The concept of Collective Efficacy posits that together we can make meaningful change in our community, whether or not we agree on everything. Working together, anything is possible. Our 2023 Ministry Newsletter series features this concept front and center. What we have collectively experienced in our international sangat mirrors the model of what occurs when an individual undergoes the disruption and dysregulation of a traumatic event. To address this, in the four issues of the newsletter we will share with our readers the progressive arc of the resolution of trauma. For our February issue, we shared tools that Ministers have
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Archives for newsletter
#89 – 2023 Newsletter (Third Quarter)
#88 – 2023 Newsletter (Second Quarter)
The concept of Collective Efficacy posits that together we can make meaningful change in our community, whether or not we agree on everything. Working together, anything is possible. Our 2023 Ministry Newsletter series features this concept front and center. What we have collectively experienced in our international sangat mirrors the model of what occurs when an individual undergoes the disruption and dysregulation of a traumatic event. To address this, in the four issues of the newsletter we will share with our readers the progressive arc of the resolution of trauma. In our February issue, Ministers shared tools for stabilization of
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#87 – 2023 Newsletter (First Quarter)
The concept of Collective Efficacy posits that together we can make meaningful change in our community, whether or not we agree on everything. Working together, anything is possible. Our 2023 Ministry Newsletter series will feature this concept front and center. What we have collectively experienced in our international sangat mirrors the model of what occurs when an individual undergoes the disruption and dysregulation of a traumatic event. To address this, in the four issues of the newsletter we will share with our readers the progressive arc of the resolution of trauma. For our first issue of the new year, we
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#86 – 2022 Newsletter (Fourth Quarter)
In the February 2022 issue of our newsletter, we explored the core values that unite us as Ministers. The May issue offered intimate reflections from our authors on processing change, loss, trauma and grief during these past few turbulent years. For the August issue, we examined the possible gifts that have been gained—at the same time acknowledging the ever-changing landscape of the world in the midst of a pandemic, political upheaval, and our own Dharmic organizational challenges. For our November issue, we turn our focus toward the heart, and the possibility of forming heartfelt connections with one another that transcend
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#85 – 2022 Newsletter (Third Quarter)
In 2022, we are exploring the present moment in our Sikh Dharma Ministry. Earlier this year, we examined the core values that unite us as Ministers and shared intimate reflections from our authors on processing change, loss, trauma and grief during these past few turbulent years. For this August issue, we are turning our focus outward, to see what possible gifts have been gained—at the same time acknowledging the ever-changing landscape of the world in the midst of a pandemic, political upheaval, and our own Dharmic organizational challenges. The authors for this issue were asked to reflect on the questions,
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#84 – 2022 Newsletter (Second Quarter)
Throughout 2022, as we look towards the future of the Sikh Dharma Ministry, what does the “present” look like in the face of so much change in the world, in our Dharma, and in our personal lives? We know these are incredibly sensitive and challenging times, and that many people are in a great deal of pain. The articles in this issue reflect the deeply personal experiences of some of our Ministers, in response to the questions: “How have you been impacted by current events? How have you been processing change, loss, trauma, grief? Are there tools that have helped you
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#83 – 2022 Newsletter (First Quarter)
Throughout 2022, as we look towards the future of the Sikh Dharma Ministry, our quarterly newsletter will be exploring what unites us and what we hold sacred. What can help to foster unity? What will allow us to remain relevant and responsive to the demands of the times? To begin this journey, for the first quarterly issue we asked Sikh Dharma Ministers to write an article in response to the following questions: “What are the core values you rely upon in your service individually as a Minister? What values do you look to the Ministry as a whole to uphold? Furthermore, what do
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Minister News & Notes (2021 Fourth Quarter)
On September 11, 2021, new Sikh Dharma Minister SS Sukhdev Kaur Khalsa was ordained in a virtual/in-person vow ceremony. The vows were administered via Zoom by Secretary of Religion SS Dr. Sat Kaur Khalsa (assisted by Executive Assistant SS Sarb Nam Kaur). The ceremony was held in a beautiful countryside gurdwara at the Rajaama Ashram in Harjumaa, Estonia. The gurdwara space beautifully reflected the sacred and solemn vow ceremony, attended by students of Sukhdev Kaur at her ashram retreat, as well as family and friends who attended virtually via Zoom. Following the administration of the Sikh Dharma Minister’s vow and
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#82 – 2021 Newsletter (Fourth Quarter)
With this fourth and final issue of our 2021 newsletter, we begin to move from honoring our past. Throughout this year, we explored the past 50 years of service as Sikh Dharma Ministers (from 1971 through 2021) in our first three quarterly newsletters. In this fourth issue, we present essays written as part of the New Minister Candidate process in answer to the question: “What does it mean to be a Sikh Dharma Minister?” We share these essays with permission from the authors, who are some of the individuals ordained as Sikh Dharma Ministers within the past five years. Their
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Ministering to the Ministers
by SS Sarb Nam Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM 2021 (Third Quarter) In early June 2004, after completing a nine-month Journey into the Heart of Sikh Dharma course, I received a phone call from the Secretary of Religion informing me that the Siri Singh Sahib had approved my application to become a Sikh Dharma Minister. I felt excited and joyful. I believed this was my “spiritual destiny” and that, twenty-four years after my first Kundalini Yoga class and having taken Amrit vows, I was stepping into a new role I felt ready to undertake. Early Beginnings The Guru had swept me
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