We are we, we are One By Sardarni Sahiba DukhNiwaran Kaur Khalsa
Making KRI Teacher Training LGBTQ Inclusive
Sat Nam. A lot has been happening in our community over the past year around the topic of LGBTQ inclusion. There have been discussions, trainings, classes, and gatherings all resulting in positive changes that have significant impact.
Students, teachers, and trainers talked and KRI listened. Questions like these have popped up about how to address LGBTQ-reality in classes and teacher trainings: How do the Humanology teachings apply to same-sex couples? How do we teach mudras and postures that have gendered variations to yogis who identify as gender-fluid or non-binary?
In the process of updating and rewriting the Level One Aquarian Teacher Manual, KRI decided to address these questions. We formed a committee and got input from LGBTQ yogis from around the world to look at the depth of Yogi Bhajan's teachings while including realities that he didn't address. Without changing the teachings, we created a living draft of the Humanology chapter of the manual to include LGBTQ-reality. We took this draft to Teacher's forums at Solstice Sadhana and the European Yoga Festival. There we worked on basic training in understanding LGBTQ-reality and developed best practices for delivering these inclusive teachings.
This opening up has created changes in our community to be more expansive and inclusive yielding some very positive results. Here are some of the many things that have happened this year alone:
Summer Solstice Sadhana 2016 – Valarie Kaur spoke about LGBTQ human rights as the featured speaker at Peace Prayer Day. This was the first time LGBTQ human rights were addressed from the Tantric* Shelter stage at a Solstice Sadhana. (*See White Tantra Yoga.)
Summer Solstice Sadhana 2017, LGBTQ classes were on the schedule for the first time. Feedback from LGBTQ Solstice Sadhana participants was powerful and positive. First-time attendees said they felt like they could be themselves and that their decision to attend was bolstered by the presence of these classes.
European Yoga Festival and 3HO Summer and Winter Solstice Sadhana are adding a 3rd category to their “gender” question on registration forms. Both will include an 'other' category. 3HO is offering a fill-in-the-blank option when 'other' is selected.
August 2017 -- IKYTA, as part of their Teachings for Teachers series, released a video on how to make Kundalini Yoga classes more LGBTQ friendly.
Our communities are beginning to openly reflect the values we espouse from the teachings of Yogi Bhajan – “We are we and we are One”. We look forward to creating a truly diverse and inclusive world of Kundalini Yoga. -- Source.
DukhNiwaran Kaur Khalsa
Sardarni Sahiba DukhNiwaran Kaur Khalsa is a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist (since 1998), Professional Kundalini Yoga Teacher Trainer (since 2008) and Sikh Dharma Minister (ordained 2016). Her work focuses on helping people transform their lives through the wisdom of the body and spirit. Her work integrates massage therapy, Kundalini Yoga and meditation, breath-work, energy work, and conversation to help heal wounds our body/mind holds and elevate the spirit. She founded the Radiance Yoga + Oneness Center in Chicago where she lives with her wife of 28 years. (See OneIsTheAnswer.com.)
Summer Solstice Sadhana 2016 – 
