Sliding Thoughts

The blog of Sholeh Loehle

January 24, 2009
by sholeh
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An afternoon in Haifa

One day in February, a few friends decided to take a walk after lunch.   Two young men and three young women took the stairs down the mountain, with no particular goal in mind.  February in Haifa is warm during the day and cooler at night, and this day was an average one.  They wandered down the twisting, cat-infested streets with the aimlessness of an empty afternoon ahead.

Upon finding trees in a park, one of them climbed an olive tree.  The others gathered around.  They all watched some dogs run by, it was such a normal thing on this wonderful little afternoon.  An old man sat on a park bench, as old men have always done and will hopefully always do.

Next to the park was a playground.  Grandmothers encouraged children to play, and watchful mothers gossiped together.  As the young people tested the playground equipment and took pictures, the adults watched, a bit mistrustfully.  Why would such young people with no apparent purpose be up to good?

Some of the streets were ones that they had never traveled, even after months and years in this city.  Some were familiar and had too many memories attached.  And as the sun went down they began to realize how hungry they were.  The consensus was that they should buy meat from the best butcher shop in the city, take it to the apartment with the large balcony, and feast into the evening.  They stopped at the bazaar to buy tomatoes, potatoes, and onions.

Walking up the mountain was harder than walking down…especially since their stomachs were starting to complain.  They arrived at their destination, immediately dividing tasks.  The young men started the grill and began to barbeque while the young women made fries in the wok and chatted in the kitchen.  They gathered around the table, placed the food in the middle, and like a proper, odd sort of family, ate one of the best meals they had ever had.

At the end, there was the important matter of dessert.  Spiced hot chocolate was made and the lights dimmed as they welcomed the evening into their lives.

January 19, 2009
by sholeh
2 Comments

Things to read, listen to, and look at.

The illustrious Sarah Lonning has a presence on the web. Be impressed.

Navid shares music, often with commentary. Brilliant. I’ve been enjoying it very much.

That odd fellow known as David Precht launched his site a while ago, and it is as lovely and strange as he is.

Genius Dog is now The Doghouse Diaries, so adjust your links. And they’re doing a fantastic job. Keep it up, guys.

There is a carousel at the mall that reminds me of this gorgeous photo by Shahriar. As the children go around, their faces light up and they live completely in that moment. I love that.

Lauren uploaded these photos from her trip to Nepal a while back but I forgot to blog about how much I loved them.

The streets of Chicago are still snow-covered, and we are trying to stay warm. Do me a favor…if you live in a warm climate, please go outside for a moment and enjoy it for me. :-) It is horrible to admit that I am getting acclimated…yesterday I traipsed around in the snow in our yard for a while, just because I had snow boots on and I could. And last weekend I went sledding with my sister. I had some bruises and aches afterward, but it was totally worth it.

January 18, 2009
by sholeh
2 Comments

Chicken with mustard greens

Ingredients:
onion, chopped
a few slices of ginger, diced
a few cloves garlic, diced
salt
pepper
sesame oil
soy sauce
chicken breast, cut into small pieces
peas
chopped mustard greens

1. Fry onion, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper in sesame oil and soy sauce.
2. Add chicken, with a 1/8 cup water if needed. Saute on medium until nearly cooked.
3. Add peas, and as soon as they are nearly cooked, add the mustard greens. Only fry for a few minutes longer, then take off the heat.
4. Serve over rice.

January 15, 2009
by sholeh
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More arrests in Iran

After my last post yesterday regarding the situation of the members of the Baha’i Faith in Iran, six more Baha’is were arrested yesterday. One of them is a former employee of Nobel prize winner Shirin Ebadi, who is a defender of human rights. It is interesting that CNN picked up the story about the employee being arrested, but did not mention that she is a member of the Baha’i Faith. The New York Times mentions that confidential client records were taken and that the reason given was possible tax evasion.

This statement by the Baha’i International Community points out that “…any individuals or groups who speak out on behalf of the Bahá’ís inevitably find themselves subjected to public vilification or other forms of intimidation.”

