Human Spirit and the Social World
"He [Baha'u'llah] bore these ordeals, suffered these calamities and difficulties in order that a manifestation of selflessness and service might become apparent in the world of humanity; that the Most Great Peace should become a reality; that human souls might appear as the angels of heaven; that heavenly miracles would be wrought among men; that human faith should be strengthened and perfected; that the precious, priceless bestowal of God, the human mind, might be developed to its fullest capacity in the temple of the body; and man become the reflection and likeness of God, even as it hath been revealed in the Bible: "We shall create man in Our own image."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 223)
I've returned from the Baha'i Association of Mental Health Professionals Conference, "Human Spirit and the Social World" and have been immediately sucked into Hurricane Phillipe (in other words, my life). I promised to finish letting you know about the conference, though I failed miserably at so called "live blogging". Luckily I have a high self-esteem.
I'll just offer a brief synopsis of each of the presentations that took place after the ones I have already described. I getting ready for another post soon so want to clear the deck so to speak.
Dr. John Grayzel, (a wicked cool guy) gave a wonderful and humorous presentation on "Cross Cultural Paradigms of Health". Unlike the usual rhetoric we hear about "cultural competence" he directly questioned whether Western paradigms of health actually help people of any culture to get healthier. His main message is that we need to start listening to the voices of the people we are trying to serve who might actually teach us healthier ways of approaching health itself. Having spent 27 years of so in Africa, he used the example of the approach to health used by two different tribal groups in the Congo to offer insight into non-western views of how people heal.
Dr. William (Billy) Roberts, who helped to found and has guided the activities of the Black Men's Gathering for over two decades, talked about how the Gathering began as a kind of psychospiritual intervention with black males, within the context of challenges facing them both in the society at large and within the Baha'i community. He emphasized the healing power of prayer and the creation of a safe space for black males.
Friday evening, Jack Guillebeux and John Grayzel participated in a panel discussion. Particularly noteworthy was an experiential exercise led by Jack Guillebeux to demonstrate how quickly one can create bonds between people as well as change how they feel inside.
On Saturday morning, Drs. Barbara and Rick Johnson, the co-administrators of Louhelen Baha'i School led an experiential exploration of the Four Valleys, a mystical text written by Baha'u'llah, and its implications for education and mental health. This was one of the most fascinating of the presentations as far as a way of interacting with the Holy Writings. What emerged was the Four Valleys as a kind of metaphor for health as a cycle that involves both mind and spirit in a developmental process.
Dr. Elena Mustakova-Possardt discussed the concept of "Authoritative Communities" which are essential communities that are organized in such a way that the conditions are created to optimal health. The importance of principle based patterns of behavior and relationships characterized by love were central to the presentation.
Dr. Jenni Menon Mariano, gave a magnificent presentation on the role of purpose in moral development, looking at a sample of youth and young adults from around the country to understand the impact of purpose was in their lives. Bottom line: Purpose makes a difference.
Saturday night all the of the Saturday speakers participated in a panel. The overall theme that emerged was understanding the role of balance in health and weighing that against the high value placed on sacrifice in Baha'i teaching.
Sunday morning we had the great blessing of hearing thoughts from Counsellor Stephen Birkland who it turns out is a social worker! (Hoorah for social workers). The focus of his remarks was on the relationship between individual action and institutional authority in Baha'i thought and the implications that has for our efforts to promote an ever advancing civilization.
So I have to run and do some homework. Catch you later!
5 comments:
thanks Phillipe, for your pix and concise summary.
All during the conference I was thinking, as a participant, of the 'paradigm shift' taking place within the world-wide American Baha'i community, including notions of what constitutes community, how this change was affecting those gathered, and how we in turn can aid in the process.
I was sensing a definite turning point to these conferences, one which I cannot really articulate yet--I've now learned that the last Hand of the Cause of God on earth has left this plane of existence and is in the Abha Kingdom. Surely a historic moment in world history! Reading the Writings about the influence of pure and saintly souls on progress in this world-- and it is astounding to think about how Baha'u'llah says such souls are responsible for all of the world's progress in the arts and sciences--makes me think that this departure is one cause of such change.
