The life of Gregorian Bivolaru
A remarkable modern Yogi
Eminent Yoga Teacher Gregorian Bivolaru, or Grieg, has made a remarkable contribution to modern spirituality from at least three points of view. First, he has accomplished a unique, complex, creative synthesis of various authentic Eastern and Western spiritual traditions, some of which are misunderstood today or almost forgotten. Second, he has introduced a number of revolutionary new concepts and techniques that have been successfully practiced since the 1990s by tens of thousands of people around the world. And last but not least, he made groundbreaking and eye-opening connections between authentic spirituality and modern science, a “bridge” that was long overdue.
The variety and richness of his teachings address the challenges of the contemporary world, offering life-transforming solutions and practical insights to all genuine spiritual seekers, irrespective of their cultural or religious background.
Gregorian Bivolaru
1952
Childhood and the call to spirituality
Gregorian Bivolaru was born on 12th March 1952 in Tărtășești, a small village near Bucharest, Romania. He was an introverted child, inclined towards contemplation and with an immense thirst for knowledge. Because his family did not have big financial means, he used to go to the village store that had a library corner. There, he read with eagerness, about everything. His schoolmates remember him as an eminent pupil, who impressed his teachers with his vast knowledge that went far beyond the level of an ordinary schoolboy.
As Grieg himself confessed in an interview from the late 90s, since childhood he has lived overwhelming spiritual experiences and states of Cosmic Consciousness, giving him the intuition of an exceptional spiritual destiny. Upon return to the normal state of consciousness, he would find himself crying for hours on end with overwhelming happiness, feeling a state of completeness and unity with a grandiose and eternal reality that continued to exist and manifest itself in his being in all moments of the day. These experiences left him charged with a profound state of gratitude towards the Creator and with an unstoppable aspiration towards perfection. All these moments mark the beginning of an extraordinary spiritual journey that continues to this day.
As Grieg himself confessed in an interview from the late 90s, since childhood he has lived overwhelming spiritual experiences and states of Cosmic Consciousness, giving him the intuition of an exceptional spiritual destiny. Upon return to the normal state of consciousness, he would find himself crying for hours on end with overwhelming happiness, feeling a state of completeness and unity with a grandiose and eternal reality that continued to exist and manifest itself in his being in all moments of the day. These experiences left him charged with a profound state of gratitude towards the Creator and with an unstoppable aspiration towards perfection. All these moments mark the beginning of an extraordinary spiritual journey that continues to this day.
1967
Assiduous yoga practice and diligent study
He attended high school in Bucharest, which allowed him access to the largest libraries of the capital. There he studied, thoroughly and sometimes for days in a row, fundamental yoga treaties, alchemy, parapsychology, sexology and esotericism. Discovering the fundamental yoga tradition was a great revelation and throughout his studies, he translated directly from English and French, since spirituality books in Romanian were almost non-existent. Thus, at the age of fifteen, his life was already divided into two major parts: practicing yoga with assiduity and reading books from various related fields, which back then were despised by the communist regime in Romania.
Gregorian Bivolaru understood very soon that yoga offers very effective, practical methods that lead to the discovery of genuine answers to fundamental questions about man and Universe, such as the subtle energetic structure of the human being and the way it works, reincarnation and the meaning of existence, intimate mechanisms and attributes of the Consciousness, the existence of invisible forces and levels of manifestation, and many more. He tenaciously practiced yoga techniques, up to nine hours daily. As a result, he soon achieved remarkable results and profound inner transformations guiding him to spiritual revelations about the Absolute Reality, the Universal Supreme Consciousness, the Creator of All and Everything – God.
Gregorian Bivolaru understood very soon that yoga offers very effective, practical methods that lead to the discovery of genuine answers to fundamental questions about man and Universe, such as the subtle energetic structure of the human being and the way it works, reincarnation and the meaning of existence, intimate mechanisms and attributes of the Consciousness, the existence of invisible forces and levels of manifestation, and many more. He tenaciously practiced yoga techniques, up to nine hours daily. As a result, he soon achieved remarkable results and profound inner transformations guiding him to spiritual revelations about the Absolute Reality, the Universal Supreme Consciousness, the Creator of All and Everything – God.
1970
Teaching yoga during the communist regime
His expertise in the practice of many different yoga branches together with his great erudition about many spiritual traditions inspired and impelled him to start to share the mysteries of the millenary yogic tradition with his friends who were eagerly asking for it.
The country was suffocated by the pressure of the iron curtain and was under the mute terror of the famous Securitate (the communist secret service organization assuring state security – subordinated to the dictator Ceausescu). Because of his spiritual interests, Gregorian Bivolaru was put on the Securitate’s “blacklist” and then systematically watched, monitored, harassed and even imprisoned in 1977.
