Tag Archives: Baha’u’llah

The Road to Diamond, Day 62: The Dinner Show

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Education, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

January 29, 2025, Manila- The six children gathered outside the small cafe, with two of them standing at the window, and all but demanding that those of us inside reach in our pockets and give to the cause. The owner sent a young lady out to tell them, nicely, to leave. That lasted for three minutes, and we all sensed they were merely hiding around the corner. The group came back, a second time, and were nearly as aggressive. This time, the owner sent a brusque male employee, whose message was that the police were on their way. The group left, going across the street to stand in front of a student dormitory.

Winter brings desperation, even in a relatively warm place like the Philippines. This is the dry season, though that will soon end. There have been reports of young men on motorcycles, harassing those going in and out of the U.S. Embassy and VA Clinic that is near the Embassy, though not the one I would use, were I to decide to move here. I am sure the police are responding, and besides, I have no plans to be anywhere near that area, this time around.

I take precautions with my belongings, when out on the street. Kids, and others, don’t see anything easily taken, because I don’t make it obvious, and thieves need to move quickly. I also don’t let myself be surrounded by any group of people, of any age. The kids yesterday, in San Gregorio, were respectful and had a documented, registered cause. The group outside the cafe, this evening, have done this before and when young adults pass them by, they don’t try anything foolish.

So, the dinner show was not all that entertaining. I was alone, and calmly had my rather modest meal. Food from street stalls, which is what the beggars themselves eat, is actually as plentiful as what was offered in the cafe, and I have eaten it myself, more than once. It is also a whole lot cheaper.

Why don’t I just put coins in cups? Multiply the group of six by the number of those watching from a distance, and you will have your answer. Baha’u’llah teaches that “the most despicable among men are those who sit idly and beg.” It is important to redirect children towards meaningful activity, and away from such idleness.

The Road to Diamond, Day 52: Doughnut Economics

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Education, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, service, Social, Spiritual, Striving

January 19, 2025- Consider the musk ox. The animal, found across the Arctic region, will gather in closed herds, with the larger and more robust members forming a circle around the youngest and more infirm members of the group. The needs of all are considered, as the guardians stand shoulder to shoulder against predators, and the neediest are safer from harm.

I have often wondered at the possibility of a human community that would operate under a similar aegis. It has ever seemed possible, given our collective intelligence and drive towards survival. Today, at a devotional brunch, one of the participants spoke of Doughnut Theory, as means for conservative and liberal thinkers to reach common ground.

In 2012, the English economist Kate Raworth published a paper, on behalf of the famine relief organization, Oxfam, calling for an economic model that balances basic human needs with the boundaries of this planet. She called it Doughnut Economics. https://doughnuteconomics.org/about-doughnut-economics. After working in a micro-enterprise project in Zanzibar, in the mid-1990s, Ms. Raworth became critical of the notion of unfettered economic growth. She began to advance a model that promotes meeting the basic needs of every human being, such as nutrition and education, while protecting the ecosystem and thus not limiting opportunities for future generations.

The “wheel” of the doughnut has an inner layer,the social foundation; then there is a mid-section,a regenerative and distributive economy and an outer layer, the ecological ceiling. Outside the “wheel” are the challenges facing humanity: Air pollution, ozone layer depletion, climate change, ocean acidification, chemical pollution, nitrogen and phosphorous loading, freshwater withdrawals, land conversion and biodiversity loss. Inside the “wheel” are the spokes: Gender equality, housing, networks, energy, water, food, health, education, income/work, peace/justice, political voice, and social equity. The risks are two: There can be a shortfall in meeting one or more of these essential needs and there can be an overshooting of facing one or more of the challenges.

It was pointed out, at another gathering, this afternoon, that Baha’u’llah has charged all humanity, from rulers and the learned to the most humble and destitute, to face the challenges of living on this planet as a global community, while retaining responsibility for individual growth and the identities of local communities and nations. In that regard, as well as just a general sense of thoughtfulness, Doughnut Economics is worthy of serious study and efforts at implementation.

