MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CA. INC.
NEWS 2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704
VOL. 19
WINTER 1990 to him. Chanji was the one who was always with
CHANJI
Baba. Wherever Baba went, even when Baba
Framroz H. Dadachanji was the paternal uncle of both Arnavaz and and her late husband Nariman Dadachanji. Arnavaz is the narrator of this story, which was pieced together from informal interviews first published in Neti-Neti, with thanks to Arnavaz who helped edit it for our newsletter.
Chanji was very, very patient and such a loving, sweet person that I loved him more than I loved my own father. He was a wonderful person. The mandali loved him so much that when he died some of the mandali also cried and the mandali asked Baba
at that time, "Baba, why did he have to die? He was so indispensable to you."
made ten trips to the West from '31 to '37, Chanji was the only one who accompanied Baba on all the trips. So he was most of the time with Baba. At that time there were no planes so Baba always used to travel by ship. It used to take thirteen to fifteen days according to which ship He would take. Once I remember He went to England, stayed for a couple of days and then returned back. So can you imagine • one month of travelling and just two or three days of being there. Baba's work was so important that He didn't even mind travelling for a month just to be in England for a couple of days.
I would like you to know about a few incidents that took place, about how humiliating situations took place many times with going to commit suicide. At that time, in 1924, the population of Baba. 1931 was die first time that Baba made the trip to the West Bombay was very sparse, one tenth of what it is today. and mere were only four of them: Baba, Chanji, Rustom and AH. Chowpatty Beach was one of Baba's favorite places. Chanji had Baba told Chanji to go and ask the captain, "Why is the ship gone to Chowpatty Beach to commit suicide, and at that time moving so slowly?" So Chanji had to go and ask him. The Baba was there with the mandali. Baba said to one of his captain gave him a very funny look. The next day Baba told mandali, "Go and find out what that man is doing all alone Chanji to go and ask the captain, "What day will it arrive at its there." And it so happened that the mandali Baba sent was destination?" A day or two later he sent Chanji to ask the Chanji's friend. He told Baba, "He is my friend; he is a very captain, "At what time of day will it arrive?" And again! He unhappy person." Baba said, "Go and bring him to me." must have gone so many times, and the last time Baba told him Chanji was sitting alone on the beach at a distance and Baba and to ask, "Why can't you speed the ship up?" Chanji was so afraid a few others were sitting on the other side. Baba sent him to to go and ask the captain and he really thought "Now the captain bring Chanji to Baba, so Chanji came. He was unhappy because will just throw me overboard." Today we laugh and it seems his wife had left him and he was in debt. He thought there was humorous but you can imagine the humiliating situation. nothing to live for, so he wanted to commit suicide. When Chanji came to Baba, Baba must have asked him some Similarly Baba would tell Chanji to go and ask the steward in questions, but the important thing was that Baba wanted Chanji the dining room, "Why is there so much salt in the food?" The to meet Him the next day where He was staying. The next day next day he would again send Chanji to ask, "Why is there less Baba did not wait. He sent one of his disciples to fetch Chanji salt?" And so on and on and one had to do what Baba told one to from his home and He asked Chanji whether he wanted to tell do and Chanji would always do it Baba something, and Chanji poured out his whole story. Then Chanji owned a cinema that Baba used to visit. Once He brought Baba said, "Will you do what I tell you?" and he said, "Yes." So Baba answered, "I saved him twice." The first time, he was
the mandali from somewhere, some travels, so the mandali were
Chanji must have had a profound experience at that time which nobody has told me. I don't know, but I feel he must have had that profound experience. When Baba said, "Will you do what I tell you?" and Chanji said, "Yes," Baba said, "Wind up your business and come and stay with me permanently." So that's how he went and stayed with Baba. Baba was severe with him and Chanji used to talk about how strict Baba was but at the same time Baba was very, very loving
unshaven and Baba made them carry big vessels of cooked food because Baba wanted to go to die cinema and have his lunch there. At the time when the film was over and thousands of
people came out of the cinema, there was this funny sighL Baba entered with this odd group of people with vessels on their heads and their clothes full of dust. Because Chanji was die owner,
people knew him. He was so embarrassed seeing all these people coming into the cinema, and naturally he took diem aside to
Š1990
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MEETINGS - Meher Baba meetings are held on Saturday nights at the Albany Methodist Church, Stannage Avenue and Marin in Albany. All programs begin at 8:00 PM sharp and normally end at 9:30 PM with time for visiting before
and after the meeting. To check for program changes call (415) 845-4339.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR WINTER 1990
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THURSDAY JAN 10 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) SATURDAY JAN 12 - ROBERT MEETS BABA
Robert Dreyfuss, who met Meher Baba on November 17, 1965, will tonight relate this unparalleled experience. THURSDAY JAN 17 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
SATURDAY DEC 1 - MUSIC NIGHT
Come to perform or just to listen to songs for the Beloved's pleasure. Hosted by David Miotke.
THURSDAY DEC 6 • DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
SATURDAY JAN 19 - TALES OF THE GOD-MAN
Ron Greenstein will host this informal meeting. Come with your favorite anecdotes, music or poetry about or for Baba.
Join us each week for an evening of reading and discussing Baba's Discourses. Tea and
THURSDAY JAN 24 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
cookies afterward. Location: home of Louise
SATURDAY JAN 26 - RAINE'S SONGS
Barrie and Dick Anthony (524-1440). SATURDAY DEC 8 - FILMS OF THE BELOVED
Footage of 1959 darshan, Don Stevens' Stay with Meher Baba (also shot in 1959), and Meher Baba washing the feet of lepers. The production values of much of this night's footage are comparatively unsophisticated. THURSDAY DEC 13 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) ♦FRIDAY* DEC 14 - DINNER WITH JIM MEYER
A pot-luck/get together will be held in honor of Jim, who is visiting from Myrtle Beach. RSVP to Alan and Karen Talbot at 376-4325.
Raine Eastman, who often inspires us with her interpretations of songs by Francis Brabazon and others, is herself a prolific and talented composer. Her concert tonight, a wonderful pre-amartithi celebration, will showcase Raine's own compositions. WEDNESDAY JAN 30- 9-11 PM AMARTITHI MEETING
January 31st is the 21st Amartithi, the anniversary of Beloved Baba's physical passing in 1969. On Meherabad Hill, silence is observed for 15 minutes by the throng of lovers who gather there each year. Our meeting is timed to observe the silence from 10:30 to
10:45, simultaneously with Baba's lovers in India.
SATURDAY DEC 15 - CONCERT BY JIM MEYER
Jim, the composer of such songs as "I Will
THURSDAY JAN 31 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
Never Leave You", has been well-known in the
Baba community as a singer and songwriter for years. Join us for a return engagement of this gifted performer. Suggested donation $ 10. THURSDAY DEC 20 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
SATURDAY FEB 2 - INDIAN DINNER:FEAST AND FUNDRAISER - 7:30 START
Whether you've been there recently or not, come for a festive and authentic taste of India.
Suggested donation $ 10. SATURDAY DEC 22 - HOLIDAY POT LUCK PARTY Come celebrate the season at the home of Wendell and Mina Brustman. NO RED MEAT PLEASE. RSVP 284-5660.
THURSDAY DEC 27 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
YEAR IN BABA'S LOVE
The film tonight is Meher Baba, Avatar of the Age, a film by Irwin Luck.
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC. President, Ursula Van Buskirk • Vice President, Ron Greenstein •
THURSDAY JAN 3 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
Secretary, David Miotke • Treasurer, Jack Mormon • Office Manager, Fred White.
SATURDAY JAN 5 - MEHER AS BIRTHDAY
readings
SATURDAY FEB 9 - FILMS OF MEHER BABA
THURSDAY FEB 14- DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
SATURDAY DEC 29 - NO MEETING. HAPPY NEW
Music,
THURSDAY FEB 7- DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
and
anecdotes
in
Board of Directors: Joan Harland • Ron Greenstein • Soosan
remembrance of our Beloved's beloved,
Adham • Greg Harland • David Miotke • Darrell Rupe • Ursula
Mehera.
Van Buskirk
Newsletter published by Alexandra Cons and Keith Gunn
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Meher Baba Information SATURDAY FEB 16 • TAKING BABA'S NAME
The repetition of God's Name is a spiritual practice common to the religions of the world. Larry Pesta leads a discussion tonight on this aspect of following the Avatar. THURSDAY FEB 21- DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) ♦SUNDAY* FEB 24 - BABA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
Interested in helping with the Baba-work at The Box"? Call Sheryl / Rick Chapman for details (415) 562-1101. Reminder
There are sometimes last minute changes in the meeting schedule. Please check the answering machine at the office, (415) 845-4339 for up-to-date information. CHANJI, continued from Page 1
3-5PM
We will celebrate the 97th anniversary of Meher Baba's coming amongst us with entertainment and birthday cake in His honor. PLEASE
NOTE
LOCATION:
FIRST
UNITARIAN CHURCH, #1 LAWSON RJJ, KENSINGTON.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND NOTICES
Meetings in Nearby Cities
FRESNO: Meetings on Wednesday evenings from 7:308:30 PM. For information call Sharon or Phil Scott: (209) 449-0877. SACRAMENTO:
For information call Marilyn Buehler at
(916)925-4451. Trustwaila
Our trustwaila is Jack Mormon. All who wish to share in
fulfilling the commitments laid down by Baba through the instrument of the Trust should contact Jack at P.O. Box
1250, Berkeley, CA 94701. Service Opportunity
For anyone interested in providing emotional, practical or spiritual support for people with HIV (AIDS), please con tact Jim Tomlinson at (415) 457-2487. Jim can put you in (ouch with a local support network group. Arti
All are welcome to gather for Arti at the home of Ron and Lisa Greenstein each Sunday at 10 AM. Phone: (415) 525-3364. Arti is also performed every Sunday at Her mann Loew's home in Petaluma. For information, call
Hermann at (707) 778-1195.
rooms and they had lunch. How many times, not once or twice, but hundreds of times,
Chanji has gone through humiliating situations. But it was so important! As I repeat, "Humiliation brings humility and humiliation brings about the chipping of the ego." Humility is so important We were surprised to find Chanji's diaries after he died. We never knew that he was writing the diary. But he always carried a typewriter with him wherever he went • a portable typewriter and an earthenware water pitcher. So later I realized that he was writing Baba's diaries. What happened was that he used to store everything at Meherabad in his trunks. He never told us and we never realized it, so when (after his death) I saw stacks of diaries, I was amazed. In the future someone will really take great pains to publish his diaries and I think it will be a wonderful thing.
Chanji used to write in Gujarati as well as in English, but some of his sentences were in his own shorthand and naturally what was his own shorthand we can't decipher. He thought that he would one day do everything clearly but he died very young. He was only fifty-two and I remember he used to say many times, "I would like to do so many things." But he didn't have any lime. He was always so busy. My God, Baba didn't give him any time. Where Baba's work was concerned he was very, very particular but he was absentminded in little ways. Suppose he had to cany his luggage to the station. He would forget one or two tilings; then he would run back and get the bag and then run to the station. I remember that once he went some place and instead of carrying his own bag he carried someone else's bag. And then the other person realized what had happened and he ran after Chanji. And sometimes he would put his specs on his head and
Board Meetings
then search and search, and naturally, knowing his nature, one
Meher Baba Center of Northern California Board meetings are open to all members. Call David Miotke at (415) 5491487 for the dates and times of meetings.
of the mandali would say, "Well, Chan, what are you searching for?" "Oh, I am searching for my specs."
Meher Minor Update
The first international Meher Minor Retreat (9th - 12th grades) will be held at Meher Center, Myrtle Beach, SC on June 19 through 23,1991. Additional information will be forthcoming. Please call Margaret Bernstein at 567-2016 for more details.
Chanji himself narratedthe story of the second time Baba saved him. It was in Toka and he was drowning. Whether the current was pulling him down or what, he was drowning, and he went twice deep down and the third time he shouted at the top of his voice, "Baba, Baba." He said he shouted from the very bottom of his heart and that he felt that a hand lifted him up to the surface. It was actually one of the mandali who pulled him out but this is the experience he had.
I will tell you another thing that connects with this. My grandmother was always worriedabout him: who will look after him in his old age? Chanji was with Baba but nobody knew anything about Baba, nobody understood Baba because you see in our Zoroastrian religion we didn't know about gurus and masters, only Zoroaster. We were with Baba, without any understanding so grandmother naturally worried. She insisted on Chanji getting marriedagainand Chanji said, "Leave me alone, I don't want to get married."But being the mother she worried, so in the end she thought why not go and show Chanji's horoscope to an astrologer? When my grandmother went to the astrologer and showed him Chanji's horoscope, the astrologer said, "You aregiving me the horoscope of a dead man." My grandmothersaid, "But he is alive. He is my son, he's alive." But the astrologersaid "But there is no life." So they came back and my grandmother thought thai perhaps the astrologer was mistaken. He had not read it properly. A few months laterChanji came to our house and narrated this incident of his drowning and then my grandmother understood and left him alone. That is how he was saved twice. Baba saved him from
committing suicide, Baba saved him from drowning. So, when the mandali asked him, "Baba, why did Chanji have to die?" Baba said, "I saved him twice." Baba thought that it was the best time for him to go; his work was over. You see it was exactly twenty years of his service to Baba: 1924 to 1944. He joined Baba when He was still talking. When Chanji was in Bombay in the month of May (he died in August 1944) Baba told him that he should bring all of his luggage.whatever he had, and that he wouldn't be going back to Bombay for a very long time. So he was very sad. I realized that later, not at the time. There was no one in the house at the time
except me and he just left the house to go to the station. Sometimes I used to accompany him to go to the station but Baba told Chanji not to reveal to anyone where he was going. So I went with him to the station. He embraced me tightly, removed
his wallet and gave me a five rupee note, saying, "Keep it" I said, "But, uncle," because Chanji did not have any money, and I knew that this was a very unusual gesture. And he left, but he didn't allow me on the platfonn so that I wouldn't know where he was going. I left him at the station, but I felt that he was very sad. But before he left the house he said, "Arnavaz, I am going and not coming back for a long time, a very, very long time." For Baba and the mandali, long time, short time, had a different meaning altogether. I said, "A long, long time, yes, means six months, one year?"
