heading home today for the first time in years, should prove exciting. and yet the idea that my "home" is any different than the place i live now, is puzzling. soon enough, my parents will advance beyond this life, leaving their children behind to carry on thier legacy. so it is with that in mind that i travel home without the "sentimental" emotion that has been the norm. in fact, i live with my extended family on my father's side, which for all intents and purposes can serve as my "home". leaving home, for home?

at any rate, it will be good to see my father who has been ill for a number of years. the island also provides an amazing backdrop to relax and deepen on many of the experiences i have had since leaving for college and such back in '97. i hope to get out into the mountains to enjoy the atmosphere in prayer and meditation ~ something i have not been able to do as of yet while here in the middle of north america.

the other half of my heart will be traveling south to florida, where she and her family have gone every summer to participate in a Baha'i Summer School. this time, however, they will be going without the physical company of Mary; mom. my prayers will be with them, how much more my heart with her. she is quite the gem surrounded by so many who serve to set her in the utmost beauty and charm. what a bounty to be a part of her life.

speaking of which, it has also been a blessing to witness the unfolding of another heart here in town. a good friend of mine has been investigating the Writings of the Faith, which she has found to offer truth as well as comfort through some very difficult tests. last night, she began quoting to me different Writings that she found very helpful, much to my delight. one of those quotes was:

Nevertheless, man's inner being will be so revived by the breeze of divinely-ordained woes and trials that the dust of wailing and lamentation will entirely subside and the light of submissive resignation unto His Will shall shine forth like unto a radiant morn.

~Compilations, Fire and Light, p. 24

i had never read this quote before, but it is most apt in relation to the various tests we all experience in our daily lives. however, the entirety of the quote puts into complete perspective the nature of tests, as well as the direct purpose for their existence in our lives.

O thou who art resigned to His irrevocable Decree!

Render thanks unto God for having attained so sublime a station. Thou art treading the path of His good-pleasure; thou hast surrendered thyself unreservedly to that which is ordained and destined by Him; thou hast placed thy whole trust in Him and manifested unswerving constancy and fortitude in the face of this grievous calamity. Thus indeed doth it beseem the loved ones of God to conduct themselves, so that when they are beset by hardships or hemmed in by dire affliction they may be able to comfort others and impart consolation unto them, their faces may glow with the light of radiant acquiescence and they may deliver to the flames the veil of moaning, sighing and lamentation, inasmuch as resort to sadness and grief in the midst of tribulation is but an indication of lack of assurance and certitude.

In truth were man to attain the stage of certitude in his spiritual development, no affliction could ever depress his spirits, though he would undoubtedly be influenced by reason of his human susceptibilities. Nevertheless, man's inner being will be so revived by the breeze of divinely-ordained woes and trials that the dust of wailing and lamentation will entirely subside and the light of submissive resignation unto His Will shall shine forth like unto a radiant morn.

And upon thee be greetings and praise.

~Compilations, Fire and Light, p. 24

"Look not upon my hopes and my doings, nay rather look upon Thy will that hath encompassed the heavens and the earth. By Thy Most Great Name, O Thou Lord of all nations! I have desired only what Thou didst desire, and love only what Thou dost love."

~Baha'u'llah

Truly, what could I ever show enough love, dedication, and service that it would ever compare to the divine blessings and love that shower down upon us from our Creator? Knowing full well that He has not only breathed life into creation, but sustains it by His eternal grace and mercy - our Heavenly Father also has bestowed upon us the capability to understand His purpose for our being created. This, is simply the chance to know and love Him. However, this is not anything like the relationships we form with friends, family and loved ones. How many times have we claimed love and devotion to those who have given us life, or our loyal friends, or our current romantic companion - only to turn heels the next day in anger or frustration with them? Odd.

Why.why.Why.why.

Regardless of the necessary mysteries in life that will forever entice our hearts to higher places and experiences - witnessing the manner in which people who claim love, treat each other - is truly puzzling. It is also unfortunate that our medical science has somehow supported this type of behavior as being "natural", or a part of being human. How interesting, that to propose such a definition of what part of being human is, must also require a working definition of what makes us human to begin with! Hey! Wonderful! What need is there to further our study of human behavior?

Somehow, the folly of such beliefs becomes apparent. The balance of the scales have become so upset that it is only extremity of experience that we recognize, regardless if it is the "positive" or "negative" side of the scales. No one seems to care for equilibrium, balance - peace. The choice is manifest before our eyes, and yet we turn away.

"How strange then it seems that man, notwithstanding his endowment with this ideal power, will descend to a level beneath him and declare himself no greater than that which is manifestly inferior to his real station. God has created such a conscious spirit within him that he is the most wonderful of all contingent beings. In ignoring these virtues he descends to the material plane, considers matter the ruler of existence and denies that which lies beyond. Is this virtue? In its fullest sense this is animalistic, for the animal realizes nothing more. In fact from this standpoint the animal is the greater philosopher because it is completely ignorant of the kingdom of God, possesses no spiritual susceptibilities and is uninformed of the heavenly world. In brief, this is a view of the pathway of nature."

