A Minister recently said to me: “The Ministry is our sovereignty.” This comment went deeply into my being.
What does sovereignty really mean? The dictionary defines it as “the state or quality of being sovereign.” Okay, so what does sovereign mean? In the list of definitions, three seem to be applicable to our Ministry: “independent of all others; excellent; outstanding.” These reflect qualities that are necessary for Ministers and that Ministers aspire to live by.
For those of us who were blessed this lifetime to know the Siri Singh Sahib on the physical plane, we also know that he stretched us as much as he could for our own growth and evolution, encouraging us all to indeed be independent of all others; excellent; outstanding.
By independent of all others, I see a Minister as one who is self-contained, neutral, committed to our Dharmic values and practices (sadhana, banis, etc.); one who is able to lead, serve the sangat and deliver his or her unique God-given gifts to help elevate consciousness and uplift humanity.
Excellence reflects humility, kindness, grace, compassion, radiance, love and devotion to Guru and this Dharmic path.
Outstanding is identified by a Minister’s capacity to live the Minister Vows, cultivate inner silence/Shuniya, develop a meditative mind and serve selflessly.
As you see, the statement about sovereignty definitely stimulated much deeper thought within me!
Minister Enrichment
There are a lot of discussions these days about Minister Training and Minister Enrichment. Yes, for the future of the Ministry these areas need to be developed and available. With time, money and resources all of that is possible.
Since our Ministry is about seva, the most essential aspects for a Minister are the unique qualities we each bring to our service. Competencies and skills can be learned; qualities and character must be lived and expressed. Designing Minister training that enhances an individual’s opportunities for the development of essential qualities is the real challenge for our future.
In explaining a little about our Ministry to new Minister Candidates, I often say that living our lifestyle from morning Sadhana to Kirtan Sohila offers the most extensive Minister training on the planet! The Siri Singh Sahib taught us the technology to develop our character, evolve our consciousness, and share the fruits of our labor with humanity. We are indeed blessed.
Humbly,
SS Dr. Sat Kaur Khalsa
Secretary of Religion
“You do not understand your features. Your features are not your beautiful nose,
your beautiful cheeks, beautiful lips, and so on. These are not your features.
Your features are your beautiful behavior, your beautiful character,
your beautiful health, your beautiful spirit, your beautiful advice,
your beautiful wisdom, your beautiful inspiration.”—The Siri Singh Sahib (August 19, 1978)
THE SECRETARY OF RELIGION
SS Dr. Sat Kaur Khalsa has served as Secretary of Religion since 1991 and was ordained as a Sikh Dharma Minister in 1975. As Secretary of Religion, Dr. Sat Kaur oversees and is ultimately responsible for the delivery of the functions of this Office. Dr. Sat Kaur is a long-time member of the International Khalsa Council and the Khalsa Council Executive Committee. She maintains a full-time psychotherapy private practice in Santa Monica, California and Santa Fe, New Mexico, counseling individuals, couples, and families to support their personal and spiritual growth. She is a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher, a facilitator of White Tantric Yoga®, and a published author.
