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MEHER BABA JOURNAL Volume 4, No.8 June 1942

A monthly Publication of The "Meher Editorial Committee”

An Avatar Meher Baba Trust eBook April 2016

All words of Meher Baba copyright © 2016 Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust, Ahmednagar, India

Source and Short publication history: the Meher Baba Journal, a monthly magazine, was published from 1938 to 1942. This eBook reproduces the original edition of the Meher Baba Journal published by the "Meher Editorial Committee" (Meherabad, Ahmednagar, India).

Contents

MEHER BABA ON PAGE "RE-INCARNATION AND KARMA" – Part III 383

VIOLENCE AND NON-VIOLENCE—FURTHER REMARKS Meher Baba 390

THE LESSON (Poem) Josephine Esther Ross (U.S.A.) 394 A PROPHET OF THE NEW AGE Charles J. Seymour (London) 395 ASPIRATION (Poem) Winifred Forster (Hertfordshire) 397 THE SILENT RESURRECTION Winifred Forster (Hertfordshire) 398 INTUITION OF THE IMPERSONAL SELF Princess Norina Matchabelli 411 THE WILL IN MEDITATION "V" (Bangalore) 416 LOVE IS KING (Poem) Dr. William Donkin, M.B.B.S. (London) 421 MEHER BABA—HIS PHILOSOPHY AND MYSTICISM (Contd.) Revised and enlarged by Dr. Abdul Ghani Munsiff 422 NOTES FROM MY DIARY F.H. Dadachanji 435 ______

'I have come not to teach but to awaken'

MEHER BABA

MEHER BABA JOURNAL

VOL. 4 JUNE 1942 NO. 8

Meher Baba on Reincarnation and Karma Part III THE EXISTENCE AND THE MEMORY OF PAST LIVES

THOSE, who have an immediate access to the super- sensible truths concerning the life of the soul and its reincarnation, know, through their unclouded perception, that the so-called Incidents of birth birth is only an incarnation of the and death individualised soul in the gross sphere. The unbroken continuity of the life of the reincarnating soul, is punctuated by the incidents of birth and death, which are both comparable to the gateways of the stream of life, advancing from one type of existence to another type of existence. They are both equally necessary in the greater life of the soul; and the interval between death and birth is as necessary as the interval between birth and death. Like those, who consider death to be the termination of individual existence, those, who consider the birth of body

384 MEHER BABA JOURNAL to be its beginning, are also confronted with conflict between their false assumptions, and the claims of rationalised intuition. From the The demands of point of view of individualistic intuition justice the uneven lot of the good and the bad in respect of material happiness or prosperity seems to seriously impugn the rationality and justification for the entire scheme of the universe. The sight of the virtuous being, at times, in the throes of suffering and the vicious being in possession of the amenities of pleasure, creates unsurmountable difficulties for any one, who would rather look upon life with the faith, that it is meant to fulfil an eternal and divine purpose. Unless there is some deeper explanation, human mind is riddled with agonising perplexities that tend to embitter man's general outlook on life and foster a callous cynicism, which in many Natural tendency ways is even worse than the to accept deeper deepest of personal sorrow, explanations which death may cause. But in spite of all appearances to the contrary, human mind has in it, an inborn tendency to try to restore to itself a deep and unshakable faith in the intrinsic sanity and value of life; and, except where artificial resistances are created, it finds acceptable those explanations, which are in conformity with this deeper law of the spirit. Those, who have direct access to the truth of reincarnation are even fewer than those who have direct access to the truth of the immortality of the individual soul. The memories of all past Effect of changing lives are stored and preserved in the brain the mind-body of the individual soul; but they are not accessible to the consciousness of ordinary persons, because a veil is drawn over them. When the soul changes its physical body, it gets a new brain; and its normal waking consciousness functions in close association with the brain-processes. Under ordinary circumstances, only the memories of the present life can

REINCARNATION AND KARMA—III 385 appear in consciousness, because the new brain acts as a hindrance to the release of the memories of those experiences, which had to be gathered through the medium of other brains, in past lives. In rare cases, in spite of the resistance offered by the brain, some memories of past lives leak into the present life in the form of dreams, which are entirely unaccountable by means of the Memory of past present life. A man may see in his lives dreams persons whom he has never seen in his present life; it often happens that the persons, who appeared in the dreams, were persons whom he had met in his past lives. But, of course, such dreams when they are of the ordinary type, cannot be treated as memory of the past lives; they merely indicate that the imagination, which worked in dreams, was influenced by materials, taken from the past lives of the man. The real memory of past lives is clear, steady and sure like the memory of the present life; and when it comes to a man he has no longer any doubt about his having existed in several lives, along with many others. Just as he cannot doubt his own past life in the present incarnation, he cannot doubt his life in his past incarnations. The number of persons who can remember their past lives is very small as compared with the vast majority, who are so completely bound to the gross sphere of existence, that they do not even Release of the suspect super-sensible realities. The memory of past release of such memories is severely lives conditioned by the limitations of the brain, as long as consciousness is entangled with the physical body and its brain processes. But, when consciousness is emancipated from the limitations imposed by the brain, it can recover and re-establish the memories of past lives, which are all stored in the mental body. This involves a degree of detachment and understanding which only the spiritually advanced persons can have. The memory of past

386 MEHER BABA JOURNAL lives can come with full clarity and certainty, even to those who are still crossing the inner planes but have not yet become spiritually perfect. The memory of past lives does not, except in abnormal and rare cases, come back to a person, unless he is sufficiently advanced from the spiritual point of view; this provision, made by the laws Loss of the memo- of life, secures unhampered ry of past lives does spiritual evolution of the not affect spiritual individualised soul. On the first progress view, it might seem that the loss of the memory of previous lives, is all a loss; but this is far from being so. For most purposes, knowledge about past lives is not at all necessary for the guidance of the onward course of spiritual evolution. Spiritual evolution consists in guiding life in the light of the highest values, perceived through intuition and not in allowing it to be determined by the past. In many cases, even the memory of the present life acts as an obstacle for certain adjustments, demanded by the spiritual requirements of the changing situations of life. The problem of emancipation may, in a sense, be said to be a problem of securing freedom from the past, which in the case of those who are bound to the wheel of birth and death, inexorably shapes the present life. Life would be. infinitely more complicated if one who is not spiritually advanced is burdened by the conscious memory of numberless past lives; and he would get dazed and unsettled by the Shielding from diversity of settings in which persons complications would appear to him in the light of his memory. But he is not called upon to face such confusion, because he is shielded from the resurrection of the memory of past lives. Things and persons come to him in a limited and. definite context and setting, with the result that he finds it easy to determine his actions and responses in the light of what he knows from the present life. This does not mean that his

REINCARNATION AND KARMA—III 387 actions and responses are entirely determined by what he knows from his present life: all that has happened in the past lives also has its own unconscious but effective share in determining his actions and responses. But in spite of the actual influence of the past lives, the fact remains that, since he is shielded from the resurrection of conscious memory, his consciousness is not subjected to that confusion, which would result, if the conscious memory of the past lives were to be among the data, which he has to consider for the purposes of determining his actions and responses, The resurrection of the memory of past lives can be faced without confusion or loss of balance, only when the person has become desireless and has lost all feeling of "mine" and " thine ". The persons, Condition of safety whom he has once looked upon in the release of as belonging to him, might in the sanskaras present life be seen by him to belong to some one else; and if he were to carry on his attachments and supposed claims, into the present life, he would create untold complications, misery and confusion for himself as well as others. Possessiveness of all types has to be purged from the mind, if the aspirant is to be spiritually prepared for withstanding the disturbing influence of the memory coming back from past lives. When a man is spiritually prepared, he is completely desireless and full of impersonal love; all the entanglements of the personal ego have disappeared from his mind; he can look upon his old Spiritual prepara- friends and enemies with the same tion equanimity; he is so lifted out of his limitations, that he is the same to his relations and non-relations of his past and present lives; and he is free from the idea of any pressing claims and counter-claims of himself against others or of others against himself, because he has realised the deeper truth of the unity of all life and the illusoriness of the mundane happenings.

388 MEHER BABA JOURNAL

It is only when a person is thus spiritually prepared that he is unaffected by the revived memory of past lives; and it is only then that it is worthwhile for him to have an access to it, for he can Wise use of resur- then have that cool and unerring rected memory judgment and pure and incur- ruptible love, which enable him to make right and wise use of the new knowledge, gathered through the resurrected memory of past lives. This knowledge opens to him a great deal of information about his own incarnations and also about the incarnations of others, connected with him in the past lives; and, it not only enables him to advance further on the path by conscious karmic adjustments, but also to help others, on the path, by directing them, in the light of their past lives. The speed of spiritual evolution is faster after the natural recovery of the memory of past incarnations. Disentanglement from the mundane things is facilitated by the conscious knowledge Advantages of re- about the history of the develop- covered memory ment of such entanglements. Evolution, which so far was mostly unconscious of the limiting past, now becomes conscious of the limiting past; the obstacles as well as the facilities created by the past, are now in the reach of consciousness, and, therefore, are capable of intelligent and careful handling. Inarticulate intuition is supplemented by rationalised data; therefore, action has less possibility of error and becomes more potent, in producing desirable results. The Masters of wisdom, who have become spiritually perfect, have no special interest in past incarnations; they are among the many unimportant facts of mundane existence. If Shortcut through they make any use of their know- knowledge of past ledge of the past lives of a person, lives it is only for helping him onwards towards the eternal Truth. Their knowledge of the past, places them in a special position of giving an aspirant, just that

REINCARNATION AND KARMA—III 389 guidance which he needs. The details of the Path are often determined by (i) the incidents of the past, (ii) the manner in which the aspirant has sought the highest Truth in his past lives, and (iii) the obstacles or the facilities, which he has created for himself, through his past doings. All these things, which are hidden from the aspirant, are open to the unclouded perception of the Master, who uses his knowledge in order to accelerate the spiritual progress of the seeker of the Truth. The Master leads the aspirant from the place in which he has landed himself, through the experimentation and search of several lives. In matters spiritual, as in matters mundane, greater and unerring knowledge means economy of energy and time.

