studying vs. sleeping

To have 4 exams in a row can be very stressful, it’s is however also a dilemma between studying and sleeping. I wonder what’s the best strategy? Better sleep first and then study? But what happens when you have trouble getting up?
Well well, you see, it’s very complicated. And internet makes it even worse. All these interesting things that you can find there! And of course, the most interesting is that when you have to study, you keep looking up things that you would never think of. Or how about doing a season’s cleaning? When you have to study, it’s always the best time.
People in let’s say the 19th century had it much easier as much as the internet temptation concerns. But still, where would I find the loads of information I also need to studying besides from books?

new cool sites added to the “Baha’i resources” section

Very interesting and useful sites that can help you get new information about the Faith, the events in the Baha’i world and find some interesting videos, audios and presentations that you can show your friends:

Baha’i Explorer and Bahaikipedia.

Have fun using them!

today is the Chinese New year’s eve!

Happy new year to China!

what to do when you run out of inspiration?

I feel today like somebody has hit me with a fake plastic chicken over the head. Moreover, instead of staying in bed with a book trying to fight this terrible feeling, I have to study. And study so much that it blows my mind. Well, here, I think I need some inspiration and some new energy to get back to work.

I’ve been thinking of a few tips to boost your energy supply and some came to my mind.

1. Drink loads of Chinese tea. Man, it’s so strong that it will put you  back on your feet even if you don’t want to.

2. Avoid Facebook, Myspace or any other kind of entertainement whatsoever. Blogs included.

3. Listen to some boosting music. I think Richard Strauss or Wagner would do.

4. Avoid reading news. It’s depressing. Instead, take some time to read some inspiring piece of writing.

5. Smile at yourself in the mirror.

And finally, here’s my piece of inspiring text. I found it thanks to Ocean.

I adjure Thee by Thy might, O my God! Let no harm beset me in times of tests, and in moments of heedlessness guide my steps aright through Thine inspiration. Thou art God, potent art Thou to do what Thou desirest. No one can withstand Thy Will or thwart Thy Purpose.

- The Bab

(Compilations, Baha’i Prayers, p. 28 )

Anything else that you would recommend? Please feel free to use the “comments” space. Some discussion would be nice.

I memorize

As I wrote in the post before, I found this cool thing called “iMemorize”, which is an online tool for memorizing quotes from the Baha’i Writings. Since I wanted to recommend this site to others, I also wanted to try it out myself. So I went there and in about one minute learned by heart one quotation that I already knew before but that I forgot. It was really a lot of fun and the good thing about it is that you can add your own quotations! Here’s the link for iMemorize once more.

And here’s the quotation that I learned:

“The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.”

(Baha’u'llah, cited in the Advent of Divine Justice, p. 24-25)

new links added

I added some cool links on my side bar today.

In the cathegory Baha’i resources you can find some interesting sites with loads of useful information in them – amongst others the Majnun Baha’i search engine or the very good iMemorize site, where you can learn quotations by heart through 3 sorts of funny games.

You can also find some tips for good, mostly Baha’i inspired music, under the title “Music”.

Under the cathegory “Baha’i related websites”, you can find some sites that I find interesting and inspiring.

And finally, the blogroll stay mostly the same, some new sites were added.

Enjoy!

P.S. Any other tips for cool links? Please feel free to use the “comments” space.

frankfurt in three weeks!

In about three weeks from now, on the weekend of the 7th February, one of the 41 regional conferences will take place in Frankfurt am Main and I’m one of the participants! The biggest number of Baha’is I’ve ever seen on one place was about 250 at Changing Times. Now it’s gonna be 2500! I can’t even imagine that amount of people.

What are your own experiences with the 41 conferences?

delegate election / 19 day feast

It was a wonderful day yesterday. At first, I went to a great “Soul food and brunch” devotional at my friend’s Nora Tönnis place. We were about 12 people there, I guess a few of them were not Baha’is and we shared some beautiful prayers, texts and songs. Then, in the evening, I went to the 19 day feast at the viennese Baha’i house. The feast was preceded by an election of 9 delegates for the national convention that will take place in April. We got lists with names of people eligible and I saw there were 215 people on the list! But only about 50 in the room. Finally, the amount of people that actually voted was 68. What can be done that this number is bigger next year?

ocean

I’m still amazed by the potential of the Baha’i research library Ocean. Anytime I was looking for some inspirational texts on a certain topic, Ocean never let me down. It’s is also, in my opinion, a very good tool for teaching the Faith to members of other religions.

This is what I found there today:

O Most Mighty Ocean! Sprinkle upon the nations
that with which Thou hast been charged by Him Who
is the Sovereign of Eternity, and adorn the temples of
all the dwellers of the earth with the vesture of His laws
through which all hearts will rejoice and all eyes be
brightened.

(Baha’u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 54)

You can find Ocean on the following website:

http://www.bahai-education.org/ocean/

problems with concentration

I have to study very hard these days because the exams are approaching. And I have found myself in a very difficult situation – it’s actually very hard to concentrate myself on the readings and I spend most of my days forcing myself to work and finding unnecessary chores that I have to accomplish before I can study. In brief, finding any excuse not to study.

At the end I always find a way how to concentrate again and study but the struggle is terrible.

I should maybe find some concentration techniques that I could try out?