22nd June 2011
Beads on One String
After much careful consideration the Beads-on-One-String Steering Committee has decided to postpone the Mediterranean Basin pilgrimage planned for this fall 2011. With the passing of Don Stevens and the political uncertainty in the Middle East, the Committee feels the need to step back and evaluate how to proceed.
The Beads-on-One-String organization was founded by Don and inspired by his intuition regarding Meher Baba's 1932 statement, "True religion consists in developing that attitude of mind, which would ultimately result in seeing one Infinite Existence prevailing throughout the universe. I intend bringing together all religions and cults like beads on one string and revitalize them for individual and collective needs."
The purpose of a Beads pilgrimage is to visit holy sites of different religions and traditions, recognizing this One Truth in the many. We on the Committee believe that the need for such pilgrimages is as strong as ever but with the dynamic world politics and Don's physical absence, we want to figure out how best to proceed. As we continue this important work, we welcome ideas from the Meher Baba community and will keep you informed of our progress. Please share announcement this with your Baba community. Thank you for your patience - and stay tuned.
In Beloved Baba,
Marnie Frank, Chair
Richard Griffin
Georgina Hartford
Robert Hartford
Jane Hoskin
Ralph Lewis
Sevn McCauley
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Tuesday 26th April 2011
This morning, at approximately 6:15 London time, our very dear Don Stevens passed away, peacefully into Baba's arms.
Rachel Dymond and Jan Baker were called to his hospital bedside.
They said the prayers, sang 'Amazing Grace', 'Morning Has Broken' and 'Welcome To My World'
After this they both whispered "Meher Baba" to him and Don slipped peacefully away.
A short while ago I asked Don what was his most precious memory of all his times with Baba. He said that it was the occasion when Baba came to him three times to say goodbye. After that Don never saw Baba in the body again. |
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Dear Don,
We will always remember your very loving devotion and surrenderence to our Beloved. You are a great inspiration to us all. God Bless and much love to you from us all., Thank you for all the loving kindness that you have shown to us throughout the years.
In Baba's Love and Service,
Keith Ashton - Meher Baba Association Chairman UK |
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Tuesday 5th April 2011
Beads-on-One-String,
Turkey and Syria Pilgrimage, 25th
October to 7th November 2011
Due to the political unrest in the Middle East, the Beads-on-One-String Steering
Committee is re-evaluating the pilgrimage to Turkey and Syria in Oct. 2011. We have
extended the registration deadline until June 15 in an effort to have a better idea of the
political stability in the regions we intend to visit, specifically Syria. Between now
and June 15, the Steering Committee will be in communication with various sources to
determine the safety of the trip. If it is decided to be unsafe, we will cancel the journey
and refund any deposits.
Full details of the planned pilgrimage can be found below in the 14th March listing.
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Thursday 31st March 2011
Discovering the Avataric Legacy
Second Annual Progamme at Meherabad
- October 28th & 29th 2011
Under the auspices of the Avatar Meher Baba Perpetual Public Charitable Trust, last November the Meherabad Hill Library organised the first annual programme on Discovering the Avataric Legacy. The goal of this programme is to explore the idea that whatever work any individual or Baba centre is doing in the name of Beloved Baba, Baba’s great treasure of love is discovered every time.
For the second annual programme in October 2011, Meher Baba centres, organisations, or interested individuals are invited to select any topic from the following list. If each presentation not only documents the discovery of Baba's love-treasure but also inspires the audience to do the same, then the goal of the programme will have been met.
Topics for Discovering the Avataric Legacy 2011 Programme
1. The Ten States of God
2. The Theme of Creation
3. The Ten Circles Chart and Baba's Mandali
4. Manzil-e-Meem
5. The Lives of Baba's Parents
6. The Avatars of the Past and the Avataric Cycle
7. Baba's Mast Work
8. Baba's Travels in India
9. Baba's Worldwide Travels
10. Baba's Literature
11. Baba's Interest in Music
12. Baba and Poetry
13. The History of Baba Plays
14. The History of Baba Films
15. States of Consciousness
16. Any Baba Topic of Your Choice
Only one of the above topics can be selected by each presenter so that there is a great variety of presentations and many Baba lovers or centres get an opportunity to give a presentation. Each presentation should be limited in time to thirty minutes. Ten minutes of additional time will be reserved for discussion on each topic. Baba films and plays may be given more time on request, but they should not exceed fifty minutes.
