Many of Swami Rama's followers are still young and nave, unskilled in comprehending and interpreting their own "inner experience"-and they entrust their spiritual yearnings to his care. 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? He told her he was writing a book of poetry for her, and he offered to find her a husband. Swami Rama frequently invited them to parties in his private quarters, where they say he entertained them with funny stories and racy gossip. But Trescelli says she had to discourage her. Our new online platform for community, courses, and content. No one can expand his consciousness if he remains egotistical. 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. The Combined Therapy program and the outpatient branches of the Institute for Holistic Medicine combine Western medicine, homeopathy, Eastern medicine, psychotherapy, nutrition, yoga, and meditation to treat people with a variety of physical and emotional problems. I ask him. Two women wrote statements, which said they had discovered that Swami Rama was attempting to "seduce" both of them contemporaneously. Rose spent the next six months moving from place to place, terrified that the Institute network would track her down. Although the jury entered a judgment against Nuernberger, it also found that the clinic was not liable for his actions, so Williams failed to recover damages. Brian also received a threat, he says: a note telling him he "might get hurt," which was accidentally shoved under the door of a lawyer who rented the office next door to his in a Honesdale office building. 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. Himalayan Institute Humanitarian is a 501(c)(3) public charity supporting the educational and charitable projects of the Himalayan Institute. The next day, she says, Swami Rama called her to his office and asked her if anyone had said anything to her. 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. But to accept a tuition-free second year, or even to leave the Institute quietly, Megan says, would have meant giving tacit approval to the continuing exploitation. Terry, who is now a practicing psychotherapist, says she believes Swami Rama's behavior is compulsive-he can't help it." Residents staff the Institute's administration, bookstores, and other small businesses, including Himalayan Publishers and Distributors and an elementary school. 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. 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. 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." Most of the women who say they were abused by Swami Rama express feelings of fear, frustration, and betrayal. She renewed her acquaintance with her former meditation teachers and started taking classes in Glenview, Illinois, at the Institute's original headquarters. The Greens' experiments caused a furor in the scientific community because they gave powerful support to autogenic biofeedback research, which 10 years earlier had begun demonstrating that body functions which had formerly been considered involuntary could be controlled. At about the same time, Carolyn was accepted into the residential program at East West Books Chicago, the Institute's downtown branch. Most rapists threaten women with physical violence. He says that Nuernberger's one mistake has "ruined his life, in essence, which is really too bad.". Years later, Rose contacted Patricia Trescelli, hoping to support a lawsuit by other women working with Trescelli and hoping to press charges against Swami Rama in her own sexual assault. Fortified by their mutual discovery, Karen says, the two couples undertook to inform their fellow students back home in Minneapolis. Who We Are; What We Do; Where We Work. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. There she learned Swami Rama's style of "super-conscious" meditation, which she describes as a basic, impersonal training in mental concentration. Swamis, he explains, are renunciates who take vows of abstinence which include giving up sex, wine, and red meat, as well as other stimulants to the physical senses. He says he spends most evenings with the guru until midnight or 2 a.m., and that he knows better than anyone who is with Swami Rama late at night and who isn't. That is, an on-going pattern of power abuse within the guru/student relationship. 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. Join us for studies in the true meaning of yogaincluding asana, meditation, mantra, tantra, sacred scripture, and the art of joyful living. In order to believe in his perfection, they must rationalize behavior that others would judge to be tyrannical, cruel, or self-indulgent. Join us in serving a tradition that has served the world selflessly for untold ages. Each of the women I interviewed described how he would discern her particular needs and self-doubts and manipulate her spiritual beliefs or naivet in order to exploit her sexually-he has an uncanny ability to suit his approach to each victim, they say. Himalayan Institute Buffalo Yoga | Meditation | Wellness Yoga classes and seminars for March - April are now open for registration. Swami Rama's claims to this spiritual background have been questioned by some of his former students. Join us for studies in the true meaning of yogaincluding asana, meditation, mantra, tantra, sacred scripture, and the art of joyful living. Gurus were supposed to have conquered their desires, but in the spiritual literature they were often portrayed as contradictory, tricking their disciples into enlightenment. Community, Courses, and Content. 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. Carolyn felt important, entitled to be there because she was one of his secretaries. The jury called the abuse "spiritual incest . The guru spoiled them, they say, calling them his spiritual son and daughter, and soon invited them to come live in Pennsylvania. Himalayan Institute | Honesdale PA Choose from 8 signature wellness retreats to help you restore balance and achieve optimum health and healing. 