This article has been written to mislead young innocent Sikhs who do not have much Knowledge about Sikhism. All our Gurus have clearly stated God can not be achived through Yoga. All Gurus have strictly criticized these Practices. Please refer to Shabad by Guru Arjan Dev Ji and Bhagat Kabir Ji. ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ik oankaar sathigur prasaadh || One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: 16 ਪਾਠੁ ਪੜਿਓ ਅਰੁ ਬੇਦੁ ਬੀਚਾਰਿਓ ਨਿਵਲਿ ਭੁਅੰਗਮ ਸਾਧੇ ॥ paath parriou ar baedh beechaariou nival bhuangam saadhhae || They read scriptures, and contemplate the Vedas; they practice the inner cleansing techniques of Yoga, and control of the breath. 17 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਪੰਚ ਜਨਾ ਸਿਉ ਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਛੁਟਕਿਓ ਅਧਿਕ ਅਹੰਬੁਧਿ ਬਾਧੇ ॥੧॥ panch janaa sio sang n shhuttakiou adhhik ahanbudhh baadhhae ||1|| But they cannot escape from the company of the five passions; they are increasingly bound to egotism. ||1|| 17 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਪਿਆਰੇ ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਮਿਲਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਮੈ ਕੀਏ ਕਰਮ ਅਨੇਕਾ ॥ piaarae ein bidhh milan n jaaee mai keeeae karam anaekaa || O Beloved, this is not the way to meet the Lord; I have performed these rituals so many times. 18 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਹਾਰਿ ਪਰਿਓ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਕੈ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਦੀਜੈ ਬੁਧਿ ਬਿਬੇਕਾ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ haar pariou suaamee kai dhuaarai dheejai budhh bibaekaa || rehaao || I have collapsed, exhausted, at the Door of my Lord Master; I pray that He may grant me a discerning intellect. ||Pause|| 18 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਮੋਨਿ ਭਇਓ ਕਰਪਾਤੀ ਰਹਿਓ ਨਗਨ ਫਿਰਿਓ ਬਨ ਮਾਹੀ ॥ mon bhaeiou karapaathee rehiou nagan firiou ban maahee || One may remain silent and use his hands as begging bowls, and wander naked in the forest. 19 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਤਟ ਤੀਰਥ ਸਭ ਧਰਤੀ ਭ੍ਰਮਿਓ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਛੁਟਕੈ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੨॥ thatt theerathh sabh dhharathee bhramiou dhubidhhaa shhuttakai naahee ||2|| He may make pilgrimages to river banks and sacred shrines all over the world, but his sense of duality will not leave him. ||2|| 19 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਮਨ ਕਾਮਨਾ ਤੀਰਥ ਜਾਇ ਬਸਿਓ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਰਵਤ ਧਰਾਏ ॥ man kaamanaa theerathh jaae basiou sir karavath dhharaaeae || His mind's desires may lead him to go and dwell at sacred places of pilgrimage, and offer his head to be sawn off; 1 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਮਨ ਕੀ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਉਤਰੈ ਇਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਜੇ ਲਖ ਜਤਨ ਕਰਾਏ ॥੩॥ man kee mail n outharai eih bidhh jae lakh jathan karaaeae ||3|| but this will not cause the filth of his mind to depart, even though he may make thousands of efforts. ||3|| 2 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਕਨਿਕ ਕਾਮਿਨੀ ਹੈਵਰ ਗੈਵਰ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਦਾਨੁ ਦਾਤਾਰਾ ॥ kanik kaaminee haivar gaivar bahu bidhh dhaan dhaathaaraa || He may give gifts of all sorts - gold, women, horses and elephants. 2 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਅੰਨ ਬਸਤ੍ਰ ਭੂਮਿ ਬਹੁ ਅਰਪੇ ਨਹ ਮਿਲੀਐ ਹਰਿ ਦੁਆਰਾ ॥੪॥ ann basathr bhoom bahu arapae neh mileeai har dhuaaraa ||4|| He may make offerings of corn, clothes and land in abundance, but this will not lead him to the Lord's Door. ||4|| 3 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਪੂਜਾ ਅਰਚਾ ਬੰਦਨ ਡੰਡਉਤ ਖਟੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਰਤੁ ਰਹਤਾ ॥ poojaa arachaa bandhan ddanddouth khatt karamaa rath rehathaa || He may remain devoted to worship and adoration, bowing his forehead to the floor, practicing the six religious rituals. 3 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਹਉ ਹਉ ਕਰਤ ਬੰਧਨ ਮਹਿ ਪਰਿਆ ਨਹ ਮਿਲੀਐ ਇਹ ਜੁਗਤਾ ॥੫॥ ho ho karath bandhhan mehi pariaa neh mileeai eih jugathaa ||5|| He indulges in egotism and pride, and falls into entanglements, but he does not meet the Lord by these devices. ||5|| 4 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਜੋਗ ਸਿਧ ਆਸਣ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਏ ਭੀ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਰਹਿਆ ॥ jog sidhh aasan chouraaseeh eae bhee kar kar rehiaa || He practices the eighty-four postures of Yoga, and acquires the supernatural powers of the Siddhas, but he gets tired of practicing these. 4 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਵਡੀ ਆਰਜਾ ਫਿਰਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਜਨਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਗਹਿਆ ॥੬॥ vaddee aarajaa fir fir janamai har sio sang n gehiaa ||6|| He lives a long life, but is reincarnated again and again; he has not met with the Lord. ||6|| 5 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਰਾਜ ਲੀਲਾ ਰਾਜਨ ਕੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਕਰਿਆ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਫਾਰਾ ॥ raaj leelaa raajan kee rachanaa kariaa hukam afaaraa || He may enjoy princely pleasures, and regal pomp and ceremony, and issue unchallenged commands. 6 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਸੇਜ ਸੋਹਨੀ ਚੰਦਨੁ ਚੋਆ ਨਰਕ ਘੋਰ ਕਾ ਦੁਆਰਾ ॥੭॥ saej sohanee chandhan choaa narak ghor kaa dhuaaraa ||7|| He may lie on beautiful beds, perfumed with sandalwood oil, but this will led him only to the gates of the most horrible hell. ||7|| 6 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਹੈ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਰਮਨ ਕੈ ਕਰਮਾ ॥ har keerath saadhhasangath hai sir karaman kai karamaa || Singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is the highest of all actions. 7 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਇਓ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਜਿਸੁ ਪੁਰਬ ਲਿਖੇ ਕਾ ਲਹਨਾ ॥੮॥ kahu naanak this bhaeiou paraapath jis purab likhae kaa lehanaa ||8|| Says Nanak, he alone obtains it, who is pre-destined to receive it. ||8|| 7 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਤੇਰੋ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਇਹ ਰੰਗਿ ਮਾਤਾ ॥ thaero saevak eih rang maathaa || Your slave is intoxicated with this Love of Yours. 8 Sorith Guru Arjan Dev ਭਇਓ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲੁ ਦੀਨ ਦੁਖ ਭੰਜਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਨਿ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਰਾਤਾ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੧॥੩॥ bhaeiou kirapaal dheen dhukh bhanjan har har keerathan eihu man raathaa || rehaao dhoojaa ||1||3|| The Destroyer of the pains of the poor has become merciful to me, and this mind is imbued with the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||Second Pause||1||3|| 8 Gauree, Kabeer Jee: (324-5, gauVI, kbIr jI) If Yoga could be obtained by wandering around naked, then all the deer of the forest would be liberated. ||1|| What does it matter whether someone goes naked, or wears a deer skin, if he does not remember the Lord within his soul? ||1||Pause|| If the spiritual perfection of the Siddhas could be obtained by shaving the head, then why haven't sheep found liberation? ||2|| If someone could save himself by celibacy, O Siblings of Destiny, why then haven't eunuchs obtained the state of supreme dignity? ||3|| Says Kabeer, listen, O men, O Siblings of Destiny: without the Lord's Name, who has ever found salvation? ||4||4|| aasaa.(477-9, Awsw, Bgq kbIr jI) The body is a bag with seventy-two chambers, and one opening, the Tenth Gate. He alone is a real Yogi on this earth, who asks for the primal world of the nine regions. ||1|| Such a Yogi obtains the nine treasures. He lifts his soul up from below, to the skies of the Tenth Gate. ||1||Pause|| He makes spiritual wisdom his patched coat, and meditation his needle. He twists the thread of the Word of the Shabad. Making the five elements his deer skin to sit on, he walks on the Guru's Path. ||2|| He makes compassion his shovel, his body the firewood, and he kindles the fire of divine vision. He places love within his heart, and he remains in deep meditation throughout the four ages. ||3|| All Yoga is in the Name of the Lord; the body and the breath of life belong to Him. Says Kabeer, if God grants His Grace, He bestows the insignia of Truth. ||4||7||

