Virtual Sangat

We are exploring the idea of virtual sangat locally. I will keep everyone updated as we figure out how to continue to have a kirtan program on Sundays. Toronto Raag Kirtan Darbar has a virtual sangat on Zoom every Sunday in collaboration with Buffalo. If anyone needs the link email us and I can put you in contact with them. It would be 10 am -1 pm eastern time. For our program we are looking probably at our usual time of 10 am on Sundays (PST). 

What is the Mind?

It is interesting that we travel through 8.4 million lifeforms with this mind and we still do not think of what it is. As Bhai Satpal Singh Ji says, the mind is not your best friend. It brings all kinds of thoughts that make us stray away from our path. It carries negativity, cynicism, doubt, and the mehl of many lifetimes with it. It carries old habits from lifetime to lifetime. 

I asked a Gurmukh about the mind today. She told me that the physical body here is the asthool. The mind is part of our Sukham body. It is non-physical. The mind does not die with the body but travels onwards if its purpose has not been achieved. One is given a life based on where one's thoughts were spent. The mind plays many tricks on us. We talked about things like the mind telling us there is good and bad, blaming others or ourselves, listening to what others think, etc. She said the way out of this was to spend the maximum time listening to Naam when we are working, then Guru Ji gives us the answers to our questions in the form of a Hukamnama. When someone says good things and praises us, remember it as the praise of God. Don't hide your faults and share them. 

Gurbani tells us that the mind is one with God "Man tu jot saroop hai, apna mool pashan." This means "O my mind, you are the embodiment of the Divine Light- recognize your own origin." It is separated only by its own thoughts and doubt. It needs to make its realization of who it is, only by destruction of that ego and those thoughts. Once we are able to remove these obstacles, the mind makes the realization that God is everywhere and merges into the Supreme. This is the state of Sehaj. 

Gurbani talks extensively about the mind. In 6 Pauri Anand Sahib we read "O my mind, remain always with the Lord. Remain always with the Lord, O my mind, and all sufferings will be forgotten." It is the mind's journey and the mind's play that we live in. The body is a physical body. Waheguru is already within, the mind needs to make this realization. This comes with great practice, in each moment to take time to attempt to disconnect oneself from the thoughts and sensory experiences and simultaneously do one's simran and find Naam. Over time the remembrance becomes intrinsic, but only with the practice and effort upfront. 

The Bhagats

The Bani of 16 Bhagats (devotees, saints) is in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. I thought it would be helpful to get an idea of each of them. From their stories and lives below, we can see that they came of varying backgrounds and professions. Some lived their lives as holy men, and many as householders with children, and of varying "castes" that they were born into. Some were Hindu, some Sufi, some Muslim. They had a similar theme of spreading the Name of God and the message of meditating on the Oneness. Their sakhis are full of the miraculous powers of God, the ability of God to protect those servants. Over and over it is also obvious that one had to have a Guru to help one reach God. For example Ramanand was a Guru to many but had his own Guru. We have our Guru Ji as well, incorporating the Bani of these Bhagats. The stories of the Bhagats remind us the time of devotion that it takes to be dedicated to one's path, that feeling of longing for God, then living in the world and as a householder at the same time as the meditation. 

Bhagat Kabir Ji 

Born: 1398 in Banaras

Parents: adopted by Muslim named Niru

Married to: Loi, had two children 

Profession: weaver

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 227 padas and 237 saloks  

Teachings: He rejected casteism, idol worship, superstitions, bathing, asceticism, fasts, pilgrimages, and futile rituals. He was thrown into the Ganges by the Brahmans but escaped unharmed. The Qazis chained him and threw him in front of an elephant, but he was not crushed. He encouraged those to meditate on God. 

Bhagat Ravidas Ji

Born: 1376 in Mandoor 

Parents: Mandas Raghu, Karma Devi/Ghurbinia 

Married: Bhagwanti

Profession: Making shoes (Cobbler) and Tanner 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 40 hymns 

Teachings: He learned from Ramanand. He denounced idol worship. Since his parents did not like that he shared his food with holy men, he left home and started working. 

Sakhi: Ravidas repaired a shoe for a Brahmin and he gave him a Kasira (1/4 of a paisa). He said to give it to the Ganges, only if she extends her hand to take it, and miraculously when the Brahmin went, a hand emerged from the Ganges. All those who witnessed were surprised and his followers gained. 

Bhagat Farid Ji (Sheikh Farid)

Born: 1173 in Kothowal, Pakistan

Parents: Karsum Bibi

Married: four marriages, had 5 sons and three daughters. 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 112 saloks and 4 hymns in the feeling of Vairag

Teachings: Born into a Muslim family, he spent many years studying, first from his grandfather Qazi Suailo, then Maulana Minhaj-ud-din Trimidhi, then higher education in Kandhar. Unsatisfied with his learning, he left home for a search for spiritual knowledge. Khwaja Kutab-ud-din Bakhtiar Kaki became his guide and told him to let go of his ego to realize God. He tried many things to find God, and finally left to the forests. One day he realized that God lives in the mind and went back to Delhi and became the successor of Khawaja Bakhtiar Kaki. When the poor people had difficulties meeting him, he switched locations to a small village. 

Bhagat Namdev Ji

Born: 1270 Narsi-Bamani in Maharashtra 

Parents: father Damashetty, mother Gonabai 

Married: Rajabai, had four sons and one daughter 

Profession: cloth printer  

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 61 hymns

Teachings: He lived near a temple of Vitthal Dev and spent time worshipping God there. He adopted Vishobha Khechar as his spiritual Guru and abandoned idol worship, fasts, and other rituals. 

Sakhi: Namdev was in Delhi, and Mohammed-Bin-Tughlak, the king asked him to show him a miracle by bringing a dead cow to life. Namdev told him all happens toward the will of God. The king sent an elephant to crush Namdev, and his mother told him to abandon the name of Ram and accept the name of Khuda (muslim name of God) to save him, but Namdev refused. He sang the praises of God and was saved. God appeared to Namdev to bring the cow to life, and it happened. The king asked for pardon, and Namdev convinced him to do good. 

Bhagat Trilochan Ji 

Born: 1267 at Barsi, Maharashtra

Married: he was married. 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 4 hymns 

Teachings: He was born into a Vaish family. He went to meet Namdev and asked him as he was busy in his worldly affairs. Namdev taught him that one can remember God simultaneously by doing work. He rejected superstitions and false rituals as well. 

