By Susan Gammage, Baha’i Life Coach
I’ve had several clients in my Bahá’í-inspired life coaching practice, hurt by comments made by other Bahá’í friends and family members. In my role as their life coach, I’ve pointed out some spiritual principles which can help govern their behaviour. I’ve compiled a list of their questions, comment and concerns, and quotes from the Bahá’í Writings which address them. Hope it gives you a perspective to help you deal with these issues, which are no doubt occurring in your lives too.
Something in my voice is setting off alarms in people and they have melt downs. What do I do?
- The members . . . must learn to express their views frankly, calmly, without passion or rancour. They must also learn to listen to the opinions of their fellow members without taking offence or belittling the views of another. Bahá’í consultation is not an easy process. It requires love, kindliness, moral courage and humility. Thus no member should ever allow himself to be prevented from expressing frankly his view because it may offend a fellow member; and, realizing this, no member should take offence at another member’s statements. (Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, p. 179)
Why do friends criticize and put me down?
- Perhaps the greatest test Bahá’ís are ever subjected to is from each other. (Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 601.)
- . . . 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 imperfec¬tions of our fellow-Bahá’ís can be a great trial to us. (Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 604.)
- Generally speaking nine-tenths of the friends’ troubles are because they don’t do the Bahá’í thing, in relation to each other, to the administrative bodies or in their personal lives. (Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, p.454.)
How can I behave towards them when they hurt me?
- . . . if a person falls into errors for a hundred-thousand times he may yet turn his face to you, hopeful that you will forgive his sins; for he must not become hopeless, neither grieved nor despondent. This is the conduct and the manner of the people of Baha’. (Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v2, p. 436)
- . . . 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. (Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 601.)
- . . . often our severest tests come from each other . . . and if they happen, remedy them through love. (Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, p. 454.)
- You should not allow the remarks made by the Bahá’ís to hurt or depress you, but should forget the personalities, and arise to do all you can, yourself, to teach the Faith. (Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, p. 462.)
- . . . 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. (Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 604.)
- . . . turning a sin-covering eye to the faults of others, and striv¬ing in our own inmost selves to purify our lives in accordance with the divine teachings. (From a letter written by the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, July 22, 1981.)
- Great love and patience are needed towards new believers, especially those who have come from very troubled backgrounds. (From a letter written by the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer July 22, 1981.)
- Concerning the attitude of some Bahá’ís, who seem at times to be insensitive and unsupportive, all we can do is to try to follow the patient example of the Master, bearing in mind that each believer is but one of the servants of the Almighty who must strive to learn and grow. The absence of spiritual qualities, like darkness, has no exist¬ence in itself. As the light of spirituality penetrates deep into the hearts, this darkness gradually dissipates and is replaced by virtue. Under¬standing this, and that the believers are encouraged to be loving and patient with one another, it will be clear that you too are called upon to exercise patience with the friends who demonstrate immaturity, and to have faith that the power of the Word of God will gradually effect a transformation in individual believers and in the Bahá’í community as a whole. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 23 October, 1994)
What can I do when it’s the Assembly who has reacted negatively?
- Your letters have been read with great sympathy by the House of Justice. You have written eloquently about the pain and isolation felt by yourself and other believers, particularly women, when faced with a lack of response from those very Assemblies which Bahá’u'lláh has asked us to consider as loving parents. From such bodies, one longs for understanding and, beyond that, for encouragement and love. When we feel that this is missing, our own reactions may include feelings of disillusionment and alienation. In addition, there are other issues which arise within our communities which cannot be dealt with through a decision per se but which require, for their resolution, growth and changes of attitude on the part of the friends. When progress is slow or appears to be blocked, we may feel the urge to distance ourselves from the friends and the institutions, and despite our best inten¬tions we may find ourselves almost involuntarily withdrawing into non-responsive, non-encouraging modes of our own. We must struggle with such promptings from within, setting our sights on the lofty ex¬ample set by the Greatest Holy Leaf who, throughout a life replete with severe tests, chose not to take offence at the actions or lack of actions of other souls and, with full and radiant heart, continued to bestow on them love and encouragement. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, 25 October, 1994.)
- As you know, there can be many reasons for Assemblies not to respond to the believers. Undoubtedly, in some cases, it is because the friends and the Assemblies are struggling with issues on the fron¬tier of their spiritual growth. Such a process can lead to tremendous development on both the individual and the collective levels. Sometimes we can facilitate this process of spiritual growth for individuals, and of maturation for Local and National Assemblies, by viewing these situations not as a problem but as opportunities for development. Tak¬ing part in this process should be a source of joy to us since we are, in effect, helping to build the kingdom of God on Earth. Nevertheless, patience is needed, particularly when it involves a subject that is close to our hearts, and when it seems that progress on the matter is lagging or has ceased entirely. We must maintain our confidence that the divinely ordained administrative system given to us by Bahá’u'lláh, and the inspiration of the Creative Word, will enable us to rise to these challenges. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 25 October, 1994.)
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by Susan Gammage, Baha’i Life Coach
The whole world is suffering it seems, and for those who are conscious of it, the feeling can be excruciatingly painful. In my Bahá’í-inspired life coaching practice, I often work with people who are acutely aware of their pain, and desperately searching reasons for it. It’s so much easier for them to believe that somehow they’ve caused it because of things they’ve done, than to believe that it’s the result of Divine intervention. Here are some of the questions I hear, and answers from the Bahá’í Writings.
I must have done something really bad for all these tests to be happening to me.
- If Khidr did wreck the vessel on the sea, yet in this wrong there are a thousand rights. (Bahá’u'lláh, Seven Valleys, p. 26.)
It’s all my fault.
- Tests are benefits from God, for which we should thank Him. Grief and sorrow do not come to us by chance, they are sent to us by the Divine Mercy for our own perfecting. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 50.)
