Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode we come full circle to where the Baha'i Blogcast all began, with me and Baha'i Blog's co-founder and Blogcast producer, Naysan Naraqi. We're getting back together to wrap up our final episode, marking the end of this iteration of the Baha'i Blogcast as we know it. We're not sure where things will go from here, but it's been an amazing journey with so many fascinating guests and conversations over the last six years! In this episode, we talk about the Baha'i Blogcast, my new book called Soul Boom, and we share a Baha'i quote we've been reflecting on. Join me and Naysan one last time, on this final episode of the Baha'i Blogcast! You can watch a video of this conversation on Baha'i Blog's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omAvTG4gujU Find out more about some of the things we mentioned and covered below: - Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution can be purchased from book retailers including Amazon: https://amzn.to/45dhE9v - find the whole playlist of Blogcast episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLePDtgwcyKAQmifUJTw0Kk-hBGL2ZGMJi - we mention a couple of episodes specifically such as the one where Michael Penn says "human beings are the most powerful receptors". Listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fSOl_oU9Jw - Michael Karlberg and his book Beyond the Culture of Contest are referenced. Michael was featured on this episode of the Blogcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqkvhEcGrfM - Mental health is discussed. Baha'i Blog has been working on creating content related to mental health, health, healing and overcoming difficulties: https://www.bahaiblog.net/collection/themes/health-healing-overcoming-difficulties/ - "hope has become a depleted resource" is from a letter dated 25 November 2020 to the Baha'is of the World. You can read the letter here: https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/20201125_001/1#300076430 - The Geography of Bliss show: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20042368/ - Rainn quotes Abdu'l-Baha: "Your souls are as waves on the sea of the spirit; although each individual is a distinct wave, the ocean is one, all are united in God." This quotation is from Paris Talks. - Naysan also quotes Abdu'l-Baha's Paris Talks: "...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." Find all episodes of the Baha'i Blogcast here: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Dr. Elena Mustakova, an educator, social scientist and integral psychologist who believes that psychological and spiritual health are inseparable. We talk about why individuals betray themselves, and the relationship between the individual and their environment. We discuss fear, the potential pitfalls of ideology, the interdependent world we live in, sacred activism, and the difference between spirituality, religion and collective consciousness. I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Watch the video of the interview here: https://bit.ly/3I19DrF Find out more about some of the things we mentioned and covered below: * Check out the podcast series called "Ambassador to Humanity": https://bit.ly/33phpwG * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN Find out more about Elena Mustakova here: - Website: https://www.elenamustakova.net/ - Website: https://globalsocialhealth.org/en/home/ - Youtube: https://bit.ly/3K8FwR7 * BOOK: Global Unitive Healing: Integral Skills for Personal and Collective Transformation: https://amzn.to/3COXOBO * QUOTE: "We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions." (Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, To an individual believer, 17 February 1933) * QUOTE: "All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent Mind. This Mind is the matrix of all matter." -Max Planck * QUOTE: "A mighty force, a consummate power lieth concealed in the world of being. Fix your gaze upon it and upon its unifying influence, and not upon the differences which appear from it." -Baha'u'llah * Meaningful and Distinctive Conversations: https://bit.ly/31VLH9Q * Study Circles & Ruhi books: https://www.ruhi.org/materials/list.php * Elena shares this prayer by Baha'u'llah: "Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my desire! Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God! Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquillity on me, O my Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!" Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu’l-Baha, I’m joined by Professor Hoda Mahmoudi who holds the Baha’i Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland, USA. She tells me about moving to the US as a child and what the Baha'i Chair for World Peace is all about. We talk Abdu'l-Baha and His wonderful insights on what peace is really about, and how all of us can play a role in helping achieve it. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Find out more about some of the things we mentioned and covered below: * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bit.ly/3jkV0WX * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Website in honor of Abdu'l-Baha's visit to North America: https://239days.com/ * Find out more about The Baha'i Chair for World Peace and Hoda Mahmoudi here: http://www.bahaichair.umd.edu/people/mahmoudi * BOOK: A World Without War by Janet Khan & Hoda Mahmoudi: https://amzn.to/3rtWIHn * Association for Baha'i Studies, North America: https://www.bahaistudies.ca/ * The Baha'i World Centre: https://www.bwc.org/ * Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel: https://bit.ly/3DjRx1k * Tablets of the Divine Plan: https://bit.ly/3rw39Mp * What Are the Tablets of the Divine Plan: https://bit.ly/3rxKr79 * We mention Dr. Nader Saiedi who has also been a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast: - Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson - Ep. 20: Nader Saiedi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pSyY-vhxuw - Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson - Ep.48: A Declaration of the Bab Conversation with Nader Saiedi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jPN99xQLOs * Tablets to The Hague by Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/3G7hTFy * Abdu’l-Baha’s Tablets to The Hague: An Introduction: https://bit.ly/3oh9Gsn * VIDEO: A World Without War: Abdu’l-Baha & the Discourse for Global Peace - Janet Khan & Hoda Mahmoudi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRlAXd8tr7Q * The Promise of World Peace by the Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/31jtjrc * Children's Classes: https://bit.ly/31tnbMI * Why & How Do Baha’is Pray: https://bit.ly/3GbYHXa * Study Circles: https://bit.ly/3qkIJSR * Ruhi courses: https://bit.ly/3w16G44 * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program: https://bit.ly/3x52jX0 * Who Were the Hands of the Cause: https://bit.ly/2EATuOD * Taking the Politics Out of Politics: https://bit.ly/3DmnnKG * Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3rDjg82 * BOOK: God Passes By by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/2UaWgBH * VIDEO: Abdu'l-Baha in Egypt - Baha'i Blog Interviews Payam Rowhani: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvPh6NSaEnA * BOOK: Paris Talks by Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/3DfhNK5 * VIDEO: Abdu'l-Baha - Servant of Glory: https://youtu.be/tMJoyyEXjr4 Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by my dear friend Todd Steinberg, who helped out in the early days of SoulPancake and runs a teddy bear company - yep that's right - teddy bears! Todd shares his journey to finding the Baha'i Faith and how grateful he is for finding it. We talk about how systems are as important as the people within them; the importance of being in tune with our hearts and the importance of service. He tells us a little about his work with prisoners, and shares a couple of stories about Abdu'l-Baha. I hope you enjoy the conversation! Find out more about some of the things we mentioned and covered below: * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Todd's family business "Plush in a Rush": https://www.plushinarush.com/ * SoulPancake: https://participant.com/soulpancake * Baha’i Pioneering: https://www.bahaiblog.net/bahai-pioneer-travel-teacher/ * The Baha’i “Pupil of the Eye” Metaphor—What Does it Mean?: https://bahaiteachings.org/bahai-pupil-eye-metaphor/ * Bahaʼi Prayers: https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/life-spirit/devotion/prayer * 6 Questions About the Independent Investigation of Truth: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2021/05/6-questions-about-the-independent-investigation-of-truth/ * An Introduction to the Kitab-i-Iqan – The Book of Certitude: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2021/02/an-introduction-to-the-kitab-i-iqan-the-book-of-certitude/ * The Bahaʼi Fast: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2012/03/the-bahai-fast/ * Book: The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson: https://amzn.to/3Ccb6Ja * Todd’s article about teaching prisoners: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/12/experiences-teaching-bahai-faith-prisoners/ * The Training Institute & Ruhi sequence of courses: https://bit.ly/3qkIJSR * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bit.ly/3jkV0WX * The Shrine of the Bab and its Significance: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2013/07/the-shrine-of-the-bab-and-its-significance/ * A Tribute to Anis Zunuzi: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/07/tribute-anis-zunuzi/ * Devotional Meetings: https://www.bahai.org/action/devotional-life/devotional-meetings/ * Website created in honor of Abdu'l-Baha's visit to North America: 239Days.com: https://239days.com/ * Becoming a Baha’i: https://bahai.org.au/index.php/the-bahai-faith/becoming-a-bahai/ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm joined by Sovaida Ma'ani Ewing, the founder of 'The Center for Peace and Global Governance' and a person of many talents. She's the author of a number of books, has worked as a lawyer for 20 years, is a 7th generation Baha'i, and she's passionate about the role of women in society, issues around global governance, the environment, peace-building, and leadership. We discuss all of these topics and also look at ideas around Collective Security, the meaning of power, and she even shares some personal stories of her time growing up in the Holy Land. I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Find out more about some of the things we mentioned and covered below: * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bit.ly/3jkV0WX * Sovaida has published the following books: - The Alchemy of Peace - 6 Essential Shifts in Mindsets and Habits to Achieve World Peace: https://amzn.to/3ucNZeq - Collective Security Within Reach: https://amzn.to/3EWIplp - Building a World Federation: The Key to Resolving Our Global Crises: https://amzn.to/3ucxFdw - Bridge to Global Governance: Tackling Climate Change, Energy Distribution, and Nuclear Proliferation: https://amzn.to/3zJofYb * Sovaid's 'Re-Imagining Our World' Vlogcast on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3EON6xz * Interview with Sovaida about her book 'The Alchemy of Peace': https://bit.ly/3kIpmmE * QUOTE: "Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements." -Baha'u'llah * Sovaida's NGO: Center for Peace and Global Governance (CPGG): https://www.cpgg.org/ * Sovaida's life coaching business: https://unleashyoucoaching.com/ * Siyyid Yahya-i-Darabi, given the title Vahid: https://bit.ly/2Y1qsBq * Nayriz: https://www.awakeningnayriz.org/template.php * Independent Investigation of Truth: https://bit.ly/3h2bd1V * Baha'i principle of Progressive Revelation: https://bit.ly/2Vkay0B * The Baha'i World Centre: https://www.bwc.org/ * Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel?: https://bit.ly/3yGYqr1 * Hands of the Cause: https://bit.ly/2EATuOD * Abu’l-Qasim Faizi: https://bit.ly/3AJGkqg * Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/3ugcvLz * Ali-Akbar Furutan: https://news.bahai.org/story/261/ * Paul Haney: https://bahaipedia.org/Paul_Haney * Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Ep.52: Dara Feldman: https://bit.ly/3AM5STR * The Promise of World Peace - Universal House of Justice letter 1985: https://bit.ly/3m56Jsm * Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Ep.35: Michael Karlberg: https://bit.ly/3ibDMdd Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, I'm joined by Baha'i author, Rob Weinberg from the UK. Rob talks about the remarkable life of Abdu'l-Baha and why he feels Abdu'l-Baha was an ambassador to humanity. We talk about Abdu'l-Baha's time in Egypt, Baghdad, France, and the example He gave us. Rob tells us about his own Baha'i journey, his time in the Holy Land, and we discuss the need to focus locally, and look at how we can follow the example of Abdu'l-Baha. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Find out more about some of the things we mentioned and covered below: * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bit.ly/3jkV0WX * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * BOOK: Ambassador to Humanity by Robert Weinberg: https://amzn.to/3t66HUu * Rob’s Bahaʼi Blog Interview 'Ambassador to Humanity': https://bit.ly/3BDEveE * Edward Granville Browne: The Only European Historian Who Met Baha’u’llah: https://bit.ly/3kVsKcG * A Dramatized Reading of E. G. Browne's Meeting with Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/3n3a8dE * Dr. William Cormick: https://bit.ly/3gXMBXp * BOOK: The Primal Point: A selection of testimonials and tributes to the Bab and His followers by Robert Weinberg: https://amzn.to/3yCgen9 * The Primal Point book interview with Rob Weinberg: https://bit.ly/3yDHT7m * The Baha'i World Centre: https://www.bwc.org/ * Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel?: https://bit.ly/3yGYqr1 * Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Ep 68: Kathryn Hogenson: https://bit.ly/3kNKAyi * Abdu’l-Baha’s Tablets to The Hague: https://bit.ly/38DXGbA * QUOTE: “Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” -Baha'u'llah * Paris Talks by Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/3kNKpD8 * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program: https://bit.ly/3h1NWN5 * BOOK: The Master in Egypt: https://amzn.to/38PqWwt * VIDEO: Abdu'l-Baha in Egypt: https://bit.ly/3zFELcq * QUOTE: “The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and of the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers.” -Abdu’l-Baha * Siah-Chal (The Black Pit): https://bit.ly/3trpwlj * Munirih Khanum: https://bit.ly/3n9xmhY * The Two Gardens of Ridvan: https://bit.ly/3yO4v4Z * BOOK: A Sudden Music by Roger White: https://amzn.to/3zEScJz * Juliet Thompson: https://bit.ly/3tis1Gf * Bahaʼi World Publications: https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/ * A New Cycle of Human Power - Abdu’l-Baha’s encounters with modernist writers and artists by Rob Weinberg: https://bit.ly/3tg8gPu * Horace Holley: https://bit.ly/3n1ydRT * BOOK: Ethel Rosenberg: https://bit.ly/3gZR3VI * Lady Blomfield: Her Life and Times – An Interview with Robert Weinberg: https://bit.ly/3zQJc4s Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts, I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, I'm joined by Kathryn Hogenson, author, and attorney, who joins me in my home in California. She tells me how she became a Baha'i and about Ruhiyyih Khanum and her time at the Baha'i World Centre. She also talks about the first Western Baha’i pilgrims to Holy Land, and she shares unknown stories of Abdu’l-Baha and the Bahai's of that time. I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much I did! Find out more about some of the things we covered below: * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bit.ly/3jkV0WX * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Book: 'Lighting the Western Sky' by Kathryn Hogenson: https://amzn.to/3sevjK3 * Horace Holley: https://bit.ly/3iJ0VV6 * Seals and Crofts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seals_and_Crofts * Baha'i Firesides: https://bit.ly/2QVLfCp * Nineteen Day Feast: https://bit.ly/37J7fpe * Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3rDjg82 * Baha'i World Centre: https://www.bwc.org/ * Progressive Revelation: https://bit.ly/2Vkay0B * Terraces of the Shrine of the Bab: https://bit.ly/3g07ssE * Hands of the Cause: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/ * Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/2VVO6O8 * Video: Crossing Frontiers: Portrait of a World Citizen - Featuring the life of Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp9CDnxmpKI * Ali-Akbar Furutan: https://news.bahai.org/story/261/ * Ali-Muhammad Varqa: https://news.bahai.org/story/579/ * Baha'i Pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/2EDykz8 * House of Abdu'llah Pasha: https://bit.ly/3m1STbT * May Maxwell: https://bit.ly/3m7UkG5 * Robert Turner: https://bit.ly/3shNJK7 * Robert Stockman: https://bit.ly/3ma0rt8 * Lua Getsinger: https://bit.ly/3m3fHs6 * International Teaching Centre Building: https://bit.ly/3iKfebU * Baha'i World Volumes: https://bit.ly/3jOenq6 * Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel?: https://bit.ly/3xKHsYx * Shrine of the Bab: https://bit.ly/3w3JC4s * Shrine of Baha’u’llah: https://bit.ly/2URrE8J * An Introduction to the Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Baha: https://bit.ly/2VQHJvR * Phoebe Hearst: https://bit.ly/2XvQzA1 * Helen & Ella Goodall: https://bit.ly/3g21rvw * Martha Root: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2012/10/the-life-of-martha-root/ * Prison City of Akka: https://bit.ly/3jXLGan * Corinne True: https://bit.ly/3yKYres * Baha'i Houses of Worship/Temples: https://bit.ly/3m6QRaz * US Baha'i House of Worship/Temple: https://www.bahai.us/bahai-temple/ * Thornton Chase: https://bit.ly/3ssY6uR * Laura & Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney: https://bit.ly/2XlWrvj * George Ronald Publishing: https://www.grbooks.com/ * Ian Semple: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2011/12/in-memory-of-mr-ian-semple/ * Edna True: https://bahaipedia.org/Edna_True * Stanwood Cobb: https://bit.ly/2VVOOuM * Website in honor of Abdu'l-Baha's visit to North America: https://239days.com/ * You may also be interested in The Journey West podcast: https://bit.ly/3y4dzTo Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by my dear Baha'i friend and award-winning actor, Penn Badgley, known for his role in many things including the TV series 'Gossip Girl' and 'You'. Penn tells me about his upbringing, his spiritual journey, and becoming a Baha'i. We talk about being a celebrity and issues around the ego and injustices that exist in society. He tells me about his appreciation of rap music and indigenous culture, and how the Baha'i Faith has inspired his work. We discuss social media, participation in the discourses of society, the power and importance of encouragement, and he leaves us with a story about Abdu'l-Baha. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * QUOTE: "As to racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for well-nigh a century, has bitten into the fiber, and attacked the whole social structure of American society, it should be regarded as constituting the most vital and challenging issue confronting the Baha’i community at the present stage of its evolution. The ceaseless exertions which this issue of paramount importance calls for, the sacrifices it must impose, the care and vigilance it demands, the moral courage and fortitude it requires, the tact and sympathy it necessitates, invest this problem with an urgency and importance that cannot be overestimated." -Shoghi Effendi * QUOTE: "...an enlightened man of wisdom should primarily speak with words as mild as milk..." -Baha'u'llah * QUOTE: "Know ye the value of this time. Strive ye with all your hearts, raise up your voices and shout, until this dark world be filled with light, and this narrow place of shadows be widened out, and this dust heap of a fleeting moment be changed into a mirror for the eternal gardens of heaven, and this globe of earth receive its portion of celestial grace." -Abdu'l-Baha * The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson: https://amzn.to/2WnPRUC * Introduction to The Seven Valleys: bit.ly/38yX0SI * The Seven Valleys by Baha'u'llah: bit.ly/32VC46Z * The Promise of World Peace: https://www.bahai.org/documents/the-universal-house-of-justice/promise-world-peace * Baha'i Pioneering: https://bit.ly/3jjTmVH * Study Circles: https://bit.ly/3qkIJSR * Ruhi courses: https://bit.ly/3w16G44 * Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program: https://bit.ly/3x52jX0 * Penn's Podcast PODCRUSHED: https://podcrushed.com/ * Baha'i Pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/2EDykz8 * QUOTE: "The world’s equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Mankind’s ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System—the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed." -Baha'u'llah * The Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3eDDyKr * Centenary of Abdu'l-Baha's passing: https://bit.ly/3jkV0WX Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by my dear Baha'i friend, Michael O'Neal, the founder of 'Parent University', a community collaborative that supports families and encourages parent involvement and participation in the education of a community’s children and youth. Michael tells us how he became a Baha'i, what it was like growing up in a poor family, why grassroots initiatives are important, and why perseverance is a must. I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Find out more about Parent University here: https://www.parentuniversitysav.org/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * An Introduction to The Seven Valleys: https://bit.ly/3hHPLiM * An Introduction to The Four Valleys by Baha’u’llah: https://bit.ly/2VAUVEM * Book: Theif in the Night by William Sears: https://amzn.to/3xG0gZC * Seals & Crofts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seals_and_Crofts * The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan): https://bit.ly/2UIdIxA * We refer to this quote by Shoghi Effendi found in The Advent of Divine Justice: “As to racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for well-nigh a century, has bitten into the fiber, and attacked the whole social structure of American society, it should be regarded as constituting the most vital and challenging issue confronting the Baha’i community at the present stage of its evolution. The ceaseless exertions which this issue of paramount importance calls for, the sacrifices it must impose, the care and vigilance it demands, the moral courage and fortitude it requires, the tact and sympathy it necessitates, invest this problem … with an urgency and importance that cannot be overestimated.” * Why Cluster Reflection Meetings Are So Important: https://bit.ly/2Tb5PAi * Consultation: A Perspective: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2015/10/introduction-consultation/ * The Baha’i Black Men’s Gathering: https://bit.ly/2Td3O6P * Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Episode 56: William H. “Smitty” Smith: https://bit.ly/3kqHjqh * We refer to this quote by Baha'u'llah: "Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom." * Children’s Classes: https://bit.ly/3yYivd1 * Study Circles: https://bit.ly/3qkIJSR * Ruhi sequence of courses: https://bit.ly/3w16G44 * The Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3eDDyKr * Thornton Chase: https://bit.ly/3B0LlLT * We refer to this quote from a talk given by Abdu'l-Baha: "Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path." * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bit.ly/3jkV0WX Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, I'm joined by Baha'i author, Angelina Diliberto Allen. Angelina shares how her family became Baha'is, some pioneering experiences, and how being in a chewing-gum commercial helped her and her twin sister go on pilgrimage. We talk about what the House of Justice calls "this infinitely poignant moment", and Angelina tells us some fascinating stories about the six Western Baha'is who were in the Holy Land at the time of Abdu'l-Baha's passing. I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much I did! Find out more about some of the things we covered below: * Centenary of Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/3jkV0WX * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Website in honor of Abdu'l-Baha's visit to North America: https://239days.com/ * The Journey West podcast: https://bit.ly/3y4dzTo * Book: John David Bosch: In the Vanguard of Heroes, Martyrs, and Saints by Angelina Diliberto Allen: https://amzn.to/3qz4JdR * Baha'i Blog interview with Angelina about her book: https://bit.ly/3y1rCcv * Book: When the Moon Set Over Haifa by Angelina Diliberto Allen: https://bit.ly/35YJxEK * John Bosch (https://bit.ly/3h20Meu) and Louise Bosch (https://bit.ly/2UOlpT1) * Baha'i actor Lloyd Haynes: https://bit.ly/3x40wBv * Book: God Passes By by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/2UaWgBH * Florian Krug: https://bit.ly/361HsI2 * Pioneering: https://bit.ly/3jjTmVH * John Allen: https://bahaipedia.org/John_Allen * Knights of Baha’u’llah: https://bit.ly/2YE1hBS * Baha'i Pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/2EDykz8 * Louis Gregory: https://bit.ly/33aTONF * Shrine of the Bab: https://bit.ly/3w3JC4s * Shrine of Baha’u’llah: https://bit.ly/2URrE8J * Independent Investigation of Truth: https://bit.ly/3h2bd1V * William Sears: https://bit.ly/3jmV1d2 * Hands of the Cause: https://bit.ly/2EATuOD * Study Circles: https://bit.ly/3qkIJSR * Ruhi courses: https://bit.ly/3w16G44 * Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program: https://bit.ly/3x52jX0 * Angelina talks about my father, Robert Wilson, whom I discuss on the Baha'i Blogcast with Sean Hinton: https://bit.ly/3hcr5h7 * Will and Testament of Abdu’l-Baha: https://bit.ly/3xUtaoG * Curtis Kelsey: https://bit.ly/3jkV5dd * Bahiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/3h20rZg * QUOTE: "The content of the Will of the Master are far too much for the present generation to comprehend, it needs at least a century of actual working before the treasures of wisdom hidden in it can be revealed..." -Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi * Shrine of Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/3h9aOJO * Munireh Khanum: https://bit.ly/3w6g3iK * US Baha'i Publishing Trust: https://www.bahaibookstore.com/ * Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/34DYRHj * Amelia Collins: https://bit.ly/3doqmZ4 * Book: Priceless Pearl: https://bit.ly/3y4jjfU * Baha’i Covenant: https://bit.ly/3A8mFk8 Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by Bitahnii Wayne Wilson, a Navajo Baha'i from the remote community of Pine Springs on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. We talk about the service work he's doing in his community, Navajo traditions and prophecies, and how they relate to the Baha'i Faith. Bitahnii also tells us about the changes he made in his own personal life and how he became a Baha'i, the meaning behind a "clan", and he shares Baha'i and Navajo prayers with us. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much I did! Find out more about some of the things we mentioned and covered below: * Help support Bitahnii's service work via K'eh Native Action: https://www.classy.org/campaign/native-covid-relief-campaign/c319516 * Follow and connect with Bitahnii on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Navajo-Wayne-Wilson * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Native American Baha'i Institute [NABI]: http://www.indigenousbahais.com/native_american_bahai_institute.php * Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Episode 19: Kevin Locke: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-19-kevin-locke/ * Bitahnii mentions the following excerpt from a prayer by the Bab: "Immeasurably exalted art Thou, O Lord! Protect us from what lieth in front of us and behind us, above our heads, on our right, on our left, below our feet and every other side to which we are exposed. Verily, Thy protection over all things is unfailing." * Baha'i academic and author Christopher Buck: http://christopherbuck.com/articles/blog/ * The Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2015/10/the-importance-of-service-in-the-bahai-faith/ * Baha’i Temples: A Brief Introduction: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2018/07/bahai-temples-a-brief-introduction/ * The Baha’i Principle of Progressive Revelation: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2015/01/bahai-principle-progressive-revelation-2/ If you find Native American culture and the Baha'i Faith as interesting as I do, here are some more links you may enjoy: - Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Episode 55: Anisa & Doug White: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2020/09/bahai-blogcast-with-rainn-wilson-episode-55-anisa-doug-white/ - The Path Home: Reflections on Truth and Reconciliation: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/05/20675/ - Re-Telling Reconciliation – A Talk by Roshan Danesh: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2015/02/re-telling-reconciliation-talk-roshan-danesh/ - ARTICLE: Some Native American Prophecies and the Baha’i Faith: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2020/07/some-native-american-prophecies-and-the-bahai-faith/ - AUDIO: Some Native American Prophecies and the Baha’i Faith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC349l5rzsU Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, I'm joined by Anne and Tim Perry, the couple behind the fabulous documentary about Abdu'l-Baha's visit to North America called 'Luminous Journey'. They tell me how they became Baha'is, what inspired them to make the documentary, and share stories about the making of the film, and of Abdu'l-Baha. I know you'll enjoy the conversation as much I did! Find out more about some of the things we covered below: * Watch 'Luminous Journey' here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx4Vj0KUNSYBc1lY7_UAVyQ * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/special-collections/the-mystery-of-god/ * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * The Baha'i World Centre: http://www.bwc.org/ * Greenacre Baha'i School: https://www.greenacre.org/ * Sarah Farmer: https://bahaichronicles.org/sarah-jane-farmer/ * Book by Anne Perry called 'Green Acre on the Piscataqua': https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Green-Acre-on-the-Piscataqua-Originally-16-P6883.aspx * Seals & Crofts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seals_and_Crofts * The Nineteen Day Feast and Why it’s Important: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2012/11/the-nineteen-day-feast-and-why-its-important/ * 1992 Baha'i World Congress: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%CA%BC%C3%AD_World_Congress * 239Days.com: https://239days.com/ * Thronton Chase: https://bahaichronicles.org/thornton-chase-disciple-of-abdul-baha/ * Baha'i Firesides: https://bit.ly/2QVLfCp * Louis Gregory: https://bahaipedia.org/Louis_Gregory * Agnes Parsons: https://bit.ly/3v4HHx0 * Liz Dwyer: https://bahaiteachings.org/author/liz-dwyer/ * Anne shares quote from Abdu'l-Baha: "...for any movement animated by love moveth from the periphery to the centre, from space to the Day-Star of the universe. Perchance thou deemest this to be difficult, but I tell thee that such cannot be the case, for when the motivating and guiding power is the divine force of magnetism it is possible, by its aid, to traverse time and space easily and swiftly." * Tim shares quote by Abdu’l-Baha relating to the election of the United States president: "The president must be a man who does not insistently seek the presidency. He should be a person free from all thoughts of name and rank; rather, he should say, ‘I am unworthy and incapable of this position and cannot bear this great burden.’ Such persons deserve the presidency. If the object is to promote the public good, then the president must be a well-wisher of all and not a self-seeking person. If the object, however, is to promote personal interests, then such a position will be injurious to humanity and not beneficial to the public." * The Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3rDjg82 * Juliet Thompson: https://bit.ly/3bWtFG1 * Paris Talks: https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PT/ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, I'm joined by my good friend Shahin Sobhani, who among many other things, was the creator of 239days.com, a site dedicated to the time Abdu'l-Baha spent in North America. Shahin tells us about his childhood and his Baha'i ancestors, and shares stories about Abdu'l-Baha, whom Baha'u'llah called "The Mystery of God". I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much I did! Find out more about some of the things we covered below: * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bit.ly/3meSCjX * Website created in honor of Abdu'l-Baha's visit to North America: https://239days.com/ * Read this Baha'i Blog interview with Shahin Sobhani about 239Days.com: https://bit.ly/3cKzWWo * Find out more about: - The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN - Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM​ - Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/​ - The Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/​​ - Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Shahin mentions the following: - Mulla Husayn: https://bit.ly/31Id0kg - Battle of Fort Tabarsi: https://bit.ly/3wiY8qu - Nabil-i-Azam: https://bit.ly/3mfIJme - The Dawn-breakers: https://bit.ly/3cK6q35 - Quddus: https://bahaipedia.org/Qudd%C3%BAs - Islamic/Iranian Revolution: https://bit.ly/2OhbsdV - Persecution of the Baha'is in Iran: https://bit.ly/3rIjaLx - Landegg International University: https://bit.ly/2OglkV7 - Dr. Hossein Danesh: https://bit.ly/31GKLlU - Suheil Bushrui: https://news.bahai.org/story/1065/ - Townshend International School: https://www.townshend.cz/ - Baha'i Firesides: https://bit.ly/2QVLfCp - May Maxwell: https://bit.ly/3sKDj4Z - John Robarts: https://bahaipedia.org/John_Robarts - Audrey Robarts: https://bahaipedia.org/Audrey_Robarts - Baha'i Pioneering: https://bit.ly/3cLWrde - Tablet of Ahmad: https://bit.ly/2QSHZru - Louis Gregory: https://bahaipedia.org/Louis_Gregory * Shahin talks about Douglass Martin: https://news.bahai.org/story/1455/ * Douglas Martin 'Historical Consciousness and the Divine Plan' talks: https://bit.ly/2POBEgq * Shahin mentions Nader Saiedi, who was also a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/3rMYmCN * Shahin mentions Rhett Diessner, who was also a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/31DdtEi * Rainn mentions Mona Foundation CEO, Mahnaz Javid, who was also a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/3cMuhz8 * Website about 'One Common Faith': http://onecommonfaith.net/en * 'One Common Faith' article: https://bit.ly/39xhnD1 * Audio reading of 'One Common Faith': https://bit.ly/3sLgePz * Here's the animation Shahin helped with: 'What is the Baha'i Faith? An Introduction by Rainn Wilson': https://bit.ly/3wjCKBn * Book: 'God Passes By' by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/2OerdSG * Quote by Baha'u'llah about Abdu'l-Baha: "Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps have trodden". * You may also be interested in listening to 'The Journey West' podcast: https://bit.ly/3wfmd1k * QUOTE: “Freedom is not a matter of place. It is a condition." -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by multi-award-winning writer, Paul Hanley, who has written thousands of articles and several books mainly about the environment, sustainable development, and agriculture. Paul tells us how he became a Baha'i, and about the extraordinary life of Richard St. Barbe Baker, the first global conservationist. We also discuss population growth, urban farming, how everything is interconnected, and the need for an ethical revolution in the world. I hope you enjoy this fascinating conversation! Some of Paul Hanley's books are: - Eleven: https://amzn.to/2PUDQ5Z - Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, the First Global Conservationist: https://amzn.to/3vbF8cM - Richard St. Barbe Baker: Child of the Trees: https://amzn.to/2OFVDNq - The Spirit of Agriculture: https://amzn.to/3qBxo08 * Baha'i Blog interview about 'Eleven': https://bit.ly/2OHTSiO * Baha'i Blog interview about 'Man of the Trees': https://bit.ly/3t5yTFK * Paul and his group received the Food System Vision 2050 prize: https://bit.ly/3eu6R2K * Find out more about 'Men of the Trees' here: https://bit.ly/3esZhFi * Find out more about: - The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3erOPhB - Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM - Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/2Ok3tN8 - The Bab: https://bit.ly/3tc1nNV​ - Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/38roigm - The Shrine of the Bab: https://bit.ly/3vdUqOj - Baha'i Pioneering: https://bit.ly/2N944kc - The Three Protagonists: https://bit.ly/3veFmjl - Baha'i Firesides: https://bit.ly/3epOMmb - Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3rDjg82 - Baha'i World Centre: http://www.bwc.org/ * Paul shares this quote from a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi: "We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions." * Film: Frontiers of Learning: https://bit.ly/3by4fyU * Film: Light to the World: https://bit.ly/3bAm8x5 * Film: The Man Who Stopped the Desert: https://amzn.to/2OFib0N * Paul mentions Rattan Lal: https://bit.ly/3etcxKo * Rainn mentions Mahnaz Javid: https://bit.ly/3l66igL * Paul mentions Richard St. Barbe Baker's book called Sahara Challenge: https://amzn.to/2MUlfWs * Rainn shares this quote from a letter from The Universal House of Justice: "Every choice a Baha’i makes—as employee or employer, producer or consumer, borrower or lender, benefactor or beneficiary—leaves a trace, and the moral duty to lead a coherent life demands that one’s economic decisions be in accordance with lofty ideals, that the purity of one’s aims be matched by the purity of one’s actions to fulfil those aims. Naturally, the friends habitually look to the teachings to set the standard to which to aspire. But the community’s deepening engagement with society means that the economic dimension of social existence must receive ever more concentrated attention." - Read the full letter here: https://bit.ly/3t7xcHJ - Listen to an audio reading of this letter here: https://bit.ly/3cjPrmv Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined via zoom by the wonderful Nanabah Bulman, a Navajo Baha'i who's been actively engaged in service to her people, especially with the youth. Nanabah tells us about life on the reservation, and shares Navajo culture and beliefs, and what we can learn from the Native Americans. She tells us the Navajo legend of the Twin Brothers, and explains how she strives to live up to the meaning of her name. I hope you enjoy this awesome conversation! To find out more about some of the things mentioned and covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Watch this video featuring Nanabah and some of the Navajo youth service activities: https://bit.ly/38BHoky * Watch this talk by Nanabah: https://bit.ly/3oFBrZq * We mention the following: * Baha'i Year of Service: https://bahaipedia.org/Year_of_service * BOOK: The Covenant of Baha'u'llah by Adib Taherzadeh: https://amzn.to/3qdJIUF * The Training Institute: https://bit.ly/3qkIJSR * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program? (JYSEP): - ARTICLE: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ - VIDEO: https://bit.ly/35E2EUW * The Baha’i Covenant: https://bit.ly/3qifqAq * Listen to these Baha'i Blogcast episodes featuring Native American guests: - Kevin Locke: https://bit.ly/3nH4MkR - Anisa & Doug White: https://bit.ly/3qgDL9u * I talk about the passing of my father, which I discuss on Baha'i Blogcast Episode 54 with Sean Hinton (part 2): https://bit.ly/39vGzZA * Baha’i Concept of Life After Death: https://bit.ly/2LGL0Zs * Some Native American Prophecies & the Baha'i Faith: - ARTICLE: https://bit.ly/2XC9WUM - AUDIO: https://bit.ly/2LP5iji * Why Do Baha’is Say Allah’u’Abha 95 Times?: https://bit.ly/3skRGgJ * Obligatory Prayer: https://bit.ly/2XCdh64 * Importance of Service in Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/2XxBjiN * I mention my uncle Rhett Deissner, who was on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/3ikblsJ * The Four Valleys of Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/35SaWsv * Bicentenary of Baha'u'llah: https://bicentenary.bahai.org/ * Native American Baha'i Institute (NABI): https://bit.ly/2Ls04dI * Grand Canyon Baha'i Conference: https://grandcanyonbahai.org/ * Rainn's talk at the conference 'Empowering Youth': https://bit.ly/2XNWHk1 * The Tablet of Ahmad: Who Was Ahmad?: https://bit.ly/3by09ar * 114 Youth conferences around the world: https://bit.ly/38EquSn * QUOTE: "We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions." -Shoghi Effendi * QUOTE: "We must build the capacity to truly hear and acknowledge the voices of those who have directly suffered from the effects of racism. This capacity should manifest itself in our schools, the media, and other civic arenas, as well as in our work and personal relations. This should not end with words, but lead to meaningful, constructive action." -National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, 19 June, 2020 Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I wanted to talk about climate change and issues relating to the environment, so I'm joined via Zoom by Arthur Dahl, Christine Muller, and Afsaneh Angelina Rafii. These three Baha'is have been passionately involved in environmentalism in some way, shape, or form, and we discuss a range of issues relating to the environment including both practical, and spiritual themes that need to be addressed. I hope you enjoy this important conversation as much as I did! Watch the video here: https://bit.ly/37v1JGd My guests in this episode are: ARTHUR DAHL Arthur is President of the International Environment Forum, and a retired Deputy Assistant Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP], with over 50 years of international experience in environment and sustainability. He teaches in various university programs, lectures widely, and has published many scientific papers and books. * His website: http://yabaha.net/dahl/ * Books: - In Pursuit Of Hope: https://amzn.to/39AzE33 - The Eco Principle: https://amzn.to/33zykth - Unless and Until: https://amzn.to/2Jkx3zJ - Mark Tobey, Art and Belief: https://bit.ly/2Jm7NJr - Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st Century: https://amzn.to/2I9m6QU CHRISTINE MULLER Christine is a Board Member of the International Environment Forum (IEF) and a Wilmette Institute Adjunct Lecturer, and is passionate about environmental issues and has been systemically studying climate change and sustainable development. She has given numerous talks on the environment and has a keen interest in the role spirituality can play in providing solutions. * International Environment Forum: https://bit.ly/36yhu03 * Wilmette Institute: https://wilmetteinstitute.org/ AFSANEH ANGELINA RAFII Afsaneh is the creator of the Icarus Complex magazine, a printed biannual magazine and also a website, aimed at taking an in-depth look at the issues surrounding climate change and environmentalism from economic, political, legal and grassroots perspectives. * Her website: https://www.angelinarafii.com/ * Icarus Complex magazine: https://icaruscomplexmagazine.com/ More links to some of the things mentioned in the conversation: * Collection of extracts from Baha’i Writings compiled in 1989: 'Conservation of the Earth’s Resources': https://bit.ly/3qh85Sp * Science and Religion: Best Friends Forever: https://bit.ly/2Vueuvh * Arctic Basecamp: https://arcticbasecamp.org/ * Soul Pancake series 'An Idiot's Guide to Climate Change': https://bit.ly/39B06tf * Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Episode 41: Halldor Thorgeirsson: https://bit.ly/36vDqZG * Story of Tanna, Vanuatu: - Resilience: https://bit.ly/3qitLxz - Baha’is of Vanuatu Begin to Rebuild After Devastating Cyclone: https://bit.ly/37xXDNA * FUNDAEC: https://www.fundaec.org/en/ * Christine shares quote: "Each one of the ordinances We have revealed is a mighty stronghold for the preservation of the world of being." -Baha'u'llah * Independent Investigation of Truth: https://bit.ly/39CZp2z * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program?: https://bit.ly/39Cyxje * Children's Classes: https://bit.ly/33DmpL6 * Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3g1kEwk Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined virtually by Dr. Louis Venters, an author and history professor who specializes in African American studies and the Baha'i Faith in South Carolina. Louis tells us how he became a Baha'i, and also explains how the Baha'i Faith became the second largest religion in South Carolina, sharing some of the history and the nuances that come with that, especially as a result of the Jim Crow era. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Louis Venters' website: https://www.louisventers.com/ * Louis Venters is a professor at Francis Marion University: https://www.fmarion.edu/ * Baha'i Communities in South Carolina: https://find.bahai.us/community/south-carolina * Louis Gregory: https://bahaipedia.org/Louis_Gregory * Who Were the Hands of the Cause?: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/ * Louis G. Gregory Baha'i Institute: https://www.lgbi.org/ * Louis Venters' book 'No Jum Crow Church': https://amzn.to/2UjTOWp * Louis Venters' book 'A History of the Baha’i Faith in South Carolina': https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467117494 * Bahai Blog interview with Louis Venters about 'No Jim Crow Church': https://bit.ly/3eKJpMs * Video news report by Mandy Noell about the Baha'i Faith in South Carolina: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t0F7HyFf1Y&feature=emb_logo * Baha'i House of Worship for North America (also known as a temple) in Wilmette, USA: https://www.bahai.us/bahai-temple/ * Baha’i Temples: A Brief Introduction: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2018/07/bahai-temples-a-brief-introduction/ * Louis talks about not knowing what to do when he became a Baha'i, so we thought this article may be interesting: 'So you’ve become a Baha’i. Now what?': https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/08/youve-become-bahai-now/ * Baha'i Year of Service: https://bahaipedia.org/Year_of_service * Baha'i community in Togo: https://www.bahai.org/national-communities/togo * The Nineteen Day Feast and Why it’s Important: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2012/11/the-nineteen-day-feast-and-why-its-important/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ * Shoghi Effendi: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2013/11/shoghi-effendi-a-bridge-to-the-world/ * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Abdu'l-Baha in the United States: https://centenary.bahai.us/abdul-baha-in-america * 'Century of Light' document commissioned by the Universal House of Justice: https://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/official-statements-commentaries/century-light/ * The Training Institute: https://www.bahai.org/action/response-call-bahaullah/training-institute * Ruhi sequence of courses: https://www.ruhi.org/materials/list.php * Children's Classes: https://www.bahai.org/action/family-life-children/childrens-classes * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program?: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program? [VIDEO]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrfGBM0kGfc&feature=emb_logo Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined virtually by Novin and Juliet who are based in the UK and are the founders of Oneworld Publications, an awesome boutique publisher that punches way above their weight with tons of awards to their name! We talk about working in the circus, becoming a Baha'i, living in Cyprus, starting Oneworld, and the power of books in creating social change and also showing us what's possible for the future. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Oneworld Publications website: https://oneworld-publications.com/ * Check out this Baha'i Blog article interviewing Novin and Juliet about Oneworld Publications: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2011/12/an-interview-with-oneworld-publications/ * Listen to The Oneworld Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/oneworldpodcast * Novin mentions the philosopher John Hick: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hick * We mention The Universal House of Justice: https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ * We mention Shoghi Effendi: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2013/11/shoghi-effendi-a-bridge-to-the-world/ * We mention Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * We mention The Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * We mention Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Novin mentions Edward Granville Browne: The Only European Historian Who Met Baha’u’llah: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2017/07/tribute-edward-granville-browne/ * Novin mentions The 200th Anniversary of the Birth of the Bab: https://bicentenary.bahai.org/the-bab/ * The Book of Certitude (The Kitab-i-Iqan) by Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-iqan/ * Juliet mentions Juliet Thompson: https://bahaichronicles.org/juliet-thompson-need-dates/ We talk about the following books: * A Brief History of 7 Killings by Marlon James: https://amzn.to/3kiu87C * The Book of Night Women by Marlon James: https://amzn.to/3dG1g6Z * The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson: https://amzn.to/3jggm4i * Memories of Mohammed: Why the Prophet Matters by Omid Safi: https://amzn.to/2HfZygO * Oneworld's book series called 'Makers of the Muslim World': https://amzn.to/34cX3UZ * The Baha'i Faith in Words and Images by John Danesh, Seena Fazel, Paul Slaughter: https://amzn.to/35f0M3Z * The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe: https://amzn.to/2H7BSeB * The Sellout by Paul Beatty: https://amzn.to/37BfuoP * An American Marriage by Tayari Jones: https://amzn.to/37pA3UL * How We Disappeared: A Novel by Jing-Jing Lee: https://amzn.to/2H8S27z * From Copper to Gold: The Life of Dorothy Baker by Dorothy Freeman Gilstrap: https://amzn.to/2IN2vWC * The Bab and the Babi Community of Iran by Fereydun Vahman: https://amzn.to/2H7EwB3 * Juliet talks about the principle of bringing yourself to account each day, as found in the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "O SON OF BEING! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined via zoom by Dr. William H. Smith, or “Smitty” as he's affectionately known. Smitty is the Founding Executive Director of the National Center for Race Amity, and he's truly lived an exceptional life. He talks to me about growing up during segregation, and shares how he became a Baha'i. We talk about the challenges of balancing social activism while trying to obey the law, and he stresses the importance and serious impact genuine friendships can have on creating justice and lasting social change. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Smitty is the Founding Executive Director of the 'National Center for Race Amity': https://raceamity.org/ * Smitty is the Creator and Executive Producer/Co-Producer of 'An American Story: Race Amity and The Other Tradition': https://raceamityfilm.org/ * Smitty is the Executive Producer/Producer/Co-Writer 'The Invisible Soldiers: Unheard Voices': https://bit.ly/3l87YFt * Smitty talks about his love as a Baha'i for Jesus Christ. You may find this article interesting 'The Station of Jesus Christ in the Baha’i Faith': https://bit.ly/30xkeYf * Smitty shares the following quote from the Bible: "And I have other sheep which are not of this fold. It behooves Me to bring those also, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd." (Berean Literal Bible) * Smitty mentions: - Baha'i Firesides: https://bit.ly/31SILYP - Baha'i World Congress in London, 1963: https://bit.ly/33aTpL9 - Fort Tabarsi: https://bit.ly/3kQc5pa - The Dawnbreakers: https://bit.ly/3mU2nUR - The National Spiritual Assembly: https://bit.ly/2S6Bv5F - Glenford Mitchel: https://bit.ly/3kZo1VZ - Agnes Parson: https://bit.ly/3jfq9se - Louis Gregory: https://bit.ly/33aTONF - Alain Locke: https://bit.ly/3407wlm - Nat Rudstein: https://bit.ly/2Ghr4to - The 1919 Red Summer: https://bit.ly/3jcTOSD - The Orangeburg Massacre: https://bit.ly/2FYYb5G * Smitty shares the following quote by Baha'u'llah: "So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth." * I share the following quote from the Universal House of Justice: "Ultimately, the power to transform the world is effected by love, love originating from the relationship with the divine, love ablaze among members of a community, love extended without restriction to every human being. This divine love, ignited by the Word of God, is disseminated by enkindled souls through intimate conversations that create new susceptibilities in human hearts, open minds to moral persuasion, and loosen the hold of biased norms and social systems so that they can gradually take on a new form in keeping with the requirements of humanity’s age of maturity. You are channels for this divine love; let it flow through you to all who cross your path. Infuse it into every neighborhood and social space in which you move to build capacity to canalize the society-building power of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation. There can be no rest until the destined outcome is achieved." * Read the above letter here ( https://bit.ly/3jEvsAZ ) and listen to an audio version here: https://bit.ly/2S7ZBNG Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by Anisa and Doug White, a wonderful and dynamic indigenous Canadian couple who both work in the field of law. We discuss indigenous culture in North America and some of the challenges and experiences of their people. They tell me how they found the Baha'i Faith, how they found each other, and Doug tells me what it was like being a chief for his people. We talk about raising children, and explore what's needed to foster love and understanding amongst all peoples. I hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Baha'i Pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/2Gp7TxX * Youth year of service: https://bit.ly/3hU7phb * Baha’i Firesides: https://bit.ly/31SILYP * Study Circles: https://bit.ly/34Unu2K * Dr. Hossain Danesh: http://www.hbdanesh.org/ * Dr. Danesh's talks: https://bit.ly/3gUOwcG * Prayer for newborn babies: “I have come by God’s command, have been made manifest for His remembrance and been created for the service of Him Who is the Almighty, the Well-Beloved.” -Baha’u’llah (Quoted by Martha Root, ‘Star of the West [The Baha’i Magazine], Vol. 23, no. 3, June 1932) * 'Love, Power, and Justice' by William S. Hatcher: https://amzn.to/33TqrzV * Quote by Baha'u'llah: "O SON OF SPIRIT! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest 4 Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes." * 'Obasan' by Joy Kogawa: https://amzn.to/3gxeKTf * 'Medicine Walk' by Richard Wagamese: https://amzn.to/33wCFOY * 'Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atanarjuat:_The_Fast_Runner * 'Coyote Science': https://bit.ly/3jIHEky * Children's Classes: https://bit.ly/3gNTfwE * Tahirih Justice Center (https://www.tahirih.org/) founded by Layli Miller-Muro, also a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/2QNzgDV * Excerpt from a letter from the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the United States: "Ultimately, the power to transform the world is effected by love, love originating from the relationship with the divine, love ablaze among members of a community, love extended without restriction to every human being. This divine love, ignited by the Word of God, is disseminated by enkindled souls through intimate conversations that create new susceptibilities in human hearts, open minds to moral persuasion, and loosen the hold of biased norms and social systems so that they can gradually take on a new form in keeping with the requirements of humanity’s age of maturity. You are channels for this divine love; let it flow through you to all who cross your path. Infuse it into every neighborhood and social space in which you move to build capacity to canalize the society-building power of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation." * Read full letter here: https://bit.ly/3jEvsAZ, and listen to audio version here: https://bit.ly/2EQol9S Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I catch up with Sean Hinton again (here's part 1 of our conversation in case you missed it: https://bit.ly/2YMdi8x), and sadly, this second conversation takes place after the passing of my father, Robert Wilson. Sean asks about my dad, and we talk about loss, Baha'i funerals, and about our fathers and our upbringing. We also discuss the importance of community building, teaching the Baha'i Faith, careers, and how 'what' we do is not as important as 'how' we do it. I hope you find part 2 of our conversation as interesting and insightful as I did. To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following: * Here's part 1 of my conversation with Sean Hinton: https://bit.ly/2YMdi8x * Find out more about my father, Robert Wilson, and his art from his website: https://www.robertwilsonart.com/ * Prayer for the Dead by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/3b1QGWB * Sean works at the Open Society Foundation: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/ * Adib Taherzadeh (https://bit.ly/31xNMFP). Listen to a series of his talks here: https://bit.ly/3hNbkvW * The Kitab-i-Iqan (The Book of Certitude): https://bit.ly/2G4XCGV * The Dawn-Breakers: https://bit.ly/2QBUynP * I share this prayer: "He is God! O peerless Lord! Praised be Thou for having kindled that light in the glass of the Concourse on high, for having guided that bird of faithfulness to the nest of the Abhá Kingdom. Thou hast joined that precious river to the mighty sea, Thou hast returned that spreading ray of light to the Sun of Truth. Thou hast welcomed that captive of remoteness into the garden of reunion, and led him who longed to look upon Thee to Thy presence in Thy bright place of lights. Thou art the Lord of tender love, Thou art the last goal of the yearning heart, Thou art the dearest wish of the martyr’s soul." —Abdu’l‑Baha * Obligatory Prayer: https://bit.ly/2G8qIW1 * The Tablet of Ahmad: https://bit.ly/2EBipkW * Baha'i pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/3jpEUbv * Ali Nakhjavani: https://bit.ly/3gxL9bq * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/2YIGT2N * Sean shares the following quote by Abdu'l-Baha: "Work done in the spirit of service is the highest form of worship..." * Study Circles (https://bit.ly/31AS4fM) and the Ruhi sequence of courses: https://bit.ly/31AUcUM * Sean talks about our twofold moral purpose: https://bit.ly/3biyIiR *Sean shares this quotation by Baha'u'llah: "That seeker must, at all times, put his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, must detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to exalt himself above anyone, must wash away from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and vainglory, must cling unto patience and resignation, observe silence and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue is a smoldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endureth a century." * Baha'i Chair for World Peace: http://www.bahaichair.umd.edu/ * Dr. Hoda Mahmoudi: https://bit.ly/2G8ZOxe * The Promise of World Peace: https://bit.ly/34FrkN9 Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by Sean Hinton, the very first Baha'i to ever go to Mongolia, and therefore be given the title 'Knight of Baha'u'llah' (which you can learn more about in a link below). Sean currently lives in Oxford, England with his family. He trained as a musician, but he's had an extremely varied and interesting career, and life for that matter! I wanted Sean to share the story of how he ended up being the first Baha'i to go to Mongolia, so stop what you're doing and listen to his fascinating story! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following: * What's a Knight of Baha'u'llah?: https://bit.ly/2YE1hBS * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3hBHlHl * The 10 Year Crusade: https://bit.ly/3jmge3D * Sean mentions his friend Adam Roberts' grandparents, John Robarts (https://bit.ly/2Eq3biZ) and Audrey Robarts (https://bit.ly/3hzyshu). * Baha'i pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/2EDykz8 * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/2YIGT2N * Mr. Ian Semple: https://bit.ly/3jlZl9k * Baha’i World Centre (http://www.bwc.org/), and you may find this article interesting: https://bit.ly/3b3VkmR * Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/34DYRHj * 19 Day Feast: https://bit.ly/34IfqBY * Sean shares quote: "Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom." -Baha'u'llah * The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/3lsDA9q * The Seven Valleys by Baha'u'llah (https://bit.ly/2YoZ36p), which you can also learn about here: https://bit.ly/3hC6XUH * Hands of the Cause: https://bit.ly/2EATuOD * Enoch Olinga: https://bit.ly/3hAANZN * Sean shares quote: "Work done in the spirit of service is the highest form of worship…" -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by award-winning educator, author and speaker, Dara Feldman, who served as the Director of Education for the Virtues Project for seven years. We talk about food shaming, the power of the 12-step program, and all the ways the virtues can be incorporated into all aspects of our lives. She tells me how she became a Baha'i, her passion for restorative justice, what's she's working on now, and her recent experience in India at the largest school in the world. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following: * Dara Feldman: http://www.darafeldman.com/ * Virtues Matter: https://www.virtuesmatter.com/ * Virtues App: https://www.virtuesmatter.com/app * Virtues App video: https://bit.ly/3dCeUq1 * Dara's book 'The Heart of Education': https://amzn.to/2YwxgEL * Baha'i Blogcast with Linda Kavelin Popov: https://bit.ly/384RvMA * Progressive revelation: https://bit.ly/2Vkay0B * City Montessori School: http://www.cmseducation.org/ * Virtues Matter video at City Montessori School: https://bit.ly/386EJ0b * Baha’i Firesides: https://bit.ly/3890psD * Devotional Gatherings: https://bit.ly/3g0Xyow * Independent investigation of truth: https://bit.ly/2VksmbO * Ruhi books: https://bit.ly/380Wm1m * Short Obligatory Prayer (https://bit.ly/3dBxOgy): "I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." -Baha’u’llah * Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program: https://bit.ly/2BCBcuC * Year of service: https://bit.ly/3eAQmz2 * Dara shares these quotes by Baha'u'llah: "Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom." "O MY SERVANT! The best of men are they that earn a livelihood by their calling and spend upon themselves and upon their kindred for the love of God, the Lord of all worlds." "O SON OF SPIRIT! Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created." * Baha'i Blogcast with Barbara & Radiance Talley: https://bit.ly/2Vka62p * Pupil of the eye metaphor: https://bit.ly/3dgVBT5 * Pupil of the Eye Conference: https://bit.ly/37Odbwv * Baha'i Blogcast with Joy De Gruy: https://bit.ly/386lowm * Van Gilmer: https://www.bahaichoir.org/director * Louis Gregory: https://bit.ly/2YfedhP * Advent of Divine Justice: https://bit.ly/2YNfFr0 Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb To find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by our very first mother and daughter duo, Barbara and Radiance Talley, living in Maryland, USA. Both Barbara and Radiance are poets, educators, writers, and passionate about tackling the issue of racism in the US. They tell me about the 'Arise: Pupil of the Eye' conference and the impact it's had. We talk about activism and what we all can do to work towards racial harmony. And by sharing some of their poems with me, we get a raw and heartfelt glimpse into their lives and concerns as African Americans in the US. I hope you find this wonderful conversation as engaging and inspiring as I did. To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following: * Barbara Talley's website: http://www.barbaratalley.me and interviews: https://bit.ly/3hJqW3Z * More about Radiance Talley here: https://bit.ly/2BhyASC * "pupil of the eye" metaphore comes from Abdu'l-Baha: “Thou art like unto the pupil of the eye which is dark in color, yet it is the fount of light and the revealer of the contingent world”. Read more about it here: https://bit.ly/3dgVBT5 * Arise: Pupil of the Conference: https://bit.ly/37Odbwv * Shoghi Effendi quote in 'The Advent of Divine Justice' (https://bit.ly/2YNfFr0): “As to racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for well-nigh a century, has bitten into the fiber, and attacked the whole social structure of American society, it should be regarded as constituting the most vital and challenging issue confronting the Baha’i community at the present stage of its evolution. The ceaseless exertions which this issue of paramount importance calls for, the sacrifices it must impose, the care and vigilance it demands, the moral courage and fortitude it requires, the tact and sympathy it necessitates, invest this problem … with an urgency and importance that cannot be overestimated.” * Sadie Oglesby: https://bit.ly/312oWhH * Book 'Lights of the Spirit': https://amzn.to/3hBu6ag * Derek Smith's essay 'Centering the “Pupil of the Eye”: Blackness, Modernity, and the Revelation of Baha’u’llah': https://bit.ly/2NcPTXO * Derik Smith on Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/2UXEuzj * worldembracing.net: https://worldembracing.net/ * Radiance quotes Quran: “And We desire to show favor to those who were brought low in the land, and to make them spiritual leaders among men, and to make of them Our heirs.” * Barbara mentions: - Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/3eik4Zp - Louis Gregory: https://bit.ly/2YfedhP - Van Gilmer: https://www.bahaichoir.org/director * Barbara shares Shoghi Effendi quote: "The need of the cause in America is the call of the heart and it can never be given save by those who have suffered and who have been trained in the way of sacrifice and humility." * Radiance shares this quote from the Bab in The Dawn Breakers (https://bit.ly/2AP0cP6): "Treasures lie hidden beneath the throne of God; the key to those treasures is the tongue of poets." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb To find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. As anti-racism protests continue across the United States and in different parts of the world, in this episode I'm joined by Masud Olufani, an African-American multidisciplinary artist, activist, writer, and Baha'i, who hosts a podcast called 'America's Most Challenging Issue', aimed at tackling the subject of racism in the US. Masud and I discuss racism and some of the challenges of eradicating it. He tells me what it's like to be a black man in the US, and the complexities of identity, and some of the mythologies tied into the fabric of American society. We talk about the idea of discomfort and growth, and how we have to be willing to grapple with it and bear the burden for the greater good. Masud tells me how he became a Baha'i, his work as an artist, and how the Baha'i Teachings and activities have not only changed his life, but can contribute towards racial harmony. I hope you find this important conversation as fruitful and enlightening as I did. Find out more about some of the things we covered by checking out the following: * Masud's website: https://www.masud-olufani.com/ * America's Most Challenging Issue podcast: https://bit.ly/2AoXW0N * We share quote: "As to racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for well-nigh a century, has bitten into the fiber, and attacked the whole social structure of American society, it should be regarded as constituting the most vital and challenging issue confronting the Baha’i community at the present stage of its evolution. The ceaseless exertions which this issue of paramount importance calls for, the sacrifices it must impose, the care and vigilance it demands, the moral courage and fortitude it requires, the tact and sympathy it necessitates, invest this problem with an urgency and importance that cannot be overestimated." -Shoghi Effendi * Masud interview about his podcast: https://bit.ly/37mfvuu * Masud article on racism & discomfort: https://bit.ly/2UOMDWT * Masud's talk Freeing Ourselves of the Stain of Racism: https://bit.ly/37kj18F * Masud's talk Healing Through Reclamation & Art: https://bit.ly/3dTHunQ * Masud shares: "They whose hearts are warmed by the energizing influence of God’s creative 198 love cherish His creatures for His sake, and recognize in every human face a sign of His reflected glory." -Shoghi Effendi * Rainn quotes Universal House of Justice: "When society is in such difficulty and distress, the responsibility of the Baha’is to make a constructive contribution to human affairs becomes more pronounced. This is a moment when distinct but interrelated lines of action converge upon a single point, when the call to service rings aloud. The individual, the community, and the institutions of the Faith—inseparable protagonists in the advancement of civilization—are in a position to demonstrate the distinctive features of the Baha’i way of life, characterized by increased maturity in the discharge of their responsibilities and in their relationships with each other. ... At a time when the urgency of attaining higher levels of unity, founded on the incontestable truth of humanity’s oneness, is becoming apparent to larger and larger numbers, society stands in need of clear voices that can articulate the spiritual principles that underlie such an aspiration." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/3hjMjZN *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb Find out more about the Baha'i Faith by visiting BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by my dear friend Mahnaz Aflatooni Javid, CEO of the Mona Foundation, and one of its founding members. Mahnaz tells me the inspiration behind the Mona Foundation, and how a childhood car ride with her mom changed her life forever. She tells me about coming to the US as a teenager in the 1960s, and being one of only 15 youth volunteers at the Baha'i World Centre. We talk about education, attitudes around development work, the importance of grassroots service, and adopting a humble posture of learning in all that we do. I hope you enjoy our conversation! * Please note that this episode was recorded before the pandemic, so it may sound a little strange that there's no mention of it. If you haven't heard our episode with Dr. Robert Kim Farley about the pandemic when it first hit, I think you'll find interesting: https://bit.ly/2TUFCTK To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Mona Foundation website: https://www.monafoundation.org/ * We mention the importance of service in the Baha'i Faith: https://bit.ly/2XMxyFW * Mahnaz talks about the Arc on Mt. Carmel (https://bahaipedia.org/The_Arc) and serving at the Baha’i World Centre (http://www.bwc.org/). You may also find this Baha’i Blog article interesting: https://bit.ly/2ySs3Nj * Mahnaz mentions the 1978 Islamic/Iranian revolution and the persecution of the Baha'is in Iran. You can find out more from this article: https://bit.ly/2MjWKyg * Mahnaz mentions the Universal House of Justice (https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/), and the 1983 letter from Universal House Justice establishing the Office of Social and Economic Development [OSED], which you can read here: https://bit.ly/2BnJUN9 * Find out more about the Baha’i contribution to social and economic development here: https://bit.ly/2XkhsnG * Mahnaz mentions Shoghi Effendi (https://www.bahai.org/shoghi-effendi/) and Hands of the Cause of God (https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/). * Mahnaz mentions the following individuals: - Mr. Furutan: https://news.bahai.org/story/261/ - Mr. Fatheazam: https://news.bahai.org/story/964/ - Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/36NQ4BI - Mr.Faizi: https://bahaipedia.org/Abu%27l-Q%C3%A1sim_Faizi - Dr. Muhajir: https://bahaipedia.org/Ra%E1%B8%A5matu%E2%80%99ll%C3%A1h_Muh%C3%A1jir - Dr. Khadem: https://bahaipedia.org/Zikrullah_Khadem - Paul Haney: https://bahaipedia.org/Paul_Haney - Mr. Nakhjavani: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2019/11/a-tribute-to-mr-ali-nakhjavani/ - Dr. Arbab: https://bahaipedia.org/Farzam_Arbab * Mahnaz talks about the book called 'Olya's Story' by Olya Roohizadegan (https://amzn.to/3gydI9N), Mona Mahmudnizhad (which the Mona Foundation is named after), whom together with nine other women, were killed in Iran for being Baha'is. Find out more about Mona Mahmudnizhad here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Mahmudnizhad * Watch the music video for the pop hit song by Doug Cameron called 'Mona With The Children': https://bit.ly/2ZRPlOy * You may also enjoy this version of 'Mona With The Children' by Tom Francis on Baha'i Blog's Studio Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzAbMDmvMLQ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this special episode, I speak with Dr. Nader Saiedi about the Declaration of the Bab, whose revitalizing message prepared the way for the coming of Baha’u’llah, the Founder of the Baha’i Faith. Watch the video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jPN99xQLOs Dr. Saiedi is a Professor of Baha’i Studies in the department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, USA, and has focused much of his work on the Life and Works of the Bab. I hope you enjoy this special conversation about the Declaration of the Bab. To find out more about Dr. Nader Saiedi and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * You can find out more about Dr. Nader Saiedi here: https://bahaikipedia.org/Nader_Saiedi * You can also listen to our interview with Dr. Saiedi on our earlier Baha'i Blogcast episode here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-20-nader-saiedi/ * Dr. Saiedi is the author of 'Logos and Civilization': https://amzn.to/2T8A6g4 and 'Gate of the Heart': https://amzn.to/3bBfD9V * You may also be interested in these talks by Dr. Nader Saiedi: - From World War to World Peace: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/06/world-war-world-peace-talk-dr-nader-saiedi/ - Text and Context in the Baha’i Heroic Age (this is a series of 11 talks): https://soundcloud.com/bahai-blog/sets/nader-saiedi-text-and-context - Baha'u'llah & Peace (this is a series of 4 talks): https://www.bahaiblog.net/2019/02/bahaullah-peace-a-series-of-four-talks-by-nader-saiedi/ - Fire & Light in the Bab's Tablet: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/11/dr-nader-saiedis-talk-fire-light-babs-tablet/ - Identity and the Spiritual Journey in the Badi Calendar: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2015/04/identity-and-the-spiritual-journey-in-the-badi-calendar-a-talk-by-dr-nader-saiedi-2/ * For more information and Baha'i-inspired content about the Declaration of the Bab, please visit this special resource page: https://www.bahaiblog.net/bahai-calendar/about-the-declaration-of-the-bab/ * You can read the full transcripts of this episode here: https://www.scribd.com/document/476399968/Transcripts-Baha-i-Blogcast-With-Rainn-Wilson-Ep-48-a-Declaration-of-the-Bab-Conversation-With-Nader-Saiedi Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm with Mohammad AL Samawi, an interfaith activist from Yemen and a best-selling author of 'The Fox Hunt', a page-turning book about his life and escape from Yemen. Mohammed tells me about his life in Yemen and the civil war there. He tells me how his disability helped change the course of his life and how he became an interfaith activist. We learn about the importance of seeking knowledge and the truth for one's self, and the positive power social media can play in the world. He tells us about his harrowing escape from Yemen to the U.S, and celebrates the fact that there are so many good people in the world. I hope you enjoy this exciting conversation with Mohammed as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Mohammed's book 'The Fox Hunt' can be found here on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SChvZh * Mohammed's non-profit organization is called 'The Abrahamic House': https://www.abrahamichouse.org/ * Learn more about the situation of the Baha'is in Yemen here: https://www.bic.org/situation-in-yemen/reports-situation-yemen * Mohammed mentions supporting the good work that the 'International Rescue Committee' is doing: https://www.rescue.org/ * Mohammed mentions the important Baha'i principle of the 'independent investigation of truth', which you can learn more about here: https://bahaiteachings.org/bahai-principles-independent-investigation-of-truth/ * We mention Layli Miller-Muro and supporting the work of 'The Tahirih Justice Center': https://www.tahirih.org/ * You can also listen to our Baha'i Blogcast episode with Layli Miller-Muro here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/07/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-4-layli-miller-muro/ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. As Baha'is and their friends around the world celebrate the 12-day Festival of Ridvan, I thought it would be nice to create a special episode about Ridvan and its significance, so I got online with my friend, Tom Price, to have a chat about this special time for Baha'is. I hope you find this little conversation about Ridvan interesting and informative. * Find out more about Ridvan by checking out this Baha'i Blog page full of articles and resources: https://www.bahaiblog.net/bahai-calendar/about-the-festival-of-ridvan/ * Check out the 'Ridvan Is Everywhere' playlist, which brings you family-friendly programming for all 12 days of the Festival of Ridvan: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsn_g0OpWDwIp99WjEHvuNIYIbOfz-WIr * Learn more about Tom Price by listening to this previous Baha'i Blogcast episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF2kiyY_uZ0&list=PLePDtgwcyKAQmifUJTw0Kk-hBGL2ZGMJi&index=37&t=1s Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm in Los Angeles with four wonderful sisters who live down the road from me named Vadi, Nava, Nika, and Nura Esmailizadeh. Can't pronounce their last name? Don't worry, I still can't get it right and I've known the sisters and their parents for over 15 years now! I wanted them on the podcast to learn how to pronounce their last name once and for all, and also because they've been such great examples of young Baha'is who are actively engaged in serving their community. They tell me about their studies and the community service they're involved in. We discuss the Institute Process, the importance of service and community-building work, and they share their own personal experiences in this process. I hope you enjoy the conversation with these four wonderful sisters as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Rainn mentions the Baha'i Blogcast episode with Dr. Robert Kim-Farley: https://bit.ly/2UXlvFn Find out more about Baha'i Study Circles and the Training Institute here: https://bit.ly/3a6yyc8 * Find out about the Ruhi sequence of courses here: https://bit.ly/2wAHuc0 * We talk about the 'Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program' [JYSEP]: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * We mention 'Devotional Gatherings': https://bit.ly/2UX0SsS * We mention 'Children's Classes': https://bit.ly/34yBZHd * We mention the Bosch Baha'i School: http://www.bosch.org/ * We talk about the importance of service in the Baha'i Faith: https://bit.ly/3emWlrA * I mention 'The Dawnbreakers': https://bit.ly/3ed5Yc7 * We talk about the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity [ISGP]: https://www.globalprosperity.org/ * We mention the Baha’i World Centre (www.bwc.org/). You may find this Baha’i Blog article interesting: Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel? bit.ly/2IsLihu * Nika reads the following quote from Baha'u'llah: "If it be Thy pleasure, make me to grow as a tender herb in the meadows of Thy grace, that the gentle winds of Thy will may stir me up and bend me into conformity with Thy pleasure, in such wise that my movement and my stillness may be wholly directed by Thee." -Baha'u'llah * You may also enjoy this musical rendition of the above quote on Baha'i Blog Studio Sessions called "If it be Thy Pleasure" by Alicia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXskVRFYGg * Nura mentions letters from the Universal House of Justice: https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ * Nura talks about the Baha'i Faith and partisan politics: https://bit.ly/2XprnJ4 * Nava shares a quote from 'The Tablets of the Divine Plan' (https://bit.ly/2UWm827), and you can read this article called 'What Are the Tablets of the Divine Plan?' to find out more: https://bit.ly/2wwbsOk * We mention Baha'i pioneering, which you can learn more about here: https://bit.ly/34rqh12 * We mention 'The Advent of Divine Justice' written by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3aZXgw1 * At the end of the podcast, the sisters sing the following quote from Abdul-Baha: "When one is released from the prison of self, that is indeed freedom! For self is the greatest prison." -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. With the recent pandemic of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading globally, and as the situation continues to unfold, I thought it would be timely to get Dr. Robert Kim-Farley on the Baha'i Blogcast. Dr. Kim-Farley is an epidemiologist and a dear Baha'i friend who currently serves as a Professor in both the Departments of Epidemiology, and the Community Health Sciences at the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, and from 2004 to 2018, he served as the Director of the Division of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. In this episode, Dr. Kim-Farley (or Dr. Bob as I like to call him), tells us about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and what we know about it so far. He shares some possible scenarios of what could happen in the coming months and gives examples of how certain countries are fighting it. he tells us how we can help slow down the spread of the virus, and he also shares his personal experience in how they were able to completely eliminate polio from Indonesia. Skip ahead to the 24-minute mark of the podcast if you don't want to hear any more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and find out how Dr. Bob got into epidemiology, how he discovered the Baha'i Faith, met his wife, and recently joined a rock band. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did, and also find it helpful! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * You can learn more about COVID-19 and keep up to date at The World Health Organization website: https://www.who.int/ * Find out more about Dr. Robert Kim-Farley's professional work here: https://ph.ucla.edu/faculty/kim-farley * Dr. Kim-Farley explains the idea of humanity being like the human body, and this concept was actually put into a small editorial in the American Journal of Public Health which you can read here: https://bit.ly/2Ql21I6 * Dr. Kim-Farley refers to the following quote by Baha'u'llah: "Religion without science is superstition. Science without religion is materialism." * Dr. Kim-Farley relates a story about Abdu'l-Baha relating to science and religion. Find out more about Abdu'l-Baha here: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * Dr. Kim-Farley mentions the Universal House of Justice: https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ * Dr. Kim-Farley talks about being a Baha'i pioneer: https://bit.ly/2w0jrD5 * Rainn mentions the following quote from 'The Hidden Words' of Baha'u'llah (https://bit.ly/2Wg56Nu): "Say, O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning." * Dr. Kim-Farley mentions the word Allah-u-Abha: https://bit.ly/2U3xVKg * Dr. Kim-Farley mentions the following quote from Baha'ullah: "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." * Rainn mentions the following article from the Baha'i World News Service: 'Hope and Support in Italy During a Global Health Crisis': https://news.bahai.org/story/1401/ * Dr. Kim-Farley mentions the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program (JYSEP) which you can learn more about here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * And finally, you can watch this video with Dr. Kim-Farley performing as his alter ego named "Gage", singing "Born to be Wild" with Ryan and the Runaways: https://bit.ly/39WfJJo Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm at my home in Los Angeles with my uncle, Rhett Diessner, a Professor of Psychology who has a special interest in aesthetics and beauty. We talk about moral reasoning, materialism, and how he became a Baha'i. We discuss the psychology of beauty, how there's no love without beauty, and that love holds the whole universe together. Rhett tells me how humans are all intimately linked, and how beauty will literally help save the world. I hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * I mention my podcast with Reza Aslan called 'Metaphysical Milkshake’: https://bit.ly/3avGT9K * Rhett mentions the Baha'i principle of the ‘independent investigation of truth’: https://bit.ly/39vceJv * Rhett mentions Baha’i Firesides: https://bit.ly/3arsZW2 * Rhett and I talk about 'Some Answered Questions' by Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/39vc8S3 * Rhett mentions the 'The Promise of World Peace’ by the Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3aAKT98 * Rhett mentions ‘The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan)’ by Baha’u’llah: https://bit.ly/38qovxG * Rhett shares the following quote from 'The Most Holy Book (Kitab-i-Aqdas)’ by Baha'u'llah: "Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty.”: https://bit.ly/2IuKGbb * Rhett and I talk about Shoghi Effendi spending time in Switzerland. Find out more about Shoghi Effendi from this article: https://bit.ly/39rk9HW * View the photograph Rhett took of the bench he mentions in the podcast here: https://bit.ly/38tkmJh * Rhett mentions Dr. Hossein Danesh, and you can listen to some of his talks here: - ‘Making Peace Our New Year's Resolution’: https://bit.ly/3cDTyJt - ‘Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: The Challenge of Making Right Decisions’: https://bit.ly/2Ipz2hT * Rhett mentions working with the renowned American psychologist, Lawrence Kohlberg: https://bit.ly/2TJ7XeY * Rhett mentions the works of Carol Gilligan and her book 'In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development’: https://amzn.to/2PO9UFQ * Rhett and I mention Dr. Steven Phelps, who was a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast twice: - Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Episode 7: Steven Phelps: https://bit.ly/2PTN7Zf - [VIDEO] Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson - Episode 37: Physics and Mysticism with Steven Phelps: https://bit.ly/2VWea9Q * Rhett mentions the ‘Baha’i World Centre’ (http://www.bwc.org/), and you may find this Baha’i Blog article ‘Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel?’ interesting: https://bit.ly/2IsLihu * Rhett mentions 'The Tablet of Ahmad' by Baha'u'llah which you can read here: https://bit.ly/2vxvM1j and also read about in this article called ‘The Tablet of Ahmad: Who Was Ahmad?’: https://bit.ly/2ImpgwT * Rhett mentions the 'Long Obligatory Prayer' by Baha'u'llah, which you can read here: https://bit.ly/2v25HqQ and also read about in this article called 'A Prayer to Power Up Your Day: The Long Obligatory Prayer': https://bit.ly/38vTvw2 * Rhett quotes from the 'The Seven Valleys' by Baha'u'llah: "...see every face with the beauty of a friend...". You can read 'The Seven Valleys' here: https://bit.ly/32VC46Z and learn more about it from this article called ‘An Introduction to The Seven Valleys’: https://bit.ly/38yX0SI Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where I interview Brukty Tigabu, a dear Baha'i friend from Ethiopia, and winner of the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award. As a school teacher, Brukty was concerned with the lack of early childhood education in Ethiopia, so 15 years ago, her and her husband started 'Tsehai Loves Learning', now the most viewed and award-winning children's TV show in Ethiopia. In this conversation, we talk about how the show first started, what is was like being raised an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, and how she became a Baha'i. She tells us about Ethiopia, what she's currently working on, and she shares some of the challenges she's trying to overcome. I hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Check out episodes of 'Tsehai Loves Learning' here: https://www.youtube.com/user/TsehaiLovesLearning * Find out more about Brukty's educational media company called 'Whiz Kids Workshop' here: http://www.whizkidsworkshop.com/ * Check out Brukty's new TV show called 'Tibeb Girls' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft4ALYtM5OQ * Find out more about the World Economic Forum here: https://www.weforum.org/ * Rainn is at the World Economic Forum with 'Arctic Basecamp': https://arcticbasecamp.org/ * Rainn talks about Shoghi Effendi spending time in Switzerland. Find out more about Shoghi Effendi here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2013/11/shoghi-effendi-a-bridge-to-the-world/ * Rainn mentions the book 'The Magic Mountain' by Thomas Mann: https://amzn.to/39geQdS * Brukty mentions Baha'i Firesides: https://www.whyunite.com/questions/what-is-a-bahai-fireside/ * Brukty mentions she met her husband while he was doing a "year of service" and says they could use more people to come on a "year of service". You can find out more about this concept here: https://bahaiteachings.org/youth-give-a-year-of-service-to-humanity/ * You can find the famous photo Rainn refers to of French kids watching a puppet show here: https://time.com/3879428/children-at-a-puppet-show-paris-1963/ * Rainn mentions Mary Wollstonecraft (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wollstonecraft), early feminist and mother of Mary Shelley, author of 'Frankenstein' (https://amzn.to/374Spqn). * We talk about the Baha'i 'core activities': https://bahaipedia.org/Core_activities * We talk about Devotional Gatherings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iop-CFOdgFg * We talk about Junior Youth Groups: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * Brukty mentions Baha'i pioneers: https://bahaipedia.org/Pioneer * Brukty shares a prayer by the Bab in Amharic. Here is the English translation: "Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!" Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm in Reykjavik, Iceland with Halldor Thorgeirsson, the Chair of Iceland’s Climate Council, and retired Senior Director of the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). We talk about the environment, and Halldor teaches me about how Carbon Matter really matters. He tells me about Iceland, his work, how he became a Baha'i, the importance of consultation and accompaniment, Baha'is who have influenced his life, and the importance of moral leadership and engaging in constructive forces in our society. I hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Find out more about the UNFCCC here: https://unfccc.int/about-us/about-the-secretariat * Here's the official website for the Baha'is of Iceland: https://www.bahai.is/node/51?language=en * I mention that I'm in Iceland for SoulPancake: https://soulpancake.com/ * At the beginning of the podcast, Halldor shares the following prayer by Baha'u'llah in Icelandic: "Ég ber því vitni, ó Guð minn, að Þú hefur skapað mig til að þekkja Þig og tilbiðja Þig. Ég staðfesti á þessu andartaki vanmátt minn og mátt Þinn, fátækt mína og auðlegð Þína. Enginn er Guð nema Þú, hjálpin í nauðum, hinn sjálfumnógi." Here's the English translation of that prayer: "I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." * Halldor makes reference to the following Writings of Baha'u'llah: "Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant." * Halldor mentions Baha'i pioneers: https://bahaipedia.org/Pioneer * Halldor mentions the following Hands of the Cause (https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/): - Ugo Giachery (https://bit.ly/2uUhAyH) - William Sears (https://bit.ly/36WiFE5) - Abu'l-Qasim Faizi (https://bit.ly/384fRVE) - Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum (https://bit.ly/2RjaET7) - Rahmatu’llah Muhajir (https://bit.ly/2tacvln) * Halldor talks about the Kyoto Protocol: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol * Halldor mentions the Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/2tnb6aX * Halldor mentions the "Mashriqu’l Adhkar", which means a Baha'i "House of Worship", also commonly referred to as a Baha'i temple. Find out more about Baha'i temples here: https://bit.ly/2Nu4rCO * We talk about Devotional Gatherings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iop-CFOdgFg * Halldor talks about Richard St. Barbe Baker "The Man of the Trees", who was the first global conservationist and was a Baha'i. You can read this book about him by Paul Hanley: https://amzn.to/36Xi4SH * Halldor talks about this book by Arthur Dahl 'Unless and Until': https://amzn.to/35ZFJ3P Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In our 40th episode of the Baha'i Blogcast, we thought we'd do something a little different by sharing an audio version of an animation called 'An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith'. I worked on this animation with Baha'i Blog and our friends at BahaiTeachings.org and SwissVBS, and we published it about a month ago – just in time for the 200th anniversary of the Birth of the Bab celebrations happening around the world. It's been really well received with over a million views so far, and seeing as so many of us are consuming content in audio format nowadays, we thought it would be useful to create an audio version for the Baha'i Blogcast with a little personal commentary from yours truly, at the beginning and at the end. I hope you find this episode both interesting and useful! Watch the animation, and check out other related links below: *Here's the animation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLSaDVG4yBE * Here's a link to the article I wrote explaining the project and the thought process behind the script: https://bit.ly/2LYFvmm * And here's Naysan Naraqi's article about some of the behind-the-scenes as well: https://bit.ly/35pVqSf *Find out more about SwissVBS here: https://swissvbs.com/ * Find out more about the Bab and the bicentenary celebrations of His Birth happening around the world here: https://bicentenary.bahai.org/the-bab/ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm at my home in LA with Derik Smith, a professor in the Department of Literature at Claremont McKenna College in California, and his work focuses on African American literary culture, with a particular interest in poetry. We talk about African American poet and Baha'i, Robert Hayden, plus we look at the concept of black people being likened to the "pupil of the eye" in the Baha'i Writings. We also discuss racism, the prison system, constructive resilience, and the role each one of us can play in ensuring individual and social transformation and justice. I hope you enjoy the conversation! Dr. Smith also teaches and writes about representations of blackness in American film and musical culture. His 2018 monograph, 'Robert Hayden In Verse: New Histories of African American Poetry and the Black Arts Era', recently won the College Language Association's annual book award. His current scholarship focuses on the poetics of rap, and the rise of the genre during the final decades of the twentieth century, as well as the connection between critical race studies and the Baha’i Faith. Smith regularly teaches courses in American prisons and nurtures activist interests in prison studies and pedagogy. He and his family live in Southern California, USA. To find out more about Derik Smith and some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Read Derek's essay 'Centering the “Pupil of the Eye”: Blackness, Modernity, and the Revelation of Baha’u’llah' (https://bit.ly/35aHafr) found in The Journal of Baha'i Studies (https://bit.ly/35cS1pe), Volume 29, Number 1 Spring-Summer 2019. * We discuss the following quote: "Thou art like unto the pupil of the eye which is dark in color, yet it is the fount of light and the revealer of the contingent world". –Abdu’l-Baha * We mention the following books: i. 