In her second feature on the Brahma Kumaris,Vivienne Du Bourdieu speaks to a remarkable spiritual woman, Dadi Janki

Yoga and life itself have taught me there are no coincidences.

From body shape to religious beliefs, we are all different. Paul Harvey explains how viniyoga respects the needs of the individual student In an age which spawned the “me” generation, the viniyoga approach has won many adherents. Often thought to be a more organic form of yoga than other, more structured styles, it emphasises how the discipline can be made relevant to your particular life. Its teachings respect differences in age, gender, mental and physical health, culture, religion and occupation. Viniyoga believes in adapting all aspects of yoga to our particular needs and potential, integrating movement, breathing and attention for better physical and mental health and awareness.

As we mature into a deeper spiritual perspective we take responsibility for our own internal states. It is daunting to be faced with a mind that is unruly and the practices of concentration and energetic clarity developed through a balanced asana practice are of huge importance. There are practical techniques to help us on this path, which can be incorporated into our lives. Meditation using either visual (yantra, mandala,), auditory (mantra, music) or kinaesthetic (breath, body sensation) support helps to focus the mind, in order to allow space and stillness for transformation.

After the Buddha’s death the task of preserving his teachings began. His disciples created a record of the discourses on Dharma and Vinaya (the rules of monastic conduct) known as the Tripitaka or the Three Baskets. Buddhism went through many changes in the 500 years following the Buddha’s death, and more than 20 different monastic schools emerged. Indian Buddhism was nearly wiped out completely in the 13th century by invading Muslims, however as the monks travelled they took the Buddhist texts with them and were able to integrate the teachings into other countries’ indigenous religions.

Yantras and mandalas are geometric diagrams used within yoga for meditation purposes and in Hindu and Buddhist spiritual practice, particularly tantrism. Taken from the Sanskrit word ‘yam’ which means to sustain or hold, with ‘tra’ indicating instrumentality, yantras can be seen as a receptacle of spiritual knowledge, or a means to hold our concentration during meditation. Although often used as interchangeable terms, yantras are usually enclosed in a square space and are more commonly associated with Hinduism, mandalas tend to be round, and associated with Buddhism.

Time is an elusive entity.We wait in an airport for what feels like days, the clock ticking slowly, then our holiday seems to be over in a flash. Sitting in bound lotus position for a few minutes, we might feel condemned to eternal torture. While in meditation, we can open up so that time drops away and what seems like just minutes of sitting has seen the clock tick through a whole hour. It’s all about perception.

It probably hasn’t escaped your notice that Kabbalah has become all the rage in Hollywood over the past few years. It also has taken hold of the pop icons such as Madonna, Brittany, Dolly and many more. What is the fascination that is based on a book named the Zohar that was written by Rabbi Moses ben Shem Tov de Leon in thirteenth century Spain?

 Uri Geller finds the number eleven deeply significant.

Clocks and Watches at 11:11

When I see the number 11:11 I pray for sick children and world peace, the prayer takes a moment but it's very powerful. Please – if you can do the same, I believe it helps!!!! I believe that people who have constant recurring experiences and contact with 11:11 phenomena have some type of a positive mission to accomplish. It is still a mystery to me what it is that we all have to do or why are we all being gathered and connected together, but it is very real and tangible. I feel that it is immensely positive, almost like there is a thinking entity sending us these physical and visual signs from beyond. In me it activates the power of prayer, love and determination to somehow help the world. Some day I suspect we will find out the true meaning behind this incredible phenomenon.

Rooted firmly in the animistic belief that every object has an inner life and a divine spirit living within it, shamanism pre-dates many spiritual traditions.

Shamanism is practiced in tribal communities on every continent the world over and maintains an astonishing consistency in its essence and components, despite vast differences among its practitioners in terms of culture and geography. University of California anthropology professor Johannes Wilbert notes “a remarkable correspondence… not only in general content but specific detail” among the shamanic practices of indigenous peoples on opposite ends of the Earth, separated by sea, land mass and language.

Martin Bohn discovers why ancient Vedic traditions are still relevant.

The young woman just about to start university; the newly-wed couple; the elderly lady at the end of her working life; the old man who leaves home to spend his last years in a care home. They all have something in common: They are in a transition from one stage of life into another.