When a baby is born into this world, she “dies” with respect to the warm comfortable mother’s womb where she has happily lived for nine months.
She leaves that life forever as she enters this life – with no idea that this life even exists. This life, then, represents the afterlife of the mother’s womb.
The sole purpose of the baby being in the mother’s womb is to grow all the organs and limbs she will need in order to function in this life.
Taking this analogy a step further, this life is the womb for the next life.
With all the issues we deal with every day – our health, relationships, careers, finances, possessions, hobbies, you name it – the sole purpose of our being in this womb we call Earth is to develop our souls for the next life, the life of the spirit. Everything else in our lives ends with our deaths. Only our souls go on to the next plane of existence.
So how do we develop our souls for that next life? The Baha’i teachings have answers to that critical question.
First, those teachings recommend that we recognize the message of God for the age we live in; and second, we then “observe every ordinance” that message contains:
The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. … It behoveth every one who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration.
Baha’is believe God has revealed His will periodically throughout history through His messengers, the founders of the major world religions – Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Christ, Muhammad, and for this new day in human history, Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith.
Recognizing the divine authority of a messenger of God requires that we conduct our own independent investigation of truth, willing to let go of all prejudices, superstitions, and beliefs that prevent us from objectively evaluating and accepting that new message. Only when we very humbly open our minds and hearts to the possibility of someone being a messenger of God can we accept his teachings as the Word of God, and understand God’s will.
Also, as the second part of Baha’u’llah’s injunction asks, we must be willing to follow the principles, teachings, and laws revealed by God’s messenger. These “twin duties,” the Baha’i teachings assure us, will help us become more spiritual beings.
Here are just a few ways we can do this:
1. Develop a close relationship with God by praying; loving and praising Him; continually thanking Him for the countless blessings He has bestowed upon us throughout our lives; having faith and trusting in His grace that He is always there for us, loving us and protecting us, at all times and under all conditions.
2. Acquire God-like attributes and strive to make our daily behavior reflect these attributes – such as love, compassion, forgiveness, kindness, justice, patience, trustworthiness, integrity, courtesy, the Golden Rule, etc.
3. Be of service to others. The more we serve other people, the more selfless we become. Moreover, Baha’u’llah said that work performed in the spirit of service is worship.
4. Stay focused on our spiritual nature: our reality is our soul, not our body.
5. Strive to be in unity and harmony with all people, regardless of who they are and what they believe.
6. In this new day, Baha’u’llah taught that all human beings must fully embrace the indisputable fact that humankind is one family. There is only one race – the human race. We are all one beautiful human flower garden. We need to accept and appreciate our diversity, not condemn and destroy it.
As a corollary to this, we must do everything in our power to totally eliminate all our prejudices – racial, religious, gender, cultural, political, national, economic, educational, tribal, etc. Not only does this greatly benefit our souls; it also brings about desperately needed unity and harmony.
All of this requires commitment. Our daily words and actions, based on total unconditional commitment to become deeply spiritual, are the true reflection of who we are as human beings.
Because we’re human, though, we’ll always fall short of these high ideals. But we must keep trying, no matter how difficult or painful. God knows our hearts. He knows how sincere we are in our daily efforts to become the noble spiritual human beings we were created to be.
We must constantly give ourselves love, kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness, and we must appreciate who we are. These two powerful quotations from the writings of Baha’u’llah elaborate further on these exalted themes:
… The nature of the soul after death can never be described, nor is it meet and permissible to reveal its whole character to the eyes of men. The Prophets and Messengers of God have been sent down for the sole purpose of guiding mankind to the straight Path of Truth. The purpose underlying their revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the hour of death, ascend, in the utmost purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment, to the throne of the Most High … – Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah
… man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine knowledge and wisdom … unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets. – The Book of Certitude
Night descended on Yosemite National Park, the beginning of a twilight adventure for our family.
We groped in the backpack for a flashlight, quickly shined it on the paved path, and then turned it off again. Slowly, our eyes adjusted to the dark. Our ears cocked to the chants of hoot owls, the Gregorian monks of the forest, and to the rustling of deer that shied away from the soft plodding of our footfalls. A dim moon finally turned the path ghostly silver. The thunder of the distant waterfall lured us along. Then, as we came around a bend, the bellowing falls suddenly loomed before us like a white skyscraper, enshrouded in mist, silencing the children’s voices into a rare state of reverence.
We knelt on the path, rolled to our elbows and finally onto our backs, and stared straight up at the summer constellations. The sky had deepened to a dimensionless velvet ocean. I thought about time and space and what they meant in a sky like that. The context of our own comings and goings began to slide down on the relevance scale like water molecules hurtling over the cliff and into the torrent.
We lay silently below Yosemite Falls, searching for the first spit of stardust, for some suggestion of ancient cosmic dust. We had never seen a meteor shower so far from city lights, and this was the big one, the annual Perseid. Under a mid-August panoply of stars, we awaited our cleansing, due to begin at 11:00 pm.
Perseus did not disappoint us. A brilliant raking light suddenly speckled the infinite night, and then another. The earth had intercepted the comet’s concourse once again on its race around the sun, unloosing spangles of gargantuan glitter to rain down on earth.
I was not prepared for the sense of awe that stuck in my own throat as we lay there, wondering how many rainbows of light had spilled from the universe over the millennia, as trustworthy as rock and rain and starlight — and how many meteor showers had gone unnoticed by city dwellers collected under clusters of streetlights, spotlights, and lamplights.
Looking up, the trivialities of the daily human experience suddenly paled against this annual galactic tradition. How could we have missed the drama before? It made me feel insignificant. What comes of a lifetime of struggle and effort? What point was there to each human life in a universe so vast? Is humanity a mere speck on a random planet?
