Sikhi Game of love- MUSIC!

MUSIC! 

“Janam mooay bin bhagat srothe”
They are born only to die, without hearing the music of God’s meditation. Guru Nanak Dev Ji. 

Music has an immense impact on ones spirituality, because it has a tendency to stay in our minds and it effects the mind’s ego in believing the negative fulfilment's of the mind. 

A Sikh who is serious about spirituality,  should avoid listening to songs about the love of women, wealth, caste etc. These clearly dont’t have a good effect on us and it's what leads us away from the higher conscious living. Instead, a Sikh should sing Gurbani/Naam and contemplate it deeply within. With Gurbani in the mind, one’s mind and Soul enjoys divine peace and pleasure, which any other song can not bring. Other songs can bring it for a short period, but everlasting love, peace, tranquility and happiness only comes through singing God’s praises and stilling the mind through Naam meditation. 

As Sikhs, we need to be extremely aware of what goes in through our senses. All that goes in, will be the same that comes out. So, if Gurbani and Naam go in, then only God’s virtues of truth, love, sweet speech, compassion and positive energy will come out. If the contrary goes in, then the opposite will also be exposed through our character, mannerisms, energy and aura! 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- 8.4 MILLION

8.4 MILLION

"Wandering and roaming through 8.4 million incarnations, you have now been given this human life, so difficult to obtain."

Before science, Gurbani has told us there are 8.4 million stages or forms of life on earth. The human soul has passed through these life forms and now because of its commendable actions it has been gifted with this human life form. 

Why is the human form so special? Because unlike the 8.4 million, this one form is the only chance we have to meet and connect with God and become one with our mind and soul. Only in this form can we read Gurbani and Jap Naam (meditate on God’s name) and experience the divine within. Unfortunately, we waste this precious life in vain and don't realise it's true value until the very end, when  it has become too late to do anything about it! 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- THREADS OF COMPASSION

THREADS OF COMPASSION 

Although, as a youngster, I was raised in a fairly non-religious environment, I still had some awareness of certain historical stories from the lives of the Sikh Gurus, which I had picked up from various children’s books.

One of the most common stories that is shared is the one where Guru Nanak Dev Jee refuses to wear the holy thread of the Hindu Brahmins and instead questions how this will make him a good person. Unfortunately, this is the extent of the story that is typically shared.

However, the real message of this story and one of the central tenets of Guru Sahib’s teaching is the detailed response that they gave to the practice of wearing a holy thread. 

It was probably twenty years after having first heard the story, I realised that the answers were in the fifteenth section of Asa Kee Var. 

In essence, Guru Sahib challenges the Pandit’s by saying that they are prepared to wear a thread, but not a physical thread that will break, get dirty etc. Guru Sahib asked for a thread for their soul that was made of compassion, truth, contentment and self restraint.

What an amazing teaching! Below is the first verse on the subject from Asa Kee Var but I would strongly recommend a study of the full section if you get the chance.

Dhaeiaa Kapaah Santhokh Sooth Jath Gandtee Sath Vatt ||

Make compassion the cotton, contentment the thread, modesty the knot and truth the twist.

Eaehu Janaeoo Jeea Kaa Hee Th Paaddae Ghath ||

This is the sacred thread of the soul; if you have it, then go ahead and put it on me.

Naa Eaehu Thuttai Naa Mal Lagai Naa Eaehu Jalai N Jaae ||

It does not break, it cannot be soiled by filth, it cannot be burnt, or lost.

Dhhann S Maanas Naanakaa Jo Gal Chalae Paae ||

Blessed are those mortal beings, O Nanak, who wear such a thread around their necks.

Choukarr Mul Anaaeiaa Behi Choukai Paaeiaa ||

You buy the thread for a few shells, and seated in your enclosure, you put it on.

Sikhaa Kann Charraaeeaa Gur Braahaman Thhiaa ||

Whispering instructions into others' ears, the Brahmin becomes a guru.

