On I Have Breathed Within Thee: O SON OF THE WONDROUS VISION!

The lyrics are from the Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah.

Arabic Hidden Word No 19
O SON OF THE WONDROUS VISION!
I have breathed within thee a breath of My own Spirit, that thou mayest be My lover. Why hast thou forsaken Me and sought a beloved other than Me?

Link to Hidden Words http://www.bahai.com/Bahaullah/hiddenwords.htm

Photographs by Derek Thompson

Thanks, Derek, for bringing this to my attention. -gw

I thought you may like to share this Paul Parrish song. An old song but the video I have just put up on youtube.

Thanks for showing the Anke Keitel song O God Guide Me I made that video and was delighted to see "as seen on Baha'i Views" appear. I don't know who requested that!

Warmest Greetings
Derek

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On In One Big Room: Great to be together

 

It's February already, and I am just poting on stuff that happened weeks ago. Like the MLK Day potluck at Time and Deb's. I marvel at the cross section of Baha'is and friends of the Faith that showed. It was such a thrill to see Linda and Robert Carpenter and their lovely grandchildren, to visit with Darachan and Kiri at long last, great to hear Tony's stories about teaching in the Soviet Union, to see Tim & Deb's newly published children's book, to see Jardana's lovely nails which she did herself, to have Charles' other grandchild be able to join us, to see Immaculate and meet her other half, Natural, and have Matt and his children and junior youth be able to hang out in Tim and Deb's big room. -gw

 

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On In the Thick of Things: The Baha'i core activites don't take us above the problems of the world

 

One of the players who showed up for the Invaders practice Sunday lives at the Rescue Mission shelter currently. He travels about town on a skateboard. He's not a kid. He's a man with a dream and strong aspirations.

 

 

 

We encounter the very real problems of the world through the effort of providing the Baha'i core activities. There is poverty to start with. Homelessness. And the effects of substance abuse. Think crack babies. Behavior problems in chidren's class aren't always of the minor and mild variety. We're not afraid of the problems people have. We have expertise. We have Baha'is who have been there. We have resolve, commitment -- and assurance of the outcome of our efforts. It won't be easy. -gw

 

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On the Cutting Edge of Baha'i Expansion: The meeting of the cluster agencies

 

I told my wife last night that being at our Cluster Agencies meeting gives me the feeling of being on the absolute cutting edge of the Baha'i expansion process. -gw

 

 

Looking back over the past 5 years of teaching & consolidation

 

The letter: Looking at expansion

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On Using Mix CDs to Connect Hearts and Minds: Good for learning the Baha'i Writings, too

 

I've been collecting music since the early 1990's. Our public library has always had an extensive CD collection. It has been my primary resource for new discoveries.

 

My personal collection was kept on cassette tapes in the beginning. During the early years as a DJ -- a "devotional jockey" -- at our monthly "spiritual meeting," as we called our public devotional back then, I would cue up the songs I wanted to play using the cassette player in the Dodge Caravan while driving to and from work. The collection of cassette tapes still exists, sitting in a plastic bin in the garage somewhere.

 

My collection grew even faster when I switched over to burning mix CDs of my finds when we got a computer in 1999. I have suitcases full of the discs in slim plastic jewel cases. I began buying Baha'i music.

 

 

Then came the iPod my kids gave me for my 60th birthday. More opportunities to listen, organize and study the songs of my collection.

 

I began DJ-ing as part of my job as a mental health consultant to Head Start. I put together special collections around parenting, managing stress and the like. They were great for parent meetings and staff trainings.

 

I started to DJ for the company picnic and for the annual Brighton Creek Arts Festival weekend. Now  I DJ for our companies quarterly all-staff. Great fun to chose just the right playlist to connect hearts and minds into a common purpose.