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. And she was afraid to leave in her old car because a freezing rainstorm had covered all the roads with ice. Later, many of the women broke out in head-to-toe swelling and rashes from what had in fact been poison ivy roots. But it is also common in the thought-control techniques of totalitarian states. Wisdom must show itself in action and lovingness." He would call her to his office for a private audience, and as she hung anxiously on his words he would paint a flattering picture of her future with the Institute. Our humanitarian projects serve impoverished communities through rural empowerment and environmental regeneration. The Institute's program is no longer accredited by the University of Scranton. But a deeper anxiety also motivated my visit: I'd heard a rumor that several women, ex-members of the Institute, were taking Carolyn's guru to court on charges of sexual misconduct. Live online programs, on-demand courses, and hundreds of yoga and meditation classes. 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. ALL NEW! Many of those beliefs are based on Hindu and Buddhist teachings about the nature of the guru. 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. ", Why would the women want to blackmail Swami Rama? University of California System Bans Fully Online Degrees. 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. Only recently has she acknowledged her anger at Swami Rama. Swami Rama is supposed to have freed himself from the bonds of karma. He promised her he'd set up a complete, personalized yoga program for her there-a prescribed diet, special yoga postures and meditation practices-as well as a game plan for her higher education and future career. 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. 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. 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. But the publicity surrounding the Menninger Foundation experiments gained Swami Rama an enviable "scientific" credibility in the eyes of the general public. 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. 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. She would start with handling the appointments and then she would make his plane reservations, scheduling lecture tours. In three months, Carolyn says, she gained 20 pounds. 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. Authentic Ashram Living 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. He rapidly attracted a following that included many graduate and professional students. RFP & Business Plan for Dairy Processing Investor/Operator. 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.". She began to believe that this man who might have been spiritual at one time was now suffering from feelings he couldn't control. 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. What a foolish woman! 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. Sexual contract between gurus and their American disciples is not a new or rare phenomenon. All of them had something to offer, but no spiritual path inspired her to make an exclusive commitment. Health Clinics Health Education Public Libraries School of Carpentry 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. Pandit Rajmani cannot entertain the notion that the women's stories could be true. Carolyn went away to college at the end of that year, as her parents expected. In mid-autumn, the day came for Swami Rama's annual trip to India. "Even if I found out-how can I find out? Swami Rama was the founder of the Himalayan Institute. Carolyn says she experienced their sexual encounters as brief and rough, and that she performed her sexual duties mechanically: "I numbed myself in order to survive.". In the mythology of the ashram, the guru is the all-powerful, all-knowing father and the disciples are his spiritual children. Early the next morning, she says, he announced to her that she was going to leave; he never set up the promised program. 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. Burnett is a postdoctoral fellow in Houston's department of education leadership and . 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. The daughter of an alcoholic, she longed for guidance from a spiritual authority figure. Discover our new online platform for community, courses, and content. Yet she is vulnerable to feeling re-victimized every time her experience is denied or distorted. 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. A saint is a person who does what he says." The Catholic Church may discipline a priest who has sex with a parishioner, not only because it violates his vow of celibacy, but because his parishioners must be able to confide in him without worrying that he will exploit their trust for his own gratification. In a few months time she would handle his bank account, income taxes, everything. In May, Swami Rama visited the area again. 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. He also sent out a letter resigning from the board. 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. 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. Tall and imposing, he had the sleek look of a successful man in his late 50s, at the peak of his power. 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. Ex-members say he has counseled patients in the Combined Therapy Program, although he lost is license to practice psychology in Minnesota in 1979. Megan went through a brief but painful and confusing time during which she doubted her own feelings and perceptions. she remembers him demanding. 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. Himalayan Institute Online. 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. My father certainly had sex, and that's why I was born, so will I lose faith in my father? Those statements are on file with the cult Awareness network (formerly the citizen's Freedom Foundation) in New York. Spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, Pandit Tigunait is the successor of Swami Rama of the Himalayas. 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. 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. The institute has branches in the United States, Europe, and India. 