SRF statement on Kriyananda's accusations Part 1

[nojdw]

SRF statement on Kriyananda's accusations November 1995
Part 1

Self-Realization Fellowship
Founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda
November 1995

"It was for a divine purpose that I came to America, and it is through
God’s grace that this work has grown. What I have been blessed to
witness in my lifetime has been beyond my dreams.... It has been a
great dream, an epic of joy. "

Paramahansa Yogananda

True religion satisfies the demands of your soul, not by words but by
proof.

I wanted never to be so dogmatic that I would stop using my reason and
common sense. When I met my guru, Sri Yukteswar, he said: "Many
teachers will tell you to believe; then they put out your eyes of
reason and instruct you to follow only their logic. But I want you to
keep your eyes of reason open; in addition, I will open in you another
eye, the eye of wisdom. "...

In the beginning of my spiritual search in India I had steadfastly
refused to join any society because I didn’t find in them demonstrable
truth. But when I found my guru and this path, and saw through my own
experience that it worked, I gave my life to this cause.

Paramahansa Yogananda in Man’s Eternal Quest

Dear Friends,

Since his mahasamadhi in 1952, Paramahansa Yogananda’s work of Self-
Realization Fellowship the society he founded in America to carry on
his worldwide mission has continued to grow and to bring his universal
message to truth-seekers all over the world. In 75 years of service
there have been many milestones, as well as the inevitable challenges
that come with every worthwhile endeavor.

During Paramahansaji’s lifetime, when incidents occurred that had the
potential for creating confusion and inharmony, he would do his utmost
to bring forth the highest and the best in everyone involved, while
continuing to move forward with confidence. In all circumstances, he
had full faith that truth and harmony would prevail in the end and he
kept his gaze focused on that. This was his way, and he encouraged all
of us in SRF to do likewise.

"How we respect and love the individual who always has a kind word to
say about everyone. We may not always have peace and understanding with
others, because not everyone will understand us. Christ had his
enemies, but from his side there was always the giving of love ... The
best way to influence others is by our understanding hearts, our
kindness, our compassion, and our love....

We are all divine children sharing this path to God with thousands and
thousands of Guruji’s disciples throughout the world. ... We are united
in divine love, divine brotherhood, divine friendship; and one common
goal: seeking God together and serving Him in whatever way we can as we
reach out to our greater family of all living beings." Sri Daya Mata in
Finding the Joy Within You

In that spirit, we want to discuss with you "An Open Letter from Ananda
Church of Self-Realization, September 30, 1995." Copies of this
document which contains many misstatements and unfounded allegations
about the honesty and integrity of Self-Realization Fellowship and its
leaders have been widely distributed, not only at SRF temples but in
other public places. In the interest of truth we feel we have a
responsibility to present the facts as we know them, and it is our hope
that the misunderstanding evident in Ananda’s letter will be ultimately
resolved.

Historical Background

Ananda is an organization founded in 1969 by J. Donald Walters in
northern California. A former monk of Self-Realization Fellowship, Mr.
Walters joined the SRF Monastic Order in the fall of 1948 and was given
the final vows of sannyas in 1955 by Sri Daya Mata. (At that time he
was also given the monastic name "Kriyananda.") He served as a vice
president of Self-Realization Fellowship from 1960 until 1962, at which
time the SRF Board of Directors (composed of close disciples personally
trained by Paramahansaji and appointed to the Board by him) voted
unanimously to request his resignation.* {* Paramahansa Yogananda
listed in writing the disciples he wished to serve on the Board of
Directors after his lifetime. He directed the Board to choose, as
needed, additional members not specifically named by him. Donald
Walters was not appointed to the Board by Paramahansa Yogananda
himself, but was elected by the other Board members after the passing
of Dr. M. W. Lewis in 1960.}

Over the years, Mr. Walters has expressed his opinions about SRF and
its leaders through letters and other writings. In the past five years,
this letter-writing campaign has escalated and has become increasingly
derogatory and inflammatory in nature. At least a dozen open letters,
written by Mr. Walters and other Ananda leaders, have been distributed
to Ananda members as well as (unsolicited) to members of Self-
Realization Fellowship. The open letter referred to above is the latest
in this series.

SRF has not responded publicly to these highly derogatory letters; nor
have we, out of respect for Mr. Walters’ privacy, engaged in any public
discussion of the circumstances that made it necessary for the SRF
Board to ask Mr. Walters to resign.* {Ananda’s September 30, 1995 open
letter claims that Mr. Walters was dismissed unfairly, and that this
decision was based on an "emotional analysis of his motives for
action.’ Such a claim forces us to clarify, however, that it was not a
subjective analysis of his motives that led to his dismissal, but
specific actions of his basic pattern of behavior and that the
situation was discussed with him on many occasions in the months before
his departure. One such conversation, for instance, is documented in a
letter Sri Daya Mata wrote from India to the Board members in America
on August 25, 1961.

"We talked with Kr. [sic], pointing out to him all the complaints of
the Board against his behavior....and we even made it clear that we
were prepared, if necessary, to take steps to remove him from the
Board." }

On a personal level, however, we have made numerous attempts to achieve
a greater understanding with him, even encouraging him to continue
serving the work of Paramahansaji wherever he was. On April 4, 1969,
Sri Daya Mata wrote to him:

Dear Kriyananda,

When you were removed from your official position in SRF, I encouraged
you to go on serving Master. I even encouraged you to go on lecturing
about Master (if that was all you knew and all you wanted to do), and
to spread his name and his work by introducing others to SRF as the
channel Master established for the dissemination of Kriya Yoga and the
other SRF yoga techniques and principles....

There is so much you can do, even on the outside, to really serve
Master by serving his work in harmony with its directives, if you are
really of a mind to do so....All you have to do, Kriyananda, is to let
your actions demonstrate your words of loyalty to and devotion for
Master and SRF and there will be the harmony and divine friendship
desired by both you and SRF.** {** In a letter written during the time
Mr. Walters was in charge of coordinating the activities of our centers
and meditation groups, he himself explained very clearly the principles
by which SRF abides --principles he now apparently rejects.

".. As an organization, we are forced to take certain stands that would
not be necessary for us if we did not have the welfare of other members
to consider. When, for instance, an SRF teacher misuses his position as
a representative of the Fellowship to undermine the faith of other
devotees, how can we continue to recognize him as a teacher? It may be
said that the teacher is not undermining people’s faith in the Gurus
only in their organization. But can we truly love Master and not love
his work? Can we be truly loyal to Master and not be loyal to his work?
Can we honestly presume that those whom he spent years training and
testing do not know what he wanted, or that they do not have the best
interests of his work sincerely at heart?...

"For us, this is not a personal issue ..Let people criticize us, if
they like; let them even condemn us. They have our good will regardless
of their attitude toward us. But when they start to spread inharmony
among the members, it ceases to be merely a personal matter. The
welfare of others and of Master’s precious work becomes involved."} Had
you been able to do this these many years you have been outside SRF,
the proposals in your letter might well have been considered without
reservation much to the mutual joy of yourself and SRF, and you know (I
hope) how much lighter it would have made my own heart. Today is
determined by past actions; the future, by present actions. I can only
say it is up to you.

I pray always for you and for your highest spiritual good. My love and
friendship never change.

In Guru’s love and service,

Daya Mata

SRF leaders have corresponded with Mr. Walters and have also met with
him personally on a number of occasions since his resignation, in an
effort to seek harmony. Such correspondence has occurred even recently,
despite Ananda’s disparaging public letters. For example, Daya Mataji
wrote to him in 1994: "In all these years, there has never been a
similar attempt by SRF’s leaders to publish or circulate any derogatory
information about you or Ananda....We harbor no ill will toward you or
anyone at Ananda. We seek peace, and justice for Master’s work, yet
want to live in harmony with devotees such as yourself. We would hope
we can respect one another’s right to disagree, but also endeavor to
meet on some common ground. May that be our goal."

Preserving a Society’s Unique Identity

There are many teachers and paths available to spiritual seekers today;
many avenues from which to choose in one’s journey toward God-
realization. Even among those societies that draw inspiration mainly
from our Guru’s teachings, there is a wide range of interpretations and
applications of his principles and methods. Self-Realization
Fellowship, however, as the organization founded by Paramahansaji
himself, has a unique identity and mission.

Years earlier, his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar, had impressed on him the
importance of this work:

"Could you or anyone else achieve God-communion through yoga if a line
of generous-hearted masters had not been willing to convey their
knowledge to others?" He added, "God is the Honey, organizations are
the hives; both are necessary. Any form is useless, of course, without
the spirit. But why should you not start busy hives full of the
spiritual nectar?"

His counsel moved me deeply. Although I made no outward reply, an
adamant resolution arose in my breast: I would share with my fellows,
so far as lay in my power, the unshackling truths I had learned at my
guru’s feet. "Lord, " I prayed, "may Thy love shine forever on the
sanctuary of my devotion, and may I be able to awaken Thy love in all
hearts."

Paramahansa Yogananda, in Autobiography of a Yogi

"Meditate and draw others to this path of Self-Realization. That is the
highest service you can perform.

