We began January 2020 with the focus of sharing meditation and prayer techniques with the intention of bringing healing and balance to the environments of our Sacred Mother Earth.  We continued sharing 40 weeks of amazing teachings and practices centered around Honoring Mother Earth through our blog posts, Facebook group and email subscription series . You can check this series out here.

Mother Earth Warriors

Throughout 2020, we featured members of our community, who we identified as Mother Earth Warriors because of their efforts to make a positive impact on planet Earth.  Click here to find out more about them, the work they are doing and tips they shared for how we all can better serve Mother Earth.

Starting in March, with the requirements to travel less, socialize more distantly and stay at home orders due to COVID -19, SDI pivoted to our new reality.  Our LIVE classes and events helped to keep the Chardi Kala spirit alive and well during the global pandemic.   

Vaisakhi Celebration

With a Virtual Vaisakhi Kirtan Darbar

April 19,2020Vaisakhi 2020 was celebrated online with a Virtual Vaisakhi Kirtan Darbar.  It included a combination of live and pre-recorded kirtan programs.  Here is a video of the entire  2020 Virtual Vaisakhi Kirtan Darbar, which was streamed LIVE by the Sikh community of Southern California.

Earth Day Celebration

With a Global Week-Long Sadhana Honoring Mother Earth 

April 20-26, 2020

As part of our celebration of Earth Day, 2020 and as part of our 40 week Honoring Mother Earth series, we joined together to do a week long practice of reciting the Slok from Japji Sahib for 11 minutes each day.  The 11 minute recitations were recorded directly by musicians in their homes, specifically for this meditation practice.  Listen to the 11 minute Slok Recitations Here

Helped Sikhs Feed People

Over $10,000 of Grants Provided

This year, with the financial hardships produced by COVID 19, the work of feeding people was needed more than ever.  Through the support of your contributions, SDI was able to provide over $10,000 in Grants to Sikh Organizations Feeding People.    Click this link to find out more about these organizations and the inspiring work they are doing.

Compared Notes Across the Globe

How to Deal with COVID-19

In June, our Sikh Dharma Communities began meeting online regularly to compare notes on how we were dealing with the challenges brought by COVID, government restrictions and the concerns of protecting the Sadh Sangat while continuing to relate to Guru and the Gurdwara. Meetings continued through the year and included Sikh Dharma of Chile, Guru Ram Das Ashram in Millis, Raj Khalsa Gurdwara of VA, Guru Ram Das Ashram in Los Angeles, Hacienda de Guru Ram Das in New Mexico and Guru Ram Das Gurdwara in Eugene, OR.

Featured Aquarian Sevadars

Those Who Selflessly Serve their Communities

Throughout 2020, we featured members of our global Sangat, who we identified as “Aquarian Sevadars”, because of their selfless service to their communities. Read below to find out more about them and the work they are doing.  Click here for inspiration and to find out more about their efforts.

Inspired Talks about Diversity and the Environment

YouTube Interviews

Sikh Dharma International interviewed Krishna Kaur and Snatam Kaur on subjects such as Black Lives Matter, environmental issues and how meditation and Shabad Guru can help us navigate these turbulent times.  Click here to watch the interviews with Krishna Kaur.  Click here to watch the interviews with Snatam Kaur.

We are One Family Speaking Many Languages!

Our How to Video Series are Now Available with Subtitles in Four Languages!

Thanks to our awesome team of volunteers, we’re excited to announce that four of our “How to Videos” are now available with subtitles in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French!

How to Recite the Ardas

How to Take a Hukam

How to Prepare and Serve Gurprasad

How to Prepare Guru ka Langar

Our New and Improved JapJi App

Now Includes Full Functionality in Spanish

The Effect of Each Pauree of Japji Sahib

Now Available in Eight Languages

Now available in 8 languages, including Spanish, Punjabi, Chinese, French, German, Italian and Portuguese.  Click here to view in the different languages.

We are pleased to share some highlights from the Office of the Secretary of Religion for 2020.

Minister Enrichment

In April 2020, we launched a one-hour enrichment video entitled: Trauma-Informed Seva in Disaster and Crisis: A Training Module for Sikh Dharma Ministers.” The program, hosted and directed by SS Dr. Sat Kaur Khalsa, includes interviews and modeling on trauma-informed seva demonstrated by SS Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur Khalsa and SS Gurucharan Singh, Ph.D who are highly knowledgeable in this subject area.

A Resource for Grief Recovery

Dr. Sat Kaur and Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur wrote a paper entitled, “A Yogic Model of Grief Recovery as the Integration of Change.”  The goal of the handout is to guide individuals who are experiencing grief to recognize and assess where they are in the grieving process and to explore how grief can ultimately serve the process of transformation. The materials were very much appreciated by those who received them. You can view the grief recovery handout here.

New Ministers Take Virtual Vows

By Guru’s Grace, three individuals took their Sikh Dharma Minister vows during 2020. Due to the pandemic, these vows were performed “virtually” so that family and friends could safely participate as we maintained a cozy and sacred space for the ordination ceremony. The new Ministers ordained in 2020 were: SS Gururaj Singh (Brazil), SS Livtar Singh (Peru) and SS Charansev Kaur (Chile). Wahe Guru!

For more information about the Sikh Dharma International Ministry, please visit the SDI Ministry website

Dasvandh is the Sacred Practice of Giving One Tenth of One’s Earnings to Higher Cause

What is Dasvandh?

Dasvandh, which literally means “tenth part”, is the tithing practice of contributing a portion of your earnings in the name of your Guru or spiritual source.  The principle of Dasvandh is that if you give to the Infinite and Infinity, in turn, will give back to you. It is a spiritual practice through which you build trust in the ability of the Infinite to respond to the flow of love and energy that you give. This energy then expands ten-fold and flows back to you in abundance.  Sikhs began bringing offerings during the time of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of the Sikh Path. Guru Nanak promoted the concept and virtue of Dasvandh in his bani. He said,

ਘਾਲਿ ਖਾਇ ਕਿਛੁ ਹਥਹੁ ਦੇਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਹੁ ਪਛਾਣਹਿ ਸੇਇ ॥੧॥
ghaal khaa-ay kichh hathahu day-ay. naanak raahu pachhaaneh say-ay. (1)
One who works for what he eats and gives some of what he has – O Nanak, he knows the Path. (1)

Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru, started the formal tradition of a free kitchen and serving langar (blessed food) to everyone, as equals regardless of race, class, gender, faith and ethnicity. He called upon his Sikhs to bring a portion of their crops and earnings to share in the community kitchen.

During the time of the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan, the Sikh community fell upon difficult financial times. Sikh leaders became so concerned that they went to Guru Arjan for a solution. Guru Arjan knew the cosmic principle of Dasvandh would reverse the trend and multiply their prosperity. He instructed his beloved Sikhs, that the solution was for every person to donate one-tenth of their time and earnings to the infinite, therefore expanding their service and spiritual realm.

The Siri Singh Sahib promoted the power of tithing, by giving your Dasvandh, as a way to connect with your highest self. He said,

“Give to God what belongs to God. It is called Das-vandh: One-tenth of your time, income, thoughts, projection, communication, belongings and one-tenth of every act. Every act is blessed in which one-tenth belongs to God.” ~ Siri Singh Sahib – Yogi Bhajan

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