O Glory of the All-Glorious!

In the first  chapter, Heartfulness Inquiry™  will be simply  explained. This practice, which is the heart  of Unities of All Things™, may, God willing, assist some souls to become lovers of the Best Beloved, Baháʾuʾlláh (Arabic1, Bahāʾ Allāh, Glory or Splendor of God), and to prepare for the realms, merely reflected upon this world, beyond death. The book is, in a sense, a prayer or love letter to my dear and precious Lord. Joining the Baháʾí Faith is entirely separate, but you may  accept the invitation (al-daʿwa).

I now give you my heart. Unities of All Things is a private, not  an official, Baháʾí-related activity. Participation is informal, and there is no membership list. You are welcome, however, to sign the guestbook and share your experiences. My recommendation is to begin only with the chapter on the seven steps. This work has been designed as a reference and a resource guide. Simply reading it from beginning to end may be confusing. God bless you.

Meditation or “deepening” is entering into a relationship with attributes or qualities which we can identify by name. The first chapter of the book will offer some personal suggestions. Please introduce your own variations. Obviously, each of our needs and requirements may differ. Find what works just right for you.

For what it’s worth, after struggling for a lifetime to be emancipated from Autism, I unexpectedly discovered this heartfulness, or spiritually heart-centered, methodology. My closed heart began opening to multi-layered unities within unities in just a few months.

Heartfulness Inquiry  is an individual  practice. It is intended to produce an inner  peace or tranquility, to acquire the higher nature (in The Unicentric Paradigm™), and to increase one’s attachment to God2. Please set aside some quiet time, and do your best to find yourself a private space. Whenever possible, turn your phone off. Then imagine, for purposes of the meditation, that your spiritual heart, or consciousness of attraction, is located somewhere around the chest.

You may begin with just one or two of the seven steps. They will be clearly and carefully explained after this paragraph. Little by little, as your comfort level increases, raise the number of steps. The exact order is not  important. Some of the steps may even be blended into one. When your eyes are closed, you may, from time to time, open them to check the clock. Alarms, which can obviously be distracting, are best avoided.

1. Heartfulness.       Always  have a heart-centered awareness, in the moment, of your body and surroundings. The meditation can purify your creative stream of consciousness (thoughts, insights, and feelings). Be receptive to it  except as indicated. However, refuse to think negatively or obsessively by returning, quietly, to the meditation. Any of these exercises may  be used, if you find them helpful, in later steps or independently:
   • While seated or reclined, and wearing comfortable clothing, tighten and release, one by one, any tense muscles. Roll your eyes up slightly, and close them. If you like, meditate on the space between your eyebrows. Remain heartful of any senses and sensations, but do not become distracted by them. Breathe evenly, naturally, and, if you wish, deeply.
   • You might also touch yourself a few times on the forehead (an approach used for hypnotic induction). In order to become “centered,” refocused, and relaxed, practicing movement (also called kinesthetic driving), including dancing and yoga, benefits some people. In addition, it can sometimes be helpful to touch your body. For instance, loosly cup one or both hand(s) facing upwards. Join together the thumb and one of the other fingers. Now, you may be heartful of your pulse.
     
   • Although you should, ideally, find a place where you are not likely to be disturbed, welcome any background noises without concentrating on them. There is a difference between sense impressions and reactions, such as annoyance, often attached to them. The heartfulness of meditative music and sounds (sonic driving) may be useful:
     file 1, file 2, file 3, file 4, file 5, file 6, file 7, file 8, file 9, file 10, file 11, file 12, file 13, file 14, file 15, file 16, file 17, file 18, file 19, file 20, file 21, file 22, file 23, file 24, file 25, file 26, file 27, file 28, file 29, file 30, file 31, file 31, file 32, file 33, file 34, file 36, file 37, file 38 (or on MP4 video), file 39 (or on MP4 video), file 40 (or on MP4 video), three jukeboxes, and file 41.
2. Prayer.       Concentrate, whenever you wish, on silent, recited, or chanted prayer. Since meditation can amplify your emotions and sensations, it is crucial to create a positive  and devotional  attitude as the heart is opened.
   • The Unity (or “Essence”) of God, beyond all Names, is One3. You might pray to and love: God, Parent, Source, Light, Holy (or Wholly) Other, Beloved, Eternal, “Thou,” Cosmic Force, Higher Power, and so forth. The Unity of God is the Unity of the Prophets. You can speak to the Unity in the Name of any Prophet, including God’s Greatest Name, Baháʾuʾlláh.
   • Pour out, and surrender4, your heart. Share your hopes, your joys, and your sorrows. You are having an intimate and loving conversation with your dearest and most trusted Friend. If you need to unburden your heart, my suggestion is to do so to Baháʾuʾlláh, the Best Beloved. Avoid gossip and backbiting.
   • Likewise, you can pray to other members of the Supreme Concourse (al-Malāʾ al-Aʿlā), including dear ʿAbduʾl-Bahá5 (ʿAbd al-Bahāʾ). For that matter, heart-felt prayers, drawing entities together in love and eternal companionship, can be made to anyone  or anything. By loving beings and things, we know, see, and understand them. Shoghi Effendi (Šawqī Afandī) prayed to ʿAbduʾl-Bahá’s sister, the Greatest Holy Leaf (Persianized Arabic, Varaqiy-i ʿUlyā or Arabic, al-Waraqiy al-ʿUlyā). I frequently pray to the Universal House of Justice.
   • Discover your family (or comm-unity) in the world to come. For what it’s worth, I sometimes ask the network I call “my family”, a list of my parents and other departed souls (including deceased friends) which I have tacked on the wall, to comfort souls who have just left this world, or I will do so myself. I pray for my family, collectively or individually, and I dedicate various activities, especially my websites, to them. They are, I sense, all around me.
3. Watchful Remembrance™.       Over and over again, silently recite, or listen to, any devotional word or phrase you like. You may also practice Breathing Baháʾuʾlláh™ 6. Trying  to focus can be stressful. Instead, focus upon your remembrance as much as possible. From the center of your heart, you are inwardly chanting love songs to your Best Beloved Lord. This activity and prayer can flow into one another.
   • Your eyes may be closed, and rolled up slightly, or left open (if you wish, while staring at an object). Before beginning and, again, when ending, briefly rest, quietly, with your eyes shut. However, when you are involved in hazardous activities, such as driving, be cautious or moderate in your remembrance.
   • Examples of remembrance from the Baháʾí Faith and other traditions are provided. As far as listening to chanting goes, these songs are excellent: file 1 and file 2.
   • To recall the remembrance, or its melody, it can be said vocally before  beginning. Maintaining a rhythm is more important than clear mental pronunication. The remembrance should be recited, chanted, or listened to in your mind, but lip syncing, or softly whispering along, is fine.
   • Creative thinking, including solutions to problems, may occur to you during the remembrance. Do not suppress them. Drive away negative thoughts by inwardly saying, “thank you,” and then returning, calmly, to the remembrance.
   • You may get into any of these habits: conducting your own inner orchestras and choruses (which did not work for me, personally, as someone with OCD), moving to the beat of the remembrance (even borrowing from Ṣūfī dancing or “whirling,” if you like), mentally  reciting it in rhythm with the physical heart (using the thumb’s pulse or a hand on the heart), and imagining the remembrance together with the spiritual heart (engraved upon, being written over, spoken to, reverberating within, and so forth).
4. Forceless Remembrance™.       Before beginning and, again, when ending, briefly rest and relax, quietly, with your eyes shut. Remain open to your stream of consciousness only  at the final bullet. Although this step and the previous one are alternatives  to each other, both may be taken.
   • With your eyes closed, feel yourself mentally repeating the remembrance without  thinking about it. Begin verbally, if you like, but gradually perform the remembrance in complete silence  (with no  whispering or lip syncing). Examples are provided from the Baháʾí Faith and other traditions.
   • The remembrance may fade into the back of your mind, become hazy, and vary in speed, volume, or pitch, which are all fine. Do not  pressure yourself to clearly pronounce the sounds or to achieve a rhythm. The mind should be in a passive and receptive (almost nonchalant), not an active, state.
   • Allow any sensations, such as they are, to come and go. For instance, do not  control or intentionally follow your breath, and avoid focusing  on your heartbeat. Inwardly reciting the remembrance, perhaps for 15-20 minutes (morning and evening), is all that matters.
   • Do not  try to concentrate or worry about becoming distracted. Stray thoughts are inevitable, but the activity should be forceless. As you notice your mind wandering, calmly and smoothly resume. You are tossing a tiny coin into the wishing well of your heart. Each time the coin vanishes, you toss one in again.
   • These are extra  activities: After finishing the above process, silently recite, every fifteen seconds or so, a short and uplifting quotation7. Focus on the spiritual heart. Then read from a holy text. Conclude by inwardly reciting one or more remembrances while becoming heartful of the Attributes (Qualities or Virtues) of God and the attributes of various created things8.
5. Contemplation.       Whenever you like, apply the devotional receptivity, acquired through the previous steps, to one or more of the heart-centered contemplations, or creative imaginations, below. You can also prepare your own. Focusing on extrasensory perception (ESP) or psychic powers is discouraged.
   • You contemplate on His Blessed Presence Baháʾuʾlláh as the Best Beloved (al-Maḥbūb). He, the individual Soul, is your personal  God and the dearest Adored One of your life. Feel Him, and His Perfections, enter your heart. Make Him your Lover. Hug Him tightly, kiss Him, stroke His hair, and speak to Him. In life, nothing  ultimately matters, in my view, except for loving the Best Beloved. I anxiously hope to meet Him on the other side. Taṣawwur al-kamālāt (conceptualizing the perfections) is the term I coined for this practice.
   • You heartfully envision an image of ʿAbduʾl-Bahá, His eyes in particular. Gradually, conceptualize only His perfections or virtues. If you wish, feel your heart center becoming susceptible, near, and attracted to ʿAbduʾl-Bahá’s example. Firmness in the Covenant of Baháʾuʾlláh includes loving its Center, ʿAbduʾl-Bahá, peace be upon Them. Similar exercises can be performed with other holy, or dearly loved, persons.
   • You smile while contemplating the heart center. To put it a different way, without thinking how to do so, smile at your heart. However, when working, exercising, and so on, you may simply keep your attention on the heart center. “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalms 46:10).
   • Your heart glows and throbs with a warming light. Visualize, perhaps, a ray from the sun (symbolizing the Sun of Reality) filling your heart and purifying you with light. You could also picture shining light pouring, from the heart, into an afflicted area of your body (with one hand placed on it) or directed towards someone who is ill or suffering.
   • For eternal relationships, deeply understand, and learn from, souls, in this world, in the world to come, or in the Inner World of dreams (the Archangels). Heartfully contemplate them as individualized virtues or attributes. In full embrace, speak to them, kiss their heads, stroke their hair. Imagine them near your heart center, folded into yourself, or the light from your heart surrounding them. Repair negative feelings. Since love is the door to knowledge, the more souls one loves, the better. Focusing on departed beings (including Prophets, deeply loved ones, and those unknown) and on Archangels may  draws them, and the world to come, closer and prepare for a more direct meeting. Pray silently.
6. Reflection.       This word refers to turning one’s thoughts back to a subject. From, even during, the prior steps, the heart center can become sensitive to the divine guidance of love. Knowledge is a result of love. Ask, pause, and listen. One asks the heart a question, remains silent, and listens for a possible answer. Then, over the course of the day, seeing with the eyes of the heart, continue to wait, in expectancy, for answers to such questions as:
   • Is the sensitivity (or comfort level) of my heart center higher or lower when I consider this decision or engage in this behavior? Are any services now required of me or does my friend have any spiritual, or physical, or emotional needs? Can I sense the characteristics of the angelic souls guiding me? What do my eyes feel like while watching (or desiring to watch) a particular television program?
   • How do my higher and lower selves react, and which spiritual virtues (attributes) am I acquiring when I have a certain sensation, as I read a religious text, while I am “deepening” (reflecting) upon a Baháʾí topic, when I am teaching the Baháʾí Faith? Learning about oneself, through meditation, is discovering one’s attributes.
   • What can I learn by individually studying a particular subject? Reflect with your heart, not only with your mind, on the research questions you are asking. Become an explorer of the kingdoms of existence (divine, human, animal, vegetable, and mineral) and the beings and things within them. Participation, with reflection, improves observation. Engage in participant-observation (ethnography). If time seems to pass quickly, one may not be learning and exploring new ideas.
   • One can reflect, while taking notes, on the words or concepts contained in reflections and in dreams. Then, one may repeatedly reflect on the reflections. Layer upon layer, or over and over again, one goes deeper and deeper.
   • Journaling, blogging, poetry writing, storytelling, autobiographical writing, painting, photography, and other forms of expression are often helpful tools for reflective meditation. Truth is what one discovers through being virtuous. Furthermore, for empirical research, this step may be useful in research design.
7. Service.       The virtues acquired through contemplation are put into action using moderation or wisdom. Act heartfully  and intentionally, not merely out of habit. Pause, think, and make a new choice. Be pro-active, not re-active (repeating the same unvirtuous action over and over again).
   • Serve God through serving His servants. To be of service to others, and to lessen their suffering, is the highest human station. We all share in the attributes of the unity or essence of humanity. Service, and regularly checking our motives, reminds us of it. Although the Prophets and Their chosen ones can speak with the Voice of divine Authority, including condemnation, we should only speak as servants.
   • Reflection and service might be compared to inhaling and exhaling virtues. If we receive spiritual direction, but ignore it, we have not completed the breath of life. However, only  follow the illumination received, during reflection, after comparing it with the Baháʾí texts. Gnōsticism should be avoided. If inner knowledge was sufficient, or authoritative, the Prophets would not have revealed the Word of God.
   • ʿAbduʾl-Bahá reportedly said, “... look at me, follow me, be as I am ....” Relate to others only  from the heart. For instance, if someone asks you a spiritual question, reflect deeply upon, look into, her heart. Then respond to the heart, not to the words. We cannot read minds, but we can see attributes.
   • Needless to say, service, or giving from the heart, should not be mistaken, on the one hand, for being servile (“bootlicking”) or, on the other, for being bullied, manipulated, and treated like a doormat. In my view, world unity is the divinely revealed essence of humanity which was created and revealed by His Blessed Presence Baháʾuʾlláh. We discover that unity together. Serve virtuously.
   • Put the research design into practice. Always, however, be ethical. Treat everyone with dignity and respect. Perhaps one should assume that most events are the result of free will. That way, one might make more responsible choices. Objectively, however, a constellation of factors impacts everything we do.

