorn their King.

Blue Bus Thurs

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of the Western women traveled with them, and various Eastern and Western men were called at different times by Baba, but the Eastern women mandali remained se cluded throughout the stay. Even so, when traveling to Paris for the World’s Fair, driven by Elizabeth Patterson in her car, and also on their returnjourney to Cannes, they were able to enjoy picnics with Baba. Various group photographs show Khorshed amongst them looking happy and relaxed during that period.

The Krishna Robe Whenever I went into the Museum on Meherabad Hill I always enjoyed looking at the richly embroidered cream silk Krishna robe and crown, and the garland of hand-made roses displayed in one of glass the cabinets. had They been made for Baba dur the ing 1930’s while He was away on one of His trips to the West. The embroidery is magnifi cent—it coyers the full length of the front of the robe and the wide cuffs, as well as the entire crown. I used to

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After the upstairs dormitory was added to the water-tank building on Meherabad Hill during the summer of 1938, a number of the Western women and some Easterners were permitted to join the In De ashram. cember 1938 Bababegan the flrstofthe Blue ‘ Bus tours which for the three next took years them all over md Ia. Khorshed naturally went on these tours, and at some of the stopping she places helped Mehera cook Baba’s meals.

Mther Baba with Khorhsect Mani andMehera at a picnicin Ahmednagai 1938

on this occasion—Baba is sitting on a bed in the East Room with Mehera standing beside Him. I asked Khorshed about the embroi dery. The robe, crown and garland were designed by Mehera, and she and Khorshed, as well as Naja and Mani, did the embroidery. The silver thread came from Khorshed’s kusti (the long cord wound round the waist, given to Zoroas trian children at their Confirmation or Thread ceremony) which was very thick with many strands. The small fine sequins came from an elaborate sari, and embroi dery threads were also carefully reused. Khorshed said that some of the embroi dery silks were brought for them from ,

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The Third Anniversary of Mani’s Reunion with Baba By Irene Holt, Ahmednagar

hursday August 19th was a beauti ful day on Meherabad Hill as we gathered together to remember Mani and honor her reunion with Baba three years ago. All the Meherazad mandali, both men and women, came for this occasion and it was a somewhat unusual treat to have everyone together near Baba’s Samadhi. People began to congregate around the Samadhi well before the scheduled 10:00 am. arti. The men mandali arrived from Meherazad early for their own individual darshan and time on the hill. Eruch, Aloba and Bal Natu all spent time strolling and chatting with Baba lovers. The women arrived in two cars by about 10:00. They werejoined by Baba’s lovers from East and West, both old and newer lovers. The atmosphere was very familylike, though the crowd was fairly large. After arti and prayers, we sat together in the portico and offered songs to Baba, many of them especially chosen for Mani’s day her favorites, or those she had composed for Him. Katie sang Baba Nu Nam” in Gujarati, a song com posed by Mani which playfully enjoins the lover to take Baba’s name in all daily activities such as sitting and rising, eating and drinking, dancing and playing, etc. It’s a bit of a Gujarati tonguetwister, but we all did our best to sing along with her. Neeladevi led the Meher Raj arti, the oldest arti composed for Baba. It was written in 1927 by Rustom, Meheru’s father, and put to music and sung to Baba by Mani who was just a child at the time. Meheru narrated this history for us and Katie finished it by saying Rustom was quite a poet, and Meheru takes after him! Garlands, flowers and rose petals were all offered at Mehera’s and Mani’s shrines where we silently bow to their love for Baba which inspires our hearts even now. Meheru charmed us with a little inspiration of her own. She said that one day while dusting a few things on her bureau this thought came to her:

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nounced the world just before she was going to be married, because of her great love for God and the urge to be One with God. It was at Poona, with one kiss on my forehead, that Babajan made me know that I am the Ancient One. She was then about one hundred years old, sitting under a tree like a true faquir. Every one of you, man or woman, of any caste, creed, or colour, has an equal right to attain Divinity. It has been possible for man to become God through love of God. Exter nal renunciation is not at all necessary. Each and all, man or woman, whilst attending to all duties in the everyday walk of life, can attain to Divine Fatherhood and Universal Motherhood through honest love for God. To ex press your love for God, you must live a life of love, honesty and self-sacrifice. Merely to chant the arti, to perform the puja [Hindu prayer ceremonies ed.] to offer flowers, fruits and sweets and to bow down, can never mean that you love God as He ought to be loved. Similarly, merely giving darshan to masses, having crowds flocking around, de livering messages to multitudes, and performing so-called miracles may be conventionally accepted attributes of a Divine Personage in your midst, but I say with Divine Honesty that all this is not necessarily the sign of true Divinity. God is not to belured, but is to be loved. God is not to be preached, but is to be lived. Only those who live the life of love, honesty and self-sacrifice, can know me as the Ancient One. I can say with Divine Authority that I ex perience eternally, consciously and continually, being One with you all, and One in you all. Any worship or obedience to any deity ani mate or inanimate to any saint, master, advanced soul, or yogi, eventually comes to Me. By offering pure unadulterated love to anyone and to anything you will be loving Me, as I am in every one and in everything, and also beyond everything. I want you all to know that whatever you do, good or bad, the one thing not forgiven by God is to pose as that which you really are not. With Divine Authority I repeat that we are all One. Being rich or poor, literate or illiterate, of high caste or low caste, need not interfere with your loving God the Supreme Beloved. I give you all my blessings for the understanding that loving God, in any form, in any way, will make you eter nally FREE.

Mani sparkles. . . . .Mehera glows. . . . .Baba shines! AnditisHishht thatshines on them. May their light ever shine on us to help us see thepath to Him.” ...

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Only One

HERE IS ONLY ONE Meher Baba in the Beyond-State of God, sex does not exist. There, only the One, Indivisible Existence prevails. It is in the realm of the illusory phenomenon called the universe, that sex asserts itself. Babajan, the Perfect Master, who in less than an instant, made me experience my Ancient Infinite State, had the Muslim-form of a woman. Upasni Maharaj, who brought me down to normal consciousness, had the Hindu-form of a man. As a young and beautiful girl, Babajan, who was of a noble and rich family, re

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Finding God by Brian Jones, Palo Alto,

was agnostic until I went into a trance. I was at the Meher Baba Youth Sahavas in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, an interna tional gathering of high school students who belong to the same spiritual cornrnunity. The word Sahavas means corning to Baba’s love. There I fell in love with i (: ‘ God. The reason I went was my mother is a follower of Meher Baba, and she bribed me with a full year of car insurance. I had thought that Meher Baba was some odd ball that my mother believed in, but six days of hell would certainly be worth a year of car in•

Meher Baba said, “I have come to sow the seed of love in your hearts so that the feeling of oneness through love is brought about amongst all nations, creeds, sects, and castes of the world. His general message is to love God through loving humanity. He also has specific directives which he would like us all to follow. Meher is against the use of hallucinogenic drugs including marijuana. Baba once said, “Drugs harm you mentally, physically, and spiritually.” I was nervous about going to the Youth Sahavas because I didn’t know anyone there. I was afraid that I wouldn’t make any friends with the kids there because I wasn’t a Baba-Lover (follower of Baba).I am generally shy and quiet among new people, and I have been like that since about fifth grade when my parents were divorced. Another thing which contrib uted to my shyness was my stuttering. I stutter when I’m nervous, stressed out, or for no apparent reason. Stuttering is ex tremely embarrassing. Sometimes I would rather not talk if I feel like I am going to stutter, so I can avoid ridicule or laughter from my peers. At Youth Sahavas I felt the love that was there for Baba, from Baba, and for each other. I was having a great time mak ing new friends, being open with people, “

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and singing. This is the op posite of the way I usually am. I don’t sing because I am 4 usually afraid of being off key, but at Youth Sahavas I knew nobody would care. When I was there I felt a great weight lifted off me, and I didn’t stutter once. $l The atmosphere there was open and understanding. I felt free to talk without hay ing to worry about what other people would think. At Sahavas I lost a large portion of my self consciousness, which I had gained from middle school and my first two years of high school. On the last afternoon I went to Arti, which is worshipping by saying prayers and singing songs about Baba. There were about seventy students in Baba’s house where Arti is taken. I went to the bedroom where people pray in silence. I was sitting down looking at various objects on the walls. Suddenly my eyes became locked on a painting of Him above the bed. I don’t know why but I couldn’t, nor did I want to, take my eyes off of the pic ture. Then before my eyes His face changed into another man’s face. Baba’s nose shrank, mustache disappeared, glasses appeared, and His head was now bald. I was utterly confused and couldn’t believe my eyes. I didn’t tell anyone about my experience because I didn’t know what to make of it. At night everyone went to the barn. Some people say that you can feel His presence the strongest at the barn. The barn is an immensely emotional place. There is lots of crying, singing, hugging, talking, whispering, praying, and musical instruments playing. There was a guest speaker, Tex Hightower, who knew Baba when He was still in His physical body. Tex said he was with Baba one day when Baba asked a room full of people if they were ready to follow His commands. Ev erybody in the room except Tex raised

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their hand. Baba looked at Tex with a very grave face. Then Baba put on a radiant smile and said to Tex that it was okay that he was not ready yet, but he would come around. Seconds after he said this, I realized why I recognized Tex, though I had never met him. It was his small nose, glasses, and bald head that Baba’s face had merged with in the photo I was looking at earlier this afternoon. I felt like Tex’s words were meant for me. The message that Baba loved me and eventually I would come to love Baba is engraved in my heart forever. Back then I wasn’t ready to fol low His teachings, but now I am doing my best. I quit smoking marijuana for Him and for myself. I always try to re member to respect everyone, no matter how much I dislike them or their ways, because respecting them is loving God. I have become more honest and less selfish. Through good times and bad times I will always know that God is watching and helping me.

Audio Tape Lending Library

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AMB Lending Audio Library do Lynne Berry 267 Hanover Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626-6 173

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An Ocean ofJoy The Los Angeles Silence Day Sahavas

he rose of the 25th Sahavas, July 2-5, 1999, came to full bloom after four days of sharing in Meher Baba’s love. Each of the nearly 300 participants left enveloped in a pink cloud of His divine fragrance. At beautiful Pilgrim Pines, Mr. Esfandiyar Vessali began the Sahavas with Meher Baba by speaking of How Baba pulled me toward Himself.” Esfandiyar, who radiates the Beloved’s Presence, was part of the Prem Ashram. In 1927 as a boy of 14 in Yazd, Iran, he heard that Meher Baba was provid ing a free education in India. Esfandiyar Esfandiyars father was against his going, but the boy convinced his mother who, in turn, convinced his father that he should be allowed to go. So, after a twoweek delay at Iran’s border, he arrived, eager to see Baba; but for the first 10 days, Baba ignored him. He thought he must be a bad boy, and that was why Baba would not look at him. Upon hearing that man becomes God, he became intoxicated by the idea. After that, he just wanted to meditate on how to find God. While in class, unable to concentrate on his studies, Baba came to him and drew out of him that he only wanted to find God. For the next 10 minutes, Baba held him in His arms. Later, they walked up Meherabad Hill together, and Baba had Esfandiyar hold on to Him. Baba said the spiritual path is like that, “You have to hold on to Me or you will fall down.” Esfandiyar repeated, “I want to find God.” (He did not know at that time that Baba was God.) Baba replied, “To find God, you have to hold on to Me.” Esfandiyar remained in the Prem Ashram for 1 year and 1 1 months, of which ten days were spent in school, and the rest swimming in Baba’s Ocean of Love. He said, “In meditation, the bliss was so strong and so tremendous, I would become breathless, because I saw Baba as God.” After his return to Iran, in the middle of

by Barbara Roberts, Colorado

Later he said, “If you can control your mind, you will get all the expe riences, see the sights, hear music, fragrance, but the most important thing is Love. Baba will take you all the way. You should not be concerned with experiences. The person on the spiritual path comes across lots of danger, but if one has a Perfect Master, there will not be any danger.” When asked how he knew Baba was God, he explained that you have a gross body, a subtle body, a mental body and a soul. The soul has to fall in love with Baba; if your soul can 1ssa1i, Virginia Rudci Bhau KaichurL andRadha Delamarter fall in love with Meher Baba, winter, he had to go from his village to pur then you can know Baba is God. chase medicine for his sister. It was intensely In 1963, Esfandiyar wanted to see Baba cold, but he bundled up and headed out on again, at the Hindu Darshan. He wrote to a donkey, thinking, “I’m young. I can do this.” Baba, “Due to the uncertainty of our cherry After three or four kilometers, a freez crop, I usually do not have enough income, ing wind came up and blew into his face so but I am writing You for permission to come that ice formed. He thought he might freeze to the Hindu Darshan. Baba wrote back to death and no one would find him. He inthat Nature does not have permission to ruin wardly berated Baba, “You promised me you the crop, and so Esfandiyar was to go to each would come, and it’s been two years. I’m very tree in the orchard and tell it not to ruin the disappointed, and now I’m going to die.” Just crop and to say to each, “I want to see Baba”! then, he felt hot water being poured on his That year, they had a bumper crop of cher head. He was able to continue to Yazd, 12 ries. His brother lent him the air fare, and kilometers more. He said it was like riding he was able to attend 2-3 days of the through a garden in spring. He heard beauDarshan. tiful music. Bhau Kalchuri talked that evening on the Esfandiyar was mediating once, and he topic, “Revelation ofan Amazing Secret,” the fell into a blissful Ocean of Joy. He was full story of which he does not want pubdrowning, but because Baba had warned him lished yet! However he did tell us that a to be careful of too much joy, with great ef few pages ofwriting in Baba’s own hand had fort he was able to swim to the surface and been found. A xerox copy had been made of pull himself to shore where he threw himthese pages, but greatly enlarged, (see pho self at Baba’s feet. He told us: “A Perfect tographs) and Bhau explained the words to Master knows these things and saves us from us. Most were in English, but some of it was danger.” in Hindi. It was very reminiscent of God He emphasized that spiritual experiences Speaks esoteric, to say the least. Bhau told are not Reality, and that nothing matters but us, from Baba, “God is with everyone, God being in love with Baba and being loved by is indivisible, God is part of everyone, and Baba. Without His love, experiences become everything is happening in a dream.” (Baba obstacles on our way to get to Baba. “I don’t is here to lovingly shake us awake.) have anything except from Him; it’s all beBhau first met Baba in 1952. At that cause of Baba that I was able to go to Baba.” meeting, he took the banana that Baba gave “

t him as prasad and ate it, skin and all. Ever since, Bhau has, in his words, “starved my false self in service to my Beloved.” And what a service! In addition to writing superb ghazals and the multi-volume biography, LordMeher, he was Baba’s night watchman from 1953. One night, while Bhau was on duty as usual, Baba awoke. Of course, He did not speak, so when He opened His arms, Bhau though He wanted embracing, and he tried to hug Him. Later, Baba was telling the story to the other Mandali and said, with His customary humor, “I wanted a blanket and this man kept embracing Me. He is a very dangerous man!” Bhau, safe in Baba’s love, conveyed what Baba had said of His Silence, this being His Silence Day Sahavas: “If I really became si lent, the Creation would cease to exist. I speak My language of Soundless Sound— this language can only be experienced, and is not learned nor understood.” Bhau reminded us that we are all in Para dise [God-Realizationi all the time—no one leaves Paradise even for one moment. We are eternally in His Ocean, bubbles on the surface. We have bubble consciousness. He has come to burst our bubble, so that we may know we are One with the Sea of God. While in the Ocean, we must tend to the Fire of Love within. Meher Baba says, “Please Me by following My Wish.” The next day, Virginia Rudd spoke of darkness to Light.” In 1952, “From going Harold Rudd, had heard of husband, her and he wanted his wife to ac Baba, Meher Meher Center in Myrtle him the company to

lead the life of Riley.”) We laughed until Baba nearly broke His Silence. (Does Meherazad really have voice mail, Mitchell Rose? Charlie Morton, does Bhau really have a spiritual chart featuring “dirty, stinking gar bage; talk and talk and talk; and “Ifyou want it or you don’t want it, you will have it” as stages on the Path? Billy Goodrum, is there really a “J. Baba” fund-raising catalog? Maybe not, to all ofthe above, but with Him, there is definitely fun-raising!)

