Anyways, last night I was sitting around with a few friends and we were talking about the work of the Faith in our cluster. We happened to talk about collective, direct teaching and what it means to be intensive in our efforts. As you can imagine, we also talked a bit about the planning and the expansion phase.
But today, I just want to share a little thought that came out of that discussion.
As we were talking about what an expansion phase can look like, I mentioned the idea I posted a little while back about going from early in the morning to late at night.
Well, just to make the point simple: it won't always be like that.
Like I state over and over, what I am giving here is only an example. Anything I say is only my own personal opinion, and not the be all and end all. I'm just one Baha'i.
In one cluster, a friend said last night, they tried that sort of approach and, because the Baha'is there were all mostly older, after the lunch break, when they were supposed to go out and teach, they all went home and fell asleep. We have to be certain to keep in mind the needs and dynamics of our own community. Intensity of action will not look the same everywhere.
Also, there is one other point to consider.
It seems to me that when we are studying the Writings, a certain dynamic begins to happen. At least it does for me. First, it takes me a little while to begin to really get into it. In other words, when I start my study, the words are just sort of washing over me. I don't really get much more than the mere surface understanding of what is being said.
Second, after enough of the words have begun to sunk in, some of them seem to swirl around each other. Various ideas that are evoked begin to form patterns, sort of like the ink on the surface when you begin to marblize paper (look at the nice photo below).
When that motion starts to happen, it is at that moment that I believe we have to get up, go out and teach. If not, we (or at least I) tend to become weary. It is as if I have reached my full point, and that point is shortly after my burst of energy.
If I manage to catch myself and actually do get up and go out teaching when I am at that high energy state, then the teaching work just seems to go so much better. And then when that occurs, I am given a new state of energy, even higher than before, and even more and more happens. It tends to feed upon itself.
The energy generated from the study of the Writings impels me to go and teach. A few small successes then generate their own energy which impel me to keep teaching. It feeds upon itself.
And speaking of feeding, I think it's time I got some breakfast.
Thanks for letting me share that little thought this morning.
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