Trouble - Becoming A Sikh

[Dimitri]

Re: Trouble

No I am not fooling myself into thinking that there is a Creator. This creation (especially Universe) that has always amazed me, it has a Creator. It just didn’t happen. I like the picture that Guru Grath paints of this Creator. It makes sense to me.
Jihva ek kavan gun kahiye. I do believe it was my Humay or “I ness” that stood in my way before. I do believe that to look for God you have to look inwards, in yourself. So thanks for your concerns I am not believing into false things such as havens opening up, ridiculous myths …etc etc.

You said you fell out of luv with Sikhi. Anything in life requires work/effort nothing happens without it. A question for you, what will you do if you don’t feel the luv for your spouse or children. Will you try to do something to sustain it or let go.

Spirituality for me isn’t vague at all. For me it’s about remembering Akal. That is it very simple. Not complicated at all. Every religion has its philosophy regarding what God is and isn’t, philosophy regarding the creation itself. For me Guru Granth explains them well and that’s what I am passionate about and wanna learn more about.

Like is I said in my previous post I know plenty of ppl for whom the issue of God isn’t important at all. They are very good ppl and it is in sync with Sikhism.
Truth is high but higher still is truthful living.

“Be honest with yourself and not trying to be something you are not” – for me these are vague terms. To be something that you are not – how it is even possible or sustainable over some period.

Your opinions on how one should go about their spiritual journey, or if I have erred or not - I am least bothered.

 

[Arvind]

Dmitri ji,

I feel like saying, your posts are very inspirational. Thanks for your presence here.

Regards, Arvind.

 

[kaur-1]

http://www.rajkaregakhalsa.net/audio/Kirtan/Bhai Joginder Singh Riaar/Ai_Sareeraa_Merea.mp3
Angg 922 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji.

1 Raamkalee Guru Amar Das
ey srIrw myirAw iesu jg mih Awie kY ikAw quDu krm kmwieAw ]
eae sareeraa maeriaa eis jag mehi aae kai kiaa thudhh karam kamaaeiaa ||
O my body, why have you come into this world? What actions have you committed?

ik krm kmwieAw quDu srIrw jw qU jg mih AwieAw ]
k karam kamaaeiaa thudhh sareeraa jaa thoo jag mehi aaeiaa ||
And what actions have you committed, O my body, since you came into this world?

ijin hir qyrw rcnu ricAw so hir min n vswieAw ]
jin har thaeraa rachan rachiaa so har man n vasaaeiaa ||
The Lord who formed your form - you have not enshrined that Lord in your mind.

gur prswdI hir mMin visAw pUrib iliKAw pwieAw ]
gur parasaadhee har mann vasiaa poorab likhiaa paaeiaa ||
By Guru's Grace, the Lord abides within the mind, and one's pre-ordained destiny is fulfilled.

khY nwnku eyhu srIru prvwxu hoAw ijin siqgur isau icqu lwieAw ]35]
kehai naanak eaehu sareer paravaan hoaa jin sathigur sio chith laaeiaa ||35||
Says Nanak, this body is adorned and honored, when one's consciousness is focused on the True Guru. ||35||

ey nyqRhu myirho hir qum mih joiq DrI hir ibnu Avru n dyKhu koeI ]
eae naethrahu maeriho har thum mehi joth dhharee har bin avar n dhaekhahu koee ||
O my eyes, the Lord has infused His Light into you; do not look upon any other than the Lord.

hir ibnu Avru n dyKhu koeI ndrI hir inhwilAw ]
har bin avar n dhaekhahu koee nadharee har nihaaliaa ||
Do not look upon any other than the Lord; the Lord alone is worthy of beholding.

eyhu ivsu sMswru qum dyKdy eyhu hir kw rUpu hY hir rUpu ndrI AwieAw ]
eaehu vis sansaar thum dhaekhadhae eaehu har kaa roop hai har roop nadharee aaeiaa ||
This whole world which you see is the image of the Lord; only the image of the Lord is seen.

gur prswdI buiJAw jw vyKw hir ieku hY hir ibnu Avru n koeI ]
gur parasaadhee bujhiaa jaa vaekhaa har eik hai har bin avar n koee ||
By Guru's Grace, I understand, and I see only the One Lord; there is no one except the Lord.

khY nwnku eyih nyqR AMD sy siqguir imilAY idb idRsit hoeI ]36]
kehai naanak eaehi naethr andhh sae sathigur miliai dhib dhrisatt hoee ||36||
Says Nanak, these eyes were blind; but meeting the True Guru, they became all-seeing. ||36||

ey sRvxhu myirho swcY sunxY no pTwey ]
eae sravanahu maeriho saachai sunanai no pathaaeae ||
O my ears, you were created only to hear the Truth.

swcY sunxY no pTwey srIir lwey suxhu siq bwxI ]
saachai sunanai no pathaaeae sareer laaeae sunahu sath baanee ||
To hear the Truth, you were created and attached to the body; listen to the True Bani.

ijqu suxI mnu qnu hirAw hoAw rsnw ris smwxI ]
jith sunee man than hariaa hoaa rasanaa ras samaanee ||
Hearing it, the mind and body are rejuvenated, and the tongue is absorbed in Ambrosial Nectar.

