Regarding thy question about consultation of a father with his son, or a son with his father, in matters of trade and commerce, consultation is one of the fundamental elements of the foundation of the Law of God. Such consultation is assuredly acceptable, whether between father and son, or with others. There is nothing better than this. Man must consult in all things for this will lead him to the depths of each problem and enable him to find the right solution.— ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]
Question for Consideration
What steps can groups take when making decisions by applying guidelines and personal qualities for effective Bahá’í consultation? [2] [3]
Perplexity Computer Response:
Applying Bahá’í consultation
A group can treat consultation as a shared search for truth rather than a contest to win. The Bahá’í writings emphasize unity, free expression, careful investigation, and detachment from one’s own initial view. [4]
Prepare the group’s attitude. Begin in a spirit of unity and service; participants cultivate purity of motive, humility, patience, and detachment from personal preference. [4]
Clarify the question and gather facts. Define the decision needed, seek reliable information, and bring in relevant expertise where necessary. [5]
Let everyone speak candidly and respectfully. Each person offers an idea as a contribution, listens closely, and does not belittle another person’s view. Disagreement is useful when it helps reveal a better understanding. [4]
Focus on principles, not personalities. Ask which values, goals, and likely consequences should guide the choice, rather than defending who proposed an idea. [5]
Deliberate calmly. Practice courtesy, dignity, moderation, openness, moral courage, and a willingness to revise one’s view when another argument is stronger. [4]
Decide and act as one. Seek unanimity where possible; if agreement cannot be reached, accept the majority decision and support its implementation rather than continuing criticism. [4]
Learn from results. After acting, review what happened and adjust if needed—turning consultation into an ongoing process of collective learning.
A concrete habit: before the meeting, each member can identify one quality to practice—such as patient listening or detachment—and afterward name one moment when that quality either helped or was difficult. [6]
Which of these steps do you think would most improve a group decision you have recently observed, and why?
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/133074523
[4] 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
Twelve Bahá’ís in Sari Sentenced to More Than 26 Years of Imprisonment and 76 Years of Deprivation of Social Rights
On 20 August 2026, Branch 1 of the Sari Revolutionary Court sentenced 12 Bahá’ís collectively to 26 years and 165 days of imprisonment and 76 years of deprivation… pic.twitter.com/g3JSN2YCI1
— Bahá'í International Community – Human Rights (@BahaiBIC_Rights) September 2, 2026
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.
Man must consult on all matters, whether major or minor, so that he may become cognizant of what is good. Consultation giveth him insight into things and enableth him to delve into questions which are unknown. The light of truth shineth from the faces of those who engage in consultation. Such consultation causeth the living waters to flow in the meadows of man’s reality, the rays of ancient glory to shine upon him, and the tree of his being to be adorned with wondrous fruit. The members who are consulting, however, should behave in the utmost love, harmony and sincerity towards each other. The principle of consultation is one of the most fundamental elements of the divine edifice. Even in their ordinary affairs the individual members of society should consult.— ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]
Question for Consideration
How can effective Baháʼí consultation improve outcomes for all participants when making a decision and carrying it out? [2] [3]
Perplexity Computer Response:
Effective Baháʼí consultation improves decisions because it treats them not as contests to be won, but as a shared search for truth followed by unified action. Participants can contribute candidly, learn from different perspectives, and then support the group’s decision wholeheartedly—even when it differs from their original view—so implementation becomes a collective effort rather than a continuing argument. [4] [5]
What changes in the consultation
Several core practices make the process more reliable and more beneficial to everyone involved:
Begin with a common purpose. Frame the question around the well-being of all affected rather than around whose preference should prevail. This turns a potentially adversarial discussion into a cooperative inquiry.
