Review of "Swedenborg - An Introduction to His Life and Ideas"

The recent biography of Emmanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), the Swedish scientist and mystic, by Gary Lachman is a much welcomed addition to the current literature. He outlines the life of Swedenborg, who was renowned across Europe for his scientific work before the age of 40, and his transformation into one of the West's greatest mystics (named "the Buddha of the North" by renowned Japanese Zen teacher D.T. Suzuki).

Swedenborg made a whole range of discoveries in his work in geometry, chemistry, metallurgy, anatomy and physiology- far too many to document in this brief review. A list of just a few would certainly include the existence and importance of neurons,  that the brain is the seat of consciousness, and that stars and planets form out of nebulae.  And in addition to his many scientific discoveries he also made designs for a number of fascinating inventions including a flying machine and a universal musical instrument, for this reason he is sometimes call the "Scandinavian da Vinci". 

Much of Swedenborg's scientific work dealt with his search for the soul, but it was not until he had passed his 50th year that he began a personal transformation that would lead to his becoming intimately acquainted with his own spiritual nature. He began a dream journal, the first recorded person to keep such a document. And He wrote detailed analyses of the inner significance of these dreams, nearly two centuries before the work of Sigmund Freud. 

Swedenborg then began to experience a whole range of spiritual and psychic phenomenon in dream states or during out-of-body experiences--including discussions with angels and the deceased, and trips to heaven, hell, and other planets--that would continue for the rest of his life. These experiences have been documented in his book "Heaven and Hell" and in his many other spiritual or theological works. 

One of the important contributions to understanding Swedenborg I think Lachman makes is his discussion of Swedenborg's breath work. From a very young age, during prayer Swedenborg was able to slow his breath to a rate were eventually it appeared he as though his breath had stopped completely. He was then able to reach very deep states of prayer without the distracting motion of breath. Lachman notes that Swedenborg had been practicing this breath work for nearly 50 years before experiencing his spiritual visions. 

Maybe with this understanding, Swedenborg's experiences don't seem so strange. It wasn't that Swedenborg was delivered a revelation out of the blue that prompted an instantaneous spiritual transformation, but rather it was through his many years of meditation that he was delivered to a plane that the yogis and fakirs of India--practitioners of similar breathing techniques--have been discussing for millennia. 

Lachman's volume is a delightful and concise introduction to the life and works of this fascinating mystic, the biggest issue with the book being I wish it was longer. A perfect introduction to further study. 

Weekly Meditation #2

Freedom of Existence

The nature of the universe is one of freedom. Every being is given free will, this means everyone has the ability to freely express themselves and live their life as they choose. The Cosmic Creator is always present in everyone's inner-being, offering love and guidance when it is sought, but never does She interfere with the free choice of individuals. 

Compassion is the Inner-Desire

It is the inner-desire of every human being to be a creature of love. Even the perpetrators of the most heinous crimes are, in their inner-being, looking for love in all their actions. Compassionlessness arises out of  the darkness of ignorance, which must be vanquished by the light of spiritual knowledge. With spiritual knowledge, one grows day-by-day into a creature of ever-increasing compassion.

Ten Books That Influenced Me Spiritually

This is a list of some of my favorite books on spiritual topics. It must be noted though that while I have much love and affection for these titles, there is nothing especially profound about any of them.  It must never be forgotten that books are nothing but games. And what wonderful games some of them are, encountering the greatest can even lead to wonderful personal transformations. But books cannot give you anything that you don't already have.  Two quotes I'd have you keep in mind: 

Take a book, the poorest one written, but read it with the passion that it is the only book you will read-ultimately you will read everything out of it, that is, as much as there was in yourself, and you could never get more out of reading, even if you read the best of books. ~ Søren Kierkegaard 

If what you call learning means storing experiences and beliefs, it will tie you down like a cord and prevent you from knowing anything. Knowing happens directly, when not even a thought stands between you and the thing you know. Then you see yourself as you are, not as you would like to be. ~G.I. Gurdjieff

Now the list (not in any particular order)... 

