Theos-Talk Archives (January 2003 Message tt00171)

John,
If you read Muktananda's 'Play of Consciousness' you may find this 
web page interesting.

http://kriyayoga.info/kriyas2.html

I apologize to everyone for being alittle off topic here.
Most sincerely,
Suzanne


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Suzanne <gddsssuze@y...>" 
<gddsssuze@y...> wrote:
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, samblo@c... wrote:
> > Suzanne,
> > Years ago in L.A. I met Muktananda, his shaktipat has energy!
> > John
> 
> Yes, John....
> No doubt about Muktananda's Grace of God in his hay day. His books 
> left quite an impression on me, however, since reading the 
following 
> article (see the snippet below), I can't seem to get the same feel 
> for him as I did before. What a shame that fame is such a 
corrupting 
> force.
> 
> Most sincerely,
> Suzanne
> 
> The Secret Life of Swami Muktananda
> 
> http://www.leavingsiddhayoga.net/secret.htm
> 
> To most of his followers, Muktananda was a great master. But to 
> others, he was a man unable to live up to the high principles of 
his 
> own teachings. "When we first approach a Guru," Muktananda 
wrote, "we 
> should carefully examine his qualities and his actions. He should 
> have conquered desire and anger and banished infatuation from his 
> heart." For many, that was a warning that was understood too late.
> 
> Some of Muktananda's most important former followers now charge 
that 
> the guru repeatedly violated his vow of chastity, made millions of 
> dollars from his followers' labors: and allowed guns and violence 
in 
> his ashrams. The accusations have been denied by the swamis who 
took 
> over his movement after the master died.
> 
> In the course of preparing this story, I talked with 25 present and 
> former devotees; most of the interviews are on tape. Some people 
> would only talk to me if promised anonymity, and some are bitter at 
> what they feel was Muktananda's betrayal of their trust. All agree 
> that Muktananda was a man of unusual power. They differ over the 
ways 
> he used it.
> 
> "I don't have sex for the same reason you do: because it feels so 
> good." -Muktananda
> 
> IN HIS teachings Muktananda put a lot of emphasis on sex - most of 
it 
> negative. Curbing the sex drive released the kundalini energy that 
> led to enlightenment, he said. The swami himself claimed to be 
> completely celibate.
> 
> Members of the guru's inner circle, however, say Muktananda 
regularly 
> had sex with his female devotees. Michael Dinga, an Oakland 
> contractor who was head of construction for the ashram and a 
trustee 
> of the foundation, said the guru's sexual exploits were common 
> knowledge in the ashram. "It was supposed to be Muktananda's big 
> secret," said Dinga, "but since many of the girls were in their 
early 
> to middle teens, it was hard to keep it secret."
> 
> A young woman I am calling "Mary" said the guru seduced her at the 
> main American ashram at South Fallsburg, New York, in 1981. Mary 
was 
> in her early twenties at the time. Muktananda was 73.