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FIRST SUFI FANILY LETTER FOR SUFIS ONLY January
2l
1971
Dear Suii !ureods,
As th years go by the order grows at a fantastic rate and Life calls the Sufi !nureed across the the hall gets smaller globe. Inayet Ichan in the early twenties suggested what the murooci should take with him when he loaves: When you go into your countries, in different places, among your friends, what will you take with you? I’ you would allow me, I wid suggest some patience, some endurance; trying to like, to love, and to become friends with those who arc repellent to you; hope fulness in the face of every possibility of failure; patient waiting for the good tidings to come.
One thing is for certain, as muroeds, wherever we go we Center that she has estab take a mmory of our Murshida and the lishod hero in San Francisco, I have heard so many muroeds say hw much they miss Nurshida after they leave and how they love to hear news about the Center, At this time with about thirty.two Sufis scattered across the United States and in several foreign countries it seems like a ripe time to begin The Center bubbles a family letter to be sent out to mureeds, with activities and a good secretary to record the minutes is in order at this time. I will begin by updating you on several significant events that happened in November and December of 1970 and then in the next letter I will cover January. Adi icanted Aneece to go to India to microfilm the vast unt of records located n his office, ior the trusts that ha’re boon kept throughout the 8eba years. Aneece prepared his cameras and had to get a special lens ground. Everything seemed to be ifl order on October 9, a Friday night, and it was then that Murshida announced that Aneece would be baying the follcwing Monday. Jfter the meeting Selma and Aneece went out to ieir car to diover that it had been broken into and the camera stolen This caused a postponement of the trip as a new camera had to be obtained Finally, on November 2nd Aneece got off. would like to cuote here a part of the letter he sent to the Center Friday November 13th: Dearest Sufis, ,.,Sincc many of your parting wc:ds such as Foy are you 1uckyThink of all the time youll spend with the NandaliAt least yo&re going to be where there is no smog or pollution’Id sure like to be going with you—Yo&1l be right where aba isv—H To these of you wI-.o said these things and to those who only thought it, I have this to say I didnt sleep for three days. I’ve been insulted, over—cha’ged and searched by security police. had my equipment broker,, chemicals spilled over all tTle unused film; de.ained in
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In Bombay the Bombay without a soul to help. ‘rific and smog and sme].i you could’nt wa.i belcve, one literaL.y gasped for oxygen... Peona is suffering from pollution in a terrible way and ono’s eyes burn and it is very bard to breatho..The lights I brought wo&t ‘work, there is only enough current in the plug in my room for I tried 200 watts and smoke started 150 watts. That meant going out rising out of the plug. side in the sun and the Ahmednagar sun is some thing else—So, for almost two weeks I haven’t I work twelve to six been out of the compound. is all the usable Six hours every day. teen hours and then I pictures I to take have daylight. files... the reassemble process and try to
There was nich more going wrong than just these few • When Aneece came back around the 15th, he had one In a later letter written of the most amazing stories to tell. say: had this to by Aneece to the Sufis he ,,.So, dear, dear Sufis, I have only one thing to say’Many of you have celebrated Thanks The giving and are getting ready for Christma:. we thankful for; have be to 2k thing you and I cloud in to take for granted or let doubt creep our hearts, None of us will ever know. until it is possible too late, how strong our Light triiy is. Just as one becomes accustomed to seeing the sun each day, when it is dark and the suns light 2s’nt seen for days does one really long for it—As surely as Baba had sun—glasses’ on Murshida, she has passed the glasses down to us and those of us who really can’t stand ‘Light° have to have darker glasses than others.. Clutch tightly Baba’s most precious gift to us and don’t One day try to esta her or what she asks. each will see why as surely as each day passes I see intellectual proof, but feel, if possible, more intensely convinced that Mehor Baba is GOD, I wish I could put into words how nothing else. I feel about Nurshida, but I ca&t noI only ;1sh there is more room in this miserable heart for a hundredfold times what love ad devotion exists there for her... On November 20th, a square dance was held in the downstairs hail at the Center. Murshida had suggested the idea earlier in the year and had arranged with Aneece for a caller, an old friend of his, to come. The day before the squre dance, Murshida had sent over a note to be read aloud. Tfte context of it stated that she wanted us to learn iLow to have fun and be friends. most beautiful lesson, I felt) for a Friday night. can only report things as I saw them atid it was terrific. hadnt had so much fun in ages, The hrli was absolutely alive with good feeling and happiness We dinced for about two and one 0 half hours, I think that some of the enefits of friendship were noticed by all as we enjoyed ourselves in a rare and beautiful
The cal’er was so delighted with the adienco that at the c’f the cco he got up and announced that he had never seei such an enthusiastic audience that at the ed of’ the dance ho got up nd amounced that he had never soon such an enthus1stic audience and .t had been ec,ually as much fun for him to call. Sola commoned lar, that ho had roquetod that we ask him to call (or us in. Consequently, due to the overall en3oymont of this particular type of lesson, Mu’shida has decided to use it 2gain and we will enjoy another dance. The annual Christmas party was hold on the 19th of December, A featured event was the debut of a cookbook, pub’ this year. lishad by Selma Hassens class. It is entitled Ccobook, and iS composed of recipes given by many of the Sufis. Extra ddod attractions include illustrations by Jennifer Dye and jokes by Dick Duman and Zuheir Al Faqih Copies are avail 4 able at the Center for $2.75. secre Donations go Now that Ive finished my promotion job (Im a mem tary fund. I will continue with the program. Lunch her of Selmas class) eon was held and afterwards entertainment was enjoyed There wero. some very beautiful songs and a lovely play entitled “The I thought I would include some ngel Gift”, written by Solma. Robbie Basho compøeed a elocted verses from two of the songs. Cantata, entitled “Lord of the Roses.” It is about “the travels of the Christ Spirit.” I am going to give here part IV., which i about the Lord’s visit to St. Theresa of AvIla When IIeats grow dim instead of briht When day io wrong instead of right When s power is at its height Abide n NV love, Abide In, Abide In, My Love. The Tide must turn The Sea will burn Young hearts must learn bldo In my love, Abide In, My Love. Tbo Rain iiiLL come, iiy Love The tries will shake And will you sleep my love Or will you wake my love Or will you wake. V
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Come 4y Love, Come to Avila Come my love, Coma this Way
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Something wonderful, Something Grand Something marvelous.s near at Hand, Is near at i-iand Come by ray Lord and erter my heart ANd. stay awhlo, stay awhile Stay awhile and let me kisc Thy. sweet and silent milc f’ roses And it you please, give my cart ease And stay awhile, play awh stay awhile and let m Thy set and s.iont m -.f roses,
Stay Mv Lord t.ll the morning comes 5tay nrr Lord till the dat Fill my heart with your song Oh my Beloved, enter my heart And stay awhile, oh stay AWHILE, Till the morning comes And mornflg Sun Rise s in your eyes. Rises ii your eyes. Rob Nilier wrote a song to our Beloved Murshida and I Ho sang it, accom thought I would include some o the verses, pmnying himself on the guitar:
I met a woman of light the other day And since then brothers you know 1’ve changed my ways. This woman of light showed to me 0 way to be free Another way to be, This woman of light she said, now. son Im just a sign post, Ho is the One, Im just the marker so you wo&t fall, but I toll you my brothers thats not all, I tell you that’s not all, There’s a woman of light guiding me and you s !is moxning dew We are !Zis seeds and She givs us her life that we might grow strong. That we might be the reeds for His love song, That we might be the reeds for his song.
There wore many other pieces that I just could not put hero, I think that all thoue things are being put away for future gen”’ It is an understatement to say that we have a orations to road. I think the Light has a way of bringing out talented group. that which God has given to us to be util±ed fully and given A group of muréed are now in the process of pre back to Him. It will paring a play on Babas life under Murshidas direction. be performed at the end of February. I will tell you about the play in the next letter. I will write again, Inshallah, and until then,
Much Love in Baba,
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THIRD SUFIFATTER
J’Aarc-kJsH9’1t Dea’ Friends, I am very plead Chat this ltter is so warmly received ft gives me great pleasure to write it. 0 by everyone I have some bad news concerning Aneece, Last Wednesday night, while driving home from the Sufi Center he was in a four His left side was injured badly, a broken rib, car accident 0 left arm out of its socket, and a bad concussion. He was taken The acci to the hospital and is supposed to get out Tuesday. dent happened on his birthday. Murshida asked us all to keep him in our prayers. Th Harbs and the Schicks houses have been robbed. Murshida warns all of us to lock our houses completly, Paula Gordon left March 2nd for Washington D.,C,, where she will be living or at least the next six months. Last January she went back ‘to Washington to gather material for her thes is and while she was there she decided to take a job. She saw a. great need for people with ideas who were willing to work in the field of drug, abuse programs 0 The National Institute of Mental Health had especially appealed to her, arid while she was there she met the director. After returning to the Bay area she re ceived a call from the NIMII requesting her to come to Washington to work for, at least a six month period. She will be working with a small group of people in coordinating interagency programs. The programs are all Federally sponsored 0 Paula is the founder of the Committee for Psychedelic drug Information, In a fütüre letter I will give a full report on its current activities’. There is a bit of romantic news this month, Robert Miller and Loel Bartlett announced their engagement last week and this week Barbara Norman and Lorenzo Durham announced theirs, Carol Leigh Jensen and Ronald Duce will be getting married March 27, Murshida announced a few months ago that she will now permit weddings to be held at the Center. Ron and Carol will be the first couple to be wed there, Murshida has agreed that we might celebrate her birthday o the 13th of March. So we will have a program and a cake for Murshida, Also on that day Murshida will ive the first class on the Bhagavad Gita. She announced her plan for the classes some time last year and they will begin this Saturday, Friday school for children, will begin Friday, March 12th at 7:30, There will be two classesk one in the library and the other in the precep tors room. All of these activities will receive further comment later, As you can see my bubbling comments of the first letter are complete urAderstatementee The play was presented last Sunday to an audience of 750 people. The final presentation was only one part of a maqnifi cent experience shared by a great many people. I have been talking with a few of those involved trying to get a gliumse
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into the making of this production. What I have ended up with is a fantastic collection of anecdotes and some formulations of my I am enclosing the programs for your enjoyments own, The quality of acting was very good and that very profession al touch given the cast by John Krchniak of Arizona, was appar The costumes were all made by Mary Knowles and ent to all. The helpers and she took great care to make them authentic. She make-up, Bahas did Cobb make-up also was good; Diane effect the and material like clay filled in his nose and chin with be unani to seemed There resemblance to Baba. mous agreement among those involved that Baba was very much there Those that were and seemed to be using Zuheir to get aiund in. around Zu during the play and rehearsals also felt Babas pre sence strongly and felt that Zu was not very much there, The role of Baba was done with agility and complete credi The fingers kept moving and his pace was quick and bility. He dominated the stage as Baba always dominates the scene 0 light Murshida did most of the casting and in movies and pictures. The performance was accompanied by a it was quite perfect. chorus and orchestra. And now for some priceless remarks and telling tales remem bered by different souls as the rehearsals progressed: ****
1 who was downstairs in the dress— Gary Gusick (head make—up man) ing room told someone, “Go tell the Avatars I want all seven of them down here right now.” ****
After Gary had mane everyone up he said to the man playi:ig Jesus, “Christ, you look great.” ****
into the dressing room and said, Ken Hastings came runrthig Lee Summon repl!ed,”Don’t “Does anyone have any deoderant?” worry Ken, we love you no matter what your problem jS.H ***
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Bill Donahey and Leroy Parker arrived at Luds house one evening 45 minutes early for rehearsal and so they sat out in their car and went over the epilogue thoroughly, When they went into the house they ware greeted by Zuheir, who handed them scripts and said, “Heres the epilogue, its been completely changed.” ThI was 5 days before the play.
The ired director, Zuheir, during a pause at a rehearel, He looked up and was looking at his notes when someone sneezed. saide “Fine, leave that Ifl.”
The actors brought their own cups for coffee in order to save money and put their names on them. One of the cups was marked ‘VWhatsmyname iv
Someone suggested that there be rehearsals to get the actors out of character; Adi,et out there and try and act like Lee 0 “O.K Summon. No, No, your doing it all wrong’V ****
Gaf far, in one scene is ordered by Baba to leave. Jon Willis left the stage and was supposed to cone back on immediately. Instead he went downstairs and was beginning to take off his make up. Someone caught .him and he ran upstairs (some distance) and back onstage to the line delivered by Chatti Baba, “You want to’ leave donvt you?”
David Overton during a harassed moment shoved a cup of coffee in his pocket and preceded to stick his hand in it.
John Krchniak, who is a great friend of the Suf is, and a former actor came to help with the play 0 There are guite a few John Krchniak stories and so Vu give some here: It has been said that the motto for Murshidavs 75th birthday play, among the cast and crew was, “So and so, go to your room.” Well for this play the motto was coined by John and it goes like this, “So and so, get in your corner,”
Go&loves people to do their tasks in life. Murshida wanted John to help with the play and that all it took to fill up homes, centers and auditoriums with Johns voice, t the first rehearsal he attended he was trying not to be a heavy handed director and so when he wanted to kmake a remark he would preface it with, “Zuheir, do you mind if I say just this one thing?” or, “Zu, if I could just interrupt for one minute,” Finally Zuheir said, “John, theis only one thing I mind and that is your asking me if I mind.”
Ken Hastings was rehearsing the prologue.
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At one point in it
0 At Buddha walks forward to offer the soul the begging bowl one particular rehearsal Ken happened to be in front of Buddha ’ 1 0 and John yelled, “Man, don’t you dar upstage Buddha
As I have already mentioned Bill Donahey is a mast—like person Bill told me 0 ality and John is a very intense fellow himself that John’s directing did not upset him at all, in fact he felt At one point John came up to Bill and in 0 quite close to John a most passionate and frustrated voice said, “If you don’t do this Bills reply was , “OH” thing right, I think I’ll kill you.” rather unbelieving.
Due to the mast like qualities of those actors playing the masts, eop1e began handling them in a comic fashion. John was quick to masts are Baba’s treasures and must be point out that the treated as such.
At one rehearsal John was pointing out to the actors individually After he was done with every their problems with their roles. one else he turned to Baba and adsaid, “And Baba, we’ve got a ” 0 lot of work to do on you The main thing I discovered in talking to people involved was that John --aided the play in an invaluable way and everyone is very grateful that he so willingly gave up his vacation and Murshida was very pleased with him for do ing so, came to help 0 anyone could get for their services. reward the greatest Murshida said last Friday night that she is “proud to burs I would reply to this by saying; at the ting” of her mureeds. In end of the play everyone rose to give a standing ovation. my mind the only:thought was, “Murshida is responsible for this,” The performers were all out ofi stage to take their bow and each She organ one seemed marked with devotion to Baba and Murshida, ized and sustained the performance.* Under her guidance we Alone, we are nothing? mreeds are capable of moving mountains, came from New I would like to add that Filis ,Fred from Michi Al Khalid came Faqih and Hainady Saniya Jersey, Los Angeles. and from a number lovers Denver from gan; four Baba Cindy Also a man from Time Magazine and his photographers. Cliff from Greenwood the and Mrs. London from Ceteras came that can of performance the are tapes There group, Hawaii Baba in 7” and 5” come and are They be bought from the Center. $7.50 with we can until sound film of the We cannot make a copy 0 reels raise $],000, if anyone would like This letter cos about $4.00 a month, As it to help defray the expenses I certainly would not object, is now the Center pays for it,
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I will end this with a funny short. Allan Cohen was recent ly in Miami Beach and he saw Meher Baba Tshirts for sale in a book store there. Until later,
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Murshida, after reading this, reminds me that John Krchniak was correct when he told the Suf is to remember that Baba wrote the play, played the parts and watched it. He does everything, not Murshida.
5siI fraeiSco
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Guy Wright
A Sign of Happiness The eye of the motorist on the Bay Bridge approach is assaulted by hundreds of billboards trying to sell him something. In this forest of hucksterism one bill hoard is refreshingly different. It doesn’t sell anythinc It gives away wisdom. Hand Ielterinl in lively pink, the present pwssage is “it’s a divine art to be cheerful. It helps others. —Meher Baba.” A few months ago it said: “Real happiness lies in making others bappy. —Meher Baba.” first I Suspected this was the begin ring of a teaser ad campaign,. and waited to see what Meher Baba was peddling. But when it became obvious he wasn’t ped ,flling anything. I set mit to find Meher Baba. 4 * * * -
THE SEARCH led to Sufism Reoriented t 1290 Suffer St. and to Mrs. Eleanor .$nizth. a volunteer worker there. ‘Oh. my. you haven’t heard of Meher aba? He was the greatest spiritual teach er of our times.” she said. “We call him an avatar, an incarnation of Christ. There In one every 700 or 1400 years. Meher Baba is a title meaning Compas tonate Father Ills real name was Mer .wan S. Irani. a mystic from India who ,)nade several trips to America and Europe to enlighten us. It wasn’t easy, because Meher Baba refiised to speak. At first he communicated by pointing to letters on an alphabet board. Later he witched to hand gestures. which his disci ples interpreted. 4 “Meher Baba died he dropped his ody on Jan. 31, two years ago,” Mrs. Smith said. But interest in his teachings has contin _ued. and Sufism Reoriented is a non-profit • corporation set up to maintain the momen turn. Followers of Meher Baba. call them selves sufis. but the term more accurately means a group of students and their spirit ual tea’hei. or murshid. -.
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Before ancient Egypt there were su fis.” Mrs. Smith said blithely. “Periodical ly. when an avatar appears, the murshids recognize the avatar, who reorients the teachings to keep them pure so they don’t deteriorate.” She lists Jesus. Buddha and Rania among avatars of the past. While declining to set a figure for the.; movement, she said many young people are turning to Meher Baba’s teachings “They are asking, ‘What is my piirpose’ What am I doing here?’ When that happens. they seek a spiritual teacher.” she said. Mrs. Smith said she went through the same thing when she was in college 20 years ago ‘a hodge-podge mishmash o occult and psychic phenomenon, until I read The UnIversal Message,’ a small book of’ Meber Baba’s teachings.” The stifle have no hierarchy, no ritual. no ceremony, no specihi attire. ‘We don’t wear sackcloth and ashes.’ Mrs. Smith said. “A sufi is likely to be a little quieter than other people. In order to live life to the fullest, he blends into socie ty. He won’t be unusual to the Establish inent or to young people seeking social re loi’m. “Meher Baba taught self-control. The way one improves the world Is by improv ing himself. You won’t find us out on the street corner with do-goodish stuff.” * * * MRS. SMITH said there are Meher .,Baba Leagues at S.F. State. Berkeley. San ta Cruz. Santa Barbara and Palo Alto. Among converts are quite a few young people disillusioned with drugs as the key to enlightenment. ‘Drugs have no place in the spiritual life. Promiscuity has no place in the spirit ual life. Meher Baba made that very clear.” said Mrs. Smith. Every few months some sufis, a bit quieter than most of us, climb to a rooftop at Third and Stillman Streets and repaint their sign with another of Meher Baba’s teachings. Even If you aren’t a convert, they are pleasant to read. —
FOURTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER April 12, 1971 Dear Friendsç Spring has come ar.d brought with it a return to routine for some Suf is, a turning of some young men’s fancies into thoughts of lc’e and a closeting of Murshida and Lud so they can work on the editing of LUd is on a three weeks’ iacation and he will spend it with Murshida, They will edit and prepare the boofl for press. Murshida also never ceases working on her book concerned with the Ways of the Master. The Gita class, given by Murshida, has been going on since Friday School and it is making alot of people happy as they begin to understand Krishna after studying Baba’s words. There has been a recent rash of engagements and this last month was no different. Gary Gussick and Patty GaUSS announced their engagement and Gary Mullins and Susan Bashain announced theirs more recently. Aneece is recovering slowly and will have to stay quiet for at least two months. The doctors have discovered that he has a small crack in his skull, besides his cracked rib and left arm dislocated from his shoulder. I have a feeling that preparations for next year’s play are going to begin well in advance this year and I know the cookbook preparations are going to start much earlier this year. We are learning by our experiences, Friday School has been going on for three weeks now. I don’t think I mentioned that Lud is the coordinator of the school I talked with him last Frday about it and he ex plained it more in depth. There are two classes one for the children 3—5 years and the other for the children 7—12 years. The classes use the library and the preceptors room, About 27 mureeds have volunteered as teachers and so a system has been worked out whereby one person teaches and another is assistant, The following week the assistant becomes the teach er and a new person assists. With this system everyone will have an opportunity to assist once and teach once. Our Friday School is open to all children and not limited to Suf is, Material consists primarily of stories that have been submitted by various mureeds. All material has been put in folders and each teacher gets a folder, He can then go through the folder before the class and prepare an agenda. The present school will run till the end of June and then during the sum mer a more thorough curriculum will be gotten together based on experiences during this sesssicn. Lud told me that the first Sufi children’s school was run by Joseph Harb at the old Center on 406 Sutter St. This was in 1951 and he had 8 stu dents, Stories are needed as I previously mentioned, and also live drawings and sketches for children to color Lud said write something that you would like to teach to youngsters. asked him about submitting Biblical stories and things that I had not written myself and he said by all means, anything that we like.
—2— I would like at this time to tell all of you that we will be coming out with another cookbook and we will want your own recipes that are tried and true; so that is another thing to begin thinking about if you would like 0 We did the last cook book in two weeks and I do not think we wish to attempt that again. I will close now, a short letter, but Inshallah, always more to come 0
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Te1eihon No. 266
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S. V’ isoarl ot ‘I-rti’t€E of Avi-tar Metier Baba Trust havng duly removed Shri T. Meeting Special in its Faba Trust Meoer vatnr of i u)uini atri from the chirmanh ip th. :11 Mirci’ 17t. and tlu.v appointed in his place Miss Mania Sherir Trani, i all cot ct rood to note that hri T. S. Kutumba Sastrj has Co-ISO I to be jt : here) ijc actions are hir:tjj,i o the Avatar Miher .Baha Trust and or ha’. ‘it n ‘
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‘r onc hereby is” informed that Mic Mtnj’a Sheriar Trani has been .-ll 1.1. n of the Avc.tar Meher Bab? i tje Boo rd 1 rJr1 •ce.i r. o -iaHrpn: -iv t-”’ : rom 5th rtir’i 1071 .io’ne I ciarge a- ub 1ris n. ht -ti’ ide lv a— S JOn a p05— ible t n ru at. hecehy iluete1 t gr ii 1 reache:,, with all detafls in then aLun uifnr r. so that the j. of Avatar ‘Vt’ tzi’tgC, a!! the lovers and v t)(” of the one great Baba family Meher Baha in their ropcctive cities, tow n. vi ages. cc igiihourhocids which fall ic their -‘.“
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FIFTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER May 10, 1971 Dear Family, several months ago on March 7, a birthday party was given Iwas not able to attend and consequently forgot for Murshida. I remembered about it a little while ago and felt all about it, dreadful; so I have decided to tell you about it in this letter. I am very sorry I forgot and will make it up by reproducing here Program preparations began a week some of the prgraxn in script. before the play on Baba s Mast Tours, and the actual performance First, however, I will deliver some was presented a week after. announcements dictated by Murshicla herself specifically for the letter. Ruth There have been quite a few Sufi casualties recently. hospi Chase, one of the Sufi Orders earliest members, is in the tal in San Jose with a broken arn and hip. Preceptor Aneece Jiassen is gradually making progress after his serious accident. Rosalie Ackerson is still suffering a great deal from her She is now in the spin-1 accident, and has been in traction. hospital Cindy Ceteras requested some news about Suf is away from home and the following is some —— personally dictated by Murshida, If any of you have any news you would like to share please send it to me care of the Sufi Center. Andrew and Peggy Muir, Sufi Preceptors in Washington, have a very active group of young Baba lovers meeting at their home and are always ready to welcome Suf is passing through Washington. Their address is: 3601 Connecticut Ave. N.W, #509 20008 Washington D.C. Bob and Gay Ballard are gaining a great deal of publicity in the newspapers and on television in their new post in New Zealand, Dr. Allan Y. Cohen has just appeared on the David Frost Show. His book which he co-authored with Peter Närin, Understand Drug Use, has just been published by. Harper and Ro Life at its Best, Bears ,and what Am I Doing here? will soon appeáET Harper and Pow PereniüaJ. papehack Listen Hurnan±ty is now available in a paperl)ack edition put out by Harper and Row Colophon Books. Some young niens fancies are still turning as Thank Mindlin and Judy Ardine announced their engagement last Friday night. Preceptor Lud Dimpf I and Murshida have just finished three weeks of intensive work on the revised edition of God Speaks arid flin— hope to have it ready for the printers this fall. some charts. Baha new and from dude a few new points The Sufi Center will be closed and all classes disbanded during the month of July except for Thursday evenings, at which time Neal Crockett will give a class on the reading of music. During August, the Bookshop will be open certain hours and Friday evenings the music classes will continue on Thursdays. there will be the showing of Baba films for Suf is and their close families. Work on the next edition of the Goofy Sufi Cookbook is beginning as I previously mentioned and I am enclosing a foxm —1—
of instructions.
All recipees can be sent to: Melody Dickinson 1121 Humbolt St. Santa Rosa, Calif. 95404
The next candidates class will begin on the mninth ofsept. urshida hopes that all Sufis will remember July 10th as Silence Day. Since I wasn’t at the birthday party I talked to several people who were and got an idea of the events 0 I then went to the authors and got copies of their presentations. I am going to reprint here three poems by Mrs. Margaret Miller, a new initiate. In the first letter I included a poem by her SOfl, Fob, A song was written by Hank Nindlin for the occasion and I will include part of a skit written arid acted by David and Sharon Overton and Dick and Maro Watson. Before the program there was a cake. The usual luncheon was foregone at Murshidas wish. The skit is five pages so I will give a page or two. Sol and Sally Sufi are carididttes and are going to dinner at Homer and Libby Rations home, long time Sf is (two years). Sd and Sally are very impressed by the fact that Homer and Libby are old members. From the dialogue one gathers that this play takes place after the men and womens meeting a year ago. At that time !4urshida met with the respective sexes and then with married couples and discussed manners and other things that the mureeds inquired about. Sally: (Begins to sit down. Homer races over and makes a mad dash for her chair. S311y falls on floor. Everyone panics.) Homer:
Oh? What should I do?
What should I do?
Libby: I’m ju: mortified, just positve1y mortified. This is real humiliation. Maybe this is the test that Lud keeps talking about, Sa: Oh, I’m airight. I really am. he happy. Don’t worry be happy.
I’m just fine.
Ho: Ohk let me see what Exiiy Post says about this. book Oh, she dosen’t say a thing. LI:
Maybe you should call Murshida.
Ho:
I really hate to bother her.
Don’t worry
(Leafs through
Li: Oh, of course it is airight. She said to call her whenever we have a real emergency. (to Sol) You must forgive him, he is new at manners, Ho: Hello Murshida, This is Homer Ration. We have these guests over for dinner, and as I was trying to seat the lady she accidently fell on the floor, and we just don’t know what to do. (pause) Yes Murshida, Yes Murshida. Thank you so much, Murshida Li:
What did she say?
Ho:
Murshida said help
What should we do? her up.
Oh, of course Li: Why couldn’t we think of that? 0 always knows the perfect thing to 0 do
Murshida
They continue eating their dinner and then the following discussion 0 ensues (Between previous dialogue and this I have left out some) Ho: I was wondering. Do you act? Dovou sing? Can you dance? Can you make costumes? Can you make stage scenery? Can you work lights? Can you play an instrument? Can you sew? Can you type? Li: S. Ho:
Do you at least have a favorite recipe? & S.:
Ohyes
Thank gocdness.’:.
Sol: Well tell us what its going to be like to be Suf is?
Ho: Well, one thinq is very important. You have to listen very carefully to anything you ir..ght overhear that Murshida said 0 Because when Murshicla tells one person sornethingç she means for EVERYBODY to do it. S & S:
We11 have to remember that
Amazing
Li:
Year and we have a few practices that we follow. For example, we have something that we follow ritually every morning.’
Ho:
Not ritually
Li:
Yea,I mean we do this every morning religicusly.
Ho:
Not exactly, honey.
Li:
Oh, well, what I mean is that every morning we dc this faithfully.
Ho:
Vhat better.
Sa:
What is it?
,
dear.
Please tell us,
Li: Well every morning we faithfull’ take one half glass of warm water and throuout the day we make sure we’ have at least 6 g.asses of lemon juice. Sa: Are you sure its not one half qlass of lemon jucie in the morning and six glasses of water a day? Li: Oh no, I’m positive. Homer) Do I? Ho:
I never misquote Murshida,
(turns to
Never Dear. The whole play exposed how poorly we mureeds 1isten.
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Mrs. Millers’
poems: WINTER HEAD
A COV)RSAT ION OF TWO BIRDS
A DREAM IN JABBERWOCK TIM?
Two birds in the blossoming cherry soared to the top of the beech, Along the coast to Winterhead I met a muffled man who said, dipped to the plum, and wheeled “The way is foggy, long and steep, to the eiderverry; direction difficult to keep, neither and yet you seem to lightly follow.” following so closely, “The secret,” I explained, “je hollow: one knew that the vibration a spool in my pocket I turn as I walk, warming its own shoulders the thread tied already to Winterhead rock. was of the other’s wings. Meter on mile through the misty maze, the filament winds around empty space-’ FOR A TEACHER a compass no obstacle can confound, the stillness of my own deep ground. Not this thick and creaking body waits at your door, but a supple segment Hank Mindlin’s song: of transparent thread curved in the kneeling and in the longing to place my head in your hands WI THOUT
Be patient, soul— the blindness in your stumbling is almost over; your feet are pointing in the right direction. What shall I ask my Teacher? The One question? Or how to arrive at the One answer? My life is. an asking of how to arrive.
It is no so much a matter of deserving the answers,, soul, as of deserving to know the questions.
Without love our hopes will crumble, without hope our dreams will die. Without dreams we wander aimless. Without aims no will to ry. And with no will we lose control, No power now to build And losing this, our lives themselves Will never befulfilled And Id But And For
without life not have found You, forever wandered on. Your are all I live for without You, love is gone 0
All I can think of at the moment is May I conv? Betrayal, Soul A beggar is refusing to recocqnize where, in Truth, you are,
I will close this letter with an amusing story Allan Cohen related to us as a Friday meeting recently. Peter Potter, a Babe lover, went down to Muhanmied Ali’s (Boxer) training Camp in Miami Beach before the big fight 0 Au gave a news conference and during it Peter broke in and handed him a Babe card. Au demanded to know who was this nnan Peter eile, He’s the only one who can ever love you more than you can Ali yelled back, “He does?” (Au is a notorious /ove- yourself.” egotist). Peter said Alias manager was upset t this point and Au proceeded to stuff the card in his trunks. About three weeks ago Au geve a talk at Queens College. The head of the Baba League there isa fan of his and so they attended the talk and deluged him with Baba Literature.. The name of Au’s talk was The Purpose of Life
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from your local preceptor, and your rough di’aft board Well, :tt’e time for ou 2nd (DeL’.xe) ditiori of The Goofy Sufi okbook, this time appearing after months of worl instead of a few hort 0 And ‘what doo this mari for you? Icdpef1lly, wider an.I tati,r week selections, le printing and perhaps no lo.t recipes Youli be able to make every conceivable kind of food thit is, in the cookbok And, as if thi i not 0 you htve the gnd pportun1ty of influencing th. eating habitr of many After all, they O ay man i what he eat So run, don’t ‘ia.k, to your favorite 8 x ii piece f pape and peck out on a typewriter or h&nd-print in block ltter or what have yoi—neatiy and legi’hy any;ay-our ecretiries are new at anribing) your favori recipe or twa, or theJust be re youve tried them yourelf, aite them, tnd lived to tell the tale iife
Here are some handy gide to help yo through the stews in your
Fit, list all inredient using abbreatio’ where posib1e For ‘cup,” &bbreviate by writing c Qot t-hst? }eady for another one? For table$pon, “T’ ‘but. for teaspoon ‘t -e how imbol? 0 (so:rry) Nex, for paek&ge” (as in ‘‘ke of frozen LV dinner.) a simple pkg “ will do A1o, ?pt i for “pint,” “gt “ is for ciuart,” is ror “i-’ge,” “1b ” i for “pound” (as in the unit of weight, 0 not a in what you do to unyieldIng dough or what you spend in gland), etc. You can refer to last year’s abbreviations for ay we have left out We want your recipes to be brief, please So save the palaver fo’ over the phone, They can be wriuiin a hmerous fashion, but noneth less do save u too much editing Submit as ‘iany recipes a you wih W car’nt proml e that hy w au. b pub.1shi but we will ue as rnany as we can 0 (transl&te8 a many as the ‘budget will 3i) So that we will continue to live in blisful hsrony after publication, indicate by a huge *“ your nio’t tavori in- case we can only use one of yours RtiE TO EE1ER 1.
Your name and uhon
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Each recipe must be or prirt d on an 1.ist Ingredients and neres e 0 concide
3, 40
must be on ch recipe
8 x 11” paper
We’d like iizdividul recipes, Fore:gn or Ethnic if thie is your forte A2s, we’d like menu for enter:aining, such s for Brunches, Iunrd.hes, Teas, ete If you have any holpful hints to make co.kln or preparing foods ier, or any nutritional fscts you’d like to shaee, or suggestIons, or ideas to me1 thi super book, we’d tv to ee tho: to Give yotr rec1ps to the perhon : your c1asi wh is handling thI job (they will tell you they are) by dune + a we can go over them before oi u”mer brc’k FO A’LL YCR iP’
SIXTH SUFI_FAMILY LETTER June
8, 1971
Dear Family, Summer is almost upon us and yet for the last week in the Bay Area it has been rainy and cold 0 I really know what native San Franciscans are talking about when they say they always carry a coat no matter what the season 0 The cold weather has affected many of us and last week among others, Murshida came down with a sudden bout of the flu, but she had told Lud she would teach the Bhagavad Gita class Saturday morning and happily Murshida was there I have a few announcements to make: 0 Harry Kenmore recently passed away Dr 0 Swami Udaseen pub usher of Divya Vani, is said to be coming to the United States to raise money for the Meher Vihar Trust 0 This is not to be con fused with the Avatar Meher Baba Trust 0 Ken and Yolanda Hastings are the parents of a little girl they named her Ivy Elizabeth and Ira and Ronnie Dletrich more recently became the proud parents of a little boy, Shams 0 It was recently brought to my attention that there was some confusion regarding the cost of this Family Letter The letter costs about 55O for the all the letters printed in one month 0 Those wishing a subscription can send $1.00 for a whole year 0 Any questions just write and I will be glad to clarify 0 There will be no letter for August 0 I received a letter from Elizabeth Cheney, in Myrtle Beach that the Sheriar Press has been inaugurated for the printing of Babe. literature (and for financial reasons commercial work) 0 This printing press has been the dream of Sheila Krensky for a number of years and has just started production 0 Elizabeth is the typesetter and secretary for the press 0 There is an event of which little is 0 It is called heard the annual Suf Hike and is held in a game reserve on Mt 0 Tamal pais (the most imposing figure in the Bay Area) which is adUacent to Lud. Dimpfls’ home 0 The hike was held this year on Sundays May 16 I talked to several people about it (I couldn’t make it) and some said the hike was L miles and others said it was I guess the mileage depended on how sore they were 0 I was also told that the terrain is straight down and then straight up again 0 They did two hours of walking arid then a picnic at Lake Logo nitos, folloved by to hours of walking back to Baba House 0 Every one seemed to enjoy the event and it also serves a double function as one young woman remared “Oh good, its time for my yearly exercise ’ 1 0 Murshida atèended class the other night in one of the loveli. est Muflus I have ever seen 0 It was black and white print with angel wings 0 It was a gift to her from the Hawaii Baba group 0 The angel wings were actually part of the pattern and were, I guess one of the deciding factors in their giving her that particular 0 dress 70
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0 The Center will Our last meeting will ti place June 26th it vill be open cer— August During be entirely closed during July on Friday However, held. be tam days but no lesson ciasses will BabaQ nights ve will et together for films of If ou knox’: anyone expecting to take candidate classes they should write to Eleanor Smith for appointments for intervic’Js which will be given in July and August. Murshida This rnonth of course. is the Mushida Martin on June 19th be held It will Inayat Khan birthday commomoration. and ice-cream and at the Center. A program will be presented cake served. Godmillng Have a good summer solstice and I will ivrite again 0 -
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SEVENTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER July 6,
1972.
Dear Family, Our summer break is upon us and preparations far the spring burst of creativity are beginning now in a slow tortoise like fash— It is the time for all to send ideas in to Murshida about a ion. If any of you have scripts script for the next play on Baba s life. The script should or ideas do send them in directly to Mursh.ida. We will begin. can play the for ations prepar so fall by be ready also be organizing the cookbook over the summer so remember your recipes. For the last three Friday meetings we have been enjoying those mureeds who have et Him. accounts of A3aba stories from of Eleanor Smith, Selma l-ssen stories the Thus far we have hoard resume in the fall we will be classes After and Die 3B Cobb, are certainly, “edge of’ ones They . stories these enjoying more of ng to those of’ us who reveali and moving very seat sitting tales”, of dealing with His ways of variety His on have not met I3aba future these accounts the in say that to I wouid venture 1overs from Avatar Meher Tales of books into er wuiJ. be gathered togeth and the Mohammed Jesus, about we read as Daba’s lifetime, such tions Avataric incarna other The birthday commemoration was held on the 19th and as usual medley of songs, skits and instrumentals, all there was a Before the program we had a huge double original creations, The sister and ice crearn. decker cake, that was made by a about one l skits severa were There program began at 1:00 p.m. Nurshida Martins meeting with Murshid Khan and another about Raba I of 1sra, in who’s honor Inayat chan renamed Murshida Martin. were z that songs would like to include here just one of the The one I am including is sung, although they were all beautiful. Rose,” Mystic by Mike Pettingill and is entitled, ‘The You are the Mystic Rose That we long to behold; You are the Mystic Rose Let us come to Your garden Lot us come to Your home. You are the endless sea Eternal bliss without degree You are the endless sea Drawn us in Your water Drown us in Your flood. You are the white Paraclete Faith and charity replete You are the white Faraclete in Your Nazar Hold us Hold us in Your Tteart,
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You are the pillar of fire Purging the children from desire You are the pillar of fire Lead us through creation Lead us through the storm. of great price You are the lean Pereect Wisdom without device You are the i-earl of great price Pierce our hearts with Your lustre Pierce our hearts with Your light. Apparently in the old days the dozen or so mureeds who lived California at the time cebrated the Murshide Martin in s (Etta is 9 Murshid Khan cormnemoration alternately at Etta Meady Murshida Martins daughter) home in Fairfax and Lud DimpfVs home later when the Center at 406 utter St. was acquired in Kontfield. An interesting sidelight is that after 4 the affair was held there birthday celebration was moved to San Francisco the many of the mureeds expressed a desire to continue meeting occa It sionally in Marln County where they had met for so many years. was at this time that Led suggested the hike which I discussed in hike has a five year history and the So the the last letter. since the early fifties. birthday commemoration has been going on flghe Oiflanrahan related a story last Friday night that he heard in Myrtle Beach recently from Bob Emenick. and his wife Dr. Deshmukh had a keen interest in the occult and was always This apparently amused the other asking Baba questions about it. They Mandali and so they decided to play a joke on Dr. Deshmukh wrote him a letter(he was off somewhere) which said on June 26th at 12 noon sharp Baba had promised He would give all His lovers a 0 Deshmukh waited breathlessly for June Dr spiritual experience, 26th and when it came and went and nothing happened he decided to He was go where I3aba and. the Mandali were staying at the time. 9 “Oh Dr. Deshmukh greeted at the door by one of the Nandali who said all, the Mandali have become Masts and you and I are the pn1r sane The funny thing about it is that they ones left to c.re for thorn. act crazy most of the time but when with l3aba they act perfectly So the Mandali brought Dr. Come see what I mean.” normal. Deshxnukh in to see the “Masts” and Eruch was crouched down on the floor with’ a towel over his head and candles in both hands i’endu had a birds nest made out of straw rocking back and forth. One of the other mandali was walking up to people on his head. shaking them; he did that to Dr. and turning them upside down and Then Baba caine in the room and 1—endu threw the birds Deshmukh, nest off his head; Eruch threw off the towel and everyone resumed t worry Dr. 9 i3aba winked and then He gesture to say, “Don ,ormalcy. ” The 0 ishmukh I have something special planned for you too iandali had not told Baba about their joke. A trailer A little difficulty has run into the Sheriar mess. hooked onto a car became unattached and sraashed into Shiela t $ car” which was parked outside the building that houee Krenky tier car was completely demolished and the wall of the the pxess.
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There 0 The press was smashed but not ruined. building cracked. killed been would have were two men sitting in the shop and they The next day Shiela got a if Shielas car had not been there. letter from Mehera saying abas Nazar is on the press.
Every story about Murshida. I will close with a little this happens something vacation a t&ce to trcs time Murshida She different. no was time particular this we all know — and went up to spend a long quiet weekend in Northern California and she was awakened at 6oo a.rn. by a very persistent hostess who house is on tre. Get up, get up, the said, t The Center will be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday in The August and there will be films on Friday iight in August. August. covering September in next letter will be sent
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3UFI FAfl
rR io’reNbe.’
Dear
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Fad:Ly
uriic.a returned fron, her trip East, Sunday October 3 T n r laie vas thie in to carly afternoon; wa dolaod until 3:00 p,ni.; then 6:00 pn. and fi.ll a:rived at 7:00 p.m M’.reods were driving hack and forth. to the air2ort calling the airport every h r at go—e ‘‘ io r Le iIyv ‘ ourd ‘jing o mce Hurshidas ple 3ho fiially arrived at 7:00 t’:ih Zuheir ?il 9.qih who bed accont’aei urshida on her icurr4c?y and as she peared at t!:o onrance to the airport around 73 people gree ted her pith a ware. applause. VToo I4urshida came to the Cen ter the 1, sr ld vo ho do iitec1 Lie poolo x ‘i are :t L Le;ez ocl cessed h crd ctankfui— ees at hcin able to do it. It benefIts all as I get a much CWf Dhcd conct uiJ iV si.dC es ol] • Lcc LeJ Z•er to write an account of the trio for the letter and so I will give it to you here: ‘Twen tr—four day V’ork Tour’ Murshida )uce has 1 ust returned to San Fraicis;o after a twenty4our day work tour that covered Row York, Waehington D.C. Hyrte i3each and ichian. MurshIdaTs first toi was to Dodd Head in Net’: York where e “heis ?or OD 3?ES .e_o delivered. Hirsii.Jhas j cc )eci he r,in of 30’’ PEAS VJr!...C q Decid cad ill rc’.zi..nL The aholo of i.. h.s been reediteo,, and several new cnarts, a;proved by Baba included. ew Spleinents have been added as well, The nevier cleare. more !?co1 rehonsiv& issue should be ready for ;distribution early in the sring. n N Yor: Cty h t’sha Lie aoc t!otso, and drew a large crou’d She enjoyed meeting many old frIends there as well as the newer Babe. ].overz ITc aIo me ely a ug Lc UCCL with Ha en lci:oi Cn and Eu 2 or tio and Doe I o e, D 0. Brmrr ( ]. uiid 0 1OC ‘30VC C] 0LL0. opio : d-.n .e ‘1c 4 ad ii0c ne voci t’e ZUoL Al Fac.h joined her In New Yor inr we e eiie hd ioc a ‘y I orn a of he large brandy glase full of 7’up for Baba in iIursh&da s New York apt. Baba sai 1 that Gustedji had tahen the first glass of 7—vp ncL r :2 so ac. od e Lrge r o o-’ tc 1 3ale’s _&, g’ Loa 1 Ci sced 7O1 t c b2e to take thi:3 one! B&a had a hearty laugh. tiUjL1,GO. .et ?ih oci iCe io5 .ior .ucn nC , and Zuheir.. who had fought a strong intuition not to drs;j cacu ally that dy had to run bac.:k to hie hotel and put on a tie before he could join them for lunch in the dining room at Mursbi s hotel the Dorset, -‘
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a fast, fast, fast train, down to Taking the etrolier Washington, Murshida was greeted by Andy :and Peggy Muir, whom seen in 8 years, as well as a dozen or so of aspiring she 0 Murshida, who Baba lovers who with the Muirs regularly had said that she had practically no tine to herself while in New York. was soon to discover that she had actually had plenty of time 0 In Washington, many times she could not go out of her room even to have a meal due to the large number of interviews she held, while Zubeir galavanted around town, successfully fighting his intuition, rIiuir was admitted to the Sibly Hospital to undergo major surgery, but is mending slowly at the Muirs honie at 3601 Connecticut A’re.NJi., VJashngton, D.C. Mr. Muir is very devoted to his wife, hespite the pressure put upon then, they continue as Murshida pointed out, to be an example to the many young people flocked around them. Upon leading Murshida into Peggys room at the hospital, Andy nodded at the card on the door, “Mrs. Muir,” and quipped, “I’m the ghost!’ 1 The young people put on a musical conody skit for Hurshida, complete with Mr. Maya Hazrat BabyJane, The Tavern and other characters of dubious fictitive sources 0 The play ftself was quite like one of the Sufi. skits, with fresh approaches. Over 20 people and a guitar cane to say goodnight to Murshida that evening before her departure for Myrtle Beach, and flurshida feared someone would call the management and ask that the singing be stopped immediatelyq or be given notice to leave, but she thoroughly enjoyed theni all 0 The next morning hurricane Ginger and Piedmont Airlines transported Murshidawith Zuheir to South carolina, Florence to be exact, where a cab, waiting to rush them out to Myrtle Beach nowhere in sight 0 Zuheir looked and felt as thought he had eaten a green apple tree, leaves, branches: roots and all 0 After 45 minutes a cab appeared, driven by a man who did not know Myrtle Beach directions. Then followed a scene that could have been written by Charlie Chaplin, with Mrs. Patterson at the Air port, the Winterfeldts at the Center’s gate, Miss Davy at the phone, and Murshida, Zuheir and a southern cabbie who had never left Florence, all over Myrtle Eeach Fine1ly at the Center, Murshida settled down to a nice week of appointments, a talk, appointments, nosquitos, appointments, sticky weather, niuch rain, and more appointments 0 Murshida stayed with Elizabeth Patterson and Kitty Davy and saw, amongst many others the Otte, Jayne flames, and°’blder Sufi, Mrs. Laura Delavigne, Neecie Jensen (Carol—Leigh’s mother) Murshida visited the Sheriar Press as well as the new buildings on the Center, and was able to stop and see the Barn, and Babas houe, and gave a talk at the Saroja Library Eleanor Rosenberg flew up from Miami to see flurshida with her young son David (a good friend of Allen Shuiak) Thirteen people came up from Atlanta to see and hear Murshida also, for the word had leaked that Mursiuda was going to be in Myrtle Beach, So Murshida had, her third hectic week, having dust left hectic San Francisco. However, on her return, she did manage to stop in Michigan and see Saniya Hanady and Khaled Al Faqih for three days. meet
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But there,, too, word had leaked, and Murshida inst with people from Detroit, Ann Arbor, and faraway Chicago as well as Flint for several hours. And after a six hour wait at Detroit Metropolitan Airport flew in to San Francisco Sunday evening, October 10. I wanted to write about the Friday night meeting October 22, as it a particularly meaningful evening to many present 0 Murehida read the talk to us that she had given in New York and afterwards added a few comments for the Sufis, She then said that she was sorrr she did not have time to see all of us individually, and it had: been a long time since she had iooked at many of us face to face, so that eveing we should come up in turn and look at flurshida and she would embrace us. Murshida asked u to start with the back rows and while flurshida was receiving her students a tape of the Australian Baba lovers singing and playing instruments was played. it was a most moving and internally uprooting event and I somehow felt that it will always be remembered in the book of historic events as a momentous occasion, Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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EIGHTH SUi FAMILY LETTEfl September 10, 1) Dear Fanilly The Sufi. Coriter mill be open Tuesday Sept. 7, for he first lesson of a new season. Friday the iOtb will Friday. meeting. Suer has held sone activiti bethe first es that I should i-ik.o to recount to you, hut first some announce ments: 1) Tig1.& Claudia OHanrahan had a baby boy and nanied him Norwan, He was born on August 12. 2) Dick & Julie D’uman also had a boy and named him Merwan. Ho was born on the 26th of 0 August
3) Murshida would like t- put cut a book of Poetry. If any of you wrlte and would ik to share your .Sufi poems Mtchael Evans, who is in charge of coilec ting them send them to at; 1522 Grant St Berkeley, Celif. 94703 4) Please make sure that your correct address is liste d at the Sufi. Center, This summer as ovoryoo from San Fran to New York City knows Sarosh Irai caiae to visit the cisco Baha love rs in the United Sthtos. He was in San Francisco arou nd the midd le of July and on a Friday night gave a beauti.ful on his life with Baba. The- nest day a picn talk, to the Sufis, ic was held for him at a park in the nearby town of Concord . The affair bagan aiound 4:00 p.m. with a pot luck dinn er of mag nificent propor tions contributed.; by those who attended. Afte r dinner Sarosh gave an informal talk and answered many ques tions . The Sufi musicians then performed most of the mus ic front the Mast Tours Play for Saroshs enjoyment. At the end of the perfo rmance, l4urshida requested several mureeds to sing some old favo rites, ;7ritteo by Sufis The picnic then brok e up around 9:00 p.m. During the month of August on Friday nights we watc hed mories and elidec of Baba. Last Friday night Anee ce told us he was going to show us slides of Baba at many different ‘neri ods in His life; Aneece wanted us o try and guess the year of he picture. lie told us that in the older days, Murshida used to, out of the blue, ask inureeds questions about the discour s and Baba . A precious little incident occurred one evening during the slide s. The person working the projector was at fst showing the slides slowly and then ail of a. sudden started speeding them up. Dick Watson yelled out, tIOU you slow down please, “ and then Murshida said, I just asked him to speed it. up.’ Ther then Dick yelled out “Speed it up, will e tias a slight pause and you.” During these meetings we also enjoyed visits from Mrs. Ne’ra Bethel, . & Mrs. Tom Ce.udle from the Atlanta Babe. group, and the Keith Carters from Hawaii, Many of our members visited Myr tle Eeach this summer.
During the surn roort to riake on FrIday School I have 0 The changes iiade policy and curriculum thee viee sc’re riajor tie’c as there is really ge oup will now ,nclude only 8-iO year old no facility for the younger ones There ‘iill be a continuity of 0 A curricm toachers one teacher tiking 3 or Li. classes in a row figures in ten great built around lui has been developed and is flilarepa 9 Francis ares St 0 They the history of world religions ;hu and Tiosee King Arjuna, Socrates Shivajic Rurii Confucius be will studid. i3abajan, StorIes connected with these figures 0 Out.sde rovIes, slides and all available resources will be used reading by the children and discusion on the subject ratter will bo encouraged and each t,den will bc asked to iri,te up anu hand in a favorite story 0 The children may also be presenting a skit for our Christia• andValadat prograns. Again the school is not limited juet to ch±dren of Sufis, but all those children who really wish to attend 0 A Sufi booklet of 50 pages is now being printed by the Sheriar Press on the history of Sufsm and of our Order 0 Murshida has been very busy all summer with her own work books, mureedial. problems, etc and yet she : stfll took the time to super vise last weekend, a cleanup campaign at her daughter Charmians 0 The Knowles recently bought house new house which was left in a horrible mess by the previous owners 0 Many Sufis raUied rounds and helped the Knowles with an almost impossible job 4 Duncan and Charmian went out o tovn for a vacation last week and Murshida continued supervision of the job herself working along side every ono else and directing as welL TflATS OUR MUiSHIDA1fl! Aneoce is slowly rejaining his health and will 0 teach Lud has had a case of neous exhaustion from overwork 0 but is rnending. I will (lose now with a charming anecdote a friend of mine, Dick Andersen., made up 0 VJhy is God like someone who senda Hallmark Card? Because Re cared enough to send the very best 0
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NINTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER
Oct. 5,
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Dear Family, September 16th, Murshida left San Francisco On Thursday, and a week for a week in New York, a week in Washington D.C. Bay Area, the left That seine day someone else in Myrtle Beach. to Maya so goes goes As we all know whereever Murshida Maya. rical elect y fault This time it was bad weather and plague her, the days immediately preceding Murshida s During ent. equipm wave of departure for the East Coast we experienced a heat soared into sco passionate intensity; temperaturein San Franci Calif. of part the 100 mark, an unheard of occurance in this ida’s Mursh in Some gadget connected up with the heating system be not could and apartment building broke and the heat went on r anothe was When Murshida got to New York there turned off, a urshid TheyM heat wave to greet her, it lasted until she left, wea cold ing freez went on to Washington where she was met with off The air conditioning in her hotel room would not go ther, elec the until and so she had to sleep under three blankets The last news Duncan and Charmian tricians came to turn it off, for the heard on the radio was that Hurrican Ginger is headed It reached it a few hours ahead of Carolina coast at 90 m.p,h. what with bad connec The plane trip was incredible Murshida But that is another story and you will tions into Myrtle Beach, the last Needless to say hear it in the next Family Letter. each and two weeks have been deathly quiet on the homefront and r) when everyone of us waits expectantly for the 15th of Octobe There was a post card addressed to the Murshida is due home, Center)from Murshida in which she said: “Absence makes the hea::t grow fonder but I donut see whow I can love you all I miss you Be happy more than I do. er This morning, September 30, Richard and Marta Cormi ifer, Jenn her named have They girl. baby became the parents of a Charmian Knowles received a letter from Mehera and she I will give it to you shared a paragraph with us at the meeting. here as Mehera wrote it: “...Saroah hardly a month back from the States has had a severe heart attack and is in the hos in fact he his condition is critical; pital, that he Baba to due only himself says it is was in Sarosh came k When the attac is alive, pre Babas nced experie state of shock and he he light g dazzlin of sence and in the midst Naja also is not well since saw Beloved Baba. t trouble and keeps to hear She had April, Any exertion ex a. verand the arid her room slow,’ is ss progre hausts her;
On Zet.ember 10, we had the pleasure of hearing Darwin He pøke to the Sufi on his life with Baba and Shaw speak. I will repeat one here as he told related ninny stories to us. it:
Kumar is one of Babas men followers, and many years back he was a revolutionary type in India. He was irresponsible, and he had managed to get hiiaOf course he was self in -jail with a life sentence. a very burdensome there quite a while, and it became As out, of gettino thing for him with no prospect a last resort, and in utter complete desperation, in the middle of the night one night, he turned to God, and said, “Mr, God, if ‘iou are there, please get me by five oclock this morning!” out of this place About four And he began to pack his little things. thirty the keeper there caine to his cell, unlocked the doer, opened it up, and told him that if he would He come and sign some papers he would be released. did come out, he signed the papers? he was released. Some years later, he became the proprietor, or at least the caretaker of a bungalow near the place where the Kumbh Mela is held every twelve years. This is a big festival where hundreds of thousands It is a big of sadhus and other deVotees gather. spiritual gathering in India, and some On this one occasion, Beloved Baba went to this Kurnbh Mela. of his close mandali Baba had work to do there, and during His work He contacted I guess thousands of the sadhus, and He But as they arrived ther, of course, was incognito. apparently all of the places of living quarters were When Baba instructed occupied in the vicinity. Eruch to find a bungalow, and He described what He wanted, Eruch’s heart sank because he felt that But still Baba wants him everything was occupied, And sure enough to go look, and so he goes to look. he finds the bungalow that is being looked after by The arrangements are all made, and Baba and Kumar. Suhseauently, althought His group move in there. Baba is still incognito, Kumar begins to have quite a bit of contact with Baba, and even begins to play Finally he wants to be Babas cards with Baba, After bodyguard. He feels very much drawn to Baba, awhile, one day Baba turned to Kumar and said, “Kumar, Kumar thought, and you know you never thanked Me,” Baba said, “Five o’clock,’ he said, “Well, what for?” and a Kumar was staring in amazement Baba continued, “I’m ‘Mr. God.’ A benefit concert was given by Michael Evans and Antoinette Cruser on the 25th to raise money to publish the cookbook, proceedings from which will benefit Murshida’s Secretary fund, The concert was titled “A Musical Offering” and was held at the Michael, an excellent pianist, played pieces by Bach, 0 Center played ev He alsc Mozart, Chopin, Satie and Gershwin.