In addition, some writers recommend meditating while seated, no sooner than two hours after meals, and at least two hours before bedtime. The explanations frequently provided are: that an individual is more likely to fall asleep while lying down, that the exercises may interfere with metabolism and digestion, and that meditation can decrease tiredness. Although none  of these issues creates any noticeable problems for me, your own experiences may, of course, differ. Therefore, it cannot hurt to keep these recommendations in mind, especially when first starting  the meditation.

Meditation is, similar to many learning experiences throughout our lives, like riding a bicycle. When starting, the chances of being balanced on two narrow wheels appear slim to none. We learn, however, by steps. First, we hold the bike in our hands. Second, we raise the kickstand. Third, while grasping the handlebars, we move one leg over to the other side of the vehicle. Fourth, one foot after the other, we press our feet against the pedals and begin pumping them in circles. Before we know it, the original fuss appears foolish. Riding a bike is easy. As with meditation, we can forget the steps and improvise.

From the West to the East, popular culture, particularly advertising, has promoted the distractions of forgetfulness, not the moments of remembrance. Perhaps before concerning ourselves too much with the lives of others, we first need to remember the life of the spirit within each of ourselves. In the quotation below, ʿAbduʾl-Bahá discussed the importance of the constant remembrance of the Greatest Name or “Supreme Manifestation,” Bahāʾ (Glory, Light, or Splendor). Its various forms include Yā Bahāʾ al-Abhā  (O Glory of the All-Glorious) and Allāhu Abhā  (God is Most Glorious).

The list provided below contains only a few  possibilities for the quiet remembrance of holy names, and brief silent or vocalized prayer, from various Baháʾí texts. Perhaps you can discover others.

• Recite Yā Bahāʾ al-Abhāʾ – Yā ʿAliyy al-ʿAʿlā  to a number of your own choosing: recording 1, recording 2, recording 3, recording 4, recording 5, recording 6, and recording 7. The first invocation is addressed to my dear Lord, Baháʾuʾlláh. It translates as “O Glory of the All-Glorious.” The second, to the Báb, translates as “O Exalted of the Most Exalted.”
  “The battle cry animating its [the ten-year Spiritual Crusade’s] heroes and heroines is the cry of Yá Baháʾuʾl-Abhá, Yá Aliyyuʾl-ʿAlá.”
  Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baháʾí World: 1950-1957.
• Recite Yā Šafī (O Thou the  Healer, Intercessor, or Mediator) to a number of your own choosing.
  “On a certain day they brought word that Sadiq was at the point of death. I went to his bedside and found him breathing his last. He was suffering from ileus, an abdominal pain and swelling. I hurried to Baháʾuʾlláh and described his condition. ‘Go,’ He said. ‘Place your hand on the distended area and speak the words: “O Thou the Healer [Yá Shafí]!”’
  “I went back. I saw that the affected part had swollen up to the size of an apple; it was hard as stone, in constant motion, twisting, and coiling about itself like a snake. I placed my hand upon it; I turned toward God and, humbly beseeching Him, I repeated the words, ‘O Thou the Healer!ʾ Instantly the sick man rose up. The ileus vanished; the swelling was carried off....
  “Not only had the patient [Mírzá Jaʿfar] ceased to breathe, but his body was already going limp. His family were gathered about him, mourning him, shedding bitter tears. The Blessed Beauty [Baháʾuʾlláh] said, ‘Go; chant the prayer of Yá Shafí -- O Thou, the Healer -- and Mírzá Jaʿfar will come alive. Very rapidly, he will be as well as ever.’ I reached his bedside. His body was cold and all the signs of death were present. Slowly, he began to stir; soon he could move his limbs, and before an hour had passed he lifted his head, sat up, and proceeded to laugh and tell jokes.”
  ʿAbduʾl-Bahá, Memorials of the Faithful.
• Here is a chant which combines the three previous invocations. It is the one I personally use most frequently. There is also another version.
• Recite the daily obligatory remembrance  of Allāhu Abhāʾ  (God is Most Glorious) ninety-five times (recording 1 and recording 2). In other words, nineteen, which is referred to as a wāḥid (Persian, vāḥid) or unity, is multiplied by five. The abjad (ʾabǧad, order), or numerical, value of the word, “wāḥid,” is also nineteen. The abjad value of “bāb” (gate), as well as “hā” (h), is five.
  “We [the members of the Universal House of Justice] have also decided that it is timely for Baháʾís in every land to take to their hearts the words of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas: ‘It hath been ordained that every believer in God, the Lord of Judgment, shall, each day, having washed his hands and then his face, seat himself and, turning unto God, repeat “Alláh-u-Abhá” ninety-five times. Such was the decree of the Maker of the Heavens when, with majesty and power, He established Himself upon the thrones of His Names.’ Let all experience the spiritual enrichment brought to their souls by this simple act of worshipful meditation.”
  From a letter, dated December 28, 1999, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Baháʾís of the World.
  “QUESTION: Do ablutions performed for the Obligatory Prayer suffice for the ninety-five repetitions of the Greatest Name?
  “ANSWER: It is unnecessary to renew the ablutions.”
  Baháʾuʾlláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Questions and Answers). Page 129.
• Recite the Báb’s Remover of Difficulties to a number of your own choosing.
  “He [Baháʾuʾlláh] said: ‘Bid them recite: “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!” Tell them to repeat it five hundred times, nay, a thousand times, by day and by night, sleeping and waking, that haply the Countenance of Glory may be unveiled to their eyes, and tiers of light descend upon them’”
  Shoghi Effendi (quoting Nabíl), God Passes By.
  “On page 1 of your October News letter you have quoted the Báb’s prayer for the removal of difficulties and have added: ‘Baháʾuʾlláh has said to repeat this prayer 500 times by day and by night that it may aid us to recognize Him and our souls will be illumined.’
  “The above statement gives the impression that the repetition of the said prayer 500 times is one of the prescribed devotionals of the Faith, and has a specified effect on the believer who observes this form of prayer.
  “We do not feel it is justified to infer such conclusions from the reference in ‘God Passes By’, page 119, which you mention. The passage in question obviously refers to a specific circumstance in the life of Baháʾuʾlláh in Baghdád before the declaration of His Mission, and should not be presented to the believers as one of the prescribed observances of the Faith.”
  From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly, dated November 24, 1971, and quoted in Lights of Guidance. No. 1528. Page 466.
• Recite the following invocations to a number of your own choosing: Allāhu Akbar (God is Great), Allāhu Aʿzam (God is Most Great), Allāhu Aǧmal (God is Most Beauteous), Allāhu Abhāʾ (God is Most Glorious), and Allāhu Atar (God is Most Pure).
  “The messengers who acted as intermediaries between Hujjat and his companions were one day directed to inform the guards of the barricades to carry out the Báb’s injunction to His followers and to repeat nineteen times, each night, each of the following invocations: ‘Alláh-u-Akbar [God the Great],’ ‘Alláh-u-Aʿzam [God the Most Great],’ ‘Alláh-u-Ajmal [God the Most Beauteous],’ ‘Alláh-u-Abhá [God the Most Glorious],’ and ‘Alláh-u-Athar [God the Most Pure].’ The very night the behest was received, all the defenders of the barricades joined in shouting those words simultaneously. So loud and compelling was that cry that the enemy was rudely awakened from sleep, abandoned the camp in horror, and, hurrying to the environs of the governor’s residence, sought shelter in the neighbouring houses. A few were so shocked with terror that they instantly dropped dead. A considerable number of the inhabitants of Zanján fled, panic-stricken, to the adjoining villages. Many believed that stupendous uproar to be a sign heralding the Day of Judgment; to others it signified the sending forth, on the part of Hujjat, of a fresh summons which they felt would be the prelude to a sudden offensive against them more terrible than any they had yet experienced.”
  Nabíl, The Dawn-Breakers (translated by Shoghi Effendi). Pages 552-553.
• Recite Yā Musakin al-Aryāh (O Subduer of the Winds) to a number of your own choosing.
  “Regarding the invocation ‘Ya Musakin el Ariah’: It literally means ‘O Subduer of Winds’. The believers are not required to recite it, but may do so in moments of personal danger.”
  From a letter, dated December 6, 1939, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual Baháʾí. Cited in Lights of Guidance. Helen Hornby, compiler. New Delhi, India: Baháʾí Publishing Trust. Second edition (1988). Number 1520. Page 463.
• Recite Praise be to Thee, O Revealer of the Signs of God! (Gleanings from the Writings of Baháʾuʾlláh, page 34) to a number of your own choosing.

Transformative applications of language can be found in a variety of religious, as well as secular, contexts. This chapter will discuss some of them. A listing of several links pages on different approaches used in meditation is at the end of the chapter. If these subjects do not interest you right now, skip to the next chapter or return to the table of contents.

