by SS Sat Jagat Singh Khalsa, Brooklyn NY Summer 2020 It is the challenge and blessing of the Ram Das Puri Kitchen to consciously prepare simple, delicious and nutritious food for more than 2,000 people for eight days. This is made possible because over 100 people make up the dozen kitchen teams. They come to Solstice to leave behind their normal routines and experience the challenge and blessing of working together to serve the saints in the laboratory of human possibilities we call 3HO Summer Solstice. And who are the saints? All of us who make our way up that
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Posts by Executive Assistant
Laboratory of Human Possibilities
Eloquent Uniqueness
by SS Dr. Gurusangat Kaur Khalsa, Belo Horizonte Brazil Summer 2020 Berlin can be very damp in summers and the year 1992 brought us an unusually warm July. This particular afternoon was hot and humid. My dear friend Audre Lorde was coming to see me and, while cleaning up my room, I was singing Ang Sang Wahe Guru at the top of my lungs. I had just started my Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training classes, and I guess that was part of the new territory and all the excitement it brings with it. Audre Lorde arrived in her beautiful African dress,
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Minister News and Notes (Summer 2020)
During this global crisis, we are all experiencing the unexpected effects of the pandemic. Recently, the Office of the Secretary of Religion produced a training module entitled “Trauma-Informed Seva for Sikh Dharma Ministers in Crisis and Disaster.” This video was created in response to feedback from Ministers as one of the primary topics of interest for Minister Enrichment. While we originally produced this video specifically to address disaster situations such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, or fire, it is also rich in helpful tools and information relevant for this pandemic—first and foremost for you as an individual (especially the grounding techniques)—and secondly to
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Secretary of Religion Column (Summer 2020)
We are in a gigantic change process in our world at large with the pandemic, in our Dharma with the allegations, and within ourselves as we attempt to deal with such upheaval in our lives. I have struggled with what I might be able to write in order to help us as Ministers at this time. Then it occurred to me to share information about the nature of change. Understanding this process and where you are in it is an essential part of meeting the challenge of changing to Aquarian leadership. As a reference point, I would like to share
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#76 Summer 2020 Newsletter
In 2020, we are exploring the theme of “Standing Under Those We Serve” through the lens of Guru Ram Das and the Neutral/Meditative Mind. The theme for the Summer 2020 issue is Meeting the Challenge of Moving Into Aquarian Leadership. We invited Sikh Dharma Ministers to address ways in which they support those they serve to be all they can be—by inspiring others to awaken their latent gifts as potential leaders and helping them deal with barriers they may face on the journey. Copyright©2020
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Four Pillars of Support and Service
by SS Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa, Yardley PA Spring 2020 The four pillars of support and service in the Age of Enlightened Leadership are Love, Devotion, Surrender, and Non-Attachment. A leader is blessed with a vision, the power to live it, the skill to inspire others, and the endurance to carry it forth. As well as being a unique and gifted being, every leader requires support and assistance in their Dharmic responsibility of guiding others. The support beneath may be the deciding factor as to how well a leader can express their gifts and sustain them over time. It is difficult for
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Standing Under Those We Serve
by SS Siri Krishna Kaur Khalsa, Medway MA Spring 2020 What a beautiful theme…Standing Under Those We Serve. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reflect and write on this topic. The qualities of Guru Ram Das ji that are foremost in my mind are humility, kindness towards everyone, compassion, supreme devotion and the spirit of service. All of these unique virtues are integral to manifesting our destiny as leaders in the Aquarian Age. The Siri Singh Sahib Ji said: “Keep coming through. Life is useless unless it can give confidence to others.” I have taken these words to
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Ultimate Compassion
by SS Angad Kaur Khalsa, New York NY Spring 2020 We learn from stories of Guru Ram Das that he served God in all His manifestations. His service was unconditional. His love was unconditional. Guru Ram Das teaches us to understand God by serving God in all His manifestations. To serve all without condition is to understand that all is God’s manifestation. Life’s mission doesn’t happen according to our will—it happens as God wills. As we develop a nonreactive, neutral meditative mind we can hold the paradox. Therein lies the chance for elevation and the possibility for transcendence. We are
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Seeing God in All
by SS Guru Simran Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Spring 2020 “Standing Under Those We Serve” perfectly captures the true spirit of all our Gurus as well as Siri Singh Sahib’s teaching, “If we can’t see God in all, then we can’t see God at all.” The literal meaning of Dharma is “a righteous way of life.” To me, the beauty of our Dharmic lifestyle is that it is really practical on a day-to-day basis, not just a philosophical concept. Our Gurus have shown us by their actions, how to practice the Dharma of a Gursikh. This causes me to ask
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Minister News and Notes (Spring 2020)
by SS Pritpal Singh Khalsa, 2019 Winter Solstice Ministers’ Gathering Facilitator The sun was shining and the tropical warmth of Central Florida created a welcoming atmosphere at the 2019 Sikh Dharma Ministers’ Gathering at Winter Solstice. We started out talking about what it means to stand under each other and about how it takes compassion, patience, and acceptance. We used the example of Guru Ram Das as the ideal manifestation of these qualities. Reviewing the details of the life of Guru Ram Das helped to remind us of his path to becoming this ideal example. To invoke the presence of
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