ublication of the Brahma Kumaris - Global Peace House

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1 w The Quarterly enewsletter eavers peace ublication of the Brahma Kumaris - Global Peace House Sharing the wonders of Spiritual Service... bringing smiles in the hearts of people... 5 th Issue - November 2012 Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable future This was the title of a function commemorating the United Nations International Peace Day celebrated worldwide on 21 September. To mark this year's event, GPH has associated itself with other NGOs working in their own field towards the same objective of establishing peace namely the Rotary Club of Citadelle/Port-Louis and the United Nations Association. Organised under the patronage of the Municipality of Port-Louis, the function was honoured by the presence of his Excellency the President of the Republic, the Lord Mayor of Port-Louis and the UNDP Representative and UN Resident Coordinator amidst a parterre of personalities gathered in the Council Room of the Municipality. In his address, the President of the Republic, Mr Kailash Purryag pointed out to the legitimate aspirations of every human being for freedom, the right to live in happiness and an environment free from hostility. "Every citizen has a legitimate right to live in peace", he said. Referring to the economic miracle and the unshattered social fabrics that the country has witnessed, he explained that, beside an array of economic and social measures, the essential pillars have been the peaceful and tolerant Mauritian society based on mutual understanding, unity in cultural diversity, human goodness and compassion. "When there is peace, we can master our forces to grapple and resolve crucial problems such as poverty and unemployment," he said. For Sister Gaitree, Director of GPH, who took up the sub theme of 'Discovering and Experiencing Inner Peace', today's world,..continued pg 6 Launch of a Meditation CD and a book by the President of the Republic of Mauritius, His Excellency Kailash Purryag. Symbolical release of peace balloons by the guests at the end of the program 1 st Anniversary PeaceWeavers It has been already one year since the first edition of PeaceWeavers was launched on This 5 th edition of PeaceWeavers is the proof of the continuous support given by one and all for this realisation. We would like to thank our dear readers for their valuable advices, observations and suggestions which have tremendously helped us in improving the newsletter both in quality and content. The Editorial Team BKGPH participation at World Food Day Fair The BKGPH through its youth wing, the Youth for a Better World Agricultural Club, participated for the first time at the annual World Food Day fair at the SSR Botanical garden held in the month of October. This fair was organised by the Ministry of Agro Industry to provide a platform to showcase variety approach to tackle the food crisis. The BKGPH seized the opportunity to introduce the Sustainable Yogic Farming concept and Solar Cooking to the thousands of visitors. Yogic farming or Agriculture is a novel way of farming combining organic farming techniques and meditation techniques with remarkable results. This has started in India with evidence based results. This totally new concept, no doubt, generated much interest from the 1 Demonstration of Solar Cooking to visitors public, especially the students and planters. Though there were many queries about the practical and commercial sustainability of this new farming method, yet many were eager to be given more information and ready to experiment....continued pg 4 Editorial Peace of Mind Diwali Honouring Women Celebration of UN days Goodlands Meditation Centre Visitors Health tips End of year message NEXT ISSUE FEB 2013

2 The Peace of Mind Retreat - Mt Abu, INDIA Since Gyan Sarovar's (Brahma Kumaris complex at the Headquarters - India) inauguration, annual international Forums/ Dialogues /Retreats have been held on this campus around a variety of themes. Among these, the Peace of Mind retreat is especially popular. This annual week-long meditation experience is an opportunity to give extended quality time to one's spiritual life. Each year Peace of Mind attracts participants from at least one-third of the world's countries, inviting them to rediscover and explore spiritual values which can resolve conflict, foster unity across national and cultural boundaries, and enhance the quality of activity in different fields of human endeavour. Based on the understanding that the development of spiritual values is the foundation for inspirational and authentic leadership, participants are invited to 'retreat' within and spend time in silence, meditation and reflection so as to achieve intellectual clarity, mental freshness and emotional rejuvenation. Peace of Mind' offers you the opportunity to: give some quality time to your