Violence and Non-Violence FURTHER EXPLAINED

BY MEHER BABA We regret, through oversight, the unfinished copy of this article was sub- mitted to the Press. Hence this Reprint, for the benefit of our readers, of the very same article from May 1942 issue, with the corrections in red ink. —MANAGING EDITOR ______

Non-Violence Violence (1) (III) Non-Violence Pure and Simple Non-Violent Violence (based on Divine Love) (based on Unlimited Love) Here one sees all as his own Self Violence done solely for defending and is beyond both friendship and the weak and where there is no enmity, and never does a single question of self-defense or of self- thought of Violence enter his mind motive. under any circumstances. ______

(II) (IV) Non-Violence of the Brave Selfless Violence (based on Unlimited Pure Love) (based on Limited Human Love) This applies to those who, although Violence done in self-defense when not one with all through actual attacked treacherously, and with no realisation, consider no one as their other selfish motive;—for example— enemy and try to win over even the when one's mother's honour is on the aggressor through Love and give up point of being violated by a lusty their lives by being attacked, not desperado and when one defends his through fear, but through Love. mother; so also when the motherland's honour is at stake and it is being attacked by enemies, the nation's selfless effort at defending the motherland is selfless Violence. ______

(Va) (Vb) Non-Violence of the Coward Selfish Violence (based on Unlimited Weakness of (based on Hatred and Lust) Character and Mind) When violence is done for selfish Those who do not resist aggression, motives by an individual or nation for because of fear and for no other reason, power and selfish gains, etc. belong to this class. ______

VIOLENCE AND NON-VIOLENCE 391

NON-VIOLENCE, pure and done solely for defending the weak simple, means Love Infinite. It is without any selfish motive whatever. the Goal of life. When this state of In times of actual war, when the pure and Infinite Love is reached masses are taken by surprise and the aspirant is at one with God. To when they are not even in the mood reach this goal there must be the to listen to advice about having intense longing and the aspirant intense longing to attain the who has this longing to realise the supreme goal of life, the only supreme state, has to begin by practical way to lead them finally practising what is termed 'Non- towards the goal is to begin by violence of the brave'. This applies inculcating in them the principle of to those who, though not one with 'Non-violent Violence' and then all through actual realisation, con- gradually introducing the 'Non- sider no one as their enemy and try violence of the brave'. A premature to win over even the aggressor attempt to introduce 'Non-violence through love and give up their lives of the brave' amongst the unpre- by being attacked, not through fear pared masses in actual wartime but through love. would not only fail but, on the other As pointed out, 'Non-violence of hand, there is the serious danger of the brave' is practicable for those bringing in the fatal 'Non-violence individuals who have the intense of the coward', i.e., the masses will longing to attain the supreme state. not resist the aggression simply This longing is not to be found in because of fear and for no other the masses. If, therefore, it is reason. intended to lead the masses to pure The masses may also be educated 'Non-violence', it is necessary to and led to the 'Non-violence of the first prepare them for the 'Non- brave' by making them follow the violence of the brave'. To achieve principles of 'Selfless Violence' this aim in a practical way, it is instead of those of 'Non-violent necessary to make them follow, in Violence'. This selfless violence is the beginning, the principle of 'Non- violence done in self-defense when violent Violence', that is, violence attacked treacherously.

392 MEHER BABA JOURNAL

No other selfish motive should be Violence' or those of 'Selfless allowed to justify the violence. Thus, Violence' according to the circum- for example, when one's mother's stances. In conclusion, it must be honour is on the point of being very clearly understood that 'Non- violated by a lusty desperado and violent Violence' and 'Selfless when one defends her by resorting Violence' are merely means of to violence, he is said to have attaining the goal of life, namely, followed the principles of 'Selfless the pure and simple 'Non-Violence' Violence'. Similarly when the or the 'Love Infinite'. These means honour of the motherland is at stake must not be confused or otherwise and it is being attacked by enemies, mixed up with the goal itself. the nation's selfless effort in defend- The motive and the result are ing the motherland is 'Selfless always determined by the general Violence'. A tinge of selfishness acceptance of their being good or being there (as the mother is one's bad; for example, 'Non-violence of own mother), the love expressed the brave' and 'Non-violence of the here is limited human love. coward' are both non-violence, but, 'Non-violence of the coward' is, from the viewpoint of the motive as pointed out, fatal; so also is force behind it, 'Non-violence of the 'Selfish Violence', i.e., violence for brave' is born of love and 'Non- selfish motives by individuals or a violence of the coward' is born of nation to gain power or other selfish fear which is opposite to love; ends. although as 'Non-violence', they are It will therefore be seen that not opposites, their motives are while Non-violence, pure and sim- infinitely opposed to each other. The ple, is the goal of life, this goal has motive behind 'Non-violence of the to be attained by individual seekers brave' is losing one's life to gain of God by following 'Non-violence Infinite Love, and the motive behind of the brave'. The masses who have 'Nonviolence of the coward' is to not the requisite intense longing save one's own life and gain infinite for being one with him, have to be contempt. So 'Non-Violence (of the gradually led towards this goal on coward)' we the principles of 'Non-violent

VIOLENCE AND NON-VIOLENCE 393 put under the headline of 'Non-love', ated; but the transformation of one as we put 'Non-Violence (of the force to another can happen when brave)' under the heading of 'Love'. expressed rightly through the right 'Non-violent Violence' is justified channels. Food given wrongly not under the heading of love but becomes poison and poison (like under the heading of duty—duty strychnine), given in small quantity done selflessly to others according as tonic, becomes food for the to Karma Yoga, which eventually is nerves. Although food in substance linked up with unlimited love,—but does not become poison and vice human love. versa, the action and the result due The difference between the two to the expression become trans- opposite forces cannot be formed. obliter-

❃

The Lesson TO THE MASTER—SHRI MEHER BABA

BY JOSEPHINE ESTHER ROSS (U.S.A.)

O Love, Love, Let me clasp my arms about Thee, And hide my face in the soft clouds Of Thy hair. Or wilt Thou rest Thy head upon my breast For one brief moment, That I may know that Thou hast need of me? Or let us sit, My hand in Thine, Upon the dais by the empty hearth. And let me turn and look Upon Thy Face, Wherein lies all the beauty of my dreams, And all the loveliness I never knew Till now. Ah Love, Love, Thou hast looked away, And l too turn my eyes from so much beauty. In silence we two sit, · Hand clasped in hand, And suddenly I am aware— (Oh Lesson taught and learned in utter silence!) That Thou art gone, And I am all alone. One moment Thou art here beside me, And the next I am alone! What Truth is this? That Thou and I are one, There is no other. There is only I—or Thou—what matter The name we give it? Master, Master, Let there be only Thou, And let me be no more; For only beauty is eternal, And Thou art Beauty.

A Prophet of the New Age*

BY CHARLES J. SEYMOUR (LONDON) Author of "This Spiritualism"

MANKIND is divided into three only that they are in the world. They broad groups. There are those who suffer as they must, and snatch what believe that everything that man happiness they can. The third group does results from man's thought, know—know, not ''believe''—that and that all thought is a product of Spirit is primary, and that man's the brain. The brain being, thought is an expression of what is obviously, a physical organ, the taking place in spirit, within his manifestations of which are con- own spirit. These promptings from ditioned by the state of the organism spirit issue as "ideas"—that is to as a whole, thought, therefore, is a say, the useful instrument, the brain, purely "natural phenomenon", a registers the promptings, mani- ''secretion'' of the brain. These are pulates them, gives them form and the materialists. They probably direction according to the cir- constitute a majority in the Western cumstances and environment in world (and really include a large which the owner of the brain finds number of the upholders of himself. organised religion. These latter The world is as it is, homicidal, profess to believe no such thing, but fearfully at the mercy of unevolved the reason why their religious souls which have a crude cunning in institutions are as barren and knowing how to evoke and inflame moribund as they are is that, the basest and most reactionary fundamentally, they do believe it). passions, solely because the third The second group do not think group is in a marked minority. about the matter at all. They know The Editor of The Two Worlds

* This article is reprinted from the Magazine The Two Worlds, 14th Nov. 1941 issue, copy of which was sent to the Editor of the Meher Baba Journal by the Author. —ED., MEHER BABA JOURNAL

396 MEHER BABA JOURNAL has asked me to say, as briefly and realm of spirit, in a way that is only simply as possible, why I am a possible by taking human form, to follower of Shri Meher Baba, and bring about the regeneration of men. this is my way of doing so. He brings a great peace, and a great For Meher Baba has a clearer courage—for knowledge of Reality apprehension of the truth I have banishes fear. Does he teach? Will stated—and what Spiritualist will he preach? No. "I have come not to deny that it is a truth?—than any teach, but to awaken," he says. Man person of whose existence to-day I already knows the truth about his am aware. And, what is far more spiritual nature, but his restless important than diagnosis, his brain, his unquiet life, shield it from followers, of whom I am one, are him. Baba will pierce the veil of sure that he is a soul so advanced illusion, to enable every man, if he and so potent that he can, and will, will, to realise himself as God. "Life bring about a great enlargement of in the coming period", he explained this "Group Three". He is here for to a questioner, "will be raised to a that purpose, he tells us, and we higher level of consciousness. . . . who have had abundant evidence of The transition from sensation to the power of his spirit, of his divine reason was one such step; the love for mankind—that love which transition from reason to intuition alone can "conquer the world"— will be another." have no doubt about it, nor any But do not let any reader suppose doubt that he will achieve the that by this Baba means to belittle purpose. the value of reason. It is solely that We, his followers, declare that in the new era spirituality must be there has not been such another foremost. And he defines since Jesus of Nazareth. We accept "spirituality" as "that which makes him, completely, as the Prophet, the man more human", ...."It is a Spiritual Leader, the Avatar—the positive attribute of realising all term matters little—of the New Age. that is good and noble and beautiful He tells us that he is working in the in man.... It does not require the

A PROPHET OF THE NEW AGE 397 renunciation of worldly activities or moment of life and can be the avoiding of duties and respon- expressed in everyday duties; and sibilities. It only requires that while its connection with experience is so performing the worldly activities or deep that, in one sense, it is the final discharging the responsibilities... understanding of all experience.'' the inner spirit should remain free Here my very brief notes on the from the burden of desires." Does Master must end, for I have used up the West regard Baba as a "mystic"? the allotted space. If any reader Here is what he says on that subject: wishes to know more—and I hope "There is nothing irrational in true many readers will—he should write mysticism, when it is, as it should to me care of the Editor and I will be, a vision of Reality as it is. It is a send him a biographical sketch of form of perception which is Meher Baba and a reprint of his absolutely unclouded; It is so discourse, ''The New Humanity''. practical that it can be lived every

❃

Aspiration

BY WINIFRED FORSTER (HERTFORDSHIRE)

Beloved, let me creep into Thy Heart, And there in silent rapture lie: Let all that is unworthy in me die That of Thee I may be a part.

