Northern California Baba Center NewsLetter 1996-1997 by AMBCSC ARCHIVES PRINT LIBRARIES

MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CALIF INC.

2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704

VOL. 26

WINTER 1996 •

Tex Hightower Meets

It*" ^ e

know anything about that kind of love. I don't know that there is preparation for /|,*W ^jgSjTff S-' wi!\ s~that kind of love, but I certainly didn't Meher Baba \T 1 have it, and I can't tell you what kind of love that is, because it is such an entity Tex Hightower, a dancer who met Meher Baba i / \ p unto itself, that there's nothing you can say through Margaret Craske, spoke toourgroup in •n to desctibe it. Words just don't touch that. the spring of1990. .. This excerptfromhis talk, Twenty-five years later, I understood some edited considerably tofitinthis newsletter, begins thing that 1 realized at that moment, that had gone into just ashe was tomeet Baba, in 1952. my subconscious for 25 years, when I was looking into Baba's eyes. I had the full realization that absolutely ev I had this tension of guilt or anxiety ... I just wasn't sure. erything in the world is exactly the way it ought to be. 1 didn't think 1 loved Him at all, I didn't think I had any It is exactly what it should be. I mean, I don't retain that feeling for Him at all, and I felt, "What the hell am I doing feeling, but I had it, and it was in my subconscious for 25 here? What's going to happen?" I did have a feeling that years, and then it came out as clear as a bell. I'll never it was very important, that you shouldn't be flippant or forget it. He absolutely bowled me over, and then He said, insincere about it. The tension built up. _3fiH|

Ha rfwHteijH

"I'm happy." He was happy. That knocked me over.

Then we had gone through all the business of not getting there on time (our plane had, been delayed in a severe

storm), but Baba left a message that saidHe'd see us at 7:30 the next morning. 1 watched three women go in to see Baba, people that 1 knew very well, and they came out in absolute shambles after seeing Baba. So when Delia came

to get me, to take me to Baba, I tripped over the pebbles in the path. When we turned up that little path to go to the Lagoon Cabin, Isaw something whitebehind the screen door, which was like a scrim, a theatrical scrim. I dropped

my eyes. It was almost a physical impossibility for me to lift my head, and I sort of stumbled up the steps. I knew that Baba was standing there. 1could have seen His feet, but I made sure that I didn't. Eventually I did lift my eyes to

Baba, and when I did, He opened His arms. A strange thing happened. It was not a psychic experience, do not misun derstand. It was like a physical sensation, as if I were in some kind of case, like a mummy case, and it cracked. It started cracking right up the middle and down the back, and it fell away, and when it fell away, I could step forward and I looked into Baba's eyes. I never had and never will see anything that beautiful. Indescribably beautiful. His eyes were... I have some perception of infinity, very small, but it's only because of Baba's eyes. Baba's eyes went on

'forever. They were a beautiful brown. I stepped into His arms, and He embraced me. That's the only thing of im portance that ever happened in my life, or ever will. I was overwhelmed with the love that He gave. 1 didn't

When I met Baba, as Miss Craske put it, He knocked me right off myperch. I had to get back, I was deep in rehears al, but I was just absolutely overwhelmed by Baba and I couldn't think of anything but Baba. 1was making a bum

job of rehearsals. I would write His name all day long. So I said to Miss Craske, "What am I going to do?" She said,

"Why don't you make Him something?" So I thought, "What shall I make Him? What great gift of the world am

I going to make Him?" I mean, I'm not Faberge. So I decided, well, I'll make Him a coat. I made Him a very beautiful white wool flannel coat. I thought about Baba all the time I wasmaking that coat. I'd come from rehears al at night, and I'd make that silly coat. 1 had no idea if I'd ever be able to give it to Him. Then He had the accident, and we were given another chance to see Him,

in Ivy Duce's apartment, on a terrible hot day. And that's the second time I saw Him. I was all piped up. I had been on cloud nine for those two months, which isn't entirely

pleasant, by the way, except it's good enough that you don't want to get off. So I was prepared to go up higher. I walked into the room, and there was this man in a cast.

His complexion was gray, He was obviously in pain, and He looked ill. I won't say He looked just like a man, but He did look like God the first time I saw Him. I went

crashing to the basement when I saw Him like that and He was rather impersonal to me that time. He took my hand, pressed it very, very hard against His chest, but He

didn't pay any attention to me at all. Baba's strength was amazing. He pressed my hand very hard and gave me a grape. I just sort of sat there, and He didn't say or do anything. Then I bit the grape. The minute I bit the grape He said "Go." So 1 left. -1 went in, and I just dropped the coat at the foot of the bed. I never knew what happened to that coat, but Mehera told me that He wore it many times. It wasn't over. 1 was still in this turmoil. I knew Baba was

going to be in America, so then I decided I'd make Him some sandals. When the time came for Baba to leave

America we were forbidden to go to the airport in New York to see Him off. So I called Miss Craske and said,

"Could I give you these sandals to give to Baba?" She called me back, and said,"If you do not expect to see Him, you may bring the sandals to the airport." I just accepted that. In those days it was called Idyllwild, not Kennedy, and it was a series of quonset huts. Well, I walked in to one end of this quonset hut, and I walked the full length of that thing, and there was nobody. Then I noticed a stairway at the end, so I went charging over there, and out came Kitty, charging head on, because the women in seclusion were there. 1said, "Oh, Kitty ..." and I blabbed

it out, and she said, "Why don't you give them to Him yourself?" I looked at her blankly, and she said, "Well,

He's calling you." I turned around, and halfway down the way was Baba, smiling. I had passed Him three times. So He called me over, and I gaye Him the sandals, and He embraced me. I wasn't terribly pleased with those sandals either. So that was the end of one episode, one coat and one pait of sandals.

Oh, before He left, when I was making the sandals early one morning, the phone rang. This was after 1had given Him the coat. The phone rang, and it was Miss Craske. She said, "I have a message for you. Baba says, Tell that

me. It was such a beautiful morning; the birds were singing and the sun had just come up, and the dew was just strung

like jewels through those trees, and it wasn't hot yet, and that brilliant diamond golden light that you have in the morning was everywhere, and Baba was so beautiful. He looked at me and said, "Isn't it beautiful here?" And I said,

"Oh, boy! It is sensational." He said, "Look at that view." It was framed like a picture, with the trees and the water and the hill, and everything like that, and I'm looking there, thinking "Boy, Baba's got good taste." All of a sudden He turned to me, and it's like His voice changed. He said, "Make the coat." Well, I jumped about 20 feet, because that was four years later and Miss Craske didn't even remember giving me that message. 1 said; "Oh. I'm not to finish the sandals?" He said, "What sandals?" By then, I knew I'd said the wrong thing, but it was too late. I said, "Well, 1 was making . . ." and He said, "Alright, finish the sandals." That was a complete disaster. I alien ated everybody on the Center. He said,"Have them ready by Thursday," but He never gave me time to work on

them. So ^1 would stay up all night, and I went to the original kitchen when everybody was asleep. I would have to tap-tap-tap, and you know sound carries over water, arid

you'd see somebody in the morning: "I heard the fairy cobbler last night. . . Oh well, as long as you're doing it for Baba." Somebody said, "I hope you're performing Japa." Everybody had something to say. Anyway, I made these sandals. I had them ready when He said, but He didn't ask

for them. I tucked them in my back pocket in a brown

paper bag. For days I walked around with those stupid sandals hanging out my pocket, and He acted like He

didn't know me.We went to the Brookgreen Gardens with Baba and suddenly it was like the parting of the Red Sea, this crowd of people sort of spread out and turned and looked, and Baba was sitting under a tree at the end of it, and He said, "Come here. Give me the sandals." And

boy he has put his head into a noose. When Baba needs

then I gave them to Him, and they fell off when He tried

a new coat, he is to make it, but he's not to work on it

to wear them.

until I tell him to."'

So 1956 came, and I said, "I'm going to make Him a good pair of sandals." The time came, and I didn't have them

finished, so Ihad to take them down to Myrtle Beach with me. I took my accoutrements, my awl, and my little hammer, and this, that, and the other. When you are with Baba, there is never any time to do anything. I was working on the sandals, and I hadn't finished them because I was

making them very elaborate. There was embroidery, there were two kinds of leather, there was black suede with red

suede underneath it, and embroidered gold around the cutout design; just what Baba would wear, right? Very early in the morning there was a knock on the door, and

somebody said, "Baba wants to see you." I went dashing out, and Baba was sitting in front of the Lagoon Cabin and He lightened up, as He was never very serious with

So then I had to start the coat. 1didn't have any fabric, and we wete forbidden to leave the Center. Baba said,

"You have to have the coat ready by the time 1leave." By then it was a short time. I had to ask permission to leave the Center to buy the fabric. When you ask Baba some thing like that, it's a mistake. He gave me permission, and

I did go, and I bought thread and scissors, but Myrtle Beach in those days was like Arangaon, there was nothing there. I bought a hunk of very good Indian Head cotton,

but cotton was not my idea of a jacket. I started it, and

then we went to Washington, Los Angeles, and finally to San Francisco. The first day Baba said, "You have the afternoon off. You can do anything you want to do." So Iwentand bought beautiful skyblue woolen flannel, English,

soft as a feather. Then I really set to work. I didn't sleep from then on. I bought silk thread, which knots in every (continued on page 4)

MEETINGS - Meher Baba events are held on Saturday nights. TIMES- Events start at 8:00 PM and normally end by 9:30 PM unless otherwise noted. LOCATIONS - Events

are held at the Albany Methodist Church unless otherwise

noted. The church is at the cornerof Marin and Stannage, two blocks east of San Pablo Avenue in Albany (North of Berkeley) Take the Albany exit from Interstate 80. To check for program changes call S10-84S-4339. «*

Bookstore $

Childcare

Sunday, February 25 -Meher Baba's Birthday This is your chance for a personal and intimate celebra tion of the birth of The Ancient One.

Saturday, March 2 - Video Night at the Stovall's Katie Irani's talk at last fall's Meherana Sahavas will be

shownat Vern and Annie Stovall's home. 869 Apaloosa Drive, Walnut Creek. (510) 938-2126.

^* Saturday, March 9 - Cindy Lowe in Concert * Please note that Film Nights are now the first Saturdays of the month, not the first Fridays.

Saturday, January 6 - Film Night Meher Baba's 1956 U.S.A. tour.

Saturday, January 13 - Fresh Stories from India Mary Weiss and Rene O'Connor, recent visitors to Meherabad, will share stories* of their adventures.

Saturday, January 20 - Western Night Dust off your spurs and boots. Joy Mauzey will teach us western line dancing tonight.

Saturday, January 27 - Video for Amartithi In the spirit of remembrance of Baba's Amartithi, we will show a video from the L.A. video library.

Tuesday, January 30 - Amartithi, 8:30 PM Join us beginning at 8:30 PM to see the film of Meher Baba's entombment and share in the silence at His tomb,

which happens at 10:30 - 10:45 PM our time.

Saturday, February 3 - Video Night The Eternal Beloved will be shown at Steve Jacobs' home, 1535 Elm St., El Cerrito. (510) 237-9257.

Saturday, February 10 - Some Enchanted Evening An evening of David Miotke's music at the Talbot home. 721 Crossbrook Dr. Moraga. (510) 376-4325.

& Saturday, Feburary 17 - Town Meeting One of those meetings about meetings - and more. How best to evoke the atmosphere of the Beloved? Where is our group headed? Come and give your input.

Saturday, February 24, 2 - 8 PM - We Celebrate the Beloved's Birthday With His Followers in India February 24 here is February 25 in India. Come to the Unitarian Church at 1606 Bonita (corner of Bonita and

Cedar streets) in Berkeley for merriment, pot luck din ner and the Wine of Meher. We'will see two short

plays—one directed by Raine Eastman-Gannet, the other by Ron Greenstein. Bring dancing shoes, musical in struments, a dish to share, and your heart on your sleeve. If you have program ideas or can help with set-up, clean up or serving, please call Steve Jacobs (510) 237-9257.

Join Cindy and friends for a lively,exciting evening in the special ambiance she creates. Cindy will sing selections from her latest recording After All This Time (now avail able at our bookstore). A fund-raiser — $5 admission.

Saturday, March 16 - Kitty Davy Memories Bring your favorite 'Kittyisms' to share as we remember our beloved Kitty. Louise Barrie and Molly Irani will host.

* Saturday, March 23 - MeherBabaForever Young For the young and young at heart — an event for Baba put on by Peter Ravazza.

** Saturday, March 30, 7 PM - Italian Dinner and Images of Love - a Fund-Raising Evening Buon Gusto! Bring a hearty appetite to this fun-filled evening. After a scrumptious Italian dinner and raffle for prizes, we present the amazing slide show Images of Love

by Baba's artists world-wide. $10-$ 15 perperson donation. If youcan help with set-up, cooking or clean-up, please call Emiko Larson (510) 526-2309.

Saturday, April 6 - Film Night Avatar of the Age will be shown.

^& Saturday, April 13 - Scott and Prem Sing On tour from San Diego, Scott and Prem Makeig will sing to our hearts' content tonight. Don't miss this one!

Saturday, April 20 - Poetry Night at Scott Moloney's Spend an evening at Scott Maloney's reading poetry for the Beloved. 831 Sea View Dr. El Cerrito. (510) 524-8451.

^* Saturday, April 27 - Robert Dreyfuss's Story Robert Dreyfuss met Meher Baba thirty years ago. He tells us this timeless, amazing story once again. ANNOUNCEMENTS BABA WOMENS' LUNCH - Ladies are invited to lunch at

noon on the third Thursday of every month at Fat Apple's in El Cerrito. Call Alisa Dreyfuss for details (510) 526-6078. BOOKSTOREWALLA NEDED - Laura Hogan is looking for an energetic new person to take over her job as bookstorewalla. Is that you? Pleasecall Laura at (510) 237-9257. CHILDCARE REMINDER: Please pay the babysitter $3 per family on childcare nights.

