Raja Yoga Center

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on December 8 2023 In today’s Climate Wisdom series, the moderator Sonja Ohlsson - Director, Brahma Kumaris Environment Initiative reminded us of our interconnection with nature and the possibility of feeling grief when it gets destroyed. “I remember experiencing climate grief when I noticed birch trees drying up in my home town.” The  panel  of  experts were Maureen Goodman - Programme Director for the Brahma Kumaris, UK; Bishop Marika Markovits - Link ping Diocese, Sweden and Lora Almutairi - Public Authority Of Agriculture Affairs, Kuwait Bishop Marika noted that they are having three goals, first one is to be climate neutral by 2030, the second goal is to work towards climate justice and the third one is the change of values. Her institutions wants to be a humble example to others. Initially, the community did carry the notion that humans [...]

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on December 6 2023 In today’s Climate Wisdom series, the moderator Golo Pilz - Adviser Renewable Energy, Brahma Kumaris, shared the prediction that airconditioner sales are bound to soar in the coming years proving a huge impact on the climate. Also there is a move, particularly in India, to move towards millets instead of wheat because of water conservation and low air pollution.The panel of experts for this episode were Sister Jayanti - Add. Admin. Head of the Brahma Kumaris; Emmanuel Sobel Seck, Director of ENDA Energie, Senegal.Vibha Dhawan, PhD, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)Vibha noted that the impact of climate change impacts the struggling countries most, although they have had no role to play in the damage. We only have one planet to live in, let’s not leave everything to the government. Everyone must own this responsibility.  “Sustainability [...]

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on December 4 2023 The panel of experts for this episode of Climate Wisdom were Sister Jayanti - Add. Admin. Head of the Brahma Kumaris; Bishop Philip Huggins - Anglican Church, Diocese of Melbourne and Thomas Hirsch - Founder and Director Climate Development Advice, Germany Sonja Ohlsson, Director, Brahma Kumaris Environment Initiative was the moderator for the evening. She shared a touching experience of a five day conference in Nigeria where she witnessed the change of presidency. A courageous woman said let’s take a moment to remember why we are all her, asked everyone to stand up and remember their favorite river, forest or anything else from nature and asked everyone to contemplate on that for a minute in silence. After everyone experienced absolute stillness, she said ‘that’s why we are all here’. I met so many people and heard so [...]

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on December 5 2023 Before engaging the panel experts in the climate wisdom studio, Golo Pilz - Adviser Renewable Energy, Brahma Kumaris, highlighted a recent study by the world economic forum that the transition to clean technology and net zero emissions could benefit the world economy with a staggering amount of $43 Trillion.  The panel of experts for this episode were Sister Jayanti - Add. Admin. Head of the Brahma Kumaris;  Alan Bigelow - PhD, Program and Science Director, Solar Cookers and Apoorva Bose - Programme Coordinator, G20 Global Initiative on Land, UN Convention for Combating Desertification. Alan believes that awareness levels on climate change have gone up thanks to COP, besides people are having a higher sense of urgency to do something and there is ‘political will’ more than ever before. Reforestation, Alan said, is one of our focal areas; [...]

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on December 3 2023 The moderator for this evening’s Climate Wisdom, Golo Pilz, set the tone by updating the audience on the controversies surrounding COP28. Some believe that there is no need to phase off fossil fuel to reach 1.5 degree whilst others, mostly scientists say that there is no more time to lose. Methane gas, he added, is often overlooked which is about 80 times more powerful than carbon emissions. Our panel of experts for the evening were Hanna Soldal - Act Church of Sweden, Advocacy advisor with focus on climate justice; Shantanu Mandal - Youth representative of the Brahma Kumaris to UNEP, works with International Union Conservation of Nature and Youngo and Sister Jayanti, Additional Administrative Head of the Brahma Kumaris. Hanna was always compassionate towards nature since her childhood and would yearn for White Christmas [...]

