Beliefs

Main articles: Kundalini and chakra

This non-profit organization claims to offer an experience by which individuals can spontaneously become aware of their subtle system through which they become one with (union) the all pervading power.

Sahaja Yoga holds that Kundalini is an

Sahaja Yoga sees Self Realisation as the realisation that we are more than our body, mind or emotions, but the spirit within, due to the awakening of the Kundalini.

Sahaja Yoga, echoing some other Hindu systems, sees the body as composed of two bodies:

• The outer visible 'physical' body
• Inner invisible known as the 'subtle system'

Sahaja Yoga in medicine

There are case studies in which practitioners Sahaja Yoga methods were tested in attempts to overcome diseases such as ADHD , asthma , and epilepsy. In at least one of the cited studies, results were inconclusive: the asthma study found "Sahaja Yoga does have limited beneficial effects on some objective and subjective measures of the impact of asthma", but it also says that "There were no significant differences between the two groups at the 2 month follow up assessment."

Criticism

See also: Nirmala Srivastava#Criticism

Critics of the Sahaja Yoga movement and of its founder claim that it is a dangerous cult engaged

Sahaja yogis claim that most of the critics are ex-members of Sahaja Yoga, who have been cast out because they abused the whole foundation of Sahaja Yoga, stealing money, engaging in sexual impropriety, or attempting to create a power structure based around themselves.

Sahaja Yoga claims never to charge money for attaining Self-Realisation, although critics maintain that members are pressured to contribute to "projects in India," "Guru Dakshina," "arranged marriages," gifts, "lodging and travel" and donations towards the organisation's real estate.

Media coverage

The media has represented Sahaja Yoga with largely negative coverage.

See also

• International Sahaja Public School
• Nirmala Srivastava
• Vishwa Nirmala Dharma

Critical sites

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References

•   Manocha, R. "Sahaja yoga in asthma", Thorax 2003;58:825-826. URL:
•   Manocha R, Marks GB, Kenchington P, Peters D, Salome CM. "Sahaja yoga in the management of moderate to severe asthma: a randomized controlled trial.", Thorax. 2003 Sep;58(9):825-6.
•   Ramaratnam S, Sridharan K. "Yoga for epilepsy", Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000;(3):CD001524.
•   Panjwani U, Selvamurthy W, Singh SH, Gupta HL, Mukhopadhyay S, Thakur L. ?Effect of Sahaja yoga meditation on auditory evoked potentials (AEP) and visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) in epileptics.?, Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2000 Mar;25(1):1-12.
•  Harrison et al. "Sahaja Yoga Meditation as a Family Treatment Programme for Children with ADHD" Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry.2004; 9: 479-497

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