Improve your Vitality and Meditation With Long Hair
by Deva Kaur Khalsa (Florida)
Consider the possibility that the hair on your head is there to do more than just look good. From a yogic perspective, hair is an amazing gift of nature that can actually help raise the Kundalini energy (creative life force) which, in turn, serves to increase vitality, intuition and tranquility. Today most people may not notice the subtle, but powerful difference between cutting and keeping their hair. “Our hair fashions might be just a trend”, “but if we investigate,” Yogi Bhajan states, “we may find that we have been depriving ourselves of one of the most valuable sources of energy for human vitality.”[i]
Long ago in many cultures, people kept their hair because it was a part of who they were. There were no salons. When people were conquered or enslaved, their hair was often cut as a sign of slavery. It was understood that this would serve as a punishment and decrease the power of those enslaved. The bones in the forehead are porous and function to transmit light to the pineal gland in the brain, which affects brain activity, as well as thyroid and sexual hormones. Cutting the hair into bangs which then cover the forehead, impedes this process. Yogi Bhajan explains that when Ghenghis Khan conquered China , he considered the Chinese to be a very wise, intelligent people who would not allow themselves to be subjugated, He therefore required all women in the country to cut their hair and wear bangs, because he knew this would serve to keep them timid and more easily controlled. As whole tribes or societies were conquered, cut hair became so prevalent that the importance of hair was lost after a few generations, and hair styles and fashion grew to be the focus.
Science of Hair
The science of hair was one of the first technologies given by Yogi Bhajan when he came to
There are two distinctly different parts of the human brain. They are so different that Yogi Bhajan simply says that we have two brains. The back brain lives on the cerebral spinal fluid, which travels up the spine. However, the energy for the front portion of the brain is drawn from the hair. Hairs are the antennas that gather and channel the sun energy or prana to these frontal lobes, the part of the brain you use for meditation and visualization.[iii] During meditation, these antennas “make it easier to hear the sound current (Naad), through which you can open the solar center on your crown more easily. The experience of awakening your perception to the infinite there is similar to the sound of the gong. As we become more aware of the vastness and oneness of the universe through this ‘tenth gate’ we gain humility and a feeling of wholeness. [iv]
“When you meditate, you can have an amazing, elevated experience, but you cannot completely sustain that elevation without the heavy, pure protein of your full hair.” If you choose to keep your hair and cover your your crown chakra with a white cloth during meditation this will help to retain the benefits of your meditative experience.
Kundalini Hair Care
If we wear our long hair down, the antennas of the hair are allowed to scatter.[v] They rub against each other and by doing so, take away the electric charge from the working brain. [vi] Scattered loose, the hair can also get split ends and their ability to act as antennas is damaged. If you have long hair, see if your experience is different when it is clean and coiled at your crown, or down and loose. Experiment and experience it yourself. If you get split ends, instead of trimming them and losing your antennas, Yogi Bhajan recommends applying almond oil to your hair overnight so that it can be absorbed before you wash it the next morning. Be sure to either cover your head or put a towel on your pillow to protect your bedding. Then keep it coiled on your crown and protected with a head covering during the day to help your antennas heal.
Your hair can also be damaged by combing it when wet as this causes it to stretch and break. One year, after Winter Solstice, when Yogi Bhajan was sitting in our living room with wet hair, he explained that he was drying it before putting it up in order to avoid a headache. This is because if you put your hair up wet, it will tend to shrink and tighten a bit as it dries. A better idea is to take the time occasionally to sit in the sun and allow your clean, wet hair to dry naturally and absorb some extra vitamin D. [vii]
When practicing Kundalini yoga, it is beneficial to have clean hair, and a head covering which will protect the openness of the crown chakra, (especially when teaching). Yogis recommend shampooing the hair every 72 hours (or more frequently if the scalp sweats a great deal.) It can also be beneficial to wash your hair after being upset to help process emotions.
Yogis recommend using a wooden comb or brush for combing your hair as it gives a lot of circulation and stimulation to the scalp. Most significantly, the wood does not create static electricity which causes a loss of the hair’s energy to the brain. If you comb your hair and scalp front to back, back to front and then up to the right and left several times, it will refresh you, no matter how long your hair is. All the tiredness of your day will be gone. It is something you can try for yourself. [viii] Yogi Bhajan said that if you know this technique to comb your hair, you may not need aspirin, and you can overcome weakness and energize yourself within a short time. For women, using this technique to comb your hair twice a day can help maintain their youth, the health of their menstrual cycle and their eyesight.
During the day, the hair absorbs solar energy, but at night it absorbes lunar energy. Keeping the hair up during the day and down at night aids in this process. Braiding your hair down at night will help your electromagnetic field balance out from the day. In
The pineal gland in the center of your brain is stimulated when your magnetic field (aura) is energized by combing and coiling your hair into a rishi knot on your crown. “This activation of your pineal results in a secretion that is central to the development of higher intellectual functioning, as well as higher spiritual perception.”[ix] If you seal this energizing coil with a head covering or turban, you then create your own simple, yet powerful, energy receiver.
One ancient method of raising the Kundalini life force is to allow the hair to grow to its full length and be coiled on the crown of the head, so that the sun energy is pulled quickly through it, charging your strength. This pranic life energy (not to be confused with actual sunlight) is drawn down the spine, and to counteract that downward movement, the Kundalini life energy rises to create balance.
If you are bald or balding, the lack of hair energy can be counteracted with more meditation. If you are finding some silver strands in your hair, be aware that the silver or white color increases the vitamins and energy flow to compensate for aging. For better brain health as you age, try to keep your hair as natural and healthy as you can.
Yogi Bhajan taught that in order to sustain oneself in the face of all environmental pressure, you need very strong nerves. If your nervous system holds steady you won’t fall apart. All your behavior: your patience, projection, constant going and working, depends on your nerves. What builds and maintains your nerves? The electrical charge of the body nourishes your nervous system which is controlled by the brain, but it is your hair that gives you that electrical energy. In Yogi Bhajan’s words, “your hair is not there by mistake. It has a definite purpose, which saints will discover and other men will laugh at.” [x]
Whatever hair you have now, try an experiment, and see if you can tie it up on the top of your head, coiling it if it has any length. Then cover and secure it tightly with a cotton handkerchief or a silk scarf and see if you can slightly pull up the scalp holding the 26 bones of the skull gently in place. This will give you extra energy for athletic competition, yoga and meditationYogi Bhajan felt this was an important component in his invincibility on the football field as a youth. If you do not contain the movement of your cranial bones, and their adjustment shifts suddenly, you can become more emotional and conflicted.
