What Counts As "sangat" To You?

[Rajveer_97]

The way I see sangat is anyone that shares the goal of finding The One, spiritual enlightnment and lives a life of love. For me sangat goes beyond religious labels, how about you? What do you think? Do you share a similar view? Or is sangat for you only those who are Sikhs? Would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[techsingh]

The way I see sangat is anyone that shares the goal of finding The One, spiritual enlightnment and lives a life of love. For me sangat goes beyond religious labels, how about you? What do you think? Do you share a similar view? Or is sangat for you only those who are Sikhs? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Rajveer ਗੁਰੂ ਫ਼ਤਹਿ,
I was not aware that the "One" was lost, that we need to find him.
ਸਰਬ-ਵਿਆਪਕ - Omnipresent
What do you mean by lives a life of love?
Yes, "ਸੰਗਤ- sangat" as described in the AGGS goes beyond the labels of Religion.

 

[Rajveer_97]

Rajveer ਗੁਰੂ ਫ਼ਤਹਿ,
I was not aware that the "One" was lost, that we need to find him.
ਸਰਬ-ਵਿਆਪਕ - Omnipresent
What do you mean by lives a life of love?
Yes, "ਸੰਗਤ- sangat" as described in the AGGS goes beyond the labels of Religion.

Thank you for your response techsingh.

I guess I should have been more clear in what I meant -

First of all you are right. Waheguru isn't lost but we can be in this world living a life which is entangled in maya and emotional attachment. So what I meant to say was someone who is actively seeking to detach themselves from this way of living in order to experience The One.

By a life of love I simply meant to suggest a life of compassion and kindness towards all.

Hope that is a satisfactory answer!

 

[Pathfinder]

To me 'sangat' is anything, everything, anyone, everyone who inspire and align you with the ' hukam'.

All of Nature, the animal brethren and most of the mortal clan is sangat.

Raw Nature fills one with awe and humbles one, the animal kingdom lives more or less in perfect hukam and quiet a few of the inspiring mortal clan show us that it is possible to live as we were meant to - in love, humility, gratitude, in hukam and inspire us to do so.

The Akaal is omnipresent and so is the sangat. A million websites and here we are - this family of ours out here is sangat too.

When I rode up the pass of a high mountain, some claim it is the highest motorable pass at close to 18300 odd feet, it was much smaller than my ego I realised. The rage of the North pacific is nothing compared to the anger and malice in some of our hearts. The beauty of the barrier reef is in stark contrast to the ugliness inside some of us.

My doggy loves me unconditionally. I may be cranky and mean to him but he loves me the same all the time. My love for Waheguru is not half as pure. He religiously shares his food with a stray cat, even when I cut down his portion to check if he would still share.

Like the Akaal is everywhere so is Waheguru's sangat.

Sangat to me transcends not just religion but species - living and non living as well. Even a drop of rain is sangat like I realised when the bhaiji at our Gurudwara was drenched as he stated - Waheguru is cleansing the clay that I am.

Much easier to, but futile to ponder over what is not sangat than what is.

 

[Dalvinder Singh Grewal]

To me 'sangat' is anything, everything, anyone, everyone who inspire and align you with the ' hukam'.

All of Nature, the animal brethren and most of the mortal clan is sangat.

Raw Nature fills one with awe and humbles one, the animal kingdom lives more or less in perfect hukam and quiet a few of the inspiring mortal clan show us that it is possible to live as we were meant to - in love, humility, gratitude, in hukam and inspire us to do so.

The Akaal is omnipresent and so is the sangat. A million websites and here we are - this family of ours out here is sangat too.

When I rode up the pass of a high mountain, some claim it is the highest motorable pass at close to 18300 odd feet, it was much smaller than my ego I realised. The rage of the North pacific is nothing compared to the anger and malice in some of our hearts. The beauty of the barrier reef is in stark contrast to the ugliness inside some of us.

My doggy loves me unconditionally. I may be cranky and mean to him but he loves me the same all the time. My love for Waheguru is not half as pure. He religiously shares his food with a stray cat, even when I cut down his portion to check if he would still share.

Like the Akaal is everywhere so is Waheguru's sangat.

Sangat to me transcends not just religion but species - living and non living as well. Even a drop of rain is sangat like I realised when the bhaiji at our Gurudwara was drenched as he stated - Waheguru is cleansing the clay that I am.

Much easier to, but futile to ponder over what is not sangat than what is.

sangat is any two people or more who discuss positive things: as per gurbani sangat aisi janeeai, jithe ik nam pachhanie.

 

[RD1]

The way I see sangat is anyone that shares the goal of finding The One, spiritual enlightnment and lives a life of love. For me sangat goes beyond religious labels, how about you? What do you think? Do you share a similar view? Or is sangat for you only those who are Sikhs? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Our own gurus interacted with individuals from different religions, and there was so much respect for some of them that the sggs ji itself contains hymns from people from other faiths. I just reflect on that sometimes. It is just phenomenal in itself, and sends such a powerful message of unity, and that labels are not so important. Anyone that can recognize Ik Onkar, the oneness that connects us all, and strives to live a life of love is sangat to me.

