The concept of âUnity in Diversityâ is a given in the BahĂĄ’Ă Faith and a term thatâs been bandied around so often, that weâre now seeing it in the non-BahĂĄ’Ă world too. The best known usage inside the Faith, is around the concept of the oneness of humanity, being likened to a garden, but recently I came across this quote (which Iâve broken in 3 parts) and had an entirely different understanding of what it means:
A unity in diversity of actions is called for, a condition in which different individuals will concentrate on different activities, appreciating the salutary effect of the aggregate on the growth and development of the Faith . . .
Think of the human body â a beautiful example of unity in diversity in action! We need big toenails just as much as we need eyeballs and kneecaps and thumbs. The big toenail doesnât feel guilty it canât see. The kneecap isnât depressed because it canât pick things up. Each part is important to the functioning of the whole (have you ever had a sore big toe nail? The whole body suffers!). Each part has a role to play, which is different from every other part. We accept it without giving it any thought, because typically, the body functions without any conscious effort on our part.
Thatâs what our BahĂĄ’Ă life needs to be like.
. . . because each person cannot do everything and all persons cannot do the same thing . . .
The Universal House of Justice has asked us to concentrate on 4 core activities:Â Study Circles, Devotional Gatherings, Childrenâs Classes and Junior Youth programs, but that doesnât mean that everyone has to do one or more of these activities the same as anyone else.
If youâre a big toenail, perhaps you will tutor a study circle, or put together the devotions, or teach the childrenâs classes and junior youth programs.
If youâre a kneecap, you might organize the activities (find the tutors, teachers and animators, order the books, call the students, parents etc.)
If youâre the eyeball, you might host the events or bake the cookies.
If youâre the thumb, you might provide transportation or child care.
If youâre the eyelash, you might pray for the success of the event.
If youâre the elbow, you might serve on the institutions that do the planning.
But how many of us try to do everything and either burn out or become inactive because they feel that what they have to offer isnât appreciated, or isnât what others are doing etc?
. . . This understanding is important to the maturity which, by the many demands being made upon it, the community is being forced to attain. (Compilations, Promoting Entry by Troops, p. 17)
So the next time you are tempted to do it all, remember that itâs a sign of maturity to know which part of the whole youâre best at, recognize that you are a big toe nail, and leave the work of the eyeball to the eyeball.
“Remember My days during thy days, and My distress and banishment in this remote prison . . .” (BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh)
When I was in the deepest despair, remembering traumatic events of my childhood, I came across this quote, which helped to lift me out of my âselfâ. I was feeling a lot of âpoor meâ and âwhy did this have to happen to meâ, and then I had to stop and remember BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄhâs days.
BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh was born into a wealthy family and was expected to follow his father into an important position in the government of Persia (Iran). He didnât want the position or the power. Instead He wanted to dedicate Himself to helping the oppressed, sick and poor and to champion the cause of justice.
As a result, his life included a series of imprisonments, and banishments. At one point He was imprisoned for four months in an underground reservoir for a public bath, with its only outlet a single passage down three steep flights of stone steps. He sat with his feet in stocks and a 100-pound iron chain around his neck. He and His fellow prisoners (150 thieves, murders and highwaymen) huddled in their own bodily wastes, languishing in the pit’s inky gloom, subterranean cold and vermin and stench-ridden atmosphere.
When he was freed from prison, He and His family were banished to Bagdad (Iraq), a 3 month journey on foot over the mountains in the middle of winter without enough food.
âThe throat Thou didst accustom to the touch of silk Thou hast, in the end, clasped with strong chains, and the body Thou didst ease with brocades and velvets Thou hast at last subjected to the abasement of a dungeon. Thy decree hath shackled Me with unnumbered fetters, and cast about My neck chains that none can sunder . . . How many the nights during which the weight of chains and fetters allowed Me no rest, and how numerous the days during which peace and tranquility were denied Me . . . Both bread and water . . . they have, for a time, forbidden unto this servant . . . and Thy behest summoned this servant to depart out of Persia, accompanied by a number of frail-bodied men and children of tender age, at this time when the cold is so intense that one cannot even speak, and ice and snow so abundant that it is impossible to moveâ. (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 109)
He stayed in Bagdad for 7 years, and then was banished again to Constantinople (Turkey), where he stayed for four months, and then was exiled again to Adrianople (Turkey). Again it was in winter and they didnât have the proper clothes to protect them from the harsh weather. In order to drink, they had to light a fire to thaw ice from springs along the way. He stayed there for four and a half years and then was banished to the prison city of âAkkĂĄ (Israel), to which the worst criminals were sent. He remained there for the rest of His life (24 years).