Beach, South Carolina, to see Baba. She went very reluctantly and openly skeptical. While in line at the Lagoon Cabin, she heard that each person was to have just five mmutes alone with Baba. She turned to Harold and told him to take herfive minutes! Margaret Craske overheard her and said, You are going in. You belong to Baba!” Virginia JeffMaguire as Johnny Manonash thought, “I don’t belong to anybody. I belong to me,” and then, in Virginia’s words, The musical entertainment flowed I went in, and the universe disappeared. through the many creative and talented perThey say He was glad to see me. I didn’t see formers from the City of Angels. We were For three hours, I lost Him. I was in love Meher-mesmerized by the likes of Rob and consciousness, but I was divinely happy. I was Kathy Thornburn (Love is Everything and in love with Someone I hadn’t seen and This Heart’c Your Home); the amazing grace hadn’t talked with. They say I sat on His lap, of Robert Een, cello, and Tibetan overtone and He hugged and kissed me. I don’t re singing (“I’m going to soak up all that rain member anything. I was the Sky.” until I drown in a sea of fire—of love and Baba later told her, True love requires devotion” ; “Repeat My Name constantly so courage. I do not know how you should love I become awake for all time in your hearts; Me. It is foryouto show how you love Me.” repeat My Name and awaken Me in your To please the Beloved and to participate hearts so you awaken for all time. “—Meher in His Divine humor, a part of the Sahavas entertainment was the 13th edi tion of the “Bobby Manonash Show,” with Ed McMaya as sidekick (Jeff Fred and Maguire Stankus) and sponsored by Sanskara Lite (“Feels great—less binding! While your soul leads the life of L_ Z Gandhi, your body will nhaujis hitherto undiscoveredmusical talents brought forth. “

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Baba) ; sweet and gentle Harry Thomas (HymnsforHim); lively Billy Goodrum ( 14 k1/ll Always Be Thgethei) ; angelic and energetic Raphael Rudd (Coming Home) ; the sparkling Still Yet More Players, Chris & Pris Haffenden; clever mischievous George Gerdes (Zen Bluegrass Trance and Some Enchanted’ Evening); and soulful Michael Campagna and Deborah Ash (You are my Sun, my Only One and I wake up singing Your Name,). We all danced to His Tune with the Lord of the Dance. On the last day, Ron Greenstein conveyed these words of Baba, as told to Sam Kerawalla: Chi/dren Talent Show

“Everything that exists, that is God. Everything that does not exist, that too is God. And ifby chance, anything is left over, that too is God.”

Karmak the Magnificent knows ‘the answers and tells us before ‘he reads the questions (with some hilarious results,,). ,

Bhau declared, “Fortunate are those who come in His contact, and as Baba said in the FamilyLetter “Be true to the trust reposed in you. and “I will see My lovers sometime, somewhere, somehow.” In giving parting thoughts on the subject ofselfless service, Bhau told the story ofa man, his son and a donkey: One day, they set out for town, the man riding on the donkey. People criticized him, saying “Why make the son walk?” So the son rode on the donkey. Then the passers-by asked “Why make the donkey carry?” So the man, the son and the donkey walked. Then they were asked “Why make the donkey walk?” So they entered the town with the man and the son carrying the donkey. If we try to please God, we will ride the donkey. Baba is the easiest, fastest way. With Him, we are transported in style. In serving others, think: “I am serving the Beloved in these people,” and then we are free. Ifwe think, “Lam doing good,” then we are bound. If someone is needy and we think, “Oh, my Beloved wants something and my Beloved is suf fering in this person, then we are free to serve; if not, we are bound. Baba has said: “

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“Ifyou serve Me with love and without expectation, you are serving the whole of creation.” And so, afterjoiriing in Beloved Meher Baba Arti, it was time to departwith Baba in our Heart, our tears at the thought of separation for the year like drops from His Ocean of Joy. They serve as a reminder on what we sail, until we again may be together as pilgrims who pine for more and more and more and more and still yet more Meher.

Steven I

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What is that gleam in youi Where in the world are we all t, When will we all eventual What is that feeling I get in That warmth and that glow

“Onward!”

Mia Compagna andDannyMaguire, KicLi Talent Show

to him, that loving Baba is all that really matters. I believe that Baba at one point

by Steven Barrie, age 18, CA

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just returned from the LA Sahavas, and must say that I feel wonderful. I love

nothing more than being around other Baba-lovers focussing on Him. The love

was almost tangible. My mind gets so cleared up when I go to these Sahavases.

Previously, my mind felt so incredibly cluttered with “dirty stinking garbage, as Bhau would say. Now I can’t say that I feel perfectly centered, but I do feel like “

my priorities are much clearer and more intact, and there is a greater love in my heart and a buzz even in my veins. The Sahavas guests were just incred ible. Esfandiyar Vessali, who attended the Prem Ashram, and led a Baba group in Iran for many years, was there, along with Bhau, Virginia Rudd, and the LA musi cians (Raphael Rudd, Billy Goodrum, Michael Compagna and Debby Ash, among others.) Esfandiyar was amazing. He spoke through an interpreter, and people kept asking him complicated ques tions regarding the mechanics of spiritu ality and Baba’s spiritual philosophy—but he wonderfully answered many questions by taking the focus away from the mind and guiding it towards the heart, by ex plaining that none of that really pertained

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But who is the end, and the I can answer all questions, Ai•. all queries and cries two silent words from my soul Sc spilled they will always be with you !ndwiI lead two blind eyes to our goal: Meher Babal Meher Baba! Meher Baba! Our souL our beginning. our savior; The welcoming hand from the womb, and back to ashes and sand, It is Héin our every behavior. It is Baba when we are kind and forgiving; It is Baba when we forget tube kind; -4 It is Baba in our smiling ai1 crying; I’ It is beloved Babvho prompts r when we forur line When we are hajways know , thatits1 whos hapwho wants us to be 3S aba 4 we arshen we cry When :and : Know that it’s Baba crying, do it that you wjb-flm. With every smile, withevery tear; With every fall, with every next year; i With everykiss, with every kind deed; With every sad scene, every person in need; No matter the person, how rich or how poor How charming and handsome, or ugly and scarred ‘ ‘ For each one ofus, He will open love’s door; Ad out ofthepantry and into the yard! iiAnd out of the yard, all together we’ll run!: And down to the sea and into its depths! iji frnmersing ourselves in what we ye .

L.A. Sahavas

Whoisthatv Who is that noi

said that Esfandiar is on the planes. Dur ing Esfandiyar’s talks, however, whenever

someone would ask him a question regarding the planes, he would dodge the ques

tion. Finally someone asked him point-blank: Will you explain to us your experience of the planes?” After the ques “

tion was translated, Esfandiyar smiled and laughed and laughed. The whole audience started laughing. Finally he said, “Your question has no answer. Perhaps you had to be there, but that just seemed like the perfect answer, and the question was fi nally put to rest. Saturday night was the big concert— “

and you can imagine how all those fantastic musicians just rocked the house everyone just moved away the chairs and started to dance. Altogether it was a fabu bus time. J ai Baba everyone! I just can’t wait for Youth Sahavas—my heart’s all filled up,

but it can never be too full. Love, Steven P.S. I talked to Billy about the Sahavas situation, and he says that he could have gone this year, but he didn’t get the invite, and it may be too late at this point. However, he’ll definitely go next year, provided he is invited. Oh, and he has the

cutest baby girl!!

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Taking and loving those final steps; -A kingb,s a bear and bear a peasant A wiema a fool all warring clans cease

ind ofeverything felt helpings most pleasant w vnd love blooms unfurled in the

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Meherana Sahavas Northern California, June 18-20 by Cheryl Johnson, CA

eherana’s Fifth Spring Sahavas was characterized by the music and the spirit of togetherness that filled the hearts of everyone. The moon was low, a silver sickle on a field of blue, when Imetyou, andlovedyou with a love that hadno fear-

Francis Brabazon. Evocative poetry, Bhau Kaichuri ghazals, and Cole Porter songs, came alive through David Miotke’s powerfully resonant voice. David was Meherana’s Special Musical Guest, and delighted all with his beautiful renditions of songs, poems, and ghazals. Bhau Kalchuri, our Special Guest, piqued the curiosity of all Sahavasees, right from his opening words on Friday evening, with promises that he had momentous rev-

Photo by Evie Lindemann

elations to make during the Sahavas. Jeff formed by the teens and children. The play re-enacted the time Baba’s twin nephews Maguire, Master of Ceremonies, fanned the impersonated Ann Conlon just before her flames of intrigue with his witty repartee. first visit to Meherazad. The cast included On Saturday morning, to our delight, Bhauji Betty Lowman, Luke and Jake Jamison, unfurled enlarged copies of six hand writDaniel Comerford, Danny Maguire, Brian ten pages by Meher Baba in the 1920’s, re Dolan, Brad Feldman, Anna Cooper, Julia cently come to light. The content was Pearson, and Reid Pearson. The play was fascinating, as we struggled to make the leap directed by Brian West and Anna Cooper. from Unnatural Light and Unnatural Darkness to Natural Light. In the evening, Bhauji called ; ;: on Jeff Maguire to read out the material and summarize the fine points. And Bhauji, in his own unique way, balanced the new information with his heartfelt stories about re membering and loving Meher Baba. The amazingly mobile LoveStreet Bookstore came to Meherana de lighting all with a wide ar- Photo by Evie Lindemann Meherana Flay--Left to Right, Daniel Comerforci Brad Feldman, ray of videos, CDs, tapes, andLukejamison tee shirts, photos, jewelry, All those involved deserve kudos for their and books. The shop stayed open until late whole-hearted and very humorous perfor Saturday evening so last minute shoppers mances. could purchase additional treasures. In spite of the hot weather and cold wa In other areas, Daniel ter hosings to prevent heat exhaustion, there Comerford staffed the Toddy was an incredible and overwhelming outShop, with soft-serve ice pouring of love whenever we requested vol cream and other snacks. I oanna Tompkin (aka Pre unteers for various duties. The most heavily demanding and heavily staffed area was the server) was available to answer kitchen, due to the exquisite meals prepared questions about Meherana’s by Roz Taubman, Bobby Buggia, Bill on-going development and to Pearson and company. Hermann and sell Fly-to-India Sweepstakes tickets and Meherana teeJ eannette Loew once again headed up the kitchen clean-up crews. The entire kitchen shirts. staff and volunteers received a much-de The tradition of afternoon served standing ovation! workshops continued this year The Dhuni by moonlight was something with a variety of options, inno one wanted to miss. Bhauji provided an cluding a musical sharing with explanation of the origin of the dhuni tra David Miotke, an art demondition and then lit the fire. As the wood stration by Jeannie Moje, a burst into flame, everyone stood for prayers movement activity led by Sue J amison, a discussion of the and arti. In the stillness of the beautifully clear Sierra Nevada night, songs to and for Bhagavad Gita with Hugh the Beloved rose up, creating an avenue for Flick, and a discussion of all Sahavasees to share their mutual love for Meher Baba as our Compas Beloved Avatar Meher Baba. sionate Father facilitated by Katie Mink. An added feature to this year’s Sahavas was a play per..

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Transcription of 4 Pages of Meher Baba’s Handwritten Pages, Shared by Bhau by Barbara Roberts, CO Natural Light

God Realization

Natural Darkness

Nirvana

Unnatural light i.e. The whole universe (i.e.) The whole maya i.e. Light where only Self is, only nothingness (i.e. natural sanskaras) is. From this natural darkness (i.e. nothingness) unnatural darkness (i.e. mind working) (the false I, egoism) is produced. —(darkness written by Baba and then crossed out and egoism written above it) From the unnatural darkness i.e. egoism, unnatural light i.e. body + universe, the universe is produced—the mind is unnatural darkness. page 2 This mind stopped is Light, God, Self (permanantly) mind working is false I (Urdu word, banda” pronounced bunduh”, written in, I believe, Marathi script & meaning “slave”) ,

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In the sound sleep, the natural darkness (spirit) sees natural Light (Self) & in the awake state, the same natural darkness (i.e. spirit) becomes the unnatural darkness (i.e. mind) So to say in the awake state—the spirit & mind are linked & the body & the universe exist/because the mind is merged in the spirit, then the universe & the body exist, but mind does not exist. We have seen before that when the mind exists the body & the universe exist. That is when the universe and the body exist, the mind exists. But here (when in the awake state the mind is merged in the spirit), the universe & the body exist—but the mind does not exist i.e. the mind & spirit unlimited & this is realization.

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Announcements

Mani Lee

Baba’s Pearl Tom Hart, Santa Rosa, CA

n Thursday morning at 7:26 am, June 10th, 1999, Wasitee Isabelle Hart, aka “Pearl” was born, weighing in at 6 lbs., 2.6 oz., and 18 inches long. An hour or so after the birth, as my wife Jai and Pearl were sleeping, I went down to the hospital’s gift shop to get some flowers for my wife and a little toy for my beautiful new daughter. I chose a nice bouquet and wrote “Th Mommy, From Daddy’ on the card. I then grabbed the first toy that caught my eye, it was a purple lamb with a yellow face and ribbon and a heart-shaped tag. It seemed wholly appropriate since I love the purple and yellow color combination and my wife’s favorite color is purple, and we are all three “Harts.” I paid for everything and took it up to our room. I put the flowers on my wife’s bedside table and placed my baby’s first toy next to Pearl in her little cradle. It was then that I decided to read the heartshaped tag on its ear. Along with the manufacturer’s information it stated that the creature’s name was “Baba. Surprise! “

I felt then that my heartfelt prayer im mediately after Pearl’s birth that ‘Baba would please watch over and protect her al ways’ was being fulfilled by Him. Jai Baba little Pearl and welcome to His world! —

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FeariHart at two anda halfmonths with the purple Beanie Babylamb named ‘Baba.” “I,,

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John Talmo

e say a hearty Congratulations to first time mother Christina Arasmo, on the birth ofher daughter Mani Lee Arasmo Gmelin born on 7/27/99 at 9:23 am, weighing 7.777 lbs. (love those sevens!), and 19.5 inches long. It took determination and ingenuity on Christina’s part to have a baby, yet still find time to create the Millennium Baba Calen dars for us. You go girl!

Mitchell Alan

ongratulations also to Roger and Maria Bird of Colorado Springs on the birth of their second child, a boy. Mitchell Alan Canete Bird was born on March 16, weighing in at 6 lbs. and 10 oz.

Passings 0

fter a long battle with cancer, Chris Marie (also known as Arlene Bolitsky) passed away onJuly 24, 1999 at age 50. Chris heard of Baba in 1967 and her heart became His in 1968, while His beautiful form still graced this earth. Over the years, Chris made her home in Myrtle Beach, New York, and lastly, Los Angeles. Although she had no natural family, Chris considered her Baba group her family. She received the support of four Baba lovers during the last few difficult months of her life. On her last night with us “Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai” was sung to her for about 15 minutes until she fell asleep. She died in her sleep the next morning at 08:30 am. Chris left the disposal of her estate to Wendy Ward and Steve Berry. Any proceeds from the sale of her home and furnishings will benefit the Trust, the LA Baba Center, Meherana, and the republishing of The Path ofLoveby Fiis Fredrick. Chris also left a beautiful painting by Diane Cobb to the LA Cen ter. Happy trails Chris onyour onwardjourney to our Beloved.

“

—

Reporth ‘Baba Baba Everywhere

Chris Marie

‘iia’isi:ii”ø’*im

al Baba to John Talmo of Lewes, Dela ware a good friend and a wonderful soul, who amidst the sometime dreariness of this old world, spread to many the glow and warmth and sparkle of Baba’s love, and who passed into Baba’s waiting arms after a long illness, last night Sept. 6, at 1 1 : 1 3 pm. He died at home, peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends, including his devoted wife Shelly. Jai Baba, John you brightened up my life, and a big hug for you as you journey forth to Baba, with Baba always by your side. -David Silverman

previous issues we have told you about the poem Rob Narke wrote entitled Baba Baba Everywhere. He has asked that chil dren (or adults) submit drawings to illustrate this book. Rob sent us this update from the Bhopal newsletter: “The Meher Baba Bhopal (India) Cen tre organized a painting session on the 12th September 1999 on Rob Narke’s Poem ‘Baba Baba Everywher The session started at 10.00 a.m. with the Parvardigar Prayer. The translation of Rob Narke’s poem in Hindi was the read out to the group and the idea behind Rob’s project was explained. Chil dren and adults were given paper sheets and all started painting which continued till 12.00 noon with Baba’s Bhajan’s playing in the background. The group had children from the age of 3 years to 67 years (all are Baba’s children) The atmosphere was fes tive and all thoroughly enjoyed the session bringing out their creative best. The meeting ended with recitation of the Australian, American and Gujarati Artis. The paintings will be sent to Rob Narke.” Rob tells us: “I’mjoyfully grateful for this outpouring of Baba’s loving creativeness, and I hope that it will inspire Baba lovers everywhere to let the creative juices flow for this .

.:,:,,,

“

[14

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loving project. May Baba continue to bless us with his grace.” To read the poem, hear it, or learn more about the book project, please log on to the Bhopal Newsletter: http : //members tr ipod. corn! rneherbhopal!index.html

and the Zoning Administrator’s sign-off. Continue fund raising. Start construction when all the money is raised or at the end of the 1 year extension. This leaves a further 2 years to complete construction and to raise additional funds if necessary. The mortgage would continue to be paid down. Full repayment is due by February 2004.

Eli

Wddings

C. Finance a second mortgage now to: 1 Complete all renovations, includ ing the library!bookstore; OR. 2. Complete Phase 1 only (no library! bookstore)

The Avatar Meher Baba Trust

he Trust is continuing to move forward with the development of the Five Year Plan which includes the building of a new pilgrim center, funding for the museum!ar chives building and other developments at Meherabad. As I’m sure you’re aware, lovedonations for this project are tax-deductible and can be forwarded to our Southern Cali fornia Center c!o Kanji Miyao, Treasurer. As Trustwalla, I am still collecting lovedonations for the Beneficiaries. While not tax-deductible, these donations are still needed and very appreciated. If you’d like to support the Beneficiaries, please make your check payable to: “Friends of the Meher BabaTrust” and mail to:Lynne Berry, 267 Hanover Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Premsay Bhiksha Dijye (Give Donations with Love) Jai Baba!

