Turning off Quakerbridge Road onto Youngs Road, you can see a bungalow with two red doors — one door in front leading to the Museum (Artifacts Room) and one at the side entrance up a handicap ramp to the Meeting Room. Since 2011, Beloved Archives has been a refuge, a sanctuary and a place for quiet reflection for seekers who know about Meher Baba and are eager to know more. With material going back to Meher Baba as Merwan, the Archives is a place for research, study and a resource of Meher Baba’s teachings.

The Annex, designed by devoted Baba lover Architect Richard Griffin blends seamlessly into the urban landscape. Once the dedicated Baba crew laid the foundation, the outer shell was constructed to create a capacious edifice to seat as many as 80 to 90 seekers, oftentimes more. After 3 months of intense construction, the work is now complete, but the building will be under “preparatory” work for a few months.

The altar in the Annex of the new Beloved Archives.

THE COMFORT FACTOR

We have installed a hi-tech electric zoned air conditioning and heating system. The essential components are the outdoor and indoor units with smart comfort controls. The system operates by transferring heat to and from an outdoor unit to four indoor units. The system provides a cushioned zone of comfort in Summer and Winter.

The sign-in as guests enter from the new side entrance

PROTECTION OF THE HOUSE

Since Beloved Archives functions as a center for preservation and display of Meher Baba’s artifacts, rare original documents, photographs dating back to 1894, the Archives has been designed to preserve, protect and share all these precious materials from the ravages of excessive heat, humidity, dust and negative climatic effects. Beloved Archives is protected and monitored by ADT and Protection 1 systems, the largest electronic security service provider in America.

THE SOUND ROOM

As we perfect the Sound Room with the assistance of generous donations and dedicated volunteers John Gunn and Prakash Dheram, we have acquired a new sound system to support up to 8 wired and 5 wireless microphones with a capacity to record audio through 8 microphones at once for subsequent mixing to stereo. Sennheiser wired and Tonor wireless hand held microphones, wireless transmitters to QSC wireless speakers and a Yamaha 16-track mixer will help us accomplish pure sound quality and recordings for posterity. The Sound Room is a work in progress.

A section of the Sound Room

CATALOGING

We view the preservation and cataloging of artifacts, documents, photographs and films associated with the life and work of Beloved Baba for posterity and not just for our time. The effort our team at Beloved Archives continues to put in is timeless. It is Avatar Meher Baba’s legacy that we honor. It is the mandate He gave me in 1965 to share His Teachings with those seekers who are still to come. This work is ongoing as Baba lovers send in their treasures to Beloved Archives for rehousing, preservation and display.

ACTIVE REHOUSING

With the opening of the Annex into a new phase, select teams of workers will devote themselves to the meticulous sorting, dusting, and rehousing of documentary materials in acid-free folders. In this work each sheet and document has to be taken from its file, dusted, inserted in acid-free folders with interleafing papers and mylar when necessary, and refiled. While this process has been done in short spurts, with the Annex getting ready for use, rehousing of documents will start in real earnest with Baba volunteers working together as one family. If you are interested in sharing in the Beloved’s work, please write to us at meherbaba@aol.com

SPIRITUAL ANSWERS TO SPIRITUAL QUESTIONS

One of the projects that Beloved Archives has undertaken this past year is collecting and converting to both MP3s and text a series of spiritual questions that Eruch Jessawala answered, both in mandali hall and in interviews. At this time we are putting together a collection of spiritual answers to spiritual questions that Eruch gathered at the feet of the Beloved. We will soon share them once all the transcriptions have come in. By Beloved Baba’s grace a number of loving hands are transcribing 50 years of recordings and interviews.

MEHER BABA FILMS

One of the joys of archiving is the discovery and preservation of Meher Baba films. To preserve films from deterioration is the prime mission of our archiving efforts. Over the past few years considerable progress has been made on this front. Pete Townshend has donated to Beloved Archives several reel-to-reel films that have since been digitized. We have also received films from individual collectors in the US and from Sufism Reoriented. The most recent addition of rare footage in our collection are two 8 mm home-made films of Beloved Baba taken by Sam Kerawala at Bindra House in Poona. These have not been released, but will be available soon./p>

WORKING IN ONENESS AS ONE FAMILY

We are constantly reaching out to experts in the archival world for guidance. To add to our collection of color slides, we have sought the assistance of the celebrated Oregon photographer Doug Frank whose photographic work is on display in the Portland Museum of Art. Over the years Doug has successfully digitized and preserved the Elizabeth Patterson Collection. We have preserved a set of the collection in Beloved Archives. Since much of the material in Beloved Archives are in the form of artifacts, documents, original first generation photographs and negatives and films, the primary focus has been on collecting material that would have been lost and constant scientific measures are researched to restore and preserve these precious treasures that would have otherwise deteriorated. We have shared our entire photo collection of several thousand images with the Avatar Meher Baba Trust Archives in India who are now working with a team of volunteers to historically identify each photograph. We are delighted that consequent to collaborative efforts between Beloved Archives, the Trust Archives, Avatar’s Abode Archives, and Sufism Reoriented we have been able to share a large number of photographs and documents in the pages of Glow International

BOOKS COLLECTION

Another type of “treasure” is the Beloved Archives Rare Book Collection, which includes many old books and pamphlets. To ensure that each publication is preserved, an extensive inventory of Western and Indian language books has been underway, and fireproof filing cabinets set aside for archival safekeeping. The Archives also serves as a Sharing Library for Baba books.

