Archives for 2019 - Summer

In Memoriam – SS Jai Hari Kaur Khalsa

Aug 5, 1946 – May 13, 2019 by SS Jivan Joti Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Summer 2019 SS Jai Hari Kaur Khalsa left her earthly body Monday, May 13, 2019 at 4:00 pm in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She was born August 5, 1946 in Portland, Oregon. She had a degree in Dental Hygiene from Ohio State University and a post graduate diploma in Public Health from the University of Oregon. She became a Sikh Dharma Minister in 1987. Jai Hari Kaur and I knew each other for 40 years. It’s very touching to think of the journey many
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To Bow and Be Blessed

by SS GuruJivan Kaur Khalsa, Melbourne, Australia Summer 2019 So many times over the years I have tried to organize a trip to India to bow at the Golden Temple. It has been on my bucket list for close to 50 years now. Finally, it happened for me this year. By the grace and blessings of God and Guru, I was invited by a student of mine and her husband to join them on a trip to India. Wahe Guru! Of course I said “Yes.” I was allowed to do nothing but show up. This was a gift to my
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The Gifts of Shared Commitment

by SS DukhNiwaran Kaur Khalsa, Chicago IL Summer 2019 At this year’s Baisakhi celebration in Los Angeles, I had the profound honor of meeting with Dr. Roop Singh, Secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parandhak Committee (SGPC). Members of the Dharmic Office of Public Affairs, the International Khalsa Council’s LGBTQ+ Task Force, and representatives of the Los Angeles Guru Ram Das Ashram gathered for this discussion about LGBTQ+ issues in Sikhi. Our meeting was an informal and cozy breakfast held at the Bhai Sahiba Bibi Inderjit Kaur’s home, hosted by her children SS Kulbir Singh and SS Kamaljit Kaur in her
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Valuing and Preparing

by SS Kirti Kaur Khalsa, Tucson AZ Summer 2019 Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa! Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh! I have always had an affinity for my elders. I grew up in a multi-generational environment where elders were greatly respected and valued; they loved me and I loved them. This flowed effortlessly into my work with Dr. Dharma Singh and the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation. (The Siri Singh Sahib arranged it, so, of course, it would flow effortlessly, right?) Because of this, in the past 26 years I have learned a great deal about aging, memory, health, family dynamics
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Building and Serving Community

by SS Meher Kaur Khalsa, Phoenix AZ Summer 2019 Several months ago, I took out the folder of the letters the Siri Singh Sahib sent me over the years. I had not read them in a long time and was surprised to read in one of the letters that he had requested that I report to him on what was going on in the Phoenix community. I mentioned this to a friend of mine the other evening and she reminded me that years ago the Siri Singh Sahib had designated her and me as the secretaries of the Phoenix ashram.
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Fostering Group Consciousness: An Inside Job

by SS Dr. Sham Rang Singh Khalsa, Millis MA Summer 2019 Ashrams, probably like all spiritual communities, attract a diverse lot. Over the decades of living in an ashram community, we have often seen individuals causing problems and requiring much time and attention. A response often appears as an effort to try to remove the person causing the problem, but the Siri Singh Sahib consistently urged us to remain open and welcoming to all. Group consciousness has parallels with individual consciousness. As individuals, if we try to purge the shadows from our psyche, that very resistance can bring more energy
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Communities of Equality

by SS Sat Sansar Singh Khalsa, Santiago, Chile Summer 2019 Becoming a Sikh Dharma Minister has been a long path of learning, practice, and growth for me. Guru Amar Das has been a central inspiration for my journey on this road, and his teaching of equality and inclusiveness has been ever present. In my early 3HO days, there was a painting of Guru Amar Das carrying a vessel of water that hung on of the wall of the ashram kitchen. That was my first awareness of his legacy. At that time I was living in a different country and culture
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Secretary of Religion Column (Summer 2019)

As part of our theme for this issue, we are focusing on building community, creating inclusiveness, and living in the Company of the Holy—the Sadh Sangat. How timely is the announcement by the Siri Singh Sahib Corporation (SSSC) regarding expanding the electorate! Letter to Ministers from the SSSC (new Electorate Procedure) This new procedure is an attempt to include some of our long-standing sangat members who are also impacted by the SSSC’s decisions. As Ministers, we play a vital role in this new voter approval process. Consequently, I want to give you some history and background as to how this
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#72 Summer 2019 Newsletter

The theme for our Summer 2019 newsletter is Connection. In this issue, we address the topics of building community and inclusiveness. Guru Amar Das is our shining example; he was a visionary who built communities of equality, carrying Guru Nanak’s teachings far and wide. We asked Sikh Dharma Ministers to reflect on the question: “In your life and in your work as a Sikh Dharma Minister, how do you foster inclusiveness in your community, living in the Company of the Holy?” “In the Siri Guru Granth Sahib it says: ‘In the company of the holy, you will find God. In
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