Meher Baba Center of Northern California, Inc. President, Betty Lowman • Vice President, Janet White • Secretary, Steve Jacobs • Treasurer, Jack Mormon Boardof Directors: KirkAllen • Alisa Dreyfuss • Steve Jacobs • Emiko Larson • Betty Lowman • CliffMauzey • Janet White Newsletter Alexandra Cons, Editor • Lisa Greenstein, Keith Gunn, Betty Lowman, Cherri Nelson Trustwalla: Jack Mormon (P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288)

stitch. I did the whole thing by hand, French seams, back-

stitching the whole damn thing. One funny thing was that 1didn't know how long to make the sleeves. Jean Shaw was walking by as I was talking about not knowing how long to make the sleeves and she said, "Oh, I know how

long." l.said, "So, how do you know?" andshe said, "Well, I do His laundry." I thought, "Is that a goodenough reason

LOCAL MEETINQS El Cerrito â&#x20AC;˘ Sunday Mornings - 10:00 AM Arti and singing at the Greensteins (510) 525-3364-

El Cerrito - Thursday Evenings -7:15 PM Discourse reading and discussion. Contact Louise Barrie or Dick Anthony at (510) 524-1440.

to listen?" and I said, "Well, so how long is it?" and she took it by the underarm seam, and she went, "There." Well, I wasn't very impressed with that kind of measure ment, but I did put a pin there. And I tell you, it was exact, it was exactly where it ought to be. Baba started making jokes about "Where's the coat?" I hadn't been out of His sight, and-He would ask me in the morning, "Have

Los Qatos - Friday Evenings - 8:00 PM

you finished the coat?" and I said, "You know, Baba, nnaah."

Petaluma - First Sunday of the Month - 11:00 AM

Then 1 would be with Him, and we would have lunch and

Arti, readings, and fellowship. Contact Hermann or Jeanette Loew at (707) 778-1195.

then later He'd say, "Have you finished the coat?" in front of everybody. That happened all day long. The night before He left, I said, "I'm almost, finished." We were

Fresno - Wednesday Evenings - 7:30 to 8:30 PM Arti and a varied program. Contact Sharon or Phil Scott at (209) 449-0877.

Arti, singing and readings at the home of Clint and Sharon Snyder.-Call them at (408) 395-6865 or Betty Lowman at (415) 323-1900.

Sacramento - Occasional Meetings Discourse readings and occasional gatherings. Contact Mike and-Jean Rass (916) 486-2924.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

forbidden to go near Baba's room aftet He retired, not even near it, we couldn't pass it, we had to go down the stairs. I asked, "May I just drop it outside Baba's door?" "OK." I did finish it about four in the morning, but I didn't

San Francisco - Wednesday Evenings - 7 to 8:30 PM

have time to put pockets on it. I wrapped it up in tissue

Walnut Creek - Monday Evenings -8 to 9:30 PM

paper, and I just laid it by Baba's door, and ran back to my room. I swear my head had just hit the pillow when (bang bang bang) "Baba wants to see you." I threw on some clothes, and I ran, and I ran around the corner into

Baba's room, and Baba was standing there with this huge smile. He was standing in that coat, and He looked . . . it was the perfect color, sky blue, and He said to me, "Don't I look handsome?"

He wore that coat when He left America. I never knew really what happened, and then once, when I wasat Myrtle Beach, at least 20 years later, I saw the film of Baba in Australia.

Readings and discussion. Call Peter Ravazza at (510) 769-1839 or Mary .Weiss at (415) 221-8724. Videos will be shown the first Monday of every month. Subsequent Mondays will be devoted to study of Discourses. Please call Helen Riehl (510) 935-0167

or Gil Shepard (510) 930-8670 for meeting locations. THE TRUST All who wish to share in the commitment laid down

by Meher Baba through the Trust should contact Jack Mormon, P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288. 'Please note that this is Jack's New Address.

Baba gets out of the plane in that coat. Of course, He left

MEHER BABA INFORMATION

San Francisco in it, and He arrived in Australia in it. So.

People who wish to know more about Meher Baba

that's the story of the sandals and the coat. Thanks to Clint and Sharon Snyder, who transcribed this article. Permission to reprint this article anywhere in any form is withheld.

can obtain introductory material and a catalogue of available publications by writing or phoning Meher Baba Information, P.O. Box 1101. Berkeley, CA 94701. Or call (510) 562-1101.

MEHER BABA CENTER of Northern California Inc.

2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID

EL CERRITO. CA. PERMIT NO. 186

-\r* -

MFHFR RAT* A riFNTTFH OF KTO. PATTT T>J(^ r=* ^

TLJARF N

2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235

L r—

.rr-r

fe^l-';

Surrender to Meher Baba

f^Sk^ ml' •' * /"*•>• * *»• •

R BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704

VOL. 26

This ispart one of.a two-pan, edited transcription ofa talk Charles Haynes gave at the home of Ron and Lisa Greenstein in El Cerrito, California in August 1988

•Y

SUMMER 1996

Ofcourse, it was wonderful because I could

just sit there and stare the whole five days. I didn't have anything ebe to do, 1 didn't have to pay attention to any thing. That's why the things I remember that Baba said were like epiphanies be cause it was like waking up to pick up the conversation.

is what always puzzled me because it seemed to be His notion of the highest form of love. It's strange to think

Baba starting talking about what was going to happen when He broke His silence... something that nobody ever brought up because then it would be all over for us. Manifestation always meant to me that the intimacy was going to end; I just wanted it to be as far away in the future as possible. So whenever Baba statted speaking about it I paid attention, because I thought that when He broke His silence it would

about surrender because it's hard to know whether one has

be too late for me. He used to tell us, "Love me now while

surrendered or not, or what it means. I used to put it off somewhere in the distance thinking that some day I'd be

I am in your midst, because after I break My silence it will be too late." We are, I think, still in that era of people who

1 wanted to say a few things about the topic of surrender to Meher Baba, something you've all done long ago. It has always been a puzzle to me, the topic of surrender, so I keep coming back to it. Baba says that greater than love is obedience and greater than obedience is surrender. That

able to deal with it. In fact, 1 asked Eruch about it once.

are not with Him because He's the Avatar of the Age but

We were sitting in Mandali Hall on the floor in front of Baba's chair. The gnats were bad that day because it was really still. Eruch was just pooped; he had nothing left to give. He was just sitting thete and it was not anywhere near the end of the time for him, so poor Eruch had to keep going. Finally, Eruch looked at me and said, "What should I talk about?" It popped out. I said,"Surrender," waving the gnats away. He said, "Yeh, alright. Do it!" I said, "Well, Eruch, that's fine for you to say, but I don't know what it means." He said, "You people think I just say these things, I'm not just saying 'Do it.' Do it." I said, "Isn't it something you work toward, isn't it a goal of life?" He said, "No, do it now, right now. Then do it tomorrow again and then do it the next day again. Why do youwait?

because He's our Beloved, who let us see enough of Him that we want to be with Him, now and forever. New humanity, no new humanity, breaking His silence, not breaking His silence; it doesn't make much difference to the lover. But the daywillcomewhen He willshowHimselfand then the world willhave its portion of Him. Always, as a child, I was rushing

What is it?" In other words, surrender is something you do continuously. Each time you do it, it's a little bit more, you let go a little bit more. My image for it comes from 1962. Babagave an imagethat has stuck with me all these years about surrender. It came out of the blue, it probably came to. me because I wasn't

listening to what else was being pa&.The nice partabout being thirteen at that time was that! didn't have to listen to what was being said; 1gor^way^wfth-it. Ifadults didn't listen, Baba would catch them. He was wonderful at that—

"Do you know what it means?". . . "What, Baba?". . . If you were thirteen, Baba would not do that. I was sitting next to Baba on the floor and He was on the couch; I was

trying to inch my chin close to His knee; those were my priorities then, I wasn't paying any attention to the topic.

to love Baba more and more. I wish I still had some of the

same urgency that I had then, because what I gathered from Baba was that the day will come when the opportunity to

love Him in this way will not be there. It is only for a short time that the Avatar draws the lovers in that intimate way.

I used to just pray to Baba, "Don't break Your silence too soon, please. I'll workharder, I'll try harder."Baba motivated us that way too. I'm sure our understanding was severely limited, but I still feel something like that. The heart of the matter for me is that this is the time to take advantage of being with Him. Whatever else comes, I have no idea, but this is the best of times.

Baba was talking about breaking His silence and He said that for a time it would seem natural to leave Him. "I'm

telling you now that you have to hold on, the most im portant thing for you to do is to hold on to Me." I was alert at this point because this is a topic that I was very interested in as a child. I felt so unworthy to be with Baba that I thought if 1 don't hurry up and begin to love Baba as He should be loved it's going to be too late. Baba then

picked up His sadhra, held it in His hand in front of us, and said, "Remember to hold on to my daaman, because what will happen will make it easy for your grasp on me

to slip away. You have to practice holding on to My daaman." Then He took His other hand and He clenched

Hisdaaman with both hands and said,"Don't hold on just with one hand but with both hands so that if, by any chance, one hand should slip away, you are still holding on. Can you remember that, to hold on with both hands?" That's the image for surrender that I've always kept from that time on. Why surrender? Because, as a child, it oc curred to me that if you are holding on with both hands then you have no free hands to hold on to anything else. So, to hold on with both hands means you have to let go of a lot to even begin to hold on to Baba. You can't hold on to anything else. How can we hold on to anything else if we are holding on to Him with both hands - we can't, really. How can weTake too seriously whatVgoingohThT our lives if we are holding on with both hands? We can take it somewhat seriously, but it's very difficult to take

it too seriously. We have to let go. We just can't cling to things and have Baba still in our grasp in this crazy world. And Baba's prediction is correct, it is much more difficult every day to really hold on to Baba in this world.

I add to that imageanother image that Mehera gave when she showed me around Baba's bedroom and paused in front of Baba's window. It's a window that looks out on

the countryside, a beautiful scene. She turned to us, tears in her eyes and she said,"Babawould point at this window and He would say 'This is my TV, this window is Baba's

TV.'" I would lookout thereand people wete planting and there were cows. Later I thought about that and I thought that to Beloved Baba, our lives must be like watching the TV, a soap opera, exactly. But to tune in the soap operas

except what is real. That is the job of the Beloved, to get us to let go of everything else. The ego has no intention of letting go. What has habituated for millenia to cling is not going to let go, no matter what we say to it, and how much we think we are so smart that we can outsmart

out own egos. So I looked for something Baba said that encapsulated how I feel about this and I found a quote which I will share with you. Baba said, "To stick to me means to keep me pleased at the cost of your own comforts and pleasures." The first sentence seems again like we have to do something and it's up to us, but then Baba goes on to say, "It means to be resigned to My will, whether

you keep good health or bad, whether you make money or lose it, and whether you gain name and fame or become the laughing stock ofothers.w So"that's what Babadeflnes as sticking to Him. Holding on to Him means being re

signed to whatever His will is. That's an amazing thing. The first time it occurred to me that this is what Baba was

working for in my life was when my dog got very ill when I was a little boy. (Actually, not so little—I was a teen ager.) These ate things that may seem very unimportant

toeverybody else but to ayoung boy, they were. The thing was that the dog was my very best friend. I was very introverted and shy as a child and had very few friends, but Buffwas my companion, my constant companion. She was a collie. Baba had sent love to this dog many times. Never was there a message from India sending love to us where the dog and the cat were not also listed—not one message. Buff came to live with me just after Baba left in 1958.1 look back now and I feel it was Baba's comfort to

me. I was bereft when Baba left physically, and 1got this

and look at them for a few minutes makes me feel how

collie dog. She was very wise and wonderful as so many

Baba sometimes must see our lives.

dogs are. She got sick suddenly at the vet's when we were away, and she was dying.

Here are these people striving so hard to take everything so seriously and there is a crisis every moment. Sitting in your home watching this, you jire saying, "Come on now, really, how can you make such a deal out of this and how come you have a crisis every moment, this isn't real!" But the people in the soap opera are getting paid to make it look very real and we make it look very real too. Unfor tunately, we don't know that we are actots. We are acting out the script too, probably with less improvisation than they are in the soap opera. The difference is that when I watch the soap opera I mock the people in my mind, I

laugh at them, I feel supetior that my life isn't so stupid as that. Baba doesn't do that. He watches His TV and He

feels compassion, He feels involved in it. His love is such

that, in spite of how silly it mayultimatelybe, Baba helps us with it; that's why He's so sweet, that's why He's the Beloved, after all.

The notion that Baba conveys is that if we hold on with two hands, that's the beginning and the end of surrender. His task is to get us to do that. Baba, the Meher Baba that lives in us, our real Self, spends all of its time, once it's awakened a little bit, getting us to let goof everything else

Elizabeth Patterson, who loved dogs mote than people by a long shot (she loved people alot, but dogs held a special place), was there tending to my dog while I was away and when I came back she went to get me at the airport and drove me straight to the veterinarian. On the way shesaid, "Baba tells us that everything is His will and we should

behappy in His will." I knew something was coming. "Buff is very sick." Of course, it was like being told my world was coming to an end, I couldn't believe it. She added on

to a cable that she had sent to Mani (she had just received the family letter and in those days, the mid 60s, youcould not communicate for anything except work). Elizabeth never disobeyed Baba, never, but she very cleverly added onto the end of the cable "Dog Buff very sick". Buff died and I was devastated; those of you who have children or pets can probablyempathize. Baba cabled me. I had never received a cable from Baba, I had gotten messages through someone else, through Elizabeth or my mother but this was the first direct message I had ever received from Baba—it was a cable to me. Babasaid,"Your love for Me will help Buff who is also Mine. Be resigned (continued on page 4)

MEETINGS - Meher Baba events are held on Saturday nights. TIMES- Events start at 8:00 PM and normally end by 9:30 PM unless otherwise noted. LOCATIONS - Events

are held at the Albany Methodist Church unless otherwise noted. The church Is at the corner of Marin and Stannage,

two blocks east of San Pablo Avenue in Albany (North of Berkeley) Take the Albany exit from Interstate 80. To check for program changes call 510-845-4339.

