Awakening the Creative Spirit

Creativity is a powerful force that is greater than us.  It moves through us and takes us beyond our own limits.  It requires us to slow down, to create space for stillness and to listen. Whether we’re painting, writing a poem, creating music or finding solutions to everyday challenges, we have to surrender to a life force that exists in all of us.  Awakening the creative spirit is one of the most powerful ways to connect with the divine.

Every conversation can evoke the spiritual if it’s informed by a sense of compassion, curiosity, imagination, humility, and wonder. In healthy conflict we find ways to work with others even if they hold opposing views or paradigms.  Conversations, however, that do not evoke the spirit or give rise to compassion and cooperation tend to be adversarial in nature, operating from an ‘us vs them’ modality. 

“In this Cause consultation is of vital importance, but spiritual conference and not the mere voicing of personal views is intended. ... consultation must have for its object the investigation of truth. He who expresses an opinion should not voice it as correct and right but set it forth as a contribution to the consensus of opinion, for the light of reality becomes apparent when two opinions coincide.”
 Abdu’l-Baha

“A spark is produced when flint and steel come together. Man should weigh his opinions with the utmost serenity, calmness and composure. Before expressing his own views he should carefully consider the views already advanced by others. If he finds that a previously expressed opinion is more true and worthy, he should accept it immediately and not willfully hold to an opinion of his own. By this excellent method he endeavors to arrive at unity and truth.”
 Abdu’l-Baha

“The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.”

-Abdu’l-Baha

“The members who are consulting should behave in the utmost love, harmony and sincerity towards each other.” 
-Abdu’l-Baha

“The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God, attraction to His Divine Fragrances, humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones, patience and long-suffering in difficulties and servitude to His exalted Threshold.”
-Abdu’l-Baha

“The members thereof must take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument. Should any one oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed.”
-Abdu’l-Baha

“They must in every matter search out the truth and not insist upon their own opinion, for stubbornness and persistence in one’s views will lead ultimately to discord and wrangling and the truth will remain hidden.”
-Abdu’l-Baha

“If they agree upon a subject, even though it be wrong, it is better than to disagree and be in the right, for this difference will produce the demolition of the divine foundation.
Though one of the parties may be in the right and they disagree that will be the cause of a thousand wrongs, but if they agree and both parties are in the wrong, as it is in unity the truth will be revealed and the wrong made right.”
-Abdu’l-Baha

“It is again not permitted that any one of the honored members object to or censure, whether in or out of the meeting, any decision arrived at previously though that decision be not right, for such criticism would prevent any decision from being enforced.”
-Abdu’l-Baha

The Restorative Power of Love

There’s a deep spiritual hunger in the world - an epidemic of emotional/spiritual heart disease, a profound sense of loneliness, isolation and alienation but the medicine is right there inside each one of us!

“Where there is love, nothing is too much trouble and there is always time.”

-Abdu’l-Baha

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

- Corinthians

“Radiate boundless love towards the entire world.”

- the Buddha

In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love.”

- Baha’u’llah

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

-Dalai Lama

I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit.”

-K. Gibran

“A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you're at home.”

-Author Unknown

“Love gives life to the lifeless. Love lights a flame in the heart that is cold. Love brings hope to the hopeless and gladdens the hearts of the sorrowful.”

― Abdu'l-Bahá

“Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path”

― Abdu'l-Bahá

“The more you are motivated by Love, The more fearless & free your action will be.”

-Dalai Lama

“The only way you can conquer me is through Love and there I am gladly conquered”.

-Bhagavad Gita

“There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don’t you?”

-Rumi

“The intellect is good but until it has become the servant of the heart, it is of little avail.”

― Abdul-Baha

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”

-Maya Angelou

“Love ye all religions and all races with a love that is true and sincere and show that love through deeds...”

― Abdu'l-Bahá

“Love the creatures for the sake of God and not for themselves. You will never become angry or impatient if you love them for the sake of God. Humanity is not perfect. There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls.”

-Abdu’l-Baha

Spirituality in the Midst of a Health Crisis

The virus has made the need for a positive spiritual response ever more urgent. The dread of disease and death have us continually questioning the meaning and purpose of our existence as we turn more and more to spirituality as a source of strength, hope and faith.

“We have gone ahead at breakneck speed, feeling powerful and able to do anything. Greedy for profit, we let ourselves get caught up in things, and lured away by haste. We did not stop at your reproach to us, we were not shaken awake by wars or injustice across the world, nor did we listen to the cry of the poor or of our ailing planet. We carried on regardless, thinking we would stay healthy in a world that was sick.” -Pope Francis, March 27, 2020 

 “This endless universe is like the human body, and all its parts are connected one with another and are linked together in the utmost perfection.” -Abdu’l-Baha 

 “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” - Krishnamurti  

“Anybody can be happy in the state of comfort, ease, health, success, pleasure and joy; but if one will be happy and contented in the time of trouble, hardship and prevailing disease, it is the proof of nobility.” - Abdu’l-Baha   

 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." -Corinthians   

 “Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draws it. Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.” -Buddha 

 “We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life molds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it.” -Shoghi Effendi   

 “We become loveable by being a loving person. We find ourselves by devoting our lives to the service of other people.” -Kilroy J. Oldster   

 "Let us have love and more love, a love that melts all opposition, a love that conquers all foes, a love that sweeps away all barriers, a love that aboundeth in charity, large-heartedness, tolerance, and noble-striving, a love that triumphs over all obstacles, a boundless, resistless, sweeping love.” -Abdul-Baha 

“When day comes we step out of the shade, Aflame and unafraid The new dawn blooms as we free it For there is always light, If only we’re brave enough to see it If only we’re brave enough to be it.” -Amanda Gorman