Search for Meaning - with the Oxford Baha'i Community

Listen to a summary of the conversations we had on Wednesday January 13th and 20th 2021 in the fifth of our series on "Reflections on the Life of the Spirit".

In this series we talk about the quotations from the Baha'i Writings that are found in the first book in the series from the Ruhi Institute. The quotes in this episode are about the importance and power of prayer in our lives.

The Ruhi Institute describes Reflections on the Life of the Spirit as being "largely concerned with the question of identity. What is the real identity of the “I” in the sentence “I walk a path of service”? Three aspects of individual identity are explored in the book: “The reality of my existence is my soul which passes through this world to acquire the attributes it needs for an eternal and glorious journey towards God. My most cherished moments are those spent in communion with God, for prayer is the daily nourishment that my soul must receive if it is to accomplish its exalted purpose. One of my principal concerns in this life is to study the Holy Writings, strive to increase my understanding of the divine teachings, and learn to apply them to my own daily life and to the life of the community.” The book consists of the units “Understanding the Bahá’í Writings”, “Prayer”, and “Life and Death”."

In our Search for Meaning Oxford free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

For more about these meetings: www.facebook.com/searchformeaningoxford

For more about the Baha'i Faith: www.bahai.org

For more about the Ruhi Institute books and Reflections on the Life of the Spirit: https://www.ruhi.org/institute/path.php?link_id=1#1

Listen to a summary of the conversation we had on Wednesday January 6th 2021 in the fourth of our series on "Reflections on the Life of the Spirit".

In this series we talk about the quotations from the Baha'i Writings that are found in the first book in the series from the Ruhi Institute. The quotes in this episode are about the dangers of backbiting both to the self and to others.

The Ruhi Institute describes Reflections on the Life of the Spirit as being "largely concerned with the question of identity. What is the real identity of the “I” in the sentence “I walk a path of service”? Three aspects of individual identity are explored in the book: “The reality of my existence is my soul which passes through this world to acquire the attributes it needs for an eternal and glorious journey towards God. My most cherished moments are those spent in communion with God, for prayer is the daily nourishment that my soul must receive if it is to accomplish its exalted purpose. One of my principal concerns in this life is to study the Holy Writings, strive to increase my understanding of the divine teachings, and learn to apply them to my own daily life and to the life of the community.” The book consists of the units “Understanding the Bahá’í Writings”, “Prayer”, and “Life and Death”."

In our Search for Meaning Oxford free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

For more about these meetings: www.facebook.com/searchformeaningoxford

For more about the Baha'i Faith: www.bahai.org

For more about the Ruhi Institute books and Reflections on the Life of the Spirit: https://www.ruhi.org/institute/path.php?link_id=1#1

Listen to a summary of the conversation we had on Wednesday December 16th 2020 in the third of our series on "Reflections on the Life of the Spirit".

In this series we talk about the quotations from the Baha'i Writings that are found in the first book in the series from the Ruhi Institute. The quotes in this episode are about the importance of kindliness and love as we try to build a better world.

The Ruhi Institute describes Reflections on the Life of the Spirit as being "largely concerned with the question of identity. What is the real identity of the “I” in the sentence “I walk a path of service”? Three aspects of individual identity are explored in the book: “The reality of my existence is my soul which passes through this world to acquire the attributes it needs for an eternal and glorious journey towards God. My most cherished moments are those spent in communion with God, for prayer is the daily nourishment that my soul must receive if it is to accomplish its exalted purpose. One of my principal concerns in this life is to study the Holy Writings, strive to increase my understanding of the divine teachings, and learn to apply them to my own daily life and to the life of the community.” The book consists of the units “Understanding the Bahá’í Writings”, “Prayer”, and “Life and Death”."

In our Search for Meaning Oxford free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

For more about these meetings: www.facebook.com/searchformeaningoxford

For more about the Baha'i Faith: www.bahai.org

For more about the Ruhi Institute books and Reflections on the Life of the Spirit: https://www.ruhi.org/institute/path.php?link_id=1#1

Listen to a summary of the conversation we had on Wednesday December 9th 2020 in the second of our series on "Reflections on the Life of the Spirit".

In this series we talk about the quotations from the Baha'i Writings that are found in the first book in the series from the Ruhi Institute. The quotes in this episode are about the importance of truthfulness as the foundation of all human virtues.

