The Prosecutor

Partial compilation of Charges against the Art of Living activities – Edition 4

If I have to summarise in one line I will say: “The happiest and the most comforting moments of my life were when I was in the Art of Living”. The love and wisdom that I have got during my time there is beyond explanation. I am and will remain indebted to what all Sri Sri Ravishankar, the Art of Living Foundation and its sincere devotees have brought in to my life.

With time I came across certain things that really disappointed me. I ignored it. But the list went on growing. Though I never spread a bad word against AOL and its founder, I gradually stopped contributing for AOL. A friend of mine pointed me this blog and after going through its couple of posts I concluded it to be quite abusive and misinterpreting. I left reading for a week but then reconsidered it reading from the beginning, one by one without giving any comments. It took me a lot of time to find a genuine comment written without any abuse and arguments. Of course I couldn’t deny what all was written on this blog coz I myself have seen that in AOL. And thought of making a countable list of things that seem to have gone wrong in the institution I ever respected.

Here I have compiled a 4th Edition of charges against the Art of Living activities with a genuine intention to make Art of Living aware of the things gone wrong. (Edition 1 had 28 charges, Edition 2 had 66 charges, and Edition 3 had 92 charges). This current 4^th edition has 100 charges.

Each charge when seen singly seems quite silly and worth ignoring. But just like an archaeologist, if you try to connect all the found links, it will create a different picture. That will sure make you think twice.

List of Contents:

Untold Obligations
Seva Redefined
Sweatshop practice
Educational or professional background as promotional means
Politics and Charm win over Devotion and Ethical conduct
Donation for SSRDP went to Sumeru Group of Companies
The deceit of Sumeru Group of Companies
Sumeru Realty and other Real Estate investments
Narasimhan and the blooming business of the AOL Corporation
Arvind Varchaswi the honest role model of today’s youth
Arvind Varchaswi & Narasimhan buy stakes from charity money
Who is the Guru of the Guru?
A sugar coated poison
Past of Pitaji
Pitaji’s biography redefined
The title: His Holiness and Sri Sri
Conspiracy behind the Holy tradition and establishing himself in to the lineage
Next birth in Mongolia, attempt to enter Dalai Lama’s lineage
Let every city declare my day
Sri Sri’s biography redefined
Sri Sri never reads any books or scriptures – All the knowledge is revealed to him.
Mislead the world using media goofs and gaffs – Nobel Peace Prize nominee/finalist
Ravishankar’s hankering for Nobel Peace Prize
Origins of communication seminar
Origins of Sri Sri Yoga
Origins of Sukshma-vyayama-yoga
Origins of YES!+
Origins of Art Excel
Borrowed course contents
Sahaj Samadhi Meditation is borrowed
Eternity Process is borrowed
“My son is a millionaire” – Vishalakshi
Sri Sri Ayurveda, Maharishi Ayurveda and Narasimhan
Sri Sri Ayurvda product Smuggled
Shankaracharya’s statement regarding Initiation and Fees
Evading tax in foreign land
Who does the actual charity?
Accountability of a Dollar a Day
The claim about low overhead expenses in AOL
The claim about high overhead expenses in AOL
Full-time teachers – a business loss
Brainwashing the people to donate money – Who later regret of donating.
Free repeat propaganda of AOL part 1
Manisha Mehta explains the virtues of Daan – Take money with you and leave rest aside.
Guruji gives incentives to teachers based on their work – A claim by C.L Rathi
The less known facts of a Full-Time teacher’s life
The one who removes corruption is the one who creates it
The stress of meeting the numbers – Teacher’s state of mind
Sri Sri’s reply to a resignation letter: Everything is Accounted
Sri Sri does badmouthing
The Chairman of AOL Netherlands does badmouthing
Swami Sadyojathah does badmouthing
Swami Sadyojathah badmouths a young girl from Australia
Sadyojathah badmouths two Indian Sisters
Credit transfer
A celibacy claim
Sex victim is a drama queen
Abused by AOL-EU board of the director
The claim about Sri Sri being immoral
Extra service for your sister
Abused by part 2 teacher
The doubtful past of Swami Suryapada
Sri Sri talks business and territory
Traveling along with Sri Sri
A personal letter to Sri Sri
Oh it did not happen! But Guruji said that!
The book Hinduism and Islam is still published and sold
Knowledge base of Sri Sri has nothing new to offer now
Importance of Sri Sri’s appearance for advertisements
Stay in a 7-Star hotel justified – A bigger place to accommodate queuing devotees
Inspirations are mine, Misdeeds are yours
How Sri Sri follows the law of nature
Opinions of Ravi’s classmates in St.Joseph
Sri Sri can’t eat the same meal as everyone else
Sudarshan Kriya – Grace or Technique?
A life of a peacemaker
Celibacy after the marriage
A family member gone forever
Art Excel instructor and the changing world
Even your best pals ignore you if you choose to leave
Finding a marriage partner
The fear of a bad luck
Botheration Basket
The Effectivity of a blessing
I thought, he listens to every prayer of mine
Who can become a teacher?
Worshiping Sri Sri due to peer pressure
Yajaman and his Sankalpa during Navaratri
The effectivity of Navaratri yagyas
Pitaji faked devi bhava in Navaratri
Endorsing a book from Deepak chopra
Fantasy stories of Swami Brahmatej – Please Do Not Disturb
Fantasy stories of Swami Brahmatej – The Money Magic to pay shopping bill
Rishi Nityapragya wants attention
Swami Sadyojathah from a royal descent?
Batliwala and sons – Law and fear
A communist in a shiva avatara
Why did these celebrities leave the AOL?
Does it make any sense? Why the counter blogs and three pronged attack?
Be scared, be very scared

After teaching over 10 years and being in AOL doing selfless service over 15 years, unfortunately I being an insider have now known many things which a good hearted person shouldn’t have.

While going through the following 2 websites:

http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/

https://aolfree.wordpress.com/

I have tried to make a partial compilation of charges against the Art of Living activities with possible reference (Reference here simply means the source from which I have summarised and not the authentic proof). I have tried to avoid any emotions or strongly biased opinions which otherwise is generously expressed on these 2 blogs. And have thus compiled only those things which according to me are reasonable. Interpretation of knowledge is quite personal and thus not included as any charge. It might be very possible that some of the following charges are unjustified, baseless or lacks proper evidences. Also note that the topics mentioned are not consistent in tone as they have come from various sources.

Obviously not every person in The Art of Living is corrupt. In fact most of them are innocent and sincere. My intention is only to expose those who are corrupt and nothing else. Please use your own discrimination. I personally do feel benefited by doing Yogasana, Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, Padma Sadhana, and Sahaj Samadhi meditation (irrespective of their genuine sources).

1) Charge: Several people involved in AOL activities have to co-operate out of obligations and at times completely against their will despite of knowing that certain things propagated by them seems unfair. Or else it would be labelled as doubting the master. But then of course Seva means a bit of sacrifice!!

Brief Details:

Once I became a teacher, only one thing had changed. I still had to do all the organizing, but this time, I had no choice if I wanted to remain true to my words. I had to say “YES!” to everything, no matter how absurd the request, no matter how much energy, time, and finances it would require. I had to be in the “yes mind”—after all, I was a teacher, and preaching that very concept to my students. If an inexperienced or mentally-unstable member of the group wanted to organize a 108-person part 1 course, my answer would be “YES!”, or if he/she wanted to organize a 1,008-person event with food and music, and turn it into an intro-talk, my answer would be “YES!”, or if they wanted to invite “guruji” to our city with the promise of a stadium full of 10,008 people, the answer would be “YES!” My answer was always “YES!”, but I’d be thinking “no, No, PLEASE NOOOO!”

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/art-of-living-course-or-curse.html

2) Charge: That’s how a definition of highest Seva ends up in AOL.

Brief Details:

I was always attracted to this idea of doing “seva”, or selfless service in my community. But somewhere along the way, tens of AoL courses later, the idea got twisted, the wires in my brain got shorted, and I got convinced that the highest seva and the only one worth doing is to organize more AoL courses and recruit more people to spread the “knowledge”. And like a good little “seva warrior”, I did just that. Organizing courses and “outreach” are the true dirty-works of the organization.
Any salesman would tell you that the hardest thing to do is “cold-calling,” where one introduces a product for the first time and meets with rejection most of the time. But I was trained well in DSN and TTC1 to “overcome my inhibitions”, and accept rejection, criticism, and emotional abuse.
I was primed and ready to be a seva warrior and organize successful events “come what may”. I would set the course dates, put my own money down for a venue, and then invite teachers from out-of-town. In return, I would receive their “support” and “encouragement” in the form of pressure to meet certain numbers of paid participants by certain made-up deadlines, or else they would threaten to not come at all.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/art-of-living-course-or-curse.html

3) Charge: A full time teacher having provided extra ordinary services in past and dedicated several years when becomes a liability or needs major help is either discouraged, rewarded much less then he really might need, paid less or eventually left stranded. They don’t have any legal work contract neither are they properly insured for health nor against accidents, forget about pension plan. Although recently some of the teachers are somehow insured. Some teachers of higher rank do have received some form of financial aid at times.

Brief Details:

A sweatshop is a working environment with unhealthy conditions that are considered by many people of industrialized nations to be difficult or dangerous, usually where the workers have few opportunities to address their situation. This can include exposure to harmful materials, hazardous situations, extreme temperatures, or abuse from employers. Sweatshop workers often work long hours for little pay, regardless of any laws mandating overtime pay or a minimum wage. (wikipedia)

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/sri-sri-sweatshop.html

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/more-ex-teachers-reply-to-ann/

4) Charge: AOL uses the educational or professional background as promotional means.

Brief Details:

Swami Sadyojathah: “There are hundreds of people who are engineers/ doctors/ lawyers/ MBA s who are at the helm of affairs in AOL and they are not fools who can be deceived.”
It is often noticed AOL using people like celebrity, Supreme Court chief justice, board of director of bank, CEO, International fame, doctor, engineer, MBA, PR, artist, students… for their promotional means.
I used my reputation on behalf of the organization. People who did not trust the organization joined because they trusted me. I feel I did them disservice – the organization does not conduct itself with integrity and high ethical standards that are deserving of the public’s trust.
What happened to the concept of Buddha handing the begging bowls to princes and princesses to drop their identity? What has people’s past & background to do here in a spiritual institution?

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/independent-of-aol/

5) Charge: People following ethics in AOL aren’t in a position of power or leadershipas those following politics and charm.

Brief Details:

One will never find a correct, ethical, deep, genuinely nice person in a position of power or leadership in AOL, though for the public they may project great PR skills.
If you carefully observe, the people Shankar coincidentally places in position of power are the ones quickest and best in manipulating and lying without any ounce of remorse. “The means justifies the end”, stated Machiavelli.
An incompetent board president is allowed to stay, because unquestioning loyalty is valued more than leadership skills, and because it makes the group easier to control.
One of his most senior teachers of Germany, a very nice guy I happened to teach with and spent a lot of quality time with, decided to leave the movement after realizing that following ethical and, especially legal guidelines for organizational leadership was NOT vital to SSRS. The teacher sent a farewell letter explaining the motivation behind his decision. I happened to be in the room with SSRS and a group of people shortly after the teacher’s official departure was in effect. SSRS´ comment was pretty much like this, “He is free to leave the organization. He anyway never did anything to promote my work!”
I know of teachers and board members who have secretly falsified signatures, or fabricated emails someone did not write, or stolen money, or simply, lied, lied, lied. Just recently a friend who left the organization found out, they were using a bank account under her name to organize courses! To her dismay, they did not seem to understand the unethical and immoral aspect of it. “They were just being ‘practical’”, they explained. And, instead of apologizing, they were offended by her demand to immediately cancel the account. Other than the financial implication, using a bank account with the name of a former teacher indirectly implied she still supported AOL activities – deceitful in many ways. In the world, such action is labelled as unethical, illegal, immoral, whereas in the AOL it is “practicality”. Anything in the name of the greater cause.
Cursing, kicking, abusing and all, knowing her irrational violence and temper tantrums, Ravi promoted her to Blessings course teacher. “One can never understand the Big Mind,” devotees correctly explain.
A senior teacher has affairs though he himself is married. We know his wife suffers with the incidents. Who knows how many families he has broken though! Despite knowing about his extracurricular activities, Ravi promoted him to Rishi – the married saint.
I have myself witnessed and been informed of TTC teachers slapping students, throwing water at them, etc. in the name of their tough egos. Participants would be gathered to swear they would never talk about the incident. This is an indication even the teachers knew it was wrong but they’d justify it “for the greater cause.” Poor people believed they helped students move forward. Somehow, the participants also knew it was wrong but they also were persuaded to believe it was for their own good. At the end of the day, they bowed down to their teachers “in tears of gratitude”
I will never forget the conversation I heard between one of the most dynamic teachers and another one (who had been her student), wondering why she never got promoted, instead the lousy horrible ones were, etc. Her student’s reply was loud and clear, “Because you are too nice.”

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-days-as-door-keeper-of-holy-room.html

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/violence-and-deceit-promotes-you.html

6) Charge: Donation meant for the welfare is used to build the Art of Living Corporation – Sumeru Group of Companies.

Brief Details

Ashram land was leased from government for educating poor children. But gradually a profit enterprise Sumeru Group of companies has taken its place. Sumeru Software comes under the roof of Sumeru Group of Companies, owned by Arvind Varchaswi, his elder brother Ajay Tejasvi and father Narasimhan.
The new kitchen building in Bangalore ashram came as donation from Mr. Vijay Mallya; see how Sumeru Solutions development center is using 20% of that building space. So does their Washington DC office.
A huge apartment (Sona Palace, 34, Norris Road, Richmond Town, Bangalore) donated by late Mr. Manu Makhija, from Hong Kong became the office where Sumeru had started their operations. It was supposed to be a SSRDP office for which it was originally donated!

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: More proofs needed.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/04/stages-of-cults-which-stage-is-aol-at/#comment-1795

7) Charge: Sumeru group of companies deceives AOL members and its customers. Whose employees still live in a belief that they are doing a seva, Of course a compromise between seva and salary, where the carrot is an opportunity to see guruji, attend satsang and to stay in or around Ashram. Except few who knew the business!!

Brief Details:

The Hindu Newspaper: Arvind Varchaswi, who started Sumeru Group of companies at the age of 14, founded this group with the vision of creating wealth with a sense of joy and contributing significant portion of it back to the needy sections of society.
The group now has seven companies. Its uniqueness is said to be that its people are as passionate about improving the society as they are competent in delivering top-of-line services.
The company’s people policies include daily practice of ancient Indian meditation and breathing that helps them innovate beyond the normal boundaries of logic. Sumeru Software Solutions is headquartered in Bangalore with offices in various parts of the world including Cupertino, California.
Where as the fact is:
Sumeru staff like all others eats free in the Ashram kitchen! Many of the Sumeru staff members live in the ashram but mostly in the pathetic condition like some laborers…in a small room 4 people at least…when they become senior then 2 per room…
Same is the case with most of the employees of Sumeru Group of companies. You need to personally meet them to know it yourself.
I have a story to tell about Sumeru Solutions. Now it’s a subsidiary since there are a whole bunch of such companies. I can tell you that it is a company established for Ajay Tejasvi (Sri Sri’s nephew) who later decided not to head it. However his parents asked SSRS to have companies established for their sons’ livelihood.
This company is run by Mr. Narsimhan. He was on the board and controls the money and bank accounts down to Rs 1. A very bad character person per my experience. Money gets diverted through other companies to Mr. Narsimhan’s account. This is what I saw first hand there and left as did many of my friends over time. We used to discuss local newspaper articles on how their family is getting rich with AoL money but stayed on for a long time trusting in Guruji. Finally left when we heard first hand that all approval of this business has been given by none other than Sri Sri himself. He monitors how much profit the company is making and behaves like a CEO behind the scenes.
A visit to offshore IT-project is paid by foreign customers. The Non-IT teachers who are supposed to take other art of living courses in the same country were sent as employees of Sumeru Software Solutions and thus their travel expenses were reimbursed by the customer. As the actual work is anyway done by the IT-guys in India over internet and phone conversations, the IT-Manager along with this teacher played some drama. Some times the IT-Manager on site had only a vague idea about his project. In order to participate in art of living events like Gurupurnima, Birthday, New Year… this IT-Manager somehow made up some unnecessary trips to his customers so that he could attend the event in presence of guruji!! The customer somehow found out the truth. But somehow due to customer link with art of living, and due to Guruji’s involvement the matter subsided. That left a bad reputation of the Art of Living and the mentality of Indians of course!
Most of the Art of Living devotees don’t even know that their free labor and free marketing is used to build up an empire for Arvind Varchaswi!

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/10/stories/2010011050850200.htm

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/the-prosecutor/#comment-2265

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/04/stages-of-cults-which-stage-is-aol-at/#comment-1795

8) Charge: Sumeru Realty and other Real Estate investments

Brief Details

(I wish someone would write an in depth report on this topic since they are investing heavily in real estate and made it a business ah-the spiritual real estate business. And with the Rs5000 crore budgets for the University they are going for even bigger…)
AOL has occupied 3,00,000 sqft of land (approx 6.88 Acre) for Sumeru Realty! http://www.fabs.co.in/CurrentProjects.asp?PStatus=1&id=73&Cid=4
Some people say that Digvijay Chaudhari has also usurped lot of money along with Narasimhan. Being an ashramite in Bangalore is usually like to be sucked up to bones, but Digvijay has a car, blackberry and Gucci spects! Can a full time ashramite afford such lifestyle?
More Info Needed…

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: More proof needed.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/the-prosecutor/#comment-2265

9) Charge: Why did Narasimhan leave his job? Where as he clearly disliked Ravi.

Brief Details:

Narasimhan is Bhanu didi’s husband and brother in law of Sri Sri. In olden times when Art of Living foundation was not so popular, he often used to criticize bhanu about his brother’s non-sense activities.
Brother in law was an engineer in Indian Telephone Industries. But since the holy business started booming he quit his job some twenty years ago and ever since runs the ashram and undertakes other mundane tasks. He has also been spotted in the annual Osho mediation camp conducted by swami anand swabhav in Bangalore. Maybe he wanted a break and see how other gurus operate.
About Mr. Narasimhan – Some of my friends were with Sumeru (very close to the core), and they always described Mr Narasimhan as a very arrogant and manipulative character. One of them already left Sumeru long time back, because he was unable to cop up with the financial manipulations there. He also mentioned he had ample evidence to believe that Mr Narasimhan used to demand commissions from some of the suppliers and contractors (especially for Ashram construction works).
Another guy in Sumeru complained directly to SriSri about the issues he found there. He got kicked out after that. Narasimhan called for a meeting and threatened everyone not to go and complain to SriSri (and event told He’ld slap them if they do). A lot of guys there felt very bad after that incident.
Comment from an AOL devotee: A small correction: his brother in law – Narasimhan was an architect and not an engineer – he quit his job to design the structures around the Bangalore ashram.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: Even I doubt this guy.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/his-holiness-titles-lineage/#comment-131

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/offer-my-life-to-the-service-of-humanity-really/#comment-2160

10) Charge: A post of higher rank, but a clear inability to deliver. Arvind Varchaswi the honest role model of AOL youths!

Brief Details:

Here is what “The Hindu” India’s National Newspaper got it from you:
“Why are you looking outside for a role model? Why don’t you look within you?” asks 27-year-old Arvind Varchaswi, who started Sumeru Group of companies at the age of 14.
He founded this group with the vision of creating wealth with a sense of joy and contributing significant portion of it back to the needy sections of society. The group now has seven companies. Its uniqueness is said to be that its people are as passionate about improving the society as they are competent in delivering top-of-line services.
He admits that there is a definite dearth of role models. That should not be a deterrent. “Look within you (for finding the role model)”, he counsels. He explains that India does not have dearth of spiritual values. It has got so much to offer to the world.
Mr. Varchaswi, who is now virtually dedicated to programmes for youth empowerment, is categorical that it is the spiritual values that could give a direction to the youth. “How can I be of use to the society? That is the attitudinal shift that should take place within them.”
Mr. Varchaswi, player of several instruments including tabla, drums, keyboard and veena, apart from being a composer and a producer of a spiritual album-Avataran ( one of the top selling albums of its kind in Europe, USA and also India ), is categorical that sound of music has a deep impact on human beings.
A winner of number of awards including Rajiv Gandhi Shiromani Award 2008 conferred on him appreciating the achievement of the young entrepreneur, he is also happy to note that entrepreneurship has been on the rise in the country.
Comments of blogger:
Arvind might have inherited the rank but he clearly fails to act that person.
You started Sumeru Group of companies at the age of 14? Most of us had just entered 10^th class by that age. We dint even have any subject of business administration till then!! And Rajiv Gandhi Shiromani Award in 2008 for appreciating the achievement of the young entrepreneur? Sure it is India and you are a relative of His Holiness!!
Starting and growing a business is not as easy as it seems – it requires know-how and hard work. It’s easy to steal credit and brag instead of actually doing the work. What exactly did Mr. Arvind do other than sign papers? Earning riches and exploiting the faith of art of living devotees and ashramites, paying poor salaries?
Guys do u remember that IITian Harish Ramchandran (CEO of Sumeru India, and Bharathy) who started the sumeru software?
You are a composer and producer of spiritual album-Avataran? What happened to the music director and lead vocalist Sahil Jagtiani?
I clearly remember an incident in art excel TRM where Arvind came to advice the instructors expecting that everyone would instantly adore him. But to his surprise he was so unanimously unaccepted that in an embarrassment he had to hand over the lead to the other teacher. I hadn’t expected this from the founder of Sumeru Group of Companies!!
Sure the youths have the best and the honest guides like you under the holy hands of Sri Sri!!
My dear, screaming girls might be crazy after you. But the honor and respect of a rank is earned by ones own merit.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience. Watch out this guy. He seems quite doubtful.

Reference: http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/10/stories/2010011050850200.htm

11) Charge: Arvind Varchaswi and Narasimhan are the major stake holder of Inwinex Pharmaceuticals Ltd. An amount atleast over 4 crore INR. Charity money is used to buy stakes.

Brief Details:

It seems that Mr Arvind Varchaswi + Mr Narasimhan is actually using the ‘charity’ money to buy stakes in other companies as well, other than the Sumeru group of companies. Seems that they’ve huge stakes in Inwinex Pharmaceuticals Ltd as well.
http://gujarati.economictimes.indiatimes.com/snapshots.cms?companyID=6568
http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/Company/Background/Board-Meeting-AGM-EGM-Schedule/Inwinex-Pharmaceuticals-Ltd/531398
According to IIFL (link 2), their market cap is Market Cap: [Rs.Cr.] 13, and based on economictimes (link1) the promoters themselves own 3368184 or 74.85% of shares – That means a ~9 crore investment has gone to purchase the stakes here.
Even if we divide that 74.85% of 13 Crore that is approx 9.6 Crore in 6 equal part and then summing 2 parts of Arvind and Narasimhan it comes to approx 3.2 crore. And as seen these 2 guys hold a top position among Board of Directors!!
The Stock Investment of Sumeru Industries is run through the office at Ahmedabad. Does this say something? Could anyone explain what does this mean? number of shares x price per share?
http://www.sebi.gov.in/takeover/sumerupost.pdf
http://www.moneycontrol.com/annual-report/sumeruindustries/directors-report/SI81
http://money.sulekha.com/sumeru-industries_balance-sheet

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: More details needed.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/the-prosecutor/#comment-2239

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/the-prosecutor/#comment-2241

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/the-prosecutor/#comment-2735

12) Charge: Guru Bina Gyan Nahi. No Wisdom without a Guru!! Lord Rama had Vishwamitra as Guru, Lord Krishna had Sandeepaani. Jesus according to Sri Sri Ravishankar was brought to India for his education for 12 years. How about His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar’s Guru? Why Sri Sri is so silent about his own Guru? At least mentioned his guru on Gurupurnima with gratitude apart from the holy tradition? Oh don’t you know his biography?

Brief Details: More Info Needed…

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. Even I have never heard anything about his guru.

13) Charge: Why did Maharishi Mahesh Yogi called Ravishankar a sugar coated poison?

Brief Details:

He was thrown out for starting his own ashram in Bangalore, basically. He even sent a letter with one of the first Pundits from the Bangalore Ashram to Maharishi. (The Pundit told me himself). This was a long time ago. According to the pundit, Maharishi gave his reply of “I have nothing to say to him”. And SSRS was crushed, I was told. His “ashram” was first some pundit boys collected from surrounding villages by Pitaji. MMY said they would have to go to Noida. Pitaji said they could not go, but had to stay near their villages in the south (at the ‘city’ ashram, then). MMY became angry with SSRS and wouldn’t speak to him. I don’t know if, in the years that have passed since the 90s, if MMY has indeed met or spoken with SSRS. I have no knowledge of that.
Once, when I asked SSRS why he dressed the way he did, talked the way he did, was he trying to act like Maharishi or something, etc., he looked at me, stunned, and said “I AM Maharishi. What did you think?” Meaning, MMY had fully occupied him, in his mind at least.
This is his belief. I saw a man who loved his guru, and his guru had rejected him. That’s all. It made him seem innocent. I do realize that he is a thief, and not very innocent after all. He is worse than his family, actually, because I feel he knows better, but refuses to act better.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I have no idea about this charge. People who have been with Guruji since Maharishi’s time could bring more clarity.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/his-holiness-titles-lineage/#comment-256

14) Charge: Don’t tell that Pitaji had an affair with a white woman!

Brief Details:

Pitaji’s fondness for white women was well known in the early ashram days when he still had his juices flowing. He was close to a rich Belgian couple who had followed Ravi to Bangalore. Pitaji treated or rather suggested various ayurvedic treatments to the ill husband and his condition only worsened. This couple was squeezed high and dry. What was troubling the ashram was Pitaji’s fondness to the Belgian lady. Vishalakshi had to suffer for all this and finally Ravi himself had a confrontation with his dad on his mother’s behalf.
The woman who claimed was marrying Pitaji was a German lady to whom RS owed a lot since her mother was one of the first to support him in Europe when he was a “kid”. The German lady, an advanced course and Sahaj teacher, packed and moved to India for a long time. I even heard she sold everything and bought a house where they would both live. Obviously, Pitaji kept the property, bc Bhanu and RS made sure the lady got “fixed”. People report seeing them walking hand in hand everywhere. According to her, they were in love and would get married. Something about being the reincarnations of who knows what. Bhanu and RS then spoke ill about her. Everywhere they went in Europe, esp. the ashram, they’d made sure they’d tell people what a blue star this woman was.
I even remember Bhanu’s face saying, “My father would never do that to my mother. She is making it up. She is nice but she is a blue star. How do you think my father would be with a woman like her?” Hearing RS repeat the same words and expressions later, I remember it being scary.
May be Swami Sadyojathah meant by this Blue Star in his reply to first edition of this compilation of charges!!

