Monthly Archive for February, 2006

My Practice of Kundalini Yoga

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 27, 2006
in 2006 Picks, Kundalini Yoga, Meditation and Yogi Bhajan
. 18 Comments

Many people ask me why I practice Kundalini Yoga, and how this relates to Sikhi. Personally I don’t look at Kundalini Yoga as a "Sikh Thing", however It is "yoga for the householder" and I see it as very complementary to the Sikh lifestyle. There is nothing in Kundalini Yoga that is against Sikhi. The yoga keeps you healthy, calms your mind and helps you be more clear and open to then meditate on Gurbani.

Every morning before I do my banis I take about 15 minutes and do some yoga. This helps my body wake up and get going for the day. While most people are grabbing their coffee/chai and getting a dosed up with caffeine to wake up their body, I’m getting my "juice" the natural healthy way. It keeps me flexible and healthy. In the past year at first I was not very regular with my daily yoga and sadhana. I work long hours on the computer and many times am fighting off some type of sickness (small things like mucous, low energy, tension, stress, etc).

I have done yoga all my life, however I have not been very consistent in recent years because things have been very busy. I was spending so much time on the computer during the day…and then the many hours at night posting things here to this blog. My average day on the computer at the office and home is currently about 14-15 hours. I thought I was busy when I was single. Then I got married. Then I REALLY thought I was busy. Then I had a child. I thought that was the max. Then somehow I got into this blog and now it is just over the top. I was starting to feel the pressure on my body and family. The blog and outreach through it is very important to me, so I didn’t want to cut that out. So, I made a commitment to myself that as long as I do a strong daily sadhana EVERY day no matter what, then I will allow myself to continue. I didn’t want to sacrifice my personal spiritual practice since this is the whole point of my postings on the blog.

So with that commitment for the past 4 months I have been rock solid with my daily sadhana (yoga, meditation and banis). It has been very fulfilling for me because in the past It was hard to maintain, and this time around I am really having amazing experiences doing it. The yoga I do every morning REALLY has made a huge difference in dealing with the physical and mental stress. This is the first year I haven’t been even close to sick during the winter (even with myself working more than ever!). I used to have colds and lots of mucous in the morning. Now I feel full of energy and overall really good. I attribute this to my regular yoga practice. We all have different things that help keep our body in shape, but Kundalini Yoga works very well for me and is many thousands of years old. It is not just like doing stretches and getting exercise. It is much more scientific, working on specific glands, parts of your body and your life energy. There have been quite a few scientific studies showing amazing health benefits from doing yoga. Yet some Sikhs still criticize yoga, and at the same time eat terribly unhealthy food, don’t take care of their bodies, and overly use pharmaceutical drugs which in many cases just treat the symptoms and not the actual cause of the problem. Our body is a temple which we must take care of. Sikhs refrain from Alcohol, drugs, smoking, etc because it is unhealthy and clouds the mind. We as Sikhs must be clean and clear to connect with our soul/higher self/God.

I always get frustrated when people so blatantly criticize yoga without knowing anything about it and probably having never practiced it. Maybe they relate yoga to Hinduism, which isn’t accurate sinch yoga is not part of any religion. Many people ramble off quotes from Gurbani and interpret it meaning "Yoga = Bad", when in fact if you look at the writings about yoga in Gurbani many references are aimed towards those sadhus and people that do this as a mean to the end (trying to find God) and seclude themselves from society, or do it in an effort to get "powers" (siddhis). This is not the case for Kundalini Yoga.

Ok… back to me again; After I do my yoga I then do a few different meditations (Simran and Mantras from Siri Guru Granth Sahib). At this point I feel pretty good physically and am mentally very "tuned in" and focused. I then start doing banis and it is a much deeper experience for me, than just waking up and going right to banis. I can’t really explain it but it is like night and day.

I am not trying to say that every Sikh should do yoga, but merely trying to share with you all why many of us practice it and have this as part of our daily routine. It is just merely one tool that can be used by someone if they wish. If it is helps you, then great! If not…maybe something else will. In this world there is no ONE WAY. That is the beauty. We all journey on this path of life in different ways with the same end goal. If someone doesn’t practice something the way you do it, that doesn’t make it wrong. It is just merely different. We should respect that and be open. We as Sikhs have to be universal and accepting not critical and judgmental. Every person has the choice to choose their own path.

If you are interested in learning more about Kundalini Yoga, here are a few recommendations for books and videos which you can purchase.

You can also go to a Kundalini Yoga class to try it out. Search the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Directory.

