Those who know me at Willamette have probably heard of my Friday night activities at the Baha’i Center here in Salem, Oregon, but rarely do I get to share a detailed description of all that goes on there. Since the beginning of the spring semester, I’ve been going to the Baha’i Center every Friday at 6:30 p.m. to take part in a study circle where we discuss spiritual qualities and growth as detailed in Ruhi Book 1, produced by the Ruhi institute.

Before I delve into all the wonderful things that happen at the Baha’i Center on Friday nights, I’m sure you’re wondering what exactly is ‘Baha’i.’ The Baha’i Faith is a monotheistic religion that was founded in the 19th century in Persia (now Iran), making it a fairly new religion. The founder of the faith was Bahá’u’lláh and he was thought to be one of the many divine manifestations of God (other manifestations were individuals like Jesus, Mohammed, Krishna, Buddha, etc.). Bahá’u'lláh is considered to be the most recent of these manifestations.

The Baha’i Faith is a religion that is centered on unity, this includes the unity of God, unity of religion, and the unity of humanity. The Baha’i Faith accepts religions that have come before (and after) and from every person, no matter who they are. The Baha’i Faith also encourages individuals to grow closer to God through avenues of prayer, reflection, and service. Though there are many teachings and writings within the Baha’i Faith, these are the basics of the faith.

Of course, with any knowledge or lesson you learn in life, it isn't so much about how much knowledge you gain as it is about putting it into practice. This is where the Ruhi Institutes comes into play. The Ruhi Institute is a Baha’i educational institute that operates under the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i Faith in Colombia. The Ruhi institute develops courses designed to empower individuals both spiritually and morally. These courses help individuals learn important spiritual lessons and qualities, while also teaching ways to put them into practice. The courses are divided into three cycles which contain a certain amount of books. The first cycle contains books one through seven, the first of which we have been working on at the Baha’i Center.

The study circle that I’ve been going to on Friday nights recently finished going through Book 1, and we have begun discussing Book 2. Our little group usually consists of three to four people, but we have had a number of guests drop by every once and a while to join our discussions. My good friend Nava started the study circle in part because another one of our friends, Ruben, wanted to do Book 2, but being that myself and another friend Katie had never done a Ruhi book before, Nava had us all start from Book 1. She did this so that we could build our friendship while simultaneously learn valuable spiritual lessons.

A typical study circle session includes going through the different sections within the different chapters in the Ruhi Book, which contain writings and quotes from Bahá’u’lláh and his son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Each chapter has a particular theme. For example, in Book 1, the themes discussed involve understanding the Baha’i writings, prayer, and life and death. The sections contain quotes that further deconstruct these concepts. After reading the quotes presented in a particular section, often there will be questions that help us reflect and think about what we just read. These questions also prompt us to think about our everyday lives and how we might be able to utilize these teachings in our lives. We are given the knowledge and then we learn how to put it into practice.

Taking action is something of the utmost importance in the Baha’i Faith, and this becomes evident in Ruhi Book 1 right away in the first chapter. One of the quotes that I remember from the first chapter is a quote from Bahá’u’lláh which says, “Say: O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning.” Your deeds and actions will make a bigger impact in the world, indeed they will help create a more unified world or chaotic world depending on what actions you perform.

I asked my friend Nava what sort of impact she thinks Ruhi Books make and she said through teaching how spiritual qualities can be put into practice in our daily lives, it leads to the betterment of the world and unification of humankind. She emphasizes how the Ruhi Books help put these spiritual qualities into practice by moving people to action, getting them to do things like community service or other types of service for the benefit of the world and those around them.

When talking about the impact and the benefits of the Ruhi program, Nava emphasized the empowerment of youth through such programs and had some inspirational words to share:

“We all have the capacity to do good in this world and to make a change. I think a lot of the time, especially in the world that we live now, we get told constantly that young people don't have the wisdom or don't know this and that, and we are not given the opportunity we need to actually make changes. So it is important to empower ourselves and others to feel and know that we can make a difference everyday. It starts from our own selves. By improving our own spiritual qualities, and then that translates to our family, and then to the whole community, and then eventually if everybody is on the same page and all the youth are working together for one unifying purpose, then that is going to make a huge difference.”

I often get confused looks when I tell people about this study circle, but I still encourage people to come. Not only is the content of the Ruhi Books inspiring and thoughtful, but it is a fun experience. We sing songs, have great conversations, make friendships, and empower each other to be the best we can be. Speaking from my own experience, this study circle has changed how I live my life and has helped me cope with some of the struggles that I have faced this past semester. The great thing about this group is that you do not have to be a Baha’i to join. No matter who you are, if you’re curious about what the Ruhi Book has to offer, then by all means come and join us! Though our group will be taking a temporary hiatus over the summer break, come fall semester we will be back at it again, taking on the world one Ruhi Book at a time.