What draws people to Sikhism - Yoga?

[Big_Tera]

If there is one thing that draws people to Sikhism it is YOGA. Lets take a look at the most successful Sikh missionaries in the west. 

Yogi Bhajan - His name sounds half like yoga. Just a coincidence. But this guys method was simple. First start up classes on yoga. He knew the west is obsessed with the whole yoga thing. Next slowly bring them to Sikhism. So why dont we start doing something similar to this? Obviously we will have our own model. There will not be any kind of 3ho setup. It will be purely 100% Sikh. But first we have to get them interested in the first place. 

It is evident that people first become interested in yoga or other meditation practices. Then they start taking and interest in Sikhi. There is great potential for Sikhism to expand in Latin countries such as Spain, and south america. Many of the Latin or Hispanic people have a great interest and fascination with India and its culture. Be it Yoga, Ayurvedic medicine and meditation.Yet we are not tapping into this interest. 

 On a recent trip to Spain and south america I noticed many shops with Indian artifacts. Such as oms, toofs and many other Indian cultural ornaments.  I hardly came across any islamic ornaments. But the shops were full of Indian stuff. I also noticed this in Greece. 

The question is how can we implement all this and start a Sikh missionary center in the UK? 

Look at Muslims they have built huge missionary centres in the uk. with the pure aim of converting as many people as they can funded by rich arab states abroad. Yet all Sikhs do is sit on our backsides, eat to many paranthe and then moan. 

 

[RajKaregaKhalsa1]

I mean I don't do yoga but I think what draws people to Sikhi is the fact that the message is so pure and has never been seen before.

Like can you name 10 such historical figures who had perfect lives in a perfect continual line, gave women shashtars told people about how we can experience God, gave such a simple but unique concept like langar etc. Look at langar free food for everyone no questions asked. Something so simple and beautiful never seen before. And then you see all the history and the martyrs and you're like wow. Guru Nanak Dev ji empowered woman, Guru Angad Dev ki made a new script and even encouraged wrestling. How cool is that! Guru encouraging fitness. Guru Amar Daas ji with 52 female parchariks. Guru Raam Daas ji an orphan who roasted peanuts and then wrote poetry in so many raags. Then Guru Arjan Dev ji sat on taati tavi. I could go on but look at how cool the history is. That will obvious draw in people.

And second of all we can't convert people. It is through Guru ji's kirpa that one becomes a Sikh whatever that's through. So we should try to spread the message but not force it.

[vtheawesome]

I mean, I am inclined to agree with you. 

I don't like 3HO, or even Yogi Bahjan, buuuuuuuuuuut he was right in capitalizing off of the hippie craze. We could do something similar with the modern push for progressivism and the sort of hipster-ish fascination with eastern religion many westerners have now. At the very least, I think it would be more palatable to them than Islam. 

[jkvlondon]

Yogi harbhajan was a typical fake guru/cult head even so many years after his death 3Hoers take his spin on gurbani above Bhai Gurdas ji's . This is the same mahaK4njar to offer to murder Sant ji, who openlt called Guru Sahiban imperfect and mistaken in bringing Sikhi in the Brown people's lands .He ran rackets and phone scams under the label of sikhi , assaulted women , having one sterilized and another who was pregnant to have abortions whilst claiming to follow sikhi . I cannot believe I'm hearing you guys bigg him up ...shame on you.

 

There are many people who have gotten put off sikhi by his kartoots and mentally equate ordinary sikhs to him  , but you never hear about them because the 3Hoers know how to shut them up .

[luckysingh99]

Here we go again!!

Maybe try some yoga?

[jkvlondon]

Like I said before people get attracted to sikhi by seeing Sikhi in action :

SWAT -sewadars from non-sikh background or lapsed  have become attached to Guru ji's charan

Khalsa Aid/United Sikhs- high profile stories has awoken slumbering sikhs across the planet and helped create a buzz around sikhi for non-sikhs

SAS - huge number of non-sikh bibian have started following sikhi  because of the honourable attitude towards children and women

BOS - the curious and newcomers to sikhi  are able to use the materials to start their journey 

Tourism to Harmandir Sahib ,Bangla Sahib and other gurdwarey has also affected people's hearts and made them follow up on what is Sikhi since compared to other faiths  places they have experienced a non-agressive, non-mercenary attitude. People still talk about the safety of Gurdwarey when they were stranded without money during monetisation

 

[mahandulai]

16 hours ago, Big_Tera said:

If there is one thing that draws people to Sikhism it is YOGA. Lets take a look at the most successful Sikh missionaries in the west. 

