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'{{fa|279}} {{fa1|379}} [[Image:Yogiji.jpeg|300px|right]] '''Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji''' (born as Harbhajan Singh Puri)<ref>[http://www.sikhnet.com/yogibhajan Biography - Sikhnet]</ref> ([[August 26]], [[1929]] - [[October 6]], [[2004]]), also known as '''Yogi Bhajan''' and '''Siri Singh Sahib''', was a charismatic and influential proponent of Kundalini Yoga and Sikh Dharma. He is best known as the spiritual director of the [[3HO]] (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) Foundation, which today is one of the world's largest yoga-teaching bodies, and for his outspoken defense of the holistic doctrine of Sikh teachings. He was widely known as a master of [[Wikipedia:Kundalini Yoga | Kundalini Yoga]] and taught thousands to be teachers and spread the teachings. ==Youth and schooling== Harbhajan Singh was born on August 26, 1929 into a Sikh family, in village Kot Harkarn, district [[Gujranwala]], in the province of [[Wikipedia: Punjab (British India) | Punjab (British India)]]. His parents from a Khatri Sikh family, of Puri Clan. His father, Dr. Kartar Singh Puri, served the [[Wikipedia:British Raj|British Raj]] as a medical doctor. His mother was named Harkrishan Kaur, Theirs was a well-to-do landlord family, owning most of their village in the foothills of the [[Himalayas]], in the Gujranwala District of western Punjab. Most influential of Harbhajan Singh's relations in his early development was his paternal grandfather, Bhai Fateh Singh. Fateh Singh taught him the essence of Sikh teachings and instilled in him a respect for all religions and an awe of the silent mysteries of life. As a teen, Harbhajan Singh spent several years under the strict tutelage of Sant Hazara Singh who declared his student a Master of Kundalini Yoga at the young age of sixteen. Harbhajan Singh's schooling was interrupted in 1947 by the violence that former neighbors, of different religions, unleashed upon each other during the [[Wikipedia:partition of India | partition of India]], when he and his family fled to [[New Delhi]] as refugees. There, Harbhajan Singh attended Camp College – a hastily put together arrangement for thousands of refugee students – and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XmNpd8jJf8 organized the Sikh Students Federation] in Delhi. Four years later, he graduated with a Master of Economics.<ref>Shanti Kaur Khalsa, The History of Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, Espanola, NM, Sikh Dharma, 1995, pp. 3-4; Gurcharn Singh Khalsa, "The Torch Bearer of Sikhism," The Man Called Siri Singh Sahib, Los Angeles, Sikh Dharma, 1979, pp. 34-35</ref> {{tocright}} ==Indian Civil Service== In 1953, Harbhajan Singh Puri entered the [[Wikipedia:Indian Civil Service | Indian Civil Service]]. He also married [[Bibi Sahiban Inderjit Kaur|Inderjit Kaur]] in that year. They were soon to have three children, Ranbir, Kulvir and daughter Kamaljit. Harbhajan Singh served in the Revenue Department, where his duties took him all over [[India]]. Eventually, he was promoted to the post of customs inspector for the country's largest airport, outside of Delhi.<ref>Shanti Kaur Khalsa, The History of Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, Espanola, NM, Sikh Dharma, 1995, pp. 3-4; Gurcharn Singh Khalsa, "The Torch Bearer of Sikhism," The Man Called Siri Singh Sahib, Los Angeles, Sikh Dharma, 1979, pp. 34-35</ref> ==Yogic study in India== Throughout his life, Harbhajan Singh continued his practice and pursuit of yogic knowledge. His government duties often facilitated his traveling to remote ashrams and distant hermitages in order to seek out reclusive yogis and swamis. Sometimes Yogi Bhajan would find them to appraise their worth, for India always had a surfeit of supposed "holy men." At other times, he would sincerely go to learn the specialized knowledge possessed by this or that [[sadhu]]. In the mid-1960s, Harbhajan Singh took up a position as instructor at the Vishwayatan [[Wikipedia:Ashram | Ashram]] in New Delhi, under Dhirendra Brahmachari. This yoga centre was frequented by the [[Wikipedia:Prime Minister | Prime Minister]] of India, [[Wikipedia:Jawaharlal Nehru | Jawaharlal Nehru]], his daughter, [[Wikipedia:Indira Gandhi | Indira Gandhi]], and diplomats and employees from a host of foreign embassies.