What are Kriyananda's teachings?


This is an important page.

It shows clearly how many ceremonies and teachings are currently observed

in the community. We only marked in orange those ceremonies that have replaced Yogananda's.


What teachings are actually studied at Ananda?

If one is associating with Ananda primarily because of a desire to study Yogananda's teachings, one should know that at the current time, all of Yogananda's ceremonies, written lessons and most of the books recommended or required for study at Ananda, have been replaced by those created by J. Donald Walters.
Former members have stated that of the total material officially used at ceremonies and religious services, including quotes from books, yoga lessons, poems and songs, as much as 70 to 80% comes from those created by J. Donald Walters, 10 to 15% is of generic Hindu or Christian sources. Only 5 to 10% is taken from Paramahansa Yogananda teachings.

Ceremonies and religious services studied at Ananda


Superconscious Attunement Ceremony - created by J. Donald Walters.

Purification Ceremony - created by J. Donald Walters.

Ananda Wedding Ceremony - created by J. Donald Walters. (replaces Yogananda's)

Kriya Yoga ceremony - created by J. Donald Walters. (replaces Yogananda's format)

Rules of Conduct for Members - (known as "The Rule") "The rule" was created by J. Donald Walters. Includes directives that members should seek permission from a special comittee of community leaders before marrying, changing jobs, or even having children.

Membership Vows- created by J. Donald Walters. (includes vow of "coopertive obedience and loyalty, above all" to the spiritual director of Ananda. (J. Donald Walters)

Discipleship ceremonies - Created by J. Donald Walters (Does not include Kriya Yoga, the traditional discipleship initiation taught by Paramahansa Yogananda)

Vows taking ceremonies - village member, monastic training, postulant, novice, renunciant and final vows; (most membership vows include vow of "cooperative obedience and loyalty, above all, to the spiritual director of Ananda church; J. Donald Walters) Created by J. Donald Walters.

Ministers pledge ceremonies - for ministers and lightbearers. (senior ministers) Created by J. Donald Walters

Astral ascension ceremony -Format created by J. Donald Walters (replaces Yogananda's. Christening ceremony)

Shiva Ratri ceremony - traditional Hindu ceremony

Other community ceremonies or holidays


Two day (weekend) celebration of J. Donald Walter's birthday. Theme: gratitude to Mr.Walters, Open house, people come up from centers, some classes about Mr.Walters, musical show of Mr.Walters music. Usually the topic of the Sunday Service for this weekend also follows this theme.

Easter: Combination of Walters and Christ; Example: includes walk from market to Expanding Light temple singing Walters Christian style chants and songs.

Christmas: Includes musical evening of J.Donald Walters music. Usually 2 or 3 Christmas parties at J.Donald Walters house by invitation only.

Music: Mr.Walters discourages music other than his own.

Spiritual renewal week: created by J. Donald Walters. (Created as substitute for Yogananda's yearly Convocation)

County wide open house: focus on what Ananda and J. Donald Walters have accomplished.

Schools: An article in the Palo Alto Weekly reported that, "The Ananda School uses the education techniques of J. Donald Walters" (Swami Kriyananda)


Written teachings required or recommended for membership at Ananda

Ananda Course in Self-Realization, created by J. Donald Walters. (replaces Yogananda's "SRF Lessons")

Over 60 books written by J. Donald Walters.  Incomplete version of Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi, and other books.

By a member of the community


A slip isn't a fall?

This piece compares Walters veiws with Yogananda and other spiritual leaders on the issue of a swami falling from his vows. It shows how Walters makes up his own "teachings" to suit his own desires and to cover up his failings.

What if a swami "slips"? Is a "slip not a fall"?

J. Donald Walters:

"A swami is a man or woman vowed to renunciation. In this sense a swami is like a Catholic monastic or preist. Has a person failed in renunciation if he or she is ever tempted, or, worse still, if he or she succumbs to the temptation? To carry this thought further, has a person failed as a renunciate if he or she slips in any of the aspects of renunciation? ....We may speak of error, but why define error as failure? Indeed, why define it as sin? A slip is not a fall.

"J. Donald Walters, Article, Yoga International magazine, July/August 1995, "Gurus and the Inner Eperience of Truth" Page 42.