Yogi Bhajan - His name sounds half like yoga. Just a coincidence. But this guys method was simple. First start up classes on yoga. He knew the west is obsessed with the whole yoga thing. Next slowly bring them to Sikhism. So why dont we start doing something similar to this? Obviously we will have our own model. There will not be any kind of 3ho setup. It will be purely 100% Sikh. But first we have to get them interested in the first place. 

It is evident that people first become interested in yoga or other meditation practices. Then they start taking and interest in Sikhi. There is great potential for Sikhism to expand in Latin countries such as Spain, and south america. Many of the Latin or Hispanic people have a great interest and fascination with India and its culture. Be it Yoga, Ayurvedic medicine and meditation.Yet we are not tapping into this interest. 

 On a recent trip to Spain and south america I noticed many shops with Indian artifacts. Such as oms, toofs and many other Indian cultural ornaments.  I hardly came across any islamic ornaments. But the shops were full of Indian stuff. I also noticed this in Greece. 

The question is how can we implement all this and start a Sikh missionary center in the UK? 

Look at Muslims they have built huge missionary centres in the uk. with the pure aim of converting as many people as they can funded by rich arab states abroad. Yet all Sikhs do is sit on our backsides, eat to many paranthe and then moan. 

 

the way you are correlating this is stupid, it might be right, but it s a stupid way of saying this, only a minority do yoga.

[Big_Tera]

17 minutes ago, mahandulai said:

the way you are correlating this is stupid, it might be right, but it s a stupid way of saying this, only a minority do yoga.

You should not use silly words like stupid! Which actually shows your mental age and IQ. If you do not agree with it simply say so in a mature and educated way! This forum is about learning and debating. Not making childish remarks such as saying 'stupid'

Grow up and become a banda. 

Lets keep this forum clean and pleasant place. For people to come and learn. Not turning threads into cussing matches to vent your anger from the sad existence and insecurities that you have in life. To try and somehow lash out at people as your only escape. You have alot to learn my friend. 

[Big_Tera]

On 10/1/2018 at 9:32 PM, vtheawesome said:

I mean, I am inclined to agree with you. 

I don't like 3HO, or even Yogi Bahjan, buuuuuuuuuuut he was right in capitalizing off of the hippie craze. We could do something similar with the modern push for progressivism and the sort of hipster-ish fascination with eastern religion many westerners have now. At the very least, I think it would be more palatable to them than Islam. 

Yes maybe we can first do Sikh meditation classes. Then from there give informations and leaflets on Sikhism. The thing with yogi bhajan and other such figures. Is they have very powerful auras and personalities. 

They can influence people and make them open to knew ideas. Now from my limited knowledge of yogi bhajan. He did not set out to convert anyone. He just did some yoga and meditation classes as He was a trainined yogi from India. 

Then suddenly people started converting all by themselves as they were intrigued. But the seed has to be implanted first. To get people interested. 

[Big_Tera]

On 10/2/2018 at 9:31 AM, jkvlondon said:

Like I said before people get attracted to sikhi by seeing Sikhi in action :

SWAT -sewadars from non-sikh background or lapsed  have become attached to Guru ji's charan

Khalsa Aid/United Sikhs- high profile stories has awoken slumbering sikhs across the planet and helped create a buzz around sikhi for non-sikhs

SAS - huge number of non-sikh bibian have started following sikhi  because of the honourable attitude towards children and women

BOS - the curious and newcomers to sikhi  are able to use the materials to start their journey 

Tourism to Harmandir Sahib ,Bangla Sahib and other gurdwarey has also affected people's hearts and made them follow up on what is Sikhi since compared to other faiths  places they have experienced a non-agressive, non-mercenary attitude. People still talk about the safety of Gurdwarey when they were stranded without money during monetisation

 

Thats all good and well. I am impressed with all the work that is being done. We should set good examples so people look at us. 

But we can do more stuff. I think basics of Sikhi did really well with their stalls and talking yo the general public. But it would be good if these stall events happened more often. Anyone know how often they do them? Muslims seem to do these things every sunday without fail on the high streets. 

They do them in Ilford, stratford, and also walthamstow I think.