Sahaja Yoga
| Sahaja Yoga | |
|---|---|
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| Founder | Nirmala Srivastava (aka Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi) |
| Established | 1970 |
| Practice emphases | |
| kundalini, meditation, self-realization | |
Sahaja Yoga is a Hindu-inspired new religious movement founded in 1970 by Nirmala Srivastava (1923-2011), more widely known as Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi or as "Mother" by her followers, who are called Sahaja yogis. Sahaja Yoga is not only the name of the movement, but also the meditation technique the movement teaches and the state of awareness that is said to be achieved by the technique. According to the movement, this state is the state of self-realization produced by kundalini awakening and is accompanied by the experience of thoughtless awareness or mental silence. The movement teaches the belief that self-realization through kundalini awakening is a transformation which can be experienced on the central nervous system and results in a more "moral, united, integrated and balanced" personality.
The teachings, practices and beliefs of Sahaja Yoga are mainly Hindu-based, with a predominance of elements from tantric and mystical traditions, as well as local customs of India. There are however important elements of Christian origin, such as the eternal battle between good and evil and apocalyptic beliefs. References to a variety of other religious, spiritual, mystical as well as modern scientific frameworks are also interwoven in Srivastava's complex teachings, although to a lesser degree.
Srivastava described Sahaja Yoga as the pure, universal religion integrating all other religions. She also claimed that she herself was a divine incarnation, more precisely an incarnation of the Holy Ghost, or the Adi Shakti of the Hindu tradition, the great mother goddess who had come to save humanity. This is also the way she is regarded upon by most of her devotees.
Sahaja Yoga ahrams are present in diverse countries which include the following : Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Kuwait, Nigeria, United Kingdom, United States of America, but are not limited to the aforementioned countries.
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