She has been hounded by controversy ever since she won a power struggle with her brother, Swami Nityananda, which was well documented in this New Yorker article, for control over a wealthy sect of Western and modern Hindus known as “Siddha Yoga.”
She has ashrams, or places of worship, gathering and service in New York state, the San Francisco bay area and outside Mumbai, India, all of which profess to be serving humanity through Gurumayi’s direction and wisdom.
Many people have left this guru and claim she is nothing more than a cult leader who drains people of their time, money, energy and self-dignity. See more at Leaving Siddha Yoga.
Most humorous is the idea that many former members have claimed that Gurumayi confers the path to enlightenment to disciples through sex, in an initiation called shaktipat. While this is a Hindu tradition, Gurumayi has brought some Western ideas into what was originally an innocent and grace-filled gift from guru to student. This history of sexual abuse was supposedly initiated by Swami Muktananda, a famous Bhakti guru who passed away over 50 years ago.
Among the more famous followers of Gurumayi have been the actors William Hurt, Barbara Streisand and Melanie Griffith.
Definitely AVOID this one.
If a cult-of-personality is dependent upon widespread propaganda and deception, then, the problem with yoga is not just the teachers that fall susceptible to the lure of power. Rather, the problem is that people believe the lie that yoga is somehow categorically different than all other systems. The reason people believe this lie is because the charismatic leaders discourage critical thinking in favor of submission and acceptance, which is reinforced by the benefits that come from being in the good graces and high favor of the leader. Further, because the followers have raised the leaders to such a high position, thoughtlessness now permeates a community that could be vibrantly creative, a community that could significantly contribute to the world in general.” ~ Jennifer Richard
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Sex is one of the 4 fountains of human problems. Gurus are human. Know
wonder some of the Gurus have sexual problems; just like priests! The other
3 problems of ALL Humans is sleep, food, and self preservation.
Thanks for your comment, Joe. Sex is only a problem when it is misused - just like anything else.
Anybody who have charm, and want charming+cheerful heart...then is only option is GURUMAYI.....belv or not believe it is yur choice.. LOVE and LOVE--GURUMAYI.....2much love to GURUMAYI
GURUMAYI++CHIDViLANANDA is the only best and ofcourse too best Guru presently now ....LOVE - GURUMAYI
I see a lot of accusations but I see no actual facts or corroboration. Sad to see "journalism" if you can call this that descend to such depths
This website can not be what it claims to be. Gurumayi is a very true and pure Guru and I have followed her for 30 years. I have never experienced anything bad from her or her followers. Only love and grace and of course just my own ego problems coming up but that doesn’t have anything to do with her
Hmm....she would get no peace from me.....as sexy as she is. ...Malti stop all this resusting and give in...I dont want shaktipat or enlightenment.....I want u...all if u ...seriously u r a woman. .shaktipat..enlighment. Stop playing with me like i want ur heart thru ur umm . no other reason than u. ,.....be sweet surrender......seriously Matli stop playing with me l.u have sex fir shaktipat or initiation...thats us not what sex us fir ...just one time let me have u...i want you for u..all of u...u would have sex wuth someone ti give shaktipat...have mercy on please ....thats all wrong reasons...meet me in dallas ill get a room...i want only Malti...tve sexy little u see in these picture.i see u and im hard for hours .. .,give me that...817 770 2897 .
This article is full of errors. Even a simple fact check of the death of Muktananda would help; or that Gurumayi is a western woman, give me a break. She was born and raised in India. You don't feel like a reliable narrator to me. Your understanding of shaktipat and kundalini yoga is pitiful. I am not saying that Siddha Yoga is without flaw, but I practiced it for 15 years, received shaktipat (without sex!) and profound and transformative teaching, I did not give Gurumayi all my money, nor did I try to be in the "Inner circle." Certainly Siddha Yoga has the challenges of all guru based teachings and its power dynamics and ego needs, but your lack of even rudimentary accuracy makes this article next to useless.
The first sentence of the article says, "Gurumayi is a Western woman of Indian decent..." It seems you have trouble reading.
Dear Barbara,
This entire website is next to useless. Gururatings is almost entirely a sham website created by students of Marshall Vian Summers, and as a result, cares only about secretly promoting him above all others.
Gururatings doesn't care about objective analysis of gurus. Only to prove the superiority of their own.
This post has since been censored and scrubbed. Gururatings now trying to hide the truth of their secret affiliations.
These guys are losers and even with their pants down can't admit being liars and deceivers. Engaging in such behavior, how do they expect to battle the alien intervention? By using the same tactics to manipulate peoples consciousness secretly?
My work here is done, I know you see all my posts. and deep down you know i'm right. It's pathetic you continue this deception in the public eye. Wrong doesn't make a right, no matter what your lofty end goals are.
