2013
Corboy: The material quoted below was written in 2009 and posted on the Guruphiliac forum site.
I am bold facing material that indicates coercion and disruption of critical thinking.
Golden boy bites Vivekananda and Yogananda to get famous
[guruphiliac.lefora.com]
(One comment from the Guruphiliac forum)
One person who posted as "grieving parent", wrote:
"He does not feel ashamed to exploit each and every spiritual guru, Ramakrishna, Sai Baba, any body , does not spare even the Buddhist meditation techniques. All just to cover people of every guru/faith, he usurps the true bhakti of the other great gurus/steals their ideas and good name and just to make money and get a "Divine" position.
One piece of advice to the still mesmerised group of innocent victims, just go to the Himalayas and attend his camp - u see how spirituality is annulled to create the maya that this sucker is the "Spiritual Guru""
"Money, money, money is all that matters (that too $, $, and $). He dares to command people (of course when u attend the camps) for 10% of gross income. He says "I have given u 30 days of my time, why don' t u give 3 days of ur time and volunteer here".
Whatever Jul 31 09 8:09 AM
Atman
Aug 15 09 1:55 PM
Hippie
werewolf wrote:
[nithy-myth-buster.blogspot.com]Quote
The complaint (Case no. EDCV13-363-JGB, filed on 27th Feb 2013 at the US District Court, Central District of California) has been filed by several ex-donors against Nithyananda, his secretaries and his organizations, allege that Nithyananda and his secretaries blatantly misrepresented Nithyananda as a Brahmachari, sanyasi living a simple life, and misrepresented the organizations as charitable institutions benefitting the society and extracted crores of rupees from them. But in reality Nithyananda’s intentions were to cheat the public, devotees and the US government by misusing his position as the leader of these organizations and charitable tax-exempt (501(c)) status of his organizations to privately benefit from it (refer pg 50 of complaint). The ex-donors have demanded the return of around $800,000 (around Rs. 4.5 crores) collected from them through fraud and deceit. However, the court could award 3 times that amount (almost Rs. 14 crores) as compensation, if the racketeering charges are confirmed in a trial.
Corboy: The material quoted below was written in 2009 and posted on the Guruphiliac forum site.
I am bold facing material that indicates coercion and disruption of critical thinking.
Golden boy bites Vivekananda and Yogananda to get famous
[guruphiliac.lefora.com]
(One comment from the Guruphiliac forum)
One person who posted as "grieving parent", wrote:
"He does not feel ashamed to exploit each and every spiritual guru, Ramakrishna, Sai Baba, any body , does not spare even the Buddhist meditation techniques. All just to cover people of every guru/faith, he usurps the true bhakti of the other great gurus/steals their ideas and good name and just to make money and get a "Divine" position.
One piece of advice to the still mesmerised group of innocent victims, just go to the Himalayas and attend his camp - u see how spirituality is annulled to create the maya that this sucker is the "Spiritual Guru""
"Money, money, money is all that matters (that too $, $, and $). He dares to command people (of course when u attend the camps) for 10% of gross income. He says "I have given u 30 days of my time, why don' t u give 3 days of ur time and volunteer here".
Whatever Jul 31 09 8:09 AM
Quote
Nithyananda is not who he claims to be.
He has great videos on youtube. His talks can be mesmerizing and convincing. He does exude energy - I have felt it strongly. He is incredibly intelligent and knows how to say the right things to people. I had fallen for him quite strongly after feeling his energy throughout my body with just his touch on my forehead. I fell head over heels in love with him as much as someone could fall in love and devotion to a guru. I found myself doing everything he was espousing. I even legally changed my name, even my passport and driver's license, etc. I ran at every chance to see him, to be near him. I thought of him every minute of the day. I prayed to him and held him above all else.
Inconsistencies between what is said publicly and done in private
But, there were too many little inconsistencies that I noticed. What he said in public and what he did in private were vastly different.
