Exploring sense

Women's full participation the KEY to peace

2010-04-28T02:01:00.002+02:00

The foundation for creating a lasting culture of peace is actually in place viz. recognition that the involvement of women is key to the effort:

In 2000, the Security Council UNANIMOUSLY recognized that

equal access and full participation of women in all layers of power structures, as well as their full participation... in prevention and resolution of conflicts were essential elements for making and sustaining peace.

Now, let's only make it happen!

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has stated in this regard:

[Woman] will be the greatest factor in establishing universal peace and international arbitration.
(PUP 108)

A Decade On, No Seats for Women at the Peace Table - IPS ipsnews.net

ipsnews.net

It was a historic moment for the United Nations when, 10 years ago, the Security Council unanimously recognised "the intrinsic role of women in global peace and security" through Resolution 1325

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Simple truths, yet easy to forget - striving for the other as the natural state of our existence

2010-04-26T00:47:00.010+02:00

Nourishment for the spirit.
A fundamental truth (and not a theory): the interconnectedness of all men

'Abdu'l-Bahá has said:

Humanity may be likened to a tree. This tree has branches, leaves, buds and fruit. Think of all men as being flowers, leaves or buds of this tree, and try to help each and all to realize and enjoy God’s blessings. God neglects none: He loves all.
The only real difference that exists between people is that they are at various stages of development. Some are imperfect—these must be brought to perfection. Some are asleep—they must be awakened; some are negligent—they must be roused; but one and all are the children of God. Love them all with your whole heart; no one is a stranger to the other, all are friends...
I in the East, and you in the West, let us try with heart and soul that unity may dwell in the world, that all the peoples may become one people, and that the whole surface of the earth may be like one country—for the Sun of Truth shines on all alike.
(PT 170-171)

The House of Justice refers to this same teaching in its latest Ridván message:

How often did the Beloved Master ['Abdu'l-Bahá] express the hope that the hearts of the believers would overflow with love for one another, that they would abide no lines of separation but would regard all of humanity even as one family. "See ye no strangers," is His exhortation; "rather see all men as friends, for love and unity come hard when ye fix your gaze on otherness." ...
[I]s it not love for God that burns away all veils of estrangement and division and binds hearts together in perfect unity? Is it not His love that spurs you on in the field of service...?

(Ridván message 2010)

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Genuine joy

2010-04-10T01:05:00.003+02:00

What is real happiness? And how is it related to genuine love?
The following story would illustrate an aspect of the latter, with reference to the dark, cold, hard iron that takes on the qualities of fire - light, heat and liquidity - when exposed to it. A transcription of a talk given by Mr. Ali Nakhjavani in 2001 in which he comments on and paraphrases the content of a tablet - not yet translated - of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

(Third story)

...[O]ne day, someone was passing by, and saw this rusted, muddy, piece of iron in the valley. And this piece of iron is a human being. This is an example. So, there is a conversation between the piece of iron and this gentleman or this woman. This is what this [believer] says. "Do you know that there is a fire which is burning and blazing in the world of existence?"

The piece of iron says, "Really, surely I'm interested."

He says, "Come along, I will show you."

They go along, and from a distance, he says, "You see that smoke? Where there's smoke, there's fire." Sometimes, we are so quick in [registering those who acknowledge their belief] that at that point, we say, "You accept that where there's smoke there's fire? Now sign this!" That's too soon, he has not even seen the fire. We go along.

Now, there is a prayer from Baha'u'llah, speaking about this fire. "I know not what the fire is which thou dost kindle in thy land, earth can never cloud its splendour, nor water quench its flame." He is talking about this fire. It's the fire of the Cause. He's talking about that. Then He says, "Blessed are those who hear its roaring."

QUOTE: "Great is the blessedness of him that hath drawn nigh unto it, and heard its roaring." (Baha'u'llah: PM 76)

In other words, as you are approaching the fire, you hear the crackle of the fuel. Already, you see something, you hear something. You haven't seen the fire yet, you approach again, ah, you see the fire, the flames.

The teacher says, "This is not enough, my dear. Let us get closer."

When you get closer, what happens? The metal, the iron feels the warmth and receives the warmth. It was cold, it becomes warm. At that point, you know, I told you this morning, Mr. Enoch Olinga was told by Shoghi Effendi, first is attraction, then there is conversion. This is the stage of conversion, when the piece of iron feels the warmth, and accepts the warmth. It was cold, it becomes warm. At that point, he [declares that he now believes and considers himself a believer].

What about the rest that Mr. Olinga heard from Shoghi Effendi? The teacher says, "This is not finished, my brother, or my sister. Wait, this is not enough... I don't want to frighten you, but I must tell you this, because the process is not complete. It must be completed." So, the teacher says, "Let us throw ourselves into the fire."

What happens to the metal? It is warm, yes, but something else happens, it acquires the qualities of the fire. It has rust all over its body, it shakes off the rust, it becomes brilliant, it acquires the qualities, as I said, of the fire, so much so that you look at the fire, and you look at the piece of iron, you don't know where the fire ends and where the metal begins. They become one. That is dedication. That is consecration. That is the end of the process, when we shake off this rust of selfishness and we become purer and purer all the time, and we acquire the qualities of [heaven].

