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Editor’s

by Dma Snow

Note

JaiBaba toyou allSo glad to be back on track with the July

issue arriving on your doorstep inJuly.

Silence Day—July 10th— the one day ofthe year when it takes more than a small effortto remember our Beloved, serve Him and obeyHim. For many years I told myself “Well, wehave the option offasting or being silent.” Atleast, thatwas whatl had heard. Butifyou readthe talkthat Mani and Eruch gave in MandaliHall, theyleave no doubt that taking the easywayoutis not an option! NowI look forward toSilence Day, and am dissapointed on the 11thwhen I have to start talking again. Baba told usthat talking is a waste ofspiritual energy It isalo one ofthe mostphysicailyexhaustirig thingsyou can do. One day I would like to hear thestory ofhowJack Small, a lawyer won a courtcase on Silence Day! Closing arguments on anote pad? Now that is obedience. May yourreading inspire you, and goodluck on the 10th.

My co-editor, David McNeelyis taking abreak for this issue. Not that he is relaxing onthe sands atWaikiki after thelasttwo beautifulissues, but he is over his head with handlingthe Sahavas and the thousand andonethings

that are attendanttoit.Tom Hartfrom Sausalitobravely stepped up to the plate to try his handat design and layout. Tom works at Adobe,hencethegreatlookingphotos in this issue (theyhave top ofthe line scanners!) Manythanks toTom, and the many 16 hour days he put in tocreate this magazine for you.

We areintroducing a new departmentwiththis issue. While at the Pilgrim Center lastOctober I was lucky enough to have NickPrincipe as a constant table companion. Heregaled us all with the most hilariousjokes thathad been told to Baba by various and sundrylovers. Baba loved to be entertained, bydancing, singing and storytelling. Manya timeahapless lover was put on the spot as Babacommanded them “Tell me ajoke!” Well Nicktold us what may very well have been the firsttime such a thing happened and how thetraditiongot started. See page2l for Humor forHuma. (The catchy title is courtesy of KathyWiederhold.) Solets keep up the good humorand submityour favoritejoke, butlet itbe onethat you know you would have told Baba hadyou the opportunity

Another new section we have is composedofthe gems that issue from the mouths ofouryoung children.The first words that my 3 yearold daughter ever read were from the poster ofBaba she had seen since birth “You and I arenot We but One.” But from what we arehearing from our readers, their children arespontaneously saying the deepest ofBaba-ismsthatjustleave the parents open mouthed! Whoknows, the young ones oftoday could verydefinitely have been physically in Baba’s

I presence as late as the ‘50’s or ‘60’s. As Maulhas told us, “Baba says once you have beenwith Him or any ofthe Avatars, you will always reincarnate rnto a familythat knows Him.”So send us your favorite stories from your ownBaba babies.

Even while preparing thejuly magazine,we are still dealingwith thelast issue. So manyofthem are being returned bythe post office as“moved”, or “unable to deliver as addressed.”

Folks,this is addingto our financial burdentremendously! Sometimes the P0. throws yourLampPost away,just sending us a xerox copy ofthe back page. I hate to think of Baba beingthrown in the rubbish! Eitherwaythey chargeus 50 cents.Then there is the $1.50 it costs toresend it first class, plus the original cost ofthemailing. Out of a mailing list of around 800,when this happens with 30 or so addresses, itgets to be a very expensive proposition. Ifyoucare enough to send in a donation for a year’sworth ofLampPosts, please remember to sendus your change ofaddress — before it happens.

Many of the stories in this issue weresubmitted over a year ago, but were notprinted to make room for Maul, Mansari andJane Haynes stories. Tom and I are happy tobe able to finallybring them to you, and thankyou to all who contributed. We look forwardto receiving much more from you all. Remember, this is your magazine, you keep it alivewith stories to entertain each other, but primanly — Our Beloved.

AvatarMeher Baba kiJai!

£ovcStreet,Camosb

Photograph CreditsPhotographer or Owner Page Photographer or OwnerPage

Front coverand27

891115 bottom left15 two on right16172122253636 bottom right39

4041444547Back coverGallery ofthe Heart

PadriDick DumanPanday studioMeheraMeelan studioBernard BrufordReg LovePanday studioCynthia BarrientosWodinDma SnowPatti ThorneDma SnowMarc BrutusDma Snow

Dma SnowMeelan studioPanday studioDonna SandersTom HartDiana LePagesee page 38

For more information see page 38

CorrectionsCredit for photos in the previous issue on pages 27-28, 30, 32 goes to Bob Street rather thanBeth Ganz. Credit for photo ofMansari on page 11 ofthe Winter-Spring issue goes to RogerSiegel, dated, October, 1975, taken on Meherabad Hill, no doubt.

2

A publication of the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California

welcome

£ovc5treetJDamf1osb

The Love Street LampPost is dedièated with loveto Avatar Meher Baba. Its primary purpose is tocontribute to a sense of community among allHis lovers by providing a place for sharing Hisremembrance. All the members of the Baba familyare invited to contribute to this feast of Love.

Your stories, photos, art work, poetry, letters, articles, and humorare all activelysolicited. We seek expressions ofBaba’s message of

Love andTruth.

Please submit your text on computer disks if possible (in any

software format); typewritten copy on white paper is alsoacceptable. Be sure to clearly identify all submissions and credit

every quote or reference.

Love Street Bookstore:

Dma Snow (at the addresses above)310 837—6419 between 7:00 and l1:QOpm310 839-BABA (2222) 24 hour faxor e-mail Bababooks@aol.com

Love Street Lamp Post:

features:Silence

Baba’s SilenceSilence Human, Silence Divine

So Simple That It Has Been DifficuitTo Grasp

DespairOnlyBaba HasThe AuthorityTo DoThat

Meher CD-ROM ProjectHow Meher Baba SleptThe LA. Sahavas

Meher Babas Heart in the West

We Went to Avatar’s AbodeThe Unerring Guide of LoveMeherabad Gets Wired!Different Degrees oflntuitve Wisdom

Charles HaynesBaba’s Christs CradleReal Alleviation of Suffering

Meherabode MemoryLetter from Larry

Meher Baba’s Message for Youngsters

special features:From the Mouths ofBaba Babes

Humor for Hurna

Shivaji,TheWarrior King

Postings from the Internet

Gallery ofthe HeartA collection ofphotographs and greeting cardswhich are available for purchase

through the LoveStrcctBookstore.

SundayBrunch with Craig Ruff

How to Please Him

Archives &Museum Project:A Note from our Trust-WailiGround-Breaking at Meherabad

interview:

credits:Backcover Baba Sile,aranoil paintingbyDiana LePage.

images: from DC Comics &ksrilnto ThMysteiyon page42 Copyrigbt 1996J.M. DeMatteis.

Ailotherwords, imagcs, and graphicsinthispthlicatianarepropertyofthcirrespectivecopyright

holdersJinauthoñzed&plicationisprobibitedbylaw.

Mani Irani, EruchJessawala, and Adi K. IranI 4Poem byLiz Gaskin 5

Eric Sotibakke .... 6MeherBabaMeher Baba ..... 8Mehera Irani 9

Michael D. Ivey 10Anne Elizabeth Gies .. II

Sky Emerson Wiseman .. 12LizGaskin .15

MeherBaba 16JerryEdwards 20

Meher Baba 24From an L.A. Times article 24

Georgann Erskirte 25MeherBaba 38

Poem byDavid Raphaellsrael 40LarryPesta 40

Meher Baba 434submissIons, subscriptions, donations:

Love Street LampPostAvatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California1214 South Van Ness AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90019—3520phone 213 731—3737

e-mail Bababooks@aol.com

deadlines for submissions:

Jan — Mar issueApr - Jun issueJul - Sep issueOct - Dec issue

: November 15th: February 15th: May 15th: Aug 15th

Cynthia Barrientos . 17

NickPrincipe 21

FrankBloise 22.. 26

28

Pictorial 37

Meher Baba 43

.‘.sv.Lynne Berry 2WardParks 36

editorsdesign & layoutdistribution

*&

Carl W. Ernst answers questions about The Unveiling ofSecrets . 42

:

departments:

: Dma Snow: Thomas Hart: Clea Sucoff and Harry Thomas

Editor’s Note

Calendar ofEvents

Center Report (A Letter from Meherabode)

Step Inside the Love Street Bookstore

Dma Snow .2

Mahoo GhorbanI 27

Donna Sanders 39

Dma Snow 45

The J.ove45trcetJ.’tiinjc2osb is published quarterly,in January, April, July, and October. All contents © 1997,

Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California. All quota-tions of Avatar Meher Baba or books, © AMBPPC’I India.

reviews:The Unveiling ofSecrets

How Many Ljffimes

various reviewers 41

DinaSnow 44

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Eruch and Mani on Silence

Thefollowing is an edited transcriptionfrom a recording ofMani Irani and EruchJessawala in MandaliHall, Meherazad, in the197O. We have edited the transcription to remove ‘the gritfrom the spinach, “ as Manirequested. Ifwe have changedany ofthe original meaning, we askyourforgiveness. —Ed.

RUCH: In the last years, Babaexpressly wished that we should,under all circumstances, observe si

lence on tenth ofJuly. People who are notproperly informed don’t know whether weshould observe silence, whether we shouldobserve fast, or whether we should ignore thesilence day.To them all I say that Baba’s wishwas that tenth July must be observed as the

day ofsilence by observing silence for twenty-four hours. It must begin at midnight oftheninth, and end midnight of the tenth, fortwenty-four hours. It is best that we observesilence because it was His wish that weshould observe silence.

MANI: But even ifitwere not His wish,expressly expressed as His wish, it is a gift wecan give without being asked. If as nothingbut homage to His love for us, which is whyHe observed silence. I think there should beno questions in the minds ofanyone, “Shouldwe observe silence or not?” That is an opportunity that we should not let pass by.

ERUCH: That’s right.MANI: Everylover ofBaba, to my mind,

must observe tenthJuly as a silence day. Yousalute your Beloved by giving a rose. You

would not call that a routine. You would notcall that an ordinary thing. It is just an expression ofyour love, at least ofyour homageto the Lord who did that for our sake, not forHis own sake... Ifthat little striving, that littleeffort, we cannot make on our own, and wemust wait until he spells it out and says, “Iwant each of my lovers to observe silence,”then that is sad. We must give without beingasked, although He has asked. He has expressed His wish. As Eruch says, on His lastcircular He gave no option, but that every-body observe silence. And that’s a very specialday for every lover for whom Baba has donethis. He has not done it for all, he has done itfor each one. And ifwe cannot keep our lipsshut for one day ofa year, then that’s bad.

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Thefoiowing is an editedtranscrption ofa recording ofAdi K Irani at the LA Sahavasin 197Z

I shall ask you a question: “What do wedo for Meher Baba?” We accept him asLord ofthe universe, as the Avatar ofthe

age. Just to repeat these words, and there it is?In one year, once, can you not observe silence for twenty-four hours? It gives us Hisremembrance all day long. It makes it possible to withdraw all our thoughts. Thoughtsmay go on, but because the activity is notthere, and we are not able to express ourthoughts, it gives a rest, and you feel your-selfso much composed, and the whole daypasses offin the thought ofMeher Baba.

Shall we not do this once a year?There may always be difficulties. Every-

body has children, everybodyhas a house. Butsupposing an accident takes place and onehas to go to the hospital, giving up one’s houseand children. What does one do? One has todo it, because nature makes one do it. Baba isso loving that he never compels you to do any-thing. So, shall I take advantage and not [keepsilence]? I should do something for him. AndI think, really, that once in every year every-one must do it. As an alternative, fast doesn’tcompensate the act ofyour silence at all.

sSilenc’

(B

byLizGasn

Baba is noisy.It islwho am silem

When Babaspoke, Hesaida lot.He was silentaboutallthatc not.

World-chatter is mute, silent ofGod

When billions ofmy impressions depart,IwillhearHis Word in my heart.

Itc been singing there since time began,coveredup with my Big Bang.

What do we do for Meher Baba?

Adi on Silence

A note from our Trust-walliIfyou’ve been thinking that sometime you’d like to make a love-donation to the Trust, today may be the perfect time.

The Avatar Meher Baba Trust runs a first-rate school, provides medical care for villagers and maintains Baba’s

tomb-shrine and Trust properties. There are also beneficiaries ofthe Trust whose living expenses are covered by dona

tions from Baba-lovers.

I All of these worthy projects were specified by Baba Himself in the Trust Deed. Many of the Trust’s charitable

projects and outreach projects are carried out by Eastern and Western volunteers. Some projects, however, require the

assistance of paid Indian workers, and as India raises its standard ofliving, the cost of materials and labor is on the rise

also.Now this new opportunity presents itself Love-donations are also need for the exciting new project that involves

the preservation ofarticles used and touched by Baba — the precious treasures that mean so much to all ofus. Contri

butions for the archives project will have long-lasting value indeed!Ifthis type ofservice appeals to you, please make your check payable to “Friends ofMeher Baba Trust,” and send to:

Lynne Berry267 Hanover Dr.Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Please note what portion ofyour donation is for the Trust, and/or for Archives. —Jai Baba!

£oveStreetL’,nmjlPosb 5

Silence Human, Silence Divine

by

Eric Solibakke

hen in 1925 the Beloved an-nounced His intention to becomesilent, He said “I must keep silence

for some excessive spiritual work that willresult when Babajan drops her body inthe near future.” He painted a glum picture:“There will be religious hostilities, riots, warsand natural disasters” that shed the blood ofmillions.”Rivers ofblood will flow,” He said.“I will dip my kerchiefin that river ofbloodand tie it around myhead! Not until the worldcries out for God will I give up my 2

When a listener protested that the worldwould be deprived ofHis wisdom teachings,He replied with a sublime declaration ofHisdivine mission: “I have come not to teach, butto awaken!” 2 Q the morning ofJuly 10th,His world-sustaining silence began; it hadbeen postponed a month, Mehera tells us,because Gulmai fell off a ladder. She wasspraying a nest of lice-infested sparrows inthe roofofthe Post Office where the womenstayed. Fortunately she was not badly hurt,but the Beloved waited an additional 26 daysbefore entering silence. Little did anyoneimagine it would continue throughout theremainder ofthe advent, nearly 44 years.

First He wrote messages, using slate andchalk and then on Jan 1, 1927, He droppedwriting, saying’All this depends on Babajan.”4Watching Him spell words by pointing toletters in newspapers, Vishnu devised thealphabet board which served as the Beloved’smedium for more than 25 years. In 1954 Heput that aside too, communicating fromthen on by means of gestures of His own

creation and the spontaneous embodimentofHis meanings.

In every advent the Avatar chargescertain symbols with His infinite power,knowledge and bliss, Christ’s sacrificialCross, Buddha’s meditative Wheel of Law.Meher Baba’s symbolmaywell be His humanand divine Silence which resonates with themystery ofHis profound identity. “Only

Iin internal Silence is Baba found — inprofound inner Silence,” He said, refer-ring to Himself “as I really am” in the mdi-visible Oneness ofGod in the Beyond and

I Beyond-Beyond states.

‘My outwardsilence is nospiritual exercise’ He told us,‘7t has been undertaken and

maintainedsolelyfor the

-

goodofothers.”

Aspirants often practice silence as a spin-tual discipline, but the Avatar’s silence is ofanother sort. “My outward silence is no spin-tual exercise,” He told us, “It has been under-taken and maintained solely for the good of

6 Its purpose maypenhaps be impliedin the Beloved’s enigmatic words: “Things thatare real are given and received in silence.”

While it’s impossible for us to grasp the

extent ofgood His silence is doing, itis possibleto observe something of it. Attending theBeloved’s discourse in Australia in 1956,JohnA. Grant later wrote, “Baba’s communicationswere more eloquent because He did not speak,than had He spoken. Because as well ashearing the message spoken by one of hismandali, the listener could also see Baba’smarvelous hand and facial gestures, whichslowed down the message. Because themessage was given slowly and visually aswell as orally, one had the opportunity ofabsorbing it more deeply.” 8 His discoursedid not come into the world as mere sound; itcame fully embodied, fully grounded, fullyenacted in His physical form — He becameit! And even more so after He discarded thealphabet board.

