BishopAccountability.org

Gurus ‘gods’ to abused children at NSW ashram

By Dan Box
Australian
December 2, 2014

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/gurus-gods-to-abused-children-at-nsw-ashram/story-fngburq5-1227142044549

CHILDREN at a yoga centre on the NSW Central Coast were sexually abused by gurus they were convinced to think of as “God like” divine beings who were worthy of “utter devotion”, a royal commission has heard.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is investigating the Satyananda Yoga Ashram at Mangrove Mountain, which is part of a wider international movement founded in India by the late Guru Swami Satyananda Saraswati.

Children at the ashram would be summoned by loudspeaker to the hut of the movement’s leader in Australia, Swami Akhandananda Saraswati, where he would sexually abuse them, the commission heard.

Alecia Buchanan told the commission Akhandananda started having sex with her while she was in her early teens, including on at least one occasion while an Australian woman, identified only as Shishy, was present at the time.

“Shishy knew what Akhandananda was doing to me and I have no doubt she knew what he was doing to other girls,” Ms Buchanan said.

“Looking back now, I’m certain some adults at the ashram knew Akhandananda was abusing us girls … we were often summoned very publicly over the loudspeaker by the receptionist or by Shishy’s assistant, Muktimurti. Words to the effect of ‘Shantibode, Go to Akhananda’s office’ late at night.”

Once initiated into the yoga movement, acolytes were forced to renounce their possessions, past lives and family relationships, the commission heard. Children, some as young as three or four, were separated from their families and “the parents of some children signed documents purporting to transfer legal guardianship to Shishy and Akhandananda,” counsel assisting the commission, Peggy Dwyer said. Pension cheques and other welfare payments owed to the families were also transferred to the guru, the commission heard.

The “gurus were considered to be spiritual men who had attained enlightenment and were God like,” Ms Dwyer said. “Some ashram members believed that both Akhandananda and Satyanda had spiritual powers and could look into a person’s soul.”

Eleven former child residents of the ashram will give evidence to the royal commission about their sexual and physical abuse within the yoga movement.

At least one of these is expected to give evidence that she was sexually abused by Akhandananda “and by a visiting swami from India,” Ms Dwyer said. Satyananda also had a sexual relationship with the girl, although it is not known what age she was at the time.

A lawyer for the ashram, Aaron Kernaghan, told the commission his client apologised “for the failures of the ashram, its people and its leaders throughout its history to the present day.” Akhandananda died in 1997.




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