Now, having said this story about this piece of iron, and the three stages I explained to you this morning, I want to tell you that this story is not mine. It is in one of the tablets of Abdu'l-Baha. He gives the story of this piece of iron. But I explained it a little bit more, I added few things here and there which were of me, for example, in the valley and going here and seeing the smoke, this is all mine, but the essential part, which is seeing, hearing the fire burning, seeing the flame, acquiring the warmth, and the last stage, throwing oneself into the fire, to become brilliant, to become luminous, to acquire the qualities of this Divine Flame, this is why when we describe some people who are on fire with the Cause, we say, he is a flame, that's why, because of this tablet of Abdu'l-Baha. It is a very short tablet which I tried to open up. And explain in the form of this story. ...

Source is here. Go to the latter half of the third story.

Enjoying a study circle in Malaysia.
(Photo: Ryan Lash)
Photo Copyright Baha'i International Community. View here.

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Enabling shared responsibility between women and men

2010-03-28T03:03:00.004+02:00

Key learnings about effective measures for promoting gender equality from a publicaton of the OECD.
(Excerpts:)

Advancing gender equality: some practical proposals
Beatrice Duncan, Social Affairs Expert, African Centre for Gender and Social Development(UNECA)

Enabling progress

[Reflection over] what do we mean by local level?

[The need for] negotiation

Can tradition and perceptions change?

Are there aspects of tradition and culture which advance the cause of women?

Are there existing traditional resources that we can tap into?

[The virtue of] seeking close alliances with male and female traditional authority

[The imperative to] invest in education...

Read the full article (PDF-format) here; referenced here.

Regarding the issue of gender equality the Bahá'í International Community states in a report to a UN-session:

The goal of [equal sharing of responsibilities between men and women] raises questions about the nature and purpose of human life and how these inform the scope and allocation of responsibilities. The worldwide Bahá'í community is guided by its recognition of the essential nobility of every human being—the capacity to develop spiritually and intellectually and to become a source of support and advantage to others. We see each individual as the possessor of inestimable talents, which, through education, can be developed and manifested in service to the common good. Furthermore, while men and women are physically distinct, their spiritual identities are equal—the soul has no gender. Each one, then, must play a role in striving for the well-being of others and, ultimately, in co-creating a social order that fosters the spiritual and material well-being of all peoples.

(BIC: Striving Towards Justice: Transforming the Dynamics of Human Interaction, 28 February 2009, view here)

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Consultative procedure fosters success, innovation

2010-03-21T23:55:00.008+01:00

From an inspiring article on a company's modus operandi.
(Excerpts)

Methodology
We...share a commitment to [some] basic principles:
1st of all, we believe that breakthrough creativity and innovation is a natural outcome of true COLLABORATION. We often find that great ideas are born through the clash of differing opinions when truth-seeking is the goal. When true collaboration is happening, you can feel it. Something gels and clicks within the group and everyone present is aware of an organic co-creation process that they are participating in… something magical happens....

We believe that co-creation through collaboration yields the greatest results....

Distinct from the “group think” that characterizes some initiatives, in collaboration people may change their opinions and ideas multiple times as they influence the discussion and the discussion influences them. The best work comes from an interactive and collaborative process where no one knows where the idea came from but it was created together....
(Emphasis added)

Read the full article here.

Regarding consultation, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has stated:

The members [of the Assembly] must take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument. Should anyone oppose, he must on no account feel hurt.... The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.

(Selections #44)

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For "Open government," tenets of participation, transparency, collaboration

2010-03-21T03:18:00.003+01:00

The article below, on the requisites for "open government," carries as much relevance for the workings of Bahá'í Institutions as it does for secular government. Shoghi Effendi has stated:

[The elected representatives - members of National and Local Spiritual Assemblies] should approach their task with extreme humility, and endeavor, by their open-mindedness, their high sense of justice and duty, their candor, their modesty, their entire devotion to the welfare and interests of the friends, the Cause, and humanity, to win, not only the confidence and the genuine support and respect of those whom they serve, but also their esteem and real affection. They must, at all times, avoid the spirit of exclusiveness, the atmosphere of secrecy, free themselves from a domineering attitude, and banish all forms of prejudice and passion from their deliberations. They should, within the limits of wise discretion, take the friends into their confidence, acquaint them with their plans, share with them their problems and anxieties, and seek their advice and counsel.

- Bahá'í Administration 64

Culture of Yes

By Jessy

Washington, DC’s recently released open government directive has a lot of us...stoked about the mandate we are...being given...to make government more transparent and accessible.

The three tenets of participation, transparency, and collaboration are particularly relevant because,...if you look closely, they are focused on process– as much as, if not more than, on outcome. This reflects the fact that open government is not somewhere we arrive or something we check off on a task list, but it’s about how we go about the business of governing ourselves.

When I say we, I don’t mean “we” the people who work for government– I mean all of us. “We” as a residents of the United States, and citizens of the world. For me, open government encourages us to think of the government not [as] an entity separate from the “us” or the “we.” If you work for the government, that doesn’t mean you are not also a recipient of its services, its policies, or its limitations....