Suddenly, the deeper spiritual truth of the scientific metaphor descended on me, shouting not of hopelessness but of meaning. Until we experience the depth of true darkness, I realized, we do not see pure light. In the humbling of such moments, we listen more closely, we look more intently, and the mysteries of the universe reveal themselves to us. We awaken to a new gratitude that we have the gift of senses to perceive such beautiful light.
Rainer Maria Rilke
Similarly, all our lives, we shy away from darkness, even though times of pain, doubt, or loneliness in the universe could be our finest. As Rainer Maria Rilke pleaded, in Letters to a Young Poet: “Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”
The Baha’i teachings suggest that even when the sky rains hardship upon us, the meaning becomes clear as we learn to accept life’s ephemeral discomforts with “radiant acquiescence.” These encounters with the contrast between birth and death, gain and loss, evolution and decline can awaken wonderment, as they strengthen our resilience, convictions, faith and compassion – like strokes of light on a dark canvas.
Yesterday, a man sitting near me in a public square wore a shirt that read “God doesn’t waste human suffering.” A few blocks away at a peace rally, a mother spoke who had started an international peace movement after losing a son in battle. Her audience surely grasped the need to let go of grief and embrace the strengths it offers us — and to accept the joys that come with greater reverie after enduring adversity.
As Baha’u’llah, the Founder of the Baha’i Faith, wrote:
“My calamity is my providence. Outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy. ”¹
A study of altruists in society conducted at Humboldt University identified “overcoming hardship” as one of the prevailing common childhood experiences of adults who later become the beneficent leaders in society. ² Hardship, it seems, is a prerequisite for maturation. An untested spirit, like an unplayed instrument, can never exude the same resonance when played.
For me, a night that began on the brink of despair about humanity’s in the universe had ended with a sense of the oneness of all things. The meaning of “light and mercy” sank in as I lay there and watched the shooting stars pierce the night sky with these clear words: Be grateful for the darkness. It opens our eyes to true illumination.
1) Hidden Word of Baha’u’llah #51, Baha’i Publishing Trust, 1985 reprint; p. 52. 2) Oliner, S. & P. Toward a Caring Society, Praeger, Westport, Connecticut, 1995; p. 202.
If you’re like me, you’ve spent some time in recent months and years feeling ineffective – because of the seemingly intractable problems we humans face as a result of endemic injustice and disunity.
Those problems, complex and enormous, each tie to all the others like a huge ball of impossibly tangled yarn. As we survey climate change, a global pandemic, racism, civil unrest, inequity, and long-standing wounds on every side, it seems easy to feel small and powerless, and to want to curl into a ball and hide.
Add to these shared communal problems all our individual heartaches — illness, broken relationships, loneliness, work problems, financial woes — and we can feel overwhelmed, as if nothing we do makes a much of a difference. Our world obviously requires a massive amount of change to heal, and so many people feel they can’t muster what it takes.
But the Baha’i writings tell us that in such moments, powerful actions we can each take really do exist. These five inner and outer actions are available to everyone:
1. We can remind ourselves that God is in control and has a plan for humanity:
Like a loving parent, the Baha’i teachings tell us, the Creator has never left humanity without spiritual and practical guidance, and His divine messengers continue to bring a sequential, regularly renewed, and evolving plan for our individual and collective growth at ever higher levels of development. We are on the cusp of our collective adulthood, and adolescence is a turbulent time. We can choose to alleviate our suffering by aligning ourselves with the side of justice. When we act selfishly, outside our collective good, we will suffer and cause the suffering of others, both physically and spiritually.
Baha’u’llahexplained this present era as a necessary part of our transformation as a world citizenry:
… these great oppressions that have befallen the world are preparing it for the advent of the Most Great Justice. … These fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars, shall pass away, and the Most Great Peace shall come.
Understanding our struggles as necessary for our development and learning may give us some perspective and keep us from despair.
2. We can pray for ourselves, for others, for the healing of this world:
We may feel we can do little to help in this world. But God is All-Powerful, and prayer is our link to that power. We can always ask God’s assistance and know that in His mercy, He will provide what we need, and assist others as well.
When I am low and feel helpless, I sometimes recite this short Baha’i prayer to remind me Who is in charge: “Armed with the power of Thy Name, nothing can ever hurt me. And with Thy love in my heart, all the world’s afflictions can in no wise alarm me.”
3. We can focus on what brings us joy and energy, and limit what drags us down:
I find that while I need to be concerned with and aware of what is happening in the world — and working hard to bring positive change — excessive focus on the brokenness of old systems and ways of thinking tends to disempower and drain me. So I’m careful to limit my exposure to negative and divisive media outlets, partisanship on either side, gossip and backbiting, debased entertainment, and shocking clickbait. I don’t feed my body a diet of junk food; why would I fill my head with garbage?
The Baha’i teachings say spiritual reality and our spiritual qualities are the source of joy and energy. Abdu’l-Baha explained:
There is no human being untouched by these two influences [joy and pain]; but all the sorrow and the grief that exist come from the world of matter – the spiritual world bestows only the joy!
We also know that when we are uplifted ourselves, we create happiness in those around us. Abdu’l-Baha encouraged this: “I want you to be happy … to laugh, smile and rejoice in order that others may be made happy by you.”
4. We can look for the signs of the Divine in every aspect of the Creation:
The Baha’i writings say, “Every created thing is a door to the knowledge of God.” The sun speaks to God’s illumination and power. A seed stands for humility, sacrifice, and potential, a flower for beauty and sweetness, a mountain for the Creator’s might and steadfastness. So time spent outdoors may well lift our spirits and help us gain perspective.
