Meher Baba Australia December 2017 – February 2018 Meher Baba Australia Is that so?

Eruch Jessawala

So often you have heard me say, It so happened that in a “Be determined to be His.” certain area of the country there lived one who loved Yet people come to me and the Lord. He had settled say, “But Eruch, how can we in an isolated area some determine to be His?” What distance from the nearest can I say? If you are determined village. There was a small cave in a hill a mile or to be a lawyer, do you need so outside of the village, someone to tell you how to be and that is where he determined to be a lawyer? No. stayed. You may call him You simply are determined to a recluse if you wish, but what need did he have of be one, so you study and you other people’s company work, and you do whatever is when his constant necessary until you get your companion was the Lord? degree and are certified as a But, as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said, “When lawyer. the flower is ripe, the bees If you are determined to be come of their own accord.” His, then you do whatever is And so it was that the necessary to become His. This villagers started coming to visit. doesn’t have to be explained. But the mind, oh the mind, You know how it is. First, probably, it was just one what can I tell you about the of the boys herding goats mind? You know what the who happened to notice mind is like. So the mind says, that someone was living “But what is necessary to do in the cave, and he told the other boys and they to become His?” Even in the Eruch Jessawala talking to pilgrims in Mandali Hall, told their parents, and presence of Baba, people’s minds Meherazad, 1999. Photo by Morgan Bowling. so people started coming would play mischief this way. to see who was there, Baba would tell a large gathering, develop an unshakeable acceptance of out of curiosity and to pay their respects. For it was obvious that “Love Me.” And someone in the crowd His will. By this I don’t mean mere lip it must be a devotee of the Lord, would stand up and ask, “But how service, as when people come here and for who else would choose to live should we love You, Baba?” Baba asked they tell us, “Yes, I left my wife, but in such an isolated place? the man if he was married. He said. what to do, it was Baba’s will.” I’m not And so, bit by bit, the villagers “Yes.” Baba said, “Does anyone have to talking about that kind of acceptance started to go visit this recluse, and what did they find? They tell you how to love your wife?” “No, that uses Baba’s will as an excuse to do found him absorbed in his Baba.” “So no one needs to tell you whatever you secretly want to do, but devotion to the Lord. So the how to love God, you just do it.” It’s a resignation to His will so profound people would humbly bow, pay that simple and that difficult. that it remains the same regardless of their respects, and leave. But every once in a while, they might And yet, there are hints, indications, the circumstances. Maybe this story come when he was just sitting when we are on the right track. And will help drive home the point I am at the entrance to his cave, one of these hints that we are on our trying to bring to you all. seemingly lost in admiration of way to becoming His is when we God’s creation. And they would seize this opportunity to begin

2 December 2017 – February 2018 a conversation, as And the girl tearfully they were naturally confessed that one curious to know morning after leaving where he had come the curds, the saint from, how long he came out of the cave planned to stay, and raped her and what sect, if any, he she hadn’t dared say belonged to, whether anything until then he could give them because she knew mantras to protect what high esteem he their livestock, in was held in by all. short, the usual Well, the parents endless questions were understandably that worldly people shocked and outraged have for those who at this, and the have given up the father began cursing world. the scoundrel and But no matter how muttering, “I knew he hard they tried, they was up to no good.” could not engage See how the mind him in conversation. Meher Baba with Eruch Jessawala. Photo by Meelan Studios. works. Only that For his response to Avatar’s Abode Archives Collection. morning he had sent everything and anything they pregnant. Her mother eventually the saint a bowl of curds and said was always the same, “Is discovered this and was horrified. spoken of him with the greatest that so?” If they told him how She began weeping and wailing reverence, but as soon as his they had come just to see him, at this calamity. When the father daughter confessed that he had he would look up very serenely returned home in the evening, raped her, then suddenly he and reply, “Is that so?” If they he was even more upset at this always knew that the saint was wept and said one of their family revelation and began yelling at an imposter, a rascal. members was sick, he would his daughter, berating her and So the father goes to the village reply just as calmly, “Is that so?” demanding to know who was elders and tells them what has In short, to each and everything responsible for this outrage. You happened. Most are for going his answer was the same, a very see, in those days people were to the cave immediately and gentle, “Is that so?” very strict; such a happening thrashing the man. But a few, brought disgrace and dishonor on This was a disappointment to remembering the feeling they the whole family – even the village those thirsting for gossip or always had in his presence, felt itself shamed. words of advice or comfort and found it difficult to believe that he yet the villagers found that they The girl began to weep, but could have done such a thing and were comforted and sustained she was afraid to name the one insisted on confronting him first, just by sitting in his presence. responsible for fear that her before taking any action. They began to send him small parents would hurt him, so the Thus, a party of the village men offerings of food which they would more her parents demanded to tramp out to the cave and call leave outside the entrance to his know who had done it, the more the saint out. After a while he cave. And sometimes they would she wept. Finally she blurted emerges, as unconcerned and sit there for a while, enjoying out, “Don’t keep saying, ‘Who is benign as ever. “You rascal,” the the peaceful atmosphere, before responsible?’ If you must know, father shouts on seeing him. “You returning home. All were happy. you are the ones at fault. It is raped my daughter!” “Is that so?” The recluse was pleased to be because of you that I am now the saint replied, as if the father left alone to his worship and in such a wretched state.” “Our had merely said, “It seems like adoration of his Beloved, and the fault! But how can that be?” it might rain.” The father rushed villagers were happy that their “Because you are the ones who forward to strike the saint, but area was blessed with the abode used to send me every morning one of the elders held him back of a true lover of God. with the bowl of curds for the and addressed the saint himself. saint living outside of town.” “So? Now, it so happened that in the “This man’s daughter is pregnant What had that to do with . . . you village itself we find an entirely and she claims you are the mean he is the one?” different scene. One of the father.” “Is that so?” the saint unmarried girls had become Continued on next page

3 Meher Baba Australia replied with equal unconcern. course, it is out of the question to can’t say anything, but he falls “She says you raped her!” “Is that marry her to anyone in their own at the saint’s feet and finally so?” village, but, by promising a large blurts out, “Forgive me, I have dowry, they manage to arrange done you a great wrong.” “Is that Well, this was too much for the for her marriage to an older man so?” the saint asks mildly. “Yes, father. “Have you no shame!” he living in a nearby village. With I am so sorry. My daughter has declares. “And to pose as a lover great happiness they announce confessed. Here, this is not your of God, you hypocrite!” and he to the daughter that they have child,” and the father takes the began beating the saint. found her a husband. But, to infant back. “Is that so?” the The other villagers are also their astonishment, the daughter saint replies. All of the villagers enraged that the saint showed so starts crying. “I won’t marry,” join in begging forgiveness and little concern at such a serious she says. “What are you talking asking the saint’s pardon, but all accusation, and they conclude about? You have to get married. he ever says is, “Is that so?” that such indifference can only You are of age, you can’t stay in After confessing their errors, reflect callous guilt, and they our home forever, and we have a begging forgiveness, and leaving are also outraged that all these good man in the next village who all the gifts and garlands they years they have been duped into is willing to marry you in spite had brought, the repentant feeling the man was a saint when of your past.” And they began to villagers tramped down the hill in reality he was the lowest of extol the virtues of this marriage. while the saint went back inside the low, and they all take their But the more they go on, the his cave to continue his worship anger out by hitting and kicking more their daughter weeps. of the Lord as if nothing had ever the saint. Finally, leaving him for She declares, “If you make me happened. dead, they return home, satisfied marry with any other person, I that they have done what honor will kill myself.” The parents can’t When he was given the baby and demanded. understand this at all. What does told it was his, he said, “Is that so?” But the saint did not die. He she mean, “any other person”? When the baby was taken away and he crawled back to his cave and Finally, the girl confesses, “I love went on with adoration of the another. I have loved him for was told it wasn’t his, he said, “Is that Lord as always. Meanwhile time years. If I marry anyone, it will be so?” When he was abused, “Is that so?” passes and the daughter gives him or I won’t marry. He is the When he was honored, “Is that so?” birth. The parents don’t want the one who fathered my child, and And why was this? Because the saint, child, as it only reminds them of he will be my husband or nobody their disgrace, so the father, who will.” as a true lover of God, took all that has heard from the goatherders happened as His will. As long as we The parents can hardly believe that the saint is still living in his their ears. Immediately the father are for ourselves, even if we try to love cave, goes there and takes the feels crushed with guilt. The the Lord, we cannot be resigned to His baby with him. saint had not been responsible will. The saint is sitting outside the for his daughter’s dishonor, but But if we become His, then His cave, silently marveling at the he had dishonored the family beauty of his Beloved, when the by abusing the saint. With great will becomes our pleasure and every father approaches and thrusts embarrassment and shame, manifestation of it is a fresh marvel of the baby in his hands. “Here, this the father goes to the village His divine attributes. If we are His, our is yours.” “Is that so?” the saint elders and confesses to them equanimity is never disturbed because asks, looking at the child. “This what has happened. They are is the fruit of your evil action, also all abashed at their former it is all His doing, and His presence now it is up to you to look after treatment of the saint, and they sustains us. it.” “Is that so?” The father stalks realize there is nothing for it but off, and the saint, as unruffled to go and beg his forgiveness. as ever, begins to raise the child. So once more the father and the © 1995 Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Some of the shepherd boys give village men climb the hill outside Public Charitable Trust. Extract from the saint some milk which he the village and stand humbly at ‘THAT’S HOW IT WAS’. Stories of Life feeds to the child, and so time the entrance of the cave. With Meher Baba. Edited by Steve Klein passes. They beseech the saint to come Meanwhile the parents feel that out, and soon he appears, the only way they can really get carrying a small happy child over their shame is to get their in his arms. The father is so daughter safely married. Of humiliated at this that he almost

4 December 2017 – February 2018 The Beloved’s Tomb

Peter Rowan

My intention is to present a synoptic overview of the early tumultuous years and far reaching events of the decade which characterised the formation of Beloved Avatar Meher Baba’s Tomb as we know it today. By 1927 Meherabad was fully functioning, and in June of that year Meher Baba had a basic cabin built on Meherabad Hill of bamboo matting and tin sheets with a door and a window. The following month, at the end of July 1927, Baba ordered a pit to be dug directly under the cabin, 6ft. long 6ft. deep and 4ft. wide, the pit was then given a degree of permanence with stone and masonry work and small steps down in to it, it was then covered above by Meher Baba with pilgrims in front of the meditation cells next to his tombshrine at Upper Meherabad. wooden planks. Photographer Padri. © MSI Collection. Two weeks after work had been completed, Baba began staying of Meherabad, the Meher Ashram had been fasting continuously for forty in this crypt-like cabin where He Schools and the Prem Ashram. days, spending the night in the crypt intended spending several months in Almost three months went by with in seclusion and the day in the upper seclusion. It was generally referred to as Baba fasting and being secluded most portion fasting on one pint of coffee the ditch or pit-room by the mandali.1 of the time, then in November 1927 per day and during the last few days Baba then began fasting, and would Baba had five small temporary rooms fasting on water only.4 spend His nights on a mattress placed built next to His crypt-cabin which He On the third of January 1928, many at the bottom of the pit, and during named the Sadhak Ashram. Five men of the boys of the Prem-Ashram burst the day remain extremely active and were instructed by Beloved Baba to into uncontrollable weeping, it is said energetic even though He was only occupy these rooms, meditate and not the sound of their cries could be heard drinking coffee once a day prepared by to step out of their room under any a quarter of a mile away. These tears Mehera.2 circumstance; after a few days, each of of love for the Beloved lasted for half I would point out, that as well as the men began to be deeply affected an hour and didn’t stop until Baba spending time in the crypt-cabin Baba and have profound inner experiences.3 consoled the boys personally.5 was fully involved with the running By the 20th December 1927 Baba Continued on next page