<ref>Gurcharn Singh Khalsa, "The Torch Bearer of Sikhism," The Man Called Siri Singh Sahib, Los Angeles, Sikh Dharma, 1979, pp. 36</ref> ==Migration to North America== In New Delhi, Harbhajan Singh was faced with a stark choice: to serve his government by joining the [[Wikipedia:Soviet military | Soviet military]]'s psychic research program in [[Wikipedia:Tashkent | Tashkent]] or leave the country. The Canadian High Commissioner, James George facilitated his immigration to [[Wikipedia:Toronto | Toronto]], [[Wikipedia:Canada | Canada]] in 1968. Although a promised university position as director of a yogic studies department did not materialize because of the death of his sponsor, Harbhajan Singh the Yogi made a considerable impact in the predominantly Anglo-Saxon metropolis. In three months, he established classes at several [[Wikipedia:YMCA | YMCA]]s, co-founded a yoga centre, was interviewed for national press and television, and helped set in motion the creation of eastern Canada's first Sikh temple in time for [[Guru Nanak]]'s five hundredth birthday the following year. Late in 1968, bearded and [[turban|turbaned]] Yogi Bhajan went to visit a friend in Los Angeles, but ended up staying to share the teachings of Kundalini Yoga with the already long-haired members of the hippie counterculture of California and New Mexico. In effect, he had found his calling.<ref>Sardarni Premka Kaur Khalsa, "Early History," The Man Called Siri Singh Sahib, Los Angeles, Sikh Dharma, pp.32-33; Edna Hampton, "Yoga's challenge and promises," The Globe and Mail, November 28, 1968, p. W11</ref> ==Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan== Yoga practice and philosophy is generally considered a part of [[Hindu]] culture, but Yogi Bhajan demonstrated that yoga was not limited to practitioners of one religion. While adhering to the three pillars of [[Wikipedia:Patanjali | Patanjali]]'s traditional yoga system: discipline, self-awareness and self-dedication, Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan does not condone extremes of [[Wikipedia:asceticism | asceticism]] or [[Wikipedia:renunciation | renunciation]]. Yogi Bhajan encouraged his students to marry, establish businesses, and be fully engaged in society. Rather than worshiping God, Yogi Bhajan insisted that his students train their mind to experience God.<ref>Shanti Kaur Khalsa, The History of Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, Espanola, NM, Sikh Dharma, 1995, pp. 115-8</ref> Yogi Bhajan became known as a master of [[Kundalini Yoga]], but it was actually Raj Yoga, the yoga of living detached, yet fully engaged in the world that typified his life and teachings. ==Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization== In 1969, Yogi Bhajan established the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) Foundation to further his missionary work. It served his premise that every human possessed the birthright to be healthy, happy and holy. It was only a matter of unlearning one set of habits and replacing it with a kinder, more uplifting set of habits. For some of the free-spirited [[Wikipedia:hippies | hippies]], Yogi Bhajan's discipline was more than they could take. Others, however, took to it almost naturally. Most of them were already longhaired. Many were already [[Wikipedia:vegetarian | vegetarian]]s. Some experimented with drugs to experience what they saw as elevated states of awareness. They also deeply wanted to feel they were contributing to a world of peace and social justice. Yogi Bhajan offered them all these things with vigorous yoga, an embracing holistic vision, and a spirit of sublime destiny without the use of the psychotropic drugs. By 1972, there would be over one hundred 3HO yoga ashrams mostly in the U.S., but also in Canada, Europe and Israel. Student-teachers would rise each day for a cold shower and two-and-a-half hours of yoga and meditation before sunrise. Often, they would spend the rest of the day at some "family business" be it a natural foods restaurant, or a landscaping business, or some other concern. A Sikh was supposed to earn honestly "by the sweat of their brow" and many did just that.<ref>3HO Ashram Listing, Beads of Truth, September 1972, pp. 23-24</ref> By the 1990s, there was a culture shift. There were few communal businesses left, and rising early and overtly being a Sikh was considered more of an option than an implied directive. This period also saw an increased interest in yoga world-wide. To serve the changing times, Yogi Bhajan created the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association, dedicated to setting standards for teachers and the propagation of the teachings.<ref>[http://www.kundaliniyoga.com/clients/ikyta/webshell.nsf/WebParentNavLookup/62DB48EF3856D82287256A090079DC7A?OpenDocument IKYTA Web Shell - About Us<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 1994, the 3HO Foundation joined the United Nations as a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, representing women's issues, promoting human rights, and providing education about alternative systems of medicine.