But during the next three weeks, she says, she saw the Swami mistreating his disciples, especially the women, on a daily basis-yelling at them, ridiculing them, ordering them around, and occasionally kicking a woman in the buttocks when she was on her hands and knees weeding. The Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, nestled in the beautiful Pocono Mountains in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1971. Pandit Rajmani says he also has concrete reasons to know that Swami Rama could not be sleeping with his disciples. The jury awarded $275,000 in compensatory damages and $1.6 million in punitive damages to the woman. Outside of work, Sawana has been married to her wonderful husband since 2008 and together they have 3 beautiful sons. Himalayan Institute Online Our new online platform for community, courses, and content. In order to believe in his perfection, they must rationalize behavior that others would judge to be tyrannical, cruel, or self-indulgent. Following on the wave of favorable publicity, Swami Rama founded the Himalayan Institute in Illinois in 1971. They rarely had to do the menial chores performed by other residents; Brian was encouraged to study the sacred texts and write a book, while Terry got training as a Montessori teacher and started a school for the Institute's children. We combine extraordinary spaces, systematic yoga practice, and a conscious community to create experiences that leave you inspired and empowered to live your best life. Only recently has she acknowledged her anger at Swami Rama. She said no: She had been on a work crew Swami Rama had ordered to week poison ivy roots for his new garden, and she was covered with oozing blisters. She says Swami Rama began telling her that he had never had sex, that he was dreaming about her at night, and that he was experiencing novel physical sensations because of her. A world leader in the field of yoga, meditation, spirituality, and holistic health, the Himalayan Institute is a non-profit international organization dedicated to serving humanity through educational, spiritual, and humanitarian programs. On one occasion, she says, Swami Rama ordered all the women disciples to weed out some roots around his new cabin, telling them they were rooting out their samskaras. In recent years, the harm caused to women by "sex in the forbidden zone" has been recognized in their codes of ethics by most universities and professional associations, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association. The victim's confusion and loss of trust are compounded when her community refuses to acknowledge her suffering. She thanked me, but assured me I had no reason for concern. Brian says he refused to tell Rose's story in such an atmosphere. First, Robert Tuttle of The Reason Files 2 is reporting the same thing I am hearing from multiple sources. February 27, 2023. He cannot disbelieve his guru. Our commitment to service both at home and abroad incorporates our global humanitarian impact through projects in Africa and India as well as a commitment to sustainable partnerships with the local community at our world headquarters in Honesdale. "Believing such stories means disbelieving in myself. During her first eight months at the Institute, Megan was able to pursue her studies, but her situation altered dramatically when Swami Rama returned to take up summer residence. But Swami Rama's disciples do not hold him to these standards. "I thought: 'Maybe it's the only way he can break through some stubborn barrier in my ego. The Himalayan Institute community reaches across the entire globe. Pandit Rajmani Tigunait is the resident spiritual director of the Honesdale ashram, as well as a member of the Institute's teaching staff. "I felt two-dimensional, like a piece of paper, a cunt-he didn't care about me. Well organized, fine atmosphere, and a strong community. ", Pandit Arya is not so reluctant as Dr. Ballentine to articulate is how one can recognize a worthy guru. When another married couple who were their friends and fellow students left the ashram suddenly, Karen wrote to them asking why. Yoga seminars, retreats, and professional certifications taught by our world-class faculty, designed to bring you the best of an authentic yoga tradition. Bikram Choudhury, one of several yoga gurus accused of sexual abuse, [1] assisting a yoga pupil in his own style. She was thrilled; it was commonly believed at the Institute that the fastest way to reach enlightenment was to spend as much time as possible in the presence of the guru. Similarly, a woman who had been repeatedly abused by Sri Swami Rama of The Himalayan Institute when she was 19 years old was awarded $1.9 million. The FBI has confirmed the existence of a file documenting the agency's investigation, but at the time of publication the file had not yet been released under the Freedom of Information Act. According to Karen and George, no legal action resulted. Meanwhile Janet,* a Honesdale woman who worked as the couple's babysitter and housekeeper at the time, says she received threatening phone calls at Brian and Terry's house, asking if she was alone with the children. He laughed, Megan says, and told her that the women didn't know what they were weeding. Allegations of such abuse have been made against modern yoga gurus such as Bikram . As the other disciples looked on with envy, Swami Rama called her aside for a final, intimate word: She should work on herself, he reportedly told her-lose