My Hair

[simer_169]

sat sri akal to all

please tell me why i shouldnot cut my hair. give me some good reason for that not that old one that because it is our tradition , because my dad, grandfather have that so i have to do that same. why Guru Gobind sahib instruct us for that?

[Niranjana]

Gur Fateh Parvaan Hove!

I’ll try and keep this short as I can (difficult for me!), however ask that you appreciate that this is a very big topic.

Guru Sahib can be found in the Suraj Parkash Granth having a discussion with the Sikhs on this matter, he states to the effect that Kesh has long been the signifier of beauty, wisdom, knighthood, royalty, spirituality, divinity and so on…the fact that others have chosen to shed theirs is not a reflection of changing times (a question raised by one of the Sikhs), as the sun and moon still exist within the 24 hours of the day on this earth, the times have not changed.

From this, my personal take on this question is actually to turn it around to you, the question is not so much WHY do Sikh NOT cut their hair, but in fact WHY do OTHERS cut theirs?

Here are some possible, not all answers to this question:

Fashion?

-well, what is fashion? “the prevailing style or custom, as in dress or behaviour following who’s lead is accepted” is a typical dictionary definition. Well, I know who’s lead I wish to follow – Guru Sahib…read on and we’ll come back to this shortly…

Convenience?

-really? What is so inconvenient about keeping one’s kesh tied and neat? Is it really more convenient to be shaving each day and spending time and money in the barbers shop?

Practicality?

How? As above, there is nothing impractical about having Kesh as many situations can be easily adjusted to whilst still maintaining one’s Kesh – ultimately there is very little in terms of work, leisure or other activities/requirements that having “long hair” should make impossible to manage – this is nothing but an excuse to shy away from this perceived responsibility so one can indulge into the first item above.

“The done thing” ?

According to who? – as per above…

Ritual observance or tradition?

This is the key point, which should be noted as the background to all of the above ‘reasons’. It was customary globally for all persons of high stature and rank to have their kesh unshorn. The trend of men shedding their hair and beard began in the Church with the radical St Paul and predominantly in the western world with Alexander the Great – in the pursuit of ‘youthful’ appearance, which he felt the beard hid. Since his time, this trend has been set for the masses who “accepted his lead”

In religious traditions, those who disliked the body and rejected the gift of human birth as something evil, sort to exemplify their rejection of the world through having their head shaved (re: Monks and Nuns) or hair individually plucked. These traditions disown the majesty of the human existence, essentially the majesty of the divine and are replete with renunciation and denial of life, sex, and the world.

Beauty?

Again, according to whom? Alexander? Brad Pitt? It is well known that hair is intrinsically linked with beauty, sexuality and honour – the reasons why it was most often reserved for those of high stature in certain societies, why it is covered in public, with only your mother, siblings and then your lover (wife/husband) being the only ones to see it in full glory. Kesh has long been the signifiers of classical beauty. A shaved face and head are quite the opposite, as per the above, a signifier of denial of life, guilt, crime, etc.

So in summary, I ask you to consider for yourself, why do others cut their hair? Are you a man? If so, why do you shy from being a full man, with a beard and hair – or do you wish to, like others today, subconsciously retain your boyish looks because you don’t wish to handle the responsibility that comes with age, with manhood? Or are you like many today, seeking to be fashionable, if so let’s look at the definition of fashion again and key into “following the lead of who is accepted”…maybe you wish to be fashionable and be clean shaven like the homosexual famous fashion designer, or the promiscuous film actor or indeed the drug addicted rock star…or perhaps you wish to embrace the honour of being keshdhari like that of the most beautiful, handsome, majestic, divine, noble, warrior-poet, spiritual Guru Gobind Singh?

I leave you to ponder over this…happy to discuss further as you see fit.

Gur Fateh!

Niranjana.

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

Well, why should you cut your hair?

[WGJKKWGJKF]

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

For starters to me it makes sense not to cut hair for the following reason:

Most religous leaders grew thier hair:

Jesus Christ did, Guru Nanak did, the prophet Muhammed did and the Hindu God Shiva did too.

I mean if the religious leaders grew thier hair wouldnt it make sense for the followers to do the same too, as they have follow the rest of leaders teachings and what they did then why not this?

Dont you think there must be something about hair if all these religious people from ALL DIFFERENT faiths claim to speak the word of God have grown their hair?

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

[WGJKKWGJKF]

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

Another reason could be:

Who were the first people to shave and why?

Alexander (a Christian who led a battle against the ottomans if im correct)

Why- to look more attractive.

But it doesnt make sense to shave to look more attractive because:

Why would you want your body to look more attractive- when the body/face etc is going to reduce to dust one day anway. As Gurbani tells us this aswell(if im correct).

Also if you think your body looks more attractive this can bring pride and arragannce and ultimatley this can destroy you, without you knowing, becuase you can lose humility also (which is very important in humanity- which Gurbani talks about)

Also whats the point of looking attractive in the eyes of humans, If you not looking beutiful in the eyes of the Lord?

In the eyes of the Lord everyones beutiful who are natural, and look how he created them. Also everyones beutiful who are clean from the inside aswell as out.

And dont forget the true Lord is the true Judge,

not us humans, only the true Lord knows the differnce bewteen real beauty and false worldy beauty.

And think wheres your true 'home' this worldy earth or Sachkand/Nirankaar?

Another reason why we shouldnt cut our hair:

Hair keep us warm as it protects from wind, rain etc like the spikes on a cactus- science fact

Hair can also protect our skeleton and inner organs

Also growing hair is natural. But what if the hair cut goes wrong? How will you face the peers? But if you dont cut your hair- nothing can go wrong with your hair.

Personally i think its not about why shouldnt we cut our hair,

its why cut our hair

N if you think about it if you cut your hair, think if God wanted my hair to be cut, dont you think he would of made my hair less from the start?

Please dont take no offence if i said anything wrong because i cut my hair (im a male), but im just saying this stuff coz i would prefer not too though.

Once you start cutting your hair then its harder to stop becuase of peer pressure aswell- so that a disadvantage

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

[SSM]

''Who were the first people to shave and why?

Alexander (a Christian who led a battle against the ottomans if im correct)

Why- to look more attractive.

But it doesnt make sense to shave to look more attractive because:

Why would you want your body to look more attractive- when the body/face etc is going to reduce to dust one day anway. As Gurbani tells us this aswell(if im correct).''

er correct me if im wrong but I think a singh should for no reason feel less attractive than an clean shaven person. Mainly because we dont all share Alexander's view and second, cos a Singh should take pride in the roop given to him by our Guru, he shouldnt feel proud of self but of everyone like him who has that roop. Thats my view.

Thanks for reading and soz going against it

Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh

[WGJKKWGJKF]

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

That wasnt my meaning- its just i tried to get the fact across people think (especially the west) if your clean shaven it makes them look more attractive.

And true about the fact the roop that our Guru gave us is the true beuty.

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

Gur Fateh Parvaan Hove!

I’ll try and keep this short as I can (difficult for me!), however ask that you appreciate that this is a very big topic.

Guru Sahib can be found in the Suraj Parkash Granth having a discussion with the Sikhs on this matter, he states to the effect that Kesh has long been the signifier of beauty, wisdom, knighthood, royalty, spirituality, divinity and so on…the fact that others have chosen to shed theirs is not a reflection of changing times (a question raised by one of the Sikhs), as the sun and moon still exist within the 24 hours of the day on this earth, the times have not changed.

From this, my personal take on this question is actually to turn it around to you, the question is not so much WHY do Sikh NOT cut their hair, but in fact WHY do OTHERS cut theirs?

Here are some possible, not all answers to this question:

Fashion?

-well, what is fashion? “the prevailing style or custom, as in dress or behaviour following who’s lead is accepted” is a typical dictionary definition.  Well, I know who’s lead I wish to follow – Guru Sahib…read on and we’ll come back to this shortly…

Convenience?

-really? What is so inconvenient about keeping one’s kesh tied and neat? Is it really more convenient to be shaving each day and spending time and money in the barbers shop?

Practicality?

How? As above, there is nothing impractical about having Kesh as many situations can be easily adjusted to whilst still maintaining one’s Kesh – ultimately there is very little in terms of work, leisure or other activities/requirements that having “long hair” should make impossible to manage – this is nothing but an excuse to shy away from this perceived responsibility so one can indulge into the first item above.

“The done thing” ?

According to who? – as per above…

Ritual observance or tradition?

This is the key point, which should be noted as the background to all of the above ‘reasons’.  It was customary globally for all persons of high stature and rank to have their kesh unshorn.  The trend of men shedding their hair and beard began in the Church with the radical St Paul and predominantly in the western world with Alexander the Great – in the pursuit of ‘youthful’ appearance, which he felt the beard hid.  Since his time, this trend has been set for the masses who “accepted his lead”

In religious traditions, those who disliked the body and rejected the gift of human birth as something evil, sort to exemplify their rejection of the world through having their head shaved (re: Monks and Nuns) or hair individually plucked.  These traditions disown the majesty of the human existence, essentially the majesty of the divine and are replete with renunciation and denial of life, sex, and the world.

Beauty?

Again, according to whom? Alexander? Brad Pitt? It is well known that hair is intrinsically linked with beauty, sexuality and honour – the reasons why it was most often reserved for those of high stature in certain societies, why it is covered in public, with only your mother, siblings and then your lover (wife/husband) being the only ones to see it in full glory.  Kesh has long been the signifiers of classical beauty.  A shaved face and head are quite the opposite, as per the above, a signifier of denial of life, guilt, crime, etc. 

So in summary, I ask you to consider for yourself, why do others cut their hair?  Are you a man? If so, why do you shy from being a full man, with a beard and hair – or do you wish to, like others today, subconsciously retain your boyish looks because you don’t wish to handle the responsibility that comes with age, with manhood? Or are you like many today, seeking to be fashionable, if so let’s look at the definition of fashion again and key into “following the lead of who is accepted”…maybe you wish to be fashionable and be clean shaven like the homosexual famous fashion designer, or the promiscuous film actor or indeed the drug addicted rock star…or perhaps you wish to embrace the honour of being keshdhari like that of the most beautiful, handsome, majestic, divine, noble, warrior-poet, spiritual Guru Gobind Singh?

I leave you to ponder over this…happy to discuss further as you see fit.

Gur Fateh!

Niranjana.

124534[/snapback]

awesome post!