JA:NU.ARY 200. 5::

Love &rcerilnnp?osr

./4vntur Jkielwr ¶Babn mid 311s Ei3e1oved, cMdwra

Ltnited iii Their Love

Cditois ¶ageJai Baba Folks,

ishing you all ahappy new year

in the love and service ofAvatar Meher Baba!

We have been gettingso many happy commentsabout the October issue— the special tribute wedid to Dr. Goher in a 64page, full color through-out, printed on glossystock, magazine. It wasa delight for all of us toput it together and weare very happy it made allour readers so happy. Butit did rather put us in thehole for the printing forthis year.

I know a number ofyou were kind enough toiiake generous donationsto help with the publication ofthat issue, but forthose of you who didn’t,we sure would appreciateyou using the enclosedenvelope to pop a check(or ifyou live overseas letus know your credit cardnumber and how muchyou would like to donate)and mail it offto us so wecan afford to get the April issue printed. Themagazine ( in it’s black and white form) nowcosts us 16 per person per year, so if youcould use this as your guidline when makingyour donation we would really appreciate it.For our overseas subscribers, you might havenoticed if you checked the stamp on yourenvelope, it was $7 to 8 to most countries.We had previously suggested a $20 donation,but as you can see that doesn’t even coverthe postage. So I leave it up to you, donatewhat feels right for you and we trust Baba tomake it possible for us to continue bringingyou the magazine.

We received many wonderful storiesabout, and tributes to, our dear Dr. Goher forpublication in the October issue, but alas, wehad to draw the line at 64 pages. So in thisissue you will you will find a continuation ofthese stories, plus a wonderful foretaste ofthe forthcoming autobiography of the dearDoctor. Although told in the first person,

what we are publishing here was writtenjudith Garbett over the years ofher visits to India,taken from all the stories Goher told her. It comes from the book Lives ofLove, availablein the Bookstore, and has stories of the other women Mandali.

e had one egregious error in our last issue and that was misidentifring our Sahavasguest, Jeff Wolverton! Our humble apologies Jeff—we know you really aren’t Jim

Wilson!Will the REAL JeffWolverton please stand up?

Photo by Paul Comar

Iim Wilson

2

C ri • I f (7J f r r ,“ r r irpuojica ton oj ne JiUa ar 1 Lener JJaOa en er oj cou Jierrn iJaii/ornia

Love StreerLimpPosrefcome..

Love Street £ampEost is dedicated with love to .J1vatarlI1eher 73aba. Dts primary purpose is to contribute to a sense ofcommunity among all Ris lovers by providing a place for sharing21is remembrance. .J1ll members of the Ei3aba family are invited tocontribute to this feast of ,Cove.

Eour stories, photos, artwork, poetry, letters, articles, and humor are all actively solicited.‘kVe seek expressions ofI3alrn’s message ofLove and 7rutli.

Love Street bookstore:Dma Snow (at the addresses above)310-837-6419 from 9 am. to 4 p.m.31O839-BABA (2222) 24-hour fax

e-mail: Bababook@pacbell.netwebsite: www.lovestreetbookstore.com

or: www.MeherBabaBooks.comCredits:

Dma SnowPris Haffenden, Cherie Plumlee, and Tom HartAvatar Meher BabaPris Haffenden, Charles Gibson, and Dma SnowPris Haffenden3616-1/2 South Centinela AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90066-3124Phone: 310-390-2779Please call with address corrections or questions.

front cover: Photo by Behram Irani (Baba’s brother)back cover: from Love Personified ©Manifestation Inc.

£ove.Street.Lai;tpPosris published quarterly, injanuary, April,July, and October.All contents © 2005 Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California.AU quotations, photos, or books ofAvatar Meher Baba,© AMBPPCT, India

EDITOR’S PAGE

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT MEHERABAD

OUR GAL IN MEHERABAD

PASSINGSANNOUNCEMENTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT MEHERAB0DE

BOOKSTORE REPORT

REVIEWSTHE MISCHIEVOUS CHICKEN (FOR KIDS)

MEETINGS

All words, images andgraphics in thispublication areproperty ofihe copyright holders

and/or the contributors. Messages andphotos ofMeher Babes ©Avatar Meher Baba

Perpetual Public Charitable Trust, Ahmednagai India, and © Lawrence Reiter. Unau

thorizedduplication isprohibitedby law.

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features

GOHER’S OWN SToRY VARIoUS CONTRIBUTORS

WEDDINGS!! VARIOUS CONTRIBUTORS

PERFECT MAN SHRINE KATHRYN HARRIS

MORE ON THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST BHAU KALCHURI

CoMMUNITY CARE AND SENIOR HOUSING BRIDGET ROBINSON

SENIOR CARE: A RESOPONSE - KEITH GUNN

departments

Submissions, subscriptions, donations:Love &reetJampJ2osr

Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California

1214 South Van Ness Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90019-3520

323-731-3737

website: www.meherabode.orge-mail: Bababook@pacbell.net

Deadlines:for the January issue:

-.

April issue:-

July issue:October issue:

November 8th

February 8thMay 8thAugust 8th

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4

8JUDY STEPHENS

BHAU KALCHURI

2325

32

35

editor:design and layout:

proofreader:distribution:

mailing list information:

3638

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thank you

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the individuals and organizations that own the copyrights to the c....llleher 13aba pictures we have usedthroughout this issue to bring joy and love to the hearts of all Love Street,i:ampJi2ost readers.

3

cWhat’s 2Iappening at J’IeIiernbadCaptain 2arctius

rDinslictw Dastoor.Adil9andhy, Dndict

[Editorc note: I had been sent this story byafriend in India,frlt it was definitely worthpublishing ftrue, andso looked into it and wasable to contact the author ofthe lettei He assuredme ofits veracity andtoldme fanyone wantedto write to him direct, his email address is:

adilgandhy@vsni corn]

This is the true and, indeed, very sadstory ofan Indian pilot named Captain

Zaraius Dastoor, a very senior Air IndiaCommander flying Boeing 747 B-400 air-craft and with a meritoriously clean recordof over 37 years, who was sadly convictedin a drug smuggling case and sentenced to10 years of rigorous imprisonment on 30August 2004. Captain Dastoor, while tryingto help someone on compassionate grounds,found himself unknowingly being a carrierofdrugs in a false-bottomed suitcase he waspersuaded to carry by a so-called friend.

The incident goes back to seven yearsago. One Dinshaw Pastakia asked CaptainDastoor to carry an empty suitcase alongwith a few pullovers for his daughter whohad recently rushed without her baggageto New York to help her brother after anemergency gall-bladder operation. CaptainDastoor had heard about Pastakia’s son’soperation earlier while in Paighar, where theyfirst got acquainted while both were buildingtheir farmhouses.

Therefore, when approached by Pastakia afew days later to take his daughter’s suitcase,Zaraius thought this a genuine request, sincethe daughter had indeed suddenly rushed offto be with and nurse her brother. So, in goodfaith Zaraius agreed to take the suitcase onone of his flights to New York.

On 9 October 1997, Zaraius was commanding a flight to London onto whichhe had taken Pastakia’s suitcase; since itwas rather empty he had put his toilet zipbag inside. Reaching the airport and goingthrough a normal security check, Air Indiasecurity personnel noticed a slight blur inthe suitcase that Pastakia had given Zaraius.Hearing this, Zaraius immediately told theAl security man that he was indeed carryingthe suitcase, that it was not his, and that hewas carrying it on behalfofsomeone else. He

stressed that if the security man suspectedanything at all he should immediately callsomeone from customs, as the suitcasewas not his. A senior officer from customswas then called; he took the suitcase andexamined it using a more powerful colourscanner. Upon doing so, some white blursshowed up even more prominently, lookinglike several sachets concealed in the bottom.The customs authorities then cut open thesuitcase and to Zaraius’s horror some 35small plastic bags containing a white powderwere found!

The co-pilot called Zaraius’ wife Man-reez to tell her that her husband was beingdetained by the authorities as a suitcase hehad been carrying had been found to containa contraband substance. Manreez was naturally horrified since they had both personallychecked the suitcase with the three pulloversthat Pastakia had sent the night before. Sheimmediately called Pastakia’s wife and toldher what had happened; she in turn musthave called Pastakia and told him of thesituation.

Dinshaw Pastakia, who was then in Pal-ghar, returned to Bombaywithin a couple ofhours and turned himselfin to the authorities at the airport. He immediately admittedthat he had indeed given Zaraius the suitcaseand that Zaraius had no knowledge what-soever as to what its contents were. He tookresponsibility and owned up to the incident.Within the next 24 hours, the rest of thedrug syndicate were traced and arrested.

Unfortunately, in spite of Pastakia’s ad-missions, Captain Dastoor was also arrestedand charged since he was the actual carrier,in unconscious possession ofthe contraband.They were all remanded into custody at Ar-thur Road Prison, Bombay, and later chargedunder the NDPS drug act, since the whitepowder found turned out to be heroin.

The case in the meanwhile took its owntime, as all cases do in this country. It wasthen sometime injune 1998, when Pastakiawrote to the authorities that he wished tomake a full confession. The authorities acceded to his request and a few weeks laterhe was taken to a Metropolitan Magistrates’court in Bombaywhere he made a voluntaryconfession in front of a judicial magistrate.It was after this confession that Zaraius’sfamily then applied to the High Court forbail, which he was granted. Incidentally, hewas apparently the first person in an NDPS

case being a carrier ever to obtain bail, sincethis is normally a non-bailable offence. SoZaraius was out after over 10 months ofbe-ing incarcerated.

Soon after, Air India ordered and con-ducted their own inquiry, which took abouttwo months and in which Zaraius was exonerated on all counts. He was reinstated andgiven back his licence. The Court had alsoreturned his passport and therefore, luckily,he could fly again. The UK and USA alsogranted him visas. Everyone thought theworst was over.

The case meanwhile continued for sixlong years, with a change of three judges inbetween times, although Zaraius was excused from being present in court wheneverhe was on duty The lawyers, his family, hiscompany, and all his friends were of coursemost confident that he would naturally beacquitted in the case as it drew to an endthis last August.

On 30 August 2004, when the judgment was finally ready and the verdict wasdelivered, to everyone’s absolute horror andamazement, Captain Zaraius Dastoor wasfound guilty and sentenced to 10 years ofrigorous imprisonment with an additionalfine ofRs 1 lath. The rest ofthe entire drugchain was also found guiltywith similar sentences and fines. Nobody wishes to pass anycomments against thejudgment or the courtsas they may have had their reasons for doingwhat they did and which can of course bechallenged as everyone has further recourseto an appeal to a higher court. The positionat the moment is that an appeal along withan application for bail is being filed in theBombay High Court this month (October2004). Hopeftilly Zaraius will get bail forthe period before his pending appeal. We allhope that truth and justice will prevail. Weall pray and are in great hope that Zaraiuswill definitelywin hisjust case and be totallyabsolved ofhis conviction in the High Courtor, failing which, in the Supreme Court.

A very interesting fact to note was thatduring the course ofthe trial, apart from theconfessions he had already made, Pastakiaadmitted that during the past few years hehad also sent suitcases containing heroinconcealed in false bottoms with two otherflying crew members! These two poor peoplewere naturally aghast when they realizedfor the first time that they had actually,unknowingly taken suitcases containing

4

drugs. Pastakiahad also approached otherpeople to carry the very same suitcase thatZaraius was caughtwith, which they refused,one because he was going to western USAand the other for some other reason. Thiswas apparently Pastakia’s regular modusoperandi, to which this time poor Zaraiusfell an innocent victim.

Zaraius was one of the most senior andable Commanders that Air India had, witha meritorious record of over 38 years. Hehas flown many dignitaries, including PrimeMinisters, during the course of his career.Although he had officially retired last yearat the age of 58, he was given an extendedcontract for a further two years. Zaraiushas four children, an elder daughter fromhis previous marriage who is married, twoyoung school-age boys and a little daughterfrom his present wife Manreez. His youngestdaughter Zara was born after his release onbail in 1999!

Those living in Bombay must have recently read in the news that the entire classof his elder son, Zareez, wrote individualletters addressed to President Kalam, plead-ing with him to look into the matter! Theyawait hearing from him so far.

Zaraius, during his initial incarceration in1997-98, turned to deep spiritualism while inprison. According to him he truly discoveredGod during his initial prison sentence. Heis an avid believer ofMeher Baba, someonethat he discovered quite by accident in hiscell when he got a couple of books givento him, both of which dealt with the samesubject. . .Meher Baba! He shared the samecell with the people who had got him intothis horrendous situation and strangely, dueto Baba’s grace, he never abused or dislikedthem for what they had done to him. Theyin fact, felt very frustrated that Zaraiusnever used to blame or abuse them. Pastakiasometimes even used to cry out as to why hedidn’t hit or assault him! In fact, before leaving prison when he got bail in 1998, he wentup to Dinshaw Pastakia and told him that heforgave him for what he had done, at whichPastakia was naturally astounded!

Zaraius has made many a trip to Meherabad, which is the ashram of Meher Baba,and developed a wide circle of Baba loverfriends over the past six years. In fact he hadmade his latest trip only two weeks before hisjudgment and when his friend Adil Gandhyasked him whywas he going at this very crucial time, he replied “Just in case Baba needsme to go back in again, I want to pay homageto Him at His Samadhi before I go”! Theentire Baba fraternity is also in total shock

of this happening; however they all knowand believe that there is a bigger picture andplan to all this and which will be unfoldedslowly to Zaraius. Surprisingly Zaraius hastaken this verdict in a most dignified man-ner, with the thought that maybe he has notlearnt enough ofwhat Baba maybe wantingto teach him and needs him back for a whilefor a kind of a refresher course, as jail is aplace where one has so much time on one’shands, where one can give total adherenceand obedience to God without the distractions oflife.When I last visited him in NasikRoad Prison, he asked me to please send himthe two main books by Baba: Discourses andGod Speaks, which have since been deliveredto him and so we know that Zaraius is backon his further spiritual enlightening journey,until the time when truth finally prevails andGod says he is ready to be released, which weall hope and pray will be soon. In one of hisrecent letters to his daughter Sharmaine, hewrites saying, “You must realise that spirituallife is something to be lived and not talkedabout. It alone will produce peace, love andharmony, which we all seek to establishas the constant of our soul. So my darlingdaughter, please understand that my soul istruly at peace, come what may. I feel a senseof freedom within me. So I am OK and Ireally dont want you to worry about me.”

You could pass this story on to yourfriends around the world, with a wish to prayfor Zaraius’s freedom, which we hope willcome at the earliest through his appeal at theHigh or Supreme Courts. If anyone wishesto write to Zaraius you are welcome to ad-dress letters to him at zaraiusdastoor@yahoo.coin as he cherishes receiving mail. Theywill certainly be printed out and passed onto him.

A Letter from EB•Irnu17th October 2004

Dear Zaraius Dastoor: Beloved AvatarMeher Baba Ki Jai! My dearest Adil

Gandhi, I received your e-mail dated 14thOctober informing me about dear ZaraiusDastoor who is at present at CentralJail, Na-sik, and I really felt very bad that such a dearone is in prison. What he must be passingthrough! Really speaking, no one knows butthe Beloved knows what he has been losingin the jail and why he is in jail. The reasonis that no one knows about the sanskaricbusiness and what role these sanskaras playduring the life of everyone.

Apparently he is in jail, but in fact whathe is losing no one knows. He is losing all his

binding impressions and even the king can-not have the opportunity that dear Zaraius ishaving. He appears to be injail, but inwardlyhe is making himself free from the illusorybindings ofthe world. He will be free in sucha way that all the happiness in the world,if put together, will be just nothing beforethe Bliss he will be enjoying. He is really avery blessed one who appears as a prisonerbut nobody knows what Freedom he will behaving. He will be Eternally Free becauseBeloved Meher Baba is with him. Why heis in prison? So that he maybe free from thebindings ofthe illusoryworid and the chainofsanskaras maybreakinto pieces so that hemay remain Eternally Free. Please send thisnews to dear Zaraius so that he may knowthat he is not a “prisoner.” Everyone is a“prisoner” in the prison oflllusion, but he isthe one who has this opportunity to be outof the prison in such a way that he may cx-perience Eternal Freedom. Before, he wouldcome to Meherabad and he would visitBeloved Baba’s Samadhi, but now he hassuch an opportunity for the Beloved to bewith him all the time. He is his very life, andtherefore, he should think about the Belovedall the time and remain happy and cheerful.It is the Beloved,Who is releasing him fromthe bindings of Illusion. In order to makehim enjoy the Bliss that only rare ones canhave the opportunity to enjoy. I know dearHimanshu is a nice person and when he wasin Ahmednagar we had very close contactwith him and his wife. It is good that youcontacted him. Dear Zaraius should leaveeverything to Beloved Baba and dependupon His Wish. I feel everything will be allright and the sanskaric chain will crumbleso that he may get the opening to proceedtowards Freedom. I am praying to BelovedBaba for dear Zaraius.What I heard throughyour e-mail made me ver very happy to seehow brave and strong Zaraius is. He also seesBaba embracing him! It is a great blessing forhim. He is really a blessed one. If BelovedBaba wishes, the appeal will be heard. Forthe Beloved it is not difficult to do so. Hewill do everything to make Zaraius free.Please send this message to dear Zaraius assoon as possible and also convey my loving“Jai Meher Baba” to him.

,

p3wj••ou to iemaiu undisturbed rnd

J by the force of life’s curreiits, forwhntever the cfrcjunstarccs, thea too wU k ofMy owir crea1ioi ,

‘I

-)l4hr abn

9oIden 3ubilee Celebration fi944’khernbcid 3inaI EDcctarntion cA’keting

By8okaraii and rLlrmilla Shrivastava

In 1954, Beloved AvatarMeher Baba calleda very special meeting ofHis eastern and

western lovers in Meherabad on 29th and30th of September. Although this two-daymeeting was in facta Sahavas betweenBaba and His by-ers, over the yearsit has popularly be-come known as the“Final Declaration”Meeting of AvatarMeher Baba. Baba’sFinal Declarationaroused the emotions of His loversto such an extentthat it actually over-shadowed all otherimportant activitieswhich occurred during this meeting.On 29th and 30thof September 2004,the MeherabadBaba communityunder the auspicesof the Avatar Me-her Baba PPC Trustcommemorated theGolden Jubilee ofthis 1954 Meherabad meeting by or-ganizing differentactivities at Meherabad and Meherazad.The celebrationbegan with an as-sembly ofBaba boy-ers including thosefrom the Meherabadcommunity, on pibgrimage and fromAhmednagar BabaCentre, in the Meherabad Mandali Hall at9:30 a.m. on 29th September. Beloved Baba’sphoto in the Mandali Hall was garlanded bytrustees of the Avatar Meher Baba Trust,along with some old-time Baba lovers. AllBaba lovers were welcomed to the pro-

a lapse of5O years. After taking Baba’s darshan at the Samadhi, the lovers then gathered under the Tin Shed in front of Baba’skitchen and Beloved Baba’s photo on the

Gaudi was garlandedby SriJal Dastoor andMrs. Dolly Dastooron behalfofeveryone.Mr. Anand Jinnalkar,an electrical engineerfrom Meherabad,played sweet Babamelodies on the fluteto markthe beginningof the first session ofthe celebration. (Heplayed “Vande Me-herum”, a song in raagBrindavani sarang,accompanied on tablaby Acchuyet Sutar.)At this point in theprogramme, BhauKalchuri, the Chair-man ofthe Trust, oneofthe long-time BabaMandali, chief guestand main speaker forthis inaugural session,was to give a speech.But unfortunately onthe day itself Bhaujiwas very ill with fluand unable to at-tend the programme.

. However, true to Hiseternal compassion,Beloved Baba had

i long before drawnf out a compassion-

I ate agenda to maskthe situation createdby Bhauji’s absence.In June of this year

(2004) when the celebration’s organizingcommittee began planning the programme,they sought official permission from Bhauji,the Trust’s Chairman, who was at that timein America. When he was contacted forthe necessary permission, he not only in-

gramme and a short introduction was givenby the members ofthe organizing committee.Then in remembrance and in gratitude toBeloved Baba for leading a procession of

Meher Baba—Meherabad, 1954

His lovers from lower Meherabad to HisSamadhi in 1954, the Baba lovers at thegathering walked up the Hill from Meherabad Mandali Hall singing Baba’s name andfeeling that Beloved Baba Himselfwas stillleading His lovers to His Samadhi even after

stantaneously granted it, but under the spellof Beloved Baba’s benevolent provision forthe future emergency, he also sent an articleby email describing vividly many details ofthe 1954 Sahavas. By some miscalculationBhauji thought that his return to India wouldfall after the celebration dates and as such hethought it appropriate to send this article.Later, when Bhauji returned well in time forthe celebration, he happily announced thathe would personallyparticipate, but as he fellill, in his absence the article was read out.This episode is one of the examples of theeternal benevolence bywhich Baba not onlymanages things beyond human control, butat the same time manifests His approvalfor the little effort that His lovers make toorganize anything and everything in HisName. The morning session ended with alittle singing, and Baba’s presence was feltprofoundly.

The second session of the celebrationbegan in the afternoon of29th September,again in the Meherabad Mandali Hall. TheHall had been nicely decorated with large-size photographs of the 1954 SeptemberSahavas that added to the atmosphere. BillLe Page from Australia, Sam Kerawala (Meherabad), Najoo Kotwal and Pratap Ahir(Bombay) were the guest speakers at thissession, as the men had actually participatedin the 1954 Meherabad meeting and had avaluable treasure ofmemories from 1954 toshare with the audience. Although NajooKotwal herself did not participate in thatmeeting, her father Savak Kotwal did, andshe shared important information from hisrecord. All the speeches were documented bythe organizing committee and are availablein the Meherabad Hill Library for sharing.As requested, Bill Le Page told of therelease of three sets of documents fromthe Meherabad Hill Library that are anoutcome of this programme. When firstannouncing the celebration, the organizing committee had invited articles in twoseparate categories from Baba lovers to bekept as a documentary record in the Library.The first group of articles was invited fromthose lovers who had actually participatedin the 1954 meeting, and the second groupfrom any Baba lover who wanted to shareexamples of Beloved Baba’s benevolence inhis or her life. The third group of articleswas from a previous programme aboutBaba’s declaration of His Avatarhood.Beloved Baba’s programmes are alwaysmarked with incidents that are actually reminders of His approval or His interest orHis concern for the programme. Outstation

Baba lovers had not been specially invitedto this Jubilee celebration as it was plannedto be held just for those pilgrims alreadypresent in Meherabad, as well as residentsand the local Baba communityc It so hap-pened that there were very few pilgrimsin Meherabad on the actual programmedays, and Baba intervened to arrange fora sizable audience! A few days before,about 26 Baba lovers from Vijaywada feltan inner impulse to visit Meherabad inremembrance ofthe 1954 Sahavas, withoutknowing that its Golden Jubilee was to becelebrated. These lovers turned out to be themajor audience for the programme. ThusBaba’s compassion on one hand benefitedHis Andhra lovers by giving them the opportunity to participate. On the other handit brought a feeling of utmost gratitude tothe hearts of the organizers that Baba hadmade it possible for many more hearts topartake ofthe love-feast that He had spread.On this first day’s session, one elderly ladyfrom the audience came forward to shareher own experience ofthe 1954 public darshan at Wadia Park, when she was one of alarge number of people gathered there forBaba’s darshan. She was a disabled child atthat time and was unable to stand on herfeet. Her brother therefore lifted her up sothat she could receive prasad from Baba.When Baba touched her face, an electricshock passed through her body, but herlower limbs suddenly were strengthenedand she could stand on her feet. (Latershe underwent several operations to beable to really walk properly.) Besides thislady, there were many other Baba loverspresent who were part of the 1954 Sahavas meeting and wanted to share theirexperiences, but unfortunately, due to thelack of time, not everyone could be heard.On 30th September 2004, a meeting wasarranged in the Meherazad Mandali Hallbetween 11:00 am and 12:30 pm. Meheru,Katie, Arnavaz, Manu, Rhoda Mistry andMeherwan Jessawala represented the resident Mandali and the Hall was fully packedwith pilgrims and local Baba lovers. Meherwan gave an hour-long talk describinghis experience ofthe 1954 Meeting as oneof the volunteers. Meheru and Manu keptprompting him to tell important episodes.His speech was so vivid and touching thateveryone’s heart was deeply impacted by it,

so much so that people felt theywere actuallyparticipating in the 1954 programme. Thatday in Meherazad was an exceptional oneas Meheru extended the Meherazad timingat Meherwan’s request because he had a lot

to share. Even after the programme ended,Meherwan suddenly remembered manythings about the 1954 meeting that werenot possible to relate in the allotted time.The last session of the Commemorationprogramme began at 3:30 pm in Hostel A(the Music and Arts Centre) at Meherabad.Ward Parks read out the Final Declaration,Clarification, Confirmation and the Decision related to the Final Declaration. ManyBabalovers had forgotten the details ofthesesubsequent messages over the years andmany new Baba lovers were not conversantwith them at all, so it was much appreciatedthat Ward cared to bring this most important aspect into focus again. Alan Wagnerread out a letter written by Joseph Harbfrom the book Three Incredible 144eks withMeher Baba, authored by Malcolm Schlossand Charles Purdom. This transportedthe audience back to 1954 days when theWesterners were in the intimate companyof Beloved Baba for three weeks. Joseph’sletter drew a perfect scenario of how Be-loved Baba was perceived by the Westerners.Then came the much-awaited momentwhenBob Fredericks’ new film, The Final Dec/a-ration ofAvatar Meher Baba, was projectedafter a short introduction by Bob. There raspin-drop silence in the theatre while the filmwas being shown, and everyone was glued totheir seats. Manyunseen aspects ofthe 1954meeting were included in this ifim, whichgave a vivid picture of the great Meetingand also showed how Meherabad actuallylooked at the time. The impact ofthe severerainfall before the meeting was very clearlyvisible in the film. As ifto enhance the lovers’feeling of participation in the 1954 Meet-ing, Beloved Baba again brought heavy rainduring this commemoration programme,even as the 1954 film was being shown!The two-day commemoration was a mixedventure of speeches and sweet melodious music and singing in both Indianand Western styles. Pratap Ahir, KishoreMistry, the Thade family, Jeff Wolverton,Cathy Riley and Bobbi Bernstein all presented beautiful music on the occasion.At the end ofthe film showing, Mr. ShridharKelkar, trustee of the Avatar Meher BabaTrust, summed up the programme, whichwas made possible through the cooperation and support of the entire Meherabadresident community

7

oiiyai in Idicr... abadjudy &epltens

16 October to 31 October, 2004

Jai Meher Baba to you all!