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: I have no idea about this charge. Old timers could bring more clarity.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/his-holiness-titles-lineage/#comment-134

15) Charge: Pitaji now an enlightened and a social worker? How with time his biography changes!!

Brief Details:

Take for example Sri Sri’s father, R.S.Venkat Ratnam. You would be hard pressed to find anything about his job & profession before AOL.
In AOL publications & in Sri Sri’s bio, if he is mentioned at all, he is referred to as “well versed in Sanskrit, Tamil and English “ or “a scholar of languages and now does charitable work.” Which charitable work? Well, they are referring to some AOL money that was donated by AOL members & was used to buy some sewing machines for few underprivileged ladies so that they can create an image of a social worker for Sri Sri’s father post AOL.
Otherwise those who knew Mr. Ratnam prior to AOL do not remember him as being a social worker & rather talk about his various dubious business schemes, cheating the public of millions of rupees.
Pitaji father of Ravi had created a ponzi chit fund scheme in Bangalore and Chennai in the 70s. He had cheated the public millions of rupees. He was on the verge of bankruptcy when he was caught and asked to pay up. Thereafter he realized that holy business is far safer and lucrative. He associated with Mahesh Yogi and used to be in the group which used to arrange for his meetings, stay and travel in south India. That’s how Ravi inherited his association with his guru. It was pitaji who realized the potential his son had and he created the breakaway Vedic school with 20 poor Brahmin children. He was able to bribe and get huge land from the government for lease, the place where the current ashram is.
The Vedic school was just the first con job of Ravi & Pitaji and Ravi further perfected this over the years. Pitaji was a terror and tyrant in the school if you ask some of the school children who spent typically 3- 5 years in this school. The school children had nicknamed him Pishachi (demon).
Ravi is again highly indebted to his father and in satsangs Pitaji is given an equal seating with his son. Ravi has mentioned several times that his father is enlightened and hence this treatment. His mother whom Ravi really loved also is/was enlightened according to Ravi and hence the huge building in her name.
Sri Sri’s name in his passport is stated as Venkatratnam Ravishankar Ramanayakanpet. His mother’s name was Vishalakshi Ratnam.
According to Wikipedia, his father is Venkat Rama Rao now? This doesn’t sound right. It changes the whole story. Rao is a common surname in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, it is definitely not a common Tamil name. What happened to Venkat Ratnam?

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: Up to some extent I have noticed that with time his biography has been changed.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/his-holiness-titles-lineage/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/his-holiness-titles-lineage/#comment-131

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/the-prosecutor/#comment-2185

16) Charge: How Justifiable is the Title: His Holinessand Sri Sri?

Brief Details:

I remember the huge sense of embarrassment when a journalist asked me in year 2000 where the title of “His Holiness” came from. I went speechless as I simply didn’t know. The journalist tried to help me, by saying: “you know for example Dalai Lama is His Holiness, carrying on the Tibetan Lama tradition as 14^th Lama or Pope having this title, where does Sri Sri’s title come from?” I felt even more embarrassed & as hard as I scratched my head I couldn’t come up with an answer. I decided to reply that I didn’t know, instead of saying the truth, i.e. he gave that title to himself! It was the first time I had realized the wrongness & egotistical attitude of Sri Sri for bestowing these titles on himself. The journalist still went ahead & referred to him with the full title I had given her. Looking back I wished she had respected her own journalistic instincts & skills.
I have to admit until that day, as a brain-washed teacher, I had not even given any thought to why Sri Sri had suddenly started to call himself “His Holiness”, just the same way that I had not previously given any thought about him using a famous musician’s name, nor when he dropped Pandit & started using Sri Sri. In fact I had laughed alongside others when he would tell us how he added “Sri Sri” to his name in a deriding tone to real Pandit Ravi Shankar, accusing him of jealousy, childishness & being attached to his name/title. So just in case any of you wondered where the title “Sri Sri” came from, yes, our Ravi bestowed it on himself!

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/his-holiness-titles-lineage/

17) Charge: Conspiracy behind the holy tradition and establishing himself in to the lineage.

Brief details:

The first time SSRS saw the altered guru parampara picture with Maharishi added at the bottom of the succession of masters, he got upset and criticized Maharishi. A few years later, when he introduced the Guru Puja course, the Guru Parampara picture used, distributed and sold to everyone, is exactly the same one originally used by TM, with SSRS at the bottom of it (at the feet of Gurudev Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, who was the Shankaracharya (spiritual leader) of Jyotir Math, located in the Indian Himalayas from 1941 to 1953), no Maharishi. I wonder if Maharishi got upset instead!
He couldn’t claim his lineage through Maharishi (TM) as Maharishi had called him a “sugar coated poison” & thrown him out of his organization. So what to do? Well, same thing that SriSri did with his name & titles i.e. create one!! Yes, you heard it right; don’t have a lineage? No problem, let’s create one!!
And because there was no live guru or even a dead guru anywhere that our Ravi could attach himself to & get a lineage sorted for himself, he came up with a “story” for his lineage & attached himself to Gurudev of Rishikesh which was Maharishi’s guru, i.e Swami Brahmananda Saraswati. And because he himself had never studied with this Gurudev. He started this story that a lady who had served Gurudev for many years & apparently the only lady that Gurudev would allow to serve him, recognized Ravi as the reincarnation of Gurudev on meeting him for the first time. How do we know she recognized our Ravi as Gurudev? Did she say so? No, but he offered Ravi the same food that she used to offer to Gurudev! Bingo, problem solved. Now our Ravi got his lineage sorted. so he is next in line to this Gurudev.
In early years Ravi was just happy to use this picture (minus Maharishi) & say that it was the tradition he came from! But in recent years his ego took another leap & caused him to add his photo to the same picture, depicting himself as the last guru in that tradition.
Indeed the whole idea of Gurupuja course is creating a lineage for SriSri & brainwashing the participants to accepting this made-up lineage! And SriSri is so cunning (or shall I say genius in marketing/creating money) that he even charges AOL members extravagant fees to brainwash them to a made-up-lineage for himself!

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2009/12/maharishi-maharishi-not.html?showComment=1260894690450#c6915368862393337930

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/his-holiness-titles-lineage/

18) Charge: The rumor goes on that says, Sri Sri Ravishankar’s next birth will be in Mongolia! Is it an attempt to connect himself to the lineage of Buddha or Dalai Lama?

Brief Details:

It is claimed RS is the reincarnation of 1. Krishna, 2. Shiva, 3. Vyasa, 4. Adi Shankar, 5. Jesus Christ, 6. Buddha, 7. Swami Brahmananda Saraswati.
Dalai” means “Ocean” in Mongolian, and is a translation of the Tibetan name “Gyatso,” while “Lama” is the Tibetan equivalent of the Sanskrit word “guru”. Putting the terms together, the full title is “Ocean Teacher” meaning a teacher who is spiritually as great as the ocean.

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: Even I have heard it.

19) Charge: Let every city declare my day! How justifiable is this wish?

Brief Details:

I fell for the charm of SSRS in 2006, the year of AOL’s Silver Jubilee celebrations. A few months later I found myself at darshan given by him to international devotees during the Navaratri celebrations in the Bangalore ashram. We were shown one or two certificates from Canadian cities that had named him honorary citizen and declared a SSRS day. SSRS then urged us to organise the declaration of an AOL day in our own cities when we returned home.
He impressed upon us that since it was the year of Silver Jubilee, a once in a life time happening, we must not miss the opportunity and three or four people together should seek local politicians, tell them about the AoL Silver Jubilee, show footages and give them a folder with copies of all the certificates already conferred. He then added, with a dismissive gesture: “Of course, we know these things really mean nothing but for the sake of those who think it is important…”
Perhaps to reassure devotees who might disagree with asking their cities to declare a day in his name, he added: “We made sure at Silver Jubilee I did not sit on a big chair. I sat in the same chair as everyone else so it wouldn’t cause a problem.” He seemed amused at this fact.
One would hope that it is not due to a lot of lobbying by the followers of the person in question. I wondered how on earth one would convince one’s city to declare a day in honour of AOL on the basis of Silver Jubilee. I thought the event had great value in its own right but it would be difficult to make it seem relevant to cities in other parts of the world.
At the time I was not aware of the big push to get SSRS the Nobel Peace Prize and that the “SSRS day” drive was part of that strategy.

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: Even I have heard this once from Sri Sri.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/let-every-city-declare-my-day.html

20) Charge: How over a period of time Sri Sri’s biography has been modified!

Brief Details:

Before: By the age of seventeen, in 1973, he had graduated with degrees in, both, Vedic literature and physics. (http://www.artofliving.org/us-en/srisri-early-days-timeline)
Now: A Bachelor of Science degree at the age of 21 from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore University.
Critique: well at age 17 Indian students usually enter 11th class or some junior college! At age 19 he was traveling all around India along with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi!! (http://www.artofliving.org/us-en/srisri-early-days-timeline). Certainly a Christian college did not offer a Vedic degree! So he learnt it from Pundit Sudhakar Chaturvedi! But did Mr. Chaturvedi offer a traditional degree in Vedic Literature too?
Before: 1960, age 4: Recites Bhagavad Gita, which he had never heard before.
Now: By the age of four, he was able to recite parts of the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Sanskrit scripture and was often found in meditation. (http://www.artofliving.org/founder-biography )
Matriculation in India: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matriculation_(India)
In India, “matriculation” (sometimes called “matric”) is a term commonly used to refer to the final year of high school, which ends at tenth standard (tenth grade) and the qualification received on finishing the tenth standard (tenth grade) of high school and passing the national board exams or the state board exams, commonly called “matriculation exams”. Most students, who pass out of matriculation, or class 10, are 15-16 years old. Once the Matric year and exam have been passed, students are said to have “matriculated”. Upon successfully passing, a student may continue onto junior college. The 11th and 12th standards (grades) are usually referred to as “first year junior college” and “second year junior college”. Most students who pass out of class 12 are 17-18 years old.
SSRS, btw, never got any degree, and used to publicly proclaim the same — that he never finished school. Somehow, in some places (Wikipedia for a while), it is wrongly stated that he earned a degree in Physics, other places says Engineering, etc. It’s false. He has no earned degree in anything, and stopped his schooling at 17 years old.
Title of Yoga Shiromani (Supreme Jewel of Yoga) by the President of India, 1986, was popularly mentioned in his previous biography, but this claim is quietly dropped out in his recent biography. Moreover this title is offered even to every graduates of a Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training Course (TTC). It is doubtful as to what is the authenticity of this title? As there is no concrete information about this title on internet and who confers it and on which merit.

Personal Rating: weak

Personal comments: I agree.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/a-brief-account-of-sri-sri-ravishankar-and-maharishi-mahesh-yogi-by%c2%a0sudarshan/

21) Charge: Bhanu didi often informed us that all the knowledge is revealed to Sri Sri from his past lives, and that Sri Sri never reads any books or scriptures.

Brief Details:

When inquired about how come guruji knows so much about various scriptures, Bhanu didi has often told us that Sri Sri never reads any books or scriptures and that the knowledge is revealed to him on its own or due to past birth impressions.
But this information seems completely contradictory from his biography. Biography says that he has completed his degree in Vedic literature at the age 17. He learnt it from Pundit Sudhakar Chaturvedi since childhood. More over he went to Switzerland to learn to chant Sanskrit under the guidance of MMY.

Personal Rating: weak

Personal comments: I personally have heard the same from Bhanu didi.

Reference: http://www.artofliving.org/us-en/srisri-early-days-timeline

22) Charge: AOL Misleads the world using media goofs and gaffs – Sri Sri, 3 time Nobel Peace Prize Nominee/finalist

Brief Details:

AOL claims (using friendly media) that Sri Sri Ravishankar is nominated for the Nobel Prize for many years since 2004/2005.
United States Congressman Joseph Crowley has nominated India’s Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for the Nobel Peace Prize saying that the godman had helped bring peace to thousands of people through his Art of Living Foundation.
News Article links promoting this story:
http://www.artofliving.org/in-en/indian-spiritual-leader-here-sunday
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/-Political-parties-must-stay-away-from-Ayodhya-issue-/688610
http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/jan/12sri.htm
It could be possible that United States Congressman Joseph Crowley nominated Sri Sri for NPP, and he could have disclosed it to AOL. But he got selected in the final list is a rumour.
Over time many individuals have become known as “Nobel Peace Prize Nominees”, but this designation has no official standing. Nominations from 1901 to 1956, however, have been released in a database.
The facts about Nobel peace prize nominees:
No one can nominate him- or herself.
Are the nominations made public? The statutes of the Nobel Foundation restrict disclosure of information about the nominations, whether publicly or privately, for 50 years. The restriction concerns the nominees and nominators, as well as investigations and opinions related to the award of a prize.
Below is a brief description of the process involved in selecting the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.
Invitation letters are sent out. The Nobel Committee sends out invitation letters to individuals qualified to nominate
Deadline for submission. The Committee bases its assessment on nominations that must be postmarked no later than 1 February each year. Nominations postmarked and received after this date are included in the following year’s discussions.
Short list. The Committee assesses the candidates’ work and prepares a short list.
Adviser review. The short list is reviewed by permanent advisers and advisers specially recruited for their knowledge of specific candidates. The advisers do not directly evaluate nominations nor give explicit recommendations.
Nobel Laureates are chosen. At the beginning of October, the Nobel Committee chooses the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates through a majority vote. The decision is final and without appeal. The names of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates are then announced.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Peace_Prize

Reference: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/nomination/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/who-gets-the-nobel-peace-prize/#comment-2556

23) Charge: Ravishankar’s hankering for Nobel Peace Prize

Brief Details:

In spite of all his lectures to his followers on avoiding feverishness & just observe their desires & let go, Sri Sri was very feverish about getting a Nobel Peace Prize. The guy, so ever hankering for more fame and glory and power & political influence, wanted a NPP badly and was flogging his senior teachers/members of his inner circle, at full speed, to get it for him.
The Nobel Peace Prize (NPP) Project has been launched with Guruji’s designation of an international team to work quickly and quietly on this initiative, initially with the following members: Peter Payoyo – overall coordinator – Netherlands, Christopher Kiran Byrt – Norway, Christoph Glaser – Switzerland, Werner Luedemann – Germany, Ewald Poeran – Netherlands, Fahri Saatcioglu – Norway
National Coordinator (NC): Guruji has the list of NPP National Coordinators and he mentioned that he is counting on you, and each one of our national coordinator-colleagues, to rush this project to the finish (end of this month) and to accomplish our mission with a smile.
NC: In line with this latest directive from Guruji, may I therefore request each one of you to send me a.s.a.p. (at the latest this Friday night) the NAMES OF NOMINATORS whom you have approached in your own countries.
Jaina Desai: Gurudev asked me to get in touch with you personally. HE said approach parliamentarians and professors… and finish the work by end of January.
NC: This Saturday, January 15th, Guruji will meet with the members of the International Coordination Team in our Ashram in Bad Antogast (yes, he will be in Germany this weekend). His instruction, relayed by phone last Sunday, is for us to come up with the LIST of people who have definitely agreed to write NPP nomination letters.
Guruji was presented with the list of all confirmed nominators as of Saturday morning, which was a compilation of all the names of individual nominators that you have sent me, or which you have notified to other members of the international team. Guruji expressed satisfaction on the fact that we have secured at least 130 confirmed nominations as of Saturday morning. It was mentioned to him there were four heads of government (1 president and 3 Prime Ministers) who have supported his nomination so far. It was also mentioned that many more new nominations will be secured in the coming days.
One leakage of any single aspect of the NPP project to the public domain, or public knowledge of any written suggestion that Guruji is somehow involved in this project, will spell immediate disaster.
Please check whether you have mentioned any fact or reference about Project that may be interpreted wrongly and cause prejudice to Guruji. For example, have you communicated to some other person a message to the effect that “Guruji has instructed that he wants you to get a nomination from so and so” or, “Guruji wants to know who are nominating him” or, “Guruji is asking whether you can help us in the NPP” or, “Guruji has asked us to work fast on nominations”? The reason why we keep our Project top secret from start to finish is simple: we must not give any reason to the Nobel Committee (or political opportunist therein) to mis-characterize what we are doing as a self-promotion campaign by Guruji.
We were all wondering, didn’t His Holiness, Himself, bless the project last year? So what was the use of his blessings?!! And if no good last year, what good it would be this year?!!
Sri Sri’s & his followers’ wounded egos, in face of him not getting the NPP, in spite of them throwing all that money & resources at it, was behind utterance of such statements: Its a privilege and blessing for the Nobel Peace committee & the Peace Prize itself to be awarding it to Sri Sri and not the other way round.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: This is a charge that I cannot summarize and recommend each reader to go through each single line of the original 4 posts.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/ravishankars-hankering-for-nobel-peace.html

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/ravishankars-hankering-for-npp-part-2.html

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/ravi-shankars-hankering-for-npp-part-3.html

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/ravi-shankars-hankering-for-the-nobel-peace-price-part-4/

24) Charge: Communication Seminars copied from Oury Engolz

Brief Details:

Some of you may remember Communication Seminars with Oury Engolz, http://oneseminar.com/
SriSri was fast enough to use him, earning extravagant amounts from his courses (not sure what % went to Oury himself) & getting Rajshree Patel & other senior teachers to learn all the tricks of trade from him. At some stage he said all his teachers/volunteers have to do the course. And you see how suddenly all went quiet on Oury & Communication Seminars? So above just a sample example of how easy it is for someone without integrity to steal other people’s successful teachings or marketing methods, without even acknowledging them. Branding it under RS & AOL & then have brainwashed teachers & devotees & volunteers to promote them & earn big bucks for RS.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. I know this too.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/psycho/#comment-6

25) Charge: Sri Sri yoga has not come from His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar

Brief Details

It was actually Krishan Verma and Dr. Bharti Verma who introduced this course in to Art of Living.
Interested in yoga since childhood, Krishan learned yoga from various disciplines and completed advanced yoga training, certified as ‘Yoga Shiromani’ (Supreme Jewel of Yoga). Still not satisfied, he was missing the real experience of yoga. This real experience dawned twenty-five years ago when he met his spiritual guru and yoga master, Sri Sri Ravishankar, founder of the Art of Living Foundation. Krishan founded the Sri Sri Yoga International program in 2001 under the direction of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the namesake and creator of the Sri Sri Yoga course.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. I know this too.

Reference: http://www.srisriyoga.org/teacher/teacher.aspx

26) Charge: Sukshma-vyayama-yoga has not come from His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar.

Brief Details

A 102 year old yogi named Swami Yogananda from India brought it.
Swamiji lived for almost 96 years in Himalayas. Sri Sri Ravishankar while staying in Rishikesh heard about him and went to meet swamiji, inviting him to accompany him to his ashram in Bangalore. Swamiji then taught sukshma vyayama yoga to thousands of people. A DVD with him teaching sukshma vyayama yoga was produced and Sri Sri has honoured him with the title “Mahesh Yogi”.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. I know this too.

27) Charge: YES!+ has not come from His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar.

Brief Details

Khurshed Batliwala (Bawa) and Dinesh Ghodke have compiled it from various modern corporate and personality development seminars. On doing the course it feels really new and nice!! Why? Coz its original ideas don’t come from AOL at all!! Those best booksellers authors are still unaware of the fact that their seminar and book contents are used without permission.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree up to some extent.

28) Charge: Art Excel has not come from His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar.

Brief Details:

It is almost every time noticed that Sri Sri Ravishankar hardly spends some time for Art Excel teachers in TRM. Where as he spends most of the time with AOL part 1 teacher. Once in all India Teachers Refreshers Meet he conducted various cleansing meditations for part 1 teachers but Art Excel teachers were sent to other hall to come up with new ideas for the manual. When asked why Art Excel teachers shouldn’t need to do that special cleansing meditation the answer was that the part 1 teachers go through special stress and they need it more than art excel teachers.
The fact is that almost 90% of the Art Excel manual is made by its various teachers after years of various editions.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

29) Charge: The Course contents are copied from other Institutions.

Brief Details:

What is so secret about all those AOL sacred secrets? What this blog has exposed is the outright plagiarism involved in the so called sacred knowledge of AOL. I have done EST (erhard seminar training) in late 70s in Canada and while going through the AOL TTC and YES+ notes all I can see is they have lifted at least 80% of the stuff from EST and Landmark forum. The same approach and techniques.
Inspired by beat Zen and Alan Watts, Wernard Erhard used to use exactly the same aphorisms in EST – ‘accept everything and every situation as is’,’ What you resist persists’, ‘don’t be a football of others opinion’ etc. I REPEAT EXACTLY the SAME Words. At least AOL should be honest to accept their sources. Honesty I guess is not part of their value system. In EST there was a technique of gazing at a partner’s eyes to basically get rid of boundaries and understand inner chatter. This is used in most self help and tantra workshops. EST in a way was trendsetter as there are many people who follow their techniques. AOL got these techniques into their programs in 1989. They copied rishi Prabhakar who used EST in his Sidda Samadhi yoga. Rishi Prabhakar was at least honest enough to admit his indebt ness to the sources. But in AOL it is claimed that these are revealed knowledge of Ravishankar.
About Pranayama and Sudarshan Kriya it is Yogi Bhajan’s pranayama kriyas plus rebirthing exercise added. Padma Sadhana is raja yoga pranayama and asana taught by Mahesh yogi and many many others. Exactly in the same order. And Sahaj is TM, a straight lift of his Guru’s technique. I wonder what nonsense copyright bullshit these people are talking about. Why AOL people are getting so excited and paranoid about their teachings being exposed. And since they believe that without their Guru’s grace nothing of these will work why are they so bothered. I would suggest that they should relax and take life less seriously instead of getting all excited and creating so much stress for themselves.
For example, re marketing of courses, enrolling people for courses etc, they have copied winning formulas from other organizations. One such example is Landmark forum. Those people are also very good in marketing & selling their courses & getting the participants to bring in new students. Many AOL senior teachers, Dean Harmison, Nitin (now Rishi Nityapragya), Swami Suryapada, etc, etc… had done Landmark courses & some of them even had gone up in that organization as leaders (They have publicly stated so many times). So they brought the marketing skills of those organizations & also a lot of the teachings of those courses to AOL.
Dean himself told me that he put a lot of Landmark stuff in part1 manual, based on SriSri’s request. That answered a long-held question for me as to why so many of my AOL students who had done landmark previously, would ask me at the end of the course if I had done landmark course or if Ravi Shankar had done it or if AOL has got all those knowledge points (only paraphrasing them) & many of the processes from Landmark. Of course back then I would innocently tell them that RS is an enlightened master & all the knowledge is his, sharing it with humanity (repeating of course every BS I was fed by RS & his senior teachers & through TTC & other AOL courses & TRMs.) Now I know better!! Similar questions were not uncommon re whether a lot of AOL stuff & teachings were from TM, including Padma Sadhana, meditation,
Even sharing of sexual fantasies in blessing course (hahaha, that was for sure sharing of the highest knowledge, esp. the way it is done in AOL!), I have been told, has been taken off OSHO & EST (forerunner to Landmark). DSN stuff is also not original, all criticism process, etc are stolen processes from other organizations & implemented rather disastrously in AOL. I really think we should all come out & dissect where all AOL courses & processes come from , so innocent people don’t get trapped thinking all these have come from an enlightened Master.
DSN is an imitation of Landmark, of which Nitin (rishi) attended before AoL.
I was most disappointed when I found out not even the home kriya was created by “Sri Sri Ravishankar.” Apparently, a senior teacher of his insisted people needed a formula otherwise noone would continue the practices. Thus, this teacher, a former TM teacher who is also no longer in the movement, came up with the 3 rounds of 20-40-40 and wrote the teacher’s manual and possibly the kriya notes too!
Even the pranayama and bhastrika did not come from his own knowledge. He learned them from a teacher who is also no longer with him, who in turn learned it from a Kundalini yoga master.
Even Kapalabhati was introduced after the much popularity of Baba Ramdev. In order to compete with him to show that AOL has more to offer than Baba Ramdev.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree up to some extent.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/long-kriya-home-version/#comment-677

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/psycho/#comment-6

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/20-40-40.html

30) Charge: Sahaj Samadhi Meditation is borrowed from Deepak Chopra’s bliss technique or Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s TM.

Brief Details:

The Sahaj technique differs from the TM technique only in the following: TM repeats the mantra continuously while in Sahaj, you “take the awareness to the region of the heart, and from there, you let go (the mantra)” and repeat it only when “connected thoughts” come up (as opposed to “disconnected thoughts” which are seen by AoLers as part of the “unstressing” process). It all indicated that Sahaj is an imitation of a technique given out by Deepak Chopra called “Bliss Technique” when he was with TM/MMY and which did not have positive results in many practitioners – http://trancenet.net/secrets/bliss.shtml (yet another “borrowed” “secret knowledge”)
The instructions of Sahaj are, “Become aware of the area of the heart, and from that region, take the mantra and let go.” This is what makes it different from the TM practise, which instructions are to repeat the mantra all the time. According to Sri Sri, of course, Sahaj was a lot deeper than TM.
Actually this is what used to be one of the higher TM “advanced techniques”. IIRC with the “Bliss technique” you repeat the word “amritam” in the heart centre, not your “personal mantra”. (KLIM)
How can anything coming from the purity of one’s heart start with a theft? I mean that Transcendental Meditation is identical to Sahaj Samadhi Meditation. I can confirm it, because I took both course and saw practically no difference. The only real difference was that mantras given to me were different.
He did, in fact, steal TM and call it Sahaj Samadhi. You are right. This is a man I pitied as I watched him desperately calling Holland, trying to get them to put Maharishi on the phone, and then when they would not, would hang up; look defeated, and say “he’s just so busy”.
Chopra told me the technique came directly from the Maharishi and was not his invention when he taught me. It was extremely common for the Maharishi to constantly change techniques, which of course was hidden under the blanket of secrecy that the Maharishi demanded. (John M. Knapp, LMSW)

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: seems like some of these guys have personal experience. Some facts about sahaj are sure hidden.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/all-you-need-is-bills/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/his-holiness-titles-lineage/#comment-231

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/his-holiness-titles-lineage/#comment-256

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2009/12/deepak-chopra-according-to-aol.html

31) Charge: Is Eternity Process borrowed from one of these 3 processes?

Brief Details:

Rebirthing: in its purity was discovered and named by Leonard Orr over 30 years ago. It is a very simple, yet powerful breathing technique. A trained professional rebirther facilitates a session. The length of a session is approximately 2 hours. There is a 1-hour consultation followed by an hour of breathing. During the breathing part of the session, the client is lying down comfortably on a futon or mat, while the rebirther is sitting beside them, monitoring the breath and supporting the client. It is a safe and gentle process of breathing in a circular manner. By concentrating your attention on your breathing, you are able to observe and release undesirable thoughts and emotions. The breathing experience stimulates and rejuvenates the mind, body and spirit. Rebirthing energizes as well as relaxes, making your creative powers more accessible and allowing you a more conscious choice of how you want to create and experience your life. The purpose of rebirthing is to enhance your aliveness, raise your consciousness and let go of struggle.
Past life regression: is a technique that uses birth time, name, or hypnosis to recover what practitioners believe are memories of past lives or incarnations. The technique used during past life regression involves the subject answering a series of questions while hypnotized to reveal identity and events of alleged past lives, a method similar to that used in recovered memory therapy and one that similarly misrepresents memory as a faithful recording of previous events rather than a constructed set of recollections. The use of hypnosis and suggestive questions makes the subject particularly likely to hold distorted or false memories. The source of the memories is more likely cryptomnesia and confabulations that combine past experiences, knowledge, imagination and suggestion or guidance from the hypnotist than recall of a previous existence. Once created, the memories are indistinguishable from memories based on events that occurred during the subject’s life.
Prati-prasav (literally “reverse birthing”): Past life regression is mentioned in the Upanishads of ancient India, but is discussed in greater detail in the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali. Writing during the second century BCE, the Hindu scholar Patañjali discussed the soul being burdened with an accumulation of impressions that were part of the karma from previous lives. Patañjali called the process of past life regression, prati-prasav (literally “reverse birthing”), and involved addressing current problems through memories of past lives. Prati-prasav is used today as a practice in some types of yoga.

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: More proofs needed.

32) Charge: “My son is a millionaire! He has his own account and has more than a million US dollars in it!”

Brief Details:

SSRS’s mother, God Rest Her Soul, was heard to brag: “My son is a millionaire! He has his own account and has more than a million US dollars in it!” She was very proud of this. This was in the early 90s, when SSRS was already beginning to ramp up the collections from the US, Europe and Canada.
More proofs needed

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: More proofs needed.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/a-brief-account-of-sri-sri-ravishankar-and-maharishi-mahesh-yogi-by%c2%a0sudarshan/

33) Charge: Sri Sri Ayurveda formulas copied from Maharishi Ayurveda

Brief Details

The product sold by AOL is substandard is very costly. We were told during teachers training course that before making ayurvedic product all the employees do sudarshan kriya so that rich healing properties are passed to medicine. But when I worked with that ayurvedic company as full timer I found that all the formulation was stolen from the maharishi Ayurveda a “Mahesh yogi” company. Even the ingredients used are substandard and lot of commission is paid to bhanu’s husband (rs brother in law) by the suppliers of the raw material.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree up to some extent. I have also heard from a friend of mine that Narasimhan takes commission.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/psycho/#comment-45

34) Charge: Unfair means to the Good Manufacturing Practices of Sri Sri Ayurveda products to Europe. Goods Smuggled.

Brief Details:

Now Arvind Exports is the company who supplies medicines to Europe, US and other part of the world (of course through AOL network), so basically “Mr. Arvind Varchaswi Narasimhan” 60 Rupees market price in India for a bottle of medicine…so cost price 30-40 rupees or even less…of it at all he was paying this 30-40 rupees/bottle to Sri Sri Ayurveda Trust (which is founded couple of years ago, earlier VVMVP/AOL complex was manufacturing it) may be wholesale price is different for him or nears to zero…(who knows!!!) i.e. less than 1 US Dollar and is being sold in Europe for 15 Euros (i.e. almost 18-20 US $)Actually it is not officially allowed to sell this medicines (or food supplement as they call it but on bottle it is medicine) in EU without getting several tests and approvals done, so basically they are smuggled in to EU, HOW? Different ways…
they are sent to Holland through flight cargo – Ewald and Lillian gets them
through them then to Bad Antogast and also to other chapters in Europe…via devotees and friends etc. aol network
HHSSRS and/or teachers, ashramites coming along or alone brings full bags (not only one bag!!) of them and then they are sorted in Bad Antogast and distributed over aol network
When you ask about why so expensive prices in Divine Shop or in Holland to respective representatives they will say get it very expensive from India itself, 8-10 Euros per bottle…(through Arvind Exports) and they have to cover their salaries and other costs through it so prices goes high you could understand…
Cargo doesn’t charge so much per kilo…in fact shipping is the least expensive compare to medicine prices…So all these $$ and €€ are going to Arvind Exports.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree. Ayurvedic medicines are legally not allowed in EU. And thus brought without the knowledge of the custom authorities.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/sick-money/

35) Charge: Sri Sri says guru dakshina is a part of spiritual initiation/education. But Shankaracharya has something else to say.

Brief Details:

a. Q: Brahmananda Saraswati did not charge any fees when he used to initiate?

A: SHANKARACHARYA: This is a principle. A quotation from Goswami Tulsidas:

“The guru, who charges or takes money from his disciples in return for initiation, steals disciples property and goes to damnable hell.” For that reason Guru Deva used to give `upadesha’ (initiation) without any fees. He used to say “If I accept any gift from the disciple (or fees), then his sins are transmitted to me.” In India, dharma, yoga, knowledge, specialized knowledge can never be sold for money. That is priceless. Anyone who puts a price on it insults it. So, a mantra is also never given for money. Knowledge cannot be sold for money. Therefore, the process that is being employed by Mahesh is merely for the sake of making money, and this is entirely against the canons of Indian culture and civilization. Where money is involved that becomes a business. I am telling you what is good for you without any vested interest. This is the rule followed here. We do not have a class of people as he (Mahesh) has created there…You don’t need a class for giving a mantra. Ashtanga Yoga–Yama, niyam, aasan, praanayaam, pratyaahaar, dhaarnaa, dhyaan, Samadhi, theses are the eight limbs of yoga. A Guru takes a disciple into these one by one. In return, the Guru does not accept anything from his disciple. He does it out of kindness and out of a feeling for doing good to his disciple. The second thing is, when one practices yoga, then he attains siddhis (supernatural powers). But, these powers are of no use. One who is asking for a price for a mantra, it shows, he did not have anything to give out to anyone else. (http://minet.org/Documents/shank-3)

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree with the reply of Shankaracharya. But with changing times it is difficult to follow it.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/all-you-need-is-bills/

36) Charge: Unholy secrets of the Holy Guru Puja. Escaping the Tax in foreign land.

Brief Details:

Most of the Fees of the Gurupuja course conducted by Bhanu didi in Bad Antogast, European center, had to be paid in cash and all the rest of the money excluding the Ashram costs is found to be deposited in Swiss bank account where the Art of Living main head quarter is registered. All the money is easily escaped from Tax. Undisclosing the earnings made in a country to avoid tax is a serious crime in Germany. This is a usual practice.
I have witnessed and had been part of this scam for three years. I left after I could not lead a crooked life of AOL teacher anymore. As AOL teachers there have been many many instances where we had brought physical cash in dollars from US to India (in the order of 10K and above). There is a limit to carry foreign currency to India. We cannot bring in more than a few hundred dollars without declaring. But we believed that the Guru’s grace saved us from the customs and also it is not difficult to hide currency. The customs folks are after jewelry and other gadgets. This money carrying is an open secret among AOL teachers who travel. But of course none would admit it openly. There is something called as hawala scam where currency exchange happens through alternative means and FEMA and others are bypassed. Needless to say AOL is a major player in the Hawala scam.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. I have heard similar stories.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/aol-illegal-financial-practices/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/aol-illegal-financial-practices/#comment-409

37) Charge: Who actually does the charity from course contribution in AOL? And is it really spent each time for which it is collected?

Brief Details:

It is often said to course participants that their money goes to noble cause as charity. Neither the course teacher nor a volunteer ever does the charity from course contribution. Neither an Apex body member nor the organizer does the charity from course contribution. Then who exactly does the charity?
During any disaster relief the seva warriors manage their own ways to finance their food, stay and the project. Several teachers have in fact complained of not getting the funds for the project which actually was collected for that purpose.
Why AOL is not funding any service projects via Local centers/efficient teachers (probably for projects after an approval process) which will result in better social service projects? I knew lot of centers/teachers with great project ideas, but couldn’t find any support from Bangalore.
Prison Smart Courses: His direction to teachers/centers is to charge for prison courses to the maximum amount possible in that particular country or that particular prison. The Prisons are expected to pay for these. The courses are free for prisoners, but prison officials have to pay for them from prison funds. There are of course cases where prisons don’t have budgets for such programmes, then AOL may teach some free courses for publicity purposes. But if any prison does have funds for such programmes, AOL teachers are instructed to charge as high as they can and even secure outside sponsors. I have observed how upset SriSri gets when a teacher conducts a free course where there had been a possibility of charging for it.
Courses for Refugees: Any free AOL course to refugee, etc is done to get huge publicity. And any such free courses are done totally free of cost to AOL. Such courses are usually the initiative of a particular teacher who is expected to pay for all the costs himself/herself or fundraise for them or apply for some sponsorship. And when such courses do happen, AOL gets all the free publicity and claims that is where AOL money goes to! The reality is that no AOL money ever goes to these projects and indeed AOL uses these projects as a pretext to fleece people in the name of charity!
Sri Sri Vidhay Mandir all across India charge a good fees and is definitely not a charity from the AOL headquarter but from the local people for initial land and school setup. But that was too specific and only few people had donated.
Although when I did my TTC I was aware that things were not right I still enjoyed sharing the knowledge with those who were on my courses. The money issues never seemed right; the fact that teachers were expected to supplement course costs and none of the money went to any local projects. I was never prepared to pay out of our hard earned income when I knew that the organization was rich.
In case being a teacher or volunteer if it was your experience that u really got some money for some local project or some disaster relief, from AOL Headquarter/ or the finance department of AOL (not from the funds collected by your own team) then please provide examples to clear doubts.
A certain amount is definitely spent on rural schools and their families but compared to the amounts collected world wide, it cannot be justified just by 2 or 3 eternal projects.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree up to some extent. AOL should be more accountable.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/349/#comment-782

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/offer-my-life-to-the-service-of-humanity-really/#comment-2160

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/his-holiness-penchant-for-lying-and-deceiving/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/his-holiness-penchant-for-lying-and-deceiving-part-2/

38) Charge: The accountability of the Dollar a Day program seems doubtful

Brief Details

The ‘dollar a day’ program was started in the US. The money never went to that cause. When Bhanu-didi was asked which children’s photo’s were to be sent to which donors (the list was small then, the numbers of kids also small) her response was an annoyed “doesn’t matter, just take a photo and send it to someone on the list”. Details were to be made up, as westerners didn’t speak the children’s language.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. AOL should be more accountable.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/aol-illegal-financial-practices/#comment-341

39) Charge: The Statement of Sri Sri Ravishankar about the overhead expenses of Art of Living being less than 10% and thus all your course fee money goes to the charity seems doubtful.

Brief Details:

Sri Sri Ravishankar once stated better donate in AOL as other Institutes like Red cross and others have overhead expenses up to 50%. In AOL as every activity is volunteer based/Seva based there is almost no organisational cost and thus the overhead cost is even less than 10%. So most of your money goes to the charity.
Rough estimate doesn’t reflect the above statement. For ex.
Course teachers and organizers are supposed not to exceed 10 to 25% of the course contribution as expenses. But then it is a common sense that every person in a chain needs something to live irrespective of any kind of business. So another 5% might be going on to maintain Apex bodies. 10% to the teachers as honorarium and unethical reimbursement, another 5% might be spent on Ashrams. Yet 10% another on traveling costs of Guruji himself!! Another 10 to 15 % of real charity probably. Now you can sum it up on your own. Surprisingly despite of whole family being full time in to Seva His family, Nephew’s foreign education with multiple degrees, good car and latest gadgets seems possible but not for the other ashramites or full time teachers.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. AOL should be more accountable.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/his-holiness-penchant-for-lying-and-deceiving-part-2/

40) Charge: If course contribution is clearly a fee (a newly coined term instead of criticized term charity/Donation) then why their employees (Teachers) are paid shameful 10% of honorarium?

Brief Details:

Sri Sri said, the fee is payment for a good received. Keep it simple. We don’t want people to feel obliged so we charge some little money! Another excuse is that the per hour cost of professionals in industries is much more and what we charge for a 24 hour course is much less in comparison.
First you make it clear, either you charge fees, pay a good salary to all your teachers and declare the foundation as For-Profit and pay all the taxes or promote your Institute as not-for-profit and escape taxes. This corporate style excuse doest work well with the not-for-profit organization.
According to Swami Sadyojathah: Vyakti Vikas Kendra India (VVKI) accounts are audited and anyone can verify them. We save only 25% from the course fees that is collected.
Interesting!! Teachers are told to limit the expenses up to 10% or at most 25% in US. Teachers get around 10% honorariums. Perhaps another 5% reimbursement!! So the total is around 25%. The rest 75% goes to VVKI? And then at last only 25% out of 75% is saved!! So where does 50% of the money get spent? And what about that remaining 25%? Don’t tell that all that goes to tsunami and those 2000 school kids.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

41) Charge: As time goes by and the number of new teachers increases the discount given to teachers who spend all their life for AOL goes down. A day will come when a discount given to teachers on a place of accommodation in ashram during events will be seen as a business loss.

Brief Details:

Initially Full time teachers and part time teachers were given 100% and 50% discounts respectively. Gradually it changed to 50% and 0% respectively!!
The only little amount full time teachers earn also gets spent in AOL!!
Full-timers had the habit of never saying how much each one earned because we all knew we got different amounts. Stipends varied in the US, from as low as USD400 to USD 1000, the same amount in euros in Europe, no home, no medical insurance, no retirement plan. Needless to mention, we could not afford any of that with what we got. Until recently, European teachers could consider the German ashram their home, but now they also need to pay to stay there.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/sri-sri-sweatshop.html

42) Charge: The commitments taken in high energy or activities done in grateful state in holy environment later seems unjust.

Brief Details

The donation commitment taken during DSN is overwhelming. But during actual money collection after DSN the donors feel reluctant to pay that much. It shows this practice of getting donation commitment seems unfair.
Various Businessmen having done any official work for AOL is often tried to be waived off as donations. After waiving off the amount the businessmen later feels having done a mistake.
I was cheated by AOL of 50 thousand rupees in 2000 when I used to sell telephone EPABX. I had gone on a sales trip to AOL ashram on kanakapura road upon their enquiry for a telephone exchange product. I met with AOL officials Vinod Menon and Arun Mahadevan. Initially they agreed for our quotation and I supplied the equipment to them. But when it came to payment they started the story that AOL is a charitable organization. When i persisted on payment and one day even lost temper I was told I am stressed should attend the basic course and so on. I was emotionally blackmailed and hence attended the course. I even met ravishankar (I will never call him sri sri) and was introduced by Vinod menon who took me into his kuteer. Vinod Menon before that wanted me to get this money waived off. Looking at all the pomp and pageantry of ravishankar I was carried away during the course and I waived the payment. Only later when I had financial problem I realized that I was cheated.
I know of one another friend who is a civil contractor who has been cheated by aol. But he cannot do anything because they are too powerful and we are superstitious about gurus.
AOL puts very subtle / disguised pressure on the members for donations. They make you first emotionally very weak and then request for willful donations. I have seen this in DSN course recently. They build the tempo for donations. Play heart touching and emotional music /songs / prayers, make you cry (in guilt). Next they would make you repeat slogans regarding contribution to mother earth and good karma…Finally donation time. Once members line up for donations they would announce their Names and Amount loudly holding their hands in air (triumphant) so that other members would fall for this emotional trap and give donations. (Herd mentality).
Once you are out of the course one would realize what has happened. Thank god I was with people who were not emotionally vulnerable and I could save my money. ( Though I have donated 30% of my declared amount on the stage ( I was still carrying the emotions when I have donated that 30% money ) If everything that is discussed here is true then I would definitely feel I am cheated .

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/long-kriya-home-version/#comment-668

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/disguntled-swamiji-speaks-up-for-his-master-again/#comment-1224

43) Charge: You could repeat AOL Basic course/ Part 1 course anywhere all over world, it is life time free. Oh come on don’t lie!! No No we meant to say only in India!! Oh Really?

Brief Details:

Let me tell one more incident about “free repeat” propaganda. In my AOL days, I used to let out my house for AOL courses. I had organized one course at my place in Mumbai and given publicity in my housing society. One day before the start of course, one gentleman from Raipur (a small town in Maharashtra) came to enquire about it. Course teacher was present there. She asked him a few questions and realized that this person had done his basic course in Raipur and while in Mumbai wanted to repeat the course. Course teacher told him that the publicized course was cancelled, so he should not come for repeating the course. I was shocked to hear this. However, I was so intoxicated by AOL that I did not say anything. After the person left, I asked the teacher why she said that the course was cancelled even though it was on. She replied that these people do their basic course in some small towns where fees is low and then they come in big cities where fees is substantially higher and repeat the course with us for free! Today it seems incomprehensible to me how even after seeing such blatant dishonesty in AOL, I still continued with them for quite some time.
Yes, after I did my basic course and after a few months, I wanted to participate in it again, as it is supposed to be free. I got sms from Lata (AOL Teacher) about the start of the course. When I called her, she said ‘Why you want to do it again? Spread the word and bring new comers.’ Such was the arrogance and worst attitude that I feel sick of AOL. I am waiting for the day when SSRS would be behind bars, and the entire AOL assets would be confiscated by CBI.
If nothing the participant is obliged to pay some donation.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. I have similar experience.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/secret-aol-knowledge/yes-teachers-notes/#comment-1370

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/enlightsitive-enlightened-sensitive.html?showComment=1263829355500#c5293524482665144356

44) Charge: Manisha Mehta explains the virtues of Daan (Donation). Manisha kept the money with her and stored used supplies at my place – presumably to take at the end of the course. She never came.

Brief Details:

I have had worse experience with Manisha Mehta, AOL teacher in Mumbai. I had organized a course for her at my place in Mumbai. At the start of the course she told the participants about the various charitable projects undertaken by AOL and educated them about virtues of “daan” (donation). She told that AOL was doing work among underprivileged children in slums, so anything one wanted to donate was welcome. It could be used school supplies, used clothes, books, shoes and of course money. Many participants brought used supplies and cash over and above the fees to contribute for slum kids. Manisha kept the money with her and stored used supplies at my place – presumably to take at the end of the course. After the course, she never even looked at the used supplies. All those things were abandoned at my place. I, in my naivety, called her couple of times reminding that she had to take the supplies for distribution among slum kids. She never came. Then it dawned upon me that all along she was never interested in used supplies. All she really cared about was money. Asking for used supplies was only a ploy to give legitimacy to her demands of more money.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/offer-my-life-to-the-service-of-humanity-really/#comment-2150

45) Charge: Chandrakant Rathi claims that Guruji gives incentives to every teacher based on his work.

Brief Details:

Chandrakant, Ex APEX BODY MEMBER, Maharashtra Art of Living: Guruji has created a reward system as an incentive. Every teacher is rewarded based on his / her work. If teachers face problems, there is the Apex Body that is totally empowered to take care of them. I personally have helped several teachers during my own tenure as an Apex Member. I didn’t even have to consult Guruji in these matters.
Ex-Teacher: I wonder what did I not have that those swamis had that he presented them such nice gifts? That “random act of kindness” was not usual. I also dedicated my life to him and worked for free for him. No matter how much I asked him for help he never gave it to me, in fact, he removed help from me when more needed.
I definitely brought in more money and produced more than those swamis who only walk to a satsang or course previously all organized for them (but they get the credit)! Other than how the funds were handled inappropriately, knowing about these generous gifts, I must confess, irritate me because of the unequal treatment teachers got. I find the karma argument too convenient and unacceptable.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I have seen only very few senior teachers getting incentives.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/enlightsitive-enlightened-sensitive.html?showComment=1263504210680#c3378233197218155600

46) Charge: The less known facts of a Full-Time teacher’s life. “You do my job, I take care of you.” In the practice, it was not like that.

Brief Details:

Full time teachers in the West always struggled. It was never enough. Try living from USD 400, even USD 1000, without a home and medical insurance. Most “gypsied” around from home to home, staying in people’s couches, or air mattresses, or even closets! And of course, pray or seduce some devotee to pay for the treatment and medication.
A friend of mine, a full time teacher was advised by her doctor to take immediate rest. Her health was at risk due to high level of stress (I guess SK does not reduce stress after all). When she went to Ravishankar with the news, he frowned and said, “No, no, no, you keep teaching, there is no time.” No time for what? No time for him to conquer the world? Or no time for her to take care of her health?
Another full time teacher got so sick from overwork, excessive travel and poor living conditions, she could not even move around. She actually developed quite a few diseases and had no choice but to stop everything. In fact, she could not move nor eat. She was one of the most dynamic teachers who produced a lot of devotees and money, yet, when this happened, he removed her from the lousy stipend for as long as she did not go back on the road – the money she needed for medical bills. Since she had nowhere to stay, like most full timers of the West, she went to an ashram and, the ashram assumed they’d charge her for the stay.
There was another full-time teacher to whom the organization owed more than USD 10,000. He fought so hard to get the amount reimbursed (with a stipend as low as the ones mentioned, any amount was a fortune!). The board was disorganized and cared more about their status rather than the duties. The guru did not care despite all the requests for help. Finally, under a lot of obvious pressure, he stepped firm to get the money, and, not only was he not reimbursed by the organization, but by a devotee almost 12 months later, and the board warned him to watch out “because they’d destroy him” for having told on Ravi about their incompetence. Who did Ravi protect in that situation? The board that had gone out to destroy the poor person, with lies and sabotage, instead of the teacher who had done so much work for him so many years. It was not about values, truth or loyalty. It was about business. It was better to lose one rather than many. It was more promising to support those who are crooked rather than those who have values. Machiavellic.
He told me I had nothing to worry about, that he’d take care of all of my needs. After the first year of romance, he did not take care of anything nor care. (You know the poem “I promise”? Well, you can imagine what I think of it today. Beautiful BS).
There was a full time teacher who was absolutely dynamic, incredible, she started many centers in Europe. She was amazing but she got pregnant. I still today cannot believe he turned his back on her that very moment. She got a low stipend all those years, of course she had no savings, no medical insurance, no home, and a baby to take care of. She was immediately on her own the minute she was of no use to him any longer. And as quickly as she got pregnant, she was forgotten in the movement.
Most senior full timers I knew were constantly complaining about all the exploitation that went on. You’d be surprised to know most star teachers have been complaining non-stop about the exploitation and unethical practices of the AoL and wish to quit every other minute. They are all so unhappy but put on the happy AoL face when they meet students/clients. Most don’t have the courage to leave. “What will I do if I leave?”
Somehow, one is trapped by this idea he inflicted in us that we’d never make it in the world. That, no matter how terrible it all was in the organization, it was better than in the world.
If anyone went to Sri Sri to ask for more money, or medical insurance, or that one needed a home, his answer often was, in a victimized tone, “There is no money. You have no idea how expensive it is to keep the ashrams and the seva projects. We never have enough money.” You went in with a righteous request, but you’d leave feeling like crap, believing his lie about not having money.
There are still so many teachers out there, especially the non full-timers and the new and young ones who still believe in all that “ra-ra” stuff he presents. Everyone has his/her turn to experience the bitter taste of AoL truth, it is just a matter of time and how one processes it eventually.
Again, it is all sugar coated glamour. The truth behind it all is not that sweet. Maybe Maharishi was right when he described his pundit boy as “sugar coated poison.”

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/sri-sri-sweatshop.html

47) Charge: And you say that we eliminate stress from the society? We create a better society? Was there a reason a full-timer got corrupt?

Brief Details:

The lack of financial support and accountability created a lot of stress in the full-time teachers community. Even though HE taught us to have faith in him, reminded us he’d take care of us, that we’d never be without a place to stay, food to eat, we all worried, regardless of the age, number of years with RS, number of years serving the organization. The longer we were in the movement, the more we knew the organization did not take care of anything. We had all had our own experiences, yet we all had hidden hopes something would change, and sometimes, we believed it was about “cleaning karma”. Many teachers ended up finding ways to ensure their future in corrupt manners.
I knew of a senior teacher who manipulated their students to donate a lot of money at the end of the TTC for his personal account. Even when I was a devotee, I thought that was dirty, yet Ravi was proud of his astute teacher, he actually got more and more promoted.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: Strange indeed.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/sri-sri-sweatshop.html

48) Charge: A constant happy stress free demeanour in front of course participants! What happens behind the course is an insider’s story. The stress of meeting the numbers! Of course these are lazy ones.

Brief Details

I would make frequent announcements about the “amazing” upcoming event in our weekly satsangs, and I quickly exhausted my supply of friends (many of whom I’d lost due to my involvement with aol), and alienated myself from co-workers by attempting to recruit them and neglecting my work. I nearly lost my job for this “seva” and found justification for my actions in ravi shankar’s words “if you do my work, I’ll do yours.” Inevitably, I was stuck with both our work, and I was the only one left accountable if things failed.
If the numbers fell short, it would be my fault for not “moving with the grace”, not having enough faith, not having strong enough “sankalpa”, or not being fully open to HIS divine guidance. No matter the reason, a failure was my fault, if people didn’t sign up, the problem was always “in my mind”, and I’d be the only one left to foot the bill in case the event fell through. But when things were pulled off successfully, of course the credit would go to ravi shankar, the supreme master of the universe, our divine leader, GOD HIMSELF.
Being the only local teacher, inevitably, I would have to get involved in some way or other. Every course (even those that others wanted to plan or take) was truly a curse that brought more misery, and sucked me dry. AoL had become another full-time job, and the irony was that I myself, who needed most a “true vacation” (which at that time translated into a part 2 course) could not afford to take one due to lack of money or time. I lived in this sad state for years. My productivity at work declined, my relationships with friends and family became nearly non-existent, and AoL had taken over my life.

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/art-of-living-course-or-curse.html

49) Charge: Sri Sri’s reply to a resignation letter: Everything is Accounted

Brief Details:

When I sent my resignation letter to Ravi Shankar, one of the points I was making was exactly the lack of accountability for how funds are handled. In his reply, he chose to ignore most of my other points (if you haven’t seen my resignation letter, you can do so at Guruphiliac’s archives circa March 2008), but not this one. It must be a very sensitive one, since ultimately the very existence of the organization and the perception of it among the masses is conditional on this tax-exempt status in some way. However, as usual, his reply contained nothing more specific than the simply the claim that everything was fully accounted for. We, former insiders, know that this is not so. To my further request to be directed towards documentation proving his claim, I received no reply. No surprise there.

