I was looking to join some Yoga class and was intrigued by Art Of Living as i keep hearing so much about it and being highly skeptical by nature decided to do some investigation. In short it seems like a cult with recruiting techniques borrowed from Amway/Quixtar with the instructors possibly getting to keep a cut from the class fees but its creatively called as “guru dakshina”.

Given below are the things that i came across and i have decided to curb my enthusiasm for taking AOL classes as of now. Looks like all cults, this cult starts in a benign way with an introductory course in which they reduce oxygen supply and make people feel high and people think its because they are feeling something spiritual. and then the cult members start pestering people to take additional classes for reaching the ultimate goal, which nobody seems to reach at AOL as there are AOL instructors who have been at it for many years and still searching for the elusive goal! The cult makes them feel that they are not liberated because they are sinners..its all their fault! Talk about a simpler way of inducing guilt!

I also read that as you stay with them they ask questions about your personality and then get to know your strengths and weaknesses and then use that to psychologically manipulate you if you start having second thoughts. Like all cults they have weekly brainwashing sessions called satsangs so that your life is the cult and nothing else, to make sure you have no friends.

So if you or anybody you know fell under the spell of this cult do forward this information to them, looks like people are stuck in this and not knowing that there is a way out as it has complete psychological control over you. Some of the links below are from AOL instructors who spent thousands of dollars to attend a zillion courses over 10 years ignoring their family and praising the living God namely RaviShankar and have now broken free and sharing this info. with the world so that others AOL members who wants to leave know that there is a way out. BTW the so called Sudarshan Kriya is modified techniques from ancient Yoga techniques such as Raja Yoga and the likes which have been modified for new age consumption.

This is what i found, if you think i am off track do correct me where i am losing my marbles. I have nothing against AOL practitioners who derive benefit from it, i am just sharing my findings. NO FLAMES PLEASE.

Mind Control In Cults

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnNSe5XYp6E

http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/03/art-of-living-course-or-curse.html

http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/

http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2009/12/psychotherapist-leaves-comment.html

http://guruphiliac.blogspot.com/2008/07/sri-sri-ravi-hype-nar.html