Jai Shri Mataji

Sahaja Marriages
Principles and Protocol
25th April 2025

“Marriage is an auspicious occasion, is the most auspicious occasion in the life of human beings. It is
auspicious, that’s why it is joy giving and the vibrations flow with that auspiciousness all over the
world. […] Marriage is meant to give joy, is meant to give cheerfulness, happiness and all the blissful
things that you can think of achieving through our combinations with two human beings. […] You
have to bring glory to the system of marriages because it is the system established by God Almighty.
Not by human beings, it’s a wrong idea. It is established by God Almighty to have an auspicious
occasion, where such an auspicious thing is taken. The sacredness of this is to be maintained…”

H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1981 “Marriage is meant to give Joy”, UK

INTERNATIONAL
MARRIAGE COMMITTEE
BACKGROUND

Sahaja Marriages were established by Shri Mataji in the early days of Sahaja Yoga and are a
sacred ceremony based on Divine principles, which elicit spiritual and material blessings. Sahaja
marriages facilitate individuals’ spiritual growth and the growth of the world Sahaja collective
and have a rippling effect through families, communities, and between countries. Shri Mataji
generously blessed Her children through the establishment of this institution, granting them
the opportunity to have a happy family life and allowing born realized souls to come onto this
Earth.

The following document contains information about Sahaja Marriages that need to be known
and understood by applicants. Please read it thoroughly before applying. It also contains
information about how matches are performed, announced, and marriages are performed. By
signing the marriage application form, you are expected to know and accept all the conditions
and methods hereby explained. If there is any specific personal issue regarding such conditions
and methods that requires the attention of the Marriage Committee, please specify it on the
form itself.

THE PRINCIPLES OF SAHAJA MARRIAGES

The principles of Sahaja marriages are based on Shri Mataji’s teachings collected in writing and
provided orally to the yogis and yoginis who have worked with Mother in this most auspicious
process. Some excerpts and references to Shri Mataji’s talks are included at the end of this
document.

One of the main principles governing the Sahaja collective is that of pure relationships within
the collective. Purity of relationships means that we should consider each and every yogi and
yogini of the Sahaja collective as our brother or sister. As purity is the quality of our
mooladhara, which is the chakra sustaining our Kundalini in Her ascent, for the ascent of the
collective, purity is one of the bases, without which any collective cannot grow.

Shri Mataji has, as such, always warned yogis and yoginis not to search for a life partner within
the Sahaja collective, whether local or international, as this is against the principles of Sahaja
Yoga. In several cases when this has happened, the couple has been asked to step back from
the Sahaja collective for a period of time. The International Marriage Committee will not

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sanction a marriage before the world collective of a self-engagement performed by
yogis/yoginis within the Sahaja family.

In case of engagements initiated outside the Sahaja collective (e.g., engaged couples coming
to Sahaja Yoga together), the process to be followed is that of re-marriage (see further down).

Yogis and yoginis who in the past chose in their free choice to pursue a Sahaja marriage have
been willing to surrender the process of finding a spiritual partner to Shri Mataji Herself. With
infinite motherly love, She has personally matched hundreds of yogis and yoginis throughout
the years, looking for the best match from all points of view, spiritual, emotional, and material.

Yogis and yoginis who wish to have a Sahaja marriage need to be willing to surrender to Shri
Mataji, Sakshat Shri Adi Shakti, the All-doer. While the process is now performed by a
collective group of yogis and yoginis that, as Her instruments, perform activities and take
vibrations as advised by Mother, it should be clear that they themselves make every effort
to do this in full surrender to the Divine Will of Shri Mataji.

Shri Mataji also wished to break and discontinue practices based on conditionings which were
harmful for individuals as well as society, i.e. caste system, dowry, and race. The decision to
move ahead with the marriage or not should never be based on such conditions, as they are
against the teachings of Shri Mataji.

She also had the noble vision of combining different cultures & countries together to overcome
the global elements of hatred, quarrels, and greed, and to make such marriages an ideal
example for society. That is why there is no consideration about the different cultures or
religions followed before Sahaja Yoga when performing Sahaja marriages. Whatever was
followed before Self Realisation is the past only. Yogis and yoginis should be ready to be
married to yogis/nis coming even from very different traditions and not be discriminating
against different cultures, as again this is against the teaching of Shri Mataji.

WHAT IS SAHAJA MARRIAGE

Sahaja marriage is a kind of arranged marriage that follows a traditional pattern, whereby the
matching of couples is performed through vibratory awareness. Generally, in traditional
arranged marriages, the parents and elders decide on the life partner for their sons and
daughters. In Sahaja Yoga, instead, an international group of yogis and yoginis (International

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Marriage Committee), nominated by Country Coordinators & Councils, performs the
matching of applicants using vibrations and following Mother’s directives.

The couples matched through this vibrational process are announced before the world
collective, and they have some time to meet and get to know each other. They are completely
free, and the final decision to marry is theirs, and nobody in any way is forced to accept such a
match if they do not feel sure about it. It is recommended that after the match is declared, the
boy and girl should not only discuss their Sahaja life but also about background, upbringing,
personal likes and dislikes, health, ties, commitments, and any information that could be
relevant for their future life together, before finally deciding whether or not to go ahead with
the match.