Ouhu Muaa Ouhu Jharr Paeiaa Vaethagaa Gaeiaa ||1||

But he dies, and the sacred thread falls away, and the soul departs without it. ||1||     

Vaheguroo! 

Sikhi Game of love- IT’S OK TO BE VERY JUDGMENTAL

IT’S OK TO BE VERY JUDGMENTAL 

One morning, I vowed to myself that I will not judge anyone or anything for the entire day. Unfortunately, having left the house I had passed judgment on ‪around 4-5‬ separate people/situations in the first 30 minutes. 

I complained about the weather as soon as I stepped out, I complained about the man smoking on the railway platform etc etc. 

I very quickly realised how challenging this is. Essentially the ego-mind runs the show here. The ego is constantly fighting to be in control of us and our thoughts and actions. As a result, we all struggle with the basic concept of acceptance or living in Hukam (the divine order). 

Guru Nanak Dev Jee makes this clear very early in Sri Jap jee Sahib (the first composition of the Sikh scripture). Guru sahib explains that, that person who understands the Hukam will not speak in ego again.

So, how do we get to this state? My challenge that I set myself made it clear that I need to spend a lot of time being judgemental, but not of anyone else but only myself. 

We need to dive deep into the depths of our minds and understand our own egos (the disease of the mind) and judge every thought & action of our own. Only then will we start the journey to acceptance and a state of non-judgment of others.

The 2nd Guru Sahib, Guru Agand Dev Jee conveys the above beautifully in the following 2 lines. 

Naanak Parakhay Aap Ko Thaa Paarakh Jaan ||
O Nanak, if someone judges himself, only then is he known as a real judge.

Rog Dhaaroo Dhovai Bujhai Thaa Vaidh Sujaan ||
If someone understands both the disease and the medicine, only then is he a wise physician.   

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- KARMA

KARMA

"The body is the field of karma in this age; whatever you plant, you shall harvest."

Due to our commendable actions in previous lives, this human life has been gifted to us. According to the law of karma, every action (physical or mental) has its own consequence, which must be faced either in this life or in the lives to come. As the Gurbani quote above states, our destiny can be changed based on our choices and current actions. We need to be forever conscious of our thoughts and actions and we need to remain positive, respectful and loving at all times. Only by the meditation upon the Lord's Name, good deeds and noble actions can one eliminate the consequences of past bad karma.

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- AWAKE BUT BLIND

AWAKE BUT BLIND 

"He is awake, and even happy, but he is being plundered - He is blind!"

With Vaheguroo’s (God’s) grace, we wake up to another day and quickly get on with our daily tasks. We will concentrate lots on worldly tasks (work/education) and be happy with our success. In the above shabad, Guru ji tells us although we're awake and happy, we are actually blind because we don't realise the true meaning of life. We are not on this earth to just be physically awake and happy with worldly success, but Infact the true aim is to be spiritually awake and happy through the love of Naam meditation and seeing God in all their creation. This will bring true peace, bliss and contentment to the mind; thus, the mind becomes truly and spiritually awake. 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- MISTAKES

MISTAKES 

"I am a sinner, continuously making mistakes; You are the Forgiving Lord."

Because we live in the Dark age, it is human nature to make many mistakes, only God is free from mistakes. These can be committed through our actions, words and thoughts. It is important to learn from these and thrive not to make them again. Often we can feel bad for what we have done; an Ardaas should be to guru ji because he is ever forgiving and loving. Everyday is a new day. Forget about the previous day and start fresh with a positive mind. The difference between a sinner and a saint is that the saint keeps on trying and rectifying mistakes. The more sangat (spiritual company) we keep and the more Naam/Gurbani we concentrate on, naturally Guru Sahib Ji blesses his servants and washes away the impurity, making his Gursikhs blessed, pure and forever loving. 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- SHEPHERD

SHEPHERD

"As the shepherd is in the field for only a short time, so is one in the world." Guru Nanak Dev Ji 

In this shabad, Guru Ji tells us clearly that our time in the world is very short. We say "Years fly past and we don't know where they have gone," however we don't act upon it. We question Is this all life is? Is there a real purpose beyond family life and work life? Gurbani tells us our purpose is to meet with God and liberate the soul from the cycle of birth and death!  So let's not think we have years left to live. Use these breaths to meditate on the Naam which will go with us, as who knows when the last breath will be...

