Posted by Jonah on August 05, 19100 at 10:18:43:
In Reply to: Baha'i writings on "meditation" posted by db on August 03, 19100 at 02:15:12:
Dear db,
Hi. You do ask a lot of questions, but they're all good ones! :-) I'd recommend that you look through the writings on meditation I'll list here, and write to the House with whatever questions aren't answered. (And I hope you'll share whatever response you receive with the Baha'i Library!)
First, Wendi Momen of George Ronald published a little compilation on meditation a few years ago. I don't recall the date, but I think it was in the mid-nineties.
Second, take a look at the entry in the Resource Guide, which is at http://bahai-library.com/books/rg/rg.biblio13.html#46
Third, I just posted a letter from the House on meditation, which is at http://bahai-library.com/uhj/meditation.html
Finally, Lights of Guidance has a section on "Prayers and Meditation," which I'll append here. Good luck! -Jonah
XL. PRAYER AND MEDITATION
A. Prayer and Meditation
1479. A prayerful Condition is the Best of Conditions, Especially
in Private and at Midnight
"The prayerful condition is the best of all conditions, for man in such
a state communeth with God, especially when prayer is offered in private
and at times when one's mind is free, such as at midnight. Indeed.
prayer imparteth life."
('Abdu'l-Baha, from a recently translated Tablet: Spiritual
Foundations: Prayer, Meditation, and the Devotional Attitude, a
compilation of the Universal House of Justice, 1980)
1480. The Reason for Privacy when Communing with God
"The reason why privacy hath been enjoined in moments of devotion is
this, that thou mayest give thy best attention to the remembrance of
God, that thy heart may at all times be animated with His Spirit, and
not be shut out as by a veil from thy Best Beloved. Let not thy tongue pay
lip service in praise of God while thy heart be not attuned to the exalted
summit of Glory, and the Focal Point of communion. Thus if haply thou dost
live in the Day of Resurrection, the mirror of thy heart will be set towards
Him Who is the Day-Star of Truth; and no sooner will His light shine forth
than the splendour thereof shall forthwith be reflected in thy heart. For He
is the Source of all goodness, and unto Him revert all things. But if He
appeareth while thou hast turned unto thyself in meditation, this shall not
profit thee, unless thou shalt mention His Name by words He hath revealed.
For in the forthcoming Revelation it is He Who is the Remembrance of God,
whereas the devotions which thou art offering at present have been
prescribed by the point of the Bayan, while He Who will shine resplendent
in the Day of Resurrection is the Revelation of the inner reality enshrined
in the Point of the Bayan -- a Revelation more potent, immeasurably more
potent, than the one which hath preceded it."
(The Bab: Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 93-94)
1481. The More Detached and Pure the Prayer the More
Acceptable to God
"The most acceptable prayer is the one offered with the utmost spirituality and
radiance; its prolongation hath not been and is not beloved by God. The more
detached and the purer the prayer, the more acceptable is it in the presence of
God."
(Ibid, pp. 77-78)
1482. The Inspiration Received Through Meditation
"...There are no set forms of meditation prescribed in the
teachings, no plan, as such, for inner development. The friends are
urged--nay enjoined--to pray, and
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they also should meditate, but the manner of doing the latter is left
entirely to the individual...
"The inspiration received through meditation is of a nature that one
cannot measure or determine. God can inspire into our minds things that
we had no previous knowledge of, if He desires to do so."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, January 25, 1943: Spiritual Foundations:Prayer, Meditation,
and the Devotional Attitude, op. cit.)
1483. With Prayer and Meditation Must Go Action and Example
"Prayer and meditation are very important factors in deepening the
spiritual life of the individual, but with them must go also action
and example, as these are the tangible result of the former. Both
are essential."
(From a letter written of behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, May 15, 1944: Ibid)
1484. The Importance and Power of Meditation
"Through meditation the doors of deeper knowledge and inspiration may
be opened. Naturally, if one meditates as a Baha'i he is connected
with the Source; if a man believing in God meditates he is tuning
in to the power and mercy of God; but we cannot say that any
inspiration which a person, not knowing Baha'u'llah or not believing
in God, receives is merely from his own ego. Meditation is very
important, and the Guardian sees no reason why the friends should not be
taught to meditate, but they should guard against superstitious or
foolish ideas creeping into it."