- . . . the Almighty hath tried, and will continue to try, his servants, so that light may be distinguished from darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error, happiness from misery, and roses from thorns. Even as He hath revealed: ‘Do men think when they say “We believe” they shall be let alone and not be put to proof?’ (Bahá’u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán, pp. 8-9.)
- . . . we must realize that everything which happens is due to some wisdom and that nothing happens without a reason. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 46.)
- Tests are a means by which a soul is measured as to its fitness and proven out by its own acts. God knows its fitness beforehand, and also its unpreparedness, but man, with an ego, would not believe himself unfit unless proof were given him. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, Book 4, Vol. VI, #6, p. 108.)
- And yet, how often we seem to forget the clear and repeated warnings of our beloved Master, who, in particular during the concluding years of His mission on earth, laid stress on the “severe mental tests” that would inevitably sweep over His loved ones of the West - tests that would purge, purify and prepare them for their noble mission in life. (Shoghi Effendi, Bahá’í Administration, p. 50.)
- In such an afflicted time, when mankind is bewildered and the wisest of men are perplexed as to the remedy, the people of Bahá, who have confidence in His unfailing grace and divine guidance, are assured that each of these tormenting trials has a cause, a purpose, and a definite result, and all are essential instruments for the establishment of the immutable Will of God on earth. In other words, on the one hand humanity is struck by the scourge of His chastisement which will inevitably bring together the scattered and vanquished tribes of the earth; and on the other, the weak few whom He has nurtured under the protection of His loving guidance are, in this Formative Age and period of transition, continuing to build amidst these tumultuous waves an impregnable stronghold which will be the sole remaining refuge for those lost multitudes. (Universal House of Justice, Compilation of Compilations, Vol. 1, #326, pp. 166-167.)
Why can’t life be easier? Why does everything have to be so difficult?
- But for the tribulations which are sustained in Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized; and were it not for the trials which are born for love of Thee, how could the station of such as yearn for Thee he revealed? Thy might beareth me witness! The companions of all who adore Thee are the tears they shed, and the comforters of such as seek Thee are the groans they utter, and the food of them who haste to meet Thee is the fragments of their broken hearts. (Bahá’u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 155.)
- Were it not for tests, pure gold could not be distinguished from the impure. Were it not for tests, the courageous could not be separated from the cowardly. Were it not for tests, the people of faithfulness could not be known from the disloyal. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Divine Art of Living, p. 87.)
- While a man is happy he may forget his God; but when grief comes and sorrows overwhelms him, then will he remember his Fa¬ther who is in Heaven, and who is able to deliver him from his humiliations. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, pp. 50-51)
- Even if all the losses of the world were to be sustained by one of the friends of God, he would still profit thereby (Bahá’u'lláh, Crisis & Victory, p. 154.
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Why can’t I ever get ahead?
- These are not days of prosperity and triumph. The whole of mankind is in the grip of manifold ills. (Bahá’u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh, p. 81.)
- Life in this world is a succession of tests and achievements, of falling short and of making new spiritual advances. Sometimes the course may seem very hard, but one can witness, again and again, that the soul who steadfastly obeys the Law of Bahá’u'lláh, however hard it may seem, grows spiritually, while the one who compromises with the law for the sake of his own apparent happiness is seen to have been following a chimera: he does not attain the happiness he sought, he retards his spiritual advance and often brings new problems upon himself. (Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, pp. 359-360.)
- Even or odd, thou shalt win the wager.’ The friends of God shall win and profit under all conditions, and shall attain true wealth. (Bahá’u'lláh, Crisis & Victory, p. 154.)
Why do I keep falling into the same trap, over and over again?
- Just as the earth attracts everything to the centre of gravity, and every object thrown upward into space will come down, so also material ideas and worldly thoughts attract man to the centre of self. Anger, passion, ignorance, prejudice, greed, envy, covetousness, jealousy and suspicion prevent man from ascending to the realms of holiness, imprisoning him in the claws of self and the cage of egotism. The physical man, unassisted by the divine power, trying to escape from one of these invisible enemies, will unconsciously fall into hands of another. No sooner does he attempt to soar upward than the density of the love of self, like the power of gravity, draws him to the centre of the earth. The only power that is capable of delivering man from this captivity is the power of the Holy Spirit. The attraction of the power of the Holy Spirit is so effective that it keeps man ever on the path of upward ascension. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í Scriptures, p. 241.)
God must surely be punishing me.
- He will never deal unjustly with any one, neither will He task a soul beyond its power. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the All-Merciful. (Bahá’u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh, p. 106.)
- In addition, we know from the Bahá’í Writings that man’s soul “is independent of all infirmities of body or mind,” and not only continues to exist “after departing from this mortal world”, but progresses “through the bounty and grace of the Lord”. Therefore, an evaluation of man’s material existence and achievements cannot ignore the potential spiritual development stimulated by the individual’s desire to manifest the attributes of God and his response to the exigencies of his life, nor can it exclude the possibility of the operation of God’s mercy in terms of compensation for earthly suffering, in the next life. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 2 December, 1985.)
All I want is what everyone else has: a family, a job, a home . . .
- The world is but a show, vain and empty, a mere nothing, bearing the semblance of reality. Set not your affections upon it . . . Verily I say, the world is like the vapour in a desert, which the thirsty dreameth to be water and striveth after it with all his might, until when he cometh unto it, he findeth it to be mere illusion. It may, moreover, be likened unto the lifeless image of the beloved whom the lover hath sought and found, in the end, after long search and to his utmost regret, to be such as cannot “fatten nor appease his hunger.” (Bahá’u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh, pp. 328-329.)
What good ever comes from tests anyway?
- Were it not for tests, the intellectuals and the faculties of the scholars in great colleges would not develop. Were it not for tests, sparkling gems could not be known from worthless pebbles. Were it not for tests, nothing would progress in this contingent world. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Divine Art of Living, p. 87.)
