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.

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 It is more like feeling grateful for something that was beautiful and is honoured but is now outdated and no longer relevant.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 Evolution of Knowledge is Now

When researching the Brahma Kumaris history, it becomes easy to think of the evolution of knowledge, as something that occurred in the remote past. Indeed the knowledge was in a state of great flux between 1932 and 1964. However, there have been further refinements since then. 

For example, in the 1980s when many "double foreign" BKs were "born," there was a lot of focus on three stages of meditation: Brahma-Puri (the subtle form), Vishnu-Puri (the perfect form) and Shankar-Puri (the complete and bodiless form). This was a regular type of spiritual endeavour, and common discussion during classes. This has evolved and changed to the point where today meditation is a largely private and individually negotiated affair, although still conducted collectively. Sharing meditation experiences also used to be common practice after a Yoga Bhatti (period of extended meditation). This is far less frequent now. Instead, traditions from the past are pulled forward into new generations of spiritual practitioners who find new ways to bring meaning into their spiritual practice. A process of re-traditionalising perhaps?

There was a period in the late nineties through to around 2010 when there was a lot of focus on the Five Forms (Golden Age, Worship-Worthy, Brahmin, Angel, Point) and drills. These are less talked about now. Today, there is a more secular feel while BKs discuss "authenticity" and "community". Brahma-Puri, Vishnu-Puri and Shankar-Puri are now rarely talked about now. History continues to be made. The community continues to move. And knowledge continues to evolve. 

The French Revolution

Background

the new autonomy of centres

The Brahma Kumaris has never been a democracy. Considering its ancient social and cultural roots, this is no surprise. Rather it operates as a top-down hierarchy or some would say akin to a family, where elders are naturally obeyed and respected. In keeping with this cultural ideal, the current structure operates so that seniors appoint  juniors. This is a logical progression from its earliest years.  It is believed that Brahma was appointed by the Divine to establish the Brahma Kumaris. Brahma Baba appointed others, and these ranks were respected and understood as divine appointments. The senior Dadis were appointed by Baba and they remain in position. The Dadis have appointed those beneath them, and so on and so forth through to regional, national, local and centre level. 

The relationship between Madhuban (Brahma Kumaris Headquarters in India) and overseas centres has changed considerably over the past few years, bringing legal and financial change to the organisation throughout the world.  To the best of my knowledge this is what happened... 

Within the last 10 years ago, the taxation laws in India changed. Every centre in the world connected to Madhuban would have to pay tax to the Indian government, which would be a financial burden for many centres. Subsequent to this law change, Madhuban cut fiscal ties to international centres creating a new kind of independence. The relationship between Madhuban and overseas is still social, cultural and devotional. These deep and lasting ties are based on shared understanding, a relationship of mutual care, and a common vision for global change.  However, with financial and legal autonomy comes the possibility for social change. The Brahma Kumaris in France was the first one to realise this change in a politically significant way. 

Brahma Kumaris in France have recently structured a new kind of leadership, that is novel within the organisation. This is quite a radical change for the Brahma Kumaris organisation, but one that is welcome as many BKs are seeking a more integrated and less cloistered life which also reflects a true living spirituality.

France has sent us their Statutes and By-Laws which you can read here.

Before you read it, please take note of the following which was shared by Brother Francois from France. 

• France has many who are spiritually very mature, which means a new governance was required.
• This has been a three year work involving many.  
• The idea was to be open and not restricted, to make it friendly and inclusive. 
• This has been created from the ideal of respect-ocracy rather than demo-cracy.
• It is a sample to learn from, not THE reference.
• It is a French document adapted to the political situation of France.
• This is not the new shrimat (prescriptive directions) of the western yagya (Brahma Kumaris) 

 Many thanks to Eric from Montreal and Francois from Paris for your trust, and for sharing these with us. 

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? 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.