what are the Baha'i rituals?
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As has been the case with other revealed religions, the Bahá'í Faith sees great value in the practice of fasting as a discipline for the soul . Bahá'u'lláh designated a nineteen-day period each year when adult Bahá'ís fast from sunrise to sunset each day. This period coincides with the Bahá'í month of Ala (meaning Loftiness), from March 2 to 21, inclusive. This is the month immediately preceding the Bahá'í new year, which occurs the day of the vernal equinox; and the period of fasting is therefore viewed as a time of spiritual preparation and regeneration for a new year's activities. Women who are nursing or pregnant, the aged, the sick, the traveler, those engaged in heavy labor, as well as children under the age of fifteen, are exempt from observance of the Fast. \n"The fasting period, which lasts nineteen days starting as a rule from the second of March every year and ending on the twentieth of the same month, involves complete abstention from food and drink from sunrise till sunset. It is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires."1 \n\n\nFasting is the cause of awakening man. The heart becomes tender and the spirituality of man increases. This is produced by the fact that man's thoughts will be confined to the commemoration of God, and through this awakening and stimulation surely ideal advancements follow... Fasting is of two kinds, material and spiritual. The material fasting is abstaining from food or drink, that is, from the appetites of the body. But spiritual, ideal fasting is this, that man abstain from selfish passions, from negligence and from satanic animal traits. Therefore, material fasting is a token of the spiritual fasting. That is: `O God! As I am fasting from the appetites of the body and not occupied with eating and drinking, even so purify and make holy my heart and my life from aught else save Thy Love, and protect and preserve my soul from self-passions... Thus may the spirit associate with the Fragrances of Holiness and fast from everything else save Thy mention.\nPrayer, Meditation, and Fasting\n\n...the core of religious faith is that mystic feeling that unites man with God. This state of spiritual communion can be brought about and maintained by means of meditation and prayer. And this is the reason why Bahá'u'lláh has so much stressed the importance of worship. It is not sufficient for a believer to merely accept and observe the teachings. He should, in addition, cultivate the sense of spirituality, which he can acquire chiefly by the means of prayer. The Bahá'í Faith, like all other Divine religions, is thus fundamentally mystic in character. Its chief goal is the development of the individual and society, through the acquisition of spiritual virtues and powers. It is the soul of man that has first to be fed. And this spiritual nourishment prayer can best provide. Laws and institutions, as viewed by Bahá'u'lláh , can become really effective only when our inner spiritual life has been perfected and transformed. Otherwise religion will degenerate into a mere organization, and become a dead thing.1 \nFor Bahá'ís, the purpose of life is to know and love God, and thus to progress spiritually. As in most other religions, prayer and meditation are primary tools for spiritual development. \n\nBahá'u'lláh Himself wrote hundreds of prayers. There are prayers for general use, for healing, for spiritual growth, for facing difficulties, for marriage, for community life, and for humanity itself. \n\nBahá'u'lláh also asked His followers to choose one o
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The Baha'is are prosecuted in Iran because the Muslim Clergy and the religious leaders claim that Bahá’u’lláh is a false prophet and the regilion He founded is also false. \n\nEach individual is responsible to decern truth for his or her self.  And to acertain the truth of the Baha'i Faith, one must read the revealation of Bahá’u’lláh written in His own hands and stamped with His own seal.  Once you've read the wiitings then one must ask him or her self does this make sense or not? Search your heart and your mind and make your decision or you may  want to study more and seek out other writings for or against the Faith.  You may also want to talk to others, Baha'is or other people from other religion.\n\nIts up to you to decide what you want to believe or not.  God's creations and plans move on independent of any of His creatures. The progresses made in creation are done inspite of opposition, believers and non believers.  The ever-advancing civilization marches on and on...  \n\nSeek and you will find...
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I think Frat and Saintrose have the right ideas.  Read everything, study it, compare it to what you believe.  Then pray earnestly about it and God will guide you.  In fact, that's how I became a Baha'i -- I read a bunch of stuff & got so excited by what I was reading that I started copying down (by hand....) sentences that I wanted to remember.  I wound up with 12 pages.  And I prayed a lot... I just couldn't (can't) stay away!
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worshipping or praying to God.
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Go to a pagan group and ask for a water ritual.  It is a spiritual ritual.  Or make up your own.  Consecrate yourself to whatever you think of as good, and then take a cooling plunge in a lake.  All the best.
