Exploring Concepts of Spiritual Import

41 Conferences.......where do we go from here?

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a group to discuss the post conference activity.How do you feel after taking part in such a wonderful conference.What are some of the beautiful moments for you,what knowledge and understanding did you bring home with you <3

Members: 20
Latest Activity: Feb 24

what are some of the beautiful moments that came away with?How has this conference changed your vision,path of service,awareness of the need for the Revelation to be shared with others?

Dear Friends,

I have to say that for the first time ever I truly felt the love from the Universal House of Justice.I have been a Baha'i for almost 3 years and I would read the letters from The UHJ and I thought they were wonderful but I didn't feel any connection........until this conference.....For the first time I actually felt wrapped in a blanket of love from the Supreme Body.To hear from the representatives and what they had to say.The fact that it was not a misconstrued message that had trickled down.It was absolute beauty.The faith that the Universal House of Justice has in us is so unconditional.That loving parent,that no matter what you do or what has happened in the past....they still love you completely.

For me the stories of what was happening in my region were beautiful,but listening to Ms. Uransaikhan Baatar and Mr. Stephen Birkland,two very different speakers with completely different styles of speaking was what stayed with me the most.When Mr.Birkland said "fix your gaze on the horizon and concentrate on looking ahead because looking out to the side will distract you"(not his exact words but I hope you get the idea).His analogy of being in a fast car and looking for potatoes and feeling nauseous was absolutely hilarious and was what I needed to hear.

Over the past weeks,post conference, I have come to understand and be aware to a greater level what that nauseous feeling is like and really fixing my gaze on the horizon.

Many things are easier for me now,that I may have felt were difficult before...........I know that what ever we do,that the Universal House of Justice is praying for us all in our endeavors.I ask the Concourse and the friends that have past,heros and heroines of the Faith for guidance.

I haven't done that a whole lot and I am not confessing,I am just reminding myself that they are just waiting to shine their light on me!What a shame if I don't call out to them.

I ask that this group be a place where we can tell each other how we are doing,what has changed for us,what realizations have occurred and share them.

For me this conference was monumental,transforming and one of the most loving conferences I have been to.

My hopes and my prayers would love to see these conferences happen again.

Discussion Forum

20 october Letter to the Baha'i's of the World 1 Reply

Started by Tamara. Last reply by Debra Feb 24.

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9 Comments

Comment by parenthesiseye on February 22, 2009 at 2:33pm: I was wondering - is the UHJ message for the conference online somewhere? I would like to read it. Thanks.

Comment by Debra on February 19, 2009 at 5:30pm: ..and coming home from the conference, I resolved to have junior youth classes at my home, my son has never wanted to participate in activities with me as there are never any kids his age, so I brought the activity to my house, now he is 15 so at the end of junior youth, we have been having pizza nights and invited my 2 nieces, and they are christian and go to a church..they are quite involved with the homeless...they are coming becasue I have asked them..what the UHJ message was, don't look back, just go forward.......so that is what I am doing,,going to keep reworking it but still having the pizza and the guest animators and gradually make Baha'is part of our life again..any thoughts from anyone?

Comment by Debra on February 11, 2009 at 1:15am: and to trust.......i gave up trusting for so long

Comment by sue on February 10, 2009 at 10:15am: You are right. It always starts one step at a time!

Comment by Debra on February 9, 2009 at 7:58pm: ..actually, have re-read my comment, I meant, I have always been optimistic and happy and cheerful, despite the social and economic conditions from which I was raised because of my mother and grandmother and the sacrifices they made...always after the death of my son and husband, people, especially people who were not Baha'is , but good supportive people.who were non the less surprized at my resiliency and inner strength and beauty and light etc......so I always had that, but having the connection i felt from the UHJ has strengthened me in my belief in Baha'u'llah..and hey..one step at a time.....

Comment by sue on February 9, 2009 at 10:40am: I was particularly moved by Debra's comment. It has been difficult for me to verbalize what I took away from the conference but her comment and committment to work with the children put a lot of things in perspective for me. One of the messages that I got from the Los Angeles conference was that each of us is needed in this Divine Process of sharing God's Message. We are needed in spite of (and maybe because of) the labels that we carry. The world might label us with all kinds of negative or useless adjectives but the reality is that Baha'u'llah has chosen us. Maybe He chose us because of our faith, ignoring our lack of education. Maybe He chose us because of our love, ignoring our age or lack of confidence. Maybe He chose us because of something pure that we once did, ignoring other actions that were self serving. The fact is that we are the ones with the potential to change this world we live in and If we don't do it, exactly who will? After the conference I made the committment to work in a neighborhood made up primarily of immigrants. In doing so I may possibly be able to bring some people into the Cause, giving them hope and purpose. But I know for a fact that in working in this neighborhood I have opened myself to be a more active teacher, I have begun several precious friendships, and I have reached a deeper realization of what Baha'u'llah has given to us.

Comment by Debra on February 9, 2009 at 5:44am: I have been a Baha'i since I was 17 years old and I am now 55, and have married, had children, been widowed and am now raising my youngest son alone,he is 15 years old. I would say I am in the twilight or the downhill side of my existence here......I am happy, optimistic and full of hope now following attendance at the conference.I do feel more connected to the UHJ.As an indian person from here, with all of the attendant social and economic issues at play< I have hope now. I think of my mother and grandmother, who raised us with love andnot without a lot of sacrifice......and I have the opportunity to make a difference als well...GALVANIZED, is what I feel after attending the conference. I always used to think someone else was a bettr teacher.........not me.........but I have been asked to host a childrens class in my housing comples and I have said yes........far cry from the old me....and it is a little step..as Mr. Birkland said....we are being asked to do what we can.........

Comment by bill munoz on February 6, 2009 at 9:26am: I found myself in Chicago not Portland . So I felt like a 'spy' It gave me a great insight into how others are having similar but different approaches to essentially the same problems. I don't have the time this morning to go into it as I need to get on the road but I jsut wanted to comment on your observation " For the first time I actually felt wrapped in a blanket of love from the Supreme Body." For over 20 years now I have been thinking rather deeply about this very feeling. How we must adore the House of Justice as those friends in the time of the Guardian or the Master adored them. The House has been in recent years much more bold in its showering of love and guidance to us all. I agree that the 41 conferences , all arranged and set up by the House with the same agenda is clear evidence that we are ready to adore them and from that adoration will come complete and exact obiedience to their wishes. The Divine Physician has His finger on the pulse of mankind, The House of Justice is that finger today. love

Comment by Carrie on February 6, 2009 at 9:22am: Hi Tamara, thanks for 'vitin' me, even though I couldn't attend. I guess what I hope this conference will do is put a star on that horizon in these days of the new, noncongregational, working at the roots of community era, knowing there is no them and us, liberating the Local Spiritual Assembly from it's old role of leadership to one as a leading resource to individual initiative and community affairs, undertakings. And from your commentary, maybe it did.

We have that light in the sky that is the Universal House of Justice, reflecting out onto the planet and into the darkness: a hallmark of this universal Message that heralds the day without night. The cd of humanity only rewinds so far now that we stand on this threshold!
One of our community members has sent his notes around and I have to say, I've not read them yet. Once I'm free from the sock I've climbed into, it will be edifying to know over time what the many-headed brought back - I mean that in the nicest possible way!