1: Unit 2: Prayer: Resources
Handouts for Reflections on the Life of the Spirit
While in Haifa, the beloved Guardian of the Cause gave to the writer (Mrs Ruth Moffat), the most concise, complete, and effective formula she has ever seen, for the Dynamics of Prayer. After saying to stress the need of more prayers and meditation among the friends, he said to use these five steps if we had a problem of any kind for which we desired a solution or wished help.
- Pray and meditate about it. Use the prayers of the Manifestations as they have the greatest power. Then remain in the silence of contemplation for a few minutes.
- Arrive at a decision and hold this. This decision is usually born during the contemplation. It may seem almost impossible of accomplishment but if it seems to be as answer to a prayer or a way of solving the problem, then immediately take the next step.
- Have determination to carry the decision through. Many fail here. The decision, budding into determination, is blighted and instead becomes a wish or a vague longing. When determination is born, immediately take the next step.
- Have faith and confidence that the power will flow through you, the right way will appear, the door will open, the right thought, the right message, the right principle or the right book will be given you. Have confidence, and the right thing will come to your need. Then, as you rise from prayer, take at once the fifth step.
- Then, he said, lastly, ACT; act as though it had all been answered. Then act with tireless, ceaseless energy. And as you act, you, yourself, will become a magnet, which will attract more power to your being, until you become an unobstructed channel for the Divine power to flow through you. Many pray but do not remain for the last half of the first step. Some who meditate arrive at a decision, but fail to hold it. Few have the determination to carry the decision through, still fewer have the confidence that the right thing will come to their need. But how many remember to act as though it had all been answered? How true are those words – “Greater than the prayer is the spirit in which it is uttered” and greater than the way it is uttered is the spirit in which it is carried out.
*The above statement belongs properly to the class of statement known as “pilgrim’s notes” and as such as no authority but, since it seems to be particularly helpful and clear, it was felt that believers should not be deprived of it. (NSAUK. 1937:90)
- The recital each day of one of the Obligatory Prayers with pure-hearted devotion.
- The regular reading of the Sacred Scriptures, specifically at least each morning and evening, with reverence, attention and thought.
- Prayerful meditation on the teachings, so that we may understand them more deeply, fulfil them more faithfully, and convey them more accurately to others.
- Striving every day to bring our behaviour more into accordance with the high standards that are set forth in the Teachings.
- Teaching the Cause of God.
- Selfless service in the work of the Cause and in the carrying on of our trade or profession.
Selections to Memorize:
- 1:1:1 “The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct….” Bahá’u’lláh, cited in The Advent of Divine Justice pp.24-25
- 1:1:1 “Beware, O people of Bahá, lest ye walk in the ways of them whose words differ from their deeds.” Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, CXXXIX, p.305 topics:deeds
- 1:1:1 “O Son of Being! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning…” Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words – Arabic #31 topics:deeds
- 1:1:1 “Say, O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning.” Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words – Persian #5 topics:deeds
- 1:1:1 “Holy words and pure and goodly deeds ascend unto the heaven of celestial glory.” Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words – Persian #69 topics:deeds
- 1:1:3 “Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues.” -‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Section, p. 384 topics:truthfulness
- 1:1:3 “Without truthfulness, progress and success, in all the worlds of God, are impossible for any soul.” -‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Section, p. 384 topics:truthfulness
- 1:1:3 “Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of honesty.” –Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 297 topics:truthfulness
- 1:1:3 “Let your eye be chaste, your hand faithful, your tongue truthful and your heart enlightened.” –Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 138 topics:truthfulness
- 1:1:3 “They who dwell within the tabernacle of God, and are established upon the seats of everlasting glory, will refuse, though they be dying of hunger, to stretch their hands and seize unlawfully the property of their neighbor, however vile and worthless he may be.” –Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 298 topics:truthfulness
Practice
Webliography and Bibliography
“This book, Principles of Bahá’í Administration is a compilation of selected writings by Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi was compiled by National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom. It was intended for use by Assemblies, groups, and individuals as a guide to procedure in the life and organic activity of the Bahá’í Community, and was prepared from three main sources, Bahá’í Administration, Bahá’í Procedure (1937 and 1942 editions), and Bahá’í Community, all published by the Publishing Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States of America. There have also been included some messages of the Guardian to the British Isles, a few statements of his taken from sundry numbers of Bahá’í News, the monthly journal of the American Bahá’ís, some passages from God Passes By and a very few other quotations. The attempt has been made to keep the compilation as free as possible from restrictive and perhaps temporary regulations because in an evolving organism like the present Bahá’í Community, the processes of its procedure must also be kept fluid. The contents of the book are therefore of an impermanent nature and will require to be superseded at some future date by its successor designed to meet more closely the needs of a greatly expanded community. It should be remarked that those few passages not from the pen of the Guardian, amounting in all to not more than two or three pages, have been duly approved by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom and are clearly indicated.”