Bhagat Beni Ji

Born: in Uttar Pradesh 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 3 hmns 

Teachings: He was a student of Namdev. Like the other Bhagats, he rejected idol worship, and taught to worship one God. He taught people to cleanse the mind. 

Bhagat Bhikhan Ji

Born: 1480 Kaberi, Uttar Pradesh 

Married: Sahib Devi, had one child 

He was a sufi saint. 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 2 hymns 

Teachings: He served some saints at age 12 and it changed him deeply. His parents became worried and married him young. He made Sufi Saint Syed Pir Ibrahim his Guru. He teaches that Divine Name is the medicine.  

Bhagat Ramanand Ji

Born: 1366 at Prayag (Allahbad)

Parents: Pushp Sadhan Sharma, Sushila (Brahmin family)

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 1 hymn 

Teachings: He studied at the ashram of Raghavanand in Banaras from a young age. He took him on as his Guru, and became Raghavanands successor. He spoke against superstitions. 

Bhagat Sain Ji

Born: 1400 Sohal, Amritsar 

Parents: Sri Mukand Rai, Jiwan Devi 

Married: Sulakhani, had a son 

Profession: barber 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 1 hymn

Teachings: He became a barber then got married. He served the Raja of Bandhavgarh. He heard about Saint Kabir and went to Banaras to adopt Ramanand as his Guru. He advised him to chant the name of God, and serve others. One day he was so busy in service he didn’t return to bathe the Raja, and found someone else in his place doing his work. He realized God came in his place to perform his duty. The Raja then also became his disciple. 

Bhagat Sadhana Ji

Born: 1180 in Sindh 

Profession: Butcher “I took this profession from my parents. God has given me birth in this profession. Therefore only He knows which profession is good and which is bad.” 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 1 hymn 

Teachings: He spread the word of God across the country. 

Bhagat Parmanand Ji

Born: 1483 Maharashtra 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 1 hymn 

Teachings: Lived for 110 years. He was a devotee of Lord Krishna, and his Guru was Sri Vallabh Acharya. He was a famous scholar and devoted shorshipper. 

Bhagat Dhanna Ji

Born: 1415 Dhaun, Rajasthan 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 3 hmns 

Sakhi: God himself did the work of Dhanna, tilling his fields and irrigating his crops. He spoke against idol worship. 

Bhagat Pipa Ji

Born: 1426 Jhala  

Married: 12 wives, and one son 

Profession: Raja, then became a tailor. 

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 1 hymn

Teachings: He was a devotee of goddess Durga. He served saints and sadhus and asked them how to meet God. He was told to find a Guru, similar to the stories of the other saints. He left to Kashi to find Ramanand as his Guru. He brought gifts, but Ramanand refused to see him. Finally after many attempts, Ramanand met him and said he has no business with Rajas, as they don’t have time to worship God and live in ego of power and wealth. He rejected his gifts. He handed his throne to his son and handed out of many of his possessions to the poor. He was tested by Ramanand and then started to live a simple life. Ramanand told him to go back to govern his estate and after one year, Ramanand returned to visit. He travelled with him to Dwarka. He lived in a cave with his wife Sita and had an encounter with God that changed him. He travelled with Sita and sang hymns and became tailors. His hymn in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji teaches us to look within for God. 

Bhagat Jaidev Ji

Born: 1201 Kenduli, Bengal 

Parents: Bhojdev, Rama Devi 

Married: Padmavati

Contribution to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: 2 hmyns 

Teachings: Orphaned at a young age, he became an ascetic and went on pilgrimages. He ran into a Brahmin at Jagan Nath temple. He wished to marry his daughter to Jaidev, who refused to get married. He was forcibly married. He thus became a householder. He wrote three books, and became famous. The king of Bengal Lakshman Sen asked him to come to his court and nominated him in his council of scholars. He was then invited to Jaipur to be part of the court of that Raja. On the way, he was robbed. He tried to convince the robbers that he was a famous scholar, but they thre him into a well. Remembering God, he was saved. Some soldiers saw Jaidev and Raja Karaunch Utkal saved him. 

Bhagat Soordas 

Born: 1528 at Sihi district Gurgaon

Parents: Father’s name was Ravidas

Profession: Musician

Teachings: He was a scholar and wrote great poetry. He was blind. He became popular with Akbar and opened his treasury to the poor. When the officials opened the treasury, it was empty and he was arrested. Timar Das, the jailor, tortured him. He wrote a letter about this to Akbar, who released him. He contributed 1 line of a hymn to the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, not all of the lines are included as they were not all per Sikhi. Guru Arjan Dev Ji explained the line of Soordas in his Bani. 

References: 

ww.sikhiwiki.org

The Honoured Saints of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji by Pritpal Singh Tuli 

Who was Bhai Gurdas Ji?

While currently reading the Vaaran Bhai Gurdas, I thought it was important to learn about the background of Bhai Gurdas Ji. 

Bhai Gurdas was born in Goindwal in 1551, and was the nephew Guru Amardas Ji. At the age of 3 his mother died, and his father died at 12, after which he was adopted by Guru Amardas Ji. He was talented in languages and gained knowledge from the sangat of scholars. 

Guru Ramdas Ji assigned him as a Sikh missionary in Agra. This was the capital of the Mughal empire during Akbar’s reign and was therefore a key posting. Bhai Gurdas excavated the sarovar at Harmandir Sahib. 

Under the direction of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Bhai Gurdas was the scribe of the Adi Granth. Guru Ji asked him to include his own vars and kabits but Bhai Gurdas was so humble he did not. The above is a picture representing Bhai Gurdas Ji's work in transcribing the Adi Granth. He led the Sikhs to Gwalior fort to try to free Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji when he was imprisoned. He was named the first Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht. 

Bhai Gurdas travelled and spread the word of Sikhi, including going to Sri Lanka, Rajasthan, Chamba hills, Jammu, Varanasi, Agra, and Lucknow. He wrote the Vaaran Bhai Gurdas. These explain the principles of Sikhi and are called the “key” to the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. He also wrote 556 poems. After he passed, his antim sanskar was performed by Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. 

Bhai Gurdas Ji was never married. He spent his whole life serving the Sikh panth. 

References 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhai_Gurdas

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varan_Bhai_Gurdas

https://www.searchgurbani.com/bhai-gurdas-vaaran/introduction

https://www.allaboutsikhs.com/early-gursikhs/early-gursikhsbhai-gurdas-ji

Picture: http://singhstation.net/2014/01/bhai-gurdas-ji/

Sehaj

Coincidentally after writing my post I saw this Nanak Naam video along the same theme. 

