The Sikh Dharma Ministers’ Gathering at Summer Solstice 2013, with the theme Bij, Bindu and Shaping the Future of the Sikh Dharma Ministry, was pivotal for the future of our Ministry. Despite the dust, wind, and sounds from a nearby teaching tent, a profound planting of seeds for our future took place. I started by explaining that we are now operating from a new paradigm. SS Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur, the Assistant Secretary of Religion, and I are looking to the Ministers to help shape the future of our Sikh Dharma Ministry. Those souls who were destined to be present for
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Archives for newsletter
Secretary of Religion Column (Fall 2013)
#49 Fall 2013 Newsletter
The theme for our 2013 quarterly Sikh Dharma Ministers’ newsletters is “Guru Hargobind: Transforming Sikh Dharma.” In the book “Heroes, Saints & Yogis” by MSS Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa and MSS Guruka Singh Khalsa, Guru Hargobind is remembered as the Guru who “turned saints into soldiers, while remaining a man of God.” For the Fall 2013 issue we look at the essence of the Sixth Body: Man at Prayer, the source of which is absolute stillness and absolute silence. All actions arise from stillness; all words arise from silence. In Siri Singh Sahib Ji’s words, “In stillness lies the sound which is the creative existence of
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#48 Summer 2013 Newsletter
The theme for our 2013 quarterly Sikh Dharma Ministers’ newsletters is “Guru Hargobind: Transforming Sikh Dharma.” In the book “Heroes, Saints & Yogis” by MSS Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa and MSS Guruka Singh Khalsa, Guru Hargobind is remembered as the Guru who “turned saints into soldiers, while remaining a man of God.” For the Summer 2013 issue, we look at the Mastery of the Sixth Body and the qualities of Guru Hargobind, including integrity, mastery of the Word, walking the talk, activating a protective shield, and being in a constant state of prayer. In this issue, we requested our newest Ministers to share on this topic.
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#47 Spring 2013 Newsletter
The theme for our 2013 quarterly Sikh Dharma Ministers’ newsletters is “Guru Hargobind: Transforming Sikh Dharma.” In the book “Heroes, Saints & Yogis” by MSS Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa and MSS Guruka Singh Khalsa, Guru Hargobind is remembered as the Guru who “turned saints into soldiers, while remaining a man of God.” In our Spring 2013 issue, we are exploring various aspects of Guru Hargobind’s contributions, including the concepts of Sant Sipahi, Miri Piri and the administration of Sikh Dharma. We asked our Ministers to relate stories of Siri Singh Sahib Ji’s teachings on the role of women and martial arts, gurdwara security, and our relationship to the
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#46 Winter 2012 Newsletter
The theme for our 2012 quarterly Sikh Dharma Ministry newsletters is Guru Arjan: Teacher, Leader, Healer and Bringer of Prosperity. Using Tantric Numerology, the year 2012 embodies the vibration of the Fifth Guru, whose poetry and life inspire us to reach out and teach through our presence as Sikh DharmaMinisters. The topic for the Winter issue is Guru Arjan as Bringer of Prosperity. If we think of the word “prosper” in its roots of “pro” and “spirit,” we see that in his life and in his sacrifice in death, Guru Arjan was always intent on uplifting the human spirit. For this issue we have selected
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#45 Fall 2012 Newsletter
The theme for our 2012 quarterly Sikh Dharma Ministry newsletters is Guru Arjan: Teacher, Leader, Healer and Bringer of Prosperity. Using Tantric Numerology, the year 2012 embodies the vibration of the Fifth Guru, whose poetry and life inspire us to reach out and teach through our presence as Sikh Dharma Ministers. The topic for the Fall issue is Guru Arjan as Healer. The questions we posed for this issue were: “As a Minister of Sikh Dharma, how are you healing in your community? How have the life and teachings of Guru Arjan influenced and inspired you as a healer and leader in your community? What
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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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#44 Summer 2012 Newsletter
The theme for our 2012 quarterly Sikh Dharma Ministry newsletters is Guru Arjan: Teacher, Leader, Healer and Bringer of Prosperity. Using Tantric Numerology, the year 2012 embodies the vibration of the Fifth Guru, whose poetry and life inspire us to reach out and teach through our presence as Sikh Dharma Ministers. Guru Arjan was a charismatic religious leader who helped consolidate the Sikh community through the construction of the Golden Temple, building cities and compiling the Adi Granth. For our Summer issue, we asked the Ministers to share the aspects of Guru Arjan’s life that inspire them as leaders to serve the sangat and broader
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#43 Spring 2012 Newsletter
The theme for our 2012 quarterly Sikh Dharma Ministry newsletters is Guru Arjan: Teacher, Leader, Healer and Bringer of Prosperity. Using Tantric Numerology, the year 2012 embodies the vibration of the Fifth Guru, whose poetry and life inspire us to reach out and teach through our presence as Sikh Dharma Ministers. For the Spring 2012 newsletter, we asked some of our Sikh Dharma Ministers to address the topic of how they are inspired to serve in the example of Guru Arjan as Teacher. As teachers we need balance and sacrifice. How do you find the balance to care for your needs and serve others? What aspect
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Dwelling in Our Hearts
by SS Har Nal Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Winter 2011 As Sikh Dharma Ministers, we can function as one subtle energetic body, like the yogic concept of Vyana Prana Vayu. This prana is a heart-centered energy that flows through the entire physical body, distributing vital energy throughout. Like this Vyana, the ministry’s energetic vibration can pervade the entire body of Sikh Dharma, bringing cohesion, integration and connection. Our subtle bodies are connected through our commitment as Ministers, and our daily Dharmic practice, especially sadhana, and our living relationship with the Siri Guru Granth Sahib and the Sat Sangat. Infusing ourselves
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