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: No Idea.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/enlightsitive-enlightened-sensitive.html?showComment=1263499385822#c7898368579655784474

50) Charge: Sri Sri does badmouthing

Brief Details

If you have been close to him, you will know that what Whistleblower is saying is true: SSRS often takes advantage of willing teachers, uses them, and then badmouths them in small closed circles. And when I would be in the small closed circle, I’d hear him badmouthing others. It was beyond my comprehension what he was saying about people. The humiliating lies he told about people I knew to be good-hearted and innocent. The truly ugly tones, sarcasm, laughter at people who were giving their very lives to him! And I found out, in the end, after I left, that he did the same thing to me. My friends who sat and heard him say these things left him quietly, as they knew what he was saying was sick, twisted, and sad. Those who didn’t leave simply were not friends.
I personally know of at least 4 cases where very normal people who were good people left SSRS and were defamed and lied about because of what had actually happened to them. Most didn’t even tell what had happened to them out of their shame. The word circulated quickly around the city. He was ruthless in his accusations. And, knowing the families and people in question quite well, I also knew he was lying to cover something up. I only found out later what that ‘something’ was. The Swami posting also knows what this something is. And that Swami is surely ashamed himself, and must, to save his sanity, post defenses of his Guruji. Most who could come forward with actual truth about this Ravi Shankar’s character would be far too humiliated and ashamed to even speak about what happened to them at that place. So the “Swami” knows he is safe in demanding that. There are some things that, unfortunately, victims blame themselves for, and feel ashamed, although they are not responsible for what happened to them.
Now don’t say that I have never seen him talking ill in public and that he speaks best to my knowledge. Just because you have not seen it, it does not happen?? Even Hollywood actors look perfect on screen. There are 2 faces!!

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree up to some extent. The comment seems quite sincere.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/02/an-ex-teachers-reply-to-ann/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/disguntled-swamiji-speaks-up-for-his-master-again/#comment-1186

51) Charge: Ewald Poeran, the chairman of the Art of Living Netherlands does badmouthing.

Brief Details:

Ashrams are run only through Advance Course revenue. Thousands of mouths are fed everyday. What do you bloggers contribute? Some of you rascals have taken full advantage, ate in the ashram, and became fat. Taken all the time of Guruji, pestered him and bothered him with your silly questions. A counselor would have earned millions by that, Guruji did not ask anything.
One of your bloggers, a woman with four kids who hardly taught anything, created more problems than anybody, wanted to make money on books, and ended up in New Zealand.
Since Eng Ann left, Brazil has flourished. People have a feeling of relief. The satsangs are nicer. Same is the case in many other centers, including Denmark. Denmark is more harmonious and peaceful. Same story with New Zealand.
Comments by Skywalker: Her name does ring a bell, though. Didn’t she single-handedly open up several countries to AOL, teaching thousands of people? That certainly doesn’t sound like a woman crippled by mental disease. Or maybe the allegations by the swami are completely fabricated?
Comments by Appalled Ex-Teacher: If this is how they treat their former teachers … it could happen to you too! The person they defamed with name is someone who started many countries and was one of the most active and productive teachers of my times, Ravishankar many times cited as an example. I even remember she taught the first course at MIT and brought so many people to the AOL during the years. We looked up to her.
How conveniently Ewald has forgotten that advance course forms clearly mentions, fees include food and stay!! And that the kitchen is run by several volunteers like us.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/disguntled-swamiji-speaks-up-for-his-master-again/#comment-1278

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/blog-under-three-pronged-attack/#comment-1310

52) Charge: Swami Sadyojathah does badmouthing.

Brief Details

The first one is a lady called Eng Ann from South America. She is bipolar and comes from a troubled background. To get sympathy from people she used to tell everyone that her father used to throw shoes at her and her mother used to throw hot tea cups at her. Later on we found that this was just a figment of her imagination and that her parents are from very respectable families. Because of her unstable nature but coming across as perfectly rational she used to take advantage of people. When her whole family rejected her, she was given shelter. She was prone to sudden bouts of violence and makes a spectacle of herself screaming and running around even in places such as the airport! This became less frequent when she was regular in her spiritual practices. When she stopped doing the practices the erratic behavior would erupt once again. Out of compassion, her Part 1 teacher Janael Mcqueen pleaded to Guruji to allow her to do TTC because she felt that if this lady was empowered and made a teacher she would be fine. No doubt that she was a good teacher, but, very soon people discovered her strange behavior. She demanded that the people of Brazil respect her. Guruji said, “I won’t tell anyone to respect you, you have to earn your own respect.” Her own students pleaded to Guruji not to send her to Brazil anymore which was a big blow for her. Her 3 ex-boy friends like Mr. Ignacious, Mr. Jonnathan Tang etc. can speak volumes about the trouble that they have undergone in their lives because of her. Janael Mcqueen and reputed journalist Beatriz can testify about her state of mind. As also the Art of Living Brazil Board, about her misconduct.
Janael Mcqueen – When senior devotees complained about Eng an’s tantrums and abnormal behavior to Guruji and asked him why they should associate with pathological liars like her, he used to tell them “we stick to our first course point of Art of Living which is: accept people as they are! Nobody wants her, her parents don’t want her, so if we also send her away, where will she go?” Around Guruji there is always lightness and humor. Never is there malicious bad-mouthing. This lady used to get irritated by joy and humor. Only someone who is mentally sick can construe all that as being malicious. Once when someone started praising her about her command of languages (she was conversant in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and English), Guruji had hinted, “a ladder which takes you up can bring one down also.” This is what she twisted and mentioned in the blog. She demanded 3000 USD per month failing which she would write a negative blog and she fulfilled her threat. Even after she started these negative blogs against Guruji and the organization, she still goes to Art of Living people and takes their help!
Comments by Doreen: though I strongly disagree with what eng-an has done since deciding to leave aol, I feel compelled to set a few facts straight about her:
– as far as I know she has never been diagnosed as bipolar
– it’s not true that she was made a full-time teacher just out of compassion. She had a lot of fire in the belly to work for the organization. However people feel about her now, the truth is she opened art of living up in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and many other countries in South America. There was a time when she was greatly admired for her work in AOL, and was asked to speak at the TRMs about her work in South America.”
MIT Student: I rushed from a stressful day at work, then the gym, got on to the T, transferred to the No. 1 bus, got off at MIT, and ran to where the class was being held. I was late, tired and stressed. There were three coordinators — Janael, an elegant and soft-spoken woman with a beautiful and gentle looking face and a difficult to place accent. Kamlesh, an Indian, with long curly locks and beard covering almost his entire face. Eng-An, a vivacious, pretty younger woman from Argentina, but of Asian descent, was animatedly leading the class.
Engan’s friend #2: Engan opened ALL of South America (not just a few countries but an entire continent) and taught also in the US, Spain and Portugal, and was in charge of translating everything, etc. She taught APEX, prison course, created many projects in the slums, taught Yes, organized and translated many TTCs and Part 2 and Sahaj, trained teachers … interesting what bipolarity can do.
South-America Insider: And, the exboyfriends Swami’s letter mentions, none of them were her exes. One is gay, the other is married with teenager and Ignacio, she saved him from suicide (not the guru).
And Beatriz was her student who was very jealous and lied about her constantly. SSRS supported her instead because “she is older”, and basically, we all know it is because she had money and is highly ambitious.
But ain’t this typical AOL retaliation and creative way of expressing gratitude to those who dedicated a good chunk of life time to them? It should make everyone think before they get more involved. It could happen to you too.
Steve Liu: Is this a silly joke by Sad Swami? I’ve been acquainted with Jonathan Tang, and though he was involved in art of living activities, there was never any contact of that nature between Jon and Engan except related to organizing courses and other activities some years ago.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is quite evident.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/disguntled-swamiji-speaks-up-for-his-master-again/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/349/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/disguntled-swamiji-speaks-up-for-his-master-again/#comment-1471

Reference: http://tech.mit.edu/V120/N7/breathing.7f.html

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/eng-an-the-person-they-named/#comment-1832

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/eng-an-the-person-they-named/#comment-1835

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/eng-an-the-person-they-named/#comment-1899

53) Charge: Swami Sadyojathah badmouths a young girl from Australia

Brief Details:

Swami Sadyojathah: “Another person who has joined this negative blog group is a young girl from Australia. Many people want proximity to Guruji and upon not getting what they want lash out at Guruji or the organization. He tells them to take a project and sincerely work towards it instead of hanging around him. This girl from Australia even rose to work in the secretariat. AOL is such an open organization that anyone who is in the organization for one year and have done the necessary courses can become even a teacher.”
Ex-Ashramite: Guruji put this capable lawyer to work at his office. She was a really sweet Indian girl and she was so committed and devoted to Guruji that left her good life in Australia to work for free for AOL. She thought Guruji was God and referred to him as Gurudev!
She was often introduced as Guruji’s publicist and later on was even sent to Europe to do Media work for AOL and she did a lot of publicity work for AOL there and got lots of articles published in Europe’s media.
What went sour I don’t know. Did she find out too much perhaps? Or was it due to jealousy of Jaina? Whatever it was, it wasn’t due to lack of proximity to Guruji, as Guruji asked her to work in the secretariat.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I know this girl. She really devoted everything including her career.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/eng-an-the-person-they-named/#comment-1790

54) Charge: Swami Sadyojathah badmouths two Indian Sisters

Brief Details:

Swami Sadyojathah: “Two Indian sisters are also part of this negative blog group. They did not have any genuine interest towards knowledge or service. They used to over exhibit their devotion to the Master, constantly vying for his attention. Their own brother, sister in law and other family members are all still actively involved in AOL. One of these sisters wanted to become an advanced course teacher but was not made one. That factor combined with the not getting the kind of attention they wanted made both sisters leave AOL and take to writing these negative blogs.”
Ex-Ashramite: Now these two Indian sisters, both very capable and talented, one of them a famous model (let’s call her NS), worked so hard for Guruji and Bhanu Didi. They were totally dedicated and devoted to Guruji.
They were behind the first couple of successful Women Conferences in the Ashram. Bhanu Didi got very jealous of their success and after they got Women Conferences going, sidelined them and appointed her own secretary as coordinator for future conferences. NS also helped Bhanu Didi so much in promoting Guru Puja courses and helping with her Sahaj courses.
Both NS and her sister PS were full time working at Ashram. Guruji and Bhanu Didi used NS’ fame and popularity to the max (like they do with all actresses and famous people). Both were AOL teachers.
NS introduced all her family to AOL, including her own brother and sister-in-law and her only son. Her son also became an AOL teacher and because he was an educated and talented musician brought so many young people to AOL and even has couple of very popular AOL CDs to his name (one of these CD’s Ajay was trying to take credit for!). He and his mother NS are creators of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” song, which was used at Silver Jubilee and has become one of the most famous and most used songs in AOL.
Because of their love to Guruji, NS and PS even relocated to Bangalore so they can serve their Guru better. It is really sad that Swamiji now says they didn’t have any genuine interest towards knowledge or service. Giving her only son to AOL and working full time seva for AOL, and bringing all her family and friends and her famous name to AOL, what more she could do.
Again, I don’t know what went sour, but whatever it was, it wasn’t due to lack of interest in knowledge and seva!
Attack on these two sisters particularly saddened me as NS was very fond of Swami Sadyojathah and would refer to him as her brother. She worked so hard to promote Swamiji’s blessing course and even wrote about it in esatsang. This is the sad reality of AOL, friendship counts for nothing.
And the saddest thing of it all is that Bhanu Didi used the sister-in-law to attack NS and PS and spy on them. Very sad indeed that AOL uses such tactics and creates split and disharmony among family members (very common AOL tactic). Very sad that this sister-in-law for some little attention and position sold out her husband’s sisters. Hope she and her brother and the son wake up to the truth of AOL and leave AOL and try to heal the rift in the family.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/eng-an-the-person-they-named/#comment-1790

55) Charge: Credit of one’s hard work is transferred to someone else

Brief Details:

Bizarrely enough, we were recently told at Guruji’s birthday this year that it was actually Beatriz Goyoaga, also mentioned in Swamiji’s article, who “opened art of living up in Argentina, brazil, Chile and many other countries in south America,” in almost exactly these words.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: The way commenter has written. I feel there is some truth in it.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/disguntled-swamiji-speaks-up-for-his-master-again/#comment-1472

56) Charge: People are of the notion that Ms Y follows celibacy but may be not.

Brief Details:

Many teachers, especially senior teachers take advantage of their status. Women fall for them like bees for honey, not knowing they are just being used for sex. Female teachers pretending to be virgins or untouchables. I knew of one who everywhere she went made a point to inform she was virgin, and then someone who was hosting her found out she was bringing men to the house while they went to work, by finding used condoms in her room and the reports of the maid. The one million dollar question everyone asked for a long time in the West was, “Did Mr X and Ms Y have sex?” They pretended to be “just friends” but wherever they went, they slept in the same room. Yet, he projected to be a monk and she the most of all virgin people. (Does the word “histrionic” come to mind?). It was such a mystery people actually got mad and confused when Mr X married (someone else, since Ravishankar never approved his relationship with Ms Y).

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I personally don’t find anything against someone’s wish to mate unless it is against will. Sometimes the person might have done that in past due to sincere liking but the things might not be the same at present. Sometimes whole your life you follow celibacy sincerely but just few strong uncontrolled feelings lead to actions with wipes off all the credit. But if you don’t follow then at least don’t teach that to others coz it is tough and misleading.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/3-letter-unspoken-word-s-e-x.html

57) Charge: Despite of some sincere teacher’s feedback regarding some senior teacher’s sex scandal, Sri Sri Ravishankar doesn’t seem to have taken any serious actions. At least from the view points of victims and those who complained.

Brief Details:

An advance course was organised and the teacher stayed at our place. My instinct told me that my wife was emotionally involved with this teacher but I brushed it aside. She was smitten with him, it was so obvious. One afternoon I had to come back home and I found both of them in bed.
Unfortunately, there are even stories of male teachers raping female students or teachers, and other forms of perversion. The inner circle knew about this. We simply did not talk about it. It was shameful, both for the victim and for us who represented an organization, knowing the situation and not doing anything about it. When reported to Ravishankar, he simply ignored them and turned the victims into the problem. Of course, he had to keep his senior boys content and relieved, and again, who would listen to a woman with rape stories inside the AOL, especially when the “stars” were the aggressors – advanced course teachers, meditation teachers, and TTC teachers? Under the excuse, “Guruji knows everything”, if he did not do anything about it, it meant the women were being drama queens and needy of attention.
In fact one of my friends was caught up in same situation as yours. She was first raped by a very senior volunteer who now is a YES+ teacher and than was in a relationship with him. She was robed physically and mentally by this guy. When she told her story to one of the rishi instead of comforting her he told her that some where in her small mind she must had this desire of having sexual alliance with the guy and that the reason she was raped.
Today the girl is out of AOL and guy is enjoying his glory as YES+ teacher and therefore company of many young girls.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree up to some extent. I have also seen him being quiet for certain things. Such things should not be promoted and proper actions should be taken to see that they are either improved or do not repeat it ever again.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/let-me-share-my-painful-story-with.html

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/3-letter-unspoken-word-s-e-x.html

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/abused-and-discarded/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/abused-and-discarded/#comment-28

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/abused-and-discarded/#comment-1201

58) Charge: European AOL Board of Director and an Advance course teacher (Dr. ********) is known for his dirty abuses. But Sri Sri Ravishankar seems quite happy to still have him where as a similar misdeed done by another ashramite would result into instant kick out from ashram!!

Brief Details:

Dr. ******** often takes photographs during AOL events and owns few good cameras!! By the way it was he who introduced the story of Angles caught in cameras in AOL!! Once a young secretary asked him to take few snaps for her. He readily agreed and went further on to suggest her to pose little bolder. He suggested that pictures would turn out quite well if she reduce some of her clothing!! The secretary got the hint and left immediately. It is often doubted that he must be taking advantage of other girls on his trips to east Europe!! Where girls would go a step ahead for little money!!
This young secretary did write personal mail to guruji’s secretariat. But the topic was forgotten.
Dr. ******** is known to loose his cool. May be Swami Sadyojathah referred to this example of loosing temper!
Kicking a person like him who has accompanied Sri Sri since the time of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, out of the ashram would turn out quite expensive for Sri Sri!!

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree.

59) Charge: Few claim Sri Sri Ravishankar of being immoral.

Brief Details:

On top or under the underwear?

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: No idea. More evidences needed.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/3-letter-unspoken-word-s-e-x.html

60) Charge: Even teachers and volunteers offer extra service if you have a nice sister! We care we share.

Brief Details:

I had been volunteering for AOL for quite sometime. One day I happened to take my sister to volunteer for organizing an event. It was clearly evident for me that so many guys were hitting on my sister from the moment she entered, including some senior teachers, few married guys too! Most didn’t know she was my sister, and I could observe the colors of the volunteers there. All were finding opportunity to hug her in name of belongingness, and I wondered how come the same guys had never shown their belongingness to me? And when my sister told she didn’t know to drive, so she can’t come to volunteer daily, at least a handful of guys pounced that moment to offer free ride daily. I was just sitting back watching for a while, and felt weird. Concerned about my sister and shocked by the act of teacher and volunteers. After two days of volunteering, I just thought its safe my sister don’t involve in AOL, and be a prey for the desires of those insane volunteers & teachers, disguising themselves as people with belongingness and pure love, and saying vasudaivakutumbakam, just to be able to get cosy & physical with the other sex.

Personal Rating: weak

Personal comments: I feel these are only few individuals.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/3-letter-unspoken-word-s-e-x.html?showComment=1264701072900#c8387803545413676680

61) Charge: Yet another experience of abuse by Part 2 teacher

Brief Details:

I know a friend who was abused by a senior senior teacher. “She was taking care of him, while he was giving a part 2 course in the city” and he kind of hypnotized her for sexual purposes and at the same time she was his maid… When I found out about it, it was time to leave this shit.

Personal Rating: moderate

Personal comments: There must be some truth in it, as till now I have already come across few similar complaints.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/3-letter-unspoken-word-s-e-x.html?showComment=1265137362579#c3567460986488168156

62) Charge: Doubtful past of Chayyana or Swami Suryapada

Brief Details:

He is made out to be some kind of saint which he surely is not. Ask even his family members and they will tell you. I have personally known him use his charm and persuasion to attract young college girls and exploit them. I was one of the teachers in his so called free tuitions which lasted for about 3 years. We were senior engineering students who used to teach to the juniors for free in his house in Jaynagar, Bangalore. He had a fondness for pretty girls and has abused some of my close friends who have become emotional wrecks because of this man. Now he is a teacher of Guru Puja spreading all the propaganda of the Guru and looking for his new bait. The local language Kannada newspaper ‘Agni’ had a three part series on the sexual exploits of this Professor/HoD and AOL Saint.

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: Past has gone. Give person a chance to improve.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/let-me-share-my-painful-story-with.html

63) Charge: Sri Sri Ravishankar at times forgets his “come what may” smile when other spiritual leader overtakes his business turnover or market. For rest of us, he is a guru of joy!

Brief Details:

Once during a tour, one of Nithyananda’s teachers approached Ravishankar as he walked into a satsang and gave him a brochure of the activities he was running in the country. I found it quite audacious. As RS sat on stage, his expression was that of worry. He kept looking at the brochure and seemed distracted during the entire satsang. He barely attended the public with the usual whimsical charisma. In fact, he was even rude when taking some questions, snapping at people, saying they were boring him with their dumb questions. “If you want good answers, you need to think of more intelligent questions.”
That satsang was shorter than the usual. He rushed back to his room and urged us to hurry our work in the area before Nithyanand took over! “Call everyone tomorrow early for a meeting! We will make everyone teachers! Everyone needs to hurry and go out to teach! We cannot let his group take over! There is no time!” He made us go into their site and started dissecting it part by part. He claimed everything was an imitation of the AoL and RS: the logo, the design of the website, the poses of the pictures, the content of the knowledge, the kind of courses and activities (note how he reveals the thought out business. It is not spirituality. It is business).
The next morning, he yelled at everyone for being lazy, slow and “chickens”. He alerted them another group (Swami Nithyanand), which was not as good, was doing a better job and would take over before we did. If that happened, he warned us it’d be our karma for allowing bad knowledge to be spread. He discounted all the TTC requisites and made everyone a teacher! There were people who had only done one basic course. “Make them watch Ashtavakra and give them the tape! Quick! Quick!”
Personally I know another case from TRM where HE expressed concern over the incapability of his several teachers to raise a fund compared to Baba Ramdev single handed.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/ravishankar-vs-nithyananda.html

64) Charge: Teachers or any devotees invited by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to join his tour are often left on their own for food and shelter. Although at time they are attended briefly, this leaves them highly grateful. May be it happens only during the first visit. As with experience people knows what to expect and do it yourself.

Brief Details:

I have a simple story to share. Guruji had asked a middle class Indian couple to travel with Him to the US. The couple were left to themselves and had to take care of their own food etc which is difficult in a foreign country ESP if one is vegetarian and can’t spend in US dollars.
After one talk in a hotel conf room, Guruji called for the couple to eat the salsa, chips and juice that was provided as complementary by the hotel. I saw the look of mild shock mixed with sadness on their faces. If Guruji wanted, He could have taken good care of the couple by asking local devotees to provide for their lunch/ dinner, but He didn’t. If Guruji was not going to support the couple, why did He ask them to travel with Him in the first place? It makes nonsense to me.
Sri Sri asked my friend to be a part of his entourage to one of the cities in India. She was over the moon; she called me from India and was practically crying with joy. She was told to go to the ashram travel desk and collect her tickets – she was asked to pay for the tickets although she kept insisting that Sri Sri had asked her to travel with him. In her euphoric state she paid for the tickets and travelled with him and she was completely ignored, she had to find her own way to the place of stay and Sri Sri did not even give her second glance.

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: It is difficult to take care of people personally especially when there are many. First timers do get shock. Administration department is not always nice. It is my experience.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/349/#comment-781

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/349/#comment-784

65) Charge: At times instead of respecting people’s need for privacy, Sri Sri ravishankar simply ignores it. Not only that but he goes on to make fun of it. That is how your sincerely written personal emails end up. After all hasn’t he said: God loves fun!!

Brief Details

A full-time teacher sent him a fax with the word “confidential” written all over it. He did not seem to care about the privacy of it and instead he started reading it out loud to us, mocking every line and her situation. She was going through a difficult divorce and the challenge of taking care of 4 kids while being a full timer. He called her names, made fun of her, laughed intensely. The few people in there would laugh with him too. I remember feeling extremely embarrassed. As I heard and observed my peers and my guru laughing at the poor woman’s pain, I did not have any expression other than that of shock. I knew this woman. I knew her struggle. I knew about her grief. There was nothing funny about it and he had no business reading a confidential letter to any one of us and even less, make fun of someone who had reached out to him in his role as a Guru.
Some time later I wrote him a personal email regarding some personal situations. A few months later, during an event, one of the teachers, who is always in his room, stopped me in the corridor and mentioned my email in mocking tone. That was the last time I wrote a personal letter to him. That is how much he respects people, their privacy, integrity, evolution and sorrow. That is how much compassion and unconditional love he has backstage. That is the extent of the high knowledge one got in his holy room.
I clearly remember once a new devotee insisted to talk to him. Her teacher had told her to do so because only the Master could do something about her situation. She sat in a small corner while we discussed business until he finally paid attention to her. In an irritated and impatient tone he asked her to speak out her problem. In absolute shyness, discomfort and sadness she requested he gave her a private time. I remember I was ready to get up and leave when I heard her speak those words. She evidently had something very private to discuss. Instead he raised his voice and harshly said, “Speak! Whatever it is, speak! Why? You feel you don’t belong to these people?” She insisted a few more times, crying at this point, but he trashed her more and more until she bursted out crying and rushed out the door (probably more depressed and abused than she was before walking into the “holy room”). For a long time I justified the episode as a lesson about belongingness. For Heaven’s sake! What was I thinking!
What you have stated is absolutely true since I have on several occasions written to Guruji and it was treated with mock derision, which I found out eventually. The contents of the letter are read by the secretary, trustees, and teachers in front of others and then circulated to the ashramites. They have their own yellow journalism press department where they slander and spread malicious gossip on other unwitting members. Most of these rich thugs who are teachers and have access to Guruji’s interior chambers derive a kind of sadistic pleasure by mocking particularly at divorced women, single unmarried women and women who are in abusive relationships. They lack the humaneness, compassion and civility to respect a person’s privacy or his/her pain.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree up to some extent. The comment is quite precisely described and seems genuine.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/behind-holy-door.html

66) Charge: Sri Sri Ravishankar’s statement doesn’t always turn true:

Brief Details:

Fall of 2004, Amherst, MA, USA. Michael Fischman, President of AOL, US shared, in my presence, around a dinner table, that Ravi Shankar had said that the newly reelected President George W. Bush would not finish his mandate. Those present were asked not to talk about this prediction to others.
Actually, SSRS swore Barack Obama would not win the elections. “He is too young and inexperienced. He has no chances.” He supported Hilary instead but brown nosed all of DC, just in case, despite his predictions. After Obama’s victory, he borrowed the famous slogan: YES we can! And is now “yes we canning” all over the planet promoting the YES+ courses.
The victory of BJP and downfall of Congress within 6 months was predicted in 2008-2009 but despite of all AOL efforts and divine blessings, nothing of that sort occurred.
Time an again Guruji has been telling devotees that just another 2 years and then time is ours!! But even after 12 years I still hear the same statements!!
Regarding the 3 Eclipse in one month and a calamity statement by Guruji based on work done by a devotee: The fact is such incidences have occurred every 2 to 3 years since the time immemorial. One can find it on NASAs website. It is therefore not justifiable.
Those Orbs are still considered as angels where as it’s a basic and common sense to Digital Imaging students that fine particles in a region between camera lens and the object of focus gets unfocused and captured blurred and that’s what Orbs is.
Poverty elimination by 2015, a promise taken in Millennium Development Goals in 2007 is a wait and watch.
Sri Sri told that he was tried to be shot by a terrorist in the ashram during Ashtavakra Gita course. And claimed “Ahimsa Pratishthayaam Tat Sanidhav Vaira Taygah“, Violence drops in association of a divine environment. How intuitive, even Girin the secretary cum driver had this intuition!! How incredible that the terrorist came to shoot Sri Sri in his own ashram and that too with such a lousy shot. Just once and satisfied? Couldn’t he find any better place and time to shoot? But later the forensic department found out that the neighboring farmer had shot it to stray away the dogs.
Right after the 2004 tsunami, he predicted, for example, another would soon hit the Atlantic. After the 9/11 he predicted attacks as important as the one in NY would take place in London, Frankfurt. A nuclear war between India and Pakistan that also did not happen, though he later claimed was saved by a maha kriya. Of course, for every such prediction he’d insist we needed to get more people to the knowledge to “save the world”, only our knowledge and SK would prevent chaos and bring peace to the planet.
He insisted a devotee who was very sick he did not need more medical check-ups, but just do SK thrice a day, because he’d live another 17 years, yet he died a few weeks later.
Not to mention, every year he predicted he’d win the Nobel Peace Prize: “This year we’ll get the NPP.”
A clinical depression, lasting several years, had not lifted, despite SSRS’s claim that “I was in a difficult astrological phase, and it would get better next year”.
A great spiritual time shall start from 2011, and until then we would see people losing faith and falling into darkness. Let us see what happens!

