day four
“Release yourselves from this world’s life, and at every stage long ye for non-existence; for when the ray returneth to the sun, it is wiped out, and when the drop cometh to the sea, it vanisheth, and when the true lover findeth his Beloved, he yieldeth up his soul.”
“How unspeakably glorious are the signs, the tokens, the revelations, and splendours which He Who is the King of names and attributes hath destined for that City! The attainment of this City quencheth thirst without water, and kindleth the love of God without fire. Within every blade of grass are enshrined the mysteries of an inscrutable wisdom, and upon every rose-bush a myriad nightingales pour out, in blissful rapture, their melody. Its wondrous tulips unfold the mystery of the undying Fire in the Burning Bush, and its sweet savours of holiness breathe the perfume of the Messianic Spirit.”
sarah (guam, u.s.a.) left: Words cannot describe the feeling of reading the Writings that people have shared and seeing how they connect with readings from recent months and from this Fast. I loved reading the quote that Ronnie picked and can’t wait to see his photos. At every moment I feel grateful for this time and pray that I will be able to complete the Fast and be spiritually mindful this year and every year. “Praise be unto Thee, O our God, that Thou hast sent down unto us that which draweth us nigh unto Thee, and supplieth us with every good thing sent down by Thee in Thy Books and Thy Scriptures. Protect us, we beseech Thee, O my Lord, from the hosts of idle fancies and vain imaginations. Thou, in truth, art the Mighty, the All-Knowing.” Bahá’u’lláh
ronnie (yorkshire, u.k.) right: From the freshness of the tulip, harkening in the Spring Equinox, to the sturdy bridge, a crossing over from one state of being to another, I chose these photos since they symbolise the organic and systematic nature of the fast, something that enables us to traverse from attached to detached, whilst never forgetting the beauty in the process.
Did you know that the word tulip is ultimately derived from Persian; dulband (“turban”)? You always learn something new during the Fast.
nineteen days 
Lovely, you two!
Sarah, I love your bleeding hearts – the color and the atmosphere. Not only are a lot of the pairs of photographers “in synch” with each other within their days, but also across days: your photo reminds me of Shahriar’s from Day One.
And Ronnie, your tulips are gorgeous – such a beautiful quotation/image pairing.
Leili, I know we’ve talked about this “synching” stuff before, but it never fails to astonish me. Every time I look at this coupling, I smile. And what an interesting thing to notice, the consonance across days as well!
Ronnie and Sarah, as a landlocked gal your respective dusk and dawn photos are a sight for sore eyes. And I love the luscious, wet plant matter in your respective dawn and dusk pictures: the snow may be melting, but it ain’t green outside.
In all, a lovely combination, and a balm.
Both of your quotes, as well, resonate for me these days. I can’t stop counting my blessings … and remember to Whom I should be thankful.
i am always surprised by the connections between the images … somewhat magical!
Similarities and contrasts, once again. It must be those mystical connections.
Ronnie’s tulips are award-winning. Look at that droplet!!
Leili, your comments are always so thought provoking-I am going to look at all of the other days again and enjoy them once more.
Leila and Amy, thank you again for your angelic works on your wonderful project. It is so uplifting to see what everyone has done. I can’t wait to see all of the future days.
Elizabeth-the quotes definitely gave some hint, but only a hint of what the other photographer might do. Fun to guess what images would be posted.
really really cool how this set is so perfect for each other.
love it!
awesome!
as usual, every year you guys keep rocking my socks off with pure awesomeness!
very, very, very cool. nice pictures too. 😀
keep up the great work! 😀
hope you all have the bestest fast ever!
lovely lovely set! this project never fails to inspire.
thank you BOTH so very much for bringing me the sea, which i crave more than food- even during the Fast…Allah’u’Abha!
This is brilliant! Such inspiration during the Fasting period 🙂 Can’t wait to see the rest of the photos and read the quotations,
love
Hannah
exquisite. such a glorious way to start my day. thank you!
there is a subtle beauty in each shot as they compliment one another. you would never know that they were taken by two different photographers. kudos to Sarah and Ronnie for grafting such beautiful images!
love,
-abA
P.S. The tulips make me thirsty.
Thanks for the kudos everyone, a big thank you to the hosts Leila and Amy for creating a visual smörgåsbord of earthly delights and a big thank you to my new photographic friend Sarah for her stunning contributions.
I am constantly surprised by the amazing synergy that is created daily.
Sarah, your uplifting photos have complimented mine like the yin and the yang (your a.m. pic compliments my p.m. and vice -versa).
We live in a new age, where unity in diversity is the flavour of the millenium, including art, but this requires a delicate balance. If the previous dispensations have inspired so much beautiful art before us, we are VERY lucky to be living in the Day we do.
May the Word continue to inspire you all and happy fasting. 🙂
Too true, Ronnie, about the yin and the yang; the Writings were definitely the guiding inspiration. It would be wonderful if this kind of exercise could continue.
Cannot wait for the next posting to see what the next two photographers have offered!
Thanks again.
AMAZING, that’s all I can say.
These are extremely beautiful photographs!
There is a lot of vibrancy and energy in both sets of photographs. the flowers are vibrant and flourishing, especcially the deep wet red. Also, the landscapes of the sea and sky show the energy and pace at which life goes!!
All very beautiful photographs and selected readings and reflections!
Beautiful!! 🙂
LOVE the first quote… made me want to learn it off by heart. Thank you!