Reappraising the construction of Yogi Bhajan’s Kundalini Yoga

Abstract

ABSTRACT This piece revisits my 2012 article for Sikh Formations titled ‘From Maharaj to Mahan Tantric,’ which gave a revised history of Yogi Bhajan’s Kundalini Yoga, and narrates its reception and influence in subsequent years, especially since 2020 with revelations of abuse by Yogi Bhajan and within 3HO institutions. It argues that ‘From Maharaj to Mahan Tantric’ played a role as both a threat to legitimacy and then a tool of crisis management for 3HO, and the reception of the article highlights the importance of Yogi Bhajan’s yoga and claimed titles during the longer history of 3HO through the present moment.