With regard to us humans, God has made all these essentially spiritual attributes latent within us. We all have the capacity for steadfastness, humility, generosity, forgiveness, and love. Also, when we look for and recognize others’ divine qualities, we feel hopeful. We can see and nurture these qualities in ourselves, in our children, and in each other. They are the essence of who we are meant to be.
5. Finally, we can look beyond ourselves and dedicate ourselves to serving others:
Our misery is often increased by our focus on our own pain. We might be anxious about the future, or sad about the past. We may have suffered great traumas and losses. This life is full of such tests – but we can alleviate some of our pain by helping someone else. Abdu’l-Baha was reported to have suggested:
Be not the slave of your moods, but their master. But if you are so angry, so depressed and so sore that your spirit cannot find deliverance and peace even in prayer, then quickly go and give some pleasure to someone lowly or sorrowful, or to a guilty or innocent sufferer! Sacrifice yourself, your talent, your time, your rest to another, to one who has to bear a heavier load than you — and your unhappy mood will dissolve …
Serving others can mean volunteering your time and talents for a socially-minded organization, although it can also take many simpler forms: listening to a friend, checking in on someone you haven’t heard from in a while, offering assistance to a neighbor or relative, thinking of your job as the highest service you can render to humanity, and reaching out in love to all who cross your path.
We live in transformative and volatile years of great suffering and great possibilities for real and positive change, personally and collectively. But we are not powerless, and the small things we do to keep our perspective and to spread God’s love and healing message can have a huge effect.
During my half-century as a university professor and publishing scholar, I devoted a good deal of time to an obvious but puzzling question: If we presume an omnipotent Creator exists, why did He decide to give a physical dimension to His creation?
Or, stated in more personal terms, if the creation of human beings lies at the heart of the purpose of physical reality—as most religions suppose—then why did the Creator decide that we would benefit from waking up in an environment where we think we are physical beings, when we really aren’t; where we think we own stuff, when we actually don’t; and where we seem to constantly worry about dying, when our conscious self together with all our essential human powers will endure forever as properties of our eternal soul?
My first attempt to get to the heart of this question, a book entitled The Metaphorical Nature of Physical Reality, discussed the premise that physical reality is a poetic or metaphorical expression of abstract virtues and, as such, provides a foundational methodology for human beings to become introduced to a higher, nobler, and more permanent spiritual reality.
In this work, I applied the terms and techniques of literary studies, which describe how metaphor works, to demonstrate that analogical processes provide a useful means for the human mind to be introduced to, acquire, and understand ephemeral or metaphysical realities—making it possible for us to approach the entire physical part of our lives as a dramatic teaching device.
My next book-length study of this subject, The Purpose of Physical Reality: The Kingdom of Names, dealt with the way in which physical reality and our experience in it might correctly be described as a classroom where we prepare for the continuation of personal development after the dissociation of our selves—our soul with all its complement of powers and faculties—from our physical body.
This work concludes by observing that one of the really useful devices this classroom offers us as preparation for that transition—we might think of it as a workshop or “breakout” session—is aging, an ingeniously devised experience in which we gradually watch our skin become wrinkled, feel our joints falter, our organs failing, and the whole organic physical construct become incrementally more dysfunctional until it dies, decomposes, and, according to Walt Whitman, becomes “leaves of grass,” or, in my own case, a bit of crab grass.
The next stage in my study of physical reality as an expression of a coherent and logically structured expression of a divine plan for human education was The Arc of Ascent: The Purpose of Physical Reality II. The central thesis of this book—that individual spiritual development in the context of the physical classroom is inextricably linked to our reality as inherently social beings—led me to the conclusion that all individual virtue is largely theoretical until practiced and developed in the context of human relationships.
For example, a hermit dwelling in a mountain cave may consider himself to be extremely mystical and spiritual, completely kind and selfless, but neither he nor we can be sure he has acquired such virtues unless and until he emerges from his seclusion to help somebody, not once, but enough times that his theoretical virtues become habituated and thus integral attributes of his character.
The thesis of the series of essays you’re reading now came from ideas developed in my third assault on this endlessly fascinating question, entitled Close Connections: The Bridge between Spiritual and Physical Reality. As the title implies, this lengthy and complex discourse analyzes how the gap between the metaphysical and physical aspects of reality is bridged constantly and bi-directionally on both the cosmic and the individual level. Stated axiomatically, this work compares the theory that an essentially unknowable metaphysical being—the Creator—runs physical reality, with the parallel theory that an essentially knowable metaphysical being—the human soul—operates the human body.
As Abdu’l-Baha so clearly pointed out in a talk he gave in Paris, God employs His messengers as intermediaries between Himself and physical reality, even as we employ our brains as intermediaries between our “essential self” and our bodies:
Like the animal, man possesses the faculties of the senses, is subject to heat, cold, hunger, thirst, etc.; unlike the animal, man has a rational soul, the human intelligence, whereby he can think abstractly, or meditate and reflect on philosophical or theological questions.
This intelligence of man is the intermediary between his body and his spirit.
When man allows the spirit, through his soul, to enlighten his understanding, then does he contain all Creation; because man, being the culmination of all that went before and thus superior to all previous evolutions, contains all the lower world within himself. Illumined by the spirit through the instrumentality of the soul, man’s radiant intelligence makes him the crowning-point of Creation.
If this thesis is correct, even as you at this moment read this essay, you and I are conversing soul-to-soul by means of a series of intermediaries.
The written expression of ideas emanated from my conscious mind through the intermediary of my brain. It was then published here at BahaiTeachings.org, and is at this moment being translated by your senses into abstract concepts through the capacity of your brain, which then transforms the complex of symbols that constitute human language into meaning.
Your conscious mind then considers these ideas, and either rejects them as unworthy of being retained or stores them in the repository of your memory and the convictions of your inner being.