The Perennial Philosophy
An Interpretation of the Great Mystics
Aldous Huxley

The Hidden Words
Bahá'u'lláh

The Quran

The Gospel in Brief
The Life of Jesus
Leo Tolstoy

Tao Te Ching
Lao-Tzu

The Chuang Tzu
Chuang Tzu

In Search of the Miraculous
Fragments of an Unknown Teaching
P.D. Outspensky

A Brief History of Everything
Ken Wilber

The Phenomenon of Man
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

T.A.Z. The Temporary Autonomous Zone
Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism
Hakim Bey

"The Door to All Wonders" - Reflections on the Nature of Existence

“In one drop of water are found all the secrets of all the oceans; in one aspect of You are found all the aspects of existence.” ~ Khalil Gibran

“It isn't by getting out of the world that we become enlightened, but by getting into the world…by getting so tuned in that we can ride the waves of our existence and never get tossed because we become the waves.” ~ Ken Kesey

The Ageless Search

We human-beings are born with a intense natural curiosity. Anyone who has spent time around a child knows that from the time they are able to speak, their minds are filled with an endless stream of questions about everything around them. These questions come much too fast for any parent to possibly answer a majority of them, but they keep on coming. The lack of answers can even create a whole new arraying of questioning, for this is the nature of the mind.

It is not long after the first many questions about our surroundings arise, that our mind reach further. What is beyond this world that I know? And what is even beyond that? Does it ever have any ending? If so, what is beyond that? Humanity has wondered about these questions from our very beginnings. We all seek answers to the fundamental questions about the nature of existence and our place in the cosmos. These questions bring out a deep longing for answers that is familiar to everyone. It is this very questioning that is at the core of who we are as people.

Scientists and philosophers, artists and mystics across time have seeked for answers to these fundamental questions; Why do we exist? Why does anything exist at all? Is there an higher intelligence or creator? Does any semblance of our individual essence survive death?

One of the first civilizations to record answers to these questions were the ancient peoples of the Indus Valley civilization. Their myths and songs were later collected written down, several thousand years ago, and form what is know as the Vedas. The Vedas contain within them the wisdom of thousands of years of civilization and are even considered the Word of God by modern Hindus. One of these Vedas, the Rig-Veda contains a work know as the Nasadiya Sukta or Hymn of Creation. This ancient song echos the same essential human wonder about existence that humanity today still feels. A translation of the hymn is as follows,

At first was neither Being nor Nonbeing. There was not air nor yet sky beyond. What was its wrapping? Where? In whose protection? Was water there, unfathomable and deep?

There was no death there, nor yet deathlessness; of night or day there was not any sign. The One breathed without breath, by its own impulse. Other than that was nothing else at all.

Darkness was there, all wrapped around by darkness, and all was water indiscriminate. Then that which was hidden by the Void, the One, emerging, stirring, through power of Ardor (Tapas), came to be.

In the beginning Love arose, which was the primal germ cell of the mind. The Seers, searching in their hearts with wisdom, discovered the connection of Being in Nonbeing.

A crosswise line cut Being from Nonbeing. What was described above it, what below? Bearers of seed there were and mighty forces, thrust from below and forward move above.

Who really knows? Who can presume to tell it? Whence was it born? Whence issued this creation? Even the Gods came after its emergence. Then who can tell from whence it came to be?

That out of which creation has arisen, whether it held it firm or it did not, He who survey it in the highest heaven, He surely knows or maybe He does not!

These ancient verses have been present in the mind of the author during the whole writing of this work. They are the universal voice of humanity calling out to existence, humbly wondering if there is anything greater out there.

Unity of Being

Across our history, humanity has had many cosmologies and many ideas about our place in the world. Many of these ideas are wholly opposite of one another and indeed conflicts of this sort have been a source of great suffering. But out of the many cosmologies humanity has at one time or another embraced, the oldest and most enduring is that of a transcendental universal unity. That is the knowledge that all things are but parts of a greater whole that, in its essence, transcends all parts and is complete in itself.

With knowledge of this unity, one can grow to see that all things known and witnessed today have their origin in an eternal essence that is absolutely transcendent and also, paradoxically, existing as everything everywhere. This essence has been called by many names across history. The ancient Chinese sage Lao-Tzu perhaps defined it best in the first section of his Tao-Te-Ching which states,

The way that can be spoken is not the eternal way.

