Tag: work

Daily Frameworks for 16 April 2026

Istijlál, 08 Jalál (Glory), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

To the far-flung Bahá’í communities of East and West, most of which are being increasingly proscribed and ill treated, and none of which can claim to have had a share of the dual blessings which a specially designed and constructed House of Worship and a fully and efficiently functioning Administrative Order invariably confer, the concentration in a single locality of what will come to be regarded as the fountainhead of the community’s spiritual life and what is already recognized as the mainspring of its administrative activities signalizes the launching of yet another phase in the slow and imperceptible emergence, in these declining times, of the model Bahá’í community—a community divinely ordained, organically united, clear-visioned, vibrant with life, and whose very purpose is regulated by the twin directing principles of the worship of God and of service to one’s fellowmen. — Shoghi Effendi [1]

Question for Consideration

What is the relationship between work and service from a Bahá’í perspective? [2]

Gemini/NotebookLM Response

In an era defined by economic volatility and shifting social structures, the traditional perception of work as a mere means of survival is undergoing a profound transformation. From a Bahá’í perspective, work is not a secular necessity to be endured, but a spiritual obligation that serves as a primary vehicle for social progress. This framework elevates mundane labor to the level of worship, provided it is performed in a spirit of service and excellence. By examining the relationship between individual agency and collective well-being, we can understand how work becomes the cornerstone of a resilient and unified global society.

The Alchemy of Service and Excellence

The Bahá’í teachings posit that “work done in the spirit of service is the highest form of worship.” This principle dissolves the artificial barrier between the sacred and the profane. When an individual engages in a craft, trade, or profession with the intent of benefiting others, they are participating in a process of constructive resilience—a concept describing the ability of a community to build life-affirming patterns even amidst social upheaval.

Historical experience within the Bahá’í community emphasizes that justice is the ruling principle of this labor. Because the universe operates on cause and effect, the quality of one’s work directly impacts the social fabric. For instance, the Bahá’í International Community has often highlighted that when work is viewed through the lens of oneness, the exploitation of labor becomes a violation of the human family’s integrity. Instead, work becomes a collaborative effort where individual agency is magnified through cooperation. This shift from competition to mutual assistance transforms the workplace from a site of stress into a laboratory for social evolution.

Implications for a Global Family

The broader implications of this perspective suggest that universal participation in the workforce is essential for global stability. When everyone recognizes their responsibility to contribute value, the “oneness of humanity” moves from a lofty ideal to a practical reality.

By aligning professional life with the principles of love and justice, humanity can navigate political and financial upheavals with greater fortitude. Ultimately, work as service ensures that every individual matters, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of accountability and progress that benefits the entire human family. This grounded, rational approach to labor offers a sustainable path toward a more equitable and unified world.

Footnotes

[1] Effendi, Shoghi. THIS DECISIVE HOUR. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/160029840

[2] Gemini/NotebookLM. “The Sanctity of Occupation: Work as Service to Humanity.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. April 15, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VK_quY1cTftHdz4okXUYuE02VPiz438nHamYbMiE-bs/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 15 April 2026

‘Idál, 07 Jalál (Glory), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

O people of Bahá! It is incumbent upon each one of you to engage in some occupation—such as a craft, a trade or the like. We have exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship of the one true God. Reflect, O people, on the grace and blessings of your Lord, and yield Him thanks at eventide and dawn. Waste not your hours in idleness and sloth, but occupy yourselves with what will profit you and others. Thus hath it been decreed in this Tablet from whose horizon hath shone the daystar of wisdom and utterance. The most despised of men in the sight of God are they who sit and beg. Hold ye fast unto the cord of means and place your trust in God, the Provider of all means. — Bahá’u’lláh [1]

Question for Consideration

What does it mean to “render service to the world of humanity” in a Bahá’í context? [2]

