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Devotional Gatherings

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Baha’is believe in the power of prayer and you’ll find Baha’is and their friends, throughout the world, getting together to pray. This is often referred to as a ‘devotional gathering’ or ‘devotional meeting’, and they happen in diverse settings, whether in cities or villages. These gatherings are open to all and are intended to embrace that attitude of prayer and practice of devotion that is universal to all religions.

4 Ways to Achieve Prayerfulness

October 6, 2011, in Articles > Baha'i Life, by
Image by shioshvili (Flickr)

When I first became a Baha’i, the concept of obligatory prayer was new to me. I went from only saying prayers when I needed divine intervention to rescue me from impending academic doom (i.e. every semester, during exam period) to trying to fulfil the various spiritual obligations for a Baha’i life. Obligatory prayer, 95 Allah’u’Abhas, reading from the scriptures at morning and night, remembering to bring myself to account each day – talk about a spiritual regime! For an undisciplined soul like mine, it felt like spiritual boot camp!

Nearly two years later, I still find myself struggling – particularly with obligatory prayer.

My prayer book is truly one of my most prized possessions. I carry it around with me, because there’s nothing like being able to delve into the profound wisdom and beauty of the revealed prayers, when you feel moved to pray. But obligatory prayer isn’t always quite as easy.

Too often, I treat obligatory prayer like, well… an obligation. It’s one thing to sit down with a prayer book for hours in a visit to one of the Temples when you’re feeling relaxed and contemplative, but what about on most days, when you’re rushing from one thing to another and dealing with a range of emotions that are not at all conducive to prayerfulness?

On days like that, I find myself struggling to decide which is better: rushing to find some time between noon and sunset to say the short obligatory prayer; or facing the prospect of saying the long obligatory prayer later in the evening with the added challenge of concentrating while saying it, instead of just mumbling through the words in a desperate attempt to get it out of the way and go to bed. Reading what ‘Abdu’l Baha has said about prayer can make this all the more confronting!

For a lover, there is no greater pleasure than to converse with his beloved, and for a seeker, there is no greater bounty than intimacy with the object of his desire. It is the greatest longing of every soul who is attracted to the Kingdom of God to find time to turn with entire devotion to his Beloved, so as to seek His bounty and blessing and immerse himself in the ocean of communion, entreaty and supplication.

As I read this, I think back to the number of times I’ve crawled into bed at 11:54 pm after a long, hard day only to realise – just as I begin to drift into sleep – that I’ve forgotten to say my prayers! Inevitably, I lie there, pained at the thought of having to get out of bed to say the long obligatory prayer when my body is two minutes away from a coma-like sleep. And then my mind flits guiltily to the number of times I have – with not even the slightest consternation – taken a call from a close friend at 3 am, sleepy but disregarding the thought of sleep simply because the pleasure of conversing with a loved friend is far greater.

So why is obligatory prayer so difficult? The prospect of a daily conversation with my Creator should fill me with nothing but joy, shouldn’t it? How do I say my prayer with wholehearted longing and joyfulness, instead of treating it like a visit to the dentist? (Apologies to all my dentist friends – who, I must clarify, are delightful people to visit -for the use of the  expression!)

The Habit of Prayer

Recently, I had a conversation with my friend about the spiritual practices that we, as Baha’is, are meant to incorporate into our daily lives. We talked about how easy it is to feel like a “bad Baha’i” on days where saying the obligatory prayer and reading the Writings isn’t something that we do gladly, and how feelings of guilt can just send you in a downward spiral. But then, we also talked about habits and how difficult they are not just to break, but also to create. Prayer is just one of the numerous spiritual habits that we, as Baha’is, try to cultivate.

Deciding that I never again want to feel the guilt that comes with treating the obligatory prayer like an obligation, I spent some time thinking about how I could become more prayerful – not just when sitting down to say my prayers, but throughout the day, so that when I pause at lunchtime to say my prayers, it doesn’t feel like an abrupt jolt from one mental state to another simply because I’m trying to cross something off a list, but like a natural part of my day.