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/disguntled-swamiji-speaks-up-for-his-master-again/#comment-1194

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2009/12/yes-we-can.html

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/siddhis-ally.html

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/eaten-up-by-my-own-mind-part-1.html

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/eaten-up-by-my-own-mind-part-2-curse.html

67) Charge: The book Hinduism and Islam was published only once?

Brief Details:

During a debate about “The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam” between Dr Zakir Naik and Sri Sri Ravishankar, Sri Sri clearly mentioned that the book was published much in a hurry and even I myself knew that there were many mistakes in it. And that’s why we published it just once and withdrew it.
But the fact is this book is still available for sale. And I never saw srisri sending any retraction about the book to his teachers, AOL centres, Divine shops etc.
And of course let us not blame that enlightened ones also come under stress in a hurry to publish a few page book containing few mistakes. As he had clearly mentioned his intention was good!!

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. Even I have seen this book on sale quite recently.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/eaten-up-by-my-own-mind-part-1.html?showComment=1272143243413#c4727316124238668354

68) Charge: The knowledge base of Sri Sri has nothing new to offer now!

Brief Details:

For a while I did some seva in the Bangalore Ashram’s Publications Department, and I was disgusted at the number of times the same talks were re-published in different collections.
I thought people would feel cheated, especially people like me who were true “Sri Sri Addicts” and wished to have his every single book, CD and DVD, but didn’t have much money. You may be able to afford only two or three books and then end up with a lot of identical stuff in each book – and there weren’t many talks in a book anyway.
It also made me realise that the Master wasn’t coming up with new stuff anymore. All the “illuminating” talks were obviously given in his youth.
As Bhanu didi always says, Guruji never reads any books, the knowledge comes to him on his own. Perhaps he has shelled out all what he learnt from MMY.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/20-40-40.html?showComment=1266328600282#c8641280435487760543

69) Charge: Does appearance matter to Sri Sri to bring people to him?

Brief Details:

I remember once Vikram Hazra made fun of the picture used by a TTC participant in his registration form. The person who came for the TTC was almost bald, while the picture he used in that form was with lots of hair, and he looked so different now!! I agree totally, one must use a recent picture.
Strange enough but Sri Sri Ravishankar too is stuck with his decade old picture. He however looks quite different now. In fact when I saw him first time I was a bit surprised as he looked quite different from the photo in my course. There is a guideline of which photo of Guruji to use for AOL’s advertisement. As he has said, this picture will bring people to me!! Does it mean appearance matter to enlightened one like him to bring people to him? And would it mean that not many people would have come if other picture had been used?

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. I also feel that strange, but it’s not wrong either.

70) Charge: Sri Sri Ravishankar does demand for not getting a stay in 5 star hotel of his choice or a soap of his choice. May be it doesn’t affect those who are already on path but for the sake of those who are attracted by fame and money!!

Brief Details:

Once I put him in a 5 star hotel a devotee had offered to give as his donation and made the reservations himself. Granted, a NICE 5 star hotel. He took me to a side and yelled at me. WHY had I not put him in the OTHER 5 star hotel he saw in the way from the airport? It was more luxurious (where Madonna had stayed). I did not understand. What is the difference between a 5 star hotel and another 5 star hotel?
I cannot imagine the Dalai Lama making a fuzz and certainly, I cannot understand a “spiritual guru” being so demanding about his comfort, esp. when his DSN courses are about “going beyond the comfort zone”, with which he used as an excuse to “stretch” his full-time teachers by having them in pitiful conditions.
On another trip, we put him up in a mansion. His own private room and amazing bathroom. He yelled at us for not having put better soaps for him. Difficult to please this enlightened being.
Yes he does – to give you one example, when he was in New York sometime back; he stayed in the presidential suite of the Waldorf Astoria, which is a 7 star hotel, despite there being many rich and influential devotees who live in New York. If you wanted space, there are many more places to stay which are more accessible and can accommodate more people. This came from devotees pockets of course. Whenever Sri Sri visits a city the volunteers are asked to “donate” $25k to art of living for his visit. The money for ticket sales, course sales is extra and goes to AOL. Of course people are not coerced with force, but they are sure manipulated.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: No idea

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/long-kriya-home-version/#comment-729

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/disguntled-swamiji-speaks-up-for-his-master-again/#comment-1198

71) Charge: If Sri Sri Ravishankar is the inspiration behind every creativity, invention and activities under the name of Institution then how come the misdeeds of his devotees are to blame to individuals?

Brief Details:

I can only add my own observations/knowledge here. One thing is for sure is that Sri Sri has no qualms whatsoever about stealing anything from anyone as long as it makes money for him. And he relies on his devotees/teachers/followers to bring him any good money-making ideas & he will take them on in no time & brand it in his own name. Anything goes, Ayurvedic cooking, marriage consultancy, cosmetics, Vastu courses, Ayurvedic Math courses, Ayurveda, Real estate, software, HR, Agnihotra, agriculture, farming, craft, Acupuncture, bio-energetic machines, alternative health systems, Soaps, food products, handbags, publications etc, etc. You name it, the list is endless. He will use anything, as long as it brings money in & create fame for him. Usually a devotee brings the idea to him, that for example through such a thing we can make money, or followers of such & such are giving blessing/Deeksha ,or Yoga of that guru has taken off,………….. Whatever. He is so wired for stealing the ideas of anything which is successful & selling out there, that his ears go all pricked up & in no time the same product, or service, or knowledge or teachings is offered through AOL, double its original price!
And no, he doesn’t write those books himself either. I have heard his senior teachers saying they wrote this & that book & Guruji blessed it. And these books have RS as author and the real author, if lucky, gets a mention as compiler!! For example the book “Time”, has Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on cover of the book, but the writer was Kashi (Dinesh Kashikar). Kashi publicly was saying how the knowledge of that book flew through him. He was saying that in way of recommending meditation, that causes the knowledge come through, even if one doesn’t have an academic background or hasn’t studied a particular subject. I remember clearly he saying the knowledge came through him. He didn’t mention RS, apart from saying that he gave the blessing to the book. RS wants to take credit for anything. A devotee can’t even say I came up with that Bhajan, RS would immediately say “who did give you the Bhajan?” expecting the devotee to say, you Guruji. So after so many years the devotees/teachers know not to ever say they did anything (no sir, that would be sign of doership), but assign any credit for anything to RS. Only when things go wrong, it would be the fault of the teacher or devotee, due to some doubt they had or low prana!

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/psycho/#comment-8

72) Charge: Nature has its own way and takes its own time. But the enlightened Sri Sri wants to spread this knowledge to the whole world without delay. No No you keep working, There is no time!

Brief Details:

More info needed….

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: Intention is nice, but Nature has its own ways.

73) Charge: Opinions of Ravi’s classmates in St.Joseph

Brief Details

It would be great to confirm more stories about his education and his time at St.Joseph’s. I met one of his classmates once. I was so devoted I thought the man was so privileged to have grown up in class with him! Instead of asking him if it was true every kid followed him everywhere, that he attracted everyone, that he’d say he would travel all around the world. It never occurred to me back then; many of his stories were, indeed, just stories.
Ravi Ravi was nicknamed as ‘Chakka’ (eunuch) by his classmates in Saint Joseph College, Bangalore where he did his undergrad studies. Ask the student batch of 1969. He never did his graduation all those stories of advanced degree in physics at 17 years are complete bogus.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: No Idea

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/3-letter-unspoken-word-s-e-x.html?showComment=1264773880789#c6436982601702288359

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/3-letter-unspoken-word-s-e-x.html?showComment=1264746137680#c2076795847402981149

74) Charge: The God incarnate, the Avatar himself feels unsafe in this world!!

Brief Details:

His food is also a big deal, and of course he could not eat the same food as everyone else. Fear of Bad vibes of a volunteer who does Sudarshan Kriya! Vibes of a lady in her periods! A food that every other course participants eat is a taboo!! Oh people love him so much they want to serve him special food!! Again he can’t eat along with others, but only in privacy!!
No my son, he is here to set an example of what not to do!

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree

75) Charge: Sudarshan Kriya works only through the grace of Sri Sri, It is not mere a technique but the grace that flows through the technique.

Brief Details:

WOW!! OMG!! I just sat down to do Kriya to the MP3 and guess what? It actually had exactly the same effect as going to do Long Kriya in the group!! I must say I’m somewhat a little confused. My Part 1 teacher insisted that the tape wouldn’t have any effect if played by itself and that a “qualified” teacher had to be there to take us through the sequence and then press the Play button. So, given that I am not a teacher, and there weren’t any teachers present in my bedroom or the surrounding area for some miles, I have to ask the obvious question: HOW ON EARTH DID I GET THE FULL EFFECTS OF THE LONG KRIYA???
When the link was posted on Skywalker’s blog, I couldn’t resist the urge to download it and try it out myself. And as anyone who has done the same thing has already discovered, it works perfectly well without a teacher being present. This means that everything I had been told surrounding the Kriya Tape not working at home if I played it by myself was simply not true. It also means I never have to go to a Long Kriya session ever again in my life. And yes, it also means that all this talk of “grace of the guru” being transmitted through the teacher isn’t true.
Once, upon his request, I needed to reproduce some tapes. Until then I thought there was some sacred ceremony in the process of reproducing tapes, but instead, he said, “Anytime. Just do it.” I insisted, “Any time? Hour? Should I not do anything special?” “No, any time. OK, Monday, Shiva day sounds good.”
I still have my tapes and, once in a while, I check them just for fun, to see if the “grace” is still there. Dear friends, they still work 100% and they have not evaporated. Does that mean the guru is still blessing me?
Google it. AoL is probably working hard to remove it from the internet. Though I can almost hear SSRS say, “Don’t worry, without the grace it does not work.” Well, I do NOT advise anyone to do it alone, unless you want your hands, face twisted … people go through a lot of situations that need supervision. I do NOT advise anyone to do it.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I feel, SK works as a technique.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/long-kriya-home-version/

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/can-we-help-to-save-the-art-of-living/

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/02/20-40-40.html

76) Charge: Spoken und unspoken fights up to loud verbal abuses are quite common among local teachers for trivial affairs of the AOL centres. Often always a major topic of discussion in TRM remains to solve such affairs. Of course this actually doesn’t amount to any charge against AOL, but it definitely shows the life of a peacemaker.

Brief Details:

More info needed….

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

77) Charge: Sex is a sin for a bachelor! Some even follow celibacy after the marriage!

Brief Details:

I know of a teacher who did not have sex during the days he taught the course because he was sure his energy would be affected. I knew of another who every time an assistant arrived to the course after having spent the previous night with a partner, would flip out and accuse him/her of showing up with “bad energy”. I knew of someone else who felt so guilty about sex he’d actually do it only in the bathroom and then meditate a lot to wash out his impurities. I knew teachers who got married but could not consummate because they felt inappropriate. I knew people who would turn RS’s picture around “to do it”.

Personal Rating: weak

Personal comments: This is in general problem of spiritual people.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/3-letter-unspoken-word-s-e-x.html

78) Charge: Family members of actively involved art of living volunteer or teacher often consider them as stubborn, impractical, and looser. At times they do praise them for their noble contribution to get credit from outsiders. Over a period of time they get used to it and accept that their kid is gone for ever. And the devotee remains in an illusion that Sri Sri solved it by blessing!!

Brief Details:

Their belief in His Holiness is so strong that they literally tell that they respect Sri Sri more then their very own parents. They even go the extent of claiming that their guru is whole and sole father, mother husband or wife!!
Every now and then a local center would have a lady who would become mother of all. Now in order to keep this new parent happy they often ignore the responsibilities to serve their own parents. I have heard this personally from several parents.
In order to host that dear traveling teacher with luxury they often put impractical demands to their parents and other devotees.
They hardly involve with normal people or their friends in society.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

79) Charge: Art Excel students are far better than their course teachers.

Brief Details:

In order to teach student the lessons of life, often art excel students turn out to be a better example.
Their non-involvement in the worldly activities makes them so out-dated that they often have to learn state of the art from their students. I myself having taught Art Excel in past have felt so often that my skill is still inefficient to walk pace to pace with new generation. So many taboos!! How could one be modern and broad-minded when we hardly got time to experience world beyond AOL seva and giving sensible excuses to people’s critics!! There were more Nos than Yes in life!! Coz most of the worldly things looked as if it would bring bad karma!!

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

80) Charge: Even your best pals ignore you if you choose to leave

Brief Details

As a full-timer/teacher leaves, the sense of vacuum is too vast many don’t know how to cope with it. The sense of guilt and shame are overwhelming. The feeling of incapacity – the head does not work, the memory is not there, the ability to use the intellectual faculties neither, the lack of sense of reality with regards to the world, the loss of friendships/family/ networking, the lack of curriculum to find a job, the lack of financial means and many times, legal paperwork, problems with the spine. You go from being surrounded by people, emails, importance to absolutely NOTHING. Not even one email from your best pal asking how you are. Even worse, the one you considered even more important than your own life and family is nowhere to be found, but you still remember he told you he’d love and take care of you for ever. The inner struggle and pain are, thus, excruciating and confusing.
My basic course teacher was eager I became a full-timer but when I was big time screwed by the AOL and when the damages of being a full-timer became evident, especially financially, she was not there for me either. It is like the story RS tells in the Ashtavakra: the man stole for his wife and his children to have a good life, but when he asked them if they’d share the karma of the actions with him, they said, “No way.”

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/05/run-forrest-run.html

81) Charge: A word of the master to find a marriage partner has left many AOL Teachers with hopes and confusion. The faith is so unshakable that they make up their own convenient interpretations to convince themselves.

Brief details:

I know of a girl who was told by Guruji that he will find the best mate for her. How proudly she used to tell us that the master himself is going to find a soul mate for her. After years I found her chasing some senior teacher only to find that she is of little importance to that teacher.
Another girl I knew went to guruji along with her parents. The parents so innocently asked guruji that they are so concerned to get her married. The guruji told them that he will take care of it. The parents went back home so contented that the job is done. Over 8 years have passed by and now that girl conveniently makes an excuse that the intention of the master was that she is not going to marry ever and that HE himself would be the caretaker for her life!! So wise that she added that the parents did not understand the word of the master but she instantly did. How convenient!!
He insisted a teacher married a man who sabotaged her stay in the country and work, and was having an affair all along with another married woman! He blessed the daughter of another teacher to marry someone they found out ONLY the day of the ceremony, the man was married with children!
Did you hear that? They got divorced!! But dint they get married in Ashram by Vedic ritual in presence of Guruji? Appeasing 9 planets!! I had seen guruji personally giving them the blessings!! Strange!! But you know, the past karma!
How many others are there like this?

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience. I feel one should take their own decision after all you are going to handle it.

82) Charge: Devotees live in a constant fear that if I don’t do the Sudarshan Kriya today then it will bring bad luck. Better do it or else I will have a bad day!

Brief Details

Sudarshan Kriya has no doubt helped many to heal but overall after few years of practice and following AOL’s theory, the faith in Sudarshan Kriya becomes so strong that many followers in fact lose faith in their own abilities. And if at all even if some thing goes wrong they blame it that it is because I dint do the Sudarshan Kriya today.
Every now and then I hear from my non-aol friends that so and so of my aol friend told this non sense to him, that he is not feeling well today coz he dint do his sadhana.
The Om Namah Shivaya chanting is done more out of fear. And if at all any thing goes wrong to even a single person out of thousands then they would immediately claim, see guruji had already warned us. And if nothing happened then too, see guru’s grace saved us!!
Stop making decisions based on superstitions. It is not true that if you are pure, you can do things by intention alone. Yes, a strong intention is necessary to drive your actions – but RS does not control any mystical force that make miracles happen in your life. You can still lead a fantastic life, even if you don’t believe in a guru. People are afraid to leave AOL even if they want to, because they believe all the good times will come to an end if they do so. Not only is such thinking against common sense – it is unspiritual. Spirituality builds confidence – not dependence.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

83) Charge: Botherations left in botheration basket of AOL Part 2 course were just a temporary solution.

Brief Details:

I used to believe so sincerely that all what I put in to botheration basket is gone for good.
Now after over 15 years I still doubt it has made the situation any better. I was so naïve to expect a magic of my master. The things did get better but only due to my own attempts. I learnt it by burning my own finger. It took to me so many years to understand the basic truth – There is no short cut!!

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: I agree. It is also my experience.

84) Charge: Blessing works. At least not in my case.

Brief Details:

For no reasons my ear got blocked and I had trouble hearing with right ear. I used some ear drops but it dint cure the blockage. In fact even the left ear got blocked!! There was no pain as such but it caused some inconvenience to hear people talk. After 25 days I asked one of the blessers to bless me and wondered if it could cure me!! To my surprise she blessed and nothing happened. Hmm, I thought the blessings will need some time to work. 7 more days passed by and then I went to the doctor. He cleaned the ear and I could hear so clearly within 10 minutes!!

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: I agree. I have similar experience.

85) Charge: I thought HE listens to every prayer of mine. But not.

Brief Details:

During my first Basic course 15 years ago my adorable teacher told us that if we do Sudarshan Kriya once, the Master will save you from any corner of the world, even if you are in the desert of Sahara, he shall come!!
Strange but he dint even help me get rid of my habit that I wish to leave!! I cry I curse I cry I curse. 8 years have passed by I still believe that may be he might listen this time!!
I used to believe so sincerely that God (Sri Sri) answers to the sincere Prayers (bribery). That’s why the so called impartial god would do a favor to me just coz I prayed him sincerely a day more then those others. Only to learn that god answers only those few millions in this world, who have done AOL and do their Sudarshan Kriya regularly!! How idiot!! What about the rest of the world!! Isn’t prayer a bribe actually? No my son, at least not in the world of spirituality!!
One day, sitting in the throes of deep depression, with suicidal thoughts, I suddently realized: He won’t be able to save me. In fact, no-one will come to save me. I am alone, and I have to face up to that reality. In that very moment, my three-year long depression lifted, just like that. I also lost the last shreds of faith in the Guru as a person of supernatural power, able to communicate with and and influence people through metaphysical means.

Personal Rating: weak

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/eaten-up-by-my-own-mind-part-1.html

86) Charge: You can’t become a teacher, just because you have sincere and unconditional devotion and a wish to spread the knowledge!! After all presentable, those who speak our language and those who don’t use their own head have proven as safe teachers (strong pillars). They are easy to handle!!

Brief Details:

My aunt was an AOL maniac, her whole life revolved around AOL – her devotion to the Master was so sincere and unconditional. I was always sceptical about the organisation but my views were disregarded.
After years of serving the organisation, she went on to do her TTC; she was confident of being selected as a teacher. On the last day of the TTC she was outside the hall and overheard the teacher trainers discussing the candidates. She heard her name being mentioned and remarks like ‘That woman is so ugly, she cannot be a teacher.
She was not selected, she came back a wreck, it’s been 10 years and she has still not got over the humiliation. She suffers depression, low self esteem and her whole life has been wasted. Thanks to the overzealous attitude of the teacher trainers of AOL.
Your Aunt’s experience is shared by many of my friends. Looks and presentation matter quite a lot to be a teacher in AOL as the glamour element is very important. I feel sorry for her.

Personal Rating: weak

Personal comments: Even I find it strange.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/once-upon-cult.html?showComment=1263226899674#c4023335185541176857

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/once-upon-cult.html?showComment=1263229009767#c4083903997030758646

87) Charge: People in AOL worship Sri Sri not because of a feeling of reverence, but out of peer pressure, and on being told by the teacher to do so. That sort of spirituality is not genuine – it’s very fake.

Brief Details

More Info Needed…

Personal Rating: moderate

Personal comments: I agree.

88) Charge: The Navaratri Yagyas at various local centers are getting more contribution target oriented rather than for the welfare of the world peace.

Brief Details:

According to the guidelines of organising navaratri yagyas at any local centre or village, there has to be a certain minimum number of yajamans (guests) taking sankalpa.
When certain centres do not perform well up to the mark is verbally abused and the next year they don’t deserve a particular swami or rishi as a host for the puja.
Rishis and Swamis consistently give examples to devotees about how well so and so chapter/centre organised the event and that others should learn from it.
Rishis and swamis openly ask each other how were the contribution.
Text from Art of Living LA website: Navaratri is a time to honor the divinity around us, soak in the sanctity of the chants and to get rid of obstacles in our lives through Sanklapas. Sankalpa is the ancient tradition of offering an intention to the universe and receiving a blessing for its manifestation. If you would like to be a part of this sacred occasion but will be unable to make it physically, please note that there are sankalpas available that can be taken remotely. 1) $1008 Sankalpa (Oct 13 & 14 only) – name, birthstar and lineage of person will be invoked during the homa. 2) $351 Sankalpa- person’s name will be offered.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree up to some extent. It is also my experience.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/does-kriya-cure-aids/#comment-2231

89) Charge: The effect of the Navaratri Yagyas for world peace, prosperity and Mother Nature couldn’t even last a quarter of a year. And there came another calamity.

Brief Details:

The Navaratri Yagyas are performed around October each year for the claimed welfare of the world. By the God (Sri Sri) himself!! I often heard that the Mother Divine was so happy and has blessed us all!!
The worst Financial Crises of the history started just after the navaratri in October 2008.
And what about World Trade Center (11 Sept 2001)? Oh that was beyond the expiry date of blessings!!
Jan. 12, 2010. More than 230,000 people were killed when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti.
Oct. 8, 2005. At least 80,000 people were killed and three million left homeless after a quake struck the mountainous Kashmir district in Pakistan.
Dec. 26, 2004. A magnitude 9.0 quake struck off the coast of Sumatra, triggering tsunamis that swept through the coastal regions of a dozen countries bordering the Indian Ocean. The death toll has been estimated at between 225,000 and 275,000.
Dec. 26, 2003. An earthquake devastated the ancient city of Bam, in central Iran, leaving between 31,000 and 43,000 people dead.
Oct. 26-Nov. 4, 1998. Hurricane Mitch was the deadliest hurricane to hit the Americas. It killed 11,000 in Honduras and Nicaragua and left 2.5 million homeless.
Jan. 26, 2001, The 2001 Gujarat earthquake. With a magnitude of between 7.6 and 8.1 on the Richter scale, the quake killed around 20,000 people (including 18 in south eastern Pakistan), injured another 167,000 and destroyed nearly 400,000 homes.

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: no idea

Reference: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/08/f-natural-disasters-history.html

90) Charge: Pitaji faked devi bhava in Navaratri

Brief Details:

Did you see in one of Nivratri’s in recent years (can’t remember which year, but this was caught on camera & is on video), when he was putting the same act on , his father also started to put the same act on.
When RS came to (after much fuss by her sister & brother-in-law & nephew & other actors), having carried all that megawatt of Divine energy in his frail body,and opened his eyes, his eyes caught his father still carrying on with the act (only two people were looking after him, poor guy, and even they didn’t seem to be too worried about him at all & knowing it is all an act). SriSri gave his father a dirty look & came across as stern (Like what are you doing, giving the show away by imitating me!!) It was so funny. The father still had his eyes closed & carrying on as if he was also taken by Divine energy.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I have seen that too. Sometimes I feel its all fake, Even Sri Sri fakes it.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/eaten-up-by-my-own-mind-part-1.html?showComment=1272059791134#c3373789963384164733

91) Charge: Michael Fischman. Stumbling Into Infinity: An Ordinary Man in the Sphere of Enlightenment” chose to endorsed his book from Deepak Chopra. Does he underestimate the endorsement by Sri Sri?

Brief details:

In my brief stint with AOL I saw this guy a couple of times. No one had anything good to say about him. I heard the comment he was mean and disturbed more than once. I heard teachers from my area talk about how difficult he was to deal with and how explosive his temper was.
Is there a section in Fishman’s book describing in detail how he once, while at the ashram, having followed SSRS for a good bit, nearly beat one of his fellow AOL teachers to death? (Nearly meaning, he actually beat the woman to a pulp — a ‘lover’s quarrel’.) Does he tell how SSRS protected him by not allowing anyone to go into town to get a doctor for the woman? Does he say how relieved he was that the police were not called? Anywhere else, except perhaps in some village in Afghanistan, he would have been immediately jailed. The lady in question? Does he go into the small detail that the lady in question did not complain herself because she was in shock, bleeding, and couldn’t speak because he had throttled her so severely? If he does explain all of this, then perhaps his book is an authentic telling of how he has improved. If not, then it’s just one more AOL lie to bring in money and to boost some peoples’ ego. That Deepak Chopra endorsed anything written by such a person as Fishman shows how little he actually knows about the organization in spite of private meetings with SSRS and others. Somewhat disgusting.
I guess Swami Sadyojathah meant this person who used to loose temper!!

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/aol-usa-president-plugging-for-his-book-and-his-master/#comment-852

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/aol-usa-president-plugging-for-his-book-and-his-master/#comment-851

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: I agree up to some extent.

92) Charge: Fantasy stories of Bharat Shirur Alias Swami Brahmatej

Brief Details:

From Bharat Bhai, who is called Swami something-or-other today, we learned that there is a cave under Sumeru in the Bangalore Ashram containing several centuries-old sadhus in deep meditation. Please Do Not Disturb! He also told an equally fascinating story of how Ravi talks to extra-terrestrials who visit the Ashram. Unfortunately the aliens are invisible to everyone else than Ravi Ravi. How inconvenient.
The Three Wise Men visiting baby Jesus were originally from Bad Antogast. No shit, they are! As far as I remember they are alive and well, sitting in deep meditation in a cave in The Black Forest. Again, please do not disturb.
I can’t say for sure that I remember these examples 100% correctly. No matter. It demonstrates how absurd this so-called Secret Knowledge is. Back then, my intellect was struggling to make sense of all this. I wanted so much to believe, to be a Good Devotee to my Guru.
Swami!! But he was married once!! Oh but now he is single so is eligible for the title!!

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/secret-aol-knowledge-revealed/

93) Charge: Another fantasy story of Bharat Shirur: The money for shopping!!