The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth.

The named is the mother of myriad things.

Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence.

Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations.

These two emerge together but differ in name.

The unity is said to be the mystery.

Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders.

Growing in our relationship to this unity we begin to see that inwardly both body and spirit are aspects of Absolute Being, whole and absolute in itself. It must said through that even if our relationship to this unity is strong, in this worldly plane of existence, the forms of body and spirit remain different in their outward nature. But despite this, both body and spirit share many fundamental similarities in their nature.

For example, both the body and spirit must grow, change, and evolve over time to be healthy and, for both, certain practices and substances are needed for this growth to occur. This is why there is great wisdom saying, 'one must eat for their body but also eat for their spirit, and meditate for their spirit but also meditate for their body.'

There are many traditions that say the body must be denied for the benefit of the spirit but this is a grave mistake. Both the spirit and the body are manifestations of soul, or pure individual being, and therefore both aspects of your inner true-self. Of course, it is true that the organic matter of our bodies will die when we, our consciousness, detaches at death; but it is not only the life-force of our spirit that leaves but also the life-force of our body, which is another expression of the same essence. Ultimately, it could be said that both body and spirit are partner manifestations of a higher level of self, the soul, who is ultimately a manifestation of Absolute Being.

With this view it becomes clear, both the body and the spirit must be given equal care to cultivate a truly balanced life. For while we human-beings might outwardly have a dual nature, this duality has a unity to it, a perfect natural harmony with the universe that comes from our inner-most being; and as we grow in our relationship to this unity duality become an increasingly small aspect of our existence. Eventually, we simply realize who we are and become nothing but what is.

Unity of being is the natural way of existence. A look into the world of natural life will most certainly confirm this. We can witness natural unity of being in every sort of simpler life. Crystals, being the most base form of life, manifest this unity with the most perfection. Plants and most animals are also mirrored reflections of this unity of being.

Does the cow seek meaning for her existence? Of course not, she simply is. She is being without consciousness and therefore has perfect contentment. None of the simpler lifeforms have spiritual wants because they are fulfilled naturally without effort, it is their very nature to be spiritually complete. It is only with the awakening of consciousness that the illusion of choice in this matter is even possible.

It is within the hands of human life to choose if they are to embrace the reality of natural unity or to resist and become discontented. The ego can only exist as long as the illusion of separateness is thought. It can only live where a distinction is made, for good or ill it does not matter. The ego is nothing but the imagined separateness of self, there is no independent existence for it. Ego does not “think” for itself; it is thought up by the self.

With any distinction comes disunity of being and therefore discontentment, this is the message of Lao-Tzu and the other sages across time. Remove the distinction and the ego disappears. The thought is gone, it is as simple as that; and without ego there are no distinctions and no discontentment, there is only being. The natural way is that of just being. Return to this natural way and all seeking will cease, all discontentment will stop, everything simply will be.

“Let Your Vision Be World Embracing...” - An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith, Part Three

The following is the third installment in a continuing series on the Bahá'í Faith. The first part can be found here and the second here. 

Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, Israel

Source: Wikimedia 

Ministry of the Báb

Mullá Husayn, after spending 40 days secluded in prayer following Siyyid Kázim's death, first traveled to Bushehr. He then traveled to Shíráz where, on the 22^nd of May, 1844, he was invited into a home where it was announced to him that his host was, in fact, the Promised One. This majestic youth of twenty-four years was Siyyid `Alí Muhammad Shírází, known by His title the Báb (1819-1850). He told Mulla Husayn that He—the Báb—was the awaited Qá'im, the gateway to Truth and the initiator of a new prophetic cycle. 

The Báb replied satisfactorily to all of Mullá Husayn's questions and then revealed in his presence the first chapter of the Qayyúmu'l-Asmá', a lengthy commentary on the Surah of Joseph. Mullá Husayn was awed at the extreme rapidity at which the Báb revealed the text, chanting the words as He wrote. Afterward, the Báb told Mullá Husayn that he had to conceal his excitement for the new faith and not to inform anyone of the announcement yet. First, the Báb said, seventeen others must find Him and become devoted to His cause. Only then could the Faith be announced to the world.

