These Lengthening Ties

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on March 11, 2019 in collaborating, Family, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Spiritual

March 11, 2019, Gyong-Meon, South Korea-

One of the questions I have been asked about the marriage of Aram and Yunhee is how I feel about my son marrying someone from another nation or culture. (“Race” is left out of this, thankfully. ) My answer is very simple: Aram has married a beautiful and highly intelligent young woman, who will bring great pride and joy to my family We, in turn, will bring a great deal of the same to her equally distinguished family.

There was a time, even during our previous living in Korea, when language and cultural differences cast all manner of misunderstandings and suspicion upon even the strongest of work relationships and faith community affairs. Slowly and carefully, we managed, by working together, to mitigate the worst of these. Aram, being an infant and toddler at the time, was largely spared the relatively few insults and personal attacks that came our way-not just from more hidebound people in this society, but from equally narrow-minded people on the eastern shore of the Pacific as well.

My friendship with the Shin and Park families has been instantaneous. There is none of the rancour or suspicion of the 1980’s and ’90’s to soil the life of the extended family. The growing pains have eased, and we have found that there is an authentic human bond.

This is as Baha’u’llah intended, in calling for the spiritual unification of the entire planet- before other forms of unity are truly realized This does not mean uniformity, which is the antithesis of true unity. We families will long cherish each other, much as those who were previously set, within the bounds of American culture, have proven enduring. It’s time for the next step forward, and the rising generations are leading the way. I am gladly following that lead.

NEXT: Chonju and its historical preservation

Nineteen

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on March 2, 2019 in Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 2, 2019-

I began my penultimate physical Fast today. Once I reach the age of seventy, in November of next year, abstinence from food and drink no longer is binding, and the Fast will bring additional spiritual duties.

For this year, though, I am following the course prescribed by Baha’u’llah: When not traveling or engaged in arduous physical labour, I abstain from food and drink, from sunrise to sunset, from today through March 20. Travel to and from Korea, in a few short days, will truncate the physical aspect of the Fast, with the spiritual duties remaining in place.

I have nineteen thoughts I wish to share:

As stated yesterday, all life is sacred.
Those who, for whatever reason, don’t view their lives, or those of others, as sacred are to be embraced in their suffering-and not condemned, though they must be held to account for acts of violence.
If someone takes me to task, even harshly, and I know that one is right, I need to be the change.
No one has the individual right to strike another person, unless one is responsible for that other person’s well being, as a parent or guardian-and even then, the reason for the spanking is understood by the other and it is only used as a last resort.
Even insects and arachnids should be captured and released outside, into a safe place, whenever possible. They have their place in the scheme of things.
There is no human trash. Some just need to be monitored more closely and held in firmer check.
Education is a universal right.
Food and beverages should be as free of contamination as is humanly possible.
Fun is essential to the soul, though never had at another’s expense.
Everyone’s legitimate work deserves respect.
All prayers are heard by, and affect, the Universe.
Time in nature is also essential to the soul.
Love is the primary building block of the Universe.
May I never walk away from a cry for help.
A call for peace is the best sound that may escape one’s lips, first thing in the morning.
The morning sun, the evening stars and moon are here to reassure us that there is always a force, greater than ourselves.
When I am in a half-sleep, I communicate both with departed souls and with those who are in my life, but who are not immediately present.
Plants show an intelligence, in the way they propagate and in the way they seek what they need.
God, the Divine, the Universe, the Infinite, the Eternal, reveals to us what we need and what we can comprehend, in the way of truth. It has always been thus.

None of these are original thoughts, but they occur to me nonetheless and so I share.

Back On Track

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on February 25, 2019 in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Spiritual, Striving

February 25, 2019-

Today is the first day of Ayyam-i-Ha, the Baha’i Intercalary Days, which belong to none of our nineteen spiritual calendar months , of nineteen days. It is a time of special service activities, some gift giving and group celebrations. In regular Gregorian years, like this one, the period consists of four days, and in Leap Years, five days.

Today also found us back at work, continuing on with the revised program. Things went smoothly. The weather is improving, again, and our little team is getting stronger, as small problems get resolved, in a congenial manner, before they become big issues.

Yesterday, part of my time was spent dealing with individual snow-disposal issues, This evening found another matter with which to assist: A returning traveler needed to have her car cleared, before she got back on the shuttle from Phoenix-so, Ayyam-i-Ha service activity # 1 was accomplished.

I stopped by Ms. Natural’s, and finally met the owner’s husband-on his own way back to work. The establishment will be a key part of my own Healthy Spring-in essence, a continuation of the regimen I am promised when I visit Korea.