As Yogiji (as we called him in his early years in the
I have always been curious about how the human body works from a yogic perspective, and why Yogi Bhajan spoke so adamantly to people about covering their heads when they went out into the sunlight. And this was after he had just told us the benefits of allowing your wet hair to dry in the sun! I found that many ancient sages used to keep their dry hair covered because they knew the direct sun energy was too strong. Human energy has a lower voltage than the sun, and because hairs are not good conductors of heat or electricity, they protect the brain from the more powerful sun energy. This protective layer of hair and natural fiber helps to facilitate calmness and non-reactivity so that we are more peaceful within. Even if you do not choose to keep your hair, you can still cover your crown during meditation which will help to retain the benefits of your meditation experience.
Women with longer hair may want to experiment to see if they feel a difference in their personal power and projection when they wear their hair loose, or tie it up or back.
The molecular structure of your hair contains three things: Your genetic material, your minerals and it is actually the only part of you that contains an imprint of your life journey, your psychological destination. Indian doctors can read your life from your hair as you can read the history of a tree from its rings when cut. Just as the rings of the tree give a glimpse into the history of the tree. [xi] In
“All the traditions we have created in our history, we created simply because we wanted to be happy. Currently, there is a loneliness and an emptiness in our spiritual realm such that the call of our soul is becoming louder and louder.” [xii] In this time of great change on our planet, we have many emotions, desires and insecurities which can throw us off balance. But if we are always off balance, who wants to be around us after a while? There is no happiness, continuity, achievement, or creativity if we are off balance.
I was speaking with a young store clerk last week who does not do yoga, but has only cut his hair three times in his life: once when he was 5, once at 13, and just now at age 21. I asked him about how it felt to go from having long hair for many years to very short hair all of a sudden. And after he thought a moment, he said he definitely felt less energized, and more like he blended in with what was ‘normal’, but overall felt kind of ‘dull’ compared to life with hair. So no matter what you do with your hair, pay attention to how it affects you, because hair does have a science behind it.
Yogi Bhajan told us this story about hair many years ago at women’s camp in
“We were on the same steamer, but I didn’t find you.”
Tagore said, “I was there.”
His friend said, “I understand you are now a God-realized man, and I would like to know what was your first action when you became aware of the Oneness in all?”
Tagore said, “When I realized the Oneness of all, I threw my shaving kit into the ocean. I gave up my ego and surrendered to nature. I wanted to live in the form that my Creator has given me.” [xiii]
If you break the antenna of a television, then you will not receive anything on that television. The Creator has a definite reason for giving you hair. Man is the only creature who grows longer hair on his head as he grows into adulthood. When a human allows his or her hair to grow, they are welcoming the maturity, the responsibility of being fully grown, and fully powerful. The time we naturally have short hair is in our youngest years of life. The truth is that whenever you add something to the body or remove something from the body, it demonstrates attachment to the body, and interferes with the miraculous balance and science of how the human mind and body work.
The longer and fuller a person’s hair, the more personal power they tend to exhibit. That is why you will always find grace and calmness in a person with uncut hair from birth, if they keep it well.” [xiv]
This body of yours is more beautifully designed than we usually even notice. Through experience comes understanding. You hair is yours. Experience it and understand it.
Notes:
[i] YB
[ii] Living Reality
[iii] YB
[iv] GurucharanSingh Khalsa (Director of Training, The Kundalini Research Institute)
[v] YB
[vi] YB
[vii] YB Winter Solstice 12/73
[viii] YB
[ix] YB
[x] YB
[xi] YB
[xii] YB
[xiii] YB
[xiv] The Aquarian Teacher Manual.p178
32 Responses to “Improve your Vitality and Meditation With Long Hair”
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Waheguru ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
VERY informative. Can I get an idea to locate the scalp portion where the hair seems to emerge in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction ? And how can the spilt ends be prevented. On the other hand an antenna is also forked at the end does the splitting of the hair follicle at the end gives the same reason. Is the greying of hair similar to having white and silver strands ? If yes then why does it appear in the youngsters (19+) and even in the teen ages. Because my Grandfather tells me that the greying of hair didn’t used to happen to children and adults atleast to the age of 35 -40. He blames the age of darkness for this.
I am just curious to know because, I do have silver/white and grey strands. It is also the fact that some individuals are densely hairy over the body while others are not very hairy. In what aspect does the hair on the body contributes other than the hair on the scalp.
Those are interesting questions Gurjeet veerji, i would like to know the ans as well. The hair on my body are so dense that sometimes my mum jokes with me and says maybe i was suppose to be a guy instead of a girl. Coz my sister has very few hair on her body compared to me even tho she is older! Wonder why?
Also ever since i came to west i started loosing my hair. Even tho the density of my body hair has grown but my scalp hair have become very thin. Is there an explanation behind that or is it just change of environment or change in “water” as my parents tell me?
Thanks for this informative article:)
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
I don’t know if you anyone can help me, but I’m 35 and my hair has started getting coarse and brittle. I have been rubbing my nails together to try to help this. I am also drinking a vinger honey mix once a day. Can anyone suggest anything else?
Really cool article, I am just in the process of experiencing tying my hair on top of my head and covering it, its crazy how much of a difference it makes, you can actually feel it!
Question: does the info in this article apply equally to girls and guys?
“Women with longer hair may want to experiment to see if they feel a difference in their personal power and projection when they wear their hair loose, or tie it up or back”
Ive seen a video of males tying their turban, but not of a female…is it much different?..
Thankyou!
vahguru jee ka khala vahguru jee kee fateh
For any individuals that are having hair issues, these are usually as a result of malnutrition. Your body needs certain vitamins and minerals. You should get yourself a good multi-vitamin, and go to the health food store, do your homework and find the additional pills as well. Trust me, if you take the vitamins once a day for 30 days, you will see a world of difference everywhere. Your life will be amazing. Additionally, also start to work out if you are not, because a body that does not move, becomes lethargic and starts to grow roots. It is imperative that we work out our bodies everyday and give it the nutrient it needs. Of course, more important then anything else, feed your body Gurbani, so that your soul can break from the society issues that block our mind, body and sould from achieving a higher level of God conciousness through our life.