~'Abdu'l-Baha

The world plays such an important role in our development towards leaving it behind, for what could ever serve as a testament to the exact opposite of what our eternal home will be. The mere fact that even the definition of "eternity" loses its meaning, since by the standard of the next world there is no beginnig nor end. Without that limitation of time, even our paltry understanding of progress will change. Is it possible to begin that journey now? Limited by the ever-perishing properties of the world?

"O My brother! When a true seeker determineth to take the step of search in the path leading unto the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else, cleanse his heart, which is the seat of the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and the allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He must purge his breast, which is the sanctuary of the abiding love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water and clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments. He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel him away from the truth. Even as thou dost witness in this Day how most of the people, because of such love and hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have strayed far from the Embodiments of the Divine mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness of oblivion and error."

Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 264

When will action take the place of our thoughts, words, and sentiments?

I wish I knew exactly how to feel at times like these. What concerns me the most is not the prospect that I may make a bad decision or miss out on an opportunity – but the mere fact that I do not feel the intense certitude as I do for other elements of my life. In other words, for the thing I hold most dear to my heart, finds no abode in the world around me.

How can I take one step in this or that direction, when I am not sure if the conviction in my heart will allow my mind to accept whatever may cross my path? I have already witnessed the effects of this dilemma, where my faith has led me away from employment, environment, and relationship. And, although this feeling has fanned into flame the fire in my heart, it has also burned away my “belief” in whatever I may be doing – if it did not find its way back to my highest wish.

My heart yearns to find its purpose and “career” for this life, simply because I now know that it lies somewhere in the service of the Cause of God, however vast and infinite that may be.

"Know thou of a truth that the seeker must, at the beginning of his quest for God, enter the Garden of Search. In this journey it behoveth the wayfarer to detach himself from all save God and to close his eyes to all that is in the heavens and on the earth. There must not linger in his heart either the hate or the love of any soul, to the extent that they would hinder him from attaining the habitation of the celestial Beauty. He must sanctify his soul from the veils of glory and refrain from boasting of such worldly vanities, outward knowledge, or other gifts as God may have bestowed upon him. He must search after the truth to the utmost of his ability and exertion, that God may guide him in the paths of His favour and the ways of His mercy. For He, verily, is the best of helpers unto His servants. He saith, and He verily speaketh the truth: "Whoso maketh efforts for Us, in Our ways shall We assuredly guide him." And furthermore: "Fear God and God will give you knowledge."

Bahá’u’lláh, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 17

Let there be no mistake. The principle of the Oneness of Mankind -- the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh revolve -- is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious cooperation among individual peoples and nations. Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family. It does not constitute merely the enunciation of an ideal, but stands inseparably associated with an institution adequate to embody its truth, demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its influence. It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced. It constitutes a challenge, at once bold and universal, to outworn shibboleths of national creeds -- creeds that have had their day and which must, in the ordinary course of events as shaped and controlled by Providence, give way to a new gospel, fundamentally different from, and infinitely superior to, what the world has already conceived. It calls for no less than the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world -- a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units.

It represents the consummation of human evolution -- an evolution that has had its earliest beginnings in the birth of family life, its subsequent development in the achievement of tribal solidarity, leading in turn to the constitution of the city-state, and expanding later into the institution of independent and sovereign nations.

The principle of the Oneness of Mankind, as proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh, carries with it no more and no less than a solemn assertion that attainment to this final stage in this stupendous evolution is not only necessary but inevitable, that its realization is fast approaching, and that nothing short of a power that is born of God can succeed in establishing it.

Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 42

"He is the King, the All-Knowing, the Wise! Lo, the Nightingale of Paradise singeth upon the twigs of the Tree of Eternity, with holy and sweet melodies, proclaiming to the sincere ones the glad tidings of the nearness of God, calling the believers in the Divine Unity to the court of the Presence of the Generous One, informing the severed ones of the message which hath been revealed by God, the King, the Glorious, the Peerless, guiding the lovers to the seat of sanctity and to this resplendent Beauty."

~ Baha'u'llah

A wonderful day it has been. A day devoted to the remembrance of God throughout the majority of the world, which although lends itself mainly to tradition and routine, nevertheless offers hope that we will not forget our Creator and all He has done and continues to do for us. And yet, what is it that we... remember? Do we settle for ritual and stylized worship? Do we rely on material output for spiritual gain? Do we leave His memory secluded within our minds, over-clouded with nostalgia?