5 Meher Baba Australia

A few days after the outburst of weeping, an extraordinary event took place in the underground crypt which displays graphically for us the importance of these times. In the crypt, one evening it appears, our Beloved Avatar Meher Baba held a meeting with ‘spiritual masters’ and it was decided a world war would take place.6 The spiritual experiences of the men in the Sadhak-Ashram Building the dome of the Samadhi, Upper Meherabad, 1938. Photograph by Padri. © MSI Collection. continued to grow in intensity over the next two weeks as did the weeping and experiences of the boys in the Prem-Ashram.7 One boy, Abdulla, according to Baba, was in a state not unlike a saint on the sixth plane, and was in such a delicate elevated state of consciousness that Baba had space made in His crypt- cabin for him, separating himself and Abdulla only by a curtain; Baba kept Abdulla with Him for several weeks in this manner. 8 By the 20th February 1928 Baba had been fasting for more than one hundred days and was very weak. It was not until February 26th that Beloved Baba came out of seclusion and decided to visit the women mandali whom He had not seen for two months, to celebrate the occasion He was pulled in a flower decorated rickshaw by the Prem- Ashram boys. As Baba’s rickshaw passed by the dhuni at lower Meherabad all witnessed an extraordinary Meher Baba, most likely seated in the doorway of the crypt during a five-and-a-half-month fast and phenomenon as a flame rose with seclusion. Circa late 1927 or early 1928, Upper Meherabad. Photographer unknown. an exceedingly bright flash. © Meher Nazar Publications.

6 December 2017 – February 2018

After seeing Mehera, Baba returned to the dhuni and sat very still in the rickshaw for about fifteen minutes, He then ordered He should be taken back to His crypt- cabin to continue His seclusion and fasting on two cups of coffee per day. He also gave orders that the men staying in the Sadhak-Ashram should end their seclusion and fasting. The following day Baba was extremely restless, moving up and down in the crypt- Meher Baba in the rickshaw, Baily standing in front to pull it, 19 September 1927, Meherabad. cabin, sometimes sitting, Photographer Shah. © Meher Nazar Publications. sometimes lying and turning over constantly, and changing In May 1934, when Baba was By the early months of 1938 the His body position every few minutes, again in the crypt, a severe storm tore building was almost complete, and enigmatically, Beloved Baba conveyed through Meherabad, the mandali concrete models of a Muslim Mosque, to those near Him that He was dying!9 attempted to hold the pillars down Hindu Temple, Christian Cross and Baba brought these dramatic which were supporting the tin roof Zoroastrian Fire Urn were fitted to the activities at Meherabad to a close to flapping in the wind so it wouldn’t be upper corners of the new structure. a large extent in May 1928 when He torn away, but Baba was forced to leave It was at this stage it became moved the whole ashram to Toka for the crypt and take shelter elsewhere.12 apparent to the mandali that this was the next six months.10 Beloved Baba continued travelling, to be Beloved Baba’s future tomb.14 Before leaving for Toka, Beloved and in January 1938 returned to With the work finished entirely by Baba had given orders that the cabin Meherabad and discussed with the 25th August 1938, Baba had the Swiss over the crypt should be taken down mandali plans to build some new artist Helen Dahm paint the interior during His absence, and a new structures on Meherabad Hill, one of the tomb with murals, and while structure be built using stone. major item being rebuilding entirely walking on Meherabad Hill made a Work on the new stone structure, the crypt-cabin again. sweeping gesture saying, “The whole which included a stone platform Baba had the rough stone and universe is mine, but this place is and a tin roof, was still in progress mortar walls torn down and replaced especially mine.”15 when Baba returned to Meherabad by dark stones from the former post- During the 1940s, Baba would in December 1928. With the work office building near the railway line occasionally spend nights in the crypt finished by early 1929 Baba began which had been demolished some in seclusion, but these occasions were staying in the stone cabin and years before, and ordered that a dome becoming less frequent. One such spending nights in the crypt again.11 be erected over the new structure; occasion, during these war years, Over the next few years Baba the procedure for the building being was in November 1941 when Baba travelled in and out of India extensively supervised by an engineer devotee of secluded himself in His tomb during but would return to Meherabad and Beloved Baba and other professional certain hours with men keeping watch occasionally retire to the crypt. engineers.13 Continued on next page

7 Meher Baba Australia on all sides, with orders not to make any noise or enter a fixed boundary without permission. Well into the 1940s the tomb was being used to some extent as a storage place, and in May 1947, vandals broke in and strew files, books and Baba’s mattress about. This happened while Baba was away from Meherabad, and drew the response from the Beloved in a letter to Pendu on 20th May 1947, “If anything like this happens again, Meherabad will be doomed!” After this incident, Baba ordered an increase in night watchmen.16 Over the intervening years, up until Avatar Meher Baba dropped His body in 1969, visitors would be shown what was to be Baba’s final resting place and Baba himself would occasionally lead a visiting group up Meherabad Hill, sometimes asking them to enter the tomb or bow down at the threshold, or even occasionally asking this one or that one to spend the night in its interior. The sanctity of the tomb had become firmly established well before Meher Baba’s Samadhi, Upper Meherabad, December 2014. 1969, and Beloved Baba’s comments Photo taken by David Bowling and used with permission. concerning its future were explicit as to its importance, and of the work for Beloved. It is without doubt His References humanity He had accomplished there, Turiyavastha, the divine junction 1. LORD MEHER v3 p956 2. Ibid p985 3. pp989-990 4. p995 5. “This place will become an important between illusion and Reality. p1003 place of pilgrimage for the world. After In 1987, eighteen years after Beloved 6. p1004 7. p1010 8. p1012 9. pp1026- seventy years, it will be a place of great Baba had dropped His body, one of 1029 privilege.”17 the mandali was resting on his bed and 10. p1047 11. LORD MEHER online p1016 Beloved Baba has told us many times went into a reverie of remembrance and 12. LORD MEHER v5 p1869 that the Avatar never loses connection longing for his Beloved, as the reverie 13. LORD MEHER online p1933 with creation and is always available to deepened he found himself transported 14. Ibid p1934 His lover, and where His body is there to Avatar Meher Baba’s tomb and saw 15. THE SAMADHI Bal Natu. Sheriar. p39 his power is. Baba enter the interior, as he waited, 16. LORD MEHER online p2578 In past years, I have spent a he heard deep from within the tomb 17. Ibid p4334 great deal of time in Avatar Meher a resoundingly sweet voice, which 18. THE SAMAHDI Bal Natu. Sheriar. Baba’s tomb, and can say without reverberated through his whole being, p31 equivocation that I found it to be “I am Here, I am Here, I am Here.”18 extremely liberating and a supreme source of direct contact with the

8 December 2017 – February 2018 Meher Baba: God as Man

Meher Baba’s close the realm of illusion, disciple Eruch Jessawala that for it to function in conversation with in illusion is a rarity, Naosherwan Anzar, editor and publisher of and that is why the Glow International. This Advent is known as the discussion took place ‘springtide of creation’. during Anzar’s stay at It is the greatest act of Meherazad in 1969, not long after Beloved compassion for reality Baba dropped His body. to come down and Eruch explains the deep function in illusion. significance of the Now in order to Avataric Advent and the true meaning of the function in illusion, Avatar in our midst. – Ed reality adopts human form and the form In the Arti (song of is then referred to praise / hymn) that as the Advent or the Francis Brabazon wrote, Avatar. Baba has said he used the expression that illusion is total ‘Truth and Truth’s darkness and Reality is body, divine Avatar’ total effulgence, total which to my mind brilliance. And if Reality beautifully defines the were to descend into Advent. Although the illusion, i.e. i∂f total Sanskrit word ‘Avatar’ light were to descend somewhat explains the into total darkness, Advent as the descent the darkness would be of reality into illusion, Meher Baba at the East-West Gathering, Poona, India, 1962. shattered. So the only to the people of this era Photographer unknown. Avatar’s Abode Archives Collection. way total light can ‘Truth and Truth’s Body’ be received by total makes the whole concept of ‘Reality And all we can say, from what we darkness is to camouflage that total in the midst of illusion’ clearer. Truth have been given to understand by light and that camouflage, is nothing is reality and reality is Truth; and the Meher Baba, is that the times and but the form of the Advent, which is body that is taken on by Truth is the the circumstances suited this Advent always in a male human form. It is body we see in the Advent, the figure as they did all previous Advents. The so ordained. None can say for certain of Meher Baba, or Jesus Christ, or Avatar comes when the presence of why it is so, or whether it is timely Gautama Buddha. reality in the midst of illusion is most that the Advent has taken place for we Each time the Advent takes place, as necessary. have no capacity to sit in judgment. explained to us by Meher Baba, it was Whatever we say about the Advents The Advent takes place because it was pre-ordained in the previous Advent. and Avatars is a simple and obvious timely that it happened. So what we find as Meher Baba is thing but we make a big issue of it. Meher Baba has given us to nothing but the projection or the What it is, is reality descending into understand that he is the same Ancient unfolding of the plan that had been illusion and functioning as Reality. One who comes again and again in drawn up at the time of Mohammed. However, Reality is so spread out in Continued on next page

