Editing Ashram Shambala

{{Short description|Russian religious sect}}
{{Infobox religion
| name                = Ashram Shambala
| native_name         = {{lang|ru|Ашрам Шамбалы}} 
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| area                = [[Russia]] 
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| founder             = Konstantin Rudnev
| founded_date        = {{Start date and age|1989}}
| founded_place       = [[Novosibirsk]], Russia
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| members             = Approximately 20,000
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'''Ashram Shambala''' ({{langx|ru|Ашрам Шамбалы}}) is a Russian spiritual movement founded in [[Novosibirsk]] in 1989 by [[Konstantin Rudnev (esoteric teacher)|Konstantin Rudnev]]. It is a mixture of [[occult]] and [[esoteric]] teachings. The spiritual movement consisted of approximately 20,000 followers.<ref name="multiple">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/9857871/Konstantin-Rudnev-Russian-cult-leader-jailed-for-sex-abuse.html Konstantin Rudnev: Russian cult leader jailed for sex abuse. The Telegraph.] 08 Feb 2013.</ref> Since 1990, branches operated in 18 regions of [[Russia]] and also in [[Moscow]] and [[Saint Petersburg|St. Petersburg]].<ref>[http://www.interfax-religion.ru/print.php?act=news&id=38952 Новосибирский суд арестовал два коттеджа, купленных на деньги секты "Ашрам Шамбала". Интерфакс. Novosibirsk court arrested two cottages purchased with money from the Shambhala Ashram sect. Interfax.] December 30, 2010.</ref>

==History==
Founder Rudnev graduated from the school and the engineering college, then he served in the [[Soviet Army]], where offered to create a monastery like [[Shaolin Monastery|Shaolin]]. During the guard, Rudnev opened fire with an assault rifle, after which he was sent to Samara psychiatric hospital. In 1989, he returned to Novosibirsk, where he founded the Ashram Shambala<ref>[https://lenta.ru/articles/2014/01/18/sirius/ Шамбалой по ашраму. Lenta.] January 18, 2014.</ref><ref>[https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2122551 Главу секты посадили с третьей попытки. Коммерсантъ.] February 8, 2013.</ref>

When a sufficient number of followers came to the group, "Ashram Shambala" began to organize spirit classes in the basement of the school on Relsovaya Street in [[Zayeltsovsky City District, Novosibirsk|Zaeltsovsky District]]. Rudnev had first called himself Guru Sotidanandana for a good promotion, then the legend was invented that a sage living in Tibet is a teacher of Rudnev, etc.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://academ.info/news/9764|title=В поселке Кирова обнаружен штаб тоталитарной секты "Ашрам Шамбалы"|website=academ.info}}</ref>

Rudnev was arrested in 1999, but escaped from a psychiatric hospital during his checkup.<ref name="multiple" />

In 2005, he was again detained, but his followers refused to testify against him.<ref name="multiple" />

===Arrest and trial===
Rudnev was detained again on September 30, 2010, and on October 2, a court arrested him. During [[search and seizure]] in the group's houses, which were located in one of the horticultural societies of the [[Novosibirsky District]], the police found a lot of audio and video recordings of the rituals, ritual accessories, as well as four (4) grams of heroin.<ref>[https://www.gazeta.ru/social/2010/10/05/3425885.shtml?updated На пути дурака нашли героин. Газета.ru.] October 5, 2010.</ref>

In 2013, a Novosibirsk Сourt sentenced Rudnev to 11 years in a [[Corrective labor colony|colony of strict regimen]]. He was accused of creating an association related to violence, and was also charged with rape, indecent assault. In addition, the creator of the group was accused of distributing illegal drugs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2122261|title=Суд завершил проповедь|via=Kommersant}}</ref>

===Return of confiscated property===
A year later, after the trial of Rudnev, the court returned the confiscated cottages and cars to the group. In March 2016, the Central District Court of Novosibirsk returned to the "priestess" Oksana Spiridonova (Rudnev's assistant) gold and part of the money: 40,060 rubles, 550 euros, 2 US dollars, 50 yuan, 5 hryvnias and 40 rupees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsk.kp.ru/daily/26507/3376469/|title=Жрица "Ашрам Шамбалы" отсудила у следователей драгоценности, доллары и евро|first=Виктория МИНАЕВА &#124; Сайт «Комсомольской|last=правды»|date=March 22, 2016|website=KP.RU - сайт «Комсомольской правды»}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsk.kp.ru/daily/26179/3068725/|title=Секс-секте "Ашрам Шамбалы" вернули коттеджи, джипы и мотоциклы|first=Виктория МИНАЕВА &#124; Сайт «Комсомольской|last=правды»|date=January 9, 2014|website=KP.RU - сайт «Комсомольской правды»}}</ref>

