AMBCSC DOME 2 ADD ON TO SANCTUARY SACRIFICE SERVICE
Revised - One Long Summation
The AMBCSC-Dome and the AMBCSC-Dome 2 Blogs are companion pages - and Canvas, Sacrifice, Sanctuary, Soapbox are the complimentary pages. Pages within pages creating a waterwheel of abundant fluidity. Further and future edits will be forthcoming. The whole of the Dome blog will gradually advance from a summation seed into a generous bloom as additional information is collected.
Dome One Commentary
The Archive believes in supporting and assisting with another view. That as we mature in this endeavor we will come to appreciate that this diamond in the rough is an essential element in our understanding how the Ancient One works and how God Alone, by His grace allows us to serve and please Him.
This gift, Consciousness to consciousness is the diamond in the rough –The AMBCSC – Dome – the magnificence of the curve in doors, the purity of the marble floors, the ancient door hardware, and the recessed areas stationed in the wall within two smaller rooms. Just this alone is a amazing site.
If one enters the Dome to look at the smallest of details we can begin to appreciate the obvious. The obvious what is long neglected, unattended; the obvious that we have a duty to our Beloved to acknowledge what needs to be accomplished. To be in the World we use everything available in His Creation knowing that it all belongs to Him; and to be Not of the World we work with detachment, and give efforts to Him, a gift of service and sacrifice.
To establish the values of the New Life is to become less indifferent to our Dome environment and to acknowledge that this structure is a powerhouse of spiritual energy. A special building beautifully secure where one may gather to hold in silence this common share and to enjoy the love that the Beloved pours over us.
An uncluttered interior Dome will help the mind quickly draw into His Presence. In this unwinding into calm the mind finds its natural gravity. Within the larger room the gathering of five and greater this space that holds Meher Baba’s chair becomes the primary focus for the devotee’s attention - to feel the Ancient One as the living Christ pouring throughout and flooding that larger space and out into the smaller rooms. The smaller rooms: the one room holding the Sadhra becomes the enclave of personal worship; and across the hallway we enter the Mandali Room. The Mandali Room would hold special archive materials thus extending and expanding and overlapping Baba’s spiritual energy into all avenues within the Dome and its surroundings.
To envision when one enters the hallway there uniquely framed and professionally mounted – the Advent photo gallery on both entrance walls. The Dome would hold the Advent as tangible, sensory, and the magnetism of all carefully distributed materials the spiritual charge. This establishes the mood of intimacy, vibrancy, and Presence.
What needs to be done? to take individual will and intent into action. As a thought we could remove most everything from the Dome and take that destiny from the old life into Meher Baba’s New Life. From within this emptiness the intuitive vision will begin to unfold. Then we begin with a serious agenda on the most efficient approach to remedy and heal those interior defects. Before adding content -this work of art - we must do the basics – appreciating that the Dome is a living canvas.
Wall and Wood and Paint and Grain
What needs to be done is to repair and repaint to an exacting professionalism the entire interior walls and ceilings. The color of the rooms needs to be faint soft pastel. One room the faintest of blue; the second room the faintest of lilac; the larger room the faintest of cheery in feeling Presence pastels taking the devotee into the soft shades of the subtle planes.
All the wood frames and doors need to be sanded, refinished. The wood and molding sparing no charge we take it down to the bare wood and begin to refinish. There is a need to replace the lighting that is conducive to a museum environment. Because the Dome is an historical building it can be considered an Advent museum. The hallway lighting could be directed to feature the collections and by controlled lighting enhance the archival presentations. Overhead lights with a dimmer option switch would be ideal. With the larger room, the Chair Room, lighting could be directed to the chair and that lighting unit accessible on one switch. The overhead lighting can be used to light up the sitting area and that would be on also on a dimmer switch.
When the center is closed one overhead light running on a timer would be practical. In this quick outline on the lumen factor a definitive plan would need to be drafted. Talent that remains disconnected from the Center those craftsmen need to be called to duty.
The Alcove Zone
In the side rooms are two remarkable wall niche decors that are under utilized. A picture and a plastic ornament frankly is insufficient to raise degrees of adoration. The possibility of making that area a dab wider by adding a marble shelf at the bottom of the curved base ending around 8" wide when installed giving that area a feeling of suspension. About 3" longer on each side than the alcove opening – the alcove areas recessed in wall. The current degraded wood frame is removed and a marble molding two inches wide to rim the outside and the interior 1/4" hardwood plywood lining inside with glass shelves and a rimless glass door 3/8" "thick with lock and hinges finished in brass.
Lumen An electrician will need to add needed outlets at all strategic points on the Dome walls and consideration to connect to and wire up computer hookups and multimedia portals. In this concept we need to consider future use for devotees to access the Ancient One through His digital universe - film and audio content.
The electrical box assemble will need to be inspected and changes appropriate applied. Complementing the electrical system will be the need to implement security. Motion detector with a fire sensor and needed cameras as needed. Review all window locks and review needed changes. Fix all cracked window panes, window trim.
Dome Two Commentary
Security
Security features and fixtures to consider with respect to locking down the two smaller rooms. These special worship meditation zones should be given access to only when the Dome is open for Center side specific events unless individuals and groups make reservations. The reservation system will allow the Dome and its archive rich assets that measure of supervision.
Even under the strictest of security routines unless the Dome and the side rooms are treated as an Archive Museum complex will all the upkeep and personnel invested the Main Room should be accessible during hours when the Dome is left unattended. Special locks can be used on the two smaller rooms. This concept needs to be thought out so that our treasures are protected. Side room keys should be different than the main door to the Dome. Key duplication will be administered by Archive and the Committee responsible for key management.
