Sacredness Generators in the Bahá’í Gardens in Acre

The Baha’is, a relatively new religion that originated in Israel toward the late 19th century, is gaining followers globally. The religion’s founder – Baháʼu’lláh, considered the manifestation of God’s radiance (Baha), resided for twenty-two years in Acre and its vicinity. He was laid to rest in a splendid estate north of the city. Surrounding his grave and the residence where he spent his final years, magnificent gardens were constructed, forming the most Sacred site for Baha’is. Subsequently, the religion’s precursor, the Bab, and Baha’s successor, his son Abd al-Bahá, were buried in Haifa, on the other side of the Haifa bay, within a splendid temple on the slopes of Mount Carmel, encircled by gardens that underwent renovations in 2000. The Baha’i temple and gardens in Haifa stretch from the summit to the base of Mount Carmel, in a straight line oriented towards Acre. Currently, a third Sacred site is under development on a outskirts of Acre in the Nahal Hanaaman area, in a place where Baháʼu’lláh, the founder of the religion, often rested and received revelations.

Bahá’ís do not have specific houses of worship for daily prayers like mosques, synagogues, and churches. Instead, they have in some places large, uniquely designed general houses of prayer. In Israel, there is the Bab Golden Temple and several significant buildings in Haifa. Across the bay, north of Acre, there is an estate that includes the grave shrine of Baháʼu’lláh, his house, beautiful surrounding gardens, and a visitor center. Additionally, as mentioned, a new shrine has recently been constructed on the outskirts of the city itself.

The holiest site for Baha’is is the Bahji estate north of Acre, where the founder of their religion spent his final years and is buried. The general layout of the Bahá’í compound in Acre is circular, symbolizing the heavenly spheres. This circle forms a garden, envisioned as a new area in the Garden of Eden, centered on Bahá’u’lláh’s grave shrine and home. “The inhabitants of the highest paradise informed the children of the promise that within the sanctity of paradise, a heavenly paradise, a new garden appeared, surrounded by a circle…”[1]. Bahá’í houses of worship worldwide are also designed to be circular, reflecting the phenomenology of holiness, where a circle represents an archetype of heavenly reality.

The Baha’is place significant importance on gardens and invest heavily in their creation and upkeep. According to the explanatory materials distributed to visitors, the gardens might seem merely decorative. However, a deeper look into the Baha’i writings and the Muslim and Persian traditions from which the Baha’i faith originated reveals a hidden significance. The gardens largely symbolize the Garden of Eden. They serve to remind believers of their origins and ultimate destiny, and to inspire an experience of holiness. In Bahá’í literature, the imagery of paradise is linked to expressions of human spirituality at its peak. The faith encourages its followers to embody this ideal, as expressed in the hope: “It is our desire to see you as mirrors of paradise on earth.” [2]

Bahá’u’lláh was buried in the courtyard of his house, following the customs of that era. Later, expansive gardens were constructed around the house and the adjacent tomb shrine. These gardens consist of an inner section enclosed by a lattice fence, intricately designed in black and gold, and an outer section featuring broad areas, beginning with a beautifully structured entrance topped by an observation deck with a fountain. Bahá’ís direct their prayers towards these gardens in Acre, which serve as the Qibla for their prayer houses. Additionally, every Bahá’í is required to make a pilgrimage to this Sacred site at least once in their lifetime[3].

The importance of Bahá’u’lláh tomb and the Bahá’í gardens in Acre to the Bahá’ís themselves cannot be overstated, yet the site is also open to others, including the tomb shrine itself. Many visitors admire the beauty, arrangement, and character of the place, and numerous people experience both aesthetic and spiritual sensations there. These experiences are attributed to the existence of “Sacredness Generators” within the structure of the gardens and the buildings at the site, and the overall arrangement, which is the subject of discussion in the article before you.

In my research on Sacred places[4], I have identified sites that facilitate the emergence of an experience of the Sacred in individuals, as explored in the fields of religious sciences and the psychology of religion[5]. The Sacred is experienced as a state of unity, openness, and surrender to a greater, sublime, and benevolent power, catalyzing the release of abilities, emotions, and elevated feelings[6]. Such experiences are referred to as Peak or Plane experiences by Maslow, or transpersonal experiences in transpersonal Psychology[7]. These experiences are triggered by archetypal elements at Sacred sites, which I have named “Sacredness Generators.” These Generators at the Sacred sites resonate with corresponding perceptual archetypes within us, characterized as Unifying Duality, sublime exception, Connecting Center, and Fractal Complexity.