Create a loving, respectful atmosphere. Baháʼí guidance describes true consultation as a “spiritual conference” characterized by love and fellowship. In practical terms, people listen without ridicule, avoid personal attacks and ultimatums, and make room for quieter or less powerful voices. [4] [6]
Investigate reality before advocating solutions. The group clarifies the actual issue, gathers relevant facts, considers principles, and seeks input from people with different knowledge and experiences. This reduces decisions based on assumptions, incomplete information, or the influence of the loudest participant. [6] [7]
Detach ideas from their authors. Once someone offers an idea, it becomes a resource of the whole group: anyone may build on it, revise it, or set it aside. That helps participants change their minds without embarrassment and prevents a critique of an idea from becoming a personal rejection. [4] [8]
Welcome principled disagreement. Unity does not mean premature agreement or suppressing concerns. It means sharing views frankly and courteously, testing alternatives, and allowing the group to see the issue more fully. The aim is unity of purpose, not forced uniformity of opinion. [4] [9]
Why outcomes improve
Aspect
How consultation helps
Benefit for participants
Quality of judgment
Draws on varied facts, experience, and perspectives
Better chance that important risks, needs, and alternatives are noticed
Inclusion and justice
Gives each person a legitimate opportunity to contribute
People are treated with dignity and are less likely to be marginalized
Trust
Replaces faction-building and positional bargaining with shared inquiry
Participants can disagree without becoming opponents
Commitment
The group moves from debate to a clear, collective decision
Implementation is faster and less undermined by passive resistance
Learning
Results are observed and decisions can be revised
A mistake becomes evidence for improvement, not proof that someone must be blamed
This process benefits even those whose preferred option is not selected. They have had a real opportunity to present their insight; their contribution has helped the group see the matter more clearly; and they retain agency as co-implementers and co-learners rather than being cast as a permanent “minority” or opposition. [4] [7]
Carrying the decision out
The implementation phase is where Baháʼí consultation becomes especially distinctive. The group seeks unanimity where possible; if it cannot reach it, a decision may be made by majority vote. Once made, however, all participants are asked to support the decision with unity of action rather than continue campaigning for their original position. [4] [5]
That does not mean blind obedience to a frozen decision. It means giving the agreed course a fair, sincere trial:
Translate the decision into a small number of clear actions: who will do what, by when, with what resources, and how progress will be known.
Carry it out loyally enough that the group can learn whether it works in practice.
Observe results without defensiveness—effects on people, unforeseen obstacles, costs, and opportunities.
Reconsult using the new evidence and modify the plan if needed.
This discipline matters because a decision can look weak simply because people never truly carried it out together. Conversely, wholehearted implementation reveals whether the underlying judgment was sound and produces usable learning when it was not. The Baháʼí International Community describes this as a process in which an incorrect decision can be recognized through experience, learned from collectively, and revised as needed. [4]
A practical illustration
Suppose a community group must choose how to use a limited fund: an emergency-assistance program, youth activities, or accessibility improvements.
Rather than advocates forming camps, the group would:
Define the decision and identify who will be affected.
Gather information: urgent needs, expected reach, costs, community input, and available volunteers.
Consider relevant principles, such as justice, inclusion, sustainability, and service.
Offer proposals as group-owned possibilities rather than personal platforms.
Decide on a course—perhaps a time-limited pilot that combines emergency aid with a modest accessibility improvement.
Have every participant help implement and evaluate that pilot.
Reconsult after a defined period using evidence, not personal vindication, to decide whether to continue, adjust, or replace it.
The result is not a guarantee that the first decision is perfect. It is a stronger social process: people are respected, insight is pooled, action is coordinated, and the group becomes more capable of making wiser decisions together over time. [4] [6]
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/016064602
[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/249611345
Be the Voice of…
Confiscation of Kayhan Atefi’s Vehicle, Household and Workplace Belongings During Search by Intelligence Agents
On 24 August 2026, Intelligence Ministry agents raided the home of Mr. Kayhan Atefi and his wife, Mrs. Fereshteh Rahmani, a Bahá’í couple in Isfahan, for the second… pic.twitter.com/Ao2ZCNFiEW
— Bahá'í International Community – Human Rights (@BahaiBIC_Rights) August 30, 2026
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.
