The authorship of these files on cults has his or her own motivations for providing them a

    [Fredric Rice, The Skeptic Tank:  The authorship of these files on
    cults has his or her own motivations for providing them and will
    contain his or her own bias.  What I find typical is that
    individuals and organizations which report on cults are usually
    themselves a competition cult yet like to think of themselves as
    "a religion, not a cult."  In actual fact, _ALL_ religions are
    cults by the primary, secondary, and terciary usage definition of
    the term.  Some of the information you find here is inaccurate and
    contains urban legend -- take what you find with a grain of salt.
    If you wish to acquire a copy of the Law Enforcement Guide on
    Occult Crime, contact myself at frice@stbbs.com or at The Skeptic
    Tank (818) 335-9601 and I'll forward the address and information
    you need.]

Sahaja Yoga

No cult likes to be called a cult, but the term is particularly
offensive to the middle class and professional followers of Sahaja
Yoga. Nevertheless, stories of split families, children sent away
at five to Sahaja boarding schools, plus the size of donations
made by followers to their guru Mataji, continue to tar this
movement's image.

Disciples meditate in front of pictures of Mataji, who has
cryptically referred to herself as the Holy Ghost, Christ,
Adi Shakti, the wife of Krishna, and the Virgin Mary. They are also
encouraged to watch videos of Mataji and to make pilgrimages to her
palace near Poona in India, where she sometimes conducts mass
weddings. She is the wife of a wealthy Indian UN envoy, though
neither he nor her children are members of the movement. In 1986,
British devotees paid £300,000 in order thatthe movement might
buy a mansion near Cambridge. (Five years later an Italian castle
was added to Mataji's impressive property portfolio.)

Sahaja Yoga involves the bodily awakening of 'Kundalini', which
moves through the body's seven 'chakras'. Shoe-beating, lemons
and chillies are used to combat energy-sucking demons.

'We're not out to change people or recruit people. We believe
that Sahaja is out and out enjoyment. We encourage the family circle
and think that being happy is the most wonderful thing in the
world.'  -  Leader of the Worcester Sahaja group, in response to
a local newspaper front page story about the Sahaja movement.

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