 

Currently I'm using mix CDs as a way to help Matt and his family to connect to the Baha'i Writings. I give them a new CD every week. With a song here and a song there, I'm introducing them to the broad diversity of artists performing Baha'i-inspired music today. The family loves music -- not unusual for Samoan-Americans, as I've come to learn. -gw

 

The latest mix CD I passed on to Matt last Sunday

 

A "Baha'i-inspired" mix CD

 

Computers were invented to collect music

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On Another Look at the Baha'i Holy Places: I can never get enough

A new Flickr contact, Paul, and his photo set on Israel. I can never get enough of the Baha'i Holy Places. -gw

 

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On the Baha'i Attitude Toward Sex Is Refreshing: The faith God always intended for me

 

Old posts still draw visitors. Below is a comment made just yesterday to a post that originally appeared in October of 2009. 

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "On Premarital Sex: What is a relationship?":

I find it refreshing....

I was sexually molested for many years, did lose my virginity willingly at 19, married and had a child then divorced. Shortly after in a sexual monogamous relationship which ended within two years. Chose celebacy for two years and again in a sexual monogamous relationship for 5 years, married and it ended within 2 days. I chose chastity over sex being through much and having a teenager who deserved to not be confused the men I chose to bring into our lives.

I worked for a couple of years with someone. We had so many of the same beliefs morally, ethically and spiritually. He would become my dearest and truest friend....It would be several years after it was obvious how deeply connected we were before he told me he was a Baha'i. I did not know what a Baha'i was, but when he explained it everything fell into place. The subtle kiss on the cheek or forehead or peck on the lips. There was no pressure. We spent those years prior to that revelation enjoying tremendously long talks, cooking meals, watching movies, spending days and nights on the beach, and discovering each other. We like each other and when I look at him and how wonderful he is spiritually, mentally and physically, I want to be that for him. He is the reflection in the mirror. That is true intimacy, and it is undeniable.

I have studied the Baha'i Faith the past couple of years. I had always been intrigued with religions. I have discovered that in my heart I have always been a baha'i and this coming Naw Ruz I will officially declare it so! I have finally found the one God had always intended for me and the faith I had only known in my dreams!!

Best wishes to you ladies and enjoy the journey!

Posted by Anonymous to Baha'i Views at 4:13 PM

 

The original post also appeared on my Posterous site:

http://bahaiviews.posterous.com/on-premarital-sex-what-is-a-relationship

 

On a famous painting ... Klee's "The Kiss" was featured as the visual in my original post. It was shortly after the post appeared that I was in the home of a seeker where I took the picture below. The seeker and his partner are now Baha'is and their whole family participates in the core activities of the institute process. And, yes, that is little Gilmar, at age one. Now he is three. -gw

 

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On They Lived in Salishan: Darachan and Kiri

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Martin Luther King Day potluck at Tim and Deb's was visiting with Baha'i friends we hadn't seen in a long time. I was especially thrilled to see Darachan and her son Kiri. I met Darachan and her husband at the train station when they first arrived in Tacoma many years ago. Cambodian refugees who once lived in Camp 6 on the Thai border, they were on to careers of great service in our community. Another thing I distinctly remember was that they, too, once lived in Salishan, that neighborhood that has been so much a focus of the Baha'i institure process in our cluster.

Images from historical Salishan

It happened in Salishan yesterday -- Baha'i children's class -- mobile phone photo below by Lisa. -gw

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On God the Sovereign: The power, names and attributes of God are eternal, ancient

 

Our Feast of Sultan was cancelled last Wednesday because of ice, but is being held this Wednesday instead. A second chance to honor God's sovereignty.Thanks, Jamie, for the set.  -gw

 

