by SS Gurujodha Singh Khalsa, Coarsegold, California
2022 (Fourth Quarter)
Conflict is a flower rising up out of the earth. Conflict is the resistance the mountain gives to the wind. Conflict, movement and change are all part of the same system. Resistance to conflict implies a resistance to change. And since change is the one constant in life on the earth plane, the resistance and avoidance of conflict is the avoidance of life itself.
The role of a minister, a man or woman of Spirit or God is to bring change, love, and elevation to environments simply through his or her presence. A second function is to bring change, peace, upliftment, and prosperity to an environment through his or her word. A third function is to bring upliftment, peace, and harmony to an environment through his or her actions. So the triumvirate of thought, word and deed – or consciousness, word and deed – are the tools of a person of God. Discipline and vigilance are necessary to ensure that the thought, word and deed are aligned with one’s mission, identity, values and beliefs.
All external conflict stems from one’s internal conflict. Sometimes this is a hard pill to swallow. The concept that one’s environment is simply a reflection or a mirror of one’s consciousness is difficult to accept. In many instances it is more convenient and pleasurable to blame others, and to want to hold others accountable first. It can feel good to blame others and to point to the foibles and failures and deficiencies of others, not realizing that to do so is simply to identify those same elements in oneself. “If you spot it…you got it!”
Becoming aware that the need for change has been communicated to you through an ‘external’ source gives one an opportunity to identify and resolve and/or heal that conflict in oneself. To put it succinctly: “If things ain’t workin’ out…. try doing some work within.”
A person of spirit and an agent of the Divine on the path of Sikh Dharma has infinite resources of wisdom (the Gurus) to model and to call upon to elevate his or her consciousness. Reading and listening to the words of the Sikh Gurus and Bhagats; constant and consistent perusal and exposure to the poetry of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib; listening to Gurbani Kirtan. These are ways to be in the zone of alignment and immersion with the consciousness of those elevated beings who served humanity.
This is a powerful model for conflict resolution: firstly, being aligned with your mission, identity, values and beliefs allows you to present yourself as authentic. Secondly, being immersed or totally present in the moment allows for the intuitive discovery of holistic rather than zero sum solutions.
The downbeat needs the upbeat. The in needs the out. The up needs the down.
On the earth plane there is constant antagonism between polarities. The key is to understand that those polarities exist in balance. When there is imbalance it is incumbent upon the man or woman of Spirit to be strong, aware, and capable of restoring balance…
By listening with one’s full body and understanding the spoken and unspoken concerns of those who are articulating their thoughts and emotions. By speaking, being mindful of one’s tone, rhythm, pace, timbre and content.
Just as there is no fun on a static seesaw; just as a pond or river that does not flow and cleanse itself becomes stagnant. So too, a community that does not move in directions to establish harmony and interface between its polarities; that fails to find ways to work together to deliver results may suffer a similar fate to that of the stagnant pond or river.
Just as the water, the sun, the clouds, the wind and the mountain collaborate to deliver the rain. So too, all the different elements of a community must be recognized as important and indispensable in delivering the mission. The mountain is no more important than the water; the water no more important than the clouds, the wind or the sun. Each has a unique and important part to play.
A man or woman of Spirit understands that he or she is a reflection of the Creator in the creation. Seeing God in all begins with seeing God within oneself and owning one’s divinity. Seeing God in all is seeing and acknowledging the unique excellence in others.
Just as the two eyes each have a different perspective, harmonized by the brain into a single vision; just as the left foot knows how to work with the right hip, the spine, the shoulders and the arms in order to take a single step – some muscles pulling while others are pushing, while others maintain stability, so too, conflict which is nothing more than antagonism between polarities of thinking and perspective can be harmonized into a single vision of clarity, purpose and conscious movement.
This is the challenge of spiritual life. The technology and the means to achieve the state of consciousness have been delivered to us. Can those of us who have received the mail now deliver the message?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SS Gurujodha Singh Khalsa is a graduate of Amherst College (1974, cum laude) and the University of Pennsylvania Law School (1977) in Philadelphia. He has been a licensed attorney since 1977 (Pennsylvania) and licensed in California since 1979. Gurujodha Singh is a Seventh Degree Black Belt, having begun his martial arts training in 1977, at the age of 25. He has also studied and taught Kundalini Yoga since 1977. He developed Kenpo Kane, a unique system of physical conditioning, movement, meditation and martial arts using a walking cane. This art is based upon the ancient East Indian weapons systems of Gatka, Kenpo Karate, and Kali Escrima. It also combines elements of Yoga and Breath Meditation into a unique form of fitness and self-defense. Gurujodha Singh has been a Minister of Sikh Dharma since 1991. He is married to Siri Ved Kaur Khalsa and has three daughters and one granddaughter.