<ref>[http://www.kundaliniyoga.com/clients/ikyta/webshell.nsf/WebParentNavLookup/62DB48EF3856D82287256A090079DC7A?OpenDocument IKYTA Web Shell - About Us<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Aquarian age timeline== In spring of 1969, soon after Yogi Bhajan had begun teaching in [[Wikipedia:Los Angeles | Los Angeles]], a hit medley "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" was topping the music charts and being played everywhere. The performers, [[Wikipedia:The 5th Dimension | The 5th Dimension]], happened to be signed to a record label owned by one of his students, musician and entrepreneur [[Wikipedia:Johnny Rivers | Johnny Rivers]]. Like great teachers everywhere, Yogi Bhajan used any material that came to hand to good purpose. In this case, he incorporated the story line of the dawning new age into his teachings, a case of melding Western astrology with Sikh tradition. "[[Guru Nanak]]," proclaimed Yogi Bhajan, "was the Guru for the [[Wikipedia:Aquarian Age | Aquarian Age]]." It was, he declared, to be an age where people first experienced God, then believed, rather than the old way of believing and then being liberated by one's faith.<ref>Yogi Bhajan, Guru for the Aquarian Age, Santa Cruz, NM, Yogiji Press, 1996, p. 6</ref> The timeline for the arrival of the Aquarian age varied over the years, but in 1992, Yogi Bhajan fixed it at 2012 and gave his students a set of morning meditations to practice until that date to prepare themselves.<ref>[http://www.aquariantimes.com Aquarian Times Featuring Prosperity Paths<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Aboriginal connections== Some of Yogi Bhajan's earliest students in Los Angeles had spent time in [[Wikipedia:New Mexico | New Mexico]] influenced by aboriginal, especially [[Wikipedia:Hopi | Hopi]] teachings. To fulfill their wishes, Yogi Bhajan accompanied them in June, 1969 to their summer solstice celebration at the Tesuque Indian reservation outside of Santa Fe.<ref>Guru Singh Khalsa, "Summer Solstice," Aquarian Times, January/February 2007, pp. 4-5</ref> At the next year's celebration, a delegation of Hopi Indian elders arrived. They spoke of their ancient legend that before the end of present age of darkness, a white-clad warrior would come from the East and create an army of white-clad warriors who would rise up and protect the "Unified Supreme Spirit." A sweat lodge ceremony was held and a sacred arrow given in trust to Yogi Bhajan. The elders explained that they had determined he was the white-clad warrior of their legend. Seven years later, Yogi Bhajan purchased a large parcel of land in the San Juan Mountains where the Hopis had indicated sacred gatherings had taken place for thousands of years. The elders had said this land needed to be prepared so "the Unified Supreme Spirit can once again be experienced by the great tribes and spread through all the people of the world." The land was named "Ram Das Puri" and annual solstice prayers and festivities celebrated there every summer since. Since 1990, these have included a Hopi sacred prayer walk.<ref>Gurujot Singh Khalsa, February 9, 1986 communiqué to 1986 Summer Solstice "Peace Prayer Day" Coordinators; Shanti Kaur Khalsa, The History of Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, Espanola, NM, Sikh Dharma, 1995, p. 171</ref> ==Pilgrimage to Amritsar== For Yogi Bhajan, the greatest test of his teaching came in the winter of 1970-71, when he brought an entourage of eighty-four Americans on a pilgrimage to [[Amritsar]] in India. It was a hard, grueling trip. The [[Punjab (India)|Punjabi]] Sikhs had never seen Westerners in turbans before. At first, they were suspicious. For their part, once Yogi Bhajan's students had overcome their hardships, they felt a real kinship with Sikh culture and embraced it. Twenty-six of them took vows to join the Order of Khalsa as full-fledged Sikhs. The Sikh administration in the holy city of Amritsar was in a turmoil. Once they understood that the devotion of the Westerners was genuine, they reflected on the best way to honor Yogi Bhajan for this most unexpected group of new initiates to the Khalsa. On March 3, 1971, in front of the traditional seat of Sikh temporal authority the [[Akal Takhat]], Sant Fateh Singh and Sant Chanan Singh bestowed on Harbhajan Singh a ceremonial sword and a robe of honor and a unique designation. They had reasoned that Yogi Harbhajan Singh had indeed created "Singh Sahibs" (noble lions), and to continue in his work he would need a higher designation. For this reason, they gave Yogi Bhajan the unprecedented title of-- "Siri Singh Sahib" (Great, Noble Lion).