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Going to Cirlce and we are doing a ritual to help my best friend and her hubby get pregnant.  Best time to do it.  We are doing this on the eve of Beltane.  Then the whole Beltane weekend they have rented a hotel room.  Hope it works.  \n\nAlso we are doing a ritual for peace and prosperity.\n\nAlso, Balefire jumping and all around merriment with cakes and ale.
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First, ignore the bible thumpers.  Here is a good consecration ritual. \n\n1. Stand before the altar and pick up the first item to be consecrated.\n2. Imagine a glowing light from the heavens spotlighting the item.\n3. Pass the item over the incense and say:\n\n"I cleanse and consecrate this ________ for positive means.\nAll negativity is removed from it in any time and space"\n\n4. Repeat this process through the remaining three elements. Pass it through the flame, sprinkle it with water and finally with the earth element.\n5. Now lay the item down on top of your pentacle.\n6. Now place your palms about one inch from the item, then form a triangular opening with your hands.\n7. Imagine a silver orb in the opening of your hands.\n8. Let it glow brighter and brighter.\n9. Raise energy from your body and gently push it out between your hands and into the silver orb.\n10. With your mind, lower the orb onto the item and let it be encompassed.\n11. When the energy dissipates, say:\n\n"By the Will of the Lord and Lady I have empowered this ______.\nMay their blessings shine upon and through it always.\nBy the Free Will of All And with harm to none As I will\nSo shall it be done!"\n\n12. Do this for each tool that you wish to cleanse and consecrate\n13. Thank the Goddess and the God as well as the elements\n14. Ground your energy\n15. Raise your right hand over your head and in a counter clockwise motion; circle it around the room and say:\n\n"The circle is open May it never be broken!"\n\n16. Take the remaining earth and Holy Water and pour it into the ground, and Say:\n\n \n"I thank thee for the use of thy Power"\n\n17. After you have put everything away relax and go find something to eat and drink before you record the event. This will help you to ground your extra energy .a little bird told me that it also helps to run water over your hands!
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I once saw a one legged witch turn a storm.\n\nMy first ritual, we were all comfortable throughout the ritual, but the instant the ritual ended, we realized that the room was cold. The heat hadn't been on and the whole time and it was spring equinox.\n\nI do spiritual healing with singing bowls. I play the bowl in someone's hand, and feel the vibrations as they extend through the person, and can tell them where the vibrations are and what they're doing.\n\nI used to work with a Reiki master who could put healing energy into people and tell people many details about their lives while we were doing our energy work. Very specific things\n\nI have this one singing bowl which plays differently, responding to the place where it's played, or what chakra it's played on. I use it to locate blockages for spiritual healing. I also used it to find the perfect place to set up my tent the first time I camped in Kansas. One night the wind ripped through the camp. By morning, just about every tent had blown over except mine.\n\nFor a while, a friend and I maintained a karmic connection through an object which was divided and each of us kept half, and sometimes I would smell something, and call her up, and it was exactly what she was smelling.\n"Did you just make cookies?"\n"Was the dog just breathing in your face?"\n"Did you just disinfect something?"\n\nAs a child the chandelier used to swing from side to side, and the radio would turn on by itself in the middle of the night.\n\nOne time on a camping trip I was walking back from the bathrooms at that moment right between day and night and I saw someone walk across the front of the site and stop behind a tree. So I figure one of the people is going to jump out and try to surprise me, so I pull out my flashlight, walk up to the tree, turn on the light, and there's no one there.\n\nOne time I was alone in a house, and I felt a presence. I looked at a mobile hanging motionless, and said, "If there is anyone else here, make the mobile spin." The next moment, the mobile began to spin.\n\nOne time I was driving into Ponca State Park to set up a large camping gathering, and the sides of the road were lined with spirits. All standing there, clearly visible to everyone, calmly welcoming us back.\n\nOn another camping trip, we felt a spirit near the bon-fire. We had a ring of 40 tiki-torches around the bonfire. It was a still and windless night, but all the tiki flames near the spirit bent in. One of the people in the circle had a fancy camera. After the campout she went to get the film developed, and all the photos from before the visitor turned out, but after that all the film was blank. She took the camera in to be repaired. The repairman asked if she'd been in a nuclear power plant. All the innards were fried from electromagnetism\n\nMy grandmother died while my niece was in utero. After my niece was born, she would look up at areas where no one was standing, and laugh and giggle. We all knew that she was looking at gramma, so we never showed her any pictures. Finally, at about a year old, she could speak, and my sister showed her the family photo album. My niece picked out her photo and said, "That's Old Gramma."