Realizing the Kingdom –
-a dawning of the mind
“Then will… the holy and everlasting Spirit confer such new life upon the seeker that he will find himself endowed with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind.”
On Mind-Training:
“Empty thyself of all learning that thou mayest partake of my knowledge…..” (HW , 11P)
“The True Seeker… must, before all else, cleanse and purify 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.” (KIQ)
“…all the variations which the wayfarer in the stages of his journey beholdeth in the realms of being, proceed from his own vision.” (Seven Valleys, p18)
“Unless these divine bestowals be revealed from the inner self of humankind, the bounty of the Manifestation will prove barren, and the dazzling rays of the Sun of Truth will have no effect whatever.” SWAB. P 10
“One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our own inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Baha’u’llah.” – Shoghi Effendi, Baha’i Administration, p 66
“Those souls that, in this day, enter the divine kingdom and attain everlasting life, although materially dwelling on earth, yet in reality soar in the realm of heaven. Their bodies may linger on earth but their spirits travel in the immensity of space. For as thoughts widen and become illumined, they acquire the power of flight and transport man to the kingdom of God.” (Abdul-Baha, SWAB 173.1)
“Why wait for Heaven? Those who seek the light are merely covering their eyes. The light is in them now. Enlightenment is but a recognition, not a change at all. Light is not of the world, yet you who bear the light are alien here as well. The light came with you from your native home, and stayed with you because it is your own. It is the only thing you bring with you from Him Who is your Source. It shines in you because it lights your home, and leads you back to where it came from and you are at home.” (ACIM W lesson 188)
“O Son of Man!
The light hath shone on thee from the horizon of the sacred Mount and the spirit of enlightenment hath breathed in the Sinai of thy heart. Wherefore, free thyself of the veils of idle fancies and enter into My court, that thou mayest be fit for everlasting life and worthy to meet Me. Thus may death not come upon thee, neither weariness nor trouble.” (Baha’u’llah, HW #63)
“….the mind is the power of the human spirit. Spirit is the lamp; mind is the light which shines from the lamp. Spirit is the tree, and the mind is the fruit. Mind is the perfection of the spirit and its essential quality, as the sun’s rays are the essential necessity of the sun.” (SAQ 208-9)
“In like manner, when thou strippest the wrappings of illusion from off thine heart, the lights of oneness will be made manifest.” (Baha’u’llah, Seven Valleys, p. 24)
“Our mind is pure and simple. When it is emptied of thought, it enters the pure and simple light of God, and finds nothing but the light.” (Symeon the new theologian (949-1022)
“Tear asunder, in My Name, the veils that have grievously blinded your vision, and through the power born of your belief in the unity of God, scatter the idols of vain imitation. Enter, then the holy paradise of the good-pleasure of the All-Merciful. Sanctify your souls from whatsoever is not of God, and taste ye the sweetness of rest within the pale of His vast and mighty Revelation…” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p 144)
On Your Identity
“O Son of Being!
With the hands of power I made thee and with the fingers of strength I created thee; and within thee have I placed the essence of My light. Be thou content with it and seek naught else, for My work is perfect and My command is binding. Question it not, nor have a doubt thereof.” (Baha’u’llah, HW #12)
“I am the holy home of God Himself. I am the Heaven where His love resides. I am His holy sinlessness itself, for in my purity abides His Own”.(ACIM WII#14)
“Let all be set free from the multiple identities that were born of passion and desire, and in the oneness of their love for God find a new way of life.” (Abdul-Baha’, SWAB, 36.3)
” It is hard to understand what “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you” really means. This is because it is not understandable to the ego, which interprets it as if something outside is inside, and this does not mean anything. The word “within” is unnecessary. The Kingdom of Heaven is you. What else but you did the Creator create, and what else but you is His Kingdom? This is the whole message of the Atonement, a message which in its totality transcends the sum of its parts. You, too, have a Kingdom that your spirit created. It has not ceased to create because of the ego’s illusions. Your creations are no more fatherless than you are. Your ego and your spirit will never be co-creators, but your spirit and your Creator will always be. Be confident that your creations are as safe as you are.” (ACIM T-4.111.1)
“Whoever knows himself knows God.” (Muhammad)
“The kingdom of God does not come if you watch for it. Nor will anyone be able to say, “It is here.” or “It is there.”. For the kingdom of God is within you” (Jesus of Nazareth)
“Thou are My dominion and My dominion perisheth not…” Baha’u’llah, HW 14)
“Man- the true man- is soul, not body…”(Abdul-Baha’PT p.85)
On Singularity:
There is nothing outside you. That is what you must ultimately learn, for it is the realization that the Kingdom of Heaven is restored to you. For God created only this, and He did not depart from it nor leave it separate from Himself. The Kingdom of Heaven is the dwelling place of the Son of God, who left not his Father and dwells not apart from Him. Heaven is not a place nor a condition. It is merely an awareness of perfect oneness, and the knowledge that there is nothing else; nothing outside this oneness, and nothing else within. (ACIM, C 18.6:1)
“In this station he pierceth the veils of plurality, fleeth from the worlds of the flesh, and ascendeth into the heaven of singleness.”
“He looketh on all things with the eye of oneness, and seeth the brilliant rays of the divine sun shining from the dawning-point of Essence alike on all created things, and the lights of singleness reflected over all creation.” (Baha’u’llah, Seven Valleys, p.18, 26)
On “There is no world”:
This present life is even as a swelling wave, or a mirage, or drifting shadows. Could ever a distorted image on the desert serve as refreshing waters? No, by the Lord of Lords! Never can reality and the mere semblance of reality be one, and wide is the difference between fancy and fact, between truth and the phantom thereof.