The Sacredness Generators are found in charismatic Sacred places that are constructed freely with a focus on holiness and through a process of inspiration. These sites need to be complex and diverse enough to contain such Generators and are perceived by the public as special, influential, and charismatic, thus serving as reference points and focal centers for a mystic religious identity. The article posits that there are two types of religion: one is external and routine, associated with security, identity, social belonging, and strengthening of the ego; the other is internal and experiential, involving a process of transformation triggered by contact with the Sacred. The focus of the article is on this second type of religion. Furthermore, it distinguishes between two types of Sacred places: one that is built according to fixed patterns and focuses on routine religious and social activities, thereby conditioning its visitors to remain within the everyday and temporal realm[8]; and a charismatic Sacred place that encourages personal mystic religious experience by being built freely with inspiration that incorporates the Sacredness Generators.

Today, there is a confusion of concepts in the world; not everything labelled as Sacred truly embodies Sacredness, and not every place deemed Sacred genuinely is. The Bahá’í gardens in Acre exemplify a charismatic Sacred site that impacts its visitors. Built freely and with inspiration, this site possesses what I argue as Sacredness Generators.

The spiritual journey

The site is expansive, featuring a boulevard that stretches about a kilometer from the entrance to the interior. It starts with a special urn imported from Iran, decorated with the legend of the journey of the birds, an ancient tale integral to Iranian culture[9]. This story was penned in the thirteenth century by the Persian Sufi poet Farid al-Din Attar (1142-1221). The legend describes a mythical mountain at the edge of the world, Mount Kaf, where resides a legendary bird, the Simorgh, akin to a phoenix, that lives eternally. The story revolves around the organization and journey of a group of birds to this place and the mythical creature, seeking answers to the existential dilemmas of life, most notably death.

Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í religion and considered the embodiment of God’s radiance, referenced the legend of the journey of the birds in his mystical book, The Seven Valleys. He used this text to illustrate the spiritual journey that a believer must undertake[10]. The urn brought from Iran, decorated with this legend, connects the site to a dimension of antiquity and mythology, and bestows its mana upon it. The presence of the urn depicting the journey of the birds at the entrance to the garden of Bahá’u’lláh’s tomb shrine symbolizes that the Holy tomb shrine is akin to the cosmic mountain—Mount Kaf—and that visiting the garden and the tomb shrine represents the spiritual journey.

The spiritual journey—reflected in the tale of the journey of the birds—is mirrored in the pathway through the garden leading to the Holy tomb shrine and in the approach to the tomb itself. Beck, discussing the phenomenology of mysticism, identifies three universal motifs that allegorically narrate the mystical experience: the journey, alchemy, and love. The journey symbolizes the seeker’s wanderings on the path to God, alchemy represents the transformation that occurs along the way, and love culminates in union with God[11]. The journey is also a quest for the beloved; therefore, in the path through the the Bahá’í Garden, towards the place where Bahá’u’lláh’s abode is located, one encounters sights, smells, sounds, and tactile sensations (such as stepping on pebbles or broken pottery). These elements, distinct from the ordinary, facilitate a transformation—an experience of the Sacred—with the ultimate goal being union with the Beloved, Bahá’u’lláh.

The journey of the birds is directed towards the Simorgh, a mythological bird that resides on Mount Kaf, the spiritual mountain at the edge of the world. In this allegory, Bahá’u’lláh is likened to the Simorgh—chosen by God, perched on the branch of the Tree of Eden from which the previous prophets emerged[12]. The mountain to which the birds fly, where the Simorgh resides, representing the cosmic mountain that bridges heaven and earth and stands as the center of the world, is the burial place of Bahá’u’lláh. This site, thanks to the attributes described, possesses the quality of a Sacredness Generator Connecting Center.