- Men who suffer not, attain no 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. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, pp. 50-51)
- The more difficulties one sees in the world the more perfect one becomes. The more you plough and dig the ground the more fertile it becomes. The more you cut the branches of a tree the higher and stronger it grows. The more you put the gold in the fire the purer it becomes. The more you sharpen the steel by grinding the better it cuts. Therefore, the more sorrows one sees the more perfect one becomes . . . The more often the captain of a ship is in the tempest and difficult sailing the greater his knowledge becomes. Therefore I am happy that you have had great tribulations and difficulties… Strange it is that I love you and still I am happy that you have sorrows. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. XIV, No. 2, p. 41.)
- How could the [God's] teachers teach and guide others in the way if they themselves did not undergo every species of suffering to which other human beings are subjected? (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. VII, #11, p. 108.)
- . . . The souls who bear the tests of God become the manifestations of great bounties; for the divine trials cause some souls to become entirely lifeless, while they cause the holy souls to ascend to the highest degree of love and solidity. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 2 December, 1985.)
- They are the means of your spirit growing and developing. (Shoghi Effendi, Living the Life, pp. 35-36.)
- Suffering is both a reminder and a guide. It stimulates us better to adapt ourselves to our environmental conditions, and thus leads the way to self improvement. (Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, p. 434.)
- Whenever you see tremendous personal problems in your private lives . . . you must remember that these afflictions are part of human life; and, according to our teachings one of their wisdoms is to teach us the impermanence of this world and the permanence of the spiritual bonds that we establish with God, His Prophet, and those who are alive in the faith of God. (Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, pp. 459-60.)
- These tests, even as thou didst write, do but cleanse the spotting of self from off the mirror of the heart, till the Sun of Truth can cast its rays thereon (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 182.)
- . . . in this world he must prepare himself for the life beyond. That which he needs in the world of the Kingdom must be obtained here . . . In that world there is need of spirituality, faith, assurance, the knowledge and love of God. These he must attain in this world so that after his ascension from the earthly to the heavenly Kingdom he shall find all that is needful in that eternal life ready for him. That divine world is manifestly a world of lights; therefore, man has need of illumination here. That is a world of love; the love of God is essential. It is a world of perfections; virtues, or perfections, must be acquired. That world is vivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit; in this world we must seek them. That is the Kingdom of everlasting life; it must be attained during vanishing existence . . .
Unless he acquires these forces and attains to these requirements, he will surely be deprived of the life that is eternal. But if he possesses the knowledge of God, becomes ignited through the fire of the love of God, witnesses the great and mighty signs of the Kingdom, becomes the cause of love among mankind and lives in the utmost state of sanctity and holiness, he shall surely attain to second birth, be baptized by the Holy Spirit and enjoy everlasting existence. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 226.)
- In considering the effect of obedience to the laws on individual lives, one must remember that the purpose of this life is to prepare the soul for the next. Here one must learn to control and direct one’s animal impulses, not to be a slave to them. (Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, pp. 359-360.)
Why is everything I do so difficult?
- But regarding the tests: Undoubtedly they must be violent so that those souls who are weak may fall back, while the souls who are firm and sincere may shine forth from the horizon of the Most Great Guidance like unto the sparkling stars. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 471.)
Why does God make children suffer?
- As to the subject of babes and infants and weak ones who are afflicted by the hands of oppressors: this contains great wisdom and this subject is of paramount importance. In brief, for those souls there is a recompense in another world and many details are connected with this matter. For those souls that suffering is the greatest mercy of God. Verily that mercy of the Lord is far better and preferable to all the comfort of this world and the growth and development of this place of mortality. If it be the will of God, when thou shalt be present this will be explained in detail by word of mouth. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 372.)
- On this plane of existence, there are many injustices that the human mind cannot fathom. Among these are heart-rending trials of the innocent . . . With regard to the spiritual significance of the suffering of children ‘who are afflicted at the hands of the oppressor’, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá not only states that for those souls ‘the afflictions that they bear in life become a cause for them of . . . an outpouring of divine mercy and bestowal’, He also explains that to be a recipient of God’s mercy is ‘preferable to a hundred thousand earthly comforts’, and He promised that ‘in the world to come a mighty recompense awaiteth such souls’. Much, indeed, might be said upon this theme, and upon how the afflictions that they bear in life become the cause for them of such an outpouring of Divine mercy and bestowal as is preferable to a hundred thousand comforts and to a world of growth and development in this transitory abode . . . (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 2 December, 1985.)
Does God even care how much it hurts?
- It is easy to approach the Kingdom of Heaven, but hard to stand firm and staunch within it, for the tests are rigorous, and heavy to bear. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 274. )
- However, to those souls who are firm and steadfast, tests are the greatest favours. Consider thou that at the time of an examination in sciences and arts, the dull and lazy pupil finds himself in calamity. But to the intelligent and sagacious student examination in learning produces honour and infinite happiness. Alloyed gold, subjected to the fire, portrays its baseness, while the intensity of the flame enhances the beauty of pure gold. Therefore, tests of the weak souls are calam¬ity and to the veiled ones the cause of their disgrace and humiliation. The point is this, that in the path of Truth every difficulty is made plain and every trial is the matchless bounty. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. 2. No. 15, pp. 5-6.)
Is it ever going to get better?
- In winter come the storms, and the great winds blow, but then will follow spring in all its beauty, adorning hill and plain with perfumed plants and red anemones, fair to see. Then will the birds trill out upon the branches their songs of joy, and sermonize in lilting tones from the pulpits of the trees. Ere long shall ye bear witness that the lights are streaming forth, the banners of the realm above are waving, the sweet scents of the All-Merciful are wafted abroad, the hosts of the Kingdom are marching down, the angels of heaven are rushing forward, and the Holy Spirit is breathing upon all those regions . . . This is decreed by the Lord, the Revealer of Verses. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, pp. 163-134.)
- You will suddenly find that you have conquered many of the problems which upset you, and then you will wonder why they should have troubled you at all. (Shoghi Effendi, Living the Life, pp. 35-36.)
- O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain. (Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 329)
Will I ever see the benefits of these tests in this world?
