Spiritual emotions and susceptibilities

Love is heaven's kindly light, the Holy Spirit's eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God's revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things.

The light of love is more resplendent in the animal kingdom because the power of attraction whereby elements cohere and cellular atoms commingle now reveals itself in certain emotions and sensibilities which produce instinctive fellowship and association.

Through this love is the accomplishment of Unity among them. By this love all believers become as one. This is the Divine Spirit of Love which gives Life to the world, illumines the temples of existence, restores sight to the blind, causes the deaf to hear, makes the dump speak, and transforms enemies into friends.

To illustrate: thou seest this glass or this water and thou dost comprehend in a subjective manner their constituent parts. On the other hand thou cans't not see Love, Intellect, hate, Anger, Sorrow but thou dost recognize them in a subjective way through their signs and manifestations.

When the ethereal force undulates, light appears in the world. Though its essence remains veiled, yet its waves are known. [In like manner] burning, sighing, and lamentation are plain and manifest, but the reality of love is concealed.

Some material things have a spiritual effect. The spoken words cause a vibration which produces an effect upon the ear. This is material, but the effect is spiritual--that is, the spirit of man feels the effect-- either of gladness or sadness.

Sight is physical; insight is ideal. There are many people who have the power of sight but they lack insight. Insight perceives and unfolds the spiritual susceptibilities of consciousness. It discerns the realities of phenomena.

Question: What are the limitations imposed upon the powers of the Manifestations of God and, in particular, upon their knowledge?

Answer: Knowledge is of two kinds: existential knowledge and formal knowledge--that is, intuitive knowledge and conceptual knowledge.

The knowledge that people generally have of things consists in conceptualization and observation, that is, either the object is conceived through the rational faculty, or through its observation a form is produced in the mirror of the heart.

After the death of Christ the Apostles were troubled and diverged in their thoughts and opinions; later they became steadfast and united. At Pentecost they gathered together, detached themselves from the world, forsook their own desires, renounced all earthly comfort and happiness, sacrificed body and soul to their Beloved, left their homes, took leave of all their cares and belongings, and even forgot their own existence. Then was divine assistance vouchsafed and the power of the Holy Spirit manifested.

Grieve not if none be found to accept the crimson wine proffered by Thy snow-white hand and to seize it in the name of Thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High -- He Who hath appeared again in His name, the Most Glorious. Leave this people unto themselves, and repair unto the Tabernacle of majesty and glory, wherein Thou shalt encounter a people whose faces shine as brightly as the sun in its noontide splendour, and who praise and extol their Lord in this Name that hath arisen, in the plenitude of might and power, to assume the throne of independent sovereignty. From their lips Thou shalt hear naught but the strains of My glorification and praise; unto this Thy Lord beareth Me witness.

In this Day the faculty of hearing exclaimeth, "This is my Day, wherein I hearken unto the wondrous Voice coming from the precincts of the Prison of my Lord, the Perspicuous, the Hearing." And the faculty of sight calleth aloud, "Verily this is my Day, for I behold the Dayspring of glory shining resplendent at the bidding of Him Who is the Ordainer, the All-Powerful." Blessed the ear that hath heard the call, "Behold, and thou shalt see Me."1 and happy the eye that hath gazed upon the most wondrous Sign, dawning from this luminous horizon.

Whoso looketh with his inner eye, however, shall be granted vision, and shall testify to what he witnesseth, exclaiming: "All praise be unto my Lord, the Most Exalted!"

None can draw nigh on this Day save through the heart. Thus hath the Lord of the worlds decreed.

The musk-scented breeze sheddeth its fragrance, and the gentle wind wafting from the garden of roses reviveth the souls of the righteous. Yet, the heedless are as dead and the ignorant fast asleep. The wavering souls are withered and the chilled hearts downcast. For the sun lighteth the eyes of the seeing, not of the blind; the songs of David transport the spirits of the hearing, not of the deaf; and the nectar of eternity is sweet in the mouths of those with taste, not of the dead.

The lightning of inspiration is the medium of communication, and the attractive power of the love of God is the revealer of mysteries.

Strive to make hearts centers of inspiration and souls the arena for the attractive force of heaven.

The mysteries of love are the secrets of the heart, not something perceived by hearing and sight. They are connected and conditioned upon spiritual sensibilities, not upon worldly senses.

For the contingent world - that is, the realm of the senses and the external sphere - in relation to the stations of heart and soul and the world of the heart and spirit, is like the realm of the womb in relation to the world and cosmos. The conditions, realities, determinations, individuations, ordinances, effects, splendor and effulgence of lights of this external reality cannot be imagined, contemplated, described or explained in the world of the womb.

This appearance and disappearance, this concealment and veiling, refers to the intervention of clouds and mists, and this pertains to the vision and sight of these servants who at times are blessed and sustained, and at other times are disappointed and deprived. Alas for us because of this separation! And woe unto us because of this [veil] which hath consumed the hearts of all regions!

O thou who gazest upon the most luminous horizon!

Perspectives differ - one soul's vista is a rose garden while another's is a furnace. One's outlook is the lowest earthly realm while another's is the highest horizon. One's attention, like the lowly worm, is directed beneath the earth, while another's gaze is fixed upon the supreme heaven.

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Both the bat and the chameleon sense the rising of the sun, yet between this perception and that vision lie a hundred thousand leagues of difference.

O servant of God! Every blind one who is endowed with insight in the Cause of God has bright eyes and seeing vision. Although outwardly blind, His Holiness Isaac was in reality possessed of true vision, for the eye is the eye of the heart, not the eye of water and clay.

Though the physical eye was blind, the heart was like the sun, for every noble gift comes from the outpourings and victories of the heart, not from the powers of water and clay.

When the sight of His Holiness Jacob became inflamed, his sense of smell took the place of sight. "Indeed I sense the fragrance of Joseph" he declared from a thousand leagues away.

Deliver My longing greetings to Dr. Berlin and say to him that although he is old in body, yet, thanks be to GOD, he is young in spirit, and although the eyes have become feeble, thanks be to GOD, the perception is strong, and although the power of the body is decreasing, yet, thanks be to GOD, the spiritual power is developing and increasing.

Each of the meetings ye have organized, wherein ye feel heavenly emotions and comprehend realities and significances, is like unto the firmament, and those souls are as resplendent stars shining with the light of guidance.

...Those souls that, in this day, enter the divine kingdom and attain everlasting life, although materially dwelling on earth, yet in reality soar in the realm of heaven. Their bodies may linger on earth but their spirits travel in the immensity of space. For as thoughts widen and become illumined, they acquire the power of flight and transport man to the kingdom of God.

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Thank God that thou wert fed from the table which hath descended from heaven. That food is the "I am the bread which descended from heaven," recorded in the Gospel. That is faith, certainty, love and knowledge.

Love is a spiritual happiness; it is not an alleviating pleasure, and man can never hate it. Knowledge is a spiritual pleasure, and man is never satisfied with it. Faithfulness and fidelity are divine and spiritual enjoyments; one who tastes these pleasures can never have too much of them nor become disgusted with them.

Spiritual enjoyments bring always joy. The love of God brings endless happiness. These are joys in themselves and not alleviations.

When one has nothing in this world and is sick and poor, we call this a material and visible punishment - but when one has all the material things needed and also good health, and suddenly loses a dear child or some other dire calamity befalls him, we call this a spiritual calamity or punishment: for materially, they are in good condition, while in spirit are tormented.

As for the spiritual perfections they are man's birthright and belong to him alone of all creation. Man is, in reality, a spiritual being, and only when he lives in the spirit is he truly happy. This spiritual longing and perception belongs to all men alike, and it is my firm conviction that the Western people possess great spiritual aspiration.

Spirit is Oneness of vision and Knowledge. The mind has many attributes or powers. The Spirit is Conscious Perception. When all the powers of the soul work together and are concentrated upon God, the soul has its highest employment.

For instance, the cow denies God and the Holy Spirit, knows nothing of divine inspirations, heavenly bounties or spiritual emotions and is a stranger to the world of hearts.

The physical beauty of this place is very wonderful. We hope that a spiritual charm may surround and halo it; then its beauty will be perfect. There is a spiritual atmosphere manifest here particularly at sunset.

One must strive with heart and soul to increase spiritual sensibilities day by day.

This means that if man be a captive of physical susceptibilities and be lacking the quickening of spiritual emotions, he is merely an animal. But every soul who possesses spiritual susceptibilities and has attained a goodly portion of the bestowals of the Holy Spirit is alive with the divine life of the higher Kingdom.

This material felicity is wholly secondary, while the exaltation of man resides primarily in such virtues and attainments as are the adornments of the human reality. These consist in divine blessings, heavenly bounties, heartfelt emotions, the love and knowledge of God, the education of the people, the perceptions of the mind, and the discoveries of science.

It is therefore clear that the spirit has powerful perceptions that are not mediated by the organs of the five senses, such as the eyes and the ears. And, with respect to spiritual understandings and inner disclosures, there exists among spiritual souls a unity that surpasses all imagination and comparison and a communion that transcends time and place.