So, to put it in terms that contemporary physics might find appealing: how can we defend the thesis that essentially metaphysical beings—and therefore, for the majority of contemporary scientists, nonexistent beings—think themselves capable of operating heavy machinery without hurting anyone?
In Close Connections I discuss critical questions related to evolution, particle physics, astrophysics, history, cosmology, anthropology, medicine, physiology, psychiatry, and all sorts of other fields directly affected by the assertions that metaphysical reality exists and, more important, that there is a strategic and systematic interplay between the metaphysical and physical aspects of reality. Most important in this study is the consideration that these relationships are at the heart of any understanding about how reality works at every level of existence.
My overall objective in Close Connections is to demonstrate an integrative view of reality provided in and corroborated by authoritative Baha’i texts. But since I cannot in a single series of essays discuss all the support for a thesis wrought over ten years, several books, and hundreds of pages of research, I have decided to focus here on one of the fundamental themes in that study: the relationship between the religious axiom that the human purpose is to love God, and the decision of the Creator to make the method by which we can attain this love relationship subtle, indirect, initially physical, poetic, and, consequently, largely hidden and concealed from intuitive knowledge.
In other words, how do we love God when we cannot possibly know the essential reality of God?
This represents a supremely difficult challenge—unless, of course, we are first led out of the cave of ignorance by mentors, and set on the path of willed, self-sustained progress, a process that translates well the Latin verb educare (to lead out) into the English cognate “to educate.”
Coupled with this idea is another equally enigmatic concept: love. Since, according to the Baha’i teachings, the human purpose is to learn to know and to worship God, or to love and to express that love in action, then it is crucial that we understand how both processes work, as neither learning nor loving can be coerced, even by God, because both require us to employ our free will, and our will cannot be free if it is coerced.
So please follow along in this series of essays as we explore what the Baha’i teachings recommend when they ask us to kindle the fire of divine love in our hearts and souls.
This series of essays is adapted from John Hatcher’s address to the 2005 Association for Baha’i Studies Conference titled The Huri of Love, which comprised the 23rd Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecture.
Every year, around the vernal equinox, the world seems to come alive. Depending on where you live in the Northern Hemisphere, trees and bushes that were once icy and barren begin to bear buds, leaves, flowers, or fruit. The grass becomes greener, hibernating animals come out to explore, and insects that were burrowed under the ground hatch from their eggs and emerge to the surface.
“In the spring there are the clouds which send down the precious rain, the musk-scented breezes and life-giving zephyrs; the air is perfectly temperate, the rain falls, the sun shines, the fecundating wind wafts the clouds, the world is renewed, and the breath of life appears in plants, in animals and in men,” said Abdu’l-Baha, one of the central figures of the Baha’i Faith. “Earthly beings pass from one condition to another.”
If all of this rebirth and renewal is happening during spring to every plant and animal in the world, what kind of spiritual transformation is happening to people?
The Significance of Spring for Our Spiritual Transformation
I remember my winter during the height of the coronavirus quite clearly…
Just like many other living beings, I spent the winter hibernating and staying cooped up indoors — because I had no interest in being out in the cold unless I had to, and I also happened to be a germaphobe during COVID-19. So, when the clouds disappeared, and the temperature finally hit 70 degrees, I couldn’t help but step outside and take a few long deep breaths. I inhaled and exhaled — the air was so sweet, I felt like I could taste it. As I walked and soaked in the warm heat of the sun, my body felt soothed, and my mind felt at ease. I knew that my spirit was being revived just like the rest of the world.
Abdu’l-Baha said it’s as if the Earth is dead and lifeless during the winter. But when spring comes, “it finds a new spirit, and produces endless beauty, grace and freshness. Thus the spring is the cause of new life and infuses a new spirit.”
I could feel that I was becoming alive with this new spirit. Of course, this spiritual regeneration and renewal didn’t happen like clockwork once the sun came out. I spiritually recuperated for 19 days from the beginning of March until the first day of spring – the Baha’i new year.
During these 19 days, Baha’is fast — we do not eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset. But this abstention from food is merely symbolic and is, as Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, explained, “ a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires.”
He also wrote that the fasting period is “essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character.”
Every year during March, I make sure to prioritize my spiritual health and tune into my spirit. I engage in self-reflection, clarify what goals I’d like to accomplish in the coming year, and work on breaking old unwanted habits. I thank God for my blessings, ask forgiveness for my wrongdoings, and strive to cleanse and purify my heart and soul. That way, when I emerge from my hibernation, I feel both physically and spiritually refreshed and transformed.
“Jesus Christ said ‘Ye must be born again’ so that divine Life may spring anew within you,” said Abdu’l-Baha at a talk in Bristol, England in 1911.
Be kind to all around and serve one another; love to be just and true in all your dealings; pray always and so live your life that sorrow cannot touch you. Look upon the people of your own race and those of other races as members of one organism; sons of the same Father; let it be known by your behaviour that you are indeed the people of God. Then wars and disputes shall cease and over the world will spread the Most Great Peace.
The Spiritual Meaning of Spring for Humanity
Baha’is believe that world peace is not just a naïve hope or wishful thinking, but it is actually inevitable. We understand that the world is going through very turbulent and trying times, but as Shoghi Effendi wrote:
We stand on the threshold of an age whose convulsions proclaim alike the death-pangs of the old order and the birth-pangs of the new.
“The whole earth,” wrote Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith, “is now in a state of pregnancy. The day is approaching when it will have yielded its noblest fruits, when from it will have sprung forth the loftiest trees, the most enchanting blossoms, the most heavenly blessings.”
Just like the Earth goes through different seasons and cycles, Baha’is believe that humanity goes through various stages of development. And in every stage, God sends Messengers (i.e., Zoroaster, the Buddha, Krishna, Moses, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, the Bab, and Baha’u’llah) to reveal more of His unfolding revelation to society.