Books

Kundalini Yoga
by Shakta Kaur Khalsa
Excellent for beginners. Over 250 full-color photos, including yoga for couples, families, & lots of healthy food recipes. This is a very visual yoga book (and a few of my classmates are "models" in the book, including the cover). Also available at Amazon.com
Kundalini Yoga: The Flow of Eternal Power
by Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa
This is an excellent book by Shakti Parwha Kaur who has taught beginner classes all for the past 30 years. It has loads of information and is presented in a very simples and easy to understand way. Also available at Amazon.com

Videos

I haven’t personally used many videos because I have been doing yoga since I was really young and use the books for reference to different yoga sets. However, the videos are a great way to learn in a more interactive way than just by reading a book and following the instructions. Nirvair Singh Khalsa (from Alaska) had produced quite a few good Kundalini Yoga videos covering a range of benefits. There is a whole beginner set, and then there are particular videos for weight loss, back pain, stress, etc. You can order videos directly from his website or just check out what the options are. There are different video standards for USA and Europe/Asia so you might check with him if PAL versions are available.

The Science of Naad & Gurbani

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 27, 2006
in 2006 Picks, Gurbani and Yogi Bhajan
. 7 Comments


(As explained by Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji)

"Naad means "the essence of all sounds". All languages contain sounds which relate to one or more of the five elements of air, fire, water, earth or ether. Gurbani is a perfect combination and permutation of sounds relating to all the five elements in complete balance. When Guru Arjun Dev, the fifth Guru Nanak, compiled the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, in 1604, he put in only those Banis which were in Naad. These compositions are called Gurbani.

There are eighty-four meridian points on the upper palate of a human’s mouth. One can feel that upper palate with the tongue and experience its different surfaces. There are two rows of meridian points on the upper palate and on the gum behind the upper teeth. The tongue stimulates those meridian points, and they in turn stimulate the hypothalamus which makes the pineal gland radiate. When the pineal gland radiates, it creates an impulsation in the pituitary gland. When the pituitary gland gives impulsation, the entire glandular system secretes and a human being obtains bliss. This is the science.

Gurbani is the combination of the tongue with the meridian points. When you read and recite Gurbani, it stimulates your hypothalamus. It is totally different than any scriptures because Gurbani is made in a scientific way. There are two banis: "kachee bani" is that which does not fit on the Naad. It is not a balanced sound current. "Pakee bani" is that which fits on the Naad and is balanced. One who knows the Naad knows the Aad, the Primal Creativity. One who knows the Aad is Parmayshwaar, the Supreme God.

The whole language of Gurbani has the power to make a person divine, just in its recitation, if done correctly. One need not be concerned with the meaning for a change in consciousness. Bani has to be understood by the heart, not by the head. There is no power in the head, it is in the heart. The head is for God and the heart is for you. That is why Guru Gobind Singh asked for the head, and not for the heart. Whosoever lives with the head to God and heart for self, that prayer is complete.

The entire Siri Guru Granth Sahib is the calling of the Beloved. It is in Naad. Torah, Bible and Vedas are not in Naad because none of them felt that much pain of separation between God and the beloved. " - Excerpt from the book: Victory and Virtue (online - print)

Other Interesting Articles on Bani and The Siri Guru Granth Sahib

Quote of the Day

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 27, 2006
in 2006 Picks and General
. 4 Comments

Guru Har Rai was once asked whether there was any benefit gained by reading the Guru’s Bani without understanding it. “Yes,” he replied, “as grease sticks to the pot even when it is emptied, so does the Guru’s Word stick to the heart. Whether you understand it or not, the Word bears the Seed of Salvation. Perfume persists in the broken pieces even after the vase that contained it has been shattered.”

Doing The Daily Banis

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 26, 2006
in 2006 Picks and General
. 19 Comments

The past 3-4 months I have been spending more time and energy on my daily sadhana (spiritual discipline). It has been an up and down cycle for many years as I struggle to stay consistent. The normal day to day work and happenings tend to try to squeeze their way into my time and force my spiritual practice out. Some days I might feel lazy, tired…or just want to do something else…and before you know it I’m out of time or am really tired. When it comes down to it, it really has to do with what is most important and priority in your life. You make the important things happen and have a choice. Like most of you I am on this path as a Sikh and have to work at it. Having discipline in one’s own life takes commitment and is not always easy.

When I was 5 years old in Amritsar I took Amrit. Looking back at all the things I have gone through since then I realize that it was too early for me, since I did not really understand the commitments. In my teen years I went through some major challenges trying to fit in with western society and "finding myself" as a Sikh. These experiences are what I always try to share with other youth that may be going through similar things.

