Friday, February 27, 2009

International Directory of Bahá'í Websites

http://www.bahai.org/worldwide-community/national-communities/


A Directory of Bahá'í Websites
Administrative Bodies and Communities


HOME · Other Lists of Communities · International · National Spiritual Assemblies · Local Spiritual Assemblies and Communities, International A-M · International N-Z · Canada · United States A-H · United States I-M · United States N-W
Pages listed here are not guaranteed to be fully authorized by the Assembly or organization being represented. If in doubt, please contact them directly.
Other Lists of Communities
Bahaindex.com - Community Listings
Bahai-Directory.Org - Lists 85 Bahá'í Communities, mostly National Sites.
See also Planet Baha'i for listings and descriptions of many communities around the world.
See List of websites hosted at (BCI). Bahá'í Communications International (BCI) provides free webspace, email, and support services to Bahá'í institutions worldwide. (BCI) also provides free POP3 electronic mailboxes and mail forwarding
See also BCCA's List of Communities
BahaiLocations.com - A geographic locator for Bahá'í activities, Bahá'í Centers and many more Bahá'í locations around the world.
0) window.open( document.JBOT184609.dest.options[document.JBOT184609.dest.selectedIndex].value,'_self');" name=dest> Online International Baha'i Communities The Baha'i World Baha'i World News Service One Country BCCA BIC Sites hosted by BCI **************** Australia Austria Belarus Belgium Belize Bolivia Brazil Bulgaria Canada Chile Croatia Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Dominican Republic El Salvador Faroe Islands Finland France Germany Greece Guyana Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Ireland Italy Japan Korea Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malaysia Mariana Islands Mauritius Mexico (Monterrey) New Zealand Mexico (NTC/CNE) Nerthlands Norway Panama Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Romania Russia Samoa Senegal Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States Uruguay Venezuela Zimbabwe
International
The Bahá'ís (bahai.org) - The official Web presence of the Bahá'í International Community.
The Bahá'í Question - Official site on the situation of Cultural Cleansing in Iran.
The Baha'i World News Service - a service of Bahá'í International Community
Bahá'í International Community - United Nations Office: Statement Library -
Bahá'í International Community Statement Library - A comprehensive library of statements issued by the Bahá'í International Community's United Nations Office.
The Bahá'í Media Bank - offering photos of the Baha'i community, historical figures, events and activities, houses of worship, and holy places.
Bahá'í Pilgrimage - Information about Bahá'í pilgrimage and how to apply for pilgrimage
Baha'i Reference Library - The authoritative electronic source of the Bahá'í Holy Writings in the original languages and in English.
Bahá'í Topics - 7 Languages available: Français, Español, Português, Chinese, Persian, Arabic, English
Denial of Education - Since 1979, the government of Iran has systematically sought to deprive its largest religious minority of the right to a full education. Specifically, the Islamic Republic of Iran has for more than 25 years blocked the 300,000-member Bahá'í community from higher education, refusing young Bahá'ís entry into university and college. The government has also sought to close down Bahá'í efforts to establish their own institutions of higher learning.
International Bahá'í Library - "This Library is the central depository of all literature published on the Faith, and is an essential source of information for the institutions of the World Centre on all subjects relating to the Cause of God and the conditions of mankind." --Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'í world dated 31 August 1987.
One Country - the online newsletter of the Bahá'í International Community
The Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb -

National Spiritual Assemblies
Alaska Baha'i Community
List of local Baha'i communities in Alaska where Baha'is reside -
Anchorage Baha'i Community -
Sitka Baha'i Community -
Kalifornsky Baha'i Community -
The Bahá'ís of North Pole, Alaska
Australian Bahá'í Community
National Bahá'í Radio Committee of Australia - LINKS, by the National Bahá'í Radio Committee
Lismore Baha'i Community -
THEHEYDAY.COM is a site for Bahá'í youth or young at heart and their friends. An initiative of the National Youth Committee of the Bahá'ís of Australia, it is a site with a difference: It's a webmag, search engine, news source, shop, discussion forum, study and resource centre and more, all in one snazzy and funky space.
Austria -
"Official Site of the Baha'i Faith in Belarus" in Belorussian
"Official Site of the Baha'i Faith in Belarus" in Russian
"Official Site of the Baha'i Faith in Belarus" in English
Antwerp Bahá'í community in Belgium
Belize Baha'i Community - Site in English. nsa@bz.bahai.org
Belize Baha'i Information -
Comunidade Bahá'í do Brasil - Official Site
Agência Bahá'í de Notícias - ABEN
Associação Monte Carmelo -
Centro Bahá'í de Audio-Visual -
Centro Educacional Bahá'í Soltaniéh -
Juventude Baháí -
Bulgarian Bahá'í Community Sponsored by NSA of Bulgaria
The Bahá'í Community of Canada in English and French
Comunidad Bahá'í de Colombia (Columbia)
BAHÁ'Í VJERSKA ZAJEDNICA HRVATSKE - (Croatia)
Bahá'í str�nky - Ceské republice (Czech Republic)
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Chile
Baha'i House of Worship to be constructed in Chile.
Bahá'ís of Dominican Republic (Caribbean) Information in Spanish and English
Bahá'í-samfundet i Danmark - - National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Denmark
The National Bahá'í Community of Ecuador - English, Spanish
La Comunidad Bahá'í de El Salvador - Sitio Web Oficial de la Comunidad Bahá'í de El Salvador
Bahá'ís of the Faroe Islands - BCI address
Bahá'ís of the Faroe Islands (http://www.bahai.fo/) (Faroese) (English) - sponsered by the National Affairs Committee of the Bahá'ís of the Faroe Islands.
Finland - Official Site
The Bahá'ís of France - Site Officiel des Bahá'ís de France
La Librairie Bahà'íe -
Bahá'ís de Rhône-Alpes - LE CONTENU DU SITE NE REPRESENTE EN AUCUN CAS LA POSITION OFFICIELLE DES ASSEMBLEES SPIRITUELLES LOCALES ET NATIONALES DE LA FRANCE ET AUTRES PAYS.
Greece -
Deutsche Bahá'í-Gemeinde (Germany)
German Bahá'í House of Worship Panorama - Sponsored by http://www.frankfurt360.de/
Bahá'í Faith in Guyana - National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Guyana
Hawai`i Bahá'í Community -
Ko'olaupoko Bahá'í Community - Ko'olaupoko (Oahu) Bahá'í Web Site
Bahá'ís of North Kona -
Kekahi Mau Pule Bahá'í - Baha'i Prayers in the Hawai'ian Language
Honolulu Bahá'í Community -
Hungery -
Light of the Pacific - Hawaii Bahá'í News by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the Hawaiian Islands
The Bahá'í Community of India
Velkomin á heimasíðu Bahá'í samfélagsins á Íslandi - Official NSA site (Iceland}
VELKOMIN Á VERALDARVEF BAHÁ'Í SAMFÉLAGSINS Á ÍSLANDI - (Iceland) may be old site
The Bahá'í Faith in Ireland need MacromediaFlash Plugin
Bahá'ís of India
Assemblea Spirituale Nazionale dei Bahá'í d'Italia - (Italy)
Centro Studi Bahá'í in Acuto, Italy - Sponsored by Assemblea Spirituale Nazionale d'Italia
Japan Bahá'í Network -
On-Line Baha'i Library Japan - Literature is categorized according to authors and subjects. Works with a (*) symbol is one with unofficial (i.e., not reviewed) Japanese translation. However, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Japan has approved its publication on this site for personal deepening and small-scale informal use. The Translation Center is seeking volunteers who can offer their abilities to translate or help with digitalization of Baha'i literature.
Bahá'i Publishing Trust Japan - jpbahaibookstore@ybb.ne.jp
Korea -
Bahá'í Gemeinde Liechtenstein
The Bahá'í Community of Lithuania - Official site
Lithuania Bahá'í Community by individual *
La Communauté Bahá'ie du Luxembourg
Malaysian Bahá'í Community
Marianas Bahá'í Community (Mariana Islands)
La Comunidad Bahá'í de México - Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de los Bahá'ís de México.
Comité Nacional de Enseñanza de México - NTC Mexico
The Netherlands - official site of the Dutch Bahá'í community
The New Zealand Bahá'í Website
Bahá'íer i Norge (Norway)
La Casa Bahá'í de Adoración - Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de los Bahá'ís de la República de Panamá
Bahá'í Faith Pakistan -
La Comunidad de Bahá'ís del Paraguay -
Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de los Bahais del Peru (email)
Wiara Baha'i w Polsce - (Poland) in English and Polish
Bahá'í Community of Portugal
Bahá'ís of Puerto Rico - in English and Spanish
Russia
Bahá'í House of Worship - Tiapapata, Samoa
Les Bahá'ís du Senegal
Singapore Bahá'í Community (Singapore)
Bahá'ís of the Slovak Republic
The Bahá'í Faith in South Africa
UpliftingwWords.org - Uplifting Words hopes to lift the hearts of people all over the world by sending small, inspiring quotations from the Baha'i scriptures to their e-mails.
La Comunidad Bahá'í de España - (Spain) in Spanish (English translation available at http://babelfish.altavista.com/)
"NOTICIERO" with news on Public Information and External Affairs events in Spanish, by the National Spiritual Assembly of Spain
Svenska Bahá'ísamfundet (Sweden)
Bahá'ís of Switzerland in English, German, French and Italian
Baha'i Faith in Taiwan -
Taiwan Baha'i News - in Traditional Chinese (English translation available at http://babelfish.altavista.com/)
TÜRKIYE BAHAI TOPLUMU (Turkey)
La Fe Bahá'í En Venezuela
United Kingdom Websites - Full List
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom
Service Bodies
UK Bahá'í Review - UK Baha'i Review is published tri-annually by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United Kingdom
Websites of Bahá'í Communities in England - A-L - M-Z
Websites of Bahá'í Communities in Northern Ireland -
Websites of Bahá'í Communities in Scotland -
The Scottish Bahá'í - Newsletter of the Scottish Bahá'í Community
Bahá'í Council for Scotland (BCS) -
Websites of Bahá'í Communities in Wales -
US Bahá'í Administrative Web Site - United States A-H · United States I-M · United States N-W
Bahá'í Service for the Blind - Its purpose is to provide the literature of the Faith in mediums which can be used by those individuals whose physical or mental handicaps prevent them from using normal print. To this end the Service for the Blind produces materials in Braille, large print and recordings on cassette tape.
The Bahá'í Center Assistance Corp. (BCA) is a nonprofit organization established by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States to support the growth and development of the Faith by providing a systematic program of education, training and technical assistance, and financial assistance to communities whose goal is to lease or purchase and maintain Bahá'í Center Properties.
BahaiTemple.org - Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Bahá'í House of Worship of North America
Baha'i Web Development Network - is a social network for Baha'is to encourage and learn from each other about using communications technology to serve the Baha'i Faith. This network was created by the Office of Communications at the U.S. Baha'i National Center. Membership is not restricted to Baha'is or to U.S. residents. Anyone with an interest in promoting the goals of this network is welcome to participate.
The Chilean Temple Initiative -
Dawn of a New Day Official Presence of the Bahá'ís of the United States on the WWW.
Education & Schools -
The Kingdom Conference -
The Kingdom Project - a major initiative of the Five Year Plan for the Bahá'ís of the United States and is of paramount importance. It is our National Spiritual Assembly's plan to build the infrastructure and prepare the American Bahá'í Community for the dramatic growth that we are told is fast approaching.
The Wilmette Institute is dedicated to offering courses on Bahá'í topics, both in its classrooms in Illinois and distance learning. The Wilmette Institute was established in 1995 and is an agency of the Bahá'í Faith in the United States.
Bahá'ís of Zimbabwe by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Zimbabwe
MORE Administrative Bodies and Communities...