spiritual life away from the demands of your day to day existence explore the world of meditation benefit from the wisdom and company of senior yogis find ways of sustaining your spiritual refreshment back home recharge your spiritual battery integrate your spiritual and worldly lives Impressions from a participant at the October 2012 Retreat Sharda Bissessur Participant View of the venue - Gyan Sarovar Being a professional in the public sector, I have to face lots of challenges in my everyday life and I rarely have time to take "real" holidays. When I was presented with the opportunity to attend a workshop on "Peace of Mind" at Mount Abu, I instantly strongly felt that it is a must for me to go there. Once I reached Ahmedabad, I had the golden opportunity to meet a senior "Dadi" namely Dadi Janki who is known as the person with the most peaceful mind in the world. On the same day I happily travelled to Mt Abu, where I stayed in Gyan Sarovar. We were warmly welcomed by the brothers and sisters of Brahma Kumaris. I was amazed to see how the BK people were properly organized and without any stress and tension handled the arrival of about 200 participants from different countries. The most delicious foods were served on time to a very large number of people by brothers and sisters who always had a smiling face. The organization was so perfect that one could almost have the impression that handling such a residential workshop was a child play. During the lectures and tutorials, we were taught the law of karma and how to make an optimum use of eight particular powers lying in each and every one of us. We developed the ability to create team spirit and accept each and everyone as they are without judging anyone. We also learned about no matter how the situation is, stress, tension and irritation are our creations and that there are wonderful ways to train our mind to face obstacles in our life in a peaceful way and without Editorial There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. - Albert Einstein What miracle have I created in my life or in the life of others? The year 2012 has elapsed swiftly and we may be more than just pondering on our plans and resolutions we took at the beginning of the year. Or better we may have already started making plans for Are we happy with the results? Are we going to do the same thing again? Because if we always think as we have always thought, we will always do things as we have always done and we shall always get the same results as we have already got. What s waiting for us at the end? Is it frustation, regrets, or contentment, happiness and wisdom? Do you want a change? Then we invite you to visit your inner world of thoughts for a re engineering process. It s high time to service your mind. Your mind is your best friend. Meditation is a wonderful sharpen the saw tool that the BKGPH is offering you to enable that servicing and its free! The BKGPH has been organising events and creating service centres where you can come and take benefits for your mind. The choice is yours but the pleasure is ours! Vikram B being disturbed for long hours not to say days, months or even years. Eventually, we even realize that it is possible to carry out our daily task be it in our professional or personal life, handle projects and meet deadlines or even solve crisis situations without being mentally and emotionally disturbed. I had the most awesome and wonderful experience in the loving and peaceful atmosphere of Mount Abu and would highly recommend each and everyone to participate in this workshop. To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all. 2

3 DIWALI.. a festival to be experienced.. The month of November marked the celebration of Diwali. Insights in the spiritual aspect of this festival. No other festival unites Indians around the world, as does Deepavali. A single diya or lamp holds infinite beauty and hope. Diwali is a celebration of victory over evil or darkness and the coming of a New Year. But if we think deeply, what is this darkness we want to remove? Light means to follow a virtuous path such that our thoughts are always pure in heart, our words are sweet and peaceful and bring joy to the listener and our actions are always beneficial first to ourselves, and to others as well as the environment. Darkness on the other hand is when our thoughts are negative and when these thoughts are reflected in our words or actions, they bring hurt and sorrow to others at every step. In reality, evil or darkness does not have an identity of its own - it exists due to a lack of goodness or light. Knowledge, power and all that is pure, are very real characteristics since they are part of us, perhaps hidden yet existing. The Festival of Lights is the fight against evil forces and creation of peace GPH illuminated during Diwali and happiness. Diwali brings up a number of things in the mind's eye - sweets, new clothes, account