eace eavers - Brahma Kumaris

Light
Love
Unity
Peace
peace weavers
The Quarterly e-Newsletter
ublication of the Brahma Kumaris - Global Peace House
Sharing the wonders of Spiritual Service .... bringing smiles in the hearts of people ....
12th Issue - November 2015
Spiritual Empowerment
by Charles Hogg
Celebrating 20 years of service of the
Youth Wing of the Brahma Kumaris GPH
Visit of the Director of Brahma Kumaris centres in
Australia at the BKGPH...pg3
Youth and collaborators being honoured during a special award ceremony whilst commemorating the
International Youth Day with the Minister of Youth & Sports as Chief Guest along with Sister Gaitree
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Inside this issue: World Environment Day; International Day of Yoga;
Charles Hogg’s visit to GPH; Tribute to Sister Chandra; International Youth
Day;Raksha Bandhan Festival; Health Programs; Residential Retreat;
Visitors at GPH; Dadi Janki; Women’s program; Vegan Recipe.
Next Issue - JaN 2016
Brahma Kumaris, Global Peace House, Royal Road, Khoyratty, Pamplemousses, MAURITIUS
Tel: +230 248 1941 Fax: +230 248 2181, Email: bkgph@intnet.mu, www.brahmakumaris.org/mauritius
1
Facing the Future without Fear
Tribute to Didi Chandra
Public Conference by Charles Hogg
st
On Tuesday 21 July 2015, Mr the temporary self and the permaCharles Hogg (also known as nent self. It is imperative to underBrother Charlie), the National stand what is permanent in all the
Coordinator of Brahma Kumaris in changes that occur in our life. Then
Australia, was at Global Peace we should decide whether to invest
House, Khoyratty for a public con- in the temporary or the permanent.
Understanding the original self is
ference on the above theme.
the first step.
He first gave
..spiritual intelligence leads to a rich & In this context,
an overview
sustainable relationship with the self.. we need to
of
the
numerous fears that haunt human note that we have three personalibeings. Fear, the emotion which is ties, the one which we present to
felt in the face of a danger, real or the world, the “I” of superiority,
imagined, is the seed of many emo- which incorporates lots of fears; the
tions which give rise to paranoia. It second ‘I’ of inferiority which finds
may be inherited or built up and is others better and generates depresrelated to our past experiences. The sion; while the third ‘I’ is the original
main types of fear include physical ‘I’, the ‘I’ which is a soul. This soul is
fear; fear of loss of health and fear a point, it is eternal, peaceful, loving
of old age. At the heart of physical and beyond the physical. It is the
fear is the fear of loss: loss of my driving force of the body. It is the
consciousness.
body,
my
The question is
image, my idenhow
can we distity, my respect.
cover this soul?
All this occurs
Through
the
due to our
practice
of
medinaïve approach
tation, we can
to life. Once we
use
our thoughts
build our identito
be
peaceful,
we
can
experience
ty and become attached to it, the
greater the attachment, the more the permanent ‘I’, thus ridding us of
fear we build in life. He suggested the fears and anxieties that are built
that life is like a train: passengers in. All the inbuilt set of fears from
get in and out of trains; similarly, our past experiences can be dealt
through
meditation.
people come into our lives and then with
Meditation
is
that
practice
which
move on. And so does wealth that
connects
the
soul
with
the
Supreme
come into our lives and disappear.
We keep building anxieties around Being, God. It allows one to relax, to
that too. The issue is: how do we clean the effect of fears on one’s
subconscious and generate positive
deal with
All the inbuilt set of fears from our past actions for
such fear?
B r o t h e r experiences can be dealt with thro’meditation. o n e ’ s
future.
Charlie, on
The
love
experienced
during
medithe basis of his extensive spiritual
experience of Raja Yoga Meditation, tation dissolves all worldly fears.
pointed out that human beings are Brother Charlie concluded his talk
endowed with different types of by urging everyone to take responsiwisdom, namely intellectual, emo- bility for the self and to learn to
tional and spiritual. Intellectual wis- resolve their fears through the pracdom generally helps us to earn a liv- tice of meditation early in the morning; emotional intelligence aids to ing. Thus Raj Yoga Meditation was
manage relationships; whilst spiritu- proposed as an effective remedy to
al intelligence leads to a rich and combat fears as it reestablishes the
sustainable relationship with the original qualities of the soul and its
self. Wisdom lies in understanding powers.
Didi cutting cake along with children at GPH
Sister Chandra (affectionately called Didi
Chandra), the Director of the Brahma
Kumaris World Spiritual University in
Mauritius, flew to God's lap after three
months of sickness. She had been the backbone of the institution on the island for
almost forty years.
Through her enlightenment and wise leadership, Godly Service in the island expanded significantly both in terms of quantity
and quality and the Spiritual University
at present enjoys a high respect from all
quarters- government, private sector,
religious authorities and NGOs.