» Bookstore <85 Childcare

ID)

Friday June 28 - Teen Overnight Campout at Samuel P. Taylor Park in Marin A special get-togetherforBaba's youth. CallMargaretBernstein for registration forms and information. (415) 488-4791.

**8b Saturday June 29 - Know Your Arris.' Spend a musical evening getting to know the Indian Artis with the mandali on tape and Raine Eastman-Gannet.

Saturday, July 6 - L.A. Sahavas Weekend

Saturdayi May 4 - Film Night We will see Meher Baba's Call and The Ancient One.

V&Saturday May 11 -Margaret Bernsteinin Concert We'll hear flute and piano pieces fromMargaret's albumFull Circle and her upcoming releaseOn the Threshold ofChange.

*& Saturday, May 18 - A Reading and Book

Signing With Mehertfazar Resident Craig Ruff Craig is a westerner who has lived and worked at Meher Baba's Trust OfficeCompound in Ahmednagar, India since 1978. He is speaking at several Baba Centers in the U.S.,

and will read excerpts from his books Travelling Music and The Moment Within and his new book Oneness in the World.

Saturday, May 25, 3 PM - Mehera's Tea at Talbots A gathering in the garden in remembrance of the Beloved's beloved. Bring pot luck and Meheramemories, for an after noon of group singing and stories. 721 Crossbrook Drive, Moraga. Call (510) 376-4325 for directions

** Friday, May 31, 7:30 PM - An Evening With A.K. and Leela Kasthuri

Many ofuswill be in L.A.,so there will be no meeting tonight.

Saturday, July 13 - Film Night Meher Baba's 1956 U.S.A. tour - a 40-year anniversary!

& Saturday, July 20 - Francis BrabazonRemembered Raine Eastman-Gannet and Sue Jamison will lead an evening of reminiscences of this stalwart man who was Baba's bard. Bring your favorite poem or Francis story.

*& Saturday, July 27 - Baba's Musical Musketeers Once more with feeling - Ron, Darrell & Dave in concert. Augustis traditionallya "month off' for our group. Our first event next season will be the annual Labor Day Picnic. Details in the next newsletter.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AVATAR'S NET: Interested in working on a Web Site for the MBCNC? Call Bryan Drygas (408) 356-3512.

STRAY PHONE MESSAGES: Our phone tree has not been reaching everyone on the list. Please be conscientious about callingyourdesignated people. If youwant to get on the phone

Currently residents of Lafayette, California, and formerly

tree or need information, call Annie Stovall (510) 938-2126.

from Madras, India, the Kasthuris will share stories from

NEWSLETTER MAILING LIST: To get your name on it,

their many years of following Meher Baba. A.K. Kasthuri remembers playing marbles with Baba as a little boy. He is the grandson of Sampath Aiyangar, a devoted disciple of Meher Baba in the 30s and 40s. A.K. would like to "meet

and greet" us. Come early to socialize. Talk starts at 8 PM.

leave a message on Scott Maloney's phone (510) 524-8451, or dieoffice phone (510) 845-4339, or speak to anyboard member FILMWALLA NEEDED: We need a projectionist to share responsibility forfilm nights, starting in September. Any takers? Please call Steve Jacobs (510) 237-9257

V Sunday June 9, 6 PM - Raphael Rudd in Concert at the Plymouth United Church, Oakland

MEHERANA: For info, about Meherana summer events

A benefit for MBCNC to raisefunds for an August visit with Bili Eaton and Tex Hightower. See the enclosed flyer.

MEHER MOUNT: Celebrate 50 years of preservation, 40

* Saturday, June 15 - Annual Qeneral Meeting Outreach is the theme for tonight's meeting - we will hear about a potential Web Site for the MBCNC, and about opportunities for service work through the Berkeley Boost ers. Yourvote counts. Come and help plan our future course.

Saturday June 22 - Summer Dhuni at Muir Beach Meet at Muir Woods entrance at 3 PM for a hike, then pot luck dinner at the beach, then dhuni. Take Hwy 101 north

to the Hwy. 1 Exit, then follow signs to Muir Woods.

and work weekends, call Hermann Loew (707) 778-1195.

years of sanctification. Bring a picnic lunch Saturday Aug. 3, 9:30 AM to 5 PM. Guests: Bili Eaton, Tex Hightower,

Marguerite Poley and Adele Wolkin. Call (415) 494-6443. THE LORD WEAVES HIS TAPESTRY . . . Phillip Kearse, the pastor of Albany Methodist Church, lived

in Myrtle Beach in 1973 and knew Elizabeth Patterson. They were members of the same Methodist Church. He wasdelighted

at the 'connection' and has invited our group to give a presen tation on Meher Baba to die church's Tuesday night group.

Meher Baba Center of Northern California, Inc. President, Betty Lowman• Vice President, Janet White • Secretary, Steve Jacobs • Treasurer, Jack Mormon Board of Directors: Kirk Allen• Alisa Dreyfuss• Steve Jacobs* Emiko Larson • Betty Lowman • Cliff Mauzey • Janet White Newsletter: Alexandra Cons, Editor • Lisa Greenstein, Keith Gunn, Betty Lowman, Cherri Nelson, Clint Snyder, Sharon Snyder Trustwalla: Jack Mormon (P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288)

and happy to My will. Meher Baba." Of course, when I got the cable everything lifted; I felt genuinely happy because I felt it was Baba's will. It was the first time in

my life that I actually felt that God's will is in everything. At that moment, when I heard the cable over the phone,

I just felt this was God's will and I was actually happy about it. I cabled Baba back that I wasresigned to His will and then, because we were all so concerned about Baba's health, I addeda line that I hoped his suffering wasbetter. Later,I wondered if the Mandalireadingthis cable thought I meant that because the dog was dead that Baba's suffer ing should be easedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; what was the connection there? (I knew that Baba knew what I meant.) Anyway, it was my great opportunity to say something directly to Baba. The point of that little vignette from a child's life is very simple and that is that being resigned to God's will is not easy. It's a gift that Baba gives us gradually in our lives with Him and everything He does conspires to get us to do that. I'm sure you have picked up by now that He has to work, it's loving of Baba to work for us to be resigned to His will. I don't know what I thought surrenderwasbut, the more I am with Baba, the more I realize that my notions of surrender are really misplaced unless I'm really focussed on being resigned to His will. That is the only way to let go, if you are really deeply convinced that that's the case, that all of life is the will of God, not 90%, not

95% but 100% of everything is God's will. There is no other will but, of course, that is a lesson that Baba cannot

teach us except through experience. We have to have that through the daily experiencesof having our clinging ripped away from us. That's His love for us. And the more we remember Him the more He does it. Remembrance of

God brings down the sword of God on one's neck because

LOCAL MEETINGS EI Cerrito - Sunday Mornings - 10:00 AM Arti and singing at the Greensteins (510) 525-3364.

El Cerrito - Thursday Evenings -7:15 PM Discourse reading and discussion. Contact Louise Barrie or Dick Anthony at (510) 524-1440.

Fresno - Wednesday Evenings - 7:30 to 8:30 PM Arti and a varied program. Contact Sharon or Phil Scott at (209) 449-0877.

Menlo Park - Friday Evenings - 8:00 PM Arti, singing and readings at the home of Hugh and Jean MacDonald. Call them at (415) 322-0886 or Betty Lowman at (415) 323-1900.

Petaluma - First Sunday of the Month - 11:00 AM Arti, readings, and fellowship! Call Hermann or Jeanette Loew at (707) 778-1195. Please call ahead.

Sacrluhento - Occasional Meetings Discourse readings and occasional gatherings. Contact Mike and Jean Ross (916) 486-2924.

San Francisco - Wednesday Evenings -7 to 8:30 PM Readings and discussion. Call Peter Ravazza at (510) 769-1839 or Mary Weiss at (415) 221-8724.

Walnut Creek - Monday Evenings - 8 to 9:30 PM Videos will be shown the first Monday of every month. Subsequent Mondays will be devoted to study of Discourses. Please call Helen Riehl (510) 935-0167 or Gil Shepard (510) 930-8670 for meeting locations. THE TRUST

All who wish to share in the commitment laid down

by Meher Baba through the Trust should contact Jack Mormon, P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288. 'Please note that this is Jack's New Address.

it has to, that's what love from God isâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to cut off our false

self from its habit of clinging to what's unreal. That was my first lesson in the truth that everything is God's will.

MEHER BABA INFORMATION

People who wish to know more about Meher Baba

can obtain introductory material and a catalogue of available publications by writing or phoning Meher Baba Information, P.O. Box 1101, Berkeley, CA94701. Or call (510) 562-1101.

MEHER BABA CENTER

of Northern California, Inc. 2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley,California 94704

Non.Profit U.S.

Postage Paid El Cerrito, CA Permit No. 186

AddressCorrection Requested

"A 90

MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CALIF INC.

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704

2131 UNIVERSITY AVE. RM. 235 VOL. 26

FALL 1996

Surrender to Meher Baba

So I went back and, sure enough, I couldn't talk them out of it. The sectetary of the draft board said, "I'm sorry, you're just classified 1A, report to Columbia next week for your physical." I said, "this can't be happening to me." I arrived in Colum bia, you know how humiliating that is, you're stripped naked and herded through

This is part two of a two-part, edited transcription of a talk Charles Haynes gaveat the home of Ron and Lisa Greenstein in EI Cerrito, California in August 1988

1 can't resist giving one other lesson from my life. It's not that these are very big deals', but they are illus trative what I'm trying to say. Many of us in this room tried to keep from going to Vietnam. It was not something that we believed in or wanted to do. I outright told Baba that I just wasn't going to fight this war. I just said, "Baba

room after room.

Of course, there was nothing in the world wrong with me, which was too bad. I was physically fit and had no history

fession now. I hope I would be smarter than this today but there are some things in our lives that we have to be

of health problems. 1 got into the last room and I was saying Baba's name, in desperation. The doctor came in and went down the line like they did in those days, look ing at you, stark naked, clinging to this piece of paper with your life on it. He goes down and doesn't even look at you. Everybody is hoping that he'll find something and he

honest with Baba about - "1 can't do it." It's better to tell

doesn't.

Him, because then we are dealing with it; that eases some of the pain. So 1 told Baba, "I just can't deal with this, I don't want to go to Vietnam." I tried to get exempt because I was going to seminary. Actually, 1 was going to seminary anyway but I wasn't

I'm standing there and I'm beginning to shift on my feet. When I stand a long time my feet hurt, because my feet are sort of flat. But, the truth is, this doctor didn't care what your feet looked like. I'd always heard of flat feet being some kind of out but in those days you had to go to some kind of specialist and wear some shoes that were

there's a limit here and this is it for me." This is a con

going to become a minister. I really didn't want to be a minister in an organized church, so they turned me down. Those of you who have been through draft board situa tions know how terribly hard-nosed they can be and this is Hotry County, South Carolina, the end of the earth as far as draft boards are concerned. They turned me flat down saying "you don't representa real religion." In Horry County you're either a Baptist, a Methodist or maybe a Presbyterian.

They turned me down when I was in India. I'd gone to India that summer and I got this cable that I had been classified 1A. I couldn't believe it. "Baba, I thought I told You, this is something I cannot do. You say You take us

only to the edge and then you pull us back. This is the time for a little pulling back." I was really upset about the idea of being 1A. Mother and Elizabeth were in Moscow,

like your grandmother's and you had to prove that you were crippled. 1hadn't done any of that. I was uncomfort able, so unconsciously I was beginning to shift on my feet. This doctor goes out of the room, having finished his job and the door opens. A guy comes in, with white hair and glasses, who I'll never forget. He walks up to me, not to anybody else in this line of naked people, and says, "Do your feet bother you?" 1 said, "If I stand for a long period of time, I have kind of flat feet." He said, "What about when you walk?" I said, "Well, 1can walk for a while, but I can't walk for long distances without feeling uncomfort able." He said, "1 see." He grabbed this paper from me, looked at it, made a note on it, gave it back to me and went out of the room.

Horry County like a^riangle.To this day 1am convinced

Then I went to the final room, got dressed and stood in long lines. I got near the front and they were stamping like this, they were not even looking at these things. Some body asked me something and I lost my place in line

Baba had some other tRtrifg'HSMvas doing that we know nothing about that had greater significance than my puny lifestory. Elizabeth thought I had to go back and face this and cut my trip to India short. I was thinking maybe of permanent residence in India. My mother sent a cable saying, "Aunt Boo says, 'Get haircut'."

line, now back further. I realized later if I had not had that conversation about Baba and religion at that point, I would have been stamped and out of there.

