The end of the terms of the Councillors in the Australia

The end of the terms of the Councillors in the Australia

Message from Australian Trustees of Life Eternal Trust (Australia) – LETA  to the Australian Sahaja Yoga Collective.
2nd February 2025

The end of the terms of the Councillors in the Australian National Sahaja Yoga Council and the Sahaja Yoga State Councils – Background and Key issues

Dear Family

Jai Shri Mataji!

With a heavy heart, the Australian Trustee of Life Eternal Trust (Australia) need to inform the Australian collective of a major event that occurred today that affects all of us.

Today, the Trustee on behalf of the Trust informed the Australian and State Councillors that their positions have been terminated. Full details are provided in our Statement below.

Statement

 Life Eternal Properties Australia Pty Limited, as the trustee of Life Eternal Trust (Australia) (LETA)  is sharing with the Australian collective that due to exceptional circumstances the terms of the Australia Sahaja Yoga Council and the Sahaja Yoga State Councils needed to be terminated by the Trustee.  The directors of the Trustee recognise that this necessary action will raise questions in the Australian Sahaja Yoga collective, and we are keen to provide some background to this decision. 

We request you take time to read this communication to understand the reasons the Trustee was left with no alternative but to bring an early end to the terms of the Councillors.

Statement Contents

1. Public Notice Statements.
2. Background: What is the background and role of LETA in Sahaja Yoga in Australia?
3. LETA’s work.
4. Why were the National Councils and the State Councils established in 2005 and what has been their role?
5. What has been the source of the tension between LETA and the Councils in recent times?
6. The creation of the corporate entity Vishwa Nirmala Dharma by the National Council and how it led to the termination of the terms of the National Council and the State Council.
7. Did the Trustee over-react by ending the terms of the councillors in the National Council and the State Councils?
8. What is the effect of the termination of the terms of the National Council and the State Councils?
9. How the Trustee perceives the VND company.
10. Continuance of existing day-to-day arrangements for Sahaja Yoga.
11. Does the Trustee plan to arrange for new councillors to be appointed in the future for the Australian Council and the State Councils?
12. LETA supports the establishment of an Australian School.
13. Acknowledgment of service.
14. Trustee directors available to answer any of your questions.
15. Contact us.
16. “My all attention is on your country…”

1. Public Notice
Public Notice outlining the Trustee’s position have been posted on our public administrative and collective news websites:

• LETA’s Public administrative website:
  – Concerning the removal of delegated authority from the Council
  – Position regarding Vishwa Nirmala Dharma (VND)
• Sahaja Yoga Australia’s collective news and information website:
  – Concerning the removal of delegated authority from the Council
  – Position regarding Vishwa Nirmala Dharma (VND)

2. Background: What is the background and role of LETA in Sahaja Yoga in Australia?
It is important firstly to understand the role of LETA in the history and development of Sahaja Yoga in Australia.

LETA was established by Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in 1986 as a charitable trust and as the legal vehicle to advance Sahaja Yoga in Australia. In fact the original Trust Deed states that LETA was to advance the “Sahaja (Innate) Religion (which is the integration of all Religions and is otherwise known as the Universal Pure Religion or Vishwa Nirmala Dharma”.   The Trust Deed also states that for the purpose of advancing and propagating the understanding and practices of the spiritual teachings of the Sahaja Religion, that LETA should hold lectures, public meetings, study groups, seminar classes and religious services and establish and maintain such centres, places of worship, ashrams, retreats, schools and research centres for medical research.  LETA was to collect and receive funds and other sources of income by way of contributions, donations, grants and other lawful methods to fulfil these objects. 

The powers granted to LETA under the Trust Deed were broad ranging and include the power to acquire property and to raise funds, to lease and license premises, to enter insurance contracts, to distribute Sahaja Yoga material, and to open and operate bank accounts.  Importantly, under the Trust Deed HH Shri Mataji granted the power to the trustees of LETA to make such rules and regulations for the management and administration of LETA and for matters connected therewith as the Trustee thinks fit and proper, and the power with Her consent to appoint committees and to delegate their powers to those committees provided that all acts and proceedings of the committees to whom such, powers are delegated shall be reported to the Trustee as soon as possible. 

