Bahá'í Blog

Sat, 13 May 2006 21:38:44 GMT

After a week’s stay at Larry’s place, I moved to the home of some Bahá’í friends, high on a hill over looking the north side of the island and a beautiful expansive panorama of the Atlantic.
Since then I have taken many photos and posted them to Flickr. Go to www.flickr.com and enter jdesson9 where the white box says “ Find a photo of…” or just click on this link. http://www.flickr.com/photos/58881198@N00/sets/72057594123665253/ . Many of the photos were scenic pictures along the old railroad bed that runs along the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. I was so captivated by the beauty of the landscape.

Good Friday Ktie Flying at Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda

Sat, 15 Apr 2006 00:26:05 GMT

Today's Good Friday and a national holiday in Bermuda. The biggest event of the day is a gathering at Horse Shoe Bay for sunbathing, lively music from a group called Chewstick and, most important of all, Kite flying. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. At one time, they were nearly a dozen kites in the sky. The temperature was about 20°C, the sun was shining, the ocean was at low tide, and hundreds and hundreds of people were scattered across the horseshoe shaped beach. There were people of all ages, culture, colours and personalities. At one end of the beach that that looks north onto the Atlantic Ocean, is a large mound of coral rock about 10 metres high. I climbed up to the top and joined other people there where I sat for some time taking in the view and taking panoramic pictures which I hope to put up onto this blog.
While I was there I also ran into my friend Larry. Well I've only been here a few weeks; but Bermuda is one beautiful place to live.

Week 1 in Bermuda- Part 1

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 16:28:30 GMT

While staying at Larry’s place for the first week of my stay in Bermuda, I would go jogging with him in the early morning between 6 and 7 am. to view the north end of the Island out over the Atlantic Ocean. It is very invigorating and inspiring- a great way to start one’s day. Instead of a morning jog, we would jog up a hill to a point that looks at the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean and at an awe inspiring sunset.
We talk of many things well into the evening each night, mostly about the Bahá’í Faith, the Ruhi Study Circles (an adult [age 15 & up] training program. We also eat out at two local restaurants. The food was expensive compared to prices in Canada, but the food was excellent. While wondering around St. George’s with Larry, I met many of his friends. The people of Bermuda are very warmth and hospitable.

My Trip To Bermuda

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 16:25:52 GMT

29 March 206: As my arrival plane descended through the clouds, a beautiful vista of blue-green ocean spread out before me. It was awe inspiring. Other people around me seemed nonchalant about it but I was so excited, the adrenaline wiped any fatigue from an hour and a half of sleep. I was excited about flying over the ocean (‘been there, done that’) but to embark on this marvellous adventure to visit the Bahá’ís and other citizens of Bermuda.
The plane settled down on this paradise isle bordered by palm trees and spring weather.
After going through customs, I was greeted by Larry, this warm, jocular Bahá’í with a relaxed persona whose camouflage and style is ‘a regular guy’ that covers a very socially perception intelligence and one very smart person. I stayed with Larry for a week. While there I visited the old historic site of St. George Village and met many people. Bermudians are very courteous and polite. One is expected to greet most people with a polite “Good morning” etc., which I keenly reciprocated. The houses are all, and I really mean ‘all, built of cement and painted in beautiful pastel colours outlined in brilliant white. I easily spoke to people in the parks, at bus stops and on the bus.

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 18:31:24 GMT

It's been a most unusual year, Gregorian that is. Almost every month, I have had some sort of illness, medical issue or other. The good news is that illness is like an extra strength nutritional supplement to strengthen and build one's spiritual self and encourage less attraction to this material, ephemeral world. The down side to this of-course is that I really dislike been put on the sidelines from all of the things that I like to do, like being a Dad and a husband, an Assistant to an Auxiliary Board Member for Protection, tutoring a Ruhi study circle and me writing. Oh, I should also mention that I really really dislike pain; but after it has passed, strangely, I feel so much better.
Speaking of feeling so much better, I had a heart attack the day before my birthday. Luckily the free medical serves, yea for Canada! I arrived at a walk-in clinic soon after the heart attack and was operated on with two hours of the heart attack with an angioplasty and stent insertion. I had to stat in the hospital for a week, during which they did a second angioplasty and stent insertion. So there I was on the operating table, fully awake and feeling no pain, asking the heart surgeon questions about the procedure and talking about my writing and the Bahá’í Faith and I for a few minutes quietly considered my priorities. Spiritually, I feel so much better for all of this. Now, if only I can get fully back in action.
Last Saturday night my wife and I went to a multi-cultural dinner and speaker presentation at Bahá'í friend’s place. This was my first Bahá'í event since I had left the hospital. Each month, some one, usually some one who is not a Bahá'í to add to the diversity of the event, talks about the country and culture they came from. This last Saturday was a presentation by a Bahá'í family from a country in central west Africa who, as a NGO, has a school built in a rural area, hired teachers and offered free education for the local children. There was drumming, singing, very stimulating discussions and delightful food, an enjoyable time for all.
Unfortunately, because of on-going pain, I didn’t attend an inter-institutional meeting last night. But my wife went as she is on our SMT (Sector Management Team- which is a sub group of our city-wide Ottawa Cluster). When she got home, she briefly explained the most recent changes on the innovative path of growth in our A Cluster of Ottawa, Canada. Next week, there will be a city-wide cluster meeting to review goals in our cluster and meetings within each sector for sector organized goals. I hope to attend this meeting as I will have my first chance to meet our new Auxiliary Board Member for Protection under I serve. I am very keenly looking forward to this meeting.

