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How has being a Sikh changed you?

lakhvir

By lakhvir,
in GURBANI | SAKHIAN | HISTORY

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lakhvir Grand Master

lakhvir

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GuruFatehJi.

KhalsaJi,

Here's the next topic for essays:

HOW HAS BEING A SIKH CHANGED YOU?

Be it inspirational or otherwise, we all see our religion from different perspectives. While many of us become stronger in Sikhi as they realise the beauty of our religion and its teachings, there are also others who have felt unobliged to it.

Here's a chance to tell us your story. Tell us everything, share with us your inner-most thoughts and feelings, as though you were confiding with the Guru. We all love Sikhi, but not everyone travels the journey at the same pace. So let's here it from you: 'Being a Sikh, how has your life changed?'

Good luck with the essay and looking forward to learning from you.

May Guru Maharaj bless you with the strength and wisdom to share your life with us.

GuruFatehJi.

L*

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lakhvir Grand Master

lakhvir

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GuruFatehJi.

I think two weeks turned out to be a little to too tight for many. So we'll double it. Let's keep the deadline to a month from now - end of July 2004.

Hope you will share your experiences at the Toronto Smagam with us!

Guru Kirpa Karay.

GuruFatehJi.

L*

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Jaspaul Singh Grand Master

Jaspaul Singh

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'Being a Sikh, how has your life changed?'

Waheguru ji ka khalsa, Waheguru ji ki fatehh

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Jaspaul Singh, from Brampton Ontario. I am presently studying Economics and Religious Studies at University of Waterloo, as a backup, and after i graduate, guru kirpa naal, to be a cop.

This is a very interesting topic that you have chosen veerji, and now i will take a few hours to type it straight here and share wit all of the sangat. I would really love to read others too, so hurry people and add yours on. :wub:

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Why is it so hard for many of us to follow the true hukam of our guru sahibans? Why is it so hard for us to keep our hair, stop eating meat, and for most of us, to stop drinking? Why cant we get up and recite our daily nitnem, and be attached with guru ji through our simran? Is it really that hard how people think it is? Is sikhi really strict?

These, and many more, questions had come to me all at once. The date is Summer 2001. Regular high schooler in my last year, OAC, and enjoying what life gives to me. Not much into sikhi, but still respected it. No one in my family were that much into sikhi, except for my grandma. She has always been an inspiration to me. Telling me stories and kathas of guru sahibs, warriors, rajas, when I was small and couldn’t goto sleep. Is this why I have respect for sikhi, and never insulted it by getti

ng onto the wrong side. It could be, but more above all, is just guru kirpa. When guru has his eye on you, he will stay with you, remind you constently, one way or the other, “Son I am here for you, but where are you…..”

My family background is all on the sikhi side. My moms side comes from deep nanaksar background, where my moms mom is somehow related to Baba Nand Singh I heard. Where my grandma, was from the family of Baba Ram Singh ji. (Now unfortunetly on the wrong track, Naamdharis.) My whole family including my grandpa was also a pucka sikh, till he passed away when my dad was only 5 years old. All my relatives tell me since I took amrit that you are your grandpa. You look just like him.

I wasnt always a mona till i decided to take amrit in the later stages. I had my hair till i was in grade 3. I use to goto a school in toronto, on weston and st.clair. As some might know, this is one of the downtown areas. It was hard growing up, i dont remember most of the stuff, but most my parents narrate it to me. Students my age at that time use to come after me with scissors and cut my hair, or try to peak what is under that 'ball' they use to call it, on top of my head. Seeing that i was always isolated, no friends, my dad took me one day to the barber and cut my hair. I do not hate him for this, but at least i can say he did a really good thing for me. Who knows if i got any older, i was always being forced to keep my hair from my family, who knows what kind of thinking i would have adopted. So from then on i got into activities, and more gorai/kalai friends.

I grew up in toronto 15 years. Went into grade 9 still in toronto. I moved to brampton for grade 10. I can guarantee that if i had stayed in toronto for one more year, i wouldve been a messed up little kid, prob in drugs, stealing, drinking, all bad habits. But Guru kirpa, i moved out and came into a very quiet area in brampton, and it was a tremdous change for me. From getting D's and barely passing in grade 9, i adopted a f

ull 'nerd' sense of passion. Started getting B's and A's in grade 10, and of course my family was really happy.

September, 2001. School starts. Working parttime. While working had a chance to work with one of my really great friends. (Sorry can not use names) She also had one of the biggest impacts on me sikhi wise. Eventhough she didn’t know, I still thank her till this day. As most of us, I was addicted to meat. Eating meat every single day of my life till then. I brought sandwiches, or bought mcD’s before I came to work and I use to sit at this table with my friend, who was a amritdhari. She always brought dhal, saag, roti, etx… guru ki pyari. I was the moorakh that didn’t know, at this time I had no idea what sikhi was. One day I was sitting in the café, on break from work, and I was about to take a bite, when I noticed for the first time that I was the only person eating a burger while 3 others on the same table including my friend was eating roti. I started thinking from that moment. Do I really need to eat meat to survive? I thought I love animals! And it is true, I cannot see an animal hurt, but like most, I didn’t think that what I was eating, was also hurt to fullfil my stomachs needs.