scu AlK ivfwxI qw kI giq khI n jwey ]
sach alakh viddaanee thaa kee gath kehee n jaaeae ||
The True Lord is unseen and wondrous; His state cannot be described.

khY nwnku AMimRq nwmu suxhu pivqR hovhu swcY sunxY no pTwey ]37]
kehai naanak anmrith naam sunahu pavithr hovahu saachai sunanai no pathaaeae ||37||
Says Nanak, listen to the Ambrosial Naam and become holy; you were created only to hear the Truth. ||37||

hir jIau guPw AMdir riK kY vwjw pvxu vjwieAw ]
har jeeo gufaa andhar rakh kai vaajaa pavan vajaaeiaa ||
The Lord placed the soul to the cave of the body, and blew the breath of life into the musical instrument of the body.

vjwieAw vwjw paux nau duAwry prgtu kIey dsvw gupqu rKwieAw ]
vajaaeiaa vaajaa poun no dhuaarae paragatt keeeae dhasavaa gupath rakhaaeiaa ||
He blew the breath of life into the musical instrument of the body, and revealed the nine doors; but He kept the Tenth Door hidden.

gurduAwrY lwie BwvnI ieknw dsvw duAwru idKwieAw ]
guradhuaarai laae bhaavanee eikanaa dhasavaa dhuaar dhikhaaeiaa ||
Through the Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate, some are blessed with loving faith, and the Tenth Door is revealed to them.

qh Anyk rUp nwau nv iniD iqs dw AMqu n jweI pwieAw ]
theh anaek roop naao nav nidhh this dhaa anth n jaaee paaeiaa ||
There are many images of the Lord, and the nine treasures of the Naam; His limits cannot be found.

khY nwnku hir ipAwrY jIau guPw AMdir riK kY vwjw pvxu vjwieAw ]38]
kehai naanak har piaarai jeeo gufaa andhar rakh kai vaajaa pavan vajaaeiaa ||38||
Says Nanak, the Lord placed the soul to the cave of the body, and blew the breath of life into the musical instrument of the body. ||38||

eyhu swcw soihlw swcY Gir gwvhu ]
eaehu saachaa sohilaa saachai ghar gaavahu ||
Sing this true song of praise in the true home of your soul.

gwvhu q soihlw Gir swcY ijQY sdw scu iDAwvhy ]
gaavahu th sohilaa ghar saachai jithhai sadhaa sach dhhiaavehae ||
Sing the song of praise in your true home; meditate there on the True Lord forever.

sco iDAwvih jw quDu Bwvih gurmuiK ijnw buJwvhy ]
sacho dhhiaavehi jaa thudhh bhaavehi guramukh jinaa bujhaavehae ||
They alone meditate on You, O True Lord, who are pleasing to Your Will; as Gurmukh, they understand.

iehu scu sBnw kw Ksmu hY ijsu bKsy so jnu pwvhy ]
eihu sach sabhanaa kaa khasam hai jis bakhasae so jan paavehae ||
This Truth is the Lord and Master of all; whoever is blessed, obtains it.

khY nwnku scu soihlw scY Gir gwvhy ]39]
kehai naanak sach sohilaa sachai ghar gaavehae ||39||
Says Nanak, sing the true song of praise in the true home of your soul. ||39||

Andu suxhu vfBwgIho sgl mnorQ pUry ]
anadh sunahu vaddabhaageeho sagal manorathh poorae ||
Listen to the song of bliss, O most fortunate ones; all your longings shall be fulfilled.

pwrbRhmu pRBu pwieAw auqry sgl ivsUry ]
paarabreham prabh paaeiaa outharae sagal visoorae ||
I have obtained the Supreme Lord God, and all sorrows have been forgotten.

dUK rog sMqwp auqry suxI scI bwxI ]
dhookh rog santhaap outharae sunee sachee baanee ||
Pain, illness and suffering have departed, listening to the True Bani.

sMq swjn Bey srsy pUry gur qy jwxI ]
santh saajan bheae sarasae poorae gur thae jaanee ||
The Saints and their friends are in ecstasy, knowing the Perfect Guru.

suxqy punIq khqy pivqu siqguru rihAw BrpUry ]
sunathae puneeth kehathae pavith sathigur rehiaa bharapoorae ||
Pure are the listeners, and pure are the speakers; the True Guru is all-pervading and permeating.

ibnvMiq nwnku gur crx lwgy vwjy Anhd qUry ]40]1]
binavanth naanak gur charan laagae vaajae anehadh thoorae ||40||1||
Prays Nanak, touching the Guru's Feet, the unstruck sound current of the celestial bugles vibrates and resounds. ||40||1||​

 

[LearningGuy]

I think if you believe that you are following the truth, you should stick to it even if it means people may unfairly treat you for following it. (Even your own family)

 

[skeptik]

No I am not fooling myself into thinking that there is a Creator. This creation (especially Universe) that has always amazed me, it has a Creator. It just didn’t happen. I like the picture that Guru Grath paints of this Creator.