D. Refinance a new mortgage to: 1 Complete Phases 1 & 2 and include the balance of the original mortgage in the new one; OR 2. Complete Phase 1 and include the balance of the original mortgage in the new one. .

At a Special General Meeting held on September 12, 1999, a majority ofthe mem bership voted in favor of Option B. If you would like a copy of the 8-page Progress Report, we would be happy to send you one. Please contact the L.A. Center.

And the Winners are...

Center’s Main Building by Lois Jones. President

ecently, the voting membership re viewed an extensive Progress Report on the financial and structural planning for the Los Angeles Center’s renovation. All of the steps we have taken up until that time were outlined and the membership was asked to make a decision regarding the next steps. The Center does not yet have all the funds necessary to completely renovate the main building and add the new library!bookstore at this time so, in short, we were asked to consider the following four options: A. Commence renovation to the main hail and replace the roof by the end of the year with funds we have in hand. B. Temporarily fix the roof. Take up to a 1 -year extension to file for building permits

he winners of the Fly to India Sweep stakes were drawn out of the hat at the July Sahavas. This year was the first time in our long history that not only was the winner an LA member and present to boot, but the 2nd and 3rd runners up were even on the Sahavas Committee! And no! It wasn’t fixed! We were all stunned when those 3 names were drawn and also very happy. It is so rewarding to see the joy on the face of a person who has just been told Baba has decided that they, above all others, are most deserving of a free trip to India. It was also a very rare event when we all felt that yes indeed, Baba had chosen right this time in other words, His choice would also have been our choice. Vesta Clinton was the very deserving and ecstatic winner. Second prize was a copy of Lord Meher that Bhauji had very sweetly inscribed for Lynne Berry, and Cathy Broadley got to take home a CD of her choice from The Love Street Bookstore. Our very sincere thanks to all who contributed to Meherabode and its renovations by trying your luck at the Sweepstakes.

YES! was a surprise!

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First-i They met for coffee

(for 4 years. .

Then

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Plan for Renovating the

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They had a romance

(for 3 weeks. go figure). .

FinallyJuly 2, 1999 The intractable bachelor Daniel Sparks

married the incorrigible bachelorette

ynn

arnett

Come see us at

3321 N. Walker Ave Oklahoma City, OK 73118

(405) 521-9349

The McNeely wedding follows onpage 18

£oveLSfreet La,

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Baba Showers His Blessings on McNeely Nuptuals! Dma Snow, Los Angeles, CA style over the shoulders and draped to the

ndicative of the guests love for the couple, they came from around the world and all across the country to attend the marriage that some thought they would never see. David McNeely, a 46 year old confirmed bachelor —wed?! I guess when Baba sees two people that are supposed to be together, Hejust makes it hap-

J im Wilson welcomed .

us all, David’s

brother John read from Corinthians 13 and then we all said the three prayers The Masterc Frayei Prayer of Repentance and Beloved God Just as we finished the last prayer Baba showered down His bless—

pen. They met in Los Angeles where

ings! Not enough to ruin fancy hairdos or

David had been one of the backbones of the Center since the early 1980s. Clea was working at the RAND Corporation. One of Clea’s sisters lives in Panama and she and her husband and child flew in, as did one of David’s brothers who lives with his wife and family in Switzerland. Clea’s friends from grade school and college were bridesmaids along with her two sis ters. They were partnered by David’s two brothers and Jim Wil son and Steve Slemenda, both Baba lovers from Oregon. Leatrice Johnson, with her husband John,

beautiful dresses, butjust enough to let us

flew in to conduct the ceremony, which was a very Baba-full event.

•

know His Nazar was on the lucky couple. All the Baba lovers looked at each other, realising the significance of it, and let out a great “Avatar Meher Baba kiJai!” We then moved indoors and the ceremony continued with Lois J ones reading from Francis

Brabazon’s words on

The wedding was held in an outdoor garden next to the Govenor’s mansion. The day before, about

record in four years, but as the guests started

50 family and friends gathered at a sum-

arriving, the weather presented a beautiful

mer cottage by the lake for boating, swimming, eating and all round good fun. The weather in Minnesota is a hot topic, and

face and Saturday was gorgeous. Sunday looked a little overcast by midmorning, so just in case the rains did start, a back up plan

Friday turned out to be the hottest day on

of chairs arranged in the fireplace room indoors was readied. By 1 1 a.m. the guests were

all seated in their outdoor chairs, a huge photo of Baba was hanging under the rose entwined arch, and David Miotke was en-

tertaining us with some of his wonderful love So In Love and Stay 1/1/2th God He songs —

then changed to the Bridal march from Lohengrin and Clea, on the arm of her fa

ther Ed, walked up the grassy aisle and stood beside the waiting Groom. David in a tux

Clea, DavicL and Dma

edo was quite a sight to see! As Clea later remarked, looking ever so fondly at her new husband: “Isn’t he handsome?!” As for the bride, it’s very hard not to look terrific when you are a slender 5 foot 9 inches tall! But she did indeed look gorgeous in a very simple, extremely elegant, straight ivory dress, with a matching scarf worn Indian

;

“

You Who

Marry Today” Before starting reading though, she explained to the other guests that among Baba byers, rain on a significant event was considered a sign of His blessing. “Ah, that explains it” one person was heard to say, “I couldn’t imag me why they were all so happy when it started to rain!” Clea and David will spend their Honeymoon in Alaska. We wish

them all much love and the very best for their future life together. May they always have Baba foremost in

their hearts.

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We liked the format ofa Roast, but not for Bhauji, we wanted to Thasthirn! So Jeff Maguire, as our MC, came up :i with some delightfully funny toasting& that kept the Honaree and the audience in stitches. Billy Goodrum cer tainly showed us what a BhauToastwas all about as he cooked up a batch in his

I ticipate in a Renovadon Fundraiser for Meherabode when he came to visit this year. We decided to hold it in the afternoon so we could enjoy the beautiful gardens and sunshine at our Cen-. ter. A delicious lunch of Parsi food (thanks to Korshed Pasricha) was served under the Indian pine tree.

7b;; andleft: the Bhau TOast Garden Party, R4hcBehnaz Bhrnijt an

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After the Toastings came the Auc tion.That is always very exciting. both to watch and to participate in. We had some wonderful items up for bid, very generously donated by our members. We raised $ 12,SQO to put towards the necessary renovations. Thank you to all who attended and helped us. It was a great afternoon.

LeftAdele Walk/n and VfrginiaRudd with Bhaa R1qhcBhaafiandBaby.itBhau Toast.

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Meher Spiritual Center at Myrtle Beach. Norina Giftis a re-publication of the long

The

out ofprint FragmentsFromA Spiritual Diary and Forty Spiritual Messages. Charles

hink Christmas! It will be here sooner than you know it and Chanukah is just around the corner. Now is the time to start thinking of all the Baba lovers to whom you would like to give a special Baba gift. And this is the right place to choose those gifts! For the past few years we have been making it even easier for you to gift that dear friend or relative who lives miles away from you: for an extra $3 we will gift wrap your purchases in very special Christmas or Chanukah paper. Cherie Plumlee designed a Baba gift card, which for $3.50 we can add to your gift. You can also purchase them outright to send to your very best Baba friends. (See page 22.) So here follows the top all time favorites. I’m sure you will be able to find something for everyone on your list amongst the following selections! The best selling poetry book in the coun try, notjust the Baba world, is the third book by our own Danny Ladinsky, The Gift. If you don’t already have it, see page 24 for Kudos to The Gift. Paperback,333 pages, $14. Bal Natu has written the third in the tril ogy of his ever-popular Conversations with the Awakener. This one is titled Intimate Conversationsand is in the same format as the previous two. People tell me they love giving these books to non Baba loving friends, but ones who have a spiritual leaning. Ifyou have not read Bal’s previous two, they consist of very loving conversations between Bal and his Beloved. The name Baba is never mentioned —just “You”. $12. Lives ofLove, the stories about all the women mandali, is written by Australian Judith Garbett from over 30 (accumulative) years spent in their company. It was hugely popular when I brought it back with me from Avatar’s Abode and sold out almost immediately. We have a recently arrived supply. The book is in a large format $17 Ifyou, along with Baba, feel that Francis Brabazon is one great poet, you will really enjoy The Water Carrier. It is written by Robert Rouse, who was one of the original -

builders of Avatar’s Abode, & whom Baba asked, along with his wife Lorna, to stay on the property as caretaker. He has spent many years in the company of Francis. Robert calls it a mosaic of Francis, and it is a fascinating insight into the workings of the mind of Francis Brabazon. Paperback, 86 pages $12 The third book from Australia is a col oring book for older children & adults who still love to pick up the colored pencils and color in especially when it is The Beloved’s face you are working on. These are excellent 9 x 12 portraits of Baba that Claire Mataira has done for the cover of the Aussie newsletter Meher Baba Australia. Sur rounding the portrait are all sorts of flowers, trees, animals etc. that make it a delightful pastime to color in. They are in a writing pad format, 15 in all, so after coloring each picture you can tear it off & put on the refrigerator, laminate it, frame it, or what ever. $5.50 each. DreamingoftheBelov&L Mani’s book of her most profound dreams given her by Baba, is very popular. When you add to her words, the full color art creations by Wodin, you have a treasure of a book. It has 80 pages with 24 full color paintings, hard bound, measures 8.5 x 10.5 and has a very low price of $22. Two books released last year to great ac claim were from EliNor publications— Letters ofLove and Norina Gift. Both are hardbound, the former, $25 and the latter $20. LettersofLoveare notjust the letters to and from Jane Haynes, Baba and the Mandali, but also a lot of information about Elizabeth Patterson and the founding of —

L .

Haynes and Christopher Wilson uncovered some great archival photographs of Princess Norma Matchabelli and combined them with a comprehensive biography, tracing the development of her life and work, from world-renowned actress and film star, to co founder ofthe famous perfumery, to disciple of Meher Baba. A must for every artist is the wonderful book In QuestoftheFaceofGod It is written by Lyn Ott and is filled with full color reproductions of many of his finest works, with many stories about his time with Baba Large format, hard cover, $30. Also for artists and those who appreci ate art is Rano Gayley’s book Because of Love. Not only does this have dozens of pages of her gorgeous portraits of Baba and the paintings that Baba directed her to do, down to the last touch of paint, but also many wonderful stories of her life in the Ashram with Baba from the early years. Large format, hard cover, $35. Gift of God, the autobiography of Arnavaz Dadachanji, is a very intimate ac counting of her life with Baba and her struggles to abide by His wishes at all times. A really beautiful book, very heartwarming. Paperback, 242 pages, with numerous pho tographs $18. Another ‘must have’ is that wonderful collection of Baba stories from Eruch. If a trip to India is not on your horizon, pur chase ThatcHowit Wasand be transported to Mandali Hall, while sitting comfortably at home, listening to Eruch speak of his life in the service of the Beloved. This book is a compilation of 2 other long-out-of-print books plus a whole new set of tales of adventures with the Master. Hardbound $25, paperback $15, 412 pages. Listen Humanity written at Baba’s re quest by Don Stevens, has recently been re printed and is now available paperback $15 and hardbound $20. An excellent book to give to ‘seekers’ or to have in your own Iibrary. It should go without saying of course, that God Speaks (also recently reprinted) hardbound, $27, and Discourses, paperback $15 and hardbound $25 also make good gifts.

Companion Books, under the auspices of Don Stevens recently completed God Speaks in Spanish Dios I-labia. It will be on the market across the country soon. The publishers wanted a biography of Baba to be released at the same time, so Don turned —

to and wrote MeherBaba, TheA wakener of theAge. It will be available in Spanish soon, but currently we have on our shelves the English version. As it arrived only a few days prior to this writing, I cannot tell you any— thing about it except that it has 314 pages, a beautiful color photo of Baba on the cover and sells for $ 1 5. There will be a review in the January issue. Don has very sweetly offered to help us out at “Meherabode” with a little fundraising. He has promised to sign your book for you for an extra $15, which goes directly to help support our Center. Don will be here in November, so he can sign your book then, and I can still send it off to you in time for the holidays. For the past year or so, Rumi has been the best selling poet in America, and al though Hafiz and Danny Ladinsky knocked him off that perch with The Gift, we still thought you would like a very beautiful book titled The Illuminated Rumi. It is hardbound, 9 x 1 2 and exquisitely produced with wonderful and varied illustrations on each page. The way in which it is laid out is truly a work of art. I was expecting Persian miniatures and so was very surprised to see the artwork that accompanied it most eclectic. $30 Another item that has to be on everybody’s list is the Meher Baba Calen darfortheyear200li It is something everyone wants and needs to start the Century offright and keep it going allyear long. Each time you look at it, you see the beautiful face of Baba looking back at you, read His inspiring words and seejust what in the Baba world transpired on what particular day, es pecially your birthday! A hanging calendar, it measures eight and a half by fully ex tended eighteen. Christina Arasmo, the very talented Floridian who creates these works of art for us each year has kept the price to a low $8.25. If you buy 5 or more, you get them for $7 each. Any profit from the production of these calendars goes to the Trust. A book that is only available in India or The Love Street Bookstore is Much Love by T.K. Ramanujam. If you can only afford —

—

one book about Meher Baba this is the one to get. It is incredibly comprehensive: the index alone covers eight pages. Part 1 contains a chronological listing of the events in the life of the Avatar from birth to death; Parts 2-7 cover all His important messages and declarations, prayers, songs and on and on. Apart from making good reading, haying it all under one cover makes it an excellent reference book. It is hardbound, 6 x 9 with 606 pages, and sells for $20. Delving into the musical realm we have the incredibly popular, runaway best-selling CD by Marc DeMatteis -HowManyLife times?Words, music, melodies, instrumen tations, it has it all ballads, gentle sweet numbers, poignant songs, rousing rock and roll everything, for a special holiday price of $12 Relentless Love is a tape by the incom parable Jim Meyer. It has been around for a few years now, so if you don’t already own it, this tape comes highly recommended at the reduced price of $9. We told you about his new CD Ways to Attain theSupremeRealityin our last issue. We did not have it at the time, but this fabu bus piece of work words (Malcolm Schloss’) music, arrangements, production values all go to make it one of the best that has ever been released! Better yet it is now in stock. $18. There is also the double CD from Raphael Rudd TheA wakening. One of the CD’s is a re release of Skydancerwhich contains the exquisitely sung Gujerati Arti by J ane Brown. The other disc in the set is a selection of songs and instrumentals Raphael recorded in the late ‘70’s with Pete Townshend and a pick up drummer name of Phil Collins! $20 is a fabulous deal for two CD’s! SongofHuma, Volume2is another best seller. For those of you unfamiliar with this beautiful tape, it was produced by Elaine Cox who took top recording equipment to India and recorded the women Mandali singing the ghazals that Baba had written under the pen name of Huma in the early ‘20’s. As the women were singing a cappella, Elaine then had the recordings beautifully accompanied by some very Indian sounding flutes, tablas and synthesizers. Before each song Elaine reads the English transla tion so we get the full beauty of the piece. The words are all written on the inside of —

—

the jay card, and at over an hour of superb Baba music, $12 is a very reasonable price. The tape MyHeartis Calling Juis also very popular. This is a collection of the songs Mani wrote for her Beloved Brother. She is singing and accompanying herself on sitar on a number of them. The others are sung by people in India at the time including the Twins singing the song Be Be Be With Baba that Mani wrote specifically for them. $10 —

We have so many new CDs, the Baba musicians have been hard at work, but it is impossible to list them all here. See your back issues for more ideas.

We stock over 40 different videos. There should definitely be something for everyone. The latest release from Meher Prasad ( the company responsible for most of our Baba videos) was entitled Mebera, Meher BabacBelovect It gets rave reviews from all who see it. This tape runs 42 minutes and sells for $40 Also a beautiful video on Mehera and her life is MeherBabaLordandFrien This is part of the Witness Series Wendell Brustman is producing that are very infor mative, yet personal, interviews with the Mandali. It is as though you are sitting with

Mehera in a personal interview. It runs for an hour and is $55. In the same series is one on Mani, Agnes Baron and Irene Billo. As more are edited (from footage taken in the ‘80s), they will be released. Then there is Beyond Words, produced

by Sheriar Foundation from the 1967 docu mentary shot by professional filmmaker Louis Van Gasteren. It is breathtaking (and indeed, beyond words!) in the immediacy of the footage. Short of being in His pres ence, this is the next best thing! The quality ofthe 35mm film is unlike anything we have

ever previously seen of Baba. Worth buying a VCRjust to view it! 28 minutes $52

A video that has been out for a few years now but is still one of our best sellers is Eter nalBeloved Produced by Meher Prasad, it has a run time of 40 minutes and some fabu bus footage of Baba that has been color cor rected and sharpened to the point where the

quality is just about equal with the recently filmed interviews with Mani, Goher, and the other mandali who tell us what Baba was

doing and where He was in the preceding frames. Very well worth the $50! An excellent video to enjoy yourself and

..‘ .

