Report from Guru Suraj Kaur

IMG_2743-225x300 (16K)September 4, 2013: It was a sublime feeling to be sitting in the Gurdwara of the first Siri Guru Granth Sahib in Iceland, reading from it in the very early hours of the morning. A wave of gratitude washed over me as I felt myself a part of this rich, vast, living tradition.

On August 5th we finished installing the Guru and on August 12th we finished the very first Akhand Path done in Iceland.

Bringing the Guru to Iceland started out as a deep need in my being that I could not ignore. Once that was settled it became very clear that we needed to start with an Akandh Path. If you ask me why, I have no tangible answer; it was just something that needed to happen. The steps from committing to installing the Guru to finishing the Akhand Path were many and I had really solid backup – from Sikh friends in New Mexico and London and great help from my husband and yoga friends – but the strongest element in all of this was faith. Faith that we should and we could, and we did!

It is a very young Sangat here in Iceland, no Sikhs but many seekers. About 40 people were willing to answer the calling of their soul and participate, more wanted to join once word got out about how great it was. Everyone reading and doing seva felt on some level that this was a true blessing for them personally as well as a blessing for the community as a whole. It was a really good feeling to sit and talk with all the people that came to read or just to be; it elevated our Sanghat and brought us closer together.

The calling is still strong and now more people feel it – the need to meet the Word of the Guru in this powerful way. Our 2nd Akandh Path will start on October 31st. If you feel the calling, you are welcome to join!

I will leave you with the very first Hukam we took for our community:

mwJ mhlw 3 ]
maajh mehalaa 3 ||
Maajh, Third Mehla:

Awpy rMgy shij suBwey ]
aapae ra(n)gae sehaj subhaaeae ||
He Himself imbues us with His Love, with effortless ease.

gur kY sbid hir rMgu cVwey ]
gur kai sabadh har ra(n)g charraaeae ||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, we are dyed in the color of the Lord's Love.

mnu qnu rqw rsnw rMig clUlI BY Bwie rMgu cVwvixAw ]1]
man than rathaa rasanaa ra(n)g chaloolee bhai bhaae ra(n)g charraavaniaa ||1||
This mind and body are so imbued, and this tongue is dyed in the deep crimson color of the poppy. Through the Love and the Fear of God, we are dyed in this color. ||1||

hau vwrI jIau vwrI inrBau mMin vswvixAw ]
ho vaaree jeeo vaaree nirabho ma(n)n vasaavaniaa ||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Fearless Lord within their minds.

gur ikrpw qy hir inrBau iDAwieAw ibKu Baujlu sbid qrwvixAw ]1] rhwau ]
gur kirapaa thae har nirabho dhhiaaeiaa bikh bhoujal sabadh tharaavaniaa ||1|| rehaao ||
By Guru's Grace, I meditate on the Fearless Lord; the Shabad has carried me across the poisonous world-ocean. ||1||Pause||

mnmuK mugD krih cqurweI ]
manamukh mugadhh karehi chathuraaee ||
The idiotic self-willed manmukhs try to be clever,

nwqw Doqw Qwie n pweI ]
naathaa dhhothaa thhaae n paaee ||
but in spite of their bathing and washing, they shall not be acceptable.

jyhw AwieAw qyhw jwsI kir Avgx pCoqwvixAw ]2]
jaehaa aaeiaa thaehaa jaasee kar avagan pashhothaavaniaa ||2||
As they came, so shall they go, regretting the mistakes they made. ||2||

mnmuK AMDy ikCU n sUJY ]
manamukh a(n)dhhae kishhoo n soojhai ||
The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not understand anything;

mrxu ilKwie Awey nhI bUJY ]
maran likhaae aaeae nehee boojhai ||
death was pre-ordained for them when they came into the world, but they do not understand.

mnmuK krm kry nhI pwey ibnu nwvY jnmu gvwvixAw ]3]
manamukh karam karae nehee paaeae bin naavai janam gavaavaniaa ||3||
The self-willed manmukhs may practice religious rituals, but they do not obtain the Name; without the Name, they lose this life in vain. ||3||

scu krxI sbdu hY swru ]
sach karanee sabadh hai saar ||
The practice of Truth is the essence of the Shabad.

pUrY guir pweIAY moK duAwru ]
poorai gur paaeeai mokh dhuaar ||
Through the Perfect Guru, the gate of salvation is found.

Anidnu bwxI sbid suxwey sic rwqy rMig rMgwvixAw ]4]
anadhin baanee sabadh sunaaeae sach raathae ra(n)g ra(n)gaavaniaa ||4||
So, night and day, listen to the Word of the Guru's Bani, and the Shabad. Let yourself be colored by this love. ||4||

rsnw hir ris rwqI rMgu lwey ]
rasanaa har ras raathee ra(n)g laaeae ||
The tongue, imbued with the Lord's Essence, delights in His Love.

mnu qnu moihAw shij suBwey ]
man than mohiaa sehaj subhaaeae ||
My mind and body are enticed by the Lord's Sublime Love.

shjy pRIqmu ipAwrw pwieAw shjy shij imlwvixAw ]5]
sehajae preetham piaaraa paaeiaa sehajae sehaj milaavaniaa ||5||
I have easily obtained my Darling Beloved; I am intuitively absorbed in celestial peace. ||5||

ijsu AMdir rMgu soeI gux gwvY ]
jis a(n)dhar ra(n)g soee gun gaavai ||
Those who have the Lord's Love within, sing His Glorious Praises;

gur kY sbid shjy suiK smwvY ]
gur kai sabadh sehajae sukh samaavai ||
through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are intuitively absorbed in celestial peace.

hau bilhwrI sdw iqn ivthu gur syvw icqu lwvixAw ]6]
ho balihaaree sadhaa thin vittahu gur saevaa chith laavaniaa ||6||
I am forever a sacrifice to those who dedicate their consciousness to the Guru's Service. ||6||

scw sco sic pqIjY ]
sachaa sacho sach patheejai ||
The True Lord is pleased with Truth, and only Truth.

gur prswdI AMdru BIjY ]
gur parasaadhee a(n)dhar bheejai ||
By Guru's Grace, one's inner being is deeply imbued with His Love.

bYis suQwin hir gux gwvih Awpy kir siq mnwvixAw ]7]
bais suthhaan har gun gaavehi aapae kar sath manaavaniaa ||7||
Sitting in that blessed place, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, who Himself inspires us to accept His Truth. ||7||

ijs no ndir kry so pwey ]
jis no nadhar karae so paaeae ||
That one, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, obtains it.

gur prswdI haumY jwey ]
gur parasaadhee houmai jaaeae ||
By Guru's Grace, egotism departs.

nwnk nwmu vsY mn AMqir dir scY soBw pwvixAw ]8]8]9]
naanak naam vasai man a(n)thar dhar sachai sobhaa paavaniaa ||8||8||9||
O Nanak, that one, within whose mind the Name dwells, is honored in the True Court. ||8||8||9||


Sach Khand Vasai Nirankar,

Solbjort Gudmundsdottir (Guru Suraj Kaur)

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