Principles

Yesterday we celebrated the Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan. I said a few words in Punjabi of Congratulations on Khalsa’s Sajna Divas, as well as how inspiring it was to go to India and Pakistan encouraged others to go on these yatras. I also talked a little bit about how we need to focus on our internal core principles, and I will expand on that here. 

Often times I hear speeches during Vaisakhi encouraging our young generation to look a certain way, but we don’t tell them how to act upon the principles of Sikhism. We don’t seem to start at the foundation stones, so instead of following principles, young people learn ritualism and rules. In the episode “Changing Behaviour” Prof. Baldev Mutta talks about the interaction between our value system, habits and behaviours. He discusses how our feelings, thoughts and words form our habits, which form our personality; so, to change a behaviour one needs to understand the value systems underlying the habits. While values are fluid and often come from culture, he explained that principles are foundation stones that don’t change. Guru Arjan Dev Ji tells us our principles in Sikhi should be truth, contentment, wisdom, concentration, compassion and forgiveness. Others I can think of in Sikhi are Naam japna, Vand shakna and Kirat karni, to treat women and people of all castes equally. He explained how the difference in values leads to conflict with parents and children as parents often carry their values from Punjab and children have Canadian value systems. He encourages us to move out of blaming and complaining to working on those value systems that lead to our conflicts and make them in line with our principles. An example of conflicts in values and principles I gave yesterday is about women. Whereas cultural values pull a woman back, lets make our daughters Shernis (lionesses) like Mai Bhago and teach our Singhnis they are equal. I have so many examples (including my own in just this last week) of where people are following Indian culture and are being disrespectful to women. The Guru Jis sacrificed so much for us, and it is our responsibility to walk that path that they have shown us for the good of the future and the generations to come. 

An interesting point Mr. Mutta made was that parents or couples often judge based on a person’s height, looks, skin color, caste or education level/job whether they are an appropriate match for their child (many of these are against Sikh principles), and yet there is so much we never bother to ask such as a person’s values, principles, understanding of family or civic responsibility. I think it is important for even an arranged relationship to explore if there are reasonable expectations from each other, and where you are on your spiritual journey. More than ever I am realizing that an Anand Karaj in front of Guru Ji is an extremely spiritually significant life event and that both people are promising to put Guru Ji first in their life. Bhai Baljit Singh Ji (Basics of Sikhi) explains that the only way that the relationship is not false is if it doesn’t make you forget God; if you both stay connected to your path. That has made me reflect a lot on how different it is to ask a person what their goals are in life, versus understanding in the context of this soul’s journey if you can both help each other achieve your life purpose. The child that’s born into that relationship will certainly be set up for a different future. In that spirit I have been working on an Anand Karaj guide for quite some time now, trying to combine what I have learned about Anand Karaj from different sources over the years, as it is not just important for a wedding but actually relevant to all of us whether you are already married or haven’t gotten married yet. It explains to us how to walk our spiritual journey. I will post it when its “done” (although I suspect one could keep working on it forever the deeper you understand the Gurbani).   

Let us look inside ourselves to examine what principles our Sikhi has given us and whether we are implementing them into our lives. 

References

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pip5HCGIwM&list=PLLY3bVL3uSturr3U__vgqlRb4cD2y-H6l

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npxWJoF6AME