Some key points:

-An event leads to an emotion, and every time our mind replays that story, we live in those feelings. We can change this and break this pattern. Remember the majority of our memories are not factual anyways, they are false. (We realized this at my house, when we were arguing as a family about which picture had been up in our hallway for 10 yrs. Was it a waterfall? Niagara Falls? Harmandir Sahib with water in the background? It was one of the photos you plugged in, thats all that was clear. We had to find proof from old photos because no one could remember with enough confidence what the picture we had looked at in passing for that many years was and when we finally looked, it looked nothing like what any of us had remembered it looking like). 

-Understand yourself and you will understand God. Stop looking outside and start looking inside.

-To learn from the Guru you must pay the price of your “I am-ness”, your ego. You may not want to pay this price now, but when enough is enough and you want to leave this prison, your Guru will guide you. 

-The state of Sehaj means “I don’t mind what happens, If it comes let it come, if it goes, let it go.” 

-Like anything in life, meditation must be practiced. 

Everything is Yours

The last few weeks have brought loss. I am left remembering that nothing ever belongs to us in the first place “Kabeer, nothing is mine within myself, Whatever is there, is Yours. If I surrender to You what is already Yours, what does it cost me?” We are blessed with the presence of those around us for however long we get to have their company, but no one belongs to us. No plan, no dream, belonged to us. When plan A failed, I was trying to work on plan B, C, but they all got cancelled. Waheguru decided I’m not going anywhere, or doing anything. Patience, the same theme of the entire last five years. 

When people talk about chardi kala, we cannot simply just pretend ourselves into positivity. It is easy to be positive when there is nothing going on. It is when we are presented with challenges that we finally get to exercise all the skills we learn from Sikhi and draw upon that spirit. Sikhi is not telling us to pretend and cover up everything with a façade of being happy and positive, and privately one suffers. When we have a wound, we stitch it up, we put medicine on it, we heal. When we are hurt, we need the divine medicine that Gurbani can give us: “Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam Ji, Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam, God’s Name is the destroyer of pain and sufferings. His Name eradicates all sorrows and pains.” We are meant to apply this meaningful medicine to our heart’s wounds. Over time, as one gets Anand from the bani, we get a spirit of Chardi Kala. I remember meeting a Bhai Sahib once that had such a radiant shine I will never forget it. It was all encompassing. Even being around him changed the way we were feeling and thinking. I remember one time I had someone yelling at me just relentlessly. I read the shabad “tatee vao na lagyee” in my mind. The hot wind does not even touch one who is under the protection of the Supreme Lord God.” As I finished the shabad, the man changed his tune suddenly and left. Gurbani has a power to transform us so deeply within ourselves, that those around us change as well. This is the power of sangat. It is also why when we work to change ourselves within a family, it slowly changes the whole nature of the family. 

As I read paath in the morning, I realize that death could come today. We have talked about this theme in the past. Gurbani talks a lot about death, not in a sad way, but in a way of truth and of how to live without fear of death. There is a different way of living when you realize that each day could be your last. When you stop taking the people around you for granted. When you consider where you are spending your time and when you align yourself to your purpose. It is easy to say you are ok with dying when it is a vague concept. Yet actually having to think about it more imminently made me realize that I am actually afraid. We might worry about leaving people behind- Gurbani tells us that God provides for all of us. We might have unresolved problems to fix and relationships to mend. We might realize that we haven’t really lived and done the things we wanted to do in our life. We might realize that we didn’t achieve our purpose and now its too late. This is why we must really live our days accepting this is borrowed time, in a borrowed body vessel, and those around us are all in the same situation. We will have to leave by Hukam just like they will all leave as well. Live to achieve your purpose because death is not sad when one is already Jeevan Mukht, it is rather a marriage of merger into Waheguru eternally and a moment of joy. 

I hope that we can all remember daily what we came here for, and that it is the power of Gurbani that will bring us to achieving our purpose, overcoming challenges, and to being in bliss. Guru Ji says "No one lives long enough to accomplish all he wishes. Only the spiritually wise live forever; they are honored for their intuitive awareness" Ang 1412. 

Here is a great meditation:

Going Green

Global Warming/Climate Change is affecting us in many ways. In fact due to covid restrictions they are surprisingly seeing all causes of death have reduced in India right now. India usually has a lot of deaths from pollution-related health problems, car accidents, etc. I know locally we have been deeply affected in the summers by the wildfires. Other parts of the world have been affected by floods, droughts or heat waves. This can affect the food and water supply. As Sikhs we have responsibilities towards making efforts to preserve the environment that we live in. We know Guru Har Rai Ji grew herbs in his gardens and respected nature greatly. 

There are many things we can do to be eco friendly, starting off with use of our cars (car pooling, biking, walking). I worked on part of the planning for making the city bike friendly although that never really came to fruition and it continues to be a safety issue. We can still try to bike in the areas where it is safe to do so. Selection of vehicles of course depends on where you live. A “smart car” certainly isn’t safe to drive in Northern BC in the winter, but we can make choices that are more eco-friendly rather than less. The same is true when we select our appliances. We re-bought our appliances a couple of yrs ago and they are all a lot more green. We can shut off our lights when we leave the room, and make sure we are using our energy efficiently. We can change our lightbulbs to more energy efficient ones. In the summer we like to hang our clothes outside to dry, it is a great way to save energy. One of the things we like to do at my house when changing the summer to winter wardrobe, or putting the winter clothes away and bringing the summer ones out, is to pack up some of the clothes to donate them. Of course the mainstay of being eco-friendly is reusing and recycling.

Another interesting thing is how we can make our Gurdwaras more green. I think one of the obvious ways in langar is to make sure we are using reusable plates, and not running the whole dishwasher for just one plate. I saw some great suggestions online such as planting lots of flowers. It would be lovely if the Gurdwara could have a garden for growing our own Sabjis. There have been huge tree-planting projects from EcoSikh and other organizations. Having an air-drier for hands is also better than having towels and paper towels. Another way is travelling to the Gurdwara together or walking. We should not have big fireworks celebrations as you can see the polluting effects of these on Diwali in India. I'm sure there are many more ways we can save energy at the Gurdwara Sahib, similar to how we do in our homes with appliances, lights, and general measures like ensuring there is enough insulation. 

I think one of the things we have learned from covid is that we are using too much. We travel to the grocery store too often. We were wasting too much food. We were shopping too much. We were driving around unnecessarily. Now that we are stuck inside our homes we are realizing perhaps how much we could do without, or with less. Think about what changes you could be making. 