Right at that minute, I threw away the burger and ate nothing all day, but the good thing, I brought roti and aloo di sabji next time to work. That is how I let go of meat!

Drinking? I only drank once. So that was no problem. Hated it anyway. Taste literally like .

Cutting my hair? That happened a little later. From experience from self researching on the net, on sikhi. Talking to other Sikhs how their lives are. Attending Friday gurmat classes. Slowly reading bani. (Btw, I am born and raised in Toronto for 15 years, people still have hard time believing how I am able to read Punjabi, Gurmukhi. Lets just say guru kirpa again!)

I am in school. What do other guys do my age. Hang out. Girlfriends. This and that. December, 20

01. By guru jis grace I let go of everything. This is when I told my parents as well I want to come on the sikhi path. And they were soo happy but just gave me one warning. “The biggest paap you can ever do is taking amrit, and breaking it afterwards, do not decide to go into sikhi if you will be doing this.”

At this time, I had no intentions on taking amrit. But just following bani, and how a good sikh I should be. I started reading even more. Getting to know more and more sangat as days go by. I didn’t cut my hair from December to april 2002. No keski on, no turban, no patka… I was looking like a muslim walking down the halls at my high school. But I didn’t care, let the world think what they want, I have one specific goal and that was to follow sikhi till its max. Then finally, after many considerations, I took amrit in Vasaikhi April 2002. Can not forget that moment till today as it was one of my best moments of my life.

After taking amrit, well before too, was the challenge of tying a turban. But me and my parents overcame that together . Then there was the challenge of facing people at school. I was nervous, oh yes. Imagine what your friends that you known so long would say. But as I knew, I lost old friends, but gained thousands more. Including one who stays by my side all the time. And I just pray he never lets go of me. His name, is Guru ji

Currently, i cant explain how happy I am to live a sikh life. The qurbanian our gurus gave to give rise to sikhi, HOW CAN WE FORGET!?! With his kirpa, I have given the opportunity of controlling the sikh students association in University of Waterloo. Now come on, ME, that had no idea what sikhi is until 2 years ago. How can I take this responsibility. I couldn’t but the only satisfaction I got was to know Guru ji was helping me on the side. Helping me arranging those events, those raensbais, those kirtan darbars, FOR WHO ?? Who else, my own brothers and sisters!!!

I still pray till this day, that guru ji

gives me the will power to stay in chardi kala and in his bhana. A moorakh I am, do many mistakes everyday of my life, but with his kirpa I can stop. With his kirpa I am starting to learn kirtan now. How wonderful are his words, the true guru, DHAN DHAB SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI! I will leave by sharing a shabad that I have recently learned and simply fellin love with it.

AMg 684

ang 684

Page 684

<> siqgur pRswid ]

ik ounkaar sathigur prusaadh

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

DnwsrI mhlw 9 ]

dhunaasuree mehulaa 9

Dhanaasaree, Ninth Mehl:

kwhy ry bn Kojn jweI ]

kaahae rae bun khojun jaaee

Why do you go looking for Him in the forest?

srb invwsI sdw Alypw qohI sMig smweI ]1] rhwau ]

surub nivaasee sudhaa alaepaa thohee sung sumaaee

Although he is unattached, he dwells everywhere. He is always with you as your companion. ||1||Pause||

puhp miD ijau bwsu bsqu hY mukr mwih jYsy CweI ]

puhup madh jio baas busuth hai mukur maahi jaisae shaaee

Like the fragrance which remains in the flower, and like the reflection in the mirror,

qYsy hI hir bsy inrMqir Gt hI Kojhu BweI ]1]

thaisae hee har busae nirunthar ghutt hee khojuhu bhaaee

the Lord dwells deep within; search for Him within your own heart, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||

bwhir BIqir eyko jwnhu iehu gur igAwnu bqweI ]

baahar bheethar eaeko jaanuhu eihu gur giaan buthaaee

Outside and inside, know that there is only the One Lord; the Guru has imparted this wisdom to me.

e='font-family:GurbaniWebThick'>jn nwnk ibnu Awpw cInY imtY n BRm kI kweI ]2]1]

jun naanuk bin aapaa cheenai mittai n bhrum kee kaaee

O servant Nanak, without knowing one's own self, the moss of doubt is not removed. ||2||1||

____________________________________________________________________

Well that is my story. I just typed it in half hour as that was how much free time I got from studies. Ask Mehtab Singh veer, I just got off right now from a stressful school essay. Hope everyone liked it. Any mistakes please forgive me. Ill edit if I find any careless mistakes I made. Now back to my studies... :cool:

Bhul chuk maph

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Sister Explorer

Sister

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maybe no one is really seeing this post section... i think it would be very inspirational for more people to most there stories.. i dont really have a story yet.. im still young.. and i need to finish playing the lead role in my story.... so thats why im not posting a story...

but everyone else.. we need to get their attention....

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