"They for whom praise and abuse are alike, for whom iron and gold are a like... Know that they are truly free". Guru Teghbahadur Ji 1621-1675
Take the good with the bad. If you do not get overly proud because of praise or overly unhappy from criticism, then you have understood how to manage the mind. This way, you will avoid anguish and continually feel solace.
As we remember the shaheeds of June 1984 and salute their sacrifices, we should ask ourselves have we truly valued and taken benefit from their shaheedi? How have we moved forward? Are we still ghulaam (slaves in India)? Gurbani says that when Gursikhs leave this world, their names are never forgotten. But WE have forgotten.
We've forgotten those who smiled when their end came, because they had sacrificed their all for what they loved most - their panth. It's time to wake up and recognise your responsibility. You sit in your house on your comfortable sofa, watching your TV, feeling happy, because you did your Nitnem (daily prayer) that morning. Ask yourself, what do you do for the panth (Gurus Family-All Gursikhs)?
IF your answer is NOTHING. Then recognise, Guru is calling for your shaheedi (martyrdom) too. We all need to give shaheedi. We don't have to honour this physically, mentally will do. We fail to do this mentally. We don't want to help anyone apart from our own. We have become very selfish in our thinking. HOW DO WE SACRIFICE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY?
Sacrifice your time to do much needed seva (selfless service). Get involved in local/national projects, Start up kids classes, Work with Gursikh groups to support our community and fight for our rights. Give up your money to support the panth. The panths future is in YOUR hands.
Or forget this message and carry on living your comfortable little lives and forget the panth. Who cares about the panth?
Can we really forget the sacrifice of our forefathers, who sacrificed their all so we could live in luxury today?
There is a time, when you need to become the light instead of looking for it!
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Says, "Those whose consciousness remains committed to His Service - blessed is their birth and their coming into the world."
As the Muslim world prepares for Ramadam, Dhan (blessed) hai Bhagat Kabeer Ji who said:
'Those who refuse to eat food are just practicing hypocrisy - Chode ann Kare pakhand..'
Bhagat Kabeer Ji talks about how people forsake the proper food (Naam) and instead think that by fasting they will receive Gods happiness, but instead lose any honour.
WHOLE SHABAD: Dhan is the Lord of the World. Dhan is the Divine Guru
Blessed is that food, by which the heart-lotus of the hungry blossoms forth.
Blessed are those Saints, who know this.
Meeting with them, one meets the Lord, the Sustainer of the World. ||1||
This food comes from the Primal Lord God.
One chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, only when he tastes this food. ||1||Pause||
Meditate on the food of Naam
Mixed with water, its taste becomes sublime
One who doesn't consume this food loses his honor in the three worlds. ||2||
One who refuses to eat food, is practicing hypocrisy.
She is neither a happy soul-bride, nor a widow.
Those who claim in this world that they live on milk alone,
secretly eat whole loads of food - get all other rass (tastes) ||3||
Without this food, time does not pass in peace.
Forsaking this food, one does not meet the Lord of the World.
Says Kabeer, this I know:
blessed is that food, which brings faith in the Lord and Master to the mind. ||4||8||11|| ANG (page) 873
Guru Sahib Ji, makes it clear in this shabad that there is only one real way in which God can be met and that is to meditate on Naam. All other ritualistic acts are condemned by Guru ji.
Guru ji says, it is very difficult to love and remember God when hungry. By committing these acts, we are in no way pleasing God.
God is pleased by loving, compassionate souls, those that help and guide others. God is looking for the one who stills his/her mind, controls their thoughts and sees God in all beings. This being will not judge anyone for their caste, colour, creed, gender etc.
The Name God is never separated from their lips, which in turn purifies their mind for them to become one with their souls and merge with the all loving Vaheguroo.
If our eyes only saw souls instead of bodies, our ideal and conception of beauty would be extremely different! This is only purchased through Naam meditation. There is no other way one receives the gift of these soul searching, beautiful eyes.
Approximately 15 years ago, the Gurdwara elections were taking place in Delhi. There was a Gursikh with a strong jeevan (spiritual practice), who was asked to participate and become part of the commitee but he refused. When questioned why, he said "I've been doing Sangat with Bhai Jasbir Singh Khannevale and he said, as long as you do Sangat (congregate) with me, you're not allowed in any Gurdwara committees, MLA (local government) etc. He was surprised and asked, 'why not'? Bhai Jasbir Singh said, focus on building your jeevan, do simran (meditate) and read bani (Gurus word). That stuff will take over your life and ruin your kamaaee (profit). Just concentrate on becoming a disciplined, strong, loving, virtuous Gursikh and stay away from such things. Although this may seem harsh, there must be a very deep reason for a Gurmukh (spiritual Sikh) to say this.
Some Gurdwaray are doing good things, but if we are taking this responsibility it is important that we don't let these things impact our Sikhi negatively. Similarly taking too much responsibility at work, or outside work can also lead to slip ups in jeevan., causing stress, depression and many other illnesses.
It is great for the youth to take an active role in running the Gurdwaray but one needs to be aware, it doesn't take over their life and doesn't affect their character of mostly remaining loving and humble.
Another view point is that, it's very important youth do get involved in the running of the Gurdwaray, as they can relate and guide british youth coming in to Sikhi in today's day and age.
Some Gursikhs say, it's best to focus on your spiritual life first and become quite balanced in it and then, when one comes to take on such responsibilities, the fruit and success is ten fold more.