These are my happiest days. I am happy for two reasons: I have been
able to please God, and I have been able to fulfill the pledge that I
gave to my guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar, to build this work of Yogoda
Satsanga/ Self-Realization to spread the message of Kriya Yoga. "
Paramahansa Yogananda in The Divine Romance

It was to his own organization, and to none other, that Paramahansaji
personally entrusted the responsibility of preserving and spreading his
teachings according to his express wishes. One of the distinctive
features of Self-Realization Fellowship is that from its founding in
1920 until Paramahansaji’s mahasamadhi in 1952, all of SRF’s activities
and organizational matters were personally directed by our Guru
himself. Thereafter, the leadership of his work passed to Rajarsi
Janakananda, a close disciple of Paramahansaji’s chosen by him to serve
as president of SRF. Sri Daya Mata, the current president, joined the
SRF Monastic Order in 1931 and underwent more than 20 years of
spiritual training under our Guru’s loving guidance before becoming
president after Rajarsi’s passing in 1955. She is assisted by a Board
of Directors composed of several other direct disciples of
Paramahansaji, who were similarly trained by him.

Another essential characteristic of SRF is that, in conformance with
its founder’s wishes, its work is guided by the monastic order
established by Paramahansaji along the lines of the ancient monastic
tradition of India. The monks and nuns of SRF (among whom there are
still many who were with the Guru during his lifetime) take formal vows
of renunciation and are responsible for serving SRF members and friends
worldwide and for guiding the activities of the society.

DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA’S SRF AND J. DONALD
WALTERS’ ANANDA

Naturally there are differences between SRF and Ananda, as both
societies have developed along separate lines. But while their
purposes, practices, and activities may be dissimilar—SRF implementing
Paramahansaji’s wishes for his work and Ananda following J. Donald
Walters’ ideas for the development of his own organization ...we feel
this fact in itself should not be a cause of discord between the two
societies. SRF’s only concern has been that the two organizations be
clearly distinguishable from one another in the public eye.

Through the years since the founding of Ananda in 1969, some of that
society’s editorial, advertising, and other promotional practices have
tended to increasingly blur the distinctions between SRF and Ananda.
When in 1990 Ananda’s officials decided to change its name to "Church
of Self-Realization" a name very similar to that of Self-Realization
Fellowship Church the lines of distinction were blurred even further.
(Anyone desiring more information about this may request a copy of the
8-page letter we prepared last year to address those issues.)

Regardless of the differences between SRF and Ananda, we respect all
Ananda devotees who are sincerely striving to live by the teachings of
our Guru. Our responsibility is simply to uphold the distinctive place
that Paramahansaji gave to his own society, so that truth-seekers will
always be able to single out what he taught from the many variations
available from others.

Mrinalini Mata, vice-president of Self Realization Fellowship; disciple
of Paramahansa Yogananda since 1945 (Speaking to SRF members in 1993)

"When Gurudeva took incarnation one hundred years ago, the world little
knew what a divine one had come bringing a message of universal love
and light, a message that would touch the farthest corners of the
globe....

Emerson said, "An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man."
Self-Realization Fellowship is indeed the extension of our blessed
Guru’s life. Those of us around him saw how profoundly he gave of his
life, his joy, his love, his enthusiasm, to build this institution for
your benefit and mine. He created a worldwide temple in which a "crowd
of souls" could gather to drink deep of God’s love, wisdom, and joy.

I was thinking before I came tonight, "Yes, the organization is an
extension of Master; but the heart within that institution that will
always keep the blessed Guru alive in this work is each individual
member " It is your efforts in sadhana, your sincerity in seeking God;
it is the tears of longing for God you shed when you meditate, the joy
and upliftment you feel when you read and study Gurudeva’s words; it is
the kindness and the love of the Guru you share with one another, with
your families, with all who cross your path that, my dear ones of
blessed Master, is his heartbeat in this organization. That is his
life. That is his spirit. And as long as that is there, in even one or
a few, there will be a Self-Realization Fellowship.

Ananda’s Accusations

Against SRF

Ananda’s recent open letter claims to present the facts about a
miscellany of events that occurred over the past 30 years, collectively
offered in support of Mr. Walters’ allegations about Self-Realization
Fellowship and its leaders.

The accusations are related mainly to the following matters:

SRF’s organizational practices;

SRF’s editorial policies as the publisher of Paramahansaji’s works;

SRF’s administrative decisions involving providing material assistance
to certain individuals;

the dismissal of Mr. Walters from SRF over 30 years ago;

SRF’s decision to seek legal protection for its name and its
publications through the current lawsuit between SRF and Ananda;

a lawsuit filed by a former Ananda member against Ananda.

Before addressing any of Ananda’s specific charges against SRF, it is
worth noting the way in which quotations are used in Ananda’s letter.
We have found that frequently the words Mr. Walters attributes to SRF
leaders in no way reflect the thoughts actually conveyed by them.
Rather, all too often, thoughts are rephrased or elaborated upon or are
presented completely out of context, drastically changing their intent
and meaning. Readers who have had some contact with Daya Mata and the
other disciples quoted will recognize how extremely uncharacteristic
are the thoughts and feelings ascribed to them in these letters and
will naturally question the validity of allegations that are based on
such quotations.

SRI DAYA MATA AND THE LEADERSHIP OF SRF

Regarding Ananda’s personal attacks on our president, Sri Daya Mata,
and her actions as leader of Paramahansa Yogananda’s work, we would
only say that these allegations are in direct opposition to the
testimony of those who know her. Throughout the more than 40 years in
which Daya Mataji has served as sanghamata of Paramahansaji’s worldwide
society, countless souls have found in this great disciple the
fulfillment of the Guru’s counsel to her, "Inspire all with your
spiritual motherliness...." and have experienced in their own lives the
transforming effects of her divine love, wisdom, and compassionate
understanding. India’s former Ambassador to the United States, Dr.
Binay R. Sen, wrote in 1990: "Those who, like myself, were privileged
to have met Paramahansaji find reflected in Daya Mataji that same
spirit of divine love and compassion that so impressed me on my first
visit to the Self-Realization Center almost forty years ago." In
considering the characterization of Daya Mata in Ananda’s recent
letter, it is also worth noting that it represents a startling
contradiction of the one given by Donald Walters in his own
autobiography "The Path," (published in 1977):

"Of the nuns, Daya Mata was the one I got the opportunity to know best,
and also the one from whom I drew the most inspiration. I found her
always fair-minded, gracious to all, humble, childlike in her
spontaneity. What inspired me most about her was her utter devotion to
God and Guru. She had no desire I ever observed except to do Master’s
will."

J. Donald Walters, in The Path

Those of us who have been blessed to serve under the leadership of Sri
Daya Mata know that, in any decision guiding the direction or
activities of Paramahansaji’s work, Daya Mataji’s first and only
concern is always: "What would our Guru want done?" Never has she
allowed any other principle or pursuit to preempt this one.* {· In the
Sept. 30 newsletter, Ananda makes much of the guideline ascribed to
SRF’s leadership: "In any situation that arises, we must be guided by
one consideration only: ‘What is best for the work?"’ Ananda
states: "Self-Realization Fellowship has unfortunately interpreted the
phrase ‘What is best for the work’ to mean ‘that which will help Self-
Realization Fellowship to survive at any cost."’ In actuality, to monks
and nuns of Self-Realization Fellowship the phrase "Whatever is best
for the work" expresses the humble prayer of any true disciple to
follow the Guru’s wishes, and not the desires or dictates of one’s own
ego. The effort to discern "what is best for God’s work" is in fact a
basic principle on the spiritual path, synonymous with seeking God’s
will in everything, which is the very essence of all spiritual
endeavor.}

Mr. Walters and Ananda claim that SRF "has lost its way." However, the
many direct disciples who today carry on the work of Self-Realization
Fellowship had the unique blessing of being personally trained by the
Guru himself (some for as many as 20 years) and know his guidelines and
wishes for his work through firsthand experience. Mr. Walters was not
present on the numerous occasions when Paramahansaji conveyed his
guidance for the future, and was not among the close disciples to whom
the Guru entrusted the direction of his work.

It is under the supervision of these direct disciples that the SRF
monastics continue to fulfill Paramahansa Yogananda’s mission through
the various services and activities he initiated many years ago:
publishing and distributing Paramahansaji’s teachings; overseeing
temples, meditation centers, retreats, and youth programs; providing
spiritual counsel and guidance by letter, telephone, and in person to
students of the Self-Realization teachings; conducting lecture and
class series in cities all over the world; and coordinating the
Worldwide Prayer Circle, a network of individuals and groups dedicated
to praying for those in need of physical, mental, or spiritual aid and
for global peace and harmony.

ANANDA’S ALLEGATIONS ABOUT THE LAWSUIT FILED BY SRF

Since the beginning of the SRF/Ananda lawsuit, Ananda has maintained
that the issues raised in it "have a purely religious significance" and
has accused SRF of using the litigation as an "excuse" to bankrupt
Ananda as a "rival religious organization." This accusation led to Mr.
Walters’ being questioned about it under oath during his deposition in
January 1994:

Lawyer: "Apart from its attempt to enforce its copyrights, is there
anything else that you think that SRF has done to attempt to destroy
Ananda?"

