Self-Realization Fellowship (Paramahansa Yogananda)
International Hindu-derived organisation founded by Paramahansa Yogananda (1920) and best known for his 'Autobiography of a Yogi'. Operates monastic order (SRF Monastic Order). Sister Indian organisation Yogoda Satsanga Society of India.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — long-established yoga lineage; mostly low control with some monastic-life concerns.
Profile facts
In context
SRF teaches Kriya Yoga meditation as a sequential discipleship taught through correspondence courses and at Mt. Washington (Los Angeles) headquarters. The monastic order (SRF Monastics) has produced some ex-monk accounts of difficult conditions; for lay students the practice is largely voluntary and self-paced. Internal succession disputes followed Daya Mata's 2010 death.
Key control doctrines
- Kriya Yoga lineage from Mahavatar Babaji
- Six gurus (lineage masters)
- Monastic discipline for ordained members
Recovery resources
- ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — General referral and cult-aware therapist directory.
- INFORM (Information Network on Religious Movements) — LSE-founded UK research-based information service covering new religious movements.
- Sarlo's Guru Rating Service — Long-standing publicly-maintained guru-assessment site including critical material.
- Reclamation Collective — Religious-trauma-aware therapist network; relevant for post-exit identity-rebuilding.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation; BITE-model resources and family-side exit guidance.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Legal cases & controversies
- SRF v. Ananda / Swami Kriyananda copyright disputes (1990s–2000s)
Evidence by BITE axis
- Monastic order has produced ex-member testimony of difficult conditions
- Monastic discipline for ordained members
- mostly low control with some monastic-life concerns
- Strong devotion to lineage masters
- Substantial donations expected from devoted students
- Kriya Yoga lineage from Mahavatar Babaji
- Six gurus (lineage masters)
Timeline
- 1920Yogananda arrives in USA; founds Self-Realization Fellowship
- 1946'Autobiography of a Yogi' published
- 1952Yogananda dies
- 2010Sri Daya Mata (third successor) dies; succession disputes follow
Evidence matrix
Structured sources cross-linked to the claims they document. Tiered per the source hierarchy. For free-text citations see the Sources section below.
| Title | Type | Reliability | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| When Being a Yogi Had an Exotic Air - 'Awake,' About the Life of Paramahansa Yogananda · archive | Journalism | Secondary | — |
| Guru's Followers Mark Legacy of a Star's Teachings · archive | Journalism | Secondary | — |
| Pacific Palisades · archive | Journalism | Secondary | — |
| DNA Clears Yoga Guru in Seven-Year Paternity Dispute · archive | Journalism | Secondary | — |
| City Report Spurs Debate on Church's Planned Expansion · archive | Journalism | Secondary | — |
| Boston University · archive | Academic | Secondary | — |
| Ultimo guru linhagem SRF · archive | Journalism | Secondary | — |
| Charity overview: SELF-REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP CHURCH-UK (1097070). | Government | Primary | — |
| Britannica (онлайн) · archive | Organisation | Tertiary | — |
Sources
- Paramahansa Yogananda, 'Autobiography of a Yogi' (1946) search ↗
- Various former SRF monastics' accounts search ↗
- When Being a Yogi Had an Exotic Air - 'Awake,' About the Life of Paramahansa Yogananda — https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/10/movies/awake-about-the-life-of-paramahansa-yogananda.html open ↗
- Guru's Followers Mark Legacy of a Star's Teachings — https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-aug-06-me-swami6-story.html open ↗
- Pacific Palisades — https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jun-26-gd-neighbors26-story.html open ↗
- DNA Clears Yoga Guru in Seven-Year Paternity Dispute — https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jul-11-me-guru11-story.html open ↗
- City Report Spurs Debate on Church's Planned Expansion — https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-apr-28-me-24422-story.html open ↗
- Boston University — http://people.bu.edu/prothero/ysrf.html open ↗
- Ultimo guru linhagem SRF — http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,822420,00.html open ↗
- Charity overview: SELF-REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP CHURCH-UK (1097070). — https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/3996174/charity-overview open ↗
- Britannica (онлайн) — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Self-Realization-Fellowship open ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch J corrective: Moderate-band (CLCI 14) entry upgraded from Mainstream-comparator lighter palette to Eastern guru-led palette — Batch J's clci<21 fallthrough was too lean for the documented control vector of this category.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch J: per-group recovery resources applied via programmatic palette (closest-fit by category + subCategory + score). Palette: Mainstream-comparator lighter.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
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Frequently asked questions
Q.Is Self-Realization Fellowship a cult?
CLCI Hub deliberately avoids the binary label "cult." Instead it places groups on a transparent 0–40 spectrum of documented control using Steven Hassan's BITE model (Behaviour, Information, Thought, Emotional). Self-Realization Fellowship scores 14 out of 40 — "Moderate Control", at low confidence. The score describes documented control patterns, not a judgement of members' sincerity or beliefs; many members do not personally experience the patterns listed.
Q.What is Self-Realization Fellowship's CLCI score?
Self-Realization Fellowship scores 14 out of 40 on the Cult-Like Control Index, which falls in the "Moderate" band. That total is the sum of four BITE axes — Behaviour 4, Information 3, Thought 3, Emotional 4 — plus a signed modifier of +0 for aggravating or mitigating factors.
Q.Why does Self-Realization Fellowship score 14 on the CLCI?
The score reflects publicly documented patterns including: Monastic order has produced ex-member testimony of difficult conditions; Strong devotion to lineage masters; Substantial donations expected from devoted students. These map onto the BITE axes of behaviour, information, thought, and emotional control, and a signed modifier of +0 is applied for factors such as financial demands, leadership accountability, and exit costs. Every claim is backed by the citations in the Sources section on this page.
Q.How reliable is the Self-Realization Fellowship rating?
This profile is rated Low confidence. Low confidence means the available evidence is fragmented or largely anecdotal, so the score may change as more documentation emerges. CLCI scores are not fixed — they are revised whenever new public evidence appears, and groups that reform can score lower over time.
Q.Where can I get help regarding Self-Realization Fellowship?
If you or someone you care about is affected by Self-Realization Fellowship, start with the Recovery resources listed on this page. General cult-aware support is available from the International Cultic Studies Association (icsahome.com) and the Freedom of Mind Resource Center (freedomofmind.com). CLCI Hub is an educational resource, not a crisis service — if anyone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Found something wrong on this profile?
We accept correction requests from anyone — current and former members, researchers, journalists, family members, and the listed organisation. Submissions are reviewed by an editor; we do not auto-publish.