Neither tithing nor spiritual practice—not even one as mighty as Kundalini Yoga—prevents adversity. We signed up for adversity when we signed up for a human incarnation.
What spiritual practice does is give us the right mental attitude to handle adversity when it arises. What tithing does is ensure that we have what we need to meet the challenges.
My mother had open heart surgery just before Thanksgiving. As I was preparing to travel from Eugene Oregon to San Diego to tend to her after this operation, someone from the Dasvandh office called to thank me for my regular donations. When he asked if I had any questions, I asked if he would please pray for my mother. That put her in the Espanola Ardas, a blessing I hadn’t expected.
All my expenses were covered. So was my transportation. So was everything else. When I mislaid my spare turbans, one of my non-Sikh brothers came over and helped me stretch the one I had worn on the trip down after I washed it.
I’m a writer. That’s a time intensive occupation. I’d wanted to get in a writing retreat sometime, but hadn’t figured out how to do that, especially with my mother needing help. But she ended up in a skilled nursing facility instead of coming home, so I ended up having unexpected time to write. God and Guru provided the retreat for me. Not in a way I expected or wanted. But I was able to accept the gift due to spiritual practice and tithing.
No, my mother’s not home yet. And may never be. But spiritual practice and tithing have given me the strength and the courage to face her decline.
Spiritual practice and tithing have also given me the attitude to turn adversity into gratitude. For the ability to walk to the corner store. For the ability to stand in the kitchen prepping vegetables for steaming. For all the little things we take for granted that adverse health can take away.
Recently, our larger sangat has experienced a death. A young man alone in the mountains fell to his physical death. Adversity, yes. But isn’t it a miracle his body was found at all, given the terrain he was in? Isn’t it a miracle the goodness so many people exhibited to help find him? Isn’t it a miracle we have the technology to handle grief? Isn’t it a miracle we have sangat?
Isn’t it a miracle we can affirm what we can through our tears?

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