Please note that after going through the Sahaja marriage ceremony, your marriage may not be
considered legal in your country, but remember that it is sanctified before the highest divine
court and held in the name of God – Shri Adi Shakti. It should be considered by spouses above
the worldly legalities of any country and above all societies. It is a spiritual marriage that should
be approached after a deep inner preparation and with utmost respect.

In those cases where a matched couple cannot marry in the current Sahaja ceremony (e.g.,
when applicants cannot be physically present at the ceremony), the applicants will need to
apply in person as a couple at a later marriage ceremony, at their earliest convenience. This is
a commitment to marry, and it’s a situation to be managed within Sahaj Maryadas, being only
a practical solution to individual situations. Some people might refer to it as a formal
engagement, as society calls it, but it should certainly not be considered as an opportunity for
‘trying out’ the relationship. Shri Mataji, in some very specific cases in the past, had in fact
arranged engagements for younger yogis and yoginis, with the warning that the relationship
should still be maintained as pure as brother/sister until the marriage. For the moment, the
International Marriage Committee is not considering engagements in its scope of activities.

To allow already married couples to receive Her blessings, in the past years, Shri Mataji allowed
couples legally married outside of Sahaja Yoga to apply for a re-marriage.

At present, these are the only two acceptable ways for couples to be able to apply for a Sahaja
Marriage, as advised and directed by Shri Mataji.

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The disparity in the numbers of applicants between ladies’ and men’s applications is to be
noted. Yoginis significantly outnumber the yogis, so every year, there are many yoginis for
whom the matches are not available. Due to this reason and vibratory selection, it is not
guaranteed that any applicant will get a match. It can also happen that men who have applied
may not be matched, as no suitable match is found for them.

In this context, finding a partner and marrying outside of Sahaja Yoga can also carry God’s
blessings. Such a couple can be remarried in a Sahaja ceremony later.

Those yogis and yoginis who seek the privilege to have a marriage that is blessed by H.H. Shri
Mataji Nirmala Devi in Her Nirakar form should put forward their names, but only when they
feel ready to make this commitment for life. In the case of a multicultural union, the yogi/ni
should be open and surrendered, and ready for an unpredictable change in lifestyle.

All applicants are required to read carefully and understand the Marriage vows, which are read
during the Marriage ceremony as resolutions towards the respective spouses and towards
Sahaja Yoga. If they do not feel ready or wish to accept and sustain such vows, they should not
make the choice of entering a Sahaja Marriage.

With such resolution and sincerity in their hearts, they should realize that marriage in Sahaja
Yoga is not something to be taken lightly or with superficiality. It blesses society with an
auspicious family, it blesses the family with the comfort and strength of love, it blesses the
couple with the opportunity to reach balance and fulfil their spiritual potential to achieve the
ascent.

THE MARRIAGE COMMITTEE

Shri Mataji, when in physical form, always had a direct role in matching couples or validating
matches done by yogis and yoginis, assisting Her in this auspicious activity. Over the years, She
has given indications on what to take into account when selecting possible matches and how
to verify them through vibrations.

As we pray that marriages will be blessed by Shri Mataji in Her Nirakar form, a group of yogis
and yoginis, nominated some years ago by country coordinators and councils, will perform
this auspicious activity as the International Marriage Committee (IMC), according to Her

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indications. Collective vibrations taking then is the final instrument through which we seek the
guidance of the Divine for decision making in Sahaja marriages.

The IMC includes a small number of members coming from all over the world (the current IMC
members are listed in Appendix 4). The yogis/yoginis thus nominated are all committed, of long
standing, with a range of experiences, and were proposed due to their maturity, sensitivity,
and Sahaja understanding. Some of the members include yogis who were specifically selected
by Shri Mataji to assist Her when She personally directed the matching.

They do not necessarily act as local marriage representatives for the countries they live in.
The IMC is not the joint group of local marriage contacts, nominated by their own country, for
the sole purpose of pursuing marriages for the specific country's collective. Their mandate is to
represent and care for the whole world collective irrespective of the countries they live in. The
responsibility for the local marriage processes is still in the hands of the local leadership, but
IMC members can consult and advise, and take part, if needed, in such local activities.

The committee works according to Her principles and teachings only, and relies on sound
judgement, wisdom, and on a collective vibrational decision process. The Marriage Committee
is endowed with the responsibility of managing a defining moment in the life of people and a
critical aspect of Sahaja culture. Hence, due care and observance of Mother’s instructions,
without any deviation, is essential. Only the high and profound Sahaja protocols and maryadas
are followed in this most important expression of our culture.

The marriage committee strives to provide transparent information on protocols and practices
to the collective while keeping full confidentiality on the personal information of the
applicants. Please refer to the Privacy Policy included in the marriage forms for details.

The members of the marriage committee will perform their duties with no personal
involvement in the matters. In case any member or close relation of any member of the
committee has submitted a marriage application, the member can provide support & guidance
but will abstain from performing duties in relation to such a matching process. In case there is
a personal involvement in any matter that might cloud any member’s judgment in a matching
process, the member will abstain from duties as well.

