Our Precious Time..... “..”
  Each moment counts!

“Guard against idleness and sloth, and cling unto that which profiteth mankind, whether young or old, whether high or low.” (“Tablets of Baha’u’llah”, p. 138)

Time is a precious commodity—indeed it is the most precious wealth that one posses. It lives through every breath and breaths one moment at a time.  Time is life.  To spend it well and efficiently, it does not mean that we should live it with rigidity and dry seriousness; but one meaning is to be selective on what every precious hour, nay each minute and moment is invested upon and for what it is being used.  We ought to learn how to differentiate and set priorities, being able to distinguish between the frivolous engagements and passing thoughts, and tendencies and practices of the kind, than those which are worthwhile, indispensable and meaningful.  Naturally our priorities and what we may each call as frivolous or indispensable, not worthy enough or noble and meaningful, could very well be not the same—because of varying interests, objectives and expectations that we may have in life and of ourselves; again, depending on each of our potential and characteristics, upbringing and experiences, overall mental, emotional and spiritual developments, and the dreams and ideals which thus we may have drawn and noted to write and engrave on the tablet of our lives and destinies.  However colorfully diverse and interestingly varying in measures and intensity, it is our responsibility and our right to treasure time and give each day and every breath a chance of being used for the best that we can each know and accept.

“Abandonment of ‘frivolous conduct’ dose not imply that a Baha’i must be sour-faced or perpetually solemn. Humour, happiness, joy are characteristics of a true Baha’i life. Frivolity palls and eventually leads to boredom and emptiness, but true happiness and joy and humour that are parts of a balanced life that includes serious thought, compassion and humble servitude to God, are characteristics that enrich life and add to its radiance.”, “He dose not forbid ‘trivial’ pleasures, but he dose warn against ‘excessive attachments’ to them and indicates that they can often be ‘misdirected’. One is reminded of `Abdu’l-Baha’s caution that we should not let a pastime become a waste of time.” (Letter dated 1979 written on behalf of The Universal House of Justice to an individual believer – elucidating Shoghi Effendi’s description of ‘chaste and holy life’ and his reference to ‘frivilous conduct’.)

“That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race.  The Great Being saith:  Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth.” (“Tablets of Baha’u’llah”, p. 167)

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I just wrote another post on the related theme in my other blog below.  You are welcome to visit at:

Learning Felicity

http://learningfelicity.blogspot.ca/

 

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.”

“God loveth those who are pure... God desireth not to see any soul deprived of joy and radiance. He indeed desireth that under all conditions, all may be adorned with such purity, both inwardly and outwardly, that no repugnance may be caused even to themselves, how much less unto others.” (Revealed by The Bab, “Selections From The Writings Of The Bab”, p. 80)

“The whole earth is one globe. All nations are one family. All are the servants of one God. Therefore he who causes grief to another's heart has sinned against the Lord. God desired the joy of all hearts. He wishes that every individual may pass his life in utmost happiness and felicity and should abandon religious, racial, patriotic and political prejudices… We must be grateful to God and the way to express gratitude for His bounty is to love each other, show amity and affection and evince friendship and kindness toward all.” (Words of `Abdu’l-Baha, 5 December 1912, “Mahmud’s Diary”)

You are welcome to visit the recent posts on my two other blogs—English and bilingual—below:

Learning Felicityhttp://learningfelicity.blogspot.ca/

Timeless Treasures: Words with Meanings

http://timelesstreasureswordswithmeanings.blogspot.ca/

True worship is talking of the Truth with love and sincerity and translating what we say into action.

Prayer, which is simply and in reality a communion of a friend with his and her true Friend, is a highest form of loving expression and praise, glorification and gratitude; it is a purely sincere, unconditional joy in celebrating love and growing freely by its light. It is an expression that is best translated and understood when manifests itself in an action of its original, unsoiled but genuine kind.  Such an act is worship; it is called service. “Service is prayer.”  

"In the highest prayer, men pray only for the love of God, not because they fear Him or hell, or hope for bounty or heaven.... When a man falls in love with a human being, it is impossible for him to keep from mentioning the name of his beloved. How much more difficult is it to keep from mentioning the Name of God when one has come to love Him.... The spiritual man finds no delight in anything save in commemoration of God." 

(`Abdu’l-Baha, Compilations,  vol II, p. 236 )

The wisdom of prayer", `Abdu'l-Baha has said, "is this:  That it causeth a connection between the servant and the True One, because in that state man with all heart and soul turneth his face towards His Highness the Almighty, seeking His association and desiring His love and compassion.  The greatest happiness for a lover is to converse with his beloved, and the greatest gift for a seeker is to become familiar with the object of his longing; that is why with every soul who is attracted to the Kingdom of God, his greatest hope is to find an opportunity to entreat and supplicate before his Beloved, appeal for His mercy and grace and be immersed in the ocean of His utterance, goodness and generosity." (Revealed by `Abdu'l-Baha, "Baha'i World Faith", p. 367)

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You are welcome to visit the recent posts on my two other blogs—English and bilingual—below:

Learning Felicityhttp://learningfelicity.blogspot.ca/

Timeless Treasures: Words with Meaningshttp://timelesstreasureswordswithmeanings.blogspot.ca/

the greatest of heavenly Gifts

“Man is like unto this lamp, but the effulgences of the Kingdom are like the rays of the lamp. Man is like unto the glass, but spiritual splendors are like unto the light within the glass. No matter how translucent the glass may be, as long as there is no light within, it remains dark. Likewise, man, no matter how much he advances in material accomplishments, will remain like the glass without light if he is deprived of the spiritual virtues. Material virtues are like unto a perfect body, but this body is in need of the spirit. No matter how handsome and perfect the body may be, if it is deprived of the spirit and its animus, it is dead. But when that same body is affiliated with the spirit and expressing life, perfection and virtue become realized in it. Deprived of the Holy Spirit and its bounties, man is spiritually dead.”  (From a Talk by `Abdu’l-Baha, 1 September 1912, at the home of Maxwells in Montreal, “The Promulgation of Universal Peace”)