This Diary will begin with the date 16October—the 55th anniversary of Be—

loved Meher Baba’s New Life. This was avery busy time at Meherabad. We had over600 pilgrims, many coming because of theNew Life.

Saturday 16 October The AhmednagarMeher Baba Center planned a Padyatra(walk) that would begin at the Center (inthe Trust compound) and go to Meherabad.This would be the 2nd Padyatra sponsoredby the Ahmednagar Baba Center, last year’sbeing the first. AU Meherabad communityresidents, and pilgrims were invited to joinin the celebration walk ofthe anniversary ofBeloved Baba’s New Life.-

A bus to take pilgrims to the Trust wouldleave Meherabad around 7:15 am, from infront of the Dhuni. The Padyatra wouldbegin at 7:45 am and reach Meherabadaround 10:30 am.

I was on duty at the Pilgrim Center so Iwas not able to join the Padyatra this year.It was such an inspiring, fun experience lastyear that it was very hard for me to attend tomy responsibilities. I wanted to go again!

This being the second year of the Ahmednagar Baba Center Padyatra, it wasbetter organized. There were three vehicleswith Baba’s picture on top. The one in frontwas like a shrine. Also, the two cars with loudspeakers were spaced apart, so the chantingcould be better harmonized.

There were around four hundred peoplein the procession this year. It was a glorioussight to see them all walking alongside theroad, chanting Baba’s name while holdinghigh His flag!

When I heard the procession was abouttwo miles away, I hopped on my scooter androde down to meet them. It was so beautiflilseeing them walking. In my heart, I could seeone day there would be thousands comingdown that road! After waving and sayingJaiBaba to everyone, I returned to the PilgrimCenter. About a half-hour later, off I wentagain on my scooter—I knew they werenearing Meherabad and I wanted to wit—ness their arriving. Other pilgrims who didnot go on the walk were standing along the

A program was to be held on the hillunder the tin shed. There was Bhajan musicas well as other music by Baba lovers. Bhauwas due to talk. However, Bhau was notwell so they read a message he sent. It wastranslated into Telegu and Hindi.

The morning program ended in time forlunch at 1:00 pm. For all those who joinedthe Padyatra, there was a special lunch atHostel-D.

In the afternoon, a film by Bob Frederickscalled The Manonash was shown in Hostel-D. There were several programs that weekin celebration of the New Life.

On this day two different groups ofBabalovers left on a Padyatra to Meherabad. Onewas a group of around two hundred fromPune. They were due to reach Meherabadon the 19th. It would be a three-day walk,stopping along the way to eat and sleep.

The other Baba group was from Shirdi,who also left on a Padyatra to Meherabad.They too would take three days to reach here,arriving on the 19th afternoon.

Sunday 17 October The weather haschanged, getting cold in the night. So I putan extra blanket on each ofthe pilgrim bedsin the Hospital. We don’t want freezing

pilgrims!As I started to walk up the hill, I noticed

a new double gate was being put on the newfence around the field, near the substation.The fence is quite tall; maybe six feet withrows of barbed wire on top. This is part ofour Meherabad farm.

Monday 18 OctoberWhile on duty at theMPC I watched some of the Meherabadworkers cutting down all the sandalwoodtrees around the Pilgrim Center. We haveno choice but to cut these beautiful treesbecause there are professional sandalwoodtree thieves. They come in the night andcut down the trees to sell to companies forsandalwood incense.

I had heard how Padri used to pull thesetrees outwhen theywere little. I always won-dered why, because they are so beautiful. Butover the years we have had the thieves comeonce in a while and cut some of our trees.The seeds of these trees spread so quickly.We have them sprouting up everywhere.

Bhau came to talk at the Pilgrim Centerat teatime. There was a large group ofthirty-three pilgrims from Spain. They have lovelyvoices and are always singing. So, they sang acouple of songs to Bhau. It was so beautiflilto listen to! You could feel joy in the soulhearing them. Spanish is such a beautiftillanguage.

Tuesday 19 Octoberlt is cold in the morn-ings—nights too. I sure like it! It is a nicechange wearing a sweater.

A special program was given at our theatrein the afternoon. Tea and cake were servedat 4:00 pm. The program began at 4:30. Theprogram was of dance and song performedby Baba lovers from Andhra Pradesh.

In the afternoon I had Archive-buildingdutyc When I got off at 5:45 pm and waswalking to the Samadhi for my 6:00 pm dutyI heard singing. At first it surprised me aswe have silence around the Samadhi exceptfor Arti time. Then I see it is the pilgrimswho have arrived from the Padyatra. Theybegan their walk on the 16th from Pune.After three days ofwalking they had arrivedat their Beloved’s Tomb-shrine.

This was only the first group. The onesfrom Shirdi had not arrived yet. Lookingat their faces, my heart stopped in amaze-ment. Such joy they expressed. But it waseven more than that. It was as if some inner

k. : J—

road waiting. We could hear their chantingas they neared.

When they got to the Dhuni they crossedthe road and headed up the hill to BelovedBaba’s Samadhi. They walked around theSamadhi seven times then stood in line fordarshan.

communion between each ofthem and theirBeloved was taking place. I felt honored towitness it.

The shrine on wheels, carrying a Babagarlanded photo, was next to the SabhaMandap (stone platform across from theSamadhi). Many of the pilgrims at thistime had taken off their shoes when theyreached the Samadhi. As the group circledthe Samadhi seven times, almost all wouldtouch the portable shrine every time theypassed it. Many would bow their head toBaba’s photo, or touch the portable shrineand then place their hands on their foreheadsto receive Baba’s blessing. They all werechanting Baba’s name and many carriedhigh Baba’s flag.

While witnessing such incredible reverence, I felt the tears not only in my eyes,but also inside my heart. Some could barelywalk, yet there was such a noble grandeurin how they made their feet keep movingto complete the final seven rounds of HisSamadhi.

There was special prasad given to thesePadyatra pilgrims. One pilgrim from theirgroup gave out the prasad. Many of thesepilgrims would come out of the Samadhiwith tears running down their faces. Somuch their Beloved was filling them withHis love. I felt very fortunate to be on dutyduring that time.

In the evening a Baba video was shownin the theater.

Wednesday2O Octoberl gave the historicaltour ofMeherabad in the morning at 10:00am. In the afternoon I covered for one ofthe receptionists at the MPC. At teatimeRoshan and Sam Kerawala shared Babastories at the Pilgrim Center.

When I finished duty at 5:30 pm I waswalking by Meherabad Mandali Hall whenI heard the beautiftil singing of the Span-ish group. I stopped and sat on the outsidesteps to listen. The group was sitting in alarge circle in the hail, singing one songafter another.

When they stood up to leave, I went in-side the hail and asked Juan to translate forme. Theywere returning to Spain Friday andI wanted a chance to say goodbye to them.I told them how much I had enjoyed theirsinging, that I could feel their fire oflove forBaba, and that I was so happy they came. Itold them howwonderfiil itwas to see Baba’slove spreading in Spain.

Then the group had me join them in acircle and they sang a sweet song to me offarewell. By the time they finished singing,tears ofhappiness filled my eyes.

Thursday 21 October In the afternoona special program of Indian classical musicwas given in our theatre. Tea and cake wereserved at 4:00 pm and the concert started at4:30. Dr. Sapre played the sitar, and MeeraKale sang.

Friday 22 October Bhau was not welland so was unable to come to the MPC togive a talk. Because of the large number ofpilgrims, the Baba movie was shown in ourtheater at 9:00 pm.

Saturday 23 October My turn to cleanBaba’s cabin room on the hill is on Saturdays.This Saturdaythree young men asked to helpclean. When one of them was cleaning theglass cover of Baba’s stretcher he called usall over. There was a squirrel hiding in thecorner, behind the stretcher. How to get it

out? When we urged it one way, it would gothe other. Poor thing, I am sure it was scared.Finally it ran along the wall and made it outthe door.

In the afternoon, there was a concert inthe theatre. Tea and cake were served at 4:00pm.The concert started at 4:30. Paul Diggleman and friends from Australia played musicand sang some songs. After them, anotherspecial program in Indian Classical Musicwas enjoyed by all. Arrangements by ZayaShettc

Sunday 24 October It was a Meherazadday. Because ofthe large number ofpilgrimsthe long-term ones staying at Meherabadwere asked to please not go.

Monday 25 October In the afternoon atteatime Bhau came to the Meher PilgrimCenter to give his talk. It was nice to haveBhau here, feeling better.

Tuesday 26 October It was a Meherazadday. In the evening a Mandali video wasshown in the Pilgrim Center at 9:00 pm.

Friday 29 October Bhau came to thePilgrim Center to give at talk at teatime. Inthe evening at 9:00 pm a Baba movie wasshown in the dining hall.

Saturday 30 October There was an EyeCamp at the hospital. The patient check-inwas in the morning. This was also the dayto give the annual injections to our animals.We have it all done on the same day to bet-ter keep track.

Sunday3l OctoberThis was the daywhenour oldest resident had her birthday. VirginiaSmall turned 88 years old! We had a smallparty at her home. We told Virginia in twoyears, when she turns 90, we will have to havea big party, inviting the whole community!

Ba&i5uysDavid5ens&r

During the Blue Bus Tours and afterwards,Irene often shared a room with Margaret,

and recalled, “Margaret’s bed, wherever wewent, was always full ofthings—her books, hercomb, her clothes, or whatever—all strewn onthe floor or on her mattress. I don’t know howshe could lie down on it. It drove Rano crazy”

About the rivalry between Margaret andRano, Mani commented: “Each of us neverthoughtalike orliked the same things. Margaretwas bynature happy-go-lucky She didnt mindi_f a thing was crooked, if one shoe was on thebed and another was under it, or ifthe broomwas on the table. Margaretwas more concernedwith the essentials.

“The way oflife ofRano, the artist, was thateverything had to be in its place. Everythinghad to be precise. For example, no matter howtired Katie came from her work in the kitchen,after she washed her face in the bathroom, theface towel had to be left absolutely straight. Ifit were one centimeter off Rano would notice.Somebody kept it crooked just to tease her.Rano was finicky about keeping things neat.Margaret was just the opposite.”

Katie too was particular about the waythings should be done, and she and Ranowere especiallybothered bythe haphazard wayMargaret slung her clothes on the line in hercorner of the room, instead of neatly hangingup everything.

“Baba loved practical jokes,” Mani continued. “One day in Hyderabad, when Margaretwas out ofher room, Baba put his finger to Hislips and said, ‘Shhh, let’s go.’

“We all tiptoed into Margaret’s room. Babadisorganized everything and added afewthingsto the accumulated junk. We put the thingsfrom her bed on the table, and the broom on herbed. Baba even put a little pebble in her danceshoe, something that would make her noticeand realize that something was different.

“Then we all came awav as Margaret wascoming.Wewaited andwaited,peeking aroundthe corner but not a peep out ofMargaret. Shedidn’t notice, and ifshe did notice, itdidn’t makeany difference to her.

“In the end, it was so funny. Baba and wewent back, and Baba was practically asking,

What’s all this? How in the world do youever sleep here?’

“Baba, it’s fine, thank you.” Then she real-ized something was up and laughed, which shealways did.”

Mehera-Meher5A Divine RomanceVol. II ©2003

9

QIiC)S cStory•Beloved Baba’s Mandali, His close

dear ones, are the jewels in His royalcrown. They are ones who lived only forHim; their every thought, word and deedwas a response to His divine flute.

Such a fortunate one was Dr. GoherIrani who came into Beloved Baba’s con-tact in her youth in Quetta, Pakistan. Sheand her sister Katie were most fortunateto have close and intimate contact withBaba when theywere children because herparents were devoted to Him.

Her family later moved to Ahmednagar, India. Baba told Goher to become aphysician — and even offered to pay forher college expenses when her familyno longer had sufficient money for hertuition.

Dr. Goher’s story is one ofutter devotion, love and service. She was one ofonlyfour women to accompany Baba on theNew Life. She was Baba’s personal physician and had the most intimate look at theeffect Baba’s universal work had on Hisbody. Often called upon to treat others as-sociated with Baba, from Beloved Baba’spassing in 1969, Dr.. Goher founded anddirected the Meher Free Dispensary atMeherazad until the time she droppedthe body earlier this year.

Her service to Beloved Baba, thehealth ofthose surrounding Him and thethousands of patients who attend the Meher Free Dispensary aretestimony to Dr. Goher’s devotion and service to her Lord, AvatarMeher Baba. — John Page

[Her story now unfolds in her own words as published in Lives ofLove, the Women Mandali ofAvatarMeherBaba, byjudith Garbett,Goherc Own Stoiy.]

Ihave been living with Baba continuously since 1947, but I haveknown Him since my childhood. I was about six or seven years

old when Baba came to my parents’ house in Quetta, now partof Pakistan, with some of the men Mandali. Mehera, Naja andKhorshed were among the women Mandali. My parents hadrented the house next to ours for Baba and the Mandali to stayin. I remember Baba used to serve food to all of us Himself - wewould go to Him with our plates, He would serve it and tell us,“You must eat every bit that is on the plate.”

With children He behaved like a child and played games withus. One was a game of five fingers - He would hold His fingerstogether in a certain way, and ask us to pick the middle finger, butwe were never able to do it!

At that time Baba was known as Sadguru (a Perfect Master), andour friends who followed Him used to ask us to say our prayers toHim. Of course we said our prayers to Zoroaster, but at the sametime we were asked to pray to Baba.

Childhood7iisits to /1hmednajarAt times I used to come to Ahmed

nagar to my mother’s maternal home forholidays. Most people in the family didnot accept Baba as the Sadguru at thattime, especially Sarosh’s father who wasvery much against Baba. There was ajoint family system in those days - ev

I erybody lived together, Sarosh’s family,Sarosh’s brother Dinshaw’s family (his

•: wife is my aunt - my mother’s sister), sonaturally we stayed with them when wecame for our holidays.

Sarosh’s father was so strict that hewould not even allow Baba’s name to bementioned. But also living in the samehouse were Gulmai and her son Adi whowere staunch followers ofBaba (Gulmaiwas Sarosh’s aunt, Adi was his cousin).Sarosh’s father could not say anything tothem, but he was very strict with his ownson. In spite of that, whenever Gulmai,Adi, or my aunt visited Baba at Meherabad, or when Baba came to Ahmednagarto Khushru Quarters, now known as

.

Meher Nazar, we used to go quietly tosee Him. Naturally, He would embraceus, kiss and play with us, but we were toldwe must not mention Baba when Sarosh’sfather came home.

But that old man was very cunning.He would bribe us in a way, with sweets

or something, and gradually got out ofus whether Baba had cometo the house and who met Him. As children, sometimes we wouldblurt it out. And then he would create a row, demanding to knowwhy we had met Baba. Gradually as we grew older we had moresense, and understood that he did not like us to meet Baba - but wewould still meet Him quietly.

From our childhood days Babawas like a teacher to us. He playedwith us and was like a loving father to us; but at the same time, aswe grew up He gave us strict orders how to behave in life.

,i:iving iii QuettctI think it was in 1931 that we were getting several earth tremors

in Quetta. We had lived in tents for nearly six months, and whenwe came back to live in our house it was not in a very good condition. Baba came that year with a few of His men Mandali, Chanji,Raosahib and one or two others. I was about 15, my sister Katiewas about 11, and other children were also there. Baba and His menstayed in our house for nearly a month. He used to play with us.He was very fond of Katie and would call her to His room when allthe Mandali were there and play caroms or other games. Once Hetook us to the cinema.

Baba was very playftil, and had jokes with us. He used to get upat 4:00 o’clock, and would come into our room, put on the light,shake the beds, and naturally when we saw Him we would all jump

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out. We never felt strangers to Baba because He was so loving andapproachable.

“)3ou Become a Dodor”One daywhen I was going out in my Guide uniform, Baba called

me and said, “What are you going to study further?” I didn’t know.Baba then said, “You become a doctor.” Since that time it was alwaysin my mind that I would be a doctor.

EBaba 7ells 9oIier’s 3ather to Leave QuettctAt that time Baba told my parents, actually my father, that he

should sell up his business, which was a huge concern becauseQuetta, being on the frontier, had a very large military camp ofBritish forces, and naturally the business included a bar, biffiards, atoy shop, a restaurant, confectionery and jewelry shops. Baba saidhe should sell the business, he would get a very good profit, and heshould leave Quetta with his family.

After this warning Baba left, and my father was thinking aboutwhether he should sell or not - he had been established there for 20years or so. My mother was more on the practical and materialisticside, and my father was a more simple person and would have donewhat Baba told him. But my mother said, “Ifwe sell everything andgo away, how are you going to bring up all your seven children?There won’t be enough money, and how are you going to startbusiness all over again?” Other friends in Quetta did not believe inBaba then, and persuaded my father not to sell. Two years went by,there were some more earth tremors at times, and the business wasnot running so well.

:2-ler J4lother’s rDreamOne night my mother had a dream in which she saw a grey-

bearded person in a white robe who said to her, “I am waiting foryou to leave Quetta. Why haven’t you gone? I want you to go away,and when you have left I want to destroy Quetta.” On waking nextmorning my mother felt this was a warning message from Baba.She told my father immediately, and said they must sell the businessand go away, whatever happened.

So they started to do that. They sent all seven of us children toAhmednagar for our schooling, and stayed back themselves trying tosell the business, but there were no prospective buyers. Ifmy fatherhad sold when Baba told him to, he would have profited much byit. Prices went down because of continuing earthquakes, and aftertwo years he sold at tremendous loss - it was just like giving it tosomeone. He would have got one lakh ofrupees (100,000) earlier,which in present money terms would mean millions, but in theend he gained only a small fraction of the value for the whole ofhis business.

They J4love to .}1hrncdnugarAnyway, he sold it and my parents came to Ahmednagar. Adi’s

father, Sarosh and his brother all helped him, because Baba had toldthem that they must get him settled in business somewhere. So myfather opened a canteen at Sarosh’s cinema.

And a couple of years after that we heard there was a terribleearthquake in Quetta when 45,000 to 50,000 lives were lost in onenight. Then we all realized that Baba had saved the whole familyfrom this catastrophe.

But my father did not have that zest to start all over again in anew business. My brothers were still too young, and there was no-body to help him in the business. Perhaps he did not have enoughinspiration for the work, and he did not earn well. We were all at

school in Ahmednagar, and after finishing there we were sent tocollege in Bombay.

9olter cit College in 13onibajAfter one year ofstudying my mother told me, “It is very expen

sive, I can’t afford to pay your fees.”I was staying with some relations, at first with Sarosh’s sister,

then with my married sister. My mother felt that in a couple ofyears I would get married anyway, so she said she could not affordthe fees.

Baba must have come to know about it, or I must have told Him,because He used to visit our house in Ahmednagar - our familywas now living separately in a small house, and Baba used to visitquite often. Then He told my mother, “Let her go to college andI will pay.” After my graduation in the Arts College, I had to jointhe medical college, but then I did not have anywhere to live, soagain I was going to give up the medical career. While staying withrelations I did not have to pay for board and lodging, but if I hadto stay in a hostel it would be very expensive.

Living with .J1rnavctz’s 3familyBaba called me to Meherabad, and that was the first time I met

Chanji. Baba told him, “She has to stay at Arnavaz’s parents’ house.”Arnavaz and Nargis Dadachanji and the rest ofthe family of sevenchildren were very young then, still in school, and their father wasnot earning much - but I have never known a more contented family,a family full oflove. I have never seen so much love.

Baba sent me there alone - just gave me the address and said totell them, “I have come.” I didn’t know any ofthe family. I traveledby train to Bombay, went to the house and knocked at the door,which Arnavaz opened, and told her, “I am Goher.” She said, “Yes,come in, come in.”

They took me in like one oftheir own, and they gave me so muchlove that I never felt I was a stranger but belonged to the family.They were not rich and had only simple meals, one vegetarian dishin the evening or one in the afternoon. But Bachamai, Arnavaz’smother, would see to it that I had more than her own children had.And sometimes it used to bring tears to my eyes because I knew thatmy own mother would never have done that for another child.

Baba used to visit their house very often as if it were His ownhouse, because there was so much love there. When Baba was coming Bachamai would be so happy, and she would clean the wholehouse, make preparations to receive Him, prepare food for Him andfor the Mandali whom she would receive with the same love.

Whenever the family visited Ahmednagar or wherever Babawas,I would go with them. After a couple ofyears in their house Iwent to stay in a girls’ hostel, and Baba gave me very strict orders.No men must come to visit me; I must not touch men or go aboutwith them. Baba said I should write to Him every week, or once amonth, whichever it was, and He replied to every letter.

2lolidctys with E13abaFour years passed. Baba said whenever I had a holiday I could

go and stay with Him. Naturally we were more drawn to be withBaba than to our own parents’ house, and wherever He was, BlueBus Tours, Meherabad, anywhere, every holiday we spent with Him.Once in Bangalore there was a question ofmy marriage. Baba toldme, “Don’t worry. You should not think about it, don’t ever marry.You have to come to Me after you have become a doctor.” So thatwas always in my mind, and I knew that Baba would call me someday to live with Him permanently.

II

13aba’s Sign for9oherIn 1938 during one ofthe holidays I went

with Arnavaz to Panchgani where Baba andthe women Mandali were staying. I had avery sore throat and a high fever, but in spiteof that I went, and as soon as we entered thehouse Baba enquired after my health. He wasdispleased and said, “You can’t stay here. Goback to Bombay immediately and have yourtonsils operated on,” and He sent me back thesame night. Ever since then Baba’s sign forme was tonsils - Baba would put His hand onHis throat to indicate the tonsils - and thatwas my sign when He wanted me. Right tillthe end this was my sign.

During 1938 when I started my college career, my sister Katiejoined Baba permanentlyin the ashram. She would write to me about allthe activities there and on the Blue Bus Tours,and Baba would read these letters, sign themHimself, and always sent His love to me.

The monetary question was always difficult for me - I didn’treally like it that Baba was burdened with my tuition fees andalso the hostel fees, which were very expensive, and it made meuneasy.

9raducttionAfter my graduation in 1944 I came to my parents’ home in

Ahmednagar because Baba was away traveling. He returned beforelong to Meherazad so I sent word that my studies were finishedand inquired as to what I should do. Adi Sr. came and drove meto Meherazad. At that time Baba was using the room, which laterbecame Aloba’s. There was no ftirniture, no chair. Baba was sittingcross-legged on the floor on a small carpet, and called me in. Hesaid He was happy that I was a medical doctor now and I shouldcome to stay with Him permanently, and to tell my parents this.

Well, my mother made so much fuss about it, saying, “I won’tbe able to meet you, and why should you go permanently - youcan go and visit Baba when you like.” There was such a row aboutit, so I wrote to Baba, and He said, “Don’t come now.” I felt veryhurt and sad, but knew that I must leave home, and wrote back

to Him, “No, I amcoming, in spite ofmy mother’s pro-test I am coming.”Baba was quitehappy then andsaid, “I’ll call you.So you must beready whenever Icall you.”

After a monthor so Baba wasgoing to Raipur,and He told meto meet Him inBombay at KakaBaria’s house.Baba with Mehera, Mani, Meheru

and myself all went to Raipur. Jal Kerawalawas there then, and we lived in a separatebungalowwith Baba. A couple ofmonths laterBaba sent me back to Bombay to get moremedical experience as an intern in the hospitals, and I was there for quite some time.

9oher 3oins Ei3aba 1erinanentlyFinally, in 1947 at Satara, I joined Baba

permanently.Norma and Elizabeth returned from

America and came to Satara. Norma was notwell, she had heart disease and high bloodpressure, and Baba told me to stay in thebungalow with them and look after her. Atthe same time Baba told me to go and workin a missionary hospital as a volunteer withoutpay. He also sent me to a leper colony twice aweek to give them treatment. In the eveningwe used to visit Baba and Mehera, Mani andthe others in thir bungalow.

Living at A1therazad - Chickens and J4/lessages!After Satara I came with Baba to live at Meherazad with Mehera,

Mani and Meheru. Rano and Kitty also came at times. In those daysBaba used to sleep in a small room in a field nearby. He did not giveme any medical job - He had a poultry farm made with differentvarieties ofhens and ducks, and told me, “Nowyou have to take careof these!” And I was so frightened - I had never held a hen in mylife and was afraid they would peck me. But I did it because Babatold me. I had to see to their feed, that the pen was kept clean, andthat they would lay eggs; but Baba never let us eat that poultry.

