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| Ella Goodall Cooper |
"Know thyself," enjoined Socrates, without,
however, revealing any method of going about it. Nevertheless, the precept
still holds good, and extends to knowing one's neighbor, since "the proper
study of mankind is man." To the Baha'is this popular interest, far from
being improper, is encouraging, for it is a token of people's interest in one
another, which interest we believe will grow and grow till all come to
recognize the truth of Baha'u'llah's saying, "This handful of dust, the
earth, is one home."
In sharp contrast to the popular superficial and often
selfish applications of psychology, are the earnest endeavors, profound and
beneficent, of the conscientious psychiatrists and physicians, patiently
working to unravel the intricate threads of maladjusted lives, using the valuable
technique contributed by the psycho-analysts, to bring education to the normal,
and relief to the abnormal, members of society.
To these men, Janet, Freud Jung, Adler and others, society
owes a debt, which is ever growing, as the efforts, particularly those of Dr.
Adler and his colleagues in Vienna, are being extended to cooperate not only
with medical men but also with the educator and social welfare worker, and we
ardently hope the circle may soon widen to include the enlightened and
scientifically-minded religionist, as well. The efforts of this group are
directed toward prevention of abnormal conditions through education, rather
than merely the relief of the tragic situation after it has been allowed to
arise. Is not this the object of spiritual education also?
One of the most distinguished of this group, whom we have
lately had the good fortune to meet in America, is Dr. Alfred Adler of Vienna,
whose psychology is a method of gaining knowledge of individuals, including
knowledge of their inner life, and is founded upon a view of the individual as
a whole in himself, an indivisible unit of human society. Thus, while it has
grown up as a part of psycho-analysis, individual psychology only uses analysis
for the purpose of synthesizing the whole life of the individual.
I have borrowed the above information from Dr. Adler's
exponent and interpreter, Philippe Mairet, and will quote a few lines from the
same source:
"The supreme importance of this contribution to modern
psychology is due to the manner in which it reveals how all activities of the
soul are drawn together into the service of the individual, how all his
faculties and strivings are related to one end. We are enabled by this to enter
into the ideals, the difficulties, the efforts and discouragements of our
fellow-men, in such a way that we may obtain a whole and living picture of each
as a personality… There has never before been a method so rigorous and yet
adaptable for following the fluctuations of that most fluid, variable and
elusive of all realities, the individual human soul"
It is precisely because all religions, and the Baha'i
Revelation in particular, have something vital to say on the subject of this
same elusive soul, that I have chosen to consider this adaptable method of Dr.
Adler as being most closely paralleled by the Baha’i teaching.
To the followers of this teaching it is always gratifying to
witness how such great and progressive men are unconsciously reflecting the
Spirit of this Age. Dr. Adler touches on problems deep and far reaching,
applying his principles to many spheres of life as well as to the art of
healing, problems which we believe can be solved by the "sovereign
remedy" brought by Baha'u'llah, the Divine Physician, for the healing of
the nations. Thus it seems to me to be peculiarly fitting, in pursuance of one
of His basic teachings - namely, religion must conform with science and reason
that we, as Baha'is, should hasten to unite our efforts with those altruistic
scientists whose services are being devoted to the amelioration of the enormous
burden of mental misery that afflicts humanity today.
Religion, as such, seems to find scant favor at the hands of
the psychologist, partly, perhaps, because many of the cures, for which
religion in the past has claimed the credit, seem to him explainable upon a
psychological basis, or, perhaps, because his experience with religious manias
has been provocative of impatience for the whole subject, or, perhaps, because
he feels religion has lost its ancient potency, or, perhaps, because he regards
it not with the eye of faith, but as one seeking scientific truth.
Dr. Overstreet seems to dismiss it with a shrug, saying that
many religionists are not really humanists, and that, "Religion, like a
good deal of the rest of our life, needs at last to concern itself with real
human beings." He refers, as do most scientists and educators, to orthodox
religion or theology, but that is not what the Baha'is mean by religion.
Speaking scientifically, perhaps the great point of connection
between psychology and religion, is that essential longing, which is present in
all human creatures, the longing for individual immortality. Although science
has demonstrated the indestructibility of matter, yet the actuality of that
mysterious realm beyond this life has not been proved by any returned traveler,
and man has recourse only to faith if he is to believe what the Prophets have
always taught, and what mankind in general wishes to believe that it is indeed
the real life of the indestructible soul, for which this brief span of years
here is but the preparation.