References: 

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-ways-to-go-green.php

https://www.sikhnet.com/news/going-green-gurdwara

http://www.ecosikh.org

http://www.ecosikh.org/prominent-kar-sewa-workers-to-introduce-eco-features-in-the-gurdwara-buildings/

The Power Within

Resilience is like the survival of a plant in the cracks of concrete. It is overcoming the improbable, the so-called impossible. It is what our people have been doing since the very beginnings of Sikhi. Within all of the destruction in the world right now, it is important for us to realize the absolute enormous potential for strength within us. A couple of years ago I did CPR on a family friend at the Gurdwara when I was just a few weeks post-op. In the moment I forgot about myself entirely and no one else even knew anyways. Despite surgery, my body had no limitation and it did what it needed to do. It is these types of events that have shown me that the power, the strength, and the resilience that is built within us. 

In the Gurdwara Sahibs of India, I screamed from the scorching heat of the bricks on my feet. It made me think of Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s shaheedi, sitting on a hot plate, placed in a boiling cauldron, having hot sand poured over the body. Our Guru Ji was in such a state of Anand that what this body’s pains go through wasn’t able to touch that. The way that the mind, soul and physical elements of the body interact are playing by rules that we cannot fathom. We are taught that this state of bliss is achievable in our lifetime. 

We were meant to fully enjoy our lives and live in contentment, not the “normal” that we have come to accept. The normal that we accept is a narrow image of the type of life that Gurbani tells us that we could live. It goes back to this analogy we saw when we were exploring Anand Karaj and they talked about the frog in the well. It’s world is only as small as the well and it has no idea what else is out there. We shouldn’t be restricting ourselves to living through the ups and downs of life as it comes. Instead Gurbani gives us this amazing capacity for us to survive and thrive despite our environment. Remembering that there is just You, the creator that made the stars and the universe, the One that operates everything from the microbes to the oceans, is the One within. I cannot even begin to wrap my mind around the vast extent of what we are a part of and have the chance to merge into. All of that universe energy, Waheguru, is already here, we are already a piece of it, it is just our doubt that prevents us from our final merger. We need to stop limiting ourselves, and when I say "we" I always mean me as well because I am also just trying my best to travel this journey. I don't have anything figured out, I'm just sharing as I learn as well. Today I am in awe of this universal power that is already within. 

In Rehras Sahib the following shabad appears and reminds us that there are no limits: 

Raag Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:

Why, O mind, do you plot and plan, when the Dear Lord Himself provides for your care?

From rocks and stones He created living beings; He places their nourishment before them.||1||

O my Dear Lord of souls, one who joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is saved.

By Guru's Grace, the supreme status is obtained, and the dry wood blossoms forth again in lush greenery. ||1||Pause||

Mothers, fathers, friends, children and spouses-no one is the support of anyone else.

For each and every person, our Lord and Master provides sustenance. Why are you so afraid, O mind? ||2||

The flamingoes fly hundreds of miles, leaving their young ones behind.

Who feeds them, and who teaches them to feed themselves? Have you ever thought of this in your mind? ||3||

All the nine treasures, and the eighteen supernatural powers are held by our Lord and Master in the Palm of His Hand.

Servant Nanak is devoted, dedicated, forever a sacrifice to You, Lord. Your Expanse has no limit, no boundary. ||4||5||

Teaching Methods

I grew up as a punjabi kid in a largely caucasian elementary school. Other kids, being curious, would ask me so many questions. Sometimes I felt to answer these questions would require so much time and background I was overwhelmed on where to even begin. I would just make up something simple and brush it off. Most of the time I probably didn’t even know the answers. The questions often came from a comparative standpoint, and I wouldn’t know enough about Sikhi or the other religion to be able to make the comparison or know what was being compared. In fact it has only been the last few years where I have felt comfortable answering these types of detailed questions about Sikhi.  

When we think about the way that we generally teach children, we teach the names of the Gurus, the 5 K’s, basic history, and ooda ada, but we don’t actually teach any depth. Most of what we teach is basic facts. Even the history that we pass on is a pretty basic understanding of a few key events. Many people might not even know what Vaisakhi is about, Diwali, or the meaning of Ik Onkaar. Of course people have to have an interest, but at the same time we also have to be aware to impart such knowledge in a way that makes sense to the next generation. 

I think unfortunately when we build a base knowledge of Sikhi, sometimes people don’t know where to start and they start with rules and visible differences, etc. rather than starting with the way of living. The focus should be on the application of the knowledge we get from Gurbani into our lives and how it relates to our lives right now. It should be on basic principles, like what is our purpose and which tools does Sikhi give us to achieve them and to live a fruitful life. Sikhi is meant to be helpful to us through our challenges in life. Unfortunately, I think the way of teaching that has been engrained for years in India was of rote memorization. This has carried over for how we teach Sikhi. A person could know the names of all the Guru Jis but not understand the significance of even having a Guru. The other cultural thing that carries over is not to question and do what your elders tell you. Again this prevents people from learning to some extent as well. 

When we come into a family, we all come from different loks (patal lok, bhoom lok, etc). This means in our past lives we may have been on land, water, sky, etc. and thus at varying levels of spirituality before we got this life. Not everyone is at the same stage. There are members of the family that are meant to uplift the rest. Children may be young in age in this world but we all go through so many millions of life forms to get here and they may bring a spiritual elevated mind to the family unit. When we look at the Sahibzaade, or Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji, we realize what the potential of a child could be. The faith of the younger Sahibzaade was so strong that they didn’t give into bribes, or fear based tactics.  When they faced the Mughals and were able to distinguish and tell them what it meant to be a true Muslim, one who followed the Quran. They lived by compassion, truth, love, humility and contentment. We should focus shaping the mind so our youth combat every pressure they face in today’s world and tomorrows. Rather than getting caught up in arguments about how we should look and what we should be eating, I think its important to be digging deep into our own paths. The more we do that, the more we have to offer our own children as they are growing up and we teach them about Sikhi. I'm not sure we have achieved this yet in most Gurdwaras, but it should be an effort we make to do a new way of teaching and learning. It can be incorporated into our families and khalsa schools as well. 

Self-blame and Regret

These feelings are common ones to deal with at some point in our lives. We simply cannot live our life without making at least some mistakes. They’ll be made in our jobs, our relationships, our behaviours or even our ways of living. If we don’t learn to let go, we deal with a perpetual cycle of thinking about our mistakes. I personally have always found it easier to let go of what others have done, than letting go of what I have. The idea of making a mistakes that hurts someone else is so painful that it is hard sometimes to forgive oneself. We have touched on these topics here and there but I thought I would dedicate a post to it now.  