Mehera reminds us poignantly how muchHis silence increased His suffering andcontributed to His sense of helplessness.“Baba’s nature was happy and cheerful. Heloved to talk and to laugh and to sing, butafter silence Baba could not say anything . ...

Baba had a fine sense of humor but if Hewanted to be funny or to tease someone Hewould have to point to theletters on the board.And by the time He had finished saying it,halfthe fun was lost .... Baba loved to laugh,but even that sound He denied Himselfandheld In 1941 when Upasni Maharajtold Him to give up his silence, saying “Now itis bringing too much suffering,” Baba said, “No,I have come to suffe; and My work is mostimportant. I must finish k.9

In His last message on the alphabet

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board, the Beloved comforted our fears oflosing contact with Him by assuring us that,“Severance of external relations does notmean the termination ofintemal connections.It was only for establishing the internalconnections that the external contacts havebeen maintained till now. The time has nowcome for being bound in the chain ofinternalconnections. Hence external contact is nolonger necessary It is possible to establish theinternal link by obeying Baba’s orders. Igive you all My blessings for strengtheningthese internal links.” 10

His silence reduces our outer distractionsand draws our attention inward toward thatplace in ourselves where His voice can beheard. “I am never silent. I speak eternally.The voice that is heard deep within the soulis My voice — the voice ofinspiration, ofintuition, ofguidance. Through those whoare receptive to this voice, I speak.” Therewithiove Hisvoice guides us in the direction ofour own experience ofReal silence.

At the same time He challenges us toconnect with His silence, He wears out ourminds with denials and assertions, withpromises to break His silence and apparentfailures to do so. “Although I appear to besilent, I speak through you all. I am eversilent and everlastingly speaking, but thetime has arrived when soon I will break thisapparent silence, and then those who loveme will see my Real Self.”6

The theme ofbreaking His silence is anever- ending saga from the earliest days onward.Sometimes charming, sometimes incomprehensible andmysteiious, sometimes hilariouslygrandiose, but always His notification ofintention to break His silence is clearly alabor of love on behalf of His lovers andthose who would love Him.

As a child Mani elicited a promise fromher God-brother that He wouldn’t breakHis silence unless she were present.Imagine how shocked she was to hear thatHe had sent out a circular announcing He wasgoing to speak at a time when she was in schoolin Poona. She immediately penned a letterreminding Him ofHis promise, concluding,“So, eitherYou allowme to come andbewithYouwhen You breakYour Silence, orYou postponethe breaking ofYour Silence.” She added aPS, “I can come right now.” 12

He postponed.Ramjoo tells how once in the early years

Baba arranged to break His silence in the

presence ofseveral mandali members. Theyhiked strenuously for several days to reach avery remote location where Baba arrangedthem in a circle with their backs toward Himsome 50 feet away. When He clapped, theywere to turn and He would speak. Heclapped, they turned but nobody heard Himutter a sound. Questioned, He replied witha question ofHis own, “Do you not know Iam always speaking?” 13

Then there was the famous promise tobreak His silence at the Hollywood Bowl!During His visit to the USA in 1932, Babadistributed powerful spiritual discourses andmessages which stoked the fires of interestinthe impendingbreaking ofHis silencein Call-fornia. The idea ofdoing it in the HollywoodBowl was in the air. It was at a luncheon datewith Marie Dressler— shewas atthe height ofpopularity, co-starring in Charlie Chaplin’sfilms; she had received the AcademyAward the year before. In a lightheartedmood, she told Baba she would like to takeHim out in the woods and dance with Him,“And even ifyou want to speak a few wordsto me, I promise not to tell anyone.” Babaspelled out, “Before breaking my silence, it isessential for me to proceed to China. Onmy return, I wilibreak my silence onjuly 13 atthe Hollywood Bowl.” 14

Immediately the arrangements started.

QuentinTodd organized newspaper coverageand aworldwide radio link. Fashionable ladiesbegan preparing their God-Realizationdresses on the basis of Quentin’s assurancethat theywould realize Godwhen Baba spoke.Years later in a video Delia DeLeon wouldrefer to her God-Realization dress, made forthe occasion. Kitty Davy had one also. 15 Ateleven o’clockthat night Baba and His group,including Quentin, sailed for Hawaii on the55 Monterey. Two days after arrival in Ho-nolulu, Baba sent Quentin back toCalifornia to alert everyone that He hadchanged His mind and there would be no showin the Bowl.The Associated Press carried thestory on July 13, 1932, under the headline“Silent Hindu Defers Radio alk.’6

So this is the Eternal Beloved’s conundrumwhich delights some and dismays others; eachlover must resolve it in the intimacy ofhis andher romance with the Divine. Again andagain over the years, the Beloved heraldedHis intention to break His silence, so oftenin fact and so sincerely that eventuallywe must begin to wonder what He meant

when He announced that. And there areeven those who exhort the Beloved not to breakHis silence but rather to break our noise so wemay hear His silence.

In anycaseforailtime onJanuary3l, 1969,He anchored His human and divine silence inHis Samadhi on Meherabad Hill after a lifetimeofreassuring us all that anyone anywhere in theworldwho establishes a genuine heart connectionwithHimmayreceivethegreatest ofGod’s gifts:“Through endless time God’s greatest gift iscontinuouslygiven in 17

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Key to quotes and sources:

1 — LordMeher, Vol. Two, p. 731

2 — LordMeber, Vol. Two, p. 732

3 — Mehera, p. 84

4 — Letc Go To Meberabad, p. 80

5 — LoveAlone Prevails, p. 166

6 — The Silent Master, p. 7

7 — MeherBaba Calling, p. 40

8 — Practical Spirituality, p 26

9 — Mehera, p. 235

10 - Practical Spirituality, p. 216

11 - LoveAlone Prevails, p. 179

12 - God-Brother, p. 126

13 - The God-Man, p. 413

14 - LordMeher, Vol. V p. 1661

15 - LoveAlone Prevails, p. 94

16 - LordMebei 1W. V p 1661-1668

17 - The God-Man, p. 346

7

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So Simple That It Has Been Difficult To Grasp

by

Meher Baba

Since arnvingrnAmerica, I have beenasked many times what solution haveI brought for the social problems now

confronting you — what did I have to offerthatwould solve the problems ofunemployment,prohibition, crime, that would eliminate thestrife between individuals and nations, andpour a healing balm of peace upon atroubled world.

The answer has been so simple that it

has been difficult to grasp.The root ofall our difficulties, individual

and social, is self-interest. It is this, for example,which causes corruptible politicians to acceptbribes and betray the interests ofthose whomthey have been elected to serve; which causesbootleggers to break, for their own profit. alawdesigned, whether wisely or not, to help thenation as awhole; which causes people to connive,for their own pleasure, at the breaking ofthatlaw thus causing disrespect for law in general,and increasing crime tremendously; whichcauses the exploitation ofthe great masses ofhumanityby individuals or groups ofindividualsseekingpersonalgain;whichimpedes the progressof civilization by shelving inventions whichwould contribute to the welfare ofhumanityat large, simply because their use would meanthe scrapping ofpresent inferior equipment;which, when people are starving, causes thewanton destruction oflarge quantities offood, simply in order to maintain marketprices; which causes the hoarding of largesums of gold, when the welfare of theworld demands its circulation....

But the elimination of self-interest,even granting a sincere desire on the partofthe individual to accomplish it, is notso easy, and is never completely achievedexcept by the aid ofa Perfect Master. Forself-interest springs from a false idea ofthe true nature ofthe Self, and the ideamust be eradicated, and the Truth expe

rienced, before the elimination of self-interest is possible.

I intend, when I speak, to reveal the OneSupreme SeWwhichis in all.This accomplished,the idea ofthe Selfas a limited, separateentity will disappear, and with it will vanishself—interest....

THE GOD-MAN, C. B. Purdom, pp. 104-105Copyright 1971 Meher Spiritual Center, Inc.

DespairNobody is utterly lost and nobody

need despair. The knowledge that all havethe same beginning and the same end, withlife on earth a happy interlude,will go along way in makingthe Brotherhood ofMana reality on earth.

Meher Baba — 1937 Meher Baba Calling

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JaiBaba! r

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only Baba Has The AuthorityTo Do That

by Mehera Irani

When Baba dropped His body, Mastan did not know at first what had happened.Then, one dayl sawhim come into the diningroom, which he had never before done without first being called. He looked at Baba’s chair, and saw that Baba was not there. And veryslowly he walked around and out ofthe dining room, and then lay down in the passageway with a very deep sigh. A few days later

Mastan came to Baba’s bedroom alone, which, again, he never did without being called. As I watched he stopped by the foot ofBaba’s bed, andthen very slowly walked in a complete circle around Baba’s bed. And then slowly left the room. He knew then what had happened, and hegradually gave up eating.

After that I had to hand feed Mastan his mutton, but unless I put it right down histhroat he would spit it out. So Mastan got thinner and thinner.

It was now the end ofMarch 1969, and it was time for us to leave for Poona forthe 1969 Darshan at Guruprasad. Mastan was left at Meherazad in the charge ofa servant who loved him. Before I got in the car to leave I went up to Mastan andpatted his head. “Baba,” I asked, “You will make it easy for him”, and taking Baba’sName I said goodbye to Mastan.

That was the last time I saw him; in the middle ofApril Mastan died. He had beenquite hearty before Baba dropped His body, but he missed Baba’s love, and he gave uphis life. That is how faithftil to Baba Mastan was.

Baba had told us, “I will see that next birth Mastan takes a human form, andnot just as an ordinary human being. He will be a very good soul who loves God.”So by Baba’s grace Mastan will skip all the in-between lives and will take birth asa God-loving person.

Only Baba has the authority to do that. And that shows Baba’s Love for Mastan.

MEHERA, pp. 237-238,Copyright 1989, AMBPPCT

,(E:x3et

Meher Baba CD-ROM Project

by

Michael D. Ivey

,1’

The 300+ people who subscribe tothe Meher Baba Listserv on the Internet,lovinglymaintainedbyJoe Stewart ofErie

Community College, are referred to in variousways such as Listees, Listservants orjust plainsubscribers.The common factors between all ofus, ofcourse, are an abidinglove for Meher Babaand an interest in communicating with otherBaba Lovers (BL’s).

The “Meher Baba CD Project” (I’ll usethe term ‘Project’ since it has, as yet, no formalname) is a rare example ofspontaneous humancombustion. It was a fire that broke out on theMther Baba Listserv, beginning in February‘97. The Project was the outcome of dailyconversations in which one of us would saysomething like, “Baba said something to thiseffect, but I don’t remember exactly what thequote is or where I read it.” Statements likethis were (and are) a regular occurrence amongany grouping ofBL’s.

It is, ofcourse, now possible to put ALLthe literature associated with Meher Baba onone single CD which can be “searched” in asplit-second forwords, quotes, text fragmentsand subjects.

While responding to someone’s messageaboutnotbeing able to find a certain quotation,I was bemoaning the fact that, in order to createa searchable compilation of all the Babaliterature, it would take a person with a scannerand a LOT offree time or a veritable army oftypists to input such a large body oftext. Mynext thought was, “Wait a minute, there are300 ofus on this Listserv. We ARE an armyof typists! Maybe WE could be the armyoftypists that this project needs.” So, basically, I threw that thought out into the electronic pond which is the Listserv and waitedto see what happened.

What happened was that peoplestarted affirming the ideas that (1) this issomething that needs to be done and (2)that division oflabor among many BL’s isthe only way to do it. And, the most important reaction was that people started vol

unteering to be part ofsuch an effort.One thing led to another. Nosh Anzar

immediately said that he would donate thedigital text(s) ofthree ofthe books and backissues of Glow to which he holds copyright.Cynthia Shepard, a professional textbook editor,said that she would organize the compilation ofworks, proofreading and indexing of text.Deepak Ramanthan, a graduate student atSyracuse Universit offered his expertise withsearch engines.Joe Stewart, facedwith consistentand escalating communication about theproject, created a separate, Project Listserv.There were many other small contributions, nottheleast ofwhichbeingthose ofeach individualvolunteer who has offered their own time andenergyto the daunting task ofinputting some80+ books by and about Meher Baba. Atthe time of writing, there are 47 volunteersworking at their own pace in varying capacities.

Now that two months have passed, theProject has been given the “go-ahead” by theAMBPPCT’s copyright committee, AnnConlon on behalfofMeher Spiritual CenterandlraDieffichonbehaifofSufism Reoriented.Ward Parks, who represents the Trust’scopyright committee, had the followingto sayabout the prospective Meher Baba CD:

“We feel, as you do, that advancing digital technologywillprovide a major avenue forthe spreading of Beloved Baba’s name andmessage, which will eventually reach everynook and cranny ofthe world. We appreciateyour enthusiasm and support your effort. Atthe same time, it is superlatively importantto the Trust that the workbe done well. ThisCD-ROM publication, ifit eventuates, willrepresent (to the best ofmy knowledge) thefirst compilation ofbooks and messages byand about Avatar Meher Baba publishedthrough the computer media. He should bepresented to the world in a way that honorsand benefits Who He is.

For what might originally have been in-tended as a data resource for people who alreadyknowBabawill over time most probably

become a major channel bywhich newcomers find out about Him. The work should,therefore, “speak” to the greater humanity asit is turrnng to Him.

Undoubtedly, the task is a large andchallenging one. But ifyou and your associates are willing to take it on with all it entails,the Trust supports your effort. It is indeed agreat opportunity for all concerned.”

Any description of the Project to datewould be incomplete without mention ofthepeople who have worked for years with this orsimilar concepts and “planted the seed” forthe eventualinspiration ofthis current effort.Those that come to mind are Lawrence Reiter,who talked about putting the text of LordMeher on CD two or three years ago, KeithGunn, who has been inputting text for someyears with the faith that the way wouldeventually be cleared for such a project, andGary Cook, who has carried the torch for aMeher Baba Encyclopedia on the Listservfor a good while. I’m sure there are othersofwhom I am not aware, so please forgiveany omissions.

Inasmuch as the project is a long-termundertaking, it is still only in its infancy.There is room for everyone who would liketo contribute to the effort along the lines oftext input (typing or scanning), proofreading,publishing and/or computer expertise.

Ifyouwould like tojoin the effort to helpcreate the Meher Baba CD, please e-mailme at: mivey@imagin.net or call me at:(817) 834-2184 (eves. and weekends).

Jai Baba!

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How Meher Baba Slept

t night Meher Baba would alwayshave one ofthe men mandali keepwatch while he slept. The night watch-

man would sit right outside Baba’s room,making sure that no one disturbed Baba’srest. Baba always gave the night watchmanthree orders — not to move, not to make anynoise, and to keep awake the whole night.

Once, one of the mandali named Bhauwas keeping watch for Baba. Baba told him,“I’m tired today and not feelingwell. So pleasedon’t make any noise. Don’t move, and keepawake.” Baba repeated the orders five or sixtimes. Then he directed Bhau to close thewindows, close the door, and go sit outside onthe porch.

Bhau didn’t find it hard to stay awake orkeep very quiet. But he did find it hard to sitlike a statue for such a long time. Mosquitoskept buzzing around his face and biting him.

But Baba’s order meant that he couldn’t evenlift his hand to brush them away.

Usually, every fifteen minutes or so, Babawould clap his hands for Bhau to come seehim. That would give Bhau a chance to moveand stretch. But this particular night Babadidn’t clap for fifteen minutes. Halfan hourwent by. Then another hour. Two hours. StillBaba didth clap. All the time, the mosquitoswere biting and Bhau was becoming very stiff.Finally after two and a half hours, Babastarted snoring

“This is my chance,” Bhau thought. “Atleast I can change the way I’m sitting in thischair.” Slowly Bhau started to lift his leg offthe ground. Without making a sound, hemoved it ever so slightly. At that moment,Baba clapped. Bhau went inside to Baba’sroom. “Why did you move?” Baba asked him.

At first Bhau was so startled that he didn’t

say a word. He thought to himself, “How didBaba know that I moved? The door and thewindows were closed. I did not make anynoise, and obviously Baba was sleeping.”Baba knew what Bhau was thinking andsaid to him, “When I sleep, I can see thewhole world. Can I not see you, who are sonear to me?”