9 Meher Baba Australia our midst as a man amongst men, ‘He’ instead of ‘It’ or the ‘Reality’ and Meher Baba does not want us to give and whatever difference may exist this is so because the Reality always them up in order to follow him. On among the appearances of the Avatar dons the male human form. Therefore the contrary, he wants us to become is not a difference in substance but we always use the masculine gender aware of the precepts that were laid in the mask he has to wear each time in referring to the Avatar; we say ‘his down at the time of those past Advents Reality descends into illusion. Only coming again and again in our midst’. which brought about each particular the material of the camouflage is Now what need is there for the religion. different. Sometimes he seems to be Avatar to come so many times? It When he was in our midst as a great warrior, sometimes a great is all his ‘Divine Game’. It is the Zoroaster, there was no such thing as peace-maker, sometimes he is the divine game of hide-and-seek that Zoroastrianism. At the time of Buddha one who promotes brotherhood, takes place wherein he continues to when he was in our midst, there was purity and honesty, and according to remain hidden. There is a continuous no such thing as Buddhism, and at circumstances, he manifests the traits process of seeking and being sought, the time of Jesus when he was in our which are required for the times. and he being infinite, the whole of midst, there was no such thing as This has happened millions upon existence revolves around this reality Christianity. millions of occasions, but we stick which is infinite. The game goes on These religions cropped up only after to a handful of Advents recorded and on without any end except at the the Advents. First, there were a few in the past, and we try to compare time when there is total dissolution followers in each Advent and with the them. But the only comparison that (mahapralaya), and even then it is not passage of time, the followers increased can be made is the external form that the end because there is no end to this in numbers and they tried to form keeps changing; otherwise he is the beginningless beginning. themselves into groups with the same same Ancient One who functions as The Avatar gives us the precepts we ideologies, holding on to the precepts Redeemer, Saviour, Messenger, and need and if we were to follow them, laid down in that Advent and gradually Messiah. He may be called by different there would be no need for him to they form a religion. names but he stations himself on all repeat his appearances. However, Religion that is man-made has planes of consciousness. He is the humanity being steeped in the slumber nothing to do with the Advent. Highest of the High and the lowest of of illusion, he comes to get us out of That being so, why is it recognized the low, simultaneously. He is on all illusion-consciousness and help us as Christianity, Buddhism, levels; all planes and his functions vary march towards Reality-Consciousness. Zoroastrianism or Hinduism? It is according to the circumstances and the The grip of illusion is so tight on us to commemorate an Advent that needs of humanity. that no amount of our determination mankind creates such religions and In each Advent it is the same one to follow the path of righteousness, thus each religion revolves around a Truth that becomes the message. If allows us to stay on that path. So time particular Advent. there were two Truths, the Truth would and again he returns to put us back on Meher Baba never told us to leave not stand its ground because Truth by the path of righteousness from which or give up our own religion. I am a itself is one and only one. It is spoken we keep slipping. Zoroastrian by birth and he wants me in different languages in different His coming in our midst and laying to be a true Zoroastrian. Advents and explained according down precepts to guide us, does help So if you are a Christian, he wants to the level of consciousness that for the time being, but gradually the you to be a true Christian, a true humanity possesses at each particular influence fades away and he has to Christian, mind you! We call ourselves time, and for this the Ancient One make another appearance. This fading Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, uses metaphors and parables to fit the away of the influence is all because Zoroastrians, but are we really and particular circumstances of the Advent he likes his Divine Game. He wants truly true Christians, Buddhists, and he also shows us different ways to to come in our midst and be with Muslims, Zoroastrians and Hindus? live that one Truth according to the us. This is what I have been made to Hardly! times. understand by Meher Baba. All the Avatar does each time he The Avatar is always referred to as As far as the religions we follow, comes is to give us the same Truth. He

10 December 2017 – February 2018 does not differentiate a Mohammedan But as long as these lovers of Baba life based on Baba’s message of Love from a Hindu, or a Christian from continue devotedly to live the message and Truth that those who live a most a Zoroastrian. He brings them all of Love and Truth, they will never slip unnatural life may sense and enquire together and once again regenerates into the rut of formal religion. On the as to the source of inspiration. They that Truth in their hearts. He wants contrary, they will be serving Meher can then be told about Meher Baba, everyone to become aware of their Baba as he wanted them to do. and if only a handful of lovers were to shortcomings in not having lived up Of course Meher Baba lovers will spread out in the crowd and do their to the precepts laid down in the past. want to congregate together and in natural work, that is all that would be So he revives some of those precepts, doing so they should bear in mind required. regenerates them and once again puts the following guidance from him: There is no need ever to worry about us back on the path of righteousness. First and foremost, pleasing Baba centres, institutions, small halls, large We, in turn, begin to uphold what He by actually living his message is the halls or the spreading of the message has said and by following His precepts, paramount thing and by thus pleasing if we first love him as he should be cause posterity to label our activities a him, the heart becomes his centre loved. After all, who inspires people to ‘religion’. and no other centre or institution can go or not to go to a centre? It is Baba! Now whether posterity will create a compare with that. However, if need The inspiration to have or not have a new religion to commemorate Meher for a centre is felt, Meher Baba has said centre or hall is also through him, so if Baba’s Advent, I cannot know, nor am that there are quite a number of public we do our part and leave it up to him, I the one to say that it should start gardens or huge trees under which there will be no need to worry. Baba such a religion. Meher Baba himself lovers can gather to talk about him, to summed it up when he said, “To love has spoken out against any such remember him and to sing devotional me is your business, and the rest is my movement. songs. Such a gathering then becomes business!” The basis of all religions is nothing a group of similar hearts that carry love However, if there is an organization, but love for God, so what is really for the Lord. it should be a formal one in order to needed is to establish that love in our Once a group is formed, the number function according to the laws of the hearts without formalizing it. If rites, of lovers is likely to increase and the land, but let it be a democratic one rituals and ceremonies were to become group becomes larger. There are now where every individual can have his the centre of formal expression of love many minds that have come together say, and above all let the embodiment for God, then it will undoubtedly be a in closeness to the same heart where of Truth that the Avatar is, be the disservice to Meher Baba who came to Baba’s love resides and the group will example to each one to become do away with such practices that are so need discipline, organization and so likewise a walking-talking church, widespread in all the religions. forth. temple, pagoda or agiary. I am sure Meher Baba lovers would For such a situation, Baba has said, It is the failure to keep such things not want a religion of their own but “Have your centres where you can in mind that leads the very institutions would prefer instead to embrace all the gather as often as you wish, and a place which were created to commemorate religions of the world as one religion, or address where others who wish to the Advent, into the paradoxical following the precepts of Meher Baba find out about me, may come or write ways of dissipating the message and to live the life of Love and Truth in the to, but in the gathering let there be no thereby again beginning to create the name of the Lord. I am equally certain difference between one and another, conditions for another Advent. that there will be others who will and let it be remembered always that continue to be bound to religion in the at these meetings, it is Baba himself Published with permission. © Copyright, customary manner. who presides. In this way no one will GLOW INTERNATIONAL Perhaps the lovers of Meher Baba begin to dictate, dissensions and rifts may be perceived in the future as just will be avoided and my message will be another sect living a different kind of promoted.” life and other religious groups may The way to share this treasure of view them as simply another religion. Baba then is to live such a natural

11 Meher Baba Australia The Poona Story – Part II - The Descent

Sarah McNeill

Preamble: The Poona Story is (1835 – 1918), was located at Shirdi, Young Merwan Irani was about ten an enlivened account of this most about one hundred miles north east when the white-haired fakir first made significant time in the history of the city of of Poona, and Upasni Maharaj, (1870 her appearance near Butler Moholla Pune, when the Avatar of the Age took on his predestined role. – 1941) at one time a close disciple and he would probably have been of Sai Baba, made an abandoned going to school or running errands for Thus Part I of the book is titled ‘The Advent’; Parts II and III, titled ‘The Descent’ temple at Khandoba, a few miles from his mother, usually on his bike. As he and ‘The Commencement’ describe the Shirdi, his chosen seat, moving later progressed from school to college, he immediate outcomes and the first public to Sakori, still not far from Shirdi, and would continue to pass through that unfolding of this momentous happening, only about a hundred and ten miles way regularly, but to a teenage student, all set within the context of the streets and surrounding areas of Poona as it was from Poona. Hazrat Babajan (c.1806 she would have simply been part of then. – 1931), who spent countless years as the neighbourhood, as unremarkable a wandering fakir, made her way to as the street sellers or any other local During the years preceding the birth of Meher Baba, immense new the city of Poona in about 1904. She inhabitants. Merwan might have developments were taking place in carefully chose the place that would noticed groups gathering around her all spheres of life, and in amongst all become known as her seat under the in the evenings; but he never bothered the change, pre-echoes of his life neem tree at Char Bawdi in the Sadar to stop or pay any attention until the and work in the years ahead can be perceived. The backdrop of change Bazaar area of the Poona Cantonment. day she shot a glance in his direction and innovation is in fact the context Thus, for the Avatarhood of Meher as he cycled across the street junction, of the most intensely demanding and Baba, all five of the Perfect Masters and in that moment, held his eye. For testing time of his descent from the were stationed in Maharashtra, one in the first time, now aged nineteen, he state of God-Realisation back to normal human consciousness; and likewise, for Poona itself and the others not much looked straight at her, and the saintly the unique and very brief days of the further away than a day’s journey by old lady beckoned to him. Leaving his commencement of the earthly work of train; and each one of them on a level bike, he walked across to where she The Avatar. – Ed. of being beyond the realms of any sat and received the warm welcome of worldly religious hierarchy for these her embrace. The following year,1914, P five were the rarest souls, the few who Babajan gave him the kiss which Intro & Extracts were one with the consciousness of precipitated his heightened state of God. God Realisation. That year marked the It seems that the five Perfect Masters Hazrat Babajan chose Char Bawdi start of World War I. It marked the who lived at the time of the birth of after lingering for some time near end of Merwan’s youth, the end of his Merwan Sheriar Irani, rarely if ever mosques and Muslim shrines in the studies and the end of his everyday life actually met together. Maybe PMs old part of Poona. There were no at home. don’t need to meet in person even shrines or mosques in the Sadar Bazaar It also marked the start of a seven- when all five are located in the same quarter, only a Zoroastrian agiary year process of transformation and part of the world! Narayan Maharaj and the Lal Devi synagogue to the transition meticulously detailed in (1885 - 1945), a Hindu master, north end and the Anglican church Lord Meher. Described in those pages lived in a palace at Kedgaon near of St Mary to the south. But religious are the external events and signs which Ahmednagar, some thirty-seven miles edifices held no interest for her. This indicated the long drawn-out and east of Poona. While Tajuddin Baba, precise locality was chosen by her as painful process of his descent from (1861 – 1925) made his eventual the best place to keep a close watch super-consciousness back to worldly abode and dargah at Vaki Sharif on her most precious treasure, mera experience of the human condition. near Nagpur, a distance of over four piarra beta, as she would call him, ‘my The state of God Realisation, the hundred miles east of Poona. Sai Baba, precious son’. indescribable experience of divine bliss,

12 December 2017 – February 2018

Upasni Maharaj, Sakori. Date and photographer unknown. Hazrat Babajan, Poona. Date and photographer © Meher Nazar Publications. unknown. © Meher Nazar Publications. which seemed to leave Merwan dazed him on his impromptu journeys as of the human condition. Every task and moving about like a sleep-walker, he regained his bearings. Then he felt demanded extreme endurance and, at is detailed mainly through descriptions urged to visit local saints and holy the same time, required that he retain of his outward behaviour and actions. men, and the travels became more active consciousness of his Godhood. How the five Perfect Masters worked purposeful as one by one, Merwan Merwan, of his own accord during to combine their powers and bring visited each of the Perfect Masters times of solitude, would strike his about the manifestation of God on in different parts of Maharashtra, head on the ground, against rock or earth in human form is left unsaid. receiving from each of the Qutubs a stone, creating acute pain to keep The unseen forces that form a priceless sacred gift. During these months it himself anchored to the material world diamond deep underground might became apparent that Merwan was wherein he needs must live and do serve as a gross analogy of the power suffering incessantly, sleeping little his work, trying at all times to keep mustered by these five Perfect Masters and eating hardly at all. The pain his self-inflicted blows hidden from to actuate the manifestation of Reality of making the required conscious friends and family. in illusion. Meher Baba, in later years, readjustment to earthly existence when asked about this event, simply seemed to increase steadily as the Excerpt from said it was their love. Elsewhere he days went by. It was the impressive The Poona Story says that, “In love, the physical, vital master, Upasni Maharaj, who became and mental energies are gathered up Merwan’s spiritual guide, while the “For years this practice was part of his and made available for the cause of the young man’s chosen retreat during daily life, if not at home, then away Beloved, with the result that this love the evenings and into the nights was near the Tower of Silence or in some becomes a dynamic power. (Discourses – under the tree at Char Bawdi sitting sheltered corner of the Golibar maidan seventh edition.1987. p.55) with Babajan. Maharaj called him where he could continue his severe ritual At this stage, during the years of regularly to Sakori, steering Merwan unobserved. Later on, Merwan would his descent to normality, Merwan as a mentor might direct a student, more often go across town over to Jangli had three friends at his side; Khodu but with all-seeing command and Pir, an old name meaning ‘Jungle Saint’ and Baily, childhood pals from Butler daunting expectation. His instruction in reference to one of several saints or Mohalla, and later, also Behramji, the demanded that Merwan, take on tasks sadhus who lived many years ago in Persian newcomer Merwan had helped to bring about self-humiliation and caves on the other side of the Mutha in learning to read and write. At first debasement in order to experience River, in the locality of Bhamburda one or other of them travelled with in all its complexity the desperation Continued on next page

