Saturday, January 3, 2009

Cultivating authentic spirituality--a letter


Hey, ____! It's Bob, here--the one who talked to you about authentic spirituality at the Convention! I woke up this morning with a strange energy. I felt energy to connect with people, because connecting and spreading the spirit I must do! But what do I have to share? That is a mystery to most people...but of course we are much more than what we do and seem. But when and where can we develop and utilize what we are but what we don't see? Can't spiritual growth and transformation occur at a more rapid pace with the support of a group setting? I feel it is almost necessary. That's why we are asked to have devotions, children's classes and Institutes. But we are so caught in individualistic and materialisitc models of growth. I believe that in less materialistic and more communal societies, there exist elements and understandings of spiritual unity which we in the US need to learn. We are desperate to learn and implement these understandings, but most of us don't know we need it! We are feeding ourselves with poison, but don't know we are diseased. Those of us who see, can help ourselves and help others. I know you see, and are helping others. Service exists in many different forms. I need to help others. This email is both an expression of service, and a plea for help. Don't we all need each other? And we all have something to give. So I am just being authentic here!

There is a language of the heart, of intuition, of love, which is beyond concepts and words, and I know you are in tune with it. This is the mystery door which leads to the sea of treasure which is currently being withheld from many Baha'is. In this treasure, we find connectedness and intimacy with all people. We find acceptance and love. We find emotion and passion. We find helpfulness, openness, and even humility. When these treasures are burnished with the Spirit of the Word of God, shiny, new and pure treasures are revealed to our eyes, minds and hearts, which hold immense value and healing capacity. These special pure treasures can be reached by those who are pure in heart and who have the courage and faith to travel through the door of detachment from this world. There is sanctification, purification, and trials through this door, and on this path. The attachments to this world are seen as illusion, and befitting only those who desire them. The pearls of the Spiritual Kingdom are revealed through the fire of purification, and can only be reached through longing, fervent devotion and yearning. These gems of divine mysteries are more valuable, much more precious that any earthly treasure. These gems and qualities of the heart and spirit, which exist in the spirit, possess the power to heal the peoples of the world, and to set aglow the hearts of men and women, in such wise that many of them will fling away this world, and join with us in celebrating this Love, and spreading the savors of the Blessed Beauty far and wide, with passion and zeal!

I know this sounds preachy, but it is all really how I feel--it is from my heart and soul, not just my head! What do I do with all this zeal and love for God? I feel like a mystic wanderer. I know I need some structure--a channel to express this love and wisdom. I am giving it all to God, since He gave it to me. I know who I am, and I dedicate it all to God. But I still feel my human needs--I am not always detached and pure! I need help from others, and I need to help others. But it seems I traveled so far in certain directions of consciousness, there is no one there to direct me, but God. And I have accepted that. The worst part is that it seems no one is ready to receive the gifts that I have to offer, unless I can offer it in a way which causes them to realize that they need it! And I am not so good at packaging things in a way which is appealing to others, unless it happens to be in my heart at the time. I can't market myself, so to speak. And I believe we should work with others to spread the fragrances of our gifts and our service, anyway. It's just that my gifts and talents are elusive to many, there is presently no environment to cultivate them, and I believe they are rare and unusual, but valuable, nonetheless. (There are schools and apprenticeships for accountants, doctors, engineers, landscapers, etc., but nothing for new age mystic psychologist/free-improv musicians!) I believe we need to help create and carve out new roles in society--uh, the new world/society, based on authentic and spiritual identities, instead of having people conform to and fit into existing molds which suppress the true self, and suffocate the soul. Oh, the youth would benefit tremendously! Isn't this the core of the issue for them?

I believe there are many people with gifts and talents which are not recognized and appreciated by most people, and in this society, there are no means to develop, cultivate and nurture many human qualities which are crucial to the healthy functioning of any society. These people fall by the wayside, become labeled as mentally ill, take medication or drugs, become angry, bitter, isolated. If we could only nurture these gems in a spiritual environment, with love, acceptance, openness, humility, and the Words and Spirit of God, we would reap great benefits for the Cause of God and humanity! My mission is simple. I want to utilize my gifts and talents, and help others to do the same, in an environment of love, openness, humility and spirituality! Some arts and music would be great!

My dream is to have an Arts and Healing Center. But first I wanted to have an Institute for Healing and Transformation, which would be like a workshop setting. But even an informal support group would be fine. It seems in this fast-paced culture, we need to set aside a prescribed time and place to meet and focus on God and spiritual growth, and to detach from this world. And this is what the UHJ is asking us to do. They are asking us to design and hold Institutes, devotions, social and economic development projects, etc. Soon, we will see more calamities and entry by troops, and these new institutions will be the refuge. So why not get real, get spiritual, and...well, I guess--start sharing? I know it is a lot, but I felt inspired to write to you.

Baha'i Love,

Bob Charnes

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