True joy

A wonderful evening today yet again confirmed what I've come to believe more and more - that true, inner joy really comes from connecting with people at a spiritual level. And true love and unity arises out of conversing at the level of the soul. Such is the power of the Creative Word...

Prayer for steadfastness

O Lord my God! Assist Thy loved ones to be firm in Thy Faith, to walk in Thy ways, to be steadfast in Thy Cause. Give them Thy grace to withstand the onslaught of self and passion, to follow the light of divine guidance. Thou art the Powerful, the Gracious, the Self-Subsisting, the Bestower, the Compassionate, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

-- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Steadfastness

Two stories V told me today that Abdu'l Baha once recited to demonstrate what our relationship to God should be like.

Story 1:

A long time ago, in the kingdom of a very wise and just king, there lived a poor shepherd named Ayas. Ayas lived in poverty, but his life was an example of a virtuous soul. Above all, however, he lived in complete awe and love of the king of the land.

One day Ayas heard that the king would be traveling on a road that went very close to where he lived. In full excitement, he rose early that day, and stood for hours by the road, hoping to get a glimpse of him whom he adored.

As the king passed through in the heat of the day, he was surprised to see a lonely soul standing by the side of the road in what appeared to be great ecstasy. He had the man brought to him, and asked him why he was standing there, and what he wanted from him. To which Ayas replied, "Nothing, my lord. All I wished was to look at your face."

The king was impressed by Ayas's honesty, devotion and detachment, for he had never met someone who did not want something from so rich a ruler. So he offered him a post as his treasurer. Ayas accepted, and applied himself to his job with great zeal. Such was his dedication that he soon grew to be one of the king's most trusted ministers, a fact that was highly resented by the rest of the king's cabinet.

The ministers sought to find a way to bring Ayas down in the eyes of the emperor, and their chance came when one of them observed Ayas going secretly into a room one evening and staying there all night. They saw him doing this every day, and so went to the king and told him that Ayas was stealing from the treasury and storing everything in a secret room, so he could one day leave with it all.

The king was highly distressed when he heard this, so he hid himself that evening near the room. And true enough, there came Ayas as the sun went down, and let himself into the room. The king left his hiding place and softly opened the door a crack to see what Ayas was doing. He was, however, aghast to see that the room was completely empty - save for a set of old clothes in front of which Ayas was sitting.

The king flung the door open, and walked in and asked, "What in heaven's name are you doing, Ayas?" Ayas turned and replied, "I was but a poor shepherd, my lord, before you brought me to this palace and gave me all the gifts you have. And so I spend my nights in front of my old shepherd's clothing, so I never forget my humble origins, and the fact that all that I have now comes from you, and not me."

Story 2:

Ayas was sitting with the king one day, and having melons which the king was handing out. As the emperor gave him a piece of the fruit, Ayas put it in his mouth and expressed his delight at how sweet the fruit was, and how heavenly it tasted. Seeing his reaction, the king took a piece from the same fruit and tasted it - only to find it was one of the most bitter melons he had ever tasted!

As he flung the piece away in disgust, he turned to Ayas and asked, "How could you like that piece, it was one of the most bitter melons I've ever had!" To which Ayas replied with full sincerity, "My lord, over the years you have given me so many sweet melons that now every piece tastes sweet to me."

I leave the reader to unpack the metaphors in these (what might seem rather simplistic) stories.

Organized religion

The Baha'i conference this weekend (more about this here) was inspiring in many ways and raised many thought-provoking questions. Though there is much I could blog about in relation to this, one of the things I've been thinking about lately, is the question of the need for an organized religion. Many of us believe that spirituality and religion are all about individual growth. Spirituality is believed to be a very personal matter, one that is usually not shared with others, and which we should all pursue on our own and let others pursue in their own ways. Organized religion is largely seen as an impediment to spiritual growth, and often even harmful to society. This is not very surprising, given how, in every age we see how the edifice of organized religion has been misused by those in power for their own benefit - be it the Brahmins in Hinduism, the Church in Christianity or the Ulemas in Islam. These influences of organized religion are best summed up in this excerpt from a statement issued by the Bahá’í International Community titled "Religion as Light and Darkness":

Bahá’u’lláh’s severest condemnation is reserved for the barriers which, throughout history, organized religion has erected between humanity and the Revelations of God. Dogmas, inspired by popular superstition and perfected by misspent intelligence, have repeatedly been imposed on a Divine process whose purpose has at all times been spiritual and moral. Laws of social interaction, revealed for the purpose of consolidating community life, have been made the basis for structures of arcane doctrine and practice which have burdened the masses whose benefit they were supposed to serve. Even the exercise of intellect, the chief tool possessed by the human race, has been deliberately hampered, producing an eventual breakdown in the dialogue between faith and science upon which civilized life depends.

The consequence of this sorry record is the worldwide disrepute into which religion has fallen. Worse, organized religion has become itself a most virulent cause of hatred and warfare among the peoples of the world. “Religious fanaticism and hatred,” Bahá’u’lláh warned over a century ago, “are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench. The Hand of Divine power can, alone, deliver mankind from this desolating affliction.”

It is no wonder, therefore, when we consider all of this, that a lot of people in today's world have reacted by distancing themselves from any form of organized religion. And yet, is all this evidence that organized religion is actually unnecessary, and better done away with? Or are there reasons why structure and organization are necessary in religion, due to which the absence of this would actually hamper our spiritual growth even at the individual level? How does the existence of structure influence our ability to be of service to the world of humanity? And as a kindred soul asked (here), "how (does) being part of a religious organization helps us in better developing "praiseworthy qualities" and translate these into action so that we can have the most positive impact possible?"

Now let's first start by looking at the negative reaction a lot of people have to organized reaction, and determine whether it is justified. Most of these reactions have a historical basis - people see how religion has affected society adversely, caused wars, bloodshed, been the source of division and strife in society, created a race of power-hungry clergy and, at least at first glance, appears to have caused great harm in society. But one needs to go deeper than that - and as I've had pointed out to me in the past - both by my dear friend Hamid, and by Dr. Penny Walker at the conference this weekend - the processes of disintegration and discord in society are often very dramatic and visible; but the processes of integration and the more sublime effects of religion are often very gradual and not as flashy. In fact, in the above statement issued by the Baha'i International Community, they go on to point out that "...it is not the organization of religious activity which these statements address, but the misuse of such resources. Bahá’u’lláh’s writings are generous in their appreciation not only of the great contribution which organized religion has brought to civilization, but also of the benefits which the world has derived from the self-sacrifice and love of humanity that have characterized clergymen and religious orders of all faiths." Baha'u'llah himself writes, "Those divines … who are truly adorned with the ornament of knowledge and of a goodly character are, verily, as a head to the body of the world, and as eyes to the nations…"

Organized religion, therefore, has had a great many positive effects on society over the ages - it is just that these are far more subtle and underlie the very fabric of society - and thereby end up being not as visible. It is also questionable as to whether the negative effects are a result of the notion of organization itself being fundamentally flawed, or whether they actually arise from

1. the fact that no religious organization in the past was actually set in place by the prophets/manifestations who actually founded the religion, but were instead created by people (often well after the manifestation Himself passed on). Think of the Brahmins usurping power in Hindu society, the creation of the Church 300 years after Christ died, the power grabbed by Ulemas after the passing on of Muhammad - and you'll know what I mean.

2. the imperfections inherent within human beings, which over time cause us to exploit any system.

3. the existence of some form of clergy in every religion, who claim to have, in some way, a deeper connection to God than the rest of us, thereby creating an artificial barrier between them and the rest of us, and serving as a huge temptation for exploitation.

At this point I will leave the reader to muse more on how the above might have been instrumental in making religious organizations of the past blameworthy, and move on to talking about why I believe we actually do need some form of organization.

Apart from the fact that past religious organizations have all, over the ages, developed serious flaws, there are many people who believe that inherently spirituality is a very personal process and so should never have to be subject to any form of organization. This objection has nothing to do with whether or not forms of organization are flawed - it is a fundamental opposition to any form of organization in religion.

Now why does this opposition exist? And is it justified? Here're my 2 cents - I believe that this conflict exists because we have created artificial boundaries in our lives that segregate one aspect of it from another. We've taken the process of spiritual growth and put it into one corner of our lives, and try not to let it affect everything else we do. When we pray, think about God, and endeavor to grow spiritually, we want to be in a very personal space, with no interaction with others. Often this also arises from a fear of being judged by those around us. Either way, we end up with a situation where that which is spiritual in us finds its expression only at certain times and in certain situations. At the societal level, therefore, we've developed this dichotomous existence where we have forms of social organization on the one hand, and forms of religious organization on the other - and we've decided that the two can never be merged together. And so though we're happy to have the notion of a collective when it comes to society, many of us shy away from the notion of a spiritual collective.