Sister Chandra was instrumental in
establishing the Prajapita Brahma
Kumaris Trust by an Act of Parliament
in 1983 and this conferred the University
locally with a legal status having many
advantages. She also brought the first
Head of State from outside of India,
namely the Prime Minister of Mauritius,
Sir Aneerood Jugnauth, to BK
International Headquarters in Mount
Abu.
She was conferred as Honorary Citizen of
the town of Quatre Bornes (where the
local BK Headquarters is located) for her
outstanding contribution for the
promotion of peace and harmony.
In 1999, the Brahma Kumaris Mauritius
was awarded the National Unity Award
and Didi was a real motivating element in
that. Her legacy to all of us is her humility, royalty and caring nature.
‘What was remarkable in Didi was her
incredible ability to forgive and make her
available as God’s instrument. The coolness and tranquility she exuded matched
her name, ‘Chandra’.
Sister Gaitree
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When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we’ even ‘illness’ becomes ‘wellness’
World Environment Day at Riviere du Rempart
In the context of the World Environment Day, the BKGPH participated in
a 5 days exhibition at the Youth Centre of Rivière-du-Rempart in the
month of June. Visitors in our stand were amazed to learn that simply by
changing their thoughts into positive ones, they could help to improve
the condition of the world. Yogic farming (agriculture using only organic
inputs coupled with the power of positive thoughts - meditation), an
eco-friendly project undertaken by the Brahma Kumaris worldwide was
also presented to the public, many of whom were interested and
inspired to practice it at home. All the visitors were encouraged to participate in the ‘Take One and Leave One’ pledge while hanging green
leaves onto which virtues were written on a barren tree.
Lady Sarojini Jugnauth, wife of the Prime Minister of Mauritius and Hon Raj Dayal, Minister
of Environment visiting the stand of the BKGPH and welcomed by Sister Rachna
Left: Children writing virtues on ‘green leaves’ as a way to inculcate them: Middle:Exhibits on ‘Inner Environment’ Right: Hanging virtue leaves on tree
BKGPH commemorates the first International Day of Yoga(IYD)
The Indian High Commission and the Ministry of Health
and Quality of Life organized and co-hosted several programmes to mark this event. As a build up to the main
event on 21st June 2015, the BKs and other organisations
were each invited on separate days at the Indira Gandhi
Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC) to give a public presentation on any yoga-related topic. Brother Vikram, Project
Coordinator of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Regression
Programmes in Mauritius, thus made a presentation on
the theme of ‘Raja Yoga for the Prevention and
Management of CAD’. The programme also included
demonstration of the Biofeedback Stress Test. His
Excellency Mr. Anup K Mudgal, High Commissioner of
India in Mauritius, graced the occasion with his presence
and opening remarks. Dr Uday Ramjuttun, cardiologist,
presented the medical aspect of the program. BKGPH also
organised an exhibition on Raja Yoga and biofeedback
stress tests at the Swami Vivekanand International
Convention Centre (SVICC), where around 3000 visitors
attended the first comemoration of the IYD.
Mr Anup Mudgal listening to the presentation at IGCIC where participants were asked to exercise and also had the opportunity to check their stress.
Address by Dr Uday
Ramjuttun
Exhibition on meditation and activities of BKs displayed to visitors at the SVICC
3
To a mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. (Chuang Tzu)
Sister Gaitree being interviewed
by the local tv .
Annual Ajanta Health Day Program at Goodlands
An exhibition on health took place at the annual Ajanta Health Day at Goodlands where visitors were invited to gain further insights
on stress managements and healthy lifestyle. A certificate of appreciation was also handed over to Sister Saradah (Goodlands centre).
Coronary Artery Disease Regression through Healthy Lifestyle (CAD) activities
A follow up get together was organised later after the CAD residential retreat in a spirit to better guide the participants. It was uplifting to hear
each others experience of how the CAD program improved their quality of life and self respect in gaining a better health.
CAD & Meditation were among the various activities
proposed during the International Day of Yoga .
THE PREGNANT DEER !
In a forest, a pregnant deer is about to give birth. She
finds a remote grass field near a strong-flowing river. This
seems a safe place. Suddenly labour pains begin.
At the same moment, dark clouds gather around above &
lightning starts a forest fire. She looks to her left & sees a
hunter with his bow extended pointing at her. To her
right, she spots a hungry lion approaching her.
What can the pregnant deer do? She is in labour!
What will happen? Will the deer survive? Will she give
birth to a fawn? Will the fawn survive? Or will everything
be burnt by the forest fire? Will she perish to the hunters'
arrow? Will she die a horrible death at the hands of the
hungry lion approaching her?