Aware of the risks he was exposing himself to, Gregorian Bivolaru began teaching yoga in various cultural houses and student centres, in the early 1970s, but calling it “Psychosomatic Gymnastics”. As an example of the difficulties he was facing, in 1972, when he was planning to start a new group of yoga practice, he placed posters throughout the city to announce it, but the Securitate blocked the phone number given as a contact on the posters, sabotaging his activity.
Despite obstacles, Gregorian Bivolaru still managed to teach yoga openly, until a great scandal around the Transcendental Movement broke out in Romania in 1981. On that occasion, the Ceaușescu regime arrested and imprisoned hundreds of Transcendentalist practitioners on charges of “suspicious mysticism that could lead to the destabilization of the state”. Subsequently all Eastern spiritual practices, including yoga and martial arts, were banned, while the scandal had a wider effect of intimidating the Romanian Intelligentsia in general.
The country was suffocated by the pressure of the iron curtain and was under the mute terror of the famous Securitate (the communist secret service organization assuring state security – subordinated to the dictator Ceausescu). Because of his spiritual interests, Gregorian Bivolaru was put on the Securitate’s “blacklist” and then systematically watched, monitored, harassed and even imprisoned in 1977.
Aware of the risks he was exposing himself to, Gregorian Bivolaru began teaching yoga in various cultural houses and student centres, in the early 1970s, but calling it “Psychosomatic Gymnastics”. As an example of the difficulties he was facing, in 1972, when he was planning to start a new group of yoga practice, he placed posters throughout the city to announce it, but the Securitate blocked the phone number given as a contact on the posters, sabotaging his activity.
Despite obstacles, Gregorian Bivolaru still managed to teach yoga openly, until a great scandal around the Transcendental Movement broke out in Romania in 1981. On that occasion, the Ceaușescu regime arrested and imprisoned hundreds of Transcendentalist practitioners on charges of “suspicious mysticism that could lead to the destabilization of the state”. Subsequently all Eastern spiritual practices, including yoga and martial arts, were banned, while the scandal had a wider effect of intimidating the Romanian Intelligentsia in general.
1981
Repression during the last years of the communist regime
Nevertheless, by taking on greater risks, even after 1981 Gregorian Bivolaru continued to secretly practice yoga and to teach it to those interested, under constant surveillance and harassment by the Securitate. On 17th April 1984, Gregorian Bivolaru was arrested along with 17 other people to whom he was teaching yoga in a private residence. They were all investigated and intimidated, but Gregorian Bivolaru was imprisoned, severely beaten and tortured in the Securitate detention centre, without the possibility to communicate with family and friends, or to consult a lawyer. He escaped from the arrest using his paranormal powers, the only escape known in the history of Securitate. A few days later he was captured again and in the end convicted only for escaping, with no mention to the original fabricated ”accusation” of a plot to assassinate Ceaușescu.
After his release from prison in 1986, he remained on the list of dangerous people for the communist regime. He was constantly under observation by the Securitate, yet at no time did he stop practicing and teaching yoga, achieving thus a unique act of spiritual resistance in communist Romania. The researcher of the CNSAS archives (Consiliul National pentru Studierea Arhivelor Securitatii / The National Council for Studying the „Securitate” Archives), dissident and human rights activist Gabriel Andreescu, stated in his book, MISA – Radiography of a Repression, that the group of yogis coordinated by Gregorian Bivolaru is “the only example of long-lasting collective resistance under Nicolae Ceaușescu’s regime”.
After his release from prison in 1986, he remained on the list of dangerous people for the communist regime. He was constantly under observation by the Securitate, yet at no time did he stop practicing and teaching yoga, achieving thus a unique act of spiritual resistance in communist Romania. The researcher of the CNSAS archives (Consiliul National pentru Studierea Arhivelor Securitatii / The National Council for Studying the „Securitate” Archives), dissident and human rights activist Gabriel Andreescu, stated in his book, MISA – Radiography of a Repression, that the group of yogis coordinated by Gregorian Bivolaru is “the only example of long-lasting collective resistance under Nicolae Ceaușescu’s regime”.
The repression against Gregorian Bivolaru culminated in 1989 with his third arrest, political conviction and internment at the Poiana Mare Psychiatric Hospital, a so-called clinic for nervous diseases. This was, in fact, a desolate and terrible place where undesirable political prisoners who did not share the vision of the communist regime were sent for hasty extermination. Gregorian Bivolaru’s medical records show that he was prescribed drugs that would have killed an ordinary man in just a few weeks. The doctor who was supposed to administer this treatment, however, risked his career and did not carry out what was requested of him. Many years later, this doctor Leonard Hriscu said in an interview: “Gregorian was not a man who needed any kind of psychiatric treatment; he knew a lot and was a man of great culture, so I often failed to stand up to him in the discussions we had, and had to withdraw. There was no way I could accept the diagnosis that was imposed on him.”