Paramahansa Yogananda:

"Even the outer donning of the swami's robe or the monk's habit is not proper (lest worldly people lose respect for the religious orders) until one is a monk at heart, has renounced all worldly desires, and is immersed in God. There is no meaning in monasticism without the inward joy of God."

Paramahansa Yogananda, SRF magazine, May, 1951, pg. 30, "Spiritual Interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita," Chapter 5, Stanza 2 and

"God talks with Arjuna," Bhagavad Gita translation, pg. 533, 534.

"Mental weakness is never wisdom, but a sign of deep subconscious attachment to the ego and its delusive pleasures. He who cannot stand firm in righteous behavior before a test of the Almighty loses the right to speak as a wise man."

The Bhagavad Gita, translation by Paramahansa Yogananda, "God Talks With Arjuna", p. 195.

Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri and Lahiri Mahasaya:

Paramahansa Yogananda wrote in his autobiography:

"On several occasions Sri Yukteswar, like Lahiri Mahasaya, discouraged "unripe" students who wished to join the Swami Order: "To wear the ochre robe when one lacks God- Realization is misleading to society", the two masters said. "Forget the outward symbols of renunciation which may injure you by inducing a false pride."

Paramahansa Yogananda quoting Sri Yukteswar and Lahiri Mahasaya in the Autobiography of a Yogi, pg. 130, 1981, pg. 138, 1959 edition.

Ramakrishna Paramahansa:

"No lie of any sort is good. A false garb, even though a holy one, is not good. If the outer garb does not correspond to the inner thought, it gradually brings ruin. Uttering false words or doing false deeds, one gradually loses all fear. Far better is the white cloth of a householder...
...Attachment to worldliness, occasional lapses from the ideal, and an outer garb of gerrua (ocher cloth of a monk) - how dreadful!"

From page 195 of "The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna", by Master Mahasaya. The author, a brother disciple of the renowned Swami Vivekananda, is the saint Paramahansa Yogananda meets in his "Autobiography of a Yogi", in the chapter "The Blissful Devotee and His Cosmic Romance."

Swami Vivekananda:

"Now, please do not make religion pander to the vanity of the present day! Let us all, mark you, be honest. If we cannot follow the ideal, let us confess our weakness, but let us not degrade it. Let us not try to pull it down."


Mr. Walters idea expressed here may have some relevence for the ordinary devotee, struggling sincerely to better themselves and gain strength over time. But for one who has taken vows and presents themselves to the world as a swami, a completely different standard applies. A medical student tries, but one who has been awarded the formal title "MD", must be able to be trusted by the public as one who has acheived a higher standard of knowledge. Imagine a doctor injuring or even killing patients out of incompetence saying, "Well, I'm trying my best, a slip is not a fall". The Vedanta Society states that a swami who "slips" is expelled immediately from the Order.


Interview with a member of the Jury

This one is an interveiw with an actual member of the jury that convicted Walters. The trial went on for 4 months. Many hours of testimony were heard from both sides. And in the end, ordinary people saw clearly that Walters was a liar and guilty.

An Interview with a Member of the Jury

What were the real reasons J. Donald Walters and his church were found guilty of fraud and fined over 1.6 million dollars? Ananda has offered many excuses for their defeat; Do any of them match what the jury actually experienced and felt?
March, 1998

Post-trial quotes and excerpts from interview

'Juror A:' is the 'Member of the Jury, letter A''I' is the Interviewer

                                                                            Interveiwer: What was your experience with the other jurors; were you pretty cohesive?
Juror A: ....It was a cohesive group. When we were able to communicate with each other [about the case], we didn't have some really disparaging points of view. Everybody was pretty much on the same wavelength....

Interveiwer: What was your impression of Swami Kriyananda?
Juror A: To put it into a very few words, kind of a "holier than thou" type of attitude. That "She's full of it" and, you know, kind of some head-shaking kinds of things. I just really got the sense that he was kind of pooh-poohing the testimony, like, "How could anybody believe that of me?" And I wasn't particularly impressed with his testimony, because there was a certain amount of arrogance in it, again. "Even though [he] made a few mistakes, so what?" was kind of the attitude I was getting from that. I noticed his lack of sympathy for the women.

Interveiwer: Did you hear there was another court case brought against Ananda by SRF earlier, and that Ananda said SRF might be staging this whole thing?
Juror A: ....I didn't believe that it was an SRF thing at all.

