by SS Sat Inder Kaur Khalsa, Kansas City MO 2022 (Second Quarter) These times have been challenging in many ways, but Yogi Bhajan said it would be like this—so I am not surprised. I met Yogi Bhajan in 1976, at the age of 33, and moved into Hacienda de Guru Ram Das a few months later. I participated in ashram life and solstices, and attended as many lectures as I could. Karta Purkh Singh and I married in 1977 and became Sikh Ministers in 1979. As co-directors of Sat Tirath Ashram since 1980, we have had a wealth of opportunities
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Archives for Community
Keeping Up During Times of Challenge
Support is the Key
by SS Rupinder Kaur Khalsa, Ottawa Canada 2022 (First Quarter) The question I hear the most from new Minister candidates who approach me is: “What is the difference between serving as a Sikh Dharma International Minister and just keeping on serving as I have been doing so far?” I feel that community support is the key. I remember years ago visiting a community center back in Chile, in which we were offering Kundalini Yoga classes and spiritual support to a group of women who had suffered years of domestic violence. I talked with them and heard their stories—but what stuck with me
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Covering the Distance
by SS Shabad Kaur Khalsa, Evanston IL 2022 (First Quarter) What Gorgeous Thing by Mary Oliver I do not know what gorgeous thing the bluebird keeps saying, his voice easing out of his throat, beak, body into the pink air of the early morning. I like it whatever it is. Sometimes it seems the only thing in the world that is without dark thoughts. Sometimes it seems the only thing in the world that is without questions that can’t and probably never will be answered, the only thing that is entirely content with the pink, then clear white morning and,
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A Peaceful Day in LA
by SS Har Simran Kaur Khalsa, Los Angeles CA 2021 (Third Quarter) Guru Ram Das Ashram in Los Angeles is located in a diverse, affluent, peaceful neighborhood that, in 2006, was rocked by gang violence. Across the street from the gurdwara, Robertson Recreation Center was all but abandoned by its usual fleet of nannies with babies in strollers, as it had become a staging ground for drug dealing and turf wars. In the summer of 2006, an article in the Aquarian Times called on 3HO Sikhs to celebrate the United Nations’ International Day of Peace by sponsoring peace-related events for
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Honoring Balbir Singh Sodhi
by SS Gurukirn Kaur Khalsa, Phoenix AZ 2021 (Third Quarter) The attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 had left our sangat on edge. Images of Osama Bin Laden, with beard and white turban, played over and over again on the news. That Tuesday night we scheduled a memorial Gurdwara service at Guru Nanak Dwara in Phoenix, but many people were too afraid to come. In the next few days, we sent out press packets explaining who the Sikhs were, and we participated in an interfaith prayer gathering. Then, on Saturday afternoon, September 15th,
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Standing for Righteousness and Humanity
by SS Gurujodha Singh Khalsa, Bakersfield CA Fall 2020 What does it mean to be a Sikh Dharma Minister in the age of Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter? In examining the physical pandemic of COVID-19 and the consciousness affliction known as racism and prejudice in the world, what is the role of the Sikh Dharma Minister? Are we here only to perform weddings and officiate at funerals? Are we strictly consigned to taking hukams and passing out prasad? Yes and no. We must perform each of the aforementioned ministerial functions with grace and dignity. Additionally, it is my view that
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Facing the Unknown
by SS Harbhajan Kaur Khalsa, Millis MA Fall 2020 There was a time when I could not have imagined that big business would be given legal precedence over the rights of citizens or that the prophesied “war over water” would ever come to the United States. But neither is a stretch of the imagination now. Change and challenge are non-stop. June of 2020 began with the pandemic taking a back seat to the global protest, “Black Lives Matter.” And July has brought protests in response to not being able to protest without a militarized response. It is not only difficult
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Duwara Consciousness
by SS Satya Kaur Corfield, Espanola NM (with Davinder Singh and Harisimran Kaur) Winter 2019 Editor’s Note: The values of a Sikh Dharma Minister are beautifully reflected in the next generation as illustrated in the following article. This is the story of SS Satya Kaur’s youngest, Harisimran Kaur and her husband Davinder Singh, who are making a difference by serving the homeless of San Diego.” David, a young gay man, arrived at Aero Drive Safe Parking Lot in San Diego quite destitute. He had just escaped sex trafficking a month prior, and had since been living on a diet of
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The Gifts of Shared Commitment
by SS DukhNiwaran Kaur Khalsa, Chicago IL Summer 2019 At this year’s Baisakhi celebration in Los Angeles, I had the profound honor of meeting with Dr. Roop Singh, Secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parandhak Committee (SGPC). Members of the Dharmic Office of Public Affairs, the International Khalsa Council’s LGBTQ+ Task Force, and representatives of the Los Angeles Guru Ram Das Ashram gathered for this discussion about LGBTQ+ issues in Sikhi. Our meeting was an informal and cozy breakfast held at the Bhai Sahiba Bibi Inderjit Kaur’s home, hosted by her children SS Kulbir Singh and SS Kamaljit Kaur in her
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Valuing and Preparing
by SS Kirti Kaur Khalsa, Tucson AZ Summer 2019 Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa! Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh! I have always had an affinity for my elders. I grew up in a multi-generational environment where elders were greatly respected and valued; they loved me and I loved them. This flowed effortlessly into my work with Dr. Dharma Singh and the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation. (The Siri Singh Sahib arranged it, so, of course, it would flow effortlessly, right?) Because of this, in the past 26 years I have learned a great deal about aging, memory, health, family dynamics
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