In December 1989, when the communist regime officially fell in Romania, an emergency commission decided to release Gregorian Bivolaru from the Poiana Mare Psychiatric Hospital. The political nature of the convictions in 1977 and 1984, as well as the medical confinement in 1989, were recognized in July 2011 by a decision of the Bucharest Court of Law.
In December 1989, when the communist regime officially fell in Romania, an emergency commission decided to release Gregorian Bivolaru from the Poiana Mare Psychiatric Hospital. The political nature of the convictions in 1977 and 1984, as well as the medical confinement in 1989, were recognized in July 2011 by a decision of the Bucharest Court of Law.
Just as a basalt rock that remains forever immovable in the midst of wind and storm, so does he who is truly wise: remains, being full of detachment, always the same, be it when he is praised, or when he is (unjustly) despised, slandered or mocked.
– Gregorian Bivolaru
1990
Co-founding MISA after the fall of the communist regime
On 12th January 1990, he was already giving his first lecture and opening a yoga class, resuming his spiritual activities in a free country. Also, in January 1990, together with several of his closest disciples from the communist times, he co-founded what would later become one of the largest yoga schools in Europe and a true pole of fostering spirituality and the discipline of yoga in Romania: the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute – MISA. From the very beginning, his lectures and yoga classes were attended by thousands of people, most of them young, thirsty for knowledge, eager to expand their horizons after decades of oppression and darkness.
In the 90s, MISA was amongst the first promoters of a healthy, harmonious lifestyle that includes a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, therapeutic fasting with water only, giving up on harmful stimulants, like coffee, alcohol, drugs, tobacco and refined sugar, avoiding over-processed foods or filled with additives, as well as wise use of medicinal plants.
MISA yoga classes have been running continuously since 1990, without interruption. Regardless of their previous training, regardless of age and physical condition, all those who have attended these classes have directly experienced the benefits of yoga practice, as long as they have practiced with aspiration and perseverance. The proof is in the tens of thousands of genuine and impressive testimonials collected over the years from yoga practitioners, some of which have already been published in volume 1 of the Encyclopedia of Spiritual Fruits.
Unfortunately, the political situation in Romania after the fall of the dictator Ceaușescu has not completely changed for the better. The ex-communists managed to seize power in the vacuum created by the revolution, and the SRI (Serviciul Român de Informații / Romanian Intelligence Service) became the heir to the dreaded Securitate. Many prosecutors of the old regime remained in office, continuing to apply communist practices and persecute those who had previously defied them. The harassment of Gregorian Bivolaru continued more or less openly, now accompanied by a veritable media lynching unleashed by newspapers under the SRI umbrella. Their aim was to destroy his credibility, his public image and, last but not least, to destroy the school of yoga he created.
In the 90s, MISA was amongst the first promoters of a healthy, harmonious lifestyle that includes a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, therapeutic fasting with water only, giving up on harmful stimulants, like coffee, alcohol, drugs, tobacco and refined sugar, avoiding over-processed foods or filled with additives, as well as wise use of medicinal plants.
MISA yoga classes have been running continuously since 1990, without interruption. Regardless of their previous training, regardless of age and physical condition, all those who have attended these classes have directly experienced the benefits of yoga practice, as long as they have practiced with aspiration and perseverance. The proof is in the tens of thousands of genuine and impressive testimonials collected over the years from yoga practitioners, some of which have already been published in volume 1 of the Encyclopedia of Spiritual Fruits.
Unfortunately, the political situation in Romania after the fall of the dictator Ceaușescu has not completely changed for the better. The ex-communists managed to seize power in the vacuum created by the revolution, and the SRI (Serviciul Român de Informații / Romanian Intelligence Service) became the heir to the dreaded Securitate. Many prosecutors of the old regime remained in office, continuing to apply communist practices and persecute those who had previously defied them. The harassment of Gregorian Bivolaru continued more or less openly, now accompanied by a veritable media lynching unleashed by newspapers under the SRI umbrella. Their aim was to destroy his credibility, his public image and, last but not least, to destroy the school of yoga he created.
