While the Ruhi Institute courses are offered by the Baha’i Community, and are based on the teachings of Baha’u’llah, there is no expectation that people will join the Baha’i Faith. In fact, the Baha’i teachings clearly forbid proselytizing. That said, the course is a great way to learn about the teachings of the Baha’i Faith, as well as to reflect on one’s own spiritual practices and perspectives.
What impact do our actions have on our own communities? What role do kindness, conflict, love, and backbiting have on the gradual emergence of peaceful society? What is the relationship between the spiritual and intellectual growth of the individual and the transformation of society? What is the nature of the spiritual path towards God and what role does prayer play in our progress down this path?
Reflections on the Life of the Spirit
These are some of the questions that are examined in light of the Baha’i Writings in the course “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit.” Participants study and discuss selections from the Baha’i Writings in a casual and lively “Study Circle” guided by a tutor, a participant with more experience from the local Ithaca Baha'i Community. The courses help participants deepen their knowledge, strengthen spiritual qualities and attitudes, and develop habits that enable them to participate in activities that build stronger communities which reflect the deep compassion, honesty, justice, and love that Baha’is believe God desires for the entire human family.
The very notion of a path is, itself, indicative of the nature and purpose of the courses, for a path invites participation, it beckons to new horizons, it demands effort and movement, it accommodates different paces and strides, it is structured and defined.
The Ruhi Institute
Get Started
Join us every Wednesday virtually from 7PM-8:15PM. For more information about this course, please contact Hierald Osorto at hosorto@ithaca.edu. To learn about these Study Circles in general, see
The Training Institute (Bahai.org)
The Ruhi Institute (Ruhi.org)
Building Community (Bahai.us)
Learn More About the Ithaca Bahá’ís
Today the Bahá’í community of Ithaca is composed of about 60 members from a beautiful array of backgrounds from places around the world. With their friends and neighbors, Bahá’ís are striving to build communities where children, young people and adults can together develop their God-given capacities and apply these as they forge new paths towards a world free of prejudice and war, one animated by love, justice and peace.