Gemini/NotebookLM Response

In a Bahá’í context, to “render service to the world of humanity” is considered the fundamental purpose of human existence and the primary engine for social progress [3]. It involves a shift from passive citizenship to becoming an active protagonist in constructing a new social order based on spiritual principles [3]. This service is characterized by the following key dimensions:

Service as a Form of Worship

In the Bahá’í Faith, useful work and craftsmanship performed in a spirit of service are equated with the worship of God [4[ [5] [6]. This principle implies that there is no place in the new World Order for idleness; every individual is obligated to engage in an occupation that profits both themselves and others [5] [7]. This integration is epitomized by the institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár (House of Worship), which is designed to be surrounded by “dependencies”—such as schools, hospitals, and orphanages—symbolizing that prayer must find its ultimate expression in practical humanitarian work [8] [9] [10].

Rooted in the Oneness of Humanity

Service is not restricted to a specific group but must be universally extended to all mankind [11] [12]. Bahá’ís are exhorted to see all human beings as “leaves of one tree” and to be “sincerely kind” to every person they encounter, regardless of race, religion, or nationality [13] ]14] [15]. This involves:

  • Abolishing Prejudices: Actively working to eliminate racial, religious, and political biases that destroy the foundations of human solidarity [16] [17] [18].
  • Showing Love to Enemies: Responding to malevolence with a “friendly heart” and treating oppressors with loving-kindness [19] [20] [21].

Spiritual and Humanitarian Dimensions

Service encompasses both the material and spiritual needs of society:

  • Teaching and Guidance: “Teaching the Cause” of God is described as the “head cornerstone of the foundation itself” and the “most meritorious of all deeds” [22] [23] [24]. It is viewed as the highest form of service because it provides the spiritual “spirit of life” to a “sorely-stricken world” [25] [26] [27].
  • Philanthropic Efforts: This includes being a “loving father to the orphan,” a “cure for the ailing,” and a “helper of every victim of oppression” [21] [28] [ 29].
  • Education: Providing for the spiritual and material education of children is considered a “noble service” and a “gardener at work in the bowers of God” [30] [31] [32].

Characteristics of the “Servant”

True service requires specific internal qualities and a disciplined way of life:

  • Self-Sacrifice: Individuals are called to “become entirely forgetful of self,” sacrificing their own comforts and personal interests for the common weal [25 [33] [34].
  • Rectitude of Conduct: Service must be distinguished by justice, honesty, and trustworthiness [35] [36] [37].
  • Constructive Resilience: This is the ability of a community to maintain its integrity and continue its efforts toward social betterment even in the face of external chaos or systemic opposition [8] [38.

Collective and Individual Agency

While Bahá’í institutions (like Spiritual Assemblies) act as “channels of God’s grace” to plan and coordinate growth, the power to act resides primarily in the individual [39] [40]. It is the “sacred duty” of every believer to take the initiative to form friendships, build relationships, and win the cooperation of others in common service to the Faith and society [27] [41] [ 42].

Ultimately, rendering service is seen as the one solvent for the world’s incalculable difficulties, intended to transform the “nether dust into high heaven” and establish Universal Peace [43 [44] [45].

Footnotes

[1] Bahá’u’lláh. THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/590677343

[2] Gemini/NotebookLM. “Rendering Service: The Bahá’í Doctrine of Universal Service.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. April 14, 2026. https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/65808e18-87f2-4896-92b9-16a7aff29d15

[3] Gemini/NotebookLM. “The Architecture of Altruism: Service as a Path to Social Transformation.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. April 12, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fm1HT7ErLM0POQcTNJMsWeYjrr-vokDdVcwH4XBB7ec/edit?usp=sharing

[4] Bahá’u’lláh. THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/590677343

[5] Bahá’u’lláh. THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/963707632

[6] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/882688596

[7] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/656176446

[8] Gemini/NotebookLM. “The Architecture of Altruism: Service as a Path to Social Transformation.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. April 12, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fm1HT7ErLM0POQcTNJMsWeYjrr-vokDdVcwH4XBB7ec/edit?usp=sharing