Tonight our family watched the airing of Rick Steve’s travels in Iran on PBS. It was interesting to see Iran from a Western perspective, although sometimes humorously painful to watch, as he very earnestly attempts to understand Persian culture. The Baha’i Faith was mentioned very briefly, in the context of religious freedom, but very little was said. Most of the show was devoted to showing the positive aspects of modern-day Iran.

In addition to your prayers for those suffering injustice, maybe you can think about doing an act of service or kindness in their name in the coming days and weeks. Those of us who live in countries who have more freedom are reminded of the blessings and responsibilities that come with that freedom.

January 14, 2009
by sholeh
2 Comments

The Baha’is in Iran

It has been 9 months since leaders of the Baha’i Faith in Iran were arrested on 14 May 2008. They are still in prison, along with other Baha’is who have been arrested merely because of their beliefs.

From a Baha’i World News Service story: “We deny in the strongest possible terms the suggestion that Baha’is in Iran have engaged in any subversive activity,” said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations. “The Baha’i community is not involved in political affairs. Their only ‘crime’ is the practice of their religion.”

“The seriousness of the allegations makes us fear for the lives of these seven individuals,” she said.

The Baha’is in Iran, in addition to being imprisoned, are also harassed, denied the right to education, dismissed from jobs or refused hire, cemeteries destroyed…the list goes on. They are not the only minority in Iran to suffer, but are certainly targeted heavily.

Although I am half Persian, I was born in the USA and have never been able to visit Iran. I would love to go there someday, but the situation is not to be taken lightly, especially being a Baha’i. It is sad to me, because my entire life I have been exposed to aspects of the culture, heard stories, and seen pictures of Iran. It is a strange feeling having such a strong connection to a place that I have never been. As a Baha’i, I know that the entire world is my home, and every country and person united (even thought it is sometimes difficult to see with the situation of the world being what it is).

Perhaps today you can say a prayer for them, and for the sufferers of injustice anywhere in the world.

He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful! O God, my God! Thou seest me, Thou knowest me; Thou art my Haven and my Refuge.  None have I sought nor any will I seek save Thee; no path have I trodden nor any will I tread but the path of Thy love. In the darksome night of despair, my eye turneth expectant and full of hope to the morn of Thy boundless favor and at the hour of dawn my drooping soul is refreshed and strengthened in remembrance of Thy beauty and perfection. He whom the grace of Thy mercy aideth, though he be but a drop, shall become the boundless ocean, and the merest atom which the outpouring of Thy loving-kindness assisteth, shall shine even as the radiant star.

Shelter under Thy protection, O Thou Spirit of purity, Thou Whom art the All-Bountiful Provider, this enthralled, enkindled servant of Thine. Aid him in this world of being to remain steadfast and firm in Thy love and grant that this broken-winged bird attain a refuge and shelter in Thy divine nest that abideth upon the celestial tree.

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

January 11, 2009
by sholeh
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Midnight musings

It is quieter when the world around is blanketed with snow. The house is silent, my family asleep, and I am considering the pros and cons of going to bed in the next half hour.

This morning, as I stepped outside into a world turned white by frozen precipitation, I realized that getting my car out of the driveway was going to be so much fun. My car has a few things to equip me for the winter months:
1. A ice scraper/snow brush (mine looks like this, mostly).
2. A blanket/extra coat in case your car runs out of gas or gets stuck somewhere.
3. A few pieces of cardboard (I learned this trick a few weeks ago when my car got stuck in snow…put them under the tires, and voila!).
4. Bottled water
5. After doing some mental inventory, I realize that I also have a tripod, a mouse for a computer, sunglasses, cds, a book, and two extra pairs of shoes. Those items, however, have nothing to do with winter, and everything to do with the random nature of my life these days.

I got stuck at the bottom of the driveway, of course, and did not have time to shovel myself out. As I got out of the car to get the cardboard from the back, my neighbor came over and offered to push the car into the street. Whew! I had to repeat the process of getting the snow off of my car again tonight, but luckily did not get stuck again.

These are the mundane details of my life.

I went to a proper musical the other night, at a proper theatre. I think that the last time I did something like that was when my roommate in college got us tickets to the Lyric Opera House as my birthday gift.

