My JYG (junior youth group) is exceptionally fluid. :)
There's one core member, and potentially 10 others lol. Something that we'll work on this year.
A junior youth group, is the way to serve. It's all about empowering kids aged 11-14 to become socially conscious, to be seekers of truth, and instigators of service :). They ARE - the leaders of the future! w00t!
I'm pretty excited about it this year. Last year, I found it very difficult - as there was no autonomy.
This year, I'm doing it by myself, and I'm doing it. I've moved house, so I'll be close to where it will run. I will start early, and move the group around as convenient. I'll have all their contact numbers and can call the shots. I'll organize the paints etc. from the city council, and baking recipes so we can get straight into it. I have the books we'll study. So things can start happening :).
One learning from last year, that I've also had from other JYGs, is not to postpone service projects - that's the point of the groups, and we should get into them ASAP.
"There is no time to lose, there is no room left for vacillation..." lol!
This coming Saturday, we'll meet an hour early, start with prayers, and then bake scones to share with the other childrens classes that will start later. We can regularly try different recipes. I'm gunna make this work :) Haha. Baha'u'llah will make this work :) -> insert Tablet of Ahmad here lol. And the following week, we'll clean up graffiti in the park.
Gotta get back to planning life :)
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Godlessness
My friends often comment jokingly, saying, 'I wonder what you'd be like if you were drunk/high etc'; or 'do you ever wonder it would be like to be drunk etc - are you ever curious?'.
To be honest... no. It's interesting, and I thought about why is it that I have no desire to contemplate such things, which I've never felt compelled to desire this, how it contains absolutely no attraction to me. No drugs, no alcohol, and no temptation...
Wondering why, I decided to take a step back, and ask why? Why was this so? I realized, that it wouldn't make sense in the context of my identity.
I struggle to put this words, so bear with me as I try :)
All of the directions my life goes in, stems from a common origin, which is my identity and the ideals I strive to live up to. And to me, alcohol or drugs is completely disconnected from that 'common point'.
One thing I do contemplate, is how would my life be different, if that common point was different? Something I sumrised as "Godlessness" - not being religious, not striving to live a spiritual life, with a spiritual destiny, with the purpose of to work for the betterment of society. To me, in the context of me, being Baha'i etc. that's what believing in God means.
Definitions huh.
So, how would my life be different if it was "Godless"? Probably, I would be going on the pubcrawls with my classmates, I wouldn't have any problem with getting drunk, experimenting with drugs, I would probably be shaving my legs, I would probably be very cynical about religion to be honest, I wouldn't have a problem with promiscuity and would be living with my hypothetical boyfriend. I would probably smoke, swear easily, be provocative and contentious....
All things I have social pressure or inclination to do, and all things I consciously, deliberately and with effort avert.
It wasn't until then that I appreciated how much effort I put into living a Baha'i life, and how difficult it is, and how much sacrifice it entails.
Sacrifice.
But what is sacrifice anyway, but giving up that which is lower for that which is higher. Something that is also painful.
What do you chose to sacrifice in your life?
To be honest... no. It's interesting, and I thought about why is it that I have no desire to contemplate such things, which I've never felt compelled to desire this, how it contains absolutely no attraction to me. No drugs, no alcohol, and no temptation...
Wondering why, I decided to take a step back, and ask why? Why was this so? I realized, that it wouldn't make sense in the context of my identity.
I struggle to put this words, so bear with me as I try :)
All of the directions my life goes in, stems from a common origin, which is my identity and the ideals I strive to live up to. And to me, alcohol or drugs is completely disconnected from that 'common point'.
One thing I do contemplate, is how would my life be different, if that common point was different? Something I sumrised as "Godlessness" - not being religious, not striving to live a spiritual life, with a spiritual destiny, with the purpose of to work for the betterment of society. To me, in the context of me, being Baha'i etc. that's what believing in God means.
Definitions huh.
So, how would my life be different if it was "Godless"? Probably, I would be going on the pubcrawls with my classmates, I wouldn't have any problem with getting drunk, experimenting with drugs, I would probably be shaving my legs, I would probably be very cynical about religion to be honest, I wouldn't have a problem with promiscuity and would be living with my hypothetical boyfriend. I would probably smoke, swear easily, be provocative and contentious....
All things I have social pressure or inclination to do, and all things I consciously, deliberately and with effort avert.
It wasn't until then that I appreciated how much effort I put into living a Baha'i life, and how difficult it is, and how much sacrifice it entails.