The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God, attraction to His Divine Fragrances, humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones, patience and long-suffering in difficulties and servitude to His exalted Threshold. Should they be graciously aided to acquire these attributes, victory from the unseen Kingdom of Bahá shall be vouchsafed to them…. The members thereof must take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument. Should any one oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed. The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions. If after discussion a decision be carried unanimously, well and good; but if, the Lord forbid, differences of opinion should arise, a majority of voices must prevail. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]
Question for Consideration
Given the unique value each person possesses through their personality, experiences, and capabilities, what combinations of forums, agendas, and technologies establish safe spaces for Baháʼí consultation where participants can express their value for individual and collective benefit while adapting to constantly changing personal and contextual situations? [2] [3]
Perplexity Computer Response:
The most resilient safe space for Bahá’í consultation is not one forum or platform, but an adaptive ecology: small relational circles for depth, larger community forums for shared learning, decision-focused bodies for action, and inclusive digital channels for continuity. Across all of them, safety arises less from technology than from a disciplined spiritual culture of prayer, courtesy, freedom of expression, detachment from personal views, and a collective search for truth. [4] [5]
A layered consultation ecology
Forum
Appropriate agenda
Helpful technologies
How it protects and releases value
Devotional-reflective circles
Meaning-making, personal experience, moral or spiritual orientation
In-person circle; accessible video call; shared prayer/reading document
Gives people room to speak from lived experience without being pressed prematurely toward a decision
Study circles and learning groups
Shared inquiry, capacity building, reflection on action
Provides clarity, accountability, and unity of action after full consideration
One-to-one or family consultation
Sensitive personal concerns, discernment, conflict repair
Private conversation; optionally secure messaging for follow-up
Allows vulnerability and contextual nuance where public discussion would be unsafe or unhelpful
This design honors the Bahá’í premise that truth is more likely to emerge when diverse perspectives are genuinely heard, while neither allowing every issue to become a mass discussion nor treating private matters as public business. Consultation calls for gathering information widely, including perspectives from people with varied backgrounds and relevant expertise. [6]
A reusable agenda
A safe consultative agenda should have both a stable moral structure and flexible pacing. Rather than leading with positions or proposed solutions, begin by constructing a shared understanding of the question.
Arrive spiritually and relationally. Open with prayer, silence, and brief human connection. This establishes that people are not adversaries defending interests but co-workers seeking a truth none may see alone. Bahá’í guidance describes consultation as a prayerful process marked by love, sincerity, and unity. [4]
Name the purpose and decision horizon. Clarify whether the gathering is for listening, learning, planning, deciding, or reviewing. State what is within the group’s authority and what is not.
Make the question precise. Frame it in an inquiry form: “What conditions would enable…?” rather than “Which proposal should win?” A clear question, relevant facts, and applicable principles are a foundation for unity of purpose. [5]
Gather reality before advocating. Present evidence, lived experiences, relevant guidance, constraints, risks, and capacities. Make deliberate space for those affected by the outcome, not only those already confident in speaking.
Offer views freely, then release them. Invite each person to contribute without interruption, ridicule, or pressure. An idea, once expressed, is treated as belonging to the group rather than to its originator; participants may refine, combine, or set it aside in pursuit of truth. [6]
Seek convergence and identify experiments. Ask what is emerging, what uncertainties remain, and what small, reversible action can generate learning. This is particularly useful when personal circumstances and social conditions are changing.
Decide, assign, and record. State the decision, rationale, responsibilities, resources, timing, and how results will be reviewed. The goal is unanimity; where a decision is duly reached, unity in implementation matters even when initial views differed. [6] [7]
Close with reflection and care. Invite a brief check-out: What felt heard? What needs follow-up? Who may need support? If discussion has become contentious or unproductive, defer it rather than forcing resolution. [4]
Technology as servant, not substitute
Technology should widen participation and preserve learning—not accelerate argument or turn consultation into a sequence of competing comments.