Mr. Walters: "I wouldn’t say so. "

Lawyer: "Apart from your opinion formulated on your own that the
lawsuit was an attempt to bankrupt you (Ananda), do you have any
information at all to support that view?"

Mr. Walters: ‘’I have my opinion. No information."

Ananda’s characterization of the matters at issue in the litigation
needs clarification. Regarding Ananda’s use of the term "Self-
realization," we want to explain that our concern extends only to its
use in the Ananda name and any other manner that would likely confuse
members of the public about the source of goods or services. It has
nothing to do with the use of the term in a purely religious context.
Nor do we wish to deny anyone the use of Paramahansaji’s name or
photograph in religious services. Our legal action has rather to do
with trademark and copyright protection not the religious practices of
others.

Ananda’s allegation that SRF "has long had a history of trying to fight
its battles...through lawsuits" is groundless in the face of the fact
that in the more than 40 years since Paramahansaji’s passing, SRF has
filed only one lawsuit the current one with Ananda. (A lawsuit was
filed in India by YSS, having to do with the ownership of an ashram
property.)

Uma Mata, SRF YSS Board member; disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda since
1947

The main thing about Guruji was that you were aware of the divine
presence of God. He reflected that presence of God, and you felt God’s
presence there. It was living. It wasn’t just something that people
talked about; you actually felt it.

In one of his talks- at the temple he said: "It is my duty and
privilege to be here with you in this garden of souls and to speak to
you of God. When you enter these grounds, speak no evil, hear no evil,
see nothing negative, and you will feel the sacred vibrations that are
always present. I have never talked of anything negative here. That is
why the vibrations are so pure. I want you to observe this also to be
only positive and pure-minded, for in such temples of the mind God
loves to come and to stay."

And even today, when people go to the various SRF temples, or visit
Guruji’s ashrams, that same presence is there, and we see that when
they go there to meditate or to pray or to ask for guidance, they do
receive it. His ever living presence is so much a part of the temples;
it’s very tangible. It’s as though you can reach out and touch it; it’s
there for anyone to take.

And from that standpoint, I feel that Guruji will always be alive.

Letter from Paramahansa Yogananda to Sri Daya Mata on her birthday,

January 31, 1946

"Many years God has traveled us together working for Him. Your birth
has been important in the family of SRF and the family and parents who
brought you up. Your sincere joyous intelligent service to SRF and to
God has been extremely pleasing to me. May you be born in the Cosmic
Mother and inspire all with your spiritual motherliness ..only to bring
others to God by the example of your life. Happy Birthday to you.
Blessings eternal."

PROTECTING

THE SPIRITUAL LEGACY

OF A MASTER

The words of every great master who, like Paramahansaji, has brought a
liberating message to the world, are not intended to reach only those
who were with him during his lifetime, but also the countless spiritual
seekers who will be drawn to his teachings for generations to come. To
preserve his legacy for the ages in all its original power and purity
to insure that it will not be diluted, fragmented, or distorted with
the passage of time is the great responsibility of those disciples who
are entrusted by him with this sacred mission.

For the sake of all who would be drawn to Paramahansaji’s teachings in
the future, our Guru took steps to safeguard the integrity of his works
and to prevent the original meaning of what he spoke or wrote from
being altered or even lost. He wanted to make certain that his works
would reach the public only after they had been properly edited and
prepared for publication according to his guidance. It was for this
purpose that he trained two of his close disciples (Tara Mata and
Mrinalini Mata) to serve as his editors and made what provisions he
could to insure that the right to publish his works would remain with
his own society, Self-Realization Fellowship.

In the course of the current litigation, Ananda’s lawyers have resorted
to every legal technicality available, in an effort to disprove and
distort Paramahansaji’s express intent regarding the ownership of his
works by SRF. Regardless of whether or not Ananda succeeds in
persuading the court, the truth remains that every close disciple of
Paramahansaji who was privy to his wishes about the development of his
work knew that it was the Guru’s express intention that the rights to
all his works belong to the society he founded. Paramahansaji made this
clear in countless ways throughout his life, including his numerous
oral as well as written statements to this effect.

In its open letter, Ananda claims that one of the goals of SRF’s
lawsuit is "to debar Ananda from quoting any of the writings or sayings
of Paramahansa Yogananda....without the express permission of SRF." Our
aim, however, has never been to prevent Ananda from merely quoting from
SRF literature in their lectures or public presentations or even, on a
more limited basis, in their publications (within the reasonable
parameters permitted by law) .

We resorted to the legal system only to prevent the reediting and
republishing of substantial portions of SRF’s publications as any
author and publisher would do in a similar situation.

As we have discussed in our earlier letter on this subject, the heart
of this legal matter is solely to safeguard Paramahansaji’s legacy for
the ages.

LAWSUIT AGAINST

ANANDA

BY A FORMER

ANANDA MEMBER

Ananda’s letter refers in general terms to another recent lawsuit,
allegedly being funded and promoted by SRF in order to harm Ananda. The
truth is that SRF has had nothing to do with this matter.* {* SRF filed
a legal declaration with the court on February 16, 1995, categorically
refuting Ananda’s allegations of our involvement with this lawsuit. The
documents pertaining to this case are a matter of public record at the
San Mateo County Courthouse in California.} The suit was filed against
Donald Walters and one of the other senior Ananda ministers by a former
Ananda member. While Ananda’s letter claims that this lawsuit has "a
purely religious significance, and [is] therefore nonjustifiable in a
court of secular law," in actuality the charges are of sexual
harassment.

The San Jose Mercury News reported on the case in its November 25, 1994
edition:

"According to the complaint, Walters has used the church as
a ‘mechanism for the sexual exploitation of women’ since 1969 while
claiming to be celibate and a ‘direct channel to God. ‘

"The suit identifies eight other women, either by name or initials, as
victims of sexual harassment in the church."

We understand that this lawsuit is still in process.

...The more you are in tune with me and refrain from fussing about
little things, the better you will be. A steady stream of divine power
will flow to you, for the Great Ones sent me here. When I am gone you
will realize this truth with greater impact. I am here only to deliver
their message. Little by little a spiritual change will come to the
true followers of this path, and their influence will spread over the
world. Self-Realization is one of the greatest spiritual movements ever
sent to help mankind. It has been blessed by the Great Ones Mahavatar
Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Sri Yukteswar in communion with Christ and
Krishna. The grace of these masters is not one from the earth. They are
waiting to help you and to help the world.

Paramahansa Yogananda in Man’s Eternal Quest

AID TO OTHERS:

In their most recent letter, Ananda charges SRF with a lack of charity,
and with unresponsiveness to those in need. In attempting to support
this claim, they disclose very personal circumstances regarding the
lives of a number of people, including relatives of Paramahansaji. It
has been our way to respect the privacy of anyone with whom we have
contact, and we regret that Ananda has discussed—in a publicly
distributed letter—matters that are so private to these individuals.
For those who may have been concerned by Ananda’s alarming description
of these matters, we wish to state briefly the simple facts here:**{**
In conformance with SRF’s Articles of Incorporation as a nonprofit
religious organization, any distribution of funds to individuals is
governed by certain legal constraints under tax laws. SRF has always
done whatever it can under the law to offer material support to those
in special need.}

Ananda claims that SRF has been callously indifferent to the needs of
Meera Ghosh and other relatives of Paramahansa Yogananda. In fact, for
many years Meera Ghosh and her family have been living rent-free in a
house owned by Yogoda Satsanga Society. YSS has made it possible for
them to continue to do so for the remainder of her life, and has helped
her with needed medical assistance.

Financial aid is also given to other members of our Guru’s family

. Ananda’s letter inaccurately states that when Sananda Lal Ghosh (who
was one of Paramahansaji’s younger brothers) became ill, SRF having
freely benefited from his authorship of Mejda refused to provide any
assistance unless Sananda deeded to YSS the family home on Garpar Road
in Calcutta. The truth is that SRF has for over 40 years regularly sent
funds to help support the family of Sananda Ghosh and assist them in
maintaining the home on Garpar Road, in which our guru lived as a boy.
SRF paid Sananda a sum of $20,000 for the publication rights to Mejda,
the book he authored containing stories of Paramahansaji’s early life.

On learning of Sananda’s illness, SRF immediately wrote to him of our
desire to help and began looking for ways to provide for his treatment.
We cabled Sananda about arrangements for medical care. Unfortunately,
we received no reply to the cable or to several letters, and we learned
later that Sananda passed away several weeks after this correspondence.
Deeding the Garpar Road home to YSS was not a condition of our
providing him help. Sananda had twice on his own initiative expressed
his intention to give the home to YSS. To this day the home is with the
family, and it is our hope that it remains so.

