Sikh Why Are You A Sikh?

[Harry Haller]

I had a car accident yesterday, I was stopped and turning right, when I heard a loud bang, and the whole car shuddered forward. I got out, to be met by a young man in a Mini, unfortunately his entire front end was mangled, although my rear bumper seemed to have done a fairly good job and was just cracked, I drive a 20 year old Mercedes estate, just around the time the quality started to go downhill for Mercedes, he looked stressed, panicked, I asked if he was ok, told him to sit down, calm down, etc, he looked confused, shouldn't you be shouting at me, he said, oh, i said, its ok, I am a Sikh.

And with those words, got rid of the debris, took details, made sure he was ok, and then sped off, things to do and all, but it got me thinking, I am a Sikh, what does it mean to me, why am I a Sikh, as my brother is so fond of asking me, why do I need to validate myself and my thinking by belonging to a religion, what do I want from Sikhism?, after much thinking, the answer is nothing, what do I want from god? again, nothing, I am a Sikh, Sikhs don't want, how can a Sikh want, when Sikhs of old did nothing other than give and share, a Sikhs life is one of service, it us our job to serve, to help, to do so and want something is, in my view, not Sikh like, I think of Sikhs as above mere wants or the need for baubles, a Sikh is unconcerned with their lot, it is irrelevant, it is not how you dress, who you know, who your friends are, what your hobbies are, what you drive, how big your house is, it is about what you change, what difference you make, what input you bring, what do you bring to the big party.

Its easier for me, I always knew my life would be one of service, although that is not to say I do not do the things that I want, when I want, because I do, but the flip side is that the world owns me, and as long as I can be of some use, then I will, and then I will die.

I am a Sikh, and I say that with huge pride, I am one of those that have put aside living in order to be a very small wheel, but a wheel nonetheless, a Sikh, it gives my life some meaning, some purpose, I get to do the right thing by people, and then I get to howl at a full moon, it does not get any better than that.

what does Sikhism mean to you, why are you a Sikh?

 

[Ambarsaria]

Harry Haller ji I am a Sikh by birth. Would I be a Sikh if not born in a Sikh family, I have no clue but the probability would have been very low.

Your statements are an inner essence of a Sikh the way I see it. I am much less balanced or as even keel as you but I like your approach.

Sikh does more and says less and says a lot more to himself than he does to others.

Sat Sri Akal.

 

[broken]

People listen with their eyes.

Jesus told his disciples to go to the other side of the sea. There he was met by a lunatic. After his encounter the lunatic, now well, went into town. The next time Jesus went across the sea he was met by 4,000 people who saw the change in the lunatic.

I'm just the guy holding the flashlight. I possess the light of our Creator. No one cares what I say, they care about what I do. Am I different? It must be evident in my actions. Am I different? It must be evident in my checkbook. Am I different? It must evident in my sandals.

When I open a door for an elder, I open the door for the Creator. When I tutor a fellow student, I am tutoring the Creator. When I am at the Rescue Mission, I serve our Creator.

Hopefully, in times of quiet solitude, those who have seen me whisper to our Creator if He can guide them to the peace, love, hope, joy and freedom I have found. Is my flashlight illuminating the path to our God, our Creator, Love eternal?

Chapter 7 of the Tao, "is it not because the Sage is not living for himself that he finds his life ..."

The strength of my soul is found within the role of servant.

I am a guide.
I am a friend.
I am the expression of love and hope.
To the weary, I am peace.
To the abused, I am warrior.

Why am I a sikh? What else could I be?

 

[Inderjeet Kaur]

Why I am A Sikh

I am a Sikh because...
I am a Sikh because...
I am a Sikh because...
Why? Too many answers. Which I give - all are true, depends on who's asking.
To scientists, I say that I'm a Sikh because Sikhi has no quarrel with science.
To philosophers, I say that I'm a Sikh because Sikhi doesn't require me to believe anything I "know" isn't true.
To intellectuals, I say, I'm a Sikh because Sikhi doesn't require me to check in my brains at the door.
To the depressed, I say I'm a Sikh because Sikhi gives me the strength to hold on for another day.
To the suffering, I say I'm a Sikh because it gives me a reason to keep on going.
To the joyful, I say I'm a Sikh because it helps me share in your joy.
OK, writing this is getting dull and it must be equally dull to read.

Sikhi gives me everything that is any good in me. Remove Sikhi from me and all that would be left is an empty shell of nastiness, ugliness, a deep blur of not-quite-real, but still hanging around being gloom and despair. You'd be in the presence of someone violent, nasty, bitingly sarcastic, deadly to body and spirit. You wouldn't want to be around that person.

