++ Contents National Spiritual Assembly The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) External Affairs Use of the symbol of the Greatest Name on headstones Directions to the Guardian's Grave on World-Wide Web Old photographs of the NSA Huququllah Baha'i Council for Scotland Training Institute for England, Anne Maund Letters Revitalising weekend at the Four Year Plan Focus, Anne Maund Personal transformation through the Arts, Corinne Randall Some thoughts on teaching the elderly, excerpt from "Light over Pendle" An exciting new look at Children's Classes, Sally LiyaUnsourced ++ National Spiritual Assembly + The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Three Royals in a week! That's the recognition the Baha'i community received because we had a stand at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Edinburgh, 21st-26th October. The National Spiritual Assembly knew that this gathering of world leaders would be an important external affairs opportunity, but perhaps no one could guess just what an opportunity it would be. Our first Royal was the Princess Royal, HRH Princess Anne. The buzz had gone round the stallholders that she was coming and Baha'i team-member Parvin Lee rushed back to her Edinburgh flat to get her Save the Children long-service badge. As she entered the exhibition hall, Princess Anne saw Parvin with the badge and approached the Baha'i stand. The two began to talk about Save the Children, but Parvin turned the conversation to the Faith. The Princess believes strongly in the equality of women and men and was particularly impressed by the exhibition panel we were showing on that subject. She, like many other women who came to the stand, commented favourably on the Baha'i principle of giving priority to the education of girls. We received four or five minutes of the Princess Royal's time. HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was our official royal visitor (each of the 90 or so stands was supposed to receive one royal visit). He looked at the picture of the Delhi temple and said that he had missed visiting it (presumably on the recent royal tour of India) because of heavy traffic in Delhi. He came into the stand and looked at the six large exhibition boards featuring some of the Baha'i principles and examples of the social and economic development of the Baha'i community around the world. We pointed out the Vocational Institute for Rural Women in Indore, India. Towards the end of the week, Her Majesty the Queen threw a party for a representative from each of the non-governmental organizations that were exhibiting in Edinburgh's Assembly Rooms (which had become the Commonwealth Centre for the week of the CHoGM) and other luminaries. The writer attended as Head of the Baha'i Delegation. And very nice it was too. A large crowd in one of the beautiful reception rooms of the Palace of Holyrood House, finger food and drinks brought around by palace footmen. Opportunities to chat to the famous and not so famous. And then there Her Majesty was. Very gracious and dignified, she passed amongst the groups of guests talking, listening, smiling. I was able to say that I represented the Baha'i community. Our neighbouring stand belonged to the Royal Life-Saving Society. Their Commonwealth Secretary General is one John Long. John is a very nice man, possibly somewhat puzzled at our reactions to his name. He decided he would introduce the writer to as many of his Commonwealth contacts at the Holyrood House reception as he could. And he knew a lot of people there: his society does water safety and resuscitation training in 40 Commonwealth countries and a number of High Commissioners are on the Society's governing council. He towed me around the room. To each notable he would say, This is my Baha'i colleague, Barney Leith. The notables (particularly those from developing countries) almost invariably said something like, Oh, the Baha'is! Yes, we know the Baha'is. Wonderful people, the Baha'is. In this way I met (amongst others and in no particular order) the High Commissioners for New Zealand, Australia and Malawi, the Ugandan Foreign Minister (who praised the Baha'is of Uganda and the beautiful temple outside Kampala), Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, representatives of the Commonwealth Royal Agricultural Society, the founder of the Commonwealth Dental Association, various lawyers, George Foulkes, Minister of State at the Department for International Development. Visitors to the stand included the Prime Minister of Belize, the Education Minister of Samoa, the Foreign Minister and the High Commissioner for South Africa, the Director of the Commonwealth at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the International President of Soroptimist International (a highly influential women's organization that includes Baha'is amongst its members), the winners of a sixth form essay competition run by the Commonwealth Institute, a whole crowd of Commonwealth youth from their own conference (one of the facilitators was Nerci Rastan), Trevor Bayliss (the inventor of the clockwork radio). And many more. And, of course, many hundreds of the