A Willesden Yogi has been in Glasgow teaching how inner resilience can help people to make the planet a better place to live.

Sister Jayanti, European director of Brahma Kumaris in Pound Lane, has been leading a delegation to the UN climate change conferences since 2009, with the aim of raising the awareness of the connection between consciousness and climate change.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Sr Jayanti at the Climate & Nature session at COP26, organised by WWFSr Jayanti at the Climate & Nature session at COP26, organised by WWF (Image: Brahma Kumaris)

The spiritual yogi has sat on a number of panels during the two week United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26).

She joined a Climate and Nature session organised by the World Wildlife Fund which explored the role that faith-based organizations can play in advocating for strong action on climate and biodiversity.

"Whatever starts inside is going to reach outside," she said.

"We started talking about inner consciousness impacting climate and biodiversity many years ago but it was a few years ago that UNESCO had as its banner: ‘Changing Minds, not Climate’.

"I was very pleased that that concept had reached places like UNESCO but also other people too."

Brent & Kilburn Times: Sr Jayanti, of Brahma Kumaris, makes a speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in GlasgowSr Jayanti, of Brahma Kumaris, makes a speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (Image: Brahma Kumaris)

While at the conference Sr Jayanti made a speech at an Interfaith prayer & mediation vigil explaining how spirituality teaches people that everything begins inside and is then translated into words and actions on the outside which then sees practical changes manifest.

"Climate change is now on red alert. The call of the time is for us to raise our consciousness to a higher level, so that we consider not only peace with human beings but peace with all forms of life and the planet itself."

She added: "We cannot have the same lifestyle that we have had for the last century and still expect to reduce carbon emissions so that we keep to 1.5 degrees celsius rise in temperature.

"It is impossible to have both; we have to choose one or the other.

"Spiritual power means to be ready to change my levels of physical comfort for the greater good of humanity and the planet."

Brent & Kilburn Times: Interfaith prayer & mediation vigil in St George's Square, Glasgow, as part of COP26Interfaith prayer & mediation vigil in St George's Square, Glasgow, as part of COP26 (Image: Brahma Kumaris)

She encouraged people to build up their "inner resilience" using her own experience to guide people.

"If I'm strong I can deal with what happens around me. If I don't have that inner capacity, I'm not able to deal with issues in the right way and my distress intensifies. We see it again and again."

"In silence I am able to feel my own power develop."