Tag: consultation

Daily Frameworks for 19 July 2026

Jamál, 07 Kalimát (Words), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

As material and physical sciences are taught here and are constantly unfolding in wider vistas of attainment, I am hopeful that spiritual development may also follow and keep pace with these outer advantages. As material knowledge is illuminating those within the walls of this great temple of learning, so also may the light of the spirit, the inner and divine light of the real philosophy glorify this institution. The most important principle of divine philosophy is the oneness of the world of humanity, the unity of mankind, the bond conjoining East and West, the tie of love which blends human hearts. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

Question for Consideration

From a Bahá’í perspective, how can spiritual principles be applied in the voluntary/informal sector to find ways that work and begin to transform the public and private sectors? [2]

Perplexity Deep Research Response: Part V-d

The Mechanism of Transformation: From Voluntary to Public and Private

The Bahá’í view of how voluntary-sector experimentation translates into broader societal transformation rests on several mutually reinforcing mechanisms: [3]

Institutional learning

As voluntary organizations accumulate experience with alternative approaches — new models of governance, new metrics of success, new practices of consultation and accountability — that experience becomes available to public and private actors who are looking for solutions to the failures of their current approaches. The culture of learning that Bahá’í communities have developed — systematic action-reflection-consultation cycles — can itself be adopted by public and private organizations. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Footnotes

[1] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/650712298

[2] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as a Laboratory: Bahá’í Spiritual Principles and the Transformation of Society.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. July 18, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/9ecfa362-6f2c-499e-b451-8198a188f127

[3] Zabihi, Selvi Adaikkalam. “The Baháʼí Experience: Religious Community and Social Change.” Great Transition Initiative, November 2023. https://greattransition.org/gti-forum/movement-experiments-adaikkalam-zabihi/

[4] Universal House of Justice. “26 November 2012 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/034206579

[5] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. TABLETS OF THE DIVINE PLAN. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/688588589

[6] Universal House of Justice. TURNING POINT: 1996-2006, SELECTED MESSAGES OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE AND SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/246043539

[7] Universal House of Justice. “31 December 2025 – To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/916990526

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 The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.

Daily Frameworks for 17 July 2026

Istiqlál, 05 Kalimát (Words), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

Alas, notwithstanding the laudable efforts, in every land, of well-intentioned individuals working to improve circumstances in society, the obstacles preventing the realization of such a vision seem insurmountable to many. Their hopes founder on erroneous assumptions about human nature that so permeate the structures and traditions of much of present-day living as to have attained the status of established fact. These assumptions appear to make no allowance for the extraordinary reservoir of spiritual potential available to any illumined soul who draws upon it; instead, they rely for justification on humanity’s failings, examples of which daily reinforce a common sense of despair. A layered veil of false premises thus obscures a fundamental truth: The state of the world reflects a distortion of the human spirit, not its essential nature. The purpose of every Manifestation of God is to effect a transformation in both the inner life and external conditions of humanity. And this transformation naturally occurs as a growing body of people, united by the divine precepts, collectively seeks to develop spiritual capacities to contribute to a process of societal change. Akin to the hard earth struck by the Master a century ago, the prevailing theories of the age may, at first, seem impervious to alteration, but they will undoubtedly fade away, and through the “vernal showers of the bounty of God”, the “flowers of true understanding” will spring up fresh and fair. — Universal House of Justice [1]

Question for Consideration

From a Bahá’í perspective, how can spiritual principles be applied in the voluntary/informal sector to find ways that work and begin to transform the public and private sectors? [2]

Perplexity Deep Research Response: Part V-b

The Mechanism of Transformation: From Voluntary to Public and Private

The Bahá’í view of how voluntary-sector experimentation translates into broader societal transformation rests on several mutually reinforcing mechanisms: [3] [4]

Individual carriers

People who develop new capacities and habits of mind in voluntary contexts carry those capacities into their professional and civic roles. A business leader who has experienced genuine consultation in a voluntary organization will approach corporate governance differently. A civil servant who has practiced service-oriented leadership in a community initiative will bring that orientation to public administration. [5] [6] [7]

Footnotes

[1] Universal House of Justice. “Riḍván 2012 – To the Bahá’ís of the World.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/139880738

[2] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as a Laboratory: Bahá’í Spiritual Principles and the Transformation of Society.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. July 16, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/9ecfa362-6f2c-499e-b451-8198a188f127

[3] Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE COUNSELLORS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/467424128

[4] Universal House of Justice. “26 November 2012 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/888890110

[5] Effendi, Shoghi. THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/802156000

[6] Effendi, Shoghi. BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATION. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/837589415

[7] Universal House of Justice. “19 May 1994 – The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/151711074

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 The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.

Daily Frameworks for 13 July 2026

Kamál, 01 Kalimát (Words), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

The accomplishments of these years of prodigious effort have not been confined to those clusters where the work of large-scale expansion and consolidation is being thus revitalized. The approach taken during the Four Year Plan, followed by the Twelve Month Plan and the previous Five Year Plan, proved instrumental in creating conditions for the believers to extend their endeavours to a wide circle of people, engaging them in various aspects of community life. The benefits of the decade-long process of capacity building in the three participants of the global Plans are now broadly apparent. Everywhere there was a need to gain an understanding of the dynamics of human resource development. Everywhere the friends had to learn the requirements of steady growth—to promote systematic action and to avoid distractions, to bring certain elements of collective decision-making close to the grassroots and to create communities with a sense of mission, to encourage universal participation and to accommodate different segments of society in their activities, particularly children and junior youth, the future champions of the Cause of God and builders of His civilization. — Universal House of Justice [1]

Question for Consideration

From a Bahá’í perspective, how can spiritual principles be applied in the voluntary/informal sector to find ways that work and begin to transform the public and private sectors? [2]

