Personal Message in Memory of Yogi Bhajan, the Siri Singh Sahib
by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa * ekongkaar.blogspot.com
Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh.
Sat Nam. In the days since Yogi Bhajan, also known as the Siri Singh Sahib left his body, I’ve watched our community struggle and grow into the responsibility that he left on our shoulders collectively. It has and continues to be a very human process. Each person sorting through their own memories of him and the teachings he left behind, striving to come to some conclusions about what we are without his physical presence here to guide us. And what we can reasonably expect to become.
Out of love, devotion and reverence for the amazing gift that he was to us, I have often heard in the last few years, "There will never be another person like him." "We’ll have to collectively become 10 times greater than him – no one person will be able to do what he did." "How can there ever be another?" And in those voices, I hear the grief and the longing. Students honoring a unique soul – a Powerful Light – who came to the earth for such a brief period of time and who spread the technology of Kundalini Yoga and the practice of Sikh Dharma to every continent in the world.
Yet, as a student, it has not sat well with me – these protestations. I remember the Siri Singh Sahib saying over and over again that the minimum requirement of a student was to become ten times greater than the teacher. He never said "collectively." He said, "minimum requirement." And in the private conversations that have no public record, the memory of how great he was has, perhaps, created in us a fear. A fear of how daunting it would be to even try to become ten times greater. And how easy it is to resort to the human habit of looking at a great soul as some kind of god, as some kind of deity – who was special, who was different, and who no one else could ever hope to match.
It is, in its own way, a challenge to our psyche as we cross this thresh-hold from Pisces to Aquarius. That we in our grief and mourning deify the man, and proclaim that there shall never be another equal to him. Even though it goes against the very grain of his teachings. Where he said that he was not special, that he was not different, that any of us could realize what he realized. That it was our destiny to become that great. And in retrospect, when we honor him by saying, "No one will ever match him," somewhere deep inside my heart I wonder if in reality that’s not the greatest insult, the greatest slap in the face we could give?
1000 days after his passing, in my meditation this morning, something opened up and I saw the trick behind it. The rub, as Shakespeare would say. It’s difficult sometimes to put these visions into words. But in honor of him, let me have at least a little bit of courage to try.
I remember the Siri Singh Sahib saying so many times that whatever he did had nothing to do with him at all. It wasn’t by his own will or his own ego, by his own machinations or own desires that he became what he became. He gave himself to the Divine – and that Divine Hand took his life and created something magnificent out of it. Something awe-inspiring and wonderful. All he had to do was to surrender to it – and keep surrendering, stay surrendered and allow that Power to guide and create it all.
The Guru says that the Divine has no limits. So when we say there will never be another like him, we are really cursing ourselves. Saying that the Divine has a limit. That the Divine could never do better than him. That the Divine could only make a life like that once a century or once an age.
But Guru says the Divine has no limits. So if we in purity of heart – each one of us – give ourselves to the Divine completely in that same state of surrender; if we follow the words of the Guru, "Man, tan, dhan – sabh tayraa." "Mind, body and earthly possessions – they all belong to Thee;" then what limit is there in what the Creator can create with our lives? What limit is there in what we can each of us become individually? Why not collectively be a billion times greater than him? Why are we limiting that Unlimited God – when everything he taught us, everything he sacrificed in order to teach us – was to give us the chance to realize that Unlimited God within ourselves?
It isn’t that by our own ego we can become anything. Or by our own manipulations and machinations we can achieve anything. We can’t. But we can surrender ourselves completely to the Unlimited One and in that way – 100 people, 1000 people, a million people could become 10 times, 100 times, a billion times greater than him. In the Will of the Divine.
Isn’t that what’s needed right now in the world? A nation of people who can do what he did – and more?
It’s the prayer I hold for all of us as we cross this threshold of the 1000 days. That we experience and realize the Unlimited One within ourselves and within each other. That we let ourselves speak, project, pray, act and serve so that we do not live in the shadow of a memory of a great man. But rather – like a million suns, trust the Guru’s teachings and burst into the experience of our own Light – to be a guiding force for love, healing and peace in a dark and frightening world.
May you find the Unlimited One within your own heart and allow it to create you to become whatever It chooses you to become.
