1. Living a Spiritual Life: Purpose of life and Soul Dr. Rodney H. Clarken Copyright © 2011

2. Module Objective  This module discusses how the purpose of life is to live a spiritual life, how spirituality is related to the soul and how we can use the spiritual qualities of the soul to live a spiritual life. © Rodney H Clarken 20112

3. Write brief answers to these questions. 1.What does the purpose of life have to do with living a spiritual life? 2.How is the soul related to spirituality? To the body? To the mind? 3.How can we develop our souls to be healthier and happier? Save your answers to compare to the final slide. © Rodney H Clarken 2009

4. What is the purpose of life? Read and reflect  Read The Purpose of Life at http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-0-6.html http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-0-6.html  Reflect on what the purpose of life has to do with living a spiritual life. © Rodney H Clarken 20114

5. From your reading and reflection,  Explain how spirituality and the purpose of life are related using the excerpts that follow. © Rodney H Clarken 20115

6. Excerpts from the reading.** 1.Life should be seen as an eternal process of joyous spiritual discovery and growth 2.The evolution or development of the soul and its capacities is the basic purpose of human existence. This evolution is towards God and its motive force is knowledge of God and love for Him. © Rodney H Clarken 20116

7. Excerpts from the reading.**  The purpose of God in creating man hath been, and will ever be, to enable him to know his Creator and to attain His Presence. (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 70) © Rodney H Clarken 20117

8. Excerpts from the reading.**  Bahá'u'lláh teaches that the only true and enduring happiness for human beings lies in the pursuit of spiritual development.  In summary, the spiritual reason for our life on earth is to provide us with a training ground; our life is a period of growth during which we focus on the development of our innate spiritual and intellectual capacities. © Rodney H Clarken 20118

9. Write a short statement. What is the purpose of life? 1. © Rodney H Clarken 20119

10. Possible answers to “What is the purpose of life?” 1.To know and love God. 2.To reflect the attributes of God. 3. Individual and social development. 4.To develop the soul for eternal life. 5.To live a spiritual life, grow spiritually. 6.Other… © Rodney H Clarken 201110

11. What is the essence of humans?  The need is very great, everywhere in the world, in and outside the Faith, for a true spiritual awareness to pervade and motivate peoples' lives. No amount of administrative procedure or adherence to rules can take the place of this soul- characteristic, this spirituality which is the essence of Man. © Rodney H Clarken 201111

12. What is the chief goal?  Its [Bahá'í Faith] chief goal is the development of the individual and society, through the acquisition of spiritual virtues and powers. It is the soul of man which has first to be fed. © Rodney H Clarken 201112

13. What has turning away from religion produced? “This turning away from religion has been powerfully reinforced by the growth of materialism, and has produced a combination of physical well-being and spiritual aridity that is having catastrophic results, socially and psychologically, on the population.” (Universal House of Justice, 9/1/83) © Rodney H Clarken 201113

14. What is the need for spirituality today?  "Indeed, the chief reason for the evils now rampant in society is the lack of spirituality. The materialistic civilization of our age has so much absorbed the energy and interest of mankind that people in general do no longer feel the necessity of raising themselves above the forces and conditions of their daily material existence. © Rodney H Clarken 201114

15. What is the crisis and spirit of the age?  "The universal crisis affecting mankind is, therefore, essentially spiritual in its causes. The spirit of the age, taken on the whole, is irreligious. Man's outlook on life is too crude and materialistic to enable him to elevate himself into the higher realms of the spirit. © Rodney H Clarken 201115

16. What is a spiritual life?  Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop an individual's inner life; such practices often lead to an experience of connectedness with a larger reality, yielding a more comprehensive self; with other individuals or the human community; with nature or the cosmos; or with the divine realm. [3] ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituality) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituality © Rodney H Clarken 201116

17. What are two phases of spirituality?  Spirituality is also described as a process in two phases: the first on inner growth, and the second on the manifestation of this result daily in the world. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituality)world [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituality © Rodney H Clarken 201117

18. Why live a spiritual life? © Rodney H Clarken 201118

19. Then what does soul mean?soul 1.The animating and vital principle in humankind credited with the faculties of thought, action and emotion and conceived as forming an immaterial entity. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul to read more about soul or search online.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul © Rodney H Clarken 201119

20. What are the 3 faculties of the soul from the above definition? 1. 2. 3. © Rodney H Clarken 2009

21. What are the faculties of the soul? 1.Thought 2.Action 3.Emotion © Rodney H Clarken 2009

22. Reflect and share with others.  How might the faculties of the soul be used to develop a more spiritual life?  Note: There are many ways to answer this question. What is important here is that you take some time to think about it. Answers to this question will be found throughout the course. We will be using the faculties of our souls to develop spirituality. © Rodney H Clarken 201122

