Devotianal Meeting in Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Dearest EBWN, 

The following is a wonderful experience that we had recently for organizing a Devotional meeting or Tranquility Zone in our town, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. 

After a quiet summer as lots of people in the town go to the mountains, their villages, or seaside to get away from the extreme heat sometimes over 40 c.  At the end of August couple of friends got together and decided to organize a very special Devotional meeting for Baha’is and their friends.  

First of all we read some words from the Writings where it says: “These spiritual gatherings must be held with utmost purity and consecration, so that from the site itself, on its earth and the air about it, one will inhale the fragrant breathing from the Holy Spirit.”

And again He mentions: 

“The gathering should be simple, dignified and designed to uplift the soul and educate it through hearing the Creative Word.”   

These quotations were a good start and preparation for us;  then we thought what will attract us is: peaceful atmosphere, light and harmony. To create this atmosphere we have to think of our five senses. What is it that we are hearing? What is it that we are seeing? What is it that we are sitting in and touching? What is it that we smell? Keeping all these facts in mind we arranged the small room with plants, flowers, soft background music, plenty of candles, rose petals, soft cushions and incense. 

All our readings chosen were about “love, unity and oneness”.  The room was transformed with these few elements. That evening 9 friends came including four male non Baha’is.  The programme went quite well and from the comments that were shared later on, we felt that everybody’s heart was touched by the sacred words, atmosphere and the spirit of the meeting.   

The four men asked if they could borrow the book “Paris Talks” as some of the readings were taken from this book. 

We invited them to a social gathering later on in the week. One of the men to our surprise brought his wife and young daughter. The meeting turned into a direct Fireside. The Ruhi Study Circles were mentioned and all 6 are happy to start Ruhi 1 soon.  

This is only one example of being creative and using our imagination.  

Please keep us in your prayers.

With warmest love to you all,

Atieh Donnelly,

Plovdiv, Bulgaria