Perplexity Deep Research Response: Part IV-b

A Framework for Applying Spiritual Principles in the Voluntary Sector

Drawing on Bahá’í experience and writings, the following framework identifies how spiritual principles can be deliberately applied in voluntary organizations to generate the learning, culture, and proof-of-concept needed to eventually transform the public and private sectors. [3]

Level 2: Community-Level Culture

The second level of transformation occurs at the community level, where new norms, habits of association, and patterns of collective decision-making are developed and demonstrated. The Bahá’í model identifies three “protagonists” whose simultaneous development is necessary for genuine community transformation: the individual, local institutions, and the wider community. [4]

In the voluntary sector, communities can develop a culture of consultation — making decisions through principled dialogue rather than power dynamics — and demonstrate that this produces better outcomes than adversarial or hierarchical approaches. They can practice inclusive participation, ensuring that voices from all segments of the community inform collective decisions. They can cultivate devotional and reflective practices that sustain motivation beyond the short-term enthusiasm that burns out volunteers in purely activity-driven organizations. [5] [6]

The Bahá’í experience suggests that this cultural work is slow — it takes years, not months, to shift the norms of a community — but it is durable in a way that program-driven change is not. A community that has genuinely internalized the practices of consultation, mutual aid, and service-oriented leadership has acquired capacities that no external pressure can easily dismantle. [7]

Footnotes

[1] Universal House of Justice. Riḍván 2007 – To the Bahá’ís of the World. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/734934417

[2] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as a Laboratory: Bahá’í Spiritual Principles and the Transformation of Society.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. July 12, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/9ecfa362-6f2c-499e-b451-8198a188f127

[3] Momen, Moojan. “Building a Global Culture of Learning.” BahaiTeachings.org. https://bahaiteachings.org/building-global-culture-learning/

[4] Universal House of Justice. “30 December 2021 – To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/758524476

[5] The Bahá’ís of Papua New Guinea Office of External Affairs. “Governance with the Spirit of the Betterment of Society.” Media.Bahai.Org.PG. https://media.bahai.org.pg/2022/03/06/governance-with-the-spirit-of-the-betterment-of-society/

[6] Effendi, Shoghi. BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATION. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/357528683

[7] Universal House of Justice. “28 November 2023 – To the Bahá’ís of the World.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/585344994

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 The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.

Daily Frameworks for 03 July 2026

Istiqlál, 10 Raḥmat (Mercy), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

The purpose is to emphasize the statement that consultation must have for its object the investigation of truth. He who expresses an opinion should not voice it as correct and right but set it forth as a contribution to the consensus of opinion, for the light of reality becomes apparent when two opinions coincide. A spark is produced when flint and steel come together. Man should weigh his opinions with the utmost serenity, calmness and composure. Before expressing his own views he should carefully consider the views already advanced by others. If he finds that a previously expressed opinion is more true and worthy, he should accept it immediately and not willfully hold to an opinion of his own. By this excellent method he endeavors to arrive at unity and truth. Opposition and division are deplorable. It is better then to have the opinion of a wise, sagacious man; otherwise, contradiction and altercation, in which varied and divergent views are presented, will make it necessary for a judicial body to render decision upon the question. Even a majority opinion or consensus may be incorrect. A thousand people may hold to one view and be mistaken, whereas one sagacious person may be right. Therefore, true consultation is spiritual conference in the attitude and atmosphere of love. Members must love each other in the spirit of fellowship in order that good results may be forthcoming. Love and fellowship are the foundation. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

Question for Consideration

From a Bahá’í perspective, how can spiritual principles be applied in the voluntary/informal sector to find ways that work and begin to transform the public and private sectors? [2]

Perplexity Deep Research Response: Part II-c

Spiritual Principles as the Organizing Logic of Voluntary Action

The Bahá’í writings identify a cluster of spiritual principles that, when applied within voluntary communities, generate fundamentally different patterns of human relationship from those produced by materialism. These are not abstract ideals but operational values that shape how people associate, decide, and act together.

Consultation as a Decision-Making Culture

One of the most distinctive Bahá’í contributions to the voluntary sector is the practice of consultation — a mode of collective decision-making that is principled, candid, fact-based, and directed toward the search for truth rather than the defense of predetermined positions. In consultation, “once you express an idea or an opinion during the consultative process, that concept belongs not just to one person, but to the entire group”; participants seek unity through a genuine search rather than through voting or negotiation. [3] [4]

This stands in sharp contrast to both the top-down authority structures of bureaucratic public institutions and the competitive power dynamics common in private organizations. The Ruhi Institute’s training materials explicitly cultivate consultation as a life skill and a community practice. When voluntary groups demonstrate that complex decisions can be made through principled dialogue — across lines of difference, without domination by the most powerful voices — they offer a living proof of concept that can inspire reform in other sectors. [5] [6] [7]

Footnotes

[1] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/507894527

[2] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as a Laboratory: Bahá’í Spiritual Principles and the Transformation of Society.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. July 2, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/9ecfa362-6f2c-499e-b451-8198a188f127

[3] Sheppherd, Joseph Roy. “Letting Go of Your Ideas for the Benefit of Others.” BahaiTeachings.org. https://bahaiteachings.org/letting-go-your-ideas-benefit-others/

[4] Universal House of Justice. “Naw-Rúz 181 – To the Bahá’ís of Iran.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/283121780

[5] Lambshead, Jeremy. “Five helpful habits for effective consultation.” Bahá’ís of the United States, April 16, 2025. https://www.bahai.us/five-helpful-habits-for-effective-consultation/

[6] Australian Baha’i Community Staff. “Training Institute.” Bahai.Org.Au. https://bahai.org.au/index.php/what-bahais-do/building-vibrant-communities/training-institute/

[7] Universal House of Justice. “19 May 2009 – To the Believers in the Cradle of the Faith.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/959906385

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 The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.