UNDER ONE ROOF

From time to time we send messages to the global Meher Baba community to send artifacts, letters, photographs and films to Beloved Archives for preservation and eventual sharing. With the help of volunteers, donors and friends of Beloved Archives, our single-minded goal is to preserve and share the Beloved’s legacy with seekers everywhere. That is our mandate. This is our Mission. Please write to meherbaba@aol.com if you wish to donate your Meher Baba treasures to Beloved Archives. We will arrange to collect them from your home.

The Meeting Room with comfortable chairs and zafus

THE BELOVED’S GATHERING

With the added space to accommodate seekers, we are planning a Sahavas, simply called.The Beloved’s Gathering in October 17-18, 2020 on the weekend of the Anniversary of the New Life. We are currently working on a list of presenters and musicians for these and many more events. We are planning a soft opening to celebrate Beloved Baba’s Birthday on February 22, 2020 in concert with Meher Baba House of New York.

INTENSIVES AND A LOT MORE

The 3-day weekend Intensives that Beloved Archives first initiated in the US four years back, gave seekers an opportunity to come together to focus on aspects of Meher Baba’s Teachings. These Intensives have been recorded and widely distributed on DVDs. With the added space we will be able to host frequent Intensives, Music and Spiritual Poetry Festivals as well as meditation sessions on Mindful Divinity at the Annex. During the past two years Beloved Archives has hosted presentations on Living the New Life (a 6-hour presentation), screening of Meher Baba films, and stimulating question and answer sessions.

THE HOUSE OF THE BELOVED (H • O • B)

After going through the travails of extending the House of the Beloved, lovingly called ‘the HOB’, we realized that every difficulty is an opportunity to face odds with dignity, balancing the head and the heart. With a compassionate heart, awakened to Beloved Baba’s love, we all have come to trust our capacity to face challenges while remaining kind and generous. To stay on the path, we need to find places that we can go for refuge — to sit in quietude, in silence, in contemplation — to discover a place that heals.

The three doors on the side open to a deck and a seating arrangement

Beloved Archives is one of those healing places. Since 2011 seekers have come to the Archives to establish a powerful relationship with brothers and sisters on the path to oneness.

Please join us in sustaining the 'new' Beloved Archives — this beautiful refuge by making a gift today. Here we deepen our spiritual connections and nurture our spiritual growth.

Meher Baba told us that each one of us are unique, joyous beings worthy of love and compassion. Beloved Archives reminds you that you are not alone on the spiritual path. Once you come here you become a part of a loving community, interdependent and connected with each other. And now with a larger space, we are on the cusp of welcoming more and more seekers drawn to bow down at the Beloved’s threshold.

With your generous timely donations, Beloved Archives will continue to follow the mandate that Beloved Baba has given us and serve as a strong force of courage and compassion, despite the winds of anxiety and uncertainty swirling around us.

SHARE OUR VISION — SHARE OUR MISSION

Thirty-four years ago, Meher Baba gave me the mandate to let the world know about His Avataric Advent. Our vision is to share His Teachings as widely as possible, providing a supportive, inspiring and vibrant Meher Baba community as companions in the New Life family.

We believe you share our dream. As we celebrate 53 years of sharing, our goal is to add new donors to our existing regular supporters, and to step-up monthly donations.

If our mission inspires you, if you gain value and insight from:

• The books we publish, more recently Meher Baba’s Discourses from 50 Years of The Glow, TEACHINGS, and Meher Baba’s MEDITATION FOR A NEW HUMANITY
• The journal GLOW INTERNATIONAL, now in its 53rd year
• A new Podcast, MEETING MEHER BABA of thousands of MP3s
• We are open to the general public and invite seekers to learn more about Meher Baba’s teachings

Please help us reach more people with our outreach programs

Your gift will help us cope with the greater costs facing all non-profits; and it will help us move closer to financial sustainability. And that, of course, means we can keep on reaching more people and expand the many ways of introducing them to Avatar Meher Baba.

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Our outreach is directly related to our funds, so your contributions mean we can put Meher Baba’s Teachings in the hands of more and more people. Based on past experience, we expect to publish new books, negotiate translation deals, find added distribution for CDs and DVDs, and continue networking with skilled people who will help us with the dissemination of Meher Baba’s Teachings.

The new kitchen with a cooking range and other cooking equipment for Group entertainment

DONATIONS FOR ARCHIVAL WORK

Many of you have come forward to financially support our expansion plans with your generous donations and we are most grateful.

Of course, every single donation, big or small, is vital to our efforts to share Meher Baba’s Teachings, but recurring monthly donations are especially helpful. They provide us with a more predictable base of support, and a clearer view of the path ahead.

At this time, please consider making a donation. And if you are able, join our existing monthly donors by offering $100 each month. Your selfless generosity helps give us greater certainty in uncertain times. EVERY DOLLAR RECEIVED AS DONATION GOES TOWARDS ARCHIVAL WORK AT BELOVED ARCHIVES. You can send us a check, pay by credit card or donate off our website.

If you have never made a donation, perhaps now is the time. It will mean a lot to us, and to the small group of workers who help us with our projects.

With appreciation and much love,

Naosherwan Anzar
Telephone: 609.529.6129
Email: meherbaba@aol.com

Beloved Archives is a 501©3 non-profit, tax-exempt foundation registered in the United States. Please feel free to write to meherbaba@aol.com or call 609.529.6129 for information on how you can assist with work for the Beloved.

BELOVED ARCHIVES, INC.
116 Youngs Road
Hamilton, NJ 08619
Telephone: 609.529.6129
www.belovedarchives.org

Visitors are welcomed to Beloved Archives by appointment weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors are also welcome at certain times on Saturdays and Sundays by calling in advance at 609.529.6129.

For information on programs and events, please sign-up on our website requesting our newsletter.