HIS LIFE WITH (2 of 2)

Lud Dimpfl Meher Spiritual Center, Myrtle Beach, SC July 18, 1975 49:03

Recording Intro: Lud Dimpfl talking at there were many other poets that have Meher Spiritual Center, Myrtle Beach, brought the teachings down through South Carolina July 18, 1975. poetry, and also they had songs. And then came a time in this country at the time that ELIZABETH: can introduce Lud Dimpfl we were sending all the missionaries to the from San Francisco to you. So many of you East, and the missionaries to India, and the already know him and his wife and he missionaries to Africa and so forth. This is were at the Center in 1952, ’56 and ’58. just before I was born in Chicago.

LUD’S WIFE: I wasn’t here in ’52 but the In the late part of the 1900’s, three wise other two times, yes. men came to America. The first one was Vivekananda. He made a great imprint on ELIZABETH: More or less, yes. [laughter] the American consciousness. I’m not And then they were in the East West telling about him because we can talk Gathering when we all went over there in about him some other time. And then ’62 and since that time, I don’t recall that Inayat and you pronounce it for me? I’ve seen you but they don’t really look so different particularly when they smile. LUD: Inayat Khan [laughter] So I am very happy to have them. And then I wanted to say to you that ELIZABETH: Inayat Khan. And Abdul some of you have perhaps been surprised Bahai. And Baba said of them, that they or whatever you call it, that being Baba were his forerunners. If it wasn’t for them, followers that they are, that they have a people in America or the West in general, name of Sufism. And I want say where I wouldn’t have been so prepared for His first heard of Sufism. One of Meher Baba’s coming, prepared for what He said. They long time dear disciples in the early times were perhaps even icebreakers in this was named Dr Ghani and he was a Sufi. country because people just didn’t want to And he also wrote in the Meher Baba believe. But then when they saw men of Journal certain things in regard to Sufism. I these statures, not that they had anything think I shall have to go and read them to do with each other necessarily, but wise again myself. men and saints are some way connected with each other and they came at different Then when Murshida Duce came over times. But they made such an impact that there, Meher Baba had him talk with her when Baba came, people had some for a long time. I didn’t hear all the knowledge of Eastern religion, Eastern conversations but what I did see that Baba, thought, Eastern ideas. Which of course I Sufism, was something very far back. He always want to say, “There is no religion gave a big gesture, way far back, which it but an Eastern religion.” Christianity is an is of course. And then another thing we Eastern religion, Judaism is an Eastern know about Sufism, the Sufis rather, in religion, Mohammedism and so forth. And regard to Baba’s favorite poet, Hafiz. And then came the time when Norina and I

Page 1 of 9 went out to California to look for the Avatar. I mean not that we hadn’t heard Center. the name but Baba was the Perfect Master, but she always used the name Avatar. And By Baba’s order we went out. He didn’t tell she wrote to different people because she us to go to California but we thought that was of the Sufi Order, the head of it, the would be the ideal place for a Center. And Murshida, she wrote to different people. He also told Norina that she should lecture She said that Meher Baba was the Avatar, when we were out there. And first she the one whom they were all looking for. lectured in Seattle, which happened to be Well, most of them weren’t looking for the Theosophical Society, which is an him. [laughter] interesting story in itself because the president followed Baba and wanted to And Laura, I think we know had met have His teachings there and they refused Inayat Khan, she was living in Detroit and to have Meher Baba’s teachings, and she you probably know her story. She can tell said, “I thought the Theosophists stood for it certainly much better than I can. But the very broad and so forth.” Well the point is, she was a bit perplexed, we might interesting part is that she resigned but her say, but she was also a little open minded daughter took her place. Her name was and she said, “Now if Rabia comes here Mildred Kyle. then I’ll find out what she has to say.” And Rabia was a very strong interesting woman Then we went to San Francisco and the and there was no two ways about it with first time that Baba’s name was ever her. And it so happened eventually that spoken in public was by Norina. And Laura got here, but she’ll tell you. But the through this lecture which was in Masonic Sufism, what shall I say, has been a thread Hall in San Francisco came a very all the way through. And then came a time wonderful soul. Her name was Rabia that Norina and I were in India and a very Martin. And she came up and spoke to interesting lady named Ivy Duce and her Norina and myself afterwards and said, “I daughter Charmian came over there. It was want to know so much more about Meher either ’47 or ’48. She had just been Baba. Can I come out and see you?” We appointed the Murshida and she had not were staying at a friend’s house in San expected to be. But Rabia Martin had, at Mateo and she came out there, not only the last moment, changed her will and once, but a number of times. We talked well that was very perplexing to Mrs. Duce about Meher