“Divinity is not devoid of humanity”

Baba having meal with Westerners, Nasik, 1937. Garrett Fort is seated next to Baba.

Garrett was full of questions about what constituted spirituality, renunciation, and the spiritual path. On Thursday, 17 December 1936, Baba stated to the group, while directing his comments to Fort:

Divinity is not devoid of humanity — it lifts mankind to God. Nor does spirituality necessarily imply the renunciation of worldly activities. True spirituality signifies the internal renunciation of mundane desires. Mere external renunciation — asceticism — does not lead to spirituality.

Perfection is not perfection if it tries to escape from entanglement by shrinking from the dual expressions of nature. The Perfect One must assert his dominion over all illusion, however attractive and however powerful. A Perfect Being functions with complete detachment in the midst of the most intense activity and in contact with all forms of life.

-www.lordmeher.org, p1755
Dec, 1936; Bhandardara, India

Photo courtesy: http://www.meherbabatravels.com/his-close-ones/men/garrett-fort/