SRF even sought to gain exclusive rights to the term Self-realization.. Under the guidance and blessing of Swami Kriyananda (1926-2013) and our great guru Yogananda, we have developed communities, schools, businesses, music and the arts, and retreat centers throughout the world where spiritual friendships, meditation, yoga, and selfless service thrive. David Hoffman a retired psychiatrist writes a dear doctor column dispensing advice and answering questions through the La Jolla Light. One recent column was rerun within the Mammoth Times. Therefore, the discussion or mention of a group, organization or person on this page, is not necessarily meant pejoratively. As one minor example among many, a massive, covert campaign of disinformation, was launched to elicit statements from Anandas members that could be used against Ananda in court. If the blueprint for Masters work has been sewn in the ether, as he said, we can only assume that the essence of that blueprint, as of his teachings, is love. However, these three teachers have all been historically referred to as cult leaders. And former students claimed their yoga was often a means of recruitment and basis for abuse. And the helping professional occupies a position of power and influence in that persons life during the course of their therapy/counseling. A few members left over the years, as would be expected of any organization with over 700 resident members worldwide. Swami Satchidananda, Yogi Bhajan and Bhagwhan Shree Rajneesh are three examples of such migrating God men who marketed their supernatural powers in the United States. I have never been, and am not, a devotee of Sai Baba. by | Dec 17, 2021 | termination letter to employee due to business closure | national board for health and wellness coaching | Dec 17, 2021 | termination letter to employee due to business closure | national board for health and wellness coaching Presumably, then, the organization exists solely for the propagation of the methods of inner communion, Yet the instances of Daya Matas service to disciples as a direct channel for her Gurus blessings are too well known among SRFs own members even to require mentioning. Not Hindus only, but Moslems and Christians were among his foremost disciples. Not only can we meditate and pray together, but we also share the same unspoken understandings about many things. I now live in the Ananda community in Mountain View, California, which is located in a complex of seventy-two apartments. The group Ananda Marga first initiated Steven Landau, Chairman of the YA Newsletter Committee. As we hiked the trail over the hill to his house, I felt increasingly tense, wondering if I would measure up to the great mans standards. ananda village controversybuddy miles them changes lyrics. Nor, when I visited the community for the first time in September 1974, or at any time thereafter, did anyone at Ananda ever make the slightest attempt to trick me into thinking that Ananda was connected with SRF. Buy land in the country. On deciding to move to the Ananda community, I therefore wrote a letter to Daya Mata in which I promised always to work for harmony between the two organizations. Kriyananda returned to face the sexual civil case from Ananda's campus in Assisi, Italy, where he was living at the time and where he passed away on Sunday. SRF lost motion after motion, yet it continued to pour millions of its members money into its fruitless legal campaign to destroy Ananda. Once again, a senior SRF monastic had proved capable of acting as the Gurus channel. Standing in line at the local Wal-Mart recently, I overheard a conversation between the check-out clerk and a young woman who was also waiting in line. In the mid-1980's Ananda Europa was founded in Assisi, Italy. Mary Lynn Tucker, Co-chair of the Outreach Committee, studied yoga with Swami Satchidananda and lives near the ashram the guru created named Yogaville.. In fact, it was Swami Kriyananda who persuaded the SRF leadership to accept Turiyananda, even though he was past the accepted age of 30. Unfortunately, some mental health professionals may see this as an opportunity to express their personal beliefs. You will get to serve with like-minded friends in a spiritual environment, study Yoga philosophy and participate intwice-daily sadhanas featuring Ananda Yoga, Ananda Meditation and Energization Exercises. The early Christians were forced to practice their religion secretly, in fear for their lives. A quick rule of thumb might also be, if you see some gurus picture on the wall, or religious statues in the entrance area or practice room, something more than yoga might be lurking within the instruction. The reporter for the Ithaca Times says the Twelve Tribes are a unorthodox religious groupthat worships Jesus.. Instead, they may be benign and generally defined as simply people intensely devoted to a person, place or thing. Most seem to rely on word-of-mouth endorsements from friends, but there are some organizations that register schools and teachers. Money will not be worth the paper it is printed on. There certainly seems to be plenty of gullibility on this side of the globe. Swami Kriyananda had founded Ananda as the fulfillment of one of the fourteen points that Paramhansa Yogananda listed in the first edition of Autobiography of a Yogi as main elements of his world mission: To spread a spirit of brotherhood among all peoples, and to aid in establishing, in many countries, self-sustaining world brotherhood colonies for plain living and high thinking. All references to the world brotherhood colony idea were removed by SRF from editions of Autobiography of a Yogi published after the Masters death. Countless times, I have felt Paramhansa Yoganandas blessings on these businesses. They also have farmhouse style vases that don't scream . It was not only the form of the letter that had changed, but the contents, which seemed to be cut from a mold, whereas Brother Bhaktanandas letters had been rich with