Brief Details:

This Bharat bhaiya (now a swami) one more rishi and a swami were at a shopping mall in Singapore with SSRS. Bharat being SSRS’s then secretary was holding SSRS’s wallet. They finished shopping and goodies were loaded into the boot and SSRS was seated. Other men went into the mall to pay the bills. Lo and behold they were short of cash by some 300-400 dollars. Everyone emptied their pockets but there was nothing. SSRS’s wallet was searched thrice over but there was nothing inside. Not a dime. SSRS was getting impatient not knowing what kept his men. He tried to walk out of the car but bharat assured him that they were just paying and coming out. At last when the men didn’t have any other choice bharat had to walk up to SSRS and gave him the news that goods may have to be returned. SSRS was disbelieving. SSRS said to bharat it is not possible that his wallet could be empty. Bharat silently handed him the empty wallet. SSRS casually asked how much they were short and bharat informed. From the same empty wallet out came the dollars and the bills were paid.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience. I wish how Sri Sri could have paid all his teachers and ashramites a handsome amount, had he created money from nowhere. He could have avoided all this charity and its accountability. And even Bhanu didi could have funded her all time favourite endless number of school children without asking any donation.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/enlightsitive-enlightened-sensitive.html?showComment=1263567638423#c6543267568768961412

94) Charge: Rishi Nityapragya gets angry every now and then!! Of course a controlled anger followed by immense love

Brief Details:

Few people who adore Rishiji have mentioned that his ego is quite easily hurt when not given proper attention or honor to him.
The Rishi described in the post is good singer but highly egoistic. If the music arrangement is not upto his satisfaction, he simply do not sing. He humiliates the musicians as well as the arrangement team. I have seen him 4-5 times, he cann’t control his anger. If someone asks about it, he later says that he was not angry, but he has to behave like angry to get few works done. That is called Controlled Anger.
Rishiji is rarely there where the course is announced to be in his presence, He comes quite late in Satsangs and despite of that he insists we dont complain.
When I realized the marketing agenda of the course, Rishiji could see it on my face. He asked what was wrong and I sort of barked at him for the entire weekend–his derogatory remarks against Oriyas and women; His reply to my out roar was a roar of his own. …which he ended with a pseudo affectionate comment, “I will be mean and cruel if I have to in order to awaken you!”

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: I agree, It is also my experience. I personally don’t mind it.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-experience-with-aol-advanced-part-2.html

95) Charge: Swami Sadyojathah from a royal descent?

Brief Details:

Here is what he had to say about an incident in his own words in a book “Sri Sri as I Know Him”, Under a sub topic “Service at the Right Time” by Raghu Raj Raja
Ever since I have been full-time with The Art of Living, I have had occasional concerns for my family, since I no longer live with them.
As I was leaving the Ashram, Gurudev, who was already in the midst of Satsang, called me onto the stage. He looked with so much love and said, “I will call you every day; take some money with you.”
I was surprised! If I were going for just six days, why all the phone calls? In addition, I would be staying at my own parent’s house- why take extra money?
The course in Trichur was to end on Sunday. However, on Saturday morning, my father developed an intense pain in his chest. I took him to the hospital, where the doctors diagnosed a mild heart attack and admitted him to the Intensive Care Unit.
I remained in Kerala until my father recovered. In this way I was available to my family at a time when they really needed me. And the money was needed for paying the hospital charges.
The word royal descent gives an impression that one has a rich family with many servants and assistants!! Hmm, your story creates some mystery for us!!

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree.

96) Charge: Yezdi Batliwala and Khurshed Batliwala (Bawa) the Vishnu tatva – Induce fear and force!!

Brief Details:

The Classic AOL Threat (The specialist here is Bawa) — “Guys and gals, its BAD KARMA, it’s not good to give energy to these blogs” (hidden in the veiled threat—-your Master will become angry/upset and the Grace then stops flowing). Man that’s a might messed up life then. Imagine, No more Grace.
This statement is alarming: “We put you to notice that any misuse of the Notes by you or any visitor on your Blog could cause serious harm/injury to others in the event any attempt is made to teach the SK. You will be held personally responsible for any such injury.” Is AOL finally confirming that SK is a technique that can cause harm or is AOL worried about losing clients? No one can really do kriya on their own with just these notes, and these notes do not provide any real information as to how to practice it.
If something goes wrong with SK it is now the bloggers’ fault? Not the Grace of the Master? Come on. Accountability is something the AoL/RS lack in every aspect. What about all the people who have gone bad attending AoL courses and techniques? Why not just call it what it is?
“Hand over all copies of SK to us and your name and residential address?” How would you hand it over? Do they want the original CD? According to AOL lore the copied CDs are not of any use as it is personally not blessed by Guruji’s grace.
They reserve rights to sue us at our cost and consequences? It seems everything in AoL is always at someone else’s expense. Funny if you think about it.
By the way does anyone know the patent number of Sudarshan Kriya? Was it even approved by patent committee? Or is registered trade mark different than a patent?

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is also my experience.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/let-the-freedom-of-speech-roll/#comment-1268

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/let-the-freedom-of-speech-roll/#comment-1282

97) Charge: A communist under a holy pretext of Shiva Tatva?

Brief Details:

Certain things never change. Seems like Swami Sadyojathah even after leading18 years of spiritual life still wants to identify himself as a communist. Behold, now in new avatar!! Shiva Tatva!!
The three pronged attack on critics, Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva: Shiva – Swami Sadyojathah to start ripping apart the critics and finishing them. Label the critics mentally unstable. Start naming some ex teachers from Europe and two women in India. Do not focus on too many ex-teachers from India. As India is a base and that needs to be protected. Target women teachers as they are more hysterical. Create web seva warriors to attack all blogs and protect wikipedia entries etc. The mantra is ‘har har mahadev’.
First of all let me introduce myself. My name is Swami Sadyojathah and I have been with Guruji and the Art of Living for more than 18 years. Even though I was born into a royal family in Kerala, I became a strong communist during my school/college days. In our communist study classes we were taught that spirituality is a hoax and we should go to a spiritual master ONLY to expose them! It was such a coincidence then that I first heard about Guruji from a friend whom I adored because he was also inclined towards communist ideology. When I actually went to meet Guruji it was only to check him out more for being a fraud than anything else! Because of my communist background and my education in Mechanical Engineering, I was not inclined to believe anything so easily. Everything had to appeal my intellect and I would react strongly if I saw even an iota of injustice or irregularity. The very fact that I have been with Guruji and the Art of Living for more than 18 years is testimony to the fact that our organization is transparent and clean for I have not lost that sense of justice and standing up for the truth.

Personal Rating: Moderate

Personal comments: I agree completely. It is evident.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/blog-under-three-pronged-attack/

Reference:https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/disguntled-swamiji-speaks-up-for-his-master-again/

98) Charge: What inspired these celebrities to leave the Art of Living foundation? Sure they did like it a lot and even went on to become teachers!! How come the highest knowledge and the company of God left them in search of better place?

Brief Details:

I am a regular visitor to the Bangalore Ashram for the Sunday satsang from 1999, I have noticed a few high profile ladies always with Guruji – amongst them was Nandini Sen, a well known model. One would not see Guruji without Ms Sen, she was always with him but these days she seems to be missing. On enquiry I was told that she has left the organisation and has vowed not to step foot into the Ashram – and she has kept her stand – apparently she did not even attend her sons wedding at the Ashram.
KLIM, is this true? Would you know why she left the organisation? I find it strange as she was one of the leading teachers and persons in the Ashram.
Nagma has said that she meditates daily and considers herself to be “a very God-loving person.” In line with her own family’s mixed religious background, she has stated that she has read the Qur’an, Bhagavad-Gita, and Bible. “Since I was spiritually inclined I read a lot of books in that genre. I also started practicing meditation. I was teaching Art of Living for nearly 12 years. But Jesus continued to intrigue me.
Let us see what happens to Vinod Khanna and Hema Malini?

Personal Rating: Weak

Personal comments: But then why not being in the Art of Living foundation with guruji?

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/01/is-spirituality-not-democratic-after.html?showComment=1263122135934#c5564228636660022855

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagma

99) Charge: Does it make any sense? Why the counter blogs? And why the 3 pronged attack on this blog?

Brief Details:

Swami Sadyojathah: When these negative blogs against Guruji and Art of Living were brought to Guruji’s notice, he just smiled and said, “it is good to have bad press. This will filter the weak and we can identify our strong pillars.” Millions of strong pillars of AOL worldwide just laugh at these negative blogs and ignore them.”
Isn’t master here to turn weak in to strong ones? What about your “I Promise”? The lore that the guru takes one from darkness to light? Are weak supposed to be left on their own fate? Would they be exterminated from grace? If your Guru says that what we are doing is good and “filters the weak” then why are you defaming and attacking the alleged bloggers?
I don’t know whether to worry, laugh, pity or fear them. This is the story of a man who claims to be a spiritual enlightened master, but also of one who is afraid of losing power to a blog. If there is truth in anything he does and who he is, including his condition of “spiritual master” and “enlightened being”, then, he/they would not even bother campaigning against it by defending themselves, convincing anyone of anything or “exposing” anything. Truth speaks alone. A blog that desperately goes out to negate another only insinuates weakness and deceit. I am afraid Ravishankar is neither well-assessed nor thinking with the “big mind”. The ultimate, absolute fall of my former “idol”.
A “blog blog” will only weaken their status and bring more popularity to this one.
However, I only have one question that rhymes to “where have all the flowers gone?” – “Where did all the knowledge go?” Wasn’t it that we should not be “football of other people’s opinions”, “not see intentions behind people’s mistakes”, “not make the mistake of going against other’s mistakes”, “we are all responsible for everything”, “I belong to you”, “accept people as they are”, “love our enemy”, “love is not an emotion it is our very own existence”? Where did all the knowledge go???
Further, they keep accusing a friend for being Klim and leading this blog. In the last month she’s received 2 written threats from Ravishankar. Again by Swami Sadyojathah: Who are these negative bloggers? Eng an from South America, Two Indian sisters, A young girl from Australia, A person from Denmark and yet another gentleman from Denmark? Excuse me, wasn’t it Ravishankar knows it all?
I could imagine what would happened if the people whom you have named really start contributing against you on internet.

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: Something is really cooking up.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/sri-sri-free-free-vs-fraud-fraud.html

100) Charge: Some of the Insiders who have chosen to expose the corrupt practices of some individuals in AOL get threats from the Guru himself.

Brief Details:

The man who promised to love and take care of me unconditionally, for ever and ever, lifetimes even, cursed and threatened me when I decided to leave the organization.
He cursed me warning me I would be utterly miserable in the world and would not be able to do anything in life. Everything I ever had was due to him. Without him I was nothing. He warned me of never speaking ill of him, otherwise, whatever I’d say would come back ten fold to me.
Of course, he did not say it with the big “Guru of Joy” smile he poses in his photographs. He shouted it erect, Zeus-like, with a big frown and evil look in his eyes, waving his long arm at me, pointing with his accusatory finger. I was so disenchanted by then, I calmly asked him, “Are you warning me or are you cursing me?”
Some of us have experienced, first hand, many of the things you have read on these two blogs. I don’t know how much more “concrete” anyone could get. From my own experience, I am very frightened to be too specific for fear that an AOL person will read this, pass it to Ravi Shankar, and then I know what follows: the phone calls, threatening (I’m not kidding). People actually visiting your home, telling you in sugary tones how bad you are, how you will be punished. It goes on and on. You cannot imagine how ugly SSRS gets when he is crossed and angry (yes, he gets very very angry and says many terrible things to people who are leaving at times, if they know too many personal things). How would one stay unemotional about this type of thing? It’s easy for you because you are, as you stated, neutral, on the outside, and don’t know him or anyone close to him very well, it seems. If you did, you would understand.
What you see on http://www.artoflivingfree.blogspot.com, aside from the few crackpot comments that come up on any blogspot, is verifiable by the very people posting! No, nobody is probably going to come forward and try to fight such a formidable army such as AOL. And many of us are still traumatized from our various levels of abuse and threats given (yes, by the ‘Guru’ himself). Unlike what he says publicly, he does not forgive people. He is a frightened, nasty little man when he thinks that someone knows too much and could speak out. He then goes on a campaign to strike as much fear as possible into them. Some of us are afraid of Tantra. Others are afraid of all the lies that he tells (through others, of course). The people posting here all know of many people whom he tried to ruin the very reputation of not only the person, but their entire family! It’s impossible for you to understand what some have had to endure, leaving AOL. If he didn’t care if you left (if you did leave at all), then you don’t know. Because he would have just forgotten about you. If you didn’t know anything damning about him or his close associates, then you are safe. He won’t care. But you clearly do not fall into that category.
“Be scared, Be very scared!!!!”

Personal Rating: Strong

Personal comments: I agree. The comment seems quite genuine.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2009/12/he-blesses-he-curses-he-threatens.html

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/long-kriya-home-version/#comment-692

Here I end this partial list of charges.

The Joy of Sects According to The Simpsons

Take a break to watch this episode of The Simpsons. Good laugh guaranteed, though a tragic comedy for many of us who recognize many scenes, reactions, phrases, thought processes as our very own for as long as we belonged to the AoL – the joy of sect, with the Guru of joy who promised joy forever as long as you faked it until you made it.

See how many things you recognize. I will start the list:

it’s free, the leader, low protein diet, blisstonia, “bhajans”, nanananananana leader!, the circle of judgement, “I am dustier!”, etc.

http://www.megavideo.com/?v=OQ5UKME8

Few comments by KLIM:

I had been convinced for so many years AoL was the best and if anyone doubted it, it was due to ignorance, jealousy, bad karma, low prana. One of the most embarrassing moments in my recent life was when someone asked the name of the organization I belonged to for so many years and a day later, having not shared anything about it or the reason why I left, said, “How long did it take you to realize it is a scam?” I was stunned. How did it take me so many years to realize but one second for this guy?

The truth is I have been trying to leave the blog for a long long time. For one, I grow tired of hearing and discussing the AoL – they are not the best nor the most important thing in the world and should not occupy the space they do in my life.

Ravishankar robbed me of many precious things in life. Most importantly, my faith and thirst for knowledge. I must confess I am still quite allergic to any kind of practices, satsang, new age talks, swamis and gurus, and still have problems trusting people or my own decisions.

It became all too obvious, just as it became obvious that my time with the blog had reached its end. It’s a drag to still have AoL in my life even if through writing, further, my healing through it has reached its end. AoLers may cheer this announcement, or even think I am doing it out of fear of retaliation. On the contrary, because I realized I no longer fear their threats that I realized my healing through the blog came to an end.

“Confessions of a Guruholic” will remain in cyberspace. Hopefully more people will find it and find solace reading it. I have plans to fully live my new life “art of living free”, with its many undefined projects waiting to anchor and blossom. I shall miss everyone and this lovely space of healing. If I ever have the itch, I may contribute in Beyond the Art of Living.

At some point, we are all adults responsible for our choices. There are those who go and those who stay. Those who choose to stay obviously have issues to solve, just like I had too.

I do wish everyone the best. I do wish my former friends find peace beyond the indoctrination and fanaticism. I do wish Ravi the best too. He is a guy who started with good intentions (I hope) and I do hope that at some point, he remembers what they were.

As many readers predicted, a book project is baking in the oven. Maybe next time we meet will be in the midst of the beautiful scent of paperback pages, on your night table as you turn around just when you are about to fall asleep. Hopefully, sharing my experiences “in the path” has further added insights in your life. May you not make the same mistakes I did. At least, be creative and make new ones. But above all, cherish, love and value yourself. Do now what I did not do for so many years, turning, thus, into an easy prey of spiritual abuse and a brain-washed guruholic.

I have been looking for sponsors to help with the book project. If you wish to collaborate or better, finding possible sponsors or editors, it will greatly be appreciated.

So long for now. I wish you the best. Wish me the best.
Cheers to spiritual freedom and truth!

Few comments by WhistleBlower on KLIM’s last post:

It is your sincerity & honesty & ability to express your feelings so well, that is so appealing to your readers. When I read your post, it is as if you have spoken for me too, as if you said what I also saw & felt about AOL & my experience of it all. I can ditto everything you said.

Klim you were a pioneer in this & a light bearer. The torch you lighted will carry on & hopefully many others will come forward & share the truth about AOL. So it is hardly surprising that I feel sad for not being able to come to the computer & finding a new post from Klim in her/his blog.

Reference: http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/06/moving-beyond-art-of-living.html?showComment=1275687853318#c3341166719233990118

Few comments by Peaceful Warrior:

Sure people on this blog are opinionated, and have strong convictions. Why is it such a bad thing? I’m not trying to convince you to leave AOL. I am sharing what I see as the truth. The truth is very powerful – you cannot ignore it, – it will nag you no matter how hard you try to push it away. I suspect this is the cause of your discomfort.

“When people super-impose their experiences on mine, and tell me that their inferences based on their experiences is right, while my inferences based on my experiences are wrong, I do not appreciate it.”

So you suggest that people should not share their experience if they have had bad experiences with AOL? Are only good and great experiences are to be shared?

This kind of things go on a lot in AOL – negative opinions are pushed under a rug, and a facade of smiling faces remains. In fact people begin to see the world as negative, because people in the real world don’t tell you what you want to hear.

“When someone or a group of people step up and tell me that the choices I made are wrong, and that I am not intelligent enough to figure out what to do with my life.”

Well firstly it’s AOL that tells you to not use your intellect and follow the master blindly. We are all for using one’s own thinking and figuring out what’s right for oneself.

Personal experience is limited. One person has only so much personal experience, which is why listening to people whose experience has been different is not such a bad thing. This is where critical thinking also comes in – because people say different things. You use logic and reason when you buy a car or a house – why do you have to let go of rationality when it comes to this.

I do realize that AOL attracts many lost souls who come there for healing and direction. Which is why any place of spirituality needs to have impeccable standards of integrity. Many of us were very disturbed by what we saw as flexible ethics in AOL. If AOL were truly an organization of integrity, it would be very easy to silence critics. All they need to do is stop cooking up numbers when they can’t back up (like saying 2% administrative fees in charities) act in a transparent manner. It is up to the organization to act in a way that inspires trust. Most organizations do – only has the special way of justifying secrecy by labeling critics as negative, low-prana etc.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/art-of-living-%e2%80%93-call-it-a-cooperation-not-a-foundation/#comment-1386

Few Comments by doctor:

Can We Help To Save The Art of Living?

There was a time when I believed AOL was an organization dedicated to making people happy, and in turn inspiring those people to spread this joy throughout the world and make other people happy. This is the AOL I really want to see in the world, not the AOL that these bloggers have helped me to see.

Reference: https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/can-we-help-to-save-the-art-of-living/

Few comments by Prosecutor:

I repeat the same statement again which I had written in the very first line of this article.

If I have to summarise in one line I will say: “The happiest and the most comforting moments of my life were when I was in the Art of Living”. The love and wisdom that I have got during my time there is beyond explanation. I am and will remain indebted to what all Sri Sri Ravishankar, the Art of Living Foundation and its sincere devotees have brought in to my life.

You might have already termed us as negative bloggers. In process of spreading the love and wisdom the people of the institution forgot the very thing they wanted to spread, and got stuck up in small mind. We forgot to understand the very word Jai Guru Dev which we so proudly once explained to every one. The race of meeting the bigger numbers, the greed of earning more money and fame and the power fight of few people have caused so much harm to those who had faith in the impeccable standards of spirituality. I hope you understand our genuine intention to bring to your notice of the things gone wrong.

The first step to solve a problem is to accept it as it is. Instead of proving us wrong, accept that things have indeed gone wrong. Only then it would be possible to think of a better solution.

And finally to those who spend lot of time on this blog. What are you doing these days other than finding yet another flaw in Sri Sri and his lackeys – is this your plan for the remaining part of your life? Have you considered what you will be doing in the next 10 – 20 years? Move on. Start new life, make new friends, listen to the music, visit new places, and don’t forget to enjoy the world before it gets too late!

After all nothing lasts forever. Every thing has some purpose to serve and then it retires. This blog could disappear tomorrow but not the ideas. Just like KLIM and SKYWALKER once started it alone and it took on, on a bigger scale, at least enough to bring it to the notice of AOL founder. It will somehow start fresh again with more clarity!! Perhaps by someone else!!

Perhaps all our efforts might vanish just like a dream!! Anyway it’s not an end of life isn’t it?

And when you get tired in the world, come back home, do more breathing, do more sadhana, this is your home, your very own. Ha ha.

Truth Alone Triumphs

111 Comments leave one →

Dont permalink

September 8, 2010 10:17 pm

I didnt see the charge about ssrs’s seemingly fake resume of having recited bhagwad gita and having advanced degrees by the age of 17.

Reply
- freethinker permalink
  
  September 9, 2010 4:11 pm
  
  Agree that should figure in No. 1 spot, all these different versions -some even claim he got Ph.D in Vedas and Science!
  
  Reply
- Could you? permalink
  
  September 9, 2010 5:28 pm
  
  @ Dont and
  @ freethinker
  
  Could u please throw some more light on the details of Sri Sri’s biography and how it has been modified?
  
  Actually it would also be quite nice to learn how Arvind Varchasvi runs Sumeru Groups of Companies while Sri Sri recruits the people for free labour.
  
  Reply
  - Dont permalink
    
    September 10, 2010 12:55 am
    
    I dont have any more details on it than is publicly available. However from the first (objective) glance , you can tell that some of it is purposefully written in a way to seem out of the world.
    
    This is the official biography early period biography.
    —————–
    1960, age 4: Recites Bhagavad Gita, which he has never heard before
    1962, age 6: Begins study of Vedas under his first teacher, Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi’s
    1973, age 17: Completes his traditional studies in Vedic literature and a degree in modern science
    1977 – 1982: Gives discourses, travels widely and also interacted closely with renowned spiritual teachers such as Anandamayi Maa, Tiruchi Swami, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
    1982, age 25: Cognizes Sudarshan Kriya during a period of silence, formulates Art of Living course, establishes the Art of Living Foundation in Bangalore, India
    
    ———————
    This is my reinterpretation exercising my poetic license.
    ————-
    
    My parents really loved me, adored me and told me that I could recite bhagwad gita at age 4. Now when I try to remember, I dont remember much and I don’t think it matters that much.
    
    My dad was involved with many gurus, lived in the ashrams and had a bohemian lifestyle. This left a huge impression on me and shaped my personality. Spare a thought for what goes on in the minds of all the little children who spend their childhood in an ashram. Who do you think they want to be when they grow up!
    
    This also explains my now unconventional lifestyle and my liking for using the word “spiritual” . My early childhood spent in the ashrams taught me to be comfortable around change, trust and be comfortable around people and believe that everybody wants to help and love everybody.
    
    Being intelligent and a quick study, I readily absorbed what was going on around me. Seeing my father worship the gurus , I developed a strong desire to be a guru who is worthy of worship. I can’t disclose how and when I realized that I could be a guru as well.
    
    All the gurus I met had a unique proposition. So, I came across a breathing technique which was unfamiliar, altered it in my own way and called it sudarshan kriya. Of course, I tested and fine tuned the technique along the way. I applied the learnings of being secretive and superstitious directly from what I learnt in my time with MMY. (Mahesh Yogi).
    
    My business really took off when I started working with young intelligent students. I believe that I am making positive contributions to the world and people do seem to need my help. So, what’s the whole criticism about. I don’t get it!
- VDK permalink
  
  October 4, 2010 1:34 pm
  
  You need not bother about Sri Sri reading Gita because u won’t read Gita eventhough u become 50 years.
  pl spend ur life watching movies
  
  Reply
freethinker permalink

September 9, 2010 5:07 pm

Appreciate Prosecutor’s hard work of putting these charges together, this post (earlier version) made AOL worry so much they had used all dirty tricks in turn exposing themselves more.

Reply
- Shallow waters permalink
  
  September 13, 2010 9:40 pm
  
  Ha Ha, Good one freethinker!!
  
  Before:
  By the age of seventeen, in 1973, he had graduated with degrees in, both, Vedic literature and physics.
  (http://www.artofliving.org/us-en/srisri-early-days-timeline)
  
  well at age 17 indian students usually enter 11th class or some junior college!
  
  Now:
  A Bachelor of Science degree at the age of 21 from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore University.
  
  But at age 19 he was travelling all around india along with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi!!
  (http://www.artofliving.org/us-en/srisri-early-days-timeline)
  
  Just have a look at the list of courses offered by this college
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Joseph's_College,_Bangalore
  
  Certainly a christian college did not offer a Vedic degree!
  So he learnt it from Pundit Sudhakar Chaturvedi!
  
  Quite interesting indeed.
  
  Reply
  - Proton permalink
    
    October 9, 2010 3:54 pm
    
    Hello Shallow waters
    This is in reply to your beautiful message to VDK on 7th October .
    I liked it so much that I have changed my name to Proton . So now I also have a nice name like you all .
    
    You have used many adjectives for me .Thanks .I will try to return them today. Some free poetic advise also is complimentary
    
    * From your communication you seem to be FIT to remain in SHIT .But come out it and do not remain there forever .Stop encouraging this prosecutor and attacking good work done by others.
    *Do not take your name seriously
    -Instead of Shallow become empty and hollow.
    -Do not remain in Shallow water ,go deep within yourself.
    *Do not ask me Who you are .Ask yourself Who am I. It will help you.
    *To tell you about % is futile .But to use your number of 20-40 ,I can see 20-40 of you here .But do not worry now a Proton will help you
    
    Tomorrow is Sunday.Must be holiday to your primary school .Take rest ,finish your homework and if time permits then write me a reply .
    Have nice week end .
    PROTON
- VDK permalink
  
  October 4, 2010 1:39 pm
  
  The prosecutor can spend his energy in taking up corruption by politics .It will help the country more .There is no point in talking against spiritual organisations which are big relief for millions though some one like Pr.. do not like it .If he is really intersted in contributing to society then he can show some courage and take on corrupt politician in his area.
  
  Reply
Prakash permalink

September 13, 2010 4:50 pm

Charge 61 can be connected to

http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-experience-with-aol-advanced-part-2.html

Reply
- Prosecutor permalink
  
  September 13, 2010 5:15 pm
  
  @Prakash,
  
  Thanks, for the link, i have already summarised a part of it in edition 3 (Still under construction). But that would be only 2 things.
  
  1) He is rarely there for a course announced on his name
  2) He demonstrates angery generously, controled though!!
  
  @Dont,
  
  Thanks, for the details, But i think its is not sufficient. At the most we could find how the biographay has been modified over time. and just wonder about his science degree! But sure it shall come as charge one day!!
  
  Reply
  - freethinker permalink
    
    September 13, 2010 8:20 pm
    
    Current wiki entry states (of course modified by lackeys) shows that he got his bachelor of science degree at the age of 21 from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore University. Where as other official biography state that he got advanced degree in physics at age of 17.
    