"C'mon, Inderjeet, you say, "you're not like that, at all."

And you're right because Guru ji is transforming that filth into something good and free and lofty. The process is neither easy nor comfortable. but it is worthwhile. I get up in the morning or afternoon or whenever I get up and wonder what challenges are in store for me. Challenges will be there.

A born-again Christian caregiver I had a while back really couldn't figure out all this "Sikh stuff" I do. She saw me struggling with kachera, getting tangled in my gatra, spending hours combing tangles out of my hair, and listening to kirtan for hours. "Your life would be a whole lot easier without all this Sikh stuff!" she exclaimed in exasperation.
"That's true." I couldn't help smiling, "But if not for all this 'Sikh Stuff,' I wouldn't have any reason to do anything at all."

I died and was resuscitated almost 10 years ago. I was sent back to this existence with the instruction, "Do sewa." Seems whoever's in charge after death has decided I'm a Sikh. Who am I to argue.

OK. I like being a Sikh, really like it a lot. It's not easy and it's not always fun, but having experienced it, I can't imagining wanting to be anything else.

And also...I often introduce myself as "a Sikh warrior Princess with the blood of Druids and unrepentant Fenian (avoiding the censors, I'll say, those born out of wedlock) coursing through my veins. You seriously want me on your side." How could I give up that line?

 

[Harry Haller]

Harry Haller ji I am a Sikh by birth. Would I be a Sikh if not born in a Sikh family, I have no clue but the probability would have been very low.

I think the opposite, I think the probability would be 100%, maybe you would not have known the rituals, the culture or the traditions, but your heart would be Sikh, the way you conduct yourself, interact with people, you would have been a Sikh, you would have just called it something else.

I'm just the guy holding the flashlight. I possess the light of our Creator. No one cares what I say, they care about what I do. Am I different? It must be evident in my actions. Am I different? It must be evident in my checkbook. Am I different? It must evident in my sandals.

When I open a door for an elder, I open the door for the Creator. When I tutor a fellow student, I am tutoring the Creator. When I am at the Rescue Mission, I serve our Creator.

eloquently put, I see myself more as a lighthouse than a flashlight, alone, solitary, illuminating all the rocks that I have first hand experience of, don't go there, I've been there, look at these scars!

And you're right because Guru ji is transforming that filth into something good and free and lofty. The process is neither easy nor comfortable. but it is worthwhile. I get up in the morning or afternoon or whenever I get up and wonder what challenges are in store for me. Challenges will be there.

I agree, challenges in self awareness, challenges in interaction with creation, I wonder the same when I wake up every morning,

So, so far three replies, all seeming to state that Sikhism is a giving religion, a religion of responsibility to creation, could I hear from others who view Sikhism as a personal journey to enlightenment, or as a means of self fulfilment?

The question is 'why are you a Sikh' not 'why do you look like a Sikh' just to clarify, although I would be interested in the view of those that look like Sikhs, but are not Sikhs!

 

[ActsOfGod]

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[Ambarsaria]

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ActsofGod ji thanks for your post.

It is pretty hard to counter your proposition. As is commonly called the "BUT" clause, I am going to invoke it so I may reply to your post

BUT aren't labels helpful for us when we meet, communicate or otherwise interact with labeled people? I suppose one could equally communicate with all by treating them as humans (another label) or just plain unknowns (another label). Mind you in this day and age many a times labels mean sometimes quite different from what is inside the box. This is true of all who are labeled whether any religion, clan, group and so on. So folks use labels or depend on these with caution. Try to reach a level of human-to-human as fast as you can. This will ensure lesser misunderstandings.

Just some thoughts.

Sat Sri Akal.

 

[ActsOfGod]

ActsofGod ji thanks for your post.

It is pretty hard to counter your proposition. As is commonly called the "BUT" clause, I am going to invoke it so I may reply to your post

BUT aren't labels helpful for us when we meet, communicate or otherwise interact with labeled people? I suppose one could equally communicate with all by treating them as humans (another label) or just plain unknowns (another label). Mind you in this day and age many a times labels mean sometimes quite different from what is inside the box. This is true of all who are labeled whether any religion, clan, group and so on. So folks use labels or depend on these with caution. Try to reach a level of human-to-human as fast as you can. This will ensure lesser misunderstandings.

Just some thoughts.

Sat Sri Akal.

Guru Fateh, Ambarsaria Ji,

[AoG]

 

[Ambarsaria]

Guru Fateh, Ambarsaria Ji,

[AoG]

Could not hold on this one. Just in jest

Nice songs back then.

Some new ones are also decent look at this amazing voice.The young lady below gives Adele a good run for the money,

Sat Sri Akal