Exceptional spiritual mentoring activity
Despite all obstacles, Gregorian Bivolaru continued his spiritual activity, guiding and mentoring the development of the yoga school, as well as his literary activity. Moreover, he developed one of the most comprehensive and intensive yoga courses in the world, comprising until today of more than 1,200 theoretical lessons, that integrate in a coherent form and ingenious structure a lot of information that comes from various branches of the yoga system, like: Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Raja Yoga, Yoga Nidra etc. Translated into written form, as students receive course notes, all these lessons sum up over 17,000 pages, the equivalent of the courses of 6 faculties. Recently, the courses of this spiritual esoteric yoga school were even proposed to enter in the Guinness Book of World Records, for ”the biggest course on yoga spirituality ever written”.
Within this esoteric spiritual school, MISA, other interesting courses have been developed in parallel with the yoga course throughout the years. They offer the chance for deepening certain important domains of spiritual knowledge, like Kashmir Shaivism, Ayurveda, Enneagram, Objective Art and many more. Gregorian Bivolaru is the active supporter and contributor to these spiritual courses and the co-author of the Esoteric Tantra Yoga Course.
Within this esoteric spiritual school, MISA, other interesting courses have been developed in parallel with the yoga course throughout the years. They offer the chance for deepening certain important domains of spiritual knowledge, like Kashmir Shaivism, Ayurveda, Enneagram, Objective Art and many more. Gregorian Bivolaru is the active supporter and contributor to these spiritual courses and the co-author of the Esoteric Tantra Yoga Course.
Spiritual camps and events - boost of true spirituality
Starting with the summer of 1990, yoga contests and yogi camps were organized, which involved yoga practice and meditations, as well as lectures and spiritual initiations. Year after year, thousands of yogis from all around the world join the spring and summer international yogi camps in Romania. With these occasions, Gregorian Bivolaru prepared hundreds of camp booklets on a great variety of spiritual topics.
Besides these main spiritual camps, in time hundreds of other events have been organised with the support of Gregorian Bivolaru, addressing more specific themes like the camp for Revealing the Supreme Immortal Self, Atman, camps for deepening the communion with the Great Macrocosmic Powers, Intensive Hatha Yoga camps, Ayurveda camps, etc.
Gregorian Bivolaru’s revolutionary ideas took the Romanian yoga school to the vanguard of world spirituality. He brought forward concepts such as occult resonance as a universal principle long before they were discussed in various contemporary spiritual circles.
In May 1996, within the Spiritual Yogi Camp organised at Baile Herculane, Gregorian Bivolaru revealed for the first time the concept of group meditation in the shape of a yang spiral. The theme was the induction of a state of spiritual liberation through godly miracle. Since then, this special, unique manifestation has been done in all the main spiritual yogi camps. The longest such manifestation in yang spiral took place on the 27 August 2023 at Costinesti, on the occasion of the annual occult hiatus moment, when thousands of participants meditated for 5 hours and 30 minutes in order to contribute not only to their own spiritual transformation, but also that of the entire planet.
Besides these main spiritual camps, in time hundreds of other events have been organised with the support of Gregorian Bivolaru, addressing more specific themes like the camp for Revealing the Supreme Immortal Self, Atman, camps for deepening the communion with the Great Macrocosmic Powers, Intensive Hatha Yoga camps, Ayurveda camps, etc.
Gregorian Bivolaru’s revolutionary ideas took the Romanian yoga school to the vanguard of world spirituality. He brought forward concepts such as occult resonance as a universal principle long before they were discussed in various contemporary spiritual circles.
In May 1996, within the Spiritual Yogi Camp organised at Baile Herculane, Gregorian Bivolaru revealed for the first time the concept of group meditation in the shape of a yang spiral. The theme was the induction of a state of spiritual liberation through godly miracle. Since then, this special, unique manifestation has been done in all the main spiritual yogi camps. The longest such manifestation in yang spiral took place on the 27 August 2023 at Costinesti, on the occasion of the annual occult hiatus moment, when thousands of participants meditated for 5 hours and 30 minutes in order to contribute not only to their own spiritual transformation, but also that of the entire planet.
Pioneering spirituality
Gregorian Bivolaru dedicated his entire life to sharing the knowledge and experience he gained to other people, helping them to discover their greatest potentials and to connect to their highest Self. He held until now more than 2000 lectures on various themes of universal spirituality and not only. Gregorian Bivolaru’s field of knowledge is astonishingly broad and so is the complexity of the subjects on which he made presentations throughout the years. He finds profound esoteric meaning even in apparently common gestures, like hugging or handshaking and unveils them in a comprehensive manner.
An active supporter of a new spiritual paradigm that would help modern man find the balance between millenary wisdom and contemporary science, Gregorian Bivolaru became a pioneer of the new wave of spiritual awakening on this planet, through his writings, as well as through simple methods, accessible to anyone. Among these exceptional methods are the Art of Consecration, the Art and Esoteric Science of blessing and the ‘Lightning rod’ technique for tuning in with the will of God. Gregorian Bivolaru became an initiator for many domains that are currently bridging science and spirituality, these two traditions that in many ways have been separated for hundreds of years.
