The Brahma Kumaris and their World Spiritual University



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Spiritual Powers

"Spiritual powers" with the BKWSU generally relate not to siddhis, magic or occult abilities but to virtues or moral values.


However, many psychic and supernatural abilities are suggested of their founder and leadership such as the ability to travel to other dimensions and speak with the deceased or enlightened, the ability to travel to different parts of the world out of their bodies to inspect centers and followers homes, the ability to read adherents' souls, predict the future, "give blessings", clear karma etc. The BKWSU leadership believes that it can speak directly to God and that God speaks directly back to them and directs them through their mediums. Senior sisters are empowered within the group to be able to give advice "equal to God's" that if adherents follow their safety and success is guaranteed and no negative karma is incurred. Many claims are made of their practise being able to cure illnesses, save lives and so on in which remarkable personal testimonies on behalf of BK adherents are important faith devices.


How and why do people join?

Whilst many neophyte adherents are at a vulnerable period in their lives and directly targeted by the Brahma Kumaris, such as experiencing the death of family members, young individuals away from home, break up of relationships or suffering from addictions according to the traditional model of cult inductees, others would consider themselves to be genuine "spiritual seekers" attempting to answer the questions of life and existence that they have been unable to find in orthodox religions. Many of the original BK adherents in the West came through established interests in yoga, spirituality, India and alternative lifestyles. In the West, the Brahma Kumaris originally marketed themselves as providers of 'peace of mind' and promoting 'peace', albeit in contradiction to their specifically millenarianist beliefs in the imminent and desirable "Destruction" of humanity that they are bringing about. More recently, they have remarketed themselves as providers of discussion about "values". Whereas originally, the Brahma Kumaris offered intensive 7 days courses in which they presented the totality of their perfected "knowledge" and initiated individuals into their meditational practise, individuals are now usual enculturated through a process of vague and general seminars, e.g. retreats, business or artistic events on a variety of topics consciously targeted at different groups within society, e.g. women, mother and children, educators, sufferers of depression, executives, jurists etc which introduce lightweight version of their practises.

These meetings are generally organized by individuals who have a specific interest or experience in the relative field and act as filters or "honeypots" for new potential BKWSU recruits who. For a considerable period, potential recruits will have no idea about the Brahma Kumaris' real beliefs or intentions. Gradually, BK leaders or adherents will "take the pulse" of these individuals (assessing their recruitability), for potential interests in a deeper commitment. At this point, they will be invited to take more private lessons in the BKWSU beliefs, which may still be spread over weeks, and incorporate intense one-to-one meditation session where adherents will sit staring into the potential recruitee's open eyes in which the experience of a connection the spirit entity they consider to be God is transmitted. Whereas the Brahma Kumaris have always been instructed to seek out famous or important people, to act as a draw for the general public, increasingly the BKWSU is involving non-BKs in their evangelical events to change the impression given by such programs. The intention remains within the organization is to bring it into contact with influence others, potential recruits and act as generally good PR for the group.
What do people experience and why do they stay?