Consider, however, the fact that spiritual growth is really supposed to be the driving force of every action and thought in our lives - not something we indulge in as and when it pleases us. And so the notion of being a spiritual person should underlie every one of our activities - and consequently any form of organization that we develop in society. And when you realize that this means that spiritual values will govern the actions of all individuals and organizations in society - be it governments (who should wish to serve, not misuse power), or NGOs (who should strive not just for the material empowerment of people but spiritual as well) or schools (that should strive to provide a holistic, spiritual education) - you will find that the boundaries we've used to segregate our lives will automatically become blurry, and we will find ourselves living in a much more integrated and cohesive manner.

Consider, also, what the point of spiritual growth really is. On the one hand there is the personal process of growth, the development of individual virtues. But equally important is the notion of service to society. In fact, without the latter, we cannot even fully achieve the former. At the conference, Counselor Mora spoke about the mutually reinforcing processes of spiritual growth and service. The point of spiritual growth, therefore, is not to hold it within us and refuse to share it with anyone - but to let it grow outwards, to let it enable us to love everyone with increasing fervor, to let it guide us in serving others, and using this service as an expression of our love for God.

And what, then, is the point of this service? Are we just trying to feed hungry mouths or give medicines to the sick - service needs to go way deeper than that. The ultimate goal really is to help in building a spiritual civilization, as the Counselors stressed at the conference. And this is no mean task - but each of us has a part to play. What we really need to do is transform the very foundations of society from what it is today. As Baha'u'llah wrote even 150 years ago, "The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appears to be lamentably defective." And so our vision for service should go far beyond just treating symptoms of the disease that afflicts all of humanity today - symptoms that are very visible, such as poverty, hunger, poor health conditions - and go to the root of the problem - which are the values of society.

And the greatest need for today, as the Baha'i teachings claim, is the unity of humankind. And it is this unified spiritualization of society that is the true purpose of religion, that should be the motivating force for an organization of society based on spiritual values. In fact, Abdu'l Baha goes so far as to say that "It is evident therefore that the divine teachings are intended to create a bond of unity in the human world and establish the foundations of love and fellowship among mankind. Divine religion is not a cause for discord and disagreement. If religion becomes the source of antagonism and strife, the absence of religion is to be preferred. Religion is meant to be the quickening life of the body politic; if it be the cause of death to humanity, its nonexistence would be a blessing and benefit to man." This, to me, is one of the most powerful statements in the Baha'i faith - for a religion to state that its absence would be preferable if it were to become the cause of disunity.

And so it is certain that religious organizations as have existed in the past are blameworthy, for they have not served this fundamental purpose of religion - the creation of unity in the human world.

Imagine, though, a form of organization that had this as its fundamental purpose - the unification of mankind. And not just political unification - but true, spiritual oneness. For, as Shoghi Effendi says, ever so cogently, "Not even, I venture to assert, would the very act of devising the machinery required for the political and economic unification of the world—a principle that has been increasingly advocated in recent times—provide in itself the antidote against the poison that is steadily undermining the vigor of organized peoples and nations." And such a structure would be an enabler - not a constraint - for each person's individual spiritual growth. For it would both provide avenues of service, and fora for interaction, so people can learn from each other and grow. And it would provide the necessary conditions for the building of this spiritual civilization in an efficient, methodical way. What I describe is not very different from what already exists in many fields - we have a scientific structure, for example, where some broad framework exists for people to work and interact within, so we can build a common knowledge base. Likewise there exists a political structure - albeit quite flawed - that enables us to govern ourselves and interact with each other at a social level. What the Baha'i faith talks about, therefore, is the unification of all these structures into one cohesive framework that enables us all to grow to our fullest potential. Religious organization then ceases to become a dogmatic, restrictive structure that exists in opposition to these other organizations we have in society - but instead becomes the underlying force that motivates all these other forms of collectivization.

Of course, when we start creating structures and frameworks, it is easy to get lost in the details and forget the broader vision - to get lost in the laws and rules, and forget that the primary driver for all this is love and growth. And so Shoghi Effendi cautions, "Laws and institutions, as viewed by Bahá’u’lláh, can become really effective only when our inner spiritual life has been perfected and transformed. Otherwise religion will degenerate into a mere organization, and becomes a dead thing." It is not hard to see how this has happened in the past. This is also beautifully put in a document titled the Promise of World Peace (which I highly encourage you to read here) - "...legal standards, political and economic theories are solely designed to safeguard the interests of humanity as a whole, and not humanity to be crucified for the preservation of the integrity of any particular law or doctrine."

In summation, the need for organization becomes clear when we cease to think of our lives as segregated, but instead look for a single, coherent picture of reality, our lives, and of how we can grow - as individuals and as a society. All forms of growth - scientific, political, economic, spiritual - then just become different sides of the same multidimensional coin. And approaching this process of growth collectively, using our combined knowledge, and doing so in a systematic way becomes the clearest way ahead.

Armed

This video is making the rounds of the Baha'i world - really touching. Beautifully done!


Devon Gundry - "Armed" from Justin Baldoni on Vimeo.

On how to achieve unity

"Man must be a lover of the light no matter from what day-spring it may appear. He must be a lover of the rose no matter in what soil it may be growing. He must be a seeker of the truth no matter from what source it come. Attachment to the lantern is not loving the light. Attachment to the earth is not befitting but enjoyment of the rose which develops from the soil is worthy. Devotion to the tree is profitless but partaking of the fruit is beneficial. Luscious fruits no matter upon what tree they grow or where they may be found be enjoyed. The word of truth no matter which tongue utters it mustmust be sanctioned. Absolute verities no matter in what book they be recorded must be accepted. If we harbor prejudice it will be the cause of deprivation and ignorance. The strife between religions, nations and races arises from misunderstanding. If we investigate the religions to discover the principles underlying their foundations we will find they agree, for the fundamental reality of them is one and not multiple. By this means the religionists of the world will reach their point of unity and reconciliation. They will ascertain the truth that the purpose of religion is the acquisition of praiseworthy virtues, betterment of morals, spiritual development of mankind, the real life and divine bestowals. All the prophets have been the promoters of these principles; none of them has been the promoter of corruption, vice or evil. They have summoned mankind to all good. They have united people in the love of God, invited them to the religions of the unity of mankind and exhorted them to amity and agreement...

Praise be to God! the springtime of God is at hand. This century is verily the spring season. The world of mind and the kingdom of soul have become fresh and verdant by its bestowals. It has resuscitated the whole realm of existence. On one hand the lights of reality are shining; on the other the clouds of divine mercy are pouring down the fullness of heavenly bounty. Wonderful material progress is evident and great spiritual discoveries are being made. Truly this can be called the miracle of centuries for it is replete with manifestations of the miraculous. The time has come when all mankind shall be united, when all races shall be loyal to one fatherland, all religions become one religion and racial and religious bias pass away. It is a day in which the oneness of humankind shall uplift its standard and international peace like the true morning flood the world with its light. Therefore we offer supplications to God, asking him to dispel these gloomy clouds and uproot these imitations in order that the East and West may become radiant with love and unity; that the nations of the world shall embrace each other and the ideal spiritual brotherhood illumine the world like the glorious sun of the high heavens. "

-- Abdu'l Baha

Unity

Consider the following in this, the month of unity.

"How is it possible for men to fight from morning until evening, killing each other, shedding the blood of their fellow-men: And for what object? To gain possession of a part of the earth! Even the animals, when they fight, have an immediate and more reasonable cause for their attacks! How terrible it is that men, who are of the higher kingdom, can descend to slaying and bringing misery to their fellow-beings, for the possession of a tract of land!

The highest of created beings fighting to obtain the lowest form of matter, earth! Land belongs not to one people, but to all people. This earth is not man’s home, but his tomb. It is for their tombs these men are fighting. There is nothing so horrible in this world as the tomb, the abode of the decaying bodies of men. However great the conqueror, however many countries he may reduce to slavery, he is unable to retain any part of these devastated lands but one tiny portion—his tomb!

I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content.

Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness. If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and 30 positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men.
Do not despair! Work steadily. Sincerity and love will conquer hate. How many seemingly impossible events are coming to pass in these days! Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. Show love to all; ‘Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Man’. Take courage! God never forsakes His children who strive and work and pray! Let your hearts be filled with the strenuous desire that tranquillity and harmony may encircle all this warring world. So will success crown your efforts, and with the universal brotherhood will come the Kingdom of God in peace and goodwill."

