-Lauryn Hill
How interesting is that?
Nathan and I returned yesterday night from the Green Lake Baha'i Conference in Wisconsin and the theme of the sessions (at least the ones we were awake to see - we were tired puppies and slept through almost all of Saturday) was authenticity.
Ask someone else and you'll get a different answer, but for me, 'twas authenticity.
I think this arose out of the feeling that the youth (present at the conference) voiced regarding behaviour in the Baha'i community, although I know this is a universal issue. Mostly, the problem seemed to be that there were two lives being lived by Baha'is - the internal reality & struggles and the external fascade (I wish I could type it with that cool thing that goes under the "c") that is often cheerful and happy-go-lucky.
Of course there is nothing wrong with being cheerful and pleasant in public, but when it intereferes with close relationships (as there often are in the Baha'i community), it creates a problem.
So I'm formulating questions to get past the silly "how 'bout the weather" talk and into the reality of folks.
Here are a few I've gotten so far:
1. How are your tests?
2. What is the one lesson you've come away with so far this week?
3. What is your favourite cheese flavour.
Okay - not that last one.
What are YOUR ideas about this - can ya'll come up with any questions for me (us) to use?
love love love,
~liz
Posted by lizington at August 30, 2004 04:39 PMHey there Liz. I don't think that this is Liza, but I might be wrong. Please drop me a note if you don't know who I am. Between just Baha'is, questions like
How's that "Higher Standard" treating ya, Bob?
Or... well... maybe no question. Maybe just listening would be best. I don't know. When people feel safe enough to open up, they will.
Well, those are my thought. Much love,
Kit
My husband, a couple friends, and I started talking about a similar subject a few years ago. We came up with "What's in your heart?" A question like that shows the person that you're genuinely interested in hearing what's in his heart and/or bouncing around in her mind. Much more open than "How's it going?"
Posted by: Sarah at September 20, 2004 10:44 AMHey Lizzy! Mark and I have been doing a virtue a week from the Virtues Guide. We read about it over breakfast on Saturday mornings. One Saturday morning we had a birthday breakfast for a friend, so we included everyone that was there in the picking of our virtue ... now we all talk about virtues we're working on! Have you had the opportunity to practice it? etc, etc... We love it!
Posted by: Mara at September 13, 2004 12:52 AMLizzy, you are so beautiful.
Posted by: Amy Eades at August 31, 2004 10:24 PMOne last thing--I think this all ties back to the idea of truthfulness being the foundation of all human virtues. that's all.
Posted by: Suzanne at August 31, 2004 01:53 PMHey, Liz!
I think this is my first post on your blog. Woohoo! I love this topic that your brought up. I've been thinking about these kinds of things for a couple of years now and one of the things that I realized is that even 'small talk' can be authentic and meaningful. Yesterday, for example, I met one of my new neighbors while taking Amia on a walk. We got to talking--mostly just seemingly superficial stuff like how long have you been living here and what are you studying in school, etc., but we had such a great time! We were just totally in love with each other's spirits. So I guess what I'm thinking is that what you talk about is just as important as how you talk about it, and by that I mean to what extent do you open yourself up to the other person by speaking from your true self and what do you see in the other person (and therefore bring out in them) when you speak to them?
The question 'what are your tests?' is an interesting one. I heard danio ask that of someone once and I was totally mesmorized by that. Luckily the other person was open it. So cool! I'm glad there's so many people thinking and talking about this!
Posted by: Suzanne at August 31, 2004 01:46 PMNate House always asks me, Are you happy? Just like Abdu'l-Baha used to do. I really like that question. It lets me talk about all the good stuff that's been happening.
Posted by: Husayn Allmart at August 31, 2004 09:10 AMWell Said, Ms. Tangerine!
I think that it is very true that we often forget about that spiritual "sheild" - that connection to the divine.
The coolest thing that I've been thinking about recently is how people perceive ("i before e except after c") that divine connection - some people describe it scientifically, others esoterically, but really, everyone feels it at some point in her/his life.
I hope tomorrow brings one of those feelings for you!
love,
~liz
Posted by: liz at August 30, 2004 10:03 PMGoing on and adding to mrs. lizzy's comments. this last weekends conference was the most excellent opprotunity to look at the changes that we set out for ourselves and realize that we are not perfect and that although there is a sheild (opps i before e) of protection that hovers over us it is also our privledge to take a hold onto the hands of the Helpers.
One Love and Blessings
shiren