THE GOD-MAN The Life, Journeys and Work of Meher Baba with an ...

THE PERIOD OF WORLD TRAVEL 109Deep in the rock was a little cave (small because St Francis was very small in stature) wherehe used to meditate, with a coffin-shaped hollow in which he slept. It could be of no use to Bababecause tourists might come to look round at any moment; another cave nearby was worse, it wasby the road and even more exposed. I felt disappointed and tired. It seemed as if I should failBaba. I walked back as it was now getting dark.Talking to a lady in the hotel in English and with the Carceri guide-monk in French, Ifamiliarized them with my interest in St Francis and gleaned information. There was a policeregulation about strangers having to sleep in a recognized hotel to be considered; the monkexpostulated with me when I said I wanted to meditate for four hours. 'It was dangerous even formonks to meditate so long, and you might become insane. I was able to convince him of mysincere interest. Then I learnt that when St Francis longed to draw apart from the multitude, heand four companions would meditate separately on the slopes of Monte Subasio ....I explored the neighbourhood and found a ruined shelter - an overhanging eave of rock on theside of a hill. In front of this indented rock was a rough stone wall, but the roof timbers and tileshad fallen down long ago; the gnarled roots of a tree clung to the rock above, with no protectionfrom the rain.Tall trees growing at a lower level also hid it from passers-by in the opposite side of the gorge.It was dirty, full of broken tiles, damp rubbish, and leaves. I had to excavate it, tear down bushesto hide its entrance, and finally find a new path down the hillside so that none could see us enterit.My instructions were to meditate in the selected place for four hours each day, to fast partially,and on the day preceding Baba's arrival to meditate for eight hours. I was thus able to testwhether it was so far off the beaten track as to be secure from interruption for the twenty-fourhours required for Baba, and also by my daily visits to the Monastery to prepare the way. It wasnot ideal but I could find no other.The hotel became accustomed to my long absences. I lit a small fire to drive away insects andto make the cave drier, but had to be careful. Never have I found meditation so difficultas during those daily periods - contrary thoughts, the darkening hours, the encircling trees,dampness, cold, and depression. What should I do if the police or some stranger found me seatedlike an Indian yogi on an Italian hillside?