Co-dependent relationships in organizations

Mon, 29 Mar 2004 15:19:57 GMT

Adults must honestly and frankly take responsibility for their circumstances and their attitude and behaviors.
In places of work, or even volunteer organizations, or any organization for that matter, there are some people who are energetic, 'go-getters', who always seem to get things organized, to get things done and on time. There are also some people who always seem to have reasons why things can't be taken on, organized or completed. These in-competent people develop relationships with the energetic competent people who complete tasks successfully on time. Through these means the go-getters take over the task entirely or the apparently less skilful person forms a alliance, committee, friendship or some sort of relationship that allows them to benefit from the successful competion of a project or activity with the incompetent person performing little or no effort or work. The low energy, low skilful in-competent person has a co-dependent relationship with the high-energy competent person.
The competent person has a healthy pleasure in achieving difficult task or performing many tasks at the same time successfully and on time. The in-competent person unwittingly, or perhaps knowingly, achieves recognition for participation in successful projects with little or no effort. Justifications are illness, lack of skills or time, too many projects already their responsibilities- they are seemingly doing their best and working hard for the organization.
There are obviously people who genuinely are ill or over-worked who are honest and project a sense of professional responsibility and have a track record of success to support their self-confidence. They are clearly competent people. They do not fit the profile of the in-competent person who is dishonest in the dispassionate portrayal of their participation at work and the circumstances of their part in an equitable, or at least fair, distribution of work and responsibilities.
This is a co-dependent relationship because the incompetent person reinforces, by their attitude and behaviour, the competent persons image of themselves as 'the one to get things done' which further reinforces the pleasure of their self-esteem as a dependable and competent person.
Have you observed or experienced these organizational co-dependent relationships?

Wed, 10 Mar 2004 16:15:43 GMT

I have listed this site on http://www.blogsearchengine.com

Wed, 10 Mar 2004 16:12:46 GMT

Technorati Profile

Wed, 10 Mar 2004 00:23:02 GMT

Well the fast has been pretty good this year. I think I am a little glycemic so sometimes it is difficult for me. I have also been getting 8&1/2 hours sleep. This has helped a lot. As a result of eating carefully and getting lots of sleep, the fast has been great so far.
The Bahá'í writings tell us that the fast is s very special time. Interestingly, when listening to two Bahá'í poets each recite a poem about the inner spiritual life of a soul, I understood them much better than I did when I first heard them. Is there a connection? I have no way of knowing, but the experience was illuminating.
Most Bahá'ís I know don't seem to have any problem. One told me that " I rather enjoy it."
Spiritually, I, like millions of other Bahá'ís all over the world (it is the second most widely spread religion in the world after Christianity), I also enjoy it as a time to focus on love of god more than I might ordinarily.
I must say that it is both very comforting and supportive to have my teenage children (one starts fasting starting at the age of 15 when one has declared one's belief in Bahá'u'lláh) fasting with my wife and I.
The other night after the Feast (the regular community meeting every 19 days), I woke up in the middle of the night ashamed of the ego I had when I spoke at the Feast. What I said was 'no big deal' at the Feast, it was just that, this being the fast, perhaps I was more sensitive to the purity of my heart than I might have been other wise. I don't think anyone actually objected to what I said.
Interesting times the Fast.
By the way, it lasts each day from sunrise to sunset for 19 days- the length of a Bahá'í month.

Fri, 27 Feb 2004 04:29:05 GMT

Sorry about that. Here is the correct spelling of 'happy'.

Happy Ayyám-i-Há everyone.

Fri, 27 Feb 2004 04:18:51 GMT

Haqppy Ayyám-i-Há everyone.
We had a party last light with friends. Lots of music, 4 violins, a flute and many percussion instruments- all informal- just friends getting together. These were the members, and their spouses and children, from our Ruhi Study circle on Book 3. It was a potluck supper with lots of food, singing and performances and one story from an impromptu story teller- that was me actually. I enjoy making stories, in the traditional of story telling.
Today, at suppertime, my family exchanged gifts for Ayyám-i-Há.
Both events were a marvellous time for sharing our happiness together.

Sat, 21 Feb 2004 15:48:14 GMT

I am a tutor of studies circles for adults. Anyone can attend though most are Bahá'ís at this point in time. We use the Ruhi program of books and they are remarkably brilliant as a learning tool for masses of people from around the world and from all classes or types of people. I got to be a tutor because I was invited to take book seven which is for training tutors. The first book is deceptively easy as it introduces how the Ruhi system of training works by experiencing the program and the great importance of the Word of God which has a power greater than the universe itself. After one has completed this book one, one is encouraged to start devotional meetings with family, friends and neighbours- basically prayers and readings from various sacred writings from the various major prophets.
As a tutor, I thoroughly enjoy every session I participate in, as a participant or as a tutor, because it always (and I mean always) brings me joy to discuss and read the Word of God with a group of people.
Here are some Ruhi links:
http://www.bcca.org/services/lists/noble-creation/ruhi.html
http://www.ruhiresources.org/book1/b1gen/b1main.htm

You buy the Ruhi books and other Bahá'í material from:
http://www.bahaibooksonline.com/ruhimaterials.html
http://www.bahaibooksonline.com/

Sat, 21 Feb 2004 04:59:39 GMT

This is my blogchalk:
Canada, Ottawa, English, Bahá’í, Male, Bahai Faith.

This is my new blogchalk:
Canada, Ottawa, English, Bahá’í, Male, Bahai Faith. :)

Sat, 21 Feb 2004 03:26:12 GMT

Introduction

Thu, 19 Feb 2004 21:11:44 GMT

I am a Bahá'í, living in Canada. I have chosen to write anonymously so I can be free to commnent without my family, friends or community being identified.
I have been a Bahá'í for over 25 years. I hope you enjoy this blog.