Pilrimage Day 2, February 3, 2009 Part 1

2-3-9 Bahji Visitors Center, Tuesday 1120

Awoke 0300 with the grief again surging up in my breast, and sobbed a long time to let it out. Enayat woke up and we talked.

Up 0545, took Bus # 22 to PRC, the driver going about 50 mph. About 6 shekels. Enayat immediately went upstairs to make phone calls and I was sure he'd be left behind, miss the bus to Bahji. I was still irascible on the bus over, trying to tell Enayat my dream and being interrupted. There was laundry hanging outside the apartment buildings. A beautiful, sunny day, perfect.

Myself very imperfect. All my character faults, bad habits and flaws seemed magnified today, as if a divine, giant magnifying glass was focused on my faults. I thought: soon to set them aflame, let them fall to ash.

1930 Approached Bahji Shrine of Baha'u'llah with the remains of red roof tiles crunching underfoot. I gaze towards the gate as I walk, praying. Suddenly I look up and the gate has silently opened. Just as all at once, the gate to the next world opens and we go through. As I reflect on this, I wish to die. I wish to die to this world so I may live in Baha'u'llah. I wish my character flaws burnt up so I may be recreated by Baha'u'llah a new person. I am eager to let go of all the bad.

As we walk towards the entrance to the holiest spot on Earth, the place where the holy remains of Baha'u'llah are interred, a long carpet is laid out along the gravel path.

A tip on removing shoes on the entrance to Bahji: do not do this while you are still on the gravel.
Tip #2: if you are preparing for Pilgrimage, practice walking backwards with ease and grace [if you can't find Ease and Grace, practice with someone else.]

We file inside the holiest spot on Earth. The Prayer for Visitation is read. I figure out the placement of the Holy Threshold. Inside a side room, I pray. There are windows at the top of the room with blue sky showing, and I can hear crows and songbirds. Multiple Persian silk carpets.

Praying in the Shrine, the problem of feeling like the parent when we travel: the answer came. Notify the person, do not use force. Even Baha'u'llah, in the Tablets to the Kings and Rulers of the Earth, notified the kings of His mission, announced His station. He did not force them to take action. But He did allow them to experience the consequences of rejecting or ignoring Him. No force.

As I prayed for myself and for my daughter, and many, many people, both departed and still here, I did not experience the emotional breakdown. More peace.