The Road to Diamond, Day 37: On Leaving Home Without It

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Entertainment, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

“Know thou that every fixed star hath its planets, and every planet its creatures, whose number no man can compute”.– Baha’u’llah, “Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, page 163

January 4, 2025- In the film, “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” (1986), a Native American man casts aspersions, in no uncertain terms, on those who would not think of leaving home without their credit cards. I don’t leave home without my wallet, so maybe Tom-Tom would get on my case. Whatever. I do, however, leave my phone behind, when on short in-town errands, on weekends.

What few of us leave behind, though, is our spirit, our basic self. This evening, I watched a You Tube video by a woman who said she was channeling a spirit from another realm. I did this out of curiosity, as to what the being could possibly say that would mesh with what Baha’u’llah teaches , regarding the future of humanity.

While the woman used a carnival fortune teller voice, during her channeling, and frequently referred to the interstellar messengers as “ETs”, rather than their galactic or stellar origins, she did hit on several points that Baha’u’llah mentions: The worn-out institutions of human society are collapsing, and a new, more equitable, planet-wide society will slowly, but steadily begin to emerge, this year, as more of us have a better sense of the light (spiritual power) within us. As more people realize their spiritual power, conflict will abate, and still others will develop their light power. Christians know this as “the Kingdom of God on Earth”, and Baha’is certainly concur with that notion. She told her viewers that we would do well to not pay much mind to the collapsing institutions, save to survive and focus on the positive energy that was rising.

An interesting analogy was made, noting that the power of water on Earth is gradually being released, as ice melts. Ice was likened to the pent-up, unused potential of each person. As ice melts, so does our potential get tapped for optimum use. That is a positive spin on climate change. I do sense a different energy, these past four days, and see a good many people are showing positive vibes. There seems more common sense, efficiency and heightened intuition, at least around town. While I don’t need a fortune teller to clue me in on these matters, I’m glad we’re on the same wavelength.

Tom-Tom aside, let’s not leave home without our essentials.

The Road to Diamond, Day 9: Veterans

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, service, Social, Spiritual, Striving

December 7, 2024- Eighty-three years ago today, Japanese planes attacked the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i. This resulted in the deaths of 2305 Americans and 129 Japanese. There are a few centenarians still alive today, who survived that attack.

Ironic, then, that an immigrant and the son of immigrants, neither of whom have ever served in the military, are leading the call for cutting funding for veterans’ health care. They are citing a report, written by a Harvard graduate student, who also has not served in the military-for a publication in the United Kingdom(home to free medical care for all), that says Veterans’ Disability funds are reducing veterans’ employment.

This is hooey. I know of several disabled veterans, who are either working, happily, at full time jobs, or are actively seeking employment. Several employers, coached by the Veterans Administration and US Vets, are taking on disabled veterans as workers. The Small Business Administration has programs that assist with veterans who are establishing their own businesses.

One of the biggest false starts in academia comes from the words, “The statistics say…” or “Research tells us….” . Numbers and data can be manipulated towards any agenda. Blind pursuit of cutting expenditures, without considering the true human cost of those cuts, is a dead end. Coupled with the belief that only an economic elite can actually solve the problems facing humanity, that Capital should trump Labour, the road to economic decimation is assured.

Both Capital and Labour are needed, in order to make an economic system function fully. This is one reason why Baha’u’llah calls for a system of profit sharing, for employee-owned enterprises, as a way of building an economy that has no disparity between the very rich and very poor. As hard as it will be, to get the Uberwealthy to see this, short of a damaging economic downturn, a push towards such economic justice would resolve a host of financial woes-including the perception that veterans should not be cared for, following their military service.

Those who have served their nation should not be beholden to those who have done nothing in the way of service. Resolving the nagging problem of national debt is a matter that must not be given to false solutions, or scapegoating of Protected Classes. We all have a role to play in debt reduction-including the wealthiest among us.