Doubt and critical thinking are discouraged
He does brainwash people - if we have any doubt in our minds about him or his movement, we are told to "drop the doubt[/b], drop the mind" lest we never reach enlightenment because of our "own fault" in not have "dropped our minds."
He knows how to manipulate each person - he is master of the way people's psychology is, the way people think and believe, our psyche.
Sleep Deprivation
Overwork/Exhaustion
He doesn't allow his ashramites to sleep - they get anywhere from no sleep to a few hours a day. He makes them work, work, work to the point of physical and mental exhaustion.
He only believes in propagating his name, and acquiring money - not true religion. Religion is only a front just for outward appearance. He actually disrepects Gods in private sessions saying bad derogatory comments about them.
Abuse and Humiliation
I've seen him belittle and berate his ashramites shamelessly - it is emotional torture and humiliation. He claims it is "for their own good" to help them "lose their ego" so that they become enlightened but this is just a bogus double-speak in order to ill treat them as he wishes. He is a very sick, sick man who is egotistical, interested in fame and fortune, enjoys torturing people in a number of ways-mental, physical, emotional, and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He doesn't mind stepping on people's toes, nay their heads, in order to get ahead. And everyone who is still in the movement are a bunch of stupid fools because they (most if not all) can see the signs but fail to acknowledge them and only believe his double-speak. They choose to stay in ignorance because they have fallen for his total crap words.
I urge those still in the movement to look past his words, and don't just believe what you see him do in public. He puts on a great humble and gracious act in public. See his actions in more private and intimate settings - this is a very dangerous man.
Trust your gut instinct.
Don't drop your mind - it's the only thing that is showing you the red flags to alert you to danger. Good luck to you and God Bless because now only the Real God can help you get out of this mess. I am thankful to the Real God for helping to show me the way out and save my life and my soul.
Atman
Quote
31 09 12:03 PM Oh my goodness, I never thought I would read an experience which parallels my own so closely. To the above poster, I am pretty sure we have met. You have hit the nail squarely on the head. I spent considerable time at the ashram myself. I didn't go quite as far as legally changing my name, but I know exactly what you mean about running to the ashram and thinking about Nithyananda constantly and obsessively, because we were so brainwashed. The contact high that Nithyananda gives creates addicts who chase him like a hit of heroin. I would spend countless hours just to disconnect myself from my responsibilities and to be in the so-called \"energy field\". I proselytized to friends and family and tried to convert them and do his programs. Fortunately, like you, I saw the real light before it was too late and I got sucked completely into the organization. I think there are still some devotees/ashramites who might see through the deceit and get out and save the shambles of their lives. I don't care what the argument is for the purported benefits of continuing to stay inside, but large organizations with an aggressive drive to expand and to bring in more and more devotees and money can never lead a genuine seeker to the truth. A drug like high is never a substitute for the wisdom borne of solitude, silence and quiet contemplation. I'd be happy to connect with you in private, if you would feel so inclined. You can trust that I am not planted by the organization (a fear that people who leave always have)."
Aug 15 09 1:55 PM
Hippie
[/quote]Quote
What is so confusing about Nithyananda's enchanting videos is that is a mix of truth and falsehood
werewolf wrote:
Quote
Aug 20 09 11:09 AM I have been looking for information on this guy for quite some time. I get a creepy feeling from his pictures and when I have watched his videos I am just disgusted by him. I am not now or have ever been involved with his cult, but my cousin is in hook, line a nd sinker. She is a very intelligent woman but was very vulnerable when she was first introduced to one of the recruiters of this cult. It quickly became an obsession that led to running to ashrams around the world, alienation from her family, quitting her job, divorce and selling her home etc etc. I am scared for her because she can't see the danger that she is in. What does this jerk do to his devotees when they run out of money to pay for his bullcrap? Kick them to the curb? (one can only hope) Leave the families to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives? I wish that someone would slap that \"stupid I've got you over a barrel, poo eating grin\" off his face. I truly hate to look at his picture because he just sickens me. Has anyone else got family or friends brainwashed by this guy and what does someone do to save their lives?[quote/]