About Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement
Surviving Satchidananda is the podcast that exposes the toxic underbelly of Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville, an internationally acclaimed spiritual retreat in Central Virginia. Through raw personal stories and interviews with experts, Brianna Patten, a former Yogaville resident and insider, reveals the hidden truths behind the so-called sanctuary.
survivingsatchidananda.com
Publisher
Brianna Patten
Category
religion & spirituality · society & culture · true crime
What Happens When Spiritual Teachers Abuse Their Power? with Matthew Remski
What can Yogaville teach us about abuse in modern yoga organizations?
In this episode, Matthew Remski, author of Surviving Modern Yoga, explains the dynamics that allow spiritual abuse to persist in our communities. Matthew brings his own experiences in high-demand groups to his work and offers a framework for understanding vulnerability, coercion, cult dynamics, and the complicated process of recognizing harm within the communities we belong to.
Support Brianna and the show: https://ko-fi.com/briannap (https://ko-fi.com/briannap)
Matthew Remski's books, podcast, and resources: https://matthewremski.com/wordpress/ (https://matthewremski.com/wordpress/)
https://www.survivingsatchidananda.com/ (https://www.survivingsatchidananda.com/)
The joint statement between Shanti Norris, Susan Cohen, and Yogaville that was mentioned in the show reads as follows:
The parties acknowledge that sexual activities took place between teacher and student. The parties acknowledge that those activities were inappropriate but did not involve physical force or physical coercion. The parties acknowledge the organizations did not know about plaintiffs’ sexual experiences during their time as devotees. Swami Satchidananda is a source of spiritual teaching and inspiration for many within the organizations. This joint statement shall not be presented, posted or disseminated in any way other than in its entirety.
7 Jul 2026
Yogaville Lawsuit Analysis with Legal Expert Marci Hamilton: What the Joint Statement Really Means
In this episode, we analyze the most recent Yogaville lawsuit and the settlement statement released by Integral Yoga and two of Swami Satchidananda's victims. Brianna examines what the statement acknowledges, what it omits, and how Yogaville’s accompanying letter to the community contrasts with its aggressive legal strategy over the past four years.
Professor Marci Hamilton, leading expert on clergy sexual abuse and statutes of limitation, visited the show to help us better understand this case. She shares her analysis of the Yogaville litigation and critical insights on grooming, abuse of spiritual authority, and how statutes of limitation impact victims' ability to come forward. Hamilton is a professor at The University of Pennsylvania and previously served as a key consultant on the Jeffrey Epstein Victims’ Compensation Program, where she supported survivors of sexual trafficking and abuse. After the Boston Globe story about the Catholic abuse scandal was published, Marci was the law professor who publicly supported the victims. We recorded this episode before the settlement was reached, so she does not comment on the specifics of the joint statement, but she did predict that the case would end the way it did.
The joint statement between Susan, Shanti, Yogaville, and Integral Yoga reads as follows:
The parties acknowledge that sexual activities took place between teacher and student. The parties acknowledge that those activities were inappropriate but did not involve physical force or physical coercion. The parties acknowledge the organizations did not know about plaintiffs’ sexual experiences during their time as devotees. Swami Satchidananda is a source of spiritual teaching and inspiration for many within the organizations. This joint statement shall not be presented, posted or disseminated in any way other than in its entirety.
Support Brianna and the show: https://ko-fi.com/briannap (https://ko-fi.com/briannap)
Purchase Marci Hamilton's books: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/justice-denied-marci-a-hamilton/1110786649 (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/justice-denied-marci-a-hamilton/1110786649)
www.survivingsatchidananda.com (https://www.survivingsatchidananda.com/)
1 Jun 2026
What Happened to Catherine Cheng at Yogaville? Featuring Rick Alan Ross
Catherine Cheng went to Yogaville for a month long retreat and never came back. What happened to her? Famous Cult Deprogrammer Rick Alan Ross worked with Catherine and her family over 20 years ago. He was kind enough to join us on the show to talk more about the deprogramming process, his interactions with Yogaville leadership, and the mystery behind what happened to Catherine.
