Editing Sahaja Yoga (section)

== Cult classification ==
Cult expert [[Jean-Marie Abgrall]] has written that Sahaja Yoga exhibits the classic characteristics of a cult in the way it conditions its members.<ref name="jma">{{cite book |author=Abgrall, Jean-Marie |title=Soul Snatchers: The Mechanics of Cults |publisher=Algora Publishing |year=2000 |author-link=Jean-Marie Abgrall |pages=139–144}}</ref> These include having a god-like leader, disrupting existing relationships, and promising security and specific benefits while demanding loyalty and financial support.<ref name="jma" /> Abgrall writes that the true activities of the cult are hidden behind the projection of a positive image and an explicit statement that "Sahaja yoga is not a cult".<ref name="jma" />

Judith Coney has written that members "disguised some of their beliefs" from non-members.<ref name=coney1999/>{{rp|214}} Coney writes people who had left the movement welcomed the chance to talk to her as an independent researcher, but that some were fearful of reprisals if they did so, and others found their experiences too painful to revisit.<ref name=coney1999/>{{rp|214}} Most were unwilling to talk to her "on the record".<ref name=coney1999/>{{rp|214}}

An "A-Z of cults" in ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that adherents of Sahaja Yoga found a cult designation "particularly offensive" but that the movement had been plagued by accounts of children being separated from their parents and of large financial donations made to Nirmala Srivastava.<ref name=az>{{cite news |newspaper=The Guardian |title=A-Z of cults |first=Robert |last=Cornelius |date=14 May 1995}}</ref>

In 2001, ''[[The Independent]]'' reported the allegation made by some ex-members, that Sahaja Yoga is a cult which aims to control the minds of its members.<ref name=indy-cult/> Ex-members said that the organisation insists all family ties are broken and all communication with them cease, that crying children can be seen as being possessed by demons, that negative and positive vibrations need "clearing", and that being a member of the group is very expensive.<ref name=indy-cult>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/shri-who-must-be-obeyed-9263416.html |title=Shri who must be obeyed |date=13 July 2001 |work=The Independent |access-date=17 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119200021/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/shri-who-must-be-obeyed-9263416.html |archive-date=19 January 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2005, ''[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]'' reported that some critics who feel that the group is a cult have started their own websites.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2NzMxNTk4 |title=Hundreds fill weekend with devotion, bliss |newspaper=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]] | first=John |last=Chadwick |date=24 July 2005 |location=Bergen County, New Jersey |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320154926/http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2NzMxNTk4 |archive-date=20 March 2007}}</ref>

In 2005 the Belgian State organisation IACSSO ([[:nl:Informatie- en Adviescentrum inzake schadelijke sektarische organisaties|Informatie- en Adviescentrum inzake de Schadelijke Sektarische Organisaties]]) issued an advisory against Sahaja Yoga.<ref name=final-judgement/> The advisory categorizes Sahaja Yoga as a [[Syncretism|synretic]] cult ("syncretische cultus") based on the Hindu tradition, and warns that the recruitment techniques used by Sahaja Yoga pose a risk to the public in general and young people in particular.<ref name=be-advisory>{{cite web |title=Advies van het Informatie- en Adviescentrum inzake de Schadelijke Sektarische Organisaties (IACSSO) over Sahaja Yoga |publisher=IACSSO  |language=nl  |date=7 March 2005 |url=https://www.iacsso.be/publicatiesadvies050307.htm}}</ref> Sahaja Yoga Belgium sued IACSSO and preliminary rulings were found in their favour, adjudging that Sahaja Yoga was "not a cult".<ref>{{cite news |title=Sahaja Yoga is geen sekte |url=http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnenland/article/detail/255219/2008/04/25/Sahaja-Yoga-is-geen-sekte.dhtml |newspaper=[[De Morgen]] | date=22 July 2008 |trans-title=Sahaja Yoga is not a cult |language=nl |access-date=26 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121220002/http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnenland/article/detail/255219/2008/04/25/Sahaja-Yoga-is-geen-sekte.dhtml |archive-date=21 January 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, on appeal in 2011 these preliminary rulings were overturned and in a final judgement it was found that Sahaja Yoga had been unable to refute IACSSO's statements.<ref name=final-judgement>{{cite book |page=24 |title=State and Church in the European Union |edition=3rd |veditors=Robbers G |vauthors=Torfs R, Vrielink J |year=2019 |publisher=Nomos Verlag |chapter=State and Church in Belgium |isbn=978-3-84-529626-5 |doi=10.5771/9783845296265-11}}</ref>

In 2013, ''[[De Morgen]]'' reported that the Belgian Department of State Security monitors how often politicians are contacted and lobbied by organizations. The list of organizations includes Sahaja Yoga.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[De Morgen]] | title=Staatsveiligheid houdt Wetstraat in de gaten |trans-title=State keeps an eye Wetstraat |first1=Buxant |last1=Martin |first2=Steven |last2=Samyn |date=2 February 2013 |url=http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnenland/article/detail/1572744/2013/02/02/Staatsveiligheid-houdt-Wetstraat-in-de-gaten.dhtml |language=nl |access-date=2 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514122122/http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnenland/article/detail/1572744/2013/02/02/Staatsveiligheid-houdt-Wetstraat-in-de-gaten.dhtml |archive-date=14 May 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2001, The ''[[London Evening Standard|Evening Standard]]'' reported that Sahaja Yoga has been "described as a dangerous cult" and "has a dissident website created by former members". The reporter, [[John Crace (writer)|John Crace]], wrote about an event he attended and noted that a Sahaja Yoga representative asked him to feel free to talk to whomever he wanted. He remarked, "Either their openness is a PR [[wikt:charm offensive|charm offensive]], or they genuinely have nothing to hide." He proposed that "one of the key definitions of a cult is the rigour with which it strives to recruit new members" and concluded that there was no aggressive recruitment squeeze.<ref name="eveningstandard">{{cite news |title=Monday night with the divine mother |newspaper=[[London Evening Standard]] | date=18 July 2001 |first=John |last=Crace}}</ref>

[[David V. Barrett]] wrote that some former members say that they were expelled from the movement because they "resisted influence that Mataji had over their lives". According to Barrett, the movement's founder's degree of control over members' lives has given rise to concerns.<ref name="barrett" /> The Austrian Ministry for Environment, Youth and Family states that "Sahaja Yoga" regards Nirmala Srivastava as an authority who cannot be questioned.<ref>{{cite book |title=Sekten! Wissen schützt |url=http://www.lermanet.com/cisar/germany/books/990913b.htm |trans-title=Sects! Knowledge Protects |author=Ministry for Environment, Youth and Family: [[Austrian Federal Government|Austria]] | others=Translated by cisar.org |website=lermanet.com |access-date=17 April 2014 |year=1999 |location=Vienna |publisher=Druckerei Berger |edition=2nd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621020349/http://www.lermanet.com/cisar/germany/books/990913b.htm |archive-date=21 June 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>