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Kundalini Yoga was reportedly "brought to the West" by Yogi Bhajan in 1969.  Over 50 years, he and his corporations built a worldwide community of persons who practice and teach Kundalini Yoga and/or Sikh Dharma.  

These corporations have been troubled by lawsuits between the for-profit and non-profit organizations over the decades.  In 2020, energy arose around multiple credible allegations of endemic clerical sexual misconduct by Yogi Bhajan.  

The organizations responded by hiring an independent third investigator, An Olive Branch, which found the allegations to be likely to have occurred.  Details and updates available on this site:

https://www.ssscresponseteam.org/. 

3HO has published this timeline of the history of kundalini yoga in the west

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Kundalini Yoga for All (2007-2020) and Gobinday Yogic Health (2021-onward) are, and always have been, independent and free-standing organizations with a mission to share yoga without physical or financial barrier.  



 Hari Kirin's observations as of June 25, 2020 and updated June 27, 2022:

When multiple women stand together in allegations against a male leader, I believe them. 

I have to collect that this is yet another tragedy of an alpha male leader's corruption letting down a spiritual community.  It breaks my heart that leaders in these organizations, either knowingly or unknowingly, possibly aided systemic dysfunction.  I see good intentions everywhere.  In this moment, intentions are being challenged to move into conscious action.  

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I came to kundalini yoga in 2003 and was not aware of these troubles until they developed over 2019-2020.  If I participated in organizations that upheld an unhealthy status quo, I deeply apologize for the fact that I was not aware. I hold this standard not only to the yoga world, but to the global work of anti-racism, anti-sexism, and discrimination in all its forms, across all structures.  I now step back into greater pause for discernment before joining or aiding any group or organization.  

I remain hopeful that the kundalini yoga community may heal and rebuild, this time from grassroots upward.  

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It is also my observation that this yoga works, and is larger than anyone who has taught it, past present or future.   Kundalini yoga teaches each of us to go within and listen deeply to our inner wisdom and compass. It fortifies our courage to fully express the unique purpose of our soul. 

 

It is my prayer that each of us cultivates deep compassion for ourselves and each other, and that we move from a time of icons into a spirituality that fully blossoms from within. 

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I welcome and embrace a world where yoga is simply yoga, people are simply people, and that we are kind to one another as our greatest act.