13 Meher Baba Australia village. There he would sit in a rough-hewn rock corner near the Pateleshwar cave temple; or he would make his way to another place further up from there, an unspecified, remote area somewhere along the Fergusson College Road where he could be in seclusion. In this way he criss-crossed the city of Poona, walking long distances in his self-imposed routine.” By this time, Poona was far from being the famed city of the Peshwars whose fabulous wealth had, during the eighteenth century, built Meher Baba and mandali, Lower Meherabad circa 1928. Seated: Pesu, Karim, Baba, Masaji, Homi Bhatena. Standing: Pendu, Behramji, Raosaheb, Meherwan Irani (who Pendu said was visiting for a few palatial homes, spacious months; perhaps a relative of Baba’s), Chanji, Gustadji, Baidul, Chhagan, Nadirsha Dastur and Vishnu. courtyards and elegantly © Meher Nazar Publications. landscaped, gardens. Its past grandeur was long gone. change became all too apparent as, crowded onto trains from all parts of Yet one hundred and fifty years of in 1917, Deccan Horse, thundered Maharashtra, recruits to be assembled the Peshwars’ self-aggrandisement forwards through mud and smoke and drilled in army warfare before as princes of Maharashtra had made to vanquish enemy guns entrenched transportation to the port of Bombay Poona the capital of the Deccan, along a ridge somewhere near the and embarkation on ships for Egypt admired by the British newcomers French-Belgian border. It was the and from there to Gallipoli and who would subsequently make it their last ever great cavalry charge. There elsewhere. Troops from ten different home in India. British army officers were no survivors. Cavalry became countries poured into that theatre of regarded with particular attention and a thing of the past. Tanks were the war; casualties on land and at sea were respect the horsemanship skills of the only means to overcome guns and unprecedented. In the end, the armies Peshwars. Even Shivaji in the days of munitions in this new kind of warfare. of more than thirty nations were the seventeenth century, tutored by Tanks and explosives were needed ordered into the battlefields of World the Peshawa noble, Dadoji Konddev, fast and in large quantities. Conveyor War I, ultimately known as the Great had mastered these skills at a young belt manufacturing developed rapidly War. This was all part of the backdrop age and went on to command his to provide the means and from then to Merwan’s descent. own body of horsemen, making them on, as demand grew, the hard labour Moving from one severe test to heroes of the Maratha people, feared of armies of workers was dictated the next as Upasni Maharaj watched by the Moghul forces they repeatedly and controlled by machines in the over him, Merwan still occasionally scattered and defeated. workplace, assembly lines for mass slept at his family home. His mother, In the history of those times, production which could be adapted to Shireen, felt she loved him more than Maharashtra boasted some of the finest meet any requirements. any of her other children and naturally cavalry regiments in India and in later Gradually the streets of Poona wanted to direct his life and supervise years, the renowned Deccan Horse showed signs of change as military everything he did. For this reason, regiments were part of the military vehicles were parked along the old Merwan welcomed the chance to move might thrown into the apocalyptic cavalry lines in spaces once reserved away from the Cantonment where battlefields of World War I. There the for horses, and troop movements his father’s toddy shops were located, continuing undercurrents of Avataric brought new recruits into the town, and work with Behramji at the new

14 December 2017 – February 2018 toddy shop in Kasba Peth, and during people who came for this period, many of Merwan’s future blessing and giving companions were drawn to that special occasional discourses place. By 1920, Young Adi, who had in Hindi, Marathi, come from Ahmednagar to Poona to Gujarati and English. attend college, was keen to contact His food was meagre. Meher Baba and asked Baily where he Baily used to bring to could find him: Kasba Peth the evening meal composed of Quote from Adi thick ‘dal’ and bread, included in cooked by Daula Masi, The Poona Story Merwan’s aunt, who lived about 100 yards One day I met Baily who was known to away from Merwan’s Merwan long before he met me at Poona parents’ house in the Cantonment. He informed me that cantonment part of Merwan was staying at Kasba Peth at Poona. Merwan and one end of the city. As I did not know the his disciple friends used way to go to Kasba Peth he gave me an to sit and take this indication of the roads and streets which meal together. I could hardly remember. With difficulty, A new toddy one day during spare hours I managed shop in their Meher Baba, Bombay, 1922-23; Manzil-e-Meem. Photo supplied to find Kasba Peth and there in a small neighbourhood drew by Bill and Diana Le Page. Avatar’s Abode Archives Collection. one-storied building of Arjun, who was in customers such as a pet disciple, I found Merwan. I was the local fishermen who, attracted by concept of ‘Swaraj’ or community overjoyed to meet him there. (quoted the presence of Merwan, soon became self-help. Such ideas quickly took from Ramjoo’s Diaries, pp 372-3, citing known as the ‘Bhoi’ mandali (Bhoi root and, in Poona as elsewhere, one Adi K. Irani, “My Life with Avatar being the name of the fisherman caste). outcome was the closure of toddy Meher Baba” / DivyaVani, March 1965, Local traders were also interested, and shops arising from well-organised pp 25-26 ). the Kasba Peth temple adjacent to the street demonstrations. The closures Kasba Peth at this stage became toddy shop, was opened with the help gave Merwan the cue for telling an important scene of action in ‘The of Merwan’s landlord, Sadashiv Patil, Shireen, in 1921, of his intention to Poona Story’ and Adi’s account gives who lived with his wife in the same leave home and go to Sakori. He had further detail: There were two buildings building as the toddy shop. Sadashiv been called by Maharaj to spend the at Kasba Peth which Merwan often gave his tenant the more respectful title final months of his descent living at visited – the small one belonging to of Merwan Seth. Others now drawn the master’s ashram. He left no word Arjun and another, a bigger three-storied to the group around Merwan included to say how long he would be away. building some blocks ahead, belonging Gustadji, sent to Poona by Maharaj, His mother was at first angry and then to Sadashiv Shelke (Patel). Sadashiv is and also Ahmed Abbas (later known as inconsolable thinking she had lost her one of the oldest disciples and friends of Khak Saheb). son forever. But early in 1922, after Merwan. There was a band of about a 1918 was a year that marked not an intensive six months, Merwan’s dozen fishermen-disciples of Merwan at only the end of the Great War, but the departure from the ashram and return Kasba Peth, to which Arjun belonged passing of Sai Baba, and the birth of to Poona was signalled by Maharaj and Sadashiv was head of them all. Merwan’s sister Mani as well. It also when, with hands held together in Merwan passed most of his time in the marked increasing social and political blessing, he proclaimed, “Merwan, you two houses, singing Hindu devotional change in India, with figures such as are Adi Shakti (the Primal Force). You songs and ‘ghazals’, playing drum, seeing Mahatma Gandhi introducing his are the Avatar of the Age!” (LM p.257)

15 Meher Baba Australia Epilogue: Take Care of Your Health

Prelude: From August to November said, “Fine, Baba, except for some good care of your health.” 2015, Carolyn and I were traveling problems with my digestion.” Baba When I was younger, I felt I had to across America from Maine to made a gesture to Dr Goher, who be stronger, more daring, to prove that California in our 11 meter motorhome the ‘New Life Caravan’. left and came back in a minute with I could overcome my limitations. It’s a pill, which she gave to Baba. It was obvious that over the years I put my While traveling along the ‘Trail of Tears’ from the Meher Spiritual Center in purportedly for my digestion. Baba body through the wringer. My illnesses South Carolina to the Heartland Center held it in His hand and then gave it to pushed me. They became springboards in Prague, Oklahoma, I read Robert me to take right then and there. I’ve for the journeys and the effort needed Dreyfuss’ “Inner Travel to Sacred Places” been having digestive problems ever to make them. Rather than sitting in his account of his life with Meher Baba and the Mandali from 1965 to 2012. since. That’s Baba’s humor. the house as an invalid, I felt that I I was fortunate enough to have wanted to see the world in as many of Carolyn and I were exhausted and ongoing correspondence with Baba in its diverse manifestations as possible, burned-out after having sold off 95% of our belongings of our old life in Maine. the late 1960s. In each letter, through and I not only intended to do so — I And before we could move to our new Eruch, Baba said something to the did. life in Australia, we still had another effect of, “Baba wants you to take care But denial doesn’t work. At some year on the west coast in which to of your health, to take good care of point in our lives we have to come set up our 25 year old son in Los Angeles for the support network and yourself.”* This went on until Baba to terms with who we are and what services he needed. The two of us had dropped His body in 1969. Most drives us. That’s part of the adventure compromised our physical, emotional of us, when we say goodbye to one of life’s journey. When I tried to go off and mental health during this very another, say, “Take care. Stay well.” to India in 2010, I didn’t know how intense 24/7 period. It was very much in that light that I sick I was. I got only as far as London, So I found myself turning back to understood Baba’s words. It took me where I was hospitalized for a few days Dreyfuss’ book, in particular the years to figure out that Baba wasn’t and then flown back to Atlanta, where epilogue “Take Care of Your Health”. It is a profound piece that encapsulates just being polite. “Baba wants you I stayed for many weeks. There I had Robert’s understanding of how to take good care of your health.” It a very close brush with death and in personal health and spiritual training was a direct order. There was nothing the process learned a profound lesson. are interconnected. And over the last ambiguous about it. He could see how It guided me toward the answer to my year while now residing in Australia, it has become my touch stone for my I was setting myself up for the health life’s question, “How much is enough?” healing process. problems that I had later in life. Baba gave me just enough before I How did I finally get it? I woke up finally surrendered to treatment that – Daniel Montague one day with a big exclamation point saved my life. If I had gone on for even over my head that said, “Schmendrick!” another day or two without treatment, R (That’s Yiddish for “Idiot!”) I wasn’t it would have been goodbye. following those orders. If you don’t Now something in me cried out Extract from Inner follow orders, you create problems, big to transcend my concept of myself. Travel to Sacred Places problems. I had stupidly thought that I asked what else was worth doing? by Robert Dreyfuss lovely little phrase was “Oh, take care I wanted to burn up my sanskaras of yourself.” It really was, “Take care of (mental impressions) so that I could For me, health and spiritual training your health.” And I’m still learning that please Him and go forward in my are interconnected. When I was with lesson. heart’s quest, to make the best use Baba in Mandali Hall in 1965, one of It was time to get serious. Baba of the time I was given, not only for the questions He asked me was how hadn’t written to say, “I want you to go myself, but also for others. my health was. He put His fingers see some doctor and he’ll tell you what My life’s question had not precluded on His pulse to indicate health. I to do.” He said, “I want you to take trying to live a normal life, having a

