• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are
• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are edited. Thoughts or suggestions for future topics are always welcome. Next week’s subject is on service. The topic at the end of the column is for the following week.
The Baha’is of Kaua‘i
The Baha’i Faith urges moderation in all things. Though Baha’is consider work in service to others a form of worship, they are cautioned not to deplete their strength to the detriment of their health and well-being.
‘Abdu’l-Baha, son of the prophet founder of the Baha’i Faith, counseled, “… The Baha’is, in spite of their self-sacrificing desire to give the last drop of their strength to serving the cause, must guard against utterly depleting their forces and having breakdowns. For this can sometimes do more harm than good, because they are so bound up in the lives of others … “There is no doubt that there is vicarious atonement for others, and our sufferings sometimes can be in the nature of a sacrifice accepted for others. But where to draw the line is a mystery.”
When carried to extreme, even the most beneficial task could be harmful. Sacrifice and selflessness are frequently misconstrued as a lack of consideration for one’s own well-being. It was never intended that we should ever do harm to our physical body which is, after all, the human temple of our soul. It is meant, instead, that we try to control our selfish desires and negative responses.
As explained in one of the Baha’i writings, “With reference to what is meant by an individual becoming entirely forgetful of self: The intent is that he should rise up and sacrifice himself in the true sense, that is, he should obliterate the prompting of the human condition, and rid himself of such characteristics as are worthy of blame and constitute the gloomy darkness of this life on earth — not that he should allow his physical health to deteriorate and his body to become infirm.”
It is interesting to note that excess which can lead to weariness or exhaustion, whether in the study of the Holy Writings, periods of prayer or acts of piety, could also lead to feelings of self-importance or superiority. In contrast, single acts of spirituality that are sincere, from the heart, and which lift the spirit in joy may be far more beneficial. It is the attitude with which we approach our devotions rather than the amount of time spent in them which lifts our spirits and draws us closer to our Creator.
This was clarified by the following quote: “Take heed lest excessive reading and too many acts of piety in the daytime and in the night season make you vainglorious. Should a person recite but a single verse from the Holy Writings in a spirit of joy and radiance, this would be better for him than reciting wearily all the scriptures of God, the help in peril, the self-subsisting. Recite ye the verses of God in such measure that ye be not overtaken with fatigue or boredom. Burden not your souls so as to cause exhaustion and weigh them down, but rather endeavor to lighten them, that they may soar on the wings of revealed verses unto the dawning-place of His signs. This is conducive to nearer access unto God, were ye to comprehend.”
Rebecca DeRoos
Science of Mind practitioner
Exhaustion proved to be exhausting in my search for Biblical references. There were none. I even wonder if the word “exhaustion” existed when the Bible was written. But the dictionary offers a variety of meanings for exhaustion. They are: Emptiness, absorption, the act of being drained, completion, and my favorite, emission; the escape of foul air. Emission would be not in the derogatory sense, but in the sense of letting go all discomforts, misgivings, wrong decisions, and judgments giving way to release. This is the way spirit meant it to be.
After a days work in the fields or at the computer, it feels wonderful to lay back and relax — to let go and let God. Exhaustion, which may appear as a negative, really is another of spirit’s positive expressions of life. In fact, if we look closely enough at all things deemed good and bad, there is always a positive, even if it’s simply a lesson learned.
It seems there are a group of “allowable” emotions in our culture and one of them is exhaustion. No one walks up to us when we’re exhausted and offers “Don’t worry about it. You’ll get over it. Instead, after a full day of work, or conversation with friends and relatives, or celebration of one the best holidays of the year, or working hard in the sun on ones’ own land, the kind words appear: “Why don’t you lay down and rest, you’ve worked/played so hard.”
Exhaustion has its rewards. Not only possible positive attention and understanding from another; but to stop, lay down and let one’s body relax simply feels great. And a sense of accomplishment seeps into one’s thoughts.
Having exhausted ourselves of every human idea and way to accomplish this thing, we release , letting go and letting God. After prayer and after exhaustion our bodies and minds feel both relieved and released.
Topic for next week:
• Will you speak to us on addiction?
• Spiritual leaders are invited to e-mail responses of three to five paragraphs to pwoolway@kauaipubco.com
• Deadline each week is 5 p.m., Tuesday.