Ruhi Book 2: Arising to ServeCourse Outline
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Arising to Serve is the second in a course sequence designed to raise up human resources capable of fostering the growth of the Baha'i Community with efficiency and love. The units of the Ruhi Institute aim, in their entirety, at achieving three overall objectives: providing insights into spiritual matters, imparting knowledge about the Faith, and helping to develop specific acts of service. The units of Book 1 basically seek to help the students gain insights into certain spiritual matters. Book 2 is largely concerned with skills and abilities for specific acts of service.
Unit 1: The Joy of Teaching
Purpose: To understand that the joy of teaching is in the very act of sharing with others the Word of God, independent of immediate results.
Excerpted from "To the Collaborators": The first unit of this book, "The Joy of Teaching", tries to convey the implications of [joy in the act of teaching itself]....The sequence of ideas presented in the unit is as follows:
1. When we teach the Cause we partake of a special blessing -- that of sharing with others the Word of God revealed by Baha'u'llah. This blessing fills us with profound spiritual joy.
2. Baha'u'llah's Revelation can be compared to an ocean in the depths of which lie pearls of divine guidance. We should make every effort to reach the shores of this ocean and to receive its benefits.
3. The ocean of Baha'u'llah's Revelation is astonishingly near to us. If we but wish it, we can reach its shore in the twinkling of an eye.
4. Having received the bounty of recognizing Baha'u'llah, we wish to share the pearls of divine guidance contained in His Revelation with others. In doing so, we use the power of His own Word; it alone can transform the hearts of men.
5. Of all the activities that occupy us in our daily lives, those that involve sharing the Words of God with others are special.
6. The joy that fills our hearts when we teach the Cause comes from the act of teaching itself - sharing with others the Word of God revealed by Baha'u'llah. Being concerned with other things, such as praise and recognition, spoils this joy. Detachment is a requirements of joyful teaching.
7. We must also be willing to exert effort and make sacrifices. We should remember that, in doing so, we are gaining spiritual happiness and furthering our spiritual progress. Sacrifice involves renouncing that which is lower for that which is higher. Though it entails pain, it is reality the bearer of joy.
Unit 2: Deepening Themes
Purpose: To develop the capacity of making periodic visits to the homes of newly enrolled believers and sharing with them a number of deepening themes.
Practice: Visit a few families and study with them at least the first three themes presented in this unit.
Excerpted from "To the Collaborators": The first act of service is introduced in the second unit of the book, "Deepening Themes", which is designed to help the students develop the capacity of making periodic visits to the homes of newly enrolled believers and sharing with them a number of themes -- the Eternal Covenant of God, the life of Baha'u'llah, love and unity in the Baha'i community, Baha'i meetings and the Nineteen Day Feast, the significance of contributing to the Fund, and teaching the Cause....When the Ruhi Institute first began offering the content of what is now the second unit of this book, it was noticed that some of the participants would continue visiting families, sharing deepening themes with them, while others soon lost enthusiasm. Many consultative meetings were held to try to discover the reason. As a result, it was realized that the main difference lied in the believers' relative consciousness of the source of the joy one derives from teaching the Faith. Those who found satisfaction in momentary excitement, or sought recognition or praise for what they did, would usually not persevere in their efforts. The friends who were consistently visiting families found joy in the act of teaching itself.
Unit 3: Introducing Baha'i Beliefs
Purpose: To acquire the ability to introduce Baha'i ideas into a conversation.
Excerpted from "To the Collaborators": The third unit of this book, "Introducing Baha'i Beliefs", is concerned with some of the skills related to teaching the Cause. As one gains experience in teaching the Faith, one acquires a number of skills and abilities. At a first simple level, this unit is concerned with helping the students develop the ability to introduce Baha'i ideas into a conversation. To do this, the unit presents them with a number of short passages on various subjects, which, though not exact quotations of Abdu'l-Baha, are based on His talks and Tablets and contain many of the words and phrases He used....It is hoped that, by studying these passages, the participants will develop a pattern of thinking in harmony with the Teachings. This unit should help them acquire the habit of looking towards Abdu'l-Baha's mode of expression as the example of how to teach the Faith. Again, as with the second unit, putting their new skills into practice will be an essential component in the students' learning process.
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