The Baha'i teachings on this point give comforting assurance
to sustain the seeking soul, at the same time appealing to reason and inspiring
faith. We believe that faith in immortality and belief in spiritual realities
influence conduct profoundly, and mould character to noble ends, and that one
of the reasons why so much mental disturbance is painfully evident in the
world, is the apparent failure of religion to set forth a unified, convincing
and authoritative truth, freed from man-made dogmas and creeds, which will aid
struggling humanity to grapple with the overwhelming problems of this complex,
bewildering age. Our belief is that the Baha'i Cause does recognize and satisfy
just that universal, crying need.
And to my mind, a most important point of contact between
the Baha'i teaching and that of Dr. Adller is their common conviction of the
fundamental "oneness of humanity." It quite thrills me to quote his
declaration:
"We cannot escape from the net of our own relatedness.
Our sole safety is to assume the logic of our communal existence upon this
planet as an ultimate, absolute truth, which we approach step by step, through
the conquest of illusions arising from our incomplete organization and limited
capabilities as human beings.”
And is not the mission of the Baha'i Movement to unite all
the races of the world?
Another point of contact is education. Dr. Adler speaks of
it repeatedly. He advocates psychology as the "human science" which
should be studied by laymen as well as by specialists, and shows that even the
study of the abnormal is necessary to gain an understanding of normal processes
(since the difference is only one of degree). He also states that the object of
this education of the normal human being and the re-education of the abnormal
one is the same - to fit both for a better understanding of human nature, and
to develop the social feeling, because man is a social being, not to be
considered as separated from human society, but one who must learn to take his
place as an integral part of it.
Of course we agree heartily with Dr. Adler that human nature
is capable of being educated, moreover that education must begin with the
individual child from the moment of its birth, in order that its “behavior
pattern” may be correctly and happily set.
'Abdu'l-Baha shows us that education to be complete should
be both material and spiritual, in other words, it should be for the heart as
well as the head. The Abbe Dimnet reminds us that Vauvenargues says,
"Great thoughts arise from the heart," and Joubert, "There is no
light in souls in which there is no warmth.” Hence, to the old question,
"can human nature change?" we would answer in the words of Dr.
Esselmont, a distinguished English physician and Baha'i teacher: "Both
education and religion are based upon the assumption that it can and does
change. In fact, it requires but little investigation to show that the one
thing we call say with certainty about any living thing is that it cannot keep
from changing."
What has all this to do with modern psychology, you may ask?
We earnestly believe that that" science
of humanity," as Dr. Adler calls it, can be of still greater value
as a healing factor in dealing with disorders of the mind when it becomes
touched and illumined by a vital, dynamic religion such as taught by
Baha'u'llah, Whose appearance is the Sun of Truth in this day.
The vibrations caused by this new influx of spiritual power
has brought into being many new schools of thought, numbers of which are
concerned with the healing and re-education of suffering and maladjusted
humanity. As we have noted, psychology itself has advanced until it has become
an important instrument in the hands of
the best modern physicians - for it is acceptable to many who will
not listen to the worn-out dogmas and
creeds of religion, as such, and yet whose needs demand something more than the
science of materia medica alone. In this respect the rise of these movements,
even though they be only pseudoscientific, has contributed to the whole
ministry of medicine.
The Baha'i ideal of the physician of the future might be of
special interest here. 'Abdu'l-Baha says that the physician of the future must
be a man scientifically educated and trained, in order to be a skillful
diagnostician of disease (to know whether it be of mental or physical origin)
and, in addition to this knowledge, he must be imbued "with such a love of
God, such a love for humanity, such an intense desire to serve humanity, that
his very presence in the sick room will be like healing to the patient.
In this day, when disorders of the mind have spread over the
world almost like a plague, physicians surely need to use both spiritual and
material means of healing, ever striving to find the perfect balance.
As regards man’s social development, Dr. Adler stresses
again and again the necessity of early education in order to fix the life
pattern of the child by habit, which becomes conduct, and eventually crystallizes
into character. He always regards man as a social being and each individual
soul as being motivated by the conscious or unconscious striving for a
"goal."