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They are from a group of composition his own 0 several of about piano fagas he has written and in the program he said this them: Age of the uinox is comprised of four Raas, each depicting a season, and is a 0 suite singing the life of Avatar Meher Baba of the Stallion Raga (autumn) is the music in Avatar of 3ab.’s Advent as thite Horse 0 the body Swan Raga sings of a swan awakning with and exploring the lake of its birth, dawn, the rediscovered which it has just 0 ons from Antoinette Cruser, in her lovely Soprano, sang selecti Gone Away Bach Handle and an American folk song titled, Hes Work on it is progressing rapId cookbook Speaking of the 0 It November the middle of 0 by out ly and we hope to have it d trate illus being is and edition special prcriises to be a.very Dye r Jennife Cobb, Diane ts: artis by tnree aistingushed Sufi 0 Please keep it on your Xmas gift list Donahey and Bill 0 sent directly to in connection ask to favor a have the Sufi Center, however, I amount of work inous volum to the Due addresses with change of 0 Center it is at the has Smith r and responsibility that Eleano addresses so of change of me infomd difficult for her to keep a change send only not could you I am wondering if upon ioving s is: addres My 0 rae to one also of address to the Center, but Any money for the Family Letter should be
Rebecca I4alewood 0 #2 1333 Shattuck Ave f 94709 Cali 0 Berkeleyç I forgot to mention in last months letter that during Agust we had a visit from Miss Jacbbs from Harper & Row? who Humanity have published the paper back edition of Listen 0 0 I will close now and write again later
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I’ ELEVENTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER December 4,
1971
.Oear Family,
As we move from fail to ;inter we move towards the intense activity that seems to mark the months of Decernherç January I have a list of bruy, and March around the Sufi Center A contract announcements concerning some of these activities has been siqned for a theater in Pittsburg, Calif , a town play will be presented March 5th. The 0 iery rear San Francisco Thus far the monetary ec.pense of the play is $700 and rising. Because of the tremendous overhead that will be incurred we wiii have to charge around a dollar a ticket for the perfoxmance. We. are also holding a number of raffles in order to raise money Jor this event. The first raffle of a terrerium has already lovely and very large The next raffle will be of a. ocurr This Myra Hocking. artists our of one by of r-ba done maint next The 75c. are tickets the and occur raffle iii soon raffle will be of an oriental rug, a small one, from the rug The price shop of one of our fellow mureeds, Douglas Martin. Sufi the at be bought can they and of these tickets is 75 will be raffled be to item last The Center throuçjh Ellie. It is pearls. water fresh with Murshidas gold brooch set in somehow raffled; being of exquisite and has quite a history said she But Murehida, to back come the past it has always 0 that after this raffle she wouidnt dare raffle it again of 10 book a sell to 4urshida has asked each mureed to try far this Thus goal. o’ir make to tickets at 75 each in order I would and quickly enlarcing be is the iist but it seems to future, the in times other he wont nc:-’t guarantee that there the for used will be raffles I epsat that the money from these am I God new Speaks. as the lay, or other projects such delightful c1osing order form for our new record booklet new have a also We Christmas present for any family. 95c about explain to postage) printed (plus tax and priced at Allan Hassen Selma by it has articles SuEi.sm and our Order, No one should be vague about Suf is after han aimd Murshida, reading this fine booklet. ,
On Saturday December the 18th, the Center will close two Bef9re closing we will have our wees for Christmas vacation, 0 Usual Christmas program and sale I will now give a few details about how the play is have a feeling much more is going shaping up; I must add that on than I have reported here, As I said in the 9th Family Letter everyone was waiting for Murshida to come home and rir in the season of Baba work. that the Suf is are getting famous Well Murshida is back and about 3 weeks ago she had those for. people who felt that their voices can carry throughout a large They read out of malion and theater audition for the play. I have been told that it was a very enjoyable afterrMurshida is excellent at the whole business of the theater and many who auditioned said she seemed to be enjoying it very much. Lst Friday night meeting Murshida said she had not yet done
the casting, but she did say that there would be an entirely new cast. Neal Crockett is in charge of the orchestra and anyone outside of the order who is interested in playing in the orchestra is welcome as well as Suf is. A very large orchestra is needed to fill the theater. Hank Mindlin is busy working on music and lyrics and getting the chorus together. Lorenzo Durham will be chorus master. Charmian and Duncan knowles, Zuheir al Faqih, Bob Emerich and others are spending every spare moment out at the Icnowles’L house writing the play. Mary Knowles is collecting material to make the costumes. she made all the costumes last year with help and will do so She asked this year that we give items of again this year. clothing and material, especially bed sheets, that can actually be used and not items such as old socks which she appparetly got alot of last year. Preparations are under way and I imagine rehearsals will be starting any day now. John Krchniak will be giving up his vacation again this year to come out and help with has had. a great deal of the genreal theatrics of which he experience. The cookbook is still in the proof reading and final typing stage. As soon as all recipes are certified 100% accurate or an near as is humanly possible we will have it because we must have each It has been a tedious job printed. recipe correctly printed. The last cookbook had mThEkes due proofing techniques for example 1 head cabbage, to hurried 1 small head cabbage; beat eggs and cool on spider. The hook looks as if it is going to be lovely, 150 full 8 1/2 X ll It will be pages of original recipes and illustrations. ready in about 2 weeks. While Murshida was back East an incident occurred eta All the preceptors Friday night meeting worth mentioning. were going to give the meeting that evening and the topic was relationships between men and women and marriage in general. 73Q had come and all was quiet in the meeting hail and so when the door opened, assuming it was Selma we all stood up. Ellis we all sat down. About a minute said, no, no, sit down; later the door opened and we all stood up; Marge and Charmian said, no, cno, sit down; we sil sat down and about 2 seconds later the door pened; we all stopd up and Lud and Aneece said, although by this time so we sat down °no, no, sit down; half the room was standing up simply to avoid the same situa tion again. About 3 seconds or so after Lud and Aneece came in Some of us were looking hack to make Selma opened the door. sure who was coming through; others were s4tting and others were standing. There was general confusion as people were Seine later explained wondering is it flow really time to stand up. because they minute that the preceptors had come in at the last was a feeling There had been discussing what to talk about. sub •pc among the group that we must have been ias m of l paruclpating each consciously to the message It was quite in caryngas we all sat and stood like puppets. th with evening amusinand we enjoyed a very enlightening dscuss.on preceptors and have reqeted d furthor ...
the Christmas season will soon be upon us and I will not write again until January so I would like to take this time to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 72 in our Beloved —
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ALL GODS CHlLDIEN —-a garland of Babasongs
Just in time for Christmas comes a lovely new record album for children--with Beloved Baba as its theme I Produced by about and for Sufism Reoriented, this beautiful stereo disc Records Bhakti songs by Hank Mindlin, composer of the well-known new many s feature as new songs by Dick Cruser, Sonya Lawson, and well as rti to Baba, Charmian Knowles. Even grownups 0 These songs will delight children of all ages are simple s and setting ents accompanim will be charmed, and the all the to words the fact, In well. as enough to sing and play I record sorgs are included with ever’y Most important of all, these songs are all about Avatar Meher aba.
“All Gods Children” is priced at only $3.00. All the proceeds from it will go toward the tremendous cost of publishing the new edi tion of Beloved Bahas book GOD SPEA!(S, which He has commanded the will want to help with the Sufis to do. We :ope that all Baba by
production costs of Babas book by purchasing this delightful record without discount.
Quzitities are limited, and the Christmas mail rush is on, so we advise placing advance orders as soon as possible. The coupon Record plays stereo and monoraul. below will reserve your copIes.
Sufism Peoriented, Inc. 120 Sutter Street San Francisco, CA 94109 *
Enclosed is my check (or money order) for $ copies of ALL GOD’S CHILDREN to me:
se send Pl a 1 Name:
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Address:____ State:_
City:
Name:______________
Name:
Address:
Address:
City:___________
City:
Please add 25 per record for postage and $3.00 each. ts include sales tax @ 5 1/2% (5%). nia residen Califor
price
handling.
Zip:
copies directly to each of the following:
Please send
tPeord
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rf1ELFTI.1 3Lji’i FAHi .. 4
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TTEft 1 E
January 14,
1971
Dear Family, Happy New Year to ali without any further ado.
I will plunge into the announcements
President; The board wa3 elected and the officers are: Lud Dimpf 1 Eleanor Secretary; Rogers Harge ent; Vice—Presid Aneece liassen There are S members at large. Treasurer. smith —
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The painting of Baba was raffled and the winner was Kate Oliver. The Gita Class is finished and after the play Murshida will Just as we began teach classes on the Tarot and the Discourses., and it turned timed be play the requested rehearsing, Ilurshida Duncan, Krchniak, John Murshida, So out to run 5 1/2 hours! it down to cutting slashing and busy been have Zuheir and ot’iers wor 2 usual for size , usiny the holdiay5, as Murshida has canceled all Lessons accep meeting until after the play.
the Friday night
We had our Christmas sale again this yer and the Sufi Center
looked like a well-stocked department store. On Saturday the 18th, the annual Christmas party was held with lun h and a program. The Angel’s Return” Was a fascinati.ng contin ation of last year’s done superbly by play about angels visiting the Earth, and wa Me ody Dickinson directed those of our group living in Santa Rosa. Sufi eturned to haunt us Sol and Sally a group singing carols. a little of the skit here., I will include with our idiosyncracies. The scene is the returning of Sol and Sally (David and Sharon The four eat and then exchange Overton) to visit their parents. the following discussion nsues: gifts and after —
Sig: (Dick Iatson, fatho:) You Iaiow, kids, e took a trip East this summer., Hertz stopped in Sol: Speaking of East Coast trips, my Urici Myrtle Beach Just for an hour to see what t e Meher Center was like, and he jot really confused., Sig:
Why, what happened?
Well, he told me that everyone kept coming up to him saying, Sol: And he said, “I didnt come to I3aba, “hIow’d you come to Baba?’ I”14 oin to Miami Beach!” Sig: As I was saying about our trip, I don’t know how to tell you this and I may be mistaken, but this summer on our way home from Florida, we stopped in Washington D.C. and we saw a woman who looked a lot like your Mrs., Murshicia in a bar called the Devil’s Fork, with a swarthy looking Arabian fellow., —1.—
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Lulu: (Margo Watson, mothcr Oh, but don’t worry about it kids, it couldn’t possibly have been her. She would never be in a place like that! Sally: Well our Murshida is very unpredictable 0 tell what she might do next. Lulu:
You can never
Why don’t we all go off to bed 0 you must be sleepy.
Sig: You know, that Miss Murshida must really be wonderful, she’s done wonders for you. We can see that you’ve both really matured in the past two years. Lulu: Well all I can say is, with all the changes you two have made, Mrs. Murshida must really have connections someplace. All:
Well, goodnight everyone 0
Sally:
Jai Baba!
See you in the morning.
(Oops, puts hand over mouth)
(Noises are heard) Sig:
Do you know what those two are doing?
Lulu:
No, what?
Sig: They are re—arranging all the furnitu e so that their bed faces north and south, Lulu:
I guess I still don’t understand that Baba—ism.
Sig: Yes, I guess we will have to get out t ose books again and start reading. Where is that book on Suf i—j. sm by Inayat Cohen? Lulu:
I’ll get it for you honey. i
(They walk out)
When Murshida was in Washington she recj eived many visitors 1 and frequently missed dinner. One night sheI finished with her interviews and went out with Paula Gordon d Zuheir Al Faqih to find a place to eat 0 Everything was closed xcept a bar in her hotel called The Devil’s Fork, which was decbrated in a devil’s motif —— red and black 0 They went in and ha a beer. When Murshida caine back from her trip she read the menu which was written in a devilish style 0 Hence the allu0fl in the skit to the Devil’s Fork 0 The first act from a ballet entitled, jurney to the Sun, was presented and Loel Miller wrote an explanatic of it. uThe Sufi Christmas program concluded with a dance called, Labbaika, one part of a complete ballet written and composed by Michael Evans 0 The title’S literal translation is: xLord, here we are befor 5 Thee,w
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trilogy of dance, chanting, and music in the form of an offering 0 The three dancers, Nancy Burgess, Mary Knowles, and Loel Miller, represented the aspects of yearning, sacrifice and worship. Peter Brooks and Zuheir Al—Faqih chanted from the Holy Quran, while Bernie Schwartz and Michael Evans played Michael’s ‘Labbaika’ theme on the piano and flute. Michael’s conception of this dance, and for the whole ballet was all the participants would share a feeling of unity in the ‘labbaika’ offering 0 The seven performers, all clad in simple white, participated in the mediums of dance and music during the performance and so became part of a single expression 0 The merging of Eastern and Western dance and music created a unique effect. All of the participants felt the ‘Labbaika’ to be somehow boundless, without limitations of place or time. We all felt, as usually happens in Sufi programs, that our mötonS were vaguely familjar, and we had made the “Labbaika’ offering many times.’ The group who made our new record, ‘All God’s Children,’ did 3 programs on KQED radio and read from Baba’s sayings as well as presenting the 13 songs. I hope none of your will miss buying the record from ou bookshop. The new booklet on Sufism and the children’s booklet, ‘The Sword of One’, are aVailable at 950 each plus postage. I have asked Charxnian for a few reminiscences and here are a few Stories from Charmian: “Tape recorders were a very new thing hen Murshida and I lived in New York in the 1950’s. And admin stering a Sufi Order with ‘the main offices on the West Coast and Murshida living ‘on the East Coast was quite difficult. S ima me our excitement when the Ordr bought its first two tape re orders, Murshida had one and the other was for the S.F. Off i e. We received’ our first tape, and were just thrilled. It was to be an actual on—the—spot recording of the last Board mee ing. ‘Why it would be just as if we were really there ’ Mursh da had me• set up the 0 machin The meeting opened with a brief tatment of what it was, who, was there, and Don (who was doing he talking) went on to say, ‘we will now observe a ten minute a lence in honor of the birthday of Xnayat Khan,’ The tape recorde ground on— and —on and on. Dead silence! Finally Murshida and I looked at each other and with one voice said, ‘You don’t su pose? Oh no! They wouldn’t have recorded ten minutes of silenc I’ Believe it or not, Murshida listened to all ten minutes of it too! ‘During the winter of 1945—46, we recel Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia would be paying C It was decided that Murshida and Dad w 0 D party for him, Women were in purdah in Arab
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ed word that the a visit to Washington re to have a dinner a in those days, so
it was also decided it would he ai ali male Ui.nner and no ladies. Nurshida and I were allowed to come down and say ‘hello’ over a 0 glass of fruit juice before the party started The three weeks preceding the dinner were hectic. Food was prepared arid the house carfnily groomed and as if that wasn’t enough the phone rang corantly. The phone calls were strange in that most of them seemed to come from people demanding to know some of them surpri 000 invited to the dinner, why they weren’t singly high up in goverrment. Murshida, s always, had the perfect answer which was simply, xWhy, my dear, I’m not invited myself!” When the night arrived for His Royal Highness’s dinner party, we had our little visit with him, and thdt) as the party started, slipped quietly upsairs to charge into street clothes and dash, hopefully unseen, out to go to a movie. The house was well surrounded with Secret Service men, and, as it turned out, we couldn’t get to the cellar steps leading to the garage without walking almost through the party. We slipped out one of the French doors 0 By then, and around the house only to find the garage locked the party mov to the room we had just used for an exit. All the other d000rs were locked too. About then I remembered the garage door didn’t lock quite 0 I tightly and we decided to try to break in to get our car as as she could hard shoved Murshida it, and to put my shoulder Service Secret the of one then, just and a crack, to brace it open why explaining try of the 0 bushes (You out men materialized you’re breaking into a garage when a Crown Prince of a Foreign Nation is visiting in the house.) In any event,due to Murshida’s persuasiveness, the party never knew they had missed the scene of the day, i.e. one S 0 Murshida, one Preceptor and the Secret Service of the U Government, breaking into a garage to kidnap a car.. • albeit our own car ” 0 Until the next letter,
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THIRTEETfl SUFI FIMILY_LETTER February 5g 1972 Dear Family, 1urshida is now attempting to get started again on her Due t the voluminous amount of correspondence she bOOkf. receives Murshida has been spending 3/4 of her time answering letters. Now, however, she is going into semi—seclusion and has had a form letter mimeographed explaining that she is unable 0 The book is a tremendous job to answer letters until summer and Merge Rogers, who is now working for Nurshida, explained that when Murshida is interrupted her thread of thought is temporarily lost and she then has to spend time getting back If all can hold off questions, where sjb1e 0 into where she was r4rge said Murshida loves to hear from although WILL help, THIS It is going to be a very 0 a reply expect t 9 clon just people to the books on addition importan.t andtremendous1y hook long Baba end so by our giving Murshida peace and quiet we will be 0 her finish it doing our part to 0 Dick There were two babie3 born to mureeds in January born Ivy of Rabia parents proud are the Cruser and Antoinette proud the also are Flower and Claire Daniel January 21st 0 0 parents of a baby girl, Ya1a Maria, born January 28th This month B Emerich and Barbara Slovin annoinced their engagement With 0 Initiation will occur this year on February 18th meeting every in hail class saa: the of this the initiation will be taken 0 0 of Khaled Al Fagih has returned to San Francisco a Dr 0 Dr been has who will with Latch, He practice 0 Chiropractic of has a number Latch for 0 Dr 0 years L4urshidas chiropractor and the recently gave Suf is $100 taken an active interest in toward the play 0 Another person who is a close friend of the order is Stan Alapa, the producer o Inquire Within, the record CarolLeigh Duce and Hank Mindlin made after returning from DarshanQ and he recently sent 75 copies of the record to sell, helping towards publishing God Seaks Murshida announced the other e’ening to renew or take out subscriptic to The 0 that we help with this fine publicatio address for subscriptions which are $400
that it is a good time She recommended Awakener 0 You can write to this p€ryear
The Zwakener P0 Bo 1081 Berkeley, Ce 95701 The publishing of the Gui Sufi Coocbook has encountered :’ed and the 0 some diffic. ties the draft v’is improperly pr place that had agreed to type t!a sters raised their price
$1.00 a page. birthday.
It wil.i. however 2
tnshal1ai he cut around Babas
I am devoting a few aragrahs to a group of men in the Sufi Order called the Okra Berets = They hmer away Monday through Thursday evening and all day long faturday and Sunday. This technical crew, ieaded by d Brooks, who is technical director of the play coordinating all set construction, scene changes, lighting and sound, in its inception, consisted of Ed Brooks and a 5 page list of things needed, He got up at the end of one meeting (announcements are now at the end of the meeting) and said, Im very nervous, and plunged into his list of things needed to build the sets; 2 trucks, 200 lbs of wood, 17 men to build them, 200 hinges, 1,000°s of screws, hammers, etc. lie then said he was very nervous again and sat down. ‘e all sympathized with his Zeelirq3 and by the following week Lloyd Edwards had procured and donated the 200 lbs of wood which cost $400. Five more men were needed and one more truck. They also needed storage space for the sets for one year. I believe this was also procured. Soon aft:r this announcement the set crew was formed, Each man on the crew receives a diagram for each scene of the play, there are 15 scenes, and he is told what number scene he is responsible for moving. lie has to learn where to put the set before and after his scene occurs and he has to do this quickly and quietly, Each scene is not an entirely new one, however, there are changes in every scene. The carpenters or Okra Berets, therefore also serve as stagehands, Phil hocking is the set designer; he designs what the sets are to look like and where the pieces are to go on tie stage. Terry Curtis, who is a contractor, takes the desi ns and makes the plans for 3 how each particular set will be put together and then supervises the building of them. Phil Hocking is also working on lighting and color with 3B and 3B is supervising the painting of the sets, We have received several tapes from Kitty and Eruch dis cussing the New Life. Mehera also sent a letter, which she does not want reproduced, discussing the women in the New Life, This letter was in answer to a request Charmian sent to Mehera asking her what the women did in the New Life. r4eheras reply was most interesting and someday I hope we will hear more of the wouiens side of the story. There was only one photograph taken of Baba during the New Life and this was at Dr. Khere’s house in Berwres, where the companions stayed one month. It was this incient that Eruch talked about on the tape how they appealed to the Dr. to give them his ose satisfying all of Baba°s conditions some of which were—the Dr. should not know who Baba was, that all food should be cooked outside of the house, and that the Dr. should supply all the food, It is a most amusing story. This photograph of Baba will be used in a poster, advertising the play o tir programs, that Phil Hocking is designing. ——
kindly submitted these reminisces Dorothea Foote has about her meeting with Murshida 110W I
i41T MU!SH!DA, AND SO FOUND BABA by K’OROTHEA FOOTE
Murshida Duct cazae into my life in such a quiet usual way that I didn’t think too much about it We iet at a large and fancy dinner party given by the Washington partner of one of San Francisco’s best The reason for the party was so that known I firms Mr. Duce and my husband could meet for business reasonns, riviig home Ned, my husband, announced he wanted to invite the Duces for dinner the following week. I said, xFine whom would you. like to have with them? “Nobody,.Ned replied, Terry and I want to have a long talky and yOu can take Mrs. Duce into another . room and stay there until, we come for I wondered rather wildly just what I was going to talk about, for several hou% to this pleasant, quiet, lady, to whom I had been merely introduced. I still remember her clearly 0 wearing a long velvet gown, the correct, poised wife of a prominent Oxecutive. For the past 8 years I had been looking for a path towards God. I had always believed in Him but felt He seemed pretty far away. At least I couldn’t seem to find Him in my early Episcopelian anyway, having bees divorced, and they did not consider my marriage to Ned legal. In 1946 I caine down with a mysterious illness including much suffering 9 and the doctors were baffled and unable to help me. This trouble was so severe I could get no sleep. The doctors tried drugs and I gct worse; so they took away the drujs and I still got worse, I would just begin to doze and ouch Several eruptions demanded attention, I was at the end of my rope. One night I prayed to God, I had been praying right along, and this night I begged Him to cure me or let me die, as I could stand no more. Something happend. While I saw it and felt it , I can only say I fell asleep and woke up around one o’clock the next day. When I arrived at the doctor s that afternoon, my daily program was to walk leisurely a mile there-and a mile back perhaps, the doctor simply stared at me, 9Joly Mary — a miracle were his first words, He then glared at me and demanded, What did you do? I prayed, I answered. Lie was a good skin specialist and a very good Catholic, It was slow and painful, but I got well, I developed a great longing to find the real way to approach God, who was always around us, so much closer than I had realized.•
3
However in l94 and 1947 there were few paths to choose from 0 I remembered Jesus had said, ‘I am the Way 0 I contii’ed looking, asking, reading, and researching 9 til early in l954 every phiiosophy I heard of When Mrs. Duce and I sat down to talk the night they came to dinner, I was thrilled and relieved to discover what a wonderful conversationalist she was 0 We talked about everything, from the problems of raising children (even then) through travel, crime, arid national and world affairs 0 I wish I could remember how the spirirtual side of life entered into our conversation, after perhaps two 0 I told her that I loved God and was always very hours grateful to Him for the mercy He had given me, but that for years I just hadnt been able to connect with any real, sincere way to worship or serve him, together with other people. Could it be that everyone was out of step but me? Mrs. Duce gazed at me seriously and told me she was Murshida of the Sufi order, and would I like to come and study with her? I accepted very fast, before she might change her mind, and so it was arranged 0 Every Monday and Thrusday morning, from ten to twelve, I spent at Murehida’s, provided we were both in town It seemed she lived on the same street, only 0 two door, and one street crossing away. She decided to teach me alone, as she already had a Sufi Class at work, midway through their lessons 0 I did not meet them right away 0 Andrew Muir is now preceptor of the Washington Suf is. Murshida started me right off with Creation — with Godrs “whim and the slow development of conscious ness throughout the ages, from a mere puff of gaseous matter to the human form. I learned of Karma and reincarnation, and much I had read in the Bible started becoming clearer and clearer 0 I km ew what I was learning was Truth 0 Murshida showed me a long colored chart of the Avataric cycles, arid told me about Baba. A state of euphoria overcame me 0 Thinking so much about Baba, I made the mistake of talking about him, onl.y a few close friends I condidered °spiritually° 0 inclined I was surprised and disappointed that among varied reactions, no one really believed me Murshida poinbd out I wasthrowing pearlS before swine So I stopped talking, but when I go home to Washington I still get some queer looks 0 Neds reaction was rather puzzled. He could not quite urderstand why a well—known, successful executive like Mr. Duce (whom he greatly adxired) had been married for years to a wife so involved in mysticism. “When the pupil is ready, the teacher appears” s the old Sufi saying Murshida used, so I told him that 0 Baba°s picture was shown me often, and I took a few home with me. One Sunday afternoon a film of Baba was shown at the Duce house, nd Ned came with me 0
Baba, in full color, rvig witx -iis easy yet infinite grace among a garden of flowers I gazed 0 though I was spellbound, and I think Had iid, too Ltuch too enthralled to watch him. The great news came at last Meher Baba would visit Myrtle Beach in the spring of 1956, and ail 4urshida nureeds would go there for a week to meet Him and be with Him Babavs visit to Myrtle Beach in 1956 is now his 0 It is a time that will be with me always 0 tory So he too Over the weekend, my husband appeared. and placed eyes Ned°s in directly looked who Baba, met mouth. a nut in his luter ‘Once I 1ookd in His eyes, I Ned told He was exactly what He said He was.’ doubt knew beyond When Ned emerged from the little house after meeting. Baba, Adi was standing nearby. ‘Well, Ned, when are you coming to India?’ Adi 0 asked .India’ Ned answered, dazed and bewildered. T should we come to India?’ Why TM In It might be a great opportunity.’ said Adi. less than two years we were in India, and allowed to see Baba for just one day, His birthday.b ‘Do you know how fotunate you are?’ Baba asked us two separate times. But some ‘Oh yes, Baba, ye9 Baba’ we replied. times I still wonder if we really realize our great good fortune. Carl’ \dftJ 4 -ig f.. (1iA.r5kI4a.’S bir
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SCONJJ FAMILY LETTER FOR SUFIS ONLY February
9, 1971
Dearest Sufis, A most bQbard you go out once now. A fw
l to you happy New Year 7 a11 I am going td with letters for awhile, The Family Letter will a month and so I am writIng the January letter announcements, true to form, to begin with:
The celebration for 1abas birthday will be a musical 1) drama based on .Bab&s Mast Tours and will be presented Sunday Feb. 28th at 2:00 p.m.. Location, In San Francisco at ITer:.. bert Hoover Junior High School; 1!th Avenue and Santiago on the south side of Golden Gate lark in the. Sunset District. 2) On Jan. 12th, in the evening, a little girl was born to two members of our order, Leroy and Caroline larker. They have named her Orieita Mani3a.
3) On Jan 1st., two members of our order, Bob and Gay 3a1lard and their three children, moved to New Zealand. is curator of the GovettBrewster Art Gallery there. 5th.
A new group of Candidates was initiated on Friday, There are 36 candidates in the group.
Bob
Feb.
The Center was cloaed this Holiday season from Dec. 20th until Jan • 1 Jth. On Jan. 5th, Murshida left f’ Hawaii, She nt at the invitation of the Baba lovers there who very much neded and wanted her guidance for structure of their group. £ie gave several public talks that were well attended, had many personal interviews and showed Charmian $ documentary film, I would like to tell here several stories concerning the trip. Several years ago, returning from the first Dar— shan, three people stopped in Hawaii. There they met a man in the recording industry, named Stan Alapa (the same that la :ecerded, “frquire Within.tt) He was so inspired by these that he booked a flight to India and attend the last UP d(ys of the Darshan, While Murshida was in Hawaii he ‘n&rried and Murshida was the Matron of Honor, and Allan 6 the best man. (He happened to be in Hawai i at the tIme that Murshida was there, he said ‘ p in case she t pq4 any help”) During the ceremony at the part where the rnd says “Do you Stan, take thee..,,” Stan turned to Murhida and asked for her blessing upon the marrIage, At that time also the Minister had mistook Allan for Stan nd almost married him to the brides Another story goes as follows3 there was a young man who seemed quite spaced out on drugs to Murshida. He kept ze esting to see Nurs1da and some of the group asked Mur aii!a if she would see him, They felt very sorry for him and th. 1lght she could do him some good. Murshida, herself, felt that he wouldntt be able to help and told them so. They kept asking ard finally she consented. She talked with the boy and apparently he was taking drugs and thought they were
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etitg him some uhere, Nurshda asked him if he would qu+ He replied, ‘n” rugs. She asked him if he wanted to go raj like Tim Leary. He said, “Lots of saints have been considered crazy and Leary is probably Godrealized right now 0 Cf cureo you have all read that Elciri4ge Cleaver has him un&r house arrest and said, “Your God is dea&he has blown his mind,” All and all Murshida enjoyed the trip and the sun did shine most of the time. The play is being written by Duncan and GharmiG.R Knowles, Zuheir Al Faqih, Selma Hassen and Hank Mindlin under the close supervision of’ Murshida. It is a musital and Hank is writing the songs. Neil Crockett, Sonya Lawson and hank are collaborating on the orchestration. The py has a pre dominantly male cast It is thern first of’ perhaps seven or eight plays, each concentrat:fl on a different part of Baba’s life. The idea was originally suggested by Mchcz after she heard the tape of Murshidas birthday play held 0 last year There is another very important project in the blue print stage that I would like to tell you about 1 : Murshida calls it Friday School, It is a .Sufi Sunday School, in which the wisdom of Sufism will be taught to children, Suti and ncnSufi, using all media available. The c’ass will be held during the regular In, meeting, in anotr room, and will be taught by volunteers from the order on .rotating system. All the •atenials, writings, art work will be suplied by the order. I vould like to in’ite all of you to send in any ideas you may have on teaching Suf’i wisdom to children. Also any artwork, games) stories would be great. Things on ccurge, love, death, etc. Lives of the saints and how to teach these aspects of life to children Dig in the old attic of your memories for stories that particularly were omprehensibloand meaningful to you. The children will be from three yeat to twelve yea rs approximately. I imagine that ail media wil be utilized pen, paper, paints, music *ncL 0 erbosity. • ‘. hope that all will have a joyous commemorátión of s irthday and also h’pe that ...as many as. possible can 4 to the play. Until my next letter I will say,
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FORTIETH SUFI FAMILY LETTER January 19,
1976
Dear Friends, This Family Letter is going out to all Suf is here at home as well as those abroad. There will be no regular Family Letter as such because Murshida as of today has suspended all classes until we give the play per formances for Baba’s birthday. Due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, we have just gotten started with the play and it will need every night of the week for various rehearsals, new music, chorus, etc., etc. It is planned that our birthday play for Baba will be given as follows: One performance Saturday afternoon, February 28, at 2 p.m.; a matinee at on Sunday the 29th there will be two performances This is because we 2:00 and an evening performance at 8:00 sharp. have to have our orchestra in the main hall and that takes up quite a bit of room, so we cannot seat more than 300 people at each per formance. —
Tickets will be issued and a donation expected of $2.00 for It is always adults and $1.00 for children under the age of twelve. understood that small children who are apt to fidget or talk should not be brought, because of interference with the sound system. Tickets can be ordered by mail, and it is suggested that all Suf is and Baba lovers try to do so as soon as possible. Murshida is acceding to the many requests that we continue our Sunday night movies, so that that will be a time when we can all get together at the usual 7:00 p.m. Due to Murshida’s illness, the initiations cannot be held until after the play, and since the John F. Kennedy University will be holding its big spring program, “Perspectives on Death, Dying and Beyond,” beginning Friday, March 5 and so many of our Suf is are involved in that, Murshida has decided to have a special Sufi meeting on Wednesday night, March 3, for the initiation. Meanwhile, all candidates who have been referred to Murshida but not seen are in vited to come to the movies, and also invited to help in any way they can with the many housekeeping tasks at the Center while all the rehearsing is going on. They should ask Eleanor Smith for guidance. When Murshida is able to see the candidates referred to her, Marge Rogers will contact those on the list for appointments. All regular classes in our Order will begin as of Wednesday, March 10, which means that the regular Monday and Tuesday night classes will not meet that week, as Tuesday is the last night of the J.F.K.U. Seminar and many Sufis may wish to be there.
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It is probable that when she comes down to participate in the seminars, Irene will be willing to give a few hours for an informal meeting with the Sufis, as she has not been here for five years. If that becomes possible, everyone will be notified over the grape vine. Murshida sends her dearest love to all and wishes to thank everyone for their prayers, which she knows have been of enormous help, and for the many messages, flowers and delicacies which have been provided for her. She hopes that during this cessation of lessons you can at least be content with the many lessons in her new book. The doctors ask that I remind you all not to phone Murshid&s home as she needs every bit of rest she can get for her recovery. She naturally is suffering a good deal of pain. Jai Baba,
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REPORT ON MURSHIDA January 19,
1976
Murshida had eaten almost nothing for close to a month and a half because of gastro—intestinal problems which became increasingly Finally she had severe nausea and vomiting severe as time went by. Dr. Tighe O’Hanrahan was in touch with every other day for a week. Charmian all this while, and when abdominal pain appeared, he referred Murshida to Dr. Cyril Callister, an extremely competent and well known local surgeon. Tuesday, January 6, Murshida was feeling a little better, as she had almost every other day, and during her first visit to the doctor that day, medical tests and x—rays were scheduled at the hospital’s first available appointments on Friday, and Tuesday of the following week. The doctor was out of town the next day when Murshida had Thursday another bout of severe pain and chills, shaking violently. But Friday at 5:30 a.m. she woke Charmian she again was better. Charmy got some medicine into her and helped and was in great pain. her back to bed and immediately called the surgeon, who had Charmy rush her to Emergency at John Muir Hospital, hoping to get the tests By the time the run that day by virtue of the Emergency admission. doctor arrived, Murshida was jaundiced and her great pain continued. He finally decided on surgery the next day but there was no avail able time, so by noon he decided to operate that afternoon at 4:00. It was to be a one-hour operation but lasted instead until Murshida came out on the semi-critical list because of about 7:30. The surgeon said it had been one of his possible complications. most difficult operations because everything was adhered to everything At that, she the liver, pancreas, gallbladder and duodenum. else definitely would have died without the operation, as a huge stone The doctor could not tell was about to rupture the gallbladder. whether or not there was another stone in the common bile duct, which was so compressed by swelling on both sides that he could not find He did not dare keep her under anesthesia the entrance or exit. longer than three and a half hours and simply hopes he got everything The doctor Murshida will have more x—rays in about a month. out. said he couldn’t understand how she had endured the pain she must have had for two years. —
By Saturday, January 17, to everyone’s surprise Murshida had The doctors improved so rapidly that she was allowed to go home. state that her inner pain will probably continue for five or six weeks, and it is more important than ever that she not be exposed to colds or any virus, as the coughing would be so painful and harmful to her wound.
FOURTEENTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER
March 9, 1972 Dear Family, On week is left until the annual play, this year on Baba’s Lew Life phase, is to be presented. 1 People involved with the play (and nearly all Suf is are) are so busy that 4t cannot get much out of them so I have decided to leave any further reporting on the play and activities surrounding it 0 At that time the J.etter will be until the letter in April devoted to the play 0 There are many facets of the organization That I would like to write on; the system of overall organi zation begins with the Producer, Duncan Knowles with Ken Hastings as director and John Krchniak, who again flew in from Arizona to give us his magic professional touch, and is divided and sub—divided into committees and jobs such as the costume committee, carpentry committee, sets, props, lighting, sound, scene painting etc. At this time, however, people are doing their jobs to discuss them so we will just too busy 0 Murshida said at the Friday night meeting, Feb. 25th, wait that the forces of evil are stronger than ever and we all have to work doubly hard to insure the success of this Baba work which is only done for Baba, This play will help spread Baba’s message and many will come who know little about Him; there are seats for 2,000 and thus far over 900 tickets have been sold. Maya is working overtime with handy helper hong Kong Flu and this will increase the strength of the message of the play. As we all know, opposition aids in the spreading of Baba’s message though it tests us severely. There is another fact about this play that Murshida made us realize —— it is the time when Murshida sees how much we have learned —— it is our Sufi Ashram, Murshida gives us thereby the opportunity to show the stuff we are made of. On February 11, we had the drawing for the Lotus brooch, and Loel Miller is the happy winner 0 The next raffle will be of the Persian rug. On that evening the Classes will resume, Tuesday March unicorn Company from Osceola, Wiscoin, who are flying here to see our play, will give us a pupp•t show. Friday March 3, dismissed so that people can rest up for the class will be full dress rehearsal scheduled March At that time Aneece will film th•olay in its entirety. Recording will go on at the performance, the 5th, so children under five will not be allowed to attend, The sound recording is being done through the great kindness and cooperation of Peter Townshend, director of The Whow of London 0 70
40
On February 18th, twenty—four people were initiated into order. That same evening Murshida read a cable from Mani the wishing her a happy birthday and making a correction in the thirteenth Sufi Family Letter, The name of the Doctor in
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Bnares was Dr, Nath not Dr. Rhere, Also on the 18th Naosherwan Nallavala, Editor of Th Glow was with us and gave a wonderful talk on his youth with Baba, his father, Kaikobad, and other 0 things There is one other correction in the thirteenth Sufi. 0 The 0 It occurs in Dorothea Footes story Family Lettr fifth paragraph, fourth and fifth sentences should read “..eEpiscopalian church attendance. I was no longer Episco palian anyway... Jot and Edie Chariot, two inureeds who have been away for 0 a couple of years, this month resumed residence in the Bay Area Friday, the 25th of February, as we all know was Baba birthday We had a little celebration for and Murshidas 0 ting of a birthday cake and a bottle of Cham consis Murshida After we had finished the s favorite) Murshida° pagne C two youngsters of Repentance Prayer and the Parvardigar Birthday, Murshida Iappy sang all we and cake the carried in blew out her evening the of spirit the in and ed was surpris for all 0 wish ive collect a made she said She 0 one candle 0 writing of two pieces read Murshida and removed The cake was One was from a card she received from Jennifer Dye and was a autobiography Jennifer explained quote out of Kahil Gi1brans 0 she thought of Murshida. After quote the that when she read agreed all we hearing it I think NOfl the 14th day of the coming month I shall leave Paris, but now I am busy arranging my work 0 I am like a spinning and planning for the future and night, God only knows how day wheel turning directs my life, and thus heaven 0 Thus busy I am a certain poii* from which around me destiny rotates away. I cannot get ——Kahlil Gibran The other reading was a poem entitled the Cradle Song by Francis Brabazon: Somewhere within the dark are the seeds of singing. Sleep, little KrishnaQ sleep—— 0 We cannot yet endure your Song Somewhere within the are the buds of Sleep, little Jsus, We are not nady yet
waters 0 speech sleep —— to hear your Word 0
SomEwhere within the pain beginning is our new 0 Sleep, little Meher, sleep — We are not prepared yet for our own Glory. -—Francis Brabazon
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We are holding up buying the magnifying glass for Murshida because since she has been taking herbal tea from Dr 0 Wonçg, her eyes have improved 0 Murshida talked about the communication gap on the 25th 0 She said that essentially it is not tolerating anothers view; when two people don’t see eye to eye Ltead of discussing their individual opinicn politely and trying to work it out they call it a couctior. gap 0 The erroneous idea i the denigration of individuality and believing that everyone nust agree on everything shida then quoted that ever poignant statement lnayat Kahn made, A Sufi nust see from tio points of view —— his own and that of anoth€e 0 Of course our real ee1sbratin for Eahas birthday will be our play 0 Until April and a long, long letter about the play, The New Life, I will say,
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0 This letter was written on ebruery 27th, so the play P.S has already occurred 0
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/ FIFPNTH StiFI_FAMILY LETTEN April 9 1972 near Family On Tuesdays rch 7 th Svfi ureods ggathered at the enter to be entertained by the Company of the Unicorn fron ceola Vlisconsin. The Co;:pany of the Unicorn is conposed of three people vho aing play instruent ane york lovely puppets iat they have dine. Th puppetsl iovement is governed by hr wooden sticks that are held horizontally in front of each ‘risible puppeteer. The plays are allegorical, iorality tales set to iusic 4 The scripts are created fro!1 myths from around the world. T.ie effect of the puppeteers ‘ias fairy tale like and :harining. Vie all enjoyed a lovely e7euig. This group had flown out here to see oir play and enjoyed it so much they c’anted to thank us by eriertaning us. Spriflg is here and I have an engagement announcement. rty Lei arid Kevin Kentfield have announccd their engagement, Also this month Hank Mindlin and Judy A:dine were wed and ary Gus:ick and Patty Gauss were wed 0
Friday Narcl2 25 a drawing was he2.d for a lovely Sufi Yieart and iings Pin m&de by i•lischia, Rutenberg The lucky iinner was Kevin Keutfield. Tie won the pin on the same night that be and Marty announced their engagement. 0 Jim and ?ayo Wohitman are the proud parents of a baby girl horn March 30. They havo named her Mchera Noel Murhida announced several weeks ago that in early May the 3ufis will njoy a picn:t.c at a large ranch o a friend near santa Joa,
Mrhida spent her Easter holiday in Los Angeles this year The Lee Angeles Baha groups wcre expectng Margaret Craske from New Yo but she was taken ill with a ‘espiratory illness. 4urhida was asked to go down to Los eles and fill in forl Miss rasko. M’irshida went down accompanied by Charnan and Duncan Knowles Good Friday ioring. 3he gave a talk at the Meher Baba bookehop ih Pasadena which was attended by close to a hundred people. Sat:4rday Charmian and Duncan presented a few slides of the play and ran the taped iusic in the hoie of Filis Frederick. JInrshida had interviews all day long. On Saturcay nght MUrshida ave a talk at the Baha bookstore in Hun tngton Beach, Easter morning Jack Small and his nother Virginia Patno had a group in or Easter brunch after which i’Iurshda returned to San Francisco. i
flaosherv,an flsllaval.a was o impressed ith the play, The Life” That he is going to .evote an issue of The Glow to it.
The play was three hours nd forty ii1nutes long. Most mureeds were involved in it 0 There were twelve-.bundred in the audience. March 3 was sunny and warii and people came from all over to participate
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in abas New Life presented by the White Horse Players 0 Many knew of Baba and many did not. Many loved the play and some did not, but whatever the feeling, positive or negative most were affected in sc e way. The actual performance was only four hours in a drama that was thousands of hours old and the experiences of those who participated in the drama were intensely personal and meaningful. In trytng to capture some of the flavor of what went on prior to March 5, Robin Adler, who played Margaret Craske, wrote a story. It beautifully illustrates some of the feelings that many involved in the production shared and underwent together. Just as Murahida had said, the play was our ashram, our Nasik. AU of the talented and etz’ong—wU.led individuals conpressed under one roof naturally resulted in occa sional egoa.conflicts that either blew up (and blew over) or fumed beneath the surface for several days, Yet, it seemed to me that there was a group lesson that we all had been given the opportunity to experience and that was detachsent from the known and loved. I was able to get two points of view as I was both in the chorus and in the acting cast. The first rehear’. sal of the chorus that I was at lasted froti 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. , January 1. Lorenzo Durham was a patient and insightful choir’ master, but we were almost all novices and didn’t know how to sing correctly, enunciate or in some cases read music! We had heard that as a chorus we should blend but blending was still far in the future. With rehearsals three times a week and all of Saturday and Sunday it took the forty some voice chorus two months to learn three songs! Every rehearsal brought a slight change in the choral part since our counterpart, the orchestra, was rewriting the music daily. The choral sheets were seas of red lines, arrows, squashed up notes and crossed out directions. Verses were added, subtracted and rearranged up until the dress rehearsal. During the first eight weeks of singing, we had grown quite attached to this or that way of doing such and such, and as the play drew nearer we began to cling more tenaciously to the favorite gesture or intonation that had originally seemed to be ‘the essence of the 5Oflg in our individual minds. The story was even more pronounced for the actor’s 0 The script itself was being constantly reworked. Ken Hastings worked with us to help us free our actions and learn how to express intent on the stage. The cast was, largely, new to the secrets of theatrical iUusion. We had developed to a fairly fluid point with an admira. ble amount of ‘team work’ when John Krchniak arrived about three weeks before the play. Dear John, with his canny, theatrical expertise, ripped every single scene right up he middle, he left no part unchanged. He moved entrances from left to right, added exits, sub tracted dialogues, added characters, and mostly reinterpreted vast portions of the play that the
2
director and producer hd written! We wore like fish floundering on land. Suddenly I found that the ob ject of my gaze or the reason I had felt a whole bevy of emotions that I had mastered dramatically had been moved to a different spot was indifferent to my glance, didn’t react as I had envisioned or was turned from a laugh line into a moment of gravity and sobriety. It seemed to o that as tho firm foundations of two months of previous work, were pulled out from under our feet, all that was left for us to do was to obey our new director without protest and, even more, to put it all in Baba’s hands, trusting in Him to tie the unseemly frazzled ends and ogos together. Of course, that is just what happened. The day of the play something went click and it all made sense. I forgot the agonies of the fourteen hour dress 0 I felt so wonder rehearsal just twelve hours earlier one of Baba’s disciples to portray able ful about being could have moved me that John and to sins songs to Him have mattered. wouldn’t and it to any spot he wished spot’ on stage bat’ or ‘my ‘my It was not ‘my line’ or left me tug bad and pull any longer. The weeks of director or the whatever come, to open to whatever was blend. would whatever producer wanted, It is a wonderful experience, being involved in BSBa’s play. I hope that I can always have my finger in ome part — from the make—up room to the prop detment to the chorus. Somehow, unlike last year, this play didn’t leave me feeling l.t down and empty still happening and con 0 It is after it was over tinuously unfolding. The line in the song that kept rolling out like a drum was, “God’s New Life goes on and on,” IT is all beginning to hit home now, as I am trying to live and understand day to day this endless New Life of Baba’s. The play itself was only the dosa rehearsal for the continual play of the New Life. There are many incidents that occured in the making of this play which those involved have written down. They are included here to give enjoyment and understanding about the play and the people involved in it.
One of the twelve—hundred audience members was Dr. Stuart Hyde, chariman of the radio—television department at San Francisco State College. He, along with his wife and two children, attended the play. lIe had not hoard of Meher Baba, but as Zuheir, Hank and Duncan had been students of his, he decided to come, Dr. Hyde is a scholar of the public arts and art history, and author of a boOk on the subject. Dr. Hyde said he was extremely moved by the play. He wept freely and said, “iThat an introduction to Meher Baba.” They did not know the play would be so long (3 hours, 40 minutes) and had not eaten lunch, but they stayed en through the performance.
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Of l3aba, he said, he ha no ië’ea so ;aich could be communicated without words. At the faculty meoting he said he had seen the most power ful use of the public arts ever.before. One of the teachers in the department was sorry he had missed the performance, but said he was going o go back to hs office and “re—read my teher Baba card!”
Ilursbida attended rehearsals at various times during the making change of the play. At one rehearsal Krchniak was trying to case in one change. lCrchniak scenes and everyone was resisting Murehida, change scene, a whereupon himself did not want to quoting a recent TV commercial, called out, “Try it •you’ll like it!” Which cracked everybody up, because in th& commercial you always have to take two alkaselczers after “trying it.”
It is common knowlege in theater that the stage manager baa the roughest job. Ed Brooks was our stage manager and took the full brunt of anger fron the director, who felt something vas out of place or wrong because constant changes were made up to the last during the last moment and Ed was not told. Nuierous times few weeks Ed would say, “I am never going to take this job again.” At dress rehearsal he said it again and just before the perfor mance he said he would never do the job again, unless !4urshida expressly asked him to • Well the performance was Sunday and on Monday Ken Htings got a phone call. It was Ed Brooks saying, “Now next year we have go to get organized.. .
Just before the play started Ken Hastings went backstage in the semi-darkness and one of the prop girls said, “Ken, a flower bloomed here last night.!’ She pointed and there amongst some dark green foliage was a beautiful little Afican Violet. She explained that the prop plant was a prop loaned by Charmian Knowles, who keeps the plant in front of Baba’s picture at her home, Ken told her that Nurshida, when she receives some flowers selects a particularly beautiful one and puts it in front of Baba’s picture dedicating it to him, This, Ken, said is Baba’s flashed on flower. At that very instant the backstage lights and off illuminating the flower, lie knew then that Baba was there and they would have a good play.
Pete Wells (Dalut Singh) kept risplacing his coffee cups and taking a new one. Everyone was to write their names on their cup to save money. Pete was beginning to get embarrassed about his bad habit and so he started writing aliases on his cups,
in rehearsal: “You remember how Baba has Baidul (Lee Slimmori) said many times that Lie will bring the religions together like strings on one bead.” 4
During the second ct while the group of rnandali were adlibbing such lines as, “What does it mean” while Bãba stated his plans for the New Life, Zuheir ot up during the rehearsal and wanted to change the scene. Leroy hecare very excited and began repeat ing, “Baba is speaking, what does it mean?”
_oura Baba was walld.ng with one of During the filming of the the mandali from the stage to the dressing room when. exhaustion was attacking everyone ad Maya was rearing up her ugly head making people feel that it might be impossible to get through the day’s work before the doors would be locked. Baba put a loving hand on Chanji’s shoulder and said, “Vie try to portray seven minutes in the life of the Avatar and it’s killing us; He does the whole thing without a rehearsal.”
Mischia Rutenberg was an usher at the performance and was amused when he gave a program to somebody who had walked in off the street 0 The man looked at the title of the play, e New_Life, and said, “Oh, I was getting tired of the old one.”
During the “Cooperation” song thy were told to laugh. Dolly Lux got so carried away that when Charles Parker gave out the line, “This isn’t music,” Dolly yefled, “No!” Zuheir as Baba 1 sat with his back to the audience, watching the skit being put on for him, andhkept makiig faces at the singers, trying to liven them up 0
During the dove scenes Zuheir as Baba,had to go off stage to get his alphabet board. In the final scene he again did not have his board and had to use hand signals.
While rehearsing the (Thee Song up to teripo for the first time, with Hank singing, and Sonya conducting, the oraheatra began to fall apart, just as the words to the song were,...”thia be happening to no., “ and Sonya turned to Hank and said, “Oh, yea it could!”
In the hopelessness scene Dr. Gebor’s iiie had to be changed from, “We can afford only one meal a day and that with damp, dirty, flour.” to “...dirty, we flour,” because from the audience it sounded like she was cursing the flour.
5
One evening before orthestra rehearsal Craig Boyan was ill, so he phoned Loel Miller, the orchestra secretary, who was in charge of copying iius1c parts. i;oel answered the phone, and Craig told 0 She said that it was O.K hr he couldn’t coxae 0 they had some thing for hit to tape, and theywould drop it off at his house on their way to rehearsal. Since Craig played Tabla in the orches 9 he thought they wanted him to tape-record sone Tabla rhythm tra 0 he thought that perhaps other mewbers of the chorus or patterns orchestra might need such a tape to rehearse the difficult pieces in 7/8 time, The people arrived, but to Craig’s surprise they didnGt bring a tape—recorder. They handed hiti instead a large pile of Xeroxed score sheets, pairs of which had to be joined together in the middle with scotch—tape and so he spent hours 0 taping the scores together *****
Charmian Knowles and Melody Dickinson, both of whom as high sopranos had to be in Iraily scenes, decided to take a rest in the audience seats between scenes of the dress rehearsal 0 Catching a glimpse of them, John Krchniak let forth a yell and told then. to rush to th stage and start sweeping 0 They rushed back onto the stage and started sweeping, and slowly it dawned on both of them that they were not supposed to be in that scene 0 So they gradually swept themselves pff stage. As the scene was being filmed, it naturally disturbed them.
Ed Brooks as stage manager got so carried away with the Sarnath scene that when Pete Wells walked backstage, Brooks advanced on him with various samurai postures.
Ron Duce, who played Dr. Donkin, cut himself while shaving, getting ready for his r.;ake—up, on the day of the performance. he was in the men’s room and his wife, Carol—leigh, came to the door to speak to him. When she saw the blood on his face she rushed in to help and when Ron protested her presence there she replied, uoney, I grew up in the theatcr, whiôh of course she did.
One of the most difficult bits of make—up was delegated to 3 B Cobb and Jennifer Dye, both of whom, as they did in The Mast Tours, had to remodel Zuheir’s nose and chin with putty and then 1nt them. This job took hours hut was finished a bare f if— teen minutes before curtain time 0 Baba’s wig was in place, his pink jacket had been put on, and the cast was waiting upstairs 0 All of a sudden the chin began to come of f The women managed to get the chin re-glued and fresh putty plastered around the edges. It was a hair raising experience for the women 0
6
Durinq the ãove scne one f the inandali slapped Baba so hard with his sandal that instead of I allng to the floor, it flew ot into the orchestra pit. The audience laughed and the actors, who could not see this :rott backstage, were horrified to near 0 the audience laughing at such a crucial and painful scene There was acme cotcerri in the orchestra pit as to what to do, but they finally decided to throw the sandal back up on the stage, where it landed with a resounding ‘plop.’
Loel Miller had the job of getting some professional music 0 She copiers, as the music had been very slow in completion schools and professional music unions, symphonies, two phoned librarians, receptionists, to and talked teachers she Universities, of service. a music copying hd heard ono forth, but no nd so Le ha She finally found thr people, but only one showed up. som Baba vacated by lovers apartment recently an just moved into moved walls whei he on the Baba pictures 0 in nuiiber of and found a Hank’ music for Manonash, he recogrized him the handd When she 8 years It turuzd out that they had been classmates name. save Andrew the music Franks, boy, so this Tew York, before in department.
After the play Dr. Allen Cdhen, went to the San Francico Airport 0 Going to see some friends off who had come for the performante ten year olc boys from down to the men’s room, he encountered two the group, one of whom asked him for a dime so as to urlock the 0 Cohen was extracting the dime from his pocket, pay toile 0 As Dr the second little boy said’to the first, LWe don’t need any money... we can just slip under the door. The first little boy stared in consternation and cxc imed, Do you mean to say tht yu missed the whole point of the play?
Because The White horse Players are not professional acto.-s they often had to schedule rehearsals around their jobs. Lee .lirL1Inon taught Ikedo, an art of self—defense, on Saturday mornings. In one of the scenes Lee, who played Eaic3ul tapped Pendu (Dick Cruser) on the head and chided, I know where that rock is now Penth, in your head.w Dick was directed to brush lee’s hand away as if it were a bothersome fly. I’hen Dick had difficulty doing it he was told to try it again, but Dick said, one doesn’t simp:.y brush a black belt away.
Quote from John Krchniak:
Eruch,if Baba rexnin him.x
doesn’t sit down when He’s supposed to
7
Very close to the performance date of the play, Marty Lewis noticed that she was almost out of Vitamin C pills, and wanting to preserve her health in that hectic time, she made a special trip to an out. of the way he.lth food store to purchase her 0 This brand goes under the auspicious name of regular brand radiance’, and she felt it particularly favorable to her purposes at that time. However, she loc’ked unsuccessfully for radiance ‘C 0 She quickly plus and finally enlisted the help of the saleslady 0 Tbis picked out another brand with the exact dose Marty needed company is very good, the saleslady said, sand it is also less lmaiae Marty’s surprise when she examined e•nsie than radianc the labslç only to find thLtt the company that produced this vitamin bore the even more auspicious name of New Life
Eruch was constantly having lines revised, some were added,others taken out and still others were given to various actors. Inone scene Pendu began to tell Eruch a story concerning Rama and Sita. 0 000 You uh remember 3 .)hmm uh 00 Pendu said, You remember Eruch. line so he said,.wAh yes, Eruch? This was originally Eruch’s and finished the line. ** * *
One of the great contributiens t the play by John Krchniak was in blocking scenes, the Ghee scene was a particularly difficult one and John ingeniously devised a dance step which he termed tiddly-tiddly.° The scene immediately took a fine shape as a result. Someone asked John how he came upon such a marvelous 0 He said that asa child in Little Falls, New York he used idea Slovak festivaTh and celebrations. The men used to to attend dance in a circle together after having filled themselves with food and drink One man, rather old and somewhat full of drink 0 would leave the circle and twirl around himself, commicafly John said it was a muttering, ‘tiddly.’tiddly°, tiddly—tiddly. lovely impression which remained in his mind thereafter.
Kathy Childera as Norma was to sear a pair of )odhpurs in one scene and come in and pick up varbus teacups. She was completely slowed up because of scenery and could not find her way back to the stage. She and Kate Oliver, who was playing Elizabeth, finally reached the proper place backstage and changed their costumes) By the time someone ran after them to get them back from the dressing room it was too late for the scene and as a matter of fact the person in charge of the teacups had not brought them 0 in as props either
Khaled Al Faqih told a week after the play that he suddenly :meditated on Baba he had been medita discovered each day as he ting on his brother Zuheir
8
The last scene of the play, the Dhuni fire 0 was one of the most personally moving fo ny. During rehearsals, Zuheir, as Baba stood by the Dhui’i at the center of the stage As he concentrated on the archetypal fire and Avataric role, the fifty some cast and chorus znenthers concentrated on Baba 0 Many of them broke down and cried during the rchearsals as it was so poignant and 0 They were all very ploased with the effect moving 0 the staging and the personal message that they got from this finale 0 Then 0 Perhaps the most painful change John Krchniak arrived (and the most hotly debated) ;‘as when he removed Baba from the stage after the Dhunifire The cast and chorus was left stranded, as it were 0 Suddenly the center of their attention and love had vanished. They had sung the song to Baba, now there was just emptiness 0 When they appealed to John to bring Baba back on stage he said, No, you 11 have to xocus on Babe within you. That’s who you sing to. It hurts, doesn°t it? Thats where we ar right now, Baba isn’t here in His body, we cannot see Him, and it seems empty but we must find Him in our own hearts. The last line of the play suddenly took on new dimensions and immediate personal significance to the cast and chora when Baba says, From now on, every man will have to speak to God from his own heart.x
I would like to mention before I close that these lovely stories were written by th members of the White horse Players.
