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UK COMMUNITY NEWS
The Spiritual Matrix -
welcomed youth to the Real World
During the Intercalary Days I went to a
Bushfire youth weekend. It was held in the wilderness centre on the edge of the
forest of Dean.
This was the first one I had been to but
there had been other youth weekends run by Bushfire before. The theme and name
of the weekend was The Spiritual Matrix. You may have seen the film and in a
way it was the same idea except this was about real life and our world and the
spiritual world. This world we live in is the Matrix and the next world is the
reality.
The next activity I had was with Fleur
Bartlett. She gave a very good session called ‘tug of war’ which was showing us
a way to overcome tests and difficulties of life by using a virtue. Fleur made
the lesson practical by using a rope and we had a tug of war - "tests and
difficulties" against "virtues".
The last one really touched my soul. It was
Nadiem’s music session. Nadiem plays the bazuki which is like a lute (an old
fashioned guitar). He played from the heart and with feeling which touched
everyone and made them think. I think it made me let go of myself and feel
free.
We also had workshops run by Lorna, Azar and
Tara. Lorna’s was on other Manifestations and their teachings. I learned a lot
and it was fun. Azar’s session was called "the Beginning". We talked
about the creation of life. It may not sound important but it was a very big
subject. We also looked at the states of being (human, animal, vegetable and
mineral) and at the nature of God. Tara’s session was all about inner
difficulties and how you and your soul cope. We did some service work for the
centre for three hours which was basically cleaning the place up. It was really
fun and I could have done it for longer.
A big thanks must go to Darren and Gawayne
for organising the event, but one of my favorite things was the food. Martin
and Jenny Lockwood worked all day long to bring us the best meals. I’d like to
thank the teachers as well.
Oshan Mahony
Under the auspices of the Bahá’í Council for
Scotland 16th BAHA'ILAND GATHERING 8th - 15th July Summer School in North East
of Scotland, Northern College, Aberdeen *Beyond the Century of Light*
For information on registration and costs
contact: Peter Burns, 26a Crossfolds Crescent, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire AB42
1RE Tel: 01779 470793. e-mail: mailto:peter9burns@netscapeonline.com.uk
Under the auspices of the Bahá’í Council for
England Sidcot Bahá’í Family Summer School 5th - 12th August or 12th - 19th
August Theme: The Kitáb-I-Íqán ~ Book of Certitude The most important book on
the spiritual significance of the Cause For information and booking forms
please send a stamped self-addressed envelope to: Jill & Farhad
Shahbahrami, Cranmore Tower, Cranmore, Somerset BA4 4LF Tel: 01749 880742
BAHA'I ACADEMY FOR THE ARTS - 29
July - 5 Aug, Sidcot School, Somerset
"It provided the time, a relaxed
atmosphere, support, light and airy space and inspiration. Most important to me
it was professional and well structured." commented one of the students at
the Bahá’í Academy for the Arts after last year’s event.
The Academy is a week of fun and laughter
but also amazing achievement for many participants. For some it is a
spiritually life- changing experience, for others access to skills they never
believed they had, a blossoming of self confidence, or time to be, and create,
in a stimulating environment.
The Academy began eight years ago with 25
students; in 1999 over 100 students attended! It began as a response to the needs
of young street performing groups for a place to develop their skills and
identity. Now it aims to provide a nurturing and empowering training
environment for the spiritual, artistic, and personal growth of its
participants whatever their age.
Courses are offered this year for students
from five years upwards, with all ages and abilities encouraged to attend. You
can come as an independent student, on your own or as a group of friends, we
supply the space, you come and create! Attending or not you can exhibit and
sell in the Academy Gallery. Last year twelve artists exhibited. This year
space is planned for more.
Plus there is a sparkling evening programme
of guest artists. This year Omid Djalili comes back to share his NEW Edinburgh
Festival show.
Please come and build the vision with us. We
would love to welcome you and your friends, whether Bahá’í or not. For further
information contact: Margaret Appa, Tel: 01903 771529 e-mail: mailto:margaretappa@hotmail.com
BBC Television Look East featured the
Northamptonshire Bahá’í choir rehearsing for the Naw Rúz event and the Naw Ruz
Feast in Kettering. The broadcast went out on the local news on 21st March. The
broadcast showed the multi-national choir, half of whom are not Bahá’ís,
rehearsing for the big Naw Rúz concert on the 24th March and film of the
Nineteen Day Feast in Kettering.
