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WHO ARE YOU BEYOND YOUR ROLE, AND WHAT FIRST DREW YOU TO THE BRAHMA KUMARIS? I see myself as a student of life, curious about human nature, and how people overcome challenges. I enjoy creative expression, working with my hands, spending time in nature, and allowing my playful side to emerge.
As a child, an article about Mother Teresa awakened in me a desire to serve and inspired an inner spiritual search. I grew up in a Hindu family and drew direction from the Bhagavad Gita. As a teenager in Johannesburg, I encountered the Brahma Kumaris. Its approach to meditation felt natural and simple to practice, and I felt I had found a home for my spiritual journey.
WHAT HAVE THE BRAHMA KUMARIS AND RAJA YOGA GIVEN YOU PERSONALLY? The teaching that the self is an eternal, conscious being with innate qualities of peace, love, and wisdom had a profound
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effect on me. Growing up during apartheid, I felt deeply the dehumanising effects of discrimination.
Recognising myself and others as souls restored my self-respect and reinforced our common humanity. This practice supported me through university and the corporate world, helping me retain that self-respect despite the attitudes I faced.
HOW DO YOU REGAIN BALANCE WHEN LIFE BECOMES OVERWHELMING? The first step is recognising that I am out of balance. Becoming easily rattled, exhausted, or overwhelmed are clear signs. I give myself time out, perhaps through an early night, a walk in nature, journalling, or longer periods of meditation.
I also practise being a“ detached observer”. I apply my time and abilities fully to what is before me, then release the need to control the outcome. Worry and overthinking often grow from that desire for control.
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CAN YOU SHARE A TIME WHEN YOUR SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING WAS GENUINELY TESTED? In 1995, my father was diagnosed with advanced cancer. He chose not to have surgery or chemotherapy, and I witnessed his deterioration over six months.
Although I understood him to be an eternal spirit, watching his suffering was deeply painful. I meditated in his room, knowing that my calming presence was making his journey easier. I learned that even when we cannot take away someone’ s pain, simply being a calming presence can be the greatest support.
WHAT TRUTH KEEPS YOU GROUNDED AND HOPEFUL? Roles, responsibilities, and circumstances can all change. True satisfaction comes from living in alignment with my conscience and remaining faithful to my higher principles. I trust that there is a deeper reason and potential benefit within what happens. That belief gives me strength, dignity, and joy.
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