*Content Warning: rape and sexual assault* Yoga instructor Larissa Anderson took yoga “guru” Bikram Choudhury to court for s*xual assault and blacklisting her yoga business after Larissa rejected a s*xual advance by Bikram (who had r*ped her before).  He refused to promote her studio and she was blacklisted from the Bikram Yoga community.

At the time of the s*xual assault, Bikram had already personally approved her studio down to the floor plan and knew that Larissa had begun negotiating a lease, retained a contractor and took out thousands of dollars in debt to open the studio.

Larissa recounts the events that led to this court case, and the odd things that happened after.

Watch the 1st part of Larissa’s interview here:
Falling Prey to BIKRAM: Yoga Guru, Founder, Predator
Watch this episode on YouTube here

Catch the full story of Bikram, featuring Larissa, in the 2019 documentary “Birkram: Yogi, Guru, Predator”

Find Larissa on Social
IG: @yoginilarissa
https://www.instagram.com/yoginilarissa/

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• TW:  Larissa is raped by Bikram
• Larissa wanted to open up her own yoga studio, and has to go through Bikram
• TW:  Bikram assaults and attempts to rape Larissa again in a hotel room
• Having to teach a class of 500 in extreme heat and no sleep
• Larissa worries she may lose her studio after not giving in to Bikram's advances
• Larissa reads about another survivor and decides to come forward publicly
• Larissa received backlash on social media from the cult members for speaking out
• Larissa ends up settling in court
• Bikram sends a spy to Larissa's studio, she fears for her life
• After everything, Bikram called Larissa
• The hold that cults have on you even after you escape
• Enjoying the yoga practice (without the cult)
• What brings Larissa joy now?

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**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**