Sunteți pe pagina 1din 50

THE AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

NEWSLETTER & CALENDAR FOR WINTER 1989


,
Come join us under the Love Street Lamp Post.
Like us, you have been drawn w this lane aI. the end
ofthe world by events and experiences you did not
always understand; by the inviting glances ofyour
companions-w-be; and by the delical.e scent ofa
most irresistabk wine.
Come. The Master's wines/lOp is but around the
comer. He has 1IOl yet thrown open its doors for the
evening, so we are passing the time here in happy,
aimkss anticipaJion.
Come. Join us.
The Love Street Lamp Post is the newsletter
of the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern
California. We are blessed here witb a large and
active Baba community, and we bope to reflect its
vibrant life in tbese pages.
Although our reportage of activities and
events will be focussed on items of immediate
interest to tbe Soutbern California Baba commu-
nity, we solicit stories of contemporary life with
Meber Baba from the entire readership. We also
enthusiastically solicit artwork, poetry, and letters.
We hope all will be well pleased with tbis
newsletter, and that you will come to consider it
your own. Please share your experiences of
Meher Baba witb all of us.
I belong to no religion. Every religion
belongs to Me. My own personal religion is
of my being the Ancient Infinite One, and
the religion I teach to all is of love for God.
MeherBaba
Meherabad Medicine
Bob Street, familiar W Western pilgrilns to
Meherabad, practices homeopaJhic medicinefuU
time. He worksfive days a week aI. the Meher
Heal1h Center in Arangaon and one day a week aI.
Dr. Goher's clinic aI. Meherazad. He also dispenses
remediesfrom his own room aI. Meherahad next W
the room ofMohammed the Mast.
In thefollowing interview Bob discusses
homeopaJhy and other "na/ural' medicinesfrom a
medical perspective he has gained in the basecamp
oftire Aval.ar.
Post: How did you become interested in
homeopathy?
Bob: In 1974 I came to Ahmednagar with the
intention of spending the last eigbt months of my
travel visa there and then returning to my job in
Amercia working for James Cox. During this pe-
riod Adi had a heart attack and became bedrid-
den. He asked me to look after the work at tbe
office, registering pilgrims, attending to their
flight, bus, and train reservations, telegrams, and
so on. I ended up doing that for three and a half
years, beginning in 1974.
It was a very high stress job, and I developed
severe migraine headaches. Maybe three of four
times in the period of a year I got headaches tbat
would run two or three days. During a particularly
difficult night in one of these periods woke up in
excruciating pain. It was 2:30 am and it would be
at least four hours before I could possibly see any
doctor. I was taking Baba's name over and over,
2
wondering how I would ever survive that four
hours, and thinking to myself, "This is a case for
morphine injection!", when Adi appeared, having
been roused by my distress. When I told him what
was the matter, he said, "Wait a minute, I'll give
you some medicine." He returned with a few
homeopathic pills. I remember thinking to myself,
"Well, these pills are fine, but this is not a case for
general medicine. This is going to take an extreme
remedy!"
Nevertheless, within 10 seconds after taking
the pills, the headache was 90% gone! I had great
respect for those medicines from that time for-
ward.
Adi encouraged me to study homeopathy. I
told him I didn't have any interest in medicine,
that I didn't have any background in science, and
that it wasn't my subject. He said, "Well, this is a
science of a different type." But still I didn't have
much interest.
Six months later Adi gave me some books and
said, "Here, you should study this. It will not only
be helpful to you, but to many other people also."
I started reading the books and became quite in-
terested. It was a science of a different type 00 a
simple science, but a science, yes!
So I studied with Adi for about three years.
At the same time I would ride my bicycle out to
Meherazad every morning and sit with Padri for
about half of his clinic; then I would go back to
open up the office.
In 1978 I moved to Meherabad to take up the
study and practice of medicine full time. I studied
for another four years or so with Padri.
For the last five or six years I've been going to
the Meher Health Center five days with Dr.
[Khambatta] Alu, and spending one day at
Meherazad with Dr. Goher.
Post: Did Baba ever say anything about home-
opathy?
Bob: Feram Workingboxwalla, who had been
with Baba since the 20's, and who worked as a sec-
retary for Adi, related the following story to me:
"I [Workingboxwalla] was present when Go-
her's brother lal came to Baba with his wife. lal's
wife had an ailment that was not responding to or-
thodox treatment, and lal asked Baba, 'What do
you think? Is homeopathy a good thing? Should
we try itT
"Baba's response was: 'Homeopathy can bring
the dead back to lifer However, he went on to
qualify this statement, saying, '...but this requires a
master ofthat science.'"
What I take Baba to mean by "bring the dead
back to life" is that perhaps cases that had no hope
with conventional treatment could be cured by
homeopathy. In my own experience, some cases
that were considered hopeless and terminal have
been cured.
But Baba said, "It requires a master of that
science." It takes a deep study to master home-
opathy.
Homeopathy was there from the beginning
around Baba. Along with Padri and Adi Sr.,
Baba's brother, Adi lr. was a homeopath. So were
Dr. Ghani and Baidu!. There was another home-
opath named Morley. Chaganmaster practiced
herbal medicine along with homeopathy.
Throughout Baba's life he had many different
styles of medicine practiced all around him. There
was ayurvedic medicine, allopathic, homeopathic,
biochemic...and he had Goher familize herself
with and keep a few of these medicines. Goher
has always had a great love for homeopathy and
some of the other things, but she doesn't have
time to study them all, and so has encouraged
many of us others to study them: study homeopa-
thy, study the Bach flower remedies, etc.
In general, Baba enjoyed teasing all the doc-
tors. His sign for doctor was [here Bob draws the
edge of his extended forefinger down across his
cheek]...which is the sign for "barber".
Post: Did Baba ever say anything specifically
about the Bach flower remedies?
Bob: No, not that I know of. But Goher
would encourage us to study it, among others.
Post: Any more stories about Baba and home-
opathy?
Bob: Yes, Padri told me stories. Baba used to
ask Padri for homeopathic medicine. Baba would
take the medicine; then - literally a minute later -
he would complain, "I don't feel any better."
Padri would explain to him then, "Baba, it
takes some time."
"I see," Baba would say, nodding His head.
Then, after another one or two minutes: "I still
don't feel any better!"
This went on so often that eventually Padri
told Baba, when He asked for homeopathic
medicine, "Baba, these medicines don't work on
you: they're not effective." But then Baba would
protest and - for example - rub his throat and ges-
ture, "Well, you know I have this throat infection,
and Goher's given me this, and she's given me
that, and Donkin has done this - all these strong
drugs - and nob<xly can make me any better. I re-
ally think that homeopathic is the best for me."
So Padri would eventually be led to believe
that Baba was really quite serious about taking
homeopathic medicine, and again he would give
Him a dose. Baba would take it: in fact, He
would sometimes take the entire vial at once!
Then, after a very short period of time, He would
protest that He felt no better, and would say
something to the effect that "Ah, you're all bar-
bers. What do you know? Nothing!"
This was a recurring amusement with Baba.
On January 31, 1969, when Baba was severely
ill and having convulsions, he was being treated by
Donkin, Goher, and Padri. Dr. Ghindy from
Bombay was called, as was Dr. Nilu. All were at-
tending Baba with whatever treatment they
THE LOVE STREET LAMP POST
A quarterly publication of the
Avatar Meher Baba Cenler
of Southern California
10808 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angetes, CA 90025
(213) 474-9454
This newsleller is designed 10 keep the Southern California
Meher Baba community and friends abreast of Center
activities, and to provide a forum for contempory accounts
of life with Meher Baba as Guide.
Editors: Greg and Gay Dunn
COfItributors: Teri Adams, Will David, Brian Drygas, Dina
Franklin, Lois Jones, Karina Page, Christi Pearson, Adele
Wolkin, Linda Zavala.
Pktue settd aU IIrnkttn- matnial to:
Greg and Gay Dunn
22100 Erwin Street #221A
Woodtand Hills, CA 91367
(818) 719-9113
Published quarterly (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct)
All contents copyright @ 1988 by the Avatar Meher Baba
Cenler of Southern California, except where noted.
thought was indicated. Padri was administering
his homeopathic medicine.
As usual, Baba was teasing Padri. Every five
minutes Padri would give him a dose. Baba would
say "Your medicine is not affecting me. I'm not
any better. Your homeopathy is useless. You're
all barbers. What do you know!"
Then Padri said to Baba: "But Baba, you
haven't taken the last dose [in the treatment series
of six doses]!"
Baba said "Oh...right! Give me the last dose!"
So Padri gave him the final dose, some sort of
powder. Within a few minutes of taking the "last
dose", Baba dropped the body.
Post: Can you relate other stories about Baba
and health?
Bob: I think it's important to bear in mind
that, although Baba encouraged people to take
treatment, not just neglect their health, he always
stressed that He was the most important thing. If
you have a health problem, fine, tend to it -- be
practical. But don't let it consume your life, don't
let it be the focus of your life. Try to keep Baba
there in the center.
I think the reason Baba wanted people to look
after their health was so that they could focus on
Him and be attentive. When people would come
for His darshan, He would always inquire, "Was
the food all right? Have you slept well?" He
wanted people to be comfortable, and to be in
good health and relaxed so they could payatten-
tion to what he was saying. That's what I gather
from Goher. She has a balanced outlook, that you
leave everything to Baba, yes, but it's your respon-
sibility to do something about your health, also.
That's where our sense of discrimination comes in.
Padri would tell me, "Neither pamper the
body, nor neglect it. Don't go to the extremes."
Post: Ifyou were here in the West, and came
down wilh, let's say, psoriasis -- what sort oftreat-
ment wouldyou seek?
Bob: I would take homeopathic treatment for
any kind of skin condition. I don't think allopathic
treatment is effective in curing chronic skin condi-
tions, and I don't think it's totally ~ f e . The sup-
pression of skin conditions can lead to other
problems. You see so many instances of children
with eczema and asthma, and you hear the story of
3
I
.
the asthma getting worse after the skin cleared up,
and then the asthma gets better and the skin gets
worse. In my own experience I've seen two people
contract severe kidney disease after the suppres-
sion of a skin disease by allopathic treatment. Af-
ter taking natural treatment, the skin conditions
came back, but the kidney condition improved.
Post: What specifically was the allopathic
treatment given? Cortisone?
Bob: Well, yes, cortisone is one of the fa-
vorites. There are zinc ointments. There are
many treatments.
AU the other doctors in our clinics refer the
skin cases to me for homeopathic treatment.
There's a spirit of cooperation in our clinics, of rc-
ally wanting to help the patient.
Post: Are there particular ailments that get re-
ferred to the ayurvedic doctors?
Bob: Ayurvedic treatment is sometimes ex-
tremely beneficial for asthma. It's also used for
digestive problems, and women's complaints -
menstrual irregularities, urinary tract infections.
Coughs. I don't know too much about ayurvedic
medicine, although I do use an ayurvedic remedy
for asthma.
Actually, there's not much real, authentic
ayurvedic medicine practiced in India. I mean the
kind where the doctor takes the pulse of the pa-
tient and then prescribes a specific herb, or a
combination of specific herbs. Ayurvedic
medicine is somewhat similar to Chinese medicine.
Unfortunately, India did not record that system of
medicine as well as the Chinese did. The knowl-
edge, although it has not really been lost, is in so
few hands that it's taking time to rejuvenate.
What you're left with mostly today is a lot of
ayurvedic patent medicines. In other words, "take
this medicine for all joint pains, or take this for all
asthma problems." What is really required for
more widespread effectiveness is more specific di-
agnosis.
Allopathy is practiced on about 3/4 of the pa-
tients at the Meher Health Center, and homeopa-
thy on 1/4. The center there sees about 80 pa-
tients a day. There's a small ayurvedic practice
there, but not much.
In Meherazad there's a more eclectic ap-
4 proach, because pilgrims come through. What-
NOTES FROMTHE BOARD
- Brian Drygas, President
Since one purpose of this newsletter is to re-
port about the activities of the various committees
that make up the LA Baba Group's working struc-
ture, a short introduction to that structure seems
appropriate here. The Avatar Meher Baba Cen-
ter of Southern California was formed as a non-
profit organization in 1969. Its business is coordi-
nated by a nine-member Board of Directors
elected by the membership yearly in January. All
other committees report to this Board.
The Center's largest and most active commit-
tee is the Sahavas Committee. This group plans
and coordinates the Annual Silence Day Sahavas
("Company of the Master"; a camp retreat) held in
July. The Service Committee coordinates public
service activities; in addition, its chairperson or
members send cards and flowers, on behalf of the
group, to individuals in times of special joy or
sorrow. The Permanent Site Committee makes its
business the locating of a new center site and the
raising of money to purchase such a site. The
Program Committee plans the Saturday night
meetings and special program activities.
In addition, there is a lot of work performed
on an individual basis, and in other committees.
All meetings are open to anyone. All work is on a
volunteer basis. A copy of the by-laws is available
simply by contacting the Center.
ever service they have, Goher lets them practice
that. We've seen chiropractic, osteopathy,
acupuncture, massage, physical therapy...
Post: Baba took chiropractic treatment, for ex-
ample, after his automobile accidents?
Bob: Yes, Dr. Kenmore treated him.
Post: Ben Hayman?
Bob: Yes.
Post: Are there particular ailments that you
have noticed seem to lend themselves to treatment
by acupuncture?
Bob: Well, yes...again, except for homeopathy
my exposure is somewhat limited. However, it
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYWISHES TO
MEHERA AND MANI
Happy birthday to Mehera J. Irani
(December 22), and Mani Irani (December 3).
Adele Wolkin provides the followino
0
mformatlon about Mehera and Mani:
"At our Sahavas in Myrtle Beach in 1958, I
was there when The Beloved told us: 'Mehera
loves me very much. She loves me as I ought
to be loved.' Baba has said that Mehera
'radiates love and purity.
"Mani S. Irani, Baba's sister, has always
been totally devoted to Baba. As Chairperson
of the Avatar Meher Baba Trust, Mani carries
the responsibility of carrying out in word and
deed Meher Baba's will, along with the other
members' cooperation. In 1958, during Baba's
visit to the U.S., He said of her that 'She loves
Baba and works for Him from morning to late
at night with correspondence and other
details.' Baba has said of her that she loves
Him, and has surrendered to Him one hundred
percent. (See Meher Baba and His Mandali,
by Naosherwan Nalavala, p.67.)"
LETTER FROM BOAU KALCHURI
[Christi Pearson provides the following excerpts
from Bhau's letter to her, November 1988:]
The rain is quite good this year, and
everything is green at present. The school is
running very well; the afforestation program is
in full swing; the veterinary aid center is doing
seems to me that acupuncture is very useful in
cases of patients who are oversensitive to
medicines, who can't tolerate it, whose nervous
systems are in a state of hypersensitivity. I think
acupuncture can make the system more normal in
its sensitivity to stimulus. Certainly, afflictions of
the nerves, paralysis, etc. - wherever the nervous
system is affected, acupuncture can be helpful.
My little exposure to it makes me feel is has a
great range of possibility. For some of the more
chronic problems, it's always complemented with
herbs.
continued on page 8
very well; the construction of hostel A is going
on; the new pilgrim's camp will be ready by
December; the road is constructed to join the
pilgrim's camp; good water is struck in the well
on the new property for the future pilgrim's
camp; and at the top of it, the new tax law is
postponed for one more year! Therefore this
is a very good picture I am giving you.
An Eye Clinic went off very well and the
patients were discharged on 12th October.
They will again be examined on 16th
November, and will be given glasses. We are
also thinking of having dental, child care, and
other types of clinics from time to time be-
tween the months from April to October. In
this way the hospital will be running. For the
present there are facilities for acupuncture and
physiotherapy, and we will include more
facilities in the hospital. We are now old and
therefore such facilities as we now have will be
only during our lifetime. Then there will be
full-fledged hospital for the new trustees to
take care of.
. The land we have purchased very recently
IS really very useful, and we are intending to
purchase more acres at that site to develop for
the Pilgrim's Camp for the Amartithi. The
development work has already started on this
land, and if no other piece is purchased it will
become an ideal place for the pilgrims to be
during Amartithi All the pilgrims can then
live together in one area. We will utilize the
night soil for manure to grow more and more
trees -- of course, shade trees, no fruit trees.
The school is running very well; second
grade is introduced this year. It will grow to
high school grade and then we will construct
the building for the college so that the students
have not to go out for further education. We
have sufficient area for educational facilities
and also medical facilities, but there is difficulty
about residential quarters and facilities for the
Amarthiti gathering. If we don't acquire
sufficient area for this purpbse the future will
blame us and the doors of hell will rmtain
open to receive us!
I will defmitely be coming to LA in my next
birth if I don't come there either in 1990 or 1991. 5
~ @ t (1 ~ ~ @ t I Calendar I ~ (1 ~ ~ @ t ~ (1 ~
6
All events are at the Center, 10808 Santa
Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles,
(213)454-9454.
JANUARY EVENTS
January 4 (Wednesday), 8pm. STUDY
GROUP. Beginning tonight, there will be
study group meetings at the Center on the 1st
and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. We will
begin with Volume 1 of The Discourses. Bring
your copy! Coordinated by Adele Wolkin.
January 7, 6pm. FARSI LANGUAGE
MEETING. Films of Beloved Meher Baba.
Prayers and Arti in Farsi. All are welcome!
January 7, 8pm. DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!
"When understood, life is a jest." Tonight we
will explore the true meaning of these
statements. Adele Wolkin leads the
discussion. Your jests are welcome!
January 14, 8pm. "MASTERYIN
SERVITUDE". Meher Baba said that the
karma for the west is selfless service. Let's talk
about our opportunities to serve and how we
apply Baba's motto in our daily lives.
Coordinated by Lois Jones.
January 18, 8pm. STUDY GROUP.
Discourses, Volume I. Bring your copy!
Coordinated by Adele Wolkin.
January 21, 8pm. ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING. Tonight we will elect the Board of
Directors for 1989. Also, reports on all Center
activities for 1988 will be presented. All are
welcome to attend this meeting, but you must
Flowers for Meetings
We now have a table for Baba's sadra
box, along with vases for flowers. All are
encouraged to bring flowers for the
Saturday night meetings.
be a member to vote. Questions? Please
contact Adele Wolkin (213) 540-8404.
