Beat

There is a rhythm, of a heart shared by two souls, of the ocean waves as they hit sand, of the universal drum as it resounds within us all, calling us to unify. If we danced to this beat, our moves would vary. If we sought to fill the air with words to coincide with its rhythm they would arrange themselves in infinite variety. The time of the Tower of Babble has passed over us, and there is not only hope, but promise, that regardless of infinite variety, we can and will understand.

And among the teachings of Bahá’u'lláh is that religious, racial, political, economic and patriotic prejudices destroy the edifice of humanity. As long as these prejudices prevail, the world of humanity will have no rest. For a period of six thousand years history informs us about the world of humanity. During these six thousand years the world of humanity has not been free from war, strife, murder and bloodthirstiness. In every period war has been waged in one country or another, and that war was due to either religious prejudice, racial prejudice, political prejudice or patriotic prejudice. It has, therefore, been ascertained and proved that all prejudices are destructive of the human edifice. As long as these prejudices persist, the struggle for existence must remain dominant, and bloodthirstiness and rapacity continue. Therefore, even as was the case in the past, the world of humanity cannot be saved from the darkness of nature, and cannot attain illumination, except through the abandonment of prejudices and the acquisition of the morals of the Kingdom….

And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá’u'lláh is the origination of one language that may be spread universally among the people. This teaching was revealed from the pen of Bahá’u'lláh in order that this universal language may eliminate misunderstandings from among mankind.

(Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 29)

Found

There are those things that guide us along, forever bringing us to a better resting place, and there are those which haunt us, moments, trials, relationships, which never reached the potential fruition we still dream of today, and yet hopefully we continue to believe.

I have stretched myself thin to become thick. I have sacraficed so that I might gain. I have let go, detached essentially, so that I might attach. It is my choice to embrace the belief that “what if?” is a question asked in vain, and this is because although I will always question, I long for faith more than any other element of the human existence, and I believe for I have never ceased to pray. Thus, while I may feel lost, I believe in Divine Guidance, and while I strive to give myself up to this completely, and this proves itself to be the ultimate struggle, I believe nonetheless, and while this belief in the Unknown is my ultimate reassurance, I await the moment when all that surrounds me looks familiar and I am able to see that I am as found as I have always been.

had they turned wholly unto God and cast aside all that they had learned from their divines, He would assuredly have guided them through His grace and acquainted them with the sacred truths that are enshrined within His imperishable utterances. For far be 41 it from His greatness and His glory that He should turn away a seeker at His door, cast aside from His Threshold one who hath set his hopes on Him, reject one who hath sought the shelter of His shade, deprive one who hath held fast to the hem of His mercy, or condemn to remoteness the poor one who hath found the river of His riches.

(Baha’u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 40)

Juxtapose

I want to paint the world with my words and can feel the colors in my mind returning, surfacing, flowing from the internal to the external so that I can again define, again identify my place among all other things, the many details this existence consists of. When I sleep to dream as opposed to awake feeling as though there are dreams all around, I cease to yearn to describe the context of it all. A piece of me, significant in size, has been asleep for a time, suppressed to that outer part of me where existence is real but acknowledgment is necessary for actualization. Perhaps this is where people put their youth like tendencies, to save for a rainy day or when such fantasy and ecstasy is acceptable by the world around them again; what a tragic fate.

Life flows in cycles, consistent and seemingly unbearable in nature at times, and yet there is Divine wisdom is juxtaposing the tragic and the beautiful. Such as the ways of love, there will be one who breaks your heart but this pain we want to label as senseless will evolve into reward when the one who puts it back together descends upon us. We are created to feel and this is our human lens through which we are able to see the Beloved. So let us bathe in gratitude that we have had the love we now mourn in our lives at all, for essentially it is this love, our tormentor and savior, which makes life worth living.

TRIALS A GIFT FROM GOD

Thou hast written concerning the tests that have come upon thee. To the sincere ones, tests are as a gift from God, the Exalted, for a heroic person hasteneth, with the utmost joy and gladness, to the tests of a violent battlefield, but the coward is afraid and trembles and utters moaning and lamentation. Likewise, an expert student prepareth and memorizeth his lessons and exercises with the utmost effort, and in the day of examination he appeareth with infinite joy before the master. Likewise, the pure gold shineth radiantly in the fire of test. Consequently, it is made clear that for holy souls, trials are as the gift of God, the Exalted; but for weak souls they are an unexpected calamity. This test is just as thou hast written: it removeth the rust of egotism from the mirror of the heart until the Sun of Truth may shine therein. For, no veil is greater than egotism and no matter 372 how thin that covering may be, yet it will finally veil man entirely and prevent him from receiving a portion from the eternal bounty.

