See more photos and discussion on facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=108156&id=1214270541&l=5a22781e63

“Amid the legal infighting following Yogi Bhajan’s death, critics are offering another portrait of the Sikh leader.”

3HO Sikhs are now fighting amongst themselves in a lawsuit over the millions of dollars in profits made from using the sacred Sikh religious symbols and scriptures for their own personal gain.3HO Sikhs, who follow Yogi Bhajan, funnel the money to support Yogi Bhajan's tantric cult church which 3HO Sikhs have deceptively camouflaged using names like "Sikh Dharma International", "3HO foundation", "Sikh Dharma Stewardship","SikhNet.com","Sikh Dharma Worldwide", "Unto Infinity Board","Khalsa Council" and "KRI(Kundalini Research Institute)". See "Sikhnet's" and "Sikh Dharma International's" slick new websites which were produced with the millions in ill-gained profits using the name of the Golden Temple, names and images of the Sikh Gurus, and sacred Sikh shabads for profit in commercial enterprises.

Read the full front page article about Yogi Bhajan's lust for power and greed of his 3HO Sikhs in Today's Eugene Register-Guard:

""Yogi's Legacy in Question"".[/link]

"New lawsuit hits Golden Temple with fraud!"

Read about the infighting in 3HO and Sikh Dharma--
Today's Eugene Register-Guard:

""Rift in 3HO Sikh community threatens business empire""

LETTERS IN THE EDITOR’S MAILBAG: Friday’s paper
Appeared in print: Friday, May 28, 2010

"Bhajan was a leader ‘by fluke’

Recently, a friend sent me articles from The Register-Guard on litigation involving Yogi Bhajan’s organizations in Oregon. The letters to the editor that followed, critical of the reporter, prompt me to throw some light on the subject. Bhajan was extremely good at what he did, but propagation of Sikhism he was not. Criticism of Bhajan’s cult cannot be construed as criticism of Sikhism.

Trilochan Singh, a distinguished Sikh scholar, in his 1977 book “Sikhism and Tantric Yoga,” describes Bhajan devastatingly: “Yogi Bhajan is a Sikh by birth, a Maha Tantric by choice but without training, and a ‘Sri Singh Sahib’ and self-styled leader of the Sikhs of the Western Hemisphere by fluke and mysterious strategy.” There was no mystery to his strategy. He ingratiated himself with the Sikh religious leadership in Punjab, which was more corrupt than the Vatican during the time of Martin Luther.

According to the Tantrics, the best form of worship is the fullest satisfaction of the sexual desires of man, therefore sexual intercourse is prescribed as a part of Tantric worship. In the annals of abuse of women, some had harems, others had concubines and Bhajan had secretaries. The Sikh gurus condemned the Tantrics and their practices. All the cases mentioned in The Register-Guard had merit.

Humility is the hallmark of a Sikh, and Bhajan had none of it. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, describes people such as Bhajan succinctly: “Those ... who have no virtues but are filled with egotistical pride.”

Hardev Singh Shergill President, Khalsa Tricentennial Foundation of North America Editor-in-chief, The Sikh Bulletin El Dorado Hills, Calif.

"Sikhism and Tantric Yoga"
by Dr. Trilochan Singh (Link to entire book)

"The book Sikhism And Tantric Yoga is available at: www.gurmukhyoga.com.This website which is operated by a genuine White Sikh is highly recommended. Gursant Singh was a member of the Yogi Bhajan Cult (3HO and the Sikhnet Gora Sikhs or White Sikhs) for over 30 years and has intimate knowledge about the inner workings of this cult which attempts to miscegnate Sikhism with Hindu idolatry. I downloaded the book from Gursant’s website and found it to be absolutely compelling. I read it in one compulsive and sustained draught. It is a study not only about cults in Sikhism but about the miscegenation of the Sikh Religion by Hinduism. It is a classic work rendered in beautiful English prose and it is patently the work of a profound intellectual scholar with a deep knowledge of Sikhism."
Quotation taken from: http://www.sikharchives.com/?p=5513&cpage=1#comment-2011

You may also view individual chapters to "Sikhism and Tantric Yoga" at these links:

Sikhism & Tantric Yoga A Critical Evaluation of Yogi Bhajan
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=192

Sikh Doctrines and Yogi Bhajan's Secret Science
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=193

Yogi Bhajan's Adi Shakti Shaktimans and Shaktis
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=194

Yogi Bhajan's Clap Trap Theories of Kundalini Yoga
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=195

Yogi Bhajan's Ego Maniac Utterances
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=205

Yogi Bhajan's Seven Years in America and His Tinkling Titles
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=206

Yogi Bhajan's Arrest and Release on Bail
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=207

Yogi Bhajan Becomes the Only Maha Tantric in the World
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=208

Sikh Leaders without Conscience
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=209

Call to Truth and Authentic Sikhism
http://www.gurmukhyoga.com/forum/index.php?id=210

Please read an Excerpt below taken from "Sikhism and Tantric Yoga"

The Name of Golden Temple and its Murals

"In England last year a firm advertised some blue jeans as Jesus Jeans. The whole religious world of England rose in one protest and stopped the manufacture of these jeans. The word Golden Temple has become an instrument of commercial affairs of Yogi Bhajan He has now even named shoe stores as Golden Temple. I was given a "Wha Guru Chew.""

"Yogi Bhajan is using the sacred Sikh mantras and the sacred name of Guru Ram Das as a mantle for his Tantric Sex Yoga which will inevitably lead to mental and physical debauchery of those who take his brand of Sikhism contaminated by crazy sex-energizing asanas seriously."

Read about the "war between 3HO Sikh's Unto Infinity Board and Yogi Bhajan's Sikh Dharma". Yogi Bhajan set up all these organizations and installed their leaders. Decide for yourself if the Tantric Sex Yoga which Yogi Bhajan taught inevitably leads to mental and physical debauchery.

Many of these 3HO profiteers have cut their hair and renounced Sikhi! See these pictures below of Kartar Khalsa CEO of Golden Temple Foods and chairman of Yogi Bhajan's "Unto Infinity Board" who has cut his hair and is no longer a Sikh.

(Is it any wonder that Kartar and Peraim, Controlling members of Yogi Bhajan's "Unto Infinity Board",are wearing circus masks in the above photo?)http://cirrus.mail-list.com/khalsa-council/Kartar-Peraim.2-10.jpg

See these articles in today's Eugene Register Guard which shows the greed surrounding this dispute:

"Money trail at heart of Sikhs’ legal battle."

Wha Guru being used sacriligiously for huge profits by 3HO Sikhs
"Five flavors and they're all nuts!"

"What did the magician say to the Wha Guru Chew? Open sesame."

Yogi Bhajan used the sacred name of the Golden Temple, names and images of the Sikh Gurus, and sacred Sikh shabads for commercial enterprises to make millions of dollars. Wha Guru is even used as the name of a candy bar by Golden Temple Foods!Links appearing on the internet advertise Golden Temple along with wine and alcohol such as in this Google search link: "Golden Temple Granola - Food & Wine - Compare Prices" Other internet links associate Golden Temple massage oil with sex and sensual massages as in this Google search: "Sensual Soothing... Golden Temple Soothing Touch Massage Oil."

See for yourself the pictures below of the Darbar Sahib(Golden Temple) in Amritsar and Guru Tegh Bahadar featured on yogi tea boxes:

3HO Sikhs are associating yogis, ashrams, tantric sex yoga rituals,drinking of wine and magicians of the occult with the Sikh Gurus and the Golden Temple See the Rare Photo (above) featuring the Harimandir sahib in 1908 when it was under the control of the Pundits or mahants. Sadhus and yogis felt free to sit wearing only a dhoti and no head coverings.The Gurdwara Reform Movement stopped such practices in India and gave the Gurdwaras back to Gursikhs.

Tantric Asanas taught by Yogi Bhajan for transmuting sexual energy:Reprinted from Yogi Bhajan’s official magazine “Beads of Truth” 11, p. 39

Yogi Bhajan illustrated here controlling tantric shakti "energy". Notice the depiction of Shiva,above Yogi Bhajan's head, Shiva is the god of yoga for Hindus. The illustration also shows Kundalini Yoga Asanas taught by Yogi Bhajan for transmuting sexual energy

Yogi Bhajan's students are intstructed to meditate on Yogi Bhajan's picture everyday which you can see displayed in the 3HO Espanola Gurdwara in the photo above.

Idolatry is forbidden in sikhism....why does an 8-foot high statue of the Hindu god Ganesh, adorn the entranceway to the Siri Singh Sahib (yogi bhajan) lane in espanola. This is the hindu god of "prosperity", as in the 3HO publication "prosperity pathways".Adi Shakti Chandi 3HO Tantric Deity worshipped by 3HO in songs and prayers(shown above). Read about Yogi Bhajan's Shaktiman and Shakti women.

Read these shocking fire pujas and occult numerology,(below), practiced and advertised in the latest newsletter published by 3HO Sikhs. These "kriyas" or pujas are complete rubbish,only adding to the destruction and dissolution of the Sikh faith and should not be practiced by Sikhs of the Guru. The object of these practices is to combine the Sikh faith with Hinduism; to defang, neuter and completely destroy Sikhi. The strategy is to introduce idolatry and a stratified priesthood into the Sikh Religion. Yogi Bhajan and his 3HO shakti cult followers are introducing idolatry and Hindu practices of pujas and tantra mantra into the Sikh religion. The Bhajan movement is attempting to shift Sikh worship from the commonwealth of Gurdwaras to private estates controlled by 3HO priests of Yogi Bhajan's Tantric sex cult church.

Idolatry is forbidden in Sikhism....why does a golden statue of a yogi adorn the entranceway to the 3HO Gurdwara in Espanola. This is a Hindu practise.
3-HO Sikhs demonstrate(in the photo above)their complete subservience to false worldly material power by exhibiting the Flag of God (The Nishaan Sahib) at an even level with the flag of the United States in front of the 3HO Gurdwara in New Mexico. The Nishaan Sahib, (The Respected Mark of God under the shadow of the Sikh Broadsword) should always fly higher than the flag of all the false materialists. The Flag of the Khalsa should occupy a place of exaltation above any government's flag that temporarily inhabits the material world.

Tantric Yoga asanas (above) taught by Yogi Bhajan
and practised in 3HO Gurdwaras

"Tantric doctrines involving sex-poses or physical contact poses are extremely repulsive to Sikhism. The Sikh Gurus repeatedly ask the Sikhs to shun Tantric practices because they are based on a mentally perverted outlook of life. The Sikh Gurus ask the Sikhs to shun the very presence and association of Shakti-Cult Tantrics." Dr. Trilochan Singh "Sikhism and Tantric Yoga"

Tantric Asana taught by Yogi Bhajan for transmuting sexual energy:Reprinted from Yogi Bhajan’s official magazine “Beads of Truth” 11, p. 39

See how Hindu gods and yogis are displayed in 3HO Gurdwaras, (see link in blue).

See this post which exposes the most shocking relationship Yogi Bhajan had with Jagjit Naamdhari who is considered by his disciples as the 11th Sikh Guru. The Naamdhari Sikhs keep the Siri Guru Granth in a closet while they bow to Jagjit and refer to him as "SatGuru Ji" as you can see in the photos at this link.

Read these comments by traditional Sikhs. "What better way to make money: add a religious tone to the product. All of a sudden, it seems legit."