The garden is indeed a paradise[13]. Here, the horizontal (the garden and the journey) and the vertical (Bahá’u’lláh and the Holy Sepulcher) converge; transcendence and immanence intertwine. Images of heaven appear through the structural perfection, allowing a true believer to experience heaven on earth[14]. Bahá’u’lláh is likened to a bird in a new, round paradise and is buried in a large circular garden resembling paradise[15]. Yet, the bird is free—it can soar to great heights. At the conclusion of the birds’ journey to the Simurgh, they realize their true existence lies beyond time and space, and in fact, the answer is within them, in another dimension. Similarly, the pilgrim to Bahá’u’lláh garden and tomb shrine can have an experience of the Sacred that is beyond time and space.

The urn at the garden’s entrance offers an interpretation for the visiting process. This interpretation, familiar to some Bahá’ís from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, remains unknown to other visitors, and it subtly contributes to the generation of holiness. Other significant motifs in the garden for Bahá’í pilgrims include the decorated goblets placed on stands throughout and the peacock statues. The goblet symbolizes divine intoxication, while the peacock represents the Simurgh bird, signifying Bahá’u’lláh and eternal life. When a pilgrim familiar with Bahá’u’lláh writings visits the garden, the place bursts with life and becomes a Sacredness Generator of Fractal Complexity and Connecting Center, bringing to life everything he knows from his faith and changing his perception of reality, thereby fostering a connection to the Sacred

Even the “ordinary” visitor cannot help but be influenced by the place—its beauty, vastness, Complexity, splendor, and the Sacredness Generators within, which act as universal archetypes. All visitors make a “journey” from the entrance to the tomb shrine, passing through gates and various sections; they are exposed to sights, smells, textures, and natural sounds. They must adhere to certain conditions, including maintaining silence, and invariably leave the place differently than how they entered it.

A Unifying Duality in the Bahá’í temples

One of the most striking examples of the Sacredness Generator Unifying Duality operation is in the division of the Bahá’í Sacred places into two distinct centers that overlook and relate to each other across the Haifa Bay. One is the burial site of the religion’s founder Bahá’u’lláh in Acre, and the other is the burial site of the Forerunner of the new religion, the Bab, in Haifa. The connection between these sites is evident as the Bahá’í gardens in Haifa, which encircle the grave of the Forerunner (harbinger) the Bab, stretch in a straight line from the top of the mountain to its base. This line points towards Acre, where the grave of the founder Bahá’u’lláh (the manifestation of God) is located within a circular compound.

The harbinger, inherently masculine in its action, aligns with the architectural element of a straight line, while the Manifestation, feminine in essence, connects with the element of a circle[16]. In the holiest book of the Bahá’ís, verse 133 states: “Carry the two abodes in the two Sacred places and in every place where the seat of honor of your merciful Lord rests. This is what the Lord of the All-Knowing will command you.”[17] Indeed, the Sacred Places embody the Duality of holy Revelation as understood by the Bahá’ís, and the presence of two Sacred places aids in assimilating this concept. Thus, the connection between them and their mutual relationship serve as a Sacredness Generator of Unifying Duality.

The Duality in the manifestation of holiness within the Bahá’í faith is illustrated by the fact that the founder’s name, Bahá’u’lláh, means “the Glory of God.” He is not the embodiment of God Himself, but rather the radiance of God, the primary emanation associated with wisdom, which is feminine in essence. Thus, there are two divine aspects: one, the hidden God, and the other, His projection, through which the world was created. This concept is also found in the thought of Sufi mysticism in Islam, which influenced the Bahá’í faith. The Duality of divinity mirrors the Duality of body and spirit in humans and the world, reflected in the existence of two separate religious centers serving different purposes. In Acre, the spiritual center of the religion, which is the direction towards which followers pray, while in Haifa, the administrative, governmental center, which houses the religious institutions and the Supreme Council. The existence of these two centers emphasizes the Duality of this world and the world beyond—body and soul, matter and spirit. This arrangement teaches believers about the visible world that demands their action and responsibility and a divine hidden world, a heavenly grace to which they are encouraged to lift their gaze.

Therefore, the dual arrangement of the two Sacred sites and their interrelationship become a Sacredness Generator of Unifying Duality. The directional orientation of prayers from Haifa to Acre establishes a sort of world axis that connects different planes. Without the center in Haifa and the separation between the earthly administrative functions and the spiritual site, the subjective sense of hidden worlds would diminish, reducing the perception of the religion to merely a social and cultural institution. Thus, the Duality of two distinct Sacred places, which are physically and functionally interrelated, fosters a sense of holiness.

