In a quiet garden surrounding away from the busy highways and traffic lies the Bahrain Meditation Centre, a place of Raj Yoga or spirituality. The Centre is a Non-profit Organization which provides seminars, lectures as well as experiential workshops to impart positive values and stress-free living.
The Bahrain Mediation Centre is administered by the Brahma Kumaris (World Spiritual University) based in Mt.Abu, Rajasthan, India. It has just about four full time volunteers apart from other local voluntary groups who ensure that the Centre is run effectively so the values and teachings of Raj Yoga meditation are well passed on to all those who frequent the Centre.
Situated in the capital state of Manama, the Bahrain Mediation Centre came into existence nearly a decade back but was officially registered as an NGO sometime in 2007. Starting from a homely surrounding, it has shifted places few times until it got its own fully developed Centre in Umm Al Hassam, Manama. The enclosed two-storey villa has a big hall where Meditation is practiced daily in the evening from about 7-7.30pm. Adjacent to the villa is a beautiful garden with a very small pond to give a natural surrounding for the attendees.
Besides the daily meditation wherein anyone is welcome, the Centre organizes Workshops every month for Self-Development, according to Sister Ansuya, a full-time volunteer of the Centre. She explained that the Raj Yoga aspects allows an individual to connect with his/her Inner Self and imparts the core values of life (Karma). These group workshops lay emphasis on the spiritual aspect of life, irrespective of which ever religion one belongs to and is a way to connect to God.
Such is the popularity of the Bahrain Meditation Centre that a lot of locals visit and attend these workshops and experience the calming effect of meditation. Sister Ansuya stated that among those who regularly attend the Centre, nearly 70% are local citizens while the rest 30% are Indians as well as other nationalities. Some of the locals who have attended such workshops have become volunteers especially for the Arabic speaking audience which has convinced the Centre to arrange these Self-Development workshops in Arabic as well as English over the last few years.
According to Ebrahim Dossary, the chairman of the Society, the Bahrain Meditation Centre provides the perfect place for all those locals as well as expatriates to seek inner peace. He cited that with the recent turmoil in the surrounding Arab countries, it is all the more appropriate that residents have this venue to soothe their mind and connect with their inner self. He felt that the Centre has been able to develop Bahrainis as well as other nationalities into better human beings and individuals and hopes more people would be able to benefit from their society.
The Bahrain Meditation Centre had organized few three-day Retreats in 2009/10 but now is preparing to have their second major Conference in April 2012 with the title 'Awakening your Inner Power & Potential’. Leading personalities are expected to attend this major Conference on Meditation as well as leaders from the Brahma Kumaris movement.
Very recently the Centre had a half-day workshop and Retreat on 'Mending Broken Hearts’ which was attended in large numbers on Friday 23rd December.