Sacrifice.
But what is sacrifice anyway, but giving up that which is lower for that which is higher. Something that is also painful.
What do you chose to sacrifice in your life?
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Fortress of Well Being
Marriage - the fortress of well being, is a phrase that I've heard repeated a manifold number of times since doing a a workshop on marriage two years ago.
It wasn't until recently that I realized that is was a misquote - that what Baha'u'llah says, is that -
"And when He desired to manifest grace and beneficence to men, and to set the world in order, He revealed observances and created laws; among them He established the law of marriage, made it as a fortress for well-being and salvation, and enjoined it upon us in that which was sent down out of the heaven of sanctity in His Most Holy Book. He saith, great is His glory: "Marry, O people, that from you may appear he who will remember Me amongst My servants; this is one of My commandments unto you; obey it as an assistance to yourselves."
That, it's the law of marriage that is the fortress for well-being, but not only well-being, but also salvation.
This is really hefty, for two reasons. One, what is meant by fortress and salvation. And two, the difference between marriage itself, and the law of marriage. Then, of course, how this law related to setting the world in order and how truly these laws are manifestations of grace and beneficence.
It reminds me of the concept that the spirit of prayer is more important than prayer. That here, it is the spirit (or the law) behind marriage that is more important.
I'd like to explore this idea about salvation first. And I'm reminded of a passage from Shoghi Effendi where he explores what salvation is, and how it has changed over time. How, in the past, salvation was about individual salvation (i.e. acceptance of the Manifestation of God for that day and age) - i.e. "accepting the love of Jesus Christ into your heart" etc etc. But now he says that this is no longer sufficient - that it is no longer sufficient to spiritually progress as individuals, but that we are now called to bring about the salvation of the planet.
Baha'u'llah says, "That which is conducive to the regeneration of the world and the salvation of the peoples and kindreds of the earth hath been sent down from the heaven of the utterance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. Give ye a hearing ear to the counsels of the Pen of Glory. Better is this for you than all that is on the earth. Unto this beareth witness My glorious and wondrous Book."
Shoghi Effendi affirms, "Such is the sublime, the glorious position He wishes us, and all the peoples and kindreds on earth, to attain in this world; how much more to achieve unity and common understanding among ourselves, and then arise to herald with one voice the coming of the Kingdom and the salvation of mankind."
From Ruhiyyih Khanum, in a letter to a youth, "the object of life to a Baha'i is to promote the oneness of mankind. The whole object of our lives is bound up with the lives of all human beings: not a personal salvation we are seeking, but a universal one. We are not to cast eyes within ourselves and say "Now get busy saving you soul and reserving a comfortable berth in the Next World!" No, we are to get busy on bringing Heaven to the Planet." - this quote always makes me smile :).
Here, we see that salvation really relates to the well-being of mankind as a whole, and emphasizes the role of religion as a social force.
How is it that the law of marriage will save us then? Or, be one of the laws that will save us?
Think, in terms of social stability. Stable, unified building blocks that will compose this new world. So much of the problems that we see in society - stems from social disintegration - lack of cohesion and unity. That is a very simple connection.
To explore the difference between marriage and the spirit/law of marriage, again I'll just use a simple explanation based upon my own understanding. Which is, marriage is a many different things. What is marriage but the bringing together of things. But the law of marriage denotes how this is done, the definition of what it entails, and the role which it will play. "Marriage" can be a manifold number of things. That word itself doesn't mean anything, it's the definition of it, the role, function of it is what really defines what marriage is - characterizing it. It's this that makes a difference.
So, it's not that we get together, but it's how we get together.
My understanding of the Baha'i specifics regarding marriage of course, aren't that in depth. However, I am aware of some of them. That it should be heterosexual, that consent from the marriage should be sought, that there is a vow to say, that there should be absolute chastity before marriage and modesty and loyalty after marriage, that it should be monogomous, that it's good to marry young, the engagement shouldn't be unnecessarily prolonged etc. (95 days?), that there should be witnesses at the wedding etc.; and then all sorts about conduct within marriage and the purpose of marriage. :)
Read more
It wasn't until recently that I realized that is was a misquote - that what Baha'u'llah says, is that -
"And when He desired to manifest grace and beneficence to men, and to set the world in order, He revealed observances and created laws; among them He established the law of marriage, made it as a fortress for well-being and salvation, and enjoined it upon us in that which was sent down out of the heaven of sanctity in His Most Holy Book. He saith, great is His glory: "Marry, O people, that from you may appear he who will remember Me amongst My servants; this is one of My commandments unto you; obey it as an assistance to yourselves."