There should only be one purpose in a Gursikhs life and that is to merge with God and guide others to do the same. One has to find the greatest form of service in which they can do this. Guru ji knows us well. They know what we want out of life and they will bless us with all our minds desires.
Our minds desires should always be Gurmat (Sikhi) based! All our answers come to us when our mind is still not busy. This is when Guru Ji plants the seed of virtuous thought and action through Naam Meditation.
Guru Ramdas a Ji Says, "Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of that GurSikh, who himself chants the Naam, and inspires others to chant it."
I was talking to a Gursikh about youth today and he mentioned, how they all want to see miracles and get frustrated when they don't see them. They want a temporary spiritual experience. This reminded me of the Moghuls and how, when they captured the Gurus they always asked them to show some life changing miracle to prove their powers.
How would Our Guru respond, if we asked them to show us a miracle? They would look at us, their Gursikhs, and say, 'you, the Khalsa (pure minded ones), are my biggest and only miracle'.
The biggest miracles are amongst us. How many of us have come from Mammukh (following our mind) shrabee (consuming intoxicants), druggy lives to now lead a life of Gursikhi, becoming a virtuous human, waking up at Amritvela (2am), reading Bani (Gurus word), doing Seva (selfless service), living in discipline. All this for someone we have never physically met, because that's what the game involves and we have faith our Guru loves us and will always protect us and remain by our side (our only true support, which will never be diminished).
The miracle has not come from what we have seen with these eyes, but what we have experienced in our soul on a day to day basis. Through, Guru, Naam meditation, Sangat (congregation) we have experienced a sense of living, a true fulfilment, a balanced life style and most of all, we wake up in peace and remain in peace throughout our busy lifestyle. To have contentment, love, happiness and peace in this dark world is a miracle on it's own.
We are still attached to these gyaan indreeaa (sensory organs), looking for miracles but they will be destroyed with our body and our account will have to be settled by the sou only. Guru sahib never wanted us to look for miracles, instead look at ourselves, as we were the most beautiful miracle our compassionate Guru ever created.
Look for blessings and love from the Guru and Guru Sahib ji will bless you with all the miracles your mind desires!
"Open the eyes of the mind and realise your true worth!"
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Says, "The Gurmukhs purchase the Genuine Article. The True Merchandise is purchased with the True Capital. Those who purchase this True Merchandise through the Perfect Guru are blessed. O Nanak, one who stocks this True Merchandise shall recognize and realize the Genuine Article."
Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Divaan (discourse) was taking place. Guru sahib did a benti (request) to Bhai Daya Singh, to take the chaur sahib away from the Singh doing the seva (service of Guru Ji).
The singh was really upset, that Guru sahib had taken this seva away. He asked Guru Ji, 'Why did you take the seva away from me? I'm heart broken.' Guru sahib sadly uttered, 'you've broken my heart by taking away, that what I blessed you with.' That morning, the Singh had seen a grey hair in his beard and plucked it out, because he didn't want others to see it.
What we need to think about is, If Guru sahib loves one hair that much, imagine how he must feel, when we take Amrit and still do Kes (hair) beadbi (violation) of eye brows, other facial hair dying hair etc.
Many Sikhs have sacrificed their lives to keep the morr (stamp) of Guru Ji's Sikhi intact. Guru ji sacrificed their whole family. Gursikhs like Bhai Taru Singh had their scalps removed but did not let anyone lay a finger on their hair.
The hair is a very important and powerful part of the Sikh's lifestyle. The hair generates positive energy, when the Sikh meditates to become one with God. This energy develops the Sikh in to always becoming a loving, kind, compassionate, tolerant and extremely virtuous human being. A Sikh's hair is tied up in a knot at the top of the head, where the spiritual opening is. This is to protect the tenth and most important opening on a humans body.
Unfortunately, we all call ourselves Sikhs, but don't have the stamp of our Guru to prove we are Sikhs and sadly we get mistaken for being Hindus or Muslims. After speaking to many practicing Sikhs, this was one of the main reason most had kept their hair; To serve and honour the sacrifice made by Guru ji, to protect the spiritual opening, to develop further in their spiritual journey and most of all to look like the beloved, honourable, loving and respectable Sikh, Guru Ji had prominently created.
Let's all honour our loving fathers morr (stamp) by doing as they requested! Let's not be the ones to let them down!
Guru Amardas Ji Says, "This natural body is the Temple of the Lord, in which the jewel of spiritual wisdom is revealed."
When a beautiful rose is picked from it's plant and thrown on the floor, this is the time it looses it's beauty, fragrance and respect. It is kicked and dirtied by many. In the same way, when the sikh stops following the commands of his Guru, one loses all their fragrance, energy, respect, honour and beauty. Their fragrance is only adorned by others, when following the Gurus way, keeping a discipline/identity, meditating on Gods name and living the life of a virtuous human being.
A Sikh that meditates on Gods name, goes on spreading the beautiful fragrance of the Guru wherever they go. Their energy becomes very positive and radiant and attracts many towards them. When meditation becomes a part of this individuals body and soul, attraction towards them becomes effortless.
It is very difficult to maintain a loving positive energy in this world. There are many situations in which we are easily affected and our energy levels end up decreasing. When this occurs, we become very selfish and consider nobody apart from ourselves. This only happens, as our egos won't let us serve others, because our energy levels are too low to even consider others without a reward. Very few people see the love of God in all, most are only attracted to their loved and attached ones. Our worldly eyes can't manage to see past this delusion.
