Twisted Yoga: How a Spiritual Quest Became a Dangerous Cult
A shocking new documentary series on Apple TV+, titled Twisted Yoga, delves into the disturbing case of a tantric yoga guru and his followers, revealing how a search for enlightenment allegedly turned into a dangerous cult involving sexual exploitation and trafficking. The three-part series, which premieres on 13 March, features former members of the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA), who describe their gradual indoctrination into what appears to be a manipulative and abusive organization.
The Alleged Crimes and the Guru
The series focuses on Gregorian Bivolaru, a self-professed guru wanted by Interpol since 2016 for sexual exploitation charges in Romania. Bivolaru was detained in France in 2023 and charged with organized kidnapping, organized abuse of weakness by members of a sect, human trafficking, and rape. He is currently awaiting trial. Twisted Yoga explores how hundreds of women, seeking spiritual growth through yoga, were allegedly lured into a network of international yoga camps where they faced criminal behaviour.
Former followers, including a woman named Miranda who previously shared her story with the Guardian, recount attending yoga schools in cities like London or Paris before being whisked to secret locations. There, they were allegedly forced to forfeit their sim cards and IDs, manipulated into sex cam work and orgies, and groomed by Bivolaru's network. The documentary raises critical questions about why these allegations have only recently come to light, despite Bivolaru operating for over two decades.
The Psychological Manipulation and Consent
Rowan Deacon, the director of Twisted Yoga, emphasizes that the series aims to be an empathetic exploration of the victims' experiences from their own perspectives, rather than focusing solely on police investigations. Deacon and executive producer Suzanne Lavery steer the narrative towards a psychological story about consent and power, highlighting how ideological dogma can alter perceptions of abuse.
In the series, Miranda explains that she did not initially see herself as a victim, as terms like rape and trafficking were not part of her lexicon during her time in the community. She and other women were allegedly lured into tantric sex with Bivolaru as part of a transfiguration ritual, framed as a spiritual exercise to reach the divine. Lavery notes that removing the spiritual terminology reveals a much more uncomfortable reality, challenging the belief systems built up by followers.
Survivor Stories and Broader Implications
Ashleigh Freckleton, a former Bachelor Australia contestant, is a key subject in the documentary. She joined the Tara Yoga Centre in London in 2018, seeking self-improvement after a romantic breakup. Freckleton describes feeling calm and healing through yoga exercises but eventually found herself ushered to a secret house in Paris, groomed for the transfiguration ritual with Bivolaru. She managed to break free only in a face-to-face moment.
Deacon points out that Freckleton's happy childhood contrasts with other survivors who may have come from traumatic backgrounds, emphasizing that anyone could be vulnerable to such manipulation. The series aims to prevent viewers from dismissing the victims as outliers, instead showing how gradual indoctrination can break down barriers step by step.
The Allure of Yoga and Its Misuse
The documentary carefully acknowledges the genuine benefits of yoga, such as meditative calm and balance, while exposing how these practices were twisted for abusive purposes. Deacon explains that the teachings encouraged surrender of the ego, a concept often promoted in modern wellness culture, but in this context, it became disempowering. The title Twisted Yoga succinctly captures this corruption of a positive practice.
Overall, Twisted Yoga serves as a compelling and enlightening investigation into how spiritual pursuits can be exploited, urging a deeper understanding of psychological power and victim vulnerability in cult-like environments.
