The Spiritual Abode for One and All © Jonathan Burroughs 2014, 2018 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA
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The Spiritual Abode For One and All Reflections on Avatar Meher Baba’s Vision for Myrtle Beach Abstract: The signature feature of Meherazad in India and Meher Spiritual Center in Myrtle Beach, SC, is that Avatar Meher Baba designated them both as his homes.* It is the feeling of home and being at home that characterizes the experience of so very many pilgrims and visitors who come to these unique Baba centers. Through an examination of Meher Baba’s words and actions, this treatise reflects on the future of Myrtle Beach as the place of world pilgrimage that Meher Baba predicted. It considers (1) Meher Spiritual Center as his home, pervaded by his Love and presence, and characterized as a place of universality and freedom, and (2) how Baba’s vision for Myrtle Beach as a “spiritual abode for one and all” might evolve cooperatively. The key to this evolution lies in the individual heart and the individual home. From this perspective the paradigm of home is revealed as providing a basis for resolving conflict and being the basis for Baba’s vision of Myrtle Beach as a “spiritual abode for one and all.” Thus, this treatise is directed primarily to the individual and only secondarily to organizations. Jonathan Burroughs [email protected] (The author served on the Meher Spiritual Center Board from 2006 to 2010, when a SWOT analysis and a Strategic Plan for the Center were initiated and completed.) * For a brief biography of Meher Baba, see https://www.mehercenter.org/meher-baba/life-and-work/. ii The Spiritual Abode for One and All © Jonathan Burroughs 2014, 2018 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA Dedication To my mother, who cultivated my smile, introduced me to Elizabeth Patterson, and urged me to write. To Elizabeth Patterson, who first told me about Avatar Meher Baba. To Avatar Meher Baba, who built homes for his beloved to be free. iii Contents Four Perspectives: A Center, an Organization, a Retreat, a Home. 1 What’s Special about Myrtle Beach? 4 A Center Becomes His “Abode” 8 “This Is My Home” 11 Baba’s Universal Spiritual Centers and His Homes 13 1941: “The Most Important Year in Spiritual History” 19 Meher Baba’s Visits to Myrtle Beach 28 Baba’s First Visit in 1952: Making Myrtle Beach His Home 32 Baba’s Homes in the East and West 36 Baba’s Second Visit in 1952: Organizational Issues 40 Baba’s 1956 Visit 46 Baba’s 1958 Visit 58 Meher Spiritual Center and the Era of Internal Links 64 A “Home” versus a “Center” 67 Myrtle Beach: The Spiritual Abode for One and All 75 Baba’s Wish: A Request of Great Import for His Vision 78 Conclusion 86 Appendixes Appendix 1: “The Seven Realities” 97 Appendix 2: Scheme of Universal Ashram at Mandla and Baba’s Foundation Day Message at Byramangala 98 Appendix 3: The Mandla Center and the Universal Spiritual Centre at Byramangala 102 Appendix 4: Myrtle Beach News Article, March 21, 1946 113 Appendix 5: Simeon Chapin: The History of His Myrtle Beach Investment 116 Appendix 6: “Baba Explains” 118 Appendix 7: The Role of the Individual vis-à-vis Organizations 119 Appendix 8: Gabriel Pascal: The Making of a Movie 121 Appendix 9: The History of the Pledge of Allegiance 127 Appendix 10: “My Wish” 129 Appendix 11: The Future with Meher Baba: An Interview with Eruch 130 Appendix 12: How Far Does the Center Extend? 145 Notes 153 iv The Spiritual Abode for One and All Meher Baba during seclusion work, Meherabad, July 30, 1941 v Four Perspectives: A Center, an Organization, a Retreat, a Home What a magnificent expression to contemplate—“the spiritual abode for one and all.” With these precise words, Avatar Meher Baba expressed his vision for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as he accepted a gift of land in that city from Elizabeth Patterson in 1944. In this article I consider Baba’s vision for Myrtle Beach as a whole, as well as its implications for the 500 acres designated as Meher Spiritual Center. What are his words and actions that elucidate his vision for the future? What is the relationship between the Meher Spiritual Center and Myrtle Beach? How can we understand and reconcile these visions so that they are mutually respectful and fulfilling, and honor the integrity of the many people and communities involved? For the Meher Baba community, four noteworthy statements made by Baba suggest a range of perspectives that are relevant if the abode that Meher Baba envisioned is truly to be for one and all. 1) The real spiritual retreat is already established within. As early as the 1930s, Darwin Shaw wrote that he hoped to establish a retreat for Avatar Meher Baba in America. On August 14, 1935, Baba wrote back: Whether that retreat on earth