Destructive Cult in Virginia - Yogaville
aic...@my-deja.com
Satchidananda's Yoga Ashram Caught up In A New Controversy, Past Sexual
Charges Begin Resurfacing
Rediff on the Net, June 1999
By Sonia Chopra
When a special issue of Vanity Fair recently ran an advertisement insert
by Donna Karan and listed in "our favorite classes" a yoga institute in
Manhattan, Rick Ross, a controversial cult fighter [wrote a report]. Why
was Donna Karan endorsing the Integral Yoga Institute, he wondered.
Didn't she know it is associated with Swami Satchidananda, the
85-year-old guru based in Yogaville, West Virginia?
A …critic of the Satchidananda, Ross, based in Phoenix, Arizona, [was]
retained by the family of a New York law student who a few months ago
attended the yoga classes Karan would later list as a "favorite..."
The student cut off connections with her family after she moved to the
ashram, allegedly married an ashramite 30 years older and began living
at the ashram situated on a 600-acre prime property.
After seeing the April issue of Vanity Fair, Ross [released his report
in June], discussing the law student and resurrecting many of the sex
scandals that have swirled around the guru since Satchidananda zoomed
into the limelight during the Woodstock concert in New York in the
mid-1960s.
"Is Donna Karan promoting a controversial cult?" asked MSNBC's Jeanette
Wall in a June 8th feature. A spokeswoman for Karan's DKNY said [the
famous fashion designer] had never taken the course.
A spokeswoman at the Donna Karan Company said Karan is "a big fan of
yoga and she has been doing it for years, sometimes by herself and
sometimes with her private instructor."
Patti Cohen, a spokeswoman, said Karan had no knowledge of any of the
allegations surrounding Swami Satchidananda and if she had, "she would
never, never would have endorsed the yoga center." And indeed has "not
endorsed it", just mentioned it in "our favorite classes."
Ross' discussion with MSNBC's Wall regarding charges of old sexual
misconduct against Swami Satchidananda has angered the ashramites who in
discussion with rediff.com damned the cult-fighter.
Swami Ashokananda, the ashram president, alleged it is "being harassed
by Ross, who is a criminal, a convicted felon, who has some kind of
vendetta against us. "
But Ross stood his ground.
"He is blowing smoke. They want to divert attention from the real issues
here. The only reason why Ashokananda would be able to bring out this
information is by checking out my website where I have explained my
past," Ross said.
Ross, 46, has [frequently] admitted in newspaper interviews that he was
given probation for a bungled burglary when he was [in his early] 20s.
Ross, who is known for his stand against many [extreme] groups [such as]
the Church of Scientology, has posted newspaper and magazine articles
about Swami Satchidananda on his website (www.rickross.com). While most
of the articles listed detail sexual allegations against the Swami, they
also carry his categorical denials, and glowing testimonials from his
disciples. Ross has uploaded many of the old allegations, and added the
new complaint.
Swami Ashokananda strongly insisted that "the allegations were false and
time will prove that and that lawyers are involved in dealing with
Ross."
Ross began investigating [extremist groups] when his Jewish grandmother
…complained to him that a [member of a missionary] group confronted her
[at a Jewish nursing home where she was a resident [similar to the
so-]called "Jews for Jesus". [The group had infiltrated the professional
staff of the facility in a covert effort to proselytize its residents].
[Subsequently, a nurse's aide, who was a member of the group, shouted at
the elderly woman that] …she would go to hell if she did not embrace
[fundamentalist Christian beliefs].
Embracing world religions is the theme at the Satchidananda Ashram,
which has chapters in more than 80 cities and towns across the world.
Nearly 200 of Satchidananda's followers live on or near the ashram at
Yogaville. The ashram and its properties are worth millions of dollars.
Among the Swami's well-known devotees are pop artist Peter Max, who has
illustrated several of the swami's books, composer-singer Carole King,
jazz musicians Paul Winter and Paul Horn, and Gerald Blitz, founder of
the Club Med resorts. Such renowned physicians as Dean Ornish and
Michael Lerner, who advocate alternate medicine and recommend
Satchidananda's brand of yoga.
The Swami, often seen in sandals, a robe and a flowing beard, used to
fly a helicopter and lives in a modern brick and frame house, built by
his supporters.
"Satchidananda has harmed a lot of people, traumatized many followers,
destroyed and ruined a lot of families. Many people call him a cult
leader," Ross alleged.
"He misrepresented himself, took advantage of these women in vulnerable
positions and he says he's supposedly celibate but he's not," Ross
added.
Ross said the parents of the student [visited the ashram] and he
[believes their daughter was subjected to one of] "the worst cases of
mind control" he had ever seen. The student, whose name is withheld at
the request of her family, did not speak independently and seemed to be
coached…by her "captors," he said. The family was unable to meet with
her privately [at the ashram], he added.
The CUNY student attended IYI classes for a brief period before
Christmas break in 1998, Ross said. She had a close relationship with
her family, was planning marriage with her long-term boyfriend and
looked forward to practicing law.
