The Seven Valleys is one of the mystical works of Bahá'u'lláh. It describes the seven stages which the
soul of the seeker must traverse to attain union with its Creator. It may be likened to a road map
showing the path of the soul on a spiritual journey passing through different stages, from this world to
other realms which are closer to God.
The seven valleys are: ‘search’, ‘love’, ‘knowledge’, ‘unity’, ‘contentment’, ‘wonderment’, and ‘true
poverty and absolute nothingness’. The Seven Valleys can be read in full at the
Bahá’í Reference Library.
Some extracts From the Valley of Search are shared below. “The stages that mark the wayfarer’s journey
from the abode of dust to the heavenly homeland are said to be seven. Some have called these Seven
Valleys, and others, Seven Cities. And they say that until the wayfarer taketh leave of self, and
traverseth these stages, he shall never reach to the ocean of nearness and union, nor drink of the
peerless wine.
The steed of this Valley 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.
It is incumbent on these servants that they cleanse the heart—which is the wellspring of divine
treasures—from every marking, and that they turn away from imitation, which is following the traces of
their forefathers and sires, and shut the door of friendliness and enmity upon all the people of the
earth.
One must judge of search by the standard of the Majnún of Love. 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.”