Name Bill Page | ||
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Occupation Chairman avatars abode trust Books The Turning of the Key: Meher Baba in Australia | ||
First meeting with Meher Baba
Bill Le Page (Born 14 August 1924) is an Australian businessman, a psychologist and a long time follower of Meher Baba.
Contents
- First meeting with Meher Baba
- Spiritual Seeking and Early Contacts
- Funding Objectives and Legalities
- Development of Avatars Abode
- Publications
- References
Bill Le Page was born in Melbourne Australia in 1924 and is the current chairman of the Avatar's Abode Pty Ltd . In 1954, Meher Baba gave a series of meetings called Three Incredible Weeks At this gathering Western followers were invited to meet his Indian disciples, and Meher Baba gave darshan many thousands of people and had his Final Declaration read out. Bill Le Page was one of select few Westerners who were invited to this event and he was one of only two men ordered to meditate at midnight in Meher Baba's samadhi (tomb-shrine) in Meherabad, India which has become a place of international pilgrimage.
He returned to India in 1962 for The East-West Gathering where the Universal Message was read by Meher Baba In 1967 on his third visit to India received personal directives from Meher Baba regarding Avatar's Abode's development. His last visit for Meher Baba's darshan was for the famous 1969 Darshan
Spiritual Seeking and Early Contacts
After many years of spiritual searching Bill, age thirty, he found out about Meher Baba from the Australian Sufi leader Baron Von Frankenburg in 1947, and met Francis Brabazon a year later. Meher Baba visited Australia and stayed at Avatar's Abode in 1958 . As Francis Brabazon began spending increasing time in India with Meher Baba he was released from the work associated with Australia. Meher Baba called Bill Le Page Francis Brabazon's 'right hand' in Australia.
Funding, Objectives and Legalities
In 1967 Meher Baba instructed Francis Brabazon to transfer Avatar's Abode over to Bill Le Page who was to form a trust of which he will be chairman. Concurrent with establishing a funding base for Avatars Abode Bill Le Page established a proprietary limited company. Meher Baba was consulted and chose the name Meher Holdings, he also approved the directors, Francis Brabazon and Bill Le Page,.
Development of Avatars Abode
Meher Baba had exhorted his Australian followers to rise above themselves, saying, "Baba wants certain ones to wholeheartedly cooperate with Bill and work under his direction in the development of the place. In so doing, they will be cooperating directly with Baba in his work in Australia." Much good work was done, but as happened so much with Babas work differences of opinion over how Avatars Abode was managed surfaced in 1979 leading to a petition in 1983 that was taken to the Mandali in India.
The Avatar's Abode Pty Ltd was formed by a deed dated 29 April 1984, after being brokered by the Mandali in India However Meher Baba Foundation Australia still functioned concurrently with the new trust. A Mandali condition was that Bill Le Page was to become and always remain chairman of the new Avatars Abode Trust. However Le Page significantly reduced then stopped his personal funding of the new Pty Ltd and concentrated on continuing work with Meher Baba Foundation Australia. In effect a schism developed. Le Page lives on Avatars Abode currently for six months of the year, the other six months are spent in the USA.