I was in India and the draft board was in South Carolina

so the cables flew between Moscow, Ahmednagar and

because wegot engrossed in a conversation about religion. Baba came up because the guy asked me what my beliefs were. I realized that I had lost my place, so I got back in

ÂŠ1996

So, 1 was still waiting in line, having lost my place, and a side door in this room opens, the same guy walks out (white hair, glasses), comes over to me, and says, "Come with me." 1 go into this tiny little cubicle, he sits behind this desk, takes my sheet and starts asking me my whole medical history. Of course, it was fine, 1 have nothing

wrong with me. Finally, he looks at me and he says ver batim, "I think we can get you out on your feet alone." I didn't say anything. I couldn't believe this guy. He took my sheet and started writing. Then he says, "Don't get back in line. Go to the door and show them this. Don't

go back through the line." I went to the door, I showed the guy this, he read it, he looked at it, he looked around and found this stamp and stamped it 1Y. "Out, finished." What it was, was this. On the way back from India, I sat there and I said to Baba, "Baba, if you want me for Your work, if it's Your will that I go to Vietnam, then I will. I know, Baba, whateverYou want I'm goingto do it anyway. What I'm saying to You, Baba, is that I'll accept that, I'll

be happyabout that and I'll try my best to be happyabout whatever happens, whether I go to Vietnam or whether I stay home. I'll try Baba, I'll promise that I'll try, that's all I can do." Baba had wrung me dry, 1had nothing left, no fight left in me. 1realized that afterthat it was finished. After that, whether I went to Vietnam or not was totally irrelevant to Baba. He's going to have me whete He wants me. That's what Baba was interested in.

The truth is that that's all Baba is ever interested in, is

getting us to that point. Whatever it is in our lives that is most difficult to let go of, He will bring us to that point where we say to Him, "Baba, 1will be happy with whatever happens." Because, you see, at that point, He has won. That's His victory. His whole job as the Beloved, once He has awakened in our hearts, is for that victory. What is going to happen to us is already there, that's not going to change; but what Baba is interested in is using the events in our lives, the moments in our lives, the challenges in

our lives, to get us to that point of surrendering to Him, being resigned to Him, and to whatever happens. That doesn't change what is going to happen. I could have just as easily gone to Vietnam, but I would have been accept

ingof it. Baba broke something in me that got me to that point. As it happens He didn't want me to go to Vietnam but that's not the point. That was planned long long ago, whether I was going to Vietnam or not. I can't sit there and manipulate that no matter what I do. It's not my will, there is only my false idea that 1 have a will, that's all there is except for Baba. As long as that false idea persists, I'm going to try to manipulate what is happening but that doesn't help, it doesn't make any difference. Baba's work is not to get us to make the right choices it doesn't matter what choices we make, the same thing is going to happen anyway. No, His work is not to get us to make better choices, His work is to get us to be happy with whatever happens. A big, big difference. He works

overtime on that particular point as you well know. "Be resigned to My will, whatever happens." Rich, poor, if you suffer think Baba wants you to suffer, if you're happy think Baba want you to be happy because it is all His will, the will of God. There is no two wills or three, there is only one. That's why Baba can say with 100% confidence and enthusiasm, "Don't worry, be happy,"because, really speaking, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Worry is such a waste of energy because it doesn't make any difference, except that it makes us unhappy, which is a big difference personally but in the scheme of things, in terms of what is going to happen to us, there is no difference. So, Baba's constant "Don't worry," is because there is nothing, zero, to worry about. He doesn't mean it in a glib way, He tells the truth. You can worry about what is going to happen tomorrow all you want, but it is not going to change what is going to happen tomorrow. The only thing that matters is to let go and accept what is going to happen tomorrow as His will and be happy about it. If He gives us the sweet say, "Thank You, Baba;" if He gives us the bitter pill say, "Yes, thank You, Baba," and be equally happy. If you see a theme running through many stories about Baba, when He is most touched and most pleased is when the person is happy with the tough things as with the lovely things. It touches Baba because that is His victory. It is the vic tory of His love, when the person is a little bit freer of the bondage that isn't real. "Be happy" is not sort of an off

hand thing that Baba threw off, it is the very heart of His truth, thete is absolutely nothing to worry about at all. So, what is left for us is to play our part well. I know that this is hard forus asWesterners, because we want to change the script. We hate the idea that there is a script to begin with. We want to rewrite and rewrite, and we think there

is something wrong if we do not have a choice to make. But Baba will train that out of us and make us aware that

all this is zero.We think, "Oh, the future, if 1could change it, it would be this. If I could get this job, if I could marry this person, then this would happen." The truth is that it's there already. The only thing wrong in the picture is that somehow we think we can still manipulate it all, we cling to that idea. So Baba works and works to pry our fingers loose and tell us the truth that, "not a leaf falls but it's My will. Be resigned and happy to My will." Whatever hap pens say "Thank You, Baba, for this, thank You, Baba, for that," and play our part well. That we can do, because the gift that the lover of God has is not to manipulate life but to play the part with enthusiasm, with gusto, with joy. That we can do. He gives us that to do. He doesn't rewrite our script, but He gives us the scope to play our part well. It touches Him so much when we do that. Remember all

the time, "I'm playing a part and I'm put on the stage now because Baba wants me to be on the stage. This is no longer just my little ego spinning its wheels, I am here now to play my part, for Him," and even the thought of that begins to make us feel resigned to His will.

MEETINGS - Meher Baba events are held on Saturday nights. TIMES- Events start at 8:00 PM and normally end by 9:30 PM unless otherwise noted. LOCATIONS - Events are held at the Albany Methodist Church unless otherwise noted. The church is at the corner of Marin and Stannage, two blocks east of San Pablo Avenue in Albany (North of Berkeley) Take the Albany exit from Interstate 80. To check for program changes call 510-845-4339. »

Bookstore

Childcare

Saturday, Sept. 21 - Muir Beach Dhuni We'll meet at the picnic tables at Muir Beach at 3 PM, then we proceed to Muir Woods for a short hike then back to the beach for pot luck supper and dhuni.

Saturday Sept. 28 - Video Night at the Stovall's Tex Hightower & Bili Eaton at Meher Mount. 869 Appaloosa Dr. Walnut Creek, call (510) 938-2126 for directions.

Friday, Oct. 4 - Rummage Pricing Night

Wednesday, Aug. 28 - Beverley Smith's in Town! Cherie Longo is hosting an open house/pot luck dinner from 6-11 PM for old-time musician Beverley Smith, who leads squaredancing for Youth Sahavas.This is just a taste of her music - she'll be back to do a fund-raiser this March.

403 Santa Fe St., Pt. Richmond. (510) 232-4107.

Monday: Sept. 2,12-6 PM - Labor Day Picnic! Same day, same place as last year - Arlington Park. From Hwy 80, take the AlbanyExit and goup the hill on Marin to the circle. Take Arlington Avenue north about 2-1/4 miles. The park is on the right. Bring pot-luck salad or dessert, drinks, and meat or veggie-burgers for the barbie. Tableware will be provided. Bring Frisbees, footballs, etc.

Saturday Sept. 7 - Film Night Irwin Luck's film Avatar of the Age

Sept. 11-12 - Meherana/Yosemite with Ann Cordon Ann Conlon, who met Baba in 1961 and runs the Sheriar

Bookstore, will be our guest this week. She'll be visiting Yosemite and Meheranaon Wednesday and Thursday, Sept.

11-12. If you'd like to go along, please call Laura Hogan (510) 237-9257 BYSEPT. 3. ChristiePearson says there's room for about 20 campers at Meherana. There will be a dhuni at Meherana on Thursday Sept. 12th at 7:30 PM.

Friday, Sept. 13 - 7:30 PM, Dinner OutWith Ann We'll gather at Le Cheval, 1007 Clay St. (at 10th) in Oakland for a festive Vietnamese dinner with Ann. Call Catherine Riedel (510) 526-5562 NO LATER THAN SEPT. 7 to RSVP. Leaveyourname, numberin your party,

and specify vegetarian/non-vegetarian. Cost: about $15 per person. Bring asong, poem, or anecdote toshare. Take 12th St.off Hwy 980, Parking on 10th St. behind theMarriott. For further directions, call the restaurant (510) 763-8957.

** Saturday, Sept. 14 - Ann's Birthday/ Ann telb wonderful storiesof her times with Meher Baba.

Come for an evening of Baba stories and birthday cake!

Sunday, Sept. IS, 2 - 5 PM - Tea With Ann More of Ann's Baba stories. Bring potluck dessert to the home ofKirk andMarlene Allen, 3459 Monroe Ave., Lafayette.

From Hwy 24, take the Central Lafayette exit. Turn right at thestop sign to Mt. Diablo Blvd. Go left to Second St., Turn right onSecond, it becomes Monroe. (510) 283-9473.

"What IS this? It's my color! I've always wanted a vintage aviator's jacket..." You never know what treasure you'll come across at the rummagesale pricing night. Don't miss

first pickings! Bring donatable items to the Friends Meeting Social Hall, corner of Walnut and Vine, Berkeley, Friday evening between 5 PM and 9 PM. For earlier drop-off locations, call Janet White (510) 843-4417.

Saturday, Oct. 5 , 9 AM - 6 PM - Rummage Sale! This rummage sale is the biggest fund-raising event wedo! Please sign up for a 2-hour shift to help! Call Bill Moldenschardt before 9 PM (510) 601-1291. Shifts start at8 AM,

V* Saturday Oct. 12 - 6: 30 PM - East Meets West - Raine in Concert - A Pot Luck Fund-raiser Founder and director of The Love Street Singers, Raine Eastman-Gannet has a musical resume that would knock

your socks off. This memorable Indian evening will be a fund-raiser - $5 per person. Wear Indian clothes, bring Indian food (optional), and bask in the ambiance! Chelo!

Saturday Oct. 19 - Home Meeting at the Larsons' Bring Your Own Baba (story, poem, song, memory, dream) to the Larsons'- 510Evelyn Ave. ElCerrito (510)526-2309.

*& Saturday, Oct. 26 - The Haffendens m Concert A real treat - visiting from L.A., Chris andPris Haffenden, will serenade us with classical guitar, oboeand clarinet pieces.

Saturday, November 2 - Film Night Meher Baba's Call and Meher Baba in Nasik

V* Saturday Nov. 9 - Baba Lover-Lovers' Night These wonderful souls have their place in Baba's commu

nity. Spouses/Significant others who are not Baba Lovers have agreed toshare their perspectives. An informative and probably humorous evening chaired by Karen DeWald.

*# Saturday, November 16-7 PM -Improv Night with L.A.'s Scott CraigJones - a Fun Fundraiser Scott led a hilarious improvisational comedy session at this summer's L.A. Sahavas. Adultsand kidsalikediscover their

inner comedian playing these games. Bring your funny bone and $5 per person. Wear comfortable clothes!

Saturday Nov. 23 - Singalong with Ronand Laura Come and sing with Ron Greenstein and Laura Hogan.

Saturday Nov. 29 - No Meeting Tonight

Meher Baba Center of Northern California, Inc.

Board ofDirectors: Alisa Dreyfuss •Noreen Graham •Cheryl LaRosa Longo •Betty Lowman •Catherine Riedel •Karen SterWn •Janet White Newsletter Alexandra Cons, Editor* Lisa Greenstein, Keith Gunn, Betty Lowman, Cherri Nelson

Trvstwalla: Jack Mormon (P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288)

MEHER'S ARTISTS, TAKE NOTE! Our annual Mehermas Bazaar is just around the corner -

Saturday December 14. Start now to create the wonderful wares you'll have for sale! If last year's Bazaar was any in dication, this will be a successful fund-raiser for our group and participating artists, and a fun night for all who come! Children and teenage artists are encouraged to sell too! PROGRAMS FOR BABA'S YOUTH

The teen campout at Samuel P. Taylor Park last June was

a great success! Foutteen kids and adults waded in the creek, told Baba stories by the campfire, hiked, playedgetto-know-you games and generally 'bonded' as they say at Youth Sahavas. We need energetic young volunteers to helpwithmore monthlyactivities forteenagers. Call Margaret Bernstein or Steve Jacobs at (415) 488-4503 to sign up.

LOCAL MEETINGS

El Cerrito - Sunday Mornings - 10:00 AM Arti and singing at the Greensteins (510) 525-3364.

El Cerrito - Thursday Evenings -7:15 PM Discourse reading and discussion. Contact Louise Barrie or Dick Anthony at (510) 524-1440.

Fresno - Wednesday Evenings - 7:30 to 8:30 PM Arti and a varied program. Contact Sharon or Phil Scott at (209) 449-0877.

Menlo Park - Friday Evenings - 8:00 PM Arti, singing and readings at the home of Hugh and Jean MacDonald. Call them at (415) 322-0886 or Betty Lowman at (415) 323-1900.

Petaluma - First Sunday of the Month - 11:00 AM Arti, readings', and fellowship. Call Hermann or Jeanette Loew at (707) 778-1195. Please call ahead.

Sacramento - Occasional Meetings INDIA TRAVEL NEWS There is now a seven-seat air conditioned bus available

from the Bombay (Sahar) International Airport to Pune and from Pune to Sahar Airport. Travellers can book seats at the Arrival Terminal II A at Mumbai Sahar Airport to

Pune counter. The cost is Rs. 325/- per seat (about $9.50).

Discourse readings and occasional gatherings. Contact Mike and Jean Ross (916) 486-2924.

San Francisco - Wednesday Evenings -7 to8:30 PM Readings and discussion. Call Peter Ravazza at (510) 769-1839 or Mary Weiss at (415) 221-8724.

Walnut Creek - Monday Evenings - 8 to 9:30 PM Videos will be shown the first Monday of every month. Subsequent Mondays will be devoted to study

The new Holiday Inn in Pune is offering a 5% discount to those booking advance reservations who mention their affil

of Discourses. Please call Helen Riehl (510) 935-0167

iation with the Meher Baba Trust in their communications.

or Gil Shepard (510) 930-8670 for meeting locations.