Chardi Kalla!
Thank you for your questions on the Hair article!
A Sikh is meant to be in Cherdi Kala all the time. That means not just when it is easy and convenient, but also when it is difficult and inconvenient. So, hair is one of the God given tools that brings in the extra vitality to keep our spirits elevated no matter what. The British knew that a Sikh soldier with his hair and turban was more courageous and invincible than most any other.
Yes, it works for males and for females to coil your hair and cover it. It is a sacred science, and is there for you to explore. I find I am more aware of what I am doing with my thoughts, words and habits when I cover my head. In the time of Guru Gobind Singh, there were Khalsa women who wore turbans over their coiled hair.
Hair needs minerals to be healthy, so if your hair is brittle or falling out, you may want to locate some natural minerals, such as kelp or other food based mineral supplements or mineral rich foods. For split ends, if you can use almond oil on your hair overnight, and wash it the next morning this will help revitalize and heal the antenna capacity of your hair. Split ends decrease the functionality of your hair as antennas for energy. The other thing that helps split ends heal is to keep your hair up during the day and cover them to protect them.
Please let me know if you have any other questions or comments that I might be able discuss with you.
Sat Nam,
Deva Kaur
Very interesting post!
What about balding guys? Im getting bald as my father and grandfather, with a spot on my crown. Should I wear my hair long too?
Seems that society dictates that if im balding I should shave or have my hair very short, but I dont want to do it. What do you think?
Brother Leaf,
To cut or not to cut your hair is obviously your choice, but the hair provides nourishment to the front part of the brain. My husband is balding, but keeps all his other hair to use as antennas for his brain.
You should follow your inner wisdom on this. Also, whether man-made bald or God-made bald, lack of hair tends to make you more earthly, so more meditation/simran is recommended to help lighten your energy.
Deva
Sat Nam!
This is very good information.
A question arises: What about grey hair and colouring them with natural henna or artificial colouring agents? Any insight please?
Henry James, Good question.
I think people color or shave their hair to look young in society or feel better that they may look younger. Other reasons could be to feel attractive to females or in hope of getting attention from the opposite sex or the same sex for some people.
However, when we surrender ourselves to the one ultimate energy we feel young at our mind and soul level. I think then change in color of hair or skin is seen as leaves changes their color during the fall indicating that the end is near or is coming soon. Nature will display its multple colors before its end and we as human beings are struck with awe when we see multiple colors.
Grey hair also reminds us that the end is getting closer and old age will take over so we may still have sometime to do something for our own mind and soul. As human beings we are engulfed in Lust, Anger, Judgements etc.. these qualities will stay with us or even intensifiy if we keep on looking outside for acceptance or for affection.
Grey hair is also correlated with wisdom.
I think when we color our hair it just we do not feel comfortable about ourselves and try to find peace and joy from people who sorround us. Or accept the natural process….
Concerning hair and “earthly vibration,” although this is a very sincere endorsement of Sikh teachings, it is voiced here in a format which is a generalized put-down of the traditions, some indeed ancient and worthy of respect, which regard *having* hair as an over “earthly attachment,” and so remove it; Buddhism, for example.
We all do well to remember that there have certainly been bald saints over time as well as long-haired tyrants in the world.
Cultivation of hair should be a matter of personal discipline, rather than a broad criteria for condescending to others and describing them as “less spiritual”. God is the knower of hearts, not we, and to assume that all Buddhists or Jains or even certain Hindus are “earthly” as a result of the physical disciplines their traditions require is really a horrific level of judgment which is unfair and unbecoming.
Respectfully
Guru Dev Kaur
Emily Goldberg,
I do disagree and agree on certain parts of your comment.
First of all I will point out the part on which I disagree:
1) Hair as an “earthly attachment.†As far as I know that in other Indian religions or ancient religions all agree that earthly attachment is known to arise from the mind such as greed, lust, ego etc. What ever is in our minds will eventually lead us to certain actions and these actions could be towards spiritual or worldly affairs.
Our legs and feet should also be considered as “earthly attachment†because they may take us to certain places where our mind will be more polluted in terms of worldly attachment and similarly our hands also perform all the worldly affairs. Therefore, it becomes evident that our other limbs are more involved in earthly attachment than hair, so does it apply that we should also get rid of our other limbs because they should be considered more potent in the process of earthly attachment.
You would be familiar that the western religions (middle eastern and European area) people from these areas perform circumcision, more severely in female genital area. Therefore, certain religions think that the source of earthly attachments originate in the genital area, which can be proven to be wrong.
2) “Cultivation of hair should be a matter of personal discipline†If someone follows a sikh way of life is to overcome what our mind dictates to us accordingly to society norms. Here the question is do we have really offered our mind and soul to one ultimate source or we are willing to do it partially because of our own insecurities or mind more inclined towards worldly attachment. Our mind will only project what has been learned over the years and maybe other lifetimes (karma); therefore, our mind will always try to find more comfort when it is performing worldly affairs. For instance, one can watch a movie for 3hrs with a great concentration and I have heard people (myself) saying that they felt that they are being part of the movie, yet we cannot apply same concentration during a meditation even for few minutes.
Sikh way of life is a game of love, and then offering a head is another thing.
The parts that I agree with your comment:
First thing about being a Sikh is to respect and honor other religions and people who are trying to walk on the path of Sikhism. We need to respect every persons personal choices and not become judges ourselves. What I am seeing is that even Sikhs are wasting so much energy by judging others. Judgment should be left in Gods hand and lets do our part to make this world a better place. I think, first we have to make our own temple (our body) a better place for our soul then we can think about changing the world.
Finally, I will put more weight that our teachers or True Guru has knowledge in every different dimension of space and time. Majority of human beings are Linear thinkers and derive conclusions. However, people have the choice to become agnostics, become part of the worldly attachment or walk on the spiritual path and we should NOT judge anyone because every soul will be responsible for its own actions.
Sat Naam
Guru Dev Kaur ji, maybe someone else might know better to acknowledge your mesage because I am not a scholar or something. All I wanted to say is that appearance shouldn’t be judged is true but spoiling the appearance given to us by the Lord is also not true. Thats the reason we keep yourselves a Saabat – Soorat. My brother Mr. Hallmann(38)from UK who is Sikh at heart and is practising Sikhi from the moment he knew it, says that if traditions come in the way of Faith then better not follow them. And this totally depepnds on our cultural backgrounds.