citizens of Edinburgh passed through during the week. Perhaps 95 per cent of the Commonwealth ministers and civil servants knew of the Faith and reacted immediately and positively. Around two-thirds of the general public had heard of the Faith, and reactions ranged from neutral to very enthusiastic. The team (Graham Barnes, Janet Cundall, Malcolm Lee, Parvin Lee, Ismael Velasco,with helpers Sharon Kampff and Ned Cundall) worked extremely hard, manning the stall and attending satellite conferences on subjects such as moral education, human rights, action for young people in the Commonwealth, women in decision-making (which Lois Hainsworth also attended). We were represented at a meeting of the Commonwealth Common Values Council and the recording of Commonwealth Question Time for the BBC World Service. The National Spiritual Assembly has assessed this effort as a considerable external affairs triumph. The work done over many years by Baha'is throughout the Commonwealth (which includes a quarter of the world's population) paid off in the positive reception accorded the Faith by so many of the ministers and other notables we met during the week. We hope that the work done at CHOGM will have reinforced those positive feelings and that the friends elsewhere in the Commonwealth will benefit from what was done in Edinburgh. Report by Barney Leith + External Affairs Since the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, in Beijing, September 1995, the National Spiritual Assembly has increased its efforts to promote the four external affairs themes outlined by the Universal House of Justice. They are The Status of Women , Human Rights , Moral Education , The Prosperity of Humankind . Being involved in external affairs put simply, means all Baha'i communities, internationally, nationally and locally, promoting those four themes from a Baha'i stance, they being part of processes which will help change society and move it towards its encounter with Baha'u'llah. The newly-formed Baha'i Women's Department rose to the challenge of organising a series of three, one-day conferences in central London which would examine issues affecting The Status of Women . The conferences aired a diversity of issues ranging from education opportunities, effects of armed combat, women's human rights and health care issues, to discrimination against girls, violence against women and the increase in women's poverty. Speakers included Liz Bavidge OBE, Elaine Green, Senior Lecturer City University, Martha Osamoor, President of the Nigerian Organisation of Women and Dr Wendi Momen, Lois Hainsworth and Carmen Henry from the Baha'i Women's Department. + Use of the symbol of the Greatest Name on headstones The Universal House of Justice has asked that we once again remind the Friends in the United Kingdom that the Greatest Name (or its alternative form the Ringstone Symbol) should not be used on gravestones. The guidance from Shoghi Effendi is clear on the subject: In regard to your question regarding the use of the Greatest Name on tombstones of Baha'is, the Guardian considers this too sacred to be placed in such a position in general use, and the friends should not use it on their tombstones. (Directives of the Guardian, p79) This was repeated by the Universal House of Justice, which, however points out that a nine-pointed star or a quotation from the Writings is quite acceptable: The use of the most Great Name or the Ringstone symbol on gravestones is not appropriate. In a letter dated September 17, 1971 to an individual believer we wrote the following: Concerning the question you ask in your postscript, there is no specific ruling regarding the type of headstone that may be used at a grave site. However, regarding the inscription on a headstone, the beloved Guardian asked the believers not to use any form of the Greatest Name but a nine pointed star may be used. Or, you may wish to have an appropriate text from the sacred writings inscribed on the headstone. (Lights of Guidance, p198) In the painful time following a bereavement, when one wishes to do well by the deceased and let everyone know of his or her Faith, it is easy to overlook such matters. Therefore it is not necessary to remove the Greatest Name from an established grave where it appears on the stone. However the Universal House of Justice wishes the Baha is bear in mind the guidance given, and not have our holiest symbol placed on future headstones. + Directions to the Guardian's Grave on World-Wide Web Pages giving directions (with maps) to the Guardian's Resting Place and to the UK National Haziratu'l-Quds can once again be accessed on the World-Wide Web. These are part of the Baha'i Information Office's Webspace, and can be seen at http://www.iol.ie/~isp/se/ + Old photographs of the NSA Do you have an old photograph of the National Spiritual Assembly taken in the 1920s, 1930s and onward. If so could you send it or a copy to the National Office please. Photographs which may be of interest with the forthcoming Centenary in mind can be sent to Baha'i Journal UK. Please print the names of the people featured, approximate date taken and a return address (if required) on