Jago Miami?

[Guest Guest]

I suggest Gursikhs to attend Jago. When amongst the right sangat, people get inspired. :WW: :WW:

i suggest Jago get "Gursikh friendly"

add nitnem to the agenda

I agree..

Nitnem is a very personal thing. Some like to recite it quickly others like to recite it at a slower pace. Some like to recite it in different tones. The last two years we have been getting feedback that as a group we are either going too fast or too slowly. The first year was too slow the second year was too fast. It is a very personal thing. Those who did not like the pace that had been set, ended up not coming in the morning for nitnem and ended up doing it individually the past two years. Our opportunities to be with the sangat are precious. Therefore, we have decided to start the kirtan program a little later and leave the divan room open at all times so whoever wishes to do Nitnem can come do it at any time at their own pace and liking. Hopefully then everybody will attend the kirtan program.

LOL. The only complaints I heard is that people don't WANT to do wake up early in the morning and some had never done it before. Nitnem is not a personal thing, its something best done in the company of the SadhSangat. The people who went to clubs, parties and strip clubs the night before and those hanging out at all hours of the night eating Checkers burgers are the ones who were not coming in the morning for nitnem. Without daily discipline there is no Sikh. Just accept that what you are doing is not a sikh movement but a punjabi social movement.

For some real sikh conferences see:

www.seattlesikhretreat.com

www.kaursunited.gurmatstudies.com

http://wcsya.com/

All of which feature nitnem.

[Guest Guest]

I just visited Jagomiami.com and read "About us" page and I remember one of the organizer..

Approx. 4 years ago our local sangat having bit of trouble with some camp organizers of texas... they use to come down to california to hold few day kid camp. Camp = lots of lots mistakes.. from guru granth sahib jee being brought in suitcase to distortion of gurbani and not bhog lagvana during ardas and meat eating topics etc.. Local sangat had been in lots of trouble and eventually by very hard way locals sorted it out by requesting them not to come to california again and they never did. Camp is now running fine without them (last time i heard from 1 of the camp organizer).

One cannot be active in sikhi by hearing one or two hour of lecture or attending workshop without following the real Sikh day which starts with Amritvela. I never attended Jago Miami or Jakara nor i am interested in attending such conferences as i don't think such things connects you to God at all.. Maybe it works from somebody but organizers should bend some current rules to make such conference a reality instead of showoff..

[Guest Guest]

Harinder Singh is the biggest "pro-meat eater" I know. And he disgracefully uses Gurbani to back it up.

[Guest Guest]

Jago has had nitnem the last 2 years, including Asa Ki // last year. I've been the last 2 years and plan on going again this year. Each time I went, I came back inspired. I have taken what I've learned there applied it to

myself and my community. To each his or her own. Maybe some people do not get anything out of these conferences, but I do. Not everybody is there for the right reasons, but as adults one should act as an adult and a Sikh when they go to a religious conference. The organizers have been friendly and have the right mission in their minds. They work really hard to organize these conferences, however they are not babysitters nor should they have to act like baby sitters. The attendees do have to sign a waiver that they agree not to go out, party, drink, smoke etc. People have been kicked out in the past, but I guess they don't catch everybody. I'm not sure how many of you who are bashing the conference have actually been to Jago. Maybe you should bring these issues to the attention of the organizers so that they can make the appropriate changes, rather than bashing it on an online forum. What good does that do? At least bring it to the attention of the people who are in charge. Getting to know them the last two years, they are very open to feedback and suggestions. Like somebody said earlier, you definitely can be inspired at jago.

[Guest Guest]

Lets not do Ninda. At the end of the day, we should promote Camps that promote Gurmat. (mod edited), Nitnem is. You need a Gursikhi Jeevan to run a camp and encourage others to follow Sikhi!!! I wouldn't go to Jago just because of all the meat, socializing, no Nitnem, etc. It's just silly in that regard for me personally. Hopefully they can fix up their mistakes and make further improvements for the future, however.

[anjaanbachi]

Vaheguroo Ji Ka Khalsa,

Vaheguroo Ji Ki Fateh!

Forgive me if I am mistaken but I believe that the main thing the sangat seems to be asking for is Nitnem to be added to the agenda. I don't see why you are so against this seeing as without daily Nitnem one can not live as a true Sikh. The argument that Nitnem is done too fast or slow to ones liking is not a valid one. How about having different people do Nitnem every day? Then you have all different styles. Kirtan is also done in different fashions: raag etc. And is not always done to everyones liking either.

Phul Chuk Maaf.

Vaheguroo Ji Ka Khalsa,

Vaheguroo Ji Ki Fateh!

[Guest Guest]

all the people that are pro Jago seem to try to make their arguement by saying "we have had Nitnem and Asa DI Vaar for the past two years". Good for them! however the Nitnem isnt on the schedule this year so you basically have no point.

Jago needs to Jago!

[Guest Narinder Singh]

And the meating eating bashing continues...

This topic has been open since july 12 and it is now july 31st.

THERE IS AN OBVIOUS BIAS AND CARELESSNESS WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE WHO POST AGAINST THE EATING OF MEAT, BUT THE MINUTE SOMEONE POSTS IN THE FAVOR OF IT, OR MEAT BEING A NON-ISSUE IN SIKHI, THEY'RE GIVEN A WARNING RIGHT AWAY.

Fateh.

[Guest trying to lead a gursikh lifesty]

This last comment is not constructive it was antagonizing. The author includes a quote at the bottom of thier section "Physical death I do not fear, death of conscience is a sure death. "

-Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale.

Your fellow Sikh brothers and sisters have been trying to AWAKE the "conscience" of the organizers of Jago (let me remind you that the meaning of Jago is an awakaning). But to scold them for voicing thier oppinions, antagonize them and inciting them to go down to the Jago conference and enforce "thier" nitnem in not constructive. First and foremost it is not "thier" nitnem it is the Guru's Nitnem. Secondly, do you know what a mess it would be if some good intentioned and very upset people were pushed and made to feel the only way to honor thier Guru was to fly down to Miami and disrupt the conference. This conference that many people have worked hard on to organize, a conference that many others have taken out time and spent money to fly down and participate. I realize that you were just being sarcastic and venting some frustration but it really is not constructive.

Now as to the issues at hand. I did go to the first Jago conference so I can only speak to my experience there. At the first Jago they did have nitnem. They did speak about amrit. The secretary of the Gurdwara there (also from the younger generation) gave an amazing speach about amrit on the Gurdwara day. Many of us felt that it was worth going to the conference just to hear him speak again. I also unfortunately was a witness to the problems with the snacks. First of all I do feel they should not have meat at the conference. The Gurdwara there sponsored the event. They subsidized the who thing and gave somewhere around $30k if I remember correctly. Gurdwara funds should never be used to buy meat. If you would not serve meat in a Gurdwara then don't use its money for that purpose. No one leaves Gurdwara feeling like the Guru's way was not good enough or that they were not fed properly. We shouldn't hesitate to enforce the same a Sikh events.

Secondlly, they asked us when we regestered if we were vegetarians. They knew that vast majority of the group was vegetarian. Then they would have snacks that had eggs in them with no other options. You would not do that to a guest in your house so why would you do that to a paying participant. They had one meal offsite at a restaraunt and the vegetarian option was not truly vegetarian. The salad dressing was not vegetarian and all the vegetarians unknowingly ate the salad. I did not have the heart to tel the others. But I know one participant cried later becasue she had never eaten non-veg items in her life. Many of us made our feelings clear in the feedback forms. Although I enjoyed myself and felt inspired, I decided not to return the second year because I was treated so poorly when it came to my dietary needs/principals. My dietary needs and principals are unfortunately more respected on airplanes and at American conferences.

As far as peoples behaviors, the organizers are not responsible for peoples behavior but should just try to control them as much as possible. Have participants sign the waiver before coming and upon arrival. Then they need to enforce it strictly. People should know before they come the consequences of breaking the rules and not conforming with Sikhi values while attending the conference. Its better to loose a couple of potential participants (who can visit miami on thier own if they like) ahead of time. If people go to strip clubs and misbehave then it damages the integrity of all conferences and camps. Parents are already hesitant to send the kids especially thier daughters. We are ambassadors of Sikhi. Those who don't want to act accordingly should just not come or as I said before come on their own time with no affiliations tied to a Sikh conference.

I know one of the organizers is your friend since they used your account to reply in the past I hope you can pass on my message. I hope they can continue with having Nitnem. I hope they can stop serving meat. I hope the secretary can speak about amrit again. I hope they can be Gursikhi friendly so that it can be a sadhsangat experience.

GOing back to the quote: "Physical death I do not fear, death of conscience is a sure death. "

-Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale.

Let us AWAKEN our conscience and strive the best we can to better ourselves and live a Gursikh Jivaan because anything less is "sure death".

[AkalPurakhDiFauj]

And my post was deleted?

if Mod could PM me as to why it was deleted so I don't make the same mistake again?

Lets end this Jago thread here.

If any of you guys have anything to say,

take it up with the organizers of the conference instead of bashing it online.

VAHGURU JI KA KHALSA

VAHGURU JI KI FATEH!