Swami Sivananda (1887 – 1963), in addition to founding the Divine Life Society, wrote over three hundred books. That is hardly surprising, given his exalted spiritual state: "I have seen God myself. I have negated name and form, and what remains is Existence-Knowledge-Bliss and nothing else. I behold God everywhere. There is no veil. I am one. There is no duality. I rest in my own self. M
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

QuoteWilber, vigorously backpedelled and washed his hands of Adidam. Unfortunately, that is not Ken Wilber's way—to be able to come out and admit that he was wrong about the "great" guru-figures (judged merely on the basis of their writings) who elevate his own position and self-esteem by accepting him and inviting him to write forewords for their books, etc. Wilber contributed
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteOrr convinced me that there were Gurus in the Himilayas who had lived on breathing air without food for 600 years. In Pola Churchill's Shiva Mahavatar Babaji, Orr had this to say regarding Paramahansa Yogananda's "immortal Himalayan master," Babaji: "Babaji has had many bodies throughout human history. He can appear to you in any of them, or all of them at the sam
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Muktananda was introduced to America by Ram Dass in 1970. Franklin Jones (Adi Da) had earlier made several trips to Muktananda's ashram in the late '60s. The classic exposés of Muktananda and SYDA were done by William Rodarmor in 1983 ( , scroll down), and later by Lis Harris (now teaching at the Columbia University School of Fine Arts) in the New Yorker magazine in 1994 ( ). Fo
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Readers wishing to get a quick overview of the reported problems with Andrew Cohen and his community may wish to consult a piece I've recently posted online. It collects the "best" of the alleged (mis)behaviors and grandiose claims made by AC, from Tarlo's and van der Braak's books, plus John Horgan's interview of the guru, into an online essay/chapter, available at
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"