It's only continuous meditation on Naam and the positive life changing teachings of Guru Ji, in which will continuously guide us through with unparalleled energy to serve all of humanity (Gods creation). This is when our worldly eyes are filled with the love of God and we recognise the light of Vaheguroo (God) within all.
Become that beautiful, fragrant Sikh of the True Guru and teach the world by becoming a living example!
Guru Amardas Ji Says, "This world is a garden, and my Lord God is the Gardener. He always takes care of it-nothing is exempt from His Care. As is the fragrance which He bestows, so is the fragrant flower known."
A Gursikh described the fictitious conversation between Guru Nanak patshah and Kaljug (the dark age). Guru Ji asked Kaljug, "What is your most powerful weapon?" Guru sahib said, "Is it Lust, Anger, ego??" Kaljug replied, "The most powerful weapon I have, is Aalas - laziness. It stops a person from waking up in the morning to meditate (simran), it stops them doing paath (reading the prayers, which revert iron in to gold) or learning about Sikhi, it stops the person wanting to do seva (serve others). It turns them into someone who gets bored with sikhi and just wants to please their mind at all times, through food, TV programmes, social media, always wanting to go out and chilling out all the time with friends, intoxicants etc. Their laziness causes them to fall further and further away from the Sikhi path and their link with Guru becomes weaker and weaker, while their link with the world becomes stronger and stronger."
An idle mind is the devils workshop.
If we want to earn a profit in Sikhi and conquer this mind, we first need to recognise how it controls us through vices like laziness. When we meditate and become closer to our innerself and develop a relaxed mind, the mind becomes easier to understand in how it tries to fail us and make us become more negative than positive.
We need to recognise the game of the mind, realign it back through naam meditation so it finds it's true origin of being linked to it's root, which is the one light of God (vaheguroo) itself.
Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "Bhoole Mann samje gur shabdee -" The wavering mind is given understanding and realigned by the shabad.
Imagine if you saw a pile of excrement, bones and blood, which were wrapped up in layers of skin. How would you feel when seeing it?
Would you like it? Would you want to keep it? Would you be proud if you owned it?
That's what this body is!!
The Shabad (hymn) below goes in to great detail, about exactly what this body is. The shabad says, 'we have come here as guests but yet we think we are here to stay. We are very proud of this body and allow it to be controlled by the vices of lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego.
Guru sahib ji says, when this body perishes, no family member will be allowed to even give it a tiny space in the bathroom. The body will have to leave, and loved ones will be scared, crying out, Ghost! Ghost!'
The puppet of this body has been fashioned with great skill and brilliance. It only really serves one purpose and that is to purify this filthy mind, through Naam meditation and cut it's journey from the 8.4 million life forms to liberate the soul.
Guru Ji Says, 'I can not live without my beloved Vaheguroo for an instant. Please don't separate me from him. He is my only support. I will die, just as the fish dies without water. Such is my state.'
Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, 'you are just excrement, bones and blood, wrapped up in skin. This is what you are taking such pride in! If you could understand even one thing, then you would be pure. Without understanding, you shall be forever impure. Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru; through Him, I obtain the Lord, the All-knowing Primal Being.'
The goal of any meditation technique is to bring us closer to the heart of God, where we can listen to the intimations of the Blessed One and maintain that sweet communion and contact. Meditation can raise our consciousness above the physical senses into the higher senses.
Although meditation is experiential, ultimately we must come to the point of not seeking for anything but simply being. “Being” requires a sensitivity that is born of purity of heart, mind and soul. We must first purify ourselves through an emptying process—the emptying all desire. When one is free of desire, then one can contain God-desire, which is simply to be light and love.
How Do I Meditate? To enjoy the benefits of meditation, the process includes the ability to get beyond our thoughts. So meditation is as much the observation of the distractible outer mind, as it is resting our attention on the object of our meditation. This process should never become a struggle. We observe our thoughts and redirect our focus gently. There should be no sense of self-condemnation or disappointment, when our minds do not cooperate with the process. This is normal.
What this process looks like is the gentle but persistent return of the attention to the object of contemplation, repeatedly. Over time, there will be a stilling of the myriad thoughts that dance and play in our heads. Over time, we will feel the results. Some schools of meditation urge that the practitioner contemplate nothing, or emptiness. Others urge the contemplation of something such as a virtue, a color, one’s breathing, a sound, a feeling or a form. Sikhs believe the meditation on the Gurmantar 'Vaheguroo' will purify any soul.
It can seem daunting at first, but the benefits of meditation are well worth the effort. If we set aside some time early in the morning each day or whenever we are able to practice this art, results in a matter of weeks or perhaps a few months may be felt, depending upon our level of effort. It’s better to practice for even a short time every day than to attempt to practice for long periods less frequently.
Meditation as a Creative Process True meditation is not simply the sublimation of all external senses to allow God to speak to us and inspire us but it is a co-creative process in that we enter into the eternal mind and heart of God by observing light, love and purity in all. This is applying the alchemical tool of holding the immaculate concept for every person, situation, project and desire. Each of us must conceive immaculately the universe that we desire to be outpictured in our lives, and then it may be so.
We are always conceiving something. Isn’t it better if our conceptions or creations are immaculate, joyous and lovely? Isn’t it time that our perceptions are no longer clouded by doubts of the future, fears of what may be coming upon earth, entering into a death spiral through the giving away of our internal God-power through these fears and doubts? If we are to create a golden age, isn’t it time that our perceptions become immaculate conceptions of all—ourselves, our families, children and communities? Surely this would be one of the greatest benefits of our meditation practice. We must see God in all.