In this pandemic, most of us have more than enough time to up our accounts of Naam and Baani meditation and better ourselves. So, in this difficult period or when it is over, we can consciously become compassionate, loving, kind and caring human beings. 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- HAPPY SOULS

HAPPY SOULS

"The Gurmukhs are the happy soul-brides; their minds are filled with kindness." Guru Raam Daas Ji. 

Gursikhs are always happy as they remember and chant the name of the great One who is the source of all happiness (God). A happy person’s behaviour is unique! They will always have a genuine smile upon their radiant face and their eyes will always be drenched with the love of God (love for his creation). This behaviour is warming to everyone and makes others smile automatically and have a liking towards the God loving beings. 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- SUFFERING IS MEDICINE

SUFFERING IS MEDICINE

"Suffering is the medicine, and pleasure the disease, because where there is pleasure, there is no desire for God." Guru Raam Daas Ji 

Guru Ji tells us to remember God at all times during times of happiness but also sadness and difficulty. It's easy when we are suffering to remember God because it's our natural behaviour to want help in difficult times. However, when we are happy and enjoying the pleasures of life, we forget what God has given us. It's important during times of happiness to be thankful to the almighty. 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- FEED THE WORLD

FEED THE WORLD

The Sikh community have truly stepped up to the mark during the global pandemic. From New Delhi to Gravesend to New York City, they have been actively preparing and delivering food to the needy in their local communities using the kitchen facilities in their local Gurdwaras (Sikhs place of worship).

But, this “stepping up to the mark” is not some sort of extraordinary achievement or behaviour. This should be ingrained in the DNA of every single Sikh on the planet. 

The three basic pillars of Sikhi make this absolutely clear…..Meditate on the Naam, Earn an honest living and Share your Food.

Sadly, there are many in the modern world, who instead live by the code of “Look after number 1” or “I’m alright Jack!”

Those drenched in the Naam, feel the intense love for the entire creation and will always think to feed another before they eat themselves. 

Some of the earliest guidelines on the Sikh way of life are to be found in the verses of Bhai Gurdas Jee (the great Sikh scholar, nephew of Guru Amar Das Jee and the scribe of the 1st recension of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee). This whole principle of feeding others is clearly articulated in the following verse, that describes the path of the Gurmukh (Guru Oriented).

Gurasikh Bhalkay Outth Kai Anmrit Vaylay Sar Nhaavandaa.

The Gurmukh getting up in ambrosial hours of the early morning takes bath.

Guru Kai Bachan Ouchaar Kai Dharamasaal Dee Surat Karandaa.

Reciting the holy hymns of the Guru, he moves towards the Gurudvara, the central place for Sikhs.

Saadhsangat Vich Jaai Kai Gurbaanee Day Preet Sunandaa.

There, joining the holy congregation, he lovingly listens to Gurbani, the holy hymns of the Guru.

Sankaa Manahu Mitaai Kai Guru Sikhaan Dee Sayv Karandaa.

Effacing all doubt from his mind he serves the Sikhs of the Guru.

Kirat Virat Kar Dharam Dee Lai Parasaad Aan Vartandaa.

Then by righteous means he earns his livelihood and he distributes the hard-earned food among the needy ones.

Gursikhaan Noo Day Kar Pichhon Bachiaa Aap Khavandaa.

Offering food first, to the Sikhs of Guru, he himself eats the remainder.

Kalee Kaal Paragaas Kar Guru Chaylaa Guru Sandaa.

In this dark age, illumined by such feelings, the disciple becomes Guru and the Guru disciple.