Right now, humanity is in its turbulent adolescence age. But Baha’is believe that “when the impetuosity of youth and its vehemence reach their climax,” we will reach maturity and enter the stage of adulthood. We believe that the revolutionary teachings of Baha’u’llah — such as the equality of men and women, the harmony of science and religion, the elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty, the abolition of all forms of prejudice, and the oneness of humanity — will help usher humanity towards maturity.
This period of time is the Promised Age, the assembling of the human race to the “Resurrection Day” and now is the great “Day of Judgment.” Soon the whole world, as in springtime, will change its garb. The turning and falling of the autumn leaves is past; the bleakness of the winter time is over. The new year hath appeared and the spiritual springtime is at hand.
The black earth is becoming a verdant garden; the deserts and mountains are teeming with red flowers; from the borders of the wilderness the tall grasses are standing like advance guards before the cypress and jessamine trees; while the birds are singing among the rose branches like the angels in the highest heavens, announcing the glad-tidings of the approach of that spiritual spring, and the sweet music of their voices is causing the real essence of all things to move and quiver.
This “spiritual spring” is so meaningful and significant because, as Abdu’l-Baha said, it’s the “age of spiritual awakening” where “the world has entered upon the path of progress into the arena of development, where the power of the spirit surpasses that of the body. Soon the spirit will have dominion over the world of humanity.”
A few words of advice and inspiration: That’s what my co-workers and I were asked to share with the young people we work with in New York City. They’re between the ages of 18 and 24 and are serving the community by maintaining urban farms and giving fresh food and produce to their communities. We supervise their work and see ourselves as their mentors.
To that end, in their remarks, my colleagues mostly echoed each other’s sentiments — we talked about maintaining high expectations, offered encouragement for completing their service, and expressed gratitude for the work they’d already finished. One of the most common comments was focused on the dwindling motivation amongst the young people in the final months of their service term.
As an elaboration on this theme, one staff member discussed discipline, pointing out how motivation and discipline don’t have to be linked. He told the young people how even if our motivation rises and falls, if we practice discipline, we can achieve what we set out to accomplish.
I hadn’t thought much about how these two are different. Motivation is the desire to do something, while discipline is the actual persistence and active component of doing it.
By nature of how many of us were raised, we often can meet expectations and practice consistency when we receive external supervision or support. Unfortunately, many or the structures in our lives that emphasize the creation of disciplined goals do not focus on our more internal or spiritual well-being.
In tracking my own internal development, I have noticed I have a high motivation for many different and great things, but my discipline could use some work. My ability to consistently take steps towards achieving a goal or developing a healthy habit often falters.
As one of the central tenants of the Baha’i Faith is unity in diversity, there is no one specific lifestyle that all Baha’is are expected to lead but, there are clearly stated guidelines for the way we should lead our lives mentioned in Baha’i scriptures. For example, there is an emphasis on praying and reading divine scriptures every morning and evening. Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith, wrote, “Recite ye the verses of God every morn and eventide.”
Daily prayer is a standard for all Baha’is, whether we are busy or not, and whether we work in a standard 9-to-5 office setting or have a nontraditional schedule. While reflecting on how to create discipline and approach different goals with consistency, this passage made me realize that no matter how much I have going on, it helps to create some kind of regular structure for whatever it is I am approaching when it comes to my spiritual well-being. This can look like paying attention to my morning ritual and incorporating meditation or prayer, or it might look like taking note every time I feel like I am bending the truth. Whatever my goal may be for internal growth, having structure is something that can help increase our ability to be consistent and disciplined.
While simple, being consistent with prayer and reflecting on writings rooted in spirituality can start and end my day in an intentional way. This intentionality might also set the tone for approaching the many scattered goals I have with a mindset of deliberate consistency. Indeed, Abdu’l-Baha, the son of Baha’u’llah, and his designated successor wrote that “Perseverance is an essential condition. In every project firmness and steadfastness will undoubtedly lead to good results; otherwise it will exist for some days, and then be discontinued.”
Instead of viewing motivation as the precursor to discipline, I have begun to consider the relationship as a much more co-created one. As I am working to become more disciplined in my daily life, I will likely also feel an upsurge in motivation.
When something seems more feasible, we are much more likely to attempt to do it. When something feels impossible, it is more challenging to take action. Being disciplined, even with one or two things, can provide the evidence that we need to regain our confidence. It is then that we can begin planning to do things that seem difficult to accomplish. For example, if I am able to control my spending habits for a few months, I will probably feel more able to consistently connect with my friends to discuss how we can more effectively contribute to the well-being of our community.
The Baha’i writings also suggest we always be vigilant of ways to bring joy to others. We can tap into deeper sources of motivation within ourselves by being disciplined about seeing the world through this lens. As Abdu’l-Baha encouraged us:
Be ye always the source of happiness to the hearts, for the best of men is one who winneth the hearts and refraineth from troubling any soul, and the worst of men is one who vexeth the hearts and causeth people to be grieved. Always endeavour to gladden the people and to rejoice their hearts so that ye may be enabled to guide them.
In order for us to pursue creative pursuits, strengthen our mental health, and be a part of organic community-building efforts through developing healthy relationships and friendships, we have to self-regulate and act as our own supervisors. I am realizing that taking ownership, practicing patience and perseverance, and resisting the tendency to give up will allow for my discipline and motivation to bloom together. I am excited to move past goal-setting and into action.
In “The Brave Ones,” Michael Orona’s compelling narrative transcends beyond physical courage and delves into spiritual courage and resilience, highlighting the power of remaining steadfast in the face of oppression. As Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith, wrote:
The source of courage and power is the promotion of the Word of God, and steadfastness in His Love.