Daily Frameworks for 05 June 2026

Istiqlál, 01 Núr (Light), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

O army of God! Praise be to God, Bahá’u’lláh hath lifted the chains from off the necks of humankind, and hath set man free from all that trammeled him, and told him: Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch; be ye compassionate and kind to all the human race. Deal ye with strangers the same as with friends, cherish ye others just as ye would your own. See foes as friends; see demons as angels; give to the tyrant the same great love ye show the loyal and true, and even as gazelles from the scented cities of Khatá and Khutan1 offer up sweet musk to the ravening wolf. Be ye a refuge to the fearful; bring ye rest and peace to the disturbed; make ye a provision for the destitute; be a treasury of riches for the poor; be a healing medicine for those who suffer pain; be ye doctor and nurse to the ailing; promote ye friendship, and honor, and conciliation, and devotion to God, in this world of nonexistence. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

Question for Consideration

What encouragement can the Nine Year Plan offer those making spiritual and personal connections with family, friends, neighbors, and fellow community members along a continuum from genuinely caring about others to caring for them in their homes? [2]

Gemini/NotebookLM Response

The Nine Year Plan (2022–2031) offers profound encouragement for individuals and families seeking to build spiritual and personal connections, framing these efforts as the primary means to release the society-building power of the Faith. The Plan envisions a community characterized by mutual support, reciprocity, and service to one another, where the act of caring is translated into a systematic pattern of community life.

Drawing on the sources, the Plan’s framework encourages connectivity along a continuum in the following ways:

1. From Recognition to Intentional Association

The Plan encourages believers to look beyond superficial differences and recognize the nobility and spiritual potential in every human being.

  • Meaningful Conversation: The friends are encouraged to step outside their immediate circles to establish ties of friendship with “strangers,” engaging them in conversations that explore spiritual reality and the Person of Bahá’u’lláh.
  • The Power of the Home: The Plan emphasizes visiting the homes of others and opening one’s own home as a “social space” for collective worship and purposeful discussion. A vibrant Bahá’í home is described as a “haven and pillar to sustain all humanity,” where warm hospitality combines with spiritual quickening.

2. From Association to Mutual Accompaniment

The transition from being a well-wisher to a partner in progress is a central theme of the Plan, embodied in the concept of accompaniment.

  • Treading a Shared Path: Connectivity is strengthened as individuals accompany one another on a “path of service,” learning together how to educate children, empower youth, and manage community affairs.
  • Nurturing Resilience: In settings where community-building activities are prevalent, a “pronounced community spirit” emerges, providing a sense of belonging and mutual support that helps individuals withstand the “destructive social pathologies” of the wider world.
  • Youth Leadership: Youth are specifically encouraged to make service the foundation of meaningful friendships, taking responsibility for the moral and spiritual development of those younger than themselves.

3. Towards Sacrificial Caring and Integration

At the highest stage of the continuum, the Plan encourages a “coherent life of service” where personal interests are subordinated to the common weal.

  • Sacrifice for the Common Good: The Plan fosters a spirit where souls delight in the progress and services of others rather than their own accomplishments. Bonds of support within a dedicated family make the “wholehearted embrace” of sacrificial endeavors possible.
  • Social Action: As communities grow in capacity, they are naturally drawn to respond to the material and spiritual needs of those around them, such as addressing economic injustice or environmental concerns through unified action.
  • Consultation: The practice of consultation among families on how to manage individual and social affairs is highly encouraged, raising the community’s level of maturity and effectiveness in rendering humanitarian assistance.

Ultimately, the Nine Year Plan provides the “methods and instruments” for every soul to become a “true practitioner of peace,” extending a hand of friendship and shared service to all inhabitants of their locality. This effort is wholly reliant on the invigorating potency of the Word of God, which acts as the “mover of souls” and the “binder and regulator” of human connectivity.

Footnotes

[1] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’i Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/542606770

[2] Gemini/NotebookLM. “Architecture of Unity: The Nine Year Plan Framework.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. June 4, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bki7ecptA9NQBkdX3KqwVRBCWGCSTimmq0qaSZovz9Y/edit?usp=sharing

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 The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.

Daily Frameworks for 01 June 2026

Kamál, 16 ʻAẓamat (Grandeur), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

Efforts, whatever their specific nature, generally begin on a modest scale. Often, in a locality where the educational activities of the training institute are firmly established and a pronounced sense of community exists, the first stirrings of heightened social awareness can be observed in the emergence of a small group which, addressing a particular social and economic reality, initiates a simple set of appropriate actions. While some efforts of this kind will naturally come to a close when their objectives have been met, others will continue. Insistence on perpetuating or even expanding every initiative, whether in terms of number of participants, expenditure, geographical coverage or complexity of work, is counterproductive. Yet there may be circumstances in which efforts will, through a continuous process of consultation, action, and reflection, give rise to an endeavour of a more sustained nature. What is important in such cases is that those involved be allowed to increase the range of their activities in an organic fashion, without undue pressure from opinions that are often based solely on theoretical considerations. The process moves forward in a flexible way as they reflect on the results of experience. The Local Spiritual Assembly, of course, serves as the voice of moral authority to make certain that, as small groups of individuals strive to improve conditions, the integrity of their endeavours is not compromised. It also remains ever vigilant, ensuring that efforts do not run counter to the overall direction in which the community is moving. — Universal House of Justice [1]

Question for Consideration

How can the Bahá’í Training Institute process assist people anywhere to share their truth and reality without fear? [2]

Gemini/NotebookLM Response

The Bahá’í Training Institute process—frequently active in neighborhoods worldwide through what is known as the Ruhi Institute—is specifically designed to build this kind of safe, decentralized environment from the ground up. It doesn’t approach education as a lecture where an expert fills an empty vessel; instead, it uses a methodology focused on mutual empowerment.

By shifting the very nature of how people learn and interact, the institute process creates a unique space where individuals can share their distinct realities without fear of judgment, exclusion, or erasure.

Here is how the mechanics of the institute process practically support this:

1. The Study Circle: Equalizing the Playing Field

At the heart of the institute process is the study circle—a small group of naturally diverse neighbors or peers who meet regularly to reflect on spiritual principles and social reality.