16 December 2017 – February 2018 marriage, family, children, and friends. All of these have been very important in my life. It took me until I was forty- five to have my first child and forty- seven for my second. I’m overjoyed to have had children. I can truthfully say that, next to meeting Baba, they are the most wonderful part of all that’s ever happened to me. They are the force of love in my life. Not everyone is meant to be married or have children. But I would have missed a lot if I hadn’t become a family man. After my children were born, for the next twenty years I was totally theirs: keeping a good household, making enough income, and teaching them to be good people. I wanted them to have solid values, so they’d be able to make their own decisions and minimize their own suffering. To that end, they travelled with us all over the world, including ten family trips to India. Robert practicing T’ai Chi in Cave29 of the Ellora Caves. In a sense, everything is spiritual training. I can’t separate what’s going I’ve been close to the edge, almost what does Baba give us through these on physically from what’s going on to the point of saying, “Thank different means? He gives us the spiritually. I haven’t transcended the you, God, enough,” and letting go. opportunity to please Him. That’s body. Everything teaches us, if we’re Being here is a real opportunity to what we’re here to do. Baba protects open to it. To listen within, to see the surrender. I want to surrender. No us, so that we don’t become a slave to opportunities that lie in our paths, and doubt, I needed to do this and to get habits. He protects us so that we can to learn to do what will please Baba through all the incredibly difficult be in the world and practice not being — that’s spiritual training. The goal is nonsense I created for myself. Well, in the world at the same time.” to be in the world but not of it. And at the age of almost seventy, I’ve Baba reinforces a point by letting us of course there’s always the growing certainly been in numerous places and continually encounter it. We can’t run territory of age and the effect age has circumstances that have given me all away. There’s no escape. None. There’s on aspirations, plans, and the way we the opportunities I can stand. really no other sane choice. Or we can see ourselves. One time several of us were sitting make false, wrong choices and create Spiritual training also allows us to with Mani in her office at the Trust. more suffering for both ourselves and model what life should be for young She said, “Well, you know, dears, those close to us. What we need to people, who are starting to encounter Baba doesn’t give us too much. He learn is how to submit, how to create so-called reality much more quickly gives us just enough to learn what He a space in which we can learn slowly than they thought they would. wants us to learn. It doesn’t have to to be free. We need to believe that Suffering is very, very important for be prolonged, or particularly painful. Baba will take care of us. Mani would growth to occur. It’s easier to be in In fact, the lessons that He gives us say that the suffering He gives us is tune with Baba’s wishes when you feel are just obvious, like no drugs, not His gift. Foolish as we are, we try to well. When you aren’t well, everything dressing provocatively, being on time, push the gift away, to write “Return to is more difficult. and being honest and natural. And Continued on next page

17 Meher Baba Australia

Sender” on the package. Instead, we need to focus on that The Divine Romance gift and let go of the rest of what is happening; see through the illusion by His grace and let it go. The sojourn of the soul is a thrilling That’s how spiritual training and health have gone hand divine romance in which the lover, in hand for me; they’ve never really been separate from each who in the beginning is conscious of other. But it may take a lifetime to find all the connections, nothing but emptiness, frustration, to look within deeply enough to examine the sum of our experience, to understand the role of suffering, and to find superficiality and the gnawing the difference between pleasing ourselves and pleasing Him. chains of bondage, gradually attains an increasingly fuller © Robert.N.Dreyfuss Administrative Trust. and freer expression of love, and * Eruch Jessawalla, letters to Robert Dreyfuss, December 12, ultimately disappears and merges 1965; October 2, 1966; June 6, 1967; and July 22, 1969. in the divine Beloved to realise the unity of the Lover and the Beloved in the supreme and eternal fact of God as Infinite Love.

- Meher Baba

Remembering You A single drop of dew Suspended on a blade of grass, Morning sun just caressing it Into a rainbow of wonder. That’s what a single moment, Coming into the moment – The awareness of Your Presence – Remembering You, Does to my heart, my soul. And then the ray of sunlight shifts, The drop hangs in the greyness of shadow. That’s what happens to my heart, my soul, When I forget You.

Lorraine Brown Inner Travel to Sacred Places October, 2017 Available from Avatar’s Abode Bookstore Avatar’s Abode Bookstore (non profit) retail price is AUD $35 (plus your choice of postage)

Contact Email: [email protected]

18 December 2017 – February 2018 In Memoriam Tex Hightower

Tex Hightower died just short of his 90th dressed up and we went out for birthday in Myrtle Beach on Tuesday dinner. As we walked backstage 7th November 2017. and turned the corner who What follows are extracts from of a talk should we run into but the given by Tex at Meherabad, on the general manager who never came 5th November, 2010. Transcription by Gusi Carpenter. backstage. His name was Rudolf Bing. He was so famous, he was almost a household word. He § had taken over the Metropolitan ... When 1952 came around I was a Opera after it had been run by working dancer in the Metropolitan Edward Johnson. Anyway there Opera Ballet and Miss Craske was he was with Mr Guttman, the the assistant director of the school tour manager and the whole connected with the ballet. Baba was crowd, and I don’t know what coming. By that time Miss Craske got into me but I walked straight had collected a few people and I was up to that man and said, ‘I say, expected to go and meet Baba. When may we have a moment of your I tell you I didn’t want to do that, time Mr Bing?’ He was Austrian I mean I did not want to do that, and had a very heavy accent and but I felt obliged to her having had I gave my song and dance to him Meher Baba at the Meher Spiritual Center, Myrtle five years of listening to stories and and told him why we wanted to Beach, South Carolina USA, May 1952. enjoying her company, so I had to go. © Meher Nazar Publications. go to Myrtle Beach and he said, But it turned out that the ‘Vell of course, you must go’ Just Metropolitan Opera was on tour the to leave the company to go down there like that! same day that Baba was seeing people that day. We went to our immediate The next day I got communication in Myrtle Beach. He only had one superior who was the choreographer from Miss Craske that Baba had public day, May 17th. The company and director of the dancing company changed the day and that he was was in Minneapolis and there was and talked to him. He knew Miss seeing people a day earlier. I knew a contract that if you were on tour Craske very well and he knew about there was no way on this earth to say you were not allowed to go beyond Baba as well and he said, ‘Oh no, ‘Sorry Mr Bing, I need another day’, a fifty mile radius of the place where you can’t go.’ So then we went to the so I called Miss Craske. By this time you were playing. There were three assistant stage manager, same response, she was with Baba and Baba gave us women in the company and myself production stage manager, same permission to see him the following who were going to meet Baba. Skipper answer, tour manager and we got as far day, the original day and he would see – Catherine Damon, Zebra Neven as the assistant general manager, Mike us for five minutes. I got up at 4.30 in and Soura Gazman, a red head, a Guttman. He was at least kind about the morning because we were going brunette and a blonde. To get from it and he said, ‘I’m sorry, I do not feel to leave Minneapolis, fly to Myrtle Minneapolis to Myrtle Beach by comfortable with this. I will not give Beach and see Baba, and then go to Greyhound bus would take a couple you permission to go.’ And there we Wilmington, Indiana, because that of days. So the only way to get there were, stuck, we had paid our money day there was no performance and was to hire a private plane and there and we could not go. the company was moving there from was no refund. It was a lot of money Then one Sunday, for some reason Minneapolis so we wouldn’t miss a for us. Then we had to get permission the girls decided they wanted to get Continued on next page

19 Meher Baba Australia performance. It was a reasonable time. hadn’t even heard I got up in the morning and I have him. He said ‘There’s never seen before or after a fog like a problem. I flew in that. You could see the street lights as on instruments, but a faint little rim around the bulb. It the law says if I have was my job to get a cab. This was May passengers I have to and there was snow on the ground at fly by landmarks.’ five in the morning and lo and behold This plane looked like a cab came by. The driver said ‘Where a toy. We squashed are you going?’ and I said, ‘Well, three people in the we have to pick up some ladies and back then there was then we’re going to this little private the pilot and one seat airport.’ He said, ‘You’re not going in front. He said, anywhere. I’m not going to take you, ‘However there’s the roads are very bad, so, sorry kid,’ nothing else to do so and he drove off. I’ll fly you to Chicago. But he wasn’t the only cab around. I doubt very seriously Another one came and said, ‘I’m not you’ll get beyond getting any fares anyway, so I’ll take Chicago if we get you.’ We picked up the girls and got to there.’ the airport by me sticking my head out In Chicago we had the window, looking at the shoulder to change pilots and and driving about five miles an hour, the new one said, ‘I’m Tex at Meher Spiritual Center, Myrtle Beach USA; Amartithi 2013. Photo taken by Anthony Zois and used with permission. and I’m saying, ‘Left! Left! Hold it not taking you. I’m there, hold it there! Kerb coming up!’ not taking off in this weather and I’m said, ‘Get in!’ I knew he didn’t have and so forth. It was a big joke. not going to be responsible for four permission to fly. When we got there we could see a people, so forget it.’ So Mr Baie said, Skipper was in the front seat, and he little hut with a light, and there was ‘Well I’ll take a stab at it.’ This was a flew and flew and suddenly it dawned a man who looked very surprised to most exceptional man, because in this on me we were lost, and then we were see us. The private plane was flying flight that’s coming up, we stopped out of gas. So we had to go back to from Chicago to Minneapolis and he to refuel five times and he had to fly Louisville. By that time it was nearly said, ‘It won’t be able to get here, you around storms. Every time we landed five o’clock in the afternoon and Baba understand that?’ ‘Well,’ I said, ‘Can they said we couldn’t take off, but this had said we had to get there by five we just sit right here?’ and he made man was the kind of man who didn’t o’clock. a cup of coffee and we waited and like being told you can’t do something. Mr Baie said, ‘I’m paid to get you to waited. We got as far as Louisville and the Myrtle Beach, so shall we go on.’ So Suddenly Skipper and I said, ‘I’m weather was really nasty. The rain was we took off. The golden sun came out, stir crazy. Let’s take a walk.’ We were sheeting down at an angle. He went to there was dew on the trees, we were walking in the fog and suddenly the control tower and after a very long about twenty feet above the trees and it Skipper stopped and stared into the time and came back and he said, ‘I’m was clear sailing from there on, but it distance. Out of the fog this figure really sorry. I’ve done everything I can was after five o’clock. materialised. He walked up to me but they won’t give us permission to We got to a little tiny private airport and said, ‘Are you Mr Hightower?’ fly, so we’re stuck here.’ We didn’t say where I was to call a Mrs Houston who ‘Yeah, who are you?’ ‘I’m Warren a word, and he looked at these three ran a Tennessee Williams Hotel called Baie and I’m from [such and such women and he turned around and Lafayette Manor. She was hysterical. a] company.’ He’d flown in and we went back. He came back shortly and ‘Where are you? Where were you? Are