Generally, the psychic experience individuals experience following the practise is very strong in comparison to other religions. Individuals can experience feelings of deep inner silence, contentment and love, and a light, "bodiless" sensation. This is understood to be due to their direct connection with the channelled spirit entity that the Brahma Kumaris believe is God. Adherents find spiritual comfort, inspiration and intellectual satisfaction in the mediumistic messages called Murlis that take the place of scriptures, or "word of God", within the movement and consider all their questions answered. Many individuals benefit from the effects of the new disciplined lifestyle giving up alcohol or drugs, rising early, becoming vegetarian and so on although for many the daily routine of waking at 4 am and constant evangelism become exhausting. Others benefit from, and find comfort in, life within the highly disciplined and conformist environment in which major life decisions are handed over to the leadership. For Indian families, the BKWSU should be seen in a different light as it provides for Hindus a more simple, modern and ascetic analogue for classical Hinduism whilst also providing a recognizable environment for traditional expressions of devotion, e.g. darshans, satsangs, spiritual discourses, donating money in which the Brahma Kumari leaders take the place of priests and gurus. For Indian women, it can be a great escape and an apparent empowerment from unwanted husbands, arranged marriages and a patriarchal society. Around the main core, a 'lay' community of part-time or less committed followers and supporters has developed. For Westerners, the Brahma Kumaris originally provided an easier, more accessible analogue for a traditionally ascetic "yogi" lifestyle for mainly "hippie" or "new age" type individuals, an association that did not fit easily with the leadership, allowing them to follow a disciplined spiritual lifestyle without physically renouncing their comforts. Latterly, that has been modified by adherents and the organization has consciously re-marketed it. Anew attraction has arisen within the organization presenting itself under the guise of professional or corporate empowerment by way of "management leadership" seminars and "values" trainers which has included financial opportunities for some chosen ones. These opportunities have been extended in an attempt to hold on to young adherents growing up within the organization as children of followers. The Brahma Kumaris specifically and persistently encourage followers to detach from their "impure" and unenlightened physical relatives, old friends and even children, to express the emotions of "all relationships" with their channelled entity and to consider other Brahma Kumari followers to be their true spiritual family. This is persistently ingrained into adherents' minds during the daily scripture reading.

After a short period time, almost all contacts and relationships will be within the religion and almost all free time will be spent in some BKWSU related activity whether listening to or giving sermons, teaching and evangelizing, maintaining centers and regular services or developing "service" programs. The Brahma Kumaris provide for their followers an environment that satisfies many to most of their social needs, including the possibility to travel.
The "Honeymoon" Period and "Intoxication"

The beginning of adherents' involvement with the Brahma Kumaris is generally marked by an experience referred to as the "Honeymoon Period" by BKs. This is a short period lasting a few months where the individuals feel unnaturally "high", or "intoxicated" in BK speak. This period does not last although neophytes will not believe this. It is likened to "childhood" within the movement and in the future and followers will be encouraged to remember these experiences as an inspiration to continue when they wear off. The experience is often similar to a 'manic' phase or falling in love and is likely to concern friends and family as it is usually combined with radical lifestyle and personality changes, and often tireless evangelical enthusiasm. The individual will feel light, rushes of love or strong emotions and experience strong psychic experiences such a visions of light or "body-lessness". Dangers occur of mental and personal breakdowns if the individual does not follow the prescribed disciplines that the religion sets during this period. Adherents will separate from their friends and family and become difficult to impossible to reason with or relate to outside of their new found religious interests. This period tends to wear off after 6 months or so after which the individual will be persistently encouraged to "make efforts" to regain it and increasingly surrender their mind, body and wealth to the organization.


How does BK meditation work?

BK meditation is primarily an open eye meditation designed to induce within the individual a state of mind that can be carried at all time during the waking day. It is initially taught as a gentle stream of thoughts or vague visualization to be followed by newcomers, often to soft, quiet meditational music and in slightly darkened or red lit room, which have a potentially hypnotic effect on individuals. These calm the individual and open their minds to suggestion and psychic influences. These are recorded as tapes, CDs or digital files for downloads for playing back later. Within a formal teaching environment, and latter at ever stage of involvement, the meditation experience is initiated and reinforced by the direct "transmission" from a committed Brahma Kumari adherent. This is called "dhrishti" and involves the adherent to a newcomer, or a senior practitioner to a junior adherent, staring directly into the open eyes of the lesser individual and transmitting the "vibrations", spiritual energy of the channelled entity the BKWSU considers is God, or the mental experience of the more experienced individual. This practise of staring will start as a matter of a few minutes but gradually be increased until as a full BK, it will be practised for anything up to hours at a time in intense group mediations. During this experience, individuals will often experience visions of light, a pressure on their foreheads, waves of love or spiritual energy leading to a feeling of separation from their body and a state the Brahma Kumaris call "soul consciousness", the experience of the self as a spirit being and not a body. In theory, one this state is experienced and mastered, the individual is then able to connect directly to the God of the Brahma Kumaris in rapturous union. The followers imagines or experiences themselves to be a soul, travel to a golden red world of spiritual light and be pulled into direct contact with the living god within it. BK adherents are encouraged to remember this state and their god at all times experience a gentle communion or being "touched" it. It would appear that elements similar to hypnosis and autosuggestion, NLP, spiritual healing, trance and psychic channelling are all involved to different degrees.
VIP service