(From a letter written of behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
individual believer, November 19, 1945: Ibid)
1485. Every Day upon Arising One should Compare Today with
Yesterday and Pray...
"...Every day, in the morning when arising you should compare today
with yesterday and see in what condition you are. If you see your
belief is stronger and your heart more occupied with God and your
love increased and your freedom from the world greater then thank God
and ask for the increase of these qualities. You must begin to pray
and repent for all that you have done which is wrong and you must
implore and ask for help and assistance that you may become better
than yesterday so that you may continue to make progress.
('Abdu'l-Baha: Star of the West, vol 6,p.68)
1486. How to Pray -- One must Start out with the right
Concept of God
"...We must not be rigid about praying; there is not a set of rules
governing it; the main thing is we must start out with the right
concept of God, the Manifestation, the Master, the Guardian -- we can
turn, in thought, to any one of them when we pray. For instance you can
ask Baha'u'llah for some thing, or, thinking of Him, ask God for it.
The same is true of the Master or the Guardian. You can turn in thought to
either of them and then ask their intercession, or pray direct to
God. As long as you don't confuse their stations, and make them all equal,
it does not matter much how you orient your thoughts."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, July 24, 1946)
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1487. Wiser to Use Meditations Given by Baha'u'llah -- Not Set
Form Recommended by Someone Else
"As to your question about prayer and whether it is necessary to
recite the prayers of only the Central Figures of our Faith, we have
been asked to quote here the following two excerpts on this subject,
from letters written by Shoghi Effendi's secretary on his behalf:
"...as the Cause embraces members of all races and religions we should be
careful not to introduce into it the customs of our previous beliefs.
Baha'u'llah has given us the obligatory prayers, also prayers before sleeping,
for travellers, etc. We should not introduce a new set of prayers He has not
specified, when He has given us already so many, for so many occasions.'
'He thinks it would be wiser for the Baha'is to use the meditations
given by Baha'u'llah, and not any set form of meditation recommended
by someone else; but the believers must be left free in these details
and allowed to have personal latitude in finding their own level of
communion with God.'
"As to the reading of prayers or selections from the Sacred Writings
of other religions such readings are permissible, and indeed from time
to time are included in the devotional programmes of Baha'i Houses of
Worship, demonstrating thereby the universality of our Faith."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
to an individual believer, June 7, 1974)
1488. Turn to Manifestation
"While praying it would be better to turn one's thoughts to the
Manifestation as He continues, in the other world, to be our means
of contact with the Almighty. We can, however, pray directly to God
Himself."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National
Spiritual Assembly of India, April 27, 1937: Dawn of a New Day, p.67)
1489. Praying to Baha'u'llah
"You have asked whether our prayers go beyond Baha'u'llah: It all
depends whether we pray to Him directly and through Him to God. We may
do both and also can pray directly to God, but our prayers would
certainly be more effective and illuminating if they are addressed to
Him through His Manifestation, Baha'u'llah.
"Under no circumstances, however, we can, while repeating the
prayers, insert the name Baha'u'llah where the word 'God' is used. This
would be tantamount to a blasphemy."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an
individual believer, October 14, 1937)
1490. Praying to Baha'u'llah -- As the door
"We cannot know God directly, but only through His Prophets. We can pray
to Him realizing that through His Prophets we know Him, or we can address
our prayer in thought to Baha'u'llah, not as God, but as the Door to our
knowing God.
