Society Builders

The first in a series of episodes exploring what effective social action looks like in practice.  In this episode we focus on social action facilitated through individual initiative. Our guest is Faegheh Evans who for over 20 years has been offering 'Spiritual Parenting' courses to almost 700 people in the Perth metro area.  We provide an overview of her curriculum, explore its relation with the core activites and discuss some of her challenges and aspirations.  We also explore the role of individual initiative in a community's wider service arena. The episode concludes with the song 'Spiritual Parenting', drawing on some of the key themes explored throughout the episode.

An exploration of the Universal House of Justice's Ridvan message of 2026 reviewing progress over the past phase of the Nine Year Plan and priorities moving forward.

Includes discussion of the state of the world, 'profound, insightful conversations', a framework for hope, and new patterns for community life. 

The episode concludes with the song: "Ridvan 2026" exploring themes from the message.

Contents:

0:00 Introduction
01:25 Report Card
6:45 State of the World
8:55 Profound and Insightful Conversations
14:22 Community Life
18:59 Hope
31:04 Closing Thoughts
33:19 Song: "Ridvan 2026"

Explore how to engage in meaningful conversations about the turmoil in Iran without falling into division or despair. 

Centered on the principle of constructive resilience, it reveals a powerful alternative to protest—one rooted in unity, service, and spiritual clarity. 

Through historical insight and practical guidance, listeners are invited to transform concern into action, navigate difficult questions with confidence, and become a source of hope in a time of profound uncertainty.

The episode concludes with the song "Constructive Resilience" with lyrics written by Duane to reinforce a key theme in the episode.  Musical composition, instrumentation and vocals were AI facilitated.  Lyrics to the song are as follows:

No matter how bleak the immediate horizons
No matter how dark things may seem
While we obey our oppressor’s rule
It is our Faith that stands supreme

We neither succumb in resignation
Nor imitate the patterns we reject
We walk through every storm of trial
Faithful to our character, in every respect

[chorus]
Like the organs of a body, 
Each part different but aligned
Through our constructive resilience 
A new pattern you will find

Our conscious can’t be stilled 
Because our destiny will be fulfilled

[bridge]
Constructive resilience
Constructive resilience

[verse]
It’s an unbroken record of service
With means consistent with its ends
It’s an integrity that is never shaken
As we serve our fellow friends

Because no matter how dark the horizon
No matter how grim the day at hand
We know our future is bright and luminous
As all will celebrate the Persian land

[chorus]
Like the organs of a body, 
Each part different but aligned
Through our constructive resilience 
A new pattern you will find

Our conscious can’t be stilled 
Because our destiny will be fulfilled

[bridge]
Constructive resilience
Constructive resilience

Constructive resilience
Constructive resilience

Contents:

0:00 Introduction
3:54 Non-Political Response
7:55 Historical Context
17:01 Navigating Crisis
27:30 Persian Cultural Resilience
36:15 Constructive Resilience
40:23 Expressing Sympathy
47:40 UHJ Guidance
59:02 Closing Thoughts
1:02:37 Song: "Constructive Resilience"

An exploration of the Universal House of Justice's message to the Conference of the Continental Board of Counsellors on December 31, 2025.  

The episode explores progress in the Plan as it approaches the end of its first phase and provides an exciting glimpse of new patterns as clusters move beyond the third milestone.  This includes new patterns of collaboration with wider society.

The episode concludes with a song summarizing themes in the message: "Bright Horizons Beckon."

Contents

0:00 Introduction
3:12 Third Milestones
12:09 No Fixed Formula
19:14 Beyond Third Milestones
26:07 Collaboration with Society
31:23 Implications for Administrators
36:08 Inspiration
41:38 Closing Thoughts
43:10 Song: "Bright Horizons Beckon"

An exploration of the Universal House of Justice's Ridvan message for 2025.  Includes an exploration of the construct of 'hope' - a summary of key achievements over the past year - and an appeal based on the urgency of the hour.  The episode concludes with an original song, "Ridvan 2025", exploring key themes in the message.

Contents:

0:00 Introduction
1:28 A dark, dark world
3:56 A focus on hope
15:57 Achievements of the year
24:09 Urgency of the hour
26:00 Closing thoughts
27:25 Song: "Ridvan 2025"

An exploration of two key messages by the Universal House of Justice exploring Bahá’í  family life: The message of March 19th, 2025 and its Naw Ruz message (2025) to the Baha'is of Iran.

We explore the evolution of a new construct in our new Society Building aspirations: 'The Bahá’í Home' - focusing on marriage, family, community and the role of family in elevating conditions in wider society.

The episode concludes with an original song summarizing the theme: "The Bahá’í Home".

Note: The close of the episode made reference to a collection of new songs produced by Duane and his new virtual AI band "The Society Builders".  The lyrics were composed by him, but the musical composition, instruments and vocals were AI-generated.  You can find this collection of songs at: 

BahaiTunes.org

You can also find it on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and other leading music platforms.  Just search for: THE Society Builders (don't forget to include the THE).  Or here:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0QEeUb5QRnyTCy0UYzenHj
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-society-builders/1800068934
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/artists/B0DZ85P2BG/the-society-builders

CONTENTS:

0:00 Introduction
2:15 Overview
6:14 Urgency of the hour
17:34 New patterns
23:14 Marriage
25:37 Family
29:02 Community
31:54 The Bahá’í Home
37:26 Closing thoughts
39:52 Song: "The Bahá’í Home"  

An exploration of Bahá’í-inspired approaches to social action, one of the key pillars of 'society building'.  

In Part Four, we explore how our approaches need to facilitate learning in action across four stages: Action, reflection, consultation and study which is framed by application of the Creative Word and scientific analysis.

The episode concludes with the original song "Learning Together in Action" which summarizes the theme of the episode.

CONTENTS

0:00 Introduction
1:49 Learning in Action
11:41 Learning from Mistakes
22:26 Closing Thoughts
25:46 Song: "Learning Together in Action"

An exploration of Bahá’í-inspired approaches to social action, one of the key pillars of 'society building'.  

In Part Three we explore the power of capacity building - and how even impossible dreams can be met as we cultivate this capacity.  We explore this on three levels of capacity building: for the individual; for institutions; and for the community.  This episode sets the stage for the final episode in our sequence on social action which will explore learning in action.  The episode concludes with an original song summarizing the episode: "Capacity Building".

CONTENTS

0:00 Introduction
1:43 Building Individual Capacity
17:58 Building Institutional Capacity
24:39 Building Community Capacity
28:35 Closing Thoughts
31:07: Song - "Capacity Building"

An exploration of Bahá’í-inspired approaches to social action, one of the key pillars of 'society building'.  

In Part Two, we explore how our approaches should be participatory, giving agency to all.  We discuss how this builds on the construct of 'universal participation' and frame agency as both right and responsibility.  We conclude by focusing on the change each of us can make in our lives and in the lives of the communities around us.

CONTENTS

0:00 Introduction
2:19 What is Agency?
6:45 Universal Participation
10:17 Agency as Empowerment
17:48 Agency as Responsibility
19:47 Personal Action
22:35 Concluding thoughts
25:04 Song: "Break Free"

An exploration of Bahá’í-inspired approaches to social action, one of the key pillars of 'society building'.  

In Part One, we explore two key principles: Organic Growth (that initiatives should start small and grow over time) and coherence (finding balance between our material and spiritual needs).

CONTENTS

0:00 Introduction
5:10 Organic Growth
20:13 Coherence
29:06 Closing Thoughts