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Breath of Fire, a four-part docuseries based on the life of Guru Jagat, premiered on HBO on October 23, 2024. Hayley Pappas and Smiley Stevens have directed the docuseries which is based on Hayley Phelan's 2020 Vanity Fair article.
The show looks at Guru Jagat's rapid ascent into the world of Kundalini Yoga and how she went from Katie Griggs to Guru Jagat. It gives a comprehensive look at the origins and evolution of Kundalini yoga and its controversial adaptation by Yogi Bhajan when he brought it to the US in the 1970s.
The show features interviews with friends, family, and followers, stylized reenactments, and a selection of archival footage. It paints a detailed portrait of Guru Jagat's complicated character and her business-oriented approach to spirituality.
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Breath of Fire critically examines the broader implications of Kundalini yoga’s integration with commercial enterprise and its impact on practitioners. It is available for streaming on HBO.
Everything you need to know about Guru Jagat
Guru Jagat was born Katie Griggs on August 30, 1979, in Fort Collins, Colorado, before she became a prominent figure in the world of Kundalini Yoga. Apart from Guru Jagat, she also went by other names like Athena Day and Kundalini Katie.
She began her spiritual journey into the yoga community after she faced personal challenges and tragedies. This included a s*xual assault when she was in college, which led her down a path of substance abuse.
However, she decided to start healing and turned to Kundalini Yoga. She became Harbhajan Singh Khalsa, aka Yogi Bhajan's dedicated follower, and had a deep connection with him. Their bond had a heavy influence on her life and career, as she claimed to have spent time with Yogi Bhajan during the last years of his life. However, this is a timeline that is questionable following his death in 2004.
In 2013, Griggs founded the Ra Ma Institute for Applied Yogic Science and Technology in Venice, Los Angeles. The studio quickly expanded with additional locations in cities like Boulder, New York, and Mallorca.
Her approach combined the spiritual aspects of Kundalini Yoga with a strong business model, drawing celebrities and wellness enthusiasts to her classes. Her studios became a hub for those seeking spiritual growth intertwined with personal success.
Guru Jagat's teachings and methods, however, did face some controversy as people often criticized her for commercializing Kundalini Yoga. They also called out her interpretations of Sikh doctrines, viewing them as appropriation. Her leadership style came under fire, particularly after allegations surfaced about underpaying her staff and fostering a toxic work environment.
It is worth noting that Guru Jagat's influence went beyond the yoga mat as she used social media platforms to share snippets from her classes. With her charismatic and relatable Instagram and YouTube posts, she managed to attract a significant following.
She also ventured into other business realms, starting a fashion brand and a record label. The yoga guru also wrote a book titled Invincible Living, which offered insights into her approach to yoga and wellness.
Guru Jagat’s alignment with controversial figures and ideologies also marked her career. She shared platforms with conspiracy theorists and became a voice for QAnon-related theories, further polarizing her audience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her stance against public health measures and vaccines only added to the controversies that complicated her public image.
Despite her growing empire and influence, she died suddenly of a heart attack on August 1, 2021, at the age of 41. Surgery on her left ankle led to a pulmonary embolism, which eventually caused her death.
Her story and the broader story of Kundalini Yoga’s spread in the Western world as detailed in the HBO docuseries Breath of Fire.
Breath of Fire is streaming on HBO and is available for subscribers.
