Name: Nithyananda Sangha also known as Life Bliss Foundation / Nithyananda Meditation Academy UK
Founder: Paramahamsa Nithyananda (b. 1977 or 78 - there is some disagreement)
Location: First ashram opened in Bangalore, India in 2003
Websites- group’s own - http://www.nithyananda.org/
Critical - http://nithyananda-cult.
General information:
Nithyananda is described as the youngest living enlightened master by followers and as a controversial 'godman' by the Indian press. He is called a sex swami on the critical websites.
Life Bliss Foundation is the name of the worldwide movement of Nithyananda - http://lifeblissfoundation.
It has the Nithyananda Vedic Temple in Los Angeles, USA - http://www.
In the UK it is a registered charity number 1149994 - Nithyananda Meditation Academy UK but with working name Life Bliss UK. registered December 2012. very low income so far (just over 3000 in 2013, just over 1500 in 2014).
Claims on group's homepage:
Cutting edge research in Yogic sciences - such as Kundalini Awakening, teleportation, levitation... Using modern neuro-psychology, medicine and quantum physics
Pioneering a Vedic Renaissance - Over 30 Vedic temples where ancient Vedic rituals, deities and festivals are experienced by thousands everyday
150 countries. 10 million followers. 1000 centers - The fastest growing spiritual community around the youngest living enlightened master.
Beliefs:
"Nithyananda, the founder, says "Enlightenment flowers when individual consciousness merges into universal consciousness. It is an experience beyond mind, and out of it ecstasy and energy are born." The meditation and spiritual programs help one to tap into this energy and experience eternal bliss." http://lifeblissfoundation.
Also has a focus on education - "Planet earth needs more and more people who are awakened and enlightened. The age group that transforms the fastest is youth. We have created a brand new form of education, ‘enlightening education’ for children."
The vision is "To create a quantum intelligent civilization based on consciousness, compassion, creativity and confidence in at least 10 million children." http://en-education.
Practices:
Offers a 'unique' meditation called Nithya Dhyaan aka Life Bliss Meditation and a yoga practice called Nitha Yoga - which includes techniques to overcome 108 diseases (http://www.nithyayoga.org/).
Also has an education system called eN-education which teaches "Enlightened Education" - "Creating leaders of the quantum intelligent civilization. Nurturing the children such that they blossom to their fullest potential, expressing their innate creativity, spontaneity, clarity and bliss is enlightened education. Not only does this education put them above par other children their age, it also leads to the awakening of their consciousness. " (http://en-education.
Runs various meditation and yoga courses - for beginner and advanced and for children - as well as courses on health, fitness, wealth etc. Also on pregnancy and parenting. As well as more spiritual courses such as Nithyanandam an 'enlightenment intensive', described as "a unique and intense meditation camp wherein we work directly upon the cancerous tumors of ego in each of us"http://www.nithyananda.org/
Courses take place at the Ashram in Bengaluru (Bangalore) although there are also many E-Courses and Nithyananda has his own TV channel.
Initiations and darshans also take place at the ashram.
The ashram daily schedule begins at 4am and ends at 10pm http://www.nithyananda.org/
Controversies:
October 2014 - according to the critical website, Nithyananda has gone on criminal trial for "rape, unnatural sex, criminal conspiracy, threat to life, and fraud" (http://nithyananda-cult.
October 2013, the school at the ashram was investigated by the Ramanagaram child welfare committee (CWC) for having no proper accreditation or syllabus.
There is a Gurukul (school) at the Ashram.
In October 2013, The Indian Express reported that:
"Accused of rights violations, the Bidadi ashram of self-styled godman Nithyananda Tuesday produced 88 of the 108 students registered with it and their parents before the Ramanagaram child welfare committee (CWC). The district officer of the CWC, Radha, was present.
The students from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, the US, UK, Singapore and Australia were produced following a directive by the district authorities."
It goes on to say that the CWC found the children "brilliant" but that the school was not accredited and had no proper syllabus. The CWC was to write up a follow-up report.
Legal troubles in 2010:
In March 2010, Tamil television channel, Sun News, exposed Nithyananda engaging in sex acts with a woman. After evading summons for 49 days, Nithyananda was arrested on 21 April 2010 in Arki in Himachal Pradesh but was released from judicial custody after 52 days in Ramanagaram sub-jail.
In June 2010, former follower Arathi Rao, claimed that Nithyananda had repeatedly raped her over a 5 year period. On 13th June, Nithyananda surrendered himself before a court in Ramanagaram.
December 2010, India Today reported that police planned to conduct an investigation into the wealth of Nithyananda and the ashram. He was alleged to have accumulated $23 million in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu."
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