“Knowledge” will not allow us to know ourselves

I have observed many BK followers in my time, trying to “change themselves,” to “transform.”
They probably observed through comparison that they needed to “become more loving and detached,” or that they had a lingering “bad” sanskara that wouldn’t go away.

That is a good initial observation. I say initial; for there is way more to it.

A BK follower will then “do yoga” or practice “remembrance” to try an erase something which comes up continually in their lives and which is labeled as weakness, sin, etc.

A few days later, or weeks; that person will believe that she has “improved” through “hard work,” “effort,” even sometimes she may see that her weakness is gone; but a year later when she thought it was gone, when she least expect it… It comes up again.

The process: I find a fault in myself. I use a “medicine” to cure it and finally I will assess that this disease is gone… or not. Just like society has taught us, so it makes perfect sense.

Observe the process carefully. Isn’t that the procedure we have been taught to follow? There is a “judge” inside us deciding what is wrong and what should be right and then we will repair or cure all of those “ailments” by going through a procedure which is offered as the “cure” by someone else.

The whole procedure only strengthens the sense of ego, control over things. The “medicine” (yoga) is there. We just need to apply it. But unlike a pill, if that doesn’t work then we need to try “harder,” for everything is “numberwise.” Isn’t that the BK explanation? More “effort.”

What I value about my BK experience is that during those years, I was able to observe those “weaknesses” in myself and also others; for the Sakar Murlis pointed those out all the time. Whether those things were actually weaknesses, is another theme; but the quality of OBSERVATION was “practiced” there for the first time. In my Christian days, I was a bona fide “sinner” in need of God’s redemption. I needed to ask for forgiveness and “practice” some sort of penance to “clean” myself. There was no much time to OBSERVE myself there but rather “practice” and DO “good actions.” However, I was able to look at others and judge them based on my moral Christian teachings. That “judgmental teaching” also slipped through my BK conditioning.

Brahma Kumaris knowledge is a blueprint which most adherents are trying to follow. It becomes the “ideal” to reach. The goal and objective. That is good to entertain the mind; but none of that will give me the chance to OBSERVE myself but rather continuously compare myself with the ideal to “shape up” how “I” should BE. That comparison creates a conflict, as I cannot BE who I AM. It is inward violence. Sort of when I compare a person with another to point out who is “better.” That is violence.

BK knowledge says: “Become soul conscious.” How can you become something which you have no experience of? It is an ideal. Something floating on the air. “Practice” out of faith hoping to be one of the selected ones to “get it.” Do it all your life even if that doesn’t work for you but if you leave it, then you will ruin your “fortune.” See the catch?  Practice, DOING does not change BEING but it could change behavior, which is not who we ARE.
We believe to know how a “soul conscious” person acts. We look at the Dadis, the seniors for living examples but rest assured that what we THINK to be “soul consciousness” is not. We are only comparing them with us. Looking for those things that we believe to be “good” and which we believe to lack. OBSERVE that process.

There is no aspect of knowledge which could help me to become “better.” All knowledge could ever do, is to “inspire” me to become something ideal; for as long as I am driven to change myself, it is none other but my ego the one who will be propelling the whole stunt. It is the same procedure we do to earn more in society. It is based on the “go-getter” conditioning, that is aggressively looking to be successful, “number one,” achiever, ambitious.. that is full of ego. Nothing wrong with achieving in “Life,” but that procedure does not work in “spirituality.” That is something that took me years to figure out, and I am giving it away “free of charge.” 🙂

However, even if we understand intellectually what is conveyed here, there is a long road before it sinks in; for the ego needs to diminish, it needs to “dilute” itself so our understanding does not become another intellectual “practice,” which is yet another stunt to become “better.”

When we OBSERVE, there is no goal. There is no objective. The driving force to “become better” is not there. We are merely observing inwards, to know ourselves: What is my content? How does it change? Why does it change? We are no looking for answers. We are looking to KNOW. There is a huge difference.
While some knowledge will tell me that I am a soul, a world benefactor, a sinner, etc. PARADOXICALLY, it is that same knowledge which is supposed to help me; the one that will not allow me to OBSERVE myself and thus, KNOW. So, “I am soul” but my greed is intact. “I am a soul” but my dishonesty grows. “Practice soul consciousness” then. Please refer to “become soul conscious” in the paragraph above. We are caught in a “go to” loop.

Any type of knowledge will only give me answers, right or wrong; but those answers are incapable of changing anything in my consciousness. Nothing at all.
“Knowledge” is necessary in technology or in some trade; but when we are dealing with inner perception; then external knowledge only stops our ability to see and look, as we will have an element to compare with which will bring inner violence, as mentioned before.

“I am not happy to find out that I do not fit the ideal of soul consciousness. I have looked and I am far away from that.” Am I ambitious? Then, I will try to “get that” through my ambition. I could label that as “pure” ambition but that is to add make up to “pure” ego. Am I discouraged? Then, I will forget about it. I may feel lower than a “sinner,” guilty. Am I rejecting the ideal of soul consciousness? Then, I will completely dismiss that ideal and reject those words and even suppress any sort of “spirituality” in my life for I could generalize that “all spirituality only brings an unreachable pie in the sky.”