"No, no, a very long time," he said. I said, "Two years?" "No." And that made me feel later on that perhaps he knew that he was never returning. I saw the sadness on his face. After all, you see, we had a human relationship and he loved us all so much that
perhaps He felt that he was notgoing to seeus again.
As I said*, I loved him more than I loved my own father, he was that close. It was such a shock when he died. Baba did not send
us a telegram that he died. He sent the telegram to Adi and Adi telegraphed to us that Chanji died of typhoid fever. We didn't know where, we knew nothing. Later Adi came to Bombay. Baba wanted him to tell us that Chanji died in Kashmir. As Baba Himself said, it was a loss to Him. We were so grieved and felt so much for Chanji that in order to remove that depression Baba said, "Why do you feel for Chanji? Who is he to you? It is a loss to Me." It is not a small thing for Baba to say that I think that I have never met such a wonderful man in my whole life. In his own way he was really so loving, with deep understanding and with a humour, too. That's why Baba said, "Chanji was not only my disciple but he was my friend." Because he was really so tolerant and he wanted to please Baba and obey Baba • surrender to His wish and will, surrender to all the whims that we think were whims, but they are not. It's Baba's training; and at the same time humiliation brings humility. It was so necessary for the chipping of the ego.
MEHER BABA CENTER
NON-PROFIT ORG.
of Northern California, Inc.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704
EL CERRITO. CA. PERMIT NO. 186
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CA. INC.
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ADI'S LAST TOUR by Robert Dreyfuss
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On February 27, 1980, Adi K. Irani, Meher Baba's secretary and disciple since 1921, left for Guntur in Andhra
Pradesh to inaugurate a new Baba cen
f
ter. He was accompanied by Jack Small, Steve Berry and me.
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704
SPRING 1990 Hamirpur and others.
On the morning of the first day, Adi drew aside a purple curtain on which was inscribed in gold lettering, "I Veil Myself From You By Your Own Cur tain Of Ignorance" (Meher Baba). Be hind the curtain was a larger than lifesized statue of Baba with His arm raised
in greeting just as He had stood at Darshan programs We journeyed by train, taking 24 hours in all. At 5 so that all could see Him. Niches in the wall enclosing a.m. on the 28th, upon arriving at Secunderabad the statue held carvings of past manifestations of the where we were to change trains, we were met by a Avatar. Everyone present sang Baba's arti, recited the group of Baba-lovers who brought flowers, tea and Master's Prayer and then passed before the statue, which had been garlanded by Adi. The entire week fruit to us, taking advantage of the opportunity of hav ing Adi in their midst. At this point we were joined by end was a great joy to us all, and everything proceed Mr. M. B. G. Shastri of Hyderabad, who had arranged ed smoothly. Adi several times expressed his happi the tour for Adi and who was to accompany us for the ness with the programs. remainder of the journey. His help and loving atten- His talks ranged in subject matter from Baba's humor tiveness, in concert with other volunteers, proved in - sprinkled with references to incidents that occurred valuable. in his long life with Baba - to his exhortations to all to Upon reaching Guntur that afternoon, we were met by stick with Meher Baba through thick and thin. He em Baba-lovers exclaiming "Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai" phasized that Baba uses both a kiss and a kick in His as we arrived. We were taken by car to the Hotel Su- working with us, that through the kiss He gives us darshan where we were to stay. The hotel is built on love and through the kick He gives us knowledge. Adi the site of a garden that Baba visited in February, spoke at length on the theme of spiritual advancement 1954. A bronze bust of Baba adorns the lobby as a being contained in self-effacement, and that it is only memorial of that visit. As Adi had been there with through effacement that one can draw closer to and fi nally merge in the Divine Beloved. He said, "To Baba, it added a measure of significance to our stay. please Him who served the whole universe is the We rested the following day, and on Saturday, March height of spirituality and the greatest of all practices," 1, were driven to the site of "Meher House, Meher Nazar" for the beginning of the weekend program. and that "Meher Baba is God, undoubtedly." He stressed to all the significance of Baba's "Last Warn Adi was scheduled as principal guest speaker to give ing" which he recently had reprinted for world-wide talks in the mornings and evenings of both days, with distribution. He felt it to be most pertinent at this time. rest periods in between. About 500 people attended, having come from all parts of Andhra for the occa The day following the weekend program was to be a sion. Many had been present when Baba visited rest day. Adi met for an hour each with a group of lovers from Vijayawada and a couple seeking advice. Andhra in 1953 and 1954. At lunch he said how pleased he was with the trip to The weekend program consisted of Baba's flag being unfurled, the unveiling of the portrait of the late N. V. Ramanaiah who had initiated and been the primary source of financial support for the building of the Guntur Center, bhajan programs, talks by Dr. T. Dhanapathi Rao, head of the Andhra Centers, K. K. Ramakrishnan of the Poona Center, P. D. Pukar of
Guntur and how much he was enjoying himself. We who were accompanying him felt that we had rarely seen him happier or perkier than on the weekend. Adi was cracking jokes and telling stories as usual, yet was careful to have his full measure of rest as well, as
befitting his 76 years.
©1990
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On Monday evening, March 3, we went for a walk and then had a nice dinner together at a restaurant ad joining the hotel. For three other meals, we had eaten at a nearby restaurant in a private dining room which we happily noted was called "The Inner Circle." As we were due to leave the hotel the following morn ing at 5 a.m. for our train, we all went to bed early. Adi slept well, then awoke at about 3 a.m. to take his
bath, finish packing and have tea. After bathing he complained of having difficulty breathing, vomited and expressed feelings of extreme discomfort. He sat on the edge of his bed breathing strenuously. Adi thought at first that it was gastric distress. As the
and heart massage the whole time. The hospital was sadly lacking in emergency equipment. The doctor shook his head and informed us that Adi was dead
while we vainly continued pulmonary resuscitation techniques. He examined his eyes and ascertained that Adi had in fact died at the hotel. Several of the Andh
ra lovers had arrived by this time and we all stood
with folded hands around Adi's body, shouted "Ava tar Meher Baba Ki Jai" three times and recited the
Master's Prayer and the Beloved God prayer. A telegram was sent and a phone call made to Ah mednagar to inform everyone of what had transpired. It was decided that the least difficult and most direct
method of transporting Adi's body to Meherabad for burial was by car. Accompanied by Mr. Shastri and a driver, we escorted Adi back from his last tour to his
final resting place. The 650 mile journey took 22
hours. On the way, at Vijayawada, we were met by about forty people waiting for us at the entrance to the town so that they might pay their final respects; this also occurred at Hyderabad. All arrangements had been made for the funeral in the
24 hours since the telephone call giving the news of Adi's passing. About 350-400 people were present when we finally arrived. Adi's body was placed in a coffin and carried by all who could to the grave site at Lower Meherabad where many of Baba's men manda
li are buried. All the mandali were present. Mehera and the ladies garlanded Adi's coffin as those assem
bled recited the Master's Prayer, sang the Seven Names of God given by Baba and prayed to God that we might love Him more and more. As the coffin was
lowered, we stood in silence and one by one threw flowers onto the coffin and a sprinkle of earth as we payed our last respects to Adi K. Irani who, after 59 symptoms continued, however, a doctor was called
who arrived about 4:30 a.m., diagnosed his problem as lung trouble and gave Adi some medication. Know
years with the Avatar, held fast to His daaman till the very end. The last word he uttered was "Baba."
On March 4, 1980, at 5 a.m., the river of love, service
ing Adi's history as a heart patient, he decided it and devotion that was Adi K. Irani entered the Ocean would be best to take him to the hospital for more that is Meher Baba. careful treatment.
When the doctor was telephoning to make arrange ments, Adi from the depth of his being repeated "Baba!" several times. Then he began to have a heart attack. His pulse was alarmingly weak. Oxygen was brought and mouth-to-mouth breathing and heart mas sage were begun. Adi at this point had stopped breath ing. No ambulance was available, but as the car which was to take us to the train had arrived, we carried Adi
downstairs wrapped in a blanket and quickly drove to the hospital, maintaining mouth-to-mouth breathing
The following cable was sent to Baba-lovers around the world by Baba's sister, Mani: ADI SENIOR BELOVED SECRETARY DISCIPLE OF AVATAR MEHER BABA PASSED AWAY OF HEART ATTACK ON FOURTH MORNING IN GUNTUR, ANDHRA STATE WHILE IN ACTIVE SERVICE OF HIS BELOVED LORD MEHER BABA. PLEASE INFORM CONCERNED IN YOUR AREA. FUNERAL FIFTH MARCH NINE O'CLOCK MORNING, MEHERABAD. JAI BABA-MANI
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MEETINGS • Meher Baba meetings are held on Saturday nights at the Alba
ny MethodistChurch, Stannage Avenue and Marin in Albany. All programsbe gin at 8:00 PM sharp and normally end at 9:30 PMwith time for visiting before and after the meeting. To check for program changes call (415) S45-4339.
MARCH 3 - FILMS OF AVATAR MEHER BABA
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APRIL 7 - SLIDES OF INDIA
Ursula Van Buskirk has gathered a collection of slides of India and the mandali over the 23
years since she met Meher Baba. She plans to show some of her favorites tonight, and to tell about the people and places.
This month's films will be The God Man and O
Parvardigar.
APRIL 14 - FILMS OF MEHER BABA
Irwin Luck's film "Meher Baba - Avatar of the MARCH 10 - STORIES OF VISITS TO INDIA
Baba lovers who have been to India reminisce
about what it was like to visit their family in the East, the Mandali, and see the Baba holy plac es.
MARCH 17 - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The 1990 AGM will begin at 7:30 PM. Under the bylaws of the Meher Baba Center of North ern California, the voting members shall: 1) discuss and approve a budget for the coming year, 2) consider old and new business, 3) elect a new board of directors, and 4) elect a nominating committee for next year's AGM. This year's nominating committee will present a slate of candidates for each of the seven
board positions. Candidates will be announced at meetings at least 30 days before the AGM. According to the bylaws, you are a voting member if you have a sincere interest in Ava tar Meher Baba, live in Northern California, and have attended meetings of our group or
supported it in other ways during the preceding year. If you are eligible, please add your name to the membership list by signing a sheet pro vided at regular meetings. Notification of your eligibility to vole will be mailed to you two weeks before the meeting, along with a list of the candidates. We urge you to attend this meeting. Participation in selecting our leader ship is the way to assure that our meetings and other activities will suit our needs and be
in the spirit of Meher Baba's Love. MARCH 24 - ADI K. IRANI MEMORIAL
Robert Dreyfuss tells stories of Adi K. Irani (see article on Pages 1 and 2 of this issue for background.) Adi's life story is an inspiration for any lover of God. MARCH 31 - DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY
Larry Pesta leads a group discussing what it really means in the crazy changing world we live in today.
Age " will be shown. The film has been playing to entranced general audiences in theatres all across the country for the last six months. We're fortunate to have our own print for these showings. APRIL 21 - MEHER BABA STORIES
Come hear and retell stories either told by Baba or told in Baba's presence. Meeting coor dinated by Ron Greenstein. APRIL 2S - MEETING MEHER BABA
Mick Hamilton tells about his meeting with Meher Baba on March 7,1966. MAY 5 - A PROGRAM OF MUSIC
David Miotke is coordinating this night of musi cal entertainment for the Beloved. MAY 12 - FILMS OF AVATAR MEHER BABA
This month's films will be Meher Baba's Call
and The Ancient One. MAY 19 - MEHERA J. IRANI MEMORIAL
On this, the first anniversary of the passing of Mehera, Wendell Brustman is lending us previ ously un-displayed video footage of Mehera shot with a surrounding cast of Baba's intimate lovers - the Mandali. This material is priceless. MAY 26 - TEX HIGHTOWER COMES TO TOWN
Tex, one of Margaret Craske's dancers, who had the good fortune to carry Baba in Myrtle Beach during the 1958 Sahavas, will speak on meeting Baba and dancing for Him.
Special Events and Notices Meetings in Nearby Cities FRESNO: Meetings on Wednesday evenings from 7:30-8:30 PM. For information call Sharon or Phil
Scott: (209) 449-0877. SACRAMENTO: For information call Marilyn Buehler at (916) 925-4451. . _ „_ continued on the next page
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SAN FRANCISCO: Meeting/dinner first Friday of every month. Enjoy an evening of wining & dining at local
Arti
restaurants. Share stories, conversation & connec
tions. RSVP a must. Call Larry Pesta: (415) 441-7008 at least two days prior to event. Guests are welcome.
All are welcome to gather for Arti at the home of Ron and Lisa Greenstein, 600 Albemarle, El Cerrito each Sunday at 10 AM. Phone: (415) 525-3364.
Discourse Meetings
Board Meetings
Thursday Evenings, 7:15 PM. Baba's discourses are used to shed light on our daily lives with Baba. Loca tion and leader wiill change as discussion meeting de velops. Organized by Janice Quartieri and Ben Leet. Call 527-6739 for a phone message on location. Trustwaila Our trustwaila is Jack Mormon. All who wish to share '
in fulfilling the commitments laid down by Baba through the instrument of the Trust should contact Jack at P.O.
Meher Baba Center of Northern California Board meetings are open to all members. Call Janice Quartieri at (415) 5276739 for the dates and times of meetings. Meher Minors
A group for Baba Lovers aged 12 to 17 has formed in the Bay area- Activities are tentatively scheduled for the tirst Sunday of each month. A camping trip is planned for the spring. Please call Margaret Bernstein at 567-2016 or Molly Hay at 929-7825 for further details.
Box 1250, Berkeley, CA 94701. MEHER BABA CENTER OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.
President, Ursula Van Buskirk • Vice President, Larry Pesta •
Secretary, Janice Quartieri • Treasurer, Keith Gunn • Office Manager, Fred White.
Meher Baba Information - "The Box"
Work nights at Meher Baba Information are Thursdays, 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Work includes responding to requests for information, processing orders for literature and many new projects. If you would like to help, call Rick Chapman or Gary Freeman at (415) 562-1101.