The Sahaja Yogis of Australia are very fortunate that HH Shri Mataji invested Her attention and love on the collective by establishing LETA and providing a framework for the administration and operation of Sahaja Yoga in Australia. After establishing LETA in 1986, HH Shri Mataji continued to put Her Divine attention on the Trust and executed appointment deeds for some trustees and by deed appointed Life Eternal Properties Australia Pty Limited as the first corporate trustee of LETA in December 2004.  After this date HH Shri Mataji also executed some amendment deeds in respect of the Trust Deed to make necessary changes which would allow LETA to continue to administer Sahaja Yoga in Australia into the future when She would not be present.  As demonstrated above, LETA was established as the primary operational and administrative entity for Sahaja Yoga in Australia.  Before 2005, national co-ordinators for Sahaja Yoga were also trustees of LETA, demonstrating the way that LETA was the primary operational and administrative entity for Sahaja Yoga to arrange public and collective programs, manage ashrams, raise funds and to spread and to disseminate Sahaja Yoga in Australia.  

3. LETA’s work.
The achievements of LETA in terms of arranging and delivering important outcomes for Sahaja Yoga in Australia are manifold and they include:

Spiritual work

• The trustees of LETA provided the coordination of the support provided by Sahaja Yogi doctors, nurses, and other support services from Australia and from around the Sahaja world who came together to provide their selfless 24×7 assistance for HH Shri Mataji from 2005 until 2011. HH Shri Mataji expressed Her appreciation of our support, love and care and asked us to continue to provide the support we had offered to HH Shri Mataji to Her husband. The guidance of our Divine Mother and Guru is a pathway for Sahaja Yogis to live a life of virtue, it was our honour to do so until 2013.
• LETA trustees coordinated a unique and national effort to prepare Australia so that we could invite HH Shri Mataji and Her family and to be to provide for, and care for HH Shri Mataji and Her families. By HH Shri Mataji’s grace She granted our hearts desire, and this resulted in the landmark 2006 and 2007 Tours of Australia where the entire Australian collective was able to host Our Mother and Her family within Her much-loved home at Burwood. It was a unique time which brought all the country together as one, gathered at the Feet of HH Shri Mataji and where the desires of each Australian to receive the darshan of Shri Mataji was one of our goals and desires.
• Since 2008, the LETA trustees, along with the Australian Music of Joy group, facilitated and conducted numerous national and international tours to promote Sahaja Yoga and give Self-realisation to thousands of seekers, as HH Shri Mataji wanted us to do so.

Independent financial management

• Independent financial management, accounting and reporting processes have been introduced through the separation of accounting practices. LETA trustees divided financial management responsibilities among multiple teams of Yogis to prevent errors, fraud, and to prevent previous conflicts of interest. LETA trustees also introduced a new policy whereby the Council or Trust are not reimbursed for personal expenses.   For the past fifteen years Sahaja Yoga accounts have been subjected to external audit and lodged with the Australian not for Profit Charities Commission (ACNC) where they are publicly available as LETA’s commitment to transparency. Yogis can see how their monies are collected, managed spent in accordance with HH Shri Mataji’s Deed.

