Editing Yogi Bhajan (section)

=== Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization ===

{{Main|3HO}}

[[File:3HO Summer Solstice 1970.jpg|thumb|1970 gathering at Santa Clara Canyon, New Mexico]]

In 1969, Singh established the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) Foundation in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]] to further his missionary work. His brand of Sikhism appealed to the [[hippy|hippies]] who formed the bulk of his early converts. The Sikh practice of not cutting one's hair or beard was already accepted by the hippie culture. Singh encouraged [[vegetarian]]ism even though Sikhs are traditionally meat eaters. Singh called the hippie youth 'searching souls' who wanted to experience elevated states of awareness and wanted to feel they were contributing to a world of peace and social justice.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2004-10-09 |title=Yogi Bhajan, 75, 'Boss' of Worlds Spiritual and Capitalistic, Dies (Published 2004) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/09/us/yogi-bhajan-75-boss-of-worlds-spiritual-and-capitalistic-dies.html |access-date=2025-08-27 |language=en}}</ref> He offered them all these things with vigorous yoga, an embracing holistic vision, and an optimistic spirit of sublime destiny.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cowley |first1=Susan Cheever |first2=Martin |last2=Kasindorf |first3=Laurie |last3=Lisle |title=Sikhdom, U.S.A. |journal=[[Newsweek]] |date=April 21, 1975 |page=65}}</ref>
Interest in yoga increased worldwide at this time.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Corliss |first=Richard |title=The Power of Yoga |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=April 15, 2001 |volume=157 |issue=16 |pages=54–63 |pmid=11330024 |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,999731,00.html}}</ref> To serve the changing times, Singh created the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association, dedicated to setting standards for teachers and the propagation of the teachings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ikyta.org/ikyta-history|title=IKYTA History &#124; IKYTA - International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association|website=Ikyta.org|access-date=December 15, 2021}}</ref> 

In 1994, the 3HO Foundation joined the United Nations as a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, representing women's issues, promoting human rights, and providing education about alternative systems of medicine.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.3ho.org/yogi-bhajan/about-yogi-bhajan/yogi-bhajans-biography|title=Yogi Bhajan's Biography|work=3HO - Happy, Healthy, Holy |date=December 31, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102082829/https://www.3ho.org/yogi-bhajan/about-yogi-bhajan/yogi-bhajans-biography|access-date=15 December 2021|archive-date=January 2, 2017}}</ref>