January 28, 8pm. FILMS OF MEHER BABA.
Tonight we will present "Meher Baba's Call",
narrated by Darwin Shaw, and "Nasik", the
classic which features film footage of Baba in
the 1930's. The films will be preceded by a
brief introduction to Meher Baba. Charlie
Morton is our projectionist.
January 30, 8pm. AMARTITHI. Meher Baba
dropped his physical form on January 31, 1969.
Let us join in commemorating the 20th
anniversary of the event of His passing. Slide
presentation, and sharing of Amartithi stories.
Refreshments served 8:00 to 8:30. Observance
of Silence 10:30 to 10:45, corresponding with
Meherabad (India) time of January 31, noon
to 12:15. Coordinated by Christi Pearson.
FEBRUARY EVENTS
February 1, 8pm. STUDY GROUP.
Discourses, Volume I. Bring your copy!
Coordinated by Adele Wolkin.
February 4, 8pm. FARSI LANGUAGE
MEETING. Films of Beloved Meher Baba.
Prayers and Arti in Farsi. All are welcome!
February 4, 8pm. MEHER BABA AND
SPORTS. Steve Myhro joins us from San
Diego. Steve is a professional runner who is
currently the American record holder in the
5K (single age group 42) and USTAC Master
15K national champion. Steve will discuss
Meher Baba's influence on sports in relation
to his life.
February 11, 8pm. THE GAMES MEHER
BADA PLAYED. - Learn about Baba's "playful"
side. Tonight, play the games He played,
induding "Hearts" and "Seven Tiles", among
others. Find out how and why Baba played
these games. Pris Haffenden is our
"gameshow" hostess.
February 15, 8pm. STUDY GROUP.
Discourses, Volume I. Bring your copy!
Coordinated by Adele Wolkin.
February 18, 3pm. ARTISTICEXPRESSIONS.
The works of many of our talented artists will
be on exhibit today, beginning at 3:00pm.
February 18, 8pm. Join a panel of artists as
they discuss Meher Baba's influence on their
work. Refreshments will be served throughout
the day. Bring your friends! Coordinated by
Diane Lafleur and Lois Jones.
February 25, 8pm. HAPPYBIRTHDAY,
MEHER BADA! MEHER BADA'S 95th
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION. A festive
evening of music, films of our Beloved,
birthday cake, and...A BIRTHDAY
SURPRISE! Coordinated by Teri Adams.
MARCH EVENTS
March 1, 8pm. STUDY GROUP. Discourses,
Volume I. Bring your copy! Coordinated by
Adele Wolkin.
March 4, 8pm. FARSI LANGUAGE
MEETING. Films of Beloved Meher Baba.
Prayers and Arti in Farsi. All are welcome!
March 4, 8pm. HER LIFE WITH BADA. This
evening, Jeff Maguire will interview
Marguerite Poley. Marguerite will describe the
events in her life which led her to Meher Baba,
and she will talk of her life with Baba.
Marguerite is an artist whose beautiful
painting of Meher Baba graces the front wall
of the Ccntcr's mecting room.
March 11, 8pm. HOWI CAME TO BADA.
Several members of our "Baba Family" will
share their stories of coming to Baba.
Coordinated by Marc Brutus.
March 15, 8pm. STUDYGROUP. Discourses,
Volume I. Bring your copy! Coordinated by
Adele Wolkin.
March 18, 8pm. ST. PATRICK'S DAYGUTTA
NIGHT: "LOVE AND GOD". Many paths lead
to God. Let's discuss ours. Refreshment will
be served. Coordinated by Fred Stankus.
March 25, 8pm. MOVIES WITH MEHER
BABA. Tonight we will dip into our treasure
chest and show "surprise" gems of Baba on
film. Charlie Morton is our projectionist.
Santa Barbara Baba Group
The Santa Barbara Meher Baba group
meets every other Tuesday. For meeting
times and locations call Donna Bayet at (805)
682-1877, or Leslie Tejada at (805) %7-4796.
San Diego Baba Gr-oup
The San Diego Meher Baba group meets
the last Sunday of each month at 4 pm for
sharing and potluck supper, and the second
and fourth Thursdays of the month at 8 pm
for reading and discussion of the Discourses.
For meeting locations, call Scott or Anne
Makeig at (619) 481-2941.
The senior members of the San Diego
group are Marvel Skeels and Zelia Wall
Mcpartland. Marvel resides at Point Lorna
Convalescent Home, 3202 Duke Street, San
Diego; she welcomes visitors. (In the Los
Angeles area, please contact Adele Wolken
(213) 540-8404 if you want to visit Marvel.)
Zelia hosts the Sunday meetifIgs.
7
BOOKSTORE REPORT
Dina Franklin has graciously agreed to take
over management of the bookstore. She wel-
comes suggestions, and in particular needs some-
one willing to take over the mail order business.
Her phone: (213) 837-6419.
New Books now available at the Center,
and by mail:
Lord MeIJer, Volume III by Bhau Kalchuri,
covers Baba's life from July 1925 to August 1929:
Beginning of His Silence, Meher and Prem
Ashrams, Toka Ashram, Baba's Return to
Meherabad. $40.
When He Taluis Over by Bal Natu. Inspiring
stories of life with the Avatar. Includes "Beloved
Baba", "My God, My 'Big Daddy''', "He Not Only
Changes Us, He 'Charges' Us", and more. $5.
The Beloved Is All in All. Ghazals by Francis
Brabazon. First publication of these devotional
songs by Francis to his Beloved. $8.50.
Determined To Be His, stories from Eruch
Jessawalla told in Mandali Hall, edited by Steve
Klein. $3.50.
The Wayfarers by Dr. William Donkin. Just
released Second Edition of a wonderful chronicle
of Meher Baba's "Mast" tours - an important and
fascinating aspect of the Beloved's Universal
Work. Many excellent photos of the masts (God-
Intoxicated soulS). $30.
Glow Magazine. Back issues on sale now for
$2.25. Call, write, or visit Center for a complete
list. Naosherwan Anzar edits and publishes this
beautiful magazine filled with Baba articles from
around the world.
MAIL ORDER CASSETTE LIBRARY
Finally, after two years we have a new catalog!
It contains 48 talks, 11 of them being new for
1989, and there are now 27 speakers to choose
from. Three of the new talks were donated by
Filis Frederick, and a talk by Faredoon Driver
(Padri), one ofthe earliest of Meher Baba's Man-
dali, was donated by Meher Lahar, Inc. Uyou
would like a free information packet containing
the catalog, write to: AMBC-CL, POB 3233, Re-
a dondo Beach, CA90277.
THE LIBRARY PROJECT
...continues to be your resource for placing
books on or by Avatar Meher Baba for circulation
in public or university libraries. Guidelines for
placement should be requested from the Coordi-
nator Chris Stahlberg (Box 1028, Forestville, CA
95436), or from the L.A area coordinator, Adele
Wolkin (213) 540-8404.
AVATAR MEHER BABA TRUST
Did you know? In the course of the Trust's
history since 1969, it has been called on to
purchase the land for the path from Beloved
Baba's tomb to lower Meherabad (in 1977);
Meher Nazar (the Trust compound in
Ahmednagar), which was on lease for 50 years
from the military to Adi K Irani's family; the land
on which the Meher hospital lies; and other areas
surrounding the tomb and lower Meherabad. The
estate at Meherabad has grown from 16 acres in
1959 to 220 acres in 1987, and still needs 200
more acres in order to fulfill, in time, the objects
given in the Trust deed.
Uyou would like to donate to Baba's ongoing
Meherabad Medicine continued
The aim of all natural therapies is to stimulate
the vital force. The chiropractor says "we have to
align the spine and get the energy flowing in the
body." The homeopath says "we have to stimulate
the immune system in a very specific way. The
health is deranged in a certain way, and we have to
mimic that derangement to cause a response
against it" The acupuncturist stimulates or rebal-
ances the energy of the body by needles, and then
nourishes and treats the nerves with herbs. The
idea behind all of these natural therapies is that
the patient cures himself. That's why they claim
that they can be curative rather than just paLLiative.
We want to make a permanent change in the con-
stitution of the person, not just mask the symptoms.
Goher treats primarily with allopathic
medicine, but she uses a lillie bit of ayurvedic, a
lillie bit of homeopathic. She often refers chronic
cases to me.
work through the medium of the Trust He
formed, please make your contribution to
"Friends of the Avatar Meher Daba Trust" and
mail it to Karina Page, Trustwalla, 2016-A South
Garfield Avenue, Monterrey Park, CA 91754, for
onpassing to India. As Mani reminds us, "Giving
from the heart in Baba's love is what counts."
NOTES FROM PUBLIC SERVICE
On November 12th the Center held a benefit
dance in the lovely Garden Room at the Culver
City Memorial Hall. All proceeds from the event
were used to purchase food for the needy.
Lynne Maguire provided the idea for the
dance; Teri Adams and Diane Lafleur provided
beautiful decorations; and Christopher Franklin as
DJ kept the very danceable music going all night.
Home-baked goodies and sodas were provided by
many for sale. Barbara McReynolds very gener-
ously donated lunch for two at the City Restau-
rant for the first prize of the raffle, which was won
by Stephen Hinkey. Lueky Leslie Tejada took
second prize, and will soon be sporting a pair of
designer sunglasses from the L.A. Glass Works!
Many people made donations far above the $5
I'ost: [fyoll anived in a weslern city loday and
were lookingfor a doctor, or a group of doctors,
what sorl would yOll look for, and how would you
go about it?
Bob: It depends on your complaint. Each sys-
tem has something to offer, and it also has its limi-
tations. Allopathic treatment has major failings in
the treatment of chronic illness. But antibiotics
are life-saving drugs; surgery has saved lives and
has rehabilitated people and made life liv-
able...there's a place for allopathic treatment. But
if I were looking for a doctor, and I had a chronic
problem, for instance joint problems, or chronic
digestive problems, or whatever, I would seek out
homeopathic treatment, or a naturopathic treat-
ment, or Chinese treatment. These natural thera-
pies can be extremely beneficial if they're prac-
ticed by someone who is adept at them. They take
a deep study - no less, and perhaps even more,
than conventional medicine. It's something that
admission to the dance, and to our great joy we
found we had raised $805!!!
Lois Jones, Dina Franklin, Lois's niece
Monique Lampkin, and Chris Haffenden used the
proceeds to fill eight huge pushcarts with food!
Each of 33 recipient families received a l2-pound
turkey with all the vegetables and trimmings, plus
bread, mayonnaise, and peanut butter for the days
following Thanksgiving. John Stout, Patti Thorn,
and Pat Griffin carried the nearly 100 bags of gro-
ceries from our Center to the Second Baptist Church
downtown, which handled their distribution.
All who participated came away with a won-
derful warm feeling knowing how happy (and
stuffed!!) the recipient families would be come
Thanksgiving Day. Plan on attending the '89
dance!
- Dina Franklin
MEIIERMAS '88 SWEEPSTAKES
Our Center thanks everyone who lovingly par-
ticipated in the Fly-to-India Sweeps. The winners
will be announced with the next flyer, as the
drawing will not be performed until after this
newsletter's mailing. THANK YOU!
takes the deepest thought and concentration. A
chronic disease is chronic because it's difficult to
get over. Whatever medicine you're using, what-
ever therapy, it has to be someone that really un-
derstands the root of that disease. It's not some-
thing you can pick up in a few months.
If you've got a chronic problem that's been
going on 10 years, it's not unreasonable to expect
six months of treatment. I've seen 30-year prob-
lems cleared up in six weeks. But they're not all
like that. It takes a longer period for .some people
and some ailments.
As Baba lovers, the most important thing is to
take His name. Then use your brain, try to un-
derstand a little bit about your condition.
Post: Would you mix therapies?
Bob: I would want to try one thing, and give it
a chance. Sometimes therapies can be mixed ben-
eficially, though. I wouldn't mix allopathic and
homeopathic treatment unless you have a condi- 9
pathology, because their treatment is going to be
directed towards that specific pathology - using
strong drugs. Of course, the doctors do make mis-
takes, but diagnosis is often a very difficult matter.
Post: You're saying that one advantage ofal-
lopathic medicine's non-holistic approach to
medicine is that it has led to exceptional skills in the
diagnosis ofspecific pathologies?
Bob: Yes. Medical training in the West is
pretty thorough. I have a deep respect for the
amount of knowledge that Western doctors have.
I might disagree sometimes about the manner of
Eruch on Medicine and Healers
[Editor's Note: The following comments
were made by Eruch in Mandali Hall,
December 1987.]
Post: How can we separate real therapies
from bogus ones? There are so many different
kinds ofmedical treatment beingoffered now
in the West, and it's hard to know what has
real substance and what is simply voodoo.
Eruch: Baba Himself made use of allo-
pathic medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic,
and ayurvedic medicine.
The greatest thing a healer - any healer -
can do for his patient is to empathize with his
condition. This is the most healing thing.
God laughs when a physician thinks he
has healed someone. The physician takes on
sanskaras, and also gets involved with the pa-
tient's sanskaras, when he takes credit for re-
sults.
Post: What advice would you give some-
one with a chronic health problem who has
experienced many disappointments in seeking
to be healed?
Eruch: It is good to seek help, but re-
liance on Baba means that you resign yourself
to His wish and will with respect to tbe reso-
lution of the illness. Resignation does not
mean tbat you cease trying to correct or im-
prove your situation. It just means that you
leave the results to Baba, and remain content
with the outcomes He ordains.
treatment. I like working with allopathic physi-
cians because of their understanding of pathology
and physiology.
Dr. Alu Khambatta, an allopathic physician, is
the head of the homeopathic department at
Meher Health Center. (Her name used to be
spelled"Aloo", but Baba would tease Dr. Aloo by
spelling her name "Alu", which is the Indian word
for "potato". That's how she spells it now.) Dr.
A1u has an interesting history. Baba at one time
ordered her not to practice medicine.. .in fact, "not
to do anything", and this was an order that stood
for several years. This was a difficult order, as she
was a very active person. To pass the time she
learned to play cards and things like that. Around
1952 she asked Baba about studying and practic-
ing homeopathy. Baba said "all right", and gave
her some money for books and to go to Bombay
to study, where she worked in the homeopathic
wing of a large Bombay hospital for four years.
For a number of years she was head of the TB
sanitarium in Arangaon. She retired there, and
has for the last five or six years been practicing at
the Meher Health Center. She's 85 years old, gets
on the back of my scooter five days a week to go
down to the health center, and works there for 3-4
hours.
Dr. A1u has an order from Baba to take His
name whenever she gives medicine. For her to
remember that, she's formed a habit of having the
patient take Baba's name with the medicine. I try
to remember Baba or repeat his name when I give
treatment, and I encourage my patients to take his
name with their treatment. Padri used to say,
"Take His name, then this powder, and if you die,
good!"
Post: How does Dr. Goher's allopathic treat-
ment differ from what yOIt might get from, say, an
average western physician?
Bob: Goher's connection with Baba makes
her unique as a physician. She expresses some of
the compassion that Baba expressed for humanity.
She is an inspiring example of what a physician
should be. She has a genuine concern for the pa-
tient - so much so, that I never tlifnk of her as be-
ing "an allopathic doctor", as opposed to "a home-
opathic doctor", etc. - I think of her as a real ex-
ample of what a physician should be - gentle, kind, 11
"I am the only One who loves everyone."
AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
10808 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90025
ADDRESS CORRECTION
REQUESTED
caring. I can't help but think that Baba himself
has given her these qualities. Not to say tbat other
physicians don't have these qualities, but she ex-
presses tbem in a way that touches people very
profoundly. Otber doctors not necessarily fol-
lowers of Baba - have come to ber clinic, drawn by
its humanitarian work, and have been just over-
whelmed by the atmosphere of compassion that
prevails there.
Goher can give the same drug that another
doctor might give, and the effect isn't tbe same. If
I really felt that some doctor was tbe kind of per-
son I wanted to treat me, I might overlook tbe fact
tbat, say, maybe I felt I didn't really like allopathic
drugs. I might take his treatment anyway. I feel
that what is in the mind and heart of the physician
can cure people, regardless, to some extent, of his
style of medicine.
Post: Emch made similar comments to me last
year - about the importance ofthe healer's attitude.
Bob: Yes, I really believe that the results that
we're getting in our homeopathic department are
better than the knowledge of tbose of us that are
practicing homeopathy there. I think it's a
demonstration of what can be done when
medicine is given with His name, and in that spirit.
Non-Profit Orgllnimion
U.S.Postage
PA 10
Redondo Beach, CA
Permit No.196
DATED MATERIAL
PLEASE EXPEDITE
....

.+.
TJ]J ,/I ' ':. "", ..'.
... ......
,Camz[Posv
THE AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
NEWSLETTER & CALENDAR FOR SPRING 1989
Meher Baba, The Divine Sportsman
by Steve Myrho
Steve Myhro from San Diego is aprofessional
ronner who currently holds the American record in
the 5K(single age group 42), and is national cham-
pion in the Master (over 40) class in the 15Kron.
Sports played an important role in Meher
Baba's early life and throughout his advent. He
was active in sports as a child, cricket being his
favorite game. Baba formed a field hockey team
and a soccer team; both were disbanded when the
same boy was injured on two different occasions.
In high school at St. Vincent's, Baba competed in
running, high jump, and was the star player in
cricket. His records are still unbroken to this day.
Whatever you do, do with all your heart.. 'Put your
whole heart into it, whether it is a game or work.
MeiJer Baba, during games at Meherabad, 1922
From the time Baba was quite young he was
very disciplined in everything he did, having fixed
times every day for sports and study. One day
Baba's childhood friend and later early disciple
Baily, who was lazy by nature, found his name on
the list to participate in the annual sports competi.
tion. Baily went to the principal to explain that he
had not signed his name to the list, but the princi-
pal said, "Either play, or be expelled from school!"
Baily played, though not very well. He later found
out that Baba wanted to change his friend's lazy
nature, and had put his name on the list.