Fractal Complexity in the Baha’i gardens of Acre

The Sacredness Generator Fractal Complexity can manifest not only in buildings but also in the arrangement of gardens and other artificial environments, and sometimes even in special natural settings. A key characteristic of Sacredness Generator Fractal Complexity is Sacred geometry, which underpins garden planning in ancient cultures and religions, such as Persian and Islamic, particularly those that acknowledge the existence of the Garden of Eden. In Persian culture and the religion of Islam, the universe in its ideal form (which is the Garden of Eden) can be represented through a physical garden, evident in literature, poetry, and Sacred architecture. This belief has led to the creation of special gardens based on cosmic principles and patterns of Sacred geometry. Such gardens serve as a physical medium through which one can connect to the Garden of Eden and return to the Original, Sacred state of humanity. Thus Sacredness Generator Fractal Complexity resembling the garden of Eden is actively employed in the Bahá’í gardens in Acre and Haifa

The complex features three concentric sanctity areas, each bordered by a fence with a watchman providing instructions. The first area encompasses the entire circular garden complex, demarcated by the entrance gate to the site. The second circle includes the gardens closest to the house, adorned with flower beds and lawns, and is also bordered by an entrance gate and a guard. The third inner area contains the building of the tomb shrine, a temple-like structure adjacent to the house where Bahá’u’lláh lived. At its entrance, a guard provides instructions, and entry is permitted only in escorted groups and in silence. This division reflects and expresses the structure of the worlds as understood by the Bahá’ís, who recognize three parallel worlds: the world of hidden divinity, the world of command manifested through the prophets, and the physical and visible world of creation. The tomb shrine represents the world of hidden divinity; the orderly inner garden mirrors the world of command and its connection to the world of creation[18]; and the outer gardens and grounds symbolize the physical world

In the inner garden, and to some extent in the outer one as well, the geometric shapes of the flower beds, as well as their numbers and colors, are particularly striking. These elements allude to cosmology and the order of creation. The Bahá’ís place significant emphasis on numbers and shapes because they are seen as expressions of spiritual reality and a world of ideas. This is evident in the shapes and geometry of the flower beds within the garden, that appear in shapes such as stars, octagons, and pentagons. The Geometry in the garden is complemented by the aesthetics and beauty, serving as dual vessels of holiness. The existence of the universe necessitates the revelation of God, reflecting His visible attributes, which operate in the world of creation in various ways, often through archetypes. The aesthetics and beauty of the garden not only awaken a faint memory of what the soul was once a part of but also point to the direction in which to aspire

In general, The Sacred Generator of Fractal Complexity manifests through geometric shapes and numbers, a good typological (archetypal) example is the number seven. We observe seven colors in a rainbow and hear seven notes in a musical scale. Our two primary senses—sight and hearing—perceive reality through a septenary filter. Human short-term memory typically retains up to seven items, and in small groups of up to seven, counting is often unnecessary. Observing the sky, we note seven moving heavenly bodies, with others fixed in place. The number five is similarly archetypal, and so are the numbers three (triangle) and four (square).

Appearance of typological numbers in the design of Charismatic Sacred sites, such as the seven niches for the gods in the Pantheon in Rome, a Sacredness Generator of Fractal Complexity because these numbers reflect cosmological principles. This doesn’t necessarily align with an ontological reality, as posited by traditions like Jewish Kabbalah (which speaks of seven heavens), but rather a pattern in human perception that helps organize the world.

Thus, at certain frequencies of order, a connection between planes is established, enabling the possibility of a religious experience or connection with the Sacred. In the Bahai gardens, this is evident in the prevalence of octagonal stars, circles, squares, and divisions of geometric shapes and sections into threes and fours, along with the repetition of decorative motifs according to specific numbers.