Administrative work

• Arranging the establishment, purchase and maintenance of 8 properties around the country for the Collective, ensuring compliance with all regulations and supporting ongoing improvements;
• Successfully applying with the ACNC (Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission) for Sahaja Yoga Meditation Australia / LETA to receive ‘Registered Charity’ status which provides extensive tax and other benefits
• in order for the Collective to meet, hold programs, share Sahaja Yoga with the public etc. we are required to be covered by insurance.  LETA arranges, pays for and provides insurance cover notes to all Sahaja Yogis seeking them.
• On multiple occasions securing important government grants for Sahaja Yoga and insurance payments to improve and remediate the properties.
• Assisting the Adelaide Collective to work towards establishing their State Centre and LETA has been assisting with legal, financial, planning, property locating and suitability and other advice on all occasions;
• With legislation constantly changing the Trustee regularly checks to ensure our comprehensive required Policies and Guidelines are compliant, and seek expert legal advice where required to keep our policies updated; and
• Establishing, building out and improving a significant technology and communication platform to allow Sahaja Yogis to be more electronically integrated and to spread program resources to seekers not just in Australia but around the whole world.

LETA is your Trust, established by HH Shri Mataji to administer Sahaja Yoga in Australia and to provide leadership but relying upon and being fully dependent upon the assistance, goodwill and voluntary efforts of Yogis across the country. 

4. Why were the National Councils and the State Councils established in 2005 and what has been their role?
Upon the removal of the then National Coordinator in 2005, HH Shri Mataji was concerned for the future as every past National Coordinator needed to be removed by Her except for one. HH Shri Mataji was concerned about the day when She would not be there and a National Coordinator who was not fit for the role needed to be controlled or removed. As an outcome of discussions between HH Shri Mataji and a group of Australian Yogis who were with Her at that time, She decided to trial in Australia a leadership based upon a group of Yogis rather than an individual leader and having a tenure.  It was intended that the Council model should be trialled in Australia and if it was successful, it could be utilised by collectives in other countries. HH Shri Mataji advised that group of Australian Yogis that LETA should continue in its role as the main administrative and leadership entity in Sahaja Yoga and it should establish and oversee the Council, with the Council relying upon delegated authority from LETA and operating effectively as a committee as envisaged by the original Trust Deed which gave LETA the power to delegate its powers to a committee provided that the committee should continue to report to LETA. The role of the National Council was for the advancement and spreading of Sahaja Yoga under the delegated authority from LETA.

That group of Australian yogis believed that there should be senior yogis from various Australian states being present on the inaugural National Council.  The list of nominees for the first National Council in 2005 was submitted to HH Shri Mataji for her review and approval.  At no stage in 2005 when the National Council was being established was it contemplated that it would be formalised with an independent legal company and this was not discussed with or addressed by HH Shri Mataji.  Formalisation of the National Council would have been considered unnecessary as it was effectively a committee of LETA relying upon its delegated authority.  At the conclusion of the term of the first Australian Council in 2010, HH Shri Mataji discussed whether the Councillors should continue for another term however it was determined that the Council and the National Coordinator should be renewed as an example for the future so that other councillors would not be tempted to serve successive terms without vibrational selection.   Since 2005, the Councils have had an important role in arranging day-to-day operations of SY such as programs, pujas and events.  LETA has continued to also conduct some of these same activities and has also spread Sahaja Yoga through tours and building technology platforms which have facilitated national pujas and the dissemination of Sahaja Yoga programs and material to Yogis and seekers across Australia and indeed around the world.  

5. What has been the source of the tension between LETA and the Councils in recent times? 
In respect of the first two National Councils in the periods 2005-2010 and 2010-15, the Trust and Council worked quite harmoniously together.  Over time however (and especially during the past 5 years or so), the understanding of the roles of the National Council and the State Councils have been increasingly misunderstood by those Councillors and also by some Australian collective members in the view of LETA.  Tensions have developed due to the view of National Councillors (supported by State Councillors) that the Councils are independent of LETA and do not need to rely upon their delegated authority.  LETA has been accused by the Councils of exercising jurisdictional overlap and interfering in their activities, for example in relation to property management over control as to who may stay in ashrams, and controlling bank accounts and the determination of where national promotion money is spent.  However importantly, there was never a suggestion from Councils that LETA interfered with them in the spread and advancement of SY. 