Why do you think that India is called as the land of saints? to broaden it Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in Pakistan, Buddha was not born in India ! Buddha didn’t even go bald as we see the ancient paintings and scriptures… or better call it depictions because Sikhism being the latest our Gurus don’t have any sign of how did they look like because they looked like everyone … they looked human and they were here to serve Humanity better. Our Gurus already said that Sadhnaa should be done by not hurting yourself… you think when the hair of a Buddhist is plucked he will be feeling no pain and is rejoicing ! then you are a fool whoever thinks like this is a fool… just pluck your hair an then tell me if you get the wonderful EARTHY feeling ! To be earthy is first to understand what it is to be humble and water always flows to the down level… towards the inclination and to raise it again … He got dug the complete holy tank and here settling down at Amritsar, he spread his light. Wondrous is the play of the Lord. He can cause Ganges running in opposite direction merge in the ocean. THat means when you speak the Naam it should be heard with your own ears and if you don’t hear it then you are deaf.
Sikhi is not traditional, Sikhi dosen’t depend on any Longitudes and Lattitudes, Sikhi dosen’t depend on Location SIkhi dosen’t depend on Language and it stands alone …it depends on your Heart and Mind… are you open to it ? are you inviting it with High Spirits…. ARE YOU RESPECTING IT ? You people have made a joke of Spirituality… and What do you know about Spirituality … WHAT Sprituality Spirituality… its not about wearing White clothes and doing asaans and Yoga and whatever you think that makes an animal spiritual and human… SORRY but the spirit decides wether to rest in your hearts and purify you and YOU ARE NOT THE ONE TO CALL THE SPIRIT TO RESIDE IN YOU.. than its black magic my dear. Everyone dose it.. don’t burn your elements in vain instead just clean your House and the Spirit will reside in it…
This Shabad is by Bhagat Kabeer Ji in Raag Saarang on Pannaa 1252
I do not know the limits of Your Royal Ashram.
I am the humble slave of Your Saints. ||1||Pause||
The one who goes laughing returns crying, and the one who goes crying returns laughing.
What is inhabited becomes deserted, and what is deserted becomes inhabited. ||1||
The water turns into a desert, the desert turns into a well, and the well turns into a mountain.
From the earth, the mortal is exalted to the Akaashic ethers; and from the ethers on high, he is thrown down again. ||2||
The beggar is transformed into a king, and the king into a beggar.
The idiotic fool is transformed into a Pandit, a religious scholar, and the Pandit into a fool. ||3||
The woman is transformed into a man, and the men into women.
Says Kabeer, God is the Beloved of the Holy Saints. I am a sacrifice to His image. ||4||2||
************************************************
Raamkalee, First Mehla, Dakhanee, Ongkaar:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
From Ongkaar, the One Universal Creator God, Brahma was created.
He kept Ongkaar in his consciousness.
From Ongkaar, the mountains and the ages were created.
Ongkaar created the Vedas.
Ongkaar saves the world through the Shabad.
Ongkaar saves the Gurmukhs.
Listen to the Message of the Universal, Imperishable Creator Lord.
The Universal, Imperishable Creator Lord is the essence of the three worlds. ||1||
Listen, O Pandit, O religious scholar, why are you writing about worldly debates?
As Gurmukh, write only the Name of the Lord, the Lord of the World. ||1||Pause||
Sassa: He created the entire universe with ease; His One Light pervades the three worlds.
Become Gurmukh, and obtain the real thing; gather the gems and pearls.
If one understands, realizes and comprehends what he reads and studies, in the end he shall realize that the True Lord dwells deep within his nucleus.
The Gurmukh sees and contemplates the True Lord; without the True Lord, the world is false. ||2||
Dhadha: Those who enshrine Dharmic faith and dwell in the City of Dharma are worthy; their minds are steadfast and stable.
Dhadha: If the dust of their feet touches one’s face and forehead, he is transformed from iron into gold.
Blessed is the Support of the Earth; He Himself is not born; His measure and speech are perfect and True.
Only the Creator Himself knows His own extent; He alone knows the Brave Guru. ||3||
In love with duality, spiritual wisdom is lost; the mortal rots away in pride, and eats poison.
He thinks that the sublime essence of the Guru’s song is useless, and he does not like to hear it. He loses the profound, unfathomable Lord.
Through the Guru’s Words of Truth, the Ambrosial Nectar is obtained, and the mind and body find joy in the True Lord.
He Himself is the Gurmukh, and He Himself bestows the Ambrosial Nectar; He Himself leads us to drink it in. ||4||
Everyone says that God is the One and only, but they are engrossed in egotism and pride.
Realize that the One God is inside and outside; understand this, that the Mansion of His Presence is within the home of your heart.
God is near at hand; do not think that God is far away. The One Lord permeates the entire universe.
There in One Universal Creator Lord; there is no other at all. O Nanak, merge into the One Lord. ||5||
How can you keep the Creator under your control? He cannot be seized or measured.
Maya has made the mortal insane; she has administered the poisonous drug of falsehood.
Addicted to greed and avarice, the mortal is ruined, and then later, he regrets and repents.
So serve the One Lord, and attain the state of Salvation; your comings and goings shall cease. ||6||
The One Lord is in all actions, colors and forms.
He manifests in many shapes through wind, water and fire.
The One Soul wanders through the three worlds.
One who understands and comprehends the One Lord is honored.
One who gathers in spiritual wisdom and meditation, dwells in the state of balance.
How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, attain the One Lord.
They alone find peace, whom the Lord blesses with His Grace.
In the Gurdwara, the Guru’s Door, they speak and hear of the Lord. ||7||
His Light illuminates the ocean and the earth.
Throughout the three worlds, is the Guru, the Lord of the World.
The Lord reveals His various forms;
granting His Grace, He enters the home of the heart.
The clouds hang low, and the rain is pouring down.
The Lord embellishes and exalts with the Sublime Word of the Shabad.
One who knows the mystery of the One God,
is Himself the Creator, Himself the Divine Lord. ||8||
When the sun rises, the demons are slain;
the mortal looks upwards, and contemplates the Shabad.
The Lord is beyond the beginning and the end, beyond the three worlds.
He Himself acts, speaks and listens.
He is the Architect of Destiny; He blesses us with mind and body.
That Architect of Destiny is in my mind and mouth.
