AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

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102 YearsJ:’-v - Setember 1996

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with Avatar Meher BabaAvatar Meher Baba and Mehera on His birthday in 1956 in Satara, India

Featured Art Works

Photo of Mansari

by Ralph Jackson,

$]Opage 27

Cards by Carolyn Parker with photoscopyright Hermes, $3 each.

Now available in the Bookstore

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page 6

page 8 page 10

ihotos ofArtby Wodin,

$46.

page 36 page 30

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ti2ve5treetjjiiifiJ3stIn This Issue

Arts and Entertainment : Richard ArthurAnnouncements: Linda ZavalaBookstore Walli: Dma Snow FranklinCalendar: Richard ArthurChildren’s Corner: Adele WolkinLayout & Design: Terry duSoleilDistribution: Clea Sucoff and Harry Thomas

Submit your artwork, photos, poetry, leffers,articles, humor and ideas. Please submitthemon3.5” diskette or typed,double-spaced, single-sided, on clean, whitepaper. Do not submit originals!

DEADLINES:

November 15 (Jan-March)February 27 (April-June)May 15 (July-Sept)August 15 (Oct-Dec)

ADDRESS CHANGES I SUBSCRIPTION REQUEST:Clea Sucoff, 3122 Arizona Avenue,#C, Santa Monica, CA 90404 (310)828-1182.

BOOKSTORE:Dma Franklin, do Avatar Meher Baba Center of So. California,10808 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles,CA 90025Between 7pm & I I pm, phone (31 0) 837-641 9; or 24-hour fax(310) 839-BABA.

Email: BABABOOKS @AOLCOM

DONATIONS:Mail to: Love Street Lamp Post Donation, Avatar Meher BabaCenter of Southern Cailfornia,10808 Santa Monica Blvd., LosAngeles, CA 90025.

OTHER WEST COAST MEETINGS:In Orange County call Lynne or Steve Berry (714) 966-1262.In the Inland Empire call Jay Mohler (619) 366-9330.In Ojai call Peter Justin (805) 646-4159 (Weds 7:30pm)In Santa Barbara call Donna Karpeles ( 805) 682-1877.In San Diego call Scott orAnne Makeig (619) 436-7155.In Fresno call Sharon or Phil Scott at (209) 449-0877.In San Francisco call Mary Weiss or Peter Ravazza (510) 221-8724(Weds, 7pm)In Northern California call (510) 845-4339.In Portland, call the Wilson’s (503) 873-2048. (Fri, every other Sun).In Sacramento call Marilyn Buehler at (91 6) 925-4451.In Seattle call Joyce/Tom Geoffroy (206) 283-7027 (Fri, 8 pm).

Features:2 Featured Art Works4 From the Editorial Staff4 The WEB by Joe Stewart5 Letters to the Lamp Post6 Meherabad Celebrations by James Cox7 Meher Baba’s 102nd Birthday in Los Angeles

by Linda Zavala8 Adele Wolkin at Denver Sahavas

by Judi Schoeck10 AT THE BOOKSTORE12 ON SUFFERING by Mani Irani12 The One Real Thing You Can Do in this Life

by Mehera J. irani13 Baba’s Nazar by Eruch Jessawala

14 In Memoriaby Dma Snow Franklin

15 CALENDER OF EVENTS16 Children’s Corner17 CENTER REPORT

Michael Ramsden18-19 The Master’s Prayer20-21 Poetry22 August 23, 1966 by Kitty Davy to Mani22 Borrowed Time

byAndy Muir23 Persian New Year.

by R. Norrozy24 Arts & Entertainment25 NEWS FROM INDIA

by James Cox26 I Heard God Laughing27 ANNOUNCEMENT SECTION28 Letter from the Archives and Museum Committee

of the Avatar Meher Baba Trust30 Life Is A Pair 0’ Ducks31 Review of Murshida,

by Ralph Lewis inMeher Baba Association, England, Newsletter

31 Bless Us All by Adi K Irani32 Prayer as Inner Approach

Dictated by Avatar Meher Baba33 The 101 Names of God

The Love Street Lamp Post publishes information on the activites ofthe Avartar Meher Babe Center of Southern California and the life and works of Meher Baba. • The Love Street Lamp Postis given free of charge in the spirit of spreading Avatar Meher Baba’a Message of Love and Truth. • A publication of the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California, 1 0808 Santa MonicaBlvd. Los Angeles CA 90025 • Published quarterly (January, April, July, October) All contents © 1996 by the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California, except where noted. Call (310)474-9454 for further information on programs and services offered by the Center.

From the Editorial Staff

Dear Readers:

Many of the letters and articles to the Love Street Lamp Postarrived via the Baba Listserv, that is over the internet. For those of youwho want to know how to utilize this amazing communication tool to reachBaba lovers around the world, we’ve included the article below entitled“The Baba Web”.

These letters demonstrate the importance of the Love StreetLamp Post to readers around the world and in Los Angeles. They speak forthemselves. Let them also remind you that the Lamp Post is the product ofcontributions of time and talent from lovers of the God Man across theglobe. Any and all levels of skills are needed to assemble future issues,from typing to design and editing. See page 2 for information on how tocontact the Love Street Lamp Post.

The WEBby Joe Stewart

. . . . The Editorial Staff

What is the World-Wide Web?

The official description of the World-Wide Webis a “wide-area hypermedia information retrieval initiative aiming to give universal access to a large universe ofdocuments”. What the World-Wide Web (WWW, W3)project has done is provide users on computer networkswith a consistent means to access a variety of media in asimplified fashion. Using popular software interfaces tothe Web called Netscape, Mosaic, and many others, theWeb project has changed the way people view and createinformation - it has created the first true globalhypermedia network.

Baba followers from all over the globe arejoining in discussions about the Beloved without everleaving their homes. There are a number of onlineproviders which give the user both an email address andaccess to a WWW browser. All are welcome to join. Ifyou have access to email you can join us by subscribingto the Avatar Meher Baba Listserv. LISTSERV stands for“list server”.

LISTSERV is a mailing-list server which wasdesigned to make group communication easier. Anypiece of mail sent to the list address is automaticallydistributed by the list server to each and every person onthe list. You do not have to know all the names andnetwork addresses of the people subscribed to the list.They in turn will respond to the list address and theirresponse will also be distributed to the the entire

mailing list.This Listserv is dedicated to Meher Baba. It was createdto provide a forum for followers of Meher Baba to shareexperiences, ideas, post news and events, and to discussthe life and teachings of Avatar Meher Baba.If you wishto subscribe, send a message to:LISTSERV@JWS>SUNYERIE.EDUIn the body of the message place:SUBSCRIBE BABA John SmithSUBSCRIBE is the command function, BABA is thename of the list, and John Smith is an example of aperson’s full name. This command will add you to theMeher Baba Listserv. It will also add your full name [orhandle if you prefer] to the listserv addressing. This isquite useful for helping other members to know thatrwxyz@maya.com is really their old friend John Doe.

A message will be sent to you describing theoperation of the Listserv.

If you have access to a WWW (World Wide Web)browser be sure to review the Meher Baba WEB pages.The URL for the USA pages is:

http:llwww.sunyerie.edulmbfhtmllmb.htmlThe URL for the Norweegen pages is:http:llwww.oslonett.nolhome/erics/index.html

“Note to computer people: Love Baba, not through the‘screen’ of the mind, but by the ‘port’ of the heart”

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Letters to the Lamp Post

Dear Lamp Post:

To the Love Street Lamp Post:

I have just read the April issue of the LoveStreet LampPost, and I can’t tell you how much Ienjoyed it! It was so wonderful to hear about whatis going on all over the Baba world. You in LosAngeles are so lucky to have a Center. For those ofus who are the ‘only Baba lover in town’ yourmagazine is a wonderful thread to make us feelinvolved with the exciting happenings in the BabaWorld!

I have included a $20 check, I hope that willbe enough to cover a years worth of LampPosts.

There was so much in the magazine I en-joyed, but being an avid movie goer, I particularlyliked Richard Arthur’s piece on Arts and Entertain-ment. However, I felt there was one movie he leftout that I would have placed at the top of thelist Dead Man Walking. Why such a gruesometheme, that of a man’s execution, would be at thetop of my list is as follows:

To the casual observer the Sean Penn char-acter was a total scumbag, a cold callous killer. Butthe nun played by Susan Sarandon, (who justifiablygot the Oscar!) was able to see beyond the man &his actions & could give love to the soul within him.I mean Baba tells us He is in everything, the scorpion as well as the lamb, the evil person as well asthe good. If we are to live as Baba tells us, we cannot be selective in our loving. We can’t love only thekind person, one who loves us, one who is hand-some, one who deserves our love. Yes, Babe wasabout kindness, tolerance etc etc, & was very cute,but I thought more than any other film Dead ManWalking gave us a prime example of a personfollowing Baba’s teaching to the letter: “Start byloving those you cannot love, then you will beloving God”.

Thanks again for a great magazine ! Keep up thegood work. Jai Baba.

--- Dorothy Bishop

It was one of those lazy Saturday mornings. Iwoke up early and just stayed in bed. I had a stack ofthings to read. There’s a pile in my room (computermagazines, educational bulletins, textbook samples, and“The Love Street Lamp Post.”)

Was there an editor change lately? I studied themasthead for awhile for the answer. This current editionseems to be sweeter than some of the latest publications.There didn’t seem to be a “hidden agenda” in this issue.The agenda was Meher Baba and only Meher Baba. Iknow the Divine One appreciates that very much. Idon’t know what changes have taken place, but I likethem!

---- Larry Pesta

Dear LampPost,

We just received the April-June issue and asalways, it is great to hear of happenings in the widerBaba Community. I thought I’d send some of theefforts that our youngest children, Abraham (1 1) andManija (7) produced after we returned to NewZealand from a wonderful three weeks in India thisJanuary. I hope your readers get the opportunity toenjoy them as much as we have.

In His love,Brad Kunin and family.

See children ‘s page

I just want to say how much my familyappreciates the Lamp Post. The best compliment Icould give it, is that somtimes you think you’rereading a Glow!

Jai BabaFlayton family

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1 02 YEARS WITH A VATAR MEHER BABA!On February 25, 1996 Baba lovers around the world caine together to celebrate Meher Babac 102nd Biiihda

These are reportsfrom Baba Centers in India, US. Los Angeles, Myrtle Beach, Chapel Hill, Atlanta, Washington D. C.,Den icr , Australia, and Norway.

Meherabad Celebrationsby James Cox

At about I I am, the women mandali, along with Eruchand Aloba, came to the Samadhi for arti. Mani, havingrecently returned from Pune, stayed back at Meherazad torecuperate. After a relatively quick arti, all headed downthe hill for the play at Hostel A, which is now called theArts and Entertainment Center, or something like that.But it’s the same building, and wet gunny bags had beenplaced on the roof to keep the place cool, if possible. Asthe play started, the exhaust fans were shut off, to enablepeople to hear, and it became a contest of whether theplay could generate enough interest to distract your mindfrom the ever increasing heat. This year, the play wonhands down. No heat strokes.

The play was called, “This Man David,” and it was,based on a screenplay that Baba had encouraged to bewritten in the 30s. Baba provided personal guidance for

-the project in the original version, but it was neverproduced as a motion picture.

This was the first time that any of the screenplays thatBaba had instructed people to write was ever produced asa play in Meherabad, and the process was different fromthe beginning. The script was adapted for the theater byHeather Nadel and Alan Wagner, but this year there wasan unusual amount of personal differences, and variouspeople had predicted the failure of the play, but on thecontrary, I think it turned out to be hands down the bestplay ever produced in Meherabad. It sort of miraculouslycame together at the last moment, and you could even saythat this performance was inspired. There was hardly adry eye in the theater.

The storyline opens in a small town calledMiddlesville that is very set in its ways, and that detestsany kind of change. Into this village one day comesDavid Lord, someone that is taken as a school teacher,and who assumes the role, bringing a fresh air of love andkindness into this stale community.

of course there are people of power who are notpleased by this change, and they create opposition forDavid, but he persists with his insightful and helpful actsof kindness. There is a pregnant girl whose lover runsaway, leaving her without support, and there is a ridiculed

town fool who has never had a friend. David helps thesetwo, and is then set up by one of the townsfolk as anarsonist, and in a moment of mob frenzy, is lynched. Onthe tree where he is hung, later appears an image of hisface, and that tree becomes a focus of pilgrimage. Thispreceeds Baba’s face appearing on the Umbar treeoutside Mehera’s window by nearly 50 years.

Superficially, this seems like a very stereotypical playwith the same old universal themes, which I suppose it is,but the magic comes in how it all fits together, and that isalmost impossible to capture in a brief revue. Themusic, written by Ward Parks in about a week, wasnothing short of sublime, and Ted Judson’s portrayal ofDavid Lord, a potentially campy and very riskyrole, was so inspired that when I congratulated him 15

minutes after the end of the play, you could still feel thecharge. I found myself wishing that everyone I had everloved could have been there to witness this performance.