In 1922 Baba's early disciples gathered at a
place called Manzil-e-Meem. One day Hormuji
Vayifay, a famous cricket player of India, visited
Baba, and soon became one of the group. Since
cricket was Baba's love, this was a special joy for
Baba. One day Baba, along with the men, went to
see Hormuji playing in a cricket match, but found
that Hormuji's doctor had ordered him not to play
because of an illness. After a time, with Hormuji's
team losing, Baba himself gave Hormuji
permission to enter the game. Hormuji scored
many runs and his team won, with Baba and the
mandali cheering from the sidelines.
A year or two later, under Baba's orders,
Hormuji could be found selling Upasni Maharaj's
biography to fans at cricket matches. The fans felt
sorry for this once great cricketeer, and purchased
Upasni's books from him!
Also in the Manzil, games were played by the
men mandali, such as cricket and Thumps-and-
Bumps (a game involving tossing tennis balls at
each other's heads). Baba, in reference to their
playing, said, "It refreshed the and spirit of
all participants. With their concentration entirely
focussed on the game, they forgot all their cares."
Cricket was played in the early morning in the
2
Manzil courtyard, and Dr. Ghani, being a late
sleeper, would not take part in the games they
were playing. His room faced the courtyard with
windows above his bed. Baba would throw the
ball against the window to wake Dr. Ghani up.
Once day Baba threw the ball so hard he broke
the window, and glass shattered all over Dr.
Ghani's bed. He awakened and shouted to Baba,
"How can I sleep while you throw the ball
against the window. I know you are
doing it on purpose!" Baba
replied, "The only solution is
for you to rise early with
the rest of us, and sleep
in the afternoon." This
Dr. Ghani soon did.
Once in 1922 while
playing cricket, Adi
Irani and Vishnu got
into a heated argu-
ment. Baba inter-
vened and said to Adi:
"As the cause, so the
effect. The cause may
be big and important, or
small and insignificant,
but the result will be de-
finitely according to it. The
woes of this world are imaginary,
and are the self-created result of
our own ignorance; having no cause, they
are therefore unjustifiable. If there is no reason
or cause, then it naturally follows that the result is
unreal, insubstantial, and meaningless. So why
worry about the happiness or misery of this world,
which has no cause behind it, except imagination.
Just go on observing things as a passive spectator,
as they go on around you, keeping the mind free
and happy. As Hafiz says, 'Both the happinesses
and sorrows of the world will pass away. So it is
better to remain peaceful throughout.'"
From 1925 to 1928, sports and games were
part of the curriculum at the Meherabad school,
the Hazrat Babajan High School, and the Prem
Ashram. Facilities for every type of game and
sport were available, with scheduled cricket
matches held in which Baba himself participated.
Throughout Baba's travels and seclusions in the
40's and 50's, he would encourage others to
participate in sports activities, and he himself
would take part in the game, even while in
seclusion.
A SERIOUS CRICKET GAME
In July 1956, Baba, who was in seclusion in
Satara, expressed his wish that a game of cricket
be played very seriously by all present.
Baba played on both sides; the
score was equal, and the game
went on for hours, until all
were physically exhausted.
Later, just before Baba's
accident in November
1956, Baba reminded
the mandali as they
passed the site of the
match about how all
had played such hard
cricket there. It was
across the street from
that same site that the
accident occurred.
Later, after the acci-
dent, upon passing the
same site on the way back
to Meherabad, Baba again
remarked how they had played
such hard cricket there.
Baba's love for cricket remained,
and one year Baba blessed the Indian cricket team
as they were on their way to England. Baba em-
braced each player, and Eruch read out a special
message, which was printed in the English and
Indian newspapers. They all took part in Baba's
arti, and each was given a copy of his message
which he gave that day. Baba told them to "take
My love with you, and you will shine well."
In 1%3 Baba was requested to present the
Poona District Cricket Association awards, which
were held in Guruprasad. Baba gave out awards
along with his blessings of love. They also received
his darshan. Baba said, "I am happy to present
these trophies today. When I was a boy in school
and college I played cricket. Now I play my Divine
Universal Game, which includes criCket, so I am
still fond of that game." continues p.10
Hopelessly, Helplessly...His
Steve and Zorah Taylor, along with their
daughter Shireen, recently relocated to Orange
County from Houston, Texas. The following is the
wonderful story oftheir union...in Baba's all-
enfolding embrace.
"In 1977 I left my home in Myrtle Beach to
enter the Peace Corps," Steve begins the story.
"Having known about Baba for some eight years
at that point, I had narrowed my choices of service
location to countries close to India, finally picking
Afghanistan on the recommendation of the well-
traveled Hermes Reiter."
"In the same year," says Zorah, "I graduated
from the university in Kabul and took a position as
an Administrative Assistant at the Peace Corps
Office there.
"On one occasion a man I did not know came
into the office, identified himself as Steve Taylor's
cook, and said he had been sent by Steve to pick
up his mail. It was a believable story, but I asked if
he had something in writing to that effect. He said
no, he didn't. After trying without success to
telephone Steve, I told the man we could not
THE LOVE STREET LAMP POST
A quarterly publication of the
Avatar Meher Baba Center
of Southern California
10808 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA90025
(213) 474-9454
This newsleller is designed to keep the Southern California
Meher Baba community and friends abreast of Center
activities, and to provide a forum for contempory accounts
of life with Meher Baba as Guide.
Editors: Greg and Gay Dunn
Commillee Reporler. Diana Goodheart
Contributors: Teri Adams, Steve Berry, Dina Franklin,
Eruch Jessawala, Jeff Maguire, Steve Myhro, Georgene
Tarbox, Adele Wolkin, Linda Zavala.
Mailing: Pris Haffenden
PIIas, s,ttd aUn,wslett,r mat,riDt to:
Greg and Gay Dunn
22100 Erwin Street #221A
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
(818) 719-9113
Published quarterly (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct)
All contents copyright @ 1989 by the Avatar Meher Baba
Center of Southern California, excepl where noled.
release it without more tangible identification.
"As it turned out, that batch of mail included a
cashier's check sent to Steve from the States.
Such things are easily negotiable on the black
market in Afghanistan, and apparently a dishonest
postal employee had seen the check and tipped off
this man. This money later proved quite impor-
tant.
"Steve seemed different, somehow, from most
of the other volunteers. At first I just noticed that
he was a very nice guy. Later I came to know that
his orientation was quite a spiritual one: most
unusual among the westerners we saw in our
country."
Steve remembers that "I always enjoyed seeing
Zorah when I would go in for my mail. She was
always so cheerful and happy."
Over the course of several months Steve and
Zorah had many friendly conversations at the
Peace Corps Office. Dates, on the other hand,
were another matter. Afghan women are not
permitted to date. In the conservative and
traditional Eastern style,marriages are arranged
between families, and there is little contact
between the fiances prior to the formal union.
Secondly, for an Afghan Muslim woman to
entertain any sort of relationship with a non-
Muslim was (and is) quite forbidden. And finally,
the same held true for relationships with
foreigners. Therefore, on three major counts, this
was an impossible relationship. Nevertheless, the
attraction existed, and the conversations
continued.
After six months in Afghanistan, Steve took a
short leave and made a trip to India. While at
Meherazad, one of the themes of his personal
search was the question of marriage versus
celibacy. After much soul-searching and dis-
cussion with Eruch, Steve determined that it was
not, after all, up to him. He determined to give
the matter over to Baba. If he was to marry, Baba
must show him that...and also guide him in finding
his partner. ~
Two days before Valentines' Day in 1978,
Zorah asked Steve about the Valentine's Day
cards that a number of the volunteers had been 3
4
making around the office to exchange with friends.
Steve explained about this holiday. Zorah found it
charming and interesting, but didn't fully
understand its significance, trying as she was to
understand through barriers both of language and
culture.
*-;; "\1
i J 1
1,1
f
DRAWING BY TERI ADAMS
On Valentine's Day Steve came to the Peace
Corps Office to pick up his mail. He was
enormously surprised to find, among his letters, a
valentine from Zorah. "I took it to a private place
before opening it. When I read the card - which
included lines of poetry handwritten by Zorah - I
received a shock: a jOlt, almost as if being
physically struck by lightning. I knew, instantly,
that this was the woman I would marry."
After many months of a secretive and quite
platonic relationship, Steve and Zorah arranged a
date: dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel in
Kabul. "We were looking over our shoulders the
entire meal," Steve recalls. Another Peace Corps
volunteer had been arrested on a trumped up
charge after being seen with a woman the
authorities thought to be an Afghan. There could
be many bad consequences for Zorah's family as
well. But careful preparations were made, an(1 the
dinner took place.
Afterwards Steve took Zorah back to his
home - they could go to no public place - where he
served her tea, and told her about Meher Baba.
"There's something you should know about me,"
he said. "This man, Meher Baba, is the most
important thing in my life." Zorah, by this time,
had not only a highly favorable opinion of Steve,
but also a great respect for his spiritual beliefs.
She felt that Baba was probably either a Pir or a
Saint: the existence of such people was widely
recognized in her country.
Steve then asked Zorah to marry him. She
said yes. Remember, this is still the first date!
In the blush of love, the plan was made, but
there were immense obstacles to be overcome.
Steve had initially hoped they could marry in
Afghanistan, but Zorah's family was completely
opposed to their union. Beyond their personal
feelings, such an act would make them social
outcasts. Zorah began exploring the procedures
for obtaining a passport to travel from
Afghanistan, only to discover that University
graduates were not permitted to leave the country
even on a visit until they had worked and served
their country for at least a year.
But within a few weeks even that obstacle
paled into insignificance, as a Communist coup
was successfully launched against the Afghan
government. "The entire climate of the country
changed overnight," Steve and Zorah recall.
"Suddenly there were tanks - and tank fights - in
the streets, and soldiers everywhere. Travel was
severely restricted. Countless people with
connections to the former government were jailed
and worse. As Americans were considered the
particular enemy of the new government, it
became dangerous for natives even to be friendly
to them. Passports ceased to be issued except to
those with connections to the new government."
Although most Peace Corps volunteers left
Afghanistan within days or weeks of the coup,
Steve stayed. Zorah continued to explore
possibilities regarding the passport. A brother-in-
law who had been a pilot in the military attempted
to intercede in her behalf, but after a number of
weeks, the plan fell flat.
After some months, with the new government
firmly established, it was announced that a limited
number of passports would be issued for
pilgrimages to Mecca. A lottery of sorts, using
colored balls in a large bin, was held. Zorah's
brother Rohallah went to represent her -- had
Zorah gone herself, many suspicions would have
been raised. However, it was not Baba's plan for
the roller coaster ride of hopes and dashed hopes
to end so soon: Rohallah drew a red ball, and no
passport was forthcoming.
1
A few weeks after this, it was arranged for
Steve to have dinner at Zorah's house, and to
meet her mother for the first time. Zorah's
father, who had been a government official, the
Afghan equivalent to our position of Senator, had
passed away a few years before.
For this dinner even to take place had
required months of gentle wearing through of
family resistance. Zorah's mother saw that her
daughter could not easily be dissuaded from her
love with the American. Zorah's eldest brother,
who by Afghan tradition was regarded as the
family's head, remained adamantly opposed to the
idea, anticipating the scandal it would bring upon
the family.
But the heart of Zorah's mother was touched
by Baba at the meeting. She took a great liking to
Steve, and became an ally in their quest. She
approached a former neighbor, now the head of
the Ministry of Internal Security - the Afghan
equivalent of the Russian KGB - and asked for his
intercession in obtaining a passport for the Mecca
pilgrimage. Although it was not spoken of, this
man knew of the love between Steve and Zorah,
and knew the real purpose of the passport. Nev-
ertheless, he did intercede, and obtained a special
passport marked for processing with a minimum
ofred tape.2
Even with this finest of passports, many bribes
were required as Rohallah made the rounds of thc
officials who had to sign off on the passport. If an
official was reluctant, or placed the application on
a stack of papers with an injunction to "come back
in a few days", Rohallah would include a bribe in
his parting handshake (so others in the office
would not see). At this, the official would remove
the application from the stack, apply the required
signature, and send Rohallah on his way.
Through a Peace Corps volunteer who worked
for an airline, Zorah secretly obtained an air ticket
from Saudi Arabia to the United States. She also
had to purchase a round trip ticket to Jiddah for
the "pilgrimage". For this she used the money shc
had prevented Steve from losing by her firmness
with the imposter at the Peace Corps Office.
"In spite of the circumstances," Steve recalls, "1
never felt completely comfortable with the fact
that we were using the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)
as a pretext for Zorah's escape. But we could
think of no other way."
Trust God completely and He will solve all
difficulties. Faithfully leave everything to Him
and He will see to everything. Meller Baba
Steve contacted Alfred Dubbs, the American
Ambassador to Afghanistan, who was most
sympathetic and helpful, sending a cable to the
American Embassy in Saudi Arabia, explaining
Zorah's plan and arranging for help.3
All arrangements were now made: Steve
would fly from Kabul to West Germany, wait a
day, then fly to New York. Zorah would leave
from another city, Kandahar, a day's drive from
Kabul. During her layover in Saudi Arabia she
was to go to the American Embassy.
Zorah's brother-in-lawwas a pilot for Ariana
Afghan Airlines, and arrangements were carefully
made to get her on his ptane where he could keep
her separate from the other pilgrims so she would
not be missed when she departed during the
layover in Saudi Arabia.
That was about the last thing that went
smoothly. Somehow the Afghan government got
wind of the plan, and by the time Zorah's plane
landed in Saudi Arabia, they were meeting every
plane from Afghanistan, looking for her. A friend
of her brother-in-law (the pilot) who was to help
continu-es on page 10
1 Rohallah has also recently joined us in Los
Angeles.
2 This man, some time later, was pulled from
his car and machine-gunned by a rival Communist
group seeking power in Afghanistan.
3 Dubbs was later abducted by the KGB and
killed just before the Soviets invaded Afghanistan,
some three months after Steve and Zorah left.
His deep knowledge of Russian a1fairs apparently
was regarded as a potential source of problems for
the invasion effort. 5
6
All events, unless otherwise noted, are at the
Center, 10808 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Los Angeles, (213)474-9454.
APRIL EVENTS
April 1, 12n()()O. APRIL FOOLS: A Wedding
at the Baba Center! Patty Thome and John
Stout - two fools in love in His love - will be
married at Center at high noon, and all are invited.
A reception will follow immediately. Please bring
food to share - NO GIFfS.
April 1, 6pm. FARSI LANGUAGE
MEETING. Study of Meher Baba's Discourses,
in Farsi. Prayers and arti at the end of the
meeting. All are welcome! Coordinated by Dr.
Mahmoud Ajang.
April 1, 8pm. A NIGHT OFBABA MUSIC.
Relax and enjoy an evening of music with local
artists. Coordinated by Cookie Jessica.
April 5, (Wednesday) 8pm. STUDYGROUP.
Discourses, Volume I. Bring your copy!
Coordinated by Adele Wolkin and Harry Thomas.
April? DR. HOSHANG BHARUCHA &
FAMILYwill be visiting Los Angeles as part of a
tour ofD.S. Baba groups. He'll be giving a mid-
week talk while in L.A The date and time are
unknown, but will be communicated via meeting
announcements and the phone tree. Be ready!
April 7,8,9. JOSHUA TREE CAMPOUT
Contact Chris Pearson (213-377-0572) for details
of this campout at the Joshua Tree National
Monument, Cottonwood Group Camp No.3.
April 8, 8pm. MEMOIRS OF "THE
FRIVOLOUS THREE" In September 1988,
Delia DeLeon left her home in London to visit the
Meher Spiritual Center in Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina. To preserve the occasion, a one-hour
video was made starring Delia, Kitty Davy, and
Margaret Craske - a trio Baba once referred to as
His "Frivolous Three". We'll see that video
tonight! Videowalla: Charlie Morton.
April 15, 6pm. FARSI LANGUAGE
MEETING. Study of Meher Baba's Discourses,
in Farsi. Prayers and arti at the end of the
meeting. All are welcome! Coordinated by Dr.
Mahmoud Ajang.
April 15, 8pm. FRED'S CABLES TO THE
MASTER. Highlights of presentations about
Meher Baba and His Mandali that have appeared
on local cable television. Enjoy those special
programs you may have missed on IV. The
Myrtle Beach Sweepstakes drawing will be
held at the close ofthe meeting. Coordinated
by Fred Stankus.
April 19,(Wednesday) 8pm. STUDYGROUP.
Discourses, Volume I. Bring your copy!
Coordinated by Adele Wolkin and Harry Thomas.
April 22, 8pm. HOWI CAME TOBABA -
STORIES FROMIRAN. Several members of
our Baba family from Iran will share their stories
of coming to Baba. Coordinated by Marc Brutus
and Art Ajang.
April 29, 8pm. INTRODUCTION TO
MEHER BABA; FILMS OFMEHER BABA.
Tonight we will present "God Man" and "Avatar",
with a brief introduction to Meher Baba.
Coordinated by Brian Drygas.
MAY EVENTS
May 3, (Wednesday) 8pm. STUDYGROUP.
Discourses, Volume I. Bring your copy!
Coordinated by Adele Wolkin and Harry Thomas.
May 6, 6pm. FARSI LANGUAGE
MEETING. Study of Meher Baba's Discourses,
in Farsi. Prayers and arti at the end of the
meeting. All are welcome! Coordinated by Dr.
Mahmoud Ajang.
May 6, 7:30pm. RECEPTION for Leatrice
Johnston and Renae Shaw, with refreshments.
May 6, 8pm. OUR LIFE WITHBABA:
LEATRICEJOHNSTONANDRENAE
SHAW. Leatrice and Renae met Baba in May,
1952, at the Meher Spiritual Center in Myrtle
Beach, with their parents Darwin and Jeanne
Shaw. It has been several years since Leatrice and
Renae have given a talk together, making it a
special evening for them as well as for us.
Coordinated by John Stout.
May 7, (Sunday) Ipm. POTLUCK
BARBECUE with Leatrice and Reruu. Join
our guests at Chris and Christi Pearson's, 6979
Grove Spring Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes, (213)
541-0059. Maps available at the Center.