The room rate, with discount, runs $70-100. The Leela in Bombay also offers a discount corporate rate to Baba lovers.

THE TRUST

All who wish to share in the commitment laid down

HOSTS/HOMES SOUGHT If you would like to host a visiting guest speaker, or if you would like to have a home meeting at your home, call Betty Lowman (415) 323-1900. Leave a message, please. NUMBERS TO CALL:

â&#x20AC;˘ Mailing List: Scott Maloney (510) 596-8755 x 777 â&#x20AC;˘ Phone Tree: Annie Stovall (510) 938-2126

by Meher Baba through the Trust should contact Jack Mormon, P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288.

MEHER BABA INFORMATION

People who wish to know more about Meher Baba

can obtain introductory material and a catalogue of available publications by writing or phoning Meher Baba Information, P.O. Box 1101, Berkeley, CA94701. Or call(510) 562-1101.

MEHER BABA CENTER

of Northern California, Inc. 2131 University Avenue, Room 235

Berkeley, California 94704 Address Correction Requested

Non-Profit U.S.

Postage Paid El Cerrito, CA Permit No.186

MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CALIF. INC.

2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704

VOL. 26

SUMMER 1997

Mansari of Meherhad Hill This is part 2 of a conversationwith Mansari recorded in the 1970s. one's ego. One day, He came directly to me at the table and said, "Finish your break

By the 1930s I had come to feel that my life was not mine, that it belonged to Baba if He would accept it. When I had a chance to say this He said to me, "For a long time I have been waiting for you, but you have to wait. I will call you, definitely, but you have to wait

fast and come to see Me. 1

will be waiting." So I went and He said, "Let's go for a stroll." I was elated and did

until I call. Be sure that 1 will

callyou." Over and over I wrote letters to Him saying, "When will You call me?" And Baba's letters would say, "Wait, wait." Finally, in 1938, He called me. I received a letter saying, "Come with bag

and baggage." So I came. I didn't come to Meherabad directly, because the upper story of Meherabad was under construction. The whole party had moved to a bunga low in 'Nagar, called "Irrigation Bungalow." 1 took the night train, and Baba sent Jai, His brother, with a car to fetch me at the train station. When I came to the

bungalow, Baba was waiting. After embracing me, He said, "Sit down. I have waited for you for so long, but

today isthe appointedday. 1am happy. Are you?" 1said, "I was counting the days, Baba." Then He said, "Now you are with me. Whatever I say you have to obey." I said, "Everything Baba, whatever You say I am ready for, except separation." So Baba said, "Yes, but love is unconditional and you are binding Me." These words are painted in my heart. They are good fot everyone to remember. I withdrew my condition and said, "What ever You say, Baba, 1 am ready."

1 will tell you now how He nailed me down to Meher abad Hill. We moved here after the upper story was

ready. Every day Baba p;se^$A^n|ef|ieTe at 6:30 while we were having breakfast befpr^He went to serve Mohammed the mast..,. He> would ask how we slept, how was our health, what kind of dreams we had had, sometimes cracking jokes and sometimes pruning some

not realize what was going to happen. From the beginning of our stroll, Baba held my hand, and from the very first step He began repeating, "It's all Mine," gesturing that the whole world was His. "Do you like it?" I said, "Yes, Baba, it is Yours and I like it." Every step He repeated this. Then, after some time, "The whole universe is Mine, but this hill is especially Mine. Do you like it?" And I continued to teply, "It is Yours, Baba, and that

is why I like it." Our stroll stayed within the compound wall on the very top of Meherabad Hill. Eventually we stopped, facing the room that I have lived in all these years, and He said, "This is Mine too. Do you like it?" I said "Yes Baba." Baba then said, "Suppose one day I take everyone with Me, leaving you here for 12 months. Of course I will give you provisions. Will you stay?"

Hearing this, the tears rolled down from my eyes. I said, "I have not come for that, Baba." And He said, "Are

you crying? You don't like My joke? I won't joke with you about this any more." I said, "I like your jokes, Baba, but this is not a joke. This is the atom bomb for me." He said, "No, I know now that you don't like My joke so, from now on, forget what I said." I did not forget it. After that there were the bus tours, the hospitals, and various things. In March of 1944 He left for Meherazad, leaving a few of us here in Meherabad. He used to come often to see us and whenever He came,

I would ask Him, "Baba, when will You come to stay here as before?" At that time I was not ready and He used to gesture, as if to say, "wait, wait." That meant

ÂŠ1997

to me that He would come back some day. Every time He came 1would ask the same question, and He would

repeat the same gesture in response. Then, in 1946, He came as usual and I asked my question, as usual. Baba said, "It would please Me if instead of that, you would say to Me, 'Baba, go anywhere You like; 1 will stay in Meherabad.'" Again I said, "I did not come for that, Baba." He shrugged His shoulders, as if to say "who knows?" So again, it was dropped. Then in '47, He sent a note that He was coming. "Be ready at 9:30, I have to talk to you all." When He came the next day He looked very stern and He said, "Whoever has the hope that-Baba-will-eome-here to-stay as before, rub hvout. When 1 like I will call you or I will come here. But, whoever has the hope that Baba will come here to stay as before, rub it out. It will never happen. Under this condition, whoever wants to stay in Meherabad, they can. If not, then by 2:30 today, let Me know. Decide

where you want to go. I will give you a ticket, I will garland you, and I will send you by train." All this by gestures, as perfect as He is. In a stern way He said, "Now you go and decide, and by 2:30 come here and tell Me what you have decided.

I began to talk to some Baba lovers from Poona and Baba came out from the meeting right behind me, but I didn't see Him. Baba came to me, put His hand on my shoulder and said, "What are you doing here?" I

said, "I am talking to this lady." Baba said, "No, go bring Me the Times of India." So I left, to go fetch the paper. He followed me, and as soon as we had left the

people He put His hand on my shoulder, saying, "What is the decision?" It was only 10 minutes and I had forgotten completely about the decision. 1 saidr^abap what kind of decision do You want?" And He said, "Forgot? "I said, "I don't remember, Baba." And then He said, "Were you here when I called?" 1 said, "Yes,

Baba." "You might have been here, but perhaps you were having a nap. Just try to think." Try as I might, I could not remember. Then He was very mild and He said, "I sent a note to be here at 9:30, and I came and

I told you to decide." Then I remembered everything and said, "Yes, Baba, what is there to decide?" 1 was

ready. Baba said, "Is it so?" I said, "Yes, Baba. For years, I have decided." Then He said, "I'm so glad." He dic tated the first line of a old song on the board that says,

He drew me near and He embraced me and said, "You

have made Me very happy today. Now you go." This was not the end of that decision â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it is Baba's way that it has to be confirmed and reconfirmed. Years went

by. He called all of us one day. He looked much, much more stern, and He said, "For my work, I am starting

a new phase called the New Life, and when I start my .New Life, you won't ever see My face again until the end of your life. This time I will choose where you all will go. Now, who am I?" We all said, "You are God." "Yes," He said, "nothing but God. Bear in mind that I am God, and God never does wrong to His children. He exists just for their good. I will chobse^wriefe" you are to be sent and, for the rest of your lives, wherever you

go, even if you hear that 1 am in your place, don't try to see Me. And whatever I say, you have to obey." We all agreed. "Don't show me a weepy face when I leave for the New Life, and no correspondence." By that time we all were weeping because that idea, that we would never see Baba again in our lifetime was horrible for us. So He said, "Now you go and I will decide." At this time, He took our promise to abide by His decision, and one New Life condition was that "whatever Baba says, you have to say 'Yes' and your 'yes' is your promise. You can't rub it out. You have to stick to it."

In the month prior to the New Life,He cameto Meherabad almost every day. His first decision was that no one

could stay in Meherabad, either Upper or Lower. Then it was that Mohammed would stay and, to take care of Mohammed, Sidhu would stay. Even Padri couldn'tstay in Meherabad. During that time He looked so stern

that we did not dare to face Him. The night of 10th October, 1948, I was in my room, going to bed. All of a sudden it struck me that perhaps I could ask Baba, if it didn't violate my New Life promise, if He would permit me to stay in Meherabad? Next day, 11th of

October, Baba came, and I was struggling to get the chance to ask, because He looked so stern and there

wasn't much time. 1 was waiting in the garden, and He came past me, and asked, "Is there anything to say? Say it now." So I said, "Go anywhere you like. If my promise is intact and if You love me, shall I stay in Meherabad?" Now, without my intention, the exact words He had said to me in 1946 that would please Him

"Oh Beloved, whether I am to die or to live, I will live

just came out. Still very stern, He said, "Don't think

at your threshold, in your lane." "Are you ready for that?" He asked me. "Baba, I am ready for that, it is not a new thing for me." Very jovially, very poetically He said, "Desai has decided in das minute." Desai is my family name, and "das," in our language, means 10. So,

that I am changing things because I love you. It was My plan all along that you should stay here. You have made Me very pleased that you want to stay here. It was my plan and 1 want you to be here." He became

very mild, and He asked me, "What happened two (continued on page 4)

two blocks east of San Pablo Avenue in Albany (North of Berkeley) Take the Albany exit from Interstate 80. To check for program changes call 510-845-4339. *

Bookstore

Childcare

Saturday, June 7 - Videos at the Whites' - 8 PM. Janet and Fred White will host a video evening at their home, 1811 Francisco St. #5, Berkeley. They'll show Eternal Beloved, O Parvardigar and Meher Baba's statement to America, given in 1932 in Greenwich Village. Call (510) 843-4417 for directions.

Saturday, July 26 - Qhazal Night Bring your favorite ghazals or other poetry to share and join us in a sip of the wine of the Beloved.

Greet Bhau at the Airport! We have three opportunities to greet Bhau with gusto! Below are dates and flight times. Please double-check times with the airlines. Also call our message machine (510) 845-4339, to make sure his plans haven't changed. June 10 SFO 7 PM U.S. Air flight #317

July 11 Oakland 12:51 PM United flight #2206 July 18 SFO

3:30 PM British Air flight #284

June 13, 14, 15 - Meherana Sahavas with Bhau -

no meeting this Saturday Saturday, June 21 - Annual Qeneral Meeting-7PM Tonight, the members of the Meher Baba Center of Northern California will elect a new boatd, ap prove a 1997-98 budget and vote on four initiatives. Three are additions to our bylaws, one concerns our future meeting schedule. If you have not received copies of these in the mail, send a self-addressed stamped enveloped to our office and we will mail them to you.

Saturday, June 28 - Share Stories with Mr. A.K. Kasthuri at the home of Kirk and Marlene Allen

Vacation

In August, MBCNC traditionally takes a vacation. Enjoy your summer, and we'll see you in September! Labor day picnic

We will have our traditional Labor Day Picnic at Ar lington Park on Monday, Sept. 1 from 2-5 PM. Volunteers needed!

Our spirit of vounteerism needs reviving! We have several opportunities for service. Do any of them speak to you?

This promises to be a delightful evening with "A.K.,"

• Board Member - there are a few vacancies!

as he likes to be called. He wants to hear our stories,

• OfficeWalla - handle mail, etc. at our office

as well as share his own unique experiences growing

• Bookstore Walla - sell books at occasional meetings • Newsletter Mailing Coordinator - four times a year

up in a Baba family in Madras, India. The Aliens live at 3459 Monroe Avenue, Lafayette. Call (510) 283-9473 for directions.

July 4, 5, 6 Sahavas with Bhau at Pilgrim Pines no meeting this Saturday.

Many Thanks!

To Jim Quartieri and his rummage sale crew, who made over $1,000 for our group at the sale on April 19!

July 11 -16- BhauKdchuri's '97 Bay Area Tour! Not to be missed! A detailed itinerary and direc tions to all events will be mailed to all those on our

mailing list. If you have not received an itinerary by the end of June, call Betty Lowman (415) 3231900. We will also update our office message machine with changes, so call (510) 845-4339 to check on events.

Editor's Note: In our last newsletter, we credited Laura Hogan and Lisa Greenstein for creating the slide show Images of Love. Deborah Muth and Nancy Furgal were also co-creators. NUMBERS TO CALL:

• Mailing List: Scott Maloney (510) 596-8755 x 777

SaturdayJuly 19 -No meeting tonight

• Phone Tree: Annie Stovall (510) 938-2126

Meher Baba Center of Northern California, Inc. President,Janet White, Vice President, Betty Lowman, Secretary, Catherine Riedel, Treasurer, Jack Mormon Boardof Directors: Alisa Dreyfuss • Noreen Graham • Cheryl LaRosa Longo• Betty Lowman• Catherine Riedel * Karen SterWn• Janet White Newsletter. Alexandra Cons, Editor • Keith Gunn, Betty Lowman, Chem* Nelson Trustwalla: Jack Mormon (P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288)

years before? Do you remember?" 1said, "No Baba." He said, "Then what is thete to remember? Life goeson and on. The only thing to remember is to think of Me all the time." His first and foremost order to me at this time

was not to cry, because I was the biggest crier (and giggler). So He said not to cry, because it would spoil my health, and His work would be affected if my health turned bad. He said, "Don't hope that Baba will come here." Then He said something that I reflected on for years, "Though I say that I am not coming, who knows? One day 1 may come. But don't cry and no correspondence. Always keep on thinking of Me and be happy. Wherever you are, 1am there, remember that I am with you." Then He embraced me. He gave me His hand to kiss and then He left for the day. He left for the New Life on the 16th of October. The idea that we would nbtTsee BaEaTor the "rest of our lives

was horrible, but after two months or so Sarosh came

to deliver a message personally from Baba. It said "If you have the hope that Baba will come one day to stay at Meherabad as before, rub it out. It won't happen." Just for a fraction of a second, I hutt very deeply. Then I told Sarosh, "It is very horrible. But still, though my hopes had been dashed, now He starts correspondence all by Himself." Then, after another two months, another Baba lover brought the same message, "Go personally to Mansari and give her the message that it will never happen." Then my hope was growing. Then, after a few months again, a long New Life circular came, and in it, there was one special line for me, "If Mansari has the hope that I will come again to Meherabad Hill, she should rub it out." Then, because it was the third time,

1 just screamed, "He is sure to come!" And He did come after the New Life was done, on the 13th of February, 1952. And that is the story of my life with Baba. .',:••

•

,•

Discourse reading and discussion. Contact Louise Barrie or Dick Anthony at (510) 524-1440.