'Robert Hayden in Verse: New Histories of African American Poetry and the Black Arts Era' by Derik Smith: https://amzn.to/378YZxt ii. 'The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan)' by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/2XpuDT1 iii. 'The Dawn-Breakers' by Nabil-i-Azam: https://bit.ly/2pqWB40 (Baha'i Blog article: https://bit.ly/33UM1S0) iv. 'God Passes By' by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/37eIqAf v. 'The Most Holy Book (Kitab-i-Aqdas)' by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/33XC5Hk vi. 'The Advent of Divine Justice' by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/340xgwM vii. 'Tablets of Baha'u'llah' by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/37pdsFI viii. 'The Writings and Talks of Abdu'l-Baha' by Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/2r0LAHe * Learn more about Robert Hayden here on Wikipedia: https://bit.ly/2psQ8FT * A collection of poems by Robert Hayden here on Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/37i0uJy * Rainn mentions the writer Anand Giridharadas, author of 'Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World': https://amzn.to/2CM6JHF * Derek talks about volunteering at the Baha'i World Centre: http://www.bwc.org/ and from this Baha'i Blog article: https://bit.ly/2NYILPT * We discuss "Constructive Resilience", an example of which you can read about from this article by Michael Karlberg: https://bit.ly/37hs1eo * Listen to Michael Karlberg here on the Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson: https://bit.ly/2KxZXcK Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm in LA with playwright and author, Tom Lysaght. Tom and I talk about being a hippie and what it really meant. He tells me about the three books he took with him on his mystical journey around the world and how he became a Baha'i. We talk about the history of the Baha'i Faith, music, career-ism, the importance of storytelling, the book he's been working on for over 30 years, and the crucial role love plays in religion. Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy our conversation! * To find out more about Tom Lysaght and some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Learn more about Tom Lysaght and what he's been up to here on his website: http://www.yourcreativestage.com/ * Tom's latest book is called 'Persian Passion: Of Gods and Gargoyles: https://amzn.to/2ZnraUp * Tom's interview about 'Persian Passion': https://bit.ly/2KOBEYP * Tom's interview about 'Twin Witnesses': https://bit.ly/2P7H05m * Find out more about the Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ ; and the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab: https://news.bahai.org/story/1316/ * Tom talks about the following books: - The Seven Valleys by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/2ZjlAGA - Thief in the Night by William Sears: https://amzn.to/2ZhXZSo - The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan) by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/2Clie9q - Baha'u'llah, the King of Glory by HM Balyuzi: https://amzn.to/2Zgzrcn - Abdu'l-Baha by HM Balyuzi: https://amzn.to/2Hmt958 - The Dawn-Breakers by Nabil-i-Azam: https://bit.ly/2BqbFRr - Baha'i Administration by Shoghi Effendi: https://amzn.to/2KO7lS7 - Dawn over Mount Hira by Marzieh Gail: https://amzn.to/2Z9ulnd - Resurrection and Renewal by Abbas Amanat: https://amzn.to/2ZlxKP5 - The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson: https://amzn.to/2ZjuorR - The Portable Walt Whitman by Walt Whitman: https://amzn.to/2zpQNcF - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead: https://amzn.to/2KOKhT6 * We talk about Hands of the Cause: https://bit.ly/2Zm0XVY and Baha'i pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/2ZaUylp * Tom mentions Nader Saiedi who was also a guest on this podcast: https://bit.ly/2KZ1xnz * We mention Steven Phelps, who's been on the Baha'i Blogcast Episode 7: https://bit.ly/32OmMAF and Episode 37: Physics and Mysticism with Steven Phelps [VIDEO]: https://bit.ly/2Y3hOkK * Tom talks about Tahirih (https://bit.ly/2NpEV2i) and the Letters of the Living (https://bit.ly/2P7idP5). * Tom shares this quote from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: "...make ye a mighty effort, and choose for yourselves a noble goal...". * Tom shares a quote from the Seven Valleys by Baha'u'llah: "If the wayfarer’s goal be the dwelling of the Praiseworthy One (Maḥmud), this is the station of primal reason which is known as the Prophet and the Most Great Pillar. Here reason signifieth the divine, universal mind, whose sovereignty enlighteneth all created things—nor doth it refer to every feeble brain; for it is as the wise Sana’i hath written: How can feeble reason encompass the Qur’an, Or the spider snare a phoenix in his web? Wouldst thou that the mind should not entrap thee? Teach it the science of the love of God!" * Rainn shares a quote from Baha'u'llah: "Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. This is a special episode called "Physics and Mysticism", which we filmed on July 7, 2019 in front of a live audience at Foundation Hall at the Baha'i House of Worship in Chicago. It's a conversation with physicist, data scientist, philosopher and translator, Dr. Steven Phelps, who's also been on the Baha'i Blogcast before. We covered a wide range of topics and there were also some great questions from the audience at the end, which I've also included. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Watch the video of this event here: https://bit.ly/2Y3hOkK Find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode using the following links: * Listen to this talk by Steven called Science, Religion & the Coming Spiritual Revolution: https://bit.ly/2JVyhyT * Check out my previous Baha'i Blogcast episode with Dr. Steven Phelps here: https://bit.ly/32OmMAF * Read about Baha'i Houses of Worship here: https://bit.ly/2Gy3gP8 * We mention the Baha'i World Centre: https://bit.ly/2OjFZa8 * We mention Yuval Noah Harari's book 'Sapiens'': https://amzn.to/2YmFHzb * We mention writer Reza Aslan: http://rezaaslan.com/ * 'The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys'are mentioned: https://bit.ly/2YoZ36p * We mention 'Flatland' by Edwin A. Abbott: https://amzn.to/2JTR25D * Steven mentions Baha'u'llah has "recast the whole conception of religion as the principal force impelling the development of consciousness." This statement is from 'One Common Faith' written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice called : https://bit.ly/2LIJPr7aith/ * The following quote by Abdu'l-Baha is referred to: "Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God’s holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings. Love is heaven’s kindly light, the Holy Spirit’s eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God’s revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things. Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul. Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation." * Frank Wilczek's book 'A Beautiful Question' is mentioned: https://amzn.to/2YhZPSP * We talk about 'Progressive Revelation': https://bit.ly/2OldlWg Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I sit down with the multi-talented Kamal Sinclair, a dancer, percussionist, multi-media producer, and currently the Executive Director of 'Future Architects'. In this conversation we talk about being in 'Stomp', new technology and emerging media, the future of work, meeting Ruhiyyih Khanum, how art generates knowledge and the role beauty plays in the world. I hope you find this conversation as riveting as I did! To find out more about Kamal Sinclair and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Learn more about 'Future Architects' here: https://futurearchitects.com/ * Here is Kamal's body of research relating to equality in emerging media: https://makinganewreality.org/ * Here's a link to STOMP, of which Kamal was a performer for six years: https://stomponline.com/ * Here's a Time magazine article about 'Question Bridge': https://time.com/75987/the-question-bridge-project-redefining-black-male-identity/ * Here's the trailer for Question Bridge: Black Males: https://vimeo.com/12010682 * We talk about Virtual Reality and Oculus Rift: https://www.oculus.com/ * We talk about the Sundance Institute: http://www.sundance.org/ * Here's a video interview with Kamal 'Storytellers of Tomorrow - Sundance Institute New Frontier Lab Programs with Kamal Sinclair': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trSieVUB9p0 * Here's a Forbes podcast interview with Kamal: https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinawallace/2018/02/12/podcast-kamal-sinclair-is-charting-new-frontiers-in-digital-storytelling/#7861d5b23b99 * Here's a video of a talk by Kamal Sinclair about emerging media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64v8yjI-Dw4 * Rainn mentions Oscar DeGruy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_DeGruy * Kamal talks about her meetings with Ruhiyyeh Khanum (https://bit.ly/303laAJ) and Violette Nakhjavani (https://bit.ly/2J12rQu). * We talk about the work of Ruha Benjamin, who was also a guest on this podcast: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2017/09/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-22-ruha-benjamin/ * Kamal talks about the Allied Media Conference: https://www.alliedmedia.org/ * Kamal mentions Bobby Aazami: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2018/05/six-million-dollar-kid-interview-bobby-aazami/ * Kamal shares one of her favourite quotes found in 'The Seven Valleys' by Baha'u'llah: "I say ‘Be,’ and it is, and thou shalt say ‘Be,’ and it shall be." * Learn more about 'The Seven Valleys' here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/09/introduction-seven-valleys/ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm sitting in a cabin in the woods with Michael Karlberg, as we take part in a Baha'i-inspired retreat for youth in White Salmon, Washington called Windstock. Michael is a professor of Communication Studies at Western Washington University, and he's the author of 'Beyond a Culture of Contest', a book I often reference in my podcast. He tells me how he used to make acoustic guitars and how he became a Baha'i, and we talk about the power of media and how we need to rethink some of the fundamental assumptions we have about the world and how it's moving forward. We discuss nonviolent social change through constructive and peaceful resilience, and the challenges of taking collective action. Michael shares how the Baha'i Faith is a radical movement which addresses change on both the individual and social level, and he explains the ways in which the Baha'is are working towards this. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about Michael Karlberg and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Learn more about Michael Karlberg and his works here: https://wp.wwu.edu/karlberg/ * Watch Michael Karlberg's TEDxInnsbruck talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ZCAbYrQ7Q&feature=youtu.be * 'Beyond a Culture of Contest' by Michael Karlberg can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/2WHWvne * Michael's children's book is called 'Rooth Sees a Trooth': https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=14201439 * Michael mentions that his first Baha’i book was 'The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan)': https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-iqan/ * Read the 'The Promise of World Peace' by the Universal House of Justice here: https://www.bahai.org/documents/the-universal-house-of-justice/promise-world-peace * Use these links to find out more about the Baha'i World Centre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD_World_Centre) and the Universal House of Justice (https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/). * Use these links to find out more about The Training Institute (https://www.bahai.org/action/response-call-bahaullah/training-institute) and the Ruhi sequence of courses (https://www.ruhi.org/materials/list.php). * Rainn and Michael talk about the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program [JYSEP], which you can learn more about here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * Michael talks about the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity [ISGP]: https://www.globalprosperity.org/ * Learn more about Rainn's non-profit organization called LIDÈ and how you can support its programs here: https://www.lidehaiti.org/ * Michael shares one of his favorite quotes from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "He Who is your Lord, the All-Merciful, cherisheth in His heart the desire of beholding the entire human race as one soul and one body." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I visit the Honorable Judge Dorothy Nelson in her home in California. Judge Dorothy W. Nelson is a Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and is an active member of the Baha'i Faith who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of United States for many years. She tells me about the fireside she's been running in her home since 1961, and about her late husband Jim and how they both became Baha'is. She shares tips on having a happy marriage and integrating everyday life with your faith. We talk about the importance of 'active' listening, mediation and arbitration, and rehabilitation as an alternative to the justice system. She shares where she sees the Baha'i community going and reminds us that we're a 'learning community', and she tells us the key to happiness. I hope you enjoy the conversation with this remarkable woman! To find out more about Judge Dorothy Nelson and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Learn more about Judge Dorothy W. Nelson here on Wikipedia: https://bit.ly/2HF8fPG * Judge Nelson mentions the following books: - 'Dynamic Consultation' by Trip Barthel: https://amzn.to/2WcrdBh - 'The Advent of Divine Justice' by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/2Cp0Kce * Judge Nelson shares the following Writings of Baha'u'llah: "...The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes." "Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility." "...Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/2Hs5gdM *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm at my home in Los Angeles talking with my dear friend and musician, JB Eckl. JB's worked on countless musical projects including The Badasht Project which he is widely known for in Baha'i circles. He tells me how he ended up in a rock band in Mexico as a teen, why we need music and the arts in everything we do, and why he loves Bob Marley so much. We also talk about dieting, guitar solos, how the arts can translate complex ideas, and the importance of empathy. He also shares one of my favorite songs at the end, so hit play and listen in on the conversation! To find out more about JB Eckl and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Check out JB Eckl's website: http://www.jbeckl.com/ * Check out JB Eckl's album: https://9starmedia.com/jb-eckl-sparks * Check out JB Eckl's band 'Dig Infinity': https://www.facebook.com/DigInfinityBand/ * JB talks about the conference of Badasht which you can learn more about here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conference_of_Badasht * Check out the albums from 'The Badasht Project' here: -Badasht Vol. I: While The City Sleeps: https://9starmedia.com/badasht-vol-1-while-the-city-sleeps -Badasht Vol. II: Raise Me Up: https://9starmedia.com/badasht-vol-2-raise-me-up -Badasht Vol. III: Visionaries: https://9starmedia.com/badasht-vol-3-visionaries * Read Baha'i Blog's interview with JB Eckl about The Badasht Project here: http://bahaiblog.net/2014/03/badasht-iii-visionaries-interview-jb-eckl/ * JB mentions Eric Dozier (http://www.ericdozier.com/), musician and cofounder of The Badasht Project, and who is also featured on Baha'i Blog Studio Sessions here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzoJHax-FR0 * JB mentions Rachael Price, lead singer of 'Lake Street Dive': https://www.lakestreetdive.com/ * We talk about Nader Saiedi and his books 'Gate of the Heart' (https://amzn.to/2FOOAvy), and 'Logos and Civilization' (https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Logos-and-Civilization-P9070.aspx) * You can also listen to Nader Saiedi's interview on the Baha'i Blogcast here: http://bahaiblog.net/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-20-nader-saiedi/ * I mention the book 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind': https://amzn.to/2S1Ky9D * JB mentions the book 'Baha'u'llah and the New Era' by J.E. Esslemont: https://amzn.to/2S7IQUt * JB quotes Rumi: "The wound is the place where the light enters you." * JB mentions singer Yosi Mesbah (https://yosimesbah.bandcamp.com/), who was interviewed here on Baha'i Blog as well: http://bahaiblog.net/2017/02/cellar-sky-album-yosi-mesbah/ * At the end of the podcast, JB sings the song 'New Creation', which can be found on the album Badasht Vol. III: Visionaries (https://9starmedia.com/badasht-vol-3-visionaries) Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm in Chelsea, England with Moojan Momen - medical doctor by day, academic by night! Moojan has authored dozens of books and papers on a variety of topics ranging from things like 'The Baha'i Faith and Hinduism', to 'The God of Baha'u'llah'. Moojan tells me what led him to research and writing, and he also shares his thoughts on what makes the Baha'i Faith unique. We discuss the emphasis Baha'u'llah places on consultation, and we also look at how certain social structures can change if we want them to, and the importance of that change coming from the grassroots. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did! To find out more about Moojan Momen and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Check mout Moojan and his wife, Wendi's website here: http://momen.org/ * Here are links to some of Moojan Momen's books mentioned in the podcast: - Baha'u'llah: A Short Biography: https://amzn.to/2TN7HL0 - Selections from the Writings of E. G. Browne on the Babi and Baha'i Religions: https://amzn.to/2SkcphX - Understanding Religion: A Thematic Approach: https://amzn.to/2TVrkAu - An Introduction to Shi'i Islam: https://amzn.to/2Lp2qWo - Islam and the Baha'i Faith: https://amzn.to/2P4O5ys - Hinduism and the Baha'i Faith: https://amzn.to/2KCXKM1 - Buddhism and the Baha'i Faith: https://amzn.to/2KLb7tT * Here's the paper by Moojan Momen called 'The God of Baha'u'llah': https://bit.ly/2rHwG5w * Moojan talks about Hand of the Cause Hasan Balyuzi: https://bit.ly/2S9gaqT * Find out more about the Hands of the Cause: https://bit.ly/2R1MDSy * Some books by Hasan Balyuzi: - The Bab: https://amzn.to/2KGSPtm - Baha'u'llah: The King of Glory: https://amzn.to/2LlRysl - Edward Granville Browne and the Baha'i Faith: https://amzn.to/2BBr3L5 - Khadijih Bagum, the Wife of the Bab: https://amzn.to/2BpZCnl * Moojan mentions that his go-to Baha'i book is 'The Book of Certitude' (Kitab-i-Iqan): https://bit.ly/2Clie9q * Rainn mentions the book 'Beyond the Culture of Contest' by Michael Karlberg: https://amzn.to/2SnmnPu * Moojan mentions the book 'The Dawnbreakers': https://bit.ly/2BqbFRr * Rainn jokes about his book 'The Bassoon King': https://amzn.to/2R7di0c * Learn more about the Afnan Library Trust: https://bit.ly/2STEsVC * Rainn and Moojan talk about The Institute Process: https://bit.ly/2QAxYOG * Rainn and Moojan talk about the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program [JYSEP]: https://bit.ly/2Qqueyn * Rainn and Moojan talk about 'Devotional Gatherings': https://bit.ly/2S8iRsF * Moojan mentions the film 'A Widening Embrace': https://bit.ly/2PIEded * Moojan shares the following quote from Baha'u'llah: "We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may he lifted up unto the realm on high...". * Rainn shares the following quote from Baha'u'llah: "It followeth, therefore, that rendering assistance unto God, in this day, doth not and shall never consist in contending or disputing with any soul; nay rather, what is preferable in the sight of God is that the cities of men’s hearts, which are ruled by the hosts of self and passion, should be subdued by the sword of utterance, of wisdom and of understanding." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET (http://bahaiblog.net/) Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I have the delightful Mam-Yassin Sarr and her husband, David Fox, visiting me at my home in California. They are visiting me from The Gambia in West Africa, and they are the founders of Starfish International, a non-profit dedicated to educating and empowering girls in The Gambia. In this conversation we talk about how they met, how each of them discovered the Baha'i Faith, and the inspiration behind Starfish International. We also talk about life in The Gambia, international conflict and racism, and the awesome transformative power of education. I hope you enjoy our conversation! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the list below: * Starfish International's website: https://starfishinternational.org/ * Starfish International's Facebook page run entirely by the girls attending the school: https://www.facebook.com/StarfishInternational/ * David mentions the book The Baha'i Faith: An Introduction by Gloria Faizi: https://amzn.to/2KKTABI * Watch Mam-Yassin's talk called "Why Educating Girls is the Key to Fixing the World": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R3SZB-EweM * Mam-Yassin mentions the Baha'i House of Worship. You can learn more about it here: Baha’i Temples: A Brief Introduction: https://bit.ly/2zyIMCl * We talk about the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program [JYSEP], which you can learn more about from this video: https://bit.ly/2Qqueyn * Mam-Yassin talks about going to Berea college in Kentucky, USA: https://www.berea.edu/ * Mam-Yassin talks about how she was drawn to the Baha’i principle of Progressive Revelation: https://bit.ly/2SfK7Vy * David shares the Baha'i quotation: "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." -Baha'u'llah * Mam-Yassin shares the following analogy from the Baha'i Writings about gender equality: “The world of humanity is possessed of two wings: the male and the female. So long as these two wings are not equivalent in strength, the bird will not fly. Until womankind reaches the same degree as man, until she enjoys the same arena of activity, extraordinary attainment for humanity will not be realized; humanity cannot wing its way to heights of real attainment." -Abdu'l-Baha * David mentions the Baha'i quotation: "Work done in the spirit of service is the highest form of worship…" -Abdu'l-Baha * Mam-Yassin shares one of her favourite Baha'i Writings: "O SON OF MAN! My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy. Hasten thereunto that thou mayest become an eternal light and an immortal spirit. This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it." -Baha'u'llah * David shares one of his favourite quotations from the Baha'i Writings: "Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path." -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast *Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm in London, England with my dear friend, fellow actor and comedian, the hilarious Omid Djalili. Omid takes me on a ride full of stories and banter, where he tells me about his family and what it was like growing up in the UK as the only 13 year old with a mustache. We talk about soccer, prayer, dreams, gratitude, and the importance of connecting our lives to service and community building. Omid tells me how he got into comedy, and he shares four life-changing points about his career, which I think you'll find extremely interesting! Join me and Omid in this thought-provoking and fun conversation! To find out more about Omid Djalili and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links: * Find out more about Omid Djalili here on: www.omidnoagenda.com * Check out 'Hopeful: An Autobiography' by Omid Djalili: Book: https://amzn.to/2qp7LTD ; Audiobook: https://amzn.to/2SDJUwy * Rainn's autobiography 'The Bassoon King' can be found here: Book: https://amzn.to/2AEXrgs ; Audiobook: https://amzn.to/2QbHlQx * Omid mentions the term "Allah'u'Abha" and “Ya Baha’u’l-Abha” which you can read about here: https://bit.ly/2znwuMu * Omid mentions the Universal House of Justice: universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org * Omid mentions the passing of Shoghi Effendi, known to Baha'is as 'the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith', which can find learn more about here: https://www.bahai.org/shoghi-effendi/ * Omid talks about the 'Shrine of the Bab' which you can learn more about here: https://bit.ly/2F1yKPz * Omid and Rainn talk about the Institute Process and Ruhi books: www.ruhi.org * Omid and Rainn talk about the 'Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program' [JYSEP], which you can learn about here: https://bit.ly/2QnTeD2 * Omid shares the following passage about prayer from the Universal House of Justice: "Prayer is the essential spiritual conversation of the soul with its Maker, direct and without intermediation. It is the spiritual food that sustains the life of the spirit. Like the morning’s dew, it brings freshness to the heart and cleanses it, purifying it from attachments of the insistent self. It is a fire that burns away the veils and a light that leads to the ocean of reunion with the Almighty. On its wings does the soul soar in the heavens of God and draw closer to the divine reality. Upon its quality depends the development of the limitless capacities of the soul and the attraction of the bounties of God, but the prolongation of prayer is not desirable. The powers latent in prayer are manifested when it is motivated by the love of God, beyond any fear or favour, and free from ostentation and superstition. It is to be expressed with a sincere and pure heart conducive to contemplation and meditation so that the rational faculty can be illumined by its effects. Such prayer will transcend the limitation of words and go well beyond mere sounds. The sweetness of its melodies must gladden and uplift the heart and reinforce the penetrating power of the Word, transmuting earthly inclinations into heavenly attributes and inspiring selfless service to humankind." * Omid mentions Baha'i Blog Studio Sessions: https://bit.ly/1LtjUx9 Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast *Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Billy Roberts, a dear friend who's a therapist by profession, and who has also served in a variety of capacities on a number of Baha'i Institutions. He was also behind an initiative called the 'Baha'i Black Mens Gathering', so in this conversation Billy tells us about the Black Mens Gathering, what he's learned by serving on various Baha'i Institutions, and how he became a Baha'i. We also talk about the benefits of therapy, ideas around culture and identity, and some of the lessons we can all learn from the African-American experience. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! * You can learn more about 'The Baha’i Black Men’s Gathering' from this Baha'i Blog article: https://bit.ly/2AsdZdF * Watch this documentary about 'The Baha’i Black Men’s Gathering': https://vimeo.com/74769779 * Read about 'The Baha’i Black Men’s Gathering' from this book: https://bit.ly/2NSiEHs * Billy shares what he's learned by serving on various Baha'i Institutions and how it's about the 'service' and the 'title' is not important. Learn more about the Baha'i Institutions here: https://bit.ly/2LTOUcx * Billy mentions the book 'The Advent of Divine Justice' by Shoghi Effendi which you can find here https://bit.ly/2LEr4F3 , and an audio version of the book here: https://bit.ly/2Opbrjl * Billy quotes the following excerpt from a letter by Shoghi Effendi: "...it is spirit, determination, faith and devotion which bring victories into being, one after another..." * Rainn mentions his essay 'Me and the Prophet' which you can listen to here: https://bit.ly/2AhnxYR * Billy tells us about his memory of meeting with Hand of the Cause, Zikrullah Khadem and the effect it had on him. Learn more about Hands of the Cause here: https://bit.ly/2NP3d2I, and watch this documentary about Zikrullah Khadem here: https://bit.ly/2JZpLLW * Rainn makes reference to the following excerpt from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: “Ye are all fruits of one tree, the leaves of one branch, the flowers of one garden.” * Billy mentions that Hand of the Cause of God, Louis Gregory (https://bit.ly/2NQqtgI) had a saying that "praise is wonderful as long as it isn't inhaled". * Rainn shares a quote from Abdu'l-Baha: "Strive day by day that your actions may be beautiful prayers...". * Billy shares one of his favorite quotes from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "Whatsoever occurreth in the world of being is light for His loved ones and fire for the people of sedition and strife. Even if all the losses of the world were to be sustained by one of the friends of God, he would still profit thereby, whereas true loss would be borne by such as are wayward, ignorant and contemptuous. Even or odd, thou shalt win the wager. The friends of God shall win and profit under all conditions, and shall attain true wealth. In fire they remain cold, and from water they emerge dry. Their affairs are at variance with the affairs of men. Gain is their lot, whatever the deal. To this testifieth every wise one with a discerning eye, and every fair-minded one with a hearing ear." Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO *iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast *Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview the wonderful Linda Kavelin-Popov, a psychotherapist, award-winning writer, and one of the creators of the globally acclaimed 'Virtues Project', which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year! Linda tells me the story behind the Virtues Project, and why her and her husband moved to the beautiful Cook Islands. We also discuss death and dealing with loss, the importance of prayer and meditation, plus we even do a fun activity at the end of the podcast where I pick a Virtues Card and we reflect on how it relates to my life. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! To find out more about Linda Kavelin-Popov, and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Find out more about 'The Virtues Project' from their website and social media pages below: - Website: https://www.virtuesproject.com/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVirtuesProjectOfficialPage/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/vpiassoc?lang=en * You can also check out the following special '30th Anniversary of the Virtues Project' links below: - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsY2zVLzWWESm5C8bxygdiQ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirtuesAlive1988/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/VirtuesALIVE * Here's a list of books by Linda Kavelin-Popov below: - 'The Family Virtues Guide: Simple Ways to Bring Out the Best in Our Children and Ourselves': https://amzn.to/2KkcH83 - 'A Pace of Grace: The Virtues of a Sustainable Life': https://amzn.to/2K7WByU - 'Sacred Moments: Daily Meditations on the Virtues': https://amzn.to/2KeaoQx - 'A Scent of Sage': https://amzn.to/2lxuQRS - 'Graceful Endings': https://amzn.to/2KkDXEo  * Check out Linda's personal blog here: https://lindakavelinpopov.com/ * Read Baha'i Blog's interview with Linda about the Virtues Project here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2018/06/celebrating-30-years-of-the-virtues-project-an-interview-with-linda-kavelin-popov/ * Watch New Zealand's 'Baha'i on Air' TV show's interview with Linda here: - Graceful Ending Interview (Part 1): https://bit.ly/2KPaDoS - Graceful Ending Interview (Part 2): https://bit.ly/2KW1Yxy * Linda quotes the following passage from 'The Four Valley's by Baha'u'llah: “A servant is drawn unto Me in prayer until I answer him; and when I have answered him, I become the ear wherewith he heareth...” * Linda quotes the following passage from 'The Book of Certitude' by Baha'u'llah: “One hour’s reflection is preferable to seventy years of pious worship” * Linda mentions how Abdu’l-Baha said: “...things of which man knew nothing will be unfolded before his sight...” * Linda quotes the following from Shoghi Effendi: “...you rise from prayer as if your prayer has already been answered...” * Linda mentions 'The Fire Tablet' by Baha'u'llah which can be found here: https://bit.ly/2KHzZpC * The book 'Portals to Freedom' by Howard Colby Ives, is mentioned in this interview: https://amzn.to/2Kt0cY1 * Linda talks about the 'Five Spiritual Strategy's of the virtues project' which you can learn more about here: https://virtuesproject.com/strategies.html You can find all of our episodes here on the Baha'i Blogcast page: http://bahaiblog.net/site/bahaiblogcast/ Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: https://bit.ly/2JTNmBO *iTunes: https://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm joined by my dear friend, Shadi Toloui-Wallace, a singer and songwriter who also hosts her own podcast called 'Cloud 9'. We talk about striving to be coherent in our everyday lives while trying to be a professional artist, and the creation of Baha'i-inspired music versus secular music. She tells me about the music she's been working on, the exciting things happening with the youth in her neighborhood, the importance of service, and she shares a little about her family and upbringing, plus some exciting news in her personal life. We talk about Baha'i Blog's Studio Sessions and the need for Baha'i-inspired grassroots music, and Shadi sings a beautiful song for us at the end of the podcast, so press 'play' and tune in to this fun conversation! To find out more about Shadi Toloui-Wallace, and some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Shadi Toloui-Wallace official website: http://www.shaditolouiwallace.com/ * Shadi's podcast called 'Cloud 9' on BahaiTeachings.org can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiteachings/sets/cloud9 * Check out Shadi's band called 'Tiny Havoc' here: http://www.tinyhavoc.com/ * You can read the following interviews with Shadi Toloui-Wallace here on Baha'i Blog: i) https://bit.ly/2laqfol ii) https://bit.ly/2LRfYsw * You can read this article by Shadi Toloui-Wallace here on Baha'i Blog: https://bit.ly/2sXAmRO * Shadi talks about her mother, Shidan Toloui-Wallace, whom we've also interviewed here on Baha'i Blog: https://bit.ly/2sWOxX8 * Shadi calls herself a 'Third Culture Kid', a term coined by this book: https://amzn.to/2sVXDUb * Shadi mentions Rainn's not-for-profit in Haiti called LIDÈ: https://www.lidehaiti.org/ * Shadi and Rainn talk about working with youth and the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program (JYSEP), which you can learn about from this short animation: https://bit.ly/2eiMF54 * Rainn shares this quote from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "Let deeds not words be your adorning". * Rainn shares a quote about music from Abdu'l-Baha: "...although sounds are but vibrations in the air which affect the ear’s auditory nerve, and these vibrations are but chance phenomena carried along through the air, even so, see how they move the heart. A wondrous melody is wings for the spirit, and maketh the soul to tremble for joy." * Rainn shares quote about music from Shoghi Effendi: "It is the music which assists us to affect the human spirit; it is an important means which helps us to communicate with the soul." * Rainn and Shadi talk about the importance of grassroots music and Baha'i Blog's Studio Sessions series, which you can check out here: https://bit.ly/1LtjUx9 * You can view some of the Baha'i Blog Studio Sessions produced by Shadi in Vancouver, Canada below: i) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57E9OhLSUpo ii) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwn-oQZ6Hpc iii) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY_McHozqFk iv) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTmJImVPdi4 v) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=766WYsdOaYo * At the end of the podcast, Shadi sings the song 'Kindle' from her album 'Daughters of the Kingdom' (http://www.shaditolouiwallace.com/new-products/daughters-of-the-kingdom-digital), based on a prayer by Baha'u'llah. Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: https://bit.ly/2JTNmBO *iTunes: https://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast *Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6EnTNdLBTeu4KrA9xFTgQw If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm in Chicago again, and I'm joined by my friends Syda Segovia Taylor and Kelsey Taylor, an awesome couple who live here in the Chicago area. Syda works as a consultant in issues relating to social justice and Kelsey owns his own civil engineering company. They are both members of the Baha'i Faith and are passionate about working on issues around social justice and youth empowerment. In this conversation we talk about the work they're doing, issues relating to race, youth, violence, social inequality in the neighbourhood and the lessons they've learned. They also really open up and talk about how they've separated twice within their 21 years of marriage, what that was like, and the hard work they put in to strengthen not only their relationship, but themselves as individuals. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about Syda and Kelsey, and some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Syda Segovia Taylor's LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/syda-segovia-taylor-m-a-414a4629/ * Kelsey Taylor's LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/kelseyataylorcivil/ * Syda's talk on BahaiTeachings.com called ‘Healing the Trauma of Racism and Violence’ can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikpbv9zSQ74 * Syda talks about her work with Dr. Joy DeGruy (http://joydegruy.com/), who was also a guest on the ‘Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson’, and you can listen to that episode here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/03/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-10-joy-degruy/ * Syda also mentions Steve Sarowitz, who was also a guest on the ‘Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson’, and you can listen to that episode here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2018/05/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-25-steve-sarowitz/ * Syda talks about the work being done by Environmentalists of Color (http://www.eocnetwork.org/), and Sacred Keepers (http://www.sacredkeepers.org/). * I mention the Baha'i gardens in the Holy Land (http://www.ganbahai.org.il/en/), and you may enjoy this visual exploration of the Baha'i gardens in this video called ‘Pathways’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGiXqusyrQ4 * Kelsey talks about his namesake, Curtis Kelsey, whom you can read about here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2016/11/life-curtis-kelsey/ * I mention my conversation with Stephen Phelps, who was also a guest on the ‘Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson’, and you can listen to that episode here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2016/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-7-steven-phelps/ * Kelsey talks about the 'Love Bank' model found in therapist Dr. Harley's book ‘Effective Marriage Counseling’ (https://amzn.to/2s8vfgB), and the book ‘Divorce Busting’ (https://amzn.to/2sDseVs) * Kelsey talks about the quotation from the Baha'i Writings: "Not until man is tried doth the pure gold distinctly separate from the dross. Torment is the fire of test wherein the pure gold shineth." -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLePDtgwcyKAQmifUJTw0Kk-hBGL2ZGMJi *iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai%E2%80%A6son/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6EnTNdLBTeu4KrA9xFTgQw If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm in Chicago, USA with Steve Sarowitz, founder of Paylocity.com, and the Executive Producer of 'The Gate: Dawn of the Baha'i Faith', a new documentary film that tells the story of the life of the Bab, His message, and the origins of the Babi religion. In this conversation, we not only talk about the life of the Bab and this wonderful new documentary, but Steve enthusiastically shares his thoughts on what forgiveness might mean, how he became a Baha'i, what he's learned from volunteering at the Baha'i House of Worship in Chicago, the concept of progressive revelation, and the importance of sharing the Teachings of the Baha'i Faith with everyone while being careful not to be too pushy. To find out more about Steve Sarowitz and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links: * Watch the trailer to the 'The Gate: Dawn of the Baha'i Faith' here: https://thegatefilm.com/trailer/ * To learn more about 'The Gate: Dawn of the Baha'i Faith' and find out screening times, go to the film's official website: https://thegatefilm.com/ * You can find out more about the life of the Bab here: http://www.bahai.org/the-bab/life-the-bab * Listen to the BahaiTeachings.com interview with Steve Sarowitz here on the Cloud9 podcast: http://bahaiteachings.org/film-producer-steve-sarowitz-making-gate * I mention that Steve volunteers at the Baha'i House of Worship located just outside of Chicago. You can find out more about Houses of Worship (also commonly referred to as a Baha'i temple and a Mashriqu'l-Adhkar) here: www.bahai.org/action/devotional-life/mashriqul-adhkar and learn more about the Baha'i House of Worship for North America here: https://www.bahai.us/bahai-temple * Learn more about Steve's company from his company's website: www.paylocity.com * Steve talks about his experience visiting the Shrine of the Bab in Haifa, Israel. You can find out more about the Shrine of the Bab from these two links: www.bahai.org/the-bab/shrine and http://bahaiblog.net/site/2013/07/the-shrine-of-the-bab-and-its-significance/ * Steve mentions the Baha'i Obligatory Prayer which you can find out more about from this article: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2012/08/what-is-obligatory-prayer-and-why-is-it-important/ Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai%E2%80%A6son/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6EnTNdLBTeu4KrA9xFTgQw? If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this particular episode I wanted to do something a little different, as right now, millions across the globe are celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, and I wanted to honor this very special occasion. Above our front doorway is a handwritten “Greatest Name”, drawn by the son of Hand of the Cause Mr. Samandari as a gift to my grandparents. As I walk into my house I think about the fact that as a baby (albeit a giant, pale one), I met Mr. Samandari who traveled to Seattle in 1967, and he was the last living person who had spent time with Baha’u’llah. I wanted to write about this remarkable connection: I was once cradled as an infant by the guy who met THE GUY! That’s how young our Faith is. How connected we all are. As Baha'is we strive to be in discussion and dialogue on shared topics of interest with like-minded folks, so I really wanted to write a warm, funny essay that every person could connect to. It was imperative that it be published on a site where there was a good deal of interfaith dialogue and I was drawn to Patheos.com for this reason, and you can find this essay here. I've decided to record the essay for this episode, and I just wanted to add that I think it’s crucial that Baha’is seek to share our history, views, humor and stories with as many different communities as possible, in as many different ways as we can. Engage in deep dialogues with open-hearted souls with the goal being the dialogue itself, not “conversion”. I hope you enjoy “Me and the Prophet.” To find out more about some of the things I covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Here is the official Baha'i site on Baha'u'llah, the prophet-founder of the Baha'i Faith: www.bahai.org/bahaullah * Here is the official site for the bicentenary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah celebrations happening around the world: https://bicentenary.bahai.org/ * Here is the official site for the Baha'i Faith: http://www.bahai.org/ * Here's a Baha'i Blog article about what a 'Hand of the Cause' is: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2014/06/hands-cause/ * Here's a Baha'i Blog article about what 'the Greatest Name' is and its use: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2011/06/using-the-greatest-name/ Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and YouTube. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm in Toronto, Canada at the lovely home of award-winning architect Siamak Hariri. Siamak is the architect of the Baha'i House of Worship for South America, located in Santiago, Chile, and he talks to me about his family and how he was first drawn to architecture, some of his thoughts and inspirations behind the design of the temple and its relationship with the community, and how architecture can touch the heart. We discuss the interplay between material and nonmaterial, where things like proportion and composition are enveloped in mysticism, ideas relating to prayer, and how things like composition and refinement are important and how they're connected to our higher aspirations. He also shares some of his understandings of the Baha'i Faith, some of his favorite Baha'i Writings, and the importance of shaping our thinking in a way that looks to the future and affects generations to come. I hope you enjoy this conversation. To find out more about Siamak Hariri and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links: * Here is the official site for the Baha'i House of Worship for South America: http://templo.bahai.cl/en/ * You can find out more about Baha'i Houses of Worship here: http://www.bahai.org/action/devotional-life/mashriqul-adhkar * Here's the link to Siamak's architecture firm Hariri Pontarini Architects: https://www.hariripontarini.com/ * You can watch Siamak's TED Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/siamak_hariri_how_do_you_build_a_sacred_space * Siamak shares an excerpt from the following quote from the Seven Valley's of Baha'u'llah as one of his inspirations behind the temple design: "Whensoever the light of Manifestation of the King of Oneness settleth upon the throne of the heart and soul, His shining becometh visible in every limb and member. At that time the mystery of the famed tradition gleameth out of the darkness: “A servant is drawn unto Me in prayer until I answer him; and when I have answered him, I become the ear wherewith he heareth….” For thus the Master of the house hath appeared within His home, and all the pillars of the dwelling are ashine with His light. And the action and effect of the light are from the Light-Giver; so it is that all move through Him and arise by His will. And this is that spring whereof the near ones drink, as it is said: “A fount whereof the near unto God shall drink…." * You can watch more videos about the Baha'i Temple for South America here on Temple's Vimeo page: https://vimeo.com/templobahai * And you may enjoy these 19 Inspiring Instagram Photos of the Chile Temple: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2016/10/19-inspiring-instagram-photos-chile-temple/ Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: @user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7rjgYku9Coae2rEiLijsl8 If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I sit down with Dr. Ruha Benjamin, a mother, a scholar, an author and associate professor in African American Studies at Princeton University, who writes and speaks about science and technology, race and inequality. Ruha and I talk about racist robots and the use of technology, the relationship between unity and justice, the Marshall Islands and the example of her parents, Star Trek, marriage as a soul growing machine, and how bringing about social change also needs to consider the spiritual reality of things. We also look at the importance of independent investigation of truth and the need to challenge our own assumptions, plus the wonderful example of Abdu’l-Baha and how He challenged the status quo. I hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about Ruha Benjamin and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * You can find out more about Dr. Ruha Benjamin and her work here on her website: www.RuhaBenjamin.com * I mention her talk “The Beautiful Struggle: Understanding Racism and Transforming Words into Deeds” which can be watched here: https://vimeo.com/230838962 * You can find copies of Ruha’s book 'People’s Science: Bodies and Rights on the Stem Cell Frontier' here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Peoples-Science-Bodies-Rights-Frontier/dp/0804782970/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506308765&sr=1-1&keywords=People%27s+Science:+Bodies+and+Rights+on+the+Stem+Cell+Frontier&linkCode=sl1&tag=baibl0c-20&linkId=91de7de6656addd9fe84a7e6076e173b * Ruha shares the following quote from Abdu’l-Baha: “Baha’u’llah once compared the coloured people to the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. In this black pupil you see the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of the Spirit shines forth.” * Ruha mentions the Louis Gregory Institute: www.lgbi.org * I mention a mutual friend named Jamey Heath (www.jameyheath.com/), and you may enjoy one his songs on Baha’i Blog’s Studio Session series called “I Have Breathed Within Thee“: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b1vrzmOJbI * Ruha and I talk about the book ‘No Jim Crow Church’ by Louis Venters which can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jim-Crow-Church-Carolinas-Community/dp/0813054079/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506309553&sr=1-1&keywords=No+Jim+Crow+Church%27+by+Louis+Venters&linkCode=sl1&tag=baibl0c-20&linkId=97ed880506bef59909e82648b4d5fc88 * I mention my non-profit in Haiti called called The LIDÈ Foundation, which you can learn more about here: www.lidehaiti.org * I talk about Dr. Saiedi, who was also a guest on the Baha’i Blogcast, and you can listen to his interview here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-20-nader-saiedi/ * Ruha talks about the example of Abdu’l-Baha(www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/) , the eldest son of Baha’u’llah, so I thought you may find the following series of talks called by Tom Price about Abdu’l-Baha enjoyable: https://soundcloud.com/bahai-blog/sets/recreating-ourselves-in-the Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: @user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/54kCzOPGNL4hATHDOojEAf If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I have an awesome conversation with my wonderful Christian neighbors Sara and John Barton. Sara is an author and likes writing poetry and hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, usually at the same time, and she serves as the University Chaplain at Pepperdine University in California, where she oversees worship services and pastoral care in the community. John is Director of the Center for Faith and Learning at Pepperdine University where he also serves on the faculties of the Religion and Philosophy Division and the graduate program in Social Entrepreneurship and Change. John also speaks and conducts research in the areas of African philosophy, ethics and philanthropy, Christian studies, interfaith dialogue, and Christian/Muslim interactions. The three of us talk about the station of Christ, the importance of service to others, and why interfaith dialogue and learning about religions is important in society today. They share the importance of being an active part of wider communities while maintaining their Christian convictions and commitments. They also tell me about the nonprofit they helped start and what their eight years in Uganda taught them. We discuss the importance of the community over the individual, prayer and meditation, why they love working with college students and have hope for the future. Sara even shares a wonderful poem she wrote just for the Baha'i Blogcast as well, so I hope you enjoy the conversation. To find out more about Sara and John Barton and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * You can read more about Sara Barton here: https://www.pepperdine.edu/spiritual-life/chaplain/about/ and John Barton here: https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/religion-philosophy/facultystaff/member.htm?faculty=john_barton * Here's a link to the nonprofit they helped start and continue to work with called the Kibo Group: https://www.kibogroup.org/ * Sara is the author of ‘A Woman Called: Piecing Together the Ministry Puzzle’: http://amzn.to/2wABPOG * John mentions the book ‘Islam without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty’ by Mustafa Akyol: http://amzn.to/2gxjytL * You can find out more about the Station of Christ from this Baha'i Blog article: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2013/12/the-station-of-jesus-christ-in-the-bahai-faith/ * There’s mention of my book of memoirs called ‘The Bassoon King’: http://amzn.to/2gxOYjP * I make reference to one of my previous interviews with Native American Baha'i Kevin Locke on the Baha’i Blogcast which can be found here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-19-kevin-locke/ * Here's the poem Sara recited in the interview: “Facing window, entering world, armed not with weapons but with questions, it tosses peace grenades to explode hearts for God. Listening outside, tuning in to stories that fill souls with hope, it releases them to float with clouds of sound. Honoring past days without fearing last days, engaging spiritual journeys now days, it wonders- as time clicks, what makes people tick? Joining creation, generating words that serve, broadcasting, podcasting narrative digital art, it does its part to light someone's dark. And so may we.” Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: @user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MIpyUbDIw6zlAiwhHNMlV If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out http://BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I speak with Nader Saiedi, Taslimi Foundation Professor of Baha’i Studies in the department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at University of California. Born in Tehran, Iran, and having lived in the US since 1978, professor Saiedi tells me about his personal journey from being a staunch Marxist to becoming a Baha'i, and how he was humbled by the sacred Baha'i Writings and moved by the steadfastness of the Baha'is being persecuted in Iran. Among other things, we talk about slavery, historical consciousness, and the thousands of untranslated and unpublished tablets by the Bab and Baha'u'llah he's been studying recently. Hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about Nader Saiedi and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * You can find out more about Dr. Nader Saiedi here: https://bahaikipedia.org/Nader_Saiedi * Dr. Saiedi is the author of 'Logos and Civilization' and 'Gate of the Heart'. * You may be interested in this talk by Dr. Nader Saiedi titled 'From World War to World Peace': http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/06/world-war-world-peace-talk-dr-nader-saiedi/ * You may also enjoy a series of 11 talks by Dr. Saiedi called 'Text and Context in the Baha’i Heroic Age': https://soundcloud.com/bahai-blog/sets/nader-saiedi-text-and-context * In the interview, Nader makes reference to 'The Book of Certitude' by Baha’u’llah and 'The Secret of Divine Civilization' by Abdu’l-Baha which you can find here: http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-iqan/ and http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/secret-divine-civilization/ * In the interview I mention the following excerpt from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "O SON OF DUST! Verily I say unto thee: Of all men the most negligent is he that disputeth idly and seeketh to advance himself over his brother. Say, O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning." * Nader mentions an excerpt from the following quote taken from the book 'Epistle to the Son of the Wolf' by Baha’u’llah: “Verily, We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy Pen. Grieve Thou not for that which hath befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid, for Thou art in safety. Erelong will God raise up the treasures of the earth—men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him.” You can find the book here: http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/epistle-son-wolf/ * I make reference to my Baha’i Blogcast interview with Native American Baha’i Kevin Locke which you can listen to here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-19-kevin-locke/ Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: @user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7u380ZQPWuEViqO7mGtiGl If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out http://BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Kevin Locke, which in Lakota is "Tokaheya Inajin" meaning “First to Rise”. Both Lakota and Anishnabe, Kevin is a Native American Baha'i who is a world famous visionary Hoop Dancer, preeminent player of the Indigenous Northern Plains flute, traditional storyteller, cultural ambassador, recording artist and educator with nearly 40 years of performing to over hundreds of thousands of people in over 90 countries. Living in Standing Rock, USA, Kevin talks to me about Lakota culture, some of their traditional prophecies and the power of women in their society. He tells me how he became a Baha'i, explains the power of engaging in the arts and connecting to the creator, and how the revelation of Baha'u'llah touches all the peoples of the earth, no matter what cultural background they come from, and how important it is for us learn from each other and about our collective heritage and so many other fascinating things. At the end of the conversation, Kevin shares a beautiful song on the flute called 'The Eagle's Flight'. To find out more about Kevin Locke and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links: * You can find out more about Kevin Locke from his website: KevinLocke.com * In the interview, Kevin recommends the book 'Black Elk Speaks' by John G. Neihardt, which you can get here: http://amzn.to/2hAEoMU * Kevin mentions the 1992 'Tribute by the Universal House of Justice to Baha'u'llah on the Centenary of His Passing', which you find here: http://www.bahai.org/documents/the-universal-house-of-justice/tribute-universal-house-justice You can find out more about this episode here: Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: @user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/79COyQTbVGXHcT3Y5VL52n If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I speak with Hong Kong based Chinese soul-pop superstar Khalil Fong, otherwise known in Chinese as 方大同, which is "Fang Da Tong". Khalil has been very instrumental in bringing an eclectic mix of international styles of music to Chinese audiences, but especially Soul music and R'n'B. Besides creating hit songs, Khalil has been recognized as a positive role model for his upright character. In this interview we talk about his musical influences and what inspired him to pursue a career in music. He tells me what his songs are about and how his faith inspires his music and everything he does. We discuss spirituality in China, being a vegetarian, having his own record label, what really draws him to the Faith, the exciting new project for children that he's working on with his mother, and the advice he would give to other aspiring artists. To find out more about Khalil Fong and some of the things we covered in the interview, check out the following links: * Khalil Fong's official website: khalilfong.com/en * Khalil Fong's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/soulboykhalilfong * Khalil Fong's YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/KhalilFongofficial * Fu Music is Khalil Fong's record label: www.fringebacker.com/en/t/fu-backer/ * Khalil refers to a song about suicide called 'Goodbye Melody Rose' which can be found on the album 'This Love': https://itunes.apple.com/my/album/%E6%84%9B%E6%84%9B%E6%84%9B/id220365864?i=220365871 * Excerpts from the following songs were used in the interview (with permission): i. "Listen" found on the album JTW: https://itunes.apple.com/my/album/jtw-%E8%A5%BF%E9%81%8A%E8%A8%98-deluxe/id1195003851 (You can also watch the music video for 'Listen' here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwLa3A2kfWg) ii. "Goodbye Melody Rose" found on the album 'This Love': https://itunes.apple.com/my/album/%E6%84%9B%E6%84%9B%E6%84%9B/id220365864?i=220365871 iii. "夢蝴蝶" found on the album JTW: https://itunes.apple.com/my/album/jtw-%E8%A5%BF%E9%81%8A%E8%A8%98-deluxe/id1195003851 * Khalil mentions the Baha'i Blogcast interview with Andy Grammer: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2016/07/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-6-andy-grammer-aijia/ * Khalil refers to the following Baha'i quote from the Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah: "O SON OF BEING! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds." -Baha'u'llah Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: @user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mSeu2veRnU1XPBAa0hf9i Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I'm in Toronto, Canada interviewing husband and wife Mary Darling and Clark Donnelly. Besides having more kids than I can ever keep track of, they have their own media company called WestWind Pictures, which aims to promote themes of beauty and unity. Among many other things, they are known for their popular TV comedy series called 'Little Mosque on the Prairie', and I ask them how the series started and what sort of impact the show has had. They share the challenges of working on a comedy that deals with things that are sacred, and how they bring Baha'i principles into the creative process. We discuss the importance of consultation, what it's like working as a husband and wife team, the role of a producer, and how they each became Baha'is. They also share what books they're reading, what they personally strive to be better at, and their favorite Baha'i Writings. To find out more about Mary and Clark and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links: * Find out more about 'Little Mosque on the Prairie' and Mary and Clark's production company here on their website: http://www.westwindpictures.com/ * Check out 'The Baha'is' documentary and their interview about it on Baha'i Blog: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/05/bahais-documentary-mary-darling-clark-donnelly/ * Here's the CNN article Mary mentions about 'Little Mosque on the Prarie' called 'Want to end prejudice? Watch a sitcom': http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/sitcoms-prejudice-study/ * Mary mentions the book 'Haroun and the Sea of Stories' by Salman Rushdie: http://amzn.to/2qFEZiP * Clark mentions the book 'Abraham: One God, Three Wives, Five Religions' Paperback by Frances Worthington: http://amzn.to/2rGoTnt * Clark talks about the long Obligatory prayer which you can learn more about from this Baha'i Blog article, 'A Prayer to Power Up Your Day: The Long Obligatory Prayer': http://bahaiblog.net/site/2015/02/prayer-power-day-long-obligatory-prayer/ * Mary mentions her favourite prayer which we've added below: "O my God! O my God! Thou seest me in my lowliness and weakness, occupied with the greatest undertaking, determined to raise Thy word among the masses and to spread Thy teachings among Thy peoples. How can I succeed unless Thou assist me with the breath of the Holy Spirit, help me to triumph by the hosts of Thy glorious kingdom, and shower upon me Thy confirmations, which alone can change a gnat into an eagle, a drop of water into rivers and seas, and an atom into lights and suns? O my Lord! Assist me with Thy triumphant and effective might, so that my tongue may utter Thy praises and attributes among all people and my soul overflow with the wine of Thy love and knowledge. Thou art the Omnipotent and the Doer of whatsoever Thou willest." -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7CKRNCqEyyl8lWYW6jvYWI Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Maziar Bahari, an Iranian Canadian journalist, filmmaker and human rights activist who was imprisoned and tortured by the Iranian government for five months in 2009. After he was released, he wrote his memoir called "Then They Came for Me", which became a New York Times bestseller and is the basis for Jon Stewart's 2014 film "Rosewater". In the conversation I ask him why, even though he is not a Baha'i, he has been actively campaigning for the rights of the Baha'is in Iran. We talk about his religious background; his thoughts on tyranny; why the situation for Baha'is in Iran is so important for the Iranian people as a whole, and how he went from being a journalist to being an activist. He shares what he learned from his experience in prison, and he also offers some personal advice to the Baha'i community, and a message to the people of Iran and the world. To find out more about Maziar Bahari, what he's involved in, and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links: * The Baha'is are the largest religious minority in Iran, and they have been killed and persecuted by the Iranian government ever since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. You can find out more about the situation of the Baha'is in Iran from this page on the Baha'i International Community's website: https://www.bic.org/focus-areas/situation-iranian-bahais/current-situation * Find out more about the "Education Is Not A Crime" campaign and initiative, plus how you can get involved here: www.notacrime.me * Watch the trailer to the new documentary "Changing the World, One Wall at a Time" about the wall art campaign here: https://vimeo.com/214890238 * Purchase physical or audio versions of Maziar's book "Then They Came for Me" (now called 'Rosewater') here: http://amzn.to/2qcB2De * Watch the trailer to the movie "Rosewater" based on the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGOYHIqmmiM * Watch the trailer to Maziar's documentary about the underground Baha'i universities in Iran "To Light A Candle" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7aE27GyMMo Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on: *iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson/id1127132519 *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-545312385 You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ALg4rMvcNaQfGJUqD3pLK Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview professional life coach Susan Gammage from Canada. We talk about how she became a Baha'i, why she became a life coach, and how she uses the Baha'i Writings in her work and everything she does. We delve deep into the idea of "sin" and "shame" and she explains why she believes "it's the stories that separate us and the reactions that unite us". We talk about her very popular blog SusanGammage.com, and all of the books she's written and working on. We discuss the spiritualization of money; workaholism and other addictions; what she's currently reading, and how forgiveness is the key to solving so many things within us. To find out more about Susan Gammage, read her articles, discover her books and all that she does, go to her website: SusanGammage.com Here are a few links to some of the things we mentioned in our conversation, and some of the quotes from the Baha'i Writings we mentioned as well: * Susan mentions the book 'The Promulgation of Universal Peace' which is a compilation of talks delivered by Abdu'l‑Baha in New York, Montclair, and Jersey City: http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/#f=f8-547 * Susan talks about the book 'A More Excellent Way' by Henry W. Wright: http://amzn.to/2opfhfz * I mention 'Brilliant Star' magazine: brilliantstarmagazine.org * Susan mentions 'Ocean', a free library of the world's religious literature: bahai-education.org * We discuss the recent March 1st, 2017 letter from the Universal House of Justice regarding economic life: http://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/activities-bahai-community/20170301_001 * We talk about the Ruhi sequence of books, which you can find out more about here: www.ruhi.org/materials/list.php * I ask Susan about her book 'Fear Into Faith - Overcoming Anxiety': http://susangammage.com/are-you-ready-to-turn-fear-into-faith * We talk about the Baha'i Funds, which you can read more about in this Baha'i Blog article called 'The Baha'i Fund: An Introduction': http://bahaiblog.net/site/2015/06/the-bahai-fund-an-introduction/ * Susan quotes this portion of a prayer by Baha'u'llah: "Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every time I venture to make mention of Thee, I am held back by my mighty sins and grievous trespasses against Thee, and find myself wholly deprived of Thy grace, and utterly powerless to celebrate Thy praise. My great confidence in Thy bounty, however, reviveth my hope in Thee, and my certitude that Thou wilt bountifully deal with me emboldeneth me to extol Thee, and to ask of Thee the things Thou dost possess." * Susan quotes this prayer by Abdu'l-Baha: "O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life. O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord." Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4SR6lNJPMSBFTYY8rfpDP0 Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I sit down with my wife Holiday Reinhorn and dear friend Kathryn Adams to talk about LIDÈ, a not-for-profit educational initiative the three of us started. LIDÈ, which means both “Leader” and “Idea” in Haitian Kreyol, uses the arts and literacy to build resilience and empower at-risk adolescent girls in rural Haiti, helping them to transition into academic or vocational education. The three of us share our experiences and talk about how the devastating effects of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti not only decimated the nation, but also uncovered the need for educating and empowering adolescent girls. We discuss the need and importance of hope; the importance of not only education, but why specifically the education of women is paramount. We also talk about the idea of adopting a "grassroots-up" approach to development work rather than a "top-down" approach, and we touch on 'accompaniment' and how each one of us has a gem within us which needs to be mined. We discuss the importance of trust and having faith; what a “tap-tap” is, and how LIDÈ's program for kids with disabilities came to life. I hope you enjoy this conversation, and if you'd like to find out more about LIDÈ and how you can support its programs, go to lidehaiti.org. Please also check out some of the wonderful organizations we mention in the podcast, like The Mona Foundation (www.monafoundation.org), Sean Penn's charity JPHRO (jphro.org), and also the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (www.smallholderfarmersalliance.org). Don't forget to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or here on Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3pSm04WKcx5wfkfG0zyj1a Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Canadian multidisciplinary artist, performer and creator, Erika Batdorf. Erika's work has received numerous awards and been featured around the world. She was in California attending an SBCAST retreat, so I sat with her and had an amazing conversation about how science and art intersect; her show 'Burnish' and how like all of her work it's inspired by the Baha'i Writings. We discuss how our physical body and the ability to “feel” our body - like the beating of our heart, or even the power of walking - has an effect on our soul. She shares the fascinating story of how she was first introduced to the Baha’i Faith at the age of nine, and how as a teen, she would hitchhike dressed as a clown to get herself to Green Acre. She shares one of her personal struggles, her favorite Baha'i quote, and she also offers some wonderful advice to young Baha'i artists. You can find out more about Erika Batdorf and her fascinating work from her website: BATDORF.ORG Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5SlPwhOR6nb4MRHT4Ck3mH If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out BAHAIBLOG.NET. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview my Baha'i friend Michael Penn, a Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the US. We talk about how he became a Baha'i and the cool story of how he and his wife met; we discuss beauty and being our authentic self; hope and hopelessness; racism and how each one of us can overcome it; how the human being is the most sensitive signal detection system in the known universe - yep that's right! and we talk about the book he's working on, and how philosophy is the bridge between science and spirituality. Subscribe to Baha'i Blog's email list to find out when Michael Penn's new book comes out, and here's one of his already published books I mention in the podcast called "Overcoming Violence against Women and Girls: The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem". You can purchase the book from this link: http://amzn.to/2nCvtM3 There's also going to be an online seminar with Michael Penn coming up on 11 June, 2017 at the Wilmette Institute which you may want to attend. It's called "Mind & Development: Some Baha’i inspired Reflections on Mind and the Harvests of Human Thought". Use this link to find out more and register: http://bit.ly/2n7Plmz Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ttXiwIaPyGgEn34oEyuny If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit www.bahai.org, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out www.bahaiblog.net. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview the wonderful Luke Slott, a Baha'i singer and songwriter from Dublin, Ireland who has an equally wonderful head of hair. We talk about his musical background and how he became a Baha'i; how he first started composing music based on the Baha'i Writings and the new album he's just released during the month of the Baha'i Fast called 'Year of the Nightingale', which is dedicated to the bicentenary of the Birth of Baha’u’llah taking place this year. He tells us all about the fascinating book he's currently reading; what personal struggle he's currently trying to overcome, and what advice he would give to other artists and musicians. He also sings one of the songs from his new album live for us, and shares another one of them at the end of our beautiful conversation. You can listen to songs from 'Year of the Nightingale' as they are released on Luke Slott's YouTube channel, and find out more about Luke Slott and his work on his website (lukeslott.wordpress.com) and on his Facebook page. Also the book Luke mentions he's reading is called 'With Thine Own Eyes' and it can purchased here: http://amzn.to/2nkxolW Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Z8vQJ4Cdg9YwR04czeVNm Thank you for listening to the Baha'i Blogcast. If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit www.bahai.org, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out www.bahaiblog.net. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Dr. Joy DeGruy, an internationally renowned researcher, educator, author and presenter living in the United States. We talk about how she became a Baha’i and her research and work creating and developing the concept of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome. We also talk about how we can affect change in society, especially when it comes to dismantling racism, and we end our discussion speaking about Joy’s love of fishing. Here are links to some of the things mentioned in our conversation: Joy speaks of her admiration for Hooper Dunbar and mentions his book, Forces of Our Time: The Dynamics of Light and Darkness, which can be purchased here on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2mcSOmB This is a link to the video I summarized where Joy recounts being discriminated against at the grocery store: http://bit.ly/1LRgONL Here is the quotation Joy recited, a quotation that moves her deeply, from Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah: Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and moments of your lives have come and gone, and yet none of you hath, for one instant, consented to detach himself from that which perisheth. Bestir yourselves, that the brief moments that are still yours may not be dissipated and lost. Even as the swiftness of lightning your days shall pass, and your bodies shall be laid to rest beneath a canopy of dust. What can ye then achieve? How can ye atone for your past failure? To find out more about Joy and her work, check out her website: joydegruy.com Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ewoMT8vvoW8NaJG0rcO9n Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha'i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Tom Price, a Baha’i music composer, director and well-known public speaker currently living in Adelaide, Australia. We talk about his background, his travels, his experience doing music projects for global Baha'i events, and the fascinating story of how he became a Baha'i. We look at topics like the harmony between science and religion, walking and its meditative benefits, spiritual principles and how they apply to the physical world. We also talk about his experience as a public speaker whose talks have become widely shared and listened to around the world, his creative process with music, his daughter's band Lake Street Dive (http://www.lakestreetdive.com/), upcoming projects, some of the research he's doing, and some of his current spiritual goals. You can stay up to date with the talks that Tom Price is giving here on https://www.facebook.com/talksbytomprice/, and Baha'i Blog has also made some of Tom Price's talks available online which you can listen to using the links below: 1) Recreating Ourselves in the Image of the Master: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2012/10/new-talks-by-tom-price-recreating-ourselves-in-the-image-of-the-master/ 2) Following the Example of Abdu’l-Baha: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2015/01/following-footsteps-abdul-baha/ 3) The Role of Religion in Today's Society: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2015/02/role-religion-todays-society-tom-price-2/ 4) The Five Year Plan: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2015/01/5-year-plan-tom-price/ Be sure to check out and 'subscribe' to the Baha'i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OnYetVRxR39Z9FcoRHDv5 Thank you for listening to the Baha'i Blogcast. If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit www.bahai.org, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out www.bahaiblog.net. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha'i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I interview my friends Leyla and Ryan Haidarian who live in Johannesburg, South Africa with their son. We talk about the unexpected way in which they moved to South Africa from Los Angeles, their media company which produces, distributes and develops financing for movies, television shows and creative projects. We talk about the special story of how they met on pilgrimage, about their professional path, their experience in the film industry, and their passion for doing work that has an impact and affects lives. We also look at topics like surrendering to the will of God, the struggle of fame and status, the concept of self, tests and accepting them with radiant acquiescence, and their experience with marriage as a fortress of wellbeing. You can learn more about Leyla and Ryan's media company here: www.forefrontmedia.co.za/fmg/home.html Be sure to check out and 'subscribe' to the Baha'i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/25nXoDz2S745yDunCmhye6 Thank you for listening to the Baha'i Blogcast. If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit www.bahai.org, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out www.bahaiblog.net. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Dr. Steven Phelps, physicist, philosopher and translator who currently lives Oregon, USA. We talk about his experience growing up as a Baha’i, his studies in physics and philosophy, when his deepest beliefs were challenged, his move to the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa and his experience as a Hebrew, Arabic and Persian translator. We also look into some of the deepest philosophical questions and share thoughts about how the world works, the relativity of religious truth, science and religion, consciousness, and the progress of civilization. Here is the quote by Abdu’l-Baha from Paris Talks which Steven Phelps refers to: “I say unto you: weigh carefully in the balance of reason and science everything that is presented to you as religion. If it passes this test, then accept it, for it is truth! If, however, it does not so conform, then reject it, for it is ignorance!” You can listen to a talk by Steven Phelps called "Science, Religion & the Coming Spiritual Revolution" here: https://soundcloud.com/bahai-blog/steven-phelps-science-religion-and-the-coming-spiritual-revolution Be sure to check out and 'subscribe' to the Baha'i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Ie0nUJVv5lwbZ3xg728bF Thank you for listening to the Baha'i Blogcast. If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit www.bahai.org, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out www.bahaiblog.net. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha'i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Andy Grammer and his wife Aijia. We talk about how they met and what married life is like, the evolution of their careers, having a baby in the kitchen, trying to 'keep it real' in all that you do, tests and perseverance, songwriting, death and loss, becoming a Baha'i, their favourite Baha'i quotes, plus they even sing Aija's favourite quote for us at the end of the podcast. Here is the quote by Baha'u'llah from the Hidden Words that Andy refers to: "O SON OF EARTH! Know, verily, the heart wherein the least remnant of envy yet lingers, shall never attain My everlasting dominion, nor inhale the sweet savors of holiness breathing from My kingdom of sanctity." And here is the reference to the quote that Aijia refers to which they sing: "Whatever is done in love is never any trouble, and - there is always time." Abdu'l-Baha was reported to have said this in 1908. This quote is taken from page 42 of "Daily Lessons Received at Akka, January 1908" by Helens S. Goodall and Ella Goodall Cooper. Here are the music videos to the songs Andy spoke about in the interview: Honey I'm Good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go7gn6dugu0 Keep Your Head Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmrOB_q3tjo Holding out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7kJVU1ioWU You can view more of Andy's work on his website: http://www.andygrammer.com/splash/. You can also follow Andy on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/andygrammer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor and Aijia here: https://twitter.com/aijiaofficial. Be sure to check out and 'subscribe' to the Baha'i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ZITxbsaADoYeuMvtDnBEr Thank you for listening to the Baha'i Blogcast. If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit http://www.bahai.org, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out http://www.bahaiblog.net. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha'i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Payam Zamani, Iranian-born entrepreneur and philanthropist living in San Francisco. He tells me about his escape from Iran to the United States, his early religious experiences as a Baha'i, including the discrimination he experienced in Iran, his family's pioneering journeys in different countries, his humble beginnings, switching careers, becoming a business owner and his desire to find the spirit of service in his work, plus a lot more. Payam is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of One Planet Ops and the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of www.bahaiteachings.org. To explore the Baha'i Teachings website click here: http://www.bahaiteachings.org, and to learn more about Payam's company you can visit One Planet Ops website here: http://www.oneplanetops.com. You can also follow Payam on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/PayamZamani?ref_src…erp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor. Be sure to check out and 'subscribe' to the Baha'i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Baha'i Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Okx0xTXk6dbyff5wRfTde Thank you for listening to the Baha'i Blogcast. If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit www.bahai.org, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out www.bahaiblog.net. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha'i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode I interview Layli Miller-Muro, founder and Executive Director of the Tahirih Justice Centre, a non-profit which provides free legal services to women and girls who are fleeing human rights abuses. The organization which was founded in 1997 and serves nearly 19,000 women aims to promote a world where women and girls enjoy equality and live in safety and dignity. In this interview Layli and I talk about her aspirations for service as a youth, her early experience as a lawyer, how the Tahirih Justice Centre came about, keeping the Faith at the center of what you do, personal detachment and welcoming tests, engaging with the wider community in your own field, plus a lot more. The official website of the Tahirih Justice Centre is www.tahirih.org, and you can purchase a copy of Layli’s book about Fauziya Kassindja called Do They Hear You When You Cry here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/They-Hear-You-When-Cry/dp/0385319940/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1468769890&sr=8-1&keywords=do+they+hear+you+when+you+cry&linkCode=sl1&tag=baibl0c-20&linkId=470eaca42f39944156e86328adddd9e7 Also, here’s the quote by Baha’u’llah being discussed by Rainn and Layli: “O CHILDREN OF DUST! Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor, lest heedlessness lead them into the path of destruction, and deprive them of the Tree of Wealth. To give and to be generous are attributes of Mine; well is it with him that adorneth himself with My virtues.” To watch an interview with Layli where she talks about the importance of work done in the spirit of service to others click here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2014/07/interview-layli-miller-muro/. Be sure to check out and 'subscribe' to the Baha'i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Baha'i Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5TeyuUxdACwXJgxjhm46TI Thank you for listening to the Baha'i Blogcast. If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit www.bahai.org, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out www.bahaiblog.net. Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha'i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I interview my good friend, Baha'i actor and filmmaker Justin Baldoni. Among many other things, Justin is currently starring in the hit TV show "Jane the Virgin", and in this podcast, we talk about being a new dad, personal hardships and putting your trust in God, making videos about death and creating content to be a source of healing, the Shout! app and social media, redefining masculinity, and celebrating birthdays for the homeless. Here's the music video Justin and I spoke about called ‘Armed’ by Devon Gundry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxa70NF_fPs. You can also watch Justin's series called ‘My Last Days’ here on Soul Pancake: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzvRx_johoA8ITQgxBpeJTaDUhhIB7bfX You can "Like" Justin on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/justinbaldoni/ and follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/justinbaldoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor. Be sure to check out and 'subscribe' to the Baha'i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Baha'i Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ifb5RtFQy91r8dmMIoXfM Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha'i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts and minds and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I interview multi-award winning Jazz singer and legend, Tierney Sutton. Tierney has won and been nominated for countless awards, including six consecutive Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Tierney and I talk about how she first got into music, became a Baha'i, why she studied Russian, the power of music and the Holy Word, how Jazz and consultation relate, her favourite Baha'i quote, and what she's working on in her personal life. She even sings a beautiful prayer for us all as well, so I hope you enjoy this one! You can find out more about Tierney Sutton and her band, their performance dates, and albums at www.TierneySutton.com. Also, here's the quote of the prayer by the Bab sung by Tierney in the podcast: “O Lord! Unto Thee I repair for refuge, and toward all Thy signs I set my heart. O Lord! Whether traveling or at home, and in my occupation or in my work, I place my whole trust in Thee. Grant me then Thy sufficing help so as to make me independent of all things, O Thou Who art unsurpassed in Thy mercy! Bestow upon me my portion, O Lord, as Thou pleasest, and cause me to be satisfied with whatsoever Thou hast ordained for me. Thine is the absolute authority to command.” The songs that were featured in this podcast can be purchased from the following links: 'It's Only a Paper Moon', 'Skylark', and 'Long Daddy Green' found on the album 'Desire' available at the following link on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/desire/id304753161 'You Are My Sunshine' found on the album 'On the Other Side' available at the following link on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/on-the-other-side/id209335059 'Court and Spark' found on the album 'After Blue' available at the following link on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/after-blue/id689073893 Be sure to check out and 'subscribe' to the Baha'i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud. You can also stream the Baha'i Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2IMFv6Sv7ydDvHXIcgse5s Thank you for listening to the Baha'i Blogcast. If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit www.bahai.org, and for more Baha'i fun stuff check out www.bahaiblog.net. -Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha'i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts, I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts and minds and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In our very first episode, we kick things off with the founder of Baha'i Blog Naysan Naraqi and I interviewing each other. We talk about Baha'i Blog, education for young girls in Haiti, world citizenship, being a Baha'i in Hollywood, books we're reading, and some of the things we're working on within our own spiritual development. You can also listen to the Baha'i Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/41vfEAkvfxn1OqHwDjPJDP Enjoy!