I joined Swami Muktananda on his 3rd World Tour around 1978. I spent 2+ years traveling with him in the US, followed by 2+ years in his Ganeshpuri, India ashram (first with Muktananda, then after his death with his successors Nityananda and Chidvilasanda). I found sitting meditation, mantra, and self-inquiry ("what am I?") to be extraordinarily helpful. But I also learned that following anyone is a bad idea.
Siddha Yoga Meditation is the official site of the SYDA organization, now headed by Chidvilasananda (aka Gurumayi). Nityananda was forced out of SYDA in a bitter sibling rivalry and went on to establish Shanti Mandir. There's an unofficial Reunion Page for anyone who spent time in the Siddha Yoga ashrams.
Leaving Siddha Yoga includes lots of personal stories from ex-devotees, focusing on criticism of SYDA teachings and behind-the-scenes nastiness. My own Siddha Yoga story is included in that site. Some of the scandals were first detailed in The Secret Life of Swami Muktananda in Co-Evolution Quarterly, and later in O Guru, Guru, Guru in New Yorker magazine. Dan Shaw, long-time manager of a Siddha Yoga ashram, offers a psychological perspective. Marta Szabo has written of her experiences on SYDA staff 1990-2000 in her blog The Guru Looked Good. I find the Deconstructing SY blog shrill and dogmatic; this blog is restricted to those who don't question the blogmaster's ideas about "spirituality."
There have been some email lists established to discuss these issues. In 1999, I had some interesting discussion about SYDA on the blupearl mailing list.
Back to "My So-Called Spiritual Life"