Resumo de The Seven Valleys

About him Leo Tolstoy had said that though we all spend our life wondering at the mysteries of our world, there is a prisoner in Turkey who has the key to all secrets. This ?Prisoner of Turkey? was no other than Baha?u?llah (1817-1892) whom the adherents of the Baha? Faith hail as the newest Messenger of God in the perpetual prophetic cycle. Whether we believe in Baha?u?llah as a prophet or not, his glory and greatness cannot be underestimated. One aspect of his lofty persona reflects through the volumes of books he wrote. The entire body of his writing stands as a mighty light house that beacons the wayfarers to the true path of spiritual glory and salvation. Apart from ?The Hidden Words?, perhaps his most influential work I have come across is ?The Seven Valleys?. Baha?u?llah writes with matchless fluency. Touching the very core of heart, his words penetrate our inner self and then the light of true knowledge permeates this ?self?. ?The Seven Valleys? depicts the seven stages ?that mark the wayfarer's journey from the abode of dust to the heavenly homeland?.

The first is THE VALLEY OF SEARCH and ?the steed of this Valley is patience?. In his most enchanting style, Baha?u?llah emphasizes the importance of patience, perseverance and unfettered zeal for the ?Goal?. Those who enter this valley, show a resolute determination and faith that they will achieve their object of quest and will be guided by the Unseen.

Soon, the condition of the seeker becomes so engrossed with the Object of his Quest that he forgets his own being and is lost in his quest itself. Thus he enters the second stage, THE VALLEY OF LOVE. The seeker finds himself in a state of inner bliss. Material knowledge and reasons become useless for him. The steed of this Valley is pain and without pain this journey will never end. However, the seekers bears all the pain, rather finds himself in a state of bliss, because he has molten his own being in the fire of love and sees nothing else but the most endeared face of his ?Beloved? in every atom of the world. In death he finds life, in shame he sees glory and madness is his only logic.

After this, the seeker finds himself in THE VALLEY OF KNOWLEDGE, the third stage. Here his inner eyes open and he finds himself mutely communicating with his Beloved. What was seemingly pain for him, in that he sees the mercy of his master and in everything he finds His wisdom, perfection and His irrevocable decree.

After passing through the Valley of knowledge, the wayfarer enters THE VALLEY OF UNITY. Here he finds everything emanating from and dissolving into one single entity. The double vision goes away and he finds himself in a state of singleness. Everything becomes a wonder for him, in everything he sees the clemency and perfection of the Creator. He finds every object of the creation created for a single purpose, to know God, and sees the light of His grace enveloping every atom alike. Even the distinctions of colours, shapes and sizes, functions and phenomena seem to be serving an absolute purpose.

And the wayfarer, after traversing the high planes of this supernal journey, finds himself in THE VALLEY OF CONTENTMENT. He lacks wants here. Nothing he needs to achieve and is satisfied in his own self. No sorrow can displease him, no pleasure can ease him. He is just satisfied with whatever is decreed by his Lord. In this stage, even if the seeker is dwelling upon the dust, his soul is ?throned in the heights of mystic meaning?. He is deeper in his state of inner bliss, so satisfied in himself, finding himself in such an ecstatic state that no tongue can describe its melody and tranquility. If you surrender a thousand heavens at his feet, he will cast them away inasmuch as the glimpse of his Beloved is costlier than anything.

And if the wayfarer passes successfully through this stage, he enters the sixth stage, THEVALLEY OF WONDERMENT. Here he is struck dumb with the beauty of the All-Glorious and sees His mysteries prevailing everywhere. At every moment he becomes the witness of a wondrous world and ?is lost in awe at the works of the Lord of Oneness?. In one world, many worlds he finds concealed, in one atom a thousand suns he finds. In such a state of wonderment, the form becomes formless. He sees from ?inner eyes?, he hears from within and marvels in his own soul.

After scaling this high summit the wayfarer comes to the last stage, that is, THE VALLEY OF TRUE POVERTY AND ABSOLUTE NOTHINGNESS. This station is the dying from self and the living in God. The seeker is now poor in self and rich in the Desired One. Material glories do not glorify him, success and failures of world affect him not. In this state all the veils between the seeker and the ?Sought? shatter down and he is in union with the Object of his Quest. Here the seeker is completely detached and sanctified from worldly malice and dirt and the purity and sanctity of the Supreme reflects in his being. Here it is that all on the earth shall pass away, but the face of the Lord will be made manifest.

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