Interveiwer: Do you think that meditation itself and chanting always lead to "brainwashing"?
Juror A: Oh, I don't think so, un-un....I'm probably not a strong believer in brainwashing. I think that people are vulnerable to powers of suggestion, and wanting to be part of a group, and having group-think, as it was termed a couple of times. I think that that happens, and I think because she was vulnerable and looking and seeking some civility and something to hang onto in her life, it just made her susceptible to falling into that group-think. And follow the crowd. I mean, it's human nature.

Interveiwer: So it wasn't so much meditation and chanting, it was more suggestions from everyone?
Juror A: That's right. That's right. And those messages, that this is -- The light and the darkness, I guess is what I'm trying to get to. If you're doing THESE things, you're increasing your chances of being closer to God, and if you're doing THOSE things, you're putting up barriers. And so that kind of thing could really push you to a certain direction. So those messages -- you see, I can't call that brainwashing. It's the coercion of the group.

Interveiwer: What did you think of [Woman #1]?
Juror A: She looked like she led a fairly simple home life, and had a demeanor about her, a mellowness, and an innocence....I wanted to smack the guy [Swami Kriyananda].

Interveiwer: What did you think of [Woman #15]?
Juror A: Okay. Yeah. She was one of the ones who realized right away that something was wrong, and got the hell out of there, as I recall. I thought that it was a good indicator that there were varying levels of what was going on. And then someplace later on in testimony, it came out...that there was this kind of ethic project: you [Swami Kriyananda] kind of see how far you can go, and if that works out without any red flags, then you move to the next level, and the next, until you get to a [Woman #1] or a [Woman #2] kind of situation. She [Woman #15] put up the red flag.And the community seems to have protections all around it....it seems like all of these protections are built around the community. You know, take care of Swami....And this, ugh, this poverty issue. That really slayed me. I'd like to be as poor as that. And have somebody taking care of my yard, and somebody cleaning my house, and doing -- You know, I pay a lot of money to get my house cleaned. But I have to pay for it myself. Somebody that does my secretarial kinds of stuff, and "Gee, I think I'll go to Italy next week," and someone making arrangements for me, I go to the airport, hop on a plane, and I'm there. I mean, this is not a life of poverty....I'm going to France this summer, and I know how much money it costs....I would surmise that all of those people in the quote "inner circle," as it was described a couple of times -- I suspect that they all make a good living, or have a lot of things being taken care of for them under the guises of "church visits," "church goings," and they live a life of luxury. Granted, it's a more simple life, because they live in a rural community. But, it's what they want. And they get everything they want. And that's the bottom line. They're getting everything that they want, in my eyes. That's the picture that I saw.

Interveiwer: What did you think of [Woman #3] and her testimony?                         Juror A: It was a boundary issue. I can't imagine, myself, you know, "Oh, come on in. Take your clothes off. Lay on top of me." It just takes something just a little bit -- I don't know what -- what brings a person to say something like that to another person, you know? It's way over the boundary. Way over....Because of the illusion that he has given about his own superiority, he oversteps everyone else's boundaries.

Interveiwer: Did you ever see the plaintiff's lawyers treating it like a case of religious persecution?
Juror A: Not at all, no. I think that was very clear, that it was not religious persecution, in my mind. It was not about that at all. And I never got the feeling that I was judging Ananda as a church. I feel sorry for members of Ananda Church. Here they are in a community where they want to practice something that they really believe in. I can understand why they would do that. I can embrace their right to do that. There's aspects of it that sound ideal, in many ways, to me. And yet they're being bamboozled by this group of people, with Swami at the top. The leadership crew. I have no doubt at all.

Interveiwer: What did you think of the punitive damages testimony?
Juror A: I was absolutely appalled at their bookkeeping....I know there have got to be checks and balances and such, and when money is going in and out, in and out, money laundering -- I mean, that's what it sounded like to me....
And just the money going to and from Crystal Hermitage -- just to pay Swami out of this? Padma has some ability just to write checks that nobody knew about, nobody cared, it just happened. It doesn't seem like a good way to run a corporation whether it's non-profit or otherwise.

