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

428 THE GOD-MANwhen the brain goes, reason goes. Baba addresses himself to the creative intelligence, the intellect that usesthe brain and its reasoning abilities, but is also in the heart and in every cell of the body, the divine core, notafflicted with mortality. The distinction between 'reason' and 'intellect' is important.(14)Meher Baba talks plainly about sex because, with hypocrisy out of the way, sex can be considered withinthe sphere of love, either the biological love of instinct or the pure love of consciousness that surrenders allfor the beloved. The body is not to be regarded as separate from the soul, for it, too, is to be known fromwithin. It is clear from Baba's actions - and his actions are the most important part of his teaching - that thebody is not to be denied, but accepted and respected. This, indeed, applies to the entire 'illusion', which is notto be regarded merely as symbol, for in his own words it 'sustains Reality'. 1 He once referred to the body as 'awalking latrine', but be does not despise latrines; at his school, as the record shows, he cleaned out the boys'latrines. He washes the diseased and lepers and bows down to them and to the poor. He thus honors the body.There is no 'niceness' about Baba. In every act he makes us aware of the sacredness of Nature, for God is inthe stone, the flower, the animal, and in suffering man.(15)Baba speaks of himself not as prophets or teachers do of themselves but as one with whom men have aspecial relation. He speaks of 'loving me', 'being in me', 'coming to me'; he tells his followers to speak hisname at times of difficulty, and he has said that to have his name on one's lips at the moment of death isblessed, using language that Jesus used. Yet it cannot be supposed that he is imitating Jesus; he is quiteclearly speaking from himself. It would be easy to react to this and to find fault with it; nonetheless weshould consider what in fact he is doing. He is obviously meaning the special relation to which I havereferred. He is not simply drawing attention to his 'method' or 'teaching' but to himself. What is it in himselfthat he means? It is undoubtedly Godhood. The 'me' that he means is God. Is he then, as Jesus was accusedof doing, putting himself in the place of God, an1 The dedication of God Speaks is 'To the Universe - the Illusion that sustains Reality'.