In those days Baba saw to every detail - anything that came toMeherazad, any bazaar for whatever we needed, and the food wehad. So when the chicken feed was finished I had to go and tell Baba.I went over to the Mandali side. Baba was sitting in Kaka’s roomon the bed, and He was talking to Moorti from Calcutta about thesixth and seventh planes. I just entered the doorway, and withoutthinking, or listening to what Babawas teffing Moorti, I immediatelysaid, “Baba, the chicken feed is finished.” And Baba looked up atme so surprised, so seriously at first, then started laughing, and said,“Here I was talking to this man about the sixth and the seventhplanes and was so engrossed in it, and suddenly you come and tellme about the chicken feed!” And Baba laughed so much. Even tothis day Moorti remembers this and often reminds me. For yearsafterwards Baba would also often remind me.

There were no men on the women’s side of the ashram. I was asort ofmessenger, a go-between for the men and women Mandali.A1l day long the bell would be ringing. Kaka would go to the gateand ring the bell - I had to come and take away bags ofvegetables;or I had to convey any message that was to be given to Baba if Hewere on the women’s side. If Baba were on the men’s side and hadto call me, the bell would ring, then I would have to convey themessage to Mehera ifHe wanted a glass ofwater or something, andthen I would bring it to Him from Mehera. So all daylong that wasmyjob, plus looking after the chickens.

The 2kw LifeThen Baba started meetings about the New Life, and we had

to go to Meherabad every day. At a meeting of all the women heldon the first floor of Meher Retreat, Upper Meherabad, Baba an-

Gohei; 1938

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Gohei 1941

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nounced that besides a number of men, He would take only fourwomen with Him in the New Life. Although I was staying per-manently at Meherazad with Baba, Mehera, Mani and Meheru, Ithought, “Well, I came only recently and ofcourse Baba will nevertake me - He will take only those who have lived with Him fromtheir early teens.” Mehera and Mani were definite, and I thoughtperhaps Khorshed who had lived all her life with Baba; and Masi,or Meheru or Naja who had lived with Baba from their early teenswould be the fourth person.

We returned to Meherazad with Baba in the evening and I wasall the time very sad and depressed. Later on I was watering thegarden at the far end, very slowly and sadly. Baba came out on thefront verandah ofthe house and Mehera was standing beside Him.Baba clapped, and that was the sign for me to go there, which Idid. Baba said, “What are you thinking about?” At first I didn’t sayanything, then Baba told Mehera, “She is mad.” Again He said,“What are you thinking about?” I said, “Baba, I was feeling very sadbecause now that you say you will be going away in the New Life,there is no chance of us ever seeing you. And I don’t know whatto do with myself so I thought I’d end my life. I thought I couldn’tlive without you, and I know that you won’t take me because I havejust recently come to live with you.”

Baba then told Mehera, “She is a fool. Tell her that she will gowith me.” And I thinkthat was the happiest moment ofmylife. I hadtears in my eyes, and I was so happy that Baba had already thoughtoftaking me with Him. Later He announced which four were going,and gave us a list to make preparations for the New Life.

Baba was very strict with the companions in the New Life. Wehad to obey Him implicitly. I was told to call the night watchmanat 5:00 in the morning, but one day it was five minutes past 5:00.When Baba asked what time did I send offthe night watch, I said,“Baba, it was late by five minutes.” He was very displeased withme and said, “If this happens again I will send you back.” We wereso happy to be with Baba all the time that we tried our best not todisplease Him at all. We were always afraid that He would send usback, away from Him.

When walking in the New Life, Baba’s feet, which were alwaysso delicate and tender, developed very large blisters on the soles. Inspite of that He kept on walking. Then Mehera would persuadeHim, “Baba, your feet should be bathed in warm water, and some-thing should be applied.” So He permitted that, and vaseline gauzebandages were put on. In spite ofthe blisters Baba would be readyto walk again the next day. It would not have been possible for anordinary man to walk all those miles like that. Baba was wearingvery rough sandals and we knew it was very painful for Him. Lateron, Mehera made Baba wear soft woolen socks, and she put somefelt soles underneath so that the blisters did not hurt Him.

LAding for BabaI was very shy always, and when I came to join the ashram at

Meherazad in 1947 Mani and Mehera wanted to produce a humorous play or skit to amuse Baba, because He used to come outof His seclusion so tired and strained, and that would lessen theburden. They wanted me to take a part in the play, and what a lotof botheration I gave to Mani because I could never act, and sheused to get so tired of me because I would say, “I can’t do this, Ican’t do that.” She’d make me do a little dance, a few simple steps,and I would say, “No, I can’t move my hands and feet at the sametime!” But when she dressed me as a man and added a beard, thenI forgot myself and started playing the part very well.

When I acted like that in front ofBaba for the first time it was aPersian play - Mani was an old woman and I was an old man, and we

did a sort ofdance to a Persian record. It was at Upper Meherabd,and all the women Mandali and the Westerners were there. Meherasaid how ftinny I was, and Baba had quite a good laugh.

13aIjds YJiysicctl &ifferingSince the time I came to live permanently with Baba I’ve seen

nothing but His physical suffering. All the close ones living withHim saw this. One can’t compare Baba’s physical suffering with thatofan ordinary man. Baba would not complain much, but we could

see how much He suffered. One main problem was heartburn. For

so many years Baba had been on so many long and severe fasts, and

Gohei; Khorshed Mani, Mehera, andMeher Baba.

‘3

had such irregular diets due to His travels and mast work, that I healthy, and the doctors would look at us and say, “Why have youwas afraid ofa peptic ulcer but He would reftise my investigation or consulted us? Baba is looking quite all right, what is wrong withcheckup. And we felt so helpless because we knew He was suffering you? Are you mad?” They would think we were emotionally upsetwith this constant pain and uneasiness in His stomach. Then He and imagining Baba was not well.would make light of it and make us forget that He had any pain. An example of this was in December 1956 after the second

Whilst He was working, either mast work, poor work, universal accident when Baba’s right hip joint was injured. Colonel Chat-work, or during seclusion, Baba did not spare His body. “My work terjee, a very well known military orthopedic surgeon in Poona,comes first,” He would say. used to come to treat the fracture. After some time he removed

Like so many who do not know about Perfect Masters or the the traction and Baba was in bed. Once Baba complained of veryAvatar, when I first came to be with Baba I assumed that He as the severe pain in the hip joint, and said He was not able to moveAvatar, being the personification of Perfection, was beyond being about, that He could not sit up in bed.affected by ill-health or the usual things Don called Colonel Chatterjee, butthat affect ordinary human beings. In when he arrived Baba was smiling andRaipur in 1944 Baba told me He had started asking him so many questionspain in the heart region. I did not un- mt his wife and children. Thenderstarid then how Baba as God could C” Chatterjee said, “Well, wherehave this pain. He then explained that is your pain?” and Baba said, “There isPthfect Masters assume illness, while He : no pain, I am all right.” Baba sat up,being the Avatar must undergo all the and then sat across the bed moving Hisphysical pam and discomfort and illness, legs. Colonel Chatterjee made Babawhich the ordinary human body has to stand up, and still there was no pain.undergo. Baba said whenever He com- : Then he looked at me, “What’s wrongplained of any illness I must take Him

. with you, madam? Baba is all right, Heseriously and give proper treatment.

.. has no pain, and He is even standing onSo through the years, because ofthe this injured leg. Why are you becoming

strenuous mast work and many fasts, o emotional? Why do you make upBba’s digestion was seriously affected these stories that Baba has such severeand we treated Him accordingly. In the pain?” Baba would make us look likeearlier days Dr. Donkin (Don) and Dr.

.. .. . fools in front ofthese doctors.Nilu were there, and from 1947 I was Myrtle Beach, May 1952. Mani, Mehera, Goher andFilis Baba’s physical suffering was not

like that of an ordinary human being,because in a second Baba would look healthy, hale and hearty andthe next instant it would look as if He were again in severe pain.

1 952 Accident, lt&ADuring the 1952 visit to America when Baba began the journey

from the east coast to the west coast, some of the men Mandalihad already gone ahead, and we women were in two cars - Baba,Mehera, Mani and Meheru were in the first big car with Elizabethdriving, and in the other car with Sarosh driving were Rano, Delia,Kitty and myself. Baba had told us our car must always keep veryclose to His, but sometimes this did not happen and He wouldbe very displeased.

I used to feel very sad and cried to myself because Baba didnot take me in His car which had plenty of room. Whenever westopped at hotels Baba would say to me, “Well, you are having avery fine time in the other car. You are laughing and joking andsmiling and having such a good time, eh?” I would feel so hurt,and said, “What is there to talk about? Baba, why don’t you takeme in your car?” “No, no, I don’t want you in My car.”

On 24th May early in the morning I was feeling very depressed,and even wrote in my notes: “Why didn’t Baba take me in Hiscar?” But when the accident took place I realized why He hadnot done so.

When we reached the accident spot, Baba was lying on theground, but Mehera, Mani and Meheru were still in the backof the car, and Elizabeth whose ribs and wrists were injured waspinned behind the steering wheel.

There was a lot ofblood from Baba’s nose. He could not move,but with His right leg He pointed to the left one, and then I saw

there also. But naturallywhen the dam-age was done, treatment could only be palliative and not a cure.

We 3felt So2lelplessThere were times when Baba would let the illness run its course,

but at other times due to His particular work we would find anailment suddenly and miraculously vanish, and Baba would beHis radiant self. This we have seen happen so many times. ButBaba would always tell us, all three doctors who would attendHim, to do our best to give Him the right treatment. We alwaysfelt so helpless in Baba’s presence, and knew that we could neverreally do anything to help Him or to alleviate His pain or Hissuffering. We tried our best, and Baba would take the medicineswe prescribed. On several occasions we have seen Baba look so illat one moment, and at the next He would look completely well,and we would be baffled. But then we knew that it was not whatBaba was showing us externally that was happening.

Baba seemed to take more bindings on Himself, visible andinvisible. Many times He would complain ofsomething, and thenwe would just fold our hands and stand in front of Him feelingso helpless. Ifit were any ordinary human being we knew that wewould have been able to do so much. But for Baba we felt that wecould not really do anything to lessen His pain or suffering.

‘

73aba’s 9?apid Changes in 2lectlthBaba was very reluctant to have any investigation or checkups

done. Until 1963 He would not permit it, but then Don and Iwould persuade or tell Him that it was very necessary, and Hewould permit to consult some outside doctors. Sometimes Babawould be so restless and in so much pain that we would call thedoctors, but when they came Baba would look so cheerful and

that it must be fractured because of the uneven surface of thebones. When the ambulance finally came and the men were liftingBaba, we told them to be very gentle because the left leg might befractured. Sarosh also helped them to lift Baba who was sufferingall the time in silence - He made no sound at all.

JPrague 21ospita!Baba, Mehera and Elizabeth were all taken to the hospital in

Prague. It was a very small town and the hospital was very nice, butI didn’t know ifDr. Burleson was capable ofhandling these seriouscases. Don and Nilu were not there because Baba had sent themahead to California. So I went and talked to Dr. Burleson, askingifhe could manage, and told him we needed an orthopedic surgeonfor Baba and a neurosurgeon for Mehera. He said he would sendfor them from Oklahoma City, which was only 50 miles away.

In the meantime Dr. Burleson set Baba’s leg in plaster and didit very well. He seemed drawn to Baba - he couldn’t believe thatanyone who was so badly injured did not utter a sound. Withthe extra cases the hospital was full, so Dr. Burleson vacated hisown office for Baba, put a special bed in there and made Himcomfortable.

But with His left leg in plaster and His left arm bandaged andstrapped because ofthe fractured shoulder, and being in silence, it

was so difficult for Baba to express whether He was in pain or ifHe was uncomfortable. Baba lay there very quietly, and the doctorswere very good and did their best to help and to lessen His pain.When the specialists came they again tookX-rays.The technicianwas a very fine man. He was able to lift Baba alone, and carriedHim so lovingly and gently from His room to the X-ray table.

When the neurosurgeon came from Oklahoma he examinedMehera, and although she was unconscious she answered all hisquestions about her condition, and also when he was examiningher to find out how much damage there was to her brain. He wasquite surprised that Mehera could answer while unconscious.

2?ehtrn to J4lyrt!e i3eachAfter many days in the hospital we went back to Myrtle Beach

to Elizabeth’s home, Yupon Dunes.There was a heat wave and Baba was very uncomfortable in the

plaster cast in spite ofthe air conditioner installed in His room. Afew days later Don thought that Baba should have a checkup, sohe arranged for Him to go to Duke University in Durham, NorthCarolina, to see a good orthopedic surgeon. Mehera, Mani, Me-heru and I went with Baba and Don to Duke University. Meheraalso had certain checkups there, and everything was found quitenormal. We returned to Yupon Dunes.

2’Iew )3orkLater Baba was asked to go to New York to give some darshan

programs. Filis Frederick was able to arrange for a nice house inScarsdale through her friend Mrs. Ferris. Baba was given a bed-room on the ground floor, and Mehera, Mani and all ofus stayedin rooms on the first floor. From that house Baba went twice toIvy Duce’s apartment in NewYork to give darshan. Even with Hisleg in the plaster cast, He gave darshan there.

Then Don was sent ahead from New York to London. Babawas very uncomfortable in the cast, so He asked me to consult anorthopedic surgeon in NewYork. With Ivy Duce’s help I consultedone, but he said the cast could not be removed yet because Babawould not be able to put His weight on that leg.

i:ondon and 2urichThen we all went to London. Don took Baba to Sir Reginald

Watson-Jones who was a great orthopedic surgeon. He removedthat cast and put on a U-shaped cast for Baba, which was morecomfortable. Don and the other Mandali were all the time attendingto Baba and nursing Him.

Baba saw many lovers in London. Then we went to HediMertens’ home in Zurich, Switzerland. Delia, Charmian Duce andAnita Vieillard also stayed with us there, and all the men Mandalistayed with Max and Gisela Hafliger. Most of the time Baba wasin bad health, and Don would attend to Him. We used to visit ahospital there, where Mehera’s wound on her forehead was beingtreated. And Baba would be taken out for drives.

lIlass Darshans, DndiaFrom Zurich we went to Geneva and came back to India, reach-

ing Meherazad about the third week in August 1952. It was onlythree months since the accident, and the fractured leg was not strongenough for Baba to have frill weight bearing on it. He still had tohave the U-shaped cast with an elastic bandage.

In spite ofthat, in November Baba went to Bombay, Hamirpur,Gujarat, Navsari, and later to Andhra, giving mass darshan programsuntil late in January 1953. They were not easy journeys becausetraveling in India is not at all comfortable, yet Baba was in trainsor cars for days together, and even distributed prasad to thousandswith both hands, although His left shoulder had also been fracturedin the accident.

&dara -

In August 1953 we went to stay at Satara and remained there,although from July to August 1956 Baba and the men Mandaliwent again to Europe, London and America, and for the first timeto Australia.

1 956 .J1cciden4 &ttaraBaba’s second car accident happened at Satara on 2nd December

1956. Baba and Vishnu returned to Grafton Bungalow in a taxiat about 6 o’clock, and of course we were so shocked to see Babainjured. This time it was the right side - the whole ofHis right side,His face, shoulder, and hip joint. Although we could imagine whatterrible agony Baba was going through, there was not a groan or amoan, He did not utter a single sound.

Dr. Nilu died in the accident, but Don was there to help all thetime, because he had not gone out with Baba that day. Baba musthave specially kept him back to be ofuse. Even Eruch and Penduwere seriously injured, Pendu very seriously, and there were actuallyvery few of the Mandali who could help.

The civil surgeon of Satara was a good doctor who respectedBaba. Don went to speak to him and he came over. With Don’s helphe examined Baba’s hipjoint, and said that Baba should be taken tothe hospital to put on a plaster cast. The journey there with all thisinjury was torture for Baba. The roads were bumpy, the ambulancewas hopeless and the whole thing was rattling and hurting Baba somuch. It was in the middle ofthe night that the plaster cast was puton, and then Baba was brought back in the ambulance to GraftonBungalow to His room.

of course the cast was very, very uncomfortable and Don and Ithought that perhaps this was not the right treatment. But it wasso difficult - Baba suffered silently, and we felt He must be goingthrough intense pain all the time. So Don went to Poona, consulted

Is

a good orthopedic surgeon and brought him to Baba, but he saidthat Baba must go to Poona for the treatment.

Thus, after eight days, Baba was taken to Poona to that surgeon’shospital where he took another X-ray and changed the plaster.Baba went through a great deal ofpain and discomfort. Later Donconsulted an Army doctor, Colonel Chatterjee, who was a well-reputed orthopedic surgeon. Don was not satisfied with what thelocal surgeon did for Baba and thought that the cast was somehownot the right treatment.

So then Silver Oaks Bungalow near Meherjee Karkaria’s housein Poona was rented. Colonel Chatterjee came and examined Baba,removed that plaster cast and put Baba’s leg in traction, which were atremendous help and a great relief Don stayed with Baba all the timeand Colonel Chatterjee would visit whenever it was necessary.

4’1arn cm 9oherStories Subrnitted by 2tcatlier 2sIadel, J44eherctbad

Mani loved Goher, andoften used to talk about

her in Mandali Hall. Some ofher favorite stories involvedGoher. Here are two:

Goher became a doctor forBaba, and it was right for her,because by nature she’s a veryconscientious, hard-working,selfless, gentle person. Her lovefor Baba made her want to bea doctor and come and serveHim and His Mandali and bewith Him.

So Baba of course encouraged her, “Soon as it [yourstudy] is finished, come and see

to My health. Lot ofwork, you have a lot ofwork.” So she was fullof enthusiasm. And she also had the natural pride ofbeing able toserve Baba in her capacity as a doctor, to be personal physician tothe Avatar. So when she came in 1947 and joined Baba for good,she wasjust champing at the bit to start the race. Immediately Babagave her a test ofobedience. The first work He gave her was not as adoctor but as a duck-tor. Her first duty was to look after ducks andhens. And when you’re looking after Baba’s pets, they are royaltythose pets! You have to put every bit ofyourself in it.

So poor Goher instead ofdoing her medical work, instead ofgo-ing through medical books, was sending for magazines about ducksand hens! . . . And Baba was very particular, asking her the details,“How were the ducks? What’s their diet?” And so on.

Baba would always be particular that His pets were well fed,sometimes too well fed! So Goher didn’t have to just mix the branfor their meal and put it in front of the ducks, no sir! She had tomeasure out so many carbohydrates, so much charcoal, so muchprotein and so on. I’d be walking by and suddenly stop at the sightofGoher, very serious, very intense, with a pair ofjeweler’s scales inher hand, looking like she was measuring out gems, but no, it wasso much hydrocarbon, put that in, so much whatever else, mixingup the perfect diet for the ducks...

This she did wholeheartedly until, according to Mani, she forgot

she ever was a doctor. Then, after all her enthusiasm and excitementand pride in coming to serve Him as a doctor was razed away, Babakept her continuously busy and on tenterhooks taking care of Hishealth and the health of the Mandali.

Mani used to enjoy teffing the following story ofGoher’s dilemmaas the God-Man’s doctor:

Baba kept Goher very busy, not only as a doctor, but also asthe link between the men Mandali and the women Mandali, busyin so many ways as only Baba can make you. You can’t at the endof it all say what you’ve been doing or what you’ve done, but Hecan keep you very busy. So Goher had no time to brush up on hermedical knowledge, or keep up to date with all the new medicinesand techniques and advances going on elsewhere.

And yet Baba would tell her, “Now Goher, what are you goingto do? I have this,” or “I’m feeling like that.” And she’d find thatno matter what she did medically, it didn’t always work. So she wasvery anxious, wondering, “Am I doing the right thing? After all,it’s Baba’s person I’m treating. Am I doing everything that shouldbe done?” or “What I’m prescribing for His diet, is this really allright?” and so on. So she wanted confirmation that she was givingBaba the correct treatment.

During that time, we used to go stay at Guruprasad in Poonawith Baba for the three months ofthe summer. Guruprasad was thepalatial house of the Maharani of Baroda who placed it at Baba’sdisposal to stay in as long as He liked, whenever He liked.

So Goher determined that when we were in Poona, she wouldconsult a top doctor just to confirm her treatment and assure herthat what she was doing for Baba was right (which as a matter offact he eventually did.) At Meherazad it was very very difficult forher, as we had no electricity and were nine miles from the nearesthospital. So in Poona she looked forward to having tests done, x-raystaken; whatever had to be done could be done easily there.

So when we were in Guruprasad, and Baba was again saying,“My health is bad and I don’t know how I’ll be able to do this orthat. . . ,“ Goher said, “Baba, I want to call this very good doctor, atop doctor, and...”

“Doctor?” said Baba, “What’s a doctor going to do for Myhealth? This is for My work! I don’t want a doctor! I want YOUto treat Me.”

“Yes, yes, Baba, that’s all very well, but I don’t know ifwhat I’mdoing is right, and it doesn’t seem to work, because I’ve tried so

Lj/i is a Pair O’Ducks,painting byWodin

i6

manythings. I feel so helpless. I’m not up on the latest things. I wantsomeone to consult. For my sake, Baba, so that I feel reassured.”

This discussion went on, and finally Baba said, “All right. Calla doctor.”

So Goher called Dr. Grant. Dr. Grant was and still is a veryfamous doctor in Poona. He’s a Parsi, a Zoroastrian.

Now to call a doctor, Goher had to use the phone. We who livedwith her had found out that Goher who is such a soft-spoken gentleperson, has three voices. One is the ordinary voice you hear everyday; one is the voice she uses when she gets mad about something,fast and angry, and then there’s her voice for other doctors, very sweetand polite, “Yes, Doctor, no, Doctor, ofcourse, Doctor. . .“

We had a phone in Guruprasad in what is known as the Rani’sroom. The Rani’s room was like a bridge between the men’s sideand the women’s side of the place. It was not used or occupied byanybody, but was sort ofa neutral room. The phone was there. Butwhen Naja, for instance, had to go over to the men’s side for kitchenwork, or when I had to go over to ask Eruch for some address or atelegraph form, we’d have to cross through the Rani’s room. So therewere two doors to open and close on the way through.

Now Goher goes to the Rani’s room to call Dr. Grant for anappointment for Baba. I come in and hear her on the phone, usingher doctor’s voice, “Yes, Doctor, of course, Doctor, whatever youlike, Doctor, I agree, Doctor. . .“ But as I come in, somehow thedoor slips from my hand and makes a slight bang, and without evencovering the phone with her hand, here comes Goher’s other voice,“Whydoyouallmakesomuchnoisecan’tyouseethisisaveryimportantmatteritisforBaba’shealthandwhatdoyoupeopleunderstand. . . “ So Itiptoe to the other side ofthe room. Without a break she turns backto the phone and continues in her saccharine doctor voice, “Whyofcourse, Doctor, I wouldn’t mind at all. Yes, yes.”

In the meantime, Naja comes from the other side, galumphingalong because she has something very important to do in the kitchen,“taMUCK taMUCK taMUCK taMUCK,” right across the room,and the door rattles. Goher says into the phone, “Yes, Doctor, thankyou, Doctor,” and to Naja:

“Can’tyoupeoplekeepquietevenforafewminutesbecausel’mmakingtheseveryimportantphonecalls???” “Of course, Doctor, I entirelyagree with you. Thank you, Doctor.” We just couldn’t believe it!

Now that the appointment is made, the next step for Goheris to dress up right, which means in a sari. At home she’d justwear a dress, but doctor-to-doctor, there’s a certain etiquette to beobserved, au these things only another doctor would understand.So she barely had time, but she went and dressed very nicely.Baba is also all ready as a patient to receive the doctor. Baba’sstanding at the end of the hail, and Goher’s standing by Him. Justbefore the car comes, Baba turns to Goher and says, “You know,Goher, My health is so bad!” “Yes, Baba, he’s coming, the doctor’scoming.”

The doctor’s car drives in under the portico outside, which isa distance away. Eruch receives the doctor and conducts him toBaba. Dr. Grant had met Baba before, and as he approaches Baba,he notices that Baba is looking so radiant! So blooming in health,just shining! He comes forward, Baba looks up at him and says,“I’m so happy to see you. Sit down.” So Baba makes the doctorcomfortable.

After they both sit, Baba asks, “How’s your health?”“Well, Baba, it’s fine, it’s all right.”“You don’t look so well,” says Baba. “So thin! Do you sleep

well?”

“No, Baba, that’s the trouble. It’s the night watches, I’m alwayscalled at night, and I have so many cases....”

“Is that so? Do you eat well?”“Well Baba, sometimes I just have to snatch a bite here and

there, but then...”“But what do you eat in the morning?” Baba asks.So now the tables are turned. Baba is the doctor, and the doctor

is the patient, with Baba asking all the questions and the doctoranswering. Yes, he ate this, but he couldn’t eat that... So Babasays, “No, no, you listen to Me,” and Baba gives him adiet and timing for sleep and rest and all those kinds of things.

He says, “Yes, Baba,” to everything, and Baba says, “Now, mindyou, you do this!” “Yes, Baba.”

Now poor Goher is shifting her weight from one foot to theother, waiting for the chance to get a word in edgewise because shewants to ask him about Baba. As soon as all Baba’s prescribing isover, Baba gives the doctor a beautiful discourse. Eruch said it wasso good, he wishes he remembered every word of it. The doctorhears it through, and while giving the discourse, Baba also tellshim, “I’m going to break My silence in nine months.”

