Livtar Singh

I started with Yogi Bhajan in the Fall of 1969. He told me to come to Los Angeles to study with him, so I did.  I was there for 6 months, Jan to June of 1970.

We students would rise each morning at 2:30 am.  Do yoga from 3 to 4, then the Long Ek Ong Kar chant for 2 1/2 hours. There were two classes per day, morning and evening, that Yogi Bhajan personally taught. Then, in our spare time,  we would do yoga for fun! We were zapping and popping with energy. Astonishing amounts of energy.

In addition, I was privileged to spend time with him informally. I learned to tie my first turban in his living room by watching him tie his.

In June 1970, we were all going to New Mexico for the first 3HO sponsored Summer Solstice event. I had just turned 19. He told me it was time to go start the ashram in Atlanta. He said a student had promised to donate a house there that we could use for the ashram.

I left LA with $10 that someone gave me. It was gone by the time we reached New Mexico. After the Solstice celebration, a large group of us then left New Mexico and headed for Atlanta because Yogi ji was to speak at the Atlanta Pop Festival.

My way to Atlanta was paved. With no money, no VISIBLE means of support, everything I needed was put in front of me to get here and get started. However, the house donation fell through, so another series of events led me step by step until in October of 1970, we had our first ashram house with 6 students living there.

Over the years, I traveled with Yogi ji a good amount. I have been with him alone in hotel rooms, on the road with him, in large and small group settings and teaching situations.

He was perfectly authentic. He was not something different in public than in private. He was himself, Teacher. There was not an inner circle that knew the "real him" or the real scoop. The real scoop is what you see publicly. No one was higher or lower to him, better or worse.

So I teach as I learned from my teacher. Sat Nam.