The Abode of Yoga

Thirty-four years ago, I became a disciple of the late Sri Chinmoy. My discipleship lasted nine years and they were some of the best years of my life and, without a doubt, the most significant. This memoir is about that journey and the enduring effects it had on me as a man. It's also about a number of troubling revelations of sexual misconduct by Sri Chinmoy, which have been made by an increasing number of his female disciples, and how those revelations have affected my understanding of my guru. It's not all doom and gloom, and I'd argue none of it is. I've met some truly unique and special individuals during the course of my spiritual development. I hope to introduce you to some of them. Most importantly, I want to give you a glimpse of my experience. I hope it will inspire other current and former disciples to write their own memoirs. Together, I'd like to think that someday our collective stories will make up a mosaic that will give future seekers a c

BOOK ONE I. Mahasamadhi . 1. A New Beginning . 2. A New York Goodbye . 3. Guru's Death . II. Growing Up . 4. David Moretti . 5. Three Muskateers . 6. The Book . 7. Camp de Mar . 8. Shame as a Driving Force . 9. On to High School . III. Searching for More . 10. The Seed Begins to Sprout . 11. Prahlad . 12. The Last Straw . 13. Awakening . 14. Novitiate . 15. Prakash . IV. Early Days on the Path . 16. First Steps on the Path . 17. School Days . 18. A New York Dream . 19. Idolatry . 20. New York at Last . 21. Goodbye . 22. Tightening the Screws . 23. Planning . 24. A New Leader . 25. Alo Devi . 26. Making the Grade . 27. April '83 . 28. "Outer" Graduation . V. Coming Into My Own . 29. Rick . 30. Names . 31. Made Man . 32. God's Banner . 33. Back Home . 34. December 1983 . 35. Phanindra . 36. A New Year . 37. The Summer Games . 38. Jigisha . VI. Closer to New York . 39. Pulin . 40. The Gospel . 41. Anugata .