Each presenter is requested to send a short synopsis of the presentation before 31st August 2011, and the organisers will send a confirmation based on the synopsis. Those who are interested in showing a film or putting on a play or skit should also submit a synopsis, on the basis of which a confirmation will be given. If the Library Committee finds that it is needed, more time can be given for a presentation, but the maximum time limit for such presentations should be fifty minutes and the number of these presentations will be limited in number to two, that is, one on each day of the programme.
Please Note:
1.
All deliberations will be in English.
2.
Audio-visual aides may be used during the presentations.
3.
If possible, all entries should be sent by e-mail, but postal entries are also welcome.
The programme will take place on Friday 28th October and Saturday 29th October 2011 at Meherabad. There will be four sessions on two days:
28th October: First session: 9:30 – 12:30. Second session: 3:30 – 6:30
29th October: Third session: 9:30 – 12:30. Fourth session: 3:30 – 6:30
"Jai Meher Baba"
Meherabad 29th March 2011
Contact Information:
Librarians - Urmilla and Gokaran Shrivastava, Meherabad Hill Library, for the Library Committee of the A.M.B.P.P.C.
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0241 254 8473
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Monday 21st March 2011
1962 East-West Gathering
50th Anniversary Commemoration Programme
Meherabad 1st - 4th November 2012
Avatar Meher Baba P.P.C. Trust is happy to announce about the 50th Anniversary Commemoration Programme at Meherabad of the 1962 East-West Gathering between 1st and 4th November 2012. Baba lovers all over the world are kindly requested to let us know of their inclination to participate in this programme at their earliest possible convenience. This will help us to make the necessary arrangements. Also, we would like to specially request those lovers who participated in the 1962 East-West Gathering to kindly share their experiences of 1962 during the 2012 programme by personally attending the 50th Anniversary Commemoration. Those lovers who for some reason are not able to personally attend are kindly requested to send a brief written account of their experiences for publication in the 50th Anniversary Commemoration Volume, which the Trust is planning to bring forth. Since this is going to be a big programme, its preparations have started in right earnest and cooperation from all of you is solicited. The details of the programme will be posted in subsequent announcements. The venue will be Meherabad, and the dates will be between the 1st and 4th November 2012. The programme will include sharing of experiences by those who attended the 1962 East-West Gathering, a special film on the East-West Gathering, plays and skits, musical presentations, and an exhibition.
Meher Baba Centres are requested to make some special presentation of music, play, skit, or dialogue (like Bhurrakatha presented by Telugu group in Baba's presence, which you might have seen in the 1962 film), etc., for this occasion for which extra time can be alloted, but the presentation should be based on some episode of the 1962 East-West Gathering. Centres are expected to inform the organisers at an early date of their inclination for giving some special presentation. The maximum time limit for such presentations will be 50 minutes. It should be noted that this commemorative programme would be organised in the amphitheatre opposite to Baba's Samadhi on Meherabad Hill, and all these programmes are under the broad daylight sun, so the presentations should be evolved accordingly. At the amphitheatre, the films cannot be shown, since the programme timings are between 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., during which it is not possible to screen any film. However, films can be shown after the evening arti for which only two slots are available. There can be only four film showings on four days of the programme, out of which two days are already reserved for the film which the organisers are making for this occasion. The other two evenings can be alloted to those centres which may be interested in making some special film for this occasion. The centres are therefore requested to kindly send a short synopsis of the intended film, so that a slot can be alloted to those films which are most appropriate for this occasion. The film itself can be submitted one month before the programme, but the synopsis of the intended film may be submitted at the earliest possible date. Note: All presentations except the films will be during the daytime and the film screenings will be after evening arti between 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Please contact
or:
Urmilla and Gokaran Shrivastava, Librarians,
Meherabad Hill Library of A.M.B.P.P.C. Trust, Post Meherabad, Ahmednagar, (MS) India 414 006, phone 0241-2548473.
Meherabad Hill Library
17th March 2011
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Monday 14th March 2011
Beads-on-One-String Turkey and Syria Pilgrimage
25th October – 7th November 2011
Beads-on-One-String is an organisation based upon the belief that all world religions and spiritual traditions are connected by a single and unifying principle of Truth. To promote the experience and understanding of this Truth, Beads-on-One-String sponsors activities which embrace the intrinsic oneness of all religions, cultures, and races. One such activity is pilgrimage to sacred sites.
With the inspiration of Don Stevens, the Beads-on-One-String Steering Committee has organised a pilgrimage for this year,25th October - 7th November 2011, to holy sites in Turkey and Syria. The cities to be visited are Istanbul, Konya, Antioch, Aleppo and Damascus.