In Nanak Naam’s Mool Mantar series, they talk about how the ego is ultimately responsible for us not being able to forgive ourselves. When we are blaming ourselves for what we did, we are saying “I am the karta purakh” yet we know that the doer is actually Waheguru and everything is Hukam. This comes in our mool mantar daily. It is the removal of self that is the solution. We must accept that our past was also a part of Hukam; Waheguru didn’t allow us to know at that point in time what we know now, and allowed it to happen. He explains that the reason we can’t get past this is because of our duality. This means we like to see things as good and bad, right and wrong and we label these based on our own perception. We see God as doing all good and we are the sinners doing all bad, when this is not true. God does everything, regardless of how we label it. He gives a great example, that I have thought about just about everyday since I originally watched this video in November. He describes that the lion kills a gazelle, is that good or bad? It is neutral because it doesn’t affect us. If the lion kills your child, is it good or bad? After all the lion is doing it otherwise his children will go hungry. Once it affects ME, then we start to perceive something as good or bad. In reality, it simply just is. Whatever happened was the Hukam at the time, the understanding that God gave us at the time. We are all a part of the universe, a very piece of Waheguru, and therefore there is only One. Bhai Sahib describes if we have the tools to change something, there is a reason we are in the situation, to act. If we don’t have the tools, God has made it so that we simply observe and cannot act. Waheguru does not need to forgive us because that forgiveness is already there and grace exists in each breath we receive. We were never taught to hang on to everything we ever did and never let it go.    

In his videos, Bhai Satpal Singh Ji asks, why are there not shabads about forgiving people or ourselves in Gurbani? Because YOU have to exist to forgive people, and ultimately Gurbani is about removing YOU, it does not want you to exist. The cure to this problem is ultimately the removal of ego. Gurbani tells us also how to remove ego through simran. We can learn how to live in the present moment through simran. These are the types of topics that come to catch us in life if we do not address them by their roots. I encourage you to watch the Mool Mantar series, especially the two parts below. I found that on this topic in particular there will be lots of advice that you will get that will simply pump YOU up and say no but YOU are so great, and YOU this or YOU that. Friends will tell you God is doing all for your good, and all is good. That's simply building ego. Moving out of regret is all about removing the “you” and “them” from the equation. It is about removing blame, stopping the labelling of things in duality and the acceptance of Hukam. It is about seeing a bigger perspective of the way that the universe operates. With practice we learn to live more and more in the present. 

References: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU6S0g8ewPI Nanak Naam Mool Mantar Part 2 ** EXCELLENT VIDEO, a must watch! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag_KvfXUKEk Nanak Naam Mool Mantar Part 4** EXCELLENT VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9qKgZ1rI0M&t=16s Nanak Naam video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYOaUh-zH9A Another Nanak Naam Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPRFmm7jKb8 Sikhnet 

Zafarnama

Thank you "RiverOcean" for sharing this beautiful video of the Zafarnama in its original Persian. It is incredibly impactful!

Happy Khalsa Da Sajna Divas/Happy Vaisakhi 2020!

Happy Vaisakhi! On Vaisakhi 1699 Guru Gobind Singh Ji called hundreds of thousands of Sikhs to gather at Anandpur Sahib. The crowd was completely silent, fully taking in the words of Guru Ji. After spiritual discourse, Guru Ji addressed the crowd, and then took out his sword and asked for a sacrifice, a head. Suddenly the sangat was scared! Can you imagine what it must have felt like standing amongst the crowd at that time? Bhai Daya Ram Ji bravely approached. Guru Ji went in a tent and came back with his sword, dripping with blood. He asked for another head. Next was Bhai Dharam Das, then Sahib Chand, Himmat Chand, and finally Mokham Chand. Some of the sangat started to disperse in fear, when suddenly Guru Ji came out with all five and performed the Amrit ceremony. These Singhs became our Panj Pyare, the embodiment of the Guru. Then Guru Ji got the 5 to baptize him. The mother of the Khalsa is Mata Sahib Kaur Ji and she added patasay to the Amrit. In baptizing the Sikhs, Guru Ji gave the Khalsa the distinct identity of today- kesh, kanga, kirpan, kachera, kara. This united the Khalsa and because the panj were from different castes and now equal, it also showed that there would be equality and no caste distinction. The identity was important in that no Sikh would be allowed to hide- their identity would stand out as Sikh and therefore they would be responsible for their actions. This would allow others to get help from Sikhs. The Khalsa was important in uniting the Sikhs as saint-soldiers, as warriors in standing up against the oppression and injustices that were being faced. Sikh women were given the middle name Kaur (princess) and males were given the middle name Singh (lion). May we all embody the names Kaur and Singh! 

 

Pictures from Anandpur (2019):

Unfortunately, this is the first Vaisakhi that I can remember where we are unable to gather together as a community. We will not gather as we always do for our colorful, love-filled celebrations with aunties baking in the kitchen, children putting up flowers, and uncles preparing floats. Thinking back perhaps there were other times in history where this was not possible as well, like during times of genocide and war. We will have to be creative in finding other ways to celebrate the birth of the Khalsa.

Sikhi teaches us Naam Japna. We can do simran anywhere at any time, at all times. Sikhi teaches us to work hard, kirat karni. Right now many people are working from home, and some are working on the front lines as police, healthcare workers, grocery-store workers, and truck drivers for example. Some are working hard as parents and trying to teach their children as the schools are shut down. The next pillar of Sikhi is Vand Shakna. To share what we have with others. Right now this really means not hoarding more than you need from the grocery store. It means sharing our time to a cause- the government is regularly looking for covid volunteers. People are volunteering to deliver groceries. It means bringing peace, love and courage to those around you in these tough times. Live by the spirit Chardi Kala! For sarbat da balla, for the benefit of all, we are needing to practice good hand-washing, staying home unless absolutely needing to go out, and social-distancing when we do go out (staying 2 meters from people). As we are fulfilling our responsibility it is also important for us to find ways of connection- whether that is virtual sangat, calling and checking in with your loved ones and friends, and especially taking care of elders. The celebration of the creation of Khalsa is the remembrance of who we are as Sikhs and our resilience. It is a celebration of our personal spiritual path as well, and a time to read those books at home, to research Sikh history, to listen to online kathas. 