-- Abdu'l Baha

"Be in perfect unity. Never become angry with one another. Let your eyes be directed toward the kingdom of truth and not toward the world of creation. Love the creatures for the sake of God and not for themselves. You will never become angry or impatient if you love them for the sake of God. Humanity is not perfect. There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls. He created them, trains and provides for them, endows them with capacity and life, sight and hearing; therefore, they are the signs of His grandeur. You must love and be kind to everybody, care for the poor, protect the weak, heal the sick, teach and educate the ignorant. "

-- Abdu'l Baha

Love and thankfulness

This was a month of love and thankfulness.

Of discovering the joy of loving someone
Of realizing the myriad blessings showered on us every day
Of compassion
Of being present in the moment
Of trust
Of appreciation for all those in our lives that we can depend on
Of learning to recognize and love the attributes of God within us
Of wonder at the complexity of our bodies, and how it all works so well together
Of giving
Of being thankful for that which is given
Of sharing and caring
Of awareness of all the opportunities we have to serve others
Of singing joyfully
Of raising His melody
Of sacrifice
Of humility
Of finding true love
Of delighting in its expression
Of understanding what it means to burn with loving kindness for one and all
Of understanding that it is a blessing even to have the capacity to love
Of supporting and being there for loved ones
Of cherishing every moment spent with them, in joy or sadness
Of loving others for the sake of God
Of soaking in His love in their expression of love
Of prayer
Of meditation
Of patience
Of efficiency
Of forgiving others
Of forgiving oneself
Of creating and making
Of learning and absorbing
Of turning to God during tests
Of gleaning His wisdom in them
Of persevering in the face of obstacles
Of savoring triumph
Of sensing God's love and mercy in every circumstance
Of being thankful for His grace

This was a month of love and thankfulness.

Why does God allow suffering in this world?

This is one of the most common questions people ask when it comes to talking about the notion of God. And it was no different this last weekend when a lunch table conversation turned to the problems that beset most of religion today - and the problems they in turn give rise to. Personally I think that this question, though a good one, is quite dangerous - for it is easy to get blown away by emotion when it comes to these things, when considering the suffering of innocent people and trying to find rational reasons for consequences that arise out of a myriad complex interactions between people. And I think the question can be extremely debilitating as one sets out on the quest for spiritual truth - and I've seen how the seeming irrationality of such suffering as exists in the world turns people away from the notion of an all-merciful, omnipotent and omniscient God - for, if God were so loving, kind and merciful, why would he let innocent people suffer?

There are various ways of answering this question, but I think it all comes down to the interaction between two fundamental verities of this universe and existence. The first is the law of action and reaction - that every action causes a reaction. There are always consequences to any action. In fact the very definition of an action includes a consequence. The second is a basic fact about human existence - we have free will. We have been given (for better or for worse) the ability to make choices, to choose how to act, and make decisions in any situation (subject, of course, to physical and natural laws).

The above 2 aspects of this world, I believe, reconcile the all-loving, omnipotent and omniscient nature of God with the reality of suffering - once we realize that we are all acting according to our free will, and each of our actions has far-reaching consequences. And not only are we doing this at the present moment, we are still reaping consequences of the actions of people before our time.

Rather than go into a more in-depth explanation, I'll let you figure the rest out for yourself, and just guide your thinking with the following three points. The first 2 are examples which will hopefully illustrate why attributing suffering to the will of God is meaningless. The third is a comment on spiritual reality, and how it enables us to rise above suffering and be hopeful in the face of it. So here goes.

1. You just graduated from one of the best universities in the country with top grades. On this joyful occasion, your father, in all his generosity and benevolence, gifts you a brand new sports car. With a word of caution to drive responsibly, he hands you the keys. You get in, and with a surge of excitement, drive off. You enjoy the acceleration of the car, and push it to its limits. You see a stop light in the distance, which is green when you first look, but then turns red almost as you get to it. You can still stop, but you decide to jump the light, as the road seems clear. As you race through, however, a car comes roaring in from the other side of the intersection and crashes into you. Your car is totaled and you are seriously injured, if not dead.

So, whose fault was it?
a. Was it the other driver's fault for not seeing you jump the light?
b. Was it your father's fault for giving you such a fast car that would induce all the adrenalin that made you jump the light?
c. Was it God's fault for not seeing that you would undergo immense suffering if the accident happened, and so for not magically making the other car miss you?
d. Or was it your fault for driving recklessly, breaking the law, and misusing what was given as a gift and a privilege?

2. Lets raise the stakes even higher. This time round, you're still driving the nice car, but you're being very careful and cautious. You are a very law abiding citizen, have never broken even the most minor of laws, you are a loving and kind person, you serve your community and family, and are, in all ways, a model human being. You stop at a red light, and then when it turns green, drive forward. Suddenly from the side, you are rammed by a drunk driver who had jumped the light. Clearly, this was not your fault, but still you are left with paralyzing injuries that will stay with you for life. And the other guy, the drunk, gets away with minor bruises.

So was this fair? And whose fault is it? Should God have seen this coming, and therefore somehow magically stopped the other driver's hand in mid-air as he reached out for that last glass of wine? Especially since you were such a wonderful person and definitely did not deserve this?

Life is an infinite sequence of actions and consequences - and our actions influence not just us, but others too; and likewise others' actions influence us. A world with only good consequences would be a world with no free will - and I leave you to contemplate why that's far worse than what we have now. God's love for us is apparent in the fact that He has given us the free will to make our own choices - having it any other way would only make Him less loving, kind and merciful.

3. The existence of suffering for some only seems very unfair when one holds a completely materialistic worldview. If this one life were our only chance, if this was all there was to it - we are born, we live, we die - then yes, it would be blatantly unfair that one person is born with a silver spoon in their mouth, while another has to fight for his daily bread all his life. In fact, the infant who dies during childbirth would be the most unfortunate - he didn't even get a chance to live life! And so if God had created such a world, where we all lived a fleeting existence, and if then some people were made to suffer more than others, we could consider Him to be an unfair God.

This, however is not so - for spiritual reality claims to be eternal rather than transitory. Life on this material plane is surely transitory - but the life of the soul is eternal. Viewed from this context, the changes and chances of this one material life have very little significance in the broader scheme of things. Whether one believes in the Hindu view of reincarnation, of being born again into this material world, or the Baha'i view of an eternal progression through the various worlds of God, there is no doubt that we are given many chances - infinitely so. And surely God has the power to recompense us a hundredfold for any misfortunes we face in this life that are not a consequence of our own actions! At first sight it may seem unjust that the innocent should suffer, but Abdu’l-Bahá assures us that the injustice is only apparent and that, in the long run, perfect justice prevails.

"As regards the question of young children and of weak, defenseless souls who are afflicted at the hands of the oppressor, in this a great wisdom is concealed. The question is one of cardinal importance, but briefly it may be stated that in the world to come a mighty recompense awaiteth such souls. Much, indeed, might be said upon this theme, and upon how the afflictions that they bear in life become a cause for them of such an outpouring of Divine mercy and bestowal as is preferable to a hundred thousand earthly comforts and to a world of growth and development in this transitory abode..."

Any suffering in this material world, therefore, like this world itself, is only transitory. Our soul, though, is eternal, and so transcends that suffering. What is important, therefore, is how we deal with suffering. Each of us is given our own share of tests, and our own set of capacities. How we use those capacities to deal with those tests, and how we do the best we can given our own set of circumstances is what counts ultimately. Baha'u'llah writes in the Gleanings,

"The whole duty of man in this Day is to attain that share of the flood of grace which God poureth forth for him. Let none, therefore, consider the largeness or smallness of the receptacle. The portion of some might lie in the palm of a man’s hand, the portion of others might fill a cup, and of others even a gallon-measure."

All this should of course not be used to justify inaction on one's part in the face of another's suffering. We cannot look at a world full of poverty, starvation, disease and war, and choose to do nothing about it as it is transitory, and those people would be recompensed in the long run. It is incumbent on each and every one of us to be of utmost service to our fellow human beings and this earth, for that is how we attain our share of spiritual grace and grow closer to God.

I will end with another quote of Baha'u'llah's, one that always fills me with hope and joy every time I read it.

"Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain. "

Sacrifice

This was a month of sacrifice.

