Posted by Sikh Dharma International& filed under Our Authors
In December, I was invited to attend the celebration of Guru Nanak Devji’s birthday at the White House. I learned this was not the first, but the third annual celebration. Before I went, I took a hukum from the Siri Guru Granth Sahibji and received the blessing by Guru Arjan Devji at…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Your Stories
Bhajan Lal, my tabla teacher's teacher, was born in Lahore in 1935. One of three brothers, his father passed away before he completed the sixth grade, the grade in which he would end his formal education. He was twelve years old. Something else happened in his twelfth year: Indian independence, the formation of the Pakistani…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Our Authors
Rather than give you a play by play of many places that I witnessed and an account of my internal process, I will share with you my visit to one very special place: the Matrimandir at Auroville. I had little understanding of what the Matrimandir was. My hosts said that its construction was a massive…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Our Authors
After a quick flight to Delhi, a manic layover where I had to leave the terminal and go back through security (with no prior directions to do so), I made it to Chennai. It is hard to convey the sensation that overcame me. At the first glimpse of the palm trees soothing warmth swept over…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Around the World, Your Stories
What often happens, I think, to people born into a unique community with specific lifestyle, is that we do not feel we have chosen the life for ourselves. I think we also see a lot of hypocrisy. What is wrong with my parents’ marriage if they meditate all the time and bow before the Guru?…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Around the World, Your Stories
My inner dialogue is conflicted. As a Sikh, I value the principles of a person over their religion, race, or creed. I try to live by principles over rules and value inner faith and goodness over outer physical identity. Why, then, should I be so concerned with the outer representation of the buildings that house…
Posted by Sikh Dharma International& filed under Music
The program allows you to listen to virtually any Gurbani kirtan that has EVER been recorded and its being updated daily. You can even make your own playlists!…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Around the World, Your Stories
Shabd celebrates the birthday of Kirshna: "I found myself in a minor inner dilemma: how do I interact with the shrines and idols that my fellow visitors each took the time to adore and meditate on? I do not value or worship those objects as divine or magical, but I do respect the place as…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Around the World, Community, Your Stories
To be honest, I was not at ease. I felt that everyone stared in Har Rai's direction and mine and that we were outsiders to the whole. Through the fray walked a tall Sikh in a pale blue kurta, black dastaar, and a wavy black beard....He was eight. I had a spiritual experience as I…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Around the World, Your Stories
It's amazing how so much time and effort lead up to a sweet simple moment where two people sit before their Guru, bow, and commit.…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Around the World, Your Stories
The day was warm, but not too hot. The sun shone clear over Amritsar and the minarets of the Akal Takht glinted over the walls of the Golden Temple complex walls. It was difficult to move. Walking was more like wading through a rushing sea of people; pilgrims come to celebrate the birth of Guru…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Around the World, Your Stories
But our mission that night was to see a more somber vision. The only twinkle in this sea was the blade of a spear catching light. A sea of blue appeared before the Akal Takhat. Heads bowed, listening to Rahiras Sahib, sat 500 weapon clad Nihang Singhs. Representing the various armies, they were present to…
Posted by Shabd Singh Khalsa& filed under Around the World, Your Stories
Silence overtook the crowd and through the aisle, toward the sanctum sanctorum of the temple came a small band of monks. In the center walked a glowing faced man. He smiled and waved at anyone who caught his eye. I watched from across the aisle as he noticed Hari Mitar Singh. His Holiness stopped and…
Posted by Sardarni Guru Amrit Kaur& filed under Our Authors
Gratitude opens the heart so we can bring clarity to our life's focus. Gratitude fills us with life to vibrate the Cosmos and opens doors for us to move forward. …
Posted by Kulwant Kaur Khalsa& filed under Community, Service/Seva, Sikhs Feed People, Your Stories
I sent out a notice inviting anyone interested to come to my house for dinner and a discussion about the possibility of forming a seva group to serve at the soup kitchen. My hope was that the lure of delicious food would maximize the turn out.…
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