As you already know, dear Reader, I have been conducting a regular meditation workshop at the University of Victoria in response to a number of requests from students. I don't profess to be an "expert" on meditation, or anything, but help the group look at and try styles of meditation throughout the semester. My primary goal is to help them find a method that suits them. My secondary goal is to help them begin to see the applicability of both prayer and meditation in their lives. If this happens to lead to what I would call a devotional gathering, well and good. If not, that's ok, too, for my primary goal is to help them use meditation more effectively in their life.
When searching for a style to use this past week, my wife suggested meditating upon simple quotes. My son offered the idea of printing them on white paper and then pasting the white paper on coloured paper.
Well, I did, and it was fun. Some of the participants said that it reminded them of kindergarten, but then quickly said that this was a good thing. What I did was choose three quotes, print copies of them, paste them, put them on the table in the middle, and asked people to just pick one, either at random, by colour, after reading them all. Their choice.
So what quotes did I choose? Well, the first was, "The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds." (My short thought on that was, "Well, I guess I'm screwed.")
The second quote was, "It is impossible for a man to speak and to listen at the same time."
The third one, well that's the one I meditated on yesterday. It was, "O Friend! In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love, and from the nightingale of affection and desire loosen not thy hold."
This is the one I want to write a little bit about today.
As I sat contemplating these words, a beautiful image came to my mind. I saw myself standing there in a garden with a beautiful rosebush, and nearby was a bird, a nightingale. I could smell the heady aroma of the rose, and loved the fact that it was so beautiful. This, I thought, was the love I feel for my wife, my son, my whole family, the faith, and so on and so forth.
But what about this bird?
I wondered about this for a while.
As I meditated on it, I realized that Baha'u'llah does not talk about us watching, enjoying, listening to, or even admiring this nightingale. He tells us to hold onto it. And so my picture of this scene changed a bit. Now I was holding onto this beautiful bird, and I realized that I to hold it gently, or else I would injure it. It also occurred to me that when you hold a nightingale gently, there is a chance that it will continue to sing. (I only say that because I have had the opportunity to hold some birds in my life that still sang quite beautifully while being held gently.)
How does all this apply in my daily life? Can you imagine how easy it would be to love someone and yet take it for granted? Well, I love my wife, but I always make sure to be conscious about it. I still have great affection for her, and yes, I still desire her. Without affection and desire, our love would be a fairly hollow thing, wouldn't it?
Now imagine this in terms of the world, for remember, we are told to love the whole world and not just our family, or those of our nation. This love with affection or desire would be superficial, wouldn't it? But when we have affection for everyone, when we have a desire to be close to all on the planet, when we truly love all humanity with our whole being, then we will see a magnificent change in the world.
But this bird is easy to lose if we begin to take it for granted, even if the rose of love is still there.
I never thought of this Hidden Word in that way before. I will definitely have to meditate on more of them.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
The Rose of Love
Tomorrow, 23 March 2012, my wife and I will be celebrating our tenth anniversary. It only seems like yesterday that we were standing there, in the indoor gardens of the Winnipeg Conservatory, amidst our friends and all the beautiful flowers, saying our vows to each other.
Ten years.
A full decade of our lives together.
For some reason, over the years a number of friends have asked us to give workshops on marriage preparation, or talk about how it is that we have stayed together and grown in each other's presence. And yes, I know, 10 years isn't really all that long. It's barely a drop in the eternity of which Baha'i marriages last. But some of our friends have told me that there is something that they see in our love, in the way we treat each other, that they want us to try and share with them.
What is it that they are seeing? I have no idea. (Which makes it very difficult to share, let me tell you.) But Marielle and I have talked about this a lot with each other. We have examined our love, our relationship, our life together, and we have a few thoughts that I would like to share with you here. Of course, I'm sure I've put a few of these down before, but I don't care. Today's a good day to share them again. (I'd put them down tomorrow, but Marielle and I are heading off to Port Renfrew, BC, for a couple of days, and I'm not going to post from there.)
First of all, many great minds and beautiful poets have likened love to a rose. Whether it is Shakespeare or Rumi, or the Greek philosophers, or Bette Midler singing her song "The Rose", this flower has been indelibly linked to this most powerful of emotional states.
Why?
Well, I have my own thoughts on this issue. The rose essence, that part which you can smell, is a very volatile substance. It evaporates easily and disperses very quickly. It is a very heady aroma, almost intoxicating. And although I cannot find a reference to it in the Writings on Ocean, there is a reference I once read in a letter to a friend of mine from the Universal House of Justice, or the Research Department. He was asked to oversee the burial of a Persian man, a brother to a member of the Universal House of Justice, and he was sent a letter outlining all the rules for burial. In this letter (which you should treat as hearsay until I can find a copy of it), he is told to anoint the shrouded body with attar of rose, for the scent "is as close as we can get to the next world". (I don't know if that quote was in the cover letter, or in the Writings, so again, treat it as hearsay.) (But the idea sure is beautiful.)
All of the above really sounds like love to me.
It is precious. It is rare. It is beautiful and heady. It is also volatile. And yet it is as close as we can get to the next world.
Baha'u'llah says that we can "receive the surest testimonies from the beauty of (the) Rose", and that we should try to "discover the perfume of the rose-garden of understanding". He also says that we should "Abide not but in the rose-garden of the spirit."
This all sounds even more beautiful to me when I think of it in terms of a rose being love. We can receive the surest testimonies when they are from the beauty of love. We should try to discover the perfume that is shed by the love of understanding. And really, where else should our spirit dwell but in love?
And, of course, "In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love".
But there is one thing that I think is very important about all of this in terms of our life: we should consider the purpose of the rose.
Aside: Just last night, one of the friends said that the purpose of what we are doing in the Baha'i community is to have children's classes and study circles. Inwardly, I cringed at this. The core activities are not the goal, as far as I know. They are tools. Their purpose is to assist us in creating and developing healthy spiritual communities. They are core elements in any healthy community. We are only now beginning to learn what it means to develop these communities,and I think we need to be careful not to confuse the tools with the goals. In other words, while it is good to have a children's class, or a devotional gathering, it is essential that they help lead us towards a stronger sense of community. It is important that they help establish greater bonds of love within a neighbourhood. If not, what are they doing? I have seen a few rare instances where there is a children's class, or a study circle, or even a devotional gathering, in which a few people show up, and nothing changes for years. The hosts are oh so happy that their 3 or 4 friends attend, and I'll tell you, this is a good thing. But we should strive to always grow. If we have 3 or 4 attending for a month or two, how can we increase it to 5 or 6? How can we move it into a study circle that engages more people? How can we help the friends learn more about engaging in spiritual dialogue with others?
So why do I mention this seemingly random thing here? Because I think the rose is a tool, too.
The purpose of the rose, botanically speaking, is not it's beauty, wonderful as it is. Nor is it it's great scent, marvelous as that is.
No.
The purpose of the rose, like any flower, is to produce it's fruit, the rosehip. It is to produce the seed for the next flower. It's purpose is to help propagate the plant.
In a typical love scenario, when the couple first fall in love, they are all aflutter about each other. They are intoxicated with the heady aroma of the rose of love. (Another short aside - the root word of intoxication is toxic. Hmmm.) But then, as time goes by, this heady sensation begins to fade. The rose begins to wither. It's petals begin to fade and fall away. And they, sad couple, think that their love is dying.
But this is not so.
Their love is maturing. As they begin to see each other more clearly, begin to grow together, their love is growing. It is no longer in the state of flower, although there are still traces of it. It is now beginning to move into the state of fruition. And it is from this state that a seed will appear. It is from here that it will begin to spread to others.
You may recall an article I wrote a while ago about the Seven Valleys, in which I talk about something similar, and how when we are in the Valley of Love, we can either go back to the Valley of Search, or progress to the Valley of Unity. I'm all for moving on the Valley of Unity.
Oh, and please don't confuse this with that Rose of Changeless Splendour. That Rose, that Divine Flower, is always reaching out to us, attracting us like the rose does the nightingale. Its purpose is to transform our hearts, not itself. Very different thing, that.
But the love of two people? That needs to mature. And when it does, it is actually even more beautiful than the original rose.
I am so grateful to my wife, she who has been my partner and consort for 10 years (less a day), for pointing all of this out to me, and for sharing her wisdom and love with me, and allowing me to share it with you, dear Reader.
"Consider the rose: whether it blossometh in the East or in the West, it is none the less a rose."
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The Ahd Couple
It's the last day of the Fast and I think this will be my last post on this Tablet for a while. Not that there isn't more to say, of course not, just that I want to write about other things, too. And I can't believe how fast the Fast went by this year. Usually I wonder why it is called the Fast when the days go by so slowly. Seems kind of silly to me. But once again, this year, with my handy-dandy juicer and blender the Fast was fairly easy (except for a couple of tough days, but don't we all have those?) and even last night I wasn't all that hungry until well after sunset.