  • The Role of the Facilitator: In a traditional classroom, a teacher holds the authority, which can make participants hesitant to share unorthodox or raw personal truths. In a study circle, the group is led by a tutor or facilitator whose job is not to lecture, but to maintain a supportive space, ensure every voice is heard, and prevent any single perspective from dominating.
  • A Culture of Non-Judgment: Participants practice looking at texts and their own lives through a lens of collective exploration. Because the explicit goal is to learn together rather than to compete for the “right” answer, the anxiety of being graded, judged, or discounted is removed.

2. A Methodology of Action and Reflection

Fear often arises when storytelling is detached from reality—when it becomes purely ideological debate. The institute process grounds sharing in a continuous cycle of study, action, and reflection.

[Study Spiritual & Social Principles] => [Apply in Service to Community] => [Collective Reflection on Experience]

When people act together—whether by hosting a children’s class, organizing a neighborhood clean-up, or visiting a friend—they generate shared experiences. When they return to the study circle to reflect, they aren’t sharing abstract theories; they are sharing what they saw, felt, and learned on the ground. It is incredibly difficult to “discount” someone’s truth when it is framed as a direct reflection on practical service.

3. Shifting from “Me” to “We” (The Concept of Detachment)

The institute process actively trains participants in the art of Bahá’í consultation, which fundamentally alters how personal reality is offered to a group.

  • Detachment from the Idea: Participants are encouraged to think of their thoughts, stories, and insights as a gift offered to the center of the table. Once a story is shared, it no longer belongs exclusively to the individual to defend, nor can a critique of the idea be taken as a personal attack on the speaker.
  • The Shield of Unity: Because the group is explicitly committed to maintaining unity while discovering truth, the group itself becomes a shield. If someone shares a vulnerable or difficult reality, the collective response is oriented around understanding its implications for their community’s well-being, rather than debating its validity.

4. Universal Accessibility and Grassroots Language

True exclusion often happens through intellectual elitism—when people feel they lack the academic vocabulary to articulate their truths.

The institute curriculum uses language that is intentionally accessible yet profound. It allows a professor, a farmer, a teenager, and a grandparent to sit at the same table and use the same framework to dissect complex social realities. By stripping away exclusionary jargon, the process ensures that anyone, anywhere, can articulate their deepest realities using their own cultural idioms and life experiences as valid data points for the group’s collective learning.

By translating these spiritual principles into weekly, localized habits, the training institute creates a micro-culture where vulnerability is seen as a contribution to the whole, and where sharing your reality becomes a safe, joyful act of service.

Footnotes

[1] Universal House of Justice. “26 November 2012 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/175548983

[2] Gemini/NotebookLM. “The Bahá’í Training Institute Process: To Build a Safe, Decentralized Environment from the Ground Up.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. May 31, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/15M60HTfgj8H__UirXeyK38LWKaKQqiIYV3KfNSfFMaU/edit?usp=sharing

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 The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.

Daily Frameworks for 31 May 2026

Jamál, 15 ʻAẓamat (Grandeur), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

How unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and plants, the leaves and blossoms, the fruits, the branches and the trees of that garden were all of the same shape and color! Diversity of hues, form and shape, enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof. In like manner, when divers shades of thought, temperament and character, are brought together under the power and influence of one central agency, the beauty and glory of human perfection will be revealed and made manifest. Naught but the celestial potency of the Word of God, which ruleth and transcendeth the realities of all things, is capable of harmonizing the divergent thoughts, sentiments, ideas, and convictions of the children of men. Verily, it is the penetrating power in all things, the mover of souls and the binder and regulator in the world of humanity. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

Question for Consideration

Given the Bahá’í principles of “unity in diversity” and “universal participation,” how can 8.3 billion people tell their stories about the truths they hold and the realities they experience and not be discounted or excluded because of it? [2]

Gemini/NotebookLM Response

Answering a question of this scale requires moving past standard social media models, which tend to maximize noise and flatten nuance, and looking instead at how decentralized, structured consultation can scale.

If we take the Bahá’í concepts of unity in diversity and universal participation seriously, the goal isn’t just to build a massive digital megaphone where 8.3 billion people shout at once. The goal is to build a global architecture where sharing a story is an act of community-building, and where listening is treated as a collective responsibility.

To prevent individual realities from being discounted or drowned out, a framework needs to solve for three specific challenges: local agency, collective synthesis, and a shift in how we define “truth.”

1. The Structure: From the Ground Up

Universal participation becomes impossible if everything filters through a single, centralized clearinghouse. Instead, the process has to be deeply decentralized, relying on small, localized spaces where individuals are already known and valued.

  • Neighborhood-Scale Circles: Stories and realities are best shared where the context is understood. Small-group consultation allows an individual to speak without needing to defend their baseline reality to an anonymous, global audience.
  • Aggregating, Not Averaging: When local insights move up to regional, national, or global levels, the traditional approach is to compress them into a single, homogenized summary. True “unity in diversity” requires a synthesis process that maps out a landscape of diverse experiences, highlighting unique local realities rather than erasing them to find a bland lowest common denominator.

2. The Method: Consultation Over Debate

Most modern platforms for storytelling are adversarial; they are built for debate, where one perspective must win and another must lose. To prevent people from being discounted, the mode of engagement has to change from debate to consultation (mashverat).

Traditional Discourse

Consultative Storytelling

Ownership: “This is my truth, and I must defend it.”

Detachment: A story or insight is offered to the center of the circle as a contribution to the whole.

Objective: To convince, defeat, or trend.

Objective: To build a multi-faceted understanding of reality.

Outcome: Polarization; minority viewpoints are marginalized.

Outcome: Expansion; diverse realities are treated as necessary pieces of a larger puzzle.

In this model, an individual’s experience isn’t “voted” on. It is accepted as a data point of reality. The question changes from “Is this person right or wrong?” to “What does this person’s experience reveal about the conditions of our world?”

