Conclusion to the Uma Inder Follow-up Expose

Part 2 and conclusion of the Follow-up Expose on Uma Inder. 

 

We have also contacted Yoga Alliance, of which Uma is a member and below is our email correspondence with them.

“Dear Yoga Alliance ,

It has come to our attention that a yoga instructor named Uma Inder is a member of your program. 

Uma is being accused for abusing her power as a teacher to manipulate, exploit and damage her students. Please find enclosed a link to an expose on Uma Inder, which will provide some of the exploitations, manipulations and events of her past abuse on students. We ask that you prevent any future students from her abuse by reading the allegations presented in this expose and terminate your work relationship with her as it is a tremendous liability if a complaint comes from any of Umas students.

 https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/Cult-Education/Exposes/Umaa-Inder-Expose/”

This was Yoga alliance’s response back to us.

“namaste,

Thank you for coming forward to share your thoughts in your email dated Wednesday, April 25 to Yoga Alliance.

I honor your request for understanding regarding Yoga Alliance’s policy for responding to and handling allegations of misconduct by a credential holder.

While Yoga Alliance does not criminally investigate reports of criminal behavior or sexual assault, we do take these reports seriously.  If you have directly experienced sexual misconduct by a credential holder and are interested in pursuing a grievance within the scope of the Yoga Alliance credential, you can contact me, Leigh Evans, at levans@yogaalliance.org or via phone 571.319.0824. My general office hours are Monday – Friday 8am – 4pm (ET). If you are interested in reading more about the next steps, I invite you to review our Policies page for further information. 

If you choose to report an experience with a credential holder, please indicate in your email response:

· The best time to reach you;

· The best number to reach you; and

· Whether or not we can leave a voicemail if we miss you.

You are more than welcome to have a support person – friend, family, spiritual advisor – or other trusted individual, with you during the call.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write to Yoga Alliance.

In service,

Leigh Evans, RYT 200

Accountability Manager

levans@yogaalliance.org”

We are coordinating with the alleged victims of Uma Inder’s abuses to directly give their individual complaints to Yoga Alliance. 

 

The notion that there are only a couple of alleged victims who have come forward with allegations against Uma’s abusive misconduct couldn't be further from the truth. Here is the most recent complaint. 

 

“I support the claim she is a narcissist maybe even delusional and I do know she spat on someone’s face during an intense fight in one of her retreat after this person supposedly asking questions she didn’t like and then spat on his face claiming to the rest of the participants “And that’s how you deal with that...””

“The woman is mentally ill. I have no doubt about that.”

As we stated earlier some of the institutions have discontinued their relationship with Uma.

For example, the School of Sacred Arts, Yoga Barn and the latest is the No Mind Festival in Angsbacka. 

 

Unfortunately, we are still in the processes of getting the Nordic festival in Sweden to discontinue Uma’s employment. Here is our latest comment on the Nordic Satya’s Facebook post regarding Uma’s participation at the upcoming festival.

In addition to our expose and information on Uma there has been another expose written by Be Scofield regarding her alleged abuses. We have provided a link here for you to read. https://medium.com/@bescofield/the-yoga-barn-guru-inside-uma-inders-bali-cult-6ac69cdc678b

It has also been brought to our attention that Uma has been selling her “health products” without proper government certification.

According to the allegations found within the complaints received against Uma Inder, it is our opinion and belief that Uma may be acting as a cult leader that seems to severely damage her followers in many ways. We believe Uma Inder’s recruitment, indoctrination, and control techniques are typical to that of destructive high-control/demand groups (as per our analysis using the B.I.T.E. model). According to the complaints, in our opinion it seems Uma Inder has no regard for the physical, mental, emotional and financial well-being of her followers. We believe her goal is to psychologically break down students in the name of “transparency” and “enlightenment” for control and exploitation purposes. In our estimation, we believe Uma Inder may be very dangerous and advise potential students to think twice before becoming a student of this yogi guru.