Alan Wagner, as usual, directed the play with helpfrom Nancy Wall and Mary Sutton, and incredibleperformances were also given by Rickii Sheu, JeffColeman, Mary Sutton and Minoo Hamilton (who did hiswhole part in one week.) Bravos also go out to all of thesupporting cast, stage crew, and marvelous sets designedby Carmen Diaz and Katherine Cox.

I

IAvatar Meher Baba 1925

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Meher Baba’s 102nd Birthday inLos Angeles

by Linda Zavala

A two day celebration for Beloved Baba’s birth-day was offered this year the remembrance of which beganheartily with 7 “Avatar Meher Baba ki jai”s at exactly3:30pm on Saturday. Dr. Allan Cohen joined us this year.He had not visited the LA. Group since ‘77’78 so it wasreally a delight to be with him again. He recounted how hecame to Baba in the late ‘60s and how almost before heknew he was a Baba “lover” Baba decided to use this shyuniversity student for His work and told him to go out andtalk about Baba. He reminded us of how Baba as the Di-vine Trickster can use illusion for His Universal Work and“turn the key” which He did in the’60s bringing many newlovers to Himself.

Sunday, the 25th we moved on to Occidental College in nearby Eagle Rock in Lower Herrick Hall to con-tinue offerings to the Beloved. Baba’s baraka’was palpably felt. There was a very intimate family feeling this yearenhanced by the children making their offerings to Baba sonaturally and easily. Janani Lee played the flute, Mia

Campagna sang a lovely song “If God Were One Of Us”and was accompanied by Rob Thornbum and her fatherMichael Campagna on guitar. Danny Maguire, Josh andJanani Lee and Mia sang the Baba alphabet song startingwith “A is for Avatar” etc. Steve Sadono played Bach’s“Prelude in Fugue” very deftly on piano. Mehernoush’sPersian dance was so graceful in yet another gorgeous costume in hot pink. Mahmoud Ajang sang the Persian artivery soulfully. It was very heartwarming to see GeorgeGerdes on stage, looking healthy, after undergoing heartsurgery several months ago. He sang three or four folk songson guitar. Billy Goodrum, Richard Stermer, Harry Thomas,DebraAshe, Michael Campagna, Rob Thornburn, Scott andPrem Makeig, and Fayre Davis, offered heartfelt and up-lifting song. Michael Matthias of New Jersey, as always,had some surprises for us with his cosmic poetry readings.Fred Stankus, aka Ed McMaya, waged war against the mindwith his perennial favorite “Manonash Calypso”. JeffMaguire did a stand up ad lib pointing out the pitfalls ofliving a spiritual life in the fast lane with The One ! Lastlywe saw the Beloved’s face and form divine at the birthdayparty filmed in Nasik.The celebration came toa close with Steve Shev’sintimate rendition of“Beguine the Beguine”on the mandolin.

Billy Goodrumand Linda Zavala, coordinators wish to expressa special thanks to TimThelan, sound engineer, Mario Zavala, lighting engineer,

Rob and Wendy Ward, Mary Kay and Leila Hage, RoseChoi, Vanessa Stout, flower arranging, David Overton, thebirthday cake and others for making it such a beautifulevent.

Di Allen Cohen guestspeaker at LA

birthday celebrations.

MehernoushLorkalantari dances a

traditional Persiandance

Michael Ranisden leads the singing at Baba ‘sbirthday celebration.

Marguerite Foley reads poem toBaba. Linda Zavala assists.

Janami and Josh Lee, Danny Maguire and MiaCampagna perform a medley

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Adele Wolkin at Denver Sahavasby Judi Schoeck

Two lodge buildings. side by side up a snowy hillin the Rocky Mountains outside Denver, were transformedinto Lower and Upper Meherabad during the third annualRocky Mtn. Sahavas for Meher Baba’sBirthday. This year, about 38 people fromnear and far attended the two-day gather-ing and Adele Wolkin was our specialguest.

The idea for a regional gatheringwas put into place for the centenary celebration ofthe Ancient One’s Advent and,as other Sahavas attendees know, it’s agreat way to be together and focused, awayfrom the pull of our daily lives.

Saturday morning Adele spoke oflearning of Meher Baba through FilisFrederick and Meher Baba’s Westernwomen disciples. After Filis heard a talkby Norma Matchabelli, Adele met Elizabeth Patterson and Nadine Tolstoy atElizabeth’s home. Norma was seated toreveal a spiritual thought transmission fromMeher Baba. He had said Norma was theonly one in the West who had spiritualthought transmission. During these talks,Adele said, Norma’s voice and appearance changed. OnceAdele had met Baba, she realized Norma did take on as-pects of Baba during these sessions. Adele said she felt somuch balm and sweetness as Norma spoke, there was noway to respond negatively because the authenticity of loveshowed through.

In I 944, Adele and Filis were asked by the three ifthey would like to help prepare for Meher Baba’s comingto the States. After Adele and Filis spent months acting asushers during public talks, helping with elaborate teas theMeher Spiritual Center in South Carolina, Nadine becameill with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Baba said He wantedsomeone who loved her to care for her. Norma intuitedthat Adele would be the right person for this and Adeletook charge of nursing Nadine. Adele shared with us thatNorma was the only one Elizabeth ordinarily went alongwith, and that Baba had told Nadine that she would achievewhat Leo Tolstoy longed for.

Late Saturday afternoon, a dhuni fire was lit in theUpper Meherabad fireplace and each of us threw our in-tentions in Meher Baba’s consuming fire of love. Sharingof songs and stories ended with an energy-filled circle danceas we sang the round: Meher Baba, Meher Baba, God is

Love, God is Love! Meher Baba. Meher Baba, Avatar,Avatar!

Saturday night, Adele told us of her Sahavas withMeher Baba. She first saw Meher Babain April 1 952, very early in the morningat New York’s Penn Station. Baba hadsaid ‘no interviews’, as he and the 6women and 6 men companions were ontheir way to the Meher Center, so Adeleand Filis waited on an upstairs balconyjust to glimpse the Master. Adele said TheAbodefor One andAll is the name MeherBaba gave to the Myrtle Beach Center.

When Adele first met Meher Baba(at 9:30 am on May 10, 1952), she real-ized that He was her mother and father,someone who makes you feel loved andprotected and not self-conscious. Adeletold us she didn’t look too deeply intoBaba’s eyes on her first meeting. Stand-ing next to Baba was like standing nextto a tall person knowing you’re shortyou knew where you were at, as a humanbeing. Adele said the contagion of Baba’spurity was such, that touching Him was

not like another type of human being.Adele gave of herself unstintingly during her time

with us. We left our mountain retreat mid-day and our celebration for Baba’s birthday ended that evening with a partyheld in Denver. At our regular weekly Baba meeting thefollowing Sunday night, more than one of us mentionedhow the fragrance of our Sahavas stayed with us all week.And may it ever be so! that we continue to grow in keep-ing company with Beloved Baba every day of our lives.

,

Judi Schoeck, Adele Wolkin,Dixon Staples at Denver

Sahavas, Feb 23-25, 1996

Meher BabaI 936

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Washington D.C.

More than 60 people in the Meher Baba Washing-ton (DC) Gathering celebrated Baba’s I 02nd birthday witha music program at the Synergy Dance and Healing ArtsCenter on February 24. And on the 25th, there was a pot-luck brunch at Jeff and Geri Craddock’s home.

The musicians invited were Raphael Rudd of NewJersey, pianist, and Jane Brown of Myrtle Beach, vocalist;with the D.C. group’s own Dan Stone accompanying onguitar.

The performance was a perfect example of ‘theshow must go on,’ as Jane and Dan were fighting laryngitis and Raphael almost had to cancel as he was sufferingfrom a broken cheekbone incurred when he slipped on theice in New York.

Despite being in considerable pain, at the lastminute he decided to perform, considering several optionsto conceal his extensive bruising including performing as‘The Phantom of the Opera’ with full mask. But he finallydecided on make-up and turned his best side to the audi-ence. He did wear his black velvet cape. Fortunately, Dan’sguitar didn’t need his husky voice, Jane came through, en-tertaining the large group using a Janis Joplin techique:sipping herbal cough medicine throughout the performance.Despite their disabilities, each performed beautifully.Troupers!

Chapel Hill NC

About 50 attended when Tom Riley gave a talkin Chapel Hill on February 25 for Baba’s birthdaycelebration. He told about his second meeting with Babain 1962 and about his link, Vidas, a French-Hungariancomposer who met Baba in Hollywood in I 932. CathyRiley was the guest musician, performing with a numberof the Baba children, plus Jerry Llewellyn and DarrylSmith.

ATLANTA

About two dozen from the Atlanta environsgrouped together to celebrate Meher Baba’s birthday.

Jeff Wolverton from Myrtle Beach was invitedas guest speaker and musician. Trudy Gardiner of Athens,GA was also a featured vocalist. The gatherings were atNaozer and Kathy Dadachanji’s and began with arti at8:30 pm on Saturday, February 24 (which was 7 am. inIndia, February 25). Then there was music and Jeff’smessage about harmony.

Myrtle Beach

The name is apt. “Charmian,” she said, “means abit ofjoy”. And joy it was that she brought to MeherCenter on Meher Baba’s birthday week-end February24th and 25th. It was like a radiance in her very beingthat spilled out in delighted laughs and smiles andchuckles as a final response to nearly every situation orsubject, no matter how painful or humiliating or disastrous. This is her wisdom: “It’s a good way to bumsanskaras: illness and suffering. And Baba did say to becheerful, you know.!”

Charmian Duce Knowles journeyed from theSufism Reoriented Center in Walnut Creek, California toshare her memories of Meher Baba and lessons she hasleamed. The Meeting Place was packed on Saturdaynight, and on Sunday at Dilruba House, people weresqueezed into every inch of space in two rooms, over-flowing into the hallway and kitchen. “Spiritual advance-ment comes from being in the world”, she concluded.“We have retreat centers just as places to rest for a while,not stay in. We need to go back into the world and servehumanity. That’s how we can serve God”.

Reproducedfroni “The White Horse Journal” bypermission, Vicki Warner

“It is said that the soul has to pass through eight million, four hundred thousand (84 Lakhs) human formsafter it has once commenced to reincarnate in the human form. The prehuman forms through which it hasto pass before it can incarnate in the human form are innumberable.

from “God speaks” by Meher Baba, page 163

PAGE 9

AT THE BOOKSTORE

Jai Baba and welcome to the Bookstore!

As usual we have more new and exciting things totell you about. But I hesitate I have been caught outbefore, by telling you about a new item on the producer’spromise that by press time we would have it in stock. Onlyto find production delays have occurred, and I am facedwith orders but no product!

Baba seems tohave tested Elaine Cox’s patience& perseverance with the secondvolume of the wonderful Song ofHuma tape. She had thought itwould be ready long ere this, butis now promising to have it to usin time for the July Sahavas. Sothose ofyou who can make the tripto California to share in HisSahavas will be able to buy it in theBookstore, anyone else can order4t, and I’ll be happy to ship it out toyou.

-For those who are unfamil

iar with this tape, a little explanation: Huma was the pen name Babaused when writing His ghazals andother poems in the I 920’s. Herethey are sung by Rhoda Mistry, Meher Baba 193]Mani Irani, and Katie Irani. Theywere sung acapella & recorded in India, & then set to mu-sic in the States. Stop press, more problems, not availablefor another few months.

Another hot item many of you have beenwaiting for, lo, these many years!

Life is a Pair ‘0 Ducks the delightful videofrom the artistry ofWodin. See the review by Vicki Warneron page 1 1 There are two volumes at $29.95 each, avail-able now.

While on videos, the Sufis have released atape on the life of Murshida Ivy 0. Duce, titled simply:Murshida. Actually its been available in England for sometime, but is only recently released here. With a 48 minuterun time, its a very reasonably priced $26. See the reviewon page 27

Talking of Murshida.. ..if you haven’t readHow A Master Works it is a book definitely worth havingin your library. Written in 1 975 by Ivy Duce it answersquestions such as “Who am I? What am I doing here? How

PAGE1O

do I grow spiritually?”. She also gives the answers to “Whatis authentic spiritual practice? How do I integrate the mystical with the practical? What is real discipleship all about?”In an autobiographical text, she tells of her life with MeherBaba and examines the working methods used by Baba to

perfect His disciples, both in India

______________

and the Western world. Mrs. Ducewrites disarmingly and simply, buttells the story on many differentlevels. In firsthand detail, she sub-tly reveals “secrets” of spiritual development. Its a 768 page hardbound book, exceptionally inexpensive at $17.95.

‘Our Lady of the Roses’,Carolyn Parker, has designed us 3new cards, one, an exquisite photoofMehera, and 2 new ones of Baba.Photos of these beautiful cards arescattered throughout the magazine.If you are not familiar withCarolyn’s work: she grows, cuts,and arranges fresh roses on photosof Baba and Mehera. These highly

___________

colourful roses contrast wonderfullywith the black and white photo-graph, but they are arranged so skill-

fully, it seems almost as tho’ they are, in reality, being worn.Carolyn then photographs the assembled photos and roses,so we have a combination of colour and black and white.These photos are then adhered to high quality white stockas fold over cards with matching envelopes. They are $3each.