\n\nOne time, on a camping trip, it was an especially magickal night. At some point, everyone in the camp noticed that something was missing, including a necklace from around one woman's neck. The area where we were camping was separate from any other areas and so no one came into the area. Suspecting activity of the Fae, everyone put out offerings, except for the woman who lost her necklace. She cursed the fairies. The next morning, everything was returned except the necklace. To this day, the necklace has never been found.\n\nOn another camping trip, I put my tent right in the middle of a natural faery ring. When I camp, I always have a flashlight with me at all times. The only place I could have lost i
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I am a bahai and we do not want to marke anything we do not want you to become a Bahai if you do not wish but we want you to join us to work toward a better world and world great peace.\nWe respect all religions and thoughts \n"Unity in diversity is the highest possible attainment of a civilization, a testimony to the most noble possibilities of the human race. This attainment is made possible through passionate concern for choice, in an atmosphere of social trust."\n\nif you have any Bahia center in you city go there and see for yourslef that all kind of people with all different thoughts and religions are welcome \nWe have Bahai Center and House of Woeship, all Houses of Worship are open to people of every religion. There are no sermons, rituals or clergy.\nThe newest House of Worship was completed in 1986 in New Delhi, India. Since that time the structure has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. Inspired by the lotus flower, its design is composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad "petals"--arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. Nine doors open onto a central hall, capable of holding up to 2,500 people. Slightly more than 40 meters tall, its surface luminous, the temple at times seems to float above its 26-acre site on the outskirts of the Indian capital. In a few short years the New Delhi temple has become one of the world's major attractions, drawing more than two and a half million visitors a year. On Hindu holy days, it has drawn as many as 100,000--so revered is the Bahá'í temple by India's people, whatever their religious background.
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It's funny you asked that.  My girlfriend and I were discussing last night what we and our friends will be doing for Yule this year.\nWe always get together at one or the other's house and do a ritual that is kid as well as non pagan friendly because we usually have family and/or friends in attendance who are not pagans.  And of course we eat... a lot.\nI was just about to do a little research and start working on our ritual.  Thanks for reminding me...
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There are some rules that are set, and some "customs" that are practiced.\n\n**Mandatory**\n1. Fasting (not eating/drinking) from dawn until sunset.\n\n2. Refraining from sexual intercourse from dawn until sunset - from sunset until dawn it is permissible for those who are married.\n\n3. Refraining from gossip, anger, envy, greed, impatience, etc during the entire month - more so than other months (ie the effort is usually stronger)\n\n4. Keeping to the five prayers that are incumbant upon the Muslim every day of the year.\n\n5. Proper Intention of Fasting to please God\n\n**Highly Recommended Practices (according to the way of the Prophet)**\n1. Suhoor - having a light meal before commencing with the fast - this happens before the dawn arrives\n\n2. Finishing a complete recitation of the entire Qur'an in that month (or more if you are able)\n\n3. Taraweeh Prayer - There are prayers held only during Ramadhan after the latest prayer in the day - for around 1 1/2 - 2 hours every day. They are not mandatory, but are highly recommended.\n\n4. Increasing worship in the Last ten nights - praying at night, reading more Qur'an, etc\n\n5. Increase in Giving Charity to others\n\n6. Staying in the mosque during the last ten nights to seclude yourself for worship (it can be for even an hour - and up to all ten days)\n\n**Oft Practiced by Choice (you'll find some people prefer to do some other things such as )**\n\n1. Not watching TV or movies\n2. Not listening to music (as Islam doesn't allow music outside of drums - though when some choose to listen to it regardless, they'll stop during this month)\n3.Wearing clothing that are more modest\n4. Not wearing makeup (although makeup should not be worn for the women, when some choose to wear it regardless, during this month, many give it up)\n5. Less wasting time\n\nAnd then there are some practices that people have which are not recommended such as:\n1. Overeating\n2. Sleeping during the day and waking up during the night - repeating that all over\n3. Neglecting to worship God, while thinking they are because they are fasting\n4. Wasting time\n\namong other "cultural things"\n\nAnyhow, hope that helps!