Know thou that the Kingdom is the real world, and this nether place is only its shadow stretching out. A shadow hath no life of its own; its existence is only a fantasy, and nothing more; it is but images reflected in water, and seeming as pictures to the eye. (Abdul-Baha’ SWAB 150.1)
“The world is but a show, vain and empty, a mere nothing bearing the semblance of reality. Set not your affections upon it. Break not the bond that uniteth you with your Creator, and be not of those that have erred and strayed from His ways. Verily I say, the world is like a vapor in a desert which the thirsty dreameth to be water and striveth after it with all his might, until he cometh unto it, he findeth it to be mere illusion. It may, moreover be likened unto the lifeless image of the beloved whom the lover hath sought and found, in the end, after long search and to his utmost regret, to be such as cannot “fatten or appease his hunger”. (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings, p. 328
“The world you see has nothing to do with reality. It is of your own making, and it does not exist.” (ACIM, lesson 14)
What Science says:
Today physicists believe that sub-atomic phenomena should not be classified solely as either waves or particles but as a single category of somethings that are always somehow both. These somethings are called quanta and physicists believe they are the basic stuff from which the entire universe is made. Perhaps the most astonishing of all is that there is compelling evidence that the only time quanta ever manifest as particles is when we are looking at them.” (Talbot, The Holographic Universe, p.94)
“In this station he pierceth the veils of plurality, fleeth from the worlds of the flesh, and ascendeth into the heaven of singleness.”
“He looketh on all things with the eye of oneness, and seeth the brilliant rays of the divine sun shining from the dawning-point of Essence alike on all created things, and the lights of singleness reflected over all creation.” (Baha’u’llah, Seven Valleys, p.18, 26)
On “There is no world”:
This present life is even as a swelling wave, or a mirage, or drifting shadows. Could ever a distorted image on the desert serve as refreshing waters? No, by the Lord of Lords! Never can reality and the mere semblance of reality be one, and wide is the difference between fancy and fact, between truth and the phantom thereof.
Know thou that the Kingdom is the real world, and this nether place is only its shadow stretching out. A shadow hath no life of its own; its existence is only a fantasy, and nothing more; it is but images reflected in water, and seeming as pictures to the eye. (Abdul-Baha’ SWAB 150.1)
“The world is but a show, vain and empty, a mere nothing bearing the semblance of reality. Set not your affections upon it. Break not the bond that uniteth you with your Creator, and be not of those that have erred and strayed from His ways. Verily I say, the world is like a vapor in a desert which the thirsty dreameth to be water and striveth after it with all his might, until he cometh unto it, he findeth it to be mere illusion. It may, moreover be likened unto the lifeless image of the beloved whom the lover hath sought and found, in the end, after long search and to his utmost regret, to be such as cannot “fatten or appease his hunger”. (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings, p. 328
“…the kingdom is inside you, and it is outside you. If you know yourselves, then you will be known; and you will know that you are the sons of the living Father.” (The Gospel of Thomas)
“Hence it is that he forgets himself and the entire creation on account of this dazzling divine light. On account of this forgetfull ness, all awareness of self is lost. There is no calling upon the name or observance of customs; awareness of whether one exists or not; explanation, allusion, or divine throne. In this world, all things pass away. There is no splendor except at this stage. Here, “everything perishes except His essence.” Here alone is God actually seen face to face. (Sufi Sharafuddin Maneri)
“For when the true lover and devoted friend reacheth to the presence of the Beloved, the sparkling beauty of the Loved One and the fire of the lover’s heart will kindle a blaze and burn away all veils and wrappings. Yea all he hath, from heart to skin, will be set aflame, so that nothing will remain save the Friend.” (Seven Valleys, p. 36) On the collapse of Time and Space:
“ Miracles are both beginnings and endings, and so they alter the temporal order. They are always affirmations of rebirth, which seem to go back but really go forward. They undo the past in the present, and thus release the future.” (ACIM Ch1p.4)
“ ….any movement animated by love moveth from the periphery to the centre, from space to the Day-Star of the universe. Perchance thou deemest this to be difficult, but I tell thee that such cannot be the case, for when the motivating and guiding power is the divine force of magnetism it is possible, by its aid, to traverse time and space easily and swiftly. Glory be upon the people of Bahá” (Abdul-Baha’, SWAB 166.1)
“Miracles make minds one in God. They depend on cooperation, because the Sonship is the sum of all the Souls God created. Miracles therefore rest on the laws of eternity, not of time. (ACIM Ch1p2)
On Eternal Life:
Know thou that immortality belongeth to those souls in whom hath been breathed the spirit of life from God. All save these are lifeless–they are the dead, even as Christ hath explained in the Gospel. (Abdul-Baha’ SWAB p.189)
I am God’s Son, complete and healed and whole, shining in the reflection of His Love. In me is His creation sanctified and guaranteed eternal life. In me is love perfected, fear impossible and joy established without opposite. (ACIM, WII, #14)
O SON OF WORLDLINESS!
Pleasant is the realm of being, wert thou to attain thereto; glorious is the domain of eternity, shouldst thou pass beyond the world of mortality; sweet is the holy ecstasy if thou drinkest of the mystic chalice from the hands of the celestial Youth . Shouldst thou attain this station, thou wouldst be freed from destruction and death, from toil and sin.