The God of the Brahma Kumaris places a persistent encouragement for BK adherents to attract and recruit important people or VIPs to act as "microphones" for the organization broadcasting its message to a wider audience. Brahma Kumaris leaders will specifically target the involvement of VIPs in their evangelical programmes offering them gifts and privileges within the movement.

A member of the Brahma Kumaris - a 'BK' - adopts a highly regulated and controlled lifestyle. Based on the belief that the burden of karma is either decreased or increased with every thought, word and action, every moment and every aspect of ones' behavior should be governed. One must be very careful to ensure that one is inculcating purity at every step. Any mistake must be confessed in order to be empowered to not repeat that mistake. (This confession would be to one of the seniors and is an essential part of mind control)."Obedience is freedom" is key to a BKs' thinking and living.

The concept of becoming a completely pure soul free from the burden of past sin dominates a member’s thinking. Whilst many people would see this as an impossible expectation it is the basis of a BKs' lifestyle. Thus the member’s day starts with meditation at 4.00am for 45 minutes. This is known as "Amrit Vela" and is one of the "Mariadas" - the basic rules for living a pure life. This may be done alone or in a group.

Having completed the 7 day course one is entitled to start attending the general class. Starting time varies from around 5.00 am to6.30 am depending on the demographic. The general class starts with a short meditation, then a class from the head teacher followed by the reading of a murli. Good students will takes notes and study them with vigour trying to imbibe as much of the thinking from the murli as they can. They are effectively engaging in an active process of self indoctrination. The rest of the day will take on an appearance of normality for ordinary students.

They will go to work or to take care of home duties - but their personal agenda is now completely at odds with a normal environment. They will be practising detachment, internally separating themselves from those around them in preparation for their deaths in the impending global destruction. They will be practising "traffic control" - a timetable of short meditations in which the member practises thinking "correctly". Another of the "Mariadas" is a strict vegetarian diet that incorporates no alcohol or tobacco. The BKs' also require that the food they eat be prepared with "pure vibrations" - and such pure food can only be prepared by a conscientious BK. This means that a BK cannot eat the impure food cooked by their mother or wife and restaurants are not an option. The ramifications of this can be very serious in certain cultures. It certainly separates a BK from family and friends as food is integral to ongoing family and social relations.



If a member is "surrendered" then from morning class they will continue to do service throughout the day. It is normally fairly relaxed agenda of office work, preparation for planned events, dealing with day to day issues, all hopefully accomplished in a meditative state of consciousness. This changes when they are busy on a major program and this is when the seniors are most likely to reveal their dark side - something for which the faithful will forgive them too easily. A new member will ordinarily continue to live in the same environment as they were when they came across the BKWSU. After attending morning class and following all the mariadas for six months a member is considered 'pukka'. However their new beliefs will inevitably bring changes. Diet is one example. Conflict often occurs in the case of celibacy when both partners are not members. This has lead to a common accusation against the Brahma Kumaris as home breakers. There has been many a divorce as a result of this "Mariada". As celibacy is one of the "Mariadas" it is an absolute requirement for any member to be taken seriously by the group or to be allowed to travel to Madhuban. At the end of the working day a BK will normally attend evening class. This will include meditation and a lecture. It is not compulsory as morning class is but a BK will demonstrate his worth as a BK by attending. Such pukka students will be rewarded with opportunities in service and by implication a higher status in the BK family. A member who has trouble attending morning or evening class due to protests from husbands, wives, other family members, or due to sickness, would be considered to be in "bondage" - this means that the soul has a severe karmic burden as a result of past bad actions. They are, by implication, very impure. A BK will spend their spare time in study and meditation, or be at the centre helping in service projects, giving courses or even just cleaning or doing handiwork. At the end of a day that started before 4.00 am they will go to bed exhausted - only to wake up a few hours later to sit in meditation to cement their beliefs and do it all over again - day after day, 7 days a week. Once a year, a BK will go to the BKWSU headquarters in Mt. Abu, India, for about 3 weeks. There they will immerse themselves in all things BK surrounded by other BKs and actively engaging in the indoctrination process. A member who has been a BK for some time will have removed themselves from family and friends and will now move only in BK circles. They will have cut back on work commitments, careers, old interests and hobbies. They will not watch television, go to the movies or any form of public entertainment. For a pukka BK, there is nothing for them outside of the life and work of the BKWSU. They live in a very small world engaging in a very limited and reductionist belief system. After many years of living in this tiny bubble their lives are shattered when that bubble bursts. They find themselves in an alien world unable to grasp the social codes of a world that has changed so much in the time they were out of it. Many find this traumatic because they are unable to cope. Some will take their own lives.
What are the aims or purpose of the BKWSU?