Those seventeen others pledged their faith to the Báb over the next few months. They, together with Mullá Husayn, became the eighteen Letters of the Living. Táhirih (1817-1852), a poetess and the only female Letter of the Living, received her announcement from the Báb in a dream and became fearlessly devoted to Him. Quddús (1820-1849), another Letter of the Living, was the last to receive the announcement and pledge his faith. He became the most prominent of all the Letter and was referred to as the “Last Point” and the “Last Name of God” by the Báb. 

After all eighteen of them were assembled, the Báb gave most of them a mission to set out and announce His coming to the towns and cities, while He prepared to leave with Quddús toward Mecca and Medina for the Islamic pilgrimage.

They arrived in Mecca, the Báb on camelback and Quddús preferring to walk alongside. On the 20^th of December, the Báb offered His sacrifices and gave the meat to the poor. The Báb then traveled with Quddús to the Ka'bah, the center of prayer in Islam and the point which all the prigrims were circling. He laid hold of the ring on its door and spoke to the surrounding crowds three times saying,“I am that Qá'im whose advent you have been awaiting!” The Báb called the people to accept His claim. A sudden hush fell over the crowd at this dramatic proclamation but after a moment they returned to their prayers, and not one of the pilgrims responded to the call. 

This event has great symbolic meaning in that it illustrates how far humanity had strayed from the purpose of God. In having ignored the Promised One whose coming they had prayed to hasten for a thousand years, they had deprived themselves of the One whom was the actual reality of which the Ka'bah was but a symbol.

It was in the Spring of 1845 that the Báb and Quddús arrived back in Persia. The preaching by the Letters of the Living soon led to opposition by the Islamic clergy, who—in June 1845—pressured the Governor of Shiraz to call for the Báb's arrest. Upon hearing of the order, the Báb presented Himself to the authorities and He was placed under house arrest at the home of His uncle. A cholera epidemic breaking out lead to the Báb's release in September 1846. 

He traveled to Isfahan and debated the local clergy. The Báb's ability to instantaneous reveal streams of divine verses greatly impressed those gathered and lead to much new support. Muhammad Shah Qajar, the king of Persia, upon hearing of the Báb's cause ordered that He be brought to the royal court in Tehran. The king's prime minster however was fearful that an audience with the Báb would convert the king and cause himself to loss power. He ordered that the Báb not be taken to Tehran but instead arrested an sent to Tabriz in the northwestern corner of the country.

Spending forty days in Tabriz, the Báb was then sent to the province of Azarbaijan to stay in the prison fortress of Máh-Kú. During his incarceration there, the Báb revealed most of the text of the Persian Bayán, his most important book. In the work the Báb taught that He—like Christ, Muhammad, and all God's messengers—was a perfect reflection of the attributes of God, known as a Manifestation of God. 

He taught that all world religion was an unfolding process and that His purpose was to prepare the people of the world for a Manifestation even greater than Himself, a figure he called 'He Whom God Shall Make Manifest'. This figure, He wrote, was to appear very soon and would issue forth a new age of peace and unity for all mankind.

The Báb's popularity grew and the Prime Minster ordered Him back to Tabriz where he was to be put on trial for blasphemy and apostasy. The trial, which was attended by the Crown Prince and involved numerous local clergy, ordered that the Báb be punished for not recanting His claims. The Báb was bastinadoed, receiving 20 lashes to the bottom of His feet, for having to continue to declare, “I am that person you have been awaiting for one thousand years.” The government spread rumors that the Báb had recounted but there is absolutely no evidence of this. After the trial, He was sent to the prison fortress of Chihríq.

The Báb's supporters had been suffering persecution from the clergy and government since the Faith had been publicly announced, one of the most tragic incidents of this oppression came in the Fall of 1848. The Báb instructed Mullá Husayn to ride with 202 others loyal followers and to march to the Shrine of Shaykh Tabarsí with the Black Standard raised, fulfilling an Islamic prophecy. 

Mullá Husayn and his companions suffered an unprovoked attack from large number of government troops leading them to make defensive fortifications around the shrine. A stand-off ensued for several months but no matter how hard the government troops attacked they could not defeat the barricaded followers of the Báb. Eventually the government announced that if they surrendered they would not be harmed, Mullá Husayn knew this was a lie but still accepted the governments promise. 