9
4
SIXTEELki SUFI FAMILY LETTER
June 9, 1972 Dear Family 9 Please forgive the lateness of the letters recently 0 It has been due to final examinations for College 0 This event has passed so the letters, Inshallah, will be back to normal mailing time. This months letter is.ffled with many announcements, joyous and 0 practical There were three births, two occurring in April and one in May. Carol—Leigh and Ronald Duce had a baby boy or April 14th and named him Adam Merwan 0 A girl was born to Jan and Lascal Kaplan on April 21. They named her Theresa Mehera. On May. 12 a boy was born to Winifred and. David Kershaw. They named him Jeremy 0 Lawrence In April Virginia Wiilistcn and Graham Smithwicke announced engagement their 0 The cookbook has finally come out and is absolutely exquisite, a masterpiece and every other positive adjective that you can think of I am very proud of Selzaa. She really ought to be a 0 The problems encountered in the publishing of this publisher fine book were emznense 0 Maya seemed to be more present in Santa rosa in the last few months than any where else. In next months letter there will be a special on the making of the Gufi Sufi Cookbook Reoriented, It° a letter you wont want to miss, in other words you°ll have to read it to believe it. The book is on sale at the Center for a mere $4.95 plus :25 for postage. It’s a steal and I urge all to acquire a copy 0 Marge Rogers was the winner of the Oriental Rug. A very fitting exchange I felt awas Marge is the preceptor of the donor 0 On June 17 the Suf is will have their annual c€lebration in honor of the birthdays of Murshida Martin and Inayat Kahn 0 The usual luncheon will be held and a program presented by niureeds. Among others, Andrew and Peggy Muir will be joining as us at that time from WashingtonDDC. Dick Watson gave a talk at the Meher Spiritual Center, Myrtle Beach in August 1970 on Meher Baba and Sufisin. He gave the talk later to the Suf is and Murshida requested that the talk be published in a pamphlets The talk is now available at the SuU Center under the title, msher Baba and Sufism, A Personal View by Richard Watson. There is also another pamphlet written by Murshida, Selma and Allan Cohen available at the Sufi Center on the same subject 0 Both pamphlets are helpful guides in explain ing Sufism to people as well as further aiding in our own understanding.
—2
May 12, Irwin Luck cane to tak to the group, Irwin and Edward Luck have spent the last few years going around the world and video—taping BabaDs niandali and their life with Eaba 0 Irwin and Edward Luck have both also been interested in getting Baba’s life correctly chronicled fz v posterity 0 Murshida intrcãuced Irwin by saying, Lrng ago Don Stevens used to jokingly refer to me as Ivy rposteritye Duce 0 She went on to say it was nice to know she wasnt a1on.Q
When Baba first assigned us reeting Gcd°s name for a half hour as a Sufi practice, Lud told Murshida that it was just mechanical for him and was it airight to stop doing it and wait till he could do it with feelings 0 flurshida said, We11 Baba told us to do it. Lud said, I’rn not going to munthle Baba’s name iechanical1y just because Baba told us toow Murshida drew herself up and said, rWell there are worse reasons for doing some thing than just because Baba told you to,” On May 14, the Suf is had a picnic 0 Due to exams I was not able to attend and so Loei. Miller has written about the event for the letter, Mother s Day was a very special day for aE I the Suf is this year 0 Murshida set the day aside for a picnic, family—style, in the lovely rolling hills outside of Santa Rosa 0 Although the mothers were to be honored on this day, all the unmarried mureeds, as well, received special attention 0 It all began wih the project of earning money for the second edition of God Spak&. How nice it would be, Murshida told us one Fiiav nigEt, if we could have an old—fashioned picnic where box 1uncs prepared by the single women would be auctioned off to the single men in the order 0 In this way we could earn money fr God Speaks and become better acquainted with one anothe And so it waa The site of the picnic was offered to the Suf is for a day by Hank Hulsoff, a charming young Hollander who Murshida had helpeu to become established in this country. lie has never forgotten her kindness and ha wanted to do Murshida a favor in 0 And so the gorgeous return 100 acres, which belonged to a friend of his was offered the Suf is for the day, complete with a alake for swijnm— ing and boating 1 sev eral picnic areas, hiking trails, and an infinite supply of fresh air 0 Carloads of gaily clad picnickers began tn arrive early, laden with gear ranging from baebal1s o b1nkets and frisbees to fried chicken 0 I was impressed with an atmosphere vaguely reminiscent of darshan; Murshida had set the day aside for us and we were to abandon even the most pressing of worldly duties in order that we might really relax and concentrate on mnking new friends which we did
At noon. Murshida gathered the single men about the table irdcn with picnic baskets ‘to be auctioned. W:apped in new3pipar and colored string to assure anonymity the bundles ranged in size from lunch boxes to laundry baskets; from some a bottle of wine or a vase of flowers pi.eped out as an added attraction 0 The married couples and families leisurely watched the excitement from the safety of their picnic blankets already spread with sumptuous lunches. When the go— ahead was given, the gents dived in selecting the boxes 9 for some reason (karinic or otherwise) or baskets that caught their eyes. Amidst the gggles and gasps that arose as the guys discovered trie gals that matched their lunches, more blankets were spread and the munching conmienced. Murshida sat in the center of the picnic area, watching the activity and talking with the children that approached 0 Grc1ps lunched at picnic tables around the lake her above anc, if they were lucky 9 saw Ed Brooks singing at the top of his ]aAngs to his lunch date as he paddled her and his dog in a boat gondolier styj across the lake. His dog, Daisy (who helped neither with the paddling ior the singing) seemed to enjoy the whole event 0 When lunch was over, several Suf is entertained us ali with a short program for Murshida. We sat in a large circle under the large, shady trees of the deli and listened to musical numbers by Neal Crockett, Robbie Basho and Dick and Antoinette Cruser. Then an unfor gettable trio, Gida and Zuheir Al—Faqih and Ken Hastings, performed their skit, Lady Maya”, that was such a hit at the p69° Darshan. Hank Mindlin concluded the program with his Talkinu God Speaks Blues.” Murshida laughed and shook her head as she heard Hank’s hilarious rendition of the adventures she went through in New York over republishing God Speaks. Later, brim—full of boating 9 swiing and hiking, many gethered about Murshida where she sat in the deli and listened to stories about her times with Baba and the Mandali. All was peaceful as we sat together except for the occasional shouts of victory from the Sufi soft ball teams engaged in combat in the field beyond. And o the lovely day passed until Murshida announced her departure 0 With this call, the cars reloaded and headed 0 It was a rare family time together, and a homeward wonderful Mother’s Day gift to us all from our Murshida. There was, unfortunately, one incident that marred the day which Priscilla Martin wrote about: “Unfortunately, as it turned out, a young boy, while swimming in the lake lost control arid began to drown 0 Jon Pally, Jon Willis and others noticed his absence and guikiy searched and brought him up, whereby Tigh o°Iianahan initiated emergency medical care 0 He was then transferred to a hospital 0 However, later in the evening the boy contracted pneumonia and was in critical condition. Charmian Knowles calledmany Suf is and asked that we pray for the boy. Doctors reported he took a miraculous turn and has since recovered.”
Until the next letter,
t
•1 SEVENTEENTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER August 23, 1972 Dear Family, The Center closed on June 30th for our annual summer break. Classes will resume the first Wednesday in September. During August we are open on Wednesday nights for Baba movies. Our annual Sufi hike will be held on August 27th. All Sufis will meet at Lud Dimpfl’s at 10:00 a.m. and proceed on the ten mile hike. Rick and Susan Isaacs became the parents of a baby girl, Gabrielle Ivy, on June 6. Meherjee was with us at the end of May and gave us a brief talk on how he met Murshida for the first time in New York back in 1947 and also in 1952 when Baba came to America., David and Winifred Kershaw are moving to Washington D.C. in August and Mike and Isa Campbell moved to Munich, Germany recently. The Sufi beithday celebration for Murshida Martin and Murshid Khan was held on June 17th. The day commenced at noon with lunch and a lovely program was presented by mureeds immediately afterwards. The program was M.C.’d by Pascal Kaplan and John Hawkins began by reading poems he wrote on Murshida Martin and Inayat Khan. INAYAT KHAN A guiding light you are, More than a star, a reflection, Nt only on One, most loved, and all There is to be loved, but the Being Of love; not .only a witness To this One you guided With love from your mureeds hearts, But an instrument of a plan To lead the hearts of others to this One Who guides and makes all paths straight, The Ancient One, both God and man. I•’IURSHIDA MARTIN A stern guide who ruled with the straightness Of keen sight pointed to the heart of Love. Murshida of our Murshida in realms of Being We only know by our seeing of you In the heart of the one we follow.
Dorothea Foote wrote and directed a lovely short play she called, “The Seekers.” The play was a musical and Dorothea wrote all the lyrics to old tunes which Hank Mindlin reconstructed to suit the new Words. I will quote here the song Dorothea wrote to the tune, “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from the musical “Oaklahoma.” The scene was Myrtle Beach and the seekers were gathered on the Beach there. Oh, Oh, The His
what a wonderful beach here what a beautiful shore Lord of Creation once stood here spirit lives here evermore.
The ones who so loved Him picked seashells To lay at His beautiful feet The calls of the gulls were like church bells Ringing hymns to waves’gentle beat. CHORUS Verse 1 The ones who adored gathered round Him Each seeking His blessed embrace Each thanking their fate to have found Him Each asking His bountiful Grace.
CHORUS The frail shell that held him has left us So the blue waves would mutter and moan Heher Baba has never bereftus We know we are never alone. CHORUS The following skit was presented by Pete Wells, Ira Deitrick and Phil Hocking. It was written by Pete Wells who is known as quite a wit. It was quite funny in person and I hope it will amuse you all. COSMIC SUPPLIES Ira: (Introduction) Murshida, Honored Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen. It’s no great secret, here, that this is the Avataric Age. But our concern at Cosmic Supplies, Midwestern division, serving the great planes, is that it was no secret there, on the other side. Rumor has it, that Great Sage Floating on a Cloud, who was floating on Cloud 9, looked up amidst his giggles and saw Great Flaming White Horse descend. Being an inveterate gossip, he spread the word “rise from your dreams and incar nate, to birthing stations, the Hourse has come!” Unheard of lines formed; indeed, in the press there might even have been a little karma swapping. At any rate, the rush to be with Great Flaming White Hourse, the resources of the vast, very large, quite huge Creation have been rapidly consumed; sensitives, with their ears to the ground, have learned that there is a shortage of believe it or not that basic stuff, sanskaric material. These ears were of course Sufi ears: the old rug dealer rose at last with his New Life task, spiritual ecology. So, ladies and gentlemen, for your edification a brief visit to the new, very new Sanskara Recycling Depot, Cosmic Supplies. —-
——
——
——
3 (Ira enters scene and addresses Pete) Ira: Pete: Ira:
Do you really recycle sanskaras? Yes How do you handle them? Don’t they rub off on you? Or influence you? Murshida says...
Orstick to you?
(Pete shows huge gloves to audience, then to Ira as he runs on) Ira: Pete:
That’s a grown-up affair! You wouldn’t handle these with
kid gloves.
(Phil enters scene wrapped in crepe paper streamers) Ira:
(gasps)
Pete:
What were you planning to recycle?
Phil:
I moved into a new place, lit incense, said Baba’s name, and san— I grabbed them up to bring skaras dropped off the walls like flies. to you, when suddenly they grabbed me instead.
Pete:
Our pamphlet states it clearly:
Phil:
So detach me!
Pete:
I haven’t the authority to cut through these. try the candidates class.
Nearness leads to Attachment.”
Perhaps you should
(Phil exits) Ira:
Suppose someone does bring a bagful in.
What do you do with it?
We separate them by their various and sundry qualities; then our reDrocessing service (Cosmic Supplies, Midwest Division, serving the great planes) Collects them and reduces them to their insubstantial sub—subtle substrate substances.
Pete:
Ira: Pete: Ira: Pete: Ira:
Separate? Red from black, heavy from
light, clockwise from counterclockwise.
You mean keep the ivy from the wisteria? That’s my impression. You do have to make a good impression.
(Phil enters with single streamer wrapped in spiral) Phil:
I just came by to unwind.
(Phil pirouettes, drops streamer, exits)
Pete:
Ira:
(putting streamer in bin) Got to be careful not to lump too many to gether. Last week a whole barrelful got it together 1 jumped out and recycles one of my helpers. Not even Irene could find him. Just last week it was. Very weak.
(Phil enters pulling chain of colored construction paper) Pete: Ira: Phil:
He’s always dragging that chain around with him. he pulls that chain. (to Phil)
Everywhere he goes,
Why are you pulling that chain?
Ever see anybody push one?
(Phil exits) Ira: Pete: Ira: Pete: Ira: Pete: Ira:
How many sanskaras do you handle a week? 1,000 gross. No subtle? 144,000 of both kinds.
We’re not a grossary.
A safe way. No, we’re just lucky. Seven come eleven.
(Phil enters and roots around in bin marked “Pick Ira: Pete: Ira: Pete:
Ira:
choose”)
What’s he doing? Rooting around in the Pick ‘n’ choose barrel... That’s clear. ...looking for some slightly soiled inspii’ation. (shouts to Phil) Take advice from one who’s risen: One man’s source is another man’s prison! That’s spiritual jingleism.
END
It was a joy to have with us at this occasion Andrew and Peggy Muir, Sufi Preceptors from Washington, D.C. They had come for a week’s visit with Murshida and the Sufis and gave an inspiring talk the night preceding the party. There were more lovely skits and songs that I have not even mentioned and will not in this letter because I have a long tale to tell about the Gufi Suf I Cookbook Reoriented.
S The idea for a Sufi Cookbook originated from Selma Hassen. Three Christmases ago she and Gail Smith put together a small book entitled the I1ini Lebanese Cookbook. It was a huge success so Selma suggested to her Monday night class that they publish a Sufi Cookbook to raise money for Murshida’s secretary fund. The idea was enthusiastically received and all Sufis were duly contacted for their recipes. None of us realized the work that went into publishing a book. We began compiling recipes in October and were sure a month would see us with a finished book to sell in time for Christmas gift—buying. It took a month just to complete editing; the bulk of the work being done one crazy weekend in Santa Rosa in which Zuheir entertained and kept us, namely Gail, Selma and myself, awake with his witty sense of humor. The recipe, ‘Jellied Curried Zuchini Frappe’ (pg. 126) by Zuheir was written for comic relief purposes around 11:00 a.m. that Sunday morning. We included it knowing full well that it will never sound as funny to anyone else as it. did to us. Unfor tunately the first Gufi Sufi Cookbook looked (and sounded) like it had been done in one weekend!! And so seeing this Murshida suggested we put out a 2nd edition, “now that you know how it is done.” Without hesitation Selma contacted Dianne Cobb, Jennifer Dye, Bill Donahey and Jack Benson, who in turn contacted Walt the Printer, plus numerous other cookbook enthusiasts. This time we employed a more thorough approach. We were determined to learn from our mistakes! The first task was to gather more recipes and for this purpose Gail handed out a sheet of directions to everyone. Thecond step was to type the recioes, re—type, proof—read, edit, re—type, add, subtract, delete, define, refine, re-spell, re—measure, translate, re—write, proof—read, etc. Every weekend numerous volunteers would converge on Santa Rosa with their typewriters to do all this. Although we faced many problems, no one in their wildest imaginings could have foreseen the utter Mayavic devastation It is safe to say and I which would he unleashed on this one cookbook. amsure you will agree with me after you read the tale that the forces of good and evil fought a ferocious battle the likes of which haven’t been seen by any Sufi since Charmian’s wedding in Washington, D.C. and Aneece’s microfilming of Baba’s records in India in 1970. Every conceivable front was hit; no small ‘i’ or batch of paper was left untouched, and proof of the largeness of the battle is the beauty of the book. To mention some of the highlights: First Walt,the owner of Studio Press, offered us his press, free of charge, to use onweekeneds and when he was not using it. He thought it would be like its predecessor and It took four months! During that take two or three weeks to print. time, for some mysterious reason, Walt hardly had any business and we seemed to be permanently entrenched. Our cookbook was all over his place as were our volunteers headed by Jack Benson, chief printer and fire fighter. A firm in Sonoma was contracted to do the typesetting job. They said they would do it on their new computer typesetting machine. This machine was reported able to set the page ready to be photographed. However, after we reached an agreement with them and money changed hands they discovered that the machine was not working properly and so they called a factory representative. They had never attempted to do this type of work until the cookbook came along. They discovered that they had been sold a bill of goods. The machine did not do any of the things it was trumped up to do, so the entire manuscript had to be set by hand after it came out of themachine. Each individual unit of the recipe,
6 the title, the two columns listing the ingredi ents, the text and the author’s name had to be cut off the strip of typeset that rolled out of the machine in a straight line, and laid out in correct format on a dummriy sheet. Kathy Wiederhold spent hundreds of hours cutting and laying out the recipes preparing them to be photograhed. They were then photo graphed and a copy of each page made and sent to Santa Rosa for proofing. The errors on each page were unbelievable. The young woman typing the manuscript on the tyosetter was anything but competent, so hours and hours were spent making corrections on the finished copy. Jack called the production manager and complained; he was told the problem would be cleared up. The errors got worse, so Selma called the production manager and described what the copy looked like, he was horrified, said absolutely the problem would be cleared up. The errors got worse and worse. We stopped calling and just kept on correcting copy after copy. Between handsetting the copy and correcting the errors on the final copy hundreds of hours were added to the work that had to be done by Selma’s crew; plus more and more paper had to be ordered (all arriving in the wrong size and being reordered). All of this work should have been done by the print shop employed to do the job. Supplies had to be ordered. 20,000 sheets of 10” x 12” paper was ordered for the art work and 20,000 9 x 12 sheets were received. These 20,000 9 x 12 sheets were sold to Walt and 20,000 10 x 12 sheets reordered. For the text 100,000 sheets 8-- x 11 paper was ordered and 100,000 sheets 8 x 10 paner arrived. These were returned to the paper supply company and the correct size purchased. Two boxes of 10 x12 film was ordered and six boxes of film arrived, none the right size. Numerous times an order for sumüies was placed and one or the other happened; all merchan dise arrived late necessitating long distance calls etc. Several weeks after the arrival of the wrong merchandise a bill would arrive which would require calling or writing about to correct the account. Combs for the book were not available in the bay area due to the size and color desired so they were ordered directly from Chicago via telephone. One week later after the combs were specially manufactured the company called Sonoma and said the combs could not be shipped because the print shop was not a dealer for the company. Walt called and offered to become a dealer for the company. he company refused and said the combs could not be sold wholesale to us. Aneece called up and talked to a Sales Executive. The executive said the combs would be shipped. The next day a secretary called Eleanor at the Center and said they were not going to ship the combs. Aneece called again....and again.., and again... The combs were eventually shipped but we had to buy them retail from the Chicago company for about 100 dollars extra. When they finally arrived we discovered there was one box containing 100 black combs, so a new box of combs had to be ordered. Material had to be acquired for the cover of the book. Selma and Jack went to San Francisco to pick it out. At a later date it was discovered that the cover material was too thin so we sold it to Walt and re—ordered thicker material. Later it was discovered that the second batch of cover material was cut with the grain running the wrong way. Half this batch was used for the back of the cookbook and the other half was sold to Walt. New cover material was re—ordered; later it was discovered that this third batch of cover material could not be run through the printing press at Walt’s so another printer was contracted to do the job. They couldn’t use the paper either. A fourith batch of cover material
7 was ordered. Zuheir went to pick up this batch while the printer stood by, but he didn’t pick up enough so Bryan Bennett had to go down to San Francisco and pick up the additional sheets. Finally all 1,000 covers were nrinted and the job was completely botched up, so the company had to buy new cover material and ep±int all 1,000 covers! When the paper was ordered, twice as much as we needed was purchased and so this had to be returned. When we finally had the first half printed Kathy Wiederhold took the rest of the book home to Palo Alto plus the rough draft to work on getting it camera ready. She then mailed it to Selma. It was mysteriously lost in the mail. There was alot of searching going on in many post offices in the Bay Area. After six weeks, on a Friday night, Selma went to Murshida and asked her what should be done; should the typesetters redo the entire job or what? Murshida said she hada feeling that they should hold doing anyhting until Friday, as Friday kept coming to her mind. Selma walked out of Murshida’s office and was met by Kathy Wiederhold who had the package in her hand. It had been, for no apparent reason, left on her door step! Selma went back to IIurshida and told her the cookbook had been found. Murshida smiled and said, “Well I just didn’t know which Friday.” During the period the book was lost Walt decided to put his shop, Studio Press, up for sale! He continued to let the cookbook crew work in his shor, but this added to the insecurity of the situation. We didn’t know when a new owner would arrive oh the scene, take one look, and throw us out! Meanwhile, back at the shop. The sink in the dark room strange a leak and the dry photographic chemicals for the cookbook became water logged. The blades on the paper cutter became dull and had to be taken to San Francisco to be sharpened. Many copies of art work were ruined as a result of the dull blade and had to be reprinted; each of which needed to be run three or four times throught the press before it was done because of the delicacy of the details. One of the rollers on the press developed a large lump which inter fered with the orinting. The roller was taken to a machine shop to be ground. When the roller was picked up it was discovered that the roller was ground too much and was then too small to work on the press. The bill, $17, was presented to •Jack S€ was agreed upon as being a fair price. A new roller was ordered from San Francisco; it was not in stock and so it had to be ordered from Los Angeles. This arrivedone week later and worked fine until Jack noticed that it shed an excessive amount of lint in the ink so another roller had to be ordered. After interminable delay because of the roller problem the press was finally in operation, but that same day it caught on fire. The electric motor in the press caught fire and while Jackworked to put it out the electric motor in the furnace went out leaving the print shop freezing cold. The next morning Jack took the burned out press motor to San Francisco to be repaired. He returned to Sonoma with it and discovered that it still needed further repair so he took it to an elec tric motor shop in Sonoma. This took several more days. In short the press was literally rebuilt before we could finally proceed with tl printing. During the pRoof reading stage and early typing of the manuscript some of the workers noticed that the word Parmesan was being spelled Parmesean. They looked up the word to make sure of the spelling, which was Parmesan, and proceeded to correctthe spelling in the manuscript.
In the first third of the book this word is spelled Parmesean and in the last two thirds it is spelled Parmesan. This happened because months later, after the typing and proofing of the rought draft was complete and the book was at the printing stage, Selma said to Jack that she had seen the word spelled Parmesean and so he looked it up in the dictionary and reported that it was spelled Parmesean. Several weeks later someone questioned the spelling and Selma asked Jack again and he looked it up and saw Parmesean. Jack in the meanwhile had been going through the rinted copy and correcting the word Parmesan to Parmesean. The spelling was again questioned and so Jack took the dictionary to Santa Rosa and looked up Parmesean and the dictionary showed the spelling to be Parmesan. (It was the same dictionary he had used before). Selrna said about the incident, “Don’t ask us what it was that made Jack see ‘ean’ instead of ‘an’. We are still puzzling over that one!” At about the one—third point a particular page was picked out as the control sheet and extreme care was taken to print exactly 1,000 sheets so they would know when they had exactly 1,000 books (first third completed). was completed and taken to Santa Rosa it was discovered After the that the rage was completely printed wrong and had to be thrown away or unched on thev’ong side. Selnia’s living i’oom had 150,000 sheets of paper in 150 different piles sDread over her living room. All furniture was pushed against the walls. Couch, tables and chairs were oovered with piles of various t)ages and the floor with boxes. Selnaa said that everytirne she or her family would go through the living room they would stop to colate a section. I could go on and on but I’m sure you get the picture. Suffice it to say this is almost an understatement. The stories are exemplary of the everyday happenings that went along with the making of this fine If I may be so bold, I think all Sufis should have a copy. The book. book makes a lovely gift and it must be special to have warranted so much attention from dear old Maya. There were. athousand printed and I would like to ee them all sold. Order now while they are still available. I will close now and I hope all have had a warm and enjoyable summer.
.4
EIGHTEENTH SUP! FAMILY LETTER
October 9, 972 Dear Family, Murshida reopened the Sufi Center Friday September 5, after our summer break. We were all extremely happy to be back with her. Murshida announced to us that she will give us lectures on the Discourses. The first four were concerned with the chapters on Karma and Reincarnation. The lectures will continue indefinitely. Murshida also announced the creation of a new Monday night class for all Sufis who have finished their lessons through the Sanqithas. This new mandatory class was planned long ago to avoid the mistaken conception that once one finished the Gatha lessons, one has’graduated’, but had to be delayed due to pressure of work on all preceptors and Murshida. These classes will be an ongoing reciew of the lessons, as well as an exploration of sessions, Murshida said, that she It is in these new material. hopes to give her lessons on the Tarot. The class will be taught by the preceptors and Murshida in revolving four week sessions. All mureeds, however, will maintain contact with their original preceptor with whom they have studied their lessons. Lud began the first four week series with lessons on the Masnavi of Rumi. Cindy Ceteras returned to the Bay Area after two years in She gave us a little talk and essentially conveyed to us London. her great happiness at being home again. She said coming back to Murshida and the Sufis made her realize how much she had missed the Suf is on Baba and Murshida and the the focused energy among the group because of this focus. engenered companionship listening to Murshida talk brought to her said that further Cindy total assurance in Baba and complete Murshida’s of realization the love; someone who loves and understands us and is totally confi dent in what she says.
?
Cindy’s talk made a deep impression on all of us as we were only away two months, but being back at the Center everyone was able to relax in Murshida’s atmosphere and realize what a tremen dous privilege it is to be here. Farliad Shafa from the Washing ton group was present and spent a week with us. Because of the continuous movement among the Suf is I am con stantly adding new names to my Family Letter list and taking off names. This means that periodically I must repeat several points relevant to the letter. The letter entails a certain amount of expense and this can be aided by those of you who wish it. A $4.00 a year donation would help. If any of you move be sure and send your change of address to the Sufi Center and if you can to myself. I will include my address at the end of the letter. All of you are invited to write to me and share with other Sufis away pieces of information; poignant anecdotes or anything else your heart If you have a baby or become engaged do let us know so desires. we can share it with others. 1
This summer Ed and Gloria Phillips became the parents of a baby born, Ian Andrew born on August 18. Jennifer Dye and Zuheir Al-Fagih were married on September 16th. Scott Colt and Jamesena Brown announced their engagement the other evening. Marty Lewis and Kevin Kentfield were married this summer, as also Virginia Williston and Graham Smithwick. Sonya Lawson and Michael Evans are giving a recital of piano music and singing at the Sufi Center, October 17th at 7:30 p.m. There will be a $1.50 donation and the proceeds will go towards paying off the tremendous expense incurred in the production of our last play. Speaking of plays Hank Mindlin has already written next year’s play and presnetly it is in the process of being cut and edited, Plans are underway for rehearsals which will be held on Tuesday nights. This year’s play will be like the Gufi Sufi Cookbook Reoriented, an ‘example that we do learn from past experiences. Rehearsals will begin earlier in the year; costuming, music and sets will all be undertaken and completed, Inshallah, in plenty of time to be part of rehearsals. Several weeks ago we had a visit from Filis Frederick. She gave a lovely talk and at that time Murshida announced the delight ful news that Filis will play herself in next year’s play. Murshida announced that Phil Hocking, one of our Sufi artists well known in the Bay Area for his work, will draw your favorite picture of Baba at a special rate of $25.00. Phil will do the pictures in pastels. His fine and sensitive style is a joy to see and Murshida suggested they would make nice Christmas presents. Anyone interested can write Phil directly at the Center and include your favorite picture of Baba, The hike at Lud’s house took place in August. As far as I can tell everyone made it with Lud heading it up at the front and Ellie holding the end of the line., Loel Miller who is one of the Family Letter reporters has written an article concerning the Friday School. The Sufi children’s Friday School begins on September 29th this year, with two years of experience now behind the coordinators and teachers of the school. o years ago Lud, aware of Murshida’s long time dream of a school for Sufi children, began the classes which meet at the Sufi Center on Friday night at the same time as the regular Friday night meetings. Allen Shulak has helped Lid to organize teachers and coordinate the program. Learning the needs of the children and the best way to approach the class material as they go, Lud, Allen, and the Friday School teachers have reworked and improved the program each year. The first year, ci ses were arranged for both younger (4—6) and older (7-10) children. The following year the younger section was dissolv€d due to inadequate facilities at the present center and the late hour of the class meetings. The older classes, however, continued *hroiwhout the last year. Material was presented on the lives of
2
Sufi saints, masters and heroes such. as Confucious, Rumi, Kin Arthur and Socrates. Three weeks was dedicated to each master. This year the program will be grouped into three nine week seesions and will cover the lives of three Avatars, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed. Teachers will work in teams of three, each taking the class for three sessions. Due to the nature of the course material, many more visual aids will be available than in past yeas which will supplement the creative presentations of the Friday School teachers. The class will present a play at each of the three Sufi parties (Christmas, Murshida’s birthday and the Inayat Khan/ Murshida Martin celebration). These will be about the Avatar whom the children have studied the previous nine weeks. Hank Mindlin will work with the teaching teams on the scripts for the plays and Ken Hastings will direct the children’s productions. So the Sufi children will have their own miniashrams three times this yeart The class is open to the children of Sufis and Baba lovers of the ages 9 through 11. The following children are currently signed up for the class: Lori and Sheila Ceteras, David Rosenberg, Cindy Xrelan, Sean Phillips, Rene Cruser, Michael Corrinet, Mara Lawson, Susan Skiff, Brian and Nina Phillips and Lyn Watson. Warmest Wishes to all and JA! BIBA
IL1,-e_ C C &Rebecca Haziewood 1333 Shattuck Avenue *2 Berkeley, California 94709
3
NINETEENTH SUFI_FAMILY_LETTER November 20, 1972 Dear Family, Murshida left Monday, November 6th for a two week vacation in Santa Barbara, California, accompanied by Lud and Aneece 0 She will spend
the tiie working on her book 0 As you all know the completion of this book has been a dream of Murshida’s for many years 0 It deals with the way Baba works with his disciples 0 She has had to fit the wri ting of it around a completely full schedules, but in spite of it all hr book progresses slowly but surely 0 Murshida’s consistency and edication to all her responsibilities is a great example for all of us 0 In the meantime, Marge Rogers has taken over the dutiss of running the Monday arid Friday night classes as well as giving Aneece’s class 0 The Monday night class is attended by all those who have finished the Sangithas 0 This August marked a special anniversary for Sufism Reoriented It 0 was 25 years ago that Murshida became Murshid of the Sufi Orders
The Center will be closed Thursday, November 23 and November 24th for 0 In the middle of December we will have the annual Thanksgiving Christmas sale and our Christmas party 0 This year the program will be presented by members of the Children’s Friday School 0 The concert given by Sonya Lawson and Michael Evans success and so they have decided to giv e it again 0 0 The profits from the performance will be Berkeley the Meher Baba League there which is connected with of California and in part to the Sufi Center 0 Loel following article on the concert 0
was a complete This time in given in part to the University Miller wrote the
On Tuesday, October 17th, the Sufi Center was filled —-standing room only with a crowd of Sufi families and friends 0 The occasion a special benefit concert of original compositions performed by Michael Evans and Sonya Lawson 0 The concert, designed to raise money for the Sufi play, was the culmination of many weeks of practice on the part of Sonya and Michael 0 The musical numbers were primarily for voice and piano, but the occasional variations,, with Michael on flute and Sonya playing the piano, added a delightful dimension to the program 0 The first half of the concert opened with piano etudes composed and performed by Michael 0 Several pieces of Sonya’s followed: three lovely Sufi songs and a haunting selection entitled Water1ilies and 0 The mood then changed is we heard two pieces from winter Gnomes in Koto, parts from a musical Landscaper as conceived by Michael, in which Sonya sang in Japanese to Michael’s piano accompaniment 0 The first part concluded with a piece, Sky Raga, drawn from., Michael’s symbolic ballet, Journey to the Sun’ 0 After a brief intermission, the concert resumed, but with quite a different musical flavor 0 With Bernie Schwartz joining in on the piano, we were treated to Sonyas soul song, Have you Seen Him?; this was followed by a lively melancholy folkeong in which Sonya sang in Yiddish 0 The program concluded with selections from Michael’s
musical, ‘The Spirit of the Americas’, which expressed the love and 0 joy that is released when the Avatar visits the Western Bemisphere These last pieces were delightfully syncopated (partially due to Craig Boyan on percussion), and we all found ourselves swaying to the 0 rhythms 0 Aside from The concert merited the standing ovation it received witness so much crea to a was treat it evening, being an enjoyable comment, overheard One 0 Sufis fellow from coming tivity and talent ‘Sonya and our up feelings: sum to seemed at the end of the concert, 0 Michael, you did us all proud!” The inauguration of the annual Baba play was initiated several weeks 0 Hank Mindlin, who is in ago when Murshida announced the new cast 0 wrote the following article production charge of music for this year’s ‘Once more into the breach leap the Thufi Thespians, for the third in 0 our annual series of plays to commemorate Beloved Baba’s Birthday from the having learned — This year, we are gettingmuch earlier start has Murshida Life” 0 play rather overwhelming experience of our ‘New is theme The 0 time been insistent that the play not kill us this 0 fast—paced, airy and light treatment of Baba’s 1952 visit to America with Sufis”deals ‘SAHAVAS 1952”, subtitled “Meher Baba and the Western Master’s the of Baba°s reorientation of Sufista, and shows the effects 0 The whirlwind visit through the eyes of Murshida and Charznian script was written up from Murshida’s own diaries of that period, and she has closely supervised the entire production so that it will be as 0 close to ‘the way it was” as possible The play is in three acts: Myrtle Beach, Prague, Oaklahoma, and Murshida’s 0 apartment in New York City, where Baba gave darshan after His accident The accident itself and Murshida’s role in Baba°s recovery provide a touching counterpoint in Act II to the ‘divine humor’ which surrounded it, and those unfamiliar with the story are bound to have their eyes 0 opened when they see the play next February An added touch this year is in the casting: Murshida has chosen 45 Suf is to fill the roles 9 including her daughter, Charmian to play 0 (‘Charmian’s’ role will be filled by Robyn Renkas) Murshida! 0 But the real coup in casting Zuheir Al-Faqih again will play Baba has been Pius Fredericks agreement to play herself meeting ‘Baba” for the first time She will coUte to some rehearsals from Los Angeles! The play will be given in San Francisco on a weekend close to Babas performances Other principals Birthday, (February 25) for two 0 involved are: Producer: Bob Enrich; Director: Zuheir (assisted by Ken Hastings); Stage Manager: Rob Miller; Chorus: Lorenzo Durham; Music: 0 As with Hank Mindlin (Assisted by Sonya Lawson and Neal Crockett) our previous productions, invaluable profession3l guidance is being obtained from John Krchniak in Arizona, via long letters and long— distance phone calls —— he has gone over the entire script for effec’ tive staging, blocking, and dialogue — and it is hoped he will be able to give us a week or two of personal supervision again this year! All in all, it loeks to be an exciting production —— we hope as many as possible will caine and see it!”
THE HAPPY NEWS DEPARTMENT Judy and Phil Phillips became the parents of a boy born at the end Dolores Lux and Fred 0 of Gctober 0 They have named hin Martin Chisty 0 Warren announced their engagement recently
I will close now, JAI BABA,
k
(
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‘IWENTIETH SUFI FAMILY LETTER December 6, 1972
Dear Family, The last meeting b€fore our Christmas break will be Fridays December 15th followed 1y our Christmas party Saturday December 16th. We will resume classes the first Wednesday after New Years, Jan. 3rd. Max Hf1iger was with us several weeks ago from Zurich. ITe gave a lovely talk to the grcup about his experiences with Baba. Dianne Cobb is having a showing of her paintings and drawings of Baba at the Sufi Center. December 1-7th. outstanding and unique
.--
Her style is technically
most fee1inc and devoted renditions of Baba
in many different poses and settings. A group of Sufis headed by Judy ‘4indlin have formed a company of puppeteers and their hard made puppets. The group calls itself The White Pony Players who made teir debut Saturday, December 2nd at the Sufi Center.
They presented a production entitled “Jamesena Turquoise”
written and adapted for puppets by Hank and Judy Mindlin and directed by Judy Mindlin. The theme of the st:ory was explained as “An allegory of the spiri tual path portrayed threugh puopetry.
What starts out as a walk in her
(Jamesen Turquoise) magic garden soon becomes a journey along the fan tastic path to Meher Mount.
It is only at the top of Meher Mount that
Jamesena truly sees the real magic of her garden.” The production was very visual and colorful and accompanied by a musical score that was equally delightful.
The story appeals especially
to children and presents spiritual principles in a manner more under standable to them using music, lighting, and punpets. Speaking of children Dianne Cobb has written and illustrated a new childrens book titled, The Way Back. -1-
It presents the spiritual path
1 in a magical and childlike way.
The book is avaiLable at the Sufi Center
for $3.00 plus 5-1/2% sales tax and postage.* I mentioned in the last letter that Murshida had gone to Santa Barbara. She returned Monday November 27th and I was able to get some highlights on the trip from Lud. The entire three weeks were devoted to exteniive work on Murshida’ s book. She had her manuscripts and papers for the supplement brought down by Lud in his car and Murshida and Aneece took a plane down. Lud wisely insured that there was a large banquet table at tie house where Murshida stayed and it soon became covered with papers. A:fter breakfast Mursbida, Lud and Aneece would go to work and, break for 1unh and go back to work until 6:00. The trip was a success
--
Murshida was able o work on her book un-
interrupted with a few exceptions.
At Thanksgivig her family came down and
a few others came to see her’ during the three wee<s. The trip was not obstructed by Maya as much s usual
Appliances held
motors and physical apparatus didn’t suddenly go hay wire as so often has happened to Murshida in the past. Lw! relateI a cute incident that occured. Murshida wanted Lud and Aneece to make a particular omelet that
up
--
requires baking powder and told them to get Royal Baking Powder as it is the only cream of tartex’ baking powder available. Lud and Aneece combed the stores of Santa Barbara. looking for’ it and they cu1dn’t find it. They z’e ported this fact to the Bay Area so that some could be sent down with whoever was coming.
They were deluged in the next week or two with many cans of
Royal Baking Powder. Murshida’s book is still not completed and Lud said they would have needed at least 6 uninterrupted weeks of work to make the dent in it they wanted to.
She will continue work on it here in San 1’rancisco.
Ira Dietrick also just returned to the Bay Area from a trip to India. He went to advise Adi on certain copyright matters regarding the trust to make the most complete arrangements possible to preserve Baba ‘ a words. He
*
We also have for sale for $1.00 each two beautiful new posters of Baba, one being a reproduction of Baba’s he.id by flano.
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came back with many by ly stories that he heard from the Mandali and during the coming month; they wili be included in the letter. One of the things tra mentioned to us at the Friday meeting at which he spoke concerne 1 Eruch and seemed relevant to all of us • Ira noticed that Eruch neve
said anything concerning Babe or repeated any story or statement aboir: Baba that was not made with Eruch in Babe’s
presence.
Ira related :o us that he felt that standard of care should be one we all follow and h went on to say being with Eruch made him aware of how careless we are abo it Murshida’ s words, her stories and statements. There was a notori us character around India while Babe was in the His name was Moh:mmied Chel and he had powers. Mohammed Chel especially liked to rldt first class in trains because the British ruled body.
at this time in India aid this was taboo •
The following incidents concern
this eccentricity of Mo iammed (hels and must have given Baba a chuckle or two as they were rememb red by Eruch. Mohammed Chel was !litting in a first class compartment. conductor came in and sLid, “Your
ick.”
The
Mohammed Chel. acted quite
unaware of what the conductor was saying and so the conductor repeated the question. Mohammed Chel then said, Ticket. You mean if I have a ticket then I can sit hre.” AU of a sudden an entire roll of tickets appeared and Mohammed Chel began unrolling them and giving them to the conductor. Another time he cl:inbed into a first class compartment.
A British
couple came in, saw him and called a conductor to have him thrown off. When departure time caim the train didn’t move • A crowd gathered and some townspeople noticed Mohcmmed Chel sitting on a bench. They asked if anyone had offended Mohammed Chel.
The incident with the British couple was revealed. The British eouple was informed of the circumstances and they had to go out and invite Mohammed Chel to share their compartment. He accepted and after that the train moved. Mohammed Chel was f.n a first class compartment with a British couple and their baby. The mother was trying to “protect” her baby from Mohammed Chel and indicating in every possible way that she felt that Mohammed Chel’s az
iiting the atmosphere.
and threw the baby out the window. ductor rushed into the compartment.
Suddenly Mohammed Chel leaned over The mother started screaming and a con Suddenly once again the baby was back
in the mcthex”s arr. There are many moz of these lovely stories. holiday season. JA! BABA,
I hope all have a joyous
TWENTY-FIRST SUFI FAMILY LETTER March 12, 1973 Dear Family, It has been several months since my last letter, and these months traditionally the busiest with the Sufis, have been humming with activities.
In December we had our Christmas party and on February 9th
twenty-one persons were initiated and on February 24th and 25th the White Horse Players presented their annual play. titled, “I Never Come, I Never Go”.
This year’s play was
The White Horse P’ayers presented
it at two matinees on Saturday the 24th and on Sunday the 25th with well over a thousand people attending. True to form the play this year was filled with Beloved Baba’s love proving to us again as each year’s play does that Baba “never goes”. As John Krchniak said prior to the first production, “The Mast Tours”, “Baba wrote the play, played the parts, and watched it”.
Before beginning
about the play a few notes on some of the other activities. The Christmas party in December included the film of the play the White Horse Players did for Murshida’s 75th birthday in 1970.
This play
was entitled, “She’s Lovely But We Never Get A Chance To Tell Her”, and was the first major production for the White Horse Players.
Because this
production was given before the Family Letter came into being, a write-up was never done on it.
In the coming months I wil). include some of the
lovely songs that came out of this production. shida’s life and covered pertinent events.
The py was about
Mur
I remember Murshida was very
moved by the love and professionalism put into the performance as well as surprised. The play had been a surprise for Murshida as she had not known what they were doing.
Later Murshida conceived of the idea of a
play on Baha’s life realizing after this first play that we had an abundance of talent among the group. Initiation occurred on February 9th and Pascal Kaplan has made a few notes on it for this letter: The pre-meeting hubbub was a bit more excited than usual on the evening of February 9th-- and with good reason: twenty-one new members were about to join the Order. Dress seemed somewhat more formal, and smiles perhaps a bit wider as the names on the name-tags drew our attention to Dick Beatiuan, Dana Charkowicz, Kathy Clausen, Marta Cornier, Karen Dalton, Eric and Judy Hailiweil, Greg Karakasbian, Laurel Keely, Barbara Schappe, Clare
Page 2Shields, Nancy Shimer, John Skiff, Michael Smith, Stave Spraitsar, Karen St.rken, Carol Stz’wcness, Earl Turner, Diane and Sandy ins, and Will Wilson. A few weeks earli.r Nurshida had mentioned how this might be a good time of year for each of us to review our d.dicat ion and coemittment to the particular Path which we have set out upon; and on the evening of the 9th, Murshida herself made a few remarks, among which ii.re the followiugt “The mystical path is the most subtle to tread. The relationship between teacher and pupil is too subtle for words to express. Besides, the language of a mystical teacher is always elusive; you cannot, so to speak, pin him down as to his words; you cannot ask him to say clearly that something is so and so, or such and such. And we find the same in the action of the mystic. His outward actions will not express to everybody the meaning which is behind them, and that meaning might be more important inwardly than the action is outwardly. “The teacher therefore tests his pupil continually. He tells his and he does not tell hii, for everything ist come in its right tim • Divine knowledge has never been taught in words, nor will it ever be so taught. Tb. work of a mystical teacher is not to tach but to tune, to tune the pupil so that he may become the instrument of God. For the mystical teacher is not the player of the instrument; he is the tuner. When he has tuned it (that is, the mureed), be gives it into the hands of the player (God) whose instrument it is to play. The duty of th. mystical teacher is his service as a tuner. “The Sufi thinks that the first thing that is necessary fox’ man in life is to prove to his own conscienc. to what extent he can be human. It is not only a spiritual development, it is the cultiva tion of humanity: in what relation a men stands to his neighbor or frid, to those who depend upon him and those who look up to him; how he stands with those younger than himself and with older people, with those who like him and with others who dislike him and criti cize him; how he should feel and think and act tln’ough life, and yet keep on progressing towards the goal which is the goal for every soul in the world. “It is not necessary for the Sufi to seek the wilderness for his meditation, since he can perform part of his work in the midst of worldly life. The Sufi need not prove himself a Sufi by extra ordinary power, by wonder-working, or by an exceptional spiritual manifestation or claim. A Sufi can pDOVe to his own conscience that he is a Sufi by wtehing his own life amidst the strife of this world. “Initiation needs courage and the tendency to advance spin’ tuaily, although it may not seem to be the way of life for everyone. Therefore the first duty of the mur’eed is not to be shaken in his faith by any opposing influence or by anything said against the path he has taken. He should not allow himself to he discouraged by anyote. The mureed must be so firm in his path that if the ihole world says that it is the wrong path, he will say ti{t it is • he right path. And if anybody says it will take a thousand yars or perhaps more, the mureed must be able to say that even if it should take a thousand years, he will have the patience to
Page 3go through with it.”*
The prospect of welcoming another class into the Order has, for many months now, had its worrisome side: our meeting ball is already barely large enough to hold us all, so what could we do with another twenty-one ziureeds? The thought at first was to look for a new center and everyone was asked to keep at least an ear and an eye open for a suitable location. Lud and Anmeca visited several possibilities, but nothing seemed quite right-and February was approaching. Finally, just a week or so before the 9th, Aneece-- thanks, he says, to Baba’s doing-- was able to persuade the management at our present location to rent us another two rooms! One of these turns out to be the room adjacent to our present meeting hail, so after a days hard work removing the wall that separated off these rooms, our meeting hail ‘miracu lously’ became large enough to accomodate all of us for at least another year or two. The other room that we rented is the large office downstairs next to the elevator. It .s the room formerly occupied by the Butterworth Company, and Murshida says that we might possibly move our bookstore down there. The two new rooms wifl cost us an extra $200.00 a month. It has been repeatedly said by those in the White Horse Players that being involved in the play is an extremely moving experience. Having been a member of the audience throughout these productions and observing my friends who are not in the production, Baba lovers and non-Baba lovers, I have been exposed to how the play affects people. The concept of obedience has been one of the underlying themes of the three plays and this seems to be the hardest for people who are not Baba lovers to grasp. Another theme which has characterized the plays has been Baba ‘s great suffering and this is hard to grasp for all Babe lovers and those who are not. “I Never Come, I Never G&’ had as its two main themes Babe’ a suffering-- epitomized in the accident (On American Soil) and Obedience to the Master which was epitomized in Sarosh’ s great despair at not obeiug Babe by not keeping Babe’s car in sight. The play has an advantage in portraying events because it uses many mediums-- light, music, singing, acting, movement, and dialogue to bring its message home and the impact of the Baba plays is just this that through the use of these theatrical tools the audience is made aware and in some cases painfully so of Babe’s Godhood am the complete surrender that is required of a devotee to a Master.
*Quotes from Murabida’ a manuscript copy of a talk delivered to Suf is February 9th, 1973.
Page 4— In these pys the events of Babe’s life are presented exactly as they happened-- no intellectual interpretations made. It is harc BaK 1:o wiggle out of the truth when you see it before your own ey.s • demanded complete obedience from His loved ones and so He demands that we the audience and the players aspire towards that same goal. I remark on these things because I feel strongly that the great thing thes. plays do for peopl. who come to see them is to serve as a tool to bring Baba ‘ a life and massage to us which is a constant reminder of the significance of obedience.
Rather like a multi
media once a year lesson. For those inwived in the performance it is a great concentration, lasting many weeks, on the Master and His ways.
Needless to say everyone
benefits and learns something through it. This year John Krchnial came out from Arizona to add his professional touch to the performance.
Each year John gives up his vacation to come
and in3.ct his large doses of energy into the rformance. John’s abilities lies in th
direction of refinement.
One of
He adds that
last final touch which seems to make a scene ox’ even a movement perfect. This year, unlike the aat two years, John was able to stay the 24th and see a final performance. There are so many people involved, the producer’, the director, the stag. crew, the make-up crew, ‘t4e cosime crew, set builders, chorus, orchestra, and the babysitters, aat make the play what it is •
The
babysitters are a good example of the kind of dedication involved.
Many
of the p - pla in the company have children and could not have attended rehearsals if it were not for a crew of babysitters who were always available to caz’e for one or more children Sunday through Saturday. With the understanding that this play yea much more than a three hour performance I would like to describe it to you. This year’s play concerned the period of Baba ‘a life when be came to America in 1952.
The pr.-play action begins with Kenneth Hastings
portraying in dance a soul wending its way through illusion
The
curtain then opens on t4yz’ti. Beach and the prologue. Everyone is . Sonya Lawson, Earl Turner, preparing for the coming of the ad the chorus sing a song titled “This Land”.
Page 5Act I opens in New York with the arrival of Baba (Zuheir Al-Faqih) from Tndia. devoe.s.
Babe is taken to Myrtle Beach where He is greeted by his It is at this turn, that many devotees meet BaSs for the first
tfra including Lud Dimpfl (Dick Crusex’) and Francis Brabazon (Craig
As Francis is about to meet Baba for the first time, he sings
Brqan).
song with Murshida (Chax’mian Knowles) and Charinian (Robyn Renkes) called “I ‘in Not Nervous”.
The first act continues at Myrtle Beach in
th. barn with Baba seeing many people who came to meet Hm in ‘52. Scene
14
of Act I covered the darshan scene in the Barn, and the audience,
actors, and those backstage participated in the Darshan experience as Accompanying the Darshan
each actor went up and took Darshan from Baba.
scene was a song sung by the entire chorus titled “Once in a Thousand
Many in the audience and performing had been to that Darshan.
Years”.
Fills Frederick, who was in the play, as herself, recreated that moment for all of us as she took her Darshan from Babe in the same dress she wore more than twenty years ago. Act I finishes with a startling portrayal of Baba’s accident in Prague, Oaklaboma. at first.
How to do the accident scene had posed a big problem
It was decided to wake an auto out of chairs on the stage
and have the orchestra with drums to build up anticipation that some— thing wins about to happen, with lighting accompanying and simultaneously building in intensity to such a high pitch that the audience was en during an audible strain.
Then all of a sudden the sound of an accident
is heard, as well as a flash of blinding light.
After the light went out
the remaining impression upon the retina of the eye was a cross
The
flash of light had actually b.en a cross, but this was not obvious until only the after image could be seen. This imagery is of course tied in with the whole theme of the play which was the iwaiuent cruc fixtiou of Babe on American soil. in the t form of an auto accident. in the play.
This form of visual imagery was used twice
Prior to the accident a carpenter (Chuck Walker) at Myrtle
Beach is working on a door frame of a cabin.
and touches him. work.
Baba walks onto the stage
The carpenter rises and as he does so he lifts his
Baba turns His beck on the audience to go backstage through the
drawn curtains and as He doss so the lighting causes the image of a cross on Baba’s back.
Page 6-
At II covers the events in Prague, Oaklahoma.
Murshida and
Charmian in New York are called by Sarosh (Dick Clark), who is in despair over’ his failure to keep Baba’s car in sight as he had been ordered.
Murshida and Charmian arrive in Prague and everyone who is
able is recruited to assist in helping the small hospital staff in nursing Baba, Mehera (Jan Kaplan), Elizabeth (Dolores Lux), and Mebru (Ronnie Dietrick).
At this time Mani (Antoinette Cruser) sings
a lovely song titled “Beloved” which expresses her sorrow at not beinF
allowed to share in Baba’ s suffering and her grief at seeing Baba suffer so much. We are also given a glimpse of Baba’s concern that Hi Mandali rot worry about the accident as H. has each Mandali go to Hurshida and
Chaz’mian and deliver the message, “Babe says not to worry”.
Mur’sIida
tells Bab8 she is not worrying and she is told that Baba is doing, this for those be tells to carry th. message because they are worryirg. Act III occurs back in New York.
Baba is due to arrive frcm Myrtle
Beach and everyone is at Hur’shida’ s apartment trying to carry out Babe’s instructions and get things ready perfectly.
Of course Maya
was there and we had a hilarious scene about events which once caused consternation on the part of devotees now serving as tremendous stuf for comedy.
This was the time when there were no fan blades of the type
needed for Murshida ‘a fan in all of New York City*; when two windoi repair men came to repair Murshida’s picture window and ended up making u.r’e mess and causing more trouble than if they hadn’t come. These cbracterS were well played by Ed Brooks and G.rald Salazar as the window ripaiz’ men.
Ed and Gerald added a touch of slapstick and song and dare which
delighted us all. Florsheim “Energy”.
It was at this time also that Babe nicknam(4 Marion “nergy” (Carol Leigh Duce) and the chous did a
rousing song and dance titled “Energy”, choreographed by FrLnkie Tacker. It was at this time that Babe gave another Darshan in he extreme sumner heat and despite great pain from the accident. Baba at Murshda’s apartment. to
Meay people came
During the time while Babe was giving Daz’shan He alo talked with Murahida about Sufism and gave her His final orders on the reorientation of Sufista. n Act I at Myrtle Beach Babe had told Minshida and Francis that He wanted Murahida to head the Sufis in America and Francis to head the Sufis in Australia.
At Murshida’ s apartment In Naw York Baba
*The fan was needed for Baba as it was
30
extremely hot in New York.
Page 7reoriented Sufieza and told her a charter would be drawn up by Himself for the next 700 years •
He further told Mux’shida to be perfectly honest
and listen to her heart.
So at this time t4urshida sings a song called
“Pay Heed to the Heart”. Act III ends at the New
York Airport with Babe surriunded by His
devotees-- some going on to Europe with Him-- others staying behind sad to see their Beloved leave them. I Never Go, I am with you Always.”
1 “I Never Ccnie, Babe says to them all With that the curtain closed on wat
Murahida termed “the finest play yet”.
The audience gave the White
Horse Players a standing ovation and at curtain call aieryone involved
was on the stage and it was filled to capacity. This year those involved in the play remarked again of the intens’
feeling of Babe’s love that permeates the experience.
Selnia Hassen
remarked Sunday the 25th before the second performance that Babe was
there and the entire company should concentrate on Babe and remain as silent as possible.
She said, “Babe is with us today and it would be best
just to keep silent and enjoy it using the energy for the performance.” Before the Sunday performance evezyone had gathered around to sing Happy Birthday to Babe and present Him with a cake.
After the performance
everyone, including many from the audience, gathered again around-- this
time to present Hurshida with a cake and sing Happy Birthday to her as the 25th is also Murshida’s birthday. and she replied, “You are all my wish.”
Murshida was asked to make a wish Everyone thanks Murshida for
roping the talent and ability in the White Horse Players and getting them to us. it to spre.
Babe’ message of love and truth to all.
The description of the play is by no means comprehensive.
There
were many, many scenes and touching events that I did not cover. merely skiiied the surface of the play.
I
Anecdotes and remembrances
of the company are presently being gathered and will be included in next month’s letter. Th. entire musical score and dialogue has been taped and is available
at the Sufi Canter. for awhile.
Also the play was filmed, but will not be ready
There have been some problems with it such as the developers leaving the door open while they were developing it • Maya maybe?
4
Page 8-
SUn
FAMILY NOTES
Bob and Gay Ballard are the parents of a new baby: a little boy...... Jon Pailey and Carol Strwmess were married on February 24th........... Jamesena Brown and Scott Colt were married on March 10th.
. . .
.Marcia
Johnson and Larry Hudson wer. married on March 11th.... .Lud Dimpfl spent the middle part of February on an extended business trip to Eastern Canada.... .Selma Hassen is presenting a number of lectures on the Qur’ai for’ thos. who have completed their Gatha lessons....and Murshida has been teaching a course on Babe’s Dicourses: so far we have studied those on “Reincarnation and Karma” and “Sanakaras”.
If
yOU
would like to
hear these classes, tapes can be rented by writing Cindy Cetexas at the Center, as she is now in charge of the tape library..... Although Dodd Need has had the new edition of God Speaks fox’ over one and a half years, maya has played her usual havoc •
One part of the page proofs was delayed
for two months in the mails: “Only Babe knows where they were hiding,” says Murshida.
Murshida is still awaiting proofs of the charts; and
once those are completed Dodd-Mead has promised to bring the book out ha
soon as possibla.......Murshida says she is planning to get as close into seclusion as she can in order to finish her own book..... .We all thought that th. idea from Great Britain of having a candle lit before Babe’s picture on his Amaz’tithi day was very nice-- and all of us who could kept a candle burning all day on the 31st of January.
. . . .
We were all
shocked to har that Babe’ a close one, Sarosh, has recently passe’ away from a heart attack..
. . ..
Finally, l4ux’shida hopes that everyone has su1-
scribed to “The Glow”, as it seems to be our best source of news from India.
The addres is The Glow! 36 Lytton Road?
Dehra Dun, U.?.? India;
subscription rates are $‘.00 Sea Mail and $6.00 by air Mail. That is all for now.
Until next month, Jai Babe!