The Ruhi Institute describes Reflections on the Life of the Spirit as being "largely concerned with the question of identity. What is the real identity of the “I” in the sentence “I walk a path of service”? Three aspects of individual identity are explored in the book: “The reality of my existence is my soul which passes through this world to acquire the attributes it needs for an eternal and glorious journey towards God. My most cherished moments are those spent in communion with God, for prayer is the daily nourishment that my soul must receive if it is to accomplish its exalted purpose. One of my principal concerns in this life is to study the Holy Writings, strive to increase my understanding of the divine teachings, and learn to apply them to my own daily life and to the life of the community.” The book consists of the units “Understanding the Bahá’í Writings”, “Prayer”, and “Life and Death”."

In our Search for Meaning Oxford free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

For more about these meetings: www.facebook.com/searchformeaningoxford

For more about the Baha'i Faith: www.bahai.org

For more about the Ruhi Institute books and Reflections on the Life of the Spirit: https://www.ruhi.org/institute/path.php?link_id=1#1

Listen to a summary of the Meaningful Conversation we had on Tuesday 15th September 2020.

Our conversation this week was about:

Truthfulness - In an age of fake news and disinformation, it seems increasingly difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood. It is perhaps in this climate of distrust that many of us have come to appreciate the value of truth. Why is truthfulness important on an individual and institutional level? How does it impact our relationships? Has truth become a negotiable commodity? What can we do in our own lives to develop this quality?

In these free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

Listen to a summary of the Meaningful Conversation we had on Tuesday 15th September 2020.

Our conversation this week was about Community - in our fast-paced and individualistic world, it is easy to take the idea of a community for granted. Many of us may feel isolated and disconnected from those around us. How has a neglect of community affected our spiritual and social well-being? What has the pandemic taught us about community? How can we find and build a sense of community around us? Can local action create lasting change?

In these free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

Listen to a summary of the Meaningful Conversation we had on Tuesday 8th September 2020.

Our conversation this week was about Gratitude:

Gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Why might this be the case? How does gratitude give us strength during the hardest oft times? How does being grateful empower us to take meaningful actions? These are some of the questions we will explore together.

In these free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

Listen to a summary of the Meaningful Conversation we had on Tuesday August 25th. 2020.

Some of the issues we covered include:

Business plays a huge role in shaping our societies. Many of us interact with businesses on a daily basis. We  may have come to view business with cynicism given that  the desire for profit over all else appears to dominate. During times of crisis, the need for responsible business seems more pressing than ever. But is it possible for business to be a force for good? Are ethics and sustainability just another marketing ploy? Should businesses only aim to maximise shareholder profit or should they have a wider social purpose?" Is big business too dominant? Is there really a trade off between success and sustainability? What is the relationship between business and the common good?

In these free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

Listen to a summary of the meaningful conversation we had on Tuesday August 4th. 2020.

Some of the questions we covered include:

Do my individual choices matter? Do my actions have any impact in the world? Or can the big problems we face only be solved by the powerful and “important”?

Looking at the world around us right now it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. We are faced by a constant stream of problems to fix and struggles to face – in our own lives, in our communities and in the world around us. But are we letting the enormity of trying to fix everything stop us from trying to fix something? What if our daily actions have a power in and of themselves? Is it possible that our choices have an impact and influence greater than what we see?

How can we work with our families, friends, and communities to magnify that impact, and can a spiritual perspective aid us in this? It seems like an important moment to talk about how we can make change in the world.

In these free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

Listen to a summary of the Meaningful Conversation we had on Saturday July 18th. 2020.

Some of the questions we covered include:

Is work just a way to get paid so we can live the rest of our lives? Or can it be an act of service to humanity and even a form of worship?

When we look at our lives it can sometimes seem that we live to work, rather than working to live. Or that our paycheck is our only consolation for the hours we’ve put in. What if it didn’t have to be like that? What if we realised that  work done in a spirit of helping others was an invaluable contribution to society? What if the value of our job ceased to be defined by our salary alone? What if we reflected more deeply on how to tend to the needs of others through the application of our individual talents and skills?

The current world crisis has shown us how we rely on one another in ways we somehow didn’t realise. We are recognising the value of those who do jobs we may have taken for granted before. It seems like an important moment to ask why and understand the meaning of work.

In these free online events we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’i teachings on important themes. We aim to create an opportunity for the community to talk about the things that matter most to us all, with the intention of promoting unity and fostering a spirit of love and fellowship.

“Work done in the spirit of service is the highest form of worship.” – Bahá’i Teachings