- In every suffering one can find a meaning and a wisdom. But it is not always easy to find the secret of that wisdom. It is sometimes only when all our suffering has passed that we become aware of its usefulness. What man considers to be evil turns often to be a cause of infinite blessings. And this is due to his desire to know more than he can. God’s wisdom is, indeed, inscrutable to us all, and it is no use pushing too far trying to discover that which shall always remain a mystery to our mind. (Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, p. 434.)
What can I do in the midst of my suffering?
- I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. (Bahá’u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 100.)
- Therefore, the believers of God and maid-servants of the Merciful must not relax during trial and no disaster must deter their service in the Cause of God. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. 2. No. 15, pp. 5-6.)
- You are encouraged to continue to keep in mind the spiritual dimension of your struggles. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. XIV, No. 2, p. 41.)
- The more one is severed from the world, from desires, from human affairs, and conditions, the more impervious does one become to the test of God. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, Book 4, Vol. VI, #6, p. 108.)
- Clearly, the difficult periods in our lives are not without pur¬pose. Among other things, they offer us a prime opportunity to express our love for Bahá’u'lláh in a meaningful way. It is relatively easy to he a believer when one is not challenged, when one is happy. However, in times of adversity, we must draw upon our inner, spiritual resources. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 23 October, 1994.)
- Convey thou unto the handmaids of the Merciful the message that when a test turneth violent they must stand unmoved, and faithful to their love for Bahá. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, pp. 163-134.)
- Naturally there will be periods of distress and difficulty, and even severe tests; but if the person turns firmly towards the Divine Manifestation, studies carefully His spiritual teachings and receives the blessings of the Holy Spirit, he will find that in reality these tests and difficulties have been the gifts of God to enable him to grow and develop. (Shoghi Effendi, Living the Life, pp. 35-36.)
- Therefore, the dear friends of God who have such a broad and clear vision before them are not perturbed by such events, nor are they panic-stricken by such thundering sounds, nor will they face such convulsions with fear and trepidation, nor will they be deterred, even for a moment, from fulfilling their sacred responsibilities. (Universal House of Justice, Compilation of Compilations, Vol. 1, #326, pp. 166-167.)
- . . . the way to peace and security for you and for humanity as a whole, is through service to the Cause, to which you have so earnestly committed yourself. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 2 December, 1985.)
- Therefore strive that your actions day by day may be beautiful prayers. Turn towards God, and seek always to do that which is right and noble. Enrich the poor, raise the fallen, comfort the sorrowful, bring healing to the sick, reassure the fearful, rescue the oppressed, bring hope to the hopeless, shelter the destitute! This is the work of a true Bahá’í, and this is what is expected of him. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 81.)
- First, through the knowledge of God. Second, through the love of God. Third, through faith. Fourth, through philanthropic deeds. Fifth, through self-sacrifice. Sixth, through severance from this world. Seventh, through sanctity and holiness. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 226.
- The working out of God’s Major Plan proceeds mysteriously in ways directed by Him alone, but the Minor Plan that He has given us to execute, as our part in His grand design for the redemption of mankind, is clearly delineated. It is to this work that we must devote all our energies, for there is no one else to do it (Universal House of Justice, Wellspring of Guidance, pp. 133-134.)
What should my attitude towards tests be?
- O Thou Whose tests are a healing medicine to such as are nigh unto Thee, Whose sword is the ardent desire of all them that love Thee, Whose dart is the dearest wish of those hearts that yearn after Thee, Whose decree is the sole hope of them that have recognized Thy truth! I implore Thee, by Thy divine sweetness and by the splendours of the glory of Thy face, to send down upon us from Thy retreats on high that which will enable us to draw nigh unto Thee. Set, then, our feet firm, O my God, in Thy Cause, and enlighten our hearts with the effulgence of Thy knowledge, and illumine our breasts with the brightness of Thy names. (Bahá’u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, pp. 220-221.)
- The troubles of this world pass, and what we have left is what we have made of our souls, so it is to this we must look - to becoming more spiritual, drawing nearer to God, no matter what our human minds and bodies go through. (Shoghi Effendi, Directives of the Guardian, p. 68.)
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by Susan Gammage, Baha’i Life Coach
In my Bahá’í-inspired life coaching, many clients wonder about the role of service in their lives. I often hear: I don’t have time to add another thing to my already busy life. So why is it so important?
In the Bahá’í Writings, ‘Abdul-Bahá tells us:
By assisting in the success of another servant in the Cause does one…lay the foundation for one’s own success and aspirations . . . (’Abdul-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. 6, #6, p. 44)
I like to use this story, which I found in a book called “The Simple Truths of Service”, by Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz. It illustrates how service can be as easy as a state of mind, and can be implemented into our life, in every action we take.
No one can make you serve customers well. That’s because great service is a choice. Years ago, my friend, Harvey Mackay, told me a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point. He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey. He handed my friend a laminated card and said: “I’m Wally, your driver. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk, I’d like you to read my mission statement.”
Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said:
Wally’s Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.
This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!
As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, “Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.”
My friend said jokingly, “No, I’d prefer a soft drink.”
Wally smiled and said, “No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.”
Almost stuttering, Harvey said, “I’ll take a Diet Coke”
Handing him his drink, Wally said, “If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustratedand USA Today.”
As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card. “These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.”
As if that weren’t enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of the day. He also let him know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights, or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.
“Tell me, Wally,” my amazed friend asked the driver, “have you always served customers like this?”
Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. “No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You’ll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.’
“That hit me right between the eyes,” said Wally. “Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.”
“I take it this has paid off for you,” Harvey said.
“It sure had,” Wally replied. “My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don’t sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can’t pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.”
Can you see how this story demonstrates how serving others, helps us too?
