Keeping Hair!

[bluffmaster__singh]

Hello people

I stand here in my life at a verge where I have to decide something for my life. I belong to a hardcore sikh family and my parents are proper sikhs. I love them so much for giving me their values, and teaching me the sikh culture. Honestly, I find almost everything the most practical. Hats off to them though we people dont wear hats ;-)

But at the same time, there's 1 thing which has been brought up many times, and that is about sikhs keeping hair.

- I know our culture, it is the image Guruji gave to us

- I know that hair are given by God and we keep them to show respect to him

But

Then what if a want to cut my hair because i feel really uncomfortable with it. why shouldnt I cut them because that will enhance my looks.(plz dont say it wont, it is an obv. fact and I am young looks do matter a lot to me.) I mean if its God's gift and keeping it is his respect then why 99% of women wax their arms or why do we even cut our nails? the amount of trouble we take to maintain our hair, definitely if we do the same to nails we'll be able to manage it! And as far as it being a part of sikhism, I feel that sikism is only about "Kirt karo naam japo wand chakoo"...

I am not saying this to show i am nice or anything but I just paid 20% of my salary to a blind school, I try to understand the meaning of path and one of my objective each day morning is to help my fellow men and remember the people whom I might have hurt and ask for apology. But the hair things just doesnt makes sense to me.

I am 20 and I really want to cut my hair. Please give a direction to my life. If you think I am right please I need your greater help! If you think I am wrong please guide me.

Thank you so much

[Punjabi_Link]

To answer your poll question, I think a person who is amritdhari will take more pride of being a Sikh compare to a mona. I agree what you said about the whole double standard thing we have in Sikh community (women waxing their hair).

[BulldozerWarga$ingh]

u fink that the shaheeds that gave up their life for you to keep your sikhi saroop are a joke?

u fink that those Singhs that kept their kesh during hard times, despite knowing that they where being hunted and brutally tortured and murdured by the goverment during 1984 where a joke?

No Singh please down cut your kesh, our panth will be short of 1 Singh who could make a whole lot of difference to our panth.

The world changes, fashions changes, people change, people grow older, everything we see in this world will at 1 point change HOWEVER our GURU JI, TRUTH, SIKHI and A TRUE SIKHS DISCIPLINE will never change.

U mentioned

I feel that sikism is only about "Kirt karo naam japo wand chakoo"...

Sikhism is also about REHAT rako az well.

I think you just need motivation, you need to feel the real essence of SIKHI. Trust me, i used to be a mona.

Attendent more Sangat. just me 2 cents man...

may Waheguroo do Kirpa on you.

[kh@ls@]

deep down your know cutting you beautiful kesh is wrong. You have only posted here because you want people to say it's ok so that when you cut it you won't feel so bad?! But we're not gonna remember this is a sikhi website.

In regards to it will improve your looks it just depends on who you're trying to look good for. It's true that because of the crap we are fed through the media a stereotypical generic image of beauty is formed in the mind. But it's not true to say that you will be better looking without your kesh and a dastaar.

[lowest of the low singhni]

Then what if a want to cut my hair because i feel really uncomfortable with it.

Can you explain how you feel uncomfortable? If it's because everyone except you looks different, then there are millions of people out there who look the same as you and are proud of it. Guru Saheb has told us to forget other people's opinions 'sir deejai kaan na keejai' - give up your head and stop caring about what other people think.

Why shouldnt I cut them because that will enhance my looks.

If you're serious about Sikhi, those kind of looks will probably be lower down in your priorities. Who are you trying to look good for? Society or your Guru? You need to decide which one is top of the list.

I mean if its God's gift and keeping it is his respect then why 99% of women wax their arms or why do we even cut our nails?

Because those women probably do not know very much about God/religion/Sikhi. Even other religions don't ask their followers to keep their kes. But the idea is simple - God made us the way we are, we keep it that way. It's natural and right. As for why we cut our nails, search the forum as there have been so many discussions on this. (If Guru Gobind Singh Ji had told us not to cut our nails then we would have obeyed no problem).

the amount of trouble we take to maintain our hair

lol - compare the 'amount of trouble we take' to the amount of trouble and lengths others go to in order to stop their hair growing back everyday! Shaving/waxing/plucking has to be done on a regular basis. Why not just keep things simple and live happily with what you've got. There are so many Singhs on this forum, talk to them about your doubts.