She is constrained by the fire on the one side & the
flowing river on the other & boxed in by her natural
predators. What does she do?
She focuses on giving birth to a new life.
The sequence of events that follows are:
- Lightning strikes & blinds the hunter.
- He releases the arrow which zips past the deer & strikes
the hungry lion.
- It starts to rain heavily, & the forest fire is slowly doused
by the rain.
- The deer gives birth to a healthy fawn.
The rest was not in her hands & any action or reaction
that changed her focus would have likely resulted in
death or disaster.
Ask yourself,
Where is your focus? Where is your faith and hope?
In the midst of any storm, do keep faith on the Creator
always. He will never ever dissapoint you. NEVER.
CAD program at Quatre Bornes BK centre
Healthy Lifestyle program at Khoyratty Centre
Success is not final,
failure is not fatal: it is
the courage to continue
that counts.
Winston Churchill
4
Happiness does not depend on what you have or who you are; it solely relies on what you think. (Buddha)
Exploring and Discovering Spiritual Intelligence through Silence
A residential retreat at Palmar
Spiritual Intelligence refers to the innate knowingness within
each one… a knowingness that provides the light of wisdom
which ensure an overall wellbeing within the self, with others,
with Nature and with God. It is easily accessible to those who
love silence. The mirror of silence reveals invaluable resources
in which our spiritual intelligence flowers…
Around 30 participants decided to explore, discover,
experiment and experience an authentic taste of this
adventurous journey within their inner self through the doorway of silence and within an ambiance of a conducive
atmosphere. The sessions comprised silent reflections,
journaling, mindfulness, silent walk, spontaneous creativity
and sharing.
“Spiritual Intelligence is the ability to behave with
wisdom and compassion while maintaining inner and
outer peace regardless of the situation.” Cindy Wigglesworth
Participants listening to Sister Gaitree- Lead Facilitator
Group sharings during the retreat
Spiritually empowered participants for a group photo
A mime on ‘Silence of the Forest’
by Sister Soobhashinee
Early morning exercises to set the mind for the inner journey
Reconnecting the participants
to nature - tree hugging.
Journaling and drawing
Women you are the Light of the World – Wake Up
A half day programme tailor made for professional/working women, was organised on the above theme at Inner Space,Port-Louis. Though being a working day
and during working hours, around 40 women turned up.
Mandala: session where feelings are
transcribed colourfully on paper
Sleep Management
Bro Vikram at Inner Space - Ebene Meditation centre
for a session on Sleep Management
5
Successful people always have two things on their lips – Silence and Smile.
Honouring the new generation because youth is the hope of today..
In the double context of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the
Youth for a Better World Club (the youth wing of the BKGPH) and the
International Youth Day , an event was organized where youth in different fields were awarded an appreciation certificate. It was also an
occasion to look back at the achievements realised during these two
decades and prompt the new generation towards a new culture
where values and technology go hand in hand. It was an
opportunity to recommit the club’s mission to foster value based
capacity building & leadership for young people. Friends/collaborators were also thanked and gifted with a nice certificate and present.
Audience during the programme
Welcome address by Bro Ricardo ,
Honorary Chairperson of the YBWC
Dr Goolam Peerbux (Scouts Association)
awarded by the Minister of Youth & Sports
Registration of participants
Minister of Youth & Sports conversing with Sister Gaitree
Some members of the Youth for a Better World Club
Visit of Bro Charlie at BKGPH
Bro Charlie together with centre residents of BKGPH
during his stay there.
“The beauty of the present time is the rosary of blessings we get
everywhere. Part of being easy is accepting change. What makes life
easy, what makes relationships easy, what makes me feel easy inside?
From my experience it is LOVE. Love is the great power of the present
time. When the heart is full of love, really everything runs smoothly,
easily. Even when challenges come, they are manageable. It’s love
that makes me move, keeps me going, it’s love that takes me beyond
all limits and it’s love that helps me face everything. Love is like a
blessing, it’s a power/current, it’s an energy. When the soul knows
how to draw that love from God, the Supreme Light, it fills me with so
much courage, the power to face everything, also the lightness which
is so much part of being a yogi. Yogi means one in deep reflection and
my objective as a yogi is when my heart is full and I sit and remember
God, I feel competely loved by God. I notice my whole inner world is
so calm, light, so relaxed, quiet, content, and my attitude towards all
is much more benevolent, respectful,compassionate.”
Excerpts of Brother Charlie’s sharings
Interviewed by a Journalist of a local newspaper and view of audience for the public talk.
6
If egg is broken by outside force, life ends, If broken by inside force, life begins. Great things always begin from inside.