The more I thought about it, the more I realised that the various practices prescribed as part of our spiritual life – the obligatory prayer, the 95 Allah’u’Abahas, reading the scripture in the morning and at night, and bringing ourselves to account each day – are all meant to do exactly that: cultivate prayerfulness.

I don’t think God ever prescribed these practices to make us feel lowly, inadequate or guilty. Like all other spiritual laws, they are meant to show us how to achieve spiritual health. Instead of seeing it as a list of obligations that I need to fulfil, I’m starting to see that it is all part of the “spiritual diet” which will help me to cultivate the habit of prayer in a manner that will bring me closer into communion with God.

More broadly speaking, there are 4 resolutions I’ve made to incorporate habits into my life which I think will help me to become more prayerful and connected to my spiritual reality.

Finding Pockets of Quiet Time

I’ve never really been one for meditation. Saying my 95 Allah’u’Abhas is the closest I’ve come to regular meditation, and more often than not, my attempts to meditate have left me more twitchy and nervous than when I first started.

Why? Because meditation, like all other practices is a habit that needs to be formed. The concept of quiet and inner stillness is so alien to me that when I do try to meditate, I find myself feeling more anxious at my complete inability to really quieten my mind!

The solution? I need to practise being meditative more often. If I can find more opportunities during the day to disconnect from the chaos of my daily routine for even just a minute, it will eventually become easier to truly be in a state of prayer – reflective, contemplative and focused – when I say my obligatory prayer.

#1: Meditation and The Greatest Name

The 95 Allah’u’Abhas that we are taught to recite daily is probably one of the best ways of practising this. The Greatest Name, which ‘Abdu’l Baha says is the “name of comfort, protection, happiness, illumination, love and unity”, has a special potency which allows us to enter into closer communion with God.

In a letter to a believer dated 19 October 1925, Shoghi Effendi explains the significance of repeating the Greatest Name 95 times:

You ask for an explanation of the passage: “The mention of the Name of Bahá’u’lláh is the cause of the happiness of the hearts and whosoever utters that Word creates spiritual Beatitude, but it cannot be given as a name to any soul.” … When we turn to God with our whole heart and invoke His Name, a spiritual connection is established through which we become a channel of divine influence.

Rather than seeing the repetition of the Greatest Name 95 times as yet another thing I have to get out of the way, I’m trying to make sure that the first thing I do each morning – as far as practicably possible – before I throw myself into the insane activity of each day, is to use the recitation of the Greatest Name as an opportunity to find that beautiful stillness and quietness that I know will completely evade me as soon as I leave my front door.

#2: Music: Ascending the Ladder for the Soul

‘Abdu’l-Baha said of music that it acts as a means whereby our souls may be lifted up unto the realm on high. One thing I’m trying to do to improve my ability to practice inner quietness is to give myself at least a few minutes each day to listen to music that calms rather than excites me – difficult to do in a world where there is so much fascinating new music to discover!

I’d love to hear recommendations you have for good music that I can purchase in the comments, but this track, by The Album Leaf, is one that I’ve been listening to lots for the past few months (yes, it’s that good) and which never fails to calm me down. The other members of my community may recognise this as the track I play at every. single. 19-Day Feast I host at my place. (It’s that good!)

Reflecting on the Mysteries of Life

The Writings tell us of the importance of bringing ourselves to account each day. I think that this is a fantastic way of making sure that we become individuals who are conscious, self-aware, considerate and actively engaged with the communities that we live in. Beyond that, however, I think it develops another equally important capacity in us: the capacity to be reflective and more attuned to the spiritual realities which are so often hidden by the physical appearances of our worlds.

Reflecting on our actions, the way events play out in our lives and the world we live in gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the mysteries of God. It allows us to sit in wonder and amazement – asking questions and not necessarily seeking immediate answers – and to be continually humbled by the vastness of creation and our inability to ever understand everything there is to understand.

