Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement

Brianna Patten
  • 4.8 (4)
  • RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY
  • SERIES

Surviving Satchidananda is the podcast that exposes the toxic underbelly of Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville, an internationally acclaimed spiritual retreat in Central Virginia. Through raw personal stories and interviews with experts, Brianna Patten, a former Yogaville resident and insider, reveals the hidden truths behind the so-called sanctuary. survivingsatchidananda.com

Episodes

  1. EPISODE 1

    Initiation

    Brianna Patten, former resident of a spiritual retreat center in Central Virginia called Yogaville, unpacks the community's toxic inner workings. She reflects on her secret mantra initiation ceremony and her complicated relationship with the ashram. In a revealing interview, Karla Helbert, a trauma therapist and former Integral Yoga leader, provides valuable insight as someone who was a member of the organization for decades. Both women stress the need for transparency, support systems for survivors, and the importance of practicing Ahimsa (non-violence) in yoga communities.

    43 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    Indoctrination

    Satya, Brianna’s close friend from Yogaville, shares her personal journey of what led her to the ashram. They reflect on their experiences in the Living Yoga Training program, the unhealthy eating behaviors promoted within the ashram's culture, and how mental health crises are handled by Integral Yoga swamis. It’s a powerful and introspective conversation about self-discovery and confronting difficult truths.

    49 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Growing Up In Yogaville: Chai's Story

    Chai opens up about the complexities of growing up in Yogaville, sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. He delves into the ways ashram leaders interfered with his family dynamics, corporal punishment at the community school, and what it has been like navigating adulthood after leaving the community. Chai and Brianna also revisit the unsolved mystery of a woman who dropped out of law school and married a swami after just a few weeks at Yogaville.

    46 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    Carol Merchasin: “The Cult Assassin” who is taking Yogaville to Court

    In this episode, Brianna interviews Carol Merchasin, the notorious attorney who takes on abusive spiritual communities in court. Her firm, Mcallister Olivarius, is currently supporting plaintiffs Shanti Norris and Susan Cohen in their legal battle against Yogaville/Integral Yoga. Merchasin's work is part of a broader effort to hold spiritual organizations accountable for misconduct. She has previously represented individuals in cases involving spiritual communities such as The Shambhala International Lineage of Buddhism and Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers. Read the Yogaville court documents yourself here with the index number: 952220-2023 https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/iscroll/IScroll If you would like to share any information about Yogaville with Brianna, email survivingsatchidananda@gmail.com

    46 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    Growing Up In Yogaville: Forest’s Story

    Forest, who grew up in Yogaville, shares about the challenges of being homeschooled in an isolated community. We discuss the disciplinary culture at the ashram, violence among kids who grew up there, and how an ashram upbringing impacts adulthood. survivingsatchidananda.com

    27 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    Assaulted by the Swami: Sharada's Story

    Sharada Thompson shares about the abuse she experienced at the hands of Swami Satchidananda, how the Integral Yoga Community responded, and tools spiritual seekers can use to notice toxic patterns and protect themselves from falling under coercive control. https://gurusexabuse.com/womens-testimony/#sharada

    51 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    At The Right Hand of The Guru: Vijay's Story

    Vijay played a significant role creating and developing the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco. He describes his experiences working with Swami Satchidananda, including both the positive spiritual guidance he recieved and the challenges posed by the guru's unethical relationships with disciples. Vijay explains why he decided to advocate for those harmed by Swami Satchidananda and the community's reaction to his speaking out. survivingsatchidananda.com

    53 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    Silenced by The Swami: Maxim's Story

    Maxim Kramer is the first man to publicly claim that he was sexually assaulted as a minor in Integral Yoga's care. When Maxim told Swami Satchidananda that he was assaulted, the guru silenced him. Now that Kramer has a PhD in psychology and has studied the mindset of both sex offenders and cult victims, he can analyze the psychological profile of abusive gurus like Swami Satchidananda. survivingsatchidananda.com

    20 min

  9. EPISODE 10

    Tiger King and Teen Pregnancy: Joan Tells All

    Joan Cichon got involved with Integral Yoga in 1968 after experiencing personal crises that led them to seek greater control of their mind and a more meaningful way of life. Initially, the spiritual community and Swami Satchidananda's teachings were just what Joan needed. But the more time they spent at Yogaville, the more they noticed troubling patterns, like community members worshiping Swami Satchidananda as God and neighbors excusing harmful behavior in the name of yoga. Joan was featured in the Netflix mini series Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story where they were interviewed about witnessing the community's response to Antle impregnating an underage girl. Drawing on their deep understanding of yogic philosophy, Joan helps explain how spiritual teachings can be manipulated and weaponized to exploit vulnerable seekers. SurvivingSatchidananda.com

    44 min
  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Surviving Satchidananda is the podcast that exposes the toxic underbelly of Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville, an internationally acclaimed spiritual retreat in Central Virginia. Through raw personal stories and interviews with experts, Brianna Patten, a former Yogaville resident and insider, reveals the hidden truths behind the so-called sanctuary. survivingsatchidananda.com

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