He was discredited by His uncle, poisoned by his jealous half-brother and witnessed the death of His son. He was betrayed by people He trusted, stoned, and isolated from the Believers. For a time, to protect the Faith from the efforts of His half-brother, He lived as a hermit. He was the victim of ignorance, injustice, cruelty and fanaticism.
But every crisis was followed by victory, and this, I believe, is what is important to remember.
Although my repressed memories included all the positive and neutral memories too, once they came back I was able to see that like BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh, there were times in my life that were peaceful, and activities that werenât abusive. From anger I learned to find my voice and take action. From poverty I was protected from materialism and learned to rely on God. From estrangement I gained knowledge of myself, and through it, knowledge of God. From being silenced, I was protected from backbiting and gossip.
So when youâre feeling in the pit of despair, I urge you to remember not only the negative things that happened to you, and to BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh, but to remember the victories that came from them as well.
What are your experiences with crisis and victory? Post your comments here.
âTurn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsistingâ.
I love this quote! For years following my abuse, I was so resistant to looking inside. Iâd lived through it once when I was a child, and again in therapy. I knew there was a lot more stuff to clean out and I wanted no part of it. But where I wasnât willing to âturn my sight unto myselfâ to find more memories, I could âturn my sight unto myselfâ to find God! That was a whole lot better than finding more abuse, with all its attendant negative emotions!
When I went there, itâs amazing what was released . . . all the neutral and positive memories! A flood of them! They came back all at once, and it helped me to see that as awful as my childhood was, there was something I could build on: my relationship with God.  And I am grateful!
What happens when you turn your sight to yourself? Post your comments here.
âYou should certainly safeguard your nerves and force yourself to take time, and not only for prayer and meditation, but for real rest and relaxationâ.
Even though this quote was written over 100 years ago, how much more true is it today, when many of us are trying to do the job of 3 people, living a fast-paced life and hardly have time to squeeze in time to serve the Faith the way we want to. I often wonder how ‘Abdul-BahĂĄ would live his life in our western bustle, so that I can get some clarity on this subject.
In the Bible, weâre told that when God was creating the world, âon the seventh day He rested.â He knew that moderation was needed! I find it interesting that in this quote, weâre told to âforceâ ourselves to take time for rest and relaxation!
Even the Guardian went to Switzerland every summer, in order to get what he needed to continue serving the Faith! Many of us are able to get away on vacations each year, but we often book in every minute so we can see and do as much as we can. Although a change is as good as a rest, it’s not the same as “real rest and relaxation.” For that you need to “be still.”
After working and volunteering full tilt for many years in a row, my adrenals were shot. It was as though my car had run out of gas, and instead of taking time to fill it, I opened the door and pushed the car along with my foot, until I couldnât do that anymore either. Now I am âforcedâ to take time for real rest and relaxation! But wouldnât it have been better if Iâd heeded this advice earlier?
Having a “Type A” personality, with an addiction to busy-ness and perfectionism, I didn’t know how to rest and relax. Work to me was fun! And I would take it with me on my vacation. Once I realized how important it was for my health, and finding quotes like these, I slowly started to implement changes. At first, I took time to journal, which is a great stree reliever but it still engages both sides of the brain and isn’t “real rest and relaxation”. So then I forced myself to sit down and watch a movie or a TV show. My favorites include:
M*A*S*H (I have the entire series which a friend taped for me!)
