Baba on His Book God Speaks

See also How the First 8 Chapters of God Speaks were written.

I'm told some of Baba's lovers say that Baba's words given in his lifetime were for his time only, or for a hypothetical future time, or only meant for some types, and even that God Speaks is only "general guidelines," rather than, as Eruch described it to Mark Riney in 1999, "the Supreme Vision of Reality." In truth Meher Baba took great pains to assure the availability of his words after his lifetime, as one can see from his Will and Testament. Almost half of Baba's will is dedicated exclusively to copyrights of books and messages given by him in his lifetime.

Now about God Speaks, the name of which alone ought to evoke some respectful consideration. This is one book that is often dismissed (to my surprise) as only for a few lost souls with too much mind, who have not gained heart. "Heart" is a tricky business, for it is so easily conflated in imagination with "desires" and "whims" and "preferences," which in truth are guided by sanskaras and often feel like truth. That's the trick of Maya. Clearly it was Baba's desire that his words, especially in God Speaks, not be regarded in such a cavalier way, especially by those who love him. To show how broad a public Baba encouraged to read God Speaks, and even addressing the thought that it is only for the "mind," I've selected some of the things Baba said regarding reading (and even understanding) this most difficult book.

"To one man who was highly educated, Baba advised, "Read God Speaks. It will test your intelligence and also open the heart. It will provide food for the mind and for the heart, too." (Meher Baba, Lord Meher, p. 5829)

"Do read God Speaks. I would like everyone of you to possess a copy. If you cannot buy it, borrow it and read it. If you cannot read, get the book explained to you by someone." (LM 4698)

Baba asked C. E. Dubrunfaut if he had read God Speaks and urged him to do so. (LM 4940)

Baba reminded a man named Vilayat to read God Speaks. (LM 5534)

Dana Field brought Mr. Miller and his wife, Mary, from Miami to see Baba. They, too, were told to read God Speaks. (LM 5010)

To the next woman who saw him privately, Baba urged, "Love me. You will see me within you. Read God Speaks, and don't worry about anything." (LM 5009)

Baba ended by instructing Vilayat Khan, "Please yourself, but you should at least do one thing for me. You must read God Speaks from the first to the last page." (LM 5531)

To Chandra Roy's questions about metaphysics, Baba replied, "You will find all the answers to your questions in God Speaks. Study the book thoroughly and absorb it." (LM 6233)

On October 10th, 1964, Baba to Cohen through Adi K. Irani in response to a letter about LSD: Meher Baba wants you to study the book God Speaks, for it will help you to understand the mystery of life ephemeral and the Truth of Existence Eternal. (LM 6282)

To Phyllis Ott Baba said, "Read God Speaks three or four times. Your eyes will weep and weep and weep. Your heart will burn and burn and burn, and be consumed. And you will experience the Real." (LM 6294)

At one point, Baba startled his mandali by saying, "No more reading. I want you all to stop reading – it confuses the mind! Don't even read anything Baba has written!" The very next moment, he playfully turned to Margaret Craske and asked, "How many times have you read God Speaks? Read it ten times, one right after another!" (LM 5066)

Baba said to a Parsi general in the Indian army, "If you were to read God Speaks, you will have an idea of how Infinity can be bottled up in human form. You will also know that for God, Who is infinitely powerful, it is possible to do anything. Do not worry. Read God Speaks and you will understand that nothing exists but God. You are also God, but you are under the hallucination that you are a human being." (LM 6358)

"If you read God Speaks you will have a wider view of the spiritual panorama of the Divine Drama which reveals the secret of creation." (LM 5724)

Baba heard a part of a Hindi translation of God Speaks that day, done by Professor Dastgir. Afterwards, Baba cryptically remarked to him, "You are dry in heart but soft in mind. Whatever you have written by your intellect will make many weep. In making others soft-hearted, you, too, will become like them. (LM 5712)

"Even if your faith is wrong, I wish you to say what you feel about me. Remain steadfast in your faith. Hold on fast to your sincere and honest convictions. Whatever you feel in your heart, openly declare it. Do not pose. That is the most important point. In God Speaks I have explained every point." (LM 4771)

"Whatever I am is due to the Five Sadgurus. Not only in this incarnation, but in every age when they bring me down. This is all made clear in God Speaks. After reading the book through, you will understand to some extent who you are. But that will not make you see me as I am. For that, you must have intense love for me. I dictated the book myself on the board. Don Stevens has brought a few copies here. The book is on sale in America. People who have read a few chapters feel interested in me. They think it is unique for such a big volume to be dictated on an alphabet board. They wanted to see on television how I used the board." (LM 4799)

"So, take my advice and accept God Speaks as the final authority. Nothing of its kind has been recorded before." (LM 5665)

"God Speaks and Stay with God [by Francis Brabazon] are the two most important books to read." (LM 6431)

The following is from a conversation between Don Stevens, the main editor of the first half of God Speaks, and Baba.

After Don Stevens had worked several months on the Discourses, on a subsequent visit to Meherazad, Baba asked him how the work was progressing. As sometimes happens in any project, Don Stevens was apparently at a low ebb in his vitality, and without thinking he blurted out, "Almost finished now, Baba, but I don't know how much good all this work will do."

Baba looked surprised by his comment and made his accustomed gesture for Don to continue his thought.
"Well, I hear so many people say that words, if anything, obscure Truth, and the mind finally cannot grasp Truth. Even some of the people who love you most dearly say that even Baba's words can well be left aside in the pursuit of God-Realization."

"People say that about Baba's own words?" [Baba] almost exploded, he was so angry.

Don nodded mutely, "Yes."

Quite upset, Baba continued his gesticulations rapidly as Eruch spoke them to Don.

"You must understand that whenever Baba gives out words for his lovers to use and read, he attaches a spiritual energy to them – something like an atomic spiritual bomb! This is especially true in God Speaks. Then, when one reads those words, even if he does not understand even one word of what he reads, a part of the spiritual energy will be absorbed by that person. And this energy will be very important for that person in his spiritual progress." (LM 6289)

Tom Riley describes a discussion with Baba regarding God Speaks in October 1962.

Baba then asked me where exactly I lived in New York and who I knew amongst his people there. He asked me what of his works I had read. I said I was sure I had read almost everything that was published.

He asked, "Have you read God Speaks?"

I answered, "Yes, Baba, I have read it three times."

There was a quiet rumbling sound from the men. He asked,

"Can you sum up for me in a nutshell the essence of God Speaks?"

My focus had been so entirely upon him that my response manifested itself so simply and so reasonably and I said, without hesitation, "The whole of creation exists so that the Soul can find its way back to you."
Baba beamed, his eyes flashing as he made the sign of perfection with His right hand. (LM 5948)

Baba had Adi quickly send a copy of God Speaks with a cover letter and request for immediate response to Dr. Robert White of Cleveland, Ohio (That article was in Look Magazine, November 28th, 1967), a neurosurgeon doing research on monkeys to determine where the soul is located. (LM 6651)

What Dr. White had done is to cut the skull open completely and try to isolate the brain. The main arteries going into the brain are connected to another monkey and the brain receives the blood from the other monkey, the donor monkey, and then he completely removes the body. The blood coming from the veins from the brain is taken out and dripped into a container, is purified, and sent back to the donor monkey. And, in that way, this isolated brain is kept alive separately, completely outside the skull.

Then the article said it was possible for Dr. White to keep the recordings of the donor monkey's brain through the electroencephalogram (EEG) in the same way as brainwaves are recorded in a living monkey's brain. Dr. White thought he could keep this brain alive for a long time. (LM 6641)