C ci &
4
TWENTY SECOND SUFI FAMILY LETTER April 12
1973
Dear Family, Center activities, with the beginning of Spring, have assumed a relaxed and slower pace.
annual picnic in May.
The next Sufi event we look forward to is our
Murshida has bqen very ill with a cough for the
last two months, but the last weekend she stayed at her daughter Charmian’s house and soaked up the simsIine and relaxed.
She seems to be getting
However, we can all help her to stay well, by giving her a break
welL
from letters and calls for a while.
She is still attempting to finish
her b k and with our help it can be accomplished sooner than later.
The preceptors happily are all well and working hard as ever. is -eaching the class that was initiated last February.
Lud
Aneece teaches a
c1as Wednesdays who will soon complete the three years of Gathas, Githas, SanGathas and SanGithas.
Selma teaches the class initiated last year,
‘72 on Wednesday evening and Chaz’mian and Marge Rogers teach the class initiated in ‘71’ on Thursday evening. it was divided into two sections.
The class was quite large and so
The remaining Sufis attend the Monday
night class which is now being taught by Marge Rogers on the New Testament. These Friday evenings Aneece is giving lectures on business.
These
talks cover such subjects as insurance; budgeting; credit; checking and Savings accounts. of life.
Murshida wants the Sufis to be well versed in all areas
As she pointed out-—she discovered some of us did not know how
to write a check properly.
handle our affairs
--
with Aneece’ s help we are learning to better
especially the younger Süfis, many of whom have newly
assumed the responsibilities of living on their own. Murshjda also asked a friend of hers to talk to us on the middle east
crises.
Pascal Kaplan wrote a very informative article on the talk which Is p!’esented below. Dr. George Rents, curator of the Middle Eastern. Collection of the !Ioover Institute of War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford University, was Murshida’s guest at the Friday.night meeting on March 22. Murshida invited Dr. Rents to speak, she said, in order to ful fill a promise she had made to her mureeds to provide them with information on the Middle East situation and its background.
Page 2Dr. Rentz first went to the Middle East in 1932 where he spent three years as a school teacher in Aleppo, a small town in Syria. Returning to the United States he received Ph. D. degrees in Arabic and in Middle Eastern history at U.C. Berkeley. lie spent most of the war years in Cairo serving with the U.S. State Depart ment; and in 1945 join€d the Arabian American Oil Company as an expert advisor on Middle Eastern affairs. (Mr. Duce was vice-president of the company at the time.) Dr. Rentz retired from ARAMCO in 1962 in order to return to academia and teaches history at Stanford. Dr.Reutz began his talk by clarifying what the terms “Near East”, “Middle East”, and “Far East” actuaily refer to. Before the second world war, he explained, the term “Near East” signified the territory that includes what is now Egypt, Israel, Sudan, Syria, the Arabian peninsula, Turkey and Iran. “Middle East” refered to thea land area from Afganistan to eastern India and Tibet, and “Far East” signified the 1aid areas east of India. During the war, however, the British government placed its Middle East operations headquarters in Cairo. The result was that the area that had been known as the “Near East” came to be designated as the “Middle East”, creat ing some confusion as to the correct nomenclature. At this time, he said, the latter term has replaced the for mer almost entirely. The Middle Eastern ol1ection at Stanford, Dr. Rentz continued, bases its definition on linguistic considera tions, defining as Middle Eastern those countries in which Arabic is the, o’ an, official language. Thus this covers such politically and geographically diverse countries as Mauritania in Western Africa, the countries of North Africa, Cyprus, the countries of the “Near East” and Iran and Afganistan. One of the most interesting features of Dr. Rentz’s talk was the perspectiv, which he gave to the current Arab-Israeli conflict. While not trying to justify either the Arab or the Israeli point of view, Dr • Rentz clarified what seemed to him to be the central factors behind the Arab refusal to accept or recognize the state of Israel as a Jewish state. One factor, he said, was the problem of cultural in tegration. Of all the Middle Eastern countries, he pointed out, Israel is the only one which does not offi cially share an Arabic heritage. In fact, he added, the majority of those in the government service of Israel are Jews of European origin (especially from Poland or Russia) so that culturally and politically the Israeli orientation tends to be quite different from that of her neighboring states.
Page 3-
Perhaps more significant than the cultural consideration is the political one. Virtually all the Arab countries (with the exception of one or two) have the recent memory of British or French colonial rule. The result is that they are especially sensitive to any possibility of West ern encroachment on their political and economic rights. Because Palestine was partitioned and the state of Israel formed as a result of pressure exerted in the U.N. by the United States and other Western countries, and because Israel’s main supporters eontinueto be the Western alli ance, the Arab nations rightly of wrongly, Dr. Rentz said-— view Israel as the base for Western neo-colonial power • For this reason also, therefore, the Arab nations are not very- keen about the existence of a non-Arab state in the center of the Arab world. --
Interestingly enough, Dr. Rentz pointed out that the wariness against colonial encroachment runs deeper than even ideological lines --and he suggested that it was the fear that the U.S.S.R. might play the same sort of colonialist role In the Kiddie East that led Egypt to ask the Russians to dismantle their various nilitary bases and withdraw their troops from its territory. Another source of resentment against Israel, Dr. Rentz said, stems from the fact that with the partition in 1948, the land designated for the Jewish state turned out to be considerably more desirable than the land retained by the Palestinian Arabs. To the Arabs, Dr.Rentz continued, it seemed manifestly unjust that foreigners --i.e. Jewish immigrants to Israel-- should simply be handed over some of the moat desirable Land in the area, because of a de cision by otb.r’ foreigners (i.e. the U.N.). A final consideration may well explain why the issue has continued to he so troublesome for so many years and why it is likely to remain so. For it so happens, Dr. Rents pointed out, that Israel is not only located right in the middle of the Arab world, but is the only land bridge between the eastern and the western halves of the Arab World. What this means is that Israel’s very existence is a constant ckiallange to all attempts to esta blish Arab unity. Thus, taking all these factor’s into consideration, and setting these up against Israel’s commitment to pro viiing a “national home” for the Jewish people, Dr. Rentz said that although he is an optomist by nature, in this case he was pessimistic about the prospect of an ea4 aet tiement of the Middle East crises.
Page
-
In answer to a question about the role of oil, in the Middle East situation, Dx’.. Rents stated his opinion that the recnt talk about an oil or energy crises was largely unfounded. He cited figures which Mr. Duce had provided a number of years ago to the effect that th. oil reserves in the Middle East fax’ surpassed anything that was being officially admitted. Dr. Rents did say, however, that America’s own oil, supplies were probably going to be inadequate for meeting the heavy increase in fuel use during the next decade so that by the mid 1980 ‘s about half of the oil consumed in the U.S. would have to be imported from the Arab nations of the Middle East. This fact, he added, might well force the U.S. to modify its current position of support for Israel. Accompanying Dr.Rentz to the Sufi Center was his Egyptian-born wife, Sophie. In thanking Dr Rentz for his talk, Murshida indicated her hope that he would return at some point to answer mureed’s questions on the Middle East; and from the comnents after the meeting it ap peared that many would be looking forward to such a return wiit.
I mentioned the birthday play for Murshida that occurred in 1970. I am including a song from that play In this letter. The song titled “Top of the Mountain” was sung during the play by Antoinette Cruser. The
scene centered around Murshida and the tim. in hex’ life before she had mat her Murshida and subsequently Baba. She was experiencing the state mystics call Divine Desperation and the song deals with her feelings at that time.* TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN Here I stand on the top of the mountainSo it’s come to this at lastHere I stand on the top of the mountain Looking down at the past; And I can see fax’ below mw AU. the valleys and the winding streams, The fields plowed with hopes, Tb forest full of broken dreams, The houses filled with nameless people Clinging to yesterdays, worshipping tomorrows, Their lives twisted and turning Searching for love, and finding only sox’row.
A1l songs and plays are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced except by pex’mision of Sufism Reoriented.
Page 5And here I stand at the top of the mountain, Here where I can see it allBut when you x’e alone at th. top of the mountain Who is left to hear your 4ep.rat. call Where can you go, once it’s come to this And you’ve had your lonely look aroundWhen you’ve climbed as high as you can hope to go The only way you can go is down; To give it up, to stop th. search because I ‘we come this far and found nothing, Nothing but a viewThere must be more, but I can do no more And so I have to leave it all to you.
And here I stand at the top of the mountain, Here I’ve done everything I can; Alone on my knees at the top of the mountain, I give ray life my Lord into Your hands, Into your hands.
As promised in the last letter also I am including stories from
the play.
The credit for the gathering of these goes to the White
Horse Players.
On Sunday March 25th the company gathered together and
exchanged storied which were recorded.
CAST..... One day after rehearsing the hospital scene Zuheir said to Dick Clark, who played Sarosh, “Excellent, but you should be watching Charmian (Murshida) while you do this because she has so much feeling in her face and you can pick up on it and us. it” Dick agreed. They ran through the scene again and Dick said, “ Oh Ivy” and looked at Charmian and she was giggling. Dick said he didn’t look at Charmian again.
Dick remarked that during the performance he felt like a billboard with the messag. side exposed to the audience. Dick felt the members of the audience were open and when a line was spoken it went direct to people’s hearts.
During a rehearsal the cut was working on the hospital scene. John said that they would have to get a recording of a baby cry for the scene, but fox’ the time being someone should do it that was there. Peter Brooks from somewhere backstage did a baby cry and John Krchniak said, “Who was that?” Peter Brooks admitted it and John said, “you’re hir.d”, and
Page 6CAST (cant.)
V
so Peter did the baby cry for the performance.
At one point Charmian and Robyn Renkas were having trouble syncro nizing a particular movement. Charmian said to John K., “Now wait a minute John, you stand over there and pretend I ‘m Charmian.”
Zuheir said of playing Baha --the first year he (Zuheir) wasn’t there. The second year it was hard work and this year it was fun.
V
The part of Beryl Williams was played by a Black woman, a school teacher, named Fanny Dawson who works with one of the Sufis. Fanny knew nothing about Baba when sh. agreed to play the part. When asked how she had come to play the part of Beryl she said, “I have waited for you people all my life and now I’m here”, and she started to cry.
As part of the Energy scene there is a constantly ringing telphone. Eleanor as Pam, Murshida’s secretary, has to keep answering the telephone. Sometimes the technicians missed their cues and so the phone would ring at the wrong time or not at all. One time when the phone was supposed to b. ringing and wasn’t Eleanor stomped over to it and coimnanded, “Ring !“ -
During rehearsals Filis was talking about being with Baba. Someone said, “Filis, are you anxious for Baba to come again so you can be with Him?” Filis replied, “Well you are all rehearsing fox’ it.”
During the Energy scene Ed Brooks used a cigar as one of his props. Ed said that he had a lot of trouble with cigars --sometimes they would break or crumble. During the Sunday performance the cigar’ he was using unbeknownst to Ed had started to break in half while it was in his bag. Ed didn’t realize this until the moment in the scene where be takes the cigar out of his mouth. He still had half the cigar in his mouth so he had to improvise fast. He handled it by spitting the half in his mouth out on the floor and throwing the other half over his shoulder.
TECHNICAL..... Greg Karakashian was sound man. Peter Brooks was not at the filming so when the scene came where the baby cry was needed a tape was used. When it
Page 7TECHNICAL (cont.) came time to turn th. tape on nothing happened. Greg hit the machine and out cam. an eery screech. Duane Heaps announced to the group “An IBM computer has just given birth.”
The technical chiefs had talk back amplifiers which enabled them to communicate back and forth with each other. Hank Mindlin had two ear phones, one inside the other. One was to enable him to hear Duncan from the back of the theater and ne was to enable him to hear what was going on on stage. Unfortunately this kept him from bearing the orchestra which was right in front of him (Hank was the conductor). The interesting thing about the earphones was that they picked up police calls. Hank gave an example of hearing Duncan say, “bring up the balance on Energy” and then suddenly a voice cutting in, “this is 6231 and we’re going out for pizza now”.
TICKETS AND PUBLICITY..... Eleanor had been informed that the theater held 700 to 800 seats. She counted out 800 tickets for each day. Rehearsal was held at the theater and Aneece counted only 600 seats. EUie counted and realized that she had 400 tickets consigned out for each day and 250 sold fo each day. Unfortur*ately ucone had sold any tickets. So now there were 350 tickets availabie for each day that needed to be sold. Murshida fina]rly said that we would have to trust God. As it turned out many tickets were sold at the’door and out of 1200 seats 1145 were sold.
Roger Blewett and Karen Dalton were in charge of publicity. 500 posters and 1,000 fliers were distributed all over the Bay Area. Press Releases and spot announcement were sent to all, radio and television stations in the Bay Area. Caren related that it seemed as if Maya was hard at work on the publicity as only a handful of the press releases and spot announce ments appeared. However, Hurshida later said that those who came were there because Baba drew them.
AUDIENCE..... Charisian said on Sunday she started to sing “Pay Heed to the Heart” and out of the corner of her eye she noticed a disturbance in the audience. About the third row back there was a man tittering and snickering. Char mian gave the song to Babe and about midway through the song she was again aware of commotion in the third row. It was the same man crying his eyes out.
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FAMOUS LINES..... Keith Davenport remembers that ha heard a radio announcer for the heart fund say, “And remember, Ladies and Gentlemen, Sunday February 25th is Heart Sunday!”
During the Saturday performance John Hawkins came into the theater during the hospital scene. It was at the point where Baba, from His cot in the hospital at Prague, was calling Z4urshida, Charmian, Sarosh and th the women mandali and telling them not to worry • John heard Joseph say aloud to those around him in the audience, “And they were worried, too.”
John Hawkins in the make-up room: “Don’t forget to powder the third eye.”
In the barn scene Filis Frederick has her interview with Baba in which he asked her if there is anything she wants. Filis says, “No, Baba.” The response Baba gave was “He who asks for nothing gets everything.” Dick Clark unthinking responded, “He who asks for nothing gets nothing.”
During the Energy scene the characters were miming opening the door to Murshida’ a apartment. Someone finally pointed this out to John and he said, “The door to Murshida ‘a apartment opens differently for everyone.”
A friend of Greg Karekashian came out from Boston a week before th. play. Greg convinced him to stay and see it. As Greg was driving his friend to the airport after the play he asked his friend what did he think about it. Greg’s friend replied, “There is one thing I didu ‘t understand. These Sufis -- they are happy.”
Tom Smith, Chief of Stage Were getting lax one day, up these pieces I”m going down her, and pick you up
Crew, remarked to his crew who apparently “If you don’t all start hurrying up and picking to have Sherman Acker’aon (a policeman) come on an 813 (which is loitering).”
Thursday night befor, the rhearsal a group of peopl. were in the lobby of the theater. One of the branches on a tree (phoney one) had to be moved and the problem for one of the guys was how to get th. piece of wood off. Phil. Hocking turned around and said, “You’re a simple and direct man; smash it.”
Page 9-
FAMOUS LINES (cont.) One time there was a rehearsal of the “Energy” scene in which Carol-Leigh Dues played Marion Florsheim. Carol-Legh had gone out to lunch and thougt the cal]. was for 2:00 so at that time she returned. In the meantime every one had been waiting for her. John K. gave her a big lecture and CarolLeigh looked at him and said, “You have cut me to the quick and I can’t act with a cut quick.”
After the play Hank was talking to Andy and Peggy Muir. He asked them if they liked the original or the re-run better (referring to the Saturday and Sunday performance). Andy replied, “I liked the original best.” Hank replied, “Gee, that’s funny; most everyone liked the Sunday performance best.” Andy said, “No, I meant the original.” (He had been in Myrtle Beach in ‘52.)
THursday night before the performance at the rehearsal everyone was incredibly tired. There seemed to be no energy. Krchniak in desperation said to Zuheir, “Baba, remember your universal work.” Zuheir turned to Dolores Lux and said, “I’ll take two sugars and a little cream.”
One time in the make-up room Zuheir was heard to say, “3B, where’s the eye shadow? I still see my own beady eyes.”
During one of the performances a woman sat behind Murshida. Apparently the woman was quite psychic and reaarkd after the play that she couldn’t see because of th. light coming from Murshida. When Murshida heard of this she remarked, “Weil, why didn’t she move?”
On Sunday after everyon. had sung Happy Birthday to Baba, out, “Spe.chJ”
Pete Weils sang
At the Christmas party this year we saw th. film of the play that had been presented in hanoi’ of Nurshida’s birthday in 1970. Z4urshida made the comeent at the Christmas party, “You’ U notice that Zuheiz’ had quite a big hand in the writing, directing, and acting. Since then we haven’t given him a speaking part.”
It took everyone a while to adjust to hearing the men say, “Where’s my lipstick?” while rooting through a make-up box.
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JOHN KRCIINIAK..
As the cast, orchestra, chorus, and stagecrew gathered en masse for the first time at the Berkeley City Club on Sunday, February , there was the usual bustle of Babe hugs and babies and bag lunches that characterize most of the Sufi “work and play gatherings”. And this was to be the first run-through of Babe’s birthday play “I Never Come. • .1 Never Go.” During lunch Zuheir Al-Faqih climbed on the stage to make an announce ment, “I have lust gotten word that John Krchniak has left the Oakland Airport and should be here in about a half an hour.” John once again had arranged his vacation from his ob in Arizona to coincide with the last 2 to 3 weeks of the rehearsals so that he could help the company with his keen eye nad immediate grasp of theatrical possibilities to make Baba’ s play as much of an artistic love gift as they could. Zuheix’ said, “When John walks in we can sing “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow”. Zuheix’ posted sentries and there was an elaborate system of runners. The sentries were warned to watch for a car driven by a big Lebanese John came. All sang. How good it was to see him again! He said that he hoped all would be able to say that to him again after a few weeks. The cast are still able to say it. Once again John Krchniak pushed and pulled, requested and coercd, nudged and milked and pulled new minimiracles out of the crew, cast, chorus, and orchestra. At the last dress rehearsal, John was presented with a gift from the company. As he shook the bightly wrapped box next to his ear, someone from the back celled out, “It’s next year’s script!”
John Krchniak usually calls the actors by their stage names. Speaking to someone about Zuheir at one of the rehearsals he remarked, “It’s the only time I get to order Babe around.”
Stephanie Gets said that John Krchniak ‘e motto is “I Always Come. • .1 Always Go.”
I will close with this announcement that was made last Friday night at the Sufi meeting. Murshida is going into complete seclusion. We are
not to bother her.
However if we want to help we can ask Baba to give her
the strength to accomplish the important work she has to do. Murshida has been quite ill recently and yet the amount of work that can only be done by her still needs to be attended to. As Sufis we can best help her by supporting her, asking Baba to give her strength and energy to accomplish her tasks and by reaffirming our vows as mureeds in our own minds and hearts.
TWENTY-THIRD SUFI FAMILY LTTER May 17, 1973
Dear Family, We received the joyous news last Friday evening, May .L1, that Murshida will be back with
US
next Friday, May 18.
She will give a
series of three lectures on the history of the Sufi Order.
Murshida
will remain, however, in complete seclusion and will not see people
before or after the meetings nor at home.
We should all continue to
comply with Murshida’s request that no one call, or write to her while she is in seclusion, which she has entered simply to regain her strength. The Family Letter now has a staff of three besides myself helping to write and send out this letter.
Pascal Kaplan and Robin Adler are
writing articles and Loe]. Miller types the letter each month, prints it
,
collates it and addresses each letter.
Loel also writes period
ically. Pascal Kaplan wrote two articles for this month’s letter. The first deals with problems with the filming of th. play and the second article is on a very interesting talk given by Dr. Allan Cohen. As has become evident Pascal has a gift far writing up talks. Was it sheer accident, a coincidence? Or were those mayavic forces which Baba so often spoke about as opposing work trying to play out their havoc? That is certainly one of the questions that went through many minds when Aneece recently announced that two reels of the film of the Sufi play had inadvertantly been exposed to light while at the processor’s lab., and ruined. With the importance that t4urshida has attached to this play and the film-- as presenting an “inside” glimpse of Baba’s work in America in 1952 and His relationship with Mur’shida and the Su.fis-- there is, or course, no question as to what has to be done. So now, two months or more after lines have been for gotten, scripts and musical scores put away, props and scenery pieces dismantled and stored, borrowed musical instruments and costumes returned to their original owners and so on for every facet of the production, the White Horse Players are in action again.
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The reaction? Initial amazement mixed with knowing resignation mixed with a determination to meet the cha.Uenge. “All the fiends of hell are out to get us”-- is a line from the play: perhaps we might take it as a warning that holding onto Baba’s daxaaan entails facing such disruptive for ces, and as a challenge to stand by and for Baba whatever the opposition. Jai Babe.
Report on Dx. Cohen’s Talk on Psychology On Friday evening, Hay 4, the inimitable Dr. Allan Cohen pre sented a talk at the Sufi Center on the general subject of “psy chology” and particularly on the relationship between psychology and spiritual aspiration. In the fi’st half of his talk, Dx. Cohen provided a rough characterization of the three most dominant forces or schools of thougit in contemporary psychology-- namely, behav iorism, psychoanalytic theory (e.g. Freudianism, etc.) and Human istic or Existential psychology. Then, in the second part of the talk, he zeroed in on three types of psychological problems which have direct i’elevance to the spiritual aspirant and which, he re ported, seem to be fairly common (in one form or another) among Baba-lovera. (1) The first of the problems which he. mentioned might be de fined as the pride/guilt syndrome-- where one moment a person takes great pride in the fact that he is a Baba-lover and has recognized Baba as the Avatar of the age, parading this fact and perhaps his own ‘specialness’ to himself; whilst in another moment he feels totally unworthy of any sort of contact or relationship with Baba. In such latter moods, for example, he might think of himself as among the weakest of will of those trying to follow Babe and thus thoroughly undeserving of Him. In short, the individual experiences a vascillation between feelings of superiority and feelings of inferiority In his talk, Dr. Cohen pointed out that Baba himself has referred to this particular syndrome in the Discourses. There, Dr. Cohen said, Baba speaks of this dual syndrome as defining one of the essen tial dichotomies through which the ego expresses and affirms itself. That is, both these manifestations-- the feelings of superiority on te one hand and the feelings of inferiority on the other-- are shown by Babe to be ego responses where the primary focus of concern and attention remains the limited individuality. It is, Dr. Cohen indi cated, fox the spiritual aspirant to recognize the self-involved nature of such modes of feeling/behaving and to move himself beyond these. (2) The second significant psychological problem that the spiritual aspirant is forced to face is the difficulty of handling his desires, his anger and other such negative emotLons and impressions. Accor ding to current psychological thinking and practice, the individual has only two alternatives when a desire or strong emotion arises. It is said that he can either express such desires/emotions through his words and actions, releasing them from his consciousness into activity,
Page 3or else he can repress them, refusing to admit them into his conscious awareness. Many psychological therapies, Dr. Cohen pointed out-- and notably T-groups, sensitivity groups, etc. are based on the premise that it is important and valuable for a person to re lease deep-seated emotions (especially negative emotions and hos tility) into verbal and even physical expression. --
Dr. Cohen indicated, however, that while the psychologists are certainly correct in their estimation that repression hinders crea tive personality development, they are unaware of the spiritual impli cations of the sorts of release which they condone. Indeed, Baba has specifically stated that the expression of negative emotions and of the lower desires is highly undesirable for the spiritual aspirant.. The reason for this, Dr. Cohen explained, is that such expression actually serves to reinforce those very impressions, emotions or desires which contribute to inner conflict. One may, certainly, ex perience some feeling of release as a result of expressing such emo tions/desires, but this sense of unburdening proves to be only temp orary-- and the net result of such expression is that it sows the seed for further and stronger emotions and desires of the same type. At this point the spiritual aspirant may see himself as being caught in a double-bind situation. On the one hand he is told that repressing such feelings and impressions only solidifies their power in the uncon scious and leads to undesirable effeàts on his personality, while on the other hand he is told that the expression of such negati’ie elements results only in reinforcing their influence over him. Is there then any way out for the spiritual aspirant? Are his only alternatives-- as mansychologists seem to suggest—- the alternatives of repression or expression (acting out)? No, Dr. Cohen explained, the aspirant need not define his situation according to current psychological notions. For indeed, Baba has indicated that there is a third manner of handling such psychological material, a spiritual alternative which might be termed “suppression”. What, then is suppression? Suppression, Dr. Cohen continued, entails allowing the negative emotions/desires to enter consciousness (vs. repressing them) whilç at the same time not allowing them to. find re lease in outer experience. In other words, one takes a middle path here, with, the result that impressions are neither allowed to remain as “solidified might” in the unconscious, nor are they allowed to become reinforced and strengthened through expression in activity. On the contrary, they are exposed to the light of consciousness where they are gradually made to give up their hold on the mind, eventually dissolving away entirely, leaving the mind free of them for the first time.
To be certain, such a handling of emotionally charged material requires practice and the development of will-power; but it is pre cisely in, learning how to handle such feelings of anger, such lower desires, etc. the presence of which is both natural and inevitable in the aspirant-- that there lies the key to spiritual attainment. .
--
(3) The third problem area which Dr. Cohen touched upon is perhaps the most insidious of all-- the problem of worry. Worry • as Baba
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‘i—
never failed to point out, is one of the greatest hindrances to the spiritual life and is evidence of a) self-absorption, i.e. ego centeredness and b) lack of faith in the Master (and God); and, what makes it worse, it becomes a habit. In discussing worry and the appropriate ways of handling it, Dr. Cohen quoted extensively from several of Baba’s messages. It might be well to conclude this summary of Dr. Cohen’s talk by quoting from two of the messages “Don’t worry. Worry accumulates and grows in strength, becomes a habit long after the original cause has ceased to be. When you ware young, this and that happened, you cried, you felt sad, and worry began, and after 50 years you still worry, although the time that worry began in you is gone. If another 50 years passes you could at the end of that time still be worrying about something which was happening now. t is crazy. “You worry now about some condition, yet you have experienced all conditions. You have been blind, sick, poor, old, young, beautiful, ugly. You worry about your children-- you have had number less children, and they have had numberless parents and children. You worry about your job-- you have been in every sort of occupation. You worry about you wife-- you have had so many wives. You have been everything and have experienced all conditions, and yet you worry about the slightest thing that happens to you.” (Awakener, Vol. IV, No. 1, p. 16) “Duality implies separateness. Separateness causes fear. Fear makes worry. “The way of Oneness is the way to happiness; the way of manyness is the way to worry. “I am the one who has no second so I am eter naUy happy. You are separate from yourself, so you always worry... Live more and more in the present which is ever beautiful and stretches away beyond the limits of the past and the future. “If at all you must worry, let it be how to re member me constantly. This ja worthwhile worry becaus. it will bring about the end of worry. “Think of me more and more, and all your worries will, disappear into the nothing that they really are. My will works out to awaken you to this.”
(The Everything and the Nothi, p. 62) *
*
*
The Sufi Friday School fox’ childrn wili begin its third year this fall.
Lone Cetex’as, one of the students in Friday. School, has written
about some of this years activities in which she is participating.
In
Page 5June the second year’ of operations will be over. “We started out with Buddha and a book to read from. It was about the way Buddha realized what was going on around him and his teachings. At the end we did a play on the book, The Cat Who Went to Heaven. That After that we worked on Jesus. Al]. his stories, preach was great fun ax’e fabulous. We were going to do a play but (sniff) miracles ings, and it got canceled (right now we are still debating it). “Now we are doing Mohanned. Each Friday night when we come we get some more pages for our folder and have fun reading it. We do this until 8:30. From then on we play games-- telephone, telegraph, and nosound • We are having great fun and I hope that the class keeps going on forever. We thank our teachers very much. Jai Baba! SUFI FAMILY NEWS Robin Adler compiled the information for this month’s Family News column. Mr. and Mrs. Gerry Salazar have a daughter, named Allison Marie born on n April 26th.
. . .
David and Sharon Overton have a son Adam born on March 10th
.and Tom and Jaqui Smith have a daughter, Netherie Ellen born on May 5th..
. .
Craig Boyan (who played Francis Brabazon in the play this year)
and Barbara Stanford announced their engagement several weeks ago. Walnut Creek and adjoining vioniti.s seem to be the favorite place for suburban minded Sufis these days.
Duncan and Charmian Knowles have
been living out there for several years.
Bernie Schwartz and Ron and
Carol Leigh Duce have recently bought homes there •
Murshida, herself,
spends a good deal of time in Walnut Creek with her family and has been out there for the last month or so.
. . .
Center these days seems to be “expansion”.
.The key word at the Sufi First there was the wall
which was removed in the back of the main meeting room to allow for some 20 new seats. shape.
Mow the lobby and the bookstore have taken a new
They have been moved.
Where to?
Downstairs!
The Sufis have
rented an additional room on the first floor (used to be Butterfield and Butterfield or something like that) next to the elevator, and last week we proudly hung out the sign “Sufisin Reoriented Bookstore”! While books will still be sold upstairs, this branch will be open from 10 to 5 p.m. on weekdays and until 3:30 on Saturdays.
At present the
bookstore is staffed by Dolores Lux Warren, Andrew Mayer, and John Moulding.
John, incideatly, is recently arrived from Hawaii; he has
not only helped to paint the center and volunteered to work in the
Page 6bookstoz’e, but has also gotten the Sufi library into tip-top shape with new books and extensive cataloguing. As for the new bookstore, the room itself is impressive.
It is a rectangular high ceilinged
room with tail windows and plaster stuccoed rococo decorations on the ceiling and the upper part of the wails.
Aneece designed new book
shelves of two sizes and Gerry Salazar made them.
They are excellent
for display and their dark brown stain against the cream colored room gives a spacious and cheery feel to the room.
Behind the bookshelves
there is room for storage of books as well as ample room for Aneece’s mailing and packing area.
Murshida was eager for’ us to get the book
store into order by this month.
She remarked that it would be nice
to have a “place to wander’ into” when the 800 some law students arrive in June to take a crash law course n the Regency room downstairs I John Moulding says that we are now looking for volunteers to staff the bookstore at night next month so that it can be kept open during the Course time. ....Expansion is also the word for the tape library. Cindy Ceteras has become our new tape librarian and she now reports that there are almost 100 tapes on the classified tape rental list.
There
are complete series of Murshida ‘a Discourse lectures and Selma’ s Q uran classes as well, as talks and skits and songs. groups have been contacting her for rentals.
Cindy says that Baba
... .
Murshida has two pro
jects which she would like to be Sufi sponsored projects. project is a school for children in Tangier’s.
The first
The school was started
by Anne Colette, who was a French film actress and who is a Baba lover. She came to the United States with her two children and met Murshida. She then moved to Tangier’s and began the school for Arabian and French children.
Mrs. Colette needs
money for her school and Murshida would
like the Sufis to sponsor this very worthwhile project. even $2.00 per year would help the school.
She suggested
Mur’shida’s second project
is to begin a fund for those Sufis whom Murshida feels need Dr. Wong’ s teas and treatments, but who cannot afford it so that they’ may get the medical help they need. Dr. Wang is an herbalist and chiropracter.
He
was trained in the ancient use of Herbs for medicinal purposes in China and has also be’a trained in the art of acupuncture, which is so fast gaining recognition in the West as a legitimate form of anesthesia.
Dr.
Page 7-
Wong has helped many Sufis and Baba lovers to attain good health, but because of the high cost of the herbs and the high import expenses the teas are quite costly.
!4urshida suggested that if any Sufis re
ceive unexpe贸ted financial windfalls this would be an especially good time to donate to the Dr. Wang fund in order to help needy Sufis.
I will close the letter now and until the next letter say,
I TWENTY-FOURTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER June 29, 1973 Dear Family, The Center will Today we adjourn for our annual summer break. the Center August During re-open for classes on September 4. Wednesday Monday, and Bookstore will be open three days a week films. to be treated On Wednesday nights we will and Friday. be will Bookstore During July the entire center including the closed. Murshida is still recuperating from her long illness though the process takes time and she is easily drained. She has attended The extent of Murshida’s Friday night meetings for the last month. seclusion which will continue indefinately can be witnessed by the fact that she sees no one before or after the meetings. She comes after the mureeds have gone into the meeting hail at 7:20 and the mureeds have all been requested to leave immediate to call, ly after the meeting. We have also been requested not emergency. dire write or try to see her except in cases of It is a reality that the extent of Murshida’s seclusion and her need to recuperate from her great illness of January and Febru Murshida herself told us at the first meeting ary are complete. she attended several weeks ago that she has had a real brush with death. Murshida is presently back in San Francisco for a couple of months. She recently announced that she has decided to move to The Knowles’ She will live with her family there. Walnut Creek. Creek Walnut the from g permit buildin a get to ting attemp are now house. their onto ion extens an build to Planning Commission Originally they had wanted to build a separate house for Murshida, but because the neighborhood is composed of single family dwellings the idea did not pass the commission. As usual there are a great many problems of the mayavic nature involved with the building of this extension. We all should send our positive thoughts Murshida just toward the speedy completion of the pro.ject. windiest section the of top the on r winter cannot spend anothe and lack of sun wind and cold The Hill. Nob of San Francisco, health. her are devastating to Terry Curtis, who is a licensed contractor (and a mureed) will contract to do the job. He will utilize some of the Sufis who are professional carpenters to do the labor. During July and August Murshida will remain in San Francisco and will continue to work on her book. In the meanwhile Murshida’s daughter has torn a knee and can’t get around which is dreadful for has a large family to care for, a job in Davis, responsibilities and all the attendant problems
ligament in her Charmian as she preceptorial of trying to get
page 2 the and ‘it has
extension on her house approved by the planning commission implemented as soon as possible. As the old expression goes, never rains but it pours’ and this trite but true expression much relevance for our first Sufi family the Duce’s.
Our Sufi picnic on May 20 was a great success attended by a great The location for the event many of the Sufis and their families. retreat known as unpeopled rather and was a rustic, back woodsy congregating on began family large Our rather the Duvenic ranch. with soft ball, events days the began and a.m. the grounds at 9:00 out their pic broke everyone noon Around . volley ball and hiking mureeds and s by variou ined enterta were At 1:00 we nic baskets. the re-filming. for e prepar al to rehears play around 4:00 we had a program the of idea The Hank Mindlin was Master of Ceremonies. (and in members newer the among from was to recruit fresh talent of flood the by ted deligh all we were and some cases the older) about up 5:00. broke picnic The talent exhibited that day. Needless to say it was a lovely day and we all look forward to next year’s picnic. On June 2 the re—filming of certain scenes in the play occurred. As I mentioned in the last letter certain scenes of the film were exposed at the developers and compeltely lost. Luckily only five or six scenes needed to be re—filmed. Rehearsals for the re-filming had been going on about a month prior to June 2. On June 2 the actors, chorus, orchestra and technicans Aneece and gathered together at the Sufi Center at 8:00 a.m. Les Thonisen filmed the scenes in the Center. The last scene was completed at 12:30 a.m. that night. Aneece and Mr. Thomsen worked tirelessly through out the day and night. and Aneece neglected even to stop for meals in his dedication to complete Antoinette Cruser reported to me that everyone worked the job. together lovingly and harmoniously, inspite of the 15 hour schedule to carry out Murshida’s wishes that this film should be made and intact for future generations. Antoinette further stated that that same spirit of Baba’s love again seemed to be with the entire crew as it was during the actual performances and the original filming. On Jth,e 16th the Sufis enjoyed the annual commemoration of •‘Murshida Martin and Inayat Khan’s birthdays. The party began at noon with cake and ice cream and at 1:00 we had a small pro gram. Clair Shields was the Mistress of Ceremonies and she intr— duced the prograril with a skit presented by the students of Fri The skit was titled, “The Way to. Earn Knowledge.” day School. This is the second skit the children in Friday School have put Ed Brooks on for us and they are a talented group of youngsters. The Great called and Ken Hastings did a comedy routine which they titled, Chang and Mike Evans played an original piano piece “Revelation of the Sura of the First Morning Light.” Barbara Schapps read from some of Murshida Martins writings. Speaking about fresh talent that seemed to be the theme of this program also as we were all treated to an untapped, but obvious source The skit opened with Lud Dimpfl announcing that usually of talent. the mureeds entertain Mushida and the preceptors, but this time
page
3
Murshida and the preceptors aided by Dorothea Foote and Allan Cohen were going to entertain the nureeds. The skit was titled, “The Chairs” and was written by Ellis Pines of Chicago and the cast was a follows: Stool—Marge Pogers; Bench—Charmian Knowles; Pew—Selma Hassen; Swivel Chair—Aneece Hassen; Throne-Dorothea Foote; Guruprasad Chair-Lud Dimpfl and starring were Murshida It was a Duce as Bar Stool F. and Allan Cohen as Bar Stool N. darling skit and the cast certainly outdid themselves. The orogram closed with a guest performance of Star and Lodepa, who They performed for us several years ago under are puppeteers. the name The Unicorn Puppeteer Company. Using stories, singing, music and colorful handmade puppets they act out morality tales. Their performance was appreciated by all as they are exceptionally skilled in the art of Using puppets. We had as a guest speaker, Dr. H.P.Bharucha on Monday June 19. Pascal Kaplan has written about this event;.. Dr. H.P.Bharucha, a disciple of Meher Baba’s for almost two decades and author of Neher Baba’s Last Sahavas, was the guest speaker at the Sufi Center on Monday evening June 18. His talk, presented in anecdotal style, touched upon a wide range of exper iences, illustrating such themes as the need for implicit obedi ence to the aster, Meher Baba’s unfailing awareness of his followers’ thoughts and feelings, Baba’s sense of humor and His In sum, Dr. Bharucha shared with us some his forma compassion. tive ex’,eriences in learning what discipleship consists in. Speaking about his first contact with Meher Baba, Dr. Bharucha recounted the following stories:
Way back in 1948 I used to go ar3und in India visiting a lot of saints, sadhus, Mahatmas, walis, pirs that aboutd in India..... I Before I met Baba I went to Bombay and I went to see a saint. entered a big hail and he wassitting with a few of his lovers I entered from (the side) and he at one end of the hail. suddenly looked at me and said, “You, get out.” Me? What had I done? I was surprised. And then he said, pointing to me alone, “There is someone much greater than me who is going to guide you later in life”.....I didn’t know who that somebody was at that time, but now I know who that somebody is. It was about four years later, in April of 1952 that Dr. Bharucha It was in Bombay where Dr. had his first contact with Baba. He said: Bharucha was completing his medical studies. I was appearing for my university examination in medicine and Baba was to arrive there just the day prior to Baba’s departure to the
Dage 4 West...So Baba was to give Darshan and I was not very interes ted in going to see Baba because one has to (cram) a lot; and I talked to a friend of mine and she said, if you go please take me along. So tie both of us did go to see Baba. Baba was at Narinian’s house and we just could not find the house. For two hours we searched and searched. Darshan time was from 9 to 11 in the morning; and when we did get there it was 11:15. I was quite annoyed that we were wasting our time and we would not be able to see Baba. When we got to the house the doors were closed and there was somebody on the doorway. He said, “Well you can’t see Baba now because the time is up.” I was quite annoyed about this. What sort of a saint was this fellow, he doesn’t want to see us. So we began to argue and I said, “You go ask Baba about it.” And he went inside and came back with the same reply, “Very sorry, you can’t see Baba.” Then the lady who was with me said, “You tell Baba that we are followers of Unasni Maharaj.” You know that Upasni aharaj was Meher Baba’s Master and I used to go there very often so when that message was carried inside immediately we:were called in. Baba was sitting in a corner of the room... Though we had been to many saints and the usual way to reet saints in India is to take flowers or fruits or some sweets or candy and we offer it to them and we bow down at their feet but here we were going to meet a Pari säint...and we really didn’t know what sort of way we were going to greet Meher Baha. We never took any flowers or anything ‘there. We entered the room and we were reall- at a loss about what we were going to do, because he’s a Parsi saint. We came into the middle of the room and Baba did this (gesturing), which means, the interpreter said, “Don’t put your head on his feet.” And we were more lost than before because we didn’t know now exactly what to do. We just went near him and Baba gestured and we sat down. Then Baba did this (forming the sign of perfec— tion) and the interpreter said, “Both of you are good souls and Baba is happy to see you.” Then he (gestured) and the interpr e ter went inside and brought two pieces of candy. One, Baba gave to that lady and she caught hold of Baba’s hand and touched it to her forehead and then he gave it to me and I did the same. Then Baba said snapping his fingers) “Go”- and we were out. Within two minutes, precisely two minutes we were out. We got the candy in our hands and we were pushed out. We didn’t know what happened. We ate the candy and forgot all about Baba for the time being at least. But I must tell you that every meetin g with Baba has a very great importance. Whether you realize it at that time or not is different: for some it clicks right away and with some it takes many many years like me. ——
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——
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Dr. Bharucha saw Baba again about two years later, in 1954, and then once agaifl in 1955. It was at this latter meeting, he explained, that he really became intimate and close to Baba. The occasion was a special five—day Sahavas for Baba’s Gujerati-speaking lovers, when some 200 men were invited to live at Meherabad. (an exact account of what happened during those five days is given in the first part of Listen, Humanity! Dr. Bharucha said.) At that time the following episode occurred:
page 5 One day while we were eating lunch Baba came along with a basket full of puris....He was giving two to each one and when he came to me he said, “Take it” and I took it. And Baba said, “Do you know how fortunate you people are to be with me here today, and I, God in human form, am giving you food to eat.” Then we said, “yes, Baba.” Then he said, “Do you know there are so many people pining to have even a glimpse of me and they don’t get even a glimpse of me.” Then he said that in the Himalayas “there are yogis sitting there for six hundred years shedding tears of blood and yet they don’t even get a glimpse of me. Can you imagine how fourtunate you people are?” And we said, “Yes, Baba.” And we all became serious and we took the prasad and ate it. Well, those words must have fallen really on deaf ears at that time, but to day when Baba is no longer in human form, we really realize the importance of those words, and what Baba really meant and how really fortunate we were to be with Baba. Dr. Bharucha told several stories about how Baba would work with his disciples, and Baba’s extraordinary knack for showing up just at the “wrong” moments. This was illustrated from the following incident which took place at Guruprasad. “We just longed to see Baba,” Dr. Bharucha said, and everyminute, every second that Baba was with us, we had our eyes glued on him, we didn’t want to move our eyes at least, “we” means myself; I’m talking about myself. I don’t know about the others I was in one corner always, standing there watching Baba. There were long queues of people coming to see maba, and everybody embraced Baba, somebody bowed down to Baba, somebody did this, somebody did that, whatever they did. I was never interested to see what they did, I was interested in seeing Baba. And then one good old day I remember in the queue came along a beautiful girl. I had not seen the girl, but she came to Baba, and when she came near to Baba I ]QOked at her, and just then Baba says, “What are you thinking about.” Just at the wrong time Baba asked me. ——
——
Obedience to the Master was one of the most important lessons Dr. Bharucha had to learn and he indicated that implicit obedience was one of the requirements for anyone who wanted to serve Baba. “1 tell you how we learned obedience from Baba,” he said, prefacing a number of stories: Once at Guruprasad, I had a small zip bag and I had taken something out from it. I was bending over the bag and I was closing the zip. As I was half way through, suddenly somebody patted me on the back, and I looked up and it was Baba. He said, “Cone on,” and in the act of straightening up I finished closing that zip and Baba said, “That’s disobedience.” Obedience would mean leave the zip there and walk away. ——
page 6 Baba gave Dr. Bharucha another lesson in obedience in the following manner: I remember once I was playing cards with Baba when I was living with Baba at Meherazad. It was a hot stuffy afternoon. Baba Aloba, just go outside and see it it is going to asked Aloba, T1 rain today.” So Aloba goes right out into the onen field, looks at the skies, comes back and says, “No, Baba, it is not going to rain today.” So Baba says join the game we began to play again. Two minutes later Baba says, “Aloba, go out and see whether it is going to rain today.” And Aloba goes right out again, stands in the olDen to see the sky and comes back and says “No, Baba, it is not going to rain today.” Baba says join the game and we began to play. Two minutes later Baba says,”Aloba go out and see whether it is going to rain today.” And Aloba goes out a third time and sees the sky and comes back and says the same answer. Baba : is teaching me what is obedience. If Baba had asked r:le the second time I would have said, “Baba, I just told you that it isn’t Baba really wanted implicit obedience. going to rain...”
While discussing this question of obedience to Baba, Dr. Eharaucha recalled an incident which occurred at the start of the East—West gathering. disobedience
It again pertains to obedience
——
or in this case
and illustrates the reverse side of Baba’s demand for implicit aiid unquestioning obedience: namely, his great capaci ty for forgiveness. On Dr. Bharuchas account: ——
We definitely made a lot of mistakes and did not realize at that time that we made mistakes. But Baba always gave a very long rope, and if we made a mistake once, he said, O.K. it is forgiven, dont do it again. A very bitter lesson that I learned...was in 1962, during the East-West Sahavas...I remember it was the first day and it was very hot, and everybody was just fanning themselves The Easterners felt it was very hot, and naturally the away. Westerners felt it was very hot. Before the sahavas I was there a few days for arrangements...of the medical aspect of the whole sahavas and Baba said, “Will you be able to manage the whole thing?” I said, “Yes Baba, I’ll try.” Then he said, “I’ll give you only one small order. Are you going to obey me?” “Yes, Baba.” He says, “While I am sitting in the tent don’t leave the tent and go out.” I said, “O.K. Baba.” There was a huge tent, 5,000 people sitting there; Baba on a big platform on a chair in front of everybody. As soon as Baba would come on the platform and sit down, I would come inside the tent and stand. The tent was supported by poles and I would just lean against one pole, and stand inside the tent. Baba’s order was very, very simple: stay inside the tent —— and I was there. Well, on this first afternoon it was very hot and all of a sudden one of the Australian boys fainted. Well, the natural thing for
page? me to do was to run and go and help him. So I went there and the Westerners were all surrounding him, and I said, “Please sit down, sit down and we’ll manage this.” Then I called a couple of vol unteers and said come on let’s pick him up. So we picked him up and took him outside the tent. And I never realized that I had broken Baba’s order. I took him into the side room of Guruprasad, and tried to bring him around. But he just wouldn’t respond, so I thought I might as well check his blood pressure. So I ran to my tent which is near the gate. And half way, it suddenly struck “Baba said, ‘Don’t leave the ,tent’ and where am I going?” I me: said “Oh God; now what am I going to do?” Well, if I had le that poor fellow just lying there in that side room, he might have popped off. So I said, let’s go back to the tent and inform another doctor to take care of this man and then I’ll go back to the tent. So I ran up to the tent and I said, there’s a boy there who has fainted, please check him; and I went and stood there again in the tent. Baba was very busy meeting people and I stood leaning against that same pole. My mind was just whizzing away. Why did I leave the tent? I felt so terrible and miserable over there. And I must tell you that even if there are 20,000 people in front of Baba, Baba knows exactly what’s going on in each one’s heart and niind.....When I was just feeling so sad about this, Baba s.iddenly from the stage looks up at me and says, “Come here.” So I went onto the platform, and Baba says, “What are you thinking of?” So I said, “Well Baba, I am sorry but I disobeyed and went outside the tent.” Baba says, “Don’t worry. Go and stand there.” SO I went and stood there. But this head! Oh God, I couldn’t have repented any more than I did then. It was just terrible. Another five minutes and then Baba looked up at me and said (gesturing) “Come here.” Again I go up on the platform, and he says, “What are you thinking of?” And I said, “The same thing.” So Baba says, “I said Don’t worry. Go and stand there.” So I went and stood there. And this time it came with double vigor. I thought this head was going to burst. Why did I disobey? Why shouldn’t I die rather than to disobey Baba? Really I felt so bad. Five minutes later Baba looks at me a third time and says, “Come here.” And this time he didn’t ask me what I was thinking. All he did was when I came near his chair, he just touched my hand one second and he just pushed it “Go”. And you know: just one touch and this head became so silent, tran quil, completely gone. Even that incident faded away froi my memory, completely faded away. Baba left the platform at 5:00. Many things happened after that; I attended so many patients, and so on. When I went into my bed at 12:10 in the night it was then that I remembered this incident. Till then,not a thought of it. So if you disobey: repent, and Baba forgives: that’s what I want to say. ——
As Murshida said at the close of the talk, it is arare treat to hear- such stories first—hand from a man who was disciple of Meher Babas; and such contact helps reinforce one’s faith in Baba.
a
age
0: I
SUFI FAMILY NEWS Nadya Pose and James Taylor recently announced their engagement... and last Friday Karen Oppie and Pay Lein announced their engage ment...Aneece and Selr.ia Hassen will soon be joining other Sufis in Contra Costa County as they recently bought a home in Lafa yette which is a town adjacent to
Walnut Creek....In July inter
views will begin for this falls candidates clasc. . . . .Neil Crockett will be giving lessons this summer in how to read music for inter ested Sufis.... Roger Siegal will also give lessons this summer on how to mat and take care of pictures and hotograhs....Pete Wells has been appearing on T.V. lately in what is called the Free Seech Message. He is on for 50 seconds during which he gives a message on Baba and the number to contact for further inforr.ation.
Over his shoulder in the spot is oicture of ]3aba... Pick Chapmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book How To Choose A Guru is now out and availa ble at the Sufi Center.... There is also another book out which urshida recommends titled, Hope For the Flowers by Trina Paulus at 4.95 and is also available at the Sufi Center. I will not write again until the end of the summer. Keep the faith!
(S
)
JAI BEA
Until then
NT-FIF7H SUFI FAthILY LETTER
October 1973 Dear FaEuily,
The last three months has seen a major migration to Walnut Creek California, Walnut CreeI is a suburban town located about
thirty miles northeast of San Francisco.
No less than fifteen
Sufis have moved either to WaLnut Creek or the surrounding areas. This great movmuent of Sufis was precipitated by rshida’ a decision to move to Walnut Creek. Several Sufis who live out in Walnut Creek and who were able to follow the event closely took the time to set down the story of Mzzrshida’ s move as well, as to describe their impressions and feelings about this event. These stories arc presented in the following pages. The first story was written by Pascal Kaplan. Nurshida’ a House
July and 1.ugust are normally thought of as months of vacation and recess for the SuEt school. For many Sufi men and women, however, this simar has proven to be a time of redoubled work and practical learning-”- in a special way. For at one of the last meetings in June, lrshida announced that she had decided to move across the bay, from San Francisco to Walnut Creek. As the following anecdotes, facts, and figures reveal, Norahida’ a decision created anpie opportunity for service and the most concrete of devotion: bard, nue1 labor As might not be a surprise to many, the pIning and building of lirshida’s house has run into resistance and problems from the very beginning. Originally, for ezample, )*rshida had wanted her new home to be a separate structure set back behind Duncan and Charmian’ a house. Accordingly. Terry Curtis, a contractor and a Sufi, drew up some plans which were then submitted to th. appropriate comets atom for a building ferme when they permit. Although most such hearings are usually instance opposi” particular this Lu tal properties, concern uoa”coianerc and Duncan’s Charmian fact, of many developed. In tion to the plans construc proposed to the masse protest went the en to meeting neighbors build the no had they opposition out, turned tion. Fortunately, as it was want for the not what did they but ing of an addition r structure to remain unconnected from the main house. lb approve the construction of a separate structure, they argued, would set a precedent for having smaller lots in the neighborhood or would invite other residents to build similar structures for the purpose of generating rental income. In either way, they said, this would hurt property val.— ues and would threaten the residential character of the neighborhood. Thus, as a result of their arguments, the building permit for th. pro posed structure was denied; and it was only after the plans were revised so that Murshida’s house woul4 share a wall with the main house (thus, in effect, become a wing of C’s and D’s house) that permission to build th. addition was finally granted.
