Kamál, 02 Mashíyyat (Will), 183 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
The Guardian regrets that, in the light of the Master’s statement that the deliberations of Assemblies must be secret and confidential, it is not possible to have a non-Assembly member in the National Spiritual Assembly meeting. You must always remember that, in matters of principle, there can be no deviation; in America it may be possible for you to find a wholly trustworthy believer; but if your Assembly is permitted to have non-Assembly secretaries present, then the same privilege must be accorded oriental and Latin American Assemblies; and can these other countries be assured of finding people of the calibre you have found? Highly personal subjects, damaging to the honour and happiness of others, are often taken up by National Assemblies, and the danger that confidence will be betrayed is already great enough with the 9 chosen representatives of the whole Community, let alone introducing non-Assembly members. You will just have to make your minutes a little more compact and sacrifice, if necessary, a certain amount of efficiency in order to follow this very important principle. — Shoghi Effendi [1]
Question for Consideration
Teach me about Bahá’í consultation. [2] [3]
Gemini Notebook Response — Spiritual Atmosphere and Qualifications:
Before entering into discussion, consultation begins by establishing a prayerful and loving atmosphere. [4] [5] [6] Meetings typically open with prayer, scripture readings, or quiet reflection to help participants set aside personal agendas and align their motives with service to the common good. [4] [5] [6] [7]
‘Abdu’l-Bahá outlines seven “prime requisites” for those engaging in consultation: [6] [8] [9]
- Purity of motive and radiance of spirit. [6] [8] [9]
- Detachment from personal self-interest and preconceived outcomes. [6] [8] [9]
- Humility, patience, and servitude toward humanity. [6] [8] [9]
- Attraction to divine guidance and absolute love and harmony among participants. [6] [8] [9]
Be the Voice of…
Therefore, all souls should consider it incumbent upon them to investigate reality. Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind. Reality is the love of God. Reality is the knowledge of God. Reality is justice. Reality is the oneness or solidarity of mankind. Reality is international peace. Reality is the knowledge of verities. Reality unifies humanity. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. [10]
Footnotes
[1] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. CONSULTATION: A COMPILATION. February 1978, Revised November 1990. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/063488098
[2] Gemini Notebook. “Spiritual Atmosphere and Qualifications.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. September 27, 2026. Conversations That Matter: A Protagonist’s Guide to Consultation Based on Bahá’í Principles
[3] Transformative Leadership Education Staff. “Unite, Decide, Thrive: Using Consultation to Improve Decisions” (Free Online Course). Transformative Leadership Education. https://tinyurl.com/courseconsultation
[4] Gemini Notebook. “The Baháʼí Seven-Step Framework for Collective Consultation.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. September 9, 2026. The Lamp of Guidance: Bahá’í Principles of Consultation
[5] Warwick Bahá’í Bookshop. “Bahá’í Consultation – Making Successful Decisions.” Bahá’í Library Online. https://bahai-library.com/warwick_consultation
[6] Gemini Notebook. “Spiritual Foundations of Bahá’í Consultation.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. September 10, 2026 The Lamp of Guidance: Bahá’í Principles of Consultation
[7] Perplexity Computer. “Conversations That Matter: A Facilitator’s Checklist.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. September 23, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/tasks/cdb5daf3-7578-482c-b05c-d63852d90880
[8] The Bahá’í Faith Staff. “Consultation Quotes.” Bahá’í International Community. https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/universal-peace/articles-resources/consultation-quotes
[9] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. CONSULTATION: A COMPILATION. February 1978, Revised November 1990. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/644110934
[10] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/628985716
