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Gray beard
Registered User
(12/7/01 5:47 pm)
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Monks I wonder about
I stopped going to Temple many years ago and therefore haven't any knowledge of some of the monks that I thought highly of at the time.

Anyone know where/what the following are doing now?

Dharmananda
Achalananda
Sarvananda
Devananda
Bhavananda
Jivananda

And finally one monk that I found different
Sadananda

I know that there is a whole new 'class' of swami's, do they mainly have the duty of serving as ministers now. If so does that mean the above older swamis have been moved out to spiritual pasture land these days?

Thanks

4py
Unregistered User
(12/7/01 6:29 pm)
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What little I know....
Dharmananda - spiritual advisor at Hidden Valley Ashram
Achalananda - Ashram Admin (I think) at Lake Shrine
Devananda - I think he holds a one-way ticket to India
Jivananda - I think he, too, is at HV.

Don't know about the rest... :D

Crog
Unregistered User
(12/7/01 10:54 pm)
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News
Dharmananda – Poor health, at Hidden Valley. Super super guy.
Achalananda – yes, at Lake Shrine.
Devananda – on the outs with the bad ladies and they are trying to find a place to hide him.
Bhavananda – I believe he is the one sent to India years ago, in the 70’s. Walrus people can speculate why. He returned recently and is keeping a low profile, he may be ill. Not sure where he is.

In Recovery
Unregistered User
(12/8/01 10:20 am)
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@#%$
Bhavananda returned to India early this year (or around there) after several months in the U.S. (Mother Center and Hidden Valley) dealing with serious health issues. Presently, he is the Dharmacharya (kind of like the spiritual authority in Daya Mata's absence) of YSS.

I love this man. He's a cool and simple monk, and he minds his own business as much as possible. For example, in a discussion group one of the senior monks proudly stated that he reports to Personnel if any monks miss a group meditation. Bhavananda simply replied: "You do this because you have forgotten why you came here." All the younger monks in that group were relieved that Bhavananda put this guy in line, and he automatically received a 5-star "COOL" rating in my books.

Why Personnel supported this kind of "reporting" is a whole other issue.

KS
Registered User
(12/8/01 10:46 am)
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Bhav
I always heard really good things about Bhavananda too. Everytime in the last 15 years his name has come up it has been really positive. People really loved him. I met a women from India at Convocation who really admired him and his work there too.

Strange SRF keep people from seeing him here. If he did have some health problems I hope that was the reason.

Gray beard
Registered User
(12/8/01 1:30 pm)
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Re Monks
Thank you all for your information. I'd heard long ago that Sarvananda was sent to India but haven't heard anything of him in years.

I'm sadden to hear that sweet Brother Dharmanandaji is ill. He is one of the most sincerely humble people I've ever met, always joking at his own expense to make a point. He's served Master well and is a living inspiration of the truth of the teachings.

I knew Bhavanandaji in Hollywood years ago when he was the minister then at Fullerton. He is a dynamic man, filled with spiritual love. I am sorry to hear of his medical problems.

I thought that Shantiananda was the head of YSS.

Again thanks

Musicman
Unregistered User
(12/13/01 8:24 am)
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@#%$
Sarvananda left the ashram 20 years ago. He was involved in EST (Werner Erhard's cult) even as a minister. When he left, many Pasadena Temple-goers headed elsewhere; he was extremely popular there (the other minister, Ramananda, was not). I worked with his father at the print shop. The last I heard he was living on Olympic, teaching meditation at a church. But that was long ago. Perhaps someone else has more current information.

Gray beard
Registered User
(12/13/01 3:40 pm)
Reply
Re: @#%$
Thanks Musicman. He was very popular at the Temple I attended and he seemed to radiate joyful vibes. I took him to be someone on the fast track who was very advanced.

I heard that his parents were the administrators of the Encinitas retreat years ago. You say his father worked with you at the print shop. Musta been transferred! yuk yuk

In a recent book by that well known former vice president of SRF he says that he tried to get Guy (Achalananda) sent to India to help him there. Then he says when the Board sent Allan(?) Sarvananda he knew things were rough and goes on to imply that it was Sarvananda who was sending all those negative reports concerning the v.p.'s Indian activities which heavily influenced the Board to oust him.

Just something interesting about this monastic. Thanks for replying with your information.

Peace

Musicman
Unregistered User
(12/14/01 2:31 pm)
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Sarva
You're right, Gray beard, that Sarva's parents had been running the Encinitas retreat, but I believe that was before they moved to Hollywood to work at the shop and MC. His father's desk was in the same office as mine, and he seemed very worried and preoccupied after his son left the Order, as any parent would be. As for his sojourn in India with you-know-who, that was something I didn't know.