[9] Bahá’u’lláh. THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/464777311

[10] Effendi, Shoghi. THIS DECISIVE HOUR. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/160029840

[11] Effendi, Shoghi. BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATION. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/006039340

[12] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/007165175

[13] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/178354059 | https://www.bahai.org/r/367633500

[14] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/159531595

[15] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/618756023

[16] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/584961008

[17] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/553035508

[18] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/435933475

[19] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/458831814

[20] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/716867938

[21] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/288836526

[22] Effendi, Shoghi. BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATION. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/299171274

[23] Effendi, Shoghi. THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/928988285

[24] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/114657926

[25] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. ADDITIONAL TABLETS, EXTRACTS AND TALKS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/538805124 | https://www.bahai.org/r/503228572

[26] Effendi, Shoghi. BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATION. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/368742740

[27] 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/033013540 | https://www.bahai.org/r/686906860

[28] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/159531595

[29] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/209043457

[30] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. ADDITIONAL TABLETS, EXTRACTS AND TALKS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/674393923

[31] Effendi, Shoghi. BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATION. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/994174344

[32] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/385574615 | https://www.bahai.org/r/745522694

[33] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. ADDITIONAL TABLETS, EXTRACTS AND TALKS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/489504901

[34] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/593474806

[35] Effendi, Shoghi. THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/716325250

[36] Effendi, Shoghi. THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/616588933

[37] Bahá’u’lláh. THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/442263064

[38] Gemini/NotebookLM. “The Meaning Crisis: Recalibrating Human Purpose Through Service.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. April 13, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/18-ZIItigqohpnS4HxE9XeUw8i0UMMe24U2LTljNDP14/edit?usp=sharing

[39] Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE COUNSELLORS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/817651369

[40] 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/056507177

[41] Universal House of Justice. THE INSTITUTION OF THE COUNSELLORS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/295073141

[42] 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/496925957

[43] Effendi, Shoghi. BAHÁ’Í ADMINISTRATION. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/692377692 | https://www.bahai.org/r/790308818

[44] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/612871145

[45] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/822838569

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 April 2026

Kamál, 05 Jalál (Glory), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

Trust all to God. The lights of God are resplendent. The blessed Epistles are spreading. The blessed teachings are promulgated throughout the East and West. Soon you will see that the heavenly Words have established the oneness of the world of humanity. The banner of the Most Great Peace has been unfurled, and the great community is appearing. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

Question for Consideration

What does one’s responsibility for “rendering service to the world of humanity” entail from a Bahá’í standpoint? [2]

Gemini/NotebookLM Response

In a global landscape defined by economic instability and social upheaval, the concept of service often becomes relegated to mere charity or crisis management. However, from the Bahá’í standpoint, “rendering service to the world of humanity” is not a peripheral activity; it is the fundamental purpose of human existence and the primary engine for social progress. This responsibility entails a shift from passive citizenship to becoming an active protagonist in the construction of a new social order based on spiritual principles.

Analysis of Resilient Actions

The Bahá’í approach to service is grounded in the principle of Constructive Resilience. This concept describes the ability of a community to maintain its integrity and continue its efforts toward social betterment even in the face of systemic opposition or external chaos. Service, in this context, is expressed through several distinct dimensions:

  • Individual Agency and Moral Accountability: Responsibility begins with the recognition that every human being possesses the agency to choose their path. Service is not an occasional act but a disciplined way of life. It requires an alignment of one’s inner life with outer actions, ensuring that personal conduct reflects the justice and love one wishes to see in the world.
  • The Nexus of Worship and Service: A central feature of Bahá’í service is the integration of spiritual reflection with practical action. This is epitomized in the institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár (the “Dawning-place of the Mention of God”). These Houses of Worship are designed to be surrounded by “dependencies” such as schools, clinics, and orphanages, symbolizing that prayer must find its ultimate expression in humanitarian work.
  • Universal Participation: Service is not the domain of a specialized elite. The Bahá’í community emphasizes that everyone—regardless of age, background, or economic status—has a unique value to contribute. By fostering “circles of study” and “junior youth empowerment programs,” the community builds collective agency, moving away from paternalistic models of help toward a model where the “served” become the “servers.”