Use hybrid meetings with equal participation rules: remote participants can speak first periodically; chat comments enter the record; cameras are optional when bandwidth, privacy, disability, or caregiving makes them burdensome.
Use asynchronous preparation: distribute the question, factual background, relevant quotations or principles, and agenda beforehand. Permit voice notes or written reflections for those who think better outside live conversation.
Use shared living records: distinguish clearly among observations, questions, proposals, decisions, responsibilities, and lessons learned. A decision log makes institutional memory available while preventing recollection from becoming a source of contention.
Enable accessibility by design: captions, interpretation, plain-language summaries, translated materials, screen-reader-compatible documents, low-bandwidth options, and varied modes of contribution.
Offer protected channels for sensitive input: confidential one-to-one follow-up, carefully governed anonymous feedback, and clear limits on who can access notes or recordings. Do not record sensitive consultation by default.
Avoid platform incentives that reward speed, visibility, or polarization. Disable public reaction counts where possible, avoid debate-style polling before consultation, and establish norms against forwarding or screenshotting private exchanges.
Safeguards for changing conditions
Because people’s capacities and circumstances change—through illness, caregiving, trauma, mobility, language, social position, or changing knowledge—the process should be regularly recalibrated.
Rotate facilitation, note-taking, timekeeping, and presentation roles so authority and competence do not become concentrated in a few voices.
Build in a “context check”: What has changed since we last consulted? Whose experience is missing? What assumptions should be tested?
Separate brainstorming from decision-making when power differences are significant; invite input first, then disclose constraints and deliberate.
Use short cycles: act, observe, reflect, adjust. Bahá’í community practice frames consultation as integral to a mode of learning, not merely a procedure for one-time decisions. [4]
Establish repair practices: acknowledge harm, clarify misunderstanding, revisit process agreements, and if necessary pause consultation until participants can re-enter with composure and mutual regard.
Measure quality as well as outcomes: whether people felt able to speak, whether marginalized knowledge shaped the discussion, whether decisions were understood, and whether learning altered subsequent action.
In this model, each person’s distinctive personality, experience, and capacity is neither romanticized as an untouchable private possession nor absorbed into a collective uniformity. It becomes a contribution to a shared investigation of reality—expressed freely, considered fairly, and integrated into united action. [4] [5]
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/644110934
@ReligionMag examines the growing issue of violence based on religion or belief globally, including the systematic persecution of Baha'is in Iran.
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab outlines key steps needed to address such violations, including monitoring, criminal accountability, targeted… pic.twitter.com/5Vj1Z8nuUa
— Bahá'í International Community – Human Rights (@BahaiBIC_Rights) August 25, 2026
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.
