Hello everyone I'm John, I'm a European-American from Austin, Texas.
I'm here to learn about Sikhism because I have felt an urge to convert and to change my lifestyle, and would like to know more about what that would entail.
About my path: I was brought up in a non-religious household (Christmas-Easter-Funeral Christians) and spent most of my life up until about a year or two ago fluctuating between agnosticism and atheism. I've recently felt a calling toward God from my spiritual side and have been searching for the right path. I experimented with Buddhist meditation which I found beneficial in reducing stress and increasing perspective, but still wanted to learn how to worship God, something that Buddhism does not discuss. I then explored Christianity and then Islam, but abandoned both due to some of the off-putting passages in scripture (calls to violence) and both religions' godlike elevation of their "final messengers". I was also turned off by the rigid approach to worship which seemed to shun the spiritual aspects of having a relationship with God. No disrespect meant to any of the religions I have mentioned. One thing is for sure and that is that I believe in one and only one God. Okay, sorry for the rant.
Please feel free to PM me for any reason and especially if you can share any resources that could educate me on what my daily practices would be once becoming a Khalsa, should I choose that path. I have seen many great guides concerning Sikhi philosophy (which I have found very enlightening) but few resources regarding the practical aspects of Sikh life and application of philosophy (other than basics such as the five K's, etc.). Although I have white skin, I would like to stay away from 3HO or Sikhnet because from what I can already tell, they seem to have taken quite a bit of liberty in their interpretation of Sikhism.
Thanks everyone, have a nice day.