Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 24. Chapters: Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, Ananda Marga, Siddha Yoga, Santiniketan Park Association, Isha Foundation, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, 3HO, Self-Realization Fellowship, Adhyatmik Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gaiam, American Meditation Institute, Russian Yoga Federation, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, White Lotus Foundation, Bihar Yoga Bharati, Self-Realization Order. Excerpt: Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU) or Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya is a monastic, renunciate Millenarian new religious movement (NRM) of Indian origin. It teaches a form of meditation adherents called Raja Yoga, but which differs from the classical Raja Yoga described by Patanjali. A neo-Hindu religious movement, the Brahma Kumaris (Hindi: , pron., abbrv. BK) pre-date the New Age movement but have developed characteristics that link them to its thinking.. It advocates a lifestyle which includes a vegetarian diet, celibacy, and avoidance of alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Historically, the Brahma Kumaris have not been without controversy and a range of accusations against them have been made - see the section on controversies below for details. The controversies have involved researchers, previous members, government agency reports and the press. The origin of BKWSU can be traced to the group "Om Mandali," founded by Lekhraj Kripalani (1876-1969) in Hyderabad, Sindh in the 1930s. Lekhraj Kripalani, known as "Dada Lekhraj" and later known as "Brahma Baba" to his followers, was a Diamond merchant and follower of the Vaishnavite Vallabhacharya Sect. Dada Lekhraj (Brahma Baba) retired from his business with assets of 1,000,000 Indian rupees to turn to spirituality. Their original spiritual knowledge was obtained though "divine revelations" and "divine visions" ...