Hello,

I see you haven’t updated your site since October 2013, as far as I can tell. Perhaps interest is waning. Maybe those who were hurt have moved on to better and bigger lives. One would hope so. Siddha Yoga is and has always been a flawed organization composed of flawed human beings, from the “guru” on down. SYDA can deny the accusations hurled their way; that does not make them any less true. When a spiritual teacher uses his power to intimidate and seduce his or her followers, this is abuse.

Spiritual teachers have led their followers to suicide, even murder. Others lead their followers into suicide of the spirit, into degradation of the soul. Abusers have a radar — they can hone in on potential victims, and yet avoid those who have could fight back. Just as thieves and criminals on the street never go for someone strong enough to fight back, neither do false teachers.

Muktananda may have had certain powers. He certainly had charisma and a confidence that allowed him to attract and hold crowds, to persuade others that he was who he said he was. But then, so did Hitler.

Muktananda was a great storyteller. He knew a lot of stuff. A lot of stories. A lot of teachings.

When Muktananda chose to indulge in sexual exploits with young girls, at least teenagers and young women, it was covered up. Blatantly lied about. Or the word was that it was okay for him because he was “enlightened.” It was “tantra.” No one could understand the higher consciousness of an enlightened being — least of all, lowly ashramites. It was your problem, not his. You were ungrateful. You lacked understanding. You could get thrown out of the ashram if you made a fuss.

The ashram was composed of flawed weak human beings full of fear, who could then be controlled and ruled by fear. No one knew what they were doing. No one had a clue what enlightenment was. No one even knew what love was. No one does now. This was the state of the ashram. It is the state of the world.

People in SY wanted to be in the “in crowd.” They wanted to be part of the inner circle that flocked around Muktananda, like birds around bird seed — birds of a feather, and all. They wanted to be close to the guru. Just to be near him.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and so there was also George Afif and his exploits of abusing and using whatever, whoever he could, whenever he could. And there was, and is, Ram aka D.R. Butler. He continues to attract the flawed and the weak, those looking for solace, for comfort, for someone to take them home. D.R. mixes truth with fiction, which makes the dangers hidden in his teachings all the more dangerous. Of course there is no “do-er” as he will be the first to tell you, and so people like Ram Butler can exonerate themselves from their wrong-doing. Besides — what he did was all in the past — and we are living in the truth of the present moment, right? By the way, what does D. R. stand for? Rather presumptuous and misleading to put D.R. before your name when it looks like Dr. Which he isn’t.

People say that Muktananda handed over the lineage to Chidvalasananda, also called Gurumayi, but it was not quite like that. He FIRST appointed her brother, Nitananda, before a crowd of ashramites in South Fallsburg. The next day Muktananda sort of retracted and said he was appointing BOTH of them. BOTH. The word was that Chid was so upset, she — well I’ve no idea what went on behind closed doors — but he was somehow persuaded to change his mind. It was a very confusing time for poor ashramites.

So for awhile, there were two. Brother. Sister. Then the word started going around that you had to “choose.” Choose? Yes, between brother or sister. It sounded crazy, since Muktananda had appointed them as JOINT successors, but by this time he was dead. Or let’s say, he had “left his body’ for Siddhaloka heaven, where all good ashramites and Siddha Yogi’s might one day join him, if they obeyed all the rules and chanted the Guru Gita and did lots of seva without complaining (free service to the guru).

Thus began the campaign by the sister against the brother, which included physically assaulting him, as well as all sorts of tirades. The accusation was that this very young man had had sex with a woman, maybe one or two others. This required that he be beat. Thrown out. Well, gosh, maybe if had chosen underage girls, like Muktananda, maybe he could have stayed.

Sister succeeded in throwing brother out. But he merrily went his own way and continues his teaching elsewhere.

There exists the possibility to find a true teacher. First you have to be a true disciple. Forget ever getting apologies or Truth from any of the teachers or so-called Gurus of Siddha Yoga. That won’t happen. They all have something to lose. Like followers for their egos. Like money. Like prestige. Like money. Like adulation. Like money. Like face. Like money.

One of them could come forth and tell the truth and the Truth. Don’t hold your breath. Just go in another direction. Fast. Forgive yourself for having been naive enough to have been taken in by darkness and move forward. Don’t make any excuses for their behavior. They did what they did and they do what they do because they are living from darkness. Darkness deserves no excuses.

Was I hurt by Siddha Yoga? Terribly. Did I leave? Long ago. And I intend to stay as far away as possible. Birds of a feather do flock together, and I’ve no desire to be part of that flock.

Publish this if you like.
-T.S.