The stated mission of 3HO is to "share the lifestyle, yoga and meditation practices of Kundalini Yoga,"[1] claimed by its practitioners to be the most powerful and accessible form of yoga.[2] This yogic lifestyle practice includes Kundalini yoga, meditation, diet, clean living,[3] and yogic philosophy. The 3HO Foundation serves as the central organization for a global community of yoga teachers, students, and everyday people who practice and share the Kundalini yoga and lifestyle teachings[4] of Yogi Bhajan.
3HO describes itself as a spiritual community welcoming of all religions and lifestyles. Teaching Kundalini Yoga does not require belief in Sikhism, however many followers of Harbhajan Singh Yogi choose to follow a Sikh way of life. The associated Sikh Dharma movement, based in Española, New Mexico, considers itself a Sikh sangat, and its followers observe the Five Ks. Men and women wear large white dastars (turbans) and the movement's gender politics are egalitarian.
Beliefs and practices
3HOs practices are based on the yogic practice of Kundalini Yoga as first taught in the Western Hemisphere by Yogi Bhajan starting in 1968.[5] Adherents practise yoga and meditation, eat a vegetarian diet, and encourage the consumption of the "trinity roots" (garlic, onion, and ginger). The organisation advocates seva or "selfless service" and karma yoga.[6][7]
Global Events and Online Resources
The 3HO Foundation offers events worldwide featuring the teachings of Yogi Bhajan. In the United States, there are Summer and Winter Solstice Sadhana Celebrations, a Women's Camp, and a Youth Camp.[8] There is also an annual European Yoga Festival held in the summer in France.[9] The German branch of 3HO holds its own Kundalini Yoga Festival in June each year.[10] In South America, an annual festival is held in Chile.[11] There is also an Asian 3HO Yoga Festival, held in Thailand [12] Kundalini Yoga resources may be accessed at the Kundalini Research Institute's website.[13]
Critics
Time wrote an article in 1977, critical of 3HO and Yogi Bhajan who created the organization. Their piece, published September 5, 1977, under the title “Yogi Bhajan's Synthetic Sikhism”[14] was supported by Dr. Trilochan Singh, a prominent Sikh scholar and historian and followed up with a treatise titled Sikhism and Tantric Yoga[15] which was highly critical of 3HO, Yogi Bhajan and his yoga techniques calling them unSikh-like and "a sacrilegious hodgepodge."
Elsberg, Constance. Graceful Women: Gender and Identity in an American Sikh Community. University of Tennessee Press, 2006.
Laue, Thorsten: Tantra im Westen. Eine religionswissenschaftliche Studie über „Weißes Tantra Yoga“, „Kundalini Yoga“ und „Sikh Dharma“ in Yogi Bhajans „Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization“ (3HO) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der „3H Organisation Deutschland e. V.“, Münster: LIT, 2012, zugl.: Tübingen, Univ., Diss., 2011, ISBN978-3-643-11447-1 [in German]
Laue, Thorsten: Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Tee und das Wassermannzeitalter. Religionswissenschaftliche Einblicke in die Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization (3HO) des Yogi Bhajan, Münster: LIT, 2007, ISBN978-3-8258-0140-3 [in German]