• The remembrance of lā ʾilāha ʾillallāh may be translated, There is no god but God (sample). Listen to these contemporary Islāmic songs or hymns (anāšīd, the plural of našīd), versions of “Never Forget” (an obvious reference to remembrance), by Mesut Kurtis: file 1, file 2, file 3, file 4, file 5, and file 6. Here is another by Sami Yusuf. It is the first part of the Islāmic testimony of faith, formally called the Witness (al-Šahāda) or the Word (al-Kalimah), and is used by a variety of Ṣūfī organizations, including the M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi School of Islāmic Ṣūfism (M.T.O. Šāhmaqṣūdī).
• The repetition of, first, bismillāh ar-raḥmān ar-raḥīm (“in the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Compassionate”), which prefaces each sūrah (“apologia” or “defense,” i.e., chapter) of al-Qurʾān (except for the ninth), and second, of Allāh is taught by the University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism of Ibrahim Jaffe, M.D., and the Shadhiliyya Sufi Center (Šādhilīyah) of Sīdī Šayh Muḥammad Saʿīd al-Ǧamāl. This practice, called The Remembrance Prayer, includes visualizations on taking “... a few deep breaths as if your energetic heart was breathing” and on “... focusing on your breath as you say the Name into your heart.” These methods, along with some of the order’s teachings on guidance, have been adapted for use in Heartfulness Inquiry.
• Allāhu, with the final syllable exaggerated, is a common Ṣūfī style of stringing together repetitions of the word, “Allāh.” Hū, another common Ṣūfī remembrance which can be heard in this sound clip, is the Arabic pronoun for “He,” as in, “Hū Allāh” (“He is  God”). (“Allāh” is also sometimes used.)
• Taṣawwur-i ism-i dāt (Persianized Arabic for “conceptualizing the personal name of Allāh”) was introduced by his holy presence, Sulṭān Bāhū. It involves the visualization of the word, ﷲ (Allāh), being written upon one’s own heart. (See this website’s page on Ḥaḍrat Sulṭān Bāhū.) A modified version has been incorporated into Heartfulness Inquiry. In addition, the remembrance (dikr) of yā Bāhū (MP3 audio files one and two), an MP4 file, and my own chant of yā Hū Bāhū are invocations related to Sulṭān Bāhū. This special being is, I feel, my guardian angel. In 2010, this special being reached out to, and interceded for, me from the next world. My first sensations of empathy, as an Autist, mostly involved him.
• Bulhī-ah! (Šāh Mukhī Punjabi, بللیہ), “Bulhī O,” is an invocation for divine intercession to Bābā Bulhī Šāh-i Qādrī Šaṭārī. Watch an MP4 video.
• Many followers of the liberal Ṣūfī, Śirdī Sāi Bābā, chant, Auṃ (Oṃ) Sāi Śrī Sāi Jaya Jaya Sāi, which is Sanskrit for victory! victory! or twice the victory (jaya jaya) to the beautiful or majestic (śrī) divine (sāi) one.
• Om swastiastu ratu bagus (MP3 audio file) is an Indonesianized Sanskrit mantra (see the glossary entry, Mantra). Indonesian is written in the Roman Alphabet. The words are Indonesianized Sanskrit for Oṃ (see the glossary entry, Auṃ), svasti (Devanāgarī Sanskrit script, स्वस्ति, wellbeing, welfare, or blessing), astu (Devanāgarī Sanskrit script, अस्तु, let it be), ratū (Devanāgarī Sanskrit script, रतू, the river of heaven, the celestial Ganges, or true speech), and bagus (Indonesian for good). The mantra is chanted within Ratu Bagus International.
• This devotional chant, by Meera (Sanskrit, Mīra) Kale, concerns Meher Baba (Persian, Mihr Bābā), an historically significant personality in the Śirdī Sāi Bābā Ṣūfī movement.
• Jyoti Meditation (Sanskrit, jyoti, effulgence) is practiced by some followers of Sātya Sāi Bābā. A Hindū by birth, he was another historically significant personality in the Śirdī Sāi Bābā Ṣūfī movement. Govinda Hārē (the “power of the cow herder,” which refers to a youthful Kṛṣṇā) is one of their mantrās.
• The Open Heart Meditation of Irmansyah Effendi, MSc (born 1966 in Indonesia), includes a prayer "... for blessing, to cleanse negative emotions from our heart... and to open our heart better...." (Listen to this guided meditation, and watch this Flash video.) His technique of smiling (and smiling at the heart) has been modified for use within Heartfulness Inquiry.
• Hēsychasm (Greek for stillness), in the Eastern Orthodox Church, sometimes includes the Jesus prayer (also called the Prayer of the Heart): Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
• The meditations on Biblical verses, in the Benedictine Roman Catholic practice of lēctiō dīvīna (Latin for “divine reading”), resemble the Eastern Orthodox Hēsychasm.
• The Rosary (from the Medieval Latin, rosārius, “rose garden”), with its multiple decades of Hail Mary, is practiced in the Roman Catholic Church.
• Inviting Jesus into one’s heart: “I pray that, according to the riches of his  [the Father’s] glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians  3:16-17). St. Paul’s words are so beautiful. Although I am not a Christian, while rereading that verse, I welcomed the Beloved Jesus into my heart.
• Glōssolalia (Koiné, or “common,” Greek for “speaking in tongues”) refers to the ecstatic speech of the Pentecostals, the charismatics, the New Apostolic Church International, The Way International, and others (sample 1 and sample 2).
• Soaking prayer, often accompanied by soaking music (sample), is a form of ecstatic meditation. It is advocated by Catch the Fire (the Toronto blessing in the charismatic movement), the family of churches which started Partners in Harvest. Here is an audio explanation of soaking prayer (dubbed from YouTube).
• The Lord’s Prayer of Jesus can be chanted in Aramaic (sample 1 and sample 2).
• The Prophetic (or Ecstatic) Qabbālāh (Hebrew for “receiving,” and frequently transliterated or Anglicized/Latinized as Kabbalah) of ʾAbrāhām ben Šəmûʼēl Abū Lafīyah (circa 1240-1291) includes meditations on divine names (as from the TaNaḤ, the Hebrew acronym for the Jewish Bible).
• The qabbālistic Song of Redemption, Na Naḥ Naḥma Naḥman MiʾUman (MP3 audio file and PDF file), is recited within the Na Naḥ (Na Nach) branch of the Bratslav Ḥasidus under Rebbe Naḥman (Nachman), 1772-1810. Devotees are commonly known as the Na Nachs (Hebrew, hā-Na Naḥîm). The words refer to Naḥman and, possibly, to his place of burial, “miʾUman” (“from Uman” in the Ukraine).
• Rebbe Naḥman himself repeated, Rībônô šel ʿÔlām (Hebrew for “Master of the World” or “Master of the Universe”). It was pronounced, with Naḥman’s Yiddish accent, rē-bŏy´-nŏy shĕl ŏy´-lăm. He also advocated a sort of prayerful and meditative self-seclusion (or solitude), in which one, conversationally, pours out one’s heart to God. A similar approach to prayer has been incorporated into Heartfulness Inquiry.
• In the Jewish Renewal Movement (sample), ʾēḥûd (Hebrew for “one God ”) is often recited. Other repetitions include šālôm  or “shalom” (Hebrew for “peace”) and ʾădônāy (Hebrew for “majestic lord”).
• Orthodox Jewish davening (from the Yiddish, davnen, “to pray”) often includes shuckling (from the Yiddish, šokel, “to shake”), which is rocking forwards and backwards.
• ʾĀmēn (from the Hebrew root word for “believe”) is “let it be so,” “truly,” “so be it,” “so mote it be” (among Freemasons, Wiccans, and Neopagans), or (poetically) “verily.”
• For Nichiren Buddhists, the Daimoku or O-daimoku (Japanese for “title of the Lotus Sūtra”) is Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō, in the Nichiren-shō-shū and Sōka-gokkai Buddhist organizations, and Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, in Nichiren-shū, Reiyūkai, and Risshō Kōsei-kai Buddhism. A simple translation of this mantrā (Sanskrit for “mind liberation”), from the Japanese, is “devotion to the mystic law of the Lotus Sūtra.”
• Zazen (Japanese for “seated meditation”) can involve meditations on a kōan (Japanese from Chinese gōng-àn, “public case”), counting one’s breaths, and swaying from side to side. Shikantaza (Japanese for “nothing but precise sitting”) is a type of zazen without the kōans and breathing exercises. These practices are used in Zen (Japanese from Chinese, chʾān, derived from Sanskrit, dhyāna, and Pāḷi, jhyāna, for “meditation”) Buddhism.
• Namo Amitābha Buddha (Sanskrit for, “I pay homage to the Awakened One of Infinite Light”) and Namo Amitābha (Sanskrit for, “I pay homage to the Infinite Light”) are devotional mantrās related to the Amitābha Buddha. (In Chinese, Amitābha becomes Āmítuó Fó and, in Japanese, Amida Butsu.) They are chanted in Pure Land Buddhism (Chinese, Jingtū-zong, and Japanese, Jōdo Bukkyō). There is also a mantra for rebirth in the Pure Land. The goal is to live in the heavenly condition of the “pure land” (Chinese, jingtū, and Japanese, jōdo).
• Auṃ (oṃ) is the Praṇava Mantrā, which is Sanskrit for the mantrā of breath (praṇa) control. This mantrā is believed by some people to be the primary seed  (Sanskrit, bīja) mantrā and the original sound (“logós” or word) of the universe. Auṃ has no precise rendering. Its definition is “vibrational.” However, I usually translate Auṃ as “the Word.”
• Transcendental Meditation® (TM®), a branch of Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ (a part of the Śankarācārya movement), is a technique of silent mantrā repetition. It was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (Mahariṣi Maheśa Yogī).
• The Oneness Blessing (or dīkṣā, Sanskrit for consecration through śaktīpāta or kuṇḍalinī empowerment ) is taught by Śrī Ammā and Śrī Bhagavān (mp4 sample video 1 and mp4 sample video 2).
• The Mahā Mantrā (the Sanskrit “great mantrā”), in the Kṛṣṇā Consciousness Movement (or Hārē Kṛṣṇā Movement), is Hārē Kṛṣṇā, Hārē Kṛṣṇā, Kṛṣṇā Kṛṣṇā, Hārē Hārē, Hārē Rāma, Hārē Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hārē Hārē. (Hārē is “power” or “potency”; Kṛṣṇā is “dark blue One”; and Rāma is “black one.”) It is usually recited as a bhajan (Sanskrit for a “hymn or song of engagement” and related to, bhakti, “engagement”).
• Auṃ, Śrī Rām Jai Rām (Sanskrit for “the Word; illustrious Rāma; victory to Rāma”) was popularized by Sāmarth Rāmdās (Sanskrit for “competent one surrendered to Rāma”).
• Auṃ Namaḥ Śivāya (Sanskrit for “adoration to Śivā”) is available in nine MP3 files: file 1, file 2, file 3, file 4, file 6, file 6, file 7, file 8, and file 9
• Both Kṛṣṇā and Rādhā (Sanskrit for “prosperity” or “success”), who is Śrī Kṛṣṇā’s beloved, are chanted, often as a kīrtan (Sanskrit for “to repeat”, which refers to Indian responsory, or call-and-response, chanting), within Jagadgurū Śrī Kripālu ji Mahārāj’s Jagadgurū Kripālu Pariṣat (or International Society of Divine Love). Listen to this sample.
• Nāmaḥ Śivāya, the Pančākśarī (five-syllable) Mantrā, translates, from the Sanskrit, as “adoration of Śivā” (Sanskrit for “auspicious one”). The Śadakśarī (six-syllable) Mantrā adds an auṃ to the beginning.
• Initiation into the Kriyā Yoga (“union through action or effort”) of Paramhansa Yogananda (Parāmʾhaṃsa Yogaānanda, Sanskrit, parām as “transcendental,” ʾhaṃsa as “he is I,” yoga as “union,” and ānanda as “ecstasy” or “blissful”), which incorporates mantrās (“aw,” “ee,” etc.), various breathing exercises (Sanskrit, prāṇāyāma), and proper posture (Sanskrit, asāna).
• Numerous organizations and movements, similar to those listed below, advocate the practice of silent simraṇ (Punjābī, from the Sanskrit, smaraṇa, which, like dikr, translates as “remembrance”) or japā (Sanskrit for “internal or quiet repetition” or “muttering”), terms used for the repetition of mantrās, while remaining focused on the ājñā čakra or “chakra” (Sanskrit for the “command vortex,” referring to the third or pineal eye in between the eyebrows):
  • Disciples of the Rādhāsoāmī Faith, Sri Sri Thakur Anukulchandra Satsang (Śrī Śrī Ṭhakura Anukulācandra Satsaṅga, named for the founder of the organization, 1888-1969), Rādhāsoāmī Satsaṅga Dinod, and some other Sūrat Śābda Yoga (Arabized Sanskrit for “union through attention to the word”) groups, repeat Rādhāsoāmī  (Sanskrit for “Lord of Perfection”). Listen to this sample.
  • On the other hand, in Shabd Pratap Ashram (Śābda Pratāp Āśrama), a Sūrat Śābda Yoga group, the Sanskrit simraṇ is Dharā  (“waterfall”) Sindhu  (“ocean”) Pratāp  (“heat,” “warmth,” “splendor,” “glory,” “majesty,” “power,” “strength,” or “energy”).
  • In Rādhāsoāmī Satsaṅga Beās (Sanskrit, Satsaṅga, association with truth) and many of its branches, including Saṅt Mata (Sanskrit for the realized one’s doctrine or path) and Spiritual Freedom Satsang, five initiatory names are recited. These organizations also teach Sūrat Śābda Yoga.
  • Members of Eckankar (Punjābī, ēk Ōaṅkār, “one God” or, literally, “one Auṃ-Maker”), another branch of Rādhāsoāmī Satsaṅga Beās and of Sūrat Śābda Yoga, repeat Hū (Arabic for “He,” indicating God).
  • Gurū Rām Lalji Siyag’s Adhyātma Vigyān Satsaṅga Kendra teaches the repetition of an initiatory mantrā. This practice, however, is a type of Siddhāyoga (Sanskrit for “union of the accomplished one”), not Sūrat Śābda Yoga.
  • In Transmission Meditation (Benjamin Crème), unrelated to Sūrat Śābda Yoga and Siddhāyoga, Auṃ (Oṃ) is recited.
• For followers of Sikhism (originally, Sanskrit, śiṣya for “disciple”), the nām simraṇ (Punjābī for “remembrance of the name”), also called nām japā (Sanskrit for “muttering the name”), involves the repetition of various names of God, such as Vāhigurū  (Punjābī for “Wonderful Enlightener”).
• Arham (Sanskrit for “destroyer of enemies”) is one of the mantrās used by practitioners of the Jain (from the Sanskrit, Jainā, for “victor,” “conquerer,” or “overcomer”) system of Prekṣā Dhyāna (Sanskrit for “profound insight meditation”).
• Here are a couple of other Sanskrit mantrās: Laṃ (a bīja, or seed sound, with a vibrational definition) and the Initiation Mantrā, which is chanted by Chandra (Sanskrit, čandra, “moon”) and Bhakti (Sanskrit for “engagement”).
• Affirmation (sample), also called positive self-talk (sample), is a mantric practice inspired by “New Thought,” a movement which was strongly influenced by Christian Science and by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Transcendentalism.
• Decreeing, a similar practice to affirmation, can be found within The I Am Activity. Here is an example: “‘I AM the Conquering Presence’! I command this ‘I AM Presence’ to govern perfectly my mind, home, affairs and world.”
• Voice Dialogue, a practice used in the psychology of selves, involves conversations between an individual, regarding her sub-personalities, and a facilitator (demonstration).
• Passage Meditation and Ignation Meditation are separate approaches which involve reflection on written texts.
• The Silva Method (formerly, Silva Mind Control), originated by Jose Silva, incorporates various hypnotic suggestions (sample).
• Autosuggestion was Émile Coué’s method of self-hypnosis. It included the mantrā-like repetition, Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better. (French, “Tous les jours à tous points de vue je vais de mieux en mieux.”) This phrase was popularized by comedian Al Franken (as Stuart Smalley), later a U.S. senator from Minnesota, on Saturday Night Live.
• Autogenics, from Johannes Heinrich Schultz, was a self-hypnotic technique influenced by Autosuggestion. It incorporates a series of statements, such as, My right arm is getting limp and heavy (sample).
• According to a self-hypnotic system I learned as a teenager, roll your eyes up slightly, and then close them. After touching your forehead three times (an example, incorporated into Heartfulness Inquiry, of a common hypnotic device, called induction), silently repeat: I owe it to myself to be (enter a condition). It is bad if I do not (the same condition). People expect me to be (the same condition). In Heartfulness Inquiry, oneʼs thumb-and-finger position, breathing, muscle relaxation, and the remembrance itself can be types of induction.
• Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) are methods of self-hypnosis, using “tapping” as a form of induction, which were developed by Gary Craig.