books, Goddess Lakshmi, fireworks etc. So instead of celebrating Diwali, LET'S EXPERIENCE DIWALI. As we clean our homes, let's clean our minds and intellects too. As we wear new clothes, let's also get rid off our old, unwanted, disturbing habits of anger, jealousy, worry... and emerge our new but original qualities of peace, love, bliss and happiness. On the night of Diwali, we settle our old account books and begin new ones, simultaneously let us settle our old karmic accounts, any unpleasant relationships and begin our relationships in a new, positive way. We are all aware of the pollution caused by firecrackers, but it is Diwali, we need to burn crackers, so why not burn all the crackers of evil characteristics within ourselves - this burning will in fact purify our minds and the environment. As we exchange sweets let us also exchange meaningful sweet words, good wishes and blessings. If we really experience Diwali we will succeed in invoking (calling upon) Goddess Lakshmi. Her name comes from the word, 'Laksh' meaning 'the GOAL', experiencing Diwali (as explained above) will help us reach our ultimate goal of heavenly perfection - which Goddess Lakshmi stands for. Worshipping Goddess Lakshmi is good, but what is even better is making the wealth of spiritual knowledge and qualities (which Goddess Lakshmi has to offer) a part of our life. A divine character alone can attain prosperity and peace. The key lies in lighting a single 'diya' - my own conscient awareness... Rajyoga meditation - connecting with the Supreme diya, the Supreme Soul, helps me in doing that. Sister Ragini addressing the audience United Nations Day Commemoration In the double context of the International Year of Cooperatives & to commemorate the 67 th anniversary of the foundation of the UN (known as the United Nations Day), a program on the theme "Women's Role in Cooperative life towards Employment & Elimination of Poverty", was organised by the United Nations Association (UNA) Mauritius and the Community Development Association of Gabriel Martial in association with the Brahma Kumaris - Global Peace House on 24 th October In the packed hall of the Gabriel Martial Community Centre, mostly attended by women in particular housewives, several speakers intervened on the theme namely Hon. Shakeel Mohamed, Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment (chief guest), representatives from UNA Mauritius & MACOSS. Sister Ragini, representing the Brahma Kumaris Global Peace House, enumerated on the importance of inner empowerment through self-esteem and values, keys to success in life. She also mentioned how the Brahma Kumaris (a women-administered international organisation) is bringing transformation to the lives of people through a series of self-development programs such as meditation and stress management. The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive. J.Green Audience during programme 3 Brahma Kumaris at the United Nations The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University in Mt. Abu, India, is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) in general consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and in consultative status with UNICEF. It is also affiliated to the UN Department of Public Information. The BK support the UN Millennium Development Goals through a wide range of programs promoting education; gender equality and empowerment of women; mental, physical, and spiritual health and well-being; and environmental sustainability. Their special competence in the area of human and social values allows them to bring a particularly ethical and spiritual approach to world concerns. In this capacity the BKs actively participate through oral and written statements at UN conferences and meetings and strive to promote awareness and highlight the great aspirations of the purpose and principles of the UN. Website: un.brahmakumaris.org

4 United Nations World Day of Remembrance For Road Traffic Victims Gp photo of speakers with Sister Gaitree As in many Brahma Kumaris Centres worldwide, GPH also observed the UN day of Remembrance for Road Victims on 18 November As this day coincided with the World Meditation Hour (a one hour collective meditation observed at the same moment by Brahma Kumaris Centres in the world on the third Sunday of every month), this was earmarked for special meditation for victims and survivors of road crashes. The public function at GPH saw the participation of various stakeholders who shared their views and experiences on the subject and subsequently joined in the collective meditation hours. Participants who intervened included Mr. B. Buntipilly, Special Advisor on Road Safety matters at the Special Road Safety Unit of the Prime Minister's Office, Mr. B.Munusami, a well-known Police Sergeant at the Road Safety Unit delegated by the Commissioner of Police, Sister Gaitree,Director GPH and B.K Devianee. After