This was how Bhau learned that Baba’ssleep was not like yours or mine. Even whenBaba was asleep and snoring, he always knewwhat was going on around him.

MERWAN, pp. 65-67Copyright 1980 Anne Elizabeth Giles

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I bought this photo from Meelan’s Studio in Pune, believing it to be a rare photo of the Avatar asleep. People have since told me it is actuallyShireen — Baba’s mother!— Dma

11

The L.A. Sahavas

by

Meher Baba’s Heart in the West

Sky Emerson Wiseman

I has been nearly twenty years since Iencountered Allan Cohen’s book TheMastery ofConsciousness in a Coronado,

California bookstore. When I saw Baba’sphoto and read His words in that bookl knewI had reached the culmination of a spiritualsearch that had commenced when I was asmall child. At that time I was serving asgunnery officer aboard a United StatesN ãvy m an - of-war. Fortunately, BelovedBaba’s infinite love and compassion reachesout to all, and plucks His lovers from someseemingly unlikely places.

In the first two years ofmy companionshipwith Baba I only had contact with a few ofHis lovers. Although these experiences werequite wonderful, I had no great interest inseeking out larger Baba groups. Actually, it

was more than ‘no interest’ that was keepingme somewhat isolated. I was concerned thatI would not be comfortable with groups ofBabalovers and that my honeymoon withBaba would somehow come to an abrupt haltin any sort ofgroup atmosphere. My deepestfear was that the Baba community would bejust like many ofthe religious groups that Ihad been exposed to earlier my life.

I had felt Baba’s Avatarhood intellectuallyand He had touched my heart deeply duringthose first two years, but I really had no ideawhat that meant in terms of His real workwith human beings. I knew nothing of theDivine Wine that invariably flows when Hislovers, a veritable cross section ofhumanity,come together for His Sahavas — an intimatesharing oflove between the Beloved and Hislovers. I knew nothing ofthe electric atmosphere

and intensity of a full scale gathering ofMeher Baba’s dear ones. Needless to say, Iwas not at all prepared for my first encounterwith the love feast and spiritual dynamite ofthe Southern California Silence Day Sahavas!

Not to say that these annual gatheringsin the San Bernardino Mountains don’tprovide opportunities for quiet contemplationand solitude, but emotional intensity, livelymusic, andjoyful camaraderie seem to me tobe the recurring themes of this wonderfulevent. Just as the Hamipur District oflndia isoften called ‘Meher Baba’s Heart’, because ofthe quality oflove that flows from His loversin that region, I have come to thinkofthe L.A.

I often remember the words oftheimmortalHafiz ‘ffor one slight

momentyou have thefortune to drownyoursefin the ocean ofLove, do nothesitate. That moment does not come

ftequently. As soon as the Master saysDrown’ do not hesitate.”

Sahavas as ‘Meher Baba’s Heart in the West.’His lotus feet never walked the mountains ofSouthern CalifomiabutHe did make his markin Hollywood! A deep heart quality radiatesfrom His lovers there in Los Angeles, and thatatmosphere permeates His Sahavasgathering at Pilgrim Pines.

I attended myfirst L.A. Sahavas in 1980,following myintroduction to the Los Angeles

group. I found myselfin Los Angeles when myNavy ship received severe damage to its mdc-structible rubber sonar dome. The rupture ofthe sonar dome in heavy sea’s in the vicinity ofSan Nicolas Island off the Southern

I C alifornia coast was truly a bizarre occurrence

—

but it brought my vessel into drydock inLong Beach Shipyard and prompted a twomonth stay in the Los Angeles Area. I hadbeen appointed ship’s navigator by this time,and I remember bringing the vessel into portthrough an early morning fog. I had failed todrive my car to L.A. but Baba made sure Idrove the ship. The time I spent with FilisFrederick, Adele Wolkin, Dana Field and somany others during my time in L.A. was agreat blessing. Filis laughed when I first arrived at her home for a Monday night meet-ingwith mytale ofthe unusual chain ofeventsthat had brought me to L.A. She smiled andsaid, ‘Oh, a million dollars damage to a shipmeans nothing to Baba if He can bring justone soul closer to Him.’

I conduded my stayin the City ofAngelsfeeling very much at home with Baba’s lovers,and particularly hooked on the loving energyofHis Los Angeles followers. I had heard ofthe Sahavas and began makingplans to attendthat next summer, and yet as the Sahavasweekend approached I was still a bit concernedabout such a large gathering and didn’t reallyknowwhat to expect.

I waited until the last minute but finallypacked my bag and headed north from SanDiego. After atwo hour drive I began climbingtowards the town of Oak Glen, passingthrough apple orchards along the way. At last

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I sawa smallsignhangingon atree—’MEHERBABA. As soon as I sawthat sign and set foot onthe grounds ofPilgñm Pines all doubts fadedinto nothingness. As I strolled through thevibrant conifers and stately oaks I felt Baba’sloving embrace. All of my cares driftedsomewhere up into the high canyon wallsabove Pilgrim Pines, the canyon that neverfails to remind me of a grand cathedralmagically sheltering the valley below.

Sometime during that first Sahavas I feltdeeply that Meher Baba was the very sameChrist I had known as a child, and I sensed a

very powerful connection with Baba as theAncient One. It was the music ofthe Sahavasthat evoked this connection. Years laterJaneHaynes related to me that she spoke inwardlyto Baba during one ofher first meetings withHim at the Meher Center, saying, ‘Butit’s You!’ Baba had replied in her heart,‘Yes Jane, it is I’. When Jane told me thisstorylrealizedthatl had averysimilar experienceat my first L.A. Sahavas. I particularly enjoyedthe singing at morning arti, and I rememher a powerful recognition that beingthere was an opportunity of incrediblegood fortune. I had often asked my par-

ents not to make me go to church, but tostay home and think about Jesus. Hereat the Sahavas I encountered that Jesusofmy childhood.

Despite thejoy and clarity ofthose earlydays at Pilgrim Pines I had a difficultexperience that first year when the specialmoment came for the traditional dhuni fire onthe last Sahavas night. We all walked silentlyto the dhuni through the trees, with darknessbeginning to envelope the camp. The dhuniwas lit and it was a most magical moment.The crackle ofthe first flames and the fragrance

ofwood smoke, coupled with the radiant moonhanging over the valley below will be foreveremblazoned in my mind’s eye. And yet whenthe opportunity came to approach the dhuniand bow to Beloved Baba’s sandals I let thisrarechance slip awa)dhungbackinthe shadows,wanting so much to approach closer to Baba,but somehow afraid to partake ofthe Treasurethat awaited. I continued towaitfor an impulseto go forward, but the moment passed. I hadmissed my chance. It was a very painfulexperience at the time. In retrospect I realizedthat Baba was simply drawing me closer,fanningthe flames oflove, igniting that longing

within to be His. I have since realized that theTreasure that awaits me each and everymoment through an inner surrender to theBeloved is symbolicallyrepresented by tossinga small stickin the dhuni flame. Over the yearsI have had the good fortune to approach theBeloved’s dhuni on many occasions at theSahavas. I have never forgotten that firstmissed opportunity — that ‘chance that waswasted,’ so poignantly phrased in ‘Begin theBeguine.’ I often remember the words oftheimmortal Haflz, “Iffor one slight moment youhave the fortune to drown yourselfin the ocean

ofLove, do not hesitate. That moment doesnot come frequently. As soon as the Mastersays ‘Drown’ do not hesitate...”

I didn’t have another chance to attendthe Sahavas for three years, but was finallyable to return in the summer of1993 after thedeath ofmy daughter, Ciera. Ciera’s lengthystruggle withleukemiabrought me even doserto Baba, and through that difficult period Hetaught me so much about His way ofworking.Through Ciera’s briefbut intense life Babagave an exquisite discourse on the nature oflove. I came to the 1983 Sahavas on fire withlove for Baba, thankful for the gift of Ciera,

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and deeply grateful for the opportunity to beamongst Hislovers once again. On dhuni nightI was near the front ofthe line.

I didnt miss another L.A. Sahavas for sixyears, fouryears coming from San Diego, andtwice making the long trip from New Mexicoafter moving to the Four Corners area in 1987.Each year I counted the days before makingthat happyjourneyto be at His feet at PilgrimPines. So many wonderful guest speakers,musicians, and pilgrims touched my heartduring these years. I couldn’t begin to namethem all — each one so special, and eachplaying a major role in my life with BelovedBaba. I also made a wonderful trip to MyrtleBeach and the long awaited trip to Indiaduring this period, but the spirit and energyofBaba’s Sahavas in Southern California wasthe constant source of His grace that Ianticipated. Departing the gathering at theend ofthe long weekend was often painful forme, but with the coming ofthe next Springmy excitement and anticipation would beginbuilding once again. Upon myarrival at PilgrimPines memories always begin flowing as I walkthose grounds anew, a reminder of theunfolding years with Baba.

One year, I couldn’t wait untilJuly. Mylonging for the Sahavas atmosphere got thebest ofme. It was a chilly February afternoonand I was working on the Morongo IndianReservation near Beaumont, about 20 milesfrom Pilgrim Pines. I realized thatl could makea quick trip up to Oak Glen before returningto San Diego at the end ofthe day. I arrived atthe deserted camp with the usual anticipation,a cold wind blowing down offthe summit ofSan Gorgonio Mountain. I am one who oftenseeks solitude in nature to reflect on MeherBaba and His beautiful creation. Such solitudeis readily found in the mountains and desertsof the west, and it is an experience thatnourishes me in the deepest ofways. Butthe Pilgrim Pines camp, home of the L.A.Sahavas, and ‘Meher Baba’s Heart in theWest,’ is not that sort ofplace for me. On thatwintry daythere was no toddy shop; no musicringingthrough the camp; no hearty’Jai Baba’s’reverberating among the trees. That day Ilearned the importance of seeing Baba’sradiant beauty in the eyes of His lovers. Ilearned that Baba’s lovers are His Sahavas— Pilgrim Pines without His lovers left meverylonelythataftemoon. Ileftabit disheartenedbut all the more eager to return for the realSahavas in the heat of summer.

In 1991, I moved up to Montana, a placewhere I had felt Beloved Baba guiding mebefore I had ever heard His name. It is here inMontana that mylife with Baba has taken onthe character ofa deep mountain pool, and itseems that more and more He is holding anongoing Sahavas in my heart. With my wifeShar, daughters Mandi and Katie, and ourwonderful animals we are living our lives onthe “Baba frontier” ofsorts, witness to theunfolding ofHis manifestation in the gloriousMontana sk But Montana is a long way fromSouthern California and until the summer of1996 I had not been able to make it back tothe Sahavas for five long years. Despite severallovelyvisits to His Myrtle Beach Center I stillfelt the call ofthe Silence Day Sahavas. Sharand I made the two dayjourney to PilgrimPines from Billings, Montana last summer.This was Shar’s first Sahavas and spendingthe time with her made my own experienceeven more rewarding. It was my ‘best Sahavasever,’ a statement I have truthfully made eachyear I have attended. As a late spring beginshere in the high plains canyons ofMontana Ifilly expect to make the same statement againthis year.The 1997 Sahavas is being billed asthe best ever, a ‘reunion Sahavas’ highlightedby dear Bhau along with an incredible arrayof past guest speakers and musicians. WithJulyfast approachingl’m beginning to developa serious case of Sahavas fever!

I was not at all surprised to receive ane-mail just as I began writing this article.A1lan Cohen is a confirmed guest for the 1997Sahavas’. For me the Sahavas has always beenmarked by incredible synchronicit and I amnever surprised by Baba’s Divine Game. Itwas Allan’s book that brought me into Baba’sorbit twenty years ago, and although Icorresponded with himjust after readingTheMastery of Consciousness I have never methim in person! Twentyyears with Baba and areunion Sahavas! ‘Meher Baba’s Heart in theWest’ is calling and I’ll soon be on my way!

The UnseenPlaymate

When children areplayingalone on the green,

In comes theplaymatethat never was seen.

When children are happyandlonely andgood,

The Friend ofthe Childrencomes out ofthe wood

Nobody heard him,andnobody saw,His is apicture

you never could draw,But hec sure to be present,

abroad or at home,When children are happy

andplaying alone.

He lies in the laurels,he runs on the grass,

He sings when you tinklethe musicalglass;

Wheneryou are happyandcannot tell why,

The Friend ofthe Childrenis sure to be by!

He loves to be little,he hates to be big,

‘T is he that inhabitsthe caves thatyou dig;‘Tis he whenyouplay

withyour soldiers oftinThat sides with the Frenchmen

and never can win.

‘T is he, when at nightyougo offtoyour bed,

Bidsyou go to sleepand not troubleyour head;For wherever they’re lying,

in cupboard orshe‘T is he will take care

ofyourplaythings himsef!

Avatar Meher Baba kiJai!

— From A CHILD’S GARDEN OF VERSESby Robert Louis Stevenson

14 £oveStreetj.’,am11osb

We Went to Avatar’s Abodeby Liz Gaskin

Avatar’s Abode, 1971

It was warm, afternoon, about three.Francis askedwhat didlknow ofYourI said You were God. He offered tea.

We drank tea. Then he asked wouldllike tosee Your Room ? I saidyes.

We went, leaving a benchperched on oildrums andpineapple boxes.

We went into Your Room.Francis openedthe doors.

It was beautiful in there. Soft, andpiiows ofsatin, pale blue andpink, ever so soft.

Istoodon the spot. You hadbeen here,I was at Your Feet.

Ifril in a heap and cried.You were here and You Are Here.

Jai Baba!

Francis Brabazon

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The Unerring Guide of Love

by Meher Baba

The spiritual path is like climbing upto the mountain top through hills anddales and thorny woods and along

steep and dangerous precipices. Ifthere is onething which is most necessary for a safe andsure arrival at the top, it is love. All otherqualities which are essential for the aspirants

ofthe Highest can and must come to themifthey faithfully follow the whispers of theunerring guide oflove.

Ifyoulose hold ofthe mantle ofthis guide,there is onlydespairin store foryou.The gatewayto the highest state ofbeing One with God isfirmly closed to all who do not have the

courage to lose their separate existence inthe restless fire ofdivine love.

LORD MEHER, Vol. Seven & Eight, Bhau

Kaichuri, p. 2987, Copyright 1995 AMBPPCT

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From the Mouths ofBaba BabesCompiled by Cynthia Barrientos

There are many times when simplewisdom comes to us from our children.They have insights to God/Meher

Baba that we may miss at first glance.Perhaps their line to God is so direct be-cause they have not yet been corruptedby Maya. Here is a collection of quotesthat demonstrate how many ofour youngpeople are so clearly and closely con- JaiBaba,nected to Meher Baba. Tern Zee

with all my heart and didn’t understand whyso many people had so many different waysoflooking at God. They all said they wereright and the others were wrong.

That night God answered myprayers. Ifelt a warmth come over me and I felt a painin my chest that wasn’t unpleasant, but mademe feel alive and filled me with the knowledgethat this wasn’t all there was. That night Ibegan my inward journey.

It was nine years later, while going for ajob interview as an AuPair, that I first saw thepicture. It was a beautiful portrait of a man.He had long dark hair and moustache and abeautiful smile. I didn’t ask right away whothe picture of the man was. I had myinterview and fell in love with the people andthe children. I got thejob immediately.

The children were a 4 year old girl and a7 year old boy. Afterworking there for about aweek and seeing that smiling face each day, I

and a very nice man gave me candy.”

Years later, while watching a Baba videowith me, Brett looked at Baba and said, “Iknow him. He’s the man that gave me candy.”

At the time that Brett told me the dreamI had felt Baba’s presence.Watching the video,however was a sweet confirmation.

A Nice Dream A Prayer Answered

In 1974 I had been reading aboutBaba for two years. My son Brett was five.I had not discussed Baba with Brett. Onemorning Brett woke and while still in bedcalled me and said, “Mommie I had a nicedream.” “What did you dream?” I asked.“I dreamed that I went far across the ocean

Late one night, as I lay crying myself tosleep, I prayed to God to please show me theway to Him. I was 9 years old.