A final quote from an alleged victim:

“…it is due to these systematic threats and intimidation that Uma Inder has been able to operate for so long without being exposed. These threats require that we protect our identities for the time being. However, we are so concerned about the well-being of current, inactive, former, and possible future cult members that we choose to begin exposing the abuses carried out by Uma Inder.”

We commend all of the brave ex-students of Uma for finding the courage to come together and speak out in an effort to warn potential students and stop the alleged manipulation and abuse. If you have any information about Uma Inder and/or her group that you would like to share, please contact us immediately. Please note: This expose was conducted upon receiving allegations and evidence against Uma Inder by ex-students. The purpose of this expose is to warn, educate, save lives and to protect any potential victims. It is absolutely not intended to slander, libel or harm anyone mentioned in the expose.

In Conclusion we at F.A.C.T. have an obligation to our followers and the alleged victims to expose the truth. As such we will continue to inform and educate all future institutions and possible students of Uma.

There will always be some opposing views from Uma’s believers and followers. That is the power of undue influence!

Those who don’t fight EVIL empower EVIL!

-F.A.C.T Team

Families Against Cult Teachings and Abuses

Uma Inder Follow-up Expose

Dear FACT Followers,

This is a follow up to our last expose on Uma Inder. Since our last expose a few of Uma’s employers have terminated their working relationship with Uma, which we believe is commendable.

Unfortunately, some institutions have continued to work with Uma. We have received complaints from students who are worried about her potential harm to future students in the upcoming workshops and events. We have included one of the warnings we received from a former student.

“Subject : : Urgent - Please stop Uma Teaching

 Your Message : : Uma Inder will be teaching at Kirana Yoga School, Indonesia 4-6 May. August in Toronto collaborated with Donny Day, and Ahalia Ayurveda Medical College in Kerala in November/December”

One of the past events was held at Kirana Yoga School. This event was from May 4^th-6^th 2018. Prior to this date we contacted said institution, to inform and warn them about the allegations against Uma Inder and we have not received a response from them as of yet. In our opinion this shows negligence and it is unacceptable from an educational institution.

We will continue to follow up to warn students who attend this school.

Uma will have a workshop in Toronto collaborated with Donny Day – Upon contacting Donny Day here is what he had to say in response: 

 

“Hi Janet,

I read everything.

These are claims with no evidence at all - can you imagine if I were to listen to you?  This is clearly fear-mongering and is not acceptable.

I'm afraid you've become victim of your own fear - this email and site you've created seems very cultish & carries an energy of the like I've not experienced with such a creepy vibe.

When your approach is more sensitive to the nature of what you're doing, lets have a conversation.  From what I've seen from your email & the link you sent (no evidence whatsoever), you seem to be the group that's quite cult-like and does not have to capability of another point of view (so there will be no effective conversation).

Plus I can think of a dozen more dangerous folks in the world that are clearly negative forces in the world you could be addressing which brings up the next point - this must be personal somehow for your group - or perhaps there's $$ involved from another pissed off group or individual (?)

I'm certain Uma is available to speak directly to you (umainder.com).  Perhaps speak with her instead of sending out such transparently insecure fear-mongering messages with no evidence but just claims (?)

If you wish to speak person to person, call me: 905 824 6595

I'm available to speak June 2nd and after (travelling).  be aware that first impressions are key - check out what yours is.

namaste,

donny

p.s. after reading my reply, perhaps you feel 'he's on HER side' or something like that - TAKE THIS IN - THAT'S CULT LIKE THINKING!  it seems you've become victim of your own 'thing' and have become the cult itself.  i'm open to fact-based conversation (times, dates, events, names etc.) with evidence June 2nd or after.”

And this was the last follow up e-mail to Donny from FACT.

“Hello Donny,

This comes as a response to your email correspondence with Janette. It is clear to me that you don't want to hear the truth. It is also obvious that you will perform with Uma and you don't have the backbone or the decency to see the truth. Uma Inder has hurt hundreds of people and we are representing those victims. I believe if you would be a witness to any of Uma Inder’s crimes or misbehaviors you would still be in denial and continue to support her. And that is why we believe that Uma Inder and this behavior is a cult. 