The Sacredness Generator Sublime Extraordinary

The gardens, with their beauty, symbolize the image of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the religion and the embodiment of God’s radiance (glory) on earth, the beauty of the gardens is the beauty of Bahá’u’lláh words, and his message to humanity. The construction of the Bahá’í gardens is driven by a worldview that seeks a harmony between the perfection of man and the perfection of creation. Therefore, it emphasizes glorifying God’s creation through the perfect act of construction, as opposed to merely commemorating the burial of a perfect man. The aesthetic experience provided by the gardens is akin to the experience of holiness. Thus, the purpose of the gardens, as I understand it, is to invoke the experience of the Sacred through their structure, arrangement, aesthetics, cleanliness, beauty, and symbolism. This is highlighted by the use of light, greenery, and the presence of artistic objects, all of which are integral to enhancing the spiritual ambiance and facilitating a deeper connection with the divine.[19].

Everyone who visits the Bahá’í Gardens praises their extraordinary beauty. This beauty is meant to remind us of the original state of man before creation and birth, as souls with God in the Garden of Eden. This is why it is so important to cultivate and invest in them. The Bahá’í spiritual journey, as described in the Book of the Seven Valleys, begins in the Valley of Search and progresses through an encounter with extraordinary beauty into the Valley of Love. This beauty might manifest as the allure of a woman, the splendor of a place, or the profundity of Bahá’u’lláh’s words and message. In any form, earthly beauty is intended to remind us of divine beauty, evoking a subconscious memory that exists in our souls. The extraordinary beauty of the gardens is a Sacredness Generator Sublime Extraordinary.

Sacredness Generator Connecting Center

Similar to the Temple for the Jews, and Mecca for the Muslims, the Bahá’í Temple north of Acre is the axis of the world towards which the believers direct their prayers and from there they ascend to heaven. They can ascend to heaven from this place because that is where the founder of the religion, Bahá’u’lláh lived and worked for the last twelve years of his life, and where he was also buried, and because in his life he was a Connecting Center to higher worlds, the embodiment of the divine light, so it also became the place of his grave after his death.

Similar to the Temple for Jews and Mecca for Muslims, the Bahá’í Temple north of Acre serves as a world axis towards which believers direct their prayers, and from which they believe their prayers ascend to heaven. This Sacred site is particularly significant because it is where Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the religion, lived and worked during the last twelve years of his life, and where he was also buried. In his lifetime, he served as a Connecting Center to higher worlds and was the embodiment of divine glory and light, after death his power ad a mediator between heaven and earth strengthened and so the place of his life and burial was sanctified.

In the Bahai gardens in acre, particularly in the inner garden, the presence of trees—cypresses, ancient sycamore trees, and citrus trees within the tomb shrine itself—is prominent. The vegetation of the garden is an integral part of its sanctity. It has been noted that the tree is one of the archetypes of the axis mundi, the world’s axis, and indeed, some of these type of trees have significance in Muslim mysticism and the tradition of Persian gardens. For example, the cypress is often seen as a symbol of transition to the world beyond. These trees serve as a link, in mythical time, between man and the Garden of Eden, and in historical time, to the ancient Persian garden tradition and the Sufi Muslim garden tradition. This linkage is particularly significant because Bahá’u’lláh is considered to be descended from both Zarathustra and Muhammad[20], tying him to both Persian and Islamic lineages. The garden thus connects visitors to the heritage of Muslim mysticism and ancient Persian legends, creating a bridge between the present and the past.

Additionally, Bahá’í writings reference the legendary Lot tree (appearing in the Quran), a tree beyond which there is no passage. Historically, Arabs would plant a tree at the end of a road, symbolizing a boundary or limit, which in Bahá’í symbolism represents a threshold to another reality[21]. The Lot tree bears some resemblance to the concept of liminality as discussed by Turner[22], and broadly represents the archetype of the cosmic tree discussed in the works of Mircea Eliade, emphasizing its universal symbolic importance[23].

The center of the garden, which acts as a third and innermost circle of holiness, houses the tomb shrine structure. Entry to the tomb shrine is permitted only at specific times and under certain conditions, such as maintaining silence, being accompanied by an escort, and undergoing prior preparation. At the entrance to the tomb shrine, a depiction of a golden sun against a black background symbolizes Bahá’u’lláh, who described himself as the place where the sun rises[24].