Another item that has caused great excite-ment on the Internet is the new album by Raphael Rudd. Ihave mentioned it in the last two issues, and many of yousent in your orders already. But mid-production there was achange of plans: instead of a tape & a CD of The Awakener,we are now being offered something much better! Remember Raphael’s tape & CD called Skydancer ? Well if youwanted the CD you had to pay $21 , that was the cost toRaphael, & he passed it on to me, & the Bookstore to you,at the same price. Reason for its high price was the CD hadonly been commercially released in Japan, and we wereselling you copies with Japanese printing all over them. Butthe production company hasjust come up with a great idea!:We now have for you a double CD, Skvdancer and The

, -‘ % - ‘;

Awakening at the great low price of $19.95.

To refresh your memory about TheAwakener tape,check your last LampPost, but if you’ve just come aboardas a new subscriber, here briefly, are the details: The Awak

_____

ener was recorded at Eel Pie Studios in London from October I 978 through May 1980 with Pete Townshend, PhilCollins and Annie Haslam. Never before released, it show-cases Raphael’s full and textural sound in an orchestral rockoriented style he was experimenting with at the time. Call I had always tried to get your orders out within ame for more details or to place your few days, but now that the Bookstoreorder. The double CD for $19.95 ! ! To is also on the Internet & Baba List serv,answer your question, no there will that takes up another hour or two abe no tapes released at this time, night, so often the orders can not beperhaps down the road aways.. . packed, written up & sent for a week

or more. Particularly just after aAn absolutely delightful LampPost comes out & you all rush

book thatjust came to us is I Thought to buy the things I have been tellingI Heard God Laughing renderings of you about! I love it, but it really con-Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky. Yes I know cerns me when you can’t get thatHafiz was Baba’s favourite poet, but which you want within a few days. Sowith the limited time I have available, please bear with me and allow 2-3Hafiz was not one of the books I was weeks for receipt of order. However

likely to pick up for a quick read. Not if you need it for a birthday present oruntil now that is ! When Searchlight a special meeting, please be sure toPublications sent me the copy for re- let me know the date you Jiyto haveview I was immediately captivated by it by, & I will get it to you on time.the whimsical drawing of this kindly old gentleman with a Thats all for this issue.. .hope to see a lot of you attwinkle in his eye, that makes the lovely cover ofthe book, the Sahavas otherwise....drawn by Diane Cobb. But just wait till you see

See you, at the Bookstore!

Because this issue is so late, we have a chance tomention the second book by Daniel Ladinsky, which followed not a month after the first. As one is to humor, this isto love. It is so heartwarming, not to mention delightfull,and another one you simply have to share with a loved one.The prescription for the absolutely ideal setting to read TheSubject tonight is Love is as follows: Whether your Significant Other is Meher Baba or a more corporeal person-age, be alone with them. Light the candles, put a SimonReece tape on, and then read aloud. The atmosphere willbecome infused with the magic, the love, thejoy oflife and

of knowing we live with theknowledge that the Christwas here on earth in ourtime, walked among us, andembraced many of us. Thisknowledge alone gives youa glow warm enough to lighta full city block! This second book of Daniel’s is pub-lished by Pumpkin HousePress. 67 pages and is only$10

inside. . . .what a treat is in store for you. Not having thetime to even peak inside I sent it off to John Page, whowrote the review on page 26 Then when he e mailed itback to me with selections, I nearly fell off my chair laugh-ing! I know God was laughing! Its the kind of thing whereyou read one & then rush to the phone to call a dear oneand say “you’vejust got to listen to this!” Paperback, 161pages, $14.

:

The newly released double CD featuring“Skydarner” and the Awakening. $19:95

The Subject Tonight is Love

PAGE 11

ON SUFFERINGby Mani Irani

Mani sent the following to Jane Haynes with the requestthat it be read aloud at the Meher Spiritual Center andthen published in the Love Street Lamp Post.

From the time I was little I knew that suffering,like everything else in creation, comes from God. I noticedhow much suffering my loved ones had to go through inone way or another, especially my close family.

Later I would wonder why the good people I knewreceived more suffering while the not-good people I knewgot away with whatever they did. The answer came fromwithin me that suffering must surely be a very good thing,such a good thing that God would want to share it with Hisspecial ones. I asked Father about it, and he said, “Neverquestion God’s Love and Wisdom my child, suffering is apassing thing given to you for your lasting benefit.”

When you belong to the Lord, He takes over allthat is yours - your failures, your victories, your joys andyour sorrows, to work with as He wishes. With all the Baba

lovers that we know of going through all the suffering thatwe hear of, it is not easy to see all the compassion that we

- are assured of. His unseen compassion is spoken of by Hisgreat lovers in the past, and illustrated by a Perfect Masterin a simple analogy of a village potter.

You may have been among one of the groups accompanying Eruch on a tour of Pimpalgaon Village in theold days when he took Baba-lovers around at village. Oneof the favourite sights was the village potter at work making a pot on a primitive wheel turned by hand. While theclay is whirling around on the wheel, the potter is shapingthe pot by whacking it with a wooden mallet. As his righthand is visibly raining these blows on the outside of thepot, his left hand is inside the pot, unseen, silently support-ing and upholding it so that it does not break.

Thus a Perfect Master illustrates God’s unseen compassion.

Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai! ! !

The One Real Thing You Can Do in this Lifeby Mehera J. lrani,

from the book “Mehera”

As I have said, Baba suffered for each one of us, forHis Love for each one of us. In many, many ways Babasuffered. Baba had so much work and put so much stressand strain on His body with His fasts; with His seclusions;with His mast work when He walked for miles and miles inthe hot sun and travelled in third-class trains for days with-out rest; with His contacting the lepers; with His bowingdown to the thousands of sadhus and poor people; and withHis two accidents. And Baba had to constantly put up withthe natures ofthose around Him, and with many other things.So much He has gone through. I cannot tell you of all thesuffering that He took upon Himself. And He used to justkeep quiet and not say a word. Baba had to swallow all thesuffering and all the difficulties He had to go through. Sucha strain it was, never to be able to speak out. We cannotknow now great that suffering was for Baba.

Keeping silence all those years was most difficultfor Baba. Baba’s nature was happy and cheerful. He lovedto talk and to laugh and to sing, but after silence Baba couldnot say anything. He had to spell everything out on the alphabet board. Baba had a very fine sense of humour, but ifHe wanted to be funny or to tease someone He would haveto point to the letters on the board. And by the time He hadfinished saying it, halfthe fun was lost. Then Baba gave upeven the alphabet board, and with great patience He wouldhave to repeat again and again, through gestures, what Hewanted to convey.

And Baba’s nature was to do everything quickly.Baba loved to laugh, but even that sound He denied Him-self and held back. All those years Baba had to hold backand not say what He wanted to say. Every second of theday, every minute, every day, every month, every year forforty-four years Baba could not say what He wanted tosay.

In 1 941 Upasni Maharaj knew that He was soongoing to give up His body, and He wanted to see Babaone more time. Baba agreed to meet Him alone, but not inSakori. So it was arranged that they meet outside Sakori.They met, and with tears in His eyes Maharaj told Baba,“Give up Your silence. Now it is bringing too muchsuffering.” And Baba replied, “No, I have come to suffer,and My work is most important. I must finish My work.”And how much Baba suffered as time passed. He nevertold us He was suffering, but He was.

And for those last twelve years Baba could not even

PAGE 12

walk. Baba lived those twelve years with great difficulty,yet not the sound of a groan or a moan did He make. Hishealth was such that He must have wanted to, but He didnot complain. Baba quietly suffered to the very end.

Baba suffered for our sake, for each one, and forall humanity, and for all creation. Baba has given a greatpush to every soul in creation. He is the Creator, and it allbelongs to Him.

And Baba is all-forgiving, and very, very loving.Sometimes we made mistakes, because it was not easy tolive with the Avatar. He always tested one. And when thattime came, we did sometimes forget and make mistakes.But Baba would at once forgive us and say, “Don’t worry.Take it out of your head, forget it.” An we did our best toserve Him and love Him to the best of our ability.

So Baba has suffered for each one of us, and nowwe should love Him because He loves us and went throughall this suffering for each of us. Always hold on to Baba’sdaaman and love Him, that is the one real thing you can doin this life. Baba may seem to try to snatch His daamanfrom your hands, but be sure not to let go, be sure to holdon tightly. Be true to His love for you.

Baba’s Nazarby Eruch Jessawa/a

Meher Baba often told us that suffering broughtthe individual closer to Him. One day we were all sittingin the Mandali Hall enjoying a music programme inprogress with a large number of people in attendance andin the gathering was a woman holding a small baby in herarms. Suddenly at one point the baby started to cry, tug-ging at the mother in its efforts to be free. This greatlyembarrassed the mother who kept her hold, but the moreshe tried to restrain and silence the child, the louder itscries became. Baba ofcourse noticed the mother’s discomfiture and asked that the baby be allowed to crawl on thefloor and as soon as this was done the cries were silencedand the baby gurgled happily in its new found freedom.

After the music stopped, Baba began to give a discourse and everyone’s attention was focussed on what Hewas saying. Halfway through the discourse, Baba stopped

and pointing to the baby who was close to falling over thethreshold of the door, signalled that the mother should retrieve it and let it crawl near her. Baba then interrupted Hisdiscourse to explain the following in these words: “When Isay My nazar (grace) is on you, it means I allow you toplay with your own little games just as you saw this babydo, and when you are about to fall and hurt yourself, I pickyou up and put you in a safe place and let you continuewith your game. However, when I pick you up, like thebaby you throw a tantrum, for My act of picking you upappears in a form of suffering for you, but I know what isgood for you. It is only your suffering that will bring youclose to Me and when you suffer, know that My nazar is onyou.”

From THE ANCIENT ONE, p. 136Copyright 1985 Naosherwan Anzar

[.

PAGE 13

IN MEMORIAM

by Dma Snow Franklin

Andy Muir passed on to His Beloved at 7. 15 am SundayMay 1 9th, just 8 days after his 82nd birthday. It was ablessed release for him as he had been in fragile health forthe past few years.

Andy has touched a great many lives, and I don’tthink there is a person who could not feel that their liveswere enhanced by that contact. I was one of the lucky oneswho knew him as PegAndy. Baba called them this when heand his wonderful (overused word, great understatement!)wife, Peggy were the leaders of the Baba group in Wash-ington D.C. back in the 60s. We immediately hit it off withthem & formed an intimate family friendship. They bothsaid they felt there were strong karmic ties to our children.When I invited Andy to my daughter’s wedding in ‘94 hesaid “I’ ye got to be there! The little stinker peed on my lapthe first time I met her!” Unfortunately health problemsprevented him from attending, and we missed him badly.Before his body started failing him, he was an indefati

gable worker. In his late 70s he would stay with me eachSahavas & pack up and carry heavy boxes for me. Alwaysthe consumate gentleman, he refused to let me lift a thing.At the Sahavas he would sit to have a quiet chat with some-one and after 15 minutes or so, there would be a crowd of30 or more around him. He had so many wonderful storiesto tell, thank goodness he got a lot of it on audio and videotapes in a interview form. It would be good to get thosetapes in our lending library, so those of us who know andlove him can listen to him again, and those who have neverheard him, can learn from his wisdom.

When his beloved Peggy succumbed toAlzheimer’s, Andy took on the full nursing chores for fourlong heartbreaking years. From this experience he says helearned what it is to be a Mother. He would talk to any manhe could get to listen about how wonderful the motheringinstict was, and what amazing creatures we women were.of course, we didn’t mind hearing that! Here was a manwho had truly integrated his masculine and feminine side.It made him a marvellous companion for both men andwomen.

His love for God and devotion to the Avatar asMeher Baba was as full and as strong as I have seen inanyone short ofthe Mandali! ButAndy also had an ascerbicside, that totally delighted a lot of us. No mush ball was he!He could shoot fire and brimstone at times!

We shared the same birthday, so when he was still

living in that fabulous apartment in D.C. I used to fly outfor the weekend and we’d party the time away. He moved afew years ago to the wonderful little cottage in the woodswhich he promptly named “Muir Woods”. He asked me tohelp him unpack the accumulation of 30 plus years of Babatreasures, and all the beautiful things he and Peggy had collected in the Orient. What a wonderful experience that was!So much beautiful ‘Meherabilia’ , it took days longer thanthe job would normally call for.

Andy had been in hospital for a few days after afall that broke his hip, then lapsed into a coma, and passedon without regaining consciousness. He had his very by-ing Baba friends around him all the time and had a peacefublpassage to the Prayers and Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai!

It was a happy time for us all, knowing how hisbody had been failing him, and knowing that he was nowreunited with his beloved Meher Baba and his dearest Peggy.Jai Baba Andy, I will really miss you!

I’m sure many ofyou have some wonderful ‘Andystories’ . If you would like to send them to us, we would behappy to share them in these pages. i

Upon learning ofAndy v passage, we received the followingtelegram from the Iviandali:

J . -

, i._

“Dear Andy, ancient lover of the

Ancient One, is enjoying unbounded

freedom in Beloved Avatar Meher

Baba’s presence. We salute his love

for his Beloved Master, Avatar

Meher Baba.”