Some of the activities performed by the marriage committee are as follows:

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 • Proposing shared protocols and guidelines for the activities of the Committee to be
adopted by the collective in the appropriate form (this document itself) based on
Mother’s guidance and indications
• Providing information about marriage ceremonies held by the committee
• Providing updated marriage application forms and instructions on submission in
advance of the ceremony
• Managing queries from applicants
• Collecting and filing application forms from all over the world
• Verifying the completeness and correctness of the information provided
• Performing the matching process and validating it through collective vibrations taking
• Informing applicants, leaders, and matched couples about the outcomes of the process
• Coordinating the logistics and managing the Marriage ceremony
• Working along with the respective National Councils to resolve queries from matched
or married yogis/nis in case of issues, doubts, perceived misbehaviours by partner, etc.

IMC has also formed and trained a group of ceremony specialists who will undertake the
execution of marriage ceremonies in different parts of the world/country as and when decided
by IMC. This group consists of yogis and yoginis from various countries. The names are being
finalised. Training for this group about performing the marriage ceremony as per the procedure
and protocols advised by HH Shri Mataji has been completed, and such groups are ready.

FILLING THE APPLICATION FORM FOR SAHAJA MARRIAGES

Sometime before any Marriage ceremony, an announcement is sent to country coordinators

and to the world collective about the dates and the process for marriages, including the last
date of submission of the application. A full information package, including instructions on how
to apply through the Marriage Portal, is provided to country leaders who, in turn, provide those
to local coordinators. It is the responsibility of the leaders and coordinators to provide timely
information to the local collectives.

Application forms should be filled out through a web portal made available by the IMC to all
collectives around the world. Please refer to the “Sahaja Marriage Portal Applicant Guide”
document for more information.

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All applicants should request updated information on the local application process from their
National Co-ordinator or delegated National marriage committee/local coordinator in order
to allow a proper flow of information and documentation through the appropriate channels
and awareness of applicants’ local requests. If local coordinators are not fully aware of the
process, they should refer to Country Leaders/committees.

Applicants can exceptionally seek approval signature, and a recommendation from foreign
leaders who are relevant in terms of their recent domicile and activities. If, e.g., a candidate
very recently switched domicile, it is required to request the signature and recommendation
from the previous leader.

Application forms for marriage need to be filled out by the applicants in full and with
truthfulness, with all relevant details about their life and condition. If it is found at any stage
that the information or data provided is purposely wrong, the candidate might not be allowed
to apply to Sahaja Marriage for some period. Any additional material in relation to specific
relevant conditions of the applicants should be attached to the submission.

Please note that printouts of the application forms will be offered at the Lotus Feet of our
Mother and should be filled out with such awareness.

All applicants should respect the sanctity of such a process and apply with full sincerity and
desire to achieve their spiritual growth and the growth of the collective through Sahaja
marriage.

Specifically, some important fields to pay attention to are the following:

- Date of birth/age, height, weight, education, annual income, previous relationships: this
is information for which Shri Mataji provided specific inputs to the marriage team for
the purpose of matching, and they should be correctly and completely filled out
- Applicant’s colour photograph should be recent (not more than 6 months old, possibly)
and clear
- Center/City collective where applicant is doing Sahaja Yoga: Shri Mataji suggested to
avoid matching people from the same centre, as they would feel more part of a Sahaj
family where purity should be maintained
- Contact details: should be written clearly, as it’s used for communications about
matches

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 - Illnesses: These should be clearly stated, as we might need to further investigate before
matching. In case of specific illnesses, it is better to attach a recent medical test report.
- Number of previous forms & n. of matches: we keep in our attention yogis and especially
yoginis who apply several times with no match
- Legally free to marry: yogis/nis who aren’t legally free to marry will not be considered
in the matching process
- Presence at the ceremony venue: generally, yogis/nis coming to the venue will be
matched with yogis/nis who are also coming. In the same way, yogis/nis not coming will
be matched with yogis/nis who are not coming. In both cases, if no suitable vibratory
match is found, there might be exceptions to such a rule. Applicants should inform the
committee of any changes to their trip plans before the ceremony so that they are
properly matched.
- Additional commitments/requirements to be specified, e.g.:
o If the yogi/ni has been participating in the sahaj activities of a different centre in
the past where he feels to be part of the family and wishes to avoid matching,
they should say so
o If the yogi/ni has some specific motivated conditions/requirements for the
marriage, they should say so clearly
o … any other binding or conditional requirements

SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION FORM

After the application form is filled out, it should be sent to the local coordinator in charge and
to the country coordinator so that they can validate the application and forward it to the
International Marriage Committee through the Portal. Applications will be accepted only if
approved by country coordinators or their delegated representatives.

All information in the application forms will be kept confidential by the members of the
Committee. Only the local coordinator, country coordinator/approver, and members of the
Marriage team have access to the forms due to the personal nature of the information. Every
effort is made to respect the concerned individuals’ privacy, respect, and dignity.

While there is a spirit of communications and co-operation between IMC and some National
Marriage Committees, for further clarity, all received details are not automatically forwarded
to any National marriage committee for subsequent ceremonies both for privacy reasons and

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as they follow different local application processes, so applicants will need to get specific
information and details from their coordinators about applying for ceremonies not held by the
IMC.

REMARRIAGES AND MATCHES FROM FORMER CEREMONIES

Application forms for re-marriage can only be filled in PDF/paper form by couples already
married outside Sahaja Yoga. They cannot be filled out through the Marriage Portal

Couples matched at previous marriage ceremonies, which could not proceed for any valid
reason, can also just provide a print-out/copy of the email sent by the Marriage Committee.
The match will be verified through the records of the committee.