Another claim is that after the publication of the book by Kamala
Silva, formerly a householder minister of Self-Realization Fellowship,
SRF stopped communicating with her; and that when she became ill in her
later years, SRF refused to help. In actuality, through the years we
have had a warm relationship with Kamala. She continued to join us for
our annual Christmas festivities, for example, until age would not
permit her to travel. When SRF learned of Kamala’s medical condition,
we sent funds each month to help with her needs, during her temporary
stay at Ananda. SRF supported her in this way until Ananda advised us
that this support was no longer necessary.

Ananda accuses SRF of "ruthlessly dismissing" Helen Erba-Tissot over a
disagreement in policy, without acknowledgment for her years of
service. In reality, Mrs. Erba-Tissot’s resignation was her own
decision. After first accepting it in a necessarily brief cable, Sri
Daya Mata warmly acknowledged her service to SRF in a letter:

"I want to express our fondest hopes that you will be happy and
successful in whatever work you undertake. We cannot adequately express
our thanks for all you have done over the years to spread the SRF
message in Europe, and we know that God and the Masters will ever bless
you for it. "

SRF also expressed its deep gratitude to Mrs. Erba-Tissot for her
loving service in public announcements made in all European centers
where she had been active. Friendly communication with Mrs. Erba-Tissot
continued. Following a stay as a guest in our ashram ten years after
her resignation, she wrote, "I have been so happy with you all, and I
want to thank you very, very heartily for the great kindness with which
you have received and surrounded me...."

Ananda claims that SRF refuses spiritual help to prisoners. In fact,
however, SRF corresponds regularly with a number of prisoners, offering
prayer support and spiritual counseling. We send large numbers of
complimentary SRF books, tapes, etc. to prisoners and prison libraries.

All those who came to Paramahansaji felt his loving concern for their
all round spiritual, mental, and material welfare; among the aims and
ideals of SRF is "to serve mankind as one’s larger Self." While our
primary effort is toward spiritual service (including the work of our
Prayer Council), SRF through its Voluntary League regularly contributes
to various relief organizations specifically chartered to provide
charitable aid to individuals.

Brother Bhaktananda, minister-in-charge of Self-Realization Fellowship
Hollywood Ashram Center and Temple; disciple since 1939

One man came to me and said, "I used to have the presence of God and I
used to feel Master’s presence, but I don’t have it any more, and I
don’t know why. " And I asked him, "Do you meditate regularly?" and he
said "Yes". Do you practice Kriya? "Yes". Do you read the Lessons every
day?" "Oh, no, I’m all through with the Lessons. " And I asked him to
go back to reading the Lessons and see if that wasn’t his problem.

About a month later, he walked up to me with a big smile and said, "You
know, there is something about reading the Lessons that gives you the
attunement with the Guru. Now I have it again. Thank you so much."

In reading those Lessons, we are in tune with Spirit. Those words come
from Spirit. Those words and ideas, do not come from a little human
mind. Master was always in tune with Spirit when he wrote, when he
talked. So this we have to realize we are in tune with Spirit at that
time. When we read the Lessons we are sitting at the guru’s feet,
figuratively speaking. He is speaking to us through the Lessons. That
is the reason he said the Lessons will be your guru, because it’s the
guru’s teaching right there—complete.

SRF ALTAR Pictures

Ananda takes issue with SRF’s having changed the order specified by our
guru for pictures on our altars. The reasons for this change were
discussed in an SRF Center Bulletin in 1970: "The honored Indian
tradition of respect to the guru is expressed, in one way, by the
central placement of the guru’s image on one’s altar. This was observed
by Paramahansa Yogananda when, in his devotion and humility, he gave
the more central position, in the horizontal SRF altar arrangement, to
the photo of his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswarji, and asked that his own
photo, placed on the altar by his disciples, be positioned at the end
of the altar. As Paramahansa Yogananda is our guru, and his guru is our
paramguru, it is fitting that we, the disciples of Paramahansa
Yogananda, show to him the same respect he gave to his guru.
[Therefore] the photograph of Paramahansa Yogananda has been more
centrally placed."

Ananda’s letter also claims that the picture of Bhagavan Krishna was
added to SRF altars in disregard of Paramahansaji’s guidance. However,
Ananda’s presentation of these facts is not accurate. From
Paramahansaji’s very earliest years in Boston, he included Bhagavan
Krishna in the invocation to our line of Gurus. An example is the
initiation pledge that the Master asked all his students to sign. The
pledge used during the Boston years (1920-23) begins:

"In the presence of God, Jesus Christ, Lord Krishna, your holy
preceptors: Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Sriyukteswar Giriji, and you my
spiritual guide, promise and take a solemn oath...."

When our Guru built his Golden Lotus Temple in Encinitas in 1939, he
placed on the altar likenesses of Krishna, Jesus Christ, and his own
Gurus. That expressed his intention in this regard, for one of the aims
of SRF is, "To reveal the complete harmony and basic oneness of
original Christianity as taught by Jesus Christ and original Yoga as
taught by Bhagavan Krishna; and to show that these principles of truth
are the common scientific foundation of all true religions."

Paramahansaji knew that to most Westerners at that time, Lord Krishna
was not understood as a God-illumined avatar. Paramahansaji’s mission
was to teach the universal essence of religion. He therefore
concentrated on the teachings of Krishna, to educate the West in the
highest principles of religion that he taught. It is true that for a
period of time during Paramahansaji’s life the image of Krishna was not
included on SRF altars. However, it was the Guru’s express wish that
the Board reinstate Krishna’s picture when the time was right.

In the 1950’s, not knowing the private guidance given to the Board by
Paramahansaji on this matter, certain SRF representatives erroneously
assumed that the altar arrangement without Krishna was to be a
permanent policy, and consequently communicated this on occasion to our
centers and groups. This misunderstanding was later corrected.

When in later years there was a deeper appreciation of the ancient
teachings of India (owing in no small part to the influence of our
Guru’s teachings in Western countries), our Board of Directors
determined the time was right for us to do what Paramahansaji
originally did when he built his first temple, and what he intended to
resume doing: to place the likeness of Sri Krishna on all our altars,
along with that of Christ and the other Gurus of this path.

TRANSLITERATION

OF THE TITLE "PARAMAHANSA"

In an effort to show a lack of forthrightness on SRF’s part, Ananda has
stated that the spelling of the word Paramahansa in our Guru’s
signature was deceptively altered. However, SRF has included an open
and thorough discussion of this matter in the Publisher’s Note of
Whispers From Eternity (First Version/1981 printing).

The correct spelling of his Sanskrit title in English is Paramahansa,
not Paramhansa. Although the common practice for Bengalis is to drop
silent or near-silent a’s in such spellings, the omission of the a in
Paramahansa is misleading, giving an entirely different meaning from
the title actually bestowed upon our Guru. To retain the Paramhansa
spelling would be to permit sentiment to rule rather than a true
reverence and regard for our Guru and his rightful place among the
great ones. A correction was therefore made in the spelling of his
title, so that there would be no doubt about its intended meaning.

"Those who have come to Self Realization Fellowship truly seeking
inward spiritual help shall receive what they seek from God. Whether
they come while I am in the body, or afterward, the power of God
through the link of the SRF Gurus shall flow into the devotees just the
same, and shall be the cause of their salvation....

"Implicit in the SRF techniques and teachings are the help and
blessings of the SRF line of gurus. Devotees who conduct their lives
according to SRF principles will be blessed with the bidden and open
direction of the SRF line of gurus. The ever-living Babaji teas
promised to guard and guide the progress of all sincere SRF devotees.
Lahiri Mahasaya and Sri Yukteswarji, who have left their physical
forms, and I myself, even after I have left the body all will ever
protect and direct the sincere members of SRF- YSS. " Paramahansa
Yogananda

Tara Mata (1900-1971)

Self-Realization Fellowship

Vice-President and Editor-in-Chief

Describing her work with Paramahansa Yogananda on his writings Tara
Mata wrote the following to an acquaintance in 193 7 (at the time,
Paramahansaji was composing commentaries on the scriptures)

"He gets it entirely from inspiration. In fact, it is only through him
that I know what ‘inspired books’ really means. He will come to a
passage which is so obscure that it defies all possibility of plain
interpretation. He will look blankly at me or one of his other
secretaries for a while, close his eyes, and presently out will come
the whole plain meaning. I tell you it has been an education and a
privilege to help with this wonderful book. My end is pure grammar,
arrangement, etc. None of the interpretation is anyone’s but Swamiji’s."

THE EDITING OF PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA’S WORKS

Tara Mata (Laurie Pratt) was among those disciples who were drawn to
Paramahansaji from his very first years in this country, and she was a
pillar of strength in helping him to carry out his mission.* {*
Paramahansaji said of her "Laurie is like a child without guile,
innocent, trusting, loving. But once she begins to see deviousness in
anyone toward Self-Realization Fellowship, watch out! she is like a
lion, roaring. An account of Tara Mata’s life as one of Paramahansaji’s
principal disciples can be found in the summer 1971 issue of Self-
Realization magazine. In addition, a remarkable description of the
exalted state of expanded spiritual consciousness she enjoyed is
recorded in the booklet, "Forerunner of a New Race."}

We are saddened by Mr. Walters’ repeated attempts through the years to
tarnish the memory of this disciple whom Paramahansa Yogananda held in
such esteem that he entrusted to her the responsibility of compiling
and editing his talks and writings for publication. The Guru often
expressed publicly his recognition and appreciation of Tara Ma’s
attunement with the spirit of his message and her unique ability to
edit his works. "Nobody but Laurie could do the editing to my highest
satisfaction," wrote Paramahansaji to Rajarsi Janakananda about Tara
Mata’s work on his Autobiography. "The Lord will bless her with
redemption for the immortal service she has given."