There has also been over time an increasing lack of understanding amongst Councillors about the role of the Council and the reason why the Council model was established in 2005 and how the Councils relied on delegated authority from LETA.  The Councils have consequently invested great effort in trying to act independently of LETA by setting up their own communication channels through WhatsApp and replicating IT platforms which were developed by LETA.  Furthermore, important international information (such as announcements about foreign pujas and schools) has been received by the Councils and not provided to LETA to make announcements on the LETA email platform. New seekers across the country are being added to the Councils’ WhatsApp platform but are not being directed to join the LETA email distribution list as has been customary over the years.  There has been increasingly a culture of secrecy and withholding and sequestering information on the part of the Councils.   

Over time a perception has also developed among some Sahaja Yogis in the Australian collective that the Councils represent the Collective or express the will of the Collective.  This notion might seem attractive but it is misguided and does not represent the original vision  for the Councils as discussed above where they were to effectively be committees of LETA.  This notion also ignores that Sahaja Yogis have always had direct access to directors of the Trustee at any time.  Accordingly, over the past 10 years, there has been an increasing amount of time spent by the Trustee on dealing with internal disputes with the Council and these disputes have not supported the advancement of Sahaja Yoga but have been purely jurisdictional complaints about who does what.  In the past few years, the National Council and some State Councillors and their supporters have engaged in quite spiteful and personal attacks on the directors of the Trustee in public announcements and in private email messages.  The directors of the Trustee have determined to take the high road and not respond in kind, but they have been subjected to a level of abuse which is unacceptable especially as it stems primarily from serious accusations of jurisdictional overlap and interference.  These attacks and the bitterness directed by the Councils towards LETA have prevented the Trustee from fully conducting its main object, which is the advancement of the Sahaja Innate Religion. 

6. The creation of the corporate entity Vishwa Nirmala Dharma by the National Council and how it led to the termination of the terms of the National Council and the State Council
In late 2024, in order to achieve legal independence from LETA, the National Council (supported by the State Councils) determined that they would create a separate parallel company and run their own bank accounts outside the delegated authority of LETA. The attempt to set up a separate operating entity of Sahaja Yoga in Australia would be incompatible with the very arrangements under which the National Council existed and operated, and further is contrary to the position expressed by HH Shri Mataji in the past as detailed above. The Trustee repeatedly advised the National Council and the State Councils not to proceed in forming a separate organisational company. In November 2024, when it was clear that the National Coordinator was determined to establish the new independent company and in circumstances where there could be no cooperative arrangements within the one Trust framework. Keeping in mind the continuing disruption and unnecessary instability to the Collective that was arising, the Trustee was left with no other choice but to announce the end of the term of the Australian National Coordinator.

Despite this step, the National Council supported by the State Councils proceeded in January 2025 to arrange the creation of the company Vishwa Nirmala Dharma, its own separate entity for the administration of its operations involving Sahaja Yoga and with former Councillors as directors.  As a consequence, the Trustee has removed all delegated authority previously granted through LETA to each of the councillors of the Australian Council and the State Councils. It was with great disappointment to the Trustee that the Councils chose the pathways that they walked upon.

7. Did the Trustee over-react by ending the terms of the councillors in the National Council and the State Councils? 
No, the Trustee did not over-react, the action was commensurate with the threat.  The Trustee’s request to the Councils not to set up the new company was based on the instructions from HH Shri Mataji to Her Australian representatives and two instances were cited when HH Shri Mataji disbanded previous entities set up like the new company.  Shri Mataji has also called upon previous trustees of LETA to intervene in the past to fulfill their duties to Sahaja Yoga. HH Shri Mataji asked previous trustees to inform a former Australian Leader that their delegated authority through LETA was removed and that they could no longer function as a leader for Sahaja Yoga.