Please refer to the rahao for the theme and answer

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ੴ सतिगुर प्रसादि ॥
Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਖਿੰਥਾ ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਡੰਡੈ ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਭਸਮ ਚੜਾਈਐ ॥
जोगु न खिंथा जोगु न डंडै जोगु न भसम चड़ाईऐ ॥
Jog na kẖinthā jog na dandai jog na bẖasam cẖaṛā▫ī▫ai.
Yoga is not the patched coat, Yoga is not the walking stick. Yoga is not smearing the body with ashes.

ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਮੁੰਦੀ ਮੂੰਡਿ ਮੁਡਾਇਐ ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਸਿੰਙੀ ਵਾਈਐ ॥
जोगु न मुंदी मूंडि मुडाइऐ जोगु न सिंङी वाईऐ ॥
Jog na munḏī mūnd mudā▫i▫ai jog na sińī vā▫ī▫ai.
Yoga is not the ear-rings, and not the shaven head. Yoga is not the blowing of the horn.

ਅੰਜਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਨਿਰੰਜਨਿ ਰਹੀਐ ਜੋਗ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਇਵ ਪਾਈਐ ॥੧॥
अंजन माहि निरंजनि रहीऐ जोग जुगति इव पाईऐ ॥१॥
Anjan māhi niranjan rahī▫ai jog jugaṯ iv pā▫ī▫ai. ||1||
Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||1||

ਗਲੀ ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥
गली जोगु न होई ॥
Galī jog na ho▫ī.
By mere words, Yoga is not attained.

ਏਕ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਸਮਸਰਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਜੋਗੀ ਕਹੀਐ ਸੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
एक द्रिसटि करि समसरि जाणै जोगी कहीऐ सोई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Ėk ḏarisat kar samsar jāṇai jogī kahī▫ai so▫ī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
One who looks upon all with a single eye, and knows them to be one and the same - he alone is known as a Yogi. ||1||Pause||

ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਮੜੀ ਮਸਾਣੀ ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਤਾੜੀ ਲਾਈਐ ॥
जोगु न बाहरि मड़ी मसाणी जोगु न ताड़ी लाईऐ ॥
Jog na bāhar maṛī masāṇī jog na ṯāṛī lā▫ī▫ai.
Yoga is not wandering to the tombs of the dead; Yoga is not sitting in trances.

ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਦੇਸਿ ਦਿਸੰਤਰਿ ਭਵਿਐ ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਤੀਰਥਿ ਨਾਈਐ ॥
जोगु न देसि दिसंतरि भविऐ जोगु न तीरथि नाईऐ ॥
Jog na ḏes disanṯar bẖavi▫ai jog na ṯirath nā▫ī▫ai.
Yoga is not wandering through foreign lands; Yoga is not bathing at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.

ਅੰਜਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਨਿਰੰਜਨਿ ਰਹੀਐ ਜੋਗ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਇਵ ਪਾਈਐ ॥੨॥
अंजन माहि निरंजनि रहीऐ जोग जुगति इव पाईऐ ॥२॥
Anjan māhi niranjan rahī▫ai jog jugaṯ iv pā▫ī▫ai. ||2||
Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||2||

ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਭੇਟੈ ਤਾ ਸਹਸਾ ਤੂਟੈ ਧਾਵਤੁ ਵਰਜਿ ਰਹਾਈਐ ॥
सतिगुरु भेटै ता सहसा तूटै धावतु वरजि रहाईऐ ॥
Saṯgur bẖetai ṯā sahsā ṯūtai ḏẖāvaṯ varaj rahā▫ī▫ai.
Meeting with the True Guru, doubt is dispelled, and the wandering mind is restrained.

ਨਿਝਰੁ ਝਰੈ ਸਹਜ ਧੁਨਿ ਲਾਗੈ ਘਰ ਹੀ ਪਰਚਾ ਪਾਈਐ ॥
निझरु झरै सहज धुनि लागै घर ही परचा पाईऐ ॥
Nijẖar jẖarai sahj ḏẖun lāgai gẖar hī parcẖā pā▫ī▫ai.
Nectar rains down, celestial music resounds, and deep within, wisdom is obtained.

ਅੰਜਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਨਿਰੰਜਨਿ ਰਹੀਐ ਜੋਗ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਇਵ ਪਾਈਐ ॥੩॥
अंजन माहि निरंजनि रहीऐ जोग जुगति इव पाईऐ ॥३॥
Anjan māhi niranjan rahī▫ai jog jugaṯ iv pā▫ī▫ai. ||3||
Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||3||

ਨਾਨਕ ਜੀਵਤਿਆ ਮਰਿ ਰਹੀਐ ਐਸਾ ਜੋਗੁ ਕਮਾਈਐ ॥
नानक जीवतिआ मरि रहीऐ ऐसा जोगु कमाईऐ ॥
Nānak jīvṯi▫ā mar rahī▫ai aisā jog kamā▫ī▫ai.
O Nanak, remain dead while yet alive - practice such a Yoga.

ਵਾਜੇ ਬਾਝਹੁ ਸਿੰਙੀ ਵਾਜੈ ਤਉ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਈਐ ॥
वाजे बाझहु सिंङी वाजै तउ निरभउ पदु पाईऐ ॥
vāje bājẖahu sińī vājai ṯa▫o nirbẖa▫o paḏ pā▫ī▫ai.
When the horn is blown without being blown, then you shall attain the state of fearless dignity.

ਅੰਜਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਨਿਰੰਜਨਿ ਰਹੀਐ ਜੋਗ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਤਉ ਪਾਈਐ ॥੪॥੧॥੮॥
अंजन माहि निरंजनि रहीऐ जोग जुगति तउ पाईऐ ॥४॥१॥८॥
Anjan māhi niranjan rahī▫ai jog jugaṯ ṯa▫o pā▫ī▫ai. ||4||1||8||
Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||4||1||8||

It's amazing how Sikhs will vehemently oppose knowledge that refutes their belief that they own and monopolize this Dharma. Look at all the scared people commenting on this story. Instead of praising the authentic and much needed scholarship of Amandeep Singh Ji, people here are trying their level best to argue against the plain facts supported by historic documents of great repute. When the Guru Granth Sahib says that the Kundalini rises in the sat sangat, it's a much farther stretch done by insecure individuals who are scared that they might loose their ownership of Sikhi, to extrapolate a meaning separate from the plain and obvious meaning. Not only is it a direct proof in the existence of Kundalini energy, given by our Guru, it is a clear endorsement for raising the Kundalini. To interpret this in any other way is pathetic and it is done by people with no understanding. Would they have us believe that we should no longer seek the company of the sat sangat for fear that our kundalini may rise? I'm not trying to insult the people commenting on this story, but honestly where do they get off passing their personal opinions as the true and only way? Time and again ignorant "Sikhs" are trying to explain the ways in which yoga is 'against' Sikhi. These people have no knowledge of what yoga is and therefore have no basis for describing it's place in this Dharmic path. If they even knew the most basic meaning of the word yoga, they would know that in fact the Sikh Dharma is a yogic path. Yoga simply means "union." Can we argue that this Dharmic path leads to union with the creator? What is the point of Naam Japna? To gain simran, constant rememberence of the beloved, to eliminate the false separation between us and God, built by our ego. When this false separation of the self from God is dissolved we will be UNIFIED with God, we will have true yoga. Gurbani is replete with examples of the way of true yoga, if we aren't so blind to ignore those examples.

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH One concept that still goes unanswered is why there is so much reverence to Baba Sri Chand. Ok, Sikhs can do Yoga as a vehicle to focus their mind on Gurbani...if it is looked as an exercise for the mind and body, there is no harm. However, what is odd is that pictures of Baba Sri Chand hanging in Western Gurudwaras, as if to give him equal reverence to the Gurus. The reason being is that Baba Sri Chand BOWED down to Guru Arjun Dev Sahib and surrendered himself AND the Udasis to the Fifth Master aka. the Fifth Master became leader of the Udasis and Baba Sri Chand. Read again: Baba Sri Chand was not the head of the Udasis after he surrendered to Guru Arjun Dev Sahib. This was also the surrendering of the position as head Yogi to Guru Arjun Dev Sahib. The Udasis were even prepared for martial battle in the armies of the Gurus and did massive parchar of Sikhi after this giving of the Udasis to the Gurus. So should a picture of Baba Sri Chand, along with this ferverent reverence be payed in such a manner? Perhaps, it is better to pay this respect to the Gurus, who were the Mahan Yogis, as evidenced by Baba Sri Chand's surrendering of not only himself, but all of his Udasis to the Gurus.