<ref>Shanti Kaur Khalsa, The History of Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, Espanola, NM, Sikh Dharma, 1995, pp. 13-15</ref> ==Inter-faith work== In the summer of 1970, Yogi Bhajan participated in an informal "Holy Man Jam" at the [[Wikipedia:University of Colorado at Boulder | University of Colorado at Boulder]] with [[Wikipedia:Swami Satchidananda | Swami Satchidananda]], Steven Gaskin of [[Wikipedia:The Farm (Tennessee) | The Farm (Tennessee)]], Zen Buddhist Bill Quan-roshi, and other local luminaries. A few weeks later, Yogi Bhajan carried that inspiration forward and organized a gathering of spiritual teachers as an opening act for the 200,000 attendees of the Atlanta Pop Festival.<ref>Lisa Law, Flashing on the Sixties, San Francisco, Chronicle Books, pp. 102-107</ref> These seminal events served to awaken interest in inter-faith discussion such as had not been seen since the 1920s. In 1972, Yogi Bhajan participated in religious panels at [[Wikipedia:Harvard University | Harvard University]], [[Wikipedia:Cornell University | Cornell University]], [[Wikipedia:Boston University | Boston University]] and the [[Wikipedia:Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]. That same year, Yogi Bhajan visited [[Wikipedia:Pope Paul VI | Pope Paul VI]] and advised him to convene a gathering of friendship and understanding for representatives of all religions. He reminded Paul VI that the word--catholic meant "universal" and suggested that, as head of the world's largest religious organization, he would be the most suitable leader to host such a meeting.<ref>Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, "High Times," Beads of Truth, Number 16, December 1972, p. 8</ref> Yogi Bhajan maintained his relationship with the Catholic Church under [[Wikipedia:Pope John Paul II | Pope John Paul II]], they met again in 1983 and 1984. When the [[Golden Temple]] came under assault from the [[Wikipedia:Indian Army | Indian Army]] with the loss of life of many hundreds of pilgrims, the pontiff offered his official condolences.<ref>Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, "Travelling With The Master," Beads of Truth, Volume II, Number 12, Winter 1983, p. 30-31; "Visit With Pope John Paul II," Beads of Truth, Volume II, Number 14, Winter 1984 , p. 19; Regina Caeli of 10 June: "For peace in Punjab," L'Osservatore Romano, June 18, 1984, p. 2</ref> During the [[Wikipedia:United Nations | United Nations]] Year of Peace 1986, Yogi Bhajan instituted a yearly Peace Prayer Day for people of all denominations at the Summer Solstice near [[Wikipedia:Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe | Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]].<ref>Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, "Peace Prayer Day, June 22, 1986," Beads of Truth, Volume II, Number 18, pp. 20-21</ref> In that same year, Pope John Paul II convened a gathering of religious representatives of the world such as Yogi Bhajan had proposed fourteen years earlier. Unable to travel to Italy for the event, Yogi Bhajan participated in a ceremony held the same day in Los Angeles.<ref>Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, "Million Minutes of Peace Appeal," Beads of Truth, Volume II, Number 18, pp. 22-23</ref> All though the 1970s and 80s, Yogi Bhajan actively engaged in and chaired numerous inter-religious councils and forums, including the Inter-Religious Council of Southern California, the World Conference for the Unity of Man, and the World Parliament of Religions.<ref>Gurubanda Singh Khalsa and Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, "Messenger of the New Age," The Man Called Siri Singh Sahib, Sikh Dharma, Los Angeles, 1979, p. 368-74</ref> == Accusations & Controversy == In 2019, Yogi Bhajan's former secretary Pamela Saharah Dyson published the book ''Premka: White Bird in a Golden Cage: My Life with Yogi Bhajan'', reporting that she and other women had sexual relationships with Harbhajan Singh. In March 2020, anti-cult activist Be Scofield published an article in her magazine ''The Guru'' reporting sexual abuse and rape of female followers and assistants including Dyson by Harbhajan Singh, based on "over a dozen original interviews". That same month, the Siri Singh Sahib Corporation commissioned An Olive Branch (AOB) to look into the allegations. The AOB report, published in August, found that it was "more likely than not" that Yogi Bhajan raped three women, injured eight women during sex, engaged in nonconsensual touching of nine people, showed pornography to minors, used sexually offensive language, directed women to shave their pubic hair, and directed women to have sex with other women, that his followers' claims that he was celibate were inaccurate, and that he "employed a variety of methods to control his students including compartmentalization, quid pro quo, promises, threats, slander, phone calls, guarding, and/or telling women they were his wife." The