MATCHING AND MARRIAGE PROTOCOL

The arrangement commences when members of the Marriage committee assemble prior to
the occasion of the Puja, where the weddings are scheduled, typically from 10-15 days before.

The Marriage team will then conduct the registration of all acceptable forms and the
preliminary protocols for the application forms which have been received. The protocols which
are followed are those taught to the members of the team and directed by Shri Mataji when
they personally assisted Her.

These guidelines were practical and Sahaja in nature, yoginis are generally matched with yogis
of greater height and who are older than them. Suitability and common interests are checked,
and educational background and a sense of their complementarity will be taken into account.
Willingness to change countries and dedication to Sahaja Yoga are also factors to be
considered. Yogis from the same city or the same centre are not matched.

The Marriage team is committed to handling every application in the spirit of benevolence and
love that Shri Mataji inspired.

After the preliminary protocols have been followed to match potential couples from the point
of view of suitability, the match proposals are validated by checking vibrations as to whether
they will be auspicious and in line with Mother’s will. Vibrations are taken for couples and not

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for single yogis and yoginis. There is generally no vibrational screening at an individual level for
applicants before entering the process.

The majority of the Marriage Team who are checking the vibrations do so in the light of their
own spiritual ability, sensitivity, experience and wisdom. There might be several reviews. If no
match is found in the preliminary set of matches, new potential matches will be looked for.
Sometimes, no match is found.

When there is a clear indication of cool vibrations unanimously or from the vast majority of the
marriage team, the couple is then considered suitable for a proposal, and the proposed match
is then offered to the Lotus Feet of Shri Mataji.

Public announcements of matches are done collectively to the global Sahaja family, as it was
traditionally done in Shri Mataji’s presence. In case discretion is required due to personal
matters, applicants should specify this as a comment on the form.

After match announcements, the couples are expected to meet and talk to each other within
the time period available, make a decision in their own free will, and convey such decision to
the Marriage Committee.

All applicants should be aware that the Sahaja Marriage can represent a very strong, subtle
work on the part of the spouses and show understanding and maturity throughout the process.

In case, for any valid reason, one or both applicants do not want to proceed with Sahaja
Marriage, they should come together and inform the IMC members at the marriage desk and
explain the reason. The reason for refusal will be asked either on-site at the IMC counter, as
specifically announced, if both applicants are present or by email if the applicants are not
present. The reason for refusal will be asked of applicants by the Committee or by the signing
leader/coordinator as a sign of respect for the ceremony and for the refused spouse. Third-
party refusals (i.e. friend or relative saying that ’My brother/sister/friend so and so said No to
his/her match’) will not be considered a formal refusal.

In case of matches where one or both spouses are not present at the ceremony, the couple
should promptly communicate and interact, and always communicate the decision to accept
or refuse the match to the Marriage Committee jointly during the two months following the

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match announcement. Also in this case, if there is a refusal, the reason for refusal will be asked
to applicants by the Committee.

If the couple decides in their free will to go ahead with marriage they can register at any site
where the Marriage ceremony takes place.

FINAL COMMENTS

Sahaja Marriages take place in the name of the supreme Goddess. This marriage is to be
sustained and made happy throughout the entire life span and spouses should maintain all the
vows taken during the marriage ceremony in front of Shri Mataji in Her Nirakar form.

Spiritual growth of the individuals, the family and the collective is stimulated by a successful
Sahaja marriage which spreads happiness and auspiciousness. A marriage expressing subtle
qualities such as innocence, benevolence, love, joy, sweetness, generosity and fondness for
others will support the establishment of Mother’s vision, for our world.

These Sahaja marriages can be auspicious channels in allowing the flow of the Love of the
Divine through the hearts of all those involved, opening a common spiritual path of joy and
growth. Both spouses should be ready to embark on a lifelong path of change, love, growth,
sharing, understanding, support, challenges, blessings and fulfilment, in line with our Divine
Mother’s teachings.

May we all be pure instruments of Shri Mataji’s Divine will.

Jai Shri Mataji

The International Marriage Committee

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APPENDIX 1 - EXCERPTS FROM TALKS BY H.H. SHRI MATAJI

For a comprehensive collection of extracts from Shri Mataji’s talks on marriage, we advise
reading the book “Marriage in Sahaja Yoga”, which can be found on Amruta at the following
link.

On the Sahaja Marriages Portal (https://www.sahajamarriages.org/), you will also find links to
YouTube videos about marriages.

Please find below some specific talks on marriage and related subjects:
- 1980 The value of marriage, UK
- 1980 Marriage and collectivity, UK
- 1981 Marriage is meant to give joy, UK
- 1984 Raksha Bandhan, UK

Please find below some excerpts:

“…Today is a day we celebrate in India, where relationships between brothers and sisters have
to be established, they’re very pure. Brothers and sisters’ relationships is without any lust or
greed. It is pure relationship where the sister prays for the protection of the brother, and brother
prays for the self-sufficiency of the Kshema, well-being of the sister. So this time you have to
think of your other Sahaja yoginis and yogis who are like your brothers and sisters. You have to
think like that. Purify your hearts. It’s something funny in these countries you know that, there
no such relationship exists. Purify your mind today on that point, that everybody else is my
brother or sister. If you are married it’s alright, but look at everyone, try to look at everyone as
a brother and sister. …”
- 1983 Diwali Puja, London, UK

“…One of the things I discovered here, in the West, that though we have understood the
importance of Mooladhara, which is a very important thing, that unless and until we establish
our Mooladhara fully we are not going to have speediest ascent. Despite all that, there are
lingering things you see around. Like, people start choosing their life-partners in Sahaja Yoga.
That is not allowed. That is not allowed. You are not to spoil your Ashrams, your centres-using
them for a marriage- searching society. You must respect this point, you must respect. If you
have to marry, then you can find your life partners 'outside' Sahaja Yoga-to begin with. But if
you want to marry 'in' Sahaja Yoga, then you should not go on searching people in Sahaja Yoga.