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Happy AYYAM-i-HA - "Days Outside of Time"!


Ayyam-i-Ha a time of giving and hospitality

Baha'is celebrate the festival of Ayyam-i-Ha each year from sunset on Feb. 25 to sunset of March 1 as a preparation for the Fast, which begins March 2 and ends March 20. During Ayyam-i-Ha, members of the Faith perform acts of charity, give gifts to friends and family, and attend social gatherings.

Ayyam-i-ha o Días Intercalares (26 de febrero al 10 de marzo): Ayyam-i-ha, o "Días de Ha", se dedican a la preparación espiritual para el Ayuno, e incluyen celebraciones, hospitalidad, caridad y presentación de regalos. Se celebran los cuatro días (cinco en años bisiestos) antes del último mes del año bahá'í.



Baha'u'llah has said of Ayyam-i-Ha: "It behoveth the people of Baha, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name."
Happy AYYAM-i-HA, everyone! "Days Outside of Time" Most religions have a time of gift giving, for Christians, Christmas, for the Jews, Hanukkah, and for the Baha'is Ayyam-i-Ha. The Ayyám-i-Há holiday lasts from February 25 to March 1st every year. The Bahá'í calendar of 19 months of 19 days needs 4 days (5 in leap years) to equal a solar year. http://www.lvbahai.org/calendar_and_holy_days.htm Ayyám-i-Há is intended partly as spiritual preparation for the Baha'i Fast (which starts 1. March every year and lasts 19 days - no eat or drink from sunrise to sunset), a way of fostering the detachment from material things necessary for the Fast. Ayyám-i-Há means the "Days of Há." "Há" is an Arabic letter. Both Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb followed the Arabic tradition of assigning numerical values to letters, and of giving spiritual meanings to both. The numerical value of "Há" is 5, the maximum number of Ayyam-i-Ha days.

http://www.geocities.com/cwynne19/feast/ha/ayyamiha05.html

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Motivation to work harder

I came by this interesting "About me" here: http://shuiziliu.com/home/index.php/content/section/9/61.html

    All through your life you will meet people with more talent than you. They may be winners on the ball field, in the classroom or in the workplace. Does this mean you are unable to achieve what they have? Certainly not. You simply have to choose to work harder. Resentment, blame and excuses will only poison your potential.




Divine qualities are unlimited, try to attain them all

 
"Man first is like a pupil. He becomes learned. Then he becomes a teacher. First he is a patient. He must attain perfect health. Having attained it, he may become a doctor. At first you are children. You become mature. Now you must be like fathers and mothers." Each time He made a point He smiled His marvellous smile, looking at one or another of us.

"I desire that each of you become so great that each may guide a nation. Now the friends must endeavour to attain such stations so as to teach the people of America. Divine qualities are unlimited. For this reason you must not be satisfied with one quality, but must try to attain all. Each of us must improve himself, that he may attain nothing short of the best. When one stops, he descends. A bird, when it is flying, soars; but as soon as it stops, it falls. While man is directed upward, he develops. As soon as he stops, he descends. Therefore I wish the beloved of God always to ascend and develop.

"There exist in man two powers. One power uplifts him. This is divine attraction, which causes man's elevation. In all grades of existence he will develop through this power. This belongs to the spirit. The other power causes man to descend. This is the animal nature. The first attracts man to the Kingdom. The second brings him down to the contingent world. Now we must consider which of these will gain more power. If the heavenly power overcome, man will become heavenly, enlightened, merciful; but if the worldly power overcome, he will be dark, satanic, and like the animal. Therefore he must develop continually. As long as the heavenly power is the great force, man will ascend..."
 
- Pilgrim's notes of words heard from 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Akká, 1 July 1909 http://bahai-library.com/books/thompson/2.html

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Email Text Messages to a Phone

February 13, 2009 (PC World)

 

Drewziob asked the Answer Line forum how he can email a text message to a cell phone.

Each major cell phone carrier has a domain name for just this purpose. And each cell phone's number--with the area code but without parenthesis or dashes--is the first part of an email address.

For instance, Verizon's texting domain is vtext.com. If my phone number was 415-555-1234 (which it isn't), you could text me by emailing to 4155551234@vtext.com .

Here are some other domains:

AT&T: @txt.att.net

Alltel: @message.alltel.com

CellularOne: @mobile.celloneusa.com

Cingular: @cingularme.com

Nextel: @messaging.nextel.com

Omnipoint: @omnipointpcs.com

Qwest: @qwestmp.com

Sprint: @messaging.sprintpcs.com

T-Mobile: @tmomail.net

Virgin Mobile: @vmobl.com

My thanks to the folks at All Things Marked for providing me with that list.

What about going the other way? Just enter the email address into your phone.

Read the original discussion at http://forums.pcworld.com/message/182764.

Add your comments to this article below. If you have other tech questions, email them to me at answer@pcworld.com, or post them to a community of helpful folks on the PCW Answer Line forum.


