Swami Rama was the founder of the Himalayan Institute. Megan*, a former graduate student in the Eastern Studies program, wrote a letter to the Jesuit administration of the University of Scranton saying that Swami Rama was subjecting women students to sexual exploitation. she wondered. The original creator of the neti pot, the Himalayan Institute has been offering traditional and modern products for health and spirituality since 1971. Himalayan Institute Online. "I felt two-dimensional, like a piece of paper, a cunt-he didn't care about me. We partner with rural communities to provide health services, public libraries, and sustainable employment opportunities. After he had, as she describes it, "had sex on my body," she took a blanket into the other room and slept on the floor. 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. If a hundred people come and say that the day is night and I know that it's not, the voting system doesn't do it here, you know? After she had lived in Honesdale for a year, Swami Rama started promising to make her his appointments secretary. Healthy lifestyle products to support your yoga and spiritual practice. kono oto tomare main character; best supported football clubs in europe; rolling ridge conference center 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. After dismissing the other workers, she says he repeated the familiar litany, but this time he slipped in a new message. "Anyone who lives a public life can go through such remarks;& you have heard about all that blackmailing" of famous, rich athletes, he explains to me in the spring of 1989 at the Honesdale ashram. "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. Together we ate superb vegetarian meals in the Institute's dining commons and chanted evening prayers. He said, "We must build a center of life which will be an important bridge between East . We inspire, educate, and. You're bound to get mixed up. 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. Swami Rama's claims to this spiritual background have been questioned by some of his former students. The victim's confusion and loss of trust are compounded when her community refuses to acknowledge her suffering. Ayurvedic treatments, massage therapy, chiropractic care, and integrative health services at PureRejuv Wellness Center. And she was afraid to leave in her old car because a freezing rainstorm had covered all the roads with ice. The daughter of an alcoholic, she longed for guidance from a spiritual authority figure. State licensing boards may take away a professional's license to practice if he (or she) is found guilty of "inappropriate sexual contact," which may include everything from verbal sexual innuendos to a long-term sexual liaison with a client or patient. Our endeavors are distinguished by their living connection to an ancient wisdom tradition of the Himalayan Masters, expressed through a unique offering of online and in-person mission programs. On the contrary, they sought opportunities to serve the guru's every whim, or even to be abused by him: Megan remembers one woman saying she wished the guru would kick her. As an enlightened being, he is thought to be beyond the judgment of ordinary mortals, their laws and morality. Whether youre retracing the footsteps of sages through pilgrimage in the Himalayas, or immersing yourself in the most incredible spaces the US has to offer, you will experience the life-changing power of yoga in action. Dr. Ballentine says it is "presumptuous" to judge whether or not someone is perfected. In 1971 Swami Rama founded the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in order to create the means to scientifically verify, document, publish, and teach the experiences of his ancient heritage. In order to believe in his perfection, they must rationalize behavior that others would judge to be tyrannical, cruel, or self-indulgent. Similarly, gurus in the Buddhist and Hindu traditions are supposed to be examples of self-mastery and right living. Or, in the words of Rudolph Ballentine, M.D., president of the Himalayan Institute and Swami Rama's designated successor, "to take the wisdom of the ancients and couch it in terms that are intelligible to modern man.". 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.". "Nirvana is one," Carolyn says she told him. Himalayan Institute Online. The Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, nestled in the beautiful Pocono Mountains in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1971. In some states, a patient has the right to sue her doctor or psychotherapist for malpractice even if she originally consented to sex, because people under psychological or medical treatment are considered too vulnerable and dependent to give free and full consent. But one by one, Trescelli says, the women backed down and decided not to pursue legal action. 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. Finally, she obtained his permission. And Carolyn's residential Program supervisor told her that the scandal was "a big test for all of us and a cleansing for the Institute-we'll see who stays.". 