And as far as it being a part of sikhism, I feel that sikism is only about "Kirt karo naam japo wand chakoo"...

Guru Gobind Singh Ji disagrees - he quite clearly says that the Rehat of a Sikh is the most important, not just what's underneath the exterior.

[malkeet]

i am the opposite to you, i come from a family whom are semi religious, and dont keep kes, drink, eat meat. but in december i decided to keep my kes, and altho at one point i started gettin doubts cos it was quite a drastic physical change, thanks to guruji i now have no doubts. I feel so proud to tie my turban, and have the outwards appearance of a sikh. the internal aspect is very important too, but equally important is maintaining our outwards appearance.

so many sikhs lost there lives, so we could be in the position that we are intoday where we can keep our kes without fear of being locked up/killed/mistreated. If you cut ur kes that will be a real shame because i can tell you this, from my experiences in life, you will regret it. Theres so much more to life than getting gfs (im persuming thats why u want to look more attractive). trust me, ive had the all the freedom in the world to date whomever i wanted, and i can tell they just bring heartache and trouble. its true that gurujis path is the only way to find inner peace and happiness in every aspect of your life.

At the end of the day it is your own choice. I am against people forcing others to follow a path they dont want to, your parents should give you the freedom now you are old enough to do what you want in life. If you truly want to cut your hair then that is your choice, but i promise each time you do it you will know how bad it is to be doing it. its up to you if you want to live with that on your mind

wjkk wjkf

[Wicked Warrior]

People shave/trim/wax so that they can conform to society's view of how humans should look. People inject themselves with poison from a bacterium, they are willing to risk surgery, they want genetically-engineered babies just so they can conform to society's rules and expectations.

Sikhs are different. They don't bow their heads down to society, instead they bow to the Lord Almighty himself. The conform to Him and to no other. They follow His Rule.

In the end, it comes down to this:

1. Are you going to follow God or Man?

2. If you follow Man, are you willing to accept whatever comes your way because you did not follow God?

[Revolutionary]

WHile reading the language of the poll itself and your post it looks like you've already decided..

But at the same time, there's 1 thing which has been brought up many times, and that is about sikhs keeping hair.

- I know our culture, it is the image Guruji gave to us

- I know that hair are given by God and we keep them to show respect to him

both are quite weak reasons to keep hair.. Dont forget the facts such as Guru Gobind Singh Ji saying "Without Weapons and Kesh you are like sheep"

Then what if a want to cut my hair because i feel really uncomfortable with it. why shouldnt I cut them because that will enhance my looks.(plz dont say it wont, it is an obv. fact and I am young looks do matter a lot to me.)

lol.. fine whatever we will say wont help.. even if i say that 4+ girls asked me out after I took amrit.. seriously what would u get out of it? Be strong man theres more to life than looking good lol

I mean if its God's gift and keeping it is his respect then why 99% of women wax their arms or why do we even cut our nails?

If God's creation is perfect why do women get raped? Therefore I should too.. See your logic is flawed.

Nails are not hair. They are unhygienic. It looks like you're making excuses or trying to shut us up with no answer..

the amount of trouble we take to maintain our hair, definitely if we do the same to nails we'll be able to manage it!

Dayam.. amount of trouble to maintian hair? Theres so much trouble maintaining skin - Lets peel it off instead of washing it everyday.. gosh

And as far as it being a part of sikhism, I feel that sikism is only about "Kirt karo naam japo wand chakoo"...

Please please please research more on Sikhi.

I am not saying this to show i am nice or anything but I just paid 20% of my salary to a blind school, I try to understand the meaning of path and one of my objective each day morning is to help my fellow men and remember the people whom I might have hurt and ask for apology.

Charity itself doesnt do any good. Read Gurbani for reference to this.

But the hair things just doesnt makes sense to me.

You're allowing yourself to make no sense with hair. Make an effort - Get some books - click on google - Research on Sikhi!

I am 20 and I really want to cut my hair.

See i told u so lol

[Mista Singh]

Wicked Warrior -

Hit the nail straight on its head :e:

[Punjabi_Link]

"Without Weapons and Kesh you are like sheep"

Okay, is owning weapons is that important in Sikhi? If so, then sikhs should have no problems of owning guns, but that isn't the case. How many people here own weapons?