If you want to stop these degrading and sacriligious practices by Golden Temple Foods and Yogi Bhajan's cult followers; Post a letter of support on this website or write your local food stores and demand they stop selling Golden Temple Food's products. Some of the major stores which carry these products are Trader Joes, Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats but there are many many other stores who sell millions of dollars in Golden Temple Granola, Peace Cereal, Yogi Teas, massage oil and Wha Guru Chews.

Yogi Bhajan's sacrilegious teachings in the name of Sikhism are illustrated quite distinctly by pictures of Yogi Bhajan's portrait, hindu idols being displayed in and around 3-HO Gurdwaras and the practice of kundalini and sex energizing tantric yoga asanas inside 3-HO Gudwaras by Yogi Bhajan's students.

Idolatry is forbidden in Sikhism. Why does an eight foot high image (above) of Yogi Bhajan controlling the tantric shakti "energy" adorn the 3HO Gurdwara in Espanola? You can see the menacing image of Yogi Bhajan overshadowing the Sangat on the right side of the entire Espanola Gurdwara in the photo above.

Idolatry is forbidden in sikhism....why does a golden statue of a yogi adorn the entranceway to the 3HO Gurdwara in espanola. This is a hindu practise.

Yogi Bhajan's students are intstructed to meditate on Yogi Bhajan's picture everyday which you can see displayed in the 3HO Espanola Gurdwara in these photos.


In a painting at the New Mexico 3HO Gurdwara(above)you can see the sacrilegious misrepresentation of our sacred Khalsa symbol "Khanda" with two swords around it. You may also observe in this painting how Yogi Bhajan is depicted on an equal level with Guru Ram Daas(the 4th Sikh Guru): Dr. Trilochan Singh recounts this observation in 1977 when he writes, "The other picture was the Khalsa symbol Khanda with two swords around it. The Khanda (double-edged sword) within this symbol was replaced by a picture of an American woman with Sari-like robes. The woman is called Adi Shakti. I saw this published in the Beads of Truth in London and have already commented on it in my book, The Turban and the Sword of the Sikhs. I told Shakti Parwha that this is the most sacrilegious misrepresentation of our sacred symbol. As usual she dismissed my opinion as unimportant."

The sikh code of conduct says food offerings to the GURU are forbidden, but there is a 'testimony' page over at sikhnet.com, a 3HO run site loaded with volumes of Yogi Bhajan nonsense talks. Yogi Bhajan instructs 3Hoer's to prepare meals as offerings at the gurdwara and calls this "a dish for a wish". This is nothing more than the Hindu practice of puja. The testimony states "a dish for a wish".
Please read an Excerpt below taken from

"Sikhism and Tantric Yoga"
by Dr. Trilochan Singh (Link to entire book)

"Yogi Bhajan is using the sacred Sikh mantras and the sacred name of Guru Ram Das as a mantle for his Tantric Sex Yoga which will inevitably lead to mental and physical debauchery of those who take his brand of Sikhism contaminated by crazy sex-energizing asanas seriously."

Yogi Bhajan studied and taught at the Sivananda Ashram in Delhi. This, in addition to his first Kundalini Yoga teacher Sant Hazara Singh. In the mid-1960s, Harbhajan Singh took up a position as instructor at the Vishwayatan Ashram in New Delhi, under Dhirendra Brahmachari. This yoga centre was frequented by the Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, his daughter, Indira Gandhi, and diplomats and employees from a host of foreign embassies.

Here's an article on Sivananda's approach to Kundalini Yoga:

www.dlshq.org/download/kundalini.htm

These are all Hindu practices.

You can also read about the Gurdwara Reform Movement which stopped such practices in India and gave the Gurdwaras back to Gursikhs.

Gurdwara Reform Movement

A Rare Photo of Harimandir sahib in 1908 when it was under the control of the Pundits or mahants. Sadhus felt free to sit in meditation wearing only a dhoti.The Gurdwara Reform Movement (Gurdwara Sudhar Lehr) is the Legislation passed by the Punjab Legislative Council which marked the culmination of the struggle of the Sikh people from 1920-1925 to wrest control of their places of worship from the mahants or priests into whose hands they had passed during the eighteenth century when the Khalsa were driven from their homes to seek safety in remote hills and deserts.

When they later established their sway in Punjab, the Sikhs rebuilt their shrines endowing them with large jagirs and estates. The management, however, remained with the priests, belonging mainly to the Udasi sect, who, after the advent of the British in 1849, began to consider the shrines and lands attached to them as their personal properties and to appropriating the income accruing from them to their private use. Some of them alienated or sold Gurudwara properties at will. They had introduced ceremonies which were anathema to orthodox Sikhs. Besides, there were complaints of immorality and even criminal behavior lodged against the worst of them. All these factors gave rise to what is known as the Gurudwara Reform movement during which the Sikhs peaceful protests were met with violence and death and ended with them courting arrest on a large scale to gain the world's attention. Before it was all over many would fall as martyrs with some being literally blown apart while they were strapped to cannaon barrels.

‘During the Gurdwara Reform Movement, the Sikh leaders started a publication that was named Akali. From this paper and its policy the leaders began to be called Akalis, in view of which they formed the present Akali party. These Nihang Akalis should not be confused with the members of the Akali party.’ The Turban And The Sword’' , by Dr. Trilochan Singh. (Page 402)

I found this post at SikhSangat.com It exposes the most shocking relationship Yogi Bhajan had with Jagjit Naamdhari who is considered by his disciples as the 11th Sikh Guru. The Naamdhari Sikhs keep the Siri Guru Granth in a closet while they bow to Jagjit and refer to him as "SatGuru Ji" as you can see in the photos below.

The 'Namdhari' cult has been excommunicated from the Khalsa Panth. See for yourself the pictures of Yogi Bhajan depicting his close relationship with Jagjit Naamdhari.

"However their are several instances which I find questionable about Yogi Bhajan. One includes the relationship they had with Jagjit Naamdhari (http://satguruji.blogspot.com/), and the other about an occurance that occured in the late 70's between Yogi and AKJ, where Yogi criticized Jatha for trying to "steal" members."

Yogi Bhajan wore huge gemstones for their so called “yogic energy and power". Yogi Bhajan adorned himself with these yogic rings and precious gems for different days of the week. Yogi Bhajan covered up the fact that these days are represented by different Hindu deities and the practice of wearing these yogic rings is really only the Hindu idea of pacifying the various gods and goddesses. Not only this, Yogi Bhajan used astrology and numerology in choosing these yogic rings. Yogi Bhajan believed the gemstones had "energy affects" and influenced our destiny, thinking and actions.

Yogi Bhajan shown here on Sikhnet wearing a yogic ring for power

Around the year 2000, Yogi Bhajan tried to personally sell me a yogic ring for several thousand dollars. We were at Hari Jiwan Singh's house in Espanola where HJ keeps a vast collection of gems worth millions of dollars. Yogi Bhajan told me. "You're naked." And he stated I needed a ring with a particular stone to protect me.

Yogi Bhajan’s wearing and promoting yogic rings is yet another Hindu practice camouflaged in the sheep’s clothing of "Aquarian or New Age spiritual thinking”. These things should not be practiced by Sikhs of the Guru. As Sikhs we should rely on the Guru alone for strength as Guru Arjan so beautifully states:

I have learnt the technique of true Yoga from the divine Guru. The True Guru has revealed this technique with the Light of the divine Word. Within my body He has revealed the Light that pervades all the regions of the earth. To this Light within me I bow and salute every moment. The initiation of the Guru are my Yogic rings and I fix my mind steadfastly on the One Absolute God.i,

A. G. Guru Arjan, Gaudi, p 208

The following is taken from "Sikhism and Tantric Yoga" by Dr. Trilochan Singh.

We quote Yogi Bhajan on Precious Stones and rings, which for him are his status symbol, and for possessing which he expends quite a lot of his energy and ingenuity. He says in Beads, Summer 1972, "Precious stones are not precious because the rich wear them and the poor do not. Rather, they are precious because when cut in the proper way they concentrate sun energy and can transmit to the individual through the skin. Hence most rings are worn on the ring finger. The quality of energy channeled by each stone differs and so does its effect on the individual. Stones also correspond to the planets and serve in mediating the scattered energy which comes from retrograding planets."
Yogi Bhajan has given the following comments on stones.
Ruby (Sun) concentrates the heart of the sun's rays.
Moonstone and Pearls (Moon) help balance out too much sun energy. They are commonly worn by Libra.
Diamond (Venus and practically everything) can concentrate miles of sun rays into one beam. Recently in Los Angeles someone was robbed of 100,000 worth of jewel within 72 hours.
Emerald (Mercury) has wonderful effect on the brain and is a cooling stone. Good luck for everyone.
Coral (Mars) is for balancing positive and negative forces.
Topaz (Jupiter) is a good luck stone.
Blue Sapphire (Saturn) can give so much energy to a person that he becomes negative. Those who are interested in details can read the Journal Beads, Summer 1972, p. 16. I do not know what is the opinion of the Jewelers on these statements but from the point of Sikhism these notions are worthless absurdities.
Yogi Bhajan does not wear the earrings of the Nath Panthi Yogis, but he wears precious gold rings (sometimes two and sometimes three) heavily studded with jewels, and cannot help displaying them ostentatiously, probably as a symbol of wealth acquired through the techniques of Tantric Yoga, which he sacrilegiously identifies with the techniques of Sikh mysticism. Bhai Gurdas, however, makes it clear to all Sikhs of all ages that Yoga asanas and yoga techniques are absolutely useless and unnecessary for Sikh meditations and the spiritual path of Sikhism:
jog jugat gursikh gurs am jhay a
The Guru has himself explained to the Sikhs the technique of true Yoga, and it is this: A Sikh must live in such a moral and spiritual poise that while hoping and waiting he ceases to aspire or crave for low ambitions and remains unconcerned and detached. He should eat little and drink little. He should speak little and never waste time in nonsensical discussion. He should sleep little at night and keep away from the snare of wealth. He should never crave avariciously after wealth and property.
Bhai Gurdas, Var 20 / 15

We still have very eminent scholars and saints who practice and live according to the Essentials of the Sikh Path with utter humility and devotion. They do not wear long robes. They do not wear gold and diamond rings. They do not contaminate Sikh doctrines and practices with practices of creeds and cults which are repulsive to Sikhism and strictly prohibited. There are piles and piles of correct interpretations of the Sacred Writings of the Sikhs written first by the great contemporaries of the Gurus like Bhai Gurdas, Bhai Mani Singh, Bhai Nand Lai, and our own contemporaries like Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh and Bhai Vir Singh. They not only interpreted it but lived it and suffered for it like living martyrs, never seeking anything but the Grace of God and the Gurus as a reward.
See an excerpt from a meditation taught by Yogi Bhajan listed on one of his student's websites promoting yogic gems at "YogaGems.com".

"Each finger represents a planet, whose energies we imbue with grace within ourselves and through our projection:

The little finger is Mercury, enhancing communication.

The ring finger represents the sun, empowering our physical bodies with healing and grace of motion.

The middle finger stands for Saturn. We strengthen virtues of patience and self-discipline.

The index finger is for Jupiter. We enshrine the light of wisdom within us.

The thumb represents the earth, ego, “dragons head and dragons tail.” We bring grace to the ego, so it supports our spirit.

