Attitude to maintain “if any troubles or vicissitudes come into your lives”

If any troubles or vicissitudes come into your lives—if your heart is depressed on account of health, livelihood or vocation, let not these things affect you. These things should not cause unhappiness. Heavenly food has he prepared for you; everlasting glory has he bestowed upon you. Therefore these Glad Tidings should cause you to soar in the atmosphere of joy forever and ever. You must render thanks unto God forever so that the confirmations of God may encircle you all. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ethel J. Rosenberg, during her pilgrimage in January 1909; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 11, September 27, 1916)

Body and spirit (soul)

We know that the body or form has nothing to do with spirit or spiritual conditions. When the spirit is disconnected from or leaves the body, that is no reason for thinking it can be re-absorbed or joined with the whole of spirit, as the drops of water are absorbed or lost in the sea. The earth is one unit, yet how many beings and separate parts it contains! The body of man is one unit, yet it has an infinite number of separate and individual parts that compose it—such as eyes, fingers, etc.; so, in like manner, spirit is one, but consisting of many differentiated parts. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ethel J. Rosenberg, during her pilgrimage in January 1909; Star of the West, vol. 7, no. 11, September 27, 1916)