A few weeks ago a book came out, Premka: White Bird in a Golden Cage. The author reveals details about her time living and studying with Yogi Bhajan, the man who brought Kundalini Yoga to the West, and is the lineage which I have learned, studied and taught from. It details abuse, sexual assault, illegal business practices and other allegations of Yogi Bhajan. Since this book was released there has been an overwhelming amount of people coming forward with their own stories of sexual assault, manipulation, child abuse, and other horrible stories of Yogi Bhajan.
For myself, I have made the decision to step away from the Kundalini Yoga community, the practices, and to stop all teaching of this lineage. I do not feel comfortable supporting a man or lineage in any way that could have implications of siphoning power from others, that supports abuse, or victim blames or anything of the sort. The lack of accountability, the number of teachers I have met who were shut down or had attempts made on them to shut them down as teachers is too many. The pressures I received to conform, and the lack of support I felt when I did not conform, and also how I was shut down when I questioned the lawsuit in my teacher training are all things that have never sat well with me.
While I am grateful for how far I have changed with this practice, with everything coming forward I cannot feel comfortable continuing to support in any way this lineage and these teachings.
