What’s Next for Kundalini?

It’s been over five years since allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse against Yogi Bhajan, the founder of Western Kundalini Yoga, came to light. In that time, a memoir was published (Premka: White Bird in a Golden Cage: My Life with Yogi Bhajan by Pamela Saharah Dyson), followed by the Breath of Fire documentary, a wave of investigative podcasts, countless articles were published, and many voices stepped forward. Over the years, the discourse around the allegations has slowly died down yet Kundalini is still practiced in studios across Berlin. In this article, we take a closer look at how Kundalini teachers in Berlin are re-imagining the practice. How have they made it their own? How do they navigate Kundalini Yoga’s complicated past and reshape the narrative for themselves and their students?

Here is what they had to say…

What initially drew you to Kundalini vs. other types of yoga?

When I discovered Kundalini Yoga—after years of Hatha and two completed trainings—it hit me on a different level, as if every movement translated my inner world with precision. A missing piece that felt like a direct path to my heart. It moved the subtle space within me, gently pulling what was stuck or unspoken to the surface. Most of all, it gave me direction and purpose at a time when I had none. Bit by bit, I poured my whole being into it.

How do you approach Kundalini now, knowing the history and allegations against Yogi Bhajan?

Because I’d deeply identified with the practice, it took time for everything to sink in; watching Breath of Fire made the quiet resistance I’d felt for years undeniable. As a truth-seeker at heart, I couldn’t pretend that nothing had happened. And that’s where the split appears—between those who speak about it, those who avoid it and those who have no idea yet still pass on the stories. I chose transparency with my community: speaking openly in class, sharing the documentary with a trigger warning and—while grieving—acknowledging that I no longer knew where I stood with Kundalini.

In what ways does your teaching aim to reclaim or re-imagine Kundalini practice today?

I’ve always danced a little out of line, so re-imagining Kundalini became a way to stay true to my nature. The kriyas remain a frame, but over the years I’ve changed—and found my own language: rooted in the intention to move inner spaces, in carefully chosen music and relating to the ways somatic movement can guide us back to ourselves. I no longer see myself as a Kundalini teacher—I’m exploring space, possibility and the inner landscapes that open when we move together with meaning.

How do you reframe the narrative around Kundalini for yourself and your students?

For me, reframing Kundalini is a return to what’s real. As a lifelong student, I teach from what feels honest—continuously educating, trusting my body’s truth over inherited dogma. Holding space is at the core of my practice. My classes focus on what helps us feel safe, seen and supported, and how subtle shifts—inside and around us—shape our experiences.

I’m forever grateful Kundalini Yoga found me; and if it hadn’t been for my teacher Ardas, I might never have begun teaching. Teaching brought me closer to myself, gave me space to express and showed me the power of community. It revealed layers nothing else could name—reminding me how dedication carries far more poetry and truth than anything written. People are more aware now; promises of wealth, spiritual superiority, or perfection through repetitive movements simply don’t land anymore. Still, I hope Kundalini Yoga continues to seed consciousness—helping us soften, shed illusion and meet change with honesty. May it remind us that guarding the heart costs more than opening it. Sat nam.

What initially drew you to Kundalini vs. other types of yoga?

I think I was drawn to it by the intensity of the practice, the very quick effect it had on my mood, resilience, capacity for joy, and the constant novelty. Every class could be a whole new discovery (and my ADHD brain must have loved that!) I would get beautifully high from practicing almost every day and it felt delicious and incredibly lively.

How do you approach Kundalini now, knowing the history and allegations against Yogi Bhajan?

After the ousting of YB (Yogi Bhajan) as an abuser I spent a couple of years deeply invested in knowing more about what happened: reading books, reports, interviews, support forums of victims, historical studies about the practice and its sources. Not just the stories of sexual abuse, but also the cult power dynamics he engaged with: matching couples, having their kids sent to India to private boarding schools (where they were often abused), demanding the members of the community to hand over deeds to their houses and businesses, arms dealing, multiple frauds...

Also researching who the actual teachers of YB were, beyond the myths: e.g. Dhirendra Brahmachari, Baba Virsa Singh… How he created the story of Guru Ramdas as his spiritual teacher because he didn’t want to acknowledge having a spiritual teacher who was still alive (Virsa Singh) and who could potentially be a risk to his empire. How he unilaterally appointed himself the leader of the Sikh faith in the US even though the very notion of central leadership is totally opposed to the core tenets of Sikhism… I could go on with a long list of examples.

