The truth about the charges of sexual and financial misconduct against Swami Kriyananda and Ananda

FOR YEARS, a small group of people have sought to discredit Swami Kriyananda and Ananda through lawsuits, the Internet, and the media.

Who are these people, and why are they criticizing Ananda? Are their statements true? Here you will find honest answers to questions you may have — answered by many Ananda members who speak from their direct, personal experience.

For many readers, the General FAQ may give you all the answers you need to your questions or concerns. Another easy place to begin is with the Sitemap.

Ananda thrives on open communication. If you’d like to know more, please contact us. Your questions, even on what may seem sensitive issues, will be respectfully received and fully answered. You may also contact any Ananda Center.

For information specifically about the lawsuit filed against Ananda in 1990 by Self-Realization Fellowship, in which SRF sought exclusive copyrights to Yogananda’s name, image, works, and the term “Self-realization,” go to Yogananda for the World: Restoring Yogananda’s Legacy. (SRF is the organization that Paramhansa Yogananda founded in America in 1925.)

Open the Tabs for Details…

1. FAQs: An Overview of the Lawsuit

  1. I’ve Seen Negative Things About Ananda On The Internet — Are They True?
  2. General FAQ About the SRF Lawsuits and Accusations of Sexual Misconduct
  3. Lawsuit Claims Ananda is a Cult: What Do You Think?
  4. Ananda and Swami Kriyananda: Testimonials
  5. Swami Kriyananda: Gurus, Spiritual Authority, and Renunciation
  6. Ananda’s Position On Anonymous Websites
  7. Send a Message

2. The Bertolucci Lawsuit

  1. The Bertolucci Lawsuit: FAQ
  2. The Bertolucci Lawsuit: A Complete Summary of the Case
  3. Accusations About Sexual Misconduct and Abuse of Power
  4. The Eight Women
  5. The Bertolucci Lawsuit: The Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) Connection
  6. The Bertolucci Lawsuit: Cult Expert Says Bertolucci Verdict Won’t Stand
  7. Charges of Sexual Misconduct and Abuse of Power, Part II: Kimberly Moore — Letter From Kriyananda
  8. Charges of Sexual Misconduct and Abuse of Power: Part II: Kimberly Moore — Letter From Kimberly Moore to Ananda
  9. Charges of Sexual Misconduct and Abuse of Power: Part II — Kimberly Moore, Yoga Journal Article
  10. The Bertolucci Lawsuit SF Chronicle Article

3. Ananda Answers Charges of Sexual and Financial Misconduct

  1. Ananda Answers Charges of Financial Misconduct. How 2000 devotees paid off $6 million in legal feels, and how we think about money at Ananda
  2. Ananda Answers Charges of Sexual Misconduct. Part 1: The Story Behind the Story. Yogananda’s instruction to Kriyananda
  3. Ananda Answers Charges of Sexual Misconduct: Part 2: Kimberly Moore (Woman #3). The key to untangling the web
  4. Ananda Answers Charges of Sexual Misconduct: Part 3: A difficult time in Kriyananda’s life after his marriage to Kimberly Moore ended in 1981
  5. Ananda Answers Charges of Sexual Misconduct: Part 4: All Other Allegations. Ananda answers the testimony of the four remaining women who filed depositions
  6. Ananda Answers Charges of Sexual Misconduct: Part 5: Anne Marie Bertolucci

4. Swami Kriyananda Answers Charges of Sexual Misconduct and Abuse of Power

  1. Introduction, Part 1 (Letter, p. 1: Something Has Come Up That Must Be Faced
  2. Introduction, Part 2 (Letter, p. 2)
  3. Swami Kriyananda Answers Charges of Sexual Misconduct and Abuse of Power: The Bertolucci Lawsuit
  4. Yogananda — Avatar for the New Age
  5. The Bertolucci Case — Its Meaning, Letter #1, by Swami Kriyananda
  6. The Bertolucci Case — Its Meaning, Letter #2
  7. The Bertolucci Case — Its Meaning, Letter #3
  8. A Talk by Swami Kriyananda at a Community meeting at Ananda Village
  9. What Belittles the Ego, Expands the Soul, by Swami Kriyananda
  10. As Seen Through My Eyes. The Bertolucci Trial, by Swami Kriyananda
  11. Kindness and Support vs. Judgment and Punishment, by Swami Kriyananda
  12. How to Relate to a Spiritual Teacher — An Individual Perspective, by Swami Kriyananda
  13. A Saint Is a Sinner Who Never Gave Up, by Swami Kriyananda
  14. A Song of Gratitude, by Swami Kriyananda
  15. A Personal Statement After the Trial, by Swami Kriyananda

5. Swami Kriyananda Answers Self-Realization Fellowship

  1. Swami Kriyananda Answers Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF)
  2. My Separation From SRF, by Swami Kriyananda
  3. Yogananda’s Predictions for the SRF Presidency
  4. Swami Kriyananda Answers: Who Has Made Changes to Yogananda’s Teachings? Part 1
  5. Swami Kriyananda Answers: Who Has Made Changes to Yogananda’s Teachings? Part 2
  6. Swami Kriyananda Answers: Who Has Made Changes To Yogananda’s Teachings? Part 3

6. Identities Revealed: Who Are Ananda’s Accusers?

  1. Who Are Ananda’s Critics?
  2. Ananda Awareness Network Identities Revealed: Find Out More About Ananda’s Anonymous Accusers
  3. Identities Revealed: About Janice Moreno
  4. Identities Revealed: A Response to Janice Moreno’s Testimony
  5. Ananda Members Talk About Swami Kriyananda, Life at Ananda, and the Charges of Abuse And Misconduct: Letter From Jyotish and Devi About Janice Moreno
  6. Identities Revealed: Janice Moreno — Letters From Jyotish and Devi
  7. Letter From Janice Moreno Praising Swami Kriyananda
  8. Identities Revealed: Eric (Sundaram) and Naomi Estep
  9. Identities Revealed: Letter From Eric Estep’s First Wife
  10. Identities Revealed: Letter From Eric Estep’s Second Wife
  11. Identities Revealed: A Letter From Swami Kriyananda to Eric Estep (Sundaram)
  12. Identities Revealed: About Two “Former Ananda Ministers”
  13. Identities Revealed: Steve And Cheryl Scott
  14. Identities Revealed: Craig and Yvonne Dockter
  15. Identities Revealed: Don Price
  16. Identities Revealed: About Ananda Moyi Ma

7. An Alarming National Trend: The Politically Correct Cultural Environment That Made the Bertolucci Case Possible

  1. An Alarming National Trend
  2. Are We Manufacturing Victims?
  3. The Seriousness of a Sexual Harassment Charge
  4. Bad Will Toward Men: “Sexual McCarthyism”
  5. Does Yes Really Mean Yes?
  6. The Good, the Bad, and the Media 3
  7. Refutation of Brownmillers’ “Only 2% Are False” Claim
  8. Statistics — False Accusations of Sexual Assault
  9. False Rape Allegations
  10. The Language of Wounds

8. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship. Completing the “Great Work” That Yogananda Commissioned Him to Do

  1. Swami Kriyananda — A Life of Discipleship: Introduction
  2. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship — Guidance From Yogananda
  3. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship — Service to SRF
  4. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship — Friend and Guide
  5. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship — Writing
  6. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship — Writing, Preface From Rubaiyat
  7. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship — Music
  8. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship — Paramhansa Yogananda’s Legacy For Education And Children
  9. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship — Ananda World Brotherhood Colonies
  10. Swami Kriyananda: A Life of Discipleship — Founding of Ananda
  11. Contact: Ananda Communities & Centers Worldwide

9. Press Releases About the Lawsuits

  1. News
  2. Lawsuit May Soon Be Over: Press Release From Ananda 11/4/2002
  3. Appeals Court Re-opens the SRF Lawsuit
  4. The Jury’s Decisions In The Bertolucci Lawsuit
  5. Ananda Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
  6. SRF’s Lawsuit Against Ananda Ends: Press Release January 2003
  7. Assisi News: Police Raid and Arrests
  8. Assisi News: Swami Kriyananda Exonerated