I recently read some articles from EcoSikh on facebook. They showed some amazing pictures of animals coming out for the first time in polluted areas of India, clear water, clear skies and views of mountains. Check it out! It reminds us that even in a crisis like this, there are things to be gained, and learned. I hope that this brings about a change on how people see our harmony with nature and the necessity of stopping the ways we were damaging the environment before. I volunteered for years on environmental sustainability initiatives. They taught me a lot about the importance of even minor things we do on the environment. There was quote by Arundhati Roy that talks about the changes that are coming: “Whatever it is, coronavirus has made the mighty kneel and brought the world to a halt like nothing else could. Our minds are still racing back and forth, longing for a return to ‘normality’, trying to stitch our future to our past and refusing to acknowledge the rupture. But the rupture exists. And in the midst of this terrible despair, it offers us a chance to rethink the doomsday machine we have built for ourselves. Nothing could be worse than a return to normality. Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.” Similarly Sonya Renee Taylor says, “We will not go back to normal. Normal never was. Our pre-corona existence was not normal other than we normalized greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, extraction, disconnection, confusion, rage, hoarding, hate and lack. We should not long to return, my friends. We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature.” These quotes remind us that we have an opportunity to change the world, and a new opportunity to leave behind what wasn’t working in the world. Maybe after this we will have less mindless wasting- of food, resources, and time. We have a chance to do things differently for ourselves as well. As we celebrate Vaisakhi through this pandemic, try to think about methods in which we can find a new way of living. 

picture reference: https://www.sikhpa.com/campaigns/sikhvaisakhi/ 

Vaisakhi Shabads

It was tough not to get to go to the Gurdwara today. This weekend would have been an Akhand Paath and celebration of Vaisakhi. Yet we are playing an important role in the health and wellbeing of the community by staying at home. Sikhnet is holding lots of live events so there's lots to participate in online. I’ll post the history of Vaisakhi tomorrow. 

Yesterday I noticed that I started my youtube channel back in July of 2016, around the same time that I started my Sehaj Paath, started doing simran, etc.! I’m still surprised that I had the courage to start it. I didn’t even think about the channel name at all at the time. I've been trying to do updates the last couple of days. When I started this channel it was hard to find shabads on the female scale on youtube, or even many shabads at all. As we are isolated in Northern BC, I recognized how helpful it is to increase access to those without an in-person teacher. I left out comments and didn’t monetize the channel because I didn’t want it to become about ego. I made two parts for the channel- one playlist where I show how the shabad sounds altogether with the tabla, and one playlist where I show how to play the keys. Upon a suggestion from my cousin I’ve now added in “easy, medium, and advanced” difficulty playlists so people can start off with easier shabads if they are fairly new to kirtan. I have 182 videos uploaded and I still have just over 80 more shabads to still sing and put online. I am realizing it has been nice for me as well to have a reference to go back to and remember how to match a certain part of a shabad with the tabla, etc. I’m thankful to subscribers because that means we are continuing to spread the word of Gurbani and sing the praises of Waheguru. Gurbani is meant to be shared and the more people that sing, the better! If you have a harmonium, give it a try and learn some shabads. Gurbani has the power to heal, uplift, and bring us into chardi kala. 

I updated and made a Vaisakhi playlist as well a playlist of kirtan from our yatra to pakistan. Unfortunately we still don’t have the official videos of kirtan yet from ATN, but hopefully sometime soon. In the meantime they are the videos my family made of the kirtan. Here’s one of my favorite Vaisakhi Shabads: Nanak Vaisakhi Prabh Bhaave. I was really missing having a live tabla player when I recorded this. There is this really neat thing that happens when the kirtan and tabla player get in tuned to the shabad- its raag, its taal, and just absorb into it. Hopefully I’ll find someone to practice alongside me regularly, in the meantime I’ll keep using my electronic tabla :)  

A link to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJVqGlOz5r_yLZk2KkcenQ

Vaisakhi Crafts

We had fun decorating the house for Vaisakhi, since we are stuck inside doing social distancing. We found some cool ideas online searching "Vaisakhi Crafts" and "Baisakhi Crafts" on google images and following the links to pinterest, kiddiesangat, etc.

Mother (Maa)

There are so many astounding mothers in Sikh history and I would like to take some time to both celebrate them. The first one that comes to mind is Mata Gujri Ji. Mata Gujri Ji was the wife of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, mother of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and grandmother of the Chaar Sahibzaade. At the time of (Guru) Gobind Singh Ji’s birth, Guru Teg Bahadur Ji was out travelling and spreading the word of God. It was Mata Gujri’s guidance that raised Guru Gobind Singh Ji to be a tough warrior, and at the same time a musician and heartfelt poet. She continued to raise him after Guru Teg Bahadur’s martyrdom, while at the same time strengthening the panth. She inspired Khalsa armies, and was a leader in times of hardships. After Mata Sundri Ji passed on, she raised the younger Sahibzaade and strengthened them to stand up the Mughals. From Mata Gujri Ji we learn the importance of a mother’s strength in times of hardship, sacrifice, leadership, and bravery. There is another interesting thing about Mata Gujri Ji. Gurbani teaches us that when we are in our mother’s womb we are in Naam and we get training on how to get out of maya. The family we are born into have sanjog with us- husband, wife, and children have a union of souls destined to reach God together and support each other in fulfilling our purpose. The child that Waheguru blesses a mother with, is based on her spiritual avastha and the level of her bhagti (based on her spiritual work and devotion). We therefore learn about the incredibly critical role of the mother. Her spirituality will shape the entire family, literally, by the matching of the soul of the child that will come to her. Mata Gujri Ji had Gobind Rai after 34 years of marriage. The fact that she was blessed with this child, speaks to the level of bhagti that Mata Gujri herself had.  

Then there is Mata Khivi Ji, wife of Bhai Lehna, who went on to become Guru Angad Dev Ji. She established langar, and arranged housing for Sikhs who came to visit Guru Ji. In the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, she is mentioned: “Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru’s wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all. She distributes the bounty of the Guru`s Langar; the kheer - the rice pudding and ghee, is like sweet ambrosia." (Ang 967) Sikhiwiki writes “She is quite possibly the first woman of her era who ever worked outside her immediate family home and obligations at a time when her children were very young.” Mata Khivi Ji raised her daughter Bibi Amro. One day, Amardas heard Bibi Amro singing Gurbani next door and he was so touched that this led him to become a Sikh and go on to become Guru. Bibi Amro herself went on to become in charge of a manji (geographical area), leading the sangat. She was a great leader, raised by Mata Khivi Ji.