“Yes, Baba.” This doesn’t mean much to Dr. Grant, I guess, buthe listens with respect. He is not a Baba-lover, but he has greatrespect for Baba.

So when all that is done, Baba dismisses him, saying, “All right,I am very happy you came, now you can go.”

Poor Goher can’t believe it! The doctor and Eruch walk away,and Goher turns to follow to see ifshe can catch him at least on theway out, when Baba says, “Wait, wait! Goher! Go, go! Catch himand tell him I’m going to break My silence in nine months.” -

“Yes, Baba, You already told him, You said. . .“ but then she rushesto catch Dr. Grant in the middle of the room, and says, “Doctor,Baba’s going to break His silence in nine months.”

“Yes, I know.”“But, Doctor Grant, I wanted to ask you...”Dr. Grant turns his head, looks at Baba, and then turns to Dr.

Goher and says, “You know, doctor, there’s absolutely nothingwrong with the patient.”

“Yes, but Doctor, I...”CLAP! Baba is now calling Goher back to Him very urgently.

She knows that now Dr. Grant is escaping, he’s slipping away fromher, but Baba’s calling, and.... CLAP! CLAP! Baba’s insistent,frowning. “I called you and you’re coming immediately!”

So she goes to Baba. And Baba said, “Look, now that he’s leaving,run, go and catch him in time before the car starts, before he goesaway. Tell him I’m going to break My silence in nine months.”

“But Baba...!”In the meantime, the car starts. You can hear it. “Catch him

before he leaves!” says Baba, “Hurry up!”So poor Goher abandons all etiquette, clutches her petticoat

and pulls it up along with her sari, and gallops across the hail,shouting, “Stop, stop!” in her second, loud voice. Eruch, seeingthis, halts the car and says, “Doctor, just a minute. Dr. Irani wantsto say something.”

So Dr. Grant stops and puts his head out of the window,waiting for Dr. Goher Irani who is looking very unceremonial nowwith the sari clutched way up her legs, running down the marblestairs, galumph! galumph! galumph! galumph! up to the car. Theconsultant says, “Yes, Doctor?” and Goher says, panting, “Doctor,Baba’s going to break His silence in nine months!”

Dr. Grant can’t believe it. He looks and very solemnly says,

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“Yes, I know. You told me that.” And then he puts his hand on hershoulder, gives a gentle tap, and says, “Take it easy, Doctor, take iteasy.”

The car drives off. And now Goher’s coming back up thosesteps, a bent figure, slowly walking right across the hail towardsBaba. And she sees Baba bowed over in His chair hunched,looking absolutely unwell, and then Baba looks up at Goher andsays, “Goher, you know, My health is so bad and I’m feeling soweak. What are you going to do about it?”

And Goher replies, “As soon as I change my sari, Baba, I’ll lookin the medical book.” That’s when Baba becomes the patient!

L

ii

Photos counterclockwise beginning above:Arnavaz, Wendell Brustman and Goher in

Mandali Hall, MeherazadThe Goodrums, Pam, Billy. and Annabell with

Goher on theporch at MeherazadThe Mandali with Dhun.

I’ I

Cwkwa$... .t m:.7I/kirtin and Wendy 7<ura Canada

endy and I were fortunate to be with Dr. Goher during herreturn to her Beloved Lord, Meher Baba. These are some

of our experiences.Unlike Wendy, I had never felt a really strong emotional response

to any ofthe Mandali in the past, except for Goher. When Shelleyfirst told me Goher was experiencing congestive heart failure, sixor seven years ago, it caused me to be internally shaken and to cryfor some time before I could approach and greet Goher. This upsetpassed but again returned briefly on our next visit some monthslater.

When Wendy and I received news of Dr. Goher’s weakeningstate on Thursday June 10th I felt the same devastating sadness.Dr. Goher had always been a loving friend to both of us and thethought ofher leaving produced an overwhelming desire to be nearher, even ifwe came too late to see her alive. We phoned Shelleyat about 5:00 a.m. to ask about coming. Shelley made no promisesabout being able to see Goher and told us to do what we felt weshould. So Wendy got into action and by early afternoon the nextday she had the tickets and visas.

We arrived in Meherabad on the 20th and Shelley told us tocome out the next day. We arrived with Dolly and Indira Hanspal.Jal and Dolly had returned home early, also on the 20th, for Goher.Wendy and I were able to see Goher for the first time at 1:00 p.m.

Dr. Goher lay in Mehera and Mani’s bedroom, in Mani’s bedwith her head at the foot of the bed. The room was lit mainly bywindow light and an air conditioner beyond Goher’s feet cooledthe room. She was quietly lying on her left side with her left handby her face. Shelley instructed us to do some gentle massage tothe muscles of Goher’s legs, arms and back. So we would workon those areas physically and later Wendy did some cranial-sacralwork.

There was a presence in the room that was strong and beautiful.Over the past few days our dear Goher’s breathing had becomelaboured and occasionally she would cry out in discomfort. Overthe time we saw her, Goher’s body slowly grew weaker but we bothhad a sense that her spirit’s energy was becoming stronger. In fact,up to the 30th, this process seemed to become more obvious eachday. It was a beautiful privilege to be present during this transition.This sense of unseen things happening was there a lot and it

impressed both of us with just how active Baba is, all the time.Though Goher’s body was dying the rest of Goher really seemedto be doing something else with her Baba.

It was this presence that we were allowed to be in, and inresponse to this experience, I was never so earnestly focused onbeing sensitive to what our Lord wanted. How to touch, what typeof motion to move my hands in, begging Baba to show us whatto do for one of His most beloved. Gradually we felt a sense oftuning into Baba while working with our friend and feeling Baba’spresence about Goher, or as it came through her physical presenceto us. Then while in that state, just feeling how to move our handswith a loving intent and saying Baba’s name over and over whilefocusing on dear Goher’s beautiful resting face.

That we were allowed to be present with her at this time wasBaba’s gift to us. When we think about this we feel overwhelmedwith emotion, it is so humbling. The kindness of our Meherazadfamily allowed all ofus to be graced with this inclusion.

Shelley would be in and out ofthe room and would occasionallyfind a short nap in an armchair, her endurance through the lastfew months was a lesson in Baba’s love for others. The strength ofthe Mandali was never diminished during this time ofloss. Baba’spresence was always with them in their thoughts, words and deeds.All this and the residents who cared for Goher gave us glimpsesinto the fullness of living close to our Lord and the type of love,strength and endurance that is needed and developed over manyyears of living in God’s presence and service. We truly love andadmire all these people for doing what they have done and formaintaining Baba’s holy places for us all.

About 23 minutes later, we were sitting in the greeting areawhen Dana rushed through looking for Dr. Bob, we followedand arrived at the doorway to the bedroom just as Goher finishedher last breath and the gentle singing ceased, followed by “AvatarMeher Baba ki Jai”, as the lover and Beloved were joined. Shortlyafter Katie came out to the porch, she was quiet in reflection, shehad just lost her sister and best friend. She asked what she woulddo without her sister, then she smiled and said, “That Goher!—ifshe was not getting her lunch today, no one would!” We all laughed(the household had just sat down for lunch when Goher began tobreathe her last). Another light rain fell for a few minutes shortlyafter this. At some time in the afternoon a siren in Pimpalgaonsounded three times signifying the death of a significant person.During the final Arti at the cremation a train passed by blowing itshorn, singing its song for Goher’s body’s departure.

At 4:00 p.m. Friday Wendy and I went to help with the fi1alcollecting of the ashes. Jal and Irene and the Meherabad workmenhad already started and by 4:40 it was finished and the urn closed.When we said our last goodbye to Katie she let us know thatshe was alright and Baba’s strength that was in her words wasunmistakable.

‘2kIpk$$Iw$s üi kiw34211s çSI*1&.ñ,W)r

Dr. ..,AnneJ7J/Ioreignc, J4lelterazad

Many have mentioned the softness of her hands. And shecertainly had soft hands. But I feel I want to talk about her

strength. When her body was lying in state on the stretcher atBaba’s feet in Mandali Hall, on the evening of 30th June, whatstruck me was how tall and strong she looked. Gone was the fraillittle old lady of these last years. Now that the assignment wascompleted, in the relaxed and serene beauty of death, her innerstrength shone through.

She had to be strong to have become a doctor at a time whenmedicine was not a career for women. She had to stand up againsther parents to go to medical school. She had to be strong to livein the ashram, to be with Baba in the New Life. But can anyoneever really measure what it takes to be the Avatar’s physician, tobe in the first row to witness His physical suffering, and have theimpossible duty to ease His pain? Goher has said her life was“helplessness in the face of His suffering”. It takes strength to livewith the constant reminder of one’s helplessness. It takes strengthto live in the suffering ofthe one you love most. Goher rarely spokeofthis, but she told me once how much it hurt her to give Baba aninjection.

‘9

How could she keep going? I oncejoked with her that her malecolleagues did not last the distance the way she had: Dr Nilu diedin Baba’s second car accident, and Dr Donkin passed away a fewmonths after Baba. Goher lived on, to continue to be the doctor forMehera and Mani and all the Mandali; also for the pilgrims andfor the villagers that she treated at the Meher Free Dispensaryc

I came thinking I was going to help her. I thought she wouldteach me how to perform fantastic cures. I was disappointed.Instead of miracles, every day was a puzzling lesson in slowlyrealizing the extent of her service, the depth of her care, and myown foolishness. She could be seeing patients in the dispensary,but she would slip away several times during the morning to gocheck on Mehera, whose well being was her constant concern, butnot her only one. She tended to all, sending medicines for variousold time Baba lovers in ‘Nagar or in Hamirpur. “Why do you notjust send a prescription?”, I would ask her. “It means a lot to themto receive medicines from here” was the answer as she took thetime to make the parcels. She would also give medicines for theinjured bullock of a servant. “We are here to treat human patients,there are vets for the animals!” I would say, thinking it was my jobto teach her to set limits to her ministrations! She would reply:“Do you know what a bullock means to a farmer?”

It took me a long time to understand that this doctor did notsee her position as one ofpower and selfimportance, but as one ofservice.Total service. Selfless service. No questions, no complaining.The first time a tiny premature baby died a few minutes after beingbrought to the dispensary, she sternly told me: “If you cry, I willsend you back to France!” She was not the crying type. She wassoft, but boy, she was also tough. She had endured seeing Babasuffer. She had survived losing Baba’s physical presence, and thenMehera’s and finally Mani’s.

She herself bore much physical pain in her old age. Once shetold me “Every step is torture”. I found it almost unbearable towitness the extent of her physical pain. She sensed this, so shewould be careftil not to wince when I was the one helping herto get up or walk. Once when I was new here, a few of us in thedispensary were watching her do a special strapping to realign thefoot of a baby born with a deformity Someone asked: “Did youever ask Baba why someone is born with a deformity like this?” Myears perked up, ready for some spiritual teaching. Goher’s answerwas terse: “We were not with Him to ask questions!”

She was not the questioning kind. She was not the talking kindeither. What she had to tell, not many were ready to hear. It wasabout suffering, enduring, always for Him. About putting others

first. I remember, last November, being near her and ready to helpher to lie down after the pilgrims had left the verandah. She wasexhausted. To my surprise, she pointed to Arnavaz, teffing me toescort Arnavaz to her room first.

Oh Goher sweet Goher, how lucky we are to have met you.Through you we could glimpse what surrender meant, what truehumility meant, what loving Baba meant.

Thank you for staying behind so long with us.

Q&7t$ fr€rni Ehirujs 1i1k49n’ai ii9oIiWs 2nknn&ia

J3Iinii 2<nlchuri, Jlllclierabad, &pternber 14, 2004

I is really very difficult for me to express Goher’s service inwords. Nobody can think about what real service is. Real service

is done not to show to others, but quietly. It is in the relationshipbetween the Beloved and us. Whatever we do for Him, if we donot forget ourselves, that is not service. And Goher was quietlydoing everything. No one has any idea how she would keep awakeat night to serve Baba. For example, when I was doing nightwatch, Goher would be in the other room where her bed is—veryclose to Baba’s Room. Mehera and Mani would be sleeping intheir room—also very close to Baba’s room. And according toBaba’s instructions, I could only tap lightly on the inside of thedoor to get Goher’s attention—I could not make any noise. Andstill Goher immediately would get up as if she were waiting forHis call and come into His room.

And during the daytime don’t think that she would sleep. Shewould not sleep at all. So many little things she had to take care offor Baba and Mehera. How I can describe it? She was serving withall love and pleasure. What is this service she gave? It is impossibleto describe. Always I remember service means to love Him and toforget ourselves, and that service she gave during all these years,from beginning to end. And towards the end in ‘68, no one has anyidea how many times Baba would call Goher in the night. I wouldtap just this much and she would come as if she were all the timekeeping awake. And how Baba felt touched by her service.

On 3lstJanuary 1969, three hours before He dropped His physical body, Baba called the Mandali and Mani, and told them, “Noone should blame Goher.” Because Goher knew how serious Babawas, every day when she would come to Baba, she would requestthat Baba please go to Poona, or that He let her call some doctor.But Baba would say, “Whatever you can do here, do it. Don’t tellMe about any doctor. Don’t take the name of any doctor and don’ttake Me to any place. No one should be called. I will allow onlywhatever you can do.” That day, I felt touched by how much Hemust have felt touched with her service when Baba said, “No oneshould think that she (Goher) did not care for Me. I asked her notto mention the name of any doctor. She wanted it, but I stoppedher. I said to her don’t take the name of any doctor, just whateveryou can do, I will allow.” Then after three hours Baba dropped Hisphysical body. I will never forget how touched I was. Baba’s wordsfor Goher in His last moments I will never forget. How touching herservice was for Baba. Such a service cannot be described in words.One can only realize it by experience. It is an example for us all.Service means to love Him and to forget yourself. That is service,and Goher did it. We should bow down to this service.

AVATAR MEHER BABA KI JAI!

20

9h$ 3nkimQI &jfrn*ki T4kk

Shelly }/1arrich, 7frkherazad,September 17th

Goher’s interment ceremony began for those at Meherazad justbefore evening Arti on September 12th when Meheru carried

her urn, which had been sitting on a stool next to Mehera’s bed,into Baba’s Room to spend the last night at Meherazad near herBeloved. As we said the “Repentance Prayer” and sang the GujeratiArti, we were flooded with memories ofGoher—especially ofhowshe had served Him day and night, without sleep, without a carefor herself in that very room.

After prayers on the morning of the 13th, Meheru carriedGoher’s urn from Baba’s room to Mandali Hall where she was metby Falu, who received the urn and placed it next to Baba’s chair, andby many members ofthe household and Meherabad residents. Aseach one took Baba’s darshan and paid their love and respects toGoher’s urn, there was a profound silence and sense ofsolemnity. Itbecame clear that this was more than saying goodbye to an extraordinary disciple of God and a dearly loved friend. We had set ourfeet upon the path of frilifiling Baba’s Wish and Will—of placingGoher’s ashes in the hallowed ground near His own Samadhi asspecified by Him.

Goher’s urn remained next to Baba’s chair in Mandali Hall untilalmost 4 p.m. when the entire Meherazad household, servantsand many Meherabad residents gathered near her to say goodbye.Meheru placed a beautiful rose garland around Goher’s urn as werepeated Baba’s “Jai,” and the prayers were said. Once again, inprofound silence, each one approached Baba’s chair for darshanand then turned to Goher’s urn for a final and sometimes tearfulfarewell.

The urn was carried out of Mandali Hall and into Mehera’sgarden with Mandali, family and friends following close behind.She was taken to Meherabad by car on her lastjourney through theMeherazad gates, in the company ofher care-givers and old friends,while those ofus left behind wistfully watched the car travel downthe Meherazad approach road until it disappeared from our sight.

Once at Meherabad, the urn was received by Ted Judson, whosealed the lid. It was then was placed by Dolly Dastur in the Samadhiat Baba’s right-hand side on the upper flagstone platform so thatthe pilgrims could offer their respects to Goher after taking Baba’sdarshan. Goher’s urn remained in the Samadhi overnight.

On the morning ofthe 14th at about 10 am, the IViandali arrivedup the Hill at Meherabad to find large crowds gathered aroundthe interment site. As the women entered the Samadhi, they werehappily reunited with Goher’s urn that was sitting on the flagstoneplatform at Baba’s right, surrounded by roses that had been of-fered in love to her. The women garlanded Baba’s marble, said theMaster’s Prayer, sang the Arti and had His darshan. The day wasdistinguished not only by Goher’s interment but also because, due tovarious health problems, this was the first time in years so many ofthe women Mandali were able to gather in Baba’s Samadhi together.Their love and respect for Goher had made this possible.

As the women were garlanding Mehera’s and Mani’s Shrines,the men Mandali entered the Samadhi for darshan and to pay theirrespects to dear Goher. Falu carried the urn from the Tomb to the

on the morningof September13th, Goherc

urn was carriedto Mandali Hall

remainedon Baba right

until 4pm whenit war taken by

car to Mehercthad

Meheru shares herloving thonghtsabout her dear

friend am! long-time companion

in BelovedBabacathram.

21

interment site where he stood holding it for everyone to see untilall the men and women were seated and ready to begin. A smallenclosure around all the grave sites (enclosing Mani’s, Goher’s,Khorshed’s and Mansari’s graves) had earlier been erected by TedJudson to protect the area as he prepared the ground to receiveGoher’s urn, and this enclosure remained during the ceremony. Thewomen Mandali were seated on the flagstone around the foot-endofMani’s Shrine, the men sat facing them on the opposite side ofthe Shrine and just a few feet from where they sat, on Mani’s leftas Baba had instructed, lay Goher’s open crypt.

Falu approached the site holding Goher’s urn high and Meherustood to read the beautiftil words she wrote in tribute of her dear,long-time companion with Meher Baba. Then with deep feeling,Bhauji shared his very touching thoughts about Goher’s life of service to Baba as he had personallywitnessed so many ofthose sleeplessnights she had spent in willing and relentless service to Him.

Meheru and Katie received Goher’s urn from Falu, and to cries of“Avatar Meher Baba ki Jai,” handed it to Ted who, kneeling down,placed the urn inside the open chamber. The “Beloved God” prayerwas recited and then one by one, first the women, followed by themen, offered sacred earth from Baba’s and Mehera’s resting places,and rose petals from Meherazad garden to Goher’s urn as everyonesang “Han Paramatma.” A small round garland of roses was thenplaced by the men upon Goher’s urn along with the crowd’s ownheartfelt offering of”Avatar Meher ki Jai!”

After the Mandali were seated, everyone quietly watched Tedseal the small marble lid that covered our darling Goher’s urnuntil Meheru spontaneously began singing Jamie Newell’s spirited“Sing a Song ofMeher Baba” and all thoughts turned from this sadmoment towards Baba and to the joy of Goher’s reunion with herBeloved. When Ted finished, Meheru placed a small rose garland onthe marble lid and asked Goher’s caregivers to offer the tiny whiteflowers she had picked from the tree outside Mehera’s and Mani’sroom at Meherazad. While this was going on, Ted sang “AmazingGrace”—a song that Goher had become quite enamoured ofduringthe last few months ofher life, and which she had requested him tosingwhen they metjust a fewweeks before she passed away. Duringher last months Goher had also expressed a wish to hear Viloo’sgreat-granddaughter, Tara, sing, but it was not possible since at thattime we could not find her CD and Tara was attending college inWales. As Baba would have it, Tara had made reservations monthsago at the Pilgrim Centre for the week of September 14th, longbefore there was any interment ceremony planned, so Baba enabledher to ftilfill dear Goher’s wish with a beautiflil rendition of“Beginthe Beguine” accompanied by Dana Ferry and Ted Judson.

Meheru then requested that all ofGoher’s caregivers join her ingarlanding the large marble stone with Goher’s name and dates onit that was sitting to the right of Goher’s crypt (this heavy marblewill later be placed over Goher’s crypt.) Once again with “AvatarMeher Baba ki Jai,” we offered our deep love and respect to thisremarkable soul who lived only to serve her Beloved Meher Baba.As the pilgrims lined up to have their moment with Goher at herinterment site, the Mandali set about departing for home. Everyonearrived at Meherazad in good health and good spirits—happy tofind that, although her urn was no longer with us in Mehera’s andMani’s room, Goher’s memory and presence among us had notdiminished, and most importantly—to know that Baba’s Wish andWill had been friffilled.

AVATAR MEHER BABA KI JAI!!!

Bbau Kaithuri,Meherwan

Jessawala andFalu MIstry

kneeling besideGoherc crypt as

theypiace the redrosegarland on

Gober urn.

: Rhan Kakhuriand Meherwan

JessawalapayingTheir respects afteroffering the rose

garland to Gohercurn.

Katie Irani andRoda Misery are

seated bthind

22

:LnssingsAnnie Wc1d J3el1, an 1tpbectt .Adventurer

9loucester,J7I4assachusetts—Rovember 30, 1948 - October 19, 2004

nnieWeld Bell met life with the

same undaunted spirit with whichshe approached Gloucester’s annualThanksgiving Day Turkey Swim inthe icywaters ofthe Annisquam River.“Annie ran and dove in, even thoughshe was one-third my body weight,”fellow swimmer Fred Purdy said. Inearlier years, she showed her mettle asa crew member on her father’s sailboatduring a voyage across the Atlantic andin briefstints as a Boston cabdriver andDurgin Parkwaitress, so that she could“experience a whole lot ofthings,” saidher sister, Eloise W. Hodges of Essex.The summer she was 18, she traveledthrough Ireland with a school friend,using a donkey and cart to explorethe green country roads of the DinglePeninsula. After college graduation shehitchhiked across the country and intoMexico. Her most rewarding experience, Hodges said, was as the motheroffive children.

She met her last challenge, a diagnosis of breast cancer, with the sameupbeat spirit. On October 21st, at theage of 55, she died at her Gloucesterhome after battling the disease morethan six years. Her illness did . •...

not slow her until near theend, friends said. She tookthe Turkey Day plunge lastyear. She went kayaking andcycling. She kept involvedwith the lives of her children,who range in age from 1 1 to23, and went on buying tripsabroad with her husband, MacStewart Bell, for the Glass SailBoat, a cafe and clothing andjewelry shop in Gloucesterthey owned and operated for30 years. Mrs. Bell continuedwith her volunteer work at theHouse of Peace in Ipswich,where she taught handicraftsto refugees from war-torncountries and adults with dis

abilities, and at Wellspring House in

I Gloucester, working with women andchildren in crisis.

She admired the visionary leader-ii ship of the Fishermens’ Wives. In; August, she held a festive lunch on her. lawn overlooking the harbor for a gath

ering ofthe Fishermens’Wives and themayor ofTamano,Japan to commemorate the bonding of Gloucester andTamano as sister cities. Family friendGregor Gibson says, “She was a lovelyhuman being. When you were with heryou felt your own life enhanced by thatloveliness and grace.”

“Even in these last few days, Anniemade everything fin for all ofus,” saidanother sister, Katharine W. Hardingof Neskowin, Ore. “She saw good inevery person. She extended herself tofind out what was going on in people’slives before talking about herself. If she

[: met someone in the last few weeks,they immediatelybecame important to

: her. Annie wanted to be a part of theirlives.” Mrs. Bell, a lifelong resident of

I Gloucester, was born in Boston, one of

F five children ofPhilip Saltonstall WeldSr. and Anne (Warren). Her father was

S the former publisher of Essex/ County Newspapers and a

—record-setting trans-Atlantic: solo sailor. Her mother wasan early environmentalist andsupporter ofcontemporary art.She attended Shore Country Day School in Beverlyand graduated from ConcordAcademy in 1966.

Mrs. Bell showed her spunk

I •

at an early age, Hodges said.In 1968, when a well-knowngangster was kept in protective

. custody on the same Gloucester street where the Weldslived, she attached a Christmasgreeting for him on the fencesurrounding his hideaway.

Authorities did not think it was

3roin 9loria24egri of the EI3oston 9lobe and 2<ntharine 2larding

- LiThe Beilfarnily—Pip, Winnie, Mac, Sarn,Joe and Sylvie

23

funny. “Police showed up at our house withmachine guns and dogs,” Hodges said.

Like her siblings, Annie Weld learnedto sail at an early age and accompanied herparents on sailing trips offGuatemala and inthe Caribbean. On her father’s 18-day tripacross the Atlantic in his trimaran to starta race in England, she stood night watchesalong with other young people aboard. “An-nie was an adventurer,” Hodges said. On herreturn from a semester studying in Italy, Mrs.Bell enrolled at Brandeis University workingfor one day as a Boston taxi driver and fora longer time as a waitress at Durgin Park.After graduating from Brandeis in 1971,Mrs. Bell hitchhiked across country andinto Mexico. Later she earned a graduatedegree from Georgia State University andalso worked as an assistant teacher at a ruralschool in Wampee, S.C.

She married Mac Stewart Bell in 1979. Atall and slender woman, Mrs. Bell had graceand equanimity that came, in part, from alife “that exemplified the teachings of Me-her Baba, a spiritual master,” Hodges said.“Annie celebrated her faith with frequentjourneys to the Meher Spiritual Centerin Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as wellas pilgrimages to his home in Meherazad,Ahmednagar, India. The following was oneofher favorite quotations ofMeher Baba:

“True love is unconquerable and irresist—ible. Ilgoes on gatheringpower and spreadingitse(f until eventually it tran.’forms everyoneit touches.”

