Please Note: Critical discussion, a variety of views and dialogue is encouraged. However, comments that are bullying and belittling in nature will be deleted. Regardless of your opinion or position regarding the Brahma Kumaris, please communicate with respect and kindness.
Shift II - A Heart-Based Think Tank
What is The Shift? You could say that Shift is a grassroots movement or a spiritual Think Tank made up of Raja Yogis who have learned knowledge, disciplines, and practices through the Brahma Kumaris path. These Raja Yogis are experimenting with how to implement the learned spiritual endeavours, in ways that are increasingly meaningful, non-religious and transformative in their lives. This experiment, the meetings and conversations, and the non-hierarchical support structure that is driving them is The Shift
What is The Shift? You could say that Shift is a grassroots movement or a spiritual Think Tank made up of Raja Yogis who have learned knowledge, disciplines, and practices through the Brahma Kumaris path. These Raja Yogis are experimenting with how to implement the learned spiritual endeavours, in ways that are increasingly meaningful, non-religious and transformative in their lives. This experiment, the meetings and conversations, and the non-hierarchical support structure that is driving them is The Shift.
Some BK Raja Yogis have found that the organization as it currently exists, does not support spiritual illumination outside a particular Hinduistic and hierarchical structure. So, they gather together outside the centre structure. They love all the spiritual systems, so continue their lives as Raja Yogis outside the structure offered by the Brahma Kumaris organization and management system, which they feel hinders their awakening. This is not to denigrate or criticise the centre system. It is more like feeling grateful for something that was beautiful and is honoured but is now outdated and no longer relevant.
Some Raja Yogis have been getting together for decades in Australia outside the centre structure, and it was never called Shift. It was just friends getting together in a supportive way outside the religiosity of BK centre structure. There is no membership or enrolment for The Shift. The Shift is just an acknowledgement that Raja Yogis who have been taught by the past elders within the Brahma Kumaris are in a new phase of spiritual awakening. So, in a way Shift is nothing more than a way of acknowledging another phase in the yagya community. There have been many: from the foundation years,
In June of this year, a group of Raja Yogis came together in a spirit of openness and spirituality, in Schauen, East Germany. Together the participants have written a Shift II report to share with everyone. You can find the long report here, the summary here, and more about the ongoing BK Community Research here. These are published in the spirit of friendliness and collaboration. Please use them in this spirit.
The Shift
There is a sense of movement and change within the Brahma Kumaris organisation. Some are concerned, and some are inspired. Some feel it's the most natural thing in the world, and some are worried because centre attendance has dropped in countries outside of India. Service in India is expanding rapidly. Service in countries outside of India has slowed. Like a tree, branches die and leaves fall off, the trunk strengthens, and new branches form. The tree changes its form, shape, size and vigour according to the season, according to the time, and according to the environment in which the seed was planted. Many have the question of what is going on?
There is a sense of movement and change within the Brahma Kumaris organisation. Some are concerned, and some are inspired. Some feel it's the most natural thing in the world, and some are worried because centre attendance has dropped in countries outside of India. Service in India is expanding rapidly. Service in countries outside of India has slowed. Like a tree, branches die and leaves fall off, the trunk strengthens, and new branches form. The tree changes its form, shape, size and vigour according to the season, according to the time, and according to the environment in which the seed was planted. Many have the question of what is going on? For a few years now - perhaps five or so - BKs have been discussing the yagya amongst themselves; In formal meetings, and informal gatherings, at the highest level of hierarchy, and among the most rudimentary and grassroots level.
A yagya is a sacrificial fire that is created to stimulate change. A yagya is established to dispel bad omens and to invite good ones. It is dynamic and without clear boundaries. A yagya is powerful and transformative. A yagya is fire, and fire is the great element of change. Whatever is offered into a yagya, is transformed through the element of fire. Similarly, this yagya, our yagya, was never designed to be a static organisation. The yagya is a living boundless phenomenon in which many things exist, including the Brahma Kumaris organisation. The Brahma Kumaris exist in various countries. It is often known by a different name and different structure, according to the laws and requirements of the country. However, distinct from this is the the all encompassing fire of spiritual energy: the yagya which stimulates self and world change. Considering all of this, the collapse of the Brahma Kumaris in its current form, within the transformative/ destructive/ creative energy of the yagya, is the most natural thing in the world. A group met in Germany this year, to discuss this very thing. Sister Denise also spoke about it recently. We would love to hear your comments on the matter.