is established or not, I do really appreciate the spirit of brotherhood and Love that has been awakened, and consider it as a spiritual retreat already established within, which is much more substantial and real than any earthly home or structure built for the purpose. The true spirit is there, already awakened, and if it is fostered and kept up with warm feelings of Love and Brotherhood, it will eventually bear results that will be helpful in the development of spiritual understanding of 1 life and things pertaining to life, and wherever such spirit of Love and brotherhood prevails, inner light and guidance follow invariably. And rest assured I will always be with you and the other dear ones working in unison in the spirit of Love, and my spiritual help will always be forth coming wherever I am, wherever you all are.1 2) Organizations tend to be binding and limiting. Norina Matchabelli and Elizabeth Patterson suggested to Baba in Panchgani on March 31, 1938, that if he had a “Universal Center,” his messages could be conveyed to other centers throughout the world. And if he were more publicly known, enthusiastic workers would have a chance to actively spread his messages among the masses. Baba replied: It is a good idea indeed, but by attaching to it great significance or giving it too much importance, it develops into a regular organization or system, and I do not want to limit myself or bind myself with any such thing. I create things on a firm foundation and then pull them down. The more I make changes, the more changeless I am. Neither do I want an organization, nor any society. That is exactly what I am afraid could happen. If centers are allowed to prosper, they form themselves into organizations or societies. … [My]* Organizations are like the foam which brings unwanted things up to the surface of the sea, letting the real substance lie beneath, submerged in the depths.2 3) Baba designated “Myrtle Beach” as his universal spiritual abode. Elizabeth wrote to Baba describing and offering land for a center in Myrtle Beach in a letter dated June 4, 1944. After three months, on September 16, 1944, Baba cabled Elizabeth his acceptance and his vision for Myrtle Beach: Am happy to find in all your letters about Myrtle Beach everything that I personally and spiritually approve of and sanction. All my lovers should * “My” in the source manuscript had been edited out by Lawrence Reiter, original publisher of Lord Meher, according to David Fenster (personal communication). 2 cooperate to make Myrtle Beach the spiritual abode for one and all.3 4) Baba wants us to attend groups for cooperation and sharing. In the Barn in July 1956, Baba stated: I would like you all to belong to certain groups. Why? Because you can cooperate and tell others about Me and share your thoughts. You learn much more than when you remain by yourself.4 Beginning with the earliest statement, Baba emphasizes to Darwin that “a spiritual retreat … established within” is of greater significance than a physical center. To Elizabeth and Norina he supports forming centers but cautions against giving them too much importance, because they can limit or bind his work. Then, when he accepts the gift of land for a center in Myrtle Beach, it is on both a personal and spiritual basis, and he highlights cooperation in his call to all his lovers to fulfill his vision of Myrtle Beach as the spiritual abode for one and all. His last statement points out that cooperation is fostered by belonging to groups and learning from one another. His visits to Myrtle Beach can be viewed as facilitating and giving guidance for establishing his vision on an individual and collective basis. As we consider the four perspectives of center, organization, retreat, and home in more detail, it will become evident that each Baba-lover's home makes a vital contribution to Baba's home in the West. Each home is a unique expression of individuality in relationship to the universality inherent in the expression "a spiritual abode for one and all.” Each individual’s love for God and respect for the sanctity of each one’s home will emerge as the primary basis for tolerance, cooperation, and harmony. On this basis, diversity will strengthen the universal bond underlying Baba’s vision for Myrtle Beach. 3 What’s Special about Myrtle Beach? Myrtle Beach must be a special place indeed to have won the spiritual approval of the Avatar of the Age. Most people think of the city as a Southern seaside resort for beachgoers and golfers, and for college kids on spring break, a family-friendly destination. Why did Meher Baba choose it as his Home in the West, apart from the fact that it fulfilled certain conditions that Baba had conveyed to Norina and Elizabeth? For me personally, Myrtle Beach was a very special place for years before I became aware of Meher Baba.