The Road to Diamond, Day 6: Cred

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, distraction issues, impediments, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

December 4, 2024- There are reports from Washington about the current group of nominees for high office. Some appear estimable and competent; others, not so much. I will not get into the name game, as it’s more effectively played by others. Besides, partisanship is a losing proposition. Skill sets, though, are important in the day-to-day business of what we are given to call “adulting”.

I was not the greatest classroom teacher, by a long shot, especially in the early days of my career. Personal struggles kept me down, and only the Faith of Baha’u’llah helped me get back up. The raw materials instilled in me, by my parents needed that extra push to come to the fore. It was only in my thirties that credibility began to accumulate. That “cred” endured, even during the period of Penny’s decline, which took my eyes off the prize, out of necessity.

I mention this, because the recent trend towards “looking outside the circle” for people to head various organizations, is like a game of “Whack-a-Mole”. Some of the candidates are quick studies, and will bring their native intelligence to bear on whatever job they are assigned. Others are tough sells, for various reasons, and would no doubt struggle with some of the more difficult decisions that would land at their feet. There is never an easy way to fill positions, especially at the higher levels of an organization. Credibility, therefore, is something that needs constant attention, early on.

I look forward to seeing competent people, political stance aside to a certain extent, being tapped to manage the affairs of state. It is principle, moral fiber, and not ideology, that is the bottom line here.

The Road to Diamond, Day 4: Voyages

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

December 2, 2024, Grapevine- My planned walk to Grapevine Mills became a ride. Aram needed to get out of the house, after a day of working on his job hunt research, and, driving around, looking for a charging port for EV, came up short. So, we drove over, and walked the mall. In a chain shop called Books-A-Million, I came upon Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between The World and Me”, said title taken from a line in Richard Wright’s eponymous verse.

Wright’s protagonist fairly screams from the page, would scream, if he were to borrow a stentorian voice in a poetry slam. Coates himself does not scream, but speaks tersely, sternly towards his readers, yet simultaneously with urgency towards his son-the recipient of this long, elegant and painful letter.

As my son moves forward with his life, I don’t so much worry about what society, or the police, might do to him as what he may or may not do on his own. So far, so good. Therein lies the difference between our situation and that faced by too many who are in marginalized situations.

There is a chasm in society, lesser and lesser between people of different racial and ethnic groups as between people of different economic classes. There are those, both Black and White, both Right and Left, who see this class differential as the more enduring problem-and a few who see that the wirepullers of the whole Class Divide are the ones who will set up Race Card situations, clashes between people of colour and people of pallour- usually involving police officers, at some point.

Where am I going with this? What is the voyage of the mind, on which I have embarked? I am looking at justice-the justice that Ta-Nehisi Coates fears may one day escape his son, and others his age. I am looking at justice, deferred, in the matter of the son of a sitting President, supposedly out of fear that the Attorney-General for the next President may impose a draconian sentence on that son. I am looking at justice denied, with regard to that next President, and maybe those who acted, in their minds, on his behalf, four years ago next month. I am looking at justice, whose light is now hiding under a bushel. My mind still searches for it. Justice, says Baha’u’llah, is the best-beloved of all things, in the sight of God.

We will just have to stay vigilant, and see how things turn. In the meantime, my physical voyage, tomorrow, will take me back to Home Base I. The one I love most will be on a voyage of her own, to a gathering of some import. Each of us goes forth, keeping our adult children in our hearts. Each of us will keep an eye on justice. Each of us is on a voyage, to a destiny that may well bring us to a common point.

Splurge

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Posted by on in Assistance, Community, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, service, Social, Spiritual, Striving

November 24, 2024- This evening, we Baha’is celebrated the life of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, as the day which He allowed as a day to honour the Covenant, or agreement, between Baha’u’llah and His followers, and by extension His life as the Center of that Covenant. He did not want an excess of attention on His life and accomplishments, other than what He was able to show us, as an example of how to live.

I splurged a bit on the refreshments for this event, always anticipating a crowd. When a smaller group shows, and there is a lot left over, there are plenty of avenues for sharing the excess, so in the end, it is money well spent. Coffee Klatsch and the Soup Kitchen are tomorrow, and most of the food left over will be shared at those events. The rest goes in the freezer, while I am in Texas for Thanksgiving and my birthday.

