’Idál, 07 Qawl (Speech), 180 B.E.
Reflections on the Life of the Spirit
Quote for Reflection:
These energies with which the Daystar of Divine bounty and Source of heavenly guidance hath endowed the reality of man lie, however, latent within him, even as the flame is hidden within the candle and the rays of light are potentially present in the lamp. The radiance of these energies may be obscured by worldly desires even as the light of the sun can be concealed beneath the dust and dross which cover the mirror. Neither the candle nor the lamp can be lighted through their own unaided efforts, nor can it ever be possible for the mirror to free itself from its dross. It is clear and evident that until a fire is kindled the lamp will never be ignited, and unless the dross is blotted out from the face of the mirror it can never represent the image of the sun nor reflect its light and glory. — Bahá’u’lláh 1
Questions for Consideration:
What potential does a lamp have?
What potential does a mirror have?
What do you have to do to a lamp so that it can give light?
What do you have to do to a mirror so that it can reflect light? 2
Google Bard Response:
The analogy of the candle, lamp, and mirror in the quote by Bahá’u’lláh is used to describe the latent potential that exists in the human soul.
- The lamp has the potential to give off light. However, this potential is not realized until the lamp is ignited. Just as the lamp cannot ignite itself, the human soul cannot fulfill its potential on its own. It needs divine guidance and human effort to unlock its full potential.
- The mirror has the potential to reflect light. However, the mirror’s surface must be clean and free of dust in order to reflect the light accurately. Similarly, the human soul must be free of worldly desires and attachments in order to reflect the divine light within.
- To ignite the lamp, a spark of fire is necessary. This fire represents divine guidance or inspiration. Without this spark, the lamp will remain dark. The human soul, too, needs divine guidance to realize its full potential.
- To clean the mirror, it must be polished and maintained. This polishing represents human effort and self-discipline. Without proper cleaning, the mirror will remain cloudy and imperfect. Similarly, the human soul must be purified and developed through spiritual practice and moral conduct to reflect the divine light accurately.
In summary, the lamp represents the potential of the human soul, the mirror represents the ability of the human soul to reflect the divine light, and the fire and polish represent the divine guidance and human effort that are necessary to realize this potential and ability.
- Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed November 28, 2023. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/gleanings-writings-bahaullah/3#644909549. ↩
- Ruhi Institute. Reflections on the Life of the Spirit. 4.1.2.PE May 2020. Vol. Book 1. 6 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Institute, 2020, 3. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#RLS ↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 