Inspired by his personal experiences, family history, and the Baha’i teachings, Michael Orona discusses how the characters in his novel embody this spiritual courage and steadfastness, reflects on the ongoing fight for representation, and explores the lessons his book offers for today’s social justice movements.
Michael Orona
Radiance Talley: Hi, Michael! The title “The Brave Ones” suggests acts of courage. How do your characters embody spiritual courage, and how does this align with the Baha’i view of steadfastness in the face of injustice?
Michael Orona: The title “The Brave Ones” carries deep spiritual significance that goes far beyond physical courage. It’s about a profound inner transformation and the courage to reimagine human possibility in the face of systemic oppression.
Spiritual courage, from a Baha’i perspective, isn’t about confrontation, but rather the ability to maintain dignity, hope, and foresight when every system is designed to break your spirit. My characters embody this through their refusal to be defined by their circumstances.
Consider the Baha’i principle articulated by Shoghi Effendi about the American believers’ special calling — to have the “moral courage and fortitude” to address fundamental issues facing humanity. The characters in the book live by this principle. They’re not just fighting against discrimination; they’re creating alternative models for the advancement of not only their own community, but also for the advancement of their oppressors.
The Indigenous peoples in the story — members of the Yaqui Nation from Sonora — represent this beautifully. They could have accepted their limited circumstances. Instead, they dream beyond their immediate reality and then act. Their dreams and the action to make them a reality symbolize hope — a spiritual act of resistance that transcends physical constraints.
Abdu’l-Baha’s teachings profoundly influenced how I conceived spiritual courage. He spoke about the Indigenous peoples of America having the potential to “enlighten the whole world” if properly educated and guided. My characters embody this — they’re not victims waiting to be saved, but transformative agents with inherent spiritual power.
“The Brave Ones” is a testament to this spiritual courage — a celebration of Indigenous peoples who refuse to be broken, who see beyond current realities to potential futures of unity and justice. I believe this embodies us as Native people, it’s who we are.
Radiance: Did you draw from personal experiences, oral histories, or Baha’i teachings on the value of diverse cultures?
Michael: The book is deeply rooted from personal experience, family narratives, and the Baha’i teachings that have shaped my life.
Growing up, I was steeped in my Indigenous cultural heritage in large part to the profound support of my late Apache father, Dr. Joel Orona, and my Yaqui mother, Esther Orona. Storytelling wasn’t just a tradition in our family — it was a way of preserving history, of maintaining cultural identity, and spiritual development. The oral histories my grandparents and elders shared with me as a child were living histories, not just personal narratives but collective experiences of resistance, resilience, and survival. It was through these stories that I was taught the importance of being of service not only to my own community, but to the global community. It was through these stories that I was reminded of the responsibility to honor the legacy of my ancestors.
As a child of the 1970s, I was acutely aware of the lack of diversity and limited representation of Indigenous peoples in the media. I remember watching television or going to the movies and rarely seeing people on screen who looked like me. Those rare times when Indigenous people were portrayed, it was done by non-Native actors in a demeaning manner. The watershed moment for me was watching Alex Haley’s “Roots” on television — a chronicle that brought the history of African Americans to the forefront. The importance of seeing the struggle and unique perspective from another marginalized community gave me hope that someday I would have the opportunity to share the historical challenges and success of my own people.
The Baha’i teachings were instrumental in shaping my perspective on cultural diversity. Baha’u’llah’s message on this topic was revolutionary, it was not about reforming existing social norms, but fundamentally shattering the very notion of racial superiority. This wasn’t just a social justice message, but a message of spiritual transformation.
Abdu’l-Baha’s teachings were particularly profound in the writing of the book. He spoke about the unique spiritual potential of Indigenous peoples, stating we will “enlighten the whole world” and serve as spiritual “standard bearers.” This isn’t patronizing but rather the sincere belief, acknowledgment, and recognition of the inherent spiritual wisdom found within Indigenous communities that have been historically and systematically marginalized.
Ultimately, the book is an embodiment of the Baha’i principle of the oneness of humanity. It’s not just about documenting historical struggles, but about creating a vision of human potential that transcends racial, cultural, and historical divisions.
Radiance: How do the themes of “The Brave Ones” resonate with today’s social justice movements? What lessons can readers draw from this historical narrative?
Michael: The story of “The Brave Ones” is not just a historical account, but a powerful lens through which we can understand the ongoing struggles for equity, solidarity, and human dignity. I believe the narrative of Indigenous peoples fighting for equality in partnership with African Americans speaks directly to the intersectional nature of social justice movements today.
First and foremost, the book illuminates the power of unexpected alliances. At a time of profound racial discrimination, these communities found strength in their shared marginalized experience. Today, we see similar dynamics in modern social justice movements — whether its organizations focused on Indigenous rights, economic empowerment, or struggles against systemic oppression. The lesson is clear: solidarity and collaboration across different marginalized communities is not just possible, but essential.
The book underscores how systemic discrimination creates seemingly insurmountable barriers. Members of the Yaqui community in the book faced limited opportunities, forced to live under difficult circumstances with little hope for advancement. This mirrors the ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous peoples around the world and other communities of color — unequal access to education, economic opportunities, and social mobility. Yet, the story is ultimately one of hope and resistance, showing how collective action can challenge and ultimately transform unjust systems.
Moreover, the narrative underscores the importance of telling our own stories. For too long, Indigenous peoples have been relegated to the margins of historical narratives, our experiences either silenced or misrepresented. “The Brave Ones” is part of a broader movement to reclaim our narrative, to center Indigenous voices and perspectives. This resonates deeply with contemporary calls for authentic representation and self-determination.
The themes of dignity, resilience, and a shared humanity are particularly relevant in our current social and political climate. We continue to grapple with historical injustices, systemic racism, and the ongoing impacts of colonization. The book offers a blueprint for understanding how communities can come together, recognize their common struggles, and work toward collective liberation.
