Dec 10, 1948 – April 5, 2021 A Sikh and student of Yogi Bhajan, Sant Singh Sahib Guru Dev Singh was born in Puebla, Mexico in 1948. He felt the call to study the indigenous traditions of his country, which had started to spread and become popular among youth in the 1960s and ’70s. Guru Dev Singh began practicing Kundalini Yoga in 1971. In 1976, he met Yogi Bhajan; two years later he began to study the healing practice of Sat Nam Rasayan®, under Yogiji’s guidance. In 1981 Guru Dev Singh embraced the Sikh religion and was ordained as a
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Archives for 2021 - Second Quarter
In Memoriam – Sant SS Guru Dev Singh Khalsa
Coming Together in Faith
by SS Shiva Singh Khalsa, Chicago IL 2021 (Second Quarter) In 1992, we were informed of the planned Parliament of the World’s Religions (CPWR) event to take place in 1993 in Chicago. This event ultimately welcomed 7,000 people of all faiths, including the Dalai Lama, Akal Takhat Jethadar Manjit Singh, and hundreds of faith leaders and their devoted followers. (Editor’s Note: The Parliament of the World’s Religions is the oldest and largest interfaith gathering in the world, first held in Chicago in 1893.) Sadly, our community’s participation with the Sikh Host Committee was rejected by its leaders. The Siri Singh
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Recording the Guru’s Bani
by SS Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM (as told to Articles Editor SS Sangeet Kaur Khalsa) 2021 (Second Quarter) SS Sangeet Kaur: Shanti Shanti Kaur, please share with us how you came to make the first recordings of the Guru’s Banis in English? SS Shanti Shanti Kaur: The year was 1993. I had an interest in finding a way to engage young English-speaking Sikhs who didn’t know Gurmukhi and whose families didn’t necessarily speak Punjabi in the home. Many of these young people weren’t connecting to the Guru because of the language barrier. At that time Manmohan Singh’s
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Growing Our Global Sangat: Europe in the ’80s and ’90s
by SS Tarn Taran Singh Khalsa, Espanola NM (as told to/edited by SS Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur Khalsa) Spring (Second Quarter) Shanti Shanti Kaur: In this issue of the Sikh Dharma Ministry newsletter, we’re reflecting on the evolution of our community over the past 50 years. Within our organization—during the 1980s and ‘90s—the regional director system became less relevant. Sangat community councils and businesses became more prevalent. Also, we became a more global sangat. During this time, Tarn Taran Singh, you were the Regional Director for Europe and Africa. You served as an ashram head, and you were running the
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Unfolding into Universality
by SS Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa, Princeton Junction NJ 2021 (Second Quarter) As I reflect on the decades of the 1980s and ‘90s, I observe a shift in the collective energy in the United States and possibly the world. In the 1960s and ‘70s, many young people were breaking free from traditional belief systems. It was a time for both personal and planetary exploration, revolution, and awakening. For me, those two decades were a time of self-discovery, of shedding conventional perspectives, and of gaining a deeper understanding of my own individual needs. In my assessment, the 1980s and ‘90s brought
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The Awakening of 1984
by SS Shanti Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM 2021 (Second Quarter) As I sit in my post-pandemic awareness and think about the decade of the 1980s, it feels like a million miles away…and just like yesterday. For me, and for many in the Sikh Dharma Ministry, the 1980s was a coming of age and an awakening to the harsh realities of sacrifice. In March of 1984, I accompanied the students on their way to Guru Nanak’s Fifth Centenary School in Mussoorie, India. It was my second trip to India, and I felt the emotional pull of the Guru’s land. After safely
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Minister News and Notes (2021 Second Quarter)
Sikh Dharma International (SD) is expecting to put forth a program proposal for the 2021 World’s Parliament of Religions, according to SDI COO MSS Kirtan Singh Khalsa. This is an opportunity for joining together with other religions to discuss important topics, including this year’s meeting theme: “Opening our Hearts to the World: Compassion in Action.” The event is scheduled for October 17-18 and will be held in a “virtual” venue in light of the ongoing health concerns. Sikh Dharma Ministers have participated in past Parliaments and are encouraged to attend this year’s event, which is being held virtually for the
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Secretary of Religion Column (Second Quarter 2021)
We are currently witnessing and experiencing a great many changes in our global communities. There is a need to step back, re-evaluate, and re-structure where appropriate, and sustain what is essential. We are still very much in the grieving process. It is hard to hold a vision when so much pain still exists. Nevertheless, reflecting on our past reveals that we have been here before—in ways perhaps less obvious, more subtle, yet significant. We can learn a lot from history if we take the time to study it. And honoring our history is an important function of the grieving process.
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#80 – 2021 Newsletter (Second Quarter)
The year 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Sikh Dharma International Ministry. As we contemplate the future, we also choose to review our past. In this issue, we explore the tremendous changes that occurred during the 1980s and ’90s, as our 3HO/Sikh Dharma communities grew and evolved. We asked Sikh Dharma Ministers to share their personal stories in order to reflect the ways in which we developed and matured within our ashrams and communities, businesses, and our personal lives. During the 1980s and ‘90s we individually and collectively took on larger roles in our Dharmic organization,
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