Sunday, February 8, 2009

We must lay down our very lives in SERVING HUMANKIND

"...and as ye yield yourselves, rejoice."

Here is a powerful admonition from 'Abdu'l-Bahá on how to 'live the life', and a prayer we may all emulate:

O army of God! Praise be to God, Bahá'u'lláh hath lifted the chains from off the necks of humankind, and hath set man free from all that trammelled him, and told him: Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch; be ye compassionate and kind to all the human race. Deal ye with strangers the same as with friends, cherish ye others just as ye would your own. See foes as friends; see demons as angels; give to the tyrant the same great love ye show the loyal and true, and even as gazelles from the scented cities of Khatá and Khután(1) offer up sweet musk to the ravening wolf. Be ye a refuge to the fearful; bring ye rest and peace to the disturbed; make ye a provision for the destitute; be a treasury of riches for the poor; be a healing medicine for those who suffer pain; be ye doctor and nurse to the ailing; promote ye friendship, and honour, and conciliation, and devotion to God, in this world of non-existence.

O army of God! Make ye a mighty effort: perchance ye can flood this earth with light, that this mud hut, the world, may become the Abhá Paradise. The dark hath taken over, and the brute traits prevail. This world of man is now an arena for wild beasts, a field where the ignorant, the heedless, seize their chance. The souls of men are ravening wolves and animals with blinded eyes, they are either deadly poison or useless weeds—all except for a very few who indeed do nurture altruistic aims and plans for the well-being of their fellow men: but ye must in this matter—that is, the serving of humankind—lay down your very lives, and as ye yield yourselves, rejoice...

O army of God! Beware lest ye harm any soul, or make any heart to sorrow; lest ye wound any man with your words, be he known to you or a stranger, be he friend or foe. Pray ye for all; ask ye that all be blessed, all be forgiven. Beware, beware, lest any of you seek vengeance, even against one who is thirsting for your blood. Beware, beware, lest ye offend the feelings of another, even though he be an evil-doer, and he wish you ill. Look ye not upon the creatures, turn ye to their Creator. See ye not the never-yielding people, see but the Lord of Hosts. Gaze ye not down upon the dust, gaze upward at the shining sun, which hath caused every patch of darksome earth to glow with light.

O Thou Provider! Thou hast breathed over the friends in the West the sweet fragrance of the Holy Spirit, and with the light of divine guidance Thou hast lit up the western sky. Thou hast made those who were once remote to draw near unto Thyself; Thou hast turned strangers into loving friends; Thou hast awakened those who slept; Thou hast made the heedless mindful.
O Thou Provider! Assist Thou these noble friends to win Thy good pleasure, and make them well-wishers of stranger and friend alike. Bring them into the world that abideth forever; grant them a portion of heavenly grace; cause them to be true Bahá'ís, sincerely of God; save them from outward semblances, and establish them firmly in the truth. Make them signs and tokens of the Kingdom, luminous stars above the horizons of this nether life. Make them to be a comfort and a solace to humankind and servants to the peace of the world. Exhilarate them with the wine of Thy counsel, and grant that all of them may tread the path of Thy commandments.
O Thou Provider! The dearest wish of this servant of Thy Threshold is to behold the friends of east and west in close embrace; to see all the members of human society gathered with love in a single great assemblage, even as individual drops of water collected in one mighty sea; to behold them all as birds in one garden of roses, as pearls of one ocean, as leaves of one tree, as rays of one sun.
Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, and Thou art the God of strength, the Omnipotent, the All-Seeing.

--'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections From the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá
http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAB/sab-36.html.iso8859-1

Notes:
1.Cities in China celebrated for their musk-producing animals.

Stairs to the north wing of House of 'Abdu'lláh Páshá  ...

Stairs to the north wing of House of 'Abdu'lláh Páshá in 'Akká (Acre), Israel.

(Reproduced with permission of the Bahá'í International Community)

Bahá'u'lláhs purpose: That earthlings should turn into the people of Heaven

This is from the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá:

"The most vital duty, in this day, is to purify your characters, to correct your manners, and improve your conduct. The beloved of the Merciful must show forth such character and conduct among His creatures, that the fragrance of their holiness may be shed upon the whole world, and may quicken the dead, inasmuch as the purpose of the Manifestation of God and the dawning of the limitless lights of the Invisible is to educate the souls of men, and refine the character of every living man—so that blessed individuals, who have freed themselves from the murk of the animal world, shall rise up with those qualities which are the adornings of the reality of man. The purpose is that earthlings should turn into the people of Heaven, and those who walk in darkness should come into the light, and those who are excluded should join the inner circle of the Kingdom, and those who are as nothing should become intimates of the everlasting Glory. It is that the portionless should gain their share of the boundless sea, and the ignorant drink their fill from the living fount of knowledge; that those who thirst for blood should forsake their savagery, and those who are barbed of claw should turn gentle and forbearing, and those who love war should seek instead for true conciliation; it is that the brutal, their talons razor-sharp, should enjoy the benefits of lasting peace; that the foul should learn that there is a realm of purity, and the tainted find their way to the rivers of holiness.
"Unless these divine bestowals be revealed from the inner self of humankind, the bounty of the Manifestation will prove barren, and the dazzling rays of the Sun of Truth will have no effect whatever.