After the surrender, Mullá Husayn and several hundred others, including seven other Letters of the Living, were murdered by the government troops. Soon after, Quddús was taken prisoner and murdered by a mob driven into a frenzy by a local clergyman. The  Báb was overwhelmed with sadness following these events, refusing to reveal anything but eulogies for many weeks.

A new prime-minster came to power in 1850 and instructed that the Báb, still imprisoned, was to be executed. The Báb was taken back to Tabríz to be shot by a firing squad. As he was being marched to his holding cell through the city-and taking much insult and abuse from gathering crowds- a young Bábí, Anís, threw himself to the feet of the Báb and asked to share in his martyrdom. Anís and the Báb were taken to the same cell to await execution in the morning. 

The events of the next day are reported as a miracle by many observers who's accounts have been preserved.  It is said that when the Báb was taken from his cell he was finishing up dictating a letter to his amanuensis. He told to the guards ""Not until I have said to him all those things that I wish to say can any earthly power silence Me. Though all the world be armed against Me, yet shall they be powerless to deter Me from fulfilling, to the last word, My intention."

Nevertheless, He and Anís were both taken anyway and suspended on a platform. They were to be executed by a regiment of Armenian soldiers, lead by Colonel Sam Khan. The rest of the event is narrated by H.M. Balyuzi, a noted  Bahá'í  historian. 

"Sam Khan approached the Bab: 'I profess the Christian Faith and entertain no ill will against you. If your Cause be the Cause of truth, enable me to free myself from the obligation to shed your blood.' To this the Báb replied: 'Follow your instructions, and if your intention be sincere, the Almighty is surely able to relieve you from your perplexity.' 

"The Báb and His disciple were suspended by ropes from a nail in the wall, the head of Mirza Muhammad-'Ali resting on the breast of the Báb. Seven hundred and fifty soldiers were positioned in three files. Roofs of the buildings around teemed with spectators. 

"Each row of soldiers fired in turn. The smoke from so many rifles clouded the scene. When it lifted the Báb was not there. Only His disciple could be seen, standing under the nail in the wall, smiling and unconcerned. Bullets had only severed the ropes with which they were suspended. Cries rang out from the onlookers: 'The Siyyid-i-Báb has gone from our sight!' 

"A frantic search followed. The Báb was found, sitting in the same room where He had been lodged the night before, in conversation with His amanuensis. That conversation had been interrupted earlier in the day. Now it was finished and He told the farrash-bashi to carry out his duty. But the farrash-bashi was terror-stricken and ran away, nor did he ever return to his post. Sam Khan, for his part, told his superiors that he had carried out the task given to him; he would not attempt it a second time. So Aqa Jan Khan-i-Khamsih and his Nasiri regiment replaced the Armenians, and the Báb and His disciple were suspended once again at the same spot. The Nasiri regiment fired. The bodies of the Báb and His disciple were shattered, and their flesh was united." ¹

The remains of this most noble of beings were thrown outside the city gates to be eaten by wild animals. Though thankfully a number of Bábís worked together under the darkness of night to rescue the remains. They were hidden away for many decades until in 1909`Abdu’l-Bahá' had them placed in a special tomb on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel.

1  Balyuzi, H.M. (1973). The Báb: The Herald of the Day of Days. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. pp. 154–161.

“Let Your Vision Be World Embracing...” - An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith, Part Two

The following is the second installment in a continuing series on the Bahá'í Faith. The first part can be found here.

Map of Persia 

Source: Nabil's “Dawnbreakers”, 1932

Background History of the Bahá'í Faith

In the early 19^th century, Persia, the land that was to see, in quick succession, the appearance of two Manifestations of God and two new independent Revelations—an event unparalleled in religious history—was suffering greatly. Persia had in ancient times been a beacon of civilization and the world's greatest empire. It's kings oversaw a realm stretching from India to Europe. 