May 13, 8pm. THE AUSTRALIAN
CONNECTION: FRANCIS BRABAZON
AND MEHER BABA - a talk by DIANA
SNOW. Diana, a long time friend of Francis, will
tell us how Francis brought Meher Baba to
Australia. Diana resides at Avatar's Abode, and is
the mother of our own Dina Franklin.
May 17, (Wednesday) 8pm.STUDYGROUP.
Discourses, Volume I. Bring your copy!
Coordinated by Adele Wolkin and Harry Thomas.
May 20, 6pm. FARSI LANGUAGE
MEETING. Study of Meher Baba's Discourses,
in Farsi. Prayers and arti at the meeting's end. All
welcome! Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
May 20, 8pm. JESUS, SAINTFRANCIS, and
MEHER BABA - a talk by LARRYPESTA.
Larry shares his thoughts after a recent visit to
Assisi, Italy. Coordinated by Patty Stout.
May 27, 8pm. FILMS OFMEHER BABA.
Irwin Luck's lovely film, "The Human Side of
Santa Barbara Baba Group
The Santa Barbara Meher Baba
group meets every other Friday. For
meeting times and locations call Donna
Bayet at (805) 682-1877, or Leslie
Tejada at (805) 967-4796.
San Diego Baba Group
The San Diego Meher Baba group
meets monthly. For meeting times and
locations, call Scott or Anne Makeig at
(619) 481-2941.
God", will follow an introductory discussion of
Baba's work with the God-Intoxicated souls he
called "masts". Coordinated by John Stout.
JUNE EVENTS
June 3, 6pm. FARSI LANGUAGE
MEETING. Study of Meher Baba's Discourses,
in Farsi. Prayers and arti at the meeting's end. All
welcome! Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
June 3, 8pm. HAPPYBIRTHDAY, FILlS!
Tonight we honor Filis Frederick, our center's
founder and Baba's chosen editor of the Awakener
journal, 1953-1986. Filis dedicated her life, and
her gifts, in Baba's service. Share a memory or a
favorite Awakener selection. Coordinated by
Adele Wolkin and Terry Lucas.
June 7, (Wednesday) 8pm. STUDYGROUP.
Discourses, Volume I. Bring your copy!
Coordinated by Adele Wolkin and Harry Thomas.
June 10, 8pm. GUTTA NIGHT. Meher Baba
said that cheerfulness is a Divine art, and that it
helps others. Tonight we'll discuss how we share
Baba's cheerfulness with others. Refreshments
will be served. Coordinated by Fred Stankus.
June 17, 6pm. FARSI LANGUAGE
MEETING. Study of Meher Baba's Discourses,
in Farsi. Prayers and arti at the meeting's end. All
welcome! Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
June 17, 8pm. BHAUKALCHURI -- LIVE!
Bhau, in transit between Australia and Europe,
stops for a visit! Other Baba centers please note:
Bhau requests us to inform all that he will,
regretfully, be unable to visit other U.S. cities this
trip. Call Christi Pearson (213-541-0059) in June
for Bhau's full itinerary.
June 18, 2pm. BHAUat Jacko's. Be there!
June 21,(Wednesday) 8pm. STUDYGROUP.
Discourses, Volume I. Bring your copy!
Coordinated by Adele Wolkin all'! Harry Thomas.
June 24, 8pm. FILMNIGHT. Surprise gems
of Baba on film. Coordinated by John Stout. 7
SoCal Center Newsbeat
Sahavas Committee. The Sahavas Committee is
pleased to announce its guest list for the 1989
Sahavas: Viola Farber, Virginia Sidowsky, and
Elizabeth Socalis - all from New York State - and
Kusum Singh from Delhi. Viola is a dancer who
performed for Baba at Myrtle Beach; Virginia and
Elizabeth are sisters who met Baba in New York
in 1956. Kusum Singh is a singer whose family
met Baba in 1953 when the GodMan rented a
bungalow near door to their property.
The Committee is working to blend past
program favorites with new ideas gathered from
last year's questionnaire. A new focus this year is
to provide more opportunity to relax and renew
Baba friendships in the afternoons.
Linda zavala reports that there will be a
workshop for artists at Sahavas. If you're
interested, please bring a piece of your work-
either an original or a reproduction - to share with
your fellow artists.
There will also be, as always, an art auction at
the Sahavas to raise funds for the Center.
Donations of artwork for the auction will be
greatly appreciated.
Behind the scenes, a striking development is
that the committee is functioning without co-
chairs. This is an experiment with a new structure
which should enhance sub-committee functions.
Plenty of work lies ahead and the committee
welcomes extra loving hands in the process. If you
feel inspired to contribute from near or far, call
Volunteer Coordinator David McNeely at (213)
258-9887.
Center Redecoration. Plans to redecorate the
Center are under way. Linda zavala will
coordinate this effort, which should begin in the
near future. If you have ideas about how you
want the Center to look, call Linda at (818) 795-
8322. She welcomes your input.
New Plwne Tree. A new phone tree list has been
issued. This is a great service to those of us who
regularly contact the local membership about
program changes and recent important Baba
news. Please notify Shirley Kelley, our new
membership person, when you change your phone
8 number or address.
Audio Cassette Library. The Center Audio
Cassette Library has several new titles which may
interest you; "Piercing the Veil" (Jane Haynes),
"How I Came to Baba" (Ann Conlon), and
"Spirituality and Intuition" (Filis Frederick) are
mentioned here to encourage you to look through
the updated catalog. Librarian Marc Brutus
reminds us that cassettes can be borrowed for 50
cents each. For a free catalog of available talks
write to: AMBC-CL, POB 3233, Redondo Beach,
CA 90277.
Bookstore. The big news from our bookstore is
that video tapes of Avatar Meher Baba are on
order. In the coming months look for "0
Parvardigar", "The Ancient One", "Avatar", and
"Meher Baba's Call". Prices will range from $25
to $75. Look around also for favorite books which
have been re-ordered.
The recent inventory of our bookstore has
uncovered many old treasures which are now
available for sale. In particular, matted photos of
Beloved Baba and unique pieces of jewelry, all on
display, may tempt you. Many free posters, such
as "I Have Come to Sow the Seed of Love In
Your Hearts", are also available. Our bookstore
manager, Dina Franklin, urges, "If you don't see
what you want, ask for it!". Watch the shelves!
- Diana Goodheart
Permanent Site. The Permanent Site committee
has taken major steps in the last year. We have
made offers to purchase on two possible sites.
Neither one of them has worked out, but we are
all learning lots of vital information.
The Committee is continuing to check prices
and locations, zoning laws, space and parking
requirements, and remodeling feasibility. A
survey is now being prepared to determine what
Center member preferences are in a new center.
Please help us by expressing yours!
Ten years ago we started collecting funds, and
from the most meager of beginnings -- $0 -- we
now have amassed, through the generous support
of our Baba family, $41,000. Although additional
funds will likely be necessary for purchasing, it is
very exciting to have come so far!
- Georgene Tarbox and Steve Berry
Congratulations
Best Baba wishes for nuptial bliss from all of
us to Ralph and Kebi Boose Brown (December),
and to Fred and Gisele Dreissen Stankus
(January). Congratulations and bon voyage to
Mehermas '88 Fly-to-India Sweepstakes winner
Sarah Dwyer of Los Angeles. Congratulations
also to our second and third prize winners, Ange-
lenos Barbara McReynolds and Adele Wotkin.
Tehachapi Baba Lovers
Randy Buck and Marta Hores extend a warm
invitation to Baba lovers passing through
Tehachapi (forty miles southeast of Bakersfield on
Hwy 58) to ring them up for a Baba meeting at
(805) 822-6426. "Any evening you come up..."
Marta writes, "...we are country folk and extremely
flexible." Overnight accommodations can usually
be arranged.
Homefor Sale
Near Baba~ Myrtle Beach Center
Although the Post does not ordinarily run ads
of any kind, the following is presented as a public
service of potential interest to Baba lovers:
Judy Schoeck of New York reports that her
parents, Eloise and Eugene Schoeck (of North
Carolina) have a home for sale on Surfside Beach,
20 minutes south of the Meher Center in Myrtle
Beach. The home, purchased new three years
ago, is described as "2 bedrms., 2 bath, loaded
kitchen, L-shaped living/dining rm., 1152 sq.ft.,
washer/dryer, deck overlooking lake. It is a .
manufactured home in a community (not
retirement) setting, with pools, a clubhouse, and
beach access. A maintenance fee of $157/mo
includes taxes, utilities, and amenities."
Los Angeles area Baba lovers will be both
amused and chagrined to know that the asking
price is $39,900 - almost enough, as we say, to buy
an outhouse in L.A! Uyour Southern California
impressions are winding down, contact Judy (516)
845-7421, or her parents (919)443-3192.
Trust Donations:
A Clarification from Eruch
(AUPkase Note!)
Eruch, writing also for Mani and Bhau, has
requested that we clear up a possible
misunderstanding which may have been created
by a short piece on the Trust that appeared in our
last Lamp Post. In this article, a report regarding
the acquisition of land at Meherabad was
immediately followed by a request for donations
to Baba's "ongoing work through the Trust."
Eruch writes:
"Readers may misconstrue that the Trust is
requesting donations for acquiring land and this is
entirely incorrect. The purpose of purchasing land
has been served and no more donations are
required for this purpose. Therefore, please note
that no more specific donations for acquiring Trust
land should be encouraged nor sent to the Trust.
"Donations to the Trust should not be
earmarked for land purChase, but be sent, as
usual, either for Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual
Public Charitable Trust or for Avatar Meher Baba
Trust, (FIRSTLY), for the Beneficiaries of Avatar
Meher Baba Trust. Also please note that if your
donation to Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public
Charitable Trust is more than $100.00, it should
be marked for the CORPUS FUND of Avatar
Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust
even if it is a group donation."
Uyou would like to contribute to the Trust,
please contact Karina Page, Trustwalla, 4530
Starling Way, Los Angeles, CA 90065, (213) 225-
3910.
Contributions Sought for the Lamp Post'
Please share your artwork, poetry, letters,
articles, and ideas with us. Send to Greg and Gay
Dunn, 22100 Erwin St.#221A, Woodland Hills,
CA 91367, or call us at (818) 719-9113. Deadline
for Summer 89 issue: June 1.
if
There is no such thing as failure on the journey towards Truth or God.
It is merely a question oftime. Meher Baba .
9
Divine Sportsman from page 2
BABA AS CARD-PLAYER
In reference to a question during a game of
La Risque about Baba's playing cards, Baba said,
"My reasons for playing are three-fold: (1) The
burden of my universal work is lightened. (2) The
minds of players are focussed on Me in a natural
manner. (3) Those who lose have to rub noses on
the carpet before Me, the Highest of the High.
This is a privilege filled with significance. Then the
losers become winners."
Meher Baba is the Divine Sportsman, playing
his role to perfection in his universal game of
creation. His playing is the play of love on the
playing field of earth where He allows us to
participate actively in his love with all our
Shortcomings, attachments, and inabilities to
follow him completely.
Just as with sports and its required repetition
and practice leading toward excellence, Baba
gives us this life discipline, to think of him
Helplessly His from page 5
Zorah get to the U.S. Embassy managed to board
her plane just ahead of the government agents.
Walking casually down the aisle past Zorah, he
whispered to her, "'They know!"
Within moments the agents had boarded.
One of them found Zorah and confronted her:
"Are you going to the U.S.?" he demanded.
Zorah denied it. She was searched. Thanks to her
friend's warning she'd had just enough time to
hide her plane ticket in her underclothes.
Nevertheless, the agents confiscated Zorah's
passport and health certificate, effectively
immobilizing her in Saudi Arabia.
Zorah's brother-in-law, meanwhile, had no
choice but to fly the plane back to Afghanistan -
he was, after all, its pilot! Zorah was sent to the
Afghanistan Embassy, where things went from
bad to worse. The embassy officials, upon
inspecting Zorah's identification -- which included
an American Embassy I.D. obtained for her job at
the Peace Corps office .. formed the opinion that
10 she was a spy!
constantly and love him wholeheartedly, which
helps to break old habits and desires that get in
the way of our loving him and pleasing him. We
then make a change to grow in love, and life
begins to change for the better. He allows us to
make an effort to go against our nature and
desires, and as He manifests we feel his love,
which transforms our life through his grace.
God always existed; God will always exist. He
is never changing, ever the same, and Illusion is
His eternal game. Meher Baha, 1968
The achievement of excellence in sports is an
expression of one's discipline and dedication.
When the basis of this dedication is centered in
Baba, then all we do in life, whether work or play,
is given a hundred percent to him, and we find the
real goal of all our achievements, to think of him
more and more and to make him our constant
companion.
Zorah was taken to a small storage room
outside the embassy. It was more than 100
degrees outside, and the storage room had little
ventiliation. For many hours, Zorah was given
neither food nor drink.
At length, she was allowed a trip to the
bathroom. On the way she happened to meet the
MD assigned to their pilgrim group by the
embassy. This woman proved to be the aunt of
one of Zorah's best friends in Afghanistan! This
woman arranged, covertly, for Zorah to phone the
American Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Zorah
referred to the cable sent by Alfred Dubbs, but
was refused help because, "You're neither an
American citizen, nor do you have a passport."
She asked if they would at least forward a message
to Steve at the airport in West Germany, to which
they agreed. The cryptic message he received:
"Your fiance Zorah unable to keep to travel
plans."
It seems that Baba, or the Perfect Masters, or
a team of angelS, or a combination of the above,
were working behind the scenes, as Zorah next
met an elderly, religious man named "Aji" who
worked at the Afghanistan Embassy and who,
although he was very private about it, had little
affection for the communist regime. Zorah
confided in Aji, who consoled her and contacted
her aunt who resided in the country. He learned
that she was making a pilgrimage of her own to
Jiddah in 10 days.
Afghan Embassy officials told Zorah she must
wait until the Ambassador, who was ill, returned
to work and issued an order to have her returned
to Afghanistan. Upon hearing this ambassador's
name, some light of recognition came on in
Zorah's mind, but she could not be sure of its
validity.
After three days in the storage room .. they
did eventually did bring food and water Zorah,
feeling she had nothing to lose and that she could
continue no longer in such an intolerable situation,
insisted upon seeing the ambassador. She would
not brook a refusal, and somehow prevailed. The
ambassador was summoned. Upon hearing
Zorah's family name he arose, hugged her, and
said, "You are just like my own daughter." The
good gentleman, it so happens, had been a close
friend of Zorah's father while they were serving
together in the Afghan senate!
The ambassador immediately ordered Zorah's
passport and other papers returned to her, but
this could not be effected immediately due to the
resistance of other embassy officials, who
remained unconvinced of Zorah's innocence. In
the meantime, Zorah was taken to the home of
the former Attorney General of Afghanistan
where she stayed until her aunt arrived.
As Zorah's passport remained in the hands of
embassy officials, there was nothing to do but to
proceed with the Pilgrimage! It seems she had
been telling the truth all along about making the
Hajj!
Zorah remembers this time in Mecca, in spite
of the circumstances, as "a wonderful and
intensely spiritual experience. Near the Kabba,
one is literally swept away by an ocean of
humanity, and simultaneously I felt as if I were
being swept away by events utterly beyond my
control. I was in the hands of a power far greater
than myself, and had, quite literally, no choice but
to surrender to it." Having been a prisoner at the
embassy, she was now securely sequestered
among friends, being transported around Mecca
in a limousine, and a spirtual pilgrim in every
sense of the term! Her joy would have been quite
unbounded - except for the small fact that she
continued to have no idea whether she would ever
see her fiance again. This was a great battlefield
of impressions, indeed!
Finally as the Pilgrimage was ending --
Zorah's passport was returned. She went
immediately to British Airways, on which her flight
to New York had been originally scheduled, only
to hear that there was "no way to get a flight out of
here this time of year!" There was a long waiting
list for seats.
Again Baba provided critical assistance, in the
form of a friendly woman at the American
Consulate who, listening to Zorah's story, became
most sympathetic. As it so happened, the
woman's boyfriend's worked for British Airways
assigning berths for the in-flight attendant crews.
There happened to be a crew member missing for
the next day's flight to London, and therefore a
seat, although not, by regulation, a seat available
to a non-crewmember. But what regulation can
withstand the heat of High Romance under the
direction of the Avatar! Zorah went to the airport
and obtained the berth.
When union is attained, the Lover knows that he
himself was all along the Beloved whom he loved
and desired union with; and that all the impossi-
ble situations he overcame were obstacles he
himself placed in the path to himself. Meher Baba
Crowding in Jiddah was such that getting a
hotel room was impossible, so Zorah, ac-
companied by her uncle, found a corner at the
airport and embarked upon a fitful night's "sleep".
The next day, as boarding time approached,
Zorah bid an appreciative goodbye to her uncle,
and took her place in the line for the flight.
Minutes later she"spotted the u n ~ of another
good friend from home, who was also boarding
the jet. In the course of their conversation she
learned that her Pilgrimage visa was good only for 11
a return to Afghanistan! To go anywhere else
required an Exit visa!
Zorah had no uncle, no money, and no time to
correct this final, and perhaps fatal, problem. Stay
tuned...
Meanwhile, in New York, Steve had met every
flight from London for three days running.
Finally, with no way of knowing when, or on what
airline -- or if -- Zorah would arrive, he went to his
parents' home in South Carolina, knowing Zorah
had the address and phone number.
Weeks passed. Steve was in a state he
describes as "hopeless and helpless - the only way
to describe ill" Having caned an relevant
Congressmen and exhausted an other possibilities
he could think of, he made a most heartfelt prayer
to Baba: "Please deliver my Zorah from this
situation!"
Literally moments later, the phone rang: it
was Zorah, calling from...London! In the Saudi
airport, she had switched from the Pilgrim to the
Tourist line at the boarding gate, and with the
grace of God in veiling the passport inspector's
eyes from the impropriety of her documents,
made it on to the plane!
After briefly exchanging stories, the Present's
pre-eminence over the Past re-emerged, and Steve
AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
10808 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90025
ADDRESS CORRECTION
REQUESTED
asked Zorah, "Wen, then...when do you want to
get married?" Zorah, in a bit of a blur not only
from the events of the past few weeks, but also
from a notable lack of sleep, simply answered,
"Wen, when I get there, I guess!"
