MY FIRST TASTE OF SISTERHOOD WITH BABA

 
The sexes were separated and this meant quite a bit to me because it was something that was new. The women were with Baba as women together. I personally felt that it was important, for me it was anyway. We were called together as a group of women and it was my first taste of sisterhood with Baba. It was the first time that I had felt that there was something special about womanhood and being together with other women in Baba. And it was really a lovely thing.

We all sat on the carpet; Baba was sitting on the edge of His bed with His legs over the front and He was just so relaxed. He was always so relaxed, it was just like being at home with your family. It was a really lovely thing.

He sat there on the bed and beside Him He had a lot of things that the women mandali had sent out. He leaned over — there was a little game going on — He was picking out what He would give to whom and it was really lovely to see Baba taking so much time in such a little thing. Being there where there wasn't anything happening, in the sense that there was no programme. I can't remember very many of the things that He said. Just the memory of Him sitting there.

His eyes would sparkle as He was telling us about the women in India. He told us about the roles of Mehera and Mani, and the purity of Mehera, which to me was a completely new idea. I had no idea of who Mehera was, or what the concept of Mehera was. He made us, the women here before Him in such a relaxed and intimate way, feel that we were also sisters with those women in India. It opened a book on the sisterhood of women to me.

He gave us each some of His hair, which He explained was very, very precious, it was part of His Avataric person. He told us that there were several different kinds of gifts. There were four large photographs, some little leather sandals and some bangles. Everyone received something.