Sitting With the Elders: An Interview with Hari Kaur

Our featured elder for the season of Spring is Hari Kaur. Her interview was so juicy that we were compelled to deliver it in three parts, so that you do not miss out on a thing!

Please enjoy the first part of this three part series. We welcome you to contact us through this blog for a full transcript of the interview should you so desire it.

Hari is a distinguished and experienced Kundalini Yoga teacher and author, who teaches and resides in New York City.

We invited Hari to share with us what spring symbolizes in her teachings. Here is what she revealed about the relevance of spring, for women, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

The Power of Spring

“Imagine how powerful a tiny seed is, right? It looks like it’s nothing. Can you believe that the potential of that seed is an entire oak tree? It doesn’t look like it. It will actually grow through concrete sometimes. You’ll see something just bursting through the concrete. That’s the power of the spring.”

“Very deeply on a cellular level the woman’s body relates exactly to what the earth is doing.”

From a physical perspective, woman nourishes the seed that becomes the child and gives birth to life – just like the earth does. So as women we resonate with what is going on in the fields and forests at this time. Plants are beginning to get their nourishment for the year in spring.

“Spring represents hope for renewal. We are actually seeing through the earth that God loves us still – because no matter what happened in the past, the earth just comes through every time. Even in the roughest situations, like earthquakes, and floods, things do come through.”

It is very important for the feminine spirit to hold the fact that we can always regenerate and recover, even if it is slowly. Spiritual renewal, according to Hari, is also something that all people aspire to, who practice, study, and seek growth.

“We must understand that we are not only related to the earth, but we are related to all of creation.”

Just that thought alone, when we are part of it and yet feel the whole of it, is the very essence of spiritual renewal. This reality serves as a continual reminder of its availability to us as a constant in our lives.

“The key is to be liberated while you are still here.”

Hari reminds us that liberation is the reason why we are here, on the earth. Liberation does not mean that you won’t go through dark or sad moments. It does not mean that you won’t experience emotions or have challenges, but rather that you will not be bound by them. What we want is liberation in life, not liberation from life. So whether we are on the dance floor or not, we always want to be doing our Dance of Liberation. Everything is a Dance of Liberation. It is always happening.

“Spring brings with it the opportunity to clear out the cobwebs and give ourselves a new start. Spring is that new start on a larger scale, while sunrise is that new start every morning.”

It is comforting to think of sunrise as a daily spring. That everyday even in a different season, Mother Nature sends us an invitation to begin again.
Look for the second part of this three part series in our next blog post.

Hari’s Upcoming Events and Activities

Based on the teachings of Kundalini yoga and meditation, and of Yogi Bhajan, Hari leads a program for women and will be leading her third program at Kripalu. It is open to women of all ages. It is focused on the study of the moon centers. This next program will be held from October 31st to November 5th this year.

She is also working with a church in New York that has a beautiful and large space. She is looking to host a non-profit organization out of that space. It will be specifically dedicated to women’s issues. The project is currently in development so she is very interested in networking with other women’s non-profits.

How Can I Reach Hari?

You can email her at hari@reachhari.com. Her website is www.reachhari.com . There is a calendar there where you can find out what’s going on.

Her two books are often at bookstores, but can alternatively be ordered from Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. They are also available from her Penguin, who is the publisher of both titles.

Hari’s Bio

Hari Kaur Khalsa directs and teaches Kundalini Yoga Classes and Teacher Trainings, Level 1 and Level 2, in the US and abroad. She is the former Director of Education and Training of Golden Bridge NYC (2007-2009). Prior to that she taught for Yogi Bhajan for over 10 years, co-directing his Level One Teacher Trainings in New Mexico and India.

Hari is a caring, inspiring, and down to earth teacher, making the powerful and healing teachings of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan accessible to students of all levels. Inspired by years of study with Yogi Bhajan, Hari continues to serve all who come with smiles, and spirit.

Married to jazz musician Dave Frank, Hari and Dave make their home in New York City bringing music and yoga to uplift the spirit. Hari is co-author of A Woman's Book of Yoga: Embracing Our Natural Life Cycles (Penguin 2002) and author of A Woman's Book of Meditation: Discovering the Power of a Peaceful Mind (Penguin 2006).