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_Shankar_(spiritual_leader)
    
    Born in 1956, Ravi Shankar’s father was Venkat Rama Rao, in the automobile business[2] and director of a rural women’s empowerment NGO as well as a scholar of Indian languages. His mother’s name was Vishalakshi Ratnam. He was named Ravi (a common Indian name meaning “sun”) because his birth was on a Sunday, and Shankar after the 8th century Hindu saint Adi Shankara, with whom he shares the birthday.[1][3] He received a bachelor of science degree at the age of 21 from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore University.
  - Researcher permalink
    
    September 23, 2010 9:07 am
    
    @freethinker:
    According to Wikipedia, his father is Venkat Rama Rao now? This doesn’t sound right. It changes the whole story. Rao is a common surname in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, it is definitely not a common Tamil name. What happened to Venkat Ratnam? Did they recently discover his father was going under an alias?
  - anonymous permalink
    
    September 23, 2010 12:14 pm
    
    That’s funny – never see one person with last name Rao from tamil brahmin caste from tamil nadu. They would add Iyer. People who cheat would camouflaged into any thing, anywhere.
  - anonymous permalink
    
    September 23, 2010 12:33 pm
    
    It was changed on Aug 29th from IP 198.7.88.35 (that was the only change that day) from Venkat Ratnam to Venkat Rama Rao.
    
    Revision as of 06:57, 29 August 2010 (edit) (undo)198.7.88.35 (talk) (→Life)Next edit →
    
    IP Info
    ——–
    Hostname: 198.7.88.35
    ISP: State of Washington
    Organization: State of Washington
    Proxy: None detected
    Type: Corporate
    Assignment: Static IP
Bling Bling permalink

September 13, 2010 9:28 pm

“he got his bachelor of science degree at the age of 21 from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore University.”

There are lots of places on the web where it is said HE got an advanced degree in physics at the age of 17. Just search. They have to clean all that !

The latest change doesn’t match what Bawa said @ http://bawandinesh.name/lake-luzern-and-bad-antogast/

I quote
” Guruji was working on HIS emails and correspondence in the car but in between told us a lot of stories about HIS teenage years in Switzerland. HE spent 2-3 years in Switzerland, some of which were in Arosa…We were on Lake Luzern for almost 4 hours (2 and a half hours more than scheduled) as Guruji showed us the many places HE had studied and meditated at. “

Reply
- Abhilash Shastry permalink
  
  September 14, 2010 1:27 am
  
  >>he got his bachelor of science degree at the age of 21 from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore University.
  
  In those days, Bachelor of Science used to be a 2 year course in India.
  
  So, by this calculation he must have passed 10th grade when he was 17.
  
  Guys, could it be that by SSRS’ own reckoning 10th grade physics was sufficiently advanced for him, so he put “advanced degree in physics” in his biography?
  
  Reply
  - Researcher permalink
    
    September 23, 2010 9:16 am
    
    He was born in 1956 or so they say. Assume 21 years to graduate with a BSc in Physics from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore. That’s 1977. He is supposed to have “cognized” sudarshan kriya in 1982 and started teaching. That gives him 5 years of being with Maharishi, traveling with him and learning from him. This is the only timeline that makes any sense.
    
    I am not sure how it was in the 1970’s but for the past 25 years at least and possibly much longer if I reckon correctly, there has been no single major subject in Bangalore University, or at least St. Joseph’s College. The BSc programs are all triple-majors like physics, chemistry, maths, or economics, mathematics and statistics, etc. You would get a BSc in PCM, not Physics.
  - VDK permalink
    
    October 4, 2010 1:42 pm
    
    Dear Abhilash
    Have you passed 10th standard at the age of 17 .If yes then be happy and study further .
    If not then attempt again .
    Do not misuse your freedom of expression.be happy and study scriptures like Yogavashishta and Gita .
Story2Reality permalink

September 25, 2010 6:04 am

It seems that Mr Arvind Varchaswi + Mr Narasimhan is actually using the ‘charity’ money to buy stakes in other companies as well, other than the Sumeru group of companies.

Seems that they’ve huge stakes in Inwinex Pharmaceuticals Ltd as well.

http://gujarati.economictimes.indiatimes.com/snapshots.cms?companyID=6568

http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/Company/Background/Board-Meeting-AGM-EGM-Schedule/Inwinex-Pharmaceuticals-Ltd/531398

According to IIFL (link 2), their market cap is Market Cap: [Rs.Cr.] 13, and based on economictimes (link1) the promoters themselves own 3368184 or 74.85% of shares – That means a ~9 crore investment has gone to purchase the stakes here.

Reply
- Prosecutor permalink
  
  September 25, 2010 7:19 am
  
  @Story2Reality,
  
  This is quite interesting news! even if we divide that 74.85% of 13 Crore that is approx 9.6 Crore in 6 equal part and then summing 2 parts of Arvind and Narasimhan it comes to approx 3.2 Crore. And as seen these 2 guys hold a top position among Directors!!
  
  There are news that they have other real estate investments too.
  How have they come up with the idea of selling flats around ashram to AOL followers? From which money did they buy that land? Or was that from the “donate a brick” that i did in part?
  
  Reply
- Conned_by_AOL permalink
  
  September 26, 2010 4:44 am
  
  Great post.
  Inwinex Pharmaceuticals Ltd ???
  
  http://gujarati.economictimes.indiatimes.com/snapshots.cms?companyID=6568
  
  http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/Company/Background/Board-Meeting-AGM-EGM-Schedule/Inwinex-Pharmaceuticals-Ltd/531398
  
  Any normal person following AOL with normal intelligence must think twice about putting money into the AOL basket. What a sham and what a shame
  Let me clarify AOL does not symbolize India nor represent India in anyway.
  
  I will have to echo Abilash Shastry’s comment here,
  “they are bent upon whoring every facet of Hinduism for their profiteering”
  
  Reply
  - Narada Muni permalink
    
    September 27, 2010 6:47 am
    
    Inwinwex is another pharma company started from aol charity money. Look at the board members of this company – Ajay Varchaswi, narasimhan, Nikhil Sen. AOL people claim that they are so busy doing seva, now how do these people get time to invest and run these companies.
    Inwinwex is under loss and you can see the report where they have shown losses upto 0.36 and 0.26 crores. We should ask Mr sumeru who came here sometime back if inwinex is also a company like sumeru solutions who shares profit to art of living so that they can do more seva. What happens when the company makes a loss as in case of inwinex – will aol give money to the company?
conscience permalink

September 26, 2010 2:58 am

it is so appalling that in the name of spirituality how much money is made. people have desires and wants to fulfill so they think going to so called Godmen will help realise their wants.

Atma Vidya or Self Realisation do not need any material things or any paid course like being sold these days by rishis , sri, swami’s babas.

people are going to them only for their material satisfaction not any spirituality.

Reply
- VDK permalink
  
  October 4, 2010 1:46 pm
  
  u learnt primay school maths and also alphabets from some teacher ( whom sure u do not remember ).How come you can learn self realisation on your own . To learn more pl read Aghora -3 ,Law of karma .It is written by a Foreigner so you will belive it also.
  
  Reply
  - Conscience permalink
    
    October 5, 2010 1:22 am
    
    @VDK
    
    if you think spirituality is to be learn’t at school then there is no greater fool here on this blog than you are. you read whatever you want. are you defending here that what Art of Living is doing spirituality ? and HOW MANY ARE SELF- REALIZED SWAMI’S IN ART OF LIVING ?
    
    nevertheless why should you be a football of other’s opinion ? did you forget what you learn’t ? are you living according to the basic teaching of aol ?
    
    i see here you are responding to many people – did you forget to accept people as they are ?
    
    what use is this if basic teaching is not followed by you and you came here to bash others.
Conscience permalink

September 26, 2010 3:58 am

First definition of Sanyasi or Swami is SARVA SANG PARITYAGI – means ONE WHO HAS RENOUNCED EVERYTHING. – including name , fame, publicity . wealth, power, status , titles, etc. this is the only yardstick for anyone who is claiming to be a Sanyasi. All outer appearence of color, dress, glamour, hair , facials are all nonconsequential.

Hinduism is very ancient, with thousands of years of Churning all these sanskrit words have come into being. These days our relegious leaders want to follow tradition but give their own meanings to suit their convenience. This is also a phase in our evolution.

Reply
- Prosecutor permalink
  
  September 26, 2010 6:47 am
  
  @Conscience,
  
  Although I don’t wish this page to be filled with philosophical wisdom which is in abundance everywhere, may I share my views too?
  
  “First definition of Sanyasi or Swami is SARVA SANG PARITYAGI – means ONE WHO HAS RENOUNCED EVERYTHING. – including name , fame, publicity . wealth, power, status , titles, etc. this is the only yardstick for anyone who is claiming to be a Sanyasi. All outer appearence of color, dress, glamour, hair , facials are all nonconsequential.”
  
  There could be some truth in this statement but the real definition of sanyasi is the “one who is truly centered. sa+nyas” It is not necessary to renounce it physically. Ofcourse but the definition of 4 ashramas and sanyasthashrama that i learnt in school is definitly what u had mentioned.
  
  Reply
- VDK permalink
  
  October 4, 2010 1:50 pm
  
  Your grandfather wore dhoti .You are wearing pant .Your dress has changed to suit the time .
  same way everything will change as per time including the way spritual knowledge is conveyed. Pl excuse me if you still wear a dhoti to your office.
  
  Reply
- vdk permalink
  
  October 5, 2010 4:41 am
  
  Hi Conscience
  this is reply to your 5th Oct comment where there is no option of reply.
  -I accept u as you are and then change what is wrong in you.I hope u do the same thing with ur near and dear ones.That is why I am replying to everyone .
  – u can’t learn self realisation in school .To learn primary maths also u need a teacher and more so to learn the self realisation .ur wrong reading also shows u read whatever u want.
  – U need not worry about how many self realised souls are ther in AOL . PL worry about ur own self realisation . if u don’t get here u r free to go else where . Ofcourse u r free to throw poison which in tradition of shiva we’ll drink happily.
  -if u write something against what I love then I am sure going to inform u my point of view -It could be in same abrasive language u use because I also know that language .Only thing I can decide when to use it & the language does not decide to use me .
  Let us continue the dialogue .
  Thanks for calling me FOOL .( see how chilled I am )
  VDK
  
  Reply
  - Conscience permalink
    
    October 6, 2010 1:55 am
    
    @ VDK
    
    ‘I accept u as you are and then change what is wrong in you.I hope u do the same thing with ur near and dear ones.That is why I am replying to everyone’
    
    Hi VDK
    
    first of all , i am sorry for writing here that you are a fool. I apologize . you are not a fool , now you can chill out. why do you see wrong in other people? who are you to change ? did you forget aol teaching ‘ DO NOT SEE INTENTIONS IN OTHERS MISTAKES’
    i am not abrasive, in another post you brought grand father in your comment.the tone of your comment is also very arrogant . i am new to this blog reading and if you are a aol member – you are spoiling their name.
    
    in this blog many insiders of aol are writing, i am not an insider, i read these blogs and curious to know what they are writing here is true or false you have been defending here , you should shed some light , so that we the people can know.
Conscience permalink

September 26, 2010 4:16 am

to the Moderator

i am new to this blog , and i found this blog while surfing for art of living.

whatever you have written in these blog pages is it really true ? or just a negative publicity?

i have faith in saints and spiritual do gooders. after reading your blogs and all the recent news on other so called many Sexananda swami’s – i am skeptical.

Reply
- Skywalker permalink
  
  September 26, 2010 6:34 am
  
  Dear Conscience,
  it is not easy to judge the validity of the experiences being put forward in this blog. As well, with the other Bad Guru blogs that we link to. But Nityananda very clearly demonstrated that not all self-proclaimed enlightened masters are real. It is our experience that Ravi Shankar too is not what he claims to be. No, he is not enlightened. Yes, he has ego and self-interest both. That is his biggest crime, in my opinion: that he calims to have the absolute truth, and that he lures people into following him blindly.
  
  Reply
- Prosecutor permalink
  
  September 26, 2010 6:58 am
  
  @ Conscience,
  
  We are not here for any negative publicity. Infact we also respected the ethical standards of spirituality and those of saints. But our experience as a long time teachers in AOL have left us with different experience and that is what we percieve as truth. AOL certainly never promotes our viewpoints and term us negative.
  
  After spending over a decad in AOL as a teacher spreading spirituality or say business i have experienced that better not to put your faith in others so totally that u stop using your own judgements.
  
  I suggest you come up with your own judgements after spending some time on both the sides. And dont just get stuck with the outside view as in movies!
  
  Reply
- goneagain permalink
  
  September 26, 2010 3:19 pm
  
  @Conscience
  
  Even if you don’t believe everything said here at least this blog will help you see things objectively instead of blind following. In fact you shouldn’t believe anything at it’s face value whether pro or con, read other side as well (see many of the pro-AOL blogs are linked here), then make up your mind based on all that.
  
  If you do get into AOL after that you can see yourself with the intellectual curiosity, I guess the blog has done it’s job very well. This will help you see the facts with more clarity and will not be sucked into the CULT like many others.
  
  Reply
- vdk permalink
  
  October 7, 2010 8:45 am
  
  Hello Conscience
  
  Thanks for the nice message and sorry for bringing in grandpa
  -To consider every AOLite a saint is like considering every science student Einstein.
  People will be able to apply some of the teachings for some of the time and even that will make great difference to their life
  -When they apply all the teachings all the time then only they become saint .Very very long ……………………..journey ………………………………………………………………………….
  – Many people like Prosecutor slip from the path ( Yog Bhrashtas )
  – The prosecutor is spreading negativity .He himself is clinging to negative experiences and having taught for AOL he should be knowing well that other people will also cling to negatives spread by him.
  – 99% of the people continue with AOL but because of Mr P… some people may not even try to walk this path.let them decide themselves why to do brain washing .
  Will continue further later
  VDK
  
  Reply
  - Shallow waters permalink
    
    October 7, 2010 6:37 pm
    
    @ VDK,
    
    Who are u? a teacher or a volunteer? no matter what, you have observed it incorrectly.
    
    99% of the people continue with AOL?
    
    I can assure you for every 20 to 40 people who do the AOL part 1 course only 2 goes further and the rest drops out.
    
    And if u feel happy living in a pile of shit that doesnt mean others like to ignore the wrongdoings of AOL too.
    
    What kind of moron are you?
    
    Learn some physics again. each and every thing on this earth is made up of atoms. and atom contains almost equal numbers of Protons and Electrons. Electrons are negatively charged. An atom is balanced only when both are in equal number. you cant simply ignore electrons.
    
    The Cleansers that u use at home are negatively charged and thats why they clean the stuff.
    
    man learn some stuffs from kids.
Sincere Seeker permalink

September 27, 2010 1:40 am

Sumeru Solutions
I have a story to tell about Sumeru Solutions. Now it’s a subsidiary since there are a whole bunch of such companies.
In order to protect my identity I have to keep it very high level.
I can tell you that it is a company established for Ajay Tejasvi (Sri Sri’s nephew) who later decided not to head it. However his parents asked SSRS to have companies established for their sons’ livelihood.
This company is run by Mr. Narsimhan. He was on the board and control the money and bank accounts down to Rs 1. A very bad charactered person per my experience.
This company is a big scam. They are such frauds, telling devotees to join telling them they will be serving their guru and money going to service projects.
They are working for Mr. Narsimhan, earning money for their family and working like slaves. Money gets diverted through other companies to Mr. Narsimhan’s account.
This is what I saw first hand there and left as did many of my friends over time.
We used to discuss local newspaper articles on how their family is getting rich with AoL money but stayed on for a long time trusting in Guruji. Finally left when we heard first hand that all approval of this business has been given by none other than Sri Sri himself.
He monitors how much profit the company is making and behaves like a CEO behind the scenes.

Sumeru Realty and other Real Estate investments
(I wish someone would write an in depth report on this topic since they are investing heavily in real estate and made it a business ah-the spiritual real estate business. And with the Rs5000 crore budget for the University they are going for even bigger…)

Reply
- Raj permalink
  
  July 5, 2011 2:13 pm
  
  No one is slave … everyone have their freedom to move out or continue..
  
  It never matters where U r working and who is profiting by U..
  
  Only matter is U .. U only.. how r u going to purify Ur mind .. what r u ? R u really living here ?
  
  Reply
- Money Lost permalink
  
  December 7, 2011 10:53 am
  
  My intention of writing this post is to educate people who are interested in investing with Sumeru Realty, to think before their hard earned money is invested in this venture.(though I wouldn’t recommend it at all)
  The Realty Company launched by RS is purely to build flats for the benefits of his devotees, but their prices were so exclusive (High) that only his NRI devotees could be fooled with those rates, a commoner would never buy the flats knowing the rates. The rates on Kanakapura Road, (15kms inside) were nowhere near 3000/sft , but it was Sumeru realty who were the first to price so high.
  However, after all the large amounts of money collected by them, they have not even delivered the project in time.
  I booked a flat with them in the year 2008 and have paid almost 80% of the money, now the building is still to be completed. The promised dates have all been continuously skipped, and not a single schedule has been maintained so far, and now they say they ‘ll be handing it over by July 2012, which also does not seem to be happening form the information I get and the way in which the work is in progress. It would be a miracle if the project finishes by 2013 Navaratri!! Now I can’t even take back my money and book else where as I would lose large sums of money (thanks to the strange contract they fooled us in to signing as, we customers have no benefit and all the benefits go only to them) . MAKE US PAY, DELAY WORK, AND USE RS’S NAME TO GET AWAY!!. Wonderful scheme to loot people!
  The next best thing is that, Sumeru Realty claims that the building is vastu compliant, but the land has the poorest vastu I have ever seen, and several of the apartments have nothing called vastu at all in it. The vastu story is all but a pack of lies and a selling gimmick used by Digvijay (CEO) who himself dosen’t know the difference between plastering and painting. He is all talk and No Work. And RS keeps on encouraging people to invest in such projects.
  On digging deeper, I got to know recently that this Project is a “LEARN AS YOU BUILD PROJECT” handled by inexperienced people like Digvijay and his PS Ruchika and a few other Ashramites who aren’t professionals at all. People like us who are investing our hard earned money, for their learning are the only major losers. Delay the project and play double money with our money. BRILLIANT SCHEME!!.
  They terminated their contract with Aluwalia Contractors, who were working in the project, and then for months the site was dead. On questioning about this, there is no clear reply from Sumeru. After months of repeated mails and follow-ups, the Sumeru marketing gives us the next finishing date, which is also not met. The people who are handling this project are totally incompetent and are unable to answer any of our queries. I even hear that all the staff of Sumeru has left them due to unethical practices. Starting form irregularities in sanctions and delays in decisions to improper handling of project and funds, to extreme irregularities, the project is yet to see the light of the day.
  Enormous amount of Bribes have been paid for this project and RS claims in his satang that he and his organization are very clean and have not paid a rupee bribe in his tenure of 30 years .Such BIG FAT LIERS!!
  First let, SSRS Correct the corruption in his organization before he goes around correcting the same in the country. RS turns a blind eye to all the corruption inside his Organisation and is busy playing Political games to correct corruption in the country. Ha Ha ….Such a Do Gooder!!!
  
  Reply
  - Dayalu permalink
    
    December 7, 2011 3:56 pm
    
    Doctor, Money Lost’s comment needs to be a separate post by itself
unknown permalink

October 9, 2010 11:49 am

Some informations regarding Sumeru Industries:

Actually this is AOL’s business run through the office at Ahmedabad.

does this say something? could anyone explain what does this mean? number of shares x price per share?

how to read this stuff??

Click to access sumerupost.pdf

http://www.moneycontrol.com/annual-report/sumeruindustries/directors-report/SI81

http://money.sulekha.com/sumeru-industries_balance-sheet

Reply
unknown permalink

October 9, 2010 12:18 pm

Regarding Digvijay Chaudhari,

Some people says that Digvijay Chaudhari:
http://in.linkedin.com/in/digvijaydc

has also usurped lot of money along with Narasimhan.
Being an ashramite in bangalore is usualy like to be sucked up to bones, but Digvijay has a car, blackberry and Gucci spects! can a full time ashramite afford such lifestyle?

Does this indicate anything? any more info would be appreciated!!

http://www.fabs.co.in/CurrentProjects.asp?PStatus=1&id=73&Cid=4

AOL has occupied 3,00,000 sqft of land (approx 6.88 Acre)
for Sumeru Realty!

Reply
Proton permalink

October 10, 2010 6:45 am

Dear Prosecutor

You do not like anyone giving you suggestions because you have safeguarded yourself by calling these people as PR agents wasting their time . I have ample time & energy so do not worry about it .
* If your intention is to serve the society then instead of defaming someone else ,you can start your own organisation and implement these high standards there . Please practise what you preach.
* I am sure you can not do that and you will go on misusing cyberspace and advise others because NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A MAN WHO DOES NOT HAVE TO DO IT HIMSELF.
* It is very easy to put false charges against others . In every country politicians do it .
Just look at Srilanka .Within notime the ex Army chief is behind bars under some charges.
* Your enemies ( if they are like you ),then they can also set up a blog giving charges against you with all the proofs .
* If you are afraid then change your focus . Become an MP and serve the country .Set your own spiritual organisation and help the people .
* You know very well you are a negative blogger . Everywhere you must be searching for faults
– You must have have cursed your father for not buying you a mobile after he worked all his life to pay for your education.
– You must have shouted at your loving mother /wife who cooked delicious meal for you for putting less salt in the food
– You must be shouting at your children for not getting that extra 1 % after they come and show you their report card with 99 % marks
*You must be crying wolf for finding small seed inside a tasty sweet apple
Anyway if you enjoy being like this then please continue and enjoy yourself.
Have great week end!!!

Reply
- S-C-S permalink
  
  October 10, 2010 12:01 pm
  
  Dear Proton,
  
  Regarding your comments
  
  – You must have have cursed your father for not buying you a mobile after he worked all his life to pay for your education.
  – You must have shouted at your loving mother /wife who cooked delicious meal for you for putting less salt in the food
  – You must be shouting at your children for not getting that extra 1 % after they come and show you their report card with 99 % marks
  
  I m not a part of this blog and also am a currently serving full time travelling teacher. Am new. Still active in Art of Living and still consider Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji as a true Guru and a true humanitarian.. Would like to tell you that the comments(above) of yours are in bad taste. Also please note that the Prosecutor/Skywalker and few other people on this blog are not people who have done one Yes!+ or a Part 1 Course. They have been teachers and that too for a long time. Yes there are some posts which are cynical in nature but many of the charges seem genuine felt.. they could be some misunderstandings .. but they have been genuinely felt.
  
  So please read properly and comment.. and please do not just react…
  
  Reply
- Peaceful Warrior permalink
  
  October 10, 2010 5:20 pm
  
  Proton,
  
  Your abusive post tells us a lot about the organization you believe in. Ad hominem attacks like this are not going to work. if you have a point then address the issues instead of flaming Prosecutor and others on this blog.
  
  Reply
  - Angry warrior permalink
    
    October 12, 2010 5:46 am
    
    Your angry comment to Proton shows you were a Pissful warrior while writing it.
    
    What I would say to you is that I am expressing opinion here, and it is down to other individuals to make up their own mind as to whether this resonates with any experiences they themselves have had.
Prosecutor permalink

October 10, 2010 8:43 am

@ Proton / VDK

I personally dont like to get in to arguments but since you have repeatedly written comments for the writers on this page i feel obliged to attend you.

I sincerely wish to let you know proton, that i really have no bad intention. I have already mentioned in the very first line of my post about how i have been benefitted by the practices of things taught in AOL. Being a teacher i alway was reluctant about certain things about AOl and Sri Sri, but could not question due to my immense faith in him as the living god. But over a perod of time i had different experience and this is what i have come up with, “The partial compilation of charges against the art of living activities”. I have already spent over a decade spreading the AOL what u call positivity. And i certainly believe that AOL does immense good to people and critizing is definitly not good for someone who does lot of good work. But all these things that we know of Sri Sri are constant lies manipulated by Bhanud didi. All the charges that u read here seems quite silly and not worth giving importance. I agree. But like an archaeologist if you try to connect all those little links you will come up with a different picture. sure enough to make you think twice.

I would like to let you know that in my real life too i am quite sincere and my friends do respect me for my honesty and goodness. I have a very good and loving family life and had a very nice upringing from my parents. I am not at all complaining type. I am infact a reformer type. I am quite spiritual but if i dont find the reliability in ritual’s result i would experiment it and still not satisfied, i would rather wont believe it.

Despite of reading all these charges if it has not made aware of the wrongdoings of the AOL and constant lies of Sri Sri, I guess my further explainations wont help either.

you can safely term me negative person.

Reply
- Proton permalink
  
  October 10, 2010 12:17 pm
  
  Thanks Prosecutor
  I will reply you tomorrow. Watch a good movie today and relax.
  My recommendation ” Once Upon a Time in Mumbai ”
  Bye
  Proton
  
  Reply
  - Onlooker permalink
    
    October 11, 2010 4:50 pm
    
    Why you people fight and waste your time ?
Dont permalink

October 15, 2010 5:44 pm

Another charge, SSRS doesnt practice sudarshan kriya. He doesn’t practice what he preaches.

Reply
- The Doctor permalink
  
  October 15, 2010 8:33 pm
  
  @Dont,
  
  I don’t think we should really add this as a charge, since he’s quite open about it and doesn’t try to hide it. This sort of thing makes it look like we’re trying desperately hard to find faults.
  
  Yes, he doesn’t practice kriya, however it’s like saying you want to arrive at a particular destination, someone who has already taken the long journey to reach that place and they can show you how to get there, without having to take the journey again themselves. All you have to do is to follow their advice.
  
  I would argue the same with kriya, he may (or may not) have practiced it enough to get to the state he claims to be, enlightened, so he has no need to practice it any further.
  
  Now as to whether or not he’s really enlightened, that’s a different matter altogether and should definitely be questioned.
  
  Reply
- WhistleBlower permalink
  
  October 15, 2010 8:47 pm
  
  Just for the record, Bhanu Didi also doesn’t practise any Kriya and she has publicly stated so (that she only does meditation).
  And those of you who have hosted senior AOL teachers would know that most of them do not practise yoga or Kriya (apart from when they teach it to others, of course!).
  
  Reply
freeagaiin permalink

October 16, 2010 12:22 am

wow…now im wondering..what exactly do the senior teachers do when they wake up. I heard that they spend 2-3 hours doing sadhana. Just curious. are they sleeping in?

Reply
Anonymous permalink

October 16, 2010 4:25 am

US Government is working on pretecing victim of fraud. I will suggest everyone here especially those AOL customers in US go to this site below to file a complain against AOL business corporation. Hopefully, US national customer protection agency and IRS can do some investigation and help us to expose AOL NGO fraud and illegal practice to the public worldwide:

https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

I just filed a complaint. The more filing, the more evidence of the fraud, the better.