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It usually involves a confirmation ceremony. I don't know too much about it, but from what I've seen it's usually a very special event in Catholic children's childhood. It's not always taken as being very spiritual.
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Overview:\nThe Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's main religions. It was founded in Iran during the mid 19th century by  Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad (1819-1850 CE). He assumed the title Bab ("the Gate") and prophesized the future arrival of "One greater than Himself." One of the Bab's followers, Mirza Husayn-'Ali-i-Nuri (1817-1892), announced that he was the Manifestation predicted by the Bab. He assumed the title Baha'u'llah ("glory of God"). His teachings on world peace, democracy, civil rights, equal rights for women, the acceptance of scientific discoveries, etc. were decades ahead of his time. \n\nBahá'ís believe in a single God who has repeatedly sent prophets into the world through whom he has revealed the "Word of God." Prophets include Adam, Krishna, Buddha, Yeshua of Nazareth (Jesus), Mohammed, The Bab and Baha'u'llah. \n\nThe Bahá'í faith is still looked upon by many Muslims as a breakaway sect of Islam. Bahá'ís are heavily persecuted in some countries, particularly Iran.\n\nmore info on\nhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/bahai.htm
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Sacrement is a type of ritual.\n\nYou should read "The Lottery" for a good answer to this question.
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Witnessing\nPrayer\nCharity\nFasting \nPilgramige
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well i will introduce you to the hebrew tree of life. it has ten sephiroth (dots) and with these 10 dots are 22 connecting lines (22 major arcana cards and 22 hebrew letters) then you will see that like i do that the start of tarot is obviously some sort of flash card system for studying qabala. qabala is more then a mystical approach developed by hebrews i believe it comes before hebrews. qabala is quite literally a methodical approach to become totally one in spirit with the moment of now. a system if used correctly would balance out your energy, it would eradicate the ego voice in you. the tree of life is also a excellent filing system that fits all your experiences into it like tarot does. pagan festivals are based on the sun and not tarot. although some aspects of tarot can be and were used time to time. the pagan holiday is based on a 45 day basis. nearly or thereabouts a holiday was 45 days from one another. so there were 8 different holidays in the course of a year.  starting in october with samhain (pronounced sow en)  on october 31st was the day of new transformations, so in a way it best described the death card. it was considered much as the new years is today with the exception that much of the celebrations was done with the ancients in mind. next is Yule. december 20th (depending on the longest night) this celebration was to restart the sun getting warmer and yule logs were burned. next was imbolg or candlemas on or near feb 2  this celebrated that the winter was nearly over and spring was soon coming. next was ostara in or around march 21st this was the beginning of spring and rituals of fertility using rabbits and eggs were used to replenish the stores of foods used up over the long winter. next was beltaine which is another spring rite that equates to may day. may pole dances were fashioned from magick gathering dances sending energy along a ribbon tied to a pole. the patterns made by many ribbons would be divined or read by the local matriarch. then after beltaine was litha or high summer on or around june 22. this is the opposite of yule this is the longest day. then is lughnassa or lughnasadh which is the beginning of harvest. then mabon on or around sep 21. mabon is final harvest and spicing or storing for the long winter months coming. then back to samhain on october 31st.\n\n\nto go on to the rest of the question put to me i would answer that the wheel of the year goes as such winter would be north and the element earth(cold and dry) spring would be air and east (warm and moist) summer would be south and fire (warm and dry) and fall would be water and west (cold and moist)\n\nas i answered in your question relating to tarot and tree of life the four worlds of the tree are\nAtziluth which is the tree of primordial fire and this is the suit of wands\nBriah which is the tree of primoridial water and this is the suit of cups\nYetzirah is the tree of primordial air and this is the suit of swords\n\nAssiah is the tree of primordial earth and this is the suit of pentacles
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YES. Before prayer we make abulution (Wudu)- a specific ritual cleansing. After sexual relations we also do a ritual cleansing.  If we get urine or feces on our clothes (for instance if we don't wash) then we have to go perform ablution again. Invalidation of ablution includes defecation, urination, passing wind. We then become ritually impure and must make Wudu again.When we go to the bathroom (doing #1 or #2) we are also to cleanse ourselves. Wiping with tissue first and then using water to wash with. Sorry to be so graphic but you did ask.   \nBTW - we are Muslims.\n\nHope this enlightens you.