3HO Incorporated as a Non-Profit

3HO Foundation – the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization – was incorporated as a non-profit organization in California on July 29, 1969.

Shakti Parwha Kaur, Yogi Bhajan’s first student, shared this about this time: “Yogi Bhajan was making soup in the kitchen of the East-West Cultural Center in Los Angeles when he told me, “I have a vision, to create an organization called 3HO, the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization, and you’ll be the Mother”. 

Without hesitation I replied, “Thanks a lot, but no thanks. I’ve already raised my son – and I definitely don’t want any more responsibility; and furthermore, I don’t like organizations.”

Fortunately, he didn’t listen to me. Through the years, despite all the opposition and stupidity (starting with me!) that he patiently endured, Yogi Bhajan continued to follow his inner guidance, manifesting his vision and fulfilling his God-given destiny.

He understood that some formal legal structure was needed to allow the teachings of Kundalini Yoga to become widespread. So, we did incorporate 3HO in July of 1969, and of course I dealt with all the “organizational” paperwork involved! But at the heart of it all was Yogiji’s true intention of creating a family of people who practice Kundalini Yoga, people who could and would live for each other, not just with each other – and certainly not at each other!

Read more from Shakti Parwha in this article “The Beginning of 3HO“.

Here’s a video by Shakti Parwha Kaur about “How it All Began”