Category: Spiritual

Oh Dear Agama

Posted on by Srithanu Blog

Well the big news was in September 2018 when the Guardian Newspaper exposed the guru of Agama Yoga to be a sexual predator and to be overseeing a toxic culture. The headline read, ”Under Swami’s spell’: 14 tourists claim sexual assault by guru at Thai yoga retreat”. The swami in question is known as Swami Vivekandanda Saraswati is really the alias for a Romanian national, Narcis Tarcau.

People should have done their homework about first what tantric yoga is and the background of Mr. Tarcau. He was kicked out of India. His guru was another Romanian and another tantric practitioner who claimed he was on a spiritual journey to sleep with 1,000 virgins. This sexual predator went on the run and was briefly arrested in Paris in 2016. His bogus acolyte Narcis Tarcau also went on the run when the Koh Phangan police could no longer ignore the scandal. However, not for long. Coconuts.co reported he is back on the island looking to re-establish his profits and his position to abuse young women by rape and sodomy.

The roots of tantric philosophy stretch back hundreds of years in Hinduism and Buddhism. Agama claimed they were following a Shiva sect from Kashmir. Tantra is the left hand root, the sinister path. William Blake wrote ‘the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom’. That is at the heart of tantra. Rather than turning away from the pleasures of the senses, the idea is to embrace sensuality and even sin. Naked sadhus in India haunt graveyards, eat meat, sleep with sex workers and drink alcohol. The notion is that they can understand the senses by sating them. You can overcome the sexual desire by learning to ejaculate inwardly.

This type of spiritualism is not for the masses. The West might have tried to de-mystify Hinduism by calling it yoga, but to dabble in Tantric practices is still dangerous.

It is noted that the Agama website is up and running again. They are trying to re-brand and hope enough news cycles will bury the scandal of their sexual predator guru. The money is too good, to let the whole thing drop.

They would be wise to stay clear of cultish trappings like uniforms, spiritual leaders and secret teachings. And instead get back to brightly coloured yoga pants, organic food, and most importantly doing something for the local community. Stop fucking students and start showing love to poor people.

Resources

Guardian article

Tainted by ‘rape cult’ allegations, rebranded Agama back in business on Thai island

Shiva Dance

Posted on by Srithanu Blog

Have a look at the video that goes along with this post. It is highly edited; it is alluring; it gives a gloss to female power. It is both empowering for women but also blatantly commercial. This is Nataraj Monica, an itinerant dance teacher who founded the Indian chapter of Agama and is on the staff at Srithanu a few weeks every year.

Monika gave herself the pseudonym of Nataraj to remind herself of something. It is the name of Shiva in his dance form – the dance of creation; the illusion and beauty of life. Not many women dub themselves with a male name. Monika has studied dance since she was 5. She studied belly dance in Turkey. She had a spell in India, of course. She has done the 42 week Agama teacher trainer program. Her website is full of credits. It also makes clear that she has turned her hand to everything to get by on the road – yoga, teaching, organising, diving. Any job to continue the ‘journey’. At present her affiliation to Agama means you can meet her in Srithanu.

One thing from Monika’s CV that did catch my eye was the mention of studying the sacred system of Gurdjieff Movements. Gurdjjeff and Madame Blavatsky. Theosophy was obscure when I studied religion in the 1990s. The mystique of this strange couple continues to echo through the ages it seems. The appeal of the exoteric; the possibility of cracking the code and discovering the answer. Jiddu Krishnamurti raised to be the new Messiah by the Theosophists realised the system of control below the surface of new forms of religiosity.

What to make of the video? It is so edited that any narrative is lost. Shakti Dance is the dance form of yoga. It also seems to be copyrighted to the hilt. I guess Shiva isn’t worried about that.

The idea seems to be that the dance heightens awareness. You lose yourself in the dance. Hence the circles and the hypnotism of fire watching. Compare this with the whirling dervishes and the Sufi tradition.

Being a man, I sadly see bra straps, flowing fabrics and female power. The teacher seems to be absent (or not highlighted). The setting feels contrived. Rather than an introduction to a new form of yoga, I feel I am watching an advert playing with me through subliminal messages.

monika

Wat Phu Khao Noi

Posted on by Srithanu Blog

Wat-Phu-Khao-Noi-temple

The temple called Wat Phu Khao Noi is of historical significance for Koh Phangan because it is the oldest temple on the island. It marks an important part of the history of the island, indeed it marks the start of written history for Koh Phangan.

The name Wat Phu Khao Noi means ‘The Temple of the Small Mountain’. The temple was founded in 1400 by a band of intrepid monks who decided to make the first permanent settlement on the island. Until that point Koh Phangan had a semi-permanent population of sea gypsies, fishermen and pirates. It was a wild place with very little to do with the main land.

The story goes that the monks thought Koh Phangan a spiritual place and decided to settle at Wat Phu Khao Noi which is located in the jungle inland from Wok Tum, close to the government hospital.

The founding monk of the temple was called Luang Phor Phet. He choose the hill location as he considered it a good location for private meditation. The monk was believed to have had powers and is revered. The temple is important for Thais as Luang Phor Phet’s footprints are captured in stone.

No doubt the hill location helped with getting a cool breeze and also providing a bit of security for the first brave monks living on the island.

The temple consists of a central pagoda 10 metres high. It is surrounded by 8 smaller pagodas each in a different architectural style. All the pagodas are on a platform that is decorated with Chinese style bowls. These symbolise the Buddha’s begging bowl.

The temple is very much a working temple. It is well maintained and there is plenty to see. They take part in the nationwide scheme of taking young people who live as a monk for a short time. This is a tradition in Thailand to teach Buddhism to young people and garner good karma for parents.

The head monk is friendly and speaks a little bit of English. It is free to enter the temple. If you want to see the monks go in the morning. Be respectful and cover bear shoulders and don’t wear hotpants or a miniskirt. If you see a pile of shoes then add yours to it, as it is a sure sign that the pollution from outside is not welcome in the building.

Those wanting to learn more about the temple can check out their website – http://www.watumphawunkohphangan.com. It is in Thai but google translate can be used, even if it produces little sense. Those on a spiritual journey in Srithanu might find deeper significance in Thai Buddhism by visiting the temple.

The best article about the history of Koh Phangan is found at http://www.kohphanganhotelreviews.com/history-of-koh-phangan/

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