Communication of the Sahaja Yoga Central Committee of India (CCI)
Commercialisation of Sahaja Yoga – I
In the very First Chapter of Her Book “Sahaja Yoga”, Her Holiness Mataji Shree Nirmala Devi writes “There is no money that can be paid for this living process. That is why so many false gurus, who are making money, and cults and anticults, who are trying to project some sort of false image just to make money, are all very much against Sahaja Yoga. Sahaja Yoga is the pure love of God which is living and invaluable. No money can be charged for this cure or for Kundalini awakening.”
https://www.amruta.org/book-sahaja-yoga/chapter-1-sahaja-yoga/
This is the defining and the MOST IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE of Sahaja Yoga, that is, you cannot charge for Self Realisation or for Kundalini Awakening. This is also the most distinguishing feature of Shree Mataji’s teachings versus the teachings of other false gurus and cults.
Shree Mataji has never commercialised Sahaja Yoga in any form and has clearly denounced the commercialization of Sahaja Yoga in Her speeches.
“Firstly, in Sahaja Yoga, we must know we cannot make any money out of it. There cannot be any commercial activity on Sahaja Yoga…
So, first of all we are not going to have any time any type of commercial activity and if you ever try it I will see to it that you get liquidated completely. So no commercial activity for Sahaja Yoga. No commercial thing should be started in the name of Sahaja Yoga.”
Christmas Puja talk. Surbiton (UK), 21 November 1983.
Annexure I contain extracts of Her speeches against charging money for Sahaja Yoga activities and commercialising Sahaja Yoga.
In line with Her Teachings, Para 3 of the CCI charter mentions “Commercialisation of Sahaja Yoga as the worst enemy” and Para 6 of the CCI charter states “that in no way there should be any Commercialisation of Sahaja Yoga”. (visit www.syccindia.org for full copy of the CCI Charter).
It has come to our notice that many Sahaja Yogis/ groups and entities have not adhered to the above fundamental principle of Sahaja Yoga and have started to earn money using the Sahaja Yoga teachings and contents. In this communication, we will talk about the commercialization of Sahaja Yoga through digital means.
Sahaja Yoga content has been made available freely as of now, primarily for the purpose of expediting spiritual ascent of Sahaja Yogis. Many Yogis/ entities have posted these freely available Sahaja Yoga content /videos in their own YouTube channels. Increasing viewerships and presence of Sahaja Yogis on digital channels, have attracted advertisement agencies to put advertisement on these channels and some of the Sahaja Yogis/entities have taken opportunistic advantage of this freely available content to earn money out of Sahaja Yoga content. Similar commercialization of Sahaja Yoga content is also visible on the Facebook and other social media platforms. In case these advertisements have appeared inadvertently, without their knowledge, Sahaja Yogis/entities are advised to get these removed from the Sahaja yoga contents. Annexure II shows some of the instances of the blatant commercialization of the Sahaja Yoga content.
We have following questions to ask of these Sahaja Yogis /entities earning money out of Sahaja Yoga content:
- Did they pay for the Sahaja Yoga content used by them? Was it not free?
- By enabling advertisements on Sahaja Yoga content and also earning on it, have they not commercialized Sahaja Yoga ?
- Is this not in violation of the basic teachings of Shree Mataji?
CCI believes that such blatant COMMERCIALISATION CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. We hereby advise all YouTube channels/social media pages using Sahaja Yoga content for their personal monetary benefits to desist from doing so. If this is not discontinued, the CCI would be constrained to name and shame these YouTube channels/social media pages as well as expose the persons/entities behind them. Further Sahaja Yogis and the Sahaja collectives would be advised to not visit these YouTube channels/social media pages.
Sahaja Yoga is the BIGGEST GIFT AND BLESSING TO HUMAN BEINGS given in the entire history of spirituality. We are very lucky and blessed to have got this from Shree Mataji, absolutely free of cost, purely out of Her love. Therefore, Commercialising Sahaja yoga is not justifiable at all and it is akin to demeaning Sahaja Yoga. We advise all to desist from commercialising or misusing Sahaja Yoga in any form or manner and there can be no compromise on this fundamental principle. For Sahaja Yogis, means are as equally important as the ends.
CCI will also be putting out Communications regarding other forms of commercialization of Sahaja yoga in the coming future.
All the Members of the Sahaja Yoga Central Committee of India
Dated : June 28, 2020.
Annexure I
Some Extracts of Speeches of Her Holiness Mataji Shree Nirmala Devi
(regarding Commercialisation and charging money)
“Firstly, in Sahaja Yoga, we must know we cannot make any money out of it. There cannot be any commercial activity on Sahaja Yoga…
So, first of all we are not going to have any time any type of commercial activity and if you ever try it I will see to it that you get liquidated completely. So no commercial activity for Sahaja Yoga. No commercial thing should be started in the name of Sahaja Yoga.”
Christmas Puja talk. Surbiton (UK), 21 November 1983.
https://www.amruta.org/1983/11/21/pre-christmas-talk-london/
“Now there are some people who use Sahaja Yoga money and exploit Sahaja Yoga in such a way, exploit them, Sahaj a yogis also sometimes. And such people become very inauspicious. Anyone who tries such things will go out of Sahaja Yoga with disgrace. But one should never go near such a person, have nothing to do with such a person, have no sympathies. Because this inauspiciousness will hurt anyone to any extent, so better keep out of such people.”
Shri Ekadasha Rudra Puja. Faggeto Lario, Como (Italy), 16 September 1984.
https://www.amruta.org/1984/09/16/shri-ekadesha-rudra-puja-como-1984/
“Last time I told you that you cannot pay for God, you cannot pay. You cannot pay for your realisation, you cannot commercialise God by anyone, whether it’s a church or anything, you cannot commercialise it. It has to be free because everything that is Divine is free.”
Public Programme, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 23rd, 1983
https://www.amruta.org/1983/03/23/public-program-kuala-lumpur-malaysia-1983/
“But Kundalini awakening is one thing one cannot commercialise. You cannot pay for it.”
Public Program. Hampstead, London (UK), 6 June 1980.
https://www.amruta.org/1980/06/06/why-are-we-here-hampstead-1980/
“Some people have started enterprises of Kundalini Yoga, of Kundalini awakening; it is not a commercial stuff, it is not ! It’s a living process. You cannot commercialize it. You cannot pay for it.”
Public Program at Maccabean Hall. Sydney (Australia), 22 March 1981.
https://www.amruta.org/1981/03/22/talk-at-the-maccabean-hall-sydney-1981/