20 December 2017 – February 2018 you all there? You are to come here and spend the night, then Baba will send someone to pick you up and he will see you at seven o’clock tomorrow morning.’ That would be Sunday! Sarosh came at seven to drive us to the Center. In those days from Myrtle Beach proper to the Center there was absolutely nothing, just nature, not a building in sight. We drove past the entrance – it was just a green gate – and missed it and had to turn around and come back. Well I’m not prone to mystical experiences but strange things happen when you are connected with Baba. We drove through the gate and Meher Spiritual Center 1958; Margaret Craske Dancers. Tex at top left, Margaret in front of Baba. This image is from a Sufi film of Meher Baba’s 1956 visit to the States. everything was silent. I’ve never Image captured and enhanced by Anthony Zois and used with permission. experienced silence as a presence, I mean a heavy powerful presence of had better get those silence. No sound of the car on the sandwiches and gravel, no birds singing. take them to the That’s the only time I met Sarosh. airport.’ Then he By then Miss Craske and several of the called Elizabeth. other disciples had left for California, ’Elizabeth, you are they were driving ahead and I believe an aviatrix. Tell Baba was to follow the next day or me, is this weather the day after. We drove up and Rano very bad for flying?’ met us. I opened the car and met her She said, ‘Baba it face to breast bone and she was very couldn’t be worse.’ full of vinegar. ‘You could have sent He said, ‘You go a telegram.’ Actually, I did send a and check on the telegram from Chicago, but the only weather in the address I had was a post office box, so other parts of the I didn’t know if the telegram would country.’ Elizabeth be delivered and I said ‘We will be knew someone arriving later than expected due to in the National inclement weather’! Weather Bureau in The dancers carry Meher Baba’s chair at Meher Spiritual Center, It was ten or twenty years later that Washington, so she Myrtle Beach SC USA, May 1958. © Meher Nazar Publications. I learned that that day Baba made made a personal everybody’s life miserable. Kitty told call and he told her that it was the down?’ She replied, ‘They could have.’ me that in those days he was staying worst weather in twenty seven years Then he called Kitty and said, in the Log Cabin, that’s the one across on the Eastern seaboard. Baba said to ‘Those sandwiches are stale. Go and the water. He said, ‘They may be her when she told him, ‘Do you think make another lot.’ She asked Sarosh hungry so you are to go to the kitchen they’ve gone down?’ ‘I really don’t what he had done with the other lot. and make some sandwiches.’ Then know Baba.’ ‘Well tell me, if you were He had brought them back’.’Well get he called Sarosh and said ‘Maybe you flying do you think they would go Continued on next page

21 Meher Baba Australia rid of them and take the others,’she came and Delia came and she was I’m sorry, there’s no way of describing said. I don’t know what he did to crying. I thought, ‘Oh for God’s what happened when he embraced Rano, but everyone was really teed off sakes!’ And I just sat there, so she me because the flow of love was so with four dancers who should have extended her hand, and took my arm incredibly immense. I didn’t have any been there two days earlier! and tugged and finally I got up and idea there was a love like that. It was After Rano gave us the chilly shuffled over to the Lagoon Cabin. unique, everything about Baba was welcome we went around the corner The minute we turned that little unique. And I was absolutely blown and I heard this voice, this very corner in the path to face the screen away. I do remember the first thing beautiful voice up and down the scale, door I saw something white behind he said after the embrace. ‘Baba is coming towards us. Kitty met me at the screen door, just a flash, and I said happy. And I thought what incredible the door. I’d never seen this woman ‘That’s Baba’ and I dropped my head, generosity. There he was, he had given before and she’d never seen me and she and stumbled up that path. me all that love and that made him said, ‘It doesn’t matter how you take I knew that Baba was standing happy. Something very special. Then Baba, just take him!’ there and I could not lift my eyes. he sat me down on a little bench and In those days, those of you that I don’t have mystical experiences, he pulled up a little bench in front of know the Center, that brick patio but this happened. I can’t describe it me and we were knee to knee. And that was between the kitchen and the other than it was a physical feeling. he said, ‘I was in the plane with you addition – the addition wasn’t there, I was absolutely encased in clay like yesterday. You must take me back with and there was a little bench, and this a mummy, then the case began to you.’ He said some other things. He bench had a clear view of the entrance crack around my toes. I could hear it. said, ‘You cannot know how much I to the Lagoon cabin. Zebra, Soura, It crawled up to my knees and torso love you.’ Skipper and me in that order were and head and when it got to my ears That’s the only time I saw Baba in sitting on the bench. it fell in two pieces. And when that really good health. Zebra went in. I don’t know how happened I had the strength to lift my Then he looked at Delia who was long she was there. All of a sudden she eyes and I saw Baba for the first time. sobbing and said, ‘What are you crying exploded out of that door sobbing and And I can say this, even though I don’t for!’ she went running off into the woods! know what experiences you have had, That’s the only time I saw him Well Zebra’s the emotional type. Then you have never seen anything that with the alphabet board. Rano was it was Soura’s turn. Soura was a big beautiful. He was the most beautiful reading it, so Rano and Delia were statuesque blond, very beautiful bone creature on this planet. No doubt, in the room. Then he sent me away structure. I’m watching with more hands down. He was standing in and I went wandering off down to the interest this time. She goes in and the a white sadhra, his hair was down. lake and I wandered all the way and same thing, she went wandering off in I don’t know what size he was, he finally after some time, I don’t know the woods. could have been twelve feet tall or a how long, a rather exasperated Sarosh Then Skipper whom I knew the very midget, and I stood and looked into caught up with me and said, ‘Baba best and whom I met the very first day Baba’s eyes. His eyes went on and on wants to see you.’ He’d been looking I came to New York, I thought she was and on. I’ve never seen eyes like that for me for ten minutes and somebody the most sophisticated of the bunch and my memory is that they were else had been trying to round up so I was very interested in what would chocolate brown and he was kind of the girls because Baba wanted to see happen. And she comes out [of the honey coloured and it was like there everybody. We sat on the bench and Lagoon Cabin] and she walks straight was a light under his skin – I don’t Baba walked in front of Zebra. And into a tree! You have to remember mean he glowed in the dark, there he stood there for a long time, then I didn’t want to be there in the first was light coming from within him, he moved in front of Soura and then place. I was only going through this and he had this beautiful smile. Then Skipper and then me and just looked. as a courtesy to my respect for Miss he opened his arms and I took two He was on the opposite wall and he Craske. I didn’t want to have anything or three steps and I fell into his arms strode from wall to wall. He had the to do with it. Anyway then my turn and he embraced me. I can’t tell you, most extraordinary walk you have ever

22 December 2017 – February 2018 seen. You know that film from th Nasik in 1937 and he’s walking Celebrating the 60 across the field at the end, well that gives you an idea. And he had his hands behind his back and his Anniversary of Meher Baba’s fingers were dancing the way they did. Anybody else and it would 1958 stay at Avatar’s Abode have been a nervous kind of thing, In 1958 Beloved Baba stayed for four days at Avatar’s Abode and planted the seed but with Baba those movements of His love there. We plan to celebrate the Anniversary of that stay over seven were an expression of the most days in 2018 from Tuesday 5th of June till Monday 11th June 2018. powerful vitality you’ve ever seen. Approximately 70 people from overseas have indicated an expression of interest I don’t know what he was doing. in attending. I was entranced to see the perfect rhythm of his walk. He said Accommodation something to us. I don’t remember, If you are planning on joining in the celebrations, it is not too soon to explore it’s shameful, then he sent us away. your accommodation options. But we had been there a lot more The Anniversary Planning Committee has booked out the Sunshine Coast than five minutes. It was a beautiful Motor Lodge, primarily for overseas guests, however it is possible a room or two sunny day by then. may become available closer to the Anniversary. We went and met Mr Baie and Expressions of interest from overseas visitors the minute we took off the weather Information regarding expressions of interest from overseas visitors can be found changed and we were grounded in on the Avatar’s Abode website’s ‘The Anniversary’ page https://avatarsabode.com. Louisville and they would not allow au/anniversary_at_avatars_abode.html. us to take off. Invitation and registration We had a performance that night The Anniversary Planning Committee anticipates circulating an Invitation to the where I partnered a ballerina and 2018 Anniversary in January 2018. This will have details of how to register your each of the girls led a group of upcoming attendance. other girls, they were like soloists Registration beforehand will be much appreciated because the resources of each one of them. Finally we rented Avatar’s Abode will be at their limits for what is shaping up to be the biggest a car and Mr Baie said to me, ‘I celebration ever. can drive and I’m paid to get you Updates will appear in the Meher Baba Australia quarterly newsletters and will back, so why don’t I drive?’ I was also be progressively entered on the Avatar’s Abode website. glad because the weather was so bad. But that guy thought he was Contact info flying a plane! And what happened, The anniversary email address is [email protected] we get stuck behind an army convoy driving at fifteen miles an Bernard Bruford and Denis Carmody hour. Anyway from Louisville to Co-chairs of the 2018 Anniversary Planning Committee. Bloomingdale took us ten or twelve hours. We got there at the end of P.S: Before the Anniversary, Charmaine Foley is privately organising a tour of the second act, and my understudy Meher Baba places of interest in Sydney (including Meher House) and also dropped the ballerina. I wish I’d Melbourne, including general sightseeing. At this stage Charmaine envisages seen it! 8-12 days, and possibly also including Canberra. Although this is mainly for our interested overseas guests, everyone is very welcome to participate. If you wish to be kept informed please contact Charmaine direct – email [email protected] or phone 0411 880 375.