There is no rapture can compare with this Of knowing I am always thine: And body, mind, and Soul, no longer mine, Live but to swell the Ocean of Thy Bliss.

❃

The Silent Resurrection BY WINIFRED FORSTER (HERTFORDSHIRE)

"The New Humanity will come into existence through a release of love in measureless abundance ...... " "If there is to be the resurrection of humanity, the heart of man will have to be unlocked, so that a new love is born into it ...... " (From The New Humanity, by SHRI MEHER BABA.) "The greatest gifts are given and received in silence." (SHRI MEHER BABA.) "So long as men are raised to the highest of which they are capable, it matters little, comparatively speaking, in what words we define this highest, because the thing is always more important than the name of it." (The REV. G. W. ALLEN in The Mystic, the Church and the World.)

THE familiar theme of all great "It is the finite that suffers; the infinite teachings given to Humanity is the lies stretched in smiling repose," said renouncing of low aims for the Emerson. Secretly we long for the attainment of high qualities, the Infinite. There can be no repose in discipline and control of the senses, us without a long-distance view— and the elimination of egoism, that an infinite vista. A picture that is all man may come to complete foreground does not satisfy us; our knowledge of his true nature and souls seek the repose of the origin. But, to know Reality, we unlimited, the Beyond. must experience it. Resurrection ''From the unreal lead me to the has no meaning for us unless we Real," is the secret cry of all souls can experience it. Christ has no struggling in the meshes of the net meaning for us unless we can we call life. That net of illusion in experience Him. Through our which we are caught—what a experience in life, in the worlds of mystery it is to us all—until we phenomena, we come by striving, possess the knowledge and experi- by suffering, losing, enduring, ence of an abiding Reality. Tossed loving—to hunger and thirst after about, like fishes caught in the something deeper, something be- fishers' net, jostled and yond what we are and know here.

THE SILENT RESURRECTION 399 hustled, and unable to escape, Therefore we must find out what can we know of repose? Why what knowledge can do for us, the should it be cowardly to escape, if knowledge so much prized; the we could? What makes it worth- pearl so precious that all while to stay in such a life? To imaginable and unimaginable endure and to love, for what suffering is worth while, to find it. purpose—to love, what? Out of In his little book, "At the Feet of these questions arise others: What the Master", the author, ''Alcyone," is it to be a man? What is it to be says the world is composed of God? We are in the throes of only two kinds of people, "those travail—the agony of spiritual who know and those who do not rebirth. Our questions must be know''. The really important thing, answered. If there is no answer, he says, is this—"the knowledge of then escape is justified; evolution God's plan for men". He goes on to is a farce, and oblivion the only say, "When your body wishes thing worth achieving. A poem something, stop and think whether recently quoted in one of the daily you really wish it. For you are good, newspapers expresses eloquently and you will only what God wills; what many may feel about being but you must dig deep down into human. It is by Sir John Davies yourself to find the God within (1569-1626): you, and listen to His voice, which ''I know my soul hath power to know is your voice". "Alcyone" is all things, putting into simple words the Yet she is blind and ignorant in all; underlying Truth in all religions— I know I'm one of nature's little kings, the divine origin of Man. "You are Yet to the least and vilest things am God, and you will only what God thrall. wills." In the latter part of this I know my life's a pain and but a statement, external religious span; teaching does not acquiesce, I know my sense is mock'd in every- thing; because it is the fact that man's And to conclude, I know myself a will is at variance with God's will Man – which makes moral system Which is a proud, and yet a wretched necessary, to thing."

400 MEHER BABA JOURNAL bring about a reconciliation between man, and that the Plan of Evolution man and the Divine. But "Alcyone" is to bring him, through all the is referring to the inmost being of stages of life on this planet, and man, his original Soul which "wills through reincarnation in the human only what God wills". How is it, kingdom, to God—he still will not then, that this is not borne out in our realise God Himself, simply by experience and that God's will is not knowing these facts. Possibly a man expressed more in our lives? may even have to suspend the Because, of the "two kinds of knowledge which he has gained, people", those who do not know, and become so immersed in predominate, and it is God's Plan of subjective experience, so wracked Evolution that has to be better with feeling, that knowledge is known. We are "proud and yet drowned in experience which he wretched things" because, following never dreamt he could undergo. In our own will, we do not find the experience of all but unbearable freedom. physical and mental suffering, or Does knowing the Plan, then, joy, a person is so taken out of him- bring man's will into tune with self or driven into himself that he God's? Here again we have a becomes, as we say, a changed qualification, for knowledge by creature, and is never the same itself does not turn our wills from again. That is experience. Some- preoccupation with impermanent thing which has penetrated deeply things to willing co-operation with enough below the surface, through Reality, the God within. Knowledge the strata of our unconscious self, to can be a great help and stimulus to awaken and create a state of being effort towards more knowledge. But new to us. Knowledge is not enough feeling must also have its part in the to do this. The power of thought, process by which man comes to intellectual activity, is not exper- know God fully and completely. ience in the sense that feeling is. Even if rituals and conventions are Feeling in itself, ecstasy of joy or discarded, and a man tells himself blinding pain of disappointment, is that God is not in these, but within

THE SILENT RESURRECTION 401 a different way of knowing. And and being pliant enough to respond intense feeling combined with to the impacts of life without knowledge of the Divine Plan losing poise and being over- brings insight and deeper reali- balanced by fee1ing, or 'inhibited' sation of the unity behind diversity. by learning. Spontaneity means The boundaries of the intellect letting life within flow into action; are broken through by the pressure it makes possible unhampered of feeling; and the light of higher interchange of life between understanding dawning on the individuals who have lost their mind produces a consciousness in fear of one another. which thought and feeling are Spontaneity involves the poised, and combine in one capacity to react without fear of creative and harmonious state. offence by the infringement of Knowing intellectually implies convention, but the spontaneity of objectivity—for one has to observe pure love, though it is unbounded, and analyse and collate different does not disregard law and order. portions and aspects of knowledge Real freedom does not mean accumulated by inves-tigation and throwing all consideration of experiment in the subject others, and all standards of concerned. Emotional intensity behaviour, to the winds,—because involves subjectivity, for it means harmony between Man's consciousness is swept along in a will and God's; it means knowing flood of feeling and energy. Each one's own Self as one with the is an aspect of conscious human Divine, the Supreme Self. And that experience, and as such becomes Knowledge can only come through built into the mind—substance of the conscious experience of true the individual who experiences. love, the only real emotion. True These built-in experiences of past love is all-seeing, all-understand- and present, take shape as impres- ing; unlimited and unlimitable by sions on the mind-body and any obstructions. Therefore it can constitute the characteristics and "bear all things", and "behaveth conditions of the individual ego. not itself unseemly"; because it can Spontaneous living means accept all limits accepting experience as it comes,

402 MEHER BABA JOURNAL and never be less: it has tran- Meher Baba "is an evolution from scended all limitation. Life eternal, unconscious divinity to conscious real life, is to live in the world of divinity". To realise that human life limitations without being limited, is divine life unfolding towards this because of the perpetual conscious Knowledge, this Reality, and awareness of transcending limits. Freedom is to begin to know eternal This is Knowing the Infinite; cons- life. But only one who is fully ciously surrendering finite self will awake can awaken others, which is to the all-embracing will of Life; the purpose of the "word" spoken in co-operating with God in His plan the world—the Divine Word of the of evolution and letting Him Will of God. We can only know that awaken in the centre where He of which we become conscious, belongs. Christ Himself does not even though it existed before; and put anything into a man that was only when fully awake can we see. not already latent in him: but "we Christ-consciousness is latent are as is our centre, infinite if the within us all, but we do not know it Infinite is there; finite, if the finite.'' until we awake. ''The Lord God (Rev. G. W. Allen). In other words, caused a deep sleep to fall upon we are as consciousness is. To "be Adam, and he slept...." We have all still, and know that I am God'', is to been asleep; our divinity was become conscious of the fact that always there; but the acorn does not Divinity is there, in the centre. That know it is an oak-tree in embryo, of which we are conscious alone is and Man does not know that he is real to us. "He to whom God is an God. When one merges into that ever-present Reality need not count which one sees, then one can his company". These words of describe oneself as being or loving Emerson indicate an experience of it, rather than as merely knowing it. the Infinite. And this merging and becoming is Our life is a progression through love. To adore Beauty is to become unconscious, and then conscious beautiful: to be ready to lose every- experience, ever more intense, thing that does not express that ado- unfolding towards the Experience. ration, is real worship. Worship is "The whole of evolution" says Shri the spontaneous expression

THE SILENT RESURRECTION 403 of the Soul beginning to see itself in of Truth, Jesus is reputed to have that which it worships. Divinity promised, shall guide us into "all the begins to awaken.... the worship of truth". Are we not crying for that Divinity as seen in a perfected Man, awakening now, in the world that a Son of God, is worship of Man's we may know what is our true real Self. He worships only because heritage, and that we are not always he is drawn into that which is reality to be "mocked in everything?" Is within him. "The Son of God'' is in God's Plan going to work or is it every man, but, as Meher Baba says, defeating its own ends? Man cannot "he must be manifested''. To know accept that. Though he is "blind and what a man is we must know God. ignorant.", he knows that the "power To know what God is we must to know all things" is also there, and know Man. that somehow he must discover how ''Perfection'', Meher Baba affirms, to use it. He is only wretched when "Is attained when man becomes he is not fulfilling himself. He only God, or when God becomes man''. needs to find out how. The question God made man for Himself and which includes all other questions is there can be no separation between this:—"Is it possible to find them. The "separation" is the sleep completion"? The answer is, "Yes, into which we are fallen, and God it is possible, but it is not known caused that sleep, so that He might how." Mankind has arrived at the know the joy of full awakening, and point when that question must be find Himself. He could not know answered. "The chief task before Himself without men. Therefore those who are deeply concerned man feels himself ''a proud and yet a with the re-building of humanity is wretched thing". He knows his "soul to do their utmost in dispelling the hath power to know all things, yet spiritual ignorance which envelops she is blind and ignorant in all"— humanity." ("The New Humanity," and his sense is "mocked in by Shri Meher Baba.) everything"—but only until he Surely there is no hope for the succeeds in knowing more, and future unless we can gain a ultimately knowing all! The Spirit

404 MEHER BABA JOURNAL new consciousness in sufficient unless it is performed with measure to change: to re-valuate supreme and superhuman skill. and realise; in fact to see clearly. Only one with the necessary We need desperately to awaken in qualifications would be fit and such a way that there is absolutely able to undertake the task of no mistaking what we see. "When leading man to his own liberation our Lord said, 'Ye must be born through opening his eyes so that again', He was asserting that he clearly sees the difference nothing but the death of the false between the false and the true. would produce the resurrection of Again, it is experience that is the true. Is it not plain then that the needed to awaken him, living world needs the mystic to indicate to it spiritual experience which cannot the only hopeful operation, whereby be born of intellectual doctrines old things can pass away and all alone. Such experience has come things become new?"* This strikes to the few, but the problem of to- at the very heart of things. The day is how it can be known by "only hopeful operation'' is a enough people to have a world- drastic one, the operation which wide effect, and make co- brings about the death of the false, operation possible on a scale and nothing but that will produce extensive enough to rebuild the de- the resurrection of the true. It is of vastated world. A Universal trans- no use trying to plaster up the false formation is needed, in order that and re-shape it "nearer to the humanity in general may know the heart's desire"—we have to see Truth of Unity which alone can clearly that the false must go. The give Freedom. Where is the Mystic false imagination must go. But who can demonstrate afresh to the again the question of questions is, whole world with sufficient power How? It needs a Master-hand and and love ''the only hopeful mind to perform that operation, operation", and perform it for and it cannot be a hopeful one those who desire? Mystical

* The Rev. G. W. Allen in his article, written in 1911, The Mystic, the Church and the World, p. 12.