[W]e had several meetings discussing how to create an environment where new ideas are valued and encouraged. We identified, with center leadership, that the current culture is often a “Culture of No”. The safe answer, the one least likely to get you in trouble, is to say “No”. Saying yes is associated with more work, and with risk. Since the Culture of No exists all the way up the management chain, that work burden and risk are personal ones, ones that involve putting yourself on the line. It’s clear why people are dis-inclined to do so....

Yes, We Can!

We decided to propagate a new saying: “Culture of Yes”. We wanted to cultivate an environment where people’s answer to new or crazy ideas was “Yes,” or maybe even “Yes, but…”. But not “No” or “No, and…”. One where you are actually rewarded for those ideas, and where it is, eventually, procedurally more expensive to say “No.”

Source: http://blog.quaternio.net/2010/01/06/culture-of-yes/

Requisites for nearness to God

2010-03-21T02:32:00.001+01:00

A day of joy, today, Naw-Ruz! The start of the New Year. Will anything be the same again? The old year has been left behind. A new chapter has begun. The onrush of springtime brings closer the attainment of the goal - realization of our true identity as nothingness in a sea of grace.

'Abdu'l-Bahá speaks of severance, thus:

The greatest attainment in the world of humanity is nearness to God. Every lasting glory, honor, grace and beauty which comes to man comes through nearness to God. All the Prophets and apostles longed and prayed for nearness to the Creator... [H]ow many days they devoted to supplication for this attainment, seeking ever to draw nigh unto Him! But nearness to God is not an easy accomplishment.... Divine nearness is dependent upon

attainment to the knowledge of God, upon

severance from all else save God. It is contingent upon

self-sacrifice and to be found only through

forfeiting wealth and worldly possessions. It is made possible through the

baptism of water and fire revealed in the Gospels.

Water symbolizes the water of life, which is knowledge, and fire is the fire of the love of God; therefore, man must be baptized with

the water of life,

the Holy Spirit and

the fire of the love of the Kingdom.

Until he attains these three degrees, nearness to God is not possible. This is the process by which the Bahá’ís of Persia have attained it. They gave their lives for this station, sacrificed honor, comfort and possessions, hastened with the utmost joy to the place of martyrdom; their blood was spilled, their bodies were tortured and destroyed, their homes pillaged, their children carried into captivity. They endured all these conditions joyfully and willingly. Through such sacrifice nearness to God is made possible. And be it known that this nearness is not dependent upon time or place. Nearness to God is dependent upon purity of the heart and exhilaration of the spirit through the glad tidings of the Kingdom. Consider how a pure, well-polished mirror fully reflects the effulgence of the sun, no matter how distant the sun may be. As soon as the mirror is cleaned and purified, the sun will manifest itself. The more pure and sanctified the heart of man becomes, the nearer it draws to God, and the light of the Sun of Reality is revealed within it. This light sets hearts aglow with the fire of the love of God, opens in them the doors of knowledge and unseals the divine mysteries so that spiritual discoveries are made possible. All the Prophets have drawn near to God through severance. We must emulate those Holy Souls and renounce our own wishes and desires. We must purify ourselves from the mire and soil of earthly contact until our hearts become as mirrors in clearness and the light of the most great guidance reveals itself in them.

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation 147-8 (emphasis added)

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Talk Deeply, Be Happy?

2010-03-20T01:59:00.006+01:00

via well.blogs.nytimes.com

An interesting study (though the results are hardly surprising!) -
(Excerpts:)

[Dr. Mehl] proposed [that] substantive conversation seemed to hold the key to happiness...
"By engaging in meaningful conversations, ...interpersonally ...you bond with your interactive partner, and we know that interpersonal connection...is a core fundamental foundation of happiness.”
[T]he happiest person in the study...had twice as many substantive conversations, and only one-third of the amount of small talk as the unhappiest.

Source: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/talk-deeply-be-happy/

A Bahá'í quotation touching upon meaningful conversation, in the terms of consultation:

In all things it is necessary to consult. This matter should be forcibly stressed by thee, so that consultation may be observed by all. ...inasmuch as it is and will always be a cause of awareness and of awakening and a source of good and well-being.

- Bahá'u'lláh
http://info.bahai.org/article-1-3-6-6.html

Musings 10-15.3 - Confronting challenges; benefit of teachers; making contacts

2010-03-15T02:18:00.001+01:00

15.3
Means are needed to connect with the people one meets. Means: Commonalities; characteristics of one's transactions (e.g. of a service or an item); shared experiences; genuine virtues one sees in the other (courtesy, care, helpfulness, attention, joyfulness, rectitude etc.). Watering the tree of world unity with the drops of one's fellowship.
So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.

[R]egard ye not one another as strangers...

- Bahá'u'lláh, WOB 203, Bahá'u'lláh 16

14.3
A learning situation - permitting experimentation - overseen by a dedicated teacher, must be among the most beneficial, life-transforming situations imaginable to one. God bless these teachers!

10.3
When facing difficulties and uncertainty, the benevolence of Providence always comes to one's aid (and does a better job than I myself can). Why fear a challenge?

