A. The 12 points of Spiritual Health Habits should be taped to the wall.

B. From the secretary's notes of the previous session the facilitators can type the insights and have photocopied for the members of the class.

C. Prepare handmade bookmarks (or a gift of your own choosing) for the participants. Each bookmark could be inscribed with the writing "All true healing comes from God!" 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

D. Be sure to have extra pens and paper out on a table for participants' use.

1. To begin, ask one of the participants to read a healing prayer to open the session.

2. One of the facilitators of the course can read out loud the 12 points of Spiritual Health Habits.

3. Go over the homework that was assigned during the second session.

4. Pass out photocopies of insights from previous session. (See above - B)

5. If there were any questions that individuals asked of a Bahá'í physician who uses the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, now is the time to share the physician's answers to those questions with the participants.

This first part should take about 45 minutes.

Now the class breaks into two groups. Each group will have their own writings to study. (See "Quotes to Study" - Group One and Group Two in this session.) Be sure that each group has a facilitator and a secretary. The facilitator will keep the group on track. The secretary will take notes of all insights and will report back to the general group at the end of this session. This part will take approximately 45 minutes to study the quotes. Follow the three steps outlined below.

1. Someone reads the quote out loud.

2. Participants take turns asking questions to the person beside them and the answer is given using the words in the quote rather than personal opinion. This is continued until the quote has been completed.

3. Consult how we can develop skills for our health based on the quote.

Completing Session Three

After 45 minutes of study, consultation and insights, the groups reconvene into one major group. Both facilitators and secretaries share the insights gained during the study of the quotes with all the participants. Allow approximately ten to fifteen minutes.

Give each participant the gift of the book mark (or a gift of your own choosing).

After presentation of their gift, assign homework by giving each participant a different quote from the "Health and Healing" compilation to study at home during the week, or if you are doing this on a weekend to study during their free time.

Announce that the fourth session will focus on the effect of disease on the soul.

Serve simple and nourishing refreshments such as fruits, nuts and water or juice to drink.

Quotes to Study

Session Three - Group One

"It is certain that in this wonderful new age the development of medical science will lead to the doctors' healing their patients with foods. For the sense of sight, the sense of hearing, of taste, of smell, of touch -- all these are discriminative faculties, their purpose being to separate the beneficial from whatever causeth harm. Now, is it possible that man's sense of smell, the sense that differentiates odours, should find some odour repugnant, and that odour be beneficial to the human body? Absurd! Impossible! In the same way, could the human body, through the faculty of sight -the differentiator among things visible -- benefit from gazing upon a revolting mass of excrement? Never! Again, if the sense of taste, likewise a faculty that selecteth and rejecteth, be offended by something, that thing is certainly not beneficial; and if, at the outset, it may yield some advantage, in the long run its harmfulness will be established."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p.155)

********************

"At whatever time highly-skilled physicians shall have developed the healing of illnesses by means of foods, and shall make provision for simple foods, and shall prohibit humankind from living as slaves to their lustful appetites, it is certain that the incidence of chronic and diversified illnesses will abate, and the general health of all mankind will be much improved. This is destined to come about. In the same way, in the character, the conduct and the manners of men, universal modifications will be made."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p.156)

********************

"It is therefore, evident that it is possible to cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped. When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, ailments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, pp.258-259)

Exercise:

1. Study the above quotes using the sample method provided.

2. Consult how we can develop skills for our health based on these quotes.

 

 

Quotes to Study

Session Three - Group Two

"0 thou who art attracted to the fragrant breathings of God! I have read thy letter addressed to Mrs. Lua Getsinger. Thou hast indeed examined with great care the reasons for the incursion of disease into the human body. It is certainly the case that sins are a potent cause of physical ailments. If humankind were free from the defilements of sin and waywardness, and lived according to a natural, inborn equilibrium, without following wherever their passions led, it is undeniable that diseases would no longer take the ascendant, nor diversify with such intensity.

But man hath perversely continued to serve his lustful appetites, and he would not content himself with simple foods. Rather, he prepared for himself food that was compounded of many ingredients, of substances differing one from the other. With this, and with the perpetrating of vile and ignoble acts, his attention was engrossed, and he abandoned the temperance and moderation of a natural way of life. The result was the engendering of diseases both violent and diverse.

For the animal, as to its body, is made up of the same constituent elements as man. Since, however, the animal contenteth itself with simple foods and striveth not to indulge its importunate urges to any great degree, and committeth no sins, its ailments relative to man's are few. We see clearly, therefore, how powerful are sin and contumacy as pathogenic factors. And once engendered these diseases become compounded, multiply, and are transmitted to others. Such are the spiritual, inner causes of sickness." ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, pp.152-153)

******************

"Verily the most necessary thing is contentment under all circumstances; by this one is preserved from morbid conditions and from lassitude. Yield not to grief and sorrow: they cause the greatest misery. Jealousy consumeth the body and anger doth burn the liver: avoid these two as you would a lion."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'u'lláh and The New Era, p.108)

Exercise:

1. Study the above quotes using the sample method provided.

2. Consult how we can develop skills for our health based on these quotes.

BACK                     "BACK ISSUES" PAGE                     CONTINUE