more than 27 years of experience in the field of road safety, I now believe that spirituality has been the missing dimension in road safety policies. - Mr B. Buntipilly Special Advisor on Road Safety Matters at the PMO, Mauritius. Traffic control of the mind needs to be practiced at regular intervals throughout the day, specially at the start of the day/ journey as a means to empower the self in order to enhance our ability to remain cool, calm, focused and alert under all circumstances. Sister Gaitree Pledge I value Life, I will wear a helmet. I embrace Life, I will fasten my seat belt. I respect Life, I will follow traffic rules. I appreciate life, I will be peaceful when I face challenges or traffic during travel. I celebrate life, I will co-operate with co-passengers. I love life, I will keep myself from smoking and drinking. I was very impressed by the quality of silence, the quality of exchanges and by the peace which reigns here. I had no idea at which point meditation allowed one to be resourced. Thank you very much. A participant at the event in Mauritius At the end of the interventions, the participants and audience were invited to meditate collectively and spread vibrations of peace to all victims an survivors of road accidents of the world. BKGPH participation at World Food Day Fair..from pg 1 This concept originates from the Rural Wing of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU), Mt Abu which continually seeks ways in which to apply the benefits of spiritual practice in a way that responds meaningfully to people's lives and daily circumstances. It is now widely acknowledged that to sustain agricultural production, healthy environments, and viable farming communities there must be a whole-systems approach to agriculture incorporating traditional knowledge and organic agriculture that links ecology, culture, economics and society. Sustainable Yogic Agriculture utilises a systems-wide approach, recognising all elements of farming: humans, animals and bird, flying and crawling insects, micro-organisms, seed, vegetation and surrounding ecosystems, and the natural elements of sun, soil, air, water and space. These methods are engaging more than 400 farmers in India with a cooperative of scientists from India's leading agricultural universities, G.B. (Gindh Ballabh) Pant University of Agriculture and Technology and S.D. (Sadarkrushinagar Dantiwada) Agricultural University. Early data indicate statistically significant effects on crop quality and crop yield. Further, meditative practices designed for each phase of the agrarian cycle, from seed to harvest, are increasing farmers' self-esteem and so reducing the frequency of farmer suicides and social violence in families and villages. Qualitative and quantitative data gathered so far, using laboratory based experiments and participant observation, have provided valuable baseline information that endorse the importance of continued research. SOON TO BE LAUNCHED Interested..please contact us.. See challenges and mistakes as two great opportunities for self progress... 4 Benefits of Yogic Farming Soil parameters-increase of desired microbial load Significant drop in the Pest Damage; Reduction of damage caused by root cutting pests; Percentage of seed germination is higher in meditated seeds; Faster growth rate of meditated seeds, which took six days less time to germinate; Healthier root modulation; Improved growth strength/ velocity; Improved test weight of seeds; Increased micronutrient content of crops- increase in quality parameters such as iron, manganese, copper content of the grain; and Significant growth in friendly insects population SUCCESS It s not always what you see

5 Honouring Women On the very day the world was commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Global Peace House chose to honour and pay homage to them at an event showing the important place given to them in Indian mythology and scriptures. The programme comprised live tableau of eight main Goddesses (or shaktis meaning Power or God s creative energies) enacted by young sisters/students of Global Peace House, insights by Sister Gaitree on the spiritual significance of each Goddess, songs and dance in their praise. The unveiling of the curtain showing the live deities was performed by our Chief Guest, Mrs. S. Sobarun, Deputy Director General of the MBC who expressed her gratitude for being associated with the event. Sister Gaitree, Director of BKGPH, elaborated on the meaning of each Goddess and on their respective adornments which represent the innate powers and related virtues within each one s self and which when brought into our attitude and behaviour help to anchor the power into our being. The evening ended with a beautiful moment of contemplation/meditation on the deities, which ignited and strengthened the flame of the soul in each of the 150 persons present. Each was invited to