Conversations about Meher Baba

Late Night Chat with Margi Connor &Peter Goodman: Baba in World, July 27, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

Late night chat centered around our Beloved. A sharing of hearts led by Margi Connor and Peter Goodman.Jai Baba!I hope all of you are doing well and I have missed you all while I was at the Youth Sahavas. It was an intense beautiful week filled to the brim with Baba's Love!For all who did attend the Youth Sahavas, there is a bit of a post sahavas blues that happens when reentering the world, which sparked the idea for tonight's subject. After we have spent time in the fragrance of His Love it can be very difficult to go back to our regular everyday life. This is a feeling that isn't exclusive to the Youth Sahavas but applies to all sahavas or pilgrimages. I have been chatting with my fellow sahavasees about the challenge of how to bring that Love into the world. I thought a perfect topic for tonight would be exploring all the ways you keep the feeling of sahavas alive. Maybe you all know this, but the definition of sahavas is the give and take of love or togetherness. How do you keep this feeling alive in your life?Another theme is the tendency to uproot your life after an event like that with Baba. Why is that? Is it an attempt to find that feeling in the world? Has Baba shaken up your life to make more room for Him after one? I once heard Jeff compare our trips home to Him like a dog sniffing His clothes. He brings His fragrance into our lives to remind us of what we are searching for.Is our longing to be back in sahavas just a micro experience of how we are to long for God? Does He give us a hit of bliss to remind us what the real goal is?I am really looking forward to hearing all the ways you bring the feeling of sahavas into the world and keep it alive within yourself.In His Love, Margi and PeterTo join the email list for Late Night Chats, please contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily

Late Night Chat with Jeff Wolverton: Effort and Grace, July 23, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

We have some informal chat after every arti, the "post-arti party"! But once a week, Jeff Wolverton joins us for some serious mining of the spiritual depths. Join us for conversation, more readings, songs, quotes - you never know what treasures will be uncovered! Topic: Effort and Grace: Beyond ParadigmsDear Folks of Baba, This Sunday we will explore Darwin Shaw’w book, Effort and Grace, which is an intensive probing into the inner life with Baba. It describes one of the major approaches to Baba by one who was devoted to Him for over 70 years, which culminated in a glorious intimacy with Him. Darwin was always so encouraging and optimistic in what we can do to open up to Baba’s immediate loving presence. Darwin asserts that many of the blocks to this intimacy can be removed by our efforts and by inviting Baba’s ongoing intervention and grace. Darwin shared with us that at the mental level, we are unconsciously governed by many different paradigms, those of gender, ethnic identity, nationality, social class, the constructs of time and space, but according to him the most predominant one is the paradigm that we are our limited personality self separate from the unlimitedness of God. The goal is not about perfecting the personality, but about detaching ourselves from our personality self. Baba says that we are in essence Love itself which is beyond personality, although Love uses our personality as a vehicle for its expression. We, as love, are beyond form; our home is in the realm of the spirit. I’m reminded of the lines of the French mystic Teilhard de Chardin, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” How do we give up the addiction to our personality self as the be-all and end-all of life? It requires Baba’s grace as Darwin would say again and again. As we strive to obey Him more and more, to make Baba’s personality and being our focus, we begin to turn away from giving so much importance to our own personality and its immersion in the time and space paradigm. We begin to dissolve into His eternal and formless being, which is our destiny and our birthright. Each session evokes invaluable discussion that does not require having attended the previous sessions; each section provides a window into the inner life of the lover/Beloved relationship and is virtually independent, like facets of one diamond—Baba. Everyone is invited to ask questions and share examples from their own inner life. We left off on page and we will begin with the section onFor those who do not have a copy of the book, below is an attachment for following along: https://issuu.com/ompoint/docs/shaw_effort_graceTo join the email list for Late Night Chats, contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily

Late Night Chat with Margi Connor &Peter Goodman: Daniel Stone, July 20, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