Applications are now being received. The estimated cost of the pilgrimage is:
£ 2005 GBP -
€ 2332 EUR -
$ 3260 US…plus airfare and personal expenses
A deposit of: £1242.98 GBP -
€1474.53 EUR -
$2,000 US …is required with registration, which closes 20th April 2011
The size of the group is expected to be about 20 persons, with a maximum of 24
For questions contact Ralph Lewis at:
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Wednesday 12th January 2011
News about Baba Lovers living near Avatar's Abode, Queensland, Australia
Because of all the news of the awful floods in Queensland, Ann Bradbury-Brown has been in contact with Ros and Roy Hayes. They live on Kiel Mountain, adjacent to Avatar's Abode, Wombye, Queensland. As a lot of you probably know, there is a small community of Baba Lovers surrounding the property, including the well known and much loved Bill & Diane Le Page.
As Baba has said "not a leaf moves without my will", so it's no accident that these floods are taking place in Queensland. On the doorstep (Well, 60 miles is not that far in Australian terms!) of a place about which Baba also said, "It [Avatar's Abode] will become one of the great places of pilgrimage in the world".
If you feel moved to do so, light a candle and say a prayer for our Baba friends and indeed all of those who are affected by this calamity in Queensland. Here are their messages:
We are, thanks to Baba, all high and dry here. I don't think you know that we have moved permanently to our house on Avatar's Abode.
Baba had told Bill to live here and, although previously we were just next door so to speak, now we are actually living here on the Abode and very happily so. We've had torrential rains off and on for the last two months, but it flows away - damage to the roads etc. but no sustained or serious damage to buildings.
Absolutely nothing compared with the horrible damage sustained in so many places in the State. Baba is certainly intent on getting humanity's attention. In our case, Baba willing, we are hoping to be at the M.B. Center again this summer. So, being such lucky ducks, .to go from one Baba Centre to another, we certainly can't complain about simply a lot of rain and humidity here at the Abode.
We send our very best wishes to you and the London Baba family for the New Year. This also reminds us happily of our stay in London and the Sahavas and the meeting at your Centre a few years ago. We hear that Wendy and Buz will be with you all later in the year - how wonderful!
Jai Beloved Baba,
Bill & Diana Le Page
Thank you for concern, Baba lovers who live on and around Kiel’s Mt are not directly involved – we are very wet and sick of the continual rain. We however feel for Queensland people who are suffering massive loss. It has stopped raining today. Baba has indeed surrounded us with His love and protection.
Jai Baba and much love in Him,
Roy & Ros Hayes
We are OK. Avatar’s Abode is 600 feet above sea level. However, all of us are soaked to the skin and our houses are going mouldy from the incessant rain. There has been some local flooding around here and the roads are cut, isolating us from travelling. There has also been landslides that have taken some houses with them. No lives lost in this area fortunately.
But the devastation that is happening is all around us. Just 60miles north, south and west. Unbelievable! I am just thankful to Him that we are spared the worst.
Today the rain has let up a bit. We have had about 20 inches in 2 days- approximate because the rain gauge over flowed and it was too torrential for us to go out in the rain to empty it!
I have forwarded on your email to Bill and Dianna.
Thank you for your enquiry- Jai Baba,
Ros Hayes
“Avatar’s Abode is a stopping place on the road to the Beloved” Francis Brabazon
If you would like to visit the Avatar's Abode website > click here
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Monday 20th December 2010
AVATAR MEHER BABA
INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL - MEHERABAD
Beautiful videos of the festival, which recently
took place at Meherabad, are now available: > click here
Information about the festival is now
available: > click here
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Saturday 18th December 2010
BABA ON THE LONDON UNDERGROUND - Some Photos...
MBA chairman, Keith Ashton, has taken these photographs of Beloved Baba's poster, currently on display in Piccadilly Circus Underground Station. It's there until 19th December, after which it moves to Shepherds Bush Station for 14 days.
Thank you Keith.
Any other photographs of these posters would be gratefully received.
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Friday 3rd December 2010
BABA ON THE LONDON UNDERGROUND
 The board of the Meher Baba Association has decided that it is time to give the public a chance to see beloved Baba's face over the Christmas period.
With the help of a generous donation, copies of this poster will be displayed on the escalators at the following London underground stations:
One will be at Piccadilly Circus Station from 6th December for two weeks.
One will be at Shepherds Bush Station from 20th December for two weeks.