3. The Paradigm Shift: Redefining Truth and Reality

To ensure 8.3 billion people are not excluded, we have to look at how we categorize truth. In a framework honoring unity in diversity, reality is understood to be vast and multi-dimensional.

  • Objective Truth vs. Lived Reality: While physical laws or fundamental spiritual principles remain constant, the experience of those realities is entirely dependent on context (geography, culture, history, socioeconomic reality).
  • The Metaphor of the Diamond: If truth is a diamond, every individual’s unique vantage point allows them to see a specific facet. If someone on the opposite side describes a completely different view, they aren’t invalidating your experience—they are completing the picture.

“The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.” — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [3]

By shifting the global culture from one of competitive assertion to one of collective discovery, storytelling stops being a vulnerability that invites exclusion. Instead, it becomes a necessary act of universal participation, where the global community recognizes that it cannot fully understand itself if even a single voice is missing.

Footnotes

[1] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. ADDITIONAL TABLETS, EXTRACTS AND TALKS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/203435178

[2] Gemini/NotebookLM. “The Purpose of Human Existence in the Bahá’í Faith.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. May 30, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-MU3WhYl_anKMP3JSZJ6Ojh9q1QL_y0otew02uk0fDM/edit?usp=sharing

[3] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/790411885

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 The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.

Daily Frameworks for 23 May 2026

Jalál, 07 ʻAẓamat (Grandeur), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

Consultation bestoweth greater awareness and transmuteth conjecture into certitude. It is a shining light which, in a dark world, leadeth the way and guideth. For everything there is and will continue to be a station of perfection and maturity. The maturity of the gift of understanding is made manifest through consultation. — Bahá’u’lláh [1]

Question for Consideration

How does AI help prioritize the qualitative aspects of community building? [2]

Gemini/NotebookLM Response

In the Bahá’í framework, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is viewed as a specialized “material means” that refines the “administrative machinery” of the Cause, which is designed to canalize spiritual energies into constructive action. By serving as a “multiplier” of human effort, AI helps prioritize the qualitative aspects of community building in the following specific ways:

1. Automating Administrative “Drudgery”

A primary way AI assists is by automating routine administrative and logistical tasks. By handling the “mechanical” or “drudge” aspects of community management, AI frees individual and institutional protagonists from time-consuming coordination efforts. This shift allows believers to dedicate their limited creative and spiritual energy to the qualitative, soul-stirring aspects of community life, such as:

  • Spiritual education and the nurturing of deep, authentic relationships.
  • Engaging in meaningful conversations on themes of spiritual and social import.
  • Offering disinterested service to the world of humanity.

2. Enhancing Consultative Resources

AI tools strengthen the qualitative depth of Bahá’í consultation, which is the bedrock of collective decision-making. By providing immediate access to relevant Sacred Texts and historical precedents, AI ensures that consultations remain grounded in the “explicit Holy Text” rather than being swept away by materialistic philosophies or “dictates of consumerism”. This allows institutions to act with a higher degree of spiritual authority and wisdom according to the “exigencies of the time”.

3. Improving the “Reading of Reality”

Qualitative community building requires an accurate understanding of social conditions, a process known as “reading reality”. AI manages the community’s “nerves and arteries” by processing large volumes of data from diverse geographic clusters. This logistical support enables protagonists to:

  • Identify local social forces and needs with higher degrees of accuracy.
  • Move away from paternalistic models of charity toward universal participation by empowering local populations to take charge of their own development.
  • Ensure that social action remains responsive to the unique qualitative needs of a specific neighbourhood or village.

4. Nurturing “Active Protagonists”

By managing routine information flows and logistics, AI facilitates a shift in human identity within the community. The individual is no longer a “passive observer” or a “victim of external circumstances” but becomes an “active protagonist” of history. This empowerment allows individuals to maintain “dynamic coherence” in their lives, harmonizing their material tools with their sacred mission to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization.

Ultimately, AI acts as a “digital lamp-glass” that protects and projects the “light” of spiritual purpose. It provides the necessary infrastructure for the Bahá’í community to resist the “corrosion of ungodliness” and “crude materialism,” ensuring that technology remains a servant to the common good.

Footnotes

[1] Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. BAHÁ’Í SACRED WRITINGS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/603095846

[2] Gemini/NotebookLM. “AI in Bahá’í Community Building.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. May 22, 2026. https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/65808e18-87f2-4896-92b9-16a7aff29d15

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 The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.

Daily Frameworks for 04 April 2026

Jalál, 15 Bahá (Splendor), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

“Say: No man can attain his true station except through his justice. No power can exist except through unity. No welfare and no well-being can be attained except through consultation.” — Bahá’u’lláh 1

Question for Consideration

How do “restorative justice” approaches apply to “constructive resilience”practices within a “reconceptualizing justice” framework?

NotebookLM Response 2

Within a “reconceptualizing justice” framework, restorative justice approaches apply to constructive resilience by providing the practical methodologies and moral orientation needed to transition from adversarial conflict to social construction and the repair of human relationships. 3 4 5 These two frameworks are linked by a shared transformative vision that seeks to move beyond traditional retributive models of punishment toward a focus on unity, well-being, and collective progress. 6 7 8

The application of these approaches is characterized by several key dimensions:

1. Shifting from Contention to Construction

Reconceptualizing justice involves moving away from the “adversary principle”—the idea that justice is achieved through partisan struggle or merely demolishing evil—toward a model focused on the “building of the good”. 9 10 11

  • Coherence of Means and Ends: Restorative justice and constructive resilience both prioritize consistency between means and ends, recognizing that enduring unity cannot be built through methods that assume an inherent conflict of interests. 12 13 14
  • Restorative Practice: Restorative justice focuses on the harm caused to individuals and relationships and asks “how can this harm be repaired?” rather than “who is to blame and what punishment do they deserve?”. 15 16
  • Constructive Agency: Constructive resilience translates this into action by focusing energies on building new social structures, such as decentralized education systems (e.g., BIHE), rather than engaging in adversarial protests. 17 18 19