Tara Mata’s editing of the Guru’s writing is now being impugned by Mr.
Walters, and he has at the same time claimed that it was
Paramahansaji’s wish that he serve as an editor of the Guru’s writings.
None of the close disciples who were in daily contact with
Paramahansaji and who served as his assistants for years, recording his
directions for every aspect of the work of his society, recall the Guru
ever expressing the intention that Mr. Walters should edit his works.
By contrast, several disciples vividly remember the Guru’s lavish
praise of Tara Mata’s editing, and his express wish to have Mrinalini
Mata succeed her as editor of his teachings.**{** Mrinalini Mata, now
vice president of SRF, is also editor-in-chief of Self-Realization
Fellowship publications.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

[Steven M. Stoltz]

In article <8tbcqm$3v8$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
nojdw <no...@aol.com> wrote:

> SRF statement on Kriyananda's accusations November 1995
> Part 1
>
> Self-Realization Fellowship
> Founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda
> November 1995

For some reason Nojdw, I find this post less objectionable than
your previous ones. Can you tell that SRF went out of its way to
keep this letter as non-sectarian, purely informative, and on as high a
plane as possible ?

Stoltz

[devo...@my-deja.com]

In article <8ti3km$3d2$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,

Steven M. Stoltz <sto...@my-deja.com> wrote:
> In article <8tbcqm$3v8$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
> nojdw <no...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> > SRF statement on Kriyananda's accusations November 1995
> > Part 1
> >
> > Self-Realization Fellowship
> > Founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda
> > November 1995
>
> For some reason Nojdw, I find this post less objectionable than
> your previous ones. Can you tell that SRF went out of its way to
> keep this letter as non-sectarian, purely informative, and on as high
a
> plane as possible ?

Regarding SRF's statement:

I've personally spoken with Hare Krishna Ghosh- he supports Ananda's
version of SRF's treatment of his father, Sananda. I've also spoken
personally with Meera Ghosh. She too supports Ananda's version of SRF's
treatment of her family. I also met Kamala Silva at Ananda- she was only
there because she was destitute and Ananda was the only organization
willing to take care of her.

Ananda has spoken the truth regarding the above situations. And every
one of the people involved will personally contradict SRF's version
(except Kamala, as she has passed on).

There is much more in the SRF statement that could be commented on, but
since I've had personal experience with these people, I will limit my
comments to these situations.

devotee1

[Steven M. Stoltz]

In article <8tksvt$bu5$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
devo...@my-deja.com wrote:

> I've personally spoken with Hare Krishna Ghosh- he supports Ananda's
> version of SRF's treatment of his father, Sananda.

I was not aware of any controversy regarding SRF's treatment of Sananda.

> I've also spoken
> personally with Meera Ghosh. She too supports Ananda's version of
SRF's
> treatment of her family. I also met Kamala Silva at Ananda- she was
only
> there because she was destitute and Ananda was the only organization
> willing to take care of her.
>
> Ananda has spoken the truth regarding the above situations. And every
> one of the people involved will personally contradict SRF's version
> (except Kamala, as she has passed on).
>
> There is much more in the SRF statement that could be commented on,
but
> since I've had personal experience with these people, I will limit my
> comments to these situations.
>
> devotee1
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.
>

Devotee1, my post was not necessarily defending the truth or falseity
of SRF's statement - I was merely noting that it seemed as if SRF
actually went out of its way in this letter to remain as objective and
non-sectarian as possible while responding to Ananda and Kriyananda's
accusations of them. Aside from the truth or falseity of their
statement, the tone of their letter stands out in clear contrast to the
other posts of Nojdw - which has clearly assumed the posture of an
intolerant character assasination wrt Kriyananda/Ananda. If you read
Nojdw's posts, for example, he clearly displays the attitude that his
words are immune to error and further scrutiny - merely because his
words pay lip service to SRF.

With regard to SRF's letter - in which they write: "An Open Letter from

Ananda Church of Self-Realization, September 30, 1995. Copies of this
document which contains many misstatements and unfounded allegations
about the honesty and integrity of Self-Realization Fellowship and its
leaders have been widely distributed, not only at SRF temples but in

other public places." Clearly devotee1, irregardless of whether or not
you agree with SRF's statements - can't you see that they are taking a
defensive position not an offensive position ? To reiterate, while
Ananda's letter might *NOT* in fact contain "misstatements and
unfounded allegations" as SRF claims - if SRF feels that it does,
responding to them in a way that defends their position is not wrong -
in and of itself. It is merely assumes a defensive posture ...

[Steven M. Stoltz]

In article <8tksvt$bu5$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
devo...@my-deja.com wrote:

> I've personally spoken with Hare Krishna Ghosh- he supports Ananda's
> version of SRF's treatment of his father, Sananda.

I was not aware of any controversy regarding SRF's treatment of Sananda.
I am curious, did you have the opportunity to speak with Sananda ?
I also wanted to add, that your support of the Ghosh family is
appreciated in ways that you might not even aware of ....

> I've also spoken
> personally with Meera Ghosh. She too supports Ananda's version of
SRF's
> treatment of her family. I also met Kamala Silva at Ananda- she was
only
> there because she was destitute and Ananda was the only organization
> willing to take care of her.
>
> Ananda has spoken the truth regarding the above situations. And every
> one of the people involved will personally contradict SRF's version
> (except Kamala, as she has passed on).
>
> There is much more in the SRF statement that could be commented on,
but
> since I've had personal experience with these people, I will limit my
> comments to these situations.
>
> devotee1
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.
>

Devotee1, my post was not necessarily defending the truth or falseity

of SRF's statement - I was merely noting that it seemed as if SRF
actually went out of its way in this letter to remain as objective and
non-sectarian as possible while responding to Ananda and Kriyananda's
accusations of them. Aside from the truth or falseity of their
statement, the tone of their letter stands out in clear contrast to the
other posts of Nojdw - which has clearly assumed the posture of an
intolerant character assasination wrt Kriyananda/Ananda. If you read
Nojdw's posts, for example, he clearly displays the attitude that his
words are immune to error and further scrutiny - merely because his
words pay lip service to SRF.

With regard to SRF's letter - in which they write: "An Open Letter from

Ananda Church of Self-Realization, September 30, 1995. Copies of this
document which contains many misstatements and unfounded allegations
about the honesty and integrity of Self-Realization Fellowship and its
leaders have been widely distributed, not only at SRF temples but in

other public places." Clearly devotee1, irregardless of whether or not
you agree with SRF's statements - can't you see that they are taking a
defensive position not an offensive position ? To reiterate, while
Ananda's letter might *NOT* in fact contain "misstatements and
unfounded allegations" as SRF claims - if SRF feels that it does,
responding to them in a way that defends their position is not wrong -

in and of itself. It is merely assumes a defensive posture ... Ananda
has done the same - in defending their position and defending Donald
Walters.

Having carefully analyzed Nojdw's post, I found only a few parts of it
that *MIGHT* leave room for further scrutiny. One is the following
statement of Sri Daya Mata:

"When you were removed from your official position in SRF, I encouraged
you to go on serving Master. I even encouraged you to go on lecturing
about Master (if that was all you knew and all you wanted to do), and
to spread his name and his work by introducing others to SRF as the
channel Master established for the dissemination of Kriya Yoga and the
other SRF yoga techniques and principles....

There is so much you can do, even on the outside, to really serve
Master by serving his work in harmony with its directives, if you are
really of a mind to do so....All you have to do, Kriyananda, is to let
your actions demonstrate your words of loyalty to and devotion for
Master and SRF and there will be the harmony and divine friendship
desired by both you and SRF.**"

What needs to be explored further here, in my mind, is what Sri Daya
Mata means when she said she contacted Mr. Walters and encouraged him
to go on serving Master ... The only issue with that being that it
might be regarded as an invasion of Mr. Walter's privacy to be
contacted by Sri Daya Mata - a representative of SRF - when he had
already been asked to stop down as Vice president. Of course, it would
depend on the circumstances. Had Mr. Walters been spreading opinions
about SRF that SRF felt they had cause to contact him about (at that
time), the act of contacting him could also be viewed as a defensive
act.

Another comment:

"It may be said that the teacher is not undermining people’s faith in
the Gurus only in their organization. But can we truly love Master and
not love his work? Can we be truly loyal to Master and not be loyal to
his work? Can we honestly presume that those whom he spent years
training and testing do not know what he wanted, or that they do not
have the best interests of his work sincerely at heart?..."