I brought this realization of grace through the beautiful Light that had descended with me, wherein I experienced each finger’s cosmic connection—to the planet Mercury, the shining Sun, ringed Saturn, luminous Jupiter, and lastly, Earth—wherein dragons symbolize the spiraling DNA of creation, all these energies equally a part of my soul."

See these links by Yogi Bhajan's students promoting "Power necklaces".

Please read an Excerpt below taken from

"Sikhism and Tantric Yoga"
by Dr. Trilochan Singh (Link to entire book)

"Yogi Bhajan is using the sacred Sikh mantras and the sacred name of Guru Ram Das as a mantle for his Tantric Sex Yoga which will inevitably lead to mental and physical debauchery of those who take his brand of Sikhism contaminated by crazy sex-energizing asanas seriously."

The Register-Guard
http://www.registerguard.com/
Yogi’s legacy in question |
Former followers say he abused his position for power, money and sexBy Sherri Buri McDonald

The Register-Guard

Posted to Web: Sunday, May 9, 2010 12:14AM
Appeared in print: Sunday, May 9, 2010, page A8

A slow, painful awakening led Premka Kaur Khalsa, a top secretary in Yogi Bhajan’s Sikh organization for almost 20 years, to leave the religious group in 1984, she said.

Premka Khalsa, 66, said she could no longer participate because of the inconsistencies she said she had witnessed between the yogi’s behavior and his teachings — the deception and abuse of power.

In 1986, she sued Yogi Bhajan and his Sikh organizations, settling out of court. In court papers, she alleged that the married yogi had sexually and physically assaulted her, that he was sexually involved with other secretaries and that, as the head of his administration, she worked long hours for little or no pay.

The organization’s religious leaders vehemently deny those allegations. Its business leaders did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

Kamalla Rose Kaur, 55, another former member of Yogi Bhajan’s 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) who wrote for a grass-roots newsletter in the community, said a light switched on for her when she was researching and writing about religious groups and thought, “Hey, we’re acting a lot like a cult.”

Former member Guru Bir Singh Khalsa, 60, who had been appointed a “lifetime minister” by Yogi Bhajan, said he received a wake-up call in the early 1990s, when Sue Stryker, then an investigator with the Monterey County District Attorney’s office, laid out evidence linking members of his spiritual community to criminal activity. Stryker, now retired, said a member of Yogi Bhajan’s Sikh community pleaded guilty and served time in prison for a telemarketing scam that bilked seniors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

These and other ex-members of Yogi Bhajan’s organization say they aren’t surprised by events unfolding now, six years after his death. Legal disputes threaten to splinter the community. Allegations of the yogi’s past wrongdoing are resurfacing. And the future of the Sikh organization’s businesses are in question.

The outcome will ripple far beyond the religious group, whose companies have become intertwined with the local economy and business community.

In Multnomah County Circuit Court, the group’s religious leaders are suing the group’s business leaders over control of the community’s multimillion dollar businesses, including Golden Temple natural foods in Eugene and Akal Security in New Mexico.

“Organizations/cults that have charismatic leaders and their followings, once their charismatic leader dies, this is generally the kind of thing that occurs,” Premka Khalsa said.

“It’s the meltdown of a cult,” said Kamalla Kaur, who spent nearly 20 years in 3HO, and now runs an Internet forum for ex-members. “They actually kept it together longer than we expected.”

Steven Hassan, a Massachusetts-based author, counselor and former leader of the Moon cult in the 1970s, said he has counseled about two dozen former 3HO members, including leaders, over the years.

“The group, from my point of view, was always about power and money,” he said. “(Yogi) Bhajan is the consummate … cult leader. By not specifying someone to take over, there often are these kinds of political battles and meltdowns — people basically being greedy like Yogi Bhajan was and wanting more of a slice for themselves.”

Attorney John McGrory, who represents the religious leaders in the Multnomah case, said his clients strongly disagree with the description of their organization as a cult. They “believe very strongly that it’s a religion,” he said. “They practice and follow it, and they are ministers.” The proof, he said, is in the thousands of adherents who still practice it.

McGrory said the real source of the discord in the community appears to be that the assets Yogi Bhajan built up over the years are being taken for private use, with the blessing of the managers the yogi appointed to safeguard them.

Gary Roberts, attorney for the business leaders, has said they’ve done nothing wrong and have acted in the interests of the Sikh community.

When a founder of an organization, or the head of a family, passes away, disputes among successors are common, said Krishna Singh Khalsa, a Eugene Sikh for 40 years.

“There’s nothing spiritual or charismatic or cultlike about that,” he said. “It’s simply where interests clash.”

Religious leaders voice concerns

A year before he died, Yogi Bhajan established the “Unto Infinity” board to oversee the network of businesses, property and educational and spiritual nonprofits. Members include Golden Temple CEO Kartar Singh Khalsa and three of the yogi’s former secretaries: Sopurkh Kaur Khalsa, Siri Karm Kaur Khalsa, and Peraim Kaur Khalsa. Kartar Khalsa and Peraim Khalsa are domestic partners.

In the years leading up to the Multnomah lawsuit, the group’s religious leaders expressed concern that the business leaders, the Unto Infinity members, had abandoned the group’s orthodox beliefs, which include not cutting one’s hair, eating a vegetarian diet and abstaining from alcohol.

In court documents, the religious leaders allege that the Unto Infinity members acknowledged in 2008 that they no longer practiced those core beliefs.

Unto Infinity members did not respond to Register-Guard interview requests. But in March 2009, when the Khalsa Council, an international group of Sikh ministers, asked them whether they had cut their hair, were no longer vegetarians, and drank alcohol, the business leaders responded by letter, according to the Khalsa Council.

The letter said, among other things: “The questions raised are irrelevant to our roles and responsibilities in the organization. We are not the religious leaders of the organization; we were given administrative and financial authority and responsibility.”

The Unto Infinity members wrote that they had made many sacrifices while the yogi was alive and that now they’re applying “more kindness into our personal lives.”

“We have learned the importance of factoring back into our lives more joy and balance as we continue to serve this mission for the rest of our way home,” they wrote.

The Unto Infinity members wrote that if the religious authorities decided to narrowly define what a Sikh Dharma minister is, “we may not continue to qualify.”

However, they noted, “many current ministers in Sikh Dharma have broken their Sikh or minister vows, marital vows, and the laws of our country and have remained ministers,” adding that that had been true even while Yogi Bhajan was alive.

Watching the business leaders back away from the group’s religious practices, some former members said, reminds them of what they experienced when they decided to leave the group.

“You go through stages of discovery of how you gave away your power and were deceived,” Premka Khalsa said.

“Once the person who is defining your reality — the charismatic leader — once he’s not there continuing to enforce the beliefs, then your eyes start to open,” she said. “You see things in a different way, and it can be disillusioning.”

Premka Khalsa said that’s especially true for the yogi’s secretaries, such as herself, who sacrificed much of their lives to serve him.

“I met him at 25,” she said. “I was 41 by the time I left, so my life of family, child bearing and (being) productive in the world, that whole piece was gone. Nothing was put into Social Security, and I walked out with the clothes on my back.”

The women in his inner circle “were denied having a personal relationship with any other men,” she added. “Some of us wanted to get married and have children, but we got sidetracked into agreeing to forego that with the intention of serving something bigger than us. Sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice.”

Flaws noted by former members

The group’s publications and Web sites praise Yogi Bhajan as an advocate for world peace and as a spiritual teacher who has helped improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

A resolution passed by Congress in 2005 after his death recognized the yogi as “a wise teacher and mentor, an outstanding pioneer, a champion of peace and a compassionate human being.”

But Yogi Bhajan also had flaws, former members said.

“He was a phenomenal yoga teacher, a phenomenal spiritual man,” said Guru Bir Khalsa, the former “lifetime minister” who left the group after 18 years. But the yogi “sabotaged his own dream,” he said.

Imposing at 6 foot 3 inches and 250 pounds, Yogi Bhajan claimed humility, but had a weakness for expensive jewelry, luxury cars and custom-designed robes, former members said.

“He was a big dichotomy,” Premka Khalsa said. “He was tremendously charismatic. It just drew you in. You felt held and you felt loved and you felt embraced and felt part of something that was magnificent and bigger than you, and always yummy.”

“On the other side, he could be devastatingly harsh and make decisions that seemed so contrary to what he would preach and teach,” she said.

“He was all about power and he became a victim of that experience,” she said.

Lawsuits on assaults, inheritance

With his long white beard, white turban and white robes, Yogi Bhajan advocated for world peace, founding an annual Peace Prayer Day in 1985. But his saintly public image contrasted starkly with his private behavior, Premka Khalsa and other former secretaries said.

In her 1986 lawsuit, Premka Khalsa alleged that Yogi Bhajan repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted her from November 1968 to November 1984.

McGrory, the religious leaders’ attorney, said his clients deny all the allegations in Premka Khalsa’s lawsuit, which “were never verified or substantiated.”

In court papers, she alleged that the yogi was sexually involved with various female followers, and that he ordered her to coordinate his sexual liaisons, including orgies, with other secretaries, which she refused to do.

The head of Yogi Bhajan’s administration, and an editor and writer for his publications, Premka Khalsa said she worked on average 10 hours a day, five days a week. She alleged that she was paid $375 a month — only in her last three years with the group.

“It was another part of how he kept us bound,” she said. “We didn’t have independent resources. He had a fleet of cars — one of which was mine to drive. And he had properties to live on, but they weren’t mine. You had few independent resources, so it made it hard to live out on (your) own. He did that with lots of people.”

Premka Khalsa alleged in her lawsuit that Yogi Bhajan called her “his spiritual wife, destined to serve mankind by serving him in a conjugal capacity.” He said if she did so, he “would care for her for all of her natural life,” she alleged.

When Yogi Bhajan died in 2004, his wife Bibiji Inderjit was to inherit half of their community property, and he designated that his half go to Staff Endowment, a trust to support 15 female administrative assistants. To receive her share, each assistant had to live in accordance with the yogi’s teachings and the Sikh Dharma Order, according to court documents. If she didn’t, her interest would be cut to 2 percent, the court papers said.

Among the trust beneficiaries are Guru Amrit Kaur Khalsa, a plaintiff, and Sopurkh Khalsa, a defendant, in the Multnomah clash between the religious and business leaders, according to court papers.

McGrory said his clients deny that the Staff Endowment was in return for anything relating to Premka Khalsa’s allegations.

Yogi Bhajan’s estate still isn’t settled. In legal proceedings in New Mexico, the yogi’s widow argues that she was not aware of large gifts and expenditures her husband made while he was alive, and she wants an accounting of them, which could result in a determination that she is entitled to more of the remaining estate, said Surjit Soni, the widow’s attorney.

He said the yogi’s widow “does not begrudge or resist in any shape or form the bequest of Yogi Bhajan to his assistants … We just have to figure out what’s hers and what’s his and move on down the road.”

Soni declined to comment on the sexual abuse allegations.

Responding to the unpaid labor allegations, he said that many people volunteered their time to build the organization.

“It started with little or no sources of income and took the effort of a lot in the community lovingly coming together to provide their services,” he said. “They were doing it voluntarily. Nobody held a gun to their head.”

Another sexual abuse case against Yogi Bhajan, also settled out of court, was filed by the younger sister of Guru Amrit Khalsa, one of the yogi’s long-time secretaries.

Today, Guru Amrit Khalsa is one of the group’s two chief religious authorities, as well as one of the religious leaders suing Golden Temple CEO Kartar Khalsa and other business leaders.