(Baha’u’llah HW #70p)
On a new purpose:
“Salvation of the world depends on me” (ACIM W, lesson 186)
This day, it behoveth whoso hath quaffed the Mystic Wine of everlasting life from the Hands of the loving-kindness of the Lord his God, the Merciful, to pulsate even as the throbbing artery in the body of mankind, that through him may be quickened the world and every crumbling bone. (Baha’u’llah, Kitab-I-Aqdas #20)
On From time to eternity:
“The body is the ego’s idol; the belief in sin made flesh and then projected outward. This produces what seems to be a wall of flesh around the mind, keeping it prisoner in a tiny spot of space and time, beholden unto death, and given but an instant in which to sigh and grieve and die in honor of its master. And this unholy instant seems to be life; an instant of despair, a tiny island of dry sand, bereft of water and set uncertainly upon oblivion. Here does the Son of God stop briefly by, to offer his devotion to death’s idols and then pass on. And here he is more dead than living. Yet it is also here he makes his choice again between idolatry and love. Here it is given him to choose to spend this instant paying tribute to the body, or let himself be given freedom from it. Here he can accept the holy instant, offered him to replace the unholy one he chose before. And here can he learn relationships are his salvation, and not his doom.”(ACIM C 20 VI, 11)
“ O My Servant!
Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and loose thy soul from the prison of self. Seize thy chance, for it will come to thee no more.” (Baha’u’llah, The Hidden Words ,40)
“……..those who journey in the garden land of knowledge, because they see the end in the beginning, see peace in war and friendliness in anger.
Such is the state of the wayfarers in this Valley; but the people of the Valleys above this see the end and the beginning as one; nay, they see neither beginning nor end, and witness neither “first” nor “last.” [Qur’án 57:3] Nay rather, the denizens of the undying city, who dwell in the green garden land, see not even “neither first nor last”; they fly from all that is first, and repulse all that is last. For these have passed over the worlds of names, and fled beyond the worlds of attributes as swift as lightning. Thus is it said: “Absolute Unity excludeth all attributes.” [Saying attributed to `Alí.] And they have made their dwelling-place in the shadow of the Essence…
…At this hour the morn of knowledge hath arisen and the lamps of wayfaring and wandering are quenched
Veiled from this was Moses
Though all strength and light;
Then thou who hast no wings at all,
Attempt not flight. (Rumi, 1270-73, Mathnavi)
If thou be a man of communion and prayer, soar up on the wings of assistance from Holy Souls, that thou mayest behold the mysteries of the Friend and attain to the lights of the Beloved, “Verily, we are from God and to Him shall we return.” [Qur’án 2:151]
After passing through the Valley of knowledge, which is the last plane of limitation, the wayfarer cometh to
The Valley of Unity
and drinketh from the cup of the Absolute, and gazeth on the Manifestations of Oneness. In this station he pierceth the veils of plurality, fleeth from the worlds of the flesh, and ascendeth into the heaven of singleness. With the ear of God he heareth, with the eye of God he beholdeth the mysteries of divine creation. He steppeth into the sanctuary of the Friend, and shareth as an intimate the pavilion of the Loved One. He stretcheth out the hand of truth from the sleeve of the Absolute; he revealeth the secrets of power. He seeth in himself neither name nor fame nor rank, but findeth his own praise in praising God. He beholdeth in his own name the name of God; to him, “all songs are from the King,” (Rumi) and every melody from Him. He sitteth on the throne of “Say, all is from God,” [Qur’án 4:80] and taketh his rest on the carpet of “There is no power or might but in God.” [Qur’án 18:37] He looketh on all things with the eye of oneness, and seeth the brilliant rays of the divine sun shining from the dawning-point of Essence alike on all created things, and the lights of singleness reflected over all creation(Baha’u’llah, Seven Valleys, p15-18)
On the “Art” of Forgiveness:
“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”(Jesus, New Testament)
“…see with the sight of forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls” (PUP, p.93)
Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world. (ACIM Workbook, lesson 62)
…..ye must show forth tenderness and love to every human being, even to your enemies, and welcome them all with unalloyed friendship, good cheer, and loving-kindness. When ye meet with cruelty and persecution at another’s hands, keep faith with him; when malevolence is directed your way, respond with a friendly heart. To the spears and arrows rained upon you, expose your breasts for a target mirror-bright; and in return for curses, taunts and wounding words, show forth abounding love. Thus will all peoples witness the power of the Most Great Name, and every nation acknowledge the might of the Ancient Beauty, and see how He hath toppled down the walls of discord, and how surely He hath guided all the peoples of the earth to oneness; how He hath lit man’s world, and made this earth of dust to send forth streams of light. (Abdul-Baha’-SWAB #8 p.23)
“The light of the world brings peace to every mind through my forgiveness.”
(ACIM W Lesson 6)
“…..Should anyone come to blows with you, seek to be friends with him; should any stab you to the heart, be ye a healing salve unto his sores; should any taunt and mock at you, meet him with love. Should any heap his blame upon you, praise ye him; should he offer you a deadly poison, give him the choicest honey in exchange; and should he threaten your life, grant him a remedy that will heal him evermore. Should he be pain itself, be ye his medicine; should he be thorns, be ye his roses and sweet herbs. Perchance such ways and words from you will make this darksome world turn bright at last; will make this dusty earth turn heavenly, this devilish prison place become a royal palace of the Lord–so that war and strife will pass and be no more, and love and trust will pitch their tents on the summits of the world. Such is the essence of God’s admonitions; such in sum are the teachings for the Dispensation of Baha’.”(SWAB)
“The unforgiving mind see no mistakes, but only sins It looks upon the world with sightless eyes, and shrieks as it beholds its own projections rising to attack its miserable parody of life. It wants to live, yet wishes it were dead. It wants forgiveness, yet it sees no hope. It wants escape, yet can conceive of none because it sees the sinful everywhere.
