Manojag, your last few posts confirm to me what I saw as Ansula's modus operandi and reasons for giving such personal attention. You can be sure that whenever she succeeds in getting large donations she rises in the esteem of her BK superiors and is more likely to get promotion and other formal acknowledgements in the BK world, as you suggest.
It is ironic how few of these senior so-called "yogis" choose to be in the background and live a simple life of contemplation and how many are driven by being recognised by their peers as being 'senior" to others in some way or other. It is all driven by desire - status, fame, glorification and recognition (of Baba hence themselves by association) as the highest, etc.
Some BKs are genuinely humble, but for most it is an adopted persona disguising ambition, insecurity, passive-aggressive tendencies, and many other very human emotional needs.
ex-l wrote:
... that is the difficulty in getting a BK enculted individual to talk about anything else *except* for BK Gyan
Yes, Exactly. Which is why I suggested that it not be discussed at all. The BK will spend as much time as possible in affirmative thinking, talking, meditating on their "god" and the ''Gyan'', justifying nonsense to themselves because they
want it to be true. Changing what they
want is is the key I think - and desires are rarely logical.
One of the difficulties for the non-BKs in the equation is that they are trying to work out who on earth has or is going on with their loved one/partner and so they do want to ask questions to find out what it is all about. The BK might respond very enthusiastically to this ...
Pink Panther, remembering that your own experiences are also different from Manoj's, as both the individuals in the family you mention knew what the BKs believed and were about already, how would you suggest he deals with a wife that wants to speak nothing but Gyan ... as the religion encourages them to do?
Yes, all true. I see what you're saying that there is a need to know and understand.
I suggest that if Manoj or the doctor want to understand more about the BKs and Gyan they can find out more objectively from places like this and other forums, wikipedia and other research; they can even ask direct questions of us and others who have been through it, come out the other side and have examined what it was all about.
Returning to my earlier point - which relates to that other topic about BK jargon, BK meditation as a "language" etc.
The basic practice of a BK is one of 24/7 affirmation & confirmation (conform-ation?) - mentally, verbally, actively, meditatively - continually reminding oneself to affirm (in this case) the basic teaching,
"I am soul, Baba is God, this world and everyone in it is impure and it will end soon, I must break all other identifications, forget all other teachings, connect my thoughts to Baba only and follow instructions from Seniors/Murli etc etc". The more they do this, the larger the proportion of their life experience is spent in this state. It becomes the "
norm" more and more, and the rest of life's experiences, relationships, wishes or ambitions, ways of seeing, fade from consciousness.
The approach I suggested to Manojag is an
attitude for encounters with his wife to enable a process of "
normalisation". If a person has been changed by some dramatic or trauma experience, we don't talk about it and make them relive it while the wounds and scars are fresh. Only later will some debriefing and review be done, to help them to sort out what happened to them. That cannot be done while it is still "happening".
Manojag can talk, she need not. If she talks Gyan, as soon as possible change the subject totally away from 'spiritual speculation". Photo albums, gifts from family and friends, news of the neighbourhood (so and so had a baby, so and so has graduated and starting a new career, or maybe neglected interests - music? dance? recipes? - positive present & futures) anything that takes her awareness to a broader "normal" but avoids a sense of a dangerous threatening fragile world. Maybe put it to her in forms of questions, if you wish for responses. e.g '
Sashi graduated. She is very happy but is not sure how to go about getting a job. Do you still have contact with so and so then we can put her in touch?" - you catch my meaning.
Firstly, it
replaces the BK obsessive thoughts and practices (that she is no doubt doing internally) with talk of things that will hopefully
resonate with her deepest heart centre. I also think such an attitude will help her see manojag not as the enemy, but as her friend, someone who has been through "the wars" with her before (families will inevitably go through various ups and downs over the years) someone who is still there for
her regardless, not for what he can get out of her - like certain parties who should not be mentioned. People cannot be told such things and be expected to change their minds. They have to realise it for themselves; she for herself. Creating the environment for self-healing.
Secondly, and maybe more importantly, I think such an attitude will help you Manojag keep your cool and clarity and be less likely to do or say anything counterproductive. Whatever eventuates in the long term, you'll know that you at least were not the one who shut the door, you caused no harm, did nothing spitefully or maliciously or jealously. For yourself and the rest of the family, that will be important.