Spiritual Life
Bahá’is believe that the human being is created by God comprised of two parts; the physical frame which is the body, and the soul which is its motive force and the light of the mind. This power distinguishes man from God’s other creations. When the physical body ceases to exist, the soul continues on its journey through the spiritual worlds of God.
Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can alter. It will endure as long as the Kingdom of God, His sovereignty, His dominion and power will endure. It will manifest the signs of God and His attributes, and will reveal His loving kindness and bounty.
Similar in the way that our physical attributes develop in the womb of the mother, the purpose of our existence in this world is to acquire those spiritual qualities which will prepare us for the life beyond.
Worship of God
The soul gives us the unique capacity to know God and to love Him. The soul is “…the first among all created things to declare the excellence of its Creator, the first to recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to bow down in adoration before Him.” – Bahá’u’lláh
In order to develop those spiritual attributes which will be needed in the life hereafter, we must worship God through prayer, meditation and living a life which is pleasing to God and that reflects the nobility of God’s creation.
Prayer
Prayer is food for the soul, just as we nourish our physical bodies so should we nourish our souls and our soul receives its nourishment through prayer and meditation.
There is nothing sweeter in the world of existence than prayer. Man must live in a state of prayer. The most blessed condition is the condition of prayer and supplication. Prayer is conversation with God. The greatest attainment or the sweetest state is none other than conversation with God. It creates spirituality, creates mindfulness and celestial feelings, begets new attractions of the Kingdom and engenders susceptibilities of the higher intelligence.
To live in a state of prayer goes beyond reciting the verses of God but is a state of turning our hearts and souls towards him throughout the day, giving our thoughts, words and actions spiritual effect. In addition to those revealed in past ages, Bahá’ís have prayers and texts revealed by the central figures of the Bahá’í Faith – The Báb, Bahá’u’lláh and Abdul’Bahá.
Meditation
Human progress would be impossible without reflection and contemplation. Bahá’u’lláh states: “The source of crafts, sciences and arts is the power of reflection.” For Bahá’is, this daily practice of spirituality leads to self-exploration and a consistent reflection on our own actions. Because the Bahá’i Faith has no clergy, and because Bahá’is believe in the independent investigation of truth and in the individual’s responsibility for his or her own behavior, the development of a consistent and regular spiritual practice of self-reflection and moral inventory becomes even more important.
A Life of Generous Giving
Just as a candle’s purpose is to provide light, the human soul was created to give generously. We fulfil our highest purpose in a life of service in which, with humility and detachment, we offer our time, energy, knowledge, and financial resources for the betterment of humankind.
The attribute of service is taught from a very young age, and is held in the same regard as praying to God. Service to humanity expresses our love for God and his creation:
Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer.
Rectitude of Conduct
The cultivation of spiritual qualities in this world is inseparable from an ongoing refinement of our conduct in which our actions increasingly come to reflect the nobility and integrity with which every human being is endowed. Such spiritual qualities are not acquired through focusing on the self; they are developed in service to others.
Man’s glory lieth in his knowledge, his upright conduct, his praiseworthy character, his wisdom, and not in his nationality or rank.