nehkeval

If one wants to grow spiritually, as per SGGS the following are needed 1. Udam - effort for instance one can start waking up 30 minutes before one's usual time to do waheguru jap or breath meditation, also keep bringing the focus on naam simran throughout the day ਉਦਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਾਪਣਾ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਧਨੁ ਖਾਟਿ ॥ Oudham Kar Har Jaapanaa Vaddabhaagee Dhhan Khaatt || Make the effort and chant the Lord's Name. O very fortunate ones earn this wealth. 2. Detachment from the worldly affairs - We are always engrossed in thoughts about wealth, seeking approval, improving the conditions of our own and family members, etc, however a clear understanding that these are not the goal of our life will help us keep our mind focused on naam. ਏਕ ਰੈਣ ਕੇ ਪਾਹੁਨ ਤੁਮ ਆਏ ਬਹੁ ਜੁਗ ਆਸ ਬਧਾਏ ॥ ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਮੰਦਰ ਸੰਪੈ ਜੋ ਦੀਸੈ ਜਿਉ ਤਰਵਰ ਕੀ ਛਾਏ ॥੧॥ Grih Mandhar Sanpai Jo Dheesai Jio Tharavar Kee Shhaaeae ||1|| Households, mansions and wealth - whatever is seen, is like the shade of a tree. 3. Rehat / Sheel - rehat is a word usually used only for amritdharis but in fact this should be applicable to anyone who claims to be a sikh - the real benefit of a life of virtue that one can go deeper into simran with much less wandering of the mind. At the minimum the following precepts should be observed (i) Earn only by honest means (haq paraya nanaka us sooar us gai ) , live simply and share with those in need.(ghal khaye kich hatho de nanak rah pachane soi) (ii) No sexual misconduct (not even rolling in thoughts of lust ) ( par treya roop na nekhai naitra) (iii) Right speech - no lying, slander, harsh or useless talk (such as about politics, movies, religion etc) (iv) No harm to other beings (ਦੂਖੁ ਨ ਦੇਈ ਕਿਸੈ ਜੀਅ ਪਤਿ ਸਿਉ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਵਉ ॥) (v) No use of intoxicants. Human life is extremely rare we must not lose track of the final goal of this precious gift. ਇਹੁ ਮਾਣਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਦੁਲੰਭੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨਾ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਸਭੁ ਜਾਏ ॥

What is gurmat - if we want to find the essence of this great philosophy , we should understand the message that guru nanak set out to preach in his udasis. He did not call for a certain look (hair ) or any rituals (like akhand path , chavar) , instead his message was simple - to merge with God we must develop the qualities of god i.e one must become nirbhao, nirvair, niralam (detached) Vin gun keete bhagat na hoi. Also he did not start a 'religion' and never advised anyone to convert from one organized religion to another. His message was universal and simple -to jogis, hindus, sidhs and Muslims - the gist of which was rather than focus on external symbols such as ashes on the body (as worn by yogis of the time ) or the clothe used by muslims for navaz called musala , one should train ones mind to embody the spirit of these symbols ਮਿਹਰ ਮਸੀਤਿ ਸਿਦਕੁ ਮੁਸਲਾ ਹਕੁ ਹਲਾਲੁ ਕੁਰਾਣੁ ॥ Mihar Maseeth Sidhak Musalaa Hak Halaal Kuraan || Let mercy be your mosque, faith your prayer-mat, and honest living your Koran. ਸਰਮ ਸੁੰਨਤਿ ਸੀਲੁ ਰੋਜਾ ਹੋਹੁ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੁ ॥ Saram Sunnath Seel Rojaa Hohu Musalamaan || Make modesty your circumcision, and good conduct your fast. In this way, you shall be a true Muslim. ਕਰਣੀ ਕਾਬਾ ਸਚੁ ਪੀਰੁ ਕਲਮਾ ਕਰਮ ਨਿਵਾਜ ॥ Karanee Kaabaa Sach Peer Kalamaa Karam Nivaaj || Let good conduct be your Kaabaa, Truth your spiritual guide, and the karma of good deeds your prayer and chant. ਤਸਬੀ ਸਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵਸੀ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਖੈ ਲਾਜ ॥੧॥ Thasabee Saa This Bhaavasee Naanak Rakhai Laaj ||1|| Let your rosary be that which is pleasing to His Will. O Nanak, God shall preserve your honor. ||1|| Sadly the way sikhis is practised today is very different from guruanank's mission , we emphasize empty recitation and external look rather than fighting with a mind which has enslaved us and causes nothing but suffering for ourselves and people around us .

Daas has started a site with gurmat quotes - feel free to log in and provide feedback, feature suggestions etc. http://quotesdev.us-west-2.elasticbeanstalk.com Working on a smartphone app which will prompt users with a tuk every hour. Also coming raag music with shabad expalantions and networking with fellow minded gurmukhs. In phase 2 will make a chatbot where you can discuss your problems with the guru.