Man does not give out such a light, but man has the kingdom of the mind and it is the light of this kingdom which some see when they love a person very much, and they mistake it for a material light when it is not. This comes from the emotional nature and is an imagination.

O thou who art set aglow with the Fire of the Love of God!

Verily, I read thy long letter and was informed of thy visions, which art for whosoever follows the path of the Kingdom of God.

These visions repeat themselves, pass away, and appear to the human sight every instant; but the matter which hath stability and upon which confidence is laid, is the bounty of the Kingdom of God and the Center of Lights.

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Verily, I consider not thy thoughts, but I consider thy heart, forasmuch as thoughts are moving like unto seas - one wave comes after another goes, and they have no stability. But the heart, whenever it becomes pure and tranquil, the lights will of necessity shine therein sooner or later.

Question: What is the source of evil thoughts that disturb those who do not wish to entertain them? Answer: They come from other minds; they are reflected.

I hope thou mayest become the cause of awakening the sleepers and the means of awareness for the heedless, and strive in bringing joy and delight to the hearts of the friends.

A dear woman present brought up some theories of spiritual causation. Just at that moment they were seving salad.

"If all the spirits of the air", laughed 'Abdu'l-Baha, "were to congregate together they could not create a salad! Nevertheless the spirit of man is powerful; for the spirit of man can soar in the firmament of knowledge, can discover realities, can confer life, can receive the divine Glad-Tidings. Is not this greater than making a salad?"

These are the divine virtues, such as patience, courage, love, mercy, and judgment - your own judgment, through the bounty of the Gracious Lord. One must learn to distinguish black from white, light from darkness; one should listen to the response of the spirit and receive the answer to perplexing problems.

Man possesses two kinds of susceptibilities: the natural emotions, which are like dust upon the mirror, and spiritual susceptibilities, which are merciful and heavenly characteristics.

There is a power which purifies the mirror from dust and transforms its reflection into intense brilliancy and radiance so that spiritual susceptibilities may chasten the hearts and heavenly bestowals sanctify them. … The natural emotions are blameworthy and are like rust which deprives the heart of the bounties of God. But sincerity, justice, humility, severance, and love for the believers of God will purify the mirror and make it radiant with reflected rays from the Sun of Truth.

Not every utterance is worthy of acceptance, nor is it permissible to trust every soul. The people of God must be true assayers, distinguishing the pure from the impure among men.

Verily, he in whose heart is My love is indeed independent of the worlds, for he possesseth the Most Great Treasure, the Supreme Store, and Absolute Wealth.

Yet those who are content with pottery shards will not purchase them even for a pittance, for they cannot distinguish between pottery and pearl-shell, nor know the difference between a gem and a stone or clod of earth.

They have turned away from Him Who, from the first day until now, has called all humanity to the straight path and the mighty announcement, and instead they have clung to the manifestations of idle fancies. They have not attained even a drop from the ocean of fairness. Calumnies and idle fancies have prevailed and continue to prevail. Glory be to God! The sea of inner meanings surges before their faces, yet they cling to a mere pond.

Say: O servants! The Sun of certitude has risen - bind not your hearts to vain imaginings. The Dawning-Place of utterance is speaking and voicing forth - turn not to idle fancies. The pure water of knowledge and the crystal stream of certitude are flowing and coursing from the cup of the All-Merciful's utterance - render them not turbid with unseemly sayings nor pollute them with rejected mentions.

In this day the tastes of men have changed, and their power of perception hath altered. The contrary winds of the world, and its colors, have provoked a cold, and deprived men's nostrils of the sweet savors of Revelation.

The physical eye cannot distinguish sweet water from bitter -- rather this has always required and will require taste. And if even taste is altered by illness, it will be unable to perceive. We beseech God to grant a pure and refined spiritual taste that can distinguish between the divine Kawthar and the bitter salt of selfish passion.

Whereas before we were dead we became alive. We were inert we became active. We were sleep we became awakened. We were negligent, we became aware.

Now what a vast difference exists between these two groups! It is for this very reason that ability and capability are the revolving axis of our progress. Without the realization of these two qualities, the Favors of God will have [no] effect.

The heat of seeking produces the Kawthar of attainment, and the heart's burning brings forth the Salsabil of grace. Yet this Kawthar shows the effects of spirit, for it does not diminish but rather increases. This station belongs exclusively to those who drink the wine of love from the countenance of the All-Merciful.

These are they who drank from the pure fountain of certitude and, passing beyond the realm of words and suppositions, attained unto the ocean of inner meanings.

O Gul-i-Mawla! How many were the dervishes who became wanderers in the deserts of longing in remembrance of their Lord, and swimmers in the oceans of yearning, spending their days mentioning the Beloved in cities and marketplaces, yet never attained His presence in His days.

How many a servant hath lamented in separation, yet when the Sun of reunion dawned from the horizon of manifestation, he denied God, the Single, the All-Informed.

However, in the eyes of those endowed with vision who gaze toward the Most Great Horizon, those souls who turned away from the Truth and who wander in the wilderness of fancy and ignorance were and shall ever be the true prisoners.

The limbs of existence have trembled with the fear of God, yet the people understand not.

Otherwise, in days of glory when the breezes of divine power are passing by, all have claimed and will claim to love the Beauty of the All-Glorious. But that claim depends upon another test, for it is not known whether the cause was outward circumstances or the Divine Spirit itself.

But the love which sometimes exists between friends is not (true) love, because it is subject to transmutation; this is merely fascination. As the breeze blows, the slender trees yield. If the wind is in the East the tree leans to the West, and if the wind turns to the West the tree leans to the East. This kind of love is originated by the accidental conditions of life. This is not love, it is merely acquaintanceship; it is subject to change.

O ornament of the assured ones and delight of the eyes of the seekers! The world is in tumult and ferment, and humanity is intoxicated and bewildered. But their aims and conditions are different and diverse - one is inebriated from the overflowing divine cup, while another is drunk and proud from the wine of vanity. Some are dancing and rejoicing from the eternal wine of recognition, while others are unconscious and suffering from the deadly poison of heedlessness and error.

O thou who art intoxicated and sober! Upon thee be the Glory of God, His grace, His generosity and His beneficence throughout the ages! Intoxicated and bewildered by what? By the wine of divine love! Alert and sober from what? From the dawning of infinite lights and beholding the signs of the Lord of Mercy!

Although bewilderment in one station is beloved and acceptable, as the Prince of the Chosen Ones, may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake, has said: "Lord, increase my wonderment in Thee" - for such bewilderment arises from beholding the lights of the revelations of the Beloved.

In such a case an ignorant man knows more than the one who thinks himself wise and he who is lost in bewilderment is superior to the one who claims knowledge.

Increase my bewilderment in Thee, O Lord!

O thou who art yearning for the vision! The light of truth hath so appeared that insight hath become true vision, and metaphor hath taken on the appearance of reality. Knowledge of certainty hath become vision of certainty, nay rather, it hath become joined with truth of certainty.

O thou who wanderest in the wilderness of the love of God! Purify and cleanse the soul's sense of smell from the excessive moistures of the contingent world, that the fragrance of the rose-garden of the Abha Kingdom may perfume it.

When the ocean of divine love surged in his heart, he became acceptable at the Divine Threshold. His words, though contrary to convention, did not prevent the spiritual fragrances from reaching him. Outwardly he was rejected, but inwardly he was recognized. He was a true lover, for what he expressed came from sincerity.

When I contemplate, O my God, the relationship that bindeth me to Thee, I am moved to proclaim to all created things "verily I am God!"; and when I consider my own self, lo, I find it coarser than clay!

O concourse of spirits!

Ye shall be prevented from My love, for hearts cannot contain Me, souls cannot bear Me, and minds cannot sustain Me.

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Orientation is spiritual connection and attachment, and seeking guidance is a divine matter of the heart through divine inspiration, and the remembrance of thy Gracious Lord is through spiritual attraction sanctified from directions, for all directions are His directions.

O Mihdi! Consider the unburdened heart as an ocean, and the heart that is clouded by the dust of the world as the eye of a needle.

Abdul-Baha answered:

"No, no! I must get accustomed to my natural ways. This would not do. One must never accustom himself to anything the absence of which may disturb his comfort."

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The more the conscience of man develops, the more will his heart be free and his soul attain unto happiness.

One is when a healthy person focuses his whole attention upon a sick person, and the latter in turn fully expects to be healed through the spiritual power of the former, and is wholly convinced thereof, to such an extent that a strong connection is created between their hearts. Should the healthy individual then bend every effort to heal the sick one, and should the latter have full faith that health will be attained, an excitement may be produced in his nerves from these soul-to-soul influences and bring about the cure.

