Cults In Yoga - Siddha / Brahma Kumaris / Sahaja Yoga, etc (often non physical Yoga)

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#281

[QUOTE=Sahasrara;57823]don’t waste your time with SY[B] for material benefits[/B] :)[/QUOTE]Material benefits are coming to Sahaja yogis, because they activate powers and qualities in their chakras and because they achieve yoga.

Ananyaashchintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasate;
Teshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam [B]yogakshemam [/B]vahaamyaham.
[B]22. To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, of those ever united, I secure
what is not already possessed and preserve what they already possess.[/B]

[B]? SHRI MATAJI ON ?YOGA? AND ?KSHEMA?[/B]

?[B]Kshema is well being. When Yoga is established, then kshema follows.[/B] The kshema enables you to have free time for Meditation. You do not have to worry too much. However when kshema comes in, one should not start going into the same circle of greediness, wanting more and more money, wanting better clothes, better houses etc. As there is no end, you have to draw a limit. This does not imply that you have one dress, all your life, but that not too much attention should be on such things. You are neither to renounce anything nor to indulge into anything. [B]Through kshema, you get the wellbeing physically, mentally, emotionally, materially, spiritually, socially, in everyway spontaneously, you don?t have to desire or ask for it[/B]?

#282

Seeker 33 I have a very good contact that can get you Red & Green Chillies in bulk, as much as you want. Please private message me if interested, they are best quality.

Moving away from Sahaja Yoga nonsense, which incidentally has only around 5000 followers Worldwide!!! In Shri Mataji’s 30+ years of Sahaja Yoga that was all she managed to attract! Anyone with common sense stayed away from cool breezes, severe flatulence, spells with chillies & paper, etc.

[B]What is it that makes sane rational Intelligent people believe in such things? [/B] That is the key question.

Go tell any average person in the West about Sahaja Yoga - tell them everything what they are really getting into i.e. soon they will be doing strange magic spells and rituals with chillies, turds, paper, etc; having to do protective Bandahns just to function normally etc; and develop an acute fear if they leave bad things or illnesses will befall them. [B]They would run a mile!!! Hence 5000 probably less followers in the entire world. [/B]

Same with any Cult, if Scientology told you everything about Ron Hubbard’s history, in the future you will be believing in Intergalastic warlords and aliens, and these aliens body thetans are the source of all man’s problems - [B]you would naturally run a mile!!![/B]

But of course they don’t, and gradually lure you in and indoctrinate you. With Scientology of course they keep making you pay for more very expensive courses. As well as doing auditing and lots of other things to really condition you to become dependent on them.

[B]It it is still AMAZING the way they convince people some of whom would normally be sceptical, overtime that they have found the truth and to believe in it all without question. [/B]

#283

“it is a very dangerous cult where its members get taught black magic in the name of spirituality”

It is not even what one can call “black-magic”. If one knew anything about “magic” as far as techniques are concerned, one would understand that there is no such thing as “black”, “white”, “grey”, or otherwise - just as any instrument can be used in a thousand and one different ways. These are just one’s own relative ideas of the mind as to what these terms mean - and depending on your own mind, you will have different ideas as to their meaning.

Sahaja Yoga is not even “black” magic - it is more or less useless.

#284

It it is still AMAZING the way they convince people some of whom would normally be sceptical, overtime that they have found the truth and to believe in it all without question.

Einstein said human stupidity is infinite. This is just validation of it. As I’ve been part of so many cults, I can give you an insight in what kind personality profile gets caught up in these cults. With Sahaja Yoga, I noticed almost every one of them was anti-reason and anti-reason, so if you have such sentiments already, it is easy to think you are coming together with like-minds. Then you make friends and initially you get a lot of attention and then gradually you form commitments with the members there. Part of the reason some of these cults try to get you married to another fellow cult member is to make you feel like you are now a family member. It is easy to quit something as a guest, a little harder as a friend, but very difficult when you are a family member.

Humans will tend to form groupings when they find likeminded people - it is all about safety in numbers. Spriitual people easily get deceived by these false spiritual groups into believing they are like them, and as soon as they become a part of the group, the identity can solidfy.

It is very basic group psychology that is exploited by these cult leaders.

