I've been thinking a lot about hearts turned to God, and about the word "heart" in the scriptures. It seems to me that when I see or say that word, in verses from the words of God, I'm mostly thinking of the kind of heart that pumps blood. Lately I've been wondering about associating it more with the kind of heart in "heart of the forest," "heart of the night," and "heart of the matter." One meaning recorded in dictionaries is "the central or innermost part."
It might be that one meaning is derived from the other. Also, in some cases I see a clear reference to a blood-pumping heart, as in "shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb.
In any case, I want to practice thinking of "the central or innermost part" of me, when I'm memorizing verses about hearts, like "Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart," for example.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Doing things in the right spirit
Reading some discussions about anti-racism has confirmed my interest in promoting doing things in the right spirit, and in continual awareness of that among people who are doing that. At the same time it has helped me see hearts possessed by God as only part of the picture of people turning to God, and of the people of Baha. It might please God for me to pursue this interest as long as I keep in mind that it's only part of the picture.
I want to continue:
1. Developing friendships with people of all religions and ideologies.
2. Improving my practice of doing things in the right spirit, with the love of God.
3. Memorizing verses about doing things in the right spirit, and the possibilities and responsibilities of hearts possessed by God.
4. Improving my practice of continual attention to doing things in the right spirit, and responding favorably in words and actions to other people doing things in the right spirit.
I also want to learn more about how people who think in non-theistic terms talk about doing things in the right spirit.
I'm imagining that it would include doing things in a spirit of all-inclusive friendliness and fellowship, that doesn't draw any fixed lines between people, racial or otherwise.
I want to continue:
1. Developing friendships with people of all religions and ideologies.
2. Improving my practice of doing things in the right spirit, with the love of God.
3. Memorizing verses about doing things in the right spirit, and the possibilities and responsibilities of hearts possessed by God.
4. Improving my practice of continual attention to doing things in the right spirit, and responding favorably in words and actions to other people doing things in the right spirit.
I also want to learn more about how people who think in non-theistic terms talk about doing things in the right spirit.
I'm imagining that it would include doing things in a spirit of all-inclusive friendliness and fellowship, that doesn't draw any fixed lines between people, racial or otherwise.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Some verses about doing things in the right spirit, with the love of God
The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behoveth every one who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration.
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 19)
O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their desires, are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but understand. Draw it forth in My name and through the power of My might, and conquer, then, with it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded themselves in the stronghold of their corrupt desires.
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 54)
O people of Baha! Ye are the dawning-places of the love of God and the daysprings of His loving-kindness. Defile not your tongues with the cursing and reviling of any soul, and guard your eyes against that which is not seemly. Set forth that which ye possess. If it be favourably received, your end is attained; if not, to protest is vain. Leave that soul to himself and turn unto the Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Be not the cause of grief, much less of discord and strife. The hope is cherished that ye may obtain true education in the shelter of the tree of His tender mercies and act in accordance with that which God desireth. Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of one ocean.
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 27)
O friends! Be not careless of the virtues with which ye have been endowed, neither be neglectful of your high destiny. Suffer not your labors to be wasted through the vain imaginations which certain hearts have devised. Ye are the stars of the heaven of understanding, the breeze that stirreth at the break of day, the soft-flowing waters upon which must depend the very life of all men, the letters inscribed upon His sacred scroll. With the utmost unity, and in a spirit of perfect fellowship, exert yourselves, that ye may be enabled to achieve that which beseemeth this Day of God. Verily I say, strife and dissension, and whatsoever the mind of man abhorreth are entirely unworthy of his station.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 195)
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the sighs of Thy lovers throughout the world, and by their lamentation in their remoteness from the court of Thy presence, and by the blood that hath been shed for love of Thee, and by the hearts that have melted in Thy path, to protect Thy loved ones from the cruelty of such as have remained unaware of the mysteries of Thy Name, the Unconstrained. Assist them, O my Lord, by Thy power that hath prevailed over all things, and aid them to be patient and long-suffering.
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 35)
"Glory to Thee, O my God! But for the tribulations which are sustained in Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized; and were it not for the trials which are borne for love of Thee, how could the station of such as yearn for Thee be revealed? Thy might beareth Me witness! The companions of all who adore Thee are the tears they shed, and the comforters of such as seek Thee are the groans they utter, and the food of them who haste to meet Thee is the fragments of their broken hearts. How sweet to my taste is the bitterness of death suffered in Thy path, and how precious in my estimation are the shafts of Thine enemies when encountered for the sake of the exaltation of Thy Word! Let me quaff in Thy Cause, O my God and my Master, whatsoever Thou didst desire, and send down upon me in Thy love all Thou didst ordain. By Thy glory! I wish only what Thou wishest, and cherish what Thou cherishest. In Thee have I, at all times, placed My whole trust and confidence. Thou art verily the All-Possessing, the Most High. Raise up, I implore Thee, O my God, as helpers to this Revelation such as shall be counted worthy of Thy Name and of Thy sovereignty, that they may remember Thee among Thy creatures, and hoist the ensigns of Thy victory in Thy land, and adorn them with Thy virtues and Thy commandments. No God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 94)
Say: O ye lovers of the One true God! Strive, that ye may truly recognize and know Him, and observe befittingly His precepts. This is a Revelation, under which, if a man shed for its sake one drop of blood, myriads of oceans will be his recompense. Take heed, O friends, that ye forfeit not so inestimable a benefit, or disregard its transcendent station. Consider the multitude of lives that have been, and are still being, sacrificed in a world deluded by a mere phantom which the vain imaginations of its peoples have conceived. Render thanks unto God, inasmuch as ye have attained unto your heart's Desire, and been united to Him Who is the Promise of all nations. Guard ye, with the aid of the one true God -- exalted be His glory -- the integrity of the station which ye have attained, and cleave to that which shall promote His Cause. He, verily, enjoineth on you what is right and conducive to the exaltation of man's station. Glorified be the All-Merciful, the Revealer of this wondrous Tablet.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 5)
Every time My name "the All-Merciful" was told that one of My lovers had breathed a word that runneth counter to My wish, it repaired, grief-stricken and disconsolate to its abode; and whenever My name "the Concealer" discovered that one of My followers had inflicted any shame or humiliation on his neighbor, it, likewise, turned back chagrined and sorrowful to its retreats of glory, and there wept and mourned with a sore lamentation. And whenever My name "the Ever-Forgiving" perceived that any one of My friends had committed any transgression, it cried out in its great distress, and, overcome with anguish, fell upon the dust, and was borne away by a company of the invisible angels to its habitation in the realms above
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 308)
Say: From My laws the sweet smelling savor of My garment can be smelled, and by their aid the standards of victory will be planted upon the highest peaks. The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven of My omnipotent glory, addressed to My creation these words: "Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty." Happy is the lover that hath inhaled the divine fragrance of his Best-Beloved from these words, laden with the perfume of a grace which no tongue can describe. By My life! He who hath drunk the choice wine of fairness from the hands of My bountiful favor, will circle around My commandments that shine above the Day Spring of My creation.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 332)
Be unrestrained as the wind, while carrying the Message of Him Who hath caused the Dawn of Divine Guidance to break. Consider, how the wind, faithful to that which God hath ordained, bloweth upon all the regions of the earth, be they inhabited or desolate. Neither the sight of desolation, nor the evidences of prosperity, can either pain or please it. It bloweth in every direction, as bidden by its Creator. So should be every one that claimeth to be a lover of the one true God. It behoveth him to fix his gaze upon the fundamentals of His Faith, and to labor diligently for its propagation. Wholly for the sake of God he should proclaim His Message, and with that same spirit accept whatever response his words may evoke in his hearer. He who shall accept and believe, shall receive his reward; and he who shall turn away, shall receive none other than his own punishment.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 339)
O Thou Whose face is the object of the adoration of all that yearn after Thee, Whose presence is the hope of such as are wholly devoted to Thy will, Whose nearness is the desire of all that have drawn nigh unto Thy court, Whose countenance is the companion of those who have recognized Thy truth, Whose name is the mover of the souls that long to behold Thy face, Whose voice is the true life of Thy lovers, the words of Whose mouth are as the waters of life unto all who are in heaven and on earth!