It would seem so. Not only do we proclaim faith in many areas of our life other than God, we also sign on many a "dotted-line", such that it may provide some sense of security in our crumbling world. But what do we truly fear from the loss of earthly life? The placenta and umbilical cord are immediately thrown away after childbirth - can we not evince the same attitude towards our other earthly womb? An interesting enough question. If as infants, we had the mental awarness as we do now, would we necessarily enjoy our new life in comparison to the warm, protected and nourished world of our mother's womb? In other words, what we tend to become accustomed to often becomes our greatest veil to the great beyond. Our very dreams, once manifested as reality, pass with the morning light as we wake to another day. So, to what do we have to cling to? My friends, He has given us the answers, even though we have no right to question such proof of God's truth.

"Praise be to Him Who hath rent the dark asunder, hath blotted out the night, hath drawn aside the coverings and torn away the veils; Whose light thereupon shone out, Whose signs and tokens were spread abroad, and His mysteries laid bare. Then did His clouds part and loaded down the earth with His bounties and bestowals, and made all things sweet with rain, and caused the fresh greenery of knowledge and the hyacinths of certitude to spring forth and to shake and tremble for joy, till the whole world was scented with the fragrance of His holiness..."

O ye loved ones of God! The wine-cup of Heaven overfloweth, the banquet of God's Covenant is bright with festive lights, the dawn of all bestowals is breaking, the gentle winds of grace are blowing, and out of the invisible world come good tidings of bounties and gifts. In flower-spangled meadows hath the divine springtime pitched its tents, and the spiritual are inhaling sweet scents from the Sheba of the spirit, carried their way by the east wind. Now doth the mystic nightingale carol its odes, and buds of inner meaning are bursting into blossoms delicate and fair. The field larks are become the festival's musicians, and lifting wondrous voices they cry and sing to the melodies of the Company on high, 'Blessed are ye! Glad Tidings! Glad Tidings!' And they urge on the revellers of the Abha Paradise to drink their fill, and they eloquently hold forth upon the celestial tree, and utter their sacred cries. All this, that withered souls who tread the desert of the heedless, and faded ones lost in the sands of unconcern, may come to throbbing life again, and present themselves at the feasts and revels of the Lord God."

Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 253

Greetings, dear loved ones...

It is rare that we find ourselves called to truly share the depths of our heart. For what comes from the leviathan of our inner-universe reveals not only the common Light instilled within each of us, but serves to create the infinite range of heavenly galaxies which we may traverse in the blink of an eye.

It is times like this that push the boundaries of our mind, to the threshold of disillusionment, where we may ask ourselves the question - wrapped in paradox and ecstasy - "Is this real?"

Indeed. And the mere fact that this is  real, reveals a verity of life that cannot be mistaken for happenstance. To be sure, for the things we experience "outside" of our catagorical norm, we are quick to mistrust and often times, condemn such events. To relate, it is not that the young child mistrusts the strength of its legs while learning to walk - but the biological property of infancy. We manifest the self-same reaction while opening our hearts to our spiritual "body", and by definition, our "legs" are weary, frail, and we tend to stumble on a regular basis. Unfortunately, we choose to cease walking in lieu of our fear of falling, rather than the child's faith in its new found body.

Who amoung us can claim to have transcended this earthly life, if they still rely on the security of the ground? In other words, if you have indeed soared to the height of the Kingdom, do not suffer yourself to return to this gloomy place.

Fly free, and with the break of your wings carve an opening in the clouds such that we will have no choice but to follow - a Lemming exodus to our eternal abode...

"O peoples of the earth! God, the Eternal Truth, is My witness that streams of fresh and soft-flowing waters have gushed from the rocks, through the sweetness of the words uttered by your Lord, the Unconstrained; and still ye slumber. Cast away that which ye possess, and, on the wings of detachment, soar beyond all created things. Thus biddeth you the Lord of creation, the movement of Whose Pen hath revolutionized the soul of mankind."

(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 138)

I cannot describe the emotions that ran through my body while watching this unbelievable presentation on the events surrounding the Declaration of the Bab, over one-hundred years ago in Shiraz, Persia.

Please, experience not only the music, but the wonderful story told... it will surely bring peace to your heart such that the entire world will melt away...

http://www.nybahai.org/declaration/

and i do miss her. she has gone to serve at His Threshold, to aid in the transformation of all humankind. she will have the attention of a group of teenage girls, who hold within their hands not only the future of this planet, but time itself. we may find solace in their eyes, strength in their arms, and fear... fear that we may forget the vessel that brought us to the "...footstool of God...".

i cannot imagine being lost without this verity of life. so i would like to thank her, as she promotes the Cause of God without any care for herself. as she illumines the lives of all who are able to sense the intoxicating perfume of her love for them - for those who she may do some small service. what could i ever bring to her doorstep that she would need to further her efforts?

that... i will wait an eternity for, until she bids me to lie where i once knew no fear...

until i can look towards the heavens into her eyes, supported by her embrace, and once again remember where i must turn for life-everlasting.

i love you...