Aside from the word-based activities which have been listed above, receptivity may, to varying degrees, result from the following disciplines:

• Mindfulness (occasionally called retention), in Buddhism, can be understood as serene or peaceful awareness. Objects of various mindfulness meditations are: sense, movement, emotion, thought, breath, heartbeat, and posture.
• Heartfulness Inquiry uses both rhythmic and natural (“forceless”) meditative breathing. Breathwork is also found:
  • in the silent repetition of Allāh  (Arabic for “the God”) as a Ṣūfī breath meditation.
  • in Hū  (Arabic for “he,” referring to God) as the breath.
  • in the repetition of Yāhweh  (Hebrew for “he is” or “he becomes”) as the breath.
  • in Maranathá (Koiné, or “common,” Greek, from Aramaic, Māranāʾ Ṯā, for “our Lord, come”) as the breath. The word can also be chanted.
  • in breathing abwūn  (also “abwûn” or “abwoon,” Aramaic for “our Father”) from the “Lord’s Prayer” of Jesus.
  • in Hindū prāṇāyāma (Sanskrit for “controlling the breath”).
  • in soʾhaṃ  (Sanskrit for “I am that” or “I am he”) as the breath (praṇa). “So,” the inhalation, is “that” or “he,” and “ʾhaṃ,” the exhalation, is “I am” (or, with the inhalation and exhalation reversed, recited in some traditions as ʾhaṃsa, for “he is I” or “it is I”).
  • in the mā auṃ  mantrā, which is taught by gurū, Śrī Mātā Amṝitanandamayī Devī, as the breath. The word, “mā,” which is Sanskrit for “mother” (among other translations, including “never” and “me”), refers to the gurū. Therefore, the mantrā becomes “Mother Auṃ.”
  • in the Buddhist practice of ānāpāsati (Pāḷi for “mindfulness of inhaling and exhaling”).
  • in the four-breath mantrā of oṃ maṇpadme hūṃ  (Sanskrit for, very roughly, “jewel-lotus wisdom” or “lotus-flower-in-hand wisdom”). This most widespread Buddhist mantrā, commonly recited in Tibetan Buddhism, is related to Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit for “he who observes the sounds of the world”), the Bodhisattvā (Sanskrit for “one who leads an enlightened existence”) of Compassion. Oṃ, not the auṃ of the Hindū Vedāḥ or Vedas (from the Sanskrit for “body of  knowledge,” and a cognate of the English-language, wit), is the usual form in Buddhism. Oṃ, by itself, may also be used.
  • in the Buddha  and Buddho  (respectively, Pāḷi or Sanskrit and Thai for “Awakened One”) breath mantrā.
  • in the Dàoist (Taoist) techniques described in The Secret of the Golden Flower.
  • in Shamanic Breathwork™.
• Audio entrainment (also called sonic driving) may be produced through binaural beats, monaural beats, and isochronic tones. Headphones are only required for binaural sounds. Here are some samples: high-theta-to-delta binaural, beta-alpha-theta binaural, theta isochronic, monaural-binaural, monaural (shamanic drumming), and Schumann’s Resonance. Audio entrainment has been incorporated into Heartfulness Inquiry.
• Light-and-sound machines, another form of brainwave entrainment, include the freeware MetaMind Mind-Machine and the shareware BrainStimPro. Due to the flashing lights, they are not recommended  for anyone with a seizure disorder.
• Neurofeedback is EEG biofeedback. See the OpenEEG Project and the relatively inexpensive emWave Biofeedback Stress Relief.
• There are numerous methods of meditative dance and movement. Perhaps the most well known is samāʾ (listening) in the Mawlawī (“Mevlevi”) Ṣūfī order of Mawlānā (Our Master) Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī. Samāʾ, a form of remembrance, involves whirling, chanting, and prayer.
• A variety of meditative postures are adopted in Haṭha Yoga (the asanās) and Ecstatic Trance.
• Sensory deprivation can be produced through isolation and flotation tanks.
• Neurosurgery and cranial electrotherapy, as forms of brain stimulation, may change an individuals emotional and mental awareness.
• Aromatherapy uses “essential oils” in order to, among other things, affect a person’s moods.

Immediately below are several pages of links to web-based resources on meditation, mysticism, and related topics:

• Baháʾí Mysticism (various perspectives)
• Ṣūfism (the path of the heart)
• Buddhism (on-site and off-site resources)
• Indic Mysticism (South Asia)
• Jewish Mysticism (Ḥasidic and contemporary)
• Effortless Meditations (TM®, Christian, and others)
• Meditative Dance (and “movement” on the whole)
• Emotional Freedom Techniques (self-hypnotic tapping)
• Music and Meditation (the power of sound)
• The Work (Byron Katie)
• MerKaBa Meditation (Drunvalo Melchizedek)
• Monistic Mysticism (New Thought and others)
• Assorted Meditative Systems (heart-based and general)

There is, in my view, a universal web of interdependence which connects the beings within the human kingdom and, beyond them, the beings and things within all the kingdoms of existence. These relationships, as I see them, express the Unity of God. As a sociologist, I focus upon the attributes of the unity of humanity. Among those attributes is suggestibility. By enabling us to love and care about one another, to form social ties, and to absorb information, suggestibility makes us human. Unfortunately, it can be manipulated by others, as in criminal confidence schemes and in unethical salesmanship.

This chapter will explore suggestibility. It has also been referred to by other names, including impressionability and dissociation. Suggestibility may result from word repetitions, dependencies on certain substances or behaviors, psychic phenomena, and other activities. The effectiveness of advertising campaigns, for instance, shows us how easily the heart can be misguided. Much of the resulting “mind control,” so to speak, occurs without the individual even noticing it. Taking proper safeguards against any possible emotional “triggers,” while sometimes challenging, is obviously important.

In religious studies, the following description by James George Frazer, which is analogous to superstitious Jungian synchronicity, is referred to as sympathetic magic:

In many cases, a person may even come to believe that purchasing a certain product, or desiring a particular service, was completely a result of personal preference. Then again, exploitation cannot be avoided, across the board, merely by a keener mental awareness. The key is the devotion of the heart to the Best Beloved, Baháʾuʾlláh, and a longing for the Kingdom of God. One should also remain spiritually detached from the physical plane of human existence, while striving, figuratively, to bury  one’s willful or insistent lower self (an individual’s “ego”) in the dust of love and service to others.

Additionally, many meditators complain, at some point down the road, that their spiritual practice, which once was highly satisfying and pleasurable, has become burdensome and stressful. The ecstasy or relaxation, which they enthusiastically awaited at every meditative session, has largely vanished. Frequent headaches are sometimes reported. However, these problems are not, in my view, a result of the meditation itself. Rather, the heart, after it has been has been opened wide through a regular devotional activity, can become extremely receptive, suggestible, and sensitive. From the standpoint of suggestibility, negative influences should be hindered.

Beginning at that point, a constant exposure to certain types of negativity may not only decrease a person’s level of spiritual happiness. One might develop such feelings as irritability, fear, anger, or anxiety. Influences which went, in the past, largely unnoticed are now evident. Television news programs, as an illustration, are often deliberately designed  to provoke emotion and mass behavior. By remaining alert to these potential pitfalls, one can, if need be, make appropriate adjustments in one’s activities.

Regarding meditative experience in particular, focusing on internal and external sounds may sometimes, if taken to an extreme, becoming psychologically obsessive or increase one’s suggestibility to sound. The imaginary  “sound current,” which can result, might resemble tinnitus. Unfortunately, focusing upon, or worrying about, the sounds may simply make them stronger. My advice is to: reduce or schedule the remembrance, breathe deeply while briefly plugging your ears, chant out loud, or, in order to interrupt the pattern of thought, turn various types of sound on and off several times. Above all, please relax.

Through a controversial marriage of neuroscience and spirituality, neurotheology (from the Greek for neural God talk) has studied, beginning around 1994, the complex relationships between mysticism and the human brain. The brain now appears to have neuroplasticitity or responsiveness to thought and behavior. Some of the discipline’s researchers have explained suggestibility, in part, by increased: alpha and theta brainwaves, parietal lobe activity, and serotonin. Additionally, the applied area of psychonautics (from the Greek for mind navigation) covers the full range of activities and substances intended to produce altered states of consciousness and peak experiences.

I personally question, however, the common usage of the magical kuṇḍalinī (Sanskrit for coiled serpent power ), in the twenty-first century, as a universal explanation for spiritual experiences. From my own readings, the kuṇḍalinī of medieval India is a mythical description of serotonin, which is one of the neurotransmitters or chemicals acting within the human nervous system. Serotonin, associated with feelings of happiness and inner peace, can be stimulated, among other ways, by clear mental focus and by a class of antidepressants called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors).

Nevertheless, the “raising” of the kuṇḍalinī from the base of the spine, as an expression of the Goddess Śaktī (Sanskrit for ability or power), is alleged to be the source of receptivity (suggestibility), ecstasy, and, perhaps resulting from serotonin-induced confusion and mania, psychic powers. In my view, while developing the suggestibility of the heart, or spiritual happiness, should be balanced and controlled, suggestibilities to dangerous psychic neurological conditioning should be strictly  avoided. I humbly, but strongly, advise against  all forms of psychic phenomena, including:

• mediumship and channeling (or their teachings, such as A Course in Miracles).
• the deliberate development of visions, astral projections, and lucid dreams.
• Sūrat Śābda Yoga (Arabized Sanskrit for union through attention to the word).
• tummo (Tibetan for fierce, or fiery, femininity, which refers to kuṇḍalinī power).
• siddhi (Sanskrit for supernatural kuṇḍalinī  accomplishment, attainment, success, or perfection).
• energy manipulation9, as in Reiki, Jōrei, Mahikari, qìgōng, and Prāṇic Healing.
• the signs and wonders related to the baptism of fire (the Toronto blessing).
• the occult, any attempt at extrasensory perception or ESP (like remote viewing), and ritual magic.
• kuṇḍalinī Yogic Flying (hopping) in the Transcendental Meditation Sidhi® (Siddhi) Program.

Suggestibility, therefore, presents us with a dilemma. Through various means, including the self-hypnotic beat of word repetitions and following the breath, a practitioner can attain a highly sensitive and altered awareness, intense levels of ecstasy (al-wajd), and deep relaxation. However, in the process of developing one’s sensory imagination (creative visualization, auditory memorization, and so on), some meditators may fail to distinguish divine inspiration from wishful thinking, projections from past events, and even daydreams of exalted authority or position.