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 12)
O God! The trials Thou sendest are a salve to the sores of all them who are devoted to Thy will; the remembrance of Thee is a healing medicine to the hearts of such as have drawn nigh unto Thy court; nearness to Thee is the true life of them who are Thy lovers; Thy presence is the ardent desire of such as yearn to behold Thy face; remoteness from Thee is a torment to those that have acknowledged Thy oneness, and separation from Thee is death unto them that have recognized Thy truth!
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 78)
For Thine ardent lovers Thou hast, according to Thy decree, reserved, at each daybreak, the cup of Thy remembrance, O Thou Who art the Ruler of rulers! These are they who have been so inebriated with the wine of Thy manifold wisdom that they forsake their couches in their longing to celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy virtues, and flee from sleep in their eagerness to approach Thy presence and partake of Thy bounty. Their eyes have, at all times, been bent upon the Day-Spring of Thy loving-kindness, and their faces set towards the Fountain-Head of Thine inspiration. Rain down, then, upon us and upon them from the clouds of Thy mercy what beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounteousness and grace.
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 143)
I know not, O my God, whether I should speak forth the wonders of Thy praise among Thy servants, and lay bare before them the secrets of Thy mercy and the mysteries of Thy Cause, or keep them wrapped up within the receptacle of my heart. Though the lover be loth to share with any one the intimate conversation of his beloved, yet at whatever time Thine inescapable commandment to declare Thy Cause reacheth me, I will unhesitatingly obey it. I would proclaim Thee, undeterred by the darts of affliction that may rain down upon me from the clouds of Thy decree.
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 184)
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Name through which Thou hast hearkened unto the call of Thy lovers, and the sighs of them that long for Thee, and the cry of them that enjoy near access to Thee, and the groaning of them that are devoted to Thee, and through which Thou hast fulfilled the wishes of them that have set their hopes on Thee, and hast granted them their desires, through Thy grace and Thy favors, and by Thy Name through which the ocean of forgiveness surged before Thy face, and the clouds of Thy generosity rained upon Thy servants, to write down for every one who hath turned unto Thee, and observed the fast prescribed by Thee, the recompense decreed for such as speak not except by Thy leave, and who forsook all that they possessed in Thy path and for love of Thee.
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 292)
By the righteousness of God! It is not Our wish to lay hands on your kingdoms. Our mission is to seize and possess the hearts of men.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 211)
The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. He Who is the Daystar of Truth beareth Me witness! So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth. The One true God, He Who knoweth all things, Himself testifieth to the truth of these words.
Exert yourselves that ye may attain this transcendent and most sublime station, the station that can insure the protection and security of all mankind. This goal excelleth every other goal, and this aspiration is the monarch of all aspirations. So long, however, as the thick clouds of oppression, which obscure the daystar of justice, remain undispelled, it would be difficult for the glory of this station to be unveiled to men's eyes. These thick clouds are the exponents of idle fancies and vain imaginings, who are none other but the divines of Persia. At one time We spoke in the language of the lawgiver; at another in that of the truth-seeker and the mystic, and yet Our supreme purpose and highest wish hath always been to disclose the glory and sublimity of this station. God, verily, is a sufficient witness!
Consort with all men, O people of Baha, in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and goodwill. If it be accepted, if it fulfill its purpose, your object is attained. If anyone should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to guide him. Beware lest ye deal unkindly with him. A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding.
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 14)
It is Our wish and desire that every one of you may become a source of all goodness unto men, and an example of uprightness to mankind. Beware lest ye prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix your gaze upon Him Who is the Temple of God amongst men. He, in truth, hath offered up His life as a ransom for the redemption of the world. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Gracious, the Most High. If any differences arise amongst you, behold Me standing before your face, and overlook the faults of one another for My name's sake and as a token of your love for My manifest and resplendent Cause. We love to see you at all times consorting in amity and concord within the paradise of My good-pleasure, and to inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness and unity, of loving-kindness and fellowship. Thus counselleth you the All-Knowing, the Faithful. We shall always be with you; if We inhale the perfume of your fellowship, Our heart will assuredly rejoice, for naught else can satisfy Us. To this beareth witness every man of true understanding.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 314)
O My servants! Be as resigned and submissive as the earth, that from the soil of your being there may blossom the fragrant, the holy and multicolored hyacinths of My knowledge. Be ablaze as the fire, that ye may burn away the veils of heedlessness and set aglow, through the quickening energies of the love of God, the chilled and wayward heart. Be light and untrammeled as the breeze, that ye may obtain admittance into the precincts of My court, My inviolable Sanctuary.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 322)
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 19)
O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their desires, are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but understand. Draw it forth in My name and through the power of My might, and conquer, then, with it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded themselves in the stronghold of their corrupt desires.
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 54)
O people of Baha! Ye are the dawning-places of the love of God and the daysprings of His loving-kindness. Defile not your tongues with the cursing and reviling of any soul, and guard your eyes against that which is not seemly. Set forth that which ye possess. If it be favourably received, your end is attained; if not, to protest is vain. Leave that soul to himself and turn unto the Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Be not the cause of grief, much less of discord and strife. The hope is cherished that ye may obtain true education in the shelter of the tree of His tender mercies and act in accordance with that which God desireth. Ye are all the leaves of one tree and the drops of one ocean.
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 27)
O friends! Be not careless of the virtues with which ye have been endowed, neither be neglectful of your high destiny. Suffer not your labors to be wasted through the vain imaginations which certain hearts have devised. Ye are the stars of the heaven of understanding, the breeze that stirreth at the break of day, the soft-flowing waters upon which must depend the very life of all men, the letters inscribed upon His sacred scroll. With the utmost unity, and in a spirit of perfect fellowship, exert yourselves, that ye may be enabled to achieve that which beseemeth this Day of God. Verily I say, strife and dissension, and whatsoever the mind of man abhorreth are entirely unworthy of his station.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 195)
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the sighs of Thy lovers throughout the world, and by their lamentation in their remoteness from the court of Thy presence, and by the blood that hath been shed for love of Thee, and by the hearts that have melted in Thy path, to protect Thy loved ones from the cruelty of such as have remained unaware of the mysteries of Thy Name, the Unconstrained. Assist them, O my Lord, by Thy power that hath prevailed over all things, and aid them to be patient and long-suffering.
