 News from South Africa  |
News from South Africa
SS Guru Terath K Khalsa Ph.D.
I guess you could say that South Africa is the outpost of the outposts. Pritam Hari Kaur, Har Bhajan Singh and their son, Hari Bhajan Singh have been there for about 15 years teaching Kundalini Yoga and running a Health Shop, called Froots and Roots. They are the only 3HO Sikhs in all of South Africa. It takes a lot of strength and grit to be so far away from sangat for such a long period of time. Our support and e-mails mean more than you can possibly imagine. Their e-mail address is [email protected] - drop them a line some time.
I have always wanted to go to Africa, so I finally did. There are no wild animals roaming the streets of Johannesburg, but there are game reserves as close to Johannesburg as 2-3 hours. They are magnificent “African” and exotic with all of the varieties of wild animals and birds you can imagine.
I have been facilitating Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training with Pritam Hari Kaur. In Johannesburg we have twenty-one students, and in Cape Town we have eight. It has been an awesome experience for me; the students are so inspired by the teachings and are making incredible transformations and changes during the process of the training. We currently provide eight scholarships for people who could not otherwise attend. It is so important for these people to bring the technology of Kundalini Yoga to their respective communities. Unfortunately many of the African and Indian people cannot afford the training, even though fees have been reduced .
There are similarities between the American struggle for Civil liberties and human rights, and the present situation in South Africa. People have suffered from the worst oppression, cruelty, injustice, prejudice, and economic inequality. It was only in 1990 that South Africa was granted its first general election. It is going to take many years for the process of change to heal the people.
During Apartheid, people of color were separated into their own districts or neighborhoods. People who had lived side-by-side for generations were uprooted and forced to relocate into racially designated neighborhoods. After apartheid ended these neighborhoods were no longer enforced, but the subtle lines of segregation still exist. People of different racial extraction are beginning to mingle once again, particularly in the work place, but feelings of separation, prejudice, and fear are still very strong.
Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training is breaking down the lines of separation. We have people of many religious and racial origins enrolled - Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Christian, Black African. People are watching themselves grow and expand. A few years ago this kind of interaction was unheard of. Revolutionary! Each student is acknowledging their personal transformation and their mission. This so inspiring, it makes traveling thousands of miles from home for months at a time so worthwhile.
Another exciting aspect of Teacher Training is helping the students find their teaching niche. They are making choices to teach disabled people, children, teens, pregnant women, moms and babies, seniors, people living with AIDS, and drug addicts.
The African Continent has one of the highest incidence of AIDS in the world. In South Africa, between 1/3 and 1/2 of the population has AIDS. Whole families and villages are infected with the AIDS Virus. Most people cannot afford the medications which have prolonged the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans living with AIDS. Kundalini Yoga is now giving some of these people hope, dignity, and peace of mind. It is also boosting their immune systems and nourishing their souls.
Just outside of Durban, on the Eastern Coast of South Africa, there is an Indian community called Chatsworth. The population is mostly Hindu, with a few shaven Sikhs. Chatsworth was a forced community from the apartheid era. It now flourishes. The community also survived much injustice and suffering during apartheid.
A new Sikh Gurdwara is under construction. A few years ago, eight Sikhs began this project. Their dedication has inspired donations and seva. When I visited them for Baisakhi in April, 2000, I was very inspired by their spirit. One US dollar is worth 7 Rand in South Africa, so projects like this are difficult to fund.
Traveling has opened my eyes to the absolute effectiveness of the teachings of Kundalini Yoga and Sikh Dharma, and the need to reach all countries and peoples. If you have any calling to become a Kundalini Yoga Teacher Trainer, go for it. You will have so many places to teach, and teaching will be one of the most rewarding things you will do in your life. I firmly believe this!
If you would like to contribute in any way to the efforts and fantastic progress being made in South Africa, please contact Guru Terath Kaur Khalsa at (505) 753-6241.