#285

[QUOTE=Seeker33;57820]Hanuman chalisa is not enough. [B]Only the Queen of Sahaharsa can do this.[/B]

[B]Here is the Queen of Sahasrara to be meditated upon. Come out of delusion and seek the truth :slight_smile:
[/B]

#286

The original of Gayatri Mantra is:
[B]AUM bhUH, AUM bhuvaH, AUM svaH, AUM mahaH
AUM janaH, AUM tapaH, AUM satyam
AUM tatsaviturvarenyM bhargo devasya dhImahi
dhIyo yo nH prachodayAt.h.
AUM Apo jyotiH rasomRRitaM
brahma bhUR bhuvaH svar AUM…[/B]

[B]bhUH[/B]- Earth tatvva- [B]Mooladhara[/B]
[B]bhuvaH[/B]- Water tatvva - [B]Swadhistan[/B]
[B]svaH[/B]- Fire tatvva - [B]Nabhi[/B]
[B]mahaH[/B]-Air tatvva - [B]Anahata[/B]
[B]janaH[/B]- Ether tatvva- [B]Vishudhi[/B]
[B]tapaH[/B]-Light tatvva - [B]Ajna[/B]
[B]satyam[/B]- Absolute Truth - [B]Sahasrara[/B]

Gayatri Mantra

#287

Surya,

“As I’ve been part of so many cults”"

You are still using the word “cult” as a derogatory term. I want you to know this - that all of the spiritual traditions that have come into being were all “cults”. And it is not something unique to spiritual traditions. Organized religions in all their sects and sub-sects are cults, political parties are cults, different nations with their nationalism are cults, there are cults everywhere. The question is not whether something is a “cult” or not, but whether individuals are conscious or unconscious.

#288

Here is a documentary by the Finnish telvision about the tantric and yogic cult and their franchises MISA and Natha, cults that revolve around the romanian born Gregorian Bivolaru!
See the youtube code: bjGS2T_NMWg [put this in google search or youtube search]

[Ignore the pornographic suggestions that are probably due to the title which I flaged and Youtube deleted them but the icons still show]

#289

I have been studied the following:

Brahma Kumaris (Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University / Raja Yoga)
Sahaja Yoga
OSHO

That I find very surprise that people call this as cult. what’s the definition of cult?

How do you think the popular religions not cult only because many people in it?

I find all those 3 are helpful some way, I took classes at BK and Sahaja, and reading a lot of books of OSHO. I find very beneficial.

I am not member of any of these, and NO One force you to join and no one give you advise to join, No money involved.

Osho’s book is very enlightened, Of course he got shadow too if you are conservative person, you can set some boundary when reading his book.

Of course, I find they all have some shadow side, [B]but as long as there is a light, there is shadow. [/B]

[B]They will not harm you at any point if you have your own thinking and idea. They will not harm you if you put the locus of trust within yourself

They only do some harm to you, if you blind follow them.

They will harm you if you think there is perfect one over there and depend on them [/B]

And I like the book of yogis and will take course from SRF soon, and looking forward to learn something from it,

:smiley:

#290

[QUOTE=svayambhu;59137]Here is a documentary by the Finnish telvision about the tantric and yogic cult and their franchises MISA and Natha, cults that revolve around the romanian born Gregorian Bivolaru![/QUOTE]’

Natha… This group has a department/centre in the city where live. They have gradually gotten more and more attention from the media in my country, but not in the sense one would hope for - as in being exposed as fraudulent - but rather they give interviews on how to improve sex life and they have also appeared frequently in the only yoga magazine we’ve had here. They seem to focus A LOT on “erotic tantra”, among other things they give special classes to women on how to achieve ten different kinds of orgasms.
However I have noticed that they seem to be turning towards something a bit more serious during the last couple of years. More “tech talk”, not only yang spirals and inducing romantic trance-states… However, they do have daily meditations during which they establish a telepathic connection to their founder :roll:

#291

[QUOTE=Nila;59276]'
Natha… This group has a department/centre in the city where live. They have gradually gotten more and more attention from the media in my country, but not in the sense one would hope for - as in being exposed as fraudulent - but rather they give interviews on how to improve sex life and they have also appeared frequently in the only yoga magazine we’ve had here. They seem to focus A LOT on “erotic tantra”, among other things they give special classes to women on how to achieve ten different kinds of orgasms.
However I have noticed that they seem to be turning towards something a bit more serious during the last couple of years. More “tech talk”, not only yang spirals and inducing romantic trance-states… However, they do have daily meditations during which they establish a telepathic connection to their founder :roll:[/QUOTE]
Caveat emptor! This guys are very slippery !

