After a sleepless night, she said she snuck out at 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. and drove to Brian and Terry's empty house in Honesdale. In the United States, far from the strong cultural morality of the guru's country of origin, it is not regulated at all. The annual congress, held each June, offers a smorgasbord of lectures and "new age" workshops. The original creator of the neti pot, the Himalayan Institute has been offering traditional and modern products for health and spirituality since 1971. Many disciples come from alcoholic and dysfunctional families where they have learned how to deny emotional abuse directed against them or their siblings, in order to believe that their parents really love them and are acting in their best interests. Marston's lawsuit, he says, was an act of revenge. Pandit Rajmani cannot entertain the notion that the women's stories could be true. 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. Otherwise& there would be no need for this person to propagate this whole story.". where I lived for almost 8 years studying and teaching yoga and holistic health. Himalayan Meditation Institute is dedicated to providing authentic and transformative training in the art and science of meditation. Nestled in the rolling hills of the Poconos, our stunning 400-acre campus is a gathering place for seekers from around the globe. Pandit Rajmani says he also has concrete reasons to know that Swami Rama could not be sleeping with his disciples. Megan says her feelings told her that something was amiss, but because of the social environment, she began to entertain the notion that the Swami's motives might not be what they appeared to be, and that his attempts at a con job might be a spiritual test. What Ballentine does not mention is that a second jury judged Nuernberger guilty of unprofessional conduct in his treatment of Nancy E. Williams, another former client, on February 17, 1981. Carolyn went away to college at the end of that year, as her parents expected. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. 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. When he was finished, Rose told them, Swami Rama left her room, saying he's be back the next day. But Trescelli says she had to discourage her. Our various programms address all aspects of a meditator's life because all of life has an effect on meditation. Before leaving, Megan says, she tried to confront Swami Rama publicly-but he went into seclusion, claiming illness. 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. Pandit Arya has many profound and beautiful things to say about his relationship to his guru when I interview him at the Divya Jyoti yoga center in Napa, California, in May 1989. Because that's my whole life& My relationship with [Swami Rama] is purely divine and spiritual-there cannot be impurity in it, and there is no room for such thoughts. "A lot of people have confused the siddhis-the powers to control body, emotions, and mind-with spirituality. Despite this, our rural empowerment programs continue to thrive and grow as we work towards our goal of fighting poverty, illiteracy, and inequality through education, health care, and job creation. At some point, we ran into Swami Rama in a hallway. Shortly after they returned to the U.S., Karen and George say that they and all their correspondents received a bizarre, defamatory letter containing an implicit death threat. The two couples referred to this statement in a petition to the FBI: they asked the FBI to investigate the threat letter and argued that Swami Rama could be deported by the Immigration and Naturalization Service as an undesirable alien on four grounds: possession of narcotics, sexual immorality, fraudulent financial dealings, and "affliction with [a] psychopathic personality." When another married couple who were their friends and fellow students left the ashram suddenly, Karen wrote to them asking why. Bikram Choudhury, one of several yoga gurus accused of sexual abuse, [1] assisting a yoga pupil in his own style. RFP & Business Plan for Dairy Processing Investor/Operator. In March 1978, she says, Swami Rama came to Glenview and initiated her. * "Nirvana was up at his cabin, walking his dog at 5:30 in the morning, and Megan was with him day and night." After she had lived in Honesdale for a year, Swami Rama started promising to make her his appointments secretary. Meditation. Once there, Carolyn devoted herself to her yoga practices and threw herself into her assigned jobs. Many of them say they feared his wrath when they were disciples, and several still believe he has the power to inflict harm or illness on them from a distance. "If the guru's instruction leads to a deeper peace, freedom from conflict, a deepening of meditation, harmony in relationships - all of these. During the next few months, Carolyn says, Swami Rama bade her visit him in his private quarters once every couple of weeks, either after lunch or after evening prayers; he also made it her job to buy condoms. This seemingly whimsical application of standards demoralized many of the ex-members I spoke with and led many to resent the members of Swami Rama's inner circle. Study Online According to ex-members, Swami Rama often acts in ways his disciples find humiliating, but they tell each other he is humbling their stubborn egos to help them reach enlightenment faster. Karen and George say their friends told them that the woman had been pressured to have sex with Swami Rama even after their marriage, which the guru had arranged. Outside of work, Sawana has been married to her wonderful husband since 2008 and together they have 3 beautiful sons. He explains that Nuernberger was just a graduate student, inexperienced and lacking in professional judgment, when the incident with Marston occurred: "At a time when he was learning to be a therapist and thought that someone is asking for you to reach out, you reach out and you touch them and you let them see your feelings, and I think that was very bad." Himalayan Institute of Technology Ranking and Awards. A week later, Megan blew the lid off Swami Rama's private life, confirming what Carolyn already knew in her heart. Health Clinics Health Education Public Libraries School of Carpentry She walked around New York City for hours, until it was time for her bus to return to Honesdale. Most rapists threaten women with physical violence. 