-
The Spiritual Meaning and Significance of Spring
Every year, around the vernal equinox, the world seems to come alive. Depending on where you live in the Northern Hemisphere, trees and bushes that were once icy and barren…
-
Naw-Ruz: It’s a New Day, and a New Year!
Happy New Year! No, we’re not three months late—because today, on the vernal equinox, people all over the planet celebrate New Year’s Day, including the Baha’is. Have you ever heard……
-
How to Turn Your Grief into Creativity
If you’ve ever grieved over a major loss in life, you know how profoundly painful it can be – so is there a way to creatively transform that pain into…
-
The Neuroscience of Fasting – BahaiTeachings.org
As a neuroscientist, I’m always trying to understand how our brain deals most effectively with the daily issues we encounter. So once the end of February rolls around and…
-
Invoking a Higher Power: Tahirih and Sojourner Truth
One common theme often emerges from the biographies of social trailblazers — their acknowledgment of a higher force guiding their lives. In those biographies and autobiographies, we hear of…
-
How the Founder of America’s Most Important Black Newspaper Became a Baha’i
In the October 12, 1952 issue of Ebony magazine, a feature article appeared titled, “Baha’i Faith, Only Church in World That Does Not Discriminate.” At that time, Ebony magazine enjoyed…
-
Meet Miami’s First Black Millionaire, Who Worked to Worship
Meet Miami’s first Black millionaire — Dana Albert Dorsey, a real estate magnate, philanthropist, Miami’s most famous early Black resident, and a Baha’i. Dorsey, a sharecropper’s son, was born in…
-
9 African American Inventors Who Changed the World
If I asked you to name five famous Black people, living or deceased, who would you come up with? I asked this same question in an interactive presentation I gave…
-
Baha’is, the 1960s, and a Spiritual Revolution
The second Baha’i century began and World War II neared its end in 1944 — and the first second-century Baha’is were born. That generation made a major impact on the…
-
6 Things You Should Look for in a Lasting Spiritual Relationship
It can be hard to know what spiritual qualities you should look for in a romantic partner when our media and entertainment industry bombards us with so many images of…
-
Remembering John Lewis: A Life of Courage and Service
In the summer of 2017, I helped develop a project in Atlanta, Georgia, focused on a proposed memorial for the enslaved Africans once sold there – and it led me…
-
Dizzy Gillespie, Music, and the Baha’i Faith
…music, sung or played, is spiritual food for soul and heart. The musician’s art is among those arts worthy of the highest praise, and it moveth the hearts of all……
-
Sadie Oglesby’s Message About Standing Up for Racial Justice
What does standing up for racial justice look like? What behaviors does it require? What actions does it necessitate? RELATED: How to Be a Better Ally for Racial Justice Learn…
-
Barabbas: A Unique Baha’i Artist Paints the Big Bang
How does an artist depict the human spirit’s journey? The Austrian Baha’i artist Claus Mayrhofer, who adopted the artist’s name Barabbas, attempted to do just that throughout his career. Barabbas…
-
Hazel Scott: A Famous Black Pianist, Singer, and Baha’i
Often, when women of color are vocal about discrimination, they become the targets of hostile sexism and are tone policed or silenced. And, if you were a Black woman during…
-
Starting and Ending Your Day in an Intentional Way
A few words of advice and inspiration: That’s what my co-workers and I were asked to share with the young people we work with in New York City. They’re between…
-
How to Promote Unity and Harmony in Society
In part one, Michael Orona and I explored untold stories of solidarity between Indigenous Yaqui miners and African Americans. In part two, we delved into the power of spiritual courage…
-
Humanity: No, We Are Not Doomed!
A friend of mine has a 9-year-old daughter who came home from school last week in tears. “Mom, my teacher says the world will run out of water by 2040….…
-
Lessons on Spiritual Courage: Reclaiming Native Narratives
In “The Brave Ones,” Michael Orona’s compelling narrative transcends beyond physical courage and delves into spiritual courage and resilience, highlighting the power of remaining steadfast in the face of oppression.…
-
‘The Brave Ones’: Exploring Untold Stories of Solidarity
Set in the 1940s American Southwest, Michael Orona’s novel “The Brave Ones” shines a light on an important but lesser-known chapter of American history. Through the shared struggles of Indigenous…
-
Joaquim Sampaio: A Baha’i Martyr’s Legacy in Angola
What cause would you give your life for? When we think about early African Baha’is who died as a result of their beliefs, the names of Enoch Olinga (Uganda, 1979)…
-
Commemorating the Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha
Tonight Baha’is observe the anniversary of the passing of Abdu’l-Baha, who ascended to the next world more than a hundred years ago – and left the world a legacy of…
-
Finding Strength and Unity: Native American Proverbs About Life
Growing up during segregation in the United States, my grandfather, who was Cherokee, Black, and Irish, had a difficult life, to say the least. But, my mother told me, while…
-
Why We’re Raising Our Children Vegan
As Baha’is, we strive to raise our children to know and love God and contribute to the advancement of a better world. What does that look like in practice? There…
-
From Media to Movies: Addressing Native American Stereotypes
On November 7, The Washington Post reported, “The FBI and authorities in several states are investigating racist text messages sent to Black people nationwide this week saying they would be…
-
Am I Ready — and Willing — to Die?