#292

[QUOTE=svayambhu;59797]Caveat emptor! This guys are very slippery ![/QUOTE]

Yeah, I wouldn’t go anywhere near them. I have been invited to do their free initiation though, by an acquaintance of mine. I politely turned down the offer. Don’t really need those kinds of people in my life… :wink:

#293

[QUOTE=Sahasrara;56219]Scriptures say MAYA is Saguna Brahman. I may be wrong. I am not an expert in scriptures.

It is the karmic cycle which leads one to these cults and it is also the same karmic cycle that removes the veil of MAYA.

Servam Brahmamayam![/QUOTE]

Maya - in sanskrit :- Ma=Not; Ya = That;
Maya = Ma Ya = That which is not = the unreal

as opposed to the real which is Brahman

Brahaman in association with Maya is the Jiva.

#294

Maya - in sanskrit :- Ma=Not; Ya = That;

This is not the correct etymology. The root for not in Sanskrit is nir or a, like nirvana or avidya.

The correct etmology for maya is Ma+ya is Ma which means producer/maker/source and ya which means to move or to go. In other words maya is the productive source of all that is in motion or in change. The opposite of maya is brahman who is unchanging, still, eternal and perfect. Later maya becomes prakriti, which means exactly the same: the source of all produced action or things.

#295

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;60639]The [B]correct etmology for maya is Ma+ya is Ma which means producer/maker/source[/B] and ya which means to move or to go. [/QUOTE]“Ma” means Mother.

Maya in Hindu narratives
Maya may also be visualized as a guise or aspect of the Divine Mother (Devi), or Devi Mahamaya, concept of Hinduism.

#296

[QUOTE=cherrytree;59147]I have been studied the following:

Brahma Kumaris (Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University / Raja Yoga)
Sahaja Yoga
OSHO

:D[/QUOTE]

Cherrytree,

See links on page 1 of this thread regarding the above groups especially Sahaja Yoga and Brahma Kumaris.

You mentioned no one can make you believe, etc; these groups do not kidnap you and force you to believe of course but they do slowly indoctrinate you. A common denominator between all these groups is their Guru or founder holds all truth or greater truth or the ultimate revelation for mankind today.

As for saying some of these groups do not charge, true [B]but note[/B] groups like BK or Sahaja Yoga that do not charge have acquired multi millions in money, property, etc - where do you think they got it from? Answer - their followers! Basic reverse psychology don’t ask for money can often get you vast amounts people contribute or make donations to the cause. For example Scientology blatantly charges a fortune for courses to get you up the Bridge, TM - Transcendental Meditation charges a lot for courses; Brahma Kumaris courses are free - yet all of them are making millions, have millions of property around the world etc and none of them started off that wealthy!

[B]A key question - if you like the teachings of OSHO, Sahaja Yoga, Brahma Kumaris, SRF; why bother joining any of the movements themselves??? Why become a member of them[/B]

If you join Brahma Kumaris , Sahaja Yoga, etc it will restrict you in your quest for spiritual truth because you will come to believe you have it all in your movement or organisation, and come to believe the Guru or founder holds all truth or the ultimate truth for this day and age.

Someone like OSHO, I find his writings very poor, a hodge podge of different spiritual ideas drawing from different sources; nothing remotely unique or special but often very pretentious - he had an uncanny knack of making the simple look profound, or [B]had an instinctive knowing of being able to say what people wanted to hear to get their attention.[/B] His writings philosophically are very poor compared to say Krishnamurti and few serious scholars would put them on the same level; in terms of spirituality and beauty his writings are very poor compared to say Paramahansa Yogananda. That is my opinion , if others think he was something amazing that is their prerogative.

[B]What I admire regarding OSHO is not so much the man himself but the people that came after him and [U]re-marketed and re-branded Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh [/U][/B] - a nutcase egomaniac guru with a fleet of more than 100 Royals Royces (who needs over a 100, just bought to show off) with a talent for attracting the vulnerable and gullible and hoodwinking them inmto handing over a fortune hence the Rajneesh movement became very wealthy, with bizarre practices using spiritual practices mixed with psychology to give people a hit or euphoric feelings and keep them coming back for more and more importantly keep them handing over money [B][U]as OSHO[/U][/B] - the lovely spiritual master, with profound teachings, no crazy practices, or little if any mention of his wild excesses like 100+ Royals Royces, run ins with the law (or of mentioned of course he was a victim lol), no bright orange robes, etc. The make over is rather like the Divine Light Misson becoming Elan Vital.