Signed, Your Meherazad Family

PAGE 14

- _F , Jl_ ..

CALENDER OF EVENTSJuly 3, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KaichuriReading and discussion

July 6, Saturday 8pmFilm NightAvatar Meher Baba as recorded on film.

July10, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KaichuriReading and discussion

July10, Wednesday 9pmThe Call (Century Cable SM)Tune in for this public access broadcast ofthis film on Meher Baba. Tell a friend. Muchthanks to producer Fred Stankus.

July13, Saturday 6pmFarsi Language MeetingDevoted to the discussion of Meher Baba inThe Farsi language. Coordinated byDr. Mahmoud Ajang.

July13, Saturday 8 pmSilence Day (history and sharing).Come tell your favorite silence day storiesand experiences.

July17, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KalchuriReading and discussion

July 20, SaturdayMehermount work party. Please callcaretaker Michelle @ (805) 640-0000if interested.

July 20, Saturday 8pmGod SpeaksReading and discussion

July 24, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KaichuriReading and discussion.

July 27, SaturdayMehermount work party. Please callcaretakerMichelle @ (805) 640-0000if interested.

July 27, Saturday 6pmFarsi Language MeetingDevoted to the discussion of Meher Baba inThe Farsi language. Coordinated byDr. Mahmoud Ajang.

July 27, Saturday 8pmArti An evening ofprayers, song, poetry,and other expressions of devotion forMeher Baba.

July 31 , Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KaichuriReading and discussion

August 3, Saturday 9:30am - 4:30pmMehermount’s 40th Anniversary celebration ofMeher Baba’s visit Special guests Billie Eaton, TexHightower Marguerite Poley and Adele Wolkin.

August 3, Saturday 8pmFilm NightAvatar Meher Baba as recorded on film.

August 7, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KalchuriReading and discussion

August 10, Saturday 6pmFarsi Language MeetingDevoted to the discussion of Meher Baba in The

I Farsi language. Coordinated byDr. Mahmoud Ajang.

August 10, Saturday 8pmOrientation (Meher Baba I 01)An introduction to Avatar Meher Baba hislife and works.

August 14, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KaichuriReading and discussion

August 17, Saturday 8pmBaba’s sister Mani Come share with AdeleWolkin and Lynn Maguire in stories &music ofbeloved Baba’s sister Mani & herfamily letters.

August 21 , Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KaichuriReading and discussion

August 24, Saturday 6pmFarsi Language MeetingDevoted to the discussion of Meher Baba inThe Farsi language. Coordinated byDr. Mahmoud Ajang.

August 24, Saturday 8pmBaba in Hollywood

,

Details and information on Meher Baba’svisits to the fabled city of celluloid.

August 28, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KalchuriReading and discussion

August 31, Saturday 8pmBaba World News (BWN) News, informationand artfrom around the Baba world.

September 4, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KalchuriReading and discussion

September 7, Saturday 6pmFarsi Language MeetingDevoted to the discussion of Meher Baba inThe Farsi language. Coordinated byDr. Mahmoud Ajang.

September 7, Saturday 8pmFilm NightAvatar Meher Baba as recorded on film.

September 11, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KalchuriReading and discussion

September 14, Saturday 8pmGutta NightCome drink in the wine ofBaba’s love in afeast ofsharing, hosted by our own Fred and GG.

September 18, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KalchuriReading and discussion

September 21 , Saturday 6pmFarsi Language MeetingDevoted to the discussion ofMeher Baba in TheFarsi language. Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.

September 21 , Saturday 8pmVery Special Guest: Roshan Kerawalla.She will be with us for the preceeding 4 days.Tea times to be announced.*

September 25, Wednesday 7:30pmLord Meher by Bhau KalchuriReading and discussion

September 28, Saturday 8pmDance“I am happy even before I have reasonJ I am full ofLight even before the sky can greet the sun or themoonJ Dear companions, we have been in love withGod for so very, very longfWhat can Hafiz now dobut Forever Dance!” HafizMusicians interested in performing pleasecontact Richard @ (310) 208-4764.

PAGF ic

Children’s Corner

mi PHIAWIlLBeloved god faithful seruants,more preciousthan all the riches the world would ever dareto acquire ,ever free from the clutches ofgreed and hatred,and understanding eternallgand forever . memories shine on them like asun that never sets and a moon that nevergrows dimi long to stag with them till the endand listen to their enchanting tales of theirlife with r\thelord. (—4 e cuvflvfl (11)

The swirl of color enclosingon one picture in my room,God’s face,His glorious face,Meher Baba’s face.

Danny Maguire age 11

IAIA’i IAUbUIThe souls of manj gather in a reunion of love,coming to pag homage to the Beloved, askingthe almightg to sweep the floors of theirhearts ,and polish the gates of their minds.

Abe KMnw or)

I Ii€ >:‘1: : I;‘

]%#—i.t 1:, &1 ,

4; a

iQorLr j(unin 7

PAGF 16

CENTER REPORT

Michae’ Ramsden

Much has happened this last quarter. Board activity hasbeen focused on several issues that have been in progress forsome time. The first activity of note has been a follow-up onmembership enrollment after the approval of the revised membership requirements, approved at the Annual General Meetingby the then current membership. This enrollment period for newand renewed voting members or associate members is still open.If you have not returned your membership status card, please doso A.S.A.P. This will make our membership and mailing listsfully updated. Thank you.

The Second activity is related to a change in the way thephysical building can be used. Unfortunately the Center does notmeet the fire and building code requirements for having meet-ings upstairs with more than 9 people. Rocky Rodgers is redesigning storage and utilization of the downstairs room for meet-ings with up to 45 people. The Center has also purchased an out-door pandal style tent for larger gatherings which can seat over70 people. Combined meeting space with appropriate use of soundequipment is over 100 people - weather permitting - and in So.Cal. it usually does.

The Third activity that has pre-occupied most of the memberships attention was related to the Capital Fundraising Cam-paign. In Southern California there have been many opinionsshared amongst the members and non-members alike who utilizethe Center and its facilities. Suffice to say that the effort did notcome to its expected fruition at this time. It did bring into clearerfocus the diversity of viewpoints present in the Southern California Meher Baba community about:

* ownership versus rent/lease

* Center Functions

* Long Term Community Commitment to run andsupport a larger facility.

* the difficulty of choosing an appropriate method forasking for donations.

* The difficulties associated with ensuring that all thecommunity are fully informed.

* The difficulty getting all the community interestedenough to become fully informed in appropriate timeto make an informed decision together.

* The recent board re-organization itself.

It did become very apparent that there is solid community support for moving the center to a larger building withbetter facilities. In fact the membership already approved theBoard to make such a move at the A.G.M. in February, shouldthe Fundraising drive stop. There is however a movement inprocess, to continue the Fundraising campaign. The Boardwill review its progress at the next Board meeting at the endof June and make further decisions at that time.

Last year the membership did approve a similar in-terim move which did not take place because donations to theCenters operating fund dwindled markedly, making such amove impossible. Once again we are faced with the same problem. The community may have voted with their hearts bdthave to reach into their pocketbooks to make it happen.

Many heartfelt thanks have been extended to all themembers of the Capital Fundraising and Long Range Plan-ning committees from all members of our diverse community. There have been many hurt feelings in this process whichhave tried the patience, forebearance, forgiveness and self-effacement of all on all sides of the issues. In all things Avatar Meher Baba has been present.

The community is now looking forward to its con-tinued activities at the Bookstore, with the Love Street LampPost, at the regularly scheduled Center programs, the I 996Sahavas and other special events and happenings scheduledthroughout the year.

Like two lovers who have become lostIn a winter blizzard

And find a cozy empty hutIn the forest,

I now huddle everywhereWith the Friend.

God and I have built an immense fireTogether.

We keep each other happyAnd warm.

I Knew We Would Be FriendsAs soon as you opened your

mouthAnd I heard your soft

Sounds,I knew we would be

Friends.The first time, dear pilgrim, I

heard

We Keep Each Other Happy

You laugh,I knew it would not take me long

- -__1 To turn you back intoLFrTheSubjecttoigt_isLove God.

DArt’ 1’

but with eyes Divine. Youalways were, You alwaysare, and You always willbe; You are everywhere,You are in everything; andYou are also beyondeverywhere and beyondeverything. You are in thefirmament and in thedepths, You are manifestand unmanifest; on allplanes and beyond allplanes.

The Master’s Prayer

You are in the threeworlds, and also beyondthe three worlds; You areimperceptible and independent.

You are the Creator, theLord of Lords, the Knowerof all minds and hearts;You are Omnipotent andOmnipresent.

You are KnowledgeInfinite, Power Infinite,and Bliss Infinite. You arethe Ocean of Knowledge,All Knowing, InfinitelyKnowing; the Knower ofthe past, the present andthe future; and You areKnowledge itself.You are All-Merciful andeternally benevolent.You are the Soul of Souls,the One with InfiniteAttributes.

0 Parvardigar, the Preserver and Protector ofAll,You are without Beginning and without End; non-dual,beyond comparison; and none can measure You.You are without color, without expression, without form,and without attributes. You are unlimited and unfathomable, beyond imagination and conception; eternal andimperishable. You are indivisible; and none can see You

You are the Trinity ofTruth, Knowledge andBliss; You are the Source

of Truth; the Ocean of Love; You are the Ancient One,the Highest of the High; You are Prabhu andParameshwar; You are the Beyond God and the BeyondBeyond God also; You are Parabrahma, Paramatma,Allah, Elahi; Yazdan; Ahuramazda; God Almighty; andGod the Beloved.You are named Ezad; the Only One worthy of worship.

This prayer was dictated by Me/icr Babe during the twenty-one days ofBaba c special work

(from the 13th ofAugust to the 2nd ofSeptembei 1953). It was recited everyday by one of the

Mandali in Baba presence.

_______________________ ___________________

flA (T’ 10

Prayer toMehera

Prayer given by Mani.

Beloved Mehera, thepurest of the pure,the one who lovedBeloved Baba as Heshould be loved.Help us to love andserve Beloved Babaso that we mayplease Him as youhave pleased Him.

BelovedBeautiful Baba

by Mehera

Over the highest mountain topFrom over the blue sea

I will fly to youFor I love you, I love you

From over the hottest desertOver the deep valleys and lakes

The dense forests and fields

I will fly to youFor I love you, I love you

And when I see youI’ll run to you

Into your lovely armsAnd hold you to me

Hold you to my heart forever

Beloved Beautiful BabaIn your eyes I’ll long to see

your sweet loveAnd you,

You will see sweet loveFor you in me.

I

/,*

.4-.

I\ \.

DAflL’ 10

PoetryLearn From the Prophet An Alchemy

Learn from the Prophet an alchemy:Whatever God gives you, be content.At the very moment you become content in affliction,the door of paradise will open.If the messenger of heartache comes to you,embrace him like a friend!A cruelty that comes from the Beloved bestow uponit a warm welcome!Then that heartache can throw off its veil,rain down sugar, and be gentle and heart - ravishing.Seize the edge of heartache’s veil,for she is beautiful but deceptive.In this lane, I am the whoremonger, I have pulled offthe veil from every beautiful face.They all put on ugly veils so that you will think theyare dragons. But I am fed up with my spirit -

I worship dragons!If you are fed up with your spirit,then hear their calls of welcome!Heartache can never find me without laughter -

I call the pain the “cure.”Nothing is more blessed than heartache, for itsreward has no end.If you do not show your manliness, you will findnothing.I will be silent, lest a mistake jump from my mouth.Divan-i Shams-i Tabrizi, poem 2675, from W. C.Chittick, “The Sufi Path of Love: The SpiritualTeachings of Rumi,”

(State University of New York Press, 1983),pp. 293-4.

Emily Robertson

The heart is a dove, winging away

Measure

I love you more than the morning sun,more than the stars at nightmore than the flowers that bloom in the shadeand the moths that dance in the light

I love you more than the green, green grassand more than the great blue sky.The beauty I see when I look at youis so sweet that it makes me cry.

I love you more than a veil of lavenderpetals caressing a tree. More preciousthan gold is the sparkle of joy in your eyeswhen you look at me.

I love you more than the smoothness of restand more than the softness of peace.When everything wanes and contracts andrecedesthe expanse of my love will increase.

I love you more than a breath of airand the cool of a mountain stream,and compared to the bliss of loving you,life is an empty dream.

Regina Fletcher Sedano

from the known,

Into infinity, pure and alone.

Below and above,Ocean.The heart is a dove, winging away

Infinitely pure, it seemed,

Iletitgo.

\7/

*Thank You Beloved Baba*

Thank You Beloved BabaYour love has turned the keyI was running away from meuntil You set me free

I was unable to bow my head,You brought me to my kneesYou held my heart, You held my handand gave me back to me

Thank You Beloved BabaYour love has set me free

And so

PAGF2O

to be your slave, to be your sonto be what I must be

I was busy bein’ someone elseI didn’t know what forYou held my heart, You held my handand opened that locked door.

