Yoga,Yogis,GurusandSex
Scandals
NKSrinivasan
Theyogaworldhadseenseveralearth-quakesofsexscandals
associatedwithgurus,yoga'masters'andteachers.Having
watchedtheyoga-domforthepastseveraldecadesandbeinga
practisingyogiandteachertosomestudents.beingIndianby
birth,havinghadadvancededucationatoneoftheIvyleague
schoolsinUSA,IfeelthatIamsufficinetlywellinformed
andmaturedenoughtowriteaboutthescandalsthathadbroken
outwithgurus/yogis.
Ialsotakethisopportunitytoexplaintheroleof
teachers/gurusinIndian/Hinduperspective.Thisisimportant
becausetheconceptandroleofaguruortraditionalteacher
cannotbeeasilyunderstoodorappreciatedbywesternstudents
whoenrollforacourse,spendafewweeksinaschoolor
ashraminIndiaoraregularclass/retreatintheWest.
AsIsurveythescene,startingfromthedaysofMaharishi
MaheshYogiofTM,Icouldseehowcorrupt,mentally,morally
andspirituallytheybecome;itis,indeed,shocking.Thefair
nameofHinduspiritualityisbeingspoiledbythese
charlatan/bogusyogisandgurus.Iwritethiswithasenseof
painatthewayinwhichthehoarytraditionsofyogaand
spiritualtraditionsofIndiahadbeencompromisedbythese
greedy,lecherousteachersandhalf-bakedyogis.
YogisandPowerofwealth
SeveraloftheyogiswerepoorkidsbackinIndiaor
hailfromhumblemiddleclassbackground;theirparents
toiledhardtoeducatethemandsendthemtoschoolor
college.WhentheseyoungyogisarriveintheUSA,they
aredazzledbythewealthandaffluenceeverywhere,and
hearabouttheAmericandreamtomakemoneyandthegoal
of"pursuitofhappiness"extolledbyThomasJefferson,
oneofthefoundingfathersofAmerica.Soonenough
,withtheiryogaclassesfetchingmoneyandafewrich
devoteesorfemalemoneybags,theyacquirematerial
possessions---startingwithanewspankycarandalarge
house.Celebritystudentsarriveandalongwiththem,
themediacoverage,withTVinterviewsandmagazine
articlesandevenbillboardsinbigcitieslikeSan
Francisco.
Manyunbeleivableachievementsareattributedtothese
half-bakedyogis.Theyaresupposedtohaveauthored
hundredsofbooks---mostlyshortjuvenile'chapter
books'writtenbytheirdotingfemalestudentswhoare
mostlyEnglishmajors.Oftenthebooksaretranscribed
talksofshallowdepths,givenintheevenings,witha
smatteringofSanskritwordsandexpressions.Manyhave
notreadanyofthescriptureoreventheBhagavadGita,
toanydepth.Thebooksareeditedprofuselytocaterto
thelocalmarketofwesternreaderswhoarereading
aboutHinduphilosophyoryogaforthefirsttime.
Withmoneyflowingin,theyoungyogisoonacquiresa
ranchstyleashramwithfancyname[forinstance"New
Mathura"]oftenbequeathedbyawealthycorporateguyor
distraughtrichwidow,seeking'enlightenment'orat
leastmentalpeaceatthefeetofthemaster.[Oftenit
isthepersonaltragedythatbringsapersontothese
charlatan-gurus.]Theashramsoonhasseveral
rooms,cottages['kutirs']andconferencehallsbesides
yogastudiosforthecomfortofstudentswhocomefor
extendedweek-endsorretreats----afertilegroundfor
promiscuityandgentlenight-life.
Oneyogiboughtapalatialmonasteryspacewithmore
than100rooms.Anotherwantedanewtowntobemadeona
dryranch.SoontheymovearoundinRolls-Roycesorlimos
drivenbytheirfavoritefemalechelas.One
charlatan-yogiwhowasaninstructorinalocalcollege
inIndia,becamerichinUSAandownedmorethan90
Rolls-Roycesaspartofhisassetsinhisranch,before
certaincriminalchargeswereclampedonhimandhewas
drivenoutofthecountry.
Withtightsecurity,body-guardsandsurveillance
cameras,theyogi,amanof'superiorwisdom'ordivine
dispensation,movesinhiswalledcity--likeaprince.
OneBritishpoliticainwrotenearlytwocenturies
ago:"Powercorrupts;Absolutepowerabsolutely."Howtrue!
Theyogiisnomoreamanpursuingspiritualgoalsor
teachingspiritualpath,butacorporateexecutiveor
CEO,maximisinghisprofits.Hemayinvestinrealestate
andotherdealstosecuresteadyincomefromthe
earningsthusfarcollected.
Moneypowerandmediapublicitycorruptthemindofthe
yogi.Hebecomesacharlatan,tryingtoprotecthis
interestsfromnowon.