Theoretically, the aim of the Brahma Kumaris is to return to their perceived perfect state of being in this life in order to prepare themselves for a life in a Golden Aged heaven on earth that is going to follow the Destruction of the current world. The purpose of the BKWSU is to find all the original heavenly souls they called Brahmins, and help them not just to prepare for Destruction and the Golden Age after but to gain a high status within it. In doing so, BK Brahmins believe that they will either become angels of light who will serve the world with their, or their god's, love, peace and light or help practically create heaven on earth after an imminent nuclear war.


Historical Revision

Has the BKWSU re-written its history?

Yes, extensively and regularly in numerous hagiographic histories and biographies. This has been hidden from followers. Please see our BKWSU History forum for details and discussion. Evidence clearly shows where the current leadership has colluded in passing on a falsified version of the organization's development.


Has the BKWSU re-written its philosophy?

Yes. Extensively. This, and its process of development, has been hidden from followers. The BKWSU largely claims that its philosophy is derived from mediumistic channelled messages they believe are God speaking directly to them. During its history, especially in the early years, it used a number of different mediums some of which, such as the "Golden Circle", left the organization and are no longer officially discussed or acknowledged. It is believed that Global Chief Janki Kripalani's sister was a member of such a group. The organization now presents Lekhraj Kripalani as the chief medium.



Lekhraj Kripalani as God

For the first 20 years, adherents thought millionaire founder Lekhraj Kripalani was God on the basis of visions of him as Krishna. It was only after 1950 that the BKWSU re-wrote its philosophy to include an incorporeal God it named Shiva. This has been hidden from adherents and the hagiographic histories and biographies written by the organization fictionalizes the early history of the organization.



Destruction - failed predictions of the End of the World

The Brahma Kumaris have predicted the End of the World, known as "Destruction" to them, on a number of occasions notably World War II, 1950, 1976, mid-1980s, 2000, 2012 (Pointing Science).....20xx...20xx...2036....

The failures of these predictions have been kept hidden from followers and new adherents. At the time of failure, many adherents left the movement. Generally, the organization responds by saying that "Baba (God) has never given a specific date for Destruction" which is true to the extent that he has never stated a specific day. But the spirit guide has made these predictions to specific years.

The channelled messages and teaching aids have since been "revised" to correct, alter or remove these predictions.


From Monism to Dualism and God Shiva

For the first 20 years, the Brahma Kumaris were a monist tradition in the form of orthodox Advaita schools believing that there was only one ultimate substance or principle called the Brahm or Braham. They practised faith in "Aham Brahm Asmi", literally "I am Brahman" or "I am God".

At some point after 1950, the Brahma Kumaris introduced an individual personality they called the "supreme soul", WITHIN that Brahm element or "soul world", into their theodicy calling him "Shiva Baba". As of this date, (2008) here is no reference within their official media or publications how, why or when this happened. It is thought that the leadership is sworn to secrecy about this.