THE SILENT RESURRECTION 405 experience is regarded in the main to our familiar senses. The un- as something unpractical and vague. critical acceptance of everything But in reality it is so deeply seen as real and everything unseen connected with human experience as unreal, is not the way to find the that it cannot be kept apart from truth; and the seeker is he who practical life and is indeed essential seeks to know the quality behind if we are to solve the practical the outward visible sign of it. As problems of material life. Those the Rev. G. W. Allen said, "It very problems cannot be solved requires some real advance in without it, for we know by bitter mystical ability before any man experience that intellectual doc- thinks of asking questions as to the trines and unrealised truth do not reality of what he seems to see". bring about a satisfactory state of How then can the average person world affairs; far from it; and we in this age of Reason be brought to shall continue to suffer if we see that which he does not at cannot find the way to bridge the present even think of questioning? gulf between the finite and the To those who know what it is to infinite. "It is the finite that contend with the attitude that what suffers" when it cannot relate itself cannot immediately be made to the Infinite. And the Infinite is explicit to the intellect must be of no value to us in practical life impossible, it seems almost a unless we experience a conscious hopeless task. We are however, relationship with it. As a mere nearly at the end of an age, and indefinite word, conveying an actually in the process of transition impression of blank vastness it from the old age into the new. The means nothing vital to us. unprecedented holocaust and up- We must know what we mean heaval we are experiencing is the by "true" and "false"—the real and outward expression of the inward the unreal. To most people the real state which is the prelude to the signifies that which is seen, new Dispensation and there is liv- regardless of whether it is per- ing in the world to-day a leader of manent or impermanent and the men whose universal mission has unreal is that which is not evident yet to be publicly made known. He

406 MEHER BABA JOURNAL promises that he will make it to Intuition. At such a juncture as known very soon, and then all the this the whole of creation is stepped preparation which has been in silent onward in consciousness; these progress towards the accomplish- periods are ''like the springtide of ment of what seems to us an creation, they bring a new release incredible task, a universal newness of power, a new awakening of of vision, will come to evidence. consciousness, a new experience of There is one among us to-day life, not merely for a few—but for who has the qualifications which all. Qualities of energy and aware- only mastery in the realm of the ness, which had been used and infinite, no less than the finite, can enjoyed by only a few advanced give. His motto is "Mastery in souls, are made available for all Servitude". He is the Servant of humanity….."* Mankind. His teachings are not new, He creates within man a spiritual for all essential teachings have upheaval, a "divine stir'', and so already been given to Humanity; raises the vibrations of all life but the need is to understand much around Him that a new conscious- further, to put into practice the truth ness brings a new experience of life. we already have, but do not realise. The manifested Truth is so clear, Humanity's imperative need for the powerful, and penetrating that its rebuilding of the world on true radiance illumines the inner foundations is spiritual awakening, recesses of man's heart and mind. both individual and collective, that The Avatar does not put anything Man may come to his true into man that was not there from fulfilment, and be aware of the the beginning, but he creates a new purpose of his long, laborious receptiveness, and rekindles the journey through Evolution. This divine spark so that it becomes a awareness must become widespread, flame, and lightens the darkness instead of being confined to the few, within. Adam "slept", but the so that the next step in Evolution potential Christ-consciousness was may be taken, the step from Reason

* ''The Avatar," by Shri Meher Baba, Meher Baba Journal, Nov. 1938.

THE SILENT RESURRECTION 407 not taken away from him; it lay and the highest is known, not to the buried within, one day to awaken. individual, but to the Master who And the time has now come for sees, not the limited ego, but Him- that awakening in a degree self, within" (Shri Meher Baba). unknown before. We are in the The difference between being vital process of quickened awake and being unawakened thus unfoldment, and our darkest hour, comes home to us. "I have come, the darkest hour of all humanity, is not to teach, but to awaken", is Shri not so dark and long that man will Meher Baba's resounding message. be lost in it for ever. Pangs of His relationships with men and labour precede the birth of all women are founded on his certain noblest things. "The power of knowledge of the divinity of the Christ is that He does not preach human being. "Everyone that is of impersonality but the true, real the Truth heareth my voice'', Christ divine personality of the Universal said to Pilate, who, not yet under- Self…."† standing, asked, "What is truth?" The significance of divine mani- (St. John, 18, v. 37, 3). We are all festation is that the Spirit of Truth, in Pilate's position until we truly expresses itself directly, without the awake, and see the Truth. The per- limitations of the ego, yet through sonal aspect of God, which is to the medium of personality. Truth, some a cause of difficulty, is at last in One who has Universal mind made clear. God's plan is intensely and Infinite consciousness, is not practical, and the realisation by preached, but imparted. The One man of his divine origin and nature with Universal mind is present in has to take place while in the midst every individual, and infinite of earthly life, for only in the most consciousness knows every in- limited conditions can freedom be dividual from within. "The Perfect attained. In meeting a supreme Master demands the highest of Mystic, in whom the Spiritual which the individual is capable; Experience of Union with God is

† The Mystic, the Church and the World, by Rev. G. W. Allen, p. 20.

408 MEHER BABA JOURNAL fulfilled, it is abundantly clear that those who are receptive to this for him God is the only Reality, his voice, I speak".* life is the Will of God in perpetual To quote from the article by Shri expression, and his acts flow from Meher Baba on the "Avatar" him in unceasing benediction of (Journal, Nov. 1938), "The Avatar Love. He is Love in demonstration. awakens contemporary humanity to Through him we do not only know, a realisation of its true spiritual but feel and see Truth. It is thus nature, gives liberation to those that he is the Way by which man who are ready, and quickens the finds completion. life of the spirit in his time.... He The Truth is infinite, but it will has demonstrated the possibility of have to be manifested again and a divine life for all humanity, of a again, until God has become awake heavenly life on earth. Those who in every soul that lives. have the necessary courage and "The Lord God caused a deep integrity can follow when they sleep to fall upon Adam".... will''. (Genesis) but, "....even so the Son We have already the teaching: quickeneth whom He will" (St. what we need is the experience and John, v. 21). We see afresh how the life. "Christ pointed out the way the Son of God is the answer to to the spiritual experience when he man's need of awakening. In 1937, said "Leave all and follow me". Shri Meher Baba conveyed to a This meant that man has to leave group of his disciples in India, "For his limitations and get established nearly twelve years no word has in the infinite life of God. Real passed my mouth. Yet I am never spiritual experience not only silent, I speak eternally. The voice involves the realisation of the soul that is heard deep within the soul is on the higher planes, but also a my voice, the voice of inspiration, right attitude to worldly duties and of intuition, of guidance. Through every-day life;

* Meher Baba Journal, July 1941, p. 543, in 'Legendary Stories of Jesus and His Disciples", by Will Backett.

THE SILENT RESURRECTION 409 if it loses its connection with consciousness, being that of life experience or the different phases eternal, and his mission being that of life, what we have is a neurotic of love eternal, could never die. reaction, which is far from being a "The Avatar has always been, and spiritual experience'' (The New will always be, the same infinite Humanity,, p. 8). Being who manifests himself at dif- The true mystic is not removed ferent times, in different forms, and from life but most intensely in different places." practical. Jesus touched the lives of The Avatar, (the Eastern term for people at every point, and in this the Perfect Master of the Age), later age the supreme Mystic of the being the very essence of Truth New Dispensation uses every itself, is "the light of the world'', possible avenue for reaching the calling forth the sleeping soul in all hearts of men and women, and who respond; illuminating the every department of life is included minds of those who seek, and in the penetrating effects of his inevitably benefiting the whole work. world by His very presence in it. Personal contact with One who He is a focus for the Infinite, has infinite consciousness and through which Divine Love pours universal mind reveals that the unceasingly; and he acts as the Impersonal can function through a bridge whereon man can meet the Personal vehicle of expression. It Infinite in his own Soul and find makes one realise as never before, the way to union with God. This is that the true temple of the Spirit is the answer to the question about the human body. Jesus referred to finding completion. "Yes, it is "this temple", which he could ''raise possible, but it is not known how," up". And great illumination is also was the answer Shri Meher Baba thrown on his reputed saying, "No gave to the writer, who has come to man taketh it (my life) from me, I realise during the intervening years, have power to lay it down, and I the tremendous significance of that have power to take it again."* His word

* St. John, X. 18.

