Read it and Weep Disgraceful Results of Yoga Preaching
Subtle sense gratification has nothing to do with genuine yoga.
Photo: https://retreat.guru/events/26533/200hr-yoga-teacher-training-5
Since the publication of Swami Radhanatha’s The Journey Home, Mayavadi yoga has swept over ISKCON like a swarm of locusts during a drought. Devotees are being sold wholesale a form of bamboozlement that claims yoga bridge preaching attracts karmis and magically turns them into devotees.
Here is an example of the deception that is being conjured by ISKCON’s leaders in the form of an always optimistic report from the omnipresent Gaur Gopal Das. It is his cheerful thoughts on the recently-invented International Yoga Day celebration. This always-cherubic Gaur Gopal Das is a disciple of The Journey Home author Radhanatha and he overflows with some truly remarkable yoga whoppers. According to another video of his, “Yoga philosophy addresses gender inequality and global warming.” Thanks to the poisonous influence of The Journey Home in today’s ISKCON confusion abounds and the demarcation between the genuine and the fake has become completely blurred. Have a look
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN8OrRA0NhA.
Yoga Village or Yoga Pillage?
Regarding the yoga-obsessed state of today’s ISKCON, I happened upon some reviews of Australia’s Krishna Village Eco Yoga Community on the Trip Advisor website
In fact most of the reviews were actually friendly enough, even though all of them were centered around feelings of higher sense gratification and spending a few days in a fantasy yoga paradise. But what is the necessity for Hare Krishna devotees to pose as teachers of simply another form of sense gratification? What is next for ISKCON—kama sutra lessons?
Not one review mentioned that by visiting the ashram the “yogi” had become devotionally inclined or that he had taken to chanting Hare Krishna earnestly. So even from that point of view—even if a review of some ISKCON yoga trip was favorable—still the essence of what Shrila Prabhupada founded Krishna consciousness to produce has been missed.
More importantly, what some of the disgruntled reviewers had to say about their experiences at the Krishna Village Eco Yoga Community are worth considering by any ISKCON temple president who is thinking of turning his Hare Krishna Temple into a vague quasi-yoga retreat. Krishna looks after he needs of His devotees and they do not need to con he public to attract wealth. For the following refugees from imitation yoga, it appears that their own Journey Home—getting away from the Krishna Village—might have been the best part of their trip.
“Arjuna said, O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which you have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady.” (Bg. 6.33)
Not what it seems
Review of Krishna Village Eco Yoga Community
Reviewed April 10, 2017
Not at all what it seems. The website and Instagram page make this place look like a true yogi haven. It's not! The first and most misleading thing is that this place is run by Hare Krishnas, which is not evident anywhere on the website.
I attended as a retreat guest for one week.
THE ‘YOGA’ CLASSES: Basic. The teachers do not have experience. Most had just graduated from the YTT the week prior. Although they were nice, I should not be the one to correct them. One class was so bad, the teacher so unprepared, as if he was making the sequence up on the spot, that several people just left.
THE ROOMS: Rooms are clean enough, though the walls have zero soundproofing. I could hear the neighbours unzipping their suitcases. Just imagine how loud it was when they snored!
THE ACTIVITIES: There's nothing to do. Unless you have a car, there's nowhere to go. It’s located literally in the middle of nowhere with no transit, no shuttle service, nothing. The program boasts "Vedic Philosophy Classes", "Kirtan" and a "Library".... they are ALL ABOUT KRISHNA.
THE FOOD: Breakfast and dinner are served at the Hare Krishna temple, where men can wear what they want but women have to cover up. Before being able to eat, they do a song and prayer to Krishna, where you are peer-pressured into participating.
The food itself consists of carbs. Every variety of carb. Porridge, rice, potatoes... some carby soup thing. Sometimes there's a tiny bit of fruit or some lettuce, but that goes in the first 10 people. I'm a vegan, so I'm happy not to have meat, but come on! People need variety and at least some protein.
Lunch is the only decent meal (the one you see on the website and instagram page).
I would NEVER go back.
End of review
Here is a review from another dissatisfied guest …
Before you read my horrible review I will stress that this place is perfect for backpackers!
WARNING!
Pictures are not reflective of this place.
Just so you know, I am in my 20's, have been a student for a long time and know what it's like to 'live rough'. It took me a long time to save up for this place and I was sadly incredibly disappointed. It's fantastic if you're a backpacker wanting a place to stay. Terrible if you're paying for a retreat and want to engage in good yoga & meditation classes.
Firstly, there are only 8 private rooms here. EVERYONE ELSE is volunteering on the 'farm'' (it's actually a garden). This means there is a huge amount of young backpackers (who will happily steal your food and Blundstone boots).