God is the Life of the world; there is no other at all.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one is honored. ||9||
One who lovingly chants the Name of the Sovereign Lord King,
fights the battle and conquers his own mind;
day and night, he remains imbued with the Lord’s Love.
He is famous throughout the three worlds and the four ages.
One who knows the Lord, becomes like Him.
He becomes absolutely immaculate, and his body is sanctified.
His heart is happy, in love with the One Lord.
He lovingly centers his attention deep within upon the True Word of the Shabad. ||10||
Don’t be angry – drink in the Ambrosial Nectar; you shall not remain in this world forever.
The ruling kings and the paupers shall not remain; they come and go, throughout the four ages.
Everyone says that they will remain, but none of them remain; unto whom should I offer my prayer?
The One Shabad, the Name of the Lord, will never fail you; the Guru grants honor and understanding. ||11||
My shyness and hesitation have died and gone, and I walk with my face unveiled.
The confusion and doubt from my crazy, insane mother-in-law has been removed from over my head.
My Beloved has summoned me with joyful caresses; my mind is filled with the bliss of the Shabad.
Imbued with the Love of my Beloved, I have become Gurmukh, and carefree. ||12||
Chant the jewel of the Naam, and earn the profit of the Lord.
Greed, avarice, evil and egotism;
slander, inuendo and gossip;
the self-willed manmukh is blind, foolish and ignorant.
For the sake of earning the profit of the Lord, the mortal comes into the world.
But he becomes a mere slave laborer, and is mugged by the mugger, Maya.
One who earns the profit of the Naam, with the capital of faith,
O Nanak, is truly honored by the True Supreme King. ||13||
The world is ruined on the path of Death.
No one has the power to erase Maya’s influence.
If wealth visits the home of the lowliest clown,
seeing that wealth, all pay their respects to him.
Even an idiot is thought of as clever, if he is rich.
Without devotional worship, the world is insane.
The One Lord is contained among all.
He reveals Himself, unto those whom He blesses with His Grace. ||14||
Throughout the ages, the Lord is eternally established; He has no vengeance.
He is not subject to birth and death; He is not entangled in worldly affairs.
Whatever is seen, is the Lord Himself.
Creating Himself, He establishes Himself in the heart.
He Himself is unfathomable; He links people to their affairs.
He is the Way of Yoga, the Life of the World.
Living a righteous lifestyle, true peace is found.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, how can anyone find liberation? ||15||
Without the Name, even one’s own body is an enemy.
Why not meet the Lord, and take away the pain of your mind?
The traveller comes and goes along the highway.
What did he bring when he came, and what will he take away when he goes?
Without the Name, one loses everywhere.
The profit is earned, when the Lord grants understanding.
In merchandise and trade, the merchant is trading.
Without the Name, how can one find honor and nobility? ||16||
One who contemplates the Lord’s Virtues is spiritually wise.
Through His Virtues, one receives spiritual wisdom.
How rare in this world, is the Giver of virtue.
The True way of life comes through contemplation of the Guru.
The Lord is inaccessible and unfathomable. His worth cannot be estimated.
They alone meet Him, whom the Lord causes to meet.
The virtuous soul bride continually contemplates His Virtues.
O Nanak, following the Guru’s Teachings, one meets the Lord, the true friend. ||17||
Unfulfilled sexual desire and unresolved anger waste the body away,
as gold is dissolved by borax.
The gold is touched to the touchstone, and tested by fire;
when its pure color shows through, it is pleasing to the eye of the assayer.
The world is a beast, and arrogent Death is the butcher.
The created beings of the Creator receive the karma of their actions.
He who created the world, knows its worth.
What else can be said? There is nothing at all to say. ||18||
Searching, searching, I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar.
I have adopted the way of tolerance, and given my mind to the True Guru.
Everyone calls himself true and genuine.
He alone is true, who obtains the jewel throughout the four ages.
Eating and drinking, one dies, but still does not know.
He dies in an instant, when he realizes the Word of the Shabad.
His consciousness becomes permanently stable, and his mind accepts death.
By Guru’s Grace, he realizes the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||19||
The Profound Lord dwells in the sky of the mind, the Tenth Gate;
singing His Glorious Praises, one dwells in intuitive poise and peace.
He does not go to come, or come to go.
By Guru’s Grace, he remains lovingly focused on the Lord.
The Lord of the mind-sky is inaccessible, independent and beyond birth.
The most worthy Samaadhi is to keep the consciousness stable, focused on Him.
Remembering the Lord’s Name, one is not subject to reincarnation.
The Guru’s Teachings are the most Excellent; all other ways lack the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||20||
Wandering to countless doorsteps and homes, I have grown weary.
My incarnations are countless, without limit.
I have had so many mothers and fathers, sons and daughters.
I have had so many gurus and disciples.
Through a false guru, liberation is not found.
There are so many brides of the One Husband Lord – consider this.
The Gurmukh dies, and lives with God.
Searching in the ten directions, I found Him within my own home.
I have met Him; the True Guru has led me to meet Him. ||21||
The Gurmukh sings, and the Gurmukh speaks.
The Gurmukh evaluates the value of the Lord, and inspires others to evaluate Him as well.
The Gurmukh comes and goes without fear.
His filth is taken away, and his stains are burnt off.
The Gurmukh contemplates the sound current of the Naad for his Vedas.
The Gurmukh’s cleansing bath is the performance of good deeds.
For the Gurmukh, the Shabad is the most excellent Ambrosial Nectar.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh crosses over. ||22||
The fickle consciousness does not remain stable.
The deer secretly nibbles at the green sprouts.
One who enshrines the Lord’s lotus feet in his heart and consciousness
lives long, always remembering the Lord.
Everyone has worries and cares.
He alone finds peace, who thinks of the One Lord.
When the Lord dwells in the consciousness, and one is absorbed in the Lord’s Name,
one is liberated, and returns home with honor. ||23||
The body falls apart, when one knot is untied.
Behold, the world is on the decline; it will be totally destroyed.
Only one who looks alike upon sunshine and shade
has his bonds shattered; he is liberated and returns home.
Maya is empty and petty; she has defrauded the world.
Such destiny is pre-ordained by past actions.
Youth is wasting away; old age and death hover above the head.
The body falls apart, like algae upon the water. ||24||
God Himself appears throughout the three worlds.
Throughout the ages, He is the Great Giver; there is no other at all.
As it pleases You, You protect and preserve us.
I ask for the Lord’s Praises, which bless me with honor and credit.
Remaining awake and aware, I am pleasing to You, O Lord.
When You unite me with Yourself, then I am merged in You.
I chant Your Victorious Praises, O Life of the World.
Accepting the Guru’s Teachings, one is sure to merge in the One Lord. ||25||
Why do you speak such nonsense, and argue with the world?
You shall die repenting, when you see your own insanity.
He is born, only to die, but he does not wish to live.
He comes hopeful, and then goes, without hope.
Regretting, repenting and grieving, he is dust mixing with dust.
Death does not chew up one who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The nine treasures are obtained through the Name of the Lord;
the Lord bestows intuitive peace and poise. ||26||
He speaks spiritual wisdom, and He Himself understands it.
He Himself knows it, and He Himself comprehends it.
One who takes the Words of the Guru into his very fiber,
is immaculate and holy, and is pleasing to the True Lord.
In the ocean of the Guru, there is no shortage of pearls.
The treasure of jewels is truly inexhaustible.
Do those deeds which the Guru has ordained.
Why are you chasing after the Guru’s actions?
O Nanak, through the Guru’s Teachings, merge in the True Lord. ||27||
Love is broken, when one speaks in defiance.
The arm is broken, when it is pulled from both sides.
Love breaks, when the speech goes sour.
The Husband Lord abandons and leaves behind the evil-minded bride.
The broken knot is tied again, through contemplation and meditation.
Through the Word of the Guru’s Shabad, one’s affairs are resolved in one’s own home.
One who earns the profit of the True Name, will not lose it again;
the Lord and Master of the three worlds is your best friend. ||28||
Control your mind, and keep it in its place.
The world is destroyed by conflict, regretting its sinful mistakes.
There is one Husband Lord, and all are His brides.
The false bride wears many costumes.
He stops her from going into the homes of others;
He summons her to the Mansion of His Presence, and no obstacles block her path.
She is embellished with the Word of the Shabad, and is loved by the True Lord.
She is the happy soul bride, who takes the Support of her Lord and Master. ||29||
Wandering and roaming around, O my companion, your beautiful robes are torn.
In jealousy, the body is not at peace; without the Fear of God, multitudes are ruined.
One who remains dead within her own home, through the Fear of God, is looked upon with favor by her all-knowing Husband Lord.
She maintains fear of her Guru, and chants the Name of the Fearless Lord.
Living on the mountain, I suffer such great thirst; when I see Him, I know that He is not far away.
My thirst is quenched, and I have accepted the Word of the Shabad. I drink my fill of the Ambrosial Nectar.
Everyone says, “”Give! Give!”” As He pleases, He gives.
Through the Gurdwara, the Guru’s Door, He gives, and quenches the thirst. ||30||
Searching and seeking, I fell down and collapsed upon the bank of the river of life.
Those who are heavy with sin sink down, but those who are light swim across.
I am a sacrifice to those who meet the immortal and immeasurable Lord.
The dust of their feet brings emancipation; in their company, we are united in the Lord’s Union.
I gave my mind to my Guru, and received the Immaculate Name.
I serve the One who gave me the Naam; I am a sacrifice to Him.
He who builds, also demolishes; there is no other than Him.
By Guru’s Grace, I contemplate Him, and then my body does not suffer in pain. ||31||
No one is mine – whose gown should I grasp and hold? No one ever was, and no one shall ever be mine.
Coming and going, one is ruined, afflicted with the disease of dual-mindedness.
Those beings who lack the Naam, the Name of the Lord, collapse like pillars of salt.
Without the Name, how can they find release? They fall into hell in the end.
Using a limited number of words, we describe the unlimited True Lord.
The ignorant lack understanding. Without the Guru, there is no spiritual wisdom.
The separated soul is like the broken string of a guitar, which does not vibrate its sound.
God unites the separated souls with Himself, awakening their destiny. ||32||
The body is the tree, and the mind is the bird; the birds in the tree are the five senses.
They peck at the essence of reality, and merge with the One Lord. They are never trapped at all.
But the others fly away in a hurry, when they see the food.
Their feathers are clipped, and they are caught in the noose; through their mistakes, they are caught in disaster.
Without the True Lord, how can anyone find release? The jewel of the Lord’s Glorious Praises comes by the karma of good actions.
When He Himself releases them, only then are they released. He Himself is the Great Master.
By Guru’s Grace, they are released, when He Himself grants His Grace.
Glorious greatness rests in His Hands. He blesses those with whom He is pleased. ||33||
The soul trembles and shakes, when it loses its mooring and support.
Only the support of the True Lord brings honor and glory. Through it, one’s works are never in vain.
The Lord is eternal and forever stable; the Guru is stable, and contemplation upon the True Lord is stable.
O Lord and Master of angels, men and Yogic masters, You are the support of the unsupported.
In all places and interspaces, You are the Giver, the Great Giver.
Wherever I look, there I see You, Lord; You have no end or limitation.
You are pervading and permeating the places and interspaces; reflecting upon the Word of the Guru’s Shabad, You are found.
You give gifts even when they are not asked for; You are great, inaccessible and infinite. ||34||
O Merciful Lord, You are the embodiment of mercy; creating the Creation, You behold it.
Please shower Your Mercy upon me, O God, and unite me with Yourself. In an instant, You destroy and rebuild.
You are all-wise and all-seeing; You are the Greatest Giver of all givers.
He is the Eradicator of poverty, and the Destroyer of pain; the Gurmukh realizes spiritual wisdom and meditation. ||35||
Losing his wealth, he cries out in anguish; the fool’s consciousness is engrossed in wealth.
How rare are those who gather the wealth of Truth, and love the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord.
If by losing your wealth, you may become absorbed in the Love of the One Lord, then just let it go.
Dedicate your mind, and surrender your head; seek only the Support of the Creator Lord.
Worldly affairs and wanderings cease, when the mind is filled with the bliss of the Shabad.
Even one’s enemies become friends, meeting with the Guru, the Lord of the Universe.
Wandering from forest to forest searching, you will find that those things are within the home of your own heart.
United by the True Guru, you shall remain united, and the pains of birth and death will be ended. ||36||
Through various rituals, one does not find release. Without virtue, one is sent to the City of Death.
One will not have this world or the next; committing sinful mistakes, one comes to regret and repent in the end.