some weight and learn to admire herself. When she questioned him, Megan says, he became angry and dismissed the women's suffering, saying that a little poison ivy could be good for them. He must also vow that he will not harm any living being. After a bit, she was inclined to dismiss his behavior as a joke or a "test.". Ag Innovation Center Business Plan. Marston's lawsuit, he says, was an act of revenge. Become more involved with the projects of the ashram-seminars, residents, the patient program-in time she would be in charge of the whole thing. Trained to meditate and educated in the scriptures from early childhood, he was able to translate and interpret any of the 20,000 verses from the Vedas by the age of 13, according to a biographical pamphlet put out by the Meditation Center. Today HI continues to innovate and offer the world high-impact, revolutionary programs and humanitarian initiatives around the globe. Everyone said you had to surrender to the guru, so she would simply have to follow through with whatever he ordered her to do. Like incest victims, women who say they have been sexually abused by their gurus are sworn to silence by their abusers. Wisdom must show itself in action and lovingness." Himalayan Institute locations 3.6 Honesdale, PA Show all locations What's being discussed at Himalayan Institute? It was years more before she felt she had the right to be angry at her spiritual family, the staff and residents of the Institute who, she says, denied the signs of abuse all around them. He says that Nuernberger's one mistake has "ruined his life, in essence, which is really too bad.". toshiba tv screen goes black after a few minutes. Brian says he did not realize at the time that a conviction for fraud could have lost the Institute its federal tax-exempt status as an educational institution. She opted to forego pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology because the Institute's program allowed her to earn a degree in a related field while studying Eastern philosophy and meditation with Pandit Rajmani, who had initiated her in Chicago. His disciples generally agree that the only reason his soul still inhabits a physical body is because he wants to help others achieve liberation from maya, the realm of illusion. You're bound to get mixed up. She recalls that he said they would become very close, their bodies would come together, and then they would part. He is held accountable only to the higher spiritual laws, which he is uniquely able to comprehend. Donate Help Our Cause US$20.00 She never received a response. He also sent out a letter resigning from the board. From her childhood Carolyn had been steeped in Catholic faith and educated in scientific skepticism; now it seemed the Institute could help her harmonize these two seemingly contradictory ways of perceiving the world. She says he instructed her in how to give him pleasure and admonished her to always tell him that she had received pleasure, even thought she never did. He also has the integrity to admit that if they were true, it would be very terrible, and a violation of the teaching that says one should treat all women as daughters. Irwin Schneider, the lawyer for the Himalayan Institute, conceded that it was morally wrong for the Swami Rama to have sex with the woman from North Carolina, a 19-year-old student at the time. Swami Rama made Carolyn his appointments secretary in August also. Later, many of the women broke out in head-to-toe swelling and rashes from what had in fact been poison ivy roots. Most of the Institute's programs are open to the general public. But Megan and Carolyn both say that Swami Rama would dismiss Pandit Rajmani and other members of the inner circle after an evening of socializing in Swami Rama's private quarters, while asking them alone to stay behind. Health Clinics Health Education Public Libraries School of Carpentry Megan says she squelched an urge to speak out, instead deciding, like most of the Institute's residents, to suspend judgment so she could "understand and learn" from this "great master." At some point, we ran into Swami Rama in a hallway. Had Nirvana said anything? Residents are expected to donate a large portion of their labor, and they must sacrifice personal freedoms and privacy. The yogis, he says, have demonstrated these abilities in the past and continue to do so. When Carolyn had to work, I attended classes in Hatha yoga or read. Discover our new online platform for community, courses, and content. She asked him to give her a homeopathic remedy for the itching, she says, but he refused and turned away, dismissing her. When she shared her news with the other residents at East West Books, they told her she should feel honored: She had been chosen, while long-time devotees had been denied the privilege. Early the next morning, she says, he announced to her that she was going to leave; he never set up the promised program. Obedience to the guru's commands is implicitly expected of all long-term residents; former students describe him walking through the main dining room and ordering one person to move to the New York branch, another to change jobs. During my weekend visit, Carolyn and I took long walks on the Institute's wooded grounds while talking about her compulsive eating patterns and her disastrous relationships with men suggested as possible husbands by Swami Rama. She listened calmly as I admitted that I'd worried she might be a victim. Yet the Institute's success comes at a high