Through McGrory, her attorney, she denied all allegations in her sister’s complaint.

The Register-Guard’s policy is not to name sexual abuse victims without their permission. Guru Amrit Khalsa’s sister’s whereabouts are not known, and she could not be reached for this story.

In court documents, she alleged that Guru Amrit Khalsa began trying to “entice” her into Yogi Bhajan’s organization when she was 11, and succeeded when she was 14.

She said she was with the group from 1975 to 1985. In her 1986 lawsuit, she alleged that starting in 1978, Yogi Bhajan repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted her.

The lawsuit alleged that the yogi was sexually involved with Guru Amrit Khalsa, as well as various other members of his administrative staff.

Guru Amrit Khalsa’s sister also alleged that Yogi Bhajan did not compensate her for skin and hair care products and snack foods she had developed and turned over to him in 1983 and 1984, after he had promised her an ownership stake or other payment.

“Truth is your identity”

The allegations in these lawsuits contrast with the public image of 3HO Sikhs in Eugene, who are widely regarded as devout, hard workers who have built a successful company that is a cornerstone of the natural foods industry here.

Firsthand knowledge of the abuse was confined to the yogi’s inner circle, Premka Khalsa and other former members said.

“The Eugene community, in general, is innocent and quite well intentioned,” she said.

Premka Khalsa said she sued Yogi Bhajan to try to expose what she called his lies and force him to change his behavior.

“The greeting we all have is Sat Nam, ‘Truth is your identity,’ and I wanted him to stop lying,” she said.

Premka Khalsa said she also wanted the rest of the community to know about the abuse, and she wanted to lend credibility to the complaint filed by Guru Amrit Khalsa’s sister because she said she was appalled by how badly she had been treated.

The suits were settled for undisclosed amounts, and they didn’t surface again until Guru Bir Khalsa, who had become disillusioned after learning of the group’s ties to telemarketing fraud, retrieved them from the archives of a New Mexico courthouse and put copies on the Internet in 2002.

“Sikh means seeker of truth and therefore I was just a seeker of truth,” he said. “The reason I wanted to put those documents on the Internet was to just turn the light on in the closet.”

“Yogi Bhajan had a dark side, and I think a lot of people don’t want to see it because of what that means about him,” Guru Bir Khalsa said. “I know, for myself, I wasn’t ready and didn’t want to see it. It’s kind of tough when you think you’ve invested as much as you have into something.”

Most of the former members quoted in this article asked to be referred to by the names they were using at the time they were part of the Sikh community.

“You go through stages of discovery of how you gave away your power and were deceived.”

— PREMKA KHALSA, A FORMER top secretary to Yogi Bhajan (SHOWN IN A 1973 PHOTO)

The Register-Guard
http://www.registerguard.com/
Rift threatens business empire
Posted to Web: Saturday, May 8, 2010 11:55PM
Appeared in print: Sunday, May 9, 2010, page A9

When India-born Yogi Bhajan came to the United States in 1968 to teach kundalini yoga, a revolution was sweeping the nation. Young people were rebelling against the status quo, protesting the Vietnam War, and experimenting with free love, psychedelic drugs, Eastern religions and communal living.

(Entire article continues below)

Idealistic young Americans flocked to Yogi Bhajan’s classes. Ashrams focused on his teachings began to pop up across the country, including in Eugene, Los Angeles, and Espanola, N.M. — the group’s main compound.

Soon after his arrival, he founded a nonprofit group 3HO (Happy, Holy, Healthy Organization) and began blending in Sikh teachings and practices.

In 1972, members of the fledgling Eugene ashram launched a tiny bakery in Springfield, which they later donated to the Sikh community. It grew into Golden Temple, an anchor of Eugene’s natural foods industry, and a major local employer and charitable donor.

The Eugene ashram grew steadily, becoming the Northwest hub for Yogi Bhajan’s brand of Sikhism. His adherents, with turbans, flowing robes and leggings, became a common sight.

Over the years, members of the ashram married, bought homes, sent their children to local schools and became part of the larger community.

In 2004, Yogi Bhajan died after devising a succession plan that split control of the community’s religious life and its business life — including Golden Temple, now a lucrative international producer of natural cereals and tea based in Eugene.

Six years later, a dispute over who owns and controls the multimillion dollar businesses has erupted into a court battle that is fracturing the community. The fight in Multnomah County Circuit Court has centered around the shift in ownership of Golden Temple.

In 2007, CEO Kartar Singh Khalsa and five other Golden Temple managers became majority owners of the company, which previously had belonged to the larger Sikh organization.

Last week, sources confirmed that Kartar Khalsa and the other owners plan to sell the cereal business to a Chicago company.

Compounding the woes of the community — and its businesses — are legal claims by the yogi’s widow that have delayed the settling of the yogi’s estate and that threaten Golden Temple’s continued use of the “Yogi” brand.

Amid all the rancor, many wonder whether Yogi Bhajan’s brand of Sikhism will survive, and what will happen to the businesses it spawned.

Membership declining

At its peak in the 1970s, the Sikh community that Yogi Bhajan inspired had up to 10,000 members, according to published reports. Eugene was the Northwest hub of the community, although smaller than other centers in New Mexico and Los Angeles. Today, although down from those peak numbers, it still has several thousand members worldwide, the group’s religious leaders estimate in court papers. The group has about 100 adherents in the Eugene-Springfield area, one local member estimates.

Connie Elsberg, a sociology professor at Northern Virginia Community College who studied 3HO and wrote a book about female members, said the court battles now being fought are a turning point for the community and its businesses.

If Unto Infinity, the community’s board of business leaders, maintains control of all of the businesses, then “I think there will be a great deal of bad feeling and little willingness to compromise on either side,” she said. “There will not be much funding for the religious arm, and the religious branches will dwindle.”

But if Unto Infinity agrees to provide sufficient funding to the other branches, the organization may continue relatively unchanged, with some decline in numbers, Elsberg said.

Krishna Singh Khalsa, a longtime Eugene Sikh, said Sikhs are learning from this experience.

“We’re developing new approaches and new methods of governance,” he said. “This won’t happen again, and we’ll continue to develop and create success. There’s no question about that, and there’s no fear about that.”

Things were much simpler when Yogi Bhajan first gathered his American flock, many of them hippies engulfed in the drug culture.

“We stopped smoking marijuana and started getting high on breathing,” wrote photographer Lisa Law, whose exhibit of ’60s photos at the Smith­sonian includes a shot of Yogi Bhajan teaching yoga outdoors in New Mexico. “Enough of being potheads. Now we could be healthy, happy and holy.”

Yogi Bhajan’s converts were attracted to a variation of Sikhism that he created, incorporating kundalini yoga and vegetarianism — typically Hindu practices. He taught them how to do a form of yoga and meditate. He gave them Sikh names — “Singh” the middle name for men, “Kaur” for women, with the last name of “Khalsa.” He encouraged them to start businesses and “work by the sweat of their brow.” In some cases, he told them where to live, arranged their marriages and named their children.

His 3HO foundation describes its mission as to “practice and share the teachings of Yogi Bhajan so that they may serve, inspire, and empower humanity to be healthy, happy, and holy.”

Yogi Bhajan’s charisma and the teachings he brought from India were “very appealing an

FINALLY in the main stream media!

Thank you again for this place on the internet.

Some may want to check out

http://forums.delphiforums.com/KamallaRose/start

if they haven't already.

The Wikipedia article about Yogi Bhajan badly needs editing. A Guru Fatah Singh from 3HO has written the entire article and it is of course highly biased towards Yogi Bhajan. I have been trying to insert truthful information but I need help to keep Guru Fatah Singh from deleting information. If you have some time please check this link to the article and make comments or editions as you see fit so we can reach a consensus with the article and keep the article legit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbhajan_Singh_Yogi

These are the latest editions I made to the discussion section:

Guru Fatah Singh Khalsa has again shown his extreme bias and true colors as a cult follower of Yogi Bhajan in the latest edits of May 15th 2010 concerning Dr. Trilochan Singh in the Sikh Scholar's section. Guru Fatah Singh and these “Sikhnet Sikhs”, are insular and not receptive to ideas outside their closed circle. They want to teach but are not open to be taught. I have not only found this cultish paradigm in this article about Yogi Bhajan but have also experienced instances of censorship on Sikhnet.com where they will not allow the recent articles about Yogi Bhajan published in the Eugene Register Guard to be posted on their forums. [1]“Yogi’s Legacy in Question” and [2]“Rift in 3HO Sikh community threatens business empire” Not Sikh like. Therefore they have an essential pre-requisite for a cult – imposed insularity. Of course, their conduct explicitly contradicts the openness which is very much a feature of Sikhi and the global Sikh Virtual Nation.

Guru Fatah Singh Khalsa is clearly substituting his own personal views and opinions for those of a well respected Sikh scholar and historian. Guru Fatah Singh's attack on Dr. Trilochan Singh is so outrageous that I am inclined at this point to leave Guru Fatah Singh's edits in place since I have faith that most people will see through Guru Fatah Singh's cultish opinions and others will support my previous edits and make the changes in this article which will give the article truth and balance.

Guru Fatah Singh Khalsa who has written the entire article about Yogi Bhajan clearly exhibits extremely biased positions and has even admitted this in his statement that Yogi Bhajan appointed him as his biographer. In these last set of edits he made about a week ago I have been struck again at how narrow minded and cultish Guru Fatah's opinions present themselves. Guru Fatah has now included an entire section titled, "Sikh Scholars' Views on Yogi Bhajan's Mission" which gives lengthy quotes from supposed Sikh "scholars" who spent at most a few days around Yogi Bhajan and his 3HO American Sikhs. Guru Fatah has degraded Dr. Trilochan Singh to a position of inferiority and even ridiculed Dr. Trilochan Singh's book [1]"Sikhism and Tantric Yoga" as insignificant and motivated by revenge. I have written in this discussion section at length concerning Dr. Trilochan Singh's creditbility and I will add that unlike the Sikh "scholars" Guru Fatah Singh refers to, Dr. Trilochan Singh spent months with Yogi Bhajan and interviewd many students and ex students of Yogi Bhajan. Dr. Trilochan Singh had no reason to be vengeful and his book was only motivated out of love for the Sikh faith and the young American Singh's and Kaur's who desired to learn more about the true Sikh path. I refer you to Dr. Trilochan Singh’s opening statement in his book [2]"Sikhism and Tantric Yoga":

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE AMERICAN SIKHS AND OTHER WESTERN SIKHS Whose devotion to Sikhism is unique and exemplary, Whose passion to learn from historical experiences and the lives of really great Sikh saints is marvelous, Whose zeal to study the Sikh doctrines and language of Sikh Scriptures in the original and imbibe its spirit is impressive

In light of the two most recent mainstream newspaper articles published on Sunday May 9th in the Eugene Register-Guard;

[3]“Yogi’s Legacy in Question” and [4]“Rift in 3HO Sikh community threatens business empire”

The evidence looks more and more like Dr. Trilochan Singh was correct when he stated about Yogi Bhajan's brand of yoga and Sikhism 33 years ago:

"Yogi Bhajan is using the sacred Sikh mantras and the sacred name of Guru Ram Das as a mantle for his Tantric Sex Yoga which will inevitably lead to mental and physical debauchery of those who take his brand of Sikhism contaminated by crazy sex-energizing asanas seriously."

