Experts
In Human Rights, Sociology and Religious Movements
And what they say about Gregorian Bivolaru
Mr. Bivolaru and the yoga school he founded, MISA (the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute), have been and still are target of great defamations and severe abuses of human rights since the beginning of his activity in Romania.
While the mass media in Romania, and later on also in other countries, has contributed immensely, through their superficial journalism, to the unjust persecutions, the sincere and professional evaluations of unbiased experts like Massimo Introvigne, Willy Fautre, Eileen Barker, Karl Erik Nylund, J. Gordon Melton and Gabriel Andreescu, show a very different picture, unfortunately little known.
We present in the following an edifying collection of expert materials about MISA and Gregorian Bivolaru:
Review of the book “Sacred Eroticism: Tantra and Eros in the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA)” by Massimo Introvigne
The dramatic history and the teachings of the movement are highlighted in the first monograph consecrated to it.
Swedish expert, Karl Erik Nylund’s report on MISA and Gregorian Bivolaru
Nylund’s report was one of the main defense evidence in the extradition trial ruled on by the Supreme Court in Stockholm on October 12th 2005, which decided finally and irreversibly to decline Romania’s extradition request. Nylund has clearly proven with his investigations that MISA is not a radical religious group, nor a manipulative sect.
The Swedish Asylum Case of Gregorian Bivolaru, 2005
When Gregorian Bivolaru was granted asylum in 2005, an important precedent was established by the Supreme Court of Sweden, by underlining that leaders of spiritual movements accused of common crimes not directly related to religion cannot expect a fair trial in countries where an obvious prejudice against their religious beliefs and practices exist. – by Rosita Šorytė FOB (European Federation for Freedom of Belief). The Journal of CESNUR, Volume 6, Issue 4, July—August 2022, pages 62—74. © 2022 by CESNUR
Soteria webinar about Human Rights in the MISA case
This webinar discusses the human rights violations, institutional discrimination, social and media marginalization on MISA yoga students and the yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru. An event organized by Soteria International, Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) and Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) on MISA (Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute).
Recent article from Massimo Introvigne about Netflix – a threat to religious liberty
‘Sensational TV series about religious leaders sentenced for sexual abuse are broadcast without considering that they wreak havoc in the lives of their innocent followers.’
“Sacred Sexuality within Contemporary Esoteric Groups. From Early 20th Century Origins to MISA”
Academic analysis of Massimo Introvigne, sociologist of religion and intellectual property attorney. MISA, founded by Gregorian Bivolaru is the largest group teaching sacred eroticism today. One of the reasons of the scandals that were launched against it and its founder is the association between spirituality and eroticism, thus challenging general worldviews. In reality, the courses on love, eroticism and sexuality represent a very small part of the teachings of the school. – 25 May 2018, Houston by Massimo Introvigne:
“The Radical Aesthetics of the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA)” – Krakow University Journal
An in-depth analysis pointing out the radical aesthetics directions of MISA in the context of a larger aesthetic revolution. – Including the presentation of Massimo Introvigne, Raffaella Di Mazio, PierLuigi Zoccatelli:
Article “Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute”
A thorough and precise timeline and presentation of MISA and its founder, Gregorian Bivolaru made by Massimo Introvigne. – Published on 1 June 2017 in the World Religions & Spirituality Project (WRSP) – which was established in 2010 at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Introduction: The Radical Aesthetics of a Romanian Esoteric Movement
This issue of The Journal of CESNUR explores the history, doctrines, and controversies of MISA, arguing that its teachings cannot be reduced to a doctrine of sexuality only and propose a “radical aesthetics” that also explains the reactions by both its religious and secular opponents. – by Massimo Introvigne, a paper presented at Erfurt conference of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE) July 2017 and also published in The Journal of CESNUR, vol. 1, n. 1, September-October 2017, pp. 3-9.