God is eternal and ancient; not a new God. His sovereignty is of old, not recent; not merely existent these five or six thousand years. This infinite universe is from everlasting. The sovereignty, power, names and attributes of God are eternal, ancient. His names presuppose creation and predicate His existence and will. We say God is creator. This name creator appears when we connote creation. We say God is the provider. This name presupposes and proves the existence of the provided. God is love. This name proves the existence of the beloved. In the same way God is mercy, God is justice, God is life, etc., etc. Therefore as God is creator, eternal and ancient, there were always creatures and subjects existing and provided for. There is no doubt that divine sovereignty is eternal. Sovereignty necessitates subjects, ministers, trustees and others subordinate to sovereignty. Could there be a king without country, subjects and armies? If we conceive of a time when there were no creatures, no servants, no subjects of divine lordship we dethrone God and predicate a time when God was not. It would be as if He had been recently appointed and man had given these names to Him. The divine sovereignty is ancient, eternal. God from everlasting was love, justice, power, creator, provider, the omniscient, the bountiful.

 

Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity

 

 

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On a Life Through Age 18: Recognizing the oneness of mankind

My son asked me to share more about my personal history. So I wrote him this as a "first chapter." -gw

My earliest memory was sitting by my mother on a footstool as she read me a story. I was around 5. I always felt secure as a child. My mother gave me strength and a feeling of security. My father was one to tip-toe around a little. He was prone to profanity of all kinds and temperamental. But I felt loved by him. I was a completely planned child, the one he was going to "spoil," because he hadn't had the chance to be around my brother and sister because of World War II.
 
I was by the time I was in 6th grade, an "only child," as my brother and sister had both left for college. I developed solitary interests, had my own room and desk, wrote my first "letter to the editor" at age 12 which was published in the Chicago Tribune, did well in school, liked to do school reports some of which I still have, went to school dances, and the youth center, took square dance lessons, had girlfriends starting as early as 3rd grade.
 
I had a secure homelife in Downers Grove. My parents loved me. My dad had a good job. We took a summer vacation every summer camping for 2 weeks until I was 15, and decided I didn't want to go anymore.
 
I was confident, had no self-esteem issues. I had friends in high school who were valedictorians and salutatorians, at the top of the class, although I graduated 93rd out of a class of more than 900. My girlfriend in high school was from Argentina. Her parents had doctorates in physics and chemistry. Her brother played classical piano. I played in two folk music bands, played guitar and sang. One was in Chicago, to which I would travel by train by myself for practices. I kept journals in high school which I still have today.
 
I did demonstrate some rebellion against my father in the last two years of high school. I felt he couldn't relate to me. I "ran away" to New York City just before my high school graduation, because of school pressures and, somehow, my relationship with my father. I was there a day, then immediately hitchhiked for home, being gone for 4 or 5 days total.
 
After that my father really tried to get to know me better, although he wasn't very good with people skills. That summer he would come in my bedroom and sit down on my bed and ask me questions and encourage me to take subjects like philosophy and anthropology, "impractical" subjects for getting a job, and the opposite of what he had done in college. He wanted me to study subjects that he couldn't allow himself to study when he was young. I gave him a hard time by telling him I wouldn't go to college, but I ended up going to the University of Illinois where both Dick and Phyl attended.
 
When I arrived on campus I was immediately happy. It was just the kind of experience I was ready for. Within two months I attended my first Baha'i meeting. That began a study of the Faith that continued for two years, before I fnally became a Baha'i. I was a James Scholar with my grades for at least three semesters of college. I took a number of honors courses. I did well in college, except for college physics, the only D I ever got. Again, I had girlfriends, although I wasn't focused on having them. I attended the University Baha'i group every Friday night. I was a fixture there. I organized campus activities against the war in Vietnam. I organized a talk on campus to which my psychology professor came to present. I marched on the Pentagon in an anti-war rally in 1968 to which 200,000 other people came. I declared my Faith in Baha'u'llah shortly thereafter after a presentation on The Seven Valleys, still one of my favorite books. I participated on the Baha'i Area Youth Committee for Southern Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. I traveled to meetings that were as far away as Nashville TN.
 