[5]"Sikhism and Tantric Yoga" by Dr. Trilochan Singh (Link to entire book)[/link]

For these reasons I will add a quotation from Dr. Trilochan Singh’s book which is equal in length to the Sikh "scholars" Guru Fatah Singh has included and I have added a reference in the media section to the new articles in the Eugene Register Guard concerning the question of Yogi Bhajan’s Legacy and the crumbling state of his 3HO business empire. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.19.12.171 (talk) 15:31, 11 May 2010 (UTC)

Dr. Trilochan Singh's creditbility:

Please check these links for references and credible evidence of Dr. Trilochan Singh's prominence as a Sikh scholar:

Dr. Trilochan Singh wrote 27 articles on Sikh history and philosophy for the respected [6]"The Sikh Review" established in 1953. Dr. Trilochan Singh was in fact one of the founding editors of The Sikh Review.

The Sikh Review, is published by 'The Sikh Cultural Center, Calcutta', and was founded in the summer of 1953 by a small group of dedicated scholars and devout Sikhs. Among them were: Sr. Raghbir Singh Bir, Capt. Bhag Singh, Mrs. Kuldip H. Singh (all deceased), later joined by Sr. Mohan Singh Kalra, Dr. Hari Singh Bindra, Dr. Trilochan Singh, D.Litt., Bhai Sahib Sardar Kapur Singh, ICS and Sr. Kulraj Singh, IRS (also deceased).

Please check these links for references and credible evidence of Dr. Trilochan Singh's prominence as a Sikh scholar: —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.44.182.82 (talk) 19:18, 3 April 2010 (UTC) http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Reform_Movement During the Gurdwara Reform Movement, the Sikh leaders started a publication that was named Akali. From this paper and its policy the leaders began to be called Akalis, in view of which they formed the present Akali party. These Nihang Akalis should not be confused with the members of the Akali party.’ The Turban And The Sword’' , by Dr. Trilochan Singh. (Page 402 The History and Compilation of the Dasm Granth (Part 1) - Dr. Trilochan Singh http://www.gurmat.info/sms/smspublications/amritkihain/ Amrit Ki Hain - The Meaning of Sikh Baptism by Bhai Randheer Singh (translation by Dr. Trilochan Singh) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.44.182.82 (talk) 05:37, 3 April 2010 ( (talk) 06:35, 3 April 2010 (UTC)

Concerning Dr. Trilochan Singh and Yogi Bhajan

To: Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa; you have obviously never talked to traditional Punjabi Sikhs about Dr. Trilochan Singh. Dr Trilochan Singh is a very well respected writer of Sikh history and religion. Search google and you'll find his writings at many traditional Sikh websites and read his entire book "Sikhism and Tantric Yoga" at Gurmukhyoga.com. My Punjabi Gursikh wife has high regard for Dr. Trilochan Singh. She is from the same home town in Ludhiana Punjab as he is. She read Dr. Trilochan Singh's biography of Bai Sahib Randheer Singh when she was a child and it inspired her greatly. I think you need to do more research on the values and practices of Yogi Harbhajan if you’re writing his biography. To begin with YB's surname is Puri and my wife instantly said when I told her this, "oh he is a mona Punjabi" these families are more Hindu than Sikh. If you google Puri you'll find that the Puri families are staunch Hindus. I think you'll find YB was really more of a Hindu than a Sikh. If you also search on Gurmukhyoga.com you'll find a post with pictures of Hindu gods in and around 3-HO Gurdwaras and prominently displayed at Siri Singh Sahib's (Yogi Bhajan's) estate. I spent two years in India recently and no one I met in Amritsar or the Punjab respected Yogi Harbhajan as a Sikh or even as a Yogi for that matter. Gurcharan Singh Tohra, ex president of the SGPC who you say supported YB, was nothing more than a crooked politician. I met the man in 1983 and he could hardly speak a word of English. I think any support he gave YB was because he saw all these white people supposedly converting to Sikhi but he didn't have the capacity or desire to understand what was really going on with all the sacrilegious tantric and hindu practices of Yogi Harbhajan. Gurcharan Singh Tohra was also completely disgraced during the blue star operation when he came out of the Darbar Sahib with his hands held up and surrendered to Indira Ghandi’s hooligans who attacked the Golden Temple. I am putting back sections about Dr. Trilochan Singh as it adds some balance and truth to this article on Yogi Bhajan.Guru Sant Singh (talk) 14:43, 21 March 2010 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.44.182.82 (talk)

Dear Guru Sant Singh -

I know plenty about Trilochan Singh. I read his slander about Yogi Bhajan years ago. I also noticed that the man was so riled about Yogi Bhajan's work that he ended up re-writing his biography of Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh to edit out any reference to yoga. This is not scholarly conduct. This is polemics. I will take my Sikh studies from Yogi Bhajan and Siri Guru Granth Sahib and Bhai Gurdas over your wife's and Tirlochan Singh's slanderous opinions any day.~~ —Preceding unsigned comment added by Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk • contribs) 00:39, 4 April 2010 (UTC)

To: Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa

If Dr. Trilochan Singh has no credibility, in your opinion, then why is he referred to several times as a Sikh historian and scholar in articles on SikhiWiki which is of course a 3HO website and one you have yourself promoted? Why have you never posted Dr. Trilochan Singh's opposing views in this article about Yogi Bhajan when it is clear that Dr. Trilochan Singh is a respected scholar of Sikh history? I was around Yogi Bhajan for 30 years. I lived 100 yards from his residence in New Mexico and worked with Yogi Bhajan on many business deals and served as a sevadar at Guru Ram Das Ashram from 1981 to 1990 where I was in close contact with YB and witnessed his corrupt activities and sacriligious tantric practices. YB in fact sold me one of his houses in 1992 and I lived there for 17 years. I discovered “Sikhism and Tantric Yoga” during my two years in India. Why was “Sikhism and Tantric Yoga” hid from us by Yogi Bhajan? Dr. Trilochan Singh's book has been a real eye-opener for me to say the least and makes complete sense when I think about the last thirty years of my life with Yogi Bhajan. I suggest you read it again carefully and I think you will see that all the problems happening right now in 3HO are a direct result of Yogi Bhajan's corrupt Tantric yoga practices. [7]Link to entire book.

Signed Guru Sant Singh —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.44.182.82 (talk) 06:49, 4 April 2010 (UTC)

Dear Guru Sant Singh Khalsa -

I am not going to go where you are are going. TS's diatribe about Yogiji is one of the bitterest pieces of pulp I ever had the opportunity to read. Moreover I have to say Sikh historiography and scholarship has done little to ease the plight of the common Sikh or anybody at all for that matter, and I don't honestly care much for it.

Yogi Bhajan stood in a different class from these people and my impression is that TS was bitterly envious. He and his cohorts tried very hard to make inroads, to poach on Yogi Bhajan's students, to create doubts in their minds in the late 70s and early 80s. Mostly, they were spectacularly unsuccessful.

Jesus had a lovely saying: Judge a tree by its fruits. Judging by its fruits - his yoga teachings, 3HO, his interfaith initiatives, Peace Prayer Day, his revival of Sikh spirit, his work for peace in Punjab, his anti-drug work, his contributions to the healing arts, Miri Piri Academy, and his many notable and inspiring students - this was a very lovely tree indeed! Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk) 03:30, 12 April 2010 (UTC)

To: Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa

Since you are quoting Jesus I will refer to the entire bible quotation about this subject as stated in Matthew 7:15 through Matthew 7:23:

A Tree and Its Fruit 15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

I would say Yogi Bhajan’s fruit looks pretty rotten at this point if you consider the corrupt leaders in 3HO that Yogi Bhajan hand picked for the Unto Infinity Board and Sikh Dharma leadership. If you’re not already aware of the current corruption in the inner halls of 3HO then I will include here a quotation from MSS Guru Terath Singh whom you no doubt respect since you have included in this article’s discussion forum below, a long rebuttal he wrote in 1977 against the Time magazine article which was highly critical of Yogi Bhajan. Yes indeed, "Time will tell" if Yogi Bhajan was a false prophet and whether he produced good or bad fruit. Personally I would rather place my bets for salvation on the traditional values and teachings of Sikhism as exemplified in the lives and teachings of the Sikh Gurus, the scriptures of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib and Dr. Trilochan Singh’s writings rather than the sacrilegious hodgepodge of tantric and shakti cult rubbish which Yogi Bhajan espouses and no traditional Sikh supports. Signed Guru Sant Singh

From: gt khalsa <gtkhalsa_2000@yahoo.com> Subject: [khalsa-council] A Global Settlement To: khalsa-council@mail-list.com Date: Sunday, March 28, 2010, 6:24 PM Sat Nam. If I were a young man searching for a spiritual path - as I was at one time - and read the emails that have been posted for the world to read over the past year, I would see what appeared to be one group that was a bunch of crooks and the other that was a bunch of very angry, self-righteous, old people. The only thing they would have in common would be their spiritual practices. I would, of course, quickly move on with my search. This is the real danger that the SSS's legacy is facing. If this goes on, I expect that there will be a well funded SDI with very few people. There will be a SDW with many more people, but with inadequate, ongoing funding to do much of anything in the years ahead……… M.S.S. Guru Terath Singh

Guru Terath Singh is right, of course. That is why people like me are investing in keeping the teachings, the authenticity and the legacy alive. Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk) 16:12, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

To Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa:

You seem to be overlooking the obvious 800 pound gorilla in the room. [8]The actions of YB’s students prove the result of Yogi Bhajan's corrupt teachings. In fact, Yogi Bhajan set up the insane power structure of the Unto Infinity Board which controls all of the 3HO finances. Yogi Bhajan installed five corrupt people who are not even Sikhs anymore and who control the Unto Infinity Board for life! Guru Terath Singh has so astutely alluded to Yogi Bhajan's folie and the danger of the truth coming out about Yogi Bhajan’s legacy. Signed Guru Sant Singh

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa
Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh!
Dear Guru Fatha Singh Ji,

I am not sure what you mean by this comment "I am Yogi Bhajan's student." If you are saying, look at me I have done allot of good because of what Yogi Bhajan taught me, then my reply would be, think about what more good you could have done and be doing without Yogi Bhajan and his teachings. I know for myself that I am a better person and a better Sikh without the teachings of Yogi Bhajan.

I particularly like this quotation below from a traditional Punjabi Sikh;

"Some people may not like Yogi Bhajan bashing and will say, "Look at what he has done for Sikhi." I personally would have liked to see what Sikhi would have been like without him."

If you have time to read some of my other arguments with Yogi Bhajan and 3HO, I would be interested in your position on these topics. I have included links to the entire articles and their arguments with photos at GurmukhYoga.com

[9]3HO Sikhs use this sacriligious advertisement for Wha Guru chews: "What did the magician say to the Wha Guru Chew? Open sesame." "Five flavors and they're all nuts!"

[10]3HO Sikhs are associating yogis, ashrams, tantric sex yoga rituals,and magicians of the occult with the Sikh Gurus and the Golden Temple

[11]Yogi Bhajan's students are intstructed to meditate on Yogi Bhajan's picture everyday which you can see displayed in the 3HO Espanola Gurdwara.

