Editing Sahaja Yoga (section)

== Organization ==
'''Vishwa Nirmala Dharma''' (trans: Universal Pure Religion, also known as '''Sahaja Yoga International''') is the organizational part of the movement. It is a registered organization in countries such as Colombia,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mininteriorjusticia.gov.co/adminFiles/REGISTRO%20PUBLICO%20ENTIDADES%20RELIGIOSAS%2030-06-2004%20.xls |title=Registro Publico Entidades Religiosas 30-06-2004 |trans-title=Public Registry of Religious Entities |publisher=[[Ministry of the Interior and Justice (Colombia)|Ministry of the Interior and Justice]]: Republic of Colombia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010408/http://www.mininteriorjusticia.gov.co/adminFiles/REGISTRO%20PUBLICO%20ENTIDADES%20RELIGIOSAS%2030-06-2004%20.xls |archive-date=28 September 2007}}</ref> the United States of America,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/followup/b5ngo.htm |title=List of ECOSOC/Beijing and New Accredited NGOs that attended the special session of the General Assembly |publisher=United Nations |access-date=26 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912163921/http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/followup/b5ngo.htm |archive-date=12 September 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and Austria.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2006/71367.htm |title=Austria – 2006 Report on International Religious Freedom |publisher=[[Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor]]: [[United States Department of State|US Dept. of State]] | access-date=25 June 2017 }}</ref> It is registered as a religion in Spain.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sahajayoga.org/swan/view/swan_526_2006.asp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910213600/http://www.sahajayoga.org/swan/view/swan_526_2006.asp |archive-date=10 September 2012 |title=Religion in Spain |website=sahajayoga.org |publisher=Vishwa Nirmala Dharma |department=Sahaja Worldwide News and Announcements (SWAN) |date=19 July 2006 |access-date=26 November 2011}}</ref> <!--source shows the legal documents -->

=== Membership statistics ===
There are no available statistical data about Sahaja Yoga membership. In 2001, the number of core members worldwide was estimated to be 10,000, in addition to 100,000 practitioners more or less in the periphery.<ref name="inform" /> There are varying reports about the movement's distribution worldwide. According to the Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Sahaja Yoga World Foundation, Sahaja Yoga centers are established in over 140 countries.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://shrimataji.org/site/life/biography-from-nirmala-srivastava-to-shri-mataji.html |title=From Nimala Srivastava to Shri Mataji |last=Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Sahaja Yoga World Foundation |date=7 May 2017 |website=Shri Mataji: A Life Dedicated to Humanity |access-date=4 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528013626/http://shrimataji.org/site/life/biography-from-nirmala-srivastava-to-shri-mataji.html |archive-date=28 May 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> In a news article in Indian Express published on the occasion of Srivastava's death in 2011, however, Sahaja Yoga centers were said to exist in 140 countries.<ref name=":0" />

=== International Sahaja Public School===
{{main|International Sahaja Public School}}
The International Sahaja Public School in [[Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh|Dharamsala]] founded in 1990, teaches around 250 international students annually {{asof|1999|lc=yes}}, and has accepted children from the age of 6.<ref name=coney1999/>{{rp|159}}

=== Yuvashakti ===
Sahaja Yoga's youth movement is called "Yuvashakti" (also "Nirmal Shakti Yuva Sangha"), from the Sanskrit words Yuva (Youth) and [[Shakti]] (Power).

The movement is active in forums such as the World Youth Conference<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.youthlink.org/globalguide.pdf |title=Guide to the Global Youth Movement |website=youthlink.org |editor-first=Jonah |editor-last=Wittkamper |year=2002 |publisher=Global Youth Action Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051222200027/http://www.youthlink.org/globalguide.pdf |archive-date=22 December 2005}}</ref> and [[TakingITGlobal]] which aim at discussing global issues, and ways of solving them.

The Yuvashakti participated in the 2000 "Civil Society & Governance Project"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/civsoc/final/india/ind7.doc |title=Case Study Civil Society & Governance Project |date=February 2000 |first=Vinita |last=Tatke |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040103160620/http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/civsoc/final/india/ind7.doc |archive-date=3 January 2004 |access-date=6 November 2006}}</ref> in which they were "instrumental in reaching out to women from the poor communities and providing them with work".

=== Vishwa Nirmal Prem Ashram ===
The ''Vishwa Nirmala Prem Ashram'' is a not-for profit project by the NGO '''Vishwa Nirmala Dharma''' (Sahaja Yoga International) located in Noida, [[Delhi]], [[India]], opened in 2003. The ashram is a "facility where women and girls are rehabilitated by being taught meditation and other skills that help them overcome trauma".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/A-New-Childhood/articleshow/457754.cms |title=A New Childhood |first=Arshiya |last=Khanna |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] | date=16 November 2006 |access-date=4 November 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018233831/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-11-16/edit-page/27827906_1_girls-drunken-man-mother |archive-date=18 October 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |magazine=Blossom Times |volume=1 |issue=3 |date=31 August 2007 |url=http://www.blossomtimes.org/site/pdf/BlossomTimes_issue3.pdf |title=An interview with Gisela Matzer |page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926011530/http://www.blossomtimes.org/site/pdf/BlossomTimes_issue3.pdf |archive-date=26 September 2007}}</ref>

=== Funding ===
According to the dictates of their founder, the methods for practicing Sahaja Yoga are made available free of charge to those interested. Nevertheless, according to the official Sahaja Yoga website there is a fee for attending international [[Puja (Hinduism)|pujas]] to cover costs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sahajayoga.org/swan/view/swan_358_2005.asp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120915070213/http://www.sahajayoga.org/swan/view/swan_358_2005.asp |archive-date=15 September 2012 |title=Puja/Dakshina Costs |website=sahajayoga.org |publisher=Vishwa Nirmala Dharma |department=Sahaja Worldwide Announcements and News (SWAN) |date=20 July 2005 |access-date=26 November 2011}}</ref>

According to author [[David V. Barrett]], "Shri Mataji neither charged for her lectures nor for her ability to give Self Realization, nor does one have to become a member of this organization. She insisted that one cannot pay for enlightenment and she continued to denounce the [[false self]]-proclaimed 'gurus' who are more interested in the seekers' purse than their spiritual ascent".<ref name="barrett">{{cite book |last=Barrett |first=David V. |author-link=David V. Barrett |title=The New Believers |publisher=Cassell |year=2001 |isbn=0-304-35592-5 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newbelieverssurv00barr/page/297 297–8] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/newbelieverssurv00barr/page/297 }}</ref>
<!--this isn't a refutation to the previous line
Sahaja Yoga leaders have denied this, pointing out that their group is recognised in both the US and Russia, that all members are free to come and go as they please. They admit that members are asked for voluntary contributions to events and projects, but that the money does not go to the founder herself. A current member of 25 years said: "All the organisation owns is a few properties in various countries. If we were into making money, that would be a pretty feeble return."<ref name=eveningstandard /> -->