Fresno - Wednesday Evenings - 7:30 to 8:30 PM Arti and a varied program. Contact Sharon or Phil Scott at (209) 449-0877.

Menlo Park - Friday Evenings - 8:00 PM Arti, singing and readings at the home of Hugh and >eannie MacDonald. Call them at (415) 322-0886 or Betty Lowman at (415) 323-1900.

Petaluma - Sunday Mornings -11:00 AM Arti, readings, and fellowship. Contact Hermann or Jeanette Loew at (707) 778-1195. Please call ahead.

Sacramento - Surulay-Morrdngs - H-&Q-AM Discourse readings and occasional gatherings. Contact Mike and Jean Ross (916) 486-2924.

Walnut Creek - Monday Evenings -8 to 9:30 PM -Videos will be shown the first Monday of every month. Subsequent Mondays will be devoted to study of Discourses. Please call Helen Riehl (510) 935-0167 or

Gil Shepard (510) 930-8670 for meeting locations.

THE TRUST

All who wish to share in the commitment laid down

by Meher Baba through the Trust should contact Jack Mormon, P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288.

MEHER BABA INFORMATION

People who wish to know more about Meher Baba can obtain introductory material and a catalogue of available publicaitons by writing or phoning Meher Baba Information. P.O. Box 1101, Berkeley, CA 94701. Or call (510)562-1101

MEHER BABA CENTER -^

W0.--. .

Arti and singing at the Greensteins (510) 525-3364.

El Cerrito - Thursday Evenings - 7:15 PM

•

W .

v:#r

LOCAL MEETINGS El Cerrito - Sunday Mornings - 10:00 AM

•••••

• . l"

!"" " '

.Ji^^H

iF^I

•/

!»••

K::'l.|; **

ip/. A K

2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704 Address Correction Requested

•Bi A

•We fr-tf^ B|Slli ",;i-' ' '•*

of Northern California, Inc.

Non-Profa U.S.

Postage Paid El Cerrito, CA Permit No. 186

MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CALIF INC. ?

"S7

R BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704

2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235 VOL. 26

SPRING 1997

Mansari's Special Disease The following cable came on January 12 from the Meheratad mandali: "Beloved Baba has taken unto Himself His dear Mansari, who served as a beacon of His light on Meherabad HiU for many years and now is merged into the Sun. Avatar Meher Baba kiJai!"

obstinate, this just added to my obstinacy. I decided not to go to any more doctors and concluded that all doctors were hypocrites. From then on, whenever my aunt would suggest a doctor, I would refuse.

In 1925 my aunt died so, naturally, I had to go to my parents. My father had been following Baba for two years at that time, so my parents tried to persuade me to go to Baba. They said, "Baba will cure you." I was so dis gusted, 1said, "When all doctors fail, what will your Baba do?" I refused to go. So they wrote to Kaikobad to

This story, the first of two parts, is from a conversation intheearly 1970s, which began when she was asked, "How did you come to Baba?" Mansari, who was known for her dogs and her humor, as in," 1 have two friends D-O-G andG-O-D," began...

Sometimes I say that 1sat in the train and 1 came to 'Nagar, and I came to Baba! But now, the real thing—how I came to Baba. I was born in Bombay and lived there for 15 years. My aunt

take me to Baba because he followed

Meher Baba too. At that time, if I

would listen to anyone, 1 would listen to Kaikobad. He was very kind to us, very kind. He wrote to me to come to Bombay and go on a picnic to 'Nagar, saying that I would be

raised me because she loved me and

she had no children. My parents used to stay in Navsari.

Until the age of 5 years, I was very healthy—skinny, but still veryhealthy. ©1994 Robert Dreyfuss pleased toseeBaba. Kaikobad wrote, Then 1got an awful skin disease, on the feet and on the "I promise that I won't say anything about your dis hands. It spread from my feet up to my knees, and from ease to Baba." If it pleased Kaikobad I felt I could do my hands up to the elbows. The rest of the body and it, as long as he was not going to say anything to Baba. face was completely intact, but where the disease was Then I came here, to Ahmednagar. At 8 o'clock I saw I was scarred, I thought for life. My dear aunt took Baba for the first time. He was in the rickshaw (the utmost care to cure me, and every medicine was tried one now in the Meherabad museum), and was being but failed. When I was 12 years old, somebody suggest drawn, probably by the prem ashram boys, from ed a skin specialist, so I was taken there by Kaikobad Dastur, a close family friend and the one I liked and trusted most. When that doctojvstfw me\ he said, "Re

ally, 1 don't know why the other ddcrxws* didn't cure

Meherabad Hill to Lower Meherabad. 1 was standing in a queue when 1 saw Him. At that time there were no restrictions on visiting Meherabad, and many

her. It's a very simple case." Well, the poor doctor tried

lovers used to come for Darshan, for an interview or for

his best, for months, but he could not cure me. He tried

advice. 1 saw Baba coming out of the rickshaw. From the beginning I took Baba as a great personality, but

everything. He gave me 75 injections in one day! But it did not work at all, and at last he had to say, "I'm very sorry to say that this child has to suffer for the rest of her life, because I have never seen such an

obstinate disease." 1 heard that, and since by nature I'm

not more. I did not consider Him even a saint or a

perfect master, so the idea of His being God was very far away. I saw Baba as I saw any ordinary person but, for Kaikobad's sake, I folded my hands.

MEETINGS - Meher Baba events are held on Saturday nights. TIMES- Events start at 8:00 PM and normally end

ID)

by 9:30 PM unless otherwise noted. LOCATIONS - Events

8 PM at the Jamisons. Call (510) 236-7993 for direc tions. Bring your own 70s photos and reminiscences.

are held at the Albany Methodist Church unless otherwise noted. The church is at the comer of Marin and Stannage, two blocks east of San Pablo Avenue in Albany (North of

Saturday AprU 19 - 9 to 4- Rummage Sale! Friends Meeting House, Walnut and Vine Streets, Berkeley

Berkeley) Take the Albany exit from Interstate 80. To check for program changes call 510-845-4339. •» Bookstore

Childcare

V Saturday, March 1, 7 PM - Two Videos We'll see Mitchell Rose's video of Mani's interment,

and a talk by Jeff Maguire and friends about their, experiences in India at the time of Mani's passing.

$3* Saturday, March 8,7-11 PM - Square Dance with Beverley Smith and her Old -Time Musicians A livelyfund-raiser for our group! Beverley wrote the song Holdingonwith Two Hands andleads squaredancing for YouthSahavas at Myrtle Beach.Admission is $10, $5 for students. Live band, raffle, food and drink at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1606 Bonita Street at

Cedar in Berkeley. Square dance experience not nec essary! Call Cherie Longo for info. (510) 232-4107.

V Saturday, March 15 - Mission StatementMeeting Come and discuss our proposed missionstatement and policy on relationswith Sufism Reoriented. Boththese itemswill be on the agenda at our next Annual Gen eral Meeting. This is your chance for input before the AGM. For copies of the proposals, send a self-ad dressed stamped envelope to the MBCNC office. To get backgroundinformation, call Ron Greenstein (510) 525-3364, or Earl Turner (510) 937-4502.

Saturday, March 22 - KJiotv Your Artis Raine Eastman-Gannett will lead us in learning the ..Eastern Artis. Remember standing outside the Tomb, wishing you could sing along?This is your chance!

Saturday, March 29, 7:30 PM - Easter Eve Party It's a pot luck in Darrell Rupe's warehouse loft, 2200 AdelineSt. Oakland,Suite360. Bring appetizers. Darrell says there may even be some music! (510) 763-3393. ♦*

Saturday, AprU 5 - Images of Love Slide Show Laura Hogan and Lisa Greenstein created this lovely show of artists' renditions of the Avatar and His world.

Saturday, April 12 - Video Recollections of the 70s A home meeting hosted by Raine Eastman-Gannett and Sue Jamison. See the early 70s at Meherazad and Meherabad—the mandali and pilgrims in their youth!

We made such a good profit from September's rum mage sale,that we'vedecided to do it again.To donate goods or volunteer fora two-hour shiftpricing orselling, callJim Quartieri (510) 849-4318. We need yourhelp!

Saturday, April 26 - Poetry & Pot Luck Feed your body, feed your soul! Bring your favorite • poemsand prose,yoursor others, honoring the divine, and a snack or dessert to share. We'll join together at -Scott-Maloney's home inEtGerrito.-RSVP by Wed nesday April 23 to Catherine Riedel (510) 526-5562.

Saturday, May 3, 7:30 PM - Videos at StovaUs Come at 1-30 for videos of Henry Kashouty and Charles Haynes. 869Appaloosa Dr.WalnutCreek (510)938-2126

• Saturday, May 10- Mother's Day Social This will be a dessert potluck. Bring a sweet to share. Ron Greenstein will serenade mums and friends.

& Saturday, May 17 - Margaret Bernstein Concert We'll hear original compositions for flute and piano from Margaret's wonderfulnew album On Tfie Thresh old of Change. A fund raiser, $5 suggested donation.

Saturday, May 24, No meeting - Memorial Day <Ss^ Saturday, May 31, 7:30 PM - Jamie Newell in Concertl Fund raiser at Albany Methodist Church Last one to heaven is a rotten egg! Jamie plays a mean blues guitar and puts on a wonderful concert of his original songs for Baba. If youhaven't experienced his singing, you've got a treat in store. This isa fund raiser, $15 suggested donation,~$25 for two. Y'all come! • OfficeWalla Needed. We need someone to go by our Berkeley office periodically to pick up mail and check the answering machine. Call Janet White (510) 843-4417. • Host a Meeting for Baba. Call Janet White if you'd like to lead a meeting, or if you have a good topic for a meeting. • We're looking for a Video Projector, used or inexpen sive. Call Janet or Fred White if you have a lead. NUMBERS TO CALL:

• Mailing List: Scott Maloney (510) 705-8750 x 777 • Phone Tree: Annie Stovall (510) 938-2126

Meher Baba Center of Northern California, Inc. President, Janet White, Vice President, Betty Lowman, Secretary, Catherine Riedel, Treasurer, Jack Mormon Boardof Directors: Alisa Dreyfuss • Noreen Graham • Cheryl LaRosa Longo• Betty Lowman• Catherine Riedel • Karen Sterkin • Janet White Newsletter: Alexandra Cons, Editor* Lisa Greenstein, Keith Gunn, Betty Lowman, Cherri Nelson Trustwalla: Jack Mormon (P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288)

Baba went in the room and started giving Darshan and interviews. I was just standing there, and then my turn came. Baba was in the old bungalow, with a smallwindow, and He peeked through and beckoned me to come. I was undoing the lace of my shoe and, just for half a second, I stared at Baba. To this day I don't know how or why, but I cried. I almost sobbed. 1 cried like a child, and I went to Baba with tears. Baba asked me why 1 was crying. I said "I don't know." I had Baba's Darshan and

I stood, sobbing. Then Kaikobad told Him everything about me and my disease. Baba said, "For that you are crying?" I said, "No, I don't know." Then He asked me again," "Tell Me your complaint. Tell Me what you suffered with your disease, in your own words." But I could not. Then He dictated on the board, "Don't worry, it willgopermanently." He signed the message to emphasize it - Baba. I read the board, I heard Him, but I had been

told the same by so many doctors. When the interview was finished, Baba gave me a little dhuni ash in a bottle and told me to take a pinch in the mouth before tea in the morning while saying "Baba." I said, "Yes, Baba." All my obstinacy was washed out. 1went back to Navsari and I started taking the ashes. For one month, without any hope, I just took them. Then, to my amazement, 1 was completely cured. Even my scars vanished. I was so happy to be out of the clutches of the disease that

immediately my view of Baba jumped ftom "great personality" to "God," because only God could have done that. I began to love Baba, and I had much, much respect for Him. I wrote a letter to Baba thanking Him and He got Chanji to write to me, "Baba is glad to teceive your letter, but He says He hasn't done any thing. Your faith and love has done the work." At that time He might have been aware of my faith and love,

every second, "Baba, give it back to me." I wanted to see Baba personally so I could make the matter clear,

because I was shy to write and I didn't want anyone else to read the letter.

For months I had to wait, but after some months my disease came back in a small form, and I was happy. I could not hide it. My Baba lover relatives saw it, un derstood the story, and said that they would tell Baba. 1 didn't want that, so 1 said that I would tell Baba and

no one should interfere. Then, again, I was waiting and waiting to see Baba, and one day Kaikobad's letter came, saying that Baba was coming to Bombay on His way to Iran. I immediately dropped everything and went to â&#x20AC;˘Bombay. Kaikobad saw me and said, "A relapse? We will tell Baba." Again, I said that I would tell Baba and he should not.