Light, both physical and spiritual, is a central symbol in the Bahá’í faith, reflected in the name of the religion’s founder—Baha, meaning “Light.” The sun, as a potent symbol, represents a Connecting Center because it is the source of life, light, and heat, around which everything revolves. However, according to Bahá’í mysticism, there exist dual manifestations of the sun and light: the physical sun and the spiritual sun, as well as physical light and hidden light. The letters making the word “Bahá” in Arab script signifies this spiritual light, and in its written form, it becomes one of the primary symbols for Bahá’ís, often rendered in special calligraphy.

Above the gate at the entrance to the inner part of the garden, the word “Bahá” is inscribed within a circle, using connected script that forms three horizontal lines joined by one vertical line. This stylistic rendering of the word reflects the structure of the three worlds according to Bahá’í belief: A Sacred (divine) world, a profane (earthly) world, and an intermediate world of images, lights, and radiance that exists between the two. The vertical line represents the role of Bahá’u’lláh as a connector between the worlds. The geometric arrangement of the letters in “Bahá” symbolically depicts Bahá’u’lláh as the axis of the world, illustrating his central role in uniting the different realms.

According to Moshe Sharon[25], the upper horizontal line in the inscription symbolizes the kingdom of God, the middle line represents His messengers, and the lower line stands for humanity. The vertical line, connecting all three, symbolizes the spirit of God that unites them. This is how Bahá’u’lláh is represented. He is not the fulfillment of God, as one might assume, but rather the radiance of God. He is a delegation that arises from God, embodying a dual female principle that governs the worlds of commandment and creation. He also refers to himself as “the word” or “the pen,” phrases that echo the Christian Logos or the Muslim concept of the universal man.

The intermediate world between the elusive divine being and the tangible reality of creation is the Platonic world of ideas. This is the realm from which prophets and imams emerge, and in Bahá’í terminology, it is referred to as the world of commandments, which represents spiritual reality. Conversely, the world of physical reality is known as the world of creation, or the world of the possible. The revelation of a prophet exists simultaneously in both the world of commandment and the world of creation—connecting divinity on one side and earthly existence on the other. This forms a reality consisting of three distinct layers and is symbolically represented as the world axis in the vertical line that connects the three horizontal lines in the calligraphic representation of the name “Bahá”.

Bahá’u’lláh’s pivotal role as a world axis is underscored by the significance of the location where he spent the last twelve years of his life and where he is buried—the Bahá’í gardens, tomb shrine and mansion in Acre. This site serves as the center of prayer for Bahá’ís worldwide, the Qibla, to which every Bahá’í is commanded to make a pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime, marking it as a global spiritual center. The importance of the Bahá’í complex in Acre is further highlighted by the orientation of the Bahá’í gardens in Haifa. The garden line from the top of the Carmel ridge to its base is a straight line that points directly towards the Bahá’í mansion, the site of Bahá’u’lláh’s Burial in acre. This alignment visually and symbolically connects the two Sacred sites, emphasizing their spiritual and geographical interrelation.

In the first verse of the most holy book, it is written: “The beginning of all that God commanded his servants is the knowledge of the place where the sun rises, his vision and the place of revelation of his word, which is the site of the reality of his essence in the worlds of commandment and creation.”[26] Bahá’u’lláh is identified as the place of revelation of the Word of God within these worlds. The site of his grave and the surrounding holy garden extensively embody this concept, becoming an axis of the world—a central point that generates holiness. This sanctity is facilitated and manifested, in part, by the garden and the holy site’s alignment with the writings of Bahá’u’lláh that describe the spiritual journey, metaphorically represented as the birds’ journey to Mount Qaf. Furthermore, the circular shape of the garden and the central placement of the holy tomb reinforce this symbolic representation, emphasizing the site as a cosmic mountain

The visit to the garden becomes such a journey with the help of the figures of the peacocks and the cups in it, the road and the steps to be taken, the urn at the entrance, the round shape of the garden and its symbols, the aesthetics and geometry, the hidden place of the grave, and more. There are other motifs in the garden taken from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh. The tomb in the center of the garden is a kind of spiritual sun, as it was in Baha’u’llah’s life. The fact that he lived in the house next to his grave and the name of the room where he stayed, his clothes and belongings, adds an aura of sanctity to the garden and turns it into a kind of heavenly Jerusalem, similar to the courtyards of the Hasidic saints

The visit to the garden is transformed by some of the visitors into a spiritual journey with the help by various Sacredness Generators within it, and elements such as the peacocks and cups statues, the pathways and passages, the urn at the entrance, the garden’s circular shape and its aesthetics and geometry, the concealed location of the grave, and more, many of the elements are drawn from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, and some are archetypal and embodied unintentionally, either way they enrich the experience and help in generating inner mystic experience.

