Ivy, Charmian and Francis met Baba again on the morning of 11 May at 8:45 A.M., and they also liked the name Sufism Reoriented. Baba informed them:
You are instruments for my work, until you get Light. Then you will know what to do automatically. The name Sufism Reoriented should be the same everywhere, but for the present, I personally think it should be separate, and once it is run as I want, then I will see to incorporating all the different branches in different countries in one. All these points must be noted down; make them precise and practical so that they may be published. All of it should be collected so I can go through it, correct it and have it published before I leave in July.
Speaking about the practice of Murshids wearing robes, Baba commented: "No robes are required until you become real Murshids. Then you can put on robes. The very basis of Sufism is a woolen garment, because it absorbs the dark sanskaras of others. When you have Light and you wear the robe, the wool will absorb sanskaras. Muhammad wore one; Krishna too; and now Baba wears a woolen garment."
Another woman who met Baba for the first time during this visit was Evelyn Blackshaw of California. In 1941, Irene Conybeare had gone from India to live in America, and in 1947, before going back to England, she went to spend a few days at a Rosicrucian Retreat in Oceanside, California.1 Evelyn was working there at the time, and Irene asked her to do some of her typing. Evelyn was a Vedantist and a devoted follower of Ramakrishna. On Irene's dresser were many photographs of Baba, and Evelyn naturally asked who he was. Irene lent her the books Perfect Master and Avatar , and after reading them in one night, Evelyn wept "unashamedly." That night she saw Meher Baba in a vision:
Baba was sitting on his heels in a clearing; a group of men were sitting on their heels in front of him ... The minute I saw him, I wanted to rush out and throw myself at his dear feet. My mind and heart kept saying, "My Krishna, my Krishna, you are here, you are back." Although born in the West, I had heard the name Krishna somewhere, and when I heard it, my heart leapt strangely, although I did not know why; but now I knew, here was my beloved Lord.
Footnotes
- 1.The Rosicrucians are a Christian mystical order.