Life and Death

Two weeks ago we entered into the third and last segment of Book 1 (Reflections on the Life of the Spirit) which followed sections 1) Understanding the Baha’i Writings and 2) Prayer.  The purpose of this section summarized in the book is as follows: 

To understand that life is not the changes and chances of this world, and it’s true significance is found in the development of the soul.  True life, the life of the soul, occurs in this world for a brief time and continues eternally in other worlds of God.

I missed the first class of this section due to some car problems (my wife lost her transmission and I was immediately elevated to chauffer for my daughter) but I understand it instigated warm conversation.  Obviously the subject is endless and we can only discuss it in line with what has been revealed in previous dispensations  along with the new impressions we gather from the Writings of Baha’u’llah.  I understand the class discussion focused a good deal on the soul.  Staying with the purpose of this blog I thought I would offer up some further reading on this topic as revealed by Baha’u’llah in His copious Writings.  The beloved Guardian compiled a book called Gleanings which pulls certain quotes from these Writings into what I could best summarize, in my own words, as what he believed to be the finest waters to wade in as you approach His Ocean.   A little of the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and yes a bit of the Arctic and Southern but in the end …. The Mediterranean Sea...  ; )  

In this book there is a section from LXXIX (pg 151) – LXXXIV (pg 167) that elucidates on the Soul as well as life and death.  You can scroll through them by selecting next in the upper right corner or jump around by selecting contents.  If you find yourself interested in purchasing this book it is available here.  In addition, another reminder from back at the beginning of this blog there is a great talk on THE NATURE OF THE SOUL. 

There are a couple other Writings on “death” that were not placed in the above grouping in Gleanings but can be found here and here.

We have a slight pause in the class due to spring break, which might allow the time to peruse a bit of this.?  How could you not?  lol   However, Amir has offered his abode (grin) this week for any of us who can make it for another evening of spiritual conversation. 

Peace..

Bahai Words

  

O thou true friend!

Read, in the school of God, the lessons of the spirit, and learn from love’s Teacher the innermost truths. Seek out the secrets of Heaven, and tell of the overflowing grace and favor of God.

 

~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

…make of my prayer a fire that will burn away the veils which have shut me out from Thy beauty, and a light that will lead me unto the ocean of Thy Presence.

Sorry to have missed class last week.  : (

Thanks to a comment on the post The Mystery of Prayer…  I was able to glean some sparks from your conversations.  This, along with actually putting this mystery of prayer into action in a manner declared in The Kitab-i-Aqdas, (The Most Holy Book) has formed some links I thought might be worth sharing.  I say, worth sharing, as if you might gain something from this.  However,  I have found it to be more of an exercise for myself to bring the multitude of thoughts and links that come cascading in my mind into something quantifiable.  If, by some coincidence you find it of any benefit … very well.  I wonder if this holds true for most anything anybody writes; a written conversation with yourself, which somebody else might benefit from. ??

So here is look at this crazy conversation in my head.  Lol  

Dynamics of Prayer.

While in Haifa, the beloved Guardian of the Cause (Shoghi Effendi) gave to the writer  (Mrs Ruth Moffat), the most concise, complete, and effective formula she  has ever seen, for the Dynamics of Prayer. After saying to stress the need of more prayers and meditation among the friends, he said to use these five steps if we had a problem of any kind for which we desired a solution  or wished help.

·         First Step. - Pray and meditate about it. Use the prayers of the Manifestations as they have the greatest power. Then remain in the silence  Of contemplation for a few minutes.

·         Second Step. - Arrive at a decision and hold this. This decision is usually born during the contemplation. It may seem almost impossible of accomplishment but if it seems to be as answer to a prayer or a way of solving the problem, then immediately take the next step. 

·         Third Step. - Have determination to carry the decision through.  Many fail here. The decision, budding into determination, is blighted and instead becomes a wish or a vague longing. When determination is born, immediately take the next step.

·         Fourth Step. - Have faith and confidence that the power will flow through you, the right way will appear, the door will open, the right thought, the right message, the right principle or the right book will be given you. Have confidence, and the right thing will come to your need. Then, as you rise from prayer, take at once the fifth step.

