Second birth BKs?

Hi.

Just wondered how many readers of this were suckered into thinking that they were "second birth BKs"?

That is to say, they were encouraged to believe that in their previous birth or reincarnation, that they were Indian and a former member of the Brahma Kumaris or Om Mandli ... that they, or you, had two lives as a BK adherent.

In my experience, this is common suggestion that dates back to the early days of expansion of Brahma Kumarism into the West in the 70s and 80s. It is still going on, an explanation given by the leadership to the leadership themselves of why young Westerners might join the BKWSU and, from memory, exists in the channelled psychic messages called the Murlis as well. Of course, it has no grounding in reality nor do the Brahma Kumaris really have such psychic powers to be able to accurately tell.

Young individuals have expressed their feelings of confusion about this. The burden as a child of being told they were a "Dada", an advanced elder member reincarnationed. Read the child abuse topic. Obviously, for other BKs it is a big ego trip increasing their feelings of superiority over non-BKs and other BKs. One could also see how, for the sect leaders it could also be a useful mental device, a spiritual "carrot", to control and increase commitment amongst such adherents.

Is anyone keeping an a count of how many individuals believe this now!?! I suspect it will now be many time the number of original Om Mandli or early BK members.

Very good Ex-I.

In the first meeting, as I was introduced to Dadi Janki, I was only few weeks old in Gyan. I saw her walking towards me in the crowd with a big smile and sincere voice in English talking to me without translator, "Do you remember me? You are a very old friend of mine". She seemed to be well informed about my background from others who knew me. The Didi's and the instrument teachers around us were repeating her words and nodding their heads smiling at me. I was in the Honeymoon Period and had no idea what her words mean.

I took these words of her's as a compliment of the first meeting and never wasted time to think about it. Later, I became so much involved in responsibilities, and in churning of Murli points and in efforts of self examination, I did not give a damn to those words. Even other teachers, when we were alone, cited half-joking DJ's words, which she repeated from time to time when she met me in Madhuban in front of others. I understood after a while that she is using this compliment not so frequently, only to those from whom she has great expectations for service, about those whose all details she never forgets.

This PR work of Dadi Janki is a great skill. She uses it like a carrot to manipulate others. It has not worked for me, because I was mastering manipulating myself enough to work hard as much as I could.

Even if you believe in reincarnation - not knowing your past life is surely a freedom, a clean slate, a breaking of the chains. Nature doesn't seem to present memory of it easily, and nature is usually very wise.

I knew a number of BKs - especially young ones - who were told they were 2nd birthers - and some older ones too. They did not seem to me to be comfortable with it for the most part. And the term was bandied about and speculated about very loosely, without thought or care about its implications. It must surely have felt like having a serious obligation placed on your shoulders.

This was often talked about in the 1980s. It seemed to go out of popularity a bit in the 1990s. Many going on their first trip to Madhuban were primed to look for signs that they were a second birth Brahmin - recognizing people, feeling at home in India, etc.

I remember a few BKs being told they were second birth Brahmins, and many were encouraged to believe it even if they weren't specifically told that by a senior. Some wore it as a badge of honor. Others felt it as a bit of a burden.

I also remember a number of BKs who claimed to have distinct memories of living in Madhuban with the Seniors in a previous birth. For them it was more of a source of anguish than anything else. They were hurt and confused that the Dadis gave them so little acknowledgment and recognition of their past relationships and experiences they had shared together. These BKs "knew" that the Dadis remembered specifically who they were in their previous life and remembered what kinds of things they had done together.

Curiously, I know one of these BKs who no longer believes that. Memory is a strange thing!

I also remember a number of BKs who claimed to have distinct memories of living in Madhuban with the Seniors in a previous birth. For them it was more of a source of anguish than anything else. They were hurt and confused that the Dadis gave them so little acknowledgment and recognition of their past relationships and experiences they had shared together ... Curiously, I know one of these BKs who no longer believes that. Memory is a strange thing!

Desire also affects memories! Easy to kid oneself and interpret heightened feelings as some kind of "memory".

Desire also affects memories! Easy to kid oneself and interpret heightened feelings as some kind of "memory".

Yes, there is a kind of hyper-sensitive/projection thing going on where the mind seeks to interpret the tiniest things as significant and meaningful. I don't have the right terminology to express it.

In my experience, this happens and is encouraged.

Great Topic ...

This is common for rich people to feel comfortable that the kid they have given birth to is actually a Dada/Dadi/Didi/senior Brother etc.

I remember one mother in the West who was very happy that a Dadi has taken birth in her house. This is not surprising they do not stop there.

Apparently in the interfaith they have said that one of them was actually an apostle and he has now taken birth. He was invited to Madhuban. But, poor soul, cannot meet Baba since he is only responsible for re-building his own religion!!

Yogi