L Monthly E-Newsletter of
B R A H M A K U M A R I S RETREAT C E N T E R F O R S P I R I T U A L L E A R N I N G
Right attitude, right atmosphere
IN the early 1980s, a Raja
Yoga student courageously
started the Brahma Kumaris
service in her native Poland.
It was during the Communist
regime and the country was
under martial law; introduc-
ing meditation to any sector
was definitely risky business.
Nevertheless, the student
kept to the vision, as an instru-
ment soul, of uplifting her country.
Eventually, the yoga center she
opened attracted souls willing to
adapt a spiritual lifestyle and, soon
after, a large group visited Madhu-
ban, the Brahma Kumaris head-
It is your attitude that creates this response.
quarters in India. One day, however, the cen-
ter founder learned that one of the regular
students was an undercover agent who had
come to check out the Brahma Kumaris and
report its activities to the authorities. She felt
guilty for not discovering sooner and was con-
cerned about the potential trouble for the
organization.
She expressed her concern to the late BK
administrative head Dadi Prakashmani, who
merely smiled and said, “It is good. He will
take benefit and will carry benefit back to your
country.” The instrument soul was aghast that
the “student” was allowed to stay on the or-
ganization’s main campus as a guest. Dadiji (a
term of respect for a senior sister) replied,
“What has he done? Let him take benefit.”
Dadiji’s attitude was that Madhuban was the
home of the Supreme Father, open to all the
members of His world family. That was the
end of that obstacle.
This is an example of creating the right atti-
tude, which results in the right atmosphere,
says international lecturer and author Jayanti
Kirpalani. “Through your attitude you create
vibrations, and the vibrations create the at-
mosphere.”
Jayanti advises that throughout the day and
in every task, one must check his or her atti-
tude. “There are obstacles that we create our-
selves; that come to test us and haunt us. Atti-
tude changes your vision, then your activity,
your world and, subsequently, the atmos-
Visit the Center for Spiritual Learning at 1020 Magallanes Drive, Silang Crossing West, Tagaytay City. Contact us at (046) 483 2128
See our local website www.bktagaytay.com, our blog site www.bk-tnt.blogspot.com and our international website www.bkwsu.org.
The Point
Volume 4 Issue 35 April 2010
son can change. “Mistakes will
continue to be made. What should
my attitude be toward people
around me? To myself? I have to
clean out all the ghosts within
me—physical desires, attach-
ments, ego, insecurity, competi-
tion— all these things make up my
attitude.”
This is where meditation comes
in. “It is not only sitting still,”
Jayanti explains. “Meditation
means to clean my conscious
mind, the receptacle that I have. It
means to clean my patterns of
behavior, my memories, my feel-
ings.”
phere,” says Jayanti. One example is the ex- The cleanup begins with the quality of think-
perience of Madhuban, a powerfully charged ing. Feed the mind with spiritual knowledge to
place. People are weary after a long trip but, keep it fresh with ideas, accept them and em-
upon arriving, the atmosphere of purity and power them with faith. Jayanti elaborates.
love overtakes them. Throughout their stay, "When I meet people, what is my attitude? Do
the pilgrims’ attitude and conduct change for I come to that situation with the awareness
the better and, when they return home, they that I am the child of the Supreme? Is there
share their transformation with friends and something I can say or do that will uplift the
family. soul? Even if the interaction takes only five
Attitude is created subconsciously and minutes; did I lift her up?”
leaves an imprint in the soul. Posture, body The result of positive interaction, she notes,
language and deportment reflect attitude; one is the give and take of blessings. “What do I
need not speak. How does this happen? Says have, that allows me to give blessings? Firstly,
Jayanti. “It happens because of experiences let my thoughts, words and actions elicit bless-
that we carry within ourselves. For example, ings from others. Blessings are earned.”
someone may wonder, ‘I cannot make a good When Dadi Prakashmani was appointed to
connection. People do not respond positively her position, her attitude was that of being an
and my reaction becomes less than positive instrument. “She could well declare, ‘I’m in
and then it becomes worse and worse.’ It is charge.’ But this would have created factions,”
your attitude that creates this response. Your recalls Jayanti. “Whatever role I play, I should
attitude is picked up by others. Your attitude do it with so much love. The Supreme is mine;
creates the response. They pick this up.” in everything I do, I let His love flow. If my
Someone once confided to Jayanti, “If some- attitude is limited, problems will arise because
thing is really wrong and I see that it is wrong, I I created them; they don’t just happen.”
can’t have an attitude that everything is right, If you want people to always respond to you
and look at it positively.” She told her, “First, positively, keep the attitude and vision of
if you see something is wrong and you become brotherhood, says Jayanti. “Let my attitude
affected, then it stays in you. Secondly, this for others be filled with purity, love and re-
stops you from fulfilling your role as being be- spect. If I thoroughly clean out my thoughts
nevolent". and feelings and allow it to percolate deeply
When a person does something wrong, into my subconscious, then there is no pres-
Jayanti says, be merciful and exude an energy sure. It is not an imposition to transform my
that inspires and encourages, so that the per- past behavior into an elevated stage.”
© Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University 2010.
 2 The Point Volume 4 Issue 35 April 2010

