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Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation, or " Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya ".
The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU) has been providing educational programmes for over 60 years to promote the understanding and development of human values in life. Around the world the Brahma Kumaris are actively involved in working with local communities and helping to develop the spiritual dimension within the key issues which currently face youth, women, interfaith, business, prison life, education, the environment, science and health care. With more than 4000 branches in over 80 countries, the University’s courses focus on meditation, spiritual and values development, self-managing leadership, positive thinking, stress free living and self-esteem. All courses, seminars and workshops are offered free of charge as a service to the community. The Brahma Kumaris are an international NGO in general consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council and in consultative status with UNICEF.
Origins
Formed in Sindh, now Pakistan, during 1937 by diamond merchant Lekhraj Kripalani.
Global Expansion
Claims to have more than 3,200 meditation centres in 70 countries with over 450,000 students.
Fundamental Beliefs
Although borrowing much symbolism from tradition Hinduism, Brahma Kumari Raja Yoga sees itself entirely as unique. Central to its faith are the beliefs that ;
- the human being is an eternal soul living within a physical body
- reincarnation happens from one human body to another only
- existence is limited to an eternally repeating 5,000 year cycle of creation and destruction
- each repeating cycle is exactly the same as the previous one
- humanity is currently at the end of the cycle of creation and is about to be destroyed
- God incarnates personally onto the Earth and speaks only through their founder Lekhraj Kripalani
- all other religious founders must come to them to receive knowledge prior to future incarnations
Practice
The Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga practice involves;
- complete celibacy
- strict vegetarianism excluding onions, garlic and food cooked by non-B.K.s
- avoidance of alcohol, tobacco and drugs
- ritual cleanliness
- regular daily meditation.
7 Day Course
Central to the Brahma Kumaris practice is the teaching of all their core beliefs in 7 one hour long lessons called "The 7 Day Course". Once indoctrined by these 7 lessons, students are then introduced to unpublished "scriptures" considered to be the direct teachings of God called "Murlis"
The seven lessons are:
- The Soul
- The Supreme Soul
- The Law of Karma
- The Cycle
- The Tree of Religions
- The Founder Brahma Baba
- Brahma Kumari Lifestyle and Principles