Kundalini Research Institute

What Kundalini Research Institute does

Kundalini Research Institute (KRI) is a U.S.-based non-profit organization founded in 1972 as part of the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy) legacy established by Yogi Bhajan, headquartered in Santa Cruz, New Mexico with 11-50 employees and a globally distributed operating footprint. KRI functions as the primary certifying body for Kundalini Yoga teachers worldwide, operating the three-level Aquarian Teacher Program (Level One foundations, Level Two transformation modules, Level Three realization) delivered through a network of more than 800 certified trainers running over 200 programs annually. Its core technology stack is a content-and-credentialing platform spanning an E-Learning Center with approximately 50 online courses, a publishing division producing more than 200 books and related media, and a Zoho-based International Trainer & Program Directory that connects prospective students with certified trainers.

The business model is multi-stream. Certification programs delivered by independent trainers generate training-fee revenue on a multi-year recurring basis; e-learning courses operate on pay-as-you-go and subscription pricing; publishing and consumer products (books, DVDs, the Kundalini Meditation Oracle card deck) generate one-time transactions through The Source e-commerce store and Ebook Store; the KRI Collaborator Wholesaler Program extends distribution via approved resellers including Sat Nam Europe; and donations (with a dedicated Make A Donation flow) supplement earned revenue. Go-to-market combines community-led distribution through the global trainer network, direct-to-consumer e-commerce, and event-driven engagement via Research Symposiums and Level Three Melas. Marketing spans a multilingual blog and content engine, email newsletters, social media, SEO, and a referral-style international directory.

KRI serves two primary persona segments, yoga practitioners pursuing personal practice and certified Kundalini Yoga teachers seeking continuing education, plus secondary segments of teacher trainers and wellness/healthcare institutions. The organization operates under the Siri Singh Sahib Corporation (SSSC) as parent and maintains an Office of Ethics & Professional Standards, an EPS anti-harassment program, and a KRI Seal of Approval for Publications as governance mechanisms. In 2020 it issued public statements responding to allegations against founder Yogi Bhajan. Current CEO Amrit Singh Khalsa holds a PhD in Aeronautical Engineering from MIT and serves full-time after prior leadership roles as Board Chair and Treasurer.

Name

Kundalini Research Institute

Legal name

Kundalini Research Institute

Website

https://kundaliniresearchinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kundalini Research Institute is a non-profit certifying body founded in 1972 that trains and certifies Kundalini Yoga teachers worldwide through a three-level program delivered via 800+ trainers, supported by publishing, e-learning, and research divisions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yoga Education and Teacher Certification

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) & Pilates Instructor Training (HSADACAL)

Keywords

• Yoga teacher certification
• Meditation training programs
• Yoga education courses
• Wellness publishing materials
• Yoga research library

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Teacher Training Programs: Revenue from certification programs including Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 teacher training courses delivered globally through certified trainers. Programs include online and in-person components.
2. Publishing and Products: Sales of books, DVDs, meditation oracle cards, and training materials through The Source store and Ebook Store. Best sellers include Physical Training: A Fusion of Yoga & Calisthenics, 22 Meditations to Identify and Release Your Fears, and The Kundalini Meditation Oracle.
3. E-Learning Courses: Online courses offered through the E-Learning Center including anatomy courses, moon centers, healing programs, and specialty courses with enrollment-based pricing.
4. Wholesale Program: KRI Collaborator Wholesaler Program allowing approved partners to resell KRI products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kundalini Research Institute (KRI) is a non-profit organization that certifies Kundalini Yoga teachers worldwide through its three-level Aquarian Teacher Program and delivers continuing education via the E-Learning Center, KRI Publishing (books, DVDs, and the Kundalini Meditation Oracle), and a research library on yoga. It also supports a global network of 800+ certified trainers and offers specialty approved courses and grant programs such as Kundalini Beyond Borders.