Within an hour of her arrival in South
Carolina the next day, Zorah, who had by then
had almost no sleep for three days, fonowing upon
a month of nights with four hours of sleep during
the Pilgrimage, found herself arm in arm with .
Steve before a York County judge who began the
marriage ceremony. "1be Judge peppered the
ceremony with stretches of unintelligible gibberish
I later learned were some sort of esoteric masonic
blessing," Steve recans. To Zorah it was alI
gibberish -- although joyful and exhilarating
gibberish!
On the way home from the ceremony, with her
head resting on the shoulder of her new husband
and Baba companion, Zorah fen asleep - and so
she remained through the wedding night. Steve
did not complain. He was united with his beloved,
and was himself only too happy to surrender to the
gentle and nurturing arms of Sleep. The Divine
Beloved, who eternally writes the happiest of
endings to His ongoing story of Creation, had seen
to everything.
Non-Profil O'll"niulion
U.S.Postage
PA I D
Redondo Beach, CA
Permit No.196
DATED MATERIAL
PLEASE EXPEDITE
....
- ~
.+.
[] ~ ~ "
... ' v ~
~ v e S t r e e t ,Cam(Posv
THE AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
NEWSLETTER & CALENDAR FOR SUMMER 1989
Our Last Letter From Mehera
[Editor's note: The following message from
Mehera was given by her to Gulnar Sukhadwalla
for reading to Baba's Western lovers as she visited
us during her recent journey here. It was read out
to our group by Gulnar at the
Los Angeles Meher Baba
Center on April 22.]
Beloved Baba's dear
children gathered here
today, I am happy to wish
you all through Gulnar a
most loving Jai Meher Baba.
It is so heart-warming to
know of your love for Baba
who, as Avatar of the Age,
came on earth to awaken all
hearts in love for God.
Beloved Baba loved us all
very dearly and nowwe must
love Himwith all our hearts.
In so many different ways
you can show your love for
Meher Baba who is omniscient and omnipresent.
Remember Him in all you do and He will guide
you to do what is right. It may not always be what
you want, but in your love for Him you must ask
yourself, "What would Baba want me to do?" --
and the answer from within you is always forth-
coming. Baba says, "The voice of intuition is
My voice."
There are so many guidelines to help you do
what would please Baba. When you are loving
and helping other people you are loving and
serving God. And when you love Meher Baba
pleasing Him and obeying Him are most impor-
tant and dear to Him and should be dear to you.
When each of you tries
100 percent to do as Baba
wants He is surely near you
helping you. To do so is
often not easy, but with
Baba's help it is not
impossible. Beloved Avatar
Meher Baba's coming on
earth as man was to help us
on our spiritual journey.
Know that He does help and
guide us on the path to the
Goal, which is to Himself.
And each one of us, sooner
or later, knowingly or
unknowingly, must under-
take this journey. It is our
journey to God.
And by offering us His Daaman to hold Beloved
Baba is making the journey so much easier for us.
So hold on fast to Meher's Daaman with both
hands and love Him more and more. You are all
so fortunate to love Beloved Baba for it is His love
that you reflect in your hearts.
Much love to you each and all our dear family,
ever in Beloved Baba's eternal Love.
Mehera
"She Is My Very Breath..."
A Short Biography of Mehera
by Linda Zavala
2
[Editor's note: The following history was
prepared and read by Linda at a memorial service
for Mehera held May 24, 1989, at the Meller Baba
Center in Los Angeles. ]
Mehera Jehangir Irani was born on December
22, 1908 in Sukkar city, now in West Pakistan, into
an upper middle class Parsi family, with all the
luxuries of that life. Her father died when she was
very young. Mehera, with her mother and sister,
moved to Poona when she was six, coinciding in
time with Meher Baba's momentous kiss from
Hazrat Babajan.
Mehera and her sister Freni were nurtured in
a warm, caring home. It was decided that Mehera
and Freni would attend Catholic boarding school,
' ~ n d it was near the school that Mehera had her
first encounter with Babajan. One afternoon
during recess, a friend, Zeena, suggested they pay
Dabajan a visit. "She is a great person and can
. give you anything you ask for," Zeena told her.
They found Babajan sitting by the roadside
outside the wall of the Convent. Mehera shyly
approach Babajan, who asked her, "What is it, my
child?" Mehera, without any forethought of what
she would say, blurted out, "Babajan, I would like
to have a nice white horse." Babajan looked at
her, smiled and turning her ear sidewards, gazed
intently up at the sky. Then nodding her head she
said "Very beautiful and fine. All the world will
look on him in admiration and love."
In reality, Hazrat Babajan had referred to "the
White Horse Avatar," which in Hindu mythology
is termed Horse-head, a form assumed by Vishnu
to recover the Vedas when they were stolen.
Mehera later joined Meher Baba's ashram in
fulfillment of her desire and recognition of
Babajan's boon.
Mehera's mother, Daulatmai, heard of Meher
Baba through Parsi friends in Poona. She
introduced Mehera to Baba at the ashram of
Upasni Maharaj for the first time in 1922 when
she was 14 years old. For a year or so Daulatmai
and Mehera visited Baba as often as possible and
began carrying out Baba's wishes, such as sewing
clothes for the poor. When Baba permitted
women to join his ashram Daulatmai and Mehera,
now 16 years old, were among the first to come,
leaving for good a life of comfort and luxury.
Baba told them they would have to live a very
strict and secluded life, wearing simple clothes,
working hard, and maintaining steadfast
obedience to His orders. For the next 64 years of
her life Mehera devoted herself completely to
serving the Avatar.
Mehera was always shy. Early on in ashram
life it was noticed that she was shy of being looked
at by other men. After a while Baba made this
into an order -- that she was not to look at or be
touched by any man other than Baba. This was
the rule for many years.
In the beginning Mehera was considered equal
to'the others in the ashram, but at one point Baba
indicated that she was, of all his lovers and
mandali, the most beloved of the Eternal Beloved.
It was her destiny as a human soul to fill the post
of the spiritual consort to the Avatar of this Age.
Baba said of her that she was "the purest soul in
the universe". Mehera was to Baba as Sita was to
Ram, Radha to Krishna, and Mary Magdalene to
Jesus.
Mehera and the other mandali lived in various
ashrams Baba had set up, under strict discipline,
each having specific guidelines from Baba. They
ate very simple meals, usually vegetarian, often
eating just once a day. They were given
instructions to fast or keep silence, to repeat
Baba's name thousands of times a day, and other
disciplines. If seen from the outside world,
Mehera and the other women mandali lived an
extremely harsh life, but Mehera said many times
that they did not mind it because they always felt
sustained by Baba's love.
Mehera travelled to Europe, New York, and
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with Baba. On May
24, 1952, while Baba's party was travelling from
continued on page 11
FOR MEHERA'S Y
Most fortunate are you through all the ages,
Meheramai, you who alone do reign
Within God's heart and feel and know His pain
More intimately than others; great sages
And saints are not so blessed. All the world rages
For sight of Him -- seeking in passing gain
His face; or weeps, '0, where is the lover's lane?'
Or through hard penance seeks to know the stages.
And I among men am most blessed indeed
In that I write these lines to celebrate
The birth of one to whom all women cede
Love's honor-seat, and patiently await
Their turn; one, whose pure beauty's grace
Poets will sing as long as lasts our race.
- Francis Brabazon
THE LOVE STREET LAMP POST
A quarterly publication of the
Avatar Meher Baba Center
of Southern California
10808 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(213) 474-9454
This newsletter is designed to keep the Southern California
Meher Baba community and friends abreast of Center
activities, and to provide a forum for contempory accounts
of life with Meher Baba as Guide.
Editors: Greg and Gay Dunn
Commillee Reporter: Diana Goodheart
Contriblltors: Teri Adams, Naosherwan Nalavala, Dina
.Franklin, Lois Jones, the Lorkalantari family (for
babysitting!), Lynne Maguire, Charles Mills, Karina Page,
Christina Riley, John Stout, Adele Wolkin, Linda Zavala.
Mailing: Pris Haffenden
Pkase send aUnewsletter material to:
Greg and Gay Dunn
22100 Erwin Street #221A
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
(818) 719-9113
Pkase send address changes/subscription requests to:
Pris Haffenden
3616-1/2 S. Centinela Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(213) 390-2779
Published quarterly (Jan, Apr, Jul. Oct)
All contents copyright @1989bytheAvatarMeherBaba
Center of Southern California. except where noted.
Cables, Letters On Mehera's Passing
The following cable from Mani and the
Meherazad Family was received by the Meher
Center in Myrtle Beach, May 19, 1989 (U.S.A.)
"Beloved Meher Baba has taken Mehera, His
beloved unto Himself on 20th May, 1989.
Mehera's body is being buried next to His
Samadhi on Meherabad as specified by
Baba. The light ofMehera's pure supreme love
for her only Beloved will forever illumine the
Earth, in the hearts ofHis lovers everywhere. "
(signed) Mani and Meherazad Family
Mehera expired at approximately 9:45 a.m.
India time on May 20,1989.
Our cable from the AMBCSC sent May 19,
1989 at approximately 11 p.m. PST:
''At last Mehera is free, merged in the Embrace
ofthe Eternal Beloved, Meher Baba. All aliI' love
to Mani and all the Mandali." - AMI3CSC
Excerpt from a letter to all "Dearest friends
and lovers of beloved Meher Baba," from Kitty,
Margaret, and Jane in Myrtle Beach:
"We at the Center will gather together
tonight to remember the beautiful life and the
matchless love of Mehera for her Beloved,
Avatar Meher Baba. How Compassionate is
the Compassionate One to give all of us the jay
of seeing His Mehera with her Beloved on film
and video: treasures for all time. The greatest
treasure that He has given us is the picture in
our hearts forever: the memories of all the joy
and love and remembrance of beloved Baba
that she gave selflessly and unstintedly to all for
the past twenty years. And the gifts of gifts from
the GodMan: the example of the "purest soul
in the Universe" whose every breath was for
Him; who loved Him as He ought to be loved.
We will help each other to be happy for
Baba's Mehera, who so longed to join her
Beloved. But our Beloved will understand our
tears of mixed joy and grief. And He will surely
give all our hearts' overflowing 10Je and deepest
consolation to Mehera's Sisters, to each of our
loving Meherazad family; for this love comes
only from Him and by His Grace. " 3
WHY I MADE THE FILM
MEHER BABA -AVATAR OF THE AGE
by Irwin Luck, Director of Production
[Editor's Note: Irwin Luck's film highlighting
the work ofMeher Baba with God-Intoxicated
masts premiers publicly in Los Angeles at the NuArt
Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Boulevard, W.Los
Angeles, April 18-22. In its press release the film is
described as follows: "Meher Baba - Avatar of the
Age is a film portrait of eternal significance for
posterity, containing the wisdom and love of the
ages as given from God to man. TIle viewer is
swept away on a mystical and enchantingjourney
with Meher Baba, following him as he travels to
remote places - into the jungles, rainforests,
mOlintains, villages, and marketplaces - where he
contacts advanced souls, the God intoxicated,
pilgrims ofthe higher planes ofconsciousness, and
saints in the state ofillumination. TIle film
'provides a rare peek at his work, his suffering5, his
silence, his Masters, his boyhood, his humor, his
mission, his love, and his glory."
Meher Baba has already played publicly to
audiences in many cities across the U.S. Irwin says,
"To see Meher Baba on the big screen with a
theatre's great sound system surrounded by
The film world cannot escape its obligations to
the larger world on which it makes so substan-
tial an impression; and these obligations
demand that its spiritual potential take
precedence over the desire to make money. The
script writers, the producers, and the actors
should realize their spiritual potential instead
of looking at their art as merely or mainly a
business. The more vividly they realize this, the
more dignified and satisfactory will the result of
their efforts be; and their inner account with
themselves will be vastly gratifying, even though
the same might not be said of their account in
the bank. If the film world cannot or will not
give the greatest importance to this spiritual
potential, it is a failure.
Baba on the Film World (from The Path of
Love, edited by Filis Frederick, p.12S):
hundreds ofpeople hearing of Meher Baba for the
first time is a stunning experience." Describing one
particular showing, he says, "People became deeply
absorbed by the film portrayal of Meher Baba.
Many wept profusely and the theatre rang with
applause after the show. "
In a letter to Irwin concerning the film, Mani
has written: "Your vivid description and those
manlelous photos ofHis Name on the marquee [at
the Charles Theatre in Baltimore} and the lines of
people queuing up for the show really gave us the
feeling of this exciting new 'scene' in Baba 's Peifect
Play ofgoing public these days. We also appreciate
howmuch work you have put in behind the scenes
dear Irwin to bring it all about -- Behind yOIl, of
course, is the Master Producer Himself, turning the
key to open up hearts around Amercia."
Here Irwin talks about his own reasons for
making the film. }
I had met Meher Baba in 1960 and was deeply
impressed by his life, actions, and statements. For
10 years I had contact with him through visits and
correspondence, until he left his mortal body on
January 31, 1969.
This led me to travel around the world over a
period of seven years directing film crews to film
and document those who had met Meher Baba
and to record first hand accounts of what Meher
Baba said and did with them. Hundreds of
interviews were done throughout the USA,
Australia, India, Europe, Israel, Persia, and other
countries. This work filled 1/4 million feet of film
and an equivalent amount of videotape, but most
important of all was that I also collected many
films of Meher Baba himself taken by the people I
was interviewing.
One particular film was deteriorating rapidly
and would soon become a lost film due to its
condition. This is the film which later became the
movie Meher Baba -Avatar of the Age. Not only
did it contain rare film footage of Meher I3aba but
it also contains the only existing film footage ever
taken of "Masts".
I decided to engage in directing a work to not
only correct the physical and optical problems of the
original film, but also to develop methods and
teChniques, both artistic and technical, to turn the
continued on page 10
Good News from the Bookstore
We now have a large selection of videotapes of
and about Meher Baba. How wonderful to be
able to see our Beloved's form on film in our own
homes. These are available at the Center, or you
can order them by mail. There are 12 in all.
Prices vary from $25 to $75.
"The Ancient One" is a 30-minute video, most
of which is from film taken at the Last Public
Darshan given by Baba in Poona in 1%5. The
sound track features Meher Baba's Universal
Message in the 64th Family Letter.
"Avatar" is an excellent introductory film
about Baba to showyour friends when they ask,
"Just who is this man anyway?" Made by the
Australian group, it has footage of Baba in the
50's and 60's at the Poona Center, and also with
the mandali at Meherazad. It has music and
narration, is 15 minutes long, and is $45.
"8eloved With Us". This color film features
scenes of Meher Baba in Guruprasad.
Meherabad and Meherazad in 1959 and 1960.
The soundtrack includes some of Baba's favorite
western songs. The film is 10 minutes long and
costs $40.
"The Future With Meher Baba". This is a 45-
minute interviewwith Eruch Jessawalla taken -at
Meherazad in 1981, reflecting his life as a close
disciple of our Beloved. The cost is $25.
"Godman". This is a film of the 1976
Amartithi at Meherabad, taken through the eyes
of pilgrims from all over the world, and including
interviews with Rano, Padri, Eruch, & Mani. $55.
"The Lord of Love" combines four short silent
films of Baba with an added soundtrack of music
dedicated to Him. "Dehra Dun 1954", "The
Avatar in Australia 1958", "Happy Birthday 8aba
1958" celebrating His 64th birthday at
Meherabad, and finally "Walking with the Master
1961" showing Baba at Bund Garden, the zoo,
and childrens' day at Guruprasad. $65.
"How to Love You". Someone once asked
Baba "How can I love you?" Eruch tells us the
story of Baba's reply at Mandali Hall, Meherazad
in November 1984. It's 45 minutes long and costs
$35.
"Mani in Meherazad Garden". This color
video ofMani was taken in February 1982, and
she tells us about her childhood and life with her
brother, the Godman. 35 minutes long, it's $35.
"Meher Baba's Call" is a major film
production taken from the original 35mm footage
shot during the 1954 period known as the Three
Incredible Weeks. Darwin Shaw narrates and it
gives us a feeling of what is was like to be in the
presence of Meher Baba during such gatherings.
3S minutes long, it's $75.
"0 Parvardigar" is Peter Townshend's (of
"The Who") wonderful selling to music of the
Master's Prayer, with excellent footage of Baba.
At 10 minutes long, it costs $45. (Beautiful to play
each night before bed.)
"Padri". This is an hour's compilation of
various interviews with Padri. $35.
"Welcome To My World". This is a marvelous
talk with Mani at Meherazad in 1983, wherein she
explains and demonstrates Meher Baba's unique
hand gestures. Only $25. - Dina Franklin
Avatar Meher Baba Trust
[The following has been excerpted from the
Friends of tlte Avatar Meher Baba TnLSt circulars. }
"Lovers of Avatar Meher'Baba who are
familiar with His Tomb at Meherabad, His
disciples, and His home at Meherazad often hear
of Avatar Meher Baba Trust and wonder, 'What is
the Trust? What is it for? Who set it up?'
"In 1959, at Guruprasad, Poona, Meher Baba
summoned some of His disciples and expressed
His Wish to form a trust with the sole property
which remained in His Name at that time. This
property is comprised of an area of land on
Meherabad Hill with all its buildings, including
Baba's Tomb. Incorporating Baba's specific
instructions, the Deed of Avatar Meher Baba
Trust was drawn up.
"The primary purpose of the Trust, though of
a temporary nature, was to provide for those of
Baba's disciples dependent on Baba whom He
named in the Deed as 'beneficiaries.' Its long
range purpose was to maintain th\< existing Trust
properties, particularly Baba's Tomb, and to
develop and expand them for the time when
Meherabad would become a center of pilgrimage
for the world. continued on page 8
5
6
All events, unless otherwise noted, are at
the Center, 10808 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Los Angeles, (213)474-9454. If you have
ideas or requests for future programs, please
contact John Stout at (213) 454-2447.
JULY EVENTS
July 1, Saturday. NO MEETING, DUE TO
SAHAVAS. See you next week. Jai Baba!