the back of photographs. Unreturned photos will be passed to BIO for the national archives. + Huququllah Response to a query raised before the Blessed Beauty: Since thou has enquired about this subject (Huquq), the following answer was revealed from the heaven of His tender mercies: This ordinance is binding on everyone, and by observing it one will be raised to honour inasmuch as it will serve to purify one's possessions and will impart blessing, and added prosperity. However, the people are as yet ignorant of its significance. They continually endeavour to amass riches by lawful or unlawful means in order to transmit them to their heirs, and this to what advantage, no one can tell. Say: In this day the true Heir is the Word of God, since the underlying purpose of inheritance is the preservation of the name and traces of men. It is indubitably clear that the passing of centuries and ages will obliterate these signs, while every word that hath streamed from the Pen of Glory in honour of certain individuals will last as long as the dominions of earth and heaven will endure. (Compilation Huququllah Right of God #42) ++ Baha'i Council for Scotland The prizes won in recent months ... through the strenuous exertions and the shining example of its pioneers in the islands situated in the North, the West and the South of its homeland .... must, however great the sacrifice involved, be preserved. (1) Great attention should certainly be paid to the islands and pioneers and funds allocated for the work there and the more this is done, the more you can hope for the beneficial results indicated by the beloved Guardian. (2) There are areas which cry out for pioneers and travelling teachers ....We contemplate the significance of teaching the Faith in the islands of the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the North Sea. (3) It may surprise many people to know that three out of the seven members of the Baha'i Council for Scotland live on islands. At first sight many might think this is a disproportionate number. When we consider, however, that of the nineteen assemblies in Scotland five of them are on island communities and that, apart from a couple of the cities, some islands have some of the largest Baha'i communities in Scotland, then it is perhaps less surprising that almost half of the Council is made up of islanders. The islands have always featured largely in the Faith. Orkney, Shetland and the Hebrides were all mentioned by name in the Tablets of the Divine Plan by Abdu'l-Baha and each has its own Knight of Baha'u'llah. Charles Dunning for Orkney, Brigitte Lundblade (formerly Hasselblatt) for Shetland and Geraldine Craney for the Hebrides. Out of a total of 120 Knights of Baha'u'llah in the world, to have three around the coast of Scotland is a great bounty. These three island groups have already benefitted in many ways from the great sacrifices made during the Ten Year Crusade to keep them open to the Faith. The Council for Scotland is committed to further promoting the teaching work by supporting the believers in these far-flung, isolated communities. Though numerically some of these communities can be regarded as relatively strong, without stimulation from outside their own communities there is a danger that they can become disheartened and feel cut off from the rest of the Baha'i community. This is true not only of the islands but of many of the rural communities which make up the Scottish Baha'i community. It is for this reason that the Council of Scotland is supporting a travel teaching project in the north of Scotland. The aim of the project is to organise trips to the north of Scotland and the Northern Isles and to the West Coast of Scotland and the Western Isles at roughly monthly intervals in the course of the next year. Anyone can serve the Faith by embarking on such a trip. Those with skills in public speaking or in coordinating deepenings etc will, of course, be welcome and can be used, but we are also looking for people who are happy just to travel to these communities and get to know the local Baha'is. A new face and hearing about another community is enough to stimulate these rural communities which can feel so isolated. If you are willing to travel around the North of Scotland, spending a few days in several rural and island communities, please contact the Scottish Council member with particular responsibility for this area: Mrs. Rosemary McLaughlin, Norvana , Rendall, Orkney Isles, KW17 2NZ. Tel: 01856 761624, e-mail: rosemary@laughlin.demon.co.uk (1) Letter of Shoghi Effendi to the British Baha'i community, 17th June 1954 (2) Letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom, 1976 (3) Ridvan 153BE (1996), Universal House of Justice message to the Baha'is of Europe ++ Letters + Training Institute for England What is training?Training is the process of increasing people's capacity to serve the Cause of God both in teaching and in developing the Baha'i community. This is to be achieved through devising well-organised, formally conducted programmes which aim not only to increase knowledge, but also to develop skills and generate spiritual insights. This is not to