Fateh, The problem with us is that we do not want to search for answers in the Shabads of Guru Granth Sahib. The advocates of the Yoga system being a part of Sikh ideology quote the references in Guru Granth Saib of Chakra, Ingla, Pingla, Kundalini, etc to justify these practices. This is like saying that the reference of "Thief" in Guru Granth sahib therefore justifies "Theft"!!!! If we think of context in which the word "Thief" is mentioned and read the shabad holistically then clearly "Theft" finds no place in Sikhism. The Gurus have used a very precise mechanism of "Numbering" and "Rahau" reference to point us towards right interpretation of the spiritual message in Guru Granth Sahib. As long as we do not pay attention to these important pointers, the message can be easily distorted. "Rahau" points to what line needs to be made as the fulcrum to interpret the Shabad and therefore the numbering of this line would always carry the numeral 1, even if it is embedded deep within the shabad. Ever thought why the sequential flow of numbering in the end of the lines of the Shabads are not maintained when the Rahau line is reached? Well the number 1 there is to indicate that interpret all the other lines of the poetic composition with this line as the fulcrum and always "PAUSE - RAHAU" to ponder over it's message deeply in interpreting the other lines of the Shabads. Finally, the last line of the Shabad, where the word Nanak, Kabir, etc appears is the conclusion of the Guru. So Rahau allows us to interpret the Shabad with correct viewpoint and the last line is where the message is concluded. Let me demonstrate the simplicity of the message with respect to Yogic practices of leveraging the energy through Chakras as in the words of Bhagat Kabit Ji. The shabad is on Page 333 and goes as "Ultat Pavan Chakra Khat Bhedey...". I have provided the shabad below in Gurmukhi and also the English translation as per the Rahau line interpretation. Read every line of the shabad with Rahau as fulcrum. Rahau line conveys the simple message to the Mun (Mind).... Oh Mind simply make a turn inside yourself (move away from negative thinking). This simple message is conveyed to me by the Guru and then the ignorant me realized that all other paths are worthless. Now read the first line where the Yoga (Chakar ideology) advocates will only read it in isolation (without applying the message in Rahau). They will read the reference of Chakar in the first line to justify the practices are confirmed by Guru Granth Sahib. Actually the correct message of first line with reference to the Rahau (Pause) message is that now Guru moves to extrapolate what the advocates of this system are doing. In the Chakra yogic philosophy, the yogi concentrates on the the muldhara chakra (near our excretory organ) and then tries to lift the energy upwards to the sexual chakra, then to the pelvic area where lies the Kundalini (Seprent) energy is attempted to be unfurled. From here the journey of taking the energy upwards to ascend to the chest, throat the forehead (third eye) and then finally the yogi reaches the apex of spiritual enlightnment!! This is refered in the line as Ultat Pavan Chakra Khath Bhedey….Pavan denotes energy, which the yogi moves in the opposite wa (Ultat) through the Khat (Six Chakras). In short the yogic practice is to take the energy from the bottom to the top. Muldara Chakra (near excretion point) to the Forehead and from there they try to achieve enlightnment. This journey of energy movement from bottom to top is achieved through the Ingla, Pingla and Sushmana energy flow lines which converge at the bottom (Muldhara Chakra). Now to the Gurmat interpretation of the first line. Note the reference here is to the word "Ultat", which is opposite. So why the opposite? Because the practice of yogis is to move the energy circle from bottom to top (opposite) while the energy from the air enters our body from top (nostrils) to the inside (lungs). The Guru is rdiculing this practice in the Shabad by saying that O Yogi (Renunciate), should you have to practice this opposite energy flow method, then his advice is to simply focus on the message in Rahau line. Which is