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 35)
"Glory to Thee, O my God! But for the tribulations which are sustained in Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized; and were it not for the trials which are borne for love of Thee, how could the station of such as yearn for Thee be revealed? Thy might beareth Me witness! The companions of all who adore Thee are the tears they shed, and the comforters of such as seek Thee are the groans they utter, and the food of them who haste to meet Thee is the fragments of their broken hearts. How sweet to my taste is the bitterness of death suffered in Thy path, and how precious in my estimation are the shafts of Thine enemies when encountered for the sake of the exaltation of Thy Word! Let me quaff in Thy Cause, O my God and my Master, whatsoever Thou didst desire, and send down upon me in Thy love all Thou didst ordain. By Thy glory! I wish only what Thou wishest, and cherish what Thou cherishest. In Thee have I, at all times, placed My whole trust and confidence. Thou art verily the All-Possessing, the Most High. Raise up, I implore Thee, O my God, as helpers to this Revelation such as shall be counted worthy of Thy Name and of Thy sovereignty, that they may remember Thee among Thy creatures, and hoist the ensigns of Thy victory in Thy land, and adorn them with Thy virtues and Thy commandments. No God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 94)
Say: O ye lovers of the One true God! Strive, that ye may truly recognize and know Him, and observe befittingly His precepts. This is a Revelation, under which, if a man shed for its sake one drop of blood, myriads of oceans will be his recompense. Take heed, O friends, that ye forfeit not so inestimable a benefit, or disregard its transcendent station. Consider the multitude of lives that have been, and are still being, sacrificed in a world deluded by a mere phantom which the vain imaginations of its peoples have conceived. Render thanks unto God, inasmuch as ye have attained unto your heart's Desire, and been united to Him Who is the Promise of all nations. Guard ye, with the aid of the one true God -- exalted be His glory -- the integrity of the station which ye have attained, and cleave to that which shall promote His Cause. He, verily, enjoineth on you what is right and conducive to the exaltation of man's station. Glorified be the All-Merciful, the Revealer of this wondrous Tablet.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 5)
Every time My name "the All-Merciful" was told that one of My lovers had breathed a word that runneth counter to My wish, it repaired, grief-stricken and disconsolate to its abode; and whenever My name "the Concealer" discovered that one of My followers had inflicted any shame or humiliation on his neighbor, it, likewise, turned back chagrined and sorrowful to its retreats of glory, and there wept and mourned with a sore lamentation. And whenever My name "the Ever-Forgiving" perceived that any one of My friends had committed any transgression, it cried out in its great distress, and, overcome with anguish, fell upon the dust, and was borne away by a company of the invisible angels to its habitation in the realms above
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 308)
Say: From My laws the sweet smelling savor of My garment can be smelled, and by their aid the standards of victory will be planted upon the highest peaks. The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven of My omnipotent glory, addressed to My creation these words: "Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty." Happy is the lover that hath inhaled the divine fragrance of his Best-Beloved from these words, laden with the perfume of a grace which no tongue can describe. By My life! He who hath drunk the choice wine of fairness from the hands of My bountiful favor, will circle around My commandments that shine above the Day Spring of My creation.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 332)
Be unrestrained as the wind, while carrying the Message of Him Who hath caused the Dawn of Divine Guidance to break. Consider, how the wind, faithful to that which God hath ordained, bloweth upon all the regions of the earth, be they inhabited or desolate. Neither the sight of desolation, nor the evidences of prosperity, can either pain or please it. It bloweth in every direction, as bidden by its Creator. So should be every one that claimeth to be a lover of the one true God. It behoveth him to fix his gaze upon the fundamentals of His Faith, and to labor diligently for its propagation. Wholly for the sake of God he should proclaim His Message, and with that same spirit accept whatever response his words may evoke in his hearer. He who shall accept and believe, shall receive his reward; and he who shall turn away, shall receive none other than his own punishment.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 339)
O Thou Whose face is the object of the adoration of all that yearn after Thee, Whose presence is the hope of such as are wholly devoted to Thy will, Whose nearness is the desire of all that have drawn nigh unto Thy court, Whose countenance is the companion of those who have recognized Thy truth, Whose name is the mover of the souls that long to behold Thy face, Whose voice is the true life of Thy lovers, the words of Whose mouth are as the waters of life unto all who are in heaven and on earth!
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 12)
O God! The trials Thou sendest are a salve to the sores of all them who are devoted to Thy will; the remembrance of Thee is a healing medicine to the hearts of such as have drawn nigh unto Thy court; nearness to Thee is the true life of them who are Thy lovers; Thy presence is the ardent desire of such as yearn to behold Thy face; remoteness from Thee is a torment to those that have acknowledged Thy oneness, and separation from Thee is death unto them that have recognized Thy truth!
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 78)
For Thine ardent lovers Thou hast, according to Thy decree, reserved, at each daybreak, the cup of Thy remembrance, O Thou Who art the Ruler of rulers! These are they who have been so inebriated with the wine of Thy manifold wisdom that they forsake their couches in their longing to celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy virtues, and flee from sleep in their eagerness to approach Thy presence and partake of Thy bounty. Their eyes have, at all times, been bent upon the Day-Spring of Thy loving-kindness, and their faces set towards the Fountain-Head of Thine inspiration. Rain down, then, upon us and upon them from the clouds of Thy mercy what beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounteousness and grace.
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 143)
I know not, O my God, whether I should speak forth the wonders of Thy praise among Thy servants, and lay bare before them the secrets of Thy mercy and the mysteries of Thy Cause, or keep them wrapped up within the receptacle of my heart. Though the lover be loth to share with any one the intimate conversation of his beloved, yet at whatever time Thine inescapable commandment to declare Thy Cause reacheth me, I will unhesitatingly obey it. I would proclaim Thee, undeterred by the darts of affliction that may rain down upon me from the clouds of Thy decree.
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 184)
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Name through which Thou hast hearkened unto the call of Thy lovers, and the sighs of them that long for Thee, and the cry of them that enjoy near access to Thee, and the groaning of them that are devoted to Thee, and through which Thou hast fulfilled the wishes of them that have set their hopes on Thee, and hast granted them their desires, through Thy grace and Thy favors, and by Thy Name through which the ocean of forgiveness surged before Thy face, and the clouds of Thy generosity rained upon Thy servants, to write down for every one who hath turned unto Thee, and observed the fast prescribed by Thee, the recompense decreed for such as speak not except by Thy leave, and who forsook all that they possessed in Thy path and for love of Thee.
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 292)
By the righteousness of God! It is not Our wish to lay hands on your kingdoms. Our mission is to seize and possess the hearts of men.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 211)
The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. He Who is the Daystar of Truth beareth Me witness! So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth. The One true God, He Who knoweth all things, Himself testifieth to the truth of these words.
