Aaron

I had wondered if it was ok for two Bahai people to fall asleep and go into a deep sleep meditation and try feel present with one another in a deep and close meditation. This is so that each person can reach a deep state of prayer and step into new realms of God. A person concentrates on meditating and tries to be as one soul with other person as meditating and focusing on reflecting the attributes of God. It was like this time of my Pilgrimage to Israel that I decided to Hold hands with someone else while praying and meditating and it was absolutely wonderful. I wondered about if this was ok in recent times because I not sure if it is the same as using mediums.

Sboyce

Is this deep sleep meditation anything like Lucid Dreaming? If so, Spiritual meditation, metaphysics, mystical experiences? can give you some insights.

Pollwr

I had not heard of deep sleep meditation. How do you tell if you are meditating or sleeping?

As Bahá'ís we do not pray in congregation - all saying the words together apart from one or two prayers (for the dead I think). However, if we were quietly in a prayerful or meditative state together I don't think there would be anything wrong with holding hands.

I have always found this interesting, from "Paris Talks"

"About one thousand years ago a society was formed in Persia called the Society of the Friends, who gathered together for silent communion with the Almighty.

They divided Divine philosophy into two parts: one kind is that of which the knowledge can be acquired through lectures and study in schools and colleges. The second kind of philosophy was that of the Illuminati, or followers of the inner light. The schools of this philosophy were held in silence. Meditating, and turning their faces to the Source of Light, from that central Light the mysteries of the Kingdom were reflected in the hearts of these people. All the Divine problems were solved by this power of illumination.

This Society of Friends increased greatly in Persia, and up to the present time their societies exist. Many books and epistles were written by their leaders. When they assemble in their meeting-house they sit silently and contemplate; their leader opens with a certain proposition, and says to the assembly 'You must meditate on this problem'. Then, freeing their minds from everything else, they sit and reflect, and before long the answer is revealed to them. Many abstruse divine questions are solved by this illumination.

Some of the great questions unfolding from the rays of the Sun of Reality upon the mind of man are: the problem of the reality of the spirit of man; of the birth of the spirit; of its birth from this world into the world of God; the question of the inner life of the spirit and of its fate after its ascension from the body.

They also meditate upon the scientific questions of the day, and these are likewise solved.

These people, who are called 'Followers of the inner light', attain to a superlative degree of power, and are entirely freed from blind dogmas and imitations. Men rely on the statements of these people: by themselves -- within themselves -- they solve all mysteries.

If they find a solution with the assistance of the inner light, they accept it, and afterwards they declare it: otherwise they would consider it a matter of blind imitation. They go so far as to reflect upon the essential nature of the Divinity, of the Divine revelation, of the manifestation of the Deity in this world. All the divine and scientific questions are solved by them through the power of the spirit."

(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 173)

arthra

While we're encouraged to meditatate there's no specific form of meditation enjoined... except maybe meditating on the Writings or prayers.. as far as mediums go I think that is not encouraged.. Yes people can be inspired but we don't believe anyone can say be a medium to convey messages say from the Manifestation ...

The following might be helpful..

"The Guardian would suggest that you study very carefully the statement of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in connection with the question of visions, dreams, etc., as 'Abdu'l-Bahá has very fully explained this delicate subject. You will find references to this in 'Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era,' 'Some Answered Questions' and the Books of Tablets. The Guardian likewise has commented on this matter

"Briefly, there is no question that visions occasionally do come to individuals, which are true and have significance. On the other hand, this comes to an individual through the grace of God, and not through the exercise of any of the human faculties. It is not a thing which a person should try to develop. When a person endeavors to develop faculties so that they might enjoy visions, dreams etc., actually what they are doing is weakening certain of their spiritual capacities; and thus under such circumstances, dreams and visions have no reality, and ultimately lead to the destruction of the character of the person."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, dated May 6, 1952, to an individual believer, Ibid, p. 4)

(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 515)

In connection with spiritualism, although the Master says that there is some element of truth in what some teach under the subject of auto-suggestion and others, spiritualism as such is not taught by the Bahá'í religion. Our Master has said that religion and true science must go together and most of these things have not been proved by science.

(Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance v II, p. 6)

Aaron

Sboyce
It is like Lucid dreaming, but a person is to try to focus on the sacred writings rather than see images. A person meditates as though they feel as one soul with another person and the meditation becomes more as step to becomeing closer to God.
Pollwr
What does it mean to pray in congregation?
Meditation seemed to be very important to get on the path to becoming a better Bahá’í. This was a meditation that had seemed that it may be very helpful to try. A person will feel to be in a state of prayerfulness if they are meditating and the mind will seem to have an awareness.
The meditations seemed as though they would be avoiding the use of mediums. It would be like meditating closely with someone while awake, but instead is done asleep. The person does not try to establish a more physical communication.

arthra

Aaron wrote:

Quote:
As Bahá'ís we do not pray in congregation

What does it mean to pray in congregation?

I think that would be like someone praying in congregation as say when worshippers in a mosque have a prayer leader who leads them in prayer or as perhaps when prayers are read congregationally in a church..

There is one prayer where Baha'is pray in congregation and that is the prayer of the dead..

FOR THE DEPARTED

(The Prayer for the Dead is to be used for Bahá'ís over the age of fifteen. "It is the only Bahá'í obligatory prayer which is to be recited in congregation; it is to be recited by one believer while all present stand. There is no requirement to face the Qiblih when reciting this prayers." - A Synopsis and Codification of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas)

(Compilations, Baha'i Prayers, p. 39)