Thank You Beloved BabaYou are my loving LordYour compassion is boundlessYour mercies are not stored

You freely give me with both handsHow could I ask for more?You gave my heart back to my souland opened that locked door.

Thank You Beloved BabaYour mercy is completeMay I love and serve You foreverwith my life bowed at Your feet

May I live only to please Youand to earn Your smile of graceMay I drown my sound in Your Silenceand my eyes in Your lovely face.

Thank You Beloved BabaYou gave when I could notI looked at my beggarly handsand couldn’t believe all I had got

Now I only long to give Youat least a little of what You gave meYou gave my heart back to my soulYour love has set me free.

Thank You Beloved BabaMay I praise You without endYou raised this stalk up from the groundand made this willow bend

So these branches might tough your lotus feetmy Beloved and my friendThank You Beloved BabaMay I thank you to the end

Thank You Beloved BabaMay I thank you to the end.

From “Thank You Beloved Baba”(c) Tony Paterniti, 1994

PEREGRINE

The road of life returns, always,To a place of silence.

Singing, speaking, we are always,of that place.

We are aware

In our hearts

of our desire

To find out where it starts

And to travel there.

Closed Now (Inner Tears)

Deep love, inner tearsshared bytwo-You andldeep love, dear Belovedshare with me your deep pain

and the oneness it has created between us.

Fred Schwager

r-

Emily Robertson

BA (V ‘1

“I say with my Divine Authority to each and all that whosoever takesmy name atthe time of breathing his last comes to me:So do not forget to remember Me in your last moments.Unless you start remembering me from now on, it will be difficult toremember me when your end approaches. You should startpracticing from now on. Even if you take My name only once a day,you will notforget to remember Me in your dying moments.”

... August 23, 1966 by Kitty Davy to ManiThefollowing is an excerptfrom a letter written August 23,1966 by Kitty Davy to Mani, andfollowed by Mani reply,that clarifies the above statement by Baba:

Kitty writes: Allan Cohen asked me today toexplain what Baba means when He so often says onhearing that so and so has passed on - “They have cometo me.” My answer was “It means different things todifferent ones”.

Mani replies: Kitty’s answer to Allan’s questionwas correct. But a more detailed answer is given here ofwhat Baba explained He means by they have “come tome.”

1. Those who remember Baba wholeheartedly orrepeat His name while breathing their last, ‘come toBaba” when they drop their body. They are liberated

from the round of births and deaths and experienceeternal bliss. Only Baba’s grace makes this possible.

2. Those who are close to Baba in their love forHim but drop their body without their last thoughts beingof Baba, or without His name on their lips also come toBaba. When they reincarnate they are born in a veryintimate Baba family. Such souls “come to Baba” inhuman form when Baba says they have “come to Me”.

3.Those who know of Baba and die without theirlast thoughts being of Baba and without His name ontheir lips, but die with thoughts of the spiritual path orthoughts of God also “come to Baba” when Baba specifically remarks they have “come to Me”. Such soulsreincarnate in their intense desire to lead a spiritual lifeand through their search for God they eventually “cometo Baba” by contacting Him in His physical body. Thuswhen Baba says so and so has “Come to Me” it hasdifferent meanings for different ones.

4. As for the Mandali of Baba and the veryintimate men and women disciples, their case is entirelydifferent. Their very existence is because of the breath ofBaba’s Grace, and with or without their body, theirexistence is in Baba.

Meherazad September 2nd 1966

Borrowed Timeby Andy Muir

May 8, 1987I wonder why He spared my life?When born I weighed not quite two poundsMy twin brother came with me- but deadNow seventy-nineStill making the rounds.I wonder why he gave me a perfect wife?Or how he filled our many years with love and life?More than 13,000 daysI wish it had been moreBut when two hearts beat as oneWho thinks of keeping score

By His grace-she brought me to His feetGave me to Him for I was hers aloneThis was May 17, 1952But Baba gave me back to herAnd saved my life once more

PAGE22

Saying, “Do it together!”Placed His hands upon our headsLinked our lives forever.This life of love I thoughtWould never endBut He came to herMy dearest Peggy thenRan away with my Best FriendNow I know my entire lifeAnd my years with a perfect wifeWere borrowed from BabaPrincipal was His, interest mineMaster’s Card working fineI cannot pay the huge amountOne day He will close my account.

From “Meher Memuirs” , copvright]993, Andrew Muir

Persian New Year.by: R. Norrozy

Since we have such a large Farsi community at ourBaba Center here in Los Angeles, (more than any where else inthe Country) we thought you may appreciate this very interest-ing explanation ofthe Persian New Yeai It will also answer allyour questions as tojust what all those things on thefloor infront ofBaba Sadra actually standfo,

Nowruz [pronounced NO-ROOZ] in Persian meansNew[-year]-day. It is the beginning of the year for thepeople of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran,and Tajikistan. Itbegins precisely with the beginning of spring on vernal equifox, on about March 21.

Tradition takes Nowruz as far back as I 5,000 years-- before the last ice age. King Jamshid(Yima or Yama of the Indo-Iranian lore)symbolizes the transition of the Indo-Iranians from animal hunting to animal husbandry and a more settled life in humanhistory. Seasons played a vital part then.Everything depended on the four seasons.After a severe winter, the beginning ofspring was a great occasion with mothernature rising up in a green robe of color-ful flowers and the cattle delivering theiryoung. It was the dawn of abundance.Jamshid is said to be the person who in-troduced Nowruz celebrations.

NOWRUZ TABLE

Today, the ceremony has beensimplified. A table is laid. It has a copyof the sacred book, a Saints picture, a mirror, candles, in-cense burner, bowl of water with live gold fish, the platesand vessels with green sprouts, flowers, fruits, coins, bread,sugar cone, various grains, fresh, colorfully painted boiledeggs like “Easter eggs,” and above all, seven articles withtheir names beginning in Persian with the letter S (seen) orSH(sheen). The usual things with Sare vinegar, sumac,garlic, samanu (consistency of germinating wheat), apple,senjed (sorb), and herbs. Those with an initial letter SHinclude wine, sugar, syrup, honey, candy, milk, and rice-pudding. The seven articles are prominently exhibited insmall bowls or plates on the table. The table is laid with awhite cloth. White represents spotless purity. Let me define the significance of the seven plates of S and sevenplates of SH. Those with S inform us:

First Plate: I am SERKEH, the vinegar. I am sour

but I am a good preservative. I add taste to the things youwant to preserve and relish. I symbolize tasty preservation.Second Plate: I am SUMAC, exotic in my own way, I makeyour favorite kabobs have a tangy taste, a taste you relish.I symbolize taste. Third Plate: I am SIR, garlic. Somemay not like my aroma and others love it. I lower bloodpressure. I pacify. I symbolize peace. Fourth Plate: I amSAMANU, a sweetish paste, made from germinatingwheat. I symbolize the sprouting spring, the time for happygrowth. Fifth Plate: I am SIB, apple. I symbolize the fruitsof our world, both literally and allegorically. Sixth Plate: Iam SENJED, the tasteless berry of the sorb tree. I am thefruit of a tree which provides shade in summer. I symbol-ize the shelter and security you need when you want a rest.

Seventh Plate: I am SABZI,fresh greenherbs. I come from green fields. I symbolize prosperity.

The seven plates with SH tell us:

First Plate: I am SHARAB, thçwine. I am the nectar. I symbolize healthand happiness, of course, iftaken in mod-eration! To your health! Second Plate: 1am SHAKAR, sugar. I give your favor-ite foods their sweetness. I symbolizesweetness. Third Plate: I am SlUR, milk,the first food one tastes in this world. Isymbolize nourishing food. Fourth Plate:I am SHIREH, syrup. I am the sap, thefluid essential for life, health and vigor. Isymbolize vigorous health. Fifth Plate:I SHAHD, honey. I am the sweet pro-

duce of the cooperative bees. I symbolize the sweet resultof team work. Sixth Plate: I am SHIRINI, candy, lovedby those have a sweet tooth. I simply symbolize sweetnesswith no sign of bitterness Seventh Plate: I am SHIRBERENJ, rice-pudding, a tasty food. I symbolize food fortaste and health.

Addition to tableThe mirror reflects our past and shows us our

present so that we thoughtfully plan our future. The candlesare light, warmth, and energy to lead a righteous life thatwould, in turn, radiate light, give warmth, and provide en-ergy for others. The incense burner gives the fragrance weneed to meditate, pray to God, and ask for help and guidance. The gold fish symbolizes a happy life, full of activity

see page 31

PArr i

Arts & Entertainment

Well, the months have passed and it’s time for an-other column. It seems that there has been a quickening ofpace and events all around and that the role of the arts isbecoming increasingly significant. Much has been goingon amongst the artists in and around our L.A. Baba corn-rnunity. We would love to include information about othergroups and areas as well, so please send us notices and keepus informed. “Work with me.”

The Still Yet MoreChamber Players, Pris andChris Haffenden have beenmaking a name for them-selves at various venuesaround town, with Pris onguitar and Chris on oboeplaying from Baroque to theBeatles. Call them @ (310)390-2779 for their current

performance schedule, to book them for a private gather-ing or to have Chris come and tune your piano. Fred Stankuscontinues tirelessly to produce segments on Meher Babafor public access television. See July 10 on the programschedule. . . Sculptor and painter Jurgis Sapkus, whom theL.A. group has known for years for his marvelous sculptedbusts of Meher Baba, had a lovely showing at The Artist’s

Studio Gallery in Rancho Palos Verdes in April andMay. . .Billy Goodrum placed an original song in the newfilm Kingpin, on which he plays and sings. Look for thesoundtrack. The film also features the acting work of eastcoast resident Prudence. Performance artist Rosalee Dunphyhas been entertaining around town at various theaters andcoffee houses. Hers is a unique blend of organic improvisation and movement, “Improve- ing” as she calls it. Youcan call her at the L.A. Baba center @ (310) 474-9454 forher performance schedule as well as inquiries about van-ous “open” performing venues around town seeking newtalent. . . Tamara Mark radiated in her performance in thecontemporary one act play A Man And A Woman. Yourstruly is penning this article from the set of director Barry(Get Shorty) Sonenfeld’s latest outing Men In Black, whereI’m working forAcaderny Award winning make-up masterRick Baker as an extra terrestrial alien. And so it is in theBeloved’s Divine Play, a few notes from around.“Art when inspired with Love leads to higher realms. Loveart and that art will open for you the inner life.” MeherBaba

Please send your notices and information to RichardArthur

do MV Entertainment 615 Midvale Ave. L.A., CA. 90024.

And Acting So Cool

Thewhole woridjust got thickThewhole woridjust got thick

AgainwithGod.

And everywhere hookMakes me feel very proud

That all the objects and creaturesCan remain looking

So poisedAnd acting so cool

While keeping the Great SecretSo well.

Andnotblissfully shoutAlldaylong the Reality

JAm—IAmthe Wine!

The whole imiversejust got stonedOut ofits mind again

Onthe BeautyOf God.

tonight is Loj

A Pofted Plant

I pull a sun from my coin purse each day.And atriightlletmy petthe moonRimfreely into the sky meadow.

If Iwhistled,Shewould turnherhead and look at me.

If I then waved my arms,She would come back wagging a marvelous tail

Of stars.There are always a few men like me

Tn this worldWho are house-sitting for God.

We share His royal duties:I water each day afavorite potted plant

Of His-This earth.

Ask the Friend for love.AskHirn again.

Forlhaveleamt thatevery heartwill getWhatitprays for

Most.

Richard Arthur

PAGF1

NEWS FROM INDIAJames Cox

March

It was cloudy this afternoon, and at about 6 pm, we werehit with a tremendous wind and horizontal rain storm, overone inch. Most unseasonable. It feels really chilly now,but the thermometer says 76. Gotta get out a blanket!

This morning Katherine and I were sitting with Mansaritalking about fights. Mansari said that her uncle always saidthat all disagreements were really misunderstandings, andthat frequent arguments and fights used to crop up amongstthe women on the hill (I’m sure never amongst the men,though. ) She asked, “Do you think we were saints? Babaused to say that it is good to fight and let the other oneknow how you feel. Keeping it inside just prolongs it, andis also unhealthy. But once you have gotten it out, breakthe ice (initially misunderstood by Mansari as “eyes”), andstart talking again. Don’t shut yourselfoff. Talk about any-thing, like, ‘Isn’t that a funny dog?’ or whatever you like,but break the ice.”

I also asked her if she ever saw Baba get mad at Mehera,and she said, “Yes, but it was very mild, like Mehera wouldtry to feed Him something, and he would say not now, andshe would say, ‘But you always say not now,’ and Babawould say sternly, ‘But I know what I like.”