The Benefits of Meditation The benefits of meditation occur on many levels: spiritual, mental and physical. As noted above, meditation can bring us closer to God or our own Higher Self. Meditation has also been shown to have many benefits for improved mental and physical health. It helps to increase our ability to concentrate, it accelerates learning and improves athletic performance. Meditation also reduces anxiety and builds self-confidence.
In the physical body, meditation has the following benefits:
· Lowering of oxygen consumption · Decreasing of respiratory rate · Increasing of blood flow · Slowing of heart rate · Lowering of high blood pressure · Decreasing of muscular tension and headaches · Enhancing of the immune system · Accelerating of post-operative healing
Heartstreaming as a Form of Meditation
Some spiritual masters have recently coined a new word for meditation and every type of communion that flows between heaven and earth. They call it “heartstreaming.” This is the essence of our spiritual work within The Hearts Center. Whatever we do, our hearts are open and streaming forth the essence of the divine. Heartstreaming is by nature a heart activity. We know that the heart is intelligent—much more so than the brain. The energy activity of the heart extends far beyond our own body, especially when we are engaged in the holy, inner work.
Heartstreaming is the meditation of extending love and compassion from our hearts, as we engage in contemplation. In its more comprehensive meaning, heartstreaming can occur during vocal prayer, invocation and decrees, the singing of hymns (Gurbanee) of praise and joy. As we define it in terms of meditative practice, heartstreaming is the science of making our connection to God through going within and attuning to the frequencies of the Spirit.
Heartstreaming is putting our attention on our heart connection to God. This focused attention creates a stream of contact with the divine, giving clarity of mind and heart, peace and balance. In this space we find ourselves capable of understanding our purpose and mission in this lifetime. Heartstreaming is a devotional act whose goal is to sweep us up to live in the glory of the presence of God while we yet have our feet planted on earth!
Whether our goals are spiritual, mental, physical or all of the above, practicing meditation can help us reap multiple benefits to enhance every area of our lives!
1. “Siddhis” is a Sanskrit word derived from “Siddhartha,” the given name of the great Buddha, Gautama, enlightened teacher. “Siddhis” are spiritual powers, a supernormal state of being. These powers can arise naturally as the mind empties, opens and becomes clearer, according to Eastern spirituality. Some siddhis are clairvoyance, clairaudience, telepathy, psychometry, levitation, premonition, healing, discernment and bilocation. In the West these higher senses are referred to as the gifts of the Spirit and become active in devotees of God who minister selflessly in service to others and daily surrender to the will of God. Extra sensory perception, ESP, is a modern-day term for “siddhi.”
2. Alchemical (paraskalla): transformational in a way that is unexplainable in human terms; in its original use, it describes the transmutation of baser metals into gold or silver. In its current mystical context, it describes spiritual transformation. According to the teachings of Gurbanee, it is descriptive of the process through which the base nature of the lesser self is transformed into the permanent values of the Higher Self.
3. Immaculate concept: the idea, held in one’s heart and mind, that all people, situations, events are already perfect. The immaculate concept is what God holds for each individual soul, that has been created. When we hold the immaculate concept we are not giving strength to the negative aspects of a certain person or situation. We are engaging in the science of alchemy in that our thoughts create our reality.
4. Golden/Truth Age (Satjug) : It is a time of wholeness, peace and harmony upon Earth, when a majority of mankind live together in brotherly love and unity and in service to God and man. Educational, religious, scientific and governmental institutions elevate and serve its citizenry. Music and the arts rise to new heights of sublime beauty and perfection. Nature is unmarred by any form of blight, environmental pollution or violent weather condition. Climates are consistently moderate with the precise precipitation needed to grow delectable fruit, grain, vegetable and lush flora and healing herbs. There is a lessening of disease and lifespans are increased. Pure solar power and the use of spiritual science techniques have advanced technology at every level. And nature spirits, angels and ascended beings walk and talk with us daily in full view. Sachkhand (Gate if Truth) in great measure is integrated with Earth in this Golden Age of Aquarius.
5. Gurbanee is full of poetic prayers, that affirm the work of God in us and invoke more of God as light energy into our beings. Their rhyming pattern facilitates memorization and repetition. And repetition intensifies this light energy within our chakras producing positive change in us and in the world. Gurbanee is much like the mantras of the East, and their action of light can be more intense than the light which is released through prayer or meditation depending on the focus, attainment and momentum of the individual offering the prayer and meditation.
Those who are blessed with Naam meditation, will carry all their friends, relatives and family across this terrifying world ocean.
Guru Amardas Ji Says, "O Nanak, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, no one is liberated."
Helping other people on their spiritual journey is one of the most prominent qualities of an enlightened person. When you begin to see your interconnectedness with the rest of humanity, you will see the suffering in other people, and your compassion for them will naturally grow. One of the ways we can help others is by starting a meditation group (sangat).
A Meditation Group Can Transform Lives
While many of us enjoy meditating alone, meditating with others can enhance our spiritual growth significantly. In addition to helping people learn how to meditate, a meditation group can bring a tremendous amount of healing to everyone who attends. This can help someone who’s having difficulty overcoming the wounds from the past. There are various other ways a meditation group can be of benefit to its attendees:
Spiritual support: There is a synergy that takes place when people meditate together. The healing power that is cultivated in a group meditation session is usually greater than when meditating alone. If you open your heart to others in the group, the energy of mindfulness will flow freely for everyone to enjoy.
