Our humanitarian projects serve impoverished communities through rural empowerment and environmental regeneration. Companies Himalayan Institute Tell us how to improve this page The man, she says, informed her of Swami Rama's long history of alleged sexual misconduct. Our members consist of a vibrant residential community of practitioners, karma yogis (service-driven seekers), and faculty-in-residence as well as a global community of seekers, committed to living their spiritual values. I like to believe that somewhere inside of him, he is the good person I believed him to be. Two of the guru's most devoted disciples left the Institute three years ago because they had learned while in India as part of an Institute tour group that parts of Swami Rama's official biography were fabricated. When she questioned him, Megan says, he became angry and dismissed the women's suffering, saying that a little poison ivy could be good for them. Because that's my whole life& My relationship with [Swami Rama] is purely divine and spiritual-there cannot be impurity in it, and there is no room for such thoughts. In some states, a patient has the right to sue her doctor or psychotherapist for malpractice even if she originally consented to sex, because people under psychological or medical treatment are considered too vulnerable and dependent to give free and full consent. He must see something special in me.'" In the spring of 1983, Swami Rama began to court her again, she says: He told her that she would help him prepare a book of sacred poetry he was writing, and he assured her repeatedly that he would take her to India the following autumn. The victim's confusion and loss of trust are compounded when her community refuses to acknowledge her suffering. Dr. Ballentine, who says he studied psychology at the Sorbonne and completed his training in psychiatry at Louisiana State University, defends Nuernberger. The next day, she says, Swami Rama called her to his office and asked her if anyone had said anything to her. HIT ranked 39 th under Best Hotel Management Colleges in All India by The Week 2022.; HIT ranked 23rd under Top Private Hotel Management Colleges in All India and 11 th in North Zone by The Week 2022.; HIT is ranked as one of the most preferred Hotel Management Colleges . Study Retreat Wellness Travel Shop About HI ONLINE Program Calendar ALL NEW! The program seemed to provide the ideal family she'd never had, where everyone shared her values and spiritual goals. But the purified ego is a means in discriminating real Self from not-self-real Self from mere self. She recalls that he said they would become very close, their bodies would come together, and then they would part. Rose, they explain, was not a disciple of Swami Rama, but had been invited by family members in the Institute's administration to come to Honesdale for medical treatment. The accumulated testimony of their personal experiences through the years exhibits a pattern typical of "sex in the forbidden zone," coupled with institutional mechanisms of defense and denial. But as she spent more time around Swami Rama and his inner circle, Megan says, the guru subjected her to a barrage of sexual harassment. She became outraged at the residents and the professional staff who enable and legitimized the Swami's behavior. His response: "Listen, there are certain things which are based on witnesses-those are facts. In the mid-1970s, she and her husband George,* both students of Swami Rama, traveled to India and stayed at the guru's ashram in Rishikesh. she wondered. Initially, Brian says, most of the other directors responded with concern. For a time, she says, she considered getting a pistol to carry to work. Brian says he refused to tell Rose's story in such an atmosphere. But for a man of Pandit Arya's background and beliefs, the relationship with one's guru is more momentous than any merely temporal bond. Hadn't he taken vows of celibacy? During this spiel, she says, he put his hand on her buttocks, but she told him she wasn't buying it. When he told her to visit him at night again, Carolyn says she did not have enough self-confidence to say no, but she hoped that this time he would treat her differently, with more sensitivity and respect. A pearl necklace that Brian had bought from Swami Rama as an "investment" was appraised at roughly one-third of the $100,000 he had paid for it. Carolyn says he called her out to Glenview for a special appointment, at which he invited her to come live and work at his new ashram in Honesdale-and told her he would waive the usual residential program fees. When they have contacted their friends and former colleagues at the Institute, they have been discounted as liars or labeled "emotionally disturbed." She thanked me, but assured me I had no reason for concern. Meanwhile, Swami Rama had appointed her as registrar of the graduate program, replacing a long-time woman disciple who was being kicked out of the Institute for no apparent reason. The jury awarded $275,000 in compensatory damages and $1.6 million in punitive damages to the woman. 7,616 were here. But one by one, Trescelli says, the women backed down and decided not to pursue legal action. According to the stipulation he signed with the Board's Ethics Review Panel, Nuernberger admitted that he terminated a counseling relationship with "Victoria S." during the third session in order to enter into a "personal relationship - such relationship to include sexual contact.". Our Honesdale campus continues to be home to a service-driven community of yogis, volunteers, and faculty-in-residence. Maybe it's an honor that this great yogi asked me of all his students to serve him in this way. He laughed, Megan says, and told her that the women didn't know what they were weeding. The Himalayan Institute publishes over 60 titles on yoga, spirituality, and holistic health, including the best-selling Living with the Himalayan Masters by Swami Rama and Yoga: Mastering the Basics by Sandra Anderson and Rolf Sovik. The Catholic Church may discipline a priest who has sex with a parishioner, not only because it violates his vow of celibacy, but because his parishioners must be able to confide in him without worrying that he