Survey of former N.I. Members

Swami Chetanananda and the Nityananda Institute:

What you might want to know about this guru and his organization

An LNI research survey conducted in 2001 inquired into the personal experiences and observations of 34 former students of Swami Chetanananda and his organization, the Nityananda Institute based in Portland, Oregon. This survey was undertaken with the help of the American Family Foundation (AFF) (changed name to International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) in 2005), an international cult-awareness organization. The former students surveyed represent diverse experience: from those who were part of the guru’s "inner circle" to those who were peripheral; from those who stayed only weeks to those who were ashram residents for over twenty-five years. LNI presents this information to help people make a more informed decision about being or becoming a student of Swami Chetanananda.

PART ONE:

The number to the left is the percentage of 34 ex-students who AGREE with the following statements about Swami Chetanananda and the belief system or attitudes he encourages. The choice was a "yes" or "no" answer.

94% Swami Chetanananda encourages members to believe that he is "God’s gatekeeper," has special powers, knows what his students are thinking, and is able to transmit grace during shaktipat.

94% Swami Chetanananda encourages members to believe that their spiritual practice will not be deep or meaningful if pursued without him and/or the group.

91% Nityananda Institute members are taught to believe that Swami Chetanananda will help them become liberated or enlightened.

91% Nityananda Institute members are expected to subordinate their will, needs and desires to Swami Chetanananda and the group.

91% Nityananda Institute members are expected to trust Swami Chetanananda and his teaching rather than their own thoughts, opinions, and intuitions.

94% To criticize, distrust or disobey Swami Chetanananda is to be a poor or disrespectful student.

94% Nityananda Institute members are strongly encouraged to move so as to live near or within the ashram.

76% Nityananda Institute members are discouraged from spending time with family and friends who are not members.

79% Nityananda Institute members are expected to seek Swami Chetanananda’s advice and blessing before making any major life decisions including: degrees, careers, jobs, mates, having children, and so on.

74% Nityananda Institute members are expected to get permission from Swami Chetanananda or his staff before personal/social events are undertaken: vacations, weekend trips, inviting guests to Ashram, and so on.

50% Nityananda Institute members are expected to use Institute doctors and health practitioners rather than get "outside" professional help.

82% Nityananda Institute members are discouraged from having therapy.

71% Nityananda Institute members are expected to report on each other – tell Swami Chetanananda and his staff if someone is not behaving according to the leader’s and group’s established ways.

85% Swami Chetanananda uses his position as Abbott of the Nityananda Institute to lure women students into sexual relations with him.

88% Swami Chetanananda uses his position as Abbott to acquire money, gifts, privileges, and a luxurious life style.

94% Swami Chetanananda and his assistants use scorn, public humiliation, and rejection as "teaching" methods.

91% Swami Chetanananda blames his students for his own stress and problems.

94% Most members of the Nityananda Institute and new recruits are kept in the dark about Swami Chetanananda’s abusive behavior: sex with students, breaking ashram rules such as no meat and alcohol, lying and manipulation.

91% Nityananda Institute members who know about potentially damaging information feel compelled to protect Swami Chetanananda and the Nityananda Institute by remaining silent and/or lying about his abusive behavior.

88% Nityananda Institute members’ fear of humiliation or rejection by Swami Chetanananda and the group often determines how they behave and what they say.

88% Swami Chetanananda’s teachings cause members to feel that the world outside the group is the "Bellevue of the Universe" and/or somehow hostile to their spiritual practice.

Comments by former students handwritten onto the first page of the survey: (Letter denotes person)

A: "Although I paid dues generously for a number of years, I maintained outside contacts so Swami never considered me a member, these questions therefore don’t apply to me" (#s 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 21)

B: #4 – "expected to subordinate" changed to, "counseled to." #9 – "Rather, I felt it was a great gift if SC would expend the energy to advise me." #21 – "Universe," changed to , "Solar System," and, "This is reinforced by the experiences one has trying to live openly as an ashram member. "

PART TWO:

The number on the left shows the percentage of 34 former students who personally experienced what the statement describes and circled "yes." Participants were asked to ALSO circle "other" if they knew at least one other person who experienced what the statement describes. This number is placed in brackets at the end of each sentence.