Another example is Mata Bhani, daughter of Guru Amardas Ji, wife of Guru Ramdas Ji, mother of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, grandmother of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, great-grandmother of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji and great great grandmother of Guru Gobind Singh Ji! What an integral role Mata Bhani played in Sikh history. Her son, Guru Arjan Dev Ji mentions her blessings on Ang 434: “Remembering Him, all sins are erased, and ones generations are saved. So meditate continually on the Lord, Har, Har; He has no end or limitation. O son, this is your mother's hope and prayer, that you may never forget the Lord,Har, Har, even for an instant. May you ever vibrate upon the Lord of the Universe (Pause). May the True Guru be kind to you, and may you love the Society of the Saints. May the preservation of your honor by the Transcendent Lord be your clothes, and may the singing of His Praises be your food. So drink in forever the Ambrosial Nectar; may you live long, and may the meditative remembrance of the Lord give you infinite delight. May joy and pleasure be yours; may your hopes be fulfilled, and may you never be troubled by worries. Let this mind of yours be the bumble bee, and let the Lord's feet be the lotus flower. Says servant Nanak, attach your mind to them, and blossom forth like the song-bird, upon finding the rain-drop.” Guru Ji went on to become the first Sikh Guru to be martyred. Mata Bhani also selflessly served her own father, Guru Amardas Ji even long after marriage. She teaches us about the importance of service, devotion, and sewa as a mother, and as a daughter. 

The last I will write about is Mata Sahib Kaur is the mother of all of Khalsa. Although she physically didn’t have any children of her own, we are all her children. This teaches us something very important about being a mother as well, as Guru Ji blessed her with the children of the Khalsa. After the family was separated at the Sirsa, she headed to Delhi and continued to serve the panth. 

It is a key role of a mother to pass on culture, religion, and language. (I don’t mean to downplay the role of a father, of course). We know that after spending 9 months in the mother’s uterus/womb, the mother’s role in providing physical, spiritual, and emotional nourishment is essential. Mothers lifelong lessons and values. For example, passing on our language in order to understand Gurbani and the treasures within it on how to obtain mukhti. It is our mothers that share the values of Sikhi and help us understand our roots. It is mothers who pass on empathy, compassion, kindness and devotion. We see this in all of the examples of the mothers in Sikhi above. I remember my mom learning kirtan when I was young, and going on to learn it myself. It is reflecting on how integral a role she has played in my life, that I realize that I want to raise my children myself, and not have someone else do it. 

My mother has been an inspiring role model for me my whole life. She really broke the mold and did a lot of innovative things in her life. That part of her story isn’t mine to tell, so I will talk about her story as my mom. My mom worked until I was three, then my dad had a job that allowed her to stay home with us. Yet it wasn’t just us kids. Other Punjabi kids in the community used to come over after school for Punjabi lessons at our kitchen table. Even a non-Punjabi kid used to come over because his parents really trusted my mom. She would always call on them if they were all her own kids. As I’ve gotten older, I can really appreciate what she’s done in the community. Growing up, my home has been a safe space for members of the community to come seek help, guidance, and facilitate difficult conversations. All I knew as a kid was that there were people coming over to get help, but looking back I realize now that my parents have always kind of been “on call” for the Punjabi community. She’s played an important role in supporting people through times of hardship. I remember my mom giving people the CD sets of Gurbani tapes to play in their homes. They would come back and talk about the changes they were seeing in their household. This has continued over the years. She has helped students in finding jobs, applying for scholarships, and always gives encouragement for youth to get a post-secondary education. She helped me dream big rather than keeping my dreams small and I wouldn’t be where I am without her. Even my talent for art and making crochet dresses comes my mother. 

In Sikhi we are taught that the supreme way of living was grist marag, a householder/family life. The role of the mother is obviously central to this. Unfortunately, I think we are in times that being a mother is underappreciated. I will reiterate that is no such thing as “just a mother.” It is probably the hardest job of all. Society is shaming mothers and judging them for choosing to have their children at a certain time, or raising them certain ways, or how they balance their career. I have the utmost respect for women who are homemakers. They are instilling a light into the next generation and it isn’t easy to manage a household. At the same time, I am also a woman who has invested the last 11 years into getting an education for my career, so I understand the role of finding meaning and purpose in your work as sewa, and having an income to sustain oneself financially. These are all very personal choices we end up having to make. I made the decision for my career knowing that I wanted children in the future. I invested in a career where I will earn enough by working fewer hours, and at get to spend the rest of the time with my husband and kids. I worked hard now for the benefit later. For some work might be everything, for some it might be nothing. Our mothers are not some superhuman, infallible women. They are women like us, women who work hard and make mistakes, but they learn from each moment and evolve with time.

Having understood so much about the importance of the woman’s spiritual devotion, the values we instill, and the passing on of cultural and religious values; it makes me reflect deeply on the state of our society. I don’t just mean western society, but also in India as well because the shift there has been the same. I wonder about what will happen for the future. Throughout my travels, people are shocked that I have been able to maintain our language, culture, and passion for Sikhi as a Canadian-born Sikh. I got this comment so frequently I was shocked to learn it was now a rarity...how did this become a rarity? It is simply an observation that many second-generation Sikh women, my fellow Kaurs, are lost and they don’t even know they are lost. When we are so absorbed into a direction, we might not even realize it isn’t our only choice. The drinking and partying scene have become very popular. Appearances like makeup and false eyelashes have become the norm. Going to the Gurdwara is less about learning and enlightenment as it is about dressing up and finding a boyfriend. Dating without purpose at 13, 14 years old. Young Kaurs are smoking, doing drugs, even getting involved in gangs. If we smoke, our kids will smoke. We are damaging our bodies in ways never seen before in our cultural norms. Forget courageousness, modesty, responsibility, or even truth-telling. People think this is about being modern, but this is not what modern is. Modern is not about abandoning what our great Sikh role models taught us, it is not about being out for yourself and forgetting your responsibilities. Even Punjabi movies are not showing us to get jobs and work hard, but about hanging around and mooching off others. Houses where parents are Amritdhari/Gursikh are not spared of this effect because their children are growing up in the same environment. It devastates me to see youth not reach their potential. These are really not the freedoms that moved our families across the world in search of a better life. Moreso, I thought India would be different but I have come to realize realize the Kaurs from India are affected by the same societal changes as well. 