be confused with deepening, although deepening is, as the Universal House of Justice tells us, of critical importance and an activity which every community should carry out . What's in a name? Well, it's like this ... Once upon a time we were the Ernest Miller Training Institute Board with responsibilities spanning the whole of the United Kingdom. NOW we are the Board of the Training Institute for England and our aim is to help the friends in England become active, skilled teachers of the Faith who can enthusiastically assist the process of entry by troops. There are now separate Training Institutes for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. What's our role? The Universal House of Justice says that we must gain recognition as a permanent and indispensable contributing element in all regional and local plans for growth and consolidation . That means you can call on our courses and trained facilitators to help train and prepare you for any of your local teaching and consolidation activities. What isn't our role? The Training Institute for England's role does NOT include taking over or making redundant local deepening classes, schools or any other initiatives. The many local efforts aimed at raising up teachers of the Faith should be nurtured and relationships of mutual support will grow between the Training Institute for England and such local endeavours. What programmes are being planned? The Board is fostering the development of training programmes aimed at increasing the confidence of the friends and releasing their potential to teach our beloved Cause. Programmes will vary in format according to the requirements of the particular community taking part. However, all will have the characteristics of being participative and aimed at increasing the knowledge, skills and spiritual insights of the participants. (When you've attended one of our courses there'll be no holding you back!) Will you have to go to Liverpool? No! (Although we hope to make use of the facilities at Langdale Road, Liverpool, now called the Ernest Miller Centre, for some training events). Our plan is to deliver programmes to every corner of England. Where possible we hope to make use of existing local initiatives and resources. We want to bring the Training Institute courses close to where the friends live, and tailor the format to suit local needs. Some communities might like a week-end event, others half a day. Some might like all the local friends to attend whereas others might choose a course that targets a particular age group or area of interest. Next month we will give a list of the Courses up and running and those in preparation and also look at ways in which the local communities can help take the Training Institute's plans forward... + Revitalising weekend at the Four Year Plan Focus Event 97 My grandmother, having brought up six children in wartime had a policy of wait and see . She never wanted to make a promise in case it couldn't be kept. As a child I found it absolutely maddening prior to Christmas or a possible holiday treat, but I guess it taught me some patience. In spite of running the adverts for the Four Year Plan Focus 97 in the Journal, I didn't really know what to expect from the 15th - 16th November weekend. I had to wait and see. We decided to treat ourselves to the bed and breakfast option and take in as much as we could from the event. It's not so far from Chester to Llandudno; we are one of the lucky families that don't have to suffer miles of motorway to get there. However difficult the preparations or tense the journey though, what a buzz it is seeing those yellow AA signs boldly directing everyone to the Baha'i Fair !On arrival at the North Wales Conference Centre we found it was such a mild day that many people were enjoying the sea air outside the building. I updated my opinion of seaside towns in winter in line with global warming. Saturday's programme was described as fluid. It was a free-wheeling day and I think the National Spiritual Assembly and the organisers had got it exactly right. A bright Welcome banner hailed our arrival at the reception desk which supplied information on what was going on over the two days. The Baha'i Publishing Trust had set up a wonderfully spacious bookshop on the ground floor adjoint the coffee lounge. Graham Sorenson had a section with his computer, gently persuading folk on the possibilities of cyberspace. I was beginning to feel at home. The Association for Baha'i Studies ran a mini-conference in a syndicate room which stimulated thought and elevated conversation. Five one-hour sessions ranged from external Affairs: "Baha'is and the Wider Community", with Barney Leith; "Are Souls the Exclusive Possession of Humans?" With Robert Ghanea- Hercock. Even those of us who missed the talk had lively discussions later on whether or not robots could have souls. Fiona Beint, who is a law student, shared her on-going Study of Violence Against Women. Philip Koomen presented "Striving for Excellence", with slides. Gemma Burford spoke on "Restoring the Balance: Abdu'l-Baha'is Medicine for the Future". These sessions did a wonderful advertising job for the