An integrated approach to SED

2010-03-13T02:05:00.000+01:00

The conclusions of an article on social economic development (SED) that reminds one of guidance from the Universal House of Justice regarding the requirements of any viable plan:

Success will depend on the manner in which lines of action are integrated and on the attitude of learning that is adopted.

- 9 January 2001, §14

An Integrated Approach to Managing Change

Discussion and Conclusions

One of the greatest challenges the world community is facing in this century is the interdependence among the critical factors generated by globalization. Since equilibrium between the reasons for economic development and environmental sustainability must be found, an integrated approach is mandatory for the implementation of efficient long-term governance policies. Reaching a common consensus on the value of sustainable development within the international community is the crucial factor for coordination among states.

General consensus about values must be accompanied with fully consistent policies with the requirements imposed by integrated approach: solutions flexible to the external environment, shared responsibility among policy makers, attention to the relations among the players involved and the use of different levels of analysis. All these requirements must be met because the lack of even only one of them could compromise the entire policy implementation and the capacity of this kind of solutions to react to change.

The way to manage global governance in 2020 and beyond should be a new approach to present and future issues that take into consideration the integration of all the variables related. The study cases show that there are more aspects to consider at the same time: (1) different sectors (economic, social and environmental), (2) different levels (from global to local), and (3) different perspectives (macro and micro). A multi-sector/level/perspective integrated approach is strongly needed.

In this paper, integrated approach has been demonstrated to be applicable to a great variety of situations. Future research studies should be aimed to promote, in all the fields, this approach in order to strongly increase our ability to manage the complexity of changing systems.

Authors: Valeria Andreoni1, Stefano Bisogni, Gabriele Buson, Otello Campanelli, Brunella Cozzo, Marco Duriavig, Yuri Kato, Hirokazu Kubo, Roberta Sanasi, Kodai Tateno and Akira Watanabe

Links to the full article: http://www.springerlink.com/content/666141666046535m/fulltext.html
http://www.springerlink.com/content/666141666046535m/

Wisdom of nature: diversity increases productivity

2010-03-12T23:47:00.005+01:00

Interesting observations in the article below: "[A] basic rule of nature: the greater the diversity, the greater the productivity." "One of the keys to success is to ensure...diversity..."

Referring to the value of diversity, 'Abdu'l-Bahá has likewise stated:

Consider the flowers of a garden. Though differing in kind, color, form, and shape, yet...this diversity increaseth their charm, and addeth unto their beauty... Diversity of hues, form and shape, enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof.

- Tablets 103

EDUCATION-URUGUAY: Gardens of Knowledge

By Silvana Silveira

MONTEVIDEO, Mar 10, 2010 (IPS) - "Nature is wise, and if we take the time to observe it, we can learn so much" is the underlying philosophy of a number of innovative programmes being carried out in Uruguayan schools that are using gardens as a teaching resource, explained Edith Moraes, director of the national Primary Education Board.

He said the children who participate in these programmes learn "the importance of making a commitment to taking care of something in order to reach a goal and obtain an outcome. They learn that effort and persistence are needed to get results, and also that nature has its own laws and cycles that must be respected."

Living laboratories

[According to] executive director of Fundación Logros, Graciela Gancman,

"The greatest contribution is the transfer of knowledge. It is essential to have adequate know-how and sources of information to know what to do in the event of insect infestations, bad weather and other external factors."

One of the keys to success is to ensure a diversity of crops. "If we look back on the gardens planted by our grandparents, who brought this knowledge with them from Europe, they didn’t plant rows and rows of lettuce; everything was mixed up together, a little bit of each vegetable to serve at the family table," she noted.

"This is a basic rule of nature: the greater the diversity, the greater the productivity," stressed Gancman, who referred to the school gardens and orchards as "living laboratories" that enable learning through experience.

Link to the complete article: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=50622

Photo Copyright Bahá'í International Community. View here.

Melissa Horn, dubbed "melancholy Melissa", sings "New York"

2010-03-10T23:15:00.007+01:00

This simple yet enchanting song would reflect much more than its lyrics ostensively communicate.

Regarding the spiritual nature of music, Bahá'u'lláh states:

We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may be lifted up unto the realm on high...

(Kitáb-i-Aqdas 38)

Melissa Horn - New York

(Free translation from the original Swedish song text)

We sit down
Without a word
Like so many times before, you order a glass of wine and I have a cup of tea

And as much as we both want to
More than anything else
Yet it is written on the brow that upon the exctinction of one anxiety, another one appears

We have become like them
Someone's watching us
Is it my thought they regard, or your red cheeks, revealing more

We have become like the ones
Who will never overcome
Who sit silently in some cafe, no one may of course see that he is married and she is free

When I take my leave
And you remain
We both know that this is how you feel when you hold on to secrets

When I take my leave
Without a word
We both know .. mmm

When I take my leave
Without a word
We both know .. mmm

(ORIGINAL -Swedish)

Melissa Horn - New york

Vi sätter oss ner
Utan ett ord
Som så många gånger förut, du beställer ett glas vin och jag en kopp te

Och som vi båda vill
Mer än någonting annat
Så står det skrivet i pannan att man väcker en ångest när man släcker en annan

Vi har blivit som dom
Någon tittar på oss
Är det min tanke hon ser eller dina röda kinder som avslöjar mer

Vi har blivit som dom
Som aldrig får bli
Som sitter tyst på nått café, ingen får ju se att han är gift och hon är fri

När jag går därifrån
Och du håller kvar
Så vet vi båda två att det är såhär man mår när man hemligheter har

När jag går därifrån
Utan ett ord
Så vet vi båda två.. mmm

När jag går därifrån
Utan ett ord
Så vet vi båda två.. mmm

Photo source is here (or here).