The conflicting claims to succession, in the power structures of some sacred traditions might, in many cases, be self-fulfilling prophecies. They demonstrate the effects of personal suggestibility upon trance-like perceptions, including dreams, near-death experiences, astral travelings (or out-of-body experiences), and other visionary states. That is to say, when multiple religious leadership candidates depend upon subjective or inner  knowledge (Greek, gnōsis), they can fantasize themselves as occupying any position they wish. The result is the contradictory state of gnōstic self-delusion:

For the individual and for those around her, any form  of gnōstic self-delusion can have disasterous consequences. False claims to esoteric, or hidden, awareness are often rooted in varying amounts of egotism and pride. The afflicted individual can, by claiming special revelation  or unusual insights, justify, even to herself, behaviors which the majority of people would regard as monstrous. The followers she might have  could, based upon their acceptance of her spiritual authority and knowledge, easily excuse the most outrageous conduct, such as abuse, deceit, and manipulation.

Self-delusion can be overpowering. Many ordinary  individuals, throughout history, have falsely claimed to be messiahs or prophets of one sort or another. Through my work as a sociologist of religion, I have personally been acquainted with a few. Clearly, some people who fit the mold have conscious hidden agendas, but most of those I have known appeared sincere. Still, this world is only a preface. The majority of the text has not been written and revealed. My concern is for the unimaginable anguish upon suddenly discovering, when arriving in the hereafter, that one had been so horribly mistaken.

As protections for our immortal souls, both caution and humility appear to be justified. Hypnotic spiritual  intoxication (al-sukr) must continuously be balanced with the sobriety (al-ṣaḥw) of obedience (al-ṭāʿa). Ultimately, the Baháʾí Sacred Texts, the interpretations of Shoghi Effendi, and the elucidations of the Universal House of Justice are the standards for examining the accuracy of one’s personal intuitions. Although meditative receptivity is important, its object should be grounded  in the Covenant (al-ʿAhd), not in flights of fancy, and centered  upon the Names and Attributes of God.

• Jesus is an avatar of a race or tribe of advanced and wise humans, called Perfect Light Humans, who dwell at the center of our galaxy and travel via wormhole to and from this cosmic center.
• Jesus will return the same way he left...via stargate.
• Members of the race of Perfect Light Humans have remained on earth for thousands of years. They are the most ancient of aliens....
• Sion is rising and with it a new, new world order based on human ascension.

Reliance on gnōsis, magic, and divination shift the center of power from a priesthood and scriptures to the individual. Dominant systems of authority are not trusted. Gnosis, magic, and divination. India’s Caitanya (1486–1534 A.D.), who opposed strict caste divisions, successfully replaced Vedanta with devotional populism. He atracted both Hindūs and Muslims. These anti-establishment movements have internal contradictions. Without scriptures or a system of priestly succession, a movement will generally disintegrate soon after the death of its charismatic founder. The anti-establishment movement has itself to become institutionalized or routinized in order to survive.

The development of a genuine  humility, as one explores one’s own heart, is extremely important. Paradoxically, I have heard some people attempt to justify conceit by saying something like, “I don’t believe in false humility.” However, the opposite of, or the remedy for, false humility is not, in my opinion, showing off. The opposite of possessing false humility is developing humility. False humility is making believe one is humble, while inwardly one is really being vain or arrogant. The behavior is insincere and dishonest. Perhaps the individual is trying to impress others by posing or by putting on a show.

Furthermore, covenantal authority should, in my view, be the standard for spiritual knowledge. Once, through an independent investigation of truth, an individual has accepted the Authority of the Best Beloved, one’s primary duty becomes obedience and submission to His Will. Whatever He ordains and reveals is, by definition, real or valid. Anything He prohibits or repudiates is, therefore, false. Contradictory human standards of understanding become irrelevant. Essences exist because ʿAbduʾl-Bahá says so. This principle of absolute relativism is, it seems to me, one of the most significant dimensions of divine Revelation.

The major problem, as I see it, with gnōstic self-delusion and any practice based upon it, such as spiritualist (or spiritist) mediumship and modern-day channeling, is the separation of knowledge from love. Of course, many people involved in these activities would flat out reject that statement. To them, the quest for inner knowledge is  an act of love. However, spiritual knowledge, in my view, is basically an expression, a type perhaps, of love. From one perspective, spiritual love and spiritual knowledge are virtually identical. Seeking spiritual knowledge, for its own sake, can lead to self-delusion.

In my opinion, channeling experiences are fairly close to Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone’s Voice Dialogue:

The following listing contains a sample of movements which began through alleged supersensory intuitions. No judgments will be made here regarding their truth value. Interested readers can pursue these subjects, and examine their merits, in depth:

1. The literature of Sūrat Śābda Yoga (Arabized Sanskrit for union through attention to the word) vividly describes progressive spiritual grades, each associated with particular mental pictures and internal sounds, as the meditator ascends on the path. Supporters of this method sometimes describe it as an encouragement of intentional near-death and out-of-body experiences. Students are taught that, after a certain point, they will meet their master on the inner planes and be taught directly by her or by him. Similar kuṇḍalinī-type suggestibilities, to sound repetitions or visual images, are advocated by:
   • Thai Forest Buddhism (Ajahn Sumedho’s Sound of Silence).
   • The Kriyā Yoga of Paramhansa Yogananda (Parāmʾhaṃsa Yogaānanda).
   • The Ādvaita Mata (Sanskrit for nonduality doctrine or path) of Prem Rāwat (also known as Gurū Mahārāji).
   • The Meditation on Twin Hearts (Grand Master Choa Kok Sui).
   • The Sikhism of Śrī Suhmanī Ṣāḥib.
   • Some forms of Nāḍa Yoga (Sanskrit for union through sound).
2. There is also a type of Ṣūfī chain (silsilah) or lineage called ʿUwaysī. Here, authority is thought to be conveyed, from the world of spirits (al-ʿālam al-arwāḥ), by an outwardly and physically unrelated (whether living, deceased, or even legendary) entity. These transmissions are believed to be revealed, commonly, through inspired dreams (manāmāt) and visions (ruʾan). For example:
   • Gohar Shahi (Persian and Urdū, Guhar Šāhī, Jewel Royal; 1941-2001?) claimed to receive an ʿUwaysī transmission from Ḥaḍrat Sulṭān Bāhū (approximately 1628-1691).
   • “A Shaykh is not worth more than you are, and they may or may not be a better person than you may. This author can attest, from his intimate knowledge of Shaykhs and their personal lives that frequently their personal lives are in more disarray than your own. This is not to say that there are not, in fact, real Shaykhs in the world. However, you must listen to your Inner Shaykh, and follow his or her guidance.”
     Laurence Galian, Dervish Alchemy: A Treatise Exploring the Sacred Science of Dhikrullah with a Detailed Study of the Seven Lataif along with Guidance for the Dervish. St. Louis, MO: Privately published. 2009. Page 154.
   • “In this workshop we will invite our own inner guide to have a greater presence in our lives. We will contemplate Jung’s experience of Philemon, study images of the guide from various sacred traditions, listen to the wisdom and humor of Sufi tales and poems, and practice meditation and active imagination to make deeper contact with our own inner guide.”
     Workshop: The Inner Guide: Wisdom from the Archetypal Self.
3. The Prophets, in my view, are not channels. They reveal Their Substance of divine Attributes. Channeling is a category of mediumship which is mostly connected with the movement commonly called “New Age.” Instead of contacting a deceased loved one (as in a séance), an individual claims to be a transmitter for angels, ascended masters, extraterrestrial (ETs), or other nonearthly beings. This self-hypnotic practice can, I feel, become mentally addictive. The channel’s followers might serve as reinforcers (or “enablers”). The majority of the “channeled” materials I have read appears far more gnōstic, providing piles of information, than heart-centered. Beginning with Seth, many of them, perhaps hypnotically and unintentionally, plagiarize from one another. However, if you go back to earlier channeled works (say, Oahspe and Urantia), there is considerably more variety. Here is a fairly representative list:
   • Judy Zebra “JZ” Knight’s Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment (from the ascended master, Ramtha, of the lost continent of Lemuria).
   • Margaret McElroy’s Maitreya Educational Center (channels “Maitreya,” an ascended master, and “Sister,” who had two previous incarnations as a saint and a prostitute).
   • Jane Roberts’ Seth (an “energy personality essence no longer focused in physical reality”).
   • Esther Hicks’ The Teachings of Abraham (the name given to a “group of non-physical entities”).
   • Ken Carey’s starseed transmissions (“... extraterrestrial ... angelic.... informational cells within a Galactic organism”).
   • Barbara Marciniak’s The Pleiadians (“a collective of multidimensional spirit beings from the Pleiades star system”).
   • Lee Carroll’s indigo children (Kryon, a “loving angelic entity” of “magnetic service”).
   • José Argüelles’ UR or Universal Religion (channelled from Pacal Votan, 603-683 A.D.).
   • Susan Leland’s Ashtar on the Road (channels Ashtar, “Supreme Commander of the Gallactic Federation Fleet”). You may read about and watch (MP4 video one and video two) and an incident in 1977, perhaps a promotional hoax, focusing on material which is related to the Ashtar urban legend (no connection with Leland).
   • Darryl Anka’s Bashar (“a being of extraterrestrial origin ... from the future”).
   • Brad Johnson’s Adronis (“a higher dimensional star being consciousness who holds a broad range of knowledge”).
   • Jach Pursel’s Lazaris (“a nonphysical entity.... a consciousness without form – a Spark of Light, a Spark of Love – an energy that has never chosen to take human form.... the ‘vertical elliptic of light who waits for us at the edge of our reality’”).
   • Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s and others’ The Michael Teachings (channels Michael, “a collective of 1050 souls who have completed their incarnations on earth, and evolved to a higher plane of existence”).
   • Laura West’s The Council of Light (“a group of spirit beings made up of light energy and love energy”).
   • Simeon Chi’Ra Nartoomid’s Cosmic Consciousness Online (channels the Metatronic Councils of Light).
   • Robert Baker’s Children of Light (channels the Archangel Gabriel).
   • Grand Magister Blackwood’s The Voice of Satanism (channels Śāṭan).
   • Sabahat Akşiray’s (“Garib’s”) Beyond Ṣūfism (channels Rūmī and other Islāmic saints). John Windwalker and Jamila Hammad channel Rūmī along with his teacher, Šams-i Tabrīzī.
   • John B. Newbrough’s Oahspe Book (transmitted by automatic writing from angels).
   • Marshall Vian Summers’ The Society for The Greater Community Way of Knowledge (channels the Allies of Humanity).
   • Wynn Free’s Ra’An, which includes the Elohim Group (“the original Creators of the Physical Universe”) and the Ra Group (“an inter-dimensional team helping planetary populations”).
4. There have also been many channels and other visionaries within the Christianities. These include:
   • Helen Schucman’s A Course In Miracles (channeled from Jesus).
   • James E. Padgett’s True Gospel Revealed Anew: volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4 (also channeled from Jesus).
   • Elizabeth Clare Prophet’s The Summit Lighthouse and Church Universal and Triumphant (channeled from the ascended masters).
   • Guy Ballard’s The I AM Activity (also channeled from the ascended masters).
   • Emanuel Swedenborg’s The New Church and other organizations (through dreams and visions).
   • the Reverend Sun Myung Moon’s Unification movement (through divine revelation).
   • Ellen G. White’s Seventh-Day Adventist Church (through visions).
   • Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment (from the akashic records).
   • Levi H. Dowling’s The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ (also from the akashic records).
   • Bertha Dudde’s The New Revelation of Jesus Christ (through divine revelation).
   • Rudolf Steiner’s The Anthroposophical Society (through meditation).
   • Joseph Smith’s The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or “Mormons” (from the sacred plates which were given by the Angel Moroni and then translated by Smith).
   • Lúcia Santos, Jacinta Marto, and Francisco Marto’s visions of the Virgin Mary (Marian apparitions), Our Lady of Fátima, which are officially accepted within Roman Catholicism.
   • St. Bernadette Soubirous’ Marian apparitions, Our Lady of Lourdes, which are also officially accepted within Roman Catholicism.
   • St. Marguerite Marie Alacoque’s Sacred Heart of Jesus (through visions), which is a devotion accepted within Roman Catholicism and also used in some other branches of Christianity.
   • George Fox’s The Religious Society of Friends or “Quakers” (from an inner voice).
   • Aðalsteinn Eagle-Hawk’s visions of Jesus and Heaven (not  a Charismatic or Pentecostal).
   • Jonathan Welton’s Jon Welton Ministries (through activating the charismatic gift of the discerning of spirits).
   • Jim Driscoll’s Stir the Waters (by the charismatic prophetic and revelatory gifts).
   • Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda’s International Ministry Growing in Grace (the return of Jesus Christ, according to his dream of angels).
   • Betty J. Eadie’s W.A.V.E.S (following a near-death experience).
   • Mother Clare Watts of the Christian New Thought group, Centers of Light (after an initiation of illumination).
   • Extraterrestrial contactee Dr. George King’s The Aetherius Society (“Each blessing was given as a Cosmic Transmission channeled through Dr. George King by The Master Jesus – a Cosmic Master from another planet.”)

