21 Consultation
In Chapter 15, we learned the close association of consultation with spiritual maturity. Baha’u’llah said to “cling to the cord of consultation.” Chapter 14 describes a right to consultation as an opposing force to oppression. Consultation is also a key part of affectionate relationships and trusteeship. Baha’u’llah describes consultation, when combined with compassion, are two radiant lights in the sky of wisdom.1
21.1 Types of Consultation
There are two types of consultation. One is when we refer a matter to an expert. The trained professional is capable on consulting their expertise to be a trustee to whom sought their expertise. They are skilled in being a witness of the problem and in providing the necessary help. In an example regarding seeking medical care, we are commanded to heed a doctor’s prescriptions and orders.2 We are to seek expertise where we lack expertise, and follow the expert’s commands in the subject they are an expert in. This is the same as following God. The only condition is the expert must actually be skilled. Standards in licensing, education, and other professional certifications can help a person discern who is an expert and how is not. We cannot follow every claimant.
The second type of consultation is among a group of peers. The Kitab-i-Aqdas mentions consultation only once, but it is directly in regards to trusteeship.
God has ordained that in every city a House of Justice should be established, where individuals shall gather in the number of Bahá (9), or more if desired. They should regard themselves as entering the presence of the Exalted One, observing the unseen. These members must be the trusted ones of the Merciful among people and the representatives of God for all who dwell on earth. They should consult on the welfare of the servants of God for His sake, just as they consult on their own affairs, and choose what is best.3
The Houses of Justice are to be the exemplars of trusteeship and consultation, but consultation is a binding command for all.4 There is no power except through unity, and no well-being except through consultation.5 Consultation is necessary in all matters.6 It increases awareness and turns conjecture into certitude.7 It is the cause and means of vigilance, welfare, and safety.8
The Holy Spirit confirms consultation.9 Consultation is such an act of power, Baha’u’llah even allowed acts of consultation to override his directives to community members when He was acting as administrator to the communities, such as which city to travel next.10 Consultation does not override revelation from God, and works within the framework and boundaries provided to us.
All power mechanisms after Baha’u’llah are subordinate to consultation, no matter who has power and no matter the context of power. All consultation is guided by God and affirmed as part of the Cause of God.
21.2 Consultation Process
For the Houses of Justice, there was no specific consultation process outlined. For the general consultation for everyone else, there are a few guidelines Baha’u’llah provided.
As for what you wrote concerning consultation, after presentation they said that if disagreement arises among the first group assembled, new souls should be added and then by drawing lots select the number of the Greatest Name, or less or more than that, and consult anew. Whatever emerges therefrom is to be obeyed. And if disagreement still persists, “adorn the two with a third and take the strongest.” Verily, He guideth whom He willeth to the straight path. Thus hath the Lord of all beings decreed in this station.11
When looking at this paragraph, there is no minimum number of people to consult. It could be between 2 people or more. Consultation does not need to be with a House of Justice. Since all matters are to be consulted upon with compassion, it would not be physically possible for a House of Justice to be involved in each one. This social responsibility is for all, and all have a right to consultation in matters which affect them.
Ideally, the consultation goes well, a solution is agreed upon, and a course of action is taken. If the consultation ends in disagreement, then an unspecified number of random people are added to the consultation, chosen by lot. Drawing lots is completely random, such as putting names in a box and picking from the names. This helps bring fresh perspectives and more knowledge. If the consultation is successful, it must be obeyed.
Yet, if there is still disagreement, there is one more process. Adorning the two would refer to the two strongest remaining proposals from the prior two rounds of consultation. This could be two people, two ideas, two hypothesis, or two premises. The third might be a mediator introducing a third path or a different perspective applicable. The third could be the prior consultative group taking the two positions and discovering a middle path. Basically the third represents a stage of evaluation and refinement, a synthesis which extracts the highest quality result from the prior divergence.
Baha’u’llah does not necessarily express a majority rules framework. I could see a community adopting a majority rules perspective in some consultations, but there might be other factors to consider. Truth, justice, unity, and compassion might be more important than a simple majority. As Baha’u’llah says, consultation brings certitude, welfare, and safety to us through a depth of understanding. It is more than counting votes.
To evaluate consultation, I want to take a pass of the witness, trustee, and helper model through some of the prior concepts of this book.