Help you stay committed to your meditation practice: Many of us have difficulty staying committed to our meditation practice. If we have a commitment to a meditation group, we will be more likely to stay committed to our own practice.
Help us overcome our egos: Some of us have difficulty seeing the world beyond our personal concerns. This self-centeredness is the never-ending source of our suffering, because the world will never fully comply with our wishes. Getting involved with helping others will help shift our frame of reference, and help us see how others suffer just as much as we do, if not more.
Learn from each other: Teaching, experiencing and guiding others on how to meditate, has taught us more than listening to others talk about meditation. It has forced us to fully examine what We experience, and to communicate that experience in a coherent manner.
Camaraderie: Over time, You develop some wonderful friendships with other attendees of the meditation group. A unique bond is formed when we travel together on the path to inner peace, because we are all searching for freedom from our own suffering.
Avoiding Some of the Pitfalls
While starting a meditation group is easy, keeping it growing and thriving can be more of a challenge. There are a couple of pitfalls that some groups fall into. One is losing its focus, and the other is exclusivity.
Most groups start out with good intentions. But if they don’t stay focused and committed to their original mission, then they lose their effectiveness. One of the reasons this happens is, because there is no commitment to a specific form of meditation. Trying a different form of meditation each week is like trying a different musical instrument each week. You’ll never learn to play music that way, so why would you expect to learn how to meditate using that approach? We have one Gurmantra, which we have to master and make a part of our mind, body and soul.
What We generally suggest is that you commit to one form of meditation. Otherwise, attendees will meditate in their own ways, which creates less of a connection and less positive energy is created. The other thing We recommend is reading Gurbaanee (Gurus word), through the meditation to uplift the spirits of the attendees and make them feel the importance of Naam Meditation.
Exclusivity is another issue to be aware of. Sometimes a group develops a few core members who become very comfortable with each other. In fact, they become so comfortable that they don’t want strangers upsetting their cozy meeting, so they become reluctant to let in others.
Remember that the enlightened person wants to help others achieve freedom from suffering, regardless of whether they are friends or strangers. Adding to the sangat should be an ongoing activity. Otherwise, the group will diminish, because even the core will eventually move on to other things, as their personal circumstances change.
Starting a meditation group can be a rewarding experience for everyone involved. It can provide members with the spiritual nourishment vital to their development. Those who do not meditate with others regularly, in addition to meditating on their own, will find it difficult to make steady progress.
Find the correct Sangat and continue your spiritual journey, through Naam Meditation! It's the only way the soul will be discovered and liberated!
Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "liberation is attained in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and the darkness of ignorance is dispelled."
Understanding the ego can be a little tricky, so lets try to explain it simply! Your ego is your self-image, and it allows you to be aware of yourself as a person separate from everyone else. It is the “you” that most people typically relate to. It is not your soul, or your higher self, but rather the mask your higher self wears in this physical reality to identify itself as an individual. The ego is a mask over the all-loving higher self, it can block out a lot of our inner love and kindness when it’s relied upon too heavily. While egos do serve an important service to us, an out of control ego can cause us to take actions that are unloving and unkind.
Being aware that the ego is not a true representation of your soul can help you let go of it a bit, and not feel the need to rely on it so much. If you can let go of your ego a little bit, it will be easier to follow the intuition and guidance from your higher self, and this will help you make more decisions based on love and compassion rather than separation and disconnectedness.
Here are a few signs of an out of control ego. Please realise, we all do these things from time to time, and that’s ok. However, it’s a good idea to be aware of these signs, so that when we see them we can recognize that we are letting our egos get away from us. With awareness an out of control ego, can choose to drop the mask when it isn’t serving us. We can remember that the separation is just an illusion, and that we’re really all in this together.
An Out of Control Ego Will:
Complain frequently, Argue and fight with others, Be defensive whenever criticised, Be self-critical, and speak badly about itself, Have a hard time apologising, Be very impatient, Be judgmental of others, When we see these behaviors in ourselves, it is a sign that we are working with an out of control ego and we are disconnected from our higher selves. Each of these actions occurs, because the ego deeply believes that it is separate from everything else in the universe.
Because the ego believes it is separate from everything else, it often feels the need to justify its importance to itself and “others.” The ego is secretly afraid, that what makes it different from everyone else might indeed make it “wrong.” This is why an out of control ego can be aggressive and hostile-it wants to prove that it is valid and “right.”
The higher self will not feel the need to defend or justify itself. It focuses on the interconnectedness between all of us, rather than the separation that appears to be “real” in this physical reality. As a result, a person who is highly connected will make choices based on compassion, patience and love, because it realises that we are all one. It knows that to help another is simply to help oneself.
For those looking to have a healthier relationship with their egos, daily meditation on Naam is a great treatment. During meditation, one becomes aligned with their higher self, and can start to observe the ego’s thoughts from the higher perspective.
Meditation is all about quietening outside thoughts to connect more deeply with the oneness. When one becomes skilled in meditation, it becomes easier to see the ego, as a mask over the true self. In time, much of the destructive chatter from the ego will lift and the individual will be able to easily identify, when he or she is making ego-based choices.
To be clear, the ego is not a “bad” thing. In order to experience ourselves as individuals, we must have egos that can perceive the separation between us. However, it is our interconnectedness that brings love, happiness and prosperity, so it’s important that we maintain a strong connection with our higher selves.