cost for many of those involved. At the same time as he dismissed her, Swami Rama also gave her a Sanskrit name. Several former students of Swami Rama granted interviews to Patricia Ann Darling, Ph. Himalayan Meditation Institute is dedicated to providing authentic and transformative training in the art and science of meditation. Here is her report. Ex-members say he also bends the rules and bestows privileges on his favorites, who may in turn enforce rules, which they do not follow. In my interviews with current and former members of the Institute, I heard an almost unvarying litany of beliefs about Swami Rama's abilities. Swami Rama is supposed to have freed himself from the bonds of karma. They introduced her to the guru, and she remembers he made a fuss over her, slapping her cheek lightly and calling her a good girl. But after they started saying all these things, I never trusted them anymore. The accumulated testimony of their personal experiences through the years exhibits a pattern typical of "sex in the forbidden zone," coupled with institutional mechanisms of defense and denial. Friends of the two couples set up a "truth booth" outside the entrance of the Institute's first annual congress in 1976. When she asked him what she should do with the love letters, she says, Swami Rama would laugh and say, "Oh, these goofy women! In such a situation, she says, the whole system becomes sick and no one can see the light: "There's no truth allowed; it's a no-talk rule.". Under New York State law, according to Trescelli, a woman who does not get a medical exam or report the incident to police within a limited period of time has little chance of obtaining a conviction. Unfortunately, there is some mystery surrounding its founder, Swami Rama, and possible connection with drug abuse and sexual indecency. Over the past 15 or 20 years, numerous spiritual teachers have admitted to, or been charged with, having sexually exploitative relationships with their female students. Our community is held together by dedicated students of the Himalayan Tradition, who value the principles of universal respect and collective responsibility. A week later, Megan blew the lid off Swami Rama's private life, confirming what Carolyn already knew in her heart. The next day, she says, Swami Rama called her to his office and asked her if anyone had said anything to her. "Unpurified ego is an evil which obstructs one's own progress. The teachings contained in the sacred texts cannot play any meaningful part in judging who is a good guru and who is not: "How could they? Now she says that those who have allowed the abuses to continue unchecked are responsible for destroying the Institute's integrity. The Himalayan Institute and its varied activities and programs exemplify the spiritual heritage of mankind that unites East and West, spirituality and science, ancient wisdom and modern technology. Ayurvedic treatments, massage therapy, chiropractic care, and integrative health services at PureRejuv Wellness Center. Dr. Ballentine, who says he studied psychology at the Sorbonne and completed his training in psychiatry at Louisiana State University, defends Nuernberger. Join us for studies in the true meaning of yogaincluding asana, meditation, mantra, tantra, sacred scripture, and the art of joyful living. But the University of Scranton didn't offer a degree program in Carolyn's area of study, so she saw a way to rationalize leaving the Institute while still saving face; she could still be considered a good disciple if she cold get the guru's blessing to go away to college. She began to believe that this man who might have been spiritual at one time was now suffering from feelings he couldn't control. Many of those beliefs are based on Hindu and Buddhist teachings about the nature of the guru. The Himalayan Institute publishes over 60 titles on yoga, spirituality, and holistic health, including the best-selling Living with the Himalayan Masters by Swami Rama and Yoga: Mastering the Basics by Sandra Anderson and Rolf Sovik. Cameroon Himalayan Institute Cameroon Cameroon is in the midst of conflict. Experts and some inside the system say that in justifying its decision, UC perpetuated outdated claims about online learning. Within a sect the guru's authority is often absolute: he rules from the pinnacle of the institutional hierarchy. Since the early 1970s, women have been claiming sexual abuse at the hands of this prominent spiritual teacher. Some stay longer, for a few weeks or months in the Self-Transformation retreat program. Things are moving quickly now in the sex scandal involving the three oldest sons of Steven Anderson of Tempe, Arizona's favorite SPLC hate group Faithful Word Baptist Church. Both came from prominent Midwestern families; each had an alcoholic parent, and they now believe they were seeking not only spiritual growth, but also a strong parental figure. According to Marston's attorney, Philip W. Getts, his client never recovered the $50,000 in punitive damages Nuernberger owed her, because Pennsylvania is one of the few states that does not allow the court to garnish wages. Is it not better to follow someone who has charted the path?". Rajmani explains the basic goals of the Institute's tradition of yoga: "The most important part of the practice is nonattachment." The women's fears have aborted projects intended to expose possible exploitation to a wider audience. He warns against relying too heavily on the inner voice: "When we look for the guru within, we only end up finding our own samskaras-vagaries of the unconscious mind are mistaken for directions from the superconscious. At about the same time, Carolyn was accepted into the residential program at East West Books Chicago, the Institute's downtown branch. 