Though the Baha’i Faith makes clear that marriage presents a “fortress for well-being and salvation,” finding spouses is a challenge for many individual Bahá’ís. Factors such as high divorce rates, extensive educational programs, and collective itinerancy have augmented a growing pessimism about the prospects of finding suitable partners, and, in some cases, about marriage itself. The Bahá’í community is charged with providing a shining, optimistic example for mankind in all things, yet to this point we sometimes follow the confused society surrounding us, sometimes succumbing to its debilitating and pessimistic attitudes.

Creating successful ways for men and women to find spouses, then, is a challenge facing the Bahá’ís, and this workshop, created in consultation by an interdisciplinary group of married and single Bahá’ís, is a step towards helping individuals refine their attitudes about marriage and develop skills in understanding, reflecting and acting upon their own needs and individual duties regarding relationships and marriage, and to use our evolving understanding to create healthy Bahá’í marriages.

Five key principles frame the workshop: 1) marriage is a law of God and an act of service that should be encouraged and supported by the entire community. 2) consultation is essential for understanding ourselves and potential partners 3) we should encounter all people with respect for their inherent nobility. 4) respect for marriage and one another will enable us to form loving and friendly relationships with many people, and eventually to explore marital possibilities more easily. 5) through truer interactions, based on the Teachings rather than on flawed societal models, we may develop eyes to see the enduring signs of attraction latent within others.

The workshop consists of presentations, small group study and social encounters, and personal reflections. Participants will meet a variety of people, enhance their skills in investigating character, and develop their appreciation for friendship, marriage and the role of community in facilitating successful marriages.