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer: High Endeavours: Messages to Alaska, p.71)
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1491. We may Turn to the Guardian in Prayer, but Should not Confuse
His Station with that of a Prophet
"We pray to God, or to Baha'u'llah, as we please. But if in our thoughts
we desire to turn to the Guardian first and then address our prayer,
there is no objection, as long as we always bear in mind he is only
the Guardian, and do not confuse his station with that of the Prophet
or even the Master."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, August 22, 1947)
1492. Turning toward the Shrine of Baha'u'llah in Prayer
"In prayer the believers can turn their consciousness toward the Shrine of
Baha'u'llah, provided that in doing so they have a clear and correct
understanding of His stations as a Manifestation of God"
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
individual believer, November 15, 1953)
1493. Through 'Abdu'l-Baha one can Address Baha'u'llah
"If you find you need to visualize someone when you pray, think of the
Master. Through Him you can address Baha'u'llah. Gradually try to think
of the qualities of the Manifestation, and in that way a mental form
will fade out, for after all the body is not the thing, His Spirit is
there and is the essential, everlasting element."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, January 31, 1959)
1494. People Who Desire to Meet and Pray
"In some places the Baha'is have held meetings for prayer, for people
who desire to meet and pray. As we have such wonderful prayers and
meditations in our writings, the reading of these with friends who
are interested in and crave for this type of small meeting is often a
step towards attracting them to the Faith. Perhaps you can start such
an activity in your city."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual
believer, February 4, 1956: Baha'i Meetings, a compilation of the
Universal House of Justice, November 1975)
1495. Prayers Should be Read as Printed
"Regarding your question as to the changing of pronouns in Baha'i
prayers: The Guardian does not approve of such changes, either in the
specific prayers on in any others. They should be read as printed
without changing a single word."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National
Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, April 13, 1944:
Baha'i News, No. 171, November 1944, p. 3)
1496. Strictly Adhere to the Text of the Holy Writings
"In regard to your question as to whether it is permissible to substitute
the plural pronoun for the singular, the Guardian would strongly urge
your N.S.A. to inform the friends to strictly adhere to the text of the
Holy Writings, and not to deviate even a hairbreadth from what has
been revealed by the Holy Pen. Besides, it should be noted that
congregational prayer has been discouraged by Baha'u'llah, and that
it is allowed only in the case of the prayer for the dead."
(From a letter written of behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National
Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand, October 17, 1934)
Page_459
1497. In Quoting Prayers
"In quoting prayers any part may be used, but should be quoted as it
is, however short."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, November 19, 1945: Baha'i News, No. 210, August 1948, p.3)
1498. Specific Times for the Remembrance of God
"...Moreover the friends must observe the specific times for the
remembrance of God, meditation, devotion and prayer, as it is highly
unlikely, nay, rather impossible, that any enterprise should prosper
and develop short of Divine bestowals and confirmations..."
(From a letter of the Guardian to the Baha'is of the East, December
19, 1923: Living the Life, p. 1)
1499. Dawn Prayer
"Although the words 'at dawn' are used in the Divine Book,
nevertheless, such prayer is acceptable to God at dawn and after
dawn to sunrise, and further until two hours after the sun has
risen."
(Baha'u'llah: Questions and Answers)
1500. Morning Prayers
"One of the characteristics of Baha'i society will be the gathering
of the believers each day during the hours between dawn and two hours
after sunrise to listen to the reading and chanting of the Holy Word.
In many communities at the present time, especially in rural ones,
such gatherings would fit naturally into the pattern of the friends'
daily life, and where this is the case it would do much to foster the
unity of the Local community and deepen the friends' knowledge of the
Teachings if such gathering could be organized by the Local Spiritual
Assembly on a regular basis. Attendance at these gatherings is not to
be obligatory, but we hope that the friends will more and more be drawn to
take part in them. This is a goal which can be attained gradually."
(From the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the World,
Naw-Ruz, 1974)
1501. We should not Make a Practice of Saying Grace or of Teaching
it to our Children
"He does not feel that the friends should make a practice of saying grace
or of teaching it to children. This is not part of the Baha'i Faith, but
a Christian practice, and as the Cause embraces members of all races
and religions we should be careful not to introduce into it the customs
of our previous beliefs. Baha'u'llah has given us the obligatory prayers,
also prayers before sleeping, for travellers, etc. We should not introduce
a new set of prayers He has not specified, when He has given us already so
many, for so may occasions."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, September 27, 1947)
1502. Congregational Prayer Only for the Dead
"The daily prayers are to be said each one for himself, aloud or silent
makes no difference. There is no congregational prayer except that for
the dead. We read
Page_460
healing and other prayers in our meetings, but
the daily prayer is a personal obligation, so someone else reading it
is not quite the same things as saying it for yourself..."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, January 31, 1949: Baha'i News, No. 220, June 1949,pp. 2-3)
1503. Prayers May be Recited in Unison
"You have asked whether it is permissible for the friends to chant a
prayer collectively. There is a difference between chanting a
prayer collectively and congregational prayer. The latter is a
formal prayer usually led by an individual using a prescribed
ritual. Congregational prayer in this form is forbidden in the Faith
except in the case of the Prayer for the Dead. While reciting prayers
in unison and spontaneously joining in the recitation of the Words of
God is not forbidden, the friends should bear in mind the advice of the
beloved Guardian on this subject when he stated that:
'...although the friends are thus left free to follow their
own inclination,... they should take the utmost care that any manner
they practice should not acquire too rigid a character, and thus develop
into an institution. This is a point which the friends should always bear
in mind, lest they deviate from the clear path indicated in the Teachings.'"
