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| Shri Mataji Nirmala Srivastava Devi (1923 - ) |
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 Shri Mataji Nirmala Srivastava is the founder of Sahaja Yoga, a new religious movement. Sahaja Yoga is said to be a process by which the Kundalini is awakened to produce Self-Realization. The movement was founded in the early 1970s in Bombay. In 1974, Nirmala moved to England and carried on her teaching. There are now over 100 Sahaja Yoga Organization throughout the world. Critics of Sahaja Yoga have labeled it as a cult; it has also received criticism for the emphasis of complete devotion to Nirmala Srivastava. Followers worship Nirmala Srivastava as the “Adi Shakti”, a Hindu concept meaning sacred force or the divine feminine aspect, sometimes referred to as “The Divine Mother’. Although it is always good to be skeptical, particularly with spiritual teachers, it seems that many critics don’t take into account the positive experiences of many devotees. Between 1970 and 2004, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi travelled across the world giving teachings and interviews on Sahaja Yoga. She is the founder of Sahaja Yoga International or Vishwa Nirmala Dharma and a number of NGOs (NON Government Organizations) aiding in various social projects: an international hospital in Mumbai, an international cancer research centre, an international music school, and a charity house for the poor in Delhi. It should also be noted that all Sahaja Yoga public programs around the world are entirely free of charge. As Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi says, "Truth cannot be sold, it cannot be purchased, it is just to be experienced." |
Date of Birth: 21 Mar, 1923
Location: India
State: Maharashtra
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Views: 250
Summary
Shri Mataji Nirmala Srivastava or Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was born on March 21, 1923, in Chindawara, India. She was born to Christian parents, claimed descendants of the royal Shalivan dynasty. As a youth, Nirmala lived with her parents in the ashram of Mahatma Gandhi. Nirmala’s parents were actively involved in the Indian Independence movement; her father was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and helped write India's first constitution. Nirmala was also involved as a youth leader in the Quit India Movement. It is said that Gandhi recognized a deep wisdom in Nirmala which was evident from a very young age. After independence in 1947, Nirmala married Chandrika Prasad Srivastava, an Indian civil servant who later became Sir Srivastava, when he was knighted by the Queen of England. As a civil servant, he had held the office of Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister between 1964-66 and then later he served for 16 years as the Secretary General of the United Nations International Maritime Organization. They had two daughters, Kalpana and Sadhana. In the 1961, Nirmala Srivastava was involved in the launch of the ‘Youth Society for Films’ to help instill social and moral values in young people. Aware of her own spiritual consciousness, she was pondering how to present what she knew to people, when in May of 1970, she participated in a meditation camp presided over by Bhagwan Rajneesh. Although she says she was shocked to see him loot people under the guise of spirituality. She did have a deep spiritual experience seeing the rise of her Primiordial Kundalini. She described the experience by saying, "I saw my kundalini rising very fast like a telescope opening out and it was a beautiful color that you see when the iron is heated up, a red rose color, but extremely cooling and soothing." Seeing the potential for all humanity to gain spiritual self-awareness en-masse, she soon founded Sahaja Yoga. During these years, she also studied with Swami Muktananda, the founder of Siddha Yoga, a new religious movement. She then started to work with people, seeing them become transformed physically, mentally, and spiritually. Since 1970, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has travelled and taught her techniques throughout the world, demonstrating her ability to awaken the Kundalini energy at an “en-masse” level. In 2004, it was announced that Nirmala Srivastava had completed her work. She is now retired from the public stage. The enjoyment of life is only possible if the world could get connected to the Spirit... You become the Spirit as Christ has said in simple words that you have to be born again.
References:
Related Links:
www.sahajayoga.org/shrimataji
www.nirmaladevi-film.de/movie.html
www.sahajayoga.ca/shrimataji
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