Association of Baha'i Studies and gave food for thought. I hope there will be other opportunities to hear these excellent speakers. I do go along to Baha'i events with great intentions of attending as many talks as possible (honest!), but the first thing I see is a bunch of friendly faces and my intentions go out of the window as a reunion begins. I am not the only one this happens to. There was a lot of it going on at the Four Year Plan Focus and it seems the event was tailored to suit this trait. Upstairs was a Baha'i village consisting of around 24 booths set up by many of the National Assembly's various Departments and Committees and the Baha'i Regional Councils. Each one was individually and beautifully decorated (there seems to have been some competition over this!) and information was available on their service or area of work. Visitors could wander around these exhibitions, meet the Regional Council members, put names to faces, sign up for a Thomas Breakwell College course, watch a video showing the refurbishment of 27 Rutland Gate, associate with the Association of Baha'i Women, catch fire at the Spark to Flame booth by learning about the Faith, find out about youth opportunities and pioneering and see where in the world the UK Baha'is get to. Members of the public who popped in and those involved with the Welsh Choir Festival running in the adjoining Theatre were also encouraged to wander around and take away literature. The Publishing Trust treated us to the first showing of four excellent new films. They will no doubt be advertised in the Baha'i Journal. Unfortunately I only managed to see part of the "Thomas Breakwell" film and the "Faith and Art - The Baha'i Academy for the Arts". I did a stint of duty on the video room door and later found out why the Arts film was so popular with the Baha'i Youth - most of them were in it! Somehow I am going to find a way to see all four films. The other titles are "Crossing Frontiers - Ruhiyyih Khanum" and "A Portrait of Pioneering". One of the highlights of the weekend for me was our off-site activities. The bed and breakfast guest house was charming and cheap and full of Baha'is! Likewise the restaurant, where we had our evening meal. We have reached that point in family life where we can share a table with our friends and the children can share with theirs and no bun fights break out !Sunday began with a beautiful devotional sharing prayers, readings and music prepared by the Baha'i youth of Wales, in the Theatre. The Council for Wales then formally welcomed us. Barney Leith introduced Dr John Parris who gave a humorous presentation on the serious subject of "Doorways and Keys" or how Baha'i Community Schools can provide a valuable service to the wider community - as seen by the North East experience. He brought to our attention a message from the International Teaching Centre that, The children of the world have a destiny before God . We should think of projects that will draw 10-16 year-olds towards a Baha'i education. Tiffani Razavi from the Council for England spoke about "Where are we now? Where are we going?" with regard to the UK Community and the mid-way point of the Four Year Plan. Abdu'l-Baha has called the English people "swift, resolute, un-relaxing, rock-solid and staunch", but he also described us as "slow". While the audience was still contemplating its character, Kay Hughes rallied us into song and urged us to be swifter in our feeble, self-conscious response. Bahiyyih Nakhjavani was the final speaker of the weekend. Daughter of Universal House of Justice member Mr Nakhjavani, she had spent sometime in Wales attending a girls boarding school while her parents were pioneers in Africa. She said that at the time she found ignorance rather than prejudice in her fellow pupils who wondered if she had come from a tree-house in the jungle or an oasis in the desert. Bahiyyih paid nostalgic reference to twenty-five years prior to this event, when as a girl of eleven, she had sat in the top of a similar theatre in Manchester at a National Baha'i conference. She compared the British community of then and now. She spoke of the many years of hard work, the fibres of intimate connection. Seeing our community as a model to be proud of, she said we must also claim our past. In looking at where we might find ourselves in the future she referred to the great diversity of creed, race and culture in Britain today and how people had become united in mourning Diana, the Princess of Wales. Reminding us of Queen Victoria's response to the Tablet from Baha'u'llah; "If this is of God it will endure", Bahiyyih said that she found, while watching the scenes from her television in Belgium, the spirit did endure and Baha'u'llah's plan was unfolding. It was good to hear that the UK Baha'i Community had come a long way in twenty-five years, especially to a relative newcomer like myself. It was good to hear that Shoghi Effendi had called the British alert, dauntless, dedicated, firmly grounded, loyal and richly endowed, to have unquenchable faith and be wide awake! Like many others in the, I am sure, I was fascinated by this eloquent, warm and sophisticated woman