An active supporter of a new spiritual paradigm that would help modern man find the balance between millenary wisdom and contemporary science, Gregorian Bivolaru became a pioneer of the new wave of spiritual awakening on this planet, through his writings, as well as through simple methods, accessible to anyone. Among these exceptional methods are the Art of Consecration, the Art and Esoteric Science of blessing and the ‘Lightning rod’ technique for tuning in with the will of God. Gregorian Bivolaru became an initiator for many domains that are currently bridging science and spirituality, these two traditions that in many ways have been separated for hundreds of years.
2004
His teachings spread worldwide
By 2004, yoga schools following the curricula of teaching of Gregorian Bivolaru had opened in more than thirty countries. As a result of this expansion, the Atman Federation of Yoga and Meditation was created, in order to help the translation of course materials and ensure the spiritual alignment of the teachings, offering on request support to the different schools regarding the activities, classes, spiritual knowledge in general, expertise and mentoring.
There are currently hundreds of yoga teachers around the world teaching yoga based on the materials and methodology structured by Gregorian Bivolaru, which he generously offers to be used within all member schools of the Atman Federation. The fact that tens of thousands of people today benefit directly, or indirectly, from his life’s work and achieve consistent results in their spiritual practice and in day to day life is a confirmation of the value of his teachings.
There are currently hundreds of yoga teachers around the world teaching yoga based on the materials and methodology structured by Gregorian Bivolaru, which he generously offers to be used within all member schools of the Atman Federation. The fact that tens of thousands of people today benefit directly, or indirectly, from his life’s work and achieve consistent results in their spiritual practice and in day to day life is a confirmation of the value of his teachings.
If you aspire with all your being that your whole life will be and remain for you and for others a magnificent history, come to realise that you are first and foremost its author and that, moreover, you have every day the opportunity or chance to write a new wonderful page that is likely to delight you.
– Gregorian Bivolaru
2004
Enduring persecution and Operation ‘Christ’
A person that disturbs the power structures
Strongly believing that a spiritual person is integrated in society and cannot remain indifferent to what is going on around him, Gregorian Bivolaru has written numerous articles and held several lectures in which he has courageously exposed the activities of Freemasonry, which has taken over, throughout the centuries almost all domains of public life, and which didn’t hesitate to revenge on all those who dared to oppose it. Today, more and more people are revealing the "occult forces" behind the world's most important political and economic decisions, but Gregorian Bivolaru was among the first - and very few - to do so in post-communist Romania, thus disturbing the power structures.
As a result of his activity, he received countless threatening letters asking him to “stop his revelations”. One such threat was put into practice in February 1995, when a devastating explosion destroyed his apartment in Bucharest. A criminal hand had cut through the metal grating of his bathroom window and tampered with the gas installation. Fortunately, the explosion was triggered before Gregorian Bivolaru returned home. A technical expert assessed that this was an intentional criminal act, yet strangely the authorities did not investigate further this explosion.
As a result of his activity, he received countless threatening letters asking him to “stop his revelations”. One such threat was put into practice in February 1995, when a devastating explosion destroyed his apartment in Bucharest. A criminal hand had cut through the metal grating of his bathroom window and tampered with the gas installation. Fortunately, the explosion was triggered before Gregorian Bivolaru returned home. A technical expert assessed that this was an intentional criminal act, yet strangely the authorities did not investigate further this explosion.
Operation Christ
Despite the smear campaign in the Romanian press, and even some police intimidation attempts, the MISA Yoga School continued to grow, awakening and imparting spiritual ideas and values to tens of thousands of people. Because such a large group is troublesome for the structures of power, and because Gregorian Bivolaru was already an inconvenient person in many ways, in March 2004 MISA became the target of what the media trumpeted as “the biggest operation against organised crime in Romania since the 1989 Revolution”.
In a desperate attempt to create an event that would draw the public attention away from the scandals and illegalities that affected the ruling party in an election year, the government started what they called Operation Christ.
More than 200 paramilitary police, prosecutors, policemen and masked special forces members raided 16 private homes of yoga students, physically abusing and terrorising them, whilst claiming to fight against a criminal organization involved in prostitution, drugs and gun traffick. As it was later disclosed, the whole operation was aimed at silencing Gregorian Bivolaru and closing down MISA,
In a desperate attempt to create an event that would draw the public attention away from the scandals and illegalities that affected the ruling party in an election year, the government started what they called Operation Christ.