Of letting go and moving on
Of fighting the lower nature
Of effort
Of giving up the lower for the higher
Of investing time in friends
Of supporting other when they needed it most
Of giving up inhibitions
Of striving for unity
Of letting go of my ego
Of trying to see things from others' perspectives
Of lowering expectations
Of being mindful
Of bringing joy to others
Of doing that which makes them happy
Of teaching and sharing
Of consciously being more open in communication
Of giving and not expecting in return
Of sharing and not wanting
Of loving but not attaching
Of patience and not greed
Of surrendering to God and asking for guidance
Of striving to put spiritual growth above all else

This was a month of sacrifice.

Picking and choosing

In recent discussions with W, he brought out the no-doubt common paradigm of picking and choosing that which he thought was right from different religious schools of thought. I myself have been a proponent of this way of forming a consistent philosophy to live life by in the past. The basic idea is this - with so much junk in the teachings of each religion today, and with much that seems not to make sense, a lot of us resort to picking and choosing what we find most appealing in each set of teachings, that which makes sense to us - and putting together this jumble of pieces, come up with our own private worldview.

I've probably already given away my opinion on this method of living life in the preceding paragraph, but lets go deeper into it - why would something like this not really work? As I said, at some point I used to believe in exactly the same thing. Lets look at some of the reasons why I've changed my mind about this one.

1. The process makes the implicit assumption that it is possible to come to an understanding about truth entirely through one's own faculties, which I don't think is true as we're all imperfect. I believe that some level of revelation is fundamentally necessary to advance our understanding of the world. We can all of course form our own philosophies - but seems highly unlikely that as we keep subjectively picking and choosing, we'll all come to an understanding of truth. Abdu'l Baha says:

"God has sent forth the Prophets for the purpose of quickening the soul of man into higher and divine recognitions. He has revealed the heavenly Books for this great purpose. For this the breaths of the Holy Spirit have been wafted through the gardens of human hearts, the doors of the divine Kingdom opened to mankind and the invisible inspirations sent forth from on high. This divine and ideal power has been bestowed upon man in order that he may purify himself from the imperfections of nature and uplift his soul to the realm of might and power. God has purposed that the darkness of the world of nature shall be dispelled and the imperfect attributes of the natal self be effaced in the effulgent reflection of the Sun of Truth. "

and

"If the world of nature were perfect and complete in itself, there would be no need of such training and cultivation in the human world—no need of teachers, schools and universities, arts and crafts. The revelations of the Prophets of God would not have been necessary, and the heavenly Books would have been superfluous. If the world of nature were perfect and sufficient for mankind, we would have no need of God and our belief in Him. Therefore, the bestowal of all these great helps and accessories to the attainment of divine life is because the world of nature is incomplete and imperfect. "

I think it is fairly obvious when we look around us, and see our lives, that we are riddled with imperfections - and so to assume that relying purely on our own strengths will help us get to the truth seems a little unreasonable to me.

2. Ok, maybe picking and choosing won't get us to absolute truth, as we are imperfect. But many might argue that it is still the best we can do in today's circumstances, for there is no one set of teachings that gives us all the right answers anyway. This argument therefore assumes that nobody so far, in all of history, has known truth or understood reality - and everyone so far has only had an imperfect understanding of it. And so the best we can do is pick and choose amongst all those imperfect understandings.

Now this is an argument that people often make without any substantiation. I think its entirely possible to think of a world in which this argument would be true. But we clearly have a situation where several people, through history, have claimed to have some kind of divine connection with truth, with the natural order of things. So as someone seeking to find the truth, our responsibility is to determine whether these claims could possibly have been true. And this I need to do by studying the lives of these people, their teachings, their actions, the effects of their teachings on the people around them, on people through history, the effects of their principles on me and my life when I apply them to my actions - and after doing all this, if I come to the conclusion that no, these people were not who they claimed to be, that they were very wise and intelligent, but nevertheless didn't totally understand things - then, and then alone, can one claim that the best one can do in this world is pick and choose. My own belief, based on the little I've read and understood, is that these people were who they claimed to be - and so I think we can do better than just picking and choosing.

3. Related to the above two - to understand anything, one needs to be able to be greater than it. Comprehension involves encompassing. And so animals can understand plants in a way in which plants cannot ever hope to understand animals. Humans can understand animals and nature in a way in which they cannot comprehend him. It is like humans stand above nature, on a mountain, and look down at it, thereby understanding it in its entirety. This is borne out by how in the physical sciences, we can usually make very categorical statements about the nature of the physical world - for we subsume it.

On the contrary, when it comes to the human sciences, sociology, and understanding human society, one seldom sees things that can be understood entirely, that are cut-and-dried. And this is basically because we are all immersed in that which we seek to understand. Its like this sea of humanity, and each person in that sea is trying to understand the complete picture. And some people are taller, and can see a little further than others - but no one is high enough to see the entire picture. The manifestation, on the other hand, is claimed to exist on a higher plane - and so can comprehend the nature of the spiritual world much in the same way that we stand above material reality and can comprehend it.

Abdu'l Baha says:

"The power of the understanding differs in degree in the various kingdoms of creation. The mineral, vegetable, and animal realms are each incapable of understanding any creation beyond their own. The mineral cannot imagine the growing power of the plant. The tree cannot understand the power of movement in the animal, neither can it comprehend what it would mean to possess sight, hearing or the sense of smell. These all belong to the physical creation.
Man also shares in this creation; but it is not possible for either of the lower kingdoms to understand that which takes place in the mind of man... All superior kingdoms are incomprehensible to the inferior; how therefore could it be possible that the creature, man, should understand the almighty Creator of all?"

4. The fourth thing to consider is a hypothetical question - assuming there is an underlying spiritual reality to this world, that there is some eternal spiritual existence, and that there are some truths about the world we don't naturally understand - assuming that is the case, is it likely that "God" would have left us to just fend for ourselves, without guidance, without support? Maybe - but that would just be too unfair a world. And somehow I think we'd be given a better chance. Of course, this might just be my own sentimental judgment - but its definitely a question to ask oneself.

5. This reason relates to our personal growth. When picking and choosing, it is more than likely that we'll end up picking things that appeal to us, and discarding those that don't. The truth, and reality, however, are greater than anything you or I like or believe - if something is true, however hard it is for me to accept, it still remains true. The process of picking and choosing does not in any way challenge us to realize our own limitations, veils, and barriers. And so if there were some aspects of truth that went contrary to our own instinctual leanings, we would never grasp it, for we would always discard it in our vetting process, as not appealing to our reason or understanding.

6. Last, if we all pick and choose, how would we ever come to a common understanding of truth? Each of us has different predilections - and so we'd all pick that which made sense to us. How then do we ever dialogue, interact with each other, find a common platform to live on the basis of?

Of course, it is important to note that all the above specifically refers to the act of picking and choosing principles one likes - not the broader notion of subjecting any school of thought to rigorous scientific examination. But one always needs to accept that one's own faculties of reason are imperfect and limited - and so relying just on them would be unwise.

Prayer through action

"...speech is not needed. Our actions will help on the world, will spread civilization, will help the progress of science, and cause the arts to develop. Without action nothing in the material world can be accomplished, neither can words unaided advance a man in the spiritual Kingdom. It is not through lip-service only that the elect of God have attained to holiness, but by patient lives of active service they have brought light into the world. Therefore strive that your actions day by day may be beautiful prayers."

-- Abdu'l Baha

Some gems...

...to ponder about.

"...man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine knowledge and wisdom, can never enter the abode of immortality, nor partake of the cup of divine nearness and favour, unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets."

-- Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Iqan


"The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements."

-- Baha'u'llah, Gleanings

"But, O my brother, when a true seeker determineth to take the step of search in the path leading to the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else, cleanse and purify his heart, which is the seat of the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and the allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He must purge his breast, which is the sanctuary of the abiding love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water and clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments.

He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel him away from the truth. Even as thou dost witness in this day how most of the people, because of such love and hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have strayed far from the Embodiments of the divine mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness of oblivion and error.

That seeker must at all times put his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to exalt himself above any one, must wash away from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and vainglory, must cling unto patience and resignation, observe silence, and refrain from idle talk."

-- Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Iqan

"...be thou so steadfast in My love that thy heart shall not waver, even if the swords of the enemies rain blows upon thee and all the heavens and the earth arise against thee."

-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of Ahmad

Love

Ponder, O reader, the true nature of love, as expressed in this quote of Abdu'l Baha's:

"Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God's holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings. Love is heaven's kindly light, the Holy Spirit's eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God's revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things. Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul. Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the diverse elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation."

Why?