The next day we went to Baba for Darshan, and Kaiko bad told Baba that the disease had relapsed. Baba ap peared very indifferent, and said "try some sulphur." My whole mind was on how to speak to Baba directly about it, but there were too many people and I was too shy. After Darshan, we left. That same day, at four o'clock, feeling inspired, I went the few blocks from Kaikobad's house to where Baba was staying. Baba was sitting with 25 or 30 boys, playing carom. He gestured, "Why did you come? You were already here in the morning." So I said, "Yes, Baba, I came." He said "OK, sit down. Do

you know how to play carom?"1said, "No, Baba."Then He said, "why did you come, then? Is there anything to say?" I said, "Yes, Baba." "Then say it now," He said. "No, Baba," I said, "I want to talk to You privately." He beckoned Chanji to come to the inner room with the

alphabet board. I then said, forcefully, "1 have nothing to hear from you Baba, I have things to say. And 1don't

but I felt that I had not, at that time, had such faith.

want Chanji, either!"

Then, for a few months, I was very happy, very, very happy. Kaikobad used to come to Baba often, and he wrote to me, telling me about Baba's moods, how He cracked a joke and everything. After months, he wrote a letter to me about how happy he was to be with Baba and how happy Baba appeared, but the last line in the

Baba took the alphabet board and called me. He was sitting on a couch, spinning His board. He asked me, "Say what you want to say." I said everything, and stopped. He said, "Are you mad? You are mad. Who

letter was "this time I saw on Baba the disease that you

had." That line made me completely upset, so upset that 1 could not put my mind in anything, and the very second I read that line I hated myself. I said to myself, "If I had not gone to Baba, and if I had stuck to my obstinacy this wouldn't have happened, but now it is too late." Now I began to pray in my mind,

could do that? Who could take anybody's disease on their person?" 1 said, "Baba, any ordinary human being could not, but God can and You are God." He said, "You are stark mad." I didn't say anything. He said, "Let it be as it is now." 1 said, "Baba, You know my plight. I cannot be happy at all until You just give it back to me." He didn't say anything right away. "Then what to do?" He asked. "That is up to You, " I said. Then He said, "I have one result. Would you like it?" I said, "how (continued on page 4)

do I know Baba? What is it?" He said, "Neither you nor 1 would suffer. Would you like it?" I said, "Yes, Baba, I would like it very much." I liked it, but I felt that Baba was getting rid of me, like getting rid of an obstinate child by promising it a piece of chocolate. So 1 said, "Baba I like it but it doesn't appeal to me here," and I pointed to my heart. He said, "Give your hand to me," and slapped my hand in the gesture for a promise. He looked at me and said, "Is it all right now?" I felt that it would be OK. I knew that He would keep the promise, but still I said, "Now Baba, stick to that please, OK?" Baba said, "Didn't 1 promise you?" Then He clapped, called all the boys into the room and Baba asked them, "Have you ever seen a mad woman?" They said, "No," and Baba pointed to me and said, "See, she is stark mad." I laughed over that for months. I was completely cured, and have .remained cured up till now. -

I came to live with Baba permanently in 1938. One, day He asked me, "How long did you suffer with that disease?" I said, "14 years." Baba said, "14 years? That

is the time-honored periodfor a penance. And suffering is very good. It brought you to me." Then He asked me all sorts of questions about the medical procedures and asked, "Why didn't the doctors cure you?" "I don't know,

Baba," I said. Then He said, "Science is advancing by leaps and bounds, but what did they accomplish? It was my key to draw you to me. That's why they didn't cure you. Now you are with Me, so be happy." He did this because this mulish person would not have come, perhaps, but here 1 am.

LOCAL MEETINQS El Cerrito - Sunday Mornings - 10:00 AM Arti and singing at the Greensteins (510) 525-3364.

El Cerrito - Thursday Evenings -7:15 PM Discourse reading and discussion. Contact Louise Barrie or Dick Anthony at (510) 524-1440.

Fresno - Wednesday Evenings - 7:30 to 8:30 PM Arti and a varied program. Contact Sharon or Phil Scott at (209) 449-0877.

Memo Park - Friday Evenings - 8:00 PM Arti, singing and readings at the home of Hugh and Jeannie MacDonald. Call them at (415) 322-0886 or Betty Lowman at (415) 323-1900.

Petaluma - Sunday Mornings - 11 :Q0 AM Arti, readings, and fellowship. Contact Hermann or Jeanette Loew at (707) 778-1195. Please call ahead.

Sacramento - Sunday Mornings - 11:00 AM Discourse readings and occasional gatherings. '

Contact Mike and Jean Ross (916) 486-2924.

San Francisco - Wednesday Evenings - 7 to 8:30 PM Readings and discussion. Call Peter Ravazza at

(510) 769-1839 or Mary Weiss at (415) 221-8724.

Gil Shepard (510) 930-8670 for meeting locations. THE TRUST

All who wish to share in the commitment laid down

by Meher Baba through the Trust should contact Jack Mormon, P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288.

Our apologies - the copyrightsymbol wasleft offof Mani's

MEHER BABA INFORMATION

drawings in our last issue. The Avatar Meher Baba Per

People who wish to know more about Meher Baba can

petual Public Trust holds the copyright for her drawings.

obtain introductory material and a catalogue of available publicaitons by writingor phoning Meher Baba Information. P.O. Box 1101, Berkeley, CA 94701.Or call (510)562-1101 MEHER BABA CENTER of Northern California, Inc.

2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley. California 94704

Address Correction Requested

Non-Profit U.S.

Postage Paid El Cerrito, CA Permit No. 186

MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CALIF INC.

2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704

VOL. 26

WINTER 1996-97

ftVfVTPkR. WEHER kft^A ki Tftl*??

JAI BABA!

Sm*«i

About the Cover:

""Many ofyou will recognize the charming stick figures that were sucha delightful aspectof Mani'scorrespondence. As we honor the uniqueness of Baba's beloved sister, struggle with our loss and rejoice in her reunion with Him, we are presenting these figures and a poem of Mani's that convey glimpses of her wit and sense of fun. The photo was taken in 1992 by Kirk Allen.

re.

A Great Mango Dessert:

Peel and cut up two mangoes. Freeze the pieces. Put the frozen pieces in a food processor with a 1/4 cup honey. Process thor oughly and add lemon or vanilla to taste. The blending makes the mango and honey fluffy and milky looking if you freeze the fruit in whole pieces. This works with pineapple too. This

•S&&&

dessert has become the favorite treat of the Palo Alto Meher

sSS&v^

Baba Group. Recipe and mango artwork by Babs Gildersleeve.

MEETINGS - Meher Baba events are held on Saturday nights. TIMES- Events start at 8:00 PM and normally end by 9:30 PM unless otherwise noted. LOCATIONS • Events are held at the Albany Methodist Church unless otherwise noted. The church is at the corner of Marin and Stannage, two blocks east of San Pablo Avenue in Albany (North of Berkeley) Take the Albany exit from Interstate 80. To check for program changes call 510-845-4339. *

Bookstore

Childcare

Thursday January 30 - 8:30 PM - Amartithi Night Simultaneously with thousands of BabaLoversin India, we will celebrate with singing and movies. We will also observe 15 minutes of silence from 10:30 to 10:45 PM to coincide with silence at the tomb in India. Call

Ron Greenstein for possible additional Amartithi activities. (510) 525-3364.

Saturday, Feb. 1 - No Meeting Tonight

Saturday, December 7 - Video Night JeffMaguire and friends givea videotaped talk of their experiences in India at the time of Mani's passing. ^Saturday, December 14, 4PM - 8PM, Mehermas Bazaar - O Come All Ye Yuletide Shoppers! The same holiday festivities and foolishness as last

year, with new, extended hours. Snacks will be for sale, and a line-dancing Hawaiian Santa will make an

appearance at 4:30 PM. The public will be invited to attend. The artisans in our community have created

wonderments galore: jewelry, ceramics, plants, handsewn things, -and of course, our bookstore. Gome and buy truly unique presents for your loved ones. A per centage of the profits will go to our group. Bring your friends! Shop here before you shop anywhere! Wewill also collect packaged food and toys andcloth ing in good condition to distribute to the needy.

^Saturday, December 21 - Remembering Mehera We will celebrate the birthday of the Beloved's Be loved with videos, singing, poetry, and reminiscences.

Bring a Mehera story or photos to share! Again, we'll collect toys, food and clothing for the needy.

Saturday, December 28 - Nomeeting tonight Saturday, January 4 - Ring In Trie New Year.' A NewYear's Party Baba-style! We'll boogie with D.J. Dave Miotke. Shake your shoes and rattle your bones!

Saturday, January 11 - Film Night Irwin Luck's film Avatar of the Age will be shown.

Saturday, January 18 - Home Meeting at Laura Hogan's, 1835 Elm St. El Cerrito. Call Laura at (510) 237- 9257 for directions. Bring a

favorite poem or song, or idea to share. <6&*Saturday, Jan. 25 - Pre-Amartithi Qathering Amartithi commemorates the date that Meher Baba

Saturday February 8 - Video Night We will see the video Meher Baba The Awakener.

Saturday, February 15 - Meher Baba's Treasures A special treat! Come to Jack Mormon's home fbra showing ofJack'scollection of Babamemorabilia. Space islimited to the first 20 people who RSVP. Call Noreen Graham (510) 235-2742.

®*Saturday, February 22-12 PM-6 PM Happy 103rd Birthday, Baba! Join Us At The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall, Cedar & Bonita Streets, Berkeley Meher Baba's birthday is really February 25, but we'll

celebrate this Saturday. Same time, same place as last year, The afternoon will begin with a pot luck lunch, then we'll have entertainment frem our talented mu

sical and theatrical community, as well as group sing

ing and dancing, and, ofcourse, birthday cake and the Fly-to-lndia Sweepstakes! (Mail-in entry blanks en closed in this newsletter). Bring your dancing shoes! 12-2 PM - Welcome, pot luck lunch 2-5 PM - Entertainment and Baba's birthday cake

5-6 PM - Sweepstakes Drawing, Prayers and Arti We need plenty of help with this event. If you's like to perform, or can help with serving food, decorating, or clean-up, call Noreen Graham (510) 235-2742. Did You Miss It?

Were you just waiting to clean out your attic or garage, but somehow missed the rummage sale? No need to wait

until next September. A second sale is planned for April. Call Jim Quartieri at (510) 849-4318 if you have items to

donate or if you would like to help with the sale. Donated items must be in working order, clean and not too big! NUMBERS TO CALL:

dropped His body, January 31, 1969. Tonight, Cindy

• Mailing List: Scott Maloney (510) 596-8755 x 777

Lowe will sing, we'll seemovies and do circle dancing.

• Phone Tree: Annie Stovall (510) 938-2126

Meher Baba Center of Northern California, Inc. President, Janet White, Vice President, Betty Lowman, Secretary, Catherine Riedel, Treasurer, Jack Mormon

Board ofDirectors: Alisa Dreyfuss • Noreen Graham • Cheryl LaRosa Longo • Betty Lowman • Catherine Riedel • Karen Sterkin • Janet White Newsletter. Alexandra Cons, Editor* Lisa Greenstein, Keith Gunn, Betty Lowman, Cherri Nelson Tmstwalla: Jack Mormon (P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288)

LOVE LETTERS TO US

Throughout last year, the Board of Directors received these thoughtful thank-yous to our group from our guests: From AK and Leela Kasthuri: (now on an extended visit

in India) "...Leela and I are very grateful to you for per mitting us to share Babalove-stories with youall last May. Please convey our enquiries to all our friends..." From Scott Makeig: "Prem, Bryan and I very much en

joyed the chance to share our music (and poetry) with so many old friends at the Berkeley Baba meetings. Please thank the board for us. It was particularly touching for me to return to Berkeleyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;still trying to sing for Baba." From Hoshang and Havovi Dadachangi: "To all the wonderful San Francisco Group: Thank you folks for all the love and care you so sweetly showered on us and for sitting-through-our talksUHa ha! Love in Baba to you wonderful folks and always Beloved Baba's preciousJove blessings! Amen!" From Ann Conlon: "...What can I say? It was an incred ible week and 1 enjoyed every minute of it... The whole group was so warm and loving and I've carried that back, here with me. Many thanks and much love in Him."

LOCAL MEETINQS El Cerrito - Sunday Mornings - 10:00 AM Arti and singing at the Greensteins (510) 525-3364-

El Cerrito - Thursday Evenings -7:15 PM Discourse reading and discussion. Contact Louise Barrie or Dick Anthony at (510) 524-1440.

Fresno - Wednesday Evenings - 7:30 to 8:30 PM Arti and a varied program. Contact Sharon or Phil Scott at (209) 449-0877.

Los Qatos - Friday Evenings - 8.00 PM Arti, singing and readings at the home of Clint and Sharon Snyder. Call them at (408) 395-6865 or Betty Lowman at (415) 323-1900.

Petaluma - First Sunday of the Month - 11:00 AM Arti, readings, and fellowship. Call Hermann or Jeanette Loew at (707) 778-1195. Please caUahcad.

Sacramento - Occasional Meetings Discourse readings and occasional gatherings. Contact Mike and Jean Ross (916) 486-2924.

San Francisco - Wednesday Evenings -7 to 8:30 PM Readings and discussion. Call Peter Ravazza at (510) 769-1839 or Mary Weiss at (415) 221-8724.

Walnut Creek - Monday Evenings - 8 to 9:30 PM

Avatar meher Kaj^

Videos will be shown die first Monday of every month. Subsequent Mondays will be devoted to study of Discourses. Please call Helen Riehl (510) 935-0167 or Gil Shepard (510) 930-8670 for meeting locations. THE TRUST

All who wish to share in the commitment laid down

by Meher Baba through the Trust should contact Jack Mormon, P.O. Box 2288. Richmond, CA 94802-1288. MEHER BABA INFORMATION

People who wish to know more about Meher Baba

can obtain introductory material and a catalogue of available publications by writing or phoning Meher Baba Information, P.O. Box 1101, Berkeley, CA94701. Or call (510)562-110;L_ MEHER BABA CENTER

of Northern California, Inc. 2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704

Address Correction Requested

Non-Profit U.S.