We had two devotionals last week in our home. It was wonderful to spend time with so many lovely people…and of course there was a potluck dinner, which just makes everything better. My childhood memories are filled with evenings at our home with many people crowded into our living room, the chaotic and joyful dinners, prayers and Baha’i gatherings.

Goodnight, snow.

January 8, 2009
by sholeh
2 Comments

Stuffed chicken

My mother got this cool stretchy netting from the deli counter at our grocery store, and told me that this is how they keep the stuffing inside the chickens and such things. I have no idea where to buy such material, though. You can use twine to tie the chicken. Anyway, I made up the recipe with the ingredients we had in the kitchen, and it turned out pretty well. The process of getting the chicken into the netting was hilarious, I must say. You can click on the pictures below to see a larger version.

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, diced
dried apricots
dried prunes
dried raspberry cranberries
slivered almonds
several boneless, skinless split chicken breasts
tumeric
salt
pepper
butter or olive oil

1. Cut apricots and prunes into quarters, set aside with cranberries and almonds.

2. Fry onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and tumeric in butter or olive oil until soft.

3. Add dried fruit and almonds, simmer for a little while.

4. Place mixture into middle of chicken breast. Fold over and stuff into netting, or tie with twine. Place in roasting pan with a little bit of water at the bottom to prevent it from burning. If you have extra mix, you can just throw it into the pan.

5. Cook on 375 F for about 1 hour, checking occasionally.

January 6, 2009
by sholeh
2 Comments

The Storyteller

she said “it is so easy for you”
and I just shook my head but didn’t argue.
I’m the storyteller through poems
but can’t say the words out loud
I’m the dream-maker through glances
but can’t make a sound.

I am tracing outlines faster and faster
the pieces of conversations and glances
throw me to the ground.
there is the distant crashing sound
of the beginning of the most beguiling music
the curves of my hands and arms in the air
and now you know I will look over my shoulder
in the way we do when it is time to begin.

January 1, 2009
by sholeh
3 Comments

Writing the future before the present.

I can’t watch this happen again, when our feet have only just touched the clouds. Each book I write is a novel about the might never be, and one day in the future I wrote a book about every moment we had together. It was called “The Life That Always Was” and there was laughter on every third page. The chapters all started with major milestones in life, such as the time we met, the moments in the kitchen and taking walks on autumn afternoons, and the time that you stood beside me as we watched the world end around us (in a good way).

Each song that we danced to had a story, and some of the stories were painful, some joyful. All were worth telling, as the stories of families are always worth telling…even if only to ourselves.

So as the light of the stars came from the past, and we dreamed of the future…

I whispered “please come home” and there you were.

Who knew it was so simple?

(Currently listening to this song.)

December 27, 2008
by sholeh
5 Comments

The Golden Eleven

The instructions are simple: choose your eleven favorite musical artists, then your favorite song by each, and provide a link (YouTube if possible) so the world can share in the crème de la crème of your musical tastes. This list is probably different than your eleven favorite songs, which is why you choose the artists first.

George created this meme. Lorenia made the very good point that she doesn’t have 11 favorite bands or artists…and neither do I. Andrew outdid us all by using his fancy design skills to do the meme. Ezra’s list surprised me as I had no idea what kind of music he liked. I usually don’t do internet memes on my blog, but this one was fun and I got some interesting insight on my friends’ music choices through it. Go ahead and try it…you’ll see how much of a challenge it is.

I have organized them in descending order, and if you click on the image, you can listen to the song. And while the choices here are mostly very laid back, relaxing songs, I do like to dance and listen to happy, bouncy music. It just so happens that the music that I listen to on a regular basis is…quieter. :-)

11. Live – Dance With You

10. Coldplay – Til Kingdom Come

9. India Arie – Ready For Love

8. The Decemberists – Summersong

7. Damien Rice – The Blower’s Daughter

6. The Shins – Pink Bullets

5. Sufjan Stevens – For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti

4. Stars – Calendar Girl

3. Feist – Gatekeeper

2. Joshua Radin – Winter

1. Zero 7 – Today

December 24, 2008
by sholeh
1 Comment

The Station of Christ

As a Baha’i, I do not celebrate Christmas as Christians do, but as I live in a country that celebrates Christian holidays, I have been surrounded by Christmas…and instead of the usual materialistic images that are evoked by the holiday, I wish to instead focus on who Jesus Christ was: a Manifestation of God. Baha’is believe that Baha’u'llah was the return of Christ in the glory of the Father, and that all Manifestations came from God at different times to teach humanity about what God wants us to do.