Touched by an Angel
7th Heaven (I taped the entire series)
Heartland (I can watch the entire series online)
Later I tried different crafts and settled (for now) on counted cross stitch (which I used to do in my youth).
And finally, I’ve booked out one day a week in my calendar for “me time”.
Whatâs been your experience with needing time to rest? Post your comments here.
âWhat they desperately need is to know how to live their lives - they need to know who they are, to what purpose they exist, and how they should act towards one another; and, once they know the answers to these questions they need to be helped to gradually apply these answers to everyday behaviour. It is to the solution of this basic problem of mankind that the greater part of all our energy and resources should be directedâ.
When I first became a BahĂĄ’Ă, it was because I recognized that BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh had answers to questions Iâd never even thought of, and it was obvious to me that His message was from God. I knew that I needed to look to His Writings to find the answer to this question: âhow then do I live my life?â
Fortunately we were told to read the Writings morning and night and meditate on them, so they quickly started to come, and I realized that this was the gift we had to give to the world, which was quickly disintegrating around us.
But it wasnât enough to understand the Writings in my head. I did this, and they just became one big âto doâ list, under which I eventually collapsed. Iâm only one little person and this Revelation was written for all of humanity, for the next thousand years! So it didnât all apply to me!
So how could I sort out what was the remedy for my particular situation? I had no idea! I wrote to the House of Justice a few times; consulted with different assemblies a few times, and gradually over time, I learned to clean away the veils from my heart, so I could listen there, where God resides, to find all the wisdom I needed.
Now I read the Writings morning and night as âsoul foodâ, not as a âto doâ list, and Iâm much happier and more at peace!
We must not be content with simply following a certain course because we find our fathers pursued that course. It is the duty of everyone to investigate reality, and investigation of reality by another will not do for us.
In the movie âFiddler on the Roofâ, we hear clearly the longing for the security of tradition, and the prison it locks us into.
Who, day and night, must scramble for a living,
Feed a wife and children, say his daily prayers?
And who has the right, as master of the house,
To have the final word at home?
The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.
The Papa, the Papa! Tradition.
[GOLDE & MAMAS]
Who must know the way to make a proper home,
A quiet home, a kosher home?
Who must raise the family and run the home,
So Papa’s free to read the holy books?
The Mama, the Mama! Tradition!
The Mama, the Mama! Tradition!
[SONS]
At three, I started Hebrew school. At ten, I learned a trade.
I hear they’ve picked a bride for me. I hope she’s pretty.
The son, the son! Tradition!
The son, the son! Tradition!
[DAUGHTERS]
And who does Mama teach to mend and tend and fix,
Preparing me to marry whoever Papa picks?
The daughter, the daughter! Tradition!
The daughter, the daughter! Tradition!
As teens we chafe against it. If weâve been abused, we determine to do the opposite of what weâve been taught, but in the end, many of us sink back into what we know. It takes a lot of effort to truly break the chains of what weâve been taught. Sometimes theyâre so enmeshed we think weâre thinking for ourselves, when in reality weâre just repeating what our culture teaches.
So if itâs âour duty to investigate realityâ, without following whatâs familiar and without looking to see how our neighbor is living, how then can we find our way?
I think we need to look to our hearts to give us the answer. Itâs the place where God resides and He certainly knows whatâs best for us. But itâs not always easy to hear our hearts, especially if itâs veiled with natural impurities such as: anger, lust, worldliÂŹness, pride, lying, hypocrisy, fraud, self-love, etc.
The first step is to ask God to take these impurities, and transmute them into something else â in this case, focus, direction, certainty, faith and trust.
The second step is to use the 5 Steps of Prayer:
1st Step: Pray and meditate about it. Use the prayers of the ManifestaÂŹtions as they have the greatest power. Then remain in the silence of contemplation for a few minutes.
Many of us fail to wait and listen for Godâs answer, after we say our prayers, forgetting that prayer is a 2-way conversation. Itâs like consulting with someone, where you lay out your problem before them and then go home, without waiting to hear their perspective or guidance. Weâll never know how to change our lives if we donât wait and listen for the answer.