 

And as I say those who don't confront evil, will empower evil. I believe this is what you are participating in.

Enclosed please find a couple of the alleged victims input.

Tibor Stern

President of Families Against Cult Teachings and Abuses, Inc “ 

Updated to this post - Here is the second part and conclusion to our follow-up expose on Uma Inder. 
http://familiesagainstcultteachings.blogspot.com/2018/05/conclusion-to-uma-inder-follow-up-expose.html 
 

Sincerely, 

The FACT Team  

Please note: Our intention at FACT is never to libel or damage anyone’s reputation. The purpose of our work is primarily to educate the public. Moreover, please know that all statements made in this expose are according to our opinion at FACT based upon signed affidavits, complaints and evidence we received from alleged victims and through our analysis of this information according to the B.I.T.E. model (developed by cult expert Steven Hassan).

Complaint Filed - Apostolic Revival Center Peru, Indiana

One of the many recent Complaints Filed with FACT. 

CULT, GROUP or CHURCH INFORMATION:

"Name of Cult, Group or Church: Apostolic Revival Center Peru Indiana

Where: Peru, Indiana

Leader(s): XXXX

Please describe the cult activity: They pay people to stay. If you try to leave they threaten you. They completely have strayed away from what they claimed to be at first. Their members are so sure that they’re the “truth” and if you come against what they believe they lash out at you.

Involvement with group: Yes

1) When did you/they get involved & for how long?
Family Member - 5 yrs ago

2) How did you/they get involved? How were you/they directly recruited? They claimed to be a Pentecostal church. My family is Pentecostal. They thought it was an upstanding organization. The pastor has gone to great lengths to recruit people in the last five years.

3) Are there other family members involved?
Only one of my family members

4) Has their been a disconnection of relationship(s) with family, old friends? Yes. They come to family functions, and they spew a bunch of information about their beliefs, and if you come against them they have a freak Out.

5) What are the circumstances currently? They attend regularly.

Impact from group: They have stalked me to try to get me to join, via Facebook. When I refused, my family members who attend basically shunned me.

Is there anything else that we should know or you would like to tell us: Please look deeper into these people. They’re dangerous. They stalk people and threaten people. It’s not good."

If you have any experience with this Center please let us know.

Thank you,
The FACT Team

Leah Remini to Take On Jehovah's Witness and the Watchtower Society

"According to sources, Remini will produce a special for A&E that focuses on Jehovah's Witnesses, to air during a break following season three of the Emmy-winning Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath."

Read full article here:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/rambling-reporter/leah-reminis-next-a-e-project-tackle-jehovahs-witnesses-1114006

We have and continue to receive complaints from former Jehovah's Witnesses as well as many other former members of high control groups and cults.

We are very happy to hear that Leah Remini and her team will use their voice to help expose and raise awareness about the atrocities that are occurring in not only Scientology but in Jehovah's Witness churches as well.

The FACT Team

What We Deal With Daily Here at the FACT Office

"Name of Cult Group or Church: Fountain of Life International Church

Where: If multiple locations, just tell us about the location you're referring to. 1055 E Hearns St, Phoenix, AZ

Leader(s):xxxx xxxx

Please describe the cult activity: Are their specific complaints you'd like to tell us about? YES
My son is in this so called church. He is a group leader in the young men and women's group. I asked about this group and as he was explaining he was very arrogant, which he wasn't before this church, and he let me know in so many words that he exerts pressure on group members. I stopped him there and said, you are exerting pressure on people in a church group? He answered saying that, well he joined voluntarily. So we had a conversation about that. When I stop him about something I feel is not right, he changes the words he uses to something more accepting to someone; but the actions are still same. They keep him so busy with church business that between work and church, he is always tired. But he still protects the church. He was taught there to take some gray area in scripture and take one extreme view and act as if its fact. Also there, they have women pastors, which is not even close to being biblical. It is a pentecostal church, so you probably know about those. Its under the umbrella of the Assemblies of God churches. He is almost always with someone from that church and has continuous church functions and giving them 10%. There is much I can complain about this apostate church. They got him a new family, he calls this xxxx (who was in jail before) his spiritual father,(new father), the pastor got him a woman to be his wife, they have isolated him while making him reject me, his real father, and reject his friends, other family is not really in his life much, they don't know him like I do. I was the only one who went to his college graduation even. His behavior and personality has changed drastically, shockingly. He is constantly working for the church with not much time for his things he was doing before, his interests changed, he even told me to throw all his stuff away at home.(shocking). He is in a constant grind from work and church. xxxxx recruited him into it little by little. xxxx doesn't respond to logic or common sense, no analytical thinking. He was always so smart, xxxx made straight As all of his life.