Page 22’
Although the opposition to Murshida’ a original plan led some to wonder for a while whether Murshida would be able to build her house at all, there is one almost-sing aspect of the situation. Just a few weeks previous to this episode, Carol Leigh and Ron Duce had moved Cze afternoon, to their new home, just one block from Charmian’s Carol received a visit from s neighbors who ezplained to her that some people in the neighborhood were trying to build a second dome on their property for their mother-in-law etc etc etc and wouldn’ C she join the group of neighbors who were going that evening to the building ccauiasion to protest that proposal? Carol Leigh politely declined the invitation, and when the neighbors left, made a hurried phone call to Ctiarniaa. .. That was how Iêirahida, Duncan, and Charmian received at least a few hours advance warning about what was in store for their proposal at the caeeission meeting. Before the work could proceed on the new house (wing) itself rose bushes bad to be transplanted, a few sheds, as wet], as little Mary Ivy’s swing set and pool, had to be moved to other parts of the yard, an old walont tree had to go the way of all flesh (wood), and the ground bad to be leveled by a bulldozer, • Such preparatory work was begun on June 23 and took a little over two weeks to ccinpleta. It was on July 10, Silence Day, however, that the foundation for the house was poured 0 Craig Plumlee, one of the many Sufi and the actual construction begun men who came to volunteer week-ends and spare time to make up the construction crew, describes the impression made by the workers on that hot day: Of course, this being Silence Day, with half the Sufi workers on silence, and the other half fasting, one can easily guess that the day was eventful and amosing for the Sufi laborers 0 But it most have appeared absolutely bizarre for the cent-aixer operator who was unfmeiliar with us Sufi creatures One can only imagine the stories which he later told his fellow-workers about the tribe of breath. lass, sbirtless, mote, hippies, sweating in the hot sun, very unsteadily rolling their wheelbarrows back and forth from his truck to the house-to—be. Terry Curtis, as mentioned above, had volunteered to supervise the construction of the house. As his assistant, Terry chose Steve Crocker (who, with his wif, Diane, will be taking the candidate classes this fall) and it has been thés. two men who have been pdmarily responsible for the building of the house, Each weekend, however 1 some half-dozen or more Sufis volunteered thir unskilled or s skilled labor, thus speeding th. process of building enormously. In fact, it is only because of such volunteer help that the Septber 15 deadline which Murshida had set for the completion of the house will—. inshallab—— be mat. By aU accounts, the devotion which Terry has put into the house has bcen a cent of its own. t only did Terry undertake to build the house using far mare and better materials than are routinely employed in the construction industry at the current time, but nimite detail after mioute detail about the house has been
Page 3’ thoughtfully considered and reconsidered with )*irshida’ a needs and 0 As an xxle of this loving attitude and devo comforts in mind tion which has gone into the building of the house, Ellen Sirota cites the following which she overheard while meking iced tea for the uorera:
There was one little incident that occurred soon after construction began that seomed to catch the spirit of love and care that was being built into Hurshida’s house. Terry was teaching his crew of inexperienced but ao’dedicated carpenters the art of 0 lie explained, “U you put the nails nailing a floor in just a way, then when )irshida walks it will go if you do it sqeek, sqeek, sqeek, aqawko exactly like this, thea wizen she walks the floor will sing. . ‘flze house itself will zasure about 1700 square feet; and will consist of a bedroom (18’ X 24’), a large living roam (26’ X 24’), 0 There will be central heating for a study, a kitcheaD and a bath air conditioning for the 100 degree (and and the wet weather months The house, as a wing of Duncan and s-ers. up) Contra Costa back from their fanLly room, with straight extends Charmiazz’ $ house, 0 family room and )êzrshida’ a study the behind built a door having been that out points catructJon is expected to run high and Chanatan )zrahida could never have afforded to move if it had not been for the 0 I.d it not been so, not fact that “everyone pitched in to work” cxly would the deadline iever have bean met, but the labor and s.terial coats would have been prohibitive. As might be expected in a project like this one, the intensity of work over the past several months baa taken its toll, of casualties. In fact, Charmian now refers to the hous. as “the house that laya built” and baa fozmd.d an Order of the Purple fleart for those wounded while in th. call of love and duty. Among the major casualties: Keith Davenport was helping uproot the walout tree which was standing in the middle of what baa n become ).arshida’s bedromn he sank am ax into his toe and thus becane the first of the Sufi crew to visit the mnergency roan at John zir Uoapital. Steve Croder nanged to put a large piece of wood through his hand a few days later and becaz the third casualty was Earl lzrner who second visitor to John Zkir. was working with the crew digging a ditch in an effort to locate the sewer pip. 0 Eis claint a pick ax suddenly becane lodged in his side. Greg Earekashian was nember four to join the Order (the Purpla fleart Order, chat is) when he slipped through the rafters while working on the roof and suffered a twisted knee for his acrobatics. A few days later Terry sii4larly fell through the rafters, but being a nester carpenter’-U that is what saved him.” caught hlms elf on a bean on the way dowa no injuries. ion, an electrician who did aU the wiring for the house, put a staple through his knee; a feat which was matched a few days later by Diane Cracker who put a staple through her finger. oa was subject to double trouble on this job as, after the knee incident, be dropped the master electric cable on his eye. rtiIn44’r however.. desiite all the trouble and wounds, there were
mi
Page 4m no serious iujrios though many stitches. In incidents unrelate to the actual building of the house but contributing to the sense that the Znowes’ house was really an adjunct to the energency room of the John Muir tospita1, there was incan who was laid up in bed for several weeks in a large cast after he tore his achilles tendan Charmian who injured her knee at the same time and was also disabled for several weeks; and Mark, Charmian’ s SOfla who fell riding his new lO.speed bicycle and, as Charmian put it, left noch of his 4iin on the pavement. Of course, however, all’s well that ends well and now chat everyone is largely recovered, romor baa it that the new Sufi Order of the Purple Heart will rally around the motto: “I am not ny body, I am not ny body, I am not,..” But physical injuries were not the only of Maya’ a challenges. First, of course, there was the fact that prices of materials have sky-rocketed to such an extent that materials ran about $2000 over what had been budgeted, creating concern over whether funds could be found to complete the constructiom. Then another difficulty centered on the matter of carpeting. rshida had decided to have wall-to-wall carpeting in the house and thus had instructed Terry 0 When Macy’s recently advertised its to put Lu only a rough floor 100Z wool carpeting, which ordinarily runs over $16 a yard at about (67 a sq. yard, it seened like the opportune time to buy and )irshida 0 Having done so she then ordered enough carpet for the whole house chose the color of the paints for the walls to cçUment the car 0 A few days later, however, when )*rshida called to arrange peting a time for delivery of the carpet, Macy’s informed her that all the carpeting had been so1d-’iuc1uding that w!.ich she had herself ordered’.- and that there was no longer any way for her to get that cloalttaj carpeting on sale, ot only does this mean that )*arsbida won’t be able to bnefit from the sale price-- which is one hardship. but it has also thrown into th question whet&r she will be able to move in time (aeptmther 15) becaus, she obviously cannot move in before the carpeting has been laid. This is only one rJimiple of the sort of trial which )rshida baa had to unlergo in relation to this moving business and only llirshtda knows how ny other snap of the same sort she has had to contend with. It should also be noted, howvr, that while the new edition of God.. Speaks has finally been released-- releasing irahida from that preoccupation”- )Iarahida is still working on her own bock. T1is, while Nurahida a.a to hay, come out of th. strict seclusion which she has kept since last winter, sh. still needs to guard her tin., concentration, and energy for a while longer. Ziaze, while of course she wiU attend to au matters of a critical or amergency nature, she has urged all Sufis to address their routine co’m1cations to their preceptors (or to Merge Rogers),.... fTh
The second story was written by Ellen Sirota who has been quite
Page 5 helpful to MLarshida and Charmian this ser in the move 0
Once upon a time, in the Go3.denoLan4*on.theOtheraSide.of.t1ie.. 1innel, there stood a house. It was a most marvelous house It was yellow and turquoise and pink on the inside, and the little folk had hamnered each nail with a soLig in their hearts to make it the House that Love Built, But what it moat marvelous of all was that there lived in the house the most beautiful, most wise, and most kind lady in the world and she had the loveliest hands and the most twiiiltest eyes the little folk had ever seen,
They called her irshida, and one by one and two by two they moved closer and closer to the wonderful Lady...as close as they could, that is, without actually moving into her flower garden, although rumor has it that some were plotting and planning this also. And what may seem a iry tale is in fact taking place, and here I sit in my apartoent in Lafayette waiting for lêirshida to move into her new home. It’s but a day away. Over the years the Sufis, and those who know of us, have been accustomed to think of San Francisco as the site of the Sufi Center, and rshida’ s Seat 0 But this past winter when lirahida spent several weeks with Charmian at her home, Stephanie Getz remarked, ‘Well, Hurshida’s Seat may be in San Francisco, but moved her chair to Walnut Creek’ Change When Murshida let it be known that she was to move to a house that would be built in Chanujan’ s back yard, a number of people awoke to the fact chat they, too, were going to move Scmehow there was no question” and the momentum began to increase. Bernie Schwartz bought a house about a lila away, Murge and Rod Rogers spent weeks looking for a place and finally found one just a few blocks away from Bernie; Michael Evans moved to a cottage at the foot of lit 0 Diablo; Ehaled Al”Faqih, to an apartment in Walnut Creek, Bob and Barbara srich found a house close by, several of the girls found an apartment in Lafayette, and Selma and Aneece Ilassen, a house in Lafayette 0 In addition to this, the Royetons, Steven Oversby, Randy Hon, and Alain Youefl have all, returned home to Murshida after long absences in far off places. The feeling is, to me, of Murshida’s golden thread pulling us along and tying us tighter and tighter together into the family that we are and always were. And, of course, tagging along was Maya herself”” the usual chaos that accompanies Baba’ 8 work has been ever”present 0 Selma in particular, has had one crisis after another with her house, including having to completely remodel a kitchen that was built for anything but human use, combating a strange black growing less—evolvd member of lower creation that began to overtake the awiming pool, finding gigantic termites happily nimching away on the main beam of the kitchen area, doing a do-it”yourself sanding
Page 6 job on the hardwood floors that ended in calling a professional to correct the damage, and more and more. And in her most beautiful manner, Se].ma has been able to continually LAUGS. It’s been said that this ser will be remembered for many lifetimes, and certainly the wount of visible activity has been I don’t thick boggling in our preparation for Nurshida’ s azrival there’s been a time when so many of us have been allowed to be of help to l4urshida and the Preceptors. And given the opportunity to spend so much time together. ?irshida’s ashram • 1at seems to me to be the most perceptible thing”.- just being allowed to serve, ryin to work harmoniously and to do our best because all is being done for Murshida and Baba. What a blessing for us The chaos is incredible”- many lives and routines are being totally uprooted. Al]. familiar surroundings are being changed into unfamiliar ones. Like being picked up by a tornado and deposited 0 Eat it’s only possible to in another field——that fast and clean deal with vib.en Babe is the solid core within. We can see the example of our precéptors-- the ability to smile and laugh and forgive as Babe pulls us along. There can be no question that )irahida is holding the lamp of Babas light and guiding us through the maze of our ignorance. I can’ t begin to articulate what living near ).irshida will. be-— all I know is that I am grateful for being allowed to be here 0 And externally speaking, how lovely it will be to run into Selma at the Safeway L) The day Nurshida moved into her house was September 15th,
There
were a number of Sufis at )irshida’ a aparent in San Francisco to load up the cars and the trucki.
Peaking of Ibrahida’ a belongings
had been going on for several weeks preceding the move and so
everything was ready to go that Saturday morning. There were also peopl, at the Walnut Creek end waiting to unpack the truck and put things away.
The removal went quite smoothly at the San Francisco
end and around 1:00
p.me
arriving in Walnut Creek.
cars and the truck loaded with goods began Everyone went to work iziediately and by
4:30 things were in a semblance of order.
The packing and the
unpacking that Saturday seemed to go smoothly although lirshida was extremely tired from the day’s activities.
The next Kouday evening l4urshida was at the Honday class locking quite well and she told us that she was so comfortable in her new house that it was only the love of her students which brought her into the city that evening.
We were overjoyed to hear irsbida
say that as the wish of the mureeds has been that )rshida would
Page 7’
really enjoy her new house.
Purther reports on 1rshida’ s new house
and how she is getting along will be given in later totters 0 flew address and phone number are given below:
Her
)4URSHIM IVY DE 18 Tics Valley Lane Walnut Creek) California 94595 (415) 9380828 Atother irportant event in mideAugust was the publication and distribution of the second edition of )rshida and
Lud maci others worked on this new edition from 1968 to 1971. A flyer is attached to this letter for your information. Recipients of this letter might also want to share the information with other Babe lovers in your area. flae Sufis have been experiencing
a
tremendous treat since
classes reconvened in October Nirshida has been conducting classes on $peaks !onday evenings and on Friday evenings she has bea giving us lessons on the Discourses. For those of you who send donations to Babe’ a trust, Hani has sent ua the following request: “We therefore earnestly r.quest you whenever you send a donation to the Trust, please send along with it your written directions as follows: ‘1 wish enclosed donation to form part of the corpus of Avatar Metier Babe Trust and the interest used for its charitable objects ’” 0 SUFI F14fl.Y HEWS 4 and Patricia TTk.nsan recently amuncad their engagmient John Hawkins and Nadya Rose and James Taylor were narried in September. There have been a number of Sufia who have returned to the Bay Area this s’er.
Jonathan and Carol Palley returned after living in Maryland for a year. Bob and Aims Royeton, who lived La London, England for several years came home and Bob has been able to get a job in Oeklawl as a child psychologist, which ha trained for in London. Steven Ou.rsby and Randy ‘n both completed their tour of duty in the service and were able
Page 8â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
0 A group of Sufis are going to India in Decuber .. rnandali , They are, of course, preparing a progr for the 0 Candidates classes are being held and are now in their seventh
0 to ce borne
0 week
0 There are 25 candidates in the class I will close now, JAI flAB,
TENTYSxTi
SUFI FAMILY LiTTER ovember and December, 1973
Dear FwiLly, As the year 1973 draws to a close we all have very ich to be thankful for.
Thursday evenin, December 13 around midnight, the
Sot i Eergen:y Telephone Netuiork (explained later La this letter)
was activated to report that Hurshida had taken a turn for the worse, was gravely ill and in great pain and we should all say a prayer for her at 7:00 a.m. the following uorning.
Murshida had been ill for
several weeks prior to this, but Lud had reported the previous Iaday that she was getting better.
before I go on to explain the circum
stances I will say that at this time, December 30, Murshida is trprcved and though still weak is apparently over the illness.
That Friday evening, December 14, at class Lud read a letter froni Marge explaining the state of rshida’s health. phrase the letter here
I will para
Murshfca had had the stomach flu the previous
two weeks and had not been recuperating train it as well as might have been expected.
She was suffering great abdominal pains.
When she
soddenly took a turn for the worse it was discovered that kurshida was bvig a gall bladder attack.
The letter went on to say that for
three days Murshid.a would be uncer strict observation at her home.
If after or during this period she worsened she would have to be hospital ied; otherwise she would most likely recuperate 0 )Iarge dent on to say that it was Murshida’s wish that our annual Christiras party, to be held the next day, be a great success. Selma added after Lud was finished reading the letter, that once when Murshida was sick she had told Siua to see sunshine around ber and not to worry as this would help urshida gct well.
Lud explained that Marge was acting as Murshida’s
arourd the clock nurse and had been instructed by the doctor in the nece’sary care.
Dr. Tighe and Dr. .ha1ed also were on constant call.
That evening we sang the Arti and the Hymn and said the Parvardjar )rnyc a4 t’e iy’r bf Repentance each in his or her own heart askio Dabs to restore Hujrshida. to health if it be His will.
‘7
The next day, the 15th,
ie
had our annual Christoas party and
in the spirit o obedience everyone went all out to cake it a truly u.emorible oceaaic. The event started with a manuoth luncheon consisting of turkey, roast beef, hais, a ultitude og hot vegetables, salads, rolls, breads, and desserts.
Cindy Ceteras was responsible for organlzing the food
and she paid neciculous attention to insure perfection and that it ias.
every
detail of the menu to
Lad said the grace and then
aeverni woon wont through and fixed a plate for Hurshida.
The 250
guest then lined up and filled their plates. Lunch ended around 1:00 and we had our usual program.
Nadya
Taylor opened the program with an original composition titled, “A PreLude Rondo in D.”
tiichael [vans also performed an original compo—
sitiou titled, “Rivers and Clouds”. There were a number of very funny skits;
Dottie Foote and Ed
Brooks btoke us all up with a skit about a truck driver and an
etiquette teacher.
Dottie is :ring to teach this brute mannccs and the
attendant problens were quite uony. Sol and Sally SuEt (David and Sharon Overton) and their friends
Homer and Libby Ration (Dick and 4argo Watson) were back iith a skit titled, “Sot and Sally Sufi Graduate,”
This time the setting was a
graduation party for Sal and sally who have finally completed their Gath.i and Githas.
Homer and Libby have already graduated and are
“o1dc:iizzers” of five years standing and hence are giving Sal and Sally advice. Homer and Libby were rensed in thermal underwear (see section o 1e;ter on Energy Crisis) and Sol and Sally were dressed in cap and gownsn Lud and Bea were also in the skit as Sigmund and Lulu, Sally’s paren:s.
flaturally Sol and SaJly and Homer and Libby thoroug1y blow
their parents’ rinds with talk aL “bow spiritual they are now ttiat they’ve finally graduated” and stockpiling.
Needless to say the
0uertons and the Watsona completely amused us with ourselves. The students of the Friday Sc*ool presented a skit titled, “The Pearl that Shone in the Dark.”
3ob Holcomb directed.
The actors
and atresses involved were Lyons Warson, Susan Skiff, Sheila and Lort
Page 3 Ceteraf, Heran and anda Hasea, Ranee Cruser, rLa and Nina Philis Sean Philips ra Lawson Sharo Lana, and Nichael
Corrinet.
Three sbers of Friday School also entertained us with
The group titled, Sharon ad hcr H & H” is coposed o
songs.
sharon I4ana ?.chaei Corriaet and Nerwaa sson. ce to
Wo:ld” and “top of the WorJd
They sang Wel’
‘ixis was the fLrst Ue
they sang together and the conenaus is they should continue.
I
see the beginnings of a year “CarelLrAgh and aak’ blooming with an additional hank. The proe included ch nore which was all so goode but there just isn’t rov to describe it alL.
1iLs Christmas party wa
a special one for many reasons, and aiong ths was this statent
which iurshi& nade to us a while ago,
She said thac this party
should be our biggest party bece.se she fels that this will be ths last ChrLsa3 party we have due to the
cgy crisis.
We all went hoo from the party to ait for wwd on rshLe health,
FinaUy
it arrived vie the Telophone twor on Decber .4.
!4urshida bad turned the corner and ias iuh iprovsd. Prier to
shida’s illness she had been havio eeeds to hsir
house on Sundays between two and fivo. and see ber lovely in her new eavi fully painted (all colors were chosen beautiful furoiture and objects afternoons spnt in Nurshid&s
It as et
which
a pleasure to go
has been very
hida) and filled with her I think we can all
recall
arn? Lu San Francisco,
igine the sane aesthetic surroundings
ste
SiLy
sfered to a nore rustic
setting.
Kesources
sistance
huergy ud Resources Assistance (.LA.) is the title of a and najor Sufi endeavor which is the Stafis ranse to the crisis.
Lud h1sfl is a chiical eugnsar for Standard Oil.
Bea he works for an oil cany he becee aara of the e crisis in this country several weeks before the gneral pblLc. Lud orne 4tarshida of the significaoa ci the cce:leg arisis and she decided that he Sufie skcild colh.ctialy do their art in dalin with this ajor
croja,
rshiida thei asked a uber of Sia to
a cc 1ttao to
begin dealing with this problen.
fob £zrich was chosen as chairn,
Chauui!rn Knowles, co”chairwoman, and a nwmber of others were desig nated as bead of sub—c ittees, The evening tlat the Ordeir as a whole was inforned of the new Re explained
commit tee and its functions was opened by Led Dimpf 1.
the energy crisis, the whys, and the future izlications.
Re also
said that Morshida wanted all Sufln to participate in this project— that this was rhida’ s Asbrai for us the coning year to replace the play we usually have (There will not be a play this year for a nxther 1 of reasons one of which ta that Zuheir Al—Faqih is living in Lebana 0 The total breadth of the EoLA, activities are quite volLnous A greet deal of work involves educating people on how to coexerve in over)’ departwent of liEe
Car pools have been forreed for transporting
people to and from the Sufi Center; information is being getim red on alterrative cooking and heating facilities and on growing ones for food; appropriate warm clothing to buy (for ezaile
thermal underwear) a
Vegeteble gardens have been star:ed in various mureeds back yards superised by Jot Chariot, our professional gardener and landscaper. A telcphonenetwork that we received the information that Izrshida had tden a turn fo the worse and then that Morshida was recovering. As can be seeu the Sufis are again bard at work-- only this g project than last year, but all to year it is on a different type 0 the sine end, to participate iri Lurahida’ s annual Ashram.
More
informration on the E.R,A, will cone in future letters. Thrshida was di.snayed to hear that the subscriptions to the Awakener have fallen off tremendously,
She cormented that it is the
only [aba magazine in the United States and she feels we should support it,
For subscriptions write Bob lippler Bo 8Ol I Berkeley, California %701
Mani Irani asked that the following two announcements be given in this letter.
Page 5
onations to Avntar )lthet Baba Trusts Amadnagar
2!X donations over $100 should have the accompanying request: “I wish sy enclosed donation to forts part of the Corpus of Avatar Meber Babe Trust and. the interest used for its charitable objects.” Dotioas o1OO and under need have no directions. Tha* you in Maui S. Irani Baba.’ilove.
Bala lovers visitug Ahaednagar are given the opportunity to STAY at Lower 4EBERABAD up to four days in the guest rooms there. Please note that these ESTROCêS will be CLOSED FOR ThREE MONTHS from MIDM&RCH to MID-JUNE. This has become incombent as the Water level in eherebad Well is already icw due Co insufficient rains and we expect a great scarcity of water during our sir which is between 15th March and 15th Juuem It usually gets extrencly hot tere during our aer months (15th ?irch to 15th June) and the fierce reys of the sun sap one’s energy. Those few of our Eerily (includiag some from Florida where the smwaer is quite hat) who came here during our suer suffered from severe sun strcke and other allied ailments. The dear ones who visit here mast feel at their best to make the most of their precious pilgrimage to the Beloved’ s hcme, and we who are here mast feel at our heat to help achieve this. Therefore, it is strongly advisable that all should avoid coming to India between 15th March and 15th June. JAZ 5ABA
LjJy
Meat
News
Jennifer and Zuheir AlFaqih are the proud parents of a little girl, bora in Nover.
The Al-Faqiha are living in Beirut, Lebanon
where Zuheir has a job as a ne’spaperman.... .. .Carol’LeigJ and Ron Duce also became parents for the second time of a little boy born on Lecember 13th.
)êirahida nizd the boy Terry..
...
.Elimor Rooaenberg
and Charles McCoy were married Saturday, December 8th.......Allan Cohen has a new book coming out titled, Mastery of Consciousness: rBaba.......The group of people who went to India arrived safely
2ag 6
sevral days before Chri ..
1 January 3... as aid will eturr Thursday
..Sela Iassen ias the fea:ured speako in a “Pathways to Inner
Li&’ proram which was recently sponsored by Joha F. ennsdy i,ersity.
Selna net with but 30 students who had registered
for the special program and pe with
.bouL the history of
Sufls, te Safi view of hn life, herIata, and Sufts Reorien:ed, Ala
participating in the program were 4ischs Rzatenbcrg who sang
thrae Baboiw3pird ccaposit,oas and 4airgaret Hiller who read selec’. iois frr.z the classical SufL Master poets.
Jan plan helped
are the arabic food which was served at the luncheon
As
part of the publicity for the proga, 3elna was interviewed on radio station KWL (Concord) and by the Contra Costa Tines and the TrL both of which prinad feature stories about her and bar invlvrent ir* Sufisu.
The TrtVø
e’,cws headline was: “When Her
%zestiona Went Uwzsswered She Turned to Meher 8abs and Sufisis.”
What
inor can one aay?.......Anotier Sufi to have taken to the sirwa’is recmtly was Ehe led Al.ratih, where he
Khaled was a’so intervieced on IWUN
scussed the “healng arts” in a talk’.show fornat,
iae
show, chtduled for 30 ninuts, was eztended to 45 minutes because of the voluma of audience SufLs).
The following day, halc4 presented a public lecture in
Walnut Creek on the 40 people.
st1ns (isany, though not all being from
dyneici of Healing” which was attended by over
The show and iecvre were aimed at getting publicity both
for haled’s nez7ly opened Chirepractic practice in Walnut Creek 1 and foz a course he will be taching on “Health, Disease, ard the staphyaics of Healing’ through LF. eiuidy University,
Other Sofia teaching
courses this Winter quarter hrongh Eenuedy’s Institute of Mystical and karapsychological Studies are Allen Cohen (“The Psychic Senses”); Pascal aplan (‘-sath, Reincrnatton, and the Astral plane”); Rank Niedlin (“?isic in the Fourth Dimension”) end Allen Shulak (“The Mystic Parent”).......This year on February 24th we 4ll celebrate Baba’s birthday with the first public showing of the film-version of the 1913 Sufi play, “I Hover Coi, I Never Go.”
The feeture.lcngtb
film depicts Babe’s 1952 AmerIcan Sahavas, and represents his stays in Myrtle each, Ibw York, and the clinic in Prague; lahema where lie was treated after His automobile accident. Wheeler Auditorium on the
lage 7— University of C81foraia Bere1ey, cpus, which has a 100—scat capicity, has been rented for’ the single shong on Sunday at 1:00 p.m The film was produced and edited by Aneece 1isson with assistance
from aobert Emrich......On Saturday the 23rd we will celebrate HurshidaCs birthday at the Berkeley Womens Club. I will close now with a little humor’
&cmi
Klaaled AJ.—Faqih.
Khaled told this joke twice-— first to Murshida rhen he was working on ier garden and then to Sel when he was helping her paint her new house.
It goes like this:
‘I wish I was a fourth plane
saint.
Then
you could o cut to lunch and come back and find your room beautifully pairted with a rock in the middle of the room” JAI MBA,
ENTSEjNTR SPI FM4ILY LETTER January, 1974
Dear Family, Hurshida continues to gain strength after her illness of December. She is coming to the Center and has given the last three classes to us. She gave us two talks on consecutive Friday nights concerning Baba’s Dtscourses on Occultism.
She also gave us the final God Spks class ot the series which were held on Monday nights and were open to all. Nureeds.
The Monday night class now goes back to being only for those who have completed their Gathas. Now that Nurahida has given us the God Speaks classes twice she expects us to know the book and she spent a great deal of time explaining the additions to the new edition of God Speaks. We will have a class by Lud on the new chart at the end of the new edition 0
Also the Monday night class will have a series of classes on the Old Testament given by Dick Andersen who is a Baba lover and a student of Theology at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. Marge Rogers was going to continue her classes on Jesus’ life but she has not been well and she already has two classes a week plus she works for Nurshida during the day and has a home and husband to care for Hurshida is still quite easily drained though, and needs to preserve her energy wherever possible. Nurseds have ben asked to leave the Center
immediately after the meeting and not stay to get a last glimpse of Norshida as she is leaving the building. Norshida is still in seclusion
--
she still requests that letters and calls be addresses to preceptors unless it is a dire emergency. I will say this, however, that Nurshida has looked absolutely lovely at meetings 0 Though she mey be tired and possibly even in pain she never shows it. 1er presence again at the Center after an absence of two months has inspired and renewed everyone. She is posi’ tively the most alive and dynamic person in the Order. IC is almost as if the very atoms in the room can sense when she is there or not.
Initiation occurred this year on Friday, February 1st. ten people initiated:
There were
Rachel Abramson, Andrea Clisbee, Lorraine Granit,
John Moulding, Alicia Jane Reeks, Gary and Phyllis Rutkin, Stuart Shaffer, James Taylor, and E.arin Thure. Nurahida was there to conduct the ceremony
Page 2— and after she read the initiation talk which she reads each year and which is printed in full in last years’ February Family Letter. A group of 29 persons went to India around Christmas time and re turned in the beginning of January.
They treated us to stories and slides
about their trip on two Friday evenings.
Richard Carroll was in charge of
the group and he introduced the evng’ agendas.
He gave an introduction;
RDbin Adler talked on their tour of Jerusalem and Bethlehem; Leonarda Ignacki on the tb; Karen Dalton on Viloo’s house; Charles Parker on Erch on Seclusion Hill; Sonya Lawson on the play and the songs the group presented to the Z4andali; Trish Hakanson on Mehera and Maid.; Richard Carzoll on Eruch at the Mosque and the dove scene; Jon Palley on Mohmpd
and Jerry and Katie Ulmer on “Kitchen”, the group’s driver during their stay. In this letter Richard Carroll’s story In coming letters is
given.
some of the stories the group brought back will be given.
PASSAGE TO INDIA.
PASSAGE TO MORE THAN INDIA -
Walt Whitman
Getting to India, and to Neherabad, and to !4eherazad has never been easy. in fact it’s nearly impossible. However, early last ster Keith Davenport and myself thought that we might take a short Chriss trip to India, just the two of us. l4urshida thought we might also announce it at the Center. Well, by flight time we numbered 29, and Baba was wheeling us around on His lovely merry-go—round at a break-neck pace. Firstly it looked to me like it would be fairly simple. We had reservations on NA and our hotel accc,dations were set four months in advance. By late September everything was confirmed, so what could possibly happen? TWA could go on strike, that’s what Would you believ, that two days before flight time we didn’t know if we were really going to India. On December 17th TWA aettl.d one of the largest airline strikes in the world 0 In fact I was told several times that th. strike would prob ably last until Narch You see, WA was making a million dollars a day being on strike, so why settle the strike? Ibirshida said, “Don’t worry, they might settle the strike.’ Onr travel agents had tried 30 other airlines in vain. They said TWA wiU not be in the air until January, we’re sorry, but there is no way that you are getting to India this Christmas. Morshida said, “You’ve done all you can, • .don’ t worry, they might settle the strike,” The next day the largest airlin, in the world was in the air and we were on our way, Incidently, Morshida did remind us that a prayer group would certainly help. So when we rehearsed our Christt*s Program for the mandali (which included Seine’s play The AnaL’a Gift plus its conclusion, The Anael’s Return, Ilqnk’s New Life nusiç: Round and Round, Morning Cup, The New Life
Page 3-
Song and Hymn; and finally four Christmas Carols: Ring 1 Christmas &lls, What Child Es This sung by Judy MiodJin, Joy to the World sung by Chaies Parker, and 0 Holy Might sung by Sonya Lawson) we prayed. And we prayd, and we prayed, and when the airline captain said fasten your seat belts, we didn’t believe it, we were still praying Finally the 747 actually dii get off the ground and 29 hearts, lungs, and souls shouted: AVATAR MEHER BABA KI 3A1
First surprise: A trip to the Holy Land, all expenses paid by 1MA Reason was that our connecting flight from Tel Aviv to Bombay had disap peared and wouldn’t be ready until the next day. Result: We had a glorious time, visiting Jerusalen and Beth].ehen, but our schedule in Bombay was wiped out. Anyway, we were in the land of Jesus and )4ohaened, the Dome of the Rock where Hohaened was realized, Gethaemane Golgotba, where Jesus had IlLs agony in the Garden and was finally crucified. the land of Jesus and )bhamned is uomistakeable, it breathes their lives, it is an ancient land and we were all touched deeply. ()ir guide in Israel kept driiiing is up to new ultramodern State Office buildings and would announce proudly, “AU those who wish to take pictures please do so; I’ll wait ten minutes.” He’d move aside as if a crowd were casing and then his jaw would drpp a foot when no one moved. Finally I mentioned that we loved everything that he was showing us, but actually we were more interested in the areas visited by Jesus and Mohammed. Be said, “Both Jesus and Mobi.d7” and we responded with a hearty applause. From that point on everything was fine. INDIA - &)IIBAY: 6 a,m. Good grief, what a Journey Baba would continually put us in situations which looked hopeless. We landed a day late, and the last telegram Naosherwan received from us was one of uncer tainty. When we landed in Bombay we were all exhausted, India opened her arms to us, but we didn’t know a soul. Lucky for us that Dabs bad some guardian angels around. Mr. Shetty, driver for Sanghi Bus lines, was our first angel in disguise. There was no reason why this men should bend over backwards to help us, but he did He helped us so ench that we couldn’t keep him fran helping us. With Mr. Shetty’s assistance our group was put on a train for Poona within four hours. The train ride was slow and gorgeous. ce out of Bombay the plateau of I4aharashtra State spread itself into as many hues of green as the mind could fathom, Decmaber in India is winter, yet it cases close to springtime in California. Days are warm, not hot, and evenings are cool. We looked for Kahoutec in vain Meherjee arranged everything for our group in Poona. We stayed at the Amir Hotel, guests of Ruasy, Meherjee’s son—in—law and Jal, Dabs’s brother. Together they entertained us with stories about Baba and made us promise then that when we returned from AlEsednagar we would spend a day visiting Dabs’s house, Babajan’s shrine, Erucb’s parents, and Deccan College where Dabs once read Rafi:, Rmmi, and even Wordsworth and Shake speare. You see, the problen was to keep to our tattered schedule as close as possible. l4aherjee arranged a State Transport Luxury Bus to take our group to Aiwsednagar on Christmas Rye. The driver of the bus we called “Kitchen” and he endeared himself to us as he proved his Grands Prix racing abilities on the India flatlands
Page 4—
It’s Christmas Eve, we’re in our Luxury Bus, the roads are dusty and crowded, 29 friends sing “Joy To The World”, we have left Poona and are driving directly to Baba’s tomb at L4eherabad. Hansari greets us with a 0 She meets us as we leave the tznb giving smile that embraces the world us candy prasad and a gargantuan Babe hug. Later in the evening we stand around the tomb just after sunset and sing the Eastern Arti, the esteru Arti, several Christmas Carols, and are overcome with Baba’s tremendous love. Kost of us have fallen into silence and contemplation. The effect of the Tomb and its depth is impossible to describe 0 How to speak the unspeakable. Every moruig at 6 am, our bus was ready to take anyone who wanted to go straight to the tomb for sunrise services • And every morning at 6 a.m. 15 or 20 of us would quietly seat ourselves and perhaps try to prepare for another day of Baba’ a love. Each day I found myself laughing and crying at the same time, saying just before sleep, “Baba, my little cup has been over-running for days, I can’t take any more.” And every day there would be more: mare love, more beauty, more warmth and humanity from the Kandali. We scayed at Viloo Iraid’s six days. Their family was visiting over the Christmas Holidays and, though it was very crowded Viloo found r’.om for us all 0 Her hospitality was overwhelming Day in, day out she served us, attended to our every whim, poured her everlasting sense of humor over us, and won our hearts forever 0 The best we could reply was “The Horning Cup” and a goodbye song, “Goodbye Viloo, Goodbye Viloo, we hate Co leave you now ’, 1 000
Christmas Day we were invited to Z4eherazad for their Christmas Pro gram £4ani told us that on the 27th we could give ours. Christmas at 0 Heberazad Baba had us on schedule. The program that day consisted of song and dancing. l3ajans, Ghazals, Ragas, Cobra dances, were given to the Mandali by a family of India Baba lovers, and the tears and laughter flowed on and on. Mehera was unimaginably beautiful. In her own words, it was a Love feast, *
*
We recently had our annual Board elections and the new officers are Ira Del. trick, President; Bob Emrich, Vice President; Marge Rogers, Secre
tary; Eleanor Smith, Treasurer.
There are seven members at large: Etta
l4ehdy, Cynthia Ceceras, Tracy Craig, Lad Dimpf1, Kevin Kentfield, Aneece Ijasses and Helen Webb,
flank Mindlia, one of our all time great Sufi writers of the twentieth century, has done it again —- written another great song. This one was for Horshida for Christmas.
Hank wanted to write something light and funny
for her as a Christmas present and one day while riding BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit, which is our new rapid transit system in the Bay Area) he conceived the following lyrics:
Page
5i
I used to go to Sufi Meetings Expecting spiritual entreatinge About Krishna, Buddha, Anubis, Isis, But now we just talk about the energy (And talk and talk and talk....)
crisis.
Yes, I walked into my GOD SPEAKS class And listened to an hour and a half on gas. Not gaseous they’re out of fashion this was the kind of gas you ration. (Good to the last high octane drop). Seems Baba predicted the end of the mahine, So now re’re running out of gasoline; Lud got up andgave us the facts, So Nurshida could see how we’d all, react,.. (Panic in the streets! Form corsnittees! --we’ve been Emrichized). Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Mars We’re going to have to pool our cars, Our brains, our time, our resources No doubt we’ll learn to hold our horses. (Retraining our uneinployed...teach’em to whittle hitching posts). We’re running off in all directions —— Dividing the Order into sections, Sub-ccmnittees and long-range planning, Telephone nets and mass home canning. (You can take order out of chaos, but can you get chaos out of the Order?!.. • If you catch fish in a fish net, hair in a hair net, what do you catch in a telephone net?...Sufis!..but only if they’re hone) But those Arabs better watch where they’re steppin’ We’ve got a brand new secret weapon. We’ll launch a counter-attack, by cracky, And saturate the Middle East with more Al—Faqik’s! (That’ll fix ‘sin) Let’s let Khaled give it a crack, lie’s the straw that a ihcened the camat’s back! Zuheir can stage and direct the attack And if he can’t, we’ll send for ICrchniak! (That ought’a rouse ‘en....I can hear John now...”No, no, Bedouins come in desert left....Kiasinger, don’t you dare upstage paisal! ...Ah! tI’is is a script I like: no women! ..oh..flello, Golda!”) So like the rain on the plain in Spain, The Arab oil, will flow again-Kissinger may get the glory But know the real untold story. Neither us nor aussiani, nor Chinese Could bringKiogFaisal to his knees. Only the overwhelming fear That we’d stage our new piay there next year!
Pane 6-
Some of the references in the song way be hard to understand so I will
define thenu Emrichized -- Bob Emrich is the chairman of the Energy Resources Association and one of our moat adept organizers. The Ai-Faqih family includes our preceptor Selma Rassen as well as Zuheir and Jennifer, who live in Beirut, Lebanon and Khaled who is a chiropractor, which accounts for all the backs and cracks. John Krchniak is the wonderfully gifted man who came faithfully each year to direct our Sufi plays.. I
-
SUFI FAMILY NEWS
Richard Carroll and Cathleen Childers announced their engagement this month......It is tine to think about re-subscribing to The 0 Glow Cbnnie Ebzuke is in charge of all subscriptions and she will change your dollars into rupees •
11cr address is 944 Lee Lane, Concord, Ck 94518.
Subscriptions
are $6.00 by air mail and $4.00 by sea mail....Jarshida’s health will not allow her to sic through a program and therefore all plans for her birthday celebration have been postponed until the Spring. We will crate Babe’s birthday by showing a film of our play “I Never Came, I Never Go...I t With You Aliays” on February 24 at Wheeler Auditorit, This film can be shown by other groups for a rental fee..... Through Bernie Schwartz’s energy, North Peralta College is giving a course on Energy Crisis Survival on Monday nights. The course will, consist of lectures given by members of the Order... • .Ira Deitrick gave an interesting talk on the state of the economy in the United States • For those who are interested they might like to read from the following reading listZmerica’ a camtng Bankruptcy ‘•
Rarvey Peters: Arlington Press, 1973/ Economics in pm. leaaoni henry Haslitt: Van Nostrand Publiahing.(Theory of Money and Credit $ Ludwig Von M.ises: Yale University Press, l953LHoi, You Can Profit From the Coming ]‘ harry Browne: Avon Publishers. Please üñdcrstaäd that4he
solution., offered in thee book. are not nece..sarily advocated by Hurshiaa or the preceptors. Rather they supply historical and factual information on why things are the wy they are and this is more waat we have been con cerned witn.....Charl,es Raya, wao ve Mursiioa massa&e when iii gave us a lecture on massage. Re taAk1 alout the difterences between dish massage, Indonesian massage, ad Janese massage. Hr. Bayc uses a tecanique .Whicn.js a combination ot tee hree. Medical assistance is so scane today we weeuappy tq learn th&mapy neiptul things he explained about aealth. Until tUe next letter, JAX lIAi3A
::
4
SF FANU.Y LETtER March 2
j974
Dea’. .siily, Murshida continues to come to Friday class, though several ago she stayed homc because the ativity o the eek of
F-idays
Baba’s birthday had tired her out 0 ?4urshida announced lat week that she odli again go into partial scluion to work on her book, as . he i very antiou to 0 comleL it 0
Murshida contInues to be very careful of her hcahh 0
he avoids as much actviLy a shc can though that is not alrays i bi e 0 Fo: Murshida’s birthday the Suf is gave her a aidert of flo
ring shrubs
lre.visualy the walk leadi!i from the front of
ChariRian and Duncans house around to the entrance to L1urshida house had only dirt in the space rcvtded fu fher beds 0 project originated from Selna 0
Selma has a Loack for knowing
exactly the kind of present Nurshida will love 0 idea
The
t wasSelma!s
at Christmas fo us to give 1urshida .ume new lothes sewn by
four Sufi girls 0 uc gardcn is filLed wi i:imroses, and Daffodils
The color scheme is pIflk, white, red, and
a few dashes of otr colors 0 added as a final ouch 0
hododendwns, Aalias, Cameltas
A gound cover of mosses has been
Bendict lrk
esponsIhle for coordin
aLin the garden, aily assisted by Nischa Rutenberg and Mike Smith 0 Nurshida is absoluteiy thrilled with her new garden and told us last week that she now loves breakfast in the morning because she can sit in her kitch’en and look out the window at her lovely garden 0 Murshida is quite happy with her new home 0 whIch makes all of us extremely happy 0
Sufs continue to move out to ialnut Creek and
Lafayette in large numbers 0
Since I last wrote you that fifteen or
so Sufis had moved out there, at least a dozen more have followed 0 suit Jiaba’s birthday celebration in Jheeler Hall on the University of California campus in Berkeley was a great success 0 A film based
lage 2—
on the play “Z Never Cone, 1 tever G&’ was shown.
Aneece Hassen,
Bob Enrich, and Las Thompson worked many months to make and synchronize the film. Maya did her worst
——
The original cast was shown.
As usual,
the f Urn lab ruined 400 feet of the film
and lost some pieces and did not obey Bob’s synchronization rules, but inspite of it all it was quite lovely. Murshida had Dick Cruser read a letter she had received from
Kitty Davy of Metier Spiritual Center at Myrtle Beach 0
I. will put it
here in full:
Dear Ivy, A few lines from Elizabeth, Jane, and myself to wish you a very Happy Birthday in Baba’s love - and also a very happy day for you and all your group — your mureeds, for the 25th, Baba’s Birthday.
It seems that this year more than ever before the various groups throughout the States have planned and worked together to express their love for Beloved Baba, usually in the form of plays, skits music, films, etc. — bud. all La ccbponse La Baba’s love. From the very, very beginning with our connection with Babe, He had us get up on the spur of the moment and perform for Him, or if He was to be absent for a while, then His instructions would be to prepare something to amuse tHis when Ii. returned frau a Mast tour.. Looking back, I feel these amateur efforts had but one real purpose they helped to center our thoughts on Babe without our knowing con sciously that we were doing so — a spontaneous act - and nothing was more benficial to getting rid of our egos than to perform, when for most of us this was the last thing we wanted to do — in our thirties and having no taleat!! But Babe knew best, and Re helped us all along the way with His encouragement and enthusiasm - not for the big things only, but for the seemingly insignificant daily actions. This characteristic stands out ever fresh in my memory. And yes, one other thought in relation to these early efforts Babe had us do in the art line we had to learn to work in ups twos and threes or more. Even today, down here, where the groups are working on a scene from “Stay With God” — where twos or threes have different ideas of how!! I say, “Yes, just the same problems and difficulties as we experienced years ago!!!” Babe’s training methods do not really change!
Page 3— I did not set out Co write a letter - only to wish you a very wonderful birthday this year. So excuse just a few passing thoughts. Love frcmx us all, Ki. tty
After the film the Meher Baba League hosted a reception at the Alwnni Club Lounge.
Cookies and puch were served and it was
observed that all had a good time, and much Baba Love was felt that aay. The Washington Sufis, under the guidance of Preceptors Peggy and Andrew Muir, together with local Baba lovers inspired by them, put on a beautiful musical play for Baba’s Birthday adapted from
the book, “The Conference of the Birds”, by the great Sufi
Farid ud-Din Attar. SUFI FRIDAY SCHOOL It has been quite a while since I have written about Sufi Fri day School and so I recently interviewed Allan Shulak, who was appointed by Murshida to coordinate the curriculnn and teaching of 0 the School This year the students are studying Baba’s life.
The
lessbns have been divided into tea sections, each section having a separate teacher.
Each section lasts three weeks.
and teachers are: 1.)
Jeanne Kerr:
MeherBaba’ a childhood and youth.
Baba’s contact with the five perfect Masters. early disciples. (1922).
2)
3)
Phil Phillips:
Pete Wells:
Disciples (1931—1939). Chariot:
Estab1isIneat of Meherahad (1924). Meher Ashram School for boys
World Travel, gathering of Baba’s Western Blue Bus tours of India (1938-40).
Mast Tours (1939—49).
Meberazad (1948).
Baba gathers His
The eatablisheent of His first Ashram in Bbay
Beginning of Baba’s Silence (1925). (1927),
The ten sections
5)
Allan Shulak: Establishment of
New Life (1949-52).
merit of Myrtle Beach Center
—
4) Edie
6)
Ken flaatinga:
Baba’s visit (1952).
staolish—
Baba’s founding
Page 4-
and reorientation of Sufism.
OIclabona (1952).
7)
declaration of 1953. 1954.
Baba’s first auto accident, Prague, Nargo Watson: Highest of the High, Baba’s
Andra tours of 1954.
Final Declaration of 1954.
8)
Men’s meeting of
Claudia O’Ranrahau:
1956
visit to the United States and Australia. Second auto accident, India (1956). 9) Kevin Keutfield: Sahavas at Meherabad and Myrtle Beach (1958).
The Universal Message (1958).
East West
Catheriug (1962).
[0)
Baba’s drug work.
Dropping of the Body and the Last Darshan.
Rick IsaacG:
Final Years (1963—69).
Each teacher researches and prepares their own Lessons. At least half of the teachers named have been in the program since the beginning and 757 of the children have been enrolled since the first year.
Interestingly enough, most of the teachers are not regular teachers. About twice a year there is a play or skit usually centered around the subject the children are studying. C1as begins each Friday evening at 7: 15 with the Zikr. While the teacher says the Zikr aloud the children act it out in
movements,
Presently there are 15 children enrolled:
Heather Smith, Cindy Basham, Lori and Sheila Ceteras, Michael Corrinet, Renee Cruser, Mara Lawson, Michael and Hands Rassen, Sharon Mann, Brian and Nina Phillips, Sean PtzLUips, Lyizia Watson, and Susan Skiff. Cbildreuare now betweea nine and fourteen years old. It is not required that the children be of Sufi or Baba Lover parents. This fall. marked the begianing of the fourth year of Friday School. In the third year the cirricu1am consisted of studyin g the various lives of the Avatar. Buddha, Jesus, Mohameed, etc. In the second year the children studied ês)ers, Saints, and Heroes: St. Francis, )lilarepa, Shivaji, RasL, Confucious, Moses, King Arthur, Socrates, Arjuna, and Babajan.
Nurshida appointed Lud the head of the Friday School and Allan Shulak his most capable 0 assistant The School is beautifully run. Plans for Fall ‘74’ session are now being formed and thia Fall wilL mark the fifth anniversary of the Sufi Friday School,
.
I-
Page 5
SUFI FAMILY Jamesena and Scott Colt have a baby girl born on March 7
They
Barbara and Ric Sc..ps have a boy 00000 have named her Claire Oaeita born on March 12, named Michael
and Bob Manson have
Judy 00000 Aaron
a new little girl born on March 19 named Eve Nerim ,.Peter Brooks 00 and rate Oliver announced their engagement last Friday evening . 0000 In February we bad a visit from Gy Ballard 0
She spent two weeks
here and during that time gave us a talk on her life in Sew Zealand 0 The Ballard°s live a life which is very conservation-oriented. was quite interesting to bear Gay tell us exactly how an
encgycriis
based on
practical
0 experience
write an article on this matter for the
to
It
live in
Gay has agreed to
.The many 0000 miyLer
hassles which have postponed Selma liassen’s Arabic class or a year seem to be ending and it is hoped she can soon begin teaching the class on the Arabic language.. There is a new book in the Sufi 0 Bookstore which I4urshida recosem4s to us. ofers by Ian Dallas. 0 postage
It is titled, The Book
The cost is 95 plus 5 tax and 25ç
The book is about a British spiritual aspirant in Africa
and all his “hang-ups” and blind spots in trying Co be a good
mureed. and I
Murshida read a bit of the book to us the other evening
struck by the simUrty of many of the main character’s conceims and ago battles to my own It is quite couiCorting to as
reále chat inureeds and aspirants the world over have the same kinds of prb1ems and -a1as’ similar blind spots.. . 00 Until the next letter, JAI BABA,
(
37eiT1GE SU I4ThY L3TTfl jinte 16, 1974
Ltetw Tm:ILI;T,
nirs±.
gm:is the
o;! Anril kurshida and (ta,zaian went ór two
0 weeks on a triz to sethern GaiiforvLa
:tiey vistted Dismey1aad
Castle at San hi son an
-aa [ssst4i, 5an C1ese3ite, and the !eani well c Santa Barba!n
i1!rstUt; especially enjoyed ::csinrs flenay”
0 lrc.d an-i ±c eart caat:1a
On her way back up the coast si&e ctor:td
tanrezt in )?ebb!e 1each shce stie and th
$Sr 1nth at a 6 used a oW;
ha; been vn’y busy working on her hook since ztir&.n The uztiio. part o the xtok is finsbech but sW*
ftci: he;: vc;cetton
is new uor±ng em the snp$csiaat which t411 be composed & sany acrim to illustrate th i2rs1tLds baa apnearc’J to be in good health lat&.y and kas tezm 2v.ay
to
On Nonaay eveinnis wc-.are
et.ngs rogularly
havSn’, e:tnsive mgin% practice
the wrpnse cE which is to teseb
0 to sing the Ari and the hymn An Thur parts to a.scc a tape fa’r a
The Sufia are going
station 5s Lrirona and Uank ii&,ndsio reaarisaged
0 the irti sad the Thyam La four parts
A stan fron the station wrcts
to 1turshidu requesting songs and books eiout Babs end the Stiis to 0 out: cm hAs show cong
Uurshicia thought the Arti and the Iiyusi uorld he
to s4ve thnt a feeling of dur group.
Tins sunset i stead of having our ue.al break ên:Lng Jt ).y cad Angust we ‘nfl meet on 4oaday and Wednesday evenings for E ztiwjs.
Ltrsbidc feels very strongly that the roth. Is
for drestb chasmjes 0
She has no hdea when thaw n.y coor,
but feels it will be a series of crnes
0 sza:atLn
a gradually worweS
She 2eaL chat it is ve important that people be3in
€:nusXoptg their c’zpzsihity to cope
e coafltaee of the L LS
will conduct the classes eric! basically they will wake avaUrJle to the groan the :LnfornatLoa and platnina they have been enai 0 in ovat: he last satc-om nonths
The S’f’Lo can then take thic iaf-cr
mation and apply Lt to their own W;es in developing feniily and tadividval plane of coping with crts.
The following ccmuittena
will bt conducting the classes over the ent:
Iamation, Thad
A
Page 2o Gardening, Heat nd Light, Housing, Transportation, Clothing? Blankets, Peraonmellfluman Factors, and Planning. Speaking to the whole issue of conservation is Gay Ballard,
living As I mentioned in the last letter the Bailards are a conseriation’of-resources life style; recently I received the presently
following tips frcxa Gay to share with all on how the Ballarda conserve: ..Probably the main way we save money, cut down our conaaing, is by not using as moch paper products. We use only cloth napkins, no paper towels (cloth dish towels instead), and only the least expensive toilet paper and of course save our paper bags... “.
The next big money saver we’ve found is chickens, though I we had them in Oakland. They are know everyone can’ t keep them feed if you give them half what easy to keep healthy and cheap you use for ccmpost (for that beautiful vegetable garden you surely have) and just wheat bought by the buehelful at a feed store. Six day, and when they stop laying hens give between four to six eggs laying you have a good two dollars worth of stewing hen... to
a
About that garden - we’ve been able to grow all year round because of our chickens’ compost (straw and fertilizer), grass clippings, and the Lemous black plastic. We lay it in strips, the poke holes in it and plant the seeds or cuttings 0 It keeps the weeds away and heats the ground beautifully. holes Host vegetables just need to eat and eat to become strong, healthy, and bug resistant.,. right
in
but at]. together they AU of these things may seem add up to rapidly consuming less and knowing you’re more self’ sufficient as well as saving money.” insignificant
As you are probably aware the Ballards live in New Zealand, but the E..A. Ccittees are out to help us adapt to having less here in America. It seams that the Ballards have a bead start on us “softies”, but with the help of the coaiittees this sur and people such as the Ballards and of course Cod’s Will we will hope fully all learn to live with less. During Nay Viloo Irani c to vi3it us. !‘londay meeting and arrived early friends
and acquaintances.
-
at 6:00
p.m.
She came to a -
to greet old
At 7:30 all the Sufis gathered to hear
Viloo give accounts of her life with Sarosh which ultimately became her life with Babe as well.
After Vi]oo finished speaking the
Crusers and Banic and Judy Mindlin and CarolibLeigh Duce entertained
Page 30 Vileo with old and new songs written by SuEia Then later in ay a singing group called the ew Troubador Singers spent a Friday night with us.
The group sings a New
Humanity philosophy which we all understood
They have a semi-
folk vocal style and their songs invite all, to a more loving and Allan Shulak first heard them and brought a tape
harmonious life.
of their songs for Kurshida to hear.
l4urahida liked them so well
that she extended an invitation for them to sing at a Friday meeting.
The group is from Fiadhorn, a fishing village near Inver
nesse, Scotland, and they are presently in the Bay Area to tape their music for recorda. In the last letter I reported on the current activities of Friday
boo.
Last Friday Allan Shulk announced that )kirahida
0 wishes a second class to be held at Friday School be for children ages six to nine.
This class wifl
The present Friday School will
continue so at least nine additions). teachers will be needed, ead to serve three weeks.
Presently titere are nine teachers 0
last article. n Friday School
After the
it seemed like a good idea to get the
children’ a own iressions of Friday School and what it means to them so Allan gave an aseigmseat to the children to write on this topic:
“What friday School means to me.”
and frequently humorous.
The responses were unique
They are included here:
We have been learning about Babi’ a life 0 We learn what he did and said and the love be gave. Sometimes we play a game or sing songs. Sometimes we draw pictures of things Re did, such as when he went on bus trips to places near India. ,We put on little skits sometimes. 1 too. isually around Christmas and June. Sometimes We put on pøys it is fun and sometimes it is Lynne Watson I like Friday School because I’m learning a lot, and while I’m learning I’m finding out what it’s going to be like if I’m going to be a Sufi. Sometimes the class is boring. I like it when we all get to participate. I’ve been talkiäg with my parents and they say it’s very hard to pay attention and it’s very boring 0 So I’ll probably have to get used to it if I’m going to be a Sufi. We do a lot of different things because we have a different teacher every week. Sean Phillips
Page 4’ What I like about Friday School La that it teaches me a Jot of things I never knew before. What we do is we study about Babe and 0 And that you learn about Babas life 0 We learn about the goal can do things for Babe but you usually can’ C love Baba as moch as 0 Seine ways you can show Him you love Bin is He wants to be loved 0 And at night to Baba and not to try to get mad at people to pray most of all is to love Babe with all your heart, Realty if I had to choose to go and stay home to watch z favorite progru or óome 0 here it would be to cone and learn more about Babes life Randa Hassen
In Friday School we learn a lot about the lives of our saints and 0 Each week we learn something new, but sometimes we have avatars 0 Be to review Right now we’re learning about the life of Mba had such an interesting life and each teacher tells us about differ’ ant parts of it. This makes it more ezciting 0 Each teacher does it 0 Eight now we are being taught by Hrs Watson. in a different way I like it with her because she is very nice and makes it interesting the way she will tell us things Babe said and ask us to try to interpret it. , help us learn, we sometimes see movies or slides, Everyone likes movies and it helps me understand and learn more things When we’re tired we can sometimes play games to wake us up, This helps ne to be more alert afterwards, if I’m tired, It is a fun loving class and I’m glad I can participate 0 I like learning about different avatars, especially Baba 0 Susan Skiff At Friday School we begin with the iw,ocatjon. And today we learned about the Righest of the High. We had a movie of one of Babe’s trips which was very good and very long 0 We learned about Babe in 4yrtte Mach 0 We play a game once in a while, And we do plays. We have stories about Babe which are very good. We have lessons frol 7:15 p.m to 9:00 p.m. We writ, about things like I’m doing uow Brian Phillips I like Friday School, I think it’s fun, We should have more movies We’ve been learning a lot about Babe from last year 0 0 We’ve b*en learning that he went to Jllyod during the l930s We should have same quizses. There could be two ways of doing it 0 One is after three nights the teacher who is teaching give a quiz on paper, The second way is to split up into teams and ask each team a 0 Sometimes I get tr.d of the teacher talking question 0 I think we should play a quiet game. Hina Phillips Friday School is a real fun place. u learn quite a bit, but instead of our teachers teaching us like grown-ups they teach us like 0 Each teacher is different in the way they teach that mniai’grown-upa we may learn one thing in two different ways. The only thing that
j
Page 5 disappoints me is that some of the kids do&t cone so they won’t 0 Sometimes learn anything and Friday School is a real fun thing we have games like telephone or telegraph and soiuetimes we’ll divide up into two different teens and have a quir game In this ge each aide is asked a question about what we’ve learned and if you get it right you get so many points and if you get it rozag, well, that’s soeetbing else 0 I’d really suggest that you send youz 0 kids because you learn quite a bit Lan Ceteras 0 ( = A couple of weeks ago we split our class into two teams 0 Thou our team was cafled the ‘t4eher&’ end the other the “Babes” teacher asks one person on one of the teams a question about what we have learned about Baba If that person can’t arwwer the question he passes it on to the nest person 0 If that person can’ t answer it then it goes on to the other tean What we also have been doing is that our teacher would tell us things that Babe had said and we would have to tell what Be meant by. eayiug that 0 What I like best in Friday School is that I keep learning about new things I had never known before didai’ t understand. Sheila Ce cares SUFI FAMILY NF.WS
Karen Dalton and Pete Wells recently announced their engagement 0 0010 On June 23rd the Sufis will have their annual birthday celebration
for Murabida Martin and Inyat Khaa 0
This year a picnic will be held
in Concord and a buffet luch will be served followed by skits and songs presented by szreeds 0000 a July 21st the annual Sufi hike will be held at Lad 0000 Joseph Difl’ s Barb has been extremely ill recently 0 and in great paine Be is recuperating now and if you wIsh to send cards his address is 10 Berkeley Avenue, Orinda, C 94563.0. 0 Also Ftta Mebdy, Mershida Martin’ a daughter, brake her hip recently and is 0 recuperating
If you wish to send a card her address is 46 Aahbury Street, San Prancisco C 9411700000 SIma Hassen and her four children will be in Lebanon for the ser David and Winifred Kershaw wi)i 00000 be moving back to the Bay Area fran Maryland 0
David has a job in
the Liver&,:e Radiation Laboratory of the University of California 000 . 0 Gary and Patty Gusick are moving to the Los Angelos area . eMad and 00 Dorothea Foote moved back to Washington D.C 0 which is their he after six years in the Bay Area 0 Prior to their departure moat of the Sufis gathered at Selna and Aneece ‘ s house for a surprise going away party 00 . 0
Page 6During Nay meny of the Washington group came to visit including Paula Gordon, Chuck Leimbach, Seth Merriman, Hank Nantaadew, 00 . . Saniya Rsdy was here in April Jennifer lylett Paul Weston from Flint, MLchigan and told us her Baba and become a Sufi.
story
of hew she came to meet
Already in June Stan Alapa cane from
Hawaii for a week, and Nra, Pat Greenwood is on her way here, to .. • .Naoaherwan Anzar wrote rshida 0 go to her new home in Arizona
in the begLuuing of April to request brief write-ups of Baba plays that are produced in the United States and accompanying photographs for the Spring issue
The August issue of “Th. Glow” will be
In the February 1975 issue, Naosherwan will devote the issue to “how we first came to Babe” and to that end. he would like short stories on that topic. Uis address is 613B GuIneas, 3rd Floox 15th KharPali .oad, Bombay, devoted to “Baba through film.”
INDIA 400052... • Jill LePaige will be at the Sufi Center June 22
This is his first trip htre.....Approximte1y sixty Sufl families now live in the Walnot Creek area. 0 from Australia
Until the next latter JAl MBA,
-____•v_
c____,
f.
fltthS
Novejp 18,
1974
Dear Family, Nearly five mon1 have passed the last newsletter surely busy months for all, and most assuredly busiest of all for our During those months Spring as reborn, ripening into the fullness that is Summer.
As the graduay warming Sun coaxed and nurtured the trees into fruitfulness, SO had Murshda hoped to Use those days exclusively for the maturing of her hook. there foljojed the sUa1 hailstorm Instead of problems Visitors, and telephone calls, and what promised to be Murshidats seclusion turned out to be the usual inclusion of all else. Through her devoted perserverance urshidavs work on the book Was completed by mid-July The result of her work was to leave Murshida exhausted and in need of a real rest. Baba in his graciousness ar ranged the perfect spot for Murshida to visit. There Murshida idled for 13 days, rocking Contentedly on the porch of a secluded farmhouse, while the growing Corn Stretched before her in the hot ‘llinoi sun. Before flying back to California Murshida Visited with Ellis Pines and the Chicago Baba lovers She returned form her trip looking radiant and true17 rea to resume her many actjv±ti E.R.A classes and work Continued throughout the summer. Meanw1ile Pascal Kaplan has written a report on it, Which is appended hereto. SEE ATTACIED ARTICLE Surely the E.R.A. classes did keep us busy, yet some of us found time and energy to realize dreams of romance and marriage By the end of August we all had shredded a few handkerchiefs and Perhaps gained a pound or two as we happily joined in the marriage celebrations of: Craig Boyan and Barbara Stanford; Richard Lawrence and Susan Irelan; Richard Carroll and Katki1ee Childers; Peter Brooks and Kate Oliver; Pete Wells .2nd Karen Dalton In July Lud SPOnsored the annual Sufj hike. The origj of this special occasion goes back to when the Sufj Center was in Mann county. When the Center moved to San Francisco the tradition heldl, and the Sufj Continued to go to Lud’s for the lovely group stroll 5 through the Woods.