I show your friends is an interview with Bhau made in New York for Public Television. It even has Bhaus words in subtitles for those that have difficulty with his accent. He is

Christmas Card available at the Love Street Bookstore.

speaking on Three-Quartersofthe Worldand what Baba meant when He said it would be destroyed. Also has some great footage of Baba. $12. If you are looking for an inexpensive gift that will please enormously, I suggest the x1 colored photo in brilliant clarity of the 1 2 view that greets you as you stand on the threshold of the Samadhi. Along with this photo comes four 4” square reproductions of Charlie Mills beautiful portraits, as well as 3 cards, also in beautiful color that have the artis printed on the back. All of these items are excellently printed and the whole pak sells for only $12. How many would you like? Also in our last issue we showed in The Gallery of the Heart just a few of the many very beautiful cards with our Beloved’s photo on them. Ifyou think the cards featured on this page, TheAncient One, and Belovedcreated by Cherie Plumlee are as beautiful as we do, better buy them now, because the license of copyright permission given by the copyright holder of the original black and white photos of Baba will expire in December of this year and they will no longer be available for sale. Check out her web page at www.avatarmeherbaba.org in

December as she hopes to have several new Baba art cards/paintings on display at that time. You may also want to check out Charlie Mills web site at www.MillsStudio.com We sell the lithographs of many of his paintings for $25 each and we also stock the cards with envelopes. For many years we have been selling the large photographs of the whimsical drawings of Wodin the artist who illustrated the very popular book of Mani’s dreams entitled Dreamkigofthe Beloved But with the start up of his own web site Steve Jameson has de cided he would rather sell direct to the general public. So you can visit his virtual art gallery at www.wodinart.com So that it from the Bookstore. I hope we have helped you decide what youwould like to put on your holiday wish list and given you plenty of ideas to bring joy to your friends. And that is what I wish for you all. In His love, Dma —

The inside poem reads:

Meher Babas Gift to Us Earth Out ofinihions ofworldsin this vast universe. Kiii have chosen this one earti. hir, You haveadornedtbeiand with beauty I-fore alone Thu take birth and walk among us On thispredous soiJ asa man, To fulfill the mdiant mystery of Yourplan. HawBlesseditic to be born heir! To serve the earth is to serve )4;, here Your love takes root. Here air lives airport ofYours h!re, Yourlove bears fruit. Th walk the earth Ic to walk holy ground To tooth the earthis to touth GodMystery Toknowthe earth is to know God To serve the earth is tojoin Rfrbeauty Tojoth Ths beauty. “The Elements, An Oratorio in Praise of Meher Baba.” ©Searchligbt, 1984 The Christmas greeting on the facing page reads:

During this 1-JoliclaySeasan and throughout the Pv’w Year mayyour hearts be filled with A’liS Boundless Love.

£ovetreet,Lamsr

22 j_

.. ..

Out ofthe Source Gabriella Tal’s new CD by Mary Weiss, San Francisco, CA

Through the Heart, Lightly

hen I was asked to write a review of Gabriella Tal’s new CD and cassette, OutoftheSource, I was very pleased, as I have been a long-time admirer of Gabriella’s music and its lyrical quality. And I was not dis appointed in this new offering. Out of the Source contains an eclectic variety of songs pertaining to the elements either, air, fire, water and earth in the tradition of Polarity Therapy. Each piece is full of poignant and memorable harmonies and woven in, over, and through it all that pure, un adorned, and soulful voice. The lyrics (a written version is part of the package) are most interesting as well, containing Sanskrit, Native American, and even African songs or poems, they celebrate our connection to the Source of Love and Life. Or, as one stanza proclaims: From the Source, all ofus come Meetftig the spring ofJif Here on earth i our special chance Th love, to live, to dance.

Wayne Gallers’ new CD

—

by Jessica Willis

nce in a great while, an album of re corded music enters our lives that has the capacity to remind us ofwhat is good and sweet in all the worlds, seen and unseen. Wayne Galle?s Through The Light ofitAli is one of those albums. In an age of super-advanced music technology, muffed lyrics and special effects as a replacement for emotion, Galler never lost faith in the beauty ofthe un affected voice and the acoustic guitar. He has mastered both of these instruments. His songs-whether it be the tender vocal harmo nies of “Whais the Purpose” or the urgent plea of “Heal Me Tonight-are a new take on the call and response style ofgospel song struc ture. In every track on the album, Galler asks the oldest question: where we are going? and God responds: straight into My heart. “I Remember” should be a staple on every choir and coffee bar troubadou?s song list, and “Wake Up Baba”, with its swampy, slick Southem rock tempo, breaks the quietude and offers one of the best lines in recent memory when Galler nicks a few lines from the Lord and wails: “fly by me, I’m the Ancient One.” God in Through the Light of It All visits poolhalls as well as more traditional places of worship. This al bum is a clarionjoy, icicle and sunshine pure, and a perfect soundtrack for wherever the heart may go.

But my all-time favorite is the harmonic magic that Gabriella creates with Meher Baba quote: “True love is no game for the fainthearted and weak. It is born from strength and understanding. This song takes on spe cial meaning when we consider that the com positions and recording cover a period of time when Gabriella was going through incredible life challenges in healing after a serious acci dent. The music has a transformative quality. It is as if somehow, from the pain of a grain of sand in the oyster, Our Beloved has produced a shining pearl of musical devotion. “

Book Rie ws *tp

Shore Th Shoreless A Vyage Across the Ocean of Existence with Meher Baba by Professor J.S. Rathore individuals

Mary, Mika, Ram, tormented by their own personal problems meet accidently. Mary, an English lady, is a physicist: Mika, a -

hive Rahim, and Professor

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J apanese, was a Buddhist monk and now a spiritual pilgrim; Ram, an Indian, is a scholar of Hindu philosophy; Rahim, a Muslim, is a biologist from an American university; and, Professor, an Indian, is a university teacher. All of them are in great mental agony, and are seriously in search of the ultimate Reality in order to discover man’s real position in the cosmos. They arejoined by Merwan who tells them about the existence of two oceans the Ocean of Nothing and the Ocean of Everything. He assures them that all their problems will be solved once they reach the Ocean of Everything, where alone they can find real joy and happiness. Howevei in order to reach the Ocean of Everything, they would have to sail across the Ocean of Nothing with Avatar Meher Baba as their companion and guide. All of them agree to undertake this voy age across the Ocean of Nothing with Meher Baba as the Captain of their ship. Together they traverse the macro and micro realms of the gross universe and the inner subtle and mental worlds to reach the Shoreless the Supreme Divine Being, in whom they discover lasting happiness and peace. Shore to Shoreless presents an integrated Cosmic SpiritualPhysical Overview in the light of Avatar Meher Baba’s “thought.” The book endeavors to integrate the worldview emanating out of the physical and biological sciences with that of the spiritual wisdom as revealed by the Su preme Divine Being, the Ancient One and the Highest of the High, descending as the Avatar or Buddha or Rasool or Christ. In addition to acknowledgments, preface, bibliography and an index of quotations, the book has twelve chapters, which are : We Launch Ourselves; Not One Universe; Fire Without and Fire Within; Stairway to Big Bang; Chasing the Desire to its Source; Shadows of Shadows; The Hall of Mirrors; Beginthe Beginning; Sugar Doll’s On a Diving Mission; Mary Magic Mirror; Shores Shoreless; and Splashing Joy, Swimming in Eternity. Professor J.S.Rathore, the author, an ar dent devotee of Avatar Meher Baba, is a formerVice-Chancellor and Professor of Environmental Science. He is the first recipient ofthe coveted Katju Award for Science, insti tuted by the Government ofMadhya Pradesh, India, from HE. Giani Zail Singh, the then President of India. Professor Rathore is also a Medal of Honor from the American Biographical Institute. -

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I. Kudos to The Gift

Daniel Ladinsky’s translations of Hafiz

“Daniel Ladinsky brilliantly captures the es sence of one of Islam’s greatest poetic and re ligious voices. Ladinsky spent five years compiling and translating the 250 poems col lected here, drawing on rare 19th Century translations of the work from Farsi (the language of Hafiis Persia-now Iran) as well as several thousand pages of material about the life of Hafiz. The result is a brilliant collec tion ofHafiz’s most intimate poems, comple mented by an overview ofthe lifejourney that brought about this body of work. Shams-ud-d-dim Muhammad Hafiz, though relatively little known in the Western world, is often considered one of the most beloved poets of Persia, along with Rumi and Kabir. Born in Shiraz, in southern Persia, he lived about the same time as Chaucer in England, and about one hundred years after Rumi. When he died at the age of 70, he was thought to have produced an estimated 5,000 poems, 500-700 ofwhich have survived. More than any other Persian poet, it is perhaps Hafiz who accesses the mystical, healing dimensions of poetry. Because his poems were often ec static love songs from God to his beloved world, many have called Hafiz “Tongue of the Invisible.” His Divan (collected poems) is a classic in the literature of Sufism.” In The Gift, DanielLadinsky continues the venerable work of bringing the wisdom, pas sion and beauty of Hafiz’s work to the West, which began largely through the efforts of Goethe, who wrote “In his poetry Hafiz has inscribed undeniable truth indelibly.... Hafiz has no peer. Goethe enthusiasm infected Ralph Waldo Emerson, who translated his work in the nineteenth century, and called it “the model of lyric grace and felicity.” Even Sherlock Holmes quotes Hafiz in one of the stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Hafiz, a secret Sufi, came to prominence in his day as a writer of love poems. That love transformed into an all-consuming passion for union with the divine. In The Gift, Daniel Ladinsky bestows on us the impassioned yet whimsical strains of Hafiz’s ecstasy. Never forced or awkward, Ladinsky Hafiz whispers in your ear and pounds in your chest, naming God in a hundred metaphors. I once asked a bird, “How is it that you fly in this gravity Of darkness?” She responded, “Love lifts Me.” Like Fitzgerald’s version of Khayyam’s Rubaiyat, the language of The Gift strikes a

an expert cadence that invites and surprises.

contemporary chord, resonating in the reader

simple beauty of Sufi poetry in the West (witness thejust-released CD “A GiftofLove,” fea turing celebrities like Madonna, Martin Sheen

DanieiLadinsky

here may not be many Baba lovers alive who have not heard of Danny Ladinsky’s wonderful renderings of the divine work of Hafiz. His first two books, I Heard GodLaughingand The Subject Thnight is Love were extremely popular amongst the Baba community. But when word of the beauty of these two books leaked out to the world in general they soon were selling in Borders, Waldenbooks and other commer cial bookstores. Such was their success, a bidding war evolved over the publishing rights to his third The Gift. Penguin Putnam won and to their delight (and ours) it sold over 10,000 in the first month —August- and is now in its third printing. For August, The Gift was the top selling poetry book in America and perhaps the whole world. It is expected to be one of the top ten selling po etry books in America, and the English speaking countries, for several years. -

With this stunning collection of 250 ofHafizs most intimate poems, Ladinsky has succeeded brilliantly in translating the essence ofone ofIslam’s greatest poetic and religious voices. “This deliriously enchanting collection of 250 poems is one of the best books of 1999.” from the opening line of the 3 para graph review in the magazine connected with the Trinity Church in New York City. Amazon.com, the most popular on line book seller has published these reviews:

“

mind and then in the heart. Ladinsky’s language is plain, fresh, playful—dancing with

.. ..

Ifit is true, as Haflz says, that a poet is someone who can pour light into a cup, reading Ladinsky’s Hafiz is like gulping down the sun. Brian Bruya From Booklist August 19, 1999. Less well known in the U.S. than his Sufi predecessor, Rumi, Hafiz (Shams-ud-din Muhammad) is also worthy of attention, and Ladinsky’s free translations should help see that he gets it. Hafiz is so beloved in Iran that —

he outsells the Koran. Many know his verses by heart and recite them with gusto. And gusto

is appropriate to this passionate, earthy poet who melds mind, spirit, and body in each of

his usually brief pensees. Ladinsky has delib erately chosen a loose and colloquial tone for

this collection, which might grate on the nerves of purists but makes Hafiz come viv idly alive for the average reader. “You carry I All the ingredients I To turn your life into a nightmare—I Don’t mix them!” he advises,

and “Bottom line: I Do not stop playing I These beautiful I Love I Games.” Nothing is too human for Hafiz to celebrate, for in hu manity he finds the prospect of God. In ev erything from housework to lovemaking, he

celebrates the spiritual possibilities of life. A fine and stirring new presentation of one of the world’s great poets. Patricia Monaghan Copyright© 1999, American Library Asso ciation. The Gift is an extraordinary new transla tion of the world-renowned mystic poet Hafiz. More than any other Persian poet—even Rumi—Hafiz expanded the mystical, healing

dimensions of poetry. Indeed, Daniel Ladinsky, the accomplished translator of this

volume, has said that his work with Hafiz is an attempt to do the impossible: to translate Light into words—to make the Luminous Resonance of God tangible to our finite senses. Each lfrne of The Gift imparts the won-

derful qualities of this master Sufi poet and spiritual teacher: encouragement, an audacious love that touches lives, profound knowledge, generosity, and a sweet, playful genius unpar alleled in world literature. With a growing awareness ofthe grace and

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4t and Demi Moore reading their favorite Rumi poems) The Gift is certain to find an evergrowing and passionate audience. Ladinsky says “My goal is to bring across, right into your lap, the wondrous spirit of Hafiz that lifts the corners of the mouth.” In just a few pages, it becomes clear that he has achieved his goal. He tells us “You are God sweetheart. One of the great wonders of Hafiz is that one cannot seriously read him without then knowing you are Gods sweetheart. And the range ofthis poet-saint dazzles; he says, ‘1 ,

Noçes from $1 tlL I the Internet

begin to function as rfwe azehappiness not that we should close our eyes to what is , difficult or disturbing in life If an •A L:tb we are more present more aware of suffering But beneath it all we are rooted4joy 4b$t Se C4 buoyed up from within by our veféhist r4enYossen Burroughs wrote I ence as conscious Spirit confident tkjat all jes tell people that Don t & °°“ (real) needs will be met We are not Be Happf is notjust a snappy little w .. . —it’s actually a profound spiritual in- upset by factors that re cannot change or control or have; not fearful of what might ::N:./ ction S next; not derendent bn any parMichael Key answered: Ye 1 inthat same ticular response from life to make us feel vein, an unknown Baba-Lover wrote the folOTC And thus we look with a full heart at lowing piece on the phrase: Dont Worry, Be others around and co9sider how we us Happy” a few yearsago which I always liked might serve as an instrumnt ofthis awak alot I tried to find out who wrote it without ening, 50 that it ht become a little more succes& If anyone knows, please let us knoy accessible to evJfrie A’ ‘ This then is jactice the choice 1* Don’t Worry Be Happy of struggle It ta And people without knowledgSt is a 4 . . is the very struggle that leads to the Coal. c • aba interpret this wimgly, I think. Moreover, we find that to do any less than . d, “Take it easy, be cool, yoiire not this when facing the crush of events and p 0 to struggle Just ignore what is circumstances is to allow worry to ch5ose oubit you and stay amused somehow”. us, so to speak. And it will! It will catch us *Lt that is not it at all, really. :f up in endless complications, rhairitaining A better interpretation would be someits control over us by a kind of mental inthing like this: the praâice to which we are until at last we realize that the prob called is to choose happiness; to deliberately ertia lems are never solved, Circumstances will and intelligentlvefbravely,throughah act never be made perfect. Life will never be of internal wil, erélse the innate power of T4 all fixed up. ‘ our spirit to return, right now and in eveiji Rather, then, we choose happiness in moment to a state ofcomplete sufficiency. b each moment, and by this already happy. even when confronted practice gradually build ourselves a new life, with every apparent reason why we shoáld right here, in this happy place that outretract from that happiness into doubt and shines the old and dissolves the illusion of self-concern. separation perfectly It is a process of con‘4

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amahoiein aflute that the Ghristflireathmoves through listen to this musk. “And, ‘YZook at thesmie on the eartMhs thismornilig she iaid agahi with me iast night.”

ThereisawilddMnepartygoing on in this bookthatwlll lift the corners ofyour soufs mouth,

probably comfort, inspire and free

you as few books ever have. To again quote from The Gift, Hafiz says, “Dear ones,leñ anoint this earth with dance!” Indeed.

A Note from Our Trust-walli by Lynne Berry

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 Baba Trust 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 of the Truss chari table projects and outreach projects are carned out by Eastern and Western volunteers. Some projects, however, require the assis tance of paid Indian workers, and as India raises its standard ofliving, the cost of materi 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 by Baba that mean so much to all of us. If this appeals to you, please make your check payable to Friends ofMeher BabaTrust, and send it to: Lynne Berry, 267 Hanover Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

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This remembrance is possible through having the Grid-Man to relate to. We should always do this, but especiallywhen negative experiences arise, We should remember at those times that which is cause for celebra ltlljflur knowing that God actually exists Pd that He has begun, somehow, to awaken us toHis Reality. We mujestablish this ofrememy$jm this state a • .