2. Reclaiming Individual Agency and Protagonism

Both restorative justice and constructive resilience seek to humanize participants and empower them as active agents of change rather than passive recipients of state decree or victims of circumstance. 20 21 22 23

  • Rejecting Victimhood: A central tenet of both is the refusal to accept the “label of victim” or the “culture of victimhood”. 24 25 26 27 Instead, individuals are viewed as possessing an inherent nobility and the capacity to contribute to an ever-advancing civilization. 28 29 30 31
  • Stakeholder Participation: Restorative justice enables those harmed and those responsible to participate actively in resolving the offense and its consequences. 32 33 This mirrors the “disciplined initiative” and “universal participation” called for in constructive resilience practices. 34 35

3. Transforming Social Relations and Building Unity

The ultimate objective of reconceptualized justice is the establishment of unity, which restorative approaches serve by recasting the relationships that sustain society. 36 37 38

  • From “Power Over” to “Power With”: Restorative approaches challenge traditional conceptions of power as domination, replacing them with “power with” people—a capacity derived from cooperation, reciprocity, and shared endeavor. 39 40 41 42
  • Interconnectedness: These approaches view humanity as an interconnected organic whole, much like a human body. 43 44 Because “the injury of one is the injury of all,” justice is pursued through mutual support and the restoration of social ties rather than exclusionary or retributive measures. 45 46 47
  • Empathy and Healing: Restorative justice practices, such as the use of Circle dialogues, cultivate empathy and perspective-taking, which are seen as essential ingredients for healing historical harms and achieving reconciliation. 48 49 50

4. Practical Methodologies and “Restorative Lens”

The “restorative lens” allows protagonists to read their social reality in a manner that honors the worth of every individual rather than measuring them against a standard of deficiency. 51 52

  • The Circle Practice: In education and community settings, “Circle” dialogues serve as a mechanism to facilitate meaningful conversations, restore trust, and foster a “relational culture” that counteracts social isolation and disintegration. 53 54 55 56
  • Victim-Perpetrator Dialogue: Direct or indirect dialogue between parties is used to foster acknowledgment of responsibility and harm, which is a prerequisite for moving toward peaceful co-existence. 57 58 59
  • Non-Adversarial Social Action: In situations of duress, constructive resilience applies restorative principles through social action initiatives in fields like health, education, and agriculture, demonstrating the efficacy of spiritual principles in a tangible way. 60 61 62 63

In summary, restorative justice approaches provide the ethical and practical framework to operationalize constructive resilience. By focusing on repairing harm, establishing equity, and fostering unity, these practices enable individuals and communities to maintain a “confident mastery of their moral purpose,” ensuring they never allow systems of oppression to establish the terms of the encounter. 64 65 66 67

