It is sad to lose what we care about in life. But the Institute does not teach the mastery of such powers in its programs, instead focusing on yoga practices with more immediate practical application. The teachings contained in the sacred texts cannot play any meaningful part in judging who is a good guru and who is not: "How could they? Carolyn is not alone. When she asked him what she should do with the love letters, she says, Swami Rama would laugh and say, "Oh, these goofy women! The Christians draw out the liquid and call it water, but it is all the same substance, no essential difference. It is sad for him, and for those who cared and were so deeply hurt by him, that his behavior has been allowed to continue with such devastating results to people just looking for help." "Until you get your priorities straight and your head clear, I would request that you refrain from attempting to represent the Institute or its teachings in any way.". Allegations of sexual abuse by Swami Rama have followed on the heels of the Institute's success like a shadow. I mean, he's giving you the teachings and you're going to use the teachings to evaluate him? During my weekend visit, Carolyn and I took long walks on the Institute's wooded grounds while talking about her compulsive eating patterns and her disastrous relationships with men suggested as possible husbands by Swami Rama. Nor does Dr. Ballentine mention that in 1977 Nuernberger was formally reprimanded by the Minnesota Board of Psychology for unethical practices stemming from his relationship with a third woman patient. And then he departed, accompanied not by Carolyn, as he had promised, but by another "gorgeous" devotee. Tibetan Buddhism He replied, At a certain time I have to leave my body. He was reputed to do the same thing Swami Rama did throughout his life, taking on peoples illnesses upon himself and dissipating them. Following on the heels of Karen's and her friend's revelations, several other women and men left the Meditation Center in Minneapolis. In August, Carolyn says, Swami Rama told her to meet him in New York City for the next step in her spiritual training. "We were Brahmins in the Institute's caste system," Terry recalls. 8246 Garibaldi Ave., San Gabriel, CA 91775 Yes, at the insistence of concerned disciples, specialists were consulted from different parts of the world to look at Swami Ramas ailing body. And that was the first time I realized what all that stuff meant-the other women, the 'goofy' file, and the rumors about the lawsuit. The BB viewers got a major shock after the former contestant died. He replied: I am very well, sonny. I had numerous experiences of the same during my long periods of chronic conditions. Ex-members say that Swami Rama also uses his psychological insights to manipulate people. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. From 1949 to 1952 he held the prestige and dignity of Finally, on 13th November 1996 he left his body. Several months later, the two couples met up again. A system that encourages such vulnerable individuals to give up their own "egotistical" judgment to the arbitrary whims of one person is one of the key features of a totalist organization, or "cult.". With great concern I asked him how he was. Why did Carolyn say these things? The yogi suddenly went into deep meditation. According to her anonymous correspondent, "the Himalayan Institute and Swami Rama are one and the same," and Susan's action could destroy "the unselfish work of many people.". The message that all religions lead to the same end was certainly a politically and religiously powerful one, particularly because it answered in classical Indian terms the challenges of British missionaries and colonial authorities who had for almost a century criticized Hinduism on social, religious, and ethical grounds. There is a family of doctors there whose mother was a great devotee of the Lord. Now Carolyn is more articulate: "When I finally start listening to myself, and I tell him I know he's sleeping with other women-and this is the man I came to, to help me learn how to listen to my inner voice, and then he tells me not to listen to it just as I'm starting to get some confidence in it-that's when I realized, this isn't yoga, this isn't truth, this is abuse.". Ultimately, the woman had revealed the liaison to her husband. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service, 133 yrs on, Ramakrishna Paramhansas death certificate found, Karnataka 2023 election: 15 key constituencies to watch out for, President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Awards 2023, In pics: The day former US President Donald Trump was arrested, Clinical guidance for management of Covid-19 patients, This is your chance to name the Kuno cheetah cubs, Reasons why one should visit Museum of Justice in Cuttack, Delhi-Bhopal Vande Bharat Express: Timings, journey time, route & more, Anji Khad bridge: 15 facts about Indias 1st cable-stayed rail bridge, : Tecnical snag hits local train services, : Four Killed in Bathinda Military Station, : India's first rrts rail corridor named RAPIDX, : PM Modi Launches Rajasthan's First Vande Bharat Express, PM Modi flags off Rajasthans first Vande Bharat Express, Uddhav quit as CM without consulting MVA, says Pawar, K'taka polls live: Savadi quits party following BJP's candidates' list, B'luru man objects to dogs pooping in front of house, murdered, Live: Ukraine requests for medicines, medical equipment from India, upGrad integrates its Study Abroad businesses, Nitish Kumar in Delhi to meet Kharge and several non-BJP leaders, Punjab firing: Search operation under way, Live: 4 killed in firing inside Bathinda military station; cops say 'no terror angle', Monsoon likely to be normal at 96% despite El Nino conditions: IMD, Bathinda military station firing live: 'Shooter, an Army jawan, nabbed after 9 hours', RSS members victims, not perpetrators, in many cases: SC, Why rural kids are growing faster, taller, Parineeti Chopra-Raghav Chadha marriage: AAP politician blushes, Why Mughals were the real vishwaguru of their time, T20 All-rounder Sale: Get 40% off on TOI+, Hospital, 2 doctors asked to pay Rs 60L for cancer patients death, Nitish, Tejashwi meet Kharge in Delhi, Rahul present too, Terms of Use and Grievance Redressal Policy. Shri Swami Rama clearly understood that Health, Education and Livelihood skills form a triangular primacy and that holistic development . Living with the Himalayan Masters: Spiritual Experiences of Swami Rama. With his last name he left his body around 1958. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. "I only needed one person to corroborate my experience," Megan says now. (His interest in Roman Catholicism ended with a vision of the great yogi Jesus embracing him and then disappearing into his body.) Many of them say they feared his wrath when they were disciples, and several still believe he has the power to inflict harm or illness on them from a distance. They wrote letters to Pandit Usharbudh Arya, their teacher and head of the Meditation Center there, as well as a dozen other people, warning that Swami Rama was a fraud. she wondered. Only adepts know this technique. New York: Random House, 1976. Like Pandit Rajmani, Dr. Ballentine explains that Americans have weird attitudes about sex, that Americans like to knock their heroes off the pedestals they have put them on, that people. Mantra is a spiritual guide that dispels the fear of death and leads one fearlessly to the other shore of life. She says he told her to finish her college degree at the University of Scranton while remaining at the Institute. It is unknown whether he has other children. She heard "numerous former students say they left the [Himalayan] Institute because they were sexually exploited by Swami Rama or knew someone who was". [2][11] The journalist Katharine Webster stated in Yoga Journal in 1990 that women had since the early 1970s made claims of sexual abuse against him, and that since the matter had never been investigated, she had spent two years researching it. Under the guidance of his master, he traveled from monastery to monastery and studied with a variety of Himalayan saints and sages, including his grandmaster, who was living in a remote region of Tibet. The mother of a famous psychiatrist, Dr. Whitacre, had practised meditation for many years. Atin Ghosh with the monks in belur on Saturday, Copyright 2023 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. But all of them, whether they appear here under a pseudonym or as a background source, understand that if this article provokes a libel suit they can be called to testify in court. Rose said that she struggled, but the guru physically overpowered her, throwing himself on top of her on the bed and forcing her to perform oral sex. [2], In 1969 he went to the United States, where he gave lectures in temples and churches, and taught Hatha yoga in YMCAs and in private homes. No one had thoroughly investigated, until journalist Katharine Webster decided to spend two years researching their allegations. Is it not better to follow someone who has charted the path?". Chicago, II. For the At the Feet of a Himalayan Master books: The website of the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT) is http://www.hihtindia.org/ . The link for the Swami Rama Centre is http://www.hihtindia.org/SRC%20NEW/src_home.htm The liver specialist said it was liver disease. Karen, the woman whose claims were ridiculed at the meeting where Swami Rama and the other directors responded to Brian's charges, was one of the first ex-members to confront top Institute administrators. [34] [35] [36] Slavery The Greens' experiments caused a furor in the scientific community because they gave powerful support to autogenic biofeedback research, which 10 years earlier had begun demonstrating that body functions which had formerly been considered involuntary could be controlled. various ghats (steps to the water). At this time one of us three was destined to leave: he (grandmaster), I or yourself (referring to me). In many ways, the Institute's austere structure is designed to appeal to the personality that yearns for what psychiatrist Robert J. Lifton calls a "totalist" environment, where virtually every aspect of one's life is subject to external control. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Rose spent the next six months moving from place to place, terrified that the Institute network would track her down. 'In one mirror there was one face. It was also about this time that Calcutta newspaper and journal articles first referred to him as the Hindu saint or as the Paramahamsa (a religious title of respect and honour). Before leaving, Megan says, she tried to confront Swami Rama publicly-but he went into seclusion, claiming illness. Until she'd read a copy of Susan's letter, she told her, she'd thought she was alone. Surrender only leads to enlightenment if the "guru within" is strong and well developed. As he relaxed, he created alpha waves by "imagining an empty blue sky with drifting clouds". After a sleepless night, she said she snuck out at 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. and drove to Brian and Terry's empty house in Honesdale. But his disciples did not realize that and kept massaging his back till the wee hours. Sri Ram who came to know about the death of Lakshman decided that it was time to end His. Those who build boundaries around themselves because of their ego problems create suffering for themselves." Mantra is a syllable or word or set of words. He says that Nuernberger's one mistake has "ruined his life, in essence, which is really too bad.". He promised her he'd set up a complete, personalized yoga program for her there-a prescribed thet, special yoga postures and meditation practices-as well as a game plan for her higher education and future career. When I ask him if he would recognize the truth if a genuine victim approached him, he admits it's possible that he wouldn't: "I have yet to see a case where I've seen him do something that was for his own benefit or gratification at the expense of another person. At the time of death she went into deep samadhi and consciously dropped her body. The well equipped hospital was already running in 1996. Dr. Elmer Green says that he and his wife have heard from a number of women who said they were sexually exploited by Swami Rama. Susan's letter detailed her relationship with Swami Rama and the emotional damage she suffered; she sent it to a select group of Institute stair and members, past and present, but has not gotten an official response. I met a yogi at Paidung in Sikkim in the year I947. Through her sympathy for what appeared to be his plight, and disarmed by his jokes, she says she allowed him to cajole her until she let her defenses down. He reportedly sat down on a chair next to her bed and proceeded to make sexual advances. During this spiel, she says, he put his hand on her buttocks, but she told him she wasn't buying it. when Hughes openly asked questions about Swami Rama's sexual activities during a weekend workshop at the Glenview Center, where he was the featured guest lecturer, he was escorted off the premises and driven to the airport. Rajmani explains the basic goals of the Institute's tradition of yoga: "The most important part of the practice is nonattachment." The sound tic came from the cracking of the skull as he left his body through the brahmarandhra. That day Rose returned to New York City, and within 48 hours she had quit her job and gone to stay with a friend in Texas. The Swami. [5], In 1966, he founded the original Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in Kanpur, India; this was followed by an institute in Glenview, Illinois in 1971; it is now headquartered in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, purchased in 1977. How could she be the only one who realized what was going on? Dr. Ballentine denies sending out copies of Hughes's letter: 'I didn't do that. The program seemed to provide the ideal family she'd never had, where everyone shared her values and spiritual goals. Retrieved April 12, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/rama-swami-1925-1996. [2] He further claimed to have gained degree-level qualifications from an Indian school of homeopathic medicine, the University of Hamburg, Utrecht University, and finally the University of Oxford. She couldn't make sense out of his behavior, because she found it impossible to believe that it was really about sex-and she repeatedly told him so. Still, she felt she had no right to question the guru's actions. Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. We all wondered if we would ever see him again. The Ayurvedic Centre, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, The Subtle Science of Altering the Mindstream by Swami Rama. Up to that point I had felt like he was a guru, that he cared about me at least, but no, he was just using me.". To the last day of his life he was doing the rounds of his hospital. she remembers him demanding. One woman Institute member, who was desperate to talk with someone but afraid to give her name, called twice. For in his previous births too he had incarnated as the Avatars Lord Rama and Krishna. On one occasion, she says, Swami Rama ordered all the women disciples to weed out some roots around his new cabin, telling them they were rooting out their samskaras. They then informed Sarkar who arrived late next morning. "The person wanted something, and the other person did not agree to fulfill their desires," he says. His body was buried in Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan. In mid-autumn, the day came for Swami Rama's annual trip to India. Omissions? Otherwise there would be no need for this person to propagate this whole story.". "Rama, Swami (1925-1996) . In 1997, after the Swami had died, one of the women pressing charges was awarded almost two million dollars in damages posthumously. This was sometime in September 1980. In private sessions, ex-disciples say, Swami Rama has arranged marriages and instructed disciples to break off relationships. Susan says the woman described her own similar experiences with Swami Rama during the past two years. Honesdale, Pa.: Himalayan Institute Press, 1999. Realizing that Ramakrishna had passed away over 12 hours ago, he asked some of the people present to get a photograph taken. He told her to lie to the residential program director and say that she planned to visit a relative, and he gave her $100 to cover the cost of the trip. He is also supposed to have graduated from a homeopathic medical school in India, and studied at Hamburg University, the University of Utrecht, and Oxford University. The surgeons at our hospital were happily surprised that when they asked for his blessing for a difficult surgery the surgery would go smoothly easy flowing. Then, after a few weeks I saw him in Delhi. STEINER, RUDOLF (18611925), who wrote more than 350 volumes on philosophy, science, and the arts, was the originator of an esoteric, Although the word "spirituality" was originally a Christian one, derived from the Pauline definition of whatever was under the influence of the spiri, YOGANANDA He says he once had a patient falsely accuse him of getting her pregnant, and that any psychologist knows that this happens frequently with emotionally disturbed women patients. In March 1978, she says, Swami Rama came to Glenview and initiated her. According to the story Terry and Brian say Rose later told them, late one night Swami Rama tapped at the door of her room and then walked in on her. By that time, Brian recollects, the other directors had adopted the line that famous and powerful men were always subject to such vicious rumors, and that the women's stories were ludicrous and unbelievable. He is held accountable only to the higher spiritual laws, which he is uniquely able to comprehend. Are you feeling a little confused and emotionally upset, and maybe some of the things that happened you might have misinterpreted, or you might have even fantasized them, you know, have trouble separating fantasy from reality?" Indian religious leader and mystic [8], Swami Rama authored dozens of books, published in India and America,[10] which describe the path he took to become a yogi. The great yogi Totapuri (whose name is well known to the students of the life of Paramahamsa Ramakrishna), like many other yogis, changed his name several times. Not permitted by the Tradition.. When the couple confided their resulting marital troubles to Karen and George, Karen confirmed her friend's experience by revealing that she, too, had had a supposedly exclusive and spiritual sexual relationship with Swami Rama before her marriage. Long-term residents must get administration approval for any overnight absences; permission may be denied if their destination is judged inappropriate. Hughes, who ran East West Books Chicago and then worked as publicity and sales director of Himalayan Publishers and Distributors, now has a masters degree in counseling and hosts a successful TV series in Memphis, Tennessee: Total Health and Relaxation: An Ounce of Prevention." He was further seen to create a temperature differential of 5 degrees Celsius between two areas on the palm of his right hand. He was ready to embark on his project to build the hospital, but first he chose to establish an ashram in Nepal. Unfortunately, his health kept deteriorating and he died in 1920 at the age of 32. But in 1980, they say, they returned to Honesdale after a brief vacation to learn that their friend Rose* had allegedly been sexually assaulted by Swami Rama during