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Our Man in Meherabad by James Cox, India Reporting on events June through September

eherabad is off on another pilgrim sea son, and the openfrig of Meherazad is quickly approaching. Ifyou want to be at Meherabad when it isn’t crowded, this is the time to come. Sunset palettes through the mon soon clouds are incredibly sharp and clear due to the total absence of dust, and the land is lush green from our early May rains, now about 10 inches cumulative over the last 6 weeks. If you never went into Ahmednagar, you might forget where you were. Last Friday morning, Eruch and the men Mandali pulled a surprise visit to the Sama dhi, and I think only two other people happened to be there. Must have been nice for them to go for darshan without a crowd. Af ter staying for about 10 minutes they buzzed off. And as the crowds increase, this year finds probably the most construction activity ever taking place at Meherabad, both private and Trust. The final roofslab on the Archive building was just completed, and new Amartithi gathering sites are underway, plus about 30 private residences. The Arangaon telephone exchange continues to grow, but not without pains. The lines into and out of Meherabad are usuaflyjammed during the day due to overloaded capacity, and the telephone company is looking for space for a new building which would be connected with underground fiber optic cable. A local internet node is also sched uled by November, so streaming video from the Samadhi would become a technical pos sibility once that happens. As usual, some people want it and some don’t. Since more development in and around Meherabad is taking place, the conveniences of life become a bit more accessable, but Baba always manages to put a bone in the egg. One of the constant problems we face daily here is adulteration in many forms, not the least of which is milk. There are numerous small (two buffaloes, three buffaloes) dairies in Arangaon, and the dudhwallas make their rounds in the morning, bringing milk to your doorstep. The only problem is that almost all ofthem mix in various amounts of water out of concern for

our cholesterol, no doubt. Sometimes people become so frustrated that they threaten to get their own cow, and Dadi Kerawala, in charge ofagriculture at Meherabad, didjust that. But since Dadi is getting a bit old to milk his own cow, he hired a helper to get up early in the morning and again at 6 pm to milk. And since a cow produces more milk than one person can drink, he started distributing part of it. Soon he came to notice that his milk was getdng thinner and thinner, until he became sus picious and had her milked right in front of him. Sure enough, upholding an old tradition, his helper was helping himself... and village life goes on. I guess in some things you really can’t win.

Silence Day July 10th I woke up this morning and thought that I ought to start off writing a piece about the day since I presumed it was going to be slow and relaxthg, a semi-holiday even though I was working. But I should have known you can only tell about something after it is over, and long gone are those peaceful, relaxing days at Meherabad, at least for me. Since there is no Arti on Silence Day, I slept in til’ about 7: 1 5, got up leisurely and thought I’d catch the Samadhi about 8 am, when most people would have gone down for breakfast. Wrong. Today, about 1000 people are staying at Meherabad, and a big chunk of those were still in line after 8:00. As the years pass by at Meherabad, procedures and rules go on evolving, and one such policy has to do with how people are ushered through Baba Samadhi at crowded times. We have seen the gamut of just folding our hands and saying “Jai Baba,” to actually pushing them to bow down 3 and 4 at a time, and physically pulling them out of the Samadhi if they lingered too long. Both ways have their advantages, but today it was the former, and a line of about 100 people took nearly 2 hours to clear beneath a monsoon sky with a crystal sun occa sionally peeking out through huge dark clouds, which for some reason, never turned into rain. Of course, in between, Goher and Arnavaz came for darshan, but that didn’t stop the queue for more than a couple of minutes. It was obviously a great effort for Goher to walk that short distance, but she took time to greet all who were there, stopping to make eye contact with almost everyone. The other women Mandali arrived about 1 1/2 hours later, and this was the only occasion on which I have

seen them come at different times. I remember now a time that doesn’t seem so long ago, maybe 1975, whenJimmy Mistry and I sat silently under the tin shed opposite Mansari’s room and played chess on the hill all day. There were maybe 2 or 3 other people around, and Jimmy won most of the games. Nobody had cars and there were no tele phones, maybe not even electric lights, I can’t remember now, but as my friend from Nizamabad told me this morning, those days are gone.

Reports 9-9-99: Rain Report: Iis raining again in Mehera bad after a 2 month hiatus. The southwest monsoon hits in early June and then usually dwindles down to nothing by early August, except this year it wound up by early July, and the countryside was looking the usual crispy Meherabad shade ofyellow brown by the time the northeast monsoon started falling 5 days ago. Our temperature has plummeted, and some of the locals look dressed for frost, al though the thermometer is holding at 210 (70°F). We have had over 3” since Monday, the yearly Meherabad total now standing at just over 17,” less than last year, but a bit better than normal. We could very well get another 10 inches by early November, Diwali, and the traditional end of rain for the year. Road Report: I have just returned from Bombay yesterday, and while there was no complete halt of traffic in the ghats, the pace was extremely slow and the difficulty of driv ing magnified by the complete deterioration of the uphill bound pavement. The road has become so washboarded that the horizontal ruts are 6 to 8 inches deep, and I saw almost no small cars attempting it. For my Landrover typeTata Sumo it was very difficult, as at many points broken down and waiting trucks closed off 3/4 of the ascent, leaving only one steep lane on the inside of the curve which many vehicles could not make. It was so steep and so slow that a few trucks had someone running along behind with stones to arrest their downward slide should they have to stop, not a very comforting proposition for anyone forced into following them up the hill with maybe a 2 foot interval between vehicles. I rec ommend the plane or the train until they fIx the road, which will take months. Note that this problem only faces Bombay to Pune traf fic, and the reverse direction is not bad, unless you get caught in a landslide.

I Eruch Report: He looks a bit tired, the memory and hearing have small lapses, but he is still talking in Mandali Hall 2 or 3 days a week, still attends the Trust Office work, doesn’tlike to be “mothered,” and still touches the hearts of those who come in his contact. Eruch birthday is October 13, and we all wish him Happy Lingering, well at least as happy as one can expect without sugar, without salt, without oil, without carbs, and without cake. Mosquito Report: There aren’t many. Some say it is due to the vigilant septic tank and soak pit inspection work carried out by one Rustom Falahati, arid some say it is just the cycle down time, but whatever the cause, you are definitely not in danger of being carned off by ravenous swarms at the Samadhi. Live Netcast from the Samadhi Report: Since Nagar will probably have its own node by December, and we will be getting Optical Fiber Cable lines laid to Arangaon by March, it will then be technically possible to have a continuous live Netcast from the Samadhi onto the Web. Some of us are interested in preparing a proposal for this and any one wishing to provide technical consultancy would be welcome to add their 2 cents, especially if they have any related experience.

Man Must Think But He Must Not Worry Meher Baba

yen a great soul like Gandhi worries, because he wants results. One must sincerely to do his duties, but the results must always be left with God. Worrying about the results is no good and of no use. If a person wishes to do anything for others, he must do it sincerely. And having done it, he should not worry about the results, for results are not in human hands. It is for humans to do, but for God to ordain. To remain aloof from results is not diffi cult, but men do not try. Because it is human nature to think of the results of ones actions, however, it does not mean one should worry! Man must think, but he must not worry. Try to attribute all your acts to God and let results be His. Gandhi says he does everything for God and attributes it to Him, but he still worries because he cares about the results. LordMehei Vol. Five, Bhau Kalchuri, p. 1866 Copyright 1986 AMBPPCT try

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The Northeast Gathering

L The Path of Lo

Needs Reprinting

Adele Wolkm Los Angeles Ca

September 3-5 by Steve Koren, New York

he Sahavas was held over Labor Day weekend at Camp Lennox situated in the Berkshire Mountains, Massachusetts. The featured guests were Tex Hightower and Donald Mahlei two ofMargaret CraskWs dancers who met Baba in the 1950s. Wendy Haynes Connor, Elizabeth Sachalis and Vir ginia Sadowsky spoke of their experiences in the physical presence of Baba. Wendy’s hus band, Buz Connor, was the musical guest. Tex told us that when he met Baba in the lagoon cabin in 1952, Baba hair was long and flowing. Tex wept as he described the beauty of Baba face and the Love that emanated from Him. He said he misses Baba dearly, but feels his presence is actually stronger since He dropped the body. Don told us that while Ms. Craske was an indomitable woman, she changed when she was around Baba. She was so devoted to Baba and so focused on Him, that she got lost in Him. Both Don and Tex said that her devo tion to Baba was passionate, and beyond com prehension. Wendy Connor spoke about meeting Baba when she was 6 and how she felt Baba love even at such a young age. She was moved to tears as she spoke about the im pact of meeting Baba the first time and the feeling of love and security He gave her. She also told us about Manis statement, that as we proceed on the spiritual path, we have to be ever vigilant because Maya actually becomes more insidious. However, our best protection is to remember Baba constantly. Elizabeth and Virginia, who are sisters, both met Baba at the Delmonico hotel in New York in 1956. They both said that when they met Baba, it was as if time stood still and they got lost in Baba love. There was a fine talent show on Saturday night, which consisted of music, poetry, and a puppet show. The guests, scenery, weather and food were perfect. Volleyball, swimming and kayaking in the cool lake were enjoyed by many. We ate communally, reminiscent of the pilgrim center in India. Over 120 people came from all over the U.S. All in all, a loving good Baba time was had by all. We closed with the “Ocean of Love” played by Bill Cliff. Kudos’ to all who helped make this a wonderful Sahavas! We’re looking forward to next year!

;L /ran thhttYeJa our lastissue and arehappytorepatsofar wehaverai44 $1200 JustarDJ:4000ana’ e can get. itprintedandll..eagain. cdl

tJs thmughthe jium of TheA wakenerjournal that.::her Baba chose to have many of Hisigmal messages fir Icircujated m the Eiiglish language It is I4be forgotten whatBaba told Don ns about His own words, “My spin tual charge is in those words.” Filis ijederickfounded and edited “The Awak 4..er” from 1953 to 1986. 1 was present at time when Fihs personally presented Baba herlong cherished dream to pubh:. ajournal dedicated to Him. Baba’sre sponse to Ellis was of full approval along with a few conditions, which she fully obeyeiThus. with Baba’s blessing and direction, Fiis nurtured her ‘baby’ “The Awakener”, for33yearsThenin the 197Qs she made an exquisite selection from ar tides that shewas so privileged to receive from Meher Baba directly That unique selection Filiscoflected In asoft cover boo entitled ThePath OfLove. For many years this priceless treasure has been out of print despite requests for reprints from Baba Lovers throughoutthewonldNawShenia Press has determined thaOOO is required to ound with Perfect Bind I4lt!newly de signed cover. Asv?tirst and foremost raising funds for the County mandated to “Meherabode, we do not to have a spare $5000. We need your help! All wishing to contribite towards this undertaking please contact the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California, 1214 South Van Ness Ave.. Los Angeles, CA 90019-3520, Attn:Treasurer. And please mark your çonation Path of Love. We appreciate so very much all help you can give this book must be made available again. Donations of $50 or more will naturally net you a free copy. hot off the press! For further information contAct; Adele Wolkm 714A Pacific Coast Highway j$i Redondo Beach CA 90277 (310) 540-8414 —‘

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Spiritual Bomb by Kendra Crossen-Burroughs, Ojai CA

(Thefoiowthgian excerptfrom thefune 5/ 6lnternetchatin theFalace withBhau, edited to incorporate subsequent explanations that Bhau sent me.)

uestioner Could you elaborate on Baba’s remarks about three-quarters of the world being destroyed? Bhau: What I feel is that everyone will lose three-quarters of their unnatural impres sions. But why, then, will there be physical destruction? People have innumerable impres sions; but those who come in contact with God and love God wholeheartedly begin to lose their impressions. Suppose Steven has thirty billion impressions, David has thirty-five bil lion impressions, Mehera Milen has forty bil lion impressions, and likewise others have sixty or seventy billion, and the rest have innumer able impressions. So when Meher Baba uni versal manifestation takes place, Steve will lose three-quarters out ofthirty billion impressions, David will lose three-quarters out of thirtyfive, and in the same way others will lose threequarters of their impressions. But those who have innumerable impressions will receive a great shock when they lose three-quarters of their unnatural impressions, and they will not be able to retain their physical bodies. When they come back, they will come back with awareness of Divinity. But this awareness will differ from person to person. The one-quar ter who retain the physical body will also lose three-quarters of their impressions. But because of their love for God, they have already been losing their impressions. And out of the leftover impressions, they will lose three-quar ters and will maintain the body, with awareness of Divinity. But this awareness will also differ from person to person. It will be like throwing a spiritual bomb when Baba mani fests universally. And though three-quarters of the world will be destroyed, it will be for a constructive purpose. They will come back again with awakening, and their low desires will be minimized to a great extent. And they will not only accept God but also follow Him. This will be the universal manifestation of Meher Baba.

uestion What was Baba’s opinion about abortion? au: Of course abortion is not a good thing. But I can tell you that the soul enters the fetus at five months. Ifan abortion is done at that time, when the soul enters, that is very, very bad. It is like murder. Even before that, an abortion is also bad, but it is not as bad as it is later. Q uestion: Our hearts must become empty of desires. Is everyone’s way of becoming empty different? Bhau: Youjust depend upon Him, and He will take care of it. Just remember him, love him, and think about him. But don’t think about your desires, otherwise you will remem ber the desires and forget Him. So remember Him, and forget the desires. And the desires will be wiped out. Question: Did Baba give any tips for daily living that are conducive to remembrance of Him? Bhau: He has said, when you get up in the morning, before starting any work, just remember Him. Tell him that you are starting your days work, and He should guide you. Then start your work honestly and sincerely. And when you go to bed, offer at His feet whatever you did during the day, whatever you thought, and whatever you spoke. And then sleep well. Don’t worry. Comment: “Don’t worry” is so difficult! Bhau: You wantyour desires to be fulfilled, and that’s why you worry. Beloved Avatar Meher Baba has said: My remembrance is the solution of all the problems in life and in the world. So if you want to worry, worry to re member Him. And that will please Him. Question: Is there any spiritual signifi cance to whether we heard about Baba before or after he dropped his body? Bhau: If you heard about Him after He dropped his body, do not feel that you did not see Him. He is always active in His infinite form. He is active infinite consciousness, and therefore He knows everything; He has been with you all the time. He is thousands of times closer than your very breath. It is good that now you have come to know about Him. This is the period of His advent. He is infinitely active during this time of His advent, because He has to manifest, and therefore you should feel happy that you have come to know about Him, when He has started His cleaning process. Because you are undergoing this process, you are blessed.

Q uestion: Bhauji, were you there when Begum Akhtar came to Baba? Bhau: Begum Akhtar was a very popular ghazal singer in India; she was called the Q ueen of Ghazals. Baba wanted her to come in 1930 to sing at Meherabad. And at that time, she demanded 100 rupees per day. That was too much at that time, so Baba said forget about her. But in 1960 Begum Akhtar herself came to Ahmednagar specially to see Beloved Avatar Meher Baba. She met Baba secretary, Adi K. Irani, and he told her that Baba was in seclusion and would not see anyone. She wept and wept, and she said, please send the mes sage to Baba, and Adi did. Baba replied that He was in seclusion and not seeing anyone— but since she wanted to see Him, she would be allowed to come for five minutes. However, she should not sing before him. I was there when Begum Akhtar came to Meherazad to see Baba. She caught hold of His feet, she bowed down to Him and she wept. That was against Islam, but she did it. And then she said, Baba, please allow me to sing a ghazal. Baba said: I told you that I am in seclusion and that you should not sing at present, but on one condition I will allow you. Ifyou can come to Pune when I am there and sing before my lovers, I will allow you to sing one ghazal. So according to the promise she had given, she came to Guruprasad in Pune, and she sang before Baba when His lovers were there, and she did not charge anything. She wept and wept, and Baba dried her tears, and He gave the hanky to her as His prasad. Af terwards, she would go to different centers es tablished for Beloved Avatar Meher Baba, and she would sing there without any charge. She came again to Ahmednagar during Beloved Baba birthday, and she sang before a big gath ering, and the next day she came to Meherazad to see Beloved Baba. There were many ghazal singers who would sing for Baba. One particular party of singers came when Baba was in Khulabad, near Aurangabad. Baba was in very strict seclusion, and one day He said to the mandali that He had taken on a great burden. In order to lessen this burden, He wanted a good qwaali party to come and sing before Him, so Eruch and Pendu went to Aurangabad to find a good party of singers. The next day, three singers came, and they were very tired. Every night they would give a program, but they were very sleepy, so Eruch and Pendu wondered what Baba would think about them. But then Baba called those three persons and gave them tea with His own hand. They drank the tea and sang from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Baba was so ,

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Q uestion: Remembering Baba is so im portant. When we remember Him, what is it we should remember? Bhau: Just remember Meher Baba; there is nothing (else) to remember. If you remem ber that Meher Baba is infinite knowledge, infinite power, infinite bliss, then you’ll feel tempted to get infinite knowledge, power and bliss. Sojust remember Meher Baba, and that is enough, so that there should not be any ex pectation When the Avatar, or the Christ, starts a war, know well that He helps all mankind through His act. And this is His Compas sion. Suppose the king of a country wages war against another country for his own selfish motive, he does not know how he will suffer. He gets the impressions of all those who are killed and all those who suffer. When Beloved Baba met Gandhi he was fighting for the independence of India, and had started the movement of non-coopera tion. Because of that, so many people went to jail; so many families were suffering; that is why Beloved Baba was very, very anxious to see Gandhi. He was a very sincere, honest and God loving person. And, because of his instructions, many people were sent tojail; and the families were suffering and Gandhi was responsible for that. So Baba released him from the sanskaras, which he had taken upon himself without knowing. He was doing good work, but it was not selfless work. Nobody knows this secret. Only God knows, and God helps. After the assassination of Gandhi, Baba declared that Gandhi would be a Perfect Mas ter after 3 more births. It was Baba compas sion. He loved Gandhi very much. Question: Did Baba break His silence with the dropping of His body? Bhau: Baba released His Universal Work while dropping the body and His breaking of silence is gradual. He speaks in every heart. Once I said to Baba “Why do you not give darshan to your lovers, when you are in seclu sion?” And Baba said to me “You have no idea what I am doing for them. If they come to see Me, what will they see? This physical body? I am stretching My bow, and when I release My arrow, it will touch heart by heart to the end of the whole world and people will get the awareness ofMy divinity.” And, therefore, when Baba Universal Manifestation will take place, the new humanity will emerge and 3/4 of the world will be destroyed. And what is that destruction? 3/4 of unnatural impres sions will be wiped out. And there will be awareness of the divinity; but this awareness will differ from person to person, and it will

happy, and they also felt amazed. How could they sing for so many hours when they were so tired? Baba told them that He would call them again four times. So when there was a Sahavas program at Meherabad, that party was called. And they requested that Baba give them tea, because they thought thatwhen Baba gives tea, they will get strength. So Baba had to give tea to them. And they sang and sang. But this time, a very amazing thing happened. Dur ing the singing program, Aloba would jump and hit his head against the wall, and I had to take him to some other bungalow and keep watch. This time, Baba told one strong person from Pune to take care of Aloba. He was six feet, four inches tall—Baidul’s son-in-law, his name was Pasi—and he was very strong. When the program started, Aloha was very quiet, and Pasi startedjumping. Baba laughed and laughed. To control him, ten persons tried to take him out, and the qwaali singers thought that it was because ofBabas tea that they could sing, and because of Baba’s love they were jumping. Baba did call them three more times, so they sang before Baba five times in all.

