by SS Sham Kaur Khalsa, La Paz, Bolivia Spring 2014 The capacity of human beings to feel compassion is nowadays a requirement to navigate the ocean of life on earth. Some may call it an emotion or a virtue. But I feel that compassion is an absolute requirement for happiness. I believe that compassion requires a definite action which has to come from a neutral and peaceful place in our heart and mind, so that it can become a pattern in our brain. Compassion then becomes a way of life, a choice we make, a commitment that comes from our
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Archives for Community
Compassion in Action
Secretary of Religion Column (Winter 2013)
I am struck by what Dickens said in A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way. In short, the
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Oak Creek Memorial
by SS Gurujodha Singh Khalsa, Bakersfield CA I just returned from events at the Oak Creek Gurdwara commemorating the one-year anniversary of the shootings which killed six worshippers in the Gurdwara on August 5, 2012. It was my third trip to Oak Creek since the shooting. I was there one week after the shootings accompanying a delegation from Sikh Dharma including the Bhai Sahiba and the Siri Sikhdar Sahiba. Seeing the devotion, resilience and strength of that community at that time was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. As I entered the Gurdwara on that Sunday, a
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Establishing Our Security
by MSS Hari Singh Bird, Winter Park FL Spring 2013 As someone who has been involved with the gurdwara and Solstice security for decades, I would like to address what I see as a general absence of security/soldier consciousness within all Sikh communities around the continent by quoting the Siri Singh Sahib, who said: “Human is a blend of Saint and Soldier; this is a complete person. If you are not a Soldier your sainthood will be kicked around. If you are only a Soldier, not a Saint, you will start kicking others around.” The Siri Singh Sahib was asked
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Rebuilding Through Faith
by SS Shiva Singh Khalsa, Chicago IL Winter 2012 The wind merges into the wind. The light blends into the light. The dust becomes one with the dust. What support is there for the one who is lamenting? Who has died? Oh, who has died? Meet together with the God-realized and inquire into this. What a wondrous thing has happened! No one knows what happens after death. The one who is lamenting will also arise and depart. Mortal beings are bound by the bonds of doubt and attachment. When life becomes a dream, the blind man babbles and grieves in
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Constant Remembrance
by SS Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, Kansas City MO Summer 2012 Guru Arjan was a leader, a teacher and an example to his followers of an authentic holy man. He showed them, by his intellectual prowess and later martyrdom, that faith can be found in many places, people and ways of worshipping. He honored the work of Guru Nanak, who traveled to many places in India as well as China and the Middle East. The Holy Scripture of the Sikhs that begins with Nanak’s JapJi is housed in the Gurdwara at Sat Tirath Ashram and is at the center of
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An Offering of Service
by MSS Kirtan Singh Khalsa, Los Angeles CA Summer 2012 As the youngest son of Guru Ram Das and after a long trial of deceit and jealous ambition by his older brother, on September 6th, 1581, at the age of 18, Guru Arjan became the Guru. e was born in Goindwal in April of 1563, and under the special care of his grandfather Guru Amar Das he acquired knowledge in philosophy, poetry and language arts as well becoming proficient in music, equestrian sports and archery. We know that before he became Guru, Arjan was sent to Lahore by Guru Ram
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Accepting the Sacrifices
Interview with SS Dr. Gurusangat Kaur Khalsa, Belo Horizonte, Brazil Summer 2012 For me, to relate to the teachings and to live a life as Khalsa means to immerse myself in the sangat and inspire the sangat to be consistently present, living the teachings and serving. By God’s Grace, the most auspicious blessing that could ever happen to a sangat is to be faced with challenges and to get strength and to get re-affirmed in its goal and in its own way of existing. In 1995 I returned to Brazil from Germany, where I had been living at that time.
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Community in Southeast Asia
by SS Sunder Singh Khalsa, Herndon VA Summer 2012 I feel China has a very important role to play in the Aquarian Age. The symbol of China is the Dragon. The Dragon is a symbol for heaven and can bring a shower of blessings or a shower of fire. So the mission for me is to plant the seed of consciousness through the technology of Kundalini Yoga for peace, goodwill and human excellence. The people we train in China are fairly accomplished in their personal and professional life and they want to serve. We want to reach people who can
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Leading Through Example
by SS Panch Nishan Kaur Khalsa, Goettingen, Germany Summer 2012 To be a leader, one must go beyond the comfort zone into the unknown in order to trust and lean on the One within. Guru Arjan inspires me above all to walk my talk and to lead through example. When the challenges of life come, I think of Guru Arjan sitting on the hot plate and it gives me the sense of equilibrium in the midst of extremity and remembrance that the challenges “are too Thy Gifts, O Lord.” Thinking of Guru Arjan’s burning body and striving to look through
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