Mrs. Bell had “some sort of gift withpeople,” said a longtime friend, GregorGibson of Gloucester. “Her genuine anddeep care for people seemed to come fromsomewhere beyond our mundane existence.”Mrs. Bell also cared deeply for animals andkept a menagerie of dogs, chickens, song-birds, and one cat. She was devoted to herGloucester community Hodges said. “Shereveled in its celebrations, St. Peter’s Fiestaand the Sidewalk Bazaar.”

While Mrs. Bell excelled at many things,friends said, “it was her mothering thatinspired all of us,” said her friend AnnieThomas of Gloucester. “She had infinitepatience and a tremendous capacity for fun.When she went skating with her kids, shewas the first one on the ice and the last oneoff. Her children returned her devotion,surrounding her with loving care in the daysleading up to her death. ‘Annie loved booksand read to her children every night. Shewas whimsical and the most compassionateand nonjudgmental person I ever met. “Shedid have an ethereal quality about her, but

she also had an earthiness and a sense of theabsurdity oflife.” In addition to her husband,Mac, Annie is survived by her five incredible children, Pip, 23, Winnie, 22, Sam, 19,Sylvie, 17, and Joe, 11; her three sisters,Eloise W. Hodges of Essex, Katharine W.Harding of Neskowin, OR, and Helen W.Weld ofYungaburra, Queensland, Australia,her mother and father-in-law, Richard andWinnie Bell of Gloucester and Sanibel,Florida, her sisters- and brothers-in-law and16 nieces and nephews. Her beloved menagerie of dogs, a cat, chickens, and songbirdswill never forget her. She is predeceased byher brother Philip S.WeldJr. and her parentsAnne Warren Weld and Philip S. Weld. An-nie died on the twelfth anniversary of hermother’s death.

TheJ’1/kmorial &ruice.2<atharine 2larding, Oregon

(/1nnie’s sister)

Qn October 30th over 1,000 friendsgathered under a huge tent on a stormy

Gloucester day to celebrate Annie’s beautifullife. The outpouring of love from a variedcircle of friends demonstrated that Annieand her family have generously openedtheir hearts, and welcomed into their home,friends from all walks of life and from allover the world. Annie saw the sweetness ineveryone and always wanted to know aboutothers’ family events and stories. Manypeople did not know the gravity of her ill-ness because Annie artfblly steered the focusaway from her health by asking after others’well-being.

Annie’s husband Mac of 25 years andtheir five children deftly planned a perfectcelebration which included moments ofsilence, with Jane Brown setting the tonesinging the Gujerati Arti, and Buz Con-nor leading us all in Begin The Day whichAnnie’s children and Will David sang oftenwith Annie. Cathy Riley and a teacher fromtheWaldorfSchoolled us all in a round, TheRiver Is Flowing.

In addition to the lovely singing, friendsand family shared different facets ofAnnie’slife. Everyone learned that Annie and herchildhood friends willingly got themselvesinto naughty escapades; that Annie neverwore a watch, yet she passed away exactly 12years to the hour that her mother had diedin the same beautiful room; that she lovedanimals and the St. Francis Prayer. Everyonegathered knew how devoted Annie was totheir five children, Pip,Winnie, Sam, SylvieandJoe. Their gracious poise throughout theday, first greeting guests then surroundingMac on the stage as he spoke about Annie’sbeauty, was deeply touching. In her last daysMac and all five cared for Annie, tending toevery detail. As Mac said, it was a “perfecthome death.” Winnie ended the ceremonyby repeating the toast her mother had madeat Winnie’s 22nd birthdayjust 3 days beforeshe died. “I love you all, none ofthis wouldhave been possible without you. I see us allin a stream. Now we are in the shadows butwe are coming to the sunlight, there is alwaysthe sunlight.”

Avatar Meher Baba ki Jai!After the ceremony, guests shared in the

huge community potluck, they heard moresinging and stories about Annie, and theydanced until late in the night. It was just asfestive as Annie would have liked becauseshe loved parties!

Annie’s interests and community workwere characteristically unknown to many.She exemplified Baba’s wish for us all to bea part of our communities and to reach outto everyone with love. She went to BelovedBaba holding fast to His damaan and remembering Him until the very end.

24

Dmportant r2honeRumbers Changed!

I the April issue we gave you the numbersfor using Pathan’s car pick up service that

can whisk you from the Mumbai airport tothe Samadhi in only six hours! Astounding!To dial from the US his home number is 01191 241 242 1577 and his cell phone is 01191 98232 47022. He can also be reached byemail at: pathon13@yahoo.com.

7he EBaba Center in Dsrael2/as a2\1ew M’ebsite

Check it out and Bookmark to yourfavorites.

http://meherbabaisrael.org.iL/index.html

nlJiscourses 2slow in Chinese

The Chinese translation ofMeher Baba’sDiscourses is now in print and will soon

be available in the Love Street Bookstore.Also there is a new Meher Baba website inChinese:

http://www.meherbabachinese.com/

2’Iew cJlddress for Bhauc%lwakenings’ and JlVlessages

5 many people have recently had troubleeceiving Bhau’s messages and Awak

enings’, David Harkins (the webmaster atjaibaba.com) thought it best to send themfrom a new mailing address:

newshivalist@jaibaba.com.All future mailings will be from it.Please do NOT put this address in your

address books.Otherwise, subscription information re

mains the same. Feel free to inform anyonewho might like to receive these mailings.

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change youremail address for Bhau’s messages and Awakenings, please email: bhaulist@yahoo.com,with Subscribe, Unsubscribe or Change inthe Subject line. No need to put anything inthe body ofthe email for Subscribe orUnsubscribe. For Change, simplylist Old: and New:email addresses in the body ofthe email.

If you have not been receiving the messages and Awakenings, and would like theback issues from 29th May, 2004, pleaseemail: bhaulist@yahoo.com with “Please sendback issues” in the subject line.

çJhmmmcements

en Laune first set

up her easel andstarted paintingin the Gardenof Paradise (byHafiz’ tomb inShiraz, Iran), theauthorities triedto chase her away.She must havesweet talked themin some way because they let her stay andthen were so happy with her depictions oftheir beloved Hafiz’ tomb and surroundinggardens that they welcomed her back eachday to continue painting.

She has been in the States for the past fewmonths looking for the perfect art printerto reproduce her paintings. She found onein New York, he is expensive, but his workis incredible! Each reproduction looks andfeels like the original!

Then in late October she returned to Teheran with new prints ofher paintings. Thecurator ofthe Shah’s Palace was so delightedwith the Conference ofthe Birds print, even

JlPteher 3und

Meher Fund, a non-profit organizationbased in Atlanta and in existence

for many years, has traditionally used itstax-deductible donations for a variety ofBaba-related projects. The Board, meetingin November, has decided to entirely focusits efforts toward supporting the Meher FreeDispensary at Meherazad. The MFD wasfounded in a small room by Dr. Goher soonafter Meher Baba’s passing. Her originalhelpers were Mani and Eruch. Later, in the1970’s, the Dispensary moved to the free-standing clinic in the Meherazad compound.A new, larger building is presently beingconstructed. The Dispensary’s purpose is toserve, free ofcharge, the medical needs ofthesurrounding communities. The Dispensarysurvives through the generosity of Babalovers who feel a connection to Dr. Goherand to this work. Donations may be made toMeher Fund and sent do Perry Flinn, 420Dalrymple Road, Atlanta, GA 30328.

though he never4 ? displays prints,

_fr , . he said he would

,.

; give her an exhibit whenevershe chose and atany time in thefuture. He toldher he was veryhappy that shehad painted the

Birds to send toMahmoud Farshchian (the most famousPersian Miniature painter in the world) tell-ing her that he was related to him.

Laurie emailed to me, “He told me even ifsomeone paid him $15,000 he wouldn’t givethem a show in the Palace, like he is doingfor me. It’s like a dream! Thank you Baba!I will also be showing in the other largetgallery in Teheran—Niavaran CreationsFoundation.”

Our congratulations to Laurie, and Isure wish we had had a print ofthe birds todisplay in our color issue, it is an exquisitepiece of work, extremely colorful with thebackground being a strong aqua.

J4/leher i3aba9lobalJfrmusical Celebration

AII Baba-lovers worldwide are invited toparticipate in the Meher Baba Global

Musical Celebration that will take placefrom February 10 to March 6. Musiciansthroughout the world will share musicinspired by and dedicated to the Beloved,in honor of His Birthday. This onlineCelebration will also feature discussions ofMeher Baba’s favorite music and his favoriteperformers. Registration is free, though it islimited to the first 1000 registrants. To par-ticipate in this Global Musical Celebrationyou will need an Internet connection and acurrent web browser. For more informationor to register, go to www.meherbabacelebrations.org.This Celebration is an opportunityto join others in our global Meher Babacommunity in a worldwide sharing of love,music and conversation. Come and experience this unique event.

t:anne i3lum Success Story!

Detailfrorn Coi/èrence ofthe Birds 14” by 65”

25

en my daughter Kendra wentto India alone, in 2001, for

Amartithi and Baba’s birthday, shecame back filled with excitement ather meeting with Khosrow one of thePrem Ashram ‘boys’ who had beenthere, on pilgrimage also, from Shiraz,in Iran. This had been the obvioushighlight of her pilgrimage on thatoccasion.

When we arrived in India forAmartithi 2003, we were greeted by thenews that the lunch that day (our firstat Meherabad) would be an Iranianfeast, in memory of a pilgrim whohad died on pilgrimage the previousyear. We enjoyed the delicious lunch,felt particularly welcomed and wereespecially excited to be there when thedaft drumming and music suddenlystarted up after lunch. (Our family isvery fond ofdancing and music).

I have a photo I took as Kendrastood up and walked toward thedrummers at the verandah’s edge, andkept this in my diary. The significanceof this would only become apparentlater! Our younger daughterjoined thedance too, and eventually we were allup and dancing for what was to be the first ofmanyjoyflil occasionsduring that visit to Meherabad.

Over the next days the girls and some ofthe Iranian contingentwould play carom and cards together, and by the time we movedto the Amartithi venue we were sitting at meals with ‘our group’ ofIranians often enough that Elischa’s birthday photos were of theBrisbane Baba lovers, my husband John’s cousin Chris Gray, and(as it later turned out) our soon—to-be ‘in-laws’.

Over Amartithi Kendra asked to stay up at the hill over the twoday period. I understood this to be regular practice for some, andas I was not to be doing so myselfl asked about the arrangements,and with whom she wished to go. The answer was that she wouldbe ‘with Zahra and the Iranians’ and I was at ease at once—we hadbeen enjoying Zahra’s company particularly, and I knew she wouldbe watchful ofmy daughter! As we waited in the Amartithi line, inthe early hours ofJanuary 31st, Elischa was saying how much funand love there was with the Iranians, and spontaneously said to herolder sister: “You should marry an Iranian!” Some days later Johnand I commented about the frequency with which we seemed tosee Kendra and Amir together.

About a week later Kendra came to me in our room just beforecurfew with a serious statement. She told me that she had recognizedthe man she would marry! This was mind blowing information, sowe went to tell John this news before having to retreat to ‘our’ side

for the night. Kendra and Amir hadgone to a translator that afternoon totease out some of the finer details ofthe feelings that they were beginningto recognize, and nowwere seeking theblessings of their respective families.If John and I didn’t object, then we

,

would meet the next day to discussthis with Amir s mother Zahra and

\ the rest ofthe family In Iran, this step, in the development ofa relationship is-

,% - recognized as ‘the engagement’.While we were planning

our trip to India I had experienceda number of ‘premonitions’ aboutKendra’s meeting someone, and had asense that it might be complicated bydistance, but this was still somewhatsudden, not to mention extreme. It wasa case of breathing deeply and takingBaba’s name—over and over! Withinthe next few days and the weeks thatfollowed, the idea that these two youngpeople were serious about each otherbegan to get responses and reactionsfrom others. My own feelings werealso complex, to say the least. Kendrawas born prematurely, and often sincethat time has dragged me into growing

up on the fast track!Over the next months the daily phone calls and email became

all-important, and later that year, in November, our whole familytraveled to Shiraz for a tearful and joyful reunion with our Iranianfamily and Baba group. The more time we spent with Amir overthe following weeks, the happier we became about Kendra’s plans tomarry this fine young man, and about surrendering to what seemedto be a divine destiny. (Both John and I had traveled in Iran in theseventies, and from the start we had a good sense about the poetryof such a connection.)

John and Kendra stayed tilllateJanuary2004 (and the adventureof their departure is another story) but at that time we knew notwhen or even IF Amir would be able to come to Australia. Focusingon the task, and trusting only in Baba’s will, Kendra worked on thevisa application, and many helped to support this. Amir surprisedus all when he arrived injune, in time for the Anniversary ofBaba’svisit to Avatar’s Abode! He took to life here like he had always beenaround, and before too long the wedding date was discussed, andmade early in the hope that Amir’s younger brother, Babak, mightbe able to come out before the start of the University year in Iran.In the end, only Zahra and Arzjang got confirmation oftheir visas,two weeks before.

The wedding took place at Avatar’s Abode, beginning with agathering at The Shed, and was a chance for many to reunite after

WeddingsIfonce LIpon A 7irne...

LA magical story bj 3eanette 3saacs-)3oung (mother of the bride),04’oombye, .1lustralia

26

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witness the wedding held at sunset at the top ofKeil Mountain.

Iohnc sonjamie, Zahra, Arnir KendrElischa.

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Now man and wft, Anzir and Kendra Naderi returufrom thetop to go into Babac room to give their thanks to the Be1oved6

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years apart. Since there were people coming to Avatar’s Abode forthe first time, there were some ‘welcome Aunties’ (older and wiserbridesmaids from the neighbouring families) who were able to meetand greet and explain about this beautiful place, which often movespeople immediately upon arrival, as with Baba places the world over.

The walk to the summit of Keil Mountain became a colourfulprocession, and we were met there by the young couple andbridal party, bearing flags fluttering in the gentle breeze. Theactual ceremony took place approaching sunset, with elements oftraditional Australian and Iranian weddings, and some words from“the landlord ofthis place” ( M.S. Irani) read byJohn, and Bhau’sstory ofrivers meeting (as in marriage) to become one till they joinat last the Ocean, told byjeanette.

The dress Kendra wore was ‘sculpted’ for her, by Katie Pye,from a sari, and looked exquisite, as a bride’s gown should! Amir’ssuit, brought from Iran, toned in perfectly, and his tie was found atthe Myer department store in Maroochydore (the resort town closeby the Abode) and sold to him by a Farsi-speaking Canadian, whohas a Ba’hai Iranian wife!

After the marriage the guests (some 230), followed the brideand groom back to Baba’s square, and while Kendra and Amir wentinto Baba’s room, music (cello, flute, and guitar) filled the balmyevening and guests mingled in the sweet atmosphere outside. Thebuffet meal in The Shed was followed by an opportunity for peopleto say a few words to wish the newly-married couple well, and SamSaunders sang a song commissioned by Kendra especially for thewedding. Later another procession headed offinto the night downMeher Road accompanied by ‘car-carried music,’ to the “I-Y’s” familyhome, where friends and family partied on, laughing and dancing tillthe wee small hours. A few local souls (and their bodies!) apparentlywatched the sunrise next morning before wending their ways homealong the road.

The gathering offriends and family extended over a few days,as it was a holiday weekend in parts ofAustralia, and over barbequesand dinners and leisurely breakfasts there were many questionsasked and answers offered about Baba, the Abode, and His message.Stories since have spread even further the special magic which wasthe blessing ofbeing able to have this wedding at such a treasuredplace. Many guests have shared how they took away something‘much more’ than they could have ever imagined from the evening.(And may they experience more, more, and still yet more of thatvery ‘special something’!)

on the J4larrictge of7<endrn and }lmir,from the 3ather

Øo!tn Dssacs-)3onng (father of the bride), Woombye

My traditional role as father of two daughters should see mepassing a critical eye over any potential husband, and being

traditional and conventional by nature, I have taken my role seriouslyin relation to Kendra.

So when, at the age of 18, she put it to me that she had metthe man she was meant to marry, I thought “This sounds likenonsense.” But when she said that it was Amir, I thought “That’snot nonsense.”

Then she asked me “What do you think?” and I replied honestlythat I had no objection. Now this ‘no objection’ was more likecautious approval, and ‘lets see what happens’. Endorsement camelater, under more trying circumstances.

Earlier this year we went to Iran and spent our time there with

Amir and his family. When it was time to leave, Kendra and I wereat Tehran airport with Amir who had talked his way through allthe security barriers so he could see us safely off and catch the lastpossible glimpse ofhis beloved Kendra.

As it turned out it was just as well he was with us, because atthe last barrier we were turned back. Our visas, apparently, hadexpired several hours ago and we were not allowed to leave thecountry without an extension. So it was 2 a.m. when we crawledback into another taxi and drove across Tehran to Amir’s uncle’shouse for the few remaining hours ofthe night. What followed wasfor us an astonishing day in the Islamic Republic of Iran—a tourofgovernment sites. We first visited the Australian embassy, then10 different buildings, in each building 10 different rooms, wherea piece of paper would be examined by one, stamped by another,then signed, then retyped, then stamped and signed again—thenoff to another building. Without Amir who never lost his sense ofhumour, I swear it would have taken us two weeks.

The Department ofJustice was a building of some 10 floorsand on each floor, there was something to be done with a piece ofpaper. The atmosphere was gothic. We passed incredible scenes onour way up the stairs—court officers conducting young men downin chains, while we ascended.

On the tenth floor, we finally reached thejudge whose signaturewas required. Amir took in the paper work while Kendra and Iwaited outside. The conversation went something like this: Judge:“Why are you helping these people?”

Amir: “She is my fiancé.”

Judge: “Is there any shortage ofgirls in Iran, that you need totake up with a foreigner?”

Amir: “It’s love. What can I do?”Judge: “What religion are they?“Christian,” says Amir, stretching it a little.Judge: “So what will you do about that?”Amir, stretching it a little further, replied: “We have talked

about this and after we are married she will become Muslim.”“Very good,” says the Judge, “call in the father.”And the judge with a twinkle in his eye and somewhat

confidingly asks me, “Do you trust this man? What are his intentionstowards your daughter?”

“Ah,” I said, “that is exactly what I have spent two months inIran observing, her intentions and his intentions, and yes, I am verysatisfied with this young man, he is an excellent person, honest,capable and a good match for my daughter.”

Happy with this answer the judge smiled, signed the paperand let us go.

No in a very different atmosphere, Down Under, on Avatar’sAbode, before family and friends, more questions have been putand answered and more papers have been signed. After all this,they have won our blessings for their marriage and are now free togo and be together. Although the world is uncertain and we live ininteresting times, I could speculate that their being together willbe long and that it will be a be a blessing for many others acrossnumerous lands.

LA Wedding 7oast to 2<endra and /lmir¶lauline O’J4laley

In the beginning there wasJohn andJeanette, and soon, as surely asday follows night, there was Kendra. Then followed another night

and another day, and then there was Elischa. But that is a different28

story; one we will take great pleasure in relating, in detail, anotherday. I was there at the beginning, so I aim to see the project through.Let me tell you about it.

Kendra was a silent, thoughtftul and bald child. She sat Buddalike at the wedding of her parents and raised not an eyebrow whenthey played ring-a-ring-a-rosie at that most memorable. . .well nowperhaps second most memorable, of the I-Y weddings! She didn’tsay much generally but what she did say was worth listening to, andif she said no it was pointless trying to get her to change her mind.She did life at her own pace and what a serene, measured, ent-likepace it was. ‘Rush’ and ‘Kendra’ were not two words that fitted snuglytogether. They still aren’t!

Kendra was the patient one who waited always for the smallerkids while others went on. She was the one who sat stoically besideme at the hospital for two hours when she broke her wrist whilstin my care. Kendra was the persistent one who ate eight Weetabixwith an extra dollop ofmilk to build herselfup while all around werehaving skinny milk and skinnylatte. Kendra was the dogged one whocontinued with her Maths even though she didn’t enjoy that ride.Kendra, who seems to think of everyone else first.

And then there is the artistic Kendra, the dancer, the musician,the dramatist—the young woman free to express her creative spirit.There we have Kendra, the kind hearted, individualistic, thoughtful,measured and imaginative young woman.

Enter the man with the dancing eyes—Amir. And when Kendrathe Determined told her mother she had met the man she wanted tospend her life with, she instantly had her mother’s attention! Historyhad taught us all she was not going to change her mind.

I only met Amir a week ago but already I have seen those joyouseyes twinkle with many a tale ofwicked expectation andjoie de vivre.I have also heard other tales ofhim, tales ofpatience, ofkindness, ofcreativity ofskills, ofmusical talent. And let’s face it, he has survivedfour months in the organized chaos ofwhat we like to call 1-Yville.This is a young man who clearly has a sense of humour and a heartwide open to the absurd. A young man in love!

My family and I have shared many memorable meals with theI-Y family, that have always started with the chant: Blessings on thesalad. Tonight I say, bugger the salad! Blessings on Kendra and Amir.Muchjoy to you both!

2<endra and4.J1mir’s weddinj

Eesterdciy 3 sat in wonder on a hilltop fanned by a breeze fromthe sea, while children and lovers played like peacocks in the

gardens and shadows.

od held this hilltop, as though his two hands held a mound ofsand. Vith the wash of a wave, all sorrows were carried out to

the sea in an old moon-boat to float away into darkness.

19od laughed with joy with his children, brightly coloured, carryingflags and yoghurt and honey. They slithered on the shifting sand

grains, they sang and cried, they danced and held hands.

__/4 radiant prince and princess directed the rays of2lis laughter— here to a beloved sister, there to an uncle, here to a friend, over

there to a family and here to a bright baby.

When the night oflaughter and wine and spiralling coloursended, the sand held only hearts lying, quivering with the pulse of

eternity.7henjod’s fingers opened, and the sand slipped away, falling

ready and rich back to the beach to be scooped up again and againin the play ofjoy and passion.

tk Atm 7vJou who marry today are most fortunate, for you have refusedto take over the burden ofdead tradition and mere respectable

custom which the immediately past generations bore from breakfastto bed each day - a journey so intolerable that it was never talkedabout except in facetious synonyms ofwell-being and cheer.

You have refused to line up each morning at the loading-bays ofspiritual commerce and economic sanctity, leaving your shouldersclean for the burden of the Beloved.

Tradition is a glorious thing when it is rooted in living religionand is a reflection of the natural dignity of man and woman, whenit is a stronghold against enemies and a sheltered place where thetwo separate flames of a man and a woman can unite in the flameofdivine Oneness.

But with us, before the Era of Now— the time of empty cupsand prostrations and praises— that is, before the Advent of thebeautiful God-Man with his whispered heart doctrine of YOUARE, BECAUSE I AM, a marriage was a licence to wash dirt ona worked-out gold field and a wedding as a well-wishing in thelabour by those who had panned small or no gold in their lifetime.But we have found gold in the dust ofhis Feet and so have thrownaway our picks and shovels and washing-pans.

Fortunate were the people who had traditions that were notburdens; but more fortunate are we who were born outside of tra

With love and thanks and blessings,3ane .Shamrock

% I%%%. .

‘ Jr

IFrancis Brabazon wrote thefoiowing wordsfor the occasion ofthefirst marriageperformed atAvatarc Abode.]

29

dition, for we are also outside allegiance to authority ignorant ofdivine truths and spiritual law. In place of that authority we havethe living word of God-Man to obey.

Marriage is both a settled way oflife and ajourney to unknownplaces, based upon honesty ofmotive and mutuaiity ofconsiderationwhich distinguishes it sharply in tone, tenure and texture from casual relationships that have no motive other than self-gratificationand no consideration beyond the passing moment. It is an exercisein oneness, the blessedness of doing things together within thecontext of the whole human endeavour. But too often the widelandscape ofhumanity can shrink to the few shrubs and the patchof grass of ‘we and the others’; ‘theirs and ours’, if not a straightout ‘us versus the rest’.

Really doing it together means doing it for the divine Beloved— for together, without him, is two errors trying to make a right,two zeros hoping to add up to one.

You who marry today in the Beloved’s name, do not even haveto carry the burden ofhope— for he who the generations in theirtravail and misery hoped would come, has come and will be withyou to the end ofyour lives.

You have only, hand in hand, to find his house in Love Street,kissthe threshold and hold out to him the empty cups ofyour hearts

and he, the Beloved of all beautifril unions, will fill them with thewine of his Truth.

Your only problem is how to empty your hearts so that you canobtain that wine— for the Beloved does not pour the precious wineof divine union into glasses that have not been thoroughly washedofthe cheap drinks of self-desires.

The Beloved ofbeloveds has brought you dear ones ofHis togetherso that together you can set about this work ofglass washing in rightearnest. That is His blessing to you— because it is so much easier fortwo to work together than each on his own.

God made the world out ofopposites; and the most perfect opposites are a man and a woman; and being perfect they alone of allthe creatures of creation are capable of total union. Animals havetheir loves, and plants their affinities and the stars attract and repelone another; but only in man can love be ftilly expressed, for manhas that ffill consciousness by which he can realize that he is in theImage ofGod. This realization comes by the Grace ofthe Beloved;but love has given us the work of making our hearts empty to receive that Grace: that it will be poured into the glasses of our ownparticular heart shapes. This emptying can only be done throughlove and service.