More than 200 paramilitary police, prosecutors, policemen and masked special forces members raided 16 private homes of yoga students, physically abusing and terrorising them, whilst claiming to fight against a criminal organization involved in prostitution, drugs and gun traffick. As it was later disclosed, the whole operation was aimed at silencing Gregorian Bivolaru and closing down MISA,
Passion for books and intensive publishing activity
His immense joy for collecting and offering books as gifts was probably noticed by all who got the chance to meet him personally. Also, when he was living in Bucharest, he was known by most antiquarians who were happy to invite him to their book stores every time they received new stock. The domains of interest were: psychology, spirituality, nutrition, yoga, paranormal, religion, mysticism, esoteric etc. Even though he lost many books in the raids done in the communist period, he continued to grow his collection, being an example for his relationship with books. He always took very good care of them and found various solutions for restoring books which were old or damaged.
Gregorian Bivolaru is the author and co-author of more than 85 book titles and more than 250 specialist articles. Some of his books have already started to be translated into the languages of international circulation.
Gregorian Bivolaru is the author and co-author of more than 85 book titles and more than 250 specialist articles. Some of his books have already started to be translated into the languages of international circulation.
2006
Political asylum in Sweden
Forced by these dramatic circumstances, and convinced that he would not receive a fair trial in Romania, Gregorian Bivolaru left the country and sought political asylum in Sweden. After a long and thorough trial, the Stockholm Supreme Court investigated the case and refused extradition requests issued by the Romanian state, granting Gregorian Bivolaru protection and political asylum in January 2006 as well as a new identity under Geneva Convention.
Following the raids in March 2004, when they seized truckloads of goods, most of them unrelated with the search warrant, in a desperate attempt to find incriminating evidence, the prosecutors fabricated two criminal cases against Gregorian Bivolaru and other yoga students on the basis of declarations obtained by force or blackmail, and in the absence of any hard evidence.
In the first criminal case, he was accused of sexual act with a minor, although the so-called ”victim” Mădălina Dumitru stated throughout the whole trial and until today that she had no relationship with Gregorian Bivolaru, and she was the victim of the prosecutors, who threatened her in order to get a false incriminating statement. He was found not guilty both in first degree and on appeal. The prosecutor, however, appealed to the Supreme Court, which reversed the first- and seconddegree verdicts and on 14 June 2013 condemned Gregorian Bivolaru to six years in prison, in absence without hearing him even once.
In the second criminal file, in which Gregorian Bivolaru and 21 yoga students and teachers were absurdly accused of human trafficking and organized crime and which was tried for 17 years, all of the accused were acquitted in two separate trial cycles, on the merits and on appeal). In other words, the deeds the yogis were accused of do not exist.
During all this time, Gregorian Bivolaru continued to write from abroad courses and books on various spiritual topics, preparing and delivering an impressive number of lectures for international events and congresses, answering a huge number of letters and messages from all over the world from people asking for advice or simply expressing their admiration for his work.
Following the raids in March 2004, when they seized truckloads of goods, most of them unrelated with the search warrant, in a desperate attempt to find incriminating evidence, the prosecutors fabricated two criminal cases against Gregorian Bivolaru and other yoga students on the basis of declarations obtained by force or blackmail, and in the absence of any hard evidence.
In the first criminal case, he was accused of sexual act with a minor, although the so-called ”victim” Mădălina Dumitru stated throughout the whole trial and until today that she had no relationship with Gregorian Bivolaru, and she was the victim of the prosecutors, who threatened her in order to get a false incriminating statement. He was found not guilty both in first degree and on appeal. The prosecutor, however, appealed to the Supreme Court, which reversed the first- and seconddegree verdicts and on 14 June 2013 condemned Gregorian Bivolaru to six years in prison, in absence without hearing him even once.
In the second criminal file, in which Gregorian Bivolaru and 21 yoga students and teachers were absurdly accused of human trafficking and organized crime and which was tried for 17 years, all of the accused were acquitted in two separate trial cycles, on the merits and on appeal). In other words, the deeds the yogis were accused of do not exist.
During all this time, Gregorian Bivolaru continued to write from abroad courses and books on various spiritual topics, preparing and delivering an impressive number of lectures for international events and congresses, answering a huge number of letters and messages from all over the world from people asking for advice or simply expressing their admiration for his work.
Act in such a way as to take the first step in everything and all that is eminently beneficial, and then, with great courage and heroism, lift the burden to your knees. You will then discover with astonishment that the Good Lord and the angels will help you lift it over your head in order to make it crumble and disappear, being replaced by a formidable godly gift which has been already waiting for you for a long time.