Exert yourselves that ye may attain this transcendent and most sublime station, the station that can insure the protection and security of all mankind. This goal excelleth every other goal, and this aspiration is the monarch of all aspirations. So long, however, as the thick clouds of oppression, which obscure the daystar of justice, remain undispelled, it would be difficult for the glory of this station to be unveiled to men's eyes. These thick clouds are the exponents of idle fancies and vain imaginings, who are none other but the divines of Persia. At one time We spoke in the language of the lawgiver; at another in that of the truth-seeker and the mystic, and yet Our supreme purpose and highest wish hath always been to disclose the glory and sublimity of this station. God, verily, is a sufficient witness!
Consort with all men, O people of Baha, in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and goodwill. If it be accepted, if it fulfill its purpose, your object is attained. If anyone should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to guide him. Beware lest ye deal unkindly with him. A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding.
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 14)
It is Our wish and desire that every one of you may become a source of all goodness unto men, and an example of uprightness to mankind. Beware lest ye prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix your gaze upon Him Who is the Temple of God amongst men. He, in truth, hath offered up His life as a ransom for the redemption of the world. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Gracious, the Most High. If any differences arise amongst you, behold Me standing before your face, and overlook the faults of one another for My name's sake and as a token of your love for My manifest and resplendent Cause. We love to see you at all times consorting in amity and concord within the paradise of My good-pleasure, and to inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness and unity, of loving-kindness and fellowship. Thus counselleth you the All-Knowing, the Faithful. We shall always be with you; if We inhale the perfume of your fellowship, Our heart will assuredly rejoice, for naught else can satisfy Us. To this beareth witness every man of true understanding.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 314)
O My servants! Be as resigned and submissive as the earth, that from the soil of your being there may blossom the fragrant, the holy and multicolored hyacinths of My knowledge. Be ablaze as the fire, that ye may burn away the veils of heedlessness and set aglow, through the quickening energies of the love of God, the chilled and wayward heart. Be light and untrammeled as the breeze, that ye may obtain admittance into the precincts of My court, My inviolable Sanctuary.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 322)
Lines of action for spreading the love of God
Some of my current lines of action:
1. Learning Chinese, to improve my capacity to develop friendships.
2. Memorizing verses about turning to God, lovers of God, doing things in the right spirit, and the possibilities and responsibilities of hearts possessed by God.
3. Improving my practice of continual attention to doing things in the right spirit, with the love of God, and encouraging and supporting other people doing the same, in all religious and ideological contexts.
4. Applying what I'm learning with RVCBard, about performance, to performances of hearts possessed by God.
----
Some performance issues: Visions of possibilities of human life, visions of possible performances of hearts possessed by God, visions of possible responses, ideas about how to represent performances and how to work with performers and audiences on creating and presenting them.
1. Learning Chinese, to improve my capacity to develop friendships.
2. Memorizing verses about turning to God, lovers of God, doing things in the right spirit, and the possibilities and responsibilities of hearts possessed by God.
3. Improving my practice of continual attention to doing things in the right spirit, with the love of God, and encouraging and supporting other people doing the same, in all religious and ideological contexts.
4. Applying what I'm learning with RVCBard, about performance, to performances of hearts possessed by God.
----
Some performance issues: Visions of possibilities of human life, visions of possible performances of hearts possessed by God, visions of possible responses, ideas about how to represent performances and how to work with performers and audiences on creating and presenting them.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Other ways of representing a performance, besides writing a script
I've been thinking about RVCBard's efforts to go off the beaten paths of dialogue-oriented analytical plays. I've been thinking that it might require going off the beaten paths of scriptwriting, and that it might require a cast and crew who have had some experience with what the performance is about, and who participate in developing the performance.
I tried googling "other ways of representing," with "plays" and "scripts," and a lot of results are about visual representations. A few other ideas came up using other senses, but one result was in a different direction altogether:
"Thus 1.0 and 0.999... are two different decimal numerals representing the natural number 1. There are infinitely many other ways of representing the number 1, for example 2/2, 3/3, 1.00, 1.000, and so on.
(Number, in Wikipedia)
Infinitely many ways of representing, yes . . .
I wonder, has anyone ever tried writing two or three scripts for the same play? What about a comic strip representation and a musical representation for the same performance, developed and applied separately? The performers might practice the two performances separately, then combine them into one, or present them one after the other. That might mean two or three times as much work for everyone. The performance might need to be shortened and simplified, but the possibilities might make it worthwhile.
It reminds me of front, side and top views in mechanical drawing. One flat drawing can not convey all the information needed to construct a solid object. One representation of a performance might not be enough to give a cast and crew everything they need to create the kind of performance Bard wants to create.
I'm wondering how all this might be applied to my performances.
Baha'u'llah wrote:
"Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. . . . Exert yourselves that ye may attain this transcendent and most sublime station, the station that can insure the protection and security of all mankind. This goal excelleth every other goal, and this aspiration is the monarch of all aspirations. . . . At one time We spoke in the language of the lawgiver; at another in that of the truth-seeker and the mystic, and yet Our supreme purpose and highest wish hath always been to disclose the glory and sublimity of this station."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 14)
Some God-centered performances might revolve more around what He says in the language of the lawgiver, others more around what He says in the language of the truth-seeker and mystic. Looking at it that way might help improve my relationships with some people.
I tried googling "other ways of representing," with "plays" and "scripts," and a lot of results are about visual representations. A few other ideas came up using other senses, but one result was in a different direction altogether:
"Thus 1.0 and 0.999... are two different decimal numerals representing the natural number 1. There are infinitely many other ways of representing the number 1, for example 2/2, 3/3, 1.00, 1.000, and so on.
(Number, in Wikipedia)
Infinitely many ways of representing, yes . . .
I wonder, has anyone ever tried writing two or three scripts for the same play? What about a comic strip representation and a musical representation for the same performance, developed and applied separately? The performers might practice the two performances separately, then combine them into one, or present them one after the other. That might mean two or three times as much work for everyone. The performance might need to be shortened and simplified, but the possibilities might make it worthwhile.
It reminds me of front, side and top views in mechanical drawing. One flat drawing can not convey all the information needed to construct a solid object. One representation of a performance might not be enough to give a cast and crew everything they need to create the kind of performance Bard wants to create.
I'm wondering how all this might be applied to my performances.
Baha'u'llah wrote:
"Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. . . . Exert yourselves that ye may attain this transcendent and most sublime station, the station that can insure the protection and security of all mankind. This goal excelleth every other goal, and this aspiration is the monarch of all aspirations. . . . At one time We spoke in the language of the lawgiver; at another in that of the truth-seeker and the mystic, and yet Our supreme purpose and highest wish hath always been to disclose the glory and sublimity of this station."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 14)
Some God-centered performances might revolve more around what He says in the language of the lawgiver, others more around what He says in the language of the truth-seeker and mystic. Looking at it that way might help improve my relationships with some people.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Promoting the love of God
O thou son of the Kingdom! All things are beneficial if joined with the love of God; and without His love all things are harmful, and act as a veil between man and the Lord of the Kingdom. When His love is there, every bitterness turneth sweet, and every bounty rendereth a wholesome pleasure. For example, a melody, sweet to the ear, bringeth the very spirit of life to a heart in love with God, yet staineth with lust a soul engrossed in sensual desires. And every branch of learning, conjoined with the love of God, is approved and worthy of praise; but bereft of His love, learning is barren -- indeed, it bringeth on madness. Every kind of knowledge, every science, is as a tree: if the fruit of it be the love of God, then is it a blessed tree, but if not, that tree is but dried-up wood, and shall only feed the fire.