The BK use of the terms Brahm and Nirvana for the same are unique and not according to the orthodox beliefs of Hindus or Buddhists.
Timeline

1884 Lekhraj Kripalani born

1932 Lekhraj Kripalani retires and starts holding Satsang at his home in Hyderabad, Sind

1937 Om Mandli face public criticism and legal action, Kripalani creates committee of women including his wife and 'Om Radhe'

1938 Kripalani said to surrender his wealth and property to an unnamed trust

1950 Om Mandli moved to Mount Abu

1950 (approx) God Shiva is introduced into Brahma Kumari beliefs

1952 Service in India

1965 Om Radhe dies and B.K. Manmohini become 'Controller of Service'

1969 Lekhraj Kripalani dies of a heart attack the day after a trust of formed by others to control his religion.

1971 Service in London and Hong Kong starts

1974 Janki Kripalani goes to London

1985 head of organization Didi Manmohini dies

1986 Million Minutes of Peace

1991 J. Watumull Memorial Global Hospital and Research Centre established
Hinduism and Ancient Raja Yoga

Do the Brahma Kumaris teach Ancient Raja Yoga?

No. The Brahma Kumaris do not teach Ancient Raja Yoga.

The famous Raja Yoga has been taught for over 2,000 years and is recognized as being by documented by Patanjali. It bears no relationship to the beliefs and practise of the Brahma Kumaris.

The current form of initiation practised by the Brahma Kumaris dates back to approximately 1950. Not even the 1930s as claimed by the organization. Prior to the 1950s, the Brahma Kumaris had a different practise based around the belief that Lekhraj Kripalani was God and faith in a universal spiritual element called the Brahm they called Aham Brahm Asmi, after the traditional Hindu mantra.
How can the Brahma Kumaris claim their form is Ancient Raja Yoga?

It is only according to their philosophy of a 5,000 Year identically repeating Cycle of Time. Brahma Kumaris believe that no time exits longer than 5,000 years. 5,000 Years ago, they were teaching their form exactly as today. Therefore theirs is the oldest form. Further more, the Brahma Kumaris teach that all other religions are imperfect and incomplete memorials of them and their practises, therefore Patanjali's Raja Yoga was a imperfect and incomplete memorial of them from 5,000 years ago.


Where can I find a traditional Raja Yoga teacher?

Try searching for Ashtanga Yoga.


Are the Brahma Kumaris Hindu?

No. Brahma Kumarism is not Hinduism. To understand Brahma Kumarism, it is better to look at and understand the Sindhi community in Pakistan from which they first arose. Although the majority of BKs are born into Hindu families, the Brahma Kumaris use Hindu terminology, puts on events during Hindu festivals to attract followers and has definitely been inspired by it, the Brahma Kumaris specifically claims that they are not Hindus.
Neither are they representatives of the Hindu religion despite forming charities to "promote Hinduism". The Brahma Kumaris do not follow Hindu rites or festivals faithfully but offer their own interpretation of them. Not all religions from India are Hindu. These points are clearly stated in the channelled messages the Brahma Kumaris base their teachings on and confirmed by the most senior teachers. The Brahma Kumaris believe that "Bhakti", the Hindi word for the devotional path is impure and degraded and that no one else but them teaches the truth. All other religions including Hinduism are but an imperfect, partial memorial of their religion from 5,000 years ago. The Brahma Kumaris are also told by their god, and believe that the Hindus are their worshippers and will recognize them as their deities or gods that they worship in temples. "Bhakti", the term used for religious devotion has negative connotations within the BKWSU. It is the path of ignorance or "stumbling in darkness". Within the movement, there is the expectation of a Hindu backlash when the general population discovers that they teach that god Krishna did not speak the Gita but that their god Shiva did. For approximately the first 20 years, the BKs believed that LK was literally the inventor of the Bhagavad Gita.
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