I’d like to end with some quotes on service, from the Bahá’í Writings, which have helped my life coaching clients:
In the first, we learn that God sees our services and loves us for them:
I bear witness to the services thou hast rendered Me, and testify to the various troubles thou hast sustained for My sake. All the atoms of the earth declare My love for thee. (Bahá’u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh, pp. 309-310)
In the second, we see the power of service to change us into something much better than we could possibly imagine:
The power of God can entirely transmute our characters and make of us beings entirely unlike our previous selves. Through . . . ever-increasing service to His Faith, we can change ourselves. (Shoghi Effendi, Spiritual Foundations, p. 17)
What are your experiences with being of service? Post your comments here:
by Susan Gammage, Baha'i Life Coach
Have you ever experienced the presence of God? One of my Bahá’í-inspired life coaching clients sent this to me this morning, and I thought it demonstrated it perfectly. It’s a piece of inspirational fiction written by poet Ruth Gillis.
I hope you enjoy it, but get your Kleenex out before reading further:
A drunk man in an Oldsmobile
They said had run the light
That caused the six-car pileup
On 109 that night.
When broken bodies lay about
And blood was everywhere,
The sirens screamed out eulogies,
For death was in the air.
A mother, trapped inside her car,
Was heard above the noise;
Her plaintive plea near split the air:
Oh, God, please spare my boys!
She fought to loose her pinned hands;
She struggled to get free,
But mangled metal held her fast
In grim captivity.
Her frightened eyes then focused
On where the back seat once had been,
But all she saw was broken glass and
Two children’s seats crushed in.
Her twins were nowhere to be seen;
She did not hear them cry,
And then she prayed they’d been thrown free,
Oh, God, don’t let them die!
Then firemen came and cut her loose,
But when they searched the back,
They found therein no little boys,
But the seat belts were intact.
They thought the woman had gone mad
And was traveling alone,
But when they turned to question her,
They discovered she was gone.
Policemen saw her running wild
And screaming above the noise
In beseeching supplication,
Please help me find my boys!
They’re four years old and wear blue shirts;
Their jeans are blue to match.
One cop spoke up, They’re in my car,
And they don’t have a scratch.
They said their daddy put them there
And gave them each a cone,
Then told them both to wait for Mom
To come and take them home.
I’ve searched the area high and low,
But I can’t find their dad..
He must have fled the scene,
I guess, and that is very bad.
The mother hugged the twins and said,
While wiping at a tear,
He could not flee the scene, you see,
For he’s been dead a year.
The cop just looked confused and asked,
Now, how can that be true?
The boys said, Mommy, Daddy came
And left a kiss for you.
He told us not to worry
And that you would be all right,
And then he put us in this car with
The pretty, flashing light.
We wanted him to stay with us,
Because we miss him so,
But Mommy, he just hugged us tight
And said he had to go.
He said someday we’d understand
And told us not to fuss,
And he said to tell you, Mommy,
He’s watching over us.
The mother knew without a doubt
That what they spoke was true,
For she recalled their dad’s last words,
I will watch over you.
The firemen’s notes could not explain
The twisted, mangled car,
And how the three of them escaped
Without a single scar.
But on the cop’s report was scribed,
In print so very fine,
An angel walked the beat tonight on Highway 109.
Have you had any miracles in your life? Post your comments here:
by Susan Gammage, Baha'i Life Coach
In part 1, I explored some spiritual principles to consider when striving to overcome loneliness. Sometimes none of this seems to make a difference (or maybe it’s just that I forget to apply all of it!), so to walk the spiritual path with practical feet, here are some other tools I use:
Essential Oils:
Why are they so effective?
When we inhale through the nose, airborne molecules interact with the olfactory organs and, almost immediately, the brain. Molecules inhaled through the nose or mouth are also carried to the lungs and interact with the respiratory system. Thus, inhaled essential oils can affect the body through several systems and pathways.
During inhalation, odor molecules travel through the nose and affect the brain through a variety of receptor sites, one of which is the limbic system, which is commonly referred to as the “emotional brain.”
The limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, and hormone balance (Higley & Higley, 1998). This relationship helps explain why smells often trigger emotions.
I buy mine from Young Living. You can read more at: http://www.youngliving.com/en_US/index.html
Although I’d love to be able to buy many more, the ones I currently use to counteract loneliness and feeling sorry for myself include:
- Live with Passion (when I want to remind myself of my intention to “go with the flow” and be “a flame in a dark place”)
- Magnify your Purpose (before every life coaching session!, Assembly meeting, or service opportunity)
- Valor (to unite the disparate voices within)
- Frankincense (to counteract despair)
- Sensation (when I want to enjoy every moment of an activity and enhance my feelings of connectedness)
- Joy (when I want to change my orientation from the physical world to the spiritual).
- Peace and Calming (to counteract anxiety and panic).
Bach Flower Remedies:
Fortunately I have the entire kit, so if you go to this website and fill out the form (it won’t take much time). http://www.ritecare.com/homeopathic/bach/Open%20Remedy%20Chooser.asp
Have a look at the remedies it suggests for you and if you like, I’d be happy to make up a bottle for you and send it to you. I’d appreciate $10 to cover the cost of postage and bottle.
Listen to Radio Nur:
I play this Bahá’í radio station all day long, so I can be exposed to uplifting messages, which remind me to turn to God as I sing along: http://radionur.com/10701.html
Affirmations CD’s:
To counteract 50 years of negative messages programming my subconscious, I now listen to affirmations all night every night, and have their program running in the background on my computer. The company I buy them from is Think Right Now: www.thinkroghtnow.com/cmd.asp?af-92300
As you will see from the website, they have a lot to choose from, and they aren’t specific to loneliness. But whenever I fall victim to feeling sorry for myself, it’s usually the result of wrong thinking, which these affirmations help overcome, so I recommend taking a look at what they have to offer. I can’t speak highly enough of the CD’s or the company and have written to them twice to say thank you. You can read my letters here: http://susangammage.com/main-menu/testimonials-2/for-my-personal-story?preview=true&preview_id=294&preview_nonce=3f6d96d8ec
(my website is undergoing some changes so if this doesn’t work, please let me know)
Although I would like to buy more, the ones I am currently using include:
- Infinite Joy
- Freedom from Depression
- Dissolving Panic and Anxiety
- Releasing Fear of Failure
- Unstoppable Motivation
- Supreme Confidence
- The Leader’s Mindset
Have you read “The Shack” by Wm Paul Young? It is on the New York Times Bestseller list. If you haven’t read it, ask around your community. Someone is bound to have a copy to lend you. It’s the story of a man who meets with God and given a glimpse of the next world. In the book, God answers the age-old question about why bad things happen to good people.