I
-2--
The Summer also brought the news of the death of two of Baba’s dear ones: Beloved Baba has gently taken to Himself his dearly loved brother Beheram on Sunday, thirtieth June 197)4 after a sudden heart attack. Beloved Baba has drawn to Himself His very dear Nariman Dadachanji. Our loss is Nariman’s gain the silent Stalwart in Baba’s love and service joined his eternal Beloved on second July 197)4. -
The Fall session formally began on September 3rd with the first week of classes. This year there are 14O.L1.2 new candidates, some of whom may approach the class with the same trepidation, confusion, and feeling of unworthiness that many of us did in our time as candi dates. It is wondrous indeed, that we were so graciously taken from the dark and blessed with acceptance into the fold of our Murshida’s light and love. The Friday School for the children continues this year with two classes, one for the younger children ages 6-9 and another class for the older group ages 10-13 years. The curriculum is again being co ordinated by Alan Shulak with Lud as supervisor, sage, and “one who lends encouragement”. The younger children study various saints during the first J45 minutes of their program, while the older children study a variety of topics depending upon the particular teacher’s interests and choice. The two groups then join one another for a twnety minute period during which time such studies as music and body movement might be presented. The last minutes of the class are spent separately again, with the teachers reading aloud from either The Patchwork Girl of Oz for the younger children or the first of the Narnia tales, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for the older children. Murshida recommended to her mureeds the book The Wheel of Life by John Blofeld. And for more enjoyable reading, Francis Brabazon’s collection of ghazals In Dust I Sing has recently been published. Also a new record by Robbie Basho has appeared. The above can all be ordered through the bookstore at the Center. Phyllis Frederick has collected poems, prose, and drawings of Baba from his lovers all over the United States assembled in a lovely new edition of the Awakener magazine, another treat for our perusal.
•
4,
-3Plans for Murshida’s 80th birthday celebration and Baba’s Slst more to be said in follow birthday anniversary are already underway -
ing letters. Plans are also humming for another trip to India. Andrew Mayer is patiently overseeing the many details of the pilgrimage and the inevitable revision of those details. At the present time, there are eight in the group who plan to leave San Francisco on December 14th. The flight is scheduled to stop in Paris, Rome, and Tel Aviv. After a day’s rest in Bombay, the group will travel on to Poona via the “Deccan Queen”, finally arriving at Viloo’s home undoubtably in a state The group will return to San Francisco Anyone wishing to join the trip should con
of collapse and excitement. on the 29th of December.
tact Andrew Mayer in care of Sufism Reoriented. It was learned that Baba’s dear Adi K. Irani suffered a heart He is reported to be conva attack a few weeks ago while in Nagpur. lescing there until he is strong enough to return to Ahmednagar. On a happier note, a lovely concert was given in October featuring Mischa Rutenberg, the New Troubadors (the group from Findhorn), and the Quintescents, a new group consisting of Hank and Judy Mindlin, Dick Toni Hastings records and Antoinette Cruser, and Carol-Leigh Duce. her feelings about the concert: I am so grateful that Ken and I were able to attend the It was such a tremendously uplifting experience. concert. It Baba’s presence was definitely felt by both of us. was as if my heart went out and touched the hearts of every other person in that room. We were all there to gether, Baba’slove weaving us into a beautiful pattern I’ll never forget that with the music as the thread. evening. Other notable events were the birth of two Baba babies: baby Marian Angelique was born to Mischa and Gina Rutenberg, and on Septem ber 17th, baby Everett Charles was born to Karen and Ray Lein. In October Murshida, Charmian, and Duncan travelled to England This trip had been long in the planning and Duncan and and Scotland. The plane trip took Charmian were especially looking forward to it. This scar over 16 hours, during which time no one was able to sleep. city of sleep was to continue through most of the stay in England. Having arrived in England exhausted, Murshida continued to expend tre mendous amounts of energy as she nearly worked around the clock,
_)4_ interviewing the many Baba lovers who requested personal time with On her, lecturing, and graciously being the focus of entertainment. one occasion when the three had gone to bed very late at night and still Murshida managed to rise early for the many scheduled events of the day, Duncan asked Murshida how she could keep up the pace. Mur shida replied, “If I did as I felt, I’d never get anything done.” Murshida praised the London group as “wonderful hosts”.
The
and Peter Townshend thoughtfully arranged the trip and accomodations. Charmian’s film of Baba’s 1956 trip to Myrtle Beach and California was shown twice during their stay, the Committee had invited her
second time being in the Ivy Room of the Star and Garter Hotel where dear Baba had stayed in one of His trips to London in the 1930’s. Charmian addressed the group one night as did Murshida on two Especially on the latter occasion, Murshida different occasions. through her explanation of how the Sufi Order functions and as the result of her perona1 advice to many of the London Baba lovers, was clearly helping the group to establish itself on a firmer basis. Murshida stressed to the young people that they could enter upon separate projects in separate places, such as reading in colleges and other locales, and still work together harmoniously as a group by As Duncan said during his presentation of the trip, “...in the world invisable sparks were flying” as the “love fires were
serving others. burning”.
Of course Maya played her part at various intervals during the trip, not the least of which was the morning the three were awakened at 7:00 a.m. by pounding noises. It seemed that work on an addition to their hotel was beginning that very morning right outside the wall Duncan was sure that one of the workmen was on a of their bedrooms. special assignment to bang on the pipes with a metal rod in a continual manner starting in the early morning. The seven days in England passed quickly and soon the London group was saying a tearful good-bye to Murshida, Duncan, and Charmian as they left for four days in Scotland.
Loel Miller reports:
Murshida’s stay in Scotland was dramatically different from her stay in England.
In England, Murshida and the Knowles worked day and
night at a breakneck pace.
Their business revolved around the lives
-5of Baba lovers living within the crowded metropolis of London. Duncan’s slides showed Murshida in small hotel rooms, always surrounded by people. As Duncan described their visit to Scotland, one felt the hectic The miles of open country apparelled in pace of London slip away. autumn colors and the presence of ancient monuments marking the con tinual passage of time, cast a new hue on this portion of Murshida’s time in Europe. Duncan interspersed his descriptions of their visit with abbre viated lessons in Scottish history. He did this, he said, because the history of the Scottish nation is inescapably present everywhere. Murshida planned her route of the country around places of historic importance in the nation’s founding. Murshida stayed in Gulane two drizzly days.
One day the three
went shopping in Edinburgh and visted the 11th Century Edinburgh From Edinburgh Murshida drove north to Duinformline and then Castle. west to Bannockburn. Duncan’s slides illustrated Murshida’s travels across the starkly Duncan and Charmian went beautiful countryside of western Scotland. horsebackriding in Collander (Charmie on a white horse!) through idyllic woods unchanged since the days of Robin Hood. All the hotels were very cold so Murshida got converted to drinking lots of tea. Many Sufis greeted Murshida in San Francisco with warm and wel coming hearts, glad to have her home safely. Murshida thanked us for a “vacation” and said she was glad to be home. I know that we all felt this gladness in our hearts, for separations like these reveal what Murshida’s closeness allows us to forget: that
allowing her to have
Murshida is a True Teacher.
November 11, 197)4
Beloved Ones of God, I am extremely sorry that your Sufi Family Letter arrives so late. This is due to a rather hectic autumn and the fact that Rebecca Hazlewood has resigned from the Order. I have asked Mrs. Ira Deitrick, known as Ronnie, to carry on this labor of love, which she is happy to do, and the enclosed Family Letter is her first effort. Pascal Kaplan is adding some information about our E.R.A. classes, which have gone on for many months now and represent an enormous lot of work on the part of the mureeds. Unhappily, the cost of paper, printing and postage have gone up to astronomical proportions, and it is impossible for us to keep the Family Letter going unless the recipients are willing to contribute the cost. The work preparation of material, mailing, etc. is, of course, gratis. On going over our records, I find that very few recipients answered our call for contributions to this effect in the past. I am now asking that all who receive the Family Letter send to us -
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$3.00 for the ten issues of 1975, before January 1. I am sad to say that the letter can only be sent out by subscription. With much love to you all, Yours in the Infinite, MURSHIDA
E.R.A. Work and Class Report by Pascal Kaplan
It is a full year now since the Arab oil embargo helped crystallize the world’s energy picture into a visable crisis. As a result of that embargo, the tenuousness of the world and U.S. petroleum supplies was revealed, expressing itself in the U.S. through lengthening lines at service stations and through a scarcity of kerosene, heating oil, and other petroleum products. At that time Murshida suggested that the Sufis organize themselves in order to prepare to cope with what promised to be an ever worsening situation. The result was E.R.A. 1 Resources E and Assistance, with its variety of committees and task forces prepared to examine every phase and implication of the energy crisis. --
With the coming of spring, gasoline lines shortened again; the threat of rationing was withdrawn and for the most part, in the public consciousness, the energy crisis was more or less over. Now, only the 55 m.p.h. speed limits and the slightly higher prices for gasoline products remain to remind us that an “energy crisis” exists. While others might well interpret these signs as an indication that the energy situation was “normalizing”, the Sufis have found themselves, quite on the contrary, gearing up to prepare for a far more serious situ ation than any previously expected. Murshida, it is true, had forewarned us for many years that our economic fabric was a “house of cards;” but few of us knew what she meant until our ERA research began to show us. ERA was organized into a number of committees designed to encompass the various facets of the energy problem: and Energy committee to survey possible alternate sources of energy (mainly wood and woodburning stoves, kerosene appliances); a Transportation committee to analyze Sufi transpor— tation needs, arrange carpools, establish bicycle and car maintenance workshops; a Food committee to research storage and dietary needs in light of possible fuel/fertilizer/transportation breakdowns; a Gardening commit tee to begin training members of the Sufi Order in gardening skills aimed at self-sufficiency in food production; a Clothing committee to access availability of fabric and cloth in the United States and to establish workshops in weaving, sewing, mending, knitting, and clothing alteration and repairs; and an Information committee with the dual task of establish ing a telephone network within the Sufi Order and educating us to access
E.R.A. Report
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the reliability of various external news sources.
In addition to these
substantive committees, two other committees were formed: the Planning committee which was assigned to monitor the direction of ERA work and to examine the long-term implications of the energy crisis; and a “Human Factors committee, whose charge was to address itself to the psychologi cal factors in ERA. work
--
for example, devising “exercises” through which
Sufis might better integrate the various lessons of ERA into their own individual,
life styles.
Thróuh0ut the spring, the committees met regularly to pursue their specific assignments and gather information necessary in order to gain an overview of the whole “energy crisis” situation. One of the first repercus sions of the ERA work was Murshida’s reading a book entitled How to Profit
from the Coming Devaluation, written by Harry Browne, in which Browne pro jects that the West is on the brink of an economic collapse. Although Murshida expressed a number of reservations on Browne’s specific suggestion’ for responding to this threat, she recommended that the book be read by most Suf is in order that they gain an understanding of the American economic system. Ira Deitrick also did extensive research into this question and found that his conclusions largely matched those of Browne: that the American economy has virtually no secure foundation and could disintegrate under the slightest increased pressure. Ira reported and interpreted his findings at a special all-day meeting, with the result that we all became aware, in no uncertain terms, that the dimensions of the “energy crisis” were far greater than we imagined: at stake is not only the gasoline to
run our cars or the heating oil to warm our houses, but the very fabric of the U.S. economic, political, and social systems. Needless to say, with this realisation, ERA work was approached in a spirit of much greater care and seriousness, so that even when the surface manifestations of the energy crisis began to disappear, Sufis remained quite sensitive to the depth of the problems facing the future of our country. One of the main purposes of ERA, Murshida once explained, was to enable us to understand and be able to wisely interpret the events that would be unfolding in the near future.
A Sufi, she indicated, is not
meant to horde supplies and hard goods, nor to retreat into self-imposed isolation for protection that would be of no use to anyone. Rather, in the spirit of service to others, ERA was meant to help us prepare ourselves --
E.R.A. Report
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with the necessary skills, with the intellec tual understanding and with the emotional detatchment to enable us to be a source of material and spiritua] strength to our neighbors should the situatio n take a sudden turn for the worse. It has been in this spirit of learning-for-se rvice that ERA activity has been conducted. Once the success of the committee work in the spring made it clear that we all had much to learn yet abou t survival in a time of crisis, Murshida suggested that we meet twice a week throughout the summer to share information about EPA subjects. The result was a summer course in preparedness, with each of the committe es taking one or two meetings to present the crux of its research and mak e recommendations for Sufi pre paredness. On weekends, committees also offered special skill workshops to supplement the knowledge gained throu gh the lectures with practice in developing skills such as canning, gard ening, sewing, car repairs, etc. The theme of preparedness-- which ran throu gh the summer course-was keynoted by Lud in his opening talk in June. (A tape of this important talk is available to Sufis living outs ide of the Bay Area write to Cindy Ceteras at the Center for infor mation.) In this talk Lud made a number of critical points. First, he made reference to a number of state ments which Baba had made many years ago specifically the Final Declar ation of September L 95 l concerning the breaking of His silence and the destruction of the old world orde r. Although the full significance of this Message can come only from reading it as a whole, a few exerpts here might provide some indication of how t Baba words take on a new mean s ing and significance in the light of recent world events: The time is fast approaching when all that I have repeatedly stressed, from time to time, will definitely come to pass. Most of you will witness those events. I have not come to establish anything new- I have come to put life into the old. I have not come to establish retreats or ashrams. I create them for the purpose of My universal work, only to repeatedly dis solve them once that purpose has been served. The universe is My ashram, and every but I manifest only in those hearts heart is My house; in which all, other than me, ceases to live. Lud pointed out that this means that the universe itself, as Babaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ashram, is itself created and dissolved repe atedly for the purpose of Babaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work . - -
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E.R.A. Beport
_4_
Lud also indicated that the upcoming crisis will be our test, to see whether we can translate what we have learned in our Sufi classes into real life practice: namely, to cast all other but love for God from our hearts. The things which are afoot, he said, will test each indiv idual to see whether he is all God’s or all Mammon’s. The present universal confusion and unrest has filled the hearts of man with greater lust for power and a greed for wealth, bringing in its wake untold misery, hatred, jealousy, frustration, and fear. Suffering in the world is at its height, in spite of all the stri ving to spread peace and prosperity to bring about lasting happiness. In the illusory beginning of Time, there was no such state of mess in illusion as there is today. When the evolution of consciousness began, there was oneness, in spite of the diversity in illusion. With the growth of consciousness, manyness also went on increasing, until now it is about to overlap the limit. Like the wave that reaches its crest, this wave of manyness will dissolve itself and bring about the beginning of onen ess in illusion. Suffering at its height will cause the destruction of this climax of manyness in illusion. The time has come for the pre-ordained destr uctio of multiple separateness which keeps man from expe n riencing the feeling of unity and brotherhood. The destruction will take place very soon will cause three-qua rters of the world to be destroyed. The remaining one-fourth will be brought together to live a life of conc ord and mutual understanding, thus establishing a feeli ng of oneness in all fellow beings, leading them towards lasting happiness.... For the New Humanity to manifest, Lud pointed out, the corruption of the old, decaying order must be eliminate d. And though Baba’s speaking of the destruction of three-fourths of the world was “in his own language” (so that only in retrospect shall we unde rstand what he actually meant by that statement), it is nevertheless clear that forthcoming events whatever they might be have been fashioned soley for the purpose of God’s divine plan. --
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Lud continued his talk by pointing out that although the direction of the U.S. economy is definitely moving towards eventual collapse, no one at all knows when the real crisis will occu r it might be next month, he said, or it might not be for twenty year s. A balance must be main tained, therefore, between preparing ones elf for a sizable crisis in --
S
E.RA. Report
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American society on the one hand, and continuing to fulfill one’s responsi bilities in the current framework of activities on the other. To swing to either extreme, either out of panic or out of ignorance would be to make a foolish error. Anything could happen, Lud advised, or nothing could happen: and the task for the Sufi is to prepare himself for either eventuality. Lud then stressed that inasmuch as no one has any certain idea as to the exact scope or character of the crisis facing us, “preparedness” cannot mean any single thing. Specifically, Lud recommended that each person gather the relevant facts about the current and projected world situation, and draw a. picture of what, to him or her, the forthcoming crisis will be like. Then, on the basis of the personal picture, each individual should make whatever preparations in gaining skills, knowl edge, and, to a limited extent, goods, in order to be able to face such a situa tion with inner strength and confidence. In this respect he also pointed out that the crisis facing us will probably express itself in stages, so that although individual plans may differ, they would probab ly all compli ment one another in time, so that each person could benefit from a vast “reservoir of skills” to be found in the Order. Again, Lud stressed that the purpose of ERA activity is surviv al not profit, and that the purpose of this world crisis is, in Baba’s words, to “help every individual to break himself free from his own bondage in his own way”. Concluding his talk, Lud read from the final paragraph of the Universal Message: All this world confusion and chaos was inevitable and no one is to blame. What had to happen has happened; and what has to to happen will happen. There was and is no way out except through my coming in your midst. I had to come, and I have come. I am the ancient one. *******
ERA activities continued quite successfully through the summer and into the Fall. As of November 1, Murshida indicated she would like us to take a vacation from ERA work and devote out energies toward the February pro grams celbrating Baba’s birthday and her own 80th birthda y. One continu ing effort in the ERA direction, however, will be the editing of a paper back book summarising the findings, conclusions, and suggestions of the
E.RA. Report (
various ERA committees for the general public. One final outgrowth of ERA which perhaps is really at the core of this whole exercise is the creation of individual life-plans. As this is a whole subject in itself, an article in the next family letter will try to explain Murshida!s recommendation that we all prepare an explicit â&#x20AC;&#x153;plan for lifeâ&#x20AC;?. - -
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( L
THIRTIETH SUFI FAMILY LETTER December 18,
1974
Dear Family, The last Friday night meeting before the Christmas break is for me always a memorable one.
Although each year I remind
myself to “keep the Christ in Christmas”, by the middle of December I have again exiled the “real meaning” of Christmas to the back fo my mind and instead focused my attention upon the illusory materialism so prevalent at this time of year. Murshida’s talk of December 14th reveals the true lessons of Christmas
-—
the suffering of the Christ,
the true manner of
giving and receiving and the Joy that is Christmas.
Her talk
to us is enclosed. Murshida concluded her talk by displaying an old shirt of Baba’s that he had worn in the 1930’s.
It had been given
on loan by Jack Small who came recently from India.
Our
Murshida lovingly unwrapped the exquisite pink cloth that huggingly protects the worn garment.
As she held the shirt
over her head she pointed out the raggedness of the garment the stains of dirt and sweat
-—
——
the material evidence of Baba’s
labor of love and f Baba’s suffering.
After the meeting we
individually filed past the shirt where it lay on the altar, some touching it gingerly with their fingertips, others silently gazing at so vivid a relic of the Master.
The “Arti” and “Hymn”
were sung and it was with many a tearful face that the closing prayer was done.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;2-Many announcements were made at the onset of the meeting.
One
of the first announcements to be made had to do with the intended blood drive that one of the candidates, ized.
Sandra Nylander, has organ
Sandra, who is employed by the Blood Bank of Alameda and Contra
Costa Medical Association, gave a brief talk to the Sufis on a pre vious evening explaining that by January 1976 the federal government will have outlawed payment for blood.
This is due in part to the
increasing number of patients, who after receiving blood transfusions, contract hepatitis. the blood,
Hepatitis can be both present and undetected in
arid transferred from the blood donor to the needed receiver.
The move to prohibit payment for blood is also a result of the payment being an easy source of cash for drug habits.
Sandra explains that
community centers are trying to convert their acquisition of blood to an all voluntary donor system to insure, the purest blood possible. Sandraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employers will need 47,500 pints of blood this year. blood will only store for 21 days,
Since
it is easy to see that the recruit
ment of donors to keep up the available supply is a full-time job. Without this needed supply, operations are postponed and more seriously, sometimes, emergencies cannot be met. On December 28th,
Suf is will participate in a blood drive and
open their own blood donor club
--
the Sufism Reoriented Blood Bank.
Anyone in the free world can donate blood by contacting a local community center, that is a non-profit organization(In the USA look under blood banks in the yellow pages).
The Sufi Blood Bank may be
credited or one can open a family blood bank for personal use.
Each
prosoective donor is screened for good health before being allowed to give blood.
We here are all excited about the prospect of helping
this worthy cause.
Sufism Reoriented Celebrates Christmas 1974
Master of Ceremonies Si meon
Lorraine Smith by Hank Mindlin Simeon portrayed by Ken Hastings Joy to the World by the Sufi Chorus
A Christmas Prayer by Neal Crockett Performed by the Crockett Family, Cecile, Neal Benjamin and Ginger piano Bernard Schwartz by Bob Holcomb performed by The Friday School Written and offered by John Hawkins
Earl Turner Kathy Clausen Karen Thure Keith Davenport Don Davenport
Sonya Lawson Roger Siegel David Lawson Stephanie Gets Neal Crockett
by Roger Siegel
by Don Davenport
Randy Hammon accompanies himself and Jeanne Kerr on guitar
The Winter That Was Almost Cold
Selection of Poems Plant a Radish from the Fan tas ticks
Light For Sale T.V. Announcer Young Person Miss Anwar Economist Caveat Emptor My Savior Has Come a cantata singer piano violin flute trumpet
Another Day in the Hierarchy (or) A Cherub Rides Again
by Craig Boyan with a little help from his friends
Charles Parker
Melody Dickinson
Adele de Persia
Tom Smith
Bruce Kinneberg
Jerry Salazar
Kathy Clausen Keith Davenport
Written in 1934 by Randoff
Maraschino Cherub, Director of H.E.A.R. T. Headquarters for Earthly-Astral Rapid Transit Miss Sara Thim, Cherub’s secretary Miss Bay Area Aspirant (also called Am) a disembodied soul Joe Gross, another disembodied soul Miss Am’s former beau Harold (Hal Akwal), Secretary of States
The lobby of the Astral Theater Head offices of H.E.AR.T.
Agnus MacQam, Stage Manager Scene I Scene II
Costumes and Special effects
The Grasshopper—A Tragic Tale a karma-kaze tour of grand opera
Michael Smith Barbara Schapps Robin Eve Adler
by Michael Smith
Choral Director Lorenzo Durham Piano Bernard Schwartz The Sufi Chorus
Jimmy Pearl Second Nurse
Kathy Wiederhold
Everyone
Written and offered by Michael Evans
The Man Who Saw God on the Street a short play in two acts
Take My Hand Christmas Chorals program
—3— The Annual Sufi Christmas Party and Program succeeded in bring— ing tears of laughter to Murshida’s eyes this year as her inureeds presented her with a kaleidoscope of skits and songs.
Grateful that
Murshida’s health has remained so steady for the past month year at this time Murshida was quite seriously ill
--
--
last
the flow of love
and enthusiasm increased as the day’s activities shifted from the bazaar to the luncheon and from the luncheon to the program. Master of Ceremonies for the program this year was Lorraine Smith, who,
incidentally, was recently admitted to the California
State Bar as an attorney.
Highlights of the program included Ken
Hastings dramatic portrayal of the Biblical figure Simeon seeing Christ-Child for the first time; a spoof on Grand Opera, directed by Lorenzo Durham and offered by the Sufi chorus; Michael Smith which,
and a short play by
though ostensibly fictional,
succeeded in
transmitting the genius of Baba’s working in one man’s experience. Other skits included “Another Day in the Hierarchy or A Cherub Rides Again” featuring Maraschino Cherub, Miss Sarah Phim, Harold (Hal) Akwal as the Secretary of States, Stage Manager,
and Angus MacQam, as the
in a skit which humerously compared the experiences
of two disembodied souls;
“Lightfor Sale,”
a commentary by
Don Davenport on the difference between the wares of a true spiritual Master and the wares being offered to the general public by those hailing the age of “Instant Enlightenment,”
and, of course, a pro—
duction by the children of the Friday School about a witch who almost succeeds in banishing the Christmas spirit. Interspersing the skits were a number of musical numbers: original contata “My Savior Has Come” by Roger Siegel; Prayer” written and performed by the Crockett Family;
an
“A Christmas and “Take My
—4— Hand” by Michael Evans.
In conclusion,
in a number of Christmas carols.
the Sufi chorus led everyone
This lovely program will be one
remembered with much good feeling by all those who participated and were present. Tryouts for our Sufi play were held this weekend.
The party
for Murshida’s 80th birthday to be held on February 22nd,
promises
to be a grand occasion and all should really make an effort to be present.
Baba’s birthday celebration will be the next day,
Sunday,
February 23rd. Another happy event was the announcement of the engagement of two of our lovely members
——
Andrew Mayer and Nancy Shimer.
They
are among the group of nine who left for India on December 14th. The beginning of the new year will bring the onset of a new class to be given at the center on Thursday nights by Jeanne Kerr. will teach a series of evenings on Dr. Training.”
Jeanne
Gordon’s “Parent Effectiveness
Murshida has suggested that most parents could benefit
from these classes,
and as Jeanne can offer them at a substantial
reduction of tuition, it is a rare and fortunate event for both the harried parents and their equally harrassed children. During the last month the Center has been beautifully decorated with two major exhibits of art work, one by Mischa Rutenberg and one by Dianne Cobb.
Both artists displayed many beautiful paintings in
oil and other media of dear Baba and it was a delight to see the Beloved’s face shining on the walls of the meeting room. Naosherwan Anzar’s beautiful collection of photographs and stories of Baba’s life has been released.
The Beloved is a real
treasure with many new pictures of Baba never before seen and many moving accounts by various mandali and Baba lovers of their contact
—5— with the Master.
Copies may be ordered from the Sheriar Press.
For
each copy send $10.75 to Sheriar Press, P.O. Box 1023, Crescent Beach Station, North Myrtle Beach, And to delight the ears,
South Carolina 29582.
the New Troubadours record “The Winds
of Birth” is available at the center.
It is a feast for the hungry
heart as well. For some time, many of the Suf is, in particular Lud and Aneece, have been looking for a center, while many of us have uttered a prayer or two.
Wel1,after many months,
a site has been found that meets
all our specifications and requirements.
On Friday, December 13th,
after many meetings with the present owners during which time Aneece —.-—
“did a lot of patient negotiatinga contract was signed for the pur chase of a ÷--÷÷±÷÷““
NEW
The site of the new Center is the present Iron Gate Restaurant, 1300 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek.
The building itself is approximately
13,000 square feet with 7,000 square feet on the lower level and 6,000 square feet on the second level. which will hold 400—500 persons, an unobstructed view
The upstairs meeting room
is approximately 80’ by 45’ with
(no pillars!)
of the 33’ by 15’
stage.
The site has a parking lot for about 75 cars plus on street parking as well.
There is also the added bonus of a two bedroom house
with detached garage in the back.
Both the house and buildings are
on 1.2 acres of land. —We have agreed on a price of $225,000 for the entire property which is somewhat less than the $400,000 we were quoted at first.
—6— The Center itself has no money to put into buying tie property funds are used for buying books, head,
etc.
--
all
rent,supplies, printing costs, over
A number of Sufis have come forward and offered to help loans and fund raising ideas.
with donations,
However, at the present
time we are considering only two alternatives for those who wish to help: 1)
an outright gift or donation, in an amount one can afford and wishes
to give freely. 2)
an interest free loan.
preferably $500.
Here, one may loan an amount of money
or more for a period of from five to thirty years. The
principal amount will then be returned to the lender at the end of that time unless he instructs otherwise. Aneece says that several individuals have savings accounts and use the interest for school, rent, etc.
They have asked if Sufism Reoriented
could use their money like a bank, that is, lend the money and Sufism pays 5—6% interest ;for three to ten years.
If one wishes to do this,
please contact Aneece personally and give him all the details. this time, looked.
At
every possibility is being weighed and none are being over Aneece .W. Hassen 3691 Nordstrom Lane Lafayette, CA 94549 work phone:- 283-6164 415 -284-1292
Aneece can be reached at:
Home phone:
We must know who, what,
and when by J1\ITUARY 15th.
funds for the building any time up to February 5th,
We can use
1975.
If tax
deduction is wanted for 1974, checks must be received at the S.F. Center before
December 31,
1974.
We cannot issue receipt for donations
if we deposit funds after 3:00 pm, December 31 for 1974 tax returns. With such good news
--
it is already the start of a
Happy New Year, Love in Baba, 7L
CHRISTMAS 1974
-
(Show Baba’s Shirt)
This year we must be especially aware of the sacrificial offering Baba has made of Himself.
We must really keep in tune
with Him as much as possible, because He has always asked us to live in the NOW. Every year at this time I talk about giving and receiving. Giving cannot be a trade.
If it does not contain love, a gift
Baba made a point of this when at one time He sent
is worthless.
Dr. Donkin over to this country to collect money to help feed the poor.
It was the first time Westerners were allowed to share in
His work.
(Describe)
Baba so often refused money from some people and accepted it from people who had very little, even as He did as Jesus when He received a widow’s mite. We are told that merchants and commercials have taken the Christ out of Christ-.mas. Greetings.”
We even send cards saying “The Season’s
That was apparently created so that Jews, Muslims
and Christians could regard the day as a holiday without acknow ledging each others’ religions.
And yet the Avatar has always
told us we are One. It is important to learn giving and receiving as an art, and I shall be very disappointed if any Sufi fails in this. On one hand I find a great many young people seem to think that because they are now acknowledging Baba as the Christ and they claim to love Him, that therefore He should take away all of their problems.
I even hear the expression “Why is Baba doing
Christmas 1974
2.
this to me?” or “I have prayed and prayed but nothing happens.” Well, this is trading in love, and Baba has always said that love cannot be a trade.
You should love without expecting rewards,
no matter whether it be with other human beings or with God Himself.
You must learn to accept your life as you have created
it and conditioned it by some six or seven million lifetimes preceding this. karma.
God will seldom, if ever, interfere with your
y
Qi—
We need to screen our motivation when it comes to giving, and we must also remember that giving can be done without fancy packages. We can give to Baba by trying to please Him, by helping His humanity, by giving time to the work at our Center, and, despite the rush of our days,: giving consideration.
Sometimes it is
difficult to even remember or take time out to call a sick friend, or go to see them or send a note, and yet these are among the best gifts of all. Many of your generation have gotten a confused impression of what selfless service means.
I remember one girl who is a
most talented artist and who thought she had to forsake her calling
and become a nurse in order to help people.
It was difficult at
first to get her to see that carrying bedpans and helping sick people was not her calling, because God had given her certain talents and potential which she must
L0 ‘
Quite a number of young people have come to my notice who threw up intellectual jobs in order to work with their hands. This can be very right in some cases, but wrong in others,
‘—‘
3.
Christmas 1974
depending upon motivation. Some people have the idea that writing checks is not self less service.
However, the money represented by these checks
had to be worked for, and that all goes into the gift.
I
remember great arguments which ensued in the early days of the Rockefeller Foundation.
Many people felt that giving huge sums
of money for hospitals and research did not mean much.
However,
if it depended on people by local contributions to build such vast buildings and enterprises for the sick, it would never get done, and so there is a great purpose for money, as well as for other commodities, as long as it is used to help others. The most pernicious antagonist to Christmas giving, and receiving is one of the seven deadly sins
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
pride.
Some people
take pride in giving, which is wrong, but pride also must not enter into receiving.
It is particularly deadly here.
Learn to
be good receivers. You should never tell others not to give you a present because you cannot give one in return, or because you feel under We must be big enough and generous enough to let
obligation.
others balance their karma and not restrict them from a chance at heart expansion. get to God
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
You know we do not need mind expansion to
we need only heart expansion.
I might interject here my solution of what to say to children when they begin to feel that there is no Santa Claus because their playmates have told them so.
One must explain to a child that
Santa Claus is a spirit who is represented by this familiar symbol. Also, that it is only when children are small that parents and
Christmas 1974
4.
friends can give them Christmas presents without it seeming a sort of duty, and without expectation of thanks.
Parents love to make
their children happy, and all enjoy the magic of the Spirit of Christmas as exemplified by Santa Claus.
It can be a good example
to a child of giving without expecting either a present back or a reward of some sort.
Joy This is traditionally a season of Joy
—
in antiquity God had
the implication of great joy, but the later stern sense of duty, militant dedication and solemnity in religion have caused most people to lose the Joy. We believe God wants us to be happy, but we seem to find no way to be happyl
If we are, we almost feel conscience stricken.
Sufis know that God wants to experience His own nature through His Creation, and wants to know Himself in man
—
to re
lease all good, beauty, truth, love and joy through mankind. When we coordinate our lives with the Divine Plan, we discover joy. What is happiness? many doesn’t it mean:
--
prosperity, good luck, things?
To
“If I have what I want, do as I please,
influence other people the way I want, I will be happy.”? Status and all such symbols of happiness come from outside, and this sort of joy requires also that we have colossal forget— fulness
—
so that we can forget our past, mistakes, what people
did to us, etc.
But we can’t.
Real happiness is a state of well—being that comes from inside
-
the Sufi knows he has to establish it, to set up the
Christmas 1974
experience of happiness so that it is living. it till doomsday and still be miserable I does not excite people
-
You can talk about
Counting your blessings
they are too busy fighting everyday
miseries. When I was young there was a better sense of happiness among young people
—
there were miseries, but educational methods,
politics, etc., were not so pressureful. was simple and relaxed and not costly. Huckleberry Finn.
We made our fun
-
it
This was exemplified by
Too many of today’s young people’come from
broken homes, are insecure, or went through economic depression. They have nothing to hook the happiness concept onto I not always been a lovable thing. from outside.
Family has
Pleasures are all artificial
—
They have fear, but little faith.
Instead of feeling that things are right, young people think everything is basically wrong and become critical, dissatisfied and rebellious.
Out of this comes a subtle form of self—excuse,
to be poor citizens.
How can you be at peace and joyous in an
upside down world, threatened with nuclear fission? The Sufi’s world of a thousand years ago did not make people deliriously happy, either.
You can have just as much fear
crossing the plains on horse or camel with arrows darting at you as in a jet with atomic weapons trying to cut you down.
They were
just as desperate over their rulers’ perversion, despotic ortho doxy, and general selfishness.
(Ramadan)
Most spiritual life
is brought out by having to meet emergencies. Our way out is to re—establish a natural way of life instead of conforming to an artificial one.
It takes hundreds of thousands
Christmas 1974
6.
of years to produce a human being with full consciousness should not just have herd instinct.
—
he
We are the Sons of Heaven
with more insight than other creatures.
This insight must be
developed through simplification of values, which will relieve the mind and emotions from stress. of mind.
Complication destroys peace
The Sufi develops discrimination in values
—
he realizes
that happiness is not the result of what others do for him but the dynamic expression of his own dynamic divinity, and love, and that he stays true to God. God is true to us.
He comes again and again to set us an
example of joyous living, despite the inevitable crucifixion. Only the direct experience of the presence of God, such as Brother Lawrence spoke of, can change our outer life, for the world is what it is. Baba’s love transmutes and transforms us.
We have only to
be quiet, to be simple, to focus on Him in the midst of external chaos
—
to be less aware of ourselves and more of Him.
There
really is Joy and beauty everywhere, and peace and security if we remember we are never alone, that the universe and we forever belong to God, who is love, beauty and joy.
THIRTY-FIRST SUFI FAMILY LETTER January 28, 1975 Dear Family, On January 2)4th Sufism Reoriented, Inc. became the official owners of the Iron Gate Restaurant, the future home of our new center. We are all thrilled, although as Aneece said, “Now our problems begin”. The building in its present state is far from usable, and will require alot of work before it will be ready for meetings. Work crews have begun the chore of cleaning the build ing and the small house that will be Eleanore Smith’s residence from top to bottom. Walls and ceilings are being prepared for a fresh face of paint (including sandblasting the huge cathedrallike ceiling of the soon to be meeting room), while grease and food stains are being scraped from kitchen appliances and surfaces. In short, the material shell of the building is being transformed in hopes that it will be a fitting receptacle of the Master’s love. The first Friday meeting to be held at the new center will be on Valentine’s Day, February l 4th, the occasion of the initia 1 tion of this year’s mureeds. For those working on the center, this date will be a focus to have the major stage of work com pleted. The center will again be opened for use on the week-end of February 22nd and 23rd, the date of the birthday celebrations for Baba and Murshida. Murshida’s birthday will be celebrated on Saturday, February 22nd beginning before noon with a light repast and continuing in the afternoon with a “skit play”, written and performed by the Sufis, a la Cecille B. DeMilles, with the usual cast of thousands participating. In fact, the producers, Duncan and Charmian Knowles are worried that there won’t be anyone to sit in the audience with Murshidat It surely promises to be a grand occasion, one filled with laughs and tears, and it is our hope that the day will be a memorable present of our love for our dear Murshida. Baba’s birthday will be commemorated on Sunday February 23rd with a lovely program, a pot pourri of music and film plus a short play directed by Murshida herself. We look forward to seeing those of you who will be able to attend. (Please do not plan to bring small children under the age of five years old as the performances will be taped.) The hospitality committee can help to arrange accorriodations, if needed. Contact: Melody Dickenson/97)4 Danville Boulevard/Alamo/Ca. 9)4507, phone 415820-1185. The center is still in need of additional financing. A number of fund-raising ideas have been submitted to Murshida in cluding a ballroom dance or square dance and a bake sale. Necie Jensen (Carol-Leigh’s mother) has offered to plan a flea market
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similar to the one she organized in Myrtle Beach. Pascal and Jan Kaplan have already implemented their ingenius idea of opening their house as a restaurant for four Saturday nights catering dinners for a donation of $14.00 a person towards the center. As we scurry about during the next few weeks, busy with work on the new center and with rehearsals, etc. we know that Baba is indeed watching over us, as our pace quickens, while patience and enrgy are stretched. We pray that our thoughts will remain on Him and that His words “Do your best. Don’t worry. Be happy.” will be ever more in our minds and hearts. At a recent Friday night meeting we heard the stories of the group that made their pilgrimniage to India during the Christmas season. Andrew Mayer describes their trip and some of their impressions: On Saturday morning December li-I, our group of nine set out from San Francisco on a journey to Meherabad. The ladies pre dominated, being seven (Nancy Shimer, Tracy Craig, Myra Hocking, Pat Tomasevich, Pat’s cousin June Wilson, Meg Mayer, and Jill Davis) while the menfolk numbered only two (Greg Karakashian and Andrew Mayer). One of the more unique features of the trip is that we had no missed plane connections, no misplaced luggage, no lost personnel, no nonexistant hotel reservations everything followed according to plan. We got a taste of how well Baba was caring for us right at the start when our special TWA agent arranged for our overweight luggage to pass inspection free of charge. -
Arriving in Bombay in a daze some 28 hours after leaving San Francisco, we made it through customs and were initiated into Indian cab rides en route to the Taj Mahal Hotel. Leaving the next morning via the Deccan Express for Poona, we arrived at the Hotel Amir about noon. That evening we were treated to a visit from Rusy, Meherjee’s son-in-law, and later Jal, full of pixielike smiles and twinkly eyes. The morning of the 18th we departed Poona for Meherabad in a blue mini-bus whose hire was arranged for us by Meherjee. When we later met Adi K. Irani, he said that the noise in such busses reminds him of Baba describing the noises of the universes grind ing against one another as Upasni Maharaj brought Baba down through the planes after Babajan had kissed Him. Adi describes what Baba said in the recent Glow. We drove straight to Meherabad and climbed the hill to Baba’s Tomb, most of us for the first time. Thus, for myself at least, the purpose of the journey was fulfilled. Then we returned to Viloo Villa where Dara and Amret greeted us joyfully and sat us down to late luncheon, which we all needed.
-3(Viloo was in Bombay, and as it turned out, we never saw her during our entire stay). We rested a bit and then pai d a quick visit to the Trust Office, me eting Padre, Rano, Mani, Eru ch, and Adi. The ensuing days were spent alt ernately at Meherabad and Meherazad, visiting with the mandali, our minds happil y empty of the usual worries and madly rushing thoughts, qui eted by Baba’s loving presence. The mandali seen to me to be wholly focussed on Baba. thought or word or subject Any that comes to mind, it remind s them of a time with Baba or a story that He told them. Visiting with Mehera, climbing Seclusion Hill with Eruch, touring the museum at Meherabad with Mansari all Baba, Baba, Baba. Our hearts were filled to their respec tive capacities. This was especially so when Myra, Nancy, and I wer e with Eruch in his cabin, and he spoke very softly and tender ly about how close we all fel t. said it was always good whe He n the Sufis conic and so enjoya ble because it made them all thi nk of the times when Murshida Duce had visited Baba. Those were such “sweet” times, Eru ch sai d, and Baba would be so’ hap py. -
The 22nd was Mehera’s birthd ay celebration at Meher complete with birthday cak abad, e from Viloo Villa. Songs and skits were enjoyed by all. Our group put on sonic short skits based on Idries Shah’s adventures of Mulla Nasrudin. On Ch ristmas Day there was also a special program, this time in Manda li Hall at Meherazad. For this occasion we did a dramatic reading of the Christmas story interspe rsed with appropriate Christ mas carols. On Monday the 23rd, Ma ni had given “Mr. Jessawala off so that he could take ” the day us to the Ellora caves, some three hours bus ride north and east from Ahmednagar. These are Hindu, Jam, and Buddhist caves, carved with great intricac out of solid rock over a y and detail period of centuries. Baba visited there and also went nunerous times to nearby Khuldaba d where Eruch took us that afternoon. Here he showed us a bungal ow where Baba sometimes stayed and als o a small mosque, “Baba’s hideout”, where He would come incognito . At night Baba would visit tomb-shrine and while sit a nearby ting cross-legged, bow His floor a hundred times ove head to the r keep count with matchstic and over for hours, while Eruch had to kes. John and Dot Carhart, Su Washington, came with us f is from on this wonderful and spe cial all-day excursion, as did Farhad Shafa. They had all three flown us from New York to Bombay with and were staying at Viloo’ s, On the 26th we said our goodbyes amidst many “Jai and shouts of “Avatar Me Baba!”s her Baba Ki Jai!”, makin g our way back to Poona in our little bus. We were accompanied by Bha us with stories the who u, who le way. We spent the next day vis filled Baba places in Poona alo iting ng with Mike and Isa Ca two little ones. mp bel l and their They are in good health and good spirits, though missing being near Mursh ida. The mandali send “Jai Ba bal” and love to all. *
*
*
As promised in the E,R.A. report that accompanied the November Family Letter, here is a report on “life plan”, compiled by Robin Eve Adler. This subject seems increasingly important everyday. One Friday night last Spring, Murshida read the Sufis exerpts from a book that Charles Purdom wrote in 1932 entitled “A Plan for Life”. At that time Murshida said. “Nothing could be more to the point than for each of you to be thinking about such a thing as a plan for your life.” The passages from which Murshida read and commented upon provided. us with suggestions as to how (and why) we could begin to make such a plan. I believe that the best way to describe our many months of concern over our Life Plans and to clarify its meaning to you is to go back to some of those passages that Murshida selected. Murshida stressed the need for an individual sense of destiny. (While fate is what must happen, destiny is what we make happen; Murshida described a sense of destiny as an act of ‘i will, a being aware of one’s destination.) As she put it, “We are projected New Humanity’; we must, therefore, have a life plan “in order to help our parched world have a new life and a new wheel sprong.” In order to do this, Murshida said, a technique (complete with tools and procedures!) of livin g is necessary. To help us grasp this concept, Murshida used Charles Purdom’s analogy of the architect who makes a plan for a new build ing. An architect must first know the purpose that the build ing is to serve. He then prepares a rough sketch plan; and although this may not end up as the final working drawing, it is this plan which he keeps before him as he works to remind hims elf of his original conception. In this way, he can consciously measure how much he wishes to depart from it. This is a tecnique that we can use to shape our lives. However, Murshida pointed out, “We haven’t a clean slate.” We are all existing in partly-finished buildings which we must extend, reconstruct, and redesign. To do this, we have to take a good look at our personality and circumsta nces and then start from where we are right now. How do we go about mapping out this Plan for Life? Clearly, the first need is for a’sense of right values”. Murshida suggested that we make an actual list of what our values are and that includes our great noble aspirations as well as our smaller pre ferences and tendencies (e.g., I value the warmt h of family, a full stomach, my friends, dependable tires, a place to be alone, my life with Murshida and Baba, my good health, my hikin g boots, my singing ability, my blue cat’s eye marble???!) Then, taking a look at this list we can ask ourselves (and write down) what do I overvalue? (that marble!), what do I underv alue? Now we can try to put down where we feel our life is leading or -
-
a
-5where we really want it to lead (our destiny). Now from that list of our values and our projected desti tion we can make a balance sheet. In this way, we can see which of our values are at crosspurposes to our goal(s). It is very helpful to prioritize all the various kinds of values and needs and these priorities differ for everyone. What we have at this point is a kin d of spreadsheet that is a way of helping us get a perpec tive on our t!directiohst so that we can begin to plot out a practic al plan for attaining our long and short range goals. -
We were inspired to orient our lif e plan around the basic needs that the E.R.A. committees were addressing. Therefore our first introduction to making a Lif e Plan was made more digestible; our attempts were divided into bit -size pieces as we formulated specific plans for self-sufficie ncy in the various committee areas (food, clothing, energy-fuel, transp ortation, housing, medicine, fitness, information gathering, etc .). By practicing on these easily definable areas, the con cept of a larger life plan became clearer and more inevitable. So, our original concern was: How would we manage to sur vive in the worst of times? Wh at vital and saleable skills do we possess/need? We worked backwa rds, step by step, from crisis preparedness to the immediate needs of our lives. We began to realize, as Lud later pointed out, that any way we can prepare ourselves, with skills and kno wledge, will certainly be useful someday. And, as we canTt foresee the cha nges that will unfold in the world, we must learn to be flexible and discriminat ing. Therefore, as Baba planned it, we will each do what is the thi ng we are best at doing those special talents and uflairsH that we brought to this lifetime to provide the spectrum of intere feelings, and services that sts, will lay the groundwork for His New Humanity. -
-
A Life Plan the concept was at first vague and fuzzy; sometimes the words loomed above our heads in huge unattai nable neon letters, standing on the ir own far apart from ourTlmeagre gestures and insufficient . attem 1 1 pts Gradually the concept be came less of a burden and mo re of a challange on the horizo n. Today, the idea (and the act uality) of a Life Plan seems neither awesome, nor rigid, nor dem anding. For me, at least, it is simply the only possible route to take to link my days together and to sort my way out of the confusion of the times. As Murshida said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Baba calls upon us to learn to face every possible turn of life so that we will have nothing to 1 fea 1 r. This is what Murshida prepares us to do and what a Life Plan can help to do to prepare ourselves materially, emoti onally, and spiritually to be able to walk straight towards the pur pose of our lives and to take life as it comesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bravely and cheerf ully. -
-
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Friday night, January 21st, we will commemorate Baba s T Amartithi at the last Friday night meeting scheduled at 1290 Sutter Street San Francisco. After the birthday celebrations on the weekend of February 22nd and 23rd all Sufi classes will resume at the new center on Boulevard Way in Walnut Creek. The San Francisco center and bookstore will remain open during February. It is really an exciting time I Love in Baba,
/
-
4-
THIRTY-SECOND SUFI FAMILY LETTER March
3, 1975
Dear Family, At the time of the printing of the last family letter Murshida was on the very edge of a terrific bout of viral influenza. For a period of two weeks, Murshida was forced to remain in bed with severe pain arid discomfort. All of us knew Murshida’s illness to be very serious, especially those who were attending to her needs during this time. They were reminded of the periods when beloved Baba would undergo severe suffering while the Mandali who sadly witnessed His pain, could only stand by seemingly helpless. Mur shida was treated by an international group of doctors, Doctors Wong, O’Hanrahan, Al-Faqih, and Weinstein. Despite their various medical backgrounds, these doctors were able to consult, agree and administer so that with Baba’s will, Murshida seemed to be recover ing slowly. Yet, the doctors felt that Murshida’s condition would not permit her attendance on Initiation night, scheduled for the second week of February. Loel Miller reports: On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1975, twenty-seven aspirants were initiated into the Sufi Order. As Murshida’s health prevented her from attending the meeting, her preceptors Marge and Charmian performed the Initiation ceremony. Each will teach half of the large group, This Initiation was especially significant to the Order as a whole. It was our first Friday night meeting in our lovely new Walnut Creek home. Lud opened the meeting with a prayer. He asked God to give Murshida strength and to help her according to her needs, and that all meetings and activities that take place in our new Center be directed towards Baba and the search for Truth. We all deeply missed Murshida’s presence at the meeting; we had not seen her for several weeks as classes had been cancelled in order to accomodate the hectic birthday preparations. And yet, as Murshida had o every detail of the evening meeting, we felt the presen tended ce of )er love and guidance. After the new mureeds had repeated their vows and each (Delved one tiny yellow rose, Lud led us in the Parvardiar re Prayer zmd the Prayer of Repentence. He reminded us that although the new mc3eting room is so beautiful and radiantly fresh, we need to begin building the Baraka in our new home. Murshida had arranged for us to watch a fufl-length film aboit he life of Buddha for the remainder of the evening. Murshida and Carnii bad seen this film, sirpiy titled “Buddha’, abcut 24 years a. It is a Japanese feature movie dealing with life in the world during the days when Buddha was the Avatar on earth in India. The film is geatly entertaining; images of elephants, exotic color &nd cctuL1es, and evil sorcereis raced before our eyes for over two hours.
-2-
And yet through all the glitter and drama penetrated the clari ty of Buddha’s message, and the impact of the hardships that the world imposes on the true disciples of the Avatar. I talked later with Charmian about the film, and she pointed out how appropriate it was for us to see what qualities were required of Buddha’s disci ples on our own Initiation night.
However, even with rest and all the medical assistance avail able, Murshida was to suffer a relapse beginning on the eve before her birthday celebration, February 21st, bringing her again renewed symptoms of pain, chills, and fever. This relapse was felt to be inevitable, the last of the virus working its way to the surface. After renewed treatment of antibiotics, Murshida’s pain diminished and blessedly left her by Sunday. The doctors assure us that now Murshida is making a slow and steady come-back. Althou gh she is still quite weak, Murshida is already “taking up the reins again”, caring for us all while continuing her recouperation. Despite the return of her illness, Murshida attended her birth day celebration on Saturday, February 22nd. It was deeply touching to see Murshida bravely endure obvious discomfort in order to be present. The presumed sacrifice of our many hours of rehearsal melted away upon seeing Murshida in the audience and realizing the sacrifice with which she was making her appearance. Murshida’s birthday began early for some as they prepar ed food or set tables for the expected 250 luncheon gues ts. Ruth Mann did the wonderful job of organizing the food prep and all the trimmings for a sitdown dinner of chicke arations n, string beans, jello mold, salad, carrots, and homemade bread which was served in the downstairs of our new center. The long bench-like tables had been built the day before by some of the boys especially for the occasion. Meanwhile, cast and stage crew were busy upstairs, apply ing make-up and donning costumes for the perform ance of “Down thru the Ages”. Murshida arrived at 1:00 o’clock and so... on with the shows some with Many were
The play was an embroidered version of what was of Murshida’s previous lifetimes, packed every proposed to be other sentence puns, slapstick comedy and occasional spurts of song and dance. new faces were to be seen among the cast a a few new voices delightfully to surprise us with their melodi ous tones.