[12]See how Hindu gods and yogis are displayed in 3HO Gurdwaras

[13]See this post which exposes the most shocking relationship Yogi Bhajan had with Jagjit Naamdhari who is considered by his disciples as the 11th Sikh Guru. The Naamdhari Sikhs keep the Siri Guru Granth in a closet while they bow to Jagjit and refer to him as "SatGuru Ji" as you can see in the photos at this link. http://satguruji.blogspot.com/

Guru Fateh Guru Sant Singh —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.44.182.82 (talk) 13:19, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

Addittions to section on Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan:

The whole article is so pro Yogi Bhajan that I think it is necessary to have some specific references to a Sikh scholar and historian who was highly critical of Yogi Bhajan. Dr. Trilochan Singh wrote over 20 books on Sikh history and lectured at dozens of universities all over the world. I have added a link to Dr. Trilochan Singh's book "Sikhism an Tantric Yoga" which is a major work on the subject of Yogi Bhajan and his Kundalini yoga.Guru Sant Singh (talk) 14:43, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

Contents [hide]
1 Update: September 1, 2009
2 Neutrality and sourcing
3 Immigration to Canada
4 Lawsuit
5 Lawsuits need inclusion
6 Death
7 The Real Character of the Man
8 Killing with Kindness Technique among Others
9 Cleaned up Weasel and Peacock terms
10 Please Do No Use Sikhiwiki As A Reference or any Other Wikipedia's
11 Wack a Mole
12 Lawsuits against Yogi Bhajan
13 A Lawsuit is a Lawsuit...
14 Removal of litigation sections
15 content discussion
15.1 An Abstract of the Suppressed Public Record of Lawsuits
15.2 comments

[edit] Update: September 1, 2009
As the author of most of this piece, kindly allow me to make a few remarks and a couple of requests:

1) Proximity to a subject does not automatically mean unrealistic bias. Proximity may also engender familiarity, the kind that leads former White House functionaries to write books about their experiences in the highest office of the land. I happened to like my boss.

2) I have taken the flagging of the section on "During the Sikh Holocaust 1984" seriously. After all, who ever heard of a "Sikh holocaust"? Haha! Well, if you will follow the link to the article you will find a minutely referenced article on that 3rd holocaust, with links to articles on the 1st and 2nd holocausts as well. There are real. It would be nice if that flag could be taken down now.

3) This article is better referenced than it was a year ago, with references to the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Globe and Mail, etc. Regrettably, for the purposes of this article, the mainstream media simply did not consider Yogi Bhajan very newsworthy most of the time. Neither did scholars roam the yoga ashrams taking copious notes. That is why many of the references are to publications of the 3HO organization itself.

4) After a year in the dog house of "This article has multiple issues..." and no substantive corrections, can this article be accepted as is now? If not, how long is the designated purgatory? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk • contribs) 17:09, 1 September 2009 (UTC)

"Join from every land, from every tradition, from every point of view. Join us as we make peace: peace with each other,peace with the land, peace with ourselves, and peace cereal." - Jonathan Stewart

This is an awfully fawning article, and sounds like it comes straight from the keyboard of any of this man's adherents. A criticism section is needed very badly. I don't have the necessary information to go through this, clean it up and add criticism, but if someone with a better understanding of all this would do so, that would be terrific. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 204.11.149.141 (talk) 14:57, 4 April 2008 (UTC)

Unfortunately I have not the time to clean this up either, but it is a disgraceful article &, since it concerns a dangerous cult, is urgently in need of attention. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Snosher (talk • contribs) 14:53, 26 July 2008 (UTC)

Yogi Bhajan was a powerful man and leader who inspired many and changed many lives. He was ALSO a cult leader who took advantage of his powerful charisma and position and caused pain and emotional trauma to many of his followers. Many folks continue to benefit from his teachings. And there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of former 3HO members who have left that organization because they were emotionally (and occasionally physically or sexually) abused or because they experienced the dysfunction caused by an organization that in some ways functioned as a cult. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.225.30.78 (talk) 18:21, 20 August 2008 (UTC)

I have little respect for those who make serious and unsubstantiated accusations of abuse anonymously. What is a cult? Is America a cult? Is Wikipedia a cult? "Cult" is a perjorative term, a dirty word. Early on, every progressive social or religious movement has been called a cult or worse. The accuser would do her/himself a favour by familiarizing him/herself with the life and teachings of Yogi Bhajan first-hand. talk

Yogi Bhajan had to settle some of these lawsuits, which alleged his abuses. So I cannot say they are unsubstantiated. Also I would like to include personal accounts of those who had been abused by Bhajan if they are willing to attribute their comments. These are the life experiences of those who went to YB's lectures, Yoga lessons, or attended schools sponsored by YB's organization[s]. These aren't testimonies made to a court, but they are historical accounts of the private and public Harbhajan Singh Khalsa. We should leave it up to the judgment of the reader to decide the veracity of those who speak disapprovingly of YB as well as those who revere him. History is not a court room as most of it is hearsay anyway, but if we run the risk of being too cautious, then we might have the hazard of writing a public relations release for 3HO/Sikh Darma. Present both sides of the man's life and let the reader decide. Also facts should be admitted on the basis of fact not on whether it is not a flattering fact or not. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 05:15, 15 July 2009 (UTC)

[edit] Neutrality and sourcing
It'd be nice to see a bit more sourcing from unaffiliated third-party sources such as newspaper obits (which are more readily verifiable than "in" publications) as well as representing critical opinion - e.g Time magazine had an article in 1977 (Yogi Bhajan's Synthetic Sikhism). I've added appropriate tags.

There's also a deal of material that falsely gives the appearance of being sourced. For instance ...

By the 1990s, there was a culture shift. On a personal level, rising early and overtly being a Sikh was considered more of an option than an implied directive. Meanwhile, the surviving communal businesses had incorporated and many had grown exponentially to keep pace with the rising demand for health-oriented products and services. 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 to IKYTA Web Shell - About Us)
... where the reference only covers the final sentence. Gordonofcartoon (talk) 02:30, 19 September 2008 (UTC)

[quote]I can do better. I can tell you about James Wilde, the author of the Time article, as he was an acquaintance of mine for a time. He was terribly biased against Yogi Bhajan, partly because YB would not give him an interview. Being a(n Irish) Catholic, James Wilde also had other issues which I won't trouble you with here. YB would not grant the interview because when he had first come to Los Angeles, he had gone to Time to have them do a story on his work and they had refused. Then, back in 1969, he had vowed never to do an interview with the magazine. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee of Amritsar, India, the chief administrative body of the Sikhs publicly opposed the article and supported Yogi Bhajan with telegrams and demands of a retraction.[/quote]

I lived through this period and witnessed the culture shift and all the other things described. "Objective documentation" for a narrative like this is difficult because mainstream news sources largely ignored it. Scholars are only coming to it lately and with various degrees of insight. As a university-educated veteran of the period, I re-wrote the article in response to a request a few months ago when it was a very little article indeed. contribs) 02:54, 20 September 2008 (UTC)

I don't doubt your knowledge, and you're the ideal person to help with identifying sources. However, to directly edit the article raises major conflict of interest issues, with all the risk of unconscious bias (see Wikipedia:Conflict of interest).
Also, it's non-negotiable here that material is expected to have a previously published source. If it's not - for instance, if a statement comes from your unpublished personal knowledge, or the "culture shift" analysis above is your own - it comes under "orginal research" (see WP:NOR) and shouldn't be in the article. Gordonofcartoon (talk) 13:26, 20 September 2008 (UTC)
Have fun then. I witnessed the shift. No one wrote about it before. While I appreciate the wisdom of citing published works (though we know that much that manages to get published is not worth the paper) sometimes these criteria simply do not work. Much of this history received only scant or negligible coverage in the mainstream media in the days when it was unfolding. Surely if reporters or scholars had known 40 years ago what a big phenomenon yoga would be today, they would have devoted more attention to it then - but they did not. It remains for a man of my humble abilities to work almost from scratch largely with referencing internal to the organization. talk

Have fun then.
I'm not asking that you go away - just that you work within the editorial guidelines expected here. What you've provided is, largely, an improvement, with some provisos. It's partisan - in breach of WP:NPOV - in a number of areas such as its failure to mention criticisms and the considerably non-neutral account of the 1980s events (you'll notice the term "Sikh holocaust" is not used elsewhere on Wikipedia). And as I said above, some of it appears to be original research. It'd be helpful if you could indicate what is sourced from the references provided and what is your own analysis. Gordonofcartoon (talk) 00:47, 21 September 2008 (UTC)
Thanks. I do appreciate your input. Let me try and work with you. It may take a bit of time. Firstly, kindly help me understand just what was (largely) the improvement I made. Secondly, it is interesting that "Sikh holocaust" does not turn up in Wikipedia. Perhaps it should. I remember that period. Most of our huge wave of Sikh immigration here in Toronto dates from then. They came as political refugees. Amnesty International and the foreign press were banned from Punjab for a decade. Perhaps the term ought to be more widely applied. For what it is worth, a google of the "Sikh holocaust" turned up 180,000 items. Thirdly, how do you suggest I indicate what is sourced from the references provided and what is my personal analysis? talk —Preceding undated comment was added at 01:22, 22 September 2008 (UTC).

[edit] Immigration to Canada
In New Delhi, Harbhajan Singh was faced with a stark choice: to serve his government by joining the Soviet military's psychic research program in Tashkent or leave the country.

WTF? Citation?

The Canadian High Commissioner, James George facilitated his immigration to Toronto, Canada in 1968.

Personally, or this just a hyped description of routine procedure? (just as the Home Secretary nominally facilitates immigration to Britain as head of the Home Office that deals with applications). Gordonofcartoon (talk) 10:11, 18 September 2008 (UTC)

Greetings. I wrote the article and happen to be the best authority on the life of Yogi Bhajan, as I am currently writing his biography. I have personally spoken with the former High Commissioner and found that he held Yogi Bhajan in high regard. His letter of reference recommending Yogi Bhajan as a yoga teacher, written in 1968, is a matter of the public record.

As for the Tashkent reference, these are Yogi Bhajan's own words. There is not other evidence to support or refute it. As it basically coheres with the rest of his life, it is entered as a matter of fact. We do know that Yogi Bhajan disliked the Soviet system and their policies toward Afghanistan and, later on, the KGB's involvement in the Indian central government's oppression of the Sikhs. talk

I have personally spoken with the former High Commissioner and found that he held Yogi Bhajan in high regard.
WP:NOR again.
As for the Tashkent reference, these are Yogi Bhajan's own words.
That's fine to report, as long as there's a published source for his having said that. Gordonofcartoon (talk) 13:42, 20 September 2008 (UTC)
Third party sourcing has been done so far as possible. I hope the Wiki powers that be consider reconsider their cautionary labels. I won't claim to be neutral any more than someone who has seen the redwood forests can be neutral about them. All I can say is I was there. talk dated: October 29, 2008

I think that we should acknowledge that any claims to a extraordinary actions by one man that is unverified should not be colored as fact, but acknowledge as statements by the man, and these statements should be qualified as unverified by other parties. Otherwise we do not give a history of the man, but a mythology. It is now recognized that George Washington never confessed to cutting down a cherry tree to his father. This was campaign propaganda. I think we need to be cautious not to create mythologies. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 06:20, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

[edit] Lawsuit
Harbajan Singh (Yogi Bhajan) and his organization were and still are being prossecuted for several fellonies. All this info can be trace on the net and readers should have access to that.

http://www.rickross.com/groups/3ho.html#Criminal%20Indictment%20of%203HO%20Leader http://www.rickross.com/groups/3ho.html#Litigation%20Against%203HO%20and/or%20Leaders —Preceding unsigned comment added by 200.189.112.21 (talk) 13:53, 4 December 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Lawsuits need inclusion
I took the liberty of including the lawsuits in the article on YB. I will watch to see that the article stays included as this is history, and it is a matter of public record. It is not up to me to say that YB was a bad or good man, but it is up to all of us that the record of his life be inclusive. You do not have to agree with the court actions, but you should be honest enough to let them stay as part of the record. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 06:14, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

I saw that the new edit to the Lawsuits against Yogi Bhajan expressed a point of view. So I restored the old fact filled entry that just mentioned the facts of the case. Please make sure that POV, and lack of neutrality does not enter into this section. I will monitor this section everyday. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 12:15, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

I would like the section, Lawsuits against Yogi Bhajan, to be closed to further editing as it is perfect the way it is, and it is very factual without POV and conflict of interest. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 12:28, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

I received notice that the allegations were without merit, and that they are pornographic. My answer is that if the allegations were so without merit then why was there affidavit to a settlement meeting? As to my wording I used perfectly polite phrasing for bodily functions. They are history! And they had an effect on the people involved. I want the Lawsuits against Yogi Bhajan section closed to further editing.