I never said anything about a creator. But immediately I can tell you a few things about this you might not have considered. Whether or not there is a creator - it might mean nothing to your life directly because the creator does not need intervene in the lives of individuals. The creator might intervene at *certain* times in human history - but he need not intervene in all times, and for all humans. Indeed if you follow the Sikh picture on this, the human is only too insignificant, and Waheguru is the only significant thing.

I too like the picture painted by the Sikh Guru, but you have to realise that its just a picture - and always its a picture that speaks of the uncomprehensibility of Waheguru, once you grasp that Waheguru is all powerful and incomprehensible, well what more can you say about him but that he is beyond anyones understanding? What i mean to say is, if you've understood this much, then you've understood all of it and there is no need to waste any more time on it. That is the position i've found myself in, anyway.

The only love that lasts is the one that ends in tragedy, and is thus immortalised by legend. For example martyrs, lovers who are seperated by death itself, and so on. For any other love, it will reach its much detested ordinary climax, and then that is the worst possible end for a romantic person to suffer. Living romantically will inevitably end this way, and lead to broken hearts, cynicism, suffering, and so on. This is not the natural state of a sikh - who is expected to be a householder in chardikalaa - an optimist through and true.

Spirituality is vague, but you dont know that because you havent ventured out and explored it through the eyes of others. It means different things, and often wildly different things, to different people, and therefore isnt a real thing, but only something one imagines and seeks out - in mystical fashion. Mysticism is a counter-human activity - it denies rational explanations in favor of supernatural ones, even when rational ones are available. If mysticism is taken seriously, then you will have a community of superstitious men and this is at odds with Sikh culture, which abhors superstition.

Honesty to me is important, for if you cannot see angels and unicorns, then one shouldnt pretend that he does. One shouldnt try to be a superhero, if he is only of modest ability. One shouldnt try to be Khalsa, is what iam saying, if one doesnt have the ability and the will. But there is no dishonour in this, there is no disapointment of the Guru, nothing like that, for one should only reach his own potential, and be content with this, even if it pales in comparison to the ideal sikh. One can be a good Sikh without being a perfect sikh, and this is a great thing, not something to be ashamed of.

 

[skeptik]

I think if you believe that you are following the truth, you should stick to it even if it means people may unfairly treat you for following it. (Even your own family)

Sticking to the truth - how very noble. Would you say the same thing if your sister were considering converting to another faith?

 

[Australian Kaur]

Hi Hannah,
I realise these posts are very old but thought I would write a reply anyway. My name is Hana also and I am from Australia. My whole family migrated from England and I was the first born Australian in our family. I am now happy to say that at the age of 26 I have been happily in love with my Sikh husband from Punjab. His family fully excepted me from the start and we have even had family members over from India.

My first attendance to a Gurdwara here was very intimidating due to the fact I was and still am the only western woman who attends. When I was introduced to other girls my age I spoke there language and they all laughed at me and wouldnt stop starring and laughing at me the entire night. It was horrible and I am still quite afraid to this day of that... but what keeps me going is the thought that them girls obviously dont follow the true Sikhism ways. I know God is with me as he is all of us. And we must take his guidance and not care about the people who try to become between that.

What Im trying to say is that within every religion you will find good people and bad but have faith in God and he will guide your way. He has all of our lives planned out already. If Sikhism is for you it will be for you, nothing or no one can change that.

Stay strong and follow your guide. God will show you the way.

 

[spnadmin]

Australian Kaur

It sounds to me as if you are surrounded by significant amounts of emotional immaturity and therefore you can only do as you are doing: take note and move on. And I commend you.

It sounded in Introducing Myself as if you have decided to set forth on a journey of discovery and that can only bode good. You can only grow and benefit from your efforts.

Don't hesitate to start new threads if you want others to travel with you toward understanding. Also note that some of the members have id's in purple letters. They are the SPN mentors, and they were specifically appointed to "mentor" all of us. They will help you.

Thanks for an earnest and honest comment.

 

[jnanavan]

Oh wow i didnt relize this thing was years old. I wonder what happened to hannahbanana, it sounded like she was wise and seeking self realizationg at a young age. I wonder where the spiritual path has taken her.

And australian kaur i hate to hear about what happened. Not so much the girls laughing because that is not a serious thing since it is in the past(dead,over) but the fact that this event has had such a profound impact on you. What exactly are you afraid of up this day? Going to gurdwara? or seing girls?

 

[sikh1666]

look hannah sikhism doesnt demand any "conversion" what you believe you will become, you do not need anyone's permission to be called a sikh, just yours. do not take anybig steps buddy, let it happen gradually and slowly and leave it completely to destiny, first discover yourself INSIDE b 4 doing anything to do that you will have to meditate on the NAM---WAHEGURU with WAHE on inspiration, and GURU on expiration, use your ears to listen as you inspire/expire, keep doing this for a looooooooooooooooong time and let destiny show u a more comfy and less doubtful path. good luck buddy, remember there is only one GOD, religion is actually one for all mankind. just meditate and you will find out

 

[sikh1666]

look for prabh milne ka chao on google, they should have a Q and A in english on this, good luck