The position of Christ was that of absolute perfection; He made His divine perfections shine like the sun upon all believing souls, and the bounties of the light shone and radiated in the reality of men. This is why He says: “I am the bread which descended from heaven; whosoever shall eat of this bread will not die”- that is to say, that whosoever shall partake of this divine food will attain unto eternal life: that is, every one who partakes of this bounty and receives these perfections will find eternal life, will obtain preexistent favors, will be freed from the darkness of error, and will be illuminated by the light of His guidance.

(Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 120)

When the sanctified breezes of Christ and the holy light of the Greatest Luminary [1] were spread abroad, the human realities — that is to say, those who turned toward the Word of God and received the profusion of His bounties — were saved from this attachment and sin, obtained everlasting life, were delivered from the chains of bondage, and attained to the world of liberty. They were freed from the vices of the human world, and were blessed by the virtues of the Kingdom. This is the meaning of the words of Christ, “I gave My blood for the life of the world”[2] — that is to say, I have chosen all these troubles, these sufferings, calamities, and even the greatest martyrdom, to attain this object, the remission of sins (that is, the detachment of spirits from the human world, and their attraction to the divine world) in order that souls may arise who will be the very essence of the guidance of mankind, and the manifestations of the perfections of the Supreme Kingdom.
[1 Bahá'u'lláh.]
[2 Cf. John 6:51.]

(Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 124)

The Cause of Bahá’u'lláh is the same as the Cause of Christ. It is the same Temple and the same Foundation. Both of these are spiritual springtimes and seasons of the soul-refreshing awakening and the cause of the renovation of the life of mankind. The spring of this year is the same as the spring of last year. The origins and ends are the same. The sun of today is the sun of yesterday. In the coming of Christ, the divine teachings were given in accordance with the infancy of the human race. The teachings of Bahá’u'lláh have the same basic principles, but are according to the stage of the maturity of the world and the requirements of this illumined age.

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith, p. 400)

December 20, 2008
by sholeh
2 Comments

Hello, Winter.

This weekend is the beginning of winter. To celebrate the freezing cold weather in Chicago, I’m going to share a few things that I have been enjoying that keep my mind off the fact that the ice and snow are inundating my life.

A Short Love Story In Stop Motion – My friend Ana posted this on her blog, and I could not stop watching it.

Genius Dog – A few of my friends have started a webcomic, and it is funny. Go take a look.

Fleet Foxes: “He Doesn’t Know Why” – Fleet Foxes is a band from Seattle that my friend Navid introduced me to. They’ve been around for a few years now, and I am surprised that I had not heard of them before.

Ocean of His Words, by John Hatcher – I have just started reading this book, and while it can be heavy reading at times, it is very interesting to analyze the Writings from a literary perspective.

December 14, 2008
by sholeh
2 Comments

The paths that words take.

She held her breath far longer than she meant to. There was order and a certain sense of peace, but the ground was shaky under her feet. Reaching out did no good…the branches tore at her dress and snagged her hair. In this case, a blue sky was no comfort, sunlight was harsh and glaring. The only thing to make it right was the cool evening wind, the kind to be lost in.

She learned to translate movement and expression into thought, broke through the noise of words…but lost the frantic tumble of syllables and sound that slide down ravines and tumble into your waiting hands.

Some words stay thick and others fall in rapid movements. There are ways to keep up. Words can hold our hands, walk right into our souls and set up shop.

Glances catch details, the little spoken or understood moments. Hems of long dresses touch a polished marble floor, stirring dust motes in the afternoon sun. A hand grips a telephone pole and twists around to gain balance, tightening. A plate shatters but only one piece does a graceful double-back flip. Only one snail ever crossed that path in that place, he is a snail celebrity in the snail world.

