St. Petersburg, Russia: May 1945 saw the end of the most cruel warfare in the history of mankind. A special commemorative event dedicated to the Day of Victory in World War II took place in Lighthouse, the Brahma Kumaris Centre in St. Petersburg.
LOVE AND KINDNESS
Mr Nikita Blagovo, educationist, author, winner of Nicholas Roerich International Prize, who is in his 80s now, belongs to the generation of “children of the war”. Sharing his impressions after the event, he said, “Today we had a dialogue about factors that separate people and ones that unite them. There should be no walls or fences between us, and the way to overcome the barriers is love and kindness. Today I am especially happy to see that the auditorium of Lighthouse is fully packed. It is wonderful that so many people have come here to listen to words of spiritual wisdom. This is of utmost importance in our challenging time of controversies and senseless bloodshed.”
Insightful presentations of the speakers inspired the audience to think deeper about inner roots of conflicts that create fences between people, communities, and nations. Timeless lyrical retro songs, a lively dance “Sword of Goodness” and the moments spent in silent contemplation contributed to creating an atmosphere of unity, peace and power.
POWER OF SILENCE
“Silence is natural for a human soul”, said BK Vijay Kumar. “The world around us is filled with sound. During wars, sounds and noise reach their extreme. However, if I am able to maintain inner silence even amidst this outer havoc, this is a true victory. The victory lies in realising and remembering the truth about the self. I am a peaceful soul. This awareness enables us to finish chaos in our own mind, in the first place. By becoming victorious in this way, we bring benefit to the world in general. As an old saying goes, in your stage of ascent there is benefit for everyone.”
FREE FROM DESIRES
“Quarrels, conflicts and fights cannot be part of our original history”, said Didi Santosh, Brahma Kumaris director in St. Petersburg. “When did the degree of our love drop to the extent that we developed suspicion, anger, and an aggressive attitude? When did we start to construct fences and fortress walls? If we watch closely, we can see that the root cause of a conflict lies in our having desires of any kind. Desires prevent us from accommodating other people’s nature and accepting our own faults. This leads to creating a space of miscommunication between individuals and communities. In this space, mutual understanding and dialogue prove to be impossible, and consequently, walls and fences appear.”
FAITH
Mr. Albert Asadullin, famous Russian singer, is convinced that faith leads to victory. “We should have faith in the self and the Supreme. At the time of trials, even a non-believer would cry out, “Oh my God!” Attaining victory over the self is perhaps the most important feat. One can renovate their flat, or even construct a new house, but self-transformation is a much tougher task. I would say that the Brahma Kumaris is a spiritual hospital where they help you to overcome your old internal maladies.”
PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING
Ms. Heiransa Mirzoyeva, university professor, art director of “Chinar” dance group, thinks that we require two main virtues for preventing conflicts. “Patience and understanding are something we need the most. One has to learn to curb their anger and try to understand the feelings of those around them. This is an internal war that continues on a daily basis. To succeed in this means to attain a true victory.”