June 20, 2020 – Trainer Update

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Watch Amrit’s weekly video message here – Next Steps after the recent Global Trainer Forum/Summit.

Click on the “CC” at the bottom of the video to see subtitles in various languages.


  • Global Trainer Summit –  On July 9, 10, 11 KRI had its first Online Trainer Summit.  There were trainers from 47 countries (of the 56 Countries where there is Teacher Training) that participated in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, and Chinese.  The Summit was a completely new format using Open Space Technology.  Using Zoom, the participants were able to participate in any discussion that interested them and were able to freely move about from breakout room to breakout room.  This event was delivered by a team of sevadars from the Academy and Directed by Sat Amrit Kaur, the Trainer Forum Coordinator.  The Magic of zoom was delivered by Priti Darshan Kaur of KRI.  The event generated over 120 pages of notes that are being collated by Sadhu Kaur and a team to allow self-organized working groups (open to all trainers, not just those who attended the forum) to prepare proposals for the Teacher Training Executive Committee (TTEC) meetings September 20, 21 and 22.  These will be online and are open to every trainer who wants to participate.  
  • KRI is interested in expanding its Board of Directors. Our intention is to strengthen and balance Board representation broadly across the globe and to include voices that represent the views and perspectives of our diverse community. To that end, we invite you to self-nominate and/or recommend qualified candidates who are interested in re-inventing KRI to meet the needs, the consciousness, and the heart of this new Age.  Read more about criteria and to request an application here.
  • Supporting you in addressing a recent negative news article – Recently this article appeared in the online edition of the LA Magazine.  It unfortunately mixes and confuses the yogic organization 3HO with the religious organization of Sikh Dharma International.  In case you are asked by students about this article, we are providing this “talking points” document.  Please let us know if there are other ways we can support you through these challenging times.
  • Community Dialogue –  At the Global Summit we heard many request to continue scheduling Listening Circles in various languages and time zones – especially with the report from An Olive Branch soon to be released.  In order to make these happen, we need to have more volunteer facilitators.  KRI will support you to step into this role.  Please click on this link and help support the trainer community in this way!
  • Scientific Research into Kundalini Yoga – Check out our new webpage with links to all the scientific articles about Kundalini Yoga, summary here and full list here.
  • Upcoming online workshops and webinars:
    • New Date for Sexual Harassment – What Every Kundalini Yoga Teacher Needs to Know – Tuesday August 4th 12:00-14:00 EDT (New York).  Replay available one week later.  Presented by Guruka Kaur & Dr. Krishna Kaur.  This course will show you how to:
      • Make your teaching practice safer for you and students
      • Empower yourself and students to be responsible members of the community
      • Work effectively with the Office of Ethics and Professional Standards and Conscious Conflict resolution (EPS)
      • Apply our values as we work together
      • Join in our discussion. Prior to the webinar please email your questions or topics you would like covered to [email protected]
    • Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Yogini – Friday July 24th at 12 Noon EDT (New York City).  Presented by Vedya Amrita Kaur.  As with a kriya or a difficult yoga posture we hold the space to find comfort in the discomfort of the experience. We can hold a similar space for conversations around our community’s relationship with diversity and inclusion. This workshop will require us to relax into the discomfort as we learn a few concepts integrated with storytelling and dialogue. Here’s your chance to ask questions of our presenter and each other.
    • Toward Fluidity: Building New Networks of Understanding – IN SPANISH – Tuesday July 28th 17:00-18:30 EDT.  Replay available one week later.  Recent times have propelled us suddenly into a new reality. We are faced with the challenge of re-understanding the world and to discover new ways of relating to each other and to the teachings of Kundalini Yoga.  Out of fear and uncertainty within our psyche and our resistance to facing the unknown, we anchor ourselves in teaching-learning models that are familiar and comfortable, preventing us from diving into the fluidity of the chaos. We miss the experimentation that allows us to reimagine the knowledge that has sustained us in the past to allow us to be in tune with the times.