All courses, activities, programmes and projects help sustain a life-long learning process. Offerings are broad and inclusive, applicable in everyday life, and relevant within a broad cultural context.
Courses and Programmes offered at the centres:
Core Curriculum: Raja Yoga Meditation At the heart of the university’s teachings is the Foundation Course in Raja Yoga Meditation. Classes are a practical study and facilitate an inward journey towards recognition of the deepest aspects of the self, a relationship with God, and the purpose of life. The practice of meditation is grounded in a core knowledge that connects the inner world of thoughts, feelings and ideas to the outer world of actions and relationships. The result of this practice builds mental, intellectual and emotional capacity. Like any skill, meditation requires practice. By doing a little every day, it soon becomes a natural, easy and enjoyable habit. The course covers:
- Consciousness and Self-Realization
- Our Home of Silence
- Relationship with God
- Law of Karma
- Reincarnation
- Eternal World Drama
- Tree of Life
- A Spiritual Lifestyle
The course presentation may vary according to country, culture and local facilities.
Personal Development Courses Through these courses and programmes individuals deepen their self-understanding, explore and experiment with spiritual life skills, and develop a strong spiritual context with which to live a practical and fulfilling life. The courses offered may include:
- Positive Thinking – How to use the mind in a positive, productive, and beneficial way
- Stress-free Living – Understanding, managing and preventing stress
- Self Management for Quality of Life – Exploring spiritual tools to manage time, anger, etc.
- Self Managing Leadership – Finding your compass and managing yourself through turbulent times
- The Four Faces of Woman – Balancing personal, family, and professional lives
- The Secrets of Self-Esteem – How to build and sustain self-esteem and self-worth.
Retreats: The university now has a number of residential retreat facilities across the world where individuals and professional groups can find an atmosphere conducive to contemplation, meditation and exploration of meaning and purpose at both personal and professional levels. Most retreats cover awareness of the inner self or soul, silent contemplation, meditation and developing spiritual understanding. Gatherings of specific professional groups are sensitively guided to explore spiritual values and their application in the workplace. Examples of themes include Inner Peace, Inner Power; Values in Healthcare; Spirit of Leadership; Healing Heart and Soul; Peace of Mind, Exploring the Power of Silence.
To find out more about the retreat centres, please click on the links below:
- Centre for Spiritual Learning, villaelisa@bkumaris.org.ar, Villa Elisa, Argentina
- Centre for Spiritual Learning, Leura, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Spiritual Learning, Wilton, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Spiritual Learning, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Villa Serra Serena, serraserena@bkumaris.org.br, Serra Negra, Brazil
- Gyan Sarovar Academy for a Better World, Mount Abu, India
- Casa Sangam Retreat Centre, Gubbio, Italy Centre for Spiritual Learning, Tagaytay, Philippines Global Retreat Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom * Peace Village, Haines Falls, New York, USA
Community Outreach
Brahma Kumaris centres often play a significant role in their local community. Activities are designed to involve people in identifying and implementing the positive spiritual values, ethics and understanding necessary to improve the quality of family, community and professional life. Brahma Kumaris teachers visit community centres, prisons, hospitals, homes for the elderly, drug rehabilitation units, schools and local businesses to give talks and conduct seminars on meditation, personal development and new ways of working together in the community. Community projects include:
- Interfaith - helping to build bridges between people of different faiths, beliefs and cultures.
- Service in Places of Detention - serving both staff and detainees.
- Spirituality and Men (SAM) – an exploration of spirituality through informative dialogue, honest interaction and meditation.
- Youth - encouraging youth participation and leadership through spiritual development, enhancing social skills and intergenerational dialogue.
- Spirituality and Women - exploring the symbolism of four ‘faces’ which have characterised women and their role in society through the ages.
Global Initiatives and Partnerships
The Brahma Kumaris co-ordinates and participates in a variety of partnerships aimed at serving the wider community, based on shared purposes and principles. These partnerships include the co-design and facilitation of a variety of dialogues and initiatives.
- Education – Living Values Educational Programme; Education in Values and Spirituality
- Health – Janki Foundation for Global Healthcare (UK based charity); Point of Life Foundation (POL), USA and the Global Hospital and Research Centre in Mt Abu, India
- Leadership – Call of the Time (COTT)
- Media – Images and Voices of Hope (IVOH)
- Environment – Renewable Energy Projects -- Hybrid Energy, Solar Energy
International Projects
- 1986 - The Million Minutes of Peace
- 1988-91 - Global Co-operation for Better World
- 1994-95 - Sharing our Values for a Better World
- 2000 - Culture of Peace
For further information please see section: What is the Brahma Kumaris’ relationship with the United Nations?