'Secret' Teachings of a Transnational Yoga and Tantra School
Esotericism, Essentialism and Authenticity in MISA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.25506Keywords:
yoga, tantra, neotantra, genderessentialism, esoterism, secrecy, sexuality, contemporary sprituality, modern yoga studies, authenticityAbstract
This article will present a pilot study on the Romanian school of yoga and tantra, MISA. MISA, or the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute, has gained reputation as a controversial organization through the last decades as its leader, Gregorian Bivolaru, has been accused of sexual misconduct and human trafficking on several occasions and is currently wanted by Interpol. Yet his influence is spreading through European yoga studios as people enter MISA (often unknowingly of the organization’s problematic past), expecting esoteric and authentic teachings on yoga and tantra. This article will use a textual analysis of the material handed out during two year-long MISA yoga and tantra-courses, to examine the foundational teachings of a transnational yoga school in constant expansion, and how they relate to a broader religious-historical context of modern yoga and tantra, taking into special consideration the use of secrecy, claims of authenticity and the construction of gender. The article shows that, on the surface, MISA resembles many other contemporary schools of yoga and tantra, while a closer look reveals an emphasis on sexual continence that stands out, assuring the continuous reputation of the organization as both provocative and tantalizing.
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