"...to know Him and to love Him..."

Back in the 60s (at least in the U.S.A.) the question, "What's the meaning of life?", was used so often it began to lose it's meaning...

Old men with beards sitting on the peaks of mountains waiting for the Meaning of Life to reveal Itself were the metaphysical mascots of the era.

Like many other folks I took the mascots seriously but never let on, except to very close friends who loved me in spite of my beliefs...

So, how about the Meaning of the Whole of Creation?

"Having created the world and all that liveth and moveth therein, He, through the direct operation of His unconstrained and sovereign Will, chose to confer upon man the unique distinction and capacity to know Him and to love Him—a capacity that must needs be regarded as the generating impulse and the primary purpose underlying the whole of creation...."

Bahá’u’lláh: Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, Selection XXVII, p. 65

The Soul

As long as we feel we're physical beings having spiritual experiences, we'll continue to miss our calling.

Once we claim the fact that we're spiritual creatures having a physical experience, we can begin to live our True Existence.

"Know, verily, that the soul is a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men hath failed to grasp, and whose mystery no mind, however acute, can ever hope to unravel. It is the first among all created things to declare the excellence of its Creator, the first to recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to bow down in adoration before Him. If it be faithful to God, it will reflect His light, and will, eventually, return unto Him."

Bahá’u’lláh: Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, Selection LXXXII, pp. 158-159

"Verily I say, the human soul is, in its essence, one of the signs of God, a mystery among His mysteries. It is one of the mighty signs of the Almighty, the harbinger that proclaimeth the reality of all the worlds of God. Within it lieth concealed that which the world is now utterly incapable of apprehending."

Bahá’u’lláh: Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, Selection LXXXII, p. 160

"Dost thou reckon thyself only a puny form when within thee the universe is folded?"

Bahá’u’lláh quoting ‘Alí: The Seven Valleys and The Four Valleys, "Valley of Wonderment", p. 34

"...wealth without gold ... immortality without death."

I grew up with the spiritual ideas of a loving Jesus and a very angry God -- confusing as hell!

Many clerics preach a mean, vindictive God.

The various world Scriptures I've read give the Vision of an All-Loving God Who has designed the universe as a vast teaching experience.

Naturally, if we break Nature's and/or God's Laws, we'll end up earning some punishment -- as a loving parent would slap down their child's hand if it were too near the flames . . .

Notwithstanding the various trials and tribulations of our physical existence, God has prepared remarkable, awesome rewards for those who follow His Will:

"When the channel of the human soul is cleansed of all worldly and impeding attachments, it will unfailingly perceive the breath of the Beloved across immeasurable distances, and will, led by its perfume, attain and enter the City of Certitude. Therein he will discern the wonders of His ancient wisdom, and will perceive all the hidden teachings from the rustling leaves of the Tree—which flourisheth in that City. With both his inner and his outer ear he will hear from its dust the hymns of glory and praise ascending unto the Lord of Lords, and with his inner eye will he discover the mysteries of "return" and "revival." How unspeakably glorious are the signs, the tokens, the revelations, and splendours which He Who is the King of names and attributes hath destined for that City!

"The attainment of this City quencheth thirst without water, and kindleth the love of God without fire. Within every blade of grass are enshrined the mysteries of an inscrutable wisdom, and upon every rose-bush a myriad nightingales pour out, in blissful rapture, their melody. Its wondrous tulips unfold the mystery of the undying Fire in the Burning Bush, and its sweet savours of holiness breathe the perfume of the Messianic Spirit. It bestoweth wealth without gold, and conferreth immortality without death. In every leaf ineffable delights are treasured, and within every chamber unnumbered mysteries lie hidden."

Bahá’u’lláh: The Kitáb-i-Íqán, paragraph 217, pp. 182-183

The Human Animal

Please note the red "Disclaimer" link in the right column.

I truly believe that many people ignore spiritual practices because all they can see are the apparent contradictions of Life.

Sometimes (in some lives), for awhile, it seems advisable to take the "easy" road--to avoid struggle and the effort to rise above animal comforts...

"Man is in the highest degree of materiality, and at the beginning of spirituality—that is to say, he is the end of imperfection and the beginning of perfection. He is at the last degree of darkness, and at the beginning of light; that is why it has been said that the condition of man is the end of the night and the beginning of day, meaning that he is the sum of all the degrees of imperfection, and that he possesses the degrees of perfection. He has the animal side as well as the angelic side, and the aim of an educator is to so train human souls that their angelic aspect may overcome their animal side. Then if the divine power in man, which is his essential perfection, overcomes the satanic power, which is absolute imperfection, he becomes the most excellent among the creatures; but if the satanic power overcomes the divine power, he becomes the lowest of the creatures. That is why he is the end of imperfection and the beginning of perfection. Not in any other of the species in the world of existence is there such a difference, contrast, contradiction and opposition as in the species of man."

‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Some Answered Questions, Chapter 64: "The State of Man and His Progress after Death", pp. 235-236

"...perfections of the spirit..."

It's been my experience that people, even if they believe in God, don't have a clear idea of their importance in God's Plan.

We humans, God's sons and daughters, bring spiritual Light into our world...

"....if the perfections of the spirit did not appear in this world, this world would be unenlightened and absolutely brutal. By the appearance of the spirit in the physical form, this world is enlightened. As the spirit of man is the cause of the life of the body, so the world is in the condition of the body, and man is in the condition of the spirit. If there were no man, the perfections of the spirit would not appear, and the light of the mind would not be resplendent in this world. This world would be like a body without a soul."

‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Some Answered Questions, Chapter 52: "The Appearing of the Spirit in the Body", p. 201

"...favors...limitless in their range."

Got this thing called "Life" figured out yet?

Even though I've gathered some profound knowledge in my life, I've been on the Path for over 60 years and I sure don't have it "figured out".

Yet, God's given us some remarkable Powers to apply to learning and growing . . .

"Know thou that, according to what thy Lord, the Lord of all men, hath decreed in His Book, the favors vouchsafed by Him unto mankind have been, and will ever remain, limitless in their range.

"First and foremost among these favors, which the Almighty hath conferred upon man, is the gift of understanding. His purpose in conferring such a gift is none other except to enable His creature to know and recognize the one true God — exalted be His glory. This gift giveth man the power to discern the truth in all things, leadeth him to that which is right, and helpeth him to discover the secrets of creation.

"Next in rank, is the power of vision, the chief instrument whereby his understanding can function....

"These gifts are inherent in man himself."

Bahá’u’lláh: Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, Selection XCV, pp. 194-195

God's Gems

We humans are the apex of Creation, in spite of the horrendous actions of those blinded by their own selves...

Considering a word that can upset some folk, the use of "man" in English for "all of us" is explained in other Writings: "The biblical statement 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness' does not mean that woman was not created. The image and likeness of God apply to her as well. In Persian and Arabic there are two distinct words translated into English as man: one meaning man and woman collectively, the other distinguishing man as male from woman the female. The first word and its pronoun are generic, collective; the other is restricted to the male. This is the same in Hebrew."

"When we consider beings with the seeing eye, we observe that they are limited to three sorts—that is to say, as a whole they are either mineral, vegetable or animal, each of these three classes containing species. Man is the highest species because he is the possessor of the perfections of all the classes — that is, he has a body which grows and which feels. As well as having the perfections of the mineral, of the vegetable and of the animal, he also possesses an especial excellence which the other beings are without—that is, the intellectual perfections. Therefore, man is the most noble of beings."

‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Some Answered Questions, Chapter 64: "The State of Man and His Progress after Death", p. 235

"Man is said to be the greatest representative of God, and he is the Book of Creation because all the mysteries of beings exist in him. If he comes under the shadow of the True Educator and is rightly trained, he becomes the essence of essences, the light of lights, the spirit of spirits; he becomes the center of the divine appearances, the source of spiritual qualities, the rising-place of heavenly lights, and the receptacle of divine inspirations. If he is deprived of this education, he becomes the manifestation of satanic qualities, the sum of animal vices, and the source of all dark conditions."

‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Some Answered Questions, Chapter 64: "The State of Man and His Progress after Death", p. 236

"...the object of existence is the appearance of the perfections of God."

Ever thought of yourself as the Center of the expression of the Names of God?

If you are that Center, are you working to manifest those Qualities?

"Without doubt each being is the center of the shining forth of the glory of God—that is to say, the perfections of God appear from it and are resplendent in it. It is like the sun, which is resplendent in the desert, upon the sea, in the trees, in the fruits and blossoms, and in all earthly things. The world, indeed each existing being, proclaims to us one of the names of God, but the reality of man is the collective reality, the general reality, and is the center where the glory of all the perfections of God shine forth—that is to say, for each name, each attribute, each perfection which we affirm of God there exists a sign in man.

"If it were otherwise, man could not imagine these perfections and could not understand them. So we say that God is the seer, and the eye is the sign of His vision; if this sight were not in man, how could we imagine the vision of God? For the blind (that is, one born blind) cannot imagine sight; and the deaf (that is, one deaf from birth) cannot imagine hearing; and the dead cannot realize life.

"Consequently, the Divinity of God, which is the sum of all perfections, reflects itself in the reality of man—that is to say, the Essence of Oneness is the gathering of all perfections, and from this unity He casts a reflection upon the human reality. Man, then, is the perfect mirror facing the Sun of Truth and is the center of radiation: the Sun of Truth shines in this mirror. The reflection of the divine perfections appears in the reality of man, so he is the representative of God, the messenger of God. If man did not exist, the universe would be without result, for the object of existence is the appearance of the perfections of God."

‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Some Answered Questions, Chapter 50: "Spiritual Proofs of the Origin of Man", pp. 195-196

"...intellect and wisdom, the two most luminous lights ..."

Today's quote claims that intellect and wisdom are Gifts of God to His creatures--Us...

Cultural use can warp many meanings and help folks make mistakes in judgement (and, the current predominant cultures can't seem to own the idea that everyone can use their "intellect" and manifest "wisdom".

Always good to check your dictionary...

Here's "intellect":
"The capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination."

Here's "rational":
"Of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind."

Here's "wisdom":
"The trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight."

I should also add that the use of "man" meaning all people is consistent with English not have an appropriate word. In the original language, the word used doesn't make people see sexual differences...

And, here's the excerpt for today:

"Praise and thanksgiving be unto Providence that out of all the realities in existence He has chosen the reality of man and has honored it with intellect and wisdom, the two most luminous lights in either world. Through the agency of this great endowment, He has in every epoch cast on the mirror of creation new and wonderful configurations. If we look objectively upon the world of being, it will become apparent that from age to age, the temple of existence has continually been embellished with a fresh grace, and distinguished with an ever-varying splendor, deriving from wisdom and the power of thought."

‘Abdu’l-Bahá: The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 1