Guramoukh Gaadee Raahu Chaladaa ||11||

The Gurmukhs tread on such a highway of religious life.

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- MOUNTAINS OF SMOKE

MOUNTAINS OF SMOKE

The recent testing times, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak,  have taught humanity one huge lesson. 

Whilst the capitalist societies that we have built in the West have been hugely successful. Although they clearly promote inequalities, they do provide massive amounts of wealth to the people at the top and essential lifelines to the basic labourer at the other end of the scale. However, as we have seen over the past month or so, this global system has been brought to its knees by a simple virus.

The lesson here is clear; this society we have created is actually extremely fragile. 

There are also people who would say that they are not so materialistic and actually value things like family more. However, even human existence in itself is equally fragile. We all know how quickly our family lives can be turned upside down by illnesses or accidents. 

The Guru Sahibs have constantly pointed out the foolishness of how mankind so easily becomes attached to that which is impermanent. These are often described as walls of sand, mountains of smoke or bubbles in water. In doing so, one thing we fail to realise is that the only actual universal truth and permanence exists within us all.

This universal truth manifests itself as the sound current of the Naam (God’s name mantra) .

Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib (the ninth Guru) uses these analogies extensively in their Bani.

Basanth Mehalaa 9 ||
Basant, Ninth Mehl:

Man Kehaa Bisaariou Raam Naam ||
O my mind, how can you forget the Lord's Name?

Than Binasai Jam Sio Parai Kaam ||1|| Rehaao ||
When the body perishes, you shall have to deal with the Messenger of Death. ||1||Pause||

Eihu Jag Dhhooeae Kaa Pehaar ||
This world is just a mountain of smoke.

Thai Saachaa Maaniaa Kih Bichaar ||1||
What makes you think that it is real? ||1||

Dhhan Dhaaraa Sanpath Graeh ||
Wealth, spouse, property and household

Kashh Sang N Chaalai Samajh Laeh ||2||
- none of them shall go along with you; you must know that this is true! ||2||

Eik Bhagath Naaraaein Hoe Sang ||
Only devotion to the Lord shall go with you.

Kahu Naanak Bhaj Thih Eaek Rang ||3||4||
Says Nanak, vibrate and meditate on the Lord with single-minded love. ||3||4||

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- THE MAGICAL LAKE

THE MAGICAL LAKE

When portraying religious messages, we are often presented with quite somber and serious scenes which are sometimes steeped with negativity stemming from fear and punishment. 

Hindu theology suggests that there is a sacred lake called Maansarovar. There are many mythological stories about this lake. Such as the references to beautiful swans that pick pearls and gems out of the water and stunning lotus flowers that blossom above the water. 

The Maansarovar lake has been used as a metaphor on a number of occasions in the Sikh scriptures. 

The Guru Sahibs have used this magical scene of the swans, lotus flowers and gems as a metaphor for the relationship of Gursikhs and the sangat (company of the holy). 

This is a beautiful way to picture this perfect scene and nothing but pure love wells up inside one, when you imagine the purity of the scene. 

We all pray that we can develop into beautiful swans that are blessed with the magical lake of Sat Sangat (true spiritual company) where together we pick the gems of Naam meditation from the pure water. 

Guru Nanak Dev Jee paints this scene in the following way….

Eaeko Saravar Kamal Anoop ||
The Satsangat is a lake and the saintly souls are the beautiful lotus flowers 

Sadhaa Bigaasai Paramal Roop ||
The lake of Satsangat gives them the water of Naam and they blossom continually; their form is pure and fragrant.

Oojal Mothee Choogehi Hans ||
The saintly swans in the lake pick and eat the beautiful jewels of Naam.

