by SS Shiva Singh Khalsa, Chicago IL Winter 2012 The wind merges into the wind. The light blends into the light. The dust becomes one with the dust. What support is there for the one who is lamenting? Who has died? Oh, who has died? Meet together with the God-realized and inquire into this. What a wondrous thing has happened! No one knows what happens after death. The one who is lamenting will also arise and depart. Mortal beings are bound by the bonds of doubt and attachment. When life becomes a dream, the blind man babbles and grieves in
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Archives for 2012 - Winter
Rebuilding Through Faith
Blossoming into Abundance
by SS Tera Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Winter 2012 Basant Ki Var, by Guru Arjan Dev, is the shortest of the 22 Vars (holy poems composed in the style or tone of odes) included in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Basant is the Punjabi word for spring, from which the musical measure (raga) of this Var derives its title. Basant Ki Var is an ancient seasonal raga of springtime and denotes prosperity. For this article, Tera Kaur shared her experiences of daily chanting this shabad. 1. How long have you been reciting the Basant Ki Var shabad? How often do you
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Essence of Prosperity
by SS Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Winter 2012 You, Yourself, are the Banker Whose wealth cannot be measured, And You bestow Your capital upon us. Eating and drinking, We use it for our pleasure. Then, Banker, from the deposit You made, You take something back, Causing the ignorant mind To become angry. Because of that anger, we lose Your trust And then our own confidence disappears. Whatever your capital, place it Before the One. Trust and accept The order of the Creator On your forehead. By doing so, you shall flourish Four times over. Oh Nanak,
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Prosperity and Protection
by MSS Guru Singh Khalsa, Los Angeles CA Winter 2012 “[Aap Sahaa-ee Ho-aa by Guru Arjan Dev] will totally eliminate enemies and block the impact of animosity forever; it can give you mental self control. If chanted for 62 minutes (the best time being between 3 and 4 am), it can relieve unbearable financial pressure. This meditation from the Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is a gift to you that will let you penetrate the unknown without fear. It will give you protection and mental balance.”—The Siri Singh Sahib One of the earliest family businesses was known as Golden Temple
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Sukhmani Sadhana
by SS Guruka Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Winter 2012 I know we commonly think of prosperity in terms of money, being financially comfortable, and so on. But I feel that my life is so prosperous and so blessed and has so many riches in it. Practicing my “Sukhmani sadhana” moved me into a space of shifting my life and being able to serve my teacher and serve our Dharma. I’m filled with incredible gratitude and happiness and prosperity. I recited Guru Arjan’s Sukhmani Sahib every day for about 17 years. It began quite a while ago, during the time that the
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Singing the Praises
by SS Guru Shabad Singh Khalsa, La Jolla CA Winter 2012 I have just finished recording the first in a series of four Gurbani CDs called Beloved. While I was looking for shabads to put to music, I wanted to find one that would specifically talk about saints. The shabad I found was Bhinee Rainareeai, written by Guru Arjan. The night is wet with dew and the stars sparkle in the heavens. The saints remain wakeful; they’re the Beloveds of My Lord. The Beloveds of God remain ever wakeful, remembering the Nam, the Name of God, night and day. In
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Secretary of Religion Column (Winter 2012)
The journey of an idea: I was in the Executive Committee meeting for the Siblings of Destiny group when I first learned that the Office of the Secretary of Religion was being asked to give a 15-minute presentation at the meetings in less than a month. I was happy that the Ministry was being included with the non-profit presentation. I didn’t want to just talk about the Ministry. I wanted to do something informative, interesting and fun that would have some impact. A video came to mind. After the meeting I talked to Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur, our Assistant Secretary
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#46 Winter 2012 Newsletter
The theme for our 2012 quarterly Sikh Dharma Ministry newsletters is Guru Arjan: Teacher, Leader, Healer and Bringer of Prosperity. Using Tantric Numerology, the year 2012 embodies the vibration of the Fifth Guru, whose poetry and life inspire us to reach out and teach through our presence as Sikh DharmaMinisters. The topic for the Winter issue is Guru Arjan as Bringer of Prosperity. If we think of the word “prosper” in its roots of “pro” and “spirit,” we see that in his life and in his sacrifice in death, Guru Arjan was always intent on uplifting the human spirit. For this issue we have selected
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