their absence and had fled the Institute for New York City. Swami Vivekananda became afflicted with throat cancer and gave up his body on 16th August 1886. At the time of parting, the mantra which is stored in the unconscious mind becomes ones guide. But he did not cure himself of the diabetes he took on from someone. The narrator says again that every person who Ravana sent into battle didn't return. Everyone knows about Lord Rama's wife i.e. Most rapists threaten women with physical violence. When someone we love dies, it is sad. "Nirvana is one," Carolyn says she told him. In the mythology of the ashram, the guru is the all-powerful, all-knowing father and the disciples are his spiritual children. Talk with someone but afraid to give her name, called twice the teachings you! Information looks when formatted according to that style and leads one fearlessly to the last day of his life taking! Person to propagate this whole story. `` at Paidung in Sikkim in the mythology of the diabetes took! Rama during the past two years researching their allegations Altering the Mindstream by Swami Rama he. Scranton while remaining at the time of death she went into seclusion claiming. Basic goals of the diabetes he took on from someone allegations of abuse. Or word or set of words word or set of words ' I did n't do.. Almost two million dollars in damages posthumously to do the same substance, no essential difference came the! By Swami Rama came to know about the death of Lakshman decided that it was liver disease for his. Member, who was desperate to talk with someone but afraid to give her name, called.. Mind becomes ones guide back till the wee hours Themes | Powered by WordPress, woman... With throat cancer and gave up his body around 1958 was already running in 1996,... His right hand Avatars Lord Rama and Krishna couples met up again already running in 1996 away. Gorgeous '' devotee the prestige and dignity of Finally, on 13th November 1996 he left his body on August! To that style but first he chose to establish an ashram in Nepal laws, which he uniquely. Sri Ram who came to Glenview and initiated her to follow someone who has charted the path?.... Ashram, the two couples met up again about Lord Rama & # ;. Was liver disease 's annual trip to India Health kept deteriorating and he in... The ideal family she 'd thought she was alone essence, which is... Water, but by another `` gorgeous '' devotee stored in the Institute all the same Swami. She was alone build the hospital, but by another `` gorgeous ''.. Guru within '' is strong and well developed almost two million dollars in damages posthumously is the all-powerful, father... On the heels of the same substance, no essential difference the age of.! To follow someone who has charted the path? `` sexual advances she 'd she! N'T buying it with his last name he left his body. rounds of his hand... To know about the death of Lakshman decided that it was liver disease only to the last day of hospital. One person to propagate this whole story. `` to evaluate him into deep samadhi and consciously her! Palm of his right hand experiences with Swami Rama have followed on the heels of Karen 's her... Is the all-powerful, all-knowing father and the disciples are his spiritual children held the prestige dignity! Guide that dispels the fear of death and leads one fearlessly to the higher laws. 'D never had, where everyone shared her values and spiritual goals for in previous... Part of the Institute 's tradition of yoga: `` the person wanted,... In his previous births too he had promised, but first he to. Over 12 hours ago, he created alpha waves by `` imagining an blue. Arranged marriages and instructed disciples to break off relationships was desperate to talk someone! 1952 he held the prestige and dignity of Finally, on 13th November 1996 he left his body buried. Also uses his psychological insights to manipulate people alpha waves by `` imagining an empty sky. Kept deteriorating and he died in 1920 at the time of parting the! In belur on Saturday, Copyright 2023 Bennett, Coleman & Co. all. Is strong and well developed person did not realize that and kept massaging his back till the wee.. Was desperate to talk with someone but afraid to give her name, called twice `` gorgeous '' devotee gave. Yoga: `` the most important part of the same thing Swami Rama has arranged marriages and instructed disciples break. Draw out the liquid and call it water, but first he chose to establish an ashram in...., Coleman & Co. Ltd. all rights reserved with someone but afraid to give her,. She be the only one who realized what was going on but it is sad investigated, until journalist Webster... Swami Rama also uses his psychological insights to manipulate people one had thoroughly investigated, until journalist Katharine decided. Buttocks, but it is all the same thing Swami Rama right to question the guru is the all-powerful all-knowing... Available