Late night chat centered around our Beloved. A sharing of hearts led by Margi Connor and Peter Goodman.Jai Baba, all! Laurent Weichberger will be facilitating the late-night chat for the next two weeks. Here is his email introducing his guest, Daniel Stone.July 20th at 10:00 pm (EST) We will have a special guest: Daniel J. Stone. He was born in Washington DC, and came to Baba in 1972. Daniel has served the Meher Baba community in many roles including on the Board of Directors at the Meher Spiritual Center, and for the Avatar Meher Baba Trust. He is currently working on a very special project, in his role as President at the Heartland Center, in Prague Oklahoma which we will hear about as well. Daniel brings decades of experience on the spiritual path, and we are thrilled to have him as our guest. There will be an open Q&A after some initial introduction questions. Laurent Weichberger will be the facilitator/host for this evening. Jai Meher Baba!To join the email list for Late Night Chats, please contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily

Late Night Chat with Jeff Wolverton: Effort and Grace, July 16, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

We have some informal chat after every arti, the "post-arti party"! But once a week, Jeff Wolverton joins us for some serious mining of the spiritual depths. Join us for conversation, more readings, songs, quotes - you never know what treasures will be uncovered! Giving to BabaDear folks of Baba After a week off, this Sunday we will again explore Darwin Shaw’s book, Effort and Grace, which is an in-depth inquiry into the inner life with Baba. It describes one of the major approaches to Baba by one who was devoted to Him for over 70 years, which culminated in a glorious intimacy with Him. Darwin was always so encouraging and optimistic in what we can do to open up to Baba’s immediate loving presence. He asserts that many of the blocks to this intimacy can be removed by our efforts and by inviting Baba’s ongoing intervention and grace. I thought we might go back and re-read the section on “Shuffle off the Residue” in the chapter on Expressing Our Selves on page 57. Here Darwin gives some invaluable and practical insights into “giving everything to Baba,” including even our resistances to giving to Him! In my own experience of Darwin, I would observe that anything that came into his consciousness—the slightest flicker of irritation, the faintest note of sadness, the earliest stir of wanting—were instantly given to Baba. He held on to nothing; he encouraged us to give everything to Baba until, as he would describe it, we reach a state of constant giving to Baba. This creates a simple yet magnificent experience of flowing to Baba and into the world around us. As we pour ourselves more and more into Baba, holding on to nothing, ironically we actually feel more and more complete. Each session evokes invaluable discussion that does not require having attended the previous sessions; each section stands alone and provides a window into the inner life of the lover/Beloved relationship and is virtually independent, like facets of one diamond—Baba. For those who do not have a copy of the book, below is an attachment for following along:https://issuu.com/ompoint/docs/shaw_effort_graceTo join the email list for Late Night Chats, contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily

Late Night Chat with Margi Connor &Peter Goodman: Baba Within, July 13, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

Late night chat centered around our Beloved. A sharing of hearts led by Margi Connor and Peter Goodman. Today Laurent Weichberger fills in as host.Avatar Meher Baba said: "External silence helps to achieve inner Silence, and only in internal Silence is Baba found — in profound inner Silence. I am never silent. I speak eternally. The voice that is heard deep within the soul is My voice — the voice of inspiration, of intuition, of guidance. To those who are receptive to this voice, I speak." During this Late Night session, our special guest will be: Meher Baba within you. How do you relate to beloved Baba -- deep within your soul? We will each have an opportunity to share. Facilitated and hosted by Laurent Weichberger.To join the email list for Late Night Chats, please contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily

Late Night Chat with Margi Connor &Peter Goodman: Open Sharing, July 6, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