Sarab Kalaa Jagadheesai Ans ||1||
In this way they take on the essence of (and become part of) the All-powerful Lord of the Universe. 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- LIKE MINDED

LIKE MINDED

"Joining with the humble Saints of the Lord, my actions bring prosperity, and I have obtained the Lord of Bliss as my Husband." Guru Raam Daas Ji 

Guru Ji here tells us the importance of mixing with good people. Our actions are affected by those around us! If we want positivity and happiness in life, then those around us should be of the same nature. Minimal time should be spent with those who take us away from happiness and spirituality, as it can have a detrimental affect on oneself. 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- RUNNING AROUND

RUNNING AROUND 

"They hurry and run, and wander all around, caught in the love of Maya; they cover hundreds of thousands of miles in their wanderings. " Guru Raam Daas Ji

Life became hectic at a time with so many things to do and such little time. Most became stressed, depressed or mentally/ physically ill. However, a lot of the time, our mind was thinking about unnecessary things which made life more stressful than it needed to be. We needed to relax; do one thing at a time and keep the mind focused on meditation, whilst carrying out tasks. We needed to take a break from worldliness and go in to Sangat (spiritual congregation) and listen to keertan (praises of God), which would have made our mind more focused, balanced and energised. Early morning meditation would have prepared our mind for the daily battles of life. 

The pandemic has thrown us all back and totally helped us all slow down and reassess life. It has given us a second chance and forced us to just be! It has clearly shown us that we have no power, but yet we have the power to be calm and be in peace within ourselves! Let’s refresh and restart! Let’s do that what will gain us spiritual fulfilment and contentment. Now is the perfect time! Make it count! We have been blessed with this opportunity to do so! Please don’t waste it! 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- BY MY SIDE

BY MY SIDE

"That Beloved True Guru is always with me; wherever I may be, He will save me." 

Guru Raam Das Ji

Everyone faces difficulties in life, it is the way of the world. Guru is the one who helps and guides us. Through meditation, truly believe Satguru is along side you. When facing any obstacles, from the bottom of the heart with full faith, ask the Lord for guidance. He will hold your arm; come what may. 

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- PROUD OF MY FAITH

PROUD OF MY FAITH 

On Friday 15 April 2016, I finally took a leap of faith and walked into work with a new addition to my daily outfit – my Sikh turban. I sat at my desk anxiously, waiting to be bombarded with questions about the new look. To my surprise, only a few brave souls plucked up the courage to ask questions and, although relieved, it meant my turban remained the elephant in the room.

Why were people hesitating to ask me questions about my turban? What were they afraid of? The more I questioned the silence, the more it baffled me. Did they really feel that inquisition about faith, identity, culture and heritage may be offensive, controversial or insulting?

On reflection, the whole experience opened my eyes to this bizarre new age. I realised that, living in a world where political correctness dominates our lives, we have been silenced into making assumptions and relying on Google for the answers, from fear of offending people. This silence deprives us from having friendly, and healthy, educational discussions; thereby understanding and embracing one another’s differences.

On the one hand we are encouraged to celebrate our differences, and on the other hand our mouths are sealed with political correctness. Schools have already banned ‘baa baa BLACK sheep’ and before we know it, we will be changing HIStory to HERstory, writing Apu out of the Simpsons and banning Come Fly with Me.

Ok, I hear you; get to the point you say! So, why do I wear a turban? Who am I, and why did I change my appearance?

I was born and brought up in England, but both my parents were born in Punjab, which lies close to the foot hills of the Himalayas in northern India. Therefore, having been born in England but in a traditional Punjabi household, meant that from a young age I identified with both eastern and western cultures.

Born to semi-practicing Sikh parents I was also a Sikh but by ‘default’, so growing up I was far more cultured than religious. Back then, being religious wasn’t really very fashionable, and I guess is even less so now. Religion was, and is, unfortunately tarnished with a reputation as being archaic, not in line with logic or science and is in some shape or form - restrictive. So, as a typical young and impressionable teenager, I shied away from being a Sikh, not wanting to draw unwanted attention and strange looks from the people around me.  Not knowing a huge amount about the history of Sikhism I was happier to swim with the tide (the social norms) than to trouble myself and swim against it. However, naturally, as I grew older, the seeds of Sikhism sown by my parents began to sprout. I became more inquisitive about this way of life and actively began to research and educate myself about this relatively new religion.

