Thousands upon thousands of Bahá’ís, embracing the diversity of the entire human family, are engaged in certain core activities. These activities promote the systematic study of the Bahá’í Writings in small groups in order to build capacity for service. They respond to the inmost longing of every heart to commune with its Maker by carrying out acts of collective worship in diverse settings, uniting with others in prayer, awakening spiritual susceptibilities, and shaping a pattern of life distinguished for its devotional character.

http://www.bcca.org/ief/fl/bicccap.pdf

The rhythm of our Baha’i life — a home-devotional Monday nights at Amanda’s and Thursday night at Matt & Christy’s — rain or shine — and any other devotionals we can slip in in the course of the week. -gw

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CHICAGO POETRY: “»radiant devices« take to the stage and, wow! They use found objects, including a satellite dish, a chain, a gas tank, a big piece of sheet metal and a thick spring as musical instruments to compliment their off the wall, punk-rock poetry performance art. When I think of Mojdeh performing her poetry into a bullhorn I think of a female Jello Biafra.”

http://radiantdevices.wix.com/official/page-1#!__page-1/page-5

My homage to the variety of different hair styles, colors, textures that grace the heads of humans — my “Ode to Hair” set on Flickr — is approaching 3000 views. -gw

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! My tongue, both the tongue of my body and the tongue of my heart, my limbs and members, every pulsating vein within me, every hair of my head, all proclaim that Thou art God, and that there is none other God beside Thee. From everlasting Thou hast been immeasurably exalted above all similitudes and comparisons, and sanctified from whatsoever pertaineth to the creation Thou hast created and fashioned. From eternity Thou hast been alone, with none to share the majesty of Thy singleness, and hast remained far above the changes and chances to which all Thy creatures are subjected.

Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh

The friends gather in Apartment 35 each morning and night. It is Mission Central for the expansion phase. -gw

Though small in numbers, and circumscribed as yet in your experiences, powers, and resources, yet the Force which energizes your mission is limitless in its range and incalculable in its potency.

The Advent of Divine Justice
by Shoghi Effendion

When parents are supported and valued by society, they are able to be fully present with their children, in turn helping to grow healthy brains. Children who grow up in an attuned caregiving environment are flexible, resilient, and empathic. In contrast, when children experience toxic stress, or stress in the absence of a safe, secure caregiving relationship, the parts of their brains responsible for emotional regulation do not develop normally. What results are symptoms that are then labeled “mental illness.”

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/childinmind/2013/05/to_cdc_on_childrens_mental_hea_2.html

So often mental illness has its basis in early childhood experiences. The opposite is also true — mental health has its bais in early childhood experiences. -gw

… every child at the beginning of life is like a fresh and tender branch in his parents’ hands.

A Compilation on Bahá’í Education

Dear friends! How vast a panorama these gemlike, these soul-searching divinely uttered pronouncements outspread before our eyes! What memories they evoke! How sublime the principles they inculcate! What hopes they engender! What apprehensions they excite! And yet how fragmentary must these above-quoted words, suited as they are to the immediate purpose of my theme, appear when compared with the torrential majesty which only the reading of the full text can disclose! He Who was God’s Vicar on earth, addressing, at the most critical moment when His Revelation was attaining its zenith, those who concentrated in their persons the splendor, the sovereignty, and the strength of earthly dominion, could certainly not subtract one jot or tittle from the weight and force which the presentation of so historic a Message demanded.

The Promised Day Is Come, by Shoghi Effendi