From the very start (and as my research continued) I was very open about it during my classes and made space for any concerns/questions from the students. I wanted to give them the knowledge and the agency they each are entitled to. What was incredibly disheartening was that I was one of the very few to do that, and the only teacher in my studio to talk about it. My initiative was met with a lot of resistance. More globally the reaction from the KY community was: denial and victim blaming ("these are all lies from women desperate for attention"), avoidance ("we shouldn’t talk about this, the students don’t need to know"), or spiritual bypassing ("it’s all about the teachings and not about the man"). 3HO has even accepted the findings of the independent investigation but it’s still business as usual.

In what ways does your practice aim to reclaim or re-imagine Kundalini practice today?

I spent 2 years exploring how to continue teaching KY and it became increasingly difficult to hold its deep ambiguity and teach with integrity. I spent a lot of energy working with this ambiguity and eventually decided that it was (for now?) really a lost cause. I didn’t want to swim against the current on my own and I turned to teachers who are offering a practice that feels more consistent, kind, and honest. Teachers like Naomi Absalom, Simon Borg-Olivier, Julie Martin, David Kam, etc. Practices that can be called Post-Lineage Yoga.

I’m still today mourning the loss KY at so many levels. Maybe someday I’ll be able to reintegrate some aspects of KY in my practice in a way that feels authentic and safe. So far in this process I’ve learned a deeper meaning of what integrity means for me and how challenging it can be to stand up for my values. Looking back I wouldn’t have done it any other way.

What initially drew you to Kundalini vs. other types of yoga?

I like that Kundalini Yoga uses breathwork, mantras, and voice more than other types of Yoga. For me it feels closer to what Yoga would have been thousands of years ago.

How do you approach Kundalini now, knowing the history and allegations against Yogi Bhajan?

The same way I feel about J. K. Rowling: I’m very grateful for the transmission of Harry Potter just like I am grateful for the transmission and channelling of Yogi Bhajan. I don’t hold any anger towards any of these individuals. I approach Kundalini Yoga the same way I always have — taking what resonates and teaching how I want.

In what ways does your teaching aim to reclaim or re-imagine Kundalini practice today?

I never followed any guidelines or rules recommended in our teacher training. My Kundalini training was with the incredible Panch Nishan (a true teacher of this lifetime) who gave me an incredible structure which I could color how I like. Pyramid Party takes a lot from what I learnt in my Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training.

How do you reframe the narrative around Kundalini for yourself and your students?

Yoga is an art of living - eat what excites you and leave the rest. Just relax and enjoy the experience of discovering in your own way the infinite version of us. Don’t worry about other people … or actually don’t worry full stop.

What initially drew you to Kundalini vs. other types of yoga?

Kundalini Yoga crossed my path about seven years ago, at a time when I was already practicing other styles of yoga. I was at a retreat and after that week I felt an immense shift in my whole being. It allowed me to access layers of myself. Since then, I’ve never stopped practicing. Kundalini has shaped my life in so many ways and continues to be one of the practices that grounds me the most.

How do you approach Kundalini now, knowing the history and allegations against Yogi Bhajan?

My first Kundalini Yoga teacher, who is Indian, once told me that the teachings are always higher than the teacher. And that really stayed with me. Breathwork, mantra and meditation existed long before Yogi Bhajan. So today, I hold the history with awareness and I’m simply very mindful of the teachers I choose to practice with.

In what ways does your teaching aim to reclaim or re-imagine Kundalini practice today?

Most of the time, when I teach a Kundalini Yoga class to someone who encounters the practice for the first time, they immediately feel its impact and for me, that’s what matters. My intention is that people experience these tools in a way that helps them regulate their nervous system, feel a deeper inner connection and land in a more grounded version of themselves.

How do you reframe the narrative around Kundalini for yourself and your students?

I feel that everyone can decide for themselves if they want to practice Kundalini or not. As I’ve mentioned before breathwork, kriyas, and meditation existed long before any modern figure. These practices are ancient, and that’s what I choose to honor. That’s also the perspective of my own teacher who grew up with this tradition, with the mantras, the breath, the philosophy.