Shoghi Effendi tells a story about building the gardens around the shrine of the BĂĄb. He said he didnât have a clue what the end product would look like. He would pray, get direction, act on it and then repeat the process the next day. This is what we need to do too, if we want to forge a life different from our forefathers.
2nd Step: Arrive at a decision and hold this. This decision is usually born during the contemplation. It may seem almost impossible of acÂŹcomplishment but if it seems to be as answer to a prayer or a way of solving the problem, then immediately take the next step.
Itâs easy to make a decision but much harder to hold on to it. Our hearts give us an answer and our minds second guess it. The minute we move from our hearts to our minds, we can be sure weâre destined to continue to do things the same way weâve always done them.  We know that God has our best interests at heart, so to let our minds disregard the answers weâre given is truly to turn away from God in pride, thinking we know better than He does.
3rd Step:Â Have determination to carry the decision through. Many fail here. The decision, budding into determination, is blighted and inÂŹstead becomes a wish or a vague longing. When determination is born, immediately take the next step.
Determination is the virtue which will help you carry your decision through. With determination comes the courage to act and the focus to take the steps necessary to move us forward. So if weâre wavering here, we can give our uncertainty to God and ask Him to transmute it to determination. We donât have to do this alone. God wants us to succeed!
4th Step: Have faith and confidence that the power will flow through you, the right way will appear, the door will open, the right thought, the right message, the right principle, or the right book will be given to you. Have confidence and the right thing will come to your need. Then, as you rise from prayer, take at once the 5th step.
Sometimes we take a step and then feel a little foolish. Nothing seems to have changed. You canât see how this action will lead to the result youâve been praying for. This is where faith and confidence will help. You know youâve done what God suggested, so you can leave it up to Him to give you what you need next. Watch for it! It feels like magic when the right things appear!
5th Step: Act as though it had all been answered. Then act with tireless, ceaseless energy. And as you act, you, yourself, will become a magÂŹnet, which will attract more power to your being, until you become an unobstructed channel for the Divine power to flow through you.
I read a story once of a woman who was going on pilgrimage. She had a date and the desire to go, but she didnât have the money or the ticket. She used this process, and as the days grew closer to her deadline, she made arrangements for someone to take care of her cat. She packed her suitcase, watered her plants, arranged for the mail to be taken care of, and cancelled the newspaper delivery. People told her she was crazy! But she continued to take the steps in faith, trusting that the ticket would appear and just hours before she was to leave, it did, and she was able to go. Thatâs the level of faith and action weâre called to do.
Many pray but do not remain for the last half of the first step. Some who meditate arrive at a decision, but fail to hold it. Few have the determination to carry the decision through, still fewer have the confidence that the right thing will come to their need.
But how many remember to act as though it had all been answered? How true are these words âGreater than the prayer is the spirit in which it is utteredâ and greater than the way it is uttered is the spirit in which it is carried out. (Shoghi Effendi, Remembrance of God, pp. 207-208).
If you seek immunity from the sway of the forces of the contingent world, hang the Most Great Name in your dwelling, wear the ring of the Most Great Name on your finger, place the picture of ‘Abdul-BahĂĄ in your home and always recite the prayers that I have written; then you will behold the marvelous effect they produce.
When I first disclosed my abuse in therapy and then to my perpetrators, I was feeling very vulnerable. Would I be killed? Iâd believed that this would be the outcome of giving voice to my experience, all of my life, which is what had kept me silenced for so long, even to myself. Therefore, I was happy when I discovered this morningâs quote by ‘Abdul-BahĂĄ. It was something practical I could immediately implement.
I went from looking over my shoulders and not wanting to leave home, to trusting that I would be protected from any recriminations. And I was! It was a heady experience!
Later, once my life had stabilized and I was experiencing triggers at work with abusive bosses, I would read that quote again, and realize I was again being protected. I had choices this time, where I did not as a child.
Even later, when I realized the impact of materialism on my life, and longed for a simpler lifestyle, this quote reminded me that by living on a limited income, I was being protected from the worst of it.
I love discovering deeper layers of meaning in quotes as I grow in faith!