It is incumbent upon everyone not to take any step without consulting the Spiritual Assembly, and they must assuredly obey with heart and soul its bidding and be submissive unto it, that things may be properly ordered and well arranged. Otherwise every person will act independently and after his own judgement, will follow his own desire, and do harm to the Cause. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]
Question for Consideration
How can Bahá’í consultation help people “look for the best possible balance between the well-being of all and the well-being of each person and/or group”? [2] [3]
Perplexity Computer Response:
Bahá’í consultation helps people seek this balance by changing the question from “Which interest wins?” to “What course best serves the whole while honoring the legitimate needs, dignity, and capacities of every part?” It treats individual and collective well-being as interdependent rather than competing goods. [4] [5]
How the process helps
It makes every perspective available to the group. Consultation calls for a free, respectful, fair-minded exchange of views. This helps reveal impacts that a majority, a leader, or a dominant group might otherwise miss—especially harms borne by less powerful people or groups. [4]
It detaches ideas from personal ownership. Participants are asked to offer views candidly, but not cling to them. Once expressed, an idea becomes something the whole group can examine, revise, combine, or set aside according to what best serves the shared purpose. This reduces ego, lobbying, and zero-sum bargaining. [5]
It seeks reality, not merely compromise. A compromise can split the difference while leaving an injustice intact. Consultation instead aims to discover relevant facts, principles, and consequences, including the question: Who benefits, who bears the cost, and what long-term effects follow? That inquiry can produce an option none of the original participants had proposed. [5] [6]
It frames justice as relational. Bahá’í thought compares humanity to one body: the health of each part depends on the health of the whole, and injury to one part affects all. Thus, the well-being of a group cannot be sustainably pursued at another group’s expense; likewise, an abstract “common good” cannot rightly erase particular people’s needs. [4]
It combines decision with learning. Consultation need not assume certainty. A group can decide, act, observe results, reflect together, and adjust. This allows it to correct unforeseen inequities and refine the balance over time. [4] [6]
What balance means in practice
The aim is not that everyone gets precisely the same outcome, nor that every preference receives equal weight. It is that decisions protect the basic welfare and voice of each, while directing resources and action toward the flourishing of the entire community.
For example, if a community must allocate limited funds between a broadly used public facility and support for a smaller but marginalized population, consultation would ask:
What are the actual needs and evidence?
What consequences follow for the community’s unity and long-term capacity?
Does a seemingly efficient majority preference impose disproportionate hardship on a minority?
Is there a creative alternative—phasing, shared resources, partnerships, or redesign—that advances both?
The resulting decision may favor one immediate allocation, but it should arise from sincere concern for all affected—not from factional advantage. In this sense, consultation is the “operating expression of justice”: a disciplined collective practice for aligning personal, group, and social interests. [5]
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/784072277
Faranak Zabihi Sentenced to Two Years in Prison by the Revolutionary Court of Qaemshahr
It was learned on 17 August 2026 that Mrs. Faranak Zabihi Mahforoujaki, a Baha'i resident of Qaemshahr, was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Qaemshahr to two years and one day of… pic.twitter.com/CHOAdEJ7ip
— Bahá'í International Community – Human Rights (@BahaiBIC_Rights) August 24, 2026
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.
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]
[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
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.
The mode of operation adopted in the area of social and economic development, in common with other areas of Bahá’í activity, is one of learning in action. When efforts are carried out in a learning mode—characterized by constant action, reflection, consultation, and study—visions and strategies are re-examined time and again. As tasks are accomplished, obstacles removed, resources multiplied, and lessons learned, modifications are made in goals and methods. The learning process, which is given direction through appropriate institutional arrangements, unfolds in a way that resembles the growth and differentiation of a living organism. Haphazard change is avoided, and continuity of action maintained. — Universal House of Justice [1]
Question for Consideration
How can one apply the general call for Bahá’í s to “render service to the world of humanity” while focusing on the aim of an ongoing series of global plans for “the release of the society-building power of the Faith in ever-greater measures” to social endeavors in eldercare? [2]
Perplexity Computer Response
Learning in Action
The methodology of Bahá’í social action is “one of learning in action… characterized by constant action, reflection, consultation, and study”. Eldercare is a domain of high complexity and local variation; there is no universal formula. A Bahá’í-inspired approach would begin modestly, document what is learned, consult regularly within the community, adjust methods in response to experience, and share insights with other clusters engaged in similar work. [3] [4] [5]
Footnotes
[1] Universal House of Justice. “26 November 2012 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’i Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/045714051
— Bahá'í International Community – Human Rights (@BahaiBIC_Rights) June 18, 2026
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.