Baba and she felt His impact because she never envisioned it for herself. on her. And she said, “You know Inayat She was a good speaker, she was a Khan was here and had created a great wonderful person. Her husband was in the impact and many disciples followed him. Saudi Arabia, what’s the Arabian? But this is a number of years ago and the Society, the Sufi Order has fallen, not LUD: American Oil Company. because people have left it, but because no new members were coming and those ELIZABTH: American Oil Company and who were there had moved away. so he wasn’t so interested that she should California people have a wonderful way of go to India and meet Meher Baba but like moving around. [laughter] women they can find a way to fix it. [laughter] “Now dear you’re going to Saudi Then it happened that she decided she Arabia and I want to be with you,” would come and be with us in New York [laughter] ”and so does my daughter. Of afterwards. It happens that at that time she course it gets to be sometimes 120 there acknowledged Baba as the Avatar. That and it is very possible I will want to go on was before we were calling Baba the to India.” [laughter] Page 2 of 9 my engineering and chemistry cohorts It may not have happened quite that way could care less. They professed themselves but that was the way Rabia was and she agnostics which I thought was kind of a came and met Meher Baba there and we cop-out because what it meant was that were both very happy to see her. She you didn’t care whether there was a God asked Baba, she was very modest about it. or not. As far as I was concerned I was She asked, “How can I be the Murshida? I going to say there wasn’t a God until I was don’t feel adequate, I don’t feel—” I don’t struck by lightning or something, think she used the word ‘worthy’ but that’s [laughter] and at least focus the issue. And a word that we could use, and she was some place along the line after five years very modest. And Baba said, “But you of this, I was transferred to share an office must be.” And then He said, “I’ll tell you with Don Stevens. I don’t know how many what to do. You have the Sufi Order. You of you know Don Stevens but he was a were appointed to the Sufi Order. So we’ll Sufi. And I, since he was my office mate, I reorient it.” So the Sufi Order was right started to discuss atheism with him. And there and then reoriented to Baba. So He the upshot of it was that I became a Sufi. took that and changed it. And that’s what it [laughter] is today. That’s why we’re especially happy that Lud is here and you musn’t feel that I might say interestingly enough that Don there is a separation in of any of Baba’s was so diplomatic in his discussions, that I work. There has to be a variation. In fact I never realized that being a Sufi and an think it would be very dull if everybody atheist was inconsistent and I [laughter] was like Kitty and myself or any of the was a Sufi for six months before I found others, even Fred and Ella and all these out I wasn’t an atheist anymore [laughter] people. [laughter] There’s got to be a great But that’s another story. variation. And I’d like to introduce Lud Dimpfl. The thing was that Baba at that time, I mean Murshida Duce, who was living in LUD: Well thank you all and thank you New York at the time, had dedicated the Elizabeth for that introduction because I Sufi Order to Meher Baba. Don Stevens, will refer to the Sufis through my talk, but who out on the West Coast had not yet this isn’t a talk about Sufism. What I came met Meher Baba, and wasn’t convinced at to talk to you about was my life with Baba all that Meher Baba was who He said He and particularly the different things that was and he knew Sufism, so he didn’t tell Baba put me through. any of us about Baba at least not very emphatically, however Murshida told him that he was to have all of us to read “The LUD: Could you keep it off? I think the Discourses”, so he gave me a set of “The heat’s probably more tolerable than the Discourses” and I said, ”Discourses by noise. Inayat Khan?” And he said, “No, Discourses by Meher Baba.” “And I said, Can you hear? I started out as a very who’s Meher Baba?” orthodox Christian—can you hear?—but someplace along the line in my scientific Well I couldn’t extract an answer from training, I just wasn’t getting the answers him, so I started reading them and so one that I felt I needed and so I threw day I read the Discourse “Avatar” and I Christianity over and became an atheist. said to Don, “My gosh it’s sure exciting to Professed atheist anyhow, just because it think the Avatar might be here.” And Don was important to me to know whether said, “Yes, in fact Meher Baba says He is there was a God or wasn’t. And most of the Avatar.” Well as soon as Don said that, Page 3 of 9 there was just something that clicked in Well, this is in May of ’52 that He arrived me. Well of course that’s the only thing it and as far as I was concerned I wasn’t could possibly be. And so I said to Don, waiting for him to come to the West Coast. “Why didn’t you tell me this right away? He was after all 58 now. [laughter] That [laughter] was very old and you never know what c o u l d h a p p e n a n d s o I w a n t e d “How old is he?” He says, “He’s fifty-five.” immediately to catch the plane to Myrtle “My gosh! That’s old. He might die any Beach and which I arranged it to do much minute!” [laughter] over family opposition and then, just to make sure that I really wanted to come, And so I wanted to get the first plane to