The following quotes (attributed to God) really spoke to me. The comments in brackets are my editorial comments:
“Living unloved (living with violence and abuse of any kind often leaves us feeling unloved) is like clipping a bird’s wings and removing its ability to fly. Pain (including the emotional pain of loneliness) clips our wings and removes its ability to fly, and if left unresolved for very long, you can almost forget that you were ever created to fly in the first place”. (p. 97)
This reminds me of the Bahá’í prayer which begins:
O God! O God! This is a broken-winged bird and his flight is very slow — assist him so that he may fly toward the apex of prosperity and salvation, wing his way with the utmost joy and happiness throughout the illimitable space, raise his melody in Thy Supreme Name in all the regions, exhilarate the ears with this call, and brighten the eyes by beholding the signs of guidance. (Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 89)
The following quote was a real turn-around for me in terms of my relationship to the “rules” or “shoulds” of the Bahá’í Faith. Because I didn’t have good role models for parents in terms of what constitutes good behaviour, I was delighted to find the guidance in the Bahá’í Writings, and clung to it rigidly. But in doing so, I was missing the “loving God” who is “closer than my life vein” and of course, I was unable to have a relationship with Him.
“Once you have a hierarchy (any hierarchy but in this case, we’re focusing on that between us and God) you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules and you end up with some chain of command or a system of order that destroys relationship rather than promotes it.” (p. 123) . . . Rules will never give you answers to the deep questions of the heart and they will never love you. (only relationships will) (p. 198)
Of course, we know that our purpose is to “know God and worship Him”. Obedience comes from our relationship and the grace of God and aligning our will with the will of God. Being rigid about following the laws only breeds superiority and judgments, which leads to disunity and separates us from God.
When I was putting together the quotes in part 1, I was looking at them with new eyes – those of a loving God – showering down His divine bounty – not telling me what to do.
Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved. Because if you don’t know that I love you, you cannot trust me. (p. 126)
So perhaps what all of this is saying, is that it’s hard for us to have the kind of relationship with God which would alleviate our loneliness, because we haven’t had the proper foundation on which to trust Him. And in order to develop it, we need to focus more on His love and allow it to recreate us (instead of forcing our will on obedience). We know we’re never going to get it right all the time – the best we can hope for is to strive, little by little, day by day.
What are your thoughts? Post your comments here:
by Susan Gammage, Baha'i Life Coach
This morning, one of the clients in my Bahá’í-inspired life coaching practice asked me: “Are you familiar with loneliness?” She went on to explain the tests she’s had within her family and concluded by asking: “How do you manage to keep your spirits up so as to be a support to others? How do you manage to bring Baha’u'llah into your life? How do you manage to keep Him in the centre of your life? It seems like so much of who I am needs to be “re-created” … is there still hope?”
I told her that I am divorced and live alone with my two cats. I have been estranged from my family of origin for over 20 years. My 25 year old son is working and going to school full time in a city 3 hours away and isn’t able to make time for me. I’ve moved so often that all of my friends are in other cities (provinces, countries). In my community, there are only 2 of us who attend Assembly meetings and feasts and in our tiny cluster of 25 souls, most of them are inactive. In my darkest moments, I wonder: if I died, how long would it take for anyone to notice? And I think that at age 52, I have potentially another 40 years of living without love.
When I get thinking that way, I’m reminded of this lamentation of Bahá’u'lláh on page 18 of Prayers and Meditations, and frequently use it myself:
Hasten, by Thy grace and bounty, my passing, O my Lord . . .
Yes, I know a thing or two about loneliness!
To help me not fall victim to feeling sorry for myself too often, I have done some research in the Bahá’í Writings, for insights and guidance. What follows is my response to her.
The first thing to know is that:
There is no harm in thy loneliness in those regions; for verily, the hosts of confirmation are thy help, thy Glorious Lord is thy protector and the angels of the Kingdom are thy fellow-speakers. Glad-tidings be unto thee for this! Blessed art thou for this! (Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdu’l-Bahá v1, p. 61)
Lonely with Unresponsive Family Members
God sees your loneliness and understands the pain you feel when you aren’t able to receive the love and companionship of those closest to you. I’m not sure from the reference, whose voice this is, or who it’s directed towards, but it’s easy to claim for ourselves:
O my Lord, Thou knowest my sighs, my cries and my anguish, the burning pain because of their separation; my great longing for their meeting; my yearning for their love; my desire for their remembrance and my anxiety to behold them. Day and night their remembrance is my treasure and my rose garden. When night comes my heart loves the memory of their illumined faces. I yearn for them as the nightingale yearns for the beautiful meadows. (Compilations : Baha’i Scriptures, p. 410)
Here’s a prayer you can pray for your family, who are unable to respond to your needs for companionship:
Behold, then, O my God, my loneliness among Thy servants and my remoteness from Thy friends and Thy chosen ones. I beseech Thee, by the showers of the clouds of Thy mercy, whereby Thou hast caused the blossoms of Thy praise and utterance and the flowers of Thy wisdom and testimony to spring forth in the hearts of all them that have recognized Thy oneness, to supply Thy servants and my kindred with the fruits of the tree of Thy unity, in these days when Thou hast been established upon the throne of Thy mercy. Hinder them not, O my Lord, from attaining unto the things Thou dost possess, and write down for them that which will aid them to scale the heights of Thy grace and favor. Give them, moreover, to drink of the living waters of Thy knowledge, and ordain for them the good of this world and of the world to come.