Broader Implications for Global Progress

The implications of this model are profound. When service is rooted in the Oneness of Humanity, it transcends national, racial, and class boundaries, addressing the root causes of prejudice and inequality. By viewing the universe as a system of cause and effect governed by Justice, individuals are motivated to act with long-term vision rather than seeking short-term recognition. Ultimately, rendering service to humanity serves as a catalyst for the “Most Great Peace,” transforming the world’s current upheaval into the birth pangs of a unified global civilization where the prosperity of the part is inextricably linked to the prosperity of the whole.

Footnotes

[1] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/837508784

[2] Gemini/NotebookLM. “The Architecture of Altruism: Service as a Path to Social Transformation.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. April 12, 2026. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fm1HT7ErLM0POQcTNJMsWeYjrr-vokDdVcwH4XBB7ec/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.

239 Days in America, Day 65: June 14, 1912 | New York

“Take Us Out on a Steamer and Drown Us” 1

Yesterday in Manhattan, June 13, 1912, the painter Juliet Thompson had visited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to complete the third and final sitting for his portrait. As she waited to begin her work, she watched ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sitting in the window seat, listening quietly to the outpourings of a distressed young girl.

The girl couldn’t understand why her life was so full of trials, especially when, as she told him, she read the 91st and the 23rd Psalms every night.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá responded: “To pray is not to read the psalms, to pray is to trust in God and to be submissive in all things to Him. . . . Strong ships are not conquered by the sea, they ride the waves. Now be a strong ship, not a battered one.”

Friday, June 14, 1912

The beloved Master called these Servants of His Threshold into His presence, served us tea with His own hand and showered us with great kindness. After a prayer was chanted, He described the devotion, servitude, sincerity and trustworthiness of some of the early believers and expressed great kindness for Siyyid Muhammad-Taqí Manshádí. ‘His station and worth’, He said, ‘will be appreciated in the future.’

In the afternoon at a public meeting He explained the first verse of the Bible and spoke on the reality of the Manifestations of God and the effulgence of the Sun of Supreme Oneness. In the evening He spoke with majesty and grandeur about the days of the Blessed Beauty:

Although He was a prisoner, He pitched His tent with glory on Mount Carmel. Even outwardly His power and majesty were such that for five years the governor of ‘Akká wished to attain His presence but was not permitted to do so by Him; indeed, He took no notice of him.

Later He gave an account of His many addresses in churches and public gatherings in America, saying, ‘What I have spoken is according to the capacity of the people and the exigency of the time. “The father makes gurgling sounds for the newborn infant, although his wisdom can measure the universe.“‘ The Master gave a detailed account of the signs of the Báb and of the Tablets of the Abhá Beauty, relating them to the exigencies of the time. 2

Diary of Juliet Thompson, 14 June 1912 3

The next morning, Thursday, though I went unusually early to the Master, He had already left the house. But Lua, Valíyu’lláh Khán, and I had a wonderful morning. Valíyu’lláh told us so many things.

“My father,” he said, “spent much time with the Blessed Beauty. The Blessed Beauty Himself taught him.

“One time when my father was in His room, Bahá’u’lláh rose and strode back and forth till the very walls seemed to shake. And He told my father that once in an age the Mighty God sent a Soul to earth endowed with the power of the Great Ether, and that such a Soul had all power and was able to do anything. ‘Even this walk of Mine’ said Bahá’u’lláh, ‘has an effect in the world.’