Board of Directors: Marilyn Buehler • Ron Greenstein • Keith Gunn • Greg Harland • David Miotke • Larry Pesta • Ursula Van Buskirk.
Coordinators: Program, Greg Harland • Finance, Ron Green
stein • Membership, Bing Heckman • Publicity, Marilyn Buehler • Service, Larry Pesta • Archives, Michael Le Page • Bookstore,
Reminder
6>
There are sometimes last minute changes in the meeting schedule. Please check the answering machine at the of
fice, (415) 845-4339 for up-to-date information.
Joan Dimpfi.
MEHER BABA CENTER
of Northern California, Inc.
2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
EL CERRITO. CA.
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
PERMIT NO. 186
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CA. INC.
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704 SUMMER 1990
2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235 VOL. 19
tacted in the West. They included Mabel Ryan, Margaret's partner in her dance school, Delia de Leon, Kitty Davy, and
Margaret Craske by Filis Frederick
Kim Tolhurst. Baba nicknamed a small
Margaret was born in Norfolk, England
group "Kimco", of which Margaret was a part. They were the "lighthearted" ones, as distinguished from those who were spiritually "serious", addicted to long hours of meditation, etc.
in 1892. Her father was owner of a
small coastal fleet. She started studying dance at an early age, and was always
very athletic. At 18 she took up ballet and progressed very quickly. She stud ied with the famous Enrico Cecchetti in the private London studio he ran from 1918 to 1923, while he
served as teacher for the Diaghilev Ballet Company.
She says of Cecchetti, "He was already old when I met him ... he was a darling ... he would bend his head and look under his eyes at you as if you were a crimi
Margaret met Baba at the home of Kitty Davy in Lon don. It was she who first opened the door for Him. At that moment, she saw Him as "a vision of gentleness,
grace and love that touched the heart immeasurably."
nal. And he did occasionally give us a tap with the stick. That's not legal now. He was a very fine teach
At the end of that momentous day, she says, "I only knew that from that moment, whatever rough treat ment He may afterwards handed out, there has never been a moment's doubt as to His being the embodi
er. One loved him."
ment of Love and life."
At the end of her study with him, the Maestro gave In 1933 Baba called a group of women to India to be her a certificate indicating she was qualified to carry with Him permanently. Margaret gave up her ballet on his teaching tradition - a rare honor. Today her school to go. But they were all sent back in a few own book, The Theory and Practice of Allegro in weeks. She reopened the school and continued teach Classical Ballet (1920), coauthored with critic Cyril ing, taking part however in Baba's many trips to Beaumont, is a classic reference on the famed Cec
theWest. She describes some of the episodes in her
chetti method.
delightful book of reminiscences, The Dance of Love.
She danced with the Diaghilev Ballet Company but her performing career ended abruptly with tuberculo sis of the Achilles tendon. Thus she took up her in
In 1939, the Master called her to India for the third
getting older... so what!" she says now.
time. Again, she gave up her ballet school. Baba's or der was to come immediately after war broke out: He had to have someone cross the sea after war began. By a series of persistent maneuvers she got on the last boat out of England and arrived in India at a time when Baba was involved in creating the first Univer sal Spiritual Center at Bangalore.
In one year she lost five people dear to her - her parents, a teacher, a friend, a sweetheart. In a depressed mood she searched for a place to get away and heard about a retreat in East Challacombe, Devonshire, run by aman named Meredith Starr. When she went down
Some young Baba iover said when you go t0 i^dia you just exchange Western maya for Eastern maya. Now Margaret became one ofthe close group around Baba _ Easterners and Westerners mingling their sanskaras together. Margaret told me that one doesn't
of Meredith's spiritual teacher, Shri Meher Baba Meredith had recently been to His ashram in India and was expecting Him to visit England. The small group of souls drawn to Starr's retreat had the privilege of being the first "aspirants" Baba con-
East. For example, she described some of the intense
credible career as a teacher. She founded her own bal let school in London in the Thirties. She is
philosophical about the loss of a stage career: "I hurt a tendon. I couldn't dance for some time, and then I was
there for a rest, she was much drawn to a photograph know how "Western" one really is until you live in the East-West battles in the kitchen over food and diet.
One Eastern, lady insisted rice was pure protein! A Westerner, an avid vegetarian found a piece of pork in the canned beans, but the others showed their sense of
Š1990
continued on the last page
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MEETINGS • Meher Baba meetings are heldon Saturday nights at the Alba ny Methodist Church, Stannage Avenue and Marin inAlbany. All programs be ginat 8:00 PM sharp and normally end at 9:30 PMwith timeforvisiting before and after the meeting. To check for program changes call (415) 845-4339.
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THURSDAY JULY 5 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) See description under June 7. SATURDAY JULY 7 - ON SILENCE
This meeting will incorporate a showing of Mani's tape, in which she demonstrates
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR SUMMER 1990
Baba's gestures for various people and things. SATURDAY JUNE 2 -NO MEETING (SEE JUNE 3)
THURSDAY JULY 12 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) See description under June 7.
SUNDAY JUNE 3 - DON STEVENS VISIT
Don Stevens visits the Bay Area after many 7 PM IJyears' absence. He'll be here to give one of his inimitabletalks on the Way and the Goal.
SATURDAY JULY 14 - PILGRIMAGE TO BABA
Janice Quartieri is holding an informal meeting for people who have been to India and want to
THURSDAY JUNE 7 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
Baba's discourses are used to shed light oh our daily lives with Baba. Location and leader <
share the experience with others of our group. SUNDAY JULY 15 - BHAU ARRIVES
OaklandAirport at 7:15 PM, United flight 1225.
will change from time to time. Organized by Janice Quartieri and Ben Leet. Call 527-6739
Bhau is available most mornings for personal inter views. Those interested in meeting in private with
for a phone message on location. This week's discourse - "Stages of the Path."
Bhau are encouraged to call Janice Quartieri to set up their meeting times.
SATURDAY JUNE 9 - FILMS OF THE BELOVED
This month's films will be of the tour around MONDAY JULY 16 - BHAU VISITS SACRAMENTO
America by Baba in 1956 (all reels).
Bhau will speak at 2100 J St (21st and J) at the First United Methodist Church. Music at
SUNDAY JUNE 10 - PICNIC SOFTBALL GAME
Come to the field in Berkeley for a grand out door activity, starting at 1 PM. Bring bats,
7:30, talk starts at 8 PM. TUESDAY JULY 17 - BHAU VISITS PETALUMA For details, call Herman Lowe at
balls, gloves. Come eat or play, or both. Call (415) 845-4339 for location.
(707)778-1195.
THURSDAY JUNE 14 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) See description under June 7. This week's dis course - "Arriving at Self-Knowledge."
THURSDAY JULY 19 - BHAU VISITS PALO ALTO
For details call Hugh and Jean MacDonald at (415) 322-0886.
— SATURDAY JUNE 16 - POT POURRI
THURSDAY JULY 19 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) See description under June 7.
Ron Greenstein hosts this opportunity for all to participate in an informal format.
FRIDAY JULY 20-EVENING WITH BHAU (6:30) At Ron and Lisa Greenstein's house. RSVP,
THURSDAY JUNE 21 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) See description under June 7. This week's dis
and, for directions 525-3364.
course - "God Realization."
SATURDAY JULY 21 -BHAU KALCHURITALK
SATURDAY JUNE 23 -BRABAZON MEMORIAL
Bhau, a member of Baba's intimate mandali
Raine Mormon, who spent many happy times in Francis' company, will present a film, slides, readings and songs. Contact Raine if you have a Francis piece you'd like to read or sing.
since the early 1950s, will speak tonight, cli maxing a week of visiting with Bay Area Baba Lovers. See the next page for Bhau's schedule while he is in the Bay Area.
THURSDAY JUNE 28 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
No discourse meeting.
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.
President, Ursula Van Buskirk • Vice President, Ron Greenstein •
SATURDAY JUNE 30 - NO MEETING
Secretary, David Miotke • Treasurer, Keith Gunn • Office Manag
In anticipation that many of us will be at the Los Angeles Sahavas, no meeting has been scheduled for this weekend.
er, Fred White.
<
Board of Directors: Joan Dimpfl • Ron Greenstein • Keith Gunn • Greg Harland• DavidMiotke • Darrell Rupe • Ursula Van Buskirk.
ALE SUNDAY JULY 22 - GARDEN PARTY
Second annual summer gathering at the home of Ed and Ursula Van Buskirk. The drawing of this year's Myrtle Beach Sweepstakes will be held at the party, which starts at 1 PM. Adults and children welcome. Soft drinks and hot coals will be available for those who wish to
cool off and barbecue (respectively). Bring food, bring swimming suits and come for an af
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ings are open to all members. Call Janice Quartieri at (415) 527-6739 for the dates and times of meetings. Meher Minors
A group for Baba Lovers aged 12 to 17 has formed in the Bay area. Activities are tentatively scheduled for the first Sunday of each month. A camping trip is planned for the spring. Please call Margaret Bernstein at 5672016 or Molly Hay at 929-7825 for further details.
ternoon of fun in the sun. Bhau will draw the Meher Baba Information
sweepstakes winner. MONDAY JULY 23 - MEN'S MEETING WITH BHAU
Bhau will speak to the men of the Baba group' tonight at 8 PM, at the house of Keith and Jan Gunn. Call (415) 486-1024 for directions. TUESDAY JULY 24 - BHAU LEAVES
Bhau departs on the 12:10 (noon) flight out of Oakland Airport. THURSDAY JULY 26 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
See description under June 7. SATURDAY JULY 28 - FILMS OF MEHER BABA This month's films will be Meher Baba's Call and The Ancient One.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND NOTICES
Meetings in Nearby Cities
FRESNO: Meetings on Wednesday evenings from 7:30-8:30 PM. For information call Sharon or Phil Scott: (209) 449-0877.
SACRAMENTO: For information call Marilyn Buehler at (916)925-4451. Trustwaila
Our trustwaila is Jack Mormon. All who wish to share
in fulfilling the commitments laid down by Baba through the instrument of the Trust should contact Jack at P.O. Box 1250, Berkeley, CA 94701. Service Opportunity
For anyone interested in providing emotional, practical or spiritual support for people with HIV (AIDS), please contact Jim Tomlinson at (415) 457-2487. Jim can put
you intouch with a local support network group. Arti
All are welcome to gather for Arti at the home of Ron and Lisa Greenstein each Sunday at 10 AM. Phone: (415)525-3364. Board Meetings
Meher Baba Center of Northern California Board meet
Interested in helping with the Baba-work at "The Box?" Call Sheryl or Rick Chapman for details (415) 5621101. Reminder
There are sometimes last minute changes in the meet
ing schedule. Please check the answering machine at the office, (415) 845-4339 for up-to-date information.
humor - they took it out in the garden and buried it with great ceremony! Finally, the work of preparing separate menus became too tedious, and all agreed on a common menu. The same happened with relig ious holidays. There were a tremendous number and Baba insisted each should celebrate the others' holi
days. Again, it got to be too much and just a certain number were celebrated by everyone.
Anita de Caro once told Margaret she was tired of
maya and would like to get out of it. Margaret's an swer was "But I love maya." I always loved her for that answer.
The seven years of life with Baba in India had many phases. She was one of the few Western women al lowed to live intimately with the close Eastern disci ples, Mehera, Mani, Dr. Goher, Naja, Mehru. Osten sibly she joined them because of an illness that needed special care. How kindly Baba circumvented the jealousy of the other Western women! But there were also trying times; for example, when Baba or dered her to "disappear" whenever He came to visit the Eastern women - and without explanation. Sure ly a most humbling experience.
Baba had, in a playful moment, under the name of "Mr. Thomas", taken a dancing lesson from her (Santa Margherita, 1932) and acquitted Himself as gracefully as ever. "He had a perfect spine," she says, "And I know what a perfect spine is!" One test for all the Western women was the presence of His beloved Mehera. Every Avatar has His "femi nine counterpart" as part of His innermost Circle. But for some of the Western women, the privileged position of Mehera in His Circle evoked real jeal ousy, at times concealed as derogatory indifference, sometimes flaring in bad moods. It was quite a blow
to your female vanity to find yourself "in second place" and some never quite got over it. It is to Margaret's credit that she saw through Baba's game, and harmonized with His chief woman disci ple so well that Mehera was often in Margaret's care. Baba used to take Margaret's palm and trace an "M" on it, meaning "How is Mehera?"
When Baba, very abruptly in Dehra Dhun in 1946, sent her back home, and she began her career with Ballet Theatre, His significant words "Your danc ing is Mine" came true. Gradually a small group of dancers came to hear of Him through contact with her, and came to meet Him in 1952 in Myrtle Beach. Some well-known ballet stars have become
close Baba lovers. In 1956, they gave a special bal let performance for Baba in the Bam at Myrtle Beach; and you can see them in the old I9581n(> vies carrying Baba about in His special chair.
After the stint with Ballet Theatre, Margaret was a moving force behind the Metropolitan Opera Ballet for nearly 20 years. At 90 years of age she was still teaching - at the Manhattan School of Ballet. Ask ing her once for spiritual "advice," she told me, "Be like a rag doll, then Baba can work through you." It's perhaps the technique of a good dancer , to be so relaxed, so balanced, maya can't tip you over ... You may even get to love her, like Margaret. Takenfrom The Awakener, Volume 20 Number 2 Copyright 1983 by the Universal Spiritual League in America, Inc. All rights reserved.
Miss Craske passed away on February 18, 1990 in Myrtle Beach, SC. In her final days she was sur rounded by her dancers and other friends.
MEHER BABA CENTER
of Northern California, Inc.
2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704
1/
NON-PROFIT ORG. US. POSTAGE PAID
EL CERRITO. CA. PERMIT NO. 186
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CA. INC.
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704 FALL 1990
2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235 VOL. 19
A Meherjee Story
and fell unconscious. I was sitting there and I saw him. Though it was the month of December and very cold at that time,
Meherjee Karkaria, Baba's disciple since 1926, died on June 26,1990. Here
Baba removed His coat, the black coat
he reminisces about how he came to be
that is in the museum, and He had a nap kin around His head, He was sweating
lieve in Baba's omniscience.
in the bitter cold. He removed, and then
He asked us to remove the boy to the "hospital," a room in the Ashram kept
I taught at the Hazrat Babajan High School. In that school the boys were
studying. Later some of the boys who were attending that school were kept separately. They were called the "Prem Ashram."