(Excerpts from the Chat with Bhau at TheFaiace.com, Sunday, 12 September 199)

uestion: Bhau, why does Baba need a beloved, Mehera? What was her pur pose to Him? Bhau: Mehera was like Eve, representing thewhole creation. And, through His beloved, He works for the whole of creation. There are other circle members who represent only one opposite attribute of God. For example, God is infinite knowledge, so there must be someone in the circle to represent infinite ignorance; God is infinite light, so someone must repre sent infinite darkness; and through those circle members He works for the whole universe. Babawould always call Gustadji His dark side, he represented infinite darkness. Each circle member represents some opposite attribute of God, and Mehera was the one who was representing all opposite attributes of God, representing the whole creation; and that’s why she was the beloved of the Beloved. Question: Did Baba tell you that you would be God-realized in your next lifetime? Or if not, when? And what attribute do you represent in the circle? Bhau: He did not give me any attribute and He did not say that I would get God realization. So take it for granted that I am quite ignorant. And the only hope is that I follow His wish so I don’t worry about God Realiza tion. I worry how to follow His Wish.

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be considered as the breaking of His Silence. He had observed Silence for His Univer sal Work. When He was in the original state of God, (that is, Beyond Beyond}, He got the Whim and His Silence was broken, and the Word was given. And where is that Word? God is Indivisible, God is Infinite and God is One. And it means that Word is in everyone. And what is that Word? “Who am I”. And, because this Word was in everything and ev eryone, there is progress in consciousness from gas to stone, stone to vegetable, vegetable to worm, worm to fish, fish to bird, bird to ani mal, and animal to human beings. But a time comes when unnatural process begins. In human form, the gross consciousness is full, so one should turn towards the subtle world; but, because of gross impressions, one goes on reincarnating again and again. This is also in dream because the Soul does not take birth and it does not die. Mind takes birth, but mind does not die. Even ifhydrogen bomb is thrown, mind does not die. Mind dies only through Love divine. And when mind dies then one knows who he is. But at present what do we see? All the kingdoms of evolution of consciousness are exploited right from stone to animal kingdom; and human beings are re sponsible for exploitation: breeding, crossbreeding and so many unnatural processes are there. So Beloved Baba observed silence to wipe out the unnatural impressions, which are created, not only in human beings, but also in lower kingdoms. And it is only the Avatar, or the Christ, who can do it; and it is called Uni versal Push. So when He gives Universal Push it will be considered as if He broke His si lence which was the medium for His Univer sal Work. Q uestion: Bhau, Is homosexuality an un natural impression? What did Baba say? Bhau: Forget about such things! As soon as one gets human form, one must turn towards subtle world; and when one has only gross consciousness, and does not try to have subtle consciousness, all his deeds are unnatu ral. So please don’t think about this. Think about the Beloved and know that He is the Ocean of Compassion. He forgives all those who are not thinking about Him, but think about the world. So why do you worry? You think about Him and ask His forgiveness. And He will forgive you. He embraces the saints and He embraces the sinners. He says, “the sinners are my liability and the saints are my asset and My business is to turn the liability to asset. And He does this business; so why should we think about homosexuality, or het erosexuality?

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Today, I heard, people were saying that this president was sexually addicted. Other presi dents will be drug addicted. So this goes on. We should become addicted to His Love and His remembrance. Then there is no problem. Otherwise life itself is a problem. Nobody thinks about it. People think about different problems; but if one realizes that life itself is a problem, all the problems are automatically solved. So, my dear friend, forget about all this and become addicted to His Love. Rather His Wine; and you will get such an intoxication that your mind will not work. Then your heart will start working; and I will be very happy to bow down to you. Q uestion: What is the best memory that you have living with Baba? Bhau: Memory of course: every day, ev ery moment, every hour was memorable. So what to say? Only thing I can say, that sometimes when Baba would become indifferent I would feel that I must die. But then, after months, He would change His mood, and I would realize how much compassion He had, and how much He was suffering for me; so every moment is really memorable. But I can tell you of an incident: one day He called me for watch at 3:00 pm and He said to me, “I’m very tired today, so you just sit quietly. Don’t move and dont make any noise.” He was ly ing on the bed. After some time, I felt a coughing sensation and I was wondering how to stop it. I closed my mouth but I would get more and more sensation. And then I put a hankie in my mouth to stop it and yet the sensation came. So a noise came out, “OHH!” Baba got so upset. He said, “I asked you not to make any noise and you did so. Now I’m getting palpitations! Call the women mandali, and you be here just near the wall, don’t go out.” So I rang the bell, and Goher came and all the women mandali came in Baba room. I waited outside. Baba tells them, “this boy has not come to serve me but to kill me. I had asked him not to make any noise and he made noise.” And I was listening. And Mani says, “Baba, he would not have done that knowingly.” “Knowingly or unknowingly what do I have to do with that? He made a loud noise and now I have palpitations. Goher, take my blood pressure. Goher was taking His blood pres sure and she was examining Him and so, what can I do? I am feeling so restless. Half and hour passes. He was complaining against me, and I was listening. And then after a while He asked the women Mandali to go, and He called me. And then He said, “Tell me why you made a noise?” And I told Him I was gettfrig a coughing sensation and fri order to check “

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it, I went to the extent of putting a hankie in my mouth and closed my mouth; I would have died rather than disturb you!” And Baba said, “Is that so? I did not know that. Come, come.” And He embraced me and He kissed me and I forgot everything. So there are numerous such incidents and every incident is memorable. But one thing is there: my life now is nothing but the life of repentance. I remem ber all those ththgs, which happened when Beloved Baba was physically present. So the life I am leading now is the life ofrepentance. And this is most memorable for me now. Question: I have alot of Christian friends who asked me that if Baba did not speak against what Jesus said, how do you reconcile the idea of reincarnation? How would you answer them? Bhau: There is no question of reconcilia tion; theTruth isTruth. And it is not that Lord J esus did not say anything about reincarna tion; He did not use that term. But He also did not say that reincarnation is not true. And in fact, there is no reincarnation. Because Soul does not take birth and Soul does not die. It is eternal. Only mind takes birth, but it does not die. When it dies then of course, the goal is achieved. So mind creates a dream, and we are dreaming. And the dream is false. So reincarnation is also false. It is not the Truth. And that’s why in the Bible it is not mentioned because it is false; it is a dream. Baba has also said that there is no reincarnation. And if there is reincarnation it is only in a dream. We see the dream of creation and in this dream we pass through different kingdoms of evolution of consciousness: gas, stone, vegetable fish, bird, animal, and human being. And why has this creation taken place? In order to know that only God exists. Nothing exists besides God. And, therefore, whatever we see, it is nothing but illusion. It exists in non-existence, and for that purpose, in order to know that everyone is not everyone but the Reality, indivisible, we are in creation. And only when we wake up from this creation, we find that we never took birth and we never died: it was just a dream. Clear? Question: Baba has said that without His Grace, none can love Him as He ought to be loved. What can we do to inspire Him to give that Grace? Bhau: You cannot inspire Beloved Meher Baba. You have to obey Him. Ifyou want His Grace, follow His Wish and remember Him, and one day you will get His Grace. Question: We often ask friends visiting India to remember us with flowers & prayers at Baba’s Samadhi, as we like to remember our

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friends and loved ones when we are there as well. Is there special value in these prayers & remembrances at Baba’s Samadhi, more so than at any other time or place? Bhau: It depends upon the love. And because we don’t have that love, it is better to visit His tomb, because there He distributes wine to His lovers. He has opened the Wine Shop, and now His work is to distribute wthe. So, when it is possible, go there. When it is not possible, think about going there, and col lect the provision for going there; and this will be as if you are there. So wine will come to you.

Ajewel in His Hand feeling mightbe this: comparab1e imagine you are in an old garden that once belonged to the czar. You are strolling along the pleasure paths, which are quiet flow, lovely. a park for the public. And tak g 1 / a turn in the garden, you come upon a Fabergejeweled egg, relic of a royal Easteregghuntlong ago amazingly beautiful Step€thg closer yàu see hidden just beyond it. deep within the bushes, another one, far exquisite than’ihefirst, priceless. How wrnd you Jref&ofcoe4EJ’ tothe corning to light” offlve volj of discourses given by Belovedà mjlate 1920s e corded m an ulhn ses hand ind to the priceless jewel thirty’-nme pages Babas own handwriting. spiritual truths in pencil on separate sheets of small notepaper. The first, the discourses, had been in Eruch’s care; the second, Baba’s handwriting, was in MiIfli1:ollection of personal papers. Much of the (Qj3r history of each is unknown. eytfrat present both being prepared for ATh•ition. $JVho could haveguessed thatthirtyyears afterHe dropped Hisbody and seventy-two years after He gave up writing. wewouki all be treated to this: the beauty ofBaba’s handwriting page after page. and the great wonder of seeing spiritual truthswrftten in His ownhand! But then it’s easy to imagine that you turn the corner and HE is there, under the neem tr, writing in a notebook or on aslate, or pointing toletters on a board. doing what seeding the future He did all life long withjewels from God. .c Heather Nadel, Sept. 1999 in correspondence for Avatar Metier Baba Trust ,

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An Impatient Letter From God by Bo Lozoff /Bo wrote the following artide for the Hu nianKindnessFoundationNewsietterat Christinas time, 1989. k felt Baba wouldget a kick out ofthis otally 90s’letterJ Date: Eternity From: GOD To: My Children on Earth Re: Idiotic Religious Rivalries

y Dear Children (and believe me, that all of you), I consider myself a pretty patient Guy. I mean, look at the Grand Canyon. It took millions ofyears to get it right. And how about evolution? Boy, nothing is slower than designing that whole Darwinian thing to take place, cell by cell and gene by gene. I’ve even been patient through your fash

powerful, but not more so than the least of You. They were only meant to steer you in the

or Nirvana? Do you think I care which of My

right direction, not to keep you arguing with each other, and certainly not to keep you from trusting your own personal connection with Me. Which brings Me to My next point about your nonsense: You act like I need you and your religions to stick up for Me or “win souls” for My Sake. Please, don’t do Me any favors. I

Mary, Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed or any of the others? You can call Me and My Spe cial Ones any name you choose, if only you

can stand quite well on my own, thank you. I don’t need you to defend Me! I just want you to be good to each other. And another thing: I don’t get all worked up over money or politics, so stop dragging My name into your dramas. For example, I

swear to Me that I never threatened Oral Roberts. I never rode in any ofRajneesh Rolls

Royces. I never told Pat Robertson to run for

you get yourselves into big trouble again and again. But on this occasion ofMy Son’s birthday, I want to let you know about some things

president, and I’ve never ever had a conversa tion withJim Bakker, Jerry Falwell, or Jimmy Swaggart! Of course, come Judgment Day, I certainly intend to... The thing is, I want you to stop thinking of religion as some sort of loyalty pledge to

that are starting to tick me off. First ofall, your religious rivalries are driv ing Me up a wall. Enough already! Let’s get one thing straight: These are your religions, not Mine. I’m the Whole Enchilada; I’m be-

that you can become more aware of Me, not the other way around. Believe Me, I know you already. I know what in each of your hearts, and I love you with no strings attached.

ions, civilizations, wars and schemes, and the countless ways you take Me for granted until

yond them all. Every one of your religions

Me. The true purpose of your religions is so

Special Children you feel closest to

Jesus,

would go about My business of loving one

another as I love you. How can you keep ne glecting something so simple? I’m not telling

you to abandon your religions. Enjoy your re ligions, honor them, learn from them, just as

you should enjoy, honor, and learn from your parents. But do you walk around telling ev

eryone that your parents are better than theirs? Your religion, like your parents, may always have the most special place in your heart; I don’t mind that at all. But My Special Children the ones your religions revolve around all live in the same place (My Heart) and they get along perfectly, I assure you. The clergy must stop creating a myth of sibling rivalry where there is none. —

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My Blessed Children of Earth, the world has grown too small for your pervasive religious bigotry and confusion. The whole planet is connected by air travel, satellite dishes, tele phones, fax machines, rock concerts, diseases, and mutual needs and concerns. Get with the program! If you really want to help Me cel ebrate the birthday of My Son Jesus, then commit yourselves to figuring out how to feed

claims there only one of Me (which, by the

Lighten up and enjoy Me. That’s what reli gion is best for. What you seem to forget is

your hungry, clothe your naked, protect your

way, is absolutely true). But in the very next breath, each religion claims is My favorite

how mysterious I Am. You look at the petty little differences in your scriptures and say,

importantly, make your own everyday life a

one. And each claims its bible was written

“Well, if this is the Truth, then that can’t be!”

personally by me, and that all the other bibles

So why not open your hearts to the simple common threads in every religion? You know

are man-made. Oh, Me. How do I even begin to put a stop to such complicated nonsense?

Okay, listen up now: I’m your Father and Mother, and I don’t play favorites among My Children. Also, I hate to break it to you, but I dont write. My longhand is awful, and I’ve

always been more of a “doer” anyway. So all your books, including the bibles, were written by men and women. They were inspired, re markable people, but they also made mistakes here and there. I made sure of that, so that

you would never trust a written word more than your own living Heart. You see, one Human Being to me even a bum on the street is worth more than all the holy books in the world. Thasjust the kind of Guy I am. —

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Holy books and religious rites are sacred and

what I’m talking about: Love and respect ev eryone. Be kind. Even when life is scary or confusing, take courage and be of good cheer, for I Am always with you. Learn how to be quiet, so you can hear My Still, SmallVoice (I don’t like to shout). Leave the world a better place bylivingyourlife with dignity and gracefulness, foryou are My Own Child. Hold back nothing from life, for the parts ofyou that can die will surely die, and the parts that can’t, won’t. So don’t worry, be happy (I stole that last line from Bobby McFarren, but he stole it from Meher Baba in the first place.) I’m very tired of being your main excuse for all your upsets. Do you think I care whether you call

me Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, Wakantonka, Brahma, Father Mother, or even The Void

abused, and shelter your poor. And just as shining example of kindness and good hu mor. I’ve given you all the resources you need, if only you abandon your fear of each other and begin living,loving, and laughing together.

Finally, My Children everywhere, remember whose birth is honored on December 25th, and the fearlessness with which He chose to

live and die. As I love Him, so do I love each one of you. I’m not really ticked off, I just

wanted to grab your attention because I hate to see you suffer. But I gave you Free Will, so what can I do now other than to try to influ ence you through reason, persuasion, and a little old-fashioned guilt and manipulation?