·         Fifth Step. - Then, he said, lastly, ACT; Act as though it had all been answered. Then act with tireless, ceaseless energy. And as you act, you, yourself, will become a magnet, which will attract more power to your being, until you become an unobstructed channel for the Divine power to flow through you. Many pray but do not remain for the last half of the first step. Some who meditate arrive at a decision, but fail to hold it. Few have the determination to carry the decision through, still fewer have the confidence that the right thing will come to their need. But how many remember to act as though it had all been answered? How true are those words - "Greater than the prayer is the spirit in which it is uttered" and greater than the way it is uttered is the spirit in which it is carried out.

The above statement belongs properly to the class of statement known  as "pilgrim's notes" and as such as no authority but, since it seems to be  particularly helpful and clear, it was felt that believers should not be  deprived of it.

On Prayer: ....for were a man to read a single verse with joy and radiance it would be better for him than to read with lassitude all the Holy Books of God

In the following Writing of Baha’u’llah, which is one of my favorites on the subject of prayer, He reveals certain qualities and attitudes regarding prayer as well as still more attributes of God. 

Earlier on in the sequence of posts on this blog on the subject of confession we were show some of the qualities of God in The Ninth Glad Tidings.  In this, among other clarifications that are 180 degrees from what one might think on this subject, I find at the very root of the matter He (God) wants us to know without any uncertainty that “Verily He is the Compassionate, the Merciful”.    No matter what it is that we have done …still He …  exalted be His glory -- wisheth not the humiliation of His servants.

Beautiful, yes?  

Here, once again this same theme comes into play but this time on the subject of prayer.   That is, contrary to what we might think about prayer such as….BIGGER is better, higher frequency is more praiseworthy, the greater the length the more acceptable, the amount and quality of our pious deeds, or what company we are in would be the standard by which our prayers are graded, yes?  We see instead, the following: 

The Mystery of Prayer...

Friends,

Due to the nature of all of our individual schedules and commitments, our Ruhi 1 class has been on nearly a month’s adjournment.  Provided Amir is back in tip-top shape I presume we are back on for our normal Thursday meeting time.??  As an aside …to keep the cobwebs from forming, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to add a little…and then some.  Getting back on track I thought it would be somewhat helpful to review where we left off.

Back in our last class Amir shared with us the following prayer during our break for refreshments.  At the time, I believe the physical food was front and center over the spiritual food so the prayer may be a little foggy.  Lol   For Amir…only the best for his guests! 

Anyway, the following is the prayer Amir shared with us:

Addendum to comments on previous post "Mom...How Big is God's Finger"

Friends…

Being the novice blogger that I am I tried posting this as a comment to the previous blog and was denied.  Apparently, like my voicemail messages, I was a little to long-winded.  Seems that just over 4,000 characters is the max.??  I guess I can’t complain, at least its more than a twitter but still, hardly enough to say anything.  IMO

I ran across this Writing today on another Blog while reading up on the latest news regarding the trial for the 7 Baha'is in Iran which has again been set, this time for next Tuesday January 12.  The piece was titled, Iran: Another Wave of False and Outrageous Allegations.  While reading up on this, yet again, tragic news I happened to notice the blog’s “quote of the day” and it seemed to connect with a portion of the gem that was shared in a comment on the previous post, specifically the portion...

Mom…how big is God’s finger?

I remember it like it was yesterday.  It was a typical day on a drive down a country road and I sat in the passenger seat of our family car looking out the window in wonder with questions cascading through my mind.  I don’t recall my exact age…probably 4, 5 or 6; the time when everything in life seems to be up for question.  A healthy questioning state I might add, one of wonder rather than conflict and contention.  I had lots of small trivial questions that afternoon like, “what are those big weights hanging on the power lines for?” However, these were all leading up to the BIG one.  “Mom…how big is God?” 

She replied, “Nobody knows how big God is, hunny.” 

Not satisfied with that answer I came back with a second, “well then…can you just tell me how big God’s finger is?”  (apparently we learn to extrapolate at a young age.  lol)