Tranquillity Zone

A Tranquillity Zone is a specific type of meeting designed for devotion or meditation, and was created by the Bahá'ís in Northern Ireland as a way of introducing people to a spiritual Bahá'í experience. Ideally, it should take place in a suitably decorated room, with culturally appropriate use of hangings, candles, perfume, etc. The format of the meeting is one of music interspersed with prayers or readings, conducted in such a way as to leave behind stress, anxieties and material distractions. There is usually a theme to the readings chosen. The meeting ends with participants being offered dried fruit, or with quotation cards as a reminder of the content of the meeting.

This idea has been used in England as a format to be offered in schools, to office workers during their lunch break, or similar situations in which the stress-free nature of the event provides the greatest contrast. This has resulted in the Tranquillity Zone being seen in some quarters as a Bahá'í contribution to social development. In this context, it has been shown on television in Britain.