"Wherefore, O beloved of the Lord, strive ye with heart and soul to receive a share of His holy attributes and take your portion of the bounties of His sanctity—that ye may become the tokens of unity, the standards of singleness, and seek out the meaning of oneness; that ye may, in this garden of God, lift up your voices and sing the blissful anthems of the spirit. Become ye as the birds who offer Him their thanks, and in the blossoming bowers of life chant ye such melodies as will dazzle the minds of those who know. Raise ye a banner on the highest peaks of the world, a flag of God's favour to ripple and wave in the winds of His grace; plant ye a tree in the field of life, amid the roses of this visible world, that will yield a fruitage fresh and sweet.
I swear by the true Teacher that if ye will act in accord with the admonitions of God, as revealed in His luminous Tablets, this darksome dust will mirror forth the Kingdom of heaven, and this nether world the realm of the All-Glorious."
--'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections From the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 10-12

Bahá'í devotional meeting in Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia  ...
Bahá'í devotional meeting in Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia
(Reproduced with permission of the Bahá'í International Community)

REBIRTH means freedom from attachment to this mortal and material life

Here is a lucid explanation from the Bahá'í writings on the meaning of the "second birth":
"Man is like unto this lamp, but the effulgences of the Kingdom are like the rays of the lamp. Man is like unto the glass, but spiritual splendors are like unto the light within the glass. No matter how translucent the glass may be, as long as there is no light within, it remains dark. Likewise, man, no matter how much he advances in material accomplishments, will remain like the glass without light if he is deprived of the spiritual virtues. Material virtues are like unto a perfect body, but this body is in need of the spirit. No matter how handsome and perfect the body may be, if it is deprived of the spirit and its animus, it is dead. But when that same body is affiliated with the spirit and expressing life, perfection and virtue become realized in it. Deprived of the Holy Spirit and its bounties, man is spiritually dead.
"Children, for instance, no matter how good and pure, no matter how healthy their bodies, are, nevertheless, considered imperfect because the power of intellect is not fully manifest in them. When the intellectual power fully displays its influences and they attain to the age of maturity, they are considered as perfect. Likewise, man, no matter how much he may advance in worldly affairs and make progress in material civilization, is imperfect unless he is quickened by the bounties of the Holy Spirit; for it is evident that until he receives that divine impetus he is ignorant and deprived. For this reason Jesus Christ said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." By this Christ meant that unless man is released from the material world, freed from the captivity of materialism and receiving a portion of the bounties of the spiritual world, he shall be deprived of the bestowals and favors of the Kingdom of God, and the utmost we can say of him is that he is a perfect animal. No one can rightly call him a man. In another place He said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." The meaning of this is that if man is a captive of nature, he is like unto an animal because he is only a body physically born—that is, he belongs to the world of matter and remains subject to the law and control of nature. But if he is baptized with the Holy Spirit, if he is freed from the bondage of nature, released from animalistic tendencies and advanced in the human realm, he is fitted to enter into the divine Kingdom. The world of the Kingdom is the realm of divine bestowals and the bounties of God. It is attainment of the highest virtues of humanity; it is nearness to God; it is capacity to receive the bounties of the ancient Lord. When man advances to this station, he attains the second birth. Before his first or physical birth man was in the world of the matrix. He had no knowledge of this world; his eyes could not see; his ears could not hear. When he was born from the world of the matrix, he beheld another world. The sun was shining with its splendors, the moon radiant in the heavens, the stars twinkling in the expansive firmament, the seas surging, trees verdant and green, all kinds of creatures enjoying life here, infinite bounties prepared for him. In the world of the matrix none of these things existed. In that world he had no knowledge of this vast range of existence; nay, rather, he would have denied the reality of this world. But after his birth he began to open his eyes and behold the wonders of this illimitable universe. Similarly, as long as man is in the matrix of the human world, as long as he is the captive of nature, he is out of touch and without knowledge of the universe of the Kingdom. If he attains rebirth while in the world of nature, he will become informed of the divine world. He will observe that another and a higher world exists. Wonderful bounties descend; eternal life awaits; everlasting glory surrounds him. All the signs of reality and greatness are there. He will see the lights of God. All these experiences will be his when he is born out of the world of nature into the divine world. Therefore, for the perfect man there are two kinds of birth: the first, physical birth, is from the matrix of the mother; the second, or spiritual birth, is from the world of nature. In both he is without knowledge of the new world of existence he is entering. Therefore, rebirth means his release from the captivity of nature, freedom from attachment to this mortal and material life. This is the second, or spiritual, birth of which Jesus Christ spoke in the Gospels.
"Today the world of humanity is walking in darkness because it is out of touch with the world of God. That is why we do not see the signs of God in the hearts of men. The power of the Holy Spirit has no influence. When a divine spiritual illumination becomes manifest in the world of humanity, when divine instruction and guidance appear, then enlightenment follows, a new spirit is realized within, a new power descends, and a new life is given. It is like the birth from the animal kingdom into the kingdom of man. When man acquires these virtues, the oneness of the world of humanity will be revealed, the banner of international peace will be upraised, equality between all mankind will be realized, and the Orient and Occident will become one. Then will the justice of God become manifest, all humanity will appear as the members of one family, and every member of that family will be consecrated to cooperation and mutual assistance. The lights of the love of God will shine; eternal happiness will be unveiled; everlasting joy and spiritual delight will be attained.
"I will pray, and you must pray, likewise, that such heavenly bounty may be realized; that strife and enmity may be banished, warfare and bloodshed taken away; that hearts may attain ideal communication and that all people may drink from the same fountain. May they receive their knowledge from the same divine source. May all hearts become illumined with the rays of the Sun of Reality; may all of them enter the university of God, acquire spiritual virtues and seek for themselves heavenly bounties. Then this material, phenomenal world will become the mirror of the world of God, and within this pure mirror the divine virtues of the realm of might will be reflected."
'Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 303-5
Bahá'í children's and youth classes in Bogawanthalawa,  ...
Bahá'í children's and youth classes in Bogawanthalawa, Sri Lanka, February 1994
(Reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Study guide to "Prayers and Meditations" by Baha’u'llah

This is from Lessan's blog.

