L Monthly E-Newsletter of
BRAHMA KUMARIS CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LEARNING
WE always start the new year with
promises to change for the better
or to banish bad habits forever.
Why? Because transformation is
an intrinsic process, although one
that needs to be understood.
Brahma Kumaris lecturer Denise
Lawrence compares change to an
“S” curve in a business chart or a
series of steps during which we hit
a plateau and then work our way
up again. We each have to con-
tinue what we’ve been doing, al-
though our attitude and behavior
must be stepped up to another
level. Without progress, there will
surely be deterioration. Such is the
nature of change.
Lawrence uses coals and dia-
monds as metaphors for transfor-
mation.
“Diamonds are beautiful, and
are used in many things. The amaz-
ing thing is that a diamond is de-
rived from coal. What happens
when you go to a coal mine? You
come up all covered with dust and
charcoal marks. If you are sur-
rounded by diamonds, would you
get dirty? Would you be happy or
unhappy?”
Although the coal and the dia-
mond are from the same source,
coal is ugly and has little value but
a diamond is stunning and price-
less. What happened?
Lawrence explains: “Coal under-
goes a lot of pressure and heat in
order to become a diamond. There
are a whole lot of coal in the world
and not a whole lot of diamonds. In
the same way, there are not many
diamonds among people. Many are
like coal. When you meet them,
they leave some mark on you. You
pick up some gossip or negative
influence. You feel you have
touched some coal and can’t wait to
clean it up.
To be a real gem of a person, in
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 32 January 2010
extremely uncomfortable. You will
very likely not enjoy being in that
situation. But if you try to escape
it—it’s like resisting the heat or
pressure—you will remain a piece of
coal. If we don’t let ourselves be
crushed by some kind of leveler, we
become stronger through it, gaining
a better understanding of life. “We
can change bad into good just by
changing our perspective.”
Lawrence cites the power of tol-
erance as the most important requi-
site for change. This should not be
mistaken as a grin-and-bear-it atti-
tude, or gritting one’s teeth, sup-
pressing one’s resentment. Toler-
ance means having accumulated
inner strength from the Almighty to
such an extent that any duress has
no impact other than to make one
respond in a calm and loving way.
“As much as we resist change,”
she says, “that much we create ex-
cuses to convince ourselves that we
are just fine. The deep message that
comes to us through these unpleas-
ant experiences is for us to trans-
form.”
Lawrence guarantees: “When you
are a diamond, your world will be a
whole lot different than when you
were a piece of coal. Who puts coal
around the neck or on a finger as an
Diamond morning: As the adage goes --each day is the beginning
ornament? Coal is thrown in the fire
of the rest of your life.
to make lunch with or warm some-
thing. Ultimately that piece of coal
Becoming will be destroyed.”
At the same time that they are
a diamond
precious, she says, diamonds are
also hardy. “They can take blows
without disintegrating. Coal is brit-
from coal tle. If you are a piece of coal, you
simply break down when someone
or something hits you. Life as a coal
short, one goes through a lot. to take some heat and pressure is not good or even satisfactory.
“Transformation is a natural proc- when things start to happen, such as When you become a diamond, you
ess, but it can also be traumatic,” obstacles and stress. A wonderful will be set in gold and placed in such
says Lawrence. “If we want to trans- opportunity for change is when we a position that allows everybody to
form ourselves, we should be willing find ourselves in a situation that is benefit from your beauty.”
© Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University 2010.
 2 The Point Volume 4 Issue 32 January 2010

Goodbye to ‘Ondoy’: Care for the caregivers

NINE weeks after on Sept. 26, an-
“Ondoy” struck other participant
on Sept. 26, 38 insisted. But she
teachers, school said the retreat
workers, parents was teaching her
and barangay that there is a
officials from the positive side to
Industrial Valley any situation,
Complex in Ma- including a lesson
rikina stepped or two to be
into the Brahma learned.
Kumaris Center Creative
for Spiritual solutions
Learning in Tagay- One should not
tay City to experi- waste time dwell-
ence as much ing on negative
healing as they feelings but rather
have been giving Recharged and ready to serve again, the retreat participants are likewise equipped now to replace them with
typhoon victims. guard against inner weakness. positive thoughts,
Their own Sister Becky said.
homes had been destroyed and, just like their in Quezon City. This requires focusing on creative solutions rather
neighbors, they were driven to anxiety with every Throughout October and November, BKs also than blaming others and situations. “What my mind
subsequent rainfall and/or news of another ty- helped scrub walls, desks, tables, chairs, and cabi- conceives, I can achieve, especially when my
phoon. nets at the two schools. They shared their vegetar- thoughts are positive.” She taught the participants
For five days, Regino “Reggie” Pagtama Jr., prin- ian sandwiches and packed lunches with the teach- to meditate—this, she said, is essentially just con-
cipal of the IVC Elementary School, had worked, ers and other volunteers. centrating on a positive thought.
gathering what was left of the school building that “It was heartening to be asked how we were at Pure feelings and good wishes come when we
stands near the Marikina River. Floodwaters had that point when we were so demoralized,” said see one another as beautiful souls, said Sister Rajni,
reached the second floor. Reggie of the attention paid them by the BKs. BK coordinator for the Philippines and Japan, who
Rose Publico, assistant principal, had been Peace is power was visiting at the time. In a game, the participants
trapped on the second level of her home across the “We need to move on and not get stuck with were asked to form a circle and pass an eraser
school. Outside, the waters raged, rendering a res- Ondoy,” said Sister Becky at the start of the Tagay- around while looking at the next person as though
cue rubber boat useless. tay CSL retreat. She explained that sorrow and pain he/she were the most beautiful human being. In
When the water subsided, Reggie found mud should be released because these cause physical another, the group broke up in couples and the
one foot deep on the school building's second floor. illness. The goal of the retreat was to equip the partners were asked to express what each admired
He was dumbfounded at the sight of computers, participants with inner peace and spiritual power, in the other. The lesson was to see only the good
chairs and books in terrible disarray. He knew that with which they can better cope in times of difficul- qualities of others.
he couldn’t rely on the teachers for help, as they ties. Reggie said the BKs were “heaven-sent.” Seem-
were surely in the same predicament. He asked his One exercise that asked the participants how ingly from out of nowhere, he said, they came offer-
siblings to take care of his house while he set out to they took care of themselves revealed that self-care ing help, from the material to the spiritual. At the
do what he could for the school. was mostly physical. Repeatedly cited were exer- end of the retreat, he said: “You treated us like very
Help came after a television crew interviewed cise, dancing and beauty rituals, and sports activi- special people. I assure you that all we have learned
Reggie. Firemen came to hose away the mud; gov- ties like swimming and bowling. Also mentioned here will never be forgotten.”
ernment agencies and college students from as far were watching movies and television shows and
away as Nueva Ecija turned up, offering assistance. socializing. All of these, Sister Becky pointed out,
Two weeks after the typhoon, the principal of an- are “external” activities.
other school introduced Reggie to Becky Ortega, a “We need to nourish our minds as we do our
coordinator of the Brahma Kumaris. bodies,” she said. “If we don't care for ourselves
On her first visit, Sister Becky immediately noted this way, how can we care for others?”
that nobody was helping the teachers and the vol- The participants learned that to be truly healthy
unteers. They were certainly not on the priority list is to be strong, peaceful and happy, with a body
of relief agencies. Sister Becky decided to help, that is disease-free and balanced; a mind that is
concentrating on these servers. Soon enough, dona- clear, creative, tranquil and alert; and relationships
tions in cash and kind poured in from BK student- that are truthful, harmonious and love-full. They
members in the Philippines and their friends, as conceded that, while attainable, these states were
well as from the organization’s international office not always sustainable. But they were assured that
in London. what is important is to be determined and have the
For several weeks, the BK center in Makati be- power to change their thought patterns.
came a reception and repackaging area for dona- A participant who said a person could pretend to
tions such as mats, pillows, bed sheets, towels and be happy outside while suffering inside, was told
cleaning materials. BK students delivered the goods that it is better to pretend rather than cause sorrow Receiving sweets, blessings, and feelings of goodwill from
to IVCES and another school that the group for others. Sister Rajni, Area Coordinator of BK in Japan and the
“adopted,” the Bagong Silangan Elementary School It is difficult to forget everything that happened Philippines at the end of the program.
 3 The Point Volume 4 Issue 32 January 2010