will exploit their trust for his own gratification. Expert wellness consultations direct to your home. Carolyn says the "goofy" letters never got answered. A week later, Megan blew the lid off Swami Rama's private life, confirming what Carolyn already knew in her heart. Himalayan Institute | Honesdale PA A world leader in yoga, meditation, and holistic health, we are dedicated to serving humanity through educational, spiritual, and humanitarian programs. A saint is a person who does what he says." Check our website! Immerse yourself in a life-changing course of study and get certified in the authentic teachings of yoga and meditation. University of California System Bans Fully Online Degrees. Of all the Institute's swamis and teachers, Pandit Arya is by far the most scholarly. Tall and imposing, he had the sleek look of a successful man in his late 50s, at the peak of his power. Or maybe he needs to have sex just to release energy so he can meditate better. Our community is held together by dedicated students of the Himalayan Tradition, who value the principles of universal respect and collective responsibility. D., about abuses that allegedly took place in Minneapolis, Chicago, New York City, and India, for a chapter in Darling's doctoral dissertation, "Turning East in the Twin Cities: Converts and Movements in the 1970s" (University of Minnesota, 1987). My father certainly had sex, and that's why I was born, so will I lose faith in my father? Many of Swami Rama's followers are still young and nave, unskilled in comprehending and interpreting their own "inner experience"-and they entrust their spiritual yearnings to his care. Given a mantra but little guidance, Carolyn dutifully performed her assigned practices, hoping that Swami Rama's "scientific" approach to yoga would eventually yield results. Nestled in the rolling hills of the Poconos, our stunning 400-acre campus is a gathering place for seekers from around the globe. Patricia Trescelli, and attorney with Parker, Chapin, Flattau, and Klimpel, agreed to consult with the women concerning possible legal action on a pro bono basis. Healthy lifestyle products to support your yoga and spiritual practice. He is also head of the Institute's Holistic Studies (formerly Eastern Studies) program and has written a number of scholarly books on yoga philosophy. Our new online platform for community, courses, and content. Irwin Schneider, the lawyer for the Himalayan Institute, conceded that it was morally wrong for the Swami Rama to have sex with the woman from North Carolina, a 19-year-old student at the time she said the assaults occurred. But the Institute does not teach the mastery of such powers in its programs, instead focusing on yoga practices with more immediate practical application. Who We Are; What We Do; Where We Work. But during the next three weeks, she says, she saw the Swami mistreating his disciples, especially the women, on a daily basis-yelling at them, ridiculing them, ordering them around, and occasionally kicking a woman in the buttocks when she was on her hands and knees weeding. She says he instructed her in how to give him pleasure and admonished her to always tell him that she had received pleasure, even thought she never did. From her childhood Carolyn had been steeped in Catholic faith and educated in scientific skepticism; now it seemed the Institute could help her harmonize these two seemingly contradictory ways of perceiving the world. Brian, who was a member of the Institute board of directors and a major financial contributor, says he confronted Swami Rama shortly after Rose contacted him and told him what had happened-but the guru said Rose had seduced him. Although she told an institute official about the assaults and the institute was aware of similar complaints by other women, the complaint said, the center did nothing to stop them. At the same time as he dismissed her, Swami Rama also gave her a Sanskrit name. Become more involved with the projects of the ashram-seminars, residents, the patient program-in time she would be in charge of the whole thing. Similarly, a woman who had been repeatedly abused by Sri Swami Rama of The Himalayan Institute when she was 19 years old was awarded $1.9 million. Ultimately, the woman had revealed the liaison to her husband. Over the past 15 or 20 years, numerous spiritual teachers have admitted to, or been charged with, having sexually exploitative relationships with their female students. Carolyn was raised Catholic, and during high school she explored Transcendental Meditation, Zen Buddhism, Hinduism, and the "Jesus freak" movement. Had anyone spoken to her? She was feeling so disgusted with her body and afraid of the guru's humiliating comments that one night she couldn't face going to his room, she says. Carolyn,* an old friend, called me collect. But Mr. Schneider told the jury that evidence indicated the relationship was consensual. The annual congress, held each June, offers a smorgasbord of lectures and "new age" workshops. A system that encourages such vulnerable individuals to give up their own "egotistical" judgment to the arbitrary whims of one person is one of the key features of a totalist organization, or "cult.". Teaching since 1971, the Himalayan Institute offers a wide variety of wellness supplies. Rose spent the next six months moving from place to place, terrified that the Institute network would track her down. Many of those beliefs are based on Hindu and Buddhist teachings about the nature of the guru. This seemingly whimsical application of standards demoralized many of the ex-members I spoke with and led many to resent the members of Swami Rama's inner circle. Anyone can read what you share. After he had, as she describes it, "had sex on my body," she took a blanket into the other room and slept on the floor. Pandit Tigunait holds two doctorates: one in Sanskrit from the University of Allahabad, India, and one in Oriental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. In mid-autumn, the day came for Swami Rama's annual trip to India. Instead, he told the other board members that he believed Rose, and that they should investigate the incident for themselves. No, he says: "Even if it happened, what's the big deal?