CHILDREN today are lucky. There are

many courses available to help their parents Parenting,
to navigate family life and all its challenges.
One such course is the Joy of Parenting,
conducted by John Dowling, a Maryknoll priest with
turned Raja Yoga meditation practitioner and
transactional analysis counselor.
The most recent workshop discussed the confidence
balance of love and discipline, employing the
precept that every human being’s core quali-
ties are peace, love, bliss, purity, power and
Be a friend to your child
knowledge. If the parent is more conscious of
by helping her
these qualities and the possibility of harness-
rule her own life.
ing them, a positive home atmosphere
is kindled.
If these qualities are acknowledged in the
self and expressed in dealing with others, the
inevitable result is substantial conversations
and quality time with the children. “While
you’re having dinner,” said Dowling, “leave the
adult conversation out; it’s should be all about
them, and for them.”
He cited the times when he would take his
daughters with him to buy newspapers, taking
public transport. The driver invariably refused
to charge for the kids’ fare, but Dowling al-
ways insisted on paying. He said that left an
impression of his daughters’ minds
about respect.
“Parents should listen, not dominate,”
Dowling added. “Be a friend by helping them
rule their own lives. Allow them to take risks,
with guidance. When parents default, their
kids turn to others.”
During the workshop, participants were
asked to recall their most successful moments
in disciplining their children. Why did it work?
If they failed in any way, how could they re-
verse it and then move forward?
Dowling explained, “The idea was to help
them look back at the meaningful techniques,
attitudes and skills that yielded good results. It
was to tell them that they were no starting
from scratch, just adjusting to the present.”
The workshop ended with a sharing by
Marga Patricia Tulay, 16. She talked about
growing up as an only child, raised by a single
mother. She also related how she found a life-
style of meditation and spiritual knowledge,
and learned that as a child of the Supreme
Soul, she happily belonged to a greater family
of humanity.

Quiet
ACTIVELY cultivating neighborhood ties,
the Brahma Kumaris Retreat Center for Spiri-
tual Learning holds a regular children’s camp.
Toddlers to tweens are invited to the retreat
center for a whole morning of fun activities

time
and learning.
The theme focuses on sharing. During the
first camp, facilitator Arlane Tulay asked the
children how they showed cooperation at
home and in school. Through illustrations, they
depicted how they shared packed meals with
needy schoolmates, helped clean the class-
room and volunteered for household chores.
The morning was highlighted with quiet time,
something not usually expected of kids.
Arlane observed that at the start of the behaved and more spontaneous, responding
workshops, the young participants were quite to questions well. It was clear to see that the
rowdy. Yet, when the sessions started, they center’s atmosphere had a calming effect on Tweens just wanna have fun….ah, ah, ah,
became shy. Eventually, they became better them. fun! ...and a little quiet time.

Real love means no exchange of pain, only an exchange of happiness.

This is so different from common perceptions, in which love is confused
with attachment, and the pain of loss is never far away. -BK Jayanti, God’s Healing Power
P R O G R A M S
Chance, Luck and Opportunity , 4pm Sat - 4pm Sun, April 10-11
Inner Power, Inner Peace, 4pm Fri - 4pm Sun, April 30, May 1-2
We’d like to hear from you. Write us at thepointfeedback@gmail.com.