report acknowledged "the convictions of Yogi Bhajan's Supporters as accurate representations of their beliefs" rather than deliberate falsehoods. Soon after, other media published stories based on the report that considered the allegations to be true. ==Gender relations== Yogi Bhajan, the son of a graceful mother, was deeply shocked and offended by the exploitation of women in America. In 1971, he taught a gathering of his female students that they were the "Grace of God." Thus began the Grace of God Movement for the Women of America. Strip clubs in Hollywood were briefly picketed, but Yogi Bhajan's real emphasis was on re-educating America's largest exploited class. This work began in earnest in the summer of 1975, when Yogi Bhajan held an eight week camp in New Mexico where he taught the psychology of a successful woman. Successive camps included subjects including martial arts, rappelling, fire arms training and healing arts to build the character and confidence of the women in training, which is why the camps were designated "Khalsa Women Training Camps."<ref>Ek Ong Kar Kaur Khalsa, "The Grace of God Movement," The Man Called Siri Singh Sahib, Los Angeles, Sikh Dharma, 1979, pp. 204-05</ref> It may or may not have been a coincidence that within a couple of years of Yogi Bhajan's bold assault on the psychological defects within the typical American gender imbalance, a best-selling book called ''[[Wikipedia:Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus | Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus]]'' came out which popularized many of Yogi Bhajan's distinctive teachings. Although Yogi Bhajan did teach a few weekend courses for men, his emphasis was on women because he recognized in them the foundation of any society, and he wanted to fundamentally end the disempowerment of Western women and the destruction of families. In his words: "God lives in a cozy home." While encouraging his female students to practice [[Wikipedia:natural childbirth | natural childbirth]] and championed [[Wikipedia:breastfeeding | breastfeeding]] (practices which were not widely adhered to in the early 1970s) Yogi Bhajan also revived the ancient Indian custom of celebrating the arrival of the new soul at the one hundred twentieth day of pregnancy. This laid emphasis on the dignity and divinity of motherhood. By adhering to this historic custom (in Catholic tradition, which is very significant to this issue, this would be pre-[[Wikipedia:Pius IX | Pius IX), Yogi Bhajan also encouraged his women students in family planning. They should only embark on motherhood if they were fully prepared to accept the responsibilities – and if they were not, then to terminate a pregnancy before the second trimester was far preferable (and certainly not a sin) compared to bringing a soul into ungraceful circumstances. Here Yogi Bhajan parted company with the Pope who forbid any termination no matter what the circumstances. Yogi Bhajan also encouraged mothers to swaddle their infants and families to sleep all together, another traditional Indian practice, although he afterwards stated that he lost nearly a third of his students over this one teaching.<ref>Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa, Five Paragons of Peace: Magic and Magnificence in the Guru's Way, Toronto, Monkey Minds Press, 2010, pp. 243-46 - http://www.gurufathasingh.com/five-paragons-of-peace.html</ref> As far as [[Wikipedia:homosexuality | homosexuality]] was concerned, Yogi Bhajan at first was shocked by the phenomenon. Through the 1970s and early 1980s, Yogi Bhajan taught that 'the condition' could be cured through intensive yoga and self-analysis. By the late 1980s, however, Yogi Bhajan resigned himself to the conclusion that "sometimes God goofs" and puts men into women's bodies and vice versa.<ref>Yogi Bhajan, Comparative, Comprehensive Communication, Eugene, OR, 3HO Transcripts, 1980, pp. 102-3, 221</ref> ==During the [[Sikh Holocaust of 1980s]]== Prime Minister [[Wikipedia:Indira Gandhi | Indira Gandhi]]’s personal assault on the Sikh minority in India took advantage of their splintered leadership. After Sikhs, almost alone, had opposed her draconian rule during the [[Wikipedia:Indian Emergency (1975-1977) | Indian Emergency (1975-1977)]], it was to be expected that the formidable Mrs. Gandhi would retaliate once returned to office in 1980. That year, Yogi Bhajan sent registered letters to two hundred members of the Sikh leadership, warning them of terrible consequences if they did not unite, which they did not. When the peaceful campaign of civil disobedience waged by Sikh activists to address longstanding grievances with India's central government turned violent, Yogi Bhajan advised the leader [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] to call it off and resume another day, which he did not. Several times in the early 1980s during the [[Punjab insurgency]], Yogi Bhajan went and tried to mediate peace between the members of Indira Gandhi's government and the Sikh leadership in Punjab, which he was uniquely positioned to do. He knew them all, but his efforts were in vain.