and I would have liked to have heard more about her twenty-five years away from Britain. We seemed to have just a glimpse of the great service she has given to the Faith. The Children's Activities Team provided classes where sticking, painting, doughing and socialising went on. Weenier ones had a creche within easy reach of the adult action. Brave attempts were made to amuse junior youth, but some were not having it. Yes, there was a great, open beach, but nothing could beat the fascination of the tiny lift, and trips up and down, up and down, became a favourite pastime. Like the adults, sometimes the kids want to hang out with friends and not go to sessions. Now that the adults have been given an opportunity to a grazing-style event, perhaps a similar concept could be introduced for junior youth and youth. Parents at Baha'i events often express relief that children can wander about in relative safety. There may be some anxiety about how to organise this, but might they too enjoy a freedom that we can no longer offer in our neighbourhoods at home? So this was the Four Year Plan Focus 97 - two years along the way. I would say that from this event it is clear that there are many opportunities for personal growth, many paths to take in this rich tapestry of our Faith. The result of such personal growth will be community growth, and as communities grow they will become more attractive. We are all busy people and the busiest seem to be those who are active in Baha'i service. They also seem to be the most alive, energetic and vibrant. Like my grandmother's promises, I don't know what's coming, but it's sure to be good. We'll have to wait and see. Anne Maund + Personal transformation through the Arts My aim is to produce paintings which have universal appeal whilst also using my faith to give an extra spiritual dimension. Art is about unity, getting to the meaningful, essential elements of a subject. What can be more essential than the reason why we were created? I believe that, at it's best, art inspired by the Baha'i Faith can be the purest form of art. For the Bristol community Birth of Baha'u'llah celebration I showed slides of my paintings along with live music accompanying readings from The Seven Valleys . It made an interesting change from our usual devotionals and was suitable for children and visiting friends who were not Baha'is. The Baha'i Students Society arranged for me to exhibit my work in one of the student halls of residence. Eighty people came and it was a natural way to promote the Faith without pushing it in a contrived manner. This project has been an enlightening experience for me. I didn't consciously try to produce paintings which fitted in with the Writings, but working instinctively the Baha'i link emerged. I felt this was confirmation that God knew what I was doing even before I did. This realisation of God's constant guidance has taught me to listen and follow the inner voice guiding me not just whilst painting, but in everyday decisions. Through learning to let go and trust, many of my anxieties and insecurities have gone. By not looking at myself, but at God within me, I have learned to love myself. The result of this is that I can be much more open about my true feelings because I realise they are valid. Becoming aware of the link between my painting and my faith has helped me to realise the extent that the spiritual pervades every aspect of life. I now see the spiritual significances of events as reality and the material as the mirage. Working on The Seven Valleys project I experienced direct glimpses of the stages of the progress of the soul towards God. My faith has moved from being an outer expression to an inner, integral part of myself. By teaching the Faith whilst staying in tune with our inner selves the act of teaching itself becomes the reward. I am happy to lend the slides and readings to communities interested in using them for a devotional presentation. Please contact me at: 18, Albert Parade, Redfield, Bristol BS5 9EH. Tel: 0117 941 32437. Corinne Randall + Some thoughts on teaching the elderly As one becomes older, it becomes harder to change. This is true in all aspects of life, but most of all in religion. By the time people are middle-aged or elderly they have usually done with seeking for the truth and have settled down, either into the faith they were brought up in or something else they embraced when young; and in many cases they have abandoned religion altogether as a living force in their lives. Teaching the Faith to such people is difficult. They have got into a nice, deep, comfortable rut and it seems nothing will jerk them out of it. There are always exceptions, of course, but by and large, that is how it is. First of all we need to have faith in what we are doing. The Guardian once assured a Baha'i teacher who was having little or no success, that "all the seeds that are sown will ultimately reap their fruit". (1) However old people are, they invariably respond to kindness. If you can establish a warm and friendly relationship with them, they may or may not become Baha'is; what is more likely is that they will tell others that you are a Baha'i