Murshida Vera is talking about Hazrat Inayat Khan’s wife, Amina Begum. She was born Ora Ray Baker in New Mexico; she became the mother of his four children: Noor-un-Nisa, Vilayat, Hidayat, Khair-un-Nisa. From early childhood Ora Ray showed great strength of will. Ora Ray fell in love with Hazrat Inayat Khan on sight and became a true friend. Hazrat credits Ora Ray; without her he could never have devoted his life to the mureeds and the Sufi Order; she was a being radiating light. Murshida told about her experience under 5 years of age of meeting Hazrat in the spirit body. After marrying Hazrat Inayat Khan Ora Ray went totally into the culture and life of Hazrat, the Islamic and Hindu way. Ora Ray always taught the children that their father was a master and not an ordinary man and every sacrifice had to be made not to disturb him. The family was poor; Ora Ray had the devotion to the message and his way of life, she kept her self in the home and a secluded way of life. Murshida is talking about Hazrat Inayat Khan’s life, Murshid Sam, Murshida Rabia Martin, etc. Ora Ray did not travel with Hazrat but was surrounded by Hazrat’s family; she was in seclusion a lot and took on the light and Holy Spirit practices. Murshida is talking about Noor-un-Nisa’s work as a spy during World War II, her quality of standing on the truth until death, her connection to her mother, the Begum. The early life of Ora Ray is mentioned, her friendship with Hazrat who became her first music teacher; she silently had a great power of attraction to him. Murshida is talking about the visions and inner experience of Hazrat about his future wife, his protector and advisor. Ora Ray told her dream to Hazrat, which became a reality. They became separated; but finally Ora Ray was able to communicate with Hazrat and they married. Murshida is talking about male dominance in the western world.

Murshida Vera is continuing to talk about meeting Hazrat Inayat Khan who taught her about the elements and the elemental breaths, her initiation as a sheika and the robe given to her; standing before the whole community and lecturing about the mineral kingdom. Murshida talks about her background with the minerals as a child. Murshida Vera talks about Murshia Martin deciding to make her a murshida but it had to wait until New Year. Vera found out years later when Pir Vilayat finally came to the U.S.; the Seeds Centers were already operating. Vera was invited for tea and finally met Pir Vilayat. Pir Vilayat told Vera to give the message and she did. Afterwards Pir V told Vera to come to Novato and have tea with him. Taj introduced Vera as Murshida and took her to Pir; he asked Vera to meditate with him. Vera told Taj she was not a murshida but a sheika and Taj told her no she was a Murshida. They had already recognized Murshida Martin’s initiation of her on the inner.

Murshida Martin asked Vera to meet with her at her house every Saturday and taught her about the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Murshida Martin came to Kaaba Allah every weekend, after Murshida Martin made Murshida Vera a murshida she gave her the keys to the files on the second floor at Kaaba Allah and told her she could read the entire message. Murshida Vera started her research on the unity of religious ideals and anything about children; mind world, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual; and out of that eventually was written the basis for the Seed Center. Murshida Martin visited Murshida Vera a week before she died, met Murshida Vera’s first daughter, Acey. She gave a lesson and told Vera that Meher Baba, the new living master on this plane and a great Sufi was on the 7th level and asked her to support and aid Murshida Duce. Murshida Vera talks about the after effects of Murshida Martin’s death: Murshid Sam’s mureeds (war veterans) that he gave to Murshida Vera, the passing of Hazel Armstrong, Murshida Duce’s interview, Murshid Sam’s rejection again, Murshid Sam turned over his old work to Murshida Vera, Murshida Vera going to New York city where the Sufi Order had a center. This is the story of how the Sufi message developed in America. Murshida mentions how Hazrat Inayat Khan did all that work in the Sufi volumes in 43 years. Meher Baba never went to Kaaba Allah but went back to India. Murshid Sam came back; then he was gathering his first mureeds from the flower children.

