Direction of thoughts during prayer
From Bahai9
One may turn directly to Bahá'u'lláh (though realizing He is not God), or preferably to God through Bahá'u'lláh
Turn to Manifestation
"While praying it would be better to turn one's thoughts to the Manifestation as He continues, in the other world, to be our means of contact with the Almighty. We can, however, pray directly to God Himself."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of India, April 27, 1937: Dawn of a New Day, p. 67, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1488)
Praying to Bahá'u'lláh
"You have asked whether our prayers go beyond Bahá'u'lláh: It all depends whether we pray to Him directly or through Him to God. We may do both, and also can pray directly to God, but our prayers would certainly be more effective and illuminating if they are addressed to Him through His Manifestation, Bahá'u'lláh.
"Under no circumstances, however, can we, while repeating the prayers, insert the name Bahá'u'lláh where the word 'God' is used. This would be tantamount to a blasphemy."
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, October 14, 1937, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1489)
Praying to Bahá'u'lláh--As the Door
"We cannot know God directly, but only through His Prophets. We can pray to Him realizing that through His Prophets we know Him, or we can address our prayer in thought to Bahá'u'lláh, not as God, but as the Door to our knowing God."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer: High Endeavors: Messages to Alaska, p. 71, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1490 and no. 1699)
"We pray to God, or to Bahá'u'lláh, as we please."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, August 22, 1947, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1491)
May turn toward Bahá'u'lláh's Shrine in prayer, if recognizing His station as a Manifestation (and not God)
Turning Toward the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in Prayer
"In prayer the believers can turn their consciousness toward the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, provided that in doing so they have a clear and correct understanding of His station as a Manifestation of God."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 15, 1935, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1492)
One may visualize 'Abdu'l-Bahá if necessary, but best to think of Manifestation's qualities free of a mental form
Through Abdu'l-Bahá One Can Address Bahá'u'lláh
"If you find you need to visualize someone when you pray, think of the Master. Through Him you can address Bahá'u'lláh. Gradually try to think of the qualities of the Manifestation, and in that way a mental form will fade out, for after all the body is not the thing, His Spirit is there and is the essential, everlasting element."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, January 31, 1949, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1493)
We May Turn to the Guardian in Prayer, But Should Not Confuse His Station with that of a Prophet or even 'Abdu'l-Bahá
"We pray to God, or to Bahá'u'lláh, as we please. But if in our thoughts we desire to turn to the Guardian first and then address our prayer, there is no objection, as long as we always bear in mind he is only the Guardian, and do not confuse his station with that of the Prophet or even of the Master."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, August 22, 1947, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1491)