Today, though, Marielle and Shoghi are off to a petting zoo with some friends and I'm sitting here writing, staring outside at the pouring rain, and sort of glad that I'm not there with them. I'm fairly sure that they'll head off to the museum instead and perhaps see the Cirque du Soleil Imax film, The Journey of Man. Amazing film, that one.
But today I want to look at something in this Tablet that I have found very interesting, as well as useful.
In this part of the Kitab-i-Ahd, Baha'u'llah shares with us two quotes. Obviously he feels that these two quotes are significant enough to warrant bringing them to our attention in this last document He will share with us. The first is that weighty passage from the Kitab-i-Aqdas in which He tells us to turn to the Master. You know, that one that begins, "When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed..."
But what about the second? "All things are of God." Why has He chosen this other seemingly innocuous quote to share with us? Even though I know you already know this passage by heart, dear Reader, let's look at it again:
This is where He tells us not to allow the means for order to be made the means for confusion, not to allow a tool for unity to be made a tool for discord. And we are to use this quote, "All things are of God" to aid us in this endeavour.
Why? Or perhaps more to the point, how?
As usual, I'm not too sure, but I can give you my own personal thoughts on this. Take them or leave them. It doesn't really matter to me. And if you want to leave your own thoughts, I'd love to read them.
"All thing are of God."
He doesn't say only some things. And certainly not only the things that I agree with. No. He says all things. And you know what? I think He means it.
To begin to appreciate this statement, I had to admit to a couple of things. First, I had to see the humility needed to even begin to accept this. I also had to recognize the discernment needed to make it useful.
How many times have I been either disappointed or upset because something in consultation didn't go my way? Far too many to count. I remember years ago someone in a consultation told me to stop doing my deepenings because "study circles are what we are to do now". Well, I was a bit upset about that, but I had to understand that he was right in one sense. The deepenings were not really helping those friends get off their bums and get out there and do something. But nevertheless, they were still useful. They helped those friends turn their eyes towards the Writings. They were of God.
And there was a time when I told someone that I didn't feel comfortable using Ruhi Book 4 to teach a group of children about the history of the Faith. That person yelled at me for about 20 minutes, telling me I had no right to deny these children a useful tool. Well, she was right, too. Although I would have preferred to not use the book, it was still a good tool. It was of God. Discernment told me that the book was too advanced for them, and that we should use the stories, but the not the book itself, but humility would have helped me defuse the situation, as well as use the tool in an appropriate way.
In terms of teaching, we need both humility and discernment to approach those we would teach. This is only self-evident (I think). Without humility, why would anyone want to listen to us? Without discernment, we're just throwing ideas around without actually knowing what it is they are interested in hearing about.
In terms of clusters, we need to look at what we are actually doing as opposed to what we would hope to be doing. For example, when looking at our activities, if they don't fit within the framework of the "core activities", that's ok. We don't need to try and force them to fit just to be counted on some table or another. My meditation workshop does not fit the definition of a devotional gathering, but is what is needed in the community at this time. I don't want it to be forced into the spreadsheet under a false pretense. Humility allows me to keep doing it without being concerned that it is not counted on the spreadsheet. Discernment is what allows me to meet the needs of these friends.
To me, this is the idea behind "All things are of God."
Cluster agencies, for example, can also benefit from these ideas of humility and discernment. If something doesn't fit into the spreadsheet, that's ok. It is still of God, and should be encouraged. I have, unfortunately, seen people in the past being told not to do activities that don't fit on these spreadsheets, and I find that very sad. Look at the letters of the Universal House of Justice. Not everything needs to be counted, but all should be encouraged. As they said in a recent message, it doesn't really matter where we begin in our teaching work, but all the clusters need to end up looking similar in terms of what is happening.
You see, those activities that are not core (simply names as children's classes, junior youth groups, study circles and devotional gatherings) should eventually help move people towards those core activities. Why? Because this is how we know that we are not merely teaching individuals, but building communities.
One other thing about this, and that is the idea of how we react when we read the messages from the World Centre. In some of the recent messages from the House of Justice we see them saying "if you are at this level, then this is the next step". The corollary of this that if you do not fit the definition, then you need to get there before taking that next step. Otherwise you're putting that ubiquitous cart before that famous horse. And it's not that it is useless, this information in these messages, if you're not at the step they describe. Not at all. It gives you a greater vision of what it is we are doing in the big picture.
In my neighbourhood there are not a lot of core activities happening. Why? Because we're not really there yet. The neighbours haven't expressed much interest. So what do I do? Well, for one thing, I'm hosting a study circle for some people who don't live in my neighbourhood. They have expressed the interest. (Interestingly enough, I have been told not to waste my time. Someone recently told me that if they are not in my neighbourhood, I shouldn't teach them, for that doesn't lead to the growth of my neighbourhood. Fortunately, I'm ignoring their sound advice, for I know that while the ideal may be to do it all in my neighbourhood, I still have to work with what I have.)
Anyways, do you see how "All things are of God" could go a long way to making a community more loving? We are always free to give loving and considerate advice, but we need to remember that whatever step someone is taking, it is of God. And that means it is good.
Even this blog. ;)
Today, though, Marielle and Shoghi are off to a petting zoo with some friends and I'm sitting here writing, staring outside at the pouring rain, and sort of glad that I'm not there with them. I'm fairly sure that they'll head off to the museum instead and perhaps see the Cirque du Soleil Imax film, The Journey of Man. Amazing film, that one.
But today I want to look at something in this Tablet that I have found very interesting, as well as useful.
In this part of the Kitab-i-Ahd, Baha'u'llah shares with us two quotes. Obviously he feels that these two quotes are significant enough to warrant bringing them to our attention in this last document He will share with us. The first is that weighty passage from the Kitab-i-Aqdas in which He tells us to turn to the Master. You know, that one that begins, "When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed..."
But what about the second? "All things are of God." Why has He chosen this other seemingly innocuous quote to share with us? Even though I know you already know this passage by heart, dear Reader, let's look at it again:
Say: O servants! Let not the means of order be made the cause of confusion and the instrument of union an occasion for discord. We fain would hope that the people of Baha may be guided by the blessed words: 'Say: all things are of God.' This exalted utterance is like unto water for quenching the fire of hate and enmity which smouldereth within the hearts and breasts of men. By this single utterance contending peoples and kindreds will attain the light of true unity. Verily He speaketh the truth and leadeth the way. He is the All-Powerful, the Exalted, the Gracious.
This is where He tells us not to allow the means for order to be made the means for confusion, not to allow a tool for unity to be made a tool for discord. And we are to use this quote, "All things are of God" to aid us in this endeavour.
Why? Or perhaps more to the point, how?
As usual, I'm not too sure, but I can give you my own personal thoughts on this. Take them or leave them. It doesn't really matter to me. And if you want to leave your own thoughts, I'd love to read them.
"All thing are of God."
He doesn't say only some things. And certainly not only the things that I agree with. No. He says all things. And you know what? I think He means it.
To begin to appreciate this statement, I had to admit to a couple of things. First, I had to see the humility needed to even begin to accept this. I also had to recognize the discernment needed to make it useful.
How many times have I been either disappointed or upset because something in consultation didn't go my way? Far too many to count. I remember years ago someone in a consultation told me to stop doing my deepenings because "study circles are what we are to do now". Well, I was a bit upset about that, but I had to understand that he was right in one sense. The deepenings were not really helping those friends get off their bums and get out there and do something. But nevertheless, they were still useful. They helped those friends turn their eyes towards the Writings. They were of God.
And there was a time when I told someone that I didn't feel comfortable using Ruhi Book 4 to teach a group of children about the history of the Faith. That person yelled at me for about 20 minutes, telling me I had no right to deny these children a useful tool. Well, she was right, too. Although I would have preferred to not use the book, it was still a good tool. It was of God. Discernment told me that the book was too advanced for them, and that we should use the stories, but the not the book itself, but humility would have helped me defuse the situation, as well as use the tool in an appropriate way.
In terms of teaching, we need both humility and discernment to approach those we would teach. This is only self-evident (I think). Without humility, why would anyone want to listen to us? Without discernment, we're just throwing ideas around without actually knowing what it is they are interested in hearing about.
In terms of clusters, we need to look at what we are actually doing as opposed to what we would hope to be doing. For example, when looking at our activities, if they don't fit within the framework of the "core activities", that's ok. We don't need to try and force them to fit just to be counted on some table or another. My meditation workshop does not fit the definition of a devotional gathering, but is what is needed in the community at this time. I don't want it to be forced into the spreadsheet under a false pretense. Humility allows me to keep doing it without being concerned that it is not counted on the spreadsheet. Discernment is what allows me to meet the needs of these friends.
