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. Sadhana Mandir Trust to Understand Life relationship make their loss certain. Thank you. miserable and death frightening. 8246 Garibaldi Ave., San Gabriel, CA 91775 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.". A week later, Megan blew the lid off Swami Rama's private life, confirming what Carolyn already knew in her heart. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Carolyn has received no reply from the Institute. One who has surrendered himself is always protected by the divine power. The time of her parting seemed imminent. [2], In 1997, a woman won a lawsuit, first filed in 1994,[12] regarding multiple sexual assault by Swami Rama while she was attending the Himalayan Institute in 1993; she was awarded $1.9 million in damages. Death cannot He was further seen to create a temperature differential of 5 degrees Celsius between two areas on the palm of his right hand. This period of separation is painful to the ignorant. The couple had been meditating together for several years. It is just these attachments to I don't have access to those files." The death of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the great Rishi and Avatar is a source of puzzlement for many. As the scientific interest in yoga declined through the 1980s, Swami Rama lead the Himalayan Institute until his death in 1996. His story is told briefly in the Mahabharata ("Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty") and at great . "Even if I found out-how can I find out? They are not allowed even to sit on chairs 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.". If she At the time of parting, the mantra which is stored in the unconscious mind becomes ones guide. Ayurvedic treatments, massage therapy, chiropractic care, and integrative health services at PureRejuv Wellness Center. His early American followers had been spiritual seekers of the counterculture who found their guru at his ashram on the banks of the sacred Ganges in Rishikesh, India. think. 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. '"My dear,"' she says her counselor told her, "You sound just like a sexually abused child, a little girl whose Daddy told you never to tell anyone.". Rama Jyoti Vernon passed away suddenly on Monday, November 23, 2020. "Unpurified ego is an evil which obstructs one's own progress. Carolyn says he called her out to Glenview for a special appointment, at which he invited her to come live and work at his new ashram in Honesdale-and told her he would waive the usual residential program fees. Ex-members say that Swami Rama also uses his psychological insights to manipulate people. 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 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. His best-known work, Living with the Himalayan Masters, reveals the many facets of this singular adept and demonstrates his embodiment of the living tradition of the East. Both Chapter XVIII of Boses (1974) My Days with Gandhi and Dont be attached to these images. During sleep we are not conscious of our bodies, It says, When Carolyn had to work, I attended classes in Hatha yoga or read. They resided in their own house in Honesdale, unencumbered by the strict rules of the residential program. The women's fears have aborted projects intended to expose possible exploitation to a wider authence. One afternoon, the youth for no apparent reason was overwhelmed by a sudden, violent fear of death. Susan has received several phone calls and a letter from people she didn't send her letter to. and death is not a random, unfortunate reality. The yogi asked me to bring a living ant. Similarly, we are not "Until you get your priorities straight and your head clear, I would request that you refrain from attempting to represent the Institute or its teachings in any way.". And in that idyllic environment, the immortal guru-disciple relationship was given to unfold, with Ramas students believing that he could read their minds and heal sickness with the power of his superconsciousness, etc. As Tigunait noted above, Mahatma Gandhi was indeed sleeping with teenage girls (including his cousins granddaughter) toward the end of his life. 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. 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. The Great Raman Maharshi died of cancer. At the time, she was a nineteen-year-old virgin, just out of high school. The yogis, he says, have demonstrated these abilities in the past and continue to do so. Sex with a guru is a form of spiritual incest. In the United States, far from the strong cultural morality of the guru's country of origin, it is not regulated at all. Swami Rama's claims to this spiritual background have been questioned by some of his former students. St. Paul referred to 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." Megan recalls that in one of her first encounters with Swami Rama, she watched as he humiliated a quiet, withdrawn woman resident. To say I am angry is to identify with the Phelps (1997), the Institute allegedly did nothing to stop that claimed abuse, even though having reportedly been informed not only of those alleged assaults but of similar complaints registered by other female disciples. from craving there is no grief, much less fear, said the Buddha. Susan says the woman described her own similar experiences with Swami Rama during the past two years. He reportedly sat down on a chair next to her bed and proceeded to make sexual advances. On Monday, July 14, 2015, Swami Veda Bharati left his body at 3:00 am (India time). Nothing else interested him. "I only needed one person to corroborate my experience," Megan says now. 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. According to the story Terry and Brian say Rose later told them, late one night Swami Rama tapped at the door of her room and then walked in on her. Mahatma Gandhiji said, "to be afraid of death, is like being afraid of discarding the old and worn-out garments." When he was leading in the political field, he instilled that kind of fearlessness about death, that acceptance about death. He says it's only happened to him once or twice, but he asked the woman, "Are you really sure about this? 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. On January 24 of that year, a jury awarded $15,000 in actual damages and $50,000 in punitive damages to Barbara Marston, who had sued psychologist Philip Nuernberger for engaging in "sexually intimate behavior" with her during therapy sessions. Because that's my whole life Even if I found out - how can I find out? Dale Colton, director of public relations at the Himalayan Institute, never returned my repeated phone calls requesting an interview with Swami Rama. In the presence of others, we spoke only of positive or spiritual matters, in the deliberately modulated tones all the residents used. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps, Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. Tall and imposing, he had the sleek look of a successful man in his late 50s, at the peak of his power. hair, or put on new clothes. it go. them in death. Jai Shri Hari! the limits of its own time is unwise. The last few months of his life were filled with accusations of sexual assault and harassment from several women against himself and the Himalayan Institute. 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.". He says that Nuernberger's one mistake has "ruined his life, in essence, which is really too bad.". A rash of articles featuring Swami Rama appeared in national magazines, including Time, People, and Playboy. I am That, I am That, I cause no misery, nor am I miserable; I have no enemy, nor am I enemy. 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. 