Muktananda
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Swami Muktananda (स्वामी मुक्तानन्द) (1908-1982) is the monastic name of an Indian guru. He began the life of a sadhu at an unusually early age. He gained recognition for his yogic attainments as a young man but he considered Bhagawan Nityananda to be his spiritual master. He wrote the classic spiritual autobiography The Play of Consciousness and founded the Siddha Yoga new religious movement. Among his disciples was Franklin Jones, who later became known as Adi Da, after splitting with Muktananda.
Near the end of Muktananda's life he appointed a brother and sister, Chidvilasananda and Nityananda to continue running Siddha Yoga. Several years later they had a falling out (Nityananda admitted to breaking his vows of celibacy) and the sister took over. Nityananda has since started his own group.
Controversy
There have been multiple accusations of Muktananada's sexual abuse of teenage girls and accusations of threats and force to cover this up. Muktananda claimed to have been celibate. The website 'Leaving Siddha Yoga', (see below), has 2 articles discussing this: in "The CoEvolution Quarterly" Winter 1983 called "The Secret Life of Swami Muktananda" by William Rodarmor and in the "New Yorker" November 14, 1994 called "O Guru, Guru, Guru" by Lis Harris.
1 or 2 Swamis who have left Siddha Yoga have since admitted to knowledge of Muktananda's sexual activities. These are documented in the Leaving Siddha Yoga web site [1] (http://www.leavingsiddhayoga.net).
Adding to the controversy is the fact that Muktananda never had the opportunity to respond to the allegations as they were all made after his death.
External links
- Siddha yoga (founded by Muktananda) (http://www.siddhayoga.org/index.html)
- Siddha Yoga website about Muktananda (http://www.siddhayoga.org/guru-muktananda-baba.html)
- "Traumatic abuse in cults", Long, rather psychological, critical essay by ex-follower Daniel Shaw. The article is popular among anti-cult activists (http://www.excultworld.com/misc_articles/daniel%20shaw%20essay.htm)
- Open letters, other ex-members speak out bitterly (http://www.eskimo.com/~tlotus/letters/SYDAYoga.htm)
- An artist, filmmaker, and author, inspired by Muktananda and his successor Gurumayi, writes of her years in Muktananda's ashram (http://www.kumuda.com)
- Information and testimonials about problems with Siddha Yoga, past and present, and support for those who have left or are thinking of leaving. (http://www.leavingsiddhayoga.net)
- Yahoo forums for people who have left Siddha Yoga or similar groups, people who are thinking of leaving Siddha Yoga or similar groups, and those who know people who are still in Siddha Yoga or similar groups. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exsy/)
- This group is for people who have been in Siddha Yoga or other spiritual groups; those who are looking for a place to offer support in exploring what it was, and is, about. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exSYoga/)
- Yahoo group that explores the teachings of SY and how to apply them in daily life. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sgmkj/)