The Arab conquest of Persia in the 7^th century saw the nation's population converted from Zoroastrianism to Islam. The 16^th century witnessed the rise of the Safavid dynasty who established the Twelver school of Shi'ah Islam as Persia's state religion. Over time, Persia witnessed a political, moral, and intellectual decline. The ascendency of the Qajar dynasty, whose reign was marked by unsurpassed cruelty and fanaticism, in the late 19^th century marked a low point for the Persian people. It was into this perverse environment that the supremely noble teachings of the Bahá'í Faith were to originate.

In a similar fashion to how Christianity saw it's beginnings within the context of Judaism but soon came to be recognized as an independent and new faith, the religious background in which the Bahá'í Faith would see it's rise and subsequent independence from was that of Islam. This profoundly lofty religion saw it's own beginnings twelve centuries before the Bahá'í Faith, in Arabia. At that time Arabia was a land of barbarity and possessed a fanaticism comparable to Persia under the Qajars. 

Into this cruel place, the exulted Prophet Muhammad (c. 570-632) was born. From His earliest years He was recognized as being of unsurpassed character and became widely known in His home-city of Mecca for His honesty. Muhammad was a Messenger of God who revealed the holy Qur'an, a book of unmeasurable beauty and knowledge. The essential message of His book was the oneness of God and the central teaching of His faith was submission to God's will. 

The community of Islam was divided after Muhammad's death. There were those who thought the community of believers should elect essentially a political leader to oversee their needs, this camp became known as the Sunni and were the majority. The other camp was smaller and were known as the Shi'ah. The Shi'ah believed that the Islamic community should be lead by a family member of Muhammad, chosen of God and appointed by his predecessor, to be the Imam—both the political and spiritual leader of the community. 

The first Shi'ah Imam was Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, his holiness the Imam Ali (601-661). Ali's leadership was followed by eleven other decedents who lead the faithful for two centuries, these twelve holy Imams are believed by both Shi'ah and Bahá'ís to be the divinely chosen and rightful heirs of Muhammad. The Imams were oppressed by successive Sunni governments and the twelfth and last Imam was driven into hiding in 874. He did not appoint a successor but instead went into occultation to be manifested in the future as the promised Qá'im who would arise in a time of darkness to fight injustice and restore glory to the Faith of God.

By the times of Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsá’í (1753-1826), the Faith of Muhammad and the Twelve Imams had become the victim of a corrupt clergy and it's followers had fallen into disunity. The honorable Shaykh observed how fanaticism had perverted the true teachings of Islam and he lamented at the loss of vision his beloved faith had suffered. He arose with purpose calling not only the Shi'ah but all followers of Muhammad to revive the vigor that their faith had lost. 

Leaving his homeland he traveled to Iraq and Persia, and he taught with incredible zeal. However, in his heart, he was aware that no mere reform movement could regain Islam's lost purpose. He knew that nothing short of the appearance of the Qá'im, the circumstances of Whose appearance he unraveled from the Islamic scriptures and documented in numerous books, could bring the needed spiritual renewal.

Before Ahmad's death, he appointed the noble Siyyid Kázim Rashtí (1793-1843) to be his successor. Siyyid Kázim knew that time for the appearance of the Qá'im was nearing and he worked with an amazing energy to prepare the people for His impending arrival. On his deathbed instead of appointing a successor, the Siyyid directed his followers to set out to find the One they had awaited who he said was alive and walking the earth. 

Few of his students followed his instructions but one student who remained faithful to his teacher's will was the incomparable Mullá Husayn (1813-1849). He remembered, “Our departed teacher insistently exhorted us to forsake our homes, to scatter far and wide, in quest of the promised Beloved... Regarding the features of the Promised One, he told us that He is of a pure lineage, is of illustrious descent, and of the seed of Fatimah. As to His age, He is more than twenty and less than thirty. He is endowed with innate knowledge. He is of medium height, abstains from smoking, and is free from bodily deficiency.”

Thus Mullá Husayn, with the knowledge imparted to him from his most illustrious teacher, set in search of his Beloved. His journey would eventually deeply involve him in the establishment of a new faith, which would revive lost spiritual virtues and establish justice. Mullá Husayn—alongside many others—would suffer great tribulations and oppression, at the hands of a tyrannical government, for his commitment to this new faith. Mullá Husayn, though, was not aware of the awesome events that laid ahead when he and a few companions directed themselves towards the city of Shíráz.  