A diamond-mine of communion with God

Last night I attended a study class which was about the book Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah. I had come across this book before, as a compilation of prayers, but never took the time to look through it or use many of the prayers within it, as the more common "Baha'i Prayers" is easier with its shorter selection and thematic grouping. However, after this class I have a much better appreciation of this book and hope to make better use of it.

 

About the book

Ruhiyyih Khanum in the Priceless Pearl has described this book as a "diamond-mine of communion with God, unsurpassed in any religious literature of the world." Some more references to the book that I found:

In 1935 Shoghi Effendi published a compilation of excerpts called Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, which he himself has described as 'consisting of a selection of the most characteristic and hitherto unpublished passages from the outstanding works of the Author of the Bahá'í Revelation.' This was followed by the translation in 1936-1937, and publishing in 1938 of what might almost be termed a companion volume, comparable in richness and complementary in material, namely, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh.

(Ruhiyyih Khanum, The Priceless Pearl, p. 218)

"He is indeed pleased to know that the Book of Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh has been out in time to enable the friends to read it during the Fast, and he has every hope that the perusal of such a precious volume will help to deepen more than any other publication, the spirit of devotion and faith in the friends, and thus charge them with all the spiritual power they require for the accomplishment of their tremendous duties towards the Cause."

(Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian, p. 58)

 

A brief look at the content

Some prayers we are already familiar with are included, such as the short healing prayer and the tablet of visitation for Baha'u'llah:
170/CLXX: Thy Name Is My Healing, O My God, And Remembrance… (HEALING)
180/CLXXX: The Praise Which Hath Dawned From Thy Most… (TABLET OF VISITATION)

Also, the three obligatory prayers and the prayer for the dead:
167/CLXVII: O My God! This Is Thy Servant And The Son Of… (PRAYER FOR THE DEAD)
181/CLXXXI: I Bear Witness, O My God, That Thou Hast Created… (SHORT OBLIGATORY PRAYER)
182/CLXXXII: Whoso Wisheth To Pray, Let Him Wash… (MEDIUM OBLIGATORY PRAYER)
183/CLXXXIII: Whoso Wisheth To Recite This Prayer, Let… (LONG OBLIGATORY PRAYER)

A number of prayers for the fast, as well as a long prayer which I think would be great to say during the fast:
7/VII: Praise Be To Thee, O Lord My God! I Beseech Thee… (FAST)
45/XLV: My God, My Fire And My Light! The Days Which… (AYYAM-I-HA)
46/XLVI: Praised Be Thou, O My God, That Thou Hast Ordained… (NAW RUZ)
56/LVI: Glory Be To Thee, O Lord My God! These Are The… (FAST)
85/LXXXV: These Are, O My God, The Days Whereon Thou Didst… (FAST)
176/CLXXVI: Praise Be Unto Thee, Who Art My God And The… (LONG)
177/CLXXVII: I Beseech Thee, O My God, By Thy Mighty Sign,… (FAST)
178/CLXXVIII: Praised Be Thou, O Lord My God! I Supplicate… (FAST)

In addition to the above, some of the themes to be encountered are:

  • the colloquy and relationship between the Supreme Revelator and His Creator
  • the bewildering power of the Almighty, His attributes and exaltation above the realm of being
  • the relative unreality of creational existence, yet the tender acceptance by a loving God of all that His creatures can offer in praise and service
  • the brutal facts of everyday living of the early believers, in exile and at 'Akka, and the contrast with the Covenant breakers
  • the exhortation and reminders to those same believers in which Bahá'u'lláh Himself also indicated that His tribulations served but to advance His Cause

 

Systematic study

In our study class we were given a copy of a short article, published in the British Bahá'í Journal in December 1964, which provides a description and study guide for this book. Some of the activities suggested in the article (which has more detail and examples):

  1. A study of the attributes of God, their variety, range and cogent cumulative effect
  2. Selection of a specific Bahá'í teachings then tracing them through the book and allowing the cross comparison of the passages so found to play upon and enrich each other, adding meaning and value
  3. Observing the perfect blending of the different kinds of prayer
  4. A straight search for perfectly phrased, astonishingly logical and gloriously fuller amplification of truth in gemlike utterances that occur all through the book
  5. Appreciating the soul-moving range of Bahá'u'lláh's own expression of Himself and of His circumstances
  6. The simple felicity of phrasing and the cadences are often most stirring and invite the reminder that prayers are aided by adding the sense of hearing to the sense of sight in conformity with the sense of the Word
  7. Whole paragraphs of most memorable content occur in many of the prayers, and each of us may like to build his own private anthology of them
  8. A particularly interesting study is the concept of 'remembrance of God' and the meanings it gathers to itself in the different contexts of its appearance

 

An activity suggested in the class was to identify and tabulate references to the Living Waters, which occur maybe thirty times in the text.

Another activity that can be associated with this book is memorization; there are many prayers and quotations that are good candidates to be memorized - in fact one could memorize the whole thing, giving added meaning to immersing oneself in the ocean of His words.

 

Roman Numerals

photo from FlickrA final note, on the numbering system used in some publications of this book including in the version provided on the Baha'i Reference Library website; Roman numerals are used, therefore it may be worth taking a few minutes to learn how to read them.

