[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 34 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
H.Con.Res.34
Agreed to April 6, 2005
One Hundred Ninth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the fourth day of January, two thousand and five
Concurrent Resolution
Whereas the Sikh faith was founded in the northern section of the
Republic of India in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, who preached
tolerance and equality for all humans;
Whereas the Sikh faith began with a simple message of truthful living
and the fundamental unity of humanity, all created by one creator who
manifests existence through every religion;
Whereas the Sikh faith reaches out to people of all faiths and cultural
backgrounds, encourages individuals to see beyond their differences,
and to work together for world peace and harmony;
Whereas Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji,
known as Yogi Bhajan to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide,
was born Harbhajan Singh Puri on August 26, 1929, in India;
Whereas at age eight, Yogi Bhajan began yogic training, and eight years
later was proclaimed by his teacher to be a master of Kundalini Yoga,
which stimulates individual growth through breath, yoga postures,
sound, chanting, and meditation;
Whereas during the turmoil on the partition between Pakistan and India
in 1947, at the age of 18, Yogi Bhajan led his village of 7,000
people 325 miles on foot to safety in New Delhi, India, from what is
now Lahore, Pakistan;
Whereas Yogi Bhajan, before emigrating to North America in 1968, served
the Government of India faithfully through both civil and military
service;
Whereas when Yogi Bhajan visited the United States in 1968, he
recognized immediately that the experience of higher consciousness
that many young people were attempting to find through drugs could be
alternatively achieved through Kundalini Yoga, and in response, he
began teaching Kundalini Yoga publicly, thereby breaking the
centuries-old tradition of secrecy surrounding it;
Whereas in 1969, Yogi Bhajan founded ``Healthy, Happy, Holy
Organization (3HO)'', a nonprofit private educational and scientific
foundation dedicated to serving humanity, improving physical well-
being, deepening spiritual awareness, and offering guidance on
nutrition and health, interpersonal relations, child rearing, and
human behavior;
Whereas under the direction and guidance of Yogi Bhajan, 3HO expanded
to 300 centers in 35 countries;
Whereas in 1971, the president of the governing body of Sikh Temples in
India gave Yogi Bhajan the title of Siri Singh Sahib, which made him
the chief religious and administrative authority for Sikhism in the
Western Hemisphere, and subsequently the Sikh seat of religious
authority gave him responsibility to create a Sikh ministry in the
West;
Whereas in 1971, Sikh Dharma was legally incorporated in the State of
California and recognized as a tax-exempt religious organization by
the United States, and in 1972, Yogi Bhajan founded the ashram Sikh
Dharma in Espanola, New Mexico;
Whereas in 1973, Yogi Bhajan founded ``3HO SuperHealth'', a successful
drug rehabilitation program that blends ancient yogic wisdom of the
East with modern technology of the West;
Whereas in June 1985, Yogi Bhajan established the first ``International
Peace Prayer Day Celebrations'' in New Mexico, which still draws
thousands of participants annually;
Whereas Yogi Bhajan traveled the world calling for world peace and
religious unity at meetings with leaders such as Pope Paul VI; Pope
John Paul II; His Holiness the Dalai Lama; the President of the
former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Mikhail Gorbachev; and
two Archbishops of Canterbury;
Whereas Yogi Bhajan wrote 30 books and inspired the publication of 200
other books through his teachings, founded a drug rehabilitation
program, and inspired the founding of several businesses;
Whereas Sikhs and students across the world testify that Yogi Bhajan
exhibited dignity, divinity, grace, commitment, courage, kindness,
compassion, tolerance, wisdom, and understanding;
Whereas Yogi Bhajan taught that in times of joy and sorrow members of
the community should come together and be at one with each other; and
Whereas before his passing on October 6, 2004, Yogi Bhajan requested
that his passing be a time of celebration of his going home: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress--
(1) recognizes that the teachings of Yogi Bhajan about Sikhism
and yoga, and the businesses formed under his inspiration, improved
the personal, political, spiritual, and professional relations
between citizens of the United States and the citizens of India;
(2) recognizes the legendary compassion, wisdom, kindness, and
courage of Yogi Bhajan, and his wealth of accomplishments on behalf
of the Sikh community; and
(3) extends its condolences to Inderjit Kaur, the wife of Yogi
Bhajan, his three children and five grandchildren, and to Sikh and
3HO communities around the Nation and the world upon the death on
October 6, 2004, of Yogi Bhajan, an individual who was a wise
teacher and mentor, an outstanding pioneer, a champion of peace,
and a compassionate human being.
Attest:
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Attest:
Secretary of the Senate.