The unforgiving mind is in despair, without the prospect of a future which can offer anything but more despair. Yet it regards its judgment of the world as irreversible, and does not see it has condemned itself to this despair. It thinks it cannot change, for what it sees bears witness that its judgment is correct. It does not ask, because it thinks it knows. It does not question, certain it is right.
Forgiveness is acquired. It is not inherent in the mind, which cannot sin. As sin is an idea you taught yourself, forgiveness must be learned by you as well, but from a Teacher other than yourself, Who represents the other Self in you. Through Him you learn how to forgive the self you think you made, and let it disappear. Thus you return your mind as one to Him Who is your Self, and Who can never sin.” (ACIM W Lesson 121)
“What is there to be saved from except illusions? And what are all illusions except false ideas about myself? My holiness undoes them all by asserting the truth about me. In the presence of my holiness, which I share with God Himself, all idols vanish.” (ACIM W Lesson 58)
“The face of Christ has to be seen before the memory of God can return. The reason is obvious. Seeing the face of Christ involves perception. No one can look on knowledge. But the face of Christ is the great symbol of forgiveness. . It is salvation. It is the symbol of the real world. Whoever looks on
The Great Reversal
“ Behold, the “mystery of the Great Reversal in the Sign of the Sovereign” hath now been made manifest. Well is it with him whom God hath aided to recognize the “Six” raised up by virtue of this “Upright Alif”; he, verily, is of those whose faith is true. How many the outwardly pious who have turned away, and how many the wayward who have drawn nigh, exclaiming: “All praise be to Thee, O Thou the Desire of the worlds!” In truth, it is in the hand of God to give what He willeth to whomsoever He willeth, and to withhold what He pleaseth from whomsoever He may wish. (Baha’u’llah, KAQ, 157)
Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsá’í (1753-1831), who was the founder of the Shaykhí School and the first of the “twin luminaries that heralded the advent of the Faith of the Báb”, prophesied that at the appearance of the Promised One all things would be reversed, the last would be first, the first last. Bahá’u’lláh in one of His Tablets refers to the “symbol and allusion” of the “mystery of the Great Reversal in the Sign of the Sovereign”. He states: “Through this reversal He hath caused the exalted to be abased and the abased to be exalted”, and He recalls that “in the days of Jesus, it was those who were distinguished for their learning, the men of letters and religion, who denied Him, whilst humble fishermen made haste to gain admittance into the Kingdom”
From notes on 157 Kitab-I-Aqdas
In his writings, Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsá’í placed great emphasis on the Arabic letter “Váv”. In The Dawn-Breakers, Nabíl states that this letter “symbolized for the Báb the advent of a new cycle of Divine Revelation, and has since been alluded to by Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in such passages as `the mystery of the Great Reversal’ and `the Sign of the Sovereign'”.
The name for the letter “Váv” consists of three letters: Váv, Alif, Váv. According to the abjad reckoning, the numerical value of each of these letters is 6, 1 and 6 respectively. Shoghi Effendi in a letter written on his behalf to one of the believers in the East provides an interpretation of this verse of the Aqdas. He states that the “Upright Alif” refers to the advent of the Báb. The first letter with its value of six, which comes before the Alif, is a symbol of earlier Dispensations and Manifestations which predate the Báb, while the third letter, which also has a numerical value of six, stands for Bahá’u’lláh’s supreme Revelation which was made manifest after the Alif (KAQ).”
On the Ark of Salvation:
O ye loved ones of God! Is there any giver save God? He singleth out for His mercy whomsoever He willeth. Erelong will He open before you the gates of His knowledge and fill up your hearts with His love. He will cheer your souls with the gentle winds of His holiness and make bright your faces with the splendours of His lights, and exalt the memory of you amongst all peoples. Your Lord is verily the Compassionate, the Merciful.
He will come to your aid with invisible hosts, and support you with armies of inspiration from the Concourse above; He will send unto you sweet perfumes from the highest Paradise, and waft over you the pure breathings that blow from the rose gardens of the Company on high. He will breathe into your hearts the spirit of life, cause you to enter the Ark of salvation, and reveal unto you His clear tokens and signs. Verily is this abounding grace. Verily is this the victory that none can deny.(Abdul-Baha, SWAB, 157.3-4)
“The ark of peace is entered two by two, yet the beginning of another world goes with them. Each holy relationship must enter here, to learn its special function in the Holy Spirit’s plan, now that it shares His purpose. And as this purpose is fulfilled, a new world rises in which sin can enter not, and where the Son of God can enter without fear and where he rests a while, to forget imprisonment and to remember freedom.” (ACIM Ch20, p.433)
“Know thou that the souls of the people of Bahá, who have entered and been established within the Crimson Ark, shall associate and commune intimately one with another, and shall be so closely associated in their lives, their aspirations, their aims and strivings as to be even as one soul. They are indeed the ones who are well-informed, who are keen-sighted, and who are endued with understanding. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The people of Bahá, who are the inmates of the Ark of God, are, one and all, well aware of one another’s state and condition, and are united in the bonds of intimacy and fellowship.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings, p.170)
On the dwellers of the immortal realm:
“ God the Eternal Truth beareth me witness. The Celestial Youth hath, in this Day, raised above the heads of men the glorious Chalice of Immortality, and is standing expectant upon His seat, wondering what eye will recognize His glory, and what arm will, unhesitatingly, be stretched forth to seize the Cup from His snow-white Hand and drain it. Only a few have as yet quaffed from this peerless, this soft-flowing grace of the Ancient King. These occupy the loftiest mansions of Paradise and are firmly established upon the seats of authority. By the righteousness of God! Neither the mirrors of His glory, nor the revealers of His names, nor any created thing, that hath been or will ever be, can ever excel them, if ye be of them that comprehend this truth. ……Shouldst thou rend asunder the grievous veil that blindeth thy vision, thou wouldst behold such a bounty as naught, from the beginning that hath no beginning til the end that hath no end, can either resemble or equal. What language should He Who is the Mouthpiece of God choose to speak, so that they who are shut out as by a veil from Him can recognize His glory? The righteous, inmates of the Kingdom on high, shall drink deep from the Wine of Holiness, in My name, the all-glorious. None other besides them will share such benefits.” (Baha-u-llah, Gleanings P 108)
“O phoenix of that immortal flame kindled in the sacred Tree! Bahá’u’lláh (may my life, my soul, my spirit, be offered up as a sacrifice unto His lowly servants) hath, during His last days on earth, given the most emphatic promise that, through the outpourings of the grace of God and the aid and assistance vouchsafed from His Kingdom on high, souls will arise and holy beings appear who, as stars, would adorn the firmament of divine Guidance; illumine the dayspring of loving kindness and bounty; manifest the signs of the unity of God; shine with the light of sanctity and purity; receive their full measure of divine inspiration; raise high the sacred torch of faith; stand firm as the rock and immovable as the mountain; and grow to become luminaries in the heavens of His Revelation, mighty channels of His grace, means for the bestowals of God’s bountiful care, heralds calling forth the name of the one true God, and establishers of the world’s supreme foundation.
