inconvenience at the various hotels we stayed at. Baba would stand by, so calmly, so unconcerned, and would imply, "Don't worry, don't worry. It will be all right." Maya is very potent when Baba is on some special intent. You feel it so at times.

The evenings at the Center would be spent with Baba at the Guest House, where all the women would be called to be with Mehera, Mani, Goher and Meheru. Jokes were told to make us laugh. Earlier stories about Baba were told us by the girls. Then Mani would read passages selected by Baba from Hafiz and other Persian poets and Baba explained their spiritual meaning. Also, we talked about saints, Baba telling us how all suffered so much and welcomed suffering. Ramakrishna had suffered with cancer of the throat. St. Francis suffered so badly with his head that he used to bang it up against a wall to relieve the pain. The Maharshi, who lived, I think, in Madras, suffered very severely with boils [tumor] on his arm. At 7:30 sharp, Baba would say goodnight to all and leave the house. Outside the gates, Adi Sr. would be waiting to walk back with Baba to the New House.

No one was allowed to be absent during the day to go bathing or shopping. To be always where Baba could send for you was Baba's desire and we obeyed it unless specifically sent out by him. I recall Baba allowing Mehera and a few of us to visit Tony Roothbert's delightful bungalow at Briarcliffe Acres. We had a good tea and much enjoyed the modern bungalow with all American gadgets—a far cry from India's normal equipment. The view was superb.

During Baba's visit in 1952, there was "Open Day," May 17th, from 7:00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m, to which over 1,500 had been invited. Norina not being there, Baba handed over the arrangements to Margaret and Delia with Filis and Adele and the two Shaw sisters assisting. To avoid visitors asking too many questions they were handed before entering the Barn a two-page mimeograph copy entitled "Baba explains." Matters concerning miracles, healing, his silence and other matters were briefly touched upon.* To quote one or two: "God is not to be learnt, or discussed or studied or argued about, God is to be contemplated, felt, loved and lived." And another, "The purpose of every kind of Yoga (search for truth), Karma Yoga, Dnyan Yoga, Raj Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, is to lose the limited self by forgetting that self through selfless service to others, through meditation, through love for God, and gain the unlimited self." Baba asked that each visitor should see him, touch his hand, and pass on. He was sitting in the

*Reprinted in Awakener, Vol. 1 No. 2.