Her words are as powerful as the silence could be, if it was patient and waited for Sunday afternoons with tea and books by the fire. She has waited so long for those afternoons.

Hands grasp, give up, let go. They hold on again…

December 11, 2008
by sholeh
1 Comment

After and the beginning

The Chicago Regional Baha’i Conference. (Read this first!!)

I am so overwhelmed with the beauty and love of these conferences. I have been struggling to write this blog entry for several days now, wondering how I would put into words the experience. Then I decided to just capture the moments. The moments I experienced might be similar to other people’s experiences, or completely different. A number of friends from around the world have been asking for anecdotes from the Chicago conference, so I thought it best to just write it here.

-Registration on Friday night…watching my fellow volunteers prepare for the arrival of the attendees, and then greeting each person, checking off their names. Having lived in the Midwestern region for 17 years, I recognized so many people and names. Everyone was so happy to see each other, and sometimes there were reunions of 15 years gone by right in front of my table.

-Saturday morning, helping with a few things here and there, and then sitting in the main hall for the start of the conference. Facilitating workshops with large groups of people during the course of the weekend…and they were all so excited, so eager to contribute, and the entire ballroom was full of people like this. The entire conference was full of people that did not want to miss sessions. People would go outside the rooms, grab a cup of coffee, and run back inside, explaining that “I’m so happy to see you, but I can’t miss this!” They were offering their skills, their prayers, their homes, their lives for service, and it nearly makes me cry now just thinking about it.

-Rushed meals in meetings, laughter, explanations, and sharing the learning.

-I saw a hundred people I dearly missed, and missed seeing even more because there were 2,300 people there. I heard that friends of mine were there, but I just did not ever see them. Reuniting with friends was a nice bonus if it happened, but everyone seemed to agree that it wasn’t really the point. The conferences were called by the Universal House of Justice for a specific reason, and everyone seemed to be on the same page. It was especially wonderful to see friends that I had served with in Haifa.

-Driving to and from the convention center in horrible weather conditions. Chicago blessed us with all of her wintery wrath, and it was 4 degrees F (-15 C), with a minor blizzard on Saturday morning that made the drive twice as long. Having not driven in snow for nearly 2 years (since I was serving in Haifa, and it definitely didn’t snow there!) made me very nervous.

-Laughter. My face hurt from how happy I was.

-Watching a man sign his Baha’i declaration card and become a Baha’i, right in front of my eyes, on Sunday afternoon. I had never met him, but it was powerful.

-Knowing that I was taking part in something historic…I can’t even count how many times I got the shivers, knowing that this was unprecedented and that I will tell my children about it.

I can’t wait to hear about the rest of the conferences.

December 4, 2008
by sholeh
1 Comment

41 Conferences

“The Universal House of Justice, in a letter dated 20 October 2008, announced the convocation of a series of 41 regional conferences over a four-month period. The letter – which marked the midway point of a five-year effort to expand activities at the grassroots level – indicated that the purpose of the conferences is to celebrate achievements during the first half of the Five Year Plan and to deliberate on the next phase.” -Regional Conferences of the Five Year Plan

I highly recommend going to the website linked above and reading the stories there about each of the conferences. Regardless of whether you are a Baha’i or you don’t believe in God, it is truly inspiring to see people from around the world gathering on such short notice to have these remarkable gatherings.

Chicago’s turn is this weekend, and I will be at the conference center starting tomorrow, Friday, through Sunday…which also means I will not be checking my email very much. I am not staying at the hotel, since I live nearby. I am very excited.

November 30, 2008
by sholeh
11 Comments

learning

I have discovered that my heart holds too much love, my mind holds too many memories, and my feet have not traveled enough roads. Too many of my secrets are no longer mine. There have been years of letting life happen, and moments of joy in between.

There are a few things I know to be true: my bare feet on marble and carpet, the scent of roses and jasmine, old stones and white-washed walls, the smiles of long-lost new friends, the pen in my hand, a child in my arms, serving tea in glass cups, sunlight, hands through hair, soft words of prayer, a purple sky with white clouds, honesty with you, and my sometimes healed, sometimes broken heart. I have invisible bruises and visible scars, and yet my words have become patience, detachment, and balance.