Support Brianna and the show: https://ko-fi.com/briannap (https://ko-fi.com/briannap)
survivingsatchidananda.com (http://survivingsatchidananda.com)
Contact Rick Alan Ross at rickross[at]culteducation.com (http://culteducation.com)
Read the letter Catherine's father wrote about Yogaville: https://culteducation.com/group/1243-yogaville/26485-integral-yoga-institute-yogaville-a-father-s-story.html (https://culteducation.com/group/1243-yogaville/26485-integral-yoga-institute-yogaville-a-father-s-story.html)
Purchase Rick's book: https://www.amazon.com/Cults-Inside-Out-How-People/dp/149731660X (https://www.amazon.com/Cults-Inside-Out-How-People/dp/149731660X)
22 Dec 2025
Tiger King and Teen Pregnancy: Joan Tells All
Joan Cichon became involved with Integral Yoga in 1968 after experiencing personal crises that led them to seek greater control of their mind and a more meaningful way of life. Initially, the spiritual community and Swami Satchidananda's teachings were just what Joan needed. But the more time they spent at Yogaville, the more they noticed troubling patterns, like community members worshiping Swami Satchidananda as a God and neighbors excusing harmful behavior in the name of yoga. Joan was featured in the Netflix mini series Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story where they were interviewed about their experience witnessing the community's response to Antle impregnating an underage girl. Drawing on their deep understanding of yogic philosophy, Joan helps explain how spiritual teachings can be manipulated and weaponized to exploit vulnerable seekers.
SurvivingSatchidananda.com (http://SurvivingSatchidananda.com)
22 Oct 2025
Silenced by The Swami: Maxim's Story
Maxim Kramer is the first man to publicly claim that he was sexually assaulted as a minor in Integral Yoga's care. When Maxim told Swami Satchidananda that he was assaulted, the guru silenced him. Now that Kramer has a PhD in psychology and has studied the mindset of both sex offenders and cult victims, he can analyze the psychological profile of abusive gurus like Swami Satchidananda.
survivingsatchidananda.com (http://survivingsatchidananda.com)
1 Sept 2025
At The Right Hand of The Guru: Vijay's Story
Vijay tells the story about his involvement in establishing the San Francisco Integral Yoga Institute, where he played a significant role in its growth and development. He describes his experiences working with Swami Satchidananda, including both the positive spiritual guidance and the challenges posed by the guru's unethical relationships with disciples. Vijay explains his involvement in seeking justice for those harmed by Swami Satchidananda and the community's reaction to his speaking out.
survivingsatchidananda.com (http://survivingsatchidananda.com)
16 Aug 2025
Assaulted by the Guru: Sharada's Story
Sharada Thompson shares about the abuse she experienced at the hands of Swami Satchidananda, how the Integral Yoga Community responded, and tools spiritual seekers can use to notice toxic patterns and protect themselves from falling under coercive control.
https://gurusexabuse.com/womens-testimony/#sharada (https://gurusexabuse.com/womens-testimony/#sharada)
25 Jul 2025
Growing Up in Yogaville: Forest’s Story
Forest, who grew up in Yogaville, shares about the challenges of being homeschooled in an isolated community. We discuss the disciplinary culture at the ashram, violence among kids who grew up there, and how an ashram upbringing impacts adulthood.
survivingsatchidananda.com (https://www.survivingsatchidananda.com/)
20 May 2025
Carol Merchasin: “The Cult Assassin” who is taking Yogaville to Court
In this episode, Brianna interviews Carol Merchasin, the notorious attorney who takes on abusive spiritual communities in court. Her firm, Mcallister Olivarius, is currently supporting plaintiffs Shanti Norris and Susan Cohen in their legal battle against Yogaville/Integral Yoga. Merchasin's work is part of a broader effort to hold spiritual organizations accountable for misconduct. She has previously represented individuals in cases involving spiritual communities such as The Shambhala International Lineage of Buddhism and Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers.
Read the Yogaville court documents yourself here with the index number: 952220-2023
https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/iscroll/IScroll (https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/iscroll/IScroll)
If you would like to share any information about Yogaville with Brianna, email survivingsatchidananda@gmail.com
3 Feb 2025
Growing Up In Yogaville
Chai opens up about the complexities of growing up in Yogaville, sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. He delves into the ways ashram leaders interfered with his family dynamics, corporal punishment at the community school, and what it has been like navigating adulthood after leaving the community. Chai and Brianna also revisit the unsolved mystery of a woman who dropped out of law school and married a swami after just a few weeks at Yogaville.
21 Jan 2025
Indoctrination
Satya, Brianna’s close friend from Yogaville, shares her personal journey of what led her to the ashram. They reflect on their experiences in the Living Yoga Training program, the unhealthy eating behaviors promoted within the ashram's culture, and how mental health crises are handled by Integral Yoga swamis. It’s a powerful and introspective conversation about self-discovery and confronting difficult truths.
7 Jan 2025
Initiation
Brianna Patten, former resident of a spiritual retreat center in Central Virginia called Yogaville, unpacks the community's toxic inner workings. She reflects on her secret mantra initiation ceremony and her complicated relationship with the ashram. In a revealing interview, Karla Helbert, a trauma therapist and former Integral Yoga leader, provides valuable insight as someone who was a member of the organization for decades. Both women stress the need for transparency, support systems for survivors, and the importance of practicing Ahimsa (non-violence) in yoga communities.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.9 / 5
9 ratings
Spotify
4.8 / 5
13 ratings
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