After attending the classes she decided to participate in a one-month
residential program at Yogaville. But the program never really ended for
the student, whose name is being withheld, at the request of her family.
In a matter of weeks, from within Yogaville, she abruptly decided to
drop out of law school, isolate herself from her family and friends.
"The family is devastated, too stunned to talk [now], they are [also]
afraid that any statements they make will be misconstrued and result in
[retaliation from Yogaville] and their daughter, which will subsequently
[complicate matters]…more [at this time]," Ross said.
"When a…glamorous [celebrity] …like Donna Karan endorses something,
everyone wants to follow suit," said Ross who agrees that Karan might
not have been aware of the scandals surrounding the swami.
But he still believes that Karan had a responsibility to research the
place and its leader before she included it in her [DKNY promotion of]
favorite classes.
Swami Satchidananda has not said anything about the law student or the
reassertion of old allegations, but in the past he has vigorously
defended himself.
"They know it is all false," he had said about eight years ago. "I don't
know why they are saying these things. My life is an open book. There is
nothing for me to hide."
Susan Cohen, a Connecticut mental health therapist, said Satchidananda
took advantage of her when she was a student between 1969 and 1977.
"It would be very healing for everyone if Swami Satchidananda would
address the issue publicly and stop denying it," she said.
Cohen left the community and married. Today, she has a greater
perspective on her past. "It is psychologically very damaging to women
to have this happen with a father figure," Cohen said. "The fact he will
not address this publicly is a big part of the problem."
And it is not what the path to yoga advocates. "It's a terrible
contradiction in yoga. Yoga is supposed to be open and dedicated to the
truth."
Another follower, Sylvia Shapiro, who could not be reached, has said in
interviews that she was a 19-year-old student in California when
Satchidananda asked her to accompany him on one of his trips to visit
followers around the world in 1971.
"He was my guru and it was very exciting to be chosen for this," said
Shapiro, now a New York lawyer who is married and has two children.
On the trip, Shapiro was taught to wait on Satchidananda. She learned to
cook Indian food, to photograph his public appearances and to give him
his twice-a-day massages.
"In Manila, he turned it from a massage into oral sex," Shapiro had said
in an interview to the Richmond-Times Dispatch in 1991. 'I was very
upset. He didn't want to talk about it. He said he knew best and I
shouldn't worry about it.'
Shapiro said it was the most stressful time in her life. The greatest
influence in her life, her guru, who taught his unmarried followers to
remain celibate, was urging that she have sexual relations with him. 'I
tried to do what he said and not dwell on it,' Shapiro said. 'I really
loved him like a father. I didn't want to make him angry."
The relationship continued for nearly a year. Then she married another
follower and she and her husband confronted Satchidananda about the
allegations, who denied it and privately told her to tell her husband
she had made it up. She and her husband then left the Integral Yoga
Center in New York.
"There is good in his teachings for the individual and for the
community," Shapiro had said, "but those parts get sacrificed because he
can't be honest about this area."
Until December 1990, Joy Zuckerman, who refused requests for this
interview, was living in Yogaville, where she was known as Swami
Krupananda. She left after a friend confided in her that Satchidananda
had made sexual advances toward her the previous summer, according to
news reports done at that time.
After that, Zuckerman has started an organization for former
Satchidananda followers called Healing in the Truth. She had organized
protests in Charlottesville and Montreal, where the swami made speeches.
"Initially, I felt he was the role model I had needed," Zuckerman had
said. "He said he was just here to serve humanity and had no ego or
selfishness."
"I think very subtly, he switched the teachings so they were there to
serve him."
Zuckerman said that after she left Yogaville, she asked Satchidananda to
return a $ 20,000 donation she had made to the ashram in 1979. She said
at that time that lawyers were negotiating on the return of the money.
Satchidananda supporters alleged Zuckerman has a vendetta against the
swami and at that time the accusations had disappointed the followers
but had not disrupted the work there.
"We've heard all these rumors and stories," a follower named Chidananda
had said. "We have no reason to believe they are true. I have no problem
believing his word over theirs. So far, I have seen him respond only
with compassion and love, particularly towards Joy. He doesn't know why
she is doing this, but he is praying for her."
"Of course I am angry. I feel betrayed. He is not what he said he was. I
just wanted him to come out and tell the truth and focus on the positive
things he does,' Zuckerman had said at that time. "
"His teachings are great; I just don't want him to take advantage of
anyone else."
Satchidananda would not speak to this correspondent and in earlier
interviews, when the allegations were swirling around him, he had said
he does not usually respond to criticism. "There is no need. If the
public wants to believe that, they can believe it" (referring to the
allegations).
"They are free to feel this way,' Satchidananda had said of his
accusers. "if they don't feel comfortable with me, they can go learn
from someone else."
Satchidananda had also said he was not looking for praise or blame. "I
believe God is using me as an instrument. I am just there, like a river
is there. Those who want to come and take a bath may do so. Those who do
not want to, do not have to."
