Bbc Radio 2 - Pause For Thought - 11/03/2010

[jasjitsingh]

Pyare Sangat Ji - Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Just wanted to share a 'Pause for Thought' which I recorded which was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on Thursday 11th March @ 5:45am. It's available on iplayer until Thurs 18th here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk...edy_11_03_2010/ - please forward to 48:15

Also available here: http://www.leeds.ac....khs/events.html

Text here:

Wonderment

We're finally coming up for air. Our baby boy is almost 6 months old and after what seems like a whirlwind since we brought him home, we are now finally able to reflect on what just happened.

Many people have told us that children grow up far too quickly, and having recently graduated to his third nappy size we are beginning to understand what they mean. From spending most of his time sleeping, to smiling at us whenever he sees us, to now having literally found his feet, every change means that our little boy is growing up, building on and leaving a previous stage of development behind.

Little Balraj, meaning pillar of strength, is a joy in so many ways, one of which is the fact that he is amazed by everything. Yesterday he had a long conversation with a carrot, amazed at its shape, texture and colour. This ability to be amazed by the world around us is also emphasised by the Sikh Gurus. In fact one of the Sikh names for the Divine, Waheguru, contains the word for "Wow". The Gurus often use the example of a child to teach their Sikhs to be in a constant state of wonderment about their surroundings, seeing everything anew and taking nothing for granted.

Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru also uses the example of a child to illustrate the importance of learning, indeed the word Sikh means learner as the Gurus taught their followers to spend their whole lives learning and developing. Children make the best learners, always asking questions and not being too proud to admit when they don't know something. Little children are also non-judgemental having not yet been taught about prejudice and about who they are supposed to like or dislike.

As children we all spent years learning and developing, but at some stage in our lives, many of us become set in our ways, possibly content at the fact that we know enough, or because we believe we are "right" in our thinking, or maybe because we lose our sense of wonderment at the possibilities available to us. The moment we stop exploring and growing we become stagnant. Where there is stagnant water there is an increased risk of disease. Flowing water on the other hand is the very source of life, always flowing downstream symbolising the importance of humility when seeking to grow.

Next installment on April 8th.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Jasjit Singh

[humkire]

Thats sweet. To have emphasised on bismad , 'sikhi sikhiya gur vichar ' and nimarta as starting points to introduce Sikhism to others. This provides openings to talk about sewa, equality, human brotherhood etc. You could have added another sentence on bismad by drawing an example from Asa ki // in the section where Gurujee keeps using the word bismad bismad as He sees nature. This also ties in with God as the Divine Creator-Designer-Architect-Engineer, which then helps introduce Sikhism as a scientific religion that recognises and does not dismiss the physical laws that govern the creation, expansion, operation and dissolution the universe(as part of God's hukum and construction of the maya-matrix) and promotes inquiry and research into evolution, microbiology, astral physics etc.

May Gurujee bless your son Balraj Singh to grow up to be a proper chardikela Sikh, deriving great bal from all powerful Guru Gobind Singh Maharaj. We look forward to your future installments. Keep promoting Sikhi. Guru ang sang.