The processes unfolding in the Plan are of course exerting a profound, transformative impact on the individual. What we observe is eager friends learning how to more closely align their pursuits with the Will of God. Through engagement with the Plan’s framework for action, individuals are discovering ways to improve life—in all its aspects—for themselves, for their children, for their wider family, and for their community. Theirs is a heightened spiritual consciousness that leads to a life of purpose and meaning, a life dedicated to developing their God-given potentialities and labouring for the transformation of society. They recognize the value of knowledge in propelling progress, are committed to its generation, and share it freely and humbly. Learning is a habit of mind for them, an orientation in all they do. In every face they see a fellow seeker after truth. They wholly devote themselves to the spiritual, intellectual, and material advancement of a population. They are not swept off course by the world’s unabating distractions. Steady do they go, patient and perseverant, pledged to long-term endeavour. And in the company of many others, they are building havens of peace. — Universal House of Justice [1]
Question for Consideration
How is the nature of participation by protagonists (individuals, communities, and institutions) evolving as the “second, greater phase” of the Nine Year Plan? [2]
Gemini/NotebookLM Response
As the Bahá’í world enters the “second, greater phase” of the Nine Year Plan, the nature of participation by its three protagonists is evolving from the pursuit of organized programs toward the cultivation of a “way of life” patterned on the divine teachings. This evolution is characterized by a “profound, insightful conversation” grounded in direct experience rather than abstract theory.
1. Individuals: Protagonists of a Purposeful Life
The role of the individual is shifting toward a state of heightened spiritual consciousness where service is not an occasional activity but the center of a “coherent life”.
Active Agents of Learning: Individuals are increasingly viewing themselves as active agents of their own learning, adopting a “habit of mind” that sees every social interaction as an opportunity for spiritual exploration.
Inclusive Service: A striking feature of this new phase is the seamless integration of newly confirmed believers, who are taking their place in the field of action alongside long-standing members of the community.
Youth as Discerning Leaders: Youth are moving beyond being mere “passive absorbers of influence” to become “bold and discerning protagonists” who identify fruitful avenues of service and encourage their peers to participate.
2. Communities: Conspicuous Protagonists
Communities are emerging as more visible and self-organized protagonists, taking collective responsibility for their own spiritual and material development.
Collaborative Arrangements: Groups of families, youth, or professionals are forming “collaborative arrangements” to organize their own efforts to improve community life without the need for new administrative layers.
Deepening Societal Involvement: In advanced clusters, Bahá’í activity is becoming embedded in everyday life, leading to a reality where the community participates in the “prevalent discourses of society” and initiates social action initiatives [113, 303.6].
A “Way of Life”: Communities are now focused on a “shaping of actions, interactions, and aspirations” that projects a model of unity and hope to a disordered wider society.
3. Institutions: Tending the “Ecosystem of Learning”
Institutions are evolving into facilitators of a vast “ecosystem of learning,” moving away from a posture of control toward one of guidance and accompaniment.
Direct Experience over Theory: Deliberations within institutions have become more insightful, as they are now based on actual experience from the field of community building.
Guidance and Flexibility: Institutions are learning to be “methodical but not rigid,” ensuring that administrative structures—such as Area Teaching Committees and training institutes—remain responsive to local needs and demands.
Moral Authority in Society: Local Spiritual Assemblies are increasingly viewed by the wider public as a “radiant source of wisdom” and a voice of moral authority for the progress of the entire population.
Ultimately, these three protagonists are advancing in unison, characterized by an “unbroken record of disinterested service” and a commitment to discovering that “precious point of unity” where contrasting perspectives overlap.
Footnotes
[1] Universal House of Justice. “31 December 2025 – To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors.” Bahá’i Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/934252538
— Bahá'í International Community – Human Rights (@BahaiBIC_Rights) May 28, 2026
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.