Footnotes

  1. Bahá’u’lláh. Bahá’í Sacred Writings. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/593804052 ↩︎
  2. NotebookLM. “Restorative Justice and the Architecture of Constructive Resilience.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. April 3, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.nbkatff52soq ↩︎
  3. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  4. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  5. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  6. Bahá’í International Community. IN FULL PARTNERSHIP-Thirty Years of Women’s Advancement at the United Nations and Beyond. 2025 (PDF). https://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/single_page_bic_book_2025_onlineb.pdf ↩︎
  7. Zehr, Howard. “Restorative or transformative justice?” Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice. March 10, 2011. https://www.zehr-institute.org/resources/restorative-or-transformative-justice ↩︎
  8. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  9. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  10. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  11. Karlberg, Michael. “The Pursuit of Social Justice.” The Bahá’í World. August 3, 2022. https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/library/the-pursuit-of-social-justice/ ↩︎
  12. Karlberg, Michael. “The Pursuit of Social Justice.” The Bahá’í World. August 3, 2022. https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/library/the-pursuit-of-social-justice/ ↩︎
  13. Abay, Negar and Alex Vedovi. “Constructive Resilience and Women’s Peacebuilding Movements.” Berkley Center, June 15, 2017. https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/posts/constructive-resilience-and-women-s-peacebuilding-movements ↩︎
  14. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  15. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  16. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  17. Abay, Negar and Alex Vedovi. “Constructive Resilience and Women’s Peacebuilding Movements.” Berkley Center, June 15, 2017. https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/posts/constructive-resilience-and-women-s-peacebuilding-movements ↩︎
  18. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  19. The Journal of Bahá’í Studies. Association for Bahá’í Studies-North America. Volume 30, Number 3, Fall 2020 (Constructive Resilience Edition) (PDF). https://journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/issue/view/72/8 ↩︎
  20. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  21. Saleh, Tina. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CLASSROOM. Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 2020 (PDF). https://memorial.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/3d448ff6-95e6-43b2-9972-d3a7a8e57b1a/content ↩︎
  22. Izu, Cynthia Chukwufumnanya, Sesan Fabamise, Oriola Oyewole. “Re-conceptualising the Theory of Justice and the Needs of Victims of Sexual Violence in Nigeria: an Appraisal of a Victim Centered Approach.” F1000Research, 28 October 2024 (PDF). https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.153823.1 ↩︎
  23. Karlberg, Michael. “The Pursuit of Social Justice.” The Bahá’í World. August 3, 2022. https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/library/the-pursuit-of-social-justice/ ↩︎
  24. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  25. Karlberg, Michael. “Constructive Resilience: The Bahá’í Response to Oppression.” Peace & Change, Vol. 35, No. 2, April 2010. https://iranpresswatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/karlberg_constructive_resilience2.pdf ↩︎
  26. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  27. Sattarzadeh, S. D. (2022). Resoulience: Reimagining resilience (and ourselves). Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis 11(3), Article 9 (PDF). https://doi.org/10.31274/jctp.13026 ↩︎
  28. Bahá’í International Community. IN FULL PARTNERSHIP-Thirty Years of Women’s Advancement at the United Nations and Beyond. 2025 (PDF). https://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/single_page_bic_book_2025_onlineb.pdf ↩︎
  29. Bahá’í International Community. IN FULL PARTNERSHIP-Thirty Years of Women’s Advancement at the United Nations and Beyond. 2025 (PDF). https://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/single_page_bic_book_2025_onlineb.pdf ↩︎
  30. The Journal of Bahá’í Studies. Association for Bahá’í Studies-North America. Volume 30, Number 3, Fall 2020 (Constructive Resilience Edition) (PDF). https://journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/issue/view/72/8 ↩︎
  31. Sattarzadeh, S. D. (2022). Resoulience: Reimagining resilience (and ourselves). Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis 11(3), Article 9 (PDF). https://doi.org/10.31274/jctp.13026 ↩︎
  32. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  33. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  34. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  35. Karlberg, Michael. “The Pursuit of Social Justice.” The Bahá’í World. August 3, 2022. https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/library/the-pursuit-of-social-justice/ ↩︎
  36. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  37. The Journal of Bahá’í Studies. Association for Bahá’í Studies-North America. Volume 30, Number 3, Fall 2020 (Constructive Resilience Edition) (PDF). https://journal.bahaistudies.ca/online/issue/view/72/8 ↩︎
  38. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  39. Bahá’í International Community. IN FULL PARTNERSHIP-Thirty Years of Women’s Advancement at the United Nations and Beyond. 2025 (PDF). https://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/single_page_bic_book_2025_onlineb.pdf ↩︎
  40. Bahá’í International Community. IN FULL PARTNERSHIP-Thirty Years of Women’s Advancement at the United Nations and Beyond. 2025 (PDF). https://www.bic.org/sites/default/files/pdf/single_page_bic_book_2025_onlineb.pdf ↩︎
  41. Saleh, Tina. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CLASSROOM. Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 2020 (PDF). https://memorial.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/3d448ff6-95e6-43b2-9972-d3a7a8e57b1a/content ↩︎
  42. Saleh, Tina. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CLASSROOM. Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 2020 (PDF). https://memorial.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/3d448ff6-95e6-43b2-9972-d3a7a8e57b1a/content ↩︎
  43. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  44. Karlberg, Michael. “The Pursuit of Social Justice.” The Bahá’í World. August 3, 2022. https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/library/the-pursuit-of-social-justice/ ↩︎
  45. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  46. Karlberg, Michael. “The Pursuit of Social Justice.” The Bahá’í World. August 3, 2022. https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/library/the-pursuit-of-social-justice/ ↩︎
  47. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  48. Saleh, Tina. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CLASSROOM. Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 2020 (PDF). https://memorial.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/3d448ff6-95e6-43b2-9972-d3a7a8e57b1a/content ↩︎
  49. Saleh, Tina. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CLASSROOM. Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 2020 (PDF). https://memorial.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/3d448ff6-95e6-43b2-9972-d3a7a8e57b1a/content ↩︎
  50. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  51. Saleh, Tina. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CLASSROOM. Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 2020 (PDF). https://memorial.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/3d448ff6-95e6-43b2-9972-d3a7a8e57b1a/content ↩︎
  52. Sattarzadeh, S. D. (2022). Resoulience: Reimagining resilience (and ourselves). Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis 11(3), Article 9 (PDF). https://doi.org/10.31274/jctp.13026 ↩︎
  53. Saleh, Tina. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CLASSROOM. Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 2020 (PDF). https://memorial.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/3d448ff6-95e6-43b2-9972-d3a7a8e57b1a/content ↩︎
  54. Saleh, Tina. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CLASSROOM. Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 2020 (PDF). https://memorial.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/3d448ff6-95e6-43b2-9972-d3a7a8e57b1a/content ↩︎
  55. Saleh, Tina. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN THE CLASSROOM. Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 2020 (PDF). https://memorial.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/3d448ff6-95e6-43b2-9972-d3a7a8e57b1a/content ↩︎
  56. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  57. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  58. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  59. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  60. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  61. Sattarzadeh, S. D. (2022). Resoulience: Reimagining resilience (and ourselves). Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis 11(3), Article 9 (PDF). https://doi.org/10.31274/jctp.13026 ↩︎
  62. Karlberg, Michael. “The Pursuit of Social Justice.” The Bahá’í World. August 3, 2022. https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/library/the-pursuit-of-social-justice/ ↩︎
  63. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  64. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  65. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎
  66. NotebookLM. “Constructive Resilience: A Handbook.” Edited by Steve Bosserman.  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v55XgayjfpcaVfl4LXuDK3p8jWPJAmxZmNOnNjL4KD4/edit?usp=sharing ↩︎
  67. International Center for Transitional Justice. “Transforming Social Relations Restorative Responses to Massive Human Rights Violations.” April 2024 (PDF). https://www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/ictj_report_restorative-justice_2024_en_1.pdf ↩︎

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   The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.

239 Days in America, Day 206: November 02, 1912 | Chicago

To Remind Us We Were Neighbors 1

“I NEVER QUITE RECOVERED from the shock and pain of my first bitter realization that to be a colored woman is to be discredited, mistrusted and often meanly hated,” she said, writing of her first experience in America’s South.

She, Fannie Barrier Williams, was an African American teacher, journalist, and social activist, one of the key founders of the Frederick Douglass Center, a settlement house that served Chicago’s African American population. On Saturday, November 2, 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke at the center, located about five blocks west of Lake Michigan at 2032 South Wabash Street.

The Journey East: Chicago, Cincinnati, Washington, D.C., Baltimore 2

At an interracial meeting on Saturday [November 2], He [‘Abdu’l-Bahá] said, “‘A man who seeks piety is virtuous, whether he puts on a black garment or one of white,’” Later He went to Mrs. Corinne True’s home where the friends were assembled for a “board of consultation” meeting and told them, “‘The first duty of the members of such a board would be to have love and unity among themselves. If there is no unity and it turns out to be a cause of disunion, its nonexistence is better.’”