#3: Reflecting on the Glories of God

I’m finding that reciting the Greatest Name, which means, “God the Most Glorious” helps me to reflect on the wonder and awe of our spiritual realities – something that helps me to approach prayer with the attitude of gratitude and longing  that ‘Abdu’l-Baha spoke of. I don’t claim to understand the spiritual mysteries of the Greatest Name, and I’m not even going to attempt to discuss it here, but even reflecting on the word “Glory” and thinking about the beauty of life and the manifold ways in which God has manifested His glory just in the everyday occurrences in my own life has been a great way of making my experience of prayer more powerful and meaningful. There’s so much to reflect on! It can be as grand as the profundity of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation or as simple as the little things in life that open your eyes to life’s beauty.

Which brings me to…

#4: Doing Things You Truly Love

Another thing that helps me to reflect on the glory and mystery of God is to make sure that I have enough time, even if just for a short time once a week, to engage in an activity that moves my soul – something that inspires and excites me and leaves my heart singing in joy. Very often, it’s the simple pleasures in life that are so essential, I think, to being reminded of how immensely blessed we are. For me, it’s: spending quality time with just one friend, alone, over an amazing meal; hearing a cellist perform; rediscovering the wisdom of the words of Khalil Gibran; going salsa dancing with a group of friends; learning a language I love; having a Skype conversation with my 20-month old nephew – the list goes on and on.

It could be anything, really – but I’m convinced that activities that uplift the heart are essential to attaining a state of prayerfulness and worship!

These are 4 habits I’m trying to practise to develop my capacity for prayerfulness. What about you? Do you have any tips on how to remain calmer and more focused during prayer? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Posted by

Preethi

In her professional life, Preethi has dabbled in various combinations of education, community development and law. At heart, though, she's an overgrown child who thinks the world is one giant playground. She's currently on a quest to make learning come alive for young people and to bring the world's stories and cultures to them, with educational resources from One Story Learning.
Preethi

Discussion 15 Comments

Hello, Preethi. Here is a recommendation for good music. Did you heard about Luke Slott before? There was an article about him on Baha’i Blog last week. He is a singer, songwrighter and pianist. He released an album with prayers : Create in me a pure heart (voice and guitar) and 2 albums with (meditative) piano music: ‘The Home Of Laughter ‘ and ‘ Don’t Go Back To Sleep’. His newest CD ‘ A Few Honest Words’ is pop music.

I really love his music, maybe you give it a try?
Here is the link where you can get it.

http://lukeslott.bandcamp.com/

Loving greetings
Janet

Janet

Janet (October 10, 2011 at 1:04 PM)

Hi Janet, thanks so much for the comment and recommendation! Yes, I am familiar with Luke Slott’s music and am definitely a fan. “Create in me a pure heart” is another track I frequently listen to. Thanks for the link too!

Preethi

Preethi (October 10, 2011 at 2:15 PM)

I loved this article Preethi – really made my day. xx

Anisa

Anisa (October 10, 2011 at 3:00 PM)

Thanks so much for the support Anisa – so glad to hear you liked it!

Preethi

Preethi (October 10, 2011 at 3:28 PM)

This article come to me in the perfect moment :))
I’ve been thinking of the concept of Obligatory Prayer so much lately and how it is something so powerful and something challenging at times when I rush through life and its challenges…

Thank you so much for reminding me Preethi that we should not feel guilty and rather strive 🙂

These are a few things that help me 🙂

1. I made the decision to stick with the Long Obligatory Prayer all together… years ago I was able to create that habit to say it every day no matter what! Then with time and life changes the habit changed and as I went through fazes of seldomly saying it i decided that sticking with the Short Obligatory Prayer would at least allow me to fullfill my obligation… but I missed and longed reciting the Long one, so it’s bee a while now that I decided to recreate the habit > I chose a time of the day when I know that no matter what there is peace and calm around me (before i go to sleep) and no matter if it is 11PM, 1 or 2AM in the morning I tell my self that it is a bounty I do not want to pass. If i feel sleepy, I thank God for ablutions, as not only they cleanse and prepare me for my communion with God but WAKE me up too 😉 …and if I am worried that I wont wake up for work the next day because it’s late, I ask God to pls help me out as I am trying to create a habit and honour Him, so to please give me energy the following day the the allarm goes off 😛