You who marry today do not have the burden of dead traditionand pathetic hopes to carry. Beloved Baba in His loving-kindnesshas given us the greater labour, the giants’ labour ofmaking our heartglasses perfectly clean— a giants’ labour because the glass itself isimpregnated with the stains ofcountless lives. The last faintest traceofstain must be rubbed away, yet the shape ofthe glass retained - forit is your glass which is to be filled, not someone else’s. Together yougo to Him, but He comes to each ofyou individually. Individualityis never lost; it is made perfect. The more you give yourselves to oneanother and to the true well-being of others, the sooner you willfind the divine Beloved who is the One Self of all.

Two singing together, sometimes in unison, sometimes in spontaneous harmonies, is a music second only to the singer divinelyalone who moves everyone to tears.

¶itLft - 3Qfl*. WdtijLeander, older

son of Bernardand Jo-Anne Bruford, married Ta-mara, daughter ofRoger and Chris

Johnson, on SundaySeptember 27.

Leander grew upat Avatar’s Abode.Bernard, along withhis parents Johnand Joan, and sister Joanna, came toAvatar’s Abode tomeet with Baba in1958. The familywas asked by Babato come and live onthe Abode.

Tamara and her father have a long association with ChenrezigBuddhist Institute, also on the Sunshine Coast hinterland, not farfrom Avatar’s Abode. The wedding was at Roger’s home in Brisbane.Ross Keating (author ofFrancisBrabazon, Poet ofthe Silent Word) hasbeen the marriage celebrant at many a Baba wedding, and he cameup from Sydney to perform the ceremony. Sam Saunders providedguitar music at both the wedding ceremony and the reception. It was

a very happy occasion for both families, with reminders of MeherBaba, Buddhist, and Christian teaching.

Leander and Tamara live in Brisbane. Leander works atJohn andWendy Borthwick’s White Cloud, and Tamara is a drama teacherat Springwood High School.

A’1ktt R&s i1 ic

Qn October 16(New Life Day)

Mitchell Rose mar-ned Stacy Hall tobegin their new lifetogether. The wed-ding took place ina small colonial innoutside ofBoston andwas attended by closefamily. Robert Eenwas also there andplayed cello. Mitchelland Stacy conductedthe ceremony them-selves and Mitchell’sbrother, Stan, officiated for the pro-nouncement.

30

jj A4iiinage in Wciinjd CreekDuncan 2<nowles, Wnlnut Creek

How it All Came About

More that forty years ago at theUniversity of Nevada, 18-year--old

freshman Jean Henrikson from Wisconsin met fellow student Duncan Knowles.They became college sweethearts. WhenDuncan broughtJean down to Californiato meet his family, her brother (Duncan’sfraternity brother, also named Duncan)called their parents back in Wisconsin, and at the end ofthe semester, they cameand took Jean homebecause, in their view,she was “out of control.”Though Duncan visitedJean once in Wisconsin,they were not able tostay in touch and driftedapart. Duncan got in-volved in the 1960s sceneand all its confusion, buteventually found outabout Meher Baba andmet Murshida Duce,the leader ofSufism Re-oriented, who changedhis life. Then he mether daughter Charmianand several years later awhole new life openedup.

Meanwhile, Jean alsogot married. She hadfour children and raisedthree more, became apilot, and started a charter airline. Afterbeing divorced, she became a teacher,earned her doctorate in clinical psychol—ogy, and worked with autistic children.Before Charmian passed away, she toldDuncan several times she wanted himto find another companion after shewas gone. He jokingly told her that hewas having enough challenges with hiscurrent wife to think about a futureone, and they would laugh about it.Charmian passed away in February 2003.In the past year, Jean felt an increasingwish to contact Duncan once again. Notlong ago, the wish became compellingand she asked her son to tell her how todo an internet search to find him. Mostrecently, on what would have been Duncan

and Charmian’s 35th wedding anniversary,Duncan was feeling sad and decided totake his daughter Mary, who lives withhim, out to dinner to commemorate theanniversary. When they returned thatnight, there was a message on their an-swering machine. The machine is not agood one and Duncan thought it said, “Hi,this is ‘June’ Henrikson, a voice from thepast. I’d like to talkwith you ifyou care tocall me at this number in New York City.”

Duncan thought to himself, “June Henrikson? I don’t know a June Henrikson.”

Then the thought came to him, “I wishit wereJean Henrikson.” Yet they had notbeen in touch for forty years and he feltthat was beyond any hope. Still, he called,and he was floored to discover —it reallywasJean. At that moment, something veryspecial began to happen in their hearts.on Jean’s side, she had known nothingabout Duncan’s life situation before shecalled. When she heard the answering ma-chine say that “Duncan and Mary” weren’tavailable, she assumed that Mary washis wife, so she left a message simply tomake contact. She was surprised to learnlater that Duncan was now a widower.

When Jean mentioned Duncan to hersister Mindee (younger by 11 years), shereplied, “Duncan Knowles! I feel like Iknow him. His picture was in our livingroom all the time I was growing up.” So inspite oftheir separation, Duncan still hadhad a presence in the Henrikson home.After Jean’s first call, it dawned on Dun-can that the timing of the contact —onthe night of what would have been his35th wedding anniversary —was way too

much of a coincidence.He felt this was a lovingmessage directly from

. Charmian. She was en-couraging him to haveJean back in his life.Jean and Duncan be-gan talking by phoneand emailing back andforth each day. Soon Jeanbravely came to WalnutCreek to meet Duncanand Mary in person. Maryloved Jean immediately.And as Jean moved intoDuncan’s embrace for thefirst time in forty years,she felt, “I will never leavethis place.”

And so it shall be.

t’s good to remember life isn’ta make it or break it affair;

witlie taking the deep happinessa union of two beings in love canbring, one should not close one’seyes to the constant liUk demandsnianiaje is bound to make.

When understood in that rightgive and take, it will bring youever cioser together and to .2lim.

—3kni3rnni

Duncan,Jean andMary Knowles

What’s rltappening ni J4’IeherabodeDina 5now

ehad a delightfulline up ofguest

speakers for the last quarter.Harry Thomas, ex-Los Angelino whomoved East and then decided Californiawas the place to be, gave us a fascinatingfollow up to the original talk he gave onMeher Baba and the Chinese Horoscope. People were so interested in thistalk, which we covered extensively in theJuly 2002 issue, that Harry had videosmade for sale. I believe he is making afollow up video covering this latest talk.Amazing ‘coincidences’ he found!

Nasrin and Mahmoud Ajang, longtime residents and great supporters ofour Center, told us of their Muslim rootsand how they came to Baba (and foundeach other!)

Just goes to show—you don’t necessarilyneed out oftown guests to have an excellent

program. But then again, inviting people wedon’t see more than once every few years isalso great. Marc De Matteis found himselfin

Hollywood on a business trip andso gave us a great Sunday concert.His CD How Many Lifetimes isstill one of my all time favorites,what a musician, what a singer andsongwriter! It was so great hay-

. ing him here, and we’re lookingforward to a repeat visit.

Well we have paid off themortgage, and with our last great

. fundraiser—the Bhau Roast!Toast evening, we paid off allthe renovation loans outstand-mg, (they cost as much as it didto buy the property in the firstplace!) But building maintenance,the extensive landscaping youread about and saw inour last issue, electricityetc. are the thousandsof dollar expenditures

: we need to meet every month. So we hadanother fundraiser onDecember 4th_our

Christmas Boutique.Organized by BehnazPartovi and Rosie andMissy Choi, and aidedby many other willingworkers, Meherabodewas transformed into aChristmas wonderland.It was held as a potluck,

so we all got to taste a wonderfulcosmopolitan selection of food. Thebargains! Ah the bargains, many peoplewent away with their arms heavilyladen with wonderftil Christmas giftsfor their loved ones. Many thanks toall those who worked so hard to makethis a beautiftil success. And on a purelypersonal note, the Center’s gorgeousdecorations will be in place for my wed-ding reception on New Years Day!

jiu:q.sumvw NIrrrIy..

Rosie takes a breakfrom working to shop.Mary Kay and daughter Leilaparticiate :•

_I_M_

One ofthe many tables so beautfullyfilled withChristmas decorationsfor sale

Dinafinds a treasurefor her dolphin-loving son The StillYet More Chamberplayers (Pris and ChrisHaffenden) charmed us with their Christmas music

32

7:Iw Annua1 Love Street J3ookstore Duventory

I is an enormous job, but someone has to do it! Actually it’s a lot offun, as evidenced by the happy smiles Ofl the worker’s faces. Newthings are invariably discovered, even by people who come to the Center and peruse the Bookstore every week. There is just so much

within these 700 square feet that it is rather hard to take it all in. Not for nothing has Bhauji called it “The biggest Baba Bookstore inthe world!”

Missy Choi Dma Snow andMary Kay Shubat-Hage

Dma, Rosie Choi and hergrandsonJosephpitched in too

Karma Pager-—- -

Kiii/i A’Iii’ao

33

3icetings 3rom 7he EBQoksiorcJai Baba Folks,

We have exciting news regardingDVDs. What’s that? You don’t

own a DVD player?Having missed Christmas and Ha-

nukkah, put it on your birthday wishlist—they are the wave ofthe future, andvideos will soon go the way of the oldeight track recorders. DVDs are muchcheaper to make and buy than videos,and don’t get faulty as some videos areprone to do.

That having been said, the DVD thatis causing me to jump up and down andrecommend highly has been given to us byPaul Comar—a Baba lover living in France.It is Avatar Meher Babac Mandali, BelovedMehera. I had no idea Paul was such a won-derful pianist! Throughout the entire twohours the musical background is his semiclassical piano playing. The first halfhour isa selection ofblack and white stills of Baba,each one fading into the next, accompaniedby this beautiftil music. For meditation it issuperb, but even ifyou are not into such still-ness,just to sit and be absorbed in His face iswonderftil. After the photos ofBaba, comeslive footage Paul shot in the early seventies.I had forgotten how young the Mandalilooked then (didn’t we all!?) and how verybeautiflil Mehera was. Ifyou have never beento India or met any of Baba’s Mandali, thisis an excellent introduction. Using colorfultext on the screen, Paul has identified eachofthe Mandali in individual close-ups. As Isaid, this DVD runs for two hours, but willcost you a mere $15!

Talking ofexcellent prices, The WitnessSeries of videos, very professionally doneinterviews in the ‘80s by Wendell Brustman with each of the Mandali and manypeople who spent time with Baba, AgnesBaron, Irene Bib, Lud Dimpfi to name afew, have lowered their prices. So for thoseof you who wanted to own the beautifulhour-long video of Mehera, titled MeherBaba Lord and Friend, but were unable todue to the $55 price tag—rejoice! It is nowavailable for only $40. All This and HeavenToo, a delightful hour spent with Mani isnow only $35. Closer and Closer to Him thefirst of the Eruch interviews dropped from$50 to $35, same price for the beautiful oneof Goher from a quote of hers To Each One

His Duty. Then there is the complete set offour videos titled BecomingHis, also now $35each, or ifyou wish to buy all four the discounted price is $100 (a saving of$40.) Andthen there is the Lud Dimpfi series: Lud firstmet Baba in 1952 in Myrtle Beach. He wasone of the few Western men to attend theThree Incredible Weeks in India in 1954.He traveled with Baba in 1956 and again in1958 was with Baba in Myrtle Beach. Babaasked him to fly with Him on His trip tothe West coast where He spent the nightin Lud’s home in Mann County He wasalso at the East-West Gathering in 1962.The recently released set offour videos, MyExperiences With Meher Baba, is now alsoselling at $35 each or $100 the set.

The book we told you about in July,written by Charmian Duce Knowles titledSpreadMy Love has been such a best seller,I imagine there are many of you out therewho would like to watch the interviews withher. To that end The Witness Series has justreleased a seven set DVD collection—MyLift With Meher Baba. They are alljust $25each or $130 for the full set. For those ofyouwho don’t know who Charmy was, here is alittle about her:

Charmian Duce Knowles was the daughter ofMurshida Ivy 0. Duce, whom MeherBaba appointed to lead Sufism Reoriented.Charmian was 18 when she first met Me-her Baba in 1948. Very quickly, MeherBaba became the central figure in her life.Charmian’s adventures with Him spannedthe globe. He invited her to travelwith Himin America and Europe, and shejoined Himfor gatherings in India. On many occasions,Meher Baba asked Charmian to makedocumentary films ofthese events. She wasalso a close friend of Mehera, Mani andhe women Mandali. In 1985, Charmian

Ireviewed her life with Meher Baba in

. videotaped sessions, which extended. over several days. Wendell Brustman

arranged these interviews and recordedmore than forty tapes of Charmian’sreminiscences. This unedited mate-rial came later to Sufism Reoriented.In Sufism’s video studio, the material. was condensed, edited, integrated witharchival photographs and Charmian’sfilms, and summarized chronologicallyinto seven hour-long programs.

MyLfè withMeherBaba, CharmianDuce Knowles

Program 1 - Meeting Meher Baba inIndia in 1948

Program 2 - With Meher Baba inAmerica and Europe, 1952

Program 3 - Travels with Meher Baba inEurope, 1952

Program 4 - Meher Baba’s Visit to Arnerica, 1956: New York and Myrtle Beach

Program 5 - Meher Baba’s Visit to America, 1956: Myrtle Beach and California

Program 6 - 1958 in Myrtle Beach and1962 in India

Program 7 — Meher Baba StoriesBut enough of recorded information—

back to old fashioned reading, (may it nevergo out of style!) Bill Le Page has released asecond volume of The Divine Humanity of

Meher Baba, an in-teresting selection ofstories oftheir timeswith Baba as told byEruch, Roshan Kerawala, RamchandraGadekar (whose sonis currently touringthe US on a speak-ing tour), BhagirathTigiri, and finishingwith that inveteratestory teller in thePC at Meherabad,

: 5 am Kerawala. $15.

,Cover painting byDiana Le Page.

We still haveplenty of the firstvolume by the samename, same price.Between the coversof this volume youwill find the story

L‘iie ii

:. \ ci

34

of Eruch’s younger brother Meherwan Jessawala, Sam Kerawala and then the TalatiFamily.

Local musician and Center memberDeborah Ash has released a new CD. Thoseofyou who loved Baba Bob that she releasedmany years ago will really enjoy her latestCD Rise in Love. (That’s what Baba said weshould do, notfall in love!) She has a greatmix of songs on this album, some Blues,Spirituals and various Baba songs. Bhaujiloves it. Says it raises his spirits when heplays it during the day.

I’m so glad we got to show you the newBookstore items in color in our last issue. Itmakes a difference doesn’t it?

Check out our Reviews section for morenew items. I will be at Amartithi, returningmid Februaryc My husband Charles will beholding the fort on the home front, but PrisHaffenden will also be able to get orders outfor you. You can call her at 310 390 2779.

But only ifyou really really need some-thing before the end of February!

In His Love and Service,

Once, when we were at Guruprasad inPune, someone from the Pune Centre

said to Baba, “Baba, we go to different placesand sing songs. We sing so nicely, in quitea different style of singing. People come tolisten and feel very much amazed. Theyfind out about You and become attractedto You.”

When He heard this, Baba expressed Hisjoy. Then, every Sunday when they wouldcome to Guruprasad, theywould say, “Baba,we went to such-and-such locaIity We sanga unique song, and nobody could keep quiet.Never before had they had heard anyonesinging in such fashion, and they becamemad! Theywere con-tinuously shouting,‘Avatar Meher BabaKiJai! Avatar MeherBaba Ki Jai! AvatarMeher Baba Ki Jai!”And Baba appreciated their report.

This became aroutine. Wheneverthese people fromPune Centre wouldcome to Guruprasad,the first 15 minutesto half-an-hour of —-—•

:.••:•••:•••

the program would be taken up by them astheypraised their own singing. Even ifBabadid not askwhere they had been the previousweek, they themselves would tell Him.

One day, Baba asked Baidul to go to acolony where people from Andhra (SouthIndia) were living. Baba instructed Baidul totell people that He would be giving darshanon the following Sunday there. If peoplewere able, they were invited to come andhave Baba’s darshan.

Baidul was such a person that he woulddo everything without any delay. So he wentto the Andhra Colony at 4:00 o’clock in themorning and came back to Guruprasad at4:00 p.m. in the afternoon. Baba was sit-ting in Guruprasad Mandali Hall -- thepeople from Pune were not there. So Babainstructed Baidul to come on the followingday to narrate what had happened. AndBaidul left.

The next day, when the Pune peoplecame, Baba called Baidul. “Now tell Me,”Baba asked. “What did you do yesterdaywhen you went to the Andhra Colony?”

“Baba, because ofYour order, I could notsleep. I went to the Andhra Colony at 4:00o’clock in the morning. I went from houseto house, announcing, ‘The Avatar has come,and you are sleeping!? You must keep awake!I have come to tell you about the Avatar!’By 6:00 o’clock that morning, thousands ofpeople had collected. “Just see how ignorantyou are,” Baidul continued. “The Avatar hascome, and you don’t know it? Youjust sleep!It requires a lot of sacrifice to come to theAvatar! Here the Avatar is available, and stillyou sleep? Now I tell you, next Sunday theAvatar is giving His darshan. You all must

h be present.”

t “I spoke to them. for one hour, and

my lecture was verypowerful. Peoplewere very much affected. Some wereeven shedding tears.Next Sunday, Youwill see, Baba, howmany South Indians come for Yourdarshan.”

“You illiter—ate Irani, have youany shame!?” Babascolded him. “You

just say, ‘I did this,’ and ‘I said that.’ Youforget that I sent you and that I came alongwith you? You think that you did all this!?You illiterate! You fool of the first order!‘I did this,’ and I said that’? You have noshame to have such a long tongue? You area donkey, and yet you give a lecture?”

When Baba said this, everyone in thehall remained very quiet. Never again didanyone from the Pune Center tell Babaanything like, “We went to a particular placelast week. We sang, and people were verymuch affected.”

That chapter was closed!So also is the message of the Highest of

the High so powerful that when we hearit or read it, our tongues do not work. Wekeep quiet.

What should we ask the One Whoknows everything, Who knows what is goodfor us? Indeed, where is there any room toask Him anything?

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Ibelieve that anyone who had the opportunity to be a part of the Thursday

Mandali Hall experience, when Eruch heldforth alone, will be brought back there while

watching this DVD. The idea to video theseThursday sessions originated with SteveEdelman and evolved into a collaborativeeffort that included Gary Kleiner, ChrisRiger, Bob Payne, and myself.

Since many ofEruch’s stories and experiences as Meher Baba’s right-hand man, hadalready been documented in print form, theaim of this video was to document specificrenderings of these stories and to recreate,within the limits ofthe technology at hand,the quality of Eruch’s voice and physicaldemeanor, in short, the unique ambiance ofthese sessions.

As might be expected in a project likethis, there were challenges to be over-come: the back-lighting problem createdby Eruch’s location in front of an openwindow, the sound problems (backgroundnoise, electrical hum), the complaints aboutthe intrusive nature of a video camera andmicrophone plunked down in the middleof the hall—to name a few. But, all thingsconsidered, the shooting and editing of thisvideo has been a most enriching experience

for me. No matter how many times I viewedthe scenes during the editing process, theynever grew old. This is just one ofthe manyexperiences for which I am grateflil to theOne whose Grace makes real-life miraclespossible.

Available only in DVD for $30

With )Jou Once c.7kre

Cd Legum, 9eorgia

On a cruise of the French West Indiesyour ship docks at Martinique. On

shore the natives move to the rhythmof island music. They call their dancethe Beguine. Trudy Gard’ner and PedroMiranda invite you to sample the sounds ofthe Caribbean on their new CD, With YouOnce More, 17 songs of romance, longing,and subtle fragrances.Pedro and Trudy sing lovely Spanish songs

together in a genre called Trio Music.Based on the interplay ofvocals and guitarfound in Mexico, Cuba, Columbia, andPedro’s home of Puerto Rico, the melodiesare sensual, warm, and intoxicating.Trudy also sings some of your favoriteMeher Baba songs she has performed overthe years, as well as Ward Parks’ Moon ofMeherabad and Cole Porter’s Begin theBeguine with Pedro. If you close your eyesyou’re dancing on a white beach, oceanbreezes caress your hair, and a soft kisstouches your lips.A1l profits from the sale of this CD willgo to Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual PublicCharitable Trust. The cost of the CD isonly $10.

Emphasis on Concordfor EBaba WorkersCruch 3essawcila, J4leherctzctd

March 8, 1957

Meher Baba has asked me to write toyou that you should not worry under

any situation, howsoever repulsive it maybe to your mind and circumstances. Babaexpressed His happiness to hear that youwere now trying to take all situations alike,as they come. He said that it behooves allHis lovers to remain absolutely unperturbedunder all circumstances, whether favorableor unfavorable, which is the mark of absolute faith in God the Almighty. Althoughreal love is the gift of God to man, yet it isunshakeable faith that alone can promotelove in one who desires to obey the dictatesof the Master.

Baba wants you to continue the work atthe Centre and its branches with greater zealuntil such time that He calls you and someothers in or after April.

Once again Baba has emphasized con-cord and harmony while doing His work.Work of any magnitude loses its charmand importance if there is dissension anddisunity in the hearts ofthe lovers and work-ers of God. The very work (as we call it) issuch that it promotes unity of thought andaction; and ifthe work fails to do this, thenthe work is undone.

Hence our work itself is such that wekeep ourselves busy pleasing the hearts ofall. It is a difficult task assumed only by thePerfect Masters, but our beloved Baba hasgiven us the rare opportunity of sharing inthis work and we should not fail in the task.We should do our best and leave the rest inHis hands which are quite capable of doinganything according to His will.

The Ancient One by Eruch Jessawala© AMBPPCT

!.Eviews

--; stooe from manda hzi.

hIP . -. Jim’

36

I was early June when I tooka road trip with my daughter

and an old friend. Our destination was Hatch, New Mexico.A high school chum lives there,and the free lodging presentedan opportunity to get down toColumbus, to see the replica ofBaba’s Samadhi built by EarlStarcher. As usual, Baba left Hisindelible fingerprints on manyintimate details of the trip, asonly He can.

We arrived on a swelteringSunday afternoon. I’d alwaysbeen curious about this shrine.Whywas it built in such a remotelocation, where almost nobody isguaranteed to visit?

The ‘Shrine of the Perfect Man’ sits onthe outskirts ofColumbus, which isn’t muchof a town; its claim to fame is a cactus parkdedicated to Pancho Villa. The Shrine faces

to the south, looking toward Las Palomas,Mexico—the dustyborder town that is sisterto Columbus.

There was no one to ask questions of:nobody home at the house across the street,nor at the trailer for sale next door to it.Constructed from cinder block, the buildingitself seems in fair shape; its paint, thoughtimeworn, still holds a hue. The interioris crude and unfinished, with open spaceswhere windows were never installed. Adream-catcher and a wind chime hang froma crossbeam, and a lonesome flyer announcesa yoga class. The place distinctly resonatesthe desert atmosphere that makes one feelvery, very small, a sensation that I have foundto be one of the great benefits of going to

the middle of nowhere.On the roadside, two sets of stone pu

lars mark the entrance to a U-shaped driveintended to encircle the perimeter of theproperty. Several spigots for sprinklers

are situated on the lot,so a garden was onceenvisioned. Now it isxeriscaped by nature,featuring the scrub andcactus that are economical enough to survive here.

Large stones delineate the boundary ofthe lot against the road,and several of thesewere piled with bits ofcolored glass—blue,purple and green—thatseemed to have been

left as offerings. This was the only indication that the Shrine hasn’t been completelyforgotten. My instinct was to build a smallcairn inside, as notice that Someone HasBeen Here. It feels abandoned and deserted,standing there like a lonely sentinel. Butwhat, I found myself asking, is its purpose?Why does Baba choose this place?

A couple of weeks after we returned,there was an article in the paper about thediscovery of a woman’s body in the desertoutside of Columbus. She was the fourthperson since May to perish there. She’d lefther baby in Mexico City to come looking forthe child’s father, who is somewhere in theStates. Apparently her only recourse was to

cross the border on foot. Imaginethe desperation that would make

-— --- I a trek through the scorching des-

I ert seem like a good alternative. It

—E::::: I is not an unlikely metaphor forthe spiritual path

And therein lies the only an-

.

swer that comes to my question.Like the dream-catcher hangingfrom the crossbeam, the Shrinemust be a soul-catcher, collect-ing these souls abandoned byfortune, whose despair of theircircumstances motivates such adangerous endeavor. I imagine

: them, dying a death that can onlybe described as god-forsaken,leaving their tortured bodies,

drawn by the tinkling of a wind chime, tobe welcomed with a drink of cool water atthe Beloved’s dwelling.

The sign announcing ‘The Perfect ManShrine’ is deteriorating badly, much of it-

barely legible. But in the photo my friend

(a non Baba lover) took, it is covered withrainbows.

For their courage in the face of over-whelming odds, for their commitment toimprove their lives at whatever cost, thesebrave souls must warrant the grace of theAvatar: He put a way-station there forthem. I suspect that ifwe, His lovers, havesuch commitment, the Path might becomea superhighway, and we’d be zooming alongwith the windows open and the radio blast-ing, straight to the Middle of Nowhere.

rthe ni?eifect SIirine — in 24ew Aitëxico!7<atItrgn2lcirris, Colorado

I

37

_-__1_ _-

7Iw Jklischievous Chicken._/4 Story of Creation by i3iiaii 7<alchuri

B efore the beginning of Crc-ation, there was nothing. No

space. No time. No form. Nothingat all. Absolutely nothing.