All Love in the Divine,
Sardarni Sahiba Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa
July 2, 2007
(July 2, 2007 marks the 1000th day since the Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji’s Light merged with the Supreme Light. The number 1,000 symbolizes both completion and mastery. As we mark July 2, 2007, the 1,000th day since the Siri Singh Sahib’s passing, we honor the experience of completion and we also honor new beginnings. This occasion of 1,000 days marks the completion of our cycle of integration as a spiritual family. It is the completion of our group karmas and the beginning of the universal destiny in which each person exists as a subtle embodiment of the consciousness of the Dharma. – Dr. Gurucharan Singh Khalsa and Guruka Singh Khalsa.)
7 Responses to “Personal Message in Memory of Yogi Bhajan, the Siri Singh Sahib”
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Totally inspiring! I would expect nothing less from Sardarni Sahiba Ek Ong Kar Kaur Khalsa Ji! Thank you. I also believe he meant for us each to be at least ten times greater than he. We have a lot of work to do, but he led us to the tools to get there. By the grace of the Guru we had a teacher who brought us to the feet of the Guru.
Let purity rule our consciousness.
Raj Karega Khalsa!
WaheGuru Ji Ka Khalsa, WaheGuru Ji Ki Fateh!
Guru Fateh!
Imagine state of mind of gursikhs when each Guru passed. Essence of teachings, is to move forward, while cherising loving memories of by gone days.Be in touch with spirit that was rekindled in teacher’s presence. Memories of state of mind and condition of spirit in his presence motivates individual to continue the spiritual journey because one has observed an individual,who attained that state of infinity.
Excellent expressions of soul cutting through web of emotions.
How would you or can you surrender? If you are there then is no surrender because you are there. If you are not there then who is surrendering? Who is the doer?
A very lovely message.
Though I cannot say I had the opportunity in this life time to personally learn from Yogi Bhajan, I can say that the technology, application and science he nurtured on this planet will continue to be utilized for the enhancement of humanity.
One sees it across all of his students.
I full heartily believe that many shall become 10 times more than he, and I state this with no intention of diminishing his service.
Like a potters wheel that continues to spin, his role was a part of the hand that initiated the rotation.
The Age of Aquarius is upon us and the Water Bearer brings forth the waters of life.
Surrender to the Divine at a time when the energies are as such shall produce profound effects.
Furthermore, surrender to the Divine in the name of the people, and as a group shall usher in even greater energies which shall up lift our planet.
————–
note to Kenneth- it all depends on your perspective, playing semantics between the knower, knowledge and the field of knowledge does not progress the concept or the importance of surrendering put forth in the context above. You could call it Divine surrendering to the Divine from a certain point of view. Or perhaps a point of Light surrendering to the Divine.
Sat Nam
A few days prior to the 1,000th day, I had a very clear & real vision/dream in the ambrosial hours with Yogi Bhajan. I was going to an event & he got in my car & began to steer the car, I was pressing the gas & brakes as he guided the way. He was wearing his white outfit that he wore so often with the quilted stitching on it.
Once we were there he was talking with others & I could see that they could see him too. I knew he had passed but also that he was totally there with us in the physical. I remember saying something to him about how glad I was I could still see him like this & that he was with me.
I feel very happy to have had this experience & glad to share it.
****
Another special experience I had with him was right before passing. He had told me that morning, "Get comfortable with death." and immediately gave me an experience of infinity – life/death/etc. all the same was the feeling… It was in a flash & I felt comfortable…. one of those experiences that changes you forever but cannot be explained in words & takes no earthly time at all… so that evening when I received word of his passing I took it very well. He prepared me well in his kindness. I feel so loved by him – and am – as we all are.
On the third day he came to me at sadhana time, in easy pose, glowing golden wearing a white turban & shorts (looking like he did in Shakti Parwha Kaur’s book. He was there with me awhile. I later read the email saying he would be in touch with people on the 3rd day.
I know he is guiding me all of the time. The vision/dream experience of this week reconfirmed that. I trust him to guide the way & am so very grateful.
Sat Siri Akal
the lectures of yogi ji re too good ,no comparison what so ever to anybody
thanx
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Everything is very inspiring. I remember one quote of Singh Sahib ” When there is no hope, you become the hope “. I was very worried about who would take care of Sikh Dharma as it is passing through a very tough time. But now I am confident all you Gursikhs with the grace of Guru Sahib would take Sikh Dharma to top level to make this world a place of happiness where there is no doubt, no hatred, all love and truth.
Thank you so much for inspiring me.
Khalsa Ji ke Bol Bale
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ke Fateh.