410 MEHER BABA JOURNAL

"how". Meher Baba's "mission" is to understood and worked out upon this manifest Truth and Divine Love. earth. The resurrection continues "It is through Divine Love that the silently in the hearts of men and New Humanity will come in tune with women…… Resurrection is His act the Divine Plan. Love has to spring of awakening the sleeping soul in the spontaneously from within, and it is world from the darkness of ignorance in no way amenable to any form of to the experience of Divine Love, inner or outer force. Love and which radiates from Him as the coercion can never go together; but "Light which lighteth every man". though love can never be forced on What we call "Spiritual Power" is anyone, it can be awakened in him this radiance of Love, the primal through love itself….. True Love is pure element of Life. We are drawn unconquerable and irresistible; and it to that Light because it is the shining goes on gathering power and of the substance of our own Souls. In spreading itself, until eventually it this world, light is reflected from transforms everyone whom it matter, but in the "Infinite" the touches. Humanity will attain to a new substance of Spirit is light! mode of being and life through the free ''The Soul is pure and everlasting, and unhampered interplay of pure love but the unconscious must become from heart to heart. . . .'' (The New conscious", and the Awakener of the Humanity, p. 10). Soul thus calls us from "death" unto The way is not new, it is still the life eternal. way of Divine Love, the meaning and purpose of which have yet to be

"Ay, and when Prophecy her tale hath finished, Knowledge hath dwindled from the trembling tongue, Love shall survive—and love be undiminished, Love be imperishable, Love be young." —F. W. H. MYERS.

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Intuition of the Impersonal Self (From the Group Talks delivered in New York on 5th March 1942)

BY PRINCESS NORINA MATCHABELLI

THE external world does not No human being nowadays has realise the real meaning of yoga the right approach to this pure as the science by which men can function within, which is the understand their own spiritual Intuition. It is misinterpreted in structure. general and it is misinterpreted in The new age is utterly ignoring particular by the psychoanalysts. the spiritual Order within man. They all have the superstitious This is due to men's high evol- attitude to think that the Intuition ution of his rational mind. If men is a false mental method to were less rationalistic they would approach the inner or the spiritual be easier in their own spiritual side of man. I am here speaking a attainment to higher consciousness. normal language because I cannot There is no real objection in talk a mystical language in this attaining higher understanding of Western Hemisphere where the real values, which are to the· rationalistic approach has understand within the ordinary fixed a definite outlook against human being as the consciously this Intuitional Awakening in this understanding human being, what new cycle of evolution. These are is the fact of the God-conscious Intuitional glimpses of the Human Being. Impersonal Self through the grace The ordinary human being has of Meher Baba materializing in no idea of this fact. He cannot talks with the group in U.S.A. have a realized idea or experience This new cycle of evolution has of this fact, because he has no real a definite purpose to fulfil in desire to understand above that man's mental constitution. The which the ordinary human being new mental constitution of man calls the intelligent order of will be to realize through thinking.

412 MEHER BABA JOURNAL

Intuition what the intellect or the synonymous to any kind of a term. rational method can never make men Those who can read mystical understand, and through under- language are those who feel the standing transform them into a inner meaning, of no matter what deeper consciousness of life. term or word the writer is using. The new consciousness of this The mystical language altogether age will be therefore that all men will in the future be much more shall have a far deeper insight, such appreciated, as the human being as Intuitive understanding. will have the real feeling for Intuition is a mental condition whatever is the sense or meaning whereby man can understand the within the term or word. inner organic structure of his whole The new age is apparently mind. When we say—his whole developing towards unification of mind—we must understand the thought, creativeness and a pure Eastern viewpoint, that the whole feeling. These two diversive ways of mind is all that is, was and ever will understanding and knowledge will be the universally apparent world; never be any more a matter of we cannot figure it out in any dispute, when once the head and the different way, because this is heart will have united in experience exactly what men will have to of the deeper meaning or sense realize· in this new evolutionary epoch, which is a mystical fact that men of through their insight which is the the intellectual type cannot deal equivalent term for Intuition. with. All these terms will also have to The new age can no more be be rectified in the future through the defined than by the new Awakening actual immediate experience of the within the spiritual understanding! individual who will be capable of This new awakening within, can no feeling within through the intuitive more be consciously developed by sense the right term. Terms and man himself, through study or the names are superfluous viewed ordinary three-body-yoga science, through criticism and diversion of and here is the point where enters— opinion, when once the Experience is the new Avataric power of rhythm

INTUITION OF THE IMPERSONAL SELF 413 as the Awakener of the new spiritual side of man, talk and think—the Divine Light. As Whatever we may call yoga I have said in my previous articles, science, has its end, when the 4th the Divine Light cannot be realized body named the Ethereal body is by man until he has realized within stirred, brought to awareness into the himself the inherent fact of the realm of the mind in the self-con- awareness of the Soul. scious individual. The human being to-day is This is namely what I call—Yoga deluded through too much of Truth. intellectual understanding and The Yoga of Truth means the knowledge about his own inherent actual awareness of the spirit body, God-consciousness. Men have no as the Soul substance of man. This idea of that which is the realization is the so-called 4th body which is of the inherent God-conscious state. the Christ body. It is the only Form When men talk about it they dispute which the Avataric figure shall use about the best of themselves which in this world, the Earth, in this new is—the possibility of being really dispensation of realized Truth. It is acceptant and humble. not to be an uttered word in the ordi- To be acceptant and humble nary sense that will be a Divine means—to abdicate to find through personification of the Avataric Ap- mental study, through intellectual pearance; it will be the Rhythm as research, through continuous Power, that will do the awakening borrowed knowledge—the true fact appeal to the general world as within, which is inherent, latent, mankind. The rhythm as power will but—far beyond the intellect and all have to be so strongly experienced its imaginary possibility to find that it will subdue the intellectual re- through struggle of its own thinking action, and make men realize within, process, that which never can be through the intuitive awareness of found intellectually. the creative universal mind that it is The energy which is spent endowed with Divine Light. Men uselessly through mental research of shall therefore, then really and truly that imaginary inherent God- become conscious of what they consciousness is all

414 MEHER BABA JOURNAL almost pitiful. But what is there to to be able to become that God-Man. be done? The intellectual seeker For all human beings it is a who comes to India to find Truth is terrific task to attain to this higher naturally honest in his intention but state of consciousness, but when very childish in his pretense to find they once see with their own eyes, it ready made. No man can find it feel with their own heart, under- ready made. It is the most tedious stand with their own intellectual hard and difficult task to come up discrimination, what it is to be the ful- against—this finding of the Truth. filled form of man, then they shall not What is after all this Truth of hesitate to go on and find the Path which everyone is so curious through which it only can be possible nowadays? The relativity of Truth is to attain this ultimate conscious state not to be avoided and to understand called God. We all are superhuman this, is better than to be utterly beings, as we are. Nothing is agnostic and to deny the fact of different in the inner structure of Truth which is to be conscious within man—only the external structure of one's own inherent God. differs and makes men appear Truth is nothing else but that. I separate human creatures with come back to the term Yoga of separate ways of interpretation, Truth and I state here for the general separate habits, separate desires and public of the Western world that it needs. The human being in itself is is—to have been awakened within by in its spiritual structure in tune with the grace of the new Avatar. its Divine Being yet undetected The new Avatar is a Man. This God-conscious state. So, Yoga of Man must be recognised when He Truth cannot be any further pursued, manifests in His full Power as the studied or found or brought or hired God who is needed in Form of a or borrowed, it is grace from the Man. To be needed by man means Avataric figure. This 4th body is in that man himself has not yet real- all men the same substance and ized his own inherent God state and through this aware-conscious feel- has to be made wholly holily happy ing of this substance—shall

INTUITION OF THE IMPERSONAL SELF 415 man come to greater inner consciousness which has come to understanding—of each other's its fullest fruition in this war shall needs. Only through this awareness progress during the new dis- of the Ethereal form will man come pensation which will last most to deeper understanding of what is probably another thirty years. meant by new world order. All men The new dispensation has to be have an idea of this term but how understood as the fact-making, childishly they figure it out. order-doing consciously experi- Nothing will be new in this earth. enced ethereal form in man, which No one will invent a new machine is awakened by the Avataric Figure. to detect the God within. Nothing This Christ-conscious Figure can be done to make men happy. whose name is to-day Meher Baba Nothing more will be done to will not be misinterpreted when It create a new religious outlook. All shall create the fact within man has been done in the past ages or which is above described. let us say years since the The new dispensation is the appearance of the last Avatar who same old dispensation of all times was Jesus for the Christians and when the Avataric Figure has been Mohomed for the Eastern world. personified by the pure selfless These two great Avatars have human being. It is nothing more brought about a deep change in nor less than the fulfilled form of consciousness, throughout all parts the God-conscious Divine human of the world. Men do not yet being, that has the power to create appreciate it. They will appreciate in man what man has himself, it after this world war is fought cannot create. All else is honestly and profoundly in all parts superfluous to be said on the fact of of the world. The deep changing this new dispensation.

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The Will in Meditation

BY "V" (BANGALORE)

IN the article on the place of thought product. . . . I mean that the intellect in meditation, the there is a fundamental difference argument was advanced that the in kind such as renders thought intellect while necessary was not products and Reality strictly by itself enough for meditation as incommensurable.''* envisaged by the Master. In If we now turn to examine the support of that position some position of the will in relation to references were made to similar meditation, we will similarly find conclusions reached by Bergson. that though the will is important, in The following extract from another fact more so than the intellect, yet, source will also be relevant: like the intellect it is not solely "I have argued that the path sufficient in meditation. The will which the intellect takes and however is unique in that every must take to avoid self- effort must proceed from the will. contradiction.... is not a path It is always an act of will that which can lead to Reality. precedes effort; and without effort Intellect in the very nature of the there can be no activity. process is a reference, beyond Meditation is also an activity. itself which raises fresh The summation of meditation is no problems on the basis of doubt one of serenity of mind. The temporary solutions. So far as I acquisition of Nischalatva (ab- can see, one conclusion is sence of motion), that is, absence inescapable. Reality in its true of our activity of the mind is the character must be. pronounced end and aim of meditation. To disparate from each and every reach that goal

* C. A. Campbell in Scepticism and Construction and quoted in Science and Physical Phenomena, by Tyrrel.