"Therefore ... set to music the verses and the divine words so that they may be sung with soul-stirring melody in the Assemblies and gatherings, and that the hearts of the listeners may become tumultuous and rise towards the Kingdom of Abha in supplication and prayer."

(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 378)

With that defining the torrent of emotion coursing through my heart, I can at least find some assurance that I can safely float along this celestial stream towards God. The following Hidden Word was so beautifully sung by a young woman from Australia, it caused my entire being to lose its hold on the day, and to find myself in places so high that I would never want to take a breath, flick an eye-lash, or risk a single beat of my heart - in fear of disturbing that heavenly peace...

O SON OF MAN!
Humble thyself before Me, that I may graciously visit thee. Arise for the triumph of My cause, that while yet on earth thou mayest obtain the victory.

(Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

if you would like to hear this piece, do not hesitate to leave a comment and we'll figure something out.

Weekend Players - Pursuit of Happiness

A wonderful album, certainly worth the time/energy/finances to aquire.

Let me know how you like it. Discussion will follow.

For a minute, can you silence the din in your eyes...
Can you reflect what no mirror can find...
I wish to fulfill my purpose with His Light seared across my chest,
with full-frontal exposure to whatever He may manifest.

But He has reset my place in time,
knowing full well what my meager rhythm keeps -
a syncopated step towards His All-Pervasive Will...   and yet...
in His Words:

"How can mine eye, which hath no faculty to perceive itself, claim to have discerned Thine Essence, and how can mine heart, already powerless to apprehend the significance of its own potentialities, pretend to have comprehended Thy nature?"

I look left, right and heaven-ward, yet with no understanding of my own position.
Will I ever stumble upon what no search will ever find in any direction?
Look inside, further inward, falling within the folded universe -
just waiting for exploration.

"... this journey will never end."

Such is the guidance given for those souls searching for nearness to God, that through the Valley of Love, one must ride the "steed" of pain to safely traverse this experience. Many, if not all suffer a broken heart at some point in their lives, and yet, while the heart eventually mends, it never truly heals - as proved by the multi-billion dollar industry gearned towards human relationship.

A dear friend of mine and her husband have come upon that very "plateau" of pain, and while my heart goes out to them, I cannot but grin at the invaluable opportunity presented to my friend - an opportunity, that could explode her heart into the realms above, finding such peace that no other human being could ever suffice in compliment. Naturally, the majority of the world may look upon divorce as somewhat of a taboo, resulting in a breakdown of not only the two involved, but their respective families, etc. However, is it possible, that this experience is an example of that very opportunity from which to gain nearness to God?

If we accept that our "human" reaction to such "negative" things as heart-break would produce ill feelings, behavior and subsequent side-effects, then we can assume that the antithesis is also true! In other words, if one can overcome the apparent pain and suffering, they may very well find themselves surrounded with feelings of joy, ecstasy, peace and tranquility - simply because these qualities serve as the "balance" to the other qualities mentioned above. Every single created thing has its equal in some other form, that is to say, black has its white, up has its down, heart-break has its redeeming love. Would it not render that gargantuan industry obsolete, if we truly found that love everlasting, without the need for any type of earthly supplement from which to "amplify" our relationships?

"What a power is love! It is the most wonderful, the greatest of all living powers. Love gives life to the lifeless. Love lights a flame in the heart that is cold. Love brings hope to the hopeless and gladdens the hearts of the sorrowful. In the world of existence there is indeed no greater power than the power of love. When the heart of man is aglow with the flame of love, he is ready to sacrifice all -- even his life...

...This love is not of the body but completely of the soul. And those souls whose inner being is lit by the love of God are even as spreading rays of light, and they shine out like stars of holiness in a pure and crystalline sky. For true love, real love, is the love for God, and this is sanctified beyond the notions and imaginings of men."

~'Abdu'l-Baha

Solution? I would certainly hope so...

Here is a small "picture", with a quote from a Rumi poem, depicting my current state-of-affairs on my journey towards union with the fairer sex. What an absolute bounty and joy, to have knowledge that within the divine institution of marriage, two souls can find such unity, love, service and support that you can search higher and higher in the realms of God's creation - being that you have a veritable blessing from God, sitting right accross from you, surrounded by light, and reflecting the beauty, love and purity that only His Divine Kingdom will impart upon death - your spiritual helpmate, or in other words, your wife.

p.s. in this case, "impending" spiritual helpmate (wife) 

Let us judge whom a most bounteous Lord has blessed with absolute... cuteness...

the votes are in!

Jordan - many
Jelana - few