YOGA CLASSES: The teachers change each week. They are all graduates from the previous weeks yoga teacher training and classes generally have more than 30 people in them. There is NO WAY a graduate can make sure no one is going to hurt themselves with such big classes. For example, I would explain my neck issues at the beginning of each class, once i left (2 weeks instead of 3 weeks later) I couldn't move my arm and have been seeing a physio twice a week since to try and repair the damage.
ACCOMODATION: The private rooms are in a 40ft shipping container. They have managed to divide this into 4 rooms. There is a lovely deck off the front of the container, however, they are poorly positioned over a swamp and during the night they become EXTREMELY DAMP. I stayed during June/ July and woke up every morning to water dropping off the windows and a WET FLOOR (which consequently broke my laptop). The most disappointing thing about the room is the lack of light and plastic instead of wooden furnishings (as pictured on their website). The sheets were filthy when I arrived and I had to wait until the next day to wash them and hope they would dry in time on the washing line.
FOOD: Oh dear. What a bad reflection of usually delicious Hare Krishna food. I cannot believe I paid $650 for a week here and was presented with such terrible accomodation and food. All the plates are stacked on a rack and washed by whoever has just eaten off it. Naturally, you'd want to wash it yourself before eating (there's nothing to dry it with). Then the red buckets filled with different foods come around and are slopped onto your plate. There could be up to 6 different curries and porridges (all sloppy) on your plate. Have fun keeping the sweet & savoury foods a part. I guess the WORST part is, there is never any fresh food served.. it's all very cooked. The lunches are a lot better..
The best part for me was sitting by myself near the cows at the 'lake' (which is a filthy dam with no proper access besides a strip next to the road). So much for being able to 'hang out' with the beautiful cows, they won't let you in the gates AND when I got up at 4:30 to help milk the cows I wasn't allowed. There is SO MUCH false advertising on this website it's disgusting.
SHARED FACILITIES: the bathroom is filthy. It is a concrete slab with a curved corrugated iron roof over it. The concrete has never been properly washed so it really smells inside. Once again, very dark and mouldy. Outdoor kitchen has most things you need (oven not working, no microwave). DO NOT leave any food here as it will be stolen or half will be eaten by the next day.
Basically, this place is perfect for WOOFERS who would like to do a bit of yoga before & after work, eat for free and use a 'real shower'. However, if you're looking for peace & quiet, a nice clean setting with a beautiful garden (the garden is SO SMALL), with experienced yoga teachers and meditation classes- THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOU.
Unfortunately some very simple changes could make this place fantastic but they won't happen due to how tight the village is with their money.
I had booked for 3.5 weeks with a four day break after two weeks (they couldn't fit me in a room). I emailed at the beginning of my break requesting cancellation and a refund for the last week. Their policy states that they accept a refund if you cancel a week in advance. As it was four days before I asked for the refund for a week, not the full 10 days I'd paid for. They took 3 days to respond, and after a few emails back and fourth they kept quoting their refund policy. I advised that I had made a request 4 days earlier for a $650 refund (a full week, not 10 days). Of course, this was denied and I was only refunded $250 !!!! This matter is now with consumer affairs along with all the other bits of misinformation provided on their website.
It's really disappointing when good website design and deceiving wide angle photography gets the best of you. I hope this review provides you with the necessary warnings to make sure you don't make the same mistake that I did.
End of review.
Another one …
It is not a yoga rereat!!! it is a farm!
Review of Krishna Village Eco Yoga Community
Reviewed March 2, 2017
I arrived to Krishna Village as a yoga retreat guest after I booked and payed for a spot for a campervan, yoga lessons and meals. My powered campervan spot was just a place at the parking that was used by everyone. There was no shade at all so we were cooking ourselves in the car. In front of I had a huge garbage and workshop that was super noisy from 6 am. Every area of this village we were sharing with about 60 people volunteering as workers on the farm. Unfortunatelly they were coming for breakfast straight after few hours work in the fields - so they were stinky, dirty, all in mud. We were served a breakfast together sitting on the floor in the tample. Yoga level there is very poor. most of my lessons were run by voluteers that didnt have much idea about what it should look like. One of them even made a lesson wearing jeans! We even had lessons with people doing yoga teacher training ( I was shocked to see such a beginners doing teacher training ). Classes at 6am were hard to go through as all the tractors were already working in the field just next to yoga hall. It was super noisy. Dinners are also served in tample where everyone prays and sings songs that have nothing to do with spirituality. After hearing all speches about how quaiet and full of love we should be I was being waken by tractors working in front of my camper. When I wanted to do my own yoga in the hall ( using in silance 2 square meters of floor ) I was said I have to leave the room as the teacher training is taking part there.
