Meditation styles and Yoga practice

Sahaja Yoga

Sahaja Yoga (Sahaja meaning born with and Yoga meaning union) is a type of meditation, religion and yoga. It is "a unique method of meditation based on an experience called self-realization (Kundalini awakening) that occurs within each human being. The term Sahaja Yoga is also used to refer to the Sahaja Yoga International (Vishwa Nirmala Dharma movement) founded by Nirmala Srivastava (also known by devotees as Shri Mataji) on 5 May 1970 based on this practice.

Beliefs

This non-profit organization offers an experience by which individuals can spontaneously become aware of their subtle system through which they become one with (union) the all pervading power. Kundalini is an energy that exists in every human being, but is dormant. Sahaja Yoga proves one can feel this power as a cool or warm breeze coming out of the top of one's head and blowing in one's hands, after self-realization.

Self Realisation is 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 in medicine

There are case studies in which practitioners of Sahaja Yoga methods were tested in attempts to overcome diseases such as ADHD , asthma , and epilepsy.

Results were inconclusive in the study concerning the effects on 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

Critics of the Sahaja Yoga movement and of its founder claim that it is a dangerous cult engaged in brainwashing, tight control of its members and a host of other activities, advertising traditional yoga techniques as a method of initial indoctrination.

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 never charges 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.

But it is a well known fact that all contributions are completely voluntary.