32% You were asked to make financial sacrifices for Swami Chetanananda or the group and did not feel free to refuse. [59%]

59% You were made to feel that financial generosity to Swami Chetanananda was an important attribute for a good student and would accelerate your spiritual development. [47%]

38% You suffered financially due to your association with Swami Chetanananda and the Nityananda Institute. [44%]

26% You were discouraged by Swami Chetanananda or his astrologers from having children. [44%]

9% You were told by Swami Chetanananda or his astrologers that your children would be born deformed or damaged in some way. [38%]

32% You were discouraged from marrying either by Swami Chetanananda or his astrologers. [26%]

44% Swami Chetanananda advised you about whom to date or not date. [41%]

15% Swami Chetanananda advised you about whom to marry. [38%]

0% You were part of a marriage arrangement suggested by Swami Chetanananda or his assistants that allowed your or another’s alien status to change in favor of obtaining a working visa and/or eventual citizenship. [41%]

35% Swami Chetanananda had sexual relations with you or with your partner. [50%]

18% Swami Chetanananda asked you not to reveal that he was having sex with you or your partner. [32%]

50% You were discouraged from spending time with family and friends who were not members of the Nityananda Institute. [41%]

56% Patient/client confidentiality was broken by Institute professionals and your private information was given to Swami Chetanananda. [32%]

68% You tended to rationalize whatever the group did even when it went against your sense of right and wrong and/or you unwittingly compromised your moral and ethical beliefs while under the influence of Swami Chetanananda. [35%]

76% You feared that Swami Chetanananda would humiliate or reject you if you did or said anything to displease him or his assistants. [32%]

71% Swami Chetanananda lied to you or the group. [26%]

15% Swami Chetanananda or his assistants asked you to do something illegal. [35%]

26% You have seen Swami Chetanananda give alcohol to minors and/or to students with alcohol problems. [21%]

9% You have personal knowledge that Swami Chetanananda uses cocaine. [38%]

18% You have personal knowledge that Swami Chetanananda uses prostitutes. [44%]

26% You have seen Swami Chetanananda with guns in his possession. [29%]

53% You were given homeopathic remedies by Swami Chetanananda or his assistants. [32%]

9% You contracted Herpes from Swami Chetanananda and/or saw his sores and/or discussed Herpes with him. [44%]

62% Swami Chetanananda used your Vedic astrological chart to advise you about your life. [29%]

15% The art objects or gems Swami Chetanananda sold you at "bargain prices" turned out to be grossly overpriced. [53%]

76% The prospect of leaving the group seemed scary and difficult. [26%]

29% You were threatened by Swami Chetanananda when you left the Nityananda Institute. [53%]

65% After you left the Nityananda Institute you were afraid to speak the truth about Swami Chetanananda for fear of reprisals. [32%]

71% You feel that you were betrayed and abused by Swami Chetanananda. [32%]

56% You have experienced trauma, nightmares, and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to your affiliation with Swami Chetanananda and the Nityananda Institute. [38%]

Comments by former students handwritten onto the second page of the survey: (Letter denotes person)

A: "Again, many of these don’t apply to me, b/c Swami considered me an "outsider."

B: Swami had sexual relations with "my partner’s former partner." "He said life would be much tougher without him - on the outside."

C: "I was at the ashram only a few months, a few weeks when Swami was there – I observed plenty! I left in the "love bombing" phase thus was not abused personally."

D: "I was just on the periphery. I lived @ the ashram for a few months but I was kicked out (was considered too independent, I guess)."

E: "I did not want children. SC did, however, discourage other students from having children."

Verbal comments to LNI from people who received and/or filled out the survey:

Even though the survey was anonymous, LNI heard from about half of the people who returned the survey to AFF and from another ten who received the survey but chose not to participate.

Some people were confused by the "Other" category on the second half of the survey. As a result, they did not circle "Other" even though they personally knew ashram friends who had experienced what the statements describe. As a result, these figures are on the low end. [Please note: because two answers were possible in the second half of the survey, the two figures will sometimes add up to more than 100%]

Two long term students of Swami Chetanananda did not fill out the survey because they felt it was too "black and white" – did not include anything positive about the ashram environment. AFF confirmed that it is helpful to present a survey that covers some of the positive aspects of a cult -- such as the benefits of community life and personal spiritual growth that may occur while inside the group. An important part of the recovery process includes finding the positive aspects of the cult years.

Eight people told LNI that they were unable to answer the survey because its content triggered painful memories and/or their lives were too stressful right then for them to deal with it.

Another fifteen people shared that they found the survey very helpful in confirming what they knew to be true. It made them feel less alone and isolated. They said the survey reduced their levels of denial and fear and had been a helpful healing tool.

 

 

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Updated February 2005

 

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