I was overwhelmed with the things I was learning: at a time when women had no rights, were forced to wear veils, and were burned alive on the funeral pyre for being a widow (a practice called ‘Sati’); Guru Nanak (the founder of the Sikh faith) was liberating society by freeing women from oppression and teaching mankind about gender equality. In my eyes he was the first feminist and a true revolutionary.

As I matured, and developed a greater understanding of the faith, I gradually began to practice this unique way of life. It wasn’t until my later years that I read about the historical significance of the Sikh turban. In the 15th century, India was ruled by Mughals and had a predominantly Hindu population. Any ideology which was in contravention of society’s accepted norms was met with brutal force.  During this period, the turban was reserved by the Mughal empire for people whom they considered to be royals. In protest, the turban was gifted to the Sikhs by the 10th Sikh Guru as a means of promoting equality for all mankind i.e. all mankind should be considered equally royal. For 300 years Sikhs persevered and suffered 3 genocides in the process, but continued to uphold these ideals for the generations to come. Today, as a Sikh, I wear this turban to preserve my Sikh identity and as a constant reminder and in honour of those sacrifices. My turban is an expression of my heritage, history, identity and faith. My turban represents equality, self respect, dignity and courage.

Now, this is the part where I cleverly tie all of this back to Investments Solutions... not.

I will, however, close this blog by leaving you with some food for thought – the next time you’re sitting at your desk and have the burning desire to ask a question; think about the reasons why you think you shouldn’t be asking the question.  Why? Because you will likely find that there’s not many life threatening reasons for you not to ask; and you may even be pleasantly surprised to find that your question opens up the floor for all to explore new and enriching avenues.

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- GURU IS GOD!

GURU IS GOD! 

Guru Arjan Dev Ji, talks about how Guru Nanak is God himself in this shabad. Guru Ji Says, I worship and adore my Guru; the Guru is the lord of the universe. My Guru is divine, invisible and mysterious. I serve Guru Nanak who is worshiped by all. Without the Guru, I have no place at all. Night and day, I chant the name of the Guru. The Guru is my spiritual wisdom. The Guru is the meditation within my heart. The Guru is the boat to purify this mind and help me cross this terrifying world ocean. 

Guru Arjan Dev Ji then goes on to say, serving Guru Nanak, one is released from the messenger of death. In the darkness, Guru’s mantra shines forth. With the Guru all the universe is saved. The perfect Guru is found with great, good fortune. Serving the Guru pain does not afflict anyone. No one can erase the word of the Guru’s shabad. 

Guru Ji finishes off by saying, Nanak is the true and pure Guru; Nanak is God himself. 

In this shabad, Guru Ji has made it clear, that Guru Nanak and the teachings of the Guru had directly come from God themselves! 

Guru Arjan Dev Ji Says, “Gur Kaa Sabadh N Mayttai Koi || No one can erase the Word of the Guru's Shabad. Gur Naanak Naanak Har Soi|| Nanak is the Guru; Nanak is the Lord Himself.”

Vaheguroo!

Sikhi Game of love- CORONA

CORONA

The world is going through very testing times. We turn the news on and all we hear about is COVID-19. We look at our social media accounts and all we read, see and hear is COVID-19. We speak to our friends or people we pass in the supermarket and all we ever talk about is COVID-19. Those of us that are still going out to work, speak to colleagues and all we speak about is COVID-19. We go to fill our cars with petrol and the energy around us just feels so negative. Wherever we go and whatever we are allowed to do in these difficult times, there’s only one subject on the lips of the world and we all know what that is!

In such difficult times, it’s imperative that we all remain very positive and remain in high spirits. The virus has taught us all to slow down and appreciate everything we had in the extremely busy but luxurious lives we live in today. It has made the world seem very small to everyone and it has connected us all as one and equals, which we should have always been. 