People from the retreat were not more than 5 and we were droped to the group of at least 60 farming volunteers.
So I cant call it a retreat at all. It is silly to call it that way. place is beautifull and could be organized in the right way that everyone will have its own space. Unfortunatelly I felt like somebody just want to earn easy money by selling this as yoga retreat.
I was suppose to stay 5 days but I left after two being very dissapointed.
Date of stay: February 2017
End of review.
Yet another …
Review of Krishna Village Eco Yoga Community
Reviewed February 13, 2017
I am surprised to see so many positive reviews here. Out of the 7 people in my 'retreat', only 2 people enjoyed their stay (with 3 people leaving early). The website is unclear and misleading. The website does not clearly state that this is a Hare Krishna community- with a strong focus on Hare Krishna philosophy, culture and tradition. Upon my immediate arrival I was taken to the hare krishna temple. Furthermore, breakfast and dinner were both conducted at the temple, where we were to chant Hare krishna hymns before all meals. This revealed that there was definitely a strong focus on the HARE KRISHNA philosophy, not on my own 'spiritual awakening'. This, along with being 'invited' into the temple and other ceremonies several times made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Outside of the 3 yoga classes per day, one of which was led by a volunteer and one of which was led by Yoga Teacher Training students, there was little focus on yoga. The yoga philosophy classes which were offered, were a part of the Yoga teacher training, and were largely irrelevant to retreat guests. Outside meals, and the yoga classes there was nothing for retreat guests to do - there was no where comfortable to sit and 'retreat'- no structure, or program. The only meditation was Hare Krishna chanting. he only meditation was Hare Krishna chanting.
Upon my realisation that this was not the same retreat that had been advertised, or what I needed - as I was becoming more and more distressed, I decided that I wanted to go home and spend time with my family, as my father had just received his final treatment of chemotherapy and I felt as though that is where I needed to be. I discussed this with Henrike, the business manager, over the phone, and I requested a partial refund (from the $560 that I had already paid) for the remaining days of my stay. Henrike's response was extremely abrupt, rude and insensitive - refusing my request and suggesting that the only way she would consider offering me a refund were if I had told her that my father was dying. This response was quite shocking to me and went completely against the 'Hare Krishna' philosophy of love and kindness that had apparently been endorsed.
Date of stay: January 2017
End of review.
They call it retreat?????
Review of Krishna Village Eco Yoga Community
Reviewed January 31, 2017 via mobile
Well ppl there are nice
But nice is not only
We drive few hours to get to a retreat if yoga
Which was a big working camp
For lots of backpackers
Who camp in tent and work for food and accom....
We pay for power campsite
Which was in big messy car park
In front work shed ...tools yard
Tractor and big yellow ugly bin!!!
Yes we did got 1/2 of refund
Big misleading advertised
Just trying to make $$$
From nothing but big mess
Claiming for eco retreat ???
Yes u eat vegan on the floor
With 100 working ppl
That smell and look like that
End of review.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
On first glance it appears to be heaven on earth..then the reality hits
Review of Krishna Village Eco Yoga Community
Reviewed September 12, 2015
I have stayed for 2 weeks on 2 separate occasions. The first impression is a beautiful and very cheap place to stay. Most of the woofers (farm workers) live in tents in exchange for work or for $250 per week you can get a room in a shipping container. The real issues with this place dont surface until you start to look closely. It appears that a few older and somewhat sleazy men run this place with many young women and guys at their mercy. I witnessed some very dodgy work safe practices and saw someone brake their foot. The response from managing staff was appalling and non existent. The whole farm is an accident waiting to happen and if it does they do not have the appropriate safety measures in place. Whats more there seems to be some nasty bugs floating around and as everything is shared, suffering mouth ulcers and the like that gets passed around is the norm here. The cleaning of temple dishes and cutlery is lax perpetuating the spread. Then there are the very aggressive and often rude devotees that seem to think they are better than the paying guests and assert their authority over petty issues at every turn. It is a meat free and intoxication free environment but what is not said until you pay your money is they reserve the right to kick you out should you smoke, drink or gamble off the property while you are staying there. All in all its a strange and scary place, if not very pretty.
Date of stay: August 2015
End of review.
Shrila Prabhupada knew how to “target his market” and attract sincere seekers, not watered-down aspirants of a more sattwic form of sense pleasure. Since today’s yoga fad in ISKCON is destined to failure, it would be better to banish Mayavadi books and pseudo yoga influences now before impersonalism rots the Hare Krishna Movement from the very foundation and destroys Shrila Prabhupada’s movement once and for all.