Ek mool na bhujhan apna anhounda aap genaynde ||

If you are bothered by too many thoughts during meditation - do not be, its ok let thoughts be, the more you fight the more they will be ...so just observe them.The aim of mediation is not to be thought free but to be free of the reactions that they evoke in us - like anger, worry, excitement, stress etc.In time you will reach a state when you carry this thought awareness throughout the day and not just during the meditation period, giving you tremendous power over your runaway mind - you will have the power to rein in a negative thought such as animosity or worry which would have previously overpowered you and caused you to act in a hateful way or be stressed.

Looking for tech savvy sevadars - I want to get an app developed in ionic or react native (that works on all major platforms), that would notify every 1 hour (or another interval configured by the user) with a gurbani quote and small blurb about how to incorporate the teaching in their day to day life. I do have the database of about 70 tuqs for now but will keep updating it regularly , the app will update its database from the central source every week or so. This way technology will help us stay constantly in touch with the guru and we will spend more of our breaths in a connected fashion.

Why Forest Bathing Is Good for Your Health Though any kind of nature can enhance our health and happiness, there’s something special about being in a forest. By Karin Evans | August 20, 2018 Print Bookmark “Nature deficit disorder” is a modern affliction. With more people living in cities, working in high-rise office buildings, and becoming addicted to their innumerable electronic devices, many of us are indeed experiencing a nature deficit. This is true for children and adults alike. In his new book, Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, Japanese medical doctor and researcher Qing Li presents some sobering statistics: By 2050, according to the United Nations Population Division, three quarters of the world’s people will live in cities. Even now, the average American spends 93 percent of the time indoors, and some ten hours a day on social media—more than they spend asleep. The Kumano Kodo trail in Japan In Japan, there’s enough awareness about this deficit that Li heads up an organization called The Japanese Society of Forest Medicine, which promotes research on the therapeutic effects of forests on human health and educates people on the practice of forest bathing. His book—a companion to the center he runs—explores research on these benefits, while offering a number of techniques we can use to enhance them. “Some people study forests. Some people study medicine. I study forest medicine to find out all the ways in which walking in the forest can improve our well-being,” writes Li. The history of forest bathing Japan is a country that is both urbanized and heavily forested. Trees cover two-thirds of the island’s landmass, and yet a majority of Japan’s people live in crowded city conditions. Li himself lives in Tokyo, a city he describes as “the most crowded city in the world.” Perhaps that’s why the art of “forest bathing”—shinrin-yoku—began there. Forest bathing involves slowly walking through a forest, taking in the atmosphere through all your senses, and enjoying the benefits that come from such an excursion. In 1982, Japan launched a national program to encourage forest bathing, and in 2004, a formal study of the link between forests and human health began in Iiyama, Japan—a place particularly known for its lush, green forests. Now, each year upwards of 2.5 million people walk those forest trails as a way to ease stress and enhance health. Li’s interest in forest research began when he was a stressed-out medical student. He went away for a week of forest camping, and found it restored his physical and emotional health. That inspired him to begin researching the benefits of forests on human health and well-being. In 2004, he helped found the Forest Therapy Study Group, aimed at finding out why being among trees makes us feel so much better. The healing power of the forest After years of careful study, Li has found that spending time in a forest can reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and anger; strengthen the immune system; improve cardiovascular and metabolic health; and boost overall well-being. “Wherever there are trees, we are healthier and happier,” writes Li. And, he adds, it isn’t about exercising—like hiking or jogging—it’s simply about being in nature. Why would this be? It’s long been recognized that humans have a biological need to connect with nature. Some 20 years ago, American biologist E. O. Wilson noted that humans are “hardwired” to connect with the natural world, and that being in nature had a profoundly positive effect on human health. Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness (Viking, 2018, 320 pages) Li’s research seems to corroborate this. For example, one of his studies looked at whether forest bathing could improve sleep patterns among middle-aged Tokyo office workers who tended to suffer sleep deficiency due to high levels of stress. During the study, participants walked the same amount of time in a forest that they usually did in a non-forest setting on a normal working day. After a walk in the forest, participants were significantly less anxious, slept better, and slept longer. In addition, researchers found that afternoon walks were even more beneficial than morning walks. “You sleep better when you spend time in a forest, even when you don’t increase the amount of physical activity you do,” reported Li. To further assess the effects of time spent in a forest, Li measured people’s moods before and after walking in the woods or in an urban environment. While other studies have shown that walking anywhere outdoors reduces depression, anxiety, and anger, Li found that only the experience of walking in a forest improved people’s vigor and reduced fatigue. The health secrets of trees seem to lie in two things—the higher concentration of oxygen that exists in a forest, as compared to an urban setting, and the presence of plant chemicals called phytoncides—natural oils that are part of a plant’s defense system against bacteria, insects, and fungi. Exposure to these substances, says Li, can have measurable health benefits for humans. Physiological stress is reduced, for example, and both blood pressure and heart rate are lowered. Evergreens—pine, cedar, spruce, and conifers—are the largest producers of phytoncides, so walking in an evergreen forest seems to have the greatest health benefits. How to do forest bathing So, is there a specific art to forest bathing? Or is it just as easy as a walk in the woods? Connecting with nature is simple, writes Li. “All we have to do is accept the invitation. Mother Nature does the rest.” Here are some of his suggested steps. Find a spot. Depending where you are, find a good source of nature. One doesn’t need to journey deep into a forest for these benefits. Just look for any green area. It could be an urban park, a nature preserve, or a trail through suburban woods. Forests with conifers are thought to be particularly beneficial. “Let your body be your guide. Listen to where it wants to take you,” Li says. Some people will respond to sunny glades, others to shadier places. Listen to your own wisdom. For people who don’t have access to a forest, or can’t get outside for some reason, infusing essential tree oils in your home can provide benefits, too. Engage all your senses. “Let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands, and feet,” says Li. Actively listen, smell, touch, and look. “Drink in the flavor of the forest and release your sense of joy and calm.” Don’t hurry. Slow walking is recommended for beginners. And it’s good to spend as much time as possible. You’ll notice positive effects after twenty minutes, says Li, but a longer visit, ideally four hours, is better. Try different activities. Try doing yoga in the woods, or Tai chi, or meditation. Take a picnic. Write a poem. Study plants. You can venture alone, or with a companion. In Japan, forest walking therapists are even available. Appreciate the silence. One of the downsides of urban living is the constant noise. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a wooded area that’s free from human-produced sound. Silence is restorative, and a forest can have its own healing sound—rustling leaves, a trickle of water, birdsong. Spend a few quiet moments with a favorite tree. If nothing else, when we connect with nature we are reminded that we are part of a larger whole. And that, Li notes, can lead us to be less selfish and to think more of others. Li’s book, which includes illustrations and a map of “40 Beautiful Forests Across the World,” is an invitation and an inspiration to take a walk in the woods, wherever you are. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_forest_bathing_is_good_for_your_health?utm_medium=email&utm_source=other&utm_campaign=opencourse.es3OSXqhEea1Vw7ENWFEPw.announcements~opencourse.es3OSXqhEea1Vw7ENWFEPw.NyzGa6cwEeiD2QqOJunOiA