While over-attachment to material possessions and excessive focus on physical living could and is indeed detrimental to one’s spiritual growth and highest advancement, these two, that is material and spiritual aspects of human life, are in no ways contradictory, but only complementary. In fact the more both advance in parallel and in harmoniously balanced measure—guided by lofty and time-relevant principles and values, and governed with progressive laws and ordinances—the human life, individually, and consequently with each one’s relevant influence and share, collectively as a whole, shall attain perfection.  Spiritual development and material growth are like indispensable and inseparable wings of the bird of life—the stronger the two wings and the more well-balanced, well coordinated their growth and movements, the higher and splendidly more fulfilling the flight of life shall be.  Just as it truly deserves!

"Provided they behave moderately, the more people advance in the material realm, the more their capacity for attaining spirituality is augmented. The sounder the body, the greater is the resplendency and manifestation of the spirit. Truly, what impedes spirituality are the dogmas and imitations that are contrary to true science and a sound mind." (Words of `Abdu'l-Baha, 4 June 1912, in New York, "Mahmud's Diary")

“Spirituality is the greatest of God's gifts”

and “`Life Everlasting' means `Turning to God'”.

(`Abdu'l-Baha)

“Happiness has a direct influence in preserving our health while being upset causes illness. The basis of eternal happiness is spirituality and divine virtue, which is not followed by sorrow. But physical happiness is subject to a thousand changes and vicissitudes.”  (Words of `Abdu’l-Baha, 19 June 1912, in New York, “Mahmud’s Diary”)

The human body like that of the animals’ is subject to nature's laws. But man is endowed with another nature, the rational and intellectual reality; and the intellectual reality of man predominates over the nature.  All these sciences and advancements which we enjoy and benefit from once been hidden and the recondite secrets of nature, all were unknowable to it itself, and the nature has been and is captive by the rules of the hidden mysteries that is concealed in it. Man, however, was enabled to discover these mysteries, progressed in unraveling the secrets of the existence; he brought the hidden realities out of the plane of the unseen into the plane of the visible and seen.  This proves that human being's existence endows powers and capacities which the nature does not possess. The intellectual faculties and potential capacities of the man are themselves the powers of his superior nature and spiritual reality; that is, his spirit—'the human spirit'.

"This material world has an outward appearance, as it has also an inner reality. All created things are interlinked in a chain leading to spirituality and ultimately ending in abstract realities. I hope that these spiritual links will become stronger day by day and that this communication of hearts, which is termed inspiration, will continue. When this connection exists, bodily separation is not important; this condition is beyond the world of words and above all description." (Words of `Abdu'l-Baha, on 28 April 1912, "Mahmud's Diary")

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You are welcome to visit the recent posts on my two bilingual and English blogs below:

Timeless Treasures: Words with Meanings

http://timelesstreasureswordswithmeanings.blogspot.ca/

Learning Felicityhttp://learningfelicity.blogspot.ca/

 

“Universality is of God, while every limitation is human.”

What would be the profit to agree in global union, consent to the goodness of universal friendship and talk of the solidarity of the human race as a grand ideal? , “Unless these thoughts are translated into the world of action...”

While no act of sincere service and assistance, no genuine thought and intention, not even a gesture of kindness and good-will should be taken for granted, but ought to only fairly and wholeheartedly be appreciated and treasured by the receivers of such favors and gifts, the “noble people” are those who “love you with heart and soul” and offer goodness and service “without any fear, hope or expectation of reward”.  Their sole motive and sincere desire is merely to be of some benefit, positive energy and joyous good to people.  True happiness of a person who owns and enjoys integrity and trust, who endeavors to live a noble life—one which increasingly translates into action and aspires to reflect matching attributes and qualities—greatly lies in his and her sincerity and loving kindness to all the kindreds of the earth. A kind which is unconditional and generous, flowing like a pure stream that knows no limitation, no exhaustion and no calculating inhibitions—a loving kindness that could best be described and understood by the example of loving, compassionately caring and magnanimously generous parents, whose sole motive is the well-being, advancement and worthy happiness of the children.  Souls with such love, such compassionate wisdom and generosity—selfless and polished in character, brilliantly refined in mind and spirit, and intelligently pure and vigilant in heart—are not on marginal and passing mission for individual recognitions and distinctions, having ulterior intensions and desires, coveting to receive personal benefits through the display of good deeds and putting on the show their charitable acts and devotions.   Theirs is, rather, a pure service, a sincere effort, wanting only to be the cause of goodness and high spirit, aiming to be effective, informed and humble contributors to progress and happiness in the world of humanity. 

“For universality is of God and all limitations earthly. Thus man must strive that his reality may manifest virtues and perfections, the light whereof may shine upon everyone. The light of the sun shineth upon all the world and the merciful showers of Divine Providence fall upon all peoples. The vivifying breeze reviveth every living creature and all beings endued with life obtain their share and portion at His heavenly board.  In like manner, the affections and loving-kindness of the servants of the One True God must be bountifully and universally extended to all mankind. Regarding this, restrictions and limitations are in no wise permitted.  Wherefore, O my loving friends!  Consort with all the peoples, kindreds and religions of the world with the utmost truthfulness, uprightness, faithfulness, kindliness, good-will and friendliness.”  (Revealed by `Abdu’l-Baha, “Baha’i World Faith”, p. 445)