7,616 were here. He voluntarily sopped his heart from pumping blood for 17 seconds, and he reportedly demonstrated his telekinetic powers, moving a knitting needle with mental force. she wondered. I just don't know that it makes sense to go run around trying to evaluate other people, when you haven't evaluated yourself.". kono oto tomare main character; best supported football clubs in europe; rolling ridge conference center The Himalayan Institute community reaches across the entire globe. A world leader in yoga, meditation, and holistic health, we are dedicated to serving humanity through educational, spiritual, and humanitarian programs. Numerous former students say they left the Institute because they were sexually exploited by Swami Rama or knew someone who was. The original creator of the neti pot, the Himalayan Institute has been offering traditional and modern products for health and spirituality since 1971. Dr. Ballentine, who says he studied psychology at the Sorbonne and completed his training in psychiatry at Louisiana State University, defends Nuernberger. To judge by their price tags, these and other Institute programs must bring in a considerable income. 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.". Our Honesdale campus continues to be home to a service-driven community of yogis, volunteers, and faculty-in-residence. Rajmani explains the basic goals of the Institute's tradition of yoga: "The most important part of the practice is nonattachment." Join us for studies in the true meaning of yogaincluding asana, meditation, mantra, tantra, sacred scripture, and the art of joyful living. Carolyn felt important, entitled to be there because she was one of his secretaries. A system that rewards a particular behavior or person and then arbitrarily ignores or punishes that same behavior or person can quickly lead even healthy individuals to develop profound anxiety and uncertainty-the antithesis of self-confidence. Carolyn says she feigned shock and tried to mask her distress as Martha told about a woman at the Glenview center who was confused and distraught about her alleged sexual relationship with Swami Rama. Shortly after Marston filed her suit in 1978, Nuernberger moved to Honesdale, where he is currently a member of the Institute's teaching staff. Most of the Institute's programs are open to the general public. 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. Whilst there's no hint of it on the Himalayan Institute's website, Swami Rama faced lawsuits in the 1990s over sexual abuse with his students stemming back to the 1970s. And there is a statement, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.'" Or maybe he needs to have sex just to release energy so he can meditate better. She could not control her emotions, he could not talk to her! But still, she was afraid to leave the community she'd been part of for so long and reenter a world that had practically forgotten her existence. He also sent out a letter resigning from the board. Williams, however, did not sue Nuernberger himself; she sued the clinic where he worked, alleging that the clinic "knew or should have known" that Nuernberger was engaging in harmful sexual activity while treating her. Then he started giving her practices without any spiritual meaning, she says, and telling her she wasn't doing them right. At a young age, Swami Rama is supposed to have been appointed Shankaracharya of Karvirpitham, an exalted spiritual post. When Carolyn had to work, I attended classes in Hatha yoga or read. Terry, who is now a practicing psychotherapist, says she believes Swami Rama's behavior is compulsive-he can't help it." Both women and men say they blamed themselves and their own spiritual obtuseness when they repeatedly failed to discern and follow the shifting rules. Two other women left the Institute shortly afterwards. 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. 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. February 27, 2023. But it is also common in the thought-control techniques of totalitarian states. Early the next morning, she says, he announced to her that she was going to leave; he never set up the promised program. Even so, it was a blow to find out that she wasn't particularly special: Swami Rama apparently had other "spiritual courtesans." It is sad for him, and for those who cared and were so deeply hurt by him, that his behavior has been allowed to continue with such devastating results to people just looking for help." When the manipulation started to involve her meditation and spiritual practices, she says, she decided to confide in one man who had been at the Institute for a long time and who was planning to leave. A leader in the field of yoga, meditation, spirituality, and holistic health, the Himalayan Institute is dedicated to serving humanity through educational, spiritual, and humanitarian . The jury called the abuse "spiritual incest . His American followers hear the spiritual teachings from his mouth, with his interpretation, and they rarely have the exposure to a variety of gurus, which would teach them to be skeptical of their own guru. Swami Rama is supposed to have freed himself from the bonds of karma. Finally, she obtained his permission. Choose from 8 signature wellness retreats to help you restore balance and achieve optimum health and healing. Had anyone spoken to her? But the Institute does not teach the mastery of such powers in its programs, instead focusing on yoga practices with more immediate practical application. His disciples believe he knows them better than they know themselves, and that if they want to achieve their spiritual goals they should do exactly as he says. They resided in their own house in Honesdale, unencumbered by the strict rules of the residential program. But for a man of Pandit Arya's background and beliefs, the relationship with one's guru is more momentous than any merely temporal bond. Here is her report. 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. ALL NEW! Dr. Elmer Green says that he and his wife have heard from a number of women who said they were sexually exploited by Swami Rama. Pandit Rajmani says he did not feel any responsibility, as spiritual counselor to the women who had approached him for help, to investigate their complaints or question his guru. 