The old adage “you can’t take it with you” applies to everyone, even gurus.
Swami Satchidananda, a guru and purported “cult leader” died last year and moved on to his next life, that is for those who believe in reincarnation. But the octogenarian left behind quite a bit of worldly baggage.
Satchidananda accumulated prime real estate in Manhattan, which provides space for an Integral Yoga International (IYI) school and a vegetarian grocery store.
There is also the sprawling ashram he established in Virginia called “Yogaville,” which includes a $2 million dollar temple and its own airport (the swami liked to fly and had his own plane).
The guru’s property holdings alone are worth millions.
Yet another legacy of the late swami is the Yogaville Federal Credit Union. After all, what’s an ashram without its own credit union?
According to official records this credit union has more than $4 million dollars in assets, with two employees on salary to manage its funds.
Satchidananda left behind a core group of faithful followers at Yogaville and a few in Manhattan too.
And since their guru’s death those devotees continue to manage the swami’s considerable material legacy.
This all seems to provide proof positive of another not so spiritual reality; If a “cult leader” wants to keep a “cult” going after he or she is gone, do some estate planning.
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