There are some things on which it never hurts to splurge. Refreshments for special events are often in that category. Help for the poor, as a friend in the Bicol region of the Philippines is offering now, in the wake of the Quad Typhoons, is another such path. Love for one’s children, which my friend, K, showers in spades, is up there. Love for people in general, and a certain person in particular, is at the top of the list.

Like the water in a tsunami, that which you give comes flooding back, though not in a damaging way.

A Sane and Intelligent Patriotism

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Family, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

November 11,2024-

“Let there be no misgivings as to the animating purpose of the world-wide Law of Baha’u’llah. Far from aiming at the subversion of the existing foundations of society, it seeks to broaden its basis, to remold its institutions in a manner consonant with the needs of an ever-changing world. It can conflict with no legitimate allegiances, nor can it undermine essential loyalties. Its purpose is neither to stifle the flame of a sane and intelligent patriotism in men’s hearts, nor to abolish the system of national autonomy so essential if the evils of excessive centralization are to be avoided.”- Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha’u’llah, pgs 41-42.

Relatively few people, deep down, are hateful towards their families. There are always disagreements and sometimes outright quarrels, but let an outsider attack a member of the brood, and the wagons will circle.

Go up the chain, towards community, state and nation-and the same process will play out. There are nations where the populace is restive, and outwardly disdainful of their government. Let someone from outside the group try and enter the fray, however, and there will be a united front.

Our feelings towards our families, communities, states/provinces/prefectures/oblasts, and our nations are each a reflection of how we see ourselves. An emotionally and physically healthy person has positive self-regard, love of family and healthy appreciation for, with a degree of loyalty towards, her/his surroundings. It is second nature for a human being to defend self; for parents to stand up for children, and vice versa; for siblings, and even cousins, to band together; for neighbours to support one another, in time of need; and for the citizens of a nation to defend their homeland.

In this day, it is also imperative for the human race to stand together, in the best interests of our species as a whole. This does not mean militarizing against a still-ephemeral race, or races, of extraterrestrials. It means coming together to devise solutions to threats against our collective existence. Some are the results of natural cycles and others are wrought by human activity. We are a vast multitude of imperfect beings. Every one of us has made mistakes, and many of those errors have had ill effects on others, besides ourselves. Collectively, by dint of excessive self-centered behaviour or just in the course of trying to live an ordered life, we have exacerbated, ramped up the effects of a natural increase in global temperatures-yes, that global warming. It would happen anyway, because it’s a natural cycle, but our actions, as a species, have made it worse.

So, what is a sane and intelligent patriotism? To me, it is simply a love for all the units to which one belongs, a willingness to band together with others, and to work, tirelessly, for the good of the homeland. Our homeland, in addition to our nation, is Planet Earth.

“The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens”-Baha’u’llah, Lawh-i-Maqsud (Tablet of Intention)

The Difference Made

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Family, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

November 3, 2024- On February 24, 1981, I called my mother and told her that I had become a member of the Baha’i Faith, letting her know the basics of the then-138-year-old religion. The most important of these, to her, was that use of mind-altering substances, including alcohol, was prohibited. Baha’u’llah teaches that presence of mind is essential and that anything which interferes with such mindfulness is to be avoided.

He was born Husayn Ali, to Mirza Abbas-i-Nuri (Mirza Buzurg) and Khadijih Khanum, on November 12, 1817, in Teheran. Despite being a member of a noble family, Husayn Ali eschewed a life of privilege, and became associated with a new religious movement, based on the teachings of al-Bab, which taught that “One greater than Myself” would appear and unveil teachings that would in turn unite mankind. When al-Bab was imprisoned, and subsequently executed in 1850, Husayn Ali became a leader of the inchoate Babi movement and was Himself incarcerated in a dungeon known as Siyah Chal (“Black Pit”). While there, shackled among a hundred or so others, many of whom were violent criminals, and with no personal space, Mirza Husayn Ali had a vision. A maiden-like presence appeared to Him and revealed that it was He to Whom al-Bab was referring. The title Baha’u’llah was conferred on Him, in that moment.

