Religion, Meditation, Ayurveda, FLDS
"Meditation programs, often led by yoga instructors or trained facilitators. These initiatives are commonly labeled as nonreligious tools to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance emotional regulation.
Programs like Mindful Schools, Calm Schools, and Quiet Time, the latter promoted by the New Age David Lynch Foundation, have made their way into classrooms across the United States. But what appears to be a neutral wellness intervention is often deeply rooted in Eastern religious traditions, raising concerns about religious freedom, consent, and the psychological safety of children.
One striking example occurred in Chicago, where a Christian student, Mariyah Green, won a $150,000 legal settlement after she said she was coerced into participating in the Quiet Time meditation program. The program involved chanting Sanskrit prayers during a ceremony known as a Puja, an act of worship in Hinduism that includes offerings to deities. Green alleged she wasn't informed of the religious significance and believed participation affected her academic standing and athletic eligibility. Both the Chicago Public Schools and the David Lynch Foundation settled the case, though they denied liability.
In addition to the Mariyah Green lawsuit, other legal battles have highlighted the spiritual nature of school-based mindfulness meditation programs. In Encinitas, California, a group of parents filed a lawsuit in 2013 against the school district for promoting yoga as part of the school day. The parents argued that the program, funded by a $500,000 grant from the K. P. Jois Foundation, a group that teaches Ashtanga Yoga, rooted in Hindu traditions, was inherently religious. Although the court ultimately ruled in favor of the school, the case revealed just how deeply spiritual ideologies can become embedded in the name of wellness. Children were reportedly taught poses named after Hindu deities and encouraged to chant "Om," a sacred syllable in Eastern religions. What the school called physical education, the plaintiffs recognized as indoctrination.
Such programs are spreading across the country. In addition to Mindful Schools, Calm Schools, and Quiet Time programs, many other programs are marketed as secular, science-based tools for improving focus and emotional regulation in schools. Yet a closer look reveals that many of these initiatives often include breathing rituals, body scans, and visualizations, practices directly tied to Hinduism, Buddhism, or New Age belief systems. By avoiding overt spiritual language, they slip past constitutional scrutiny while reshaping the spiritual landscape of the classroom."
JAMA, Medical News & Perspectives, Oct. 2, 1991: "Maharishi Ayur-Veda: guru's marketing scheme promises the world eternal 'perfect health'"
The Minnesota Star Tribune: Grand Marais trial over North Shore land sale renews questions about breakaway Mormon sect leader
"Elissa Wall hasn't seen a cent of the more than $10 million dollars she's owed from a lawsuit against self-described prophet and polygamous cult leader Warren Jeffs.
He doesn't have a bank account, she testified Wednesday afternoon.
Wall is trying to collect money from a land sale conducted, on paper, by his brother Seth Jeffs and his Montana-based Emerald Industries LLC. She's convinced that Seth Jeffs used Warren Jeffs' money to buy 40 acres here in 2018, property that he sold in 2023 for $130,000.
"I'm here to recover the money given to Seth Jeffs," she told the Cook County jury.
According to court documents, Seth Jeffs claims he used his own money to buy the land. He's expected to testify on Thursday.
Warren Jeffs is also named in the lawsuit, but he's currently in a Texas prison where he is serving a life sentence for child sexual assault. He's still in the leadership role he inherited with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, according to Wall.
The fundamentalist sect broke away from Mormonism after the latter moved away from polygamy."
The selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not imply that Patrick Ryan or Joseph Kelly endorse the content. We provide information from multiple perspectives to foster dialogue.
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