During the summer of my senior year I was invited to attend a Youth for One World Seminar at the Baha'i National Seminar, a week-long gathering. That is where I really solidified my faith. There I met Vernyce, whom I decided to marry. We moved to Portland, Oregon, where she was going to start school that fall. I was still a couple of courses short of having enough credits to graduate.
 
So let me stop here, to note, that growing up I was privileged and had almost demands put upon me except to go to school. I experienced no hardship, no poverty. And I had no siblings close in age with whom I had to work things out and learn from. I was never around young children. My parents set the example of participation in organizations, religious freethought organizations by my father, because he didn't like religion, and anti-war organizations by my mother who saw herself "working for peace." I saw myself as wanting to do my part in changing the world. I just didn't know how. My favorite magazine was the National Geographic (still is my favorite). It taught me about the oneness of mankind.  

Tacomans celebrated the oneness of mankind at the Martin Luther King Day celebration at the Tacoma Dome. -gw

 

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On Overpopulation is Not the Ultimate Issue Facing Humanity: Disunity is

 

Is overpopulation the ultimate issue facing humanity? No.  Disunity is. When mankind sees its spiritual unity, we will see a global civilization develop so stupendous, that we cannot even imagine it now. When I was young, overpopulation was a far more critical problem than it is now. In so many countries of the world today, a negative birth rate is actually a problem -- the solution for which is making immigration from more populous countries of the world more possible, through elimination of legal barriers.

 

Countries like Japan have an aging population. To keep the machines of industry running, will the leaders of government in these countries with a negative birth rate further open their borders to immigrants (who will then become a permanent part of the population and, not incidently, also change the national culture)?  The answer is -- yes.

 

There is no reason to wring our hands with the thought that humanity's annihilation is inevitable. Peace is inevitable. The unification of mankind is happening before our eyes. It's not always pretty -- there are those who stand in the way, but they are, sooner or later, mowed down by God-born forces that proceed mysteriously in the world. Change is inevitable, and there is a direction to it.  Our future is bright. -gw

 

 

See: http://info.bahai.org/article-1-7-4-1.html

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On They Had Snow, So Did We: They have JYSEP, we do, too

http://routesofpresence.blogspot.com/

 

Last night I attended a junior youth gathering at the home of a good friend of mine. The Baha'i junior youth program is open to youth between the age of 12 and 15, and is intended to give this special age group the space and opportunity to develop their power of expression and articulation in a supportive environment. There is an emphasis on social justice and community service, and the participants often take part in activities that are of service to the community.

The group that I joined last night begin every Friday session by cooking supper and then enjoying a meal together. Last night we made a big pot of apple and vegetable soup and sandwiches. The group is composed of two islanders, a young woman from Yemen, three from Taiwan, one from The Philippines, one from South Korea, one from Kuwait and one from Vietnam. All together in the kitchen, some of us chopping, some of us washing vegetables, some of us stirring at the stove, some of us setting the table, we are a rainbow of cultures and backgrounds--a miracle really that we are all working together with joy and laughter and few disagreements or misunderstandings. Sitting around the table enjoying our steaming bowls of soup, the room filled with jokes and laughter. With so much in the news about disunity and prejudice, watching how seamlessly the youth melted into a single group impressed me.

 

http://routesofpresence.blogspot.com/2012/01/snowy-friday.html

 

A lovely blog, full of the Baha'i life, by a soul who has just arrived on Prince Edward Island, Canada. We had snow this week in Tacoma, an unusual occurance. They had snow up there -- probably not unusal. They have the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program up there on PEI. We have JYSEP groups down here. It's one Baha'i world. -gw

 

 

 

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On Be Like Two Singing Birds: Sweet bird notes from high in the tree of life

What is it about birds that draws our eyes and ears and affects our hearts? -gw

 

 

 

 

 

Be like two sweet-singing birds perched upon the highest branches of the tree of life, filling the air with songs of love and rapture.