Murshida Vera is talking about Cushy Cushing who willed Vera her furnishings, etc. at her death. Cushy developed a shorthand of her own and it hasn’t been possible to translate the notes that she took of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s lectures. Murshida is talking about Kaaba Allah with Murshid Sam, Murshida Martin, Sheika Cushing, her young married life in San Francisco and the one to one teaching with Murshida Martin and Sheika Cushing, working with Murshid Sam and the children at Kaaba Allah, visiting the various churches with Sam, working on projects at Kaaba Allah, Murshid Sam singing from Pirates of Penzance, the friendship bench by the rock at Kaaba Allah. Murshida Vera’s advice about the personal contact with mureeds; they must be able to come to you anytime they are in trouble and feel they are entering in a family circle. Murshida is talking about seeing Hazrat Inayat, advertised as the oriental musicians playing the vina in San Francisco when she was about 10 years of age, studying dance with Ruth St. Denis, how she obtained a ticket to Ruth’s concert and saw Hazrat Inayat Khan. Her first encounter with Hazrat was as a young child and the first element she learned from him was air, she saw Hazrat and the three children walking in the cornfield and he came to her and brought her outside to learn about the elements. Later on Pir Vilayat told Murshida at that time the family was together and they walked in the cornfields in France, Murshida was in Modesto California.

Murshida talks about the initiations made by Pir Moineddin that she was invited to participate. Murshida is talking about how women are taken in as second class in the orders, her experience being put at the back wall to pray never to stand with the men and pray. Murshida expresses strongly her conviction that spiritual women in the Sufi orders have the right to evolve and to be recognized with men on an equal basis.

Murshida Vera talks about her initiation with Murshid Sam and her early work with Murshida Rabia Martin. She discusses the beginning of WW2 and the work being done at Kaaba Allah with Murshid Sam. At that time, all of Murshid Sam’s work with the children was done in nature. The earliest work that Murshid Sam gave to those called to the work of the oracle was to work in trees. In the 70’s the oracles who were named by Murshid Sam in his lifetime and lived in the area began to meet regularly in Murshida Vera’s room. They studied the Greek Oracular work. At some point Pir Vilayat asked Murshida Vera to stop the oracular work outwardly. The work did not stop on the inner plane as the receptivity still came through.

The work has gone on silently, quietly, and inwardly. Murshida Vera considers the 30 years working under Murshid Sam’s guidance to be the greatest privilege that an individual could have. She describes Murshid Sam with natural oracular ability that resided within his soul and spirit; far ahead of his time. There were 10 years when Murshid Sam went through the madzub stages. With the oracular work, there was so little that Murshid Sam read and such great prophecy that he gave on it. Murshid Moineddin asked for the work of the oracle to again be brought forth. The message is given to the feminine within the masculine; it is given to the balancing of the two polarities. This is the time to restore the oracular work, listening within and following oracular reception. Murshida discusses what is the definition of the oracle; it is a receptivity of the heart. Murshida talks about personal experiences with the messages of the archangels as the messengers of God. She discusses the mysticism of sound in the rustling of the leaves of the red oak tree, etc.

Murshida discusses the sounds that come through with the breathing practice of Shagal. The earth goddess has always been connected to the oracular work. The oracular work needs a sanctuary; Murshida feels the sanctuary should be in nature. It’s important to be familiar with the goddesses; Isis, Danu, Demeter & Persephone, Yamanji, Freyja, Sancty, Maya, Quan Yin, Mary, Branwen,. The oracular is to be restored by going back to Kabbalah. Perception by the eyes of the intellect is the true oracular work. The importance of purification of the breath, purity of the word, purity of thoughts, purity of mind for the oracular work is presented. Practices of contemplation of the kingdoms of nature, of the elements are discussed. Contemplation in the search for beauty and purity has to precede all others if the oracular work is to be restored and be valid. The work of faith is presented. Our belief in the validity of our receptivity must be restored. Validity means to prove to yourself in the silence by your inner reasoning, individual work within. The temple must be built within; built from the light practices, which come from the connection with the Holy Spirit. No one becomes an oracle who does not learn to give freely of what one has. The oracular work is part of the glory and beauty of the Divine Being. Murshida shares her experience with the golden hawk and glance of the hawk flying next to her car. The foundation of the oracular work is in Kabbalah. The necessity of concentration and visualization for anything that is accomplished within the order is discussed to clarify the path and unify the direction that must be followed. One must learn to recognize symbols in nature.