As a result of their actions in forming VND, the Councils effectively repudiated the basis on which they were formed and took on powers that they do not legitimately have with respect to the administration of Sahaja Yoga in Australia. The National Council’s term and the terms of the State Councils have been now ended in recognition of these acts of repudiation by the Councils. The Councils effectively terminated and ended their own existence by taking steps beyond their legitimate place in the Sahaja Yoga organisation structure, with the Trustee formalising that termination.  If the Trustee did not act, it would not have fulfilled its duties under the Trust Deed, and indeed to HH Shri Mataji, based on Her previous instructions. The vibrations of the Trustee’s action to withdraw the delegated authority from the Councillors were also extensively checked by the directors and independently by Belapur doctors and other senior Yogis independent of LETA before proceeding.

If the Trustee was to stand by and do nothing, it would legitimate any future corporate entity outside LETA being established which aimed to organise the future direction of Sahaja Yoga in Australia, regardless of the background, credentials, knowledge or dharma of those setting up the entity.  This would be unacceptable in circumstances where it is quite clear that LETA has been established and approved by HH Shri Mataji as the main organisational vehicle for the advancement of Sahaja Yoga in Australia. The National Council’s creation of a competing legal body for Sahaja Yoga Australia not only sets aside HH Shri Mataji’s arrangements for this country but also fundamentally challenges our Collective feelings of oneness we enjoy and share with each other.  It does not respect and protect our Collective. 

8. What is the effect of the termination of the terms of the National Council and the State Councils?
The removal of delegated authority from the date of this notice means the former Councillors are no longer authorised to organise events, programs, pujas or any activity taking place on a LETA property or hosted at a venue booked by LETA or Life Eternal Properties Australia Pty Limited or utilising their public liability insurance.  The former Councillors no longer have any status, authority or responsibility in relation to the organisation and administration of Sahaja Yoga in Australia.  The Trustee under its powers and objects in the LETA trust deed to administer and advance Sahaja Yoga in Australia, is assuming day to day responsibility for functions previously conducted by the Councils.  The Trustee will continue to oversee those activities which it was already directly managing.  Applications for public liability insurance for public programs will continue to be managed by the Trustee. The Trustee will work with the state-based puja groups to host the weekly in-person and online programs.

This means the now former Councillors can no longer act with respect to all matters over which the Trustee exercises authority for and on behalf of Sahaja Yoga.

Any future communications shared by the former Councillors via WhatsApp with respect to matters over which LETA has oversight must be assumed not to be authorised by the Trustee in any way.  LETA has ensured that it has communication channels open through WhatsApp to communicate important information with the Australian Sahaja Yoga collective and will continue to use existing email platforms to communicate.  LETA has also notified relevant international Sahaja Yoga organisations that the delegated authority of the Councillors has been removed and that future communications to the Australian collective should be funnelled through LETA. 

In making this announcement, the Trustee makes no adverse comment about the standing and good character of the now former Councillors and makes no adverse implications, real or implied, with respect to those now former Council members. All of the former Councillors are welcome to remain in the collective and enjoy Sahaja Yoga and the Trustee hopes that they do so and participate in Sahaja Yoga events, pujas, programs and activities organised at properties owned, hired or managed by LETA or Life Eternal Properties Australia Pty Limited.  The Trustee hopes that, as Sahaja Yogis, the former Councillors can work with LETA collaboratively in the future in the advancement of the Sahaja Innate Religion. 

9. How the Trustee perceives the VND company
The Trustee wrote to the National Council on numerous occasions that it would not be supporting a competing VND company. You can be assured that your Sahaja Yoga finances are safely managed and secured by the Trustee as they have always been.

The Trustee will not be sharing any assets managed for the collective with VND.  The Trustee will not be sharing with VND any Sahaja Yoga intellectual property which the Trustee manages. The collective’s funds are currently managed by the Trustee’s independent finance team of yogis and our qualified auditor, who complies with all legal requirements. The Trustee presents the full financial accounts for LETA annually to the Collective at our Easter seminar AGM, which are then lodged with the ACNC and made available.

The Trustee’s management with respect to the assets of LETA for the benefit of the Sahaja Yoga Collective in Australia has been posted on the LETA website (URL). LETA will be maintaining the unity of Sahaja Yoga and will not be sharing any aspect of the assets managed for the Collective by the Trust with the separate VND company. We advise Yogis not to encourage this division by separately donating to or funding VND.

