by SS Pritpal Kaur Khalsa, Espanola NM
Fall 2019
This past weekend was typical for me. I was traveling to teach in a Level One Aquarian Teacher program. What wasn’t typical were the circumstances of my travel. I was flying from Albuquerque to Chicago, where an unusual Arctic storm was bringing temperatures of 50 degrees below zero Fahrenheit and wind and snow to the area. After many hours of delay, I arrived in Chicago nine hours later than expected. There was a sea of anxious people waiting in the airport as a result of the severe weather conditions.
After my long journey, I was filled with gratitude. I was truly thankful to be arriving in time to teach the next day—and to be a Kundalini Yoga teacher and not an airline employee at this stressful time! As a Kundalini Yoga teacher and Sikh Dharma Minister, being grateful is a gift I always carry in the folds of my turban. Years ago, I learned this lesson from the Siri Singh Sahib: “Appreciate your misery and it will run away.” It is a gem that I keep close to me always.
Being an Aquarian teacher and leader can mean many things. For me, these powerful words of the Siri Singh Sahib express it best: “Wherever you are, whether you are one person, or whether you are two, three, four, five, twenty, a hundred or a thousand persons, you represent a consciousness of hope.”
What does it mean to be the embodiment of an Aquarian leader? Here are the sutras that guide me as I walk this path:
- How kind and compassionate can I be?
- Can I smile in the face of adversity?
- Can I let go of my fears, insecurities and limited thoughts?
- Can I have the discipline and courage to reach the wonderland of consciousness?
- Can I relax, forget my own problems and reach out to help others?
This is a time when we are all going to be spun and churned. As Ministers, we can guide and serve as examples of those who can sit in the center of the pair of opposites and not be affected. Most importantly, we can remind all who we see, touch and hold dear that the soul is touched through the access point of the heart, not the head. In order to access this point, we must let go of our logic, argument, fantasies, planning, scheming and worrying.
“The Age of Aquarius is coming in and it’s going to blow up everybody mentally so fast you can’t believe it. Insecurity will be all around us. Duality will be our best friend. There is no need for it. Just trust your soul. It will save you. Learn this as an art. Dive deep to your soul. That’s all you have.”—The Siri Singh Sahib
A few hours before I was to teach this weekend, I was relaxing at a friend’s home. I was talking on the phone with someone for almost an hour. During the call, I asked my friend if I was disturbing her and if I should go to another room. Her response was, “No, please. I love having you in the room because I am uplifted just from hearing your conversation. Your words and responses are teaching and inspiring me.” As Aquarian leaders, we don’t just teach from the teacher’s bench; we teach and minister from many platforms.
I often think of those times when I was with the Siri Singh Sahib. Every moment of his day he was teaching and connecting. Even if he was coming to give the invocation prayer at the opening of the Legislature for the State of New Mexico, he would pause in the parking lot to ask the parking attendant how his wife was doing, because he knew she had not been feeling well. No one was ever high or low in his eyes.
He never missed an opportunity to poke, provoke, confront and elevate. Sometimes, at a dinner with the State’s political leaders, he would tell one of the Senators that he should be eating mung beans and rice every day and that his wife should be taking cold showers! He was always the teacher.
As Aquarian leaders, we hold the soul of those we serve in the cocoon of our consciousness. The person has not come in our presence to love us or even to have us hold their hand. We are always there to stand perpendicular to the ego. Our eyes, our words, our presence, and our silence must penetrate to arrive at the destination of elevation and awareness. As Aquarian leaders, we bow to the technology of Kundalini Yoga, Meditation and Shabd Guru and we serve this platform with reverence. It is an honor and privilege for which I am ever grateful and I am sure it has taken 8.4 million lifetimes to arrive at this destination.
About the Author
SS Pritpal Kaur Khalsa is a Sikh Dharma Minister, serves as CEO of 3HO, and has been teaching Kundalini Yoga, Meditation and spiritual awareness for over 45 years. Her passion for assisting others on their road to excellence and fulfillment, and her wealth of experience as a Minister, teacher, leader, healer, and mentor brings a depth of joy and wisdom to her workshops, classes, and coaching practice. She incorporates her vast knowledge of yogic, meditative and Dharmic technology and a deep understanding of spirituality and a healthy lifestyle into her work with individuals and groups. She is a Personal and Professional Coach, a Sat Nam Rasayan Yogic Healer, Pilates Instructor, and a KRI-certified Senior Leader Trainer.