Recognizing the spirit behind the soul enables one to find the path and goal of the soul. How are we going to restore the oracular work that has been lost for thousands of years? Murshida sees that we need to find the foundations of the oracular work from Hazrat Inayat Khan. We have to see the life in all forms, the light of the Nur Manower. One doesn’t come in contact with the presence of the divine being in the Sufi message unless one has listened inwardly. The heart must constantly reach upward as it says in the prayer, Khatum. The oracle must only give out messages on the new moon phase as the light makes the path clear. The importance of meditative prayer, the realization of the Christ as a spirit, forgiveness, differences and distinctions, the unity of the presence of God, etc. are discussed. Murshida answers questions posed by the group.

Murshida Vera is speaking of values given to children; values are necessary and when values collapse, civilization collapses. Hazrat Inayat Khan’s society was very different from the United States; when he came to the United States he hoped to give the message through the mysticism of sound but only found a handful that understood his message. When he came back the second time, he toured as a musician in conjunction with other arts and that is when Murshida Vera first saw him physically at a Ruth St. Denis’ recital. When initiated in those days, it was a closed group of people; Murshid Sam met Hazrat and had interviews; the personal interviews Murshid Sam had with Hazrat definitely set the course of his life because it put him in charge of protecting Murhida Rabia Martin. Murshida is speaking about when she first met Murshid Sam. At that time, the attitude of the mureed to the teacher didn’t have to be preached about, as the person bringing the message was kept quite secret. Murshid Sam developed relationships with a few disciples; he socialized, played, traveled and with some worked with them. When Pearl Harbor happened, all of the young Sufis joined forces re the war; overnight many families broke up. The whole brotherhood divided up and only came together again when Murshid Sam began his work with the flower children. At this time Murshida Vera saw real change in Murshid Sam’s value system; two value systems collapsed, those of the pre-war and those of the young people. When Murshid Sam came into the flower children scene he said there is a long hard way and a short way; the long way one carries it for all time. Murshid Sam felt people had to be fed in more than one-way, oneness of heart. This brought about a whole new generation; children of the Seed Centers, etc. Murshida is speaking of how children’s value system is based totally on their impression of you that radiates in light and love. What one is searching for lives within one’s own heart and that light has to find its’ way out. All Sufi wasifas and all the teachings have come back to the same source and evaluation system; the answers come from the silent search within for one’s own truth and one’s own value system; this can be aided greatly by our spiritual teachings. There are 5 bodies within each person, over the 5 bodies there are guardian angels, prototypes, and behind that the divine light and behind that the mysticism of sound. These are the things, which are the basis of the value system within the Sufi community. Commitment is one of the great basic things in spiritual life, commitment that we are willing to take a step forth into the unknown. Murshida speaks of Murshid Sam again. We must find the step forward that leads to the path of light. One is always on route; relax into Toward the One.

Murshida discusses the joy and happiness within the being of Murshid Sam. It was part of the motivation of the spirit that charged his soul. Murshida Vera gives the keys to happiness by Hazrat Inayat Khan. Inayat Khan describes happiness as our birthright; true happiness depends upon spirit. HIK taught that learning to listen to one’s intentions as it rises into the thought form from the heart’s core brings happiness. Murshida Vera discusses what spiritual attainment means. Silence is happiness; the virtue behind the action brings happiness.