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on December 2, 2023 Golo Pilz, the moderator for the evening, opened this episode of Climate Wisdom with an update on COP28. After 3 days, the heads of states are now leaving and the delegates are dealing with the details, formulations, commerce, and every other thing needed in order to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. These are tricky and interesting times as negotiators are under immense pressure. Our experts the evening were Dr. Vera Rodenhoff - Head of Division, German Ministry, Environment, Nature Conservation Building and Nuclear Safety; Carlos Zepeda - PhD, Assistant Director of Policy and Practice at the Laudato Si Research Institute and Sister Jayanti, Add. Admin. Head of the Brahma Kumaris Dr Vera reminded the audience that this climate crisis is one of the worst that humanity is facing; she likes to hike and loves [...]

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on December 1, 2023 The UN Climate Conference at COP28 agreed on a major breakthrough to operationalize a fund for the loss and damage caused by climate change, as shared the moderator for the live studio, Golo Pilz - advisor for renewal energy, Brahma Kumaris. The other experts on the panel were Allen Ottaro - Director of Catholic Youth Network for Environment Sustainability in Africa, Elena Cedillo - Program Executive for Climate Justice, Lutheran World Federation and Sister Jayanti, Additional Administrative Head of the Brahma Kumaris. Allen is an important representative of the youth in Africa who wishes to see how global commitments are implemented at grass roots. “We are watching the commitments that the government is making and will hold them accountable in our communities after the cameras are gone,” he stated. His endeavor is to shape an [...]

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on November 30, 2023 2023 has been the hottest year on record so far, as reported by the ‘World Meteorological Department’, leaving behind a trail of devastation and a climate collapse - observed the moderator Golo Pilz, advisor for renewal energy, Brahma Kumaris. This set today’s context to the live ‘Climate Wisdom Studio on Care, Share & Inspire’ from Dubai, UAE. The experts for this evening were: Diane Shisk, International Reference Person for Climate Change in Re-evaluation Counseling; Rob Wheeler, Global Ecovillage Network and the Commons Cluster, UNEP and Sister Jayanti, Additional Administrative Head of the Brahma Kumaris. "We must learn to listen without judgement. That encourages others to express and release their emotions which not only makes them feel better, but their minds clear up, they can think better and can face situations,” said Diane Shisk. She [...]

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on November 29 2023 The context for the live streaming from Raja Yoga Center on Climate Wisdom was set by the moderator Golo Pilz, advisor for renewal energy, Brahma Kumaris.  COP28 is organised by the UN framework for climate and is happening in Dubai. More than 75,000 delegates from 190 countries have gathered making it the largest conference ever. The agenda is ‘stock taking’ where the promises and pledges given by countries at the Paris climate agreement during COP 15 will be explored. The panel of experts for the evening  were Hemavathi S Shekhar, Climate Justice Advocate, Founder & Director of Enact Earth Foundation, Iyad Abumoghli, Director - Faith for Earth UN Environment Programme and Sister Jayanti, Addl. Administrative head of the Brahma Kumaris. Hemavathi renewed hopes by sharing various instances where courts (of justice) are open, supportive and [...]

Care, Share and Inspire - Climate Wisdom from COP28 on November 27 2023 The Climate Wisdom Studio hosted by Raja Yoga Center in Dubai brings together experts from science, politics and spirituality to explore new avenues to tackle the climate crisis. The panel of experts for this evening are Sonja Ohlsson, Director – Brahma Kumaris Environment Initiative and Mark Ballabon, Environmentalist and Acclaimed Author of ‘Home’.   Chaitya Sanghavi, Research Analyst and Youth Rep moderated the session and set the context on the need for being ‘climate positive’ because of the visible protests and aggression visible around the world when it comes to climate change. Mark Bellabon has the philosophy that we should not fight against those who are not doing much about climate change. We can stand against them but put our feet in the path of what we are fighting for. Focus on all the positive [...]