All those things are preventing me from OBSERVING.

Question on beliefs and mediumship

“Please share your experience about channeling and mediumship. Some oraganization and individuals claim challenging each other about mediumship. When asked at Brahmakumaris how God can come in individual person? They quoted a verse from Bhagvad Gita “Whenever there is decay of righteousness, O Bharata, And there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I Myself come forth ; For the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers, For the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age” (ch-4 verse 7-8). I have read Bhagvad Gita and feel that it explores every aspects of life.
Please share your opinion.”

Thank you for your question.
What is important is to be honest with our own experience.
I have second hand experience of what is mediumship through my sister Raysha, when she is the medium of Mathias (Being of light.) That is only my experience. Someone else may have a different experience and that is fine.
It seems that you BELIEVE in the “Bhagavad Gita.” Have you experienced that verse?
As far as Avyakt7 NG is concerned, that verse is inaccurate or ill translated. Good cannot exist without Evil. Duality 101. Duality is not a belief. We EXPERIENCE it all the time, although many may not be AWARE of it. When there is no duality, there cannot be “good.” If someone uses that word to represent the absence of duality, that person does not know by EXPERIENCE and is being led by the shortcomings of language, thus; a misrepresentation.
If Brahma Kumaris uses that verse to support their belief in “God” coming through a person, I haven’t seen BapDada “destroying evil doers.” Does BapDada fit the description of the Bhagavad Gita then?
The above is my EXPERIENCE.

My opinion is of no consequence for everyone has one, all equally valid and all far from what IS.
WHAT IS, cannot fit an opinion.
BELIEVERS are spread out all over the place. They BELIEVE in religion, science, philosophy, people, etc. That BELIEF becomes their dogma. When doubts arise, they either create another belief to put their doubts away or create another belief to run away from their former belief. Either way, that former belief will hunt them down for the rest of their days. The stronger they believed in something, the stronger that shadow upon them will be.

An experience is a gateway for further experiences as long as our minds do not take that experience as the “only truth.” For at that point, a belief is created.

The belief in “truth.”

Is the BK belief the “truth”?

Our society has been conditioned through that word “truth.” In our society we have certain facts, which we call ‘truth.’
We have certain experiences which we label as ‘truth.’
Although that is a very limited perspective to understand the Universe and Life itself.

No. The BK belief is not the only ‘truth.’ Intellectually it is the one that made more sense to me back then (from my perspective) although, I am able to see now its limitations.  I understand that the BK knowledge as it is, is necessary for many human journeys.

“How is that possible?
You were the one that wrote in “Exploring the Depth of Living” that BK knowledge was the truth, and you defended it with all your strength. I believed in you, now you come up with something different. You are a no-good liar, a traitor. What makes you believe that now you have the truth?”

Isn’t that what many BKs readers believe of me?

Now let me ask. What is wrong with change? Why should I continue to support something which is no longer valid for me?
Ahnanda (avyakt7-NG) is completely different than the one who believed in BK knowledge some years ago. What I perceive now, is what “I” share.

“But that is just your own “manmat”, it is your own delusion!”

Perhaps. But it is my reality and I am being honest with it.
That is what “I” share.
“But that has no value. I want truth!”
Then find it yourself. Reading my writings or someone else’s, even God’s scriptures, will not give you what you are looking for.
Discover for yourself what the “truth” is.

Life, the Universe has many dimensions. Those cannot be framed into a paragraph of “knowledge” as the “only way.”

As those other dimensions are included into BK knowledge, all of the sudden the “logic” of “the knowledge” breaks apart… there is an unsurmountable gap which can only be covered by beliefs.
I bet you want to know what those specifics are, right? 🙂

Discover them yourself.

That is exactly the path of Avyakt7 into Ahnanda. It is your own journey.

“So what good to us is what you are “sharing”?”
That depends on where you are in the journey. Definitely these writings are not for everyone. That is something to keep in mind. One more thing that I’d like to share: “Truth” does not change or transform. The journey does.

For the common good.

Baba is Karankaravanhar

“Karankaravnahar” is a mouthful word meaning “The one who does through others.”

In Brahma Kumaris it is believed that God “acts” through “instruments” that is typically a Brahma Kumaris adherent.
In Brahma Kumaris, the way to show a humble demeanor is by saying: “I am an instrument. Baba is the one doing.”

Nevertheless, in the Drama no one DOES. Actions manifest through human beings. This is an immediate consequence of believing in “predestination.” How are “you” going to DO things, if those things have been repeating through the eternal repetitive Drama?
That is a point in depth. 

That is how Brahma Kumaris came up with another concept: “it is YOUR fortune.”

For most followers saying that God works through “you” or that your activities and consequences of them are “your” fortune; merely strengthens the idea of being separated from the Totality. That is how the “I” increases in size.