have 'darshan' (glimpse) of the deities and take blessings from them. Insights into the spiritual significance of shaktis as depicted in Indian mythology Goddess Durga: Power to Let Go Virtues: Discipline, Purity, Positivity, Self-Respect Goddess Jagatamba: Power to Love Virtues: Tolerance, Patience, Acceptance, Understanding Goddess Santoshi: Power to Accommodate Virtues: Mercy, Openness, Gentleness, Flexibility Goddess Gayatri: Power to Know Virtues: Trust, Clarity, Accuracy, Honesty Goddess Saraswati: Power to Decide Virtues: Faith, Balance, Wisdom, Commitment Goddess Kali: Power to Face Virtues: Courage, Purpose, Confidence, Determination Goddess Lakshmi: Power to Co-operate Virtues: Respect, Humility, Responsibility, Generosity Goddess Parvati: Power to Withdraw Virtues: Silence, Detachment, Introspection, Concentration. World Diabetes Day at Notre Dame Community Centre To commemorate the World Diabetes Day, a half day exhibition was organized by the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund on Wednesday 21 st November 2012 at the Notre Dame Community Centre. The BKGPH was invited to display a health exhibits alongside a demonstration on healhty diet. Inhabitants of the village had also the opportunity to listen to a talk on the theme of Stress, Diabetes and Healthy Lifestyle which culminated the programme. The talk was animated by Dr Razia Daureeawoo of the Health Commission of the UNA Mauritius who spoke particularly on Diabetes and Sister Ragini of BKGPH who introduced the concept of meditation as a way to combat stress. Brain teasers! How many squares are there in total in this picture? Healthy Diet demonstration Meditation experience during programme What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the rich need it, and if you eat it, you'll die? Tolerance is saying "yes" to life's game and enjoying it 5 Answers: next edition..

6 First Anniversary Celebrations of Goodlands Raja Yoga Meditation Centre A special get together was organised to celebrate the first anniversary of the Goodlands Raja Yoga Meditation Centre (first phase). Since the grand opening on the unique date of several hundreds of souls of all communities have taken benefits from the services offered through a variety of courses. Souls who have benefitted from the services had the opportunity to share their experiences, a source of inspiration for others. The second phase of the building, that is, the construction of the main hall, will be seriously contemplated next year. BKGPH once again wishes to thank all those who have in a way or another generously contributed for the completion of the first phase. The BK family of Goodlands 'Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable future'... from cover page battery and come back reenergised, ready to meet the challenges of the day". She concluded by inviting the audience to Sister Gaitree addressing her message of peace. have a practical..characterized by manifold problems, taste of inner is the result and sum total of all human activities which in turn originates from the thought in our minds. Hence, she peace through a live meditation commentary. Mr Springett, the UN Resident coordinator added, we need create pure, positive, and UNDP Representative noble, high calibre thoughts, a sine qua non requirement for a sustainable, peaceful and harmonious society. How? She invited everyone to look inside, in silence "deep within our inner world, at the core of our consciousness in that secret and sacred sanctuary the powerpoint of our consciousness the emphasised the need to create a Culture of Peace involving all people and that could be made possible only through education, he believed. In that regard, he quoted the UN Secretary General: " Through education, we teach children not to hate. Through education, we raise leaders who act eye of the with wisdom and compassion. Through storm where already exists a safe, powerful and conducive atmosphere devoid of distractions and attractions a place where we can discover that our original and eternal nature is PURE PEACEFULNESS". Peace, she said, is the natural, inherent fundamental quality of the inner self, the soul. To make the experience of inner peace a daily feature of our inner and outer world, she advised the taking of regular, mental breaks throughout the day during which "we can go beyond the awareness of our daily routine and move to that inner space within our consciousness come in touch with the core quality of peace, charge our education, we establish a true, lasting culture of peace." In an improvised speech, Mr M. Khodabaccus, the Lord Mayor of Port-Louis, conveyed the central message that without peace within the minds of people, it would be futile to establish peace in the world. He testified that the daily practice of meditation to stabilize his mind has been of tremendous help in his busy life and recommended that practice to everyone