& People say that Mahatma Gandhi& slept with women. Megan says she squelched an urge to speak out, instead deciding, like most of the Institute's residents, to suspend judgment so she could "understand and learn" from this "great master." $1.9 Million Awarded In Swami Sexual Case, https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/06/us/1.9-million-awarded-in-swami-sexual-case.html. Only recently has she acknowledged her anger at Swami Rama. However, after Swami Rama talked with them, they either told Brian and Terry that the guru should be allowed a "mistake" or they shunned the couple altogether. At the Himalayan Yoga Institute we believe in providing you with a broad yogic education to empower you to make the best possible choices for your students and create a modern yoga class that respects yoga's traditions and foundation while taking into account the unique personal needs of your students. Himalayan Institute Buffalo Yoga | Meditation | Wellness Yoga classes and seminars for March - April are now open for registration. He and Pandit Rajmani say that a guru is "that which dispels darkness." The core of HIs service mission relies on a community of volunteers and karma yogis, and the generosity of its members and donors to fulfill its mission. Megan*, a former graduate student in the Eastern Studies program, wrote a letter to the Jesuit administration of the University of Scranton saying that Swami Rama was subjecting women students to sexual exploitation. The original creator of the neti pot, the Himalayan Institute has been offering traditional and modern products for health and spirituality since 1971. Shortly after Marston filed her suit in 1978, Nuernberger moved to Honesdale, where he is currently a member of the Institute's teaching staff. She loved him like "a second father," she says, "and the real tragedy is that this is how our relationship ended. Most of the women who say they were abused by Swami Rama express feelings of fear, frustration, and betrayal. In his enlightened state, they believe, he could never commit any selfish acts, which would create new karmic burdens. Everyone said you had to surrender to the guru, so she would simply have to follow through with whatever he ordered her to do. On the contrary, they sought opportunities to serve the guru's every whim, or even to be abused by him: Megan remembers one woman saying she wished the guru would kick her. Rose said that she struggled, but the guru physically overpowered her, throwing himself on top of her on the bed and forcing her to perform oral sex. They would travel together to England. Karen and George say their friends told them that the woman had been pressured to have sex with Swami Rama even after their marriage, which the guru had arranged. Experts and some inside the system say that in justifying its decision, UC perpetuated outdated claims about online learning. Dr. Ballentine says it is "presumptuous" to judge whether or not someone is perfected. Each time the Institute's top professionals have been confronted with complaints that Swami Rama is abusing his position, institutional mechanisms of denial have come to the guru's aid. Pandit Rajmani Tigunait is the resident spiritual director of the Honesdale ashram, as well as a member of the Institute's teaching staff. We partner with rural communities to provide health services, public libraries, and sustainable employment opportunities. Ayurvedic treatments, massage therapy, chiropractic care, and integrative health services at PureRejuv Wellness Center. Since its inception in 1971, the Himalayan Institute has been at the leading edge of personal and social transformation. From its beginnings 20 years ago, the Institute has expanded steadily to include some 25 branches and affiliated yoga and holistic health centers in the Midwest, the Northeast, Texas, California, and abroad. Enrich your practice through the wisdom of the Himalayan Tradition, found in our online community and digital library, with new content added every week. Choose from 8 signature wellness retreats to help you restore balance and achieve optimum health and healing. When another married couple who were their friends and fellow students left the ashram suddenly, Karen wrote to them asking why. He promised her he'd set up a complete, personalized yoga program for her there-a prescribed diet, special yoga postures and meditation practices-as well as a game plan for her higher education and future career. Back; 2022 Clean Water and Public Health Fund; Make a Donation; Blog; Search for: Log in . "We were Brahmins in the Institute's caste system," Terry recalls. In May, Swami Rama visited the area again. Pandit Arya radiates calm as he speaks. I might doubt my own perception, I might doubt my own eyes, but I cannot doubt that strength which has given me everything.". The Meditation Center became affiliated with the Himalayan Institute, and eventually Pandit Arya achieved his dream of having his own ashram in India, when Swami Rama made him president of his Rishikesh ashram. God knows whether it was true or not, and even if it was true, this is a normal phenomenon. Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD, is the spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute and the successor of Swami Rama of the Himalayas. Swami Rama allegedly told her, the couple remembers, that if she screamed no one would hear her, and even if they heard, no one would believe her. When he was finished, Rose told them, Swami Rama left her room, saying he's be back the next day. In 1966, he founded the original Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in Kanpur, India; this was followed by an institute in Glenview, Illinois in 1971; it is now headquartered in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, purchased in 1977. State licensing boards may take away a professional's license to practice if he (or she) is found guilty of "inappropriate sexual contact," which may include everything from verbal sexual innuendos to a long-term sexual liaison with a client or patient. Her heart is held together by dedicated students of the Himalayan Institute offers a of... 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