by SS Guru Darshan Kaur Khalsa, Puebla, Mexico 2022 (Third Quarter) Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh! Sat Nam Dear Sangat, I’m happy to share with you my inspiration and love of the Guru and the teachings that have given me strength in these changing and challenging times. I enjoy sharing with you a little bit of my earthly human life. My motto is: Those who learn and work as a team multiply the benefits of what they teach individually and more easily fulfill their mission, understanding the power that we are ONE. How have I,
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Archives for Seva
Overcoming Isolation through Seva and Sangat Engagement During COVID
Drawing Inspiration from Bhai Khanayia Ji
by SS Harsimrren Kaur Khalsa, Birmingham, United Kingdom 2022 (Second Quarter) Bhai Khanayia Ji was one of those gentle souls who exist ‘behind the scenes’; but his actions would cause tidal waves in our collective psyche for generations to come. He was part of the sangat during Guru Tegh Bahadur’s time through Guru Gobind Singh’s time on earth. Bhai Khanayia Ji had something profound to share with us. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was fighting to protect Anandpur Sahib. The supply chain into Punjab had been disrupted by the Moghuls in order to try and stifle the Sikhs. Food and water
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Simran and Seva for Unity
by SS Dharma Kaur Khalsa, Millis MA 2022 (First Quarter) With the inspiration of the Sikh Gurus and my own family heritage, I am moved to serve the sangat in many ways—as a wife and mother, and in particular with the service of healthy food for the community near and far. In the summer of 2020, we started a food relief program called Guru Nanak’s Community Kitchen here in Millis, Massachusetts. Our core values of sharing and giving with love and kindness to all mean a great deal to me and to all those who have supported our food program.
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Understanding Through Compassion
by SS Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Winter 2020 Sometime in the mid-1970s, the Siri Singh Sahib defined “understanding” as “standing under.” Now, perhaps more than ever, we are called to go within, to become still, to resonate and to calibrate with what this means. How does “standing under those we serve” affect our words, actions, and relationships in daily life? Like many of you, since the beginning of 2020 I have been hearing from individuals looking for an assurance that I think as they do. It can be about whether to wear a mask or not, or
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Standing Under Those We Serve
by SS Siri Krishna Kaur Khalsa, Medway MA Spring 2020 What a beautiful theme…Standing Under Those We Serve. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reflect and write on this topic. The qualities of Guru Ram Das ji that are foremost in my mind are humility, kindness towards everyone, compassion, supreme devotion and the spirit of service. All of these unique virtues are integral to manifesting our destiny as leaders in the Aquarian Age. The Siri Singh Sahib Ji said: “Keep coming through. Life is useless unless it can give confidence to others.” I have taken these words to
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Trauma-Informed Seva in Crisis and Disaster
In our 2017 Minister Enrichment Survey, one of the top responses by Sikh Dharma Ministers was to receive training about Trauma-Informed Seva in Crisis and Disaster. In this video presentation, you will learn tools and techniques to prepare you for trauma-informed seva (service). This module also guides you to practice these skills with a partner. We hope you find our video helpful to you in your service as a Minister of Sikh Dharma International. If you have comments or feedback, please email us at [email protected]. Please download and print this Practice Guide (PDF) . Pause the video when instructed
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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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Seeing No Strangers
by SS Shiva Singh Khalsa, Chicago IL Winter 2019 Being a history buff, I was interested to watch the new documentary, Woodstock: Three Days that Defined a Generation, about the 1969 festival of peace, cooperation, and friendship. What was missing from the event was leadership and a consistent mission. Seeing this reminded me of Yogiji’s lecture, “From Woodstock to Steel-stock.” Post-Woodstock, many of us came to the feet of the Guru, to Sikh Dharma, and to the lifestyle teachings of Yogi Bhajan. Every lesson of our Gurus has given me the tools and spiritual infrastructure to step up. Guru Amar
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A Dream of Service
by SS Sat Bachan Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM Summer 2017 “Your reliability will give people the courage to trust you. Their trust will give you the power to carry a situation. A leader carries and serves people. Learn to lead as a ‘seva;’ people will love you, and you will continue to expand.”—The Siri Singh Sahib (February 2, 2004) Seva is the path to merger with God without ego. Therefore a life of seva creates a deep joy. The purpose of life is to be happy and this guarantees it. It is the expression of our deepest heart-felt gratitude to
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Journey into the Heart of Seva
by SS Mata Mandir Kaur Khalsa, Herndon VA Summer 2017 “Seva is a conscious and deliberate service to benefit another person even at your cost; and remember, whosoever does seva, it is one to a hundred that God comes through.”—The Siri Singh Sahib (September 9, 1990) Focusing on Seva Seva is a basic human need. It is an expression of gratitude, compassion and connection, that brings our Dharma and our souls alive. Since we started the Journey into the Heart of Sikh Dharma (JHSD) telecourse in 2000, seva has been more and more of a focus. One of our course sessions is dedicated
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