There were two short interviews about the
significance of Naw Rúz and a snatch of prayer. The item went out on both the
lunchtime and evening versions of the programme. It was a very clear and well
presented proclamation of the Faith and showed both a large multi-national
choir and multi-national Feast.
The following night the young Bahá’í
musicians and their friends, who have formed two groups, Kai and Fuze, played
at the Friends Meeting House in Northampton. Many new people were in the
audience, so in two nights these local musicians had performed in front of
nearly two hundred people.
Huqúqu’lláh youth workshop
Huqúqu’lláh is a great law and a sacred
institution. Laid down in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, it is one of the key instruments
for constructing the foundation and supporting the structure of the World Order
of Bahá’u’lláh. Obedience to this law, enables the believer to be firm and
steadfast in the Covenant, provides a reward in every world of the worlds of
God and is a unique test of true faith. Huqúqu’lláh is a sacred obligation from
God for all Bahá’ís over the age of fifteen. With this in mind, the Bahá’í
Youth Committee for England invited Carolyn Wade to facilitate a special
workshop for youth on Huqúqu’lláh.
The workshop was held on Saturday 12th
February, and was attended by 16 youth from throughout England. The workshop was
intended to provide an insight into Huqúqu’lláh. Carolyn Wade explained many
issues and answered questions to do with this great law. One participant
stated,
"The biggest shock for many who
attended was the realisation of the great spiritual importance of Huqúqu’lláh
and that we as Bahá’ís are obliged to honour it from the age of maturity".
The need for young believers to know and
begin to understand this concept is imperative. With the Faith at the stage of
maturity, where all believers globally have the privilege to honour
Huqúqu’lláh, it is most beneficial for us to embrace this law wholeheartedly
and educate ourselves in it enthusiastically. From the following comments of
some youth who attended the workshop, it looks as though this is happening!
"It was a very well prepared seminar,
full of enthusiasm and joy. If I thought I knew something about Huqúqu’lláh, I
was wrong. I am now more aware of the Law of Huqúq and understand it better. I
was amazed to realise how this law is so important for the society we live in,
not only the Bahá’í society but the people that are around us. I think youth
really missed something that could have changed their approach to the fund and
especially the spirit of giving to the fund." - Nabil Robiati (London)
"Just to tell you that the workshop was
excellent! It was the best one on Huqúqu’lláh that I’ve ever attended....I am
so excited about finally embracing this bountiful law! I really feel I know how
to go about things now...I am sure that all the other attendees feel exactly
the same way". - Nuri Niayzi (Manchester)
"The Huqúqu’lláh workshop was so
amazing. Thanks for telling me about it - it has changed EVERYTHING!" -
Alison Bird (Manchester)
Samantha Maingay and Mehran Dabestani
CONNECT - The Bahá’í website that
brings friends together
We all know the importance of marriage and
the divine nature of this sacred institution - but what if the years are
slipping by and you’ve still not met that special someone? Sometimes it feels
like opportunities to meet potential partners are desperately few and far
between.
So "CONNECT" has been set up in
the hope that it will bring together the friends who have the same likes,
interests and ambitions, in the hope that it will make that crucial meeting
happen. So why not add an entry yourself, or just read those already there.
"CONNECT" also offers an
electronic pen-friend service for the friends to start up a correspondence with
others with similar interests wanting to start an e-friendship across the globe.
So whatever your reason for visiting, please
do visit. It’s all happening at: http://www.connect.hearts.co.uk/
Log on using "connect" as the
username and "worship" as the password.
Robin Christopherson
Come and enjoy Orkney Summer
School
Global Challenges at the Dawn of
the 21st Century in Kingston-upon-Thames
The Kingston-upon-Thames Bahá’í Community
invited the eminent economist Dr Augusto Lopez-Clairos to give a talk on
"Global Challenges at the Dawn of the 21st Century" at Surbiton
Library Hall. Dr Lopez-Clairos, a Bahá’í, was the Resident Representative in
Moscow for the International Monetary Fund from 1992 - 1995. He has travelled
extensively to many countries in connection with his work. Guest of Honour was
Cllr Jane Smith, Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon- Thames,
accompanied by her consort Mr Rodney James. The event was well attended by
guests and Bahá’ís.