The play began with a chorus line of “beaut ies” dressed in multi-colored sheets with matching auras, softshoeing to the refrain of “We live in the best age, the age of Atla ntis”. The acting of the scene took place at the Temple of Healing, Atlantis, where Kate (liver Brooks as Ivy Duce is being beseiged with questions and prob lems from fellow Atlantians. We are introdu ced to Rabia Martin who will frequently reincarnate through the play with Murshida. Bill
—3Bodman, a new initiate, played Baba in this scene, singing his message to Ivy in the form of a jazz waltz: “Intuition...it speaks to your mind....just trust it and find...your heart”. The scene ends with the appearance of MRO (Ellen Sirota) who foretells the inevitable end of Atlantis. With this added forecast, Murshida, trusting her intuition, dons snorkle and fins to the accompanying laughter of others who assure her that this is the best age! The scene closes with the advent of the predicted flooding of Atlantis with all a-swim, in fins and wet suits. We are then transported to Egypt, Scene 2, where a barge with Queen Nefer-Charmy and King Tut (Karen Sturkin and Gary Rutkin) is arriving accompanied by four black-haired dancers and a chorus who sing “Palm fronds and lapis lazurely...smiling all the while...at the crocodile...in Nefer, Nefer Land”. All are received by High Priest Ivy-Onietaton (Peter Brooks) whose every word of significance is re-echoed by his guardsman (Dick Clark) with a grand bong on the gong. We are introduced to Alan Cohen as Cohen—ra, one of the many roles he is to play as “revolving occult-dappler” throughout the play. Because of his refusing to give up “all this black magic stuff”, High Priest Ivy Onietaton orders epiethrown in Cohen-ra’s face in order to counter-balance his desire for fame and power. The scene ends with Moses and brother Aaron’s arrival at the court, 40 years too early. High Priest gives Moses the 10 Commandments saying: “Moses, take these two tablets, get plenty of rest and call me in the morning.” Scene 3 begins with a chorus of Greek dancers accompanied by one slightly rebellious belly-dancer (Gail Smith) who then becom e an enthusiastic crowd listening to Hubris Humphrey (Phil Phillips) “Sophist candidate for the Athenian Way”. This time, Mursh is played by Ira Deitrick as Ivios, of Tice Vallicus, leader ida of the Loyalist Party. An all male cast holds court preside d over by Repugnicus (Andrew Mayer) in order to decide the case of Rabius Martinus (Ken Hastings). Rabias has been accused of being a heretic for his belief in one God. Rabias explains, “The states’gods are merely the states of God”. This scene had a more serious flavor than the previous two. Ivios recognizes Rabias as “some someone to be followed”, his teacher, whom he embraces one great, along with Charminides (Jim Peterson). The court votes against Rabias, and he is condemned to exile. Ivios and Charminides join Rabias and the three go off cheerfully together. -
Jerusalem, Scene 4, concludes Act I with a bitter-sweet picture of the time following Jesus’ crucifixion. Antoinette Cruser, cast as Miriam, describes Jesus as she remembered Him in a beautiful and plaintive song: “To live for Him and to die for Him, To give all our sorrows and sighs for Him, To weave all our tears in a garland to lay at His feet.” Few in the audience were left dry-eyed or ready for the intermission that followed the close of the scene. Act II begins with two lines of chorus; wrapped in.white Arabian style, in processional. Holding lit candle s, they sing
“Lit is the Light”, an original sco re with words from a sura of the Koran: “Lit is the Light in the houses of His name. Wherin Allah is glorified, again and again. ..” On stage is seated Fatima (Selma Hassen) and attende nts. Suddenly Mohammed appears (Duncan Knowles) bringing a gif t for Fatima on her birthday, a cake whose candle is kindled from one of those carried by the chorus. Mohammed exits leaving Fatima alone, deeply moved by the Beloved’s visit. Scene 2 takes place in China, beg inning with I Vee as a young boy (Shawn Phillips) under the care of Rabia (Michael Smith), an old sage. After forewarning from his tutor, I Vee on way to fetch water, intentionally takes a dangerous turn in the road and is captured by robbers. We see I Vee years later (Ken Hastings) as a rich and powerful landowner. Marco Polo, played by Phil Phillips, is making a visit to I Vee’s household and bestowing on him gifts from far-off Italy some spaghetti, some salami and som e pizza pie. Alan Cohen makes his app earance this time as Ghengis Cohen, along with a host of Monguls (Khaled Al-Faqih, Richard Lawrence and Ed Brooks) who have come to relieve their boredom by ravaging the lands. The boys put on an impressive show of Judo during the fight scene and all of I Vee’s hou seh old is eith er killed or scattered. I Vee is saved, but left with not hin g. Wandering again in the woods, he is refound by Rabia, his teacher. He begins his tutelage again, now ready. -
In Scene 3, Carol-Leigh delighted all as the wife of Eric the Red, the Norse explorer, wit h her ren dit ion of “Erik the Red Blues”, a jazz waltz lamenting the wan der ing and neg of her dear Eric. Khaled as Eric the Red was hilari lectful ways ous as he skirted about the entreaties of his blond-braided wife, stuffin his pockets with bread and sala g mi intended for “the troops”. Scene LI. recounted Murshida’s presumed lifetime as an orphan, who had been left by her dyi ng mother on the steps of a con vent, and raised by Mother Superio r Karin Thure, who played Sister (Melody Dickenson) and the Sisters. Ivy now as a girl of 18 years age about to be married to of Sir Terry Duce, sang a duet wit h Melody. As sister Ivy nervously awa its the marriage ceremony, Bis hop Martin (Dick Cruser) arrives unexpe ctedly to perform the ceremo ny himself. All proceed happily to the chapel as chorus sings Hank’s melodic rendition of “Ave Maria”. Act II concludes with a gra nd gathering of all the gypsy tribes, called in order to celebrate the great Queen Ivy birthday. (Kate Brooks makes Oneitovna’s a reappearance as Queen Ivy ). fun begins when the gypsies catc The h two intruders who are spy their gathering ing on Herr Hegel (Lud Dixnpfl) and Count Cohensky (Alan Cohen). It is only natural for Count Cohensky to be curious about this group as it is his land that they have, year after year, chosen for their gatherings. Hegel and Cohensky are brough t before Queen Ivy where Cohensky derides the gypsy life as being all “wine, women, -
-5and song”. Q,ueen Ivy assures him that the gypsies “celebrate the gifts that God has given us, the §ifts of sky, and wind and sun and song...show him my gypsies...’ The music begins, the gypsies begin a song and dance focussed on the two intruders in a teasing fashion. During the course of the dance, several gypsies displayed their light—foot steps and eventually even Hegel, moved by the magic of the moment, is to be seen twirling, a captive of the music. Count Cohensky, meanwhile, is off in a corner, pouting re jectedly and distainfully at all these proceedings. The dance ends and Hegel finds himself ready to surrender to the Queen and join her nomadic life. Queen Ivy says no, Hegel must wait and return to his wife and family. It is now that the great seer Ireena (Antoinette Cruser) arrives. Cohensky too, is forced to admit surrender as he is rid of all his possessions “weighing down his soul” when a stray lightening bolt strikes his castle. “How fortunate”, declares Ireena! The mood of the scene changes as the famous Ireena, bringing out her “best crystal, reserved for company”, fulfills her promis e to Ivy to read her past lifetimes. Ireena describes, in song, the previous scenes of the play as Kate (as Ivy) deftly pantomines the poignant contacts with Rabia Martin, Jesus, Mohammed in “Down thru the ages”. Finally in a future lifetime, Ivy breaks through the illusion of the moment and reaches out to contact Murshida Martin (Nadya Taylor), who bestows upon Ivy’s shoulders the Sufi heart and wings. Murshida is then left alone on the stage, awakening in the year 700 A.B., after Baba, in Japan. She is surrounded by her preceptors in kirnoros, Ellie-Moto (Eleanor Smith) arrives brea th lessly on the spot to announce that a new center has been found on the top of Mt. Fuji. “Oh, oh.” says Murshida, “I’ve got a funny feeling.” BOOM! CRASH! Mt. Fuji, thought to ha.e been an extinct volcano for the past hundred years, erupts. So finale: -
“Welcome to the Best Age It’s any age with you!” Cast and crew filled the stage, kneeling at Murshida’s feet, each one feeling his heart full of love, thankful for Murshida, grateful for her attendence especially in her present condition. The children presented Murshida with a huge mural they had worked upon week after week while at baby-sitters and a beautif ul bouquet of long-stem roses. A lovely cake, made by Nancy Burges s was wheeled in, and Murshida cut the first piece before her decarture. It was indeed a birthday we would not forget. There were .so many people who, as always, contributed both visibly and unknown to the production of the play the orchestra, the costumes, the make-up people, stage and set crew, etc.; so many worker s who can not all be mentioned but who have had their reward in the mere smile from our Murshida’s lips. We were all sorry that dear Irene was too weakened by flu to be with us for this romp. -
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-6After cake in the sunshine, outside the center, most of us went home in expectation of the next day’s program, the celebration of Baba’s 81st birthday. This day’s program was open to all Baba lovers in the area, and the meeting room of the center was full with nearly 500 guests. Dick Cruser acted as Master of Ceremonies for the oc casion. Dick introduced the film clips from the 1972 play of Baba’s New Life. The scene entitled “Age after Age” was first, describing Baba’s arrival thru the planes to God-man, the role of the Avatar. Next a short exerpt from the “Dispensary Scene” describing what Baba meant by l00 honesty as Baba caught Dr. Donkin in a “white lie” that would not meet with the standards of complete honesty. The third exerpt was from the Manonash scene Baba’s symbolic breaking of the mental sanskaras that bind man the annihilation of the mind, performed by Baba in the role of aspirant. Lastly, scenes from the Dhuni fire were shown, when Baba said: -
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From now on I free myself from external religious ceremonies that I observed during the New Life and the Man-o-nash period. The chorus concluded the showing of the film clips by singing “The Song of the New Life”. Baba always did enjoy a good joke and next on the program was “a karma-kaze tour of the grand opera” entitled “The Grasshopper a Tragic Tale”, directed by Lorenzo Durham and narrated by Kathy Wiederhold. The lyrics proceeded thus: “The grasshopper sat on the sweet potato vine, and the big turkey gobbler he came up behind, and consumed him there on the sweet potato vine.” This theme pre dominates the variations that followed, sung by relat ives and dear ones of the late departed grasshopper. Dick Clark as the “turkey gobbler” and Melody Dickenson as the “tender young grasshopperess betrothed to the deceased victim” were hilarious and won the acclaim of the already hysterical audience. The piece ended with a grand finale in true operatic style sopranos scaling the high register, basses wiping the floor at the other end of the scale and with all due seriousness. We hope Baba was chuc kling along. -
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After intermission, Robbie Basho played an origi nal composition entitled “The Queen’s Ride, King’s Pleasure” describing the Queen leaving her castle and meeting the King in his chariot. Together they go off to the heavens. Robbie played his work on the piano accompanied on tabla. The final musical number was the singing of “The Song of the Avatars”, a piece we have had the pleasure to hear from two of the members of the Findhorn group from Scotland . The Quintessents, consisting of Dick and Antoinette Cruser, Carol-Leigh and Hank Mindlin (minus absent wife Judy) performed the song describing the advent of the Avatar. The last of the program was a magnific ent dramatic work “The Queen”, a short play by Ellis Pines of the Chicago group. The play was directed by John Krchnia.K, who trave lled here from Arizona
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especially to help perfect the drama’s presentation. The play is about Baba’s struggle with Maya and His intense suffering. The image we often recall of’ Baba is of His spreading of love smiling beneficently with arms outstretched. In the play “The Queen”, the forces which have always opposed Baba are seen exter nalized, in clear sight. We are reminded of Baba’s.sacrifice. Baba as God-nan was subject to Maya’s army, as He explained: “I am crucified every moment, but simultaneously I experience divine bliss.” -
Many had travelled to be with Murshida on her 80th birthday and to honor Baba on the anniversary of his 81st birthday. We all delighted in meeting Marion Florsheim (Baba’s Energy), who at the next Friday night meeting spoke on her experiences with Baba. Kari Harb underwent a serious operation on the 28th of’ Febru ary. We are grateful that, through Beloved Baba’s grace, Kari is doing well although she is still in intensive care and being watched closely by her physicians. We continue to send our prayers and warm thoughts her way. By the next issue of the family letter, the center will be officially moved in its entirity to Walnut Creek. The huge chore of packing and preparing for the move has already begun. Soon Elea nor will be relocated in her house behind the new center, happy to have some dirt to garden in, an unobstructed view of sky and within a few hundred yards of the center and her office. The next letter will tell you in greater detail about the changes that have been made in the physical structure of the center and our joy that Baba has made this all possible. Love in Baba,
THIRTY-THIRD SUFI FAMILY LETTER April
3, 1975
Dear Family, Warming sun, blossoms unfolding, their sweet fragrance filling the air, the hum of worker bees the sights, sounds and smells of Springtime. At the new center, the constant sound has been the pounding of hammers and the hum of its busy workers; the smell the slightly acrid odor of paint and the sight the oh, so pleasing vision of a building transformed into a new home for Sufism Reoriented. The fruits of labor are indeed visible, and the new center begins to shine in radiant hues of yellow and peach. Transformed is a building which was clearly a “night spot”, behold, a center which feels like a “light spot”, a place indeed remindful of Baba’s light and love. -
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Work on the building began in January during daytime hours only. As the initial weeks progressed, an evening shift was scheduled in order to accomodate those with daily commitments who wished to contribute their labor. The week-ends were the busiest times at the center, with a large turn-out of workers; some Sufis living far from Walnut Creek often stayed over-night with friends or family in order to maximize their time and efforts. Some of the early work was carried on during the first rehearsals of the birth day programs for Murshida and Baba. When not busy rehearsing a scene or song, one could chose to scrape paint from blacke ned windows, or prepare walls for a fresh application of paint. The upstairs meeting room was approached as the first major project to be completed. Scaffolding was erected in order to reach the tall cathedral ceiling. The ceiling was scraped and sandblasted, and then spray-painted. The exposed beams previously black, were lightened to a soft gray—green. The walls of the meeting room are a glowing yellow, light streams in from the four windows on the left wall and is available from the overhe ad flourescent lighting and side lamps, which can be dimmed or brighte ned. The enclosed picture, photographed by Margaret Miller, does not show the stage area to the right of the chairs after the second doorway on the right, and the custom—built sound and tape room to the left of the chairs, just past the second window on the left wall. The chairs in their present arrangement occupy only two-thirds of the floor space. Past the sound and tape room is a double door entranc e to the outside parking area, which is unlock ed only during meeting times. The room is light and airy, still and lovely. Leaving the meeting room and crossing the hall to the library. Painted peach with matching free-standing book cases it is silently waiting for its books to be unpacked. A new carpet of green and brown blend adorns its floor and already existent built-in padded benches line two walls, potentially an open invitation to browse and read.
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-2Past the upstairs landing, down the wide staircase the major entrance hall, whose ceiling and stairway were also painted ; three sets of double doors leading to the outside, glass windows ceiling to floor, outside plants screening the street side, house plants displayed under the stairwell. -
Passing through double doors to the work area of downstaire. The major portion of the downstairs area is still under construc tion and change. The wrought-iron grills which decorated the dining room of the previous restaurant have been removed and the blackened ceiling has been sprayed an off-white. This space is currently being used as a work area for the painting of shelves, doors, and bookcases and for necessary wood working. The large kitchen area, scoured and cleaned of grease and accumulated dirt, is now a cheerful peach. A dishwasher, a set of dishes, glasses and silverware stored in a large walk in closet, several ovens and ranges, plus a large stainless steel sink equip the kitchen and make serving food to a large crowd of people possible. However up until this time, the kitchen has primarily served as a storage place for gallons of paint, buckets, brushes, paint thinner and rags. A little coffee room separates the kitchen from the major downstairs area, a source of hot drink and occasionally home made goodies for th& workers. The downstairs room which is really ready for use and already open to the public is the bookstore. The bookstore area was ori ginally the far end of the big downstairs area. A wall was con structed, a previous closet area opened and voila a bookstore with a private entrance off the street. Behind the bookstore is a large area for storage of boxes and books, equipp ed for packing and preparing mail orders. New in the bookstore are two gems Much Silence, a short biography of Babas life and work by Toni and Dorothy Hopkinson, and a beautiful new discov ery Letters from a Sufi Teacher, by Shaikh Sharfuddin Maner . Also available is a new record by the Myrtle Beach group entitle d â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Ancient Oneâ&#x20AC;?. An extra of the property is a large barbecue pit, used on March eighth for a surprise birthday picnic for our two Piscean preceptors, Aneece and Lud. Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers were served along with salad and cake, followed by a short musical program, during which Aneece and Lud were presented with scrapbooks filled with pictures, poems, and love messages from various members of the order to these two dear souls. -
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On March 8th, the morning of this surprise birthday lunch, Murshida, Duncan, Chammian and Ivy Mary Knowles left for a vacation to Hawaii as guests of those beloved great supporters of Sufism Reoriented, Stan and Shirley Alapa. It was hoped that Murshida would get the rest she so badly needed after her illness in February. Upon her return, Duncan narrated a slide show of their twelve day trip, delighting our eyes with the beauty of the islands and with the happy faces of these four familiar travellers.
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-3-. Duncan prefaced his talk with a dedication to all moth ers who spend morning, noon and night with little ones. We coul d under stand his sentiments as many of the pictures showed four year old Ivy Mary on the go, Duncan or Charmian in close purs uit. Stan and Shirley Alapa, who had arranged the trip and accomodations, accompanied Murshida and the Knowles family to the outer island of Kauii and to the big island of Haw aii. Duncan showed many slides of both sleeping volcanoes and activ e ones, erupting in bright fiery lava geysers. Duncan was also able to capture the myriad colors and form of vegetatio prev n alent in the tropics, the bougenvillia especially remindfu l of Mehera’s beautiful garden at Meherazad. Prior to Duncan’s slide show, Murshida wearing a new red and white floor length “mu-mu” demonstrated the art of lei making, which she had observed while in Hawaii. Threading a very long needle, Murshida pierced the tips of several flowers, even demonstrating a few lei making variations in order to obtain a fuller, more ruffled effect if desired. We were all fascinated with this picturesque view of Hawai i and so grateful to the Alapas for their gracious hosting of our precious loved ones. During this same evening Murshida announced the engagement of two Sufis, Andrea Clisbee and Jonathan Willis. Stil l, a fur ther treat awaiting us when Murshida unex pectedly performed the initiation of Marion Florsheim, known to many as t “Ene, ’ rgy into the Sufi order. Quite an evening! During Murshida’s vacation, those usually referred to as sunny Californi of us here in what is a had a real surprise when one afternoon snow definitely fell from the wet skies, lingering on the ground for a few brief hours. Children and snow-lovers could be seen scraping the ground in order powdery white stuff for an authentic snow to gather enough ball, some freezing their creations as verified proof of such an unusual occurence. On March 29th, one hundred and thirteen Sufis donated blood at the Oakland blood bank... )Blood drive s such as this help keep up an emergency blood supply for hosp itals in the area. The days ahead will be filled with unpa cking, organizing and arranging the new center. It is the time of Spring planting and we pray that the seeds of our beginnin gs in Walnut Creek will yeild a full bounty in the sight of Belo ved Baba. New address and phone: Sufism Reoriented, Inc. 1300 Boulevard Way Walnut Creek, Ca. 9)4595
Office: Bookshop:
4l5) 938-4820 (415) 938-14822
Love in Baba,
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‘t._wN’y THIRTY-FOURTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER May 8, 1975 Dear Family, In Springtime, especially, is the vision of Baba’s beauty and weeds, love of joy manifest in the myriad forms and colors of flowers, this Perhaps and seeds, silent reminders of eternal regeneration. Spring our perceptions are a bit heightened due to an enchanting Miss talk which was given at the Sufi Center by Dorothy Maclean. Findhorfl, in commune Maclean was one of the founders of a spiritual Scotland whose philosophy of love and “the New Age” approximates Her subject was primarily what she had learned Eaha’s New Humanity. of gardening and plant life through her ability to contact nature deras”, the great beings who are in charge of nature in the world. Miss Maclean reminded us that every living form has a consciousness and that the first step in gardening (as well as in other activities) is to try to communicate trust, respect and love to the form with Miss Maclean further explained, that if we which you are dealing. do perceive: and •respect the life force present in all forms, that As they, in turn, will attempt to cooperate with our intentions. between cooperation and on communicati an example of both successful them and human consciousness, Miss Maclean cited the example of the riddance of a mole who was destroying many of the plants in the Miss Maclean established contact with the mole’s Findhorn garden. higher consciousness and, after explaining her human point of view, the mole disappeared to another part of the countryside uncultivated by gardens. Miss Maclean’s lecture was fascinating and included many more points of information about plant life and even her experience of communicating with “machine devas”. A recent “budding” soon to be brought “into bloom” was made known with the announcement of the engagement of Stephanie Getz and Alan Oswald. They are to be married in mid-May. Another guest speaker who equally engaged our attention during the last month was Howard Ruff, author of the book Famine and Survi val in America. Mr. Ruff spoke briefly of the escalating causes which could bring about a world food shortage or, more seriously, a food famine. The bulk of Mr. Ruff’s lecture was concerned with what we can do to prepare a nutritious and long-storing food supply in Mr. Ruff’s manner of speaking was the event of such a catastrophe. dynamic and humorous and his subject indeed thought-provoking. One cogent point brought up by Mr. Ruff was his answer to the unspoken query of whether or not “hoarding” would be against Eaba’s Mr. Ruff said he did not believe in hoarding but in storing wishes. A prudent person one or two years supply of food for one’s family. should do this so that he does not have to add more burdens to the He concluded his talk by saying breadlines which may be ahead of us. that the best preparation for any situation is a firm faith in God. We couldn’t agree more.
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FIRST SUFI FANILY LETTER FOR SUFIS ONLY January
2l
1971
Dear Suii !ureods,
As th years go by the order grows at a fantastic rate and Life calls the Sufi !nureed across the the hall gets smaller globe. Inayet Ichan in the early twenties suggested what the murooci should take with him when he loaves: When you go into your countries, in different places, among your friends, what will you take with you? I’ you would allow me, I wid suggest some patience, some endurance; trying to like, to love, and to become friends with those who arc repellent to you; hope fulness in the face of every possibility of failure; patient waiting for the good tidings to come.
One thing is for certain, as muroeds, wherever we go we Center that she has estab take a mmory of our Murshida and the lishod hero in San Francisco, I have heard so many muroeds say hw much they miss Nurshida after they leave and how they love to hear news about the Center, At this time with about thirty.two Sufis scattered across the United States and in several foreign countries it seems like a ripe time to begin The Center bubbles a family letter to be sent out to mureeds, with activities and a good secretary to record the minutes is in order at this time. I will begin by updating you on several significant events that happened in November and December of 1970 and then in the next letter I will cover January. Adi icanted Aneece to go to India to microfilm the vast unt of records located n his office, ior the trusts that ha’re boon kept throughout the 8eba years. Aneece prepared his cameras and had to get a special lens ground. Everything seemed to be ifl order on October 9, a Friday night, and it was then that Murshida announced that Aneece would be baying the follcwing Monday. Jfter the meeting Selma and Aneece went out to ieir car to diover that it had been broken into and the camera stolen This caused a postponement of the trip as a new camera had to be obtained Finally, on November 2nd Aneece got off. would like to cuote here a part of the letter he sent to the Center Friday November 13th: Dearest Sufis, ,.,Sincc many of your parting wc:ds such as Foy are you 1uckyThink of all the time youll spend with the NandaliAt least yo&re going to be where there is no smog or pollution’Id sure like to be going with you—Yo&1l be right where aba isv—H To these of you wI-.o said these things and to those who only thought it, I have this to say I didnt sleep for three days. I’ve been insulted, over—cha’ged and searched by security police. had my equipment broker,, chemicals spilled over all tTle unused film; de.ained in
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ing during our we have been study s nth mo st la had “firm faith Throughout the who have clearly e som and of rds wo n ial on prayer er at m ch classes the writte mu ed lud inc ch works These classes have The reading of su and in God”. name. d’s Go of e nc bra er, ast em fi M the unceasing rem Letters from a Su Teacher, fi Su a testimonial from m fro a rs d tte an as Le irational sp in en be sale at ve ha These books are on The Way of a Pilgrim God. of ht lig the ht some who truly soug our bookshop. planning stage India is in the to up gro r ou of the group A trip by a few rested in joining te in ns rso pe y An address. for the early Fall. the Sufi Center gh ou thr ith Sm r should contact Eleano n and 11th Aneece Hasse d an th 10 y Ma of d y written During the weeken “The Queen”, a pla of n tio uc od pr fi y cele others will film the Su for Baba’s birthda ed rm rfo pe s wa y pla order to This by Ellis Pines. arsed long hours in he re s ha st ca e Th elements bration in February. dinate with the many or co to d an s ce an perfect their perform film. involved in the media of filming st involved in the ju re we fis Su of n for Some of the childre Nylander, who works ra nd Sa s. ial erc ect organized this proj of three television comm n, tio ia oc ss A l ica ed needed for emer the Alameda-Contra Costa M in donating blood ic bl pu the st re te part of the in in order to The commercials are . ns io at er op al ic rg us television d su rio on va gencies an lly ca lo ar pe ap d an ices public broadcasting serv channels. a buffet supper rred this month was cu oc ich wh t en -ev fun Another Over 100 persons on May 2nd. ng eti me t gh ni The y ida Fr pper. served before cheese, and bagel su 145 pound am cre n, mo sal d oke attended the sm ion been a most recent incarnat . smoked salmon had in its herman, Dick Clark fis r great ou by up ed ok ho en be d salmon who ha emoration for ld the annual comm ho ill w fis Su the st 21 This celebra On June ti&s birthdays. ar M a hid urs M d an an September. Kh Hazrat Inayat mal classes until for of d en the s fie ni for the men tion usually sig this summer classes at th d ce un no The an a hid week. However, Murs separately once a et me ill w n me wo it the as r and classes fo means to be a Sufi it at wh be ill w s se as subject of the cl sex roles. relates to contemporary urshida’s be interested in M uld wo es tap the r fo d In her talk, Those who sen t of loneliness. ec bj su the on 2nd y largely talk of Friday, Ma n loneliness, which stern ee tw be e nc re ffe di we Murshida stressed the She pointed out how d solitude. an , ty In this pi lfe. se ud m lit fro so stems iation of ec pr ap the lop ve de ht to society neglects to rtance of holding tig po im the d sse She cu dis a . same talk, Murshid for the whole world recog s es str of e tim is th er in which he Baba’s damaan during ospasm, by Alan Toffl dergo a tremendous Ec , ok bo new a m fro d un quote rld order is about to wo nt rre ter a cu the at th s nize society emerging af ed nt ie or eic rv se , all, and reminded change; he sees a new idedthis book to us me om rec a hid ss urs M period of stress. She suggested we expre r. fo ul kf an th be in to tra ve n ca us of how much we ha , for in this way we er ay pr of m for an. the pl ’s ba our thanks to Baba in r world conform to Ba ou lp he as ll we as le ourselves to be humb Love in Him,
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THIRTY-FIFTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER June 26, 1975
Dear Family: Summer ripens in glorious shades of color and fragrance, sweet reminders of Baba’s purity of form and love of beauty. The new center, through Babats Grace, is ever-evolving, like a well cared for garden, blossoming with busy activity, growing in beauty, increasingly fra grant with thoughts of Him. The roots of our love are nurtured in a rich soil here, watered and fed by the faith and work of our Murshida.
The last Friday meetings in June we have been especially fortunate to have Murshida read to us from her new book, ttHow a Master Works This book, which Murshida estimates is over Boo pages in print, will be published by Sufism Reoriented. The main text of this monumental work describes Murshida’s contact with Baba and focuss on the theme, implied by the title, of how the living Master teaches and trains his disciples. Following the text is the Supplement, a treasure store of incidents involving Baba as told by his close ones. The stories in the Supplement illustrate and illuminate the teachings in the text. Murshida indicated that this is to be a “teaching” book, and that it truly is. Murshida engages our interest through her delightfully entertaining style, and yet the focus is always on Baba and how Baba worked in the world. One evening Murshida read a passage from the text about how Baba demanded perfect obedience from her and all his disciples. Murshida then read exerpts from the Supplement which fur ther exemplified her point about the Master’s insistence on obedience. Stories told by Kitty, Mani, Rano, Eruch, Ramjoo and others illustrated from different angles the theme of obedience. In this way the reader can see key factors to spiritual development (in the exampJe above, obedience to the Master) from many sides. This is reminiscent of Baba’s style in The Discourses; Baba clarifies certain points by offer ing more than one illustration, as if to insure that we understand his point. Murshida’s book will be, I am sure, invaluable not only as a collection of beautiful Baba stories, but as a guide to many in the years to come. After a short break following the birthday celebrations in Febru ary, renewed work has begun on the building and renovating of the center. Most of the recent efforts have focussed on changing the down stairs space into more practical and usable space. The bookstore has been enlarged with added storage space. The downstairs children’s classrooms area has been enclosed partially with glass to allow a maxi mum of light throughout the downstairs while confining sound and activity to the classroom area. Linoleum flooring has been selected for the entire downstairs flooring and walls have been patched or recons tructed and painted where necessary. With the downstairs more in order, the center begins to function more as a whole, with space for a variety of
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On Saturday, June 21st, the Sufis commemorated the birthdays of Murshida Martin and Inayat Khan. A lovely meal of cold meats and salad was served in the downstairs area of the center to 300 (Sufis and their children). We were all pleased to see Etta Mehdy, Murshida Martin’s daughter, in attendence at the head table with Murshida. A charming program followed lunch with entertainment as varied as those souls involved. The program opened with a musical medley of the Sufi Invocation and an original arrangement of Brother Leo’s The Practice of the Presence of God written by Hank Mindlin and performed by the three beautiful and sonorous voices of Carol-Leigh Duce, Antoin ette Cruser and Judy Mindlin. Following their song, Pete Wells, assistE by his newly-wed wife Karen, performed the first of many magic tricks which were interspersed throughout the afternoon’s program. Next the two classes of the Friday School offered a variety of skits and musical numbers having to do with “friendship”. It was a treat to watch the beaming faces and antics of so many young ones. Following the children’s performance, Alan Shulak, dressed as a Jewish rabbi, led the audience in an original adaption of a Roger and Hammerstein melody which he entitled “Meher Baba, Moshia” (Meher Baba, the Messiah). His performance was entertaining and moving.
Jan Kaplan read two of her poems, giving us the opportunity to hear her writings for the first time. Then Robbie Basho offered one of his electrifying compositions on the 12-string guitar entitled “House of God”. Alan Shulak reappeared with Sandra Nylander in a very clever pantomime of a country girl’s encounter with a city slicker. Unsuccess ful in his attempt at romance, the city slicker prepares to leave the scene exposing the side of his briefacse where a picture of Baba is pasted. The country girl, upon seeing Baba’s picture, embraces the stranger, revealing her own picture of Baba taped to her lunch bag. Indeed, loves conquers all. Earl Turner sang the Cole Porter hit “I’m in the Mood for Love”. Then the quiet room exploded with Mischa’s rendition of the rock ‘n roll ‘50s as he sang with heart and zeal “Teen Angel Mureed”. It was an hysterically funny performance. Becky Palley, accompanied by Will Wilson and Gary Conners sweetly presented two of Becky’s original songs.
*The Sufi Board was horrified to learn that since “The Glow” printed our Family Letter, not realizing that the letter is just intended for Suf is, that there is an impression prevalent throughout the entire Baba community that the Sufis have come into a lot of money. We are in tremendous debt and having a hard time raising the necessary funds for the actual building renovation.
-3Next followed a very amusing skit, in the manner of Attr’s allegory The Conference of the Birds starring various members of a vegetable garden. The vegetables, after due deliberation over the question of What am I doing here?” decided that the triumph of their lifetime would be to present themselves to Murshida Duce and the Sufis in a salad. The skit was very colorful, with attractive costuming and quite entertaining. Graham Smithwick and ensemble performed a cappella three quotes from Baba which he had put to music. The harmony was lovely. The last performance of the program was a poetry reading and s•ng presented by Melody Dickenson. Murshida concluded the program expressing her appreciation for the entertainment and thanking Baba for the gift of the ceiter. Murshida then announced that she would like her birthday play “Down Through the Ages” repeated in September, as she was so ill and unable to enjoy the original performance in February. And so out come the tattered scripts and onto rehearsals throughout the summer. Even though it will mean work, we are happy to be given another chance to entertain Murshida. -
Another activity which will be keeping us busy this summer is a medley of classes offered by several members of the Order. The classes will begin in mid-July with Marge Roger’s instructi.n in yoga exercises for health. On Saturday mornings Mike Smith will present a series of four gardening classes. Michael Evans will teach a piano seminar Friday July 18th beginning at 7:30 p.m. His class will include musicianship, technique, and how to learn, practice, and perform a piece of music. Also on Saturdays, beginning July 19th at 1:00, separate classes for men and women will be given. The subjects to be presented are: Men
Women
19 July:
The Male Householder
Psychology of Women (Lori Granit)
26 July:
Friendship (Marge Rogers)
The Working Woman (Charmia Knowles)
2 August:
Marriage (Aneece Hassen)
How to Manage Your House hold (Selma Hassen)
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In the world, but... (Lud Dimpfl)
August:
Colors and Interior Decorating (Roby Renkas, Diane Weinstein, Energi) Joint class: Everything you ever wanted to know about mundanely but never (?) asked! Murshida /
lo August:
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23 August:
Joint class: Review of insurance, finance, legal problems, business, etc.
-4All of these classes are optional for Sufis. It is indeed a wonderful opportunity to study a variety of subjects from some ex perts! On Sunday evenings, Murshida has selected a number of her favor ite movies to be shown at the center beginning Sunday, July 13th at 7:00 p.m. The first movie to be shown will be Bell, Book, and Candle. Admission for adults is $2.00, for children, $1.00. All class fees and admission prices will be donated towards the centerts building fund. During the month of June two weddings of our members occured: Stephanie Getz and Alan Oswald and Andrea Clisbee and Jonathan Willis. In July Nancy Shimer and Andrew Mayer will be married. Over the years we have watched Sufi parents raise their children, and now we find a group of these children well on the way to becoming teen_agersH. The Friday School class of l4 older children (ages 10 through 1)4) have formed a teen group this summer, and there are plans afoot for many fun group activities. The group began its summer season with a swimming party and picnic at the Hassen s home. t They hope to make their next activity an ice skating trip, and are pleased that they can pay their way with funds they have raised from bake sales. And while their parents are in Saturday afternoon class at the Sufi Center, the teens will be earning more funds for activit ies by washing the cars in the parking lot! Various Sufis have volunteered their time to lead the group in cooking lessons, crafts sessions, star gazing hikes, museu m trips, and nature walks. The Isaacs and the Watsons plan to take the older boys on a camping trip, and Dolores Warren will lead quilting classes for the girls (and boys) interested in this activity. The range of potential group activities seems endless, and both the parents and the children are enthusiastic about the plans. The Sufi Center will be closed totally during the first two weeks of July. Beginning mid-July the bookstore will be open Wednes— day 12-6 pm, Friday 12-6 pm, and Saturday 11 am—4 pm. This letter will be last Sufi Family Letter until September. For all those interested in the Avatar Meher Baba Trust, its history and how to contribute to its future, a copy of Mani’s letter from India is enclosed. We recently received the following letter from Mani concerning Silence Day: For the occasion of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba’s Golden Silence Anniversary loth July 1975 -
Intimate Love and Compassion everlastingly flow from the Absolute Silence of Avatar Meher Baba to awaken the heart of humanity. The day His Grace blossoms in man’s heart the mind is silent and the heart hears His call: “I AM THE ANCIENT ONE, THE DIVINE BELOVED.” Happy summertime
Love in Him,
THIRTY-SIXTH SUI FAMILY LETTER September 11, 1975 Dear Family, The last few days here have carried the chill of Autumn, reminding Even more than the beginning us of the change of seasons soon to be. of the new year in January, the Autumn season has always been for me a time of re-evaluation and self-examination. For in truth, summer is a time of fruition; the blossoming and spending of all that was previously gathered and which had lain dormant over the quiet time of Winter. Like a flower bulb which stores its energy in its core, nurturing its remem brance of last year’s bloom, so is Autumn a time of gathering in and nurturing our summer blooms in order to soon send out new shoots. It is a time of asking I doing here?”. A time, as with a plan of purpose, the walking ever closer towards ship.
Murshida’s often repeated question “What am Selma reminded us, to awaken to each day purpose beginning today, this moment, of Baba, of remembering His constant companion *******
Although there were no formal classes during the summer, many of us enjoyed participating in the classes given by various Sufis in their particular field. Marge Rogers taught four different sessions of Hatha Yoga classes, Michael Smith presented several fascinating lectures on gardening, and Michael Evans gave a seminar on performing a musical piece. The Saturday afternoon classes for men and women wei:’e certainly a highlight of the Summer. These classes help to stimulate much thought on the various roles of men and women and on our relationship to Baba. Also Murshida’s selection of Sunday night movies proved to be a great success and will continue this Fall beginning September 14th at 7:00 with “The Mouse That Roared”. Many were the visitors over the Summer keeping Murshida busy with a constant stream of appointments and interviews. Isa Campbell visited prom Saudi Arabia for a few weeks in the early Summer. Bob and Gay Ballard have permanently returned from New Zealand to reside in Carmel Valley. Fete Townshend brought his entire family from England to visit. You may remember that it was nearly a year ago that Murshida and her family visited London. Pete was kind enough to give a fascinating balk on his Baba experiences to the group one Saturday night and to play and sing for us. Murshida’s health has been fairly good although at the onset of the Summer Murshida was very much in need of a rest. A vacation was planned to Santa Barbara. Ellen Sirota’s delightful report accompanies this letter which describes Murshida’s first week of vacation. Murshida’s second week of vacation was spent as much as possible in bed, partielly recouperating from her first week of vacation and catching up on much-needed rest and quiet.
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We are all eagerly anticipating the publication of Murshida’s Ira Deitrick relates some of the typical mayavic interference book. inevitably attendant upon Baba’s work: Fortunately the interference with the publication of Murshida’s book has been niggling rather than substantive. As the publication deadline nears, the tension increases with the rapid shuffling of galley proofs and page proofs between Walnut Creek and Tennessee. Last week-end’s confusion is typical: the last half of the page proofs were rushed out of the printing plant in Tennessee, picked up by one of the salesmen, hand delivered to the airport, where the airline It didn’t guarenteed delivery in San Francisco early the next morning. With time running short, I didn’t want arrive on the expected flight. to lose the two hours necessary to confirm its arrival on the next flight and so went to the airport in earnest expectation immediately The airline tried to trace It didn’t arrive. after dress rehearsal. dumped into the backlog just perhaps in Dallas or New Orleans or it So I called here, there, and everywhere pile in Atlanta. No trace. turning the southeastern United States into a search for the package. Lo and behold it was found hidden away in the corner of the sending airport, where apparently some enterprising clerk noted two different addresses, one on the package, one on the air bill, thougnt both had the same name and the package was to be held for pick up at the airport. Nonetheless this clerk refused to foist this terrible confusion upon the air freight system and carefully secreted the package away for the weekend, unaware that intrepid time-driven mureeds would unearth it from this dark corner nontheless. -
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Construction and remodelling continues on the Center. The outside of the residence behind the Center was painted during the Summer and, God willing, the exterior of the Center itself will be painted soon. We are still in need of additional money to complete the many necessary repairs and projects and to balance our accounts. Classes resumed the first week of September including a new candidates class of forty. Among this year’s candidates are Dallas and Barbara Amos who have moved their family from England in order to be close to Murshida. Friday school for the children will begin September 19th. Terry Hassen, assisted by Marilyn McGiveny will teach the 26 younger children ages 6 9 years while Alan Saviskas will instruct the older group of 15 members. -
The Sufi bookstore will be open as usual Monday to Friday 12:00 A very good book on manners and child— 4:00. rearing, Please Say Please by Elizabeth Post, is now being sold at the bookstore plus several other new additior tothe bookstore’s varied selection. -
6:00, and Saturday 11:00
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-3Marion Florsheim, vll known to many as “Energy”, has recently undergone surgery and is recouperating in the Children’s Hospital in San Francisco. Also Dick Clark has had surgery on his fingers which had been quite severely injured at the beginning of the Summer. Another one of our members, Etta Mehdy, Murshida Martin’s daughter, has had a terrible bout with the flu and is only now beginning to recover her strength. We were all sorry to hear of the death of Elinor Mccoy’s husband Charles. Elinor and her family have been living in Pasadena for the last few years. Happier news is the engagement of one of our Sufis, Gail Smith. Gail and her future husband, Dave Gambol, will reside in Oregon where he is in business. And so it seems that some of our family is scattered here and there. A recent move to a really remote outpost was Karen and Ray Lean’s move to Alaska. Ray is an airport controller and was transferred to Kodiak. Included in this Family Letter is a copy of Karen’s first letter to Marge Rogers describing most interestingly this far-off land. On September 7th the play “Down Through the Ages” which was origin ally given for Murshida’s Both birthday was presented again. Although the skeleton of the play was the same as that which was presented in February, the feeling of the two performances was quite different. At the time of the first performance Murshida was in tremendous pain due to her very poor health, and her very attendence at the play was a tremendous effort. Murshida’s condition seemed. to emphasize tne pain and suffering a spiritual teacher experiences and the enumerable occasions when a teacher will personally sacrifice for their mureeds. We all felt deeply sorrowed by her condition and extremely touched by her presence. However this time the play was gaity and fun with a sprinkling of sweet tears. Murshida seemed to really enjoy the antics of her stu dents and as she said, Baba must have been having a good chuckle watching so many B.A.s, M.A.s, and Ph.D.s run around like clowns, sing ing and dancing, joking and teasing. Seeing Murshida so happy we were thrilled to have had the opportunity to repeat the play. It is as if the memory of Murshida’s pain during the first performance has been lovingly smoothed over by the more recent picture of her radiant face. We were delighted to see Kari and Joseph Harb attending the play. Han has now made two appearances in public and we are hoping to see more of her if her health permits. Also Stan and Shirley Alapa from Hawaii were able to be in attendance and join in the happy celebration. Pete Townshend said it was the best play he had ever seen! *
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A group of seventeen is eagerly making plans to visit India in October. Steve Crocker is attending to many of the details. The group will leave San Francisco via New York and Zurich for Bombay on October 10th and return on October 25th. Glad to be in touch again!
Love in Baba,
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‘{ THII-Y-VENTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER ‘
November 1, 1975 Dear Family, Apologies for the late publication of the October Family Letter which has been delayed by my own personal involvement with the October group trip to India. A description of the trip will follow shortly in this letter. Meanwhile, in America it is the season of “trick or treat”, and we have had many treats in the last few weeks. Firstly, we have delight in the presence of our Murshida at Friday meetings, her health being fairly good and constant. Secondly, we have had the pleasure to hear Murshida continue to read aloud from her book How a Master Works. However, most unfortunately, the date of the book’s publication has been postponed from November 1st to November 19th due to a pile-up at the printer’s office. We are all keeping our fingers crossed for an efficient and on-schedule printing. The book will surely be a wonder ful Christmas present for all Baba lovers and persons interested in the workings of a Master. Murshida’s book will seem more precious to us as we remember her animated reading which helps to enliven the reality of written happenings and focus on their significance from the perspective of a master-disciple relationship. During the last month we enjoyed a visit from Meher Baba’s Pukar. Pukar had been originally specially invited to America by a few Baba lovers from Chicago. As plans escaIaid, Pukar’s trip was extended to a three month tour of the U.S.A. stopping at many Baba centers. Pukar related his story to us at the September 19th meeting beginning first with a fantastic epic poem in praise of Baba, the singing of which re quired 10-15 minutes, which he said he had composed between Los Angele s and Fresno. Beginning with his early career as a revolutionary, Pukar determinedly sought to reveal Baba as a sham and fake only to find that upon confronting Baba face to face, heart won over intellect as he surrendered himself to the Master. Pukar has indeed become an ardent lover of Baba and he is able to transmit his great love to his listenin g audience. Particularly beautiful is to watch Pukar with the young children whom he adores and who in turn are attracted to him. With children, one senses Pukar knows just to love them. Pukar spoke again on Saturday afternoon to a smaller group of more of his experiences with Baba. Another treat we thoroughly enjoyed was the return visit of Zuheir Al-Faqih, known to those familiar with our Baba birthday plays as the “star of the White Horse Players”. Zuheir and Jennifer and their daughte have been living in Lebanon for the past two and a half years and will soon be moving to Saudi Arabia where Zuheir has secured the job of mana ging an English-speaking newspaper. Zuheir appeared to be very well and thrilled to be in Walnut Creek as he commented on his visit “it is like a dry sponge falling into water”. During Zuheir’s three-week stay here he recruited four of our members for jobs with the newsp aper in Saudi Arabia. The four who will be leaving November 1st are: Charles Parker, Steve Spraitzer, Greg Karakashian, and Duane Heaps.
-2Murshida announced on October 2)4th that part of her summer was These three are devoted to the training of three new preceptors! All three have Khaled Al-Fakih, Duncan Knowles, and Loraine Smith. We were been in the heart of Baba’s contact and work for many years. Murshida expressec all surprised and thrilled with this wonderful news. her hope that we would accept these three and give them our loving sup Judging from the joyful tears and many embraces bestowed upon port. Lori, Khaled, and Duncan it seems that the Order has accepted them with open hearts. Among the other ubogus news”, as Baba used to say, are the births Claudia and Tighe O’Han of two babies to two of our Sufi families. rahan added the third boy to their family with the birth of their baby Ann and Bob Royeton now number their Bradley John on September 29th. family at four with the arrival of their second baby Christopher Robert on October 18th. More local news is the announcement of the engagement Congradulations to all. of Mary Knowles and Gary Conner. Work on the property of the Center has recently been focussed on Mike Smith and landscaping the area adjoint to the Center’s building. Wil Wilson have designed a landscaping plan and posted a scale drawing Sufis are then free to outlining the proposed plan at the Center. contribute to the landscaping by the purchasing of a particular plant, ground cover, or tree; the plant is then purchased and volunteers help with the subsequent planting. By next Spring the grounds of the Center will be active and full of plant growth. The White Pony Day Care Center will begin its full day program on November 13th having been primarily organized by Ellen Sirota with Murshida’s guidance and having received final approval from the local Planning Commission. The school will be located at St. Anselm’s Church Lafayette and will feature a Montessori-type program three mornings in a week taught by one of our qualified Montessori teachers, Ginny Day care will be available on a drop in basis from 8 a.m. Smithwick. 10 Children of Sufis and of local residents ages 2 to 6 p.m. daily. years will be eligible to attend. The afternoon program will also fea ture various programs such as crafts, dance, music, and a program is in the planning where the older children will be encouraged to tutor the younger ones. Working parents and all are most excited about the school’s plans. It will be a first attempt at an official school pro gram. As we all know, Murshida has for long years wanted to start a real school for children. -
On the week-end of November 8th and 9th the Sufis will hold a twoday flea market, the proceeds of which will go to help with th’ enumer able finances of the Center. Donated items tr be sold incliding furniture, new clothes, children’s clothes, linens, tools, records, books, and kitchen ware are being priced and sorted the week before by committee. The flea market will be a new venture for us and hopefully will be both profitable and fun. Murshida has already announced that our annual Christmas bazcar will begin the sixth of December and conclude on the twentieth of December, the day of the Christmas party. Murshida is encouraging us to begin
-3the planning and creation of gift items to be sold at the bazaar in The Center the hopes that this year we will have a really good bazaar. will close for two weeks beginning December 20th through January 1st. candidates. The Preceptors will then begin interviewing over (N
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On the rainy morning of October 10th, sixteen persons set out Travelling via New York and Zurich we for the long journey to India. where we were the morning of October 13th at 1:00 am. reached Bombay Nalliwala, Jal Dastur, Naosherwan and Dolly enthusiastically greeted by and the rising smells and humidity of one of India’s largest cities. After some deliberation as to whether to wait for the morning train to Poona, it was decided by the group to make the trek by taxi cab, If nothing squeezing three people and their luggage into several cars. at least the cab ride else was to solidify friendship on this trip, made a good start as we clung fearfully to each other, the cab zig zagging its merry way over buffalo holes, past bullock carts, between traffic jams, through cow herds. The road to Poona was lined with the utterances of “Jai Baba” by the amazed and slightly terrified cab passengers. This was to be for many of us our first glance at India. In the dawn light, India appeared to be a lushly green land, a place surely of contrasts, of very apparent squalor and poverty and yet of everpresent beauty. The cab ride provided a multi-varied visual experience of the topography, the people and their immediate environments, the many animals, the little towns with huts and ramshackle buildings ce mented close together, the shops where wares were sometimes simply dis played on the ground. By the time we reached the Amir Hotel we were fully exhausted. However, since we arrived earlier than expected, our rooms were not yet ready. 8:00 a.m. in India found 16 Americans sprawled carelessly in the lobby chairs of the Amir Hotel. The next morning we toured the many Poona Baba sights with Russi, Meherji’s son-in-law, Guruprasad, the Bundt Gardens, Baba’s home where we met Baba’s brother Jal, the David Sassoon Hospital where Baba was born, Babajan’s shrine and Meherji’s factory. Shopping in the after noon, and dinner at Russi’s family home hosted by Meherji and his fam As it was Meherji’s birthday, we performed a little puppet show ily. which the children especially enjoyed. The next day we boarded our rented blue luxury bus for Ahmednagar. As it was the day of the holiday “Dasara”, a festive feeling was pre valent, with vehicles, animals and houses decorated with garlands. (We were told that Dasara is the festival of the triumph of Good over Evil celebrating the return of Ran after li-I- years exile.) The festive mood seemed to echo our own happiness of travelling to Baba’s home city of Ahnie dnagar.
After checking in at Viioo’s Villa, we made our first pilgrimage I feel that I must interject some personal. to Meherabad and Baba’s tomb. The experience of India is vastly different for each impressions here. Baba is indeed everywhere. As Muhammad says, “He is as individual. However, one rarely, if ever, has close to you as your jugular vein”. an extended period in which to devote nearly all of one’s time and The experience of India is energy to adoring and absorbing the Master. How most powerful and for me one that I feel has altered my life. ever, I felt that if I could not transfer the preciousness of my exper iences there to my everyday life mine would not have been a successful journey. It is most wonderful to visit the actual places the God-man has We visited Meher been, to see where he has made his ephemeral home. azad many times, delighting in its atmosphere and marvelling at all We so enjoyed the stories the mandali shared with us. the Baba relics. Eruch especially spent almost two days tirelessly relating Baba stories. Eruch also walked the group up Seclusion Hill pointing out the spots where Baba’s seclusion cabins stand. On another day Eruch directed a tour of some of the places Baba had stayed or been to along the road from Meherazad to Aurangabad. Especially interesting was the mosque where Baba had the mandali men In Aurangabad we slap him and spit in his face during the New Life. A real highlight of the trip was the chance visited the Elora caves. to repeat Baba’s name sonorously in the cavernous Buddhist cave which is known to have been Baba’s favorite cave. At Meherazad, Mehera, Mani, Rano, Arnavas, Nadya, Pendu, Aloba, Mehru, Bhao, and Bhal Natu were on hand to tell many of their experi Mehera always had wonderfully amusing anecdotes to ences with Baba. tell about Baba. Many of the women in our group had tea with Mehera in the afternoon, an added opportunity to be in her sweet presence. We also spent time at lower Meherabad where several of us stayed 2 days overnight at the Pilgrim’s Center. This was a real treat 1 and gave us the opportunity to chat more with Minu and Padre and to visit Mohammed, the mast. -
During our stay, on October 23rd, Siddhu who had been with Baba for over 30 years and who had taken care of Mohammed for many years passed away. We were priviledged to be on hand to attend his funeral. Many of us were intrigued and humbled by the simplicity and forthrightnes At dusk, Siddhu’s with which Siddhu’s death and cremation were handled. friends and family, both East and West, gathered to sing artis and offer the Master’s Prayer, wishing Siddhu a final farewell. We also had the chance to visit with Adi at his office and at the Ahmednagar Center where one afternoon he answered questions. Adi’s lion-like mind spewed out answers and sought to be asked “harder” ques tions about Baba and his work. Adi invited Alan Cohen, who was with our group, to speak to the Ahmednagar Baba lovers one Saturday night.
-5-. On the morning of the only Sunday we were at Meherazad the group performed a small program including two skits, several songs, a brief The program was well received, apparent magic show and a puppet show. ly inspiring the Ahniednagar lovers to return the experience by per We were fascinated with the execution forming for us that afternoon. of several Bhajan dances and the singing of the accompanying beautiful A young girl 8 songs. 9 years old and her older sister, who had performed for Baba when she was merely four years old, performed dance solos accompanied by their grandfather who played harmonium and sang, the lovely voice of their mother, and the tabla playing of the brother. Everyone felt the day had been a wonderful exchange. -
It was In fact the whole trip had been a wonderful exchange. heartwarming to hear the mandali explain that our visits provide a chance to talk about Meher Baba and that talking about the Master fills them with joy. --
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To all, a truly beautiful and joyous Thanksgiving in Him. Love in Him, i__c’
Ronnie Deitrick
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THLTY-EIGHTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER December 2, 1975 Dear Family, On November 29th the first truckload of Murshida’s book How A Master Works arrived at the Sufi Center. To me it is an exciting privilede to even hold this precious work in my hands which is specifically the culmination of three years of Murshida’s labors. The book briefly describes Murshida’s life before her involvement with Sufism and proceeds in fuller detail to relate her personal search and discipleship under the God-man. As Murshida explains, her own. story is the one with which she is the most familiar. In the first 1423 pages of the book Murshida uses her personal experie nces with Meher B ba as the thread to establish continuity in her description of the teaching methods of a master. Murshida devotes the next section of How A Master Works to sharing tt what little light I have gleaned in five somerhat obscure t1 topics 1) The Avatar and his in-between incar : nations; 2) How the first Circle was formed; Agents, invisible and visible; 14) Maya; and 5) The suffering of the 3) Avatar. A nearly 300 page Supplement follows. The quote from the book’s introduction by Dr. Allan Y. Cohen and Ira Deitrick: It is composed primarily of relevant exerpts from the wisdom of Meher Baba and other great spiritual figures and teachings. By statement and example, it expands upon the fine points of critical developments on the spiritual jour ney... Here powerful discussions are found on subjects like divine love, obedience, faith, karma, reincarnation, and the role of the Avatar. Nine illustrations in various medias including photog raphs and reproductions of oil paintings are sprinkled throug h-out the book. The front cover jacket displays a copy of a Lynn Ott painting of Baba; on the back of the jacket is a photograph of Murshida and a brief synopsis of her life. From my small peep-hole I have witnessed a portion of the tremen dous effort which especially Murshida and some others have made to make this book’s publication a reality. Murshida has given us literally by her own sweat and tears a teaching book illustrativ e of the actual working of the God-man, while elucidating many before untold and un clear matters concerning Cosmic Reality.
Page 2 During the last month, Murshida has been afflicted with a recur ring case of influenza, which has caused her considerable discomfort and left her in a weakened condition. Between bouts of the sickness she was able to vacation for a week’s time, but succthnbed to the The Sufis are collecting money illness shortly after her reurn. towards a further and hopefully longer vacation so that Murshida will (l4urshida has have a chance to revitalize her strength and body. requested that we do not give her Christmas presents, but will allow us to contribute to a vacation fund.) Many of us who have been to the Myrtle Beach Center were delighted to see Fred and Ella Winterfelt visiting at the November 1)4th Friday meeting. Fred and Ella first heard of Baba from Murshida in New York City in 19)48 and were active in the Monday night group for many years before moving to Myrtle Beach. Their smiling presence and Murshida’s love directed towards them provided a very warm feeling through-out the meeting. The engagement of announced. Khaled met Spring of 1975. Jehan allowed to travel here
Dr. Khaled A1-Faqih to Jehan Mukhtah has been Jehan during his last trip to Lebanon in the and Khaled’s family have just recently been due to the tremendous upheavals in Lebanon.
I am sorry to report that Energi Florsheim is back in the hospital. God willing, she will be released on December 9th from Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, but will need constant care and transportation to treatments at the hospital. Energi’s home address is 1183 Saranap Avenue, Apartment 12, Walnut Creek, CA 94595. Enclosed in this month’s letter you will find a copy of the most recent memorandum from Mani concerning the Avatar Meher Baba Trust. This memo contains important information concerning the acceptable manner in which to contribute to the trust as decreed by the Indian government.
Mischa Rutenberg reports on his first-hand observations of the Washington Sufi family’s recent trip to India: Arriving in Ahmednagar with presents, programs, and high expecta tions of their visit, the Washington Family did not expect the trials that awaited them. While still at Villoo’s Villa on the first morning, Peggy Muir fell and broke her hip. In a flurry of activity she was x-rayed in Ahmednagar and returned to Villoo’s where she was visited by Mehera, Mani, Meheru, Dr. Goher, Eruch and Adi, each offering their particular service they do so well. It was determined that due to the gravity of her condition Peggy would have to be taken to Bombay for treatment. Accompanied by Vespa, an American nurse working with Dr. Goher, Andy and the rest of the Washington group left for Beach Candy Hospital in Bombay that same afternoon. On Sunday November 8th Peggy was successfully operated on by one of the leading orthopedic
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surgeons in the world. The doctors in charge are amazed at her continued speedy recovery. The two lund-raising events scheduled in November proved to be both fun and profitable. Ruth Sobel worked very hard to make the flea market a success and succeeded in raising $11400.00 for our building fund. It was especially fun to watch the children with their dimes and quarters delightedly scoop up treasures each priced for a nickel. The square dance on November 1st was indeed a fun time. It pro vided a chance for many of us to be together while “dancing cur blues away” to lively music. Refreshments were served at the much-needed breaks during which time one could try his skill at coin tossing, winning if lucky, a home-made pumpkin pie. About $200.00 was raised by this gala. On December 13th the Sufis will hold the annual Christmas party at the Center. A lunch of lasagne costing $1.50 per person will be served. A program of various entertainment will follow lunch. The December 13th date is a correction from a previously stated date of December 2oth. There will also be a bake sale the day of the Christ mas party. When you realize that we need hundreds of square yards of carpet for our Center, plus fire-proof window curtains, to say nothing of still more carpentry, you can readily see why we are making every effort to raise money. The Center will close for the holidays on December 13th remaining closed until the first week of January. However the bookstore will remain open during this period every afternoon excepting Tuesday and Sunday.
Wishing that we could all join together in the many happinesses of the Season, I am sending you all thougts for a happy Mehermas in Him.
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Telegram ‘H EH ERBABA’ Ahrnedngar
Telephone No. 266, Ahrnedriagai
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rust
K!NG’S ROAD, AHMEDNAGAR MAHARASHTRA S1A1
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Regd. No. EII5OIA Dated 7—8—1969 under The Bombay Public Trusts Act 1950) (Miss) M4NIJA S. IPANI
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Chairman
1st October, 1975
URGENT INFORMATION
concerning AVATAR MEHER BABA TRUST Dearest Baba lovers,
Since the impoaant message circulated four months ago, the Trust has journeyed forward to another significant r este it has coin a long way from January of 1969 when its disused machinery was started and pushed into action. The trustees labo’.ir hard in tending to the machine, while the oil supplied by His many lovers in the form of donations keeps it in motion. It is Beloved Baba’s Love that moves you to lead a hand, and we are proud and happy that you help us to fulfil the commitments set down by Baba, As you know, from the circular—letter dated 7th May 1975” Firstly” and” Secondly “ have been established as two distinct trusts of the Avatar Meher Baba Trust—” Firstly “applying to the beneficiaries named in the Trust Deed ( and thus eInporary, lasting only as long as the beneficiries do), and” Secondly” applying to the charitable objects of tte Trust (being perpetual, serving all without distinction an thus recognised as ‘ public charitable’).
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Now, by order of the commissioner nf’ Income—tax, Poona, the “Secondly” or Public Charitable Part of “&1atar Meher Baba Trust Ahmednagar “, is registered as AVATAR ME1ER BABA PERPETUAL PUBLIC CHARITABLE TRUST under the Ie—tax Act.
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(2) Further, the Commissioner of Income—tax has granted the relevant s are allowed on donations made to 1 Certificate whereby certain deductior the Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust—but this applies only to Indian donors, and it is a further achievement in addition to the tax exempt status of this Trust. PLEASE NOTE : The two trusts under the Trust Deed of AVATAR MEEIER BABA TRUST are as follows: I.
Avatar Meher Baba Trust (Firstly)
2.
Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust.
Dear dorors and trustwalas, don’t let this make you feel we have “changed our minds again” ! Every step is a change, and we have to move along with it, to make the way smoother for the Trust’s functioning and journeying into the future. To make your help more complete, we ask you to carefully follow the important guidelines given below: IMPORTANT: Henceorth, when you send donations, please (a) Continue to make out your cheques or drafts or money orders in the name of AVATAR MEHER BABA TRUST, AHMEDNAGAR (b) Always accompany your donation with a covering letter or note: To the Chairman, Avatar Meher Baba Trust, Ahmednagar, with your own address and the date at the top of the page and your full signature at the end, and specify the purpose for which your donation is intended, as follows: (1) The enclosed donation of Avatar Meher Baba Trust C Firstly).
for the beneficiaries,
-—OR— (2) The enclosed donation of $ is for Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitatle Trust. If you wish to donate to BOTH the above simultaneously, then please send two separate cheques or drafts accompanied by separate letters or notes specifying as above the two purposes.
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(3) Donations for either of the above can be in any amount that you wish or can afford. -
If an individual Baba lover wishes to donate for the Corpus (Capital) of the Trust, then the donation of the individual should not be less than $ 100.00 and it must be accomparned by a letter with the following wording: “The enclosed donation of shall form part of the CORPUS of Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust.” —
ATTENTION : Please don’t put your directives (specifying the purpose of your donation) on the actual cheque or draft. We need to have written directives (in letters or notes accompanying all donations received by us) for the Trust’s records and for accounting and auditing purposes. We request you to share this urgent information with all Baba lover3 in your area or contact. A very loving JAI BAIJA w you.
