In Loving Memory of Dr. Pritam Singh Khalsa, D.C., December 31, 1938 - April 26, 2002
Pritam Singh died on April 26, 2002, at our home/ashram in Yuba City. He had been in poor health for the last few years.
I met Pritam Singh at Hargobind Sadan in San Rafael in 1974, when he came there for a Teacher’s Course. We were married on Sept 22, 1974, at Hargobind. Pritam was absolutely certain that this would work; I wasn’t, since I had only known him for three weeks. But Yogiji [Siri Singh Sahib (Yogi Bhajan)] was coming into town for a Tantric weekend, and the Ashram moved this along. The following year we had our first child, Siri Vias Singh, and two years later, Guru Kirin Kaur. Four years later, when Pritam was close to graduating from Chiropractic college, Har Simran Singh followed.
Throughout our Ashram years we were ardent yoga practitioners - part of all the now famous legends of getting up at 3 am for extended sadhanas, for 2-1/2 hour long Ek Ong Kar’s to teaching classes in prisons. Pritam’s sense of responsibility and serious attention to Yogi Bhajan’s teachings were well known.
Pritam brought a lot with him. He was older than many of the other ashram members, including myself, and his advanced knowledge astonished many. Prior to becoming a yogi, he had gotten a degree in engineering from Oklahoma State University, studied for the priesthood, and lived in Latin America for six years where he helped set up agricultural and industrial co-ops amongst the indigenous tribes there. He published a doctoral thesis for his degree in Anthropology at that time.
We set up our chiropractic clinic in Yuba City, among the largest group of Indian Sikhs. It quickly grew. In 1989 Pritam set up a Physical Rehabilitation Clinic that has since grown and expanded to two locations. He had an excellent mind for business and could analyze with utmost detachment.
In the early 90’s he traveled worldwide teaching advanced healing techniques to fellow practitioners. His approach to healing was truly yogic - he saw no duality in illness. He had extensive knowledge, an intuitive approach, and he was uncompromising and courageous when taking on the fallacies of medicine. He helped thousands become well.
Pritam was also a poet, learned in the ways of the heart. He was a lover of truth and a scholar. The depth of his humanity as seen in his breadth of spirit and love of family made him a rare and unique individual.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Siri Pritam Kaur, his daughter Guru Kirin Kaur, his sons Siri Vias Singh and Har Simran Singh, his sisters Nancy Pyeatt, Susan Ennis, and Martha Lunz as well as brother Fred Ewing Pyeatt III.