Baba had it explained to me that I had to India. And then He wrote Murshida and understand that I could only see Him for said that He had a problem on His hands. five minutes, if I came across the country. She wrote me a very calming letter and And of course then my parents said, “Well telling me she was pleased with my that’s just ridiculous, If you’re going to go reaction to Baba but Baba was on the New all the way across the country for five Life journeys at the moment and we minutes when He’s coming to San couldn’t even write Him. F r a n c i s c o a n y h o w. ” [ l a u g h t e r ] Nonetheless, I am very stubborn when I Well the point is that something was get into that kind of thing so I got on the happening to me imperceptibly here. You plane and you know it’s just so, while I see, until the time that I heard about was flying back East, all of a sudden, it’s Meher Baba, God was something that I like when you’re chasing a thief and you couldn’t get a hand on. It was something say, “Stop thief!” and he stops, [laughter] that you read about in books, something, what do you do now? [laughter] I was on someone whose contact with man existed this plane and suddenly I thought, “What in the past. And here was the possibility of are you doing on this plane? What are you it happening in my lifetime. And so I was going to do when you get there to see just very anxious to come to this but as this God? Well He knows everything already became more and more possible what are you going to tell Him that He imperceptibly another problem took over doesn’t know?” [laughter] and that was, “How do you act in the presence of God?” And this, this is, Now you start to wonder about this. something, the focus was so much on Murshida told us we ought to have in mind getting to get to see God I hadn’t even what we were going to say to Him so we considered this other problem. Well this don’t waste His time you see. And what do finally happened. Correspondence, we you say to God? I mean you want to be were allowed to write Baba one letter. clever [laughter] So anyhow I really had time to think it through you see and what I I met Dr. Donkin when he came over out finally decided to do was that I really of the New Life. He made a trip through wanted to spend my life with Him to find the West. Baba wrote me a letter which out what God on earth was like. And of touched me very much, and I, and then, course, there was a small detail – I had a all of a sudden the New Life journeys wife and three children with a fourth one came to an end. The announcement came on the way. I think one of the reasons of that Baba would come to the United my wife’s objecting to my going East in the States, first to Myrtle Beach and then to the first place was she was afraid she’d never West Coast and then all of a sudden, He see me again. I’d run off to India with this was upon us. man, you know, for somebody who doesn’t have the same reaction to Baba as Page 4 of 9 I did, well this was really putting her are going to die.” [laughter] And you know through a lot. And Baba was just, Baba I tell you this was a moment of real panic was of course very aware of this and He in me, “What have I done?” you see. But wired her and told her that when I came then Baba went on to say, “Don’t quit your home that she was to tell me that I wasn’t job now and don’t sell your house but I’ll to leave for India and I wasn’t to quit my call for you in a year and you can come to job, and wasn’t to sell the house and all India then.” And you see as He was going this kind of thing. [laughter] Baba knew on like this, the thought passed and I exactly what she was worrying about and thought, “It really wasn’t so bad.” He told her this. But I was never to forget that because it But in the meantime I was on my way to was to come up time and time again. This Baba, and I had my five minute interview was the way Baba showed me that I wasn’t with Him. I told Baba that I had a very ready yet. I mean I wasn’t as free of all the promising career in the oil business and attachments I had that it took to be one of none of this was of any importance to me. the . And then He went on to say, What I really wanted to do was to spend “Now go back to your job and don’t worry my life with Him. And so, Baba said on the and always tell the truth.” “Well,” I alphabet board that nothing had made thought, “This is great. Baba’s going to call Him as happy that day right there in the for me in a year. All I have to do is be Lagoon Cabin, nothing had made Him as honest, which I am already, and I don’t happy that day as what I had said to Him. have to worry and things are just going to And then He called in Murshida and he be fine,” You see. And then I went back to had me repeat what I just said. And so I work and while I was flying back to the said this and Murshida said, “Well Baba West Coast, Baba had the auto accident he can’t.” Baba had said Lud’s coming to and He never did come to the West Coast India with me isn’t this wonderful? and as things fell out I got so involved at Murshida said, “Baba, he can’t do that, he work that I couldn’t have seen Him if I has a wife and three children. Lud, why hadn’t taken that opportunity to see Him didn’t you tell Him that?” I said, “Well I that I did do. On the way back from the thought He was God and knew everything East I stopped by Murshida Duce’s house and that He wouldn’t let do anything that in Washington. Not in Washington, it was wasn’t all right.” You know. [laughter] in New York.