I gradually learned about Baba, staying with Him, lis tening to the discourses He was dictating at that time,
with some medicines and a cot. Baba said that he was
experiencing the experiences of the 6th plane, and these are real experiences. For four days this boy re mained totally unconscious, eyes wide open. Very lit tle sleep, and food had to be thrown into his mouth -
he would not ask for it. On the fourth day, we were sitting near Baba, it was then about noon, and AbduUa particular time, two incidents happened at the ashram started crying loudly. So Baba explained to us that school that brought me nearer to Baba. Baba was in now he was coming back to his consciousness, and he seclusion at that time in the cabin that is His tomb. If thinks the bliss that he was enjoying is being taken some of you have been to India, you must have seen away from him. That's why he's crying. He asked me, that one side of the cabin has a window. Where His "Go and ask him why he is crying." So I went and body lies now, there was a pit. Baba used to sleep in asked him, and he said, "Oh no, why is Baba taking that pit without a cot, just with a mattress. He was not away what He has given me?" I brought the message coming out of the cabin, He was observing fast also, to Baba. Baba said, "Go and tell him 'you're coming and every evening the boys and the teachers were into consciousness, but at the same time the bliss that gathered together on that platform and Baba used to you are enjoying will also stay with you. You should dictate discourses. The Discourses that we have got not worry.'" That impressed me, that Baba could give now are the discourses dictated in those days. Notes such experiences. were taken by different people, some in English, some in Gujarati, some in Persian. Those notes were taken The second thing that happened in the same period afterwards and edited by Dr. Deshmukh and others, was, you know Baidul who used to go after masts for and He convinced me about His Godhood. At that
and when they found something not clear, Baba used
Baba on mast trips? Baidul was in those days one of
to correct. Somewhere that I read the statement that the Discourses were dictated to Dr. Deshmukh. It is
the supervisors to look after the needs of the boys to make them eat well and everything. So he comes run ning with a pot in his hand with some rice in it. "Baba, today the rice is not cooked properly - it is un
not correct. You should know about this - they were
given by Baba in 1927 - 1928 in His seclusion. Desh
cooked." Baba sends for Chhagan. Chhagan was in charge of the kitchen. Here I must make it clear that in Vishnu and others. Clarifications, as needed, were re Baba's ashram, somebody was working as a barber, a ceived directly from Baba. sweeper, a cook. It's not that it was their profession. One day there was a boy from the Persian Gulf, Ab Chhagan was not a cook. Baba said to Chhagan, "You duUa Pakrawan, who was later named Chota Baba. want to kill my children, you cook the rice this way?" This boy was rather a grown-up boy compared to the Chhagan was just quiet. He was a six foot tall hefty age of other boys. He never believed in Baba. He had fellow. Then Baba called Rustomji. Rustomji was come only to study free of cost. He was a staunch Adi's elder brother, the superintendent of the ashram Muslim of the Sunni sect. One day he was sitting just at that time. Under Baba's orders only, he would punlike other boys. All of a sudden he screamed aloud
mukh worked from the notes collected by Chanji,
Š1990
continued on the last page
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MEETINGS • Meher Baba meetings are held on Saturday nights at the Alba ny MethodistChurch, Stannage Avenue and Marin in Albany. AD programs be gin at 8:00 PM sharp and normallyend at 9.-30 PMwith time forvisiting before and after the meeting. To check lor program changes call (415) 845-4339.
T
Jacob Marshall will perform songs from Cindy's new album - a powerful musical offer ing of love and tribute to Meher Baba and His Beloved Mehera.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR FALL 1990 SATURDAY SEPT 1 • FILMS OF BABA
This month's films will be Meher Baba's tour around America in 1956.
THURSDAY SEPT 6 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) Join us each week for an evening of reading and discussing one of Baba's discourses. Tea. and cookies afterward.
Location: home of
Louise Barry and Dick Anthony(524-1440), all thursdays except first thursday of the month at Janice Quartieri's (527-6739). This week: The Circles of the Avatar. SATURDAY SEPT 8 - SECOND ANNUAL ITALIAN FESTIVAL DINNER
Come for a taste of the days Meher Baba spent in Italy. Enjoy an authentic Italian dinner cooked by the Baba chefs. Suggested Dona tion: $10.00 per adult. THURSDAY SEPT 13 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
THURSDAY SEPT 27 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) This week: Hell and Heaven.
SATURDAY SEPT 29 - ARTIS & PRAYERS TO MUSIC
A workshop to teach participants/practice the Indian and western artis, including the Gujerati and Hindi artis.
THURSDAY OCT 4 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) This week: The Existence and Memory of Past Lives
SATURDAY OCT 6 - INTRODUCTORY MEETING
Greg Harland will lead a group meeting for people who would like to know more about Meher Baba. If you know someone who has
shown an interest in Baba, please encourage them to visit. The film" Meher Baba's Call" will be shown.
THURSDAY OCT 11 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) This week: Specific Conditions of an Incarna tion.
This week: The Travail of the New World Or der.
SATURDAY OCT 13 - A VISIT FROM RENAE AND LEATRICE
FRIDAY SEPT 14 - RUMMAGE SALE WORK SESSION
Help is needed from 4 to 10 PM to do pricing for the rummage sale. Baba people have first call on items during this night's pre-sale. Work is done at the Friends' Meeting Place, corner of Walnut andAfine in Berkeley. Fronr8 tolO the atmosphere is similar to a Baba meeting.
Renae Shaw and Leatrice Shaw Johnson, met Baba as young adults in 1952, and again in '56, '58 and '62. Time permitting, they will rem inisce about each of these meetings - personal experiences of the Beloved. THURSDAY OCT 18 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) This week: The Need for Male and Female In
SATURDAY SEPT 15 • RUMMAGE SALE
Come help at the year's single largest fund raiser. Work off all those sanskaras you've ac cumulated since the last rummage sale! THURSDAY SEPT 20 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
carnations. FRIDAY OCT 19 - ANN'S TIME WITH BABA
Ann Conlon, another of the Americans who met Baba in the early years, will come to tell
her story of meetings with the Beloved.
This week: Reincarnation and Karma. SATURDAY SEPT22 - "KEEP ME NEAR" CONCERT
Cindy Lowe, along with Raine Eastman, Chris
THURSDAY OCT 25 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) This week: The Operation of Karma Through Successive Lives.
tine Sanders, Karen Sterkin, Keith Gunn and SATURDAY OCT 27 - POETRY NIGHT
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NORTHERN CAUFORNIA, INC. President, Ursula Van Buskirk • Vice President, Ron Greenstein •
Secretary, David Miotke • Treasurer, Keith Gunn • Office Manag er, Fred White. Board of Directors: Joan DimpfI • Ron Greenstein • Keith Gunn • Greg Harland • David Miotke • Darrell Rupe • Ursula Van Buskirk.
Bring your favorite Ghazal. A night of recita tion, coordinated by Raine Eastman. THURSDAY NOV 1 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
This week: The Destiny of the Reincarnating Individual.
ALE
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tation of Francis Brabazon's "East-West Gath
ering." We will also see a short film of the gathering and hear readings from Francis' book.
A Arti
SATURDAY NOV 3 - EAST-WEST GATHERING
David Miotke will sing and play from his adap
B
All are welcome to gather for Arti at the home of Ron and Lisa Greenstein each Sunday at 10 AM. Phone: (415) 525-3364. Arti is also performed every sunday at Hermann Loew's house in Petaluma. For information,
call Hermann at (707) 778 -1195.
THURSDAY NOV 8 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) This week: Live for God and Die for God. SATURDAY NOV 10 - BENEFIT AUCTION (7 PM)!
Fine art by internationally acclaimed Baba art ists, as well as many exceptional items and services from our local members, will be avail able in both live and silent auctions. Hors d'oeuvres will be served.
THURSDAY NOV 15 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
This week: Work for the Spiritual Freedom of Humanity. SATURDAY NOV 17 - JAMIE NEWELL CONCERT
Second annual appearance by singer / songwriter Jamie Newell. Hors d'oeuvres will be served. Suggested donation $ 10. THURSDAY NOV 22 - NO DISCOURSE MEETING
Thanksgiving intervenes in the schedule of discourse meetings. SATURDAY NOV 24 - NO MEETING
Thanksgiving intervenes. THURSDAY NOV 29 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
This week: Task for Spiritual Workers. SPECIAL EVENTS AND NOTICES
Meetings in Nearby Cities
FRESNO: Meetings on Wednesday evenings from 7:30-8:30 PM. For information call Sharon or Phil Scott:
(209) 449-0877.
SACRAMENTO: For information call Marilyn Buehler at (916)925-4451. Trustwaila
Our trustwaila is Jack Mormon. All who wish to share
in fulfilling the commitments laid down by Baba through the instrument of the Trust should contact Jack at P.O.
Box 1250, Berkeley, CA 94701.
Service Opportunity
For anyone interested in providing emotional, practical or spiritual support for people with HIV (AIDS), please contact Jim Tomlinson at (415) 457-2487. Jim can put
you in touch with a local support network group.
Board Meetings Meher Baba Center of Northern California Board meet
ings are open to all members. Call Janice Quartieri at (415) 527-6739 for the dates and times of meetings. Meher Minors
A group for Baba Lovers aged 12 to 17 has formed in the Bay area. Activities are tentatively scheduled for the 'first Sunday of each month. Please call Margaret Bern stein at 567-2016 or Molly Hay at 381-2927 for further details. Meher Baba Information
Interested in helping with the Baba-work at The Box"? Call Sheryl / Rick Chapman fordetails (415) 562-1101. Reminder
There are sometimes last minute changes in the meet
ing schedule. Please check the answering machine at the office, (415) 845-4339 for up-to-date information.
ish. Baba directed Rustomji to give four strokes of the cane to Chhagan. Rustomji administered the pun ishment. Chhagan just kept quiet Baba just said, "Now get out of here." After few minutes, Baba just asked those who were sitting near Him to go and call Chhagan. One fellow went, and then came back. He couldn't find Chhagan. I and Raosahib Afseri, the Persian teacher, were sent specially by Baba. Afseri was also a hefty man. We reached the storehouse where the goods of the ashram were kept. Chhagan was on the point of cutting his throat with a barber's razor. Afseri just caught his hand as he was about to do it, and we brought him to Baba. Baba was again wild against him, "What right do you have to take your life? You have surrendered to me, does your life after surrendering to me belong to you that you tried to take it?" Well, after a little more commotion,
This note came from Mani, Baba's sister, about Me-
herjee's passing. Our dear Meherjee Karkaria (Trustee, Avatar Meh er Baba Trust) passed away on the 26th of June, 1990 in Poona after being bed ridden for a long time. As wished by our Beloved Baba, his remains will be buried at Meherabad. The funeral will take
place on the 27th of June in the morning where lo cal Baba-lovers from Meherazad, Ahmednagar and Meherabad will join, along with some Baba-lovers from Poona, to pay their tribute to dear Meherjee's love for and service to our Lord Avatar Meher
Baba. Below is the copy of the cable that was im mediately dispatched to Meherjee's loved ones in Poona on 26th June: BELOVED MEHER BABA'S LOVE HAS RE LEASED HIS DEAR MEHERJEE FROM PRO-
Baba embraced Chhagan, and everything was as be fore. But it impressed me very much that Baba knew , LONGED SUFFERING AND PAIN STOP ME this man was committing suicide. He sent us after HERJEE AS THE TRUSTED AND DEDICATED him and saved him, too. These incidents impressed LONGTIME DISCIPLE OF THE AVATAR AND TRUSTEE AMBT LIVED FOR AND SERVED me most in those days. HIS BELOVED LORD AND MASTER TILL Bhau Kalchuri, on the subject of Meherjee, adds: THE VERY END BLESSED INDEED IS OUR When Baba would need anything, Meherjee would be there. There would be a very few persons Baba
DEAR MEHERJEE STOP ALL MEHERAZAD MEHERABAD MANDALI TRUSTEES AND
would always ask them send so much money, but they were the persons who would never say no. They would not say, "Oh I am in difficulty Baba." And even if they would be in difficulty Baba would say, "Send this", and there would be no question. So few persons were there, just like Meherjee, Nariman,
RESIDENTS SALUTE DEAR MEHERJEE'S UN FLINCHING FAITH IN AND LOVE FOR BE LOVED AVATAR MEHER BABA WE SEND
Elizabeth, Norma. So Baba would not hesitate, and
whatever Baba would say they would send. Why? Because they would know that it was He who was giving. So what He had given, to offer at His feet they would feel happy and very fortunate.
HEARTFELT
CONDOLENCES
AND
OUR
LOVE TO YOU AND TO DEAR RUSIPERVIN ADILZUBIN MEHERNAZASHA MANUA CHAIRMAN TRUSTEES AMBT ME HERAZAD MEHERABAD MANDALI AND RESIDENTS
MEHER BABA CENTER
of Northern California, Inc.
2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID
El CERRITO. CA.
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
^J^^^S^H â&#x20AC;¢ -".fc^? !l.l..lUliit.ll...l.l.ilu.l
PERMIT NO. 186
. MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CA. INC.
.N
E . W
S
R BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704
2131UNTVERSITY AVE., RM 235
WINTER 1991 VOL. 21
OCEAN OF LOVE This excerpt isfrom the "The Ocean ofLove" by Delia Deleon and isa portion ofanarticle that wasfirstpublished in the Meher Baba Journal ofApril1940. Herfascinating new book also contains many lettersfromBabaand is currently availablefromourbookstore.
worry" says Baba to someone and usually ifthat person is receptive he soon begins to realize what a worrier he is, even though it may have been in the depths of his subconscious self; and the measure of the new inrush of life that fills him is the measure of Baba's help.
It is a subtle and pernicious foe that we have to fight; but ifwe follow Baba's advice we soon find that troubles and
fears begin to vanish, because the things that were importantto us before" do not matter anymore.