The point is not try to get rid of the ego or to punish it, but simply to give the ego less responsibility and to be aware of it's danger. To allow the ego to do its job of perceiving the world, but release it from the responsibility of making decisions on how we should think and act. By handing over the responsibility of the decision-making to the higher self, we make higher vibrational decisions that lead to more happiness, healthiness, love and prosperity.
So, with Naam meditation we can connect back to the “oneness” and our inner guidance. Then, we can begin to make choices and decisions based on the idea that we are all in this together. We can see others as extensions of ourselves and treat others as we would want to be treated. This is how we tame an out of control ego, and let the higher self shine through the mask.
Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "Serve the True Guru, and meditate on the Naam; renounce the egotistical pride from your mind."
If you found out there was a package waiting for you at your local train station. It had £200,000 in it for you, but part of the deal was, you had to be there washed and ready promptlyat 2am to receive it. How many of us would be there?
If you say yes to the above analogy and you struggle to wake up at Amritvela (early morning meditation), that means we have more love for money than Guru Ji and Naam.
Our mind is very weak. It tends to sell it's self to the minds desires. It's the desires of the mind which will halt our progression towards achieving our goal towards liberation and becoming humble, loving, virtuous human beings.
A boy says to a man, he wants happiness. The man replies, "remove 'I,' that is your ego. Remove 'want,' that is your desire. Then only happiness remains.
'I' is only killed through conquering the minds thoughts and desires through naam meditation.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Says, "They act out their minds desires, but they do not understand the Lord, and so they are ruined."
A Gursikh looks forward to Amritvela (2am meditation), like a child on the night before their birthday, in immense excitement for the different gifts they are going to receive.
A missed Amritvela, is like going to sleep the night before your birthday, with the excitement inside, and when you awaken, you realise you slept through the whole day and missed all the presents from family and friends, who were supposed to come and better your special day and party.
A missed Amritvela should bring a feeling of deep sadness, emptiness and regret. An Amritvela is the foundation of a Sikh's life. It's this that triggers the Sikh in to remembering Vaheguroo throughout the day with every loving breath and becoming the virtuous, positive, balanced, energetic being that everyone needs in their lives.
Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "She remains a sleep and does not know the news of God. The day dawns and then she regrets. You yearn to meet with God so why do you delay."
The BBC recently reported, that Sikhs were the most charitable out of all UK ethnic communities. Where has this come from?
Guru Sahib teaches us that we are all the children of God (sabhe sanjheebaal) and when one of our family members is struggling in life, it is our responsibility to help and support them. This could involve giving advice, guidance, financial support or even aid. Vaheguroo created the creation and immersed themselves within in. All the species (visible and non visible) contain Vaheguroo and there is no place where Vaheguroo does not exist. The Sikh is urged to celebrate the creation and also maintain it, this is why charity forms a very important part of a Gursikhi life.
Guru Ji says, that those who work hard and earn an honest living, from these honest earnings, they should eat food and also share food and other offerings within the wider community. 'All' Baptised Sikhs are asked to donate a tenth of their honest earnings to charity. In this way the compassionate nature of every human has been formalised within a religious/spiritual obligation. Guru sahib resents the idea that we should only help Sikhs. Guru Nanak Dev Ji says, that we should help the most needy, regardless of their religious identity, caste, colour or creed and then that Gursikh will go on to gain the true blessings of Vaheguroo.
The things that are usually most attractive about people, are never really physical. This is why those with the spiritual love of compassion, blossom in the midst of the world and the lap of Vaheguroo.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji says, "Worship the True Lord, and believe in the True Guru; this brings the merit of making donations to charity, kindness and compassion."
With Guru Sahibs and the Sangats (congregations) Blessings, this is our 200th post. May Guru Sahib keep taking their Seva (service) in high spirits.
A Gursikh was watching pieces of coal, burning together in a fire. He noticed that they were shining and glowing bright red. One piece of coal became disturbed and fell out of the fire place. After a short time, it turned black. The gursikh thought, how can I clean this piece of coal so it's not black anymore? He tried to wash it with water and yoghurt but it had no affect, it remained black. He then thought, why don't I put it back with the other pieces of coal and it will shine brightly again. As he threw it back in the fire, after a few minutes it began to shine brightly again. The gursikh thought deeply about this and realised, when the coal pieces (people) are connected to the fire (Naam), they will shine and glow brightly but when they become separated from the fire (Naam), their blackness cannot be cleansed in water and yoghurt, (going to pilgrimage, following false saints, living without the Gurus teachings, meditation and any other methods). We must join back with the glowing coal pieces, (Sangat/like minded people) to experience that bliss.
Sangat is the boat in which we will be carried across!
Bhai Gurdaas Ji Says, "Gurmukhs (those facing the Guru's teachings) in the form of boatmen, make people board the ship of the Holy Congregation and take them across the impassable world-ocean."
There is a beautiful sakhi, story about Baba Ishar Singh Ji, which I read on the Internet. Baba Ishar Singh Ji was a very spiritually enlightened Gursikh of the twentieth century. Baba Ishar Singh Ji would go traveling. In particular he would like traveling to graveyards, because they are very quiet places and reminds one of death, which in away puts a perspective on our life and makes us realise reality of life that maya, our worldly possessions will not accompany us when we die.
On one of his travels, Baba Ishar Singh Ji came across a village graveyard (belonging to Muslims). Usually graveyards are somber and a bit dull because it is overshadowed with death and sadness. However this particular graveyard was different. The graveyard was well kept and looked more like a garden of life, rather than a cradle of death. It had shady trees and beautiful flowers.