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 371)

Words of a Wise Man

I have been blessed to know a very wise man, and to have lived inside of his dreams for a brief but powerful time of my life. This man walked quickly, as he had so very much to do. Each step he took was taken in the name and cause of the people he loved most, refugee children. When the speed of his step bordered on sprinting it was only because such was required, not because his dream was slipping away and he was desperate to catch it, but because so much was becoming possible all at once and he was simply trying to keep up with the progress of his own ideas as they became reality. Even he once said, “I need to walk more slowly, to look at the flowers.” His profound logic being that even when our greatest calling begs of us a faster pace, if we do not possess an inner harmony, how will we ever enjoy what our labor and tireless vision gives birth to.

I am exhausted in this moment, but not tired, nor bored. I am searching, for what is next. I can hear it calling my name as my feeling in the present state of things becomes increasingly restless. Its face I am looking for, and like to think I will recognize when we finally cross paths. I thought to myself but a few months ago, I have forgotten the sound of my own footsteps, and while I believe I am doing good with my time and effort, nothing is worth leading one to forget or fail to notice the beauty of the world around and within. I am looking because I want to remember, to recall that piece of myself that dreamed of what is next to come, and awaited the world at large with bated breathe. I want to recall, for the pace that I have been maintaining, while it has been filled with good people and deeds, has led me to forget, to cease to see the beauty of it all, and so I search with the words of a wise man resounding in my ears because I want to remember, I want to become, I want to awaken.

The day is approaching when thy agitation will have been transmuted into peace and quiet calm.

(Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 111)

Be Still

There is calm in the morning, in the stillness of dew collected within the blossom’s cradle. There is quiet in the sun stretching its arms cross the earth to embrace yet another day. May our hearts beat with a melodious rhythm in sync with the symphony of the world at large, and ours souls be contemplative when thoughts of the Beloved manifest. May our prayers be those of love and conviction, void of self and whim, and may our understanding be authentic, our focus directed, and our reflection and goal nothing other than eternal. God is near.

I hope that the lights of the Sun of Reality will illumine the whole world so that no strife and warfare, no battles and bloodshed remain. May fanaticism and religious bigotry be unknown, all humanity enter the bond of brotherhood, souls consort in perfect agreement, the nations of earth at last hoist the banner of truth and the religions of the world enter the divine temple of oneness, for the foundations of the heavenly religions are one reality. Reality is not divisible; it does not admit multiplicity. All the holy Manifestations of God have proclaimed and promulgated the same reality. They have summoned mankind to reality itself and reality is one. The clouds and mists of imitations have obscured the Sun of Truth. We must forsake these imitations, dispel these clouds and mists and free the Sun from the darkness of superstition. Then will the Sun of Truth shine most gloriously; then all the inhabitants of the world will be united, the religions will be one, sects and denominations will reconcile, all nationalities will flow together in the recognition of one Fatherhood and all degrees of humankind gather in the shelter of the same tabernacle, under the same banner. 257

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 255)

Contentment

How is one to define contentment? I recall a time in my life in which the words I used to describe my state of being were “intrinsically discontent”, and now I am left wondering, almost three years later, how precise such terminology actually was in narrating my mind’s eye at the time.

I suppose the existential question this brings to mind is, how does one accurately qualify his or her level of contentment/discontent at any given moment. I am left with one persistent thought, spiritual certitude.

The time referred to above, during which I named myself intrinsically discontent, I was on a spiritual search, thus that time in my life was neither void of passion nor sense of self, it was my own perception/definition of God, whom I knew to exist, which was lacking. This was a time in my life full of vigor and excitement, but simultaneously a sense of loss as I had shed one religious identity in search of another.

Now, at a time in my life when my personal identity is fundamentally rooted and intertwined with my spirituality, deeply embedded in the Baha’i definition of God, there are many factors within my life which I feel have room for improvement, which perhaps even cause me discontent, and yet there is a sense of confirmation that this is much more than simply a path I am plodding along, merely one of millions I can choose from. I possess an innate knowledge, an a priori sense that it is the path and this is because each step I take, each bend in the road I venture down, is motivated by the Divine Alliance of my own free will and God’s Omnipotent plan, for none other than myself. Thus the phrase intrinsically discontent has no place here, its words bear no meaning in my present, and what I hope to be eternal state of being, for God is near, and I am listening.

And since I noted thy mention of thy death in God, and thy life through Him, and thy love for the beloved of God and the Manifestations of His Names and the Dawning-Points of His Attributes — I therefore reveal unto thee sacred and resplendent tokens from the planes of glory, to attract thee into the court of holiness and nearness and beauty, and draw thee to a station wherein thou shalt see nothing in creation save the Face of thy Beloved One, the Honored, and behold all created things only as in the day wherein none hath a mention.

