BKs discuss what has to be changed about the BKWSU

From: brahmakumarisforum.net, the BKWSU's now official, or at least linked to from their website discussion forum. In no specific order. BKs discuss what has to be changed about the BKWSU.

One quote I highlight was a typical response, "Didi Nirmala's response to my several queries, complaints and suggestions, was, through my Centre Head, that she thought I needed to do the introductory course again". In other words, "shut up, don't question, and submit to more brainwashing".

Re: If I had a wish to improve Brahma Kumaris organization

First of all I would like to say that I like very much how BK is today and I put below my opinions only for the sake of more benefit. I don't believe BK is perfect and I believe below would be good changes to be made:

I think:

- Teachers/Coordinators should not try to control the lives of students. Inspire, not control.

- Coordinators should not say to students that only the service done inside the center is true

- When a Brahmin reads Murli on Guddhi, she/he should read it in no more than 45 minutes, being the ideal time, 30 minutes (no interruption except to clear something out). If you read Murli in Guddhi, don't give a dharna class, just read the Murli and clarify what needs to be clarified quickly. Many Brahmins want to hear the Murli - God's words, Sacred words, without the interruption of a human being.

- Coordinators should give the Brahmins the freedom to be or not to be present at a class given by a BK (not Murli) (it may not be interesting to some Brahmins). For me, particularly, after many years hearing classes, I don't feel the need for them anymore. I prefer just the Murli and my own churnings. I don't like to feel pressure by other BKs that I "should" be present at any class rather than the Murli itself.

- Coordinators shouldn't equate "Shrimat" with their own words (nor the words of a senior), but ONLY with what Baba speaks. They should have a kind of code of humbleness, not only inside but outside too, giving all the respect to Baba.

- Coordinators shouldn't control anything that doesn't belong to the center's standard structure or which goes beyond the local service. (for example if a writer wants to write a book or a painter wants to paint or a musician wants to compose a song), as long as it is not diffamative of the BK.

- Coordinators should stimulate artists to produce art inspired by Baba without wanting to control what they do. NEVER say something like "this is not important in Sangamyug, go do "karma Yoga" (which is actually cleaning) in center"

- Karma Yoga should not be considered "clean the center" but any action done in Yoga. We shouldn't speak things like "I am going to do karma Yoga" when we actually mean "I am going to clean the center"

- Coordinators should never teach that centerniwassis, teachers or coordinators will get a higher status in Golden Age then those who are not in those positions, for any reason rather than their own spiritual effort. Nor that those positions are requirements for a high status in Golden Age. In fact, no one should never think they understand exactly what are the requirements or who is eligible for a high status, (unless what Baba said) as that is inside each one and is not measurable.

- Brahma Kumaris should value more and more, in the present moment, the service of the media and art, because of its great impact on the world, and have at least the minimum respect for those involved in those services.

- Don't teach that "ever-ready" is to do whatever service your coordinator or any other Brahmin tells you to do, but as being ready for the end of Drama (in other words being complete) which is the true context in which Baba created that title.

... the organisation should give an opportunity to any extraordinary revolutionary idea (idea which can basically shake the organisation foundation for better) to sit with a group of souls for silent meditation and also logical discussions till the right decision surfaces.

A couple of things I can think of to add to the list

Attribution of opinions and ideas to their author
Purge any opinions and ideas from literature published as representing "official" knowledge

The situation we have now is that the Brahma Kumaris appear to promote all kinds of fringe science and date-specific predictions. This seriously erodes the credibility and reputation of the organisation.

Since none of this stuff if actually "Gyan", since it does not appear in any Murli, then it should not feature in any "official" published literature. Especially considering how foolish it makes the organisation appear ...

There is no talk of dinosaurs, radio carbon dating, scientists being deluded in their cosmological calculations etc in any Murli I have ever heard so why are we presenting it in our book shops as if it is "official" teachings? By all means present it, but present it as someone's own theory.

What if all the available Sakar Murlis of 5 years are printed and kept open for sale like Avyakt Murlis?

1) Advantage is - everyone can get full set of Murlis.

2) disadvantage is- some BKs may stop attending classes at centre regularly.

... the trusteeship of the BK heirachy and management has a greater responsibility and duty of care than to listen to the Murlis. The organisation is operating, globally, in the 21 Century. The period spanning 1986 to 1996, it was my observation in the Australian eastern BK chapters, mismanagement, bullying and ostracism were the norm. This was supported by the Senior Sisters and Regional Heads through their complete ignorance of what was actually going on in centres, and an equally great lack of awareness toward their duty of care. These were people, we were told, were in the rosary of 8, 16 etc. People we were encouraged to obey and respect, as if it were Baba himself.

The greater 'tragic event' was the treatment these souls with abberant sanskaras meeted out on vulnerable, unsuspecting and trusting souls under their management, and supposed guidance.

From the way you've phrased this issue above, I can see the idea of trusteeship within the BK organisation is still carried out under the auspices of 'if I am not getting trampled on, things must be OK'.

Perhaps, as has been mentioned in these forums, the BK institution is one of Baba's 'tricks', to gather as many spiritual miscreants together under the yogis banner as he can, and cut his losses.

The Pope horrified many people in the world when he adopted an attitude similar to yours here, about sexual abuse by the clergy. Like the Catholic church, what you refer to in the BK organisation as stray incidents, was an entrenched failing. It was allowed to flourish under the protection, misguided thinking, and willful ignorance of people in positions of trust. Putting Baba first becomes relatively meaningless in these circumstances. This great imbalance of wrong thinking was shown most clearly in the manner of their rejecting suggestions, as a criticism of the BK. When the opportunities did arise, I couldn't reason with souls who were happy in their bondage. So, I stopped seeing them as family ...