present. Mr Gajelee, Spokeperson of the Rotary made extensive reference to the President of the Rotary International who conveyed Rotary's vision for their this year's theme "Peace through service": "Rotary helps to build peace in its most traditional sense, by reducing the causes of conflict by providing the basic needs (e.g. healthcare, sanitation, food, education ) When and where these are most needed by building bridges of friendship and tolerance among people by putting service above self. "The role of Civil Society in Peace Building" was the theme of the exposé made by Mr N.Bossoondyal, D/G UNA Mauritius. He particularly highlighted the peace building mission of NGOs/Civil Society Organisations at times of wars and in their aftermath as they are the ones which remain on the field to create a viable post conflict environment through humanitarian actions and pursuing the task of reconciliation and unity. To help them carry out their overall mission in all the areas of national interest in which NGOs were involved, he called for greater cooperation among NGOs and between NGOs and the Government. Concurrently, an exhibition on Peace mounted by Inner Space Meditation Centre was held within the premises of the Municipality. Obstacles strengthen the spirit... 6

7 Other activities at a glance August Residential Retreat on Detox Your Heart & Soul organised by BKGPH at Diamond Retreat House Residential Centre, Palmar. - Talk on Stress Management at Port- Louis North State Secondary School with Upper Form Students and teaching staff. - Talk on Peace and Security at Mon Goût Social Welfare Centre. September Talk on "Detox your heart & Soul" at Mon Goût Social Welfare Centre. - Talk on Meditation at 'Mahila Arya Samaj', Pamplemousses. - Meditation Sessions at Morc. St André community Centre. - The Ministry of Social Security invited BKGPH to give a deliver a talk on "Family Values - Power of Love and Forgiveness" at Petit Raffray Social Welfare Centre, during a seminar. - The Centre de Lecture et d'animation Culturelle (CLAC) of Triolet, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Arts & Culture invited the BKGPH to give a talk on Peace on the occasion of International Day of Peace. October The Ministry of Youth and Sports invited the BKGPH to deliver a talk to a group of youth at Cité Florida, Baiedu-Tombeau. November The Ministry of Gender Equality etc. invited the BKGPH to deliver a talk on "Healthy Food, Healthy Mind" with children above 10 years old at Anse la Raie beach. - Talk on Peace and Security organised by the Women Association of Pamplemousses Forthcoming Activities Saturday 19 th January 2013 Commemoration of the ascension to the subtle regions of the founding Father of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, Brahma Baba. S l e e p Shortage and Stress Insomnia is a plague condition affecting tens of millions around the globe. The likelihood of destructive stress is greatly increased if you are not getting sufficient sleep. Sleep is when our bodies rebuild and regenerate and this includes production of the adrenal hormones that are required to help us manage stress. Adrenal exhaustion is one potential outcome of sleeplessness. Proven sleep improving strategies include: Ensuring you are asleep during the peak regenerative hours between 10 pm and 2 am. It is critical to make the most of the rebuilding action that happens at this time. Making sure that your room is in complete darkness with blackout curtains and no light from clock radios, stereos, TVs, fire alarms, burglar alarms, etc. The pineal gland, which produces both melatonin and the feel-good hormone, serotonin, does not operate in the presence of artificial light. Melatonin is a powerhouse antioxidant with tremendous implications for cancer prevention. Apply Feng Shui principles to create a happy bedroom for maximum relaxation potential. Take out the computer, mobile phone, television and fridge. Remove the clutter beside, under and over the bed. Make sure that your bed end is not facing a door. Ensure that your head and shoulders are not visible in the bedroom mirror. Put dirty clothes in a laundry basket and clean the corners. Practice breathing if you are struggling to relax and sleep breathing involves a inhaling through the nose for 4 s, holding that deep breath for 7 s, then exhaling through the mouth with your lips pursed and tongue tucked behind your two front teeth. The exhaled breath should also take 7 s. Eat a high protein snack three hours before bedtime. The aim here is to provide the amino acid, l-tryptophan, which is the building block of melatonin and serotonin. Practice meditation for stress management and to keep you at bay from killer diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases. PeaceWeavers - 1 st Anniversary from vision to visual On the day of the opening of its meditation centre at Goodlands, the first e-newsletter, was launched by overseas guest Sister Chakradhari, Director of Russia BK centres. Embarking on this endeavour has been very challenging and at the same time a unique learning experience. Through this publication the BKGPH aimed to showcase its numerous activities and at the same time provide a pleasant reading experience to our readers. To that effect, we have received numerous encouraging comments, some of which are given below. Thanks. A great service. Thanks for the newsletter. Really enriching Congratulations for this highly interesting and informative newsletter. Wow! Impressive Newsletter! Congratulations! I am sure this will inspire all the BKs to take the service a leap ahead, as I am inspired too. Few were surprised that service is so well organised and well involved. Please keep us update Understand that people in your life are there for a reason & never get angry... 7

8 Preparing Ourselves for the New Year, Message from BKGPH As we stand on the brink of the year 2013, looking up at the world scenario and seeing our present lives, we can envision a series of fresh possibilities. The beginning of the new year is an auspicious time for stock taking. We offer our readers some suggestions and questions to reflect upon for this very important exercise. Start by taking some time out and space for yourself in solitude. Observe deep silence or meditate for some time. Trust your intuition to guide you. Or if you wish, pray earnestly. First of all list all the things you are grateful for & count your blessings. Celebrate your successes and achievements and learn from your challenges, mistakes and failures. Let go all wrongs, hurts, mistakes, difficulties forgive yourself and all those whom you think have hurt or harmed you Shower them with blessings and thank them for having given you the opportunity to test your goodness. Reflect on your happiest and most gratifying moments of the past year find out in what areas you have been acting your best self Which are the current habits and behaviours you wish to take along in the coming year? What have been the most difficult and painful moments...see the times when you have not acted in alignment with your inner values and check which are the current habits, tendencies or behaviours you would like to change or leave behind? What are the relationships you are really grateful for and the ones which feel most painful? What would it take to create change in these relationships in the coming year? Which are the people that you feel you need to ask for forgiveness. May you have wonderful insights and come up with realistic new year resolutions. Wishing you a very fruitful, adventurous and a very very happy New Year May you be blessed and graced by the Supreme Father, the Almighty God, the Bestower of Fortune. Teacher: I killed a person Convert this to future tense. Student: You will go to jail. In September we were blessed by the presence of Didi Nirmala, Director of the Academy for a Better World, BK Headquarters, Mt Abu, India. She was the main pioneer who sowed the seed of service in Dr Nirmala with Sis Gaitree Mauritius in 1975, trained and sustained the institution first students, most of whom are now the main co-ordinators of the various centres of the island. She came as the guest speaker at the conference on 'One God One world Family' and met the students of all centres. She was accompanied by Sister Shobna from Mumbai. In October, Didi Chandru, the National Co-ordinator of meditation Centres in San Francisco, California, Sister Geeta the Co-ordinator of meditation centres in Los Angeles and Sister Guests from USA addressing Bhavna the National Coordinator of meditation centres in New Zealand, along with Sister Kokil from Gujrat paid a flying visit to Mauritius. In November, the visit of Didi Kamlesh, Sisters Sulochna, Asmita, brothers Gian and Uttam from Orissa and Brothers Angad and Santosh from Shantivan, Mt Abu, was the cherry on the cake. Visitors Visitors sightseeing the lagoon Didi Kamlesh visiting litchi orchard Though their visit in Mauritius was short, they were all like river Ganges sharing their spiritual life experiences especially Didi Kamlesh, the zonal in charge of Orissa who has more than 50 years of experience in the practice of Raja Yoga Meditation. She ran classes at all centres and in GPH conducted a talk on the real meaning of 'Ganga Snaan'. She really embodies the river Ganges for her big-heartedness and the constant pearls of knowledge and spiritual wisdom that keep flowing from her mouth. Find us in the North & Port-Louis bkgph@intnet.mu Brahma Kumaris Gph Global Peace House Brahma Kumaris Royal Road, Khoyratty Pamplemousses Tel: Raja Yoga Meditation Centre near Traffic Centre New Morcellement St Antoine, Goodlands Tel: Inner Space 2nd Floor, Sharon House Sir William Newton St Port-Louis Tel: , Fax: Raja Yoga Meditation Centre Royal Rd (Opp Social Welfare Centre) 8 th Mile, Triolet Tel: