As the uproar of drug cartels dominates the news throughout Mexico and Central America; Colombia stands as a strong force fighting to resolve many of the current conflicts throughout the region. Colombia's Police force serves as an example for forces throughout the world; it has become an institute to serve both its countrymen as well as its neighboring countries. The National Police of Colombia is so well known for its effectiveness that Interpol [International Police] awarded General Oscar Naranjo (the Director for the entire National Police Force in Colombia) "Best Policeman of the Year." It is starting to become more apparent to us that teaching police forces how to meditate will not just be beneficial for policemen and policewomen of Colombia but it will spread to those that the police interact with inside and outside the country.
Colombia is located at the northern tip of South America stretching from the Gulf of Venezuela to the Caribbean Sea and over to the Pacific Coast while connecting with Central America. The landscape ranges from tropical beaches to cool mountainous forests. Although we love to talk about the vast beauty of Colombia, it is a bit ironic that we have only visited its capital, Bogota. Bogota is a huge city and is the center of commerce for the country's economy. The city is built inland among its high hills and the architecture is so unique and uniform that you could not forget it. Driving from place to place is always an adventure in this never ending city. Because it seems that we always find something new and we also spend half of our days inside a car moving from one event to the next.
The first day we arrived we were warmly received at the airport by our beautiful hosts, Colonel Gloria Ospina and Sohan Kaur Khalsa. We then loaded up with our police escorts and unpacked at the hotel. After getting settled we had 2 hours until a radio show interview, we decided to get an early dinner / late lunch and walked the area to find a good vegetarian restaurant. After passing by probably 10 restaurants, which all looked great by the way, we found a place that served food from around the globe. We ordered Mexican, Lebanese and Italian… by Guru's grace we were very satisfied. While we were seated outside we saw a Sikh man walk up to us and to our surprise we recognized this man.
His name is Ravi Singh and just by chance he was driving by and saw us sitting and eating. Ravi Singh is a campaign organizer and prominent leader in politics around the world. It just so happens that he had just finished running the campaign for Colombia's new president and so was stationed in Bogota. After a nice catch-up chat we set a time to meet up for lunch at his house before we left town. It was very nice how Guru brought us all together at this little restaurant. After lunch S.S. Gurubachan Singh and Ram Das Singh carried on to our first event, a police radio station show while Dr Ardas Singh went to teach a yoga class.
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| At our first event during our visit to Colombia, Colonel Gloria Ospina (left) and S.S. Gurubachan Singh (right) with the radio show host for National Police radio station after their nationally broadcast interview. |
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| S.S. Gurubachan Singh explaining the purpose of Kundalini Yoga and why we dress so different as Sikhs on a morning broadcast of the "Good Morning America" tv show equivalent in Bogota, Colombia. We saw a huge response from the airing of this talk which lead many people who saw the show in Bogota coming to the evening lecture which was held in the city. |
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| A hall at the National Police Retreat building where over 200 Officers learned to meditate. This is the department of Highway Patrol and Transportation for which General Palomino is the head of. We have seen General Palomino as a light of inspiration to his police divisions and a leader which many have pride for, it was really a blessing to hold this class and have a chance to serve the servants of Colombia. |
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| General Palomino and his wife, Mrs. Palomino, (both far right) sit and meditate during a class which included 40 minutes of meditation. It was an inspiring sight to see them along with (L to R) Dr Ardas Singh, Colonel Gloria Ospina and Clara Arias. |
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| S.S. Gurubachan Singh enjoys a moment with General Palomino and Mrs. Palomino after the class. |
This is a national radio show which is run by the National Police and broadcast to the public. We were beginning to realize that there is a whole police culture that we had never seen before and it is really quite amazing to get to know this culture and understand its psyche. During the radio show S.S. Gurubachan Singh spoke about the use of breath to control one's daily routine and actions in day to day life, specifically relating to how policemen and women can use it in their daily routine of battling crime on the streets and still come home with peace of mind. The topic strikes deep with many of the police force and we are seeing a slow but sure implementation of this technology of the breath. At Dr. Ardas Singh's class he taught a group of about 50 students at a local yoga studio called Miri Piri which is run by Seva Siri Kaur of Bogota. The students did a lot of breath and yogic exercise along with chanting of Shabad Guru. He taught them all that keeping a spiritual self discipline will build character and make the unknown known without living with fear of life or death. Overall the class was a great success and Dr Ardas Singh then had a chance to meet people and give healing sessions. It was such a treat for everyone who met him and a true blessing that he visited with so many people.
The morning to follow we were up bright and early for our first event at the most famously broadcast morning news show of Colombia. S.S. Gurubachan Singh spoke with the two hosts on the purpose of the tour's visit and the reason behind practicing Kundalini Yoga and meditation. The televised talk proved to be such a success that the majority of people who showed up to the Lord of Miracles Tour lecture came because they saw this show in the morning. After the show we hopped into our Police vehicles and headed to our first class with the police.
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| The Lord of Miracles Tour Lecture was held in a format similar to the way the Siri Singh Sahib (Yogi Bhajan) taught his classes. The class was uplifted and taught by the teachings of the Siri Singh Sahib led by S.S. Gurubachan Singh. It was a beautiful session of lecture and meditation. |
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| The auditorium filled with police officers who came from the administrative division of the National Colombian Police. Everyone was uplifted with meditation on the breath, a technique used to combat stress and bring control over one's own mind. They left knowing that peace on the streets is a product of first obtaining peace of mind. |
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| The Policemen who govern part of Ciudad Bolivar are given a chance to some peace and quiet while they meditate to the sound of Guru Arjan in the shabad "Poota Mata Ki Asees". Ciudad Bolivar lye's on the outskirts of Bogota and is notoriously know for being a center of gangs, violence and drugs. |
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| During our visit to a school in Ciudad Bolivar sponsored by the National Police S.S. Gurubachan Singh answers questions of the students who ask about his beard, turban, where we come from and why Ram Das Singh was wearing a big Kirpan. It was a captivating moment to be in this room knowing that the kids in this school were so well taught and cared for by the police. |
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| Claudia, a prominently active member of the Kundalini Yoga community in Bogota leads the children at the school in Ciudad Bolivar in celestial communications and singing mantras of the Guru. |
Our first class with the National Police was graciously hosted by General Palomino. After three years of visiting General Palomino, we find that the teachings and techniques are becoming more accustomed among the ranks of the police and his great leadership really shines throughout the force. The class was attended by many of the higher ranking policemen and policewomen of the Highway Patrol and Traffic Division of police. This division handles and governs all of the country's ground transportation which in turn also deals head-on with any drug trafficking, they keep the streets and highways clean of crime. During the class S.S. Gurubachan Singh taught several meditations to a hall full of 200 uniformed officers. As the pictures will show, the environment was as elegant as the meditation was uplifting… to say the least it was an awe striking sight and a great honor. After the class our group had a delightful breakfast with Mrs. Palomino and Colonel Gloria Ospina.
In the evening we enjoyed the company many people ranging from yoga students to the public at large. This year's Lord of Miracles Tour Lecture had a great turnout and many people who had yet to practice Kundalini Yoga had a great experience reaching a higher conscience. The class started with some invigorating talk which inspired everyone and led to three great meditations combining breath, posture and Shabd Guru. What more was needed? By the end, the class left uplifted and fulfilled. Our evening ended with cherry ice cream and then resting for our next day to come in a few short hours.
It was said by our Teacher, Siri Singh Sahib (Yogi Bhajan), "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise". Besides the "early to bed" part, our routine does match his words on this gracious tour. And as the morning came we rose and set off to another class with the police. This time the class was attended by the Administrative Division of the police who handle everything from finance to planning. Make no mistake, these people come from a well experienced background of being crime fighters on the street, it can be a heavy story to hear some of their experiences. The class was in an auditorium filled with officers and cadets. Nearly 400 police sat as S.S. Gurubachan Singh spoke to them over the microphone on applying breath techniques and meditation into their 40 to 70 hour work week schedule. These are techniques that can turn an ugly situation into a favorable outcome, during times of lengthy days to times of being under gunfire, bringing a higher success rate to all situations. After another successful class we were invited by our host, Major Martha, to have a breakfast of fruit and arepas (a famous cultural food of Colombia. It is a patty made out of corn dough and filled with cheese). The head of the Administrative Department who we were supposed to meet, General Luz Marina Castañeda, unfortunately, got called away to the northern coast of the country during our visit. Even as she was not physically present, we felt very much home and really enjoyed the company of the police who represented her in her stead.
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| A young Colombian boy gives S.S. Gurubachan SIngh a bright beautiful smile as we say good bye in Ciudad Bolivar. |
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| At the house of Ravi Singh (left-center 'red turban') where we all enjoyed a beautiful lunch and meditation of 'Gur Mantra' together. |
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| During a class with some of police from the Administrative Division. They really know how to meditate, it is like an inane thing for them because they pick it up right away. |
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| S.S. Gurubachan Singh (center) with Major Martha (right) and her daughter (left). It was a true pleasure to spend some time with this woman, she has a real strength and grit as a superior officer. |
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| Mauricio's, employees of his business sit in meditation during S.S. Gurubachan SIngh's class teaching them anti-stress and pro-productivity techniques through the science of breath. |
From breakfast we were off to the outskirts of Bogota, Ciudad Bolivar, where millions of Colombians live. The vast city stretching over hilltops among hilltops is like the favelas of Rio de Janeiro; it is full of gangsters, drug dealers and is mostly impoverished. The police station where our next class was held resembles a bunker-style build with heavy cement walls. Military Police patrol parts of the city with armored vehicles and .50 caliber machine guns. To enter the city, we were escorted by a caravan of armed police in a car with bulletproof glass and armor… we weren't even able to roll down our windows due to how the car was built. Though we have never witnessed any violence in the city, we were cautiously cared for as a safety measure.
The class was taught to police who live a life fighting crime in all the tough places. S.S. Gurubachan Singh taught the class and provided the policemen with strategies of how to conquer the mind instead of the mind taking control of life. "Man Jeetai Jagjeet" (conquer the mind and you can conquer the world) was the basis of the class. It was truly enlightening for these men to hear and practice what they did. Police are always known for one thing in general; service. And service is exactly what this police division does; from protect to serve. We visited a school that the police sponsor and run that teaches kids basic scholastic learning as well as teaching them to be aware of what will happen on the streets including: drugs, sex and violence. From a young age kids are taught to combat situations which may make them get involved in such things. When we visited, the current school was and adobe shack as they were building new facilities, we entered and all the children were so tame and respectful it was amazing. Our group led all the children in celestial communications and singing mantras… it was very beautiful. Afterwards we served them all candy and said goodbye as we hiked down to our car and departed.
On our way back into Bogota we stopped for lunch at the house of Ravi Singh. It was quite an experience to hear his experiences of the political world. It is inspiring to know that in a life of glamor and success, he still maintains his Sikhi and his grace. The lunch was a tasty spread of Colombian dishes and after lunch we joined together for meditation on Gurmantra. Everyone left his house satisfied and uplifted.
In the afternoon we again visited the National Police's Administrative Department where S.S. Gurubachan Singh taught a class to another group of police. It was a great class and provided a more personal touch ending with a question and answer session. Meanwhile Dr Ardas Singh was leading another class to many of the yoga students of Bogota across town. Through his wisdom as a Medical Doctor and as a close student of the Siri Singh Sahib Ji (Yogi Bhajan) he taught from his experiences and knowledge of how to live a healthy, happy and holy life. Through the techniques of Kundalini Yoga one can enhance their lifestyle and be as keen in their work as in their personal life; it brings the realms and facets of all of life to four words, "Obey, Serve, Love, Excel".
While Dr Ardas Singh carried on after his class offering healing sessions to the public and counseling several people, S.S. Gurubachan Singh went to a class held at a local business which supplies lighting and electric supplies to much of Colombia. The business is owned by a member of the Sangat in Bogota named Mauricio. Mauricio's family has been a group of sevadars for years in the community helping with langar and other seva programs. S.S. Gurubachan Singh was invited to teach the employees of the business how to apply the techniques of yoga and meditation in a work environment. Stress relief is a well covered topic during these classes as well as effectively executing a day's workload. Believe it or not simple breath techniques, consistently and correctly practiced, can give you excellence in any and every facet of life. The class was well received and all were given their homework to practice certain breathing exercises for 40 days. We can only hope that they complete their homework.
On this tenth city of the Lord of Miracles Tour in honor of Guru Ram Das we have understood that though subtlety is hard to recognize, realizing it is the essence of what will lead to victory. The next morning we caught an early flight to our final city, San Salvador, El Salvador. Reporting en route over the Panama Canal some 30,000 feet in the air, Sat Nam.