Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary series delving deep into the rise and controversies surrounding Kundalini Yoga as well as its gurus, HBO’s ‘Breath of Fire’ is truly unlike any other. That’s because it incorporates not just archival footage but also exclusive interviews to really shine a light upon not just Guru Jagat but also Yogi Bhajan and his organizations. Amongst the latter was, of course, the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization, aka 3HO or Sikh Dharma International, which Yogi Bhajan established as a community for his followers.
3HO Has Often Been Described as a New Religious Movement
It was on July 13, 1969, that Harbhajan Singh Khalsa, better known as Yogi Bhajan, established 3HO as a movement that follows the Sikh Dharma Brotherhood as well as its practices. The truth is he had built this upon relocating to the West from India for good, following which he found a community that followed his yoga and lifestyle beliefs in every sense. Therefore, 3HO is essentially a nonprofit that has always actively shared as well as promoted Kundalini Yoga, Meditation, and Humanology to help people get to a higher spiritual plane.
The practices of 3HO are actually said to be derived from Sikh values, yet the organization in itself has reportedly often been condemned by that community, with some even referring to it as a cult. After all, while it follows certain traditions like meditation, sobriety, as well as vegetarianism in its true sense, other aspects like Kundalini yoga and the forbiddance of relationships allegedly take things too far. Furthermore, as per reports, it is alleged that 3HO even used to take the practice of “seva” to the extreme under Yogi Bhajan, taking it from an act of willing selfless service by the doer to essentially extortion of free labor.
As if that’s not enough, even the business ventures opened under 3HO’s umbrella have faced more than their fair share of controversies in the past owing to a myriad of reasons. While the restaurants, as well as endeavors undertaken by the organization, often managed to forgo paying any taxes as their parent institution is registered as a religious movement, it is believed that Yogi also took advantage of his followers. In the name of Seva, per the show, he allegedly either had them working some illegal jobs and detailed scams or had them hand over their own established companies to the organization/to him.
Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Yogi Bhajan and 3HO Have Recently Resurfaced
According to records, 3HO’s structure had Yogi Bhajan at the top and then him surrounded by numerous secretaries who allegedly handled his various business ventures as well as personal needs. These secretaries were all female, yet it wasn’t until long after the guru had died (in 2004) that it was alleged that he had them work not just for his institution but also for himself. He gave all of them rather significant positions in the companies under his control, and it is alleged he only did so in order to personally benefit as it would make them more susceptible to his advances – he seemingly held all the power.
Take Mahankirn Khalsa, for example; as per her accounts, she was taken advantage of by Yogi Bhajan starting at the age of 18, only to later be the Head of Finance at a 3HO company as well as his secretary. “I had caught Yogi Bhajan’s eye and thereafter was groomed to join the master’s sexual harem,” she once said. “My future included being continually raped by him and, at his command, sexually violated by other cult members. I became his ‘queen,’ draped with jewels and riches for my loyalty, traveled the globe like a rock star, met world leaders, shared stages in front of thousands of his followers, and basked in his reflected glory.”
3HO is Still a Non-Profit Organization Active Across the Globe
It was in 2020 that a sexual abuse claim against Yogi Bhajan came to light after a long time, following which several other alleged victims stepped forward and even filed a lawsuit against 3HO. In their filing, they vehemently asserted they were not only taken advantage of by the guru but that many of their fellow members were also aware of the abuse yet did nothing to stop it. Hence, a consultancy specializing in addressing heinous misconducts in spiritual groups began conducting its own investigation into the same, only for their concluding report to state that the likelihood of all these claims being true was incredibly high.
As a result, 3HO established a relief fund to compensate those who had faced abuse at the hands of its founding guru, essentially accepting it to be true, all the while continuing its operations. In fact, today, this organization focuses on promoting its original message, with the addition of bringing more diverse community voices from all across the world together. Therefore, under its banner, it currently has structures such as the Kundalini Research Institute (KRI), the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association (IKYTA), A Meditation for Peace, Kundalini Beyond Borders, and many similar operations.
We should mention that KRI boasts 32,000 teachers from 122 countries, which has enabled them to hold teacher training sessions in over 72 countries while also engaging in educating the whole world on Kundalini Yoga. As for A Meditation for Peace, 3Ho actually launched this movement in 2022 with its sister organizations with the goal to raise $10,000 to support Ukrainian refugees. As if that’s not enough, it’s also imperative to note the Kundalini Beyond Borders program offers trauma-informed yoga/support sessions to communities across the world in need – whether it be violence, abuse, or war, it covers everything.
Read More: Pamela “Premka” Dyson: Where is Yogi Bhajan’s Former Employee Now?