In the new scandal, too, Satchidananda's disciples are standing by their
Swami.
One of the followers at Yogaville, said on the phone that the
"allegations" were ''always lies, made-up stories circulated by vicious
individuals, hell-bent on destroying the swami's reputation, probably
goaded by a rival swami's followers, who are jealous of Swami
Satchidananda's success," said Gyanananda, 36, who refused to give any
more information saying that, he was "sure he would be misquoted anyway,
so why bother?''
Another devoted follower said he was "confused" about these stories
because to his knowledge, "this is the greatest place on earth to be.
It's wonderful, it's a haven," said Sudharman Senton, 59, who said he
has lived in the ashram off and on for the last twenty years and has
raised his two children there as well.
Jean Sundlie, 50, who handles the advertising and marketing for the
ashram, said the place is "everything you can dream of and all the
people there are people you can imagine are the best humanity can
offer."
Sundlie said "the allegations were simply not true" and Swami
Satchidananda is the "most amazing man, gentle, kind
and dignified".
One of the followers contacted at the Integral Yoga building in
Manhattan, laughed at the allegations, saying "Criss-Cross has got it
all wrong." When corrected on the name Rick Ross, unfazed, the woman,
Dharmini, said, "I know. I just call him criss-cross because he
criss-crossed stuff."
"I can't acknowledge what happened in the past. Yesterday is gone,
tomorrow is in God's eyes, our karma will be fruitful based on this
moment -- this moment that I am talking to you and we are connecting,"
said Dharmini, who added she was originally a Saibaba devotee.
"Yoga is the most beautiful of all the swami's teaching. He teaches the
old way -- 1,000 years old -- and the beauty of it is that it has no
competition and its integrates the mind and the body to get peace," said
Dharmini, who has been a teacher at the center for 25 years now and
refuses to give her age merely saying, "I'm an old soul. I've been here
before many times."
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For more information on Swami Satchidananda, Integral Yoga
Institute and Yogaville goto:
http://www.yogaville.com
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> http://www.rickross.com/reference/yogaville/yogaville21.html
>
> Satchidananda's Yoga Ashram Caught up In A New Controversy, Past Sexual
> Charges Begin Resurfacing
>
> Rediff on the Net, June 1999
> By Sonia Chopra
>
> When a special issue of Vanity Fair recently ran an advertisement insert
> by Donna Karan and listed in "our favorite classes" a yoga institute in
> Manhattan, Rick Ross, a controversial cult fighter [wrote a report]. Why
> was Donna Karan endorsing the Integral Yoga Institute, he wondered.
> Didn't she know it is associated with Swami Satchidananda, the
> 85-year-old guru based in Yogaville, West Virginia?
>
> so-]called "Jews for Jesus". [The group had infiltrated the professional
> staff of the facility in a covert effort to proselytize its residents].
> [Subsequently, a nurse's aide, who was a member of the group, shouted at
>
> Embracing world religions is the theme at the Satchidananda Ashram,
> which has chapters in more than 80 cities and towns across the world.
> Nearly 200 of Satchidananda's followers live on or near the ashram at
> Yogaville. The ashram and its properties are worth millions of dollars.
>
> Among the Swami's well-known devotees are pop artist Peter Max, who has
> illustrated several of the swami's books, composer-singer Carole King,
> jazz musicians Paul Winter and Paul Horn, and Gerald Blitz, founder of
> the Club Med resorts. Such renowned physicians as Dean Ornish and
> Michael Lerner, who advocate alternate medicine and recommend
> Satchidananda's brand of yoga.
>
> The Swami, often seen in sandals, a robe and a flowing beard, used to
> fly a helicopter and lives in a modern brick and frame house, built by
> his supporters.
>
> "Satchidananda has harmed a lot of people, traumatized many followers,
> destroyed and ruined a lot of families. Many people call him a cult
> leader," Ross alleged.
>
> "He misrepresented himself, took advantage of these women in vulnerable
> positions and he says he's supposedly celibate but he's not," Ross
> added.
>
> Ross said the parents of the student [visited the ashram] and he
> [believes their daughter was subjected to one of] "the worst cases of
> mind control" he had ever seen. The student, whose name is withheld at
> the request of her family, did not speak independently and seemed to be
>
> The CUNY student attended IYI classes for a brief period before
> Christmas break in 1998, Ross said. She had a close relationship with
> her family, was planning marriage with her long-term boyfriend and
> looked forward to practicing law.
>
> After attending the classes she decided to participate in a one-month
> residential program at Yogaville. But the program never really ended for
> the student, whose name is being withheld, at the request of her family.
> In a matter of weeks, from within Yogaville, she abruptly decided to
> drop out of law school, isolate herself from her family and friends.
>
> "The family is devastated, too stunned to talk [now], they are [also]
> afraid that any statements they make will be misconstrued and result in
> [retaliation from Yogaville] and their daughter, which will subsequently
>
> "When aůglamorous [celebrity] ůlike Donna Karan endorses something,