And so Murshida said, “Well no Lud, you And the thing that bothered me was that have to tell Him things like this.” And Baba everybody else that I heard about had held up His hands. He motioned like this, been touched by Baba in some way or “I have seen them.” And that right then it other. They either saw a pink cloud or they crossed my mind at least in this respect went into some, or they felt this great that I understood Baba better than warmth. I didn’t feel anything like that. So Murshida does. [laughter] Baba was to I just felt there was something wrong with correct that misapprehension two years me. I told Murshida, “I’ve got to be the later but He allowed me to live with that most unspiritual person that saw Baba mistake for two years. {[laughter]] And today” and she said, “That doesn’t make then He said with respect to the children, any difference, everybody’s different.” “But “Today I call them My angels.” And you don’t understand, I mean I didn’t feel everybody around said, “Oh isn’t that anything.” She said, “That’s all right Lud.” cute?” But I didn’t think it was cute You know I just couldn’t through to her the because I thought, “Oh that’s how He is fact that I was, the fact I didn’t feel going to solve the problem. The children anything at all you see. I was so frustrated I Page 5 of 9 broke down and started to cry and she I just couldn’t wait to get up there in the says, “Now Lud no grown man is going to line and embrace Baba and Baba looks at cry if he isn’t affected.” I said, “That’s not me and says, “Who are you?” [laughter] fair!” [laughter] That’s where I learned the lesson I have to remember that Baba plays the part of a I had to be just like everybody else. But human perfectly and I have to treat Him Murshida always gets her point across. So like a forgetful human being, like telling anyhow I came out to the West Coast and Him I have a wife and three children you I went back to work and let’s see I want to see. But so it was a very painful way to get, make sure I don’t leave anything out here. but I never forgot that. Oh yeah, so I started being very honest. I was surprised how many dishonesties I We then went into the main meeting hall had allowed to creep into my work so I and you have never seen anybody as was honest with a vengeance. I didn’t care uptight as I was. Now I really didn’t know who I insulted, after all I was going to be how you behave with a Master, you see. leaving in a year. [laughter] And bid this And so Baba went around the room asking Western world farewell forever. And so this everybody how they felt and they were all was how Baba was going to teach me tact. expressing their love for Him you know But anyhow as eleven months went by and and how glad they were to be here and I things started to get pretty hot because kept thinking, “You know, I don’t think people were, you know people I’d insulted they really feel this. I don’t feel anything. were starting to make life unpleasant for They don’t feel anything.” And gosh I kept me. I thought it was about time that Baba getting madder and madder and madder as was going to call for me; you know Baba this thing went around the room you see. said He was going to call for me in a year So it came around to me and I said, “Baba you know. And time went on and on and I don’t know what we’re all talking about!” on, two years went by and I finally And I said, we don’t see you as you are realized that maybe Baba has His own and here we’re all trying to outdo each time schedule which He’s free to alter. And other like Regan’s daughters as to how so finally after a little over two years, Baba much compliments we give you.” And gee announced the men’s meeting in India in Baba let this go on for awhile and the rest ’54 to which I was invited. But it was only of the people were starting to get real mad going to be for three weeks you see. And at me. What are you talking about? And I’m going to have to come back again. I finally Baba held up His hand and He just assumed that I was going to be able to said, “That’s good, you’re honest. But next stay over there once I went over there and time say ‘I’ not ‘we’.” And there was the Baba never said anything about that. So I whole thing in a nutshell. A similar had a lot of living down to do and at incident was to take place eight years later Standard Oil memories are very long and I which I didn’t add up with that one at all had a lot of living down to do. But anyhow but it was seen from a different point of I came over to India then and when I first view of what I’d learned in eight years. But met Baba, I was waiting in line to greet that will come later. Him again. It was like old homecoming. It was John Bass, Fred Winterfeldt, Darwin Then of course the other thing that really Shaw and Charles Purdom and Will bothered me was “How do you act in the Backett from . Baba embraced presence of a Master?” And Baba really them all. A reunion of old friends. showed that one beautifully. He said, “Now Donkin is in charge of your health. And Donkin, if any of these people get sick it’s all your fault” [laughter] I thought, Page 6 of 9 “My gosh how does somebody live with cares about. Another kind of thing that something heavy like this laid on him?” happened was that Baba told us He Well it wasn’t long before one morning wanted us