Frequently Asked Questions

Brahma Kumaris often plays a significant role in outreach to local communities. We conduct seminars, courses and workshops on meditation, personal development and new ways of working together in the community. The courses and the presentation vary according to country, culture and local facilities. To find out about the course in your area. 

These courses are held at community centres, prisons, hospitals, homes for the elderly, drug rehabilitation units, schools and local businesses. They are based on practical and applied spirituality with a view to enhancing well-being and quality of life. The content is drawn from the teachings of Brahma Kumaris. Individuals are able to deepen their self-understanding, explore and experiment with spiritual life skills for easier relationships and for greater fulfilment in life. 

In addition to Raja Yoga Meditation, courses we offer include:

• Overcoming Anger. Understanding the underlying causes and subtle forms of anger, the effects of anger on our well-being and how to use one’s energy in a more productive way.
• Positive Thinking. Exploring the role of thought in shaping our perceptions, sense of meaning, and actions, and how to reclaim our authenticity, freedom and self mastery. 
• Self-Esteem. How to re-build innate personality traits that contribute to self-respect and self-worth. 
• Stress-free Living. Understanding, recognising and managing the varying levels of stress, worry, and tension, and learning some simple ways to minimise these, by making a change in lifestyle.

Further support is provided for:

• empowerment for women and men
• environment
• leadership
• youth

Other areas of activity include education, healthcare, interfaith and places of detention. There are also residential retreat centres, which provide a supportive and nurturing environment, where individuals and professional groups can explore meditation and the spiritual underpinnings of their personal, family and work life. 

Brahma Kumaris engages in a variety of partnerships, based on shared purposes and principles. Partnerships include:

• The World Renewal Spiritual Trust (WRST) is registered as a public trust with its headquarters in Mumbai, India. Its objective is to impart education in moral, social and spiritual values to promote peace and harmony. Since the mid 1990’s, WRST has become one of the key developers and promoters of renewable energies in India. In order to strengthen its approach the WRST works in close liaison with the Brahma Kumaris. In 2011 WRST was recognized as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organization by the Ministry of Science and Technology and caries out training programs in solar concentrating technology under UNDP funding. 
• The Pachamama Alliance. Brahma Kumaris Environment Initiative is delighted to partner with Pachamama Alliance, as both organisations are working toward a new future in which spiritual fulfillment, environmental sustainability and social justice are cornerstones. Together we have created the Awakening the Dreamer Workshop, an opportunity to engage members of the public in the most urgent and necessary questions of this age. 
• Images and Voices of Hope: Media as Agents of World Benefit. The Mission is: Positive change is about focusing on the world we want to live in – not only problem solving the world we have. It’s not about glossing difficult truths. It’s about amplifying the best in human nature and, whenever possible, shining a light on the steps we can take towards the future we want. Read more.
• The Spirit of Humanity Forum: Resetting the Compass towards Core Human Values. A new global network of organisations, communities and individuals committed to help bring about change in governance and decision-making, based on core human values. The Forum creates a safe space for deeper encounter, exploration and dialogue among leaders to discover new ways to move forwards. Read more.  
• Global Hospital and Research Centre, Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India. In 1989, eminent Mumbai-based head and neck cancer surgeon Dr Ashok Mehta visited Brahma Kumaris spiritual headquarters in Mount Abu. His positive experience led him to believe that Brahma Kumaris represented a like-minded group of people with whom he could work in partnership to implement his vision of a model hospital focusing on holistic healthcare. The project was adopted by Khuba and GulabWatumull of Mumbai and Hawaii (USA) respectively, and was named J Watumull Global Hospital & Research Centre, in memory of their late father. 
• Janki Foundation for Global Health Care. A UK charity promoting spirituality in health care. It supports healthcare professionals through values-based dialogue and training, and contributes to general well-being through inspirational books, CDs and lectures. It also gives regular financial support to the Global Hospital and Research Centre in Mount Abu, India, which has pioneered a healthcare model combining modern medical technology with spirituality and complementary medicine. Dadi Janki is the President of the Janki Foundation.
• The Point of Life Foundation. A US non-profit entity, established to serve the global community. It is founded on the vision of a spiritual model of healthcare, with a focus on the well-being of the whole person. It aims to integrate a people-centred approach within the existing paradigms in healthcare, and to inform people about issues relevant to the holistic, with emphasis on the spiritual approach to health, care, healing, self-care, and healthcare education. The Point of Life Foundation works in partnership with the Brahma Kumaris in two primary areas:
  • Local educational initiatives for healthcare professionals and the public under the auspices of ‘Hope in Healthcare’.
  • Global outreach to support the work of the J Watumull Global Hospital & Research Centre (Mount Abu, India) and similar projects through facilitating donation of physical resources and volunteering of professional services.