I would like to speak further on these lawsuits. The lawsuits are an important part of the history of 3HO, and Yogi Bhajan. Families were split apart, and the YB organizations were rent with strife, desertions, and accusations against those who left the Sikh Dharma fold. For years Yogi Bhajan had to keep a low profile in the yoga and alternative health media as the magazines would have been flooded with angry letters from those who knew YB as an outrageous brute. I think the lawsuits are just as much part of the history of YB as the lawsuit against Michael Jackson in the early 90's. I do not want to see a hagiography written, only an honest history of the man. If the lawsuit section is thrown under the bus, then we are cheating the public who has the right to know.

Through my contributions over the months, there are now more lawsuits than even "Sharkbait" had introduced. (He only ever mentioned 3.) These are all factual cases and in the spirit of the law, I have reported them in a factual way without focussing on the emotions involved.

Important details left out in the previous version were: 1) the 2 lawsuits of the 1980s were financed by outside stakeholders; 2) that the plaintiff in the 2nd case later reconciled with Yogi Bhajan; 3) that Rick Ross likes to take these cases and use them to promote his "war on cults"; (I am thinking that "Sharkbait" - the author of the previous version - might well BE Rick Ross.) 4) that it is common practice for insurance companies to pay a lump sum of say $250,000 just to avoid the expense of going to court. There is no moral victory in that though it may seem like a lot of money to you or I.

What was injected into the previous version were needless salacious details and innuendo. Of course Yogi Bhajan would say that dragging these cases through the courts - regardless of the merits of the cases - would besmerch the Sikh religion. That is the way media works. It's not particle physics and it does not prove anything more - despite the obvious innuendo that it does.

So we have a shorter version. There are still lots of cases, more significant details than before, and less lurid details and innuendo. I think that is how an encyclopedia is supposed to read. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk • contribs) 13:15, 27 December 2009 (UTC)

[edit] Death
I decided to include as many wide ranging articles on the death of YB as will be needed to show a large universe of opinion on the man's life. I included the very positive article from the La Times to show that there is a large measure of goodwill toward the man, but I also included negative articles as well in order to show neutrality. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 14:28, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

[edit] The Real Character of the Man
Much of what is written about Yogi Bhajan is so bland and obsequious. I wish I could impart more the true voice of the man. I can do a flawless voice impression with the Punjabi accent and the nasal clicks as if he had a sinus condition. He could curse the air blue. Sometimes he would have one of his students up close to him, so that he could dress them down. One account involved a woman with wayward son. He told her that he was no good and not to do anything for him. The poor mother said, "Yes but...", and then bang: the old man gave her a hard right to the nose.

Other times the old man could be down right rude. It was not unusual for him to echo a loud burp into the microphone as he was eating some barfi. You would think it came from a bullfrog; it was loud and round in sound. Other times he would be doing his group white tantra on the stage, supervising crowds of people in white, sitting in rows, and then in the middle of my meditation with my tantric partner I would hear this huge explosion that kind of scared me, until I had this involuntary giggle when I realized that was the largest fart in the universe vibrating the stage and the public address system. I bit my lip hard because I did want the old man to see me laughing at his huge butt explosion. I didn't want to get hit by him.

I wish people had some of his lectures on tape digitized for the internet. In one lecture he was angry at people who never changed their under turban in like 3 months, and had all kinds of crusty, unhygienic materials in their old under turbans. I can't remember exactly what he said, but it was to the effect that they were like lowest forms of life on earth. How could you live 8.4 million lifetimes to come to the Guru, and then be so disrespectful to your essence as to wear a turban like that! It is disgusting!

A lot times he would pick on people in the audience. It was weird. He was like the Punjab's answer to Don Wrickles. Anyway, please come to the talk part of this article as I can be more myself. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 03:23, 18 July 2009 (UTC)

All I needed to do was not pay attention for a month and the content gets diluted and watered down. I think if I had been way for a month, any mention of the lawsuits would have been totally gone. I am tired of these memory hole propagandists. It is like a perpetual game of whack-a-mole. Shameful!!!! The latest editor did not even have a handle. Show yourself!!! Coward! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 10:20, 26 August 2009 (UTC)

You are entitled to your opinion. Yogi Bhajan was irreverent. I liked him that way. He helped a lot of folks get over their hangups and needless timidity. If you want to make fun of his ethnicity, go ahead. Did you know Albert Einstein talked funny? By the way, you will find plenty of his lectures on youtube and sikhnet.

Yogi Bhajan wasn't just irreverent. He slapped people, and he made rude noises from out of his colon. BTW, I am going to fix that lawsuit section again. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 97.81.111.150 (talk) 15:54, 3 September 2009 (UTC)

Yes, Albert Einstein talked funny, but he was a nice guy. How does punching a woman in the nose help her with timidity? I'm in the twilight zone now. Ethnicity??? That's how he talked. He would defame someone in that accent. How could you not make fun of him? He was an oppressive, imperious creature. He once made fun of a woman who weighed 400 lbs in front of a large audience. And you know what? It didn't do any good. All she did was cry and run out the room. She was still fat months later. Nuts! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 16:06, 3 September 2009 (UTC)

Frankly, I find what you say difficult to believe. Obviously, you think it to be true and have passionate feelings around this. What can I say? I have spent time with the man. I have interviewed many of his associates, past and present. What you say does not correlate with anything I have experienced - nor the acclaim of popes, archbishops and members of the US Congress. By the way, Yogi Bhajan's talks may be found on youtube and elsewhere. They are not difficult to find. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk • contribs) 17:55, 6 September 2009 (UTC)

Well, Guru Fatha Singh your view is yours, but it should not be the only view. Many dark figures can have themselves photographed with the Pope. Mother Theresa was a frequent guest of the Duvaliers of Haiti. She spoke well of them. Are you going to tell me the Duvaliers were saints? I remember the testimonies and oral histories of people who had been abused by Bhajan. I know people he had slapped in public. His frequent form of abuse was public embarrassment of a 3HO Sikh in his presence. These histories should be known as well. BTW, here is a pic of an earlier pope meeting with Hitler. http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/hist/jpetropoulos/church/tamerpage/hitler26bishop.gif I suppose this makes Hitler holy. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 21:24, 25 December 2009 (UTC)

"By the way, Yogi Bhajan's talks may be found on youtube and elsewhere. They are not difficult to find." Guru Fatha, those are talks that 3HO has deemed worthy of publishing on Youtube. There are many talks that would prove embarrassing to 3HO if they were widely published. As a matter of fact. I was at an Ashram where the Sangat voted to discontinue subscribing to the Bhajan lectures as the membership had no interest in listening to them. I suppose they got tired of his tedious harangues and rants. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 21:56, 25 December 2009 (UTC)

In my hometown of Toronto we have a tape library of some 1,000 recorded lectures. I have listened to all of them. And as a biographer of Yogi Bhajan's I have seen many hundreds of transcripts various edited and unedited. I have known him to outspoken and to speak on all manner of subjects. Mostly, he returned again and again to the wisdom of doing one's yoga and meditation each morning. Some didn't like to be reminded of that all the time. I will agree. But I wouldn't agree the talks would embarrass his legacy or the legacy of his teachings.

What I think you don't get is the psycho-spiritual dynamic of a lifestyle with God-realization as its stated goal and a rigorous daily routine of rising for a cold shower and Kundalini Yoga at 4 am as the central practice. When you fall from that ideal after a year or several years, it is a very big fall indeed. And those who have fallen will love to have someone to blame.

There is nothing wrong with the teachings. They work. If you practice them with love, you do become a healthier, happier, more shining example of what a human being can be. If you don't do it with love, it can take longer. But if you fall, who better to blame than the one who taught you? You can say: "It's all my teacher's fault! He's a bad man. He talks too loud and he farts too."

This discussion is starting to remind me of the Indian parable of the blind men and the elephant. Do you know that tale? I must have luckily stumbled onto the trunk or something and you are fixated under the animal's tail. Perhaps neither of us have the whole story, but it serves us both to have some perspective. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk • contribs) 20:33, 26 December 2009 (UTC)

Hi Jackass,

I mean you Guru Fatha Singh. Leave the Litigation section alone, you brainwashed loon. At least you can admit your fearless leader farts in public like a rude pig. Now bugger off!! Only you can eat turds and called it prasad, because you have the low consciousness of a lying brown tonguer. Only people like you can ignore rape and battery and call it a slander, when your great leader had to make an out of court settlement. You have no love. You have arrogance and self delusion on your side. I have heard your beloved leader go into great detail explaining to women where their cooter is located. I have heard him bash American males relentlessly as if his sh** didn't stink. Tell me how much did YB love his wife Bibiji? He could show her his upper cut and left cross. As a husband he was a great pugilist. Don't try to manufacture a BS story on YB, because you will lose every time, oh saintly idiot. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 01:10, 1 January 2010 (UTC)

[edit] Killing with Kindness Technique among Others
The killing with kindness technique was something Yogi Bhajan practiced with snakelike ease. When faced with accusations he would inquire as to the accuser's health or ask them if they needed a drink of water. It was used by him when he did not want to answer direct questions about his misbehaviors by outsiders. He advocated acting very saintlike when confronted by someone who has aggrieved by him. It is like the charm offensive used by today's politicians. He could also laugh or joke with his sympathetic entourage to evade answering embarrassing direct questions. Guru Fatha is well practiced in this technique of Killing with Kindness as also with the show of saintliness. I am sure at some point he will make a gesture of compassion or make observations that YB's detractors are motivated by low consciousness. This will give another opportunity to say that he wishes with all his heart that the detractors could have their consciousness elevated. I know that you can't be directly angry at such people who know such psychopathic techniques. It is like getting in a fistfight with a kung fu artist. The kung fu artist can be the very devil, but if his technique is good he will defeat you in a fist fight every time. There are all kinds of "Gurus" and "Saints" in India who have good fronts but they are actually gangsters. My show of anger will allow Guru Fatha to get the upper hand in the saint game. If you are good at the saint game you can be a frank pedophile and yet evade justly outraged enemies. I wish I was battling Genghis Khan because at least he was direct in his savagery. A spiritual psychopathic will never let you get a direct roundhouse blow. It will always be a frustrating confrontation with at best glancing blows. We westerners need to get educated in oriental ways or they will have us crawling on our knees thanking them for being merciful in allowing us our begging bowls. You may have justified righteous anger at these psychopathic guru figures, but if you succeed in seriously hurting such a criminal, the bastard will be so sanctimonious and self-righteous that he can succeed in making himself look like a martyr, and you like the outrager in front of his flock. The bastard can have a long string of fraud victims, rape victims, and walking wounded, but his manner alone can countervail just opposition. My only solace is knowing that God is just. If Genghis Khan had advance men like Guru Fatha, he would look like the second coming of King Arthur to future generations. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sharkbait061 (talk • contribs) 01:55, 1 January 2010 (UTC)

