Predictions from "The Master"

July 1998

By Terry Michelle Kurtz, MA

Almost every public speech from the last twenty years of Yogi Bhajan has been written down. For much of the year, this can be a daily occurrence. As you might imagine, there are volumes of words. I have excerpted a few quotes from an "in-group" magazine called "Beads of Truth" (1980 Bead Number 6, Volume 2). Most of these quotes are about predictions Yogi Bhajan made. Much of 3H0’s recruiting techniques and philosophy in past years centered on his predictions. You will probably find many of them somewhat general, historically proven to be false and some actually humorous.

Many of these predictions can be seen to fit the criteria for "thought reform" as defined by Robert Jay Lifton in his seminal book--"Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism". Follow the footnotes. And now here are the profound prophetic observations of Yogi Bhajan--

Yogi Bhajan speaks

In Yogi Bhajan's own words

June 20, 1980

-- "Tomorrow is June 21st, a crucial day in the life and the history of the Western Hemisphere. It is crucial for the life of western people. It is crucial for the life of the animals of the western world; for the birds, snails, fishes, donkeys, horses and elephants. This is what is going to happen for men: they will feel non-productive sexually, materially and spiritually, not knowing why. There will be no reason. Women will feel confined, shall crave reward to the extent that they may cut out their rib cage or want everything from here on out. It will be common to have diseases between the knees and the navel point, diseases for which you can give no explanation. Who are you? Once you know the answer you will not suffer. See Lifton's criteria--"Mystical Manipulation".

"The eighties will be like this: we will have a hard time with our economy, therefore we should be very careful. We should be in a position to handle ourselves where ever we are, so that when the warning comes, we with our children and our women can reach here [editor's note: "here" is the group land owned in the New Mexico mountains] safely and get established".

Yogi was wrong--according the history books. But is he promoting a "crisis mentality", feelings of urgency and dependency upon the group for a sense of safety? Is Yogi Bhajan referring to a kind of group compound?

"Make certain that you lock your doors…and that you have made all the arrangements so that in case of violence--things will not be easy for looters. We are almost sitting on a volcano. It is called economic and social volcano. It can burst any day".

"Give your self time in minutes to pack up the essentials, get ready and see how much time it takes to unpack yourself and look normal. See that your children participate equally".

"We should have a place, which should sustain 5,000 children, 5,000 women, and 1,000 men".

"People should pay Dasvandh [editor's note--Dasvandh is a tithing system to the organization] so that we can …make schools, make shelters, make bombproof and radiation-proof shelters".

"There will be divorces. There will be unhappiness. There will be sicknesses. Your children will run away. So you have two choices: be a Sikh, or a sick. I am not pushing the religion on you. I believe it is your birthright to be healthy, happy and holy [the three Hs in 3HO]. Whosoever takes away your birthright is your enemy. Whosoever gives you your birthright is your friend".

Here Yogi Bhajan sounds like a good psychic or horoscope author--offering the most general projections. There are always divorces, runaway children etc. Of course he essentially offers his philosophy as the only solution--see Lifton's "Sacred Science".

"The children being born and raised now are much more sensitive than we were as children. By the time we are 50-60 years old, we will not be able to understand the children at all, the gap will be so wide (1973) 'We are the Khalsa, Mighty Mighty Khalsa'--give this fundamental, procedural understanding for each child to know. I promise you there shall be no problem with your family life, in your child’s life, or in your home".

"Endurance is our object and goal".

This is a not so cryptic message to the former followers of Yogi Bhajan who simply left rather than endure any longer.

"The world is going to get much worse. This decade is really going to be very harsh. From 1980 to 2000 is going to be very, very difficult in the United States, Canada and South America".

History seems to have proven Yogi Bhajan wrong again. The years mentioned have been largely prosperous and successful for both North and South America.

"It’s going to be a harshness which is not livable, but which you have to live through".

Again this may describe the conditions that led to many Sikhs leaving 3HO. Perhaps these words are prophetic in an ironic sense--not intended by Yogi Bhajan.

Yogi Bhajan is asked--"Do you see any positive changes taking place? Is there any good coming out of these difficult times"? His response--"The only positive changes are things like this interview".

"We will have our spiritual government to govern ourselves, and we will take care of our elderly and our children. None shall be orphans or poor among us. None shall suffer. Because we are all healthy, we will share our health to see none shall suffer. None shall be poor, because we…will shape our strength to elevate anyone’s poverty".

"The time has come when our steel has to be tested, so let us be ready to temper our steel. Don’t hesitate. Die you must. Death shall come to you, but die in Grace. You will never die an ordinary death. One who dies extraordinary death is the true person in the light of God".

"He said that angels gather in colonies and that they are all over Guru Ram Das Puri. [editor's note: The group land] When he finishes teaching Tantric Yoga, and walks back to his quarters, he weaves back and forth, causing people to think that he is tired or hurting from teaching. Actually, he said, he just doesn’t know which way to walk because there are so many angels in the way, and that, if we had the vision, we would know what he meant".

Yogi Bhajan is questioned--"What advice do you have for Americans as they move into the 1980’s?" He responds--"BE CAREFUL"!

Predictions from the 1974 3HO Teachers Meeting in Santa Cruz, NM Yogi Bhajan said--

"In another 10 years hospitals will have iron windows and people will try to jump out. There will be tremendous sickness. There will be unhappiness and tragedy on earth."

"You remember when five years ago I used to say that 1974 would be a lesson, and none of you perhaps believed it? See what 1974 has brought you? It has brought you gas at 69 cents, energy crisis and everybody is getting crazy."

"The time is now. It will be to later on. You'll not be in a position to do anything. There will be so much insanity that you will be only there to save yourself."

"All acts of insanity are the responsibility of the sane people, because the sane people are lazy and they could not spread wisdom through to the insane people."

"Your dead bodies will lie on these roads, your children will be orphans, and nobody will kick them, rather, people will eat them alive! There will be tremendous insanity. That is the time we are going to face."

"If you fail now to do it, this 'now' will never come back to you, and then, you will be sorry like all the others"

"One white-clad follower of the life to be Happy, Healthy and Holy, should be enough to take away the loneliness, the sickness, from the whole locality."

Note: Terry MIchelle Kurtz (1952-2021), received her undergraduate degree from Webster University in Webster Groves, Missouri and her Masters in Psychology from Prescott College in Prescott, Arizona. She worked with child protective services in Phoenix and was an advocate for those victimized by cults. Ms. Kurtz was also a yoga teacher and a former member of 3HO known as "Kartar Khalsa."