<ref>Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa, Five Paragons of Peace: Magic and Magnificence in the Guru's Way, Toronto, Monkey Minds Press, 2007, pp. 119-20</ref> When the wholesale assault on the lives and human rights of Sikhs in India took place in earnest in June of 1984, with the attack on the [[Golden Temple]] complex and the destruction of the [[Akal Takhat]], Yogi Bhajan uniquely advised that the Akal Takhat had martyred itself to awaken the Sikh nation.<ref>Yogi Bhajan, "Anniversary of the Akal Takhat Martrydom," July 6, 1985 Lecture, [http://www.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/articles.nsf/9dee2aa6164e1d9b87256671004e06c7/473c755e17ce365c87256671004e463f!OpenDocument]</ref> While urging Sikhs in the West not to lose hope or descend into wanton violence, Yogi Bhajan attempted to organize relief supplies for victims and still to conciliate the opposing sides, which both included Sikhs. He especially encouraged the Sikh President, [[Wikipedia:Zail Singh | Zail Singh]], not to resign in protest at the sacrilege committed by the Prime Minister. This, Yogi Bhajan believed would only further isolate the minority Sikhs and lead down a widening spiral of bitterness and bloodshed. Despite rising calls for the creation of a separatist Sikh homeland, Yogi Bhajan continued throughout the crisis, from 1984 to 1993, to press for justice, forgiveness and reconciliation.<ref>Sardarni Premka Kaur Khalsa, "Sikh Dharma Position on Crisis in Punjab," Beads of Truth, II:13, Summer 1984, p. 27; Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, "High Times," Beads of Truth, II:14, Winter 1984, p. 21; Shanti Kaur Khalsa, The History of Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, Espanola, NM, Sikh Dharma, 1995, pp. 144-55</ref> ==Work for nuclear disarmament== Beginning in 1982, with the [[Wikipedia:United States|U.S. | United States|U.S.]] and the [[Wikipedia:U.S.S.R. | U.S.S.R.]] launched on an expensive, risky and seemingly endless arms race, Yogi Bhajan began to join other civil leaders in demanding mutual [[Wikipedia:nuclear disarmament | nuclear disarmament]]. Yogi Bhajan's efforts took the form of his speaking at a number of disarmament rallies and his mobilization of his students, encouraging them to talk to their friends and relatives about the dangers of nuclear war.<ref>Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, "High Times," Beads of Truth, II:10, Winter 1982, pp. 26-29</ref> Shortly after Yogi Bhajan began his activism again the U.S. government's defense policy, the special Sikh exemption which allowed Sikh males to serve wearing their distinctive turbans and beards was disallowed.<ref>Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, "High Times," Beads of Truth, II:11, Summer 1983, pp. 24-25</ref> ==Sikh unity== Even as he ventured out of familiar territory, expanding the reach of Sikh teachings and calling reprobates to task, Yogi Bhajan also kept an eye on Sikh unity. While some in Punjab criticized his efforts – particularly his administrative titles, structures and symbols - as heterodox, others toured the domain and offered their generous approval. This happened once in 1974 when the delegation of Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Mahinder Singh Giani, Secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sardar Hukam Singh, President of the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Shatabdhi Committee, and Surjit Singh Barnala, General Secretary of the Akali Dal, came.<ref>Sardarni Premka Kaur, "Sikh Renaissance," Beads of Truth, June 1974, pp. 11-16; open letter from Hukam Singh, Sri Guru Singh Sabha Shatabadi Committee, July 18, 1974</ref> In 1979, the official Professor of Sikhism, Dr. Kapur Singh, came from Amritsar and addressed the [[Khalsa]] Council, Yogi Bhajan's governing council, and assured them they remained well within the fold of Sikh tradition.