The Journey West

This week’s podcast centers around Abdu’l-Bahá departure, featuring two separate accounts of this day from the perspectives of Juliet Thompson and Howard Colby Ives. Also hear the Master’s farewell address aboard the SS. Celtic on December 5, 1912.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

Parveen Selvasekaran, Janis VandonDool, Praveen Selvasekaran, David Honsberger, Jude Dogley, Eminoni Raivoka

photo by: Cole Sheldon

The Journey West podcast takes a second look at the journey of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá through North America by review the following passage from Shoghi Effendi:

Who knows what thoughts flooded the heart of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as He found Himself the central figure of such memorable scenes as these? Who knows what thoughts were uppermost in His mind as He sat at breakfast beside the Lord Mayor of London, or was received with extraordinary deference by the Khedive himself in his palace, or as He listened to the cries of “Alláh-u-Abhá” and to the hymns of thanksgiving and praise that would herald His approach to the numerous and brilliant assemblages of His enthusiastic followers and friends organized in so many cities of the American continent? Who knows what memories stirred within Him as He stood before the thundering waters of Niagara, breathing the free air of a far distant land, or gazed, in the course of a brief and much-needed rest, upon the green woods and countryside in Glenwood Springs, or moved with a retinue of Oriental believers along the paths of the Trocadero gardens in Paris, or walked alone in the evening beside the majestic Hudson on Riverside Drive in New York, or as He paced the terrace of the Hotel du Parc at Thonon-les-Bains, overlooking the Lake of Geneva, or as He watched from Serpentine Bridge in London the 293 pearly chain of lights beneath the trees stretching as far as the eye could see? Memories of the sorrows, the poverty, the overhanging doom of His earlier years; memories of His mother who sold her gold buttons to provide Him, His brother and His sister with sustenance, and who was forced, in her darkest hours, to place a handful of dry flour in the palm of His hand to appease His hunger; of His own childhood when pursued and derided by a mob of ruffians in the streets of Ṭihrán; of the damp and gloomy room, formerly a morgue, which He occupied in the barracks of ‘Akká and of His imprisonment in the dungeon of that city—memories such as these must surely have thronged His mind. Thoughts, too, must have visited Him of the Báb’s captivity in the mountain fastnesses of Ádhirbayján, when at night time He was refused even a lamp, and of His cruel and tragic execution when hundreds of bullets riddled His youthful breast. Above all His thoughts must have centered on Bahá’u’lláh, Whom He loved so passionately and Whose trials He had witnessed and had shared from His boyhood. The vermin-infested Síyáh-Chál of Ṭihrán; the bastinado inflicted upon Him in Ámul; the humble fare which filled His kashkúl while He lived for two years the life of a dervish in the mountains of Kurdistán; the days in Baghdád when He did not even possess a change of linen, and when His followers subsisted on a handful of dates; His confinement behind the prison-walls of ‘Akká, when for nine years even the sight of verdure was denied Him; and the public humiliation to which He was subjected at government headquarters in that city—pictures from the tragic past such as these must have many a time overpowered Him with feelings of mingled gratitude and sorrow, as He witnessed the many marks of respect, of esteem, and honor now shown Him and the Faith which He represented. “O Bahá’u’lláh! What hast Thou done?” He, as reported by the chronicler of His travels, was heard to exclaim one evening as He was being swiftly driven to fulfill His third engagement of the day in Washington, “O Bahá’u’lláh! May my life be sacrificed for Thee! O Bahá’u’lláh! May my soul be offered up for Thy sake! How full were Thy days with trials and tribulations! How severe the ordeals Thou didst endure! How solid the foundation Thou hast finally laid, and how glorious the banner Thou didst hoist!

With these thoughts in mind a talk on the topic of sacrifice was chosen from Promulgation of Universal Peace to help listeners consider ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s own sacrifices.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

May Taherzadeh, Pascal Schmidt, Zayn Dollie, Melanie King, & Shira Trick

In this episode of The Journey West podcast we follow ‘Abdu’l-Bahá back to the East coast with a soundtrack by our regular contributor Mitch Doran and end the show with a message for the Baha’i’s of the West given by the Master.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Mitch Doran

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

Mitch Doran, Chwinwi Ghogomu, Ian Carter, Melissa Hainsworth, Ivan Mihoci

This week’s podcast features the story of Thornton Chase, the first American Bahá’í, and his sudden passing in September 1912. Listen to accounts about this occasion as well as poetry written by Mr. Chase.

The second segment of the show centers around a talk given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on the subject of international peace given on October 26, 1912 in California.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

Jim Traub, Amy Marks, Arianna Hakiman, Mitch Doran, Anna Castelaz, & Borna Safai

‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave many public addresses at universities, however His talk at Standford University in October 1912 makes a direct connection between the responsibility of science and its connection to world peace. He also talks openly about His father, Baha’u’llah, a feature not often found in His public addresses. For these reasons we choose this talk along side a feature introducing ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s stay in California.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

Geoff Marks, Ed Sevcik, David Renna, Joseph Wagner, Amelia Smith, & Anthony Hancock,

By September ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was making His way to California. This journey took most of the month and added many cities to His American tour.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

Jim Traub, Jenna Polk, Aaron Dahm, Afshin Toufighian,  Arilan Karczag, & May Jamshedi

Image: Master In America

On the evening of August 30, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrived at the Maxwell home. He spent a total of 6 full days in Montreal, Canada giving several private and public talks. In a Tablet addressed to the region he says, The future of Canada is very great and its historical events infinitely glorious. Thus it shall become the object of the glances of Providence and the manifestation of the favours of the Supreme Lord.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

Sonjel Vreeland-Erikson, Afnan Khabiri, Bahia Marks, Ivan Mihoci, & Nava Anvari

During this weeks podcast we hear a talk by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at Green Acre on the topic of materialism, plus a feature about Fred Mortensen’s journey to meet him there.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

Cole Sheldon, Ridvan Bruss, Cedric Lenk, Nabil Silva, & Amelia Aminpour

During ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s travels through the United States He stayed a brief time in Dublin, New Hampshire.  This week’s podcast features a brief story of a luncheon held there, as well as a talk given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on literal interpretation and prayer.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

David Honsberger, Diane Thomas, Wyler Metge, Emmy Metge, & Ashkan Nahzemi,

On July, 23 1912 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave a talk on the topic of politics at the Hotel Victoria in Boston. There were variety of people present at this talk, including journalist who quoted Him on the purpose of His visit.

I came for the peace gatherings in America. They are good. But their efforts must not end in words alone. I pray that they may receive confirmation so that this country may become the center of efforts for peace.

This week’s podcast features the wedding of Grace and Harlan Ober, from the perspective of Howard Colby Ives. For more details on the wedding  check out the following post on The Journey West.org: here.

Production Team:

Ivan Mihoci, Mary Okonkwo, & Lorraine Sherrill

Music:

Afshin Toufighian

Guests:

David Honsberger, Amgad Squires, Nathan Lewis, Haron Ngome, & Diana Malacalza