I had been made to go live with myfather, step mother and a world of childabuse. I was forced to go to a strange church,the third one in my short lifetime. I loved God

CynthiaBarriento•s andson, Lee.

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couldn’t stand not knowing who He was anylonger. I felt awkward asking the parents whothe man was. Something inside me told me Ishould know this man. So, I asked the 4 yearold girl. She told me in the sweetestvoice, thatI can still hear today, “That’s Meher Baba,you know,Jesus, Krishna. . . .God.”

That was it. All my questions andsearching were over. I knew immediately thatwas who He was. There was no secondguessing,I didn’tfeelthe needfor an explanation,it was pure and simple. I KNEW He was theONE. And since I had asked God to showme the way to Him when I was only 9 yearsold, it seemed only appropriate that Babawould use the voice of a child to answer myprayer. Beloved Baba is always listening.

Vivian Torres

Longing for Baba’s Words

My 13 year old daughter has been hay-ing a very tough time as a result ofa move byour family to a new town last year (experiencing loss offriends and depression etc.) Re-certly, she said she wanted to read more Bababooks. She’s read the children’s stories in thepast, about Baba and the animals etc.

I said to her, “I’ll pick out one that hasnice stories in it.”

She immediately replied, “I’m not inter-ested in stories ABOUT Baba. I want to readwhat Baba said Himself, His teachings!”

So, she is now reading Discourses. Afterthat I’ll give her God Speaks! Why not!!?OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABESEH? Even though the Discourses are not allBaba’s direct words, at least they are representative ofHis teachings. She is loving them!

Anonymous

Life is Just a Dream

This morning, myeightyear old son,Jake,called me into his room to tell me he had justwritten a song. It seems appropriate.

‘Lfè isjuse a dream, you cant deny it.A dream ofdeath andpain, you can’t deny it,

itcjust a dream.These little dreams thatyou have at night are

nothing compared to the dream you arehaving right now.

Whenyouplayyou thinkyou areplaying, butactuallyyou are in dreamland.

Never deny it, itcjust a dream.”

harold Jamison

The Ancient One

When my daughter was about 6 yearsold (19 years ago), I tookher to the Center atMyrtle Beach. She kept pleading with me tolet her into the Lagoon Cabin, which I wasvery hesitant about because she was a realchatterbox. Finally, itwas empty and I agreed.I stayed outside. In a while she came out. Iwas standing about 15 feet from the door. Shestrode down the path, stopped in front ofme,arms akimbo, looking very angry and said,“Mama, why didn’t you tell me Baba used tobe Jesus?”

Several months later this same childstarted talking about Krishna. I knew Ihadn’t said anything to her about Krishna,and became curious. So, one day, I askedher who this Krishna person was that shewas talking about. She looked at me andsaid, “Oh, he’s part ofBaba” in a tone thatmade it clear she was sure I was entirelyignorant not to know that.

From,“Three Dreams and His Nazai

or How I Brought a Baby toBombay”

January, 1990

One night, we were at the Pilgaim Center asBhaugavehisweekly talk Iwas inthe dininghalllistening attentively when I suddenly heard abloodcurdling scream . . . it was Clara! I ran outto the women’s side. Clara — not quite threeyears old at the time — had been in thebathroom with her mom. While her mom wasin thejohn, Clara had gotten hold ofa can ofbug spray and shot thejuice into her eyes!

Someone ran for Doctor Anne — an oldfriend and the doc in charge — while I scoopedClara up into my arms. I rocked her andswayed her, crooned her and bounced her.Always in tune with her feelings, I knew howto lead her quickly away from a feeling oftrauma. Whatever else would happen, Iknew the worst enemywould be the feelingoffear, ofchaos. We gracefully rocked togetherto Baba.

When Anne arrived, things had calmeddown abit. Anne did some doctorthings, whichhelped a lot. Then she suggested flushing outClara’s eyes. It wasnt absolutely necessary, butit might be a good idea, she said. Trusting toBaba and my intuition, I said “No”, rather thantraumatize Clara more, and we rocked offaway from the crowd which had gatheredaround her.

Suddenly at the end of the verandah,rocking her gentlyin my arms in the beautiftdMeherabad stillness, listening closely, I hearClara’s tinyvoice. “I love you”, she says sweetly.I am so deeplytouched, surprised, moved—youcannotimagine. Ilookdown ather and say”Iloveyou too sweetheart.”

At this, Clara cocks her head, looks mestraight in the eye, and says pointedly, “I wasn’ttalking toyou! ... I was talking to Baba!” Notsurprisingly, that made me feel even bet-ter than when I thought she was talkingto me!

© Tony Paterniti, 1996

Cynthia Shepard

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Three Momentswith a Four Year Old

1) My son, Lee, and 1 were talking aboutAmartithi. When I told him we were get—ting together with folks tonight, he replied“Let’s get together and help Meher Babaget up so he can fly up into the sky! AfterHe’s gone another Meher Baba will come.He will talk with His heart. Next time he’llhave a haircut. . .We’ll call Him ‘HaircutMeher Baba!”

I asked if that will be soon or in a longtime... “A LONG LONG time!”

2) One morning I received a disturbingphone call. After hanging up I startedspeaking aloud, to Meher Baba. My prayerwent something such as this: “Please payspecial attention to so and so...”

Lee walked in the room and said, “Mama,what are you doing?”“Praying.” I replied.

“WHY?” he continued.“Because there is someone I’m concerned

about and I’d like Baba to watch overhim.” I explained.

“Doesn’t He do that all the time, ANY—WAY, Mama?” he respondedwith confidence.

“Oh, yeah. He sure does. . .1 suppose I’masking for help for me.” I said.

He nodded and returned to play in theother room.

3) One afternoon, Lee had done somethingunacceptable and was in a “time out”. As hesat in his special place, he looked over at hisphoto ofMeher Baba, at the foot ofhis bed.He then burst into song at full volume:

“Oh,the strength of God is the Power

that rules the world...” byWard Parks.He was letting me knowwho the REAL

“Head” ofour house is...

God, Christ, and Love

When my grandaughter was lessthan two and had very few wordsin her vocabulary she picked up a book fromunder newspapers piled high, brought it tome and said “Meher Baba.” I thought Iwas hearing things. Again she wentthrough the news papers and brought outanother Baba Book and said “Meher Baba.”When her father came to pick her up shepointed to pictures ofChrist, Buddha, and

\

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. Krishna and said “he is Baba, Baba, Baba.”I had pictures but never spoke much to themabout Baba because ofrespect for their be-liefwhich is very different from mine.

Years later a second child I was hold-ing lunged almost out of my arms at apicture of Baba. The older child wasupset and said Mom and Dad won’t likethat. This youngest child longs for me toread to her prayer books I have had fromhigh school. She loves to talk about God,Christ, and Love. She has done that fromthe time she was 3 and is 9 now. Theyhave had Baba dreams.

When three, one told me she broughtan arm full of Roses to Baba. I was inIndia at the time and was bringing lotsof beautiful flowers to the tomb andRoses were my favorite. I feel Baba worksin ways far beyond our understanding. Itotally trust His love will awaken themto who He is some day.

Marie Rhodes

Cynthia Barrientos

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See also, page 43 forL Meher Baba

Messagefir Youngsters. ••

.

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The artist is Leela Dunn, who drew this picture ofBaba when she was 8 years old.

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Meherabad Gets Wired!For the Digital Age

A many ofyou know, computers have been used successfully at Meherabad and Meherazad for a number ofyears. The AMB Trustoffice in Ahmednagar now also wants to computerize their offices since the work load has increased tremendously. Ofprime consider-

ation is coordination ofall computers and software so that programs and information are easily interchangeable. Bhau Kaichuri, chairman ofAl\/IBPPCT has asked me to coordinate this effort. After discussions with all involved at Meherabad, the Trust office, and then Meherazad,a plan was made. Contributions are need to make it work.

The plan calls for the following:

A.Computers for the accounting office:Two IBM-compatible 486’s which should be linked with a LocalArea Network (LAN). Twoterminals will also be required.

USES:. Accounting/ledger programs: The day book and receipt books could be computerized so that donations could be totaled

and summarized by account heads. The Amartithi donations and deposit registers could be made more efficient. Thesalaries/honoraria (which has been in operation at Meherabad for two years) could also be implemented at the trust officeso that leave, amount earned, etc. for each employee could be found quickly.

. Amartithi registration and Amartithi mailings.

. Wordstar or Microsoft Word can be used as the word processor. A database can be created using a program such as FoxPro.

. These computers will be programmed and operated by Indian personnel. Training will be made available for AMB Trustoffice personnel in Ahmednagar.

B. Printer for these accounting programs: It should have a large carriage for printing the wide accounting ledger pages.C. Computers for Bhauji’s office: Two IBM-compatible laptops, Mac PowerBooks or portable computers with batter re-charger.D. Printers for Bhauji’s office:Two inkjet printers.E. Computer for Architect CAD-E program at Meherabad: This software has been obtained and requires a PowerMac to run it.

F. Equipment to archive Trust records: Eric Nadel has a computer and scanner which he is starting to use for this purpose. He needs a largecapacity hard disk (preferably 2 gigabytes) to use with this equipment.

G. Computers for Meher Nazar children: Two PowerBookMac’s or IBM-compatible portables.

We will need $10,000 in funding and/or equipment. It is more economical to buy the computers in India than to purchase them here andimport them because ofthe high import duty Please make checks payable to AMBPPCT orJerry Edwards and indicate that they are for theTrust Computer Fund.

Send checks to:Jerry Edwards44 Birch Lane, Briarciffe AcresMyrtle Beach, SC 29572-5602

Ifyou prefer to send checks directly to India, you may do so but please let me know and tell me how much for budgeting purposes. Thestatus ofthe find will be reported via listserv periodically.

Anyone interested in finding out more about this, please contactJerry Edwards at the address above or by email:

JerryCool@aol.com

The Meher English School computer curriculum is up and operatingwith three IBM-compatible computers, an inkjet printer (purchasedin India) and a teacher. Classes are well attended and students are enthusiastic. Plans are to add more computers.

I will return to Meherabad near the end ofSeptember ‘97, Baba willing. More to followlater.

In HIS service,

Jerry Edwards

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Humor

by

for

Nick HumaPrincipe

I the summer of 1976 I had the greatgood fortune to be able to spend an awfullot oftime withJallrani, Baba’s brother.

Over the two months that I was in India, Iwas able to meet with him many times inPoona, andJal entertained tremendouslywithhis very sweet disposition. His sense of humor was irrepressible. As I lookback on it now,I realize that he really lived — at least fromwhat I could see — that part ofBaba’s admonition to take life lightly and to take Godseriously. I asked Jal at one point why thejokes? Jal relayed this story to me:

It seems that in the days of Manzil-eMeem — Babawas still talking at the time —

Hewould invariablyget the men up at strange

hours in the middle ofthe night and take themout on some walking tour, either up to Lonavia,to ‘Nagar or to wherever Baba would havethem go. Often times itwould be two or threeo’clock in the morning, and Baba would getthem up and hurrythem quicidywithoutwashing or tea.Theywere to go and walkwith Babaon thesejourneys.Theywere ver very difficult, very difficult, and Baba stressed thateverybodywas to keep the mood and to keepcheerful. On one ofthese walking tours, themen were particularly grumbling (especiallyPendu) and having a very difficult time be-cause there was no tea. Baba wouldn’t let themhave tea. So Baba calledjal aside.Theywaikedover away from the rest ofthe men and Baba,in sort ofa tone ofa conspirator toldJal to saysomething to cheer everybody up becauseeverybodywas in such a bad mood.

As theyrejoined the group,Jal wonderedhow to do this. Then itjust sort ofspontaneously came to him. He said, “Baba” (or“Merwan” I guess, for at the time they werestill perhaps calling Baba “Merwan”), I havea confession to make to you.”

Now this was also an excuse to call themarch to a also Baba had all the men stop.Baba said, “Yes, what is it?”

AndJal said, “I have a confession to maketo you, Baba. I’ve stolen something.”

“My brother? My own brother? How

could you steal something?”“But Baba, it wasn’t completely my fault.

It was your fault.”Baba said, “How could it be? Why are

you blaming me for your stealing?”“Well Baba, You gave me an order and

the onlyway that I could fulfill the order wasifl stole something. Ijust had to, so thereforeYou share the responsibility”

Baba said, “Explain such a thing.”AndJal said, “Baba, you knowlast week,

when I was ill and went to the doctor.”And Baba said, “Yes, yes, I remember.”“And You told me to always follow the

instructions ofthe doctor.”“Yes, yes. So what does that have to do

with stealing?”“Well yesterday, when we stopped for

tea, I stole two spoons from the restaurant.”Baba said, “I don’t understand. I don’t

understand. Why is this?”“Well Baba, when the doctor gave me

medicine, he told me to take two spoonswith breakfast.”

So with that the men all had agoodkugh,and the spirits were lifted and the journeycontinued. Jal told us that from that point on,Babawouldwant him to telljokes and to dneereverybody up. That was one ofhis functionswith Baba.

This is, to the best ofmy recollection, anaccurate retelling of the story as told by JalIrani to me in the National Hotel in Poona inthe summer of 1976.

As an interesting little aside, sister Manitold me not too long ago, perhaps within thelast two or three years, thatJal kept up a life-long correspondence with the actor BorisKarloff. When Jal was with Baba in Holly-wood in the first trip in the ‘30’s, Boris Karloffwas one ofthe actors with whom Baba madecontact. It seems that Boris Karloffwas par-ticularly struckwithJal’s humor because BorisKarloffprided himselfon the factthat he couldcontrol himselfin such a way that no one couldmake him laugh. Jaiwas indeed able to makehim laugh, and Boris Karloffkept that in suchhigh regard that right through their lifetimesthey kept up a correspondence.

We thought this painting* by Wodin exemplified just how much Baba loved a good joke. Entitled Baba andthe Dancing Bears, Wodin was inspired to paint it thusly after seeing a movie of the twins, Rustom & Sorab,dressed as chorus girls, high kicking it on stage. Baba was laughing so hard, He was holding His sides, andtears were streaming down His face. *(On sale at the Bookstore, a coloredphotograph, aprox 12 x 10, $46.)

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ShivajiThe

Warrior King

by Frank Bloise

In whatfar-offcountry,upon what obscure day

Iknow not now,Seated in the gloom ofsomeMahratta mountain-wood

0 King Shivaji,Lzghtzng thy brow like a hghtnzngflash

This thought descended,‘7nto one virtuous rule,

this divided broken, distractedIndia,Ishail bind.”

— Rabindranath Tagore

During 1921, a statue ofthe greatsoldier Shivaji was inaugurated in amain square ofPoona. One day, during

a stroll through the dty Meher Baba explainedthat for certain spiritual work there occur invarying ce nturies two typ e s of Avataricincarnations — major and minor. He thenrevealed his past minor incarnation as the greatsoldier ofthe Deccan: “In a past lifetime, I wasShivaji.UntilrecentlytheBñfishhaveleftnothingundonetodetractfi-omShih±allYettheyhave nowhad a statue unveiledbythe Prince ofWales lastyear in ShaniwarWada, Poona, whenI am present in this form.”

Glancing at the men present, He said, “Youwere aliwith me atthetime ofShivaji. Behramjiwas Afzal Khan, the Mughal general, who waskilled by Shivaji. Sadashiv Patel was TarajiMalsoore, the man who gave his life for Shivaji.”

In Maharashtra state, people havegreat reverence and love for Shivaji andthese statements further consolidated theearlydisciples’ faith in Meher Baba’s greatness.After he revealed this, the men talked of it

among themselves for days. Later in private,he explained to Adi K. Irani that he had been

Shivaji’s wife. (P.356, LORD MEHER TheBiography of the Avatar of the Age, MeherBaba, Vol.11)

Shivaji Bhosle was born in 1627 in thefort at Shivneri, 40 miles north of Pune. Atthe age ofl6 he took an oath at fortTorna tomake the land free. Shivaji further expressedhis supreme confidence that it was God’s willthat this mission should succeed. This wasthe start of his lifelong struggle againstMoghals and other Muslim powers. By1647 Shivaji had captured two forts andhad complete charge of Pune. There fol—lowed an uneasy truce between Shivaji andhis Mussulman neighbors.