To me, the statement, "Can we truly love Master and not love his
work?", seems to beg the question. The premise is that one can know
that SRF is working with Paramahansa Yogananda - because they know
Master and can see Him working through it. If that is so, why would
such a person need an external manifestation like SRF in the first
place - if they can already perceive the Master directly ? The fact
that SRF's guidance would in fact needed (if in fact SRF is working
with Paramahansa Yogananda) is presumably because - while people can
see some aspects of Yogananda and how He works within SRF - they cannot
see the whole picture. Yet, this seems to contradict the idea that
"Can we be truly loyal to Master and not be loyal to his work?". The
answer - on account of what I stated above - clearly seems to be yes,
because, if a person is ignorant of the connection between SRF and the
guru - which is possible since SRF exists because of this very reason
presumably, then they might not understand the need to be loyal to it.

Another comment:

"Naturally there are differences between SRF and Ananda, as both
societies have developed along separate lines. But while their
purposes, practices, and activities may be dissimilar—SRF implementing
Paramahansaji’s wishes for his work and Ananda following J. Donald
Walters’ ideas for the development of his own organization ...we feel
this fact in itself should not be a cause of discord between the two
societies. SRF’s only concern has been that the two organizations be
clearly distinguishable from one another in the public eye."

Clearly, the phrase "SRF implementing Paramahansaji’s wishes" seems to
be a restatment of the previous statement, "Can we truly love Master
and not love his work ?" - same comments apply. Aside from my coment ,
the idea that SRF wants to distinguish itself from Ananda is merely a
form of defense and is not objectionable.

Again, I must state - that, aside from a few things that I wrote in my
analysis of the letter - it is the TONE of the letter that stands out
in clear contrast to the posts of Nojdw - which I have objected to in
the past ....

Stoltz

[devo...@my-deja.com]

In article <8tlaih$n9t$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,

Steven M. Stoltz <sto...@my-deja.com> wrote:

> In article <8tksvt$bu5$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
> devo...@my-deja.com wrote:
>
> > I've personally spoken with Hare Krishna Ghosh- he supports Ananda's
> > version of SRF's treatment of his father, Sananda.
>
> I was not aware of any controversy regarding SRF's treatment of
Sananda.
> I am curious, did you have the opportunity to speak with Sananda ?
> I also wanted to add, that your support of the Ghosh family is
> appreciated in ways that you might not even aware of ....

No, I never spoke with Sananda. Ananda has been extremely supportive of
the Ghosh family- offering their friendship during times of need,
bringing them to America, and paying for a major remodel and fixing up
of the 4 Garpar Rd. property. It's truly beautiful now. Master would be
pleased.

I understand what you are saying. I wasn't disputing the tone of their
letter, only what it was saying. And I agree also, the tone was very
different than nojdw's usual stone-throwing.

>
> With regard to SRF's letter - in which they write: "An Open Letter
from
> Ananda Church of Self-Realization, September 30, 1995. Copies of this
> document which contains many misstatements and unfounded allegations
> about the honesty and integrity of Self-Realization Fellowship and its
> leaders have been widely distributed, not only at SRF temples but in
> other public places." Clearly devotee1, irregardless of whether or
not
> you agree with SRF's statements - can't you see that they are taking a
> defensive position not an offensive position ? To reiterate, while
> Ananda's letter might *NOT* in fact contain "misstatements and
> unfounded allegations" as SRF claims - if SRF feels that it does,
> responding to them in a way that defends their position is not wrong -
> in and of itself. It is merely assumes a defensive posture ... Ananda
> has done the same - in defending their position and defending Donald
> Walters.

I agree, SRF was right to respond in the way that they feel fit, just as
Ananda was right in it's letter- which was a defensive response to years
of lawsuits (going on 11 years now!).

> Having carefully analyzed Nojdw's post, I found only a few parts of it
> that *MIGHT* leave room for further scrutiny. One is the following
> statement of Sri Daya Mata:
>
> "When you were removed from your official position in SRF, I
encouraged
> you to go on serving Master. I even encouraged you to go on lecturing
> about Master (if that was all you knew and all you wanted to do), and
> to spread his name and his work by introducing others to SRF as the
> channel Master established for the dissemination of Kriya Yoga and the
> other SRF yoga techniques and principles....

I understand that Daya Mata's and Tara Mata's directive to Kriyananda
was to never ever represent SRF OR Master again. Never to set foot on
SRF property. She apparently suggested that Kriyananda go to Fiji and
start a work there (no, I'm not kidding.)

> There is so much you can do, even on the outside, to really serve
> Master by serving his work in harmony with its directives, if you are
> really of a mind to do so....All you have to do, Kriyananda, is to let
> your actions demonstrate your words of loyalty to and devotion for
> Master and SRF and there will be the harmony and divine friendship
> desired by both you and SRF.**"

> What needs to be explored further here, in my mind, is what Sri Daya
> Mata means when she said she contacted Mr. Walters and encouraged him
> to go on serving Master ... The only issue with that being that it
> might be regarded as an invasion of Mr. Walter's privacy to be
> contacted by Sri Daya Mata - a representative of SRF - when he had
> already been asked to stop down as Vice president. Of course, it
would
> depend on the circumstances. Had Mr. Walters been spreading opinions
> about SRF that SRF felt they had cause to contact him about (at that
> time), the act of contacting him could also be viewed as a defensive
> act.

Kriyananda's loyalty isn't to SRF- they threw him out of the
organization. His loyalty is to Master. That loyalty can manifest in
ways that are at odds with SRF. I've seen this also with Peggy Dietz,
who was authorized by Master to give Kriya, outside of the organization.
And contrary to SRF's claim that they only can authorize people to give
Kriya initiation.

> Another comment:
>
> "It may be said that the teacher is not undermining people’s faith in
> the Gurus only in their organization. But can we truly love Master and
> not love his work? Can we be truly loyal to Master and not be loyal to
> his work? Can we honestly presume that those whom he spent years
> training and testing do not know what he wanted, or that they do not
> have the best interests of his work sincerely at heart?..."
>
> To me, the statement, "Can we truly love Master and not love his
> work?", seems to beg the question. The premise is that one can know
> that SRF is working with Paramahansa Yogananda - because they know
> Master and can see Him working through it. If that is so, why would
> such a person need an external manifestation like SRF in the first
> place - if they can already perceive the Master directly ? The fact
> that SRF's guidance would in fact needed (if in fact SRF is working
> with Paramahansa Yogananda) is presumably because - while people can
> see some aspects of Yogananda and how He works within SRF - they
cannot
> see the whole picture. Yet, this seems to contradict the idea that
> "Can we be truly loyal to Master and not be loyal to his work?". The
> answer - on account of what I stated above - clearly seems to be yes,
> because, if a person is ignorant of the connection between SRF and the
> guru - which is possible since SRF exists because of this very reason
> presumably, then they might not understand the need to be loyal to it.

That begs the question, what is 'Master's work?' Is it to bring people
to God, or is it to bring people within the fold of the organization?
Kriyananda seems to think that Master came to bring people to God and
our Guru's. I agree.

> Another comment:
>
> "Naturally there are differences between SRF and Ananda, as both
> societies have developed along separate lines. But while their
> purposes, practices, and activities may be dissimilar—SRF implementing
> Paramahansaji’s wishes for his work and Ananda following J. Donald
> Walters’ ideas for the development of his own organization ...we feel
> this fact in itself should not be a cause of discord between the two
> societies. SRF’s only concern has been that the two organizations be
> clearly distinguishable from one another in the public eye."

The two organizations couldn't be more different. That has never been
the 'real' issue. Are 'Paramhansaji's wishes for his work' to spend
millions of dollars suing other groups and threatening others? That is
the cause of discord right there. So, I would have to disagree with that
point of view.

This statement also seems to contradict their recent claims in court-
that Master was a hired worker of the organization. SRF is claiming that
all of His writings are 'work for hire', and that they don't belong to
Master even.

> Clearly, the phrase "SRF implementing Paramahansaji’s wishes" seems to
> be a restatment of the previous statement, "Can we truly love Master
> and not love his work ?" - same comments apply. Aside from my coment
,
> the idea that SRF wants to distinguish itself from Ananda is merely a
> form of defense and is not objectionable.

> Again, I must state - that, aside from a few things that I wrote in my
> analysis of the letter - it is the TONE of the letter that stands out
> in clear contrast to the posts of Nojdw - which I have objected to in
> the past ....

True, it is a different tone. One that is very different from nojdw's
usual approach.

[Steven M. Stoltz]

In article <8tnjvf$kk4$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
devo...@my-deja.com wrote:

> I understand that Daya Mata's and Tara Mata's directive to Kriyananda
> was to never ever represent SRF OR Master again. Never to set foot on
> SRF property. She apparently suggested that Kriyananda go to Fiji and
> start a work there (no, I'm not kidding.)