That, it's the law of marriage that is the fortress for well-being, but not only well-being, but also salvation.
This is really hefty, for two reasons. One, what is meant by fortress and salvation. And two, the difference between marriage itself, and the law of marriage. Then, of course, how this law related to setting the world in order and how truly these laws are manifestations of grace and beneficence.
It reminds me of the concept that the spirit of prayer is more important than prayer. That here, it is the spirit (or the law) behind marriage that is more important.
I'd like to explore this idea about salvation first. And I'm reminded of a passage from Shoghi Effendi where he explores what salvation is, and how it has changed over time. How, in the past, salvation was about individual salvation (i.e. acceptance of the Manifestation of God for that day and age) - i.e. "accepting the love of Jesus Christ into your heart" etc etc. But now he says that this is no longer sufficient - that it is no longer sufficient to spiritually progress as individuals, but that we are now called to bring about the salvation of the planet.
Baha'u'llah says, "That which is conducive to the regeneration of the world and the salvation of the peoples and kindreds of the earth hath been sent down from the heaven of the utterance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. Give ye a hearing ear to the counsels of the Pen of Glory. Better is this for you than all that is on the earth. Unto this beareth witness My glorious and wondrous Book."
Shoghi Effendi affirms, "Such is the sublime, the glorious position He wishes us, and all the peoples and kindreds on earth, to attain in this world; how much more to achieve unity and common understanding among ourselves, and then arise to herald with one voice the coming of the Kingdom and the salvation of mankind."
From Ruhiyyih Khanum, in a letter to a youth, "the object of life to a Baha'i is to promote the oneness of mankind. The whole object of our lives is bound up with the lives of all human beings: not a personal salvation we are seeking, but a universal one. We are not to cast eyes within ourselves and say "Now get busy saving you soul and reserving a comfortable berth in the Next World!" No, we are to get busy on bringing Heaven to the Planet." - this quote always makes me smile :).
Here, we see that salvation really relates to the well-being of mankind as a whole, and emphasizes the role of religion as a social force.
How is it that the law of marriage will save us then? Or, be one of the laws that will save us?
Think, in terms of social stability. Stable, unified building blocks that will compose this new world. So much of the problems that we see in society - stems from social disintegration - lack of cohesion and unity. That is a very simple connection.
To explore the difference between marriage and the spirit/law of marriage, again I'll just use a simple explanation based upon my own understanding. Which is, marriage is a many different things. What is marriage but the bringing together of things. But the law of marriage denotes how this is done, the definition of what it entails, and the role which it will play. "Marriage" can be a manifold number of things. That word itself doesn't mean anything, it's the definition of it, the role, function of it is what really defines what marriage is - characterizing it. It's this that makes a difference.
So, it's not that we get together, but it's how we get together.
My understanding of the Baha'i specifics regarding marriage of course, aren't that in depth. However, I am aware of some of them. That it should be heterosexual, that consent from the marriage should be sought, that there is a vow to say, that there should be absolute chastity before marriage and modesty and loyalty after marriage, that it should be monogomous, that it's good to marry young, the engagement shouldn't be unnecessarily prolonged etc. (95 days?), that there should be witnesses at the wedding etc.; and then all sorts about conduct within marriage and the purpose of marriage. :)
Read more
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
To be religious
The purpose of being religious is to be a seeker of truth.
Then, people find truth in religion, in science etc. And they all have truth.
However, it isn't dichotemous, there isn't this truth, that truth. There isn't that religion, this religion. It's all one. There are man made boundaries that prevent us from exploring and embracing the truth in other traditions. Veils.
If we should have a truth, we should proclaim that truth, and offer it to others, as you would priceless jewels to a king. For, what is more valuable than truth?
Finding truth, embracing a religion. It's not a black and white process. It's a journey - a search for truth (we're all seekers). When we stop this search, thats when truths multiply and veils form. And if we find a truth greater than the one we possessed before, what else is there to do other than embracing this greater truth?
That is sacrifice - giving up something smaller for something greater - because we may not recognize its true worth at first.
And why to accept a religion? But to recognize truth in its origin, and truth with regards to its purpose.