Why is detachment the hardest lesson of all?

Humility

This was a week of humility.

Of being humble in thought and action
Of accepting my limitations
Of acknowledging the existence of a greater, far more potent reality
Of submission and faith
Of accepting people for who they are
Of not imposing my wants on others
Of realizing that everything in this world is a gift from God
Of understanding that any talent or virtue I have comes from God
Of recognizing that I am not the center of the universe :)
Of realizing that I am but a cog in the wheel of society
Of trying to accept compliments
Of listening patiently to others
Of sacrifice
Of accommodation
Of giving in
Of contentment
Of accepting my finitude, and God's infinitude
Of asking for His guidance
Of being thankful for His grace

This was a week of humility.

Things happen for the best

P once told me about H's grandfather (or uncle?) who, whenever he was asked how he was doing, would reply, "I'm the best I could possibly be, for if I could have been better, then God would have made it so." I've often pondered over how one can say this, and whether there are specific prerequisites for the best to happen to us. Clearly we often find ourselves in circumstances not of our making, in situations where we need to make a certain decision. How can we be sure that our actions in such circumstances lead to the best possible result for us? How can we be sure that even if the immediate consequences of our decisions and actions are not to our liking, in the long run, they are the best thing for us spiritually?

After much thought and observation of people like P, M and V, I've come to the conclusion that there are two prerequisites for being sure, in any situation, that whatever happens is for our best.

1. We make the utmost effort we can in that situation, sincerely try and figure out what the right decision is, and leave no stone unturned.
2. Once we make all the effort that we need to, we turn to God, supplicate unto Him, and ask for His guidance through prayer. We sincerely submit the consequences of our decision to Him, and detach ourselves from the results of our actions completely. We pray not for a particular result/consequence, but pray that whatever is best for us happen (this is key).

Both, I believe, are necessary. Not studying before an exam, but just sitting and praying to God to help us pass will get us nowhere. Likewise, with complex decisions, we can never know all sides of the issue - and so just trying to come up with our own solution may not lead to the best answer. However, trying hard and then praying to God for inspiration will ensure that we are guided along the right path.

Like most spiritual things, this too, I think lies on a continuum - to the extent that we make an effort, and to the extent that we are able to submit to the will of God, we can be sure that that which has happened is for the best. And over time, with more and more such experiences, as our faith is reinforced, and our detachment becomes more steadfast, we align ourselves more and more with that which God has destined for us.

Which brings me to another very interesting point - the notion of destiny. Usually fate and destiny are interpreted as concepts that rob us of our free will. Therefore if there is something like destiny, I am at its mercy, and so my decisions don't really matter, for the consequences are already predestined.

The Baha'i teachings, however, give a very different meaning to destiny. Baha'u'llah, in the Gleanings, says, "How lofty is the station which man, if he but choose to fulfill his high destiny, can attain!"

Interesting choice of words, no? Man can choose to fulfill his destiny. Now what does that mean? In the context of the rest of the Baha'i teachings, I believe this is what it means - God has created everything with a destiny in mind for it. That destiny is fundamentally for it to grow until it becomes the fullest possible expression of its latent capacities. The destiny of a tree, therefore, is to grow and bear fruit. The destiny of an animal is to grow, bear offspring, and utilize its senses to their fullest capacities. The destiny of man is not just to fulfill the needs of his material existence, but to transcend that and to recognize his essential spiritual nature, and to know God. Every man, however, can choose not to do this. By exercising our free will, we can choose to act in a way that will turn us away from this destiny that God has prepared for us.

How can we align ourselves with our destiny? Ironically (or maybe, fittingly), by ultimately letting go of the control we seek to have over every aspect of our lives, and allowing God to take charge of the reins. We do the best we can in this world, but ultimately leave the consequences to God, and don't get hung up on the results of our actions. We allow God to guide us when it comes to making decisions, and then accept whatever comes out of it, and use it as a way to grow, learn and progress. Therefore we use our free will to choose to submit to the will of God - and by deciding that in our minds, we allow God to direct us.

Understanding this, and reaching that state, is enabled by religion and the teachings of the various manifestations of God. Shoghi Effendi states that "it is the relationship of the individual soul to God and the fulfillment of its spiritual destiny that is the ultimate aim of the laws of religion." So the laws and the teachings of the manifestations of God are maps that help us navigate through the worlds of God. We, of course, must choose whether to accept this guidance or to set our course without regard to His counsels. In other words, we apply our free will primarily in choosing whether to embrace our high destiny or to deny it.

Detachment

This started out as a response to an email, but I figured I might as well blog it so as to get more opinions on it.

Detachment is something I've wondered about a lot over the years, and figuring out what it really means is still an ongoing process. But here are some of my current thoughts on this concept.

First, lets consider the notion of detachment when it comes to the consequences of our actions. Often we commit a certain action, or make a certain decision, and then have expectations of what the result of that action/decision should be. However in many instances our expectations are not met, and can cause us a lot of grief. So you might be kind to someone, and expect them to be thankful, and it hurts you if they are not. Or you might decide to join the masters program at Stanford, and expect it will be a fulfilling course, and are disappointed when it is not. Detachment in these situations, I think, then boils down to ridding oneself of all expectation. And there are 2 reasons why one should do this. One involves realizing that in essence, we aren't really the doer of our actions - but rather, everything we do is enabled by God's grace. And so we don't really "own" our actions (or their consequences). Second, the consequences of any action are hugely influenced by the actions of other people, and existing circumstances - and so though we might expect a certain consequence, the interaction between different people's actions might result in something else. Therefore from both these perspectives, it makes sense to detach ourselves from expectation, and from the consequences of our actions. We do what we need to do in any situation - and then leave the consequences to God. I think there are a few more nuances to this, especially in relation to how the combination of prayer/submission/detachment can affect the consequences of actions, but I'll leave it at this for now.

There is a pretty famous verse from the Bhagavad Gita (one of the Hindu holy texts) where Krishna says,

"Karmanye vaadhi kaa raste maa phaleshu kadaachana
Maa karma phal hetu bhurma te sangostva vikarmani"

Loosely translated, this means, "You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty."

So though we can act, we are not the cause of the results of those actions - and so we should not be attached to them. This, of course, is not a reason to not act at all.

The other situation where detachment comes into play is when we talk of detachment from people/material objects - and here I see it largely in terms of being the opposite of attachment. For the longest time, however, this confused me a little - for, I wondered, does not being attached to people mean we don't love them? But I think there is a subtle difference between love and attachment - and here's my understanding of it. I believe one should love everyone to the utmost possible, as all religious teachings enunciate - but one should never be so attached to someone or something that it deters one from the spiritual path. Attachment can detract one from the spiritual path in two ways - one, we are so attached to someone that we expend all our energies on fostering that attachment, and have little left to focus on our spiritual growth. Second, in a situation where we are separated from the loved one (through distance or death), our attachment is so strong that it produces an intense sadness/depression that again causes one to lose sight of the broader spiritual objective. Therefore we need to find the right balance between love and detachment when it comes to all our relationships. And detachment of course does not mean that we do not express our love for someone, that we do not miss them when they are not with us, that we are not full of joy to be with them - but it does mean that all these feelings are never so intense that they cloud our vision, and are ultimately subservient to the greater goal of spiritual growth. As long as one always keeps that in perspective, one can find that balance between love and detachment.

Its interesting to think about how developing this attitude would affect our relationships/friendships with people. We would still continue to love them just as much, and do all we can do for them - but the greater spiritual perspective that detachment gives us would enable us to handle problems/separation with much greater ease, And ultimately if one has to let go of certain relationships because they contribute negatively to one's growth, or because other kinds of problems arise, it would be much easier to do so again, because the final objective would always remain at the forefront.

Attachment can also be expressed in other ways - one can get attached to one's dislike for certain things, or to inaction in certain situations. In general this sort of attachment can lead to rigidity, and prevents one from being flexible or accommodating. Its therefore important to realize why one holds on to certain things, or refuses to do certain things - whether it comes from holding on to a principle or value, or whether it arises purely from a personal dislike. For example, my holding on to eating vegetarian food is a matter of principle - but my dislike for eggplant is purely a psychological attachment. It is therefore probably better, in the longer spiritual run, to detach myself more from the latter.

All this is of course easier said than done :)

Faith

This was a week of faith and trust.