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It is very dangerous thing for Sahaja Yoga itself, and for you people. That is one thing one
should never try to do with Sahaja Yoga. For all practical purposes you are brothers and sisters.
And that's why I always encouraged marriage between people who belong to another country
or another centre. As we are now having a big marriage programme, I would say that most of
the marriages which were done like that are very successful than the marriages that were
selected and were done. It's very wrong to do such a thing as to arrange your marriage with a
Sahaja Yogi by yourself. It will be dangerous. I don't want to say anything; but it wouldn’t turn
out to be good because it is anti-God activity. Absolutely anti-God. …”
- 1984 Raksha Bandhan, London, UK

“…So in Sahaja Yoga the purpose of these marriages is to have you connected internationally
so you all transcend all the barriers of your nationality, barriers of racialism, barriers of caste,
barriers of so much of materialism…”
- 1993 Talk to brides, Ganapatipule, India

“…When it comes to love, how do we express our love ? By sharing all our joys, all our pains, all
our problems...... But in Sahaja Yoga it is a little more, I think quite a lot more, much more. Here
you have to share the community, the marriage is not for individuals in Sahaja Yoga, not at all.
If anybody has a feeling a marriage in Sahaja yoga is between two people, is a wrong thing; it
is two communities, it can be two nations, it can be completely two universes. So it is not to be
enjoyed between yourself. If you are good husband wife to each other, it is not sufficient in
Sahaja Yoga. That love should be enjoyed by every one else in the society, in the community. If
you cannot do that then you have not achieved Sahaja-Yoga marriage, it is just an ordinary
marriage as people have, it's just that. There's nothing special about it. Such marriages should
be able to give chances for very great souls to come on this earth. A person who is married in
Sahaja Yoga, who are Sahaja Yogis, who are sharing their love equally with the Sahaja Yogis
and the society that is Sahaja Yoga, then only great people will be born…”
- 1980 The value of marriage, Dollis Hills, UK

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APPENDIX 2 - MARRIAGE VOWS

The marriage vows below will be read at the ceremony and represent the vows that each
applicant is willing to accept and sustain by entering into a Sahaja Marriage.

The bridegroom says thus to the bride:

I remember Shri Adi Shakti Mataji in my heart and tell you that you must keep the chastity
necessary for a good Muladhar. Benevolence and auspiciousness lie in completely accepting
innocence and forsaking cunningness.

I remember Shri Adi Shakti Mataji in my heart and tell you that the divine aesthetics of married
life should be seen in our life, our home should be aesthetically decorated. We should do all our
work within and abide by the Dharma. I shall extend hospitality to Sahaja Yogis and associate
with you in performing the duties toward Dharma. May we achieve the blessings of enjoying
the joy of collectivity.

I remember Shri Adi Shakti Mataji in my heart and tell you that I will hand over to you all the
money that I earn, as it has come as the reward of your Punya. You should spend the money
carefully and after consulting me, keeping in mind that all the wealth belongs to God. We should
spend our wealth feeling that we are receiving God’s blessings. There should be no hankering
for material objects; and, completely detached, we should nourish our Mahalakshmi principle.

I remember Shri Adi Shakti Mataji in my heart and tell you that I will never hurt your feelings
and shall forget all the mistakes made in our lives in the past. My love for you would be limitless
and so should be yours. Do not suppress your feelings, tell me if your mind is at anguish or
someone troubles you. I will always stand by you, protect you, and never listen to any false
complaints against you.

The bride tells thus, to the bride-groom:

I remember Shri Adi Shakti Mataji in my heart and tell you that I shall bring the divine sweetness
into your life. I will cook delicious food that can be enjoyed by you. We should eat only the food
cooked by Sahaja Yogis. Do not force me to meet or be in the company of those who are not
good Sahaja Yogis. We should never use bad language and should never shout at each other.
You should quietly listen to me and I shall quietly listen to you.

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I remember Shri Adi Shakti Mataji in my heart and tell you that we both should regularly
meditate, and teach our children and our friends how to meditate. Our life should be of penance
but we should not complain or tell others about it and should be always happy. Your eyes should
be pure and free from lust for women and without greed for anything.

I remember Shri Adi Shakti Mataji in my heart and tell you that we should understand that Her
Holiness Mataji Shri Nirmala Devi has conferred Her blessings on us, and we should completely
surrender and dedicate our hearts to Her. This dedication should be through integration of body,
mind and intellect. We should be aware how tremendous and unprecedented a work is Self
Realization, and everything else in our life is unimportant. We should unceasingly enjoy Her
ever-flowing grace, devote and regularly offer puja to Her, and be extremely humble in Her
presence. Please correct me if you find me failing in this.

Brides and Bride-Grooms say together:

I shall open the path of Moksha which I have got with the blessings and grace of Her Holiness
Shri Mataji also to others, and shall achieve in the company of such a great and realised person,
the well-being of the whole universe.

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APPENDIX 3 - WAIVER

The waiver below will need to be signed jointly by the couple who wishes to proceed with
Sahaja Marriage.

In consideration for being able to participate in the marriage ceremony being conducted, on
the occasion of XXX Puja in XXX (the “Ceremony”), by the International Marriage Committee
(“IMC”) in the name of Vishwa Nirmala Dharma (“VND”), the Pure Universal Religion, the
undersigned hereby acknowledge and agree as follows:

1. The Ceremony constitutes a spiritual ceremony only and does not constitute a marriage
ceremony that will result in a marriage under the law. If a marriage ceremony is desired,
the undersigned recognise that they will have to take further action on their own in order
to have such a ceremony performed under and in accordance with the laws of their
desired country.
2. Although a marriage between the undersigned may have been proposed (the
“Proposal”) by the IMC, the undersigned are entering into the Ceremony of their own
free will and are under no obligation to participate in the Ceremony or to enter into a
marriage.
3. The undersigned hereby waive, release, and forever discharge any and all claims and
causes of action of every kind and nature that they may otherwise have against VND,
IMC, and/or their Members, arising out of or resulting from, directly or indirectly, the
Ceremony or the Proposal.

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APPENDIX 4 – MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARRIAGE COMMITTEE

Role Name*
Secretary Marco Arciglio (IT)
Advisor Vijay Nalgirkar (IN)
Advisor Duilio Cartocci (IT)
Member Petra Schmidt (AT)
Member Ekaterina Bernik (BR)
Member Mary Kuhn (CA)
Member Liu Yan (CN)
Member Liu Tianyu (CN)
Member Gaelle Sattarshetty (FR)
Member Meera Szegvary (HU)
Member Lakshminarayanan Ramalingam (IN)
Member Manish Badhwar (IN)
Member Govinda Rao Kalapatapu (ES)
Member Vijaya Mathys (CH)
Member Isin Unek Volchenkov (TR)
Member Andrii Grybovskyi (AU)
Member Kasthurie Govender (ZA)
Member Rahul Nalgirkar (US)
Member Victoria Zbylut (US)
*Between brackets is the current country of residence. IMC members do not necessarily coordinate the marriage process in
their countries of residence. Information as of 25th April 2025.

The e-mail to be used for requesting information about marriage ceremonies, matches, etc. is:
imc@sahajamarriages.org

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APPENDIX 5 – HOW TO APPLY

Please follow the steps once you have decided to apply:

1. Read in full the protocol document

2. Prepare yourself subtly through meditation, introspection, and Sahaja techniques, watch
Mother’s videos and advice, and talk to senior or married yogis in your collective
3. Ask your local coordinator about the process to be followed to apply.
4. Go through a short interview with your local marriage coordinator, local city coordinator
or national coordinator as instructed by your local council/coordinator.
5. If you have registered on the Marriage portal in previous years, but have changed collective
for the past two years, please inform the IMC at imc@sahajamarriages.org and wait for
confirmation from IMC before proceeding.
6. If you have registered on the Marriage Portal in previous years, log in at the following link
and go to step 8. Otherwise please follow the next step.
7. Your coordinator will refer you to the IMC for access to the IMC Marriage Portal. You will
then receive an email to register on the Marriage Portal.
8. Register on the Marriage Portal and fill the Marriage form (see the document called “Sahaja
Marriage Portal Applicant Guide” for more information).
9. Submit the form to your approvers i.e. country coordinator and/or local coordinator (as
instructed by your local or country coordinator)
10. Your coordinator will review the form, fill out a coordinator feedback form, and submit it
for final approval to the country/marriage coordinator.
11. Once approved, the form will be registered by the IMC for participation to the matching
process for the selected ceremony.
12. In case of any changes to your application, please inform your coordinator and the IMC by
accessing the Marriage form on the Marriage Portal and submitting the information

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 APPENDIX 6 – PRIVACY POLICY AND LIABILITY AGREEMENT

This document describes the policy that the International Marriage Committee (IMC, “we” or “us”) follows, the commitments
that it takes towards all those who interact with IMC for that purpose, the responsibility of all parties involved in the process,
the limitations of liability and the privacy policy.

Please note that the activities performed by the IMC and described below are managed by volunteering Sahaja Yogis/nis
brothers and sisters, in support of the global Sahaja Sangha and for its benevolence, and as such do not qualify as professional
services or as commercial activities. IMC is not a formal entity, and while it cooperates with Central Committee, Shri Mataji
Nirmala Devi Sahaja Yoga World Foundation, country Sahaja, VND or connected Associations, Institutions & Trusts, it is not
dependent or legally connected to any of these global Sahaja organizations.

Please contact us with any questions or comments about this document, personal data, our use and disclosure practices, or
your consent choices, or if you have any concerns, by writing an email to info@sahajamarriages.org.

A. DEFINITIONS

• “Sahaja Marriages” are marriages arranged following the protocols and the indications provided by Shri Mataji
Nirmala Devi.
• ”International Marriage Committee” is an informal group of volunteering Sahaja Yogis and Yoginis, from all over the
world, nominated by local Sahaja country coordinators & councils affiliated to the global Sahaja Yoga movement for
the purpose of arranging Sahaja Marriages.
• ”Applicant” means a Sahaja Yogi or Yogini who wishes to apply to a Sahaja Marriage ceremony.
• “Sahaja Matches” are proposals made to Applicants by IMC, for the purpose of a future Sahaja Marriage. Such Sahaja
Matches are selected on the basis of the principles taught by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, in relation to human & material
aspects, and validated by vibratory check through Paramchaitanya
• ”Personal Data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
• ”Approver” means an individual other than an Applicant, who has local responsibility for validation of application forms, and
for this purpose collects data from Applicants at local or country level, and provides such data to IMC for this purpose, with the
Applicant’s consent.
• ”Applicant Data“ means Personal Data, reports, addresses, and other files, folders or documents in electronic or paper form
that an Applicant provides to local Approvers and IMC.

B. LIABILITY AGREEMENT

The following Liability Agreement (“Agreement”) describes the policy that the IMC follows, the commitments that it takes
towards all those who interact with IMC for that purpose, the responsibility of all parties involved, and the limitations of liability.

When applying for a Sahaja Match or Sahaja Marriage, Applicants should be aware of and accept the following principles:
• Getting a Sahaja Match or a Sahaja Marriage is not possible, available or meant for all the practitioners of Sahaja Yoga. A
careful evaluation of Applicants is performed by the IMC before proposing a Sahaja Match, according to the protocols and
the indications provided by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
• All Applicants have to provide their Application forms to a local Approver, which could be appointed country representatives,
leaders, coordinators or council members, consenting to the transmission of such forms from the Approvers to the IMC
• The IMC commits to the utmost confidentiality in treating the personal and sensitive information provided as described in the
attached Privacy Policy
• Each Applicant that is considered for matching is treated fairly and equanimously, as children of the Divine Mother, and
according to the principles and teachings of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. For clarity, in performing the Sahaja Matches, the IMC
does not take into account differences of race, spiritual or religious background before Sahaja, nationality, or local marriage
practices that are against the Sahaja principles e.g. caste, dowry etc.
• The IMC does not validate matches that have been decided and proposed by requestors or third parties outside the IMC but
proceed with independent checks for a Sahaja Match
• The IMC, based on such evaluation, matches applicants into prospective couples, for the purpose of a possible future Sahaja
Marriage. Each and every Sahaja Match is a proposal by the IMC, that needs to be thoroughly evaluated by the couple, with
serenity and without external pressure in order to proceed with a Sahaja Marriage. The decision to proceed with a marriage is
the sole and only responsibility of the couple and IMC respects that decision
• The IMC does not make any pressure to the couple for a decision of any kind, but provides time limits for such decisions, in
order to be able to accept couples for the nearest Sahaja Marriage ceremony

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• A Sahaja Match can be spiritually officialized as Sahaja Marriage at any nearest Sahaja Marriage ceremony
• The Sahaja Marriage officiated by the IMC does not have legal validity and needs to be, previously or subsequently, legalized
through the local authorities of the country of one of the spouses
• The IMC cannot be held responsible for real or perceived misbehaviors of any of the applicants after the proposal, or after the
marriage, or for any wrong information provided by the applicants, as that entails the personal choices and actions of Applicants
and it is not under the control of the IMC.

C. PRIVACY POLICY

The following Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes the information that the International Marriage Committee (IMC, “we” or “us”)
gathers throughout the marriage process, how we use and disclose such information, and the steps we take to protect such
information. By sending us a marriage application form, either directly or through a local Approver, Applicants accept the
privacy practices described in this document.

1. The Information We Collect

We collect different types of information throughout the process. The basis for the IMC’s processing of personal data is
primarily that such processing is necessary for arranging Sahaja Matches and Sahaja Marriages.

1.1 User-provided Information

When Applicants provide information to the IMC through marriage application forms in paper form, through the IMC Marriage
Portal, through the local Approver or through the IMC email address, they may provide, and we may collect Personal Data.
Examples of Personal Data include name, email address, mailing address, mobile phone number. Personal Data also includes
other information, including sensitive information, in relation to health or other personal issues, especially for Applicants, which
they can provide directly to the IMC or through local Approvers to the IMC. Personal Data may be provided to us by Applicants
in various ways, for example, when interacting with us through communication platforms or messaging.

1.2 Information from Other Sources

We may obtain information about Applicants, including Personal Data, from third parties (e.g. Approvers) and other sources,
such as local collectives and coordinators if needed. If we combine or associate information from other sources with Personal
Data that we collect, we will treat the combined information as Personal Data in accordance with this Policy.

2. How We Use the Information We Collect

We use the information that we collect in a variety of ways in arranging marriages, including the following:

2.1 Sahaja Matches and Sahaja Marriages operations

IMC members use the information to perform all activities in relation to matches and marriage arrangements for Applicants.
We process Applicant Data in accordance with the directions provided by the Applicant, if provided.

2.2 Data Analysis

We use the information to understand and analyze the marriage trends and tendencies around the world. Should this purpose
require IMC to process Applicant Data, then the data will be used in anonymized or aggregated form.

2.3 Communications
We may use an Applicant’s email address or other information to contact that Applicant (i) for administrative purposes such
as clarifications as to the information provided, information about marriage matches or (ii) with updates on any changes to the
ceremony or future ceremonies or (iii) to provide contact details of prospective Sahaja Matches. We do not use contact details
for the purpose of promotional communications, but only for the purpose of providing all practical and useful information about
the marriage ceremony and logistics.

3. To Whom We Disclose Information

Except as described in this Policy, we will not intentionally disclose the Personal Data that we collect or store to any third
parties without the consent of the Applicant. We may disclose information to third parties in the following circumstances:

3.1 Matching Information

In case any Applicant is matched to any other applicant throughout the process, their names and country of residence will be
announced publicly at the ceremony site and, for all matches that have not been refused by the Applicants, the same
information will be provided to country coordinators through the Sahaja Yoga country leaders mailing list. Contact details of

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Applicants will also be provided to the respective matches or to country representatives for the purpose of getting in touch with
the prospective marriage match.

3.2 Approver’s request

We may share Applicant’s Personal data only with the Approvers that Applicants have listed in their marriage form and with
the Country Coordinator or delegated Country Marriage Approver, as per the consent provided, for their approval.

3.3 Non Personally Identifiable Information

We may make certain automatically-collected, aggregated, or otherwise non-personally-identifiable information available to
third parties for the purpose of reporting and statistics on marriage ceremonies.

3.4 Law Enforcement, Legal Process and Compliance

We may disclose Personal Data or other information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is
necessary to comply with applicable laws, in response to a facially valid court order, judicial or other government subpoena or
warrant, or to otherwise cooperate with law enforcement or other governmental agencies.
We also reserve the right to disclose Personal Data or other information that we believe, in good faith, is appropriate or
necessary to (i) take precautions against liability, (ii) protect ourselves or others from fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful activity,
(iii) investigate and defend ourselves against any third-party claims or allegations.

4. Privacy Choices: Access, Correction, Deletion

We respect Applicant’s privacy rights and provide them with reasonable access to the Personal Data that they have provided.
If an Applicant wishes to access or amend any other Personal Data we hold about them, or to request that we delete or transfer
any information that we have obtained, they may contact us at the email info@sahajamarriages.org. At an Applicant’s request,
we will have any reference deleted or blocked in our database.

Applicants may decline to share certain Personal Data with us, in which case we may not be able to process their Application
successfully for a marriage match.

At any time, an Applicant may object to the processing of their Personal Data, on legitimate grounds, except if otherwise
permitted by applicable law. If an Applicant believes their right to privacy granted by applicable data protection laws has been
infringed upon, they should contact immediately info@sahajamarriages.org.

5. Minors and Children’s Privacy

Protecting the privacy of young children is especially important. The Sahaja Marriage ceremony is not directed to children
under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect Personal Data from children under the age of 18. If an Applicant is under
18 years of age, they should not apply for Sahaja Marriage at any time or in any manner. If we learn that Personal Data has
been collected from persons under 18 years of age and without verifiable parental consent, then we will take the appropriate
steps to delete this information. If a parent or guardian discovers that their child under 18 years of age has sent an Application
form for marriage, then they may alert us at info@sahajamarriages.org and request that we delete that child’s Personal Data
from our systems.

6. Data Security

We follow generally accepted standards to protect the information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we
receive it. We maintain appropriate safeguards to protect Personal Data against unauthorized disclosure or access, misuse,
and any other unlawful form of processing of the Personal Data in our possession. This includes, for example, antiviruses,
firewalls, password protection and other access and authentication controls. Personal Data is stored in a protected area on
Google services owned by the IMC. Such services are accessible only for selected members of the IMC. No person outside
the IMC has direct access to such Personal Data. Personal data is also stored in paper format in locked cabinets and is only
accessible to IMC members.

Please note that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. We cannot
ensure or guarantee the security of any information that is transmitted to us, and Applicants do so at their own risk. We also
cannot guarantee that such information may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by breach of any of our physical,
technical, or managerial safeguards. If an Applicant believes their Personal Data has been compromised, please contact us
at the email info@sahajamarriages.org.

If we learn of a security systems breach, we will inform Applicants of the occurrence of the breach in accordance with applicable
law.

7. Data Retention

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We only retain the Personal Data collected from an Applicant for as long as required for Sahaja marriages recording and
tracking and for disputes purpose or otherwise for a limited period of time as long as we need it to fulfill the purposes for which
we have initially collected it, unless otherwise required by law. We will retain and use information as necessary to comply with
our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our Agreement.

8. Changes and Updates to this Policy

If we modify the Policy, we will make it available through the country coordinators, and to the Applicants for the specific Sahaja
Matches and Marriage ceremony and indicate the date of the latest revision, and will comply with applicable law. The
Applicant’s continued consent to the Matching process by the IMC after the revised Policy has become effective indicates that
the Applicant has read, understood and agreed to the current version of the Policy.

Last update: April 24, 2023

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APPENDIX 7 – REVISION HISTORY
Date Changes
25 April 2025 Minor amends to the text
10 May 2024 Added Appendix 7 – Revision history
25 April 2024 2024 dates, updated list of IMC members, Appendix 5: clarified
process for registered applicants
25 April 2023 2023 dates

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