To my understanding, the term, psychic faculties, refers to the willful and suggestible (or self-hypnotic) development of mystical experiences This type of mystical volition is apparently intended for the world to come, as a celestial communication and transportation vehicle, a ghostly psychic field, or an orb-like chalice of pure light. Psychic faculties are not intended for this plane of existence. Shoghi Effendi wrote through his secretary (October 25, 1942):

Since we all share the rational faculty, or human spirit, there is no need to develop psychic powers. Spiritual understandings, the Apostle Paul’s gift of tongues, occur naturally among souls. Indeed, ʿAbduʾl-Bahá clearly emphasized the danger of cultivating these faculties in this world. Perhaps, by calling them forces, He was indicating the forced nature of these experiences:

In my humble opinion, it is impossible for ordinary individuals, though certainly not for the Prophets and God’s chosen ones, to reliably predict the future. People try and try again. New apocalyptic proclamations are being made from day to day. None have panned out. Indeed, many prognosticators have been embarrassed by repeated failures. Good luck or fortune can only take an individual so far. The reasons can, I think, largely be attributed to the well-known gambler’s fallacy. Namely, winning streaks and losing streaks are, statistically, nothing more than chance. Predictions, moreover, can be made for populations, not for individuals.

Perhaps the law of probability will be irrelevant in the great realms to come. In this world, however, all that exists in the future, from a linear human perspective, is a sea of probabilities (and possibilities). We are confronted, throughout our earthly journeys, with tides of options and events. The waves issuing from a single decision can alter everything. Indeed, any change in flow, no matter how slight, might result in an entirely different outcome. Even if foretelling the future is sometimes plausible, the accuracy of the prediction will, I would suggest, generally decrease as the lead time increases.

Extrasensory perception (ESP) is, like Heartfulness Inquiry, a type of suggestibility. However, in Heartfulness Inquiry, the focus is upon the attraction of the heart, the center of love and emotion, to the Kingdom of God. Even as an association with self-deluded Covenant-breakers, or sometimes merely reading their literature, may expose the individual to harmful, yet appealing, suggestions of the lower self (so-called “contagion”), psychic  activity can make one suggestible to paranormal sensory powers, such as telepathy, precognition, and clairvoyance.

The following quotation is a pilgrim’s note and not, therefore, authentic or scriptural. It is, however, a fascinating primary historical record of how ʿAbduʾl-Bahá may have felt about the connections between psychic phenomena and suggestibility. He referred to automatic writing as “magnetism” or, apparently, mesmerism:

An individual may easily, even unintentionally, cross the border from mysticism, or communion with God, to occult activity. Indeed, to some people, the two concepts are virtually identical. Numerous forms of magic, especially Hindū Tantrā (Sanskrit for a loom of doctrines) and branches of the so-called “New Age Movement,” focus upon, even require, psychic development. In the following paragraph, Shoghi Effendi, through his secretary, alerts Baháʾís concerning any involvement with Hindū occultism and the harmful suggestibility received through association with these occultists:

Furthermore, certain forms of enchantment can result from numerous substances and behaviors, sometimes producing dependency. Many of the victims of these harmful suggestions appear to be filling a sensation of inner emptiness with increasing stimulations. A partial list of these habits and addictions might contain: alcohol, gambling, nicotine, overeating, debt, sex, cluttering, procrastination, the Internet, online gaming, emotional difficulties, and mind-altering drugs. Within that last category are a variety of addictive and nonaddictive psychedelics consumed for spiritual purposes (entheogens).

As Marshall McLuhan insightfully wrote, “the medium is the message.” The addictive pseudo-unity  of social networking, fueled by websites such as Facebook  and Twitter, and wireless “texting” have, it appears to me, exchanged much of the depth of human relationships for superficial and coded half sentences. Personalities flatten. I see college students, raised on gadgets, wandering alone through campus while deeply engaged with their palms. Getting many of them to turn off their devices in class has become a significant behavioral issue. Yet, the ideology of the century appears, so far, to be apathy.

By enabling us to learn and profit from others, suggestibility and receptivity define our humanness. Sadly, not all cultural and social influences are helpful to one’s states of heart and mind. As a result, perhaps, of these addictive rewirings  of the brain (neurotransmission), an enormously wealthy industry has rapidly developed of specialized counselors, treatment facilities, and rehabilitation centers. In the event that meditation can, as has been claimed, be used in place of bad habits, the euphoria resulting from the positive addiction of devotional meditation would be a much more wholesome alternative.

Please bear in mind that the heartfulness meditation offered in this online text is a spiritual practice. It is not  intended as a substitute for any type of psychotherapy. In any event, I am a sociologist (specializing in religious studies, social theory, and clinical sociology) and a college professor. I am not  a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or a social worker. (My Ph.D. is in sociology and history, not  in counseling.) Therefore, I can neither  diagnose medical conditions nor  treat health-related issues. If you are in need of such assistance, my advice is that you consult a properly licensed or certified therapist.

On the other hand, if Heartfulness Inquiry, or perhaps only a single aspect of this devotional meditation, brings about unwanted results, I would urge you to stop using it. I cannot  be responsible for any experiences which you may consider to be “negative.” Many other meditative systems are available, but I recommend  these practices. One way or another, you may, after looking around for a while, find an approach which is better suited to your own current needs and preferences. Generally speaking, however, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (U.S.A.):

Still, it is obviously impractical to remain under the intense spell of heartfulness meditation during certain daily activities. Through excessive serotonin production (so-called kuṇḍalinī), an individual may, in a manner of speaking, even “overdose” on spiritual intoxication and become sluggish. Considering that a proper balance might well vary from one person to another, my suggestion is to “experiment.” For what it’s worth, however, I can usually get back down to earth (“grounded”) by: reflecting, serving others, pursuing an unrelated interest, and even splashing water on my face.

Moreover, as I have gotten into the deeper states of my heartfulness meditations, I have noticed that, every once in a while, my muscles or joints will suddenly and rapidly twitch or jerk involuntarily. I am not alone. Others have discussed physical tremors which closely resemble my own. I have also personally  observed meditators as they were having similar muscular spasms, contractions, and sensations. In Catch the Fire, one of the newer and more interesting branches of the Christian Charismatic (neo-Pentecostal) movement, “quaking” experiences are connected with the “Toronto blessing.”

At the beginning, I was fairly concerned by this unexpected development. Aside from being an Autistic person, I had two tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures back in the 1980s. Therefore, I wondered whether some deeper neurological issue might be involved. Although I am not, by any means, an expert in kinesiology, a field which is dedicated to the scientific study of human movement, my suspicion now is that each of these “quivering” reactions is a release of pent-up physical stress, tension, or anxiety. Clearly, I am more relaxed after, than before, meditation.

Avoiding hasty judgments may be a good idea. Forceless Remembrance  seemed, in my case, to result in unusual daytime sleepiness. At first, I decided to err on the side of caution, but I apparently jumped the gun. After briefly stopping the activity, my unusual tiredness, perhaps coincidentally, went away. Fortunately, I seem to have figured out the source of the problem: As a type-2 diabetic, I had become, on and off, careless in my dietary habits. That issue is now corrected, as is the difficulty with constant drowsiness. To dwell upon the obvious, your experiences might not be the same as mine.

Moreover, in personal relationships, meditation may result in a greater emotional sensitivity to the “mind games” many people play. Through my own meditative practice, I have become much more perceptive of these attempts at manipulation. They are, perhaps, most common on the Internet, but they regularly occur, of course, in face-to-face interactions, too. I have figured out an easily learned skill. It is played, unknowingly, by toddlers, and it can be extremely frustrating to their parents. Seemingly, then, the majority of us had acquired this ability early in our lives. It was lost, but it can be recovered.

I call this method, the “what?” technique. Here is how to do it: When you suspect that someone is playing a game with you, ask, “What?,” “What do you mean?,” “Say that again?,” “Oh?,” “Huh?,” or words to that effect. Since you are merely asking a question, you are not being rude. However, by making her second-guess herself, your response may put her off-guard and stop the game. From my own experience, it works quite well and helps to avoid quarrels. Since the “what?” technique can easily annoy the individual on the other end, my advice is to use it sparingly and sympathetically.

An approach which has a similar objective to the “what?” technique is to grunt, “Huh,” as if to say, “How fascinating.” Be cautious, however, that your tone of voice does not convey any passive-aggressive sarcasm. As suggested by an online friend of mine, one might respond to gossip and backbiting with an inquisitive, “Oh?,” by firming asking, “How can I help you?,” or say, affirmatively, “Uh, huh.” Then, if possible, immediately change the subject. By briefly distracting an individual from engaging in idle chatter, you can facilitate a more productive or spiritually centered conversation.

If, on the other hand, an individual brings up an inappropriate topic for discussion, or perhaps asks you an unwarranted question, you might respond, nondefensively, with, “That is an extraordinarily odd question to ask someone.” Hopefully, making such a firm statement will end the conversation in its tracks. Should, however, the person continue, you could follow up with moral outrage, “I am not going to even dignify that subject (or question) with a response.” By focusing upon behavior, you avoid attacking the other person. Being proactive is far better, in my view, than becoming reactive or angry.

One of the more common logical fallacies is called the ad hominem argument. A few hours ago, on an online message board, someone attacked another poster. After accusing the individual of being in denial, he told him to take an economics course. Of course, people pull these stunts all of the time. They get away with it by making the person defensive. I responded with words to this effect: “I realize that your comments were not directed at me. However, I thought that I would politely point out that, by attacking the other poster rather than addressing his ideas, you have just, by definition, lost the argument.” I successfully ended it.

I agree with the great boxer (and perhaps philosopher) Muhammad Ali (born, 1942), “Float like a butterfly. Sting like a bee.“ Similarly, the foreign policy of U.S. President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt (1858-1919) was, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” Be purposeful and direct but never vindictive. Similarly, Indeed, there is considerable bullying online and in the tangible world. I have discovered numerous successful, and hopefully respectful, ways to deal with these problems. One can be assertive and send a shot across the bow, through a kind of verbal judo, without being aggressive:

For instance, an old Baháʾí friend once advised me to remind people of the old adage (source unknown), “The evil thou seest in others, in thyself may be true.” I have also illustrated a tactic in this brief excerpt from one of my messages on a message board (from which I was later permanently banned):

Frequently, I run into people, especially online, who make bigoted comments against one human population or another. Recently, someone claimed to me, on a message board, that he is not bigoted for hating Islām. Since many people are not self-reflective, situations of this sort can usually be handled simply and quickly. Often, I have found, the individual will be left, to one extent or another, speechless. As I wrote in response, “Why is that? ... Exactly [like hating Judaism]. Or hating Autism, Christianity, America, or whatever it is that one loves. Exposing bigotry is as simple as changing the noun.”

In this particular case, the individual responded that he is not bigoted for hating Judaism, and that he is ethnically Jewish. The world, he said, is full of repulsive ideas. I replied that he just defined bigotry:

Perhaps the best and most useful approach of them all, for dealing with issues in personal conversations, is tossing in some humor. You certainly do not need to be another Groucho Marx. However, if you are even reasonably quit-witted, turn the comments made by the other person into a joke. For instance, if someone insults you, agree with her. Then, either while laughing or with a straight face, make whatever was just said to you sound even worse. In other words, by constantly being heartful of one’s surroundings, the majority of problems of this type can be resolved fairly easily.

In any event, by permitting an individual’s poor behavior, you are exposing yourself, especially your inner heart, to unhealthful influences. Our time in this world is precious but limited, and we need to use every single moment to the greatest benefit of humanity and our own eternities. Furthermore, you are certainly not doing the other person any favors. If someone knows that, even though no one else will put up with her disunifying conduct, you are willing to let it go, she may have less motivation to change and improve. By reinforcing a bad habit, others could be hurt, in the long term, as well.

Ultimately, if anyone around you continues to be disrespectful, abusive, and disunifying, calmly, but firmly, express your feelings. Be direct and assertive without becoming angry, anxious, or vindictive. Address the behavior without attacking and bullying the individual. Simply say, assertively, “I cannot tolerate your actions,” not, aggressively, “I cannot tolerate you.” Do not be baited into a feud. Arguing against an insult is relatively easy. It is more difficult to disagree with someone else’s emotions.