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. Since she had taken over, everything had been put in order. She loved him like "a second father," she says, "and the real tragedy is that this is how our relationship ended. 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. She recalls that he would repeat a series of affirmations and commands in a hypnotic monotone: She had done very well organizing the book distribution operation, Carolyn says he would tell her. Pandit Arya reportedly alternated between disbelieving and believing the growing number of his female students who told him that Swami Rama had sexually harassed or abused them. 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. 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. Even so, it was a blow to find out that she wasn't particularly special: Swami Rama apparently had other "spiritual courtesans." Following on the heels of Karen's and her friend's revelations, several other women and men left the Meditation Center in Minneapolis. Arya, however, says that much of Darling's information is inaccurate. Because I do not want to find out. Our Honesdale campus continues to be home to a service-driven community of yogis, volunteers, and faculty-in-residence. The Himalayan Institute community reaches across the entire globe. 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. She remembers that Swami Rama received love letters from several women; one of two of them even mentioned "your child." Surrender only leads to enlightenment if the "guru within" is strong and well developed. Explore high-quality, unique, practice-enhancing products made for yogis everywhere. The Himalayan Institute is a good a good model on how to do a resort perfect. I might doubt my own perception, I might doubt my own eyes, but I cannot doubt that strength which has given me everything.". No one had thoroughly investigated, until journalist Katharine Webster decided to spend two years researching their allegations. 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. At the Himalayan Yoga Institute we believe in providing you with a broad yogic education to empower you to make the best possible choices for your students and create a modern yoga class that respects yoga's traditions and foundation while taking into account the unique personal needs of your students. A producer for "60 Minutes" was reportedly unable to complete her documentary on Swami Rama when the women involved backed out and refused to appear on camera. Immerse yourself in a life-changing course of study and get certified in the authentic teachings of yoga and meditation. 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. 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. Long-term residents must get administration approval for any overnight absences; permission may be denied if their destination is judged inappropriate. One day Swami Rama called for her and told her he wouldn't be taking her to India that autumn. 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. And she would help him write books. A guru has the wisdom of experience and the ancient teachings, so he can provide guidance, Dr. Ballantine says, but students should "judge every [practice] on the basis of your own experience." Meditation. They are crazy. A few weeks later she moved to Honesdale. 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. Yet the women never seemed to complain about such treatment, Megan says. 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 must also vow that he will not harm any living being. Relationships are the first test of spirituality. The two women who wrote statements for the Cult Awareness Movement were among those involved: One stated that she was a patient at the Institute's holistic health center in New York City, and the other stated she was 17 years old when Swami Rama initiated a sexual relationship with her. "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. Or maybe he needs to have sex just to release energy so he can meditate better. 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. Donate Help Our Cause US$20.00 During that time, neither of them would see any other, and she should never tell anyone. Himalayan Institute Online Our new online platform for community, courses, and content. And he abruptly dismissed her. The women's fears have aborted projects intended to expose possible exploitation to a wider audience. 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. Education Advocacy Companies Himalayan Institute Tell us how to improve this page But within the Institute, she says, everyone else seemed to accept the guru's sexually suggestive behavior and humiliation of women. As an enlightened being, he is thought to be beyond the judgment of ordinary mortals, their laws and morality. 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. When they have contacted their friends and former colleagues at the Institute, they have been discounted as liars or labeled "emotionally disturbed." 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. Read More But after they started saying all these things, I never trusted them anymore. 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. "This sudden animosity indicates that there is something fishy in the statement of this person. Carolyn remembers being amazed: Could Swami Rama possibly be talking about sex? 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. She became paralyzed by her fear of angering him. Megan remembers asking him why he was trying all this on her. He laughed, Megan says, and told her that the women didn't know what they were weeding. Host to HI Mission Programs, seminars as well as private events, we offer five fully equipped practice spaces and comfortable, modern guest amenities. I just don't know that it makes sense to go run around trying to evaluate other people, when you haven't evaluated yourself.". Quick Links. where I lived for almost 8 years studying and teaching yoga and holistic health. Put that letter in the 'goofy file.'" Nestled in the rolling hills of the Poconos, our stunning 400-acre campus is a gathering place for seekers from around the globe. 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