2021 SDI Annual Report – Sikh Dharma International

Sat Nam!  Warm greetings and blessings to you from Sikh Dharma International.

The word Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit word shishya meaning ‘a learner’ or ‘a student’. As Sikhs we are all learning how to live to be in the flow of the love of life. As we pass each day with the blessings of God’s Name and the gift of the Gurus’ words we are gracefully carried along our way. The year 2021 marked another year of making history with the Guru as we came together in various ways, (mostly online still) to elevate our consciousness and uplift our souls through meditating upon, studying and practicing the Guru’s teachings. In this we are truly blessed.

Here are just some of the ways that we served and came together as a Sikh Dharma International community and relished the Guru’s teachings in our lives.

Connecting to the Guru

Joy of Gurmukhi Video Series

Joy of Gurmukhi is a series of teach-yourself-Gurmukhi videos, brought to you by the generous support of Sikh Dharma International donors, a dedicated team of Sevadars and a creative team of professionals.

Reading Gurmukhi allows us to connect to the words spoken directly by our beloved Sikh Gurus and Saints from other traditions (Shabad Guru), who were tuned in to the Divine. By reading and reciting Gurmukhi, and speaking the same words spoken by these Divine human beings when they were in an elevated consciousness, we have the opportunity to elevate ourselves as well. It is our prayer that this Joy of Gurmukhi Video Series will assist you to learn to read Gurmukhi, or improve your reading skills, so that you might have this experience.

Group Chanting and Recitation Events

Gathering in Love and Devotion to Recite Gurbani

In April, to celebrate Baisakhi, we hosted a 2.5-hour event of chanting Ajai Alai. That was very inspiring, but for our next events, we upped our game to 24 hours of continuous chanting!

In October, to celebrate his birthday, we chanted to Guru Ram Das continuously for twenty-four hours. Members of our Global Sangat took turns leading 30-minute of chanting either the Dhan Dhan Ram Das Gur Shabad or the Guru Guru Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru mantra. You can listen to portions of the live chanting here.

In November, to celebrate the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev ji, we recited Japji Sahib continuously for twenty-four hours. It was a heartfelt event, where people came together in their love and devotion of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Japji Sahib. For some of the recitation leaders, this was their first-time reciting Japji Sahib in front of other people. Wahe Guru!

Attendees and Chanting/Recitation Leaders for these events participated from Argentina, Canada, Central Africa, Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Taiwan, Togo, Turkey, UK, Uraguay and USA. For some, this was their first time reciting Japji Sahib in front of other people. Wahe Guru!

These events would not have been possible without the devotion and dedication of numerous Sevadars from our Worldwide Community. Thank you to all the Sevadars, chanting leaders and recitation leaders who participated and helped make this Global Sangat experience possible.

Our next 24-Hour Chanting Event, reciting the Shabad, Jai Tay Gang, in honor of the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, took place in January 2022

Global Virtual Sahej Paths

Vibrating the Naam across the Globe

During 2021, SDI hosted 5 virtual Sahej Paths, to give our Global Sangat the opportunity to connect to the Guru, the power of their prayer and reciting the Naad. For some of the participants, this was their first opportunity to participate in this Divine experience. Wahe Guru!

Supporting Your Spiritual Journey

As part of our 2021 Supporting Your Spiritual Journey Series, we shared Shabad Guru, meditations and teachings to support the Spiritual Journey of our Global Community, though all the stages and cycles of life. Feel free to view this content here:

: Overcoming Depression

: Death and Dying

: Love and Relationships

For some of these topics, either Sangat members generously offered to conduct workshops or we interviewed content experts to share their insights. Visit the SDI YouTube Channel to view the Supporting Your Spiritual Journey Playlist which includes interviews and workshop excerpts on the topics of Journey of the Soul, Love and Relationships, Conscious Pregnancy, Raising Dharmic Children, Wisdom for Teenagers, Overcoming Depression.

Dharmic Education Programs

Dharma Dive LIVE

During the first half of 2021, Pritpal Singh, SDI Director of Dharmic Education, continued hosting a series of LIVE online programs via the Sikh Dharma International Facebook page and the Sikh Dharma International YouTube channel.

In 2021, we added 6 more “Miracle Mantra Moment” programs, 2 more “Home Kirtan & Chat” programs, 4 more “Roots of Sikh Dharma” programs, 3 more “Learn-a-Shabad“ programs and 2 more “Dialogs in Dharma” programs.

1) Your Miracle Mantra Moment centered around live chanting and singing of the Dhan Dhan Ram Das Gur shabad, to bring its healing benefits and the special miracle that comes through invoking Guru Ram Das Ji in our lives. 2) HomeKirtan & Chat included kirtan and lively chats by and with leading kirtan musicians from our worldwide community. 3) The Roots of Sikh Dharma shared a portion of the rich history of the Gurus, their lives and various origins and elements of Sikh Dharma. 4) Learn–a-Shabad provided personal instruction on how to recite and play specific shabads. 5) Dialogues on Dharma included interviews and discussions among multiple-guest panel member, which provided dynamic and valuable conversations regarding key topics such as Depression in the time of COVID, Sikh Identity in the 21^st Century and The Transforming Power of Shabad Guru.

