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Yogi Resigns After Admission of Affairs
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To: editor@rbhatnagar.ececs.uc.edu
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Subject: Yogi Resigns After Admission of Affairs
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From: editor.csm.uc.edu (digest editor)
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Date: Wed, 9 Nov 94 16:56:52 EST
>From News India Times (From MNS)
Yogi Resigns After Sex Scandal
By ANSHU SHOURIE
LENOX, Massachusetts: A world famous Indian spiritual leader
who advocated celibacy, resigned as the spiritual head of a
yoga center October 31 after admitting that he engaged in at
least three extramarital affairs with followers.
Yogi Amrit Desai, the 62-year-old saffron robe clad founder
of the Kripalu Yoga Center, stepped down from the position
of the Spiritual Director at the urging of the board of
directors. Also known as "Gurudev," Desai agreed to publicly
acknowledge his inappropriate behavior and to pay for any
therapeutic help the women might need, according to commune
officials.
Desai, who is married and has three children and two
grandchildren, "confessed to the board that he had sexual
relationships with three female commune members at various
times between 1974 and 1986," Jonathan Foust, interim public
relations director, told News India-Times.
"Gurudev," who condones sex only within marriage had
voluntarily taken a much publicized vow of celibacy to set
an example for his followers. Spiritual devotees, in the
grounds of the set in the picturesque Berkshire Mountains,
western Massachusetts, were disturbed by the news. Many
followers had also taken the vow of celibacy, encouraged by
the master, as a way to focus energies on yoga and to learn
the art of self-containment.
"My first reaction was shock," said Foust, who remained
celibate for what he described as "difficult" six years
before he married four years ago. "I felt betrayed because
celibacy is no easy practice," he added.
"He had been teaching very strict standards around celibacy
since the very beginning, so he essentially went against the
teachings of the fellowship," said Michael Risen, Kripalu's
president and chief operating officer. Foust told
this weekly that one of the women with whom Desai had been
involved was the center's former chief executive officer who
resigned a year ago. "Gurudev" also had a two-year affair
with another woman staff member and a brief relationship
with a third. Two of the women came forward and went to the
board last month.
The yogi acknowledging the allegations as being true arrived
at a decision with the board to give up his $150,000 a year
job. A news release issued by the commune stated that the
decision was based on "Gurudev's years of silence and
denial, the suffering of the women involved, impact on the
families of the women involved and the undue accusations
made against one of the women who had the courage to speak."
In a public confession Desai asking for forgiveness
and prayers from his followers said, "I deeply regret any
suffering I have caused to the people directly involved and
the Kripalu family. This has been a time of deep self-
reflection. It is the integrity of our community and our
commitment to truth that has allowed the process of healing
to begin. I am deeply grateful to the board and the Kripalu
community for sustaining an environment of trust, compassion
and honesty."
The former spiritual leader is currently taking time off
from the center with his family. Asked if the yogi will be
expelled from the community itself, Foust said that he could
not speculate on the issue. "Right now Gurudev is taking
time for self-reflection and sadhana. I cannot say anything
beyond that because I do not know what is going to happen
next," he said. The 320-acre ashram was founded
by Desai in 1972 and now has an annual budget of $8 million.
With 275 residents Kripalu Center provides refuge for 14,000
meditation-seeking guests each year.
Risen said Kripalu which has a network of about 200
certified teachers in 25 countries teaching yoga will be
affected by the scandal. But he expressed confidence that
the center will be able to weather the controversy and
continue its programs on routine. Calling itself
"the largest residential facility for holistic health and
education in North America, the center offers weeklong stays
at the ashram for $240 to $540. The stay includes "high
energy dance kinetics with beating drums, intense yoga
sessions and all-you-can-eat vegetarian fare.
Even though the future relationship of the yogi with the
center is undetermined, the board said that it "has no
intention of repudiating Gurudev as a teacher and he will
always be our founder."
In a statement to the members of the commune the board
stated, "Your personal relationship with Gurudev will be
based on your personal choice. The mutual agreement only
involves his resignation from his formal role as Spiritual
Director."