23. Some clues on how the faculties of the soul relate to spirituality.  Thought: Knowing(Mind) ThinkingTruth  Action: Willing (Will) DoingJustice  Emotion: Loving (Heart) FeelingUnity © Rodney H Clarken 2009

24. Using the above faculties and concepts, write a short statement on how to develop the soul. 1. Share that statement with the class online or with someone else. © Rodney H Clarken 201124

25. For important foundational knowledge of developing spirituality  read Hatcher’s Concept of SpiritualityHatcher’s Concept of Spirituality  Also, view Clarken’s Model of Human DevelopmentModel of Human Development  Each of these activities will take over an hour. Please allow yourself time to absorb these resources. © Rodney H Clarken 201125

26. What is a Bahá'í definition of soul?  The Bahá'í Faith affirms that "the soul is a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men had failed to grasp, and whose mystery no mind, however acute, can ever hope to unravel. [21] Bahá'u'lláh stated that the soul not only continues to live after the physical death of the human body, but is, in fact, immortal. [22]Bahá'í Faith [21]Bahá'u'lláh [22] © Rodney H Clarken 201126

27. Heaven can be seen partly as the soul's state of nearness  to God; and hell as a state of remoteness from God. Each state follows as a natural consequence of individual efforts, or the lack thereof, to develop spiritually. [23] Bahá'u'lláh taught that individuals have no existence prior to their life here on earth and the soul's evolution is always towards God and away from the material world. [23] (source and read more) to God; and hell as a state of remoteness from God. Each state follows as a natural consequence of individual efforts, or the lack thereof, to develop spiritually. [23] Bahá'u'lláh taught that individuals have no existence prior to their life here on earth and the soul's evolution is always towards God and away from the material world. [23] (source and read more) © Rodney H Clarken 201127

28. To read more on the Bahai concept of soul, go to:  http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-5-1.html http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-5-1.html  http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-0-5.html http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-0-5.html  http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-6-1.html http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-6-1.html  http://www.investigatereality.org/RealityS oul.htm http://www.investigatereality.org/RealityS oul.htm © Rodney H Clarken 201128

29. By what means can man acquire these [spiritual] things?  How shall he obtain these merciful gifts and powers? First, through the knowledge of God. Second, through the love of God. Third, through faith. Fourth, through philanthropic deeds. Fifth, through self- sacrifice. Sixth, through severance from this world. Seventh, through sanctity and holiness. 1 How shall he obtain these merciful gifts and powers? First, through the knowledge of God. Second, through the love of God. Third, through faith. Fourth, through philanthropic deeds. Fifth, through self- sacrifice. Sixth, through severance from this world. Seventh, through sanctity and holiness. 1 © Rodney H Clarken 201129

30. List the 7 qualities given for spirituality or soul development. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. © Rodney H Clarken 201130

31. List the 7 qualities given for spirituality or soul development. 1.knowledge of God. 2.the love of God. 3.faith. 4.philanthropic deeds. 5.self-sacrifice. 6.severance from this world. 7.sanctity and holiness. © Rodney H Clarken 201131

32. How do these 7 qualities relate to the 3 faculties of the soul? 1. © Rodney H Clarken 201132

33. How do these 7 qualities relate to the 3 faculties of the soul? 1.knowledge of God  thought (knowing) 2.the love of God  emotion (loving) 3.faith  knowing + action (willing) 4.philanthropic deeds  willing + loving 5.self-sacrifice  willing + loving 6.severance from world  willing + loving 7.sanctity and holiness  willing + loving © Rodney H Clarken 201133

34. What is the relationship of soul and body?  The soul lives on when the body dies and is our true identity and reality.  The body is like a horse and the soul is like the rider. The body (horse) should be cared for as it is a vehicle for the soul (rider), but it can not bring us true happiness. © Rodney H Clarken 2009

35. What is the relationship of soul and body? “The soul of man is the sun by which his body is illumined, and from which it draweth its sustenance, and should be so regarded.” (Gleanings from Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 155) © Rodney H Clarken 2009

36. What is the relationship of soul and mind?  “The temple of man is like unto a mirror, his soul is as the sun, and his mental faculties even as the rays that emanate from that source of light.” (Abdu’l-Baha’s Tablet to August Forel, p. 24) © Rodney H Clarken 201136

37. Compare your answers to these question to those given at the beginning of this module. 1.Define spiritual? 2.How is the soul related to spirituality? To the body? To the mind? 3.How can we develop our souls to be healthier and happier? © Rodney H Clarken 2009