"lighten and uplift
them, so that they may soar on the wings of the Divine verses"
-Baha'u'llah
News
Arts
portray life of the spirit
SCARBOROUGH,
United Kingdom, 9 December 2003 (BWNS)--
British Baha'is explored creative ways to
portray the themes of a popular study course on
spirituality at a national festival held here
last month.
More
than 1,200 people attended the festival, held
from 7 to 9 November 2003, in the historic spa
town of Scarborough, on the northeast coast of
England.
The
Baha'is and their many guests used the arts and
other methods to portray the themes of
"Reflections on the Life of the
Spirit," a course aimed at understanding
prayer, life after death, and the spiritual
nature of human beings.
The
course, created at the Ruhi Institute in
Colombia, is the first in a series being used
widely by Baha'is around the world to develop
spiritual insights, knowledge and skills. People
who are not Baha'is are also participating in
increasing numbers.
Creators of the theatrical production
"Pure." (Left to right) Jessica Naish
(director), Shirin Youssefian-Maanian (actor),
and Annabel Knight (playwright). Photo by Darius
Himes.
Festival
coordinator Rob Weinberg said the event was aimed at
encouraging people to reflect on their spiritual nature
and its portrayal in dramatic and musical performances,
audio-visual presentations, and talks.
"The
'Life of the Spirit' was chosen as the theme because
(spirituality) is fundamental to life and the
transformation of society," Mr. Weinberg said.
Though many
of the participants had already studied the course, Mr.
Weinberg said that the festival was meant to "take
the concepts and ideas of it and present them on a
bigger stage."
"We
also wanted to demonstrate to our visitors and
friends what it means to be a Baha'i and to
encourage them to engage with the processes the
community is involved with."
Among
the many guests of the Baha'is attending the
festival was a representative of environmental
charity Life Force International, Nigel Whittle,
who said the festival was successful on many
levels.
The
enormous effort of the Baha'is was demonstrated by
the variety and quality of exhibits, talks, and
entertainment, Mr. Whittle said.
Exhibition of Baha'i Houses of Worship.
"Since
the spirit is manifested in the material, this aspect of
the festival alone represented much love, faith, and
spiritual development," he said.
The
spiritual realities that underpin human existence, the
main theme of "Book One" of the Ruhi
Institute's series of courses, was the topic of an
address by Sohrab Youssefian, a member of the
Continental Board of Counsellors.
"Just
as there are laws, such as gravity which govern our
physical life, so there are spiritual laws which impact
on the life of our souls," Mr. Youssefian said.
"If we
fail to access these forces, we remain like a bird that
refuses to leave its nest and fly -- in other words, we
do not realize the potentialities inherent within
us."
Actor Shirin Youssefian-Maanian.
Allied
to the theme of prayer was an exhibition that
showed the development of Baha'i Houses of Worship
around the world.
Rare
drawings and photographs of those Temples were
displayed alongside architectural models.
Audio-visual presentations charted their
evolution.
The
exhibition also included images and descriptions
of the model of the newest Baha'i Temple, which is
now in the planning stages and will be built near
Santiago, Chile.
Illustrating
the theme of life after death, Arabella Velasco, a
British writer and actress, presented "A Light at
the End of the Tunnel," her play based on
first-hand accounts of near-death experiences.
"These
were true stories taken from over 200 testimonials that
were studied in my writing of the play," said Ms.
Velasco, who played all three characters.
"Although
science has not yet backed up such experiences, they add
an enriching element to our study, in ("Reflection
on the Life of the Spirit") and other arenas, of
life after death," she said.
Other
themes, such as the status of women, were also
creatively explored at the festival.
Athens-based
actor Shirin Youssefian-Maanian performed all 14
characters in the play "Pure," written by
Annabel Knight.
The
play depicts the life and death of the 19th
century Persian poet, Tahirih, who heralded a new
age of emancipation for women and challenged the
religious fundamentalism of her time.
Among
the prominent musicians at the festival was Conrad
Lambert, also known as Merz, who gave a solo
performance.
Merz's
debut album was named one of the top 50 in the
United Kingdom in 1999, and his performance at the
Glastonbury Festival won him critical acclaim.
Members of "Soul Tunes" and friends.
Singer Atef is second from the left.
Making his
UK debut was Tunisian-born Hatef Sedkaoui, also known as
Atef, who played a blend of new soul and traditional
Arabic dance music with his Marseilles-based band,
"Soul Tunes."
One of the
members of "Soul Tunes," Franck Taieb, said
there were no religious barriers when it came to music.
"My
wife is a Muslim and I am Jewish, and Atef is a Baha'i,
and music brings us all together," Mr. Taieb said.
The
festival included a creative description of aspects of
the 1890 meeting between the distinguished Cambridge
University orientalist, Professor Edward Granville
Browne, and Baha'u'llah.
A
documentary film about Professor Browne, which included
footage shot in the professor's rooms at Pembroke
College, was screened.
Professor Edward Granville Browne in oriental
attire.
Festival
participants could enter a detailed reconstruction
of the room near Acre, Israel where the meeting
took place, and hear a recording of Professor
Browne's eloquent pen-portrait of Baha'u'llah.
Another
film shown at the festival charted the worldwide
development of the Baha'i community since 1890.
The
National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the
United Kingdom presented a program describing the
Baha'i social and community projects underway in
the country.
Participants
heard about the Institute for Social Cohesion, a
Baha'i sponsored initiative, which encourages
government and civil society to promote unity and
understanding between socially diverse groups
within British society.
Heather
O'Neill, the coordinator of the Baha'i-inspired Youth
Empowerment Project of Swindon, described how many young
people have transformed their lives by participating in
programs aimed at helping them develop a sense of
purpose, personal responsibility and community service.
Festival
participants aged between 11 and 14 had sessions in
which they explored issues affecting them at school, and
in the wider society.
The event
concluded with a devotional ceremony. Pauline Senior,
96, a Baha'i for more than 80 years, led readers -- from
children to the elderly -- in a tribute to the
transforming power of the Baha'i teachings in their
lives.
