Lud Dimpfl 2Of2

HIS LIFE WITH MEHER BABA (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.

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