or


[10/09/24 - 10:00 AM]
HBO Original Four-Part Documentary Series "Breath of Fire" Debuts October 23
In 2013, Katie Griggs, a millennial YouTube astrologer, rose to fame as the face of Kundalini yoga, opening the RA MA Institute in Los Angeles, donning a white turban, and reinventing herself as Guru Jagat.

[via press release from HBO]

HBO Original Four-Part Documentary Series BREATH OF FIRE Debuts October 23

The Documentary Series Brings Viewers Behind The Curtain Of The Multi-Million-Dollar Kundalini Yoga Industry And The Scandalous Rise And Fall Of Leader Guru Jagat

· The HBO Original four-part documentary series BREATH OF FIRE, directed by Hayley Pappas and Smiley Stevens, debuts WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes debut subsequent Wednesdays through November 13.

· Synopsis: In 2013, Katie Griggs, a millennial YouTube astrologer, rose to fame as the face of Kundalini yoga, opening the RA MA Institute in Los Angeles, donning a white turban, and reinventing herself as Guru Jagat. BREATH OF FIRE explores Guru Jagat's evolution while chronicling the shocking secret history of Kundalini through its origins in the 1960s to its expansion in the United States and its presence in wellness circles today. Based on the Vanity Fair story by Hayley Phelan, "The Second Coming of Guru Jagat," BREATH OF FIRE illuminates the culture of modern spirituality revealing complicated themes of cultural appropriation and the dangers of self-proclaimed gurus.

Claiming to be the anointed successor of the late Yogi Bhajan, a Punjabi Sikh who created and popularized a version of Kundalini in America in 1969, Guru Jagat leveraged social media and her charismatic online presence to capitalize upon Kundalini's multi-million-dollar spiritual empire. Positioning herself as the embodiment of divine femininity and a sanctified seeker, she attracted a growing base of followers - including many celebrities and loyal, fee-paying devotees - with promises of prosperity, physical health, and spiritual fulfillment.

In the 1970s, at the peak of Yogi Bhajan's influence, his followers praised his teachings as a message of enlightenment and equality, offering solace during a time of social and political turmoil. However, decades later, investigations uncovered a systemic culture of abuse and misogyny perpetrated by the organization's leader and some members of the inner circle. Despite these revelations, Guru Jagat and some members of the Kundalini community staunchly and publicly defended Yogi Bhajan's legacy.

Told through conversations with family, students, former employees, and followers, the series weaves together the stories of two of Kundalini's most prominent figures - Yogi Bhajan and Guru Jagat. Including a wealth of footage of Yogi Bhajan, clips of Guru Jagat's online preaching at the RA MA Institute, and revealing audio interviews with Griggs herself, the film reveals the darker facets of wellness industry figureheads driven by a desire for power and profit.

BREATH OF FIRE paints a multi-decade examination of the corruption within Kundalini yoga and a portrait of a well-intentioned seeker turned into a misguided guru and master manipulator, spotlighting the uneasy nexus of the American dream, self-invention, and fanatical ideology.

· Featured Participants: Former employees at RA MA Institute Nicole Norton, Charlotte Medlock, and Elizabeth Grignon; religious scholar and yoga historian, Philip Deslippe; Sikh activist and journalist, Sundeep Morrison; Vanity Fair writer Hayley Phelan; journalist Stacie Stukin; author of "Cultish," Amanda Montell; Griggs' childhood friend, Laura Burhenn; Griggs' mother Nansy Steinhorn-Galloway and stepfather Rabbit Galloway; followers of Yogi Bhajan and Kundalini including Peter Blachly, Leah Lamb, Mahankirn Khalsa, Mahani Khalsa, bodyguard Siri Khalsa, and Jules Hartley.

· Episode Descriptions:

EPISODE ONE

Debut date: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23 (9:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Charismatic Katie Griggs, who takes on the name Guru Jagat, espouses the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, a mysterious Punjabi Sikh who brought his version of Kundalini yoga to the United States in 1969. Former followers of Yogi Bhajan discuss the social conditions of the '60s and '70s that led to the rise of anti-establishment spirituality and the growth of Yogi Bhajan's following.

EPISODE TWO

Debut date: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30 (9:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Yogi Bhajan's backstory and the invention of his mystical persona who preached a healthy, drug-free lifestyle, enlightenment, and equality is scrutinized. Former followers recount the rigor of his teachings including physical hardships, unusual rules, and abuse. By 2007, Kundalini yoga hits the mainstream and years later Katie Griggs opens the RA MA Institute in Los Angeles, claiming direct links to Yogi Bhajan.

EPISODE THREE

Debut date: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6 (9:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

The lavish lifestyle that Yogi Bhajan led with are now the luxuries that Guru Jagat enjoys as the spiritual leader of RA MA Institute. Former RA MA employees describe the business model of the company and the increasingly erratic behavior of Guru Jagat. A tell-all 2020 memoir changes the narrative about Bhajan but Guru Jagat and RA MA continue to staunchly and publicly defend Yogi Bhajan's legacy.