I was inspired to write this story by the experiences shared by my grandparents and their generation — a reminder that our current struggles are deeply connected to historical experiences of oppression and resistance. The book is not just about the past; it’s a call to action for today’s generation to continue the work of building a more just and equitable society.
Ultimately, “The Brave Ones” teaches us that change is possible when we recognize our shared humanity, when we have the courage to challenge the status quo, and when we stand in solidarity with one another. It’s a message of hope that I believe is more crucial now than ever before.
Radiance: A reviewer mentioned that this story “finally broke the barrier” for Indigenous people to tell their own stories. What challenges do Indigenous authors face in having their narratives published and recognized, and how does the Baha’i Faith encourage perseverance in such efforts?
Michael: The publishing world has long been a gatekeeping system that marginalizes Indigenous voices. For generations, our stories have been told through a colonial lens — filtered, misinterpreted, and often romanticized or vilified by non-Indigenous writers. Breaking through these barriers requires persistent courage and a commitment to authentic storytelling.
Indigenous authors face multiple systemic challenges. First, there’s the structural inequality in publishing: limited representation in editorial boards, fewer publishing opportunities, and a publishing industry that historically prioritizes mainstream narratives. Many publishers view Indigenous stories as niche or unmarketable, failing to recognize the universal humanity and complexity of our experiences.
Our narratives are often expected to conform to stereotypical expectations — stories of trauma, historical suffering, or exotic cultural experiences that fit comfortable narratives about Indigenous peoples. But we are not museum artifacts or historical footnotes. We are a living, evolving people with rich, nuanced stories that speak to contemporary human experiences.
The Baha’i Faith has been instrumental in giving me the spiritual strength to persist. The principles of the Baha’i Faith, including the oneness of humanity, universal education, and the independent investigation of truth, are not philosophical concepts, but active guides for my writing and activism. The Faith encourages us to see beyond divisive boundaries, to recognize the inherent worth of every human being, and to work tirelessly for justice and understanding.
When I face rejection or encounter systemic barriers, I draw strength from the Baha’i teachings about perseverance. We believe that true progress comes through consistent, compassionate effort. Just as the members of the Yaqui community in my book refused to be defined by their circumstances, I refuse to let institutional barriers silence our stories.
The process of writing “The Brave Ones” was itself an act of spiritual and cultural resistance. By centering Indigenous agency, showing our community’s resilience, and highlighting our partnerships across racial lines, I’m challenging the dominant narratives that have historically marginalized us.
Moreover, my work is part of a broader movement of Indigenous authors reclaiming our narrative space. Indigenous authors have been instrumental in breaking down these barriers, proving that our stories are not just important — they are essential to understanding the full complexity of the human experience.
My Faith teaches me that every voice matters, that every story has the potential to bridge understanding. By persistently sharing our narratives, we challenge systemic inequities and create opportunities for genuine dialogue and mutual respect.
This is why “The Brave Ones” is more than a book. It’s a testament to the power of storytelling as a form of cultural preservation, resistance, and hope.
Radiance:Thank you, Michael, for sharing your profound insights and reflections. If you all are enjoying this Q&A, be on the lookout for part threewhere we’ll discuss practical actions we all can take to promote justice and harmony!
Growing up during segregation in the United States, my grandfather, who was Cherokee, Black, and Irish, had a difficult life, to say the least. But, my mother told me, while he chanted his Cherokee chants, he seemed happy. In fact, that Cherokee chant was one of the few cultural traditions that he passed down to his children.
“It was the string that kept us connected…,” my mother says. She taught me and my siblings this chant and shared a Cherokee story she had learned later in life, one filled with wisdom and guidance — a testament to the enduring spiritual legacy of Indigenous people.
A letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, to the National Spiritual Assembly of Central America and Mexico echoed this sentiment, highlighting their transformative potential:
If the light of Divine Guidance enters properly into the lives of the Indians, it will be found that they will arise with a great power and will become an example of spirituality and culture to all of the people in these countries.
The Cherokee story emphasized the importance of the choices we make in life in the battle between our higher and lower natures. As Abdu’l-Baha, one of the central figures of the Baha’i Faith, wrote:
For the inner reality of man is a demarcation line between the shadow and the light, a place where the two seas meet…
This timeless truth is beautifully illustrated in the story, which goes as follows:
A young boy, angry with another boy for treating him badly, went to his grandfather, who proceeded to tell him a story. “I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and hate does not hurt your enemy. Hate is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times,” he said.
“It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one wolf is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way. But the other wolf is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper.”
He continued, “He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, because his anger will change nothing. Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me because both of the wolves try to dominate my spirit.”
The boy stared deeply into his grandfather’s eyes and asked, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?”
Smilingly, the grandfather replied, “The one I feed.”
So, are we feeding the wolf of love, harmony, and hope, or anger, hatred, and hopelessness?
I know that it can be challenging to be optimistic in depressing and dangerous times, but as Louise Profeit-LeBlanc’s grandmother told her, “Whatever you need is around you! It is not what you want, but what you need that will be provided to you.”
Photo of Louise Profeit-LeBlanc, courtesy of Louise Profeit-LeBlanc.
Louise Profeit-LeBlanc, a storyteller, artist, and member of the Nacho N’yak Dän First Nation of central Yukon, Canada, shared that this Native American proverb reminds her that “the Creator provides for us, and it might not be what we want, but it will be what will make us grow.”
She added, “It makes us less material and more appreciative of everything we might need in terms of our livelihood, our well-being, and also, for the happiness and joy we bring to others.”
Native American Proverbs About Oneness
“We are all related” is Nadema Agard’s favorite Native American proverb. A Cherokee, Lakota, and Powhatan artist, educator, consultant, curator, and storyteller, Nadema often highlights this teaching in her work.
