Allegations against Sri Swami Balyogi Premvarni

Phillip learned the Nine Bodies map of consciousness from Sri Swami Balyogi Premvarni at his ashram in Rishikesh, India. As the three co-founders of Dharma Ground, we wish to acknowledge both the gift of these teachings from Sri Swami Balyogi Premvarni as well as his reportedly harmful behavior towards female students. 

In Awakening Through the Nine Bodies,  Phillip wrote  “In the past there have been controversies and accusations of misconduct regarding Balyogi’s attitudes and behaviors toward Western female students. While I do not know what is true and not true, I do not condone or approve of any such behavior.” (pg 7) As a senior teacher in the Insight tradition who has written extensively on Buddhist psychology, Jack Kornfield describes how human development can be uneven: “. . . consciousness in one area does not necessarily transfer to other parts of our lives. . . Meditation masters skilled in navigating expansive states of consciousness may be confused in the realm of emotions or relationships. . . Any area that is still unconscious brings with it suffering, conflict, and limitation.” (After the Ecstasy, the Laundry, pg 163). Given that we are sharing Balyogi’s map of consciousness, we want to be upfront about these accusations. We want our community and prospective students to be aware of this information.

Phillip is the creator of the Insight practice method offered through Dharma Ground; this organization and practice method is entirely rooted in Phillip’s dharma practice and the Theravada Insight tradition. Given this, Phillip is the honorary co-founder of Dharma Ground. Dana and Tuere, as the active co-founders of Dharma Ground, are Phillip’s students and not Balyogi’s students, who is not and has never been involved with Dharma Ground. Dharma Ground is in the lineage of Theravada Insight tradition. All Dharma Ground teachers are authorized Insight Meditation teachers and uphold the Teacher Code of Ethics.