Why shouldwe worry when we can turn to Him and love
Him and serve Him? We must try to know and under-T Why do we Worry so much? With many people it is standourselves truly; for Meher Babasays: "Everything because they feel an eternal dissatisfaction. Theywant* is within you: the secret of Life, God". things different; something eludesthem always. Small wonder that in their desperate desire to be free from worry they follow falsegods, thinking they will be ledto Utopia They are deceived bywords and grandiose "Thelifein eternity knows no bondage, decay promises, and are "let down" invariably for theyfail to dr sorrow. It is the everlating and ever renewing . realize thatthe remedy lies within themselves.'It is only a • self-affirmation of conscious, illimitable divinity. Perfect One like Meher Baba that can give them the right My mission is tohelpyouinherit thishidden answer to all that troubles them and the world today. He has Himself attained freedom and can help others to this freedom. Ifwe turn to Him, He will help us and in Himwe
can find hope and strength. The veryfact of His telling us, "Don't worry, be happy" helps us and gives us power, for it loosens up within us the causes of ourworries. To love Him and to obey Him is the next step-it is so much easier with Him behind us. For it is a spiritual
solution, and no amount of physical or mental striving can
solve our problems. Meher Baba does help us to change
treasure of the Self." Meher Baba
MEHER BABA NETWORK •To give greater scope tothe sharing ofMeher Baba's Love, Truth, and Presence, an information bank is being created to help Baba Lovers who wantto connectwith
our attitude to life; and it is not a negative attitude that Baba asKs us to cultivate, but a positive, joyful accep
others who have similar interests. The network is meant to stimulate new and old enthusiasms through facilitating
tance of experiences intheirright focus. Not to be caught-in the passing phases of illusion (maya)~"to be in •
out the Bay Area.
the world and not of it"-does not mean a shrinking from
life. We have our parts to play. And to withdraw from life to practice austerities, to sit in a cave to meditate,does notnecessarily mean spiritual advancement. Itwould not
be right for the majority. Meher Babaseems to prefer us to be active and dynamic, though He wants us to accept • whatever experience is necessary for our spiritual progress and development. ' Meher Baba helps us in so many ways not to worry or tear and to develop this right attitude toward life. It •
sounds so simple yet most of us find it so difficult. "Don't
small, informal gatherings in a variety of locations through Some examples of the kind of activity the network can promote include:
' Discourse meetings. Discussion groups, Artis,
Theaterprojects, Music composingor playing, , Poetry or prose readings, Workshops, Publishing projects, Sports teams, Game playing, Recre ational activities, etc.
Ftor more informationand to participate in the network
call Ron Greenstein at (510)525-3364or DickAnderson at (510) 930-8319.
L
-w THE PRESIDENTS COLUMN
The decimating fire in the Oakland-Berkeley hillson October 20 took the homes of two of our dedicated
newsletterwallas'. Besides theirdifficult personallosses, the Center has lost Its Quarterly feature article, updated mailing list and a variety of records that were stored on . computer discs. We are doing our best to piece together an old mailing list with pur records of address changes and new member requests so that we can still send put a schedule pf events for the Winter Quarter. Ifyou know of anyone who has not received this newsletter, please have
themcall theoffice at(510^845-4339 arid leave their_ J name, address and phone number oh ourmessage machine.
"
'•-.
•
these past six months we have had an unusual wealth of special guests. Obviously Katie Irani's visit was
Ptr^ - ^yr^
rounded ignorance of many trivial details surrounding
Baba. Don't missa^imllar meeting scheduled In January' 1992, devoted less to the food and more to the game I Iwould like to mention a few other outstanding pro grams that took place, last quarter. One event was the .Dhuni Fire at Muir Beach which was blessed by Baba with a warm evening. Also the special children's program was -
adelight, thanks to Hugh Macbonald's magic and . Hermann Loew's storytelling. And one other eyent that is not to be missed, should we present Itagain, was the .Cricket game in Golden Gate Park. It became apparent. in.a few short hours why Baba liked this game so! —An event which extended well beyond our Northern • California Center was the Youth Sahavas in Myrtle Beach, which was attended by teen age Baba Lovers from across the country; This Sahavas may have the most
monumental in importance as itwasthe first time since
profound and long lasting effect on many .oftheir lives, and I knowthat/many hope it is the first pf many more
1958? that and;Eastern woman Mandali visited the West.
Youth Satiava? tp come....
We also had Bhau Kalchuri makejiimself available for
those who were unable to make the trip out to Mariposafor a festive weekend-now referred to as Bhau Stock. Mr. Esfandiar Vessali, an original and very special Prem
Ashram boy,gave a'talk with the helpof our Farsi inter preter, Soussan Adham. Although before entering the . room, he stood outside the door humbly claiming he had nothing of importance to say to lead us to God and we
would be better off spending, the evening in prayer and meditation. Fortunately Babamust havemovedhim to share his stories with us anyway.
Baba's nephew Jungoo Sukhadwala, whom we have to thank forthe various movies taken of the Avatar, gave a very entertaining talk, and Baba's sister-in-law, Franey
'. Lastly Iam happy toreport a favorable response to our. call for contributions last June and heartfelt thanks to all
who support the Center however they can. Again we enclose.our donation card as a reminder because united
we can assist in the bringing of thPse special people who
can tell us the.first-hand experience of being in the presence of the Avatarof the Age. t Iwould also liketo put out a call for help with re establishing and maintaining our membership mailing list and our future newsletters. If you have the room, either in your schedule or computer dr both; and feel a commit ment toward attempting to serve Baba through the^group, we would liketo hear from you.
Jai Baba-Darrell Rupe
Irani, who has just moved to the United States from ,-• '
Er^land, gave pemapsthe mc«t moving, heartfelt talk of '
all. >•'-'. '•••". Whatever good fortune brought so many woriderful ' peopleto visitus, we are thankful, and on many levels, \ am sure we have all benefited from their visits.
Iwould like to add that Katie Irani refusedlo draw the winningticket for our Take a Trip" Sweepstakes, noting that drawing one winning ticket would create hundreds of losing tickets and her heart would not allow her to do it.
So we enlisted the help of innocent-hearted, two-year old Mani Rose Dreyfuss, who like a good daughter, immedi ately pulled out her father's ticket forthe Grand Prize. To. those unable to RSVP in time for thelndian Summer
Dinner, wonderfully hosted by Raj and Damyantl Mehta,we apologize but preparations needed to betnade in advance. Besides the highlight of excellent, authentic
Indian food, an exciting game of BabaTrivia engaged all in a fierce yet good-hearted competition. Itwas inspiring'
tonote that all .participants commanded a healthy; weli-
"Aboveall else,be content with your lot, rich or. poor,happy or miserable. Understand that God has designatedit for your own good,, and be . resignedto his will. Remember the present in the frame of the past and the future. You eternally were and always will be. You have had innumer, able forms as man and woman, beautiful and
' ,ugly,strong and weak, healthy and sick, powerful . and helpless,and now you arehereagainin another form.
Until you gain spiritual freedom you will be invested with many such forms, so why seek . temporary relief nOwwhich will only result in further bindings later? Do not ask God for money, fame, power, health, or children, but seek His •/ graceand it will lead you to eternal bliss." Meher Baba
•A'.'" t
ID). /-a SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 - THE FULL CIRCLE CON
EVENTS FOR WINTER 1991
CERT
IMPORTANT NOTE ONEVENTS AND THEIR SCHEDULING MeherBaba EVENTS are held on Saturdaynights at
Margaret Bernstein performs flute and piano compo sitions from her soon to be released album featuring
- the Albany Methodist Church (onthecorner of '• Stannage1 andMarin Avenues in Albany) except for meetings held on the THE FIRSTFRIDAY OF EVERY
MONTH unless otherwise indicatedbelow. Meetings on each first Friday are in lieu of meetings on the first Saturdaynight of the month. Programs begin at 8:00
traditional Baba favorites and classical works. " ~
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30 - THE AMARTITHI CEL EBRATION AT 9:00PM
The time of this meeting coincides with the Celebra tion in India of-the Anniversary of Baba dropping His Body on January 31,1969. The special program will
PMsharp and normallyend at 9:30 PM, unless
otherwise notedbelow, with time for visiting before
culminate with 15'minutes of silence from 10:30 to
and after the meeting. . To check for possible program changes call (510) 845-4339.
\
•
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 - MICHAEL LE PAGE'S BABA STORY
-
pm, the time of Baba's physical passing.STORMING DINNER AT 7:00PM
a child, met Baba three times.
Help in the preliminary planning for Baba's 100th . Birthday in 1994. Discuss ideas whileenjoying excellent indian food. Meeting will be at Sabina
the Discpurses, on a visitfrom France, will talk about our personal relationship with Baba and the role of inner guidance.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21 - LOV£ STREET SING ERS : The Love Street Singers will lead a sing-along follow ing a performance of old favorites and carols. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28-FILM NIGHT AND
:
Meherabad Hill, where the time will be Noon-12:15
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7 - 100TH BIRTHDAY BRAIN
the New Humanity, and co-editorof GodSpeaksand
..
,
Michael grew up in an Australian Baba family and, as SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 - DON STEVENS Don Stevens author of Listen, Humanity and Listern
•'«
10:45 pm. This silence is simultaneous with the one observed at Meher Baba's Samadhi (Tomb) on •
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15 - DEBORAH ASH AND . , MICHAEL CAMPAGNA CONCERT
The soulful duo from Los Angeles, whose songs have been recorded by several popular artists, will perform an acoustic concert of original Baba songs with a gospel edge, accompanied by our own Larry .
Thrasher on tabla. Suggesteddonation at door: $ 10.00.
COOKIE CONTEST Bring your best Christmas season cookies for sharing. Afterthe screening of "Three Incredible Weeks" (1954) and "Seclusion Hill" (1955), the person with the
_besi cookies will receive a prize from the Baba
•
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY22 - BELOVED BABA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY AT 7:00PM ATARUNGTON COMMUNITY CHURCH
.
52 Ar^NQmN AVB^UE (AT RtNOSN) It4 KENSimTON.
Celebrate Baba's Birthday with cake and excerpts
bookstore.
FRIDAY,JANUARY 3 - COMING TO BABA
. Restaurant, 1628 Webster St. (at 16th), Oakland. Call (510) 273-9426 to RSVP or for information.
'
Hear the first-person accpunts of several Baba Lovers describing how they were snared jn the net of the Beloved's Love.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 11 - IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF
from Francis Brabazon's piay"Being is Dying by . Loving", performed by The Love Street Sinjgersand PlayerSi Please call the office in advance ifypU needa ride from-the El Cerrito Bart.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 - DISTRIBUTE FOOD TO THE POOR
THE NEW LIFE
Arrangements are being made to distribute food to
Viermanh.Loew aridJimHastings accentstories ofthe
the poor oh Baba's Birthday. To participate, callJohn
' New Life with slides taken during their 1987 journey retracing the New Life travels. SATURDAY, JANUARY 18 - HIGHER TRIVIAL PUR SUIT AND DINNER AT 7:30PM
Rice, dahl, and vegetable curry dinner followed by a \.
gameof BabaTrivia Dinner available for thefirst 50 ' - f persons only. Dinner cost: $ 5.0Q perperson. Chai for everyone.
Nyeat (415) 668-2131. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29 - DR. GOHER VIDEO AND BABA ON SUFFERING
Dr. Goher talks about Jife with Baba from her unique
perspectiveas a medical doctor and one of the
women Mandali. Ben Leet will supplement thevideo with a collection of Baba quotes on the role of suffer-.
V ing in theDivine Romance.
with Him, who hfcve volunteered to maketheir.-ears and.hearts",
Meetings in nearby circs
compassionatelyavailable to those who may be opening to Meher Baba with an accompanying sense of isolation, shame, or other emotionaltrauma (or the coming-to-awareness of previously
FRESNO: Meetings on Wednesday evenings from 730 to 8:30 PM. Call Sharon or Phil Scott at (209) 449-0877; SACRAMENTO: Call Marilyn BuehleV at (916) 925-4451 Ami
'
buried trauma).
^
All are welcometo gather for Arti at the home of Ron and Lisa Greenstein each Sunday at 10:00 AM. Call (510) 525-3364. Arti is also performed every Sunday at Hermann Loew's home In Petaluma. For information, call (707) 778-1195.
"everything in Him", as He wishes.
, Board Meetings
. '" '
Those who would itke toavail themselves ofour network may.
Meher Baba Center of Northern California Board meetings are
contactus at:: Meher Baba ^elf-Help Network, 65 Royal Drive, #
opento all members. Call Darrell Rupe for the dates andtimes
222. Piscataway. NJ 08854. USA
of meetings at (510) 527-7713. Meher Baba Information
We are a group of lay men and women, and even professional .therapists among us function as "ordinary" volunteers. We claim . no expertise,onlya desire to be "Baba's Earsand Heart" for others. Many of us have been through our own deep traumas and wish to be as present for other sufferers as we can be, knowing that we are "nothing in ourselves", but can be
-
^ntweste*rrrhefp1ng^with4hfrBabarWork at^e-Bex" ? Call
Sheryl or Rick Chapman for details at (510)562-1101. ' ' ' DiscounsE Meetings
Join us each Thursday-for an evening of readingand discussing Baba's Discourses at the home of Louise Barrie and Dick
Anthony. Tea and cookies afterward. Call (510)524-1440 for directions.
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.
President, Darrell Rupe - Vice President, Alexandra'Cons Secretary, Roman Babiak - Treasurer, Jack Mormon • Office Manager, FredWhite. Board of Directors: Soussan Adham, Roman Babiak, Alexandra Cons, Harold Jamison, Raj Merita,
Darrell Rupe, Paul Williams. Newsletter: Alexandra Cons, Keith
•
REQUEST FOR ARTICLES, POEMS, STORIES:
-TheJournal for Psychological arid-Spiritual Integration, a semi- -
ejjnual journal addressing clinical, theoretical and experiential
issues in psychology, and spirituality inlight of Meher Baba's . . teachings, is seeking articles from Baba Loversengaged inthe mental health, helping profession, and related fields. Contributors include professionals in the mental health field and hefping professionals (therapists, teachersrbody workers, administrators, etc.), Baba Lovers, who are clients and patients in therapy, members of the Mandali, and others. Ourgoalis to have a forum in print whereBabaLovers who have some connection with or interest jn the broad field of "mental health" can articulate
arid exchange their ideas, thoughts, insights, and experience. For further information contact Jason Saffer af 227 South
Wildwood, Hercules, CA 94547, phone (510) 724-1571. .