It must therefore be treated by means of medicines which conduce to the adjustment and equilibrium of those elements; otherwise, however much a man may recite invocations or meditate, his thirst will not be quenched. There is no doubt that at times joy of heart assisteth health and causeth pain to be alleviated; but this is not so in every place and at every time. We are now speaking of divine healing and spiritual remedy, beside which physical treatment is of no great account.

We answered that we were very happy to be there with Him but that when we thought of our faults we were unhappy. He replied emphatically, "Think not of yourselves, but think of the Bounty of God. This will always make you happy."

When I was a young man I was devoted to music. So charmed and delighted was I with it that even an Arab clapping two sticks together in rude rhythm gave me great pleasure. Now my love for these things has gone completely. On the steamship crossing the sea a great modern orchestra played each night. The passengers listened to it with the deepest interest and enjoyment. But although the music was the very finest, the orchestra modern and most excellent, I found it occupied and disturbed my thoughts to such an extent that I retired to quiet reflection upon spiritual things.

Remembrance of God is like the rain and dew which bestow freshness and grace on flowers and hyacinths, revive them and cause them to acquire fragrance, redolence and renewed charm.

Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest.

Through worship man becometh spiritual, his heart is attracted, and his soul and inner being attain such tenderness and exhilaration that the Obligatory Prayer instilleth new life in him.

And to recite it once with joy in thy soul is better than reciting it a thousand times without joy.

O maidservants of the Most Merciful! The recitation of verses and prayers causes attraction and ignites the fire of love for the Lord of Lords.

When we pray to God, a feeling fills our heart; this feeling is the language of the spirit which speaks to God. When in prayer we are detached from all outward things save God, then it is as if in our hearts we heard the voice of God. Without words, we speak, we communicate, we talk with God, and hear the answer.

O Lord, enlighten my sight by beholding Thy lights in this dark night, and make me happy by the wine of Thy love in this wonderful age.

In reality thou art spiritually hungry and athirst for the Water of Life. Therefore I send to thee spiritual food and bestow upon thee the Water of Life Eternal. That food is the divine advices and exhortations revealed in the Tablets and the spiritual outpourings of the breath of the Holy Spirit.

I hope ere long it will reach thee and thou wilt behold what an exhilaration and beatitude it produceth and what cheerfulness and serenity and what heavenly emotions it createth.

And whoever has attained to this supreme honor and mighty gift will not be held back from the Most Great Horizon and the Lord of Power by the adornments, riches and might of the world. The beauty of the world will not captivate him, nor will its dominion and majesty frighten him.

This letter was written in the Hijazi melody and sent forth, and this writing is cast in the Persian tongue so that thou mayest hear the sweet songs of the soul from the divine nightingale and receive the wondrous melodies of the Beloved from the spiritual bird, that thou mayest step into the lane of the Friend and become detached from all else but Him.

Man must never get satisfied. He must ever be thirsty. There is nothing worse in this world than satisfaction from thirst. Man must drink from every fountain. His Holiness Baha'u'llah says: 'Your thirst must be so great that if you quaff the seven seas of the world you may yet be thirsty and dry.'

Now that pure seed is growing more verdant and refreshed, day by day, and becometh more manifest. This is why thou findest thyself possessing more and more spiritual sentiments.

True love and sincere attraction, when they enter the body with mother's milk, leave with the soul. Surely it will reach perfection and become the source and end of an outpouring from the Abha Kingdom.

Now you must polish the mirror of capacity so that moment by moment the lights of the Sun of Reality may shine more brightly.

The waves of that sea are continually lapping against the hearts of the friends, and from those waves there come intimations of the spirit and ardent pulsings of the soul, until the heart giveth way, and willing or not, turneth humbly in prayer unto the Kingdom of the Lord.

O Thou kind and loving Providence! The east is astir and the west surgeth even as the eternal billows of the sea. The gentle breezes of holiness are diffused and, from the Unseen Kingdom, the rays of the Orb of Truth shine forth resplendent. The anthems of divine unity are being chanted and the ensigns of celestial might are waving. The angelic Voice is raised and, even as the roaring of the leviathan, soundeth the call to selflessness and evanescence. The triumphal cry Ya Baha'u'l-Abha resoundeth on every side, and the call Ya Aliyyu'l-'Ala ringeth throughout all regions. No stir is there in the world save that of the Glory of the One Ravisher of Hearts, and no tumult is there save the surging of the love of Him, the Incomparable, the Well-Beloved.

But know this: The lamp of God shall be lit, and His brilliant star shall shine upon the assemblage of humanity. His ocean shall surge, and the leviathan of the heavenly sea shall roar. The songbird of the rose-garden of Baha shall warble with blissful rapture, and the nightingale of the bower of the Lord shall chant its eternal song. Thereupon shall the hearing ear, attuned to the song of the nightingale, hearken to the divine call, proclaiming: "Sanctified be the Lord! This is the songster of My paradise!

In brief, today is the time for calling out and the season for proclamation and teaching God's Cause. If thou canst, like a divine herald and celestial caller, raise a call to those intoxicated with the wine of ignorance, and from the overflowing cup of the recognition of the Supreme Luminary of the realm of the invisible, bring them to consciousness. Awaken them and make them aware; from the sleep of heedlessness and the intoxication of ignorance, make them drunk and bewildered with the soul-nourishing wine of the love of the Almighty King. This unconsciousness is the pride of consciousness, and this intoxication is the essence of awareness and vigilance.

The very dust of the Threshold of His Beauty is the loftiest throne of the realities of existence, for it is there that His Beauty is revealed in the visible realm. And yet, alas! Where is the eye capable of discernment? Where is the ear fit to hear, and the heart worthy of comprehending? Blessed are those who inhale the musk-laden fragrances wafting from that Holy Shrine.

Know its value, and although its grace is not apparent now and its signs are not evident, yet soon, like the manifest dawn, it will become clear and evident how great this bounty was - that in such days, unknown ones like you and me could be present at this threshold like the truthful ones and succeed in attaining such grace and favor.

Your coming here is like one who will go to the sea-shore; if he does not know how to swim, he cannot go in the water and he will always remain on the shore. Or it is as one who enters a garden and through a cold, being unable to smell, will not inhale the perfume of the flowers; or it is also, as a man who will go to [a] fountain of sweet water, and unless he is thirsty he will have no share of that sweet water.

When a person is up there alone at night, especially a moonlight, and meditates, all things speak to him. His spiritual susceptibilities are awakened and through these he hears, not through his physical ears.

O thou handmaid, faithful and believing!

The hearts of all the friends rejoiced, and in particular, the heart of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, when we heard of thy rising up to serve the Cause of God, and that thou hast set apart one of the rooms in thy home for meetings of the lovers of God, so that from it may ascend to the Lord of Revelation the clamour of chanted prayers.

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Make ye an effort in every meeting that the Lord's Supper may become realized and the Heavenly Food descend. This Heavenly Food is Knowledge, Understanding, Faith, Assurance, Love, Affinity, Kindness, Purity of purpose, Attraction of hearts and the Union of souls.

The mention of Truth is the cause of vitality and expansion and happiness and success, and is conditional upon spiritual sensibilities. All else is confused dreams and waves of mirage.

If you wish to drink wine, become intoxicated with the wine of the love of God, and if you seek joy and delight, arrange gatherings with the melodies from the holy gardens.

This is the heart and soul's desire - to drink a cup of the divine wine, to become intoxicated with divine love, and to become independent of all stimulants.

Whatever is in the heart of man, melody moves and awakens. If a heart full of good feelings and pure voice are joined together, a great effect is produced. For instance: if there be love in the heart, through melody, it will increase until its intensity can scarcely be borne; but if bad thoughts are in the heart, such as hatred, it will increase and multiply.

Music is a divine art and capable of unlimited progress. It uplifts human soul towards his Maker and opens before the vistas of his eyes, the fair panorama of heavenly Bliss. The parents must see to it that their children are taught the best, classical music, such masterpieces that refine the souls and etherealize the aspirations. The life of a person who has learned to appreciate the artistic value and moral significance of music is redolent with brightness, health and joy. In every object he will see symmetry, proportion, beauty and concord.

'Abdu'l-Baha's supreme joy is in observing that a number of leaves from among the handmaidens of the Blessed Beauty have been educated, that they are the essence of detachment, and are well-informed of the mysteries of the world of being; that they raise such a call in their glorification and praise of the Greatest Name as to cause the inmates of the Fanes of the Kingdom to become attracted and overjoyed, and that they recite prayers in prose and poetry, and melodiously chant the divine verses.

There are some people who are moved to delight by the call of the angel, and some by the cry of the rooster. One group is stirred by the screech of the eagle, and another by the caw of the raven and the croak of the crow. Some are moved to excitement by the songs of meadow birds, others by the voice of the jackdaw and magpie.

O thou maid-servant of God! Be tranquil and know, verily, that indeed, the Holy Ghost in this glorious age teacheth every soul that is sincerely faithful, firm and drawn to the Kingdom of the Great Lord.

I had such a longing that I used to read the contents of this book all the time. Often I would get up in the middle of night, light the candle and then read and read this book without understanding its meaning. The effect of those prayers was so great that I would weep over them.