all to be comfortable. So I when Baba was going around, “Did you kicked off my shoes, put them on the chair, sleep well? Are you healthy?” And so forth. lit up a cigarette. Baba says, “That’s good. Bill LePage says, ”I’ve got a cold.” Baba You look comfortable. I like that.” says, “Donkin, why does LePage have a [laughter] “If you feel like smoking, cold?” [laughter] I just really felt for smoke.” So anyhow after that meeting was Donkin you see. And Donkin said, “Well over, Meherjee comes up to me and says, he probably kicked the covers off himself “I know Baba told you could smoke but last night and he got the sniffles.” And He hates smoking and you should never Baba says, “Well what are you doing for smoke in Baba’s presence.” “Well I won’t it?” “I gave him some salt water to gargle even smoke in my father’s presence, let with, told him to drink lots of water and to alone Baba’s.” get plenty of rest.” Baba says, “Are you doing that?” LePage says, “Yes.” “Donkin, The next day we had private interviews why isn’t he better?“ [laughter] He says, with Baba. In my private interview, I asked “It hasn’t had time to work yet” Baba says, Baba, “I know you said that we could “Haven’t you got any penicillin? Why don’t smoke but if you don’t like smoking I’d just you give him penicillin?” He says, “I’ve got as soon not.” Baba said, “Who told you penicillin but I haven’t got very much and not to smoke?” I said, “Meherjee.” Baba I’m saving it for serious illnesses in the said, “Why do you do what Meherjee says dispensary, and besides I don’t want to instead of what I say?” And Meherjee breed a lot of penicillin-resistant bugs.” really answered the question to me. He Baba says, “All right.” I thought here this said, “I don’t smoke even in my father’s guy argues the Avatar down when the presence and in the Orient it is considered Avatar tells him it’s all his fault you see. a mark of disrespect to smoke in the And well finally and when this kind of presence of your elders.” And so for an thing happens often enough, the lesson Indian to smoke in Baba’s presence is not comes home to you. Baba doesn’t care permissible where in America where it’s whose fault it is. The only thing He’s not considered a mark of disrespect to interested in that you all the time act as if smoke in the presence of one’s father, one Baba were there in a way in which you are may smoke in Baba’s presence. Baba is not ashamed to tell him what you are concerned about the essentials not about doing and if you can, with a clear the objective act. conscience, tell the Avatar what you’re doing. He’ll accept it. He doesn’t care This one final, one other story I want to tell whose fault it is. about this particular period which I call my suitcase story. I, it’s just the way that There was another situation that happened Baba let me know in His own little way much later here where Baba posted out to that He’s always with you. I was sleeping me that I did the right thing but if I ever upstairs in the dormitory across from did a thing like that again I should wait till Hill and Joseph Harb had the He’s gone before I did it. bed right across from me and he had the irritating habit of opening his suitcase on So you can see it’s, never look outside my bed and leaving it open there so. One yourself for an evaluation of your motives. morning I came up and Baba’s car was You are the only one who can ever coming up the Hill, and so I suddenly properly judge where your heart is when remembered something I had to have in you do something, which is all that Baba the meeting room with me there. So I ran Page 7 of 9 up to my bed and there was Joe’s suitcase says Baba wants to play me. So I thought open on my bed. I just got furious. I took Baba's been through an accident so I'll the suitcase and I dumped it out on his take it kinda easy on Him so I gave Him a bed and got what I had to get and started kind of an easy serve and Baba goes flip to go back down. “Now wait a minute, I and aces it out the corner [laughter] with cannot sit with two hours of discourses no chance of me getting it. So I thought with this on my mind,” so I went back up, " T h a t ' s t h e w a y H e w a n t s t o piled all the stuff back into Joseph’s case, play." [laughter] So I pulled out my best closed the suitcase and shoved it under his serve you know and my gosh it was a good bed, felt very virtuous and walked serve! I think it was my best I ever did. It downstairs and just as I crossed the just skimmed the net and it hits in Baba's threshold of the meeting hall there was court and Baba flicks it our the other end Baba talking with and and that just aces out the other corner. Eruch was reading Baba's gestures and he [laughter] And Baba spells out in the said, "Francis, Baba says if you ever get alphabet board. He says, "Baba can't play angry with anyone don't dump the ping pong so well anymore because He contents of his suitcase out on his bed.” just had an automobile accident. [laughter] [laughter]