These shall labor ceaselessly by day and by night, shall heed neither trial nor woe, shall suffer no respite in their efforts, shall seek no repose, shall disregard all ease and comfort and, detached and unsullied, shall consecrate every fleeting moment of their life to the diffusion of the divine fragrance and the exaltation of God’s holy Word. Their face will radiate heavenly gladness, and their hearts be filled with joy. Their souls will be inspired, and their foundation stand secure. They shall scatter in the world, and travel throughout all regions. They shall raise their voice in every assembly, and adorn and revive every gathering. They shall speak in every tongue, and interpret every hidden meaning. They shall reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom, and manifest unto every one the signs of God. They shall burn brightly even as a candle in the heart of every assembly, and beam forth as a star upon every horizon. The gentle breeze wafted from the garden of their hearts shall perfume and revive the souls of men, and the revelations of their minds, even as showers reinvigorate the peoples and nations of the world.
I am waiting, eagerly waiting for these holy ones to appear; and yet, how long will they delay their coming? My prayer and ardent supplication, at eventide and at dawn, is that these shining stars may soon shed their radiance upon the world, that their sacred countenance may be unveiled to mortal eyes, and the billows of grace, rising from His oceans above, may flow upon all mankind. Pray ye also and supplicate unto Him that through the bountiful aid of the Ancient Beauty these souls may be unveiled to the eyes of the world.
The glory of God rest upon thee, and upon him whose face is illumined with that everlasting light that shineth from His Kingdom of Glory.”(Abdul-Baha’, BWF 354-55)
“If a small number of people gather lovingly together, with absolute purity and sanctity, with their hearts free of the world, experiencing the emotions of the Kingdom and the powerful magnetic forces of the Divine, and being at one in their happy fellowship, that gathering will exert its influence over all the earth. The nature of that band of people, the words they speak, the deeds they do, will unleash the bestowals of Heaven, and provide a foretaste of eternal bliss. The hosts of the Company on high will defend them, and the angels of the Abhá Paradise, in continuous succession, will come down to their aid.
The meaning of `angels’ is the confirmations of God and His celestial powers. Likewise angels are blessed beings who have severed all ties with this nether world, have been released from the chains of self and the desires of the flesh, and anchored their hearts to the heavenly realms of the Lord. These are of the Kingdom, heavenly; these are of God, spiritual; these are revealers of God’s abounding grace; these are dawning-points of His spiritual bestowals” (Abdul-Baha’, SWAB 39-2-3)
On the unreality of death:
“There is no death. The Son of God is free.” (ACIM W lesson 163)
Through his ignorance, man fears death; but the death he shrinks from is imaginary and absolutely unreal; it is only human imagination….
…..the bestowal of God is descending upon the world of humanity, never ceasing, continuous, forever. If we say that the bestowal of existence ceases or falters it is equivalent to saying that the sun can exist with cessation of its effulgence. Is this possible? Therefore the effulgences of existence are ever present and continuous.
The conception of annihilation is a factor in human degradation, a cause of human debasement and lowliness, a source of human fear and abjection. It has been conducive to the dispersion and weakening of human thought whereas the realization of existence and continuity has upraised man to sublimity of ideals, established the foundations of human progress and stimulated the development of heavenly virtues; therefore it behooves man to abandon thoughts of non-existence and death which are absolutely imaginary and see himself ever living, everlasting in the divine purpose of his creation. He must turn away from ideas which degrade the human soul, so that day by day and hour by hour he may advance upward and higher to spiritual perception of the continuity of the human reality. (Abdul-Baha’, BWF p263-4)
On the body’s eyes vs. vision:
“Thus it hath been made clear that these stages depend on the vision of the wayfarer.” Baha’u’llah, Seven Valleys, p.28)
Therefore you must thank God that He has bestowed upon you the blessing of life and existence in the human kingdom. Strive diligently to acquire virtues befitting your degree and station. Be as lights of the world which cannot be hid and which have no setting in horizons of darkness. Ascend to the zenith of an existence which is never beclouded by the fears and forebodings of non-existence. When man is not endowed with inner perception he is not informed of these important mysteries. The retina of outer vision though sensitive and delicate may nevertheless be a hindrance to the inner eye which alone can perceive. The bestowals of God which are manifest in all phenomenal life are sometimes hidden by intervening veils of mental and mortal vision which render man spiritually blind and incapable but when those scales are removed and the veils rent asunder, then the great signs of God will become visible and he will witness the eternal light filling the world. The bestowals of God are all and always manifest. The promises of heaven are ever present. The favors of God are all-surrounding but should the conscious eye of the soul of man remain veiled and darkened he will be led to deny these universal signs and remain deprived of these manifestations of divine bounty. Therefore we must endeavor with heart and soul in order that the veil covering the eye of inner vision may be removed, that we may behold the manifestations of the signs of God, discern His mysterious graces, and realize that material blessings as compared with spiritual bounties are as nothing. The spiritual blessings of God are greatest. (Abdul-Baha’, BWF 263-7)
“God is the light in which I see……
In order to see, you must recognize that light is within, not without. You do not see outside yourself, nor is the equipment for seeing outside you. An essential part of this equipment is the light that makes seeing possible. It is with you always, making vision possible in every circumstance.