International Delegates visiting BKGPH
Brother Anand based in Madhuban, the
International Headquarters of the Brahma
Kumaris, in Mount Abu, India. He is the
Head of the Transport Department of the 3
Campuses of the Spiritual Organisation. He
is an Enlightened Meditator withover 30
years of years experience in spirituality as
taught by Brahma Kumaris. “The top most
administrator is always soft spoken,
contained and calm.” Excerpts of his sharings
Sis Usha-Meditation(left) Teacher, South Africa
and Sister Praveena from Mount Abu, India
Raksha Bandhan Celebrations
Brother Mohan (Left) and Satyendra from Mount Abu,
the International Headquarters
Audience at a public function organised in the context of Rakha
Bandhan celebrations where different communities were present
Brother Jaigopal (left) - Singer and Brother Ashok Lyricist, from Chandigar and Mount Abu respectively
Tying the sacred rakhi to all those who came to the program
as a symbol of God’s protection
Visit to a home where residents were tied the rakhi,
offered sweets and given moral support
Sister Monica (left) and Sister Neeru from Delhi
Bro Jai Gopal singing during a cultural night at GPH (L) Visitors in the veggie garden of GPH. Sis Usha talking to school students
7
Your best teacher is your last mistake
Dadi Janki: 100 Years Young and Still Working Full Time
Top 10 Secrets for staying young at 100 years of age...
Still working full time at the age of 100 in a job that is
both fulfilling and of immense importance to others is
not an image of later life we are used to. There’s a tendency to focus on the very real challenges to society presented by ever growing numbers of seniors now living
well into later life. That’s not how Dadi Janki sees it.
Dadi (which means elder sister in Hindi) turns 100 in
January 2016. Still working full time, she thinks very
much in terms of what she can continue to give to society. Dadi began her new job at the age of 92, becoming
the Spiritual Head of the Brahma Kumaris Worldwide, a
job which takes her around the world.
Let’s look at her secrets..
1. Sense of Purpose. Dadi has a very clear vision for the
future of humanity, which she feels she is working
towards and will continue to do so. When you have
passion for what you are doing, why would you want to
stop? This passion and sense of purpose gives her energy, drive and commitment.
2. Inner Connection. Dadi feels a strong connection to
her own inner being and to a greater power beyond herself. This gives her a rich inner life and is the source of
her own energy.
3. Spiritual Discipline. Dadi’s
life has been committed to following a spiritual path which
nourishes and sustains her.
This gives her life structure and
discipline and keeps her
focused giving her the experience of deep inner peace with a quiet and stable mind.
This power of silence means she can stay calm, no matter what is going on around her.
4. Control over Thoughts. Dadi has a well-developed
control over her mind (through the daily practice of
meditation). This allows her to focus only on positive
thoughts which bring benefit to herself and others.
Despite her many bouts of ill health, she chooses not to
pay attention to any aches and pains. “Thinking about
my pain only adds to it” is her answer to doctors’ questions about what she is feeling.
5. Selfless Service. Thinking of others is a secret key to
a happy life. Dadi’s life has been one of altruistic service, thinking of the needs of others in balance with her
own needs. She is therefore continually supported by
the good wishes of those she has first supported herself.
...to be continued in next edition
ONCE upon a time, all
villagers decided to pray for
rain. On the day of prayer
all the People gathered but
only one boy came with an
umbrella... THATS FAITH....
Q: How do you know that carrots
are good for your eyesight?
A: Have you ever seen a rabbit
with glasses?
Q: Why did the ants dance on the jam jar?
A: The lid said, "Twist to open."
Vegan Recipe: Couscous Salades
Ingredients:(Serves 6-8)
•250 ml (8 fl oz) water
•185 g (6 oz) couscous
•1 carrot, finely diced
•1 red pepper, finely diced
•1 tomato, finely diced
•1 small cucumber, finely diced
•3-4 lettuce leaves, finely chopped
•60 ml (2 fl oz) mustard dressing or vinaigrette sauce
• Handful of fresh basil or coriander, chopped
Method:
- Boil the water.
- Put the couscous in a bowl and pour the water over.
- Set aside to stand for 10 mins, then drain.
- Combine with all the salad ingredients & toss together.
- Pour the salad dressing over the top and toss again.
- Garnish with basil or coriander.
Find us in the North & Port-Louis
New Year 2016 Greetings
to our readers and friends
bkgph@intnet.mu
Brahma Kumaris Gph
www.brahmakumaris.org/mauritius
8
Global Peace House
Brahma Kumaris
Royal Road, Khoyratty
Pamplemousses
Tel: 248 1941
Inner Space
2nd Floor, Sharon House
Sir William Newton St
Port-Louis
Tel: 210 5928
Raja Yoga Meditation Centre
near Traffic Centre
New Morcellement
St Antoine, Goodlands
Tel: 282 1059
Raja Yoga Meditation Centre
Royal Rd (Opp Social Welfare
Centre)
8eme Mile, Triolet
Tel: 261 6581