10. FAQ: About Ananda


FAQ About Ananda
Contact: Ananda Communities & Centers Worldwide

11. Ananda Through the Years

  1. Introduction, Part 1
  2. Introduction, Part 2
  3. Why Ananda Has Succeeded
  4. Serving the Larger Community
  5. Honoring Financial Obligations
  6. Relations With Public Agencies
  7. Relations With Neighbors
  8. Lawsuits Against Ananda

12. Letters from Ananda’s Leaders to Members

  1. Letters From Ananda Leaders to Members
  2. To Ananda Meditation Group Leaders: The Bertolucci Trial Begins
  3. AUM Fund: Ananda’s United Mission
  4. Letter: Total Debt — $4.4 Million
  5. What Does It Mean To Love Divine Mother?

13. Ananda Members Talk About Their Experiences With Swami Kriyananda

  1. Index of Stories, with Brief Descriptions
  2. Swami Kriyananda’s Courageous Honesty, by Richard Salva
  3. True Courage is Born of Perfect Humility, by Catherine Van Houten
  4. Treasured Counsel, by Richard Salva
  5. Swami’s Kindness. A Christmas Present, by Richard Salva
  6. The Long Wait, by Liladevi
  7. Seeking Truth, by Sudarshan Simpson
  8. First Meeting with Kriyananda, by Judy Morningstar
  9. Ananda Community. Ideas Made Real, by David Ramsden
  10. Snapshots From a Journey, by Devi Novak
  11. Coping With Chronic Pain, by Kathleen Gardiser
  12. Service is Joy, by Peter Van Houten, MD
  13. Gentle as a Dove, by Rambhakta Beinhorn
  14. A Difficult Question, by Gyandev McCord
  15. An Interview with Swami Kriyananda, by Bob Yehling
  16. To My Surprise, by Zjahara Freedman
  17. Advice in the Middle of the Night, by Kent Baughman
  18. He Quietly Pulled Out His Personal Checkbook…, by Nirmala Schuppe
  19. Willingness vs. Will Power. A Lesson in Receptivity, by Kent White
  20. Training in Self-Acceptance, by Rambhakta Beinhorn
  21. Be Yourself, With Energy! by Anandi Cornell
  22. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them,” by Anonymous
  23. Soul to Soul, by Asha Praver
  24. With My Own Eyes, by Jayadev Jaerschky
  25. Finally My Heart Could Breathe, by Hanna Spengler
  26. A visit from Swami Kriyananda while I was dying in the hospital, by Happy Winningham
  27. A Channel for Yogananda’s Vibration, by John Lenti
  28. Why I Have Stayed at Ananda, by Nalini
  29. I Prayed and the Answer Came, by Mary Kretzmann

14. Ananda Members Speak Openly and Frankly About the Accusations of Sexual and Financial Misconduct

  1. Ananda Members and Friends Answer the Charges
  2. Ananda members talk about Swami Kriyananda, life at Ananda, and the charges of abuse and misconduct
  3. In the Midst of Tests, God’s Grace is There, by Jyotish and Devi Novak, Co-Spiritual Directors of Ananda
  4. Introduction & Index
  5. Get a Life! by Brian Powers
  6. “I Can No Longer Tolerate…” by Cathy Parojinog
  7. Allegations Are Not Facts, by Dave and Maria Warner
  8. Turn on the Light, by Dennis Schulman
  9. Where Could I Go? by Eric Glazzard
  10. Encouragement in Troubled Times, by Haridas Blake
  11. I Came Here to Serve Master, by J. T. Heater
  12. Who is Standing on the High Moral Ground? by Karen White
  13. Something for Women to Think About, by Lennie Martin
  14. Folks, Let’s Get Real, by Mary Kretzmann
  15. Our Intuition Is Being Tested, by Nirmala Schuppe
  16. A Spiritual Process for Spiritual People, by Parvati Hansen
  17. I Had to Do It My Way, by Rambhakta Beinhorn
  18. Friend and Guide, by Roy Gugliotta
  19. A Great Spiritual Hero, by Savitri Simpson
  20. An “Old Timer” Talks About the Early Days, by Seva Wiberg
  21. Mail Box Wars, Chapter 108, by Stan Parojinog
  22. We Have to Take a Stand, by Sitabai Betts