==Features==
Rudnev called himself "extraterrestrial from [[Sirius]]". His followers called him Great Shaman Shri Dzhnan Avatar Muni.<ref name="multiple" />

Adherents of the group were claimed to have practiced [[orgy|group sex]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsk.kp.ru/daily/26510/3379159/|title=Дневник бежавшего из секс-секты "Ашрам Шамбалы": Мы танцевали с бубном в лесу и спасали мир от потопа|first=Виктория МИНАЕВА &#124; Сайт «Комсомольской|last=правды»|date=March 29, 2016|website=KP.RU - сайт «Комсомольской правды»}}</ref> and [[bestiality]].<ref>[https://aif.ru/incidents/40363 «Учитель» осуждён, а дело живёт. В Новосибирске вынесен приговор лидеру секты. Аргументы и факты.] February 7, 2013.</ref>

Allegedly, Sectarians lived in difficult conditions in the sect, slept three or four hours a day and ate very little. People lost their teeth, and then were told: "You are being reborn into a man of the sixth race who does not need teeth, because he feed by divine energy."<ref>[https://iz.ru/news/294643 Руководителя тоталитарной секты ловили 5 лет. Известия.] September 28, 2004.</ref>

==="The Way of the Fool"===
The teachings were set forth in "The Way of the Fool", a book by Rudnev, in which he urged to abandon the traditional way of life.<ref name="multiple" />

Recollection of a former adept of the group about his impressions of the book "The Way of the Fool" and about the website of the same name, which the "priestess of love" Anastasia (Nastya) advised him to visit:<ref>[https://www.nsk.kp.ru/daily/26510/3379159/ Дневник бежавшего из секс-секты «Ашрам Шамбалы»: Мы танцевали с бубном в лесу и спасали мир от потопа. Комсомольская правда.] March 29, 2016</ref>

It all started with a recommendation to visit a site called "The Way of the Fool": "for spiritual development". But I immediately felt bad from its design: half-naked girls, strange words. Nastya also advised to read Rudnev's book, The Way of the Fool. I began to read it, but I was not able to overpower this nonsense, for I had never seen such an abomination in my life. Not only that, almost after every word were [[Mat (Russian profanity)|obscene words]], there was no general sense. Diary of a Madman. In short, I came to the site and left it, I opened the book and closed it, without delving into the content.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

''I shared my impressions with Nastya. She laughed in response and said that this was done specifically to scare away "social mice", that is, ordinary people who were not given the understanding of the wisdom of Shambala.''{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

==Sources of income==
Rudnev organized various paid seminars: yoga seminars, seminars on the esoteric foundations of business, sexual liberation seminars, etc. In 2010, a similar lecture by the guru of "Ashram Shambala" cost 53 thousand rubles per person.<ref>[https://www.spb.kp.ru/daily/26037/2952994/ Дело секты «Ашрам Шамбалы» живет и побеждает? Комсомольская правда.] February 26, 2013.</ref>

The group sold various magic items: amulets and talismans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sibkray.ru/news/8/32888/|title=Духовного лидера Ашрам Шамбалы обвиняют в изнасиловании адептов. Фото|website=sibkray.ru}}</ref>

People sold their apartments, cars and gave all the money to the group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazeta.ru/social/2008/10/28/2867233.shtml|title=Гуру-секс-маньяк пойман снова|website=Газета.Ru}}</ref>

==Center==
The center is located in a mansion on Kosmonavtov Street 1a in the [[Sovetsky City District, Novosibirsk|Sovetsky City District]] of Novosibirsk.<ref>[http://www.k-istine.ru/sects/ashram_shambala/ashram_shambala_kokoulin.htm Лидера опасной секты в Новосибирске арестовать не смогли. К истине.] October 30, 2008.</ref>

== Bibliography ==

* Alban Bourdy, ''Un Bisounours au pays des se(x)ctes'', Books On Demand, 2018.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bourdy |first=Alban |url= |title=Un Bisounours au pays des se(x)ctes |date=2018-04-18 |publisher=Books on Demand |isbn=978-2-322-12058-1 |language=fr}}</ref> A testimony of a former follower of the sect.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.ntv.ru/novosti/52339/ В Новосибирской области арестован создатель секты. Телеканал НТВ. The creator of the cult was arrested in the Novosibirsk Oblast. NTV channel.] September 27, 2004.

[[Category:Crime in Novosibirsk]]
[[Category:Religion in Novosibirsk]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Novosibirsk]]
[[Category:Religious organizations based in Russia]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1989]]
[[Category:New religious movements established in the 1980s]]