How do You keep the Beloved Present in Your Life?

It is remarkable that since 1969, no priestly or political hierarchy has usurped leadership of the ever-growing (let’s call it) global Meher Baba Movement; but maybe it is still early days. Of course, there are Trusts, organizations, and groups assembled under His name but there is no over-arching body that demands allegiance. This, of course, would be a very difficult thing to create in the light of what Baba has said: “I have not come to establish any cult, society, or organization, nor even to establish a new religion. The religion I will give teaches the knowledge of the One behind the many. The book which I shall make people read is the book of the heart, which holds the key to the mystery of life … Societies and organizations have never succeeded in bringing Truth nearer. Realization of the Truth is solely the concern of the individual.” [1]

And even the argument that some sort of organization is needed to reach out to people to let them know of Baba’s advent doesn’t hold much weight when Baba says: “My work for you does not consist in your going around beating a big drum for me. Love needs no propaganda. You need love yourself in order to propagate love among others. To spread my love among the people, you have to make them understand me as you understand me. For that you have to bring them to love me as you love me, and that means you have to cause them to feel my love as you feel it.” [2] Here again, it seems, “Truth is solely the concern of the individual.” This also gives the sense that Baba’s words only come alive when lived in individuals otherwise they remain dormant on the page. Then to emphasis His point even further Baba finishes this message with the blunt statement: “The world is too full of preachers and teachers. Never forget that I have not come to teach, and I need no preachers.” I think it will take some time before the full implication of these kinds of messages seep into our spiritual bones.

Then there is the question of leadership in the “global Meher Baba Movement.” Shouldn’t we have at least some leaders who can give wise guidance? I remember once in Mandali Hall when someone referred to Eruch as having special importance, as a kind of natural elder. Eruch was quick to respond: “Don’t put the mandali on pedestals. When we each love the Lord, we are all equally close to Him.” And there was a clear implication in these words, as I heard them at the time, that all the guidance a person needs will come from their love for Baba.

However, Baba did give messages that highlight certain attitudes and values that people should strive for while working in the world. For instance, His very inclusive message “To Students, Artists, Social Workers and Public Institution Servants”. In the opening paragraphs of this message Baba delivers one of His many clarion calls: “Literacy is not education and education is not culture … Illiteracy and ignorance invite exploitation, but literacy can also become a willing tool in the hands of those who exploit. Education devoid of culture is inherently destructive, although on the surface it seems to represent progress. Since all types of people have claimed that their greatness constitutes “culture,” the word has become indefinite in the minds of the public. True culture is the result of spiritual values assimilated into life.”

Then Baba states: “Therefore you must keep before you the ideal of that spiritual culture which, once developed, imparts life and beauty to all undertaking – educational, technical, industrial, social, moral and political – and pierces through their differences to produce unity. This results in the development of the highest character in the life of a nation or individual.” [3] It is interesting to see “political” listed as one of the “undertakings.”

From my observations, there are lots of awakened people who are laying the groundwork for this type of spiritually centered culture. Sometimes I say to myself, “that person must have read the Discourses!” for what they are saying sounds just like Baba’s words. Even some movies seem to be conveying Baba’s message. This could be seen as evidence that Baba is changing the consciousness of people as part of His universal work and arousing certain people to carry out this work. And while all of us have a part to play in contributing toward building this kind of spiritual culture as active members of society, is there such a thing as a distinct Meher Baba culture?

Any culture is the expression of a particular community. But I’ve never heard Baba or the mandali speak of a Baba community as such. Of course, we are a community when defined as any group of people with shared aims and beliefs, but I would like to put this definition on hold to make a couple of points.

Baba did speak of His family rather than use the word community when talking of His followers. This automatically expresses the truth that Baba’s love for each of us is like that of a father and that we are to be like brothers and sisters with each other. The trouble with using the term, Baba community, – and I’ve seen this happen – is that it can too easily draw us away from Baba and onto the rights and needs of a community of individuals. In this case, it is the latter word in the term “Baba community” that becomes dominant. A family looks out for each other as brothers and sisters acting naturally in His love with no trace of community obligation or duty.

Equally, I think the idea of a Baba culture as a concept needing to be defined misses the point that a culture is just a name for what is lived. The key issue is what values do we actually live out. Baba Himself said, “All talk is idle talk. Lectures, messages, statements, discourses of any kind, spiritual or otherwise, spoken or written are just idle talk when not acted upon or lived up to” [4]. This reminds me of a circular that Francis Brabazon wrote for visitors to Avatar’s Abode in which he stated: “Gossip sessions, whether personal, mystical or philosophical, do nothing but draw the mind away from the Beloved” [5]. Businesses and organizations who want their employees to feel part of their community and culture make this a central concern, but from my experience, in various workplaces, this invariably turns out to be a cosmetic exercise. But we have Baba in our hearts, we already have what is of ultimate value ready to be nurtured and lived.

Besides using the term, “His family,” Baba also referred to His followers even more intimately as “His lovers.” Sometimes I wonder why Baba chose this term for it is something we can never attain. Baba said in 1955, “One single person who really loves me can move the world. There is no one here [men gathered at the 1955 Sahavas at Meherabad], including Myself, who can so love Me” [6]. The greatness of the term, however, lies in the fact that it implies the reality of a Beloved: Meher Baba as the one same Beloved of us all.

Eruch once said: “Baba came to give us His company now it is time for us to give Him our company.” We can do this easily enough individually by remembering Him, but how do we do this when we gather as a group of Baba lovers? Eruch also said that there is only one real question that Baba lovers need to ask each other: “How do you keep the Beloved present in your life?” Here Baba’s company means Baba’s presence. This is our great unifying question for it not only honors the fact that Baba works individually in each of us, but the endless answers it provides give us all needed delight and inner nourishment as we learn about His living ways through each other.

[1] Lord Meher, by Bhau Kalchuri, vol. 5, p. 1616
[2] Listen Humanity, edited by Don Stevens, p. 71
[3] Ibid, pp. 180-181
[4] Why Meher Baba is Silent, compiled by K. K. Ramakrishnan p. 11
[5] “For Visitors of Avatar’s Abode,” by Francis Brabazon, Circular 12th November 1970
[6] Listen Humanity, edited by Don Stevens, p. 71.