GushK

WJKK WJKF Quick question. Does anyone have, or know where I can get download a simple leaflet/flyer about Vaisakhi? I'm hoping to print it out to give out to people of other faiths during a Nagar Kirtan. Any help would be appreciated Thank you Gursharan Singh

Don't take this turn as a negative, take it as a chance to learn and grow. We've grown up in such a scientific environment of galaxies, pulsars, quasars, big bang's universes/multiverses that it was always hard to figure where God fits in. Then you take a step back and realise that what you were searching for was already with you. God (Truth) exists beyond all that we understand and also within each and every atom in your body. God is not a place or person but the self permeating love you feel for everything within and without. Being Sikh is being in love, you know it through and through. It seems the questions you have relate to the physical aspect? how do I find God? where is He? Those questions are a matter of faith, but a Sikh is not a seeker of faith, he is a seeker of Truth Ponder on a few things Why, when humans are supposed to be highly social animals, is quiet contemplation so highly regarded? Why is it when doing Simran, in the stillness of you mind, that you never feel alone? Do you have doubts about Sikhi or about God? One is the the Path, the other is Truth Sikhi is a concept, an ideal. A way to formulate your life to become the ultimate vessel for Truth. Sure there's various versions and people pulling this way and that, but learn to see through the eyes of your heart and you'll easily be able to seperate the wheat from the chaff. Try to stick with the Path and become that vessel and you'll begin to understand and be able to share that Truth will all. Regards Gursharan Singh

My two cents. I think there's no distinct line of needing or not needing Gurmukhi here. Remember, Gurbani was written in poetic form for a reason. It wasn't just the words and the message, but also how they were portrayed and delivered to the masses that was also important. Lionchild - your view seems very practical, but it ignores this "poetic" aspect of the form of SGGS. An english (or any language) translation is very very essential in getting the message out to the world, but this is the limit of it's use. By translating, you lose the poetic and rhythmic essesnce (the naad that pritam sigh mentions) which is so important. Think about it, when you recite Jap Ji Sahib in th morning, do you recite the (slightly clunky - in my eyes) english translation, or recite in the original language, using your knowledge of the english translation to understand what you're reciting? Not to mention, that you couldn't do kirtan properly with a translation, because again you lose the rhythm and structure as soon as you translate. So, overall - Gurmukhi It should neither be dismissed altogether nor stressed as the "only way" to come into sikhi. In the context of getting the message out, the translations are invaluable as the first step. For almost all other needs, GUrmukhi comes into it's own as a "need to know", but stressing this aspect too much only has the effect of driving people away. Regards Gursharan Singh

Your keyboard has been set to the wrong format go into Control Panel - Regional Options - Input Local and change your keyboard style to the appropriate one Job Done :lol:

A suggestion, Generally when Google put up a custom logo, clicking on it normally takes you to another page with information about the event/occurance. For the sangat in contact with Google, if this goes ahead, can you please check with them if this will happen and what information they might put up or site they may link to? The last thing we want is for millions of people to click and read up an inaccurate account of what Vaisakhi is for a Sikh. Regards Gursharan Singh

mushabooom, I think you're misinterpreting the message here. The idea is not to close you off from the world...in fact sikhi is the opposite, embracing and encouraging people in all walks of life. The idea here is how, and with who, you spend MOST of your time. It's more of an encouragement than an abolition. Because truthfully, your sangat (company) DOES affect your outlook on life, many people have experienced this personally, including me. Example...our family is a very simple, just four of us at home, all amritdhari. several years ago, my cousin sister came from india and stayed with us for 4 years. When she arrived, she was very short tempered, ate meat, not into religion at all. Now, several years later she's married, in her own home, has the most patience and does more paath than many people I know. I have no doubt that the company of our family and the guidance of my father heavily influenced that. Even her husband, who used to cut his hair, has now stopped and begun wearing his turban again... So the idea here is to encourage you to spend your time with people who's goals you can identify with and can help you on your spiritual journey through this life. Regards Gursharan

But wouldn't you say the medicine is in the UNDERSTANDING and APPLICATION of gurbani to our lives, otherwise it becomes just another meaningless ritual?

Dear LostSoul I think the point palamrinder wa trying to make is that eggs are by design "carriers of life". Whether they made it that far (i.e fertilized/unfertilized) is a different question. Milk on the other hand is not and is only a foodstuff whose sole purpose is to provide nourishment. whether any of this actually matters to you is down to your choice and your concience. Regards Gursharan Singh

Definitly Gurdwara. Mainly because it's not just a Temple or place of worship but the Guru's Darbar/Guru's Residence. The word "Gurdwara" has specific meaning and doesn't really translate into "Sikh Temple". Much the same as you'd not normally say Christian Temple instead of Church, we must also use the correct name and help others understand why. Regards Gursharan Singh

Same reason y I never eat anything before doin 2hrs of JapJi Sahib during an Akhand Paath On a purely practical level, it's better not to eat otherwise during the hour or so that it'll take you to do your nitnem, you could get....distracted - once ur digestive system starts processing your breakfast.

Just a quick note...i heard the opposite. He was asked to change the plate to his namebut refused. When others insisted, he said that if it was to change say it was done by seva of the sangat...

