Deep in the hill country of Texas, 28 Sikhs between the ages of 50 and 78, convened for Camp Bibek Budh. The purpose of the camp was to bring together accomplished Sikhs in a camp environment to share life experiences and explore current issues from a Sikh perspective. They pondered on questions like:
- What legacy am I leaving behind?
- How can I live a more fulfilling life at this age?
- How else can I help the Sikh community?
- How can I nurture Sikh values in my children and grandchildren?
- How will my children and future generations maintain Sikhi while living in America?
With sessions ranging from "Why am I a Sikh?" to "Building Family Legacy," participants brainstormed ways on how to better relate to Sikhi.
Camp Bibek Budh was hosted by the Sikh Dharamsal of San Antonio and facilitated by Satpal Singh from Buffalo, NY. "Our aim was to gather spirited Sikhs to reflect on their lives in America," Said organizer GP Singh, "and to discuss how they can leave a legacy for generations."
"We got an email about it and I thought 'What a great idea!'" said Amarjeet Kaur Kohli from Orange County, CA. "So, we decided to come and check it out. I'm so glad I came. It's so nice."
A typical day included nitnaem, keertan, four sessions with facilitated discussions, and Rehras. The weekend was concluded with an open mic session where retreaters shared poetry, songs, stories and jokes.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Hardeep Kaur Malhi from Dallas, TX came in search of new outlooks. "I wanted to learn different perspectives about Sikhi, the Gurus, and the Guru Granth Sahib," she said, "I wanted to learn from someone else's point of view."
The most meaningful thing she found was, "How to build a family legacy and establish family values." The topic was very relevant to her because she has often wondered how long her kids will remember Punjab or how long future generations will maintain Sikhi. "It was wonderful," Malhi reflected. "It has really touched me."
A couple from Ohio said they appreciated the sangat. "We really enjoyed meeting new people, making new friends, and of course, spending time with old friends," they said. "We're all at the same stages in our lives so, we're all finding we have the same issues and it's helpful to learn from others' experiences."
The last session of Bibek Budh was called "Let's Get Active." Retreaters brainstormed six projects they wished to work on in small teams to help invigorate the Sikh Panth in America.
This was the first event of its kind hosted by the Sikh Dharamsal of San Antonio, and the local sangat hopes to host many more retreats in the future.
For more information visit: http://sikhdharamsal.org/