Religion and Philosophy: October 2008 Archives
So last week I travelled down to London to take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination). The GRE is a standardised test that many universities in the US require you to take if you want to apply to them for postgraduate programs. I think the reasoning is that, by using a standardised test, they can judge how intelligent and skilled applicants are, especially as educational standards vary across the world.
The test has three parts: a verbal component, a quantitative component, and an analytic or writing component. The verbal part is basically just an extended vocabulary test. Thanks to my study of the Baha'i Writings, I'm familiar with several unusual words, such as exorbitant, laudatory, abrogate, and belligerent, and this had me in good stead for the test. However I must confess while studying for the test I wondered on many occasions exactly why knowing the words pusillanimous, salubrious, phlegmatic, and defalcate would assist me in my graduate career.
The quantitative component is basic, high-school level maths. Unfortunately, it had been 5 years since I did that, so I really needed to cram geometry formulae and algebraic tricks. The only maths I've done at uni has been simple calculations like fn = (nc) ⁄ (2L) (the standing wave of an open tube), f = (c ⁄ 2π)√(A ⁄ VL) (Helmholtz's resonance), z = (x‾−μ) ⁄ (σ ⁄ √N) (the z-score of a given dataset). While this looks fairly complex, it's just a case of applying the formulae. No solving for x, no shifting around quadratic functions, and certainly no manipulation of geometric shapes. Pythagoras was welcomed back into my life with open arms. Finally, the writing section of the GRE asks you to write two essays - one presenting your opinion on an issue, and the other is to analyse and argument.
Anyway, this post's not meant to be about the exam. There's loads of stuff been written on that. The important thing is that I was going to London! One thing about London that is significant for Baha'is is that it is home to the gravesite of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith from 1921 to 1957. In light of my upcoming pilgrimage, I thought it'd be a great idea to visit, especially as I've never been. It'd be a little "mini-pilgrimage" in preparation for the greater pilgrimage I'll be undertaking in January.
I checked the UK Baha'i Website for directions, and unfortunately, it turns out that the area is only open for visitors prior to 5pm, due to security issues. My GRE was at 12:30, and I anticipated it taking several hours. Add a 40 minute subway ride and then half-hour walk on top of that, and I realised I wouldn't be able to get there in time. Especially since I'd also made arrangements to meet up with people in the evening. So I discarded the idea.
I arrived in London at 7:30am (on a Megabus - not very comfortable for sleeping), and after getting a breakfast and studying a little, headed to the test centre. I got there at 10:30am, which was 2 hours early. "You're pretty early," the receptionist said. "Would you like to do the test early?" I jumped at the opportunity, and was finished by about 1:30pm. I was weighing up my options, and I figured, why not, let's go visit the gravesite. I knew what tube station it was near - Arnos Grove - but not how to get to the graveyard from the station, or even where in the graveyard it was. I knew that it was vaguely northwest of the station. And that's it. I jumped in a train and headed out.
Leaving the station, I headed west for a while, and then north. Along the way I was listening to a talk on my MP3 player by Adib Taherzadeh, about the nature of the soul. I found a lovely park and circumnavigated it. I found an old trail behind some houses, and some wild brambles (blackberries) growing. I wandered around the area for over 2 hours. (At this point, my soundtrack had changed to Universal Indicator's Innovation in the Dynamics of Acid, an unusual acid house mix album.)
I came very close to giving up. Given that it was, in essence, a spiritual search, I couldn't help but draw comparisons from the mystic writings of the Baha'i Faith. For instance, the story related in the Seven Valleys about Majnún, the celebrated Arabian and Persian lover, seeking his beloved Laylí. Majnún and Laylí are used to symbolise true love, and this story demonstrates that nothing will stop the lover in search of his beloved.
It is related that one day they came upon Majnún sifting the dust, and his tears flowing down. They said, "What doest thou?" He said, "I seek for Laylí." They cried, "Alas for thee! Laylí is of pure spirit, and thou seekest her in the dust!" He said, "I seek her everywhere; haply somewhere I shall find her."
Yea, although to the wise it be shameful to seek the Lord of Lords in the dust, yet this betokeneth intense ardor in searching. "Whoso seeketh out a thing with zeal shall find it."
Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys p6-7
Another passage I was reminded of after exploratory disappointment:
The steed of this Valley [the Valley of Search] is patience; without patience the wayfarer on this journey will reach nowhere and attain no goal. Nor should he ever be downhearted; if he strive for a hundred thousand years and yet fail to behold the beauty of the Friend, he should not falter.
ibid, p5
With that in mind, I pressed on, further and further. I started climbing a hill, and at the top, through a fence, I spied some graves. I've never been so happy to see graves! I found an entrance and walked around a bit. When I say "a bit", I mean I scoured through the whole place, seeking here and everywhere. Yet I couldn't find the gravesite of the Guardian. I knew from pictures that it had a large golden eagle on a pedestal (like in the picture), so it's fairly distinctive. I can't have just walked past it. Time then caught up with me, and I needed to head back to the tube station to get back into central London to meet my friend.
The rest of my day went very well, I had some delicious authentic Chinese food, I caught the bus at 11pm, and headed back to Edinburgh. When I got back, I consulted the relevant maps, and it turns out that I was actually in the wrong graveyard. Perhaps this is a lesson in being prepared? On the one hand, I was disappointed that I wasn't able to find the object of my search. On the other hand, I was happy to have had the opportunity - after all, I hadn't been planning on visiting. It was good exercise and the time spent walking allowed me to clear my head. One day I'll go to the Guardian's resting place. But that day is yet to come, it would seem.
