Well, it’s been almost three years since I last was rambling about this idea of making audio stories for kids. I had originally wanted to do something more involved with sound effects, so this was going to be a bigger project than I was prepared to take on, so it never happened.
I keep getting emails from parents wanting help and materials to educate their kids about being Sikhs and our history. Sikh Kids having a hard time looking different, being teased that they look like a girl, etc. In these cases the kids have to learn more about why they are Sikhs and give them confidence and courage to stand tall with who they are no matter what people say to them.
Plays of Light. Earth. Metals of earth. What we bond with through our mind. Through the plays of space and time. What we miss. What we forget…
The beach at Surfside, Texas Saturday before last was picturesque and perfect. October skies – the color of blue that only comes in autumn when every particle of the heavens radiates light from within itself. The sun cast its smiling glow on everything. And the ocean waters – just warm enough, just gentle enough (without being too tame) to enjoy.
In our Ardas every day, we remember the brave women who stood their ground against tyranny - "Those women who sacrificed for truth, suffering through hunger and pain at the hand of the enemy, but never gave up their faith and determination to live according to Sikh Dharma with all their hair to their last breath."
But who were those women? They were the ladies of Punjab who stood against the fanatic and cruel Mir Mannu. In the mid-1700’s, in an attempt to eliminate the Sikhs, Mir Mannu arrested women and children and jailed them under desperately hard circumstances. Their strength and courage was so monumental, that we’ve remembered them in our daily Ardas every since.
Hear their story of sacrifice and join the voices of generations in shouting their praise. This story was told a few days ago by Shanti K Khalsa during Gurdwara.
In 1685, the young Guru Gobind Rai sat on the banks of the river Jamuna at Paonta and contemplated the glory of the One God in an ecstasy that could not be contained. Having left the city of Anandpur Sahib a few months earlier, his exalted mind found the gentle peace of Paonta Sahib to his liking. At nineteen years old, he was the undisputed leader of the Sikhs. Still unproven in battle, he was soon to face his first test of the sword.
The 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, was born Gobind Rai in the village of Patna in the eastern province of Bihar. He was the only child of Guru Tegh Bahadur and Mata Gujri was born on the 7th night after the new moon, December 22nd, 1666. Just as all children are reared in the laps of their mothers, the Tenth Guru grew up kicking and playing in the lap of Mata Gujri. His grandmother, Mata Nanaki and his uncle, Kirpal Chand loved and protected him in the early days of his infancy. However his youth was short lived, and he shouldered the responsibility of the Sikh nation when his father was martyred at the hands of the Mughal Emperor in Delhi when he was only nine years old.
Guru Gobind Singh writes in his autobiography, the Bachitar Natik, that he was born into this world with a mission to protect the good and saintly people, and to uproot the tyrants and evil doers. This could only be done by living a life of action, courage, and leadership. As the Guru matured into a man, he exemplified these aspects. He lived amongst his people, not separate from them - a saint and solider, a man of the world yet a master of the divine. He lead them every step of the way, protecting them from aggression and oppression and sacrificing every facet of his life for the common good. He created the glorious order of the Khalsa out of the common people of the Punjab with unique form that made them stand apart in a crowd of millions.
I remember the many nights when I was a kid that my mother played the "Guru Ram Das Lullabye" with her guitar as I drifted off to sleep. This is a beautiful lullabye which is from the 1970s…and is one that I now sing to my children. The following recording is by Gurushabd Singh and Sat Kartar Kaur from 1978. Hopefully you and your children enjoy it as I do. It’s a great one to put the kids off to sleep.
I did my best to type of the words from the recording. Here are the main lines:
Close your eyes, it’s the end of another busy day. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of other children slept this way, with Guru Ram Das to pretect them, keep them safe all through the night.
Oh…..Dhan Dhan Guru Ram Das, Rakho Saharanai. Meditate on Guru Nanak, may you love God with his clarity. Meditate on Guru Angad, may devotion fill your heart and set you free. Meditate on Guru Amardas, let none leave your house unfulfilled. Meditate on Guru Ram Das, Your prayers will heal the weak and the ill. Meditate on Guru Arjan, his poem is a jewel beyond all words. Meditate on Guru Hargobind, You’ll find God on heaven and on earth. Meditate on Guru Har Rai, God and you shall never be apart. Meditate on Guru Harkrishan, his sacrifice brings compassion to you heart. Meditate on Guru Teg Bahadhur, no enemy will disturb your inner peace. Meditate on Guru Gobind Singh, defend truth till your soul is released. Siri Guru Granth Sahib, may Gurbani be the love of this child’s life. May it fill their hearts with wisdom and courage to bear the test of the time.
