The Northern Ireland Training Pyramid, June 2005 CE
Home visits - a real life adventure. Below is the experience of Kiyan Khosravi who is adopting the posture of learning.
Experience 1: My first experience of a home visit was carrying out the practice from Book One of sharing a prayer. I asked a friend by text message if she would help me with my Bahá'í Study Circle homework, which was to share a prayer and she responded positively. I knew this friend was a broad-minded Catholic and interested in meditation so I felt quite comfortable about the visit. I had chosen the prayer which begins, ‘O God refresh and gladden my spirit.’ When I arrived I asked her if she would like me to do a simple meditation, focusing on breathing exercises and then read the prayer and she was happy with this. I carried out the meditation and read the prayer and my friend commented that the whole experience was really lovely. I then felt a bit stuck as I did not want to ask her directly what she thought of the prayer, but felt that I had not really discussed it. I left feeling that I had not quite completed the practice in a fulfilling way.
Experience 2: For the second visit I asked another friend in the same manner if she would help me with my homework and she too responded positively. We came into contact through a mutual friend and had met for coffee about five times over the period of a year. I had no real idea what her religious background was. I went with the intention of not simply reading the prayer but somehow discussing it too. I said the Tablet of Ahmad in the morning! I started off by saying that I had asked her to listen to a prayer but I had no idea how she felt about that! My friend then explained that she was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister ... but a very broad minded one! She too practised the same faith but was open to learning about others. I asked her if she would like me to do a meditation and then read the prayer or read the prayer and tell her how I felt about it or I offered that she might like to read it. She asked me to read it.
When I had finished reading she immediately commented on the line, ‘I lay all my affairs in Thy hands’ .... and for the next hour we had a frank and inspiring discussion on faith, the meaning of spirituality, centred around the prayer. It would have been great to leave her a copy of the prayer. I felt so uplifted by the discussion and she was obviously enthusiastic that I almost said, ‘Listen, it has been brilliant talking with you, this is exactly the type of discussion we have at study circles I think you would really enjoy being part of one!’ ...... Next time!
Charles Dunning Study Circles: Carrickfergus: 0, Castlereagh: 0,Belfast: Five Book 1 study circles,North Down: 0, Newtownabbey: 0,Lisburn: Book 1
Report by Area Coordinator Mahan Hashemi-zadeh
With enthusiasm and eagerness a Book 1 study circle has started in the cluster with four participants.
A reflection meeting was held in the Cluster on 20 May last, where a name was finally decided upon. From now on it will be called "Wildfire". In a report on the meeting, Dorothy Riordan writes:
Yes it is true! We have finally come up with a name for our Cluster - 'Wildfire' at our last Cluster Reflection Meeting, based on the quotation from the Guardian that '.. the day will come when the Cause will spread like wildfire....' the rest of the quotation goes on to associate this with the presentation of the spirit and teachings of the Faith through the Arts.
Although this aspect was not discussed at the Reflection meeting, with the talent in our Cluster, both young and 'older' and the many performances of Cypher, the arts are often a central part of our events and activities. Our new Cluster name may help inspire us to aspire to more systematic use of the arts in all their variety!
More significantly, perhaps, was a commitment made by a number of the participants in the Cluster to complete the sequence of Courses in a more accelerated manner by 12 November, the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh. This commitment was much inspired by the recent Ridván message calling for Friends to complete the sequence of courses and by a number of inspirational stories from Manchester and London heard at National Convention.
If this goal is achieved, it will mean that the Cluster will have more than doubled in six months the number of friends who have completed the full sequence of courses. Not bad for a small Cluster!
Report by Area Coordinator Paddy O’Mara
Excitement about Book 3 is in the air in Hainsworth! Michelle is tutoring a very dynamic Book 3. The dignified are acting as children, the non-singers are now performing with gusto and there is great enthusiasm for this study circle. There are six collaborators, with another banging on the door to get in.
The collaborators from one of the “Clarendon” Book 2 study circle, recently completed, are undertaking a series of visits to Limavady where one of their number Mary now lives, to support her devotional meetings in her new home. And the recently-completed Book 1 study circle has resulted in the declaration of faith by (another) Michelle. She lives just over the Border in Muff but participates in Derry community events.
Report by Area Coordinator Lesley Taherzadeh O’Mara
SCENES FROM THE HAINSWORTH BOOK 3 STUDY CIRCLE IN LONDONDERRY
Left, top: Joan tells a story to her “children”
Right, top: Two chanteuses check the words of “Love, love, love love”.
Lleft: Mary sheds light
The Junior Youth animator launch happened a few weeks ago. The food was great, the presentation alright! Next stage is the training of animators.
Currently we have one junior youth course - Breezes of Confirmation with friends of Bahá’ís and it has been going on for last two months. What exactly have we done so far? We dance (structured and freestyle), sing, play games, have discussions, draw, wrestle! and much more. Sincerely these junior youth are truly wonderful young people and I and others enjoy their company, so here's hoping we help raise their spiritual awareness.
Next month I will be sharing the unbelievably exciting progress our Canadian counterparts have made with these junior youth activities. Stay tuned.
Report by Junior Youth CoordinatorAfnan Hashemi-zadeh
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