THE WILL IN MEDITATION 417 however one must strive, there reasons for this conclusion. must be an effort. Prior to that There is in the first place the effort again must come the postulate that we—the Real we— determination to strive, the come from Godhead, that we are Sankalpa which precedes all action, the Reality in however small religious or secular. measure it may be. Towards this If we analyse any normal act of Reality, towards the central Truth ours, we see that first there is a goal of our Being we seek to go back to be reached. It may be we do not through meditation. By meditation know exactly what that goal is, but we seek to find our lost self. But a goal we have of which we have a due to the sanskaras and due to rough idea. Then there should be an overriding Maya we think we do act of will, a determination to reach not know this goal. It appears as if the goal. Thirdly we strive, we put through meditation we are finding forth effort, we act so as to satisfy something new—seeking, some- the act of will and thus reach the thing, fresh. Actually however, goal. In fact we may even go to the meditation releases us from the extent of saying that that effort, that limitations imposed on us so that act is itself an act of will. It is as it we become self-conscious and self- were an externalisation of will. aware. This goal then is there defi- In meditation too, this sequence nite, certain and beyond all doubt. is maintained. The goal is an Secondly the Master comes to undisturbed mind, a mind shed of our help. With infinite compassion all its activity and its modifications, and overflowing with Love, He a mind calm and serene which is teaches us what the goal is. He tells necessary for the realisation of us who we are, and how we can Truth. This ultimate goal which is realise the Truth of our Being. To Truth or Reality, is one which, I go back to our native state of should say, is known to us, blessedness, He recommends med- however imperfectly we may be itation. These two reasons, the fact aware of it now. There are two that we

418 MEHER BABA JOURNAL are That and the fact that the intuition that is responsible for our Master teaches us that we are That, natural and unquestioning accep- make us realise that the goal in tance of the Master's word and an meditation is known to us. unquestioning response to the Incidentally we realise how the Master's call. It is this very same acceptance of the Master's word intuition that tells us what the goal becomes an irresistible necessity. is and at the same time proves to us The core of our Being is Reality that not only is what the Master which is exactly what the Master utters true but what he states to be teaches us. The proof of the word the way must also be true. When is therefore the very proof of our we accept his word about the goal existence and the acceptance of its we also assume that he knows the truth is nothing more than an way to that goal and can point it affirmation of ourselves. It is this out to us. fundamental identity behind the With this preliminary back- teaching of the Master and the ground then we start on the next central core of our Being which is stage which is the making up our the genesis of Shraddha (faith) in minds. We have seen that the goal the Master. We believe His word is known. We have seen how out because it is true and this Truth is of this springs the faith in the demonstrated in the very fact of Master and how therefrom results our existence. our acceptance of his teaching. We should not therefore Meditation which is the path laid consider that the Master's teaching down by the Master thereby be- arises as a result of an act of the comes acceptable. Thence follows intellect. Such an assertion would the making up of our minds to take not merely reverse the natural to meditation. In practice however process of activity and make all the earlier stages being subject- intellect come before the will or tive states, as it were, become Sankalpa but it would not be true assumed and we always start from to the facts either. There is no an act of will. Thus Sankalpa intellect involved. becomes the starting point. It is on the other hand an act of

THE WILL IN MEDITATION 419

Before any ceremony or ritual is reach the prescribed end. commenced, there is stressed the Such being the case with normal need for Sankalpa. With the usual activities, how much more is there exaggeration which is nothing need for an act of will where the more than an emphasis intended to effort is not activity but an effort appeal to the lay mind with greater towards cessation of that activity. force, the sacred books go to the Inherent in the makeup of our extent of saying that no act personality is a tendency to suit whatever which is not the result of ourselves to our surroundings. In Sankalpa will ever bear fruit. We this world of outward existence, the well understand what a great truth natural activities of the mind are this contains. Without an end and outward. Its natural propensities are an aim and without a determination always turned outward through the to reach it, one is likely to stop in senses which are exactly adapted to the middle and be diverted towards the environment. The mind there- other ends. The Yajaman (Master fore struggles against being made of the ceremony) is not keen, he to look inward. In meditation does not bring to bear the effort therefore, we run counter as it were commensurate with the end. Even a to the current; we reverse the slight interruption may put him off. natural processes and try to disen- Even a small difficulty may dis- tangle the mind from the influence charge him. The tiniest obstacle of the senses. All this involves no may deter him. mean effort. In meditation parti- Where however he starts after cularly therefore the importance of Sankalpa, his mind is firmly set on the will cannot be exaggerated. It is the end. All his energies are the very foundation on which directed towards its realisation. His meditation can rest securely and very Sankalpa will prevent him withstand doubts, difficulties, ob- from being diverted before he stacles, reverses and even despair reaches his goal. And obstacles and at ever reaching the goal. difficulties will be but additional This need for will and the incentives to his determination to

420 MEHER BABA JOURNAL greater need in the case of medi- longing, this Ichha or an act of will, tation is stressed by the Master in is essential. the "Types of Meditation". In Part But while thus essential, an act VII He says, "The meditation of the of will is not solely sufficient. The aspirant, in all its forms, is ultimate Moksha which the Master deliberate, in the sense that it is calls Sahaj Samadhi is not a natural experienced as counteracting some result of meditation. This ultimate given instinctive or other tendencies end of meditation is still removed inherent in the mind. The aspirant therefrom by a chasm. The control takes to different forms of medi- of the mind and the making it tation as a means to an end, that is actionless or making it concentrate because he looks upon them as with one pointed attention on some avenues to the truth. They are not a aspect of Reality are but means to working out of some given impulse reach a convenient point where- but are parts of an intelligent and from it may be easy to jump that deliberate effort." Late in the same chasm. But jump the gap we must part He continues, "The reaching before we reach the goal. Indeed out towards spiritual freedom is the Master himself says in Part VIII, throughout accompanied by a sense of "The Sahaj Samadhi must be effort which persists in some degree looked upon as a culmination of the until all obstacles of false earlier form of personal and im- perception are overcome. Though personal meditation and not as their effort may vary in its intensity, it product," It is not therefore as if never disappears entirely except Sahaj Samadhi naturally results when it is swallowed up in the where meditation is practised, nor tranquillity of final attainment." can the latter be deemed valueless In Part VIII again the Master altogether for attaining the former. summarises, in a nutshell so to say, It is a convenient path for the this unique place of will: ''One former and renders its attainment indispensable condition of crossing easier than otherwise. the mind is the having of the most There are other conditions then intense longing for being united necessary for the ultimate with the Infinite Reality." This

THE WILL IN MEDITATION 421 than mere will. The will no doubt is which we can take off, or to change essential right through till the end the metaphor, will afford a bridge to but then it is not all. In Part VIII, the cross the last crossing of all. It is not Master says, "It is only when there is then without significance that Shri a balance between infinite longing Meher Baba has been emphasising and infinite patience that the the supreme blessedness of Love. aspirant can ever hope to pierce Where all the teaching ends, where through the veil of the limited mind all the effort ends, where all and this combination of extremes activities end, there is the need for can only come through the grace of the Love and it is for that supreme and Master. I am quoting this last final step that the Master is sentence only to show that the grace preparing us by His infinite Love of the Master is equally necessary. and unlimited compassion. This is The Master's infinite love and mercy Grace of the Master. will afford a spring board from

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Love Is King

BY DR. WILLIAM DONKIN, M.B.B.S. (LONDON)

The sacred flame which restless leaps Within a human heart, Doth half consume the self which keeps True selfless Love apart.

Could e'er such flame compare with One Who hath a heart Divine? A burning taper by the sun Doth indistinctly shine,

The splendour of Thy Love hath power Upon each living thing; And shall the sin of man devour For Love alone is King.

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Meher Baba—His Philosophy and Mysticism (The original "Meher Baba—His Philosophy and Teachings" by Ramju Abdulla)

Revised and enlarged by DR. ABDUL GHANI MUNSIFF

CHAPTER VI likened to that between a seed and a HOW IT ALL HAPPENED tree. The small particle, or seed, is THERE is nothing but God. We the tree in a compact form; when mean that God is in everything sown in proper soil, and watered, it and everywhere. There is no will become a mighty tree. But creation in the literal sense of the whether seed or tree, latent or word; what we call creation is manifested, Creation is always manifestation of countless forms nothing, and has come out of out of nothing. This nothing is nothing. God is one, is everything, really no-thing, but it exists. It can- and alone is real. The universe is not be denied, but it is not beyond the outcome of nothing, is full of every thing, which includes nothing; the Many, is under the influence of nothing can never mean everything. illusion (Maya), and is, con- The Almighty is everything, in- sequently, unreal. God is one, not in cluding nothing; and before the numerical sense, but He is The creation manifested itself, there was One that remains forever One, literally and absolutely nothing but without a second; He is everything, the Almighty. He alone existed but including nothing. The pity of it is was only latently conscious and that this nothing is felt as hence He did not know Himself. As everything by most men and consciousness was latent in the women. Almighty, so was Creation also Imagine God, before the universe latent in Him. came into being, as the motionless, The difference between the latent infinite ocean. Now, a small wind and the manifested creation may be stirs the

MEHER BABA—HIS PHILOSOPHY AND MYSTICISM 423 still waters of the Ocean and being tickled. Simultaneously four innumerable different waves, different things will happen: (1) countless drops of water, and you will feel that your body is bubbles, are manifested from out of being touched; (2) you will experi- the unity of the infinite ocean. The ence a mild shock; (3) you will gust of wind that set the Ocean of unintentionally open your eyes; and Divinity in motion, was but a (4) you will see, without intending passing thought (Laher) on the part it, something of your surroundings. of the Ocean to know Itself. The So when creation manifested itself, stir on the face of the waters four things occurred: (1) the synchronised with this passing passing thought of God; (2) the thought, and was the commence- ''shock" which God experienced; (3) ment of Creation. To put the matter the consciousness of creation that more plainly, God, prompted by came to God; and (4) the mani- this thought, asked Himself "Who festation of creation. Since the am I?" As soon as He asked Almighty used His consciousness Himself this question, He experi- for knowing creation; if He uses it enced a ''shock"; and Creation, for knowing Himself, creation must which till then lay dormant in the disappear. The 'seen' must vanish if unconscious (latently conscious), the 'seeing' is to remain. indivisible, and infinite Ocean of When you are in deep, Almighty God, manifested Itself in dreamless sleep, you are not only numberless forms. unconscious of your body and the The thought was really a passing universe, but, also of your very one, and was not a premeditated. existence; when you are in the The Almighty became conscious, dreaming state, you are conscious not of Self, but of Creation, of your existence and you see because creation and consciousness various objects and dream creatures occurred at one and the same time, which do not really exist, but i.e., when the "shock" took place. which as long as the dream lasts, Suppose you close your eyes and you regard as real. Thus creation is suddenly imagine that you are both existent and non-existent.

