Brahma Kumaris & their campaign activities in Latin America

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Brahma Kumaris & their campaign activities in Latin America

Post30 Mar 2012

Translation of Agencia EFE: Brahma Kumaris y sus actividades proselitistas
Brahma Kumaris and their campaign activities in Latin America.

Reaching God through meditation is what the 153 Latin Americans wanted last meeting in February at a spiritual retreat in India, the "Mecca" of gurus and Yoga, attracted by the Brahma Kumaris organization, reported Efe. The Brahma Kumaris ("daughters of Brahma"), one of many Hindu sects, define themselves as NGOs and, say, they seek to "improve society through spiritual education and reflective practices" and are open to adherents of any religion.

The six days of meditation began on February 22 in an island of peace about 60 kilometers from the chaotic New Delhi and was attended by representatives of Spain, Portugal and several Latin American countries like Brazil, Argentina, Colombia or Mexico. "What we see in our region is an incredible spiritual sensitivity, openness and a deep desire to learn to meditate," Moira, an Argentinian BK (Brahma Kumari) and coordinator of the Hispanic group, told Efe referring to the success of the call.

All full members wear white clothes: women wear saris and men the traditional a "kurta" (or long shirt), as a way to reflect their "inner aspirations", as specified by the organization on its website. A Spanish BK Eva, who spent two years living at the center, acts as a guide and proudly showed the nooks and eco-design of the complex, "with capacity for 500 people, where everything is recycled and 75% of the energy consumed is solar" .

BK Eva told Efe that this experience creates changes and what we feel through meditation is "a lot of inner peace." To explain, BK Eva did not hesitate to realize this spiritual exercise in a quiet meditation room reminiscent of an igloo that it is next to the jewel of the complex, a pyramid that is also used for meditation.

The Spanish followers sat on the floor of this completely white space and exemplified the way they meditate with their eyes open "to awaken the soul" and gaze at a red light source or an image of the founder of the association, Dada Lekhraj. India director of the center, BK Asha recalled that Brahma Baba whose real name was Lekhraj, did not hesitate to hand over power to women because, although men were welcome, "the founder saw in women leadership qualities".

This is because, he specified, that "women are more patient, tolerant and tend to work together". Women are most obvious among the Latin American group, for which the Brahma Kumari world is still something new, since most of its members have just contacted the association.

Samantha, an Argentinian aged 25, met the Brahma Kumaris on 26 December and two months later was traveling in the direction of India, "very fast, yet very surprising", she said. It is helping me a lot. " A Spanish Amaia is also new, and first met the institution in China, it was not until her return to Spain when she invaded by "a sense of absence", seeking the BKs to achieve a "new consciousness" and see that "nothing is so bad".

Controversy around the movement

Finding the Brahma Kumaris is easy, because after 75 years of history they have 8,500 centers in over 130 countries, and have the recognition of organizations like the UN or governments like Spain. Some countries, however, do not share this support, as with France, which after an inquiry commission on sects in 1995 declared the Brahma Kumaris "very representative of the current apocalyptic and orientalist sects".

In an ex-Brahma Kumaris blog, a former member of the organization said, on condition of anonymity, that "through the manipulation of thought, students are getting them all kinds of fears, like fear of the end of the outside world". This view is shared by Soledad, another ex-BK, explaining at the same site, for example, that despite the extreme fatigue he felt after the withdrawals and working 19 hours a day, he always went back because "it was an addiction and they went to become sick "

From: AGENCY EFE, Moncho Torres, 25.02.2012

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