that if you need to do something in the opposite form then do so with your "Mun" (Mind), make the Mind go U turn. That's the simple message. Moving to the next line after the Rahau...the Guru says that if you adopt this simple message then the evil thinking of mind goes away (Mind has made a U turn and it is achieved not by the yogic practices of Chakra energy flows). He goes on to say that this simple message of Rahau is like the sweet water made from a candy, which only the person who has tatsed can describe and none other. Now here is where the believers of yogic practices will choose not to interpret the line 2 with reference to the Rahau message but will simply connect it to the reference of Chakra in the first line and say that the ones who have done the practice of energy movements through the Chakras have tasted the sweetness of candy in the water. Absolutely wrong interpretation creeps in because of not being cautious of the numbering system and Rahau reference in the Shabad. Remember Rahau is the fulcrum. The beauty of the Shabad is in the last line where Kabeer Ji says that only the truly realized Bibeki (the realized one - who of course has made a U turn of his mind and living in this world has become the true Gurmukh), succeeds in unfolding the mysteries of the formless God. Kabeer Ji concludes that as is the path you adopt, so is the journey you will perform and so will be the end result. In short he recognizes the path of the Yogis and the claims of void white light they claim to be the source of enlightnment achieved through Chakra based Kundalini yogic practices. But then Kabeer’s path is in the Rahau line where he simply says that make a U turn of your mind and through this path the Gurmukh will achieve his enlightenment, which he can best describe to himself. Gurmat is very simple....the problem is that we don’t want to make the effort to read Gurbani correctly and therefore fall in the traps. I personally have no qualms of yoga being practiced as a form of exercise for the well being of the body and instill quiteness in mind, etc. But that is not the message of Gurmat enlightenment. The Gurmat enlightenment is achieved from the simplicity of turning the minds thinking and that is where the Path of Sikhi differs from the 6 ideologies of the Indian Hindu system. Refer in the Rehras Sahib where the reference of the six systems comes. Cheh Gur Cheh Updesh....(there are Six systems but the pinnacle is the simplicity of Gurmat). It is in one of these six systems that the practice of Yoga falls (One of them is Hatha Yoga of Patanjali and the other forms of Yoga are also classified in the Yogic system). For those who may not be able to read the Shabad of Kabeer Ji as it is in Gurmukhi font, I strongly urge to read The Guru Granth Darpan at www.gurugrathdarpan.com gauVI bYrwgix iqpdy ] (AMg 333 – kbIr jI) aultq pvn , ck® Ktu Bydy , suriq suMn AnurwgI ] Of what use is the Yogic practice of turning the breath inwards to realize the secret of six chakras in the body, and to fall in love with yourself by focusing consciousness on Void. AwvY n jwie , mrY n jIvY , qwsu Koju bYrwgI ]1] O Renunciate, leave this and instead search the One Primal Lord who does not come or go, who does not die and is neither born. ||1|| myry mn , mn hI aulit smwnw ] My mind make a “U” turn within yourself. Turn away from the negatives. gur prswid Akil BeI AvrY , nwqru Qw bygwnw ]1] rhwau ] By Guru's Grace, my understanding has changed. Else, I was totally ignorant. ||1||Pause|| invrY dUir , dUir Puin invrY , ijin jYsw kir mwinAw ] Negatives (5 Evils), that were near have now moved away and the Lord that was far has now moved near. As one tries to experience him in such a manner one experiences. AlauqI kw jYsy BieAw bryfw , ijin pIAw iqin jwinAw ]2] It is like the sugar water made from the candy; only one who drinks it knows its taste. ||2|| qyrI inrgun kQw , kwie isau khIAY , AYsw koie ibbykI ] Unto whom should I speak about your Nirgun form? I can talk only if I meet a Truly realized person (Bibeki). khu kbIr , ijin dIAw plIqw , iqin qYsI Jl dyKI ]3]3]47] Says Kabeer, as is the fuse you apply, so will be the flash you will see. ||3||3||47||