(Baha’u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 2)

Listen

The world ebbs and flows through a cyclical process of crisis and victory. It is a process that can be seemingly chaotic and void of fundamental meaning, but in truth it is fluid as its motion is determined by a Hand that we are all contingent upon. We possess this knowledge and yet we struggle to find peace and meaning when life ceases to go as we believe it is meant to…and so we pray. Perhaps we pray for patience or understanding, or perhaps for a slight piece of Divine Intuition so that we might have access to unlocking the disconcerting mystery that our lives have most recently evolved into. Our prayers are always answered…the key is being open to perceiving of these answers whether they are what we were hoping for or not. The Beloved is always speaking to us, the meaning of our lives beats within us, but depending on how devoutly we are listening, this Voice can at times appear to be a whisper or even silence. Listen closely and openly and you will hear, you will hear not only your prayers being answered but the meaning of life being readily divulged because you have finally allowed yourself access to what has been granted to you all along.

Verily He answereth him who prayeth unto Him, and is near unto him who calleth on Him. And We ask Him to make this dark calamity a buckler for the body of His saints, and to protect them thereby from sharp swords and piercing blades. Through affliction hath His light shone and His praise been bright unceasingly: this hath been His method through past ages and bygone times.

(Abdu’l-Baha, A Traveller’s Narrative, p. 80)

Epiphany

It is not about having an end in sight, but being able to see hope where you are.

I said this to a dear friend of mine as she spoke to me of current challenges and struggles she is both enduring and embracing. I wish I could claim ownership of such an epiphany, but truly such belongs to her and the wisdom her life’s path imparts upon all those willing to listen to her story. I merely put into words, the emotion, passion, and depth her own stories continually reveal to me. Take this moment to think of an individual who truly aides you in this life, an individual who both inspires and humbles you, who continually reminds you of the good that exists in the world, and humbles your own faith through his or her unshakable perseverance.

We are blessed to know one another, to walk hand in hand. Each fellow man, woman, and child is a testament to that fact that God has not left us alone. The struggle is to be shared as are the fruits of all that is yet to come.

“I hope that the lights of the Sun of Reality will illumine the whole world so that no strife and warfare, no battles and bloodshed remain. May fanaticism and religious bigotry be unknown, all humanity enter the bond of brotherhood, souls consort in perfect agreement, the  13  nations of earth at last hoist the banner of truth and the religions of the world enter the divine temple of oneness, for the foundations of the heavenly religions are one reality. Reality is not divisible; it does not admit multiplicity. All the holy Manifestations of God have proclaimed and promulgated the same reality. They have summoned mankind to reality itself and reality is one. The clouds and mists of imitations have obscured the Sun of Truth. We must forsake these imitations, dispel these clouds and mists and free the Sun from the darkness of superstition. Then will the Sun of Truth shine most gloriously; then all the inhabitants of the world will be united, the religions will be one, sects and denominations will reconcile, all nationalities will flow together in the recognition of one fatherhood and all degrees of humankind gather in the shelter of the same tabernacle, under the same banner.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 12)

Unity

“The path to freedom hath been outstretched; hasten ye thereunto. The wellspring of wisdom is overflowing; quaff ye therefrom. Say: O well-beloved ones! The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Verily I say, whatsoever leadeth to the decline of ignorance and the increase of knowledge hath been, and will ever remain, approved in the sight of the Lord of creation. Say: O people! Walk ye neath the shadow of justice and truthfulness and seek ye shelter within the tabernacle of unity.”

~Baha’u'llah

(Sunset in the Amazon)

The Hope Human Hands Have Been Created To Bear

“God hath prescribed unto every one the duty of teaching His Cause.  Whoever ariseth to discharge this duty, must needs, ere he proclaimeth His Message, adorn himself with the ornament of an upright and praiseworthy character, so that his words may attract the hearts of such as are receptive to his call.  Without it, he can never hope to influence his hearers.”

~Baha’u'llah 

Praise worthy character is made manifest within the diversity of the human existence, this diversity being inclusive of ethnicity, nationality, religious affiliation, sex, and class.  The essential element which we all share in common is that we are created, and the way in which we might celebrate such a fundamental commonality is through honoring one another.  If we are all created, and the reason for our existence is to recognize and worship our Creator, and a means of doing so is through religion, then essentially religion is meant to unify souls, not elevate one creed while oppressing another.  We are created to recognize the greatness and omnipotence of the Beloved, but we are also created to bear witness to the greatness of humankind, thus the beauty within each and every individual.

I  spent the past three years of my life embracing such a philosophy at the International Community School in Decatur, GA. While the school is secular in name and definition, I consider it to be one of the greatest manifestations of Baha’i teachings I have witnessed thus far.  The school itself is comprised of a 50% refugee and 50% American student population.  The student and staff demographic represent over 40 countries world-wide and continues to celebrate exponential growth annually.  The picture below is of one of my second grade students who is an Muslim Bosnian.  In the palms of her two hands she cradles a lady bug, and in the moment during which I took this photo, I was struck by the symbolic nature it represented for the individual, the school, and the world at large.  We all have hands and hope exists within each of them.