Brahma Kumaris 50 years in the UK: Spiritual leader Sister Jayanti visits Worthing

The Lighthouse Retreat Centre, in Marine Parade, saw it as a golden opportunity to explore the teachings of this women-led organisation, a worldwide spiritual university.

Sister Jayanti, European director of Brahma Kumaris, was in conversation with former Worthing mayoress Vicky Vaughan on Tuesday, October 26, in front of invited guests, including Worthing deputy youth mayor Henny Sonnemann-Petty.

Jasmine Carter, from the Lighthouse Centre, said: “The BKs are dedicated to teaching people how to access their inner light of wisdom, peace and happiness and so become increasingly worry free, despite the challenges of life.”

Vicky set the scene by using the acronym LIGHT, standing for light leadership, inspiration, genuineness, harmony and thankful.

She cited Steven Jeffery, headmaster at Our Lady of Sion School, as a great example of light leadership, as he had inspired her to connect with the BKs after his students enjoyed a talk about their work during assembly.

Discussing inspiration, Sister Jayanti said people needed a mind that was clear in order to catch it and then wonderful things could emerge.

She said people needed to find inner space and experience moments of silence and peace within the self to help understand what truth is.

Some simple, practical methods were offered as a way of being thankful.

Vicky said she finds three things to be thankful for every day and Sister Jayanti inspired everyone to go further with a three-step exercise, write down 100 things you are grateful for over your life, each night write 10 points of gratitude and in the morning write 10 points of gratitude. She said so many people shared with her how this exercise had turned their life around.

The event ended with guided meditation.