“God is working through me.” “I am only an instrument.”
Big size “I.”

From another perspective, there is no need of God as a separate entity to DO anything through someone else. “God” is part of the eternal repetitive Drama, correct?
Then, the Drama is behind everything. The Drama is the true “Karankaravanhar.”

But something so “impersonal” and “omnipresent” as the Drama cannot be worshiped, loved or romantically attached as “God” could be.
That is the point on choosing a “personal” God.

For those who like deep things, here is another one:
What is “Maya” then, if everything is predestined?

Every “illusion” that a person could be going through, it is part of the experience that this person needs to go through. “Everything in the Drama is beneficial.” Do we remember that teaching? That includes “Maya” as well.
The world of ideas and ideals will not take anyone to a change in consciousness. Neither to learn mouthful words or to add new concepts to a belief system.

As that “I” dissolves into the beauty of Life (Drama,) we liberate ourselves from our mental bondages.
How? Why?
Because the “I” disappears… little by little, like a magic trick.
For many that is a hard to grasp “concept.” However, it is not a “concept” once there is experience. It is only a state of consciousness.
In the meantime, “I” learn the “concept,” “I” repeat it. “I” use it to sound “knowledge-full. That is the way to DO it!  … but not to live it.

For the common good.

The path of yoga

A child’s consciousness will change all by itself into a teenager. There is no consciously “effort” driving this change. As the child ages, his body will transform and reach a point of maturity and then start a process of aging, decaying.
Observe that this process is not just about the body, but also about consciousness.

Is there at any point any need for “effort” to change?
There is no need. It just happens, and what happens is out of our control. It is in the Drama.

The path of yoga introduces the possibility for someone to change himself by sheer use of will power.
This change is according to a particular belief, a particular morality considered to be “right or good.”

A follower of the path of yoga is interested in “DOING the right thing.”

This entails the belief that right now, as we are; we need “improvement.” This improvement is conceptualized by agreement of what SHOULD BE “good or right.”

In Brahma Kumaris to be “right” is supported by the belief that a set of behaviors are considered to be given by God. In other words, to DO something “right”, according to a direction given by God. Your belief in God creates the need to comply with God; according to someone’s concept or experience of what God SHOULD BE.

This is how yoga starts. “Union” or yoga is identified as becoming someone “better,” by using our will power to change ourselves.
“Becoming better” is accomplished by not DOING some things and by DOING others, that is; it is about BEHAVIOR.
To follow a set of “nice” words called “virtues” become the goal, for that; rejection of who we are “now” by suppression and repression becomes part of the training of not DOING.

Therefore, Yoga becomes the path of inner fight. The path of inner struggle.

I am angry, but I want to become anger free. I will “work on it” by becoming aware when anger appears so I could suppress it, or by minimizing the situations that could start my anger, that is by controlling Life. This is a continuous inner fight. It is believed that at one point through “practice”, anger will go away…

However, anger will be there as long as compassion is needed. Ego will be there as long as the mind exists to separate. Attachment will be there as long as ego exists. That is the untold dilemma of Yoga.

The continuous inner struggle is like the metaphorical fish going against the current of the River. Where is the fish going? This stubbornness or courage will lead the fish into some sort of imagined glory among other fish, if it survives.
All of this “effort” only strengthens the idea of separation between “I” and the rest, thus it fortifies the ego.

This path of yoga however, is part of the journey. For ego needs to grow up, to build itself up in order to disintegrate itself, to dilute itself.

What happens when ego dilutes?
There is no fish to struggle against the waters of the River, although; there is a fish. Where is the fish going?
That is no longer a good question. There is no fish, so who is going where?  but there is River… although, there is a fish.
How could there be a fish but yet not be a fish? That is illogical!
That cannot be understood by Yoga… even though, there is “knowledge” of the eternally predestined Drama.

Brahma Kumaris’ path relies on the yoga of the “I.”

For the common good.

Finding God.

What about if I tell you that I have truly “experienced God” after I left the Brahma Kumaris?
Would you believe me?

My experience cannot be yours.
My labeling of that fabulous experience as “God ” may be the beginning of deception.
Have you ever wondered why every religion has a different “description” of God?
Because experiences are personal and thus, different for every individual. However, the use of the label “God” is what makes the difference. That implies the utmost, the top of the game, the ultimate.
Therefore, my ego dictates that “my” blissful experience is god indeed. How it could be otherwise? It is “me.”
Who is out there to certify my experience? Who is out there to “stamp a certificate of authenticity”?
No one. It is just a matter of belief.

Is your “god” doing miracles? Is your god resurrecting people from the death? Is your god out there to benefit you and only you … and the believers of him (you)?

Is it true that you are the favorite son of God, the instrument of God? Is it true that God has wonderful plans for you inasmuch as you follow his directions? Is it true that you finally found God?
“Yes” to all the questions? 🙂
Good. Glad for you.

Then, the time has arrived to move on….and find yourself. The furthest away you go from yourself, the less you know.

Finding God is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning.

For the common good.