The tomb shrine at the center of the garden acts as a kind of spiritual sun, reflecting the role Bahá’u’lláh played during his life. His presence is further felt because he lived in the house adjacent to where he is now buried. The room where he stayed, along with his clothing and personal belongings, imbues the garden with a sanctified atmosphere, turning it into a celestial place akin to the heavenly Jerusalem, reminiscent of the courtyards of Hasidic Tsaddikim.

In conclusion

For the Bahá’í believers, “the place of the revelation of his article”, which is an abstract concept, becomes a physical reality that must be addressed and is at the center of worship (prayer and pilgrimage), it is the Sacred site itself. The figure of Bahá’u’lláh (the radiance of God) and the presence of his grave in the heart of the garden in Acre, make the place a source of sanctity in the center of Havre.

For Bahá’í believers, “the place of the revelation of his article,” (mentioned in the Sacred texts) though an abstract concept, transforms into a tangible reality that becomes central to their worship, encompassing both garden and tomb, prayer and pilgrimage. The Sacred site is marked by the presence of Bahá’u’lláh (the radiance of God) through his tomb and hoose, thereby becoming a source of sanctity at the center of the world.

But even for other visitors, the garden’s structure, arrangement, beauty ad aesthetics acts as a Sacredness Generator —the physical layout with its circular design, the gravel paths among the flowers and statues, the presence of a large ancient tree, the prohibition of speaking at the grave, and the regulated and directed entry managed by the caretakers, all this thing act as Sacredness Generators. At the core of all this is the mysterious and veiled tomb within a beautiful and delicate shrine, adorned with exquisite art pieces like vases, the aroma of incense, vibrant colors, and carpets. The tomb hall is partially exposed as one enters the tomb shrine, and adjacent to it are other rooms available for prayer and meditation. All these elements cultivate a sense of sanctity in the visitor, whoever he is. The place facilitates an experience of a different reality for each individual, regardless of their background, triggered by the existence and operation of the Sacredness Generators architypes.

Comments

[1] Christopher Buck, Paradise and Paradigm: Key Symbols in Persian Christianity and the Baha’i Faith, Albany, NY: State University of New York, 1999, p. 179

[2] שרון, הדת הבהאאית וכתב הקדש שלה, עמ’ 252 (פסוק 106).

[3] שם 151

[4] בן אריה, זאב, מחוללי קדושה במקומות קדושים כריזמטיים בישראל. עבודת דוקטורט חוג ללימודי ארץ ישראל. אוניברסיטת חיפה

[5] Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin, and Michael Argyle, The Psychology of Religious Behavior, Belief and Experience, London: Routledge, 1997.

[6] ג’יימס, ויליאם, החוויה הדתית לסוגיה: מחקר בטבע האדם, תרגם: יעקב קופליביץ, מהדורה שנייה, ירושלים: מוסד ביאליק. 1959.

[7] Maslow, Abraham H., Religions, Values, and Peak-Experiences, Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press, 1964.

[8] Ittelson et al., An Introduction to Environmental Psychology, p. 90

[9] Farid ud-Din Attar, The Conference of the Birds, tr. Afkham Darbandi and Dick Davis, Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Books, 2011

[10] Baháʼuʼlláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, Project Gutenberg, 2005. (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16986)

[11] Buck, Paradise and Paradigm, p. 169

[12] שרון, “הבהאאים בישראל”, עמ’ 12

[13] According to the Bahá’ís, the heavenly paradise is a symbol of an ideal primordial society on earth, as the Bahá’ís strive to be

[14] Buck, Paradise and Paradigm, p. 177

[15] Ibid p. 179

[16] משה שרון, “הבהאאים בישראל”, בתוך: אלי שילר וגבריאל ברקאי (עורכים), הבהאאים בישראל, ירושלים: אריאל, תשס”ה, עמ’ 31-23.