I was surprised to see my name as the Author of this article. I have nothing to do with this as to my understanding this is not even a topic of discussion as Sikhs. So just to clearify this is not my article. Although there are some other ones posted on this website including, Inside and Outside, True Sikh Prayer, Meritocracy a Sikh way of Government, Changing expressions of Punjabi Culture etc, that I have authored. Sikhs are free and they are beyond any political/ social/yogic compultions. All that yoga has achieved is incomplete, while Guru has made a Complete Human Being. All yogas and everything like that can be good, but as Sikhs all these follow the Spirit of Sikh. Sikhs spirit is universal and encomasses all the incomplete journeys and gives them a bigger dimension. Ocean has many rivers, many ponds and many tributeries falling in it. Ocean is a complete System. Yoga, time, science all are only components. They may be beautiful as well. But the path Guru shows us has not only completed all these paths but has brought out the best possible from Human soul. All these are subsets of a Universal Set of Sikh. One should not just feel proud about it, but infact always fell it in his consciousness. Amandeep Singh Khalsa

THE RSS AND MOST NOTABLY THE WICKED FOLLOWERS OF SWAMI VIEKANANDA WHO WOULD LOVE TO SEE EVERY SIKH SACRIFICE GOATS AND OFFER THE BLOOD TO GODDESS KALI AND CHANT "JAI MATA DEE" . THE RSS IS ALL VIVEKANANDA WHO WAS A WOMANISER AND A FIRST CLASS RASCAL. THESE PEOPLE HATE US. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANY OF OUR GURUS NAKED OR HALF NAKED? HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANY OF OUR GURUS WITH OUT LONG BEARD? ADI SHANKAR ARCHARY WAS BORN IN 832 AD, HE WAS AN OTHODOX SOUTH INDIAN BRAHMIN HE LIVED FOR 32 YEARS AND DIED IN THE HIMAYALA MEDTATING IN THIS WAY. (WHERE IS THE RABAB) WHAT NONSENSE!! SHANKAR ARCHARYS' PHILOPOPHY IS KNOWN AS ADVAITA VADE (MONIST) HE ADMITTED AND ALSO DENIED PERSONALITY, HE WAS A COVERED ATHEIST. HIS PHILOSOPHTY IS DEEPLY ROUTED IN THE TEACHINGS OF THE SANG PAIVAR (SHIVITEES BRAHMINS) RSS/VHP/BJP, SHIVE SENA/BAJRANG DAL. THIS ARTICLE IS NOTHING MORE THAN DECEPTION DESIGNED TO MISLEAD AND MISINFORM INNOCENT SIKHS ESPECIALLY THE SIKH WOMEN WHO ARE MARRIED TO DEMIGOD WORSHIPPERS. AND THOSE WHO SEE GOD IN THE FORM OF A SNAKE, ROCK, TREE OR ANY OBJECT A PACTISE CONDEMNED IN THE VEDIC LITERATURES AND SIKHISM. THIS IS PROBABLY THE WORKS OF THE FOLLOWERS OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA, AND DEMONS AS SWAMI LAKSHMANANDA WHO WAS KILLED FOR HIS DEMONIAC ACTIVITIES IN ORISSA, IT IS THE INTENSION OF THE RSS TO DESTROY SIKHS AND THEIR TEACHINGS... BUT THAT WILL EVER HAPPEN, SO THEY MIGHT AS WELL FORGET IT, THE BOTTOM LINE IN THAT ALL OF OUR GURU WERE INTO BHAKT YOGA AND NOT HATHA YOGA. THERE IS NO PURE BHAKTI IN THE TACHINGS OF SHANKARA AND GURU NANAK DEV JI CRITISED AND CONDEMNED SUCH PRACTISES OF YOGA.

i cant belive this when i was reading,its such a made up and fake story and relating this YOGA with gurus, whats wrong with peoples, i do appriciate tht yogs is good from of execrise but finding god through it,its sucha fake article.

This article seems to be completely fake and baseless. A true sikh has only one belief that is SGGS, can author of this article quote a single line from SGGS where yoga is praised and sikh is advised to do it. All saints Kabir and Gurus criticised yoga and said that those who claimed themselves as big yogis also could not realize the god because to realize god person needs to be pure by heart and yoga may give good health, some power but not the pure heart. Person can get pure heart and love from humanity only when he understand divine knowledge of SGGS. Rest about the sakhis and historical events quoted in article we all know there are numerous questions on authenticity of these Sakhees and fake stories. If Udasi panth was so close to Sikh then why there was not even a single sacrifice from them... were they sleeping when there was battle of Chamkaur when Banda Singh Bahadur was mericlessly killed .. or they were doing some yoga or searching for some other chakra inside body at that time. The truth is that Yoga is a form of exercise and a physical activity similar to other normal activities which we do. It has got some benefits but it does not means that it is a activity mandatory for realizing God.