But there was one Hen. Andshe had many children. She wouldkeep all her children under herwings. She would not allow anychick to come out. But there wasa Mischievous Chicken, who feltfed up with being under her wingfor ages and ages, though therewas no existence of time.

One day, he got so fed up, he could notcontrol himself. He journeyed out fromunder his Mother’s wing. As soon as hejourneyed out, the Mother Hen got scared.The Mischievous Chicken also got scared,because he saw a dazzling light. He couldnot face it. So he went back under hisMother’s wing. The Mother Hen was veryhappy.

But this chicken was very, very mischievous. After ages and ages he felt fed up, andagain, he journeyed out.

The Mother Hen felt scared. The Mis-chievous Chicken saw the dazzling light.But this time the color ofthe light was different. Once again, he could not face it. Hereturned under the Mother Hen’s wing.

In this way, after ages and ages, he jour-neyed out six times. Each time he returned.Each time when hejourneyed out, the colorofthe dazzling light was different. He couldnot face it, and he would return.

Then the Mother Hen got upset and veryangry. She decided that if the MischievousChicken journeyed out again, she wouldnot care.

The Mischievous Chicken again feltbored, and the seventh time he journeyedout, and indeed, the Mother Hen did notcare for him.

So the Mischievous Chicken decidedto go further, though he could not face thedazzling light. And then what happened?He felt hungry.

He asked himself “What should I eatnow?” Imagination came, and Imaginationsaid to him, “Don’t worry, I am here. Eatas much as you like.” The MischievousChicken felt very, very happy. He made 13adventures, and things that he should nothave eaten, he went on eating and eating

and eating. Up until the seventh adventure,he went on eating. But when he entered intothe eighth adventure, his hunger was less,and he would eat less. He went further andfurther, and his hunger was less and less, andhe would eat less and less.

In this way, the Mischievous Chickencompleted his 13th adventure. When hecompleted his 13th adventure, he did notfeel hunger. He cried out, “What should Ido now?” And he heard the words, “You eatyourself” So the Mischievous Chicken atehimself. And when he ate himself he wasAll-Knowledge, All-Bliss and All-Power.

But when he looked around, what didhe find?

A11 the innumerable chickens that wereunder the wing of the Mother Hen hadfollowed Him. So the Mischievous Chickenhad to take on the responsibility of thoseinnumerable chickens that had followedhim.

That’s why the Avatar comes downon earth, age after age, to look after theinnumerable chickens, and He suffers.Because He is duty bound, He must lookafter them. He is the One who shouldersthe responsibilityc

Now the explanation of the story is asfollows:

In the beginning, when the MischievousChicken came out from under the MotherHen’s wing and saw the dazzling light, whatwas it?

It was the sixth mental plane, and becausehe had no impressions at that time, he couldnot have any consciousness. The differentcolored lights that he saw represent the different colors ofthe planes inside ofus. Theseare the planes of the Subtle and Mental

sphere. When he entered the. enth adventure, then, ofcoursc, he

was near the gross world When..

he felt hungry and started eat-ing, he made seven adventures inthe Gross \‘Vorld—that is stone,vegetable, worm, fish, bird, animaland human being. Until the seventh adventure, particularly in theanimal stage—worm, fish, animaland human being, he was eatingand eating. But when he enteredinto the eighth adventure, he had

no connection with the Gross World.That’s why his hunger was less. And it

went on becoming less. When he reachedthe 13th adventure, that is, after crossingfour planes of the Subtle World and twoplanes of the Mental World, there was nohunger. This is the state where you long forGod—to become One with Him.When youcross the six planes ofthe InnerWorid, andenter into the seventh plane, you becomeOne with God.

When the Mischievous Chicken had13 adventures, it means that he crossedseven kingdoms ofthe Gross World and sixplanes ofthe Inner World. When the Voicesaid, “You eat yourself,” it means, “Eat yourmind.” As long as the mind is there, youremain bound with the world. When themind goes away, then, ofcourse, you becomeone with God.

What were the seven journeys in thebeginning—coming and going and see-ing the dazzling light? The MischievousChicken was passing through the planes.But because he had no impressions, he couldnot experience anything, even though he waspassing through the planes. Afterwards, hegot consciousness of the gross world, andhe passed through seven kingdoms, thatis, from the stone through human being.Again, he entered into the inner world(Subtle and Mental), because this time hehad impressions, and that is why he couldexperience it.

We also travel to the seventh planewhen we are in sound sleep. But we cannotexperience that we are on the seventh plane.Why? Because we have gross impressions.When we wipe out gross impressions, andhave subtle impressions, then we experiencethe Subtle World. And when we wipe out

© Nadia Wolinska

38

subtle impressions, then we experience the]Mental World.

But we have to become impressionless.And that is why the mind has to be annihi—lated. And when the mind is annihilated,we experience God.

The Mischievous Chicken, after becoming God, looked around. That was the signof coming down to Creation conscious-ness.

When someone gets God consciousness,Creation consciousness is necessary to workfor the Universe. Whe i that person becomesOne with God, he achieves the goal of life,but he cannot work for the Universe. Why?Because for himself he alone exists. Nothing exists beside himself Since he only findshimself, for whom should he work?

The perfect masters and the Avatar workfor the Universe. It is their dutyc Therefore,when the Mischievous Chicken receivedCreation consciousness, he found Creation.He deals with manyness and works formanyness, but he remains One.

The Mischievous Chicken story is reallyvery important. The first time the Mischievous Chicken made seven journeys, he hadno impressions, so he could not experiencethose planes. He was unable to face the light.But when he came down to the gross world,he made thirteen adventures. Of thesethirteen adventures, seven are the evolutionof consciousness. Then he goes throughthe involution of consciousness for six ad-ventures, for a total of thirteen adventures.When he made the fourteenth adventure,he realized who he was. So, though at firsthe made journeys through the planes, hedid not experience them, because he had noimpressions. But when he had impressions,he experienced the evolution and involutionof consciousness.

The first one who became a Perfect Master is the one who comes down on earth asthe Avatar. He is the same One who comesage after age, with different names, but always the same One. He came as Zoroaster,Rama, Krishna, Buddha,Jesus, Mohammed,and, in this age, as Meher Baba. But He isalways the same Ancient One.

Story from Thiesfor C’hildren, Mischievousand Otherwise, © Bhau Kalchuri; illustration© Nadia Wolinska.

To see Nadia Wolinska’s illustration ofthis story, go to:www.jaibaba.com/mandali/bhauji/book/

There were and are advanced souls in theEast, much less renowned than Gandhi,

but equally significant in the world of truespirituality Many cases were recorded ofbeloved saints and yogis ofdifferent religiousbackgrounds recognizing Baba’s greatness.Perhaps the most fascinating responses camefrom the masts,those God-in-toxicated per-sons, relativelydetached fromthe physicalworld as weknow it, whoexperience thehigher planes ofconsciousness.

The lateDr. WilliamDonkin, one ofBaba’s mandali,wrote an entirevolume—TheWayfarers—on Baba’s extensive work withthese spiritually advanced souls, includinga rigorously documented chapter on theirreactions to Baba. Although Baba traveledincognito, there was an electric recognitionofhis stature, and numerous masts acknowledged his spiritual status.

CHOTU MIAN (A good mast ofSangamner) June, 1943. He was broughtto Meherabad by Baidul [one of the man-dali]. When Baidul met him in Sangamner,Chotu Mian said to him, “Your prophet isvery great; he is greater than Christ andMahomet, and all the world will believein him.”

SUBHAN MATTU (A good mast ofSrinagar, Kashmir) August, 1944. He wasbrought to the house, and when he sawBaba, he rolled on the ground, and criedout, “He is God.”

PIR FAZL SHAH (An adept pilgrim ofKotah) October, 1946. He told Baba, “Noone, until you came, has touched my heartwith the arrow of Divine Love. You havethe power to destroy and flood the wholeworld. No one frilly knows the limits ofyourgreatness; you are the spiritual authority ofthe time, and if I were to die I would takeanother body to be close to you.”

AZIM KHAN BABA (A high mastof Muttra) October, 1946. When Babacontacted him, he (Azim Khan Baba) said,“You are Allah; you have brought forth thecreation, and once in [a] thousand yearsyou come down to see the play ofwhat youhave created.”

BHORWALA BABA (An

: adept pilgrim ofBhor) January,1947. He saidof Baba, “Me-her Baba has inhim the wholeuniverse, he isthe Master ofeveryone, and he

4 . I within every- . disciple. He is

this world, thatwhich is above

, it, and below it;he is in me and

in everyone. He is the saint of saints . . . inone glance he sees the whole continent ofIndia.”

A MAST [Unnamed] (ofthe fifth plane,of the “Place of Seclusion”) (? May) 1946.He was brought to Baba’s house, and whenhe reached the gate, he said, “We have cometo the garden ofParadise (Gulistan).” Babacame out of the house, and he gazed atBaba’s face, laughed with tears ofjoy in hiseyes, and embraced Baba. Pointing to Baba,he then said to those standing by, “Look atthis man’s face and forehead. They shine asif the sun were there; can’t you recognizewho he is?”

From The Mastery ofConsciousness, byAllan Y. Cohen,

© 1977 by Ira G. Deitrick, Published byHarper Colophon Books

Selected Mast Quotes originally fromThe Wayfarers, by Dr. William Donkin,© 1948 by Adi K. Irani, Published by

Sufism Reoriented, Inc.

Reactions to A1eker 1kba by 2/jsi3e!oved’ ifrIa,sts

.Allen )3. Cohen

rnischievouschicken.html

39

7he J?assion of the Christ

The film, The Passion ofthe Christ, so affected my heart that I could not forget

it. It gave the true account ofthe suffering ofLordJesus because ofviolence, and it madethe suffering ofBeloved Avatar Meher Babaso fresh in my heart that I appreciate MelGibson. I remember again and again thatMeher Baba had said, “Maya is killing me,but I will win.”

You see your own shadow on the wall.As long as you do not realize that it is yourshado you think that someone else is there.If you get angry at the shadow, it also getsangry. Ifyou strike the shadow, the shadowstrikes back. But who gets hurt? The shadowdoes not get hurt. You get hurt. So God isplaying with His own shadow, not knowingthat it is His shadow.

There are seven kingdoms (or levelsof consciousness) in evolution and sevenkingdoms in involution. Maya (the Devilor Satan) rules over these kingdoms upuntil the thirteenth one. These kingdoms ofevolution and involution are in everyone andeverything, from gases to human beings, andthe Devilgives shape to the gross, subtle, andmental forms ofthese kingdoms.

No one can imagine how big Creationis. Nobody can know when Creation began.The stars we see in the sky are dead worlds.See how many stars are there! So one canimagine the number ofdead worlds. It willtake ages and ages for the earth to cool down,and when it does, it will become anotherdead world.

The suspension of Creation is calledMahapralaya. At that time, all forms disappear and the consciousness of each limitedmind takes rest in the Universal Mind forages and ages. The consciousness of everyform—stone, metal, vegetable, worm, fish,bird, animal and human being—remainssuspended. When Creation again takesplace, the dormant minds in the stone king-dom develop first. After more ages, the limited minds ofvegetable consciousness comeinto Creation. And so on and so forth withall the other forms. It takes innumerable agesfor each to come into Creation.

We don’t know the beginning ofCreationafter Mahapralaya, so how is it possible toknow when Creation actually started? Noscientist can find out how or when Cre

E13hau 2<alcIiuri, J4lelteraba,dContinuedfrom thejuly, 2004 Love Street LampPost

ation started after Mahapralaya. It is notpossible.

What a game it is that we remain at-tached to the shadow, and we ignore God.Ultimately, we realize that this game is alongjourney, an unimaginably long journey.But thisjourney is only in a dream. The souldoes not take birth, and the soul does notdie. We just go on endlessly dreaming anddreaming. Finally, we wake up from thislong dream.

In the gross sphere, there are innumerableother worlds at different levels of develop-ment. On some, there is only the gas form.In others, there is only the gas and the stone.On some, there is gas, stone and metal. Onyet others, there is only gas, stone, metal andvegetable. In still others, there are only gas,stone, metal, vegetable and worm forms. Insome, there are gas, stone, metal, vegetable,worms and fish. On other worlds, gas, stone,metal, vegetable, worms, fish and birds exist. Some worlds contain gas, stone, metal,vegetable, worm, fish, birds and animals.

Finally, in addition to the earth itself,there are 18,000 planets (worlds) that con-tam everything, including human beings.But on these, the evolution of conscious-ness in the seven kingdoms occurs only on

the intellectual level. Though the intellectis developed on these planets, there is nospiritual development. Development of theheart takes place only in human beings uponthe earth.

There are seven planets close to theCreation point (OM point), the earth beingthe closest. The Creation point is the pointofNirvana, because Satan remains there asinfinite unconsciousness. Of these sevenplanets, only the earth has heart or spiritualdevelopment. The second planet from theCreation point has less spirimality and theother five worlds contain less and less. Onthe remainder of planets with human be-ings, there is zero percent development ofthe heart.

There must always be seven planets closeto the Creation point. When the earth coolsdown, the number two planet will be pro-moted to earth’s place. The seventh will bepromoted to the sixth, and out of innumerable planets, the one that is the closest to theseventh planet will take its place.

The Avatar alone is responsible for all ofCreation. This is the post of God. He occupies this post in the form of the Avatar,and He works out Creation through theDivine Plan.

The five perfect masters are only the executors ofthe Divine Plan, but the Avatar isthe Master and Executor ofthe Divine Plan.According to the need, He alone changesor alters the Divine Plan. He is the onlyauthority who can do so. The perfect mastersonly execute the work of the Divine Plan.They cannot change or make alterations toit. The Divine Plan is most perfect and doesnot need any change or alteration, but theAvatar has the authority to change or alterit if He wishes to do so.

The Avatar’s work is unimaginable. Theconsciousness of every kingdom in theevolution ofconsciousness is burdened withimpressions (sanskaras). These impressionsstop the further progress of consciousnesstowards the next higher kingdom. When ignorance in human beings reaches its zenith,a Universal Push is required to weed outundesirable sanskaras from each kingdom.In order to give a Universal Push, the presence of the Avatar is required. The perfectmasters can not do so. Only the Avatar can

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give a Universal Push.The amount ofresponsibility the Avatar

eternally holds is unimaginable. When Hecomes down on earth, it is because the Devilhas created so much ignorance in humanbeings that consciousness remains stagnant.In the lower kingdoms, consciousness isstagnant because they have been exploited byhuman beings (scientists). The five perfectmasters are unable to deal with the situation.So they pray to the Avatar, and He answerstheir prayers by coming down upon the earthin human form.

God, in the form of the Avatar, takeshuman form only on earth. When He does,people from different planets also take birthupon it. Because oftheir intelligence, scienceprogresses and gives birth to materialism.Attracted bymaterialism, people become at-tached to it. People also mechanically followpriests through rituals, ceremonies and traditions and believe they are following God.Ignorance makes everyone blind towardsGod. When the Avatar comes to earth, Hemakes Creation clean, so that the naturalprogress of consciousness is revived.

Everything happens according to theWill of God (Divine Will), but it is impossible to understand the Will of God.It is beyond understanding. A leaf cannotmove without the Will ofGod. The crueltyagainst Jesus Christ by the priest class wasalso according to the Will of God. There isa difference between the Divine Will andthe Divine Wish.

The Divine Wish is, of course, givenwhen there is much ignorance in humanbeings. The Devil’s work reaches its zenith,and human beings need awakening towardsGod. So He comes down on earth in humanform to wipe out ignorance and awakenhnmanityc Then the same Wish is turnedinto rituals, ceremonies and traditions bythe priest class and called religion, but it isnot true religion. The Devil, who createsignorance through rituals, ceremonies andtraditions, makes people think that theseobservances have real value.

Actually, God is indivisible. God is One.There is nothing except God. So whateverappears besides God is Illusion (shadow orthe Devil or Satan or Maya). And whenthe Divine Wish is turned into rituals andceremonies, God has to come back againon earth in human form. He has to expressHis Wish according to the situation duringthat era. At the same time, He also createsawakening so that people follow His Wish.He also corrects the Devil’s mischief inthe lower kingdoms of Creation, so that

in each, consciousness can progress in anatural way.

The work of the Avatar is beyond understanding. He takes the burden of theimpressions which everyone and everythingcollects through ignorance, and which thelower kingdoms have collected due to exploitation by human beings.

Although the Avatar has Infinite Power,Infinite Knowledge and Infinite Bliss, Hedoes not use His Infinite Power or HisInfinite Bliss when He does His UniversalWork. And therefore, how much He hasto suffer for Creation. No one but the fiveperfect masters has any idea.

A perfect master acts while the Avatarbecomes. For example, if a perfect masterappears to be sick, he is not sick (though,for his work, he acts as if he is). But whenthe Avatar is sick, He really becomes sick.The perfect master cannot become everyoneand everything. He is in everyone and every-thing, but he is not everyone and everything.When a perfect master drops his body, hehas no responsibility towards humanitc

The Avatar is the Oceanized Ocean,and a perfect master is the Ocean Ocean-ized. Every drop considers itself a drop, butthese drops contain the Ocean. In order toexperience the Ocean, the drop has to passthrough the evolution and involution ofcon-sciousness. In the end, the drop becomes theOcean. So a perfect master passes throughthe evolution and involution of conscious-ness and then becomes one with God. Theperfect master gets Creation consciousnessfor his work for the Universe, and as longas he is in a physical body, he remains oceanized. This means that he is active for hisuniversal work. But when a perfect masterdrops his physical body, he is not oceanized.He remains as the Ocean.The Avatar alwaysremains active in the work for Creation. APerfect Master does not do this. His workis only during his physical lifetime.

The Avatar, however, works even afterHe drops his body, and by remaining active,He is eternally the Oceanized Ocean. Thatis why, 100 years after He drops His body,His Universal Manifestation takes place andthe Universe is awakened. Then, of course,His Wish is followed. When you call Him,because He keeps His infinite consciousnesslinked to everyone and everything, His in-finite consciousness gets the pull. But whenyou do not call Him, although He remainsactive, He does not get a pull through Hisinfinite consciousness. He takes rest.

. . . to be continued in the next issue

A rtheft Undone inJftQflt of :Biba

E13hau 2<alchuri, Jllleherabad

Once, when Baba was at Guruprasad,Baba lovers had come to Him in the

evening. They sang Beloved Baba’s Arti.After this, they met Baba and then left. ABaba lover came to me and handed oversomething wrapped in a hankie. I saw thatthere was money inside, about 4,000 rupees,and so I put the bundle in the cupboard.

The next day, a Baba lover from Inghota,Hamirpur came to me and said, “My moneyhas been stolen. I do not have the flinds togo back to Inghota, and I need about 2,000rupees.” “Where did it happen?” I askedhim. “I don’t know,” he answered. “Themoney was in my pocket. When I put myhand in my pocket, I found that my pockethad been cut and that the money was notthere.” I opened my cupboard and showedhim the hankie. “Oh! This is my hankie andmy money!” he exclaimed. I told him, “Oneperson brought this to me after Arti. So itmust have happened here.”

A pickpocket must have come whileArti was being sung, even though Babawas present. This pickpocket cut the man’spocket, and the money fell out. But whenArti ended, people opened their eyes, so thepickpocket could not take the money.

Now see, even before God, devils playthese tricks. Because of selfishness, greed,and temptation everywhere, such situationsare created by demons. And because of this,honest people suffer. Actually, this suffer-ing is a blessing for honest people. If yoursituation is miserable, and even amidst thatsituation, you remain honest, that is a greatthing.You get courage and faith in God. Thetest for us, of course, is to remain honest,even though we suffer.

=.

Cornrnirnitq Care and &nior2IQusing:fjuestwns, Dssues, nud Options

EI3ridget Robiiison, Cnliforiiin

Over the past few years, the topic ofshared housing for seniors has come

up repeatedly in informal conversations,often at Sahavas. There is a common feel-ing that there will be a desire for senior carein the Baba community here in the UnitedStates. At the same time, there is a subset ofthe community with emotional or physicalchallenges of such significance that peopleare wondering what will happen to theseat risk folk as they age. This article is notintended to argue for any one point ofviewor even to promote doing something per se.It is intended to pose questions, build uponsome informal discussions that have takenplace, put forth options for those who areconsidering collaborative living arrange-ments, and finally to consider in depth the

issues faced when dealing with those at risk

for homelessness or institutional care.There are quite a few statements from

Meher Baba that inform this discussion andthere are some generalities about how peopleapproach life which deserve exploration asdiffering approaches affect our personalbeliefs about intervention.

Intervention versus InterferenceFor many, a central concern is about

what is appropriate in terms of assistingpeople who, like them, are on a spiritualpath. On the surface, elder care appears asthough it may be a significant opportunityto provide selfless service to others, butit possibly also rides into Baba’s warningthat “His lovers and workers should notget intimately involved with the family affairs of one another. . . “ (Meher Baba’s LastWarning, through Adi K. Irani, July 1968);more specifically, it may bring up concernsfor people in terms ofentwining themselvesin the sanskaras of others.

However, one might look to the idea ofbhiksha (the Indian principal ofgiving alms)and how Baba dealt with the needy. In thiscontext, is it interference when someoneasks for help? If the party involved is justone individual and that person is askingfor assistance, can that ever be seen as in-terference? Interference seems to imply anactive attempt to bring about change forone person that at least one other person ina family may not want. Even if that defini

tion of interference is not present, what ifthe individual is spiritually similar to thebeggar whom Eruch told us that Baba saidhad used donated money to get drunk andbeat or kill his wife? Or instead is he to beconsidered “the poor” whom Baba told usto feed and serve?

How one addresses the basic issue of“intervention” versus “interference” lies atthe base ofthe discussion about those at riskgenerally and about those whose functioningdrops to a point where they are not reallyable to make care decisions for themselves.But clearly the issue co-mingles with issuesofindividualism and personal independence.Is it better to move towards “an efficientmodel” and address situations on a nationallevel, or is it best left to small clusters offolkassisting people in their immediate area?At what point do these individual situations accumulate sufficiently that a groupeffort seems to emerge, for housing or forcommunity care? Where is the line? Whodecides? Also, is it enough to m4ke a general determination that if a person activelyasks for help that this is the proper test fora situation being intervention instead ofinterference? Should such determinations beleft to Baba lovers trained in social work orshould a set ofguidelines be established toguide caretakers of any background?

“Leave the results to God” or“Leave it all to me”?

Spiritually speaking, another truth thatimpacts this situation directly is that mostBaba lovers appear to deal with their livesalong two lines with regard to how to follow Baba. These orientations have emergeddirectly from statements made by Baba, andare individually interpreted. By no meansdoes this break out describe all the uniqueways people deal with Baba, but for thepurposes ofthis discussion, it may assist tocategorize broadly as follows:

1) There are those who subscribe to the“ . . . try your best, but remember to leave theresult to God. . .“ point ofview (Lord Me-her, p. 1450). They believe that doing someplanning and saving for their future is partof what Baba asks of them in the contextof fulfilling their worldly responsibilities,and that the results of their efforts are His;

this is a legitimate approach to followingBaba’s word.

2) Others appear to subscribe morestrongly to Baba’s statement “Leave every-thing to me—leave it to me. . .“ (Lord Meher,

p. 3824) and they operate in the world thisway. To be clear, this i, to suggest that peoplein this group likely interpret “Do your best”to mean that they should focus on “Doingtheir best to leave it all to Him.” Obviously,this is also a spiritually valid way to go, andthey feel that their senior care falls as easilyunder this umbrella as has the rest of theirlife. They figure that when elderly, whereverthey end up is where they are supposed tobe, and who can argue with that?

Again, both approaches to life seemto be truly valid ways to interpret Baba’swords, and having a lot of money doesnot preclude someone from being in the“leave everything to me” group, just in caseanyone assumes I am aligning money andapproach. It should, however, be said thatBaba lovers ofboth types are often proud tobe individual thinkers and doers. One effetofthis individuality and independence and,yes, real faith in Meher Baba, particularly inthose who “leave everything to me,” is thatsome folks tend to be on the periphery ofthe central interpersonal networks.

By itself being on the periphery is notan issue that is anyone’s business but Baba’s,but as it relates to elder care, many of thesefolk appear to be without the observable in-terpersonal support typically needed as oneages here in America. There are quite a fewsingle Baba lovers who appear to be livingnot only a single life, but also a solitary life.Who are they planning to physically turn toas they age? Do they have someone to trustwith care decisions? How are others in thecommunity going to respond to the “leaveeverything to me” folks, or even to those whoplanned but find they need assistance, forinstance, if a spouse dies suddenly?

These folks are amongst those who wouldlikely welcome the services that cooperativeliving offers. Couples may also be interestedifsimply for the community aspects of seniorhousing, and others for the opportunities forservice to others. Before we get into someoptions, however, it is important to discuss

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one more group, and how their needs maybe included or otherwise impact futuredecisions.

The at-risk: the poorest ofthe poor?The groupings above somehow assume

people have some choice about whether ornot to plan for retirement. Some ofyou arelaughing already, I am sure, along the linesof “man plans, God laughs” but permit mesome latitude here, as there is a third at riskgroup, or at least a subset of each of thetwo types, for whom the notion of success-flu future planning and care may be highlymitigated byphysical and/or emotional challenges. We all feel emotionally challengedsometimes, but I am referring to those withspecial needs: those who have been unableto hold down ajob with retirement benefits,who suffer from clinical depression and soforth. Those with physical ailments areusually obviously in need; but those withemotional challenges are often harder toidentify as needing future assistance; ineither case, both sets of folks are likely toneed help from some source.