Gunn, Soussan Adham, Roman Babiak, Lisa Greenstein.
Trustwaila: Jack Mormon (P.O. Box 1250, Berkeley, CA94701) THE MEHER BABA-SELF-HELP NETWORK "It's notmehelping you or youhelping me, it'swehelping us" - t Meher Baba
•
Formerly the Meher BabaUnion for New Psychology, this is a
phone-and-pen-pa! network ofBaba Lovers andthose connected
MEHER BABA CENTER
,
of Northern California, Inc.
2131 University Avenue, Room 235
Berkeley, California 94704
Ui{,.il„i|lm.ii„.l.i.il...l
NON-Prc-Worg. us. postage paid
el cerrito. ca. permit no. 188
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CA. INC.
2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704
VOL. 20
SPRING 1991
Growing Up in Baba's Family
Baba, we aren't doing anything to prevent it. But Baba said, "You must hurry to have
Mehera Kerawala Arjani
it." Baba went off to the West then in '58.
Mehera grew up in Baba's intimate family. She spent much of her childhood living with the Jessawala family. Her maternal and paternal grandmothers were sisters, from the Satha family of Ahmednagar's Akbar Press. Eruch Jessawala's mother Gaimai is her Aunt. Her story was recorded at the Pilgrim Center about 6 months ago. This talk is about being a baby in Baba's family, because Baba dropped His body when I was 10. My parents are first cousins and even in a community like ours which is known for intermarriage, first cousins don't normally get married, especially since in my mother's family, all the brothers and sisters other than my mother suffered from muscular dystrophy. Baba said He wanted Sam Kerawala, my father, to marry Roshan, Gulamasi Satha's daughter. Both the families said, "But Baba, you know what happened with muscular dystrophy - all the brothers and sisters have had this problem." But Baba said, "Do you believe that I am God? Well, as God, I guarantee that not only Roshan and the children, but for seven generations after, nobody will be bothered by muscular dystrophy. So there should be no reason for you to object to the marriage." So they were married in due course, and Baba attended the wedding, and like all Baba occasions it was a mish mash of many things. For example, somebody mixed up the salt and sugar cellars, so they had sugar in their food and salt in their ice cream. You know, things like that always happened with Baba. He personally supervised the
Mummy went to see Him off and Baba said, "By the time I come back I expect you to be carrying." Sure enough, by the time He came back, she was carrying. And I was bom and Baba waited in Guruprasad to be told just like any other father would. Eruch says He paced up and down. The next morning He came to the hospital to see me. He spent some time with mummy and me, and then mummy went home to Bhindra house where she lived with Eruch's family.
So He would come. Right from the time I was a few days old, He sort of took over. They'd be cooking in the kitchen, and He would say, "Leave her on the table in front of Me." Baba would ask for a glass of sherbet (as I've been told), and He'd be drinking from it, and then He'd dip a finger in and give it to me to suck. And very often because He did that I used to wet His sadra. He never minded, He just took it in His stride. There were little things that Baba would say, such as, "How is My kid?" So Baba would come in and spend time with me, and we'd visit in Guruprasad when He was alone. And Mehera said, "Baba, it's time." And Baba said, "Yes, it's time. Roshan should have another child." Mehera said to Baba, "Baba,
this time be sure it's a boy." And Baba would smile at her
then he went away to sea, for Sam was a sailor. When he
very sweetly, and say, "We'll see." And He said to Roshan, "Now it's time for you to have another baby." She did, and it was again a girl. Baba named me after Mehera, and He named Dolly Daulat after Mehera's mother. Mehera was very disappointed, and she said, "Baba, I asked you, I wanted a boy." Baba said, "Mehera, don't worry whether they're boys or girls. Both these girls will do my work better than any man could do, when their time comes." And yet, Mehera always wanted a third child. She said,
came back for leave Baba said, "Well what about a child?
"Baba, one more." But Baba said, "No more children." So
Why aren't you having a child? And they said, "Well,
before Sam went to sea that time, Baba said, "Go have a
wedding. And then, as He is wont to do He sort of dictates
exactly how each step of their life has to be lived out. So
when Sam got married they had a short honeymoon and
Š1991
continued on the inner (third) page
Kf
W
LETT
MEETINGS - Meher Baba meetings are heldon Saturday nights at theAlbany Methodist Church, Stannage Avenue andMarin in Albany. All programs begin at 8:00 PM sharp and normally end at 930 PMwith time (or visiting before andafterthe meeting. To check for program changes call (415) 845-4339.
THURSDAYMARCH 28 - DISCOURSEMEETING (7:15) SATURDAY MARCH 30 - TOM RILEY VISIT
Tom Riley, an artist who met Baba in '58 and
'62, will tell us about the time he spent with CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR SPRING 1991
Meher Baba. Tom's life work has been an
exploration of how art and spiritual values are SATURDAY MARCH 2 • SHARING POETRY
Bring and read your favorite spiritual poetry. Meeting coordinated by David Miotke. THURSDAY MARCH 7 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
Join us each week for an evening of reading and discussing Baba's Discourses. Tea and cookies afterward. Location: home of Louise
Barrie and Dick Anthony (524-1440). SATURDAY MARCH 9 - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The 1990 AGM will begin at 7:30 PM. Under the bylaws of the Meher Baba Center of
Northern California, the voting members shall: 1) discuss and approve a budget for the coming year, 2) consider old and new business, 3) elect a new board of directors, and 4) elect a nominating committee for next year's AGM. This year's nominating committee will present a slate of candidates for each of the seven board positions. You are eligible to vote if you have a sincere interest in Avatar Meher Baba, live in Northern California, and have attended meetings of our group or supported it in other ways during the preceding year. If so, please add your name to the membership list provided at regular meetings. Notification of your eligibility to vote will be mailed to you two weeks before the meeting, along with a list of the candidates. We urge you to attend this meeting. Participation in selecting our leadership is the way to assure that our meetings and other activities will suit our needs and be in the spirit of Meher Baba's Love.
linked.
THURSDAY APRIL 4 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) SATURDAY APRIL 6 - CATHY HAAS RILEY CONCERT
Cathy, whose albums and Myrtle Beach concerts are favorites with many Baba lovers, will perform her latest songs for Beloved Baba. The suggested donation, $ 10 for adults, will
provide partial repayment for our cost to bring Cathy and Tom to the Bay area. THURSDAY APRIL 11 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) SATURDAY APRIL 13 - COMING TO BABA
Ron Greenstein leads this meeting of people telling their stories of how they came to Baba. THURSDAY APRIL 18 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) SATURDAY APRIL 20 - MEHER MOUNT MEMO
Bing Heckman will bring us up to date on the current activities and future plans for Meher Mount in Ojai. THURSDAY APRIL 25 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) SATURDAY APRIL 27 - ADELE WOLKIN VISIT
Adele, who met Meher Baba on occasions too
numerous to list, will come to speak to us about her memories of the Beloved.
THURSDAY MAY 2 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) SATURDAY MAY 4 • MEHER SINGERS
THURSDAY MARCH 14 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
Songs dedicated to Beloved Avatar Meher Baba, the Song in our hearts. Coordinated by
SATURDAY MARCH 16 - EAST-WEST GATHERING
Karen Sterkin.
FILMS
This month's gems include two rarely-shown silent films of the East-West Gathering - one taken by Baba's brother Beheram and one taken by Annece Hassen. Music, in the manner
of silent films, to be added by David Miotke. THURSDAY MARCH 21 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
THURSDAY MAY 9 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15) MEHER BABA CENTER OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.
President, Ursula Van Buskirk • Vice President, Ron Greenstein • Secretary, David Miotke • Treasurer, Jack Mormon • Office Manager, Fred White. Board of Directors: Joan Harland • Ron Greenstein • Soussan
SATURDAY MARCH 23 - MUSIC AND GHAZALS
David Miotke hosts this night of singing just for the love and pleasure of the Beloved.
Adham • Greg Harland • David Miotke • Darrell Rupe • Ursula Van Buskirk
Newsletter published by Alexandra Cons, Keith Gunn and Lisa Greenstein
ALE SATURDAY MAY 11 - BEA AND JOAN SPEAK
B
A
grades) will be held at Meher Center, Myrtle Beach, SC on
Bea Dimpfl and her daughter Joan Dimpfl
June 19 through 23,1991. Please call Margaret Bernstein
Harland will share memories of Baba's visits to the West in 1956 and 1958.
at 721 -3727 for more details.
THURSDAY MAY 16 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
Meher Baba Information
Interested in helping with the Baba-work at "The Box"? Call Sheryl / Rick Chapman for details (415) 562-1101.
SATURDAY MAY 18 - FILMS OF BELOVED BABA
This month includes a Super-8 film festival of rarely shown movies, including Return to Meherabad 1948, Meherazad Memories, the short Nasik and Rahuri films and a film of the
1958 Myrtle Beach Sahavas taken by Donald Mahler.
THURSDAY MAY 23 - DISCOURSE MEETING (7:15)
SATURDAY, MAY 25 - MEHERA MEMORIAL
Louise Barrie hosts a meeting of singing, film and celebration of May 20, 1989, the second anniversary of Mehera's passing. SPECIAL EVENTS AND NOTICES
Meetings in Nearby Cities FRESNO: Meetings on Wednesday evenings from 7:308:30 PM. For information call Sharon or Phil Scott: (209) 449-0877.
SACRAMENTO: For information call Marilyn Buehler at (916)925-4451. Trustwaila
Our trustwaila is Jack Mormon. All who wish to share in
fulfilling the commitments laid down by Baba through the instrument of the Trust should contact Jack at P.O. Box
1250, Berkeley, CA 94701.
Reminder
There are sometimes last minute changes in the meeting schedule. Please check the answering machine at the office, (415) 845-4339 for up-to-date information. Continued from Page 1
vasectomy." And Sam said, "Yes Baba, I will if that's what you want." And he went away to sea, and that was a planned family, Baba planned it â&#x20AC;˘ two girls, mother and father.
We grew up visiting Baba as and when He called us. About the time Dolly was a year old, she got smallpox. It came about because Baba initially said, "Give her a smallpox vaccination" when she was a few days old. The doctor said, "No, she's too young," and my grandmother
and mother said, "Perhaps we should wait a little while." And so they waited a little while, and in the meantime it was too late - she had already contacted the virus. She was very sick and was unconscious for 40 days in the hospital. Every day Mehera would pray, "Baba whatever you, do save the child." Dolly was always more precious to Mehera than I was. So she prayed every day, "Baba, dont let there be anything wrong with that child. Make sure she stays." The doctor said, "Well, if she lives, she will be blind." Mehera said she couldn't stand that. And
Service Opportunity
For anyone interested in providing emotional, practical or spiritual support for people with HIV (AIDS), please con tact Jim Tomlinson at (415) 457-2487. Jim can put you in touch with a local support network group.
then Baba said, "All right, I'll pray for her." After 40 days Dolly came home. She could see, although she was still very sick. She still can see; she's perfectly healthy now. So basically, Baba wanted the two of us to do whatever work He has set out for us to do, perhaps later on.
Arti
All are welcome to gather for Arti at the home of Ron and Lisa Greenstein each Sunday at 10 AM. Phone: (415) 525-3364. Arti is also performed every Sunday at Her mann Loew's home in Petaluma. For information, call
Hermann at (707) 778-1195. Board Meetings
Meher Baba Center of Northern California Board meetings
are open to all members. Call David Miotke at (415) 5491487 for the dates and times of meetings.
Meher Minor Update
We used to live part of the time in Bhindra house. Baba would come and stay there before Guruprasad was available to Him. We used to go for walks with Baba in the Botanical Gardens. I still remember going along as a three year old stomping on the big black ants. One day He caught my foot, "Why do you kill those ants?" I said, "You know, they bite." He said, "No, they don't, and I order you not to kill any more of them. Never again should you kill one of those ants." That's how Baba gave us orders when He would catch us doing something. He would say, "I order you, don't do it again." So we didnt
The first international Meher Minor Retreat-(9th - 12th Continued on Page 4
do it again because Baba said no.
we knew He controlled most of our life, we prayed to Him Soon we started going to school. Baba said, if you were in and yet He was the Father above the father. He was school you had to study and you had to do as well as you always there. So really it only struck home that He was could. So, because I could remember things easily, I was actually the Avatar when He dropped His body. Until then, expected to do well. My report cards would come home we only knew the man, we didn't know the God aspect, and go to Baba. They'd come back with comments on only the man aspect of the God Man. But even there He them from Him, "Why haven't you done well in this?" I only always understood. used to have bad comments in the area of behavior - very As a child, I was terribly jealous of Baba. I hated it when talkative in class, can be obstinate and cheeky. And Baba He paid any more attention to another child, or even to His
dog Mastan. One day we were sitting in Guruprasad, and Teachers, like any other guru, have to be respected. Treat there was this girl who used to do Indian dancing them in the same way as you treat Baba, with respect. So beautifully. She always danced in front of Baba, and I was slowly but steadily I learned to be good friends with my sitting right by Baba's hand and He used to put His hand teachers. on my head. As soon as He sensed that I was starting to We had to write to Baba. The only subject I used to fail in get worked up about her dancing, He would gently try to was my hand writing. He would have Eruch read the letter work it out of me. One day He was in Meherazad, lying would tell Eruch, "Tell her - she shouldn't do that."
and would say, "Hand writing still not improved." Eruch down'on the bed - we'd all had lunch with Baba - and Baba would say, "Baba commented today that your hand writing clicked His fingers, "Bring Mastan in." I was sitting on has still not improved. You should be working on your hand Gaimai's lap, and all the others were around, and Mastan writing a little bit more." It was things like that, it was very, came in and jumped on Baba's bed, and Baba was making very personal. Baba was there for us to ask Him things. such a fuss over this dog. I pinched Gaimai and shrieked, You could go and visit Him in Guruprasad, you could sit on and shrieked. Baba said, "You don't like the dog? Send the bed and tell Him stories. He would say, "If you want to him away. Come and sit by Me." Gaimai still remembers you can massage my feet." So I would be telling Him a how I pinched her. story while massaging His feet. He would never react to Baba really excused all our little human frailties, just as your story like an adult reacts to a child's story. When the long as you were sure you were His, no ambiguities or funny bit came He would whoop with laughter. He'd be doubts in your mind, and there's never been. lying on the bed, He'd sit up, "Go on, what happened after This is part 1 of two parts. The second part will appear in that," Baba the child talking to the child that was me. So the Summer Issue.
we never actually realized. Yes, we knew Baba was God,
MEHER BABA CENTER
fJON-PROFIYOftG.
of Northern California, Inc.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704
i
0.
