Embrace what your spirit yearns for: Essential desires.
In the realm of spiritual growth, the Bahá'í Faith offers a unique path that focuses on self-knowledge and the nurturing of the soul. This journey, as experienced by one individual, provides an insightful look into the teachings and practices of this faith.
The speaker's prayers transformed from a plea for salvation to a call for revival, marking a shift in their spiritual journey. Reflecting on their life, they acknowledged that most of their significant questions revolved around escaping trouble. However, the answers they sought were not solely about avoiding hardships but about understanding their true selves and their purpose.
After posing these questions, the speaker heard the words, "know yourself." This simple yet profound instruction resonated deeply, guiding them towards self-discovery. In pursuit of this wisdom, they invoked the spiritual powers promised in every holy book, in the form of the Holy Spirit.
The Bahá'í teachings emphasise the importance of releasing fear and inviting love into our hearts to experience inner peace and comfort. They also promise divine support available to help us at all times. Yet, the speaker struggled to engage in conversations about their needs, having little training or examples for such discussions.
Central to Bahá'í teachings is the belief that the heart is the home of God and the spirit is the place of His revelation. Baha'u'llah, the Manifestation of God for this era, stresses the importance of man knowing his own self and distinguishing between what is of God and what is not. By developing a relationship with our higher self, we can come to know ourselves at much deeper and more significant levels.
The speaker's struggles led to years of self-hatred, feelings of unworthiness, and the belief that they were the only one not succeeding in life. However, through their journey, they discovered the ability to overcome fear, doubt, worry, shame, guilt, and unworthiness, and arrive at self-love, devotion, and renewed gratitude and purpose.
Baha'u'llah advised, "Turn unto Me, that thou mayest seek My love. If thou lovest Me, thou shalt be My lover; and if thou lovest Me not, thou shalt be My servant." The speaker's internal conversation eventually asked, "What does my soul need?" The answer was a call to fight for inner detachment and freedom from fear.
In the Bahá'í Faith, spiritual practices and teachings related to self-knowledge and the needs of the soul emphasise the recognition of the soul’s eternal nature, its growth through virtues, and its relationship to God’s Manifestation for this age. Devotional meetings, prayers, meditation, and study of the Bahá'í Writings are key practices fostering understanding of the soul and spiritual reality.
The Kingdom, according to Abdu'l-Baha, is the real world, and this lower place is only its extended shadow. While the connection between the soul and God is not explicitly stated in the provided text, it is clear that the Bahá'í teachings provide a roadmap for individuals to discover their true selves and their relationship with the divine.
The speaker, inspired by the Bahá'í teachings, recognized the need to shift their focus from escaping troubles to understanding their true selves and purpose. In line with the belief central to Baha'í teachings that the spirit is the place of God's revelation, the speaker embarked on a journey towards self-discovery, seeking insights about mental health and wellness as an integral part of their spiritual growth.