2. Something else that really helps me is praying out loud! To hear the 95 Allah’u’Abhas and the Creative Words of God fill your heart and soul, and I recall a previous member of the Universal House of Justice in a talk stressing the effect and power that these creative vibrations have on us. Of course he also mentioned that praying silently is also perfectly fine; however i find that praying aloud helps also my mind and all my other senses to focus 🙂

…so thank you so much Preethi, this is my new favourite post :))

PS: I love and listen to that song all the time too – and play it all the time at my devotionals 😛 LOL

Farida Ciotti

Farida Ciotti (October 10, 2011 at 6:45 PM)

Thanks so much for sharing those amazing thoughts, Farida! I especially like what you said about praying out loud and am definitely going to start doing that 🙂

Preethi

Preethi (October 10, 2011 at 2:11 AM)

Great article Preethi! I think many people feel the same about the obligatory prayer. One of the things I noticed to improve the quality of my prayers is identify the distractions that prevent me from fully doing it. Once I cut those distractions, the prayers become more powerful immediately. =)

Neysan

Neysan (October 10, 2011 at 10:33 PM)

Thanks Neysan! Definitely going to try that!

Preethi

Preethi (October 10, 2011 at 1:50 AM)

I understand your struggle and i too face it nowadays. A few months back, i decided to re-investigate the faith. With a clearer vision, i am able to understand the writings in a more coherent manner. I am still considering myself a seeker or an investigator as claiming i am a “Baha’i” is a tough decision since its not a membership but a ray of light. Being a Baha’i is really hard and i believe that its main objective is to break your animalistic self while promoting or awakening your spiritual being.

I usually say my morning prayers with the 95 recitation, however, when it comes to the obligatory prayer, i feel somehow “not ready” for it. I don’t feel that i mean much of what i am saying in a fully devoted, convinced, or passionate manner. I think it has to do with the term “obligation”. I thought about the term itself for a while and i asked my self if one breaks an obligation, what could occur? I was amazed by the fact that nothing will really happen! Its not an obligation that god has sent on you for his pleasure. Its my spiritual obligation to care for my soul as food is to my body. After redefining obligation in my head, i found easier to accept it!

Anyhow, i know what you mean by being in the mood to pray. Sometimes, when you have a busy day and all you want to do is sleep, god is the last person you want to talk to right now. But then again, i remember that “Thou are more friend to me than I am to myself.” and i meditate on it a bit! next thing you know, i start talking to him about my day and how i feel. After making that a habit, i actually look forward to going home and giving god a call! Since you are an incredible writer, i would recommend writing him daily letters right before your obligatory prayers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wbC2n-9FKI

Salah Rushdy

Salah Rushdy (October 10, 2011 at 9:05 AM)

So many great tips to try out!

Saying my obligatory prayers before I go to bed and trying to create a habit that honours Him; and saying it out loud is something I’m gonna try and do. Thanks for sharing guys 🙂

Elena

Elena (October 10, 2011 at 5:50 AM)

This is just what I was looking for I will bookmark your site and continue to read 🙂

Local Jobs

Local Jobs (November 11, 2011 at 5:10 PM)

So helpful!!!! Thank you!

Parisa

Parisa (November 11, 2011 at 11:40 AM)

Thank you so much for this wonderful post, Sister. It spoke so directly to my heart today. Allah u Abha, Neel.

Neel Metta

Neel Metta (August 8, 2012 at 11:03 PM)

Hi Preethi,
Great article!I have been very weak lately in my prayers.This is a wake up call and need to improve greatly.

Thank you,

Abha……Vincent

vincent Kondo

vincent Kondo (October 10, 2013 at 10:34 PM)

Thank you for this post! It is always encouraging to hear others facing spiritual challenges similar to mine. Good luck with your resolutions! May I suggest going old-school with some meditative music from the 16th century (courtesy of Pandora). Many motets by Josquin Desprez, Palestrina, and Thomas Tallis are achingly beautiful and easily connect my spirit with the Divine.

Jennifer

Jennifer (December 12, 2013 at 3:04 AM)

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