â&#x20AC;˘
*
EL CERRITO, CA. PERMIT NO. 186
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CA. INC.
2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704
VOL. 20
SUMMER 1991 then He said, "Can you go run somewhere
Growing Up in Baba's Family
else - go run on the other side?" But He
PART 2
never said, don't do it, but instead, do it,
Mehera Kerawala Arjani
but do it somewhere else. And it was the
same with most other things.
Mehera grew up in Baba's intimate family. She spent much of her childhood living with the Jessawala family. I once foolishly commented to one of the western girl Baba lovers, "You are lucky you had the romance of Baba, Baba wooed you and courted you. With us we had an arranged marriage straight away. Born into a Baba family, no choice about it." So she went and told Eruch about it.
The next time I came to mandali hall he said, "Well.do you realize how fortunate you were that you didn't have to search for Him? He found you in the first place." I said, "Well, possibly, but it might have been a bit more
interesting to have wandered about a bit." "Don't be silly," he said, "you wouldnl have liked it if you had tasted it in the first place."
Our family, who were so much a part of Baba's life, were very protected and sort of pampered, shielded from most of the things that other people go through. Even though my dad was away at sea while we were growing up, we had Meherwan, Eruch's younger brother and he was always there, in fact he was more of a father to us than Daddy was, because he was the one we went to if we had a problem. Baba would always insist that we children should live by what He expected of us when we grew up. One had to do all of one's bits in life properly, as well as you can. But that doesn't mean you don't have fun, you can have fun as well. You know this bit about silence in the Tomb. I know
people want to be close to Baba, but I remember once He was sitting in the mandali hall in Guruprasad, and the two of us were running around and around the hall past where Baba was lying with the men, talking. We did that for quite a while, and then Baba said, "Come here. Do want a
sweet?" "Yes, please" and He gave us all prasad, and
You could ask Baba all kinds of things. Some people say not to bother Him, but I always asked Him. If he was there I would ask Him. If He wasn't there I would pray to Him for everything. When I was little I had a problem with my tooth. Instead of growing downwards like any other permanent tooth, it grew out at an angle. Every morning, first thing I would
pray is "Baba, please let me have another tooth." Because I would have to wear a false plate otherwise, and I hated that thing. So every day for two years I prayed and prayed and prayed, "Baba, please can I have another tooth." And ultimately I did get another tooth, in the sense that this little tooth over here [pointing] is a baby tooth that never fell out because the tooth that went astray never pushed it out. So, I goi what I wanted, no problem, but then, Gaimai said, "You must have spent a lot of time praying about it... hours and hours. Perhaps it was something that Baba did to keep you thinking about Him." I think that's true. In the
beginning, when you are children and you ask Baba for something, He gives it to you. As you grow up, you just think about Him because you want to think about Him. So, Baba's incentive program works every time, the carrot before the stick. I've found that now I don't ask Him for
that much; occasionally I do - I did want a child, I asked
Him, and look what I got [pointing to her son, Sheriar - lots of laughter]. There were things that were all right for some people and not for others. For instance we were sitting in Guruprasad one day. Mehernaz, Gulnar*s girl, and I were very chubby children. So, somebody gave Mehernaz a sweet and Baba said, "She's getting fat - no sweets for her," and He gave her an order, she couldn't have any more sweets. So my Banumasi said, "But Baba, my Mehera is also fat, give her
Š1991
continued on the next page
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an order." And Baba said, "No, no, no. She'll be like this
should we send Him for lunch? Sometimes we could take
one day" and he lifted up one finger. So I'm hoping, one day ... [lots of laughter].
food into Baba ourselves and sit with Him while He ate.
He didn't give me that order, so it was not for me.
Whereas, one day, I had this lovely black coat that my mother stitched for me, and I was dressed up in my new coat and taken to Baba, and Baba took one look at the
coat and said, "How dare you dress the child in black? She can't wear black." So, no black. And another time,
somebody gave mother a very pretty dress that had been used by their child, and mother took me to Baba, and that time Baba said, "It's a lovely dress. Where did it come from?" As if He didn't know. And Mother explained it was someone else's child's who had grown out of it. Baba said, "Not her. Donl use second hand goods for her. The only persons whose clothes she can wear are Mehera and Gaimai." That was an order specific to me. Baba allowed Dolly, my sister, to wear second hand clothes. Mummy said , "Why not, Baba?" He said, "Most people will not absorb bad impressions from things like clothing. But if you put clothes on her that someone else has worn, she will get the bad impressions." So I don't wear second-hand clothes, which would solve lots of problems with the family budget.
Baba would make sure you ate everything on your plate, and at the end of the meal if they had fruit, He'd throw it at you across the table, and you were supposed to catch it and eat it. He threw figs most of the time because it was the fruit in season.
We were sitting in Guruprasad once and Baba was giving darshan. Dolly was about a year and a half old and had just started to talk. She crawled up to Baba, and she pulled herself up onto His knees and stood up and she said, "Baba I love You. Do You love me?" That was a
beautiful thing to say to Baba. And Baba said," Yes."
I used to say the prayer for Baba. The first time He asked me to say the prayer I hadn't learned it properly. But, He had this big pile of sweets by His side. I asked, Baba if I say the prayer, can I have a sweet?" "Yes, of course you can," He said. So I treated Him to a very garbled version. I mixed up the Master's prayer and the Prayer of Repentance, and He gave me all the sweets, and I didn't eat a single one, I wanted to savor them all for myself. And He said, "Are you going to give some to Gaimama?" and I said, "No, no, I said grace, so I get to eat them all myself." So I took this whole bundle of sweets home.
Meherwan, Eruch's brother, was very protected. Until I was four, he had an order that he couldn't touch any women, not even his own mother. He was the only boy who was allowed to stay up on the hill with Baba's women mandali when they were living here, and even Gaimai
We had a picture of Baba at Bhindra house, that has come to Meherazad now, and I put my sweets at the base of the picture when I got home, and said, "I'll keep them by Baba's feet and I'll eat them tomorrow." I had this servant, and she polished them off in the night and I didn't get a
couldn't touch him. When I was born, Baba said to
single sweet. I woke up, and I went and told Baba my sweets had vanished. Baba said, "I have only one sweet today, but you can have one sweet." So that was all I was
Meherwan, "You can touch her, you can hold her, you can play with her." For a long time, no one but Meherwan was allowed to kiss me. And then slowly he was allowed to touch his mother and his sisters again. But Baba was very strict with Meherwan - Meherwan was very protected.
meant to have.
That servant is very, very special. She was the only one, when Baba was up on Meherabad hill in seclusion, who
Our family used to cook for Baba and the ladies. And
was allowed to take Baba's food into Him. Eruch's father
sometimes I would make the chutney, put in the coriander, or make the chapatis. And I would put in a little note, "Today, Baba, I made the chutney." And Baba would send back a note, "They were lovely. I enjoyed them."
always wanted to get rid of her, because she is slightly crazy. She once ate my medicine when Iwas a child. Baba made her eat a whole bar of soap because he wanted to wash out all her eating sanskaras. She did it - she ate the
We had special flowers growing at Bhindra house. I used
whole bar of soap because Baba told her to. Eruch's father
to make garlands for Baba, and send them with the food. And Eruch would send back a message, "Baba wore your garland today." Or when we went for darshan I used to make garlands for Baba myself. There used to be lots of
used to get so mad at her - he'd say, "Baba get rid of this woman she's a pain to us, she's always bothering us." And Baba would say, "No, she's meant to serve your family, she's meant to be part of your family."
discussion about the contents of Baba's meals. What
When I was born,' I was born with closed fists. And Baba
ALE would come every morning and He'd put a little oil on my fists, and He'd open them up. And then they'd curl up again. Baba said to Mehera, "I've done everything I can for her. She'll grow up tight-fisted. There's nothing I can do now."
B
N
A
SATURDAY JUNE 1 - A TRIBUTE TO MEHERA
<£ means
bookstore will be
This meeting, in loving memory of Baba's dearest disciple Mehera, will feature music she inspired and a special large screen showing of an hour-long video of Mehera produced by Wendell Brustman.
present
Baba wouldnl allow any of my family to lift a finger to me in anger, because Baba said, "If you hit her, you'll be hitting Me." My husband deeply regrets that order was given. He says, "If you'd been spanked a bit more when you were a child, you'd be lots better as a wife." [gales of laughter]. Because I couldn't get smacked, Dolly couldn't either, it wouldn't have been fair, but she used to get stuffed under the covers when she was bad.
SATURDAY JUNE 8 -"BEING IS DYING BY LOVING"
An unpublished play by Francis Brabazon Location: Unitarian Church at Cedar and
Bonita, Berkeley 7:30 START
The US premiere of this collection of songs, sketches, stories and recitations. The Love Street Singers and Players, the Bay Area's new
performing group, presents this exciting evening of entertainment for the Beloved. A $10 donation is requested. Note: Because of space limitations at this facility, childcare will not be provided for this evening's performance.
SPECIAL NOTICE ABOUT KATIE IRANI'S VISIT
Meher Baba Center does not have a regular meeting schedule during the month of August. This year, however, we are fortunate to be expecting a visit from Katie Irani, one of Baba's women mandali. Katie will be
with us the week of August 19. She will not do individual interviews but is eager to see her brothers and sisters in the Bay Area. The following events have
SATURDAY JUNE 15 - COMING TO BABA
Come to hear personal experiences of the Divine
<&
SATURDAY JUNE 22 - FILMS OF MEHER BABA
been scheduled. For schedule changes, call Darrell or
We are fortunate to have so many images of the Avatar on film. Tonight's films will be: The Andhra Tour, 1954, an unedited film with brief
Soussan at 527-7713.
Friday, August 23,6:00PM
but stunning shots of Baba and "Stay with God," filmed by Don Stevens in 1959. Ron Greenstein and Darrell Rupe will provide a
Potluck dinner at Alan and Karen Talbot's home.Call
376-4325 if you need directions.
musical introduction.
Saturday, August 24,8:00 PM
SATURDAY JUNE 29- AN INTRODUCTION TO
Katie will talk about her life and experiences with Baba She wishes us to know that she enjoys talking
informally, but does not want people to ask questions about Baba, as that is not her specialty.
Romance, as local Baba lovers tell their stories of stepping into His net.
MEHER BABA
Bring friends for an informal introduction to
&
Baba. There will be a short film, live music, and
a discussion between newcomers and a panel of Baba's lovers.
Sunday, August 25,1*5 PM
Poolside garden party at the Van Buskirk's (947-0495) Bring food for a pot-luck meal and suits and towels if you want to swim. Soft drinks will be provided. MEHER BABA CENTER OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.
President.Darrell Rupe • Vice President, Alexandra Cons • Secretary, Roman Babiak• Treasurer, Jack Mormon • Office Manager, Fred White. Board of Directors: Soussan Adham • Roman Babiak •
Alexandra Cons • Harold Jamison • Raj Mehta • Darrell Rupe • Paul Williams
Newsletter published by AlexandraCons, Keith Gunn and Lisa Greenstein
SATURDAY JULY 6 - NO SCHEDULED MEETING
Because many of our group attend the Southern California Sahavas, no meeting is
planned for this evening. If you are interested in meeting informally in Beloved Baba's spirit, please call Darrell or Soussan at 527-7713. WEDNESDAY JULY 10- ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEGINNING OF MEHER BABA'S SILENCE SATURDAY JULY 13- SPECIAL GUEST JEHANGIR "JUNGOO" SUKHADWALLA
Baba called Jungoo one of His jewels and selected him to marry His niece Gulnar. Jungoo
Continued from Page 3
C£
will tell us stories of living around Baba and his experience with the Beloved over the years.
SATURDAY JULY 20- FILMS OF MEHER BABA
Come for a showing of rare footage of Baba. SATURDAY JULY 27 - PROMOTING FELLOWSHIP
Lisa Greenstein each Sunday at 10 AM. Phone: (415) 525-3364. Arti is also performed every Sunday at Her mann Loew's home in Petaluma. For information, call
Hermann at (707) 778-1195. Board Meetings
Meher Baba Center of Northern California Board meetings are open to all members. Call Darrell Rupe for the dates and times of meetings at 527-7713.
IN THE BABA COMMUNITY
A casual meeting at the home of Harold and Sue
Meher Minor Update
Jamison, 6934 Fairview, El Cerrito. Please call in
The first international Meher Minor Retreat (9th - 12th grades) will be held at Meher Center, Myrtle Beach, SC on June 19 through 23, 1991. Please call Margaret Bernstein
advance if you will need to be picked up at BART. The Jamisons' number is 236-7993 or call Ron Greenstein at 525-3364.
at 721-3727 for more details.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND NOTICES
Meher Baba Information
Meetings in Nearby Cities
Interested in helping with the Baba-work at "The Box"? Call Sheryl / Rick Chapman for details (415) 562-1101.
FRESNO: Meetings on Wednesday evenings from 7:308:30 PM. Call Sharon or Phil Scott: (209) 449-0877. SACRAMENTO: Call Marilyn Buehler at (916) 9254451.
Reminder
There are sometimes last minute changes in the meeting schedule. Please check the answering machine at the office, (415) 845-4339 for up-to-date information.
