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"In those days everything was different," she said. "First, we always sat with a lot of attention in meditation. There was never any leaning against this or that. We had to be awake and alert" She sat upright and at attention, pulling herself away from the back of the mustard colored vinyl couch. "Not like this," she said, as she crossed her arms and leaned into the corner of the couch, gazing around. The class giggled knowingly. Dadi continued:
Read MoreTwo nights ago in the New York Public Library, I sat there until closing, reading the transcripts of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th World Congress of Religions, held in Japan during 1954-55. This is a time period in the development of the Brahma Kumaris that we know little about. The documents shed real light on the development of their understanding and gives us a much more nuanced appreciation of how things refined over time.
These records (which will be transcribed into editable text and uploaded here along with photos of the original source) reveal the following:
Read MoreWhen we see someone in flowing robes, a wild head-dress or wearing some kind of religious regalia, there is a sense that we are seeing someone who is different to us. Their lives are distinguished by their dedication to spiritual practice. Their dress also symbolizes a degree of social non-conformity. Perhaps there are higher rules that they abide by. Are there? Do they have greater ideals?
Read MoreThere has been some discussion within the Brahma Kumaris about 'predictions' in the teachings and whether a date for a cataclysmic world change was ever explicitly given, implied or even insinuated.
Read MoreJust as he made quiet dedicated and constant spiritual effort, he equally had within him a joyful innocence and spontaneity that would lighten my heart and brighten my mind.
Read MoreAs with all religious movements, there is a clear ideal and core body of knowledge established among the founder and first generation. As time goes by, recollections of these often take the form of stories that tell of great virtue and strength against remarkable adversity and hardship. The Brahma Kumaris is no different, no less than the Church, and the story of origin of this curious organization, is compelling.
Read MoreSince its printing, Adi Dev has become a story of inspiration for many. The exciting and revolutionary tale of young girls and women against the forces of tradition and patriarchal hierarchy is one that continues to move many.
In Adi Dev Jagdish artfully weaves together two key elements for the reader: the old social history and the new spiritual knowledge that took almost 30 years to become clear. The dilemma with any historical account, particularly one that is so deeply romantic and mythical in its proportions and sense-making, is its 'accuracy'.
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