25 February 2022

Istiqlál, 01 Ayyám-i-Há (Intercalary Days), 178 B.E.

Seen

One bright, golden leaf left …

Happy Ayyám-i-Há!!

Done

Zoom call with Michael Greenman to map out a social media strategy for the “How’s The Weather?” campaign as it eventually feeds into the overarching “Global Rebirth” initiative. The next step is to catalyze the major social change elements of Global Rebirth such that they draw sufficient energy to fuel successful campaigns on local fronts and channel the energy generated by those gains to further progress on the global stage. A piece of cake—NOT!

Zoom call with members of the local Bahá’í community to explore options in how to encourage participation in upcoming forums whereby the outcome will inform the launch of The Nine Year Plan 2022 - 2031 ⁰. And yes, there is a close association between the spiritually-guided planning horizon set by the Nine Year Plan and the secular, “what have you done for me lately,” aspects of Global Rebirth. Another piece of cake—NOT!

Zoom call with Tony Budak. Don’t ever say you can’t teach a dog new tricks because between us two older mongrels we figured out how to join WT.Social on the web and on Discord. Now, to put all that social networking potential to good use ;-)

Noted

Astral Prospecting on Instagram and Astral Prospecting on Facebook

Marc Bosserman on Instagram Marc Bosserman on Facebook, and Marc Bosserman Music and Musings on YouTube

Tab’s Galaxy on YouTube

Quoted

Naturally, prevalence of Bahá’í activity on this scale is not a prospect everywhere. It is necessary to appreciate the difference that is made by the conditions in a cluster or in parts of a cluster and by the characteristics of a people—that is, by the reality of circumstances. Accordingly, the ways in which the society-building power of the Faith will find expression in different settings will vary. But regardless of the extent to which Bahá’í community life embraces those who reside in a particular area—regardless, even, of the intensity of a programme of growth in a cluster or the level of activity in a neighbourhood or village—the challenge facing the friends serving at the grassroots is essentially the same in every place. They must be able to read their own reality and ask: what, in light of the possibilities and requirements at hand, would be fitting objectives to pursue in the coming cycle or series of cycles? You and your auxiliaries are ideally placed to put this question and to ensure that appropriate strategies are identified. Much can be learned from the experience of the friends in similar clusters, for a community that is a step further along the same path can provide valuable insights about the goal to strive for next. As the friends ponder what is before them, they will readily see that for every community there is a goal in reach, and for every goal a path to reach it. Looking ahead on this path, might we not perceive Bahá’u’lláh Himself, the reins of humanity’s affairs in one hand, His other beckoning all to hasten, hasten? ¹

The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh is concerned with the transformation of both humanity’s inner life and social environment. A letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi describes how the social environment provides the “atmosphere” in which souls can “grow spiritually and reflect in full the light of God” shining through the Revelation. A clear sign that the society-building power of the Cause is being released in a cluster is that efforts are being made by a growing band of its inhabitants, inspired by the teachings of the Faith, to help improve the spiritual character and social conditions of the wider community to which they belong. The contribution made by Bahá’ís is distinguished by its focus on building capacity for service; it is an approach founded on faith in the ability of a population to become the protagonists of their own development. ²