Dancing Souls
!.!.!.*.*.*.!.!.!
Brilliant and Joyous
For every day that there is sunshine, there will be days of rain; it's how we dance within them both, that shows our love and pain. (Joey Tolbert, Poet; http://www.values.com)
“In this world we are influenced by two sentiments, Joy and Pain. Joy gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded. We seem better able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of usefulness. But when sadness visits us, we become weak, our strength leaves us, our comprehension is dim and our intelligence veiled. The actualities of life seem to elude our grasp, the eyes of our spirits fail to discover the sacred mysteries, and we become even as dead beings. There is no human being untouched by these two influences.” When we think about it, fairly and freely, it would be evident and easy to understand and relate to our lives, agreeing that in its truest sense “all the sorrow and the grief that exist come from the world of matter; the spiritual world bestows only the joy. If we suffer, it is the outcome of material things, and all the trials and troubles come from this world of illusion. For instance, a merchant may lose his trade and depression ensues. A workman is dismissed and starvation stares him in the face. A farmer has a bad harvest, anxiety fills his mind. A man builds a house which is burnt to the ground and he is straightway homeless, ruined, and in despair. All these examples are to show you that the trials which beset our every step, all our sorrow, pain, shame and grief, are born in the world of matter; whereas the spiritual Kingdom never causes sadness. A man living with his thoughts in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy.”
Now, does this mean that such a person does not receive difficulties or meet illness, is not inflicted by calamities or distressfully limited by means? Everyone, as long as is in this world of matter and surrounded by physical law which binds every existent being to relevant limitations, restrictions and imperfections, receives a share of crisis, set-backs and disappointments. This is part of the nature and of inseparable characteristics of the world made of matter and physical substances. Not only individually, but collectively too and only in more dramatic fashion and severe magnitude, we humans are influenced and become afflicted by hardships. Today the whole humanity is bowed down with trouble, sorrow and grief, often wondering and sadly lost without seemingly any hopes and inspiration--“the world is wet with tears”, surrounded and immersed in trials and fears. Being joyous and positive of course in no ways mean denials and ignorance of what is happening to oneself or to the humanity as a whole; it means not dwelling our attention and energies on them, but rather focusing our minds and thoughts on nobler and higher horizons, holding on to a lofty handle which stands above and beyond the bumps and twists of the troubling limitations, pulling the realities of our being up and high by its aid and force. Doing this, the troubles and afflictions shall yet touch us, as is their nature, but they will visit and affect us on the surface of life; while the depths keep calm and ever develop to be more serene and peaceful. With such spirit and adapting such attitude and discipline, intelligently aware and observant of the challenges and unfavorable upsets though we are, the inner heart and essence of mind and soul shall remain unmoved, unaffected, nay ever-increasingly brimming with assurance, radiance and joy.
Radiant acquiescence, happiness and true joy, conscious existence and understanding, confidence and trust, positive fairness and willing respect, optimism however stilled in dark and cheerfulness though crushing be everything that surrounds, signify power and unflinching will, the inner purity and spiritual radiance. All are signs of a resplendent character and each a shining reflection of an understanding brilliant mind. To develop these sterling traits and possess such growing spiritual capacity and wealth in one’s being is the highest perfection and ultimate fruit and meaning of the human existence. As the truth is that, “The troubles of this world pass, and what we have left is what we have made of our souls.”
“O God! …whenever I ponder my grievous shortcomings and my great trespasses, despair assaileth me from every direction, and whenever I pause to meditate upon the ocean of Thy bounteousness and the heaven of Thy grace and the day-star of Thy tender compassion, I inhale the fragrance of hope diffused from right and left, from north and south, as if every created thing imparteth unto me the joyous tidings that the clouds of the heaven of Thy mercy will pour down their rain upon me.” (Revealed by Baha'u'llah, “Tablets of Baha'u'llah”, p. 112)
You are welcome to visit my three other blogs—English, Chinese bilingual, and Persian—below:
Learning Felicityhttp://learningfelicity.blogspot.ca/
Timeless Treasures: Words with Meanings
The Day Star "آفتاب جهانتاب" Aftab i Jahantab