Colors affect the spirit and soul through the mind. Observations are also of two kinds. One type of observation influences the soul, causing joy and gladness and expansion and relief, or sadness and depression and contraction. Thus when one gazes upon gardens and meadows and trees and verdure, it produces joy and delight in the soul. The soul is affected. These are beneficial observations and influences. However, if one's gaze falls upon repugnant sights, the spirit becomes weary and melancholy. The soul is affected.

Cleanliness and purity are among the requirements of faith. When one's garments are clean, one becomes refined and attaineth unto spirituality. When one entereth a house that is clean, one experienceth spirituality. Conversely, if one entereth a place that is unclean, one's spirit becometh depressed, especially if there be offensive odours.

This is the Lord's supper. Sometimes the material things have a spiritual effect. For inst[ance], music is material but has an effect over the spirit. A sweet perfume is material, but its effect is spiritual. Cleanliness is material, but has an effect upon the spirit. It is our hope that although this is material food, yet it may have a spiritual efect.

We have heard the voice of thy pleading, O Pen, and excuse thy silence. What is it that hath so sorely bewildered thee?

The inebriation of Thy presence, O Well-Beloved of all worlds, hath seized and possessed me.

Say, O concourse of ardent lovers! The Countenance of the Desired One hath shone forth, unveiled and conspicuous.

This is the month wherein the gardens of Paradise were adorned with the lights of the countenance of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and the Dove cooed upon the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, and the hearts of them that are nigh were attracted, yet most of the people remain heedless. Blessed is he who hath recognized Him and known Him Who was promised in the Books of God, the Mighty, the Praised.

Take heed lest the promptings of the self debar you from meeting your Beloved, Who hath come down from the heaven of inner meaning arrayed in His great glory.

But if a sanctified eye would turn away from the ashes of vain imaginings, it would behold the Daystar of this Revelation shining resplendently above the highest peaks of the mountain of true understanding.

I swear by Him Who is the Eternal Truth! Through thee the eyes of the inmates of the Exalted Paradise have been gladdened. The people, however, are utterly heedless. Were We to reveal thy station, the hearts of men would be sorely agitated, their footsteps would slip, the embodiments of vainglory would be dumbfounded, would fall down upon the ground, and would thrust the fingers of heedlessness into their ears, for fear of hearing.

They are the ones who have sailed on the ark of complete independence, with their faces set towards the Dayspring of Beauty. How great is their blessedness that they have attained unto what their Lord, the Omniscient, the All-Wise, hath willed. Through their light the heavens have been adorned, and the faces of those that have drawn nigh unto Him made to shine.

Thus have the breezes of life wafted from the gardens of the mercy of the Bountiful One and encompassed all things great and small.

From every direction the cry of Ya Baha'u'l-Abha is raised, and in every clime the wanderers in the desert of the love of God are in the utmost state of enkindlement - they are wise yet enraptured, intoxicated with divine love and heavenly passion.

O ye who are inebriated with the draught of His Covenant! It is time to pass beyond the desolate wilds of remoteness, so that ye may reach the retreats of the Beloved, drink your fill from the wine of the bestowals of the All-Merciful, hold a heavenly festival, deck forth the stage for a spiritual celebration, and, to the strains of harp and lute and the melodies of the Concourse on high and the songsters in the meads of holiness, break into sweet lays and wondrous tunes in praise and glorification of the Abha Beauty.

We gaze upon one another with the eye of the heart and are free from the bonds of others. … Weep like the cloud and laugh like the rose and like the narcissus open watchful eyes and like the violet become intoxicated and bewildered from the wine of the love of the kind Beloved.

If thou knewest in what spiritual state I write this letter, thou wouldst surely become like a flame of fire and set aglow the hearts by the fire of the love of God.

Drunk and yearning, raise up a song of the purity and sanctity of the Living, the Almighty God, till East and West are bewitched, and North and South set ablaze.

Glad tidings! The light of the Sun of Truth hath shed its radiance from the East! Glad tidings! The heavenly powers are set in motion! Glad tidings! The powers of the earth are quaking! Glad tidings! The sun of religious imitation is clouded! Glad tidings! The moon of superstition is eclipsed! Glad tidings! The stars of worldly glory have fallen!

O ye who are enamored of that loving Friend! To each one He hath given a desire and an object of pursuit, to every head a secret, and to every heart a passion.

O Abdullah! Consider the words of Ansari who said: "My God, if Thou shouldst but once address someone as 'My servant,' his laughter would transcend the Throne." And now, manifestly and evidently, the King of Creation has addressed thee from the realm of oneness by this name. Through the grace of the All-Merciful, thou must become so intoxicated and attracted by the choice wine of the utterances of the Lord of all creation that the heat of thy love may influence the hearts of men.

This word "O My handmaiden" is more excellent and ancient than the crowns of all the queens of the world; nay, all have been and shall ever be as nothing and non-existent when compared with its mention. Know thou the station of this most great bounty and preserve it as the apple of thine eye.

Thou hast perfumed thy nostrils with the sweet savours wafting from the Divine rose-garden. Well is it with thee! Blessed, doubly blessed art thou! By God, the True One! Wert thou to recognize and comprehend what God hath ordained for thee, thy heart would rejoice with exceeding delight, thy breast would be filled with gladness, thine eyes would be cheered, and thy soul would be exhilarated.

That which is meet should be made ready in Our presence, that it may be sent. Be ye thankful though ye have not partaken, and render praise though ye have not seen. This station is one intended and worthy of regard. Verily, He is the best of those who purpose.

If you comprehend this bounty and become aware of it, you will manifest such joy and gladness that the cares and sorrows of this ephemeral realm will not affect it.

Become intoxicated from the immortal cup and be refreshed and enamored of the ocean from the pure fountain.

Attain unto spiritual life and heavenly joy, seek mighty gladness, and find novel spirit and fragrance.

Discover repose for thy soul and tranquility of conscience.

Therefore, enter thou completely into this divine Kingdom; that is, acquire heavenly bliss and beatitude and turn thy face to the Luminous Realm, so that the hurtful powers may be dispersed at once, eternal felicity, composure and tranquility become realized, the heart find glad-tidings, the soul, peace, and even the body, grace and beauty.

O Friends of God! Now is the time for joy and gladness, for acquiring the characteristics of the All-Merciful.

O thou who gazest upon the Kingdom of Divine Sanctification! In this summer season, in the month of June, in the afternoon when its heat is like fire, this servant, in this hot place which cannot be endured, is happy, joyous and glad in remembrance of the friends of God, such that the heat of the air has no effect and the intensity of the warmth has no influence. Rather, it is like the fire of the garden of Paradise, with freshness and boundless delicacy.

He will be like unto a sea on the surface of which one may see huge white waves, but in its deeps it is calm, unruffled and undisturbed. If he trusts his happiness to worldly objects and fluctuating conditions he is doomed to disappointment.

Abdul Baha: Sometimes joking is necessary. Otherwise we would get depressed. The Blessed Beauty said, 'In every twenty-four hours, two hours must be spent in a way that will cause happiness.'

All these examples are to show you that the trials which beset our every step, all our sorrow, pain, shame and grief, are born in the world of matter; whereas the spiritual Kingdom never causes sadness. A man living with his thoughts in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy. The ills all flesh is heir to do not pass him by, but they only touch the surface of his life, the depths are calm and serene.

Although the loved ones of God have attained a bounty whose joy and delight has no beginning or end, like the surging of the mighty ocean, for they gaze upon the Kingdom of Holiness and, like rays of the sun, are not tainted by the turbidity of the physical worlds due to their extreme delicacy. And if any weariness sometimes arises, it is a quickly passing condition like waves on the surface of the sea, while in its depths there is stillness and calm, tranquility and dignity, spirit and joy and light.

In truth, were man to attain the stage of certitude in his spiritual development, no affliction could ever depress his spirits, though he would undoubtedly be influenced by reason of his human susceptibilities.

Rejoice thou in the joy of the spirit - if sorrow touch thee, sorrow not, and if joy reach thee, joy not, for both shall pass away and have no permanence. What endureth is that which thy Lord hath ordained.

If today a soul attains unto the ocean of joy, at all times they will witness with their outer and inner sight the evanescence of the world and the loss of its people. And they reach a station where the troubles of the dusty world and the clouds that rise from it do not disturb them, and the veils of the world do not prevent or conceal them from the Dayspring of Revelation.

Today you should be so carried away by the sweet savors of the divine verses and the fragrances of the robe of the All-Merciful that no sorrow can overtake you. The source of sorrow is heedlessness of the Truth, and the wellspring of joy is faith in the Self of the Manifestation.

Look thou within thine own heart: when thou seest it made joyous through the love of Baha'u'llah, grieve not, seek not pain, be not sorrowful, let not thy heart bleed.

O thou flame of God's love! What thou hast written hath brought great joy, for thy letter was as a garden from which roses of inner meanings spread abroad the sweet exhalations of the love of God.