After all, I Am the original Jewish Mother. I just want you to be happy, and I’ll sit in The Dark. I really Am, indeed, I swear, with you

always. Always. Trust In Me. YourOneandOnly, GOD

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Is that Baba with you? Eruch Jessawala

aba went to great lengths to see that no one recognized him. He would tuck his hair up under a hat and wear glasses and disguise himself. For years and years. decades actually, Meher Baba traveled throughout India, covering thousands of miles by train and car and bus and bullock cart, and yet never disclosing his identity. So those of us who traveled with him knew that he preferred to remain incognito. But even so, sometimes people would recognize Baba in spite of the precau tions he took. We might be sitting in a train compartment and someone else on the train would nudge me and say, “Is that Meher Baba?’ Now what could we do? On the one hand we couiddt simplylie and say, ‘No,” because Baba would not like that. But on the other hand, if we said, “Yes,” that too would displease Baba because it interfered with his work when people recognized him. So what we would do in that situation was to look at the person quizzically and say, “What?” as if we were hard of hearing. “Is that Meher Baba with you?” “Who?’ “MeherBaba.” “What’s that you’re saying? and so on and the person would condude that if we didn’t recognize the name Meher Baba then we cer— tainly couldrft be traveling with him_and so they would stop asking questions and wouldilt try and approach Baba. Is That SoZ ci Bill Le Page, p. 70 ©Copyright 1985, Bill Le Page

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Waves ofLove

EternalFlame

by Beth MacWhirter

by Owen Cooper

Waves of love lap on the shores of Your SamadhiLike the playful chatter and chase of Your chipmunks-Like the birds calling out and the dogs sleeping next to the cabin wall of the CreatorLike the lizards and bugs that scurry across and over this place of living love.

Tender flame, I declare a tattered love.

I come in weakness to your strength Faithless to your knowing

Praying kneeling hoping to your stillness. Oh that I could rise up and go to you! How can I shake the bonds oflethargy and

Constant negotiations for dark treasures dragon booty. Oh Flame where are you! I am blind distracted I carry so much baggage I cannot move So distant from the Sun So cold.

Waves of love lap on the shores of Your SamadhiLike the train calling from its tracks-Like whistles and chanting beckoning Your lovers to awaken in the early morning time-Like the trucks, cars and rickshaws weaving a path close, close, close to Your way up. Waves of love lap on the shore of Your Samadhi Like the stars and moon shining out to You through the night-Like the sun beaming with its fiery delight-Like the clouds that shadow and sprinkle kisses on the earth that holds Your Samadhi. Waves of love lap on the shore of your SamadhiLike the footsteps of your lovers coming up the hill-Like the silent whispering hearts that sing Your name on this path of love-like the joyful children with eyes alight with your sweet smile.

Love is a Rare Bird Nancy Eaton-Shev Love is a rare bird that I am willing to lodge and feed. I will abide by its unclipped wings and dance along as it sings. So, come, Love-bird, and stay. I will work for you! I will slave for you! I will play with you! Your magnificent flight is my soul’s Real Dream, where I soar with you! When I wake unnoticed millennia will have passed and One of us will be God-Realized.

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How can I become naked when only you have the courage To strip away my clothes? Oh for the courage to die in love To pour myself as oil into the flame of now-loving. Again I beg unable to be brave.

ThisBeingHuman is a GuestHouse

I am restless

Rumi

A flip-flopping

This being human is a guest house. Ev ery morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unex pected visitor. Welcome and attend them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the mal ice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. Welcome difficulty. Learn the alchemy True Human Beings know: the moment you accept what troubles you’ve been given, the door opens. Welcome difficulty as a familiar comrade. Joke with torment brought by the Friend. Sorrows are the rags of old clothes and jackets that serve to cover, and then are taken off. That undressing, and the beautiful na ked body underneath, is the sweetness that comes after grief. From The Illuminated Rumi, Translations & Commentary by Coleman Barks, © 1997 Coleman Barks & Michael Green, Pub. by Broadway Books, New York

Fish out of water

All the while strangely happy. I will lose you! I will lose you!

My fear fragrant with Healing worshipping grief Tearless cleansing weeping Deep drinking in precious longing. Be still. The flame is silent. Be Silent.

No! Move! Draw His arrows! When can I dare How can I contrive to draw closer? Contrive not to contrive My contriving your prey I pray. —

On, on and on you lead us Exhaustion feeding energy

Restlessness supporting peace Banishment leading us home Disintegration releasing confidence Quietly revealing infinite power.. Be still my heart. Settle your restless longing in quiet tasks And the art of His remembrance

Listen to His silence Delight in the gentle joy Found in every moment Praise the love that pervades Every home and hearth. Then you will feel the Eternal warming flame.

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Avatar’s Abode Revisited by Brad Kunin, Swanson, New Zealand, June, 1999

he Random House Dictionary defines the word “abode” as “a place in which one resides.” What meaning and significance are we able to understand and attach to that wonderful word. This question was floating around somewhere in my conscious mind as the date of our departure from Auckland, New Zealand neared. I have been fortunate to have visited Avata?s Abode twice before, first in 1970 and then eighteen years later in 1988 for the 30th Anniversary Celebrations ofBaba’s stay. Now a further eleven years had somehow passed and the idea of revisiting Avata?s Abode began to grow in my thoughts soon after my 50th birthday in April of this year. The realization that I had spent 50 years on this planet in my present lifetime precipitated a state of mental uneasiness and questions about my life to date, and more pressingly how to live the remainder of the finite life span still allotted to me. These thoughts and questions I knew, of course, had an answer—the same everchanging yet changeless answer that I have been slowly learning more about for 30 years—Meher Baba! I briefly considered a pilgrimage to India, but that wasn’t practical and Baba always re minded us to be practical and not to “shirk our responsibilities.” My attention then shifted across the Tasman Sea. It is only three hours flying time from Auckland and I could orga nize a week away from work commitments to be in Queensland for the 4 1st Anniversary of His stay. After some family discussions it was decided that my ten-year-old daughter Manija would accompany me to Australia. (Some of her impressions are contained in a separate “interview.”) Now back in N.Z. I’ve got hours of as yet unedited video tapes and my mind is still filled with many wonderful kaleidoscopic images and memories of our trip. Recalling Mani and me walking hand-inhand to morning Arti in the cold, clear morning along the gumtree-lined path past the simple grave of Baba’s poet, Francis Braba zon, with the winter sun rising above the sea and shooting golden rays oflight and warmth through the trees as kookaburras and butcher birds greet another day at the Beloved Abode fills my heart with gladness and thankfulness for the natural bounties He has given us. Over the course of the four days a marvelously varied array of poets, ghazal readers, singers, musicians, actors, inspired artists and

joke tellers entertained the Beloved each day and evening with their talents and heart-inspired offerings. The delicious, wholesome meals expertly and lovingly prepared by a tirelessly working crew was, according to some long-time anni versary attendees, a minor miracle in itself! The smoothness of the entire event is a fine tribute to all those who obviously worked so well to plan arid coordinate times, activities and venues. Good on ya! I remembered visiting Avatar Abode in November 1970 and being very impressed by the obvious simplicity in which Francis Brabazon lived, right down to the sawdust dunny!* I couldn’t help wondering what he would have made of the scene this year as I ordered another cappachino from the on-site espresso coffee house! Meeting and re-meeting of our Aussie brothers and sisters, some of whom I hadn’t seen for 29 years, was great fun (strange how much older they all looked). Many of those whom I recalled as children now have chil dren of their own! And speaking of children, there were children everywhere! From literally babes in arms to the youth with their own space in which to do their own thing. And part of “that thing” was to make an outstanding contribution to the entertainment and general atmosphere and energy of the entire gathering. From what I could see and hear Baba seems to be assembling a very special group of young people, like moths around His eternal love flame. And oh yes, there was someone named Bhau Kalchuri at the anniversary this year. And like the Beloved he so faithfully serves, Bhauji was “very, very active.” My daughter Mani was amazed that once he got started he could talk for more than two hours while hardly seeming to draw a breath. What was even more amazing to me was Mani’s ability and clear wish to attend more and more, (and stillyet more!) ofBhauji talks. Natural and Unnatural Sanskaras; False Imagi nation; Baba’s Manifestation; Ghosts; The Mischievous Chicken; New Life Phases; Gandhs Disciple; stories of cobras, donkeys, yogis and swamis; Adam and Eve; Divine Will; Mahapralaya; Banana—wallas. All this and then who could believe it? Pages from The Book!? Hopefully a good portion is on video so oth ers can also soak up some of the flavor and scent of the love that emanates so readily from Bhau.

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Then there is Baba’s Room itself. Many homes have a special place, a center. Often it is the kitchen or where meals are shared. (Perhaps in this age it has become the computer or TV room.) Like the Samadhi on Meherabad Hill or Baba’s Bedroom at Meherazad, the heart ofAvatar Abode is Baba’s Room. It is a simple room constructed of dark Australian hardwood. There is a bed, some pillows and bed coverings, fresh flowers, a few chairs, a simple table, a window with curtains, photographs above the doorway, both inside and out, a glass and wooden case with a pair of sandals placed on the bed. Thas what my eyes saw, but oh, how much more is in that room! One day, alone in His Room, I had the thought that it is also His Operating Theatre where, when the patient is ready, He is always performing delicate, exacting “open heart sur gery.” Baba has said many times that He resides in our hearts, in each and every heart. Francis Brabazon has written, “Avatar’s Abode is a stopping place on the road to the Beloved, for He stopped here on the road to our hearts ...

No stopping place can be a destination except that place where mind stops forever and one knows that one is God. Your destination is your own heart in which the Eternal Ancient One eternally lives, but because Avatar Meher Baba, the all-loving one stayed here, the perfume of His Love may refresh and strengthen you on the way to His Feet.” Indeed, this is my state— refreshed in His love, and strengthened in my determination to be His. So fellow Kiwis, (and you Aussies, too) here is my prescription for a dose of the winter ills and chills. Hop on a plane to Avatar Abode and take the largest dose of “B” (for Baba!) vitamin that you can swallow. For here is one of those unique spots on earth where we can get the scent of the Master Thief and still meet and talk with those who were actually at the “scene of the crime.” And also know with certainty, fellow Baba

Family members, that He resides there because He named the place! (I just checked my dictionary and it says

reside means “to make on&s home fora consid erabie time.” About 700 years I reckon!) Meher Baba has said about Avatar Abode, “It will become one of the great places of pil grimage in the world.”

As far as my “spiritual geography” is concerned, it already is. *hUsIl

toilet !!!!

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Children’s Corner Interview with Mani Kunin the morals, things like that have happened to me. Brad: In particular? Mani: That donkey one when they were riding it. It says no matter what you do people are going to make remarks and stuff. Not everyone’s going to like it. Sojust carry on, don’t try to impress people by not being

by Brad Kunin, New Zealand, June 1999

he following interview was conducted high above the Tasman Sea as my tenyear old daughter, Manija and I were returning to New Zealand after participating in the 4 1st Anniversary Celebrations at Avatar’s Abode, Queensland, Australia, June 11-14, 1999. Brad: What are some of \ \ your favourite memories \\ from Avatar’s Abode? Mani: Listening to Bhau \\ . speak because I learnt a lot and got answers to some • questions that I had. . 7 Brad: Questions? Mani: For everything, animals, every living thing He comes as that for them. To a sparrow He’s a sparrow. I learnt heaps more about Baba. Why He came. What He does and who He is. Ivan the comedian was funny and J that ghazal Peter Milne wrote and Steve Hem deliv: ered had everyone in stitches : including, Bhauji! \ Brad: Many adults I’ve noticed find it hard to sit and listen to Bhau for one to two hours. How were you able to yourself. sit and listen so long? Brad: Sounds like good advice to me! Mani: Because I enjoy it. I like it. It isn’t boring for me, also I’ve had a lot of practice What about Baba’s Room? Mani: Before I came I didn’t know what at sitting for long times and it makes sense and I understand him. Some of the stories, was there. Baba’s House, Baba Room. Itjust

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felt familiar though I’d never seen it before, but I’d seen a lot ofstufflike it at other places, Myrtle Beach and India. His Room was like the Lagoon Cabin at Myrtle Beach. Brad: What did you see? Mani: In the cabinet there were moulds of His feet, hair, toe nail clippings, prasad lollie wrappers that Francis Brabason saved while in India. In another case was a pink coat and two sadras. I was amazed they were not tattered. They’re kept in really nice condition. It’s really neat cause it’s like bowing down to His feet because His sandals are on the bed. To me it’s like He’s really there because of the painting that Diana Le Page / did of Baba sitting on the bed. Brad: What about the other kids there? Mani: Before I got there I only knew Lizzie, then I met Aleshia, Kendra, Montana and heaps of kids, some really little ones. It was good being with all the kids because at most of the other Baba places I’ve been to there haven’t been many other kids my age. Brad: What would you say to other New Zealand kids and young people who are not able to go to India because of the dis tance or the money? Mani: I would encourage them to go (to Avatar’s Abode) because I learned heaps there that I didn’t know anything about. Brad: Thank you Mani, Jai BABA! -

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/Perhaps inspiredbyourlengthyartides on warm thepreviousissu Mr Ramanujam sent us this compilation ofBaba words. TK Ramanujam the author ofthe verypopular bookMuch Love, also WorryNot, Be Happy EdJ is

Live on Earth as the Children ofthe One Father: A Message from Avatar Meher Baba by T.K. Ramanujam, Mangalore

buds are hovering around the world indicating that a World War may begin at any time. We are also seeing smaller wars going on at many locations. Almost all na tions posses destructive weapons and as such we are all sitting on the top of a mountain of destruction. If there is war it means nothing short of racial suicide and total destruction. Mere propaganda against war or an appeal for world peace by various world organizations would not stop it. To avoid wars and to bring peace, humanity would have to have Spiritual understanding. On 1st November 1962, while addressing His Lovers from the East and the West, Meher Baba said, “All religions of the world proclaim that there is but One God the Fa ther of all in creation—I am that Father.” Meher Baba has come to remind humanity that all should live on this earth as the chil dren of One Father until His grace awakens them to the realization that they are all one without a second, and all the divisions and conflicts and hatred are but a shadow-play of their own ignorance. Humanity has ignored the simplicity and beauty of this Truth by indulging in hatreds, conflicts and wars that divide them in enmity, instead of living as one family in their Fathe?s House, e.g., on this planet Earth. It is time humanitylistens to Meher Baba Silent words and acts in a responsible way before it is too late, and prepares itself for receiv ing the Word ofWords, forwhich Meher Baba has come. In October of 1967, Meher Baba said that, “The fate of the Universe hangs on My Seclusion and the redemption of mankind depends upon My Manifestation.” Meher Baba observed silence for 44 years and His Manifestation is directly linked with the breaking of His Divine Silence, giving the Word of Words. Meher Baba has said, “The time has come when I shall break My Silence. The whole world will get a spiritual push and the hearts of My intimate lovers shall be opened then. Such a time will not come again and has not come in the past. When I break My Silence the world will be shaken into the realization of Who I Am. When I break My Silence, the impact will jolt the world out of

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its spiritual lethargy and will push open the hearts of all who love Me and who are connected with Me. What will happen when I break My Silence has never happened before.” On another occasion, He also said that “Something great will happen that has never happened before and which will not happen for billions and billions of years to come. It will not happen in developing stages but will come suddenly. People will be going about their daily duties until the moment ofits happening. In the world today, there is pain, suf fering and a gloomy depressive atmosphere everywhere. This depressive atmosphere will begin to increase. Just as a pregnant woman has to undergo all sorts of troubles during her pregnancy which become worse during labor, so there will be suffering before—and it will

concord and mutual understanding, thus es tablishing a feeling of oneness in all fellow-

reach its zenith when I break My Silence.”

spective of their nationality, religion, caste,

Every great change must be carefully timed. How else would it be with the greatest revo

creed, sects, sex, societies or cults. Meher Baba assured that “I shallbreak My Silence and with

lution in the history of the world—the revo lution in the mind ofman? The time to preach in the market place will come—only after the world has been humbled and purified by a car-

My Word of Words arouse My children to

nage, greater than the world has yet seen.”

So many prophecies have been made by

beings, leading them towards lasting

happiness. Before I break My Silence, or im mediately after it, three-fourths of the world will be destroyed.”

On 9th of July 1925, as Meher Baba re tired for the night He dictated that “From tomorrow I will be observing silence” and He

also said that, “Until the world cries out for God I will not give up My Silence.” On another occasion He said that, “Of My own, I shall not break My Silence; Universal crises will make Me do so. When the crisis will reach its absolute culmination, it will make Me ut

ter the Word.” Till then, humanity should behave in a responsible way, becoming aware

of the presence of God in their midst, irre

realize in their lives, the indivisible existence which is God.”