During theyear 1649, while this thstrustlpause continued, Shivaji met the poet Tukaramand the Sadguru Ramdas.

The local cults ofthe Mahratha countryhad been connected with the birth ofMarathiliterature and the awakening ofa national con-sciousness. These cults were centered aroundPandharpur where Krishna was worshipped.A succession ofSaints and poets, living andteaching there, had made the place holy. Thenew Marathi literature became a voice for an

awakened consciousness ofrace and religion.Tukaram, whose poems are still sung

in every Maratha village, was the son ofa grocer. As a child he was drawn towards a spirituallife. When he was still young his father diedand he was left with the family shop tomanage. He had neither a liking nor anability for business. He was too shyto collectdebts. Whenever he had any money he gave it

away to charity. Eventually, penniless andstarving, he took a pilgrim’s staff andwandered into the hills, composing thesongs that have made him famous. One day aminstrel recited one of Tukaram’s poems toShivaji, who was so moved by it that he sent amessenger begging Tukaram to come andmake a homewith him, promising him wealthand comfort.Tukaram repliedwith a poem:‘Prince, your torches, umbrellas ofstate andrichly-caparisoned horses, your pomp andsplendor andking ways are notfor me. I havefledfrom the world andyou would enticeme back. Ah. Let me be alone, solitary, insilence. You promise me robes ofstate and apalace. These would be wasted on me. Forestsand meadows are my dwellings. Moss-greenrocks are my couch. The sky above me is my cloak.”

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Statue ofShivaji in Ahmednagar

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When Shivaji heard this heleft his campand wandered alone over the rolling hills ofthe Maratha plateau till he found Tukaram.He fell at his feet. He tore offhis clothes andput on the rags of an ascetic and sat humblyand in silence beside the poet. Neither spoke.And here Shivaji’s followers found their master after a long and anxious search. Theybegged him to return to his camp. He wouldnot listen to them. In despair they sent wordto Shivaji’s mother asking her to help bringhim to his senses. Jijabai came and upbraidedher son. He had encouraged his followers torebel against the Muhammadan and now hewas abandoning them. There were manysaints in Hindu India, but only one man withthe destiny of Shivaji; the Hindu cause nowneeded heroes and armies rather than minstrelsand hermits. SorrowfullyShivaji acknowledgedthejustice ofher arguments and returned withhis followers. He did not seeTukaram again,who died that same year. But for the rest ofhis life he remained in close contact withRamdas, Tukaram’s saintly contemporarywhom he also met in 1649.

Ramdas acted on his inclination towardasceticism early in life. Heleft home to avoid anearlymarriage, and spent most ofhis youth visiting, on foot, the shrines oflndia. He finallysettled down in a temple ofRama, near Satara.He had a reputation for performing miracles,even as a child, and his temple home became acenter ofpilgrimage.

The message and mission ofRamdas canbe summed up in the meaningful phrase‘Maharashtra Dharma’. His work containedthat mixture ofrealism and intuition which isso characteristic ofMaharashtra through theages. In fact his Das-Bodha with Tukaram’sGatha or Book ofSongs and theJnaneshwarican be looked upon as the ‘Triple Veda’ ofMaharashtra down to this day. Their appealis both to the head and heart.They are writtenin a form closer to rhythmical prose than verse.Buttheyare allembodiments ofSatyam-SivamSundaram — ‘Truth, Purity Beaut’The truthmustbe experienced, andtheyhad experienced itandcouldindicateitforothersto experience.

When Shivaji heard ofRamdas he wroteto him. Ramdas , likeTukaram, answered himwith a poem. But unlike Tukaram who sangthe praises of obscurity, Ramdas acclaimedShivaji as the new hero-king who would freethe Hindus. With the poem he sent a presentofearth, pebbles and horse-dung. Shivaji wassittingwith his motherwhen this unusual gift

arrived. Jijbai indignantly stared at Ramdas’present and asked ifthis was a proper thing tosend a gentleman. Shivaji, after a momentsthought, responded, “It is a symbol anda prophesy. The earth means that I shallconquer all this land. The pebbles are thefortresses with which I shall hold it, and thehorse-dung signifies my cavalry for which Ishall become famous.”

Shivaji keptin close contactwith Ramdas,seeking his advice on matters ofgovernment,administration and policy. At the height ofhis powers he visited Ramdas and, bowingbefore him, gave him a document which wasa deed bestowing on the master all his kingdom.Ramdas said, “I acceptthe gift onbehalfofGod.Take backyour kingdom and rule in His name.Govern, notas anunfètteredautocrat buthumblyas the deputy ofheaven.”

To mark his reverence for Ramdas’ cult,Shivaji requested that his followers greet eachother with the salutation “Ram,” a practicewhich continues to this day.

In spite of the crusade like characterwhich Ramdas’ blessing gave to Shivaji’s longstruggle, he became recognized for his lack ofreligious animosity or intolerance. Even hisenemies remarked on his extreme respect forMussulman priests, for mosques and for theKoran. The Muslim historian Khafi Khan,who cannot mention Shivaji in his chroniclewithout adding epithets of vulgar abuse,nevertheless acknowledges that Shivajinever entered a conquered town withouttaking measures to safeguard the mosquesfrom damage; Whenever a Koran came intohis possession he treated it with the samerespect as ifit had been one ofthe sacredtexts ofhis own faith.

In 1657, Shivaji started his first campaignagainst the Adilshahi by plundering a largebooty in Ahmednagar. Adilshahi sent AfzulKhan to destroy Shivaji. Afzul Khan knewthat Shivaji’s army, which was much smallerthan his own, wouldbe unable to fight him onopen land. He tried alithetricks he could thinkofto make him fight on the plains, but Shivajiwould not be outmaneuvered. He convincedKhan that he was very much afraid of himand requested to meet him at a place near Vai(100 miles south ofPune) whichwas awooded,mountainous region, ideal for the success ofhis army. Khan still had plans to kill him in themeeting and Shivaji knew it. Ultimately itwasKhanwhowas killed, andhis unsuspecting armywas completed vanquished by Shivaji. After

this, Shivaji continued to win battles and spreadhis reach to Panhala near Kolhapur.

Meanwhile, Prince Aurangzcb, Viceroyofthe Deccan during the reign ofShahJahan,was troubled by Shivaji’s rise to power. It wasclear that local Muslim powers were unableto stop him. So he sent a huge army, led byMirzaraje Jaisingh to defeat Shivaji (1666).Jaising’s armywas much stronger than Shivaji’sand soon he lost most ofhis important forts.Realizing that he was fighting alosing battle,he signed a treaty with Mirza and agreed toserve Aurangzeb. Hewentto Deihiwith lVlirzato meet Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb humiliatedShivaji and put him under house arrest. Itseemed likely that Shivaji would be killedby Aurangzeb. Under this threat, Shivajihatched a clever plot to escape and disappeared to the south.

After this Shivaji slowly regained his losttertitory By 1673, he had control over most ofwestern Maharashtra and made Raigad (150miles southwest ofPune) his capital. He wasenthroned as a sovereign king in 1673. By1680, the year ofShivaji’s death, almost all ofthe Deccan belonged to his kingdom. Hehaddeveloped an efficient administration and apowerful army. He also encouraged aspirit of independence among iheMarathas that enabled them to withstandattempts to conquer them for 150 years.

The secret of Shivaji’s success was inmotivating the people to sacrifice for theestablishment of a free Hindu State andnot for the sake of an individual king orchieftain. He transformed the idea ofpersonalloyaltyto some particular chieftain into one ofloyalty to the entire nation and its liberty.Shivaji’s achievements against all odds arelegendary and he holds a place of thehighest honor in Maratha history.

Indira Gandhi said: “I think Shivaji ranks’samong the greatest men of the world.Since we were a slave country, our greatmen have been somewhat played downin world history. Had the same personbeen born in a European country, hewould have been praised to the skies andknown everywhere. It would have beensaid that he had illumined the world.”

That was lftforHis nextAdvent! — Ed.

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Different Degreesoflntuitive Wisdom

byMeher Baba

he fret and fury of immediateresponses to the changing situationsof earthly life is replaced in life after

death by a more leisurely mood, freed fromthe urgency ofimmediately needed actions.All the experiences ofthe earthly career arenow available for reflection in a form morevivid than is possible through memory inearthly life. The shots of earthly life haveall been taken on the cinematic film of themind, and it is now time to study the original earthly life through the magnified pro-jections ofthe filmed record on the screenof subjectivized consciousness.

Thus the hell state and the heaven statebecome instrumental in the assimilation ofexperiences acquired in the earthly phase;and the individualized soul can start its nextincarnation in a physical body with all theathantages of digested experience. The lessons learned by the soul through such stock-taking and reflection are confirmed in thementalbody by the power oftheir magnifiedsuffering or happiness. They become, for thenext incarnation, an integralpart ofthe intuitive makeup ofactive consciousness, withoutin any way involving detailed revival of theindividual events ofthe previous incarnation.The truths absorbed by the mind in the lifeafter death become in the next incarnation apart ofinborn wisdom. Developed intuitionis consolidated and compressed understand-ing, distilled through a multitude of diverseexperiences gathered in previous lives.

Different souls start with different degrees ofintuitive wisdom as their initial capital for the experiments and adventures oftheir earthly careers.This intuition may seemto have been the product ofpast experiences,thus adding to the equipment ofthe psyche;but it is more truly an unfoldment of whatwas aireadylatent in the individualized soul.From this deeper point ofview, the experiences of earthly life — as well as the reflective and consolidating processes they aresubjected to in life after death — are merelyinstrumental in graduallyreleasing to the sir-

face the intuitive wisdom already latent inthe soul from the verybeginning ofcreation.As is true ofthe earthly career and its experiences, the states ofhell and heaven in the lifeafter death are also integral parts ofand mci-dents in that journey of the individualizedsoul, which is ultimately meant to reach theSource ofall things.

DISCOURSES, pp. 311-312

Copyright 1987 AMBPPCT

Charles Haynes Speaksto Schools in L.A.

(Excerptfrom an article in the L.A.Times Dec., 1996)

A a recent workshop for 50 publicschool teachers in Los Angeles,Charles Haynes told ofapublic school

dass turned to chaos by a fhiger-pointing, angiyexchange on who was going to hell. Finally, hesaid, the exasperated teacher threw up herhands and said, “You’re al/right,” halting thedebate.The storyillustrates the flammabilityofreligious topics, which has tempted manyan educator to avoid all religious discussions

and activities in the classroom.But the Los Angeles Unified School

District has turned to Charles Haynes to traineducators to deal with religious expression.Charles’ California project is called the 3Rs,for “rights, responsibilities and respect” relatingto religious matters. He has designed guidelinesto help educators deal with such issues asreligious clubs, schoolprayer and proselytizing.Charles said many conservative Christianleaders have endorsed ground rules foreven-handed religious expression in“Finding Common Ground,” a guidebookhe edited. The book reflects consensusamong Jewish, civil libertarian, evangelicaland teacher association leaders.

Charles Haynes is “probably the guy whocan bring peace back to the public schools. I’vebeen in meeting after meeting with Charles.Whenever he’s there, youjust always agree withhim,” said Christian organizer Robert Simondsoflrvine, California, whose Citizens for Excel-lence in Education has fought battles overreligious issues and urged conservative Chris-tians to run for school board seats. “CharlesHaynes is probably one ofthe greatest leaderswe have in the country to bridge the gap” be-tween liberals and conservatives.

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Baba’s Christ’s Cradleby Georgann Erskine

I August 1990, I went home to ‘Nagarafter an 18 year absence. I took mydaughter, Nami, for her firstvisit to India.

We accompanied Raine Eastman and herdaughter, Freinietta, on the trip. It was ajourney graced by Baba in every way. Whileenjoying our stay at the Pilgrim Center, thebeautiful Christ’s Cradle bloomed onenight. Being a ‘driven’ gardener myself I wasintrigued bya succulentthatwould onlybloomfor one day ofthe year — and only during thenight! The fragrance, as well as the gloriousphysical beauty ofthe bloom, was to me a bitofAvataric magic. Present on that night werePatti Thorne and Noreen Graham, as well asNami, Raine and Freinietta. At the end ofAugust, when we reluctantly left India toreturn to America, I decided to ‘allow’ a fewleaves from the Christ’s Cradle to travel alongwith me in my suitcase. Upon arrival at U.S.Customs, the customs agent took one look atme and my daughter and informed us that welooked as though we had enjoyed ourjourneyand to go ahead and go right through thecustom line.Thankyou, Baba!

Byjune ofthis year, almost six years sinceourvisit to India, my Christ Cradle had grownsomewhat in size, but had never had a singlebloom. On the night ofJune 29, 1996, NoreenGraham had come down to L.A. and wasvisiting Patti Thorne, who lived about 5minutes from my house in Topanga. It wasa beautiful night and we decided to go todinner at a local restaurant in Topanga thatwe all enjoyed. Upon returning to my houseat about 10:00 that night, we went up thestairs to my porch and were astonished to seeseven giant, glorious flowers blooming on theChrist’s Cradle! They were spectacular andwe spent a long timejust adoring the bloomsand being amazed at their incredible size.Suddenly, we all realized that the last timethis plant had bloomed had been six yearsbefore at the Pilgrim Center — and all three

ofus had been there together.On July 27 of this year approximately

one month later, Suejamison came down tovisit me for the firsttime at myTopanga home.Sue and I have been friends since I met her inIndia in 1972. We spent time together inAustralia and also in Northern California.Finally, I convinced her to come to L.A. tovisit me in Topanga. I had told Sue of theChrist Cradle’s blooms and was sorry that shecouldth have seen them.The Saturday nightofthe weekend she was visiting, we returnedhome and went out onto my porch. There itwas — one, lone, gorgeous Baba bloom on theChrist’s Cradle —just for her!

It is now August 18, 1996, a Sundaynight. I havejust learned ofMani’s passing.Last night when I returned home at 11:00

p.m., I was amazed to seejust one sweet, lone,perfect bloom on the Christ’s Cradle. It wasas fragrant as ever, with a pure-white cradleand star gloriously embellishing the center ofthe bloom. How sweet a remembrance for themostperfectofour cherished Baba flowers — ourMani-ji.

In His Love with Many Kissesfor Sweet Mani,

Gcorgcann Erskine,Topanga, California

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Rita Gordon tells us ofan occasion early in herrelationship with Baba:

I remember at the time I was feeling veryunworthy and didn’t want to call myself adisciple ofBaba (in case He didn’t want me!!)and so wrote to Eruch asking him somethingalong the lines of”How do I know that Babahas accepted me as His own?”

Here is part ofEruch’s response:‘DearRita, it isHisgrandgame that Ifind

inyourletter: You wish to know whetherBelovedLordAvatar Meher Baba accepts you as Hisown (disciple/lover); little do we realise that it isHe whoprompts us to loveHim andto serve Him;it isHe in His own inimitable way who draws usto Him, and it is He who urges us tofind outwhetherHe accepts us. Isn’tthisDivine humour

.

Ofcourse, dearRita, jfHe were not to haveacceptedyou, why wouldyou visit His home inMyrtleBeach andinIndia Why wouldyou wantto think fHim alot...why wouldyou wantto readaboutHim alot, andwhy wouldyou wantto tiytoliveyour lfè toplease Him

Allthis and much more below the suface ofthis, points to BelovedBaba being not onlyyourmastei but your Beloved Lord who is drawingyou closer and closer to Him to become His. Theon& way to know whetherHe has acceptedyou asHis, and whetheryou are His, is tofall back onHis assurance: — ‘) Whenyou become Mine, youwillknow thatlamALREADYyours.”

So, dearRita, allow Him to drawyou closerandcloser to Him in His own compassionate way.Feel not unworthy to declare yoursefto be Hisdisczple orlover He alone isperJèctandworthy ofour offirings. But, we have nothing to offirHimother than our own imperfrctions. It is Hiscompassion andlovefir us that makes usgive upour impeèctions one by one. Anc4 He accepts ourffbrts as our offiring to Him. Ons3i through ourimperfections can we strive to reach perfiction.