Reply
Bling Bling permalink

November 12, 2010 11:22 pm

20) Charge: How over a period of time Sri Sri’s biography has been modified!

Latest bio video Claims he recieved B.Sc.(Physics) in 1973 at the age of seventeen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfeYcZZB4x8 around 1:40

Reply
- OASCS permalink
  
  November 14, 2010 8:49 am
  
  In Guru of Joy its written that received two double promotions in school, can any St Xaviers alumni confirm this?
  
  Regards,
  OASCS
  
  Reply
  - anonymous permalink
    
    November 15, 2010 1:48 pm
    
    OASCS: You stated in another post how much you love SSRS, so what does it matter to you? Fact is this: Where he went to school, when he went to school, keeps changing somehow through the years.
    
    I know several people who were in school with him. They said “he was a first class rogue”, and said he was “strange”. They also said he left school without finishing. I suppose that is when he went with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to Switzerland. He told me himself that he never finished school, that he stopped his education at 17 to be with MMY, and never received a degree. So unless he got that degree after he was 40 years old…..
    
    Keep loving him. I found out what type of person he is, and how and what he lies about. His whole persona is a big fake, made up to impress people. Why not just tell the world what he told so many people in the old days? Who would love him less for being truthful?
    
    But that’s not his way. For some reason that escapes me (and many others who have left), he seems to have a nearly pathological need to lie about things that make no difference. Of course, some of the things he lies about (by omission in some cases), would land him in jail, so he has to lie about them. Other things would make “all the Indians run away” as he once stated to me when I encouraged him to just be truthful about some subjects which were very personal.
    
    So there you have it, OASCS, your great Love.
    
    Your love is very unconditional, so God will probably reward it. I know that my love for that man was also unconditional, in spite of what I knew. I simply refused to go alone with his lying to others anymore, so I left. I still loved him very much, in my ignorance of his need to destroy anyone whom he deemed a possible threat to his position in this world. His fear made him so mistreat me and others who left with me, that my love died a miserable death. I’m happy that has not happened to you because you are not close to him. Stay away, and stay safe.
    
    God did, in fact, reward me, I’m happy to say, in all walks of life, and I left relatively unscathed in the end, finding out that AOL “friends” were not friends at all, but only brainwashed people willing to say and do anything for SSRS to keep their positions in AOL. Leaving them behind was easy (although some repeatedly called, threatening me if I said anything that would be “bad karma” — read, anything that might damage SSRS’s reputation, like the truth, and some even came to my door with the same messages from him.) Strangely, I had no intention of ever saying anything about him until those threats. I just intended to keep what I knew and saw private. He changed that with all sorts of twisted stories about me and several people who left with me, defaming us in the most atrocious ways. If you are Indian, you know what that kind of thing can mean in a family — a “holy” man spreading lies and gossip about you and your family. It was truly horrible.
    
    So keep loving him, your special master.
    
    From what I can see from KLIM’s blog and lots of other stuff posted here, he just kept it up through the years since I and others I knew left. In fact, he appears to have escalated his methods and refined them. Sad, sad, sad.
    
    Good luck in your love.
  - Sajeev permalink
    
    November 15, 2010 2:11 pm
    
    I am a st joseph’s alumini. That’s another bogus rumor spread by ravishankar and his hagiographer francois gauties. He dropped out of st josephs after 12th when he was 17 years old. Thats the normal age everyone does 12th class in India. He never graduated.
  - Bling Bling permalink
    
    November 16, 2010 1:59 am
    
    In Guru of Joy its written that received two double promotions in school, can any St Xaviers alumni confirm this?
    
    @OASCS,
    
    One of the St Xavier’s alumni that I asked seemed perplexed by the question. Should we try St Joseph’s alumni next ?
  - OASCS permalink
    
    November 17, 2010 5:29 am
    
    @anon… And in some other post I also said that I am committed to find the truth…. You seem to hate me for being honest about my love for him…. Yes I do feel love for him sometimes especially after my first advance course for about 40 days I used to feel intense love and my Kriya experiences were very beautiful.. but now after 8 years of doing kriya I do not feel the same like before.. and I also do feel conflicts … sometimes his arrogance irritates me too… so its a mixed bag…. If things were so simple I would not have even come across this blog let alone post on it… but the ways of the mind are not so simple…. I am just being honest with my posts .. I used to feel love for him and I said so.. and at the same time I also feel curious to know the truth about him and his past…
- Raj permalink
  
  July 5, 2011 2:07 pm
  
  It never matters HE has passed some exams or not .. 🙂 very simple those who are following him is not following him because he have a graduation or not ..
  
  Its just the knowledge .. You may take some time to understand .. or some life times to understand ..
  
  simple .. be aware about your mind .. U r mind may be fooling U
  
  Reply
  - Anonymous permalink
    
    July 5, 2011 7:09 pm
    
    You are missing the point dude. Watch this video.
    
    https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/how-to-recognize-a-cult-video
    
    Your mind may be fooling you..
anonymous permalink

November 16, 2010 7:08 pm

Probably He failed in 12th and had no other better alternative and chose the holy tradition!

Reply
- Peaceful Warrior permalink
  
  November 16, 2010 9:30 pm
  
  hmm… foolhardy as the step may seem, there is something to be said about people who set aside formal education to follow their own path.
  Maybe he really was too cool for school ;). I don’t understand why they try to lie or hide it – it’s as if they are embarrassed by it.
  
  Reply
- Raj permalink
  
  July 5, 2011 2:09 pm
  
  So silly..
  
  Its just the knowledge makes people follow him .. not a graduation or some certificates from some universities ..
  
  Certificate people are a lot here they never changed the mind of people instead they made lots of bad things here …
  
  Lets follow some thing good always .. be aware
  
  Reply
Bling Bling permalink

November 16, 2010 10:27 pm

I am a st joseph’s alumini. That’s another bogus rumor spread by ravishankar and his hagiographer francois gauties. He dropped out of st josephs after 12th when he was 17 years old. Thats the normal age everyone does 12th class in India. He never graduated.

@Sajeev

You are a rare find. Would you be willing to go on record by stating your full name and year of graduation ? Do you know anyone from his(er…His) class who would be willing to do so as well ?

Reply
sudarshanpirate permalink

February 5, 2011 11:58 am

The sudharshan kriya exposed mp3 is nowhere to be found anymore 😦
I wish someone would put it in a place (like piratebay) or Wikileaks which has a reputation for defense against takedowns.

Reply
- radha permalink
  
  February 6, 2011 5:11 am
  
  check isohunt and search for long sudarshan kriya. i could download from there
  
  Reply
Original Observer permalink

February 25, 2011 9:54 pm

See this old, but an interesting analysis:
http://www.yunusnews.com/how_genuine_is_sri_sri_ravi_shankar

Reply
- Conscience permalink
  
  June 9, 2011 1:59 am
  
  Sri Sri RaviShankar is divine man. He discovered Sudarshan Kriya which works well and effective for good health. The talk about Sudarshan Kriya dangerous is not correct. you can always give infinite reasons to make a arguement for or against.
  Sudarshan Kriya worked for me well. This is my experience.
  
  Reply
  - Anoop permalink
    
    June 9, 2011 5:01 am
    
    so you do sudarshana kriya from early 90s to this date ? how often you do ?
  - Dev D permalink
    
    June 9, 2011 7:21 am
    
    What about people for whom it has not worked well. people who had problems as a resulting of doing sudarshan kriya. And aol teachers had no clue on resolving these issues. Do you think they should all be greatful because you claim to have experienced some benefits from this hyperventilation technique.
  - Jr. permalink
    
    June 9, 2011 4:48 pm
    
    I’m no, it’s not good for everyone, just like how aspirin is not safe for everyone. Sudarshan Kriay is indeed very dangerous for many people.
  - Raj permalink
    
    July 5, 2011 1:51 pm
    
    This blog generalized few things with a narrow minded view of writing. So Dnt worry Sudarshan Kriya (SK) is a very good breathing technique.
    
    In India we have lots of Yoga and other values. Everything is very good if U use it with the help of a GURU.
    
    SK works in multiple ways .. material level .. in our body it removes toxins from each cells… that itself is enough for U to practice the same..
- Raj permalink
  
  July 5, 2011 1:54 pm
  
  You be selfish .. 🙂 don’t worry about the GURU..
  
  example when U r purchasing a Uni-Lever product U never worried about the owner. U just take advantage of the product …
  
  Just worry about Ur mind .. that is fooling U through senses
  
  Reply
Jr. permalink

June 9, 2011 4:50 pm

Ugh, excuse my typos. It’s not safe for everyone Conscience.

Reply
raj permalink

July 4, 2011 9:38 am

All these points are not truth. Few of them I know personally. But I am not coming to argue here. But there are points to be noted for improvement of things. If a person is good now then there is need to check the past may be all of us have some wrong things in past never makes us unqualified for good things in future.

There are many people in AOL who is not at all applying the knowledge but only preaching. ATTACKING BACK THIS BLOG with technically capable-hackers-is not a good way and really guruji not supporting that. Giving Opinion with freedom is a right. Taking that in good or bad way is always depends on others. So give freedom to express non-aol or ex-aol people. Let them express themselves in their way.

Reply
- Anonymous permalink
  
  July 4, 2011 10:18 am
  
  The problem is AOL forums are closed for free expression, and you won’t get any rational answers back even if these questions are asked there.
  
  So, AOL is using trained hackers to attack this blog?
  
  Reply
  - Raj permalink
    
    July 5, 2011 1:47 pm
    
    You have complete freedom for expression ..and Ur perception is different and U may be arrogant.. U r expecting more from AOL. If this is another Multi national company U r expression will be in different ways and using diff skills.
    
    Here you may frustrated and that made U to think in different ways and U forget the cause of this life ..
- Anonymous permalink
  
  July 4, 2011 10:20 am
  
  Having a wrong past is not bad, but not admitting that openly and hiding it right now is bad.
  
  Reply
  - Raj permalink
    
    July 5, 2011 1:44 pm
    
    Even it is hiding for a good cause is appreciated. No problem if that is not hurting any one else.
    
    For example you may had sexual relation with other people and U r not going to tell that to Ur children or Ur loved ones because the impact is different. So U will decide Urself to hide the truth. Because that is not going to hurt any one. If U tell this there is chance it will hurt Ur loved ones and they may follow the bad practice and culture .
- Devd@devd.com permalink
  
  July 4, 2011 10:45 am
  
  “ATTACKING BACK THIS BLOG with technically capable-hackers-is not a good way and really guruji not supporting that. ”
  
  For that you need to spend a lot of money to pay for these professional hackers. AOL of course do not have such brilliant professionals inhouse as most of them are brain dead zombies. Too much hyperventilation and guru indoctrination has killed their sharpness and creativity. The only thing software professionals in sumeru software can do is to create high school level websites for hotels.
  
  Reply
  - Original Anonynmous permalink
    
    July 5, 2011 1:49 am
    
    Sumeru Software solutions does employ hackers. I personally know a few.
    
    Btw where is Abhilash Shastry dez days .. its been quite some time since I have seen his comment on this blog.
  - Raj permalink
    
    July 5, 2011 12:00 pm
    
    Never under estimate anything and anyone. and dnt think if some one close their eyes its night and others also cant see anything..
    
    I agree the frustration coming out through this blogs but many points I dis agree in the way it is expressed like a blind man.
    
    Any organization we take it have its own flaws and corrupted or narrow minded people inside that never means the organization is some thing bad or there is no good people inside.
    
    In this world everyone have freedom for expression so I wont say some thing is wrong or right. But there should be some authenticity for each point or the perception of the person. So opinion is always viewed how the person expresses his opinion and what is his perception.
    
    I know there will be people who will think this blog says everything right or completely wrong. Both these approaches are wrong.. ha ha .. because there are truth also and there are false information also.
    
    So in my opinion its better to correct the mistakes of AOL (means the people who are corrupted ) and add value to the public. Let the AOLFREE web site or blog go through its own way and become a Julian Assange.
    
    And the real guru is not outside its inside
  - Raj permalink
    
    July 5, 2011 1:41 pm
    
    Devd@devd.com is mistaken .. he know nothing about AOL people and talents 🙂 sorry U only can help U
Raj permalink

July 5, 2011 1:38 pm

Its strange that many people are commenting as anonymous !! .. What r U hiding… U r silly identity .. ha ha what are you going to loose .. and its a psychiatric issue also.. If u r sure its not then fine but better to recheck.

There are multi-talented people in AOL and they have sharp brain and vision. Never under estimate them. Few of you are seeing like a horse with blocked eyes connected to a cart.

Be open and see the world outside your shoes .. be free what ever technique U follow what ever practice U do .. It never matters .. only thing matters is Ur mind … be a good individual..

Reply
- anonymous permalink
  
  July 5, 2011 4:03 pm
  
  People choose to comment anonymously because they fear that deep pockets Ravi Ravi will send his dogs after them to sue them for something or other, and hope to run them out of money. Please read the whole blog, and you would see that. Speaking out truthfully about personal experiences while with him constitutes defamation of character in his mind.
  
  There are people coming every day to every religion and religious cult who have sharp brains because they feel dissatisfied with something in their lives. SSRS and Art of Living and other cults take full advantage of that dissatisfaction and promise to alleviate it if you just follow their way, their instructions, their leader. After some time, people who once had good brains, become brainwashed, and just parrot whatever they hear in whatever organization they joined. If they still have a brain, they leave as soon as they see what is happening around them — double standards, not the least of which is teachers of ‘truth’ having temper tantrums, then blaming ‘bad energy’, etc.
  
  Reply
  - ramesh.shastri@gmail.com permalink
    
    July 6, 2011 3:27 am
    
    @anonymous : How many years r u going to live in this planet with this fear inside… ha ha ..
    
    Have U done any one of the courses of AOL ?
    
    I would say u r equal to the “horse” pulling the cart.. Some thing has blocked your eyes and U r only able to see limited degree.. not 360 degrees.
Harish permalink

August 3, 2011 6:00 am

Very truly posted without bias…Hope you are the enlightened souls the world & the true masters are waiting for. Don’t stop the search…MEDITATE (Be a light unto Yourself- Buddha).

Reply
Anonymous permalink

November 1, 2011 9:30 am

Guys, Bloggers…

I am about to go next week to the Ashram in Bangalore, and well in the start i was very excited to go, i mean, i think that all is not bad, but yeah i have to agree that the world is helped when you are able to motivate yourself, put (or at least try hard) to put you ego on one side and help yourself in order to help others..

I am Christian (for whatever that cult is good for!) but i have always wondered about other faiths and beliefs..

Any advice when going to the Ashram? i dont want to go biased already, and honestly i have no expectations whatsoever, i dont want to be part of anything, i just wander around places and whatever helps me to be better, happier and with a better soul, welcome..

Thanks for any advice, and like someone said its best to see both sides of the story but i have it very clear in my mind… this is for me, and through being better i can help myself thus other as well…not for the ego of anybody…

Thanks guys!!

A

Reply
- The Doctor permalink
  
  November 2, 2011 3:31 pm
  
  As with anything else in life, there are both positives and negatives, but these are relative to you and you alone. Just learn to see both at the same time, and not cling on to one or the other at any given time.This was probably the single most important thing I ever learnt when I was with Art of Living, and I still find it gives me an incredibly powerful way to see the world.
  
  So you too can learn many useful things there, as most of us here would have. Just be wary of being sucked in too quickly, and if you ever have any doubts, try listening to those doubts instead of trying to suppress them. They’re probably trying to tell you something important.
  
  Reply
Dayalu permalink

November 3, 2011 2:34 am

See the latest in Huffington Post. It appears AOL has sold itself to someone up there:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-cleary/corrupt-times-india-spiritual_b_1067618.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

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Anonymous permalink

November 10, 2011 5:30 am

are u nuts….your building the worst karma ever!

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Geoff Duningham permalink

November 15, 2011 11:54 am

I have just seen this website and it is interesting to see that there are people like you who are so dedicated to the Art of Living!

Sure, once you were dedicated to expanding the organisation, and now you are dedicated to persecuting it, but at the end of the day your lives still seem to be consumed by it. It really is indicative of the amount of strength the organisation currently has.

The story appears to be that there is a man claiming to of divine nature, with a massive following, and there are the people supporting this website that have labelled him a charlatan. (Actually a very similar story that led to the crucifixion of Jesus – just saying).

This supporters of this website have made accusations (unproven yet), about the leader of Art of Living (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar), mainly revolving around deceit and lies. Whether true, or untrue, it would be nice to see the supporters of this website also owning up to their own stretching of the truth.

The propaganda I am sure weighs heavily on both sides as it so often does and I have already seen many examples of untruth about Art of Living and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in many of your posts. I have a friend who is an Art of Living teacher and according to her “Guruji” (as she calls Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) has a holy lineage that he is apart of, and not self taught as your website suggests. She has shown me a picture of this “Guru Parampara” with different saints and at the bottom is Sri Sri Ravi Shankara.

Many of the supporters of this website also openly admit to once benefiting from their involvement with Art of Living and now claim that they were actually fooled into believing that they were benefiting. This not only makes you a fool, but also raises the question that if what you once believed to be true (that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has genuine altruistic intentions) is in fact now not true for you, what makes you believe that what you now believe (that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has malicious intentions) is in fact the truth?

The supporters of this website dish out a lot of criticism. I am hoping that you are at least big enough to take a bit as well, especially criticism from an objective journalistic point of view.

Regards,
Geoff.

Reply
- Dayalu permalink
  
  November 16, 2011 2:43 pm
  
  “criticism from an objective journalistic point of view”.
  
  Ha ha! That was the joke of the day!!
  
  Only a hard core, brainwashed AOL fanatic can write such an opinionated piece and claim it to be objective. SSRS excels at that. Geoff boy, you made your guru proud!
  
  Reply
  - Geoff Duningham permalink
    
    November 18, 2011 9:13 am
    
    Wow Dayalu… What an poignant retort!
    As i said, “The propaganda I am sure weighs heavily on both sides”
    Your unwillingness to even acknowledge this sites one sided view does not do your cause any good.
- Original Anonymous permalink
  
  November 17, 2011 2:36 pm
  
  Swami Bhramhananda Saraswati’s Guru Swami Krishnananda Saraswati is also not part of this Guru Parampara picture. He was an enlightened Guru too. And he displayed all signs of an enlightened Guru, ( no greed, no desire for money, fame, just a sincere desire to teach, and a very deep spiritual depth ).
  
  So I guess not all Gurus in the lineage are included in this Guru Parampara photo. That could be a possible reason why Maharishi was not a part of this picture. Even Sri Sri might not be included in the Parampara photo, even after his lifetime or maybe he would you never know.
  
  This trend behind the Guru parampara picture needs more study. So guilty or not? We cannot just jump to a conclusion right now.
  
  The picture painted by Sri Sri devotees/teachers is too Godly and the picture painted by his critics is too devilish. But whatever the case to know the truth one would need to be more non judgmental and would need deeper research, that just jumping to conclusions.
  
  Reply
  - Geoff Duningham permalink
    
    November 18, 2011 9:15 am
    
    “The picture painted by Sri Sri devotees/teachers is too Godly and the picture painted by his critics is too devilish.”
    
    I couldn’t have said it better. Both extreme sides seem to be too sucked into their own “rightness.”
    
    Geoff.
monkey permalink

November 16, 2011 4:44 pm

“I have a friend who is an Art of Living teacher and according to her “Guruji” (as she calls Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) has a holy lineage that he is apart of, and not self taught as your website suggests. She has shown me a picture of this “Guru Parampara” with different saints and at the bottom is Sri Sri Ravi Shankara.”

@Geoff

The original Parampara picture of Mahesh Yogi and the derived one which shows Ravi Shankar was posted at https://aolfree.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/sri-sri-ravi-shankars-betrayal-of-anna-hazare-and-india/#comment-7529

####

Speaking of betrayal, I request readers to see the lnk below. In it we see maharishi mahesh yogi seated with his lineage behind him. We see MMY with hands folded before his guru brahmananda saraswati seated on the shankaracharya throne who inturn is shown seated below adi shankaracharya.The year is 2001.

http://www.tmbulletin.net/volume1/TMBulletinV1I06.htm

If you expand the picture below you will see that ravi shankar has removed MMY and has transposed hiimself there.This picture forms part of the guru puja kit that AOL sells to participants of the guru puja course.

Reply
- Geoff Duningham permalink
  
  November 18, 2011 9:32 am
  
  Hi Monkey,
  
  This is indeed the same picture that I have seen.
  
  As “Original Anonymous” stated above:
  1) “not all Gurus in the lineage are included in this Guru Parampara photo.”
  2) “The picture painted by Sri Sri devotees/teachers is too Godly and the picture painted by his critics is too devilish.”
  3) “to know the truth one would need to be more non judgmental and would need deeper research, that just jumping to conclusions.”
  
  By labeling the absence of these saints in the picture as “betrayal” is an example of the bias view of many on this site. I see the exact same bias “PRO” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar view from Art of Living followers on this site too.
  
  My post above was merely to point out this similarity of one-sided, bias propaganda between extreme Art of Living followers and supporters of this site.
  
  Geoff.
  
  Reply
  - stupidseeker permalink
    
    November 18, 2011 10:24 am
    
    @Dunningham
    
    Brahmananda Saraswati died in 1953 while Ravi Shankar was born in 1956. To tide over this problem in the physical world the AOL people put it out that ravi shankar is actually a reincarnation of Saraswati.
    If you look at the picture and compare it to the one with MMY in it you will notice that ravi shankar is not paying obeisance to saraswati unlike MMY who is clearly doing so.
  - stupidseeker permalink
    
    November 18, 2011 10:27 am
    
    @Dunningham
    
    But whats most astounding is the blatant lack of originality in the AOL guru parampara. Its almost that they didn’t care that anyone would notice. Nothing except for MMY has been changed else the original remains as it is.This from AOL which supposedly promotes “creativity”. LOL
  - Geoff Duningham permalink
    
    November 18, 2011 10:36 am
    
    Hi “stupidseeker”,
    
    Not having a living master is a widely accepted practice. Just ask millions of Christians around the world who their master is and they will refer you to a man that died close to 2000 years ago.
    
    As for how you are able to dissect, analyse and judge obeisance from those pictures is rather remarkable. I feel that your comment is marred by your disdain for the Art of Living.
    
    Regards,
    Geoff.
anonymous permalink

November 17, 2011 7:26 pm

Correct. Because Maharishi rejected SSRS when he struck out on his own to form his own money-making organization, Art of Living, Sri Sri has, it seems, decided to leave out the only Guru he ever knew in “his lineage”: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In case you don’t know, Geoff, dear, MMY referred to Sri Sri as “sugar-coated poison” to any and all in the TM group who went to see Sri Sri, and suggested that they not attend Art of Living. He also refused Sri Sri’s repeated attempts to contact him, refusing to take his calls. This was because he went outside of his tradition, betrayed his master, MMY, and started his own group to make money for his family. This is the simple truth. Look into it and you will know. Brahmananda Saraswati died long before Sri Sri was even born. He was never his master. The “tradition” Sri Sri claims is in his imagination. Anyone can claim anything they like, that they are buddies with the Prime Minister, or whatnot, but it doesn’t make it true.

Reply
- Geoff Duningham permalink
  
  November 18, 2011 10:42 am
  
  Hi “anonymous”,
  
  Unless you were there when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi made these statements, then it is purely conjecture. You are correct in saying that “Anyone can claim anything they like … but it doesn’t make it true.
  
  I hope that you at least recognise that you are no better (and no worse), than the extreme Art of Living followers who blindly believe whatever they are told.
  
  Geoff.
  
  Reply
  - Dayalu permalink
    
    November 18, 2011 10:31 pm
    
    If someone who is not Godly claims himself to be God and spends the bulk of his resources to establish that he is God, what should you make of it? Geoff, if you really have some journalistic intent, do some real research. Talk to people in the TM movement who were there with RS. Try to get some idea about what Mahirshi thought of him….. Also, go inside Art of Living organization (not as a devotee) and try to get a feel of things. Observe RS for sometime from outside the shoes of a devotee. Then come back and share your experience……. Right now, it appears you have no idea what you are talking about.
stupidseeker permalink

November 18, 2011 11:08 am

Geoff Duningham

A lineage can only come when the master, in the physical world appoints his successor.This is true in the case of Brahmananda Saraswati conferring discipleship on MMY. This is also true of MMY conferring discipleship on Ravi Shankar. This is untrue of Brahmananda Saraswati conferring discipleship on Ravi Shankar.
Even in the spiritual world claiming lineage, without it being conferred upon you,and by claiming reincarnation, doesn’t carry a great deal of currency.Brahmananda couldn’t have done so seeing as he passed away before ravi Shankar was born.If what ravi Shankar did is acceptable then we should likely brace ourselves for the time when after ravi shankar’s passing many people may start claiming to be his successors in the event he doesn’t appoint one.This is what happened after the passing of Paramahamsa Yogananda when two to three people started claiming successorship to his lineage.
Coming to the last part of your comment, if you have any knowledge at all about the hindu tradition, you would know that keeping your palms joined and your head bowed, in the direction of your deity constitutes showing obeisance.
Juxtaposing the posture of MMY and ravi Shankar decide who meets the criteria of the Hindu tradition to show obeisance.
And yes I have nothing but disdain for the man who had to declare his “enlightenment” to society in order to make people believe he was “enlightened”.

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Gone permalink

December 5, 2011 6:44 pm

Arvind varchasvi brags in many of his courses that he is a Harvard Returned student, where as in truth , he was even unable to clear the entrance exam which he wrote to join the National Law school in Bangalore.
Such a Lying Director, the Sumeru Group have!!!

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Anonymous permalink

April 17, 2012 10:21 am

Check out this page http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/inwinex-pharmaceuticals-ltd/infocompanymanagement/companyid-6568.cms clearly shows how arvind, narasimhan and digvijay have bought themselves into this pharma company

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valentine permalink

June 6, 2012 2:25 am

Sorry, but some of you people seem profoundly confused. Why apologize so? Trust your instinct. You knew, you know…Something is not right about AOL! Of course there is some good. That is how a cult works. But, this is a CULT. The basic nature of it is a LIE. It will deceive you. The above individual found it necessary to run on endlessly, and then apologize, about her (very valid) complaints.

The manipulation runs so deep, the individual has lost her ability to be sure of her mind. It shouldn’t be that hard! That joy you felt at belonging, was part of the ploy, the game, THE HUSTLE! You got served, you got played.

GET ANGRY! Demand JUSTICE! This organization is guilty of TAX FRAUD, misuse of public media, misleading gullible people, TAKING advantage of lonely people.

Stop apologizing for figureing it out! KNOW YOUR MIND. Be brave.

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