Finding my spiritual path.

Finding my spiritual path

 

I grew up in Far North Queensland Australia. It was a remote farming community of 30 to 40 households. Crops such as Tobacco, Sugar, Rice and others were grown. I recall when I was about 9 or 10 visitors came from larger centers. They came to inform the residence in this case, my mum (as she answered the door) of the correct religion. These visits continued for some years from different religionists with the same approach. I was standing behind the door listening. After some time I came to the conclusion that this was not the correct path as in each case they did not care for other of a different faith.

Meditation Find your place

In my late teens and twenties I was looking into all manner of spiritual paths, you could say I dabbled. When I was 27 now living in Cairns I met with Bruce and Nellie, I found that we had many common interests and discuses a variety of topics for hours. I would often stop by with another question or point to discuss. Topics from astronomy to progressive revelation, from the structure of the earth to dowsing.

Some three years later in July, I declared that I wanted to join the Baha’i Faith. I felt as if I had found my family, my herd, my spiritual brothers and sisters. I felt much more at peace and secure. Knowing that this family extended all around the world was also very reassuring. Over the next few years I learned about the administrative order of this religion by attending many more discussions on a range of current topics.  I was to be a member this nine member administrative center for the community. I was also asked to be on a regional committee and a number of other smaller roles.

About three years later I was looking for a a career change. I applied to the Baha’i World Center and soon after got a telegram asking how soon could I come. I spent 30 months at the Baha’i World Centre. This gave me an added depth to the Faith that I could not have found by staying home. Travel expands the mind and the person.

Since then I have lived in a number of other communities, I have participated in and supported the activities in the communities and neighbouring areas. Over the years the Faith has grown in numbers and maturity. The activities and social interaction available to the greater community now were only dreamt of back then. It is good to look back over the last 40 years and see how far the Baha’i World Faith has progressed.

Now I understand that I have not given you much information about the Baha’i faith itself. So here I will list out a few things  and I will also include a link to a webpage where you can find more information.

Baha’is believe

  1. that there is only one God (with many names),
  2. That mankind is one family,
  3. That all the world religions from God,
  4. That individuals are responsible for independent investigation of truth,
  5. That science and religion are in essential harmony,
  6. That men and women, while differing in their strengths, are equal intellectually and spiritually.

Baha’is offer mankind a “recipe for world peace” that include the following nine ingredients:

  1. Recognition of the spiritual and intellectual equality of the sexes.
  2. The full participation of women in the consultative and decision making processes, including family, business, governmental, and social levels.
  3. World wide provision for all children’s  education.
  4.  The choosing of a n auxiliary world language to be taught in addition to a mother language.
  5. A world currency system, with full and equal access for all nations.
  6. A world federation of independent nations (similar to the federated stated of the USA) with international law and open borders.
  7. World wide protection of cultural diversity.
  8. The belief that all human beings are the “chosen People” of God.
  9. The elimination of prejudice of all kinds, ie. economic, national, religious, racial, sexual.

Baha’is believe that the unity of humankind will be achieved by:

  1. the recognition of the oneness of humanity
  2. the abandonment of all forms of prejudice
  3. the equality of women and men
  4. the recognition of the unity and relativity of religious truth
  5. the elimination of the extreme of poverty and wealth
  6. the realisation of universal education
  7. the independent investigation of truth
  8. the adoption of an universal auxiliary language
  9. the recognition that true religion is in harmony with reasoning and the pursuit of scientific knowledge

For more information you may wish to go to www.bahai.org.au