Musings 9.3 - nature of teaching

2010-03-10T01:34:00.001+01:00

When teaching (in school or about faith), am I actually teaching how to teach, more than I am conveying pieces of information? This, since my hearers (more especially the younger generations) will probably, when once they become teachers, take after my method and example while the actual facts I've imparted will have been forgotten.

"[D]eeds exert greater influence than words."
- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets 57

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Woman, the equal of man

2010-03-08T22:17:00.004+01:00

Excerpts from the Bahá'í writings regarding equality of the sexes in general, and the special traits of women in particular.

Verily God created women for men, and men for women.

- Bahá'u'lláh #54

The truth is that all mankind are the creatures and servants of one God, and in His estimate all are human. Man is a generic term applying to all humanity. The biblical statement “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” does not mean that woman was not created. The image and likeness of God apply to her as well. In Persian and Arabic there are two distinct words translated into English as man: one meaning man and woman collectively, the other distinguishing man as male from woman the female. The first word and its pronoun are generic, collective; the other is restricted to the male. This is the same in Hebrew. To accept and observe a distinction which God has not intended in creation is ignorance and superstition….

It is my hope that the banner of equality may be raised throughout the five continents where as yet it is not fully recognized and established.

In this enlightened world of the West woman has advanced an immeasurable degree beyond the women of the Orient. And let it be known once more that until woman and man recognize and realize equality, social and political progress here or anywhere will not be possible. For the world of humanity consists of two parts or members: one is woman; the other is man. Until these two members are equal in strength, the oneness of humanity cannot be established, and the happiness and felicity of mankind will not be a reality. God willing, this is to be so.

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation 74–77

The woman has greater moral courage than the man; she has also special gifts which enable her to govern in moments of danger and crisis….

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, London 102–3

In the Divine Creation there is no such distinction. Neither sex is superior to the other in the sight of God. Why then should one sex assert the inferiority of the other, withholding just rights and privileges as though God had given His authority for such a course of action? If women received the same educational advantages as those of men, the result would demonstrate the equality of capacity of both for scholarship.

In some respects woman is superior to man. She is more tender-hearted, more receptive, her intuition is more intense.

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris 161

...men and women have basic and distinct qualities. The solution provided in the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh is not, as you correctly observe, for men to become women, and for women to become men. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave us the key to the problem when He taught that the qualities and functions of men and women “complement” each other. He further elucidated this point when He said that the “new age” will be “an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more properly balanced.”

- The Universal House of Justice, Women, #34

Source: A Compilation on Women. View here.

Posted via web from alexinoslo's posterous

Do challenges in modern-day history arise from new problems or from repeating old mistakes?

2010-03-07T23:51:00.006+01:00

In the article below, the underlying view of the author, which leads him to his negative forecast and conclusion in an otherwise insightful analysis, is that countries' fiscal policies are and will remain motivated by self interest (rather than "enlightened self interest"). This is an anachronism. In the real world, economists and policymakers have long realized the economic interdependence of all nations which has prompted them to support and aid the ones in need. History has taught them the painful lesson deriving from isolationism. Clearly, if any nations (and especially an economic superpower like Germany) revert to the latter, it will certainly spell global financial havoc. But is modern-day history in the habit of stepping backwards?!

True, there will be further financial crises in the decades ahead, but history tells me that these will be brought on mainly by new and hitherto unseen problems, not so much by repeating the mistakes of the past.

Hence the importance of knowing one's history! In the words of Bahá'u'lláh: "The past is the mirror of the future. Gaze ye therein and be apprised thereof" (Tabernacle, 10).

Excerpts from an article in the Toronto Star:

Baleful Greek chorus heralds economic doom

Fri Mar 05 2010

Immanuel Wallerstein

[E]veryone is pointing the finger at someone else....

The Germans [Europe's economic powerhouse and mainstay] don't want [to do anything - i.e. bail out Greece - for the reason that] the internal pressures of [Germany's] citizens who see any help to Greece as money that is being taken away from them, when they too are feeling an economic squeeze....

What these multiple crosscutting analyses of short-term blame and short-term gain miss is that the problem is worldwide and structural. Banks exist to make money. The game Goldman Sachs has been playing (and other banks as well) has...been...with many, many countries....

This is because governments wish to survive... And if they don't take in enough taxes...(both because they don't want to raise taxes further and because a weaker economy means less overall tax income), they must "massage" their accounts by borrowing....

Greece's problems are indeed Germany's problems. Germany's problems are indeed the United States' problems. And the United States' problems are indeed the world's problems....

What is going on is a worldwide game of chicken. Everyone seems to be waiting for who will flinch first. Someone is going to make a mistake. And then we'll have what the American economist Barry Eichengreen has called "the mother of all financial crises." Even China will be affected by that one.