Roman numerals are, as the name implies, a number system attributed to the Romans. The system includes certain symbols for numbers, and some rules for combining the symbols when they appear together to make up a number (by adding or subtracting their corresponding values). The symbols used are:

Symbol Value
I 1 (one)
V 5 (five)
X 10 (ten)
L 50 (fifty)
C 100 (one hundred)
D 500 (five hundred)
M 1000 (one thousand)

 

The first rule is that you add up the symbols when they appear together. For example, XX is twenty. Or VI is six. The second rule however, is that if you put a smaller symbol before a bigger one you subtract the value of the smaller one from the bigger one. For example, IV is four. Or XC is 90. There are some more rules but these two are enough to be able to read and make sense of the roman numerals that appear in this book.

For a little practice with the first three numbers, here's a game matching Roman to Arabic numerals: http://www.fi.edu/time/keepers/Silverman/html/RomanMatch.html

To help recall the order of the last four symbols, here are some mnemonics:

  • Let Caesar Destroy Mountains
  • Lazy Cows Don't Moo
  • Little Cats Drink Milk
  • LCD Monitor


Friday, February 6, 2009

Promoting tolerance in Egypt: This WORKED (NYTimes.com)







INTERNATIONAL / MIDDLE EAST   | February 06, 2009
Beni Suef Journal:  A New Tongue to Win Hearts and Minds
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN
Nearly 200 Egyptian teenagers from poor families have learned English from a U.S. State Department program designed to promote understanding from the bottom up.
 







Thursday, February 5, 2009

Prioritizing in life - from the Baha'i writings

"...as the Cause has so many burdens to bear at this time, we are forced to do as 'Abdu'l-Baha said--give up the important for the most important."


(From a letter dated 29 December 1951 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi)



"...[they] must concentrate their attention on the most important and pressing issues."


(From a letter dated 12 August 1933 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada)



The following article was copied from
here.

Priority-rank

Table of contents

The need to prioritize

"'Abdu'l-Bahá said we must sacrifice the important for the most important."

(Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, p. 448)

Priorities will depend upon one's position in the life cycle; not to have undue anxiety in prioritizing

"According to one's position in the life cycle, certain activities will naturally be accorded a higher priority at a given moment than others, as each season offers possibilities that must be seized. You should have no undue anxiety about having to prioritize your time in this manner."

(On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, at http://bahai-library.com/zamir/pattern.html (p. 1))

One should prioritize according to one's understanding of the Teachings and dictates of one's conscience

"Ultimately, each individual must work out a pattern for living, according to his understanding of the Teachings and the dictates of his conscience. One should seek to identify practical steps in each important area of one's life and then make a plan to effect these, resolutely surmounting obstacles, which can breed a sense of frustration and paralysis."

(On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, at http://bahai-library.com/zamir/pattern.html (p. 1))



Wednesday, February 4, 2009

On the blessings in SUFFERING

The following are taken from the Baha'i Writings. Read about the The Bahá'í Faith here.


"Those who suffer most, attain to the greatest perfection."


"The plant most pruned by the gardeners is that one which, when the summer comes, will have the most beautiful blossoms and the most abundant fruit."


"The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be. Just as the plough furrows the earth deeply, purifying it of weeds and thistles, so suffering and tribulation free man from the petty affairs of this worldly life until he arrives at a state of complete detachment. His attitude in this world will be that of divine happiness. Man is, so to speak, unripe: the heat of the fire of suffering will mature him. Look back to the times past and you will find that the greatest men have suffered most."




Sunday, February 1, 2009

Chorus "Everybody's Changing" by Keane

"...one of the catchiest and most beautiful pop songs ever written. Our favorite fifth graders do an awesome job on this and I just love this!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOfXytNKwxY

If ever 5th graders singing for 3 min. could strike you dumb!
An inspired (and very pertinent) text, to boot:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/everybodys-changing-lyrics-keane.html

It reminds me of this quote:
"This phenomenal world will not remain in an unchanging condition even for a short while. Second after second it undergoes change and transformation. Every foundation will finally become collapsed; every glory and splendor will at last vanish and disappear..."
- Abdu'l-Baha


Love and service demands sacrificing life and possessions, passing days in devotion


"When love is realized and the ideal spiritual bonds unite the hearts of men, the whole human race will be uplifted, the world will continually grow more spiritual and radiant and the happiness and tranquillity of mankind be immeasurably increased."

Can we ever imagine this state? Read this wonderful talk by 'Abdu'l-Bahá regarding the need for change and transformation in all aspects of life, given in 1912 in Boston, Massachusetts:

In the estimation of historians this radiant century is equivalent to one hundred centuries of the past. If comparison be made with the sum total of all former human achievements, it will be found that the discoveries, scientific advancement and material civilization of this present century have equaled, yea far exceeded the progress and outcome of one hundred former centuries. The production of books and compilations of literature alone bears witness that the output of the human mind in this century has been greater and more enlightening than all the past centuries together. It is evident, therefore, that this century is of paramount importance. Reflect upon the miracles of accomplishment which have already characterized it: the discoveries in every realm of human research. Inventions, scientific knowledge, ethical reforms and regulations established for the welfare of humanity, mysteries of nature explored, invisible forces brought into visibility and subjection—a veritable wonder-world of new phenomena and conditions heretofore unknown to man now open to his uses and further investigation. The 144 East and West can communicate instantly. A human being can soar in the skies or speed in submarine depths. The power of steam has linked the continents. Trains cross the deserts and pierce the barriers of mountains; ships find unerring pathways upon the trackless oceans. Day by day discoveries are increasing. What a wonderful century this is! It is an age of universal reformation. Laws and statutes of civil and federal governments are in process of change and transformation. Sciences and arts are being molded anew. Thoughts are metamorphosed. The foundations of human society are changing and strengthening. Today sciences of the past are useless. The Ptolemaic system of astronomy and numberless other systems and theories of scientific and philosophical explanation are discarded, known to be false and worthless. Ethical precedents and principles cannot be applied to the needs of the modern world. Thoughts and theories of past ages are fruitless now. Thrones and governments are crumbling and falling. All conditions and requisites of the past unfitted and inadequate for the present time are undergoing radical reform. It is evident, therefore, that counterfeit and spurious religious teaching, antiquated forms of belief and ancestral imitations which are at variance with the foundations of divine reality must also pass away and be reformed. They must be abandoned and new conditions be recognized. The morals of humanity must undergo change. New remedies and solutions for human problems must be adopted. Human intellects themselves must change and be subject to the universal reformation. Just as the thoughts and hypotheses of past ages are fruitless today, likewise dogmas and codes of human invention are obsolete and barren of product in religion. Nay, it is true that they are the cause of enmity and conducive to strife in the world of humanity; war and bloodshed proceed from them, and the oneness of mankind finds no recognition in their observance. Therefore, it is our duty in this radiant century to investigate the essentials of divine religion, seek the realities underlying the oneness of the world of humanity and discover the source of fellowship and agreement which will unite mankind in the heavenly bond of love. This unity is the radiance of eternity, the divine spirituality, the effulgence of God and the bounty of the Kingdom. We must investigate the divine source of these heavenly bestowals and adhere unto them steadfastly. For if we remain fettered and restricted by human inventions and dogmas, day by day the world of mankind will be degraded, day by day warfare and strife will increase and satanic forces converge toward the destruction of the human race.
If love and agreement are manifest in a single family, that family will advance, become illumined and spiritual; but if enmity and hatred exist within it, destruction and dispersion are inevitable. This is, likewise, true of a city. If those who dwell within it manifest a spirit of accord and fellowship, it will progress steadily and human conditions become brighter, whereas through enmity and strife it will be degraded and its inhabitants scattered. In the same way, the people of a nation develop and advance toward civilization and enlightenment through love and accord and are disintegrated by war and strife. Finally, this is true of humanity itself in the aggregate. When love is realized and the ideal spiritual bonds unite the hearts of men, the whole human race will be uplifted, the world will continually grow more spiritual and radiant and the happiness and tranquillity of mankind be immeasurably increased. Warfare and strife will be uprooted, disagreement and dissension pass away and universal peace unite the nations and peoples of the world. All mankind will dwell together as one family, blend as the waves of one sea, shine as stars of one firmament and appear as fruits of the same tree. This is the happiness and felicity of humankind. This is the illumination of man, the eternal glory and everlasting life; this is the divine bestowal. I desire this station for you, and I pray God that the people of America may achieve this great end in order that the virtue of this democracy may be ensured and their names be glorified eternally. May the confirmations of God uphold them in all things and their memories become revered throughout the East and the West. May they become the servants of the Most High God, near and dear to Him in the oneness of the heavenly Kingdom.
Bahá'u'lláh endured ordeals and hardships sixty years. There was no persecution, vicissitude or suffering He did not experience at the hand of His enemies and oppressors. All the days of His life were passed in difficulty and tribulation—at one time in prison, another in exile, sometimes in chains. He willingly endured these difficulties for the unity of mankind, praying that the world of humanity might realize the radiance of God, the oneness of humankind become a reality, strife and warfare cease and peace and tranquillity be realized by all. In prison He hoisted the banner of human solidarity, proclaiming universal peace, writing to the kings and rulers of nations, summoning them to international unity and counseling arbitration. His life was a vortex of persecution and difficulty; yet catastrophes, extreme ordeals and vicissitudes did not hinder the accomplishment of His work and mission. Nay, on the contrary, His power became greater and greater, His efficiency and influence spread and increased until His glorious light shone throughout the Orient, love and unity were established, and the differing religions found a center of contact and reconciliation.

Therefore, we also must strive in this pathway of love and service, sacrificing life and possessions, passing our days in devotion, consecrating our efforts wholly to the Cause of God so that, God willing, the ensign of universal religion may be uplifted in the world of mankind and the oneness of the world of humanity be established.

In your hearts I have beheld the reflection of a great and wonderful love. The Americans have shown me uniform kindness, and I entertain a deep spiritual love for them. I am pleased with the susceptibilities of your hearts. I will pray for you, asking divine assistance, and then say farewell.

O my God! O my God! Verily, these servants are turning to Thee, supplicating Thy kingdom of mercy. Verily, they are attracted by Thy holiness and set aglow with the fire of Thy love, seeking confirmation from Thy wondrous kingdom, and hoping for attainment in Thy heavenly realm. Verily, they long for the descent of Thy bestowal, desiring illumination from the Sun of Reality. O Lord! Make them radiant lamps, merciful signs, fruitful trees and shining stars. May they come forth in Thy service and be connected with Thee by the bonds and ties of Thy love, longing for the lights of Thy favor. O Lord! Make them signs of guidance, standards of Thine immortal kingdom, waves of the sea of Thy mercy, mirrors of the light of Thy majesty.
Verily, Thou art the Generous. Verily, Thou art the Merciful. Verily, Thou art the Precious, the Beloved.


(The Promulgation of Universal Peace, http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/pup-54.html.iso8859-1 )

Another place, he wrote:

"This phenomenal world will not remain in an unchanging condition even for a short while. Second after second it undergoes change and transformation. Every foundation will finally become collapsed; every glory and splendor will at last vanish and disappear, but the Kingdom of God is eternal and the heavenly sovereignty and majesty will stand firm, everlasting. Hence in the estimation of a wise man the mat in the Kingdom of God is preferable to the throne of the government of the world."
 
--Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan