Category Archives: Latest News

“What now for the Guru Model?” article online

The full article that featured in Australian Yoga Life Magazine has been re-printed on the Elephant Journal website. For those that missed it, you can read it here:

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/10/what-now-for-the-guru-model/

“The list of gurus accused of sexual misconduct is like a roll call of the who’s who of the yoga community…”

How, we ask, in yoga communities built on the tenets of non-violence (Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satya) and sexual ethics (Bramacharya), can abuse still occur, let alone remain hidden for decades?

 

 

Ashram rebranding as “Maha Yoga”

As mentioned in the previous post, the ashram does indeed appear to be setting up shop again using the name “Maha Yoga”. A quick DNS search shows that Valerie Angell purchased the URL mahayogaashram.com on the 10th of July, suggesting that a new website will probably soon appear online. That information can be found here:

http://quantroute.com/domain/mahayogaashram.com#basic-analysis-anchor

 

Ashram trying to rebrand?

The ashram appears to be in the process of trying to rebrand itself using the name “Maha Yoga” – they recently renamed their Flickr website to reflect this change here:

https://www.flickr.com/people/shivayoga/

Ex-members should be aware that the ashram is still using the full gallery of photos that were taken prior to December 2014. If you don’t want this group to promote itself using a photo of you, email this website and we’ll tell you what you can do. We are currently discussing the matter with Flickr and the OAIC.

 

 

Ashram starts marketing again

We recently received a number of emails from people who feel outraged and distressed by the fact that the Mount Eliza Ashram (formerly Shiva Yoga) is attempting to market itself to the public again (despite Shiva Yoga Inc. being officially liquidated).

The following newsletter was recently sent out:

http://us7.campaign-archive2.com/?u=e80039b3ebc8054cb7465766a&id=c1745f2d10&e=69a70afa4d

Of course there is no mention of any of the recent events that happened there, no acknowledgment or apology given to the hundreds of people hurt by this organisation or its leaders – simply a continuation of the “business as usual” policy they applied throughout the whole episode.

Some of the questions people have asked are: who is running the ashram and / or giving Satsang as no names are mentioned? Has Kruckman stepped down? Is the Mount Eliza Ashram still collecting tax free “donations” and if so under what legal body as some of the programs advertised have prices attached, including a $10 entry fee to Satsang and $95 for a meditation program.

 

 

New article in MP News

A new article appeared yesterday in MP News that hints at a possible reassessment by the ACNC of Shiva Yoga’s tax free status:

http://mpnews.com.au/2015/07/27/devotees-heading-back-to-ashram/

The article states: “A former member of the ashram has previously told The News that when filling out an application form seeking tax exemption “we all looked at each other when it came to filling out the marked religion, and then someone said Hindu, so that’s what we put”.

Many old-timers reading this might recall the “what religion shall we be?” discussions that were the main topic at the dining table before the group decided that it was going to become Hindu. Undoubtedly this was done to achieve the appearance of legitimacy to organisations such as the ACNC in order to maintain it’s tax free status following the audit that preceded it.

What now for the Guru Model?

The Shiva Ashram features in this month’s edition of Australian Yoga Life as Melbourne’s Alice Williams looks at the recent investigations into ashrams in Australia.

Australian Yoga Life

“How, can we ask, in yoga communities built on the tenets of non-violence (Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satya) and sexual ethics (Bramacharya), can abuse still occour; let alone remain hidden for decades?” (Australian Yoga Life Issue 47, pg 34).

Another interesting article also appeared this month on the Maddypap website entitled  “Swami’s secrets dividing opinions of yoga but not the Mount Eliza name.” – You can read it here:

https://maddypap.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/swamis-secrets-dividing-opinions-of-yoga-but-not-the-mount-eliza-name/

Ashram reopens despite liquidation.

Barely a week after the official organisation Shiva Yoga Inc. went into voluntary liquidation, a senior leader of the group announced on social media that the Shiva Ashram would reopen and begin offering programs to the public again, causing confusion and anger among the many ex-members still grappling to come to terms with recent events there.

Predictably, the remaining members have vowed to continue despite the liquidation process and have set up several Facebook Pages in recent weeks and also sent letters to a local newspaper suggesting that the Shiva Ashram and its leaders are the victims of a conspiracy organised by “a few disgruntled people with an agenda to close the Ashram.”

In response, we would like to invite readers to review the article posted by The Age newspaper, dated March 18, 2015, and in particular to note the number of alleged primary and secondary victims mentioned by Helen Last, chief executive of In Good Faith and Associates:

Alleged victims of Shiva School were previously sexually assaulted

Many ex-members of the Shiva Ashram that we have spoken to believe that they suffered emotional and psychological trauma as a result of their involvement with this group and are now receiving regular counselling with CASA and other services, including a special support service offered by Integrative Psychology in Melbourne specifically for people trying to leave the  Shiva Yoga group.