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 180)
I'm writing this with an imaginary reader in mind, someone who sees her heart possessed by Baha'u'llah. It could also possibly mean something to someone who sees her heart possessed by God, without thinking of it in Baha'i terms, or even without thinking of it in theistic terms.
I'm thinking of the activities of Baha'is and other people in the framework for action of the House of Justice. I'm imagining that some of that activity is joined with the love of God, and some isn't. As I understand it, that makes all the difference between the good and harm it can do.
I'm not imagining that it makes no difference what we do, as long as it's joined with the love of God. I'm intensely interested in promoting devotion to the interests of the House of Justice, and in that context the framework for action. I'm just turning my attention for now to the spirit of hearts possessed by God, and how to help develop and spread that spirit. Maybe it's as simple as practicing more awareness of when there's more of that spirit in what I'm doing, and doing more of that.
Another idea:
"From the texts of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these holy verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman."
I might memorize passages about doing things in the right spirit, and recite them in my conversations with myself.
Friday, February 20, 2009
People of Baha, and the House of Justice
"Our mission is to seize and possess the hearts of men."
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 211)
Now I'm imagining myself talking to people who feel their hearts possessed by Baha'u'llah, and who see themselves devoted to the interests of the House of Justice, as part of their devotion to Baha'u'llah. I'm imagining that in order for the framework for action to serve His purposes, it needs to be done in the right spirit. I'm imagining that that spirit is the spirit of a heart possessed by Baha'u'llah. I'm imagining that it needs to grow and spread, and be freed from its shackles.
In "One Common Faith," the House of Justice discussed some of those shackles, and what to do about them. The framework for action is itself a response to those needs, but in my understanding it can be misused and get in its own way. I want to consider what possibilities might come with a heart possessed by Baha'u'llah, to help develop and spread that spirit, and to help free it from its shackles.
I have a master strategy now for everything I want to promote:
1. Multiply and deepen my friendships.
2. Improve my own practice of what I want to promote.
Not that I invented it. I see both of those ideas permeating Baha'i writings.
I'm currently living in China. One idea I have for developing friendships is learning to speak Chinese! Another is to start what people call an "English circle." A periodic gathering of people who want to practice English with a native speaker. Another is to try to develop friendships with people I meet at the monthly devotions for foreign Baha'is.
I'm considering what I can do to help develop that spirit in myself, and bring it with me more and more into everything I do, including what I do in the framework for action.
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 211)
Now I'm imagining myself talking to people who feel their hearts possessed by Baha'u'llah, and who see themselves devoted to the interests of the House of Justice, as part of their devotion to Baha'u'llah. I'm imagining that in order for the framework for action to serve His purposes, it needs to be done in the right spirit. I'm imagining that that spirit is the spirit of a heart possessed by Baha'u'llah. I'm imagining that it needs to grow and spread, and be freed from its shackles.
In "One Common Faith," the House of Justice discussed some of those shackles, and what to do about them. The framework for action is itself a response to those needs, but in my understanding it can be misused and get in its own way. I want to consider what possibilities might come with a heart possessed by Baha'u'llah, to help develop and spread that spirit, and to help free it from its shackles.
I have a master strategy now for everything I want to promote:
1. Multiply and deepen my friendships.
2. Improve my own practice of what I want to promote.
Not that I invented it. I see both of those ideas permeating Baha'i writings.
I'm currently living in China. One idea I have for developing friendships is learning to speak Chinese! Another is to start what people call an "English circle." A periodic gathering of people who want to practice English with a native speaker. Another is to try to develop friendships with people I meet at the monthly devotions for foreign Baha'is.
I'm considering what I can do to help develop that spirit in myself, and bring it with me more and more into everything I do, including what I do in the framework for action.
"Subdue the citadels of men's hearts"
"O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance."
(The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 76)
Some things become a lot easier when I imagine myself talking to someone who has agreed for God to subdue her heart.
(The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 76)
In my understanding, at least part of drawing forth the swords of wisdom and of utterance is memorizing some words of God that we might be able to use in our conversations.
"The sanctified souls . . ."
That brings up a lifelong inhibition that I need to reconsider, and maybe I'm not alone in that. I don't dare think of myself as one of "the sanctified souls," or "the people of Baha," or "the true lovers." I can't do it. I just can't. And yet, if He's talking to me . . . how I wish for it to be so . . . then I need to understand it that way. All I can think of to do now, is imagine that it might be so, and respond accordingly.
(The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 76)
Some things become a lot easier when I imagine myself talking to someone who has agreed for God to subdue her heart.
Say: We have ordained that our Cause be taught through the power of utterance. Beware lest ye dispute idly with anyone. Whoso ariseth wholly for the sake of his Lord to teach His Cause, the Holy Spirit shall strengthen him and inspire him with that which will illumine the heart of the world, how much more the hearts of those who seek Him. O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their desires, are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but understand. Draw it forth in My name and through the power of My might, and conquer then with it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded themselves in the stronghold of their corrupt desires. Thus biddeth you the Pen of the All-Glorious, whilst seated beneath the swords of the wayward.
(The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 76)
In my understanding, at least part of drawing forth the swords of wisdom and of utterance is memorizing some words of God that we might be able to use in our conversations.
The sanctified souls should ponder and meditate in their hearts regarding the methods of teaching. From the texts of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it, inasmuch as these holy verses are the most potent elixir, the greatest and mightiest talisman. So potent is their influence that the hearer will have no cause for vacillation. I swear by My life! This Revelation is endowed with such a power that it will act as the lodestone for all nations and kindreds of the earth. Should one pause to meditate attentively he would recognize that no place is there, nor can there be, for anyone to flee to.(Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 200)
"The sanctified souls . . ."
That brings up a lifelong inhibition that I need to reconsider, and maybe I'm not alone in that. I don't dare think of myself as one of "the sanctified souls," or "the people of Baha," or "the true lovers." I can't do it. I just can't. And yet, if He's talking to me . . . how I wish for it to be so . . . then I need to understand it that way. All I can think of to do now, is imagine that it might be so, and respond accordingly.
Scripts and the spirit
Now I'm thinking of the framework the House of Justice is promoting as a script for a performance by the Baha'i community, and I see some of the same issues coming up with that, that I've seen RVCBard dealing with. It gives me some ideas about the people of Baha and the framework for action.
In order for the framework to serve Baha'u'llah's purposes, it needs to be used in the right spirit. That might be the spirit of a heart subdued by God. We might help by cherishing, nourishing and exercising that spirit in ourselves and others.