He has neither spiritual wisdom or meditation; neither Dharmic faith mor meditation.
Without the Name, how can one be fearless? How can he understand egotistical pride?
I am so tired – how can I get there? This ocean has no bottom or end.
I have no loving companions, whom I can ask for help.
O Nanak, crying out, “”Beloved, Beloved””, we are united with the Uniter.
He who separated me, unites me again; my love for the Guru is infinite. ||37||
Sin is bad, but it is dear to the sinner.
He loads himself with sin, and expands his world through sin.
Sin is far away from one who understands himself.
He is not afflicted by sorrow or separation.
How can one avoid falling into hell? How can he cheat the Messenger of Death?
How can coming and going be forgotten? Falsehood is bad, and death is cruel.
The mind is enveloped by entanglements, and into entanglements it falls.
Without the Name, how can anyone be saved? They rot away in sin. ||38||
Again and again, the crow falls into the trap.
Then he regrets it, but what can he do now?
Even though he is trapped, he pecks at the food; he does not understand.
If he meets the True Guru, then he sees with his eyes.
Like a fish, he is caught in the noose of death.
Do not seek liberation from anyone else, except the Guru, the Great Giver.
Over and over again, he comes; over and over again, he goes.
Be absorbed in love for the One Lord, and remain lovingly focused on Him.
In this way you shall be saved, and you shall not fall into the trap again. ||39||
She calls out, “”Brother, O brother – stay, O brother!”” But he becomes a stranger.
Her brother departs for his own home, and his sister burns with the pain of separation.
In this world, her father’s home, the daughter, the innocent soul bride, loves her Young Husband Lord.
If you long for your Husband Lord, O soul bride, then serve the True Guru with love.
How rare are the spiritually wise, who meet the True Guru, and truly understand.
All glorious greatness rests in the Lord and Master’s Hands. He grants them, when He is pleased.
How rare are those who contemplate the Word of the Guru’s Bani; they become Gurmukh.
This is the Bani of the Supreme Being; through it, one dwells within the home of his inner being. ||40||
Shattering and breaking apart, He creates and re-creates; creating, He shatters again. He builds up what He has demolished, and demolishes what He has built.
He dries up the pools which are full, and fills the dried tanks again. He is all-powerful and independent.
Deluded by doubt, they have gone insane; without destiny, what do they obtain?
The Gurmukhs know that God holds the string; wherever He pulls it, they must go.
Those who sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, are forever imbued with His Love; they never again feel regret.
Bhabha: If someone seeks, and then becomes Gurmukh, then he comes to dwell in the home of his own heart.
Bhabha: The way of the terrifying world-ocean is treacherous. Remain free of hope, in the midst of hope, and you shall cross over.
By Guru’s Grace, one comes to understand himself; in this way, he remains dead while yet alive. ||41||
Crying out for the wealth and riches of Maya, they die; but Maya does not go along with them.
The soul-swan arises and departs, sad and depressed, leaving its wealth behind.
The false mind is hunted by the Messenger of Death; it carries its faults along when it goes.
The mind turns inward, and merges with mind, when it is with virtue.
Crying out, “”Mine, mine!””, they have died, but without the Name, they find only pain.
So where are their forts, mansions, palaces and courts? They are like a short story.
O Nanak, without the True Name, the false just come and go.
He Himself is clever and so very beautiful; He Himself is wise and all-knowing. ||42||
Those who come, must go in the end; they come and go, regretting and repenting.
They will pass through 8.4 millions species; this number does not decrease or rise.
They alone are saved, who love the Lord.
Their worldly entanglements are ended, and Maya is conquered.
Whoever is seen, shall depart; who should I make my friend?
I dedicate my soul, and place my body and mind in offering before Him.
You are eternally stable, O Creator, Lord and Master; I lean on Your Support.
Conquered by virtue, egotism is killed; imbued with the Word of the Shabad, the mind rejects the world. ||43||
Neither the kings nor the nobles will remain; neither the rich nor the poor will remain.
When one’s turn comes, no one can stay here.
The path is difficult and treacherous; the pools and mountains are impassable.
My body is filled with faults; I am dying of grief. Without virtue, how can I enter my home?
The virtuous take virtue, and meet God; how can I meet them with love?
If ony I could be like them, chanting and meditating within my heart on the Lord.
He is overflowing with faults and demerits, but virtue dwells within him as well.
Without the True Guru, he does not see God’s Virtues; he does not chant the Glorious Virtues of God. ||44||
God’s soldiers take care of their homes; their pay is pre-ordained, before they come into the world.
They serve their Supreme Lord and Master, and obtain the profit.
They renounce greed, avarice and evil, and forget them from their minds.
In the fortress of the body, they announce the victory of their Supreme King; they are never ever vanquished.
One who calls himself a servant of his Lord and Master, and yet speaks defiantly to Him,
shall forfeit his pay, and not be seated upon the throne.
Glorious greatness rests in the hands of my Beloved; He gives, according to the Pleasure of His Will.
He Himself does everything; who else should we address? No one else does anything. ||45||
I cannot conceive of any other, who could be seated upon the royal cushions.
The Supreme Man of men eradicates hell; He is True, and True is His Name.
I wandered around searching for Him in the forests and meadows; I contemplate Him within my mind.
The treasures of myriads of pearls, jewels and emeralds are in the hands of the True Guru.
Meeting with God, I am exalted and elevated; I love the One Lord single-mindedly.
O Nanak, one who lovingly meets with his Beloved, earns profit in the world hereafter.
He who created and formed the creation, made your form as well.
As Gurmukh, meditate on the Infinite Lord, who has no end or limitation. ||46||
Rharha: The Dear Lord is beautiful;
There is no other king, except Him.
Rharha: Listen to the spell, and the Lord will come to dwell in your mind.
By Guru’s Grace, one finds the Lord; do not be deluded by doubt.
He alone is the true banker, who has the capital of the wealth of the Lord.
The Gurmukh is perfect – applaud him!
Through the beautiful Word of the Guru’s Bani, the Lord is obtained; contemplate the Word of the Guru’s Shabad.
Self-conceit is eliminated, and pain is eradicated; the soul bride obtains her Husband Lord. ||47||
He hoards gold and silver, but this wealth is false and poisonous, nothing more than ashes.
He calls himself a banker, gathering wealth, but he is ruined by his dual-mindedness.