Are you aware of any human rights violations, emotional/physical abuse, illegal activity?

Please be as detailed as you can.

Involvement with group: If yes, please explain.

1)
My son, xxxx II was in college in Western Washington University from 2012 to 2016. My son and I had the best father, son relationship ever and I trusted totally. There, he met who I now believe was a cult recruiter for this church. His name is xxxxx who is 12 years older than xxxx. He began to get xxxx interested in learning Bible scripture. Then xxxx began attending a church with him and was baptized. xxxxx, then moved to Phoenix as xxxx stayed 2 more years in Washington. They stayed in touch, but I didn't know that they would be on the phone sometimes for 5 hours, xxxx then girlfriend told me later. She also told me that xxxxx would call often when they were together; first to ask xxxx to do little things on computer or phone that he could have done himself. Then the things he called xxxx for began to be bigger and more time consuming things that, she said began to seriously interrupt their time together. xxxxx was continuously doing his recruiting on my son. After a year out of college, xxxx was planning to come home where I live in xxxx NV. We had made plans to do many things and I was excited that he was coming. Just before coming home, xxxx told me that he was considering going to Phoenix to live for a while, where he could record his music, as he was a song writer and performer, and xxxxx was going to be his manager and get him into a recording studio. Then he had a dream about him and me working in my garage on our project car, an old firebird. I thought, great. When xxxx told Freddy about the dream, xxxxx convinced xxxx that it meant that he was supposed to come to Phoenix to live. I wasn't happy about that, but xxxx was really serious about going there and to record his music. So he went there. xxxx signed a lease for a house there and xxxxx and his family moved in. xxxx babysits and picks up the kid from school sometimes and Freddy uses his car. xxxxx is just using my son and is controlling him. He came to see me often since, but in March, he came with a girl who he said he wanted to marry. I had only seen a picture of her a month earlier, but had not heard much about. He had a girlfriend in Washington, who he tried to keep a long distance relationship with, but that ended a few months after moving to Phoenix. She told me later that one of their problems was that she didn't understand xxxx relationship with xxxxx (he was older than xxxx and had a wife and three kids.) I felt the same way too. So soon after he broke up with the girl in Washington, he was introduced to this other girl by the Pastor and xxxx and she became co-group leaders together and even worked outside of church preparing lesson plans for the group. He brought this new girl to meet me. I was appalled by her behavior, not engaging in conversation with me or asking me anything. She had her hands all over xxxx, but he didn't to her. They seemed awkward together and at one point started to dance when some music played, but they looked completely stupid and they couldn't get together on the song to dance and they stopped trying. I didn't see them as a couple at all. She brought up disgusting things during dinner and she had a philosophy of not going to doctors or taking medicine; which to me is a cult thing. When xxxx and she were sitting on the couch here, she put her leg in between xxxx legs and just sat like that in front of me. I was shocked at that. We were shocked at that. I believe this means that there is something sexual going on, but he says there isn't. I had a lady friend with me who has known xxxx since he was 14, and she thought the same as me about them. They didn't even look right together. Later, on the phone xxxx and I had an argument about her and he said some mean things to me which shocked me, because we had never had argument before, xxxx respected me and loved me so much and always took up for me if anyone said anything negative. I met his other girlfriend and we got along very well. I think now that they