I have been a new student of the teacher. Listening to Yogi ji and wondering how it would ever be possible to get to where he was.
I have been the teacher, sitting where Yogi ji sat, with the new students in front of me wondering the same thing.
I remember wanting Yogi ji to give us that “thing” that would take away the doubt, fear, pain, etc. of living in a physical form. And I see my students wanting that same “thing”.
The “thing” is, he had already given us the “thing” – Knowledge of Kundalini Yoga, discipline, Sadhana, Naam, Bani, Bhana, Simran, Seva.
Read: "I Bow – the Story Behind the Music"Categories: Music history, Our Stories
in 1968, Yogi Bhajan landed in Toronto and set foot upon western soil for the very first time! He came to Canada at the invitation of a professor at the University of Toronto to come and teach yoga. As destiny would have it, the professor was killed in a car accident on the way to the airport and there was no one there to receive him. To compound the situation, both of his suitcases were lost in transit and so he arrived with only the thin, silk kurta that he wore. It was Friday, the 13th of September – a bumpy beginning of an amazing adventure.
Ron Baird was a professor at the University of Toronto School of Architecture and he met Yogi Bhajan shortly after he arrived in the west.
Written by Ron Baird September 13, 2003, here are stories of his first experiences with Yogi Bhajan in Toronto in the Fall of 1968
Read: "Stories of Yogi Bhajan in Toronto from the Fall of 1968"Categories: 3HO History, Our Stories
The word mantra comes from a very beautiful experience; that of the sound waves moving the mind. Tra comes from tarang, which is the wave of sound. Man is the mind. When we chant sacred mantras, we are creating a sound wave that the mind feels safe to embark upon. This sound wave takes us out of our limited individual mind into our Infinite universal mind. We can see and experience beyond our limitations and the circumstance of the day into the greater story. There are many powerful mantras that work from many sacred traditions. There is one particular mantra from the Kundalini Yoga and Sikh tradition that has given me the capacity to self-elevate.
Read: "The Power to Self-Elevate to Your Highest Destiny"Categories: 3HO History, Music history, Our Stories
Hearing the “Long Time Sun” song at the end of my first Kundalini Yoga Sadhana (daily spiritual practice) seemed like a wonder to me. It struck me deeply that there still were people knowing and singing this song that I’ve been singing as my personal mantra for more than thirty years. It was so perfect that finally I found the teachings of Yogi Bhajan. I was hooked on Kundalini Yoga from the first day, with Ishnaan, daily sadhana, and all.
Read: "Where it all Began"Categories: 3HO History, Our Stories
Tags: Aquarian Times - 2009-Feb/Mar -, may the long time sun
Later that evening, in the teepee Yogiji was staying in, the inspired conversation twisted and turned through tall tales and cosmic commentary, ending in the initial planning about Woodstock, the colossal music festival to take place later that summer. Two months later, the reality was that Yogi Bhajan’s student, Tom Law, sat before hundreds of thousands of people and led Kundalini Yoga exercises and meditations that opened the historic Woodstock festival. Many of 3HO’s early members came from this gathering.
Read: "Summer Solstice – A History of the Early Years"Categories: 3HO History, Our Stories
Tags: summer solstice
When 3HO was in its infancy, we sang many rousing choruses of “We are One in the Spirit, we are One in the Lord.” It captured the prevailing enthusiasm of the idealistic generation that flocked to learn from the Yogi. It was an open-hearted era of loving acceptance of everyone, presaging the the Aquarian Age Age of brotherhood yet to come.
We didn’t know how traumatic the change of Ages was going to be, but Yogi Bhajan did. He traveled extensively throughout the world, preparing people for the Aquarian Age. Even when his words had to be translated, his teachings went straight to the hearts of the thousands of people he reached. Language was no barrier for him.
Read: "One in the Spirit"Categories: 3HO History, Music history, Our Stories
Tags: Aquarian Times, Aquarian Times - 2006-May
We were nearly out the doorway when all of a sudden a man wielding a sword flew above the crowd from the left and struck Yogi Bhajan on the head. Thank God for the turban and kanga (wooden comb tucked in the hair) as Yogiji was not hurt, but as soon as I heard the metal sword cracking against the kanga, all my warrior instincts erupted. It was clear we were under attack as another man jumped with his sword over the crowd on my right. But as he flew over my head, I literally caught this man and hurled him back onto the crowd.
Read: "Saving YogiJi"Categories: 3HO History, Our Stories
Tags: Aquarian Times, Aquarian Times - 2005-Winter
Slowly the business grew. By I984, we had graduated from our little brown bag, to a four color printed box of bulk Yogi Tea in three flavors (Original, Almond and Carob Mocha). I remember going to the Natural Foods Merchandiser Expo in Los Angeles with Yogi Bhajan in January 1985. He took me directly to the Celestial Seasonings booth. He stood there, looked at the booth, then looked at me and said,
“Get busy. One day soon we’ll have more teas than they do and we’ll be one of the biggest tea companies in the world.” He looked at me closer and then said, “Yogi Tea is magic.”
Read: "A Heavenly Aroma"Categories: 3HO History, Our Stories
Tags: Aquarian Times, Aquarian Times - 2005-Winter
Every Heartbeat” is designed to heal mental pain by giving hope and a deep understanding of spiritual truth. “God is Within Me” is wonderful as background music or for meditation. This soothing album with beautiful lyrics feels as if it removes the worries of the world. The voice of Nirinjan Kaur has a rare quality that is soothing, meditative, and truthful. The ancient traditional chants are enhanced with English lyrics written by Yogi Ji , master of white tantric yoga and Kundalini Yoga. These lyrics contain the essence of the ancient chants and together, the two languages create a powerful synergy.
Read: "The Sacred Sounds of Nirinjan Kaur"Categories: Music history, Our Stories
Tags: Beads of Truth, Nirinjan Kaur