Dear Rita, it is best to lay aside the ques—tion ofwhether Baba has acceptedyou as Hisown. Just try to remember Him and love Himthe wayyou can remember and love Him. Itis said that our Lord is so very compassionatethat He accepts our hypocriticalprayers. “...

I can’t tell you how much it put mymind at ease when I received Eruch’s let-ter. I found so hard to believe that I couldbe among the “few”!!

Here’s another experience I had alongthis line; the dear sweet man who worked withme and told me about Meher Baba in 1980was fired shortly after our conversation thatled to the revealing ofBaba to me.

I was devastated when he was let go, buthe said it was all right — his work here hadbeen done, now he knew why Baba had senthim to thatjob, to get me! I don’t ever remember being so awestruck or so filled withhumility in my life to think that the DearLord personally loved me.

Jai Baba to all,

Any contact with a fellow Baba Lover isvery rare in the small desert communitiesaroundwhere I live and shop and ply my tradeofsignpainting, butT got areal surprisejust thislast November, after treating myseifto a dinnerat the local Sizzlers in Yucca Valley,just a fewmiles from where I live. Slippedin through thecrack of my car window, and yet placedperfectly onto the driver’s side seat, was acrumpled plastic bag, and a short handwrittennote. The note said: “I saw your Meher Bababumber sticker. I’m also a follower (I live inToyko). I thought you would like to havesome prasad. Jai Baba!” I was extremelytouched to have this little gift, several prasadcandies, from Baba.

Does anybody know of a Baba Lover inTokyo?? Someone who might have been inYucca Valley, California, on November2Oth?

In His love always,

Jay Mohier

Joshua Tree, California

Sam the Storyteller

Perhaps some ofyou have heard SamKerawala tell Sufi parables and stories afterArti. He usually tells one at every arti that heattends, and he hardly ever repeats them, nosmall feat in itself. His stories have becomequite popular and when he starts speaking inhis soft voice, people walk over to the Samadhiplatform to listen.

A couple ofnights ago he told this storyofan Arab that had said his prayers 5 times aday regularly, had a good business andcomfortable life, but didn’t feel that he wasgetting anywhere spiritually. So he went to aMaster, and asked about his situation. TheMaster, byway ofexplanation, told him to geta cat and a dog and to feed them, and thenreport backwhat he noticed.

So the man obediently aquired bothanimals and began to feed and observe them.After some time, he returned to the Masterand was asked what he had observed. He saidthat the animals come, eat, and go away. TheMaster told him to continue, and report backafter some time. Again he came back after thespecified period, and reported to the Masterthat the cat is onlyto be seen at feeding times,but the dog is around most ofthe time. Afterthe obligatorythird time, the Master tells himthat what he has failed to notice is that thedog thinks that he is being fed because theman is God, and is feeding him out of Hiscompassion, while the cat feels that it is beingfed because it is God, and that the human isserving the cat because he recognizes that fact.The Master said that the Arab had been likethe cat, and now needed to become like thedog. It was a well appreciated story.

The next morning I was driving to Punewith Sam, and in the course ofour conversation,I happened to ask him where that story hadcome from, as I had never heard it before. Samthought a moment, and said, “To be quitefrank, Ijust made it up.Therewas ajoke aboutthe cat and dog at the bottom of one of thearticles in a Reader’s Digest that I had read,and I adapted it. You kno everyone expectsme to tell a different story every time, andwhere do I get all ofthose?”

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Postings from the Internet

Jai Baba,

James Cox r26

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Calendar ofEvents

July 1Grand Opening ofMeherabodeOfficial Grand Opening ofMeherabode withBhau Kaichuri officiating.

July 5thNo MeetingCenter closed due to Sahavas at Pilgrim Pines.

July 12Music and Poetry NzhtWe are celebrating a night ofMusic and Poetrywith Beloved Baba. Featuring outstandingartists BillyGoodrum, George Gerdes, DebbyAsh and more.

July 19Youth Art FestivalCome and support our children and theircreative expression dedicated to Baba. Dance,verse, play, and drawing

July26Rabaism ‘?Is itinevitable that followingBabawill becomea religion? Or are we there now? What can wedo to keep fresh the spontaneous prayer oftheheart?An open discussionledbyMitchell Rose.

August2

Meher Baba in Agnesc Worldat Meher MountCome and hearofAgnes’s relatIonshipwithMeherBaba at Meher Mount as told in Mandali Hall.Hosted by Gigi Driessen.

August 9Free Trip to IndiaFilmmaker Mitchell Rose is showing an hour anda halfvideo travelogue ofNorthern India and thelife ofthe wayward pilgrim in Ahmednagar withsome terrific Mandali gems. (Repeat)

August 16ManäJoy in Beloved BabaJam us for a celebration ofjoyful memories ofBaba’s sister, our SweetMani. Please bring storiesand letters to share. Coordinated byDina Snow.

August23Continuous PrayerAn evening ofMantras,Japa, and prayers ofyourchoice. Bring your favorite prayer to share.Coordinated byLinda Zavala.

August30Film NightPress Meher Baba’s Image to your heart. God inhuman form on film. HostedbyCharlie Morton

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Farsi Meetings

Saturday Evening DiscussionsThese meetings begin at 6pmDiscussions in Farsi, about Mchcr Baba.All arc welcome!

July 12th, 26thAugust 9th, 23rd

September 6th, 20th

Saturday Meetings

Lord Meher ReadingsSaturdays at 4pmDrop in to drink the nectar of Meher BabsDivine Love. Reading and discussion of LordMeher, the biography by Bhau Kalehuri.Coordinated byFred Stankus,

September 6Gutta NightA personal favorite, tonight we will celebratefriendship and camraderie in the iove of God.Hosted with abundance by Fred Stankus andGigi Dricssen.

September 13The Power ofMeher BabacMessage to the WorldOpen discussion of how Meher Baba’smessages have affected your life. Bring aspecial quote that is important to you.

September 20The Latest Happenings in IndiaRecent returnees from India will share theirjourney to the Beloved’s Home.

September 27My Memories ofMeher BabaMurshida Duce’s daughter, Charmian DuceKnowles spent time with Meher Baba in India,America, and Europe and has many lovelystories to share.

All events, unless otherwisenoted, are held at the Center:

1214 S. Van Ness AvenueLos Angeles, Ca(213)731-3737

Meetings arefreeandopen to thepublic.

Ifyou have ideas or requestsfor

future programs, please contactMahoo Ghorbani at

(714)725-9552

July August September

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Ground-Breaking at MeherabadI by Ward Parks

Onthe first ofMay, 1997, afteralmost three years ofintensiveplanning and preparation, ground

was broken for the new Archives andMuseum conservation Building onMeherabad Hill.

This Conservation Building is the centerpiece in a vast effort initiated by Mani topreserve for posterity Avatar Meher Baba’spersonal articles — such as sadras, sandals,hair, etc. — as well as the documentary recordsofHis Advent. After intensive research andplanning into museum conservation methodsand building designs, a year ago at this timethe Trust’s Archives and museum Commit-tee shared its goals and vision with BelovedBaba’s worldwide family. The response hasindeed been heartening and stands as a measure of the support of Baba’s eastern andwestern lovers for this preservation work. Andwhile anticipated budgetary requirements arestill far from being met, nonetheless, earlierthis year the Trust made the decision to goahead with the ground-breaking and the firststages ofthe construction.

The summer season in India falls in themonths between March andJune — spring-time in the West. By the beginning ofMay insemi-arid Ahmednagar, sweltering summer-time heat is climbing towards its zenith. Dayafter day a stark, blazing tropical sun, almostdead overhead at noontime, bakes parchedbrown earth which has not been rained uponsince the closing ofthe monsoon more thansix months earlier. To avoid the high tempera-tures and sun glare of the mid-day in thisuncomfortable season, therefore, the ground-breaking was scheduled for mid-morning.

On April 30th, the eve of the event, acolorful pandal was erected on the buildingsite. Since the construction has been plannedfor an undeveloped and somewhat inaccessible spot in the Upper Meherabad estate, atemporary dirt road had to be improvised.Outlines ofthe building itselfwere markedout with white lines of lime chalk runningdown the slope ofthe hill. By evening ofthe30th fl the necessary preparations seemed to

be in order. But evidentlyMother Nature hadplans ofher own.That night the Ahmednagardistrict was struckby an exceptionally violentand altogether unseasonable storm. Torrential rainfalls completelywashed awaythe limechalk and transformed the new road into amuddy mire: and gale force winds blew downthe tent. So it was that, by early morning ofthe designated day, the Meherabad workerswere faced with the prospect ofhaving to doall their preparations over again from scratch.To top it all, May first is a state holiday inMaharashtra, and Meherabad employeeswere on leave. Nonetheless, the Meherabadresident staffand such other workers as couldbe found pitched in and were able, for thesecond time, to prepare the site by ground-breaking time in the late morning. By thenthe storm had cleared, and we all felt Baba’shand in tempering the weather to make theevent both pleasant and joyful.

Ground-breaking in Hindu-culture isknown as “bhoomi pujan,” or “worship oftheearth.” Although this often crystallizes into amere set ceremony performed without aware-ness of inner meanings, in fact the ideaunderlying “bhoomi pujan” is a deep one.Through this pujan, prospective builders areseeking from the earth permission to breakher grounds and raise an edifice that willweigh upon her for decades and even centuries to come. In its true essence, this pujan isa prayer to God growing out ofthe appreciation of the inter-relatedness of all thingsand the Divinity that inheres within thenatural world.

A simplified, Baba-style version ofthispujan, then, was planned as the day’s featured event. It was preceded by a women’sarti, which will be familiar to those pilgrimswho have participated in these devotionaloccasions with Mehera, Maul, and the otherwomen mandali over the last quarter-century since Beloved Baba dropped His physicalform. The arti was fragrant with many memo-ries and, at the same time, charged with theDivine Beloved’s ever-living presence.

After the prayers and songs, the gather-

ing moved to the new building site, which islocated on the northeast edge ofMeherabadHill, perhaps a hundred meters on the farside ofthe Meherabad tower opposite fromthe Tomb.

While the main part ofthe building it-

self will, when completed, nestle into thehillside, its upper entrance, where the ground-breaking was to transpire, is at a locationwhich commands a splendid, panoramic viewof the rural landscape, with LowerMeherabad across the railways tracks to one’sright and the outlines ofAhmednagar, hazyin the summer heat, far off to the left andnorth. After the fifty or so participants hadgathered under the tent, Baba’s photo wasgarlanded with a shout of “Avatar MeherBaba kiJai!” Meheru and then Bhau crackedcoconuts (symbolizing the offering of one’smind to the Master), sprinkled colored pow-der and sugar on tile flowers and the earthbefore the photo, and broke ground with apick. One by one, all others in attendancefollowed suit, digging up a small garden-sizedplot of land. The simple event was thenbrought to a close with light refreshments ofcold drinks and biscuits. By noon, the day’smain activities had been concluded — or sowe thought. But once again, Nature was ofanother mind.

Two or three hours after ground-break-ing had been completed, the city ofAhmednagar was raked with the most ferocious hail storm in recent memory; andalthough Meherabad and Meherazad werespared, the Trust Compound provided an especially spectacular view of nature’s elementsmost mightily aroused. For about forty fiveminutes, to a thunderous accompanying dinon the corrugated tin roofs of some of theneighboring buildings around the peripheryofMeher Nazar, a fusillade ofhallstones, manythe size ofacorns and some a good bit larger,careened and bounded like white pinballs offthe clay roofing tiles, tore offthe brilliant red-orange summer blossoms ofgolmor and theleaves of the neem and papaya and mangotrees, and gathered, a wreckage ofgreen and

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continued on page 38. .

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. . ‘Groznd-Breaking’ contJfrompage 36.

orange amid a halfinch ofhail-snow, on theCompound graveled walkways. Outside theTrust’s reception office ankle-deep ice water covered with a floe ofhail-slush numbedthe feet ofanyone foolish enough to yen-ture outside; on the stone pavement in frontof Bhau’s office the hail fall-off from theroof gathered by the wall in a drift a footdeep. In the midst ofthe Indian summerseason when the mercury regularly climbsabove the century mark, all ofthis made fora bizarre sight indeed! In fact, the extremesofwind and weather over this 48 hour spantore offmanybranches and even uprootedhuge trees around Ahmednagar, which stillcan be seen lying here and there in thefields and along the roadsides.

Beloved Baba used to observe fromtime to time that rain at the outset ofa newventure or enterprise is an auspicious sign.And indeed, unexpected and unseasonablestorms often intruded at key stages of Hiswork. One is reminded in this connectionof the rain showers that inaugurated theNew Life when Baba and His companionsset out from Meherabad on the morning ofOctober 16tF, 1949. Rainfall soakedsahavasees during the “Three IncredibleWeeks” sahavas in 1954 when Baba gavehis “Final Declaration,” and again at a gathering in Satara later that year when Baba,employing His hand gestures publicly forthe first time, gave his “Final Clarification,”and still again at the great confluence ofHis lovers in Poona in the East-WestGathering of 1962. It is almost as if,through adverse weather, Maya was of-fering resistance to the Avatar’s work andin this way giving it greater force, like theresisting bowstring which, when released.dispatches the arrow all the more speed-ily towards its target.

Seen against this background, then, andifwe can indeed take meteorological disturbances as an indicator of the heaven’sblessings, ground-breaking for the newConservation Building was attended byblessings galore! It was a noteworthy andmemorable occasion, dedicated to the Onewhose memory is forever kept alive in thehearts ofHis lovers.

re

Real Alleviationof Suffering

by Meher Baba

The quest for happiness is irretrievablyenmeshed in the problem ofthe illusion oftheworld offormwithwhich the individual selfhasbecome identified through the body. If thisillusion can be shattered, the shackles whichbind happiness are automatically shattered aswell. But how to shatter the illusion?

An individual who mistakenly believesthat he is a coward may live a lifetime ofmisery during which all his actions are shapedby this incorrect belief. But ifsome event inhis life challenges him so deeply that heunthinkingly strides forth with great courage, then the illusion will suddenly vanishand he will see himselfas a different being.Often it takes real crisis to bring out a sureknowledge ofthe real inner self, and it isalways a creative knowledge.

Even as the individual can be wrong inhis convictions regarding his own nature, sohe is often quite wrong about the nature ofthe world around him. In reality it is aworid ofillusion that separates him from his truebirthright offreedom and happiness inoneness with the One.

Actually, no individualis entirely devoidofsome real happiness in some form, for Godas an endless and fathomless ocean ofbliss isalso within every person, and no one isentirely cut offfrom Him. Pleasure sought inillusion inevitably results in endlessperpetuation ofthat very same false life ofthe ego, which leaves the individual exposedto intense suffering.

The whole play of illusion and thesuffering it engenders functions by thedivinely established law ofkarma (cause andeffect). Therefore suffering must be acceptedwithgrace andfortitude. Itmustbe rememberedthat one’s own actions are the cause ofmuchofone’s suffering, and therefore wise actioncan minimize it. But real alleviation ofsuffering requires spiritual enlightenment,and for that man must turn to the PerfectMasters and the God-man (Avatar).

LISTEN, 1-IUMANITY, ed. Don E. Stevcns, pp.152-153 Copyright 1982 AMBPPCT

CratLery of the 1-feart

Credfts

All the photos listed here are for sale throughthe Love Street Bookstore.

#1 - page 8 - 8x10 black and whIte $12#2 - page 11 - 8x10 or 5x7 b&w $12 and $6.50#3 - page 16 - 8x10 b&w $12

A - page 28 and E - page 29 are greeting cardsby Margot Watson. Colorized photo, doublematted, $3.50

B,C,D - page 28, and F - page 29 are greetingcards by Cherie Plumlee.

G and H page 29 - 8x10 b&w $12 - PandayI - page 30 - 8x10 b&w $12 - PandayJ,K - page 30 - 8x10 b&w $12 - Panday

L - page 31 - 8x10 b&w $12 - Padri

M - page 32 - 8x10 b&w $12, 3x5 b&w $2,8x10 color $16 - Meelan

N, 0 - page 33 - 8x10 b&w $12,N - Meelan0 - Panday

P - page 34 - SxlO b&w $12, 8x10 color $16- Meelan

Q- page 35 - 5x7 color $10- Mehera’s collection

#4 - page 41 - 3x5 b&w $2 - Meelan#5 - page 44 - ax5 b&w $2 - Meelan

Back cover - 20x30 color $30, 8x10 coIor $16- Diana LePage

See page 2 for more information.