July 8, Saturday, 8pm. "I HAVE COME
NOT TO TEACH, BUT TO AWAKENn-
NfEHER BABA. What does Baba's silence
mean to you? Awakening is a chalIenge.
Come share your experience or read your
favorite selection. Coordinated by John
Stout.
.July 10, Monday, 8pm. SILENCE DAYl
~ m e in silence and see the Beloved on
film.
July 15, Saturday, 6pm. FARSI
LANGUAGE MEETING. Study of Meher
Baba's Discourses, in Farsi. Prayers and arti
at the end of the meeting. All are welcome!
Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
July 15, Saturday, 8pm. A NIGHT OF
BABA MUSIC. Relax and enjoy an evening
of music with local artists. Coordinated by
Cookie Jessica.
July 22, Saturday, 8pm. LEELA
INQUIRER. An entertaining look at what's
happening in Baba's world. Join us, with
Editor-Host Marc ofHollywood.
July 29, Saturday, 8pm. FILMNiGHT.
Tonight you choose the movie!
Coordinated by Charlie Morton.
AUGUST EVENTS
August 5, Saturday, 6pm. FARSI
LANGUAGE MEETING. Study of Meher
Baba's Discourses, in Farsi. Prayers and arti
at the end of the meeting. All are welcome!
Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
August 5, Saturday, 8pm. POETRY,
MUSIC, VISUAL ARTS, AND FUNl Come
share your latest triumph or tragedy in
Baba's world of shared heartful art. Talk,
whisper, sing, recite. Will David is the host.
August 12, Saturday, 8pm. NEW
UNSEEN VIDEOS OFBABA'S MANDALIl
See Mani in Meherazad Garden and Eruch
JessawalIa in Mandali HalI. Coordinated by
Dina Franklin.
August 19, Saturday, 8am-6pm. YARD
SALE AT THE CENTER. Save up goodies
and expendables for this fund raiser. Please
note: Items you wish to donate can be left at
the center no earlier than August 12. If you
would like to volunteer, please contact
coordinator Behnaz Lorkalantari evenings
at (818) 363-8254.
Santa Barbara Baba Group
The Santa Barbara Meher Baba group
meets every other Friday. For meeting
times and locations call Donna Bayet at
(805) 682-1877, or Leslie Tejada at (805)
967-4796.
San Diego Baba Group
The San Diego Meher Baba group meets
monthly. For meeting times and locations,
call Scott or Anne Makeig at (619) 481-2941.
Flowers for Meetings
We have a table for Baba's sadra box in
our meeting hall, along with vases for
flowers. All are encouraged to bring flowers
for the Saturday night meetings.
August 19, Saturday, 6pm. FARSI
LANGUAGE MEETING. Study of Meher
Baba's Discourses, in Farsi. Prayers and arti
at the end of the meeting. All are welcome!
Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
(;c ....

. -'
>i /IfGod were to appear !let once again in Iillllll1ll form,
Wliat would He sa!l?
Wliat would He do?
How would we know?
August 19, Saturday, 8pm. BABA FILM
AT THE NU-ART! Meet at the center as
usual, where we'll discuss the latest news
about Irwin Luck's film, Meher Baba, Avatar
ofthe Age - The Human Side ofGod. Then
as a group we all will go to the Nu-Art
Theatre and see the film on the big screen!
Refreshments served at the Center after the
movie. Coordinated by John Stout.
August 26, Saturday, 8pm. A GENERAL
INTRODUCTION TO MEHER BABA - HIS
LIFE, HIS MESSAGE. Public meeting and
movie. Coordinated by Bryan Drygas, John
Stout, and Marc Brutus.
SEPTEMBER EVENTS
September 2, Saturday, 6pm. FARSI
LANGUAGE MEETING. Study of Meher
Baba's Discourses, in Farsi. Prayers and arti
at the end of the meeting. All are welcome!
Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
September 2, Saturday, 8pm. "HOWI
CAME TO BABA": HAYEDEH R.
GHASWALLA SHARES HER STORY An
inspirational evening awaits! Coordinated
by Linda Zavala.
September 9, Saturday, 8pm. SPECIAL
GUEST TONIGHT: ANDYMUIR! Andy
will visit us from the East Coast, sharing his
experience and love with us. He previously
delighted us as a Sahavas Guest Speaker.
Coordinated by John Stout.
September 16, Saturday, 6pm. FARSI
LANGUAGE MEETING. Study of Meher
Baba's Discourses, in Farsi. Prayers and arti
at the end of the meeting. All are welcome! -
Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
September 16, Saturday, 8pm. ASK
MEllER BABA. A unique question and
answer session in which Baba, through
transcripts of 1934 interviews, will field
audience questions regarding career,
creativity, health, and spirituality. Emceed
by Jeff Maguire.
September 23, Saturday, 8pm.
PERFECTMASTERS. Tonight we discuss
some interesting things about the Perfect
Masters who brought Baba down from the
Beyond Beyond state. Coordinated by
Adele Wolkin.
September 30, Saturday, 8pm. FILM
NIGHT! Our projectionist Charlie Morton
picks tonight's feature. There will also be a
brief discussion on Meher Baba's Final
Declaration given in 1954. <
7
8
AMBCSC Bulletin Board
Contributions Sought for the Lamp Post'
Please share your artwork, poetry, letters,
articles, and ideas with us. Send to Greg and Gay
Dunn, 22100 Erwin St.#221A, Woodland Hills,
CA 91367, or call us at (818) 719-9113. Deadline
for Fall 89 issue: September 1.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Karen Blackmore, winner
of the Center's recent Ry to Myrtle Beach
sweepstakes, and to runners-up Kevin Docherty of
Los Angeles and Jack Beymer of Santa Rosa.
Thanks to all ticket purchasers for your
contributions in this fund-raising effort!
Congratulations to John and Patti (Thorne)
Stout on their April 1st marriage; and to Ellie and
Brent Drygas on the birth of their new baby sister,
Lauren Melanie. Lauren arrived April 27th to the
. delighted welcome of parents Brian and Karen.
Thanks
. Special thanks to David McNeely and Chris
Pearson for constructing and finishing lending
library shelves in the Center office; and to Larry
Retcher and Chris for their ongoing work with the
tape cassette lending library, which is appreciated
by its many users across the United States.
Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed for the following
service opportunities: (1) a monthly cleanup of
the Center; (2) setup of the book lending library at
the Center; and (3) to do promotional work for
Irwin Luck's film Meher Baba, Avatar of the Age,
to be shown publicly at the NuArt Theatre in
August (see related article in this issue). Please
contact Adele Wolkin if you would like to
volunteer for any of these jobs.
The Love Street Lamp Post needs a reporter
or reporters to cover Center events. Call us!
India Travel Companions Needed
Stephanie Sheppard of Tucson, Arizona would
like traveling companions for her first trip to India,
planned approximately for November of this year.
She writes: "I am a young Baba-Iover...very
inexperienced in traveling, especially outside the
U.S. I am hoping that some of you may know of
others going to India around that time
[November] that I could get in touch with...Thank
you and Jai Baba." You can write Stephanie at
1166 E. Ellis Street, Tucson, AZ 85719.
Mail Order Cassette Library
If you would like a free information packet
containing a catalog of available talks write to:
AMBC-CL, POB 3233, Redondo Beach, CA
90277.
Northeast Gatheringfor Meher Baba
Featuring guests Charles Haynes, Kusum
Singh, and Peter Saul, this gathering will be held
August 25, 26, and 27 at Camp Lenox in the
Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts.
The program will include talks, panel discussions,
entertainment and children's programs, films and
slides, and an arts and crafts sale. Recreational
facilities include swimming, canoeing, windsurfing,
kayaking, hiking, tennis, baseball, volleyball,
football, weight training, and Seven Tiles.
Adult registration for the gathering is $100;
teenagers (13-17) are $75; and children 3 and up
and $55. For"more information contact Don
Eucker at (201) 239-Q965, 131 Sunrise Terrace,
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009.
Trust News continued from page 5
"The development of Meherabad was
thoroughly detailed by Meher Baba in 1959; now
it has become a place of pilgrimage in the eyes of
the public and the scope of its facilities is widening
to encompass more and more of humanity, as was
His wish.
"From the Trust Office comes a loving JAI
BABA to each and all the lovers whose
remembrance of the Beloved helps fulfill His
wishes for His Trust."
[End ofexcerpt. ]
Trust donations may be sent to "Friends of the
Meher Baba Trust" c/o Karina Page, Trustwalla,
4530 Starling Way, Los Angeles, CA 90065. If
you have any questions about the Trust, please
call Karina at (213) 225-3910. . Karina Page
Mehera
9
Mehera, by Mehera 1. Irani. Illustrated with 95
photos in black & white and color, 320 pages, cloth
cover with jacket. Order from Beloved Books, c/o
Glow Box 10, New York, NY10185.
Price: $40, which includespostage.
By Mehera J. Irani
An Excerpt From the New Book Mani. And yet again Baba's hand went into His
pocket, and out came a third one for Khorshed.
As we were holding these little, bald birds they
started to cry. "They're hungry," Baba told us,
''we'll feed them." We kneaded some chick pea
flour with a little ghee and gave it to Baba. he was
sitting down with the three parrots perched in
front of Him, and they were crying and crying for
food. Then they opened their beaks very, very
wide like open suitcases, and Baba put some food
in one baby's beak. The second one cried, "Me
too," and Baba fed that one, and then the third
one. And by that time the first one was crying very
hard again; he wanted more. So Baba hurried to
feed him, and so it went on. They ate and they
ate, until they just sat in front of Baba and
groaned.
Baba said, "Now they've eaten too much, and
they'll get upset tummies. We'll give them a
walk."
So Baba set them down on the kitchen floor,
and you cannot imagine how ugly they looked
without their feathers and covered with this awful
pink skin, and with big red beaks and scrawny
necks. "Now let's push them forward," Baba said,
and He pushed them with one finger. But
because they had eaten so much, they did not
want to walk. But Baba told us, "No, we have to
make them walk." So we walked them all the way
to the far wall of the kitchen, then Baba turned
them around and pushed them forward for
another walk. Two or three rounds of the kitchen
later Baba said, "Now they'll all right; put them in
the basket. They'll be fine." They were fine, and
in the evening they were hungry again!
These parrots grew up to be very beautiful
birds, and Baba brought them a lovely large, brass
cage... Later, when we began to travel, Baba gave
them to some Baba lovers to keep.
One day Baba came up a little earlier than
usual for His lunch. We rushed to quickly prepare
His tray and to be ready to wash His hands, but
Baba instead put His hand in His pocket and told
me, "Take this!" I put out my hand, and Baba
placed a baby bird in it! "Oh," I said, "It's so ugly,
Baba!" It was a green parrot, but it had not a
single feather, only this skinny, scrawny neck, and
a big, red beak. And it looked very, very ugly.
Baba replied, "But when its feathers grow it will be
very beautiful. Just wait, you'll see."
Then again Baba put His hand in His pocket,
and He brought out another little bald bird for
Painting by Charles Mills of Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina. Reproductions ofCharles's paintings are
on sale at the Center bookstore.
Avatar ofAge film frampage 4
raw footage into a smooth flowing documentary
love story.
This film was orignally shot with one 16MM
hand-held camera. From the 25 minutes of silent
film footage, a film of one hour and twenty
minutes was created, complete with sound track,
using optical techniques so precise and demanding
that it took seven years of work to develop the raw
material into a finished motion picture film.
Many techniques were utilized in creating a
movie from the fragmented scenes taken by an
amateur photographer so long ago. Each frame
of the film had to be worked on and individually
corrected. Every frame had to be re-centered to
correct shakiness and shrinkage caused by the
passage of time. Heavy scratch marks were
removed with light diffusion optics. Both
overexposed and underexposed scenes were
, restored to make an acceptable or perfect image.
Special effects, techniques, optical work, and
editing in many key scenes give the film the
appearance of being filmed with three to six .
cameras aimed from different vantage points.
Adjustments of the film speed allow the viewer to
follow the subtleties of mood, action, and
expreSSion in each scene which would otherwise be
missed.
Finally, the film was given a musical score and
natural sound effects that tell the story of the
Divine Romance that Meher Baba lived. All the
film's words belong exclusively to Meher Baba.
No interpretations are given. Meher Baba is seen
as presenting himself the way he did in his life -
and the blending of music, film, and words reveals
Him in His advent as never before.
[Ifyou would like to help with publicity for Meher
Baba, Avatar of the Age, please contact Adele
Wolkin at (213) 540-8404. Showtimes are as follows:
Weekdays 5:45-7:30-9:15; Sat.& Sun. 2:15-4:00-5:45-
7:30-9:15, August 18-22.J
A Song to the Beloved from His Mehera
Mehera J. Irani
Meher Baba, Lord and friend
My Beloved to the end.
You are my heart, my life, my soul.
You are my all, my only goal.
Jai, jai, jai, Meher Baba, Lord and friend,
My Beloved to the End.
Beloved, I am by Your light:
Your love's sun makes my moon bright.
Jai, jai, jai, Meher Baba, Lord and friend,
My Beloved to the End.
All day long for you I long,
Sing your name and your love song.
Jai, jai, jai, Meher Baba, Lord and friend,
My Beloved to the End.
Though my heart weeps all the while
For your sake I wear a smile.
Jai, jai, jai, Meher Baba, Lord and friend,
10 My Beloved to the End.
Your dear pleasure is my joy.
Mine is not to question why.
Jai, jai, jai, Meher Baba, Lord and friend,
My Beloved to the End.
You who play the Perfect Game,
Shape my heart into Your name.
Jai, jai, jai, Meher Baba, Lord and friend,
My Beloved to the End.
Make me, Lord, Your song of praise.
Fill all hearts with Your dear grace.
Jai, jai, jai, Meher Baba, Lord and friend,
My Beloved to the End.
Meher Baba, Lord and friend,
My Beloved to the End.
[Along with these words Mellera composed music
for this song. You can find it recorded on the
allium "In His Love".J
Biography of Mehera from page 2
South Carolina to Meher Mount in Ojai,
California, they met with an auto accident in
Prague, Oklahoma in which Baba and Mehera
were seriously hurl. Baba later explained that,
through her injuries, He had given Mehera a lillie
bit of His suffering to share. Previous to this
accident Mehera had been carefully secluded from
anything mundane or relating 10 the physical body.
In the course of being treated for her injuries,
Mehera was touched by Dr. Burleson, the
allending physician in Prague. This was the first
time in many years she had been touched by any
man besides Baba. After this time she slowly
began having more contact with the world.
During the next 15 years she and several others of
the women mandali travelled with Baba, primarily
in India. They began having much closer contact
with the western women mandali, attended many
of Baba's Darshans, and wrote many
communiques to lovers all over the world to
inform them of Baba's activities.
Mehera could not remember the 1952
accident after it happened, and Baba instructed
those around her never to mention it to her.
When Meher Baba dropped His body in 1969
it was as if Mehera's world had collapsed. She
suffered beyond human comprehension and
yearned day and night for her Beloved. For the
last twenty years she rose above her own personal
longing, greeting all the lovers coming 10 visit their
Beloved's Home in the East, year after year. She
lived and served until the very day that he called
her back to Him.
When Adi K. Irani was in San Francisco in
1979 Murshida Duce asked him about Mehera
and her role in Baba's work. He replied: ''It is very
difficult for me to answer, because certain
questions are to be answered by Baba alone.
Opinions are our own conjecture, and anybody
who has seen Baba and who has seen Mehera --
who has read about Baba and who has read about
Mehera -- can themselves try to understand the
relationship between Mehera and Baba. As for
me, I feel that with Baba as God, Mehera really
represented for Baba the whole Creation.
I remember that Baba once made a remark, 'I
love Mehera for my sake, but I love you all for
your sake.' What does it mean? Would you try to
understand this? His saying 'I love Mehera for my
sake' means 'I am God, and I love the entire
Creation because 1have work 10 do with that
Creation,' and '1 love you for your sake' means
'for your benefit 1love you, to redeem you from
illusion.'
"One day 1was really astounded to hear Baba
say, 'Do you know that 1love Mehera the best?'
'Yes, Baba.' 'But do you mean to say that I am
going to give her God-Realization?'
"It is very astounding. Does Baba need God-
Realization? He has God-Realization already, so
if Mehera is a part and parcel of Baba, naturally
she is there with him. You can interpret this any
way you like, because except in a very few cases
Baba never bothered to give any comments or
interpretations of his messages and declarations,
unless he was very pointedly asked and he was in a
mood to give il."
One day when the blind chiropractor, Dr.
Harry Kenmore, was with Baba, Baba said: "Harry
Kenmore has a very good heart. He is 100
percent for Baba, and is the only man to whom
Mehera was permitted to speak, for five minutes.
I have not permitted Mehera to speak to any
man." Baba then asked, "Harry, what did you feel
about Mehera?" Harry replied: "Mehera radiates
love and purity. I felt she was the feminine
counterpart of Baba." Baba turned and gave him
a kiss.
A tremendous feeling of love which flows from
Mehera to the hearts of all those who met her, can
be described in 'Mani's words, "I never understood
the word 'holy' ,until I met Mehera. There is a
depth in her eyes. She sees one thing: Baba."
In the forthcoming biography of Mehera by
Naosherwan Anzar, Mani states in the forward:
"As Sita was for Ram, Radha for Krishna and
_ Mary for Jesus, for this advent of Meher Baba, it
. is Mehera who plays the leading role. This role of
being the chosen counterpart to the God-Man
amounts to the highest, purest, most spiritual
relationship, consisting of Divine Love which the
world cannot imagine."
Baba said, "She is my very breath without
which I cannot live. Mehera loves me as I should
be loved."
AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
10808 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90025
ADDRESS CORRECTION
REQUESTED
. - - - - - - - ~ e h e r a - - - - - - - - - - ,
by Teri Adams
Mehera -- Our Beloved's Beloved.
Mehera -- the lovely Rose of Baba's heart,
Pierced by Her perfect love for Him.
He has come to pluck this most precious Rose
And remove its thorns of separation,
Drying each tear of longing with its petals.
He has arrived on His white stallion,
His arms open for her;
As they at last embrace
The universe sings the song of Mehera's joy.