The Indissoluble Bond

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on February 8, 2019 in collaborating, Community, Family, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Spiritual, Striving

February 8, 2019, Chino Valley-

Every second and fourth Friday evening, God willing, a group of us gathers at the home of two dear friends, here in this town, 15 miles north of Prescott. We share a meal, then indulge in drumming and chanting, with a flautist accompanying much of the music.

There is, of course, conversation before, after and in between the musical selections. One of the members of the group shared the traditions and teachings of the Cherokee of North Carolina, explaining that there has been some divergence within the tribe, with regard to dialect and certain customs, as a result of the Trail of Tears and its resulting geographic isolation, of one group from another.

He performed a traditional Cherokee blessing, prior to the meeting’s end. This is shared below, as performed by another vocal group. I see similarities with other cultures, from Keltic Irish to Zulu, in terms of blessings wished upon visitors and loved ones. We each noted that there is an essential tie between humans, both regardless of physical distance and regardless of separation by time.

I can feel an almost palpable connection, with my maternal grandfather, who I never met and with paternal ancestors, who I have been assured are watching over me constantly, from the distance of several hundred years. Likewise, among those who live hundreds, or thousands, of miles away, I feel an unbreakable bond-though we may see one another once, or not at all, in the course of this earthly life. Whether through genetic memory or a spiritual envelope, the ties have been, and continue to be, unbreakable.

The bonds that some try to break, out of fear, narcissism or ignorance, can never really be broken. We are at a stage, in our human evolution, when connections are, or are about to be, seen for their true nature: Indissoluble.

Foresight

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on January 22, 2019 in Assistance, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Spiritual, Striving

January 22, 2019-

Though I am often content

to live a simple life,

going to and from work

and tending to a small number

of daily and weekly tasks,

when not so engaged.

insights come to mind,

and I am made aware

of things that are to happen,

matters to which I must tend,

in either the near or intermediate future.

Most of these involve

cultivating friendships,

something at which I have improved,

over the years.

A few involve eschewing fellowship

with those who would challenge

the very spirit that keeps

the human race afloat.

Thankfully, I find the former

increasing, daily,

and the latter,

with which I last dealt

in mid-Autumn,

is a rare occurrence.

I feel the power

of the Holy Spirit

and of various angels,

keeping,

as the old popular song goes,

“watch over me”.

Yes, I do get messages,

as to how I should

proceed in certain matters

or where I should go,

on a given day, or

period of time.

These have been

uniformly spot on.

Mistakes have happened

when I have relied only

on my own limited reasoning.

Foresight is there,

waiting for those

who open their

minds and hearts.

Fire Sign

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on January 20, 2019 in collaborating, Community, Family, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Spiritual

January 20, 2019, Scottsdale-

Today is World Religion Day, so after a regular monthly study session, in Prescott Valley, I headed down to the Baha’i Community Center here. There is an annual observance, honouring the commonality of the world’s religions, and most of the major faiths of North America were represented – Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikh, Buddhism and Baha’i. (Only the Native American traditional faiths were unrepresented. We consider Catholicism and LDS to be Christianity, as well as the denominations of Protestantism).

This also being the weekend of the Women’s March, the theme of today’s gathering was “The Role of Women in Religion”. It is quite commonly held that the various faiths hold women down, to one extent or another. While a careful examination of various Scriptures shows that this is not so. it is very clear that those who promulgated the major religions, after the Ascensions of their Founders, saw fit to cherry-pick and manipulate the meanings of certain verses, so as to subvert women’s equanimity with men-in all too many instances. I will have more to say about this matter, especially during March, which is Women’s History Month.

I want to note, regarding yesterday’s Women’s March, in Prescott, that several hundred people, of various political standpoints, managed to be in a small space together, displaying signs with their points of view, and managing to not antagonize one another, at least while I was there. This is as it should be. One conservative woman, carrying a “pro-Trump” sign, nonetheless voiced agreement that women must be given the right to speak, on any issue, and be heard, on every issue. Penny and her mother would be shouting in agreement, as do my mother and just about every woman in my family and in my circle of friends.

The fire of purification burns on, in their hearts and in my heart.

Here is a presentation, at any earlier event, by Rev. Renee Morgan Brooks, who sang today, as well. She was a friend and collaborator of Penny’s.

Samson

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on December 28, 2018 in distraction issues, Entertainment, Historical, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

December 27, 2018, Prescott-

The evening dinner and discourse, at a good friend’s house, went very well, actually- as I am just not attached to those aspects of my personality that someone finds disconcerting. The run-up to, and expectations of, a conversation about what people expect from one another, can be uncomfortable and filled with trepidation. Thankfully, I felt no such angst, once I recited a strong prayer, this afternoon. My friend was not sure how I would react to her comments, but you know, what she asked is so totally reasonable and fair, that my answer was “Absolutely!” That is how I was raised- with Mom telling us not to hold back with our upsets and distresses, so long as they were stated with dignity and a bit of forbearance. So, the evening went, a nice meal, a respectful concord and the viewing of the film, “Samson”.