came to offend and she is with him maybe just to watch him; because now I think he only is with people from church. So he is always being watched, and I really began to think , CULT!!! And I began to research cults etc. As the months pass there are still no music recording and every time I ask about it, xxxx says he is writing songs. I told him he should already have them on a CD; they could be saving souls. His music is all worship songs. He told me for the last few months now that the reason he hasn't recorded any songs yet is that , Jesus told the disciples to wait for the holy spirit before going out to preach the word. I keep telling him there is no connection to that and why he is not recording his songs. Now, all his decisions are based on a sign from God, a dream interpretation or confirmation in scripture. Its all too much. He came to visit in March and that's when I talked to him a lot and found that he is a completely different person. He doesn't care about seeing his friends here or his cousin. Doesn't care about anything at the house, like the project car, watching family videos that we always did. So many things were changed about him. Even some mannerisms and his eyes. At one point he did say that he would stay here and live. He called his boss and quit his job, called xxxxx and told him he wouldn't be back. I cried with happiness and he did too. Then he called xxxxx, the girlfriend, to break up with her. Then he was in the bedroom talking to her and he was crying. He couldn't be heard from the living room. I went in to see him; he was crying so hard and his hair all messed up and he waved me away and went into the bathroom and closed the door and kept talking for a while. He looked as if he was in some great torment. not just shedding a tear over breaking up with a girl he knew only a few months. He was with the other girl for over a year but he didn't cry when they broke up. This was like she had some kind of thing over him and was threatening him with it. I kept asking him why was he crying like that so hard. I even asked if she had something on him that she's controlling him with and threatening him with, but he said no. He said he cried just because they were breaking up and then he decided to go back and be with her. I was devastated. Later he said again that he would stay and then changed his mind again. He did that at least 3 maybe 4 times. At one point I took his phone and kept it for a couple of days and he was more dossal and he said he would stay again and asked for his phone back so I gave it to him then he changed his mind again. It became a something sick he was doing and I didn't understand it. I took his phone again but this time he jumped on me to get it back, I went to the ground and he wrestled it out of my hands and pulled it so hard that it injured my thumb and I had to have x rays and physical therapy. But he acted as if nothing happened. I'm sure this xxxx told him to do whatever he has to, to keep his phone so he or they or whoever could keep contact. Then I felt like I was afraid of my own son and I asked myself, what is he capable of doing to me if he would do this? He had never even been in a fight in his entire life, but now he is violent, arrogant , lying, deceiving, not showing a bit of caring or love for me. Its like he is incapable of compassion. His eyes were always big and wide open and now it seems like his eyes are half shut all the time. He was more Christian before he started learning scripture with xxxxx than he is now. Whatever he doing there, it has nothing to do with Christianity. Then he went back. I wish I knew of some group that could help me get him back and put him back the way he was. I know this will take time, but that's what I have. I'm not stopping to save my boy out of this evil that I feel he is in. He has since never asked me how I am or how my thumb is; this is strange, and once I said that to him, and he said, yes I have, I said it many times. No not even once since he went back. He is deeper in it not than ever and I don't know what to do anymore. He is always tired when I call or Skype with him. 