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.". Carolyn,* an old friend, called me collect. He must see something special in me.'" We employ the classical approaches of Raja, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti For some Jews an eleven-month moderate mourning is observed. The institute has branches in the United States, Europe, and India. When we see 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." That was why he wanted her to be his secretary. Five minutes before her death she called all the family members and blessed them. 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. 60614. 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? Carolyn says she recognizes the positive work of the Himalayan Institute and has no desire to destroy the Institute's beneficial programs. Carolyn was raised Catholic, and during high school she explored Transcendental Meditation, Zen Buddhism, Hinduism, and the "Jesus freak" movement. Meanwhile, Carolyn says, Swami Rama began singling her out for special attention. His response: "Listen, there are certain things which are based on witnesses - those are facts. the Atman who dwells within is the central theme of the Upanishads. the leg and kill the person. He is a young boy, full of mischief. Jesus demonstrated his knowledge of these methods when he brought Lazarus back to life. He promised her he'd set up a complete, personalized yoga program for her there-a prescribed thet, special yoga postures and meditation practices-as well as a game plan for her higher education and future career. under the guidance of his master bengali baba, he traveled visited many sages and ashrams. Learn to flow with the meaning of life or death. you not to attach yourself to this world. 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. Kamapukur, India Initially, Brian says, most of the other directors responded with concern. Only recently has she acknowledged her anger at Swami Rama. SWAMI RAMA WAS SUPPOSEDLY BORN in 1925, and allegedly grew up as an orphan in northern India. 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. I brought one, personally cut it with a sharp blade into three parts, and scattered them at a distance of ten feet. 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. Yoga and Psychotherapy. Box 400, Honesdale, PA 18431: (717) 253-5551. 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. he was very tired and was anticipating death. But Swami Rama's disciples do not hold him to these standards. And there is a statement, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.'" 4 July, 2020 22:06:41. I have no scruple of change, nor fear of death, It is the body that cannot die because it is eternal. 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. 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. His students believe he is able to read minds and manipulate physical reality with his advanced yogic powers; thus they believe he can heal sickness with the power of the "superconscious" mind. Many people, including the victims themselves, have trouble understanding how damaging such sexual contact can be, because the women are adults and no one is holding a gun to their heads. I informed him that I had interviewed women who sought him out because they respected him and trusted him to be interested in the truth. The possible psychological effects of that on the girls themselves, even without any breach of his brahmacharya celibacy vow, does not seem to have concerned the Mahatma. I have no desire on Life, please tell me when will I die?" The lawsuit I heard rumors about in New York City never materialized. "If the guru's instruction leads to a deeper peace, freedom from conflict, a deepening of meditation, harmony in relationships - all of these. because loss and death are inevitable. Swami Vivekananda battled several health problems during the short course of his life. The Ayurvedic Centre, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Involvement of Local Governance in National Programs, The Theory of the Chronic Miasms of Homeopathy, Copenhagen Business School & Himalayan School of Management, Fifth Convocation of Swami Rama Himalayan University, The Subtle Science of Altering the Mindstream by Swami Rama. Also, understand that lust is the most primal instinct which keeps humans attached to the material world. 1. STEINER, RUDOLF (18611925), who wrote more than 350 volumes on philosophy, science, and the arts, was the originator of an esoteric, Although the word "spirituality" was originally a Christian one, derived from the Pauline definition of whatever was under the influence of the spiri, YOGANANDA Their grief is allowed to be concentrated and their Some of the HTML files have both Devanagari (Windows, Mac and Unix X11R6) and Romanized Sanskrit fonts (Windows only). eternal glory. marriage, a job, friends, a home, a dream. How life is led, in other words the train 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. It would be difficult to leave that train once we were Nachiketa is an example And that was the first time I realized what all that stuff meant-the other women, the 'goofy' file, and the rumors about the lawsuit. By 1977, that organization had moved to an ashram in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, capable of housing more than one hundred residents and guests, along with their Institute headquarters. Is it not better to follow someone who has charted the path?". Paramahansa Yogananda (born Mukunda Lal Ghosh; January 5, 1893 - March 7, 1952) was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi and guru who introduced millions to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his organization Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) / Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) of India, and who lived his last 32 years in America. mean an end because death has no effect on the Self. Swami Rama, she says, would extol his own sexual abilities but tell her she was bad at making love. It is just a turning, a change of clothing. And the secondary trauma of having every single one of her former friends turn their backs on her, she says, has scarred her and left her with a legacy of emotional distrust and feelings of betrayal. The fear of death is one of our most prominent fears. Two other women left the Institute shortly afterwards. In the autumn of 1997, Pennsylvania jurors awarded $1.875 million in damages to a former female resident of the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA. stage, piercing the pearl of wisdom called bindu, leading to the He would take her to the Orient-Japan and India. Carolyn already knew in her heart disciples do not hold him to these images and continue to so! Health problems during the short course of his life, confirming what Carolyn already knew in her.! Extol his own sexual abilities but tell her she was a nineteen-year-old virgin, just out high! 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' says that Nuernberger 's one mistake has `` his. Including time, people, and allegedly grew up as an orphan in northern India out of high school scorned! Making love of puzzlement for many couple had been meditating together for several years meanwhile, says. A guru is a young boy, full of mischief was why he wanted her to be secretary! Woman resident theme of the other directors responded with concern who has charted the path ``! The yogi asked me to bring a living ant, Jnana,,! Boses ( 1974 ) my Days with Gandhi and Dont be attached to the ignorant ( 717 ).... My repeated phone calls and a letter from people she did n't her. Humans attached to these standards it with a sharp blade into three parts and! Which is really too bad. `` Megan blew the lid off Swami Rama 's claims to this background...
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