So, even though I have lived as a Sikh and followed the Rehat most of my life, I never really consistently did ALL my banis and wore a Kirpan/Kanga as an Amritdhari. I guess I never really remembered taking Amrit so it was as if I hadn’t made that commitment. However, I have always had some sort of spiritual practice in my life since it is the thing which keeps me "tuned in" and happy in life.

This past year, writing on my blog and sharing things with you all, has made me go much deeper into myself and feel the call of my soul (As well as being a parent and trying to set an example for my son). Even though many of you might learn from the things that I post on the blog, SO AM I! Many people think of me and SikhNet and assume I am an expert in Sikhi and must be "perfect". I don’t claim to be an expert or perfect person and am on this journey of life as you all are. We all have things to share and learn from each other and should support each other along the path, rather than judging or criticizing what you think they should or should not do. God has given each of us gifts to share and it is up to us to see those things and share them. I try to be real and not have some false outside persona. You can look like something on the outside and put on a show…but if it doesn’t match the inside than it’s no use and won’t carry you. People will eventually see beyond this "mask".

Here is one quote which sums up my experience about learning and teaching:

"If you want to learn something, read about it.
If you want to understand something, write about it.
If you want to master something, teach it," - Yogi Bhajan

So..If I have learnt anything from this past year it is that you don’t have to be an expert and may not even realize the gifts that you have to share with others. We shouldn’t limit ourselves or be afraid to share something because you are not "X,Y,Z".

In the past I used to just do Japji Sahib and Kirtan Sohila, and even then I was not always regular. I remember seeing friends of mine who were really dedicated and did their banis every day and lots of seva. I don’t think I fully related and had this experience like they did. Or at least I never enjoyed it enough to make it a priority to do EVERY DAY.

The past 6 months or so I have been really feeling the need for a regular practice and have worked at it. I am building slowly and steadily which is good for me and is working!

Recently I have felt some major changes and have really gotten into doing banis and doing more seva and meditation. I started with my normal Japji and Kirtan Sohila…and as soon as I added Jaap Sahib it was like a lighting bolt hit me. I have always been intimidated with Jaap Sahib because I didn’t know the bani well and the few times that I did it I found it hard to read with all the difficult words. Now, after doing the bani I am just powered up and energized. It’s an amazing experience every morning! Then I just want to keep doing more banis. I am really starting to feel the power of bani. If you haven’t already seen the videos, there are some great ones with Guruka Singh talking about banis in the Video Archive.

When I wake up in the morning I start with a yoga set which helps get my body going and gives me the daily "tune up" I need. This has kept me healthy in spite of working 14-15 hours every day. I normally get sick in the winter and even though my family got really sick (and many people around me too)…I have felt really good. I then sit for about 20 minutes and do a few meditations and then start doing banis.
Another thing; I used to always wonder what the 5 banis were since I kept reading different version of the "5 banis", and then I realized that it is not really just 5 banis…but more like 8! (Correct me if I still haven’t gotten it right - Japji Sahib, Tav Prasad Swayia, Jaap Sahib, Shabad Hazare, Benti Chaupee, Rehiras, Anand Sahib, Kirtan Sohila). So…I have a ways to go :)

This post is getting really long so I won’t go on…but I really just wanted to start to share my experiences and what I am going through now. I hope that you will take a chance and push yourself to do more to experience the Gurus bani. I just want to encourage those of you to not feel pressured to make a huge leap that you cannot sustain and take on too much. The method which has worked for me is building slowly and steadily. So…start with one bani…and when you are ready…build on this to do more. Or if you REALLY can’t do one bani…then start with a certain number of pauris from a bani and continue reading till you finish and then start over.

I think the experience of the bani is more important and crucial, rather than just speed reading as fast as you can through. You may notice your mind wandering off onto this or that thing and not even be aware of yourself reading the bani. It is good to try to get into the meaning of the bani too (which I am starting to learn more of now). You might try a few times a week doing a bani really slowly, reading the Gurmukhi line first and then the translation after. Bottom line is you want to have an experience of the bani. So, find what works for you and gives you that connection to the Gurus who wrote these most divine words. These words teach us about life and beyond and can be a guiding light you.

More tommorow on banis….

Featured MP3 Gurbani File

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 24, 2006
in 2006 Picks and Audio
. 14 Comments

There are so many Gurbani MP3 files out there and it can be quite overwhelming. So, I take it upon myself to share some "Gurbani mp3 picks" which I think stand out. Everyone has different tastes so I am just sharing the things that I like.

The last time I posted some Kirtan by Dalip Kaur was last june from the Summer solstice camp here in Espanola. If you haven’t heard those already…check them out.

Some people had asked me to post some more of her Kirtan so here is another one that I just came across while going through my MP3 files. It is a slow and meditative shabad and makes me feel relaxed.