Earlier at Arti, Sam Kerawala had told a story about a thiefat the time of Mohammed. It references another story whichEruch tells of how a thief approached Mohammed and toldHim that he was a thief from a long line of thieves, andwhat should he do? Should he continue this lifestyle?Mohammed said yes, provided you do 3 things -

I . Never take everything, always leave the person some-thing so they are not destitute.2. If you hear the call to prayer, drop everything, and at-tend to your prayers.3 Always tell the truth. So after Mohammed’s death, during the rule of Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, another thief inthe same line took Mohammed’s instructions to his kinsman as standing orders and continued to operate accord-ingly. At that time, it was the habit of Abu Bakr to have around in the night to see how his subjects were, and in sodoing, he came upon this thief. Abu Bakr asked him whathe did, and the man answered that he stole for a living.Abu Bakr said that he was also a thief, and asked what wasthe man’s target that night. The thief said that it was theroyal treasury, so Abu Bakr asked if he could accompanyhim, and the thief agreed. They proceeded to break a holein the wall of the treasury building, and the thief told Abu

Bakr that he did not appear very experienced in these mat-ters, and that it would be better if the thief went inside andbrought out the gold, to which Abu Bakr agreed. Shortlyafterward the thief emerged with 2 bags of gold, and gaveAbu Bakr one, saying that there had been 3, but he leftone, as it would have created an argument as to whomshould get it. They then parted ways.

The next morning, Abu Bakr called his treasurer and askedfor an inventory. The treasurer, upon finding a theft hadbeen committed and that there was still one bag of goldleft, thought that this was his chance, so he took the thirdbag, and reported that the thief had taken all the gold.

The Caliph, knowing the real story, had the treasurer arrested and sent for the thief. The robber, upon seeing AbuBakr, the previous night’s fellow larcenist, received a greatshock, but because he was also smart, said to the Caliph,“Before you have me taken away, please remember ourfriendship of last night.” Abu Bakr laughed, and said thatbecause the thief had been honest, he was not having himtaken away, but on the contrary, was making him the newroyal treasurer.

Perhaps at some point in the future, there will be a compilation of Arti sories, as told by Sam Kerawala.

June 12th

Sarah Schall said on Friday that her thermometer in theNurse’s Quarters was registering 122 around 3 pm, so sheput it in her fridge to cool it down, and when she took itout, it went back to 1 22. I don’t know if it was really thathot in her room, but most places at Meherabad were definitely over 1 1 0, and the farsee under the Sabha Mandap atarti time felt like it had just come out of an oven. Hope-fully that was the finale, because on Saturday it cloudedup, sprinkled a little, and the mercury didn’t go over I 00. Iknow it must be hard to imagine I 00 as cool, but it sure feltthat way in comparison. We’ve had light sprinkles and thunder ever since, the temperature at I 0 pm in Meherabad to-night a balmy 86 with a light breeze. Quite human.

The water situation here is tolerable, and it looks like therewon’t be any problem to open the Pilgrim Center on June15, as scheduled. The Trust Office has two new phonenumbers, and they are 343666 and 347093, replacing theold 23666 and 27093 numbers.

Continued on page 27

I

p1i: c

I Heard God Laughing

Meher Baba’s favorite poet, Hafiz, is given a fresh,vibrant interpretation in a new book, I Heard God Laugh-

ing, by Daniel Ladinsky. For seven hun-dred years, Hafiz has been the most be-loved of the Persian poets, more popularin the East than even his great predecessor, Rumi. Meher Baba explained that thepoetry of Hafiz is unique in world literature because Hafiz celebrates every expression of love in the universe. Hafizdescribes the richness and beauty of theworld when seen through the eyes of love.And he portrays all the stages and pro-

- cesses of inner unfolding that transformhuman love into divine love. His poetry

- can be read as a record of a human being’s

_____________

journey to perfect joy, perfect knowingand perfect love. Meher Baba described Hafiz as “a PerfectMaster and a perfect poet.”

Translations of Hafiz into English have rarely at-tracted Western readers primarily because the structure ofPersian poetry often seems awkward and stilted when it isrecast in English. Daniel Ladinsky overcomes this problem. His innovative approach offers not “translations” but

“renderings” ofHafiz in clear, direct and contemporary style.Mr. Ladinsky describes his work as “releasing the spirit ofHafiz a spirit of infinite tenderness and compassion, of greatexuberance, joy and laughter, of ecstatic love and ferventlonging for his several years ago. I Heard God Laughing

offers a selection of sparkling poems presented in a hand-some volume with a cover designed by the artist DianeCobb. The book includes an informative biography of Hafizand an annotated bibliography. Altogether, this is a delight-

ful and very readable introduction to thelife and work of Meher Baba’s most be-loved poet.

I Heard God Laughing publishedby Sufism Reoriented, Walnut Creek,California. which publishes books by andabout Meher Baba. They have publishedGod Speaks, Listen Humanity Beams, thefirst American edition of the Discourses(in three volumes) Rarnjoo ‘s Diaries, thefirst volume of Bal Natu’s Glimpses ofthe God-man and How A Master Works

_____________

by Ivy 0. Duce. The editorial board ofSufism Reoriented was delighted by Mr.

Ladinsky’s fresh approach to Hafiz and welcomed the opportunity to bring these new “renderings” of Meher Baba’sfavorite poet to a wider audience.

I Heard God Laughing, 1 80 pages, paperback, retails for$14, plus shipping.,

I Heard God Laughing,Renderings of Hafiz

Reviewed by John Page

Hafiz, who lived in Persia some six hundred yearsago, was Meher Baba’s favorite poet. Hafiz’s poetry, whichBeloved Baba descried as “matchless,” describes the PathofLove wherein human love is transformed into divine love.His poetry reveals the intricacies ofthe relationship betweenthe lover and the Beloved and imbues the entire divine relationship with lightness, humor and joy! Baba revealedthat Hafiz also became a Perfect Master after having broken his head at his master, Attar’s feet for decades

Meher Baba often quoted couplets ofHafiz’s and even hadcertain ones posted. . The three that Baba wanted us to be-come thoroughly stained with are: 1) Befitting a fortunateslave, carry out every command of the Master without anyquestion of why or what; 2) About what you hear from theMaster, never say it is wrong, because my dear the faultlies in your own incapacity to understand him; 3) I am theslave of the Master who has released me from ignorance.Whatever my Master does is of the highest benefit to allconcerned.

Baba Lovers who have frequented Meherabad andMeherazad in recent years have no doubt met Dan

see page 31

Dan Ladinsky, a resident of Myrtle Beach, began

his work with HaJIz at Meherazad during an extended stay

with the mandali. I Heard God Laughing releases the Spirit

ofHaflz

.-•: I Heard God Laughing- R. 1en,i j]IaL(.

_

•‘1

T),: •

by Daniel Ladinsky

PAGF26

ANNOUNCEMENT SECTION

A VISIT TO DANA FIELD is planned on Aug.8thfrom I -3pm at Beverly Manor Convalescent Home in WestCovina (off#60 Fwy) Entertainment and sharing with Danaplanned. If you would like to attend please contact the Centeror Mehernoush at 818.368.3800.evenings.

A NEW COAT OF PAINT FOR THE CENTERMany thanks to Peter Ravazza and his wife KathleenWeiderhold, Louis Montez, Kamal Tabatabaei, and HarryThomas for the generous support and assistance to the paint-ing of the exterior.

STUDY AND DISCUSSION EVENINGS ATADELE WOLKIN’S HOME.. .Beginning in July Adeleis hosting Friday night meetings at 7:30 at her home for anintellectual repast and heart warming evening of readingand discussions ofBaba’s life and teachings. Everyone welcome. Her home address is: 714-A S. Pacific Coast Hwy inRedondo Beach. Phone her at 310.540.8404.

“LORD MEHER” DISCUSSION GROUP BE-GINNING JULY 17 on Wednesdays at the Center,7:30pm. All are welcome to attend mid week discussiongroup led by Fred Stankus to explore in detail Baba’s lifeand work. Fred can be reached at 213.257.8371.

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AT MEHERMOUNT 50 years of preservation, 40 years of sanctification, Let’s join together in celebration.Celebrating Meher Baba’s visit to Meher Mount in August1956 and the establishment of Meher Mount in 1946 as aplace dedicated to him.

Saturday, August 3, 1996 9:30am to 5:00pm

With special Guests (who were there with Baba in 1956)Bili Eaton,Tex Hightower, Marguerite Poley, Adele Wolkin.What to bring: a picnic lunch (not a pot luck), a picnic blanket, water, a hat, sun screen.For direction or a map call Meher Mount: 805 640-0000

AUDIO TAPE LENDING LIBRARY Do youever find yourselfin a “dry spell” spiritually?, are you boredfrom listening to the same old negative news, weather andtravel on your way to work? would you rather have some-thing inspiring to listen to? do you need an interesting themefor your Baba meetings? . . .Well the audio library has manyinteresting, intellectually stimulating discourses on life withBaba. We have over 150 titlesjust waiting to be delved intoby inquiring minds. What unsuspecting treasures to behold!Don’t waste your time on this tired old world any longer.Make your choice to move into the cosmic Baba linkup.Lynne Berry (official tape walla) is ready to assist you. Forcatalog or info: AMB Lending Audio Library do LynneBerry, 267 Hanover Dr. Costa Mesa, Ca 92626

VIDEO LIBRARY Another treasure trove of in-spiring talks is available through the video rental library.Seeing the guest speakers again from the L.A. Sahavas,fromthe many years past,brings back old memories from so manygood times of Baba enrichment which the L.A. Sahavashas never failed to provide. We have many titles from overten years to choose from. These are also excellent for meet-ing themes. For a complete listing of titles and particularswrite to: AMBC-SC VIDEO CASSETTE LIBRARY P.O.BOX 3247, SO.PASADENA, CA 91031-6247 or KarmaPage, evening phone: 213. 225.3910.

NEWS FROM INDIA

May 20, the anniversary ofMehera’s passing was observedat the Samadhi by about 60 friends and relatives, with allof the women mandali coming from Meherazad. Mani, despite her recent health problems, looked frail but radiant,and we were all very happy to see her there, only the second time she has come to Meherabad since Amartithi. Manialso commented on how she had missed being able to come,and despite her poor health, she made a special point ofgreeting everyone present, more so than usual.

Outwardly, that is about all that has happened in May, butthe inner changes continue unabated, and are much more

difficult to write about. We hope to see many of you thiscoming year, as Meherabad continues to gear up for theever increasing number of His lovers wishing to visit hisTomb.

The Happy Virus From The Subject tonight is

I caught the happy virus last night

When I was out singing beneath the stars.

S 5 remarkably contagious — So kiss me.

Letter from the Archives and Museum Committeeof the Avatar Meher Baba Trust

This letter is to inform Beloved Avatar MeherBaba’s lovers around the world ofthe plans that His mandaliare now preparing for the conservation of Meher Baba’spersonal articles, as well as thephotographs, films, tapes, andother records associated with HisAdvent.

When Beloved Babawalked this earth as the beautiful God-Man, He left His imprintin everything and everyone thatHe touched. The dishes that Heate from and the cups that Hedrank from, the clothes that Hewore, the games that He playedwith, the sticks and stones andother assorted tokens oflove thatHe received as gifts from the“masts” (or God-intoxicated

. souls), His own precious nailsand hair preserved and treasured

. by His beloved Mehera— thesetangible links to Him come to ustoday suffused with His fragrance.

So too, the letters that Hewrote and that were written toHim, the diaries and reminiscences, the accounts and chitsand records of His daily activities,

correspondence, diaries,

the photographs andfilms that capture His image, and more recently, the audioand video recordings of the recollections of His closeones—all of these register otherwise perishable memoriesof details and fragments in that matchless Story that is theDivine Life that He led.

Baba’s mandali have long been aware of the needto take in hand the task of safeguarding for posterity theseprecious articles and records connected with His life, a taskwhich they regard as almost comparable in importance withthe preservation of Baba’s Tomb. It was with this responsibility in view that two years ago Mani, Baba’s sister andthe Chairman of the Avatar Meher Baba Trust, created theArchives and Museum Committee and appointed MeheruIrani, Bhau Kalchuri, Meherwan Jessawala, and FramrozeMistry as members. With the help of Janet and Ted Judson,Meredith Klein, Dot Lesnik. Beth Ganz, Sheila Krynski,

Keith Gunn, and other volunteers, much of the planningand preliminary cataloguing has now been completed. Atthis juncture we feel it is timely to set forth some of thevision and prospects of this vast and ongoing project be-

fore Meher Baba’s world-wide family.

Intimations fromBaba’s Time

What gives this conservation work such singular importance is the fact that BabaHimself, when He was in thephysical form, had intimatedthat the things closely associated with Him should bepreserved for posterity. Evenwhen the ashram was beingdisbanded and its various effects given away or sold offin preparation for the NewLife, from which, Babawarned, He and His companions would never return, stillHe ordered that His used per-sonal articles should besaved and stored in the EastRoom of Meher Retreat inUpper Meherabad. And after

the New Life when Baba was residing again, in Meherazad,annually Naja and Rano were sent to Meherabad to checkthrough all the trunks and make sure that their contents werein good order and pest-free.

The women Mandali still remember an occasionfrom the Meherazad years when Baba’s beloved Meherabrought Him an old sadra, torn and threadbare with wear,and asked Him what she should do with it ‘Send it to theEast Room at Meherabad,” Baba gestured. “You have noidea whatjust one scrap ofMy sadra will mean to the worldin the future.” Although Mehera had been entrusted withthe charge of Baba’s personal belongings, she never feltshe should give them away to those who asked without firstasking Baba. Sometimes with a particular item Baba wouldsay, “No, not that one—that one should be kept.” Thus wasBaba Himself making provision for His lovers in the daysto come.

Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust

(Miss) MANIJA SHERIAR IRANI Date_____________

May 18th, 1996The Love Street Lamp PostAttn. Dma FranklinAvatar Metier Baba Center of Southern California10808 Santa Monica BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90025

Dear Dma. a

Accompanying this letter to you is a Circular fromthe Archives and Museum Committee of the Avatar Meher BabaTrust which makes public for the first time the Trustsplans for the preservation of Beloved Avatar Meher Babaspersonal articles and various documents associated withHis life and work.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could printthe enclosed circular in an upcoming issue of The LoveStreet Lampfp. A copy of this will also be sent toother Baba newsletters to reach out to as wide a range aspossible of Baba’s ever-growing family.

With much love to you and all Babas dear ones inyour area from your Meherazad family.

In His all-encompassing Lovm

Meheru S.

P.S. Please let us know that this letter has reached you.

PAGE 28

Some ofthese old treasures were deeply connectedand interwoven with certain phases of Baba’s life. Duringthe I 920s, for example, Baba continuously wore the “kamlicoat” and sandals which, whenever in need of repair, weregiven to be patched or mended and immediately returnedfor His use. Eventually the kamli coat had become a virtual quilt in which patches covered most of the originalmaterial, and His sandals had been stitched and strung to-gether so many times that His feet were supporting andcarrying them more than they were Him: yet He continuedto wear them nonetheless. Several decades later, during thesahavas of September, 1 954 Baba had them shown to thevisiting Westerners and commented, “What the coat has init will be revealed after I drop the body. Then thousandsand thousands of men and women will come to worship.”

Baba’s sadras, His alphabet boards, His precioushair—each is a unique and irreplaceable link to His humanform. Yet the writtenrecords serve as a differ-ent kind of reminder ofHim, for they register thefacts and details of His life.Over the nearly five decades of His ministry,Baba sustained an enormous correspondence, andthese letters open manywindows to intimacies ofexchange between the Be-loved and His dear ones.

_______

Chanji, Adi, Mani, Eruch,Bhau, Bal, and others took part in this daily activity ofBaba’s, and He expected them to give it their scrupulousattention. The Trust archives contain many other treasures,including even small “chits” or hand-scrawled messagesconveying Baba’s instructions to the mandali. Of specialimportance are the diaries ofclose disciples such as Chanjiand Ramjoo, which preserve stories and accounts that wouldotherwise have been forgotten. The Trust archives have already served disciples writing Baba’s biography under Hisdirection, as they will undoubtedly serve generations ofbiographers, historians, and assorted scholars in the future.

And of course a unique gift to humanity in thisparticular Advent are the photographs and films which arepreserving His image for the eyes and hearts of millions.Baba once told Mani that His photos should be spreadthroughout the world. Modern technology has also madepossible many hundreds and thousands of hours of audioand video recording ofthe reminiscences ofBaba’s mandali;

and these too contain gems of story and insight that mustnot be lost.

These things that bear His touch and imprint havethe power to touch the heart. They need to be preserved sothat future humanity can savor the fragrance of Him thatthey carry.

Work Completed So Far

With this goal inview, for the past two years theArchives and Museum Committee has vigorously been researching archival and museum conservation methods. InHis own unique way Baba has expedited this process bymaking available expert guidance and consultation fromsome of the world’s topmost authorities. The Director ofthe Museum Support Center for the Smithsonian Institu

___

tion and the Registrar ofthe United StatesNational Park Service

paid personal visits toMeherabad andMeherazad, and the Con-servator in Charge of Textiles at the MetropolitanMuseum, in New York hasgiven us valuable advice.

In accordance with therecommendations of theseand other leading experts,

the cataloguing and temporary packing of Baba’s preciousbelongings is under way. Special efforts have been made inthis process to record whenever possible the mandali’s recollections ofthese treasures. Meanwhile, we have been plan-ning for the preservation of fragile documents and for thescanning of their contents which will ensure that a digital“image” of each page survives even if the paper itself decays. Eventually, we hope, much of this historical and biographical material will be published in some form or madeavailable through the “information highway” that is cur-rently revolutionizing communications in this technological age.

All of these plans depend upon the creation of anadequate building facility; and to meet this need, over thelast year architectural designs for the Conservation Build-ing have been drafted and finalized. The chosen site lies atthe foot of the northeast edge of the Hill in Upper

Cont. on page 34

Life Is A Pair 0’ DucksVideo by Wodin, Pair’O Ducks AnimationStudios, 1996, stereovideo, 2 vols. , 40 miii. each

World premiere of ‘Life is a

Pair o’ Ducks’ is big hit!by Vicki Warner

There’s a sweet and gentle charm that permeatesLife is a Pair o ‘ Ducks, the sixteen tales written and illustrated by Wodin, the professional name of Steve Jameson.But there’s more than charm in this collection of fictionalvideo stories about Meher Baba. There’s strength and humor and insights of universal truth in these short vignettesof daily life and how folks man-age to live it. “When you workwith Baba, you never know whatyou’ll be doing next,” says thecharacter in “Washing Leop

. ards.”

All sorts of people andanimals populate the Wodin stories. There are bunnies andchicks and tigers, a little baby ina gentle world, a grieving widow,a despairing sailor, the El Pasosewing society among others andBaba and Mehera and Mani. One begins. “When Meheradied, Baba met her and together they walked up a mountam path in the Kentucky Appalachians where heaven lies.”Arthur Kimball plays a beautiful guitar solo in this one.

In another, Baba is playing poker with a wildebeest,a walrus, a grasshopper and a bear. The narrator reads. “Babaenjoyed his time with these surly companions.” The song,’Ah Sweet Mystery of Life.” plays in the background. Thenarrator goes on. “Baba didn’t enjoy so-called spiritualwimps and fuddy-duddies.”

The basis of the whole enterprise is the delightfulart of the supremely talented Wodin— bright winsome,imaginative, ‘playful,” he calls it—which the amazing Videocamera work raises to a pinnacle.

The video graph was conceived, created and designed by Chris Riger, an Emmy award winner who wasalso the production designer of Meher Baba’s Call and the

cinematographer and editor of the just released EternalBeloved.Chris calls his concept “semianimation.” Shoot-ing a still painting, the camera movements themselves arethe animating factor. He might start with an extreme closeup ofa leopard’s spot, then bounce to Baba’s face and slowlyslide to his eyes and linger there, then ease back for a longshot of the whole scene.

Sometimes Chris’ camera glides languidly, some-times it bounces in a little tick-tock dance, and many timesit devotedly caresses a leaf or a face or even a bit of confettifloating around Guruprasad. The orchestration of his shotshas pace, rhythm and syncopation. It is extraordinary.

To enhance the effect, birds twitter, horses whinny,and horns honk (a recording ofthe mandali’s car). In “PandalMerry-Go-Round,” the back-ground crowd murmurs are arecording of Indian people at apast Amanithi. Authenticity!

Original music was corn-posed and synthesized by KernKraft. a scorewriter for Holly-wood films. His new version of“Begin the Beguine” is lush, exotic and tropical.

One of the 1 6 stories is not from Wodin’s pen, butMani S. Irani’s. She reads “Two Ducks” from her book,God-Brother. Other narrators are Beth McKee, Martha Wilhams, Robert Berryman, Hannah McKee, DenneryDelienne, Jane Haynes, Ann Conlon, Sher DiMaggio, SueDiSabatino and Steve Jarneson.

At the premiere showing on February 23, the Meet-ing Place at Meher Spiritual Center had a full house thatwas enchanted and enthusiastic. After all the accolades atthe premiere showing, Chris and Steve might well havequoted the little boy in “Lemonade Party” who said, “I layin bed and mused over the pleasures that I enjoyed today.”

Reprinted by permissionfrom the White Horse Journal.

Now availablefor $29.95 each at the Bookstore.

PAGE 30

Review of Murshida,The Story of a Spiritual Guideby Ralph Lewis inMeher Baba Association, England, Newsletter

This is the story of Ivy Duce, the Murshida of theSufi order in the USA. This was founded by Inayat Khan.After his death Murshida Rabia Martin began her searchfor a master and realized that Meher Baba was such a one.Murshida Martin surrendered toMeher Baba and dedicated herOrder to Him but she died beforeshe met Meher Baba and it wasleft to Ivy Duce to meet Him andplace the Order under Him.

The video opens withIvy Duce talking of Meher Babaas the spirit of illumination andlove. Over shots of the ocean arespoken quotes of Baba, “I alwayswas, I always am and always willbe. I am the Ancient One.” Thesoundtrack is made up of songsfrom the Sufi Choir. Ivy Duce’slife is traced from her early loveof singing to service in the RedCross in the First World War and

1923. In 1933 a crisis caused by illness led her to plungeinto metaphysical studies and thence to Sufism. Sufismsimply means wisdom and teaches transformation of ourlower selves. Baba said, “I love Sufism with all My heart”and after Ivy Duce met Him produced a Charter for SufismReoriented. Baba came to Myrtle Beach in 1 952 and in

this video there are many pictures of Baba. There are shotsof Him with the alphabet board,in the USA in I 956 and at theEast West Gathering givingdarshan. There is also film ofMani writing to Baba loversand finally sequences ofthe en-tombment and Mehera.

Baba ordered Ivy Duce tovisit His Tomb and thus settingthe process for all Sufis. Hesaid of her that she was “bornon My Birthday and born tolove and serve me.” The videocloses with a talk by Ivy Duceto a Sufi gathering on the NewLife and New Humanity. It is a

I Heard God Laughing,Renderings of Hafiz

Ladinsky, the author of I Heard God Laughing, Render-ings of Hafiz. Who knew that he would write an innovative and vibrant, interpretative book of Hafiz’s poetry?Dan’s book is different — very different from other booksthat you may have read of Hafiz. And inn my opinion,it’s also much better .. . it’s certainly more accessible. It isa vibrant interpretation.

Why such a bold statement? It’s because Dan renders and interprets Hafiz’s poems rather than translatingthem. Past authors have usually translated Hafiz’s worksfrom the Persian and then attempted to put them into someWestern version with our ideas of meter, rhyme andrhythm. Although this method has given us some memo-rable and inspirational translations of the great master’spoetry it also left us with many poems that have a clumsy,stilted, and awkward feel. Such careful efforts to be true

to the form of Hafiz’s poetry often left its exquisite beautyunrevealed. Dan has taken selected poems from H.Wilberforce Clarke’s famous translation of Hafiz’s poetryand carefully rendered them into English and Englishthat all can relate to. This is what Dan has given in his renderings.

We have Sufism Reoriented and Hank Mindlin tothank for this wonderful book. Sufism Reoriented publishedit and Hank, the book’s consulting editor, has given us a 14page supplement about the life and times of Hafiz. The bookalso contains a selected bibliography.

Here is a delightful smattering from selections ofDan’s “Renderings.”

See page 35

—“ I

MEHER BABA AT MEHERAZAD, JANUARY 8, 1948Left to right, front tow: P/lanija, Clicirinian, Ale/zero.

Bar/i row: Di: Go/ic,; Me/zero, Me/icr Baba, Elizabet/iPatterson, Ivy Duce, Norma Matchabelli.

then for two years after the war riding over the Andes on talk that shows her love for Babahorseback. She married an international businessman in

Prayer as Inner ApproachDictated by Avatar Meher Baba

For most persons, the outer ceremonies and ritualsprevalent in the diverse religions are the established approach to God and Divinity. They are regarded as indispensable. However, they are neither essential nor necessary, though at times they have been allowed or given bymasters by way of inevitable accommodation to humanweakness. They may also be practiced with benefit whenthey are thus allowed or given by a master, but only duringthe period for which they have been prescribed, and in thecontext in which they are intended to be given effect. Theyhave no lasting’ value nor can they be made eternally bind-ing. They were never essential or indispensable; they arenever essential or indispensable; and they will never beessential or indispenable.

What constitutes the essence of prayer? Manyprayers to God are current among the lovers of God, arismg as they do from diverse cultural contexts. Some of theprayers invariably contain an element of asking somethingfrom God, either material or spiritual. In fact, God is somerciful and bountiful that even without their asking Healways gives much more than His lovers can receive. Heknows their real needs more deeply than they do. There-fore the element of asking something from God is super-fluous. It often mars the inner love and worship which aprayer tries to express.

The ideal prayer to the Lord is nothing more thanspontaneous praise of His being. You praise Him, not inthe spirit of bargain but in the spirit of selfforgetful appreciation of what He really is. You praise Him because He ispraiseworthy. Your praise is a spontaneous appreciative response to His true being, as infinite light, infinite powerand infinite bliss. It is futile to attempt a standard prayerand hold it up as an ideal for all people of all times. Theglory of the Almighty transcends all human understandingand defies all verbal descriptions. Eternally fresh and self-renewing in its unlimited amplitude, it never fades. Nor isit ever confined within the limits of the best of hymns.