With Bard, if people try to explain why the characters are doing what they do, or speculate about what she's trying to say, it will only get in the way. With the framework, it can get in its own way in a variety of ways. I've discussed some of those ways in my Wayfarer's blog. Here I want to focus on possibilities for a heart subdued by God. I don't need to know if my heart is being subdued by God. It's enough to imagine that it might be, and to hope so.
In order for the framework to serve Baha'u'llah's purposes, it needs to be used in the right spirit. That might be the spirit of a heart subdued by God. We might help by cherishing, nourishing and exercising that spirit in ourselves and others.
With Bard, if people try to explain why the characters are doing what they do, or speculate about what she's trying to say, it will only get in the way. With the framework, it can get in its own way in a variety of ways. I've discussed some of those ways in my Wayfarer's blog. Here I want to focus on possibilities for a heart subdued by God. I don't need to know if my heart is being subdued by God. It's enough to imagine that it might be, and to hope so.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Self-awareness and mutual awareness of people whose hearts God has turned to Him
I'm exploring the idea of promoting self-awareness, and mutual awareness, encouragement and support, among people of all religions and ideologies, whose hearts God has turned to Him. That might include talking to each other about what we're doing and about the responsibilities and possibilities that come with that.
I'm not imagining that I'll be doing that much on line, least of all in this blog. This is mostly to help me organize my thoughts. I'm doing it on line, because, well, why not? Everything to gain, and nothing to lose.
I'm thinking now of talking to some people in my family, and other people in my life, who might understand what I'm talking about.
I'm not imagining that I'll be doing that much on line, least of all in this blog. This is mostly to help me organize my thoughts. I'm doing it on line, because, well, why not? Everything to gain, and nothing to lose.
I'm thinking now of talking to some people in my family, and other people in my life, who might understand what I'm talking about.
Performance issues
Some of the issues I see RVCBard struggling with seem very relevant to some of my interests.
I see her wondering how to write a script that will help performers and cast members give an audience what she wants to give them, without prescribing what they will see. One way I'm thinking of it is that she wants to help people see the magic all around them. What she wants to give people is not in the motives and purposes of the characters, or in some statement she might be making. Speculating about the motives and purposes of the characters, or about what she's trying to say, will only get in the way.
I'm not trying to write a script, but I am trying to propose some ideas for a kind of performance by people whose hearts God has turned to Him, which includes helping people see the magic all around us, and putting a new spirit into the life of society. I want people to see their own possibilities for themselves, and not read too much into the specifics of our performances.
I see her wondering how to write a script that will help performers and cast members give an audience what she wants to give them, without prescribing what they will see. One way I'm thinking of it is that she wants to help people see the magic all around them. What she wants to give people is not in the motives and purposes of the characters, or in some statement she might be making. Speculating about the motives and purposes of the characters, or about what she's trying to say, will only get in the way.
I'm not trying to write a script, but I am trying to propose some ideas for a kind of performance by people whose hearts God has turned to Him, which includes helping people see the magic all around us, and putting a new spirit into the life of society. I want people to see their own possibilities for themselves, and not read too much into the specifics of our performances.
"Be not careless of the virtues with which ye have been endowed"
Here's an example of what I've been thinking about:
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 195)
"With the utmost unity, and in a spirit of perfect fellowship . . ."
That might include talking to each other about what we're doing.
O friends! Be not careless of the virtues with which ye have been endowed, neither be neglectful of your high destiny. Suffer not your labors to be wasted through the vain imaginations which certain hearts have devised. Ye are the stars of the heaven of understanding, the breeze that stirreth at the break of day, the soft-flowing waters upon which must depend the very life of all men, the letters inscribed upon His sacred scroll. With the utmost unity, and in a spirit of perfect fellowship, exert yourselves, that ye may be enabled to achieve that which beseemeth this Day of God.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 195)
"With the utmost unity, and in a spirit of perfect fellowship . . ."
That might include talking to each other about what we're doing.
Responsibilities and possibilities of hearts turned to God
I see myself trying to follow Baha'u'llah, trusting Him, subordinating my interests and ideas to His, trying to continually improve my understanding and practice of His purposes and prescriptions. I feel welcome to follow my own interests and ideas, within the limits of His prescriptions, but I never equate my interests or ideas with His, and I imagine His are better than mine, and always will be. I hope to continually improve in understanding and following them.
I see a possibility that this is what God means by turning to Him. A Christian might feel the same way about Christ, and that might be what salvation means in Biblical terms. A Jew might feel the same way about some or all of the Hebrew scriptures, and a Muslim might feel the same way about the Qur'an. I don't know. I have an idea what it looks like when a heart is turned to God in a Baha'i or Christian context. I don't have much of an idea in other contexts of what it looks like, conceptually. In terms of action I imagine that in any context I would see a person using some scriptures to help her improve herself, to spread the knowledge and love of God, and to help improve the world.
I'm not sure there's any way for me, or anyone else, to know if any particular person, including me, is turned to God, or saved, or whatever. I hope I am or will be, and I want to act accordingly.
To put it in the context of practicing and promoting better conduct, different people might have different reasons and conceptual frameworks for doing that. There could be a variety of discussions in the contexts of those reasons and frameworks, and I would welcome any comments from anyone in any context, about practicing and promoting better conduct. I'm particularly interested just now in the context of turning to God, and that might continue for some time, but I imagine I would be thrilled to have any kind of discussion with anyone in any context, about practicing and promoting better conduct.
Back to the topic of this post: I want to discuss with people of all religions and ideologies who think God might have turned their hearts to Him, the responsibilities and possibilities that might come with that. As an example from my own experience, I'll be discussing some words of Baha'u'llah addressed to the people of Baha, and some ideas about practicing and promoting devotion to the interests of the House of Justice.
For people who don't think in monotheistic terms, or any theistic terms at all, I haven't learned yet how to describe the condition I'm talking about. I would welcome any help that anyone would like to offer. I imagine some kind of deep, abiding interest in improving yourself, and in helping to improve the world. Some kind of idea of some kind of force for good. Some body of writings that speaks for that force, where you find wisdom and moral support and a standard of conduct, and where your interests and ideas are continually challenged and improved.
I see a possibility that this is what God means by turning to Him. A Christian might feel the same way about Christ, and that might be what salvation means in Biblical terms. A Jew might feel the same way about some or all of the Hebrew scriptures, and a Muslim might feel the same way about the Qur'an. I don't know. I have an idea what it looks like when a heart is turned to God in a Baha'i or Christian context. I don't have much of an idea in other contexts of what it looks like, conceptually. In terms of action I imagine that in any context I would see a person using some scriptures to help her improve herself, to spread the knowledge and love of God, and to help improve the world.
I'm not sure there's any way for me, or anyone else, to know if any particular person, including me, is turned to God, or saved, or whatever. I hope I am or will be, and I want to act accordingly.
To put it in the context of practicing and promoting better conduct, different people might have different reasons and conceptual frameworks for doing that. There could be a variety of discussions in the contexts of those reasons and frameworks, and I would welcome any comments from anyone in any context, about practicing and promoting better conduct. I'm particularly interested just now in the context of turning to God, and that might continue for some time, but I imagine I would be thrilled to have any kind of discussion with anyone in any context, about practicing and promoting better conduct.