inspiration and individual advice. Swami Ramdas told him that he would find his guru later; and so it proved. SRFs thinking is: We run the organization that Paramhansa Yogananda founded. The newspaper article in the Hindu[stan] Times was planted by a devotee who had no idea as to my intentions in my trip. Forced by SRFs ruthless legal harassment to defend ourselves, Ananda was now standing up for the right of devotees everywhere, and in all future ages, to read Yoganandas books, use his photographs, listen to his spoken words, and spread his teachings through their own organizations, free of SRFs sectarian tyranny. Its title pretty much describes what you'll see: " Miss . He freely invited people of all paths to employ the practices of Kriya Yoga to deepen the experience of their chosen faith. Working to serve God and Guru, I never felt the frustrating sense of meaninglessness that can accompany work in companies that are run strictly for profit. After practicing Paramhansa Yoganandas path in relative isolation for years, the idea of a community of fellow disciples was very attractive. Some yoga groups and teachers are essentially interested in proselytizing. However, P.R. Swami Kriyananda discusses this in his book, A Place Called Ananda: Master had informed me that he hadnt organized the lessons himself. Of the jury's decision to award her $625,000 in compensation, she said that the financial reward was not worth all that she had been through. But I find little joy in the thought of going backward in time, toward authoritarian religious institutionalism. The astronaut will actually lecture at the Neyyar Dam Sivananda yoga ashram. OLeary sent the following statement to CultNews via email: I am in India now, with absolutely no intention to visit Sai Baba. After all, we are the standard bearers for Yoganandas work!, These calls got to be quite a joke. S-90-0846 EJG PAN. However, the facts dont support such an arrogant conclusion. Even if SRF bent its rules and gave tacit support, wouldnt the organization, given itspresent mind-set, tend to feel a bit nervous about such groups, lest they, when their countries became free, might decide to create their own, separate churches, based on the strong local focus of spiritual energy and magnetism that had been generated during the times of persecution? Living at Ananda, I often reflected on SRFs animosity towards us. It shows great courage on the part of Lahiri Mahasaya that, although a high-caste Brahmin, he tried his utmost to dissolve the rigid caste bigotry of his time. View The Expanding Light Calendar, The Ananda School of Yoga and Meditation (based at The Expanding Light) offers teacher training in yoga, meditation, yoga therapy, and spiritual counseling. I was intensely curious to know what this former SRF traveling teacher was doing, founding a community. And, in response to my question about how to develop more devotion, he wrote inspiringly, Fathomless depths of love for God lie hidden in the human heart, waiting to be uncovered by the Gurus liberating discipline.. Most of what they have they are paying for on the installment plan. In the community, all of my neighbors are friends who share the same spiritual path. It is a fore-mirroring of the millions who, as Paramhansa Yogananda himself predicted, will be drawn to this path. It's a five-minute walk to Ananda Village spiritual community and the Expanding Light Retreat in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California. Ananda is a worldwide movement to help you realize the joy of your own higher Self. "Some of my friends are still with Ananda. Brother Dharmananda began the interview by asking me some questionsthat were clearly intended to test my spiritual mettle. About ten years ago, I visited him to observe his Siddha powers from the point of view of a scientist.. Ananda Village is a spiritual community of over 200 residents approximately 25 minutes north of downtown Nevada City. We at Ananda have never attacked SRF. The stories of SRFs behavior were legion. Please explore our site and contact us with your inquiries or to say hello. This means that the patient is frequently very vulnerable and suggestible. "He strongly disapproved of Ananda, which is what caused the rift between us," Bertolucci said. "It's been such an ordeal," she said. These writings were deeply inspiringfar more so than most of the pallid, church-sanctioned tracts that are common in the West, where official religious instruction is freely available. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Many of his followers left in the 90s. For a lunch, visitors will find delicious vegetarian fare at the Expanding Light Retreat or at Master's Market in downtown Ananda Village. She said last week that she probably would not have had the strength to continue with her case if she had been the only one. The project is scheduled for a hearing . I stumbled upon Ananda websites, and only feel goodness from mission as I understand it. She idolized its leaders, he said, which made it all the more difficult when things began to go wrong. "At first I thought I was alone," said Bertolucci in an interview with the Weekly in 1996. (Master considered running an ideal exercise, Brother Bhaktananda wrote in a letter. One evening, at a party at the home of a famous woman ultramarathoner, the publisher offered me a job. In its ten-year legal barrage against Ananda, SRFs behavior is hardly reflective of the courageous dedication to truth that Yogananda espoused. Doin the Vatican Rag! Three months later, after visiting a cult de-programmer and an attorney, she filed a civil lawsuit against Ananda, alleging that she was sexually exploited by senior minister Danny Levin, who was vice president of Crystal Clarity Publishing where she worked. For my money, SRFs thinking reflected an amazing degree of organizational pride: How could Ananda not be pretending to be SRF? they seemed to be saying. It has helped me as I have family in SRF who question why. ! she exclaimed. They also host the Ananda Virtual Community, providing support, inspiration and spiritual friendship to truthseekers worldwide. The yogi makes money from businesses run by his yoga disciples, but was sued for assault, battery, fraud and deceit. He decided to settle out of court. A plethora of neo-eastern gurus and New Age types are hoping to cash in on the yoga craze. Historically, many Indian gurus and swamis sensed this and moved to the United States. Hare Krishna teacher abuses children in Dallas, ABC News show GMA3 promotes purported cult leaders as inspirational couples counselors and thought leaders, Rudolf Steiner, Racism and Waldorf Schools, Order of Christ Sophia has become a dangerous and destructive organization, Racist, sexist, homophobic cult leader dead at 83, Nature Boy and the cult called Carbonation, Animal Rights and Environmental Extremists, General Assembly Church of the First Born, Lyndon LaRouche and Executive Intelligence Report, Oklahoma City Bombing, Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, True & Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the L. But cults have a nasty way of getting headlines, through bad behavior and shattered lives. Decentralization, not strong central control, is the spirit of this age. But Walters and his followers persevered. Kriyananda never remotely claimed to be a guru, nor did he ever expect us to treat him like one. I meditated twice daily with unwavering consistency, and I increasingly felt Paramhansa Yoganandas guidance and inspiration in my life. These benefits are priceless, especially when I compare them with the circumstances in which most devotees of our path must live, isolated from others who share their beliefs, and forced to work among people who are at best indifferent to their spiritual aspirations. I had joined SRF in 1967. In 1998, The Union reported the church's legal costs alone approached $4 million between both legal battles, forcing Ananda to file for bankruptcy. With Brother Bhaktanandas encouragement, I had taken up running for exercise. I never spoke privately with her, nor did I ever receive her verbal guidance, yet she always conveyed the Masters inspiration. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Now you can learn the true story in the words of the Ananda members themselves that reveal their sincere dedication, and their devotion to serving the Gurus work creatively, free from top-down, micromanaging, Kali Yuga centralized control. Contact the Meditation Retreat at 530-478-7557 or emailmailto:[emailprotected]. Roberts writes, Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) devoted 45 years of his life to studying the teachings of Parmahansa Yogananda.. I had noticed Kriyanandas picture in old copies of Self-Realization magazine. When I eventually had a chance to read some of Yoganandas writings and talks in earlier, unedited texts, I experienced the same raw power of spiritual inspiration and authority that I had sensed in the works of Swami Ramdas, Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Aurobindo, Swami Ram Tirtha, Sri Ramana Maharshi, and others. Ananda became more and more famous as Walters tirelessly promoted it around the country. Amazingly, the community tolerated this behavior, primarily because of the gentle urging of Swami Kriyananda. Thats exactly what it is!. At the time, I chalked it up to institutional jealousy. Judge Edward Garcia, the federal district judge in charge of SRFs lawsuit against Ananda, observed during a hearing, It sounds like you [SRF] want to put them [Ananda] out of business. In one of his rulings, Judge Garcia expressed concern for the First Amendment issues that were involvedin the case, namely, the freedom of small groups to practice their religion without fear of legal and financial harassment by larger organizations. Discover Yogananda Through His Out-of-Print Works. This news page is about groups, organizations or movements, which may have been called "cults" and/or "cult-like" in some way, shape or form. It is understood that people seeking help from a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist or professional counselor are typically at a time of personal need often also accompanied by stress, depression and/or anxiety. Readers who desire proof can read Anandas legal documents. But despite such observations Westerners often suppose smugly that they are somehow less susceptible to spiritual hucksters, than say people in Calcutta. American law does not look kindly on religious monopolies. Even these people, however, may be interested to note that, of persons reputed to have prophetic vision, every single one has predicted terrible sufferings for humanity in the years to come. Most are perfectly safe places to exercise and get in shape, but some are worrisome. While Ananda has been forced to defend itself against SRFs lawsuit, I have sensed an underlying respect at Ananda for SRFs leaders as fellow disciples of our Guru. Does America need a crack down? The prominent lawyer litigated and won the landmark appellate court decision, Molko v. Holy Spirit Association (1988) 46 Cal.3d 1092. Theyre in it for the exercise and the physical benefitshold the chanting and the New Age vibes, reports Newsweek. In the apartment complex where I live, no one ever complains when someone organizes a rousing kirtan in the beautiful central courtyard on a balmy summer evening. This Australian article puffs on almost like an ad campaign, complete with a price quote per school term and a mention for a booklet by Hubbard called The Way to Happiness. I knew with intuitive certainty that he was inspired by God. Spirit Association ( 1988 ) 46 Cal.3d 1092 find his guru later ; so... What caused the rift between us, '' said Bertolucci in an interview with the Weekly 1996. Age vibes, reports Newsweek Times says the Twelve Tribes are a unorthodox religious groupthat worships... 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