“Then He said that His Holiness Jesus Christ had also come with the power of the Great Ether, but the haughty priesthood of His day thought of Him as a poor, unlettered youth and believed that if they should crucify Him, His Teachings would soon be forgotten. Therefore they did crucify Him. But because His Holiness Jesus possessed the power of the Great Ether, He could not remain underground. This ethereal power rose and conquered the whole earth. ‘And now,’ the Blessed Beauty said, ‘look to the Master, for this same Power is His.’

Talk at 309 West Seventy-eighth Street, New York, 11 June 1912

Man must be lofty in endeavor. He must seek to become heavenly and spiritual, to find the pathway to the threshold of God and become acceptable in the sight of God. This is eternal glory—to be near to God. This is eternal sovereignty—to be imbued with the virtues of the human world. This is boundless blessing—to be entirely sanctified and holy above every stain and dross.

Consider the human world. See how nations have come and gone. They have been of all minds and purposes. Some were mere captives of self and desire, engulfed in the passions of the lower nature. They attained to wealth, to the comforts of life, to fame. And what was the final outcome? Utter evanescence and oblivion. Reflect upon this. Look upon it with the eye of admonition. No trace of them remains, no fruit, no result, no benefit; they have gone utterly—complete effacement.

Souls have appeared in the world who were pure and undefiled, who have directed their attention toward God, seeking the reward of God, attaining nearness to the threshold of God, acceptable in the good pleasure of God. They have been the lights of guidance and stars of the Supreme Concourse. Consider these souls, shining like stars in the horizon of sanctity forevermore.

It must not be implied that one should give up avocation and attainment to livelihood. On the contrary, in the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh monasticism and asceticism are not sanctioned. In this great Cause the light of guidance is shining and radiant. Bahá’u’lláh has even said that occupation and labor are devotion. All humanity must obtain a livelihood by sweat of the brow and bodily exertion, at the same time seeking to lift the burden of others, striving to be the source of comfort to souls and facilitating the means of living. This in itself is devotion to God. Bahá’u’lláh has thereby encouraged action and stimulated service. But the energies of the heart must not be attached to these things; the soul must not be completely occupied with them. Though the mind is busy, the heart must be attracted toward the Kingdom of God in order that the virtues of humanity may be attained from every direction and source.

We have forsaken the path of God; we have given up attention to the divine Kingdom; we have not severed the heart from worldly attractions; we have become defiled with qualities which are not praiseworthy in the sight of God; we are so completely steeped in material issues and tendencies that we are not partakers of the virtues of humanity.

Little reflection, little admonition is necessary for us to realize the purpose of our creation. What a heavenly potentiality God has deposited within us! What a power God has given our spirits! He has endowed us with a power to penetrate the realities of things; but we must be self-abnegating, we must have pure spirits, pure intentions, and strive with heart and soul while in the human world to attain everlasting glory.

I have come for the purpose of admonition and voicing the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. It is my hope that His will and guidance may influence your spirits, souls and hearts, causing them to become pure, holy, sanctified and illumined and making you lamps of heavenly illumination to the world. This is my desire; this is my hope through the assistance of God. 4

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

Mahmud: June 14 – An example of Bahá’u’lláh’s outwardly power and majesty

Celebrating the Centenary: The Master in America

Curated by Anne Perry

June 14, 1912

  1. Knight, Annabel. “‘Take Us Out on a Steamer and Drown Us.’” 239 Days in America, 14 June 2012, https://239days.com/2012/06/14/put-us-in-a-steamer-and-drown-us/. ↩
  2. ’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=4#section82 ↩
  3. Thompson, Juliet. The Diary of Juliet Thompson. Edited by Marzieh Gail. 1st ed. 1947. Reprint, Los Angeles: Kalimát Press, 1983, 309. https://archive.org/details/diaryofjuliettho0000thom/page/308/mode/2up. ↩
  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, 186-187. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/14#808708168. ↩

The Economics of Happiness and Meaningful Work

Recently, one of the community activist groups in our area hosted a screening of the prize-winning movie, The Economics of Happiness, followed by a Skype interview with Helena Norberg-Hodge, one of the co-directors and founder and director of Local Futures – Economics of Happiness, formerly known as the Institute Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC).

