February 25th marks the birthday of Avatar Meher Baba, born Merwan Sheriar Irani in Poona (now Pune), India on February 25, 1894. Every year on this auspicious day, followers of Meher Baba gather to celebrate His Advent.
This birthday message was given by Meher Baba for His 75th birthday in a family letter dated January 26, 1969, just days before He — the deathless one — dropped His physical form on January 31, 1969.
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Meher Baba has been a touchstone for me since 1974 – an authoritative guide on my soul’s map during my almost constant travels. For the past almost 50 years, as my travels increased and my spiritual aspirations deepened, Meher Baba continued to be a constant marker for my life’s GPS.
At each important turn, He has played a part, created direct routes, sometimes detours – all usually without my knowing it had been done until I had reached my “destination.”
My destination this year in 2023 has been an unexpected return to Meher Mount as a temporary caretaker.
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“When Beloved Baba walked this earth as the beautiful God-Man, He left His imprint in everything and everyone He touched. The dishes that He ate from and the cups that He drank from, the clothes that He wore, the games that He played with… these tangible links to Him come to us today suffused with His fragrance.
“Baba’s sadra, His alphabet boards, His precious hair – each is a unique and irreplaceable link to His human form.”
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On January 31, 1969, Avatar Meher Baba — God in human form — dropped His physical form. Even though, in hindsight, Meher Baba had given hints to His close disciples (mandali) that He would leave His body, they were surprised and grief stricken.
This story takes place soon after Meher Baba dropped His body, and the mandali were dealing with their heartache. Mani S. Irani, Meher Baba’s sister, shares an incident that helped her with her grief.
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There are three kinds of certainties — Yakin — regarding the existence of God. They are:
(a) Intellectual certainty = ilmul Yakin
(b) Sighted certainty = ainol Yakin
(c) Realized certainty = haque Yakin
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Water, by being in love with death, gives life to all things;
Desiring absorption in the ocean it flows, and sings.
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Water is a life-giving force. And it’s frequently used as a spiritual symbol or metaphor — often in music.
The “Songs of Water & Spirituality” playlist is a selection of songs in which water has a connection to the Divine.
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In the Avesta, the sacred book of Zoroastrianism, the 101 Names of God are given as a prayer.
"If you repeat this prayer with love, no other prayer remains to be said,” Meher Baba said. “Anyone can repeat these names with love, irrespective of the religion he belongs to.”
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"Let your love flow on ceaselessly,
like a stream down the mountain on its way to the Ocean.
Obstructions there will be, of pleasures, of pains.
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The fact that one cannot live without water means water is life. In the Sanskrit language this is literally so. Another word for water is ‘life’. Jivanum.
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Meher Baba spelled out, “Within you is dirty water too, and I have also to take it out, to make room for the fresh water of my love. Thus, in different ways, I am taking out the dirty water from everyone. I am training you, so that you may one day dive deep into my Ocean and obtain the treasure.”
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With gestures… you know when Baba would look into your eyes and do the gestures. Though I was a very little child, I used to understand Baba because his eyes used to speak to our hearts.
He tells me, “Do you know how much trouble I have to take to make this water?”
I said, “No Baba, I don’t know.”
And then he tells me…”
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“The spiritual meaning of water lies in its reflection of the human spirit and the interconnection of all creation.
“We are all aware of the necessity of water. From keeping us alive to quenching our thirst, to washing the dirt from our bodies and our food, not to mention its role in producing that food, our survival depends on water.
“But what does such a valuable life force mean spiritually? Is there any spiritual essence or spiritual meaning of water?”
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It was foolish of me to believe that the intense yellow, orange, and red hues of Friday’s glorious sunrise anticipated a serene day at Meher Mount.
It was a perfect day to enjoy the fresh air on this sunny, crisp 47-degree morning.
The day stayed beautiful, but it was not serene.
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Agnes Baron’s only trip to India was in September 1982 to talk to Meher Baba’s mandali (close disciples) about the future of Meher Mount.
“What I didn’t realize at the time,” Bill Le Page said, “there was no resolution in her mind regarding the future ownership of Meher Mount.”
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All through Agnes Baron’s time at Meher Mount, various groups wanted to use Meher Mount for their own purposes.
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Sixty years ago, from November 1 - 4, 1962, Avatar Meher Baba’s momentous East-West Gathering was held at Guru Prasad in Pune (formerly Poona) India.
At Meher Baba’s invitation, several thousand Easterners and about 160 Westerners answered the call to receive Meher Baba’s darshan and be in His company.
On September 20, 1962, “a circular was sent to all in India, Pakistan, Europe, America and Australia who would be attending the November East-West Gathering, informing them of certain last-minute instructions for their visit.
“The lovers were told that: ...they should come with the sole idea of enjoying Baba's presence collectively, and NOT hope or want to ask for any individual personal attention or guidance from him regarding any matter concerning themselves, or their families and friends, or in connection with Baba work or group and center activities. No question should be asked, spiritual or otherwise.
“Baba says that this November gathering will be uniquely different from any of the past sahavases or darshans, and he therefore stresses that any expectations other than just being in his presence would be an intrusion into the atmosphere that Baba desires, and would cause the person thus intruding to lose the real benefit of being in Baba's presence.”
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When Agnes Baron, co-founder, lifetime caretaker, and one-time owner of Meher Mount, first met Avatar Meher Baba in 1952, He said,
“’First of all, I want Agni to know that only Agni, God and Baba know what she has gone through in these six years to hold Meher Mount for me.’”
Agnes looked at Him in surprise and said, “’It was no trouble, Baba, no trouble at all.’” She had completely forgotten all her problems in His presence.
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Meher Baba’s nickname for Agnes Baron was Agni – a name meaning fire in Sanskrit and a fire-god in Hinduism. With its capacity to destroy and cleanse, fire is a thread running through Agnes’ life.
“Fire proves a disaster for Upper Ojai homes” read the headline in the Ojai Valley News.
On October 14, 1985, the Ferndale Fire, whipped by Santa Ana winds, came up the southwest ridge of Sulphur Mountain. By 9 p.m. on that Monday night Meher Mount, an Avatar Meher Baba Center and the home of co-founder and lifetime caretaker Agnes Baron, was ablaze.
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When Jon and Deborah Meyer visited Meher Mount, it was one of those times when the clouds were so thick on the mountaintop that you could barely see 10 feet ahead of you. It was Deborah’s first visit, and Jon wanted her to see the spectacular 360-degree views as well as visit this Meher Baba place of pilgrimage. The clouds never cleared the entire weekend they were in Ojai.
As sometimes happens, the unexpected can inspire. The following photographs were taken during that visit and are used to illustrate some of his cloud-inspired poetry.
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