I have cancer. I live in a nursing home. I’m 88 years old. Just as my death seems to be on its final and very welcome approach, my ego rears……
-
Regenerative Agriculture: A Force for Changing the World
Over half of the world’s population now has a smartphone. Each one of these devices is more powerful than the Apollo Guidance Computer, which was used to get astronauts to…
-
9 Interfaith Quotes and Prayers to Find Peace of Mind and Heart
There is an African proverb that says, “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” So, how do you find peace of mind and heart? In…
-
Honoring the Birth of Baha’u’llah
Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, came into this world at the hour of dawn on this day in 1817, bringing the means for the establishment of the long-awaited…
-
The Joyous Birth of the Bab
At sunset on Friday, November 1, 2024, Baha’is everywhere will begin joyously celebrating the birthday of the Bab, the forerunner of Baha’u’llah and the founder of the Babi Faith —…
-
Geledés: How Afro Brazilians Are Combatting Racism
A quote often attributed to James Baldwin expresses a profound truth, “To be African American is to be African without any memory and American without any privilege.” African Americans endure…
-
The Life and Legacy of the First Colombian Baha’i
In the mid-20th century, Colombia experienced a spiritual shift as the teachings of the Baha’i Faith began to spread throughout the country. RELATED: Forging a Path From Mexico: The First…
-
Cathartic Healing: How to Emotionally Purge in 7 Ways
Thirteen years ago, I came home sobbing from the latest misogynoir, exclusion, and isolation I experienced at my high school. I expected to seek consolation from my mother, but was…
-
What Are the 5 Different Types of Social Support?
When we experience the different types of social support, we feel close to and cared for by our community. In contrast, as noted in chapter 11 of “Health Promotion in…
-
The 9 Different Types of Safety: From Physical to Emotional
Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, stated that the Baha’i community “should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority…
-
‘The Heart’s Code’: The Power of Heart-to-Heart Connections
Scott Mayhew had been working on his family’s SUV when it slipped off the jack and crushed him. “I was kind of on my side, reaching for a wrench when…
-
Just For Fun – Happy Multicultural April Fool’s Day!
Many of the world’s cultures have a traditional time of the year set aside just for fun and laughter, when tricks, comedy, pranks, and practical jokes prevail. That’s why April…
-
Sarah Farmer: A Life Sacrificed for Peace
I vividly remember all my trips to Green Acre: A Baha’i Center of Learning. I remember watching the peace flag flutter outside in the wind, and I remember praying each…
-
The Legacy of May Maxwell, Dorothy Baker, and Patricia Locke
Several years ago in Akka, Israel, a woman taught me a lesson about how to walk. A fellow Baha’i pilgrim—a dancer—took my arm as we strolled toward the sea. “Walking…
-
Understanding Self-Awareness – Self Awareness Examples
Understanding Self-Awareness – Self Awareness Examples Self-awareness is an invaluable trait that allows individuals to recognize and understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It serves as a cornerstone for personal…
-
The Key to Growth: Unlocking the Power of Self-Awareness
The Key to Growth: Unlocking the Power of Self-Awareness In a world that often emphasizes external achievements, it’s easy to overlook one of the most fundamental pillars of personal development—self-awareness.…
-
A Legendary Scientist Asks: Do We Survive Death?
How do the world’s most renowned scientists and theorists regard the spiritual realm? Can science and spirituality, so long at odds, find common ground? Can a scientist believe in the…
-
‘Crossing the Desert’: The Autobiography of Payam Zamani
Do you understand what it’s like to lack the legal freedom to express your faith, religion, and spiritual beliefs — enduring harassment, attacks, and the denial of human rights, such…
-
The Universal House of Justice: Leading With Humility and Love
Comprehending the unique Baha’i administration means understanding the men and women who take part in it — not just to establish historical facts and system paradigms, but to examine human…
-
How Artist Oletha DeVane Honors Our African Ancestors
“My life’s goal as an artist is to unlock the secrets to the oldest stories and create new ones,” wrote Oletha DeVane, a Baha’i multidisciplinary artist. RELATED: How One Playwright…
-
Coralie Franklin Cook: A Famous Suffragist, Speaker, and Baha’i
An African American woman, who was born into enslavement, later became a famous public speaker, inspiring suffragist, and devoted Baha’i. Learn about the life of Coralie Franklin Cook. Coralie Cook’s…
-
Do We Have Spiritual Ancestors? Meet Pocahontas Pope
We all have physical ancestors—but do you think we have spiritual ancestors? Meet Pocahontas Pope, the first African American Baha’i of Washington, D.C., and a woman I think of as…
-
Happy Ayyám-i-Há: Days of Gifts, Gatherings and Service
For four days this week, Baha’is around the world will celebrate with festivities, gifts, parties, service projects and charitable humanitarian work. Why? Well, we’re celebrating the Baha’i holidays called Ayyam-i-Ha.…
-
Understanding Intercalary Days and the Baha’i Calendar
This week, Baha’is around the world will celebrate four days of festivities, gifts, parties, service projects and charitable humanitarian work during the Baha’i holidays called Ayyam-i-Ha. That Persian phrase designates…
-
W.E.B. and Nina Du Bois: Lovers of the Baha’i Principles
Born on February 23, 1868, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was a famous writer and civil rights activist. He made history as the co-founder of…