It’s definitely worth seeing, if you haven’t already done so. In addition to information available on the Local Futures website, a YouTube film clip offers a quick overview of the main themes explored in the movie: The Economics of Happiness – Official Trailer.

In her commentary on the Skype call, Ms. Norberg-Hodge emphasized the importance of launching and supporting community-based initiatives that rebuild the local food economy and deliver education for action.

She encouraged attendees to mobilize democratic action and draw upon the power of the electorate to influence politicians to enact, rescind, or amend laws regarding taxes, subsidies, and regulations so that locally-sourced products have an even playing field with their globally-sourced alternatives.

Her rationale suggested that the resulting decentralization of corporate and governmental structures would increase the number of jobs. It would also provide community members with meaningful work based on values and skills resurrected from a nearly lost ancient wisdom inherent in our cultural roots. In many instances this worthy work translated into farming using simple tools and adhering to millennia-old agricultural practices.

While Ms. Norberg-Hodge did not openly discount technological developments, the significance of them as a defining force on the pace and degree with which our civilization continues to advance received short schrift.

The loss of jobs today comes primarily as a result of technology. The machine replaces human labor–period. Our challenge is to figure out what we do with our time as the machine continues to eliminate the need for us to spend it in drudgery. The increased redistribution of power as decentralization takes hold opens the door for a new definition of meaningful work WITH the machine, not against it.

No doubt, localization will give us the opportunity to learn how to invest our time in our personal development, care and support for one another, and adaptive community cultures. That would be a dream worth making a reality. But if the future of localization means becoming reacquainted with a shovel, rake, and hoe for hours on end, that seems more like a nightmare! Better to master the machine for our well-being rather than our destruction.

Originally posted to Sustainable Local Economic Development by Steve Bosserman on Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Getting Close to the Customer

This past month, I had the opportunity to work with people across several units within a client organization and develop a strategic framework to inform their planning for future initiatives and projects. Some of the concepts and ideas we explored were related to topics I have introduced in previous posts here and here. This posting draws upon a couple of the diagrams we developed as a way to open the door to the future a bit further and peek into what’s inside.

In Figure 1 below, technology is plotted against society and economy. The vertical axis represents a trend that continues to influence humanity in all aspects: technology becoming faster, smaller, stronger, more integrated, and more intelligent by the day, hour, second. As technology advances, it displaces people from production – from making things. This was the impetus for the Industrial Age wherein mechanization displaced craftsmanship. It started the Information Age with its emphasis on integration and the globalization of production to those areas where human competency and capacity can be found for the lowest cost. And it will precipitate the Relationship Age wherein a wide range of relationships among people utilizing things is supported rather than being a means through which people are occupied making things and are kept apart from one another. This emphasis on relationships leads to increased localization at a community level.

As indicated in the horizontal axis, society and economy changes as these different ages unfold. The Industrial Age created jobs requiring specific skills. People learned skills / trades at school and entered the workplace where their skills were honed by experience on the job. Job opportunities represented income opportunities. Jobs, like the businesses that defined them, were mobile, starting, ending, expanding or moving from location to location depending on the economic circumstances in one area versus another. Where the jobs went, so did the people as it was relatively simple to relocate. People chased the chance to make things!