and those whom they tell, may, in their turn, examine the Faith and become Baha'is. If the older people whom we teach like us as persons and are impressed with the way we live, they may well tell their families and friends about the Faith, and our efforts, unbeknown to us, may bear fruit even on the other side of the world. We should teach in such a way that, as the Hindu Faith says, we are detached from the fruit of the act. (2) Abdu'l-Baha tells us to deliver the Message. (3) He does not tell us to drag people in by the hair. The Guardian says that everyone should hear the name Baha'i for his own spiritual protection (4) Baha'u'llah tells us that if there is no response to our efforts we should leave people to God and pray for them. Ultimately, we do not know (and maybe never shall) how successful we have been in our attempts to teach the Faith to others, especially the old. They are nearer to entering the spiritual world and they will, at the very least, know about it. It may be that those whom we teach are not destined to become Baha'is in this life; but our efforts are for eternity, and we should be able to look beyond today and understand that these efforts, however infinitesimal, are part of a world-redeeming, world-changing process. The farmer sows the seed but God does the rest. In a prayer Baha'u'llah says, "Make me as a lamp shining throughout Thy lands that those in who hearts the light of Thy knowledge gloweth and the yearning for Thy love lingereth, may be guided by its radiance." (5) What more can one ask than that? Madeline and Bill Hellaby This article first appeared in "Light over Pendle", circulated in communities in this and nearby areas, and is reprinted with the permission of the editors. (1) Compilation on Teaching, from a letter to an individual believer written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 7-8-57 (2) Swami Prabhavanda, Bhagavad Ghita (3) Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Teacher's Handbook vol 1, p30 (4) Directives of the Guardian, Teaching, p73 (5) Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations + An exciting new look at Children's Classes "Baha'i education is not about activities like colouring and keeping children quiet while adults are consulting on more important things - the Baha'i Faith needs creative people - and Baha'i classes must train them". So said Trish Janu at the Meyer Institute III - the National Teacher Training Course held in Perth, Western Australia last January. We need young Baha'is who are creative - therefore the Baha'i curriculum must be creatively taught. The extraordinary importance of this work has been highlighted by the International Teaching Centre in their letter of December 1988: young people must be seen as a door to entry by troops: for the children of the world form the largest single segment of today's society! Moreover Abdu'l-Baha predicted that "certain persons in this divine dispensation would produce heavenly children, who, through a heavenly power and spiritual confirmation would be enable to promote the Word of God and to diffuse the fragrances of God. Junior youth between the ages of ten and sixteen should therefore be regarded as a living creation of God necessary at this very moment for the purposes of God in a civilising process which is now being called into existence. Special attention must therefore be devoted to this age group." (1) We must look upon the children's classes as the foremost Baha'i activity: make time, allocate resources and elevate the role of the teacher. The Writings say that in the next world those who serve in the education and training of children will have "eyes shining with light". (2) In the world of the future the reward of the teacher will also be on earth, for teachers will inherit from their pupils, should they outlive them. The National Baha'i Education committee of Australia, inspired by the Baha'i Writings and by current educational advances, has put together a wonderfully comprehensive package on how to make children's classes spiritually focused and loving, yet amusing and enlightening - effective training grounds for a new generation of Baha'is. The programme is available on computer diskette from Baha'i Publications Australia. (3) A video is also available. To teach we must study the reality of man: "O my God, Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee ." (4) We must ponder the idea: What you are is God's gift to you, what you become is your gift to God. Education is about becoming. There has been a sea change in educational techniques, or a new paradigm to use contemporary language, a new mind set. Education no longer stresses only individual achievement in acquiring verbal and mathematical information. Teaching must now be targeted at all the different forms of intelligence, which are now known to be spiritual, body/kinesthetic, musical, personal, and emotional as well as verbal and logical-mathematical. Furthermore we need to learn to synergise in groups -to create as a group something bigger and better than any one individual can do alone. Children must be taught to put unity in diversity into practise. Start classes by