Thou art, verily, the Lord of Bahá, and the Beloved of his heart, and the Object of his desire, and the Inspirer of his tongue, and the Source of his soul. No God is there but Thee, the Inaccessible, the Most High. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (Baha’u'llah : Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u'llah, p. 109-110)
Letting go of past traditions
Bahá’u'lláh came to teach us a new way of being, and despite what we hold most sacred, sometimes this means letting go.
This is the Day when the loved ones of God should keep their eyes directed towards His Manifestation, and fasten them upon what¬soever that Manifestation may be pleased to reveal. Certain traditions of bygone ages rest on no foundations whatever, while the notions entertained by past generations, and which they have recorded in their books, have, for the most part, been influenced by the desires of a corrupt inclination. (Bahá’u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh, pp. 171-172.)
I think that one aspect of letting go of past traditions is letting go of the notion of the idea that “blood is thicker than water.” Shoghi Effendi tells us:
Deep as are family ties, we must always remember that the spiritual ties are far deeper; they are everlasting and survive death, whereas physical ties, unless supported by spiritual bonds, are confined to this life . . . (Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 218.)
Here is a prayer I often say, though some friends of mine say that the Báb is asking too much of us . . .
O my God, my Lord and my Master! I have detached myself from my kindred and have sought through Thee to become independent of all that dwell on earth and ever ready to receive that which is praiseworthy in Thy sight. Bestow on me such good as will make me independent of aught else but Thee, and grant me an ampler share of Thy boundless favours. Verily Thou art the Lord of grace abounding. (The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, p. 209).
So what can you do instead? ‘Abdul-Bahá gives us some guidance and words of comfort to consider:
If the friends and relatives are keeping themselves at a dis¬tance from thee, be thou not sad, for God is near to thee. Associate thou, as much as thou canst, with the relatives and strangers; display thou loving kindness; show thou forth the utmost patience and resignation. The more they oppose thee, shower thou upon them the greater justice and equity; the more they show hatred and opposition toward thee, challenge thou them with great truthfulness, friendship and rec¬onciliation. Praise be to God, thou art near to the Kingdom of Abhá! Rest thou assured. With all my soul and spirit, I am thy companion at all moments. Know thou this of a certainty! (’Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, pp. 557-558.)
Reflect on the Heroes and Martyrs
In the Writings, we’re often encouraged to reflect upon the heroes and martyrs of the Faith, to guide us in our lives, so this quote might help remind you that your loneliness has a bigger purpose and that God knows and understands, and will make something good come from it:
Furthermore, call to mind the shameful circumstances that have attended the martyrdom of Husayn. Reflect upon his loneliness, how, to outer seeming, none could be found to aid him, none to take up his body and bury it. And yet, behold how numerous, in this day, are those who from the uttermost corners of the earth don the garb of pilgrimage, seeking the site of his martyrdom, that there they may lay their heads upon the threshold of his shrine! Such is the ascendancy and power of God! Such is the glory of His dominion and majesty! (Bahá’u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Iqán, p. 128)
The following quote reminds us of the Greatest Holy Leaf, Bahiyyih Khánum, so reading the book about her life might help draw you closer to her and away from your loneliness:
She was a real mother to every one of us, a comforter in our pains and anxieties, and a friend in our moments of utter loneliness and despair. (Compilations : Bahiyyih Khánum, p. 68)
Understand your role as a spiritual “pioneer”
In this plan, the term “pioneer” is used more broadly than we have seen before. I know that you are a true pioneer of new ways of interacting with the institutions in your city, so here is a reminder of your “marching orders.
To remain at one’s post, to undergo sacrifice and hardship, loneliness and, if necessary, persecution, in order to hold aloft the torch of Bahá’u'lláh, is the true function of every pioneer. (Shoghi Effendi, Unfolding Destiny, p. 336)
Here is a prayer, which puts it into focus:
O Lord! Dispel the darkness of these corrupt desires, and illumine the hearts with the lamp of Thy love through which all countries will erelong be enlightened. Confirm, moreover, Thy loved ones, those who, leaving their homelands, their families and their children, have, for the love of Thy Beauty, traveled to foreign countries to diffuse Thy fragrances and promulgate Thy teachings. Be Thou their companion in their loneliness, their helper in a strange land, the remover of their sorrows, their comforter in calamity. Be Thou a refreshing draught for their thirst, a healing medicine for their ills and a balm for the burning ardor of their hearts.
Verily, Thou art the Most Generous, the Lord of grace abounding, and, verily, Thou art the Compassionate and the Merciful. (Abdu’l-Baha : Tablets of the Divine Plan, page 59)
Be grateful
Here is something you can say, when you have a hard time remembering to be thankful for your loneliness:
Unto Him do I render thanks and praise for the things He hath ordained, for My loneliness, and the anguish I suffer at the hands of these men who have strayed so far from Him. I have patiently sustained, and will continue to sustain, the tribulation that touched Me, and will put My whole trust and confidence in God. (Baha’u'llah : Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 274)
Say Prayers
Here is a prayer that always brings me comfort:
O my Lord, my Beloved, my Desire! Befriend me in my loneliness and accompany me in my exile; remove my sorrow, cause me to be devoted to Thy Beauty, withdraw me from all else save Thee, attract me through Thy fragrances of holiness, cause me to be associated in Thy Kingdom with those who are severed from all else save Thee and who long to serve Thy Sacred Threshold and who stand to work in Thy Cause, and enable me to be one of Thy maid-servants who have attained to Thy good pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Gracious, the Generous! (Abdu’l-Baha : Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha Volume 3, p. 619)
Study prayers for clues
In the following prayer, we’re reminded that God sees our loneliness and can heal and transform it. As you study the prayer you will see that by asking for certain things, ‘Abdul-Bahá is telling us what we can do to allay it:
- Turn to God in prayer
- Let your heart overflow with love for His creatures
- Be a promoter of concord amongst His loved ones
- Nestle beneath the shade of His protecting wings
- Teach and praise God
- Remember God and be forgetful of self and ever mindful of what is His
The serenity prayer comes to mind:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference (or in this case, to know what belongs to you and what belongs to God).