SRF would still be acting appropriately within its own interests if
they told someone that they cannot represent the organization,
regardless of how shocking their method of delivery is. As to whether
or not they a person can represent the Master - that is up to the
Master I suppose. Still, since Master setup SRF as the only
organization having His "blanket approval" to pass on Kriya intiation -
"in absentia", with the president being the agent of this authority -
Kriyananda would not have inherited this authority from SRF. Whether
or not Kriyananda was given direct permission from the Master to pass
on Kriya initiation is something else (which BTW requires one to place
their full faith in what Kriyananda says) - something that no one
including SRF is qualified to comment on since it is out of their
jurisdiction. Even if Kriyananda didn't have such permission,
Yogananda could still choose to recognize or not recognize those who
were initiated by Kriyananda as Yogananda saw fit. Clearly, to some
degree the Master oversee's everyone's progress (Kriyaban or not),
since he is omnipresent.

> Kriyananda's loyalty isn't to SRF- they threw him out of the
> organization. His loyalty is to Master.

Even though I did say in my previous post that one might be justified
in feeling that they could be loyal to Master while not being loyal to
SRF, nonetheless; being disloyal to SRF is not necessarily the
prerequisite for being loyal to the Master !!

>That loyalty can manifest in
> ways that are at odds with SRF. I've seen this also with Peggy Dietz,
> who was authorized by Master to give Kriya, outside of the
organization.
> And contrary to SRF's claim that they only can authorize people to
give
> Kriya initiation.
>

SRF only claims to be the sole organization founded by Yogananda with
His blanket "seal of approval" for passing on Kriya yoga in his so-
called "absence". While Yogananda probably gave individual permission
to others to pass Kriya, the blanket permission He gave to SRF cannot
be passed on. That's all it means.

Stoltz

[devo...@my-deja.com]

In article <8tqjjr$40e$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,

Steven M. Stoltz <sto...@my-deja.com> wrote:

> SRF would still be acting appropriately within its own interests if
> they told someone that they cannot represent the organization,
> regardless of how shocking their method of delivery is. As to whether
> or not they a person can represent the Master - that is up to the
> Master I suppose. Still, since Master setup SRF as the only
> organization having His "blanket approval" to pass on Kriya intiation
-
> "in absentia", with the president being the agent of this authority -
> Kriyananda would not have inherited this authority from SRF. Whether
> or not Kriyananda was given direct permission from the Master to pass
> on Kriya initiation is something else (which BTW requires one to place
> their full faith in what Kriyananda says) - something that no one
> including SRF is qualified to comment on since it is out of their
> jurisdiction. Even if Kriyananda didn't have such permission,
> Yogananda could still choose to recognize or not recognize those who
> were initiated by Kriyananda as Yogananda saw fit. Clearly, to some
> degree the Master oversee's everyone's progress (Kriyaban or not),
> since he is omnipresent.

Yogananda gave several people, that I know of, authority to give Kriya
Initiation outside the jurisdiction of the organization. As far as I
know, he never said this thing about having to get authorization from
the president of SRF to give Kriya, or to continue giving Kriya. That
was apparently an attempt by SRF to prevent others from seeming to have
the authority. That authority comes solely from Master. The organization
is not the guru.

If he did say anything like that, he also continued giving people like
Peggy Dietz, Kriyananda, and others the authority to initiate. So, it's
obvious to me that the organization was never meant to be the SOLE
channel for initiation.

> Even though I did say in my previous post that one might be justified
> in feeling that they could be loyal to Master while not being loyal to
> SRF, nonetheless; being disloyal to SRF is not necessarily the
> prerequisite for being loyal to the Master !!

True! Nor is being loyal to the organization a prerequisite for being
loyal to Master.

> SRF only claims to be the sole organization founded by Yogananda with
> His blanket "seal of approval" for passing on Kriya yoga in his so-
> called "absence". While Yogananda probably gave individual permission
> to others to pass Kriya, the blanket permission He gave to SRF cannot
> be passed on. That's all it means.

Well, I don't know that he gave SRF sole permission. As far as I know,
this is the only instance in the history of the guru/disciple
relationship where an organization has replaced the guru or teacher.
I've never heard of another instance of this, certainly not in the Kriya
lineage of Lahiri Mahasaya. And I don't think that this came from
Master. Again, I'm speaking of SOLE authority. I think that SRF has the
right to interpret Master's intent any way they want. We'll see if that
approach 'sticks' as the ONE WAY for people to receive Kriya and
Yogananda's blessings. It sure isn't the only way right now.

I still find it interesting that SRF is claiming publicly (before a
judge) that Master was their employee, and that everything he did was
'work for hire'. It would seem that their real feelings about the
guru/disciple/organizational relationship are beginning to be known. I
wonder how they are going to explain this.

devotee1

[Steven M. Stoltz]

In article <8ts8ub$e3n$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
devo...@my-deja.com wrote:

> Yogananda gave several people, that I know of, authority to give Kriya
> Initiation outside the jurisdiction of the organization. As far as I
> know, he never said this thing about having to get authorization from
> the president of SRF to give Kriya, or to continue giving Kriya. That
> was apparently an attempt by SRF to prevent others from seeming to
have
> the authority. That authority comes solely from Master. The
organization
> is not the guru.
>

I agree with you, that He probably did authorize others to give Kriya,
and that He probably didn't say anything to those people regarding how
they had to interact with the organization. What I am saying, however,
is that the authority to pass Kriya that he gave to SRF - as an
organization - had some stipulations placed on it. For example, I
don't have permission to pass Kriya now - that's because people who are
initiated by SRF must obtain the president of SRF's permission to
initiate others into Kriya. (Mere membership in SRF does not constitute
the authority). Supposedly, that is just how Master set up SRF's "in
absentia blanket of authority". I know that you have stated in the
past that edition 1 of the autobiography says that Kriya must be
learned from a Kriyaban, however; it seems clear to me that Master did
not intend it to be that general. Even if Master gave people authority
to initiate others into Kriya without having to consult with SRF - it
nonetheless seems clear that He only picked a few people out to do
that. I'm convinced, for example, that HE didn't say to people he
authorized to initiate that they could go to a street corner and reveal
Kriya techniques to those who were just casually passing by ....

> If he did say anything like that, he also continued giving people like
> Peggy Dietz, Kriyananda, and others the authority to initiate.

That's very possible. As for Kriyananda, I really don't know what to
believe.

So, it's
> obvious to me that the organization was never meant to be the SOLE
> channel for initiation.
>

I agree.

all it means.
>
> Well, I don't know that he gave SRF sole permission. As far as I know,
> this is the only instance in the history of the guru/disciple
> relationship where an organization has replaced the guru or teacher.

God help SRF if they think they can replace Yogananda. He is still the
man in my book !!!

> I still find it interesting that SRF is claiming publicly (before a
> judge) that Master was their employee, and that everything he did was
> 'work for hire'. It would seem that their real feelings about the
> guru/disciple/organizational relationship are beginning to be known. I
> wonder how they are going to explain this.
>
> devotee1

Since Yogananda was the servant of all humanity, and since he did
dontate all his possessions and the rights to his books to SRF, in a
very broad sense you could say that he was their employee. However,
there is an aspect of that interpretation that doesn't sit well with me
either (even when used as a legal ploy) - so I'd have to say you got me
there.

When you mentioned "It would seem that their real feelings about the
guru/disciple/organizational relationship are beginning to be known",
clearly - when it comes to legal ploys - SRF *SEEMS* to have shown that
they are slightly willing to compromise their true views on a subject
in order to gain the inferior protection of human law. The example
that comes to mind is the one that you brought up regarding the
settlement that SRF supposedly awarded to that woman who had an affair
with a monk ....

For example, I feel that it is possible that SRF might have awarded the
settlement to that woman solely to "protect" themselves (in the eyes of
human law) from future retaliations from her, because I think it is
unlikely that they would have reached a settlement that had the
potential of discrediting the organization (or themselves), solely
to "balance the laws of the SRF organizational karma" by publically
admitting and taking responsibility for a fault. If I am wrong, and
SRF really does care about balancing the higher than human aspects of
their organization karma with that woman - then I wonder if they also
offered SEVERANCE PAY to the monk that they terminated from service.
After all, should all of his years of service to SRF - in which he was
regarded as faithful to the work - be swept under the rug for naught ?

Stoltz

[nojdw]

Paramahansa Yogananda:

"As I love you so, so I am writing this -As a son shuld be loyal to his
father so a disciple to his guru in every way. I never question your
love and loyalty-I feel you nearer and nearer to me- that is why I
venture to ask you to follow;

1) 100 percent Self-Realization and the living link of the gurus, and
not divert your mind to any other teachings or work. Make Praecepta
(SRF Lessons) your whole life with Kriya Yoga.

2) Passing out literature of other teachings confuses and unsettles the
minds of new and even old students. So I shall be happy if you
concentrate minds of students only in SRF.

3) All meetings strictly should be around SRF and practice meditation.

If the above rules are followed you will find the great gurus showering
blessings on you and you will feel a living connection with the living
link of gurus"

An excerpt from a handwritten letter from Paramahansa Yogananda to a
disciple, 1947. It was published in a letter that SRF put out in
November, 1995, in response to a letter circulated by Ananda making
various accusations against SRF. A readable photocopy of the letter is
also included.