The purpose of religion --
"God's purpose in sending His Prophets unto men is twofold. The first is to liberate the children of men from the darkness of ignorance, and guide them to the light of true understanding. The second is to ensure the peace and tranquillity of mankind, and provide all the means by which they can be established." (Baha'u'llah)
So, it is to enkindle the spiritual nature/qualities of our souls and enable the establishment of peace in our civilization.
There's a book - the Seven Valleys (by Baha'u'llah), which explores the spiritual jpurney of the human soul. The first stage of the journey is through the first valley - the valley of search. Here are some of my favourite quotations from this valley:
"The steed of this Valley is patience; without patience the wayfarer on this journey will reach nowhere and attain no goal. Nor should he ever be downhearted; if he strive for a hundred thousand years and yet fail to behold the beauty of the Friend, he should not falter...No bond shall hold them back, and no counsel shall deter them.
"It is incumbent on these servants that they cleanse the heart—which is the wellspring of divine treasures—from every marking, and that they turn away from imitation, which is following the traces of their forefathers and sires, and shut the door of friendliness and enmity upon all the people of the earth.
"The true seeker hunteth naught but the object of his quest, and the lover hath no desire save union with his beloved. Nor shall the seeker reach his goal unless he sacrifice all things. That is, whatever he hath seen, and heard, and understood, all must he set at naught, that he may enter the realm of the spirit, which is the City of God. Labor is needed, if we are to seek Him; ardor is needed, if we are to drink of the honey of reunion with Him; and if we taste of this cup, we shall cast away the world."
Then, people find truth in religion, in science etc. And they all have truth.
However, it isn't dichotemous, there isn't this truth, that truth. There isn't that religion, this religion. It's all one. There are man made boundaries that prevent us from exploring and embracing the truth in other traditions. Veils.
If we should have a truth, we should proclaim that truth, and offer it to others, as you would priceless jewels to a king. For, what is more valuable than truth?
Finding truth, embracing a religion. It's not a black and white process. It's a journey - a search for truth (we're all seekers). When we stop this search, thats when truths multiply and veils form. And if we find a truth greater than the one we possessed before, what else is there to do other than embracing this greater truth?
That is sacrifice - giving up something smaller for something greater - because we may not recognize its true worth at first.
And why to accept a religion? But to recognize truth in its origin, and truth with regards to its purpose.
The purpose of religion --
"God's purpose in sending His Prophets unto men is twofold. The first is to liberate the children of men from the darkness of ignorance, and guide them to the light of true understanding. The second is to ensure the peace and tranquillity of mankind, and provide all the means by which they can be established." (Baha'u'llah)
So, it is to enkindle the spiritual nature/qualities of our souls and enable the establishment of peace in our civilization.
There's a book - the Seven Valleys (by Baha'u'llah), which explores the spiritual jpurney of the human soul. The first stage of the journey is through the first valley - the valley of search. Here are some of my favourite quotations from this valley:
"The steed of this Valley is patience; without patience the wayfarer on this journey will reach nowhere and attain no goal. Nor should he ever be downhearted; if he strive for a hundred thousand years and yet fail to behold the beauty of the Friend, he should not falter...No bond shall hold them back, and no counsel shall deter them.
"It is incumbent on these servants that they cleanse the heart—which is the wellspring of divine treasures—from every marking, and that they turn away from imitation, which is following the traces of their forefathers and sires, and shut the door of friendliness and enmity upon all the people of the earth.
"The true seeker hunteth naught but the object of his quest, and the lover hath no desire save union with his beloved. Nor shall the seeker reach his goal unless he sacrifice all things. That is, whatever he hath seen, and heard, and understood, all must he set at naught, that he may enter the realm of the spirit, which is the City of God. Labor is needed, if we are to seek Him; ardor is needed, if we are to drink of the honey of reunion with Him; and if we taste of this cup, we shall cast away the world."
Monday, March 1, 2010
Spirit of the fast
Today was the first day of the Baha'i fast.
The Baha'i fast takes place during the last month of the Baha'i calendar (March 2 -> 20th). While the calendar consists of 19 months of 19 days, each month has a name that refers to one of Gods attributes. The name of this month is 'Ala, which means loftiness. The previous Dominion.
I was helping to organize the devotional programme for the month of Dominion, and I sat back and realized that I didn't actually understand what was meant by "Dominion". So, I looked it up. And even until now, I notice references to dominion in various quotations, and prayers. In particular, the prayer I found for my good friend who passed away some years back.
