Dear AMBHC blog readers. I wrote this article for the upcoming Heartbeat. But, with so much news about the Morrision House, there's not room for this in the newsletter. I'm posting this on the Blog. Blessings and Jai Baba! Marilyn Buehler
In November 2007 several board members gave a presentation about Avatar Meher Baba at the Annual Homecoming conference held at Sancta Sophia Seminary in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Tahlequah is about two hours east of Prague. Here's the story of how that came to be.
I’ve been giving public presentations about Meher Baba for over 20 years. It all started when I lived in Redding, California. I had this idea to give an introductory talk about Baba. In the mid-70’s, I’d been a teacher of Transcendental Meditation (TM), so I was experienced in advertising and speaking about spiritual topics to the general public. By the mid-80’s, I was no longer involved with TM, and Baba had given me skills that he could put to use.
I wasn’t sure how to approach this Baba presentation. I mailed Filis Frederick for insight. My idea was to rent a space, advertise, then show up and introduce Baba and show a video. Filis mailed back and noted, “Keep cooking!” So, that was it. I set about my task, and showed up at the motel in Redding where I’d rented a small conference room. A gentleman, his wife, mother, and children came into the room. He mentioned that he was staying in the motel, and that he saw the kiosk with “Meher Baba Lecture” He said that he had met Meher Baba in Persia in 1932. Well, that sort of thing makes all the moments in your life stop, as you stand in silent amazement how things will work out when you follow your intuition.
Over the years, I’ve continued to give presentations. Usually, I arrange the entire event by myself. A few people attend. Seems when others offer to assist, they don’t show up, or offer a litany of excuses of why they can’t help after all. So, I usually just go ahead everything myself; “rely wholly and solely on God”, works best.
Since May of 2002, I've been a student of the Sancta Sophia Seminary. The event at the Homecoming Conference at Sancta Sophia Seminary was actually prompted by John Poag. He previously visited the seminary and had a long visit with Carol Parrish, the academic dean and founder. We communicated about that visit, and he mentioned it would be great to give a presentation at the seminary. I had already given two talks on Baba, and a sermon based on “How to Love God.” I talked to Carol about a presentation on Baba during the Annual Conference. Originally, she offered a time slot on Wednesday, November 7th. That date didn’t work for John. We could have kept that date, and it was likely more would have attended on Wednesday, but this was an opportunity to work together with two other Heartland Center board members. I asked to have the event scheduled on Monday, November 5th. That worked for John. Michael Ivey was available any time. So, the date, time, and team had come together.
Whenever a Baba presentation is scheduled, I feel this call going out in the inner world, connecting those people who are to show up. I have to keep my intention pure and focused on Baba. It’s the only way this sort of things works. I can’t have my own agenda.
Emails flew back and forth; decisions were made. Ed Flannigan sent some newly designed Universal Messages. Baba connections were being made with the seminary. Then, some Baba lovers expressed interest in being there. That was pretty amazing.
The day of the event, Baba was filling me with his presence. Michael, John, and I spent a few moments at the Prague hospital room, where Baba spent 14 days. Soon after, John and I drove on to Prague. I could feel Baba’s Silence being carried from Prague to Sancta Sophia Seminary.
We arrived at Sancta Sophia Seminary; many of my seminary friends where there. We were greeted with so much love. People were telling me they’d be at my talk, and they were excited to hear about Baba. Most folks knew me as the "Baba lady", and this was their chance to learn about him. We set up the room with Baba photos on all the walls. My new and old Baba friends showed up, and we were having fun.
Around 3:00, people started filing in to the room. I honestly expected only five to ten people. Over 20 seminary students showed up. We had to pull out a few more chairs. Carol sat in the front row. Here was a group primarily made up of Esoteric Christian ministers. The concept of an avatar means something else that what Baba explains The Avatar to be. I don’t know how it works, that there are some many explanations and paths to God. I do honor everyone’s path, and the furthest thing from my heart is to ever convince anyone who Meher Baba is. I just figure this “the story” I bought, when I was 19; it works for me, and it is an amazing thing to share with others.
I generally have an idea of what I’m going to say and some quotes on hand to read. It seems important to share Baba’s message of love, and to read his saying on “How to Love God.” What will happen is driven by this unseen force. I generally sit down, because it is easier to talk to a group informally when I’m sitting. I’ve heard stories that Jesus taught sitting, so I like that idea. There were so many people in the room; I had to stand up to see them all. I could feel this column of energy guiding my words.
I read the quote on Baba sowing the seed of love in our hearts in spite of superficial diversity. That’s what all these varied explanations of creation are to me, “superficial diversity”. Then, I read Baba’s explanation of the Avatar. That’s when the silence started coming down. This vibrating quality was somehow stilling people’s minds. I just kept going and trusted what was happening. We showed the DVD, "The Eternal Beloved."
After the DVD there was discussion. It was fun to let go, and watch others answer questions, and add their comments to mine. A thought was floating before me, and it seemed one I needed to verbalize. I shared my experience of Baba being the Awakener, that his word awakens truth within me. He didn’t “come to teach, but to awaken.” That is when Carol added her esoteric take on avatars; how some avatars do have the task to awaken, some to teach. Her explanation was a bridge for those in the room; it gave everyone a context of how Baba could fit into Esoteric thought.
At the end of the presentation, I mentioned to Carol, “I always wonder what people think when I say, Meher Baba was Jesus. But, they’ll get over it”. I’m terribly detached from this process and often wonder why Baba has me doing this. I’ve had dreams of telling people about Baba. One dream was about talking to a huge stadium full of people about Baba. Everyone in that stadium wanted to hear about Baba and was hanging on every word. When ever I share Baba’s message with a group in person, or in a dream, it is like a portal opens and the world stops for a while. Then, people go on with their lives, somehow changed.
Rose petals at the accident site
