Scottish Baha'i Newsletter, No.45

SUBJECT: Summer School in St. Andrews

Dear Friends,

I guess being a student at home for the holidays with not a great deal planned, I fell into the camp of those who had every intention of attending the summer school in St Andrews, but just hadn't quite got round to booking it. You know what it's like; I would eventually coerce the parents into writing me a check for the accommodation, and haphazardly plan the night before how and when I would get myself to St Andrews while packing a suitcase and trying to figure out the twenty four hour times on bus timetables...

Then a couple of weeks before the school, I somehow found myself along with Carmelia and Matt organising the programme for the junior youth with help from Wendy Keenan. Many a panicked email was sent back and forward between the four of us until, before we knew it, we had managed put together a weeks' worth of sessions consisting of biscuit decorating, reflexology, food night, film making, music, story telling – the list goes on...

Thanks to Carmelia and Matt and all the amazing people who took sessions with the junior youth, and also all those involved in organising and running of the school: a truly inspiring and busy week took place. I'm not even going to try and retell everything that went on during the week, suffice to say a great deal of learning, story telling, food, film making, seaside capers, and tea drinking took place. For me personally, the highlights of the school which inspired me and will stay with me were hearing a lady tell of her own personal experience meeting the Guardian; hearing Simin speaking about her time in China; a session taken with the junior youth explaining progressive revelation using different powered light bulbs; also 'The Power of the Polo of Peer Pressure'. I must mention, too, the beautiful devotional sessions that were organised each morning, the Spearheads and the Tuck Shop Crew – you know who you are.

One final thought; as I was exhaustedly travelling home on the bus, I was looking back on the week and reflecting on the theme of the school, ‘The Healer of All Thine Ills is Remembrance of Me’, feeling as though I'd been blessed to get my own bit of spiritual medicine at the school – I guess my rôle is to move on and let others find their share.

Love,

Taraneh Eliasieh.

SUBJECT: Baha'i Parenting

Dear Friends,

BAHA'I PARENTING is a bi-monthly email newsletter dedicated to raising families with strong spiritual values. If you are interested, please email: negin@bahaiparent.com or check out the website at www.bahaiparent.com.

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THOSE OF THE COUNCIL OR THE EDITOR, NOR THE TEACHINGS OF THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH. PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS DIRECT TO THE EDITOR (E-MAIL ADDRESS BELOW).

Photographs including images of children under 18

Readers are reminded of the Newsletter’s policy on photographs of children.

For up to five children, photographs where children are recognisable require explicit parental/guardian permission for publication in the printed newsletter and its on-line edition. The only exceptions to this ruling are:

Group photographs where individual children cannot easily be identified in the final printed image.
When photographs are sent in by the parent/guardian of the child(ren) permission is implied.
When the Editor is able to ensure that the child cannot be identified, e.g. by blurring, half-toning, image size reduction, etc. (the least preferred option).

(To avoid confusion, could anyone sending in an image in which the youth are all over 18, confirm this in the accompanying letter/email.)

Permissions must be by letter, or email from a permanent email address, and sent direct to the Editor (address & e-mail address inside front cover) who will retain them in the newsletter archives. Resent, BUT NOT FORWARDED, messages will be accepted.

Photographs that do not conform to all the above guidelines cannot be used.