Close your eyes to the world and detach your heart from aught else save the Beloved, and with perfect composure rest upon the cushions of certitude.

Though thou art alone and without means, yet thou art accepted at the Threshold of God and mentioned in the Kingdom that hath no peer or likeness. That Beloved One, the Kind, is the companion of distressed hearts and the intimate friend of everyone who is friendless and without protector.

O Jamshid! Be thou patient in separation and be not distressed within thyself, and be of them that are patient. Then beseech God that He may bring about a reunion between us and you, for verily He hath power over all things.

However, attraction and yearning and longing appear more strongly in separation and parting, for the sweetness of attainment may possibly extinguish the fire of seeking, as hath happened with some who in this journey have drawn nigh unto nearness and meeting, and have remained wholly veiled.

When the pen reached the description of this state, the power of expression withdrew and the book of explaining this separation was rolled up.

For a time he was a shepherd in this tumultuous desert, tending the sheep belonging to the divine feast. From morning till night he dwelt in these deserts in his own state of joy, singing subtle, true melodies in love of the Ancient Beauty and composing songs.

The more the hope of attaining union grows stronger, the more intense becomes the fire of longing. Therefore a strong body is needed to bear it, not this weak one, for this weak one would collapse at the slightest flame. The hearing and the union must occur in a single moment, that perchance the spirit may be granted victories and recall the records of separation, for the more His fire becomes manifest and evident, the more it adds to the rank and station of the Presence of Union, which is the station of the Divine Presence.

This delay in Haifa, too, hath been a divine gift, for it hath led thee to breathe the sweet savours of God and inhale the musk-laden fragrances.

Let them not be saddened by the lack of permission to come hither. He verily commandeth them that which profiteth them. Whosoever hath turned to the Most Exalted Horizon and accepted the Ultimate Truth is accounted among those souls whose mention hath been revealed in God's Book, both past and future.

Let not thine heart grieve over what hath befallen thee. Wert thou to scan the pages of the Book of Life, thou wouldst, most certainly, discover that which would dissipate thy sorrows and dissolve thine anguish.

Know thou that every hearing ear, if kept pure and undefiled, must, at all times and from every direction, hearken to the voice that uttereth these holy words: “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.”

No sooner did she behold the face of her son, than she spoke to him such words as caused the hearts of the lovers of God, and beyond them those of the Concourse on high, to cry out and be sore pained with grief.

In truth, those that are guided solely by their reason would be unable to perceive the sweetness of this cup, but the ardent lovers will be overjoyed and enraptured by the holy ecstasy which this wondrous draught doth produce. Every discerning observer who hath gazed upon the countenance of that graceful Beloved was prompted to lay down his life as a martyr, and every receptive ear which had hearkened unto that celestial melody suffered its listener to become so enravished with joy as to offer up himself without hesitation as a sacrifice.

But the Bab Himself attached no importance to this uproar and tumult, and, alike on the road and in the castles of Maku and Chihriq, evening and morning, nay, day and night, in extremest rapture and amazement, He would restrict Himself to repeating and meditating on the qualities and attributes of that absent-yet-present, regarded-and-regarding Person of His.

Day and night he was engaged in the remembrance of Truth and remained distant and detached from all else. He possessed an illumined heart and a joyous spirit. He too arrived in the Land of Mystery and became aware of the mystery of truth. Day and night he remained quiet and silent, and in gatherings he was attentive and cognizant.

In winter come the storms, and the great winds blow, but then will follow spring in all its beauty, adorning hill and plain with perfumed plants and red anemones, fair to see. Then will the birds trill out upon the branches their songs of joy, and sermonize in lilting tones from the pulpits of the trees.

Similarly were there no tests and trials, no hardships and afflictions the attractions of consciousness could not be realized, the spiritual Fragrances could not be obtained not merciful happiness could be acquired and the beauties of the super-mundane springtime would not have been disclosed.

Still, as the believers of God are turning to the limitless world, they do not become very depressed and sad by disastrous calamities--there is something to console them; but the others in no way have anything to comfort them at the time of calamity. Whenever a calamity and a hardship occurs, they become sad and disappointed, and hopeless of the bounty and the mercy of the Glorious Lord.

In these days the winds of tests are intensifying, and some divine friends stand firm like mighty mountains in perfect calm and assurance, while some of the weak ones languish forgotten in corners of obscurity.

Although the trials of these days are severe and have rendered most people lifeless, those who have been enkindled with the fire of God and have attained to His love are not veiled by trials. Rather, the more severe the trials become, the more their fire of love surges forth.

O thou who art mindful of the remembrance of God! Today a trembling has seized the pillars of the world and tumult has seized the hearts of the world and severe agitation has gained ascendancy over the heedless concourse and bewilderment and confusion have encompassed all.

After a while, Abdul-Baha said: "We are continually working hard, writing and writing, encouraging and urging so that the fire of the love of God may be ignited in the hearts. Then suddenly you see one come and put it out."

If thou art seeking after spiritual tranquility, turn thy face at all times toward the Kingdom of ABHA. If thou art desiring divine joy, free thyself from the bands of attachment.

Be not grieved if the trash of the world is decreased in thy hands, for thy brilliant heart is a great treasury, inasmuch as every heart which trusts in the grace of its Lord is illumined through the lights of its Creator and it is one of the treasuries of the Kingdom, filled with the wealth of His divine world and heavenly bounties. This is a great wealth!

Praise be to God, you have many spiritual children and many other heavenly sisters and brothers - why then are you sad? This physical son will also, God willing, ultimately become a spiritual child.

Indeed, the grief and sorrow of those who are nigh and sincere arise only when they witness from someone, God forbid, a deed from which the fragrance of treachery or wrongdoing emanates.

Every comfort vanishes and every trouble and hardship comes to an end. Look to the consequences of matters and yearn for eternal comfort and joy.

O handmaiden of God! Although thou art weak and sickly in body and subject to Job-like afflictions, yet praise be to God, thou art strong in spirit and in the utmost love and joy.

Youthfulness depends upon the heart and spirit and not upon the physical body of man.

The spirit and heart are at the height of strength. Last night I arose at midnight. For some time I was awake. The whole time I was thinking about my own shortcomings and seeking forgiveness.

You are enkindled by the burning fire in the human tree, your souls are aflame, and you are laughing and weeping with your hearts. When you recall the endless favors you laugh, and when the fire of love blazes forth you weep. This weeping is better than a thousand joys, and this crying causes attraction to the Most Glorious Kingdom.

The Light of the body is the eye. The eye of conscience stands between the power of knowledge and the spiritual world. Does your soul feel as sure of God as your eye is sure of Nature? "Blessed are the pure in heart; they shall see God."

The ultimate truth is that among true friends and spiritual companions, since there are mutual heart attractions and souls support one another, love naturally takes on a different luster and acquires another power due to this connection.

The soul dances to the music of the words of the Friend.

In any case, the pen cannot inscribe the secrets of heart and soul, and ink does not have the capacity. Both pen and letter are strangers - only heart to heart can tell the state of lovers.

There is no mightier bond in the world of being than the attachment of the heart. Even a chain of steel hath not the same degree of strength.

When man's soul is rarified and cleansed, spiritual links are established, and from these bonds sensations felt by the heart are produced. The human heart resembleth a mirror. When this is purified human hearts are attuned and reflect one another, and thus spiritual emotions are generated. This is like the world of dreams when man is detached from things which are tangible and experienceth those of the spirit. What amazing laws operate, and what remarkable discoveries are made! And it may even be that detailed communications are registered...

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O thou who art uttering the mention of God! Know, that the pure hearts upon which the mysteries of the Kingdom of God are printed and pictured, are reflections one upon another and thus the one can discover the secrets of the other, because such hearts are only mirrors confronting each other on which the secrets of unity, affinity and concord are printed and reflected.

O ye two signs of guidance! One should not complain of separation, but should fear deprivation. For separation is the parting of bodies, while deprivation is the exclusion of heart and soul and the denial of spirit and consciousness.

This connection is heavenly and this love is a divine bounty. Otherwise, what relation could there be between the prisoner of the prison of 'Akka and the free one in the mansion of Tehran?

At every instant, I beg for you assistance, bounty, and a fresh favor and blessing, so that the confirmations of Baha'u'llah may, like unto the sea, be constantly surging, the lights of the Sun of Truth may shine upon you all and that ye may be confirmed in service, may become the manifestations of bounty and that each one of you may, at dawn, turn unto the Holy Land and may experience spiritual emotions with all intensity.

If a small number of people gather lovingly together, with absolute purity and sanctity, with their hearts free of the world, experiencing the emotions of the Kingdom and the powerful magnetic forces of the Divine, and being at one in their happy fellowship, that gathering will exert its influence over all the earth. The nature of that band of people, the words they speak, the deeds they do, will unleash the bestowals of Heaven, and provide a foretaste of eternal bliss. The hosts of the Company on high will defend them, and the angels of the Abha Paradise, in continuous succession, will come down to their aid.