I always thought that the most peaceful moment would be to dance barefoot on deep green grass in a long summer dress. I could look up to the sky in any moment of doubt, and the universe would anchor me. There are too many stars out there, and too much beauty here, for God not to exist.

November 27, 2008
by sholeh
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upside-down apple cake

This afternoon I experimented with apple cake. I had to make something for a Thanksgiving party, and we had a lot of apples. So I found a recipe in a very old cookbook, and modified it because it was completely boring. It is not gluten-free, unfortunately, but I might try to do that in the future.

4 cooking apples, cored
lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Place butter in the bottom of a bundt pan, put the pan in the oven to melt the butter. Slice 2 of the apples very thin, lengthwise. Sprinkle lemon juice on the apples to keep them from turning brown.
2. Chop the other 2 apples into little pieces. Put in a small pot with 1/4 cup water, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons sugar, boil until apples are soft, take off heat.
3. When the butter in the pan has melted, take it out of the oven. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter. Make sure that the pan is greased so that the cake does not stick. Overlap the apple slices evenly around the pan, making two layers.
4. In a mixing bowl, mix the egg and sugar with an electric mixer, adding vanilla and milk. Add the baking powder and flour. Pour the apple mixture from the pot into the batter, stir well.
5. Pour batter into pan over the apples. Place the pan in the oven at 325 F, cook for 35 minutes or until cake is done. Let cool, then turn upside down. Sift Confectioner’s sugar over the finished product before serving.

November 26, 2008
by sholeh
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The Day of the Covenant

“The Day of the Covenant Nov. 26th, and the Day of the Ascension, Nov. 28th, anniversaries of the birth and the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá must be observed by the friends coming together, but work is not prohibited. In other words the friends must regard observance of these two anniversaries as obligatory – but suspension of work not to be regarded as obligatory.”

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand, January 21, 1951)

“…regarding the declaration of the Báb and the birthday of the Master; the Báb declared His Mission on the fourth day of the month of Jamadi I, two hours and eleven minutes after sunset, corresponding with the evening of May 22nd. But as the Bahá’í day begins after sunset, and not after midnight as in the West, the Báb’s declaration is celebrated on the fifth day of Jamadi I, corresponding to the 23rd of May. “Abdu’l-Bahá was born in the course of that same night, but the exact hour of His birth has not been ascertained.”

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada November 25, 1936)

‘Abdu’l-Bahá told the Bahá’ís that this day was not, under any circumstances, to be celebrated as His day of birth. It was the day of the Declaration of the Báb, exclusively associated with Him. But as the Bahá’ís begged for a day to be celebrated as His, He gave them November 26th, to be observed as the day of the appointment of the Centre of the Covenant. It was known as Jashn-i-A’zam (The Greatest Festival), because He was Ghusn-i-A’zam – the Greatest Branch. In the West it is known as the Day of the Covenant.

(H.M. Balyuzi, Abdu’l-Baha – The Centre of the Covenant, p. 522)

The vehicle in this resplendent Age for the practical fulfilment of these duties is the Covenant of Bahá’u'lláh; it is, indeed, the potent instrument by which individual belief in Him is translated into constructive deeds. The Covenant comprises divinely conceived arrangements necessary to preserve the organic unity of the Cause. It therefore engenders a motivating power which, as the beloved Master tells us, “like unto the artery, beats and pulsates in the body of the world”. “It is indubitably clear”, He asserts, “that the pivot of the oneness of mankind is nothing else but the power of the Covenant.” Through it the meaning of the Word, both in theory and practice, is made evident in the life and work of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the appointed Interpreter, the perfect Exemplar, the Centre of the Covenant. Through it the processes of the Administrative Order — “this unique, this wondrous System” — are made to operate.

(The Universal House of Justice, 1988 Dec 29, Individual Rights and Freedoms, p. 2)

November 21, 2008
by sholeh
4 Comments

secrets and contrast

I am in the shadows of trees.
infinite, against sun-streaked skies.
the shadows are peace, forgiveness…

When we whispered our secrets to the quiet spaces under the trees, beyond the hills that we slept under for one hundred years…

the silence echoed.

