by SS Tera Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Winter 2012 Basant Ki Var, by Guru Arjan Dev, is the shortest of the 22 Vars (holy poems composed in the style or tone of odes) included in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Basant is the Punjabi word for spring, from which the musical measure (raga) of this Var derives its title. Basant Ki Var is an ancient seasonal raga of springtime and denotes prosperity. For this article, Tera Kaur shared her experiences of daily chanting this shabad. 1. How long have you been reciting the Basant Ki Var shabad? How often do you
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Archives for Gurus
Blossoming into Abundance
Essence of Prosperity
by SS Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Winter 2012 You, Yourself, are the Banker Whose wealth cannot be measured, And You bestow Your capital upon us. Eating and drinking, We use it for our pleasure. Then, Banker, from the deposit You made, You take something back, Causing the ignorant mind To become angry. Because of that anger, we lose Your trust And then our own confidence disappears. Whatever your capital, place it Before the One. Trust and accept The order of the Creator On your forehead. By doing so, you shall flourish Four times over. Oh Nanak,
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Prosperity and Protection
by MSS Guru Singh Khalsa, Los Angeles CA Winter 2012 “[Aap Sahaa-ee Ho-aa by Guru Arjan Dev] will totally eliminate enemies and block the impact of animosity forever; it can give you mental self control. If chanted for 62 minutes (the best time being between 3 and 4 am), it can relieve unbearable financial pressure. This meditation from the Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is a gift to you that will let you penetrate the unknown without fear. It will give you protection and mental balance.”—The Siri Singh Sahib One of the earliest family businesses was known as Golden Temple
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Sukhmani Sadhana
by SS Guruka Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Winter 2012 I know we commonly think of prosperity in terms of money, being financially comfortable, and so on. But I feel that my life is so prosperous and so blessed and has so many riches in it. Practicing my “Sukhmani sadhana” moved me into a space of shifting my life and being able to serve my teacher and serve our Dharma. I’m filled with incredible gratitude and happiness and prosperity. I recited Guru Arjan’s Sukhmani Sahib every day for about 17 years. It began quite a while ago, during the time that the
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Singing the Praises
by SS Guru Shabad Singh Khalsa, La Jolla CA Winter 2012 I have just finished recording the first in a series of four Gurbani CDs called Beloved. While I was looking for shabads to put to music, I wanted to find one that would specifically talk about saints. The shabad I found was Bhinee Rainareeai, written by Guru Arjan. The night is wet with dew and the stars sparkle in the heavens. The saints remain wakeful; they’re the Beloveds of My Lord. The Beloveds of God remain ever wakeful, remembering the Nam, the Name of God, night and day. In
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Exemplifying Sacrifice
by SS Guru Dharam Singh Khalsa, Mehedeby, Sweden Fall 2012 As the fifth Guru of Sikh Dharma, Guru Arjan Dev ji exemplified the qualities associated with that number in the numerological system expounded by the Siri Singh Sahib ji. As a Spiritual Teacher, Guru Arjan exemplified and defined the path of Sikh Dharma by collating and creating the first version of what would become the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred seal of the Khalsa Panth. Guru Arjan himself wrote approximately one-half of the Adi Granth, which contains much of the finest spiritual poetry ever produced by humanity. It is interesting
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The Color of Guru’s Love
by SS Dr. Harijot Singh Khalsa, Espanola NM Fall 2012 Guru Arjan healed people through the heart center. He worked with love and kindness. His shabads are universally powerful affirmations, regardless of one’s belief system. As a Sikh, I am especially a devotee of Guru Nanak. He was a prophet and a messenger of how to connect with God. He brought people directly to God. He used chanting and meditation to open the heart and taught people how to see the humanity in all. We are all children of God. He used the words “Sat Nam” or “My identity is
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Longing Into Love
by SS Dr. Sham Rang Singh Khalsa, Millis MA Fall 2012 Hearts are so easily broken: the loss of loved ones, the unfulfilled longing for that perfect partner, the betrayals from those who were dear to us, hopes and expectations dashed. And so often we do not know how to cope, what to do to change things or ourselves, or how to mend. In Sikh history, the story of Guru Arjan has shown us a way. Guru Ram Das had sent his youngest son Arjan far away, with instructions not to return until called for. Arjan loved his Guru so deeply that
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Healing and the Mind
by SS Subagh Kaur, São Paulo, Brazil Fall 2012 Guru Arjan ji reminds us in Sukhmani Sahib that when we “Meditate, meditate, meditate, peace is obtained, Worry and anguish are expelled from the body.” With the technology of Kundalini Yoga and its profound effects on the psyche through mantra and meditation, we have striking evidence from our students’ feedback, that they receive relief from their worry and anguish. We see this in their smiles as they gratefully leave the class. May the teachings prevail as we move further into the Aquarian years. Wahe Guru! I had been asking the Universe for
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Kundalini Yoga and Sikh Dharma
by MSS Guru Raj Kaur Khalsa, Vancouver BC, Canada Fall 2012 It is the Shabad Guru which unites us to the Infinite, through the meditation on the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Kundalini Yoga prepares us to hear that Shabad. While compiling Victory & Virtue (Sikh Dharma Manual), we were aware that it would be read by Sikhs who chose to become Sikhs, as well as those who were born into a Sikh family, usually of Indian origin. At the time we created this manual, most of those individuals who chose the Sikh path had been inspired to do so through the
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