It is my hope that this glad-tiding may increase day by day and the harmony and concord may reach to such a degree that the heart of ‘Abdu'l-Baha may obtain joy and fragrance; for today there is left for him no other heartfelt happiness save the spiritual susceptibilities of the believers of God.

Though the divine friends may be physically distant and separate from each other, in spirit they are intimate and familiar in the court of the manifestation of light. All are flowers of one garden and trees of one paradise, waves of one sea and birds of one summit, breezes of one paradise and rain from one cloud.

Observe how much joy and composure this grieving heart obtains from the sweet fragrances of the gardens of fellowship of the friends of God.

But as the saying of the great ones goes, "That which cannot be fully attained should not be fully abandoned." Therefore, with a dull tongue and ailing body, I venture to express and submit that the sprinkling which descended from the cloud of thy gracious heaven upon the soil of words, and the outpouring which was bestowed from the rain-laden cloud of thy mercy upon the essences of allusions, became a light and entered the hearts of the yearning ones, and became a joy and descended upon the breasts of the sorrowful ones.

My thoughts are turned towards you, and my heart leaps within me at your mention. Could ye know how my soul glows with your love, so great a happiness would flood your hearts as to cause you to become enamored with each other.

O faithful friend! If you were aware of the emotions of pure love and sincere affection that stir in my heart, and the attraction to beholding the radiant faces of the righteous ones and conversing with those who are free and detached from the fetters of self and passion and the chains of ignorance and blindness, you would surely feel compassion and weep, saying: "Where are you, O my loving companion and intimate associate during the dark nights when veils and curtains are drawn?"

He wept and laughed, spoke and listened, until the meeting drew to a close. At times he bloomed like a flower, and at times like a wine-vessel he was full of tumult and commotion. I too became joyous from his intense gladness and delight.

When your letter is read, if it indicates happiness, a breeze of joy wafts, and if signs of sorrow appear, it has a profound effect.

Baha hath been abashed by finding thee abashed in His days, and Baha hath been perturbed by finding thee perturbed at what hath escaped thee beneath His shade. Sorrows have seized Me upon learning of thy grief in the Cause of thy Lord, and I have been moved by the stirring of the Lote-Tree of thy love, which the winds of thy Lord's loving-kindness have set in motion.

By My life! Baha hath been set aflame by the burning of your hearts and the yearning of your souls.

O thou who art enkindled with the fire of the love of God! Every tear that flowed from thine eyes, preventing thee from writing, became a cup of the water of life and made a profound impression upon thy heart. Therefore thy weeping became the cause of joy.

O Amatu'l-Baha! Day and night all the Leaves are engaged in remembering thee and await the receipt of news of thy recovery and well-being, that through the bounty and assistance of the Abha Beauty - may my spirit be sacrificed for His friends - thou mayest return with utmost radiance and joy....

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Observe how loving this brother is, that at the Most Great and Glorious Threshold he remembered his brothers and beseeched grace and favor.

Although it is one letter, since its expressions spring from the feelings of a yearning heart, it has the effect of a thousand letters.

Nevertheless, at this moment I am engaged in remembering you with the utmost joy and delight, and occupied with writing. But the essential thing is that the heart is associated with your remembrance and filled with sweetness, and this comes from the musk-laden breath of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, spiritual letters are continuously being sent from the world of the heart; a spiritual messenger is present and a divine courier is manifest. Open the ears of awareness and hear that melody and song that constantly reaches the ears of the heart and nourishes the soul and spirit.

Therefore, even if one does not receive a response to one's messenger and message, letter and greeting regarding one's aim and purpose, still one remains like the ocean in its surging, like floods in their overflowing, like mountains in their dignity, like birds in their heart-pleasing sighs and lamentations.

However, this laxity in expressing love did not arise from the severance of the thread of love, and this negligence in showing eagerness did not stem from forgetting the covenant and pledge of affection.

Despite this, when they engaged in writing to you, the fatigue departed, the weariness vanished, became agile and nimble, and galloped in the field. The trouble became a mercy, and the hardship became comfort to the soul.

The sweetness of expression lies in the delicacy of meanings and indication of spiritual love, conscientious attractions, and merciful sentiments - especially if written upon the surface of the vast ocean and evidence of this ailing one's intense attachment to the glorious friends.

O dear friend! Your esteemed letter brought spiritual joy and bestowed inner delight. Its meanings were like the melody of lute and harp in the love of God, and evidence of reason, culture and wisdom.

O thou who hast addressed Abdul-Baha!

Verily, I pray my Lord to teach thee a language and writing of the Kingdom which will satisfy thee, so as to dispense with all things; for that spiritual writing and instructive tongue are eloquent, clear, laudable, legible, read by the tongue and preserved in the heart.

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But our original language is that of the Kingdom in which we are all co-linguists, that is, Spiritual Susceptibilities, whereby the parts are associated. For instance: I am in Acca, but My heart associates with the American friends. I am ever engaged in their remembrance and I implore, saying: 'O GOD! Confirm them. Make possible for them development in all the grades and planes.'

This is the best language."

Look into your heart and see the answer. The answer is what is written on the tablet of your heart.

Verily by beholding that face, my heart hath been delighted and refreshed. For pictures of this kind have a real and significant influence upon spiritually minded people.

At the time I met you and felt the susceptibilities of your conscience my heart and soul became greatly attached to that dear friend (i.e. yourself) and the utmost love was produced, and the spiritual emotions were obtained.

You must have met with the attracted handmaiden of God Mrs. Maxwell before going to Japan, for that handmaiden is enkindled with the fire of the love of God and whoever associates with her feels spiritual emanations from her. Fellowship with her causes the progress of souls.

Every fragrance has its effect for an hour and perfumes for a moment, except the fragrance of love for that Merciful Beloved, which has an everlasting effect and perfumes the nostrils with an eternal fragrance.

Spiritual sensibilities have reached such a degree that hearts have taken on the character of a single heart, and souls the character of a single soul.

Thy grief hath grieved Me, and thereby was grieved he who was present before the Face with a sorrow that saddened the Concourse on High.

She then asked for an explanation of the following coincident: "Two people of opposite sex (a male and female) meet and are suddenly attracted. They at the same moment feel as if they were charged with the same great force and a great spiritual upliftment comes. A union seems to have been made between their spirits in the invisible - it is as if they had been caught up in the air into a higher realm"

He was looking out of the window with a faraway look yet intensely interested and conscious of every word spoken.

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...for several weeks after this occurred when they met it was as if they were still electrified. They could hardly speak to each other and this condition still exists in a lesser degree. What was this experience?

Answer: This was a spiritual condition recognized through the physical senses. When those souls came together it was as if the spiritual love and joy was so great it could not be borne or contained. It was not a physical attraction but a spiritual union. The bodies were not seen or thought of. It was just as if two clear crystal goblets were filled with pure water. They were so clear the goblets could not be seen - only the water. And it kept rising and rising higher and higher until the water overflowed and was united. Or like two pieces of iron: they are dark and cold but, when heated in the fire of love, they become so hot that when they touch each other they unite into one piece and are so bright you cannot tell the iron from the fire. They are one in it.

Question: Is this meeting and union lasting or is it just for the moment of realization and then these two souls are separated?

Answer: This is a spiritual union which is eternal. They cannot be separated, for it is of the spirit and realities of the spirit are eternal. This union is the strength of two united into one - one person cannot do the work of two. If this chair were very heavy two could lift it better than one - one could lift one side but the two could lift the entire chair. So this spiritual oneness enables greater work. It is the work of two in one: a perfect whole. One is dependent upon the other to create this force and strength.

Question: Is this influence still felt - the current that seems to vibrate between these two souls and of which each is conscious, which has existed ever since that night of union - is it right or is it purely physical and therefore to be overcome?

Answer: It is spiritual and alright.

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There are persons with whom you associate and converse whose utterances are life-imparting, joy-giving. The withered and faded are refreshed, the joyless become happy, the extinct become enkindled and the lifeless are quickened with the breaths of the Holy Spirit.

Association with people differs greatly - if one deals with the proud and haughty, hardness of heart results, but when one associates with the mindful, it increases one's spirituality.

You must not look at the quality of the thing served at the table, you must always consider whether your host loves you or not. If he loves you and the food served is seasoned with love then there is no better food than that.

May you become adorned and confirmed with such deeds and actions that they may become the pure seeds.

… Therefore you must appreciate the value of this gift so that each one of you may become a lamp lighted with the Fire of the Love of God; day unto day you may be drawn nearer unto God in order that your hearts be inspired with divine Inspirations.

Do not let the desires of the self find a place within you; for it is certain that when you reach the highest station of spirituality one worldly desire can cause your downfall. The spirit is like a bird; when it flies in the air it is always mounting. But the self is like the hunter who is thinking all the time how to catch the bird.

