Monthly Reflection: Qudrat (Power) – Happy and Joyous Twin Holy Days

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Hi friends!

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes secret of being part of the Baha’i Blog team: it isn’t always easy to balance what’s shared on Baha’i Blog and community life. I meant to finish this newsletter several days ago, but I got swept away in with preparing celebrations.

This year, my community is learning about what the concept that “all must surge” might look like in relation to our holy day celebrations and we are working to dismantle viewing “community” as solely the Baha’i friends. We are busy planning an arts event and a multicultural celebration and potluck that are not only welcoming of all, but that actively seek to include the participation and contributions of all. I’m excited about what we are learning and I hope both events will be jubilant and joyful!

In the meantime, I thought I’d share some ways Baha’i Blog can be used in relation to holy days, or how it has celebrated the Twin Holy Days in the past.

Perhaps you know this, but you can now search all our Studio Sessions (or all the music we’re featured over the years) on Bahaiblog.net and filter the results by the Author of the passage from the Writings that is sung. Looking for a song that puts the Sacred Words of the Bab to music? It’s never been easier! Looking for a song based on an excerpt from the Writings of Baha’u’llah in a particular language? We’ve got you covered!

I would like to highlight a couple of recent songs that we’ve shared from Canberra and Hobart that address the topic of recognizing the Stations of the Bab and Baha’u’llah:

We also try to curate all the amazing content found on Baha’i Blog into different collections. We’ve got a special collection dedicated to the Birth of the Bab, and the Birth of Baha’u’llah, and we also have collections that address the Bab and Baha’u’llah more generally.

Among the material we’ve shared in previous years in relation to the Twin Holy Days is a dramatic reading of E. G. Browne’s meeting with Baha’u’llah. It is my understanding that for cultural reasons and out of respect, Eastern friends did not recount physical or personal details after coming into the presence of Baha’u’llah. But E. G. Browne was a Westerner and the only one to have this privilege. So his account is particularly relatable to Western audiences and I love how Ata has read this passage many of us have come to know so well.

Rainn Wilson’s personal essay on his relationship with the Blessed Beauty that he read aloud in an episode of the Baha’i Blogcast also comes to mind.

When it comes to the Bab and His Station, it might be worth revisiting Michael Day’s article “The Bab – What Was He Like?” and its accompanying audio reading, as well as Yas’ piece “The Bab: Harbinger of the Most Great Light” (and its matching audio recording) which includes a wonderful compilation of the Bab’s titles.

Wishing you a very happy and joyous Twin Holy Days!

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(Photo of Bahji courtesy of the Baha’i International Community)

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Sonjel Vreeland

In her innermost heart, Sonjel is a stay-at-home parent and a bookworm with a maxed out library card but professionally she is a museologist with a background in English Literature. She currently lives on Prince Edward Island, an isle in the shape of a smile on the eastern Canadian coast. Sonjel is a writer who loves to listen to jazz when she's driving at night.