Learning about the Baha'i Faith by reviewing it's Prayers

[smkolins]

It occured to me that one could investigate the Baha'i Faith in another way than has been done of late. We have tried to cover various theological issues, scriptural issues, historical issues and the like. But what kinds of things do Baha'is pray about?

Of course we are, as everyone, well, human. We have our faults and seek forgiveness and to better our character and all such ideals. But a unique quality of the Baha'i Faith it seems to me is that there is a vast body of prayers written as part of our scripture - there are hundreds, probably thousands, of prayers written by the Bab, Baha'u'llah, and 'Abdu'l-Baha all of which Baha'is and non-Baha'is have access to thanks to compilations published and made available online. Of course it may seem strange to viewers that a great many prayers are written out. It might seem somehow less sincere, or less mindful of one's heart, to say prayers others have written rather than one's that spring from our own heart and lips more simply out of our feelings and thoughts. It is one thing to be in pain and confusion, and to seek God. Giving voice to such concerns can tend towards the primeval - we are at where we are at after all and need to reach out from that place so that God might find us here, inside us, inside our troubles and faults. But prayer isn't just about where we are at - it's about reaching out and wanting to be held, answered, guided, in otherwords, and I speak only for myself here, prayer in a funny way really isn't about where we're at and the concerns that are right in front of us. Prayer is about longer range issues - implied in a prayer offered in times of danger is a sense of wanting to be in eternity, always safe. Implied in a prayer for being free of a disease is a wish for endless wellness. Implied in a prayer for dealing with sadness is a hope of joy unalloyed. Baha'i prayers, it seems to me (and I'm not saying other religions prayers aren't this way) are more about that other place we want to be in. But it can seem odd to be in peril or overwhelming sadness or shame and speak words we do not feel. We do not feel safe, we do not feel well, we do not feel happy, and yet the words so often say exactly that. There are things said in these prayers that are not mentioned in the other forms of scripture we have - and they are here because, well I don't know, prayer is one of the avenues of being closer to God, where things are said closer to the heart, even, mind you, even if they are said to rooms full of people or silently standing in a garden.

We could go about sharing our favorite prayers but I would encourage people to explore the depth and breadth of the topics and comments and character of the prayers of the Baha'i Faith. You can of course get a physical book - and this would be more conducive to reading and saying those prayers when we need to - but to get a view of the prayers (and print one's that strike one worth a more careful or needful read) consider reading through them here.

Alas a harder angle is to learn the circumstances that lead to the prayer being revealed. Clues are far and few between. The only work I know that relates what was going on for this prayer or that one to be said is a set of volumes not available online or in any search engine I've ever seen. There is a four volume set typically seen under history headings in catalogs. It's called _The Revelation of Baha'u'llah_, by Abib Taherzadeh. However one of it's most remarkble qualities compared to other histories, however important they may be, is that this series often states what is known about who asked the question, what question did they ask, or similar ideas, about whichever Tablet or Book or Prayer (thought often prayers are part of Tablets or Books sometimes they are complete Works unto themselves) which was Revealed at that time. So it is a history - it speaks of events and circumstances and choices people make, but it paces that history by the Scripture Revealed at that time.

Perhaps the Baha'i Faith can be known by what we pray for. I'm sure Baha'is here would love to review prayers and share our thoughts and understandings about our prayers as much as we do our theology, our history, and our scripture in general.

[9Harmony]

Hi Steven,

Nice idea!

I just want to comment briefly...

At one of the study circles I attended, we consulted about prayer and reading the writings. Two distinctly separate things. When we pray, we are asking things of God, and when we read the writings, God is asking things of us. So in effect it is a two way conversation.

If you really think about it, when we use the Baha'i Prayers, we find that the words express our own thoughts and feelings. To me it's a confirmation that God does indeed know us better than we know our own selves. He knows what's in our hearts and through His loving kindness has given us these prayers as a tremendous gift.

Of course that's not to say that we are not allowed to use our own words. We know from the writings that it's the spirit with which it's said that is important. But I for one am eternally grateful for this gift of Baha'i Prayers that are available to us all.

I hope you are having a blessed Holy Day.

Loving Greetings, Amy

[smkolins]

This prayer is one of the most common and usually in the preface or title pages of prayer books:

Blessed is the spot, and the house,
and the place, and the city,
and the heart, and the mountain,
and the refuge, and the cave,
and the valley, and the land,
and the sea, and the island,
and the meadow where mention
of God hath been made,
and His praise glorified.

It has been placed in song and art as well. I note the heart is equated with a place, and no spot is not mentioned or general kind of place left out. Blessed is every place where God has been mentioned and His praise glorified. At the same time as it mentions each place it's exhaustiveness feels embracing.

[I, Brian]

Please remember that CR is an interfaith discussion group - the purpose of the Baha'i board is to allow discussions about Baha'i Faith - it shouldn't be used as a tool for promoting the Baha'i religion.

[arthra]

Let's see some of things I recall off hand about prayer...

Prayer is conversation with God..

And there's that section about prayer at the end of the Baha'i Prayers "Remembrance of God" published in India the "Dynamics of Prayer"!

Does anyone know where else that's published?

- Art

[9Harmony]

Originally Posted by arthra

Let's see some of things I recall off hand about prayer...

Prayer is conversation with God..

And there's that section about prayer at the end of the Baha'i Prayers "Remembrance of God" published in India the "Dynamics of Prayer"!