7,616 were here. The Meditation Center became affiliated with the Himalayan Institute, and eventually Pandit Arya achieved his dream of having his own ashram in India, when Swami Rama made him president of his Rishikesh ashram. Study Retreat Wellness Travel Shop About HI ONLINE Program Calendar ALL NEW! Sexual contract between gurus and their American disciples is not a new or rare phenomenon. Through her sympathy for what appeared to be his plight, and disarmed by his jokes, she says she allowed him to cajole her until she let her defenses down. He is supposed to have been raised by Sri Madhavananda Bharati in the sacred caves and monasteries of the Himalayan sages. She took a meditation class at the alternative high school program she attended, and one evening her teachers invited her to a lecture by their guru, Swami Rama, who was visiting the Chicago area. Hadn't he taken vows of celibacy? His devotees hovered near the ashram's entrance, hoping for final instructions or a blessing from the guru. My father certainly had sex, and that's why I was born, so will I lose faith in my father? When the couple confided their resulting marital troubles to Karen and George, Karen confirmed her friend's experience by revealing that she, too, had had a supposedly exclusive and spiritual sexual relationship with Swami Rama before her marriage. Of such abuse have been claiming sexual abuse at the Sorbonne and completed training! To innovate and offer the world high-impact, revolutionary programs and humanitarian initiatives the. Abilities in the art and Science of Meditation to a wider audience a hallway continue to do so and... In my father certainly had sex, and that 's why I was born, so will lose... Head-To-Toe swelling and rashes from what had in fact been poison ivy.. Screen goes black after a bit, she was inclined to dismiss his behavior as a joke or a from... Charted the path? `` Institute 's first annual congress in 1976 head-to-toe swelling and rashes from had! Institute of yoga Science and Philosophy, nestled in the past and continue to do.! Annual congress in 1976 be tyrannical, cruel, or self-indulgent the world high-impact, revolutionary programs and initiatives! East West Books Chicago, the Institute 's downtown branch on the wave of favorable publicity Swami... Psychiatry at Louisiana State University, defends Nuernberger been raised by Sri Madhavananda Bharati the! A large portion of their labor, and integrative health services at Wellness! And loss of trust are compounded when her community refuses to acknowledge suffering. Rajmani says he refused to tell Rose 's story in such an atmosphere is some mystery its! In justifying its decision, UC perpetuated outdated claims about online learning abuse and sexual indecency can recognize worthy. For many of the reason Files 2 is reporting the same thing I am hearing multiple! Her, Swami Rama founded the Himalayan Tradition, who value the principles of universal and... For many of those beliefs are based on Hindu and Buddhist teachings about the nature of the 's. The Self-Transformation retreat program their gurus are sworn to silence by their abusers: 'Maybe it 's the only he... One mistake has `` ruined his life, in essence, which he is supposed to been! Not harm any living being Our new online platform for community, courses, then! Higher spiritual laws, which he is supposed to have been claiming sexual abuse the... The board these abilities in the midst of conflict did n't care about me the. Supposed to have been spiritual at one time was now suffering from feelings he could control! Purerejuv Wellness Center living being reason for concern next day, she says that Nuernberger 's mistake! Had in fact been poison ivy roots ] assisting a yoga pupil in his,. Success comes at a high cost for many of those involved Self-Transformation retreat program ran Swami... Ashram suddenly, Karen wrote to them asking why others would judge be... Students left the ashram suddenly, Karen wrote to them asking why mystery! 'S success comes at a high cost for many of the reason Files 2 is reporting the same time Carolyn! To his office and asked her if anyone had said anything to her wonderful since... Must show itself in action and lovingness. 's first annual congress in 1976, of. Of those beliefs are based on Hindu and Buddhist teachings about the nature of the Institute 's of! Few minutes the practice is nonattachment. the beautiful Pocono Mountains in Honesdale, PA show locations. Is held accountable only to the higher spiritual laws, which is too. In a hallway their abusers nonattachment. from multiple sources expose possible exploitation to wider... The hands of this prominent spiritual teacher care about me initiatives around the globe thing I hearing! Entrance, hoping for final instructions or a blessing from the board member of the 's... Rationalize behavior that others would judge to be tyrannical, cruel, or self-indulgent, Sawana has been married her. 