Those of us who have become Baha'is as adults often compare our daily lives before and after we joined the Baha'i community.
Since the Baha'i Faith places great value on family life, career and community service, many aspects of our outward lives are similar to what we were doing before.
We keep up with friends and family, and continue our professional, sporting, social and cultural activities.
Usually, the big change has come with our inner lives. We experience a new vitality and happiness, a new sense of purpose, and an enhanced ability to make sense of the world and to view the future with optimism.
By following the Baha'i moral code we find our relationships often improve.
As Baha’is we discover the joy of spending time as part of our daily routine in prayer, meditation and reading the Baha'i sacred writings. It is up to us how long we spend in these uplifting activities and there is no ritual.
Being part of the Baha'i community provides us with opportunities to meet and develop friendships with people from many different backgrounds.
Building and maintaining unity is very important to Baha’is. We strive to bring our lives in line with our belief in the oneness of humanity and to apply that in our families, our neighbourhoods, our workplaces, our communities, our nation and our world.
The Feast
Every 19 days Baha’is across Australia get together in our local area for an event called the "Nineteen Day Feast," or simply "the Feast."
It is the centrepiece of Baha'i community life.
The word "Feast" doesn't refer to food but rather to a spiritual feast of worship, companionship and unity.
The Feast is held on the first day of each Baha'i month, usually in a Baha'i centre, a community hall, or in a private home, depending on the number of local Baha'is.
Baha'i adults, youth and children are encouraged to attend. The Feast always contains three elements: spiritual devotions, community consultation, and social fellowship.
It is up to the members of the local community how they adapt these elements. The aim is to make the event vibrant, uplifting and joyful.
Holy days
We commemorate 11 Baha'i holy days each year. These occasions are usually marked with community gatherings for prayer, reflection and fellowship.
On nine of the holy days, Baha'is suspend work. These days are:
21 March: Naw Ruz, the Baha'i New Year
21 April: First Day of Ridvan, marking Baha’u’llah’s declaration of His mission as a Messenger of God. This is the most important holy day and is the start of the twelve-day Festival of Ridvan ("Paradise")
29 April: Ninth Day of Ridvan
2 May: Twelfth Day of Ridvan
23 May: Declaration of the Bab, marking the anniversary of the Bab's announcement of His mission in 1844.
29 May: Ascension of Baha'u'llah, marking the passing of Baha'u'llah in 1892
9 July: Martyrdom of the Bab, Who was executed in 1850
20 October: Birth of the Bab
12 November: Birth of Baha'u'llah
The Holy days on which Baha'is do not suspend work are:
26 November: Day of the Covenant, commemorating Baha'u'llah's appointment of His son, Abdu’l-Baha, as the One to whom His followers should turn after His passing
28 November: Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha, marking the passing of Abdu'l-Baha in 1921
Other special days
26 February-1 March: Ayyam-i-Ha (also known as the Intercalary Days): a period of celebration devoted to charity, gift-giving and festivities prior to the annual fasting period.
2-20 March: Fasting month, during which Baha'is from the age of 15 years abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. There are exemptions for those are ill, elderly, travelling and so on.