Satsangat Kaise Janiye, Jithe Eko Naam Vakhaniye

I used to wonder where the Guru Jis and the shaheed Singhs and Singhniya got their strength to withstand the mental and physical challenges of their times. They sought shelter in the forests, they survived ghallugharas (holocausts) and physical tortures. They didn’t even have the types of shoes that we have to get around nowadays. I would think that they had a special type of intense bravery, combined with protection from God that allowed them to survive such atrocious times. After understanding the game of the mind, we understand that it is about a mind at such a high spiritual avastha it is able to separate out its sukham (non-physical) body from the physical vessel we have been given. We understand that minds that are in their homes (thir ghar) and have their food, their state will be in Anand, that they have won this game, that they see prakash everywhere, that they are not sinking in maya. Thus it isn’t just a matter of us “willing” ourselves to that state. It would be foolish to boast about our bravery, to stick out our chests and start saying we are nirbou, when actually our mind has not made any progress. This would come from a place of homai, and of lack of understanding of why and how this mind came here. When we give, we think we are the givers when actually nothing was ours- we didn’t create this body, we didn’t create this mind or this world. When we do our duty in this world, we think that we are the only one that can do this job, that there is no one else and nothing else that can fulfill our responsibilities when the reality again is that without this physical body, the work will still get done, the world will keep going. My dad said one day, we are the ant that puts up a flag saying the whole world belongs to it... we are but a small speck in the whole universe thinking this belongs to us. True resilience and strength, true bravery and courage doesn’t come from thinking, because thinking is the sukham form of maya. It comes from a mind that has overcome its thoughts and entered into the dasam dwar. We truly have to implement the teachings of our Guru Jis to access the full power of the mind. 

pic from pmkc

I spent years on physical action in childhood-going to the Gurdwara to matha tek, do sewa, kirtan, paath, etc. without understanding how the mind’s avastha can be changed. I felt some sense of emptiness and I searched for fulfillment from reading history and books, listening to kathas and kirtan, and reading Gurbani. When I learned about abhyas, I started implementing simran and what I learned from akath katha. It was at a critical point of needing sangat though, that covid occurred and I was left in desperate thirst and hunger for guidance. Thankfully things have opened up more and this year it was the practical time with sangat that has really integrated a lot of things for me and shown me the true power of Gurbani and simran. It is the boost of personal advice, of meeting people living in this world in a grist marag but also living a life of Anand, it is seeing the Gurbani applications in real life and doing simran as a group that really changes things. Satsangat shows us how to live a loving and compassionate way of life when we are faced in a world full of tamogun. We can grow to understand how to do our duties here and not burn out, empty ourselves, or exhaust ourselves. Being in sangat clears up our doubts, it allows us to clear up blockages and places that we are stuck. Gurbani tells us "Without the sangat, all remain like beasts and animals. They do not know the One who created them; without the Name, all are thieves." Guru Ji gives such high importance to satsangat, that they explain that if we are just here eating, drinking and working, we are living the life of a pashoo. We might be doing great work to help others, but we have not done any khoj within ourselves, and of why this mind came here. We slept through our lives and didn't recognize our mool. Everyone wants to end their suffering. For most of us, we didn't recognize any other way other than finding something in maya. Yet Gurbani tells us the only one way to truly end our suffering is Naam. Gurbani tells us "Without the Name, the mind has no firm support; O Nanak, this hunger never departs" (Ang 939).  

Our parents, siblings, friends, partner, and children all matter significantly in their roles in our lives. I heard many stories from sangat of people saying their family (a child, parent, partner, sibling, etc.) were not supportive and have been hindering them from even meeting sangat, doing simran, going to the Gurdwara, etc. Yet they might be the single member to help their family rise out of tregun maya. We learn what satsangat is from Sukhmani Sahib. Guru Ji tells us the definitions of a sant and brahmgyani, and the benefits of sangat. Satsangat inspires us, guides us right when we are off base, and challenges us to be our absolute best. They treat us with respect and travel with us, helping to alleviate the hindrances on our path and encourage us along. Wherever we go may we be cognizant of our sangat, be safe, and mindful of whether what is told is from Gurbani. Most of the Gurmukhs I have met are living in regular clothes, working jobs, and simultaneously doing their bhagti; their faces glow of love and bliss. When there is rigidity introduced, you start once again focusing on others, judging them, thoughts, etc. rather than inward to yourself and looking at the sargun saroop of Waheguru outward. We should choose sangat who take an interest, who think about how to apply Gurbani to our practical challenges of everyday life scenarios and dig deep within themselves. Gurbani tells us we are very fortunate if we meet satsangat in our lives.  The people closest to us can contribute to sinking us and drowning us in the bhavsagar or can help generations before and after cross the bhavsagar. Gurbani tells us, Satsaangat Kaise Janiye? Jithe Eko Naam Vakhaniye, "How is satsangat to be known? There, the Name of the One Lord is chanted" (Ang 72).