Women and Spirituality by BRAHMA KUMARIS

[Guest guest]

Devine Brothers and Sisters

 

In a world where women have been seen traditionally as someone's wife,

mother, daughter, or sister, why would a woman choose to follow a

spiritual path?

 

Perhaps because, deep inside every woman has a longing to “be†someone

in her own right†" fully aware of herself, confident and in control.

When we talk of spiritual power, we are in fact referring to the

original power of the self to be whole and independent†" free from the

web of domination and suppression, free from the need to exist for

someone else's sake.

 

For the last two thousand years or more, women have not fully utilised

their spiritual power. Instead, aspects of the “feminine†have taken

mainly symbolic forms from the Virgin Mary to the vestal virgins, from

Earth Goddesses to the Shakti Devis. On the one hand, women have been

put on pedestals and worshipped on account of their purity or

femininity. At the same time, they have been excluded from religious

practices and barred, even until now, from entering some places of

worship.

 

Elevated or chastised, exonerated or condemned, the main problem

facing women is that they have never been treated as equal to

men†" either as spiritual leaders or spiritual seekers. This lack of

equality finds its roots not only in sociological and cultural

systems, but more particularly within levels of consciousness upon

which spirituality and attitudes are ultimately based.

 

Women as Spiritual Leaders

Women become spiritual leaders when they themselves acknowledge they

have the capacity and necessary attributes to play such a role. The

change of consciousness needed is to move away from unworthy feelings

and attitudes and to see the greatness contained within the self.

Feminine qualities such as love, tolerance, compassion, understanding

and humility are qualities of leadership. They are also needed for

spiritual progress, for without them it would be impossible to come

close to God and attain self-realisation. Every human being possesses

those qualities but women are more easily and naturally able to tap

them, for feelings of love and devotion are often more natural to

women, combined with a profound sense of discipline and order. A true

leader leads through example.

 

Women know how to serve and how to give. Often the notion of service

or of putting others in front has been seen as a sign of weakness or

lack of power. Quite the opposite is true. The ability to bow before

others, with true humility, is the sign of the greatness of a soul who

has conquered ego.

 

However this quality of giving to others must also be balanced with

qualities of courage, determination, clear thinking and self-respect.

Too often, women have a tendency to give to others and neglect their

own spiritual needs. It is one of the major reasons women find

themselves depleted and lacking in spiritual power. The foundation

for assuming spiritual leadership is thus a change of consciousness.

Overcoming the huge physical, religious and sociological barriers

which have prevented women becoming spiritual leaders can only be done

through the development of self-respect. The quality of self-respect

comes from the knowledge and experience of the eternal self which is

beyond social, cultural or physical identity. The eternal self or

soul is pure, peaceful and complete with divine and spiritual

qualities. When women touch this inner, eternal core, they gain the

courage to play the part they are capable of.

 

Spiritual power is an expression of the inherent qualities of the

spirit and has nothing to do with gender or physical limitations.

Feelings of domination or suppression occur when there is the

awareness of superiority or inferiority. Feelings of equality,

however, manifest when there is the consciousness of spirit or soul.

These feelings and attitudes can be expressed in actions with positive

results.

 

 

Women are still a long way from enjoying positions of spiritual

leadership, and society still doesn't fully concur with the notion

that women make good spiritual leaders. Yet, society won’t

necessarily change until someone, whether an individual or a group of

individuals, breaks the tradition and sets a new role model. This, in

part, was the thinking behind the work of Brahma Baba, founder of the

Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University.

 

Historical Context of Brahma Kumaris

In 1936, at the age of 60, Dada Lekhraj, a wealthy diamond merchant

from the province of Sind (now Pakistan) experienced a series of

powerful visions. He had always been religious-minded and had also

held a highly reputable position in the community. Yet the visions

changed his life completely, revealing striking images of the world

passing through a period of immense unrest, as well as images of the

change required to usher in a new world for the future. Within a year

or so, Dada Lekhraj, later known as Brahma Baba, had sold his business

and established a spiritual university. He nominated a group of 12

young women to assume all administrative responsibilities for the

group of almost 400 people which met regularly to study spiritual

knowledge and meditate.

 

At that time in India, women were treated as second class citizens,

perceived as little more than chattels belonging to their husbands.

Such attitudes have their roots in the traditional Hindu scriptures.

For example, in the Ramayan there is a reference to four things being

equal: a drum (that you beat), an animal (that you push), a senseless

fool and a woman.

 

For Brahma Baba to place women in charge of a spiritual university at

a time when they were still hidden by the veil†" literally and

figuratively†" caused a huge uproar. But he was determined to carry out

this gentle social and spiritual ‘revolution’. He believed that the

balance of spiritual and social power wouldn’t change unless the

inequalities were redressed, and women, both young girls and mothers,

were given the right to serve the community as spiritual teachers.

 

By the time Brahma Baba passed away in 1969, the knowledge he was

given and the changes he championed had found receptive and fertile

soil. Within the space of 54 years, the University has grown

considerably and now operates over 8,500 centres in 100 countries.

All administrative and spiritual duties are carried out by Dadi

Prakashmani and Dadi Janki, the two most senior women teachers who

have been students since the University’s establishment.

 

Student not Disciple

Today, from an organisational perspective, both men and women assume

responsibility for teaching and running centres. By and large,

however, men follow the founder’s example and willingly put women “in

frontâ€.

 

For the Brahma Kumaris the concept of discipleship does not exist.

Brahma Baba never positioned himself as a guru. He taught through

example, by putting into practice the spiritual knowledge and

principles he had received in his communion (yoga) with the Supreme

Soul. He encouraged others to do the same by creating their own

communication directly with the source.

 

Brahma Baba encouraged women to understand and explore their

potential, and inspired them with a vision of the valuable

contribution women can make as spiritual leaders. He found that women

have the serenity and gentleness to understand and accept spiritual

ideas easily without the barrier of arrogance which is so often

present in men. So, by putting women forward, he sought to create a

situation of equality and mutual respect and regard between men and

women, and indeed within all relationships regardless of gender.

 

In godly Spiritual Service

Brahma Kumar Rama Krishna