Therein, the story of the Hebrew leader and freedom fighter is depicted, with an earnest but troubled Samson, opposed by both some of his more militant Danite villagers and by the Phillistines, ruled by Balek and his ambitious, conniving son, Rallah, and daughter-in-law, Delilah. It is Delilah who tricks Samson, three times, into giving the royals the information and strength they need to oppress the Danites and Nazarites. Rallah, though, is portrayed as a sociopath, killing Samson’s wife and father-in-law, two turncoat Hebrews and Samson’s father, before killing his own father, so as to take the crown. The tale ends, much as it does in the Old Testament.

Samson’s main point is about integrity and humility, with the superhuman giving all credit for his strength to God, not disputing with his Hebrew opponents, and facing the Phillistine’s challenges without batting an eye. He experiences angst about not following the letter of the law, whilst removing tunics from dead soldiers, thereby breaking a vow to never touch the dead. The angst follows Samson, for other actions, throughout the story.

I am likewise committed to integrity and self-purification. Not being a superhuman, or a member of an oppressed community, my own actions have to be about maintaining both my own dignity and worth, and honouring those of my friends. It’ll never be a matter of “self-defense”, when questioned or corrected, especially by those who have consistently had my best interests in mind.

His Timeless Love

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on December 26, 2018 in Community, Family, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

December 25, 2018, Prescott-

The conference over, it is back to Christmas City. Two gatherings graced me with their invitations today. A small group of friends has taken to observing special holidays, with a noon meal, sparing no celebratory detail. On Thanksgiving, it was a full-on turkey dinner. Today, it was ham; broccoli and kale salad, in poppy seed dressing; sweet potatoes and acorn squash. Homemade fudge and chocolate chip cookies were the desserts. We watched a fresh performance of “The Nutcracker Suite”, on PBS. It got Christmas off to a fine start.

In the late afternoon, I headed to another gathering of friends; family members who have been consistent friends of mine for the past five years. We enjoyed four kinds of homemade pizza, then watched a segment of “Bolt”, followed by a Hallmark love story-much needed by some, after the intensity of the holiday.

Two things jumped out at me about the day. First, I encountered a part of myself that needed to be let go. Without going into detail, one of my friends let me know, very subtly, that this unattractive aspect of my personality had worn out its welcome. I also recognize that a small leap needed to be made, in my personal growth- so here goes another small step for a man.

Second, and most importantly, the day may have had Wiccan roots, centered on the Winter Solstice and acknowledgement of nature’s rhythms, but it has long become a universal recognition of the power of Divine Love. We can say, with some assurance, that Jesus the Christ was actually born closer to the coming of Spring, perhaps late March or early April, yet here we celebrate love and the work of peace. Once again, it’s obvious that peace is messy, at first, and comes hard. So, Christmas can be tortuous for those who feel unappreciated or shut-out. I have been there, in my youth, and fortunately had family members who knew how to assuage my fears and anxieties. I will do what I can for those who are going through that now.

I hope all have a blessed Christmas season- clear to New Year’s, and beyond.

Season’s Greetings

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on December 18, 2018 in children, Community, Family, impediments, Inner Struggles, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

December 18, 2018, Prescott-

So now, my full days of school, for 2018, are in the rear view mirror. Three abbreviated school days remain, before we all take a break for the period which, for many, is a time of celebration and revelry. For others, it will be a time of remembrance of a Great Being, Whose sacrifice and teachings are fully intended to bring peace to those who understand them. For still others, it will be a time of lying low and making do with very little. Then, the Gregorian clock will reset itself, and we will have 2019 AD/CE. (I am old school, and prefer the former, in figuring time since the Birth of the Christ. Further disclosure: We Baha’is determine our place in time, dating from the Declaration of al-Bab, in May, 1844 and thus will refer to next year as 176 Baha’i Era, or B.E. For general social purposes, though, I will continue to date my posts by the Gregorian system.)

During this period of revelry, rest, reflection and resilience, I wish these things, to the following:

Seniors (75 and onward): May your curiosity continue and may it bring you the recognition and relevance that ought to come with accrued wisdom . The elder among you raised our generation and can take large credit for the best that we have been able to offer the world, through your parenting. The younger among you are our older cousins, siblings and mentors. It would have been harder growing up without your shared experiences and occasional babysitting. You remain friends, and vital presences in my life-Mom, Uncle Jim and Aunt Jackie, Aunt Janet, Aunt Carol, both Aunts Helen, Aunt Gail, Uncle Jerry, and my online friends and older cousins, (you know well to whom I am referring).

