Kundalini is a popular branch of yoga founded by Yogi Bhajan in the 1960s. Teaching is at the center of its philosophy and practice. When Yogi Bhajan came to the United States in 1969, he said, "I've come to train teachers, not to get disciples." His focus on teaching came from a central belief. "If you want to learn something, read about it. If you want to understand something, write about it. If you want to master something, teach it."
IKYTA
Founded in 1999 by Yogi Bhajan, the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association is a global organization of certified kundalini teachers. It is an organization that offers training for new teachers and a networking and sharing site for established teachers. According to Bhajan, the "fundamental principle [of the IKYTA] is to unite."
Yogi Bhajan
Anointed as a master of kundalini yoga at age 16, Bhajan rose to prominence among young people in America during the age of Aquarius, the late 1960s and early 1970s, when seekers of a higher consciousness turned to Eastern religion and philosophy. Although sympathetic to the young, Bhajan described the effects of drugs as a "cheap Imitation" of a higher consciousness, and a dangerous one as well. In 1974, he created the 3HO Foundation, dedicated to fostering a healthy, happy and holy world. Centers for the teaching of kundalini yoga began to spread. Bhajan was not a particularly mystic figure. He founded about 20 businesses, some quite successful, and wrote 20 books. He held a master's degree in economics and a doctorate in community psychology. Later in life, he consulted with Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama concerning issues of world peace. He died in 2004 at age 75.
Certified Teachers
The IKYTA certifies three levels of kundalini teachers. The first is called Foundation. It requires 220 hours of education in the theory, practice and basic skills of a kundalini teacher. About 180 hours is spent in the classroom with 40 hours in independent service projects. A 40-day meditation and instruction in white tantric yoga, a form of energy medicine, is part of the curriculum. So is supervised student teaching and instruction in Western and Eastern medicine. The second level, Transformation, delves into intuition, neutrality and self-assessment. The third level, Realization, deals with spiritual maturity and leadership.
Considerations
Bhajan the teacher was quite humble. "I'm just the mailman delivering the message." His teachings strike a universal chord. "If you don't see God in all, you don't see God at all." He could be eccentric -- Bhajan came up with an "anti-radiation juice" for people to drink after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Russia. But he preached a message that continues to strike a chord with many people, as they attempt to "inspire and empower humanity to be healthy, happy and holy." His teachers carry on his work.
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