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Sahaja Yoga (Sahaja meaning innate and Yoga meaning union) is a practice that includes meditation, and puja. The practice and its associated beliefs were developed by Nirmala Srivastava, more widely known as "Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi" or "Mother" by followers - who worship her as an incarnation of the Adi Shakti. The term Sahaja Yoga is also used to refer to the Sahaja Yoga International (Vishwa Nirmala Dharma) organization, a 'new religious movement' which she founded.

The practice and associated organization grew from India and England (where Nirmala Srivastava moved in 1972) and spread internationally, and there are now Sahaja Yoga centers around the world . The methods for practicing Sahaja Yoga are made available free of charge to those interested, although according to an Australian Sahaja Yoga website there are fees for attending international pujas to cover costs, as well as a dakshina. The organization says the practice of Sahaja Yoga results in rapid, even instant, Self-realization.

The practice has also notably been taught to prisoners in Italy and the United States, such as at Rikers Island to "help the prisoners' social, psychological and spiritual recovery"

Sahaja Yoga meditation

Sahaja Yoga meditation is the meditative method taught by Nirmala Srivastava since 1970, and which is followed and promoted among and by the Sahaja Yoga organization. The meditation is described as a syncretism of different religions that "unites the essence of all religions".

Medical applications

In an interview, Nirmala Srivastava states Sahaja Yoga has cured people with AIDS.

Some studies have indicated that Sahaja Yoga meditation is effective in addressing various medical ailments. Two studies show results with asthma patients. Short-term effects on asthma have also been noticed, by both objective and subjective measures. According to the Medical Observer Weekly, Sahaja Yoga was found to be more effective than other generic forms of meditation in the reduction of stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. A case study showed that test subjects who were practicing Sahaja Yoga meditation had "significant improvement in VCS (Visual Contrast Sensitivity)", and that meditation appeared to bring about changes in some of the electrophysiological responses studied in epileptic patients. Another study indicated that Sahaja Yoga meditation results in fewer and less acute epileptic seizures A review of the studies determined that there was insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the efficacy of Sahaja Yoga in treating epilepsy. and that further studies were needed.

Sahaja Yoga claims that it has cured patients of "high blood pressure, asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, cancer, etc." SY's commentary on a study by Mishra , et al., 1993, suggests that an observed increase in beta-endorphins for meditating males could explain "so-called miraculous cures". Mishra reported that Sahaja Yoga meditation resulted in a "significant increase" in beta-endorphins between control and meditating subjects.

The organization runs an international hospital in Mumbai, India, the Sahaja Yoga International Health and Research Centre, which uses Sahaja Yoga methods. This hospital claims to have been successful in curing incurable diseases such as (refractory) high blood pressure, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.

Shri Nirmala Srivastava has developed a liver diet to promote better health. White cane sugar, white rice, yogurt, ginger, fruits and vegetables promote the "cooling" of the liver. Alcohol, fried foods, red meat, fish, cream and chocolate are among the foods that are "heating" and thus may be harmful if taken in excess.

Water vibrated spiritually can, according to the organization, change the characteristics of water, resulting in purification.

Organization

The Sahaja Yoga organization is overseen by the 31-member World Council for the Advancement of Sahaja Yoga (WCASY) (also known as the "Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Sahaja Yoga World Foundation") that was proposed December 2003 and formed the following year. In July 2005 the role of the WCASY was affirmed by C. P. Srivastava KCMG speaking on behalf of his wife, Shri Mataji.

Sahaja Yoga International (Vishwa Nirmala Dharma)

Sahaja Yoga International (also known as Vishwa Nirmala Dharma) is the organizational part of the movement. Founded in 1970 it has centers in almost 100 countries worldwide.

Sahaja Yoga/Vishwa Nirmala Dharma is a registered Organisation in many countries such as Columbia, the United States of America, France (has an "asso.fr" website domain reserved for organisations), and Austria. It is registered as a religion in Spain.

The organization runs meditation, cultural, and charity-related facilities and activities, including

• Radio programs
• A hospital (described in the above section)
• As of 2003, the Vishwa Nirmal Prem Ashram, Delhi, a project for the rehabilitation of "destitute women and orphaned children".
• The "Shri P. K. Salve Kala Pratishthan," an academy of Indian Classical Music and Fine Arts, in the Vaitarna region, in the state of Maharashtra near Bombay.