Postage Paid El Cerrito, CA Permit No. 186

MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CA. INC.

2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704

VOL. 27

FALL 1997

MEHER BABA'S WARNINGS ABOUT THE OCCULT This interview with Amavaz N. Dadachanji by Nancy Wall was originally published in the Love Street Lamp Post. It is reprinted here at the request of Amavaz and DoctorGoher.

to help extend my mother's life. I told her emphatically that whether my mother lived or died was completely in Baba's

hands. As Baba has said, "Never beg me to save your life or the lives of your dear ones. Only beg me to accept you and permit you to lay down your life

N W: In Gift of God, Arnavaz, you wrote about the dangers of becoming involved in any way with the occult.

You've also told me that an increasing number of Baba lovers are asking you

for me."

questions about this subject.

Some fifteen years later this woman came to my home for Baba'sdarshan. She looked

Arnavaz: It is true that more and more

so frail and broken that I didn't even

Baba lovers have been coming to me to askwhat they can do to disentangle them selves from various kinds of occult practices, such as seeking help from the spirit world or trying to develop psychic powers. Many have also consulted other people who are involved in the occult. For instance, a common practice today is to consult "healers," people who use psychic power to eliminate disease or pain. At first the help given through occult means may make a person feel better or happier. But there are great dangers involved. This is not to say that those who explore the occult do so simply out of the desire for power. Some people have the best of intentions and they want only to help themselves or others. For example, I mentioned in Gift of God a woman who loved Baba very much, but used occult practices to save the life of her husband. Some one guided this woman, gave her mantras to repeat and instructions to follow. Her husband's life was spared,

but his whole personality changed. Whereas they had once been a very loving couple, now he s,r$pped-jj#lking to her and lived like a stranger in the house. And she could not stop herself from becoming further involved with her practices. When my mother was gravely ill with cancer, this woman came to our family, wanting

recognize her. She implored Baba to save her. Baba very lovingly embraced her, but He told her she had taken upon herself more than she could handle and therefore He couldn't help her.

She would have to suffer the consequences of her ac tions. This woman was suffering at least in part because of the heavy sanskaric load she was carrying. So al though it is natural that we should want to eliminate our own suffering or the suffering of those we love, the elimination of pain through psychic healing may actu ally serve as a block on the spiritual path of the aspirant. N W: This brings up another question for me. To what extent should we, as Baba lovers, try to eliminate our pain and suffering? Arnavaz: Well, certainly when we are in pain, it is reasonable to pursue whatever relief may be available through natural and practical means. Doctors, psychi atrists, chiropractors, massage therapists,those whopractice Chinese medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, allopa thy, Ayurvedic medicineâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all these 1 would call natural and practical. But healing through psychic powers is another matter altogether. In consulting those involved in occult practices for relief from suffering, we may actually add to our sanskaras and later bring about more suffering and pain. Baba wants to free us from suffering,

ÂŠ1997

but when we seek occult help, we are interfering with His work and creating further bindings for ourselves. And if we ourselves use occult means to help others, we take on the sanskaras of those we seek to help. N W: Arnavaz, you mentioned that the woman who used the occult to save her husband continued to use

it even after he had been saved. Once a person starts using occult powers, is it difficult to stop?

Arnavaz: Let me tell you two stories about that. Once when Baba was giving darshan in different parts of India, a guru who had practiced occult powers came to Him. Baba gave this man darshan several times, and he became Baba's disciple. Baba told him that he must ^Âťive-up his^pTactlce~as~a"garaand~no longer use^ the occult or allow people to bow down to him. He obeyed Baba for some time, but after a few years he returned to his old ways. He knew Baba was not pleased, and he ceased all contact, never showing his face to Babaagain. The second story involves an only child who died. Naturally, the parents were devastated, and a Babalover who was present put the dead child in his lap and sat all night, repeating Baba's name aloud. After several hours the child was revived. When Baba heard about

this incident, He sent a telegram to the man saying that He was very displeased. The man felt terrible and he came to Baba and begged for forgiveness. Babakept the man with Him for a while in the ashram, but be cause he had been able to revive the dead child, the

man believed that he must have special powers and after some time he had the urge to use his powers again. One day, without even informing Baba, he simply disappeared from the ashram. His ego had over powered him, and he returned to his. home and estab lished his own following. His connection with Baba was broken. So you see, once a person has experienced this kind of power, he becomes entangled in it and does not want to give it up.

N W: Your family at one time had frequent contact with a man who had certain powers. Can you tell me about him?

Arnavaz:

Our contact with this man, Savak, came

about in the early 30's, when we were quite new to Baba. Later, of course, we would have had nothing to do with this man, but at the time we knew very little about spiritual matters. Although we loved Baba very much, my mother and others in the family thought that Savak must be a highly spiritual man. He could make coins or flowers appear in his hands, or a certain scent

would suddenly fill the room. He would give orders, and sometimes they would turn out to be the same orders

that Baba later gave us, so it is easy to see why Savak impressed my family. I have to say, though, that I myself was never attracted to him. Even though I thought he might be on a higher plane, I found him somehow repulsive. 1 understand now that Baba was keeping me away from this man, keeping me from getting involved with him in any way. And even though throughout my life I have seen numerous examples of people who were possessed by spirits and many kinds of black magic, 1 have always known that Baba would protect me from all of this, that 1 had nothing to fear as long as I held tightly to His damaan. Baba's Last Warning, given in July of 1968, contains specific orders for His

lovers concerning involvement with such masters: It is... important at this critical period of the Avataric Age to beware at all times of persons who lead others into believing that they are saintly and pious and profess to possess supernatural powers. How ever pious such persons appear to be, a Baba-lover must never mix such piety with the Divinity of the Avatar!

A true Baba-lover must remember the repeated warning given to all Baba-lovers time and again to stay away from persons who feel and assert that they are masters and saints and possess powers to help human beings. His lovers and workers should never get involved with such persons and affairs, much less with perverted "helpers of humanity" who have no reverence or regard for the Perfect Masters and the Avatar of the Age. Beware of them who exploit spirituality to gain their selfish ends and dupe others in the name of Sadgurus and the Avatar.

At the end of this warning Baba added the following note, originally given in February of 1966: Shun those masters who are like multi-coloured electric

signs that flash on and off, brightening the dark sky of your world and leaving you in darkness again.

N W: Aren't there some people who have actually found Baba through occult means and come to follow Him? Arnavaz: It is true that Baba Himself has used such

means as automatic writing, ouija boards, etc. to bring people to Him, but the fact that Baba has done some

thing in no way gives us permission to do it. "Don't do what I do," He has told us. "Do what I tell you to do." When God comes as man, He works thorough every-

thing in His creation, what we would call good and

following from Baba's Discourses: "The introduction of

what we would call bad. Baba said these were two sides

an uncertain and uncalculable factor which the free

of the same coin. In the play of Maya, God keeps a balance between them. Why? We cannot know. Given our limited understanding, we cannot fathom the ways of God. We can only do what Baba asks of us and not worry about trying to understand His work.

exercise of occult power would involve, is bound to

Baba has been very clear about what He asks of us. For instance, the rules regarding appropriate behavior at His Center in Myrtle Beach contain this statement: "By Meher Baba's directive, divining cards, ouija board, and the I Ching are not to be used at the Center." And anyone tempted to interpret that direc tive to mean that outside the Center it is all right to use such devices should think carefully about Baba's statement given in Andhra on 1 March, 1954: "I want my lovers and workers to know that there is no greater 'Baba's Centre' than the heart of my lover. Those who truly love me are my centres in the world. Let each 'Baba-lover,' wherever he or she

may be, be the 'Baba's Centre' personified, radiating the eternal message of Love Divine, living a life of love, sacrifice and honesty." N W: I think it's sometimes difficult for us to distin

guish between what is occult and what is not. There are so many "New Age" practices from which sincere peo ple seem to derive the same kinds of experience that we have had in our lives as Baba lovers that the whole issue

can become very confusing. How can we protect our selves from getting involved in something best left alone? Arnavaz: Irene Coneybeare, in the introduction to her book In Quest of Truth or How I came to Meher Baba, gives a good and easy guideline to follow when she discusses the vast difference between mysticism and occultism. The mystic, she says, is simply searching for God and does not seek power, whereas the person who practices the occult is actually attempting to control the forces of nature. Occult power, she stresses, is safe only in the hands of a Master who will not misuse it— that even an advanced spiritual aspirant may incur great harm through practice of the occult, and she quotes the

create much confusion and disturbance in the ordi

nary pursuits of man, who must be left to his own

limitations, resources and possibilities for the equal and uninterrupted working out of the Law of Karma." She also talks about the undue importance that people often attribute to miracles, which have nothing to do with the spiritual path, and again she quotes Baba: "All miracles belong to the phenomenal world, which is the world of shadows. As phenomena, they are sub ject to change; and nothing that changes can have lasting value. Realisation of the eternal Truth is an initiation into unchangeable Being which alone is the supreme Reality; and no acquaintance with the occult world or capacity to manipulate its forces can really amount to the realisation of the Truth."

On His birthday in 1965, Baba told those gathered in His love the following, also taken from His Discourses: There is nothing particularly spiritual about occult power as such. Like any other mundane power or scientific invention, it is capable of being used for good ends or bad. It gives immense scope for co-operative work on the higher planes, but this necessarily implies a spiritual preparedness to shoulder a special responsibility. The novice may seek some occult powers and, within certain limits, even succeed in having them, but this new attainment will prove to be a curse rather than a blessing if he is not spiritually prepared for the adequate fulfillment of the new responsibility implied in the acquisition of the new powers. Even the slight est misuse of occult power has a severe reaction and creates a binding for the soul. Sometimes it may retard the progress of the aspirant and may even lead to a considerable set-back. Apart from the spiritual ruin which the novice may invite upon himself through indiscrete use of occult power, he is bound to be a source of incalculable harm to others over whom he

has succeeded in wielding a formidable advantage. (continued on page 4)

Meher Baba Center of Northern California, Inc. President, Janet White • Vice President, Brian Drygas • Secretary, Bryan Drygas • Treasurer, Jack Mormon Board of Directors: Leslie Baer • Laurie Brook • Brian Drygas • Mehera Halliwell • Greg Harland • Clint Snyder • Janet White Newsletter. Alexandra Cons, Editor • Keith Gunn, Betty Lowman, Cherri Nelson Trustwalla: Jack Mormon (P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288)

So when Baba lovers ask me about the occult, I tell them that whoever Baba has taken into His fold must do whatever Baba wants. Those who have not come

to know and love Baba will act according to their sanskaras and destiny. But Baba has told His lovers specifically not to get involved in the occult. It is extremely foolish for Baba lovers to dabble in matters that Baba has told us to keep away from. He has warned us of the harm we may do not only to ourselves, but to others who seek our help. And He has shown us how to please Him. That means obeying Baba wholeheart edly, leaving His work entirely in His hands, and stay ing away from any attempt to work in realms we are not spiritually prepared to enter.

"I do not want anything else but the gift of your

LOCAL MEET1NQS El Cerrito - Sunday Mornings - 10:00 AM Arti and singing at the Greensteins (510) 525-3364-

El Cerrito - Thursday Evenings - 7:15 PM Discourse reading and discussion. Contact Louise Barrie or Dick Anthony at (510) 524-1440.

Fresno - Wednesday Evenings - 7:30 to 8:30 PM Arti and a varied program. Contact Sharon or Phil Scott at (209) 449-0877.

Menlo Park - Friday Evenings - 8:00 PM Arti, singing and readings at the home of Hugh and Jeannie MacDonald. Call them at (415) 322-0886 or Betty Lowman at (415) 323-1900.

Petaluma - Sunday Mornings - 11:00 AM Arti, readings, and fellowship. Contact Hermann or

obedience." Meher Baba

Jeanette Loew at (707) 778-1195. Please call ahead.

Sacramento - Sunday Mornings - 11:00 AM Discourse readings and occasional gatherings. Contact Mike and Jean Ross (916) 486-2924.

Walnut Creek - Monday Evenings - 8 to 9:30 PM Videos will be shown the first Monday of every

Results of the 1997 Annual General Meeting The slate of candidates and the proposed budget were approved. The Mission Statement was approved and added to our by-laws. The guest speaker policy, limiting the subject of the speeches and discussion to Avatar

Meher Baba and no other spiritual master or guide, was rejected. The co-sponsorship policy, permitting cooper ation with other groups on projects focused solely on Avatar Meher Baba, was approved. The directive to suspend weekly Saturdaymeetings, in favor of occasion al eventsand programs, was rejected. Forty people iden tified themselves as active/voting members.

month. Subsequent Mondays will be devoted to study of Discourses. Please call Helen Riehl (510) 935-0167 or Gil Shepard (510) 930-8670 for meet ing locations.

THE TRUST

All who wish to share in the commitment laid down

by Meher Baba through the Trust should contact Jack Mormon, P.O. Box 2288, Richmond, CA 94802-1288. MEHER BABA INFORMATION

People who wish to know more about Meher Baba can

obtain introductory material and a catalogue of available publications by writingor phoning Meher Baba Information. P.O. Box 1101, Berkeley, CA94701. Or call (510) 562-1101

MEHER BABA CENTER

of Northern California, Inc. 2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704

Address Correction Requested

Non-Profit

U.S. Postage Paid El Cerrito, CA PERMIT NO. 186