This is the first in a series of postings to the Ohio Local Food Systems Collaborative (OLFSC) about starting and sustaining a business in local food systems. These postings have several not so ordinary characteristics:
They are about real business opportunities in real neighborhoods
The process of developing these opportunities and the resulting content are shared openly on the OLFSC website
They invite OLFSC readers to comment, critique, and challenge assumptions and extrapolations posted in order to make the outcome better for all
They encourage OLFSC readers to generate ideas and develop plans for businesses they eventually setup in their local areas
Before heading into the business opportunities, clarification of business concepts and terminology is in order…
A Firm Foundation and Ongoing Adaptation
The purpose of any business is to deliver value to the customer. The primary objective of a business is to make profit. In terms of value, this means the amount the customer pays for value delivered (revenue) surpasses the amount invested by the business to provide that value (capital and operating expenses). The ultimate goal of a business is sustainability over the long-term. Again, from a value standpoint, a business is sustained when a sufficient percentage of the profit is reinvested to continue to develop and deliver what is deemed of value by customers so that they continue to pay for it.
What is of value to the customer (idea generation)? How does one deliver that value profitably and in a sustainable manner (business planning)? These are the primary questions addressed at the outset of an entrepreneurial effort. Idea generation and business planning combine vision of a preferred future with a framework for action that brings that vision into reality. These two, working in concert with one another, provide the firm foundation upon which all successful businesses are launched.
Delivery of demonstrated value to the customer requires taking action according to the business plan (business plan execution). Of course, changes in conditions and unforeseen circumstances during the delivery cycle warrant a certain degree of flexibility in executing the plan as it is put into play (adaptation). The capacity to sense and respond, learn and adapt is the hallmark of a business that survives start-up and embarks on sustainability.
The main points outlined above equate to key steps in establishing a successful business:
Generate ideas
Develop a business plan
Execute the plan
Adapt plan to “lessons learned” during execution
These four link vision with problem-solving to deliver demonstrated value to the customer. Because of the significance of the dialectic between vision and problem-solving in business success, future postings in this series will delve more deeply into the working relationship between the two. And in keeping with the commitment made in the opening statement of this posting, the focus of the upcoming OLFSC postings will be “real business opportunities in real neighborhoods”.
Originally posted to Local Food Systems by Steve Bosserman on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 10:30
This past Friday, my doctor told me I have Ménière’s disease. These two words explained a week of incessant, high-pitched ringing and pulse-throbbing pressure in my left ear, an unsteady gait when walking, and a counter-clockwise swirling of the room following any rapid movement of my head. The only action that seemed to curb it was sleeping, which is what I did. While there was much to be done, I felt like doing NOTHING!
Of course, I indulged in self-diagnosis in between waves of vertigo. Was it the result of too much coffee? Too little down-time? A simple case of the flu? I settled on three possibilities: an inoperable brain tumor (in deference to my mother – may God rest her soul – who believed in establishing an extremely severe alternative no matter how unlikely so that almost any diagnosis made by the doctor would be good news in comparison); an ear infection (where my bets were placed); and wax build-up in the ear canal (I knew this one was a long-shot, but it at least served as a balance to the first choice). Ménière’s disease?! Never heard of it!
“What is it?” I asked. The doctor offered an explanation: no one knows what causes it…could be genetic…could be a virus…there is no cure…it comes and goes unpredictably…you have atypical vestibular Ménière’s disease because you are not experiencing hearing loss in the left ear…long term prognosis is that you probably will have total, permanent hearing loss…severe vertigo can be incapacitating due to nausea and vomiting…can only treat the symptoms…surgery works in some cases to lessen vertigo. In the meantime, here is a prescription for 25mg of Meclizine to reduce dizziness…the side-effects include feeling lightheaded, sleepy, having blurred vision, change in thinking clearly…avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require alertness or clear vision. Anything else I can do for you?
I entered into the privacy of the doctor’s office aware of my very real, but unspecified condition. It was real because I physically and mentally experienced its consequences. And in that moment it was mine alone. No one else knew what I had or how I was affected by it, not even my wife who accompanied me. However, the doctor gave it a name. He now knew, my wife knew, and I knew and I was no longer alone with the unknowable.
