Becoming Hospitable and Uplifting Holding Environments for Humanity’s Griefs: Depression and the Bahá’í Community

Abstract

As the painstaking unification of the planet unfolds, human suffering is rapidly escalating. The World Health Organization (WHO) now recognizes anxiety and depression-related disorders as the new pandemics, debilitating increasingly larger and younger segments of the world’s population. People everywhere are searching for solutions; yet, in this time of deep disenchantment, there is also heightened suspicion toward ready answers. As Bahá’ís seek ways to bring Bahá’u’lláh’s healing Message to a troubled, disillusioned, and anxious humanity, a question emerges. How can we become beacons of light and encouragement, shed distractions, and build hospitable, healing, and uplifting communities, able to embrace humanity’s griefs and point the way forward? This paper focuses on what depression- and anxiety-related conditions can teach us about creating healing spiritual communities.