EPISODE FOUR

Debut date: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13 (9:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

A growing movement online builds to discredit RA MA and Guru Jagat, calling on aggrieved members to come forward with their stories of abuse. COVID-19 hits and Guru Jagat's messaging espouses wild conspiracy theories and a mistrust of the mainstream while her business and health begins to quickly unravel.

· Credits: HBO Documentary Films presents BREATH OF FIRE. Directed by Hayley Pappas and Smiley Stevens; executive produced by Matt Ippolito, Hayley Pappas, Smiley Stevens, Agnus Chu, Helen Estabrook, Sarah Amos, Lexy Altman, Sonia Slutsky, Jennifer O'Connell, and Lizzie Fox; co-executive producer, Hayley Phelan.





  [october 2024]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· BREATH OF FIRE (HBO)





[04/01/25 - 03:01 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 vs. CBS' "After Midnight" and NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers"
"Nightline" saw double-digit increases on the previous week in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.

[04/01/25 - 02:01 PM]
Video: "Bullet Train Explosion" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When panic erupts on a Tokyo-bound bullet train that will explode if it slows below 100 kph, authorities race against time to save everyone on board.

[04/01/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of March 24: "Adolescence" Drives the Conversation with Another Week at No. 1
Plus, fans were determined to crack the case in "The Residence," the Uzo Aduba-starring whodunit, which held strong at No. 2 in English TV (8.8 million views).

[04/01/25 - 10:30 AM]
10 CBS Series Deliver 10 Million or More Viewers in Live+35 Multiplatform Viewing
Three other series generated nearly 8 million or more viewers with 35 days of multiplatform viewership.

[04/01/25 - 10:04 AM]
Holly Madison Returns for New Season of Investigation Discovery's "The Playboy Murders"
With six all-new cases, season three premieres on Monday, May 5 at 9:00/8:00c on ID and streams on Max.

[04/01/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Watch the Trailer for "LOL: Last One Laughing Colombia" Season 2 Launching on Prime Video on April 16th with a Brand-New Format
In the new season, the main dynamic change is the introduction of "pairs" where contestants compete in duos, creating new alliances and rivalries between the partnered comedians, unlike the previous season where individuals competed against each other directly.

[04/01/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Tires" Season 2 - Date Announcement - Netflix
The comedy series starring Shane Gillis returns June 5.

[03/31/25 - 09:29 PM]
Season Eight of Adult Swim's Global Hit Series "Rick and Morty" Arrives May 25
Adult Swim announced the premiere date and released a first look at "Rick and Morty" Season Eight as part of today's traditional April Fools' Day broadcast special.

[03/31/25 - 12:01 PM]
Shudder Marks Its 10 Year Anniversary with Year-Long Celebration of Killer Films & Series, Special Fan Events, Nationwide Screening Tour, Customized Merch and More
Shudder 10, which kicks off during the streamer's annual "Halfway to Halloween" horror-thon, will also feature a nationwide screening tour, "Shudder 10 Screening Series," featuring a curated selection of Shudder films.

[03/31/25 - 11:03 AM]
"When Calls the Heart" Wraps Season 12 as #1 Most-Watched Program on Entertainment Cable This Year To-Date
"'When Calls the Heart' delivers the charm, warmth, and community of Hallmark's signature storytelling, and we're pleased that the series continues to drive stellar ratings after 12 seasons and counting," said Samantha DiPippo.

[03/31/25 - 11:00 AM]
Disney Branded Television Renews "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" for Season Two on Disney Channel and Disney+
Premiering on Disney Channel, Disney+ and Disney Channel On Demand, the new season begins production next month in Los Angeles.

[03/31/25 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Expands "An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile," A New Primetime Concert Special Airing Sunday, April 6
The special, featuring live performances, captivating stories about the pair's enduring friendship and an intimate look at their new joint album, will now run 90 minutes.

[03/31/25 - 10:30 AM]
"TMZ Presents: The Menendez Brothers: The Prison Interview" Premieres Monday, April 7 at 9/8c on FOX
The Menendez Brothers exclusively speak for the first time in decades for a joint interview with TMZ about their last chance for freedom and reveal what they'll do with their lives if they're released.

[03/31/25 - 10:23 AM]
Video: Preview - "The Motherhood" Starring Connie Britton - Hallmark Channel
Each of the six one-hour episodes of The Motherhood follows Britton, a single mother herself, as she connects with another single mother who is juggling the demands of work, parenting, and self-care.

[03/31/25 - 10:00 AM]
Summer Is in Sight! Prime Video Releases First-Look Images for the Final Season of "The Summer I Turned Pretty"
The series will return to Cousins Beach this July with an 11-episode season and will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.