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. Megan went through a brief but painful and confusing time during which she doubted her own feelings and perceptions. By 1977, the Institute was able to purchase the Honesdale ashram, a former Catholic seminary in the rural Pocono Mountains, which now houses more than 100 residents and guests. A system that encourages such vulnerable individuals to give up their own "egotistical" judgment to the arbitrary whims of one person is one of the key features of a totalist organization, or "cult.". Community, Courses, and Content. That was why he wanted her to be his secretary. Back; 2022 Clean Water and Public Health Fund; Make a Donation; Blog; Search for: Log in . The Institute also offers a dizzying array of education programs, including a diploma program for hatha yoga teachers. Carolyn and others say Megan caused a scandal in the Honesdale ashram by breaking the silence surrounding Swami Rama's sexual behavior. Swami Rama allegedly told her, the couple remembers, that if she screamed no one would hear her, and even if they heard, no one would believe her. Ex-members say he has counseled patients in the Combined Therapy Program, although he lost is license to practice psychology in Minnesota in 1979. At the meeting, Brian says, Dr. Ballentine presented letters from another woman, Karen,* who also claimed to have been sexually exploited by Swami Rama. According to the stipulation he signed with the Board's Ethics Review Panel, Nuernberger admitted that he terminated a counseling relationship with "Victoria S." during the third session in order to enter into a "personal relationship - such relationship to include sexual contact.". Several former students of Swami Rama granted interviews to Patricia Ann Darling, Ph. When he was finished, Rose told them, Swami Rama left her room, saying he's be back the next day. But their encounters were exactly the same as before, she says-emotionally impersonal and sexually mechanical. She was feeling so disgusted with her body and afraid of the guru's humiliating comments that one night she couldn't face going to his room, she says. Residents staff the Institute's administration, bookstores, and other small businesses, including Himalayan Publishers and Distributors and an elementary school. In March 1978, she says, Swami Rama came to Glenview and initiated her. University of California System Bans Fully Online Degrees. Live online programs, on-demand courses, and hundreds of yoga and meditation classes. Had anyone spoken to her? Yet the Institute's success comes at a high cost for many of those involved. His response: "Listen, there are certain things which are based on witnesses-those are facts. 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. Carolyn had sought a consultation with Pandit Rajmani, who told her that Megan was either lying because she was "on an ego trip," or fantasizing a sexual encounter that had never taken place. Himalayan glaciers are melting twice as fast since 2000 as they were in the 25 years before due to human-caused climate change, a 2019 paper published in the journal Science Advances found. Nor does Dr. Ballentine mention that in 1977 Nuernberger was formally reprimanded by the Minnesota Board of Psychology for unethical practices stemming from his relationship with a third woman patient. Pandit Rajmani says he also has concrete reasons to know that Swami Rama could not be sleeping with his disciples. Had Nirvana said anything? But ultimately he chose to believe Swami Rama. Outside of work, Sawana has been married to her wonderful husband since 2008 and together they have 3 beautiful sons. "If the guru's instruction leads to a deeper peace, freedom from conflict, a deepening of meditation, harmony in relationships - all of these. But Carolyn says she stifled her doubts about the guru, transforming them into doubts about her own selfishness: "Because I'd rationalized that he was teaching me a lesson, I believed he must be teaching other women the same lesson, and I shouldn't begrudge his attention to other students.". 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." Today HI continues to innovate and offer the world high-impact, revolutionary programs and humanitarian initiatives around the globe. She listened calmly as I admitted that I'd worried she might be a victim. Discover our new online platform for community, courses, and content. where I lived for almost 8 years studying and teaching yoga and holistic health. "I only needed one person to corroborate my experience," Megan says now. Treat yourself to a massage, meditate in the peaceful meditation shrine, or relax in one of the many attractive community spaces available on campus. First, Robert Tuttle of The Reason Files 2 is reporting the same thing I am hearing from multiple sources. His devotees hovered near the ashram's entrance, hoping for final instructions or a blessing from the guru. In 1969, Pandit Arya met Swami Rama, who gave him "one of the highest meditation initiations," in which he experienced himself "as a being of light." "The real guru is within," Dr. Ballentine says, "that still small voice within you." After a bit, she was inclined to dismiss his behavior as a joke or a "test.". The Institute's program is no longer accredited by the University of Scranton. Himalayan Institute | Honesdale PA 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. Himalayan Institute Online Our new online platform for community, courses, and content. Brian sued Swami Rama, and eventually the guru settled out of court for the full amount. Friends of the two couples set up a "truth booth" outside the entrance of the Institute's first annual congress in 1976. 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. In retrospect, Megan says, she believes that Swami Rama was indifferent to the problems that his behavior might cause the Institute, but was using such scandals to purge it of anyone who questioned his authority. A former disciple of their acquaintance wrote and signed a statement alleging that he had procured illegal drugs-including mescaline, psylocibin, and LSD-for Swami Rama in 1971. The 10-campus system closes a loophole that could have let undergraduates piece together a degree. To my relief, I could detect no flash of recognition, guilt, fear, or anger in Carolyn's eyes. His actions are rarely questioned by his followers, because his every deed is thought to flow from his union with godhead. Or maybe he needs to have sex just to release energy so he can meditate better. At bottom, however, she believed her feelings didn't matter. 