Here’s the prayer:
O Lord, my God and my Haven in my distress! My Shield and my Shelter in my woes! My Asylum and Refuge in time of need and in my loneliness my Companion! In my anguish my Solace, and in my solitude a loving Friend! The Remover of the pangs of my sorrows and the Pardoner of my sins!
Wholly unto Thee do I turn, fervently imploring Thee with all my heart, my mind and my tongue, to shield me from all that runs counter to Thy will in this, the cycle of Thy divine unity, and to cleanse me of all defilement that will hinder me from seeking, stainless and unsullied, the shade of the tree of Thy grace. Have mercy, O Lord, on the feeble, make whole the sick, and quench the burning thirst.
Gladden the bosom wherein the fire of Thy love doth smolder, and set it aglow with the flame of Thy celestial love and spirit. Robe the tabernacles of divine unity with the vesture of holiness, and set upon my head the crown of Thy favor. Illumine my face with the radiance of the orb of Thy bounty, and graciously aid me in ministering at Thy holy threshold.
Make my heart overflow with love for Thy creatures and grant that I may become the sign of Thy mercy, the token of Thy grace, the promoter of concord amongst Thy loved ones, devoted unto Thee, uttering Thy commemoration and forgetful of self but ever mindful of what is Thine.
O God, my God! Stay not from me the gentle gales of Thy pardon and grace, and deprive me not of the wellsprings of Thine aid and favor. ‘Neath the shade of Thy protecting wings let me nestle, and cast upon me the glance of Thine all-protecting eye.
Loose my tongue to laud Thy name amidst Thy people, that my voice may be raised in great assemblies and from my lips may stream the flood of Thy praise. Thou art, in all truth, the Gracious, the Glorified, the Mighty, the Omnipotent. (Abdu’l-Bahá, Baha’i Prayers, p. 30-31)
Be in Constant Communion with God
In the following prayer, we’re reminded of our need to focus on being of service and in order to do this, we need to be in constant communion with God. When we allow Him to be our companion, we live in the spiritual realms and our physical loneliness slips away.
O Lord! Strengthen my back, enable me to serve Thee with the utmost endeavor, and leave me not to myself, lonely and helpless in these regions. O Lord! Grant me communion with Thee in my loneliness, and be my companion in these foreign lands. Verily, Thou art the Confirmer of whomsoever Thou willest in that which Thou desirest, and, verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Omnipotent. (Abdu’l-Baha : Tablets of the Divine Plan, Page 47)
Use the Greatest Name
The original of the following passage has never been found, so it’s not considered authentic text, but it certainly grabbed my attention and helped me to understand the wisdom of its use.
Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá!
In this cry, all the cries of the universe are sounded, and the chord of Divine Reality is struck. The shout “Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá” in this, the Day of its birth is of more profit to thee than all the knowledge of science and all the wealth of the earth. It is the rhythm of progress, the chord of creation, the melody of eternity, and the password to the Kingdom of God. Therefore, use it to establish thyself in the realm of Divine Trust. Speak it in thy solitude, cry it in thy joy, murmur it in thy grief and chant it in thy weakest moments – and it will give thee strength.
It is the cry that will bring the Supreme Concourse to the door of thy life, and which stations the loving trust of Abhá about thy soul. It opens the heavenly mysteries, manifests the colours, and solves the riddles of life. It absorbs all, encircles all, includes all.
To cry that phrase “O Thou Glory of the Most Glorious: is to sing in harmony with the Supreme Concourse, and to harmonize thyself with the holy “I Am” in His Court of divine omnipotent truth. It holds all there is of form, of spirit and of the world of creative thought.
This, the most Great Name, carries the highest vibrations, which make manifest the wisdom of the spiritual worlds. This utterance produces a spiritual result beyond all idle fancies and vain imaginations.
Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá!
Give it to God
Here, the Báb is praying to God, asking Him to make other people aware of His loneliness – so we too can go to God and trust Him to work on our behalf:
Thou seest, O my Lord, my dwelling-place in the heart of this mountain and Thou dost witness my forbearance . . . Yet the sorrow of solitude and loneliness prompteth me to invoke Thee through this prayer, perchance Thy trusted servants may become aware of my lamentations, may supplicate unto Thee on my behalf, and Thou wouldst graciously answer their prayers as a token of Thy grace and Thy favour. (Fire and Light Excerpts from the Bahá’í Sacred Writings, p. V)
In conclusion, I don’t think it’s possible to escape from our loneliness. It’s but one of the tests we are given in this world, but perhaps this quote will help remind you of a context to put it into:
Men may be made in the image of God, yet (as the presents it) the history of the tribes and peoples and nations of the world, of the Hebrews and the Gentiles, reflects at no time the order and harmony and the happiness of a divine world. It is a tale of turmoil and vicissitude, of struggle and trouble, of sorrow and loneliness and penitence, of bitter shame, and hopes lost and hearts broken.
Men dream of heaven and peace, they long for a better order of things than that which they have made. Prophetic promises of a great felicity, of a sure deliverance from the fears of life, and from its discords and its wrongs and its despairs, buoy up the fainting hearts of the generations and grow with the passing centuries more full and clear. But no nation ever walks with a whole heart in the ways of God or in the sunshine of His presence; by the multitudes happiness is only seen if at all in faint and far-off glimpses [but] . . . A happy ending to the history of man is from the beginning assured by the might of the One Sovereign Will who brought all things into existence. (George Townsend, Heart of the Gospel, p. 20)
In the words of ‘Abdul-Bahá, “This too shall pass.”
For more information on material ideas for combatting loneliness, please see part 2, to be posted in a couple of days.
In the meantime, what are your thoughts? Post your comments here:
