Brahma Kumaris ... menstruation and menopause

It has never been discussed here and so I am just opening up the discussion ...

Brahma Kumaris ... menstruation and menopause

Menstruation

We know that the Brahma Kumaris teach and practise what are either tribal superstitions or esoteric rituals around the issues of menstruation, e.g. Sisters not being allowed into kitchens and not being allowed to prepare food for the dead spirit of Lekhraj Kirpalani, and their spirit guide, because they are "too impure". We know that there are lots of washing and clothes changing involved.

Therefore, two areas of inquiry:

a) How is it spoken about, referred to and delete with ... how are juniors trained up to behave in such ways?
b) What is the experience like and does it change within the BKWSU, i.e. it is a great "pull on the soul ... bring it back into the body" (to speak in BK terms)?
c) How is PMT managed?
d) How do Indian centers and Indian Sisters ... who do not have access to all the commercial paraphernalia now attached to ... deal with it in relation to wealthy Western Sisters?

Ditto, the menopause ...

Again, I do not think I ever heard it discussed once relating to the Brahma Kumaris.

Menopause

The menopause is a very significant time for women. In many ways, a symbolic end of their womanhood (as in ability to procreate) and an entrance into a different period of their life that men do not have. Many women have very difficult times healthwise with their hormones. Likewise, afterwards, a different world view often emerges. All senior BKs have gone through it and yet it is not at all discussed.

a) Is this one of their advantages over the younger hormone laden Sisters?
b) It is actually welcomed by the senior BKs?
c) Are health related issues Brahma Kumaris experience related to their practise of lifelong celibacy ... pro and con? For example, cases of cancer of the cervix are lower in celibate women but cases of breast cancer are higher.

What are the physical and psychological costs and benefits of Brahma Kumari life?

As usual, for a bogus university ... the BKWSU offers little more than exaggerated advertising and no facts on such discussion.

Ah ... the unspoken and awkward topic! I am not surprised noones queuing up to answer this one!

I'll answer from my own experience and try to follow your questions best I can.

1) Once I'd been following the Maryadas for a while, and started coming to Murli, I started to help in the kitchen. An older Sister explained to me that if I had my periods, I wouldn't be able to cook food that was going to be offered to Shiv Baba (I'll dispute your description if you do not mind ). Now then, I cannot remember exactly what reason was offered, though I did for many years feel that I was seen as "impure" during that time. I think that was a combination of my own Bhakti sanskars and those of the other Sisters in the centre. It is one of those things that's never adequately explained, understood or discussed. I did not find out till I went to Madhuban, that you are also meant to change your sheets and have a total bath after 4 days, after which you can go back to cooking and offering Bhog, even if you are still menstruating slightly. The other thing is, that you can go in the kitchen and help with basic preparation of veg if you have your period, but someone else has to wash it before its used in cooking.

The rationale behind a lot of the more subtle Maryadas is not widely discussed or understood. It was originally implemented by Mama and I think Didi may also have been involved. My understanding now is that menstruation, like the bowel movement issue, pulls the focus of the soul to the body and hence makes it more difficult to stay in Yoga when cooking.

2) Frankly, I do not think that my stage was ever good enough to notice a difference in my Yoga!! I am sure that souls like Mama and Didi did notice a difference but, with most folks in centres, it is enough to try and keep your thoughts focused on Baba in the kitchen without them wandering off somewhere at any time of the month!!

3) Not sure about recently as I haven't been part of an active centre in some time. However, going back 10-20 years, it wasn't really managed at all. There was someone in the centre who had it quite badly and they really did not know how to handle her. There was one more health focused BK in another centre who helped her, and she went thro a lot of alternative therapies trying to find solutions, which wasn't objected to. Someone did give a talk on it to a small gathering I attended once, suggesting how to recognise it, and health solutions to it, but it's really not widely mentioned.

4) I wouldn't say westerners are necessary wealthy lol, but I cant answer that question.


Regarding menopause, I cant say its something I've ever heard discussed.

Hope that's vaguely enlightening!

Thank you for your earnest reply.

It is all a bit bizarre really ... why is the blood of the first 4 days "impure" but the later blood OK!?! More likely just a practical modification so as not too lose too many work days of an unpaid laborer. I did not know about the changing of sheets ... and don't these people have a bath 'every day' anyway!?! Is this some kind of special ritualist bath.

As for PMT and menopause, we all know it causes women discomfort and emotional problems. Obviously, that it continues to do so even after practising so-called "soul consciousness", raises question about how real "soul-consciousness" actually is and what else actually controls our moods and emotions, i.e. that it is not entirely "sanskars" but can simply be body chemistry.

Again, I am wondering if simple PMT or menopausal symptoms might be being used to whip women on to "doing more Yoga" and surrendering to Baba" more? Obviously, post child birth or post menopause many women lose sexual desires ... at which point "surrendering to the Brahma Kumaris" might be a good way to getting their husbands off their backs (or fronts for that matter).

Looking at the real effects of their lifestyle, has any surveying ever been done about the kinds of illnesses and frequencies they suffer from? I always thought they kind of deified illness and were into the mortification of the body in a subtle way. I mean like Janki Kripalani, who was often just about dying and then overcoming something, or bit part players like Joan of London who turned her illness into a religion.

Let's face it, the Global Hospital in Abu was built especially for them ... a totem to the failure of Destruction to arrive soon enough because they had never planned old age, health or retirement policies.

Menstruation in nearly all cultures is treated as a "different" time. In male dominated culture it is "unclean". In some others it is often a time to withdraw and reflect - an introvert time - maybe because the energy is lower?

Christian communion was (don't know if it still is) off-limits to menstruating women. By what has been said about BKs and menstruation - it sounds like a carry over from standard Indian culture.