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. Himalayan Institute Buffalo Yoga | Meditation | Wellness Yoga classes and seminars for March - April are now open for registration. He says that Nuernberger's one mistake has "ruined his life, in essence, which is really too bad.". He says it is a relationship that goes beyond religions, the purest relationship possible, "the relationship of water flowing from a hill and filling a hollow at the bottom-the hollow has nothing to give in return, but only to accept that grace in gratitude. One day Swami Rama called for her and told her he wouldn't be taking her to India that autumn. The original creator of the neti pot, the Himalayan Institute has been offering traditional and modern products for health and spirituality since 1971. Hadn't he taken vows of celibacy? 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. "I thought: 'Maybe it's the only way he can break through some stubborn barrier in my ego. Long-term residents must get administration approval for any overnight absences; permission may be denied if their destination is judged inappropriate. Allegations of such abuse have been made against modern yoga gurus such as Bikram . Both women and men say they blamed themselves and their own spiritual obtuseness when they repeatedly failed to discern and follow the shifting rules. Who? Since its inception in 1971, the Himalayan Institute has been at the leading edge of personal and social transformation. 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. But Mr. Schneider told the jury that evidence indicated the relationship was consensual. Cameroon Himalayan Institute Cameroon Cameroon is in the midst of conflict. 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. Burnett is a postdoctoral fellow in Houston's department of education leadership and . 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. However, after Swami Rama talked with them, they either told Brian and Terry that the guru should be allowed a "mistake" or they shunned the couple altogether. Live online programs, on-demand courses, and hundreds of yoga and meditation classes. Before leaving, Megan says, she tried to confront Swami Rama publicly-but he went into seclusion, claiming illness. He must also vow that he will not harm any living being. At some point, we ran into Swami Rama in a hallway. And she would help him write books. Rose, they explain, was not a disciple of Swami Rama, but had been invited by family members in the Institute's administration to come to Honesdale for medical treatment. 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. She could not control her emotions, he could not talk to her! A 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. When Carolyn had to work, I attended classes in Hatha yoga or read. But the publicity surrounding the Menninger Foundation experiments gained Swami Rama an enviable "scientific" credibility in the eyes of the general public. Our humanitarian projects serve impoverished communities through rural empowerment and environmental regeneration. Carolyn walked up to the cabin, she says, where after a brief minute spent leafing through her work, the guru asked her in a low voice for a meeting later that night. If somehow Pandit Rajmani were forced to acknowledge that the women were telling the truth, would this shatter his faith in the guru? The Institute used to offer an accredited masters program in Eastern Studies and Comparative Psychology through an affiliation with the University of Scranton. Its mission, according to the Articles of Incorporation, was "to make known to the members and people in general the real, synthetic, and harmonious view of world religions and philosophy in terms of modern scientific achievements and undertake researches for all around ethical, social, economical, and spiritual development of humanity to attain world peace, international integration, understanding, and spiritual awakening of the human race." No, he says: "Even if it happened, what's the big deal?& People say that Mahatma Gandhi& slept with women. During that time, neither of them would see any other, and she should never tell anyone. Teaching since 1971, the Himalayan Institute offers a wide variety of wellness supplies. 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. Pandit Tigunait holds two doctorates: one in Sanskrit from the University of Allahabad, India, and one in Oriental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Anyway, he said that our relationship would be exclusive, I'd be like a spiritual courtesan. Put that letter in the 'goofy file.'" Because I do not want to find out. 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. Born in Northern India, he was raised from early childhood by the Himalayan sage, Bengali Baba. At that, she says, he raged at her until she was sobbing, unable to speak a word in her own defense: No! Here is her report. According to Karen and George, no legal action resulted. Halfway through their meal, Carolyn remembers, Martha hesitantly said, "I know this will sound like a weird question, but has Swamiji ever asked you to have sex with him?" 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. Study Online Ultimately, the woman had revealed the liaison to her husband. Is it not better to follow someone who has charted the path?". He says that Swami Rama has been his guru since he was a child in India, and that he came to the U.S. at Swami Rama's request to head up the Honesdale ashram. From its beginnings 20 years ago, the Institute has expanded steadily to include some 25 branches and affiliated yoga and holistic health centers in the Midwest, the Northeast, Texas, California, and abroad. Initially, Brian says, most of the other directors responded with concern. Since the early 1970s, women have been claiming sexual abuse at the hands of this prominent spiritual teacher. Most of the Institute's programs are open to the general public. 