£ovcStrectJ.3mjfJ2osb 37 ,

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Sunday Brunch with Craig Ruff

his Maywe were happy to have Craig as a guest inour new home. He was on a trip around the U.S. tellingus about his litest bookfn Has T; tist

(Craig’s two previouos books, available at the Boookstore are Timt’e/iiaçrIWusie and 77e Moment Within.)

[:NN

The ladies’ table infrenit ofihe Milbanfi mansion, clockwisefivm ccntet TenyLaces, Mahoo Chorbani, Racie Choi, Olea SucofJ Donna Sanders, 4yr. old

Jinjelica Dearborn, Connie Crawford, and Ginger Jlzsghes.

‘l’he thu ‘ñi tiIon.’ Chamber Phtyei:c” Chris and Pris lJce/jiiicloi. gavc’ as sonarbeaati/itl & novel an ongetiiezts o/tbe classics on abeL oar? gaila:

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Dine,, David, and Glees.

38

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A Letter from Meherabode

Center Report

to her, and the removal oftwo palm trees that had lit-erally grown into andbuckled the foundation, thefront entrance ofthe Book-store is ready for repairs andnew landscaping.

Dear Harry Thomas, inaddition to his enormous taskofhandling center mailings,stops by every day that hisjob permits to sort mail, water the plants, feed the fish,and answer phone messages.Mo h a m m e d Azaderad revealed that he is not only apsychologist, but a handyman,so he’s begun work on themany fix-its. Soon after wemoved in, Marc Brutusused his skills to replace allofour locks. I counted 27doors inside and out!

We are truly grateful thatPeter Ravazza and Daryl

Dma Snow, Lynn and Danny Maguire, Stone drove from the S.F. Bay to contributeGinger Hughes, AdeleWolken, Nazrin Ajang, paint, labor and professional expertise toEffie Omidivar,Trish Shannon,TracyBleahu, repaint the dome room and the meeting hailPat Griffin and her boys, Mary Kay Shubat- — their artistry and good humor made it all aHage, DebbieAsh, andMia Campagna. Please pleasure. In a dinner at Peter’s favorite L.A.

J,ove45treetj.4m1J?osb

by Donna Sanders

Spring at the new center brought on afever ofplanting, pruning and clearingthe gardens. Roses now greet us when

we come through the gates reminding us ofMehera’s Garden. At the risk ofsounding like asocietypage, I feelmoved to teilyou about someofthe manypeople who have contributed theirlove, energy and time since we moved in.

forgive me if I’vemissed anyone.

I saw ShireenLorkalantari single-handedly defeat ascourge of iceplantthat filled twodumpsters. Thanks

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As Peter Ravazza and I yl Stone start in on the Baba room in the thecobweb Peter appears to be painting is the rçflection ofthe sun through the round

center window in the top ofthe Dome.

“1 £ ,erac Rose , ping are, from i

John I rathew Echeveste, Pat Grjffin, LynneMaguire, Fred Stankus, and Dma Snow.

I saw the following grounds keepers hardatwork/play: Marko Swearingen, Karma Page,

Mia andfriends show the adults how it done.

Daryl takes a quick break before tackling themeeting hail.

restaurant, the Cheesecake Factory, Adeleand I got to know Daryl and heard hisfascinating story ofcoming to Baba.

Thanks to all ofyou sweethearts whodonated for the new area rugs in the domerooms. They are lovely. Nancy Merwanrequests calls at 213-650-5481 with ideasabout decorating the center, furniture styles,

39

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etc., before you purchase or donate. Nancyhas spent hours choosing paint colors andworking toward overall interior design conceptswithher decorating committee: Diane LaFleur,Lynn, Dma, Nazrin, Adele, MehernoushLorkalantari, andTamara Mark.

Tamara also choreographed a cleanup day,leadingthe cleaners dancing through the workin a style that I know pleases Baba.The rest ofthe cast for that daywere: Billy Goodrum, Lois

Jones, Lynn, Nancy, Mitchell Rose, RosalieDunphy, Jim Whitson, and others who wereinspired bythe fun.

But, why should we have all the fun?By the time you read this, Mehernoush, theVolunteer Coordinator, will have had herfirst meeting to orient a core group ofvolunteerswho will keep the center open, safe andfunctioning. I hope you were there. If not,please contact Mehemoush to tell her howyoucan help at 818-368-3800, after 6p.m. or at hervoice mail: 213-881-4085.

Also, by the time you read this, we wifihave had a town hail meeting to discuss theconditional use and occupancy permits. We’vehiredjim Bonar from the architectural firm,Cavaedium, (which means place oflight) to

get our application through the process.Theyhaveworkedwith other nonprofit groupsand built AIDS hospices. He drew a floor planthat will meet the city’s requirements fortoilets, seismic retrofitting, exits, structuralsupport, etc. David McNeely is the liaison toCavaedium from the use permit committee. Hesays that Jim’s professional expertise andability to negotiate through the maze ofcity offices, has already saved us money. Moreon this in a later issue.

Look for a family movie called “Buddy,”with Renee Russo and a herd ofanimals, thatwaslmed attheMilbankEstatebefore we movedin.You might see our lawn withits beautiftilwall, the meetinghall and storage buildings. Inour first month, we were able torent our outdoor areas forparkingandfeeding the crew for twocommercials — yet anotherlittle gift from Beloved Baba.It seems very fitting that themovie industry in Hollywood,about which Baba had so muchto say, will be helping uspay offour mortgage!

DonnaSanders,FixedAssetsDirector

Meherabode Memory

Meherabode evening isfallingcity ofangels canopy ofstars

Meherabode darknessfaint-callingcan you catch birdsong co-mingling with cars?

Meherabode buildings ‘ sward

fiowers in garden humans in chairs

Meherabode dwelling &yardMehera &ManiPrabhu &prayers

Ij

Mia gives Debra a ‘hand’ or two with the planting.

Letter from Larry

Remember those “applause-o-meters” on the old “QueenforA Day” television show?We14 I have my own built-in “Godcpresence-o-meter” that I’ve been carrying aroundfâr

years. It conveniently built right into my psyche.Wè14 Ihappenedto drop by the newL.A. CenterlastFriday afternoon. Guess what?????

It registered aperfect 10!Babac presencefloods the new L.A. Center! What a wonderfuiplace! What a

wondeifulfind!

AVATARMEHER BABAKJJAI!

Istillcan’t believe it!

David Raphael Israel

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Larry Pesta

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[hp: Film company vans lined up infront ofMeherabodec gate.Middle: “Rick Brainin Catering”provides lunch repast.

Bottom: Theflim crew gratfully partakes...

40

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11• • •Phrre-ouoiication eviewers

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Comment on . .;‘:

pf. . ,v’The Unveiling of Secrets —

‘—F•(ii

4‘Ruzbihan is back! One ofthe great Sufi mysticsfrom the centuryjust before Rumi, almost

unknownfor hundreds ofyears, comes among us again in thispowerfiil and necessary book. I amgrateful to ear/Ernst, who leads us through these spiritual diaries.”

— Coleman Barks, translator ofThe Essential Rumi

“This is thefirst work ofRuzbihan Baqli, one ofthe colossalfigures ofSufism, to be translated into English.Rendered into a language that is at once elegant andaccessible, this beautful classic ofspiritualautobiographyshould appeal not only to scholars oflslamic thought, buta/so to anyone seriously concernedwith the life ofthe spirit.”

— Sewed Hossein Nasr University Professor oflslaniic Studies,The George Washington University

“The Unveiling ofSecretsput me in what Ruzbihanmight call ‘i station” ofpure awe. This book explodesco ntemporary notions of autobiography. It overwhelmsdoubt without argument, overwhelms with the integrity ofits own telling, and immerses the willing reader, thesincere one, in the central mystery andjoy oflfe. It brings,in this translation, an iltibasoan investiture ofdignityand mercy and grace to the English language itse(f Thisbook takes us where we cannot go and lets us stand therelistening as it reads itse(f Open it, and watch a man loveGodas God/oves man.”

—Davidjames Duncan, author ofThe RiverWhyjhe BrothersK, and RiverTeeth

“This book opens before us a world offragrantroses, visions ofincredible boldness, described by one ofthe greatest visionaries in the realm ofmystica/ love inIslam, Ruzbihan. The reader is transported by thiscongenialtranslation into the sphere ofAbsolute Beauty,and overwhelming Divine Love. May many readersenjoy this work which seems sofarfrom the image ofIslam current inthe West!”

—Dr. Annemarie Schimmel, Professor oflndo-Muslim Culture,HarvardUniversity and author ofMystical Dimensions ofislam

“The Unveiling ofSecrets” is a 156 page paper-

back selling for $15.95.

£ove5trect,Camr2osb 41

t

Ruzbihan Baqil

The Unveiling ofSecrets

An Interview with Carl W. Ernst

Diary ofa Sufi Master

The Unveiling ofSecrets is an unusualtitle. What does it mean?

A. Ruzbihan gave this title to his diary.“Unveiling” is a term used by Sufis torefer to the mystical experience in which Godtears awaythe veil that separates ordinaryhumanconsciousness from the divine reaiity Unveilingoften takes the form ofvisions inwhich God, theangels, andthe Sufi saints appearinvisible forms.“Secret” is the innermost consciousness thatis hidden within the soul; that secret formspart ofthe divine realitywhich is unveiled.From his childhood to his death at the ageofeighty-one, Ruzbihan’s life was filled witha continual stream ofvisions and ecstasies.

QHowwas Ruzbihan viewed in his own time?

A. As a youth, Ruzbihan (1128-1209) brieflysold vegetables in his hometown of Pasa insouthern Persia; his surname, Baqli, “thegrocer,” distinguishes him from several otherpeople named Ruzbihan. At the age offifteen,however he threw his goods and cash box intothe street, and ran away into the desert to seekGod. He joined the Sufis shortly afterward.Sometime in his late thirties he arrived in thecity ofShiraz, and for manyyears he preachedweekly in the great mosque ofthe city. Heattracted many disciples among the people,particularly the artisan classes, and he wasgreatly respected by the Turkish princeswho ruled the region. His tomb becamean internationally known place ofpilgrim-age visited by travelers from as far awayas North Africa.

Qlfhewas sorespected duringhis lifetime, and

for several centuries after his death, howwas it thathis workfinallybecame more orless forgotten?

A. Ruzbihan’s descendants and followersrevered him greatly, but they were not on thesame spiritual or literary level, and they weresatisfied with being caretakers ofhis tomb. Inaddition, a major religious revolution tookplacein Persia about 1500 when Shi’i Islambecame the state religion; at that time, manySufi tombs were destroyed and thousands ofSufi dervishes were killed. So it is not totallysurprising that, by 1900, his tomb had becomea ruin. More importantly, his writings onmysticism in Arabic and Persian weresophisticated and daring in expression; theaverage student of Sufism could notunderstand them. Nevertheless, a selecthandftil ofSufis in India, CentralAsia, Persia,the Balkans, and North Africa treasured hiswritings. The manuscripts have been rediscovered in the past few decades by scholars in Europe, Iran,Turkey, and India. Theseworks are only now beginning to be translatedinto Western languages.

Q How is Ruzbihan connected to morewell-known Sufi figures, such as Rumiand Hafiz?

A. Rumi (d. 1273)was a childwhen Ruzbihandied in 1209, and does not seem to have beenin direct contactwith his teaching, but the twoSufis shared much in terms of their mysticalapproach to love and beauty The great Persianpoet HafIz(d. 1391)was also a native ofShiraz,and evidence indicates that he may have beeninitiated inthe order founded byRuzbihan.Thedistinctive Persian approach to nature as themanifestation ofdivine beauty forms a strong

link between the visions ofRuzbihan and thepoems of Hafiz. Ruzbihan is also one of themost important commentators on the early Sufimartyr Hallaj (executed in 922), famous forsaying “I am the Truth.” Ruzbihan’s visions ofthe celestial garden make it clear that this is nota mere figure of speech, but a visionaryexperience as well.The figure ofthe beautifuland cruel beloved so common in Sufi poetry ismatched by Ruzbihan’s visions ofangels withlong hair like women, who bear the weapons ofTurkish soldiers. These poetic images aretherefore closely linked to the mysticalexperience ofascension to the divine presence,which is the fundamental theme of TheUnveiling ofSecrets.

Q How does The Unveiling of Secretscompare to other mystical texts fromother traditions, and how does Ruzbihancompare to other mystical writers?

A. In terms of sheer power of expression andpassionate intensity, it is hard to think ofanother mystic who comes close to Ruzbihan.He uses a highly developed vocabulary ofmystical experience in a poetic style thatrecreates the intimate mood ofhis encounterswith God, Among Christian mystics, here sembles Augustine (another powerfulpreacher) in the way that he uses scripture inunexpected and startling spiritualinterpretations.Like Hildegard ofBingen orJulian ofNorwich,he describes detailed visionary encounters withGod and with the divine qualities ofnature.

QWouldyou characterize Ruzbihan’s writingas Islamic?

£OVeStTeetJftmf1?oSL

A. Ruzbihan is the author ofa major Sufi

42

commentary on the Qur’an, and his writingsare saturated with the vocabulary oflslamictheology andlaw. He was intensely devoted tothe ProphetMuhammad, who appears in manyofthe most important “unveilings” that hedescribes. While this kind of intensivemysticism is not popular with fundamentalistMuslims, it represents what has been one ofthe major aspects ofthe Islamic tradition forover a thousand years.

QHowis the imageryin Sufi poetryrelated toThe Unveiling ofSecrets?

A. Ruzbihan’s “unveilings” are expressed inpowerfullyvisual imagery, inwhich falcons flyup to the garden ofparadise, God scatters rosesover his lovers, and solitary pilgrims crossinfinite deserts and swim through turbulentoceans. When a poem by Rumi says, “May thisgarden bloom until the resurrection!”,Ruzbihan’s visions ofthe celestial garden makeit clear that this is not a mere figure ofspeech,but a visionary experience as well. The figureofthe beautiful and cruel beloved so commonin Sufi poetry is matched by Ruzbihan’svisions ofangels with long hair like women,who bear the weapons of Turkish soldiers.These poetic images are therefore closelylinked to the mystical experience of as-cension to the divine presence, which isthe fundamental theme ofThe Unveil-ing of Secrets.

QModern notions oflslam in theWest do notreally correspond with the rising popularity ofSufism. Could you comment on that?

A. The news media focus almost exclusivelyon sensational political versions of Islam,such as the Iranian revolution. Islamicfundamentalists are, however, a smallthough vocal minority among Muslims.Even today, probably at least half of theworld’s one billion Muslims have a Sufiorientation. ManyAmericans and Europeanshave been drawn to the ecstatic and lyricaltone of Sufi poetry, which also has astrongly universalist tone. Although todayIran is branded a “pariah” nation by theU.S. State Department, Iran’s favoritepoet, Rumi, has become the best-sellingpoet in America.

Q Are there other works of Ruzbihan’swaiting to be translated?

A. Of the more than forty works byRuzbihan in Arabic and Persian, less thanhalf are preserved. The most important ofthese include the Commentary on EcstaticSayings, which explains the significanceoftwo hundred mystical expressions ofthe early Sufis. The Explanation of Veilsand Coverings discusses the 70,000 veilsoflight that separate God from humanity.Ruzbihan has described 1001 spiritualstations in a large Arabic work called TheSpirits’ Font. Prof. Alan Godlas of theUniversity of Georgia will soon publishexcerpts from Ruzbihan’s massive Qur’ancommentary, under the title Brides of the

Qur’an. Portions ofRuzbihan’s other writings,such as The Jasmine of the Lovers (onmystical love), and Errors ofthe Wayfarers

( a work on mysticism for beginners), willbepublishedbyme in aforthcoming anthologyofSufitexts. rMeher Baba’s Message

for

Youngsters

I rememberverywellwhen, notlong ago, Iwas just like one ofyou. You little onesare especially dear to me. Children are

innocent and free from vain egotism. Children have no low desires. When, afterbecoming free ofall childishness, a man reallybecomes childlike, he realizes God.