Brahma Kumaris global initiatives are drawn from the creative minds of individuals who integrate their personal spiritual growth with the work they do in the world. Applying the double helix of the spiritual with the secular, topical global issues are explored through outreach to the wider population, drawing on their collective wisdom and enlightened insight. Courses, activities, programmes and initiatives are designed to help in everyday life. They cover a broad cultural context and include:

• The Call-of-the-Time Dialogue Series (COTT) – co-facilitated by BK Jayanti Kirpalani, Director of the Brahma Kumaris, UK and Peter Senge, Senior Lecturer, MIT, USA, leaders from across cultures, religions, and races come together with honour, respect and appreciation of the intrinsic value of each one present. Together they explore the crucial territory where personal and collective cultivation meet. They are convinced that such explorations will prove vital to the larger issues that lay ahead for the world.
• The Future of Power – is a series of exclusive conversations exploring the forthcoming ‘shifts in power’ and their impact on leadership in the 21st Century. Hosted by Dadi Janki, Administrative Head of the Brahma Kumaris, and Nizar Juma, a Nairobi-based businessman and industrialist, the conversations successfully provide participants with an opportunity to take time out and reflect on the deeper meaning of power in their lives.
• Choose, Change and Become Retreats — These retreats are held annually in cities around the world. They are about bringing a bunch of like-minded, hope-driven young adults together to explore brave new ways of operating, innovative ways of seeing and positive ways of being. It’s about experimenting with a new approach to change, an inside-out approach and one based on an understanding of the deep connection between our inner and outer worlds. The retreat process includes a creative blend of reflection, conversation, active engagement, meditation and play, through which young people are able to develop a personal road map for expressing their potential. 
• The Four Faces of Woman – Helping women to balance their personal, family and professional lives and exploring the deeper meaning of the feminine characteristics and their role in restoring humanity to its original state of authenticity and harmony.
• Being with One Initiative — In light of the current speed of change, the instability of many areas of our world, and the suffering of millions, perhaps there is another way we can help. As spiritual beings we all share the same Source of spiritual light and power. Many now recognise that we can gently raise our consciousness, connect with the Source, and serve as instruments of the ONE to bring that healing light, love and power into the world. 

It is a subtle exercise in which we can serve to empower and strengthen others. In the process we also empower our own resilience to face our own daily challenges. Whatever you call the ONE whom we all share and to whom we are all connected, we invite you to join us annually in a collective effort in Being with ONE from 21 September,- The UN International Day of Peace – to 2 October,- The UN International Day of Non-Violence. 