Vishwa Nirmal Prem ashram

The Vishwa Nirmala Prem Ashram is a not-for profit project by the NGO Vishwa Nirmala Dharma (Sahaja Yoga International) located in Noida, Delhi, India, opened on December 27, 2003.

It aims at:

• Providing for basic needs and facilities of the destitute women and children
• Giving them training and enable them to attain economic independence
• Assist them in getting appropriate jobs
• The members of the ashram would also be given spiritual guidance so that after going from the ashram, they would be able to face the difficulties of life in a better way and get appropriate livelihoods to gain self-reliance

Yuvashakti

The organization's youth movement is called "Yuvashakti" (also "Nirmal Shakti Yuva Sangha"), from the Sanskrit words Yuva (Youth) and Shakti (Power).

As well as helping organize Sahaja Yoga events such as Realize America tour, The European realization tour, and Realize Australia, Yuvashakti is active in forums such as the World Youth Conferenceand TakingITGlobal which aim at discussing global issues, and ways of solving them.

An example of this is the participation in the 2000 "Civil Society & Governance Project" in which Yuvashakti were "instrumental in reaching out to women from the poor communities and providing them with work".

Sahaja Yoga culture

This section needs expansion. You can help by making an edit requestadding to it . (January 2007)

Because of the diversity of cultures practicing Sahaja Yoga, a range of different projects focusing on the similarities and differences between cultures was born, including the formation of musical groups playing fusion of different genres, such as Nirmal Bhakti, Sahaj Unlimited and Indialucia including Rock and roll, Flamenco, Hip Hop, Qawwali and Indian classical music.

Other projects

The World Council supports the creation of an 108-room Ashram complex in Chhindwara, near the birthplace of its founder. Another project is the transfer of her audio and video tapes, many in delicate condition, to digital media. The founder has given her intellectual property and several of her homes to the trust run by the World Council to be used in future projects by the organization.

Sahaja Yoga held classes during the third annual "Yoga for peace" event in Detroit, which "aims to effect world peace through the power of meditation."

Criticisms

As of 2001, according to the author David V. Barrett, the movement had been criticized because of encouragement of its members to make donations to pay for Mataji's trips and "expensive properties." Barrett further wrote that some former members say that they were expelled from the movement because they "resisted influence that Mataji had over their lives." According to Barrett, Mataji's degree of control over members' lives has given raise to concerns.

"Cult" allegations

Some sources in the press have reported on "cult" allegations surrounding the movement. In, 2001, The Independent reported that certain ex-members alleged: "Sahaja Yoga is a cult which aims to control the minds of its members". The Evening Standard reported that Sahaja Yoga has been "described as a dangerous cult", and "has a dissident website created by former members listing alleged abuses".

Also in 2001, Australia's AAP reported that a general practitioner had been fined after grabbing a Sahaja Yoga critic "round the head and dragged him over a backyard fence" - the AAP referred to Sahaja Yoga in their report as an "Indian cult". The physician had been part of a group delivering a letter to the critic from Nirmala Srivastava. In 2004 an Australian general practitioner with the same (unusual) name was made a World Leader in Sahaja Yoga and appointed to the World Council for the Advancement of Sahaja Yoga.

Another long time Sahaja Yoga World Leader (and Headmaster of the Rome School) has been reported as being on the Immigration List of the UK Home office (ie he would be arrested on entry to the UK). A photograph of a heavily edited letter, allegedly from the Metropolitan Police is provided as evidence by a critical website. This World Leader was suspended from all activities in Sahaja Yoga in 2005, reportedly for disrupting a havan ritual and threatening members of Sahaja Yoga.

In 2005, The Record reported that some critics who feel that the group is a cult "have started Internet sites to detail their accusations.."