On His visits to London Baba enjoyed the escalators on the London Underground, going up and down those at Piccadilly Circus Station several times, just for fun!
So - just for fun - we are asking you to take photographs of these posters and email them to us at:
- and we will display them on this website.
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Sunday, 21st June 2009
Katie Irani's Interment in Meherabad
 Today, the 21st of June, the summer solstice, we went to Meherabad around 9:30 am for Katie's interment. Somehow Katie was very present and we felt her conducting the show as she would have liked. And there were crowds of people whom we had not expected to come to honour this day. We were happy that Katie's sister and niece, Shera and Dinaz, were among them.
After visiting the East Room where we arranged the flowers, we went to Beloved Baba's Samadhi and were surprised to see the crowd and feel how much Katie's love for Baba had reached out to so many.
In Beloved Baba's Samadhi we sang the Bujawe Naar Arti and said the Parvardigar Prayer, and took Baba's darshan as we would do in Mehera's time. Then we went out to garland Mehera and bow to her love for Beloved Baba, and in turn, greet Naja, Rano, Soonamasi (Khorshed's mother) and Kitty, in the order that Baba had prescribed, showering them with flowers. And then we came to the east side of the Samadhi to garland Mani...and somehow passed Goher...but we started the program as we felt it was Katie's day to hold the stage. Meanwhile Ted was playing "The Ocean of Love", a song all of us love and enjoyed hearing him sing.
The crypt was ready to receive Katie's urn which we had, on Friday evening, placed in Mandali Hall near Baba's Chair. Falu later conveyed it to the Blue Bus which I felt was very appropriate as she was one of the inmates of the Blue Bus during its tours. I remember when my sister and I would come for our holidays from school to Baba, so many times traveling with them in the Bus. All the young ones like us in those days would be sitting in the aisle, balancing ourselves on moveable folding stools (as the seats which were double on one side and single on the other were occupied by the older women), and there was a strip of iron that would swing across the aisle and connect to the opposite seat against which we could rest our backs. No matter how long the journey or hot and tired and uncomfortable it was, we enjoyed it. I would certainly have liked to sit near at a window seat to be able to see out, but the ones who were not good travelers and got car-sick had to be near the windows and so whenever we looked out we would see one or two of them with their heads out getting sick. Katie would be OK on the straight roads, but once the roads began to wind their way uphill she would start feeling sickish, but like a trooper, controlled herself and tried to forget what was happening inside by singing away as much as she could. One of the songs I well remember was "John Brown's body lies a-moldering in his grave but his soul goes marching on". And that is exactly what we felt when Katie dropped her body to be reunited with her Beloved, that her soul goes marching on. It was a time we really felt she deserved, to be freed from all the pain and suffering she was going through at the end of her life.
 It had become a practice every morning in Meherazad to put on the CD player some of the Baba songs that have been sent to us. In Katie's last week or so, we often played her latest CD of Baba's songs and felt that she was definitely listening and imbibing them and remembering the early times with Baba. For us, we couldn't tell whether she was with us or in her world with Baba because she often saw Him, and Mehera, Mani, Goher, Arnavaz, and even Eruch, and we felt these experiences are what upheld her, for the Parkinson's disease that she had was progressing rapidly and everyone had to help her to sit up, eat, wash, etc. It was something that Katie never thought would happen to her in her lifetime, for she was such an independent person. That is why I felt that for her to be reunited with Baba was the freedom she deserved.
So during the program after Sarah Schall had said a few words, and I said a few words, Katie's ashes were interred in the crypt prepared by Ted with the interior decorated by Sarah. Then everybody offered flowers and garlands. It was at this time I remembered that we had not offered flowers to Goher so I turned around desperately to see someone asking me to help her offer flowers to Katie. I felt Katie telling me to offer them to Goher. So I told the lady it would make Katie very happy and so we offered them to Goher and felt happy about it.
What was so great was that we'd had, after a long period of drought in early June, two to three good rains which had cooled down the atmosphere and we did not feel the uncomfortable heat that we had expected. Back here in Meherazad I still have the feeling of how Katie was so present and had conducted the whole program. It is a joyous feeling to feel that she has gone to her well-earned rest.
Ever in Baba's Love,
Meheru - Meherazad
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Avatar Meher Baba's dearest Katie Irani flew into her Beloved's arms on 29/05/09 at 04:10. She passed away from heart failure in Meherazad; she was 89 years old. The cremation took place at Meherabad. Katie's ashes were interred by the east side of His Samadhi on Meherabad Hill.