21.3 Matters to Consult On
The following is a list of some potential subjects we could consult on:
Personal and Ethical – conscience, health, vocation, discipline, temperament, friendship, conduct, aspiration, repentance
Family and Household – marriage, parenting, inheritance, education, shelter, nutrition, caregiving, celebration, mourning
Community and Social – service, fellowship, conflict, culture, recreation, safety, hospitality, communication, reputation
Professional and Vocational – ethics, training, mentorship, innovation, employment, leadership, compensation, scheduling, evaluation
Economic and Financial – trade, investment, taxation, charity, property, production, distribution, consumption, stewardship
Religious and Spiritual – worship, doctrine, pilgrimage, ritual, study, repentance, translation, guidance, devotion
Civil and Political Governance – legislation, justice, security, planning, infrastructure, diplomacy, representation, welfare, education
21.4 Witnessing
In consultation, witnessing is the first role. To be a witness is directly tied to our capacities and orientation of a soul as a mirror of God. Witnessing is tied directly to our belief in God’s names, as these names reflect within our souls and illuminates how we see truth. No person reflects all of God’s names perfectly, and some names may appear in a soul more brightly than others. For example, a person may primarily reflect the name of Power more than Knowledge and another in the counsel may reflect Love more than Justice. Each person will witness differently, even if each person who witnesses are functionally equal in the consultation. Even if a person does not believe in God, they are capable of reflecting God’s names.
With the mirrors illuminating truth in their own capacities, we describe what we observe the best we can. These observations include facts and how we feel about these facts. Opinions are equally important as facts, as opinions are true to the person who has them. We listen to how another in the counsel describes their own truth and observations. The mirrors of the names of God, when acting together, can merge their lights together. This illuminates the truth with a more radiant light which includes all Names each reflect. If Knowledge was missing with one person, another in the counsel might shine that light. We might not see all names of God as we serve as witness, but the chances to witness with an increasing number of names is much greater than if a person were to witness alone.
Witnessing requires the ability to ask questions. If a person feels they only have answers or their testimony is the only valid testimony, it will show by the inability of the person to ask questions. Consultation requires a perspective you can learn from another, even if you disagree with their perspective or observation. This is because to consult, each person must be willing to view their collective testimony as a single mirror illuminating by the Names of God, not merely illuminating with their own birth name.
21.5 Trustee
Consultation requires us to view us a trustees. We are trustees of what we witness, curated by our spiritual practices. These spiritual practices develop our innate and emergent virtues which govern how we treat our collective testimony. Much as the Holy Spirit moves through spiritual practice, It also moves through our constellations of virtue which guide our movements.
Every person has developed their virtues and is currently in the process of developing their virtues. This process needs to be respected. For example, one might be guided most strongly by humility and sincerity and another might be guided most strongly by righteousness and dignity. When combined together, we have four guiding lights instead of two each.
We are also trustees of truth. We treat what is witnessed as sacred, and we allow our spiritual practice as sacred to the process. This does not necessarily mean the counsel pray in the moment, but to allow our prayers, remembrance, recitation, reflection, and honoring God to also act in trust of our consultation. How does our conversations with God move us in this situation? What does God’s Word say? Are there laws and counsels available which directly address our situation? How have my experiences influenced what I observed? Do I view the others experiences as relevant as mine? Does the situation affect how we honor God together, such as in a later festival? There are many ways we can be trustees of our spiritual practice, and to allow our spiritual practice serve as trustees to consultation. Allow the Holy Spirit to move through you and the counsel. The Holy Spirit animates your practice and virtues.
21.6 Helper
Consultation requires us to be able to help each other during consultation and after consultation. Whether in agreement or disagreement, the counsel needs to ensure all individuals involved and anyone affected are supported and encouraged. As consultation operates within the social life, it is the key instrument to the Cause of God. The result of all consultation must be treated as fruits of the Cause of God. Fruits not only nurture, but they sew seeds for future trees and in theory, an exponentially increasing amount of fruit. Fruits will only emerge through help.
In helping, we might need to adapt how we viewed our role in the situation or adapt our understanding of what we witnessed. We may have to understand a prior result of consultation may not apply to every situation, so the fruits of consultation could vary in a case-by-case basis. We need to be able to affirm the positive aspect of each person’s role and where difficulties arise, be willing to serve the person struggling with the consultation itself or the situation the consultation is addressing.
Each person has their own capacities to help. One might be adept at referencing Baha’u’llah’s words, another might have a well-developed empathy. One might have skills to make a task easier, and another might have resources available to ease a burden. Help is additive and potentially multiplicative, being greater than the sum of its parts.
Finally, help does not equal coercion even in disagreement. Any concern in disagreement needs to be viewed as legitimate and addressed as best as possible. Consultation cannot be effective if it is missing compassion. Consultation, when well-assisted by the counsel and people of the community, is a process which renews unity. If the constellation of virtues is unity, how these constellations guide a counsel is also also unity.
21.7 Conclusion
I believe consultation, as confirmed by the Holy Spirit, the animating extension of revelation. It keeps the Book living and is the continual process which will liberate us. When we approach consultation as a divine process, we are utilizing all the skills we have learned through the Kitab-i-Aqdas itself. All souls will achieve their greatest degree of liberty through this process.
This concludes Part 3 of this book. The fourth and final part of this Book will progress to the Houses of Justice and how Baha’u’llah envisioned the period of time after Him and before the appearance of the next Manifestation of God. What is the vision after 1892 for the next 1,000+ years?