Product overview

Kundalini Research Institute (KRI) offers a multi-format educational platform centered on Kundalini Yoga teacher certification and wellness education. The core offering is the Aquarian Teacher Program, a three-level certification pathway (Level One, Level Two, Level Three) that trains and certifies Kundalini Yoga instructors globally with over 800 trainers and more than 200 programs annually. Supporting the certification programs are the E-Learning Center (featuring approximately 50 online courses including Anatomy for Level 1, 11 Moon Centers, and relationship healing), KRI Publishing (offering over 200 books, DVDs, and the Kundalini Meditation Oracle deck), and Kundalini Yoga Research (providing research articles and a research symposium). Additional offerings include specialty approved courses, the Library of Teachings external resource, and the Kundalini Beyond Borders grant program. The company operates online stores including The Source and an EBook Store, powered by WooCommerce with payment processing through Stripe, PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Google Pay.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Aquarian Teacher Program: Three-level teacher certification program for Kundalini Yoga instructors (Level One, Level Two, Level Three)
• KRI Publishing
• The Source
• KRI E-Learning Center

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• IKYTA (International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022KRI and IKYTA partnered to support KRI certified teachers who bring Kundalini Yoga to underserved communities. The partnership runs the Kundalini Beyond Borders program, with 75 cash grant applications submitted and 10 recipients selected. 100% of funds raised were allocated to grantees.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Gaia (formerly Gaiam TV): Gaia is a streaming platform offering yoga, meditation, and spiritual content on subscription. Comparable to KRI as an adjacent player in the yoga/meditation content and e-learning space, though it operates as a distribution platform rather than a certification body.
• Mindbody (Glo.com): Glo (owned by Mindbody) is an online yoga and meditation subscription platform. Comparable to KRI as a provider of digital yoga instruction and teacher-led content, though it competes with KRI's E-Learning Center rather than its certification programs.

Direct peers

• 3HO Foundation: 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy) is the parent spiritual community founded by Yogi Bhajan from which KRI emerged. Sister non-profit providing Kundalini Yoga education, events, and community programming; directly comparable mission and target audience.
• YogaFit Worldwide: YogaFit is one of the largest yoga teacher training providers in North America, offering multi-level certification programs and continuing education to fitness professionals. Comparable to KRI in operating a scalable teacher-training franchise model with broad consumer reach.
• Himalayan Institute (Minneapolis / Honesdale): Himalayan Institute is a non-profit yoga and meditation organization offering teacher training, retreats, and publishing. Comparable to KRI as a spiritually-rooted non-profit providing structured multi-level yoga teacher certification with global reach and an integrated publishing arm.
• Yoga Alliance: Yoga Alliance is the largest US yoga registry and sets national standards for yoga teacher training programs (RYT-200, RYT-500). It is comparable to KRI as both serve as gatekeeper certification bodies that credential yoga teachers, though Yoga Alliance is multi-tradition while KRI is single-lineage.
• International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association (IKYTA): IKYTA is KRI's closest affiliate and the membership body for KRI-certified Kundalini Yoga teachers. Direct peer because it serves the same Kundalini teacher community and runs joint programs (Kundalini Beyond Borders grant program) with KRI.
• Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres: Sivananda operates ashrams and teacher training centers globally offering standardized, lineage-based yoga teacher certification. Comparable to KRI as a non-profit spiritual organization delivering structured multi-level yoga teacher training with international branches.
• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: Kripalu runs residential yoga teacher training programs and continuing education for yoga teachers and wellness professionals. Comparable to KRI as a non-profit yoga education organization offering multi-level teacher certification, retreats, and a publishing/content arm.

Broad incumbents

• International Yoga Federation: The International Yoga Federation is a global umbrella body representing yoga organizations across traditions worldwide. Comparable to KRI as a higher-level yoga standards and accreditation body, though it is broader in scope and does not deliver its own training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KRI_YOGA
• Facebookfacebook.com/KundaliniResearchInstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kundalini Research Institute