Over time, through three exiles, the last of which brought Baha’u’llah and His family to Akka, in what is now Israel, and through the ministries of His eldest son, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and of His eldest great grandson, Shoghi Effendi, the Baha’i Faith grew to several million people, spread over all six inhabited continents. When Shoghi Effendi died in 1957, without leaving an heir, the Faith was briefly led by a council of stewards, known as the Hands of the Cause of God, until a nine-member Universal House of Justice was elected in 1963. This last was in accordance with the terms of Baha’u’llah’s Will and Testament, also known as Kitab-i-Ahd. The Universal House of Justice has been elected by the members of Baha’i national assemblies every five years since 1963. It remains the Head of the Faith.

Getting back to my own situation: In 1981, I was at the tail-end of a long personal struggle. Baha’i teachings have gradually guided me to shed lots of personal baggage. It has not been a walk in the park. Change involves a lot of work-physical, emotional and spiritual. As with any transformative effort, there are successes and there are setbacks. I was blessed with the love of a good Baha’i woman, until her passing in 2011. I am blessed with a son who has grown into a strong, well-balanced man. I am also blessed with many friends, across the United States and around the globe, including a woman who has captured my heart. I am, most of all, blessed with the transformative power of a Messenger’s Teachings that have given me the strength to shed baggage that has bedeviled me since childhood.

I have taken ‘the road less traveled and that has made all the difference’. (apologies to Robert Frost)

A Missing Shoe

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Education, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 27, 2024, Puerto Princesa- The dog was sniffing my shoes, as a I left them outside the door to the large, comfortable villa, where our evening meal and impromptu conversation of two hours was to unfold. There are no puppies here at Dang Maria, (named for the mother of the owner), so I thought nothing of leaving them in the customary spot.

We had several lengthy and intelligent conversations today. Sister-friend Jane looms large in this seaside community, and has done nothing but good for the Puertenyos, and all Palawenyos. Her vision, like mine, is global and inclusive. I am proud to see her as a spiritual sibling.

My actual hosts here in Puerto Princesa are a furniture maker, Roger, and his wife Amie (AA mee). Roger sets the meetings and, in the tropical tradition, the times. It is vacation mode, even with my keeping view of my goals here-to encourage the Baha’is, as we continue to re-group, in the lingering aftermath of pandemic. I walk more slowly, along Manalo Street, to and from my host’s residence and my digs at Rodolfo Royale Hotel-and anywhere else we may be walking.

Our first leisurely stop was at Palawan Mall, where I refueled my wallet. We then headed over to Jane’s Restaurant, Neva’s Place, named for one of her three daughters.

Neva’s Place, Puerto Princesa, Palawan (above and below)

After a meal of garlic shrimp and noodles, with coffee as a dessert item rather than as “fuel”, we bid Jane adieu and headed back to our respective spots on Manalo Street, for siesta in the sitio (neighbourhood). It is still an institution here on Palawan-for those who don’t have a series of meetings to attend.

Our evening gathering, at Dang Maria, started “promptly at 5 p.m.”, which is Taglish for “be here around 6…or so”. We got there at 6:15. The gloaming had set in, but in the house, everything had a quiet vibrancy, and we addressed woes, both near and far. One thing we all hold in common- our Faith is not meant to have us hold our heads in the clouds. Spirituality, if real, must envelop, absorb and sanctify the material and the practical. Matters, great and small, put in front of us, are worthy of our attention. “Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.-Baha’u’llah, “The Tabernacle of Unity”

Evening, at Casa Maria, Puerto Princesa
Amie, Roger and Jane
This is the one where I look like my maternal grandfather. (Time is flying!)

It was time to leave, being close to 9 p.m., so I went outside, to put on my shoes-except that there was only one. We looked high and low-but in the darkness, there was only one thing to do. I was graciously offered a pair of sandals, and the remaining shoe was placed out of harm’s way.

Tomorrow is another day.