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Origin of the Cards

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL GLEANED FROM NABÍLS NARRATIVE REGARDING THE BAHÁ'Í CALENDAR 

The Bahá’í World, Vol. 17.

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“Soon after Bahá’u’lláh had left the fortress of ‘Akká and was dwelling in the house of Malik, in that city, He commanded me to transcribe the text of the Badí’ Calendar and to instruct the believers in its details. On the very day in which I received His command, I composed, in verse and prose, an exposition of the main features of that Calendar and presented it to Him…  The names of the months are the same as the days of each month.”

Understanding the Cards

1) The Badí Calendar - 19 Months, 19 Days

The Badí Calendar is a solar calendar in which the year is divided into 19 months of 19 days for a total of 361 days, plus an additional four or five "Intercalary" days.

 

The months are named, each describing an attribute of God.

The days of the month are also named, and have the same 19 names as the months of the year. For example, the 1st day of each month is Splendor, just as the 1st month of each year is Splendor. Likewise, both the 2nd day of each month, and 2nd month of each year, are Glory. (See table above.)

 

As a result, every day embodies two attributes: the name of the day, and the name of the month. For example, the fifth day of the 2nd month is the day of Light within the month of Glory.

3) Incorporating the Elements

According to the translation provided by Nader Saiedi in Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Báb, the Badi' calendar is grouped into four elements:*

 

  1. The first three months represent the"Fire of God"
     

  2. The next four months repesent the"Air of Eternity" 
     

  3. The next six month represent the"Water of Divine Unity"
     

  4. The last six months represent the "Sacred Realm of the Earth"

* Permission to use translation given by Dr. Nader Saiedi, author of Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Báb.

2) The Card Framework - 19 Rays

The 19-Day Cards are designed to help the user develop a daily spiritual practice within the Badí calendar context. We have created the cards in this format as a method to follow the qualities within the calendar days/months. 

 

The card is composed of 19 rays emanating from the center...  19 rays of light touching each of the spiritual qualities of both the month of the year and the day of the month, written in both English and Persian. 

 

There is one card for each day. The day is indicated by the location of the orange orb. The month is where the purple orb is located. The illustration above is a card for the 1st day of Splendor in the 17th month of Sovereignty.

 

(Example below: 1st day of Splendor in the 12th month of Knowledge)

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4) Reading the Card

The italicized quote, or the "heart " of the card, is a sacred writing, scripture, prayer etc. from a wide variety of sources. Each quote is specifically selected to mirror the spiritual quality of both the day and the month; creating a deeper spiritual sense and understanding.

 

Below the source information of the quote, is a reflection, or thought to ponder in bringing guidance and awareness of the spiritual energies of the day.

 

However-- it is important to note that this section is a suggestion, and can be followed or substituted for something more personally meaningful at the preference of the user.

 

See Suggested Uses for more ideas.

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