Experiencing Inner Power and Protection

It was an evening of meaningful talk,
music, and meditation experience.
Some 65 guests came for the program,
"Experiencing Inner Power and Protec-
tion," last Nov. 29, at the Center for
Spiritual Learning.
As the guests walked into the hall, a
short video about the virtues of peace
and silence was flashed on the screen,
preparing them for the evening’s
topic. Among them were the faculty
and staff of the Union Theological
Seminary, Catholic nuns of the Good
Shepherd Convent, seminarians of
Joseph Marello House, and profession-
als from a bank and a local restaurant,
and some administrators and teachers
of nearby town of Cavite.
After a brief welcome and introduc-
tion by CSL coordinator, BK Salud Idio,
the program began with a song by BK
Tina Diaz, followed by a heartwarming
sharing by BK Marrio Mapanao from
Butuan City. He recounted how Raja
Yoga meditation led him out of de-
pression.
The main speaker, Dr. Nirmala Ka-
jaria, regional coordinator of Brahma
Kumaris in Asia Pacific, gave the main
talk, highlighting how "our sense of
power should not come from outside,
but from our inner sense of who we
really are—as spiritual beings, children
of the Supreme." Dr. Nirmala, better
“If we have peace, love and mercy inside us,” said Dr. Nirmala,
known to BKs as “Didi,” shared some
“it doesn’t matter what happens on the outside.”
experiences of Raja Yogis in various
countries going through difficult situa-
tions and how they felt protected by a divine link with God.
power because of an accurate and constant
One was in Mexico, where, after an earth-
quake struck a city, only a few houses,
including the Brahma Kumaris Center,
was undamaged. Another was of a lady
practicing Raja Yoga in Sri Lanka, who
was certain she was saved by her
“spiritual consciousness” when a rapist
walked past her on a dark street.
"If we have an inner stock of powers
like peace, love and mercy—the very
same qualities of God, my Father, “it
doesn’t matter what happens exter-
nally," Dr. Nirmala said.
Herself a Raja Yoga practitioner for
over 40 years, Dr. Nirmala recounted
how many foreigners who visit the BK
headquarters in Mt. Abu, India, are
amazed at how thousands of volunteers
could live and work together in one
compound with so much love and dedi-
cation. Dr. Nirmala explained to the for-
eigners: “It is their love for God and that
deep connection with Him that they are
able to work in harmony—truly an ex-
perience of God’s protection amidst a
dark and disordered world.”
A short meditation experience on the
original quality of peace of the soul was
given by Sr. Rajni Daulatram, Area Coor-
dinator of BK in Japan and the Philip-
pines. Shortly, blessing cards and sweets
were served, followed by a light vegetar-
ian dinner.
Framer Mella, a faculty member of
the Union Theological Seminary, ex-
pressed this about her experience in the
program: “I found peace from the bot-
tom of the hearts of people in this place.
I would like to come back, to rediscover that
peace within myself.”

‘The clock on the wall is not time, it is simply a way of symbolizing the passage of
human experience. It is not our master, it is our creation. You can save time, lose time,
or rush time. Well, you can actually, in a way, because you ARE time. Time is life and
you are life. When you spend time you spend yourself. So be careful how you spend
yourself. Don’t let anyone else spend your life.‘
- Mike George, Author, The 7 Aha!s of Highly Enlightened Souls

P R O G R A M
The 7 Aha!s of Highly Enlightened Souls , 4pm Sat - 4pm Sun, Jan 9-10
Solace for the Soul, 4pm Fri - 4pm Sun, Jan 29-31
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