Were you drunk when you wrote this? All this abuse does not help your case. You are no sharkbait, Rick Ross. You are abusive. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk • contribs) 01:17, 4 January 2010 (UTC)

Get stuffed Guru Fatha. Quit abusing the article section, you damn pod. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 97.81.114.211 (talk) 15:19, 19 January 2010 (UTC)

[edit] Cleaned up Weasel and Peacock terms
I removed as many weasel words and Peacock terms as I could find throughout the article. I marked items that still need sourcing with tags. If you can spot any further items lacking sources please tag them individually. At this point I think it is time to remove the global weasel word and peacock term tags from the article and I have removed them today. Michael614 (talk) 02:30, 6 January 2010 (UTC)

[edit] Please Do No Use Sikhiwiki As A Reference or any Other Wikipedia's
Please do not use Wikipedias as a reference. Thanks --Sikh-History 13:05, 12 January 2010 (UTC)

[edit] Wack a Mole
Hello Wikipedeans. I cannot be here all the time to keep a correct account of YB's lawsuits. I would appreciate it if others could keep the record straight. The account is by no means complete as one of the complainants claimed her sister had her physically restrain her so that she would be set in place for Bhajan's brutalizations. There are affidavits available urging Bhajan to settle the sexual battery cases as they were proving damaging to the Sikh religion. Anyway here is an abstract you can copy and paste to keep the record straight:

[edit] Lawsuits against Yogi Bhajan
There were three prominent law suits against Yogi Bhajan. The lawsuit with the most emotional impact for the Yogi Bhajan community was the Kate Felt lawsuit. This lawsuit alleged that Mr. Harbhajan aka Yogi Bhajan had raped and forcefully sodomized Ms. Karta Purk Kaur aka Kate Felt. Further the complaint alleged that Mr. Harbhajan had ripped a mole off of Ms. Felt's backside. There were also allegations of false arrest and false imprisonment of Ms. Felt. The plaintif was represented by Messers Peter N. Gorciades, Esq. from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Gordon Reiselt Esq of Singer Smith and Williams from Albuquerque, New Mexico. A second lawsuit had been initiated by Premka Kaur for rape, and assault and battery. An affadavit by Manmohan Singh will attest to the fact that Harbhajan Singh and Pritam Singh had met to discuss a settlement for both lawsuits. Harbhajan Singh had expressed the sentiment that the lawsuits would be damaging to the Sikh religion in public opinion. The third lawsuit was a complaint over defamation among many other wrongs. The plaintiff was Mark Baker, and he had left Akal Security in order to become a law enforcement officer with the state of New Mexico. It seems that Yogi Bhajan or Harbhajan Singh had made allegations that Mr. Baker was a danger to the goup leader's life. Harbhajan's complaint was made to the state of New Mexico which resulted in Mr. Baker being dismissed from the police training program. In the end Harbhajan's insurance company made a settlement check to Mr. Baker for the sum of $250,000 in order to have the lawsuit dismissed.

[1]

[edit] A Lawsuit is a Lawsuit...
It is not a conviction. In the US, legal matters are routinely settled out of court as the costs are less, particularly when the object of the suit is a high profile person or corporation. And especially so when a religion is involved.

Rick Ross [14], who calls himself "Sharkbait" on this forum, has an axe to grind and a business to promote defaming Yogi Bhajan and anyone else Ross might deem to be a "cult figure". Ross himself has seen more than his share of the courts in his lifetime.

Unlike Yogi Bhajan, Rick Ross WAS found guilty and sentenced for serious infractions of the law. See the wiki article. It is Ross who resorted to violence and coercion in the kidnapping of hundreds of members of non-mainstream religions in the course of his business as a "deprogrammer". According to the same wiki article, the FBI says Ross is a "questionable source of information" with "a personal hatred for all religious cults".

This hatred clearly comes out in Mr. Ross's obsession with this article. It is lacking in perception and circumspection. Anyone looking at his latest contribution, the so-called "An Abstract of the Suppressed Public Record of Lawsuits" will see that - aside from fishing up the prurient details Ross has previous posted in this article - the second half (4 lines) of this bit is identical to the last paragraph of the previous section. It seems not to matter to Mr. Ross. The more space he can take up slandering leaders of what he considers "religious cults", the more exposure he gets. It is a sloppy and poorly informed approach.

I might add - as I have in a previous post - that I have personally known Premka Kaur and spoke with her in 2000 when she worked for Ancient Healing Ways, a 3HO company in Espanola, and was hoping to reconcile with Yogi Bhajan. This chance encounter of mine is bad for Ross's slant on this whole affair, but true. Has Ross ever spoken with Premka? It doesn't seem likely. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk • contribs) 22:32, 26 February 2010 (UTC)

It strikes me as a possible Conflict of Interest that the person who has worked directly on the law suits himself would be the one with interest in ensuring that these suits are presented. It would also seem that Rick Ross page has grounds for editing or even considered for review as it appears to be a POV Autobiography [15] - especially parts where he mentions his fees and services (see: [16]) - certainly are of a nature of Self Promotion and tend to read like a resume (see also: [17]).
Background on him and of Yogi Bhajan generally valid to include if it can be sourced [18], and is relevant, neutral and notable. But as mentioned, Rick Ross has a COI in presenting material on Yogi Bhajan as it would appear he has personal interest in ensuring the presentation of lawsuits in which he had an involvement.--Fatehji (talk) 08:44, 1 March 2010 (UTC)
[edit] Removal of litigation sections
I am removing the legal issues sections – both of them – for the simple reason that in the big scope of things, they do not merit mention in an article about a man of the caliber of Yogi Bhajan, a religious figure considered by the United States Congress to be in the same elevated category as just three other individuals, Mother Theresa, Pope John Paul II, and Martin Luther King, Jr. [19] Anyone who seriously looks at the remarkable contributions Yogi Bhajan has made, as sketched out in the article, in areas from the healing arts to interfaith dialogue to standing firm against terrorism, will come away impressed, if not amazed at his consistent humanity and passion for peace and the good of all.

Rick Ross aka “Sharkbait” has inserted these hackneyed and libellous sections (poorly written, with word for word redundency) about unsuccessful litigations for one reason alone: to slander a great American who does not fit into his Judeo-Christian model of what a good man should be and do, and incidentally to attempt to enlarge his case file as a deprogrammer. If it is a reputable Jewish connection you are after, I can tell you that Yogi Bhajan was a good acquaintance of the former Head Chaplain of the U.S. Armed Forces. He also shared Shabbat with Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.

As I indicated in previous editions of these sections you inserted into the article, at least one of these legal cases of the 1980s was funded by third parties with an interest in defaming Yogi Bhajan. Moreover, one of the plaintiffs, Premka returned to New Mexico in 2000 and was employed for a time by a 3HO company as she sought to reconcile herself with Yogi Bhajan. I might add that the notable students (see the Notable Students section of the article) of Yogi Bhajan – people of staunch morale fibre, superior intelligence and high ideals, would certainly have denounced their teacher or simply abandoned him had they believed there was any substance to the allegations made against him.

In summation, you are on the wrong case and you've got the wrong man, Mr. Ross. (If you want to write about cases of wrongful confinement and rape, you can supplement your wiki bio with details about your work as a “deprogrammer,” kidnapping and subjecting your unwilling guests to your brainwashing techniques.) None of the three cases you mention was successful and dragging them up clearly serves no purpose but your own. In the big picture, it should not surprise us if Mother Theresa, Pope John Paul II and Martin Luther King, Jr. also dealt with vexatious and petty litigations. But since these were neither memorable nor significant, why should they be included in a wiki article about their amazing lives and tremendous contributions? Of course, they should not and consequently, they are not. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa (talk • contribs) 22:49, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

I put the lawsuits back as I think they are very important. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Guru Sant Singh (talk • contribs) 07:31, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

Comment..There is no value to excessive legal jargon,the average reader can not understand it and it is currently masking the article unreadable, also there are an excessive amount of primary citations, we need reliable secondary citations, not the original court doc or legal document but independent reports of what happened. Also Rick ross is not a reliable citation. There are excessive overly long quoted or copied sections of text in obituaries and the kundalini yoga section, this content should be summaries and shortened, also there is excessive content in the footnotes, the complete retraction request for example and some of the other stuff, if it has any real value add it to the article if now then it is of little value to the reader and simply serves to elongate the article necessarily. Off2riorob (talk) 15:44, 20 March 2010 (UTC)
The article is getting to be utter codswallop, User:Guru Sant Singh and his socks keep adding the same gibberish, which is one person's opinion, none of which has been shown to be relevant to this article except in passing. —SpacemanSpiff 02:10, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
[edit] content discussion
This was cited to rick ross, the rick ross cite is not reliable, it is quite excessive commentary are there some reliable weblinks to support it, has it/was it widely reported? Was he found guilty of anything at all? Off2riorob (talk) 17:55, 20 March 2010 (UTC)

[edit] An Abstract of the Suppressed Public Record of Lawsuits
There were three prominent law suits against Yogi Bhajan. The lawsuit with the most emotional impact for the Yogi Bhajan community was the Kate Felt lawsuit. This lawsuit alleged that Mr. Harbhajan aka Yogi Bhajan had raped and forcefully sodomized Ms. Karta Purk Kaur aka Kate Felt. Further the complaint alleged that Mr. Harbhajan had ripped a mole off of Ms. Felt's backside. There were also allegations of false arrest and false imprisonment of Ms. Felt. The plaintif was represented by Messers Peter N. Gorciades, Esq. from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Gordon Reiselt Esq of Singer Smith and Williams from Albuquerque, New Mexico. A second lawsuit had been initiated by Premka Kaur for rape, and assault and battery. An affadavit by Manmohan Singh will attest to the fact that Harbhajan Singh and Pritam Singh had met to discuss a settlement for both lawsuits. Harbhajan Singh had expressed the sentiment that the lawsuits would be damaging to the Sikh religion in public opinion. The third lawsuit was a complaint over defamation among many other wrongs. The plaintiff was Mark Baker, and he had left Akal Security in order to become a law enforcement officer with the state of New Mexico. It seems that Yogi Bhajan or Harbhajan Singh had made allegations that Mr. Baker was a danger to the group leader's life. Harbhajan's complaint was made to the state of New Mexico which resulted in Mr. Baker being dismissed from the police training program. In the end Harbhajan's insurance company made a settlement check to Mr. Baker for the sum of $250,000 in order to have the lawsuit dismissed.

[edit] comments

I do not think that I am knowledgeable enough to make any Wiki comments. You seem to be doing a fine job in the talk section.
Guru Fatah Singh is clearly biased. I think that any reader who follows the warning at the top of the entry to the talk page will understand that.
I would also like to see the Wiki page be more accurate but I am unable to assist in making that happen.