See also

• International Sahaja Public School

References

1. Buddhism Dictionary (Oxford University Press) definition of 'Sahaja'
2. Invitation to Shri Adi Shakti Puja 2005
3. http://www.hinduonnet.com/mp/2003/04/07/stories/2003040700860400.htm The Hindu Monday, Apr 07, 2003 viewed 6 November 2006]
4. Puja/Dakshina Costs
5. http://www.sahajayoga.org/
6. An Unlikely Source for Meditative Study - Queen's tribune online
7. Rome prison (Italy) will begin offering meditation and yoga to inmates Mirror of an article appearing in Ansa
8. [http://www.sahajayoga.org/questionsandanswers/#religion Sahaja Yoga - is Sahaja Yoga a religion? Frequently asked questions viewed 28 September 2007
9. Manocha, R. "Sahaja yoga in asthma", Thorax 2003;58:825-826. URL:
10. ^ Manocha R, Marks G.B., Kenchington P., Peters D., Salome C.M. "Sahaja yoga in the management of moderate to severe asthma: a randomized controlled trial", Thorax 2003;57:110-115. URL:
11. ^ "Making sense of meditation", August 13, 2004, Medical Observer Weekly
12. Panjwani U., Selvamurthy W., Singh S.H., Gupta H.L., Mukhopadhyay S., Thakur L. "Effect of Sahaja yoga meditation on auditory evoked potentials (AEP) and visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) in epileptics", Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 2000;25(1):1-12
13. Panjwani U, Selvamurthy W, Singh SH, Gupta HL, Thakur L, Rai UC. "Effect of sahaja yoga practice on seizure control & EEG changes in patients of epilepsy." Indian J Med Res 1996;103: 165-72.
14. Ramaratnam S, Sridharan K. Yoga for epilepsy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1999, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD001524. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001524
15. http://www.sahajayoga.org.in/Benefits.asp
16. http://www.apsahaj.org/benefits.html
17. "Alterations in physiological parameters during Sahaja Yoga meditation", reference-commentary (9)
18. Ram Mishra, (a.k.a., Prof. Ram K. Mishra), Cia Barlas, A. Pradhan), "Effect of meditation on plasma beta-endorphins in humans", 1993, (publication details unknown). Mishra's study abstract no. 257 was web-posted at U. of Arizona Center for Consciousness Studies, Department of Psychology, abstracts page, for speakers on Friday, April 7, (2006?) (server page last modified 2006-03-29). Quote: "The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the meditative practice of Sahaja yoga on plasma β-endorphin levels. .... There was a significant increase (p<0.01) between control and meditating subjects when controlled for age and gender. Female subjects, however, displayed less increase in the β-endorphins as compared to male subjects. ...."
19. Medical research literature on Sahaja Yoga meditation
20. Sahaja Yoga: Liver Diet
21. Research on the effect of vibrations on water
22. Message to all the Sahaja Yogis of the world from Arneau de Kalbermatten, Coordinator of the World Council
23. [http://www.sahajayoga.org/swan/view/swan_369_2005.asp A productive second session of the WCASY at Guru Puja in New Jersey
24. http://www.sahajayoga.org/worldcouncil/default.asp
25. http://www.sahajayoga.org/swan/view/swan_512_2006.asp Historic video affirming the role of The World Council Of Sahaja Yoga
26. "A message for one and all", April 7, 2003, The Hindu
27. List of Sahaja Yoga centers
28. Vishwa Nirmala Dharma - Religion in Spain
29. Sahaja Yoga Radio Programs
30. http://www.2ser.com/programs/shows/sahajayoga/?searchterm=sahaja
31. Project description interview with Director
32. http://www.pksacademy.com/
33. http://realizeamerica.com
34. http://europeanrealisationtour.org
35. http://www.sahajayoga.com.au/realise_australia
36. http://www.youthlink.org/globalguide.pdf
37. Case Study Civil Society & Governance Project, February 2000 Vinita Tatke Viewed 6 November 2006
38. http://www.sahajayoga.org/Music
39. http://turiyasangeet.googlepages.com
40. Shri Mataji’s Holy Birthplace: Chhindwara Project
41. Safeguarding the Original Audio and Video Tapes of Shri Mataji
42. An Appeal: Safeguarding The Original Audio and Video Tapes Of Shri Mataji
43. Gift of Cabella Properties to the World Sahaj Collective
44. "Yoga enthusiasts gather to meditate for peace" - George Hunter The Detroit News August 13, 2007
45. ^ Barrett, David V. The New Believers (Cassell 2001) ISBN 0-304-35592-5 pages 297-298
46. "Shri who must be obeyed; She's been hailed as a saint: a selfless distributor of goodness and light. But, on the eve of her appearance at the Royal Albert Hall, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi is under attack.", The Independent, London, England, Mary Braid, Beatrice Newbery, July 13, 2001
47. ^ "Monday night with the divine mother.", The Evening Standard, London, England, July 18, 2001, John Crace
48. ^ "Qld: Doctor fined over yoga dispute", AAP General News, Australia, November 12, 2001.
    Brisbane's District Court has been told a GP grabbed a man round the head and dragged him over a backyard fence -- accusing him of befouling members of an Indian cult. The court was told Dr BOHDAN MYRON SHEHOVYCH was among a group delivering a letter to the man from the founder of the meditation religion, Sahaja Yoga. The 52-year-old doctor from the New South Wales central coast today pleaded guilty to entering a house at Mount Ommaney in Brisbane' west and assaulting TERENCE RICHARD BLACKLEY on March 3 this year. The court heard the group was delivering a letter to BLACKLEY from spiritual leader SHRI MATAJI NIRMALA DEVI, alleging spiritual and criminal wrongdoings. Judge KERRY O'BRIEN today told the doctor that someone of his intelligence should have known better than to behave in that manner. He's fined Dr SHEHOVYCH $1,500 but did not record a conviction.
49. http://www.sahajayoga.com/swan/view_swan.asp?mode=print&swanid=503
50. "Hundreds fill weekend with devotion, bliss", The Record, John Chadwick, July 24, 2005, Bergen County, New Jersey. (Local Section)
    The movement has its share of critics, some of whom describe it as a cult and have started Internet sites to detail their accusations. One site portrayed Mataji as a manipulative leader who exercised a high degree of control over members' lives, including arranging and breaking up marriages. "I have witnessed Mataji order loving couples to divorce," one former member wrote on a Web site.