I tried. After six months in Gyan following Shrimat, Didi Nirmala's response to my several queries, complaints and suggestions, was, through my Centre Head, that she thought I needed to do the introductory course again. I was told this was the establishing phase, the building phase, that the 'creatives' would come to the fore in the future. Ah, that dangling carrot of 'tomorrow'. Ah, the doors of accessibility that weren't doors of accessibility.


If I was able to wish things into being, I wouldn't be thinking of the BK organisation.
But I do understand the real point of the question. And I'll go back, anecdotally, to my time in Gyan in the organisation to answer it.

For the amount of spiritual progress I saw happening around me, there was still a lot of miscommunication and non communication among BKs. I learned that many centre heads and centrewasis were placed in their positions through sheer availability, not on the merits of specialty or capability.

Many, I observed, saw the service of running a centre as the mundane service of running a centre. But it wasn't mundane to them, because they did it in rememberance.

Should we put the vase of flowers, here or there. Next week so and so centre is coming for a bhatti. Will we place the couch in another room? Should we put the picture of BB out of sight for the visit?

This sort of thing I overheard while being sent out to wash windows and rake the leaves for my centre service. On a Dadi Janki visit, the CH sent me out to trim the already mown grass along the driveway path, with a pair of nail scissors (they had no lawn edger). I asked if he was serious. He straight face replied he was, and looked at me as if I'd asked an odd question. Yes, the special toli was always made in rememberance, Bhog was served by graceful, gliding beings after morning class on Thursday, incense burning, in a sweet little ritual of silence, followed by Hindi music, happy smiles etc. When talk began again, it was about how this and that reminded someone of Madhuban, an anecdote about Nawair Bhai, how funny it was to see the Senior Sisters all having a laugh together on their last trip to mount Abu, whether the next batch of Murlis had arrived yet, yukti banter....All things Indian had come to Australia.

Problem was, as souls attending the centre, we weren't Indian. For the first three months, attending morning and night classes, I walked around showing my benign smile in response to the benign smiles, joined in small talk making sure to drop Baba's name every few seconds in my conversation.

Initially, centrewasis and surrendered souls had politely asked how I came into Gyan and about my line of work. Any development of that line of conversation between us never repeated in the following months. Conversation was all about centre and public programme service. Who would man the book and cd table. Who was available to seat souls, who would greet at the door, who would bring the cd player, who would have the programme flyer printed. For centre attendees, that's where the conversation stopped. I knew virtually nothing about these souls I sat in meditation and study with, and they seemed content with knowing virtually nothing about the people attending their centres. When a class and meditation was over, announcements made, centrewasis shuffled people to the front door with 'Are you coming on Thursday for Bhog? We're having a special guest talk about her experiences in Madhuban' - invariably, it was some soul from a centre across town who'd had to go late in the season. This sort of thing progressed to the Senior Sister imitators, who sat on a chair, smiling benignly in between bouts of a long, drawn out monologue on one of the eight powers, which to my state of mind, they clearly did not possess.

Instead of becoming suspicious of this behaviour and mundanity, I donned whites and joined them, thinking surely they've understood the deep points, have dived deep into The Knowledge after their years in Gyan, and Maya was trying to deceive me otherwise! Alas, for my efforts I became like them. I cut myself off from worldly interests, relationships, eventually including family, gave up exercise, began to speak in Baba-ese and pretended all things Mt Abu was my first love. Would I be booking a flight in advance to reach Madhuban at the time of destruction? You bet I would!

I have a lot of fondness, and some love, for my experiences within the Brahmin family. Placing myself in such bondage, the challenges saw me surrender my sanity in the pursuit of happiness. This is who the Brahmin family was, in my time. Because we were Brahmin souls, we had karma to settle together!

A year or so prior to my arrival, the Brahma Kumaris had joined in a traditional ANZAC day parade (honouring returned servicemen) and marched among the returned servicemen in protest against war. My centrehead told me they did not do that sort of thing anymore. Damn! I wanted to meet those Brahmins!

My point in relating this may be clear to some. For those to whom it's not clear, what I wish for the Brahma Kumaris organisation, and it's attitude of 'Baba will do it' is rather nicely contained in this aphorism.

A priest was tending a beautiful flower garden by the Rectory.
A passerby stopped to admire the garden.
He called to the priest, 'You and God have done a wonderful job with that garden, Father.'
The priest replied, 'Yes, you should have seen it when just God had it.'

Errm. Can we change the traffic control music in Madhuban, please?

The short answer is, yes. And I saw the battle for westerners, particularly with the Senior Sisters, trying to bring Western creative elements into service during the 80's. If it wasn't an Indian derivative, it wasn't given any creedence. To begin that phase, souls had to rebel! That began with 'million minutes of peace', and 'Global Co-operation'. Western musicians began putting out albums. 'Diamond Harbour' is still the bees knees.

I refer from my time in Australia, and the years I was pukka or connected from mid 80s to early 90s.

Some individuals in the organisation were brilliant, but it did not translate into the workings of the heirachy. What filtered down from that was a system that had more in common with the Catholic church, than one that was flying. Being 'stable' was everything, souls were proud of not making any mistakes, which is easy when you don't do anything. We were master almighty authorities, in a slow leaking bubble (where are all the Brahmins from the last 30 odd years? Like me, and others here, they left the family to survive it).

Easy Meditation and Shiv Shakti write their points as if they were the first to see it, or try to change it.

It seems, just like with wars, economic cycles, raising children etc every generation has to re-learn the same lessons.

And even BKSimonB's request about the music goes back to my very first trip to India, before many of them were probably born ("lokikly" - sigh ...) - and before "traffic control" even started as a "shri mat" (it did not happen before 1979).