by SS Gurukirn Kaur Khalsa, Phoenix, Arizona
2026 (Third Quarter)

Recently, I reread all my letters from the Siri Singh Sahibji, from 1974-2004. Here is a poem from 1999, where he set the direction for me:

Guru gave you the light,

Beautiful and bright, 

To show people the way,

So they can have a good day.

 

To get it together, gather all the flowers.

Make the beautiful bouquet.

God’s blessing and beautiful skies

will bring you the blessing and the showers.

 

I feel it is a time to deal.

It is a time to heal with all your power.

May Guru always be with you,

To give you grace, and blessing, too.

Siri Singh Sahibji has been my rudder; I leaned on his guidance when he was alive and still do to this day. He always pointed me towards the Guru. As he has been the rudder, so the Guru is the North Star. 

In his poem he alludes to beauty. My touchstones are beauty and order, the Subtle Body manifesting in physical form. Since the beginning of my journey in Sikh Dharma at 19, I have always been drawn to the Seva of embellishing the Guru’s Darbar. It has been a way for me to use my artistic talents in service to faith and to attract others to the Guru’s Court. I have made special trips from Phoenix to the garment district in Los Angeles to purchase bejeweled material and ornaments, and gathered the children of the Sangat together to make special decorations for Gurpurbs.

For many years I have served as the manager of Guru Nanak Dwara in Phoenix. Building the new Gurdwara that we have today took 20 years of planning, fundraising, construction, and destruction (as we had to tear down our old Gurdwara) before we had our first service on Guru Ram Das’s Birthday in 2016. This October will mark our 10th Anniversary! Through it all, I have maintained a vision of our Sangat singing Kirtan in this beautiful sanctuary. 

To navigate the complexities of managing a Gurdwara, we have developed systems that enable services and events to happen in a consistent manner. During the pandemic, this gave the Sangat a sense of security. We organized the seating in the Gurdwara with cloth squares on the carpet to maintain social distancing, and served Langar in take-out boxes. Now, we have written directions for activities that Sangat members want to sponsor, such as Nishaan Sahib Seva. We also have a robust wedding schedule, and have couples sign a contract and return it with a deposit. Our Sangat members are more willing to serve when we give them guidance on what to do.

Each of us has a special touch, our own touchstone. It is the unique energy of YOU that creates everything around you. In my case, it has been the ability to bring artistic beauty to the Guru’s Court. When I honor my own touch, it creates a spark that illuminates the way forward, and shows me the path through the darkness. I have only to follow.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ordained in 1975, SS Gurukirn Kaur Khalsa was introduced to Sikhism by Yogi Bhajan in 1971 at Pomona College. In 1974, she received her BA in Art from UCSB. In 1975 she went to Phoenix where she met her husband, Jodha Singh. They have three children and three grandchildren. She currently manages Guru Nanak Dwara Gurdwara and is on the board of the Arizona Interfaith Movement. A watercolorist, she paints throughout the Southwest as a juried member of the Arizona Watercolor Association and Arizona Plein Air Painters. In 2019, she received 1st place at the Red Rock Art Festival in Moab, Utah. Her books include Pure Longing Fulfilled and Living with the Guru.