btw here is something about ego in punjabi

yup soundcloud and youtube

I and my friend are thinking of doing it , trying to gauge interest

Can't stop listening to this ! Amazing seva by veer Parminder singh jee !

We must practise this every morning - throw away the wrong notions of =- Being a separate self, Ek Mool na boojhan Aapna unhonda aap genaende || difference between human and non humans, difference between living and nong living and A life limited by birth and death - Na kich janame Na kich mare || First is the idea that I am this body, this body is me or, this body is mine and it belongs to me. We say these things based on the notion that I am; But a better statement would be, I inter-am. Its closer to the truth in the light of interconnectedness; we see there is no separate self that can exist by itself. You cannot exist without your parents, your ancestors, food, water, air, earth, and everything else in the cosmos. By looking deeply into the nature of reality, we can throw away the notion. The second notion the Diamond Sutra advises us to throw away is the notion of person or human being. When we look into the human being, we see animal ancestors, we see plant and mineral ancestors. A human is made of non-human elements. If we take away the non-human elements, the human being would no longer be there. This is the oldest teaching on deep ecology. In order to protect the human being, you have to protect what is not human. Discriminating between human and nature is a wrong view. The third notion is that of living beings. We distinguish living beings from non-living beings. We distinguish humans and animals from plants and minerals. But looking deeply into living beings, we see elements that we call non-living beings: plants and minerals. You can see that plants and minerals are also alive. After meditation we see there's no real frontier separating living beings and so-called non-living beings. The fourth notion to be thrown away is the notion of life span. We believe that we are born at one point in time, that we shall die at another point in time, and that in between is our life span. Most of us believe we'll spend sevety, eightly, nnety, one hundred years on this planet and then we'll be gone. But when we look deeply, we see this is a wrong perception. In our mind, to be born means that from nothing we become something, to die means that from something we become nothing; and from someone we become no one. But a cloud cannot be born; it has come from the water in the rivers and oceans, and dust and the heat of the sun ha

Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, “Don’t do it!” He said, “Nobody loves me.” I said, “God loves you. Do you believe in God?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?” He said, “A Christian.” I said, “Me too! Protestant or Catholic?” He said, “Protestant.” I said, “Me too! What franchise?” He said, “Baptist.” I said, “Me too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?” He said, “Northern Baptist.” I said, “Me too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist.” I said, “Me too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region.” I said, “Me too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879 or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.” I said, “Die, heretic!” And I pushed him over. The joke sums it up for all who hate others becuase of differing views.

If sangat here think they can spare something like 30$ /month please join the facebook group We are also looking for people to join the core management committee.