Back to the topic of this post: I want to discuss with people of all religions and ideologies who think God might have turned their hearts to Him, the responsibilities and possibilities that might come with that. As an example from my own experience, I'll be discussing some words of Baha'u'llah addressed to the people of Baha, and some ideas about practicing and promoting devotion to the interests of the House of Justice.
For people who don't think in monotheistic terms, or any theistic terms at all, I haven't learned yet how to describe the condition I'm talking about. I would welcome any help that anyone would like to offer. I imagine some kind of deep, abiding interest in improving yourself, and in helping to improve the world. Some kind of idea of some kind of force for good. Some body of writings that speaks for that force, where you find wisdom and moral support and a standard of conduct, and where your interests and ideas are continually challenged and improved.
People of Baha, and the House of Justice: about the discussion
I was going to write a series of posts about the people of Baha and the framework for action of the House of Justice. Now I'm thinking of it as a series about the people of Baha and the interests of the House of Justice, with the framework as an example.
Some thoughts, at random:
- I have an idea that there are some responsibilities and possibilities associated with having a heart turned to God, and that it might help to discuss them.
- I want to help promote more devotion to the interests of the House of Justice.
- More specifically, I'd like to discuss promoting the interests of the House of Justice, with people whose hearts are turned to God.
- I don't want this discussion to be for Baha'is only.
- I will be discussing Baha'u'llah's words addressed to the people of Baha, and promoting the interests of the House of Justice. That might make it uninteresting for anyone but Baha'is to follow the discussion. It might be possible for other people to see it as a discussion about responsibilities and possibilities of having a heart turned to God, using examples from my own experience. I would want them to feel welcome to respond with examples from their own experience.
- I'm not imagining that the discussion I want to have will happen much in this blog. I'm imagining that I will be reading and commenting in the blogs of some people of other religions and ideologies, and that what I write here will help me organize my thoughts for those discussions.
- Possibly some followers of Baha'u'llah will eventually find this blog, and post some of their ideas and experiences here. I might write with them in mind, to help me organize my thoughts.
Some thoughts, at random:
- I have an idea that there are some responsibilities and possibilities associated with having a heart turned to God, and that it might help to discuss them.
- I want to help promote more devotion to the interests of the House of Justice.
- More specifically, I'd like to discuss promoting the interests of the House of Justice, with people whose hearts are turned to God.
- I don't want this discussion to be for Baha'is only.
- I will be discussing Baha'u'llah's words addressed to the people of Baha, and promoting the interests of the House of Justice. That might make it uninteresting for anyone but Baha'is to follow the discussion. It might be possible for other people to see it as a discussion about responsibilities and possibilities of having a heart turned to God, using examples from my own experience. I would want them to feel welcome to respond with examples from their own experience.
- I'm not imagining that the discussion I want to have will happen much in this blog. I'm imagining that I will be reading and commenting in the blogs of some people of other religions and ideologies, and that what I write here will help me organize my thoughts for those discussions.
- Possibly some followers of Baha'u'llah will eventually find this blog, and post some of their ideas and experiences here. I might write with them in mind, to help me organize my thoughts.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Improving ourselves to improve the world
In an earlier post, in response to a comment from RVCBard, I wrote about the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, and Sen McGlinn's discussion of islah-e ‘aalam.
I did some research to learn more about those concepts.
The Israeli Tikkun Blog
Understanding the world we live in, so we can make it better.
Islah-e-Batin
Purification of the inner self
I did some research to learn more about those concepts.
The Israeli Tikkun Blog
Understanding the world we live in, so we can make it better.
This means that the Jewish people have been praying for world Repair for at least a thousand years. But for many years this was understood by the Sages to mean "Repairing the Character”, or perfecting the moral character of the Jewish believer. Many tracts were written about "Tikkun Midot" attempting to explain the working of the human soul and how to perfect yourself . . .I see improving myself as an indispensable part of helping to improve the world.
Islah-e-Batin
Purification of the inner self
Islah literally translated in English means purification. As in any language, word for word translation cannot justify the essence of the meaning between languages. Islah also denotes the meaning of repair or fix. A more detailed analysis also reveals the meaning of reform. So in essence Islah means to purify by fixing or reforming.According to Sen McGlinn, Shoghi Effendi translated Islah-e 'aalam as "ever-advancing civilization,” “the reformation of this age,” “rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind,” the “betterment of the world” and “to reconstruct the world."
Learning what moves each person to loving action
In a comment to an earlier post, RVCBard wrote:
"For some, life is the ultimate value. For others, it's truth. And even more people value freedom. Understanding each person's values, and how they influence their attitudes and behaviors, does a lot to put your mind in the proper perspective for understanding them and helping them understand you."
Yes. In my relationships with people of different religious and ideologies, I would like to learn more about what moves each person to loving action.
"For some, life is the ultimate value. For others, it's truth. And even more people value freedom. Understanding each person's values, and how they influence their attitudes and behaviors, does a lot to put your mind in the proper perspective for understanding them and helping them understand you."
Yes. In my relationships with people of different religious and ideologies, I would like to learn more about what moves each person to loving action.
"Ever-advancing civilization" aka . . .
In a comment to an earlier post, RVCBard wrote:
"This is closely in line with what Judaism calls tikkun olam - repair of the world (or - perhaps more accurately - perfection of the world).
That reminded me of Sen's post about the betterment of the world. He wrote:
"This is closely in line with what Judaism calls tikkun olam - repair of the world (or - perhaps more accurately - perfection of the world).
That reminded me of Sen's post about the betterment of the world. He wrote:
to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization” in the original is islah-e ‘aalam. Elsewhere the Guardian translates the same phrase as “the reformation of this age”, “rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind,” the “betterment of the world” and “to reconstruct the world.
Trying not to deliver a message
I've seen some artists working very hard to avoid saying anything with their works. I might be starting to understand that better. For example, I would like people to learn to see the magic all around us, beyond the impoverished routine meanings of daily life. I can see how it might seem self-defeating to try to tell people specifically what they will see. I face a similar challenge with the writings of Baha'u'llah. For most of my life I've avoided trying to tell people what they mean to me, because I don't want them to be limited by my imperfect or even deformed understanding. If I tell them what I see, they might not look any farther, and simply reproduce my mistakes.
In my experience and observation, trying to avoid saying anything might only result in hiding from ourselves what we are saying to people. Often when I've seen people saying that they don't try to control or change people, it seemed to me that they were fooling themselves, which can have even worse results than consciously seeking to change other people's behavior and ideas. It certainly is harder for me to deal with, when I'm the person whose ideas and behavior someone is trying to change. If the person is doing it frankly, consciously and deliberately, then we can discuss and resolve any problems that might come up. Also, it's very confusing and frustrating for me when someone is trying to change me, and denying it even to herself.
If we try to avoid saying anything in our performances, rather than giving them the freedom we want to give them, to discover their own magic, we might make it even harder for them to escape from the confines of our own thoughts and feelings.