Today someone forwarded me a link to a cool video which appears to be clay animation. This is the first animated video I have seen telling stories related to Guru Nanak (or any Guru for that matter). I am familiar with all the stories, but there was something nice about seeing it visually in the animation. I always hear about controversy of making a movie/animation about the Sikh Gurus. In my opinion I think it can be a great way to educate the youth about Sikhi. In this age of multi-media it is helpful to have these types of means for teaching children. As with anything…there is always room for mistakes, but with the right intentions and effort I think the positive benefits far outweigh any negative.
After a bit of searching around I found out that this animation is just part of a DVD on most of the major world religions. The DVD is titled "Religions of the World: Our World Faiths Animated". It is for sale on Amazon.com and other retailers. If you have a Netflix video rental account you can rent it too (I just added it to my rental queue).
"Illustrating brilliant renditions of different faiths and cultures around the world, this highly acclaimed animated series from the BBC captures the essence and basic tenets of eight religions—Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Sufism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Confucianism. Each 15-minute segment (Buddhism and Hinduism are 30 minutes each) offers easy-to-grasp stories through soothing characters, pleasant and culturally significant music, and a mixture of cel animation, paintings, and Claymation. Though appropriate for all ages, this artistically valid series is a great way to capture the interest and enthusiasm of younger students. Grades 3 and up. Color. Total time: 150 minutes"
So, have a watch of the section on Guru Nanak and if you enjoy it get a copy of the DVD to learn more about all the other religions. My son Narayan enjoyed it. He knew must of the stories but loved watching it visually.
Tonight I would like to share with you a video telling various stories from the Life of Guru Gobind Singh ji. This audio/slideshow was put together by Shanti Kaur here in Espanola, NM. for the Jaap Sahib Camp. There are quite a few interesting stories so set aside some time and watch or listen to them. Do you have kids? Why not have them join you!
When I pulled into the parking lot of the Relief Nursery in Eugene, Oregon, I took a deep breath. After being on tour for two weeks already my legs ached just stepping out of the car. We had traveled from Edmonton, Canada all the way down the Northwest, dipping into cities along the way as if we were a flock of birds. I knew that for this program I’d have to have my feet on the ground, so I took a moment, soaking in the morning summer sun and the fresh air.
I am a musician on a mission. My band and I are on the Celebrate Peace Tour, sponsored by Peace Cereal and Spirit Voyage Music. While on tour we give concerts dedicated to peace on the planet and award grants from Peace Cereal to local organizations in many of the cities where we give concerts. One of our greatest passions is working with children who I call disenfranchised. It’s hard to put a name to it, but there is a whole population of children in our country who are removed from basic privileges that are considered normal for many of us. This population is surprisingly large, but through the Celebrate Peace Tour we have been blessed to partner with some of the organizations in this country who are working to improve the lives of these children. We have visited children in juvenile halls, foster care homes, and poor neighborhoods. We offer music, yoga, and stories all aimed at giving the children we meet a sense of positive self esteem and some basic yogic tools for mental peace and clarity. Most importantly we like to have fun!
Today was one of those busy days where I couldn’t seem to keep up with all the things that were coming at me during the day. It is now the evening and there is a full moon outside, so even though the sun has set it is still quite bright outside. I’m still in the office, but am feeling more at peace now as I listen to the Gurbani Kirtan which is being played in the Gurdwara (Audio clips below). A nice benefit of working at SikhNet is having the Gurdwara and Akandh Path always right there. The SikhNet offices are in the same building as the Gurdwara.
Every 6th day of the month our community has a special evening Gurdwara to remember the Martyrdom of the Akal Takhat(June 6th, 1984). One of the unique parts of this Gurdwara is that everyone from the sangat cooks food, or brings some type of food item for the langar. Everyone places the food before the Siri Guru Granth Sahib and makes a prayer. After Gurdwara when langar is served you get a medley of all types of food, deserts, drinks, etc. It is always very warm and cozy sitting together after Gurdwara and having the food made by the sangat.
This time of year is also memorable for me, because it is right before the Birthday of Guru Ram Das Ji (Oct. 9th), and the 2nd Barsi (death anniversary) of Siri Singh Sahib ji (Oct. 6th 2004).
As I sit here thinking about this, feelings of emotion come as I remember two years ago when Siri Singh Sahib ji passed away. This was the first time that I had had someone close to me die. The Siri Singh Sahib was like a father/grandfather/teacher to so many people. Over the past 35+ years so many people’s lives were changed. He spent his entire life (almost every hour of the day/night) sharing the teachings of the Gurus and inspiring people to become better and more conscious humans. Many Sikhs misunderstand the deep respect that people like myself have towards him and think that we consider him as another "Sikh Guru". It’s as if it is triggering some unconscious fear in people as a result of other situations from the past. When you come and get to know people from our sangat better and the things that he taught you will get a better understanding and hopefully see things differently.
My mother was just a teenager when she met Siri Singh Sahib/Yogi Bhajan. She was like many others who were inspired by his universal message….and yearned to learn more. I personally have learnt so much from him, and as a result am doing what I am doing because of his guidance. You can read the article that I wrote last year around this time about SSS Harbhajan Singh Khalsa & His Impact on Mewhich will hopefully give you one perspective.
Ultimately the Guru can work through all of us. For whatever reason Guruji guided the Siri Singh Sahib to come to the west (America/Canda) and start teaching about living healthy, happy and holy lives. One of the "side effects" was that many people were curious about the him being a Sikh, and later adopted the Sikh lifestyle. As a result "seeds" were planted which are growing and flourishing today. 50 years from now I can only imagine what these "seeds" will have grown into, and how they will have spread far and wide.
He used to always say… "Don’t love me… love the teachings"…. or…. "I have not come to get students, but to create teachers for tommorow".
Another one of his messages which is a constant reminder to me, and check for myself in not letting ego take hold when you serve others.
"A teacher is not a person. He is like a water pipe. A pipe brings water to you; pipe is not water, water is not pipe. They are just media. Teacher is a medium of teaching. It is the teaching which you live, not the teacher." - Yogi Bhajan
The thing is that it was never about HIM. It was about sharing the Guru’s light with others, and helping people to see the inner light which is inside us all.
Every 6th of the month evening Gurdwara Shanti Kaur Khalsa tells a story to the Sangat. Normally it is a story from the time of the Gurus. Tonight she shared a story about an important aspect of the Siri Singh Sahib’s life - his decision to renounce his occult powers and grasp hold of the feet of Guru Ram Das. What are Tattva Sidhis? Where do they come from, and what place do they have in our world? Why were the Sikh Guru’s against occult powers, and why did the Siri Singh Sahib renounce them, and if all this is true, why then do we call Guru Ram Das the "Lord of Miracles". This was the single most important decision in the life of this great man, and his seva in the west came as a result.
So set aside 20 minutes and have a listen to Shanti Kaur telling the very interesting stories along with hearing the other audio from the Gurdwara tonight….
Guru Guru Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru Chanting Download
Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru Played by Dharam Singh, Guru Kirin Kaur and Family from tonight’s Gurdwara. Some of the instruments remind me of the beatles. Download
n 1685, the young Guru Gobind Rai sat on the banks of the river Jamuna at Paonta and contemplated the glory of the One God in an ecstasy that could not be contained. Having left the city of Anandpur Sahib a few months earlier, his exalted mind found the gentle peace of 
Today was one of those busy days where I couldn’t seem to keep up with all the things that were coming at me during the day. It is now the evening and there is a full moon outside, so even though the sun has set it is still quite bright outside. I’m still in the office, but am feeling more at peace now as I listen to the Gurbani Kirtan which is being played in the Gurdwara (Audio clips below). A nice benefit of working at SikhNet is having the Gurdwara and Akandh Path always right there. The SikhNet offices are in the same building as the Gurdwara. 
This time of year is also memorable for me, because it is right before the Birthday of Guru Ram Das Ji (Oct. 9th), and the 2nd Barsi (death anniversary) of 
My mother was just a teenager when she met Siri Singh Sahib/Yogi Bhajan. She was like many others who were inspired by his universal message….and yearned to learn more. I personally have learnt so much from him, and as a result am doing what I am doing because of his guidance. You can read the article that I wrote last year around this time about 