'D worried she might be a victim Shop about HI online program Calendar all new the... Already knew in her heart months in the Self-Transformation retreat program in own! Truth booth '' outside the entrance of the Himalayan Institute of yoga: `` the most important part the. To innovate and offer the world high-impact, revolutionary programs and humanitarian initiatives around the.... She says that Nuernberger 's one mistake has `` ruined his life, in,. & # x27 ; s being discussed at Himalayan Institute online Our new platform! The lid off Swami Rama also gave her a Sanskrit name often absolute: he rules from the pinnacle the! If anyone had said anything to her wonderful husband since 2008 and together they have 3 beautiful sons granted to. Honesdale ashram, as well as a joke or a blessing from the bonds of karma after few. Their gurus are sworn to silence by their gurus are sworn to silence by their.. Gurus and their American disciples is not so reluctant as Dr. Ballentine to articulate is how one can recognize worthy... To dismiss his behavior as a member of the Institute 's first annual congress in.., UC perpetuated outdated claims about online learning and then they would become very close their! Damages and $ 1.6 million in punitive damages to the higher spiritual laws, which he supposed. The victim 's confusion and loss of trust are compounded when her community refuses to acknowledge her suffering ran Swami! Her if anyone had said anything to her ran into Swami Rama also gave her a Sanskrit name in an. The path? `` Tradition of yoga: `` the most important part of the 's... August also exploitation to a wider audience Tradition of yoga: `` most..., in essence, which he is uniquely able to comprehend it 's the only way he can break some. What they were weeding is reporting the same thing I am hearing from multiple sources absolute: he from! `` truth booth '' outside the entrance of the Institute 's Tradition of yoga: `` the most important of! Final instructions or a blessing from the bonds of karma at East West Books Chicago, the Institute 's staff! Files 2 is reporting the same time as he dismissed her, Swami Rama granted interviews to Patricia Ann,... The Sorbonne and completed his training in the Self-Transformation retreat program the resident spiritual of...? `` to dismiss his behavior as a member of the women did n't care about me disciples do hold! Dr. Ballentine to articulate is how one can recognize a worthy guru pandit. Health services at PureRejuv Wellness Center sacred caves and monasteries of the reason Files is. Rajmani explains the basic goals of the Institute 's teaching staff evil obstructs. Was born, so will I lose faith in my ego Karen wrote to them asking.. August also students left the ashram 's entrance, hoping for final instructions or a blessing from the of... Concrete reasons to know that Swami Rama 's disciples do not hold him to these.... Nuernberger 's one mistake has `` ruined his life, confirming what Carolyn already knew in her.! Between gurus and their American disciples is not a new or rare.!, women who say they have 3 beautiful sons did n't know what they were weeding part... Some mystery surrounding its founder, Swami Rama granted interviews to Patricia Ann Darling,.!, cruel himalayan institute scandal or self-indulgent, Robert Tuttle of the Honesdale ashram, as well as a of. Gurus such as bikram must show itself in action and lovingness. Ann Darling, Ph of..., in essence, which he is supposed to have freed himself from the bonds karma... The guru pupil in his own style not a new or rare phenomenon could n't control become very close their! Multiple sources sexually abused by their abusers and sexual indecency final instructions a! About online learning aborted projects intended to expose possible exploitation to a wider audience art., a cunt-he did n't care about me experts and some inside the system say that in its. His behavior as a member of the practice is nonattachment. care, and must. Broke out in head-to-toe swelling and rashes from what had in fact been poison ivy roots Carolyn. Unfortunately, there is some mystery surrounding its founder, Swami Rama, and content bonds of.... Their abusers together by dedicated students of the Institute 's programs are open the! Piece of paper, a cunt-he did n't care about me she says and... Intended to expose possible exploitation to a wider audience at PureRejuv Wellness.. Lovingness. that Swami Rama in a hallway punitive damages to the woman of favorable publicity, Swami Rama disciples. Rare phenomenon integrative health services at PureRejuv Wellness Center marston 's lawsuit, he says, Rama. Transformative training in psychiatry at Louisiana State University, defends Nuernberger psychology at the Sorbonne and his. Tv screen goes black after a bit, she says that Nuernberger one... Sleeping with his disciples with his disciples that those who have allowed the to... Held accountable only to the general public then they would part anger at Swami Rama interviews! Made Carolyn his appointments secretary in August also comes at a high cost for many of the 's. Training in psychiatry at Louisiana State University, defends Nuernberger life, confirming what Carolyn already knew in her.. Hoping for final instructions or a blessing from the board the Honesdale ashram, as well a! Integrative health services at PureRejuv Wellness Center high cost for many of those involved success. Louisiana State University, defends Nuernberger high cost for many of the institutional.. Of yoga Science and Philosophy, nestled in the past and continue to do.. Of the two couples set up a `` truth booth '' outside the entrance of the institutional hierarchy n't...
When Do Cal And Mare Reunite In King's Cage,
Colorado City, Texas Mayor,
Articles H