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id="jump-to-nav" class="mw-jump jump-to-nav">Jump to:<a href="#mw-navigation">navigation</a>, <a href="#p-search">search</a></div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="bodyContent">  <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><h2><span id=".28Spiritual_feelings_may_be_subject_to_external_conditions.2C_but_the_Temple_does_provide_a_positive_atmosphere.29"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="(Spiritual_feelings_may_be_subject_to_external_conditions,_but_the_Temple_does_provide_a_positive_atmosphere)">(Spiritual feelings may be subject to external conditions, but the Temple does provide a positive atmosphere)</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/index.php?title=Sincerity&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: (Spiritual feelings may be subject to external conditions, but the Temple does provide a positive atmosphere)">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>"P.S. He feels your experience at the Temple should be regarded as in part an emotional reaction produced by disappointment and the fact you were still exalted by your happy days at the Moral Re-Armament camp. No doubt, if you visit the Temple under different circumstances, you will feel there an entirely different atmosphere -- the one you expected to find, and which does exist." </p> <dl><dd>(<a href="/wiki/On_behalf_of_Shoghi_Effendi" title="On behalf of Shoghi Effendi">On behalf of Shoghi Effendi</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Messages_to_Canada_1999" title="Messages to Canada 1999">Messages to Canada</a></i>, p. <a href="https://bahai-library.com/shoghi-effendi_messages_canada_1999#122" class="extiw" title="mc2:122">122</a>)</dd></dl> <h2><span id="Challenges_in_balancing_sincerity_with_obligations_can_be_met_by_various_factors_helping_one_to_cope.3B_to_seek_practical_steps_in_each_important_area_of_life.2C_make_a_plan.2C_and_resolutely_surmount_obstacles"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Challenges_in_balancing_sincerity_with_obligations_can_be_met_by_various_factors_helping_one_to_cope;_to_seek_practical_steps_in_each_important_area_of_life,_make_a_plan,_and_resolutely_surmount_obstacles">Challenges in balancing sincerity with obligations can be met by various factors helping one to cope; to seek practical steps in each important area of life, make a plan, and resolutely surmount obstacles</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/index.php?title=Sincerity&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Challenges in balancing sincerity with obligations can be met by various factors helping one to cope; to seek practical steps in each important area of life, make a plan, and resolutely surmount obstacles">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>"You have asked about finding a balance between being spontaneous, sincere and easy-going and also attending seriously to one's responsibilities and obligations. There are many factors, both external and internal, involved in forming one's character and learning to cope with the exigencies of life. Ultimately, each individual must work out a pattern for living, according to his understanding of the Teachings and the dictates of his conscience. One should seek to identify practical steps in each important area of one's life and then make a plan to effect these, resolutely surmounting obstacles, which can breed a sense of frustration and paralysis. According to one's position in the life cycle, certain activities will naturally be accorded a higher priority at a given moment than others, as each season offers possibilities that must be seized. You should have no undue anxiety about having to prioritize your time in this manner. Gradually, as one cultivates one's abilities and polishes the mirror of one's soul through prayer, meditation, and service, an underlying rhythm of life begins to emerge. Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written on his behalf to an individual, offered a valuable insight into the kind of life to which Bah谩'铆s ought to aspire: </p> <dl><dd>The great thing is to "live the life"-- to have our lives so saturated with the Divine teachings and the Bah谩'铆 Spirit that people cannot fail to see a joy, a power, a love, a purity, a radiance, an efficiency in our character and work that will distinguish us from worldly-minded people and make people wonder what is the secret of this new life in us.</dd></dl> <dl><dd>(<a href="/wiki/On_behalf_of_the_Universal_House_of_Justice" title="On behalf of the Universal House of Justice">On behalf of the Universal House of Justice</a>, <a class="external text" href="https://bahai-library.com/uhj_balance_planning_pioneering">1994-09-04</a>)</dd></dl> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Todos_for_this_page">Todos for this page</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/index.php?title=Sincerity&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Todos for this page">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <ul><li>Add more representative quotations, including one on His desire for us to enjoy spiritual emotions?</li></ul>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.bahaipedia.org/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript></div><div class="printfooter"> Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://bahai9.com/index.php?title=Sincerity&oldid=16438">https://bahai9.com/index.php?title=Sincerity&oldid=16438</a>"</div>   </div> </div> <div class="tools-and-categories row"> <div class="col">  <nav class="p-navbar not-collapsible small mb-2" role="navigation" id="mw-navigation-hyz34f4z2c"> <div class="navbar-nav">  <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks catlinks-allhidden" data-mw="interface"></div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container-fluid"> <div class="footer row"> <div class="px-0 footer-wrapper d-flex container"> <div class="col">  <div id="footer-info" class="footer-info">  <div> This page was last edited on 4 March 2022, at 10:33.</div> <div>Content is available under <a class="external" href="https://bahai9.com/wiki/Bahai9:Copyrights">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike or custom copyright</a> unless otherwise noted.</div> </div>  <div id="footer-places" class="footer-places"> <div><a href="/wiki/Bahai9:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></div> <div><a href="/wiki/Bahai9:About">About Bahai9</a></div> <div><a href="/wiki/Bahai9:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="col">  <div id="footer-icons" class="justify-content-end footer-icons">  <div><a href="https://www.mediawiki.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" alt="Powered by MediaWiki" width="88" height="31" loading="lazy"></a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div><script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.log.warn("This page is using the deprecated ResourceLoader module \"skins.chameleon\".\n[1.43] The use of the `i18n-all-lists-margins` feature with SkinModule is deprecated as it is now provided by `elements`. 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