The more negative we are and the more we listen to the negative news, the more this becomes a part of our mind and soul and we begin to fully believe everything we hear. Most of it will always be negative and it will get us down. We’ll pass it on to others and it becomes a vicious circle. All of a sudden, the negative energy around myself, yourself and everybody else becomes drastically negative. The world becomes a very sad and sour place to live in. The more we feel down and upset, the more we are prone to depression, stress and anxiety. When negative energies like these attack our minds, this is when we get prone to illness, disease and viruses. 

Mental well being is the most important in such testing times. How can we preserve our health through being mentally strong? There are many ways. Firstly, remain positive by being light hearted, not watching the news as much. Not believing everything the news says. Not to always talk about the virus. Talk about positive subjects. Have a laugh and giggle. Most of all remain in high spirits. When the mind starts to become weak and needs company, remember to meditate. Breathe in through your nose. Exhale through your mouth. Watch your breath. Listen to it and begin to control your thoughts and emotions in that way. Control your mind, don’t let it control you. For those of us who know about Naam meditation, this is the most powerful energy that we can link our mind, body and breath to. No virus can come anywhere near it. The energy of God’s name is too powerful for a virus to even touch. 

In these ridiculously hard times, we need to show how we should truly behave as amazing humans and Samaritans of the world. How can we help the elderly and the vulnerable? How can we help our neighbours and our community? How can we support the people around us? The virus has not looked at cast, colour, creed or religion. In the same way, the human should not see cast, colour, creed or religion. There are many organisations now who are sacrificing their own well being and families to help, support and guide the elderly, vulnerable and those in need. Let’s become a part of these amazing organisations, who have empowered themselves with love, compassion, kindness and positive energy to support society and their communities. 

It’s very important we carry out the basic measures the government is asking us to carry out however, let’s not Sit there worrying about what is going to happen, because we can’t control what is not in our hands. This is now all in the hands of God and we all need to pull together to make a difference. We are all one and the son’s and daughters of the same father God (Vaheguroo). 

Let’s not be the one to spread negative news through social media. Let’s be the one to keep everyone positive and in high spirits so that we can challenge/smash the virus and beat it together as ONE! 

Guru Arjan Dev Ji Says, “Sarab Rog ka aukhad Naam” 

The Naam is the panacea, remedy to cure all illness and viruses. 

Kalyaan roop Mangal gunn gaam” 

Singing the glory of God’s name is the embodiment of bliss and emancipation. 

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love- EVERYTHING IS ONE

EVERYTHING IS ONE

Oneness is the very root of our existence, it is the ultimate Truth.

The more we can learn to see everything as one and the same, the more compassion and love we can develop in ourselves and others.

Going back far enough, we all share a common ancestor. We have the same blood. We feel the same emotions. We are born, we live and we die. 

It is easy to become distracted by the distinctions and labels that we give things which we perceive to be different: man and woman; child and adult; black and white; ocean and land; etc. However, where does the real difference originate in these things? Just as we can separate One into many, we can reunite many into One: human, colour, the Earth. 

When we invite ourselves to see the bigger picture, we can see the Oneness in everything that is. It is important to take time to zoom out from the focus we force ourselves to live in and realise our Oneness.

Often, it is not through concentration on the One that we find the One, rather it is through letting go of the many we think that we see, that we find the One.

Seeing things as two (or more) causes us to suffer, whether that be through lust, anger, greed, attachment or pride. When we realise One, there is only room for Truth, Contentment, Compassion, Humility and Love.

The One gave birth to us, the One sustains us, the One loves us, the One is us.

When we remember the One, we feel bliss like no other, for the One is the sum of the bliss of many.

We connect to the One through the Sacred Vibration of Naam (the Name of God). The most powerful way to do this is to let go of everything in our mind and sing the Naam with complete concentration and love. 

Connecting to the One is a blessing given by Guru Ji through learning, understanding and following their teachings. May we take at least one step on this path, for then with Guru Ji’s Kirpa (Grace) they will take thousands more steps for us.

Vaheguroo!