Check out our current archive library of these programs here:

SDI Academy Classes at the e-Summit Online Summer Solstice Event

SDI’s Dharmic Education Department continues to offer Sikh Dharma courses at each online 3HO Solstice eSummit through the SDI Academy. Topics include the Mul Mantra, Shabad Guru, grace, humility, sacrifice, Sunneeai (listening), inspirations from Sikh Dharma for Conscious Social Activism, Sukhmani Sahib to cultivate a blissful mind and more!

Community Events, Connections & Outreach

In April, SDI continued its support and participation in the Annual Los Angeles Baisakhi Program which, was conducted virtually again this year. The event, which has been coordinated by the Guru Ram Das Ashram community of L.A. along with the Sikh Community of Southern California has been going on for more than 30 years. This year’s Virtual Vaisakhi was a 4-hour kirtan program, including many ragi jathas. It was hosted live on SDI and Sikhnet’s YouTube channels and Facebook pages, and the full program was carried on cable Punjabi TV channels with viewership around the world. You may view this recording here.

Vaisakhi Celebration

With a Virtual Vaisakhi Kirtan Darbar

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.

2021 Parliament of the World’s Religions

The 8th Parliament of the World’s Religions (PoWR), hosted for the first time virtually, brought together people of faith from around the world in an instant. The virtual Parliament was safe way to gather the world’s global interfaith movement and celebrate the enduring spirit and work of religious and spiritual communities striving toward a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.

Sikh Dharma has been a supporter of PoWR since its reemergence in Chicago in 1993,100 years after the inaugural parliament. The 2021 PoWR and SDI organized a number of impactful panels that deeply explored the relationship between human rights and conscience.

SDI hosted two, two-part programs at the Virtual Parliament of World’s Religions October 17^th and 18^th.

The first of these programs consisted of two interfaith panels on the topic of “Addressing Challenges and Possibilities Within Religious Communities: When Religious Beliefs Conflict with Human Rights”. These two 45” sessions were moderated by Dr. Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa-Baker of Loyola Marymount University

A second two-part program entitled ““Freedom of Religion and Belief – Our most fundamental human right requiring defending and protecting, now more than ever.” The first of these two sessions was moderated by Dr Jagbir Jhutti-Johal BA (UCL), DPhil (Oxford) and the second session was moderated by S.S. Simran Singh Steulpenagel.

Both of these programs included prominent religious, governmental and social-activist world leaders specializing in human rights and both proved to be engaging, informative and inspirational.

SDI Marketplace

Providing Products to Support Your Spiritual Journey

You will find the 5Ks (Sikh articles of faith), in addition to Nitnems, Turbans, Chunis, Children’s books and other items to support your spiritual practice. We recently received a new shipment of our highly popular and beautiful Japji Cards for students and teachers and devotees to experience and enjoy. We also have some new items which we have never carried before. Visit our Marketplace today to see all the items available. Note: we have a special sale going on from December 15-24. Visit Our Marketplace Today and Browse Around!

Sikh Dharma Ministry Commemorates 50 Years

The Sikh Dharma Ministry was begun in 1971 with the ordination of the first Ministers in the Western Hemisphere. In 2021, we recognized the 50^th anniversary of the Sikh Dharma Ministry. This year, through our Sikh Dharma Ministry newsletter, a number of pioneering Ministers helped us to reflect on—and honor—our humble roots and to see how far we have come. They shared stories about the decades that shaped and formed us as a Ministry, starting with our roots in the 1970s through the formative decades that followed. Our last issue presents some of the voices of new Ministers as they reflect on what it means to be a Sikh Dharma Minister.

These articles are part of our story and can be found on our Sikh Dharma Ministry website at www.sdministry.org. We hope that all who read these articles will find them a source of understanding, hope, and inspiration.

Photo: First female Sikh Dharma Ministers ordained at Summer Solstice 1972.

Sikh Dharma Ministers Ordained in 2021

By Guru’s grace, six new Sikh Dharma Ministers took their vows during this year. Sikh Dharma International welcomes new Ministers SS Atma Chanan Kaur Khalsa (US/Argentina), SS Hari Bhajan Kaur Khalsa (Espanola), SS Rajveer Singh Khalsa (Malaysia), SS Kirpal Singh Khalsa (France), SS Har Tirath Kaur Khalsa (Argentina), and SS Sukhdev Kaur Khalsa (Estonia). Dr. Sat Kaur Khalsa, Secretary of Religion, officiated via Zoom and was virtually assisted by Executive Assistant SS Sarb Nam Kaur. These events were held in the presence of the Guru in private homes or small gurdwaras in a beautiful, blessed, sacred manner (as a response to the global pandemic). Family, friends, and witnesses attended the ordination ceremonies (both in-person and virtually), where there was much joy and elevation.

Global Leadership and Community Support

International Khalsa Council Meetings

The Spring and Fall 2021 meetings were once again held via Zoom and we were pleased to welcome many ministers and members from our communities around the world. The online format for the meetings enabled greater participation and inclusion from a broader cross-section of our global community.

The two-year theme of “Healing and Transformation through Compassion, Humility and Service” will continue into 2022. This is an opportunity to learn from the past and to build our future together based on our shared values and our mission of serving all of humanity.

The Sacred Practice of Dasvandh

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

What is Dasvandh?

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, 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)

LEARN MORE ABOUT DASVANDH

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On behalf of the entire SDI Board, Officers and Staff we wish everyone a most Happy, Blessed and Joyous coming New Year in 2022.

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh!