MEHER SPIRITUAL CENTER

The Heart of Every Lover:

Weekly Offerings

December 9, 2022

Dear Meher Center Family and Friends,

A loving Jai Baba to you and your family. Many thanks to all who were able to attend the virtual conversation with Meher Center’s board this past weekend. We enjoyed hearing your comments and viewpoints about His home in the West. For those of you unable to join, we have posted the main presentation in this weekly offering.

I want to provide an update about the programming over the upcoming holidays. Due to the continued presence of Covid in our lives, and the potential danger this still presents, the Center will not be having a special holiday meal as we have done in years past. Additionally, and sadly for many, we will not be having our annual much-beloved square dance in the Meeting Place. 

This year's New Year's Eve program in the Meeting Place will be similar to past years (some musical performances and a Baba film). When this program ends (about 9:30 p.m.), instead of the square dance, the "Oh Parvardigar" film will be shown followed by distribution of special Baba quotes for the new year. Evening visitors will leave the Center by the usual 11:00 p.m., and retreat guests will be expected to be in their cabins by 11:30 p.m. Additional information about other holiday programs and activities will be communicated in the coming week.

Throughout the holidays, we will be continuing with our current Covid restrictions, especially using masks indoors. For those who are tempted to not wear masks while on the Center, we have been advised that the present variant of Covid is most contagious two days before a person becomes symptomatic. So, for the sake of your fellow pilgrims, please place the welfare of others first by wearing a mask. And please, if you are feeling ill, do not come to the Center until you feel better.

A reminder from the Gateway for those of you who will be donating to the Center by the end of the year: Donations must be postmarked by December 31 to count as a donation for 2022. Donations received after January 1, but postmarked before the end of the year, will count. All other donations received after the first of the year will count as a 2023 donation. Thank you so much for your support.

In Baba’s love and service, 



Buz Connor

For Meher Center board and staff

Family Letters #49

Read by Michele Corley

15:42

These are readings of a collection of letters written by Mani, Meher Baba’s sister, to the Western family of Baba lovers between 1956 and 1969.

This is a recording of some highlights from Sunday’s conversation with the board. It begins with unique aerial footage of Meher Center, followed by Buz Connor sharing Center updates, including upcoming events and a brief slideshow from the Young Adult Sahavas. Andy Lesnik follows with a financial update. Finally, Ananda Jones gives some closing remarks before a video of Meher Baba at Brookgreen Gardens. Breakout rooms with the board members were not recorded.

Video 23:21

Created on December 4, 2022

From the Meher Spiritual Center, Inc. Archives

Faredoon Driver joined Baba at Manzil-e-Meem at the age of eighteen. He was later given the name “Padri” by Baba because of his lanky, priestlike stature. One of the “Four Pillars of Meherabad,” Padri remained on at Meherabad after Baba dropped the body, maintaining the ashram, practicing homeopathic medicine and providing a steadfast example to pilgrims of obedience. In this conversation with Padri recorded at Meherabad in 1972, he shares stories and lessons learned from a life spent following his Master. The recording ranges from a humorous story of a failed attempt to deliver Upsani Maharaj a horse and a bull, to an ardent exchange on the difference between ritual and a code of conduct in the presence of the Master.

Audio, 45:46

Meherazad, India, September 1972

Courtesy of Mandali Hall Talks