“Let Your Vision Be World Embracing...” - An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith, Part One

The following is the first part of planned series on the Bahá'í Faith.

God has never left humanity without His guidance. Throughout history, divine Messengers have educated the people of their time on essential spiritual truths and in doing so laid the foundations for great civilizations. Over time their teachings would be corrupted or forgotten, so God would once more send a Messenger who would educate the people and bring about a revival and progression of civilization. In the Middle East these divine Messengers included Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, each of whom appeared at the decline of their predecessor's religion and brought a renewal. In India the same was true of Rama, Krishna, and the Buddha. In both traditions, the Messenger brought His teachings from the same eternal source, confirmed the essential truths of His predecessors, but also brought new teachings for a new era.

For Bahá'ís, Bahá'u'lláh is the most recent of these Messengers. He confirmed the truth of all previous religions but also brought new spiritual and social teachings for modern times. He taught that humanity was entering it's maturity and that this was the day that all the peoples of the world must unite together for their common good. The religion He founded, known as the Bahá'í Faith, in the century and a half since it's beginnings has spread to over 200 countries around the globe. Millions of peoples from every race, culture, ethnicity, and social or economic background follow the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and work for the unification of the human family. This is an introduction to that Faith's teachings, history, and scriptures as well as to the challenge that Bahá'u'lláh presents to us today.

The Bahá'í Mother Temple of the West, near Chicago, USA
Source: Wikimedia

Principles of the Bahá'í Faith

The Bahá'í teachings have their foundation in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, which are believed by Bahá'ís to be divinely inspired revelation. The writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá—Bahá'u'lláh's son, His successor, and the exemplar of His teachings—are authoritative interpretations of the revelation. While there is no authoritative list of Bahá'í principles, it is from these two sources that the following account of spiritual and social principles has been derived.

Independent Investigation of Truth- Bahá'u'lláh instructs humanity to see with their “own eyes and not through the eyes of others”. Bahá'ís believe it to be a fundamental obligation of the individual to independently investigate the truth and to come to knowledge through their own efforts, not just through the uncritical imitation of those with authority. God has given each individual a mind with the power to differentiate truth from falsehood. The failure of individuals to exercise their independent reasoning abilities has allowed those with malicious intend to stir up hate and animosity in the world. What is now needed are more sincere seekers of truth who, after thoroughly investigating the true nature of the world, have come to see that there is only one reality that unifies all of creation.

Harmony of Science and Religion- `Abdu'l-Bahá teaches, “Bahá'u'lláh has declared that religion must be in accord with science and reason. If it does not correspond with scientific principles and the processes of reason, it is superstition.” Science and religion are, to Bahá'ís, the twin pillars of truth. Both are means to acquiring knowledge about reality, science informs us about the material world and religion lets us know about the spiritual world. Thus, there can be no conflict between science and religion because both speak about different aspects of the the same creation.

Unity of God- Bahá'ís believe in one supreme Being Who is the Creator and Origin of all materials and forces in the universe. He has absolute control over His creation (omnipotence) as well as complete knowledge of it (omniscience). This Being is called God in English, Brahma is Hindi, Allah in Arabic, and Khuda in Persian. God is called by many names but His Being is one and utterly transcendent of all created things. God is far too great and too subtle a Being for the finite human mind ever to comprehend, though humanity can know something of God through the reflection of divine attributes seen in his Messengers and other human-beings.

Unity of Religion- Bahá'u'lláh taught that there is but one religion which has been progressively revealed by God through His Messengers. All of God's messengers have a nature with two aspects because they are at once both human and divine. They are divine in that They all originate from the same light which is of God but, at the same time, they are also separate individual souls entrusted with a particular revelation and fulfilling a definite mission. All religions come from one source and uphold the same truths but differ in outward form because they were reveled by God to suit the needs of the people of the age their Messenger appeared.

Unity of Humankind- Bahá'u'lláh announced to the world that the age of nationalism was over writing, “It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.” This principle should never be construed as supporting conformity though, Bahá'ís have a vision that is embracing of all the diversity of the world. Humanity is likened unto “the flowers of one garden” as both increase their beauty by allowing all colors and forms to grow side by side. As such, Bahá'ís work towards the elimination of all forms of prejudice.