What else can we do? Maybe communicate more, rather than less. Maybe tell people what we see, and invite them to look for something else. Maybe give them examples of how to do that, and invite them to look for better ways. Maybe learn to do it better ourselves. How do we see possibilities in other people's works that they might not see themselves? How can we do it better? It seems to me that if I want to see something in a person's work besides what she sees, it would help me to know what she sees. Otherwise, how would I know if I'm seeing something that she didn't see?
Here's another thought: Even if we aren't fooling ourselves, in spite of our denials, people might be too busy trying to guess what we mean, what we're trying to say, to look beyond it. If we tell them our own thoughts and feelings right from the start, and invite them frankly to look beyond that, we can give them a head start.
I'll be thinking about that.
In my experience and observation, trying to avoid saying anything might only result in hiding from ourselves what we are saying to people. Often when I've seen people saying that they don't try to control or change people, it seemed to me that they were fooling themselves, which can have even worse results than consciously seeking to change other people's behavior and ideas. It certainly is harder for me to deal with, when I'm the person whose ideas and behavior someone is trying to change. If the person is doing it frankly, consciously and deliberately, then we can discuss and resolve any problems that might come up. Also, it's very confusing and frustrating for me when someone is trying to change me, and denying it even to herself.
If we try to avoid saying anything in our performances, rather than giving them the freedom we want to give them, to discover their own magic, we might make it even harder for them to escape from the confines of our own thoughts and feelings.
What else can we do? Maybe communicate more, rather than less. Maybe tell people what we see, and invite them to look for something else. Maybe give them examples of how to do that, and invite them to look for better ways. Maybe learn to do it better ourselves. How do we see possibilities in other people's works that they might not see themselves? How can we do it better? It seems to me that if I want to see something in a person's work besides what she sees, it would help me to know what she sees. Otherwise, how would I know if I'm seeing something that she didn't see?
Here's another thought: Even if we aren't fooling ourselves, in spite of our denials, people might be too busy trying to guess what we mean, what we're trying to say, to look beyond it. If we tell them our own thoughts and feelings right from the start, and invite them frankly to look beyond that, we can give them a head start.
I'll be thinking about that.
In a comment to the previous post, RVCBard asked some questions that interest me very much.
One question was:
"What does support and encouragement look like for you?"
In response to my statement that I can easily imagine people responding to what God says to hearts that are turned to Him, in a Christian context, not so easily in other contexts, she wrote:
"Could you be more specific?"
I'll try to give examples of what support looks like to me, but it's easier for me to say what it feels like. It feels like stopping in Rivendell on the way to Mordor, and people listening eagerly to my story, and caring about what has happened to me and what's ahead of me, and giving me some information and supplies that I might need. It feels like someone walking beside me on the trail, and sharing hardships, adventures and good times along the way.
Examples of what it looks like:
- Someone to talk to about where I've been and where I'm going, and showing friendly interest and asking friendly questions.
- Someone who is trying to do something like what I'm trying to do, and talking to me about it.
- Someone giving me information and ideas that I can really use.
- Someone doing something that I might have wanted to do if I had thought of it and could have done it.
More concretely, some examples I've seen were some books and materials that someone gave us sometimes in Richmond that helped us with Patty's Kindergarten class and helped me with what I was trying to do with children in our neighborhood.
Another example was when I was learning to work and walk with marginalized people in my community, and I noticed other people doing that too, and talking to me about it.
Another example is in help forums when people give you answers you can actually use, without making you feel stupid, and without scolding you for not knowing all the information they'll need in advance.
----
I can easily imagine a Christian context for responding to what God says to hearts that are turned to Him, because I can relate it to Christian concepts of salvation and giving your life to Christ, and I've known Christians who seem to me to be turned to God, and moved to loving action by His words. I can easily imagine in what terms a Christian might describe the relationship with God that I'm thinking of. I don't have any ideas about how other people might describe it. I understand that "Islam" means submission to God, that could be a way of describing the relationship I'm talking about. I can imagine people being moved to loving action by words from the Koran or from the Hebrew scriptures or from any other scriptures, but I don't have any experience with that. I have some experience with that from the Hebrew scriptures, but only in a Christian context. I can easily imagine others besides Christians being moved the same way, but I don't imagine they would describe their feelings in the same terms, and I have no personal experience with any other conceptual framework for those scriptures.
For example, Baha'u'llah writes with intense feeling about Zion and Carmel, but I have no idea what those feelings are all about. I went through the Hebrew scriptures looking for something that would help me understand. I got some vague ideas about precious memories of peace, justice, prosperity and beauty, but I have no idea if I came anywhere close to what Baha'u'llah is talking about.
One question was:
"What does support and encouragement look like for you?"
In response to my statement that I can easily imagine people responding to what God says to hearts that are turned to Him, in a Christian context, not so easily in other contexts, she wrote:
"Could you be more specific?"
I'll try to give examples of what support looks like to me, but it's easier for me to say what it feels like. It feels like stopping in Rivendell on the way to Mordor, and people listening eagerly to my story, and caring about what has happened to me and what's ahead of me, and giving me some information and supplies that I might need. It feels like someone walking beside me on the trail, and sharing hardships, adventures and good times along the way.
Examples of what it looks like:
- Someone to talk to about where I've been and where I'm going, and showing friendly interest and asking friendly questions.
- Someone who is trying to do something like what I'm trying to do, and talking to me about it.
- Someone giving me information and ideas that I can really use.
- Someone doing something that I might have wanted to do if I had thought of it and could have done it.
More concretely, some examples I've seen were some books and materials that someone gave us sometimes in Richmond that helped us with Patty's Kindergarten class and helped me with what I was trying to do with children in our neighborhood.
Another example was when I was learning to work and walk with marginalized people in my community, and I noticed other people doing that too, and talking to me about it.
Another example is in help forums when people give you answers you can actually use, without making you feel stupid, and without scolding you for not knowing all the information they'll need in advance.
----
I can easily imagine a Christian context for responding to what God says to hearts that are turned to Him, because I can relate it to Christian concepts of salvation and giving your life to Christ, and I've known Christians who seem to me to be turned to God, and moved to loving action by His words. I can easily imagine in what terms a Christian might describe the relationship with God that I'm thinking of. I don't have any ideas about how other people might describe it. I understand that "Islam" means submission to God, that could be a way of describing the relationship I'm talking about. I can imagine people being moved to loving action by words from the Koran or from the Hebrew scriptures or from any other scriptures, but I don't have any experience with that. I have some experience with that from the Hebrew scriptures, but only in a Christian context. I can easily imagine others besides Christians being moved the same way, but I don't imagine they would describe their feelings in the same terms, and I have no personal experience with any other conceptual framework for those scriptures.
For example, Baha'u'llah writes with intense feeling about Zion and Carmel, but I have no idea what those feelings are all about. I went through the Hebrew scriptures looking for something that would help me understand. I got some vague ideas about precious memories of peace, justice, prosperity and beauty, but I have no idea if I came anywhere close to what Baha'u'llah is talking about.
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