HEROINES OF THE PATH

In 1939, the Master called her to India for the 3rd time. Again, she gave up her ballet school. Baba's order was to come immediately after war broke out: He had to have someone cross the sea after war began. By a series of persistent maneuvers she got on the last boat out of England and arrived in India at a time when Baba was involved in creating the first Universal Spiritual Center at Bangalore.

Some young Baba lover said when you go to India you just exchange Western maya for Eastern maya. Now Margaret became one of the close group around Baba — Easterners and Westerners mingling their sanskaras together. Margaret told me that one doesn't know how "Western" one really is until you live in the East. For example, she described some of the intense East-West battles in the kitchen over food and diet. One Eastern lady insisted rice was pure protein! A Westerner, an avid vegetarian, found a piece of pork in the canned beans, but the others showed their sense of humor — they took it out in the garden and buried it with great ceremony! Finally, the work of preparing separate menus became too tedious; and all agreed on a common menu. The same happened with religious holidays. There were a tremendous number and Baba insisted each should celebrate the others' holidays. Again, it got to be too much and just a certain number were celebrated by everyone.

Anita de Caro once told Margaret she was tired of Maya and would like to get out of it. Margaret's answer was "But I love Maya." I always loved her for that answer.

In the ashram and on tour Baba made use of her expertise in physical exercise. She taught Baba's Eastern women how to swim. At first they showed up in long-sleeved blouses and pantaloons which Margaret quickly vetoed. She also taught them some basic exercises. Several times at Baba's request, they practised with sticks called "lathi." Margaret felt these "martial" exercises may have had some inner link with outer military events in the world in the '40's . . . World War II, Partition in India, etc. Though absolutely down-to-earth and as uninterested in the occult as Margaret is — she is always so grounded it is a delight — nevertheless she feels Baba often used her as a "link" with outer events, perhaps just because she wasn't into the occult, and perhaps, too, because she was English.

For example, one rainy day in June 1944, Baba asked her to "throw the cat out" — a stray feline she had been taking care of. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Again, Baba asked. Again, she couldn't do it. Then Baba threatened that if she didn't do as He asked, she would have to leave, and never see Him again. She threw the cat out into the pouring rain. That was "D-day", when the Allied forces made their Normandy landing in horrendous wet weather.

Again, late in 1941 He dictated many cables for her to send to Elizabeth, stating His wish to visit "Honolulu, the Philippines, or any place in the Pacific." After December 7, 1941, and the sack of Pearl Harbor there was no more mention of the Pacific. Most of the places mentioned by Baba were later seized by the Japanese.