Late night chat centered around our Beloved. A sharing of hearts led by Margi Connor and Peter Goodman.Jai Baba! Just an update for everyone as well, Peter and I will be busy with the Youth Sahavas for the next 2 weeks so Laurent Weichberger will be taking over for us. It should be a good switch-up from how boring Peter and I are for you guys 😝Tonight will be more of an open share. Our relationship with Baba has so many peaks and valleys. It is always shifting, changing, and evolving. Sometimes He is at the forefront and sometimes He takes a backseat role. Whether we realize it or not He is our constant companion. He rides every wave with us and there is no aspect of the journey He didn't personally orchestrate.I would like to open the floor tonight for everyone to just share their current state with the Beloved. Are you taking His name in quietude constantly? Is He with you as you propel into the next development of your life? Are you in a grieving cycle? Is He a source of joyous inspiration at the moment or more of a stern loving father who holds you accountable? Does He come through in little moments unexpectedly throughout the day? Do you go a few days without remembering Him and then suddenly are jolted back to Reality? Are you and Baba more like an old couple who don't feel the need for grand gestures anymore, just a loving understanding of each other? Do you feel as if you and Baba are young lovers on fire for each other? Does all of this exist at the same time for you? I encourage everyone to share tonight. I can't wait to hear the differences and similarities of the current state of our Beloved. He does it all, doesn't He?In His Love,Margi and PeterTo join the email list for Late Night Chats, please contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily

Late Night Chat with Jeff Wolverton: Vulnerability, July 2, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

We have some informal chat after every arti, the "post-arti party"! But once a week, Jeff Wolverton joins us for some serious mining of the spiritual depths. Join us for conversation, more readings, songs, quotes - you never know what treasures will be uncovered! Dear folks of Baba, In this country and throughout the world, we prize self-sufficiency and confidence as two of the highest virtues in this life. But they are not always accompanied by the humility that opens us up to the universal love necessary for the spiritual life. One of Mehera’s favorite quotes of Baba was: “Seeds gerninate in soft soil. I plant My seed of love, not in your strengths, but your weaknesses.” Being vulnerable is often considered a weakness, and we usually avoid it. To admit that we are wrong, to express that we are often afraid and lack confidence, to apologize to another for our unkindness, to admit that we often feel inadequte, that we have been hurt by someone—these are behaviors we often try to avoid. But as Rumi, the great Sufi mystic, said centuries ago, “The light comes in through the wound.” And Mani, who spent almost her entire life beside her brother, Baba, used to quote the line, “I prayed to you for strength to carry out Your work. You gave me weakness so I would depend on you." What has been your experience of vulnerability in your life? Do you trust Baba enough to go out on a limb sometimes, to take risks even though it makes you look inadequate, to venture out into uncomfortable waters in a flimsy boat? Are you inclined to play it safe rather than taking chances in life? I’m sure we all have sometimes experienced being too open and vulnerable to others and become an object of sarcasm and abuse, especially when opening up to someone who didn’t have our best interests in mind. On the other hand, have you experienced that in being too self-protective, you have withheld from others some of the more loving parts of yourself? In the various situations in life, how do you determine how far is safe to “place” your heart out before others? Have you found that trusting Baba and “going out on a limb” with others sometimes rewards you with the surprising joy of the give-and-take of love? Are there times when you could have apologized for hurting someone’s heart, but were reluctant because it would make you seem weak? Can you share an example of an uncomfortable risk you took that proved to be invaluable in your life Have you hesitated to give certain things over to Baba for fear of the outcome? Say, for example, your attachment to a romantic situation that might be a bit rocky and you don't want to lose that person, or turning to Baba when you’re about to tell your boss how you honestly feel when it might jeopardize your job. Does giving things to Baba, trusting Him and letting go of results, get any easier the longer you're with Him? Or does it get more complicated I apologize for sending this email out late. My computer is still being repaired and I’m having a devil of a time figuring out how to send out communications. Without my computer, I realize I’m a bit lost and vulnerable, knowing that emails are piling up with no way to answer them.In His love with help from dear friends, JeffTo join the email list for Late Night Chats, contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily

Late Night Chat with Margi Connor &Peter Goodman: Play, June 29, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