Certainly, lying is not an acceptable form of discourse. To my knowledge, there is only one instance in which lying is described as permissible:

Unfortunately, however, many people just throw around words such as this one without carefully and precisely defining them. For instance, one might pose this question, “Were the non-Jewish Germans who told the German officers that they were not hiding Jews justified in lying?” In my opinion, that person would be asking the wrong question. Those courageous individuals were not, I believe, lying at all. They were practicing justifiable deception. Such dissimulation or wisdom is, it seems to me, altogether a different issue from lying:

Speculating on motives, however, is not, in my opinion, an appropriate topic for conversation. Even if you have a pretty good idea of a person’s intentions or psychological problems, your claims can simply be denied. The conversation will then become circular and heated. When all else fails, simply go away. Avoid the individual, if necessary, at least on an informal level. That said, stand up, in righteous indignation, to those who harm or oppress other people.

Since Unities of All Things  is not Muslim, Heartfulness Inquiry  is not a Ṣūfī practice. However, in many of the branches (“sub-orders”) of a large and mostly Islāmic Ṣūfī tradition (the Naqšbandī tradition), as with Unities of All Things, meditative  or devotional  remembrance refers to the silent, or at most whispered, repetition of holy words or phrases. It is the heart  of Heartfulness Inquiry, and it has two varieties: watchful  and forceless. In addition to a daily, even a continual, communion with God, or meditation and prayer, our spiritual conduct should, in my opinion, express this state of divine remembrance.

Watchful Remembrance is an ecstatic, or a “blissful,” activity. A human soul is spellbound by the rhythms and repetitions of word and sound. Indeed, the remembrance of holy names can encourage a spiritually suggestible state of mind. While continuing with devotional meditation, one consciously, intentionally, and heartfully observes one’s feelings and ideas. By entering this prayerful condition of surrender to God (Allāh), the lover (al-muḥib) may be drawn, more closely, to the Best Beloved (al-Maḥbūb).

On the other hand, with the relaxation response, thoughts are never pushed  out of the mind. They are irrelevant. Upon becoming aware that one’s thinking has strayed from its course, one effortlessly returns to the mantrā. This method was developed following a clinical study of Transcendental Meditation® (TM®), an organization which has spawned a number of imitators. Similarly, in Forceless Remembrance, inspired by several related approaches, the heart is, using little effort, emptied of attachments. It is, afterwards, refilled through the disciplines of reciting, reading, contemplation, and reflection.

Personally speaking, my subjective experiences with these two forms of remembrance have been significantly different. Although Watchful Remembrance  has produced ecstatic states of consciousness, Forceless Remembrance  has been deeply relaxing. By the same token, many of our perceptions and requirements will undoubtedly differ. Therefore, with some people, one of these two heart-centered approaches might be more helpful than the other. These days, for instance, I only practice Watchful Remembrance.

Please note that Heartfulness Inquiry  has absolutely  no connection with the Transcendental Meditation® Program. Since I have never even taken that program’s introductory course, it goes without saying that I am totally unqualified  to provide guidance or instructions on any of the specific meditative techniques which are being taught in TM®. If, however, you wish to learn TM®, please visit one of their numerous homepages throughout the world. For those readers living in, or near, the United Kingdom, you may, as an alternative, view the websites maintained under the Meditation Trust.

In my contemplations, I frequently find myself passionately embracing and kissing the Soul of my Lord, Baháʾuʾlláh. He is Best  Beloved. I sometimes even try, inwardly, to touch the divine Attributes shining within Him or to bury my face in them. Being a Baháʾí is, to me, a human scientific love affair with the Promised One of all ages. The Religion of God is, at its core, mystical:

A Baháʾí House of Worship, as a center for prayer and meditation, is referred to in the Baháʾí Sacred Scriptures as a Mašriq al-Adkār. A literal translation of this Arabic term is dawning-place (rising-place or horizon) of the remembrances. Here, adkār (remembrances) is the plural form of dikr (remembrance). One might, therefore, say that a Baháʾí House of Worship is a home for remembrance or a Temple for the remembrance of God. Much as the exercise of remembrance can connect a devotee (murīd) with her heart  center, a Mašriq al-Adkār is the devotional heart  of Baháʾí community life.

We might prepare for the spiritual trials of our time by reflecting upon evangelical Christian stories of “inviting Jesus into one’s heart.“ Indeed, one of the most discussed attributes or characteristics witnessed in many of the “dawn-breakers,” the early followers of the Báb and Baháʾuʾlláh, peace be upon Them, in the East, was a capability to ecstatically withstand intense torture and painful martyrdom. Perhaps similar states of prayerful fervor and passion will be required of us during our own earthly lives. The following quotation, from dear Shoghi Effendi, was directed to Baháʾís in North America. He described them in this manner:

Prayers may be addressed to any soul:

In the 1970s, when I was an undergraduate student at The University of Georgia, the ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru), began a campaign called, “How’s Your Love Life?” The reference was to a relationship with Jesus Christ. Carnival-style machines, which supposedly measured one’s love life, were exhibited on campus. At the time, a cartoon appeared in the university’s student newspaper. The text read, “How’s Your Love Life? ... or how to sell religion like vacuum cleaners.” The remainder made reference to “Zelda,” a prostitute, short-circuiting the device. The organization requested an apology, but, as I recall, none was ever given.

Along similar lines, while meditation can, even when divorced from any spiritual objectives, often be beneficial, it has, in recent decades, been marketed and advertised, frequently using sexually provocative models, as a “feel-good” technique, a stress reliever, or an approach to physical and psychological wellness. People are told that, by regularly following certain costly instructions, by taking a series of expensive classes, by downloading a number of prepaid audio files, or by purchasing a collection of CDs or DVDs, they will, over time, become happier, healthier, or even wealthier.

Even though a disciplined application of meditation may produce many positive, even wonderful, experiences, meditation itself should not  be treated as merely a series of subjective observations. Rather, by engaging in the concentrated devotion of meditation, the human mind is trained to keep its attention upon the divine Attributes of Baháʾuʾlláh, the Best Beloved. Steadily, through unceasing effort and patience, spiritual receptivity may become a conscious habit. Thus, the fruit of a regular meditative practice can be a personal transformation and, together with it, a gradual reduction in egotism.

Meditation is  love. Unfortunately, some schools of meditation present, perhaps at times misrepresent, various research findings which allegedly demonstrate the superiority of their own methods of meditative practice over those of others. Consequently, for many individuals, meditation has been thoroughly disconnected from anything even remotely resembling spiritual development or devotion. Rather, in place of a genuine worship and compassion, we find merely another commercial medium for hedonism, or personal pleasure seeking, consumerism, and capitalist materialism.

In Unities of All Things, devotional meditation is regarded as a means for healing the human soul. The objective is a sustained receptivity, by the heart, to the Names and Attributes of God. This inclination toward anticipation, of a responsiveness to divine guidance, can best be promoted with directed thought and feeling, not by blanking  the mind. Indeed, heartfulness, prayer, remembrance, contemplation, and reflection are deep mental, as well as emotional, processes. Our human minds should, through considerable effort and persistence, be properly regulated, as well as educated, not silenced or repressed.

Although the word “meditation” is, in Arabic, ʾaql (Arabic for reason or, originally, restrain from immoderate conduct), regarding meditation as ordinary reason is contradicted by the following quotations, including the reference to being “taught to meditate.” Most people, for better or for worse, are not instructed in the practice of reason, nor do they worry about foolish and superstitious conceptions contaminating it:

Meditation can, overall, illuminate the passageway to: acquiring virtues, understanding subjects or texts, recognizing opened doors, and hearing “a still small voice” (I Kings 19:12). To put it another way, one observes, and reacts to, life’s experiences with “a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind” (Baháʾuʾlláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán, page 196). As one’s meditation develops, one may even perceive, and sense the “vibrations” of, the worlds of spirit or virtue. Nonetheless, as Shoghi Effendi wrote through his secretary (May 16, 1925):

Likewise, according to ʿAbduʾl-Bahá:

Moreover, with spiritual experiences, the most important issue to keep in mind, as I see it, is not whether a particular dream or vision was inspired. It is, through prayer and meditation (or deepening), developing a continuous inner awareness, or sense of connectedness, through communion with God, the Prophets, various departed souls, and other beings and entities. By regularly practicing Heartfulness Inquiry, the “hollow reeds” of our hearts may then be more receptive to whatever guidance or inspiration has been made available to us.

Like polish to a mirror, a consistent devotional practice, when accompanied by acts of service and reflection on the creative Word, will, slowly but surely, purify the heart and mind from faults of character. However, during devotional meditation, our human imperfections may be experienced as emotional pain or discomfort. Gradually, our sentiments, our thoughts, and, perhaps, even our dreams may, we find, become more godly and positive. This conquest of the lower self (egotism), on the whole and in relation to specific issues, can be an ongoing process.

Meditation, together with thoughtful prayer, is communion with the Best Beloved. Some Christian contemplatives, from several denominational backgrounds, have called their approaches to spiritual communion, “listening prayer.” Within the beautiful devotional traditions of Roman Catholicism, this type of inner dialogue, whether silent or spoken, is frequently referred to as internal, or mental, prayer. Throughout the histories of the churches, mental prayer has been associated, possibly more than anyone else, with St. Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582):

By whatever names we call these practices of devotion, they can become a means by which the human heart and spirit are gradually attuned to heavenly vibrations  and to the Will of the Almighty Creator. Prayer and meditation, while focusing upon the Best Beloved, may prepare one for the life to come. Even so, the choice of a method for approaching the divine Presence may depend upon one’s background and temperament. Since an approach which works quite well for one person may, all in all, be entirely unsuitable for another, the exercises described in this work are only offered as suggestions.

Baháʾuʾlláh, the Blessed Comforter and Spirit of Truth, wrote:

From the Valley of Search, one discovers the love of the Best Beloved. Then a universe of valleys or virtues will unfold. As we pray, remember, and contemplate upon the higher self, our confidence in a life to come can increase significantly. Even more, we may, God willing, experience a closeness, emotionally and thoughtfully, to the next world and to the souls we had known on this plane of existence. Perhaps, over time, we will also develop a limited  degree of heart knowledge, one which surpasses any human language or intellectual understanding, concerning the splendors of the hereafter:

At one time in my life, I regretted not having had the opportunity for fellowship with the Báb, Baháʾuʾlláh, ʿAbduʾl-Bahá, and some other great souls, peace be upon them all. When Shoghi Effendi died, in November of 1957, I was not even two years old. I realize now that having a physical meeting is not so important. Sadly, an old friend of mine from northern Virginia even ended our long comradery, since we had only chatted over the phone for 25 years. Spiritual connections which are established here are, in my opinion, everlasting. Through prayer and meditation, these relationships can develop right now and outlive this world.

Although our lives in this human world are our personal introductions to eternity, too much speculation upon this, or any, subject may be “vain imaginings.” Based on little more than my subjective feelings, there is no separation from the realms beyond. Within the spiritual kingdom, the attributes in this world and those in the next are closely connected. For lack of a better expression, departed souls might, in a sense, be here and all around us. Only a blink away from us, they have not, like our dreams, “gone” anywhere. Thank God, we are tethered to these bodies, these fleshly veils, just for a moment.

Some people claim not to meditate. I would humbly suggest that they are, perhaps, using that term too narrowly. Broadly speaking, all of us meditate. In fact, we do so on a regular basis. The scientist meditates while developing the theories or explanations for her observations. Likewise, the contemporary artist ponders the physical universe using a visual analogy. Actually, in each of our lives, we are meditating from moment to moment. However, the focus of that meditation might not always be ideal, and, due to the absence of self-mastery, an individual may easily become distracted.

Moreover, given the reduction of ritualism in the Baháʾí Faith, the requirement of performing excessive, and often burdensome, recitations of remembrance, a common practice in some Ṣūfī orders, has been eliminated. With few exceptions (namely, the daily obligatory remembrance  of the Greatest Name, Allāhu Abhāʾ, ninety-five times and the instructions contained in certain prayers), the number of repetitions has been made an individual matter. Specific information on this subject is also available.

By following a schedule of regular meditation, a particular remembrance can become, over time, what is termed in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) an anchor. The concept is quite similar to behaviorist Ivan Pavlov’s conditioned stimulus and conditioned response. Through regular practice and patient persistence, silently repeating the remembrance may arouse the desired mentality. The human brain is, for better or for worse, an organ of habit. Its neurotransmitters or chemicals will respond favorably to repetition and conditioning.

When reflecting on anything, I usually get myself into a heartful or meditative state. After asking my heart questions, I pause to listen for any possible answer. Thoughts will sometimes occur to me

Knowledge, particularly in electronics and medicine, is, through reflection, growing by leaps and bounds:

One of the most important aspects of reflection was developed by sociologist and economist Max Weber (1864–1920) and by other German scholars as Verstehen (German, “to understand”). The methodology’s objective is to enter into the lifeworlds (German, Lebenswelten) of others while intersubjectively interpreting a social phenomenon through their own eyes. University of Michigan sociologist Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929) utilized a similar concept, “sympathetic introspection.” More recently, University of Maryland sociologist Patricia Hill Collins (born, 1948) has referred to shifting the center of one’s thinking to the standpoint epistemologies (situated knowledges) of oppressed peoples.