All hymns and prayers reach out towards the eternal Truth of Godhead only to merge those who utter themin silent and unending adoration. If by ideal prayer to theLord is meant a set formula, any search for it is a wildgoose chase. All prayers ultimately initiate the soul into anever deepening silence of sweet adoration; and all formulae are dissolved and assimilated into the integral and di-rect appreciative perception of divine Truth. That whichseeks to reach towards the immeasurable, itself becomesincapable ofbeing measured by any set standards. The ritu

alistic and repetitive expressions of prayer do not and can-not do justice to the innermost essence of prayer, which isadoring love for the eternal Beloved. To attempt to stan-dardize prayer is to mar its intrinsic beauty.

If you pray with a motive to do good to some one,your prayer may actually bring about good both to him andto yourself. Some people pray for the spiritual benefit ofthose who have done them some wrong. There also, theyare helping others spiritually. But all prayers with a motivefall short ofthe ideal prayer which is without motive. In theentire spiritual panorama of the universe nothing is moresublime than a spontaneous prayer. It gushes out of the human heart, tilled with appreciative joy. It is self expressionof the freed spirit without any actuation of a motive. In itshighest form, prayer leaves no room for the illusory diarchyof the lover and the Beloved. It is a return to one’s ownbeing.

Prayer for_Westerners

On another occasion at Meherabad after Meher Babahad been explaining the Bhagavad Gita to some of theWestern disciples, He gave them the following Westernhymn to memorize and added ‘Everything in the Gita isexpressed in these few lines by the Western mystic.’

.. . .MEHER BABA JOURNAL, MAY 1940

Take my life and let it be Consecrated, Lord to Thee.

Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands and let them move, At the impulse ofthy love.

Take my feet and let them be Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing Ever only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my solver and my gold, Not a mite would I withhold

Take my intellect and use Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine; It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own, It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, My Lord, I pour At Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself, and I will be Ever, only, all for Thee.

PAGE 32

The 101 Names of God

On 2-4-1963, at a Poona gathering Beloved Baba said, “Ifyou repeat this prayer with Love, no other prayer remains to be said.Anyone can repeat these names with Love, irrespective ofthe religion he belongs to.”

....MEHER BABA

I . Yazad2. Harvesp-tawan3. Harvesp-Agah4. Harvesp-Khoda5. Abadeh6. Abi-Anjam7. Bun-e-stiha8. Frakhtan-taih9. Jamaga10. PrajtarahI I . Tum-afik12. Abaravand13. Paravandeh14. An-ayafeh5.

16. Adro7. Gira18. A-chem19. Chamana20. Safana21. Afza22. Nasha23. Parwara24. lanaha25. Ain-aenah26. An-aenah27. Kharoshid-tum

28. Mino-tum29. Vasna30. Harvastum31. Hu-sepas32. Har-Hamid33. Har-naik-faraih34. Baish-tarana35. Taronish36. Anah-aoshal;a37. Farasaka38. Pajohdehad39. Khwafar40. Avakhshiaea41. Abaraja42. A-satoha43. Rakhoha44. Varun45. A-faretah46. Be-fareftah47. A-dui48. Kam-rad49. Farman-kam50. Aekh Tan51. A-faremosh52. Hamarna53. Sanaea

. .. Worthy of Worship

.. . All-Powerful

... All-Knowing

... Lord of All

.. . Without Beginning

... Without End

. . . Root of Creation

.. . Endless Bliss

. . . Primal Cause

.. . Exalted One

... Purest of the Pure

.. . Detached from All

...InTouchwithAll

.. . Unattainable

... Attainer of All

.. . Most Rit,hteous

... Upholder of All. . . Beyond Reason. . . Soverign Reason... Bountiful One... Ever Prolific... Reaching Equally to All. . . Nourisher... Protector of the World... Never Changing. . . Formless... MostSteadfast among the

Steadfast... Lord Invisible... All Pervading... All-in-All... Worthy of Our Profound Thanks... All EmbracingGoodness... All-Embracing Holy Light... Remover of Affliction“. BeyondAffliction. . . Immortal... Fulfiller of HolyDesires... Creator of Holy Attributes. . . CompassionateJudge... Mercifui Giver... Bountiful Giver. . . Unconquerable... Freest of the Free.. . Deliverer from Evil. . . Never Deceiving. . . Never Deceived... One Without a Second. . . Lord of Desire. . . Decreer of Sovereign Desire. . . Soul Supreme.. . Never forgetting. . . Just Accountant... KnowingAll things

54. A-tars55. A-bish56. A-frajdum57. Ham-chun58. Mino-satihgar59. A-minogar

60. Mino-nahab6 1 . Adar-bad-gar62. Adar-nam-gar63. Bad-adar-gar64. Bad-nam-gar65. Bad-gail-gar66. Bad-gerd-tum

67. Adar-kibrita

68. Bad-garjae69. Ab-tum70. Gail-adar-gar7 1 . Gail-vad-gar79. Gail-nam-gar73. Gar-gar74. Garo-gar75. Gar-a-gar

76. Gar-a-gar-gar

77. A-gar-agar78. A-gar-a-gar-gar

. . . Fearless

... Devoid of pain

... Most Exalted One. . . Ever The Same. . . Invisible Creator of the Universe... Creator of the Profoundly

Spiritual... Hidden Without The Spirit. . . Transmuter of Fire Into Air. . . Transmuter of Fire Into Dew... Transmuter ofAir Into Fire... Transmuter ofAir Into Dew... Transmuter ofAir Into Earth... Supreme Transmuter ofAir Into

Dust. . . SupremeTransmuterof

FirelntoDivine tum Sparks... Spreading Air Everywhere... Creator of Life giving Water. . . Transmuter of Dust Into Fire. . . Transmuter of Dust Into Air. . . TransmuterofDust Into Water. . . Master Craftsman. . . Rewarder of Sincere Desires... Creator of All Human ity and Its

Actions... Creator ofAll Human and

Animal Life... Creator of All the Four Elements... Creator ofAll the Planets and

Al I Other Worlds. . . Neverln Doubt... Ageless... Eternally Awake... Ever-Alert \. . . Ever-Protecting. . . Recorder of Man’s Actions. . . Victorious... Lord of The Universe... Lord of Life and Wisdom. . . Preserver of Creation tawan. . . Renewer of Creation tawan... Embracing All Creation... GiverofAllThings... Infinitely Patient 2 I... Lord of Existence... Forgiver of Sins. . . Divine Creator... Rayed in Glory... Haloed in Light... Lord of Justice f... Lord of Just Rewards... Liberator... Awakener of Eternal Spring

79.80.81.82.83.84.85.86.87.88.89.90.91.92.93.94.95.96.97.98.99.100.101.

A-gumanAj amanA-KhuanA mastFashutanaPadmaniFirozgarKhudawandAhuramazdAbarin-kuhanAbarib-naoVaspanVasparKhawarAhuAvakhshidarDadarRaiyomandKhorehmandDavarKerfaigarBokhtarFarsho-gar

Cont. from page 29

Meherabad, as near as possible to the East Room of MeherRetreat where many of the precious artifacts themselveshave been housed for half a century. A large structure en-compassing I 5,000 square feet of floor space, the Conservation Building will not be a museum or library—thosewill come later—but a facility for storage ofprecious itemsand documents in museumquality cupboards, for scanning,and for specialized treatment if needed. Since power sup-ply in India is erratic and the future prospects are alwaysuncertain, reliance on high

_______________________

technology has beenavoided. Temperature andhumidity, therefore will beregulated not by air conditioners but by the buildingdesign itself, which willwork on the same principleas a thermos bottle: that is, asealed air space will serve asa buffer between an outerand an inner wall. Theground for the building willbe broken this year. Bypresent plans the finished structure will be ready for use in

4 1999.

Present Needs and FutureProspects

As this construction work gets under way, the Committee will be turning its attention in the coming months tonew issues. The furnishings and supplies required for thenew building will be expensive and, in some cases, hard toget. A single museum-quality cupboard with shelving, forexample, if purchased in the United States, may cost be-tween $3000 and $7000 (i.e. between Rs. 1 ,00,000 andRs.2,50,000). Some of the equipment, such as the corn-puters and scanners, can possibly be bought in India; butthe acid-free folders and boxes—which must be procuredin large numbers—are available only in the West. Thismakes unavoidable the confrontation with problems andexpense of shipping, duties, import licenses, and other corn-plications.

Baba’s worldwide family has the opportunity toparticipate in this effort in a significant way, through donations. Donations are in a real sense the bricks and mortarthat will shelter this precious legacy for the future. Thebuilding alone will cost an estimated $240,000— i.e. aboutRs.85,00,000—and there will be other comparable expenses. Knowing that many Baba lovers would want the

PAGE 34

privilege of sharing in these costs, for your interest and in-formation the Committee will send further updates as thework unfolds. Meanwhile, those who wish to contribute nowmay send donations to the Trust for “Corpus,” earmarked“for archival and museum building and facilities.” Thesegifts will be lovingly received and set aside for this project.

All this current focus on matters of conservationand preservation is only preparatory to the greater objective

of this project, which is thesharing of these precioustreasures with the family oflovers ofAvatar Meher Babaand, indeed, the world atlarge in the future.Meherabad itself will one dayembrace museum, library andresearch centres that willdraw upon and make broadlyavailable the fruits of thispresent conservation effort.Meher Baba’s own personalarticles and other irreplace

able objects, ofcourse, will always require special care andsupervision. Duplicable records such as letters and diaries,however, once the preservation of originals has been seento, can be shared and disseminated more freely. Baba is forall; and these things used by Him or registering His touchare gifts of His for all humanity.

Of course, the members of the Archives and Mu-seum Committee know only too well that no garment, document, or facility can ever replace that beautiful, divine Per-son whose passage through this world has left a longingnothing but Him can ever fully assuage. Religions have theirbooks and their relics, to be sure: but we have nothing to dowith this. Our work is to safeguard those tangible links whichremind us of His human form and can reawaken in the heartthe experience of His living presence. It is the sense of thisliving presence that will sustain His humanity through thecoming ages of His manifestation and beyond, until His nextglorious Advent when He descends to earth and walksamongst us as the Perfect Man once again.

?2ZJLvL 9’/Ls-

Meheru Irani, Bhau Kalchuri,.and the membersof the Avatar Meher Baba Trust Archives

and Museum Committee

Avatar Meher Baba PRO. Trust,Post Bag No. 31 , King’s Road,

Ahmednagar4l400l, MS. IndiaMay 1996

I Heard God Laughing,Renderings of Hafiz

You have been invited to meetThe Friend.No One Can resist a Divine Invitation.That narrows down all our choicesTo just two:We can come to GodDressed for Dancing,OrBe carried on a stretcherTo God’s Ward.

Manic Screaming

We should make all spiritual talkSimple today:God is trying to sell you something,But you don’t want to buy.That is what your suffering is:Your fantastic haggling,Your manic screaming over the price!

For A While

We have all come to the right place.We all sit in God’s classroom.Now,The only thing for us to do, my dearIs to stopThrowing spitballs for a while.

The Only Sin I KnowIf someone sits with me,And we talk about the Beloved,If I cannot give his heart comfort,If I cannot make him feel betterAbout himself and this world,Then Hafiz,Quickly run to the mosque and pray—For you have just committedThe only sin I know.

Now that you’ve sampled this delectable poetry you mustimmediately purchase it! Our Center’s bookstore has anample supply — and yes, we do ship worldwide! Paper-back $14 . 161 pages

from pane I 9Persian New Year.

and movement. The plates of green sprouts represent creativity and productivity, and so do the colorfully paintedeggs. As you see, the whole table is beautifully laid. Itsymbolizes the Message and the Messenger, light, reflection, warmth, life, love, joy, production, prosperity, andnature. It is, in fact, a very elaborate thanksgiving table forall the good and beautiful things bestowed by God.Family members, all dressed in their best, sit around thetable and eagerly await the announcement of the exact time

of vernal equinox over radio or television. The head of thefamily recites the Nowruz prayers, and after the time isannounced, each member kisses the other and wishes aHappy Nowruz. Elders give gifts to younger members. Nextthe rounds of visits to neighbors, relatives, and friends be-gin. Each visit is reciprocated. Singing and dancing is,more or less for the first two weeks, a daily routine. Thefestivity continues for 1 2 days, and on the I 3th morning,the mass picnic to countryside begins. It is called SIZDEHBE-DAR, meaning thirteen-in-the-outdoors. Cities and villages turn into ghost towns with almost all the inhabitantsgone to enjoy the day in woods and mountains along streamand riversides. People sing, dance, and make merry. Girlsof marriageable age tie wild grass tops into knots and makea wish that the following Nowruz may find them marriedand carrying their bonny babies!PRECISE TIME OF NOWRUZ March 20th.

A Divine Invitation

, ‘— -‘‘ , - -

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When Baba visited Melier House, Navasari, India, in 1923. he pointedto a portrait of Zoroaster on the wail which had been painted by a yoanParsi boy of fifteen. Baba said, This is an exact picture of the ProphetZoroaster.’ The boy died just after finishing thts picture, saying theangels had come for hint.

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