Click here to see where you can find more quotes like these.
âReliance on God is indeed the strongest and safest weaponâ
Although this is a quote to inspire those who are trying to teach the Faith, it appeals to me, who often feels powerless in the face of abuse. There were so many times when I was totally powerless against my oppressors. They were bigger and stronger than I. But when I found this quote, I realized I wasnât on my own. God was with me. All I had to do was remember to turn to him.
Itâs kind of like electricity â itâs always there, but until we plug something in, or flip a switch, we canât access it. Itâs like that with God.
So now, whenever Iâm feeling powerless, no matter what the reason, I turn to God, saying my favorite prayer:Â âO God guide me, protect me.â
â. . . let us turn our hearts away from the world of matter and live in the spiritual world! It alone can give us freedom!”
Let us live in the spiritual realm . . . who wouldnât want that? No bills, unconditional love, rest, relaxation . . .
Is it possible to have those things in this world? It must be, or ‘Abdul-BahĂĄ wouldnât be suggesting we do it. I think this quote is talking about living in the present moment. For most of us, this present moment, right now, as Iâm writing this and youâre reading it, we are safe. We are free from abuse and bills, and in this moment, if we take the time to turn to the spiritual world, we can feel the love thatâs there for us, and get the rest and relaxation we need.
Perhaps our lives in the past were not what we wanted them to be; and we know that our life in the future will be rife with tests, but just now, in this moment, if we turn to the spiritual realm, everything is fine.
In our last blog posting, we talked about the Baha’i Teachings on Diet. I often share the following tablet with my life coaching clients as well.
Some rules for health, from a Tablet revealed by BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh.
O God! The Supreme Knower! The Ancient Tongue speaks that which will satisfy the wise in the absence of doctors.
O People, do not eat except when you are hungry. Do not drink after you have retired to sleep.
Exercise is good when the stomach is empty; it strengthens the muscles. When the stomach is full it is very harmful.
Do not neglect medical treatment, when it is necessary, but leave it off when the body is in good condition.
Do not take nourishment except when (the process of) digestion is completed. Do not swallow until you have thoroughly masticated your food.
Treat disease first of all through diet, and refrain from medicine. If you can find what you need for healing in a single herb do not use a compound medicine. Leave off medicine when the health is good, and use it in case of necessity.
If two diametrically opposite foods are put on the table do not mix them. Be content with one of them. Take first the liquid food before partaking of solid food. The taking of food before that which you have already eaten is digested is dangerous….
When you have eaten walk a little that the food may settle.
That which is difficult to masticate is forbidden by the wise. Thus the Supreme Pen commands you.
A light meal in the morning is as a light to the body.
Avoid all harmful habits: they cause unhappiness in the world.
Search for the causes of disease. This saying is the conclusion of this utterance.
(Star of the West, vol. 13, no. 9, December 1922, p. 252)
In God must be our trust. There is no God but Him, the Healer, the Knower, the Helper…. Nothing in earth or heaven is outside the grasp of God.
O doctor! In treating the sick, first mention the name of God, the Possessor of the Day of Judgment, and then use what God hath destined for the healing of His creatures. By My Life! The doctor who has drunk from the Wine of My Love, his visit is healing, and his breath is mercy and hope. Cling to him for the welfare of the constitution. He is confirmed by God in his treatment.
(Star of the West, vol. 21, no. 5, August 1930, p. 160)
What are your thoughts on this prescription? Post your comments here:
In light of the upcoming holidays, which often lead to over-eating and thoughts of diets in the New Year, some of my life coaching clients have asked what the Baha’i Writings have to say about diet. I’ve put together the following compilation to respond to their questions.
Are there specific dietary laws in the Baha’i Faith?
. . . there is nothing in the teachings about whether people should eat their food cooked or raw; exercise or not exercise; resort to specific therapies or not; nor is it forbidden to eat meat. (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual 18 December 1945 in Health and Healing, p. 38-9).
What guidance is given on what to eat?
