[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 119, 109th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
YOGI BHAJAN--RECOGNITION
NOTE: Apr. 6, 2005 -  [H.Con.Res.34]
Whereas the Sikh faith was founded in the northern section of the
Republic of India in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, who preached
tolerance and equality for all humans;

Whereas the Sikh faith began with a simple message of truthful living
and the fundamental unity of humanity, all created by one creator
who manifests existence through every religion;

Whereas the Sikh faith reaches out to people of all faiths and cultural
backgrounds, encourages individuals to see beyond their differences,
and to work together for world peace and harmony;

Whereas Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji, known
as Yogi Bhajan to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, was
born Harbhajan Singh Puri on August 26, 1929, in India;

Whereas at age eight, Yogi Bhajan began yogic training, and eight years
later was proclaimed by his teacher to be a master of Kundalini
Yoga, which stimulates individual growth through breath, yoga
postures, sound, chanting, and meditation;

Whereas during the turmoil on the partition between Pakistan and India
in 1947, at the age of 18, Yogi Bhajan led his village of 7,000
people 325 miles on foot to safety in New Delhi, India, from what is
now Lahore, Pakistan;

Whereas Yogi Bhajan, before emigrating to North America in 1968, served
the Government of India faithfully through both civil and military
service;

Whereas when Yogi Bhajan visited the United States in 1968, he
recognized immediately that the experience of higher consciousness
that many young people were attempting to find through drugs could
be alternatively achieved through Kundalini Yoga, and in response,
he began teaching Kundalini Yoga publicly, thereby breaking the
centuries-old tradition of secrecy surrounding it;

Whereas in 1969, Yogi Bhajan founded ``Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization
(3HO)'', a nonprofit private educational and scientific foundation
dedicated to serving humanity, improving physical well-being,
deepening spiritual awareness, and offering guidance on nutrition
and health, interpersonal relations, child rearing, and human
behavior;

Whereas under the direction and guidance of Yogi Bhajan, 3HO expanded to
300 centers in 35 countries;

Whereas in 1971, the president of the governing body of Sikh Temples in
India gave Yogi Bhajan the title of Siri Singh Sahib, which made him
the chief religious and administrative authority for Sikhism in the
Western Hemisphere, and subsequently the Sikh seat of religious
authority gave him responsibility to create a Sikh ministry in the
West;

Whereas in 1971, Sikh Dharma was legally incorporated in the State of
California and recognized as a tax-exempt religious

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organization by the United States, and in 1972, Yogi Bhajan founded
the ashram Sikh Dharma in Espanola, New Mexico;

Whereas in 1973, Yogi Bhajan founded ``3HO SuperHealth'', a successful
drug rehabilitation program that blends ancient yogic wisdom of the
East with modern technology of the West;

Whereas in June 1985, Yogi Bhajan established the first ``International
Peace Prayer Day Celebrations'' in New Mexico, which still draws
thousands of participants annually;

Whereas Yogi Bhajan traveled the world calling for world peace and
religious unity at meetings with leaders such as Pope Paul VI; Pope
John Paul II; His Holiness the Dalai Lama; the President of the
former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Mikhail Gorbachev; and
two Archbishops of Canterbury;

Whereas Yogi Bhajan wrote 30 books and inspired the publication of 200
other books through his teachings, founded a drug rehabilitation
program, and inspired the founding of several businesses;

Whereas Sikhs and students across the world testify that Yogi Bhajan
exhibited dignity, divinity, grace, commitment, courage, kindness,
compassion, tolerance, wisdom, and understanding;

Whereas Yogi Bhajan taught that in times of joy and sorrow members of
the community should come together and be at one with each other;
and

Whereas before his passing on October 6, 2004, Yogi Bhajan requested
that his passing be a time of celebration of his going home: Now,
therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress--
(1) recognizes that the teachings of Yogi Bhajan about
Sikhism and yoga, and the businesses formed under his
inspiration, improved the personal, political, spiritual, and
professional relations between citizens of the United States and
the citizens of India;
(2) recognizes the legendary compassion, wisdom, kindness,
and courage of Yogi Bhajan, and his wealth of accomplishments on
behalf of the Sikh community; and
(3) extends its condolences to Inderjit Kaur, the wife of
Yogi Bhajan, his three children and five grandchildren, and to
Sikh and 3HO communities around the Nation and the world upon
the death on October 6, 2004, of Yogi Bhajan, an individual who
was a wise teacher and mentor, an outstanding pioneer, a
champion of peace, and a compassionate human being.

Agreed to April 6, 2005.