Author: TVBahai

“We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls.”
— Bahá’u’lláh

Music holds a special place in the Bahá’í teachings. Bahá’u’lláh describes music as a “ladder for your souls”, something that can lift the human spirit, awaken our hearts, and help us rise above the concerns of everyday life. Through melody, rhythm and song, music can create a space for reflection, joy, connection and spiritual renewal.

In the Bahá’í Faith, arts are a means of bringing people together, expressing noble ideas and celebrating the beauty and diversity of humanity. A song can cross languages and cultures, reaching people in ways that words alone sometimes cannot.

In the Newbury Bahá’í community, we are exploring this power of music and the arts by creating opportunities for musicians, singers and artists to share their talents with the wider community. By bringing creative people together, we hope to create spaces where hearts can be uplifted, spirits renewed and friendships strengthened.

We welcome musicians and artists of all backgrounds to join us in this journey, helping us build a community where music becomes a ladder, art becomes a bridge, and every gathering is an opportunity to uplift the soul.

What if a story could do more than entertain a child? What if it could become a quiet companion, something they return to when they need courage, kindness, or a reminder of what really matters?

This is the spirit behind the Anis Foundation, whose name itself means “a companion or a friend.” Through beautifully narrated audio stories, Anis creates a space where children can encounter moral and spiritual ideas through imagination, history, and memorable human experiences.

One of its most engaging collections is The Master: Stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for Children, narrated by Sarah Perceval. The collection brings 24 stories from the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to life, each offering a simple yet powerful moral insight. From The Sheep and A Handful of Flour to The Garden of Ridvan, The Traveller, and Servant of the Poor, the stories invite young listeners into moments of kindness, courage, generosity, service, and love.

There is also The Master – Love Over Hate, a collection inspired by the life and example of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, exploring themes such as love, peace, equality, magnanimity, and acts of kindness.

In a world filled with noise, perhaps children need stories that leave something behind after the listening ends, a question, a feeling, an example to follow.

Explore the Anis Foundation’s collection and discover stories that can become companions for the journey.