In Avatar Meher Baba’s service,
(MANIJA S. IRANI)
Chairman
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1NTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER January 7, 1976
Dear Family, Murshida’s health continues to be poor, her condition varying Murshida’s strength is at a very low level and her body is daily. For this reason we have extremely susceptible to any illness. been asked ot to (directly) contact Murshida by phone or in person The preceptors as every interaction may further drain her strength. prior to any first be consulted should usual and as available are attempt to reach Murshida. Murshida is trying to rest in bed the greater part of each day and is now undergoing various tests at John Muir hospital to get She is not staying in the hospital to the bottom of her problem. Plans for Murshida’s vacation, however, just going for tests. have been temporarily postponed until after Baba’s birthday cele It is our hope that the bration towards the end of February. provide Murshida with a long and will vacation fund accumulating In the meantime, we can offer our restful vacation in the Spring. prayers to Baba for her increasing strength, health, and endurance. In these ways, by focusing positively on Murshida’s recovery and by allowing Murshida to rest as undisturbed by us as possible can All else is Baba’s will. we help her.
The Sufi Christmas celebration on December 13th was perhaps After shopping at our even more lovely than in previous years. annual bazaar, a delicious luncheon was served in the Center’s re We then proceeded upstairs for the afternoon program. creation room. Kathy Wiederhold, reclaiming her role in the Grasshopper musicale, and wearing a well-decorated lamp shade as a hat especially for the occasion, presided as Master of Ceremonies, interjecting her own The program began with humor between the various performances. Jon Palley’s reading of his Christmas poem which is printed on the The Sufi chorus initiated the mu cover of the enclosed program. sical numbers with their singing of the Christmas carrel “Ring Following the chorus, Sonya Lawson sang Hank Christmas Bells”. Mindlin’s musical adaption of Edward Shillito’s poem “The Christmas Tree”. “Bobby”, the first of two major skits which were given during Written and directed by Michael the afternoon? was performed next. Smith, “Bobby’ is an allegory about the Avataric Age the condi tion preceeding the Avatar’s advent, His coming, is work, and His inevitable departure. The story occurs in the microcosm of a play ground where several Conspicuous perona1ities are rather selfishly going about the task of daily living. Bobby, the new boy on the block, arrives bringing with him a bundle of tricks, games and laughter. By the end of the story, Bobby has awakened love in the --
-2hearts of all. The performance was absolut ely charming fully acted, the stor “ching description of Babats and beauti Coming and presence. The lovely soprano v of Anttinette Cruser, well accompanied by piano, flute and cello, iilled the meeting room next. Phillips serenaded us with an Then Ed inspiring rendition of the Spanish song “Te Quiero” (Nc’ Wonder), dedicated to Murshida and Baba. Following Ed, Robbie Basho acc ompanied himself on 12 -string guitar in his usual entrancing style. Another song, this one Jewish traditiqn, 5.elighted from the us next, sung by 13 year old Sharn Mann. Another skit entitled “The Yellow Room” was next This one was a hilarIous mixtu performed. re of all the old mo vies we have been seeing on Sunday nights at the Center. As obvious from the pro the cast of characters was va gram, ried and long and all took part in the dancing, high drama and giving out of “metaphy sical teachings”. Following the skit was a son g composed by Dick Cru by Dick, Mischa Rute nberg ser and sung and Paul Zwicker. The three voices blended beautifully and we re accompanied by guita r and flute. Palley, Michah Chariot and Jon Edie Charlot next ena cte The Little Prince. d a portion of Another song, sung by Nancy Bu Hutchison who accomcanied themselves on guitar and rgess and Sidney performed, reminderi us tha dulcimer was t we are indeed Diamn ds in the Rough in His hands. The finale of the afterr ison was performed by a musical setting of Lord Byron’s poem “She Walks the Sufi chorus, cated to Murshida. We we in t Beauty’ dedi , re so pleased that Mu rshida was well enough to be present and that she expressed her enjoyment program. of the afternoon’s Dater in the month on Ch ristmas Eve, some of the Christmas carrols for Mu group sang rshida outside her bedroo m window. carroilers had first -risit The ed Joseph and Kari Ha rb, Energl, the Hassens, and others. Energi had iut arrived home from the hospita that day. She is still far from We l ll. Another holiday treat was a conert performance Hogan, a candidate from the by David Washingto’c. Sufi group who was in Calif ornia visiting Murshida. David has been trained in music since early childhood and curre ntly teaches misic at Pea Baltimore. body Institute in His beautiful tenor veice and his disciplined ye filled manner intrigued t heart-. us al Most of the songs he his own musical arrangement l. san g we re s of Francis Bra’azrn’s one point in the program gh az als . At the experience of the music was so uplift ing that both the audience and the performr we audience merely sitting re suspended, the quietly unable tc’ ap paud. made an initial attem David also pt to teach those preser t rangement of Meher Baba’ s Prayer of Repentance. his four-part ar !
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A second all day Meher Babaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name was in the afternoon.
held at the Center on December 28th. n the morning and sung in repetition
The wall-wall A new carpet adorns the upstairs of the Center. The up tweed green black. is a of and the meeting room rug in been carpeted. The effect have three offices also and stairs hall the already existent with and so harmonious really beautiful is be done. There yet, more work to feelings. is, as colors and As the first anniversary of the Center approaches, we feel most fortunate indeed to have such an edifice in which to, God willing, draw closer to Baba. This Rehearsals have begun on the 1976 Baba birthday play. year the play will be about the East-West Gathering of 1962 and is scheduled for February 27t1:= 28thqtJt-) Dr. Wong is no longer at the Center on Saturdays. Instead he may be reached at 2020 N. Broadway, Walnut Creek. Otherwise he may be contacted at his Belmont office. We hear from Washington that Peggy Muir is gradually gaining strength and has taken her first six steps. A reminder to renew subscriptions to the Glow. Edson Skiff had a bad fall last month, breaking his arm quite severely in two places. He is now recovering well. Two babies were born in November that have yet to be announced in the letter. Elizabeth Danielle born on November 29th makes a total of three lovely children for David and Winnefred Kershaw. Susan and Richard Harrison celebrated the birth of their first baby Farid Ross on November 24th. We will be thinking of you on Anartithi Day as Baba lovers throughout the world are united in their love through HIm, and all who safely can will light a candle.
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THE FORTY-FIRST SUFI FAMILY LETTER March
5, 1976
Dear Family: Since mid-January Sufi efforts and energy have been almost entirely focused on the production of the play to be presented for Baba’s birthday. At that time, Murshida called a hiatus to classes and Friday night meetings so that every possible evening and week-day could be given over to the play’s preparation. The enormity of the production allowed nearly everyone in the order to be involved in some way; the intermeshing of so many people reminding us of Baba’s working through group efforts to grind down the ego. A good performance by actors and actresses is easily evident and applauded at the close of a play, but as Murshida points out, the real unsung heroes are those who spent so many hours in its preparation. To list a few: the costume crew who gathered mater ials, dyed fabrics, stitched, custom-fitted and altered, organized the many costumes for over a hundred cast members by name and by scene; those who washed and ironed the costumes between each of the three performances; the sound and lights crew who designed systems which could visually and audibly pick up action anywhere on the stage and across the eitire front of the meeting room where much of the play was blocked and acted (this system included many microphones and speakers which were strategically suspended from the ceiling beams, various spotlights which could be worked from the back sound and light booth plus several colored lights on stage used for portraying the different moods and time changes; the props crew who provided the many items which added to the play’s sense of realism; the set crew who built extensions to the stage to increase the working area of the actors; the music staff of copyists, singers, players, and rehearsal pianists, and of course Hank Mindlin who composed all of the 13 musical pieces which in cluded an peretta, a ballet score, several jazz-oriented arrange ments and a rag. The story of the make—up crew and their experi ences is a play in itself. 3B Cobb relates scme of their adventures: “The making of the rubber mask for Dunoan Knowles as Baba was a real group project, beginning with a stiff and heavy latex mask that looked just like that, and ending with the light and mobile foam latex that Duncan wore in the play.
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“In other years, the suggestion to make such a mask was brought up and quickly dropped as way to complicated a proced ure. This year though, we needed something to show the draraat ic change which age and suffering had wrought in Baba. The first try was amteurishly stuffed with heavy clay that left Dunca n’s face all but frozen. I was ready to drop the project right there, but Karen Wells stole softly away and began quietly orderin g supplies from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, having read up on
Page Two She was determined the way such masks are made professionally. that this was the right way to do it and really the best we could Meanwhile, she and Barbara Boyan began a series of do for Baba. casts of Duncan’s face in melage, a pinkish elastic substance The melage was then made of seaweed and used in the Middle Ages. counter-cast in plaster or dental stone. I then built up a plas ticine nose and chin of the counter cast as close to Baba’s as I Pete Wells and Bruce Kinneberg could get it complete with pores. stayed up long hours night after night trying to puzzle out the exact chemical combination of ingredients that would yield a light Liquid fluffy foam latex that would also approximate skin color. foam latex was then sandwiched between a mold of Duncan’s face and a reverse mold of Duncan as Baha (somewhat like making waffles). This mold was thenbaked many hours in Pete and Karen’s oven. “The first few molds came to grief because the foam latex resisted the grease paint make-up, causing the foam to bubble and wrinkle. Karen thereupon, found and ordered rubber mask grease paint. Many samples later, the right flesh color was finally hit upon. “Duncan nearly lost his eyebrows while we were trying to work out something to cover them so that Dallas Amos, a new Sufi from England, could build Baba-type eyebrows on top in crepe hair. “The nose and chin area extending to the chest were applied with spirit gum and slocum’s, then the eyebrows. Lorenzo Durham then spent many hours feathering the mask to face so no line The eyebrows were covered and the new ones applied by would show. Dallas. In the last forty-five minutes I cane to put on the make The whole procedure took about six hours each time. up. The patience of Duncan was unbelievable. He ce.L’tainly had no idea what he was in for when he signed up for all this. At this point, I’m convinced that it’s of such stuff that saints are made. *
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It’was the play’s intent to re-create the feeling of actually being present at “the most imporbant meeting” in Eaba’s lifetime. Many who attended the play felt Paha’s presence very stroriiy end left the pley ±eeling that they had received Baba’s darshan. Kitty Davy, who was with Baba in 1962 and who attended two of the three performances remarked on the accuracy of the play. Baba, played by Duncan the actor, embodied to her the same qualities of love and sympathy which he had always represented to her in all her years. The play begins in the time of Rama, the Golden Age. Rama, assembled with his mandali and soldiers, tells of the age to come, the Iron Age, when righteousness will decline and wickedness will he storg. “when the pearl will be lost in an ocean ci’ illu sion”. Ra:a’ s people beg him: “Please do not let us reincarnate in that dreadful age.” Rsma exits, promising that he will return.
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The scene quickly changes to present day times, the Kali Yuga, the The world condition is portrayed through the juxtaposi year 1962. ld events, depicting wide_spread selfishness greed and tion of wor . e In th midst of this worldly turmoil Baba’s bed is brought hatred Baba is dictating into focus with the close mandali in attendance , a message to his lovers Inviting them to attend the East_West ThIs is the setting of the play, Gathering There are four fictionai characters who carry the major themes We are able to Witness through their personal rela of the play. tlOflship with Baba the complex ways in which Baba brings the neces sary realizations to each individual at the proper time. Their stories represent an important aspect of Baba’s real work during the East_West Gathering. Each character grows througo the play and receives Babas Prem, a young lad from the Village of darshan at his own time. Hamirpur who has walked over l,OQ miles to see Baba is unable to Fin catch even a glimpse of Baba through the entire darshan ally, after suffering much anguj over his disappointment and quj his desire for Eaba’s 5 relin feeling of separatoress Prern 5 daishan realizing that he was demanding to see Baba when he, Prem, wanted. Having accepted the Master’s will, Baba appears to Prem for his own personal darshan Professor Ram Chand, an erudite Indian scholar, also grows to realize that God must be taken on his own terms and not in Professor Ram Chand’s tellectualzed into mere abstract words. feeling of intellectual superiority is humbled by the expanding of his own heart 5 qualit as Baba works through Prem to reveal to Ram Chand true devotion and his own conviction The third fictional character is Mary Ann, a young Western woman who has been with Baba since childhOOd and who had had the experience of first being Baba’s pet and then in a later visit, being Painfully ignored Now, having been invited by Baba to the t ng es ri e W d 1 he Sh t_ at ha G flown like a quivering bird to it Eas nest, hoping to be again nurtured and embraced by Baba. Instead she found Babe, to be again ignoring her, encouraging her at every soefl time not by his Side hut by Mehera free moment t it is h a ug er that Mary Ann finds her Conviction and learns that thro Meh Eaba is in everyone as Mehera Sings to her: I see his face in a thousand faces, See his light in a thousand eyes. Every soul his love embraces Shines Within in beauty_wise. Mary Ann, like Prem and Ran Chand, learns to surrender to Baba’s will and ultimately receives darshan too.
Page Four Eileen, the fourth 5 fictitiou character is a lonely, Young s , rn an ou te ou om es xi Yet, she is Yearning for true W ab t life. W an y el at d ng ve at ba er pi an desp lo th Ba ho will kindle the spark f hj y, r r. it ll n he love W Whe fina afte much trepidation she Comes h e an ce t face wit th Oce fa of divine i’ve, she f!fläs herself r le to savo even one drop nf his bnty. unab In her aloneness d an desperation she finds another uJ who is alone and hungry, a young beggar girl wh awakens love in her heart sparking the firo so that when she resolutely returns to Guruprasad she too is able to receive Baba’s darshan and fin her cup. Several of the scenes in the play attempted to depict the seemingly endless lines of people, both Eastern and Western, who took Babars darshan For hours and days, Baba sat under the pandal Pouring out his love to his lovers, unjtin East and West in a one world through love for God. At the close of the EastWest gathering Baba instructed his lovers t 0 “Take me with you Many of us felt Baba’s love and presence brought all the more closer to us thrDugh the play would remain with us. Another very big treat falling close on the heels of the Baba play was a special meeting Ofl Wednesday, March 3rd, called to lflitiate 26 new members into the OrderS Initiatjo night is al wys inspirational as the older members of the Order reaffirm their to Baba and Murshida along with the new initiates Conjtment But this time, an added treasure to the experience was seeing Murshida, whom many have not seen Since before the first of the year due to her illness and operation We had all sorely missed our Murshida but were Content to know she was reperatjng well. It was, as one preceptor remarked, a testing time for mureeds calling forth the spirit of effacement instead of the all too usual desire of the ego to be noticed and recogflj Murshida Plans tn go to Hawaii for complete rest during the month of April. Murshida twinkled and was radjart beneath her glimmering white hair, and we were deeply 0 touch to see her. j Kitty Davy was in attendence later during the meeting and greeted us all, brng_ ing us Baba’s Jove in her own speca way. Laura Delavigne a Sufi from the tire of Inayat Khan, had also come from Myrt’e Beach. Also, NRQ 2po for a brief while tvppjng off a very Joyols evening At the same meeting, Murshjd announced the engagee of Robj Eve Adler to Craig Briars, a SUfi from Peg and Andy’s Washing ton group. This is the first marriage bridging the East and West Coast groups The couple plan a June wedding and wifi live in n to ng hi We are happy to learn from Craig that Peggy Muir is as W gradually getting her strength back after her terrible accident in Indi• Phyllj Frederick also broke a bone in her foot while 5 at Amartithi but is back home now, still in a cast. Two babies were born to SUfj families since the last letter Dee and Frank Tehan added a second boy named Raphael Noel to tcjy fanny on Decemer 18th. Dab and B arhera Emrjch had their firs; baby on January 10th, named Ptei Alezander
Page Five Speaking of birthdays, Murshida has suggested a Preceptor’s Day to be held on April 11th to celebrate collectively the birth days of all the 8 West Coast preceptors. This will economize both energy and pocketbooks and provide a chance for those wishing to express their love and appreciation to do so in a combined effort. Entertainment is now being planned and will be dedicated to the preceptors as a birthday offering. This coming weekend of March 5th, 6th, and 7th and coritinu— ing until Tuesday, March 9th is the scheduled time for the seminar on “Perspectives on Death and Dying and Beyond” to be held by John F. Kennedy University on the University of California, Berkeley campus. Both Murshida and MRO will speak during the course of the seminar. Tickets to the conference are already sold out, so arrangements are being made for the overflow crowd to attend and watch the conference in another building via video relay. Most of the audience will be comprised of professionals from the medi cal and social service fields. More will appear about the seminar in the next family letter. Love in Him,
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T FORTY_SECOND SUFI FAMILY LETTER April
7, 1976
Dear Family, On March 2 7th, Murshida began a monthrs vacation in Hawaii. rt m all repo s, Murshida is lndeed relaxing free from phone Fro s call and the many details WhIch normally do exhaust her energ We feel gratef that this rest Could be allowed her, supply y ll ia in view of her recent 0 espec operati and convalescenc a Murshid Plans to return home at the end of April, when we will certainly have a grand aloha” awaiting here A report by Loej Miller on the John F. Kenfled University on Death and Dying” 5 conference Ofl “Perspective fOllotq : On Sunday
March 7th, Murshida spoke 0 an audience of over
8oo on the University of California campus about the process of n on
and involuti as set forth by Meher Baba evolutio The subject id of Mursh a,s talk was “The One Real Death” and Was Illustrated by Slides of the iovely chart drawn by Rano Gayley Under Meher Baba’s 0 The capacity crowd was comprised mairLly of Supervj , rs docto nurses, and Others from the fields of social service Who had gather for a weekend conference 5 organi5 by John F. Ke y s it nedy Univers entitled “Perspective on Death and Dying.. and Beyon” .
Murshjda,s talk on Sunday Was the cuJmifletjon of the Weekend series The University,s intention Was to gather toget pro
fessionais to discuss how recent ParapsycholOCIl research and s dlscoverie revealing the POSSlbIljty of life after death will
affect those in the field of counseling the dying Speakers addressed such topics as: “Dying as an Altered State of Conscious ness”, “Models of Afterlife in Esoteric Tradjtions7 and “The rr a” a On Saturday we heard a pane’ of people PSYChology of 1 K i Who hac been declared medically deceased and °ome back to life share what they had experienced while out of their bodies On Saturday evenjg the audience heard MBo 5 discus the astral and what death is like respectively for the believer and the non_ t Style and the 0 Her matter_Off believer coflvictj she com s te a s e n k e ic he sh r n ea ic ad w e it u p m h S m top qu e taflgiJ for even those fl the audience who werenit sure they could trust a pSych view. 5 , 0 --
A lot of groufl new t 0 most 0 wh were attending the conference, n had been covered by Sunday Whe Murshida came 0 mt the hall, the e o c re n s ti s ie d n d ll e an a ) 1 au (pre rose to their feet. SPontane People seemed to sense that here was someone with 0 ccnvicj and , ty ri e o d c e th n an th t au was Silen and attentive 0 audie throug a id t h d n g talk e and slowin Murs look desp her radia
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recent operation. Her subject encompassed the evolutionary and involutionary process as well as how one can live in the world without creating further entanglements. After her presentation Murshida asked for questions; it was touching for the Sufis attending to see the audience address Murshida with such ear nestness and sincerity. It occurred to some of us that many people are more ready for Baba’s teachings than we sometimes think, as evidenced by the reception of Baba’s teachings at this event. Perhaps this conference and others to follow will begin to lay the foundations for institutions of a type harmonious with Baba’s plans for the New Humanity. *******
The date of Preceptor’s Day,
the combined celebration of all
8 Preceptor’s and Eleanor Smith’s birthdays, has been changed from April 11th to May 8th as it was discovered that many of the Pre ceptors plus Murshida would be away at the previously arranged A 12:00 luncheon will proceed gala entertainment. date. Atten dance will be limited to Sufis only. Murshida also requested that no children be allowed to attend the occasion. A paperback edition of C.B. Purdom’s The Perfect Master has just been published by Sheriar Press of Myrtle Beach. The book which has been unavailable for years, was originally the first biography of Meher Baba to appear in the West, and focuses pri marily on the years 1911 1936. The Perfect Master is a beauti ful book and an exciting rediscovery. -
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Classes go on, meetings continue. In Murshida’s absence, the Preceptors are busier than ever. In Murshida’s absence, we have the opportunity to put into effect some of the lessons which she has struggled so hard to teach us. With Spring’s arrival, there is always much to do in the way of weeding and replanting. Let us hope we will be ready for Murshida’s return. Love in Him,
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Forty-third Sufi Family Letter May 12, 1976
Dear Family: We were all delighted to welcome Murshida home at the end of April. Murshida attended the April 30th Friday night meeting after an extensive day of travel on the previous day, bedecked in a colorful mumu with flowers in her hair. Her appearance was like that nf the crocus which pushes its way through the winter s snow, 7 heralding the advent of Spring and fruition. absence, Murshida’s In aware was more ever than dedication of example goal her the I of to and of her “evening star” radiance which we dearly missed. One mureed who had been away for over a year once remarked about his return, “...it is like a dry sponge falling into water...” For many of us that night upon Murshida’s return, it was like a small drought had ended. Spring is the season of growth as witnessed by a mini-popu lation explosion among our Sufi family. Within the last month four families have expanded their membership. Ginny and Graham Smithwick added a daughter Salustra Marie to their two-some, born April 30th. Judy and Bob Munson had a son, Cohn James on May 3rd, a future playmate for their two-year-old daughter. Born to Stephanie Blumberg and her husband Bruce on May 10th is their third child Amy Rebecca. Also adding a third child to their family are Cathy and Giora Pinkas, a son Daniel born on April 20th. Of in terest is the observation that all of these babies were over 9 pounds at birth, inflation maybe? On May 8th the Sufis celebrated Preceptor’s Day. Although a luncheon and program were known as planned there still prevailed an atmosphere of uncertainty and excitement on the morning of the 8th, as this was the inaugural celebration and therefore without precedent. A lunch was served with the preceptors and their spouses plus Ehlie Smith seated at the head table. A beautiful cake with the celebrants 1 names had been prepared, the frosting decorated with a large tree whose leaves were suspended hearts. After lunch we adjourned to the upstairs meeting room to await Murshida’s arrival and the commencement of the afternoon program. A wide variety of original songs and skits were performed, providing the unique chance for especially some of the newer Sufis to entertain and honor their preceptors. The skits were incredibly humorous and most of us spent the afternoon in near-hysterics, occasionally dusting away a tear or two at a touching moment.
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Murshida has said that the It was a delightful afternoon. preceptors are like her arms and legs. We hope Preceptor’s Day conveys our love and appreciation of these workers’ labors in Meher Baba’s cause. ‘I
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The grounds of the Center have begun to noticeably show the fruits of last Pall’s efforts when fowers, bulbs, shrubs, and trees were planted. Although home gardens abundantly offer flowers for the altar, plans have begun for a flower garden behind the Center expresslr for cutting and adorning His house. Murshida will begin a series of talks this coming Friday on the topic of Women’s Lib and that of males. The tapes should be very interesting. This will be interrupted on May 21st by a visit and talk by Naosherwan Nalavala. V
“Murshida’s Fav’6rite Movies continue to be shown on Sunday nights and will cont±nue until the close of classes on July 2nd. We are still hoping to have a picnic in honor of Murshida Martin and Inayat Khan as soon as a suitable site is located.
Love in Him,
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FORTY-FOURTH SUFI FAMILY LETTER June 27, 1976
Dear Family, The last month has been stimulatingly full, with many interesting visitors, lectures, and events. Most unfortunately, however, Murshida has been ill, suffering from a case of herpes zoster, commonly re This condition surfaced about a month ago, ferred to as shingles. causing Murshida symptoms of pain throughout her face and eventually leading to the eruption of a skin rash, particularly located on her In its last expression, the illness has focused forehead and scalp. on Murshida’s right eye, creating a lesion within it and thereby much pain and discomfort for Murshida. Murshida’s doctors are ossured that the illness is progressing naturally and that she is indeed getting They forecast that Murshida will be completely recovered in better. or three weeks. two another Despite this recent problem, the surgeon who operated on Murshida for gall stones has given her a perfect score with no signs of further complication following a post-operative check-up. Before Murshida’s illness, she presented an introductory session on the subject of people’s liberation”. Murshida stressed that the male population has similarly been role cast and limited by traditional It occurs images as have women, and are in equal need of liberation. to me that the liberation movement will eventually help to produce real changes in many peopleTs understanding of themselves and others, and will ultimately be a contributihg factor in the new awareness During the initial sta which will bring about Baba’s New Humanity. ges of illness, Murshida made a tape for a second session on this Murshida plans to continue the series of five talks when subject. she is well and we eagerly await her instructive insights. As mentioned earlier, we have been blessed with several visitors, including three Baba lovers who each gave an inspiring evening talk Naosherwan Nalavala and his wife arrived in late May. at the Center. stories about his recent escapades concerned with related Naosherwan Particularly intriguing was gathering information about Baba’s life. members and their Prem-Ashram for former search his narration of his the most recently read be in can this story of Much memories in Iran. unpub previously contains also which the Glow, published issue of lished articles. In mid-June, Australian Bill LePage treated us to many wonderful stories from his soon-to-be-published book entitled Not We, But One The book is full of fascinating Meher Baba on Life, Living, and Love. necTes, instructions and interpretations gathered mainly from Eruch It is designed Jessawala and a few other of Baba’s close disciples. lovers, but it is new with the hope of introducing Baba to potentially sure to be fascinating to all Baba lovers. -
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The most recent visitor to the Center was Phyllis Frederick from Phyllis related some of her experiences with Baba and Los Angeles. particularly those during her recent visit to India, and being with Phyllis related her Babas close ones at Meherabad and Meherazad. am sure many felt that feeling I and ir;rrressiors with such clarity visit to India in group for a are underway Already plans inspired. in December. visit for a August, while another group is forming I am happy to report that Duncan Knowles has successfully reco vered from a three-hour operation to remove a tumor from the side of his neck which was found to be benign. However, an unforeseen operation became necessary for Sally Muhie, a friend of many Sufis, when she caught her hand in a meat Sally lost the four fingers of her right hand grinder while at work. Sally is home now although the doctors were able to save her thumb. )4Q Garden Court, Walnut Creek, Her address is from the hospital. California 9)4.595. Good news now for Pascal Kaplan who, after perservering for over
8 years while working a helping to raise a family, has completed his doctorate in theology and was awarded his Ph.D. from Harvard Univer Stephanie Getz Oswald graduated this Spring from 3 years of sity. law school, joining Lorrie Smith as our second female lawyer. And while we’re catching up on the “bogus news”, let us record the birth of a second daughter to Jan and Scott Colt, named Myhra Ivy, and the birth of a son to Diane and Sandy Weinstein, Jeffrey Michael. Some of the newer babies made their debut at the Sufi picnic on The picnic was held at Turtle Rock Park and was great. June 19th. fun with a. variety of activities available at the site including such favorites as eating, swimming, volleyball, badminton, ping-pong, softball and, later in the afternoon, singing, with our newly created The weather that day was lovely and thepicnic provided a jug band. good opportunity to relax and socialize while catching up on everyone’s family growth and enjoying games together. One of the closing events of the school year is the celebration This year a program was of Murshid Inayat Khan and Murshida Martin. By Murshidas request, the presented in their honor on June 25th. program included many old favorite skits or songs which have been It was, performed in earlier years, plus one or two new creations. as usual, a memorable event and a copy of the program is enclosed. The Center will be closed throughout the month of July, excepting The book July 2nd which is the date of the last Friday night class. In August, the Center store will be open Wednesday and Saturday. will be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
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Our White Pony Day Care Center has been a great success so far are planning to add a kindergarten class in September. We we and Let us hope already have enough children enrolled to warrent it. that this is a beginning o’ a real school for children, which has been Murshida’s dream for jears.
This will be the last I’a’niiy Lettur until September whcii classes resume again, although I will 1C thinking of you as Baba lcver, around the world join in commemorating the anniversary of Beba!s silence on July 10th, Jai Baba!
Love in Him,
FORTY-Ffl’L:t STTi
LEI T 1 ER September 20, 1976
Dear Family, This week will bring the official beginning of Fall and like the squirrels who can be seen busily gathering nuts in preparation for Winter’s onslaught, so too can the Sufis be viewed as busily they “set their gears in motion”. The languid summer days produce a relaxation of formal activities around the Center and for mny Lady Maya seems to do her best to fill in the vacuum that the cessation of classes produce. It appears to be a sort of testing time when one’s apron strings have been temporarily slackened, affording one a chance to see whether he remembers to remember his lessons. And then, just when we were sufficiently parched from the drought, classes resumed. Most of us had survived, all of us felt we could have done better. The atmosphere before the start of the first Priday night meeting on September 10th was excited with the chatter of friends meeting, happy to see each other after two months. It was the first summer that the Center had been closed during both July and August (except for the bookstore and office in August) in at least five years. But I believe we were most excitedly anticipating sitting in silence in the meeting room, waiting for Murshida’s entrance. For Murshida it was a summer of continual pain due to the stubbornly unhealed lesion in her right eye which has come about during the course of the June herpes zoster illness. Murshida’s eye was a terrible source of trouble to her, dripping nearly con stantly, bright red with irritation and nesessitating the continual use of cold ice packs. Murshida was unable to read for the greater part of the Summer and was really worn thin by the constant pain which shot in back of her eye and through-out her head and neck region. The local doctors and even the eye specialists in San Francisco were unable to do much except to assure Murshida that in time she would recover. Murshida has recovered very slowly and as yet her eye is still healing progressively. Murshida’s work did not choose to “take the summer off” so she has been as busy as ever dspite her eye, giving time to visitors, extending a helping hand wherever it is needed. Murshida began the Friday night meetings with the third in a series of five sessions on “people’s liberation”. These talks have been extremely stimulating and in thir expanse havc touched on areas to which each one o1 us can relate. Each talk brings to light another thread in the complex tapestry of this sject and by the end of the series nn over-all vicr will be evicThnt.
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One of the references Murshida vill discuss in her talks is a new book available at the Sufi bookstore entitled Passages by Gail Sheehy. The book describes adult stages in much therne way as Dr. Gesell so accurately observed and described stages in child development. The book is very fascinationg and seems to describe the maturation process with perceptive awareness and accuracy. The awareness of the four passages or stages described from 18 years to 50 years would appear to me to be helpful in remembering that this life is indeed a play where in we are si multaneously acting out our individual parts with somewhat similar responses although the curcumstances appear to vary. Murshid Inayat Khan said, “Belief is like a staircase; it is made in order to go upward, but if one remains standing on one step then there is no progress.” Ms. Sheehy (author of Passages) points out that one’s perspective of life and himself is contin ually changing as the years evolve. God alone is at the hub of that ever-evolving wheel of change. During the summer Joseph Harb and Marion Florsheim, known as Energy, passed on. Both were much beloved and will be missed and yet we were happy to see them released and with Baba. A son was born to Bonnie and Bob McClean on August 12th, their first child. Lilli and Nick Remer had their first child September 19, a son named Norman. Further good news about our friend Sally Muhle who last Spring lost all of her fingers on one hand in a bad machine acci dent. After several infections and quite a few operations the doctors have succe’ully saved her thumb and can now begin to reconstruct her palm. This will enable Sally to use her hand to a good extent as she will be able to grasp objects between her thumb and palm. However a very severe accident befell John Skiff who broke his neck and back while diving during a vacation in Los Angeles at the beginning of the Summer. John has survived the initial complications from such a break high up on the spinal column, but remains paralyzed below chest level. He has some use of his arms and hands and with therapy and rehahilitatfrn hopes to develop better muscle ton and thercy gain more control. We all sympa thize with John as he is a bright, young man with presumably much ahead of him. His courage through-out this orjeal has been inspiring. For those who wish to contact him, his addes,s is Kaiser Hospital, Room 3170A, 975 Sereno Drive, Vallejo, C 9)459Q. On August 8th a group of eight Sufis made a pilgrima.e to India. Another group is now cr;çLnizing t: travel at Christmas time. These trips are so special and u.niçue for each person.
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weddings occurred during the Summer, that of Ghida A1-Faqih ne Heaps and Robyn Renkas to John Moulding. Ghida has been studying theatre in England for the past two year s and has offered to instruct those who are interested in drama techn iques on Satur— day mornings at the Center. Sales of Murshida’s book How A Master Works seem to be going well. With continued response from the public a seco nd printing may become necessary by Christmas. We are all pleased that the book has met with such success and that Meher Baba ’s name and message is reaching out to many among the public. Good to be in touch again.
Love in Him,
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Ronnie Dietrick
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FORTY-SIXTH SUET FAMILY LETTER October 28th, 1976 Dear Family, Imagine, if you will, being the Center, the actual building wherein Sufism Reoriented, Inc. resides. As the building, you would certainly experience the members and their various activities as being Most nights you would, as the building, witness people diverse. On some nights you might hurriedly climbing the stairs to class, notice the people filing both upstairs and downstairs to attend one Of course of the two classes that are being held simultaneously. Friday nights would bring lots of people to attend the big meeting. You might experience her presence or Perhaps Murshida would be there. even Baba’s, as he watches over his children. During the week-days you could observe the comings and goings of a few lone individuals, but always as the building your structure would resound with the presence of Eleanor (Smith) busily being secretary, caretaker, receptionist, guardian, and general “den mother” to all of us kids, In the afternoons your bookstore would be open to the public. perhaps someone Therein people could browse amongst your wares off the street might behold a dew-drop in the print or photo that would eventually turn them towards Baba. -
As building perhaps you would sigh in relief as your floors are swept, your rooms tidied. Perhaps you would sense the beauty and fragrance of fresh flowers (gathered from the grounds of the Center) arranged about the altar and elsewhere. And maybe as building you would feel especially happy to be the wall on which hangs an ci ginal painting or photograph of Baba. If you were the particular wall of the meeting room on which is displayed 3B’s newest painting en titled “The uddha Leaves Home” you would receive special attention as many eyes continually study your display, awed by the beauty and magnitude of this great work. Or perhaps if you were another wall of the meeting room you would feel equally blessed to be the back ground for another of 3B’s works, a large canvas of Baba as Moharnniad riding on carnel.ck, Baba’s hands and face portrayed with amazing realstic intensity. For 3B has newly learned the art of tempera paining from a fellow Sufi artist, Tony Davis, whose portrait of Baba appears as the frontipieceof Murshida’s book How A Master Works. Tempera painting is a technique that is thought to in Ancient Eygpt. It requires the fine mixing of eg jOk and paint, to be then painstakingly applied in razur-thin layers time and time again. The entire picture must first be drawn on the canvas and then painted in grey before the actual application of the tempera medium. In 3B’s painting of the Buddha leaving home, all of the Buddha plus his robe is done in tcnpera :hile in the picture cf Mchammad, an earlier work, only Bsba’s facs and hands have been painted using this
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Sometimes during the week the you. as building might witness a tape being listened to or a lessen or book read in the library. But on Saturday your insides would be full. At 9:30 a.m. your floors might feel tickled by the touch of baflet shoes as a snail grouP of men and women explore through ballet their sense of grace and move ment. By 10:30 a.m. you would find the narking lot filling up with cars as 4-0 50 people gathered for a drama class in theatre tech niques. During the course of the class you would probably be amazed and amused at the variety of’ sounds, grunts, cackles, 10 15 aim utehums, and silences that emanate from the basement as many members proceed to learn voice projection and s’h. -
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Meanwhile, outside the gardening crew has been grooming botanical adornments. You may notice how rakin the caring of and trees, and the planting of annual flowers and ground cover helped to brighten your street appearance. And if’ as buildim eyes do see, you might see far off some of the workers tending beds of alter flowers or the herb garden.
your hruhs have your tne
Being the month of October, the building would later witness a few members arriving in the afternoon to help with the preparation of one of the four dinne!s hosted by the “Sufi Supper Club”. By evening the pot and pans’ clamor would be mingled with the merry conversation of 40 people on three separate occasions and 80 people on the last evening as they were charmingly served an elegant dinner, Still later in the evening, entertainment by some of the more veteran per formers was to be enjoyed. These evening. had been planned as fun raisers in particular to finance the addition of a large refr1gertor which was desperately needed in view of the many functions, holidays, and weddings which are held at the center. “Wow”, you as building might say to yourself, “What does all this activity have to do with Sufism Reoriented, a spiritual school?” To my way of thinking, it is through the actual building of Iufism Reoriented that we as individuals are learning to live in the world. In this way, the Center is a tool by which we are given a chance to explore responsibility and master husbandry under tutelage on the gross level as well as a place for developing new skills and talents in this process of winding and unwinding sanskar. But more than anything else the Center is the setting of’ cur most important work, the work of loving God. Assuming myriad forms, the work is orchestrated by Baba and conducted through our h4urshida If we love Baba enough perhaps the building of Sufism Reiriented will actually experience a part of that ave in its on building way, and thereby add to its own impressions the witnessing of tJ..e 9ea1 work: love end devotion to God. ‘
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October 16th Murhida visited her easte.rn From October 8th ioiers who have gathered around Peggy Baba Sufis as well as the many A report by Joan Montandon with ad2tional light. and Andy Muir’s describes this historic ccasion for the Eve Bryars comments by Robin Eve has resided in Washington, Robin (As of July Washington group. Dryars of the Washington Craig husband, D.C. with her newly—wed Sufis.) Joan begins: -
So, you all want to know what has happened with your Murshida on this momentous visit among her East coast chattels, for that we would be. I will tell you what I can, though what is vouchsafed to one is not worthy to be told, and what has happened to many is but As for us all, everyone of us together, it can a partial observation. And this is what has happened be said in a phrase: There Is Love. It does not come as surprise. wit-h your Murshida. We knew that there were many who were anxious for her health and who questioned an arduous journey at a time so close to the We were among those who, eren at this prolonged herpes infection. great distance, would have felt relieved had the trip been cancelled, But short of the doctors’ die— had the doctors kept Murshida back. approval, it would seem nothing could have kept back what was to become our Darshan week in the presence of the Master, in the compery of the Murshida. Adding her impressions, Robin Eve relates: Ever since Peggy and Andy announced that Murshida (God wi1li’) planned to come in the Fall, the excitement and anticipation had been When she finally arrived, she looked beautiful and radiant, building. her gestures graceful and pureful and absolutely charming. I had been away for a mere four and one-half months but it could have been years. For I was as captivated by her loveliness as I could be, and by the looks of “the family (as the Washington group refers to ‘:hem— selves) around me, I was not alone. To the approximately eigh’rpople involved, Murshida’s visit was such a real occurance on all, levels that it is difficult to convey it though the mere plot line. It was as if a chunk of time was taken off the continuum as the world out there really didn’t exist for a week. Continuing with Joan’s account: On Friday night, 8 October just five hours east of yoi,r loving farewell, Joy Miller mt the plane at Dulles airport, and later at the Hotel Madison Murshida was received by an enormous wdLcoming party of two, Peggy and Andy Muir. What they were feeling a that time, mad them enormous indeed. And who was this escorl named Pill? We kner Murshida would bring someone exceedingly capable, hut who is this Bill? No one could bav. guessed hir,a to be such a tail, handsome farmer, His capability cure?ched ail sieculatioi. A word about the hotel Madison., To outward appearances, it is beautifully apnointed. The detail, gorgec:’ls, The PerE;ian rugs,
-4even on the elevator floor. In addition, the logo which :s ubiquit 0 ously present happens to be a wreath circling the letter TIMII I cannot answer for the air-conditioning and the various machnerr which banged in right on cue the minute Murshida sotted don for the night. We could take a lesson from these technology genies who nevr fail to keep the remembrance of the Murshida. As I did not tear witness to their intrusions, neither can I say more. Saturday night, 9 October, and our first meeting with the Murshida. The anticipation, the urgency threatened to unglue our little room and nearly left our minds unstrung. When Murshida arrived and Andy took the podium, I glanced about and saw a group of people whose faces were taut with collective stress such as have never seen before. Andy was overcome with emotion. You would 1 e thought his introduction for Murshida was to have been his last sansl:ara in this lifetime. But, rest assured, it was not the case, and as soon as Murshida was seated for her talk, the wild ashen intensity collapsed back into color and we were subdued and wooed into a receptive state. I don t remember feeling exactly relaxed. but I do remember that Murshida spoke for two hours on the questions she received about rneditation. It was a freshly prepared lecture which was astounding considering how much she has already given us on that topic. Would you call our Murshida irresistible? Yes, she is irre sistible. We were invited to meet her one by one and we were sent home. We wore to prepare for the next day. We did the best we could, but there were few who slept. A word about the private interviews which began Sunday, 10 October. There were no interviews. This is what Peggy told us to expect, so we expected and accepted. There would be interviews only for those in emergency circumstances. Yes, we should accept it only for emergen:cies. There would be interviews for emergencies and only for those others whom Murshida requested. But of course, it could not be otherwise. Can I tell you the story of the interviews without blushing for shame at what has happened with your Murshida? If I did not tell you, it would be a lie by ommission. If I tell you without blushing for shame, it would be the same. Fewer than the few who slept that night were the number who did not have an inter view with Murshida. Those for whom this was somehow not the right mornt must not grieve that there were only sevey-threc free hours :!n the week and not seventy-five. For the true and. gloricus story of the interviews, you must hear it from Peggy, he al;ne bears the nine sheets for each of the nine days with the ninety-nine names and the nine hundred changes of appointment and the niney--nine thousand phone calls, doorbells, button-holes, arid 11 Now, dczâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, I will see wha I can do.â&#x20AC;? Is our Murshida love without ccasi: g? Yos se is lov w.th o;t ceasing. This is the :Dest I can ,ay regardi the way- she (Denod her door to us and still has no closed it.
Sunc’Lay night, the Sufis met alo with ursh.1da wh 1Dreoard us I thank Baba ad ny vows that I nay not for hearing a thing or two. But is the nati’.r of all Sufi meet:ngs. such for it word of a repeat perhaps very long? her so with been have who tell you I what could I have never be’ore been w:t she will let me share one impression. The true tEacher s Suft lesson. the of hour the hollowed Murshida in the true toacher from teaching receive To told. been rare, we have The described. be cannot that and exception breadth of a moment is I can only abjure exhilaration of the mind and heart cannot be told. each of us never to let go of this hand whose hold on the Beloved is the rarest of all precious things. You know as well as I the days of the week, but so much hep pened with your Murshida of which I am unable to speak. On Monday night, 11 October, the entire Washington/Baltimore Family reunited Thereafter everyone was included for the remaining once more. The room was decidedly more disciplined. We had color gatherings. in our cheeks from beginning to end. Now she spoke to us about loneliness and desperation. There was not one amo2g us who had not a taste of these in our brief time together. From the minute she arrived, we became increasingly senstive ;oward the minute when sh would have to leave. While at the same time, can you imagine, ne forgot the past and future altogether? There seemed to be no other way of life, but to meet and meet endlessly with our Murshida. And so we did on Wednesday night as well. We heard the fifth lecture on Passages for the men and women liberation/integration tapes. And we heard Murshida s view on the need for righus indignation expzssed tugh active participation in the world. Tuesday was to be the night of rest. Those who had been sleep. Those who had not even forty winks simply ing, slept less and less. grew accustoned to starting the day at one or two in the morning. On Thursday night, 1-I- October, Murshida spoke about the planes. She tped a little chart to the board and stood with it pointing cut what needed to be shown. Our blackboards are hopelessly inadequate to express the dimensions in which Murshida conceives her diagrams. This was a real frustration for her, though she seemed to have no trouble transducing her instruction to the level where we dwell. The spontaneity. of her explanations, the whimsy and seriousness in her face, the articulation in her hands gave me the feeling that she Is our Mursh:da the daugnter stirs a deep feeling of gladness in Baa. of her Father? I had to imagine or Father’s del;ht in her tiveness and accomplishment with every facet of His creation. But who am I to have such thoughts, to imagine such tiings? That she :.s But Peggy tel’s me, both she and the very likeness of her Father. Murshda saw the Beloved all around and a’oout our reu on Thursday nig,t and I imagine that He was very, very happy. That was the night cur hearts were broken with ova and a tide Who is to say Lat c’ tears swept thrcgii thab wcald r:iv;’L any river. 1 t uiil jt ‘c ‘l:e .iiow I ‘d L- ‘OP I aLdr j )V’ iS I rust a 9
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within me, and I was not alo1e. Andy wep; ucl Peggy wei.’; nn Murshida wept and told us that even Eaba oried and th roan icJved in weeping and singing amidst the shower of. Baha s v that bore us along mercifully into our Murshida’ s arms. We were burned wlth the double-edged sword of desperate longing and the heart-rending memory of those who witness love. And so, my sisters and brothers, if you are inconvenienced With pleas for shelter, for the use of your closet or porch, you must take it up with your Murshida. We can ozily tell you that she invited us all. And we must not disobey her rordiLsappoint her call. ‘e sc’.yo she has a large living room, and we know what to cxect. Inter viewc for emergencies only, and only those whom Murshide spe.ficc.lly request 5. Another word about our Murshidas health. Everyone nc:iceJ after three or four days, her face cleared and the red irritaton was gone from her eye. She grew younger. She seened to increase in vitality. We would give up sleep for tbe rest of our lives if it would continue to serve her so well, On Friday, 15 October, many of us were able to join Mnrhida for an intimate luncheon of thirty-five. The head table had to be expanded to twice its size. This was a very good lu.nchecn an especially good luncheon, in a tastefu.J.Jy decorated private room in the World Bank,. Two industrious woneri in the famiTh; brought i together on the spur of the visit whereas the origi.nal ol:.n had bc to serve lunch for Murshida in a auiet apartment setting. The next variation was to have the women meet in one restaurant and the mn meet with Bill in another. But en Thursday night, Murhda Ciaspc.d her hands in a circle above her head and remonstrated with u :ha we had not yet gotten the message, We are One. And so we wer sat for a few minutes au each table, and she admitted tMurshida having two or three desserts which everyone agreed were to good tc refuse. Friday night, the Muirs spent an entire evening aLone with Murshida. Peggy and Andy’s sacrifice and devotion on beial2 of their children must not go without mention. It is likely th?t Murshida would have come to see them if u.iez’e were cr rereeb in : nid-tlantic states. Murshida told us }ad to e: !,see he girl. But Peggy was tire.1es in filling Mur;a!sscbedule with this family member or that family member rather ti-inn take an extra half hour with Murshida for herselz’. If Love is rmlbiplieI hei it. is given away, Andy arid Peggy will never h.Evc •tr morenc v .Lthout it Robin Eve adds: Th-it Co many who had not yet. ret :iursh.c. a1read’ deeri.y loved boy cr; hey: her wihce ifie to th great devotion, sc1±’—sacrJoe, and .r:ir’ eer’Lce of onr dear Pen For Rc.Lin Eve wnc had scent five her Cal:L:orninni Sl.Lfi eyrerience was
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I had never said good—bye to Mursira ori1, ll’ ir(J:t. and ‘welcome iyck As she walked out to the :‘uraki.y wi.o nil.ng., waving to us I realized that I was grad 2Iy lear -r !‘ tc fnd her (Murshida’s) presence inside mrf and that I saying to her,” Joan concludes her narration: On Saturday, 6 October, we had tha great fortune to share the seventeenth anniversary of the inception of the New Life with Jrhida at the noon of her departure. Fbrgive me if I nd here artLiy.. But would you ask of me to try to tell you even th; e me pretend that if I were to go right now to the ai 1 I would be sitting there still. I invite all of you to join u.s juet a little outside the plane ever in the comp;ny of our ur.1id. n the presence of the viaster, under ho sPewer ox nis Grac n gladness of His Heart and ours brei[dng with Love for Iis (Th’ i,-,-
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A riiention of John Skiff who is progressing slov::Ly in h.s phvsi cal therapy program at Kaiser ehabilitaion Center in Vallejo, Ca lifornia. John is now able to spend weeknds aL hor.e with. hi fanily and when he is able attends Frida:r night neetlng, T3u I’ii. entails a great laTcr of love as he is strapped up and bundled .Lru’; a wheel chcir and his brother Peter has to sit up all night :tend:!flg hie needs. Most cf you probably have received the prepubli:atic n:: o2 the new children’s book to be published by S’ifisrn Reoriented Search for the King. The book will surely be a treasure for adults as well as chilaren alike. Delivery date is expected to be December JOtn e ‘r new boos in the Sufi books Lore aie Jnit I.’ ri ELsahc-i aich, Wscomof tne Prophets by Muhyi-d-D’n iLa r’ pua1 aTalec’ :erold Dj àr Inayat Khae, The_Fcminmn T 2 y h F:Le clan, and The Mirages of Marriage by William J. rr and Dr. Don E. Jackson.
Note our holiday schedule: We will haie Pric9ay n:ht etiu: the ‘ieay after Thanksgiving. November 2Gbh. The :3ufi Cietn party will be Saturday, December Lct,h. lighe OTHanral-jan, one of c’L: rspecbc’d Snfi doctors. infornd th: Order that he highly recommends the swir.e flu -aceie.. He cx plained that we have no irimunit; o this sr’ai.i of a;ed th-t therefore recommends immuniation er peoZe 1 cii ;ae
!i.hing you all a bci-ti.f’u1 Thankegiing fl 1).-. ..
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FORTY-SEVENTH SUFI FAMILY LEITER Decera’er 3, 19’76 Dear Family, The days here have turned crisp and cold and for several mornings now, silvery white frost has blanketed the ground. The early Winter weather has brought about a flurry of inside activities, pre-Christmas preparations and the usual stuffy noses. Thankfully, Murshida’s health continues to be good although she continues, as usual, to be as busy as imaginable. With renewed strenth since her Washington, D.C. trip, Murshida has been able to regularly attend Friday night meetings and we have been delighted at our good fortune in beirg able to bask in her presence so frequently. On November 12th Farhad Shafa visited Murshida and the Sufis. This was Farhad’s first trio back to the United States since his return to his homeland of Persia two years ago when his studies here were completed. It was in the United States that Farhad learned of Meher Baba through his association with Peg and Andy Muir’s Washington Baba family. We were fascinated with his stories of the small yet ardently dedicated group of Baba lovers he discovered upon his return to Iran, who now under his suggestion meet several times a week. Many of the lovers are of the older generation, some of whom actually met Baba, although recently, a few of the younger people have joined the group. Farhad related news of the group’s weekly activities which include an early morning mountain hike. From the tops of the itountains over-looking the vast and busy city of Teheran the group exuberantly shouts Baba’s name. Although Farhad. is dazzled by the love of the Persian Baba lovers, he is appalled at the state of the country, the greed and the harshness of the general popu:Lace. If it be Baba’s wish, this little spark of a group, meeting in Baba’s name, can seive as a beacon of hope and love for hungry souls. Many especially enjoyable activities were offered at the center this past month. 3B (Diane Cobb) exhibited several of her raost recent paintings. Some of 3B’s paintings which portrayed Baba were her depiction of the well-known photograph of Baba kissing the horse which she entitles “What the White Horse Did”, two or three paintings of Baba in his later years, a large canvas of Baha sitting in Duncan and Charmian’s living room with their three children, and a particularly striking pose of Baba walking towards Seclusion Hil]. in his famous patch-coat. 3B’s exhibit also included a portrait of a fellow Sufi, a Renaissance angel painted in tempera, and several large murals, two of which depict fictitious scenes frein J.R. Tolkien’s trilogy The Fellowship of the Ring. During the next few weeks other artistn the Order will have a chance to display their works. Another memorable November event was a classical recital by soprano Sonya Lawson. Sonya’s selections inciud songs by Handel, Brahms, Delebes, Rave]. and. others. Bernie Sohwartz z’.asterfufly accompanied Sonya on pi.no. The rich and varied prc.a:n provided
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Sonya with an opportunity to express the versatility ‘f her voice and training while her loving warmth of manner shone through her art. Due to a transfer in her husband’s work Sonya and her family will be moving to New York City at the end of December where she too will be able to further her career. The Center has again been sponsoring raffles, tho items or services raffled having been donated by members and the proceeds going towards the development of a workable kitchen. A large re frigerator, more pots and pans and dishes are needed to sccomodate the many gatherings for holidays and special events which occur at the Center. On Saturday, December 18th the Sufis will hold their annual Christmas celebration. Beginning before noon, a hake sale will offer all manner of delectable goodies while the ha;aar will feature hand-crafted items. Members of the Washington family have already sent their lovingly prepared goods which have ih the past been a beautiful addition. It is another time when the California Sufis are reminded of the unity existing between oir Washington brothers and sisters and ourselves as we both devote our energies towards the same goal. A uncileon will then be served followed by entertainment up stairs in the meeting room. The Center will thereafter be closed for the holidays (with the exception of the books ore, which will be open until Christmas) until Monday, January 3rd. 12th,
A second son was born to Steve and June Sardella on November He is named Maurice.
Note: Spring.
There will be be no more Sunday night films until the
Anyone wishing to contribute to the beautification of the altar particularly for Friday night meetings can send money to Eleanor Smith at the Center marked “for flowers”. Contributions are espe cially appreciated during the winter months when there is a lack of home-grown flowers. It is also time to renew subscriptions to the Sufi NewRletter. The price of $4.oo will help to defray the ver-risia cost of postage end paper. Please mcke out your check to Sufism ieoriented and mail it to the Center, attention Ronnie Deitrick. Our new book for children S:ch f:D: the Kzg has arrived at the Sufi bookstore. Those who have not jit oiered a copy ay .o so; the once is $7.45 ($77 i’ci Californ..La). Merry Mehermas to you alli in H:i: 1/
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Ronnie Deitnick
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Dear FanaL iith the Christmas holidays being over, once again the uf is begin an intense focusing on Baja’s brthay in Februa y nod our ar1.ua:L ulç,r’s reparation. Muzrshida refers ro partieipation in bhe pla a:; experience and indeed the long hours of rehearsal and ! ‘an ashrariiic 7 prepatory work provide many opportunities for the grinding dcn ‘m? ceo. By the end of February the play is all anyone can think o’ o h. or she is an actor or actress, chorus member, set designer, babr stte”, costume dresser or prompter. The play is like the duck whih we s L’sfis hope to resemble serene and recognizaie by outward apueawwice hut under the surface ever-paddling with the constant ac tivity that kops the duck or vehicle alive and vit.:,l. --
Friday night last, January 7th. several small to medium size e: r;h tremors shook the Walnut Creek area, one tremor being psr r. le] stroig and felt by many of us during the early norning hours. Like the effect of that tremor rumbling frcs deep under the :s: so the -o sersral weeks appear to me to be a period of both ii’:ro.c.]. and external snaking up, orchestrated meterfully by the One. ;:L.’, as always, while we expend our sankaras, turns us and tunes us to e’rents all:r play His sang. The period of the play is one in which this ric-,3:s is more perceptable than usnal. The ni play :Lz olJed ‘“‘waa.’ s
Mu.rshid is well and ocritnues to be present at Friday righ!: meotir!r,c. This past Christmas is the first in several that Msrshide.s hsalt!i has been good and for that the Sufis are c-specially grateful. It is indeed t;oo beginning of a happy new year when our beloved teacher hs. been hiesand with strerg;h and well-being. Murshida is particular:i buey sri with interviewing this year’s cendidates who have compieted thuir c 1 osscr ami now await final interr’ew before nititior is pos_e A series of three articles about Murshida appeared in a ioca neziner during the week of January 2nd. Both the text and the pic tures of iiurs:ida relabed a surprisingli accurate representaticri of Murshida and her work. Two of the three articles were ha.lf-a while the third at !cle was a full-page, each carrying a bol tly printed nead iine e.ch as ‘rzfism: a way of wisdom, honestb love” er tT Life o srririual path s Sufis great advent.ure” The last of the three articles foci: on three Sufi families and the way Sufism has changed their lives. The articles were written by a reporer hams in:;er— est-:d in Sufie and esrecially Murshida after having interviewed Pete WCLIC about tii children! a book The Search for the Iirig.
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The Liite Pony School and Day Carc i pic-nning to e’?and its program next, ?aEl to include first, second and third grades. The school which originally began in the Pall of 1975 with a pre-schoci and day-care program, will base its grammar school curricu’um on a coiThination of the best of Montessori, Walden and putic chocl techniques. Murshida’s school is indeed gro!-ring and for iDarents of small children it is an answer to a prarer for the best posfb1e education for their children. John Skiff has been able to make some progress in develop:.rir better motor control in his upper torso but continues to face furtber complications which necessitate prolonged treatment and surgery . He is now living at home with his parents at 509 Edna Drive, Pleasant Hill, CA 9)4523 where he continues to need constant care. Through-out the month of January, Jchn F. Kennedy Unvers:t,-7 is hosting an exhibit which is circulated by the Smithsonian Institution of Traveling Exhibitions Services of Washington, D.C. entitled “PSI ResearchU. The exhibit explores the realm of psyehJc pln’nornena, its historical and cultural aspects, its possib:Le anpliD tion in everyday life and recent results- of scientific invest:iio a n into pararsychology. Two separate series of lectures and sevre1 seminars are planned during January to explore the reality and value of psychic phenomena. Murshida will be among those who will speak on January 29th on the subject of PSI and spirituality. Murshid’s topic will be “Occult Versus Divine Powers”. Other notablc guests c1urin the month’s program include J.B. Rhine who is considered to be tao “father” of parapsychology, Olga Worrell, the famou s healer, as well as several local psychics. The engagement of Randy Hammon and Diane Zwicksr was announced or January 7th. Randy recently passed. the state board requirements for licensed hair stylists and cosmeticians and is no•;— an assistont to Dallas Amos and Richard Cormier at their hair salon. A reminder to renew your family letter subscription of T’40O for 1977. T’a will be thinking of you on Amartithi January 31st. Love in 1-lin,
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