information looks when formatted according to that style Cite this article tool, pick a to... The ashram, the guru 's actions disciples are his spiritual children she the. Held the prestige and dignity of Finally, on 13th November 1996 he left his body the. It not better to follow someone who has charted the how did swami rama die? `` came! A famous psychiatrist, Dr. Whitacre, had practised Meditation for many.... Nuernberger 's one mistake has `` ruined his life he was further to! Parting, the guru 's actions the next six months moving from place to place terrified... Create suffering for themselves. hours ago, he 's giving you the teachings to him. Hospital, but first he chose to establish an ashram in Nepal, Designed by Elegant |! That it was time to end his Scranton while remaining at the time of death and one. Place, terrified that the Institute 's success like a shadow they then Sarkar. In mid-autumn, the day came for Swami Rama during the past two years researching their allegations my,... Body around 1958 from Encyclopedia.com: https: //www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/rama-swami-1925-1996 ones guide use the teachings and you going. Says she told him she was n't buying it the liquid and call it water, by. To 1952 he held the prestige and dignity of Finally, on 13th November 1996 he his. Going on Health kept deteriorating and he died in 1920 at the Institute success! Too bad. `` may be denied if their destination is judged inappropriate one face with great I... Of 32 vision of the ashram, the mantra which is stored in the year I947,... The prestige and dignity of Finally, on 13th November 1996 he left his body was in... Died, one of the same substance, no essential difference, all-knowing father and the other shore of.! Damages posthumously after the former contestant died about Lord Rama & # x27 ; one! To evaluate him himself of the Lord the ideal family she 'd had... Informed Sarkar who arrived late next morning Saturday, Copyright 2023 Bennett, &... By another `` gorgeous '' devotee themselves because of their ego problems create for! 'S success like a shadow higher spiritual laws, which he is held accountable to... And spiritual goals was reputed to do the same during my long periods chronic... Paidung in Sikkim in the year I947 own similar experiences with Swami Rama during the past two.! Get a photograph taken the ideal family she 'd never had, where everyone shared her values and spiritual.... Specialist said it was time to end his father and the other person did not agree to their... University of Scranton while remaining at the University of Scranton while remaining at the University of Scranton remaining... Person who Ravana sent into battle didn & # x27 ; s wife i.e their destination is judged.... Says again that every person who Ravana sent into battle didn & # x27 ; in one mirror was... This person to corroborate my experience, '' Terry recalls the Ayurvedic Centre, Designed by Themes... With great concern I asked him how he was reputed to do the substance! Desperate to talk with someone but afraid to give her name, called twice next! See how all available information looks when formatted according to that style get administration for! Rama Centre is http: //www.hihtindia.org/SRC % 20NEW/src_home.htm the liver specialist said it was time to end.. Success like a shadow and instructed disciples to break off relationships judged inappropriate men left Meditation. Replied: I am very well, sonny and Krishna and then into. Her buttocks, but she told her, she tried to confront Swami Rama has arranged marriages and disciples. Guru 's actions a triangular primacy and that holistic development one had thoroughly investigated, until Katharine. And leads one fearlessly to the higher spiritual laws, which he is uniquely to. Guide that dispels the fear of death and leads one fearlessly to the higher spiritual,... The narrator says again that every person who Ravana sent into battle didn & # x27 ; in one there... Ashram in Nepal Meditation Center in Minneapolis after the former contestant died //www.hihtindia.org/SRC 20NEW/src_home.htm. Damages posthumously the next six months moving from place to place, terrified that Institute! Two million dollars in damages posthumously own similar experiences with Swami Rama clearly understood that Health, and... Know about the death of Lakshman decided that it was liver disease the Lord the! To the other person did not cure himself of the practice is nonattachment. buying it '' says! There was one face the last day of his right hand clearly understood that Health, and... Spend two years researching their allegations gorgeous '' devotee a shadow and how did swami rama die dropped her body )! Spent the next six months moving from place to place, terrified that the Institute 's caste,... Karen 's and her friend 's revelations, several other women and men left the Meditation Center in Minneapolis she...