To me, this is the idea behind "All things are of God."
Cluster agencies, for example, can also benefit from these ideas of humility and discernment. If something doesn't fit into the spreadsheet, that's ok. It is still of God, and should be encouraged. I have, unfortunately, seen people in the past being told not to do activities that don't fit on these spreadsheets, and I find that very sad. Look at the letters of the Universal House of Justice. Not everything needs to be counted, but all should be encouraged. As they said in a recent message, it doesn't really matter where we begin in our teaching work, but all the clusters need to end up looking similar in terms of what is happening.
You see, those activities that are not core (simply names as children's classes, junior youth groups, study circles and devotional gatherings) should eventually help move people towards those core activities. Why? Because this is how we know that we are not merely teaching individuals, but building communities.
One other thing about this, and that is the idea of how we react when we read the messages from the World Centre. In some of the recent messages from the House of Justice we see them saying "if you are at this level, then this is the next step". The corollary of this that if you do not fit the definition, then you need to get there before taking that next step. Otherwise you're putting that ubiquitous cart before that famous horse. And it's not that it is useless, this information in these messages, if you're not at the step they describe. Not at all. It gives you a greater vision of what it is we are doing in the big picture.
In my neighbourhood there are not a lot of core activities happening. Why? Because we're not really there yet. The neighbours haven't expressed much interest. So what do I do? Well, for one thing, I'm hosting a study circle for some people who don't live in my neighbourhood. They have expressed the interest. (Interestingly enough, I have been told not to waste my time. Someone recently told me that if they are not in my neighbourhood, I shouldn't teach them, for that doesn't lead to the growth of my neighbourhood. Fortunately, I'm ignoring their sound advice, for I know that while the ideal may be to do it all in my neighbourhood, I still have to work with what I have.)
Anyways, do you see how "All things are of God" could go a long way to making a community more loving? We are always free to give loving and considerate advice, but we need to remember that whatever step someone is taking, it is of God. And that means it is good.
Even this blog. ;)
Monday, March 19, 2012
Son of Ahd thoughts
As you may have noticed, I haven't been on the computer much these past few days. My family and I all went for a short holiday to a town further north on Vancouver Island. It was incredible. We rented a small house in Union Bay, walking distance from both an old growth forest and the ocean, from a co-worker of my wife's. When we got there, we found a local oyster farm that sold to the public, so that was what we had for dinner that night. We also walked to the ocean and found some incredibly beautiful moon snail shells.
The next day we went up to Mount Washington and went tubing with our son. We all had a blast. We made snowmen, snow forts, went tubing for hours (and hours), and a good time was had by all. I also spent some time talking to Shoghi about how mountains are a symbol of God's majesty, and was in wonder about how much fun we can have with just a tiny little sliver of a single mountain. "Now imagine the vastness of the entire range."
We met with some of the Baha'is in Comox and Courtenay to break the fast and have a delightful meeting. Our last day there we drove to Seal Bay.
Seal Bay. What can I say about Seal Bay? We spent about 20 minutes walking through the woods before we got to the stairs to go down to the beach. Oh, what stairs. Lots of them. Lots and lots. Down, down through the trees, beside a gurgling, singing ravine. When we finally got to the bottom and emerged from the woods onto the beach, the first thing we saw was about two dozen bald eagles and golden eagles. Then we saw the hundreds of seals in the water. (There's a reason it's called Seal Bay.) Then, amidst all that wonder, we saw two, yes two, pods of killer whales.
You can see why I left my computer at home. I had no desire to be distracted from the wonders around me, and that includes my family.
But that's not what I wanted to write about. Nah. It's still the Fast and I haven't finished writing a bit about the Kitab-i-Ahd, Baha'u'llah's Will and Testament.
As you know, if you've been following this blog for at least a few weeks, I've looked at the first part, which I call the Testament. Now for the rest of it:
As you know, I'm not doing a history here, but just giving my own personal thoughts on it. Again, this is nothing official, but just my own feeble opinion.
In this first paragraph, what really catches my eye is just how many times Baha'u'llah repeats that we should turn to 'Abdu'l-Baha.
I mean, He begins by addressing all of His family, as well as that of the Bab, and presumably all of us at the same time. Then He tells us to turn our "faces towards the Most Mighty Branch". This is pretty straightforward. Anyone at the time knew that this referred to 'Abdu'l-Baha, and only 'Abdu'l-Baha. There was no question about that, even though we may wonder about it in the English. For the friends reading it at the time, in the original, there was no ambiguity.
But He doesn't stop there. He reiterates this point four more times:
Five times He makes this point. Why? I think it is just that important. Remember, in Persian and Arabic, if you want to stress a point, you have to repeat it. You can't underline it, after all, for that just makes it a new word. If you were to underline "Beware, beware, lest thou offend any heart", you might just end up with "the sofa, the sofa..."
You can't italicize it for the whole written language is italicized. I mean, who would notice?
You can try bolding the text with a larger pen, but even then it might not stand out, for calligraphy is naturally filled with different sized lines.
No. To really stress a point in those languages, you have to repeat yourself.
And check it out for yourself. Try and notice when 'Abdu'l-Baha or Baha'u'llah repeat something. It's always very, very important. There are quite a few things repeated twice, as in the "Beware, beware" example above. There are a few (very few) things repeated three times. But this is the only example I have ever found of something repeated 5 times in a single paragraph.
Wow.
Then, just in case it wasn't clear to us in the beginning of this document, He explicitly tells us that the Aghsan, those male descendants of Baha'u'llah, have no right to anyone else's property. Even then, and here's a bit of history for you, some of 'Abdu'l-Baha's unfaithful half-brothers tried to use their position as sons of Baha'u'llah to get money and stuff from others. Fortunately, it didn't work all that well.
Then, right after reminding them that they should not do such unworthy deeds, in the very next paragraph He tells us to fear God, do praiseworthy deeds, and generally be good folk. In other words, do those things that exalt our station, as He says. Oh, and you may recall that I mentioned earlier that this idea of elevating our station comes up again. Well, here it is.
He also uses a military metaphor in a very interesting way. Fear of God is the commander, and the hosts are an upright character and good deeds. It's like the fear of God keeps us in line, but without a good character and good deeds, what's the point? Why bother having a commander when there is no army to command? And an army of soldiers without guidance cannot do anything worthwhile. But together? Together they can conquer the world.
This paragraph also hearkens to the earlier bits where it seems that if we don't do these good deeds and don't have the fear of God (proper fear, not terror, in case you are wondering) in your heart, then our station will not be exalted. I mean, why would it be?
Now, I'm going to take a break here, for it's still the Fast, and my brain is turning to mush. There is so much more that I want to say about the next paragraph, but that would make this article a bit too long. So enjoy the Fast and I'll type at you later.
The next day we went up to Mount Washington and went tubing with our son. We all had a blast. We made snowmen, snow forts, went tubing for hours (and hours), and a good time was had by all. I also spent some time talking to Shoghi about how mountains are a symbol of God's majesty, and was in wonder about how much fun we can have with just a tiny little sliver of a single mountain. "Now imagine the vastness of the entire range."
We met with some of the Baha'is in Comox and Courtenay to break the fast and have a delightful meeting. Our last day there we drove to Seal Bay.
Seal Bay. What can I say about Seal Bay? We spent about 20 minutes walking through the woods before we got to the stairs to go down to the beach. Oh, what stairs. Lots of them. Lots and lots. Down, down through the trees, beside a gurgling, singing ravine. When we finally got to the bottom and emerged from the woods onto the beach, the first thing we saw was about two dozen bald eagles and golden eagles. Then we saw the hundreds of seals in the water. (There's a reason it's called Seal Bay.) Then, amidst all that wonder, we saw two, yes two, pods of killer whales.
You can see why I left my computer at home. I had no desire to be distracted from the wonders around me, and that includes my family.
But that's not what I wanted to write about. Nah. It's still the Fast and I haven't finished writing a bit about the Kitab-i-Ahd, Baha'u'llah's Will and Testament.
As you know, if you've been following this blog for at least a few weeks, I've looked at the first part, which I call the Testament. Now for the rest of it:
The Will of the divine Testator is this: It is incumbent upon the Aghsan, the Afnan and My Kindred to turn, one and all, their faces towards the Most Mighty Branch. Consider that which We have revealed in Our Most Holy Book: 'When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root.' The object of this sacred verse is none other except the Most Mighty Branch [Abdu'l-Bahá]. Thus have We graciously revealed unto you Our potent Will, and I am verily the Gracious, the All-Powerful. Verily God hath ordained the station of the Greater Branch [Muhammad Ali] to be beneath that of the Most Great Branch [Abdu'l-Bahá]. He is in truth the Ordainer, the All-Wise. We have chosen 'the Greater' after 'the Most Great', as decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
It is enjoined upon everyone to manifest love towards the Aghsan, but God hath not granted them any right to the property of others.