Maya has eaten our generation alive. Gurbani says: “the love of Maya is enticing; without teeth, it has eaten up the world.” I am not writing this so that we look down on others, that is not what Sikhi is about. It is so easy to be swayed by the ways of the world and everyone has their own path. Yet I think we need to realize the state of affairs and realize what's happening. We are choosing to not talk about it, and we are scared to mention it. I'm mentioning it now as a fellow Kaur. We need to talk about it in a way that isn't about judgement but about shifting the way things are done. We have forgotten the values that these extraordinary Sikh women, mothers, have taught us in our history. There is a life that we can choose that is far more fulfilling and will sustain the generations to come than the one that we are calling a modern, "free", "independent" life here. Sikhi teaches us otherwise. Fellow Kaurs, we will be mothers shortly. We must think about the values that we will be passing on and the need to be physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually healthy to raise healthy families. To raise families that can be resilient in the face of adversity. We are in times of Kaljug. Who knows what our children will face in the world in their generation, we need to be prepared to instill strength in them. If we cannot find the way, it will be very difficult for our children to find their way. We must not squander our life purpose. As we prepare to create our own families, these topics must be paramount. Keeping a family together in today’s world takes sacrifice, responsibility, and determination. It takes self-awareness. Regardless of whether you choose to be a mother, you may be an aunt, or "Aunty Ji" at the Gurdwara, or simply a role model. I am inspired by all those mothers in Sikh history. It gives me hope to see those who are actively learning about Sikhi and trying their best. 

“From the woman is our birth, and in the woman’s womb are we shaped. To the woman we are engaged and to the woman are we wedded. The woman is our friend and from woman is the family. Through the woman are the bonds of the world. Why then call her evil, who gives birth to the world’s leaders? From the woman is born woman, without the woman there is none” (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Ang 473)

Reference for history: sikhiwiki 

Smallest Copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji!

This is an amazing video of a small copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (1x1 inch) made for World War I.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Sehaj Paath

I have written extensively about the start of my spiritual journey in July of 2016 after going to Ontario to attend the Sarab Rog Ka Aukhad Naam camp. At the same time, I also started a Sehaj Paath of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. I have been slowly reading and absorbing the paath and its translation over almost four years. Today we had the bhog and the paath was completed. 

"All Sikhs are commanded to take the Granth As Guru" 

I could never have imagined how impactful this reading would be. I didn’t want to read the paath absentmindedly or in a rush. Most of us do not sit down and listen during an Akhand Paath and actually absorb what is being taken in. The purpose of Gurbani was for us to actually learn and change our lives in a practical way. The years have given me a lot of time for growth and application. I would save Angs of paath to re-read and apply to later in the day. As I would read, I was able to find direction for whatever was going on in my life at the same time. My Guru Ji has travelled a long and difficult journey with me, and I have received support and guidance through hardships. Guru Ji gave me Chardi Kala, strength, courage and direction: “Reaching up to the certified Guru, you endure the unendurable; you are immersed in the pool of contentment.” Most importantly, Guru Ji challenged my thinking. Some lines I would pause and re-read again, changing my perceptions of the world. Guru Ji gave healing for the mind that has travelled through many life-forms. Gurbani has given me a greater understanding of topics such as death, simran, Hukam, sanjog, and suffering. Finally, our Guru Ji teaches us lessons of how to live. 

The more I have read, listened, and reflected I am realizing how vast Gurbani is, and how much it has to teach us. I have so much more to learn and a very long way to go. Each translation and understanding could expand and expand- there are layers upon layers of understanding. Someone asked me recently what I learned. The learnings cannot really be summarized in just a sentence or two. I have been sharing the learnings through years of blog posts. Largely the inspiration for many of my posts comes from reading Gurbani and realizing a link to life, or to society and culture. I have been writing about the learnings through years of journaling as well. They are summarized in the conversations we have, and the change in the foundation of how I function today. The dissipation of my anger, to an open heart that just infinitely loves. The learnings show in my increasing passion and love for Sikhi. From the way that I do kirtan now- not for others, but for this mind to connect to God. Gurbani has taught me what Sikhi is. What it means to be on this earth and have this life. Gurbani teaches what it really means to love and how to look past yourself. The helpful thing about raags, is that they evoke an emotion. Some day reading will bring joy, others yearning, and some contentment. It is an experience of transformation rather than a concrete list of lessons. Even in these last 50 Angs, Guru Ji has greatly transformed the way that I live. Gurbani says “The Word of the Shabad brings eternal spring; it rejuvenates the mind and body.” Gurbani teaches we have the power to change the things that we can, and those that we cannot, we accept. 

It is interesting to read through the many writings of different Bhagats and Guru Jis. Bhagat Namdev talks about his job as a dyer, but in the context of dying oneself with the love of God. We get the understanding of how people were living their humanly lives as a householder and a spiritual one at the same time, totally integrated. It is beautiful how the poetry rhymes from one’s mouth. There are so many examples too from the environment, from those of plants and animals, to explain the concepts of Gurbani to us. It makes your faith grow 1000 fold. 

I remember shortly after starting my Sehaj paath, I was upset that I would not be able to make it through and understand. Although my Punjabi is fairly good, I had doubt that it would carry me through and allow me to process and understand Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. My mother told me that if I had faith to start, God will give me the understanding as well. She told me it didn’t matter how long it took, but the journey of learning. She was right and the more I read, the more some lines made sense before I read the translation, or I would recognize shabads I read in kirtan.

I would encourage you, if you have not yet done so, to start a Sehaj Paath and start reading the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Guru Ji says “Everything is with you; the True Guru will show you this. So understand your own self and meet your Beloved; His Grace shall rain down in torrents.” Try to listen and read translations to understand as well. When I went through I would read the line in Gurmukhi, listen to ensure any mistakes were caught, and read the translation at the same time as listening. We are Sikhs of our Guru so we must actually learn and listen from our Guru! There are 1430 Angs. I sometimes wonder whether we don’t read, or it took me so long to consider starting. I think that there is a fear inside of having to read the hard things, and having to be challenged in the way we think and the way we live our lives. It is easy for us to pretend and perform the actions of attending the Gurdwara, but to actually learn and change, we do have to challenge our minds. Maybe we are afraid we will realize a truth that we do not want to hear. It doesn't stroke the ego, it destroys it. In order to not practice idol worship, we must actually understand the message and knowledge our Guru is imparting. When you bow down, matha tek in awe of that knowledge and guidance to reach one’s ultimate spiritual goal in this lifetime. This is the way for us to make this life worthwhile.