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10 years!

By - Oct 27, 2018 - Category Articles - Print Print - Version française
e-ostadelahi - 10 years

Yes, this fall, e-ostadelahi is celebrating its 10 years of existence! A good occasion to look back at what has been accomplished and where we are now.

10 years ago, the Web 2.0 wave was peaking: the “blogosphere” was emerging; so-called “social” media that have since transformed the way we use the internet were starting to develop; the first iPhone had only just come out… The site has naturally accompanied these evolutions. While its content was expanding, it also took on new forms. A mobile version was made available in 2015, followed by a dedicated app, the functionalities of which have not stopped evolving.

The level of activity has remained high during those ten years: 262 posts published in French and 157 in English, giving rise to over 6000 comments… Contents and formats have diversified: in addition to original posts, e-ostadelahi features excerpts of lectures, book and conference reviews, interviews and thematic series, as well as focus articles on ethical case studies and reflection activities. All these publications and the dynamic and participatory spirit of the site have allowed each of us to cultivate our interests. Inspired by Ostad Elahi’s philosophy, e-ostadelahi is a place for discovery, reflection and exchange, that continues to be driven by the idea that ethical and spiritual questions can be approached rationally, through constructive and non-dogmatic research, and tries to implement this idea.

The site has also echoed some important milestones of the past ten years, including the publication, in French, of Words of Truth (Paroles de Vérité) in 2014 and, more recently, of a new and considerably reworked edition of The Path of Perfection (La Voie de la Perfection) in 2018. Other topics have included exhibitions, conferences (about the concept of natural spirituality, about the quintessence of religions, etc.), and a series on the current practical implications of a classic of mystical poetry, The Canticle of the Birds (also known as The Conference of the Birds). Posts related to ethical and spiritual practice have covered an impressive number of vices and virtues, as well as some overarching issues linked to the concrete implementation of ethics in our daily lives: anger and pride, backbiting, impatience, imaginary altruism, the feeling of injustice, kindness, the importance of others, life as a couple as a “laboratory” for the practice of ethics, the question of self-assessment, and much more.

Is it by chance that the series on humility ranks among the most visited articles on the site? Ostad Elahi used to say: “How easy to become learned, how difficult to become truly human.” Where are we at, individually?

Who was I, ten years ago – and who have I now become.

Have I become better?

Have I slightly come out of my state of spiritual amnesia?

Am I ready to practice spirituality in vivo?

These questions, and the answers that each of us will find within our hearts, are the true indicators of the usefulness of this site, and, perhaps more essentially, of the value of what we have accomplished over the past ten years of our lives.

The following words of wisdom, this time from Malak Jan, come to mind: “Life is not short, but time is limited.” Indeed, time on this Earth is limited! And there is so little of it left…

Who do I want to be ten years from now?

Will I be able in this time to cultivate within me a few real and living truths, so as to better serve others and develop my humanity?


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17 comments

  1. Coco Oct 27, 2018 4:40 pm 1

    I very much value e-ostadelahi.com as a resource for working on knowing myself and hopefully making progress towards developing my sound reason and my humanity. I refer to it often especially to review lectures and specific topics I may be working on at a given time. Some of the articles have shown me different ways of looking at issues that provide me with a better understanding both of the issue and of myself. Thank you for this valuable resource.

  2. Yan Oct 27, 2018 11:28 pm 2

    This website has been an incremental part of my spiritual endeavour. E-Ostadelahi has been helping me to better comprehend the true meaning of Ostad Elahi’s sayings, virtues that Ostad talks about, and practical implication of those in my daily life. For instance, what is: what is impatience, what is courage, what is anger, what is humility, what is altruism, what is pride, and so far so on. This website helped me to grasp the meaning of virtues and character weaknesses, which I regularly took at face value and misunderstood. Although, this new level of understanding has only marked the beginning of a long way of in vivo practice, it has been a fundamental step towards my ultimate goal. It’s not an exaggeration if I say, I have read each article multiple times, over the past few years, and each time I found it more useful and practical than before. In other words, the more I practice them, along the way, the more useful they become the next time I read them. I realized that it’s not sufficient to read these in-depth articles once, “wow” it and then move on. So I read them regularly, highlighting them using Instapaper and set reminders on my phone to re read them again and again.

  3. Rara Oct 28, 2018 2:05 pm 3

    The two questions are really profound. Who was I ten years ago? Who do I want to be ten years from now? The article inspires an evaluation of what we have accomplished in terms of changes within ourselves and a sense of direction as to where we are heading. Thank you for the thought provoking and useful article.