O ye My Aghsan, My Afnan and My Kindred! We exhort you to fear God, to perform praiseworthy deeds and to do that which is meet and seemly and serveth to exalt your station. Verily I say, fear of God is the greatest commander that can render the Cause of God victorious, and the hosts which best befit this commander have ever been and are an upright character and pure and goodly deeds.
Say: O servants! Let not the means of order be made the cause of confusion and the instrument of union an occasion for discord. We fain would hope that the people of Baha may be guided by the blessed words: 'Say: all things are of God.' This exalted utterance is like unto water for quenching the fire of hate and enmity which smouldereth within the hearts and breasts of men. By this single utterance contending peoples and kindreds will attain the light of true unity. Verily He speaketh the truth and leadeth the way. He is the All-Powerful, the Exalted, the Gracious.
It is incumbent upon everyone to show courtesy to, and have regard for the Aghsan, that thereby the Cause of God may be glorified and His Word exalted. This injunction hath time and again been mentioned and recorded in the Holy Writ. Well is it with him who is enabled to achieve that which the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days hath prescribed for him. Ye are bidden moreover to respect the members of the Holy Household, the Afnan and the kindred. We further admonish you to serve all nations and to strive for the betterment of the world.
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.
As you know, I'm not doing a history here, but just giving my own personal thoughts on it. Again, this is nothing official, but just my own feeble opinion.
In this first paragraph, what really catches my eye is just how many times Baha'u'llah repeats that we should turn to 'Abdu'l-Baha.
I mean, He begins by addressing all of His family, as well as that of the Bab, and presumably all of us at the same time. Then He tells us to turn our "faces towards the Most Mighty Branch". This is pretty straightforward. Anyone at the time knew that this referred to 'Abdu'l-Baha, and only 'Abdu'l-Baha. There was no question about that, even though we may wonder about it in the English. For the friends reading it at the time, in the original, there was no ambiguity.
But He doesn't stop there. He reiterates this point four more times:
- turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root
- this is none other except the Most Mighty Branch
- the station of the Greater Branch (is) beneath that of the Most Great Branch
- We have chosen 'the Greater' after 'the Most Great'
Five times He makes this point. Why? I think it is just that important. Remember, in Persian and Arabic, if you want to stress a point, you have to repeat it. You can't underline it, after all, for that just makes it a new word. If you were to underline "Beware, beware, lest thou offend any heart", you might just end up with "the sofa, the sofa..."
You can't italicize it for the whole written language is italicized. I mean, who would notice?
You can try bolding the text with a larger pen, but even then it might not stand out, for calligraphy is naturally filled with different sized lines.
No. To really stress a point in those languages, you have to repeat yourself.
And check it out for yourself. Try and notice when 'Abdu'l-Baha or Baha'u'llah repeat something. It's always very, very important. There are quite a few things repeated twice, as in the "Beware, beware" example above. There are a few (very few) things repeated three times. But this is the only example I have ever found of something repeated 5 times in a single paragraph.
Wow.
Then, just in case it wasn't clear to us in the beginning of this document, He explicitly tells us that the Aghsan, those male descendants of Baha'u'llah, have no right to anyone else's property. Even then, and here's a bit of history for you, some of 'Abdu'l-Baha's unfaithful half-brothers tried to use their position as sons of Baha'u'llah to get money and stuff from others. Fortunately, it didn't work all that well.
Then, right after reminding them that they should not do such unworthy deeds, in the very next paragraph He tells us to fear God, do praiseworthy deeds, and generally be good folk. In other words, do those things that exalt our station, as He says. Oh, and you may recall that I mentioned earlier that this idea of elevating our station comes up again. Well, here it is.
He also uses a military metaphor in a very interesting way. Fear of God is the commander, and the hosts are an upright character and good deeds. It's like the fear of God keeps us in line, but without a good character and good deeds, what's the point? Why bother having a commander when there is no army to command? And an army of soldiers without guidance cannot do anything worthwhile. But together? Together they can conquer the world.
This paragraph also hearkens to the earlier bits where it seems that if we don't do these good deeds and don't have the fear of God (proper fear, not terror, in case you are wondering) in your heart, then our station will not be exalted. I mean, why would it be?
Now, I'm going to take a break here, for it's still the Fast, and my brain is turning to mush. There is so much more that I want to say about the next paragraph, but that would make this article a bit too long. So enjoy the Fast and I'll type at you later.
Monday, March 12, 2012
The Ahd Thoughts Strike Back
There is quite the wind out there today. I mean, like it-woke-me-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night strong. "It's blowing open the door to the office"-strong. 70 - 100 km / hour strong.
I love it.
I had a beautiful walk across campus this morning and was amazed how many people said hi. Virtually everyone was smiling, enjoying the extreme wind. It's really very pleasant for walking, as long as you don't get hit by flying debris.
"Consider, how the wind, faithful to that which God hath ordained, bloweth upon all the regions of the earth, be they inhabited or desolate." Well, it is sure blowing today.
But I'm not going to write about the wind today. I want to keep going on with the Kitab-i-Ahd.
In paragraph 5, He addresses "the loved ones and the trustees of God". He reminds us again of the importance of Kings and Rulers, and how we should pray for them, for they have been invested with the "rulership of the earth". Human hearts, however, are still God's domain.
It's interesting that this comes right after the reminder that religion should be the cause of love, for it seems to me that He is making clear the distinction between religion and government.
Then He goes in the next paragraph to say that "conflict and contention are categorically forbidden". There ain't no way around it. That statement is "preserved from annulment". Fighting is just right out, except in that rare instance described in the Lawh-i-Maqsud: "Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him."
Beyond not fighting, or engaging in conflict and contention, we need to "aid those daysprings of authority and sources of command who are adorned with the ornament of equity and justice." He doesn't just tell us what not to do, He tells us what we need to do. It is "incumbent". That means we have to.
But what if they are not showing equity and justice?
That's where I think it gets interesting.
What if a ruler is unjust? And what if we are not allowed to revolt against them? What happens then?
Well, I think history shows us that if a ruler is not supported by the people, they will fall. If we actively stop supporting them, such as Gandhi did in India, what can they do? They can try to use military might to force support, but that doesn't work for long. And while there may be terrible suffering during that time, it was shown that this tactic of active non-support can work wonders.
I look at the States, for example. There is terrible injustice right now in the workplace there. Many millions are not able to survive with their current wages. They are going further and further in debt, while those in charge keep increasing their own wages. you only need to look at the various reports in both the press and the social media to see the tremendous disparity right now. Imagine what would happen if all those people who cannot make ends meet (after getting rid of their cell phones, cable tv, and all that other junk) stopped working for a week. Imagine the havoc and panic that would ensue when all those working at menial, but vital, jobs suddenly and coordinatedly stopped for a week. Those in power would begin to realize the dangerous position they are actually in. They don't really rule over the lower classes; they are supported by the lower classes. Imagine if this were to occur just before the National Conventions of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Wouldn't that send a strong message? A week of prayer to show that these people have nothing to lose? If their jobs aren't sustaining them right now, what do they have to lose?
This whole notion of having to support a just and equitable government is a very powerful idea, especially when we see it in the reverse.
Then Baha'u'llah ends this Testament with an interesting phrase: "A mighty force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being." This reminds me of Gleanings, in which He says that within human soul "lieth concealed that which the world is now utterly incapable of apprehending." (It also reminds me of another quote which I can't find right now in which He says that is another force hidden within the world and that we should pray it not be discovered, for it can cause great destruction.) Here He seems to be alluding to 'Abdu'l-Baha and the Administrative Order, for He is addressing the Branches, who would, for the most part, violate this Covenant, and use the differences between 'Abdu'l-Baha and Baha'u'llah as an excuse for doing so. Through them He is telling us to ignore any insignificant differences and focus on His unifying influence. Oh, and if you're wondering what some of those differences might be, I think (unofficial here, my own thought) that the Guardian wearing Western clothing, or not going to the Mosque, may be good examples. These were surely a test to some of those around him.
Anyways, it's time for me to go, and I'm pretty much at the end of this part. Now I can't wait to get on to the Will part of this document.
Or go back out into that windstorm.
I love it.
I had a beautiful walk across campus this morning and was amazed how many people said hi. Virtually everyone was smiling, enjoying the extreme wind. It's really very pleasant for walking, as long as you don't get hit by flying debris.
"Consider, how the wind, faithful to that which God hath ordained, bloweth upon all the regions of the earth, be they inhabited or desolate." Well, it is sure blowing today.
But I'm not going to write about the wind today. I want to keep going on with the Kitab-i-Ahd.