Well, how about you read Caldwell's article? https://platformsutras.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/The_Heart_of_the_Secret_A_Personal_and_S.pdf
Eventhough published in 2001, it still seems to be relevant for ignorant brainwashed Gurumayi junkies.
Agreed!
The above by Barbara was exactly my experience and I would like to say thanks for simply calling out the truth of this article.
Gurumayi is a very conservative Hindu woman and this article is completely ignorant. Swami Muktananda has passed on and Nobody knows where Guru Mayi is at .
Do you know where she is at?
what a joke lol
Yes, Dee, Gurumayi is a total joke, if it weren't for the thousdands of lives she has ruined and drained.
Let's not forget all the rape and violence she enabled and encouraged! Truly an evil woman. All too human -- phony guru faker.
I personally knew the young girls & women abused by Muktananda. I lived in one of the dorms above Baba’s house. I was so blinded by my devotion & denial. I was not sexually abused by Baba.
After years of doing Seva in & out of SYDA the Light of Truth awakened within. In my youth I gave up my family & everything out of blind devotion to Baba & Gurumayi.
I was in GSP when Baba died & when Gurumayi abused her Brother Gurudev Nityananda.
I was involved in Siddha Yoga since 1975. I was good friends with Hola & I feel Gurumayi’s horrible treatment
of Hola, a Chiropractor/Healer, led to her early death. Hola did die in a room next to Gurumayi’s apartment.
Gurumayi lied about that too.
Gurumayi has covered up Muktananda’s sexual abuse of minors & that of George Afif her personal partner.
I could write volumes & may write a book about what I witnessed.
In 1992 I was in South Fallsburg doing hours of Seva every day.
I was still so devoted. At the time Gurumayi was marrying many couples & encouraging devotees to have families.
I was in love with a women & had always been honest over the years about being Gay. There were always many wealthy Gay people around.
I asked Gurumayi if my partner could join me in South Fallsburg & also be on staff. My partner was a well qualified experienced photographer & I thought her skills could be utilized.
I wrote a letter to Gurumayi of my request & asked Panna Hamilton( Gurumayi’s personal assistant) to give my letter to Gurumayi. Panna read the letter as we sat in the main building dining room. She proceeded to scream at me, after the shock of her words passed, I told Panna to give my letter.
The next day while sitting in my room our phone rang.
“ Gurumayi read your letter & said you should leave the Ashram as soon as you can pack.”
I was shocked but realized the rumors of Homophobia in Siddha Yoga were true. Unless a Gay person was very wealthy they were not welcomed.
My eyes continued to be opened. I moved back to Oklahoma, got a college degree, worked as a Horticulturist at OKC Zoo.
I kept in contact with Gurumayi & continued my practice of Monthly Dakshina.
I wrote a letter to Gurumayi about a humorous story of a conversation I had with Devayani, Nityananda’s personal assistant while living at GSP Ashram.
I get a phone call from an old timer I worked with in the GSP garden Nursery. I was so thrilled to speak with her.
She said they wanted me to share my stories about Baba on the SYDA Shakti Punja project. I did think that odd since my knowledge & experience in around Baba & Gurumayi witnessed many abuses.
The person told me before I sent my stories she was sending me a Form to sign.
I received the form a carefully read the words written by SYDA attorney’s. The form was a non-disclosure agreement stating that anything I shared could never be repeated by me to anyone ever!!!
I called the Dakshina office & stopped my monthly offering.
I was in litigation for a work related injury that Gurumayi knew about. She was aware a monetary Legal settlement for my injury was forthcoming.
After ceasing my Dakshina offering I get a call from Panna/Gurumayi was on the call.
Gurumayi did mention I had experienced a lot during my years( including being blamed & degraded by Gurumayi after the Death of Baba’s Dog Madhu)
On the call Gurumayi inquired about my monetary settlement. Due to my injury I lost my job & was deemed 100% disabled.
The last thing Gurumayi said to me was “ I suppose you need the settlement money.” I said yes, I will lose my home & everything without it.
I never signed the famous “Non-disclosure agreement.” I never heard back from Panna or Gurumayi after they realized no money from me.
After all the years of denials & blind devotion to SYDA, Baba, Gurumayi was over. Thank God!!!
I still know some of the women sexually abused by Muktananda.
I feel the individuals who revealed the truths of this horrible abuse of power by these false Guru’s are True Heroes!!!
I pray the truth of SYDA today will awaken those devotees who continue to be blinded by devotion to know the Truth.
I believe in the Laws of Karma & Gurumayi or SYDA will face the music someday.
Maybe the IRS will investigate the tax exempt status of the SYDA Foundation.
Maybe our new President/ Vice President Biden Harris should be made aware of this.
I’m only writing these words for the Benefit of Truth. I am aware many will never believe Gurumayi is a false Guru. I know from what I saw, what I heard, being involved In Siddha Yoga since 1975 the many stories shared by many of the Abuses are True!!!!
My only hope of writing these words is that it may help at least one person to see that Gurumayi is a False Guru & Siddha Yoga is a Cult.
You don’t need Gurumayi or Siddha Yoga to find God in your own heart.
Thank you for your courage to speak out, Teri.
Dear Ravi,
The case mentioned in my story was a on the job injury not in the Ashram, after Gurumayi asked me to leave the Ashram for being gay.
I was able to retain a Excellent
Ok. Workers Comp Attorney that did the hard work.
However, while living @ GSP during Monsoon many years ago ,I had a injury caused by scrubbing mold/algae from the upper garden sidewalks.
My right knee swelled up so bad I could barely walk.
Swami Aporvananda was at GSP, he was a MD before taking Sanyasi.
He performed a deep knee aspiration with a needle into my right knee & withdrew almost a 1/2 cup of fluid.
It was one of the most painful experiences of my life. I know he meant well but probably caused damage.
After returning to US I had 2 surgeries done on my right knee to repair the GSP injury.
Unfortunately I was unaware of my rights to sue SYDA for the injury. At the time I was still “ Devoted to the Guru” & did not pursue a legal claim.
I know SYDA has many Attorneys & I don’t Know current W/C laws of New York.
I would advise you to retain a well established Workers Comp Attorney from a Firm willing to help you.
Most Attorneys will talk with you before signing a contract,
It is very important to keep & save any & all medical records.
I hope you reported your injury to HR @ SYDA or a supervisor you worked with. Give any of this info to your Attorney.
Good luck, get a good Attorney.
Hope you heal from your injury & find financial, medical support from the Ashram.
I wouldn’t communicate further with anyone @SYDA about your claim. Retain a Attorney & they will do the necessary communication.
Blessings to you & I pray you find physical & financial relief.
So courageous to speak out, Teri! I am still terrified of Siddha. I would never want them to be able to target me. They are mafia-esque. I lose sleep at night fearing that they will track me down somehow.
I hope their power is diminishing. It would be a real sign of healing for the world to see the ashrams close. The entire organization is predicated on sexual predation mixed with psychological and physical violence.
For the people who say their experience of Siddha was perfect and pure -- well, lucky you. Many others just got demoralized, bilked, molested, and raped. Dangerous cult!
Oh, and the notorious homophobia? Vile. But then, heterosexual creeps do love to project their own sexual creepiness into undeserving LGBTQ people. Meanwhile Baba binges on underage girls and Gurumayi sneaks around with George? Gross. But, yeah, sure, queer people are the problem with sex. [rolls eyes]
Bravo and brava and bravx to all the survivors and escapees! And may those still caught in this goofy yet toxic ideology find freedom, soon.
Thank you Teri.I wonder why the thousands of people who were used,abused,exploited,played,dissed,abused and deeply harmed,maimed or worse haven't got together in a class action law suit.I also wonder why she hasn't been "taken out" by one of the thousands that were chewed up and spit out by her.My little sister was (and may still be) in the inner circle. Malti scapegoated,smear campaigned and gang stalked her brother so she could own the whole circus herself.Then she let him off the hook and turned her venom spewing and ball busting to Kimi's brother David.I was conned into medications one year after puberty at age 15,and used in MK ultra mind control experiments.I would go into a sleep walking type of trance on occasion (when I was beamed or ?) and do some crazy and twisted things.I was scapegoated,smear campaigned and gang stalked by 3 wounded/unhealed raging women.My mother and her gang,Kimi and her gang,and Malti and her gang.This torture and torment went on for decades! I spent 3.5 years in3 ashrams (India,Fallsburg,and Makiki Hawaii.I worked hard and well and sacrificed massage school to do intensive Guru slave ah.While medicated and less conscious,with less holistic intelligence I got injured at 2 of the ashrams.These injuries are broken neck,broken ribs,slashed and concussion to my head,major knee injury,and herniated lower back disc.I was gang stalked for decades by 3 wounded unhealed cowardice persecuting women for a stupid event that happened while medicated and in a strange sleep walking trance state triggered by frequency(beamed).I read most of Muktananda's books and remember that he was abused by his mother.He must have not healed and passed on abuse to Malti,and she,unhealed passed it on to her brother for a short time and then to me for decades.There are 3 insightful video's by a brilliant researcher that will help the people who are involved in this circus,and those that were chewed up and spit out.Mark Passio=(1)Neo feminism and the Satanic agenda(2)New age bullshit(3)Fake ass Christians.Heal well !
Ok David !!
Seriously anti woman!!
Yes I am sorry for the trauma you endured and I want you to feel deep healing and love. What does forgiveness feel like?