2) How did you/they get involved? How were you/they directly recruited?

3) Are there other family members involved? Only me and my best friend.

4) Has their been a disconnection of relationship(s) with family, old friends? They are trying to break completely my relationship with my son, and he has really turned on me as if I am nothing. He often says to me when we talk that I cut him off and he can't talk to me; trying to find a reason to stop our conversation.

5) What are the circumstances currently? He wants to marry this xxxxx girl but he knows that I don't want him to. He told me that its up to me if I want to be a part of their lives. I can't stand her. He only wants xxxxx and his family and xxxxx in his life and I feel like I'm losing him. This church is International too and can send him anywhere; he has talked about starting a church.

Impact from group: Please describe how you believe to have been harmed and/or wronged by this group. Be as detailed as possible, and send any supporting evidence via the email below.

Is there anything else that we should know or you would like to tell us: Please tell us anything else you think we should know. I made a police report of the assault and battery that he committed against me (his father) to get his phone back. My glasses cut my head and broke, I had a carpet burn on one knee, and my thumb was injured, the ligaments were pulled and the joint was spranged. Then he acted as if nothing happened. Now there is a warrant on him. He works in a xxxx in Phoenix, assistant manager, and I'm sure he will get fired if and when they find out. I got a call from the city attorney's office telling me that the warrant is approved by the court and will send xxxx a notification in a couple of days; so I called him and told him that he has a warrant on him now and they will let him know. He didn't believe me. But he said, Whatever happens, it will work out, because I didn't do anything wrong. He didn't panic at all and he didn't even blink when I told him. I asked him if he already knew, because he didn't even react to it. I think he and xxxxx already talked about it. He even said that could get it expunged if he needed to. I didn't know that he knew what that was. I told him if he would quit his job before he gets fired, we can work all this out and it would be nothing to it and in the end and then you can go back to work and with no fired from your job on your record. He said he was not going to quit and he will deal with whatever happens and that God will resolve it all for him. I texted him once and told him I was going to make a complaint against him, and he responded by texting me that if I did, he would be my enemy. I texted that we will never be enemies and that I loved him so much. I said all I do is out of love for him, he knows that I'm so worried for him that I would do about anything to get him out of that church and away from xxxxx. He told me that he knows I'm worried for him but he says not to worry. After I told him that he has a warrant on him now on Skype, we both said I love you; and at bedtime that same evening he texted me, I love dad, goodnight. I texted back the same thing. Today we did not communicate. But its ok.He is has a lot to think about. I just don't know where all this is going or what will be the ending. HELP! I thank God I found your website.

If you have additional files, links, etc. that you'd like us to be aware of, please send them to the email address below."

The FACT Team 

Follow-Up Expose on Uma Inder to be Published Monday

Our Follow-up Expose on Uma Inder will be posted Monday.

Until then, here is the initial expose for those new to our page and those who haven't seen it.

https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/Cult-Education/Exposes/Umaa-Inder-Expose/

Sincerely,

The FACT Team 

"Those Who Do Not Confront Evil Are Empowering Evil"
Tibor Stern President FACT, Inc

The Ruling Is In on Psychopath Katsura Kan (Ex-Naropa Teacher)

Tibor Stern, on behalf of the Sharoni Stern Estate, won the ruling for jurisdiction after many years of Katsura Kan's lying, manipulating and deceiving the U.S. court system.

The Sharoni Stern Estate is moving forward with the lawsuit.

Be aware cult leaders - you can run, hide and manipulate people for only so long, but we will find you, expose you and bring you to justice.

This is the link to the latest media coverage regarding Sharoni's tragic story.   

https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-a-japanese-dance-master-accused-of-driving-a-student-to-suicide-1.6075227

If you would like to help us with our mission at FACT, we would greatly appreciate it. Here are some simple ways you can help: like us on Facebook, share our posts and preventative education materials (which are downloadable on our website) and/or please donate what you can. Any amount helps towards raising awareness and preventing tragedies from happening.

To donate, click here: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/fact

Our Facebook page: https://business.facebook.com/FACT501c3

From all of us at FACT, thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

The FACT Team 

A Heartfelt Letter to the President of FACT

 We received this a couple of days ago and wanted to share.

"Mr. Stern, hello —

I do not have any issue with cults. I am writing because I spent the weekend in Las Vegas with some friends from across the country. I never travel or take vacation, but this weekend, I got together with them, and it was planned out months ago.

As soon as I got into the Vegas airport, I saw the story about Sharon (on Ha’aretz, of all sites), and over the next few days, whenever I had some time alone, I continued to read. It obsessed me. It haunted me. It really wasn’t a vacation this weekend, because I was so affected by this story.

I know it’s nothing compared to how the story affected/affects you, but it really hit me hard. I am so sorry that this happened. I applaud you for doing your best to turn a negative into a positive with this organization you have started, and the memorial to her, and, also, for taking Kan to court. I wish you much success in getting this piece of shit put behind bars, forgive my language.