Photo of Nadema Agard, courtesy of Nadema Agard.
Moreover, the Baha’i writings emphasize humanity’s oneness and interconnectedness:
This limitless universe is like the human body, all the members of which are connected and linked with one another with the greatest strength. How much the organs, the members and the parts of the body of man are intermingled and connected for mutual aid and help, and how much they influence one another! In the same way, the parts of this infinite universe have their members and elements connected with one another, and influence one another spiritually and materially.
Not only are we all members of one human family, but we are all also connected to the heavenly kingdom. One of Medicine Eagle’s favorite Native American proverbs is from the Hopi people, which states, “The one is the all. The all are the one.”
This Hopi proverb reminds Medicine Eagle — a holistic healthcare practitioner and member of the Anishinaabe nation — that “there is but a veil of separation between us and the spirit realm.”
Photo of Medicine Eagle, courtesy of Medicine Eagle.
He wrote, “We all act as though there is a separation from the divine, yet there is no such thing! All created things come from God, and all things are good. We condition things to be not good through our gift of free will. This is the biggest illusion we face as beings.”
To overcome this illusion, all we have to do is turn towards God and look within ourselves. Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith, revealed a powerful admonition, encouraging us to rise to our higher nature:
Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.
I hope these Baha’i teachings and Native American proverbs inspire you to look within, uncover your strength, and awaken the vast potential waiting to be tapped. These gems of guidance remind us that we are all part of something greater — a divine oneness that unites us with each other and with our Creator. The choice is ours: Which wolf will we feed, and how will we reflect this unity in our lives?
There is an African proverb that says, “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” So, how do you find peace of mind and heart?
In a world of distracting chaos, depressing conflict, distressing challenges, and addictive consumerism, finding inner peace can feel elusive. Yet, timeless spiritual and religious teachings offer helpful insights and comforting prayers to guide all of us on our journeys.
Explore how the following quotes and prayers from world religions and ancient spiritual traditions can unlock a peaceful, resilient spirit and bring tranquility to both your heart and mind.
Baha’i Quotes About How to Find Peace of Mind and Heart
A Baha’i study circle in Nedrini, Panama
If you’re wondering how to find peace of mind and heart, the Baha’i writings offer helpful guidance on this subject.
First, we can’t have a peaceful mind and heart without having a loving mind and heart. At a talk in New York in 1912, Abdu’l-Baha, one of the central figures of the Baha’i Faith, was asked, “Is peace a greater word than love?”
Abdu’l-Baha exclaimed, “No! Love is greater than peace, for peace is founded upon love. Love is the objective point of peace, and peace is an outcome of love. Until love is attained, peace cannot be…”
When we are kindled by the fire of the love of God in our hearts and look for the loveable divine qualities in every person and created thing, we will find that we are more at peace with ourselves and everyone around us.
In a treatise written by Abdu’l-Baha in 1875, he identified the different capabilities that an individual needs to develop to experience pleasure and peace. He explained that “the happiness and greatness, the rank and station, the pleasure and peace, of an individual have never consisted in his personal wealth, but rather in his excellent character, his high resolve, the breadth of his learning, and his ability to solve difficult problems.”
It’s important that we strengthen and develop these qualities, as they enhance our personal happiness and peace and build the resilience that we need to navigate the challenging moments in our lives.
A Buddhist Quote About the Importance of a Peaceful Mind
It’s fascinating that breadth of learning not only fosters peace but that peace of mind is also conducive to greater knowledge.
In the Dhammapada, the Buddha states, “If a man’s thoughts are unsteady, if he does not know the true law, if his peace of mind is troubled, his knowledge will never be perfect.”
When our thoughts are flighty, unsettled, and anxious, it’s difficult to focus, think deeply, and meditate on divine guidance. So, we have to clear and calm our minds to receive greater insights and understanding.
Yogic, Buddhist, and Cherokee Quotes About the Importance of a Peaceful Heart
As a yoga fan, I enjoy the peace of mind and body that yoga often brings. However, I was even more excited to learn about the spiritual teachings that ancient yogis have shared about how important a peaceful heart is for fostering harmonious relationships.
In “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,” it says, “Where the heart is full of kindness which seeks no injury to another, either in act or thought or wish, this full love creates an atmosphere of harmony, whose benign power touches with healing all who come within its influence. Peace in the heart radiates peace to other hearts, even more surely than contention breeds contention.”
Likewise, The Sutra Collection, a sacred Buddhist text, asks us to abstain from calumny and slander —also regarded as grievous sins in the Baha’i Faith — and avoid repeating what would “raise a quarrel against the people.”
A Cherokee proverb beautifully captures this spirit of compassionate silence and open-hearted communication: “O Great Spirit, help me always to speak the truth quietly, to listen with an open mind when others speak, and to remember the peace that may be found in silence.”
Continuing in this spirit, The Sutra Collection concludes, “Thus he lives as a binder together of those who are divided, an encourager of those who are friends, a peacemaker, a lover of peace, impassioned for peace, a speaker of words that make for peace.”
A Taoist Prayer for Peace of Mind and Heart
“Lao-Tsu’s Peace Prayer” beautifully illustrates how important peaceful hearts are for creating a peaceful world. He wrote:
If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors.
If there is to be peace between neighbors,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.
A Baha’i Prayer for Peace of Mind and Heart
A prayer gathering at the Baha’i Center in Lauro de Freitas, Brazil
As we strive to cultivate inner peace, turning to prayer can be a powerful balm and refuge. The following Baha’i prayer offers profound words of solace and strength, imploring our Creator to renew your spirit and restore peace to your mind and heart:
Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my desire! Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God!
Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquillity on me, O my Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!
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