Of course just like Scientology, the great L. Ron Hubbard; anything dodgy or illegal or any run ins with the law from his organisation or people in it - followers know will tell you these were rogue people he knew nothing about such illegal activitiesl, dodgy practices, etc. Same with OSHO poisoning the water in Oregon etc - today the movement will tell you it was done by rogue people in the organisation, good old Osho knew absolutely nothing about it lol! Of course these people knew what was going on in their organisations or movements they kept a very tight grip on them, but followers today have to be in denial and believe the founder could not possibly be so corrupt or condone or be involved in illegal or immoral activities.

[B][I]You may be able to find it online to watch - try search yourself, seek out ‘Fear Is The Master’ on OSHO http://www.jeremiahfilms.com/products/FIMD well worth watching! Includes a lot of film of him and his practices and followers from when he was alive - not just people talking now and saying this or that happened, you actually see it as it happened. After watching it you too will come to admire the rebranding & remarketing of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh as OSHO, and also see just how gullible & naive followers were in his liftetime , and even more so now - gullible enough to ignore or be in denial about many things he did or advocated in his lifetime[/I][/B]

[B]You can read up on any of these movements and practice their teachings if you want, that does not mean you have to join them though - thus giving up your freedom to completely independent thought.
[/B]

#297

In response to the OP, may I draw your attention to [B]3HO[/B], (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organisation) who markets their brand of yoga as “[I]Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan”[/I]?

Here is a collection of articles documenting this organisation: http://www.rickross.com/groups/3ho.html

#298

[QUOTE=Nomad_Kamda;60811]In response to the OP, may I draw your attention to [B]3HO[/B], (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organisation) who markets their brand of yoga as “[I]Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan”[/I]?

Here is a collection of articles documenting this organisation: http://www.rickross.com/groups/3ho.html[/QUOTE]

Have heard of 3HO of course (not to be confused with H20 lol), they were never very big and since the passing of the Guru are falling apart http://special.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/24671927-41/yogi-khalsa-bhajan-leaders-members.csp

Outside U.S. they are not well known at all, and even in the U.S. they are still not very well known or as high profile as TM - Transcendental Meditation, etc.

Like Brahma Kumaris (Raja Yoga), the Kundalini Yoga in 3HO bears little if any relation to Kundalini Yoga if you were to research it indepth or go study it with a reputable teacher. Some of these groups adopt names of branches of Yoga and say that is what they practice helps with marketing but e.g. Brahma Kumaris - Raja Yoga they do is really nothing like Raja Yoga - yet all their publications & websites make frequent use of name ‘Raja Yoga’ and state that is what BK is.

The list of Cults I gave in OP was just a small sample, by now means exhaustive could list many more Yoga or Eastern cults; though some of those I listed originally are amongst the most well known.

#299

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;60639]This is not the correct etymology. The root for not in Sanskrit is nir or a, like nirvana or avidya.

The correct etmology for maya is Ma+ya is Ma which means producer/maker/source and ya which means to move or to go. In other words maya is the productive source of all that is in motion or in change. The opposite of maya is brahman who is unchanging, still, eternal and perfect. Later maya becomes prakriti, which means exactly the same: the source of all produced action or things.[/QUOTE]

Asata MA Sat Gamaya (Lead me to truth not untruth)
Tamaso MA Jyotir Gamaya (…to Light not darkness)
Mrityor MA Amritam Gamaya (to immortality not death)

Every word in Sanskrit has several meanings. That is what makes it such a rich language. The meaning needs to be derived from the context.

#300

[QUOTE=Seeker33;60645]“Ma” means Mother.

Maya in Hindu narratives
Maya may also be visualized as a guise or aspect of the Divine Mother (Devi), or Devi Mahamaya, concept of Hinduism.[/QUOTE]

Ma in Hindi is Mother. Sanskrit is a different language though both have devangari scrips. In Sanskrit Janani is mother, another term is Mata.