Reflection is one of the seven steps of Heartfulness Inquiry. Specifically, I will discuss reflections on written texts. The quality of understanding an individual achieves can often be related to the approach she takes and, expecially, to the types of questions which are, or are not, asked about the text. Through careless and uncritical reading or by making unjustified assumptions about the subject matter, one may even, in a full circle, end up describing the text just read according to one’s original viewpoints.

During reflection, an individual should, in my opinion, keep a balance between propositional and presuppositional statements or concepts. A propositional statement is a prediction or, in formal research, a hypothesis. Propositions are contextual. They relate to the particular situation in which one is making the prediction. On the other hand, a presuppositional statement is an assumption. There is nothing wrong with having some  presuppositions, but too many of them may lead to circular thinking. Presuppositions should also not be pretextual or hidden from oneself and others.

As an illustration, within many religious movements, sacred texts are regarded as accounts of psychic foreknowledge or precognition. Their prophecies are viewed as fortunetelling. Despite failing, time and again, to accurately predict an alleged “Rapture” (referring to a miraculous translation, or transporting, of Christians into Heaven), speculations on it have continued. However, prophecies, in my view, are best appreciated, not analyzed. They are, as spiritual lessons, sources of encouragement and caution, not weather forecasts, and may, as in this quotation, be understood in hindsight:

William Miller, founder of the Adventist or Millerite movement, predicted the return of Christ by the March equinox (March 21) of 1844. When, as he concluded, Christ did not appear, he recalculated to the following month. One of the more intriguing aspects of Miller’s eschatology (end-times theology) is that, even though his method of interpretation was entirely different from the one in His Exemplary Presence ʿAbduʾl-Bahá’s Some Answered Questions, Miller somehow discovered 1844. Similarly, many people, coming from various perspectives, have had premonitions about the present time. I wonder whether His Blessed Presence Baháʾuʾlláh is preparing, or warning, everyone about this centenary of the beloved Master’s journeys in the West.

Prophecies are moral guidance, warnings, and a means of preparation for the future. Although some people may claim that their religious scriptures accurately predicted the future, they are looking at those texts with an eye to the past. Mithra (Avestan, Miϑra, covenant), for example, appears to have been a Zoroastrian prophecy of Christ. Many Christians, for instance, will attempt to show how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. However, to what extent did anyone interpret those prophecies in exactly that way before His earthly Ministry? In effect, prediction and explanation are confused with one another. Explaining a prophecy after the fact is not the same as being able to explain it in advance.

From what I have personally observed, few people have embraced the Baháʾí Faith directly through Biblical prophecy. More commonly, particular interpretations of prophecy, such those provided in the late Hand of the Cause William Sears’ beautifully crafted Thief in the Night, are accepted either through the Baháʾí Faith or through the influences of individual Baháʾís. In many cases, an allegiance to the letter of prophecy becomes more of a hindrance than a help, but perhaps this spiritual dilemma has been divinely ordained:

Similarly, a particular manner of understanding prophecies can become the lens through which one views world affairs. Over time, explaining current events using one’s chosen approach to prophecy becomes self-confirming. One may almost automatically, even if unintentionally, discover what one expected to find at the beginning. This unfortunate situation would be yet another illustration of gnōstic self-delusion. Rather than living our lives according to magical systems of divination or fortunetelling, including the numerous approaches to scriptural numerology, we should be continuously open to God’s Will.

I raised some of the above issues in a Paltalk Christian chatroom on June 7, 2011. After pointing out the obvious, that numerous predicted dates have come and gone, several people, not unexpectedly, became defensive. One of the room regulars repeatedly typed, “The present is the future.” “No,” I responded, “the present is the present.” This individual was apparently assuming that, since he was capable of explaining the present in terms of certain prophecies, as he understood them, he was witnessing their fulfillment. Without clear critical thinking, explanation can be easily mistaken for prediction.

Furthermore, the point of any prophecy is made immediately upon its fulfillment. At that time, an individual, after an investigation, either accepts that the conditions of the prophecy have been satisfied, or she does not. If rejected, then the prophecy has, for that person, been proved utterly worthless. Sadly, her idle imaginings and self-desires have trumped the Will of God. In other words, the current Prophet (al-Nabī) and His successors, not the followers of an earlier Prophet, are invested with the authority to explain the prophecy and, ultimately, to establish a, possibly  thoroughly new, moral code.

Indeed, the veil, or dark cloud, of prophetic expectations may be compared to a fixation on the Prophetic social laws of a previous Dispensation (such as the Sabbath and times for fasting). Both have frequently prevented followers of a prior divine Revelation from accepting the latest one. To such people, the prophecy has been clearly demonstrated to have no value. They wait in vain for an event from the past. Because of these, as well as numerous other, reasons, one’s spiritual attachment should be to God Alone through His Divinities, the Prophets.

Prophecies might also be impending or conditional:

I realize that my explanations may be somewhat of an oversimplification. However, when it comes right down to it, we recognize a Prophet, similar to how we would recognize a close friend or relative, by His Attributes. Then, in my view, after having observed or witnessed these divine Attributes manifested in human form, one, only one, response can ever be acceptable. In this regard, the Best Beloved Lord, Baháʾuʾlláh, has provided for us something like a Baháʾí testimony of faith (šahāda, witness):

Here am I. The basic problem, in my view, relates to our own human preconceptions, including our interpretations of prophecy. For example, influenced by religious leaders, the majority of the Jews in Ancient Rome apparently have had an picture in their minds of a “Messiah.” Since Jesus, as the Son of a carpenter, did not conform to that image, they rejected Him. Their attachment, unfortunately, was merely to a story, rather than to God, so they missed the heavenly Attributes shining from the Magnificent Jesus Christ.

According to the Baháʾí International Community, even the field of dogmatic theology is out of step with the requirements of the present age:

Furthermore, the newer divine Revelation, placed into the historical and scriptural context of an older Revelation and its prophecies, can interpret them. That is to say, a Prophet, as a Mediator between God and man, physically  appears within the context of a former Revelation. He is an uncommon individual Soul, a Human Being in this world, Who manifests the Unity of God. Since He lives and communicates within that context, He can explain it and, at the same time, clarify any previous misunderstandings. By continuing to study the context of a Revelation, we will better grasp the Prophet’s words.

Many Baháʾís had a wakeup call in 2001. Based upon their interpretations of certain prophecies, they expected global political peace to be established by the end of the twentieth century. On September 11th of that year, four hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, into the Pentagon in northern Virginia, and in western Pennsylvania. Early the following month, the United States, supported by the United Nations, led a global coalition to war in Afghanistan. In 2003, ʾIrāq was invaded. Its government was toppled, and its president was eventually executed.

Prophecies are not, in my opinion, generally commands, instructions, or hypotheses. We are not, as human beings, expected to arise and fulfill prophecies. Our understandings of them may, for all we know, be inaccurate. Instead, we are told to be obedient and submissive under God’s Covenant. Although, according to the prophecy quoted below by ʿAbduʾl-Bahá and many others like it, medicine will be transformed in the future, Baháʾís are not told to abandon modern medicine. Knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures should continually be balanced by wisdom (ḥikmat) and common sense.

Aside from specifically prophetic interpretations, reading unrelated texts as a whole can cause problems. For instance, many people believe that, by cross-referencing Biblical verses, they are demonstrating respect. Deceptively, the opposite is true. Say, after listening to you speak, I respond, “In order to understand your words, I will compare them with comments made by other people.” You would correctly consider me as discourteous to you and your ideas. Similarly, as a type of patchwork and deductive “theologizing,” cross-referencing disrespects the writers of particular texts and their contexts.

Biblical cross-referencers will frequently claim “the Bible” as their authority. Nonetheless, the actual authority is not the Biblical texts. Instead, it becomes the belief system, the basis for assembling particular verses, of the cross-referencer. The best evidence lies in the scope of gnōstic self-delusions among the individuals involved. There are numerous forms of Christianity which each claim to rely only upon the Bible (sola scriptura). In spite of the often striking differences in their interpretations, many of the followers of these contrasting movements appear to be thoroughly convinced of their accuracy.

This diversity of certitudes seems not to trouble a great many people. Part of the difficulty may relate to our use of the term, “the Bible.” There is no such text. There are numerous “canons,” or compilations, of texts used by various churches. Many Protestants, while having adopted a somewhat shortened Roman Catholic canon, deny the authority of the church which first canonized it. In any event, the widespread acceptance of the Biblical label has become a justification for cross-referencing. Instead of looking at a specific record, written at a particular time, the focus is upon a historical formulation.

Additionally, historical statements should, I believe, be clearly distinguished from those which are theological or scriptural. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is recorded in the New Testament texts. That account is, however, theological, traditional, or scriptural, not historical. There is no historical evidence for this event, among many others, which has been recorded in the Biblical manuscripts. Accepting the truth or “established fact” of various doctrines, on a theological level or based upon religious authority, is not the same as confusing them with carefully documented histories:

By reflecting on the Holy Word, the critical, or representational, realism of the Baháʾí Faith becomes, in my opinion, devotional. Our indirect awareness of God’s Kingdom is centered in the heart. As we passionately love the divine Object of affection, our eternal souls will, through the grace of God, travel down the highway of knowledge. Similarly, we can become familiar with the Blessed Beauty by deeply cherishing His Being. Through silently and prayerfully mentioning the Greatest Name in our hearts, and contemplating His Attributes, our souls can draw progressively closer to Him.

Heartfulness Inquiry is a type of phenomenological analysis. That is to say, the meditation dissects narratives of conscious experience. According to the late British critical realist Roy Bhaskar:

Critical realist Michael Schwartz has elaborated upon Bhaskarʼs reference to phenomenological analysis:

In addition, Heartfulness Inquiry  is a human science methodology or style of discovery. Since most human science approaches rely upon direct observation or perception and make little or no use of statistics, they are more qualitative  than quantitative. In sociology, for example, people cannot be studied with the same degree of precision as gravity or laboratory rats. Because there is no single scientific method, a science  (Latin, scientia, knowledge) should refer to any systematic way of acquiring knowledge, whether in the humanities, such as philosophy and history, or in fields traditionally labeled as “the sciences.”

Although there are numerous qualitative approaches in the human sciences, I developed Heartfulness Inquiry as the basic research methodology in Unities of All Things™, in The Institute for Dialectical metaRealism™, and in The MarkFoster.NETwork™ as a whole. Heartfulness Inquiry  resembles other human science research designs, such as heuristic inquiry, intuitive inquiry, individual lived inquiry, integrated inquiry, integral inquiry, mindful inquiry, organic inquiry, autoethnography, participant observation, and others. Because Heartfulness Inquiry  might be helpful to those who are not academic researchers or theorists, it is freely offered on this website as one of my clinical sociology practices.

The approach used in Heartfulness Inquiry, explained in two back-to-back shows from Internet my Internet radio program (MP3 audio file), was strongly influenced by the Bhakti-Ṣūfī movement10 of South Asia (approximately 800-1700 A.D.). That movement, which brought together, in unity, many predominantly subaltern (dominated and marginalized) populations of both Hindūism and Islām, included such luminaries as Ḥaḍrat Sulṭān Bāhū (1628-1691 A.D.), Gurū Nānak (1469-1539 A.D.), and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (1486-1534 A.D.). In my opinion, the Bhakti-Ṣūfī movement was the finest fruit of the Golden Age of Islām.

Heartfulness Inquiry also utilizes a similar method to the immersion technique in learning foreign languages. One becomes meditatively incarcinated by the subject – through an absorption in prayer, remembrance, and contemplation – becoming its temporary captive. Then, after liberation, one steps back and examines the issue more reflectively, empirically, critically, and analytically:

For individuals who are not members of the Baháʾí Faith, or are not familiar with most of its basic teachings, I created a simplified version of Heartfulness Inquiry called The Echoing Practice™. While it is primarily intended for Autists and a part of my Autistic activist website, United Against Neurelitism™, The Echoing Practice can, I believe, be used by almost anyone else, too. In discussing The Echoing Practice, I open about its Baháʾí inspiration. Readers are invited to read this book. However, only a few actual references to the Baháʾí Faith have been included in The Echoing Practice.

As a methodology and a practice, Heartfulness Inquiry  has been carefully prepared to increase the heart’s receptivity to virtues or perfections. Through consistent effort, each of us, while drawing closer to the Presence of God, may experience peace, joy, and the ecstasy of devotion. Any divine guidance which may be given to us will, more and more, be recognized and accepted with greater ease and with a higher degree of spiritual certitude. In short, devotional prayer and meditation can help to purify the human soul. Many of the scratches and stains appearing upon it shall be gradually wiped away.

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