Further reading

• Coney, Judith (1999) Sahaja Yoga: Socializing Processes in a South Asian New Religious Movement, (London: Curzon Press) ISBN 0-7007-1061-2
• Srivastava, Nirmala (1997) Meta Modern Era, (Vishwa Nirmala Dharma) ISBN 8186650059
• Pullar, Philippa (1984) The Shortest Journey, ISBN 0-04-291018-8
• Kakar, Sudhir (1984) Shamans, Mystics and Doctors: A Psychological Inquiry into India and Its Healing Traditions, ISBN 0-226-42279-8
• Rai, Umesh (1993) Medical science enlightened: new insight into vibratory awareness for holistic health care (New Delhi: Life Eternal Trust) ISBN 81-900325-0-X
• Descieux, Flore (1995) The Light of the Koran: Knowledge through Sahaja Yoga (Paris: La Pensee Universelle, 1995; English translation: New Delhi: Ritana Books, 1998) ISBN 8185250026
• Apte, Arun (1997) Music and Sahaja Yoga (Pune: NITL)
• de Kalbermatten, Gregoire (2003) The Third Advent (New York: daisyamerica, 2003; Melbourne: Penguin Australia, 2004; Delhi: Penguin India, 2004) ISBN 1-932406-07-7
• Powell, Nigel (2004) Sahaja Yoga Meditation (Corvalis Publishing) ISBN 0-954-85190-0

External links

Sahaja Yoga International

• Sahaja Yoga - official website
• The Light of Sahaja Yoga, online newspaper
• Official Response from Sahaja Yoga International to False Allegations
• International Sahaja Yoga Research and Health Centre, Navi Mumbai, India
• Sahaja Yoga World Foundation
• Woman's Hour September 12, 2001 BBC radio program, with questions and answers by Nirmala Srivastava and two ex-members.
• Sahaja Yoga at the Religious Movements Homepage at the University of Virginia. Updated 2001.

Yuvashakti

• Yuvashakti Universal - design, animation, and film showcase of Yuvashakti artists
• Yuvashakti International website

Critical sites

• Sahaja Yoga: Facts and Warnings from Ex-Members
• Freedom of Mind, opinions by Steven Hassan
• Shri Adi Shakti: The Kingdom Of God critical of mainstream Sahaja Yoga

• Articles with unsourced statements from January 2007
• Religious organizations
• 1970 establishments
• Sahaja Yoga
• Meditation