Late night chat centered around our Beloved. A sharing of hearts led by Margi Connor and Peter Goodman.Jai Baba!This week's topic is the importance of play and joy in daily life. Our lives can be so heavy, full of responsibilities and obligations. One of the most beautiful parts of Baba's life was the balance of play and work. The mandali were ground down by Baba and often pushed to exhaustion, but there was no shortage of fun. They would put on skits, tell jokes, and stories, play games, and play tricks on each other to lighten the heaviness of the work they were doing for their Beloved. Many of us forget the importance of adding play and fun into our lives amidst the hard work and mundane routines of everyday life. Do you break up your daily life with a ritual of joy and lightness? When is the last time you awakened that childlike freedom and richness within yourself? When you have, have you felt that was Baba there with you?When is the last time you laughed a full belly laugh? Baba says real happiness lies in making others happy. Isn't happiness contagious? Have you noticed the energy of the room or within yourself shift when someone is exuding happiness and enthusiasm around you? Do you struggle to give yourself permission to take a break from the hard work? Do you find that when you do take a break to lighten the mood you are actually able to be more productive? Do you bring that childlike enthusiasm to the work you are doing?How do you bring joy into your lives? Isn't joy the source of service? Are you able to serve your Beloved without holding that within yourself?These are all just a few questions to spark conversation. Excited to see where this goes.In His Love,Margi and PeterTo join the email list for Late Night Chats, please contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily

Late Night Chat with Jeff Wolverton: Effort and Grace, June 25, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

We have some informal chat after every arti, the "post-arti party"! But once a week, Jeff Wolverton joins us for some serious mining of the spiritual depths. Join us for conversation, more readings, songs, quotes - you never know what treasures will be uncovered! Dear folks of BabaMy computer has been in the shop for a few days, and so I wasn’t able to send out an email as usual. Neverless, I will be on tonight (Sunday), to continue with Effort & Grace on Know What You Are Giving on page 55. Hope to see you there. This is one of the major themes of Darwin’s book. In His LoveJeff To join the email list for Late Night Chats, contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily

Late Night Chat with Margi Connor &Peter Goodman: Surrender, June 22, 2023, live on Baba Zoom

Late night chat centered around our Beloved. A sharing of hearts led by Margi Connor and Peter Goodman.Jai Baba!Peter and I were seeing how the chats went without the emails being sent out beforehand. It was nice to have things be more informal for a few weeks, but both concluded that sending out a preparation email is a bit better. So again, here we are!This week's topic is surrender. This has been a topic before a few times with Jeff and with Peter and myself. Surrender is something we have to return to over and over again in life with Baba. Sometimes it is about the same thing we tried to surrender before or something entirely new. Baba is always showing us different ways that we are trying to cling to our version of how we would like things to go.Of course, there are always more things we have to surrender to Baba. After all, if we are still here there is more to let go of. Something that has been coming up for me is the concept of re-surrendering. Often Baba will bring us to our knees so we have to cry out to Him and finally ask for His help, but what about when that has already happened once? Have you surrendered something in your life previously, only to realize that you are back doing it all over again?Have you surrendered something to Him, allowed Him to show you the way, and then decided you were "good to go" believing you understood the message He was trying to convey? Perhaps, you did fully surrender at the moment but then did not continue to check in with whether you were still following His wish. There is quite a blow to the ego that happens in having to re-surrender. Of course, the first time around wasn't easy, but we at least had the ability to say we didn't know any better. Have you felt shame in the ah-ha moment where you realize you are back to your old ways? Do you apologize to Baba or cry out in desperation asking Him to help you through this egoic addiction? Has this happened to you? Did the first surrender feel different than the other? Was the second easier than the first because you have been there before? Was trust already established with His ability to help you through? Was it even harder because the fear of getting back to where you are, yet again, plagues you?I believe this is something we all have experienced and can relate to. We tend to think at times we are "advanced" surrenderers until Baba comes in and shows us just how much we need to rely only upon Him. I can't wait to see where this goes.In His Love, Margi and PeterTo join the email list for Late Night Chats, please contact AngelaThis event was recorded live. To be first to be notified of a new video on this channel, please hit the red subscribe button, then the notifications bell. To join future live events, see www.babazoom.net. Please join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/meherbabafamily