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:
Very stressful time for Doctors and other medical staff at the frontlines
ReplyDeleteDr. Melniker said the coronavirus had presented unusual mental health challenges for emergency physicians throughout New York, the epicenter of the crisis in the United States.
You don’t get to a position like that at Allen without being very talented,” he said.
Aside from work, Dr. Breen filled her time with friends, hobbies and sports, friends said. She was an avid member of a New York ski club and traveled regularly out west to ski and snowboard. She was also a deeply religious Christian who volunteered at a home for older people once a week, friends said. Once a year, she threw a large party on the roof deck of her Manhattan home.
She was very close with her sisters and mother, who lived in Virginia.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/27/nyregion/new-york-city-doctor-suicide-coronavirus.html?algo=top_conversion&fellback=false&imp_id=201747925&imp_id=885822937