Sahaja Yoga

Sahaja Yoga
Founder	Nirmala Shrivastava
Practice emphases
Kundalini
Related schools
Vishwa Nirmala Dharma

Sahaja Yoga (meaning with spontaneous union) claims to be a type of meditation and yoga. It claims to be "a unique method of meditation based on an experience called self-realization (Kundalini awakening) that Sahaja Yogis believe occurs within each human being". The term Sahaja Yoga is also used to refer to the Sahaja Yoga International (Vishwa Nirmala Dharma movement) founded by Nirmala Shrivastava (also known by devotees as Shri Mataji) on 5 May 1970 based on this practice.

Beliefs

Main articles: Kundalini and chakra

This religious organization claims to offer an experience by which individuals can spontaneously become aware of their subtle system through which they become one with (union) the all pervading power.

Sahaja Yoga holds that All Pervading Power is an energy that exists in nature and in every human being, but is often dormant. Sahaja Yoga suggests one can feel this power as a cool or warm breeze coming out of the top of one's head and blowing in one's hands.

Sahaja Yoga sees Self Realisation as the realisation that we are more than our body, mind or emotions.

Sahaja Yoga, borrowing from some other Hindu systems, sees the body as composed of two bodies:

• The outer visible 'physical' body
• Inner invisible known as the 'subtle system'

Sahaja Yoga in Medecine

There are case studies in which practisioners of SahajaYoga attempted to overcome diseases such as ADHD ^[1] , Asthma ^[2], and Epilepsy^[3].

Criticism

Critics of the Sahaja Yoga movement and of its founder claim that it is a dangerous cult engaged in brainwashing, tight control of its members, child abuse and a host of other activities, advertising traditional yoga techniques as a method of initial indoctrination .

Sahaja yogis claim that most of the critics are ex-members of Sahaja Yoga, who have been cast out because they abused the whole foundation of Sahaja Yoga, stealing money, engaging in sexual impropriety, or attempting to create a power structure based around themslves.

Of note, it is that Sahaja Yoga claims never to charge money for attaining this self-realisation, although members are pressured to contribute to "projects in India," "puja dakshina," "arranged marriages," "gifts of cash, crystal swans and gold bullion for the goddess/guru," "lodging and travel for the goddes/guru," and cash donations for the goddess/guru's substantial real estate portfolio.

See also

• International Sahaja Public School
• Nirmala Shrivastava
• Vishwa Nirmala Dharma

External links

• Sahaja Yoga - official website
• Sakshi Pokhari - the Pond of Witness - favorable website
• Timeline - favorable website
• Sahaja Yoga Facts - official response to critical allegations
• Sahaja Discussion Group that welcomes all viewpoints
• Sahaja Yoga Resource Center - repository of official documents

Critical sites

• Sahaja Yoga: Facts and Warnings from Ex-Members
• Sahaja Yoga Cult
• Rick A. Ross Institute link referencing UK newspaper articles on Sahaja Yoga
  • Shri who must be obeyed The Independent July 13, 2001
  • Monday night with the divine mother Evening Standard - London July 18, 2001

References

• ^ Manocha, R. "Sahaja yoga in asthma", Thorax 2003;58:825-826. URL: [[4]]
• ^ Manocha R, Marks GB, Kenchington P, Peters D, Salome CM. "Sahaja yoga in the management of moderate to severe asthma: a randomized controlled trial.", Thorax. 2003 Sep;58(9):825-6.
• ^ Ramaratnam S, Sridharan K. "Yoga for epilepsy", Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000;(3):CD001524.
• ^ Panjwani U, Selvamurthy W, Singh SH, Gupta HL, Mukhopadhyay S, Thakur L. ?Effect of Sahaja yoga meditation on auditory evoked potentials (AEP) and visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) in epileptics.?, Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2000 Mar;25(1):1-12.
• ^ Harrison et al. "Sahaja Yoga Meditation as a Family Treatment Programme for Children with ADHD" Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry.2004; 9: 479-497