In every soul there is a measure of sweet Mehera,
A yearning for completeness,
A lovely Rose longing to bloom
Forever in our Beloved's Heart garden.
Thank you, sweet and gentle Mehera.
Non-Profit Organization
U.S.Postage
PAl D
Redondo Beach, CA
Permit No.196
DATED MATERIAL
PLEASE EXPEDITE
....

.+..
[]] 01
....
,Cam(EosLJ
THE AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
NEWSLETTER & CALENDAR FOR FALL 1989
On The Subject of Fault Finding, Backbiting,
and "Telling It As It Is"
by AdeLe WoLkin
Meher Baba has said that "Words that
proceed from the Source of Truth have real
meaning. But when men speak these words as
their own, the words become meaningless."l The
words, the teaching, the awakening we need above
all to reap from the universal harvest of His
wisdom pertains to How To Love Him. The
Protector of All, Meher Baba, dispenses the one
and only panacea that can remedy the human
predicament that erects obstacles to love. Love
for God is the only remedy and He has shown us
and told us in infinite ways how to love Him. Why
must tbere be a "human predicament" - and why is
it so persistent when the Protector of all has
provided us with all the antidotes, remedies, and
strategies to overcome it?
The Avatar's work and teaching has always
been to awaken us to our birthright which He
described as a state of joy and fulfillment. Yet,
there are hurdles that prevent the soul in human
form from realizing its birthright. "The expression
of the divine life... is distorted by the sanskaras,
which weld consciousness instead to the.. .false-
phenomenal." Love is the only remedy...and
Grace alone leads to this Love.
Our Object is to love God more and more and
still yet more; then how do we act? The
Compassionate Awakener has given us the
"Dissertation on Love,,2 as a guide: "To give and
never to ask." "Wishing well for others at tbe cost
of one's self." "Never backbiting." "Tolerance
supreme." "Trying not worry." "Thinking more of
the good points in others and less of their bad
points."
F.H. Dadachanji included in his "Notes From
My Diary,,3, in 1939, a most outstanding quote
from a discourse that Baba was giving that
described tbe enemies to grace and love:
"Of the three most important things to be
eliminated before attaining God realization: greed,
lust, andninda, the last, meaning 'backbiting', is
tbe worst and most disastrous. One can overcome
greed, or even lust, thougb both of these are very
hard to get over; but the worst and the most
difficult of all to eliminate is this habit of ninda.
Speaking ill and trying to find faults or flaws of
others, because this particular act or vice incurs
the burden of sins, or what are technically termed
sanskaras of others, which are spiritually very
1 Everything and the Nothing, g.113
2 The Path ofLove, discourses by Meher Baba
compiled by Filis Frederick, p.98.
3 Meher Baba JournaL, Vol. 1, February, 1939, p.93.
2
derogatory and reactionary."
"The habit of criticizing our fellow-beings is a
bad one. At the back of it often lies self-
righteousness, conceit, and a false sense of
superiority. Sometimes it indicates envy or a
desire for retaliation. Those who criticize should
first look to themselves. They will find greater
faults within themselves than in others."'!
"You can counteract a disease only by its
antidote. Love is the antidote to hatred. When
you feel like hating a man try to remind yourself
that he is a form of your own Self."
"For real spiritual service the disciple has to be
prepared for all eventualities... When met with
aggression he should be like the football that is
kicked, for the very kicking raises it aloft and
propels it onward till the goal is reached... True
humility is strength, not weakness. It disarms
antagonism and ultimately conquers it."S
"To love God in the most practical way is to
love our fellow beings If we feel for others in the
same way as we feel for our own dear ones we love
God." "If instead of seeing faults in others
6
we
look within ourselves, we are loving God."
"Neither despise any being, nor look with
contempt on others; but attempt, if you can, to
give all a helping hand; for Oneness is the secret,
and the journey is towards the same goaL"
Sincere self-examination is integral to honesty.
"God is infinite honesty. To love God you must be
honest. When hypocrisy comes into play it works
much greater havoc within one's own psyche than
in the outer sphere. The perceptible damage in
the outer sphere is great, but the unperceived
damage in the spiritual realm is stupendous."
In further review of some of the things Meher
Baba said about backbiting, Kitty Davy quotes
him as follows in Love Alone Prevails: "Don't
criticize. The habit of criticizing our fellow-being
is a bad one. At the back of it often lies self-
righteousness, conceit, a false sense of superiority.
Sometimes it indicates envy or a desire for
retaliation"? In the Prayer ofRepentance, Baba
cautions us in many ways against backbiting: "We
repent, 0 God most merciful, for all our sins... for
every thought that was false, or unjust, or
unclean.. Jor every word spoken that ought not to
have been spoken.. Jor all slander and
backbiting.. Jor every action tbat has brought ruin
to others... for every word and deed that has given
others pain, and for every wish that pain should
befall others."
And yet, in the same section of Love Alone
Prevails referred to above, Kitty provides the
following account of a meeting among the
Western women at Baba's Nasik ashram: "Norina
brought up the question of food--how to cater to
all and still be economical. Baba Himself took up
the subject, and each was asked to give his or her
continued on page 14
4 From Love Alone Prevails, by Kitty Davy.
5 Gleaned from various writings of Meher Baba.
6 From "How to Love God" by Meher Baba.
7 Love Alone Prevails, p. 164.
Kitty's 98th Birthday Celebration
by Adele Wolkin and MOlY Lloyd Dugan
Kitty was born August 28, 1891 in England
and has served her Creator from her first meeting
with Him, in 1931. Aside from Birthday
celebrations for Baba or Mehera, I have never
experienced a birthday as splendid and colorful.
The main program coordinators were Dennis
McCabe, Mary Lloyd Dugan, and Lois Breger,
They were successful in weaving enormous talent
most harmoniously into presentations of songs,
slides, skits, readings, and film. Mary Lloyd
provides the following description of the event:
"While Kitty kept wondering, 'Why all the
fuss?', we pressed on with our surprise plans.
Three days of celebration marked her 98th
birthday. From children's skits to comedy
routines, from puppets to poetry to song and
THE LOVE STREET LAMP POST
A quarterly publication of the
Avatar Meher Baba Center
of Southern California
10808 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(213) 474-9454
This newsletter is designed to keep the Southern California
Meher Baba community and friends abreast of Center
activities, and to provide a forum for contempory accounts
of life with Meher Baba as Guide.
Editors: Greg and Gay Dunn
Commit/ee Reporter: Diana Goodheart
Program Chairperson: John Stout
Contributors: Mary Lloyd Dugan, Larry Fletcher, Dina
Franklin, David McNeely, Danny Maguire (for babysitting!),
Lynne Maguire, Andy Muir, Karina Page, Christina Riley,
John Stout, Adele Wolkin, Linda Zavala.
Mailing: Pris Haffenden
Please und aU newsktler material to:
Greg and Gay Dunn
2616 Vargas Way
Redondo Beach, CA 90267
(213) 371-6321
Pkau send address changes/subscription requests to:
Pris Haffenden
3616-1/2 S. Centinela Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(213) 390-2779
Published quarterly (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct)
All contents copyright @ 1989 by the Avatar Meher Baba
Center of Southern California, except where noted.
dance, a good time was had by all!
"The Saturday night festivities were poignantly
framed by Friday and Sunday's showing of a two-
hour interview with Kitty, taped several years ago.
In it, Kitty recounts her first meeting with Baba,
her early years with Him, and the stages on the
path of her close discipleship. The video material
alone provided enough for a rich storytelling
festival!
'''Love Alone Prevails', the Saturday surprise
program, focussed on Kitty's life with the Master
and stressed her example of love and service. This
theme was introduced with a slide presentation
and went on to include songs, stories, readings,
and films. The mood was humorous one moment,
devotional the next. Rainbow streamers and
bouquets of roses turned the meeting place into a
sea of color.
"Sunday's activities began with an evening
community picnic on the Center, climaxing in a
musical round of 'Happy Birthday!' as a gigantic,
multi-tiered cake was paraded out to Kitty. Then
the crowd Slipped back into the meeting place for
a children's program of skits and music and a play
performed by children decked out in magic
rainbow capes. When the play was finished, the
children proudly stood in line to recieve little
birthday presents from Kitty. Then all were
treated to Part II of the video.
"Best of all, the overall feeling of love, warmth,
and good will -- toward Kitty and toward everyone
present -- was yet another experience of the
Beloved's bounty and His gifts as he draws us
closer to Him (and to our own Real Birthday!)"
Kitty looked more radiant and lovable than
the bevy of multi-colored roses that surrounded
her. Love Alone Did Prevail both in Kitty and the
celebrants.
Contributions Soughtfor the Lamp Post!
Please share your artwork, poetry, letters,
articles, and ideas with us. Sel)d to Greg and Gay
Dunn, 2616 Vargas Way, Redondo Beach, CA
90278, or call us at (213) 371-6321. Deadline for
Winter 90 issue: December 1. 3
Poems By Andy Muir
Hermitage Cabin, Meher Spiritual Center
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
May 1988
WHERE? OR, WHEN?
Where shall the arrow of this life fall?
What land alien to the present will the shaft bury deeply and sprout again?
Which man and woman will join? Will I know where I have come?
In tropic or what climate shall I play? What length of night or day?
How shall I find your daaman? In what tongue shall I cry to you?
Will I be woman? Man? Will I live in wealth or starve with flies?
Drunk in alley lay? Gracefully ballet? Plant rice or follow plow?
Be tycoon? Poet seeking rhyme for Moon or June?
Teacher, nurse or other sort of saint? Artist with brush and paint?
Will I know again and love again those I've loved the most?
Breakfast on cheese and olives, berries from the vine --
Cavier and wine, or eggs and toast?
Will I live at sea? Be PHd? Pick tea? Eat fast food or fast?
Be murderer or thief? With scalpal give relief? A life of joy or grief?
How shall I know where to go? Or whom to be?
No choice but leave it all to Thee.
You have brought me to your homes East and West where all are blessed.
We were face to face in the Barn and you declared our love.
Looking in your eyes -- Paradise.
I cannot but wonder how another life could be -- as sweet as this to me.
You said that Somewhere, Somehow, Sometime -- so I wait...
Baba, Dear Beloved, I stand at the locked gate.
You hold the Key. I don't care where or who I might be.
Early or late, luck or fate.
Place the arrowwhen you will and with your perfect aim and skill
Send this soul beneath your feet.
If this may be your gift of Grace to me -- or not. I am in your net caught.
I'll happy be and worry not.
4
MEHERBABA
The Movie
(An Impression)
..
by Christina M Riley
I was rushing through traffic to the Nuart
theater on Friday, August 18. It was beginning to
get dark; the moon was bright and clear and
seemed huge even though it was a day from being
full. Tonite was the opening night of Irwin Luck's
film, MEHER BABA - Avatar of the Age. Some
of the people who had worked to promote the film
would be there already. I had been feeling
stressed out and frustrated by some of the events
leading up to this day. One night, weeks prior,
sitting at my computer composing a release at
2:00a.m, I wondered "How did I get so involved in
this whole thing? Why am I putting myself
through what some might even consider self-
abuse?" And then, very clearly and succinctly I
heard myself silently answer, "I am doing this for
Meher Baba." Simple. But it hadn't been that
much a straight matter of fact before that
moment. And now it was exciting to experience
the fruit of the efforts, all our efforts, and finally
see the film shown publicly. It was a very special
night. I flashed that just the day before had been
the full eclipse of the moon. (Linda Zavala would
know what this meant.)
Not surprisingly, there were no long lines at
the ticket booth. The local critics had been harsh
regarding the film's entertaiment value, but
acknowledged it as "highly devotional". The
dramatic question posed in the movie's flyer, "If
God were to appear yet once again in human
form, What would He say? What would He do?"
was provocative enough to elicit an expected
critical challenge. It was initially disturbing to read
one reviewer's response: "Would He have made a
film like this?" But when I got into the theater and
heard the trailer right before Irwin's film ask the
question, "What is HEAVY PETTING?", it
occurred to me that Baba was taking this whole
business very lightheartedly.
Attendance started out light and grew with the
film's run. It was a diverse crowd -- the curious,
seekers. I was surprised to see how many who
came had heard about Meher Baba at some time
in the past. Some lovers who don't come to
meetings turned up. People had a chance to
renew acquaintances and discover who else knows
of Meher Baba. Watching and listening to the
gathering in the Nuart lobby between shows on
Saturday night, the animated discussions between
those new and curious and those older lovers, it
seemed more like a gallery opening or a book
signing.
Saturday night was the most highly attended
by the Baba community, with each night after
bringing greater and greater numbers of people
from the general public. The last day, Tuesday,
saw 150 people apparently drawn by word-of-
mouth in spite of the reviews.
People had very extreme reactions to the
movie. When asked, some were confused; some
walked out before the film was over. Some people
continued on page 15
Letter from Meheru
..."Thankfully Baba keeps us busy in so many
different ways, and talking and thinking of Him
and Mehera our days are full. The Pilgrim season
since July 1 has opened in a big way with a large
influx of both Western and Eastern Baba lovers.
...In this New Phase of our life with Baba may
we love and remember Him more and in His dear
Mehera's footsteps play the role He asks of us.
Much love to you...
Nargis Rejoins Baba
Nargis Dadachanji passed away into Beloved
Baba's embrace on August 31 iJI Meherabad.
Nargis, who for many years housed pilgrims in her
Bombay home, was the sister of mandali member
Arnavaz Dadachanji. 5
6
AMBCSC Bulletin Board
Painting by Jurgis Sapkis. Done especially for the
1989 Sahavas in lovely Saba colors, the painting is
currently on display in the Center, and is for sale.
New Look allhe Center. Our hearty thanks to
Mark who painted the Center downstairs and to
Chris for providing the paint. The same to Nancy
Merwan, our new Decorating Chairperson, for her
very lovely work coordinating the Center's
redecoration, which we all now enjoy. If you have
ideas or donations relating to decorating please
call Nancy at (213) 650-5481. Finally, thanks to
Jurgis Sapkus for loaning his beautiful large
painting of Baba (above) to hang in the Center.
CongralulaJions to Joy Miller of Myrtle Beach
on winning the Sahavas Fly-to-India sweepstakes.
Jan Soto of Westlake Village took second place,
winning a copy of MeherBaba Manifesting.
Elizabeth Heaney of Tucson had her ticket drawn
third and received a rosewood-framed photo of
Baba and Mehera. As a fundraiser for the Center,
this sweepstakes was our most successful ever.
We all win!
Audio Casselle Library. The Center Audio
Cassette Library has several new titles which may
interest you; "Piercing the Veil" (Jane Haynes),
"How I Came to Baba" (Ann Conlon), and
"Spirituality and Intuition" (Filis Frederick) are
mentioned here to encourage you to look through
the updated catalog. Librarian Marc Brutus
reminds us that cassettes can be borrowed for 50
cents each. For a free catalog of available talks
write to: AMBC-CL, POB 3233, Redondo Beach,
CA90277.
Serving Baba by Serving Others. A particular
thank you is due Dina Franklin for her
indefatigable work with the bookstore, and in
many other capacities related to the Center.
Dina's traveling to Australia in September, where
among her objectives are video projects portraying
Avatar's Abode.
Ongoing opportunities naturally exist to help
those in our own community who suffer
misfortunes and ill health. Many people have
recently joined to reach out to those particularly in
need. We are all grateful and appreciative.
At this time Richard Nimmler has heavy
medical expenses, and the prospect of more. To
help defray these, Richard's large painting of Baba
by Lyn Ott is being raffled. Tickets are $50.
Contact Linda zavala (818) 795-8322 for details.
Sahavas Committee. The 1990 Sahavas will be
held from June 30 to July 4th. BRAD
KALCHURI has already made plans to
come... have you? Other guests are still being
selected and invited by the Sahavas Committee. If
you would like to participate in this process your
input is welcome! Also, remember that many
contributions can be made by people living out of
town; for example, last year the Fresno Group
designed and made the wonderful name tags by
which we all got to know one another.
If you feel you don't have the time to
participate throughout the year but would still like
to serve, there are some committees which require
work only during the Sahavas. If you have the
inclination to join our Sahavas effort this year,
please don't hesitate to write the Sahavas
Committee, c/o the Avatar Meher Baba Center of
Southern California, or call David McNeely - 213
258-9887 for further information.
Membership Gentle Reminder: October is
the month for our annual membership mailing.
Southern California Baba lovers, please return
your membership cards promptly after the
mailing. This helps us maintain our non-profit
status. Thanks.
At the Bookstore
Mehera. More Good News From The
Bookstore: Mehera Arrives! For months now I
have been besieged with enquiries "when are you
getting the Mehera book?" I'm very happy to say I
have recently received 100 copies from the
publisher. nhas been a long labor of love for
Naosherwan Anzar since his first interview with
Mehera in 1%9. In 1986 he started in earnest
collecting all her talks with many people over a
great period of time. These were then lovingly
compiled & edited by Janet Judson, (an
Australian who has lived in Meherabad for over
15 years) with the assistance of Shelley Marrich.
The entire book is written in the first person,
actually making it the autobiography of the most
important woman in the world... the Most Beloved
of our Beloved. As Baba said, "Only Mehera
loves me as I should be loved.... she is my very
breath." Her words are a wonderful example for
us as to how, so single-mindedly, to love God. We
read how, from her teen years on, her pure focus
was entirely on Baba.
nis truly an amazing story, & one that should
be read by every Baba lover throughout the world!
The book contains 95 photos, 17 of them in color,
many of them previously unpublished. The
photos that show Baba & Mehera together,
illustrate more clearly than words could ever say,
the Love Divine between them. Mehera herself
supplied the captions for all the photos. The color
photo on the book jacket radiates such pure
beauty & love, I can see it being framed & placed
next to a favorite picture of Baba. This book will
make a treasured addition to your own collection,
but what a wonderful gift to give a loved one.
Cost is $40 (including shipping)
Extra Copies of the Glow. Fo{ those of you
who don't subscribe to the Glow ,I have a
number of copies of the May issue which is
devoted to Mehera. It has many beautiful photos
of her, plus an excerpt from the above mentioned
book, and is available for $5.50 plus $1 postage.
