The consultative process itself promotes personal growth and collective solidarity, indispensable elements in true development. (Bahá’í International Community, Report on Rural Poverty Alleviation Efforts in Asia and the Pacific, Focusing on Activities for Disadvantaged Women, paragraph 6.1.2.)
As someone committed to personal growth, I found this quote linking consultation to personal growth and its indispensability to the community development work fascinating. True personal growth is not about buying a book and letting it sit on your shelf at home or attending a seminar and feeling like you’ve accomplished something. The Faith teaches us that growth is so much more than that. Transformation involves the knowledge of God and acquiring virtues. The closer we come to God, the more severe our tests become and continuing to make a commitment to staying close to the Covenant and committing to make each day better than the day before can be difficult, especially if we allow ourselves to get distracted by the changes and chances of a rapidly declining old world order.
I’m coming to really appreciate how prayerful reflection in consultation with others can help us take our spiritual growth to the next level, by helping us set realistic and attainable goals, create plans to achieve them and identify and resolve problems as they arise. Consultation can help us recognize and describe our feelings, give and receive feedback and recognize assumptions. Consultation helps us explore our identity, talents and potential, as well as dreams and aspirations. It develops us physically, mentally, spiritually and intellectually. The more we improve and the closer we come to God, we will eagerly want to use our full potentials to benefit ourselves and others. New skills and talents will be discovered. Old relationships will be strengthened and new ones easily formed. All of this works together to give us a boost in self-image and self-confidence.
Personal growth expands our frame of reference to include the people around us instead of becoming more self-centered. As our world expands, so does our awareness of the possibilities and opportunities around us. This possibility mindset fills us with an attitude of eager anticipation as we start each new day.
Knowing the benefits of consultation to growth and development, I am grateful!
What jumped out for you as you read today’s meditation? I’d love it if you would share so we can all expand our knowledge of the Writings!
If you liked this meditation, you might also like my book Learning How to Consult Effectively
Thank you Susan. This is a good reminder for me to see personal growth and transformation as part of this wider connections we strengthen and make with others and with our creator all the time.
Thank you again
I love the connections you’re making and sharing with us, Ayshe. Thank you!
The connection between struggle and growth is not one that is commonly thought about. People assume growth means emotional bliss, but that’s not growth at all. That is stagnant. Growth is change is pain.
Thank you, Duane.
I loved what you said that growth is not always ‘bliss’. Growth is pain, bliss is a destination.
However, when one grows through ‘pain’ but feels bliss at the same time – that is indeed another level up.
Thank you Susan – love the article
I’m with you Taralina and Duane. It reminds me of this quote:
It is important to recognize that “voting” on a decision to be made is the LAST resort, should consensus not be achieved. Working towards consensus should be our goal and is a skill that can be learned by a chairman, essentially inviting suggestions, allowing them to be considered and observing as a majority of voices appear to be supporting this, and then inviting any participants to express any reason they might not support this. Very often they may hold a view opposite to the majority either because of different knowledge or experiences that suggest a different view. It is really important then to keep drilling to understand the origins of that countervailing opinion. Very often it reveals facts that might benefit the other participants, or reveal a prejudice or misunderstanding which can then be addressed.
It is this process that can help in personal transformation and community growth just as your article suggests. On occasions I have found myself reversing an opinion, or rescinding my resistance for the preferred consensus.
This is such an important point, Charles. Thanks for sharing it. I remember someone telling me that if one of the House of Justice members had an opposing viewpoint, the other 8 would work very hard to understand his position, and in many cases, after careful and sometimes lengthy deliberation and the passage of time before a decision is made, they went with the previously opposite viewpoint. I think in the West, we’re in such a hurry to make decisions and cross things off the agenda, we forget to take the time to get all the facts and research all the spiritual viewpoints before making decisions. I’ve been in a lot of Assembly meetings where no one has access to the Writings and make decisions based on opinion, not backed by spiritual principles, just so they could “get it done”.
It’s true Duane. What comes to mind is this quote from the Seven Valleys, where Baha’u’llah is taking about the valley of love:
Love this post. Have always thought that the Faith is the ultimate mind and soul expansion and action is always required as well as that inner work. Thank you for posting this
My pleasure Margaret. I agree – it’s all important. My challenge these days is trying to find the balance in a world out of kilter!
Hi Susan,
If we seek comfort we perhaps are functiong in lower nature. To be willling to understand and remember discomfort is part of the personal growth process seems to help me stay focused and continue on the path.
Yes, this is an uncomfortable truth and important reminder. Thanks for sharing it with all of us, Jeannette!
Hi Susan, I think you are getting really strong and assertive in your posts! 🙂
From the study of latest message from the Universal House of Justice I decided to identify and develop the “forces of the Faith”, here we have one… Many thanks for you help!
Yay! My pleasure Pedro. I’m so glad you were inspired by it. Your encouragement keeps me going.
Another response. Thank you for the time and effort you take to present these timely and effective posts.
I appreciate the acknowledgement and encouragement, Jeannette. Thank you!