The spiritual enlightenment ofman is es sential for a solution to the individual and social factors underlying the war. When one gets

prophecies have proved wrong. But the world moves on day by day becoming more en-

enlightened to the truth, when one begins to appreciate that all humanity, nay, all creation is one, the problem of wars will begin to dis appear. Meher Baba explains that “Wars must be so clearly seen by all to be both unneces

tangled in the atmosphere of fear and uncer

sary and unreasonable; that an immediate

tainties. Meher Baba’s words give soothing assurances for a bright future. In 1945 Meher Baba underwent a seclu sion in the dense forests of Angiras Rishi Mountain. When He came out of seclusion He dictated to Adi K. Irani that a gigantic disaster would overwhelm the world which would wipe out three-quarters ofmankind. In His Final Declaration on 30th September 1954, Meher Baba dictated, “The time has come for the pre-ordained destruction of mul tiple separateness which keeps man from ex periencing the feeling of unity and brotherhood. This destruction, which will take place very soon, will cause three-fourths of the world to be destroyed. The remaining onefourth will be brought together to live a life of

problem will not be to stop wars but to wage

Nostradamus, astrologers, clairvoyants, etc.

regarding the destruction ofthe world, but no one is very sure about Doomsday. So many

them spiritually against the attitude of mind which generates them.” Ignorant humanity gets involved in war in the name ofGod. There

is no justification in saying that God favors one side and not the other. God does not scale

His grace to suit man temporal quarrels and prejudices. His favor knows no discrimination; His Love is all embracing. While giving a discourse on World Peace, Meher Baba said “Humanity is not going to be saved by material power, nuclear or otherwise. It can be saved only through divine intervention. God has never failed humanity in its dark and critical periods. The greatest danger to man today is not from any natural ca tastrophe, but from himself. It is not possible

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to realize human brotherhood merely by ap pealing to high ideals or to a sense of duty. Something more than that is essential to re lease human consciousness from the clutches ofselfishness and greed. Today the urgent need ofmankind is not sects or organized religions, but Love. Divine love will conquer hate and fear. It will not depend upon other justifica tions, but will justify itself. I have come to awaken in man this divine love. It will restore to him the unfathomable richness of his own eternal being and will solve all his problems.” The reader ofthis article may have doubts about the breaking of Meher Baba’s silence when He has already dropped the body. If you go through Meher Babas literature in full, your doubts will be erased. Before Baba dropped the body, He summoned His secretary Adi K. Irani to Meherazad in December 1968, permitting him to have His Darshan for a short while. Baba asked Adi—”Do you really believe that I am the Avatar of the Age?” Adi was astonished, being a disciple of 40 years standing. He said “Yes Baba, I believe you are the Avatar of the Age.” Again Baba asked “Under all circumstances?” “Yes Baba, under all circumstances. “Even if I go into a coma?” Adi replied, “Yes Baba, you are the Avatar even ifyou go into a coma.” Then finally Baba told Adi “I will go into a coma but I will come back.” When Mohamed, the 5th Plane mast (who still lives at Meherabad) was informed that Baba dropped the body he said “Dada gele; paratyeyeel” which means Dada (he used to call Meher Baba Dada) has gone and he will come back.” Today followers of Christianity, Moham medanism, Buddhism and Hinduism are awaiting the arrival ofthe second Christ, Imam Mehdi, Maitreya and the Kalki Avatar. So also lovers of Meher Baba are expecting the breaking of His silence. It is time for humanity to become aware ofHis divinity and His authority. They may visit Meher Baba tomb shrine and get enlightened and feel blessed and take Him into their hearts, awakening to His watch words—Love and Service. Above the entrance to the Tomb are the words “Mastery in Servi tude. On all four corners of the roof are sym bols ofthe four major religions: Christianity cross, Hinduism temple, Mohammedanism Mosque and Zorastrianism Fire; a physical reminder of Baba statement that He would bring together allreligions like beads upon one string. Perhaps, in His Loving Grace, He will bring all of us together — one humanity, letting us experience within our hearts the frui tion of His manifestation and the breaking of His silence.

nvitation and Registration Forr who would like to be on the mai Borthwick Phone (from US.) 01 1 612 95.57 .

2Q38 N S W Australia

Email AussieYS@onE ,

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Love Annihilates Illusion ofSeparateness Meher Baba

omplete identification of the Master with the spiritual ideal is responsible for removing such barriers as might exist between the aspirant and the Master. This gives rise to the release of unrestrained love for the Master and leads to the meditation ofthe heart, which consists in constant thinking about the Mas ter with an uninterrupted flow oflimitless love. Such love annihilates the illusion of separateness, which seems to divide the aspirant from the Master; and it has in it a spontaneity that is virtually without parallel in other forms of meditation. In its final stages, meditation of the heart is accompanied by unbounded joy and utter forgetfulness of self. Love for the Master leads to increasing identification with the Master, so that the aspirant desires to live in and for the Master and not for his own narrow self. From Discourses, by Meher Baba, Copyright 1987 AMBPPCT Ahmednagar, India, Third Printing 1995, Printed by Sheriar Press, Inc. iiCL

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No Smoke Visible by Eruch Jessawala

eher Baba would often tell us that there was no smoke visible with the fire of real love. “The flame of love within does not even give out smoke for others to see, He would tell us. “When you love Me, you burn within yourself and yet appear cheerful with a broad smile. You bear the pangs ofseparation calmly and quietly. Even the sigh of the pang of separation is an insult to love.” Baba, would tell us to, “Attend to all your duties and you can still love Baba by dedi cating all good and bad to Me. Just as you dress your body with clothes and then forget all about the dress you wear during the day, similarly dress your soul with thoughts of Baba, and Baba will then be with you all the time, even without your paying any further attention.” From That HowIt Was, Stories ofLife With MeherBaba, by Eruch Jessawala, Copyright 1995 AMBPPCT, Ahmednagar, MS., India “

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ometime in July, 1921 when Baba was 27 years old a multi-part summary of his decent from God-Realization into gross Offered by Ron Festine, creator of consciousness: “...the prohibition movement started in In- BabaDaze from LordMeher by Bhau Kalchuri, AMBCPPT dia and protests against liquor and toddy shops arose. The liquor shops were picketed and busi ness drastically fell off. On this pretext, one day in July 1921, Meher Baba told his parents, ‘I am going to Sakori to see Upasni Maharaj and request him to put a stop to this prohibition. I will come back in about a week.’ With these words, Baba left Poona alone; however, he did not return for six months. During this period with Upasni at Sakori, Meher Babacompletelyregained his normal human consciousness of the world to begin his divine mission as the AVATAR OF THE AGE. To understand what Merwan Sheriar Trani had undergone during those eight years (from January 1914 to January 1922) is to understand the process of Realization and Perfection. After Babajans kiss, Merwan had attained God-Consciousness; his inner state was that of a MAJZOOB one drowned in infinity For al most two years, creation did not exist for him in his indMdual mind inanymannerorformwhat him into creation also, but indirect roles in bringsoever. Merwan consciousness was divine itwas ing him down after he was God-Realized. One infInite it was perfect, but he had no mastery of may conclude that Narayan Maharaj and all-knowledge, all-power, and all-bliss. Merwan Tajuddin Baba brought Merwan down through was conscious of infInite light, and was Light It- the mental planes, and Sal Baba brought him sell but totally unconscious of Its shadow (the across the fourth plane of infinite power and divine powers, and then through the three planes creation) his own self and the world. As the Avatar, the direct descent of God into ofthe subfleworld.WhenUpasnistruckMerwan a male human body, God had descended into the with the stone at their initial encountei it was the first time in nearly two years that he experi body ofMerwan from His state ofthe Absolute Beyond-God.This man, M. S. Irani, never passed enced an iota of gross consciousness. All five Perfect Masters play a direct or indi through the process of evolution, reincarnation and involution prior to his birth. The five Perfect rect role in bringing the Avatar into creation, Masters of our Age brought him down into the forming a veil of vidnyani sanskaras through a form ofMerwan from his formless state of God. blending of their individual personalities, then But from 1894 to 1913, the five Perfect Masters giving back his God-Consciousness and bringveiled him from his own divinity, his own identity ing him back down to function perfectly on all as Original God. Babajan gentle kiss in January planes and all levels of consciousness. Upasni 1914, tore away that protective veil of vidnyani Maharaj played the most direct role in bringing sariskaras, and within minutes he became once Merwan back down to function on every level more infInitely aware of his Real Self as Infinite and plane of existence. It was during this sevenExistence. However, after Babajans kiss, sirnulta year contact with Upasni Maharaj that Merwan neously with the attainment of the ‘I Am God’ fully regained his individual human consciousstate, Merwan lost every tinge of normal human nesswhilesimultaneouslybeing God-Conscious. A worldly person has consciousness of only consciousness. He had a human body that automatically acted, but he had no awareness of that the grossworld, and knows nothing about Godbody; he was only conscious of being infInite in Consciousness. Such a person does not have even ashadow ofan idea ofthe reality ofGod. A spinknowledge, infinite in powei infInite in bliss. Itwas through Babajan that Merwan attained tually advanced person on one ofthe three planes infinite bliss, through Sal Baba that he attained of the subtle world knows of the powers of God, infInite powei and through Upasni Maharaj that and on the fourth plane (KUBER) one knows he attained infInite knowledge. Narayan Maharaj the full, infInite power of God. An advanced andTajuddin Babaplayed direct roles in bringing WALT on the fifth plane of the mental world -

knows the infinite mind of God, while a PIR (saint) on the sixth plane of the mental world sees the infInite existence ofGod. Only a Perfect

Soul (SH1V-ATMA) on the seventh plane re aflyknows God, because he isfully, infinitely conscious of actually being God himself Once God-Realizationis attained, itbecomes and remains everlasting. God-Consciousness is never affectedby anything in the three spheres or byanycircumstances. Itis continually experienced

as an ‘infinite self-contained phenomenodwithin ones own infinity. Howevei in order for a person with God-Consciousness to do universal work in the three spheres, consciousness of those spheres is required. Such is the functioning state ofthe Perfect Masters and the avatar. To regain gross consciousness, seven stages have to be passed through. A description in de tail of each stage is not possible. After Realiza tion, a person must pass from the seventh plane to the sixth mental plane maintaining seventh plane God-Consciousness; from the sixth plane to the fIfth maintaining seventh and sixth plane mental consciousness; from the fifth plane to the fourthmaintainingseventh, sixth, andflfth mental plane consciousness; from the fourth to the third plane maintainingseventh, sixth, fifth and fourth plane subtle consciousness; and so forth, maintainingthehighersixplanes of consciousness, until the Perfect Being crosses the fIrst plane into the gross world maintaining consciousness ofall seven planes. To regain normal human consciousness is to come down through these seven planes from the very heights of divinity from Infinity itself This is the blessed state of Perfect Masters. Diving to the bottom of the ocean of divine life to obtain the pearl of Realization and to re surface to show the pearl to others comprises the lives ofthe Perfect Masters. But the Avatar does not have to dive to the depths of the ocean because he eternally possesses the pearl of divine life. Yet to show it to the world, Merwan S. Irani had to regain his worldly awareness to function as Avatar Meher Baba. Side by side with the divine consciousness of Units the Avatar has the -

consciousness of the interplay of duality.

The difference in coming down through the seven planes between the Perfect Masters and the Avatar vastly differs. When a Perfect Master comes down, he becomes conscious of everything

and everyone in creation; he becomes one with everything and everyone, but he does not become those very things and beings. Whereas, the Ava tar actually becomes everything and everyone, and he alone suffers everything that everyone suffers. Therefore, in his coming down, there is infinite agony. For example, when the children threw

stones atTajuddin Baba, although they appeared to have hurthim, he neverfelt the pain.Tajuddin

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only acted as if he had felt the pain. Whereas, when Merwan was hit on the forehead by the stone thrown by Upasni Maharaj, he actually felt the pain of the stone striking his flesh and skull bone. From 1915 through 1921, while regaining his gross consciousness in Poona, Merwan very slowly became aware ofhis immediate surroundings. His name changed as the light ofhis inner divinity became radiant to others and as his awareness of the world increased from Merwan to Merwan Seth, to Meher Baba. He experienced all things comingoutofhisbeing, emerging from an innermostpointinhimself- the OM POINT He was God-Conscious and as a human being he would be active, but his actions were automatic, without premeditation. His human acts were similar to that of a robotic mechanism that functions when started. From 1915, when he would do a certain action he would do the same thing continuously until he was stopped by someone. Yeshwant Rao Boravke, Upasni Maharaj close disciple, was given the order diring Meher Babas six-month stay at Sakori to prepare paan and betal leaffor Baba every night. Another disciple of Upasni Maharaj, named Trimbak, was given the same duty during the day. Once Baba started chewing paan, he would do it continuously asking for one paan after another. Both Yeshwant Rao and Trimbak had to work like a machine on a fast assembly line to keep up with Meher Babas requests, for he would consume hundreds of the paan leaves in one evening. Meher Baba would chew more paan at night then during the day. Once Yeshwant became so exhausted preparing the leaves that he collapsed andfell asleep exhaustedforafewminutes. Upasni Maharaj happened to come by and caught him resting. Kicking him, Upasni scolded, ‘Dort you ever let me catch you asleep again! Consider it your sacred duty to prepare paan for Merwan. Have you any idea how fortunate you are to serve Merwan? In the future, youa better not be so negligent.’ Duningonestageofhiscomingdown, Meher Babafelt that hewas all alone in the universe. He experienced the whole universe existing for him alone. Whatever happened in the universe happened solelyforhim. His experiencewas not that he felt it to be so but he actually saw it to be so. For instance, if he saw a man walking, eating or talking, he saw himself and knew that it was he who waswalking, eating or talking. He saw himself become everyone and became conscious of being everyone. It is impossible to delve into and reveal the details ofMeher Babas experiences orto describe the experiences ofthe descent ofone who is God-

Realized and emerges back into the universal cre ation. What is essential is to comprehend that God-Consciousness is totally separate for the iranscendent ofall the varied aspects ofconsciousness mental, subtle, or gross. God-Realization is the experience of the very Consciousness of God and of Him alone. It is Absolute Existence -infinite and eternal. In reality, nothing ex isis besides It. Meher Babas experiences during the major stages of his descent that he alone as God ex isted, that the universe was only functioning for him alone, thateverythingexisted because ofhim, that he was everything, that he was everyone, that he was responsible for everything and everyone, that by his very existence he was meant to help everything and everyone were distinct stages of higher consciousness involved with his descent through the seven planes into the gross world. He was then, over a period ofseven years, gradu ally becoming more and more conscious of the world, and the purpose ofhis actual actual being and identity his Avatarhood. In God-Consciousness there is absolutely nothing that pertains to the universe there is no consciousness of the existence of the universe, or anything, or anyone else. To the Avatar or Perfect Mastei even after completely recovering normal consciousness, the whole universe, which he sees and is in charge of looks like a mere shadow” “During another stage of his regaining worldly consciousness, Meher Baba began expe riencing the thoughts ofall human beings in the universe. The individual thoughts of those persons in the gross world, irrespective of whether they were near (on earth) or far (in another galaxy),would instantaneouslypour into his univer sal mind at the moment they were created (thought). The numerous thought-waves were so forceful and so tremendously rapid, it is innpossible to describe their effect. The very process of infInite thinking was rushing through Meher Baba individual mind; hecouldwithstand it only because his mind had become universal. Thought-waves vibrate faster than any speed known to man; thus, all thought-waves of all of humanity on earth would stream into and permeate MeherBaba universal mind in afewmin utes. At the beginning of this particular stage of Babas coming down, when his universal mind was starting to function, he was sitting alone by a water canal at Sakori. Within a few minutes, the force ofthe thoughts ofthousands and thousands of persons on earth entered his universal mind. The impact of it was so tremendous that he became extremely agonized, as ifhis mind was beingpulled apartbyaflthe contradictory thoughts. He became extremely uneasy and restless, and at that time, he had to submerge his head under-

water in the canal to try to break the shock. He heldhis head underwaterfor several minutes untll his indMdual mind found relief. During another stage ofhis coming down at Sakori, Meher Baba had another experience which he later described: ‘Iexperiencedcircles and circles oflights com ing out of my heart. My heart was open: there were countless circles within circles bursting. All the infmite number ofuniverses were coming out of me my heart each containing an infInite number ofplanets, moons and suns!’ MeherBaba’s physical labor inthe toddyshop at Kasba Peth helped him tremendously in the process of coming down. While he labored in the toddy shop, he was near the fInal stage of regaining worldly consciousness. During this stage he felt the impulse to work continuously and exert himself physically. This impulse to be physically active came from Upasni Maharaj, for Upasni was directing Meher Baba descent. This stage ofregaining normal human consciousness required the accomplishment of deeds of the purest virtue, done with the deepest hu miity. To attain this pure humility, Meher Baba worked like a menial laborer in the toddy shop for three years, in spite of the fact that he was actually a divine man, completely full of the divine consciousness of infinite knowledge, power and bliss. During this phase ofthree years, Baba would clean the toilets, sweep the shop floors and surrounding areas, wash the dirty glasses, cups and dishes of the customers and do all kinds of menial tasks. On one occasion Behramji recounted: ‘Once Merwan Seth started fIlling empty bottles with toddy,hewould continue doingthe taskfor hours until everybottle was fIlled.Though this taskwas squalid, he would show an interest in doing it. The majority of the customers were poor, crude people; mostwere ffliterate, attired indirty clothes and used obscene language to express themselves. They would spit on the floor of the shop wher ever they were sitting, and Merwan would mop the floors clean every day. Most were alcoholics, and when drunk they would find comfort lying on the floor or in the street. Merwan, howevei wouldservethese alcoholics and treatthem kindly, ifnot lovingly.’ The toddy shop was a ‘front’ which enabled Meher Baba to do humble, lowly physical labor. No sooner was its purpose served than the prohibitionprotests started in Poona.Theliquor and toddy shops were picketed and people protested against alcohol in any form.” LordMehez Bhau Kaichuri, Vol. 1, pg. 315-317 Copyright (c) by AMBPPCT, Bhau Kaichuri, Lawrence Reiter, Mountain Data Works -

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