Whether you like it or not, you must soongrow up and cease being childish. More andmore you must enjoy letting your teachersteach you and your elders lead you while youare growing into men and women. Unless youare willing to learn and ready to obey, theycannot help you as theywould like to do.

The whole oflife is like playing the gameofhide and seek, in which you must find yourreal self I give you myblessings, thatyou maysucceed in this realization that life is all-timeplay. God alone is real, all else is false, and soyou must tryto love God who is within us all.To gain this love you should try to be honestin your thoughts, words, and actions.

Excerpt from: LISTEN HUMANITY, editedby Don E. Stevens. Dodd, Mead & Company,publishers.

How to Please Him

henyou feel this urge to express

yourselfon paper never check it.

‘As you tryto put these thoughts

down they will become clearer and give you adeep understanding. Much that is within isoften in such a chaotic state that to separateone idea from another is not easy.

I know you better than you know your-self and I will teach you in My own way all

, the things concerningyour Real Self Seek andstrive to know Me — your Beloved — and bitby bit you will know your Real Self,for am Inotyour real se/?

Realize Me and you will know God. Noother pursuit is worthwhile when you havemet the Beloved. Everything then centersaround Him. You see all beauty through Himbe it expressed through poetry, art, or music,or through life itself All workwhether ofyourhands or academic is done for Him and youronly attachment is your Beloved. All servicethen becomes selfless whether done for friend,family, or stranger. All are one and toward this“One” the motive too is one — to please Him,whom toplease is to know. There is no otherknowing. Feeling is not knowing.

To please Me is to do, but doing what?That which your Beloved commands you.Thisis My way, My path. “My yoke is easy andMy burden is light.” My way with you all isthe shortest way to Union which I long forinfinitely more than you can ever long. Al-though the game is ofMy own making, still Imust suffer to enjoy the game of realizingMyselfconsciously in all creation.

THE OCEAN OF LOVE, Delia DeLeon, pp.136-137, Copyright 1991, AMBPPCT

£oveStrect,CamF1?osb 43

( 3 e t ( 1-

John Marc DeMatteis is one ofthe best-known and most respected writers in thecomicbookworld,withworkrangingfrom classic Marvel and DC super-heroes like Spider-Man, Batman, The Silver Surfer andDoctor Fate (DeMatteis’s run on this titlefeatured the first known comic book appear-ance of a certain Pune born Avatar). . .to thecreation ofchallenging adult graphic novelslike “Moonshado” “Brooklyn Dreams,” andthe nakedly Baba-influenced “Seekers IntoThe Mystery.” DeMatteis has also writtenfor film and television — he is currently atwork on a feature film for producer/director

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Chris Columbus — but he is known tomany in the Baba Community as a singer,songwriter, and musician.

“How Many Lifetimes?” isDeMatteis’s first CD of B aba-inspiredmaterial; a wide array ofsongs rangingfrom gentle acoustic ballads to raw rock‘n’ roll and Beatlesque production numbers, all ofthem reflecting the ups, downs,constant challenges, and ineffable rewards of life with Meher Baba. Fromthe raw pain of “Free” to the gentlyhaunting “Margaret” (dedicated to Mar-garet Craske) and the towering, multi-

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tracked intensity ofthe title cut, “HowMany Lifetimes?” is a powerful, anddeeply personal, musical statement.

The CD, which includes a 12 pagebooklet with lyrics, personnel, and Babaphotos, sells for $15.95.

Dr. Fate was a DC Comic 1 did back in thelate eighties/early nineties. It featured BABA (andhis Tomb) and other Avataric stuff .. and itwasNOT for eight year olds, by any stretch. (I’d sayteenagers and up.) Another recent BABA-influenced series I wrote & created was a New Agecomic book called SEEKERS INTO THEMYSTERY; it also featured Lord Meher(as a character called The Magician) as well asa guy named Charlie Limbo (who bears anuncanny resemblance to Mohammed the Mast).These comics are for ADULTS. These are NOTkids comic books by any stretch. They deal withadult issues very directly. (When I say adult, Idon’t mean X-Rated, I just mean comics writtenfor adults. You wouldt* have an eight year old reada NOVEL written for adults, right?) — JMDM

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JaiBaba Folks!

By the ton ofSahavas registration slipsthat have been pouring in, it would seemthat a great many ofyou will be here at

our Sahavas. That’s wonderful, because quiteapart from the fact that it is really fun to finally meet face to face the people I have beensending mail orders to, or e-mailing on theBaba ListServ, this is going to be a wonderfulSahavas! The guests, most ofwhom have metBaba, the musicians — all time favorites —

Pilgrim Pines, what more can I say? If youread Sky Wiseman’s piece on the L.A.Sahavas, you will see what I mean.

But the great thing about being here, inwhat the Mandali have said is the largestcollection ofBaba-phenalia and Meher-abiliain the world, is that you can actually see andwalk around and touch and listen to the itemsthat I can only otherwise write about.

And believe me, the CD that Marc DeMatteis has produced has to be heard to betruly appreciated. Actually,just to look at,its pretty terrific too — great cover — whichis actually a booklet with photos of Baba,the musicians and all the wonderful wordsofthe songs. To read these words, you can tellthis is a man that has been through somepretty serious hell, but with Baba’s help hascome through into the sunshine. It makes for

buy one, because Marcdid not cut any tapes!Mycopy of”HowManyLifetimes?” has been oncontinuous play for the past 2 weeks, and no,I’m not getting tired of it. I guess it’s likeb eing in love, the more you get to know a per-son, the more things you find to love (And no,I’mnotin love with anyone but Baba, butI do remember!). It is on a level ofexcellencewith any commercially produced CD youwould buy in the stores. Marc has poured hisvery heart and soul into these songs, some sweetand gentle, like the tribute to Margaret Craske;another to his wife Diane; somejubilant, like“Free” — “. . . Seen the valleys ofhell, Seenthe walking dead, Heard the voice ofthe deviltalking right inside myhead, But nowl’m free,Meher Baba made me free.” —Then there’sthe heart wrenching “How Many Lifetimes.”What a powerful song! “Baba Rain,” “Takethe Name,” and “Time for Love” make medance around the room with the sheerjoy ofthe music and words!

Up in the HeavensThe angels are singingThe devas are dancing

From star to star

BABAandMEHER/1Coming together

After so manyyears apart

Eye to eyeBreath to breathHeart to heart

BABA hoveyouMEHERA bloveyou

And my soulc sofilled withjoy because Youe One

The Sanctification ofLove has now begun

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powerful reading. Butthe sound that issuesforth when you put it onyour CD player!!What’s that? You don’town a CD player? Go

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;while Clea wraps each package with lots of TLC

The CD opens with the gentle Sanctification:

45

It closes with Fortunate Slave (withthanks to Hafiz) and segues straight into theheart felt Beloved God prayer.

Marc gives thanks to the Beatles for ‘themusical education’, and I can definitely hearchords, progressions and vocal that arereminiscent ofthe later, more sophisticatedBeatle music.

When the second number Every Daystarts up I am put in mind ofThe Who doingQuadrophenia! My favorite line from thatsong is: “Your DivineWine soaks through mymind Leaves no trace on the breath!”

Yes, you can hear the great musicianswho have left their influence on Marc, buton this CD it is Marc Dc Matteis alonewho composed all the words and music (except, ofcourse, forThe Beloved Prayer). Healso has a back up of at least eight other talented and professional musicians. It’s beena long time since the incomparablejim Meyerreleased his tour de force Relentless Love.This tape has stood as my all time favoriteBaba album, but geejim, I’m afraid Marc hasjust edged you out....butl’llbe back.The multi-talented (seebox onpage 44)Marc De Matteis’sCD — How Many Lifetimes? — sells for$15.95.

We also have the exciting news of abookjust hot offthe press. And it is witheven greater pleasure that I can tell you it

is written by one ofour own: Professor CarlErnst late of Los Angeles and now livingin Chapel Hill NC. Not only does the LoveStreet Bookstore carry this wonderful newbook, but it is commercially carried acrossthe country. (But of course you wont go toyour nearest Brentano’s and buy it, now willyou?!) The title ofthis book is “RuzbihanBaqli —The Unveiling ofSecrets — Diaryofa Sufi Master.” $15.95

Since I have not had a chance to getbeyond the dynamite cover, I shall givespace to the words ofsome very distinguishedreviewers, not the least of whom isColeman Barks himself... See page 41.Writing and artistic talent certainly runin the Ernst family. His wife Judy is theillustrator and writer ofthe book we men-tioned in our last issue The GoldenGoose King. Their daughter Sophie, nowgrown up, wrote the lovely little story ofher Tea Party with Mansari, also in thelast issue.

I am hoping that by the time you read

this we will have available a poster that I havebeen asked for for years: The Ten Circles ofthe Avatar, (known colloquially as TheWedding Cake!). This is the magnificentpainting hanging in the museum in the oldwater tower at Upper Meherabad. It waspainted by Rano Gayleyunder the microscopicscrutiny of Meher Baba. When she wouldask questions as to “Why am I painting thisparticular piece?,” He would simply answer“Don’t ask questions,just do as I say.” I’mnot sure ifit will be in the form of a photo-graph or a printed piece, but when I get thenegative I will see which will give us thebest quality at the most reasonable price.Hermes had once made it available in theearly ‘80’s, but it has not been seen since. If Ican get it done in time it will be available atthe Sahavas, and then I shall run the photoand related story in the October issue.

Ifyou are at all interested in art, we selltwo excellentbooks bypremier Baba artists —

Rano Gayley and Lynn Ott. Both are hardbound, roughly eight and a half by eleveninches, with copious amounts ofcolored reproductions, and the stories relating to eachpainting, and also their own personal storiesoflife with Baba. Rano, ofcourse, lived in theAshram at Meherazad and traveled withBaba for many years. Her book, Because ofLove is $35 and Lynn’s — In Quest of theFace of God — is $30. One recipient ofRano’s book so loved the pencil portraits andcolored paintings, that she bought a secondcopy specifically so she could cut out many ofthe pictures and have them framed. They areboth high quality art books.

I still get requests for that amazing work— The Lord Meher Biographies — writtenby Bhau Kalchuri and as an incredible laboroflove, published by Hermes. Due to theextremely high cost of producing them,Hermes was using an 800 # and a place calledBookcrafters from which you could order thebooks. But that has changed. You now havetwo new ways of starting your collection,fillingin the gaps, or adding the latest volume.You can either order them through the LoveStreet Bookstore or write, with check endosed,to Manifestation, P.O. Box 2024, AshevilleNC 28802. Ifyou have any questions andintend ordering them through Hermes, youmay fax him at 704 251 2274.

For all you folks who started collectingthe editions late, and missed out on Vol. I, you

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will be happy to hear Hermes has had it

reprinted. Vol. I and II are now combined (butnot abbreviated) in one volume. The cost forthis one, including shipping, is $82. VolumesIII, IV, and V are $45 each. Volume VI andpart 1 of VII — combined — and part 2 ofVII, combined with VIII, and Volume IX andx combined, are also $82 each. If you buythem through the Bookstore they will beslightlyless as we will figure the shipping basedon your complete order. The books are, ofcourse, all hard bound, printed on high quality gloss paper and contain many never beforeseen photos of Baba and His Mandali. Yes,it’s expensive, but it is the definitive referencework for the life ofour Lord. These are booksthat will be in your family for generations tocome. Who knows — maybe in the year 3000— theywill be the KingJames version oftheBible oftoday!

Margo Watson and Cherie Plumlee havejoined Carolyn Parker as the three ladies whoare creatingverybeautiful Baba greeting cardsfor sale to you all. There is a great amount oftime consurningworkin creating eachindividualcard,just in the matting and placement ofthephoto on the card, as well as the truly inspiredwork that goes into thinking up new ways toglorify our Lord and present him in abeautiful setting. Before putting their cardson the market, each ofthe ladies has showntheir creations to the Mandali, to make surethey are not infringing on anyone’s copyright,and that the women Mandali love the waythey have presented Baba. As I have shownin manyprevious issues, Carolyn takes a blackand white photo, arranges roses or rose petalsaround His face, and also Mehera’s, and thenin color, photographs the resulting arrangement.

Margo Watson is a scenic photographer whoscans her own photos into Adobe Photoshop

(on her computer), scans a photo of Baba,and then carefully and skillfully merges thetwo. Thus we have Baba with His leg rest-ing on the rails ofa fence that sure looks likethe countryside around Meherana, or dressedas Mohammed against dryrolling hills. (Howabout the sand dunes ofthe Sahara?) Oneofmyfavorites is Baba gracefully reclining ona hilisde amidst a profusion ofbriffiant orangeCalifornia poppies! To see it, you could notbelieve that it is not an actual photo ofBabaso seated.

Cherie Plumlee’s specialty is coloring ablack and white photo in Photoshop and

46

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inventing an attractive background, such asthe rising sun behind Seclusion Hill for thephoto ofMani with Cracker. These cards areeither $3 or $3.50 each, depending on howmany ofthe colored foil mattes are on the card.Each is done on top quality card stock, withmatching envelope and enclosed in a cellobag. As I said, a lot ofwork goes into thecreation ofthese, and while it certainly is alabor oflove, it’s nice to monetarily supportour Baba artists.

The oil painting by Diana LePagefeatured on our back page is hanging in theBaba meeting hail at Avatar’s Abode inAustralia, and is an amazing seven by eightfoot creation. We have reproductions for sale.$ 16. Ifyou are familiar with and attracted toDiana’s work, we have at least 60 of herdifferent paintings represented as photos oncards. She visited our Center last year andgave a fascinating story of her growth as anartist and her gradual involvment with MeherBaba and now has an enormous output ofBaba paintings. Her cards are all $3 each.

Ifyou haven’t bought your copy of thetape — Song ofHuma vol2, now is your chance.

We have just received another shipment in ofthis beautiful piece ofwork. A few years agoElaine Coxwent to India with the very top ofthe line recording equipment, and recordedthe women Mandali, including Mani, singingthe ghazals that Baba had written in the1920’s and had published in variousnewspapers under the pen name of Huma.They were sung acapella, and when Elainebrought the recordings back to the US, she setabout&idingtheverybestandmost appropriatemusicians to create the background music thatgreatly enhanced the songs. Elaine gives abeautiful reading 6f each ghazal in Englishbefore we hear the sorg.

The question has oft been asked as towhy Baba chose the pen name ofHuma. It isgenerally accepted to be a mythological birdrather like the phoenix. Our professor ofPersian studies — Dr. Carl Ernst, gives us amore detailed explanation: According toFirdawsi’s Book ofKings (Shah Nama), it isthe bird that confers royalty; the person onwhom its shadow falls becomes king. It is alsonon-violent, subsisting on bones only. It is still,despite its royal associations, the official birdofthe Iranian national airline. (Interesting!)

Anyway, mythology aside, it is a verybeautiful tape, a lovely companion piece toVol. 1 which is long out ofprint, and isavailable for $12.

Slowly but surely we are moving evercloser to having a new Catalogue printed, theone we are sending out now has so manydeletions from out ofprint books, and ismissing so many ofthe wonderftil new itemswe have added to our line in the past twoyears, that it will be wonderful to have acompletely up to date one for you. But thattoo will quicklygrow old as more ofthese greatBaba books run out their printed days, butjoyfully, new ones are added. When we havean ‘electronic’ catalogue on the World WideWeb, we can alter it as any change occurs.The WWW is open to any one around theworld with a Web Browser, so The LoveStreet Bookstore will be an eyecatchingname for our Beloved to catch more in Hisvery own world wide web!

‘Til next time,Jai Baba to you all, andI look forward to filling your orders. (It’swhat I live for! — truly!)

øve StreetJ3imPosb 47

Babac Silencean oil painting byDiana LePage

AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTERofSouthern California

1214 SOUTH VAN NESS AVENUELOS ANGELES, CA 90019-3520

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