Heforsakesthesimplelifestyleoftrueyogisin
India.Furthermoreheforsakesthegreatestassetofa
yogi--humility.Hebecomesarrogant,abuseshis
followersandeventhreatensthemwithdireconsequences
iftheyletouthissecretmisconductaround.
YogiandtheSevaconcept
Karmayogaisthepathofself-lessserviceforthepoor
andtheneedy--likeMotherTheresa,forinstance.
Ourmodernyogisgaveanicetwisttothispathto
acceleratetheircorporategrowth.Theywouldexpect
naiveyoungonesintheashramtodovolunteeringin
theashramkitchenordormsorgarden,as'seve'tothe
guruandthecommunityofstudentsintheashram,who
arewealthyenough.Thisserviceissupposedtopurify
themindsofthestudents,inbetweentheir
meditationalpractice.Whilevolunteerserviceforanhourortwointheashram
forfreelunchmaybeacceptable,manyashramitesare
forcedtoworkfor8hoursormoreintheseplaces.
Thisisasubtleformofexploitationbythegurus.
Potbelliedgurus
Itisatthisstage,withwealthandpowerincreasing
exponentially,gurusovereatandbecomeobeseandpot
bellied---theycannottouchtheirtoes...why,they
cannotevenseetheirtoes!Unlikegenuineyogiswho
practiseyogaregularly,thesepseudoyogisbecome
inactiveandlettheiryoungstudentsteachothersor
trainpoorqualityinstructors.Theyspendtheirtime
amassingwealthorpolitickinginhighcircles.Itisno
wonderthatmanyofthemdiefairlyyoung,sayaround50
to60years,unlikeTkrishnamacharyawholivedupto102
yearsorIndraDeviwhoalsolivedupto102yearsorBKS
Iyengarwhoteachesnowattheageof94.
YogisorPlayBoys
Therichandpowerfulyogissoonattractcelebrities,
hollywoodstarletsandrock-starmusicianswhonotonly
bringinlotofmoneyandmediapublicity,butcertain
elementsofmoralturpitudeandsexualperversions.
Onehighlevelyogi'initiated'youngnovicesinbubble
bath;anotherinswimmingpoolsandsoon.Theaustere
styleoffunctioningsoonchangestotrivialceremonies
andperversionswithsexualovertones.Someoftheseare
labelledas'tantric'methodstoarousethesleeping
kundalnifromMuladharachakraforthe
less-knowledgeablestudentsandpartners.
Ifyoureadtheyogaliteratureofthepast50years
ofgrowthofYogainthewest,youwillfindnumerous
instancesofsexualexploitation/abusebesides
flirtationsbytheyogis.Oneyogiwinkedatastarlet
duringherbirthdaypuja,perhapswithbadintentions
andgothisreputationruinedsignificantly.Another
wellknownyogi,whohailedfrommyneinighborhoodin
India,hadtheaudacitytostealthegirlfriendofhis
disciple,professingtoteach'advancedmethods'under
hisroof,soonsiredachildthroughher.Ayogiwho
studiedunderagreatmasterinIndiaandwasrespected
forhisspecialyogicpowersofshakti-pathofraising
kundalinipowerhadasecretpassagetotheharemof
femalestudentsforhissexual'experiments'.Another
yogiofgreatlineageopenlysoughtsexualfavorsfrom
femalestudentsandwassuedinthecourtbutdeniedany
wrongdoing.Anotheryogi,whenfacinglegalchargesfor
sexualexploits,paidahugecompensationorsettlement
moneyinUSAandquietlywentbacktoIndiaand
apparentlycommittedsuicideinhisashramnearthe
Himalayas.
Therehadbeenmanyallegationsevenongreatoneslike
SwamiVivekanandawhichwerenotprovedor
substantiated.Buttherecentinstanceshavebeen
painfullywelldocumentedandcourtcases
followed...somewithout-of-courtsettlements.One
advancedphilosophercarriedonhisaffairwithhis
secretary'swifeformanyyears,sendingherto
clandestineabortionclinicperiodically.Thesecretary
wasalsosuedforfinancialimpropriety.Anotheryoung
self-styledyogimarriedhissecretaryandlefthis
devoteesinthelurch.InarecentinstanceinIndia,a
yogiwastakentocourtbyhisownwifewhocouldnot
toleratetheflirtationsofherhusband.
InHindutraditions,ayogineednotbeacelibate.He
canbeafamilyman,withwifeandchildren.Thetwo
illustriousexamplesofhouse-holderyogisareT
KrishnamacharyaandYogendraofYogaInstitute[Santa
Cruz,Mumbai]amongothers.Thereare,ofcourse,monks
whoareyogisandtheywouldbecelibate.
Butmodernyogispretendtobecelibatesandcarryon
theirsexualactivitiesorperversionswithseveral
women.Someevenjustifythishorriblebehaviorasdue
tocompulsionsfromadoringfemalesaroundthemand
theirinabilitytocontroltheurges.