"Wert Thou to bestow on one of Thy creatures what would equal the kingdoms of earth and heaven, it would still not diminish by even as much as an atom the immensity of Thy dominion. Far greater art Thou than the Great One men are wont to call Thee, for such a title is but one of Thy names all of which were created by a mere indication of Thy will."
Reaching the month of 'Ala, in preparation for the fast, and the feast, I looked up the definition of Loftiness as well.
To be lofty, is to be "exalted in rank, dignity, or character; eminent." Our origin is of nobility, while our destiny is of loftiness.
So, I begin to appreciate, what of this fast, placed in a month with such an appropriate title. The purpose of the fast being to detach oneself from this world, to be exalted above it, attain a lofty station. I.e. to involve ourself in our true purpose. It's a time to really reflect on our spiritual journey.
Before, I would explain the fast as being something wonderful - something that would remove such an integral part of our life, so as to constantly remind us of our true life - that is, our spiritual life. It's a symbol, and symbols have power.
There is no real point behind the fast just being about not eating. That's not what it's about, although abstinence requires discipline and commitment (both being virtues). It's much more meaningful than that. When the Prophet Muhammad was asked, what is more important than fasting, He replied saying, "the spirit of the fast". And that's what I'll be exploring for the next 18 days :).
My plan for the fast, is to find a different family to break the fast with each evening of the fast, to really use these opportunities to build bonds of love and fellowship :). I have the next week fully booked which is pretty exciting.
Haha interesting development in my life - I will be doing a JY group. I swore at the end of last year that I wouldn't, but they need someone, and I can manage. So that's... 3rd year med, weekly devotionals, weekly discussion groups, weekly ruhi book one, and weekly epistle to the son of the wolf study. And I still have a couple more weeks of B7 to go. :)
It'll be suhw33t! n__n
The Baha'i fast takes place during the last month of the Baha'i calendar (March 2 -> 20th). While the calendar consists of 19 months of 19 days, each month has a name that refers to one of Gods attributes. The name of this month is 'Ala, which means loftiness. The previous Dominion.
I was helping to organize the devotional programme for the month of Dominion, and I sat back and realized that I didn't actually understand what was meant by "Dominion". So, I looked it up. And even until now, I notice references to dominion in various quotations, and prayers. In particular, the prayer I found for my good friend who passed away some years back.
"Wert Thou to bestow on one of Thy creatures what would equal the kingdoms of earth and heaven, it would still not diminish by even as much as an atom the immensity of Thy dominion. Far greater art Thou than the Great One men are wont to call Thee, for such a title is but one of Thy names all of which were created by a mere indication of Thy will."
Reaching the month of 'Ala, in preparation for the fast, and the feast, I looked up the definition of Loftiness as well.
To be lofty, is to be "exalted in rank, dignity, or character; eminent." Our origin is of nobility, while our destiny is of loftiness.
So, I begin to appreciate, what of this fast, placed in a month with such an appropriate title. The purpose of the fast being to detach oneself from this world, to be exalted above it, attain a lofty station. I.e. to involve ourself in our true purpose. It's a time to really reflect on our spiritual journey.
Before, I would explain the fast as being something wonderful - something that would remove such an integral part of our life, so as to constantly remind us of our true life - that is, our spiritual life. It's a symbol, and symbols have power.
There is no real point behind the fast just being about not eating. That's not what it's about, although abstinence requires discipline and commitment (both being virtues). It's much more meaningful than that. When the Prophet Muhammad was asked, what is more important than fasting, He replied saying, "the spirit of the fast". And that's what I'll be exploring for the next 18 days :).
My plan for the fast, is to find a different family to break the fast with each evening of the fast, to really use these opportunities to build bonds of love and fellowship :). I have the next week fully booked which is pretty exciting.
Haha interesting development in my life - I will be doing a JY group. I swore at the end of last year that I wouldn't, but they need someone, and I can manage. So that's... 3rd year med, weekly devotionals, weekly discussion groups, weekly ruhi book one, and weekly epistle to the son of the wolf study. And I still have a couple more weeks of B7 to go. :)
It'll be suhw33t! n__n
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Burning Bush
Baha'u'llah spoke to Moses as the Mouthpiece from God through the Burning Bush.
"O `Ali! That which they accepted from the Bush they now refuse to accept from Him Who is the Tree of the world of existence. Say, O people of the Bayan, speak not according to the dictates of passion and selfish desire. Most of the peoples of the earth attest the truth of the blessed Word which hath come forth from the Bush."