Immanuel Wallerstein, senior research scholar at Yale University, is author of The Decline of American Power: The U.S. in a Chaotic World (New Press).

Source: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/775221--baleful-greek-chorus-heralds-economic-doom

A concatenation of fortuitous circumstances

2010-03-06T22:55:00.008+01:00

(Written 23 January 2010)

The moment is the start of life, when did it actually commence?
I was behind in the race, but, through mysterious forces, soon advanced to a place of Will.
The eternal bond colligates seemingly unrelated events into the tapestry of one's unfolding destiny.
Color strokes from life's palette reproduce ethereal Forms upon the canvas of the effacing soul.

A quotation of 'Abdu'l-Bahá which may have inspired the above, is this:

The most important thing is to polish the mirrors of hearts in order that they may become illumined and receptive of the divine light. One heart may possess the capacity of the polished mirror; another, be covered and obscured by the dust and dross of this world. Although the same Sun is shining upon both, in the mirror which is polished, pure and sanctified you may behold the Sun in all its fullness, glory and power, revealing its majesty and effulgence; but in the mirror which is rusted and obscured there is no capacity for reflection, although so far as the Sun itself is concerned it is shining thereon and is neither lessened nor deprived. Therefore, our duty lies in seeking to polish the mirrors of our hearts in order that we shall become reflectors of that light and recipients of the divine bounties which may be fully revealed through them.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 14

Photo copyright Bahá’í International Community. View here.

Op-Ed Columnist - The Hard and the Soft of the Norwegians

2010-03-04T01:20:00.003+01:00

Excerpt:

...there also is an interesting form of social capital on display [in this astonishing story]. It’s a mixture of softness and hardness. Baalsrud was kept alive thanks to a serial outpouring of love and nurturing. At the same time, he and his rescuers displayed an unbelievable level of hardheaded toughness and resilien...ce. That’s a cultural cocktail bound to produce achievement in many spheres.

The article:

via nytimes.com

The United States, a nation of 300 million, won nine gold medals this year in the Winter Olympics. Norway, a nation of 4.7 million, also won nine. This was no anomaly. Over the years, Norwegians have won more gold medals in Winter Games, and more Winter Olympics medals over all, than people from any other nation.

David Brooks
Read All Comments (301) »

There must be many reasons for Norway’s excellence, but some of them are probably embedded in the story of Jan Baalsrud.
In 1943, Baalsrud was a young instrument maker who was asked to sneak back into Norway to help the anti-Nazi resistance.
His mission, described in the book “We Die Alone” by David Howarth, was betrayed. His boat was shelled by German troops. Baalsrud dove into the ice-covered waters and swam, with bullets flying around him, toward an island off the Norwegian coast. The rest of his party was killed on the spot, or captured and eventually executed, but Baalsrud made it to the beach and started climbing an icy mountain. He was chased by Nazis, and he killed one officer.
He was hunted by about 50 Germans and left a trail in the deep snow. He’d lost one boot and sock, and he was bleeding from where his big toe had been shot off. He scrambled across the island and swam successively across the icy sound to two other islands. On the second, he lay dying of cold and exhaustion on the beach.
Two girls found and led him to their home. And this is the core of the story. During the next months, dozens of Norwegians helped Baalsrud get across to Sweden. Flouting any sense of rational cost-benefit analysis, families and whole villages risked their lives to help one gravely ill man, who happened to drop into their midst.
Baalsrud was clothed and fed and rowed to another island. He showed up at other houses and was taken in. He began walking across the mountain ranges on that island in the general direction of the mainland, hikes of 24, 13 and 28 hours without break.
A 72-year-old man rowed him the final 10 miles to the mainland, past German positions, and gave him skis. Up in the mountains, he skied through severe winter storms. One night, he started an avalanche. He fell at least 300 feet, smashed his skis and suffered a severe concussion. His body was buried in snow, but his head was sticking out. He lost sense of time and self-possession. He was blind, the snow having scorched the retinas of his eyes.
He wandered aimlessly for four days, plagued by hallucinations. At one point he thought he had found a trail, but he was only following his own footsteps in a small circle. ...

Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/opinion/02brooks.html

More Articles in Opinion » A version of this article appeared in print on March 2, 2010, on page A23 of the New York edition.

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An approach to detraction and negativity

2010-03-04T01:12:00.001+01:00

How to meet with negativity and fault-finding?

Silent prayer, I suppose, as well as showing a good example oneself by praising without distinction. What doesn't seem to work is to voice one's disagreement with the negativity (by trying to point to the positive). I find this actually magnifies the negativity (since the la...tter is being used as the premise for what you're saying - better to overlook negativity entirely!).

I'm reminded of these passages from Esslemont's book:

On no subject are the Bahá’í teaching more imperative and uncompromising than on the requirement to abstain from faultfinding....

‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us:—

"To be silent concerning the faults of others, to pray for them, and to help them, through kindness, to correct their faults.
"To look always at the good and not at the bad. If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one, to look at the ten and forget the one; and if a man has ten bad qualities and one good one, to look at the one and forget the ten."

http://is.gd/9DnHC

As well as this quotation of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:

Remember how Adam and the others once dwelt together in Eden. No sooner, however, did a quarrel break out between Adam and Satan than they were, one and all, banished from the Garden, and this was meant as a warning to the human race, a means of telling humankind that dissension—even with the Devil—is the way to bitter loss. This is why, in our illumined age, God teacheth that conflicts and disputes are not allowable, not even with Satan himself.

http://is.gd/9Do6n

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Schools are churning out the unemployable

2010-02-24T01:15:00.006+01:00

An informative article on employment and education issues in the UK. Unfortunately, its tone is rather negative.
In reply, I would say that there will always be faults in the educational and political system. Our task should be to focus on the positive and constructive trends, which certainly DO exist, and to build on these.
(Highlighting is mine.)

From The Sunday Times

February 21, 2010

Schools are churning out the unemployable

by Harriet Sergeant

The latest unemployment figures are a shocker. Eight million adults are “economically inactive”. That means one in five people of working age does not have a job. A new and expanding group, poignantly described as “discouraged” workers, have even given up looking.

They are right to be discouraged but wrong that there is no work. A report out on Friday points out that a fifth of firms and a quarter of employers in the state sector are still hiring — despite the recession. Except they are taking on migrant workers — not our home-grown “discouraged” variety.

The managing director of a medium-sized IT company explained why. High-flyers — Oxford and Cambridge graduates — are still as good as any in the world. His problems come when he tries to recruit middle management. Last year he interviewed 52 graduates — all educated in state schools. On paper they looked “brilliant students”. Each had three As at A-level and a 2:1 degree. He shook his head. “There’s a big difference between people passing exams and being ready for work.”

This was obvious even before the interview began. Of the 52 applicants, half arrived late. Only three of the 52 walked up to the managing director, looked him in the eye, shook his hand and said, “Good morning.” The rest “just ambled in”. When he asked them to solve a problem, only 12 had come equipped with a notebook and pencil.

The three who had greeted him proved the strongest candidates and he hired them. Within a year they were out because of their “lackadaisical” attitude. They did not turn up on time; for the first six months a manager had to check all their emails for spelling and grammar; they did not know how to learn. It was the first time they had ever been asked to learn on their own. Their ability to “engage in business” was “incredibly” disappointing and “at 5.30 on the dot they left the office”.

This year the managing director has joined the 20% of companies recruiting overseas. “We are an English company but we have no English staff. It’s just too much trouble,” he said.

It is the same story with employers at every level in the UK. Sir Terry Leahy, the chief executive of Tesco, put it bluntly. Too many children have been leaving school after 11 or 13 years of compulsory education “without the basic skills to get on in life and hold down a job”. He said 5m adults were functionally illiterate and 17m could not add up properly. “On-the-job training” cannot act as a “bandage or sticking plaster” for “the failure of our education system”.

A CBI survey revealed that literacy and numeracy were not the only problems. More than 50% of employers complained that young people were inarticulate, unable to communicate concisely, interpret written instructions or perform simple mental calculations.

This goes a long way to explain why, of the 1.7m jobs created since 1997, 81% have gone to foreign workers. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) agrees with Leahy. UK citizens are on the dole because of “issues around basic employability skills, incentives and motivation”. It is a pity it has not passed that insight on to the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The DWP has made it clear: work is where the inflated claims for our state education finally hit the buffers. At every stage we have a system in which the expediency of politicians and the ideology of the educational establishment take precedence over the interests of pupils. ...

Read the full article here.

A benefit of adversity

2010-02-23T02:16:00.007+01:00

When you've hit the wall and you experience a crisis this often becomes an impetus to "figure out a new way of doing things.”

Can any change or improvement be effected without facing up to problems? If "no", the first step should then logically be to recognize that a such a problem (or "discrepancy from the ideal") exists.

Now, how would I proceed if I desired to make another (or a group/organization) aware of the existence of a certain problem (and at the same time motivate them to tackle it)?

The following quotations highlight spiritual principles that can shed light on this question. Of particular relevance in this regard could be the powerful influence that "a kindly tongue" can have on one's hearer, as expressed in the first passage.

A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding.
- Bahá’u’lláh

The following passage from the same text will likewise be of interest here:

Consort with all men...in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and good-will.
- Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings 289

'Abdu'l-Bahá sheds further light on the issue, in stating:

...if you wish to give admonition or advice, let it be offered in such a way that it will not burden the bearer.
- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, PUP 453

Finally, a word of warning is given by Bahá’u’lláh against "contention":

Beware lest ye contend with any one, nay, strive to make him aware of the truth with kindly manner and most convincing exhortation.
- Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings 279

Endnote:

This post was inspired by the following passage (from the nytimes.com article "A Vision of Iceland as a Haven for Journalists," available here):

“Throughout the run-up to the crisis [in Iceland] — the bubble — people were so excited with what they were doing,” said Mr. McCarthy, who has an Irish parent but has lived in Iceland since he was 11. “Suddenly that dream disappears. People had the option of sinking into some sort of sadness about it, some national depression, or the alternative, trying to figure out a new way of doing things.”