Dr Lopez-Clairos began his talk by giving
examples of various institutions within our own country which we all accept are
necessary for a civil society. He said that, for example, the Government is
needed for making legislation, Police for our protection, Bank of England for
ensuring banks are run properly etc. etc.. When such institutions do not run
properly, as we see in some countries, they experience problems. We are
relatively secure in the West and do not think that we could face similar
problems. But there are problems of terrorism, drug trafficking, adverse monetary
transactions etc. that govern- ments sometimes feel unable to control. We felt
the jitters here when the Asian economy and Russian economy faltered. We have
become interdependent through trade and we share the same global environment
and therefore problems in other countries do affect us. Whereas we are
protected by Institutions for affairs within our country, Governments feel
impotent to take action when confronted with international problems like wars
in Rwanda, East Timor and Bosnia. Lack of global institutions to deal with
problems forces Governments to take ad hoc measures that are far from
satisfactory.
Threat of nuclear war in the early ‘80s
loomed very large but however keenly one may have felt that threat, at least on
this account, the world is a safer place today. The end of Cold War has also
made it possible for governments to allocate fewer resources to building up
machinery of war and divert these to more productive ends that are conducive to
the welfare of humanity. Dr Lopez-Clairos then quoted the words of Bahá’u’lláh,
who a century ago wrote to the kings and rulers of the day to spend resources
not on weapons of destruction but on "....that which would conduce to the
happiness to humanity". Progress in medicine, agriculture, science and technology
is being used to alleviate many problems and we believe will eventually allow
us to satisfy most of the material needs of mankind. However, deforestation,
soil erosion, depletion of the ozone layer, global warming and so on are the
results of unrestrained industrialisation and can undermine the basis of
sustainable development. The widening gap between rich and poor has in many
parts of the world become a threat to domestic peace and stability and may
affect countries beyond their boundaries. Yet another unfavourable trend is the
corruption of religion which has ceased to a be source of spiritual guidance
and has become instead a force for disunity and conflict among the peoples of
the world. The forces released by the clash of opposing tendencies have given
many a sense that not only is the current age a very special period but also
one filled with a number of historical challenges and opportunities. Hence the
heated and interesting debates on such concepts as the new world order and the
kinds of Institutional structures that should be built to support an
increasingly interdependent community of nations. Dr Lopez-Clairos’s talk
created a great deal of discussion and comment from the floor. Councillor Jane
Smith spoke briefly afterwards and said how she enjoyed the stimulating talk.
Bahá’í children then presented Cllr Smith with books and a bouquet of flowers.
Guernsey’s magical interfaith
surprise
Other religious organisations were contacted
and invited to take part in a programme of music and readings from a variety of
faiths, and non-faiths to celebrate peace and understanding.
We found a very nice room in a community
centre, arranged lovely flowers around and set out comfortable chairs for about
twenty people in a circle (we thought that was a bit hopeful, knowing the usual
response).
Well, 7.20 arrived and slowly friends began
to trickle in; one or two we had especially invited, then a few more, then a
few more until there were no chairs left. We brought in a stack more, they
filled up, so we brought still more chairs until thirty eight people filled the
room. What a joy!
The chairman welcomed everybody, then
beautiful music played, a Bahá’í prayer for peace was heard, representatives
from the Buddhist tradition read and chanted, a lady from the Roman Catholic
Faith took part as did an Anglican, a Quaker and a "free spirit". The
atmosphere was charged - it was pure magic.
After the spiritual food everyone stayed to
partake of various goodies and talk of the inspiring evening and the clamour
"Let us do it again" came over and over from participants and
audience. People said how uplifted they had felt.
Neighbourhood youth event in
Caerphilly
The Bahá’ís of Caerphilly sponsored a day of
activity at the local leisure centre on Sunday 12th March. The Assembly had been
considering doing something for the younger generation in the neighbourhood for
some time. Thirty youth attended this event (Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís), which
consisted of learning a virtue and then team building.
Everybody had a good time. This gathering is
just the beginning - plans are afoot for the youth to get together once a
month. As we know, youth can move the world, so could this be a spark in the
Valley!
Camp Egg-Stream!
Accommodation will be in domitories,
excellent facilities, fun event. Why not bring a friend? For further
information contact the Swanns, Felin Gelli, Peniel, Carmarthen,
Carmarthenshire, SA32 7AQ Tel: 01267 235039, e-mail: mailto:richardsheila@swannfg.freeserve.co.uk