It's interesting - I was reading an article re: trinities (the Father - God, the Son - the Manifestation of God, and the Holy Spirit - the intermediary). The author was asserting that for Moses, the Holy Spirit was the Burning Bush. This would suggest that Baha'u'llah was not only a Manifestation of God, but also an intermediary for other Manifestations of God. So, it it possible to either possess more than one station, or the distinctions we make between those stations arbitrary as they are beyond our comprehension?
Perhaps even, the trinity can be understood in terms of the spiritual worlds of God, as mentioned in the Kallu't-Ta'am. While this Tablet mentions four spiritual worlds, it is important to appreciate that these aren't the only worlds, and they co-exist. To quote Adib Taherzadeh, "Although man remains the same being [in the different kingdoms of mineral, vegetable, animal etc.], me manifests three degrees of qualities and attributes: those of unity, of inferiority and superiority."
These are Hahut, Lahut, Jabarut and Malakut. (note, there are variations, such as the five stated in Sufi tradition, which will be explored below.) These descriptions of of heavens and worlds are very reminiscent of the tiered heavens found in Polynesian culture.
Hahut - the Heaven of Oneness, a realm so exalted exalted, even the Manifestations of God cannot understand it. Or, "the essential nature of God"
Lahut - the plane of Divinity, Heavenly Court - the world of God in relation to His Manifestations and Chosen Ones. Or, "the Divine (creative) Nature"
Jabarut - the All-Highest Dominion, the station of those who abide therein is closely identified with God, insofar as they manifest all the attributes of God - God's Chosen Ones and, in relation to created things, are invested with His authority; Or, "the Divine Power or Immensity, the world beyond form".
Malakut - the Kingdom of God; or, "the Kingdom of angels, the spiritual world"
Nasut - this mortal world, this Heaven of Bounty; or, "human nature, and in particular man's bodily form."
The "ors" is from a dictionary of spiritual terms. Whereas, Baha'u'llahs Tablet is from Adib Taherzadeh's Revelation of Baha'u'llah :).
A sufi description of these worlds, describes them in terms of consciousness. So...
Nasut, is the consciousness dependent on our senses (eyes to see, ears to hear, etc.)
Malakut - a higher consciousness by which we enjoy thought and imagination - but as a state of being; the mental plane
Jabarut - the experience of the person is like a deep, dreamless sleep. (i.e. the spiritual world, which many can only experience when asleep, and few while awake) Sense organs are resting, and the mind is free to work - and it works, but influenced by the consciousness from the Nasut condition. Here, there is Gods own Being, by which we experience the life, purity and peace within us; the astral plane
Lahut - where the individual is raised from the material to the immaterial plane. - communion or, Turiyavastha. The further step is samadhi - merging into God. Here, we can dive so deep to our inner being that we may find God; the spiritual plane
(this reminds me of a phrase from the Hidden Words - Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.)
Hahut - "manan" or "atonement" - the path of ennobling the soul, and becoming aware of Gods mysteries; the plane of consciousness - the highest state, when one is free from self.
It's interesting how, while mystical, they each describe something completely different. One, stations of reality of God, His manifestations and man, and the planes upon which they interact. Whereas the latter explores levels of consciousness. :)
Looking for: more quotes about the Burning Bush :)
"O `Ali! That which they accepted from the Bush they now refuse to accept from Him Who is the Tree of the world of existence. Say, O people of the Bayan, speak not according to the dictates of passion and selfish desire. Most of the peoples of the earth attest the truth of the blessed Word which hath come forth from the Bush."
It's interesting - I was reading an article re: trinities (the Father - God, the Son - the Manifestation of God, and the Holy Spirit - the intermediary). The author was asserting that for Moses, the Holy Spirit was the Burning Bush. This would suggest that Baha'u'llah was not only a Manifestation of God, but also an intermediary for other Manifestations of God. So, it it possible to either possess more than one station, or the distinctions we make between those stations arbitrary as they are beyond our comprehension?
Perhaps even, the trinity can be understood in terms of the spiritual worlds of God, as mentioned in the Kallu't-Ta'am. While this Tablet mentions four spiritual worlds, it is important to appreciate that these aren't the only worlds, and they co-exist. To quote Adib Taherzadeh, "Although man remains the same being [in the different kingdoms of mineral, vegetable, animal etc.], me manifests three degrees of qualities and attributes: those of unity, of inferiority and superiority."
