stepped up. Those human beings who are closest to the seventh door experience his manifestation most directly and intensely. The rest of humanity experiences the manifestation in accordance to their relative distance from the seventh door. This light seen by humanity, as his manifestation, inflames human consciousness so that divine intoxication is actually experienced.

Avatar Meher Baba started the second phase of his universal work the day he dropped his physical body. Since January 31st, 1969, he is now distributing wine freely. Those people who did not come into his physical contact, or did not see him physically during the first phase of his work while incarnate on earth, did not miss anything! Meher Baba completed the first phase of his inner work for them without their awareness of him, or of his presence on earth. The first phase of his work has prepared them to receive his wine and to participate in the second phase of his work. However, if they fail to extend their hearts to him and accept his wine, they will actually miss the real glory of his manifestation — divine intoxication.

I remember one incident that occurred in September, 1968, that clearly pertains to the second phase of Meher Baba's work. Baba was discussing the forthcoming 1969 darshan program with the mandali.

Padri said to Baba, "We are old now. Close the shop, Baba!"

Baba immediately became annoyed and gestured, "What are you saying? Close the shop! The shop will now be opened!"

None of us understood at that time what Baba meant by this. But, soon afterward he dropped the body and more people started coming into his contact, even though they had not met him. This moving stream of humanity signifies that he has opened his wineshop for the world — to freely distribute wine to all of those who were unknowing participants in the first phase of his work. They are now on the path to him.

Another incident occurred in October, 1968, during the seclusion phase of Baba's work. I felt deeply disturbed that Baba would not reply to the correspondence from his lovers. There was at this time a strict ban on correspondence for both the east and west.

Recognizing my disturbance, Baba explained to me, "My lovers are great, they want nothing material or spiritual. I come down to worship them . . . Why are you so disturbed? You have been with me for so many years and still you do not understand what I am doing for them."

He continued, "My work is the real thing which I am giving them and you will witness with your own eyes what will happen to those who have not met me physically. "

Because his work is the real thing he has given to the world, people are now coming to him, even though they did not meet him in the physical form. Meher Baba has completed the first phase of his work for them, though these people have had no physical contact with him. Without their knowing it, he has bestowed a great blessing upon them, and in his own way he has prepared them to participate in the second phase of his work — the wine of love.

Near the end, Baba's health was in critical condition. During January, 1969, Baba was discussing his forthcoming darshan program in April. His suffering was terrible. His body was being crushed by the infinite burden of the universe. This was the last stroke of the first phase of his work on earth. Spasm after spasm wracked his body. It was as if his bones were breaking. That memory will never leave me.

During the discussion about the darshan, Baba said, "Once I start giving darshan to my lovers, I will never stop. It will be continuous and I will be very strong at that time."

Again we mandali did not understand what he meant. But since he has dropped his body, I have witnessed more and more people coming for his darshan. I now see how he is giving darshan continuously and how he distributes his wine.

Now he is very strong. The wineshop is open and the door is remaining open, Maya cannot close it. Wine is the second phase and the world is receiving it, for wine is his work. He gives darshan continuously to all those who now thirst for his wine. Wine is the most important phase for this is the period of preparation for participating in the third phase of his work — his divine manifestation to the entire world.

In 1967 before Meher Baba instructed me to write his biography and to write about his work and manifestation, he gave me several points.

It was during night watch and Baba told me to get a pen and some paper. Baba began, "I am going to give you a few important points about my manifestation. Write each point down.