Floors and Windows
The marble floors need to be resealed and polished by professionals experienced in this field. All windows need a protective film applied on exterior for both UV and reduction of heat. On the window nearest the old pond if there is room a 15 gallon tree resting in pot put should be placed in front of that window. This will significantly reduce the heat attracted to the room. To manage and maintain the organic environment hosting the Dome we should install a drip system and a timer so that all plants around Dome building are nourished, healthy, growing. The exterior window in the Mandali room collects strong exterior light – and again a suitable plant with drip and timer should be seated in that area.
The alternate idea is a neutral colored shade that is mounted into the recess of window. This would apply to the three windows in Main Room and Mandali Room. For most windows a protective film should be enough. Heating, air filtration and air conditioning we need to be reviewed and then consider implementing the ideal system best useful for any archive application.
Personal comfort in this situation is not the quest. To increase additional control of environmental factors we need to consider weather stripping all doors. And with windows investigate weather stripping and re-caulking.
Pulling open those magnificent double doors the vision that should hold the devotee would be sight of Meher Baba’s Chair and attention by attraction drawn to Him. The ideal carpet would be soft with muted solid colors versus a multi colored design. The Chair covering should be a brighter solid color hand sewn with natural materials and kneeling cushions placed accordingly. Ideally the set and setting should be natural and organic. The use of plastics and all things artificial simply distracts and annoys – and feels cheap when those objects are distributed at His Lotus Feet.
The carved works of Jurgis - Meher Baba and Mehera busts sitting to the side of the Chair placed on a tapered wood and metal custom stands this mount possibly created by Michal Childs would be an Advent compliment . Distance, height, space as objects are organized and this fixed station will give that spiritual quality to the dominance of empty space. This balance of emptiness and space within the Quiet of the Chair room will present to Mind an immediate intimacy with Him. This area now becomes the domain of Silence. Once we figure out how to add when preservation and protection dominates this area we could introduce a suitably frame touched photo of the Beloved along with a thread of the Christ’s hair.
There is much to do and with inspired planning we can transform the Dome, the adjacent rooms, and the major hall holding the Chair. Once most of the scattered inventory of Meher Baba memorabilia finds their way from personal lodgings to their rightful place within the protection and preservation of the Archive we will all benefit by the immediacy of these precious items and so to the New Humanity.
The Chair is now covered with natural materials. To the left and right on hand carved wood pedestals -on those platforms sits Jurgis’s contributions to the Beloved. In a sealed locked case a personal memento from Baba – a teacup, a button touched by Him. The walls to the side of the Chair, empty. This space gives the Chair attention without distraction. The Chair thus commands the moment. If we turn towards the exit on the rear walls are the paintings of Mani and Mehera to the right and left of the exit door that leads into the small entrance hall. The Chair Room uncluttered, balanced, exudes a humble dignity. That room becomes devotion’s environment.
As for seating to accommodate occupancy perhaps non backed cubed shape wood base seats let’s say around 24" square with cushions recessed a few inches into the top. Cushions could be made with a mix of down and foam inside one modular table for each bank of chairs. Here we make a total of 6 cubes and two tables positioned towards the rear area. Cherry plywood or white oak plywood keeping in mind that with this concept and other consideration there will be a major cost factor. However to be optimistic the price moving forward would be cheaper than a used car in good condition.
The point that we live in the material world and this material world has been generous to us – and a small sacrifice to Him would surely capture His attention. It is this Ancient One who created the world – and who supplied us our needs.
The Dome project - we can do this.
We are simply giving to Him what is His. For us there is nothing to hang on to. Everything belongs to Him. We own nothing. We take with us after completing our journey only the individual soul. This work –is for the Soul. No expense should be spared. Why fuss?
We do have a treasure trove of magnificent paintings. And we need to give thought how best to hang them. The intent is to keep the area around the Chair reasonable separated from the array of object diversity. There is a perfect placement for objects and it is for us to manage those assets. This may become a designer’s dream – pulling in all the elements – and making this aspect of the working Canvas – the Dome Painting – come to life with intent to details.
We could make a grouping of diversely shaped plexiglass boxes with clear shelves inside and attach those clear units directly to wall. This style of arrangement we see in museums. It offers less clutter than cabinets and each box can be locked separately. These special containers could hold a few priceless rare books, precious relics, a tomb cloth.
The Dome environment is His gift to us – and all the relics from the Advent – again scattered throughout the community via the usual auction fate – once returned to their ABMCSC home – can be made viewable to all. An ingredient for successful group worship. Those historical relics hold Baba’s spiritual energy. Putting them into one netted collection we will give a boost to that collective energy.
The curved walls are an opportunity to add additional Lucite cubes. Let’s say we make 3 of them perhaps 20" diameter and instead of being square create them so that they follow the curve of wall. We need to factor in the window areas. The eye will wonder seeking additional mood and out there with a potted garden, bamboo screens for a backdrop, surrounded with a rock garden. The goal would be ease of maintenance, cost reduction with upkeep using a drip system.
This outline comes together from sitting in the Dome for a long duration – and receiving from Him –instructions. The first instruction and everyone will agree is to give a support blessing to this work.
Let’s commit to and plan for ~ the transformation. There is work to do. A few volunteers - please step forward! Duty calls....
Sincerely
The AMBCSC Archives
Underrated Undervalued Unappreciated
Future Store House for Advent Treasure
Another Table
One Day One Worker One Hu~
Follow the Grain
Hu ~ Ouch
Maya Mark
The Emperor's Adobe
Magnificent Chaos
Posts