(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to
an individual believer. February 6, 1975)
1504. One Person should Read Funeral Prayer
"We have received your letter of 14th December inquiring which
funeral prayer is considered as the desirable one for use in Europe,
whether there is any obligatory prayer and what instructions are
concerning standing at a Baha'i funeral service.
"The only obligatory prayer for use at Baha'i funerals is the prayer
No. 167 in 'Prayers and Meditations'. This prayer should be recited by
one of those present and all present should stand while it is being read.
There is no requirement to face the Qiblih or any other particular
direction while this prayer is being read.
"The reading of any other prayers or writings at a Baha'i funeral
is entirely optional. In general it is desirable to keep the service
simple and dignified."
(From the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly
of Finland, January 31, 1971)
1505. Recital or Chanting of Prayer--Prayer is Essentially
Communion Between God and Man
"..There is no objection to the recital or chanting of prayers in the
Oriental language, but there is also no obligation whatever of adoption
such a form of prayer at any devotional service in the auditorium of the
temple. It should neither be required nor prohibited. The important thing
that should always be borne in mind is that with the exception of certain
specific obligatory prayers, Baha'u'llah has given us no strict or special
rulings in matters of worship whether in the Temple or elsewhere. Prayer
is essentially communion between man and God, and as such transcends all
ritualistic forms and formulas."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National
Spiritual Assembly of the United States, June 15, 1935: Baha'i News, No.
93, July 1935, p. 1)
Page_461
1506. Healing Prayer and Prayers for the Fast
"Concerning the Healing Prayer, the Guardian wishes me to inform you
that there is no special ruling for its recital. The believer is free
to recite it as many times and in the way he wishes. There are also
no obligatory prayers for the Fast. But there are some specific ones
revealed by Baha'u'llah for that purpose."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National
Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand, October 17, 1934)
1507. Effectiveness of Healing Prayers
"The Healing Prayers revealed by Baha'u'llah can be effective even
though used by non-believers. But their effectiveness is of course
greater in the case of those who fully accept the
Revelation."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, March 19, 1939: Baha'i News, No. 134. March 1940. p. 2)
1508. Prayers Answered Through Action
"... It is not sufficient to pray diligently for guidance, but this
prayer must be followed by meditation as to the best methods of action
and then action itself. Even if the action should not immediately
produce results, or perhaps not be entirely correct, that does not
make so much difference, because prayers can only be answered through
action and if someone's action is wrong, God can use that method of
showing the pathway which is right."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, August 22, 1957: From a compilation by the Research Department
on behalf of the Universal House of Justice on 'Teaching', p. 18)
1509. Pray to be protected from Contamination of Society
"... Love for each other, the deep sense that we are a new organism,
the dawn-breakers of a New World Order, must constantly animate our
Baha'i lives, and we must pray to be protected from the contamination of
society which is so diseased with prejudice."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the Spiritual
Assembly of Atlanta, Georgia, February 5, 1947: Living the life, p. 13)
1510. Five Steps of Prayer
"Regarding the five steps of prayer outlined by the Guardian, and
recorded by Mrs. Moffett in her booklet the 'Call to Prayer': these,
he wishes me to explain, are merely personal suggestions and need not,
therefore, be adopted strictly and universally by the believers.
(From a letter dated June 30, 1938 written on behalf of the
Guardian to an individual believer)
1511. Reciting Any Prayer Nine Times Not Obligatory
"There is no obligation for a believer to recite always any prayer
nine times. Ritualism is certainly to be avoided in all matters affecting
Baha'i worship..."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual
believer, November 26, 1939)
Page_462
1512. The Spiritual Man Prays only for Love of God
"In the highest prayer, men pray only for the love of God, not because
they fear Him or Hell, or hope for bounty or heaven... When a man falls in
love with a human being, it is impossible for him to keep from mentioning
the name of his beloved. How much more difficult is it to keep from
mentioning the Name of God when has come to love Him... The spiritual man
finds no delight in anything save in commemoration of God."
