The Bahá’ís of Tacoma participated with a booth at the Mosaic Festival (formally, Ethnic Fest) over the weekend of July 23 and 24. The front table of the booth was decorated with a banner with the statement of Bahá’u’lláh, “ ‘The earth is one country and mankind its citizens.’ The Bahá’í Faith”.  At a time when the world and its peoples are polarized in many different ways, this sentiment was a beacon for those seeking a more positive path forward.

The booth had a steady flow of visitors.  Some had never heard of the Bahá’í Faith before and others had previous exposure to the Faith through Firesides, visiting Bahá’í Houses of Worship in Panama, in Germany, and even a visitor, a park ranger whose partner’s family lives in Haifa, Israel, and who had been to the Bahá’í Gardens in Haifa a few times.

There were visitors that stopped and had elevated conversations, the type of conversations of thoughts that resonated with the Bahá’í principles. Several of these folks wanted to stay in touch and continue with further meet-ups to discuss more of the Bahá’í beliefs.  One of these visitors, an enlightened soul, was sharing his deeply formulated beliefs about the “oneness of humankind”. We had many children and youth stop at the booth for the I am a Noble Soul crown, and the peace tattoos were a big hit.  Some children stayed and colored.

Ayyám-i-Há Party and Potluck

Saturday, February 26th

1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Collins Grange

3404 120th Street East

Tacoma, WA 98446

Invite your friends!

Masks required. No alcohol. 

Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Tacoma, Inc. 

Prayerfulness

Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdul-Bahá

When Abdu’l-Baha was in New York, He called to Him an ardent Baha’i and said, “If you will come to Me at dawn tomorrow, I will teach you to pray. ”

‘Delighted, Mr. M arose at four and crossed the city, arriving for his lesson at six. With what exultant expectation he must have greeted this opportunity! He found Abdu’l-Baha already at prayer, kneeling by the side of the bed. Mr. M followed suit, taking care to place himself directly across.

‘Seeing that Abdu’l-Baha was quite lost in His Own reverie, Mr. M began to pray silently for his friends, his family and finally for the crowned heads of Europe. No word was uttered by the quiet Man before him. He went over all the prayers he knew then, and repeated them twice, three times – still no sound broke the expectant hush.

‘Mr M. surreptitiously rubbed one knee and wondered vaguely about his back. He began again, hearing as he did so, the birds heralding the dawn outside the window. An hour passed, and finally two. Mr M. was quite numb now. His eyes, roving along the wall, caught sight of a large crack. He dallied with a touch of indignation but let his gaze pass again to the still figure across the bed.

‘The ecstasy that he saw arrested him and he drank deeply of the sight. Suddenly he wanted to pray like that. Selfish desires were forgotten. Sorrow, conflict, and even his immediate surroundings were as if they had never been. He was conscious of only one thing, a passionate desire to draw near to God.

‘Closing his eyes again he set the world firmly aside, and amazingly his heart teemed with prayer, eager, joyous, tumultuous prayer. He felt cleansed by humility and lifted by a new peace. Abdu’l-Baha had taught him to pray! 

The “Master of Akka” immediately arose and came to him. His eyes rested smilingly upon the newly humbled Mr M. “When you pray,” He said, “you must not think of your aching body, nor of the birds outside the window, nor of the cracks in the wall!”

‘He became very serious then, and added, “When you wish to pray you must first know that you are standing in the presence of the Almighty!”

from www.bahai.us

One hundred years ago, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh and the perfect example of His teachings, passed from this world.

Exemplar follows the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the profound effect He had on people both past and present. A sense of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s unique function as a shelter, a shield, a stronghold for all humanity is captured in vignettes of some of the souls whose lives were transformed for the betterment of society through their association with Him. The film reflects a few of the universal principles embodied, both in word and deed, by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá—principles that animate a global movement of individuals, communities and institutions striving to emulate His example in service to humanity.

From bahai.org

A virtual viewing party to see Exemplar, the film about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  November 28, 2021 02:00 PM Pacific time
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86556357144?pwd=VCt6RnlQL2dTRVhRMEYrMGhOMWlYQT09

Centennial Commemoration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Passing  November 27, 2021 10:00 AM Pacific time
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82163380864?pwd=RGVxRWhPNXRKYmdmQm9rWG9RODZnUT09

Teach Them To Sing

Source: The Promulgation of Universal Peace

Talk at Children’s Reception
Studio Hall, 1219 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D.C.
24 April 1912

What a wonderful meeting this is! These are the children of the Kingdom. The song we have just listened to was very beautiful in melody and words. The art of music is divine and effective. It is the food of the soul and spirit. Through the power and charm of music the spirit of man is uplifted. It has wonderful sway and effect in the hearts of children, for their hearts are pure, and melodies have great influence in them. The latent talents with which the hearts of these children are endowed will find expression through the medium of music. Therefore, you must exert yourselves to make them proficient; teach them to sing with excellence and effect. It is incumbent upon each child to know something of music, for without knowledge of this art the melodies of instrument and voice cannot be rightly enjoyed. Likewise, it is necessary that the schools teach it in order that the souls and hearts of the pupils may become vivified and exhilarated and their lives be brightened with enjoyment.

Today illumined and spiritual children are gathered in this meeting. They are the children of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of heaven is for such souls as these, for they are near to God. They have pure hearts. They have spiritual faces. The effect of the divine teachings is manifest in the perfect purity of their hearts. That is why Christ has addressed the world, saying, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”—that is, men must become pure in heart to know God. The teachings have had great effect. Spiritual souls! Tender souls! The hearts of all children are of the utmost purity. They are mirrors upon which no dust has fallen. But this purity is on account of weakness and innocence, not on account of any strength and testing, for as this is the early period of their childhood, their hearts and minds are unsullied by the world. They cannot display any great intelligence. They have neither hypocrisy nor deceit. This is on account of the child’s weakness, whereas the man becomes pure through his strength. Through the power of intelligence he becomes simple; through the great power of reason and understanding and not through the power of weakness he becomes sincere. When he attains to the state of perfection, he will receive these qualities; his heart becomes purified, his spirit enlightened, his soul is sensitized and tender—all through his great strength. This is the difference between the perfect man and the child. Both have the underlying qualities of simplicity and sincerity—the child through the power of weakness and the man through the power of strength.

I pray in behalf of these children and beg confirmation and assistance for them from the Kingdom of Abha so that each one may be trained under the shadow of the protection of God, each may become like a lighted candle in the world of humanity, a tender and growing plant in the rose garden of Abha; that these children may be so trained and educated that they shall give life to the world of humanity; that they may receive insight; that they may bestow hearing upon the people of the world; that they may sow the seeds of eternal life and be accepted in the threshold of God; that they may become characterized with such virtues, perfections and qualities that their mothers, fathers and relatives will be thankful to God, well pleased and hopeful. This is my wish and prayer.

I give you my advice, and it is this: Train these children with divine exhortations. From their childhood instill in their hearts the love of God so they may manifest in their lives the fear of God and have confidence in the bestowals of God. Teach them to free themselves from human imperfections and to acquire the divine perfections latent in the heart of man. The life of man is useful if he attains the perfections of man. If he becomes the center of the imperfections of the world of humanity, death is better than life, and nonexistence better than existence. Therefore, make ye an effort in order that these children may be rightly trained and educated and that each one of them may attain perfection in the world of humanity. Know ye the value of these children, for they are all my children.

From www.bahai.us