I am impressed with your strength. My condolences on your daughter’s passing. I felt I had to write.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emet.

Kind regards,
Josh"

These types of letters are very touching to all of us here at FACT. We appreciate your reaching out Josh. Thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness.

The FACT Team

Another Young Vulnerable Woman Being Manipulated and Controlled

A recent e-mail we received:

Name of Cult or Group: Stairway in Tennessee http://www.straitwaytruth.com

 "My best friend is being lost to this extremist cult or faction whatever you want to call them. She has been given to a man who is to become her husband, they have decided everything for her. She is now unable to talk to me under orders or allegiance as she puts it to her husband as he now controls her email, social media and phone calls. Her family are going out of their minds over this, I have had to tell her mother what is going on there as she had been told to keep things secret from them. She needs help, I've lost my best friend to these people, people who believe that she will burn in hell if she defies her husband or the elders, who take everything, who stockpile guns to defend themselves from the unbelievers as they put it.
Neither I nor her family know what to do......."

This is a typical day at the office, answering and supporting families who are going through crisis such as these.

We are not familiar with this particular group Stairway. If you have any personal experiences or information that you would like to share about this group or any group, please do so.
https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/cult-help/contact.html

We are here to help create Awareness so as to Prevent tragedies. We are here to support those who are caught up or dealing with family or friends who are involved in controlling abusive groups and situations.

We can not do it alone and need all the help we can get. If you would like to help us and our mission here at FACT it is extremely appreciated. You can make your tax deductible donation here:
https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/Donations/Donate/

Thank you.

Sincerely,

The FACT Team

Shambhala Sham - Survivor Tells Us a Story

Brave Survivor tells us about some of her experiences as a young woman and as one of Chogynam Trungpa Rinpoche's secret seven wives in the Shambhala community. Chogynam Trungpa Rinpoche was the Founder of Naropa University in Boulder, CO.

"Lots of people have asked me who's interest am I serving by telling my stories? Do i have an ulterior motives? I think my motive right now is for me, and my healing. And honestly, I'm so tired of people who never spent any time alone with Chogynam Trungpa Rinpoche's (CTR) telling me I'm angry, or lying, or I have it out for certain abusers who still have positions in the hierarchy of Shambhala. Or I missed the point. Or what i experienced at his hands wasn't abuse. I am simply tired of being silenced and expected to continue holding on to these horrifying Mukpo Family secrets. So here's a nice feel good story about Chogynam Trungpa Rinpoche's (CTR):

                         Chogynam Trungpa Rinpoche's is the man holding the gun

The Cat Story:

It was summer of 1985. I "married" CTR on June 12th of that year. I met him around May 31st at a wedding in the back yard of someone's home. That year, we had our "wedding" at Rocky Mountain Dharma Center (RMDC), now Sham Mountain Center (SMC) a few days before Assembly, then we had Seminary and Encampment happened during Seminary. That was the year he spoke of limited bloodshed and taking over the city of Halifax and the province of Nova Scotia by force.
 We were in the middle of the Mahayana portion of seminary teachings.

For weeks, CTR had been asking everyone he saw if they had seen a cat. He asked the head cook, the shrine master, and all of his servants if they'd seen one. We returned to Prajna late one night after a talk and there was this beautiful tabby cat sitting on the porch. I said, "here kitty kitty" and he came right over to me, purring and rubbing against my legs. I picked him up and said: "Here sweetie, here's the cat you've been wanting." I can't remember exactly who was on duty but I think it was XXXX and of course XXXX. Someone took the cat from me and Rinpche ordered them to tie him to the table on the porch. He instructed them to make a tight noose out of a rope so the cat didn't get away. He stood over his guards to examine the knots and make sure they were secure. I was curious at this point, wondering what this enlightened master had in mind for the cat-I knew there were serious rodent problems on the land and I assumed he wanted to use the cat for this problem.