It was mid-morning, Baba Ishar Singh Ji started looking closely at the tombstones and the graves. Each stone stated the person's name, the year of birth and instead of when they died, it said how many years they had lived. He was astonished to find, that most of the people buried in the graveyard had only lived just under twenty or so years. No stone could be found, which displayed more than thirty years of life. There were some gravestones, which displayed zero years of life lived.
Baba Ishar Singh Ji was curious, he thought he would explore this village. He thought, the village must be full of all old people and that the children must have either died of disease, or mass killing. However, the village had young people, old people and people of different ages. The villagers looked like very respectable and friendly people and carried a heavenly glow on their faces.
Baba Ishar Singh Ji approached some men. He lovingly asked, "Respected gentlemen, I have seen many places and many people but even at the most holiest of these places, I could not find the life and love that pervades this place. Perhaps I am in a dream." They all smiled. Baba Ji then continued, "I would very much like it, if you would kindly explain this rather strange place. I was also very intrigued by the graveyard at the entrance of the village. Is it where you bury your young ones?"
After a short pause, the most elderly man spoke: "Traveler, you look like a man who would benefit much from the story I am going to tell you. Listen carefully and it will change your life." All the men present, sat attentively. All the villagers within earshot, came and sat to hear the old man speak. He began, "My grandfather was the Kazi (holy Muslim man) of this village. Each morning, well before sunrise, he would call out to the people and to the heavens with his namaaz (Muslim call to prayer). One such morning he was in the midst of his prayer, when he heard music from the outskirts of the village. He was a devout Muslim and was quite horrified to hear music at such a holy hour. He immediately sent some of his followers to put an end to this paganism. But to his surprise, none of them came back. The music meanwhile continued. After a long wait, he himself decided to put an end to this unholy activity. So quite angrily, he strode towards the music. The closer he got, the more he realized that it wasn't his anger that was responsible for his hurried strides, rather it was the exquisite beauty in the music.
Finally, when he got close enough to see the music makers, not only did his body lose the ability to move, his mind too stopped the madman's dance, it had been doing since his birth. He literally stood rooted to a spot for the duration of the recital. The music cast a spell over him. He travelled inwards to subtle places he had read about only in the scriptures. He would often look back at that moment and dreamily acclaimed, "I drank life to the fullest during those hours".
There was a long pause, during which the storyteller and the story listeners let the stillness of the story enter the depths of their beings. The elderly man continued: "The music makers were the Great Guru Nanak Ji and his companion Mardana Ji. I am sure you have heard of him." I meekly nodded and mumbled, "I have, but haven't had the grace of meeting any of his followers".
"That is perhaps why my friend, you are here," the man prophetically said. "At the end of the recital, my grandfather and all the others present, simply surrendered themselves to the Guru. This was largely just a symbolic act, because the moment each of them had seen the Guru, they had lost themselves to him. Guru Nanak Ji graced this village for three days and three nights. My grandfather named those days the "days of stillness," because he said, it was during those days that he and others learnt about the One, which can only be found within the stillness of the mind. We observe those days like others observe their birthdays.
Indeed those days were the birthday of the village's inner life." He chuckled, "If you are impressed with the village now, you should see the love of the villagers in those fine days." "But, as is the nature of the human mind," the elder soberly continued. "It wasn't long after Guru Nanak Ji's departure, that the village started returning to its normal numb and dark existence. This greatly troubled my grandfather and others like him, who had become Guru Nanak's and Guru Nanak's only. They tried very hard, through teaching and preaching, to keep the message of the Guru alive. Finally, after all normal means failed, they came up with the following village tradition, "Each villager keeps a diary."
It is mandatory that each night before sleep, each person makes an entry in the diary. Even children and people who cannot read or write have to get this entry made. The entry is simply the amount of time during the day, that was spent in Simran (remembrance of the Lord) or in Seva (selfless service). At the end of the person's life, the entries are accumulated and that my dear traveler, is the 'years of life' entry you see on the tombstones."
The storyteller paused, to let the magnitude of what he had told Baba Ishar Singh Ji sink into him. He continued, "It is perhaps that, which allows us to be free with our love. We are reminded each and every day what real life is. The time spent in Simran or Seva, is the only life we consider, as being worthy of being called life."
Let us ask the question how much Simran of Vaheguroo do we do? How much Seva do we do? Do we remember the One who created us, provided us with the Sun, we use to grow our food, the Air we use to breathe and a blessed life?
Guru Nanak Ji offered a simple formula for peace and happiness: Naam Japna (remembering the Dear Lord), Kirat Karni (living and earning an honest living) and Vand Shakna (sharing with others, whether that is your time, love, money or food).
ਜੀਵਨੋ ਮੈ ਜੀਵਨੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਭਾਏ ਰਾਮ ॥ Life - I have found real life, as Gurmukh, through His Love.
ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੋ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦੇਵੈ ਮੇਰੈ ਪ੍ਰਾਨਿ ਵਸਾਏ ਰਾਮ ॥ The Lord's Name - He has given me the Lord's Name, and enshrined it within my breath of life.
Gurbani (Guru's words) talks about our mind having four parts which can be split into Mann, chitt, budh and haumai, sometimes they are discussed together and other times individually.
MANN General thoughts occur
CHIT Where we place FOCUS on the thoughts (consciously). Remember Vaheguroo with EMOTION, Focus on who Vaheguroo is, Where you have come from and What Vaheguroo has done for you?
BUDH Knowledge and wisdom, Intuition and understanding.