See Baba didn't embarrass you. [laughter] After you go through enough of these kind He just lets you know. Then one day He of things, you finally loosen up. [laughter] had us play marbles. And Baba's marble Baba insists that you deal with Him as a game was that He had a single marble human being but you just never forget that placed about twenty feet away from a toe He's God. And there were a number of board. We were to step up to the toe board other incidents on this particular point, but and throw a marble at this other marble one thing was His Final Declaration at His and the one who hits that marble wins the last meeting. There He said He would drop game. So we all had our turn and I got up His body in six months and we’re to take there, we all missed from one to five feet the message back to the West. And I was and nobody got close. So Baba gave us all never as shaken by anything as the another chance. And as I started to come prospect of Baba dropping His body in six up to the toe board the second time I months. And it was when Baba after six realized that I didn't have to throw this months decided to postpone, He said all marble at all. All I had to do was release it. the events of His Final Declaration would So I got up to the toe board and I just take place but on an extended time scale, I released it and it went like it was realized why the Master works this way, connected with that marble with a rubber He wanted us to carry His message from band and hit it. Baba immediately put up the men's meeting as if He were going to the perfect sign and He awarded me a drop His body in six months with that Baba button [laughter] as a prize which I intensity. And so He told us He was going still have. to drop His body in six months. It was completely different from saying that And then there was another time in which related ‘as if I were going to drop my body I was playing ping pong with Francis in six months.' Because then, you see we Brabazon and I had just managed to can't perfectly act humanity as the Avatar squeak out a game which went deuce a can and He wanted us to convey the number of times before I finally managed message with that intensity. So He gave us to edge him out. And so Baba and Eruch that message. The Avatar is infinitely came by and Baba says,"Who's the honest in the sense that He says what is champion?" So Francis points to me and necessary for the liberation of humanity. Page 8 of 9 And it's only one who is omniscient who it's none of his business what he's asking can use fact and falsehood in this way, to you. But you may not tell him something liberate. that you know not to be the case. And you just simply go through life that way and One of the tasks He gave me was to bring don't worry about the consequences of the the manuscript for “” to the thing and it's a very simplifying and West Coast and He told me, to America. strengthening way and will carry you And in entrusting it to me He told me I through every situation. wasn't to open it and read it on the plane. So I asked Him, "Well suppose one of the There are well, this just gives you some customs officials asked me to open it?" idea of the kind of thing that went on, all Baba says, "Tell him what's in it, tell him of this happened during the course of the it's a manuscript." "Yeah but if he asks me three weeks at the men's meeting. It was to open it?" He says, "Well then open it, certainly an intensive rearrangement of show it to Him, but just because you one's outlook, but then Baba sent us back opened it, don't read it." And then he said and a number of other—we grew in these something that really had an impact on lessons that He gave us until we were me. He said, "Always tell the truth. The ready again for another contact. And this truth is the most powerful thing there is." time a number of other things happened. One was we were staying with Baba in the And you know, until Baba said that I had Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. always looked at his injunction to be absolutely honest as a kind of a handicap And you see my own path lays along the that Baba lovers carried around with them, Sufi path and so I look on orders from the for the privilege of being with the Master. I Murshid as coming from Baba. But the thought that we were limited in the kind of thing that always occurs to me, maneuvering we could do to get ourselves incidentally this applies as far as I am out of scrapes we get ourselves into. concerned, to Sufis, any one who is a Sufi Whereas looked at from the other point of who has committed himself to the view I just suddenly began to see that all Murshid. This is a person who can look to the scrapes that one gets oneself into is the Murshid as giving him Baba's orders. piling dishonesty upon dishonesty and that But I always wondered what would uncompromisingly telling the truth in happen if I got one order from Baba and a every situation is the most liberating thing different order from Murshida. But I never there is. And I have applied this since that could get myself to ask Baba that question, time to every practical situation, and I I thought it was very gauche. But the fact mean you have the option of telling a is, the question remained there and so person the truth or you can have the Baba answered it for me. Now I don't option of telling him that part which you propose that this is an answer for anyone think he deserves to know and omitting but a Sufi, but I just wanted to give you an the part which he doesn't have any example of how Baba answered. business knowing or you can tell him that

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