The Inner Wave May - Jun 09

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Awakening with Brahma Kumaris, a daily talk show in Hindi and

English on Aastha International TV, has attracted a huge UK follow-

ing. The show explores key issues affecting every day life and

provides practical, spiritual solutions and insights, based on the

teachings of Raja Yoga, as taught by the Brahma Kumaris.

Many people have called to

say how much the show

has helped them and to find

out more. So we thought:

why not take the show ‘on

the road’ and invite

audiences to see it live?

Shivani Verma, a regular

speaker on the show and

Kanupriya, the show’s host,

will join Sister Jayanti,

Director of Brahma Kumaris

(UK), on a tour of

14 locations around the UK

between 21 June and 8

July: Aberdeen, Birmingham, Glasgow, Bradford/Leeds, Leicester,

Manchester and Nottingham. London Area: Croydon,

Hayes/Hounslow, Ilford, Stratford,

Watford, Wembley and Willesden

Green.

To find out more and register

for your free tickets:

www.bkwsu.org/uk/

awakening

Read more on page 2

The Inner Wavehe Inner Wave

Insights and experiences from the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (UK)

Issue 5: May /Jun 2009

Welcome to The Inner Wave. This issue looks at ‘living simply’ and also features the Awakening with Brahma Kumaris Live UK tour. You can

download this newsletter from www.bkwsu.org/uk/newsletter and, if you would like to comment on anything you have read in it, please

write to: [email protected]. Editorial Team

“ The

treasures we

are looking for

are not out there, they are

within.”

What’sInside...

Practical Spirituality on Tour

Shivani Verma

Life Made SimpleSister Jayanti Director, Brahma Kumaris (UK)

Today’s world is anything but simple. We’re actually in quite a mess

– with the economic downturn, global warming and growing

political, social and personal instability.

When there’s a crisis, there’s always the opportunity to learn from

that and to take the initiative to do something differently. A lot of

people are now asking: What can we learn from this? What can we

do to change things for the future?

If we observe how we spend our time, energy and money, we may

see that we are trying to fill a gap in our lives. Yet the contentment

we are looking for will not come from anything we have or do on a

physical level, but by awakening our spiritual identity. The treasures

we are looking for are not out there, they are within. We just have

to create some quiet time to rediscover and nurture them - and then

use them in our lives. Life will then become simpler and much more

satisfying.Kanupriya

Sister Jayanti



Most of us who read The Inner Wave live in a society that is driven

by a very particular form of economy – one based upon rising

consumption and endless growth. Although it is hardly ever

challenged (least of all by those that govern us) this economy is

founded upon a very particular (but as it happens flawed) proposi-

tion. Although it seems to offer satisfaction it must never do so. It

only works if – whilst believing that the next purchase will satisfyour need, and having made the purchase – we remain dis-satisfied

and once more in need. Despite the promise of satisfaction, we must

always feel we need more.

The link between this form of economy and resource depletion,

global warming and climate change might seem self-evident, but

there are still those who suggest that we can “decouple” them; that

by ingenuity and technical innovation we can continue to grow our

economies and raise global levels of consumption without having an

adverse impact upon our environment. I doubt that this is true.

Indeed, since we have clearly come to live beyond our natural

capacity – physically and economically – we must reduce bothglobal consumption and the pollution that flows from it. This means

that if those who are truly poor are to have more then those of us

who are relatively rich must have less.

A recent UN study suggests that “increasingly severe heatwaves,

floods, storms and forest fires will be responsible for as many as

500,000 deaths a year by 2030, making it the greatest humanitarian

challenge the world faces”.1 And although everyone will be touched

by this, those most likely to be affected are those least able to help

themselves – the global poor. If they are to be helped, we must

reduce the harm that we are causing. And to do this we must have

the courage to change our economy and lives – now.