These are Hahut, Lahut, Jabarut and Malakut. (note, there are variations, such as the five stated in Sufi tradition, which will be explored below.) These descriptions of of heavens and worlds are very reminiscent of the tiered heavens found in Polynesian culture.
Hahut - the Heaven of Oneness, a realm so exalted exalted, even the Manifestations of God cannot understand it. Or, "the essential nature of God"
Lahut - the plane of Divinity, Heavenly Court - the world of God in relation to His Manifestations and Chosen Ones. Or, "the Divine (creative) Nature"
Jabarut - the All-Highest Dominion, the station of those who abide therein is closely identified with God, insofar as they manifest all the attributes of God - God's Chosen Ones and, in relation to created things, are invested with His authority; Or, "the Divine Power or Immensity, the world beyond form".
Malakut - the Kingdom of God; or, "the Kingdom of angels, the spiritual world"
Nasut - this mortal world, this Heaven of Bounty; or, "human nature, and in particular man's bodily form."
The "ors" is from a dictionary of spiritual terms. Whereas, Baha'u'llahs Tablet is from Adib Taherzadeh's Revelation of Baha'u'llah :).
A sufi description of these worlds, describes them in terms of consciousness. So...
Nasut, is the consciousness dependent on our senses (eyes to see, ears to hear, etc.)
Malakut - a higher consciousness by which we enjoy thought and imagination - but as a state of being; the mental plane
Jabarut - the experience of the person is like a deep, dreamless sleep. (i.e. the spiritual world, which many can only experience when asleep, and few while awake) Sense organs are resting, and the mind is free to work - and it works, but influenced by the consciousness from the Nasut condition. Here, there is Gods own Being, by which we experience the life, purity and peace within us; the astral plane
Lahut - where the individual is raised from the material to the immaterial plane. - communion or, Turiyavastha. The further step is samadhi - merging into God. Here, we can dive so deep to our inner being that we may find God; the spiritual plane
(this reminds me of a phrase from the Hidden Words - Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.)
Hahut - "manan" or "atonement" - the path of ennobling the soul, and becoming aware of Gods mysteries; the plane of consciousness - the highest state, when one is free from self.
It's interesting how, while mystical, they each describe something completely different. One, stations of reality of God, His manifestations and man, and the planes upon which they interact. Whereas the latter explores levels of consciousness. :)
Looking for: more quotes about the Burning Bush :)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Rebuilding the broken world
6 intense days of summer school:
During the morning sessions I had the privilege of assisting with the children's classes for the 7-8 year olds. (I am eagerly awaiting the DVDs of the morning sessions, as I heard they were amazing!)
The parents dropped their children off for the classes.
We would start with prayers (always very good to have some printed out for the children to read from), beginning with them telling me how to sit and behave during prayer time, and what prayer was:
"There is nothing sweeter in the world of existence than prayer. The most blessed condition is the condition of prayer and supplication. Prayer is conversation with God." [From the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá]
We might start with some name games, as most children won't know each other.
And then we have discussion:
What is the name of this summer school?? "Rebuilding the broken world" What does this mean? How is this world broken? Together, we drew out two components of "broken" our world might possess -
1. physically broken: tsunamis, global warming, deforestation, droughts, hurricanes... (one child offered a delightful insight into the causes of global warming)
2. spiritually, or socially broken: corruption, wars, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, exploitation of workers, bullying, lying, fighting, extreme poverty, racism....
and we talked about what it meant to rebuild this broken world of ours - a topic that we added to over the four days. We found that to rebuild this broken world, the remedy had three core components:
1. The virtues. These are: truthfulness, love, consideration, service, justice, joy etc....
"Consider the virtues of the human world and realize that the oneness of humanity is the primary foundation of them all." (Baha'u'llah)
and we talked about how we needed to enjoy the oneness of humanity before we could properly enjoy the fruits of these virtues.
2. The Covenant. The Greater Covenant referring to recognition of Baha'u'llah as the Manifestation of God for this day and age, while the Lesser Covenant is essentially following those Whom Baha'u'llah indicated in His Will and Testament (i.e. Abdu'l-Baha, Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice).
