By spending more and more time alone and in silence, it is possible to bring about awareness of ourselves, starting with 'What am I?' and arriving at 'Who am I?'
ਹੈ ਇਹ ਨੂਰ ਦਾ ਜਾਦੂ, ਹੈ ਇਹ ਨੂਰੀ ਸਾਧੂ। ਹੈ ਇਹ ਜੋਤ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼, ਹੈ ਇਹ ਨਾਮ ਦਾ ਆਗਾਜ਼।
There is no functioning lending library in Bangla Sahib, Rakabganj or any other gurduara anywhere in this wide world that I know of. Dear readers, before you take umbrage at my angst keep in mind that the operative idea here is “functioning lending library.”
All of these lessons I have come to embrace and recognise in my 26 years of existence as an evolving Kaur. Like little notes to Self, I hope they serve you too.
The origin of Hindu-Sikh divide goes back to the day when Guru Nanak as a young boy of 10 years refused to wear the janeu, the ceremonial thread being worn by all Hindus.
"We desperately needed people to know who we were."
Fortunately, our conversation with God is not meant to be one-way. The scripture gives us general guidance, but not precise rules. Hence, Sikhs have a lot of personal discretion – and hence also great personal responsibility – for learning the core messages of Gurbani. In understanding and then applying the message of Gurbani in our daily lives, it is also expected that questions would arise in our minds.
When people ask me how I’m able to endure the specter of bigotry as a visible Sikh in modern America, the answer now feels simple and honest: perspective.
Twenty years after Balbir Singh Sodhi was killed in the nation's first retaliation hate crime for 9/11, his brother is talking about his legacy, forgiveness and community.
Recently I came across 6 Sanskrit meanings of the word ‘teacher’ which put that lofty word ‘Guru’ in a new light for me because ‘our’ Guru is quite unique. I also remembered a discussion with my Sikhi
mentor, the late S. Joginder Singh Ji, a founding member of the SNSM, Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia, of the prefix ‘gur’ in a few pivotal Sikhcentric words leading towards our ‘Guru’.