15. Letters From Ananda Members About Swami Kriyananda and the Lawsuit

  1. I Know This Man, by Vijay Girard
  2. It Would be Laughable if it Weren’t So Cruelly Directed, by Ananta McSweeney
  3. What I Learned From Bertolucci’s Lawyers, by Asha Praver
  4. My Experience with Swami Kriyananda, by Bent Hansen
  5. Swami Kriyananda, Beloved Disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, by Jayadev Jaerschky
  6. How 2000 Devotees Paid Off $6 Million in Legal Fees (and Still Counting), and How We Think About Money at Ananda, by Catherine Van Houten
  7. My Experience at Ananda, by Clarita Poselli
  8. Accept What Is, by Wayne Palmer
  9. Ananda’s Real Motives — An Insider’s Personal Perspective, by David Steinmetz
  10. Graciousness, Kindess, Humility, by Deborah Golub-Gregorelli
  11. In Service to God and Guru, by Diana Down
  12. The Triumph, by Devi Novak
  13. My Life Has Become Worthwhile Because of Swami Kriyananda, by Durga Smallen
  14. Saved by Kriya, by Eric Munro
  15. Judge the Tree By the Fruit, by Jayadev Jaerschky
  16. Only Later Did I Figure It Out, by Joe Begley
  17. My Spiritual Family, by Leslie Ghirla
  18. Held in the Light, by Lila Devi
  19. The Credit Goes to Yogananda, by Maitri Jones
  20. A Little Cunning, A Reputation Destroyed, by Marilyn Holm
  21. Does Ananda Financially Exploit Its Members? by Greg Dyal
  22. A Personal Perspective on Ananda, by James Conti
  23. On Hero Worship, by Richard Salva
  24. Many Ways to Enjoy a Garden, by Cheryl Sargent
  25. What Is a Devotee? by Dave Bingham
  26. Ananda Helps Me Help Others, by David Kessler
  27. The Gift of Attunement, by Dianna Smith
  28. Trust the Heart, by Elizabeth Mason McConner
  29. A Greater Power at Work, by Gary Wojciechowski
  30. Swami Kriyananda. A Loyal Disciple, by Greg Dyal
  31. A Family Affair, by Gunther and Gabi Kautsch
  32. The Freedom to Grow, by Jan Lotichius
  33. A Beacon of Light in Times of Trial, by Janakidevi Steinmetz
  34. Secret of Happiness, by Kathleen Gardiser
  35. My Closest Friend After Master, by Kristy Fassler-Hecht
  36. An Example of What I Might Become, by Lalita Motyka
  37. Kriya Is the Key, by Matt Stickney
  38. The Making of a Wedding, by Marilyn Holm and Joe Begley
  39. Why I Have Stayed at Ananda, by Nalini Graeber
  40. A Noble and High-Minded Man, by Nirmala Schuppe
  41. I Am the Fruit of the Fruit, by Patty McCarley
  42. Truth Is One and Eternal, by Phil Hoffert
  43. Only Love, by Richard Salva
  44. Disagreement Welcome, by Sadhana Devi Helin
  45. A Treasure I Hold In My Heart, by Savitri Simpson
  46. Joy Is the Surest sign, by Sharon Brooks
  47. The Best Moments of My Life, by Susan Hoffert
  48. I Prayed Deeply to Yogananda, by Zoe Matthews
  49. What Happened on March 7, 1952? by Nitai Deranja
  50. Swami Kriyananda, My Friend and Guide on the Spiritual Path, by Parvati Hansen
  51. My Years With SRF, My Years With Ananda, One Devotee’s Story, by Rambhakta Beinhorn
  52. A Meaningful Life, Helpful to Others, by Seva Wiberg
  53. Naturally Spiritual, by Sharon Clark
  54. The Best Friend I’ve Ever Had, by Sheila Rush
  55. I Know This Man, by Vijay Girard
  56. More Letters — Ananda members talk about Swami Kriyananda, life at Ananda, and the charges of abuse and misconduct
  57. More Letters — Ananda members talk about Swami Kriyananda, life at Ananda, and the charges of abuse and misconduct

 

 

 

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