I have taken a couple of weeks from Blogging to get my head sorted as I realised after my last posts that I was having some serious problems reaching the state of detachment I attain to and I needed a break to try and sort that.
Losing the Blackberry for what turned out to be four days felt awful, it honestly felt like I had lost a limb, sad I know, but it showed me that despite the strides I have taken to improve myself in the past few years, I have still to really get myself detached from material things, I let them own me, rather than simply me owning them.
Bahá’u'lláh, in the opening words of the Kitáb-i-Iqán (The Book of Certitude), one of the most important works of His revelation are:-
“No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth. Sanctify your souls, O ye peoples of the world, that haply ye may attain that station which God hath destined for you and enter thus the tabernacle which, according to the dispensations of Providence, hath been raised in the firmament of the Bayan.”
Bahá’u'lláh, The Kitáb-i-Iqán, p. 1
So we can see how important detachment is in the Bahá’í Faith, but how do we apply it to our lives, well some people believe that detachment is living a monastic without the comforts of modern life, like Blackberrys, but the book which really helped me make my mind up abut declaring as a Bahá’í said something very different.
”By detachment is not meant, however, that we should force ourselves to endure excessive deprivations. On the contrary, Bahá’u’lláh assures us that it is perfectly acceptable to enjoy the things of this world, as long as we remember God and follow His teachings.
Nor does detachment imply that we should not be concerned with the affairs of the world. Rather, we should devote ourselves to the betterment of humanity and service to others.”
Kenneth E. Bowers, God Speaks Again: An Introduction to the Bahá’í Faith, p. 116
So looking at the writings, I can see that I have to place nothing else between myself and God, not a Blackberry, not money, prestige, or even an Xbox!
I can own things but I have to be careful to not let them own me and thus place a veil between myself and God, I need to remember that my priorities have to be to serve and to place the needs of humanity above my own selfishness, thus becoming detached from my desires and becoming closer to God.
”O SON OF MAN!
If thou lovest Me, turn away from thyself; and if thou seekest My pleasure, regard not thine own; that thou mayest die in Me and I may eternally live in thee.”
Bahá’u'lláh, The Arabic Hidden Words #7
God Bless
Michael