The Chicago Inter-Ocean, on November 2, in an article titled “HEAD OF BAHAI RELIGION IN CHICAGO FOR LECTURES: Persian Prophet Urges World-Wide Peace—Temple Planned for This City,” noted:

Abdul Baha Abbas, Persian prophet and head of the Bahai religion, arrive in Chicago yesterday for a series of three lectures on universal peace and to complete plans for the building of a Bahai temple near this city. …

Saturday, November 2, 1912 3

Great numbers of people came to see the Master and each in turn was ushered into His private room. Most of the friends, both old and new, brought their children to be blessed by Him. He embraced each of them with the utmost kindness, anointed them with some attar of rose and gave them fruit, sweets and flowers.

When the crowd became too large He went to the hall of the hotel and spoke to the guests about the aims and intentions of the Manifestations of God:

“The divine religions were revealed for love and amity and have brought about harmony among the different peoples and nations. But as time passed dogmas and imitations crept in and caused differences and enmity. Praise be to God that now the doors of the Kingdom are open, the sun of truth is resplendent and casting its rays upon all, the cloud of mercy is bestowing the utmost favors and the sea of bounty is surging. Know then the value of this bestowal and the worth of these days.”

He was invited to have lunch at the home of Mrs Russell. Among the guests were some of Dr [Susan I.] Moody‘s relatives. Addressing them ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said:

“Behold how the power of Bahá’u’lláh has connected the hearts and has joined the East and the West. When Dr Moody first went to Tihrán she did not know the Persians and they, too, did not know her at all. But the moment they heard of her intended journey from America to Persia, hundreds prepared to receive her with utmost love. With great esteem they welcomed her in Tihrán. All the friends are now like brothers and sisters to her — even more than that and kinder. She is well-known as a Bahá’í in Tihrán and is respected and loved within and without the community.”

In the evening the Master gave an impressive talk at a gathering of blacks. Many white people were also present. He spoke on love and brotherhood among the different races and nationalities. He talked about Isfandíyár, the black servant of the Blessed Beauty, referring to his faithfulness, obedience and goodness of heart, saying: ‘If a believer in God prays for piety, it does not matter whether he is robed in black or white.’ Both black and white were affected by His words and came one after the other to shake His hand and express their gratitude for His blessings.

He then went to Mrs True’s home where the friends had gathered for consultation. They asked Him about the duties of a board of consultation. He said:

“The first duty of the members is to be in harmony and unity among themselves, for this will bear good results. If there is no unity or — God forbid! — if it becomes the cause of differences, then of course its non-existence is better than its existence. If Assemblies of consultation or the general meetings of the friends become the cause of ill feelings, they must be abandoned.

“How pleased I was with the believers in California who said, ‘We do not want any board of consultation because it would lead to striving for leadership and power and will become the cause of differences. Now, praise be to God!, we are serving as much as we can, having no other thought than the diffusion of the divine fragrances.’

“Then, when the unity of the members has been achieved, their second duty is to recite verses and prayers in a state of contriteness and spiritual awareness so that they will feel themselves to be in the presence of God.

“Third, their thoughts and discussions must be directed to the teaching of the Cause of God in all areas and regions. They must arise with all their strength for this great matter and make the necessary arrangements and prepare for the teaching of the Cause.

“Fourth, they must be occupied and concerned with rendering help to the poor, the needy and the sick.

“Fifth, they must improve and administer the affairs of the believers and other matters.”

The Master spoke on similar topics and the meeting concluded in an extraordinary spirit of happiness among the friends.

1 November 1912, Talk at Home of Mrs. Corinne True, 5338 Kenmore Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 4

When this Cause appeared in the Orient, the friends and followers were self-sacrificing to the utmost, forfeiting everything. It is a significant and wonderful fact that, although the most precious thing on earth is life, yet twenty thousand people offered themselves willingly in the pathway of martyrdom. Recently, in Yazd two hundred of the Bahá’í friends were cruelly slain. They went to the place of martyrdom in the utmost ecstasy of attraction, smiling with joy and gratitude upon their persecutors. Some of them offered sweetmeats to their executioners, saying, “Taste of this in order that with sweetness and enjoyment you may bestow upon us the blessed cup of martyrdom.” Among these beloved and glorified ones were a number of women who were subjected to the most cruel manner of execution. Some were cut to pieces; and their executioners, not content with such butchery, set others on fire, and their bodies were consumed. Throughout these terrible ordeals not a single soul among the Bahá’í friends objected or recanted. They offered no resistance, although the Bahá’ís in that city were most courageous and strong. In physical strength and fortitude one of these Bahá’ís could have withstood many of their enemies, but they accepted martyrdom in the spirit of complete resignation and nonresistance. Many of them died, crying out, “O Lord! Forgive them; they know not what they do. If they knew, they would not commit this wrong.” In the throes of martyrdom they willingly offered all they possessed in this life.

’Abdu’l-Bahá in America, 1912-2012: Calling America to Its Spiritual Destiny

Dogmas and imitations caused differences and enmity among people

Celebrating the Centenary: The Master in America

Curated by Anne Perry

November 2, 1912

  1. Jones, Caitlin Shayda. “To Remind Us We Were Neighbors.” 239 Days in America, 2 Nov. 2012, https://239days.com/2012/11/02/to-remind-us-we-were-neighbors/. ↩
  2. Ward, Allan L. 239 Days: ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Journey in America. Wilmette, Ill: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979, 177-178. ↩
  3. ’Abdu’l-Bahá, and Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani. Mahmúd’s Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání Chronicling ’Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey to America. Edited by Shirley Macias. Translated by Mohi Sobhani. Oxford: George Ronald, 1998. https://bahai-library.com/zarqani_mahmuds_diary&chapter=9#section224 ↩
  4. ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ʻAbduʼl-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. Edited by Howard MacNutt. 2nd ed. Wilmette, Ill: Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1982, 384. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/28#591629258 ↩