"Your letter's assuring words of devotion and loyalty to this Cause and
the Masters deeply touched me. Whole we must pay homage and give all
due respect to all religions and all religious followers, still, we
must remember our supreme loyalty and devotion must be one-pointed-
given to one path only. You have given that already to Self-Realization
Fellowship and to guru. One should become firmly grounded in the
teachings of his choice before studying the merits of other teachings,
else he will become confused and lose sight of his goal, which is not
theoligical knowledge, but actual God-union"

An excerpt from a typed and signed letter from Paramahansa Yogananda to
a disciple, 1947. It was published in a letter that SRF put out in
November, 1995, in response to a written and verbal attacks and
accusations against SRF from Ananda. A readable photocopy of the letter
is also included.

"The Kriya technique will be the foundation, the continuosly expanding
base of your own Self-realization, So you must be true to yourself and
to the Gurus of Self-Realization-Fellowship by faithful practice of the
liberating soul-science. SRF is resolved to show you that Cosmic
Consciousness is attainable in one lifetime if you properly and
continously cooperate in this divine endeavor."

On July 8, 1948, shortly after his great samadhi, he wrote the
following words to the leader of the SRF center in Mexico City:

"After the great visitation of Divine Mother I see more clearly how She
wants this work to be directed and therefore I write this letter....we
must remember that in the second or third generation of our work
everything must be centralized here at Headquarters, otherwise
divisions will begin and our work will fall apart. You and those with
me now are of the first generation, and I do not worry about you for
you have had contact with me and know how the work should be spread,
but those who follow after us will make mistakes unless all the work is
centralized under one department- under the Mother Center."

Okay, one more time:

"....but those who follow after us will make mistakes unless all the
work is centralized under one department- under the Mother Center."

Sounds pretty clear to me!! The Master did not say part of the work.
he said "ALL THE WORK"!!!! I have seen this letter!!

nojdw

[Steven M. Stoltz]

In article <8ttrl2$ofl$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
nojdw <no...@aol.com> wrote:

> Okay, one more time:
>
> "....but those who follow after us will make mistakes unless all the
> work is centralized under one department- under the Mother Center."
>
> Sounds pretty clear to me!! The Master did not say part of the work.
> he said "ALL THE WORK"!!!! I have seen this letter!!
>
> nojdw

Yes Nojdw, you are probably right about that - but, I don't think what
I was saying contradicts that. Master may have well indeed given
permission to some individuals to initiate others into Kriya without
having to get SRF's permission. That has nothing to do with the SRF
work - it is something that was separate from SRF from the start.
Aparently, Master gave out permission to certain individuals - because
he trusted them. (And by the way, if they had failed him in this
individual task - do you really think they could thrive very long
afterwards ?) However, I suspect he put tighter restrictions on the
organization because of the larger number of people involved.

So, the big question is whether or not Kriyananda is one of those
people who had individual permission from Master to initiate others
into Kriya outside of SRF. Although it is possible, it seems somewhat
unlikely because Kriyananda worked so closely within SRF, i.e. had
Kriyananda been one of those people in the early work of Master who had
the permission to give Kriya - it would seem as if he would have
started out, "doing his own thing" from the beginning. Irregardless,
SRF is treading dangerous waters if it does anything more outside of
simply making people aware that there is a distinction between SRF and
Kriyananda/Ananda. After all, SRF was given a very narrow and specific
task of teaching Kriya - which does not include getting messed up in
religious politics outside of its own boundaries. They have no
authority from Master to go on the offensive and start criticizing
other religions.

Stoltz

[devo...@my-deja.com]

In article <8tu6en$174$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,

Steven M. Stoltz <sto...@my-deja.com> wrote:

> In article <8ttrl2$ofl$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
> nojdw <no...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> > Okay, one more time:
> >
> > "....but those who follow after us will make mistakes unless all the
> > work is centralized under one department- under the Mother Center."
> >
> > Sounds pretty clear to me!! The Master did not say part of the work.
> > he said "ALL THE WORK"!!!! I have seen this letter!!
> >
> > nojdw

And I've spoken personally with three disciples who were given authority
by Master to give Kriya- two of them specifically outside the
organization. There are a couple possible interpretations that I can
think of- 1. Master couldn't make up his mind, or kept changing it. 2.
when he said 'all the work', he meant the SRF work- not the future of
all Kriya work in America.

I tend toward the second interpretation, since I've felt the Master's
blessings through Kriya outside of SRF. As have thousands of others.

> Yes Nojdw, you are probably right about that - but, I don't think what
> I was saying contradicts that. Master may have well indeed given
> permission to some individuals to initiate others into Kriya without
> having to get SRF's permission. That has nothing to do with the SRF
> work - it is something that was separate from SRF from the start.
> Aparently, Master gave out permission to certain individuals - because
> he trusted them. (And by the way, if they had failed him in this
> individual task - do you really think they could thrive very long
> afterwards ?) However, I suspect he put tighter restrictions on the
> organization because of the larger number of people involved.

I think you are getting it there- Master gave specific directions for
the 'SRF WORK' that were different than his instructions to other
disciples who had their own work to do.

> So, the big question is whether or not Kriyananda is one of those
> people who had individual permission from Master to initiate others
> into Kriya outside of SRF. Although it is possible, it seems somewhat
> unlikely because Kriyananda worked so closely within SRF, i.e. had
> Kriyananda been one of those people in the early work of Master who
had
> the permission to give Kriya - it would seem as if he would have
> started out, "doing his own thing" from the beginning. Irregardless,
> SRF is treading dangerous waters if it does anything more outside of
> simply making people aware that there is a distinction between SRF and
> Kriyananda/Ananda. After all, SRF was given a very narrow and
specific
> task of teaching Kriya - which does not include getting messed up in
> religious politics outside of its own boundaries. They have no
> authority from Master to go on the offensive and start criticizing
> other religions.

No, they don't. They are going down the road that the Catholic Church
has gone down for 2,000 years. Except that I don't think it's going to
take 2,000 years to figure out what's going on this time. Seems like
some people are already figuring it out.

[nojdw]

In article <8u2jsh$ehq$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,

devo...@my-deja.com wrote:
>
>
> In article <8tu6en$174$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
> Steven M. Stoltz <sto...@my-deja.com> wrote:
> > In article <8ttrl2$ofl$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
> > nojdw <no...@aol.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Okay, one more time:
> > >
> > > "....but those who follow after us will make mistakes unless all
the
> > > work is centralized under one department- under the Mother
Center."
> > >
> > > Sounds pretty clear to me!! The Master did not say part of the
work.
> > > he said "ALL THE WORK"!!!! I have seen this letter!!
> > >
> > > nojdw
>
> And I've spoken personally with three disciples who were given
authority
> by Master to give Kriya- two of them specifically outside the
> organization. There are a couple possible interpretations that I can
> think of- 1. Master couldn't make up his mind, or kept changing it. 2.
> when he said 'all the work', he meant the SRF work- not the future of
> all Kriya work in America.
>
> I tend toward the second interpretation, since I've felt the Master's
> blessings through Kriya outside of SRF. As have thousands of others.

Good Lord, devotee1, You speak such nonsense!! You, like Kriyananda,
bend and twist the Master's words to fit the delusion you bozos call
reality. How do you sleep at night with such arrogance?

"There are a couple of possible interpretations that I can think
of......"

Give me a damn break!!

nojdw

[devo...@my-deja.com]

In article <8u33j3$p7o$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,

nojdw <no...@aol.com> wrote:
> In article <8u2jsh$ehq$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,
> devo...@my-deja.com wrote:
> >
> >

> Good Lord, devotee1, You speak such nonsense!! You, like Kriyananda,
> bend and twist the Master's words to fit the delusion you bozos call
> reality. How do you sleep at night with such arrogance?
>
> "There are a couple of possible interpretations that I can think
> of......"
>
> Give me a damn break!!

In fact, different interpretations is what this is all about. The
history of religion shows different groups branching off from a Master
teacher like Yogananda- based on differing interpretations of their
words.

Some, like yourself, choose the more narrow, sectarian (read
fundamentalist) interpretation of our great Guru's words. My own
experience of His teachings, and stories from many disciples, have shown
Yogananda to be anything but narrow in his thinking.

The upcoming trial between SRF and Ananda on the last few remaining
copyright issues should bring much of this to light. These last issues
are based on Yogananda's 'intent'. The curtain of secrecy surrounding
what our Master did and didn't say, and what he REALLY wrote, or didn't
write, will all be made public. And his true intent for his teachings
will also be made very, very public - along with alot of other
possibly interesting things....

devotee1

[Steven M. Stoltz]

devotee1 wrote:

> My own
> experience of His teachings, and stories from many disciples, have
> shown Yogananda to be anything but narrow in his thinking.

Cosmic consciousness pretty much somes it up.

Stoltz

[devo...@my-deja.com]

In article <8u54d2$8cg$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,

Steven M. Stoltz <sto...@my-deja.com> wrote:

> devotee1 wrote:
>
> > My own
> > experience of His teachings, and stories from many disciples, have
> > shown Yogananda to be anything but narrow in his thinking.
>
> Cosmic consciousness pretty much somes it up.
>
> Stoltz

Indeed- and the closer we get, the more these theological 'debates' seem
rather trivial...