23 Meher Baba Australia

Inside Meher Baba’s Samadhi at Upper Meherabad, circa 1970s. Photographer unknown. Waves and Waves of Love Compiled and edited by Carolyn Ball. The history of the Meher Spiritual Center told through wonderful stories A prayer for from the 1940s to the present. Available from Avatar’s Abode remembrance Bookstore AUD $40 plus postage. Contact Email Daniel Montague [email protected] For purchases in USA please contact In May of 2015, Meherwan Jessawala sent to the west his last sheriarbooks.org message about the importance of repeating our Beloved Baba’s name. When Meherwan died in July of that year, the message seemed to take on an added importance, especially for me. Meherwan always emphasized the twofold effect of the constant repeating of “Baba”: the purification of the heart and the protection from the allurements of Maya. I find comfort and security and a sense of his presence while repeating His name, and when I notice that I’m not taking His name, I thank Baba for the reminder and I say a prayer to my Beloved: “Beloved Baba, help me to take and repeat Your name constantly Avatar Meher Baba and continuously, and to always keep Your loving presence with my 2018 Calendar heart. Jai Baba.” Designed and printed in USA And while going to bed and each time during the night when I 14 month calendar (2 bonus months) awake, I add to the end of this prayer, “…while I am sleeping and in Pick up at Avatar’s Abode Bookstore my dreams. Jai Baba.” AUD $17 Have it posted to you AUD $22.50 Contact Email [email protected]

24 December 2017 – February 2018 Fortunate to Love Him Stories of My Life with Meher Baba

Khorshed K. Irani

Meher Baba was the central focus in 1924, Mehera and of Khorshed K. Irani’s life from the Khorshed lived with moment she met Him when she was Baba as close companions twelve years old. It is her connection under His orders. with Meher Baba and who He is, that Khorshed’s stories are gives her life a very special significance. about an incredible life Khorshed Irani was one of Meher – one that was dedicated Baba’s earliest and closest women in love to God as Meher disciples. She was born on May 2, Baba. 1910 and she loved Baba from the Her life with the moment she first saw Him on May 9, Avatar was extraordinary 1922. and filled with intense Khorshed devoted her entire life, challenges and hardships. from that moment on, in love and As Khorshed said, “Our service to her Beloved Baba, until she life with Baba had passed away on August 4, 1999. everything – fun, trouble, and love.” was not Khorshed’s first language … it Baba often visited Khorshed and Although Khorshed’s family were was her fourth. A substantial amount her parents in their family home in wealthy and could have provided her of work and time was required to edit, Bombay during the early 1920s, and with the many pleasures of this world, capture and present her delightful, Baba instructed the three of them to she traded them all without a second interesting, humourous and expressive come to Him every day, to be with thought, in order to be with her Lord. way of telling her stories. Him at Manzil-e-Meem. Khorshed Her single-pointed love, dedication, To bring this book to press has had the joy of hearing Baba speak and and obedience to Meher Baba, through required the meticulous and loving sing for more than three years before thick and thin, as well as her inner efforts of many people. Impossible He began His Silence. She was one of strength and motivation to be near to be exact , however the amount of the only mandali at the end of the 20th Him, distinguishes Khorshed as one of more than 30 and less than 50, sounds century who could remember Meher the great souls who served the Avatar pretty right. Baba’s indescribably beautiful voice. of the Age. Included are over 170 photographs In August 1923, Baba introduced Fortunate to Love Him was compiled (some very rare) illustrating this most Khorshed to Mehera J. Irani, His from video and audio recordings of precious life lived for her Beloved. Beloved, and they immediately became Khorshed telling her life stories during best friends. Baba told them that, not the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Secondary Fortunate to Love Him only were they best friends in this life, sources included notes from interviews Available from Avatar’s Abode but they had been with Him as best with Khorshed, as well as her personal Bookstore AUD $70 plus postage. friends in many lives before. Baba told diary translated from Gujerati. Also Contact Email them that in this Advent of the Avatar, personal letters sent to Khorshed and [email protected] Mehera is playing the role that Radha her family by Baba, throughout the For US, UK and Europe etc, see played as Krishna’s Beloved, and that years. sheriarbooks.org Khorshed is playing the role of Radha’s The process used to create this book best friend, Chandrika. Beginning was involved. One example: English

25 Meher Baba Australia The parable of the Borrowed Time Time passes like a slow leak milkmaid in one of the back Often told by Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa (1836-1886) tyres of your car. You know it’s A milkmaid used to supply happening milk to a Brahmin priest but you’re not living on the other side of a conscious of it. river. Until one day Owing to the irregularities when you go to leave of the boat service, the you get no further milkmaid could not supply than your driveway. him milk punctually every day. And perhaps alone Once, being rebuked for and looking in your arriving late, the poor rear vision mirror woman said, “What can I do? you’ll come to see I start early from the house, but have to wait for a long that all your desires time at the river bank for the are just like all the cars boatman and the passenger.” rushing past on borrowed time. The priest exclaimed, “Woman! There are people who cross the ocean of life by Photograph of Ramakrishna, taken on 10 December Ross Keating uttering the ‘name’ of God, 1881 at the studio of “The Bengal Photographers” and you can’t cross this little in Radhabazar, Calcutta (Kolkata). river?” Lime Pickle The simple-hearted woman became very glad at heart on learning this To love is to go easy means of crossing the river. over into love. From the following day, she started to supply the milk early in the morning, as she was supposed to. One day the Brahmin priest said to Just like a piece the woman, “How is it that you are no longer late now-a-days?” of lime in a pickle jar is consumed in The milkmaid replied, “I cross the river by uttering the name of the Lord as you told me to do, and now don’t need a boat or a boatman.” a spicy vinegar. The priest could not believe this. To love is to know He said, “Can you show me how you cross the river?’ The woman took there is no return. him with her and began to walk over the water. Just like a piece Looking behind, the woman saw the priest in a sad plight and said, of lime in a pickle jar “Sir, how is it, Sir, that you are uttering the name of the God with your remains forever mouth, but at the same time with your hands you are lifting the hem a culinary star. of your robe and trying to keep the cloth untouched by water? You do not fully rely on Him.” To love is to give real flavour to life. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa concluded the story by instilling some wisdom into the hearts and minds of his disciples, “Entire resignation Just like a piece and absolute faith in God are at the root of all miraculous deeds.” of lime from a pickle jar Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa once said “Do not force your can make a dull meal demands on God, he is in no way a stranger to you, he is your eternal a delicious bazaar. companion.” Ross Keating

26 December 2017 – February 2018 Glow International goes digital Get Your First Issue FREE Glow International quarterly print edition still available globally via post. Our new Digital Glow International quarterly, available via email (everywhere except to USA and India)

Dear Friends, be read on a tablet or pad etc. Some As Beloved Archives celebrates clients would like both ‘print and 50 years of publishing GLOW digital’ and some clients would like INTERNATIONAL, our thoughts just digital. go back to that very special day in The print subscription is for global. December 1968 when Naosherwan But the digital option is not offered Anzar sat on the edge of Beloved for everywhere … digital edition is Meher Baba’s bed massaging Baba’s not offered for USA or India. legs as they discussed the future of His As soon as the Glow International quarterly journal and the spreading of is printed, the digital version will the Avatar’s Message of Love, Truth follow (n.b. Digital not offered to and Spiritual Unity. USA or India). Subscribers of all For over 50 years, GLOW areas other than USA and India, will INTERNATIONAL has continued receive a PDF of the entire magazine to bring Meher Baba’s teachings to via email. seekers worldwide to enable spiritual Subscription for the quarterly development and growth. Digital Edition for a year (4 issues) code) and zip code if you decide to For each quarterly issue of Glow is US$30 and for 2 years (8 issues) the pay by Credit Card. Once we process we search through Beloved Archives, subscription cost is US$50. your Credit Card, we do not keep your a vast repository of rare material on Beloved Archives is a not-for-profit information, unless you ask us to. Meher Baba’s life, work and teachings, corporation in USA and it is your Thank you. and feature unpublished discourses continued support, your assistance and Yours lovingly, with rare photographs with one goal in your love that helps us bring out four Naosherwan Anzar mind: to make a difference in the lives issues each year. Editor & Publisher, Glow International of our readers and help them improve We trust that you will continue the quality of their lives. to subscribe to the print or digital POSTSCRIPT: Digital subscription Despite escalating mailing costs, edition or both editions of GLOW is offered in all foreign countries over the years, we have managed to INTERNATIONAL, the only journal EXCEPT the United States and India. maintain a steady stable subscription launched under Meher Baba’s direct Please do not duplicate or share your cost for our print edition that comes guidance in 1966. digital copy with anyone. It is a trust to you each quarter . reposed in you. Bank draft or credit card The print edition cost is $60 for a year (4 issues) and $110 for 2 years (8 You can mail your subscriptions by BELOVED ARCHIVES issues). We are very glad to have our Bank Draft to: Beloved Archives, 116 GLOW INTERNATIONAL worldwide subscribers of our print Youngs Road, Hamilton, NJ 08619 Naosherwan ‘Nosh’ Nalavala edition. or you can pay for BOTH your print 116 Youngs Road, Recently subscribers have also and digital subscriptions by PayPal or Hamilton, NJ 08619 requested a digital option for various any major credit card. Please send your Tel: 609.529.6129 reasons … e.g. Digital is more credit card number, expiration date, Email: [email protected] affordable, content is very mobile, can CVV code (the 3 or 4 digit verification Web: www.belovedarchives.org

27 Meher Baba Australia

Accommodation for pilgrims on Avatar’s Abode

Mehera Moroney on behalf of the Avatar’s Abode Trust

There are four options of accommodation for overnight The Original Farmhouse has recently undergone a and short stay pilgrimage visits at Avatar’s Abode – Francis’ large renovation. It was, as its name suggests, the original Cabin, Judith’s Cottage, the Pilgrims Quarters (PQ) and the farmhouse on the property when Francis Brabazon Original Farmhouse. purchased the property. It was located near to the current Recently the Avatar’s Abode Trust has made a concerted location of Baba’s House but was relocated down the hill to effort to update these accommodations with repairs done, the North East of the property. The Rouse family lived there updated furniture and renovations carried out to make the as per Meher Baba’s instructions, until the passing of Robert spaces safe and comfortable in a manner that maintains the Rouse. individual atmosphere of each accommodation location. The Farmhouse has three bedrooms. It has a new kitchen All accommodations have their own parking, all are and bathroom and a wonderful deck to enjoy. It has been self-contained with simple, functional kitchens with new decorated with some of Robert Rouse’s artworks. It is high- freestanding ovens and simple bathrooms. They all have set and not suitable at this time for wheelchair access. laundry facilities. Baby cot available. There is limited wheelchair access in the accommodations. Suggested accommodation donations Francis’ Cabin is located near the main entrance to Correct at time of publication but may be revised in the future: Avatar’s Abode. This small cabin was built in 1979 by local Francis’ Cabin and Judith’s Cottage builder Owen Jensen for Baba’s Poet Francis Brabazon. This • $40 for an adult single per night; cabin was also used for Reg Paffle after Francis passed. • $60 adult double per night. There is simple but comfortable furniture in the cabin and Pilgrims Quarters (PQ) (limited availability) a new vanity has been installed in the bathroom. This cabin • $30 for an adult single per night; sleeps four comfortably. • $40 adult double per night. Judith’s Cottage is located just behind the Farmhouse. Original Farmhouse (2 nights minimum) Judith Garbett loved her little cottage and garden and the • $50 for an adult single per night; beautiful view. There is still some of the original furnishings • $75 adult double per night. in this delightful cottage. With some simple updates this cottage is a lovely and restful space. 7 nights as 6 nights donation. The PQ is located below the main grassy area quite near Those under 17 years of age, accompanied by an adult, are The Shed and the Kitchen Storage building. There are free of charge. three bedrooms with a number of sleeping combinations available. There is a share bathroom and communal For more information about visiting Avatar’s Abode go to kitchen, dining and lounge facilities. The PQ sleeps nine https://avatarsabode.com.au/visit_avatars_abode.html comfortably.

28 December 2017 – February 2018

Francis’ Cabin kitchen and dining. Francis’ Cabin dining and lounge.

Judith’s Cottage kitchen. Judith’s Cottage lounge.

PQ kitchen. PQ dining and lounge.

The Farmhouse – looking out to the deck and view. The Farmhouse lounge. The photos on this page were taken by Daniel Montague.

