"You gotta go out and look toward the Topas..."

Your Friday photo…

A little after midnight on May 11, 2024, Meher Mount Caretaker Ray Johnston received a phone call…

“You gotta go out and look toward the Topas,” said the friend over the phone.

Immediately Ray ran outside and saw the aurora borealis behind the Topa Topa Bluffs.

The rest of the Ojai Valley was covered in clouds, but higher up, the sky presented this incredible light show.

The aurora borealis appeared due to a geomagnetic storm caused by solar flares. This meant that parts of the world that are never able to see the aurora borealis (also referred to as the Northern Lights) were able to witness it for two nights in a row.

---

"Be melting snow. Wash yourself of yourself." - Rumi

Your Friday photo...

At this time of year in 2023, a winter storm brought a rare dusting of snow to Meher Mount. It melted by the time most of the guests arrived for Meher Baba's Birthday celebration on February 25, 2023.  

The video and photos were captured by Kristina Somma who was a temporary caretaker at that time. The excerpted poem "Be Melting Snow" was suggested by Juan Mendez. Video production by Stephanie Ervin.

Click on image or click on this link to see the video.

“Lo, I am with you always means when you look for God,
God is in the look of your eyes,
in the thought of looking, nearer to you than your self,
or things that have happened to you
There’s no need to go outside.

Be melting snow.
Wash yourself or yourself.

A white flower grows in quietness.
Let your tongue become that flower.”

— Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī

Excerpted from "Be Melting Snow" translated by Coleman Barks.

Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, also known as Rumi, was a 13th century poet and Islamic scholar. Avatar Meher Baba enjoyed listening to Rumi's poetry and praised him as one of the greatest minds of all mystical and spiritual literature.

---