Wanderings

O SON OF BEING!
Busy not thyself with this world, for with fire We test the gold, and with gold We test Our servants.

~ Baha’u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words #55

I recently used this quote in some devotions that I hosted focused on the topic of fire.  In particular with this quote, we contemplated using fire to test the purity of gold and in turn using gold as a temptation to test the loyalty and honesty of servants.  Upon further viewing of this passage I noticed something I missed the first time around though – the way that ‘We’ begins with a capital letter signifying that perhaps it is referring to God and and us alike.  Could humanity be like the gold that God is referring to being tested by the fires of hard experiences in our lives, while also being the servants of God and tested by the trappings of materialism?  Detachment is often associated with this quote and can be seen in the beginning words where we urged not to pay too much attention to the mundane things of this world, but to focus on the spiritual world.

Photo credit: Baha’i Media Bank: Award-winning fire dancer, Hogan Toomalatai, performing at the Baha’i jubilee festivities in Samoa.

TeacherJay Hidden Words, The detachment, devotions, human capacity, materialism, temptation, tests

Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee by Thy Name through which the Hour hath struck, and the Resurrection came to pass, and fear and trembling seized all that are in heaven and all that are on earth, to rain down, out of the heaven of Thy mercy and the clouds of Thy tender compassion, what will gladden the hearts of Thy servants, who have turned towards Thee and helped Thy Cause.

Keep safe Thy servants and Thy handmaidens, O my Lord, from the darts of idle fancy and vain imaginings, and give them from the hands of thy grace a draught of the soft-flowing waters of Thy knowledge.

Thou, truly, art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

~ Bahá’u'lláh, Baha’i Prayer

This prayer for protection is more about protecting us from some of the hidden and intangible dangers of this world than the more obvious threats to our safety and health.  Perhaps prayers like this are even more important as they emphasize the dangers of the things which we may overlook in our lives, such as materialism, greed, jealousy and prejudice.

TeacherJay Baha'u'llah, Prayers materialism, prayer, prejudice

O SON OF SPIRIT!
Ask not of Me that which We desire not for thee, then be content with what We have ordained for thy sake, for this is that which profiteth thee, if therewith thou dost content thyself.

~ Baha’u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words

Trusting in what God has provided for us and not asking for things that are either unnecessary in life, or that are merely to fulfill are wanton desires goes against God’s teachings.  We can be content and fulfilled with what we have.  God shall provide no more nor no less than we need to carry out His will.

TeacherJay Hidden Words, The desires, faith, God's Love, materialism

Thou pridest thyself in the things thou dost possess, yet no believer in God and in His signs, nor any righteous man would ever deign to regard them.

~ The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 19

I find not being materialistic to be one of the more challenging aspects of leading a life committed to God and serving others.  Within the United States, it can be so difficult to not focus on material items.  Advertising is everywhere informing us of how our lives will be improved if we just purchase this new product, or more often the same product as what we already have just a few superficial changes.  The Báb has told us that we cannot truly be righteous or claim to be a true believer in God, if we still take pride in our material possession and grant them an important place in our lives.

TeacherJay Báb, The desires, globalism, materialism

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s personal wants were few. He worked late and early. Two simple meals a day sufficed Him. His wardrobe consisted of a very few garments of inexpensive material. He could not bear to live in luxury while others were in want. He had a great love for children, for flowers, and for the beauties of nature.

~ Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha’u'llah and the New Era, p. 57

Abdu’l-Baha seems to have been a very simple man but entrusted with a sever responsibility to carry forth the message of his father’s message from God.  I very much appreciate this passage that illustrates how he was able to live with such basic means.  No extravagant meals or clothes were necessary for someone who knew the poverty that others must live in.  He had many followers and was greatly respected.  Anything he could have wished for in his personal life would have been provided, yet the things he most wished for–the end of prejudices, universal education for all, religious tolerance–were not to be seen.

TeacherJay Baha'u'llah and the New Era beauty, children, materialism, poverty, progress

O MY SERVANT!
Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and loose thy soul from the prison of self. Seize thy chance, for it will come to thee no more.

~ Baha’u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words

This world we live in has many chains that bind us to it, keep us a prisoner and shackle us to materialistic ways. We have the power to fight it, to free ourselves, but we must make an effort to do so. If we do not, we will forever be caught up in attempts to become better than one another, but make no real progress towards anything.

TeacherJay Hidden Words, The materialism, progress, reflection, spiritual journey

By detachment is not meant, however, that we should force ourselves to endure excessive deprivations.  On the contrary, Baha’u’llah assures us that it is perfectly acceptable to enjoy the things of this world, as long as we remember God and follow His teachings.

Nor does detachment imply that we should not be concerned with the affairs of the world.  Rather, we should devote ourselves to the betterment of humanity and service to others.

~ Kenneth E. Bowers, God Speaks Again: An Introduction to the Baha’i Faith, p. 116

Detachment is one of my favorite topics.  When I was growing I had a hard time with the concept that it was acceptable to have possessions as long as you did not allow them to rule your life.  Not until I was adult did I finally put it together that there is a difference between me owning something and allowing it to own me.  Detachment from the things of this world does not mean that we must live a monastic lifestyle without modern conveniences and even luxuries such as cell phones, fancy clothes, or a dishwasher (haven’t had one in years myself).  But, it does mean that we must not allow our temptation for such items to rule our lives and influence our decisions.

Detachment is not necessarily piety, but it is a different way of thinking that requires us to put the needs of humanity above our selfishness.  By serving others instead of ourselves, we can become detached from our desires and become closer to God.

TeacherJay God Speaks Again Bowers, desires, detachment, excess, materialism

It is not just by means of morality and religious observances, not by great learning nor by attainments in meditation, nor by living alone, nor by thinking,"I am enjoying a spiritual happiness which ordinary people do not know" that a bhikkhu* achieves peace if he has not achieved the elimination of inflowing thoughts.

~ Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards)

I imagine those “inflowing thoughts” to be the temptations and desires of this world.  The Baha’is are instructed to resist the desires of materialism and placing the accumulation of things above service to others and to God.  But, in this Buddhist text we see that no matter what else we do in our efforts to become closer to God, such as adherence to observances, prayer and meditation will mean nothing if we cannot eliminate the inflowing thoughts.

* Bhikku is the term for an adult Buddhist monk. 

TeacherJay Buddhism Buddha, materialism, meditation, morals, prayer, temptation, worship

There is such a confusion in the world today, so much uncertainty, so much materialism, that it is very hard to hold the attention of even the more spiritually minded people.

~ Shoghi Effendi, High Endeavours -  Messages to Alaska, p. 48 (May 16, 1947)

Even when this was written, the great-grandson of Baha’u’llah could see how complicated this world had become.  Making the right choices and keeping our mind centered on God can be difficult.  The acknowledgement of this fact from the spiritual leaders of the Faith shows great compassion as we do our best to look past the un-illumined objects and resist the vain desires that surround us.

TeacherJay Shoghi Effendi decisions, materialism, meditation, prayer