Manywesternwomenassociatetheiryogigurus/teachers
withextra-ordinarypowersacquiredthroughyoga
,besidessomecharismaorphysicalcharm.Unfortunately
suchclaimsarefalseorself-propagated,withoutany
verificationandoftenhearsayreports.Itisdefintelypossibletoacquirecertainintuitive
powersandpowersofhealingbyadvancedyogiswhohad
livedstrictlivesandpractisedlongandhardformany
manyyears.Suchyogisarerarelyseenundertheglare
ofmediapublicity.
Theseyogi-charlatansdonotcomeunderthat
category.Theydonotpossessevenmoderatecleanliness
ofmindtoacquiresuchpowersorqualities.Manyof
themhadreadthePatanjaliYogasutraswithachapter
onsupernatural[siddhi]powers---thatisall.The
naivewesternstudentsaredupedcleverlybythese
yogisandtheirpromoters/students.
ThiscangooninIndiatoo.ButIndiabeingan
overcrowdedcountrywithlittleprivacyinanyashram,
suchnefariousactivitiesaresoonfoundout.Further
withgossip-mongeringintopgear,manyyogisorgurus
ofimmoralbehaviorwillbeexposedsoon.
WhatistrueGuru-Sishyarelationship?
Atrueguruleadsastudentthroughthe
difficultpathofyogaandspiritualgrowth
veryslowly.Hemaytakemonthsandeven
yearstoimpartthistraining.Furtherhe
watchesoverthestudenttominutely
understandhis/herbehaviourandgive
correctionsorsternwarningsfromtimeto
time.Wesaythataguruguidesthestudent
forlife...itisnotsimplyattendinga
structuredcourse,performedinahallor
taughtbycorrespondenceoron-linecourse..
Thissystemimpliesthatthegurucanatthe
mosttrainonly8to12studentsatatime.
SwamiSivananda[DivineLifeSociety,
Rishikesh,India],agreatvedantinandyogi
,didtrainonlyabout30studentsinhis
entirelife.
Masseducationofyogaisanotherthingall
together...ItisnotGuru-sishyatypeof
trainingatall.
Inmoderncontext,theyogisserveasmere
teachersandsotheycanbeforgivenfor
impartingpoortraining.Atthesametime
,thestudentsreceivepackagedlearning,
withoutlearningsubtlepoints.Therefore
onecannotexpecttheGuru-Sishya
relationshiptoflourishasinoldschools.
Thereisverylittleresponsibilityofa
guru/teachertowardshisstudents.The
relationshipisakintothatbetweena
collegeprofessorandhis/herstudents.
Insuchcircumstancesguruscannotexpect
totalsurrenderorallegiancetoa
guru.Thereforeitisneedlesstoregardguru
relationshipsintheclassicalHindu
tradition.
CaveatWithmylongexperienceaboutyogaand
yogis,Icanmakethefollowingcaveator
warningsforyogastudents:
1Checkthebackgroundoftheyogamasters
andtheirinstitutions.Iftheyindulgein
cultishpracticesandwalledenclosures,
withoutaccesstooutsideworld,shunthem.
2Checkalsoforpersonal,financialand
technicalbeckgroundofthemasterandhis
chiefinstructors.
3Avoidanypersonalencountersinclosed
doors,personalinterviewsorcloseted
instruction.
4Donotbelieveintheclaimsof
extra-ordinarypowersorsiddhissuchas
levitation,walkingonwater,
materialisationofobjects[sacredash,
metalobjectsandsoon]..Thesearecheap
tricksundercontrolledconditions.
Thereweregreatyogiswhocoulddivineyour
thoughts,bilocateorpredictyourfuture.
SuchmastersIdonotfindanymore.Somewere
thereoneortwogenerationsago.The
presentdayyogamastersareofmuch
inferiorcaliber.
Thechanceofyourfindingamasterwhocan
exhibitsuchpowers,eveninthehoary
Himalayas,isveryremote.
Themostcommonadvancedfeattheycan
exhibitisstoppingthepulseforafew
minutesandgettingburiedforsomelength
oftimewithoutfoodandoutsideair.But
thenstoppingthefunctioningoftheheart
andrevivingitiscommonwithCPR
techniquesandothermeansandneednotbe
consideredasupernaturalfeat.
5Finally,donotpartwithallyourmoney
orassetstoayogaorganisationorguruand
thenbecomedependentontheGuru...maintain
yourfinancialindependence.Youmaygive
largedonations,providedtheyareaccounted
forvalidexpenses.
Imustaddthattherearegreatyogis,with
sincereteachingtotheircreditand
considerableresearch/therapy
experience---thosegenuinelyinterestedin
theirstudents.Searchforthem.
Asthesayinggoes,ifthestudentisready,
theteacherwillcome---asthedivinelaw
operates..Butthegardenvarietyteachers,
withlotofadvertisementsandbillboards
topromotethemaremoney-makingcharlatans
andthedictum"CustomerBeware"appliesto
theworldofyogaaswell.
------OmTatSat---