• just-a-minute – is an initiative created to mark the 70th anniversary of the Brahma Kumaris. Worldwide, more and more people are realising the benefits of short meditation breaks during the day. These breaks in our busy, often challenging, everyday lives help us experience peace and well-being, no matter what is happening around us. Everyone can practise these one-minute breaks, wherever, whenever. The just-a-minute website offers easy tools and tested tips on how to get started. 
• The Culture of Peace and Non-Violence – is a commitment to peace-building, mediation, conflict prevention and resolution, peace education, education for non-violence, tolerance, acceptance, mutual respect, intercultural and interfaith dialogue and reconciliation. The Brahma Kumaris participated in the Decade 2000-2010 promoting the Manifesto and collecting thousands of signatures in the form of pledges.
• Sharing our Values for a Better World – was a year long project that started in September 1994 and continued through October 1995 culminating in a celebration honouring the UN50. Throughout the year all the Brahma Kumaris’ centres organised and focused activities around 12 values – Co-operation, Freedom, Happiness, Honesty, Humility, Love, Peace, Respect, Responsibility, Simplicity, Tolerance and Unity.
• Global Co-operation for Better World – A United Nations Peace Messenger Initiative elicited from people, in words or pictures, responses to the question: “What is your vision of a better world?”Visions, hopes, and aspirations of a sweeping cross-section of individuals from more than 120 countries had been collected. The Global Vision Statement synthesised and reflected the contributions of the people. Visions of a Better World, a Peace Messenger Publication, was published featuring some of the vast outpouring of colour and creativity produced by the Project.
• The Million Minutes of Peace Appeal – was dedicated to the UN International Year of Peace. That appeal, which asked people to pledge time in meditation, positive thinking, or prayers for peace, reached 88 countries and collected 1,231,975,713 minutes of peace. The total was equal to some 2,344 years of peace! The Brahma Kumaris were awarded seven national and one international Peace Messenger Awards by the Secretary General of the UN for their contribution to the Year.

Brahma Kumaris Environment Initiative is about awakening greater environmental awareness within our own organisation, as well as collaborating and learning with others through dialogues, partnerships, UN conferences and local initiatives. As a spiritual organisation our main aim is to help people understand that any change in the outer world, starts with a change in our inner world. Hence our environmental initiative is based on five main principles:

• Living with simplicity 
• Buying compassionately
• Using economically
• Learning continuously
• Sharing generously

At the heart of the Brahma Kumaris teachings is the Foundation Course in Raja Yoga meditation. This course provides a practical understanding of the relationship between spirit and matter, as well as an understanding of the interplay between souls, God and the material world.

The series of classes in this course will facilitate your inward journey in an efficient and effective way. Learn about:

• consciousness and self-realisation
• connection and relationship with God
• the law of karma
• the cycle of time
• the Tree of Life
• a spiritual lifestyle

The lessons are offered in two parts:

• Part 1: offers the basic knowledge and practice of Raja Yoga meditation. This is for people who are interested in only learning how to meditate as a regular practice.
• Part 2: offers the teachings of Raja Yoga as a study. The teachings take the aspirant into the depths of universal truths. The goal of the teachings is to learn how to concentrate the mind and to discover the innermost core of the soul’s divinity. This is for people who want to exercise their own reason and judgment; who want to learn from the authority of their own experiences and sustain a lifestyle on a more elevated spiritual plane

The Brahma Kumaris teachings are set within the context that the world is at a turning point at which a transformation of consciousness is taking place. One of the main teachings is that the tree of humanity has one seed, God, the Supreme Soul, who stays eternally full of all divine qualities. As children of the one Seed, human beings are one family. By making a subtle shift from an outer, material dependency to an inner, spiritual awareness, human beings realise their true selves and recognise the Source, God, and restore themselves to their original nature of peace, respect and love. 

Raja Yoga meditation requires the individual to study spiritual knowledge. Understanding of the knowledge is essential to its practice and application. The aim of Raja Yoga is self-sovereignty and self-mastery and so it is important for the individual to be discerning on his or her spiritual journey. The process of learning is a simple one: listening to and understanding the teachings; contemplating and making sense of how to apply the teachings in life; inculcating the teachings and emerging the innate qualities into the awareness of the self; experiencing the meaning of insightful wisdom and deciding the quality of one’s actions. 

The process begins at the personal level with a collective momentum building, and eventually leads to a shift from a world torn apart by anger, attachment, arrogance, greed and lust to a kinder, gentler world, with only the finest in human virtues – happiness, love, peace and purity.

From its beginning, the work of Brahma Kumaris has been based on the principle that spiritual knowledge is a basic right of every human being. It was the founder’s (Brahma Baba’s) aim to provide opportunities for everyone to develop their own spiritual potential, without charge, regardless of age, gender, background or financial circumstances. This ethic is practised by all participating BK teachers and students.