Today we are going to attempt to reach that light.
(ACIM, W Lesson 44)
”God is in everything I see.
Behind every image I have made, the truth remains unchanged. Behind every veil I have drawn across the face of love, its light remains undimmed”. (ACIM W lesson 56)
On The Promise:
(*Italics: editor)
“When the True Seeker determineth to take the step of search in the path leading to the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else, cleanse and purify 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. That seeker must at all times put his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. (Book of Certitude p-19
Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled within the seeker’s heart, and the breeze of His loving-kindness is wafted upon his soul, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and certitude envelop his being. At that hour will the mystic Herald, bearing the joyful tidings of the Spirit, shine forth from the City of God resplendent as the morn, and, through the trumpet-blast of knowledge, will awaken the heart, the soul, and the spirit from the slumber of negligence. Then will the manifold favours and outpouring grace of the holy and everlasting Spirit confer such new life upon the seeker that he will find himself endowed with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind. He will contemplate the manifest signs of the universe, and will penetrate the hidden mysteries of the soul. Gazing with the eye of God, he will perceive within every atom a door that leadeth him to the stations of absolute certitude. He will discover in all things the mysteries of divine Revelation and the evidences of an everlasting manifestation. (Baha’u’llah, Book of Certitude, p. 195-6)
On love of God, oneness of being and the body:
…..love of God and spiritual attraction do cleanse and purify the human heart and dress and adorn it with the spotless garment of holiness; and once the heart is entirely attached to the Lord, and bound over to the Blessed Perfection, then will the grace of God be revealed. 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. Let God’s beloved, each and every one, be the essence of purity, the very life of holiness, so that in every country they may become famed for their sanctity, independence of spirit, and meekness. Let them be cheered by draughts from the eternal cup of love for God, and make merry as they drink from the wine-vaults of Heaven. Let them behold the Blessed Beauty, and feel the flame and rapture of that meeting, and be struck dumb with awe and wonder. This is the station of the sincere; this is the way of the loyal; this is the brightness that shineth on the faces of those nigh unto God. Wherefore must the friends of God, with utter sanctity, with one accord, rise up in the spirit, in unity with one another, to such a degree that they will become even as one being and one soul. On such a plane as this, physical bodies play no part, rather doth the spirit take over and rule; and when its power encompasseth all then is spiritual union achieved. Strive ye by day and night to cultivate your unity to the fullest degree. Let your thoughts dwell on your own spiritual development, and close your eyes to the deficiencies of other souls. Act ye in such wise, showing forth pure and goodly deeds, and modesty and humility, that ye will cause others to be awakened.
Never is it the wish of `Abdu’l-Bahá to see any being hurt, nor will He make anyone to grieve; for man can receive no greater gift than this, that he rejoice another’s heart. I beg of God that ye will be bringers of joy, even as are the angels in Heaven.
(Abdul-Baha, SWAB p. (202)
“I am not a body. I am free. For I am still as God created me. I trust my brothers who are one with me. No one but is my brother. I am blessed with oneness with the universe and God, my Father, one Creator of the whole that is my Self, forever one with me.” (ACIM W, lesson 201)
On the validity of non-Bahai sources to assist spiritual advancement:
“We cherish the hope that through the loving-kindness of the All-Wise, the All-Knowing, obscuring dust may be dispelled and the power of perception enhanced, that the people may discover the purpose for which they have been called into being. In this Day whatsoever serveth to reduce blindness and to increase vision is worthy of consideration. This vision acteth as the agent and guide for true knowledge.”
“It is incumbent upon thee, and upon the followers of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, to summon all men to whatsoever shall sanctify them from all attachment to the things of the earth and purge them from its defilements, that the sweet smell of the raiment of the All-Glorious may be smelled from all them that love Him.”( Gleanings. p.202)
The Station of the Manifestation
“ The purpose of the one true God, exalted be His glory, in revealing Himself unto men is to lay bare those gems that lie hidden within the mine of their true and inmost selves. That the diverse communions of the earth, and the manifold systems of religious belief, should never be allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among men, is, in this Day, of the essence of the Faith of God and His Religion. These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source and are the rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings p 287-8)
“Praise be to God Who hath made being to come forth from nothingness; graven upon the tablet of man the secrets of pre-existence; taught him from the mysteries of divine utterance that which he knew not made him a Luminous Book unto those who believed and surrendered themselves; caused him to witness the creation of all things in this black and ruinous age, and to speak forth from the apex of eternity with a wondrous voice in the Excellent Temple: to the end that every man may testify, in himself, by himself, in the station of the Manifestation of his Lord, that verily there is no God save Him, and that every man may thereby win his way to the summit of realities, until none shall contemplate anything whatsoever but that he shall see God therein..” (Baha’u’llah, 7 Valleys, p1)
Know that the Holy Manifestations, though They have the degrees of endless perfections, yet, speaking generally, have only three stations. The first station is the physical; the second station is the human, which is that of the rational soul; the third is that of the divine appearance and the heavenly splendor.