. . . the food of man is cereal and fruit. Some of the teeth of man are like millstones to grind the grain, and some are sharp to cut the fruit. Therefore he is not in need of meat, nor is he obliged to eat it. Even without eating meat he would live with the utmost vigour and energy. For example, the community of Brahmins in India do not eat meat; notwithstanding this they are not inferior to other nations in strength, power, vigour, outward senses or intellectual virtues. Truly, the killing of animals and the eating of their meat is somewhat contrary to pity and compassion and if one can content oneself with cereals, fruit, oil and nuts, such as pistachios, almonds and so on, it would undoubtedly be better and more pleasing.  (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, From a tablet to an individual believer, in Health and Healing, p. 8).
. . . All the teeth of man are made for eating fruit, cereals and vegetables. These four teeth (the canines), however, are designed for breaking hard shells, such as those of almonds. But eating meat is not forbidden or unlawful, nay, the point is this, that it is possible for man to live without eating meat and still be strong. Meat is nourishing and containeth the elements of herbs, seeds and fruits; therefore sometimes it is essential for the sick and for the rehabilitation of health. There is no objection in the Law of God to the eating of meat if it is required. So if thy constitution is rather weak and thou findest meat useful, thou mayest eat it. (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, From a Tablet to an individual believer, in Health and Healing, p. 9.)
What will be the food of the future?
Fruit and grains. The time will come when meat will no longer be eaten. Medical science is only in its infancy, yet it has shown that our natural diet is that which grows out of the ground. The people will gradually develop up to the condition of this natural food. (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, Ten Days in the Light of AkkĂĄ, p. 8-9, found in Health and Healing, p. 29.)
How much should we eat?
In all circumstances they should conduct themselves with moderation; if the meal be only one course this is more pleasing in the sight of God; however, according to their means, they should seek to have this single dish be of good quality. (BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh, From the KitĂĄb-i-BadĂ, found in Health and Healing, p. 2.)
What happens when we overeat?
But man hath perversely continued to serve his lustful appetites, and he would not content himself with simple foods. Rather, he prepared for himself food that was compounded of many ingredients, of substances differing one from the other. With this, and with the perpetrating of vile and ignoble acts, his attention was engrossed, and he abandoned the temperance and moderation of a natural way of life. The result was the engendering of diseases both violent and diverse. (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, p. 152-3).
How can I know which food is best for me?
In matters of health, particularly regarding diet and nutrition, the House of Justice advises the friends to seek the help and advice of experts and doctors. This is what BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh has recommended and He does not indicate which school of thought or practice they should belong to. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual 19 June 1977 in Health and Healing. p. 48-9).
What’s the relationship between diet and disease?
The outer, physical causal factor in disease, however, is a disturbance in the balance, the proportionate equilibrium of all those elements of which the human body is composed. To illustrate: the body of man is a compound of many constituent substances, each component being present in a prescribed amount, contributing to the essential equilibrium of the whole. So long as these constituents remain in their due proportion, according to the natural balance of the whole - that is, no component suffereth a change in its natural proportionate degree and balance, no component being either augmented or decreased - there will be no physical cause for the incursion of disease.
For example, the starch component must be present to a given amount, and the sugar to a given amount. So long as each remaineth in its natural proportion to the whole, there will be no cause for the onset of disease. When, however, these constituents vary as to their natural and due amounts - that is, when they are augmented or diminished - it is certain that this will provide for the inroads of disease.
This question requireth the most careful investigation. . . (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, p. 153).
. . . it will be clearly seen that the incursion of disease is due to a disturbance in the relative amounts of the bodyď˝s component substances, and that treatment consisteth in adjusting these relative amounts, and that this can be apprehended and made possible by means of foods. (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, p. 154-5).
But the principal causes of disease are physical, for the human body is composed of numerous elements, but in the measure of an especial equilibrium. As long as this equilibrium is maintained, man is preserved from disease; but if this essential balance, which is the pivot of the constitution, is disturbed, the constitution is disordered, and disease will supervene.