In paragraph 5, He addresses "the loved ones and the trustees of God". He reminds us again of the importance of Kings and Rulers, and how we should pray for them, for they have been invested with the "rulership of the earth". Human hearts, however, are still God's domain.
It's interesting that this comes right after the reminder that religion should be the cause of love, for it seems to me that He is making clear the distinction between religion and government.
Then He goes in the next paragraph to say that "conflict and contention are categorically forbidden". There ain't no way around it. That statement is "preserved from annulment". Fighting is just right out, except in that rare instance described in the Lawh-i-Maqsud: "Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him."
Beyond not fighting, or engaging in conflict and contention, we need to "aid those daysprings of authority and sources of command who are adorned with the ornament of equity and justice." He doesn't just tell us what not to do, He tells us what we need to do. It is "incumbent". That means we have to.
But what if they are not showing equity and justice?
That's where I think it gets interesting.
What if a ruler is unjust? And what if we are not allowed to revolt against them? What happens then?
Well, I think history shows us that if a ruler is not supported by the people, they will fall. If we actively stop supporting them, such as Gandhi did in India, what can they do? They can try to use military might to force support, but that doesn't work for long. And while there may be terrible suffering during that time, it was shown that this tactic of active non-support can work wonders.
I look at the States, for example. There is terrible injustice right now in the workplace there. Many millions are not able to survive with their current wages. They are going further and further in debt, while those in charge keep increasing their own wages. you only need to look at the various reports in both the press and the social media to see the tremendous disparity right now. Imagine what would happen if all those people who cannot make ends meet (after getting rid of their cell phones, cable tv, and all that other junk) stopped working for a week. Imagine the havoc and panic that would ensue when all those working at menial, but vital, jobs suddenly and coordinatedly stopped for a week. Those in power would begin to realize the dangerous position they are actually in. They don't really rule over the lower classes; they are supported by the lower classes. Imagine if this were to occur just before the National Conventions of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Wouldn't that send a strong message? A week of prayer to show that these people have nothing to lose? If their jobs aren't sustaining them right now, what do they have to lose?
This whole notion of having to support a just and equitable government is a very powerful idea, especially when we see it in the reverse.
Then Baha'u'llah ends this Testament with an interesting phrase: "A mighty force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being." This reminds me of Gleanings, in which He says that within human soul "lieth concealed that which the world is now utterly incapable of apprehending." (It also reminds me of another quote which I can't find right now in which He says that is another force hidden within the world and that we should pray it not be discovered, for it can cause great destruction.) Here He seems to be alluding to 'Abdu'l-Baha and the Administrative Order, for He is addressing the Branches, who would, for the most part, violate this Covenant, and use the differences between 'Abdu'l-Baha and Baha'u'llah as an excuse for doing so. Through them He is telling us to ignore any insignificant differences and focus on His unifying influence. Oh, and if you're wondering what some of those differences might be, I think (unofficial here, my own thought) that the Guardian wearing Western clothing, or not going to the Mosque, may be good examples. These were surely a test to some of those around him.
Anyways, it's time for me to go, and I'm pretty much at the end of this part. Now I can't wait to get on to the Will part of this document.
Or go back out into that windstorm.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Even More Ahd Thoughts
It's 12:30, in the middle of the Fast. As I said, I'm looking at the Kitab-i-Ahd during my lunchtime and hoping to get a slightly better understanding of it. Today, however, I'm not sure how that's going to go. (I was going to write "gonna go", but I thought I might as well try and be a bit more grammatically correct. I am well edumicated, after all.) I'm quite a bit hungrier than I expected, and cold. I suspect this afternoon is going to be tough. Ah well. It's good for the soul, right? Whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger? (Or as a friend of mine used to say, "Whatever doesn't kill me better run faster than I do.") So if I begin babbling a bit, blame it on the Fast. That's what I do.
I'm not going to reprint any of the Tablet here because I did that yesterday. At least, I reprinted the first part of it, and if you don't know what that means, well, read the article because I don't want to repeat myself here. If you want to read the part of the Tablet I'm looking at today, and I highly recommend you do (of course you, dear Reader, probably have it memorized), then just scroll down a bit. It should be there in the next article down.
Now, where was I? Oh yes, the third paragraph.
In paragraph 1, He points out that His heritage is a spiritual one, not a material one. In the second paragraph, He describes how we are to act if we want to arise to claim this lofty station that should be ours. Now, in this third paragraph, He defines the "people of Baha". This is, I think, different from the people of the Book, or the people of some other adjective. Even though all the religions are, in a very deep sense, one, there is still a distinction between them in this realm. These "people of Baha" are specifically those who are receptive to the stirrings of the spirit and turned towards Baha'u'llah. This is, to me, what it means when He refers to inhaling the fragrance of His garment, and why we grasp that chalice in His name. It is interesting to me to note that He isn't condemning anyone else here. He isn't saying that everyone else has missed the boat, or anything else derogatory in any way whatsoever. It is obvious that people of other faiths can, of course, be receptive and stirred by the spirit. We only need to look at Gandhi or Mother Teresa to recognize that. But the people of Baha are specifically those who have recognized Baha'u'llah.
After this, in paragraph 4, He goes on and reminds us that religion is for love and unity. It should never be the cause of discord or enmity. While some may feel that He is specifically warning the unfaithful half-brothers of 'Abdu'l-Baha, I think He is also warning us. To start, He addresses this paragraph to all who dwell on earth, and we sure fit into that category. And while it is probably true that those unfaithful members of His family were raised by their mother to be jealous of the Master, they are by no means the only ones.
Everything we need to safeguard humanity, everything we need to learn to be truly and deeply happy has already been revealed. We just need to recognize it. And that doesn't mean just reading the words, but striving to understand them even more deeply, learning to apply them, making them a part of our heart and soul. But this is the last of what He has written. I think this is, in no uncertain terms, a clear reminder to go back and study what He has written. There is nothing else that He needed to write. He has done His job, and now it is up to us.
You see, dear Reader, virtually every time I have read this Tablet in the past, I have seen these paragraphs as separate from each other, distinct, incoherent in the order in which they were revealed. Today, now, I am striving to see the coherency in it, for I know it must be there.
By outlining the paragraphs and recalling what has come before, this coherency seems to be becoming more evident. But this is, of course, just me.
It is quite possible that this clarity is also a result of the Fast, for good or ill. I think it's time for me to get warm. Enjoy the rest of your day, and happy fasting.
I'm not going to reprint any of the Tablet here because I did that yesterday. At least, I reprinted the first part of it, and if you don't know what that means, well, read the article because I don't want to repeat myself here. If you want to read the part of the Tablet I'm looking at today, and I highly recommend you do (of course you, dear Reader, probably have it memorized), then just scroll down a bit. It should be there in the next article down.
Now, where was I? Oh yes, the third paragraph.
In paragraph 1, He points out that His heritage is a spiritual one, not a material one. In the second paragraph, He describes how we are to act if we want to arise to claim this lofty station that should be ours. Now, in this third paragraph, He defines the "people of Baha". This is, I think, different from the people of the Book, or the people of some other adjective. Even though all the religions are, in a very deep sense, one, there is still a distinction between them in this realm. These "people of Baha" are specifically those who are receptive to the stirrings of the spirit and turned towards Baha'u'llah. This is, to me, what it means when He refers to inhaling the fragrance of His garment, and why we grasp that chalice in His name. It is interesting to me to note that He isn't condemning anyone else here. He isn't saying that everyone else has missed the boat, or anything else derogatory in any way whatsoever. It is obvious that people of other faiths can, of course, be receptive and stirred by the spirit. We only need to look at Gandhi or Mother Teresa to recognize that. But the people of Baha are specifically those who have recognized Baha'u'llah.
After this, in paragraph 4, He goes on and reminds us that religion is for love and unity. It should never be the cause of discord or enmity. While some may feel that He is specifically warning the unfaithful half-brothers of 'Abdu'l-Baha, I think He is also warning us. To start, He addresses this paragraph to all who dwell on earth, and we sure fit into that category. And while it is probably true that those unfaithful members of His family were raised by their mother to be jealous of the Master, they are by no means the only ones.
Everything we need to safeguard humanity, everything we need to learn to be truly and deeply happy has already been revealed. We just need to recognize it. And that doesn't mean just reading the words, but striving to understand them even more deeply, learning to apply them, making them a part of our heart and soul. But this is the last of what He has written. I think this is, in no uncertain terms, a clear reminder to go back and study what He has written. There is nothing else that He needed to write. He has done His job, and now it is up to us.
You see, dear Reader, virtually every time I have read this Tablet in the past, I have seen these paragraphs as separate from each other, distinct, incoherent in the order in which they were revealed. Today, now, I am striving to see the coherency in it, for I know it must be there.
By outlining the paragraphs and recalling what has come before, this coherency seems to be becoming more evident. But this is, of course, just me.
It is quite possible that this clarity is also a result of the Fast, for good or ill. I think it's time for me to get warm. Enjoy the rest of your day, and happy fasting.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Some More Ahd Thoughts
Sorry about the delay in writing these days. I had to get an annual report out for my work at the university. And Shoghi's teachers are on strike, so he's been home with me for the past few days. It just seems that my time for writing is flying out the window. But isn't that always just the case?
And it's the Fast.
Aside: Don't you just hate it when, at the end of the day during the Fast, you say a prayer and take that unbelievably refreshing first sip of water, and then realize that you haven't said your second Medium Obligatory Prayer? You know, the one that you're supposed to say between noon and sunset? So now you realize that you can't complete your Medium prayer for the day. And then you realize that you also can't do the Short one, which is also to be said between noon (true noon, not daylight savings time, but that's another rant altogether) and sunset. Thank God for the Long Obligatory Prayer, which is still my personal favorite.
Anyways. I tried looking at this Tablet a paragraph at a time, but it just wasn't working for me. I want to look at the first part as a whole.
"First part? I thought it was all one piece."
Yes, dear Reader, it is. But let me explain. This Tablet is considered His final Will and Testament. Personally, I think of it as His final Testament and Will. (And this is just my own opinion. Nothing official. Insert usual disclaimer here, if you will.) The first part reads as a testimony, to me. Then, after the part quoted below, He continues "The Will of the divine Testator is this..." So I don't think I'm too far off in my reading of it. Anyways, here's the first part for your reading pleasure:
There is so much in here that it is difficult to know where to begin.
I already said that He begins by reminding us that He has given us something spiritual, not physical.
After this reminder, which in many ways distinguishes this from most Wills and Testaments, He goes on to tell why He lived his life the way He did. He didn't do it for fame or glory, as may have been obvious by what He suffered, and how he reacted to those sufferings. No. He did what He did in order to get rid of hatred and enmity, and to help us attain real peace and tranquility.
Then He draws our attention to a special passage in this Tablet which, since He feels it is important enough to do at the very end of His life, we should really take note of. He exhorts us to observe that which will elevate our station. (Remember this. It comes up again later.) Then He gives us something of a recipe list:
This caught my attention, for I remember the fear of God being mentioned in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. "Indeed, there existeth in man a faculty which deterreth him from, and guardeth him against, whatever is unworthy and unseemly, and which is known as his sense of shame. This, however, is confined to but a few; all have not possessed, and do not possess, it. It is incumbent upon the kings and the spiritual leaders of the world to lay fast hold on religion, inasmuch as through it the fear of God is instilled in all else but Him."
Here, once again, we are being reminded of the importance of religion in the cultivation of the fear of God, which, as you may recall, is a very healthy thing. It is not the terror of God, but a mild discomfort. (You can read more on that here.)
In the second, we are reminded to do what is right. How often have we encountered a time in our life where we can benefit ourselves materially, or socially, by doing something that is not quite right? Me? More often than I care to count. It is good to be reminded not to fall for anything like that.
Then He tells us that God has forgiven what is in the past. We should, too. We shouldn't talk about those things in the past that troubled us, or bothered us, or even merely annoyed us. (Wow. I've got a long way to go.) God has forgiven, and we need to learn from that example.
Don't slander or abuse? Well, we all know that backbiting is considered the most-grievous sin, and here He is, at the very end of His life, reminding us, yet again, to stop doing it.
And we are to avoid doing anything that causes sadness to another. Now that's mighty difficult. I'm still not sure how to even begin going about that. Remember, though, that there was a penalty for that in the Bayan, but in the Kitab-i-Aqdas Baha'u'llah absolved us of this penalty. Even though we no longer have to pay a hefty fine for making someone sad, it is still against the law.
"Lofty is the station of man!" What a statement. It is nothing short of a reminder that we were created noble. But just a few lines later He qualifies this. He reminds us that all that lay latent within us has been made manifest, and then says that our station is lofty if, and presumably only if, we are:
We have to be virtuous. If not, how can we claim to be in that lofty station? We have to hold to the truth, for if not, the foundation of all our virtues is gone. "Truthfulness", He has said, "is the foundation of all human virtues." "Without truthfulness," said 'Abdu'l-Baha, "progress and success in all of the worlds of God are impossible for a soul." Then we have to be firm and steadfast in the Cause. Later, in this very Tablet, we will learn more about just how it is that we are to be firm and steadfast, namely by following 'Abdu'l-Baha.
If we follow all of these, then our station truly will be lofty. In fact, ours will be "the loftiest station".
Sigh.
Yeah, I really do have a long way to go.
More on this in the next article. (The Tablet, not my shortcomings.)
And it's the Fast.
Aside: Don't you just hate it when, at the end of the day during the Fast, you say a prayer and take that unbelievably refreshing first sip of water, and then realize that you haven't said your second Medium Obligatory Prayer? You know, the one that you're supposed to say between noon and sunset? So now you realize that you can't complete your Medium prayer for the day. And then you realize that you also can't do the Short one, which is also to be said between noon (true noon, not daylight savings time, but that's another rant altogether) and sunset. Thank God for the Long Obligatory Prayer, which is still my personal favorite.
Anyways. I tried looking at this Tablet a paragraph at a time, but it just wasn't working for me. I want to look at the first part as a whole.
"First part? I thought it was all one piece."
Yes, dear Reader, it is. But let me explain. This Tablet is considered His final Will and Testament. Personally, I think of it as His final Testament and Will. (And this is just my own opinion. Nothing official. Insert usual disclaimer here, if you will.) The first part reads as a testimony, to me. Then, after the part quoted below, He continues "The Will of the divine Testator is this..." So I don't think I'm too far off in my reading of it. Anyways, here's the first part for your reading pleasure:
Although the Realm of Glory hath none of the vanities of the world, yet within the treasury of trust and resignation We have bequeathed to Our heirs an excellent and priceless heritage. Earthly treasures We have not bequeathed, nor have We added such cares as they entail. By God! In earthly riches fear is hidden and peril is concealed. Consider ye and call to mind that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur'án: 'Woe betide every slanderer and defamer, him that layeth up riches and counteth them.'(Qur'án 104:1-2) Fleeting are the riches of the world; all that perisheth and changeth is not, and hath never been, worthy of attention, except to a recognized measure.
The aim of this Wronged One in sustaining woes and tribulations, in revealing the Holy Verses and in demonstrating proofs hath been naught but to quench the flame of hate and enmity, that the horizon of the hearts of men may be illumined with the light of concord and attain real peace and tranquillity. From the dawning-place of the divine Tablet the day-star of this utterance shineth resplendent, and it behoveth everyone to fix his gaze upon it: We exhort you, O peoples of the world, to observe that which will elevate your station. Hold fast to the fear of God and firmly adhere to what is right. Verily I say, the tongue is for mentioning what is good, defile it not with unseemly talk. God hath forgiven what is past. Henceforward everyone should utter that which is meet and seemly, and should refrain from slander, abuse and whatever causeth sadness in men. Lofty is the station of man! Not long ago this exalted Word streamed forth from the treasury of Our Pen of Glory: Great and blessed is this Day -- the Day in which all that lay latent in man hath been and will be made manifest. Lofty is the station of man, were he to hold fast to righteousness and truth and to remain firm and steadfast in the Cause. In the eyes of the All-Merciful a true man appeareth even as a firmament; its sun and moon are his sight and hearing, and his shining and resplendent character its stars. His is the loftiest station, and his influence educateth the world of being.
Every receptive soul who hath in this Day inhaled the fragrance of His garment and hath, with a pure heart, set his face towards the all-glorious Horizon is reckoned among the people of Baha in the Crimson Book. Grasp ye, in My Name, the chalice of My loving-kindness, drink then your fill in My glorious and wondrous remembrance.
O ye that dwell on earth! The religion of God is for love and unity; make it not the cause of enmity or dissension. In the eyes of men of insight and the beholders of the Most Sublime Vision, whatsoever are the effective means for safeguarding and promoting the happiness and welfare of the children of men have already been revealed by the Pen of Glory. But the foolish ones of the earth, being nurtured in evil passions and desires, have remained heedless of the consummate wisdom of Him Who is, in truth, the All-Wise, while their words and deeds are prompted by idle fancies and vain imaginings.
O ye the loved ones and the trustees of God! Kings are the manifestations of the power, and the daysprings of the might and riches, of God. Pray ye on their behalf. He hath invested them with the rulership of the earth and hath singled out the hearts of men as His Own domain.
Conflict and contention are categorically forbidden in His Book. This is a decree of God in this Most Great Revelation. It is divinely preserved from annulment and is invested by Him with the splendour of His confirmation. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
It is incumbent upon everyone to aid those daysprings of authority and sources of command who are adorned with the ornament of equity and justice. Blessed are the rulers and the learned among the people of Baha. They are My trustees among My servants and the manifestations of My commandments amidst My people. Upon them rest My glory, My blessings and My grace which have pervaded the world of being. In this connection the utterances revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are such that from the horizon of their words the light of divine grace shineth luminous and resplendent.
O ye My Branches! A mighty force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being. Fix your gaze upon it and upon its unifying influence, and not upon the differences which appear from it.
There is so much in here that it is difficult to know where to begin.
I already said that He begins by reminding us that He has given us something spiritual, not physical.
After this reminder, which in many ways distinguishes this from most Wills and Testaments, He goes on to tell why He lived his life the way He did. He didn't do it for fame or glory, as may have been obvious by what He suffered, and how he reacted to those sufferings. No. He did what He did in order to get rid of hatred and enmity, and to help us attain real peace and tranquility.
Then He draws our attention to a special passage in this Tablet which, since He feels it is important enough to do at the very end of His life, we should really take note of. He exhorts us to observe that which will elevate our station. (Remember this. It comes up again later.) Then He gives us something of a recipe list:
- Fear God
- Hold fast to that which is right
- Mention what is good
- Don't slander or abuse or do anything that causes sadness
This caught my attention, for I remember the fear of God being mentioned in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. "Indeed, there existeth in man a faculty which deterreth him from, and guardeth him against, whatever is unworthy and unseemly, and which is known as his sense of shame. This, however, is confined to but a few; all have not possessed, and do not possess, it. It is incumbent upon the kings and the spiritual leaders of the world to lay fast hold on religion, inasmuch as through it the fear of God is instilled in all else but Him."
Here, once again, we are being reminded of the importance of religion in the cultivation of the fear of God, which, as you may recall, is a very healthy thing. It is not the terror of God, but a mild discomfort. (You can read more on that here.)
In the second, we are reminded to do what is right. How often have we encountered a time in our life where we can benefit ourselves materially, or socially, by doing something that is not quite right? Me? More often than I care to count. It is good to be reminded not to fall for anything like that.
Then He tells us that God has forgiven what is in the past. We should, too. We shouldn't talk about those things in the past that troubled us, or bothered us, or even merely annoyed us. (Wow. I've got a long way to go.) God has forgiven, and we need to learn from that example.
Don't slander or abuse? Well, we all know that backbiting is considered the most-grievous sin, and here He is, at the very end of His life, reminding us, yet again, to stop doing it.
And we are to avoid doing anything that causes sadness to another. Now that's mighty difficult. I'm still not sure how to even begin going about that. Remember, though, that there was a penalty for that in the Bayan, but in the Kitab-i-Aqdas Baha'u'llah absolved us of this penalty. Even though we no longer have to pay a hefty fine for making someone sad, it is still against the law.
"Lofty is the station of man!" What a statement. It is nothing short of a reminder that we were created noble. But just a few lines later He qualifies this. He reminds us that all that lay latent within us has been made manifest, and then says that our station is lofty if, and presumably only if, we are:
- righteous
- holding to the truth
- firm in the Cause
- steadfast in the Cause
We have to be virtuous. If not, how can we claim to be in that lofty station? We have to hold to the truth, for if not, the foundation of all our virtues is gone. "Truthfulness", He has said, "is the foundation of all human virtues." "Without truthfulness," said 'Abdu'l-Baha, "progress and success in all of the worlds of God are impossible for a soul." Then we have to be firm and steadfast in the Cause. Later, in this very Tablet, we will learn more about just how it is that we are to be firm and steadfast, namely by following 'Abdu'l-Baha.
If we follow all of these, then our station truly will be lofty. In fact, ours will be "the loftiest station".
Sigh.
Yeah, I really do have a long way to go.
More on this in the next article. (The Tablet, not my shortcomings.)
Friday, March 2, 2012
Some Ahd Thoughts
Well, it's March again, and the Fast began last night at sunset. As usual, this is a time that I look forward to with both excitement and trepidation.
Seriously. I do.
There is always something of a sense of joy and wonder at this time. Dreams are far more potent. Coincidences abound. There is something remarkably spiritual in the air that just doesn't seem to be there to the same degree any other time. It is a month of wonder, if we only open ourselves up to it.
But then there is the trepidation. I know. As a "good Baha'i", I'm not supposed to feel anything but joy at the thought of the Fast. But where is that written? I think this is just a myth that may help perpetuate ideas of guilt. I do feel nervous every year getting ready for the Fast, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I know that there will be some degree of sacrifice, some unpleasantness, a lot of temptation. But I still fast. Remember, you can only show the strength of your virtues when challenged on them.
I suspect that this year will be easier than most for I am already in the habit of getting up before sunrise to help get Shoghi ready for school each day. And Marielle and I have already found a pattern of eating that works real well for the Fast. (You can read a bit about this diet here.) So both waking up early and the food aspect are taken care of.
But then there is studying. As you may know, I took a page out of my friend Lucki's book and I choose a major work to study every year during the lunch hours of the Fast. This year, due to a comment from my wife, I'll be looking at the Kitab-i-Ahd and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha. She feels drawn to studying them this year, and I will be very happy to go along with that.
As you may know, the Kitab-i-Ahd, Book of the Covenant, is Baha'u'llah's will and testament. Or perhaps it is better phrased, "His testament and will". Why? Because it begins with His testimony.
The very first paragraph of it reads:
It would be very easy at this point to go into a history of this work, and talk about how 'Abdu'l-Baha's half-brothers tried to lay claim to some of the funds of the Faith for their own use, and how they never imagined that He would show up in court with this document to show that Baha'u'llah never bequeathed to them any earthly treasures. I could go into all of that, but I won't. You can find this, and many other incredible stories around this document in other places, such as Taherzadeh's fine work, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah. I don't need to do that here.
Instead, I will just look at the Tablet and share a few thoughts about it. (In other words, I'll do my usual sort of study.)
So here in the very beginning, Baha'u'llah is reminding us of the spiritual nature of His faith, and at the same time warning us of the perils that lie hidden in material possessions. And while this is a "excellent and priceless heritage", it is not to be confused with those earthly treasures.
Interestingly enough, he isn't saying that the riches of the world are worthless, just that they are worth far less of our attention than we usually think. And it was this very mention that allowed 'Abdu'l-Baha to show the court that His brothers had no claim on any material goods from this.
Oops. The Fast just caught up with me. I don't think I can write any more this afternoon. I'll just leave you with this excerpt and look at it again tomorrow morning.
Enjoy the Fast, everyone.
Seriously. I do.
There is always something of a sense of joy and wonder at this time. Dreams are far more potent. Coincidences abound. There is something remarkably spiritual in the air that just doesn't seem to be there to the same degree any other time. It is a month of wonder, if we only open ourselves up to it.
But then there is the trepidation. I know. As a "good Baha'i", I'm not supposed to feel anything but joy at the thought of the Fast. But where is that written? I think this is just a myth that may help perpetuate ideas of guilt. I do feel nervous every year getting ready for the Fast, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I know that there will be some degree of sacrifice, some unpleasantness, a lot of temptation. But I still fast. Remember, you can only show the strength of your virtues when challenged on them.
I suspect that this year will be easier than most for I am already in the habit of getting up before sunrise to help get Shoghi ready for school each day. And Marielle and I have already found a pattern of eating that works real well for the Fast. (You can read a bit about this diet here.) So both waking up early and the food aspect are taken care of.
But then there is studying. As you may know, I took a page out of my friend Lucki's book and I choose a major work to study every year during the lunch hours of the Fast. This year, due to a comment from my wife, I'll be looking at the Kitab-i-Ahd and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha. She feels drawn to studying them this year, and I will be very happy to go along with that.
As you may know, the Kitab-i-Ahd, Book of the Covenant, is Baha'u'llah's will and testament. Or perhaps it is better phrased, "His testament and will". Why? Because it begins with His testimony.
The very first paragraph of it reads:
ALTHOUGH the Realm of Glory hath none of the vanities of the world, yet within the treasury of trust and resignation We have bequeathed to Our heirs an excellent and priceless heritage. Earthly treasures We have not bequeathed, nor have We added such cares as they entail. By God! In earthly riches fear is hidden and peril is concealed. Consider ye and call to mind that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur'án: 'Woe betide every slanderer and defamer, him that layeth up riches and counteth them.'[1] Fleeting are the riches of the world; all that perisheth and changeth is not, and hath never been, worthy of attention, except to a recognized measure.