The important requirement is the Love of God in the heart. For instance, we say a lamp gives light. In reality, the oil which burns produces the illumination, but the lamp and the chimney are necessary before the light can express itself. The Love of God is the light.

O steadfast believer! Faith is like unto a lamp, the heart is as the glass, and the limbs and members are as the niche. When this lamp is lit within the glass of the heart, its radiance shines upon the limbs and members, and the light of the lamp and the delicacy of the glass combine, and "light upon light" is realized....

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This image and reflection will be eternal, for through this reflection the perfections of the Supreme Concourse, which are the image of the Beauty of Abha, will find eternal impression in hearts.

The fruits of the tree of human life are the Love of God, magnetic, spiritual susceptibilities, heavenly illumination, the knowledge of God, praiseworthy attributes, good morals and conducts.

The source of the excitation of the physical emotions is the material nature of man but the mainspring of the appearance of spiritual susceptibilities is the spiritual nature which is the foundation for all human progress.

This matter of the regeneration of the moral life of man is quite important. One finds himself in a wonderful spiritual atmosphere which is impossible to describe; he finds himself a ruler over all things, he is the controller and the master of his own destiny, he gains strength and illumination, he becomes like unto the ray of the Sun.

How fortunate are the people of this gathering who listen to their words with spirituality and humility, and you, O pure and gentle hearts who strive to promote the happiness of the human world and propagate lofty thoughts and guidance for humankind.

O namesake of the Most Desired One! Open the eye of outward vision in the arena of existence, that thou mayest behold the verses of the Supreme Concourse inscribed, recorded and confirmed in clear script upon the scroll of the horizons. And observe with care the pure and delicate pages of creation, that thou mayest perceive the images of the most glorious Kingdom.

True listening consisteth in man's first perceiving with the ear of his spirit the call of the All-Merciful, and then remaining so steadfast in observing the divine precept and command that were he to witness from the peoples of the world naught save denial, enmity, and rejection, he would in no wise be deflected from walking in the Straight Path of God.

Blessed is he who possesseth eyes to see and recognize, ears to hear and arise, a heart to turn in devotion, and a countenance to direct itself in attention.

Blessed is the eye that no veils of names nor clouds cast by the people of creation prevented from beholding the Most Exalted Horizon.

The possessors of divine mysteries have said: "Knowledge is the completion of that which is known, and power and might are the completion of creation." Therefore when the heart of man is sanctified from doubt, uncertainty, misgivings, and the promptings of self and desire, it perceiveth knowledge in all things and learneth from all things.

Make manifest with such fervor as shall kindle the hearts of the heedless ones, and hold fast under all conditions unto wisdom.

O thou who hast turned to the Countenance! When thou drinkest the choice wine of knowledge from the ocean of My utterance, remind the people with wisdom and exposition of what hath been revealed in the Tablet, that perchance they may arise to what they missed in the days of their Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

When any sweet-singing bird chants a pleasing melody, it becomes more stirred and moved than other birds. This is the path of the sincere ones, this is the way of those firm and steadfast.

When you possess these divine susceptibilities, you will be able to awaken and develop them in others. We cannot give of our wealth to the poor unless we possess it. How can the poor give to the poor? How can the soul that is deprived of the heavenly bounties develop in other souls capacity to receive those bounties?

When, by thy godly conduct and demeanour, thy fervour, thy chaste and lucid utterance, thou shalt have succeeded in winning the affection of one and all, then shall the portals of heavenly guidance be opened wide; then shall the bounteous cup be borne around and all the souls that drink therefrom be inebriated with the wine of holy mysteries and truths.

O thou whom God hath aided with hosts from the Concourse on High!

Your noble letter with its gracious contents brought boundless joy and delight, for it indicated that your health is moderate and the conclusive book is nearing completion.

… If the book were completed during winter and you could travel to Tehran in spring it would be most suitable, but your comfort and peace of heart are foremost to me above all else.

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For example, if one goes into a garden and associates with flowers, one will surely inhale the beautiful fragrance, but if one goes to a place where there are bad-scented plants, it is sure he will inhale an unpleasant odour. In short, I mean that you will try to be with those who are purified and sanctified souls.

Verily, he has much advanced in this journey. He received another life, and obtained another power. When he returned Gregory was quite another Gregory. He had become a new creation.

O ye sons and daughters of the Kingdom!

Your letter dated September 30 of this year hath been received, and from the contents it became clear and evident that the fire of the love of God hath burst into a flame in that regionâ€"a flame that can illumine the whole world and transform the East and the West into a field for the knights of the Kingdom.

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Thus active souls and vigilant people rest neither by day nor by night; they strive to be closely linked to the divine Kingdom and thereby become the manifestations of infinite bounty and ideal gardeners for these forests.

We have finished our work here. We have sown a seed. Many souls have been attracted and transformed. Every day we have seen gifts such as fruit, flowers, honey and sweets which have been placed here anonymously and without show. This is a proof of the sincerity of their hearts.

You have hidden pearls of inner meanings in the shell of your heart - bestow them upon ears.

O ye who have quaffed an intoxicating draught from the cup of fidelity to the Covenant! Thanks be to His Holiness the Self-Subsistent that ye are come beneath the shadow of the Mighty Tabernacle, and arrived within the Abha Paradise, in the Illumined Garden. Ye are transported by the wine of fidelity to the Covenant, and stirred into a tumult by the heat of the fire of the love of God.

Consider how the lover can inhale the fragrance of the Spirit itself from mere camel wool because Uways of Qaran was a camel driver. Thus if our senses were spiritually alert how acutely might we be aware of the Joseph of the Love of God from his beauteous robe whose physical expression is found, in effect, among the friends of God.

On the one hand, I was deeply touched, for thou hadst sheared off those fair tresses of thine with the shears of detachment from this world and of self-sacrifice in the path of the Kingdom of God. And on the other, I was greatly pleased, for that dearly-beloved daughter hath evinced so great a spirit of self-sacrifice as to offer up so precious a part of her body in the pathway of the Cause of God.

To put it briefly, spiritual susceptibilities must reach this stage, they must become heavenly. Physical susceptibilities are of an animal nature and it is heavenly enlightenment which is worthy of man.

"Therefore, when the unity of the members of the Committee is established, their second duty is to read the verses and communes, to be in a state of commemoration and mindfulness, that they may see each other as if in the presence of God.

Beware lest there appear from you that which would distress hearts. Hold fast unto what is seemly and put your trust in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

At this hour the Wronged One is bewildered and astonished, for He observeth that every fire is extinguished and quenched by a single cup of water. What manner of fire is this that hath been kindled in the heart of the Wronged One - neither the waters of the opposition of the divines have prevented it, nor the oceans of the tyranny and objection of the school.

But those with unseeing eyes were astonished at this tumult, and they cried, 'Where is the light?' and again, 'We see no light! We see no rising sun! Here is no truth. This is but fantasy and nothing more.' Bat-like they fled into the underground dark, and there, to their way of thinking, they found a measure of security and peace.

Blessed is he who loves the world simply for the sake of the face of his generous Lord. With perfect compassion and mercy have we guided and directed The people of the world to that whereby their souls shall be profited.

I supplicate God that thy spiritual sight be opened so that thou mayest behold the mysteries of the Kingdom and become the cause of ease, adornment, reconciliation, faithfulness and uprightness in the human world.

Therefore, ask God that you may become a source of spiritual divine relief and the cause of spiritual joy and delight, so that you may become the very soul of the lovers and the very spirit of the yearning ones.

In the world of being, servitude to the loved ones of God is freedom in both worlds and tranquility of heart and soul. It is spiritual sovereignty and a divine bestowal.

O thou who art assured by the signs of God! If some defect should afflict thy physical hearing and some weakness befall thy unheeding ear, grieve not and be not sorrowful, for the merciful hearing and the spiritual, attentive ear shall be opened through the grace and bounty of the divine words.

Bodily relationships may pass; even two sisters may be inimical to each other, but the spiritual relationship is eternal, and brings about mutual love and service.

Once 'Abdu'l-Baha was walking on the slope of Mount Carmel and observed a nun pilgrim who was going up the mountain with a great humility, attraction, and enkindlement, and singing anthems of praise and glorification. Her spiritual state affected him for she was weeping and singing most sweetly, thanking God for the Glorious previlege of pilgrimage to His Mountain.

That which is incumbent upon thee is to ensure the contentment of the family of the Twin Martyrs - may the Glory of God rest upon them. Wert thou to ponder a while, thou wouldst know of a certainty that what hath befallen is, and ever shall be, an inestimable honour.

For phenomena in general, there is one virtue. It is innate virtue. For example, this tree: its verdure is innate; its flowers are innate; they are creational. It does not interfere with them. It has no will of its own. As to animals, all their virtues are innate. The sun, its virtues are innate; therefore, there is no credit to be given to it... Are you grateful to any of these? Not especially, as they are innate, involuntary virtues. But the virtues of man are acquired... Therefore, for man there is need of the acquiring of virtues.

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Come ye for harmony! To behold the Star of Day! Come here for kindliness, for ease! Come here for amity and peace!