<ref>Kapur Singh, "Khalsa in the West Takes a Stand," Beads of Truth, II:3, September 1979, pp. 36-44</ref> In 1986, as the Khalistan movement (Sikh separatist movement within India) exerted an increasingly divisive role in the Sikh community, Yogi Bhajan appointed Bhai Sahib Bhai Jiwan Singh of the [[Akhand Kirtani Jatha]] as Jathedar (Secretary) of Sikh Unity. Although he was instrumental in creating a new culture of Sikhs in the Western Hemisphere – Gursikh yogis speaking English, Spanish, German and Italian – Yogi Bhajan did not appreciate artificial divisions dividing Sikhs from one another, whether they be based on caste, race, nationality or any other grounds. He valued Sikh unity and always considered himself a Sikh first and last. This was ably and aptly reflected in the new media of Sikhnet.com which serves Sikhs around the globe. It was begun by students of Yogi Bhajan while the internet was still in its infancy – and has since grown to be the biggest, multi-layered Sikh resource in cyberspace.<ref>[http://www.sikhnet.com/s/SikhnetHistory History of and evolution of Sikhnet<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Political influence in U.S.== Yogi Bhajan was not in the least naïve about the importance of being politically connected if one wanted to succeed in the United States and did not shy from political functions. While he opposed the Reagan government’s regime of high debt and high unemployment, Yogi Bhajan appreciated strong foreign policy and especially U.S. efforts to dislodge the Soviet Union from Afghanistan. Basically, Yogi Bhajan was known as a Democrat. Since 1980, he was both friend and advisor to [[Wikipedia:Bill Richardson | Bill Richardson]], who served variously as New Mexico governor (2002-present), U.S. Energy Secretary (1998-2001), U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (1997-98), and member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1982-97). Bill Richardson was a candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination to run for the office of U.S. President in 2008.<ref>Bill Richardson, "Yogi Bhajan Day," Aquarian Times, 4:4, Winter 2004, pp. 94-95</ref> ==Healing arts== When U.S. President Nixon called drugs America's "Number one domestic problem," Yogi Bhajan launched a pilot program with two longtime heroin addicts in Washington, D.C. in 1972. The next year, a full-blown drug treatment center known as "3HO SuperHealth" was launched in Tucson, Arizona. The program distinguished itself by using Kundalini Yoga, diet and massage therapy to cure the addicts. It distinguished itself in 1978 as being among the top 10% of all treatment programs throughout the United States, with a recovery rate of 91%.<ref>[http://3hosuperhealth.org/about-us/introductionhistory 3HO SuperHealth · Introduction<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Early on, when the term "stress" was still practically unheard of, Yogi Bhajan warned his students about a tidal wave of insanity that would soon engulf modern industrialized societies. As a remedy, Yogi Bhajan taught hundreds of techniques of yogic exericise and meditation. Many have been catalogued by their traditionally known effects in calming and healing the mind and body. Some of those techniques have been scientifically studied and applied in clinical practice with favorable results.<ref>[http://www.theinternetyogi.com The Internet Yogi :: Kundalini Yoga Video For OCD<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> One of the most noteworthy successes has been achieved by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., whose holistic treatment of Alzheimers disease using yoga with other therapeutic modalities has been lauded by the U.S. Surgeon General.<ref>[http://www.alzheimersprevention.org/about_us.htm Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation International<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Business success== Yogi Bhajan encouraged his students to go into business and served as a trusted advisor to a number of successful enterprises. The best known of these are the Yogi Tea Company which packages and markets his unique tea formulas, Golden Temple Bakery which specializes in natural cereal products, the Soothing Touch health and beauty care products company, Akal Security and the Yoga West Center in Los Angeles.<ref>[http://www.sikhnet.com/yogibhajan Yogi Bhajan - Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogi ji<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Peace Cereals hold a unique place in this array of business success, as 10% of its profits support organizations that do work for peace and the annual Peace Prayer Day, held at Ram Das Puri, near Santa Fe, New Mexico.<ref>[http://www.peaceprayerday.org International Peace Prayer Day<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Miri Piri Academy== In 1998, Yogi Bhajan founded the Miri Piri Academy a short distance outside of Amritsar, India. The distinctive boarding school offers studies in a regular curriculum, plus Sikh studies and a daily regimen of yoga, meditation and service. Currently, students of seventeen nationalities are enrolled.