(Report of 'Abdu'l-Baha words quoted in Baha'u'llah and the New Era,
p. 105, Wilmette 1976 ed: The Important of Prayer, Meditation, and the
Devotional Attitude -- a Compilation)
1513. Prayer Beads, Chanting, Congregational Prayer, etc.
"In the matter of the distribution and use of prayer beads, in this and
other matter of secondary importance he does not wish that any hard and
fast rules to be set up. The believers should not be required to use
prayer beads nor should they be prevented from doing so, as the Teachings
do not contain any specific instructions on the subject."
(From a letter written on behalf of Guardian to the National Spiritual
Assembly of the United States and Canada, April 4, 1940: Baha'i News, No.
137, July 1940,p.3)
1514. Reading Prayers on the Radio
"You have asked specifically about reading prayers on the radio. Of course
this is permissible, but will be cautious concerning the setting of the
prayers, i.e. what kind of materials may be presented before and after the
prayers, so that they are assured of that dignity and reverence which they
deserve. There may also be considerations of timing (the hours of the day
best chosen, Sunday as the customary day of religious observance, etc.),
in relation to the customs of the station, of the area, or other. Such
recorded disc programs as 'Words for the World' include prayers, of course."
(From a letter from the Universal House of Justice to the National
Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador, July 8, 1973)
1515. Baha'i Children, Communes and Prayers
"...Every day at first light, ye gather the Baha'i children together and
teach them the communes and prayers. This is a most praiseworthy act, and
bringeth joy to the children's hearts; that they should, at every morn,
turn their faces toward the Kingdom and make mention of the Lord and praise
His Name, and in the sweetest of voices, chant and recite."
('Abdu'l-Baha: Baha'i Education, p. 28)
"...there is no objection to children who are as yet unable to
memorize a whole prayer learning certain sentences only."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, September 27, 1947)
1516. Mothers or others Delegated should Choose Excerpts from
the Sacred word for Children to Memorize
"The Guardian feels that it would be better for either the mother or Baha'i
children -- or some Committee your Assembly might delegate the task to --
to
Page_463
choose excerpts from the Sacred word to be used by the child rather than
just something made up. Of course prayer can be purely spontaneous, but
many of the sentences and thoughts combined in Baha'i writings of a
devotional nature are easy to grasp, and the revealed Word is endowed
with a power of its own."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National
Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, August 8, 1942)
1517. There are no Special Instructions for Repeating prayers
of the Bab
"Concerning the prayer for difficulty revealed by the Bab; he wishes
me to inform you that it is not accompanied by the instructions for
its recital.[*]"
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, March 6, 1937)
"Regarding your questions: The Guardian feels it is not necessary to
repeat the Bab's prayer so many times."[**]
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, September 30, 1950)
[*] Written in response to a question as to how often this prayer should
repeated to produce the greatest results.
[**] Written in response to a question about the repetition 114 times in the
morning for 19 days of the prayer of the Bab,'Say! God sufficeth all things
above all things'.
1518. Community Prayer Sessions
"The Guardian wishes me to assure you that he sees no objection to the
friends coming together for meditation and prayer. Such a communion helps in
fostering fellowship among the believers, and as such is highly
commendable."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, November 20, 1937: Spiritual Foundations: Prayer,meditation,
and the Devotional Attitude, op. cit.)
1519. Baha'is Should be Taught to Meditate, but also to Guard
Against Superstitious Practices
"Through meditation the doors of deeper knowledge and inspiration may be
opened. Naturally, if one meditates as a 'Baha'i' he is connected with the
Source; if a man believing in God meditates he is tuning in to the power
and mercy of God; but we cannot say that any inspiration which a person
not knowing Baha'u'llah, or not believing in God, receives is merely from
his own ego. Meditation is very important, and the Guardian sees no reason
why the friends should not be taught to meditate, but they should guard
against superstitious or foolish ideas creeping into it."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, November 19, 1945)
1520. 'O Subduer of Winds', An Invocation for Moments of Danger
"Regarding the invocation 'Ya Musakin el Ariah'; it literally means 'O
Subduer of Winds'. The believers are not required to recite it, but may
do so in moments of personal danger."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer, December 6, 1939)
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