  4. Sm Oct 28, 2018 3:23 pm 4

    Congratulations and thank you so much for creating this site. In this cold world we need all the help we can get to stay focused and in touch with our inner self. Again, thank you for all you do.

  5. Emily Oct 28, 2018 3:59 pm 5

    Thank you to the editorial board of e-ostadelahi for their continued work and undertaking to provide us with these varied, resourceful articles on how to become a better person in our daily interactions and continuously challenging us to examine ourselves and how we fare towards that goal.

  6. Marzi Oct 28, 2018 7:06 pm 6

    I cannot believe it has already been ten years, time flies! This article helped me to have a better understanding of the quote “Life is not short, but time is limited.” Hopefully I will do better over the next ten years.
    I value e-ostadelahi and am thankful for all the knowledge and guidance this site has provided me.
    All the posts, specially the practice articles, have helped me to know myself better and better practice spiritually.

  7. Donna Oct 28, 2018 8:01 pm 7

    Thank you for the wonderful and reflective post on an invaluable resource that was given to us 10 years ago. I am so grateful for e-ostadelahi.com.

  8. Peter Oct 29, 2018 9:41 pm 8

    E-OstadElahi has been like a little alight candle in my life, giving me hope and preparing me with true spirituality.

  9. Homayoun Oct 30, 2018 2:51 pm 9

    Words can not describe my sincere appreciation for this site and all of the efforts by editorial board…thank you!

    As it is mentioned here, 10 years ago as technology was starting to change us, our interactions with each other, and our behavior, it was the perfect timing to have a positive source of energy both in theory and in practice via the same channel of web 2.0 technology, and we got “e-ostadelahi.com”.

    Since I constantly travel all of the world for work, it has enabled me to stay in touch, put into practice, make mistakes, and learn from the site. The videos of lectures are a great source of positive energy, motivation to practice and constant learning for me. I can watch them as many times as I want; without any “time and location” limitations. Thank you!

    Regarding the two questions:
    1. Who do I want to be 10 years from now? I want to be a better human toward all that God has created and have his satisfaction.

    2. How to cultivate within me a few real and living truths, so as to better serve others and develop my humanity? I want to continue to fight against my imperious self, which, God willing, will bring me closer to the Source and He will help me to become a better human being.

  10. Linda Nov 02, 2018 2:40 pm 10

    Congrats! We love you too e-OE! My favorites on this site:
    1. Lectures: A few fundamental principles (just listen to the first sentence! It’s a killer!)
    2. Practice: No practice of ethics w/o a practice plan (plan away!)
    3. Articles: Our intimate enemy: The imperious self (intimate and foolish!)

  11. tom Nov 03, 2018 10:54 pm 11

    Ten years! Wow! So grateful for this forum, especially the ability to get advice and feedback from other readers. THANK YOU!!

    One of the most impactful content for me has been the lecture explaining the difference between in vitro and in vivo practice. Ten years ago, I was pretty proud and satisfied with myself for what I would now call in vitro practice. This has really changed my view on natural spirituality and what it means to be a student in this field.

    Another huge realization to which I have come over the past ten years is that I lack sincerity especially toward the One. These are two major themes I have learned since 2008 to work on and put into practice for the next ten.

  12. jwy66 Nov 09, 2018 7:33 pm 12

    Wishing you and all of us a happy 10th anniversary!

    It’s easy to get lost in the hussle and bustle of life and the digital age. e-Ostadelahi has always acted as a beacon signaling the direction that leads back to my spiritual perspective with the reminder that “Life is not short, but time is limited.” It helps leading me back to a plain of thought that is alert, concerned and willing to take further steps in understanding and practicing spirituality in vivo with much hope and humility to reach self-realization.

    Thank you for the illuminating work and energy that you put in this site.

    I would feel just a tad lost without you!

  13. fn Nov 18, 2018 8:58 am 13

    Congratulations!

    I truly appreciate what you do.

  14. mahnaz Nov 19, 2018 1:38 am 14

    Hi. This was very helpful thank you so much.

  15. hsh Nov 19, 2018 8:22 pm 15

    Happy 10th anniversary, thank you for all of your efforts making this site more and more informative.

  16. FA May 26, 2019 7:31 am 16

    Many Many Many Thanks for creating such an original site to help us learn, understand, and to motivate us to practice spirituality in this complex world.
    In the last 10 years, I have discovered many weaknesses and shortcomings in my self while seeing His infinite Grace and Kindness in every aspect of my life. Hope to be a better human being in the next 10 years. Thank you again.

  17. Mandi Oct 16, 2019 7:08 am 17

    Hello,
    How lucky we are to have such a great resource. Many thanks for all of your efforts to make it happen and to keep updating it and maintaining its quality.

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