Because of the variety of practices included in a Kundalini class, particularly those that draw more upon the subtle body, this form of yoga can be practiced by anyone no matter their age or physical fitness level. The head covering protects and contains the energy of the crown chakra, the uppermost energy center of the physical body. The color white, according to Yogi Bhajan, is considered to be cleansing, expanding the aura and guarding from negative energy. Both teachers and students wear turbans and white clothing. While physicality is one aspect of this type of yoga, Kundalini blends the physical and spiritual, using mantra such as “Sat Nam,” which means “truth is my essence” pranayama, or breath control meditation and kriyas, or repeated body movements designed to facilitate energy flow.

In 1969, Yogi Bhajan established the 3HO, which stands for “Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization,” a nonprofit dedicated to sharing the teachings of Kundalini yoga.įor most Westerners who associate yoga with a flowing physical workout, Kundalini is a practice that is a bit outside the box. Declared a master of Kundalini yoga at age 16, Yogi Bhajan, as he would later become known worldwide, became the first to openly teach Kundalini yoga to the public, unveiling a lineage previously masked in secrecy. In 1968 a Pakistani-born economics major named Harbhajan Singh Puri boarded a plane with a one-way ticket from Punjab, India to Toronto, Canada.

Ong namo guru dev namo origins