- May 9, 2006
- 3,261
- 5,192
I've explored a variety of religions: Wicca and other Neo-Pagan paths, Christianity and even peeked behind the veil of Islam. But none of them come anywhere close to the beauty and simplicity of Sikhi.
I started learning about Sikhi when I was 18. I am now 31. For me, my introduction to Sikhi was downloading an English translation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and starting to read it. I can still feel today the sensation that reading those pages generated in me. An inner warmth, like someone lit the candle right in the centre of my being. It keeps bringing me back. I will be linked to Sikhi for the rest of my life. Thereafter I learned about the rehat maryada and got in touch with the community online and in real life.
A highlight of the journey for me was attending Sikh camp on the other side of my country in 2010. It was 5 days of 5am japna, daily darshan and lectures about Sikhi. It showed me a glimpse of the clarity that can come with consistent practice and focus.
Sadly, through it all, my high levels of anxiety and shyness have prevented me from really connecting with the community in real life. My inability to pronounce Punjabi words makes it difficult for me to get into conversations about Sikhi, although every moment of my time spent with Sikhs I desperately want to discuss it.
One uncle I met at Sikh camp took me under his wing a little bit. I've seen him and his wife once since then, in 2013, and it was a most enjoyable afternoon. I was at ease, I apologised in advance for my awful pronunciation, and we spent upwards of four hours in a cafe talking about everything Sikh related. It was such an awesome feeling to connect with them so intimately. I desperately wish there was more of that in my life. A sense of community and people to encourage each other, it would be awesome.
But I've lost touch with not only Uncle Ji, but with what little connection I had with the local community. Things changed, I lost my way for quite a while. Now I'm coming back with more self awareness. I'll never be a stand-out, remarkable gori Sikh. I leave that to more worthy people like @Harkiran Kaur and my dear friend Inderjot Kaur who is not on this forum. I can only thank them for paving the way and try to contribute as best I can, quietly in the background, with Guru Ji's kirpa.
I started learning about Sikhi when I was 18. I am now 31. For me, my introduction to Sikhi was downloading an English translation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and starting to read it. I can still feel today the sensation that reading those pages generated in me. An inner warmth, like someone lit the candle right in the centre of my being. It keeps bringing me back. I will be linked to Sikhi for the rest of my life. Thereafter I learned about the rehat maryada and got in touch with the community online and in real life.
A highlight of the journey for me was attending Sikh camp on the other side of my country in 2010. It was 5 days of 5am japna, daily darshan and lectures about Sikhi. It showed me a glimpse of the clarity that can come with consistent practice and focus.
Sadly, through it all, my high levels of anxiety and shyness have prevented me from really connecting with the community in real life. My inability to pronounce Punjabi words makes it difficult for me to get into conversations about Sikhi, although every moment of my time spent with Sikhs I desperately want to discuss it.
One uncle I met at Sikh camp took me under his wing a little bit. I've seen him and his wife once since then, in 2013, and it was a most enjoyable afternoon. I was at ease, I apologised in advance for my awful pronunciation, and we spent upwards of four hours in a cafe talking about everything Sikh related. It was such an awesome feeling to connect with them so intimately. I desperately wish there was more of that in my life. A sense of community and people to encourage each other, it would be awesome.
But I've lost touch with not only Uncle Ji, but with what little connection I had with the local community. Things changed, I lost my way for quite a while. Now I'm coming back with more self awareness. I'll never be a stand-out, remarkable gori Sikh. I leave that to more worthy people like @Harkiran Kaur and my dear friend Inderjot Kaur who is not on this forum. I can only thank them for paving the way and try to contribute as best I can, quietly in the background, with Guru Ji's kirpa.
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I've made salad, I've buttered rotis, I've rolled out little maps of Australia instead of circles, I've washed dishes, dried dishes, served langar. I just can't make friends. Don't get me wrong, aunties hug me when they see me, I've been given salwar kameez, I am not shunned, but I'm not the personality to join in to conversations, and I'm rarely invited into them, and they are primarily speaking in Punjabi. I don't know any people well enough to just join them.. I try to stick with an auntie or two who I kinda know, but they move around so much. 