In myself
In God
In the right thing happening
In consequences of actions being for the best
In the assured presence of guidance
In friends
In their intentions, even if their actions might speak otherwise
In their love
In knowledge
In wisdom
In the transitory nature of uncertainty
In our ability to overcome our doubts and fears
In the power of the spiritual word
In the power of prayer
In the power of love
In time, and its healing powers
In the inherent goodness of people
In knowledge of the sacred writings
In my own actions as a result of that knowledge, and their consequences
In virtue
In being able to learn from mistakes
In God's mercy and forgiveness
In His infinite grace and benevolence

This was a week of faith and trust.

Prayer for healing

For V

"Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beg of Thee by Thy Name through which He Who is Thy Beauty hath been stablished upon the throne of Thy Cause, and by Thy Name through which Thou changest all things, and gatherest together all things, and callest to account all things, and rewardest all things, and preservest all things, and sustainest all things—I beg of Thee to guard this handmaiden who hath fled for refuge to Thee, and hath sought the shelter of Him in Whom Thou Thyself art manifest, and hath put her whole trust and confidence in Thee.

She is sick, O my God, and hath entered beneath the shadow of the Tree of Thy healing; afflicted, and hath fled to the City of Thy protection; diseased, and hath sought the Fountainhead of Thy favors; sorely vexed, and hath hasted to attain the Wellspring of Thy tranquillity; burdened with sin, and hath set her face toward the court of Thy forgiveness.

Attire her, by Thy sovereignty and Thy loving-kindness, O my God and my Beloved, with the raiment of Thy balm and Thy healing, and make her quaff of the cup of Thy mercy and Thy favors. Protect her, moreover, from every affliction and ailment, from all pain and sickness, and from whatsoever may be abhorrent unto Thee.

Thou, in truth, art immensely exalted above all else except Thyself. Thou art, verily, the Healer, the All-Sufficing, the Preserver, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful."

-- Bahá’u’lláh

Generosity

This was a week of generosity.

Of giving
Of sharing
Of donating
Of thankfulness
Of being aware of how fortunate we are
Of being conscious of all that we can do to benefit the world
Of taking time out for others
Of trying to be accommodating
Of flexibility
Of forgiving and forgetting
Of letting things go
Of kindness
Of sacrifice
Of letting go
Of trying to give the benefit of the doubt
Of trying to put oneself in others' shoes
Of accepting mistakes
Of appreciating the benevolence of others
Of appreciating God's grace and bounty

This was a week of generosity.

The green eyed monster

A friend recently asked me what I thought of the following quote, and so I thought I'd pen my impressions down. Baha'u'llah, in The Tabernacle of Unity, says:

"O children of understanding! If the eyelid, however delicate, can deprive man’s outer eye from beholding the world and all that is therein, consider then what would be wrought if the veil of covetousness were to descend upon his inner eye. Say: O people! The darkness of greed and envy becloudeth the radiance of the soul even as the clouds obstruct the light of the sun. Should anyone hearken unto this utterance with a discerning ear, he will unfurl the wings of detachment and soar effortlessly in the atmosphere of true understanding."

In general most of us would agree that envy/covetousness is detrimental to us, but this quote, I think conveys exactly why that is so through the most beautiful and compelling imagery. Our physical eyes enable us to look upon the world in all its glory and splendor. Yet, just one delicate, flimsy eyelid is sufficient to cover our eyes and block out every bit of our vision. Envy here is likened to an eyelid that covers the inner eye, blocking out the rays of the spiritual sun that would otherwise illumine our inner sight. To me, this image really conveys with shocking certainty how dangerous and debilitating envy and jealousy can be - even a little bit would be sufficient to turn us away from the spiritual path. And the reason this is probably so, I think, is because envy is a negative spiral - once you get started, there is no stopping. Its a slippery slope, and the more you slip down it, the harder it becomes to pull yourself back up. When we covet something, we might either get it, or we might not. If we do, that might temporarily sate us, but it engenders further greed and envy; and if we don't, that envy itself consumes us entirely. It is the doorway to unleashing our lower selves, and is the surest way to closing the door to divine virtues and opening ourselves out to the satanic. For envy and covetousness breed passion, anger, jealousy, hate and greed - and will only impel us to commit actions that deviate from the spiritual path. The soul is inherently radiant, and its natural state is one of brilliance. However envy is like a cloud, that darkens this radiance and prevents it from being perceived - both by ourselves and by others.

So how does one get out of this cycle? I think the answer lies in examining the root cause of covetousness. As Anthony Hopkins said in the Silence of the Lambs (in a different context, of course :)), "you covet that which you do not possess". So envy and covetousness arises from a very materialistic and selfish world view, where one finds oneself in the possession of certain things, and not in the possession of certain others. And so when we see others with things we ourselves wish we had, it leads to envy.

Instead, suppose we are able to develop an understanding of our underlying spiritual reality - that of the eternal nature of our soul, and all the heavenly virtues we are potentially capable of reflecting. Then we would realize that each and every one of us possesses all that we shall ever need on this eternal spiritual journey. Material possessions will come and go - but that which is our inner being, our inner potential, our inner essence, is something that we can never lose. And that is what will stay with us through all eternity. For all that belongs to the material world will be left behind at the moment of death - but the attributes of our soul, which reflect the attributes of God, are ours forever.

Another way of phrasing all the above, of course, is detachment - and that is exactly what the quote says as well. For once we achieved an understanding of how detrimental our envy can be to us - when we not just hear and understand the above quote, but actually do so with a discerning ear, and internalize it - and once we realize our true spiritual nature, then we will naturally realize that the solution is to "unfurl our wings of detachment". Once we detach ourselves from the vicissitudes and distractions of this material world, and fixate ourselves on the goal of spiritual growth, we shall be able to effortlessly rise above the clouds of envy that block the sun of truth, and fly high above them, basking in the rays of God's grace. This state here is likened to the atmosphere - one of true understanding. Just like we are now entirely immersed in the atmosphere, just like the air we breathe completely surrounds us and constantly flows through our body, detachment will enable us to reach that state where truth and understanding will completely envelop us, and become an intrinsic part of our existence.

All this is of course easier said than done, right? :)

Faith

Ponder these words, O spiritual companion and wayfarer on the path of truth -

"By faith is meant, first,conscious knowledge, and second, the practice of good deeds."

-- Abdu'l Baha

Forgiveness

This was a week of forgiveness and mercy.

Of asking forgiveness from God
Of accepting mistakes
Of apologizing
Of repenting
Of forgiving friends who hadn't kept in touch
Of letting go
Of not holding things against anyone
Of not judging anyone
Of accepting everyone as they are
Of giving the benefit of the doubt
Of being patient with others
Of being forgiving of myself
Of striving for unity and harmony
Of understanding justice and mercy
Of asking for God's grace
Of being thankful for His mercy

This was a week of forgiveness and mercy

True religion

"An essential principle of Bahá’u’lláh’s teaching is that religion must be the cause of unity and love amongst men; that it is the supreme effulgence of Divinity, the stimulus of life, the source of honor and productive of eternal existence. Religion is not intended to arouse enmity and hatred nor to become the source of tyranny and injustice. Should it prove to be the cause of hostility, discord and the alienation of mankind, assuredly the absence of religion would be preferable. Religious teachings are like a course of treatment having for its purpose the cure and healing of mankind. If the only outcome of a course of treatment should be mere diagnosis and fruitless discussion of symptoms, it would be better to abandon and abolish it. In this sense the absence of religion would be at least some progress toward unity.

Furthermore, religion must conform to reason and be in accord with the conclusions of science. For religion, reason and science are realities; therefore, these three, being realities, must conform and be reconciled. A question or principle which is religious in its nature must be sanctioned by science. Science must declare it to be valid, and reason must confirm it in order that it may inspire confidence. If religious teaching, however, be at variance with science and reason, it is unquestionably superstition. The Lord of mankind has bestowed upon us the faculty of reason whereby we may discern the realities of things. How then can man rightfully accept any proposition which is not in conformity with the processes of reason and the principles of science? Assuredly such a course cannot inspire man with confidence and real belief. "

-- Abdu'l Baha

The temporary nature of life

"O SON OF MAN!

Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not, and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more."