Interveiwer: What did you think of Swami Kriyananda's testimony?
Juror A: His demeanor was such that he was above all of this....He really presented himself as being just as special sitting there on the witness stand as he is sitting in front of his community. And I think he needed to be slapped up the side of the head....I think the overall -- to put it incredibly eloquently -- Overall, we thought Swami was a scumbag. That was the bottom line.

Interveiwer: Do you know that every day when the trial was over for the day, Ananda would have a hotline update, where they'd talk about the trial?
Juror A: Yes, we did hear about that. The one thing that did come out in the trial -- I remember comments that the jury looked upon Swami's testimony favorably. Fool!

Interveiwer: What was your opinion on the use in the trial of the word "cult"?
Juror A: They didn't stress the word "cult."

Interveiwer: Here's a quote from Ananda since the trial ended: "Ananda does not condone or tolerate sexual harassment or sexual abuse in any form by any of its members or leaders." Do you have any comments on that?
Juror A: Well, that's a matter of semantics. They can easily say that they don't condone it, but do they turn their backs and close their eyes if they know it's happening? I mean, what are you going to do? Put up a big sign that says, "Come to Ananda Village. We approve of sexual harassment." But by turning their backs, it's the same thing [as condoning it]. You can SAY that you don't condone it, but if you aren't doing anything about it, then it's -- what's that phrase? -- kind of like lying by omission, essentially. It's kind of that same idea.

Interveiwer: Here's another quote from Ananda since the trial ended: "Mike Flynn and Ford Greene repeatedly compared Ananda to groups like Waco and Jonestown in a calculated attempt to engender fear and anger in the jury." Did you ever feel fear and anger during the trial?
Juror A: ....I don't think Mike or Ford ever tried to engender fear or anger in the jury, absolutely not....

Interveiwer: Ananda says the other side's case was full of "terrible lies" about them; did you feel that one side or the other was lying?
Juror A: I think probably some lies were told, but I think that the foundation of the case wasn't based on lies.
A bunch of lies, no. Well, disguising the truth is what was happening on Ananda's side. I think that elements of the truth were behind what they were saying, but out of protection, they weren't straight-forward about all of the

Interveiwer: What did you think when people from Ananda said that they had no idea that Swami had been doing this for years?
Juror A: I believed them.

Interveiwer: Even, like, Jyotish?
Juror A: No. Not Jyotish, no. I didn't believe Jyotish on anything on that.

Interveiwer: That he didn't know what a swami was?
Juror A: That was a crock. I mean, that was ludicrous, when he said that. How can you be in a position you're in, first of all, not knowing what the Swami's doing, and secondly, not knowing what Swami is. I mean, that was ludicrous testimony, in my eyes -- I think in a lot of our eyes, the jury.

Interveiwer: What did you think of Vidura?
Juror A: Vidura, for some reason, I felt a little sorry for. Somehow, and I don't know why, there was just something about him. I think Vidura is -- I saw him as a victim. I think he's been involved in the organization for a long, long time, and because of his association for a long time with Swami and Jyotish and the group, he's kind of gotten himself into a position that -- you know, this is just my own opinion, but -- where he's become a victim of this. He doesn't really want anything to be wrong with Ananda, so he's being protective of it. But I get the feeling it wouldn't be his choice to
deceive anybody. And that's just kind of an intuition that I got out of his testimony. And I kind of felt sorry for him, because it's like, "Oh my God, I'm losing something that I've spent my life on, and I didn't mean to do
anything wrong, but --" Much more so from him than from either Jyotish or Devi, who got this wall that they put up and this defense that 'we've done nothing wrong.' Totally different demeanor and attitude with them.

Interveiwer: What did you think of Asha?
Juror A: She had a real attitude kind of thing. In her presence.
Interveiwer: An attitude of -- ?
Juror A: Arrogance. Protective of her position. "Everybody else is wrong, we're right."

Interveiwer: When Devi showed that film about Ananda, what did you think of that?
Juror A: I thought I was at one of those properties that have sales pitches kind of thing. I expected to walk out with a set of luggage or something. I felt like we'd all be walking out with our sets of luggage -- sign on the dotted line.

Interveiwer: Do you think Swami Kriyananda told any truth? Do you think he was lying, covering up?
Juror A: I think he was covering up. I think he was lying. I think he stretched the truth. I think there were aspects that were truthful in there that he stretched to make himself look -- to present himself in a different way. And I think the bottom line is that it's a lie. I think his whole life is a lie. And I think that came across to me as I listened to him.