This also coincides with the news item you posted: the reunion of the "Little Rock 9", an historic moment in desegregation. If we could only understand it, I'm sure we would see the deep, deep connection between this and so many more events!
To return to the general theme of your posts: I've been thinking about how the union of black and white, 'Abdu'l-Baha tells us, will be an assurance of world peace, and the pivotal role of America. Despite the seeming divisions,--and we have so far to go in our thinking and feeling, even within our own Baha'i community, one which is committed to the oneness of human kind-- every American is, in fact, a mixture of both these cultures. When we are really united, really love each other, what an explosion of energy that will be.
Interestingly, I've been reading some essays by Ralph Ellison, the author, of "The Invisible Man"
These essays are from the 50's.
Here's a thought Ellison expressed way back then that seems to be so much germaine to the themes of the conference:
The following reference is from "Shadow and Act", the section"
"The SEER and the SEEN", the chapter "That same pleasure, that same pain, an interview", p. 16-21.
This is part of his response to a question, "Did you ever think of writing stories in which Negroes did not appear", to which he replied "No", but he wanted to write about it "from a different perspective,
" one that was " a relatively unexplored area of American experience simply because our knowledge of it has been distorted through the over-emphasis of the sociological approach...Now, when you try to trace American values as they find expression in the Negro commmunity, where do you begin? To what books do you go? How do you account for Little Rock and the sit-ins? How do you account for the strength of those kids? You can find sociolgical descripitions of the conditions under which they live, but few indications of their morale...
Like most Americans we are not yet fully conscious of our identity either as Negroes or Americans.
This affirmation...this insistence upon acheiving our social goals has been our great strenghth and also our great weakness because the terms with which we have tried to define ourselves have been inadequate...
"...that which I believe to be enduring and abiding in our situation, especially those human qualities which the American Negro has developed despite and in rejection of the obstacles and meanness imposed upon us...those human values which can endure by confronting change...I speak of the faith, the patience, the humor, the sense of timing, rugged sense of life and the manner of expressing it which all go to define the American Negro...times change but these possessions must endure forever..."
This seems to me still so timely,especially under current rapidly deteriorating societal conditions, so much in keeping with the letter the House of Justice wrote in 2006 to an African American believer about the role of African Americans. I note the portions about how it would depend on efforts of this generation of African American Believers to live the teachings as to whether the precious contributions of this group will survive, flourish, and be a part of the Golden Age.
Sooo...thanks again for the ongoing insights contained in your consciousness-raising, thought-provoking blog.
Thank you Judith for such a thoughtful and thought provoking comment. Hope others will do the same!
Fascinating report, Phillipe, what a great conference! Sounds like everyone there had the opportunity to learn a great deal about themselves, about the Writings, about spirituality and mental health.
I would have loved to have been there.
I second Barney's emotion, Phillipe; I would have loved to be there. But then again, I love being anywhere there is a large gathering of Baha'is! The discussion of the Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys by Drs. Barbara and Rick Johnson would have been of particular interest to me. I've been taking my time reading the book because there is so much to absorb. But I can see how it offers lessons in healing the mind, body and spirit. All things are possible with God.
I've always wanted to talk to the founders of BMG, particularly Dr. Roberts. The energy that radiates from the group is very powerful and uplifting. Maybe there will be a Black Women's Gathering some day.
Angela, I hope that you will get a women's gathering started. There's nothing special about what the BMG does, some people just did it and saw that it was helpful and kept doing it for 20 years and learning as they went. God willing others will arise and create spaces for their own healing and empowering so that they can become capable servants of the Cause, which is all the BMG is about.
A Black Women's Gathering could start tomorrow. Perhaps you are the one you've been waiting for, so to speak.
Post a Comment