When we whispered our secrets, they were coated with the fog and rain, made heavy with the weight of water and time. Our secrets became the leaves, a million colors and fallen.

Now our secrets are whispered between us, the trees only listen, and we are laughing.

November 19, 2008
by sholeh
11 Comments

Some thoughts on tests in the community

I’ve noticed some comments over the years from various people on their tests as Bahá’ís…that sometimes they feel like they are too different than other members of the community, that they are frustrated with fellow believers, that they believe in the Bahá’í Faith but disagree with elements of the administration. These, and many other reasons, create a distance between them and the community.

“Perhaps the greatest test Bahá’ís are ever subjected to is from each other; but for the sake of the Master they should be ever ready to overlook each other’s mistakes, apologize for harsh words they have uttered, forgive and forget. He strongly recommends to you this course of action.”

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, February 18, 1945; Living the Life, p. 12)

The Bahá’í Faith is in a process of learning and growing. As we grow, there are individual and community struggles. This is part of the process.

“Thus you might look upon your own difficulties in the path of service. they are the means of your spirit growing and developing. You will suddenly find that you have conquered many of the problems which upset you, and then you will wonder why the should have troubled you at all. An individual must centre his whole heart and mind on service to the Cause, in accordance with the high standards set by Bahá’u'lláh. When this is done, the Hosts of Supreme Concourse will come to the assistance of the individual, and every difficulty and trial will gradually be overcome.”

(Written by the Guardian’s Secretary on his behalf to an individual believer, October 6, 1954: Living the Life, p. 19)

“He was very sorry to hear that you have had so many tests in your Bahá’í life. There is no doubt that many of them are due to our own nature. In other words, if we are very sensitive, or if we are in some way brought up in a different environment from the Bahá’ís amongst whom we live, we naturally see things differently and may feel them more acutely; and the other side of it is that the imperfections of our fellow-Bahá’ís can be a great trial to us”.

“We must always remember that in the cesspool of materialism, which is what modern civilization has to a certain extent become, Bahá’ís — that is some of them — are still to a certain extent affected by the society from which they have sprung. In other words, they have recognized the Manifestation of God, but they have not been believers long enough, or perhaps not tried hard enough, to become ‘a new Creation’. He feels that, if you close your eyes to the failings of others, and fix your love and prayers upon Bahá’u'lláh, you will have the strength to weather this storm, and will be much better for it in the end, spiritually. Although you suffer, you will gain a maturity that will enable you to be of greater help to both your fellow-Bahá’ís and your children”

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 5, 1956)

No matter how difficult the circumstances, we should not separate ourselves from the community as a whole. The Bahá’í community is an inseparable part of being a Bahá’í.

“For the Bahá’í Faith is above all a way of life. It is not a mere philosophical or social doctrine. It is a closely-knit and harmoniously functioning community, a world-wide spiritual fraternity which seeks to reform the world first and foremost by bringing about a deep inner spiritual change in the heart of individuals. To live the teachings of the Cause should be the paramount concern of every true believer, and the only way to do so is to commune both in spirit and through actual concrete means with the entire community of the faithful. The Bahá’í Cause encourages community life and makes it a duty for every one of its followers to become a living, a fully active and responsible member of the world-wide Bahá’í fellowship.”

(From letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, August 13, 1936)

“Regarding the matter … and the inharmony that seems to exist among certain of the friends … When Bahá’ís permit the dark forces of the world to enter into their own relationships within the Faith they gravely jeopardize its progress; it is the paramount duty of the believers, the Local Assemblies, and particularly the N.S.A. to foster harmony, understanding and love amongst the friends. All should be ready and willing to set aside every personal sense of grievance — justified or unjustified — for the good of the Cause, because the people will never embrace it until they see in its Community life mirrored what is so conspicuously lacking in the world; love and unity.”

(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Bolivia, August 19, 1985)

Obviously there are individual circumstances. The reason I wrote this post was to be encouraging to those who are having a difficult time, not to berate those who are not able to be more active members of community life. None of us are perfect, all of us are striving. The beauty of this is that we can learn from each other.