– Gregorian Bivolaru
2009
God has the first place – the Theophanic Charismatic Movement
In 2009 by Gregorian Bivolaru initiated a very special spiritual community, called the Theophanic Charismatic Movement, having as motto: “With God, for God, in God, unto God”. It is meant to help the honest seekers who aspire to awaken their soul and to discover God both within their inner universe as well as in everything that surrounds them.
The Theophanic Charismatic Movement relies to a big extent on the revelations and teachings of Jesus Christ, but considered from a perspective that leads to the gradual discovery of the esoteric and overwhelming dimension of Christianity. The participants of this movement benefit periodically from extensive theoretical lectures on the existence and mysteries of God, based on the revelations and spiritual experiences of its founder.
As part of the open activities of this movement, an exceptional Spiritual Healing Event takes place every year in September in Costinesti (Romania). This started in 2015, at the initiative of Gregorian Bivolaru and is aiming to regenerate and heal the participants through the miraculous help that comes from God the Father. Thousands of people have already participated in these annual events and many of them have felt, either during the event itself or in the weeks that followed, miraculous, overwhelming effects, which have resulted in significant improvements or healing of certain diseases.
The Theophanic Charismatic Movement relies to a big extent on the revelations and teachings of Jesus Christ, but considered from a perspective that leads to the gradual discovery of the esoteric and overwhelming dimension of Christianity. The participants of this movement benefit periodically from extensive theoretical lectures on the existence and mysteries of God, based on the revelations and spiritual experiences of its founder.
As part of the open activities of this movement, an exceptional Spiritual Healing Event takes place every year in September in Costinesti (Romania). This started in 2015, at the initiative of Gregorian Bivolaru and is aiming to regenerate and heal the participants through the miraculous help that comes from God the Father. Thousands of people have already participated in these annual events and many of them have felt, either during the event itself or in the weeks that followed, miraculous, overwhelming effects, which have resulted in significant improvements or healing of certain diseases.
2016
Manipulation of Europol’s most wanted list
In January 2016, Gregorian Bivolaru strangely appeared on the Europol's Most Wanted list, alongside the most dangerous terrorists and criminals, as a result of the Romanian authorities' abusive alteration of the charges brought against him in Romania in the case concerning his alleged (but non-existent) sexual act with a minor. Such an alteration cannot be made "by mistake", it is a deliberate falsification of information, without which Gregorian Bivolaru would have had no reason to appear on this infamous list.
The weirdest fact is that in September 2015, four months in advance, it was announced on a Swedish TV program that Gregorian Bivolaru would soon appear on the Most Wanted List. At the time, neither Europol nor the Romanian police were able to officially confirm this information, so it could not have been normally available to a journalist. This is yet another abuse against the yoga teacher, for which no one has ever given a coherent explanation and for which no one has ever been held accountable, and which furthermore shows a coordinated action to influence public opinion and justice in several countries.
The weirdest fact is that in September 2015, four months in advance, it was announced on a Swedish TV program that Gregorian Bivolaru would soon appear on the Most Wanted List. At the time, neither Europol nor the Romanian police were able to officially confirm this information, so it could not have been normally available to a journalist. This is yet another abuse against the yoga teacher, for which no one has ever given a coherent explanation and for which no one has ever been held accountable, and which furthermore shows a coordinated action to influence public opinion and justice in several countries.
Arrest in France and extradition to Romania
In February 2016, Gregorian Bivolaru was arrested in Paris while attending a book fair and extradited to Romania in July, despite his status as a refugee in Sweden. This was a first for the French judicial authorities: the Court of Cassation chose to favor the European Arrest Warrant over the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees.
While imprisoned in Romania, Gregorian Bivolaru applied for a review of the decision by which Romania's Supreme Court had convicted him in 2013, in order to have the opportunity - for the first time - to defend himself directly against the charges unjustly brought against him. This request was denied in February 2017.
In September 2017 Gregorian Bivolaru was released on parole, as he had served more than two thirds of his sentence.
While imprisoned in Romania, Gregorian Bivolaru applied for a review of the decision by which Romania's Supreme Court had convicted him in 2013, in order to have the opportunity - for the first time - to defend himself directly against the charges unjustly brought against him. This request was denied in February 2017.
In September 2017 Gregorian Bivolaru was released on parole, as he had served more than two thirds of his sentence.
2023
French Police Raids – History Repeats Itself
On 28th November 2023, the French authorities launched a vast operation in Paris and in the south of France, similar to the large-scale deployment of forces in “Operation Christ” in March 2004 in Bucharest. The target of French authorities were the yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru and the yoga school in France.