-- Baha'u'llah

Human nature

A most beautiful passage of Abdu'l Baha's that I just read:

" What are the animals’ propensities? To eat, drink, wander about and sleep. The thoughts, the minds of the animals are confined to these. They are captives in the bonds of these desires. Man becomes a prisoner and slave to them when his ultimate desire is no higher than his welfare in this world of the senses. Consider how difficult for man is the attainment of pleasures and happiness in this mortal world. How easy it is for the animal. Look upon the fields and flowers, prairies, streams, forests and mountains. The grazing animals, the birds of the air, the fishes neither toil nor undergo hardships; they sow not, nor are they concerned about the reaping; they have no anxiety about business or politics—no trouble or worry whatsoever. All the fields and grasses, all the meadows of fruits and grains, all the mountain slopes and streams of salubrious water belong to them. They do not labor for their livelihood and happiness because everything is provided and made possible for them. If the life of man be confined to this physical, material outlook, the animal’s life is a hundred times better, easier and more productive of comfort and contentment. The animal is nobler, more serene and confident because each hour is free from anxiety and worriment; but man, restless and dissatisfied, runs from morn till eve, sailing the seas, diving beneath them in submarines, flying aloft in airplanes, delving into the lowest strata of the earth to obtain 185 his livelihood—all with the greatest difficulty, anxiety and unrest. Therefore, in this respect the animal is nobler, more serene, poised and confident. Consider the birds in the forest and jungle: how they build their nests high in the swaying treetops, build them with the utmost skill and beauty—swinging, rocking in the morning breezes, drinking the pure, sweet water, enjoying the most enchanting views as they fly here and there high overhead, singing joyously—all without labor, free from worry, care and forebodings. If man’s life be confined to the elemental, physical world of enjoyment, one lark is nobler, more admirable than all humanity because its livelihood is prepared, its condition complete, its accomplishment perfect and natural.

But the life of man is not so restricted; it is divine, eternal, not mortal and sensual. For him a spiritual existence and livelihood is prepared and ordained in the divine creative plan. His life is intended to be a life of spiritual enjoyment to which the animal can never attain. This enjoyment depends upon the acquisition of heavenly virtues. The sublimity of man is his attainment of the knowledge of God. The bliss of man is the acquiring of heavenly bestowals, which descend upon him in the outflow of the bounty of God. The happiness of man is in the fragrance of the love of God. This is the highest pinnacle of attainment in the human world. How preferable to the animal and its hopeless kingdom!

Therefore, consider how base a nature it reveals in man that, notwithstanding the favors showered upon him by God, he should lower himself into the animal sphere, be wholly occupied with material needs, attached to this mortal realm, imagining that the greatest happiness is to attain wealth in this world. How purposeless! How debased is such a nature! God has created man in order that he may be a dove of the Kingdom, a heavenly candle, a recipient of eternal life. God has created man in order that he may be resuscitated through the breaths of the Holy Spirit and become the light of the world. How debased the soul which can find enjoyment in this darkness, occupied with itself, the captive of self and passion, wallowing in the mire of the material world! How degraded is such a nature! What an ignorance this is! What a blindness! How glorious the station of man who has partaken of the heavenly food and built the temple of his everlasting residence in the world of heaven! "

Unity in consultation

Unity is really one of the central pillars of the Baha'i teachings, and its importance in this day and age is highly emphasized in many of the writings. Unity of course manifests itself in many situations in different ways - but there is one specific instance that has always puzzled me a little. These words of Abdu'l Baha's are with respect to the process of decision-making when multiple parties are involved in a consultation (such as might occur in the meetings of any organization, company, or institution):

"If they agree on a subject, even though it be wrong, it is better than to disagree and be in the right, for this difference will produce the demolition of the divine foundation. Though one of the parties may be in the right and they disagree that will be the cause of a thousand wrongs, but if they agree and both parties are in the wrong, as it is in unity the truth will be revealed and the wrong made right. "

This statement always seemed a little counter-intuitive to me - for what Abdu'l Baha is saying here is that if ultimately the majority in a group supports a particular decision, even if a minority believes that decision is not for the best, they should go along with it. So does that mean there is no place for dissent? And what does he mean when he says that "in unity the truth will be revealed and the wrong made right"?

I've mulled over this at a various points, but something O said yesterday made me see light on this finally. He pointed out that what Abdu'l Baha probably means is this - during the process of discussion, one should of course express one's opinion, and different (even conflicting) views should be fully heard out. Ultimately things should be put to a vote, and then the majority decision should be implemented. But this implementation should be done in the spirit of unity - those who disagree with it should put their egos aside and wholeheartedly commit themselves to the majority decision. And the reason one should do this is because, if in the future, the decision or project fails, then one can be sure that the problem lies in the idea itself, and not in lack of support from the community or the obstinate actions of opponents. It would then be easy for the group to realize this, and correct the decision, thereby righting the wrong. However when there is disunity, and a portion of the group refuses to act according to the wishes of the majority or stands in opposition, one can never be sure if the project failed because the idea itself was flawed, or whether it was due to everyone not working towards it with full commitment.

Seen in this light, the quote makes much more sense - and also provides a blueprint for our dealings with others in any sort of consultative situation. There are, however (I think), caveats. For example, I believe this principle applies when the decision made by the majority is not unethical or illegal. And so if a group of people decide to go rob a bank, it is incumbent on you, I believe, as a part of the group, to refuse to be party to those actions, for a higher principle is being violated. Any such violation of ethical principles, or of human rights is something people should stand up against. But in all other situations, when it comes to making decisions about the direction an organization should move in, or the particular actions a community should take - and these situations are far more common in our daily lives than those that put us in an ethical dilemma - the group should implement the majority idea in full unanimity.

This expectation of unity in implementation of course comes within the context of an open consultative process of deliberation, as well as conscious and objective evaluation of future outcomes. It would therefore be unfair to have a consultative process where many people's voices are suppressed, and then expect them to follow mutely once the majority vote has been established. The entire process of deliberation should be carried out respectfully, in reverence, with complete absence of prejudice and preconceived ideas, and with an openness to whatever the final decision might be. Likewise, once the decision is made, even though it is implemented unanimously, it is not done so blindly - rather, there should be a constant evaluation of the results over time, and at any stage if a majority of people believe that these results are not for the best, the group should be open to making changes as needed. Unanimity therefore does not imply that people adhere to the decision till the end of all time, come what may.

In some situations, of course, it might not be possible to rectify an error, or change a decision. But even in these cases, I believe Abdu'l Baha's dictum applies - just because one might not be able to correct a decision, one should not stand in opposition to the majority. It is still better to act in unity, for if a group sticks to that principle, the laws of God will ensure that the result will be for the best, and assuredly better than the results if the people instead stood in disunity. This, of course, can be very challenging - but then, that's what spiritual growth is all about, isn't it? :)

Vengeance and mercy

An article pointed out by a friend (here) on vengeance in this, the Week of Forgiveness and Mercy, made me muse on what it really meant to be forgiving, and why this is so necessary a quality. Often we confuse vengeance with justice, and seek to avenge wrongdoings to us in the name of being just/fair - and this is something I've spoken about before (here). But is it enough to not be vengeful - or should we be going one step further and forgive?

Interestingly, if one looks at the evolution of spiritual thought, some of the earlier Manifestations of God do not lay as much of an emphasis on the idea of forgiveness. In fact Moses, the Jewish prophet, taught the ideal of "an eye for an eye". In times past it was common to settle conflicts through duels, to right a wrong through an act of violence. But we can see this as a reflection of the level of maturity of human society at that point in history. This becomes quite obvious if we then look at spiritual teachings given in the more recent past, at Jesus who preached returning evil with love and turning the other cheek, at Muhammad who talked about an all-forgiving God in the Quran ("To those who do wrong out of ignorance, then repeat and correct themselves, your Lord is indeed forgiving and kind."), and then most recently at Baha'u'llah, who lays probably the most direct emphasis on the value of forgiveness of all spiritual teachers. And one can recognize why - for in this global age, when we face the challenge of having to accept and come to terms with people from different backgrounds, cultures and histories, mercy is one of the key prerequisites for unity.

There are therefore two reasons why I see forgiveness and mercy as being necessary spiritual qualities today. One, forgiving someone ensures that you hold nothing in your heart against them, and therefore prevents the development of any form of negative emotions/feelings within you. Two, forgiveness lays the foundation for unity between people, by ensuring that we always treat everyone around us with the utmost love. And what does "forgiveness" really mean? It means, I think, "to cease to feel resentful." We are asked to do it instantly and not over a period of years; for most of us that can take great effort and courage. And as Abdu'l Baha says, the way to reach this state is by looking at everyone in terms of their relationship with God, and not as independent entities.

"There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if ye look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness."

Note that he says that the world of God is the world of complete mercy - God's grace is not withdrawn from us when we commit wrong. Rather, God's greatness is in the very fact that He is the All Merciful, the All Kind, and allows us to always partake of His grace, should we turn towards Him.

One of the most beautiful quotes on mercy, I've always thought, is Portia's speech to Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice:

"The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy."