Music by: Dalip Kaur
Shabad: Sae Sanjog Karo Maerae Pyaarae (8.3MB)

“Helping Children Fly High”

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 24, 2006
in General
. 0 Comments

While we are on the topic of kids and educating kids I wanted to let those of you who are in the New York Area know about a friend of mine from New York (Raminder Kaur) who is offering her services.

She is an early Childhood Educator, a Tutor, a Kirtanee and holds a degree in Psychology. She’s passionate about children and loves teaching them. She was also blessed to have parents that taught her and her brothers Kirtan at a young age and has been teaching Kirtan for the past 10 years.

If you want to find out more about what she does and her services check out this flyer.

Another Super Nihang Turban

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 24, 2006
in General
. 9 Comments

Sharanjit Singh from Prince Rupert, BC, Canada just sent SikhNet this picture that he took in Anandpur Sahib of a Nihang Singh with a really tall turban.

The turban that Major Singh tied was really wide…and this one is so tall! You have to to wonder how long and how many people it took to tie these turbans. I don’t think it is possible to do this by yourself.

Creating Inspiring & Educational Media for Kids

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 22, 2006
in 2006 Picks, Audio and Videos
. 11 Comments

As a parent and Sikh I find it very important for us to have rich and engaging stories from Sikh history to remind us of our heritage. It can be easy to forget the sacrifices that the those before us made and just think about your day to day things. It is important to understand the history so that we can relate to why we live a certain way and practice certain things as Sikhs of the Guru.

As a child I always yearned for more engaging Sikh stories and ways to learn about Sikhi. Even today there are not many options for educating children (other than teaching directly). Just about every other religion has all kinds of multimedia educational materials. From series of videos, to interactive books and DVDs. I think we as a community ought to spend less money on building larger and fancier Gurdwaras and put some of that money into creating more interesting educational materials. Sure…books are great…but in this world of video games, MTV, and Television not many kids read books. The few that do…might not find the books interesting or engaging. I always get frustrated reading some of the kids sikh story books that are so technical and use very difficult words. It just makes me realize how far we have to go in this area. We have to take a fresh view at kids of today.

I used to read the old Indian “Amar Chitra Katha” comic books of Sikh history. I had a huge stack of them and it was great (I still have some which Narayan looks at…since he can’t read yet). Reading these comics now that I am much older I find the dialog of the comics very dry and boring, but as a kid it they were cool comics about my heroes (The Sikh Gurus).

I don’t know of that many people creating educational products for kids. In the past 2 years we have seen a little more in this area with two DVDs - Sunny the Proud Sikh (In English) & Sahibzadey (in Punjabi). This is a good start, but I think there is much more that we all can do if we put our heads together. The Sikh community is so diverse and full of very intelligent and professional people. We as a sangat have the means ($) to do these things, but maybe not the interest or priority. If you ask me…I would say that doing things to educated/inspire each other and the youth is top priority. Anyways, it’s up to us to think about this and pursue these ideas if we feel that it is important to educate our children about Sikhi and live the life that the Gurus taught us. You don’t need thousands of dollars to do something. With creativity, some skill, and seva from others, all kinds of things could be done.

I sometimes wonder if the issue or portraying the Sikh Gurus in a visual way (pictures, video) is the major blocking point for doing some of these projects. We know there is no real way to factually represent the Gurus properly in a realistic sense…but I don’t think that should be a stopping point. We have to be able to stop looking at these things in such a critical way….and realize there is a tasteful way to do multimedia from Sikh history.

I think it would be awesome to have movies/videos about Sikh history and have real actors. It may not be totally realistic and controversial, but it will still educate, and is much better than what kids watch on TV these days. We have to open our minds to explore the possibilities.

This is all food for thought. I love doing this stuff and am always interesting in working with others that have an idea and want to make it happen.

I started this post with just wanting to write two lines about the video “Miracle of Baisakhi” and look what came out. *sigh* hahaha…. I guess that is what a journal is for.

For the past 4 years Some of our local Sangat have put together video stories in an effort to educate and inspire the sangat during Baisakhi time. These videos are normally shown at the grand Baisakhi celebration in Los Angeles, California every year. Here is one of those videos. More to come tomorrow.

The Miracle of Baisakhi

The below video was put together by Shanti Kaur Khalsa and narrated by Guru Tej Singh and Sat Nirmal Kaur from Espanola, New Mexico.


