We offer this website to you as fellow truthseekers
and devotees of Paramhansa Yogananda. It contains many facts
not commonly known about Yogananda, his teachings, and the organization
he founded, Self-Realization Fellowship.
For a long time we have hesitated to speak out. But difficult
circumstances and a sense of responsibility require that we come
forward now. Many people do not know that in 1990 SRF filed a
massive lawsuit against Ananda. Their goal is to gain a monopoly
on Yogananda’s teachings.
Ananda is an autonomous network of spiritual communities and
churches, founded by Swami Kriyananda, a direct disciple of Yogananda.
Ananda has specialized in building world brotherhood colonies,
the ideal lifestyle Yogananda recommended for householder devotees.
Though Ananda has won nearly every issue in court, SRF continues
its litigation unabated. Millions of dollars that could have
been spent serving Yogananda’s work is being spent instead
on this courtroom battle.
But we would not be writing if the issues affected only us,
personally. What is happening now will affect Yogananda’s
mission for centuries to come. Certain attitudes and actions
by SRF are causing that mission, we believe, to drift from what
Yogananda himself intended. (The attack on Ananda has also taken
a very personal turn, with charges that Kriyananda is a spiritual
charlatan, and Ananda is an abusive cult. For the other side
of that story, see www.AnandaAnswers.com)
Changes to Yogananda’s teachings after his passing
In the past fifty years, significant changes have been made
to Yogananda’s books, teachings, ideals, and to his image—changes
which emphasize SRF as an institution and limit how Yogananda
is presented to the world. Kriya initiation, discipleship, Autobiography
of a Yogi, and even Yogananda’s own signature have been
altered. Edited versions of many of his writings have been greatly
changed. All references to colonies have been removed from Autobiography
of a Yogi. Even a cross Yogananda wore around his neck at
the dedication of the Lake Shrine has been airbrushed out of
that photo. Devotees have no access to the movies, recordings,
photos, and writings of Yogananda still stored in SRF archives.
Lifelong disciples have shared heart-breaking stories of unkindness
by SRF. Of grave concern is SRF’s increasing assertion of
itself as a required intermediary between the disciples and their
own master. This is what the Catholic Church did to the teachings
of Christ centuries ago.
We hope, after reading this website, that you will share our
concern about the issues raised here. Only a handful of direct
disciples still remain alive. The mantle of responsibility is
about to pass to the next generation. The guidance and legacy
of “those who were with him” will long endure, but
we will also be called upon to use our own judgment. Let it be
an informed judgment. All of us as Yogananda’s devotees
hold the future of his work in our hands.
Top | Rediscover Yogananda
| Directory/Site
Map | Contact
Us
Updated: February 16, 2009
www.YoganandaRediscovered.com/index.html