<ref>[http://www.miripiriacademy.org Miri Piri Academy<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Personal Life== Yogi Bhajan married Bibi Inderjit Kaur in 1954 at Delhi. They were blessed with three children, Ranbir Singh, Kulbir Singh and Kamaljit Kaur. Kamaljit Kaur married [[Bhai Sahib Satpal Singh Khalsa]] in 1978, who is the Ambassador of Sikh Dharma, Chariman Guru Ram Das Mission, Secretary International Affairs, Akal Takht and Honorary International Representative for [[SGPC]]. ==Passing== Yogi Bhajan passed away at his home in [[Wikipedia:Española, New Mexico | Española, New Mexico]] on October 6, 2004. His relentless schedule had taken its toll on his body. He was 75. He is survived by his wife, Inderjit Kaur; his sons, Ranbir Singh and Kulbir Singh; his daughter, Kamaljit Kaur; and five grandchildren.<ref>[http://www.kriteachings.org/aboutYB.htm KRI ~ Kundalini Research Institute<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Honors== As well as his title "Siri Singh Sahib" awarded to him at the holy [[Akal Takhat]] in [[Amritsar]] in 1971, Yogi Bhajan was also designated "Bhai Sahib" in 1974.<ref>[http://www.sikhpoint.com/religion/sikhcommunity/harbhajansinghyogi.htm Harbhajan Singh Yogi<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 1999, at the three hundedth anniversary of the founding of the Order of [[Khalsa]] in [[Anandpur Sahib]], India, Yogi Bhajan was awarded another rare honorific, the title "Panth Rattan" – Jewel of the Sikh nation.<ref>[http://www.anandpursahib.org/Anandpursahib/MahanPattar.htm Mahan Pattar Given to Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh ji Khalsa from Keshghar Sahib<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> At his passing, Yogi Bhajan joined a select few – [[Wikipedia:Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.]], [[Wikipedia:Mother Theresa | Mother Theresa]], and [[Wikipedia:Pope John Paul II | Pope John Paul II]] – in having members of the [[Wikipedia:United States Congress | United States Congress]] pass a bipartisan resolution honoring his life and work.<ref>[http://www.sikhnet.com/s/CongressCelebratesSSS SSS Yogi Bhajan Honored at National Ceremony<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In April 2005, New Mexico Highway 106 was renamed the Yogi Bhajan Memorial Highway.<ref>[http://www.sikhpoint.com/community/articles/memorialhighway.php The Yogi Bhajan Memorial Highway<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Impact on popular culture== One of Yogi Bhajan's significant impacts on popular culture has been his propagation of the expectation of "great." In the 1960s and 70s, before the proliferation of the ubiquitous [[Wikipedia:smiley | smiley]] and "Have a nice day!" Yogi Bhajan never settled for "nice." He counseled greatness. He encouraged greatness. He expected greatness in his students, no less. Yogi Bhajan's students naturally communicated that same effusive spirit whenever they wished anyone, "have a great day!" What was once a fringe notion which gradually penetrated to the core of our cultural mindset, so now it is not at all uncommon for someone to say: "Have a great day!" ==Publications== * Yogi Bhajan, The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, Pomona/Berkeley, Arcline Publications, 1977. * Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji (Yogi Bhajan), Furmaan Khalsa: Poems to Live By, Columbus, Ohio, Furman Khalsa Publishing Company, 1987. * Yogi Bhajan with Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, The Mind: Its Projections and Multiple Facets, Espanola, New Mexico, Kundalini Research Institute, 1997. * Yogi Bhajan, The Game of Love, A Book of Consciousness: The Poems and Art of Yogi Bhajan, Sikh Dharma, 2007. ==See also== * [[3HO]] * [[Sikh Dharma International Espanola]] * [[Hacienda de Guru Ram Das]] ==Further reading== *Laue, Thorsten: ''Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Tee und das Wassermannzeitalter. Religionswissenschaftliche Einblicke in die Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization (3HO) des Yogi Bhajan'', Münster: LIT, 2007, ISBN 3825801403 ==References== {{reflist|2}} [[Category:Sikh Community Leaders]] [[Category:Interfaith]] ==External links== * [http://www.sikhnet.com/artist/yogibhajan Audio Lectures in English & Punjabi] * [http://www.mrsikhnet.com/index.php/tag/yogi-bhajan/ MrSikhNet Blog posts of Content related to SSS Harbajan Singh Khalsa] * [http://www.sikhfoundation.org/comprof1004,%202.asp Sikh Foundation Biography of Yogi Bhajan] * [http://www.sikhnet.com/yogibhajan Biography of his life] * [http://www.3ho.org/ The 3HO website] * [http://www.yogatech.com/yogibhajan.html His thoughts on Kundalini Yoga] * [https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php?title=Siri_Singh_Sahib_Harbhajan_Singh_Khalsa_Yogi Sikhiwiki] * [http://www.sikhtimes.com/bios_121104a.html A Yogi's Journey]'