Friends, Firstly,if Yogi Bhajan has been quoted correctly,I think he was not quite right about Baba Sri Chand.Historical accounts clearly show that when Sahib Guru Nanak Dev Jee tested his own two sons for excellence of Sikhi along with Bhai Lehna Jee and other Sikhs,Baba Sri Chand was openly disobedient of GuruJee.So was Baba Laxmi Chand,Guru Jee's other son.But Only Bhai Lehna Jee rose to the occasion and qualified in total obedience to Guru's Hukam which is the cardinal requirement for a true disciple of the Guru. Trying to put Baba Sri Chand on an equal pedestal is simply the work of vested interests who want to promote the prominence of offshoot sects like Udasis,etc.It should also be noted that when Baba Sri Chand visited Sri Guru Ram Das Jee and remarked on the length of his beard it was only in sarcasm and ridicule,to humiliate the Guru.Jealousy and envy had always been the halmark of Sri Chand.But It was Guru Ram das Jee's greatness of humility that he won Sri Chand's applause by saying that his beard was long because it would wipe the feet of people like Sri Chand.What an excellent answer!But it only shows Guru's greatness and in no way proves that Sri Chand was so great that GurJee wiped his feet with his own beard!That would be simply ridiculous and not right at all. It appears that author of the above article is openly pandering to Sikhnet's covert agenda of promoting yoga as part and parcel of Sikhism,even at the cost of distorting historical facts and coloring them to satisfy their own propaganda. Yogi Bhajan,if quoted correctly,is also wrong about removing 'garbage' from the mind through yoga.Gurbani very specifically teaches that mind can only be cleansed by Naam and NOTHING ELSE.All other efforts to cleanse the mind are utterly futile,including kundalini,or white tantric or any other yoga.Trying to link yoga with Sikhism is completely wrong and going to prove detrimental to the very people who are stubbornly propagating this absurd nonsense.Misrepresenting,distorting and twisting meanings of Gurbani is being done just to fulfill their own personal agenda.This is exactly like the dera-babas of Punjab - hiding under and using Gurbani and Sikhism to push their own selfish agenda.But this is not going to happen.Guru and God won't allow it.Truth prevails no matter what.Let this be a warning to the fake ones.

As stated previously in another thread, it is peoples move away from conscious awareness and to stillness of chairs and couches, and allowing one to become passive to the mind numbing drivel of televisions and losing the connection with the meditative and Inspired living lifestyle that is the Sikh lifestyle that we are seeing the onset of aggressive disfigurement of health, mobility, and mental accuity. We should promote seating of lotus pose within Gurdwara's, and within our homes. This will only pay off in the long run with greater mobility as we age into our elderly years. Physiotherapy studies clearly show significant reduction in muscle function and lung capacities with poor posture and inability to obtain activation of the Reticular Activating System of the human body that influences arousal. Cross cultural and comparative studies will show a correlation with daily mobilizing and postural activities and their influence on overall mobility and health. Start sitting in Lotus Pose now for a lifetime of health benefits. "Be inspired, appreciate your life, and love others as you find divinity within them, Blessings"

"Of all the 20 types of yoga, including Kundalini Yoga, this is the highest Kriya. This meditation cuts through all darkness. It will give you a new start. It is the simplest Kriya, but at the same time the hardest. It cuts through all barriers of the neurotic or psychotic inside-nature. When a person in a very bad state, techniques imposed from the outside will not work. The pressure has to be stimulated from within. Tragedy of life is when the subconscious releases garbage into the conscious mind. This Kriya invokes the Kundalini to give you the necessary vitality and intuition to combat the negative effects of the subconscious mind." - YB

Mudra: Sit with a straight spine: a. Block off the right nostril with the right thumb. Inhale slowly and deeply through the left nostril. Hold the breath. Mentally chant "Wha Hay Guroo" 16 times. Pump the navel point 3 times with each repetition, once on "Wha", once on "Hay", and once on "Guroo" – for a total of 48 unbroken pumps.

b. Unblock the right nostril. Place the right index finger (pinkie finger can also be used) to block off the left nostril, and exhale slowly and deeply through the right nostril.

c. Continue.

Eyes: At the tip of the nose. (So Darshan Chakra Kriya is not to be done with the eyes closed.)

End of Meditation: Inhale, hold 5-10 seconds, and exhale. Then stretch and shake every part of your body for about 1 minute, so that the energy can spread.

Time Constraints: There is no time, no place, no space, and no condition attached to this mantra. Each garbage point has its own time to clear. If you are going to clean your own garbage, you must estimate and clean it as fast as you can, or as slow as you want. You have to decide how much time you have to clean up your garbage pit, but start practicing slowly - the slower the better. Start with five minutes a day, and gradually build the time to either 31 or 62 minutes. Maximum time is 2 1/2 hours for practice of this meditation.

.....G

"A sound man's heart is not shut within itself but it is always open to other people's hearts. If I am true enough, I feel the heartbeats of others above my own."

Can some please post more about the Chakra Kriya as to how exactly and what exactly to chant? This is a great article. Sometimes, it is amazing, how much yoga and chakra reference is given in Guru Granth Sahib. Thanks!