“His gift to me was a stone”

In this talk, Bernard Bruford and his wife Jo-Anne make a detailed presentation on Baba’s visit to Australia in 1958. He presents pictures and letters to support the story of the lead-up to Baba’s visit and the painstaking preparations made by Francis Brabazon to get Avatar’s Abode ready for Baba. Bernard was fifteen years old during this visit when Baba wasted no time in putting his faith to test. His family was then asked by Baba to live at Avatar’s Abode along with instructions on how to care for the spot that Baba said would become “a world pilgrimage site.”

Video, 1:19:56
Meher Center Meeting Place, May 17, 2019
From the Meher Spiritual Center, Inc. Archives
Uploaded on 07/01/2022
“Complete understanding and compassion”
In this dynamic talk alongside Eruch, Mani, and the pilgrims in Mandali Hall, Agnes Baron shares the story of Meher Mount and her life with Baba. In the early 1950s, Agnes was disillusioned with spiritual teachers. Nevertheless, she found herself tagging along with a group of Baba lovers to look at a beautiful property in Ojai, California as a potential center for Baba. Agnes would soon meet Meher Baba at Meher Center and become completely devoted to Him. But even before she met Him, after seeing that property later known as Meher Mount, she found herself writing her first letter to Him. It ended with a promise that, if He wanted the property, “I’ll keep it for you through hellfire and damnation.” And, over the decades, she did.
Audio, 1:04:38
Mandali Hall, Meherazad, India, September, 1982
Courtesy of the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California
Uploaded on 07/01/2022
“I was in heaven”

In this treasure of a talk, Shireen Bonner, Meher Baba’s niece, shares moments with Baba as a child. When she first met Baba in 1965, Shireen was seven years old and nervously trying to remember how to garland and bow to Him as she had been taught. Instead, she looked up into His beaming face and ran into His arms. From that moment on, through many funny and touching moments, Baba became Shireen’s deepest and truest companion.

Video, 1:19:43
Meher Center Meeting Place, August 1, 1998
From the Meher Spiritual Center, Inc. Archives

“So much was conveyed by His silence, His very presence”
This is the second of the series of talks that Bill LePage gave during the summer of 2015. It is a friendly and informal chat in the Original Kitchen surrounded by Baba’s lovers on a stormy day. Bill starts out talking about the importance of bowing down to Baba’s chair or bed not out of habit or ritual, but because He is still there. He goes on to share numerous stories about Baba’s Mandali and their extraordinary and hard-won devotion to Him.
Video, 1:03:55
Meher Center Original Kitchen, July 13, 2015
Courtesy of the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California
“He was so God and so human”
This is the first of a series of talks by Bill LePage, who was a fixture at Youth Sahavas for many years. Given on Center during the summer of 2015, it begins with Bill talking about chivalry as an important quality to strive for—and how Baba managed to perfectly demonstrate the spirit of chivalry in His own life. Then, Bill moves on to Baba’s visit to Australia in 1958, and the powerful and often humorous incidents that arose in spending time with the God-man: from stewing about prune preparation to getting locked out of his house and climbing through the kitchen window to let Baba in.
Video, 1:06:49
Meher Center, Dilruba Reading Room, May 27, 2015
Courtesy of the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California
“Baba’s miracles were there”

G.T. Naidu found out about Meher Baba when a co-worker asked Naidu to do research on Him. As a scientist, Naidu explains that it would have been difficult to come to Baba any other way than intellectually. Over time, however, Baba showed Himself to Naidu and his family in many other personal and miraculous ways, even during their hardest moments.

Video, 51:56
Meher Center Meeting Place, March 7, 2001
From the Meher Spiritual Center, Inc. Archives

“My one obedience brought my whole family to Baba”

Freiny Dadachanji recounts instances of obeying Baba, sometimes even against her own will. These acts of obedience pleased Baba but changed the course of Freiny’s life. Baba did not allow Freiny to go visit her family in Karachi, which caused a lot of contention with her family. But Baba had a different plan: He brought Freiny’s family to Him instead.

Audio, 25:33
Courtesy of the Avatar Meher Baba Center of Southern California

“I am open to whatever He is up to”
Michael Burleson is the son of Dr. Ned Burleson, the doctor in Prague, Oklahoma, who treated Baba after His automobile accident in 1952. Michael was a teenager when he saw Baba. Here, he recounts the history of Prague and his family, the setting into which Baba was brought after the accident, His impressions of the Mandali and how His family was eventually brought to Baba.
Video, 45:47
Meher Center Meeting Place, March 6, 2003
From the Meher Spiritual Center, Inc. Archives
“To increase our love”
In this humorous and poignant talk, Steve Klein weaves together his poetry with stories told by the Mandali. Baba’s work appears from many different angles, from harsh treatment to boundless compassion, but always with the result of increasing the love of His lovers.
Video, 57:30
Meher Center Meeting Place, May 6, 2022
From the Meher Spiritual Center, Inc. Archives
“Look Mommy, there’s God!”

Larry Karrasch met Meher Baba for the first time on the Center in 1952. Larry’s parents had learned about Baba at Sufi meetings with Ivy Duce in New York, and when they heard He was coming to Myrtle Beach they decided to travel there to see Him. After a long drive, the family finally approached the Lagoon Cabin expecting to meet a Perfect Master. Instead, they met God. Larry saw Baba in the body five more times over the course of his youth and describes the impact of Baba’s love both on himself and on the rest of his family.

Video, 27:22

Meher Center Meeting Place, April 21, 2022

From the Meher Spiritual Center, Inc. Archives