It is evident then, in order to assist the souls to fit into
their environment and function happily and cooperatively with their fellow
beings, some kind of a worthy plan is necessary by which to guide their lives
and develop their social feeling; and when ignoble goals are discovered,
altruistic standards need to be substituted, and if they can be joyous, so much
the better. "Joy gives us wings," says 'Abdu'l-Baha.
The Baha'i teaching, upon the same basis of human evolution,
offers a magnificent social program, because it is universal, constructed upon
the corner stone of the unity of the whole human family; not only that, but in
its re-statement of the eternal verities, it is marvelously adapted to the
complex needs of evolving humanity in this new and wonderful age.
Progress is so rapid these days that the next generation may
have to develop new and different powers in order to endure the high vibrations
of our mechanistic civilization.
Professor Meredith made the same statement that I heard
recently made by Doctor Ray Lyman Wilbur, to the effect, that to-day the speed
of life is so terrific that man's moral and spiritual consciousness has not yet
caught up with the extraordinary rapidity of the material or external changes,
thus causing a dislocation so fraught with danger that man stands aghast at the
products of his inventive genius and power, not knowing how to cope with these
new dangers that threaten to overwhelm
him.
Thoughtful minds cannot but realize that unless man can
somehow be educated to encompass these inventions and possess them for
constructive service to society, they will surely possess him and destroy the
world. Therefore, the education of youth to a realization of the truth that we are our "brother's
keeper," based upon science and
reinforced by the spiritual dynamic of real religion, is the only hope
of the future, if civilization is to be
saved.
Baha'is believe that the social program, revealed by
Baha'u'llah and elucidated by 'Abdu'l-Baha, gives to humanity the solution of
these stupendous problems.
In addition to the glorious basic principles, Baha'u'llah
advocates certain universal institutions for service to all mankind, as well as
giving certain vital precepts for the guidance and purification of the
individual life. How noble is His
concept of a temple - called in the Persian, Mashriqu’l-Adhkar, which means
something far greater than merely a temple or church, something indeed, for
which we have no equivalent in English. His concept is that in every city there
should be built a group of buildings set in a large and beautiful garden; the
central building - its doors always open in welcome to all comers - to be the
house of worship; around it, first, the hospice, where hospitality would be
dispensed, perhaps to the weary traveler, perhaps to one who is temporarily out
of work, or to one in need of shelter for a time; next, the hospital, wherein
the physicians would minister unto the sick and needy, using both types of
healing, serving the poor from a free dispensary; then, a home for the aged, a
home for the orphans, and a home for the cripples and incurables; then, a
school for the children and a great university for the higher branches of
learning.
Every child would be educated in an art or craft or trade or
profession, boys and girls alike, for all Baha'is are taught the dignity of
labor, and that work pursued in the spirit of service is acceptable as prayer
and worship, in this new day.
Those who serve in this great and beautiful community
center, would first enter the house of worship, lift up their hearts to God in
any manner they desire, and then, inspired and strengthened by the Holy Spirit,
they would go forth into these other institutions and serve all who come,
regardless of color, class or creed.
Such a plan would seem to appeal to the enlightened
psychologist as offering an ideal
pattern for normal activity - the individual trained to work joyously and
intelligently for the good of the group, thereby gaining his own satisfaction
and happiness. Psychology teaches that emotional impulse must find its
legitimate outlet if life is to be normal and happy. To the Baha’is, this plan
of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar appears to be a superb plan of unifying social service
for, with the Spirit -God - at the center, and Humanity at the circumference,
the circle is complete.
To sum it up, this is what the Baha'is mean by religion -
the love of God, expressed in purity of individual life and deeds of joyous
service to all mankind.
Dr. Adler closes his book, "Understanding Human
Nature," with these words: "The law of psychic development seems to
us to be irrefutable. It is the most important indicator to any human being who
wishes to build up his destiny consciously and openly, rather than to allow
himself to be the victim of dark and mysterious tendencies. These researches
are experiments in the science of human nature, a science which cannot
otherwise be taught or cultivated. The understanding of human nature seems to us indispensable to
every man, and the study of its science, the most important activity of the
human mind.”
Since the human science and real religion both operate in the
"realm of minds, hearts and spirits," may we not justly make a plea
for their conscious and definite cooperation, believing that in thus working
together hand in hand they may be able to transmute this science into the
"divine art of living."
(Star of the West [The Baha’i Magazine], vol. 20, no. 8,
November 1929)