He was arrested together with 40 other yoga practitioners from 8 different locations, private residences used for spiritual retreats, while the French media was claiming the police ”liberated” a few dozen women sexually abused, exploited and trafficked by a ”criminal organization”. However, the police action did not produce even a single alleged victim, despite the long interrogatories and the psychological pressure used against the men and women, yoga practitioners from various countries, who were present in those residence during the raids. None of the persons interrogated (sometimes under inhumane conditions) by the French authorities gave an incriminating statement against Gregorian Bivolaru or anyone else from the yoga school; on the contrary, all of them complained against the police brutality.
These facts were completely disregarded by the media, that keeps claiming the ”victims” cannot admit they are victims since they were ”brainwashed”.
He was arrested together with 40 other yoga practitioners from 8 different locations, private residences used for spiritual retreats, while the French media was claiming the police ”liberated” a few dozen women sexually abused, exploited and trafficked by a ”criminal organization”. However, the police action did not produce even a single alleged victim, despite the long interrogatories and the psychological pressure used against the men and women, yoga practitioners from various countries, who were present in those residence during the raids. None of the persons interrogated (sometimes under inhumane conditions) by the French authorities gave an incriminating statement against Gregorian Bivolaru or anyone else from the yoga school; on the contrary, all of them complained against the police brutality.
These facts were completely disregarded by the media, that keeps claiming the ”victims” cannot admit they are victims since they were ”brainwashed”.
Ongoing investigation
In March 2025, the investigations and still ongoing, Gregorian Bivolaru and the head of the French yoga school have been detained already for more than 15 months, while nobody has been brought to court. This is a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights, which unfortunately in France is legal and common practice. As the ECHR has repeatedly stated – and French authorities keep ignoring – the pre-trial custody in France is excessive, and this preventive measure turns actually into a punishment. Therefore, the chances for the detainee (presumed innocent!) to be declared not guilty decrease a lot, since it will be quite embarrassing for the prosecutors and judges to admit they were wrong after keeping someone in jail for years.
This anomalous situation is made worse by the fact that France is facing growing hostility towards new religious and spiritual movements, speculated by the media and fueled by lavishly-funded government "anti-cult" agencies that have to justify their existence. These organizations are glibly throwing around accusations of "sectarianism" and "brainwashing" and have managed to push through highly restrictive anti-cult legislation unique in the democratic world.
The situation of the Romanian yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru, which seems to take place in a dictatorship, not in a democratic European country, has been analyzed and criticized internationally by human rights defenders, sociologists, researchers, experts in new religious and spiritual movements. Meanwhile, the persecution of yoga practitioners within the Atman Federation continues in other European countries.
This anomalous situation is made worse by the fact that France is facing growing hostility towards new religious and spiritual movements, speculated by the media and fueled by lavishly-funded government "anti-cult" agencies that have to justify their existence. These organizations are glibly throwing around accusations of "sectarianism" and "brainwashing" and have managed to push through highly restrictive anti-cult legislation unique in the democratic world.
The situation of the Romanian yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru, which seems to take place in a dictatorship, not in a democratic European country, has been analyzed and criticized internationally by human rights defenders, sociologists, researchers, experts in new religious and spiritual movements. Meanwhile, the persecution of yoga practitioners within the Atman Federation continues in other European countries.
Recognition from human rights experts and renowned academic scholars
Over the past 20 years, important voices of Romania’s post-communist democracy have spoken out about the abuses against Gregorian Bivolaru and the students of MISA yoga school. The report of Amnesty International and Helsinki Committee for Human Rights are only a few of the supporting statements and organizations emphasizing such obvious mistreatments by various authorities.
Unbiased experts in human rights, sociology and religious movements show a completely different picture than the scandalous media campaigns. The well-documented and professional evaluations of these experts, such as Massimo Introvigne, Willy Fautre, Eileen Barker, Karl Erik Nylund, J. Gordon Melton or Gabriel Andreescu, are unfortunately little known, or even purposefully ignored by the authorities and the public opinion. Read more in Experts Opinions.
Unbiased experts in human rights, sociology and religious movements show a completely different picture than the scandalous media campaigns. The well-documented and professional evaluations of these experts, such as Massimo Introvigne, Willy Fautre, Eileen Barker, Karl Erik Nylund, J. Gordon Melton or Gabriel Andreescu, are unfortunately little known, or even purposefully ignored by the authorities and the public opinion. Read more in Experts Opinions.
Being a remarkable personality, Eminent Yoga Teacher Gregorian Bivolaru has disturbed some people with his revelations and actions and inspired others. With great modesty and in a permanent state of godly relay, he has never ceased to offer spiritual methods of self-improvement and realizations to all those thirsty for genuine transformation, those who have carefully and persistently put his teachings and advice into practice on the path towards perfection.
