Answer: The following list is
personal, not based on any such listing in the Baha’i sacred writings.
First, believe in God. That is the foundation upon which everything
else is built.
Knowing that God is the creator and sustainer of the universe helps to
keep us humble and grateful. To know God’s attributes is to know
yourself. Without the knowledge of God, it will be difficult to
discover who you are.
Second, remember that love — the love of God, the love of humanity, and
a sane love for oneself — is the great elixir. To love deeply and
selflessly is to know great happiness. Love is the best healer.
Third, to the extent possible, strive to know God. The love and
knowledge of God, Baha’u’llah (1817-1892), the Prophet-Founder of the
Baha’i Faith, has declared are “the generating impulse and the primary
purpose underlying the whole of creation.”
Fourth, try to discover what God’s will is, not only for you in your
individual life, your family and your faith community, but also for the
entire human race. Discovering God’s will constitutes our divine
guidance, upon which our happiness largely depends.
Fifth, know that you have a soul and that you are a spiritual being.
‘Abdu’l-Baha (1844-1921), the son and successor of Baha’u’llah, said
that “Man is, in reality, a spiritual being, and only when he lives in
the spirit is he truly happy.” Sixth, practice detachment, but not
asceticism. Much of our human suffering comes from our emotional
attachment to the things of this world, and a misplaced desire to hang
on to them. We will eventually leave this world and everything that is
in it.
Seventh, maintain a firm belief in the immortality of the soul and the
afterlife. The belief that death is annihilation for ourselves and our
loved ones is a factor leading to pessimism and degradation. Death is a
“messenger of joy,” affirm the Baha’i writings, and deliverance from
the womb-world. For believers, to die is to be promoted.
Eighth, know the joy of serving a great cause and being of service to
others. Self-satisfaction alone restricts human happiness. To widen the
circle of happiness is to experience greater joy. -
Jack
McLean