……. The third station is that of the divine appearance and heavenly splendor: it is the Word of God, the Eternal Bounty, the Holy Spirit. It has neither beginning nor end, for these things are related to the world of contingencies and not to the divine world. For God the end is the same thing as the beginning. So the reckoning of days, weeks, months and years, of yesterday and today, is connected with the terrestrial globe; but in the sun there is no such thing–there is neither yesterday, today nor tomorrow, neither months nor years: all are equal. In the same way the Word of God is purified from all these conditions and is exempt from the boundaries, the laws and the limits of the world of contingency. Therefore, the reality of prophethood, which is the Word of God and the perfect state of manifestation, did not have any beginning and will not have any end; its rising is different from all others and is like that of the sun. For example, its dawning in the sign of Christ was with the utmost splendor and radiance, and this is eternal and everlasting. See how many conquering kings there have been, how many statesmen and princes, powerful organizers, all of whom have disappeared, whereas the breezes of Christ are still blowing; His light is still shining; His melody is still resounding; His standard is still waving; His armies are still fighting; His heavenly voice is still sweetly melodious; His clouds are still showering gems; His lightning is still flashing; His reflection is still clear and brilliant; His splendor is still radiating and luminous; and it is the same with those souls who are under His protection and are shining with His light. (Abdul-Baha’, SAQ p151-3)
“ The Bearers of the Trust of God are made manifest unto the peoples of the earth as the Exponents of a new Cause and the Revealers of a new Message. Inasmuch as these Birds of the celestial Throne are all send down from the heaven of the Will of God, as they all arise to proclaim His irresistible Faith, they therefore, are regarded as one soul and the same person. For they all drink from the one Cup of the love of God, and all partake of the fruit of the same Tree of Oneness. These Manifestation s of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure abstraction and essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same attributes, thou hast not erred from the truth. ..The other station is the station of distinction.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings, p 51-52).
.
“Beware, O believers in the Unity of God, lest ye be tempted to make any distinction between any of the Manifestations of His Cause, or to discriminate against the signs that have accompanied and proclaimed their Revelation. This indeed is the true meaning of Divine Unity, if ye be of them that apprehend and believe this truth. Be ye assured, moreover, that the works and acts of each and every one of these Manifestations of God, nay whatever pertaineth unto them and whatsoever they may manifest in the future, are all ordained by God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings, p. 59)
On Christ:
“…whoso looketh for Christ in His physical body hath looked in vain, and will be shut away from Him as by a veil. But whoso yearneth to find Him in the spirit will grow from day to day in joy and desire and burning love, in closeness to Him, and in beholding Him clear and plain. In this new and wondrous day, it behoveth thee to seek after the spirit of Christ.” (Abdul-Baha’, SWAB, p. 167)
“God has ordained that the Christians of the west shall be foremost among all the peoples of the world in recognizing the second coming of Christ in the glory of the father and in carrying the glad tidings through the earth.”
(Baha’u’llah, Tablet to Napoleon III)
“The Second Coming is the one event in time which time itself cannot affect. For every one who ever came to die, or yet will come or who is present now, is equally released from what he made. In this equality is Christ restored as one Identity in Which the Son’s of God acknowledge that they all are one. And God the Father smiles upon His Son, His one creation and His only joy.
“Let all be set free from the multiple identities that were born of passion and desire, and in the oneness of their love for God find a new way of life.” (Abdul-Baha’, SWAB, 36.3)
Pray that the Second Coming will be soon, but do not rest with that. It needs your eyes and ears and hands and feet. It needs your voice. And most of all it needs your willingness. Let us rejoice that we can do God’s Will, and join together in its holy light. Behold, the Son of God is one in us, and we can reach our Father’s Love through Him.” (ACIM WII #9)
On Baha’u’llah:
“Is he (Jesus) God’s only Helper? No, indeed. For Christ takes many forms with different names until their oneness can be recognized.”(ACIM CT)
“The Revelation which , from time immemorial, hath been acclaimed as the Purpose and Promise of all the Prophets of God, and the most cherished Desire of His Messengers, hath now, by virtue of the pervasive Will of the Almighty and at His irresistible bidding, been revealed unto men. The advent of such a Revelation hath been heralded in all the sacred Scriptures. Behold how, notwithstanding such an announcement, mankind hath strayed from its path and shut out itself from its glory.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings p.5)
“The world’s equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Mankind’s ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System–the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed. Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets, and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths. Take heed that ye do not vacillate in your determination to embrace the truth of this Cause–a Cause through which the potentialities of the might of God have been revealed, and His sovereignty established. With faces beaming with joy, hasten ye unto Him. This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Let him that seeketh, attain it…”
“Your plan I follow, and at the end I know that You will gather Your effects into the tranquil Heaven of Your Love, where earth will disappear, and separate thoughts unite in glory as the Son of God”.(ACIM,W pII, 326)
“and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”.(New Testament, Matthew 24:30)
“It is evident that every age in which a Manifestation of God hath lived is divinely ordained, and may, in a sense, be characterized as God’s appointed Day. This Day, however, is unique, and is to be distinguished from those that have preceded it. The designation “Seal of the Prophets” fully revealeth its high station. The Prophetic Cycle hath, verily ended. The Eternal Truth is now come. He hath lifted up the Ensign of Power, and is now shedding upon the world the unclouded splendor of His Revelation.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings p.