Interveiwer: Do you think he should apologize, to the women or to Ananda?                Juror A: I think if he apologized, it wouldn't mean a damn thing. Because I don't think he could be sincere about apologizing. What good would that do? Everything else he's done -- He's manipulated with words. He is so good with words, that an apology would be worth s---. And you can quote me on that one.

Interveiwer: Do you think the leadership should apologize?
Juror A: Yes. I think the leadership should apologize to the community, but more importantly, the leadership should change. Not necessarily the players -- that might be good, if the players changed. But certainly the behavior of
 those players should change. If they want their community to continue, they better shape up, or else -- they run the risk of losing it. Who's going to want to join something like that?

Interveiwer: What changes do you think Ananda should make?
Juror A: I think, first of all, clean up the books. Have a little bit more equity in the kinds of employment and positions. Treating people like human beings instead of slaves. Taking the Swami out of the picture.

Interveiwer: Do you think the ministers should develop a code of ethics?
Juror A: Oh, absolutely. I think there should be a clear set of steps. If anything should happen, I think it should be talked about in the community. I think it should be something that -- People should have an awareness of inappropriate behaviors....Not to punish, but to stop. That's the bottom line. It's not the punishment. It's the stopping of those behaviors.

Interveiwer: On the Ananda phone hotline, Ananda leadership would say, "Our witnesses were very powerful."
Juror A: I found very little power in their witnesses. Very little. And I think they were deceiving the community. I think they've got all these people living in a delusional world. And they're fostering it.

Interveiwer: Do you think there is anything that Ananda should do or say for the other women who were abused by Swami Kriyananda?
Juror A: I think it would be nice if something could come towards these other women, especially the ones who risked, by coming out and being on the stand. It would be nice if something came toward them. Some sort of compensation. Some sort of damage compensation....As for the women who have come forward, I think that was only the tip of the iceberg. That's what I feel, definitely. I think it was definitely a problem that [Swami Kriyananda] has, and was probably a carry-through for most of his adult life...

Interveiwer: Do you think some of the Ananda leaders should be removed from their positions?
Juror A: Yeah, I do. I think changing the leadership would be a good thing, periodically. ...Having a democracy where you voted people in periodically, like a presidency -- every four years you have an opportunity for change, and no longer than eight years. Something to that effect. It seems to me it would provide more balance and more room for other people to dance.

Interveiwer: If you were an Ananda member, what would you do about the present situation? Leave? Stay and fight?
Juror A: ....If you've been there a while, and this is your life, it's your home, then maybe fighting would be the best alternative....

Interveiwer: Was there anything that most struck you about Ananda's presentation?
Juror A: Well, there were some bizarre things, and I think it had something to do with their behavior around Swami, the fact that they protected him so much. It was kind of off-center, as far as norms go in my mind. They just looked like some normal folks. And I think that many of them really are very normal, average folks. Living a life, making a living. Running true to their religious beliefs.

Interveiwer: Any last thoughts on Swami Kriyananda? Janice Moreno had said that he opened up to her unlike he did to anyone else.
Juror A: Yeah, right. Right. I don't think we saw that at all. I think we saw the leader, the special one, somebody that was up on a pedestal. I think that's all we saw. I don't think we saw a human side to him at all. In my opinion. And I think -- I had a hard time with that. If any time would be the time to come down off your pedestal and approach a group of people as a human being, this would be it. And I didn't see that.
[Juror A: confirmed that she thinks Swami Kriyananda is a narcissist, and can't feel empathy for others.]

Interveiwer: What would you like to say to Swami?
Juror A: "Where do you get off thinking that you're so special?"

Interveiwer: What message did you hope to communicate to Ananda by your verdict?
Juror A: "Shape up."

Interveiwer: What message did you hope to communicate to the larger society?
Juror A: "Watch out for people in positions of power, and inappropriate behaviors of people in positions of power." The Pamela Cooper-White message [imbalance of power between clergy and parishioners; Swami is a narcissist and a patterned sexual predator] probably is the message [of the trial], what people need to be aware of.


"I felt no bias against the religious group. It wouldn't have been my choice [of religious group] but if somebody else wants to do that with their life, fine."