For instance, there is a decrease in one of the constituent ingredients of the body of man, and in another there is an increase; so the proportion of the equilibrium is disturbed, and disease occurs. For example, one ingredient must be one thousand grams in weight, and another five grams, in order that the equilibrium be maintained. The part which is one thousand grams diminishes to seven hundred grams and that which is five grams augments until the measure of the equilibrium is disturbed; then disease occurs. When by remedies and treatments the equilibrium is reestablished, the disease is banished. So if the sugar constituent increases, the health is impaired; and when the doctor forbids sweet and starchy foods, the sugar constituent diminishes, the equilibrium is reestablished, and the disease is driven off.
Now the readjustment of these constituents of the human body is obtained by two means - either by medicines or by aliments; and when the constitution has recovered its equilibrium, disease is banished.
All the elements that are combined in man exist also in vegetables; therefore, if one of the constituents which compose the body of man diminishes, and he partakes of foods in which there is much of that diminished constituent, then the equilibrium will be established, and a cure will be obtained. So long as the aim is the readjustment of the constituents of the body, it can be effected either by medicine or by foods. (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, Some Answered Questions, p. 257-9).
Can diet be used to treat illness?
Treat disease through diet, by preference, refraining from the use of drugs; and if you find what is required in a single herb, do not resort to a compounded medicament. . . (BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh, BahĂĄ’u'llĂĄh and the New Era, p. 106, in Health and Healing, p. 3).
At whatever time highly-skilled physicians shall have developed the healing of illnesses by means of foods, and shall make provision for simple foods, and shall prohibit humankind from living as slaves to their lustful appetites, it is certain that the incidence of chronic and diversified illnesses will abate, and the general health of all mankind will be much improved. This is destined to come about. (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, p. 156).
The BĂĄb hath said that the people of BahĂĄ must develop the science of medicine to such a high degree that they will heal illnesses by means of foods. The basic reason for this is that if, in some component substance of the human body, an imbalance should occur, altering its correct, relative proportion to the whole, this fact will inevitably result in the onset of disease. If, for example, the starch component should be unduly augmented, or the sugar component decreased, an illness will take control. It is the function of a skilled physician to determine which constituent of his patient’s body hath suffered diminution, which hath been augmented. Once he hath discovered this, he must prescribe a food containing the diminished element in considerable amounts, to re-establish the bodys essential equilibrium. The patient, once his constitution is again in balance, will be rid of his disease. (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, p. 154).
It is therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature. (’Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, Some Answered Questions, p. 259).
Conclusion
In matters of diet, as in medicine, the Universal House of Justice feels that the believers should be aware that a huge body of scientific knowledge has been accumulated as a guide to our habits and practices. Here too, as in all other things, the believers should be conscious of the two principles of moderation and courtesy in the way they express their opinions and in deciding whether they should refuse food offered to them or request special foods.
There are, of course, instances where a believer would be fully justified in abstaining from or eating only certain foods for some medical reason, but this is a different matter and would be understood by any reasonable person. (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice 24 January 1977, in Health and Healing, p. 48).
What are your thoughts about diet and food? Post your comments here:
The concept of âUnity in Diversityâ is a given in the BahĂĄ’Ă Faith and a term thatâs been bandied around so often, that weâre now seeing it in the non-BahĂĄ’Ă world too. The best known usage inside the Faith, is around the concept of the oneness of humanity, being likened to a garden, but recently I came across this quote (which Iâve broken in 3 parts) and had an entirely different understanding of what it means:
by Susan Gammage
by Susan Gammage
Even though this quote was written over 100 years ago, how much more true is it today, when many of us are trying to do the job of 3 people, living a fast-paced life and hardly have time to squeeze in time to serve the Faith the way we want to. I often wonder how ‘Abdul-BahĂĄ would live his life in our western bustle, so that I can get some clarity on this subject.
âWhat they desperately need is to know how to live their lives - they need to know who they are, to what purpose they exist, and how they should act towards one another; and, once they know the answers to these questions they need to be helped to gradually apply these answers to everyday behaviour. It is to the solution of this basic problem of mankind that the greater part of all our energy and resources should be directedâ.
by Susan Gammage
by Susan Gammage
by Susan Gammage