29 Meher Baba Australia Archives volunteers say hello

The many recent months I’ve spent My husband Daniel and I moved Working on the ARCHIVE working on the Publications side of to Avatar’s Abode from the States PROJECT is an opportunity to not the Archives has been one of the most in September of 2016. We were only explore a ‘treasure chest’ of fulfilling times of my life. Not just welcomed with many open and loving materials to feed / inform future Baba the satisfaction of watching critical arms to our Beloved’s home and knew Lovers but to offer us the experience of preservation/conservation work instantly that this was our home as community. going ahead by leaps and bounds; well. We both decided to share our One of our team described the but perhaps even more the wonderful lifetime of varied skills by volunteering wonderful sense of ‘conviviality’ camaraderie with both Davids, my on the Abode. amongst us. wife Tricia, Geoffrey Gunther and I was informed about the ongoing Come join us. We need you Steven Hein. Archive work and realized this would Eve Plant And the laughter maybe best of all! be a wonderful way for me to get Seriously folks – there are great involved. I had never done anything opportunities to help with all of like this before, but I found that much S ARCHIVES OPPORTUNITY the Archival areas on the Abode. of what is being done is an exact fit to Since Robert and Lorna Rouse casually Publications / Relics and Artefacts / my skillsets. asked me to please ‘clean Baba’s Room’ unpublished documents relating For 6 months I have been involved while they were away on holidays over to Baba, the Mandali, the Baron ... in this very exciting and powerful 20 years ago, I have had the privilege Francis and the Abode etc / Audio and work of handling these most precious of regular close involvement with video. documents, artefacts and relics. I’m Baba’s House and the care of various Self satisfaction, camaraderie with still awed by all the treasures we items which have been displayed there. other BL’s, lovely laughter – what else continue to uncover of which we have The visit by the delightful Sue could you want? firsthand access to read and handle. Chapman from the UK in 2016 So come on people, check us I’m constantly awed and feel extremely really opened my mind and heart to a Archivists out and get started on a blessed to be in such close proximity whole other level of the responsibility valuable Volunteer journey. to our Beloved Baba’s life on earth and for such care and keeping. Around Jim Migdoll those of His precious Mandali through the world people are taking the these archives. preservation and protection of Meher Avatar Meher Baba Ki Jai! S Baba’s clothing, and of articles used Carolyn Montague I recently volunteered to assist with by Him, to a new level – supported archival work at Avatar’s Abode and by advances in technology and the so on Wednesday mornings, with S sharing of information globally in a Eve Plant and Carolyn Montague, WE NEED YOU collaborative and generous manner. guided by David Bowling, I have The more effort we put into our lives– David Bowling has enticed a been learning how to interleave, our work and our relationships, the wonderful group of dedicated folk to rehouse and / or scan documents. It’s more joy we can find. Working on the gather at Avatar’s Abode on a regular a pleasant, easy task and it’s enjoyable management of the archives gives us basis around the archiving tasks. We working with Carolyn and Eve. There’s an opportunity to work in a peaceful have learned a great deal about current transcribing work to do which I’d also environment with a common aim. global best practice in archiving and be happy to assist with. I feel we humans are ‘wired’ to conservation / preservation of items of Jai Baba, community – finding the greatest sense historical interest, and thought a good Glenda Hobson of fulfilment from being able to help deal about how best to address the or support , give to, and receive from, tasks at Avatar’s Abode. (Not for the S each other. Continued on next page 30 December 2017 – February 2018 Meher Baba Australia

Steven Hein, MBA Editor

What is ‘Meher Baba Australia’? The digital email PDF version? It is a volunteer run, non-profit initiative that We also have the low cost PDF version we publishes a newsletter that aims to connect distribute by email. Many of our subscribers the community of lovers of Beloved Meher receive both email and hardcopy versions. Baba. Interested in participating? Contact How do we ask you to renew each year? Steven Hein, Editor. It will be an email request or a coloured slip Frequency - four issues a year inside your MBA hardcopy. Your response March, June, September, December. helps us keep your (confidential) info and Avatar Meher Baba, 1954 Andhra, India. Cost? address on our mailing list up to date. There is no charge as such. We do ask readers Editorial policy Or by direct bank deposit or Electronic to subscribe, to actively choose to receive / The MBA editorial policy is pretty simple – Funds Transfer to keep receiving the journal. MBA will not publish content that is divisive, Account name: Meher Baba Australia BSB: 064424 How do we cover printing & postage costs? political, disruptive and disrespectful. The Account number: 10379525 We welcome donations. Occasionally, if costs editor reserves the right to edit all articles for Please include your initial and last name for go up and funds run low, we even invite and length and content prior to publication. reference. encourage donations. MBA contacts Suggested annual donation Actual costs of a hardcopy issue? Editor: [email protected] Digital PDF via email (Annual) – Global To produce, print and post within Australia, Mailing List / Subscriptions: David Bowling $5.00 AU each issue costs us approx $7.50 AU. For [email protected] Hardcopy (Annual) – Australia $30 AU the 4 issues that’s about $30 AU a year. Donations can be made via PayPal at Hardcopy (Annual) – Overseas $40 AU. International postage costs a bit more. avatarsabode.com.au/donations.html

Archives volunteers say hello – continued from previous page first time, since archival consultants During 2018 visitors are likely to the delightful opportunity to do some have visited and offered advice since notice some changes as we improve work in Meherabad during my last 1992, and a dedicated few have the storage and display and security short visit, which was such fun. And enacted aspects of the advice as they of things such as the sandals worn by coincidently other members of my have been able, but not previously Meher Baba, and the pink coat which family had been there recently, and I with such enthusiasm and increased has hung for many years in a display just ‘happened’ to take over from some capacity of time, facility, materials and cabinet in Baba’s House. Precious items tasks they had begun. How sweet His knowledge). are being mounted on support boards, little notes of His Presence in every There is a pleasantly collegial feeling and labelling and documentation detail of our lives. ] among the ‘archive team’ as we address (carefully commenced many years ago * If you are interested to take a tour various tasks. For myself, Carolyn by Ray Kerkhove and Grania Kelly) is of the archive display in Baba’s House, Montague, Kaye Lindsay, Sim Symons being updated. please contact myself or others in the and David Hobson the focus of our And if you’d like to be a part of the working group to arrange a time. activities together is the items in the group working together on these Contact: Jeanette Isaacs-Young room where Meher Baba stayed while changes, we would welcome 0438 562 118 (text best) or at Avatar’s Abode, and those currently expressions of interest for adding to (07) 5472 4136 (message bank) on display in the Baba’s House archive our volunteer team – from folk around [email protected] room (open on special events and the region of Avatar’s Abode, or also Jeanette Isaacs-Young other occasions and by arrangement*) from people who will be visiting and and others stored in the archive room perhaps have an interest in spending in the reception building for optimal some of their pilgrimage working on S preservation. such tasks, if the timing allows. [I had

31 Meher Baba Australia What’s on at Avatar’s Abode December 2017 to February 2018 Mehera’s Birthday Friday 22nd December 2017 3pm – 5pm Afternoon tea at Editor: Steven Hein the Meeting Hall followed by Songs and Stories. Please bring Design, Layout and Digital Image Cleanup: Liz Gaskin your favourite Mehera stories and songs and a plate to share. Proof Reading: Steven Hein. Contact editor if you can Coordinator: Leigh Rowan 5442 3228. help too [email protected]. Mailing List and Subscriptions: David Bowling. Christmas Day Monday 25th December 2017 1pm Arti followed by Email [email protected] for information. Front Cover: Meher Baba, 11 January 1927, Shah Photo Christmas Lunch. All welcome! Bring Christmas food to Studios, Ahmednagar. Photographer G M Shah. Supplied by share. Coordinator TBA. Bill and Diana Le Page. Avatar’s Abode Archives Collection. Next Issue: Please email submssions for the next Meher Amartithi Meher Baba dropped His physical form on 31st January 1969. Baba Australia to [email protected] or mail to Sunday 28th January 10am Coffee in kitchen. 11am Program MBA, PO Box 335, Woombye, QLD 4559, Australia. in Baba’s House. Noon – Silence. 12.15pm Arti. Deadline Next Issue: 14th January 2018. 12.30pm Potluck lunch in kitchen. Bring lunch to share. Photos to be minimum of 1MB, preferably over 2MB. Wednesday 31st January Noon – Silence. 12.15pm Arti. PLEASE NOTE that the editor reserves the right to edit all Coordinator: Lorraine Brown 5446 8005. published articles for length and content prior to publication.

Avatar Meher Baba’s Birthday Sydney Meher Baba Community Avatar Meher Baba was born at 5am on 25th February 1894. Sunday 25th February 5am Arti and singing in Baba’s House. (Please note that all dates and details below are subject to 5.30am Light breakfast at kitchen. Breakfast contributions change, however all effort will be made to ensure late- welcomed. 7am Birthday Party Games. 9am Coffee and café breaking updates are provided by email and/or Facebook) entertainment. 11.30am lunch provided by Amir for purchase RSVP. 1pm Films in Baba’s House. Coordinator: Sunday Monthly Meetings at Meher House are held morning breakfast Bernard Bruford 5442 1487. Coordinator: on the last Sunday of every month. Prayers and Arti, open Program TBA. discussions about Baba, occasional guests, vegetarian potluck meal. Contact: Kevin Mossberger M: 0412 559 402. Monday Morning Meetings at Avatar’s Abode 10–11.30am in the Meeting Hall. For information: Lorraine Kirtan Singing at Meher House – Devotional 5446 8005 or [email protected]. All are welcome to Kirtan singing held monthly. Contact Sage Andreasen for join with stories, readings, poetry, songs and a cuppa. further information. M: 0401 456 839

E: [email protected] Wednesday Meher Baba’s Works Reading Group Now at 4.30pm – 5.30pm in the Bookstore. Monday Night Discourse Meetings – For Contact Wilma Pearson phone 0404 775 789 or enquiries please contact Kris Wyld mobile 0407 481 323 (07) 5473 9947, email [email protected]. or [email protected].

The Meher Baba Sydney community is Friday Mornings 10:30am in the Bookstore The explorers of God’s words continue to study and discuss always searching for volunteers to serve in Meher Baba’s revelations of who and what we all are. The Baba’s cause and love and in a variety of ways. A wonderful Bookstore is located behind the Reception Centre at Avatar’s opportunity for old-timers, newcomers, young and old! Abode. Coordinators are Geoff Gunther (07) 5442 2467 or For further information contact Kevin Mossberger on Steven Hein 0412 080 424. 0412 559 402.

Saturday Nights at the Abode Film nights the first Melbourne Meetings Saturday of the month at 7pm. Contact: David and Glenda The best contact for Melbourne activities and meetings is Hobson on (07) 5442 1220 or Jim Frisino on 0417 112 668. Jasmine Ilas. Give her a call on her mobile 0438 300 193. Please leave voicemail if she can’t take your call. New Zealand Travellers to New Zealand who want to meet Baba lovers Meher Baba Gatherings in WA there are invited to contact Jill Hobbs, 19 Brassey Rd, [email protected] Phone Paul Morris 0429 310 169 or Julie Morris Wanganui. Ph (06) 347 2974, email 0428 250 294.

Meher Baba Australia is a publication independent of the Avatar’s Abode Trust. The views expressed in articles in Meher Baba Australia are solely those of the authors.