424 MEHER BABA JOURNAL

The following diagram will particles, each of which is illustrate more clearly the nature of enveloped in a bubble. Each the Infinite Ocean. Though for pur- particle is the Ocean Itself. But poses of explanation it is divided like the Ocean in portion (A), it into four parts, it must all be con- does not know that it is the Ocean,

sidered as one, indivisible whole— yet it is conscious of being a parti- The Almighty. cle enveloped in a bubble. This is A represents the still, motionless, God, as manifested in countless individuals (Jivatman). portion of the infinite Ocean. The C, the third portion, belongs to Almighty in the 'Beyond State', is the same Ocean, and consists of unconscious of the Infinite Ocean, particles, each of which is con- of Himself, or of the Universe. scious of the Ocean, or Self. These B represents that portion of the particles are Krishna, Buddha, Ocean which is in motion, i.e., in Zoroaster, Moses, Jesus, Mohomed, manifestation. In it, are numberless Tukaram,

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Nanak, Kabir, Hafiz, Ramakrishna, know. This knowing of 'not and the other Perfect Masters. knowing' comes from Knowledge, There are many particles in this which proves that 'knowing' as well portion of the Infinite Ocean, but as 'not knowing', or ignorance, is every particle is one indivisible whole. latent in Knowledge. Each particle is completely Just as 'knowing' and 'not conscious that it is the Ocean and knowing' are contained in Know- not a mere separate particle. ledge, so in the Ocean of the D, this point in the diagram, Almighty are contained motion, or represents the Creator. It was at this Energy, and emptiness, (Prana and point that the still, motionless Akaska).* Knowing brings from Ocean began to stir, and com- out of Infinite Knowledge, the most menced manifestation, or creation. finite ignorance. Motion (Prana) The Creator is conscious as the brings out of Infinite Ocean, when Creator, but not of being the the latently conscious Almighty infinite ocean of Truth that He becomes conscious of Creation, the really is. most finite emptiness or Space. Consider the Almighty as We may put it in a tabular form Infinite Knowledge. Since He is thus: only latently conscious, it follows MOTION UNIVERSAL KNOWING that He neither knows Himself, nor, ENERGY before it manifested itself, could is opposite is opposite is opposite to to Latent to He have known Creation. This Emptiness. Universe. Ignorance. implies that knowledge is ignorant, When the still Ocean begins to or that ignorance is in knowledge. stir, the waves of motion, (and When Creation became manifest emptiness lying as in a trough He became conscious of it, but, not between them), are manifested of Himself. That is to say that simultaneously out Knowledge knows that it does not

* Prana means the Breath of Life; vital breath; the breathing Spirit; forthgoing energy of the Logos; Life on all the planes. Jan or Ruhe-Arazi (Persian}, Akasha means the Ether or Space; Asman or Khala (Persian),

426 MEHER BABA JOURNAL of the Ocean Itself; when the subtle. (The Mind Universe is Knowledge knows, 'knowing' and beyond and quite independent ·of 'not knowing' appear; when the the gross and subtle, of Prana and Almighty becomes conscious of the Akaska.) Creation, then Energy and Space When the Ocean stirs, in- appear. As these three pairs of numerable waves, countless opposites (which, when latent in bubbles, particles, and beads of the Almighty were one) manifest, a foam are formed. Each wave clash between each pair of contains a globule, and each opposites takes place; the mani- particle is contained within a small festation of the Universe is the bubble, or bead. The waves are all outcome of these clashes. During part of the indivisible Ocean, the the clashes several things happen. globules and bubbles are also part, (1) The state of Energy (Prana) because they are within the waves manifests; the state of emptiness, and contain the indivisible Ocean. Ether (Akaska) manifests; (2) the Each wave has, beside the many Prana state becomes subdivided particle-bubbles, a globule of its into seven parts; (3) the Akaska own. Each of these wave-globules state remains one whole; (4) the is a world in itself. The beads or most finite particle-bubbles, the particles ensphered in bubbles, electrons, are manifested; (5) when constitute: electrons, stones, metals, Energy (Prana) and Space (Akaska) plants, trees, animals and human clashed with each other, the result beings. Yet each particle is, still, was that from the Prana state the the indivisible Ocean though it Subtle Universe manifested itself, does not know It. Simultaneously and from the Akaska state the gross with the stirring of the waters, worlds (wave-globules) manifested when the clash occurs, the Supreme themselves. Self begins to know, through the Without Energy, Ether would most infinitesimal gross form—the not have manifested itself, there- electron—that which is nothingness fore Akaska is dependent on Prana, and ignorance—the Universe. and the gross creation depends on

MEHER BABA—HIS PHILOSOPHY AND MYSTICISM 427

The most infinitesimal gross the angle of vision widens and the form—the electron—the first par- consciousness of knowing in- ticle—bubble, is the beginning of creases in proportion to the growth that evolution, which terminates in in form. With the growth in the human form. The particle, or consciousness, the Sanskaras also Supreme Self, begins to know the increase, and cause the particle to Universe (nothingness), but It's assume, when the second form is

experience or knowledge of the abandoned, a still bigger form. Universe is almost imperceptible Thus evolution proceeds for ages, and negligible; even this minutest until after countless changes of 'knowing', or consciousness, bubbles, or forms, and the Self gets creates Sanskaras, or impressions, a human form. The process of which cause the particle (Self) to evolution concerns the form, or bubble, leave that bubble form. On leaving not the particle or Self within. The it, the Sanskaras remain with the Self remains the same indivisible particle and cause it to take another, and Infinite Ocean from the and larger, form or bubble. The beginning till the end of 'Form Self is enabled through this second evolution'. Only through this 'Form form to know more of the Universe; evolution', or bubble progression,

428 MEHER BABA JOURNAL consciousness of ignorance, or which the Self has to pass before It knowing of the Universe, increases can incarnate in the human form. step by step. This consciousness by Strictly speaking, there is only one the Self is called Chaitanya and form, that is the human form, constitutes, in the human form, the because it is latent in all the individual.* It is in the human form previous forms, even in the electron. only that the individual can realise The mineral, vegetable, and animal the Almighty, because the Self forms, each contain the human form being infinite, the consciousness in its latent state, and this is must also become infinite. And the gradually manifested till at last, it is consciousness is infinite only in the completely manifested as a human human form, therefore the human being in a human body. form is the end or goal of 'Form Before it becomes. completely evolution'. manifested, the compact, latent It is said proverbially that The human form takes four straight Self has to pass through eight turns and afterwards one inverse million, four hundred thousand turn (in all five turns). To bubbles or forms. They are the understand these five turns we must chief forms of genera (each of these glance at some of the genera. has its numberless species) through

* Individual in human form is called Jiv.

MEHER BABA—HIS PHILOSOPHY AND MYSTICISM 429

The first important form visible mouths are underground. The body, to the naked eye, is the stone. Every from the throat upwards, of every stone has eyes, nose, mouth, hands tree stands above ground. The and feet, that is, a complete body, lowest portion of the trunk which is exactly like the human body, only visible is the throat, the remainder latent and exceedingly compact. It is its main body; the bigger is. like the cloth doll which can, branches are hands and feet, the when it is carefully folded up, be smaller branches are fingers and made to look like an uneven piece toes. of stone. As evolution of the form Second Turn.—As form evo- proceeds these imperceptible com- lution proceeds from the vegetable pact parts of the body begin to be kingdom, the feet of the crudely unfolded; still invisible to the naked manifested and inverse human form eye in metals, they are slightly per- gradually descend lower and lower ceptible in the vegetable kingdom, as the Self passes through different where we see a crude manifestation forms until they lie flat on the of the human form. ground. In the worm the feet are on The latent form in the stone has the ground, and the mouth above the head pointed towards the ground. This is the second turn. ground and the feet rising up; in the Third Turn.—Now from the vegetable form the head is worm state the latent form begins to completely underground and the rise with the face uppermost. The feet point vertically upwards. third turn (say to the angle of sixty First Turn.—The tree form is the degrees) is seen in the fish. The first turn of the latent human form. upper part of the body is raised, and The mesh of roots are the hair of its when it dives its eyes are turned head. There is a mouth there, latent upwards. (When the human being and hence invisible to the naked eye. dives the eyes are turned down- Water and manure for trees to drink wards.) The wings or fins of the fish and eat are placed not on the tree are its compact hands and feet. The tops but at their bases because their last fish form is the water

430 MEHER BABA JOURNAL fowl, where the latent form is to with earth; fishes, with water; birds, some extent erect. This completes with air; animals, with fire; and the third turn. humans, with all four elements. Fourth Turn.—Through various Earth is found everywhere in the changes, the fourth turn is world, not only on dry land but also reached, ·with the face downwards, in the bed of rivers, lakes and seas. as in the crab. The feet are in a Similarly water, though visible only compact form till the inverse turn in oceans, rivers and lakes, is also takes place. underground in large or small Fifth Turn.—The fifth turn is quantities, hence it is everywhere seen in the kangaroo, it is inverse too. Air is everywhere. Fire, in the because the head begins to raise broad sense of the word, is every- itself. In the animal kingdom the where too, but it is covered by a principal manifestations of the layer of ether. Animals are latent human form are those of the connected with this fire or blaze, kangaroo, the dog, and the monkey. hence in them the hunger heat is The kangaroo being the first form in very intense, and they eat which the Self incarnates after tremendously as if they were born leaving the last bird form, is for the sole purpose of eating. noticeable for its two very small The first form to succeed the last front legs. The feet with bears and vegetable form is the insect, which lions become longer (but the eyes is so green that it is impossible to remain downwards), till in the dog distinguish it when it is on a tree. form the animal can actually sit on The most highly evolved form of all its hind legs. The monkey is the last the insects is the worm. Though it stepping stone to the completely may be found on dry earth it manifested human body. frequents moist pools. This Simultaneously with the clash indicates that it is about to become a between Energy and Space (Prana fish; or to come into connection and Akasha) fire, water, air, and with the water element. Similarly earth, are manifested. Stones, metals, the last form, the crab, begins to and vegetables are mainly connected

MEHER BABA—HIS PHILOSOPHY AND MYSTICISM 431 sever its connection with the water. the earth to the water; (3) from the After the crab comes the water fowl, depths of the water to the surface of the first form to become connected the water; (4) from the surface of with the air. There are many kinds the water to the air; (5) from the air of water fowls, ducks that like to to the surface of the earth.

swim in water, cocks that like to be Among the countless forms in on earth. Although the cock is a which, prior to its complete mani- bird, it has little connection with the festation, the latent human form air. The last bird form is big and manifests itself, those mentioned strong, with a long beak, and a are the most important. The fleshy dewlap (pelican). The next Seventh Plane is the ultimate; there form is the kangaroo; the last form is no higher form than that of the in the animal kingdom, excluding human being. It is perfect; but there the human being, is the monkey. is between God and man the curtain This cursory description implies of Sanskaras, and because of it, the the five turns: (1) from underground average human being knows not to surface; (2) from the surface of God (see the diagram.) Man