And so though one might aspire for the kind of power that enables one to hold sway over a multitude of people, such as the kings of yore possessed, one can better attain a reflection of God's power and majesty through being merciful and forgiving. Which reminds me of what Oskar Schindler tells Amon Goeth in one of my all-time favorite movies, Schindler's List - "Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don't... A man steals something, he's brought in before the Emperor, he throws himself down on the ground. He begs for his life, he knows he's going to die. And the Emperor... pardons him... That's power, Amon. That is power."

Of course, gaining power over an individual's fate should not be the motivation for being forgiving. But the above point does illustrate that even those who believe they have the right and power to wreak violence on someone and avenge themselves, would be better served on their spiritual journeys by exhibiting mercy and forgiveness.

I'll end with another quote from Abdu'l Baha that again stresses the need for instant forgiveness, and for being as loving and kind as possible in trying to correct someone's mistakes:

"Act in such a way that your heart may be free from hatred. Let not your heart be offended with anyone. If someone commits an error and wrong toward you, you must instantly forgive him. Do not complain of others. Refrain from reprimanding them, and if you wish to give admonition or advice, let it be offered in such a way that it will not burden the bearer. Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts. Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any heart."

Friends

"Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path."

--Abdu'l Baha

Thank you, O Lord, for blessing me with some of the kindest, most loving and sensitive friends one could ever have asked for. These spiritual bonds that we are able to form on this material earth are but the one reflection of that eternal spiritual bond we have with You.

Sensitivity

This was a week of sensitivity.

Of being sensitive to the needs of others
And to my own
Of being more consciously aware of the wonderful world we live in
Of being patient - with others and myself
Of listening
Of understanding
Of observing
Of perceiving
Of forgiveness
Of giving people the space they need
Of letting them be
Of sacrifice
Of being positive
Of showing people the positive side of things
Of providing a shoulder to lean on
Of joy and cheer
Of being flexible
Of openness
Of tact
Of appreciation
Of thankfulness
Of increasing awareness of how God ever so lovingly guides us along
Of prayer
Of trying to connect to the all-pervading spirit
Of love and affection
Of being aware of all the delightful gifts and blessings God has showered upon me

This was a week of sensitivity.

Always room for more

Here is a beautiful anecdote from the life of Abdu'l Baha that I just read in a book.

The following occurred in 1919 at Abdu'l Baha's house in Haifa. One of the visitors, Mr. Denham, after a series of questions, commented on how peaceful the atmosphere there was. Abdu'l Baha responded by saying that he should come and stay there. Mr. Denham then said that if everyone who desired to come and stay there did, there would be no room for him. In response to this, Abdu'l Baha told this story:

There was a society in Persia where the members sat in silence. By gesture they could know what was to be said, as for example, by the gesture of the hand. Whoever wanted to join the society had to give an application. Once there was one who wanted to become a member, but the president wanted to make the members understand that he was not fit to be accepted. There was on the table a tumbler and a pitcher of water. He filled the tumbler with water. His object was to make the gathering understand without talking. The glass was filled to the brim and both the members and the candidate understood. Then he who had applied took out a small piece of paper from his pocket and placed it gently on the surface of the water and the tumbler did not overflow. They clapped. By this he meant that his presence amongst them was exactly like that piece of paper, and they accepted him right away. And now you are like that delicate piece of paper. However full it may be here, you will find room.

What a wonderful way to encourage someone...

Prayer of healing

For a friend...

"Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beg of Thee by Thy Name through which He Who is Thy Beauty hath been stablished upon the throne of Thy Cause, and by Thy Name through which Thou changest all things, and gatherest together all things, and callest to account all things, and rewardest all things, and preservest all things, and sustainest all things—I beg of Thee to guard this handmaiden who hath fled for refuge to Thee, and hath sought the shelter of Him in Whom Thou Thyself art manifest, and hath put her whole trust and confidence in Thee.

She is sick, O my God, and hath entered beneath the shadow of the Tree of Thy healing; afflicted, and hath fled to the City of Thy protection; diseased, and hath sought the Fountainhead of Thy favors; sorely vexed, and hath hasted to attain the Wellspring of Thy tranquillity; burdened with sin, and hath set her face toward the court of Thy forgiveness.

Attire her, by Thy sovereignty and Thy loving-kindness, O my God and my Beloved, with the raiment of Thy balm and Thy healing, and make her quaff of the cup of Thy mercy and Thy favors. Protect her, moreover, from every affliction and ailment, from all pain and sickness, and from whatsoever may be abhorrent unto Thee.

Thou, in truth, art immensely exalted above all else except Thyself. Thou art, verily, the Healer, the All-Sufficing, the Preserver, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful."

-- Baha'u'llah

Honesty

This was a week of honesty.

Of being truthful
Of being honest with others
Of being honest with myself
Of accepting
Of not ignoring my inner voice
Of coming to terms with reality
Of being practical
Of not living in a dream world
Of lowering expectations
Of balancing frankness with tact
Of not hiding the truth
Of certainty

This was a week of honesty.

Seeing things in context

A friend recently pointed out the following verse from the Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah to me, and raised a few interesting questions. I figured I'd just blog my thoughts on it, rather than just share them with her.

"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. Treasure the companionship of the righteous and eschew all fellowship with the ungodly."

The first thing that really struck me when I read this verse is how important it is, with spiritual writings to different religions, to

1. Not always interpret statements literally
2. Keep the broader context of the overall teachings in mind

So lets keep both these in mind as we go along...

As is often the case with the Hidden Words, I think the way Baha'u'llah addresses the reader provides a clue to the context of the verse - and here, addressing the reader as "O Friend", I believe the core message this verse conveys is that of the need to cultivate a deep friendship with one and all and love everyone without any inhibitions or prejudices. As Abdu'l Baha says in one of his Paris talks, "Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path." The imagery of the language here is indicative of how strong a feeling of love this should be.

This, I think, then clarifies what is meant in the last part of this verse - of eschewing all fellowship with the ungodly. Though this might literally be interpreted to mean that we should stay away from those who don't believe in God, and not love them, the broader teachings of the Baha'i faith clearly seem to indicate otherwise. What we do need to eschew is fellowship in actions - and so refrain from being a party to those actions that are ungodly - or in other words, those detrimental to our spiritual growth. From the spiritual standpoint, the primary emotional response to anyone should always be love (ya, I know how hard that is). And the primary response to any act of wrongdoing (again, from the individual perspective, not social) should always be forgiveness, and not hatred or vengeance. That of course does not mean we condone the action and become party to it - but it does mean that we do not hold anything personally against the doer of the action. Justice, of course, might need to be meted out at the social level - but personally speaking, we should always love others.

Such a deep and pure love, of course, arises only from viewing everything around us not as independent entities, but rather in relation to God. Abdu'l Baha says, "Love the creatures for the sake of God and not for themselves. You will never become angry or impatient if you love them for the sake of God. Humanity is not perfect. There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy." This quote, I think, makes it very clear what we should be doing, and that's all I'll say on that.

On the other hand, not keeping God and broader spiritual goals in the picture can also lead us in the other direction - towards our love becoming a self-consuming passion that clouds reason and judgment, and makes us stray off the spiritual path. The Baha'i teachings stress how all human emotions and feelings have positive and negative expressions. As I've described in previous posts, there is no concept of pure evil in the Baha'i faith - and so there is no such thing as an evil or bad emotion. Therefore every emotion, taken in the right context, can be a positive one. And so greed is good if it represents a thirst for knowledge, or for spiritual growth. However if it turns into a slavering desire for money, a material life, or envy for other people's possessions, it becomes a negative emotion. Anger is good if it is expressed against injustice and prompts us to take action against it. But a self-consuming anger against others that destroys us and cultivates hate is entirely undesirable.

Therefore again, it is important to read the above verse in this context. When it talks about not losing hold on affection and desire, we should not to use this as a justification for wholly and completely immersing oneself in the love and affection for our loved ones, to the exclusion of everything else in our lives. Likewise it is important to not be consumed by blind passion and desire for someone. Passion and desire is one part of the love that one develops in a particular kind of relationship - but it should always be recognized as just one aspect of the broader, spiritual love one has for that person, and that it is to exist within the context of that relationship. Balancing detachment with any of these feelings, therefore, is critical. And we should always make sure none of this deters us from our spiritual path.

Love in its purest form is a feeling we need to absolutely express towards every element of creation. But there are other forms of expression of love, and it is important to bear in mind the context within which they need to be expressed. Much of society today, though, seems to have lost sense of context when it comes to expressing emotion of any kind.