"I think that people [on the jury] felt very strongly about the fact that these [Ananda] people had a right to their religion, and that this was not up to us. But the taking advantage of individuals was inappropriate."

"I didn't believe that it [the trial] was an SRF thing at all."

"They [the attorneys] didn't stress the word 'cult.'"

"Because of the illusion that he [Swami Kriyananda] has given about his own superiority, he oversteps everyone else's boundaries."

"They [Ananda people] can easily say that they don't condone it [sexual harassment or sexual abuse], but do they turn their backs and close their eyes if they know it's happening?....You can SAY that you don't condone it, but if you aren't doing anything about it, then it's...kind of like lying by omission."

"The only women who were powerful were married to men who were also in leadership positions...And I think about the rest of you, who were just a bunch of...you're like scullery maids running around, to serve Swami and the
powers that be, in my opinion."

Woman #100

This letter was sent to Ananda leaders  years ago but which did no good in getting Kriyananda to admit his mistakes but instead pushed into a further hiding.  It is a heartbreaking account.

January 18,1998

Dear Friends,

We are writing to you at this time because we once lived at Ananda Village and still deeply care about our former home. We feel Ananda is now in crisis and at a turning point. How this crisis is handled will determine the very nature of the Ananda community.

We want to reflect on this situation by focusing on the experience of woman #10 as a representative of each woman who felt hurt and damaged by sexual interaction with Swami Kriyananda. Why woman #100? We think woman #100 has a sweet vulnerable nature and our sympathy naturally goes out to her. Since she harbors no motive of retaliation or revenge, woman #100 is exceptionally believable.We have talked to woman #100 many hours about her experiences.
Here are her recollections:

Woman #100 was 22 years old when she came to Ananda in May, 1980. Swami Kriyananda was 54 years old. Like all new Ananda residents, she learned that it was a privilege to live in close proximity to Swami Kriyananda- a direct disciple of Yogananda. Being near to Swami Kriyananda, "tuning in" to him in love and service, was a way to be closer to Yogananda. Feeling great enthusiasm for the spiritual path, woman #100 joined the Ananda convent in October '80 and remained there as a nun until February '82. So far, so good.

During June 1981, Kriyananda asked woman #100 to massage his sore shoulder. After about three months of massages, Kriyananda asked if it would embarrass woman #100 if he didn't use a towel to cover himself during massage sessions. Shortly after Thanksgiving 1981, Kriyananda began placing woman #100's hand on his genitals and directing her to masturbate him and and also initiated her in oral sex. Although it appears obviously inappropriate now, woman #100 considered these sexual acts as a continuation of her service and devotion to the spiritual leader of Ananda. Kriyananda advised woman #100 to take advantage of this special opportunity for spiritual advancement.

Woman #100 did not have a reciprocal romantic relationship with Kriyananda-an affair. She simply sexually serviced him by masturbating him to ejaculation and then left. Rather than just briefly slipping into delusion, Kriyananda maintained woman #100 in his sexual service for two years. During the first month (December '81) of woman #100's sexual service, Kriyananda requested and received manual masturbation or oral sex virtually every night. Woman #100
and woman #1 were often in trouble for missing morning meditation with the other nuns because they had been up late in Kriyananda's bedroom. In February '82, woman #100 left the monastery. Although she now lived farther away from
Kriyananda on Ananda property, he would still occasionally call her over to masturbate him.

Woman #100 moved back in with her parents in Los Angeles during March-May '82. During a visit to LA to give classes, Kriyananda called woman #100, and arranged a meeting to receive oral sex. When woman #100 returned to the community in June '82, Keshava thoughtfully offered her a trailer to live in right next to Kriyananda's dome. Instead, woman #100 ended up living in a room at EM's house. After a party there, Kriyananda invited her back to his dome to give him massage and sexual service. Woman #100 masturbated Kriyananda or performed oral sex several times from June '82 to August '82.

At the end of the summer, Seva encouraged woman #100 to move to Ananda House in San Francisco. From September '82 to January '84, whenever Kriyananda visited Ananda House, he would solicit sex from woman #100, often being masturbated or receiving oral sex every night during his visits. During this period, Kriyananda initiated sexual intercourse as part of woman #100's sexual service. About half the time he would ask for masturbation or oral sex, the other times for sexual intercourse. Kriyananda asked for one last sexual service from woman #100 after she moved back to Ananda Village in January '84. At that time, Rosanna was coming on the scene and Kriyananda no longer needed woman #100.