My Contemporaries (55-74): My siblings, many cousins, classmates, immediate elders and juniors, and a good many of my friends-We have gone through many of the same experiences, hard times, great celebrations, triumphs and tragedies, victories and losses. We have seen Woodstock and the Men on the Moon; the gradual “shrinking” of Planet Earth, and changes that we never anticipated. Considering that my first phone call, to my late Aunt Hazel, was aborted by a shrill voice telling me to get off the phone, as it was a party line “used by grown-ups, for important matters”. I did as I was told, and remember my mother’s eyes rolling, as she quipped, “important matters, like everyone else’s business!” Now, the picture phones and calls between vehicles, of which I once dreamed, are de rigeur. May our days not be hamstrung by health-related woes, to the extent that we can use natural remedies, exercise and a well-varied diet, to keep us going. May we continue to love those older and younger than we; and because we first know to love ourselves.

Millennials and Generation X (20-54): You have brought many of the ideas of which I once dreamed, as a child and teen, into being. Many of you were my students and counselees. I helped a fair number, confused some and let others down, but loved all of you. Among you are my nieces and nephews, and my own beloved son and daughter-in-law. You grew up in my hometown of Saugus; or in the woods of central Maine; or in the elite families who sent you to a boarding school in the midst of the Sonoran Desert; or on the Navajo and Hopi nations, reared by loving, but often struggling extended families, who gave me more than I could ever repay; or in the western Sonoran Desert, a string of communities that gave newcomers a wary, if cordial, welcome-even when several were newcomers, themselves; or you grew up, as our son did, moving from town to town and making the best of life, even when it felt lonely. I wish you a future far better than the recent past has shown you, and know that you have it within, to make wondrous things happen.

Generation Z (Newborns to 19)- I am thrilled to see the older among you come of age, shed the misgivings of your elders and take on the challenges that the Universe has sent your way, either because of the nature of life or because of what the rest of us have managed to create. Every generation hands down both blessings and banes to its progeny, so do forgive us and know that you are also very much loved. You have come into my life, as my working years are winding down and you have given me the confidence, the sense that my volunteer, travel and, quite possibly, grandparent years will be as bounteous and fulfilling as all that has gone before. May we all greet and nurture the generations that come after you, as well.

To all, I treasure my time among you and may it long yet continue. A Merry Christmas, Bountiful Kwanzaa, Joyful Solstice and Healthy, Prosperous and Happy 2019, to each and every one.

Letting Go; Not Giving Up

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 26, 2018 in impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Spiritual, Striving

November 26, 2018, Prescott-

This day is to honour ‘Abdu’l-Baha, Who guided the Baha’i Faith, from the Ascension of Baha’u’llah, on May 29, 1892 to His own passing, on November 28, 1921. It is called the Day of the Covenant, as ‘Abdu’l-Baha symbolized the agreement between Baha’u’llah and His followers. He explained much of His Father’s Revelation to us.

‘Abdu’l-Baha suffered, physically, for much of His life on Earth. He came to North America and Europe, from 1911-13, visiting many major cities, and maintained a schedule that would have been daunting for someone half His age.

He made this journey when He was between the ages of 67-69. As I will turn 68, in a few days, I have to admire His fortitude. The example set was a strong one, and was derived from both detachment and commitment, in equal balance.

An example came when He was in San Francisco, and it was requested by some Baha’is in Los Angeles, that He visit their city. Bear in mind that this was in 1912, and there were costs involved that seemed insurmountable. ‘Abdu’l-Baha did not impinge on anyone, in meeting His expenses. He at first told the Los Angeles friends that He would not be able to make the journey, though it caused Him great sorrow. A short time afterward, though, money was found. ‘Abdu’l-Baha and His entourage made the train trip south to Los Angeles and spent a day or so there, specifically visiting the grave of the first American to declare his faith in Baha’u’llah. That man’s name was Thornton Chase. ‘Abdu’l-Baha showed that, by letting go, a person gives the Divine, the Universe, room to muster its energy and bring things to fruition.

I have been in many situations, including this year, where it has been prudent to let go of plans and expectations, and to move with the flow of energy. These situations have, in the long run, not hampered my well-being and have actually helped to purify my life. There will be others, I’m certain, as this year winds down and subsequent years unfold. I can rely on the example set by ‘Abdu’l-Baha, in pondering my reaction to the changes that are in store.