"The first condition [to attain the station of an Apostle of Baha'u'llah] is firmness in the Covenant of God. For the power of the Covenant will protect the Cause of Bahá’u'lláh from the doubts of the people of error. It is the fortified fortress of the Cause of God and the firm pillar of the religion of God. Today no power can conserve the oneness of the Bahá’í world save the Covenant of God; otherwise differences like unto a most great tempest will encompass the Bahá’í world. It is evident that the axis of the oneness of the world of humanity is the power of the Covenant and nothing else." ('Abdu'l-Baha) [note: we didn't use this quote in the class :)]
So now we have a fortress. At this stage, my class had 9 boys and 1 girl. There was enthusiastic discussion as to the qualities of a fort. This fort, the ultimate fort, would protect us from all:
- a foundation of the oneness of humanity
- a base of "virtue bricks", held together by prayer, faith and love.
- pillars that consisted of the Administrative Order, and the Lesser Covenant,
- a roof that was the Greater Covenant
"9. O SON OF BEING! My love is My stronghold; he that entereth therein is safe and secure, and he that turneth away shall surely stray and perish." (Baha'u'llah)
And then, we made bricks, and built our fort :) lots of team work!
3. These were the social teachings -
The oneness of God!
The oneness of religion!
The oneness of humanity!
Harmony of science and religion,
Equality of men and women,
One universal language,
Elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty,
Elimination of prejudice,
All of these we tied together in a grand finale - a skit performed on the last night. The children were wonderful and remembered their lines and rebuilt the world with great enthusiasm :)
During the morning sessions I had the privilege of assisting with the children's classes for the 7-8 year olds. (I am eagerly awaiting the DVDs of the morning sessions, as I heard they were amazing!)
The parents dropped their children off for the classes.
We would start with prayers (always very good to have some printed out for the children to read from), beginning with them telling me how to sit and behave during prayer time, and what prayer was:
"There is nothing sweeter in the world of existence than prayer. The most blessed condition is the condition of prayer and supplication. Prayer is conversation with God." [From the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá]
We might start with some name games, as most children won't know each other.
And then we have discussion:
What is the name of this summer school?? "Rebuilding the broken world" What does this mean? How is this world broken? Together, we drew out two components of "broken" our world might possess -
1. physically broken: tsunamis, global warming, deforestation, droughts, hurricanes... (one child offered a delightful insight into the causes of global warming)
2. spiritually, or socially broken: corruption, wars, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, exploitation of workers, bullying, lying, fighting, extreme poverty, racism....
and we talked about what it meant to rebuild this broken world of ours - a topic that we added to over the four days. We found that to rebuild this broken world, the remedy had three core components:
1. The virtues. These are: truthfulness, love, consideration, service, justice, joy etc....
"Consider the virtues of the human world and realize that the oneness of humanity is the primary foundation of them all." (Baha'u'llah)
and we talked about how we needed to enjoy the oneness of humanity before we could properly enjoy the fruits of these virtues.
2. The Covenant. The Greater Covenant referring to recognition of Baha'u'llah as the Manifestation of God for this day and age, while the Lesser Covenant is essentially following those Whom Baha'u'llah indicated in His Will and Testament (i.e. Abdu'l-Baha, Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice).
"The first condition [to attain the station of an Apostle of Baha'u'llah] is firmness in the Covenant of God. For the power of the Covenant will protect the Cause of Bahá’u'lláh from the doubts of the people of error. It is the fortified fortress of the Cause of God and the firm pillar of the religion of God. Today no power can conserve the oneness of the Bahá’í world save the Covenant of God; otherwise differences like unto a most great tempest will encompass the Bahá’í world. It is evident that the axis of the oneness of the world of humanity is the power of the Covenant and nothing else." ('Abdu'l-Baha) [note: we didn't use this quote in the class :)]
So now we have a fortress. At this stage, my class had 9 boys and 1 girl. There was enthusiastic discussion as to the qualities of a fort. This fort, the ultimate fort, would protect us from all:
- a foundation of the oneness of humanity
- a base of "virtue bricks", held together by prayer, faith and love.
- pillars that consisted of the Administrative Order, and the Lesser Covenant,
- a roof that was the Greater Covenant
"9. O SON OF BEING! My love is My stronghold; he that entereth therein is safe and secure, and he that turneth away shall surely stray and perish." (Baha'u'llah)
And then, we made bricks, and built our fort :) lots of team work!
3. These were the social teachings -
The oneness of God!
The oneness of religion!
The oneness of humanity!
Harmony of science and religion,
Equality of men and women,
One universal language,
Elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty,
Elimination of prejudice,
All of these we tied together in a grand finale - a skit performed on the last night. The children were wonderful and remembered their lines and rebuilt the world with great enthusiasm :)
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