Where Human Values Find Their Highest Expression

We live in an era marked by a crisis of meaning, as things shift so fast that our older models of understanding no longer make sense. No wonder so many people search for identity amidst such rapid change!

From a Baha’i perspective, this isn’t just happening to individuals — it’s happening to the entirety of humankind. The democratically-elected international leadership body of the world’s Baha’is, the Universal House of Justice, recently wrote: “Humanity is gripped by a crisis of identity, as various peoples and groups struggle to define themselves, their place in the world, and how they should act.”

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We are surrounded by competing claims about reality, identity, and the purpose of life. Amidst the chaos of the times we may wonder: is everything that’s happening just random and pointless, a big cosmic accident? Do my own beliefs and actions even matter? How do I fit into the world? What is my true self?  

The Baha’i writings offer an incredibly expansive view of the individual: each of our lives is connected physically to the formation of the universe, and spiritually to the mysteries of the realms of creation. The human reality is a combination of both body and soul. While the body decays after death, the soul is on an eternal journey of growth throughout all the worlds of God.  

If we consider the soul as the most essential aspect of our identity, it opens a whole new perspective on life itself. 

The ups and downs of life, the pain, paradox, and joy, can all be seen as opportunities for the soul to learn and grow. The cosmos is vast and inexplicable, so it makes sense that there are unknown and untapped possibilities within your own soul. Life invites us to explore the mysteries of the inner world and uncover its hidden treasures! 

But this journey of discovery doesn’t take place in isolation. We are each interconnected with all life on Earth, and we share a common destiny with all of humanity. The Baha’i concept of life’s “two-fold moral purpose” emphasizes that spiritual growth is intrinsically linked with service to others. As we develop our inner qualities — our spiritual attributes like generosity, love, patience, and self-sacrifice — we are called to contribute these virtues to the betterment of our community and the upliftment of society. 

The Baha’i teachings say that our virtues find their highest expression when we use them to promote the oneness of humanity. In this way, spiritual growth and social action are in a reciprocal relationship, joined together as one. 

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We all belong to this world as members of one human family created by the same Creator, that “unknowable essence” we call God. Exploring our true self and our life purpose is a call to adventure! The world is filled with deep mysteries that unfold across a lifetime. As you chart your course through an ever-changing world, the Baha’i teachings remind everyone that you belong here and that your soul is designed to draw sustenance from the boundless energies of the Divine. As Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith revealed:

A drop of the billowing ocean of His endless mercy hath adorned all creation with the ornament of existence … The wonders of His bounty can never cease, and the stream of His merciful grace can never be arrested. The process of His creation hath had no beginning, and can have no end. 

Misha Maynernick Blaise is the author-illustrator of several books, including her newest, “You Are a Cosmic Tree.” The book is available here: www.BahaiBookstore.com.