In the heart of India's spiritual landscape, where the teachings of Sudarshan Kriya—a powerful breathing technique—have uplifted countless lives, a growing unease is rippling through the Art of Living (AOL) community. The organization, built on the pillars of Seva (selfless service), Satsang (community in truth), and Sadhana (spiritual practice), has long been a beacon for those seeking inner peace. Yet, a recent policy requiring a "mandatory donation" of 2 lakhs (200,000 rupees) for teachers aspiring to become Sahaj Samadhi instructors has ignited a firestorm of criticism. This steep financial barrier, coupled with the organization's non-paying teacher model, has led many dedicated teachers to question the alignment of AOL's practices with its preached philosophy—and many are walking away.
For years, AOL teachers have embodied the spirit of seva, offering Sudarshan Kriya and Happiness Program workshops without financial compensation. These teachers, often sacrificing stable careers and personal savings, travel to urban slums and rural villages, spreading messages of joy and mindfulness. Their work is rooted in the belief that service is its own reward, a tenet echoed in AOL's teachings. But the introduction of a 2-lakh "donation" to access Sahaj Samadhi teacher training—a program that promises to deepen one's ability to guide others into effortless meditation—has shattered this idealism for many.
The term "mandatory donation" itself is a point of contention. Framed as a contribution to support the ashram's global initiatives, it functions as a non-negotiable fee. Teachers, already stretched thin by unpaid service, face a stark choice: pay a sum equivalent to months of income or forgo advancing their spiritual and teaching journey. For many, this feels less like seva and more like a transaction—one that contradicts the non-materialistic ethos AOL promotes. The suggestion that this payment is an "investment" only deepens the unease. Teachers aren't salaried; course fees flow directly to the organization. Recovering such a sum would require pushing more enrollments or subtly prioritizing paid programs, turning selfless service into a business model. "Is this what sadhana has become?" one former teacher wrote anonymously online. "A paywall for devotion?"
This policy is not an isolated grievance. Whispers in teacher circles and online forums reveal a broader pattern. Volunteers pay hundreds to learn how to volunteer, teachers shell out thousands for mandatory trainings, and advanced courses come with hefty price tags—$5,500 for teacher training in the US, with similar "donations" in India piling up. Critics argue this creates a hierarchy where only the financially privileged can ascend, while grassroots teachers, often the backbone of AOL's outreach, are left struggling. Reports of the organization's leadership enjoying lavish lifestyles—private jets, grand events—while teachers scrape by have fueled accusations of a spiritual empire profiting off devotion.
The fallout is evident: many teachers have started going away from Art of Living after this. Disillusioned by what they see as a betrayal of the organization's core values, they are leaving quietly or voicing their dissent in anonymous blogs and forums. "True seva doesn't demand a bank balance," one ex-teacher wrote. "Satsang shouldn't exclude the poor. Sadhana isn't a product to be sold." These voices, once drowned out by the organization's global reach, are growing louder, joining a chorus of former devotees who feel AOL has strayed from its mission.
The Sahaj Samadhi training fee is more than a financial burden; it's a symbol of a deeper rift. For those who remain, the question lingers: Can an organization preaching the art of living justify turning devotion into a commodity? For the many who have left, the answer is clear—they've found their own "Sahaj," a spontaneous freedom, not in the ashram's halls but in walking away from a philosophy that feels increasingly like a business. As the exodus grows, AOL faces a critical challenge: reconcile its practices with its preachings or risk losing the very souls who once carried its message to the world.
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