In Recovery
Unregistered User
(12/14/01 11:56 pm)
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Bhav and Shanta
Not sure what the deal is with who leads what area in India. Even the monastics are confused about it all! But I do know that Bhavananda has the title of Dharmacharya and is the "go to" person in YSS when someone has questions that require a scriptural authority. In other words, he's the one with the ability to split hairs when it comes to spiritual questions.

Maybe Shantanandaji is the titular leader in Ma's absence. Oh hell, I'm confused!

mangomoy
Registered User
(12/15/01 1:03 pm)
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Sadananda
Just curious:
What became of Sadananda, who left approx. late 1970s or early 1980s, after serving at Fullerton, Encinitas & Phoenix?

He had a strongly helpful influence on me.

chuckle
Unregistered User
(12/15/01 9:45 pm)
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Sadananda
I heard back in the late 80s that Sadananda left the ashram and had married. This was after his Phoenix posting. It was a of a running joke within the ashram, I was told: get posted to Phoenix and you'll end up getting married!

AumBoy
Registered User
(12/16/01 2:44 pm)
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Tyagananda
Does anyone know what happened to him? I felt close to him. I remember he gave a wonderful talk at a Convocation years ago and then left the ashram.

India Yogi
Unregistered User
(12/19/01 2:26 am)
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Bhav and Shanta
Bhavananda is the YSS dharmacharya , something like the spiritual head in Ma's absence , while Shantananda is the Joint General Secretary , however I am not exactly sure what that stands for

Carbohydramoy
Unregistered User
(12/24/01 11:51 am)
Reply
Monastics
Tyg - Jeffrey Quillan. Lives in Rancho Bernardo area with wife, Jane.

Sudsy - Rothwell Boullion. Last I heard was in the Encinitas area doing multi-level marketing.

Sarvi - Allen Marsh. Last I heard was in Washington State.

Ach - Stanley Guy. Lake Shrine minister.

Deva - Edgar LaBossiere (spelling may be wrong). Still at the Lake, going to India.

Dharma - Harold Culver. Hidden Valley. Suffers from diabetis. Probably not a whole lot of time left for him.

Jiva - Damn, I forgot his name! Retired at Hidden Valley.

Bhavananda - Melvin Winterstein. Goes to India for 5 years at a time, then returns to recover. This is a truely great and humble soul.

Merry Christmas to all . . .

Gray beard
Registered User
(12/24/01 1:43 pm)
Reply
Re: Monastics
Thanks Carbo for the information. And you too have a Merry Christmas!!!!

Carbohydramoy
Unregistered User
(12/24/01 5:05 pm)
Reply
Jivananda
A cup of Kona did the trick.

Jivananda - John Mackey (spelling?)

Coffee does it everytime . . . .

Also Interested
Unregistered User
(1/12/02 7:39 pm)
Reply
Car 54 Where Are You?
I, too, would like to know how Br. Keith (Keith Kelly, actually) and Patricia are faring now. Anybody have a clue? And does anyone know if the latest ashram refugee, Br. Fred, is still in LA?

Also II
Unregistered User
(1/12/02 8:55 pm)
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Savitri
What about Sr. Savitri? She is in, she is out, she is working for the SRF Lawyer, but then tossed out? She had some illness and guilted SRF into helping her. Was that fake? Is she still on the board? Still on leave?

Pig Ma
Registered User
(1/12/02 9:20 pm)
Reply
Wow!
I had no idea Bri. Keith was gone! So he left and married? Wow! He was wonderful to work with when I was on the Sunday School committee. Funny and insightful- a joy to be around. Was he one of the mass exodus, or has it been some time since he's been gone?

There is so much I never hear about. I remember years ago when Bri. Dean left. No one told me, and I saw him in street clothes at the San Diego temple. His hair was different, and we talked briefly. I thought he was still a monk, while he probably assumed I knew that he was out. If I had known, we would have had a completely different conversation!

KS
Unregistered User
(1/12/02 9:31 pm)
Reply
Cult
Standard Cult Rules: Those that leave are disloyal and bad.

Inside when they leave they just go. No word is sent out, they just vaporize. The general membership has no clue that 30 or so have left. Everything is a secret.

For years the monastics were told to stay away from the temples and centers when they left. Most needed no motive as they left after learning the truth about the place, but the rule is another neat cult-cover. We tell them to stay away which is why they stay away.

There are many disappointing messages about this treatment and the associated lies told about people leaving. One of the darkest of their practices.

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