 

[RD1]

Sangat to me transcends not just religion but species - living and non living as well

This is a great perspective. I have never before considered that nature could be considered sangat. But indeed, nature has the ability to completely absorb us in awe and beauty, make us fill up with love and joy and inspiration. We can feel truly connected to something 'greater.' Our egos can diminish in that moment of awe. We can become completely appreciative, enlightened, and immersed in a beautiful manifestation of the One.

 

[RD1]

The Akaal is omnipresent and so is the sangat. A million websites and here we are - this family of ours out here is sangat too.

Completely agree! Its great to share perspectives with the SPN sangat, and learn so much!

 

[sukhsingh]

The way I see sangat is anyone that shares the goal of finding The One, spiritual enlightnment and lives a life of love. For me sangat goes beyond religious labels, how about you? What do you think? Do you share a similar view? Or is sangat for you only those who are Sikhs? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Great post. I would largely agree and maybe I'm being devil's advocate. But I would say sangat does have parameters. So For instance for me a nazi is a human but also a political animal. As a human/athama we are of the same sangat. As fascist i could never excuse or accept the position and say for instance "i agree to disagree" I would have to oppose. And not break bread with them. . A sakhi about Guru Nanak ji I believe explores the idea and challenges us to think of the dangers of moral equivalence especially when we have a open heart and want to demonstrate our love for all as a act of shedding ego.. so maybe sangat is that with which you commune with accepting the diversity and differences but also being obliged to challenge as a act of dharma. . The bhagavad gita comes to mind. .
Great post .. Really made Me think about this in a new and fresh way

 

[Dalvinder Singh Grewal]

Great post. I would largely agree and maybe I'm being devil's advocate. But I would say sangat does have parameters. So For instance for me a nazi is a human but also a political animal. As a human/athama we are of the same sangat. As fascist i could never excuse or accept the position and say for instance "i agree to disagree" I would have to oppose. And not break bread with them. . A sakhi about Guru Nanak ji I believe explores the idea and challenges us to think of the dangers of moral equivalence especially when we have a open heart and want to demonstrate our love for all as a act of shedding ego.. so maybe sangat is that with which you commune with accepting the diversity and differences but also being obliged to challenge as a act of dharma. . The bhagavad gita comes to mind. .
Great post .. Really made Me think about this in a new and fresh way

Most important 'sangat di rangat'. Man gets changed according to sangat. The sangat of Good mother and father beings one with good sanskar te vichar. sangat with good brothers and sisters and neighbours help develop good in a man. sangat during schools makes or mar the future of a young lad. Good Sangat in a religious place provides the person better way of living in society; helping others and getting attached to God. Sangat with sants help spirituality..... sangat thus is the most important mould in society. Thus always have the sangat of better people to be a better man in society.

 

[sukhsingh]

Most important 'sangat di rangat'. Man gets changed according to sangat. The sangat of Good mother and father beings one with good sanskar te vichar. sangat with good brothers and sisters and neighbours help develop good in a man. sangat during schools makes or mar the future of a young lad. Good Sangat in a religious place provides the person better way of living in society; helping others and getting attached to God. Sangat with sants help spirituality..... sangat thus is the most important mould in society. Thus always have the sangat of better people to be a better man in society.

I fully agree in the large part. However I find some of the nuance of your articulation problematic as I can think of circumstances where this approach should be positively resisted ie. The dangers inherent in surrounding oneself by like minded people without knowing why you reject the 'other'. How does one know who is the good neighbours, good mother etc. The majority of people believe they are surrounded by the righteous, that there community is right and moral. Doesn't sikhi demand more of us, to go out and make no assumptions, understand what it is that we believe and what we think.
Is it because our morals are transmitted or is that what we have been taught to accept. Sycophantic communities where we all pretend to be homogeneous is also a falsehood?

This type of discussion is why I love this site it really helps one challenge oneself assumptions

 

[Original]

Dear Rajveer

So eloquently much has been said already, but might I too, not avail the opportunity to add an aesthetic character which otherwise will remain aloof, so I wonder ? And thus, I proceed !

You see, by definition the word sangh [adverb] means, 'in the company of' and the same with a suffix at the end pronounced now as sangat [noun] changes the whole dynamics of Sikh belief n value. Gur Ghar considers sangat [society] an integral part of the whole human genome to leverage intellectual, religious, social and spiritual evolution in the discovery of metaphysical truths without which, says Nanak, life is a waste.

Pathfinder Ji sums it nicely as something synonymous with and is in actual fact the "environment". Gur Ghar, you will no doubt appreciate places lot of emphasis on keeping the environment a good initiaitve for holy heights. The word sad sangat, a two syllable word is used to depict that very ideal. So yes, here is something special for you from our Guru....."sangat ki yeh sad ki oopjay atmic gyan" - translation would say something like...."keep company of the holy for it will help elevate spiritual delights".

Enjoy the day and God bless -