Also just in is an exquisite water color of
the Samadhi by Maude Kennedy. It is a
beautifully printed 5 X 7 foldover card (no inside
writing), with an envelope. Wonderful to send to
that special friend, but absolutely beautiful matted
and framed on your wall. $2.25 each or 6 for
$12.50.
Lord Meher. At press time we are expecting
Volume IV of Lord Meher, the incredible .
biography of our Beloved, by Bhau Kalchuri. It
has 386 pages, and 100 photographs of Baba and
His mandali in India, England, and America. This
volume includes Meher Baba's extensive travels
throughout northern and southern India, two
journeys to Kashmir (where Baba tells us Jesus is
buried!) two journeys to Persia, the first trip to
Europe and America and his four meetings with
Mahatma Gandhi. $40.
T-Shins. Last but not least, notice the
beautiful new T shirts we now carry. As not all
colors are in all sizes, please, with mail orders, give
a second and third choice for color. The
Bookstore is very happy to handle orders from
anywhere in the Baba world. See you...At the
Bookstore! - Dina Franklin
1 The Glow International is a quarterly
magazine, compiled, edited and published by
Naosherwan Anzar (at Baba's explicit
instructions!) It features current happenings in
the Baba world, stories from the Mandali of their
days with Baba, and sometimes it will even have a
previously unpublished discourse of Baba's! You
will also find reproductions of the latest works
from our Baba artists. Mr. Anzar uses many of
Charlie Mills' and Lyn Ott's p ~ i n t i n g s on the
cover, all of which are very frameable! To
subscribe, send $22 to Glow International, c/o The
Meher Baba Work, P.O. Box 10, New York N.Y. 7
315 T (1 {t 315 T ICalendar I. (1 {t 315 T (1 {t
AIl events, unless otherwise noted, are at
the Center, 10808 Santa Monica Boulevard,
Los Angeles, (213)474-9454. If you have
ideas or requests for future programs, please
contact John Stout at (213) 454-2447.
Please note: AIl are invited to share at
the Saturday night meetings. If you have
music or other art to present, or ideas to
share, please contact the coordinator listed
for each meeting. Your participation is
desired!
OCTOBER EVENTS
October 7, Saturday, 6pm. FARSI
LANGUAGE MEETING. Study of Meher
Baba's Discourses, in Farsi. Prayers and arti
at the end of the meeting. AIl are welcome!
Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
October 7" Saturday, 8pm. GUEST
SPEAKER VESTA CLINTONwill share her
experience in India last May during
Mehera's passing. Meher Baba had said, "In
trifles take no risk; in business take a few
risks; and in spirituality take every risk."
After tonight, this may have greater
meaning for all of us. Coordinated by Patti
Stout.
October 14, Saturday, 8pm. IN
MEMORY OFADI X.IRANI. Stories,
highlights, and discussion lead by Steve,
Lynn, and Virginia. Adi was a close mandali
for over six decades, and personal secretary
to Meher Baba.
October 21, Saturday, 6pm. FARSI
LANGUAGE MEETING. Study of Meher
Baba's Discourses, in Farsi. Prayers and arti
at the end of the meeting. AIl are welcome!
Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
October 21, Saturday, 8pm. GUTTA
NIGHT. Baba lovers in love with God. The
Divine Romance, we all experience this in
our own way; come and share in Baba's
8 Divine Game. Coordinated by Fred Stankus.
October 28, Saturday, 8pm. PUBLIC
MEETING AND MOVIE NIGHT. Tonight
we have a special slide presentation: "The
Ancient One", created by Cheryl Dreyfuss
and Michael LePage. The story of Baba's
life is beautifully described through slides,
music, and narration. This has been seen in
Mandali Hall, Australia, and The Palace of
Fine Arts in San Francisco, to name a few.
Excellent for those new to Baba. Discussion
and more movies follow. Coordinated by
John Stout.
NOVEMBER EVENTS
November 4, Saturday, 6pm. FARSI
LANGUAGE MEETING. Study of Meher
Baba's Discourses, in Farsi. Prayers and arti
at the end of the meeting. AIl are welcome!
Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
November 4, Saturday, 8pm. EVENING
BECOMES ECLECTIC. Karen Drygas will
be your D.J. to God. Bring your favorite
cassette tape, CD, or record with that
special tune that brings Baba to your mind
and heart. AIl kinds of music welcome.
Coordinated by Karen Drygas.
November 11, Saturday, 6-7pm. HELP
PLANNEXT QUARTER'S MEETINGS!
Have you any creative ideas to share? Meet
at the Center to plan next quarter's Saturday
night meetings. Questions? Contact John
Stout.
November 11, Saturday, 8pm.
DIMENSIONS OF THE WORD: POETRY&
BABA. Poetry inspired by Baba and poetry
that inspires you to think of Baba. Song
lyriCS, flights of inspiration, expressions of
the heart. Please bring your favorite Baba
words. Coordinated by Regi Sadono.
November 18, Saturday, 6pm. FARSI
LANGUAGE MEETING. Study of Meher
Baba's Discourses, in Farsi. Prayers and arti
at the end of the meeting. AIl are welcome!
Coordinated by Dr. Mahmoud Ajang.
10
Wear our
Master's
Hand upon
your Heart.
~
~
"Rainbow Baba" Handpainted in a
multitude of. gorgeous colors by
Bob Fredericks of Chicago. This
one on black, but also available
white. (machine washable gentle
cycle) M L & XL $18
T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE
These two are Baba's signatures:
....
This one is available in French cut
& regular, S & M only $8.
Dusty Rose Pink gray & black.
Written in a rainbow of colors, the shirt is
white, gray & dark blue, S M L & XL $10.
~
AT THE BOOKSTORE
The top 3 are Hanes Beefy
T's, 100% cotton, available
in M, L,& XL $11.
White, Peach, Butter,
Watermelon, Gray, Green,
Blue. & Black.

This appears as a 4"x7" insignia over the left


breast. S M L & XL $9. White, green, cream,
dark & light blue.
Please
always state
2nd & 3rd
color choice.
You can purchase these T-shirts at the Bookstore before and after Saturday night meetings, or order
by mail: AMBCSC.10808SantaMonicaBoulevard.LosAngeles.CA 90025.
11
Avatar Meher Baba Trust
Reprinted with permission from Is That So?,
edited by William LePage
It was early in the morning, before the darshan
program began for the day, and Baba wanted a
bath. I looked everywhere but I couldn't find a big
vessel for heating the water in. I also couldn't find
any kindling to make a fire. There was nothing in
or around the house. Baba was waiting and I was
becoming desperate, how could I arrange for
Baba's bath? Just at that moment, as I was trying
to warm the water, I saw someone approaching
from a distance. It was a man with a big brass pot
on his head. It turned out that the man was one
of the local Baba lovers. I asked him what he
wanted and he explained that he had brought
some hot water for Baba in case he wanted to
bathe. I was wonderstruck at how timely this
man's intervention was--Baba had just expressed
the wish to have a bath and within minutes this
man appeared with a large pot of hot water on his
head. Not only that, but I learned later, he had
come from quite a distance carrying the water.
No one had told him to bring the water, he had
just felt prompted to do it. I thanked the man
Announcementsfrom the Trust.
Meherazad Mandali Needs -- Goher responds
in a letter dated August 5, 1989 to receiving some
Dispensary supplies that the L.A. group sent:
"Dear Adele - We received the supplies which
you and the L.A. group so lovingly sent and I send
my appreciation to every one who made this gift
possible. We are grateful to all who feel so
inclined to help tbe poor here, for every gift goes a
long way to help the people who come to this
dispensary for medical care."
..."What we do need are aspirin, tylenol,
multivitamins, calcium with magnesium, strong B-
complex and vitamin C. Other than that we can
always use antibiotics, both adult and pediatric.
Our pediatric are a bit low..." "My loving thanks to
you Adele for organizing these supplies. We
appreciate all your dear efforts."
12 Questions regarding coordinating or sending
sincerely, as you can imagine, since this hot water
had come just at the right moment and I sent him
home and then immediately took the hot water in
to Baba so he could have his bath. At the time I
was deeply impressed that the man had brought
hot water at precisely the moment Baba wanted it,
but I thanked the man and forgot all about it.
Years later, when the Avatar Meher Baba Trust
Deed was being drawn up, Baba named the
various beneficiaries of the Trust. Most of these
people were well known to us. They were those
who had surrendered their all 10 Baba and, being
perfect in every detail, Baba was now seeing to
their needs in the event that he dropped his body.
As I said, we were familiar with all of the
beneficiaries, but suddenly Baba added a name
that surprised us. It was the name of this poor
man from Andhra who had brought the hot water
so many years before. He was one of only two
Baba lovers from all of Andhra to be named as
beneficiaries. See how the Lord is. I had thanked
the man and forgotten all about him. Man thanks
and forgets. The Lord does not always thank, but
remembers.
of supplies may be sent to Adele Wolkin c/o
AMBC-SC.
Photographs or slides taken prior to October,
1971 showing the wall paintings inside Baba's
Tomb are requested by the Avatar Meher Baba
Trust in India for their records. Materials should
be sent to Pat Sumner, c/o Avatar Meher Baba
Trust, Post Bag 3, King's Road, Ahmednagar
(M.S.), India 414 001, or to Sheila Krynski, c/o
Sheriar Press, 3005 Highway 17 N. Bypass, Myrtle
Beach, SC 29577.
Mani's recent letter about Mehera has been
printed by Sheriar Press as a 20-page booklet.
Free copies are available from Friends of the
Avatar Meher Baba Trust, P.O. Box 11356,
Washington, D.C. 20008.
For information or donations to the Trust,
please write to "Friends of the Meher Baba Trust"
c/o Karina Page, 4530 Starling Way, Los Angeles,
CA90065
Poems By Andy Muir (cont.)
JAIBABA
When done with love He does it --
when done with greed the world does it.
Ego beckons, come this way! -- the highway becomes a road.
Anger says, strike back! -- the road becomes a path.
Lust sings! -- the path becomes a jungle of thorns.
Love takes our hand leading to the Rose Garden!
Where the Gardener serves the sweet wine of forgiveness,
heals the thorn-wounds giving the awake-sleep of Grace.
No longer hooked by the barbed lures of I-me-mine
but a sweet surrender in the soft net of the Fisherman
in the Ocean of Love.
The flies of fear and falsehood no longer conceal
the barbed hook of desire.
The worm of wanting is a martyr sacrificed in vain.
Then by His will, the Seven Torrents are overcome
and the Final Chasm is crossed.
The Pool of Beyond-the-Beyond is Eternal Bliss.
Jai Avatar Meher Baba. Ki Jai!!!
CONFUSIONISM
A child wants to be adult, the elderly dream of youth.
The curious join a worthless cult.
Ice melts to chill the warm verouth.
A squirrel searches in the tree,
for nuts fallen to the ground.
The gambler risks his all.
The short want to be tall.
Musicians play with sound.
Land may turn to desert sand.
Rain falls on the lake.
Snow softly finds the glacier, flake by flake.
The ostrich runs but cannot fly.
The weary sick prays to die.
A lake of fire becomes a rose garden.
The hanging judge gives pardon.
We fail to understand but trying is such fun.
Illusion's path toward the Ancient One.
Telling It As It Is from page 2
opinion on the subject of food and menus. Once
and for all Baba wanted these points clear. He
said: 'You all have promised to try your best to
die, so let us begin with food. Let us have no
more clashes. Let Norina go on giving the same as
before. As all say, you, Norina, manage
wonderfully well but what you lack is gentleness.
You are much too blunt. And for the role of
Mother you ought to be more gentle. Be one
without duality. Be gentle and listen to all
suggestions. !fyou can fall in with them, good, if
not, kiss and say no, gently. This is tact. It hurts if
you are too frank sometimes. And this I do not
want. So all begin to try now, or seriously I will tell
you all to go. Real harmony, love and peace--not
forced. Don't keep the door closed [pointing to
the heart]. Keep it open so that when I want I can
enter. Every time I intend entering I find a closed
door--all because of useless wants.'''
From the above account it is clear that
Norina's fellow ashramites were speaking very
frankly about aspects of her personality which they
found lacking -- they were "telling it as it is". To
say that they were criticizing her would fall within
the accepted use of the word. Yet this meeting
was instigated and orchestrated by Baba, who in
the same meeting gave the previously quoted
instructions "Don't criticize."
What then, is the course we should follow? I
think from this example, and from the story of the
discussion at the Nasik ashram, and by our
"common sense" and intuition we may infer then
that sometimes it is necessary to relate certain
facts about another person, which may be critical
in nature, either for the good of others, or for
their own good. When doing so, we must,
however, examine our own motivations very
carefully, to make sure that our remarks or actions
do not spring from "self-righteousness, conceit, a
false sense of superiority...envy, or a desire for
retaliation." There must be no wish that pain
should befall the object of our criticism, and every
wish not to bring pain to that person, insofar as it
can be avoided.
Baba, also warned during the same discussion
at Nasik: "Do not get angry, but be pleased with
he who backbites you, for he thereby renders
service to you by diminishing the load of your
sanskaras; and also pity him for thereby he makes
continued on last page
8 Love Alone Prevails, p. 163.
Meher Baba with disciples, including Kitty and Norina, near Bangalore, 1940.
Meher Baba, the Movie from page 5
were fascinated and many were deeply moved,
with tears in their eyes. Some said they would
have liked to have heard stories about how
different individuals came to Baba. Still others felt
it was simply a documentary that didn't adequately
describe its subject. Others commented that it
was "wonderful", "overwhelming", "a masterpiece,
beautiful." "It feels so wonderful to see such a full,
complete face." One person even said he was
going to use Baba's image for meditations. Most
said they wished there was an introduction to the
film.
After each screening, many from the audience
were prompted to ask about Baba's life and work.
Some were baffled by the concept of 'masts',
others still had only a vague idea of who Meher
Baba is and wanted to know more. I remembered
what Fred Stankus repeated: We are all vessels
needing filling -- each to their capacity and in their
time.
Sales of the movie book and tape were brisk.
The table, which also held information about the
Baba Center, was (wo)manned by the
indefatiguable Dina Franklin and the inspiring
Fred S. Deborah Ash (Campagna) toiled,
scheduling a veritable batallion of ushers who
worked diligently handing out programs and
answering questions after each show. Each
person, in their way, communicated their feelings
for Meher Baba.
Around Sunday night I decided to see the film
myself. Having seen it a few times before in small
meeting rooms, I was looking forward to it in a
real theater. I'd had mixed feelings about the
movie, but the importance of Baba's work -- giving
of himself to the lowest and the highest -- was
clear to me. Baba's love and his total generosity
had always come through in the film. As it turned
out, seeing it there enabled me to compare it with
other commercial films I've loved and loathed,
and to realize why I felt the way I did about this
one. But I was still struck by the fact that Meher
Baba's face and words were on the big screen,
playing for general audiences, in the commercial
film capitol of the world!
Sitting in the theater, the largeness of Baba's
image and the impact of the words and sound
track grabbed all my senses. His face was
luminous in the dark. It was so familiar to me; I
feel more comfortable looking at him than my
own reflection. After sitting and watching for just
a couple of minutes, the focus of my mind gently
and naturally moved to thoughts of Baba's life, his
words and his message. Without my even trying, I
felt my heart open, my frustrations and stress melt
away. I wasn't worrying; it had all been for this.
My heart, my mind, my senses were loving him. I
was becoming immersed in Meher Baba and it's
where I wanted to be..
Afterwards, I realized it was a testament to the
greatness of Baba's words and presence that this
film moves and touches the heart in spite of a
failure of direction. Every phrase, every sentence
was (is) potent and profound -- words from the
Source.
As I left the theater that night I thought this
film was a great gift from Baba, in so many ways. I
looked at the marquee. What a gift to those who
I would like to thank everyone in the
southern California Baba community
who participated in promoting and
publicizing the film, MEHER BABA -
Avatar of the Age, for their help and
support.
I appreciate all the work, love and
effort that has gone into getting the
word out so that people can come to see
MEHER BABA on the big screen and
hear his words in the sound track --
spreading the word that God has come
as Meher Baba. I feel the most
important thing that all of us are doing is
in spreading Meher Baba's message of
love and truth.
Through this film, your efforts
already have and will continue to touch
so many people's hearts who have come
to know of Meher Baba for the first
time.
-Irwin Luck, MBA Productions
15
even drive by! I feel sure that this is just the first of
many commercial films to be made about Meher
Baba. It seems natural that more and more,
people will want to express their feelings for Baba
-- telling others who he is, each in their own way,
just as we all do all the time, in our daily life. All
of our gestures of love for him, all our attempts to
plan and execute projects, and all of our successes
and failures are Baba expressing himself
experiencing himself, in unending ways. Baba said
he alone does his work.
The life of everything and everyone is an open
book to me. It is like a film show that I enjoy at
my own cost. I am the sole Producer of this
ever-changing and never-ending film called the
universe. Avatar Meher Baba
Driving home in the dark under the nearly full
moon, I thought how glad I was to have been able
to be involved in this project... and how nice it
would be to get back home and get some sleep.
AVATAR MEHER BABA CENTER
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
10808 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90025
ADDRESS CORRECTION
REQUESTED
Telling It As It Is from page 14
his load of sanskaras more burdensome."
At the same meeting at Nasik, Baba said,
according to the account in Love Alone Prevails,
"Petty things take up all your energy, thoughts,
and time. So no more of that. Love and forget.
This is the only thing that matters. Love, always
try to love. You don't like Norina being blunt. --
love her all the more. She needs it. If she finds
you weak in your wants, then she too must love
you -- you need it."
"If a mother found her child sick or weak, she
would fondle it more, love it more. By weak, I
mean taken up with desires. Anger is weakness,
pride is weakness, and so on. So all try. As Kaka
says, 'No discuss, just try.'"
Baba also told us, "We are all One and
irritations are only surface ones -- they cannot
affect the love we have for each other deep
down.,,9
9 Love Alone Prevails, p. 164.
Non-Profit Organization
U.S.Postage
PA 10
Redondo Beach, CA
Permit No.196
DATED MATERIAL
PLEASE EXPEDITE

S-ar putea să vă placă și