The mere fact that it was symbolized with letters gave it a virtual existence extending far beyond me and touching the millions of others who have the same condition. This virtualization gives me access to the experiences, knowledge, empathy, and understanding of others; and they to mine. Because of a name, Ménière’s disease, such widespread connectedness becomes a powerful way for me to learn about myself and the result may carry far beyond the bounds of the condition. So, to start…
A Google search on the term, “Ménière’s disease” yields 667,000 results. A search of Amazon generates two pages of books, journals, magazines, even herbal medicines. There are 28 Yahoo! Groups and 3 Google Groups and almost 2700 groups across the Internet dedicated to the Ménière’s-related topics such as tinnitus, vertigo / dizziness, vestibular virus, etc. There are countless variations on how Ménière’s manifests itself and what people who have it do in response. The choices are many, ranging from pharmacological prescriptions to alternative medicines, and from low-salt diets to surgery.
It is almost impossible NOT to get connected. Clearly, I don’t know what’s next for me with Ménière’s — I could have another episode tomorrow or I could never have another one. At the moment I have no vertigo, no hearing loss, no spinning computer screen, no pressure in the ear, only a slight ringing. The prescription for Meclizine is filled, but unused. So in the moment, I go on reading more, asking more, learning more. And even if I don’t have call to use this knowledge for myself, I have it at hand in case others I meet or know are afflicted with similar symptoms and diagnoses. This potential for learning together in the future marks a distinct value of virtualization. If and when Ménière’s strikes again and the realization of the condition hits me hard, I thank all of you in the vast global network in advance for imparting your knowledge and wisdom and making me a better person for it!
Originally posted to New Media Explorer by Steve Bosserman on Saturday, October 22, 2005 and updated on Monday, October 24, 2005
As mentioned in an earlier post, integrity is manifested through the filters and screens that make up the various affiliations in a person’s life. Some of these affiliations are stronger, newer, and exercise greater influence than others. Because of these differences, integrity is not necessarily central in a person’s affiliation landscape as evidenced in the graphic below. Furthermore, this positioning is not static. As time passes, the filters and screens vary in intensity and significance, and the balance point for integrity shifts.
We humans are social creatures. We have highly evolved language skills and capabilities which we use to communicate with each other through conversation. These conversations convey meaning about us, our situations, our needs, and our aspirations. Essentially, they are our stories.
Stories are structured conversations we have with others about our experiences and the meanings they hold for us. Because of the influence exacted by filters and screens upon us, the stories we tell at one time may be quite different than the stories we tell at another time, place, and circumstance. Stories are contextual. The “truth” they express is relative.
As stated in an earlier post, establishing ground truth is a critical first step for knowledge brokers to ascertain behavior and communication patterns and make relevant responses be they positive or negative. Proclaiming one’s ground truth is an exercise of story-telling. Context is crucial if the reality that shapes a person’s story and truth can be well-understood and acted upon appropriately.
Stories are dependent on the conditions that exist at the time of their telling. The forum — who is in the conversation, where it occurs, when it takes place, and what processes are followed — and the agenda — topics for conversation, expected outcomes from the conversation, and next steps to be taken — are major determinants in how the story is told. Even the same experience shared by many will be related differently depending on the forum and agenda.
Knowledge brokers are concerned about ground truth because of the implications on communication patterns. Repeated over time, stories are reflections of sustained conversation themes and understanding. Changing forums and agendas changes these conversations. Changing conversations leads to experimentation and different experiences. New experiences prompt learning which leads to different stories in an attempt to make meaning out of the new experiences. These new stories influence recurring conversation themes. Told with sufficient frequency over time, stories change the underlying communication patterns and adaptation and evolution occur.
Originally posted to New Media Explorer by Steve Bosserman on Tuesday, September 6, 2005 and updated on Saturday, September 24, 2005
Frameworks for Understanding the World 