by SS Sat Kartar Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM
Fall 2012
It was in May 1992, at noontime in Espanola. Siri Singh Sahib Ji had just returned from his travels and was preparing to stay for the summer. He was at the dining table at the Ranch, eating with a few members of the staff, when I returned from doing seva, with mop and rugs in hand. He saw me and invited me to sit and share the lunch.
As you can imagine, I was rather overwhelmed! I had only met the Master a few times before, during Tantric or meditation classes, and had a few letter exchanges with him, despite my limited English skills at that time.
The communication was complicated. When Siri Singh Sahib Ji spoke to me, two ladies tried to help me understand what he said, as well as to translate my answer. When the question arose, “What is your profession? “I attempted to say (half) in English: “Thérapeute in massage, Sir.”
The Master said,” You have a very strong healing power: come tomorrow at 9:00 AM to give me a foot massage.” Now I was more than overwhelmed! Many emotions came to my mind at that moment, from feelings of bliss, to surprise, to fear, and so on.
I returned the next day as requested. When I finished the session, Siri Singh Sahib Ji said “Good, come back each day at 6:00 AM and push harder on my feet.” That was the beginning of my understanding of the deeper aspects of healing.
Because Siri Singh Sahib Ji trusted me to touch his feet, I began to prepare myself mentally with meditation each time before coming into his presence. I prayed to Guru Ram Das, asking him to help me, to guide my hands. Ra Ma Das Sa was my major mantra (and still is) to create a sacred space. Ours was a silence exchange.
Most of the time Siri Singh Sahib Ji didn’t pay attention to me. Sometimes he would say “harder”; sometimes he would test me by asking “What’s that point?” (to make sure I knew what I was doing). Having studied different massage techniques as well Shiatsu, I understood the importance of considering the body as a temple. Being at the feet of the Master, in his sacred space, in his sacred aura, an exchange of energy happened. No doubt it was also a healing process for me.
Always, but especially when I needed to give him a massage, I approached him with my heart full of love, respect, reverence, the desire to help to the best of my capacity. Our hands are the antennae of our hearts and souls. Pure intention, mental disposition, prayer and meditation are the major aspects of the healing vibration. The healing is not always the way we think it is. We are channels of healing energy and must be humble in this process.
You Are a Healer
One day I was massaging the Master’s feet and another person was working on his neck. He had a plate of cookies on his lap and offered them to us. We both wanted to take the cookies with our hands. Siri Singh Sahib Ji stopped us and said “No! Don’t touch. You are not a human. I will give them to you,” and delicately he put the cookies in our mouths. For a long time I meditated on what he said, and I found a quote from him:
“You have to understand you are not a man, not a woman, you are a healer! A healer is above a saint! You are not healing through the power of medicine. You are the healing.” I meditate on that quote always. It is now an indelible part of me, to pray and meditate during every healing session, asking Guru Ram Das to guide me, to help any person who trusts me and gives me permission to be in their sacred space and release their stress.
Healing comes out of love, compassion and humility. It is not always immediately visible, and can take many forms. As a spiritual community we all prayed and meditated during Siri Singh Sahib Ji’s lifetime for his health and comfort. The beauty is that we keep doing it for our sisters and brothers when they need support. All of us have healing powers in some ways, and when the heart is involved we know that miracles are created.
About the Author
SS Sat Kartar Kaur Khalsa has practiced the art of massage, Shiatsu and reflexology and Cranio-Sacral therapy for many years, in her native country Belgium as well as Canada, France, and the U.S. She is a Kundalini Yoga certified teacher and travels to Europe teaching and sharing the technology of Kundalini Yoga and yogic massage techniques from the Siri Singh Sahib. She had the privilege to be part of the team of people taking care of the Siri Singh Sahib and has the blessings to care for the Estate of Guru Ram Das in Espanola, where he lived for many years.