creating a group dynamic, the children must know each other's names and touch each other. Playing games is an excellent way to achieve this. Abdu'l-Baha insisted that "children must learn, in play, in amusement." (5) Use music such as soft slow, rhythmic baroque music while concentrating, fast joyful music before breaks; exercise, Brain Gym, visualisation, colour and fun for both left-brain and right-brain people. Research into the workings of the brain has shown that the left-hand hemisphere, specialises in a linear way of thinking, in analytical, logical, sequential thought, one thing at a time. It is good at languages and mathematics. The right-hand side of the brain is associated with seeing things as a whole; holistic, intuitive thought, emotional appreciation, music, art relationships between things, spatial relationships. Left-brain people may be very clever and logical, but cannot see the wood for the trees. Right-brain people see things as a whole, and may be intuitive, but find it hard to explain the logic behind their opinions. Education should develop both sides of the brain, to produce a person who is imaginative and visionary as well as logical and analytical, as Abdu'l-Baha was. Brain Gym Techniques, now developed for use with children and in business, stimulate the two sides of the brain and exercise the co-ordination between the two. To make classes interesting for both sorts of children, be sure to give the big picture at the beginning of the class, but also proceed in a logical orderly way. Relate what is being taught to what the children already know. Organise the classes in a way to stimulate our multiple intelligences. Some people learn by hearing, some by seeing, others by doing. Research has shown that we retain 15% of what others say, about 50% of what we see but 90% of what we say and do. Teach through activities and projects, stories, and drama, discussion, music and movement. There is a Chinese proverb: Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand. Baha'i classes must involve children. The teacher must plan the class in advance noting down the aims, the introduction or inspiration, the activities and one or two focus questions and a list of the resources required. Remember to keep revising -without revision the next day, the next week, the next month, what has been learned will be lost !Give them tasks as a group. This is known as co-operative learning. Co- operative learning involves many skills including forming groups, communication skills: body language, taking turns, listening, using quiet voices, eliminating put-downs; working with group roles, eg observer, recorder, summariser, encourager, organiser, time-keeper; problem solving as a group: defining problems, brainstorming, elaborating ideas, clarifying ideas, seeing consequences, criticising constructively, organising ideas and information, determining criteria, finding solutions, being detached, frank and truthful. This involves stating the position or problem,seeing the problem from another's point of view, negotiating, mediating and reaching consensus. To teach these skills make the skill explicit, then practise the skill. Using games such skills can be taught to primary aged children. Co-operative learning is a key to building stable relationships at all levels and can assist spiritual growth. Abdu'l-Baha said "most ideas must be taught through speech, not by book-learning. One child must question the other concerning those things." (6) Use the language of the Virtues Project in the classroom. One way to do this is to pin a paper heart on each child and write a virtue on it each time a child displays love, forgiveness, courage, truthfulness etc. In this way you are rewarding children by honouring and acknowledging their virtues. Get the children to establish their own discipline - make their own rules and boundaries -establish the consequences (or penalties) for breaking the rules agreed on. Teachers should not only be respected by the other members of the Baha'i community, but they will also earn the respect of their class if they are examples of love and consideration by greeting and chatting to the children at all Baha'i occasions, saying their own private prayers before the class, arriving on time, welcoming the children, complimenting them on their appearance, giving them sweets or treats and as a symbol of the sweetness of Baha'i love, trying to make the classroom (or one corner at least) a beautiful and sacred place, etc... Get your community to be child development centred. Make Feasts and holy days fun for children; involve children in all community activities and encourage them to bring their friends to Baha'i activities. So what can we do? What can we achieve? Just imagine local Spiritual Assemblies having members familiar with co-operative learning skills since primary school Sally LiyaUnsourced (1) quote from 'Abdu'l-Baha, Compilation on Baha'i Education, p33 (2) Activities for Story Telling by Georgina Souness. (3) Baha'i Publications, Australia (4) Baha'u'llah, Short Obligatory prayer (5) Star of the West, vol 7, no5, p36 (6) Star of the West, December 12th 1916, vol 7 no 15 p142