Exactly as other have stated, your arguments conflict with each other. In one case you say religion causes hatred, then you go on to say religious and non-religious people are bad. Which is it? religion can be bad? or people can be bad? What is actually the case is that bad people use religion as a convenient excuse. If there was no religion, there'd be some other excuse. Relgion is there as a guide to help you along your spiritual path. If you decide to do bad deeds in the name of you religion, unless the religion teaches you to be like that, it's not the religions fault. All your issues of fanaticism, selfishness etc are HUMAN weaknesses and not attributable to Faith or Religion. i.e Sikhi teaches you to rid youself of your own pride, ego and attachment and requests that you see everyone and eveything as an expression of Love (the univeral Truth) and as an expression of God. Following these pillars a person is rid of those human weaknesses that cause discord between people. True, some people don't follow it, but that's down to the person. Rather than making sweeping generalizations, i'd advise you to look into your own heart, study some faiths and find out if you really have issues with the faith itself or specific people claiming to follow it....

and what do most religions (i can vouch Sikhi for this without any hesitation) at thier base try to inspire, in every human being? come on, say it with me...you know you want to...it that 4 letter word beginning with L again... :TH:

I've also felt that Waheguru is directly in terms of how a Sikh should see God. God is nameless and formless so rather than assiging a name, we say Waheguru (Wonderful Lord/God) Since Waheguru is not a name but rather a praise, we praise Him everytime we repeat Waheguru rather than just chant His name.. Regards Gursharan Singh

Had a thought a couple of days ago and i didn't have any idea as to how to even approach an answer. It's still a bit muddy in my head, maybe writing it down will make it clearer... The universe is created from God and all matter (from atoms to galaxies) is basically an expression of God. yes? i.e Waheguru being both formless and of form. Our souls are also, for lack of a better term, pieces for Waheguru trying to find their way back home. What then differentiates our souls from the rest of the universe? is there any difference? since both ARE God. help? Gursharan Singh

Getting a little sciency....also the colour u see is the bit of the electromegnetic spectrum that the object doesn't want, all other frequencies are absorbed. soooo, is the colour of the object actually what we see or exactly the opposite? is it the colour of everything it absorbs and we actually see what it isn't? r u even more confused now? GOOD!

My mistake....took it a little out of context but even in this respect, "All of the Simratis, Shahstr, and Vedas, say many things but I do not adhere to any of them." You have to know what is written in them first, to be able to say that you will not adhere to them. You can't just say, "I don't really know what you're on about, or what you believe in, but i'm not going to listen to u anyway" ... The phrase "sticking your head in the sand" comes to mind. Very undignified, and very un-sikh-like :TH: Regards Gurshran Singh

Actually I interpret it as :- Listen, read and study all paths ("Anek Kahe") But only devote yourself to the One Path ("ek na maneo") Regards Gursharan Singh

If you are amritdhari, you especially should have literature of all religions at hand. It is basically a requirement to study and understand all other religions as well. "Ram Rahim Quran Puran, Anek kahe mat ek na maneo" Regards Gursharan Singh

aunty, aunty, go away, hair oil keeps my dandruff at bay :wub: (sorry, couldn't help it, this sad limerick jst popped into my head!)

Not a long reply here but I guess it just depends where you are on your spiritual path to Waheguru, how far you understand what it means... Some feel detachment, loss, anger, fear, frustration. It takes them time to heal. They may blame God, blame themselves, blame others, but in the end it's just a by-product of our own attachment (or "Moh") at the root. Others just know and understand that we are all under Waheguru's hukam and belong only to Him. Death is a just a phase, nothing more, nothing less. They accept each moment in life, including all it's ups and downs, as precious gifts. Others are somewhere in between... Regards Gursharan Singh

Hmm.... What u need to think about is what the act of matha tek means. It's not just out of respect, or a "hey how u doin?" but more of a spiritual connection. You're not doing matha tek to the Palki, you're doing it to the divine wisdom enshrined within... You are placing yourself before your guru and asking, please take this disease ridden mind of mine and replace it all with your divine knowledge and grace. Take my Manmat and replace it with your Gurmat. When Guru ji is in Sachkhand, all that's left there is the empty wooden palki, so ask yourself, what exactly are you doing matha tek to? Regards Gursharan Singh

Not really.... if you're bad enough at eating that stuff gets all over ur beard, u need a bib! When stuff does get in it, i'd say my beard is acting as a natural filter to help keep all the c r a p out! ...also keeps me warm on a cold winter morning! :wub: oh yeah...it looks cool 2! :wub: Gursharan Singh

Caste has no place in sikhi at all, ever...full stop. It exists, is a problem and won't be easy to get rid of... The thing is, it's very difficult to change people's thinking, the only thing you can do is stick to your own guns. just need to say, "in my family this stops with me, and this generation". U may not be able to change others but you can definitly make sure that the crap stops with u and goes no further. I'm lucky for the fact that i've been born and raised in a gursikh family and they've given me every help and support and they place no value on caste, but whenever people ask me what caste i'm from, I just say I don't know, and i don't tell em my surname unless i really have 2. Annoys a few people, and many seem shocked, but in actual fact, I really don't know, nor do i care. If I don't know or care about it, how can anyone use it against me? how are they gonna find out, clairvoyance? Regards Gursharan Singh

just noticed this, doesn't look good.... http://www.unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/P...-03-2005-00.htm