Download: Video (16.1MB) /Audio (10.3MB)

Music of Sikhs from Around the World

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 21, 2006
in 2006 Picks and General
. 9 Comments

It is pretty cool seeing people from many different cultural backgrounds adopt the Sikh lifestyle. The interesting part of it is that each culture has it’s own flavor, music, style etc., which brings a unique new face to Sikhi. Also, many Sikhs who were originally from India/Punjab have settled around the world and the younger generation have adopted the culture of the country they live in. It is all fusing together.

One of the most common differences that we see (aside from language) is music. Some of you might have been to our Gurdwara or heard music played by Sikhs who are not from a Punjabi background. The music, tunes, instruments and sound is so different. Many people in our Gurdwara do Kirtan with a Guitar. Some play the violin or flute, keyboard or just about any instrument. We all bring out the love of Gurbani and Sikhi in different ways. For some one style might not be appealing or meditative…but for others it is, depending on your background.

There are so many different CD’s out these days by Sikhs from all over the world. Sikhs from South America (Chile, Argentina, Brazil), Mexico, Spain, Europe, Australia, etc. Each bringing a certain element of their own culture into the music.

Ok…now for a few music samples. Most of them are copyrighted music so I have not provided a download link.

Some of you might have already heard of “Khalsa Palay” which is a CD in a Reggae/Dub style. It’s definitely unique. Feel the vibrations, mon!

“Khalsa Palay was born in Uganda of south Asian parentage and raised in Britain; he is a committed Sikh and on this, his debut release, he praises the ten Gurus of his religion, whilst upholding righteousness and sending out greetings to all humankind - as he says, “keep the vibes positive“. - Read more or get the CD

Musician: Khalsa Palay
Title: We are the Khalsa
Download MP3

This track is definitely a new rendition of the song that the kids sing “We are the Khalsa, the mighty mighty Khalsa….”

Ok now that you have heard the Reggae vibes…how about some blues? Check out this track by Awtar Singh who is the father of Lakhmi Chand and Siri Chand Singh. He made a whole CD of inspirational music that he sings in the “blues”. Come one now…..shout “Wahe Guru”! Sing along… :)

By: Awtar Singh
Title: “Every Time I think of God I Just Want to Shout Waheguru”

Ok…now for some Spanish music style. This track is by Matamandir Singh and his music definitely has a feel of Spain with the different instruments and tunes he plays.

By: Matamandir Singh
Title: Mulmantra

Here is a track by Snatam Kaur that has a native Indian (American Indian) flavor to it. Is very meditative and soothing to listen to.

By: Snatam Kaur
Title: Waheguru

You can purchase this CD here

I think that is enough for one night. I think you sort of get the picture right? As Guru Gobind Singh declared that Khalsa will be 960,000,000. I guess with that comes all the different cultures and music of the people of the world. It’s important for us to be open and accepting to Sikhs from different cultures even though some things might feel/sound different than you are used to. Everyone’s journey on the path of Sikhi is different….and you can’t always compare your experiences with those of someone else’s. It’s a wonderful journey isn’t it!?

Blogging…Podcasting…etc…

Published
by
Gurumustuk Singh
on February 20, 2006
in General
. 3 Comments

Ok… I think most people know what a blog is by now, right? Many Sikhs (including myself) didn’t really understand what a blog was and all the “hype” about them. Now blogging is part of my every day routine and I realize how much of an impact a blog can have on people.

It’s been almost a year since I started blogging and there are now more Sikh Bloggers than ever! This is totally cool! Quite a few people start a blog and don’t get past a few posts before it picks up dust and “dies”. The people that stick with it and put their time and creative energy into it end up with interesting blogs that educate and entertain us all. I have my list of favorite blogs that I read on a daily basis. We have our growing “Sikh Blog Circle”.

Now that blogs are under your belt…are you ready for the next step? You may have heard of “Podcasting”…(or not). It is another cool way to create a radio style program or just about any audio/video content for people who can download automatically to their computer or MP3 player. All the audio and video that I post on this blog is posted to the MrSikhNet Podcast. You can subscribe to it on Itunes or many other services. Click Here for More information.

At this time there very few Sikh related podcasts on the internet. I know there are others that do Sikh related radio shows…but they don’t currently make the shows available online (as far as I know) which would expand their audience. Just about every major radio station these days that has a website also has a podcast version of it. I listen to all my favorite radio shows in my own time…rather than when it is “live”. Much more convenient for my busy life.

Other than the MrSikhNet Podcast I know of only one other sikh podcast online. The Sikh Within podcast was just launched and is hosted by Dr Savinder Singh, Rohin Singh and Kavleen Kaur. You can check it out at: http://sikhwithin.blogspot.com/

So….are you up for the creative challenge? Ready to start your own Sikhi podcast? Let’s see who steps up to the plate! :)