Guru Harkrishan as the Eighth Sikh Guru embodies the virtues of the Pranic Body. He became Guru at the age of five, and he died at the age of eight. This implies a connection between these two numbers. Number 5 is the Physical Body and represents the virtue of sacrifice, as it is through the body that we can turn our human experience into a temple, resounding with God’s name. When we transform the lead in us into gold (we sacrifice the gross for the subtle), the celestial melody of the Divine starts ringing within us.
This is exactly what Guru Arjan means in the following lines:
Even the mean, mean man, who sins again and again,
If he will chant the Name of the Lord,
Four corners of the world will bow down to him.”—Asa Fifth Guru
It does not matter who we are or were and what our actions have caused in the past. Once we tune our physical body to the sacred vibration of the Naam, a process of purification occurs by which we re-establish and re-identify our Self.
This purification relates to the domain of the Pranic Body. Once the prana flows freely and abundantly through the nadis it washes away all sickness and impurity, both physical and energetic. Chanting Gurbani Kirtan is the ultimate experience of this: through the Naam you transform darkness into light and that stimulates a healing flow of prana that gives you an experience of infinity. Ultimately, when that experience is perfected the “twist” in the eight untwists and that turns the eight into an O—which translates into an experience of pure Oneness or Yoga.
Guru Har Krishan’s Sacrifice
Guru Harkrishan was an example of this relationship between the Physical and Pranic Bodies: he made the ultimate sacrifice of his physical body in order for the ultimate purification (healing) to happen in his community that was afflicted by a disease.
This teaches us that when our sacrifice is unto infinity, it brings healing, not only for ourselves but for those who surround us too.
Personally, Guru Harkrishan’s example led me to begin contemplating this: “What am I a sacrifice to in this lifetime?” This is a profound meditation for me and I invite others to reflect upon it too.
I believe Guru Harkrishan can inspire us to go beyond what we think we can do for others.
Our community in Mexico is very large and there are wonderful activities already taking place: social langars, teaching yoga in prisons and the service our IKYTA team does for our communities are just a few examples of how, when we are touched by the grace and compassion of someone’s service to us, this awakens within us the power to sacrifice and serve for the healing of others.
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