A former resident of Australia's oldest yoga ashram has received applause after delivering a passionate call for justice at the child sexual abuse royal commission in Sydney.

The commission has been looking at the handling of 11 complaints made against former spiritual leader Swami Akhandananda Saraswati over the past 40 years, relating to abuse that happened in the 1970s and '80s.

The issue came to a head around Easter this year when the Satyananda Yoga Ashram in New South Wales sent an email to former members detailing a "healing ceremony" that formed part of its 40th anniversary commemorations.

One woman known as APK, who, along with her sister, endured years of physical and sexual abuse.

"It didn't resolve it for me, and I know it didn't resolve it for my family," she said.

She wrote to the organisation and said "to suggest healing has occurred when those whose lives were affected weren't even there is ridiculous".

"How nice for you that you feel healed. But your little fire ceremony does nothing for me or my family," she said.

"This is not something to be wrapped up in a pretty ribbon and healed by singing Kirtan around a fire pit ... frankly this fluff you have written is an insult to the people who truly suffered."

APK said the victims were still scarred by the abuse.

"It is also particularly insulting that you would spout off this rubbish about ego and embracing your darkness - all the same Samsara bulls**t that Swami Akhandananda spouted while f***ing little girls and stealing people's lives," she said.

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Child abuse royal commission: Mindset of NSW yoga retreat 'as dangerous as ever', witness tells hearing

A child abuse inquiry has heard sexual abuse was not uncommon in the Satyananda yoga movement.

A woman has told an enquiry she was sexually abused by Satyananda Sarswati - the man who founded the worldwide yoga movement with branches across the world including Australia.

In a statement to a royal commission examining child sexual abuse at a NSW Satyananda ashram, Bhakati Manning said she was abused by two senior swamis in ashrams in Australia and "by the spiritual founder of Satyananda yoga".

She said the abuse happened when she was 15 in Australia.

She was 17 when she travelled to the famous Munger ashram in India in 1976 to study with the respected yogi whom she had met in Australia.

Ms Manning said shortly after her arrival, he fondled her genitals and said something to the effect "this is our relationship, don't tell anyone".

He also taught her how to tie her dhoti - a traditional garment - so that it tucked between her legs.

He said something to the effect of "you have to protect what is mine from being seen", she said in her statement.

The world-renowned yoga master died in 2009.

Ms Manning, now aged 55, will continue her evidence on Thursday, the third day of a hearing where six witnesses have told of being abused.

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A NSW ashram until this year never apologised for the sexual exploitation of girls by its leader.

A NSW ashram blocked abuse victims from its Facebook page, threatened them with defamation action and until this year never apologised for the sexual exploitation of girls by its founding spiritual leader.

A royal commission is examining how a retreat, now known as the Mangrove Yoga Ashram, handled sex abuse complaints against Swami Akhandananda Saraswati who ran the NSW Central Coast compound from 1974 to 1986.

Children were physically and sexually abused at the ashram where some parents handed guardianship of their children as well as property and income over to Akhandananda and his partner Shishy.

The ashram, nestled in the foothills of Mangrove mountain, is the largest in Australia and a registered charity. About 200 people lived there at its peak.

In the 1970s and `80s people flocked to it, taking up residence under the spiritual guidance of Akhandananda, who at 22 had been sent to Australia from India to lead the centre.

On Tuesday two women told how they were groomed and sexually abused at the ashram where Akhandananda would tell them "engaging in sexual activity with him was for their own spiritual growth".

The swami was charged, convicted and jailed in 1989 for molesting four girls and spent 14 months in jail until his conviction was overturned.

His partner Shishy fled the ashram in 1985 and gave evidence at his trial.

Shishy, who became involved with Akhandananda when she was 16, will give evidence at the commission hearing.

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Abuse victims reject NSW ashram's apology