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. 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. Our community is held together by dedicated students of the Himalayan Tradition, who value the principles of universal respect and collective responsibility. Join us for studies in the true meaning of yogaincluding asana, meditation, mantra, tantra, sacred scripture, and the art of joyful living. 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. After teaching, studying, and traveling throughout India and Europe, he came to the University of Minnesota in the 1960s, where he taught Sanskrit and Indian religions. I told her what I'd heard, and that I wasn't sure the rumor was true-as a beginning student of yoga and meditation at the Institute's East West Books in New York City, I was reluctant to believe it myself. Elmer and Alyce Green observed that Swami Rama could produce different brain waves at will, including theta and delta (sleep) waves, while remaining aware of his environment. Humanitarian, Swami Rama, Teacher. Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD, is the spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute and the successor of Swami Rama of the Himalayas. Mission Membership is an invitation to put your spiritual values into action by supporting our shared commitment to service while deepening your study and practice in the living Himalayan Tradition. The annual congress, held each June, offers a smorgasbord of lectures and "new age" workshops. Ag Innovation Center Business Plan. All of them had something to offer, but no spiritual path inspired her to make an exclusive commitment. * "Nirvana was up at his cabin, walking his dog at 5:30 in the morning, and Megan was with him day and night." Those statements are on file with the cult Awareness network (formerly the citizen's Freedom Foundation) in New York. But it is also common in the thought-control techniques of totalitarian states. There she learned Swami Rama's style of "super-conscious" meditation, which she describes as a basic, impersonal training in mental concentration. But after two unsatisfying years, she left college and returned to the Chicago area. Rose told Brian and Terry that she was afraid to seek help from the family members who'd invited her to the Institute-they were unquestioningly loyal to Swami Rama-and she knew no one else there. "This sudden animosity indicates that there is something fishy in the statement of this person. Marston, however, testified that Nuernberger had "hugged and kissed her and fondled her breasts," according to an article in the Minneapolis Tribune (Jan. 24, 1981). She loved him like "a second father," she says, "and the real tragedy is that this is how our relationship ended. Impact of Accreditation Sanctions on Enrollment. Anyone can read what you share. I might doubt my own perception, I might doubt my own eyes, but I cannot doubt that strength which has given me everything.". They resided in their own house in Honesdale, unencumbered by the strict rules of the residential program. In her lawsuit, the plaintiff said the swami sexually assaulted her 30 times while she was attending the institute in the spring and summer of 1993. Now she says that those who have allowed the abuses to continue unchecked are responsible for destroying the Institute's integrity. Then he started giving her practices without any spiritual meaning, she says, and telling her she wasn't doing them right. Given a mantra but little guidance, Carolyn dutifully performed her assigned practices, hoping that Swami Rama's "scientific" approach to yoga would eventually yield results. "Believing such stories means disbelieving in myself. 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. 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. When she asked him what she should do with the love letters, she says, Swami Rama would laugh and say, "Oh, these goofy women! But the followers of such "enlightened" men are usually reluctant to find fault with them, since to do so could invalidate the students' own years of study and devotion. But all of them, whether they appear here under a pseudonym or as a background source, understand that if this article provokes a libel suit they can be called to testify in court. Brian, who was a member of the Institute board of directors and a major financial contributor, says he confronted Swami Rama shortly after Rose contacted him and told him what had happened-but the guru said Rose had seduced him. 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. She sounded unhappy, so I made plans to visit her at the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, where she had been a resident for more than four years. She would start with handling the appointments and then she would make his plane reservations, scheduling lecture tours. How could she be the only one who realized what was going on? He rapidly attracted a following that included many graduate and professional students. , revolutionary programs and humanitarian initiatives around the globe guru is within, '' Megan says, `` still... But their encounters were exactly the same as before, she says-emotionally impersonal and sexually mechanical he also. Told the jury that evidence indicated the relationship was consensual vow that he not! Statements are on file with the cult Awareness network ( formerly the 's. Rarely questioned by his followers, because his every deed is thought to from! 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