Then, he instructed the kasung to bring him some logs from the fire pit that was in front of the porch down a slight slope. We took our seats-CTR was seated to my right and there was a table between us for his drinks. He ordered a sake. The logs were on his right side, so he could use his good arm. Anyway, the cat was still tied by a noose to the table. Rinpoche picked up a log and hurled it at the cat, who jumped off the table and hung from the noose. He was making a terrible gurgling sound-and he finally got some footing on the edge of the deck and made it back onto the porch. Rinpoche hurled another log-making contact and the cat let out a horrible scream as the air was knocked out of him. I said: "Sweetie-stop! What are you doing? Why are you doing this?" He said something about hating cats because they played with their food and didn't cry at the Buddha's funeral. He continued to torture the poor animal and I was crying and begging him to stop. I said: "I gave you the cat, please...stop it!" And I'll never forget his response-he looked at me and said: "You are responsible to for this karma." and he giggled. I got up to try and stop him and he firmly told me to sit down. One of the guards stepped closer to me and stood in a threatening manner to keep me in my place.

The torture went on for what seemed like hours, until finally the poor cat made a run for his life with the patio table bouncing after him. It was clear he had a broken back leg. I'm sure that cat died. I looked for him or the table for the rest of Seminary and never found either. I imagined him fleeing up the mountain and the table catching on something and strangling him. I was completely traumatized by the event, but it was never spoken of again. Rinpoche told me the "karma" from this event was good. I was dumbfounded. A common feeling I had when around CTR was that there were things going on that I simply could not understand, while it seemed other people, with a knowing nod of their heads, understood things on a deeper level than I. I was in fear of exposing my ignorance, so I learned not to question and to go with the crowd around him. They didn't appear to have any problems with what he did-such was the depth of their devotion. I just needed to generate more devotion to Rinpoche and one day I might understand.

I kept this secret for 30 years. I filed it away with the other alarming things I learned from being so blessed as to be welcomed into this very small club of nearly enlightened students. I kept his bulimia a secret. Along with the drinking and womanizing and cocaine use-he made himself throw up until all that came up was blood.

The cognitive dissonance of witnessing his cruelty and suicidal tendencies that I witnessed was stomped on by the devoted students near him who refused to believe he was anything but the most enlightened teacher to ever walk the planet.

This is how one creates a cult and gathers students-they plant nuggets of profundity in our minds, and tell us to blindly trust samaya and devotion as the only way to enlightenment. They silence anyone with questions. They write devotional chants and stories, all about how meeting the guru saved their lives. They write of how he saw into their souls and loved them like no one ever had. The carrot at the end of the long stick is the promise of enlightenment, and thirty years later, as far as I can tell, this community is just as delusional as it was then, perhaps more so. If telling my stories keeps anyone from making the choice to sign up with this dysfunctional and, yes, dangerous community, that's a plus too."

If you have stories and first hand accounts and experiences in the Shambhala Community and would like to share, please do so here https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/cult-help/contact.html 

Thank you to all the brave survivors who are coming forward and sharing their stories, we can not expose the truth with out survivors sharing their truth with us.  We can't do it without you - So Thank you again.

Stay tuned... a lot more to come and be exposed in the coming days and weeks about the Shambhala Community / Naropa University, past and present, from more brave survivors.


The FACT Team

"Those Who Don't Confront Evil Are Empowering it". Tibor Stern 

The Shame of Shambhala

We've been receiving a lot of complaints about the Shambhala Community - present and past.

Here is just one of them and a very small portion of her story and complaint.

"I am one of Trungpa Rinpoche's seven sangyum, or secret wives. I met him in 1985 and he died in 1987. He was sexually, verbally and physically abusive to me. He once killed a cat in front of me while his guards held me down and forced me to watch. When the #metoo movement started, i started a secret facebook group called XXXX and learned this careless attitude and treatment of women Continues today through his son, who has also been accused of rape more than once. His other son, XXXX is severely autistic and is a ward of the state because his mother, the XXXX refuses to support him in any way and hasn't even seen him in 20 years. He lives in a group home.

What are the reasons given why he/she has joined this group: I am trying to get the word out, and have stories to tell. I have a master's from Naropa"

More to come tomorrow about Shambhala !


The FACT Team