432 MEHER BABA JOURNAL having traversed the six Form stages, In each group are a number of has now, in order to break down this worlds. Of these numberless gross curtain and to reach God, to travel worlds there are seven: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, through the six Spiritual Planes, or 6, and 7 which are nearer to the Stages. Creator than all the others. In the We have said that each wave central group are three worlds: A, B, globule is a world in itself, and that C, but they are to be regarded as only there are numberless worlds. For the one world (the Seventh) because they purpose of illustration we shall are interconnected as to form one divide world with two branches.

them into seven ranges or groups: E, Now let us see what the seven F, G, H, I, J, K (see the diagram). worlds (or wave globules) contain:

MEHER BABA—HIS PHILOSOPHY AND MYSTICISM 433

No.1. world or wave of globule The inhabitants of the C part of contains...... stones. the seventh world are extremely " 2..…………..wind and stones. intelligent, far more so than the " 3.…………..metals: wind and human beings of our earth—they stones. can express thought without gross " 4….…………….water: metals: means. The inhabitants of B part are wind and stones. also more intelligent than the " 5….………..vegetables: water: people of our earth, but not so metals: wind and stones. intelligent as those of C. Though A " 6.………..animals: vegetables: –our earth—is inferior intellect- water: metals: wind and ually to both B and C, it is certainly stones. superior to them from the " 7.………..human beings: ani- standpoint of Love and the higher mals: vegetables: water: emotions. Whereas the inhabitants metals: wind and stones. of C have 100% intellect and no Only the Seventh world (A, B, C) Love; those of B have 75% intellect contains in addition to the other and 25 % Love; those of A have, on forms, human beings. Of the three an average, intellect and love in interconnected worlds, our earth is equal proportions. When man, sub- A, and only on this A part can duing intellect, obtains 100% love, human beings realize God. There he realizes God. are several reasons for this fact, the When the Self leaves its highest three chief are: form in C, it takes the highest form (1) Our earth is nearest to the in B; after giving up its form in B, Creator point; it incarnates in the highest form on (2) Our earth only is directly our earth A. Therefore evolution, connected with the mind and strictly speaking, ends on our earth. Subtle worlds (or spheres); The self has to go on re-incarnating (3) Only on earth is it possible in the human form till it knows itself, for human beings to possess that is until it realizes God. intellect and Love, Head and Just as there is the evolution Heart, in equal proportions.

434 MEHER BABA JOURNAL of particles or individuals, so there to say, the evolution of the wave is an evolution of Wave globules or globules (worlds) and of the worlds. The moon which gives us particle-bubble (individuals) pro- light by night was once an earth, just ceeds simultaneously. In world like ours; there are millions of such number six, at present, there are no cooled-down earths. Millions of human beings, but when it will take years ago the condition of our earth the place of C, then souls after was quite different from its present giving up the highest animal form condition, and millions of years will incarnate in a human form hence its condition will be just like possessed of extraordinary intellect. that of the moon. It will slip aside, Similarly when B will take the place as the preceding one did, and its of our earth, its inhabitants will be present position will be taken by the filled with more love, and imbued B part of the seventh world. C will with higher emotions than they have take the place of B, and world num- at present. ber 6, that of C, and so on. Needless

❃

THE SAYING OF MEHER BABA Semi-advanced spiritual aspirants, yogis, see Truth through multi- coloured glasses; Sadgurus or Perfect Masters need no glasses at all because they are Truth-incarnate.

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Notes from My Diary

BY F. H. DADACHANJI

IN THE ABODE OF SAINTS IN having the darshan of a great living THE HIMALAYAS Master like Meher Baba, and it was DURING the last week of May, indeed a task for his mandali to Baba went to stay with the whole explain to these visitors that, for group at Rishikesh (Rikhikesh) the reasons of his work, Baba didn't see abode of the great Rishis in the people for a long time and wouldn't Himalayas. It is a charming spot on see anyone until after he finished the holy Ganges, on both sides of his tours to the Himalayas. Those which are erected huts where Sadhus who have experiences of the kind (ascetics) and others who desire to understand how enthusiastically stay in silence and seclusion and these devotees come to living observe penance, stay and meditate Masters desirous of their holy on God. There are also a number of darshan, and how it touches one's Sarais, where pilgrims coming in heart to see them clamour for same, thousands almost all the year round in spite of all explanations, and then come and stay. return utterly disappointed. How For his own work, Baba retired Masters work even through these into seclusion here in one of the tests of disappointments, etc., and underground caves for a few days. establish inner contacts with the This is the third place in the truly needy and desirous, they alone Himalayas where he thus retired know. External judgment in these into seclusion. affairs takes one nowhere and is Baba's arrival and stay in a holy more often than not misleading. place of pilgrimage like Rishikesh * * * was known all over in spite of the MEHER SPIRITUAL CENTRES seclusion he observed. A number of IN C. P. inhabitants of the place and pilgrims Vibhuti, one of the disciples of naturally wished to avail themselves Shri Meher Baba, is running of this splendid opportunity of

436 MEHER BABA JOURNAL a Meher Spiritual Centre at (vide the corrected reprint in this Angewada, where Motiram Kohake issue), Baba also explained a few Patil has given a small plot of land more things, as follows: for the purpose. Other Centres are "Non-Violence, pure and simple, also being run at Saoner and Mohapa, is the beyond state of God. It is the along the lines, which have been goal of humanity. It can't exist previously suggested in Meher Baba where one is still in the stages of a Journal: these two Centres are both "seeker", who can however reach known as "Meher Adhyatma this goal through the means of Mandal", while the Angewada Centre "Non-Violence of the brave" or of is known as "Baba Ashram, Meher "Selfless Violence", which means Tekdi". At Saoner two enthusiastic "Non-Violent Violence''. pleaders, Mr. Pophali and Mr. Beloved is the Goal. Love is the Harkare, are taking keen interest in means. The lover can reach the spreading the Teachings of Shri beloved through Love. Meher Baba. Among other activities God in the beyond state of discussions on Meher Baba's Dis- Paramatman is Love, Light and Life courses form a prominent part. All Infinite. He is everything. functions end with the Arti of Meher Unless one realizes God and has Baba's photo. All the members of Love Infinite, one cannot be purely these Centres follow Meher Baba's and infinitely Non-violent. instructions about fast, etc., and are God does not include violence so devoted to him. It is very much to be does Love not include lust. hoped that there shall be many such Non-Violence, pure and simple, Centres all over India. is Love Infinite. * * * A lover, who is longing to see the VIOLENCE AND NON-VIOLENCE beloved, is in the same stage and A Few More Interesting Words category as a "seeker" on the Path. on the Subject A Majzub, who has been one with During the course of discussion the beloved through Love, is in the on this subject, further explained, same state as God.

NOTES FROM MY DIARY 437

The difference between these It is either Unity (Oneness) or stages may be explained in the Duality. There is no stage in- following manner:— between. Suppose you are slapped or * * * kicked by someone. If you do not "Different Yogas have different retaliate but keep quiet and do means, e.g., for Bhakti-Yoga, Love; nothing, it is the category of a for Karma-Yoga, Non-Violence and "seeker" who practises "Non- so on. Violence of the brave''. In Karma-Yoga, love for indivi- In a similar case of a Majzub duals is "Non-violence of the being slapped or kicked by some- brave". one, it is quite different. He has In Karma-Yoga, love for the neither the necessity to keep quiet masses is "Non-violent-Violence". or control himself, nor has he to Beloved, in Karma-Yoga, is Non- make an effort for same. For, in his Violence, pure and simple. Now to state of the Majzub, which is Divine reach the Beloved-aspect, you have Intoxication, he doesn't at all "feel" to go through the Path of Love. the slap or the kick. He has gone Why is God called "Beloved"? beyond that state of "feeling". The Because we reach Him through question of "feeling", even after Love. God-realization, comes only when When you reach Him through the God-realized Being again "Non-Violence", you call Him comes down to the world of Infinite Non-Violence. Dnyanis (the phenomena with normal con- Wise ones) call Him "Infinite sciousness. There, he can use Non- Chaitanya" (Infinite Consciousness). Violence, pure and simple, which is Those who follow Raja-Yoga call based on Divine Love, and try to Him Prabhu (the Maker and Creator persuade the aggressor (the one of everything). Thus God is named who slapped or kicked), through after the Path through which one Infinite Love. Because, in His attains and realizes Him." Beyond State, where all souls are * * * One, he is himself both the "striker" ''If one is lustful, he has a and the "stricken", the "aggressor" tendency to fasten his lust upon and the "aggrieved".

438 MEHER BABA JOURNAL several persons of the opposite sex. marry; but he asks him to limit his The ideal of Brahmacharya (celibacy) lust only to one person. Then does not allow even the touch of the gradually, as lust diminishes, he may person of opposite sex. Now if the be asked to give up all acts of lust Master, who is entirely free from even with his wedded wife, although lust, wants to help a strongly lustful he can maintain and continue the person, he finds that the aspirant is married life. Thus lust is gradually incapable of Brahmacharya, and eliminated and the goal of therefore, allows him to legally Brahmacharya is finally attained."

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Register of editorial Alterations

Page 384, para 1, line 7, change "seems" to "seems to" Page 391, col 2, para 2, line 7, change defence to defense Page 402, col 2, para 1, line 2, change concious to conscious Page 404, col 2, para 2, line 19, change devasted to devastated Page 408, col 1, para 3, line 3, change Genisis to Genesis Page 416, col 1, para 1, line 9, change Burgson to Bergson Page 420, col 1, para 1, line 8, change instructive to instinctive (see 5 vol Disc, vol. 3: V's ref. according to her prev. article, MBJ 4:6, p. 308) Page 420, col 1, para 1, line 15, change intellect to intelligent (see 5 vol Disc, vol 3) Page 420, col 1, para 1, line 24, change diappears to disappears Page 420, col 1, para 1, line 25, change by to up Page 420, col 1, para 1, line 25, change "the the" to "the" Page 420, col 2, para 2, line 19, change or to and Page 421, col 1, para 1, line 9, change continuation to combination Page 429, col 2, para 3, line 9, change upwards to downwards (see booklet Meher Baba, His Philosophy & Teachings) Page 437, col 1, para 3, line 19, change pursuade to persuade Page 437, col 1, para 3, line 24, change striken to stricken

Note the article by V has several mis-quotes from vol 3 of the 5 vol Discourses (I checked all the quotes); they appear not to be V's mistakes, but transcription errors probably from mis-reading her hand-writing: her English is better than that.