Come and cast down your weapons of wrath, till unity is won! Come and in the Lord's true path each one help each one.

Having testified, therefore, unto mine own impotence and the impotence of Thy servants, I beseech Thee, by the brightness of the light of Thy beauty, not to refuse Thy creatures attainment to the shores of Thy most holy ocean. Draw them, then, O my God, through the Divine sweetness of Thy melodies, towards the throne of Thy glory and the seat of Thine eternal holiness.

Thou well knowest, O my God, my Best-Beloved, that naught can quench the thirst I suffer in my separation from Thee except the waters of Thy presence, and that the tumult of my heart can never be stilled save through the living fountain of my reunion with Thee.

I have found no contentment save in Thy love, no exultation except in Thy remembrance, no eagerness but in obedience to Thee, no joy save in Thy nearness, and no tranquillity except in reunion with Thee, notwithstanding that I am conscious that all created things are debarred from Thy sublime Essence and the entire creation is denied access to Thine inmost Being.

Were they to discover the sweetness of Thy remembrance and apprehend the excellence of the things that are sent down upon them from the right hand of the throne of Thy majesty, they would cast away all that they possess, and would rush forth into the wilderness of their longing after Thee, that the glance of Thy loving-kindness may be directed towards them and the radiance of the Day-Star of Thy beauty may be shed upon them.

I am ashamed to make mention of Thee, and whenever I desire to remember Thee, I am held back by the evidences of Thy greatness and the manifestations of Thy might and power.

Out of the pure milk, drawn from the breasts of Thy loving-kindness, give me to drink, for my thirst hath utterly consumed me. … Before the throne of Thy oneness, amid the blaze of the beauty of Thy countenance, cause me to abide, for fear and trembling have violently crushed me.

These are my eyes before Thy face, beseeching from Thee that which befitteth Thy bounty, and declaring: O my God! Thou didst create me to behold Thee; I implore Thee not to deprive me. And these are my ears, declaring: Thou didst bring me forth from nothingness to hearken; O All-Bountiful One, deny me not the power to hear.

I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Most Great Ocean was stirred, to create attentive ears and receptive souls and perceiving eyes and radiant faces that they may hear Thy verses as Thou desirest.

We perceived from it the fragrance of thy turning, thy devotion, thy humility and thy submissiveness to this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped. Blessed be thy tongue, for it hath spoken the truth; and thy face, for it hath turned toward the lights of the Countenance; and thy heart, for it hath turned to the One, the All-Informed.

O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my sanctuary, Whose court is my goal, Whose remembrance is my wish, Whose affection is my solace, Whose love is my begetter, Whose praise is my companion, Whose nearness is my hope, Whose presence is my greatest longing and supreme aspiration!

They who have been inebriated with the wine of Thy knowledge, these, verily, hasten to meet every manner of adversity in their longing to pass into Thy presence.

For whatsoever may befall me from Thee is the cherished desire of them who thirst to meet Thee, and the supreme aspiration of such as have drawn nigh unto Thy court.

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God, my Master, and my Ruler! Thou seest me a victim of every tribulation, a target for every shaft, and exposed to every spear. Not a day passeth but that swords are drawn against me and afflictive darts are hurled successively at the breast of this servant of Thine who standeth poor and desolate amongst Thy creation. And yet, Thou seest how my heart is filled with joy through the breaths of Thy holiness, how my soul is enraptured by the signs of Thy oneness, how my eyes are solaced by beholding Thy lights, and how my spirit is exhilarated by the gentle breezes wafting from the meads of Thy loving-kindness! I pay no heed to these shafts and spears, nor am I perturbed by any other matter.

Whenever I wander, O my God, in the wilderness at eventide, I behold that the birds return to their nests, and the sheep to their folds, and the beasts to their lairs, while I find myself bewildered and distracted, knowing not whither to go nor to whom to turn, for all the people have driven me from their lands and all mankind have cast me out from their dwellings, until I remain alone and solitary in creation, not knowing which way to direct my steps, to which country to turn, or where to dwell.

But for the burning of their souls and the sighing of their hearts, they would be drowned in the midst of their tears, and but for the flood of their tears they would be burnt up by the fire of their hearts and the heat of their souls. Methinks, they are like the angels which Thou hast created of snow and of fire.

The restlessness of every sea hath been stilled, but not the restlessness of this Ocean which moveth at the bidding of the winds of Thy will.

The raptures of my longing for Thee and the fragrances of Thy raiment have so seized me that patience and composure have departed from me.

Draw me nearer unto the river that is life indeed, for my soul burneth with thirst in its ceaseless search after Thee. My sighs, O my God, proclaim the bitterness of mine anguish, and the tears I shed attest my love for Thee.

The fire of my heedlessness has burned me - where is the fountain of Thy grace, O Beloved of those in the heavens and earth? The hosts of vain imaginings have weakened me - where is the dawning of the Sun of Thy knowledge, O Worshipped One of the sincere?

Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! Whenever I consider my self and my deeds in Thy kingdom, bewilderment and sorrow seize me to such degree that I become despairing of the sweet fragrances of Thy glorious mercy and deprived of the glances of Thine eye of grace. Yet whenever I turn, O my God, to the wonders of Thy mercy and the gems of Thy bounty, the breezes of assurance waft upon me from the direction of grace and loving-kindness.

O my Lord! I am a sinner, and Thou art the Forgiver. I am intoxicated with the wine of heedlessness; grant me awareness.

Lethargy hath encompassed me and my heart hath fallen from the heights of acceptance.

O Lord! Free me from these chains and fetters, draw me unto the Kingdom of Beauty, breathe into me the spirit of life, expand my breast through manifest signs, resurrect me from the grave of torpor, awaken me from the couch of slumber, illumine mine eye with the vision of lights, cause me to hear the songs of birds, gather me with the righteous ones, and let me drink from the cup of the pure ones until I become intoxicated with the wine of mysteries.

O Lord! Thou seest her trembling from fear of Thee. I implore for her healing and care and rest and tranquility by Thy command, O Thou through Whom the hidden mystery and the veiled decree were made manifest!

O God! The trials Thou sendest are a salve to the sores of all them who are devoted to Thy will; the remembrance of Thee is a healing medicine to the hearts of such as have drawn nigh unto Thy court; nearness to Thee is the true life of them who are Thy lovers; Thy presence is the ardent desire of such as yearn to behold Thy face; remoteness from Thee is a torment to those that have acknowledged Thy oneness, and separation from OAThee is death unto tThee is death unto them that have recognized Thy truth!

As the adversities deepened, and the troubles sent down by Thee compassed Him on every side, He became so impassioned by His thought of Thee, that the hosts of all them that had disbelieved in Thee and repudiated Thy signs ceased to affright Him.

O Lord! The hearts are heedless - awaken them through Thy call from the realm of contingent being. The minds are bewildered - make known to them the meanings of Thy verses through clear proof. The outer and inner eyes are blind - remove the veil through conclusive evidence, O my Lord, the All-Merciful! The ears are deaf - cause them to hear the melodies of the Nightingale of divine exposition.

O my Lord! Cause me to speak Thy praise, illumine my sight through the light of Thy knowledge, cause me to hear Thy Call, and quicken me with the spirit of Thy grace. Make me rejoiced at the melodies of the birds of Thy holiness, and make me a servant to Thy maid-servants.

Whenever I desire to sit still, the fire of longing and yearning causeth me to arise, and whenever I wish to remain silent, the wondrous tokens of Thy Cause move me to speak, O Illuminator of the horizons and Master of the Day of Separation!

O spiritual friends of 'Abdu'l-Baha! Your blessed names were observed and a wonderful state came over me, joy and delight appeared, and attraction of heart and soul was achieved, until I undertook writing this letter and wished to express these conscious feelings, but I cannot, for they are beyond expression and sanctified above words and utterances.

O our Lord! Turn our faces unto Thy merciful countenance, feed us from Thy heavenly table with Thine abundant grace, assist us with the hosts of Thy supreme angels and confirm us through the holy ones of the Kingdom of Abha.

Send unto him a gentle breeze from the garden of Thy sanctity in Thy Kingdom of ABHA, so that he may be refreshed and developed as a flourishing branch in that adorned and thickly planted grove; cause his tongue to speak Thy praise among mankind and confirm him through the breath of Thy Holy Spirit at the time of prayer, so that he may become a soul unto bodies, a light unto every eye, a joy to every heart, a consolation to every depressed one, a happiness to every grieved one, and a proof to every gazer!

Verily, I read thy recent letter which showed thy strong love, thy being ablaze with the fire of the love of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praised, and the penetration of the Spirit of Truth in thy limbs, nerves, veins, arteries, bones, blood and flesh, until it hath taken the reins of power from thy hands and moveth thee as it willeth, causeth thee to speak in what it willeth and attracted thee as it willeth. This is becoming of whatever heart is replenished with the spirit of the love of God.

Catalogue reference: AB01860 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.