Yoga: sex scandal, trafficking, regulation

K. Shiva Kumar (ExpressBuzz, India)

Yoga unites people against human trafficking. Over 200 people, including residents at Odanadi — a Mysore-based NGO that works for the welfare and rehabilitation of destitute women and children — and people from all over the world came together on [March 13] to perform yoga in front of the Mysore Palace to create awareness of human trafficking. This unique event "Yoga Stops Trafficking" was organized by Odanadi. It was observed as a "one-day global event" in more than 20 countries including US, UK, Australia, Thailand, and the Netherlands to draw attention to the "evil" of human trafficking that is rampant in India and third-world countries. More>>

Sex Swami's PR disaster

• "I was in samadhi"
  (Mar. 15, 2010) The disgraced godman Nithyananda said his sex video was morphed but did not deny it was his image with the actress... Swami, who has been slapped with cases of cheating after the video footage came to light on March 8th, said the video will be sent to experts... "I believe I do not have any lust. One hundred percent, I am sure that I do not have any need for other person," Swami said. He said the video has been misrepresented by an onlooker.
• Nithyananda: "It was an experiment"
• Indian court summons Nithyananda
• Nithyananda: I didn't run away; I was at Kumbh Mela
  CHENNAI, India - Even as speculation continues over the whereabouts of Swami Nithyananda, who is at the center of a sex scandal, his lawyer on Friday claimed that the godman had not absconded but was in Varanasi. "He is attending the Kumbh Mela..."

Yoga teachers win fight against state regulation
Alexandra Cheney (DNAinfo, New York)
Yoga teachers may soon have cause to praise Vishnu. Within the next ten days, Governor David Paterson is expected to approve a bill that would exempt yoga teachers from state regulation of their training programs.

The likely exemption comes after almost a year of rallies and protests by yoga instructors to avoid the licensing process. "Small studios don't have the umbrella of large studios and can't even afford licensing procedures to hold teacher trainings," said Caitlin Casella, a yoga teacher and teacher-trainer at YogaWorks.

Paterson has until March 24 to sign the bill, which both the State Assembly and State Senate have approved. The Education Department has also backed the bill, despite the fact that they were part of the initial push for the licensing of yoga teachers. More>>