Does anyone know where else that's published?

- Art

"Dynamics of Prayer.

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.

First Step. - 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.

Second Step. - 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.

Third 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.

Fourth 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.

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 pilgrims notes and as such has no authority but, since it seems to be particularly helpful and clear, it was felt that believers should not be deprived of it."

(b) Selected Statements and Special Documents Prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly

(Compilations, Principles of Bahai Administration, p. 90)

[wil]

In the past few weeks just heard the 5 step process as described...read another interesting point as well...

In prayer, talking to God, asking for something on Earth (in this creation) to be modified...isn't that sort of like saying, "Hey uh, yeah I know you said, and it was good, and that it was done....but this here thing, you didn't do it right, you didn't complete it...but I, I have a solution...now sit down, let me tell you the problem and how we are going to fix it..."

namaste,

[9Harmony]

Originally Posted by wil

In the past few weeks just heard the 5 step process as described...read another interesting point as well...

In prayer, talking to God, asking for something on Earth (in this creation) to be modified...isn't that sort of like saying, "Hey uh, yeah I know you said, and it was good, and that it was done....but this here thing, you didn't do it right, you didn't complete it...but I, I have a solution...now sit down, let me tell you the problem and how we are going to fix it..."

namaste,

Hi Wil,

Namaste

I think alot of people may think of prayer that way, but in my experience when I prayer for my own will to be done, quite often the answer i get is NO! I think the key to prayer in general is to pray for God's Will to be done, and my prayer should be one of asking for accepting and understanding God's Will for my life, whatever that may be. I've had the most profound experiences with prayer when I remember that.

Have a wonderful day!

-Amy

[arthra]

Originally Posted by wil

In the past few weeks just heard the 5 step process as described...read another interesting point as well...

In prayer, talking to God, asking for something on Earth (in this creation) to be modified...isn't that sort of like saying, "Hey uh, yeah I know you said, and it was good, and that it was done....but this here thing, you didn't do it right, you didn't complete it...but I, I have a solution...now sit down, let me tell you the problem and how we are going to fix it..."

namaste,

Hey Will... Welcome to the Board!

As Harmony wrote I think maybe you were thinking of making some sort of deal with the Almighty in a conversation... I grant you this may be a popular view and i think I've seen it in a few films even.. Also I think we've heard these in the kind of prayers that some groups practise...may be spontaneous prayers that people have in these groups .. I've been around some of these and the idea that God is a "personal friend" maybe or someone we can make deals with.

When we Baha'is pray we usually recite prayers from our Writings as we believe they have effectiveness that some of our personal desires and wishes do not have. Yes we can address prayers ourselves and ask for intercession but these are usually not considered as pertinent.

There is a mystical kind of outlook in prayer as well.

In a book called "Baha'u'llah in the New Era" I found the following:

"Abdu'l-Baha speaks much of this spiritual language. He says, for instance: --

We should speak in the language of heaven -- in the language of the spirit -- for there is a language of the spirit and heart. It is as different from our language as our own language is different from that of the animals, who express themselves only by cries and sounds.

It is the language of the spirit which speaks to God. When, in prayer, we are freed from all outward things and turn to God, then it is as if in our hearts we hear the voice of God. Without words we speak, we communicate, we converse with God and hear the answer. ... All of us, when we attain to a truly spiritual condition, can hear the Voice of God. (from a talk reported by Miss Ethel J. Rosenberg)."

Source:

http://bahai-library.com/books/new.era/6.html

I also like the description of Brother Lawrence a Christian mystic who expressed it this way:

"At all times, every hour, every minute, even at the busiest times. I drove away from my mind everything capable of spoiling the sense of the presence of God. . . . I just make it my business to persevere in His holy presence. . . My soul has had an habitual, silent, secret conversation with God."

- Art

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Please remember that CR is an interfaith discussion group - the purpose of the Baha'i board is to allow discussions about Baha'i Faith - it shouldn't be used as a tool for promoting the Baha'i religion.

If I may be so bold, there isn't nary a dot about the Baha'i Faith in the prayer I offered. Considering the rich diversity of the Earth, especially when this was written, the places that would have been glorified by a Baha'i based glorification of God would be infintisimal. Can there be a more interfaith prayer?! Please God!

I also explicitly raised the topic to learn about the Baha'i Faith. Can there be another purpose for a Baha'i Board on an interfaith discussion website?

And lastly, I offered a great deal of personal understanding in the way of devling into the question, which is precisely what has been asked for so many times and we've been criticized so many times for not offering!

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by smkolins

If I may be so bold, there isn't nary a dot about the Baha'i Faith in the prayer I offered.

...

I also explicitly raised the topic to learn about the Baha'i Faith. Can there be another purpose for a Baha'i Board on an interfaith discussion website?

You are specifically using this thread to promote the Baha'i faith at non-Baha'is, which is not acceptable.

Other faiths do well here discussing the issues of their faith, and answering questions posed about such a faith. We've seen some good threads on these areas on the Baha'i board.

However, it is definitely not the purpose of any board at CR to be used to proselytise any faith - this applies to all faiths here.

An interfaith board requires that people of different religions respect the beliefs and faiths of other people present - it should not be treated as a marketplace to set up stall and sell any particular religion at other people.

If that distinction is really hard to understand, then please do post questions on this thread: For the Baha'i members

This thread is now closed.