Trustwaila Bookstore
Our trustwaila is Jack Mormon. All who wish to share in
fulfilling the commitments laid down by Baba through the instrument of the Trust should contact Jack at P.O. Box
1250, Berkeley, CA 94701. Service Opportunity
For anyone interested in providing emotional, practical or spiritual support for people with HIV (AIDS), please con tact Jim Tomlinson at (415) 457-2487. Jim can put you in touch with a local support network group. Arti
All are welcome to gather for Arti at the home of Ron and
SSSfe'"''
•. ^ilSfc
. V.
Paul Williams, who is our new bookstore manager, needs an assistant. If you can help, please call Paul at 668-2131. Discourse Meetings Join us each thursday for an evening of reading and discussing Baba's Discourses. Tea and cookies after ward. Location: home of Louise Barrie and Dick Anthony (524-1440). MEETINGS • Meher Baba meetings are held on Saturday nights at the Albany Methodist Church, Stannage Avenue and Marin in Albany. Ail programs begin at 8:00 PM sharp and normally end at 9:30 PM with time for visiting before and after the meeting. To check for program changes call (415) 845-4339.
MEHER BABA CENTER
NON-PROFIT ORG.
of Northern California, Inc.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704
f
EL CERRITO, CA. PERMIT NO. 186
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NO. CA. INC.
2131 UNIVERSITY AVE., RM. 235
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94704 FALL 1991
VOL. 20
spurting up, everyone was talking about it.
A Child's Experience of Meeting Meher Baba
Then Baba beckoned to come to Him. I
remember letting go of my mother's hand, and beginning to walk towards Him, and ended up running. Baba opened His arms, saying "Come" and I ran into His arms, and
by
Wendy Haynes Connor Wendy first met Meher Baba in Myrtle Beach in May of 1958, when she was 6 years old. In this talk she recalls that first meeting. Our next issue will describe her meeting with Baba in 1962. In 1958, the news came to Myrtle Beach that Baba was coming to America again. I didn't grasp the full import of what this meant, but I knew that now I would get a chance to see Him. I was very excited, chiefly because Elizabeth and Kitty were so excited. Everything was focused on getting ready for Baba's coming, getting everything perfect for Baba. The most exciting thing for me, getting ready for Baba, was that my mother took me shopping for a dress to meet Baba in. We looked and looked for the perfect dress, and we found a lovely purple dress with no sleeves and a little white collar. My mother found one just like it! It was the first mother/daughter dress that we'd ever had. I was so excited that we had the same dress. My mother also got my hair cut, so I was all ready.
Baba enfolded me in the most wonderful
embrace that seemed to last forever. Then, Baba grabbed my arms, pushed me away still holding on and began to play with me. He pushed me away, and pulled me close over and over. He did it so hard that I began laughing hysterically because it was so much fun. It was just the two of us. Then He took my face in His hand and squinched my mouth and gestured for me to try to talk. I tried, but I couldn't. Nothing intelligible came out, and that just made me laugh even harder. Baba's face was getting pinker and pinker as He suppressed His laughter. We were having such fun.
Then, it was time to go inside the theater. Baba motioned for the dancers to pick Him up and take Him inside. That moment I felt panic at the thought that I would have to leave Him. I looked up and said, "Baba can I stay with you?" Baba looked so happy, big smile, and He patted the side of His chair - "Stay with Me, stay here." I was happy The day for meeting Baba dawned, my mother and I put again and my heart calmed down. They put Baba down in on our mother and daughter dresses, and I got my hair all front, and I plopped down by Baba's right foot, and my combed. I don't remember how I got to my Mother's brother Charles plopped down on the left foot. Suddenly, I theater (where He had arranged with Elizabeth the day remembered my mother for the first time. Now, that was before for me to meet Him). I just remember waiting in the quite unusual, since she was the center of my life. I turned foyer that afternoon, holding my mother's hand very tightly, around to see where she was, and at that very moment I feeling rather shy. Suddenly Baba appeared in the saw her motioning to us to move away from Baba, doorway. He was very beautiful. I remember being so because she felt we were being a little too aggressive. struck by Baba's beauty. He had on a pink coat, His hair She hadn't yet had her experience of Baba's divinity - that was back in a pigtail, and I couldn't take my eyes off Him. came later the same day. At that instant Baba swivelled The first thing He did, which touched me so much, was to around and gestured to mother saying, "Let them be, Jane gesture to our dresses, and my heart leapt that Baba - let them be." I was so happy, I had been afraid that I would notice my dress. How Baba knew the one thing that would have to leave. The film started, but I don't would touch the heart of a childl The next thing Baba remember looking at the film at all, I just remember gestured was how tall I had grown. It was true .. I was looking at Baba's feet and looking up at Baba. Every time I 1991
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would look at Baba, He would do something - tweak my cheek, or pat my head or pat my shoulder. That's how the afternoon passed for me. I dont remember looking at the films at all. I don't remember leaving the theater. In fact, many of the details are fuzzy for me. Rather, my memories are tike flashes of lightning. The times I remember vividly are the times with Baba Himself.
My next memory is the next day at the birthday party. I think you all have seen the films of the birthday. My mother had ordered a beautiful garland of pink carnations for
Charles and me to give to Baba. As soon as Baba came, Charles and I ran up with the garland. Baba loqked so, happy and so surprised. He leaned over so that wrcoufdgarland him. He enfolded us in a big embrace, and then went over to take His seat. They had it all set up with a picnic table in front of Baba, and His chair opposite the table. Well, of course Charles and I immediately plopped down in the best seats in the house, nearest to Baba at the end of the picnic table. First, everyone greeted Baba and went up to get a hug. Baba began serving lemonade.
Somebody was taking Polaroid photographs of Baba. They started to pile up on the table in front of me and I began looking at them. The woman who was taking the photographs said, "Would you like to take them up to Baba to show them to Him?" Delighted to have an excuse to go up to Baba, I reached over and, without thinking, took the top photograph to Baba. Baba admired it and had other people look. I went back to the table and got another photograph to show to Baba, and another and another. I must have gone up at least 10 times. Each time, Baba made a big thing about the photograph and each time I would get a pat or a kiss. All the photographs were pretty much the same, but Baba acted as though each was unique, showing them to Eruch and everyone. He made me feel very special. About the same time, I noticed that different people were
holding the umbrella over Baba. I watched the umbrella passing back and forth for a while. The more I watched, the more the longing grew inside me to hold the umbrella! Out of the blue, Baba looked over at me and gestured, "Would you like to hold the umbrella, Wendy?" "Oh yes, Baba." It never occurred to me to wonder how Baba would
know. I ran up to hold the umbrella. It felt as if time had stopped. Eventually, it must have begun to get heavy, because I remember having to hold it with two hands. I think it must have begun to drop, because Baba motioned for Jean Shaw to take the umbrella from me. Baba
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thanked me for holding the umbrella. He gave me a little tweak and a kiss. It was so sweet of Baba, because I had wanted to do it so very much.
One lovely moment 1 remember - you know how Baba used to give prasad, a piece of candy or a piece of fruit. Each one went up individually. When it came my turn, Baba put it in my hand and then, with a very purposeful movement, He took my face in His hands and brought it up to kiss Him on His forehead. It was such a sweet, memorable gesture, but it happened so quickly that afterward, I wondered if I had imagined it. I later learned it had been captured on film. Another memory I have was of one day standing outside the Bam. Every day Baba would have large gatherings in the Bam. It was the one building that could hold everyone. But, children were not allowed to go to those programs. We were on the Center, and somehow I slipped away and ran to the Barn in the hope that I could see Baba. I stood by the door looking in. I knew I wasn't supposed to be there, so I didn't climb the steps. When Baba came out of the Bam, He looked so surprised but so happy to see me there, like "what are you doing here." And then Baba twinkled at me, as if to say "I know why you're here." He reached over and gave me a wonderful hug, which is what I had been hoping for. In all of this time, I never noticed Baba's silence. It seemed
so natural that Baba was using His hands. Every time He said anything to me I always understood what He was saying. I never noticed Eruch, even though he was there whenever I met Baba. I just remember Baba.
During this time, Kitty asked Baba about my mother and father's separation. Kitty said, "Baba, what about Jane and Charles (my father's name was Charles), what about the divorce?" Baba said, "The separation is final." Kitty said, "But Baba, what about the children's father?" Baba said, "Kitty, what do you mean? I am their father."
Baba left on May 30th. After He left, everything felt different, and everything was different. I don't remember what life was like before Baba, what life was like without
Him. Looking back, I realize that I didn't understand who Baba was. All I knew was that I loved Him with all my heart and that I wanted to stay with Him always. It wasn't until later that I came to realize that Baba was the Christ, and that I knew Him. And it wasnl until I became an adult
that I began to discover - I'm still discovering - what it means to love Baba and to try to live a life for Him.
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IMPORTANT NOTE ON MEETINGS AND THEIR SCHEDULING
BEGINNING THIS QUARTER, we are switching the scheduling of meetings Meher Baba meetings will be held on Saturday nights at the Albany Methodist
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SATURDAY, OCT 26 - FELLOWSHIP IN THE BABA COMMUNITY
Church, Stannage Avenue and Marin in Albany except lorTHE FIRST FRIDAY OF
In His Song of the New Life, Meher Baba stated,
EVERY MONTH. Meetings on each first Friday will replace the otherwise scheduled Saturday night meetings. All programs begin at 8:00 PM sharp and normally end at 9:30 PM with time for visiting before and after the meeting. The Board welcomes your comments about the re-scheduling. To chock for program changes call (415) 8454339.
"Brotherliness of fellow feeling is a link that exists." Come explore ways we can establish that link in our lives. Meeting to be held at the home of Harold and Sue Jamison, 6934 Fairview, El Cerrito. Call
236-7993 for directions or to arrange for a ride from
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR FALL 1991
El Cerrito BART.
FRIDAY, NOV 1 - INTRODUCING TO MEHER BABA means
bookstore will be present
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An opportunity for friends and the
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general public to make the
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acquaintance of the Beloved.
SATURDAY, NOV 9 - SANSKARA, THE BOARD GAME FRIDAY, SEPT 6 - SPECIAL GUEST FRANEY IRANI
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An exploration of the concept of sanskaras through Baba's words and group participation in a board game based on those words.
Meher Baba's sister-in-law Franey, the
widow of Adi K. Irani, Jr., will tell us of her experiences with Baba.
SATURDAY, NOV 16 • FILMS OF MEHER BABA SATURDAY, SEPT 14 - CHILDREN'S MEETING (PARENTS' NIGHT OUT)
A program of silent movies of the Silent One, served with popcorn and a musical accompaniment by David Miotke.
Tonight's program is for children, with stories, songs, magic show and a film of the Beloved. Treats will be served.
SATURDAY, NOV 23 - CONCERT BY SINGERSONGWRITER CINDY LOWE
SATURDAY, SEPT 21 - RON AND DARRELL SING
Ron Greenstein and Darrell Rupe perform a concert of Baba songs - some old and familiar, some new and original. SATURDAY, SEPT 28 - INDIAN SUMMER INDIAN DINNER 7 PM!!
Come in your Indian garb, as Raj and Dee Mehta host an Indian evening at their home in Fremont. RSVP 790-7188 no later than Sept 21. Bring
Cindy will perform songs from her Keep Me Near album and other new material, offering a powerful musical tribute to
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Meher Baba and His Beloved Mehera.
SATURDAY, NOV 30 - THANKSGIVING POT LUCK
Paul Williams and John Nye invite all who wish to
come to a potluck dinner at their home in San Francisco. Call Paul or John at 668-2131 for directions.
beverages and please, no children. SPECIAL EVENTS AND NOTICES
FRIDAY, OCT 4 - COMING TO BABA
More episodes in the drama of the Divine Romance, in which lovers tell how they came to love the Beloved.
SATURDAY, OCT 12 - MUIR WOODS WALK AND
Meetings in Nearby Cities
FRESNO: Meetings on Wednesday evenings from 7:308:30 PM. Call Sharon or Phil Scott: (209) 449-0877. SACRAMENTO: Call Marilyn Buehler at (916) 925-4451.
DHUNI 3PM«!
Celebrate the 42nd anniversary of Meher Baba's New Life with a walk in Muir Woods, followed by a
MEHER BABA CENTER OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC.
Dhuni at Muir Beach. Meet at 3 PM at the entrance to Muir Woods. Call 668-2131 for details.
President.Darrell Rupe • Vice President, Alexandra Cons • Secretary, Roman Babiak • Treasurer, Jack Mormon • Office
SATURDAY, OCT 19 - FILMS OF MEHER BABA
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Tonight's showing of the Perfect One's
images will include the 1932 Paramount newsreel, the Ancient One and Avatar.
Manager, Fred White. Board of Directors: Soussan Adham • Roman Babiak •
Alexandra Cons • Harold Jamison • Raj Mehta • Darrell Rupe • Paul Williams
Newsletter published by AlexandraCons, Keith Gunn and Lisa Greenstein
Arti
All are welcome to gather for Arti at the home of Ron and Lisa Greenstein each Sunday at 10 AM. Phone: (415) 525-3364. Arti is also performed every Sunday at Her mann Loew's home in Petaluma. For information, call
Hermann at (707) 778-1195. Board Meetings Meher Baba Center of Northern California Board meetings
are open to all members. Call Darrell Rupe for the dates and times of meetings at 527-7713. Meher Baba Information
Interested in helping with the Baba-work at "The Box"? Call Sheryl / Rick Chapman for details (415) 562-1101. Discourse Meetings
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Join us each Thursday for an evening of reading and discussing Baba's Discourses. Tea and cookies after ward. Location: home of Louise Barrie and Dick Anthony (524-1440). Reminder
There are sometimes last minute changes in the meeting schedule. Please check the answering machine at the office, (415) 845-4339 for up-to-date information. Trustwaila
Our trustwaila is Jack Mormon. All who wish to share in
fulfilling the commitments laid down by Baba through the instrument of the Trust should contact Jack at P.O. Box 1250, Berkeley, CA 94701.
MEHER BABA CENTER
of Northern California, Inc.
2131 University Avenue, Room 235 Berkeley, California 94704
TScTTWornTJRG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID
EL CERRITO, CA. PERMIT NO. 186