HAUMAI We put our 'Ways' (thinking) ahead of Vaheguroo. We exist and are successful because of ourselves. This is also known as our ego. We place the minds desires before anything else.
Our thinking can only be changed through the remembrance (meditation) of Vaheguroo (Gods name).
To bring Naam meditation into our focus or surtee we need to combine mann and chit!! This is when Vaheguroo becomes a part of our mind, body and soul. One becomes a happy, loving and compassionate being.
The things that are most beautiful about human beings are never physical, it's the positive energy of naam meditation that creates a human to be attracted towards.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Says, "The ointment of spiritual wisdom is the destroyer of fear; through love, the Pure One is seen. The mysteries of the seen and the unseen are all known, if the mind is kept centred and balanced. If one finds such a True Guru, the Lord is met with intuitive ease."
What is the best business? Which business gives the greatest wealth? What trade gives the just rewards? Truth, trade in this and you will receive indescribable rewards.
Everyone likes an honest person. This individual is loved and trusted by all. Back in the days, if two people could not make a decision between them, they used to say, 'call a sikh person, he will be very honest and speak the truth.'
Why do people like honest people? Others feel safe and protected around honest individuals. Honest individuals are very approachable.
There are many forms of truth. There is speaking the truth, there is acting the truth through being righteous, there is living the truth through Naam meditation, reading Gurus word (Gurbaani), keeping Rehit and living in and amongst like minded, honest people. And there is seeing the truth the purification of our drishtee (Godly eyes).
When one meditates on Akaal Purakh Vaheguroo's Name, one naturally becomes pure in all the truths mentioned above. Naam does not let the individual waver off the path of truth. It keeps them steadfast on it. However when the Naam departs, this leaves room for the chor (thieves) of the mind to come and rob us from our profit of love and truth. Then the weak mind acts according to their will.
However there is one eternal truth we have not mentioned and that is Akaal Purakh Vaheguroo (God). For us to become the moorthee of sach (stature of truth), we have to recognise the truth. Vaheguroo is the truth. There is no other truth. They were there in the beginning, middle and will be there in the end. If we want to become infinite and merge into the truth (God), we have to become like them and be virtuous like them. They love all and so should we. There should be no differentiation of caste, colour, creed, background jathebandheaa (sikh groups) etc. If our minds are caught up in any type of difference, know this as being maya (delusion). One will never reach the padhvee (state) of truth!!
If we want to reach Sachkhand (the realm of truth), then Amrit (Sikh baptism) is a must, athe pehar naam abhiyaas (meditating with every breath) is vital, in order that the mind doesn't wander in vice.
Why waste time, open your heart and become the trader of truth!
Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "let us be traders in the business of truth. This product will take us to the true court."
Once, Guru Nanak Dev Ji went to Baghdad. He sang the shabad with Bhai Mardana, "pathaalaa pathaal lakh aagaasaa aagaas" - (there are worlds upon worlds and many hundreds of thousands of them and hundreds of thousands of skies).
Some onlookers heard and went to Pir Dastigir and told him there is a holy man here, who has come with a white turban, he is transfixing the local people with his Music. He is singing that there are not only seven worlds and seven skies, there are in fact, hundreds of thousands.
The Pir became incensed and said, 'this is the worst kind of kaafar (non believer). He comes to our Islamic land questions our Koran (Muslim holy book). Get the people to stone him to death' They gathered people in the city, armed with stones to kill Guru Nanak Sahib Ji.
Bhai Mardana said to Guru Nanak Ji, 'they are bringing large stones to come and kill you.' Guru Nanak Dev smiled and lovingly uttered, 'Mardana, if truth never dies, then those that speak the truth never die also'.
As they attempted to throw their stones they grew stiff and couldn't move. The Pir heard what had happened and came to investigate. He angrily shouted at Guru Nanak Dev Ji, 'What are you talking about, hundreds of thousands of skies and worlds?' Guru sahib peacefully asked, 'How many do you say?' Pir shouted, 'There are seven skies and seven worlds.' Guru sahib tranquilly said, 'Have you seen these fourteen?' Pir, 'Yes, I have seen fourteen.' Guru Nanak, 'I've seen hundred of thousands.' Pir, 'Can you show me?, Guru sahib, 'sure.'
Pir was asked to look in Guru sahibs eyes and was shocked with what he saw. Before he went any further, he became scared and said to Guru Ji, 'Here is my son, you can show him instead' Guru sahib spoke to the son and asked him if he was ready. He anxiously said yes. Within an instant he left his body and a few seconds later returned.
Father spoke, shocked by what he was witnessing, 'What happened?, what did you see?' He was very shaken and wasn't speaking properly. All of a sudden he repeated, 'I saw millions of worlds and millions of skies. Everywhere we went they rejoiced and were overjoyed, because Guru Nanak had arrived.
They all bowed down to Guru Sahib, they came begging to him. 'I believe Guru Nanak is Khuda (God) himself,' said the son. Guru Nanak Dev ji returned with some karah parshaad (holy sweet food) for Pir Dastigir from the nether worlds.
Every human has the potential to see the many thousands of universes and worlds Pir Dastgirs son had witnessed. All these universes are in the human mind, we have not looked within to recognise them. Once we delve in to the soul and mind through meditation on naam, many jewels will be revealed to us, including the many universes, future and the netherworld.
Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "Vaheguroo is the Lord and Master of millions of universes; He is the Giver of all beings. He ever cherishes and cares for all beings, but the fool does not appreciate any of His virtues."
