Yogi Bhajan
Yogi Bhajan broke the ancient tradition of secrecy to introduce what he calls the Yoga of Awareness to the West. Traditionally these sacred teachings were passed from teacher to student in a very selective and elitist fashion. Any student who wanted to learn Kundalini Yoga had to serve a Master, prove his/her humility, self-discipline, and devotion before the teacher would even consider teaching them.
Until he came to the West in 1969, Kundalini Yoga had never been taught anywhere publicly. In fact, it was said that anyone who dared to teach Kundalini Yoga openly would not live to see his next birthday!
Yogi Bhajan defied that tradition because he saw that thousands of young people were dying using drugs in search of higher consciousness. He offered an alternative to the drug culture. He knew Kundalini Yoga would give seekers a real experience of God within, and help heal their mental and emotional problems -- as well as the physical bodies that had been damaged by the use of drugs.
Yogi Bhajan has devoted his life to the democratization of spirituality, teaching whoever is ready to listen and willing to practice. He teaches the "Happy, Healthy, Holy way of life" for householders, the common man and woman who have families, earn a living and have relationships. The lifestyle includes a vegetarian diet and early morning practice of Kundalini yoga and meditation.
In 1969 Yogi Bhajan founded 3HO - the Happy Healthy Holy Organization - based on his first principle "Happiness is your birthright." Through The Aquarian Teacher Program, Yogi Bhajan has trained thousands of KRI Certified Kundalini Yoga Teachers.
Yogi Bhajan taught all manner of audiences for 35 years on subjects ranging from psychology to cookery, from ayurveda to meditation, from humanology to sound current.
His teachings continue to fascinate and inspire the lives of an ever increasing number of seekers of truth of all backgrounds.
In 1994 he founded the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association (IKYTA) to further spread his teachings as well as the Kundalini Research Institute (KRI) to preserve his teachings which he knew were ahead of his time.
Yogi Bhajan passed away in October 2004 but his teachings continue to be one of the guiding lights of the Aquarian Age.