The Information Age began to shift the emphasis from physical production to the virtualization of production: distributed resources and capabilities, processes and tools, and real-time communication and networks. While work was still packaged as jobs, the nature of the work was rapidly changing – and still is. Having a defined set of tasks outlined on a job description pasted in a box within the hierarchy of an organization chart is no longer the guideline for the work required. Instead, people are expected to communicate across organizational boundaries, participate in open networks to stay abreast of changes in their work context, and form ad-hoc, multi-disciplinary teams focused on taking timely advantage of various opportunities as they emerge. Rather than being rewarded for doing the job, they are rewarded for adding value through collective effort. Competencies in convening and leading teams, being an effective team member, making meaning out of seemingly disparate pieces, identifying opportunities and advancing them in actionable ways, and fostering alignment across diverse groups to gain greater leverage are critical aspects in a person’s portfolio. This portfolio is marketable and portable; and like job mobility of the Industrial Age, the portfolio of the Information Age is mobile. Just ask the person sitting next to you on the airplane!

The Relationship Age has yet to get underway, although we can see vestiges of it on the periphery. As the virtualization of production continues and technology displaces even more people from the act of making things, the relationships among people becomes virtualized. By taking advantage of the same technologies that are virtualizing production, a person’s portfolio becomes virtualized and the competencies and capabilities contained within it can be delivered to anywhere from anywhere at any time. This changes the whole concept of where a person lives and works. Work becomes localized and community-based even though the delivery of that work may be anywhere in the world. A person begins to consider community affiliations for reasons other than job or work assignment. Commitment to a community can be longer term when the job or work does not cause one to be uprooted. Civic responsibility and being of service to the community takes root. Community infrastructures are strengthened and service endeavors are expanded. The dependence on larger regional and federal support structures dissipates. This is an entirely different model for living and one that has yet to be developed much less institutionalized. What will such changes mean to society, governance, economics, etc.? A “brave new world” unfolding, but what kind of brave new world will it be?

These questions are more rhetorical than answerable, but they do set the stage for a more accessible and pertinent topic – the relationship to the marketplace. The diagram below is a variation on the previous chart. The ever ubiquitous technology remains entrenched on the vertical axis driving the shift from the Industrial Age to the Information Age to the Relationship Age. However, the horizontal axis, society and economy, focuses on the transition from producing things to generating information to delivering service as the three “ages” are experienced.

There is now a point to all this activity: the marketplace. How our relationship to the marketplace changes during the transitions through these “ages” is of particular significance. During the Industrial Age the concept was to produce things and people would buy simply because the goods were available and they had the means to buy them. There was a deliberate distance from the purchaser and the producer. “Make it and they will buy,” was the attitude.

In the Information Age people have more information about products and services and they have more choices. Furthermore, they have the opportunity to switch from a set of individual products performing single functions to one product capable of doing multiple functions. The term used is “convergence.” Also, they can opt for products and services that are tied together into systems more powerful and capable as a whole than the sum of the contributions from each. The term “integration” is used to describe this phenomenon. The combination of convergence and integration changes the relationship to the person buying it. Rather than being viewed as a distant and generalized “consumer” who will buy anything made, the purchaser becomes a customer with highly individualized expectations and means requiring specific “solutions” in order for the sale to be made. The need to “know the customer” becomes paramount in this situation and brings the business closer to the customer.

It also brings people closer together either virtually or physically. Value is determined by how well one can understand the needs of a customer and package a solution that responds to those needs. As the position of the “we are here” circle and “x” on the chart indicates, we are just starting to move into that overlap between industrial age thinking and information age thinking about the customer rather than the consumer. Over the next span of time, the value quotient will increase in size based on a closer relationship with the customer as exemplified by the “we are heading here” point.

Underlying the relationships of people to people and people to solutions is the concept of delivering service. The more we leave making things and shift to utilizing things our value to one another will be in how well we facilitate the integration of things to people in really useful solution packages. To know what people truly need will require knowing how people live and how they aspire to live – that means living in their communities, understanding their circumstances, and being part of their solutions rather than seen as part of their problems. Once again, this is an entirely different model. What does it mean? How would it work? Questions without answers for now, but since human nature abhors a vacuum, we’re working on the answers to fill the void!

Originally posted to New Media Explorer by Steve Bosserman on Sunday, March 5, 2006