Equality between Men and Women- “Women and men have been and will always be equal in the sight of God,” were Bahá'u'lláh's words spoken to the world of the 19^th century. An essential Bahá'í principle has always been the social and spiritual equality of men and woman. Men and women are “two wings of one bird” wrote Bahá'u'lláh. This principle does not imply sameness though as there are some aspects of gender distinctiveness in certain areas of life.

Universal Compulsory Education- Bahá'u'lláh wrote, “Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.” The Bahá'í Faith holds education to be a universal right of all people. Bahá'ís are deeply committed to promoting moral and spiritual education, as well encouraging the arts and sciences.

Universal Auxiliary Language- Communication will play a vital role in establishing the unity of the human race. Bahá'ís promote the use of a universal language, to be used in addition to the various nation's and culture's mother tongues, to foster unity and peace among the peoples of the earth. Upholding the concept of “unity in diversity”, the Bahá'ís teach that this language should not suppress existing natural languages and that distinctions of each culture should be preserved.

Elimination of Extremes of Wealth and Poverty- Bahá'u'lláh taught that economic injustice is a moral evil and as such is condemned by God. `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote, “The Disease which afflicts the body politic is lack of love and absence of altruism.” The grave imbalance in economic and material conditions is of great concern to the Bahá'ís. They hold that only a profound change of hearts and minds, the likes of which only a spiritual renewal can produce, could possibly provide a satisfactory solution to the world's current economic problems.

Weekly Meditation #1

Transcendent Nature of the Absolute Divine Perfection

There are as many names for the Absolute Divine Perfection as there are languages. All of these names refer to only one reality though, that of the completely transcendent and unknowable Source of all that is. This Source is eternal, absolute, without quality or quantity, and completely incomparable to anything of this world.

Absolute Love and Compassion of the Cosmic Mother

The universe arose out of the first emanation of the Absolute Divine Perfection. This emanation, which is sometimes called the Logos, is the Cosmic Mother. She is Creator and Sustainer of all things, gently guiding the continual process of creation. Her nature is one of absolute love and compassion for all beings.

Welcome!

“When the sun with its spacious light is folded up; When the stars fall, losing their luster; When the mountains vanish like a mirage; When the she-camels, ten months with young, are left untended; When the wild beasts are herded together; When the oceans boil over with a swell; When the souls are sorted out, being joined, like with like; When the female infant buried alive is questioned― For what crime she was killed; When the Scrolls are laid open; When the World on High is unveiled: When the Blazing Fire is kindled to fierce heat; And when the Garden is brought near― Then shall each soul know what it has put forward.

“So verily I call to witness the planets that recede Go straight, or hide; And the Night as it dissipates And the Dawn as it breathes away the darkness― Verily this is the word of a most honourable Messenger, Endued with Power, with rank before the Lord of the Throne, With authority there, faithful of his trust. And O people! your companion is not one possessed; And without doubt he saw him in the clear horizon. Neither doth he withhold grudgingly a knowledge of the Unseen. Nor is it the word of an evil spirit accursed. Then whither go ye?

“Verily this is no less than a Message to all the Worlds: With profit to whoever among you wills to go straight. But ye shall not will except as Allah wills the Cherisher of the Worlds.”

These Words are the translation of the 81st Surah of the Holy Quran, At-Takwir (meaning “the Overthrowing”, “the Folding-up”, “the Winding Round") from which this blog takes it's title. The Quran, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over 1300 years ago, is a profoundly powerful book of spiritual knowledge, believed by Muslims to be the direct and unaltered revelation of the Word of God. The Quran serves as the foundation of all the teachings of Islam, one of the world's greatest religions.

I hope these most holy words bring some comfort to your soul. This is what my hope is for this entire blog: that, by the Grace of God, your reading of the meditations and writings posted on this site, gleaned from all the world's major religious traditions, will deepen your relationship with our Creator and through Him you may gain a deeper understanding of your own inner-divinity. May God guide you to truly know Him, His Messengers, and yourself.

Thank you so much for your support, I will be praying for all who visit this site.