10. Continuance of existing day-to-day arrangements for Sahaja Yoga
The Trust has no desire to control or to unnecessarily interfere in the day to day running of Sahaja Yoga or prevent the joyful unfolding of Sahaja Yoga in a collective way.

Hosting of weekly collective programs and Puja events managed by the rostered Puja working groups ideally should continue but without intervention or organisation by former councillors, who no longer have delegated authority to facilitate these groups in the manner they previously did.

The Trustee requests yogis to act sensibly and respectfully so the Collective is not overly affected by the changes announced. We ask Yogis who are not councillors to step up and take on new roles. Peace and harmony in the Collective needs to be acknowledged, protected and cherished.

Public programs in person and online and all Sahaja Yoga collective activities should also continue unaffected by these changes.  There are many dynamic Australian Yogis who are conducting amazing programs and activities, and whose involvement and touchpoints with the Councils and LETA have been relatively minor.  Many public programs are already arranged at a grassroots and local level outside the Council organisational structure, and the Trustee hopes that these Yogis continue to feel empowered to spread Sahaja Yoga and give realisation. The termination of the Councillors’ terms should not affect such activities and the Trustee would not want to impede these auspicious and important actions. 

During this time the contact point for Sahaja Yoga within each Collective is your local Trustee director. We ask for everyone’s patience, maturity and continued understanding. 

Even though divisive forces have manifest at the highest levels of the collective and new arrangements for Sahaja Yoga are now needed as a result of the Councils’ actions and the Trustee’s intervention, all Yogis have the right to continue to attend the Collective, to enjoy HH Shri Mataji’s peace and blessings, as manifest through Her Nirakara form.    

11. Does the Trustee plan to arrange for new councillors to be appointed in the future for the Australian Council and the State Councils?
The Councillors’ terms have been terminated and there is currently no plan to appoint new councillors. Instead, it is likely that LETA will move to an organisational model seen in other countries where there will be a single Trust with Committees and working groups to arrange programs and events and spread the Sahaja Innate Religion as outlined by HH Shri Mataji’s moving within the Trust as one united Sahaja Yoga leadership body.  This model has worked well in those other countries without the conflicts about roles and responsibilities endemic in the Council model implemented here. Rather than separation this embraces integration.  The directors of the Trustee encourage all Yogis to continue to conduct Sahaja activities and to give realisation and look for opportunities to transform society.   LETA will assist Yogis in these activities and hopefully in time, there will be less focus in the Australian collective on organisational politics and more emphasis on how to create new Yogis across our great Southern land.  

12. LETA supports the establishment of an Australian School.
The Trustee has publicly and privately supported the establishment of an Australian Sahaja school. The changes announced with this communication does not alter that support.

13. Acknowledgment of service.
We acknowledge and thank the councillors for all for their service to HH Shri Mataji and the collective and wish them all the best for their future in Sahaja Yoga. We hope it is possible that we can all move forward together as one united Australian collective.

14. Trustee directors available to answer any of your questions
The Trustee directors are present and available at collective programs and Pujas to answer any of your questions about what has been announced, next steps and the future.

15. Contact us
The Trustee can be contacted at [email protected]

With respect

Life Eternal Properties Australia Pty Limited as trustee of Life Eternal Trust (Australia)

“My all attention is on your country…”

“My all attention is on your country, because you are very good Sahaja Yogis. We have had Sahaja Yogis all over the world, you know, in thousands there are, but nothing like Australians, I see. Because they are, some, more of them, are deeply touched and bothered about the world’s problems. So what you have to think now, not to have anything to do with Swadishthana. But what you have to become, is real Sahaja Yogis. And no Swadishthana should bother you.”

Shri Mataji – 2nd Day of Navaratri, Satisfy the Swadishthan Burwood Ashram Sydney October 13th, 2007