Bahai Education/Human Psychology

IV. HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY (a brief talk)

IV-100. LEVELS OF SPIRIT IN HUMAN

a. mineral spirit: PUP:69;114;172;189;258;268 1) love at mineral level, attraction of atoms: PUP:255 2) love at mineral level, attraction of atoms, attraction between elements and cellular particles: PUP:268

b. vegetable spirit [ruuh nabaani]: SAQ:XXXVI:163; Mufavadat:158-159/LV:243; PUP:69;114;172;189;258;268 1) love at vegetable level, attraction of cells: PUP:255 2) love at vegetable level, power of absorption from the earth, augmentation: PUP:268

c. animal spirit [ruuh hayawaani]: SAQ:XXXVI:163-164; Mufavadat:159/LV:243; PUP:69;114;172;189;258;268 1) love at animal level are feelings or susceptibilities, affiliation and fellowship, exercise natural selection: PUP:255 2) love at animal level, emotions and sensibilities which produce instinctive fellowship and association, selective kindness and affinity: PUP:268

d. human spirit [ruuh insaani]: SAQ:XXXVI:164-165; Mufavadat:159/LV:243; PUP:69;173;189;258;268-269 1) love at human level is attraction of heart: PUP:256 2) love at human level expressed in attractions of consciousness, spiritual susceptibilities, exercises its superlative degree: PUP:268-269

e. heavenly spirit, the spirit of faith [ruuh imaani]: SAQ:XXXVI:165; Mufavadat:159/LV:244

f. man is microcosm, contains all these five levels of spirit in himself potentially: PUP:69-70;256;268-269

IV-200. HUMAN LEVELS OF LOVE

a. love of family: PUP:144-145 1) limited; blood relationship not the strongest bond; frequently family members disagree and even hate each other: PT:36

b. love of city: PUP:145

c. love of nation: PUP:145 1) patriotic love is finite; love for one country causing hatred of all others is not perfect love; compatriots not free from quarrels amongst themselves: PT:36

d. race, limited: PT:36

e. political love, hatred of one party, limited and uncertain: PT:36

f. love of community of interest in service is fluctuating, frequently competitions arise which lead to jealousy: PT:36-37

g. love of humanity: PUP:145 1) perfect love of all humanity, universal love: PT:37

h. love of God: PUP:256-257 1) divine infinite love: PT:35,37-38

IV-300. THE SOUL AND THE HUMAN SPIRIT

a. human spirit [ruuh insaani] is the rational soul [nafs naaTaqeh], according to human ability discovers the realities of things and becomes cognizant of their peculiarities and effects, qualities and properties of things: Mufavadat:159/SAQ:LV:244

b. unless assisted by spirit of faith [ruuh imaani], human spirit does not become acquainted with divine secrets and heavenly realities: Mufavadat:159/SAQ:LV:244

c. mind ['aql] is the power [quwweh] of the human spirit [ruuh insaani], the light that shines from the lamp of the human spirit: Mufavadat:159/SAQ:LV:244

IV-400. TWO ASPECTS OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT, TWO NATURES

a. divine, capable of the utmost perfection, if it acquires virtues becomes the most noble of the existing beings: Mufavadat, p. 109/SAQ:XXXVI:164-165 1) merciful or divine aspect, connected with God: Khatirat, p. 36/PUP:41 2) image or likeness of God: Khatirat, p. 336/PUP:464 3) world of Divinity: Khatirat, p. 337/PUP:465 4) spiritual or higher or divine nature: PT:60-62 5) higher nature is expression of the spiritual realm: PUP:294

b. satanic, capable of the utmost imperfection, if it acquires vices, becomes the most degraded existence: Mufavadat, p. 109/SAQ:XXXVI:164-165 1) physical aspect: Khatirat, p. 36/PUP:41 2) aspect of Satan: Khatirat, p. 336/PUP:464 3) the world of the animal: Khatirat, p. 337/PUP:465 4) material or lower nature: PT:60 5) the evil spirit, Satan, or whatever is interpreted as evil, refers to the lower nature in man...God has never created an evil spirit; all such ideas and nomenclature are symbols expressing the mere human or earthly nature of man...the lower state and baser product of nature: PUP:294-295

IV-500. TEN POWERS

a. five outer powers, agents of perception: sight, hearing, smell, taste, feeling, in common with the animals: SAQ:LVI:210-211/245

b. five inner spiritual powers: common faculty which communicates between the outward and inward powers, imagination, thought, comprehension, memory: SAQ:LVI:210-211/245

IV-600. THREE KINDS OF CHARACTER

a. innate character: 1) minds are different in origin, innate differences in level of intelligence: TAB:III:577; SWAB:#104, 131-132 2) children's hearts are pure: SW IX:9; PUP:53 3) growth and development depend on the powers of the intellect and reason and not upon age: SWAB:#121, 142 4) varieties in natural qualities in man come from the difference of degree...the intelligence, the capacity, and the worthiness of men differ: SAQ:LVII:247 5) the capacities of souls are different: PUP:23 6) difference in degree of capacity exists among human souls...therefore, individualities will differ from one another: PUP:24 7) so much as capacity and capability allow: Baha'u'llah, Bahá'í Education, #9, p. 3 8) each according to his capabilities: 'Abdu'l-Baha, Bahá'í Education, #30, p. 8 9) minds vary as to their capacity: SWAB:#104, 132 10) according to his own tastes and inclinations and the degree of his capacity and powers: Shoghi Effendi, Bahá'í Education, #121, pp. 49-50 11) two kinds of capacity: first is natural capacity, creation of God, purely good: SAQ:LVII:249

b. inherited character: 1) variety of inherited qualities comes from strength and weakness of constitution: SAQ:LVII:248 2) especial blessing conferred on some families and some generations: Ibid.

c. character acquired through education: 1) education has great influence...must be considered as most important...has a universal influence: SAQ:LVII:249-250 2) we must develop capacity and divine susceptibility in order that the merciful bounty of the Sun of Truth intended for this age and time in which we are living may reflect from us as light from pure crystals: PUP:23-24 3) we must endeavor to increase our capacity daily, to strengthen and enlarge our capabilities: PUP:24 4) two kinds of capacity, second is acquired, which has become the cause of evil: SAQ:LVII:250

IV-700. PERIODS OR STAGES OF LIFE OF MAN

a. period of childhood: PUP:438 1) small child cannot comprehend the laws that govern nature, but that is on account of the immature intellect of that child; when he is grown older and has been educated he too will understand the everlasting truths: PT:145

b. period of youth...faculties of observation are broadened and deepened; his intelligent capacities are trained and awakened; the limitations and environment of childhood no longer restrict his energies and accomplishments: PUP:438 1) during youthful years will make many decisions which will set the course of his life: choose life's work, complete education, begin to earn living, marry, start to raise family; spiritual challenges: Universal House of Justice, Wellspring of Guidance, pp. 92-93

c. period of maturity...new powers and perceptions clothe him, teaching and training commensurate with his progression occupy his mind, special bounties and bestowals descend in proportion to his increased capacities, and his former period of youth and its conditions will no longer satisfy his matured view and vision: PUP:438 1) once having attained to knowledge of self and recognition of that which leadeth unto loftiness or lowliness, glory of abasement, wealth or poverty, and attained the stage of fulfillment and reached his maturity, man standeth in need of wealth as acquired from crafts and professions: TB:34-35