Actively and urgently, we need to explore the possibilities of greater

simplicity, the practical working it out in our daily l ives, and a vigilant

resistance to the dominant propaganda of growing consumerism. In

my experience this can be very uncomfortable because so much of

our present culture is taking us in the opposite direction; but this

discomfort is as nothing to the evident catastrophic consequences

of our failure to change our lives and find a more sustainable path.

To find simplicity, what we need is reflection, attentiveness,

compassion and courage.

David Cadman will be giving the opening address at the Spirituality

and Men conference on 'The Secrets of Inner Power', Saturday 11th

July 2009, 10am - 5pm. All men welcome. Free of charge. To attend,please register online at http://www.bkwsu.org/uk/whatson/

national-events or phone 020 8727 3418.

1 As reported in The Guardian , 30th May 2009, the study comes from Kofi Annan’sthinktank, the Global Humanitarian Forum.

The Courage to ChangeDavid Cadman, Quaker, sustainability consultant and writer Economic growth &

happiness

“Despite massive wealth creation, happiness has not risen

since the 1950s in the US or Britain or (over a shorter

period) in western Germany. No researcher questions these

facts. So accelerated economic growth is not a goal for which we should make large sacrifices. In particular, we

should not sacrifice the most important source of happi-

ness, which is the quality of human relationships – at

home, at work and in the community. We have sacrificed

too many of these in the name of efficiency and productivity

growth. Most of all, we have sacrificed our values. In the

1960s, 60 per cent of adults said they believed ‘most

people can be trusted’. Today the figure is 30 per cent, in

both Britain and the US.”

Professor Richard (Lord) Layard of the London School of

Economics, Financial Times, 11th March 2009.

“ To find simplicity,

what we need is

reflection, attentive-

ness, compassion and courage.”

Practical Spirituality on Tour (continued from Page 1)

“Until last year, like many young professionals, I’d been going

through a lot of stress, anger and emotional upheavals. Outwardly

this seemed 'normal' - but inside it didn't feel normal. My mum had

been following Awakening with Brahma Kumaris for six months and had seen a remarkable transformation in herself. So I asked her,

“How can I change things?" and she said: "Why don’t you watch the

programme too?” I found the philosophy so powerful, logical and

convincing and, by implementing it in my life, have seen marked

changes in myself. Now getting angry seems to me the silliest thing.

I really am learning to be more stable and peaceful.” Mandeep, London

To find out more about the Awakening with Brahma Kumaris

Live UK Tour and register for your free tickets:

www.bkwsu.org/uk/awakening

Awakening with Brahma Kumaris is broadcast every evening

8.40-9.10pm on Aastha International TV (free to air Sky channel

807). To view a sample of the TV show online:

www.brahmakumarisuk.blip.tv

David Cadman

Kanupriya and Shivani on the TV show Awakening with Brahma Kumaris.



RECIPE:

QuickFruit Fix

1-2 apples

1 pear

2-3 plums

2-3 peaches

½ cup caster sugar

A handful of mixed berries

Cloves and/or ground cardamom, optional

For the cream

1 cup Greek yoghurt3-4 tbsp double cream

2 tsp vanilla essence

2-3 tbsp icing sugar

1. Cut the apples, pear, plums and peaches into small pieces;

no need to peel them

2. Place the cut fruits into a pan on medium heat, add caster sugar and

allow them to cook. Do not cover.

3. Add the berries approximately 5 minutes later.

Add cloves and/or cardamom, if you want to use them, at this point.

4. Once the fruit mix starts boiling, turn off the heat. Do not overcook.

5. Prepare the cream by whisking the yoghurt, double cream,

vanilla essence and icing sugar together.

6. Serve when fruits are warm or cold.

The A-Z of SpiritualLiving

Caring is the greatest thing, caring matters most.

Friedrich Von Hügel, Theologian, 1852-1925.

