Information and Invitation to Register

March 2025 Eight‐day International Teachers’ Training for the Foundation Course in Raja Yoga Meditation
Om Shanti Retreat Centre (ORC), Delhi

Arrivals Tuesday, 11th March, mid-day latest
Departures Wednesday, 19th March after noon

Dear Centre Coordinators,
(Please share with any potential Teacher Training participants)

Om Shanti and Greetings of the Season.

Further to the Diary Date email sent in September, we are pleased to provide further information about the International Teacher Training at ORC, Delhi in March 2025 and invite potential participants to register. This email holds all the information for those who wish to attend. Please read the whole email. The registration link is provided at the end.

ORC Teachers’ Training is open to:
1) BKs who would like to learn and gain confidence in starting to teach the Foundation Raja Yoga Course, 2) those who are already teaching and would like to update their skills and receive feedback on their effectiveness, 3) those who are keen to simply review the course in depth, 4) experienced teachers who would like to support the training with their experience and facilitation and 5) those who would like to play a support role (see information at the end of the email).  All categories of participants will find this immersion in Baba’s knowledge and yoga invaluable. Prior training attendees will be permitted to attend in a support role. Participants should be in gyan at least five years and attend the Centre regularly. (Exceptions to this must be confirmed with the trainers).

This training covers: the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of the Raja Yoga course as well as sessions on meditation and experiential facilitation and learning skills. It also includes a number of practicums – sessions in which participants develop their presentation skills by practice-teaching a segment of a lesson after which they are given constructive feedback by their peers. The schedule provides for a comfortably paced training that allows free time in the afternoon. There will also be evening sessions and some classes conducted by seniors.

Those interested in attending should plan their arrival and departure timings so as to not miss any of the sessions. We ask that participants plan travel from Madhuban or elsewhere so that they arrive at ORC on 11th March morning, especially if travelling by train. The first session of the training is a Welcome Session on Tuesday 11th March evening which includes important information and thus is essential to attend. The last session will be on Wednesday 19th March morning. For those planning to go to Madhuban, this training is between the Double Foreigner Madhuban Programme Groups 9 and 10. The training finishes at lunchtime on Wednesday 19th March to give those attending Group 10 sufficient time to reach Madhuban in time for BapDada's meeting on Friday 21st March 2025.

Please note that there is a quota system for Group 9. Please check whether or not there is space in the country quota for participants from your centre to visit Madhuban at that time before the student registers.

To participants registering:
It is important and expected that participants attend all sessions of the training. Those who cannot attend for the full seven days will not be permitted to attend.

Very important: All participants must register and receive a confirmation email with the travel form link before booking their travel.  Please book travel only after receiving the confirmation email (not just the registration receipt). Once you are confirmed and your travel is booked, please provide the information to your Centre Coordinator for uploading to the Double Foreigner Travel Database. Please also send a copy to ORC Transport at orc.transport@bkivv.org.

The training will be conducted by experienced teachers Sisters Margaret Barron, Rekha Vallishayee and Dipti Khatry (UK) and Mary-Jeanne Tremblay (Canada). There will also be special sessions on experiential learning methods as well as practicums and meditation sessions. We will also have spiritual input and sustenance from seniors.

Sister Margaret, in gyan since 1992, is involved with the Raja Yoga Education Department, UK and co-facilitates experiential training for new and established teachers in London and around the UK. She has also facilitated training for BK teachers in Europe, US, Malaysia and South India, designed to make the delivery of the Raja Yoga Course more interactive, creative, and supportive of all types of learners. Sister Rekha, in gyan since 1994, has been teaching for over 20 years and is a main instrument supporting Raja Yoga education for the BK Tamil community worldwide. Sister Dipti, an experienced teacher and in gyan since 1986, was instrumental in setting up online learning for London at the beginning of the lockdown and has expertise in facilitating the use of technology for interactive teaching. Sister Mary-Jeanne, in gyan since 1995, has been assisting with Teacher Trainings since 2013.

As well as attending the training, participants will also be given a link to access a robust collection of Raja Yoga Teaching Resources.

Please note that attending this training does not automatically qualify participants to teach. The participant’s Centre Coordinator will decide this in conjunction with the participant. This will be emphasised during the training. Note: the registration form will ask participants whether they follow the principles of pure diet, purity in relationships, regular Amrit Vela, and Murli class. All information will be kept confidential.

A note about language: The training will be in English.  If participants need translation into another language, their centre / language group must provide at least two translators. Please make sure there are two translators available before registering.

Some people have been asking what would be the expected amount of donation for attending a week long training. Here is a suggestion, but please give what is realistically possible for you. We realise that many countries are facing higher costs of living at the current time.

Suggested contribution for the training:
For participants from developing countries, seniors suggested -- Rs 11,000 to 14,000 (USD $155-200) as a sensible contribution to ORC. For participants from the US, Europe or Australia, Rs 23,000 ($325 USD or $425 AUD or €270 Euros) has been the suggested amount. If you are able to give more than this, it will help cover the cost for those who are unable to contribute the suggested amount.

Please note that the suggested amount does not include the transport fee that will be collected separately by ORC from each participant (roughly Rs. 1500-2000) but it does cover all other costs (i.e. food and facilities for the training).

As mentioned earlier, some experienced teachers are needed to help facilitate the practicum sessions, so if you are already teaching, are interested in the training to refresh your skills, and are willing to play this role, kindly let us know by indicating this in the appropriate place on the registration form (i.e. Practicum Facilitator). You would need to arrive BY NOON on the 11th March - without exception - to participate in a facilitator's briefing session later that afternoon. Interested facilitators are kindly requested to send an email to: teachertraining@brahmakumaris.org detailing their previous facilitation experience.

Also a few support helpers who have good office and people skills are also needed to help with various tasks including administration/computer, non-computer office support, kitchen help and special diets. Once these tasks are completed such helpers are welcome to join any of the sessions except the practicums, however, their first responsibility is to fulfil their support duties. If there is anyone in your Centre who is at least five years in knowledge whom you feel would be suitable and enjoy this opportunity for service, they can complete the registration as a Support Helper and select the area(s) they are willing to help in.

Please pass this information to anyone who you feel would be a suitable participant for the training, or an experienced teacher who might like to help as a practicum facilitator or anyone to help in the support role. After obtaining permission from their Centre Coordinator, all participants (regardless of role) must register for the training directly online at: https://brahmakumaris.org/r/teacher-training-orc-2025  as soon as possible but no later than Friday 31st January 2025. Please note there are only limited places available.

In Baba’s remembrance,

Sisters Margaret Barron (UK), Mary-Jeanne (Canada), Rekha Vallishayee and Dipti Khatry (UK)
Members of the International Teacher Training Team