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. When he told her to visit him at night again, Carolyn says she did not have enough self-confidence to say no, but she hoped that this time he would treat her differently, with more sensitivity and respect. The jury awarded $275,000 in compensatory damages and $1.6 million in punitive damages to the woman. During this spiel, she says, he put his hand on her buttocks, but she told him she wasn't buying it. By that time, Brian recollects, the other directors had adopted the line that famous and powerful men were always subject to such vicious rumors, and that the women's stories were ludicrous and unbelievable. She would start with handling the appointments and then she would make his plane reservations, scheduling lecture tours. The Himalayan Institute has been and continues to be home to a service-driven community of yogis, volunteers, and faculty-in-residence. 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. Swami Rama frequently invited them to parties in his private quarters, where they say he entertained them with funny stories and racy gossip. "Before [these women] started saying these things, I also had a very good feeling that these people were wonderful people and they would never lie and they were trustworthy people. Himalayan Institute locations 3.6 Honesdale, PA Show all locations What's being discussed at Himalayan Institute? 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. Hadn't he taken vows of celibacy? I mean, he's giving you the teachings and you're going to use the teachings to evaluate him? Since 1972, Himalayan Institute Excursions have offered purpose-driven journeys to discover the fulfillment your soul is seeking. Megan remembers asking him why he was trying all this on her. HIT ranked under Top Commerce Colleges in All India by The Week 2022. She asked him to give her a homeopathic remedy for the itching, she says, but he refused and turned away, dismissing her. Pandit Tigunait holds two doctorates: one in Sanskrit from the University of Allahabad, India, and one in Oriental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. He reportedly smokes cigarettes, watches television for hours every day, and gossips, but his disciples rationalize this non-abstinent behavior: "Oh, Swamiji just smokes to bring himself down to the earth plane," or, "The TV is on incessantly just to give the student one more distraction to challenge his ability to maintain yogic balance," or, "all the stories Swamiji tells about other people are just to give the disciple the opportunity to develop objectivity and not get caught up in the meaningless gossip.". Meanwhile, Carolyn says, Swami Rama began singling her out for special attention. Ex-members say he has counseled patients in the Combined Therapy Program, although he lost is license to practice psychology in Minnesota in 1979. The program seemed to provide the ideal family she'd never had, where everyone shared her values and spiritual goals. "Believing such stories means disbelieving in myself. Join us for studies in the true meaning of yogaincluding asana, meditation, mantra, tantra, sacred scripture, and the art of joyful living. Immerse yourself in a life-changing course of study and get certified in the authentic teachings of yoga and meditation. Carolyn rationalized: Swamiji was her guru, so even though the prospect of having sex with him seemed morally wrong and physically revolting, he must be doing it for her own good. No, he says: "Even if it happened, what's the big deal?& People say that Mahatma Gandhi& slept with women. Go to Top. Carolyn remembers being amazed: Could Swami Rama possibly be talking about sex? Some were afraid of Institute retaliation; most were afraid of hurting their families, who in some cases do not know about the abuses the women suffered; still others were worried that their professional reputations would be harmed. Perfect. As an enlightened being, he is thought to be beyond the judgment of ordinary mortals, their laws and morality. Himalayan Institute Online. She was afraid to stay in her room, which had no lock on the door, or to use the hall telephone, because all calls had to be routed through the main switchboard. In August, Carolyn says, Swami Rama told her to meet him in New York City for the next step in her spiritual training. But Mr. Schneider told the jury that evidence indicated the relationship was consensual. She believes Swami Rama was trying to buy her collusion, as he had bought the collusion of the Institute's staff and many residents. Brian and Terry say her family members at the Institute harassed her by mail and by telephone, with accusations that she had "a habit of inducing this sort of behavior from men.". Swami Rama, whose legal name is Brij Keshore Kumar, was born in 1925 in Uttar Pradesh, according to his official biography, parts of which appeared in the March/April 1990 issue of Yoga Journal. Expert wellness consultations direct to your home. Explore our integrative health services & therapeutic treatments to help restore your natural state of well-being. Authentic Ashram Living Allegations of such abuse have been made against modern yoga gurus such as Bikram . She became outraged at the residents and the professional staff who enable and legitimized the Swami's behavior. 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. My initial experience with yoga in the 1990's at the Himalayan Institute of Buffalo led me to making a radical shift in lifestyle and moving to the Institute's educational headquarters in Honesdale, P.A. Carolyn and others say Megan caused a scandal in the Honesdale ashram by breaking the silence surrounding Swami Rama's sexual behavior. He cannot disbelieve his guru. 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. She began to believe that this man who might have been spiritual at one time was now suffering from feelings he couldn't control. Such a relationship, instead of giving the woman the healing or validation she seeks, reinforces her feeling that the only thing of value she has to offer a man with worldly power is her body. Community, Courses, and Content. But within the Institute, she says, everyone else seemed to accept the guru's sexually suggestive behavior and humiliation of women. Residents staff the Institute's administration, bookstores, and other small businesses, including Himalayan Publishers and Distributors and an elementary school. He is also supposed to have graduated from a homeopathic medical school in India, and studied at Hamburg University, the University of Utrecht, and Oxford University. She thanked me, but assured me I had no reason for concern. 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. 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