[17] The Duality refers to the two dormitories of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdad and Shiraz, but on loan it can also be attributed to the two holy places for Bahá’ís in Israel.
משה שרון, הדת הבהאאית וכתב הקדש שלה – הספר הקדוש ביותר (אלכתאב אלאקדס) לבהאא אללאה, ירושלים: כרמל, תשס”ה, עמ’ 264.

[18] Ibid p. 151

[19] Coordinator of the Research Office of the Bahá’í National Center in Wilmette, Illinois: https://bahai-library.com/viswanathan_bahai_pilgrimage_israel#29

[20] שרון, הדת הבהאאית וכתב הקדש שלה, עמ’ 48.

[21] שם 216

[22] Turner, “The Center out There: Pilgrim’s Goal”, pp. 191-192

[23] אליאדה, תבניות בדת השוואתית, עמ’ 169.

[24] The Bahá’í house of worship is called Mashreq al-Adzhar (مشرق‌ الاذکار)  – “East Sun of the Remembrance (of the Name of God)”. See שרון, הדת הבהאאית וכתב הקדש שלה, עמ’ 109.

[25] שם 170

[26] שם 187

Bibliography

אוטו, רודולף, הקדושה: על הלא־רציונלי באידיאת האל ויחסו לרציונלי, תרגמה: מרים רון, תל־אביב: כרמל, 1999.

אליאדה, מירצ’ה, תבניות בדת השוואתית, תרגם: יותם ראובני, תל־אביב: נמרוד, 2003.

בן אריה, זאב, מחוללי קדושה במקומות קדושים כריזמטיים בישראל. עבודת דוקטורט חוג ללימודי ארץ ישראל. אוניברסיטת חיפה

בן אריה, זאב, מאפייני קדושה במקומות קדושים בישראל, חיבור לשם קבלת התואר מוסמך האוניברסיטה, אוניברסיטת חיפה, 2019.

ג’יימס, ויליאם, החוויה הדתית לסוגיה: מחקר בטבע האדם, תרגם: יעקב קופליביץ, מהדורה שנייה, ירושלים: מוסד ביאליק. 1959.

יונג, קרל גוסטב, פסיכולוגיה ודת, תל־אביב: רסלינג, 2005

שרון, משה, “הבהאאים בישראל”, בתוך: אלי שילר וגבריאל ברקאי (עורכים), הבהאאים בישראל, ירושלים: אריאל, תשס”ה, עמ’ 41-6.

שרון, משה, הדת הבהאאית וכתב הקדש שלה – הספר הקדוש ביותר (אלכתאב אלאקדס) לבהאא אללאה, ירושלים: כרמל, תשס”ה.

Baháʼuʼlláh, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, Project Gutenberg, 2005.

Barrie, Thomas, The Sacred In-Between: The Mediating Roles of Architecture, Abingdon: Routledge, 2010.

Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin, and Michael Argyle, The Psychology of Religious Behavior, Belief and Experience, London: Routledge, 1997.

Buck, Christopher, Paradise and Paradigm: Key Symbols in Persian Christianity and the Baha’i Faith, Albany, NY: State University of New York, 1999.

Eliade, Mircea, The Sacred and The Profane: The Nature of Religion, tr. Willard R. Trask, New York: Harcourt, 1959.

Farid ud-Din Attar, The Conference of the Birds, tr. Afkham Darbandi and Dick Davis, Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Books, 2011

Ittelson, William H., Harold M. Proshansky, Leanne G. Rivlin, and Gary H. Winkel, An Introduction to Environmental Psychology, New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1974.

Kandinsky, Wassily, Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Bexar County, TX: Bibliotech Press, 2012.

Maslow, Abraham H., Religions, Values, and Peak-Experiences, Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press, 1964.

Meizler, Michael Steven, Baha’i Sacred Architecture and The Devolution of Astronomical Significance: Case Studies from Israel and the Us, Thesis Diss., University of Arkansas, 2016

Rennie, Bryan S., Reconstructing Eliade: Making Sense of Religion, Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1996.

Turner, Victor, “The Center out There: Pilgrim’s Goal”, History of Religions 12 (1973), pp. 191-230.