60)
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:3,4)
“By the Lord! He whose heart hath not the fragrance of the love of the exalted and glorious Arabian Youth,
Glorified be my Lord, the All-Glorious! “Can in no wise ascend unto the glory of the highest heaven.” (from the Tablet of the Holy Mariner, Baha’u’llah)
On America’s Destiny
“The continent of America is in the eyes of the one true God the land wherein the splendours of His light shall be revealed, where the mysteries of His Faith shall be unveiled, where the righteous will abide and the free assemble. “May they (the American people) rise from their present material attainments to such a height that heavenly illumination may stream from this centre to all the peoples of the world….The American continent……will lead the world spiritually.” (Abdul-Baha’, quoted in Shoghi Effendi, World Order, p 75)
”Tribulations on a scale unprecedented in its history, and calculated to purge its institutions, to purify the hearts of its people, to fuse its constituent elements and to weld it into one entity with its sister nations in both hemispheres, are inevitable.
These same fiery tribulations will not only firmly weld the American nation to its sister nations in both hemispheres, but will through their cleansing effect purge it thoroughly of the accumulated dross which ingrained racial prejudice, rampant materialism, widespread ungodliness and moral laxity have combined, in the course of successive generations to produce, and which have prevented her thus far from assuming the role of world spiritual leadership forecast by Abdul-Baha’s unerring pen – a role which she is bound to fulfil through travail and sorrow.” (Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, 126-7)
On music:
“We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may be lifted up unto the realm on high…”
“’all songs are from the King’, and every melody from Him”, (Seven Valleys, Baha’u’llah, p. 18 quoting Rumi)
At play in the fields of the lord:
“Every child has known God.
Not the God of names,
Not the God of don’t’s.
Not the God who ever does anything weird.
But the God who only knows four words.
And keeps repeating them, saying,
‘ Come dance with me,
come dance…’” (Hafiz)
On Baha’i
One of three Central Figures of the Baha’I Faith, the Bab(gate) is a Messenger of God and a herald of One greater than Himself–One who would inaugurate a new era in religion and civilization. This Christ-like figure is known as the Great Announcement (of) the Day of Resurrection. Like earlier Messengers of God, the Bab was opposed and denounced. After six years of persecution He was publicly martyred at the age of 30 in Tabriz.
Baha’u’llah (Glory of God) is the founder of the Baha’i Faith. He was a Persian nobleman who in 1863 declared Himself to be the One whose coming the Bab and all the previous Prophets had foretold. Like His predecessor, He was bitterly opposed, persecuted and exiled from place to place, fulfilling prophecy. During nearly forty years of exile and imprisonment His writings were largely delivered through speech in a process of spontaneous revelation. These works were delivered in formal Arabic, the language of the Koran, a written language and one He had never studied. His “writings” were recorded by secretary during these revelatory experiences and then verified as accurate by Him. An investigation of these stupendous works demonstrates that their Source is unquestionably Divine and without equal, transcendent and supreme. Hundreds of volumes in scope covering all manner of subjects, the teachings of Baha’u’llah provide a Holy Scripture for the New Era which no previous revelation has ever approached in beauty, luminosity, depth or range. Baha’u’llah, as the Mouthpiece for God and the Prime representative of the Godhead, is the key imprint for mankind in this Day and has, through the power of the Word of God, unleashed spiritual forces that have revolutionized every aspect of human life. His writings herald the coming Golden Age of humanity, which marks the recognition of the Oneness of God, humanity and religion and a new cycle in our destiny as a species. They portend a time of peace, creativity, freedom, prosperity and salvation in which the whole of humanity is being enabled to attain to Eternal Reunion through the establishment of the Kingdom of God within earth.
Baha’u’llah’s fourth and final place of banishment, reached in 1865, was the prison city of ‘Akka (Acre), Palestine, where He ascended in 1892.at the age of seventy-four. This site has become part of the homeland of the Baha’i World Center on the slope of Mt. Carmel in the Holy Land. The events of His life, His title and these geographical occurrences including this location of the City of God fulfil Biblical prophecy. Baha’u’llah represents the Oneness of the prophets of all true religions and proclaims the “Changeless, Eternal Faith of God” His Revelation calls humanity to an entirely new way of life a “wondrous New System, the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed” delineating not only a new set of social teachings and laws but a transcendent, and luminous directive calling to an experience of limitless freedom through the vehicle of the revealed Word of God and its “vibrating influence”. The proof of His claim is His life and His writings subject to an independent investigation.
The authorized interpreter and exemplar of the Baha’i religion is Abdu’l-Baha (Servant of the Glory), eldest son of Baha’u’llah, who was appointed by his father as the Center of His Covenant to whom all must turn for instruction and guidance. ‘Abdu’l-Baha was the close companion and constant helper of his father, whose sufferings he shared. He remained a prisoner until 1908, when the old regime in Turkey was overthrown and all religious and political prisoners were liberated. Afterwards he traveled widely in Egypt, Europe and America, explaining the principles of the Faith and inspiring and directing the activities of its followers throughout the world. He passed away in Haifa in 1921, mourned by people of all faiths. His life was and continues to be a shining example to all.
The Baha’i Faith Proclaims:
The oneness of God, the oneness of religion, and of humankind. It abolishes prejudice of all kinds, establishes Universal education, eliminates extremes of wealth and poverty, protects cultural diversity and provides a blueprint for the establishment of a spiritual world system of governance, a peaceful maintenance of order through consultation and co-operation. It also advocates individual search after truth, the harmony of science and religion, use of an auxiliary universal language and proclaims the imminent attainment of Universal Peace.