Consultation really about TRANSCENDING (not /maintaining/) differences among participants

2010-02-19T00:51:00.003+01:00

An excerpt from an enlightening new statement by the BIC on the principle of consultation states:

In consultation, the value of diversity is inextricably linked to the goal of unity. This is not an idealized unity, but one that acknowledges differences and strives to transcend them through a process of principled deliberation. It is unity in diversity.

(Further elaborated:)

Consultation is an approach to collective inquiry that is unifying rather than divisive. Participants are encouraged to express themselves freely as they engage in discussion, yet take care to do so in a dignified and courteous manner. ...

As consultation unfolds, participants strive to identify and apply moral principles relevant to the matter at hand. These may include the equality of men and women, stewardship of the natural environment, the elimination of prejudice, the abolishment of the extremes of wealth and poverty, and the like. This approach, unlike those of partisan confrontation or debate, seeks to shift the deliberation towards a new center, maneuvering away from competing claims and interests to the arena of principle, where collective goals and courses of action are more likely to surface and prevail.

Great value is placed on the diversity of perspectives and contributions that individuals bring to the discussion. Diversity is harnessed to enrich collective inquiry and deliberation. ...

On its own, however, a diversity of perspectives does not provide communities with a means to bridge differences or to resolve social tensions. In consultation, the value of diversity is inextricably linked to the goal of unity. This is not an idealized unity, but one that acknowledges differences and strives to transcend them through a process of principled deliberation. It is unity in diversity. While participants have different views or understandings of the issues at hand, they exchange and explore these differences in a unifying manner within the framework of consultation and out of a commitment to the process and principles that guide it. ...

We conclude by inviting you to join in a collaborative process of inquiry by considering the following questions.
Concerning consultation: ... How can we foster deliberative processes that encourage freedom of expression and build unity among participants? ...
Concerning social integration: How can social tensions be resolved in a unifying framework? ... (Emphasis added.)

Read the full statement here.

Regarding the importance this principle, Bahá'u'lláh has said:

Take ye counsel together in all matters, inasmuch as consultation is the lamp of guidance which leadeth the way, and is the bestower of understanding.
- TB 168

A related news story is found here.
An inspiring story of how a UK township has applied the principle of consultation is here.

Photo source is here.

Knowledge needed for a perfect world available - only need to share/combine it

2010-02-17T00:03:00.001+01:00

From the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá:

In these days the East is in need of material progress and the West is in want of a spiritual idea. It would be well for the West to turn to the East for illumination, and to give in exchange its scientific knowledge. There must be this interchange of gifts.
The East and the West must unite to give to each other what is lacking. This union will bring about a true civilization, where the spiritual is expressed and carried out in the material.
Receiving thus the one from the other the greatest harmony will prevail, all people will be united, a state of great perfection will be attained, there will be a firm cementing, and this world will become a shining mirror for the reflection of the attributes of God.
We all, the Eastern with the Western nations, must strive day and night with heart and soul to achieve this high ideal, to cement the unity between all the nations of the earth. Every heart will then be refreshed, all eyes will be opened, the most wonderful power will be given, the happiness of humanity will be assured. ...
The devoted energetic work of the united peoples, occidentals and orientals, will succeed in establishing this result. ...
This will be the paradise which is to come on earth, when all mankind will be gathered together under the tent of unity in the Kingdom of Glory.
(PT 21-22)

Photo source is here.

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Directing thoughts fruitfully: caring less for material, more for spiritual things

2010-02-16T01:36:00.002+01:00

`Abdu'l-Bahá has said: --

We must strive to attain to [the devotional attitude] ... We can attain to it by thinking and caring less for material things and more for the spiritual. The further we go from the one, the nearer we are to the other. The choice is ours. (On prayer)

A prayer: --

O Thou the Compassionate God. Bestow upon me a heart which, like unto glass, may be illumined with the light of Thy love, and confer upon me thoughts which may change this world into a rose garden through the outpourings of heavenly grace.

Thou art the Compassionate, the Merciful. Thou art the Great Beneficent God.
--`Abdu'l-Bahá, BP 72

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Group's passion spills into street

2010-02-14T21:24:00.001+01:00

Group's passion spills into street

via www2.canada.com

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Atomization of society a root cause of civilization's problems

2010-02-12T12:35:00.001+01:00

(From the publication Century of Light, by The Universal House of Justice:)

In the absence of conviction about the spiritual nature of reality and the fulfilment it alone offers, it is not surprising to find at the very heart of the current crisis of civilization a cult of individualism that increasingly admits of no restraint and that elevates acquisition and personal advancement to the status of major cultural values. The resulting atomization of society has marked a new stage in the process of disintegration about which the writings of Shoghi Effendi speak so urgently.
To accept willingly the rupture of one after another strand of the moral fabric that guides and disciplines individual life in any social system, is a self-defeating approach to reality. If leaders of thought were to be candid in their assessment of the evidence readily available, it is here that one would find the root cause of such apparently unrelated problems as the pollution of the environment, economic dislocation, ethnic violence, spreading public apathy, the massive increase in crime, and epidemics that ravage whole populations. However important the application of legal, sociological or technological expertise to such issues undoubtedly is, it would be unrealistic to imagine that efforts of this kind will produce any significant recovery without a fundamental change of moral consciousness and behaviour.
- Century of Light 90

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