It would be very easy at this point to go into a history of this work, and talk about how 'Abdu'l-Baha's half-brothers tried to lay claim to some of the funds of the Faith for their own use, and how they never imagined that He would show up in court with this document to show that Baha'u'llah never bequeathed to them any earthly treasures. I could go into all of that, but I won't. You can find this, and many other incredible stories around this document in other places, such as Taherzadeh's fine work, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah. I don't need to do that here.
Instead, I will just look at the Tablet and share a few thoughts about it. (In other words, I'll do my usual sort of study.)
So here in the very beginning, Baha'u'llah is reminding us of the spiritual nature of His faith, and at the same time warning us of the perils that lie hidden in material possessions. And while this is a "excellent and priceless heritage", it is not to be confused with those earthly treasures.
Interestingly enough, he isn't saying that the riches of the world are worthless, just that they are worth far less of our attention than we usually think. And it was this very mention that allowed 'Abdu'l-Baha to show the court that His brothers had no claim on any material goods from this.
The aim of this Wronged One in sustaining woes and tribulations, in revealing the Holy Verses and in demonstrating proofs hath been naught but to quench the flame of hate and enmity, that the horizon of the hearts of men may be illumined with the light of concord and attain real peace and tranquillity. From the dawning-place of the divine Tablet the day-star of this utterance shineth resplendent, and it behoveth everyone to fix his gaze upon it: We exhort you, O peoples of the world, to observe that which will elevate your station. Hold fast to the fear of God and firmly adhere to what is right. Verily I say, the tongue is for mentioning what is good, defile it not with unseemly talk. God hath forgiven what is past. Henceforward everyone 220 should utter that which is meet and seemly, and should refrain from slander, abuse and whatever causeth sadness in men. Lofty is the station of man! Not long ago this exalted Word streamed forth from the treasury of Our Pen of Glory: Great and blessed is this Day -- the Day in which all that lay latent in man hath been and will be made manifest. Lofty is the station of man, were he to hold fast to righteousness and truth and to remain firm and steadfast in the Cause. In the eyes of the All-Merciful a true man appeareth even as a firmament; its sun and moon are his sight and hearing, and his shining and resplendent character its stars. His is the loftiest station, and his influence educateth the world of being.
Oops. The Fast just caught up with me. I don't think I can write any more this afternoon. I'll just leave you with this excerpt and look at it again tomorrow morning.
Enjoy the Fast, everyone.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The Dr Peter Centre Diaries, Part 2
Ok. This is just a pain in the patootie. I've spent the past hour or two looking for a picture of a tapestry I saw at the Dr Peter Centre in Vancouver. I mean, this tapestry is beautiful, and I wanted to write about it today, but not without being able to show it to you. (Perhaps someone at the Centre can take a picture and post in the comment section.) (hint hint)
Oh well.
I'm still going to tell you about it. Why? Well, not just because it is beautiful. I'm going to write about it for two reasons: First, it is a beautiful example what can be created when artists work in unity. Second, it reminds me of the Peace Tapestry at the Baha'i Temple in Wilmette.
After Dr peter passed away, a group of weavers got together to offer a befitting memento in his memory. Then, after designing it, they decided that it should be a group effort. They figured that it would convey more of the spirit of what they were trying to show and do if many hands worked on it, rather than just a few. This calls to mind the exhortations of both 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi for all the Baha'is to participate in the various affairs of the Faith, such as the building of the Temple in Wilmette. They wrote of the importance of the spiritual benefits of many, as opposed to only a few with greater degrees of wealth, contributing with devotion, sincerity and genuine enthusiasm. They seemed to imply that this would have a great spiritual impact on the efficacy of the Temple.
The tapestry these friends made is quite beautiful and includes many little symbols embedded within it, like the columns in the Temple. it is just laden with meaning, most of which is explained in a little paper they give you if you ask. There are small animals hidden within it, and each of them is used not only for their presence in the area he loved to visit, but also for the spiritual significance in the Native traditions.
While this tapestry was being woven, it was on display in, I think, a library. People could just walk up and offer to do a few stitches (or whatever it is called, for I'm sure that stitch is the wrong word). The news media got wind of this project and did some stories on it, and more and more people began to show up to offer what they could. People from all over the world came by to put in their little bit. Stories of people from Japan, Germany, and many other countries filled in the background of this tapestry, showing that we could all unite for a good cause. Many hundreds of people, I was told, helped in the making of this tapestry.
And there it is, hanging between the offices in the Dr Peter Centre, just to the right of the main entrance, there for all to see. It is very beautiful, and I really do hope that we can see it here soon. (I wanted to take a picture of it, but had been asked, for good reasons, to leave my camera at home when I visited.)
Now, I have to go back about 25 years for the other tapestry, the one I was reminded when I saw this one. Back in 1985, the Universal House of Justice released a marvelous document to the "Peoples of the World" about the inevitability of world peace, and the steps needed to achieve it.
One of the many responses to this was from an artist who decided to put the essential ideas of it into a large 4-part tapestry. It was filled with embroidered quotes from the message, and depicted some of the ideas in imagery. The first part was very dark and grey, with lines that spoke of the spectre of war, or the oppression of women, and the indignity of racism. As you moved along the piece, each subsequent panel got brighter and brighter, more colorful, and more optimistic.
The reasons I was reminded of this were multiple. First, it told a story. Second, it was a tapestry. Third, it was beautiful to look at. But mostly because of all the bits and bobs in it. When you look closely at the Peace Tapestry, you will see bits of string, odd bits of cloth, some beads, a feather or two. You will see all sorts of little things that, I was told, were contributed to the artist by people from all over the world. I've heard that one of the most difficult things she faced when making this glorious work of art was to figure out how to include all of the items she had been sent. Whether or not that is true, it is still wonderful, and a great example of many people contributing to a lasting legacy.
And it still bums me that I can't find pictures of either one on the internet.
Oh well.
I'm still going to tell you about it. Why? Well, not just because it is beautiful. I'm going to write about it for two reasons: First, it is a beautiful example what can be created when artists work in unity. Second, it reminds me of the Peace Tapestry at the Baha'i Temple in Wilmette.
After Dr peter passed away, a group of weavers got together to offer a befitting memento in his memory. Then, after designing it, they decided that it should be a group effort. They figured that it would convey more of the spirit of what they were trying to show and do if many hands worked on it, rather than just a few. This calls to mind the exhortations of both 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi for all the Baha'is to participate in the various affairs of the Faith, such as the building of the Temple in Wilmette. They wrote of the importance of the spiritual benefits of many, as opposed to only a few with greater degrees of wealth, contributing with devotion, sincerity and genuine enthusiasm. They seemed to imply that this would have a great spiritual impact on the efficacy of the Temple.
The tapestry these friends made is quite beautiful and includes many little symbols embedded within it, like the columns in the Temple. it is just laden with meaning, most of which is explained in a little paper they give you if you ask. There are small animals hidden within it, and each of them is used not only for their presence in the area he loved to visit, but also for the spiritual significance in the Native traditions.
While this tapestry was being woven, it was on display in, I think, a library. People could just walk up and offer to do a few stitches (or whatever it is called, for I'm sure that stitch is the wrong word). The news media got wind of this project and did some stories on it, and more and more people began to show up to offer what they could. People from all over the world came by to put in their little bit. Stories of people from Japan, Germany, and many other countries filled in the background of this tapestry, showing that we could all unite for a good cause. Many hundreds of people, I was told, helped in the making of this tapestry.
And there it is, hanging between the offices in the Dr Peter Centre, just to the right of the main entrance, there for all to see. It is very beautiful, and I really do hope that we can see it here soon. (I wanted to take a picture of it, but had been asked, for good reasons, to leave my camera at home when I visited.)
Now, I have to go back about 25 years for the other tapestry, the one I was reminded when I saw this one. Back in 1985, the Universal House of Justice released a marvelous document to the "Peoples of the World" about the inevitability of world peace, and the steps needed to achieve it.
One of the many responses to this was from an artist who decided to put the essential ideas of it into a large 4-part tapestry. It was filled with embroidered quotes from the message, and depicted some of the ideas in imagery. The first part was very dark and grey, with lines that spoke of the spectre of war, or the oppression of women, and the indignity of racism. As you moved along the piece, each subsequent panel got brighter and brighter, more colorful, and more optimistic.
The reasons I was reminded of this were multiple. First, it told a story. Second, it was a tapestry. Third, it was beautiful to look at. But mostly because of all the bits and bobs in it. When you look closely at the Peace Tapestry, you will see bits of string, odd bits of cloth, some beads, a feather or two. You will see all sorts of little things that, I was told, were contributed to the artist by people from all over the world. I've heard that one of the most difficult things she faced when making this glorious work of art was to figure out how to include all of the items she had been sent. Whether or not that is true, it is still wonderful, and a great example of many people contributing to a lasting legacy.
And it still bums me that I can't find pictures of either one on the internet.
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