So—what to do about the ones that are apaycheck away from the streets? Do we donothing? This seems to be the area wherethe idea of interference is most likely tocome into play: Can anyone in this countryreally be called the “poorest of the poor” oris it their sanskaric time to suffer in this life,and o efforts would be considered spiritualinterference? To me, that they are at risk can-not mean that some of us see them as “lessadvanced than us”—some ofus not currentlyat risk will end up in the category—period.That said, here is an example which providessome food for thought:

Recently I was one of several asked by aCenter’s leadership to provide some assistance to a single, 50-something Baba loverwho has developed some health problems.His needs are significant and far more thanthe communitylocallyis able to address.Thelong-time Baba lover, however, believed thatBaba lovers would be there for him on histerms and was initially quite upset when noone would give the type ofcare he requested.His anger was not unusual, as it typicallytakes some time for most of us to accept anew set of challenges. The healthcare andsocial service system finally stepped up andis apparentlyworking as needed, but it tooksome time for the man to accept that theBaba community could help in only limitedways. He is also at risk of homelessness, ashe can no longer work.

This situation brought up some questionsbeyond the ones already raised:

1) When the caseworker asked whowould be willing to be a guardian ifit wereneeded, how was one to answer? Is this whatBaba wants of us?

2) What should one do when peoplewant care “on their terms” or when they areabusive towards those offering assistance?

3) How deeply should the Center becomeinvolved?

4) How many other Baba lovers thinkthat the Centers will begin senior programsfor them?

How these questions were answered:1) As to “guardianship”: one Baba lover

stepped forward and said he would assist asmuch as he is able to, and so he is workingwith social services as a substitute familymember. Should we, other than those whoare paid to be guardians through their jobs,be willing to become legal guardians ofotherBaba lovers? Would Baba want us to go thisfar in our care? Again, the statement aboutnot interfering in families makes sense ifsomeone has a family. What about thosewithout a family? Or those who have notmarried and/or have no children, or can’tafford to or do not feel pulled to adopt?Their numbers in this community seem tobe above average.

2A) As to the “on their terms” issue:this is where the individuality issues andinterference question arises again: the Babalover wanted to stay where he was currentlyliving: who is going to pay his rent since heis unable to work? According to the caseworker, he first needed to go bankrupt inorder to qualify for services and then hecould sign up for disability insurance, butthat takes 60 to 90 days÷. Does he becomehomeless during that period? Is it ever appropriate for someone to give him money“under the table” to cover this period oftime? This last question came up, as didwhether or not he should give someone allofhis money to so that he could say hehad no money and more quickly qualify foraid. To my knowledge, none of the moneyideas took form, which was a relief. I don’tthink anyone wanted to be involved withsomeone else’s money issues.

2B) To the “abusive” issue: often whenpeople need care, they can be quite demand-ing; part of this relates to a fear of losingcontrol over their lives and who amongstus likes that feeling? I don’t, no one I knowdoes. Again, anger is not unusual whenpeople are dealing with a new ailment andit typically takes some time to accept thenew situation. But how much is too muchto put up with? Should someone yelling in

frustration be too much to deal with? If theyeffing is public or private, does that factorin? Should anyone ever allow someone to getphysical with them? The reason I ask thesequestions is that in some circumstances aBaba lover may have committed to helpingsomeone, and so they may tell themselvesthat whatever happens, they are supposedto keep helping (i.e. “Baba has me here fora reason” is a common thought). Then, if orwhen the person in need becomes abusive,the caretaker feels they cannot back out. Inthe social service world, caseworkers aretrained to leave such a situation for a lot ofgood reasons beyond physical safety. I willtake a stand here and say that no one shouldremain in a care taking role iftheir personalsafety is challenged—get out ofthe way andcall the police ifnecessary It is not interference to protect your own safety.

3 and 4) The Centers are not designedto handle these social needs at this time.The general consensus is that the topic isimportant and that it’s probable that peoplewill want more from the Centers in thefuture, given Baba’s comments about ftitureservice through His Universal SpiritualCenters. The Centers currently do not do.outreach and have very narrow chartersrelated to preserving their spiritual charge.The feeling amongst some in leadership isthat they will not expand their charters toinclude these services any time soon and thatif something should be done, it will likelybe through a community based, nonprofitorganization.

So—is it our sanskaric task to step intosuch situations as the fellow above? Do weallow social services to take care of the at-risk so that we avoid the possibility of“taint-ing ourselves spiritually” or is it spirituallybeneficial to serve these folks in this way?

One main issue regarding the current at-risk group is that they may not be receivinginformation in any regular way from theBaba community (including reading thisarticle), and, to my knowledge, no Centerhas taken a public stand to alert peopleahead of time that they should not assumethe Centers will be offering such services inthe future. In addition, though both a seniorcare and housing website and a discussionboard have been set up recently, the at riskfolks may be precluded from participating,as they may not have a computer or ftmdsto pay for a monthly access fee. As such,their participation in any discussion of thesematters may be limited, if at all, and theirideas about how their needs might best bemet will not be included unless there is ac

43

tive solicitation oftheir input. In itself sucha task could be quite time consuming. Whois willing to take on that task?

Just a Few Other Considerations:Timing

No matter what your opinion on the endresult, it is at this point where many who’vediscussed the issue feel that if somethingshould be done, it likely needs to be startedsoon, so as to develop something solid priorto a good sized segment ofthe Baba community needing its services. Such an organization or organizations would need some yearsto work out the bugs, which is why mostpeople think that a 5 to 10 year developmentperiod would be reasonable.

Centralization?Some believe that one nonprofit organi

zation should run the whole thing nationally.The main questions that immediately emergefrom the idea ofone non profit organizationare: does launching a national non profitsmack oforganizing a religion or even layingthe groundwork for a “central, organizingunit”? Is it better to leave the developmentto local groups, in line with what Baba saidabout the centers operating independently?

Whose decides the form?To add slightly more to the pot here, the

“Baba kids” are now coming to understandthe difficulties involved in being with Babaas an adult while at the same time excellingin their roles and responsibilities in life. Ifthegeneral decision is to “do nothing and leaveit all to Baba” and He decides to “do noth—ing different” and then the desire for seniorservices emerges in 10 years, the heavy liftingwill need to be done by the “kids”, who willbe already frilly burdened by raising theirfamilies. The word on the street is that theBaba kids would prefer that their parentsinitiate such efforts in great part because theywould rather the parents decide aboutwhat isbest for their own care. Sanskarica]Iy, maybethe kids are supposed to serve their parentsindividually, maybe not. Are you okay withleaving it to them? What if they decide todo something you dislike?

Who’s to Serve? Who’s to Be Served?Finally, a question arises about to whom

to go to for care: only to Baba lover doctors?Since everything and everyone is headingtowards Baba’s manifestation, shouldn’t onesimply embrace the world and interact withpeople who are not Baba folk in order topose them to Baba? He didjust that Himselfand for many, the answer is a simple “yes” tothis question.

In this same context, however, one canreasonably ask: could an at risk, elder care,

44

and/or retirement housing effort located inMyrtle Beach be the start ofthe 6th aspect ofMeher Baba’s establishment of a UniversalSpiritual Center there, i.e. the Resting Placefor the Afflicted?

He stated Meher Spiritual Center isone of these centers, and so this possibilitydeserves a look for those feeling that MyrtleBeach is a good place to set in some roots.About the Resting Place, Baba stated, “Thissection will devote attention to the removalofsuffering and ailment in all its forms. It ismeant to be the training ground for a groupof selfless workers who will learn how torender real and effective service.The experience gathered through this department willbe capable of universal application.” (LoveAlone Prevails, p. 695) So, is it time? Couldthe Resting Place even be proposed withoutit being fttlly staffed by Baba lovers? Wouldall ofits residents be Baba lovers?

FINALLY—What are some cooperativeliving options?

I knowyou are probably a bit exhausted bynow, and I apologize for that, but I think it isonly after asking a lot of complex questionscan one turn towards examining options. Tobe clear, any option will have to address thefact that residents will need increasing levelsof assistance over time.

Here are some ideas that have emergedfrom the discussion board and at Sahavas,listed roughly from most independence toleast independence:

1) Individuals buy inexpensive homesalong one street in the Myrtle Beach area.Several college age Baba lovers care for themin exchange for room and board for specifiedperiods oftime. This would not require statelicensing.

2) Group buys separate plot of landand develops small cottages or the like,something similar to the Indian concept ofa compound. This would not require statelicensing, but likely some layers of legalpaperwork.

3) Group could hire an “assisted livingliaison”, someone with a social service back-ground to act as an ombudsman for peopleliving alone. This person might coordinateassisted living services, such as Meals onWheels, transportation to and from medicalappointments, and light duty case work (i.e.they might act as a focal point for trackingthe needs ofBaba lovers and alerting the careproviders when there is an issue that is notbeing adequately addressed). This may notrequire that people live in the same area orlocation.

4) Make or buy a fill—fledged retire-

ment center. That is, build a location fromscratch or buy a center and convert it intoa Baba owned facility Regulatory require-ments and many costs involved would likelyrival services offered in the private sector.

Obviously, there are options that can beexamined, such as one person buying a largehouse and renting out rooms, but the decision about what to do as a whole is likely tobe effected at a group level.Whether one ideais more suitable in one location and anotherin another location, is again, up to those whobecome involved.

Bhau Kalchuri, upon learning about thisconcept, wrote “. . .before you start you mustthink about it seriously. It is not sufficientto collect information but it is necessary tostart the project. There is no end of information. But that information is really useftilwhich the heart provides. First one shouldcollect this information and then proceedftirther...”

What to do? Next Steps?Someone suggested that local groups

focus a meeting on aging and care issues.That might be a good starting point. Ifyouare ready to engage with others and don’twant to wait for a meeting, or simply wantto get some ideas from others, there are somepeople already talking about cooperative liv-ing. For those who have a strong vision thatthese facilities should become spiritual corn-munities or a resting place, I would simplylike to suggest that you consider the idea that“ifyou build it, He will come”, as He alwayshas and He always will.

The website is located at:www.meherbabaseniorcareg and Ron

Festine is the liaison for the steering corn-mittee. He may be reached at:

rfestine@mac.com or by phone at: 503-697-3368.

—. ‘-

) mykai: izightitgak doWi-be disappointed with the old age ofspring lut

! keep on singing, and wljik singing bicomeso thirsty that you drown in My Ocean f

Silence. Thenyou willfindMy eternalip new

.

Song. Whenyou sing this Songyou willfindthat spring has becomeyoung once again.

Iwantto hearyoursong Donfre1disap-pointedwitb the oldage ofspring and don’z’rnakeMe disappointedinyou. Drink the cup

ofMypleasure and havingderivednrengtbfrom it continuesinging.Allow others to hearyour song too. You will be able to revive theyouthfulness ofspring, butto accomplish this

you have to drown in My Silence andJindMySong

___

— --

—

LA Response from 7<eith9unn, California

Ihesitate to enter this discussion because my views are a little off center, but for whatthey are worth, here they are: The right place for Baba lovers to seek Senior Care, I

think, is India. I hear an immediate chorus of”inferior medical care, too many bugs, wrongclimate” and so forth. I believe this chorus to be based on poor information. I spend a lotoftime in India, and I spend part ofit on every visit in other parts oflndia than just Ahmednagar and its magnificent suburbs. First, prescription drugs are obtained at between1/10 and 1/100 the cost they have here in America (for reasons that can only be ascribedto Corporate corruption and Governmental lassitude). Second, the Indian people have anenormous capacity for compassionate service, vastly exceeding the average in the West inthis regard. Third, good medical and dental care is available for those who are sufficientlydiscriminating to discover it.

There are hurdles. The Indian electrical grid is dysfunctional, but there is more thanenough insulation to make renewable local electrical generation feasible in a compound ofeven modest size. That’s a cost disadvantage, but it’s way overcome by the cost advantages.There are hygienic hurdles, but the Pilgrim Centre has overcome them, and Alan and hiskitchen staffknow the protocols to assure bug-free living (as do the leading hospitals, suchas the ones that have successfully cared for Bhau; we’d know to get a better anaesthesiologist,ifyou’ve heard that story). And we’d know how to install air conditioning in any facility forwesterners, and would therefore have no difficulty adjusting the climate in suitable ways.

I am informed that Mani was concerned that older Western Baba lovers would flood theAhmednagar district to live out their lives, and she didn’t like this idea at all. But whereverone goes in India to actualize this plan, relative proximity to the Samadhi seems to me tomake sense for us.

James Cox built condos in Ahmednagar District, within walking distance ofthe Samadhi.It was a very difficult thing to do, and I wonder ifJames would do it again. It may be thatsomewhere other than Ahmednagar would be a better place to site any sort of new BabaLover-oriented health faci1ity

On one visit, I went to an Elder Care facility on the border ofMaharashtra and Gujarat,on the sea (ocean front property originally built for Zoroastrians by Zoroastrians). It wasclean, elegant, and could easily have been adjusted to meet western standards had therebeen a suitable infusion offunds. Price no object, a site like that would be unobtainable inthe first world for an elder care facility

So, there are lots ofadvantages to considering India as the ultimate destination ofelderlyBaba lovers of an adventurous nature. Going frirther to an actual plan can be left to thosewith sufficient interest.

.7frklier Ei3aba

Ido not perform any miracles, I do not change the circumstances at all, but there is one thingthat is certain: My spiritual status is so high, so great, that if any man in any difficulty

in any corner of the world, at any time, remembers Me with all his heart, the difficulty isimmediately solved. That is not idle talk, it is a fact. I am the Lord of the Universe andthe Slave of the love ofMy lovers.

When you feel angry or get lustful thoughts, at once remember Me whole-heartedly.Let My Name serve the purpose ofa net around you so that like mosquitoes, the thoughtsmay keep buzzing around you, yet they will not be able to ‘bite’ you.

Any moment you feel you are getting excited, remember Me, and you can at once turnthat moment into laughter.

Meher Baba Calling, © AMBPPCT

WorkshopsL.A. SAHAVAS

workshop on Senior Care and Housing will be held at the upcoming L.A.

Sahavas next summer, led by Sam Ervin.Sam is currently the chairman ofthe board atMeher Mount, and with his wife, MargaretMagnus, is involved in long term planningboth for Meher Mount and the AvatarMeher Baba Center ofSouthern California.Beginning his career as a social worker andending up as CEO ofa $500 million healthplan, Sam brings 30 years of experience inhealth services to the discussion.

MEHERANA SPRING SAHAVAS

Another workshop on Senior Care andHousing will be held at the Meherana

Spring Sahavas in 2005, led by Ron Festine.Ron currently runs a healthcare websitebusiness and was Executive Director for oneof the nation’s regional aging associations.

Therj2urpose ofLifeJI/kher Ei3aba

Notby seeking individual happiness or

safety but by again and again offeringone’s life in the service ofothers is it possibleto rise to the unsurpassed completeness ofrealized truth. God is not to be sought byrunning away from life but by establishingunity with the One in the many. Purity,love and service are the elements of spin-tual life.

Those who cleanse their hearts of theembittering poison of selfishness, hate andgreed find God as their own true Self. Thetruth ofdivine life is not a hope but a reality;all else is illusion. Have faith and you will beredeemed. Have love and you will conquerthe limited selfofcravings that veilyour owntrue being as God.

The so many deaths during the onewhole life, from the beginning of evolutionofconsciousness to the end ofinvolution ofconsciousness, are like so many sleeps duringone lifetime.

Meher Baba Calling, © 1964 A]VIBPPCT

45

c2oeiryDivine 3ire, Wood, and the 3lcimes ofLonging

Once and for all, Baba, let’s get thisright!

Fire is dormant and latent in everythingeverywhere.Even in air and water and stone.Okay?

You as Reality are the Fire.Right?

But Fire needs something to burn,In order to bring it out, realize andmanifest itself.Wood burns perfectly in Fire — leavingonly ashes.

- My false and illusory selfis Wood for theFire,When it reaches the Involution Stage.Furthermore, as every thing withinIllusion is evolvingAnd one day will also be part of a false-self’s make-upWhich has become seasoned Wood readyfor burning —

We can therefore say that the whole ofIllusion (Creation)Is latently and potentially Wood for theFire.Okay, so far?

As Fire, you are Reality But as Realitycannot enterCreation (Illusion), you come intoCreation (Illusion) as Love —

And you remain with Creation (Illusion)as Love eternallyAnd forever, never leaving or being absentfrom it.Therefore, Your Love is you — Reality— within Illusion!You then seed Your Love in our hearts andwhen they start growing,They turn into Longing. And the moreLongingWe experience for you, the more YourSeeds or LoveGrow within our hearts. And the greater

our loveBecomes for you, the deeper is ourexperience of LongingFor you!The Flames around the burning Wood arethis Longing.The Flames come from the Fire withinthe WoodAnd not from the Wood.Longing comes from Your Love—whichis actually youAnd not as we think from our wanting.Wood is nothing and nothingness. It’sthere so that FireCan manifest itself as Flames.Is this correct?

So the Flames of Longing, whichessentially are Fire,Burn the Wood and doing so reveal theFire.The Fire than sees and realizes itselfAnd as it continues to burn — to manifestas Flames —

Within Creation (Illusion), it isrecognized as the AvatarAnd Christ or a Perfect Master.However, the Avatar and Christ or thePerfect MastersAre seen by us as Flames and not as actualFire!Right?

Finally, the Wood is burned to ashes— returningTo the nothing and nothingness it was allalong.And with all the Wood burned, theFlames die downAnd disappear.So where’s the Fire?

Where it always was and will be — ineverything everywhere!

Except that now it has realized itselfAs Who? and What? it is — Divine Fire —

It is in everything everywhereAnd it consciously experiences itself ineverything everywhere!

In a real sense, Divine Fire (Reality)Never comes into Illusion (Creation)...Therefore the nearest we come to it,Ifwe exclude the Planes of Consciousness,Is through the Flames of Longing.

Yet, quite incredibly and astonishingly,These same Flames reveal and manifestDivine Fire with Illusion (Creation) —

As in the Avatar and Christ, and PerfectMasters!

This is truly unbelievable to my mind,Baba!But my heart is somersaulting across thesky with joy!Dearest Baba, just a moment . . I reallyneed to sit down!

Dare I say aloud what I’m seeing beforemy eyes, Baba ..!?That when the Flames of Longing areburning brightlyAnd intensely within our heart — it’s thesameAs being in Your Actual PhysicalPresence!

I’m the happiest mute in all of Creation,Baba!

I? S. - Baba, when you have a moment,tell EruchThat what he used to tell us aboutlongingls thepeifect truth.Andplease give him a loving hugfromme.Thanks!

Mirek —

46

ARIZONAIrma Sheppard, phone: 520-321-1566, 7320 N. Village

Ave., Tucson, AZ 85704. E-mail: ihs222@theriver.com.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIACall for info regarding meeting times and related info: 510-

845-4339 or Ben Leet at 510-351-8259, e-mail:Bcnleet@earthlink.net. The Northern California AvatarMeher Baba Center is located at 6923 Stockton St., ElCerrito, CA 94530-2931.www.MeherBabaMeherBaba.org

Marilyn Buehler, Sacramento area, phone: 916-812-9496.E-mail: premsay@sbcglobal.net.wwwpremsay.com/MeherBaba

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAMeetings are Sundays, 11 am. to 1 p.m. held in our center “Meherabode,”

phone: 323-731-3737, 1214 South Van Ness Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90019(just East ofthe intersection ofArlington and 12th Street). The Avatar MeherBaba Center ofLos Angeles now has its own web site at wwwMeherabode.org to bring the local news, programs, activities, and announcements to theBaba community and the public.

COLORADOMeetings Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. at various homes in the Denver-

Metro area. (Also the contactpersonfor Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming,andArizona.)BarbaraA. Roberts, Phone: 303-238-4649, 3475 Moore Court,Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-5543 (suburb of Denver).E-mail: babara@fone.net.

FLORIDA (TAMPA BAY)

Jane Paladino, Tampa, FL, 813-962-8629. Contact Tom Decker M.D.,Clearwater, FL, 727-536-9282.

HAWAII (MAuI)

Meredith Moon Phone: 808-573-1188 or 808-572-6556. Fax: 808-573-1189. E-mail: mm@dreamcircle.org. Location: 1940 Olinda Road or Snailmail to: P0. Box 1269, Makawao, Maui, HA 96768, USA.

HAWAII (M0LAKAI)

ShirleyAlapa at “Meher Dham.” Phone: 808-567-6074 or 808-567-6383.Fax: 808-567-6363 Message: 808-567-6363. E-mail: salapa@aloha.net. 69KFarrington Ave., Hoolehua, HI 96729. Mail: P0. Box 177 Kualapuu, HI96757.

MAiNEGroup meets once a month on the third Sunday. We take turns hosting the

gathering. It’s always at 1 p.m. with potluck first and then meeting. Connieand Doug Leavitt, woric 207-594-0909 home: 207-594-1968 evenings andweekends. Snail mail: P.O. Box 125, Spruce Head, ME 04859. E-mail:publisher@sevencoinpress.com, or Noreen O’Brien, phone: 207-354-7005P0. Box 42, Rockland, ME O4841ompoint@yahoo.com, or Ken Lux, phone:207-594-6391 P.O. Box 108, Rockland, ME 04841,e-mail: kenlux@aol.com.

M ASSACHUSETTS

Meher Baba Information Center (Cambridge). Contact Michael Siegell617-864-3997, or Linda Porelle e-mail: lpgp@verizon.net.

M0NTA NAAndy Shott, phone: 406-549-5949, 336 Connell, Missoula, MT 59801.

NEVADADick & Carol Mannis, 10809 Garden Mist Dr, Las Vegas NV 89135,

Phone: 702-326-1701, e-mail: rkmannis@aol.com. Meetings at 5 p.m., followed by potluck dinner.

NEW HAMPSHIRECall for info: Liz Miller at 603-749-3668.

E-mail: mceliz200l @yahoo.com.

NEw MEXICORobert Reser and Edle Andersen. Meetings are held the

[ast Thursday ofthe month at 7 p.m. in our home at 1921Fort Union Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505. Phone: 505-983-

-

1 robertreser@yahoo.com.

F NoRTH CAROLINAWinnie Barrett, 22 Chunns View Drive, Asheville, NC

i. E-mail: winkiebai@mac.com. Sheldon Herman,none: 336-288-8090 or 336-235-2730, 2405 Kery Drive,reensboro, NC 27408, e-mail: bikewalla@gbronline.com.

........ ....— Peter and Debbie Nordeen, 5 Fern Street, Asheville, NC28803, e-mail: nordeens@msn.com.

NEW YORK NEW JERSEY PENNSYLVANIAMeher Baba House, Angela and George Chen, 124 Pondfield Road West,

Bronxville, NY 10708 e-mail: info@MeherBabaHouse.org.www.MeherBabaHouse.org

Philadelphia and surrounding tn-state area ofNew York, NewJersey, andPennsylvania. Bi-weekly meetings on Saturdays at 4 p.m. Contact FrankBloise, phone: 856-696-4374, 431 West Garden Road, Vineland, NJ 08360,e-mail: thloise@earthlink.net.

TEXAS

Chris &Anne Barker, phone: 936-560-2631, 3101 Skyline Drive, Nacogdoches, TX 75965, e-mail: rockbl@yahoo.com.

WASHINGToN, D.C.

Pamela Butler-Stone, phone 310-946-0236. Friday and SaturdayMeetings. Visit www.lifeimages.com/MeherBaba

ENGLANDMeher Baba Center, 228 Hammersmith Grove, London W6 7HG

(0207)485 7042FRANCE

C. Dallemagne, Le Sylvéreal Al. des Pins 13009 Marseille Tel. (4)91 41 3902. Marc Molinari.

Debby Sanchez, 1300 Route de Callas 83490 Le Muy (near Cannes). Tel.(4)94 45 81 39.

Christine & Philippe Joucla, 7 Allée des Pins, La Salette 56610 Arradon(near St.Nazaire) (2)97 46 13 19.André Grimard, Champ Brulé Duneau 72160 Connérré (2)43 89 01 94.Claude Longuet, 13-15 Rue Pastourelle, 75003 Paris, (1)44 59 30 06.

ISRAEL

Michal Sivan, phone/fax: 02671-5835. Address: 46 Hebron Road,Jerusalem, Israel 93513. E-mail: myb@netvision.net.il.

MEXICO

Rafael Villafane, phone from US: 01152555295-0512, cell from US: 01152 555 502 7225, e-mail is best as I travel alot: raal@royerlabs.com. We havemeetings about every month, in Mexico City at 7 p.m. No particular meetingday, people on the list are contacted prior to any meeting, e-mail addressesare preferred. I am also found in Cancun or Acapulco at times, so e-mail meifyou will be in those areas.Jeff & Cindy Lowe, phone from US: 011 52 755 544 6303, e-mail:

cindearaba@yahoo.com. We will have a meeting any time there is a requestfor one. Please contact us if you’re going to be in the Zihuatanejo/Ixtapaarea.

1.:1F1D...V.hf:1:D F:..E HEFL E3..A.. E..A.... r..I:EE.:::.=i:..N.: :.G

The following is information about the various Baba groups around the country and a few from overseas. If your local data is not included pleasesend it to me and should things change from the published details, please let me know that before the next issue’s deadline.—Dma

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dIW1’

AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTEROF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

1214 SOUTH VAN NESS AVENUE

LOS ANGELES, CA 90019-3520

Address Service Requested

NONPROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLOS ANGELES, CAPERMIT #3 I 394

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