C is for Caring

From Pure & Simple – Cooking for a Busy Lifestyle,

available from www.bkpublications.com

I hold this thought and, as I continue to keep it in mind, ithold this thought and, as I continue to keep it in mind, it

becomes more than a thought of peace…ecomes more than a thought of peace…

It is a feeling of peace…t is a feeling of peace…

A feeling that gives me great comfort…feeling that gives me great comfort…

and strength…nd strength…

and stays with me, as I return to my everyday activities.nd stays with me, as I return to my everyday activities.

Fromrom Practical Meditation by Sister Jayanti,ractical Meditation by Sister Jayanti, published by Sterling Ethosublished by Sterling Ethos

and available fromnd available from www.bkpublications.com www.bkpublications.comand all good bookshops.and all good bookshops.

A Meditation by Sister Jayanti

As I look within, I can see how my thoughts show awareness of

sounds outside…

how they register memories of things of this morning, of

yesterday…

I see how they are filled with human images, and the impact of

the people I’ve been with, the things I’ve heard, the feelings and

moods of those around me… my mind has been influenced by

all of these…

For a moment I take charge of my mind…

I create an image of a point of light…

a thought of peace…

I hold this thought and, as I continue to keep it in mind, it

becomes more than a thought of peace…

It is a feeling of peace…

A feeling that gives me great comfort…

and strength…

and stays with me, as I return to my everyday activities.

From Practical Meditation by Sister Jayanti, published by Sterling Ethos

and available from www.bkpublications.com and all good bookshops.

Next issue…Meditation and Health



© Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (UK)The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (UK) teaches Raja Yoga as a way of experiencing peace of mind and a positiveapproach to life.

For more information about our activities around the UK, please see www.bkwsu.org/uk Registered Charity No 269971

Snapshots from our partner organisations around the world

“ It’s been deeply

satisfying to find

answers to the big

questions of life.”

I work as a chartered surveyor in a large firmof property consultants in Cambridge.

Property has been badly hit by the recession

but my practice of Raja Yoga and the broader

understanding it brings has helped me to

keep the current situation in perspective. I

realise that things go up and down, and come

and go, and the world is facing many other

challenges besides that. I enjoy my work and

it’s productive, but I don’t get lost in it. For me

relationships, health and wellbeing are far

more important.

20 years ago, when I began practising

meditation, my kids were two and four and

parenthood was quite challenging. Raja Yoga

Kites for Peace: kites designed with positive slogans and well wishes are being sent to children

across the globe. An ongoing project by Brahma Kumaris, Washington (USA): www.kitesforpeace.org

New meditation centre in

Brussels: Sister Jayanti speaking onHow to be Successful in Challenging

Times at the launch of the new Brahma

Kumaris (Belgium) centre in the heart of

Brussels, 9th May 2009.

The MeditationDome, the focal

point of the tropical

garden of the

Centre for Spiritual

Learning , a retreat

centre of Brahma

Kumaris (Philippines)in Tagaytay City.

helped me to recognise their individuality and

independence and to allow them to grow up

to be themselves, without trying to control

them out of possessiveness. And this way of

thinking has also been invaluable in my

relationship my wife too. As a result, we all get

on well, and we appreciate and respect each

other a lot.

I’ve always had a lot of questions about

myself: who am I and what am I doing here?

It’s been deeply satisfying to find answers to

Join ourmailing listTo receive future copies of The Inner

Wave by email, please subscribe at

www.bkwsu.org/uk/mailing_lists. You can also sign up here for Thought

for the Day and notification of events in

your area.

Want to stay in touch and hear what we

are doing? Follow us on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/BrahmaKumarisUK

For information about Raja Yogameditation courses around the UK:www.bkwsu.org/uk/uk/whatwedo/courses

the big questions of life – my role, purpose

and identity, and my own spiritual journey.

Between being a family man and a ‘profes-

sional’, I especially relish being a student – I

am always learning.

In My LifeBarry Woodhouse

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The Inner Wave May - Jun 09