Let your vision be world embracing.
Baha’u’llah
Many of the buildings and sites that you can find in India are very old. It surprised me when my group went to visit the Baha’i Lotus Temple in New Delhi, which was built in the 1980’s.
This building is truly stunning. It is made to resemble a lotus flower, which is the national flower of India as well as an important symbol for many religions across the world.
Our tour guide spoke to us about the personal significance of the lotus flower. A flower that grows in water, the lotus thrives particularly in muddy and dirty environments. The guide spoke about how he used this as a lesson to his two daughters. He taught them that no matter how dirty the world around us is, we can always bloom. Our lives will be hard, filled with people and things that draw us away from the divine. However, just like the lotus, we can choose to truly thrive in any circumstance if we choose to turn to spirituality.
I think this is exemplified in the Baha’i faith. As a unifying religion, practitioners seek to allow beautiful faith to grow in a world torn apart by division. Despite differences in belief, they emphasize the importance of growing together, which really inspired me.
What helps you through hard times?
Baha’u’llah
1817-1892. Founder of the Baha’i faith. “In the middle of the 19th century, God summoned Bahá’u’lláh—meaning the ‘Glory of God’—to deliver a new Revelation to humanity. For four decades thousands of verses, letters and books flowed from His pen. In His Writings, He outlined a framework for the development of a global civilization which takes into account both the spiritual and material dimensions of human life. Bahá’u’lláh suffered 40 years of imprisonment, torture and exile for bringing God’s latest message to humanity. Today, His life and mission are becoming increasingly well-known across the planet.”
“Baha’u’llah.” The Baha’i Faith. (https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah)
Baha’i
“In thousands upon thousands of locations around the world, the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith inspire individuals and communities as they work to improve their own lives and contribute to the advancement of civilization. Bahá’í beliefs address such essential themes as the oneness of God and religion, the oneness of humanity and freedom from prejudice, the inherent nobility of the human being, the progressive revelation of religious truth, the development of spiritual qualities, the integration of worship and service, the fundamental equality of the sexes, the harmony between religion and science, the centrality of justice to all human endeavours, the importance of education, and the dynamics of the relationships that are to bind together individuals, communities, and institutions as humanity advances towards its collective maturity.”
“What Baha’is Believe.” The Baha’i Faith. (https://www.bahai.org/beliefs)
Hallow 
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