Woman #100 eventually moved back to Ananda House in San Francisco to return to school. She completed her Science degree in June '88 and moved to Los Angeles. In the early '90s, woman #100 gradually began to recognize the obligation of teachers to act only for the well-being of those in their charge. She realized it was wrong for a spiritual teacher to ask for sex from a student. Only during the current lawsuit did she finally acknowledge to herself how much Swami Kriyananda had hurt her and how little he had her interests at heart. Her enthusiasm for spiritual life had been undermined; she had recurring bouts of depression; and she found that at the core of her being, she was afraid of Swami Kriyananda. Even at present, woman #100 is struggling with the damage inflicted by Kriyananda.

In early 1995, woman #100 decided not to become involved in the Bertolucci lawsuit. She distrusted litigation as a method of solving problems. She knew and liked Danny Levin. However, she then read Kriyananda's November 25, 1994 letter to the Ananda community denying he had ever harassed anyone, protesting that he even closed his eyes and meditated during movie love scenes. woman #100 knew Kriyananda was representing himself untruthfully and suspected that he was still preying on Ananda women. She assumed that if Ananda leaders knew that Kriyananda was secretly having sex with his students, Ananda's public denials would cease and Kriyananda would be prevented from hurting anyone else. 

During March 1995, woman #100 called four Ananda friends and four Ananda ministers. She let them know what had happened to her between November '81 and January '84.

Seva conceded that what Kriyananda did to woman #100 was wrong but Seva urged her not to tell others. Seva's advice: don't cause people to lose their faith; don't be negative; come back to Ananda and heal.

Haridas instructed woman #100 to look at her own motives and warned of the serious karma she would incur by telling the truth about Kriyananda. That knowledge could knock devotees off the spiritual path entirely and woman #100 would be responsible. Haridas did admit that he hadn't figured out what to make of Kriyananda lying to the community about his sexual life. Haridas related a message from Swami Kriyananda to woman #100: keep what happened just between you and God.

Ram, the leader of woman #100's Apprentice Program, sternly informed woman #100 that she was not an injured party because she was a consenting adult. Battle lines were drawn; this was war. He warned woman #100 that if she continued to call Ananda residents, Ananda's law team would sue her.

Jyotish confessed that he had heard rumors about Kriyananda's sexual activity with woman #100. He stated that Swami had sexual problems, and that because of those problems, Swami may have interpreted woman #100's massage as seductive. 

Why didn't Jyotish, the head of Ananda ministers, investigate those rumors? Why didn't he talk to woman #100? Why didn't he confront Swami Kriyananda? Why didn't he bring this serious violation to the Village Council? Why did he not protect woman #100? Why did he let the sexual servicing continue?

Surely, Swami Kriyananda had an obligation to act in the best interests of those who came to Ananda and placed their spiritual lives in his care. He had a profound responsibility not to use these devotees for his own sexual satisfaction. How can sexually using a woman who lacked healthy boundary distinctions be considered friendship? Why didn't these senior Ananda ministers bring disciplinary action against the Spiritual Director?

We understand that it is extremely difficult to take an ethical stand in the midst of a militant culture which sharply divides the world into camps of light and darkness and populates the surrounding darkness with unseen enemies plotting Ananda's annihilation. So what is the Ananda community to do now? How can we help Swami accept responsibility for what he has done and make amends?

1)   Should a public written apology be extended to woman #100 and the other
women who were hurt by sexual interaction with Swami Kriyananda?

2)   Should Swami Kriyananda provide written assurances that he will not court temptation by receiving nude massages from female devotees?

3)   Should Ananda ministers define and publish a sexual code of conduct. (The California Yoga Teachers Association Code of Ethics provides an example.)

We hope that our perspective will help Ananda move from the paradigm of spiritual warfare to values of justice, healing, and reconciliation. We feel that taking the risk of seeking reform at Ananda is the cost of discipleship for devotees of Paramahansa Yogananda.

Please make sure that the harm done to woman #100 is never again inflicted on a vulnerable 22-year-old spiritual aspirant at Ananda.


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