As a long-time yoga student, practitioner and teacher of the Sivananda organisation, I’m saddened to read about the alleged abuse by the founder of the TTC and ashrams around the world, Kuttan Nair (formerly known as Swami Vishnudevananda).
A lot has been said, online, and as a teacher of the tradition, I feel it’s only fair to share my personal view with my students.
As in any organisation, company, institution, religious belief system, there are predators, people who need to control, abuse and hurt other humans in order to feel good about themselves, or for whatever sick reason. That doesn’t make the organisation’s mission and vision they are a part of bad, but it does require honesty, transparency, an independent investigation & ultimately changes in the way of working to avoid enabling such behaviour as well as charges to the culprits and reparations for the victims.
Personally, for now I will continue practicing and teaching traditional yoga, the Sivananda tradition, as I was taught it, since I’ve witnessed the profound benefits of the teachings on so many individuals, as well as on myself. I don’t consider myself to be a devotee to any guru, but a student of proven and solid practices that create harmony, better health and wellbeing in people and their communities.
My heart goes out to the victims of abuse, anywhere. May they find the strength in themselves, and in their community to find inner peace and happiness again, very soon.
Om shanti -ॐ शान्ति
ambikayoga.wordpress.com 