Sex, Erotic Art, and the Repression of Alternative Movements: The Strange Case of an Esoteric Movie Director
The movies and shows created by a group of artists which are students of MISA were not made to generate significant income, nor as a recruitment tool. They have an educational role, expressing their own personal beliefs and beneficial experiences as a result of tantra yoga practice. – by Massimo Introvigne, A paper presented at Erfurt conference of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE) July 2017 and published in The Journal of CESNUR, vol. 1, n. 1, September-October 2017, pp. 32-42
Yoga in the Courts: the Legal Battles about MISA
Analysis of the abuses that were made in the legal cases related to Gregorian Bivolaru and MISA. – by Gabriel Andreescu. See also the Presentation- A paper presented at “The 2016 International Conference”, Pocheon City, Republic of Korea, 5-10 July 2016
The Movement for the Spiritual Integration into the Absolute. Facets of an identity: minority of conscience, minority of sexual practice, and minority born of repression
Gabriel Andreescu proposes that, taking in consideration the discrimination and harassment done upon MISA, it should receive protection as a minority group. – by Gabriel Andreescu – A paper presented at “CESNUR 2013 Conference”, Falun, Sweden, 21-24 June 2013
MISA, an Overview
In this overview, Massimo Introvigne points out the common deformation and misinterpretation of truth that are constantly made in the case of MISA – by Massimo Introvigne – A material (PPT) presented at “The 2016 International Conference”, Pocheon City, Republic of Korea, 5-10 July 2016
MISA, Gregorian Bivolaru & Yoga Practitioners in Romania
Willy Fautré, director of Human Rights Without Frontiers International (Brussels), speaks about how the long judicial harassment of Gregorian Bivolaru on numerous charges, the persecutions faced by MISA yoga practitioners for over 20 years have been amplified by an escalating social panic on television, on the radio and in the printed press – by Willy Fautre (Human Rights Without Frontiers) Brussels, June 2013
Discourse analysis of the public communication campaigns about the Yoga Teacher Gregorian Bivolaru
The case of the Romanian Yoga movement and its founder, the yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru, is well known for the human rights activists and organizations, especially in Europe. The media was used as a manipulation element and an instrument of repression – By Mugurel Calistrat Atudorei , Konrad Swenninger, World Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Esotericism, Deviance, and Repression: An Introduction to the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA)
This paper examines the history and worldview of MISA, the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA). Although the roots of the movement are in Siddha Yoga of Tamil Nadu and Tantric Shivaism of Kashmir, Bivolaru has in fact created a new and creative form of both theoretical and practical esotericism, with Indian roots as well as Western influences – by PierLuigi Zoccatelli, Deputy Director at CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions)
MISA, the Anti-Cult Movement and the Courts: The Legal Repression of an Esoteric Movement
The article raises the question of how an anti-esoteric prejudice may have influenced MISA legal cases and their outcome. In this respect, the paper examines three possible explanations of the extreme anti-MISA feelings prevailing among sectors of the Romanian police and media, related respectively to the Romanian context, the campaigns against “cults,” and esotericism – by Raffaella Di Marzio (Center for Studies on Freedom of Religion Belief and Conscience), The Journal of CESNUR | 2017, pp. 20—31
The Effect of the Persistent Media Campaign on the Public Perception – MISA & Gregorian Bivolaru Case Study
This paper presents a case study about the effects of the mass media in shaping public perception. In the case of the Romanian yoga movement and the yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru, more than 25 years of media campaigns of defamation and hate speech have a measurable effect on the public perception, as the mediated image was based on false accusations and repetitive stereotypes. The negative framing and associations of the news about MISA Yoga School had led to the marginalization and discrimination of the yoga practitioners, who are now one of the most discriminated categories of Romanian citizens – World Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2016, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 29-36
The Religious Background of the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute
This article shows that portraying the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA) as an unprecedented phenomenon, due to its integration of sacred eroticism into a religious worldview, is actually not correct. This integration has precedents in Taoism, Tantrism, and Western Esotericism. – by J. Gordon Melton (Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion), The Journal of CESNUR | 2017, pp. 43—60
A justice who is subordinated to politics becomes a poisonous spring of injustice, malice and suffering shortly afterwards.
– Gregorian Bivolaru