 

Baha'i marraige tablet

 

 

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On Mandolin Jazz: Nightingales of divine mysteries are filled with joy and ecstasy

 

Tom Brooks sounded mighty fine at the Mandolin Cafe. He showed off his new bass, a very sleek and slim version. The collection of musicians included two great guitariest, a percussion/jazz harmonica player, a sax player who has found the secret to eternal youth, a vibes player just in from New Zealand, an Aussie torch singer, the owner of Mandolin taking his turn singing at the mic, and irrepressible dancing. Glad Bonita and I went, a midweek date before a big snow and ice storm hit. -gw

 

 

 

O servant of Baha! Music is regarded as a praiseworthy science at the Threshold of the Almighty … By virtue of this, consider how much the art of music is admired and praised. Try, if thou canst, to use spiritual melodies, songs and tunes, and to bring the earthly music into harmony with the celestial melody. Then thou wilt notice what a great influence music hath and what heavenly joy and life it conferreth. Strike up such a melody and tune as to cause the nightingales of divine mysteries to be filled with joy and ecstasy."

 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, from a recently translated Tablet to an individual believer; Bahá'í Writings on Music, a compilation of the Universal House of Justice(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 411 )

 

 

 

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On Studying the Letters: Guidance for collective teaching

A few friends gathered last February to study a letter from the Universal House of Justice

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85934826@N00/sets/72157626110292330

 

The Tacoma Spiritual Assembly has been devoting the first 30 minutes of its meeting to study of the Five Year Plan Messages of the Universal House of Justice. Baha'is have a new letter to study dated December 12, 2011. It was the focus for consultation among the friends gathered last Saturday and Sunday to support our current collective teaching campaign. One paragraph -- two hours of stimulating discussion, that seems to be the rule.

 

 

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On Hanging Out at the Invaders Practice: An Invaders' families family tradition

 

It's a little early in the year to hang out at the Invaders football practice and be comfortable. Saturday Matt's family did, nonetheless. Christy and Jessica did word puzzles in the car, and Isaiah came out to toss a football up in the air to himself, while Matt coached. I have such fond memories of being at practice last year and visiting with the families. -gw

 

 

Tacoma Invaders 2011 practices - 20 sets - http://www.flickr.com/photos/85934826@N00/collections/72157626485842311/

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On the Invaders It Doesn't Matter What Colors You Wear: But be guarded in your speech

 

In a neighborhood I hang out in it matters to a few what colors you wear. On the Tacoma Invaders football team it doesn't matter. And if the team owner Coach Will hears the n-word, there is instant chastisement. It's simply not allowed. -gw

 

Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility.

 

Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah

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On Baha'is and the Internet: Availing themselves of its potential

I came across this quote again which says it all, constituting great guidance for Baha'is. -gw

 

It is useful to bear in mind that the Internet is a reflection of the world around us, and we find in its infinitude of pages the same competing forces of integration and disintegration that characterize the tumult in which humanity is caught up. In their use of the Internet, Bahá’ís should stand aloof from the negative forces operating within it, availing themselves of its potential to spread the Word of God and to inspire and uplift others, while ignoring any negative reactions their efforts may from time to time elicit.

 

From a letter dated 9 April 2008 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual.

 

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On Interconnected heads and hearts: Religion, parent & child, and the internet

What's this about?

 

It appears on my Facebook for interests for which there is no icon, in my case the internet, religion and Parent Child Interaction Therapy.

 

 

I think the generic icon is very appropriate. It represents interaction and interconnectedness. That's the Internet, certainly. That's also religion, religions being revealed progressively, reaffirming the same spiritual verities from age to age, one coming in fulfillment of the next. That's also true of Parent Child Interaction Therapy that I practice, that sees behavior in a family as reciprocal.

 

The icon at top is just a simplification of the icon below, which is used to stand for the internet, but which could also be used to represent the interconnected synapses of our brain. In this day and age, even our brains are interconnected, like never before.

 

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