The truthful ones gather Truth; the True Name is priceless.
The Lord is immaculate and pure; through Him, their honor is true, and their speech is true.
You are my friend and companion, all-knowing Lord; You are the lake, and You are the swan.
I am a sacrifice to that being, whose mind is filled with the True Lord and Master.
Know the One who created love and attachment to Maya, the Enticer.
One who realizes the all-knowing Primal Lord, looks alike upon poison and nectar. ||48||
Without patience and forgiveness, countless hundreds of thousands have perished.
Their numbers cannot be counted; how could I count them? Bothered and bewildered, uncounted numbers have died.
One who realizes his Lord and Master is set free, and not bound by chains.
Through the Word of the Shabad, enter the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence; you shall be blessed with patience, forgiveness, truth and peace.
Partake of the true wealth of meditation, and the Lord Himself shall abide within your body.
With mind, body and mouth, chant His Glorious Virtues forever; courage and composure shall enter deep within your mind.
Through egotism, one is distracted and ruined; other than the Lord, all things are corrupt.
Forming His creatures, He placed Himself within them; the Creator is unattached and infinite. ||49||
No one knows the mystery of the Creator of the World.
Whatever the Creator of the World does, is certain to occur.
For wealth, some meditate on the Lord.
By pre-ordained destiny, wealth is obtained.
For the sake of wealth, some become servants or thieves.
Wealth does not go along with them when they die; it passes into the hands of others.
Without Truth, honor is not obtained in the Court of the Lord.
Drinking in the subtle essence of the Lord, one is emancipated in the end. ||50||
Seeing and perceiving, O my companions, I am wonder-struck and amazed.
My egotism, which proclaimed itself in possessiveness and self-conceit, is dead. My mind chants the Word of the Shabad, and attains spiritual wisdom.
I am so tired of wearing all these necklaces, hair-ties and bracelets, and decorating myself.
Meeting with my Beloved, I have found peace; now, I wear the necklace of total virtue.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh attains the Lord, with love and affection.
Without the Lord, who has found peace? Reflect upon this in your mind, and see.
Read about the Lord, understand the Lord, and enshrine love for the Lord.
Chant the Lord’s Name, and meditate on the Lord; hold tight to the Support of the Name of the Lord. ||51||
The inscription inscribed by the Creator Lord cannot be erased, O my companions.
He who created the universe, in His Mercy, installs His Feet within us.
Glorious greatness rests in the Hands of the Creator; reflect upon the Guru, and understand this.
This inscription cannot be challenged. As it pleases You, You care for me.
By Your Glance of Grace, I have found peace; O Nanak, reflect upon the Shabad.
The self-willed manmukhs are confused; they rot away and die. Only by reflecting upon the Guru can they be saved.
What can anyone say, about that Primal Lord, who cannot be seen?
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has revealed Him to me, within my own heart. ||52||
That Pandit, that religious scholar, is said to be well-educated, if he contemplates knowledge with intuitive ease.
Considering his knowledge, he finds the essence of reality, and lovingly focuses his attention on the Name of the Lord.
The self-willed manmukh sells his knowledge; he earns poison, and eats poison.
The fool does not think of the Word of the Shabad. He has no understanding, no comprehension. ||53||
That Pandit is called Gurmukh, who imparts understanding to his students.
Contemplate the Naam, the Name of the Lord; gather in the Naam, and earn the true profit in this world.
With the true notebook of the true mind, study the most sublime Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, he alone is learned, and he alone is a wise Pandit, who wears the necklace of the Lord’s Name. ||54||1||
Cultivation of hair is not the question… respect for Kesh is what we look forward to and we do it just like we were born to respect every sign of Akaal Purakh. This is just the start.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh !
Read the above and you will understand what Spirituality is… Have a nice time… Guru Fateh !
My point was only, as addressed in the lovely shabd you have posted, that giving one’s mind to the Guru implies “adopting the way of tolerance” and a path of humility, that we should not take a perspective that there is a “lack of spirituality” on the part of Dalai Lama or others whose traditions require different conventions, including different conventions in grooming. All paths lead to God.
Respectfully
Guru Dev Kaur
Stick to the topic Guru Dev Kaut Ji
Cultivation of hair is not the question… respect for Kesh is what we look forward to and we do it just like we were born to respect every sign of Akaal Purakh. This is just the start.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh !
whatever you say I will stick to the Guru Ji’s sentences you can still wander around with worldly traditions and grooming acts… Waheguru Bless
Guru Dev Kaur Ji – Thank you for your perfect comments. The Dharma flows through the entire creation. Blessed are those who have awakened to that flow and live their lives in it. All rivers flow into the sea many are called to serve in many ways. Let us judge no one, but honor and respect everyone in deep compassion, as did Bhai Kanaiya Ji.
Your consciousness and kindness has touched my heart.
…..G
Emily Goldberg,
You are absolutely right that all path leads to God. One person cannot travel in mulitple boats at the same time or just like one person cannot master all doctoral degrees. And if someone attempts to do it then it would be very incomplete process.
However, Please choose whatever you want and then respect and honor others. For Sikhs Guru’s words have true wisdom and only sikhism is known to say that all paths lead to God and same light resides in everyone.
I have not heard these kind of words from any religion but words of fear of sin and hell if they do not belong to certain religions, and I think you are well aware of it.
finally, please choose any path you love but don’t try to make jambalya.
Thanks for your nice reply to my question about colouring the hair.
This issue has two aspects: Exoteric & Esoteric. You have answered the exoteric aspect, pertaining to looks, psychology, attitude, etc. I also would like to know the esoteric aspect. Does colouring the hair affect ones yoga practice, spirituality, flow of energy, etc.?
Sat Nam!
Henry James.
Good question. I think the answer to this question can be given by those who have done extensive meditation in their life time.
Would coloring of hair affect ones yoga practice? Lot of people will answer that its a matter choice or people who do color their hair will try to explain that all it matters is the mind and people who do not color their hair they will speak to controrary.
I think the most important point is to begin meditation and get into the habit of doing some meditation regularly and develop new patterns of behavior in the mind. As we will progress in our meditation then we will find answers to our own questions in a more practical way.
I have seen people who want to lose weight or want to get in good shape they keep on asking what to eat or what to avoid and what kind of exercises should be done etc, etc. But they never involve themselves in any kind of activity and they will never succeed in losing weight.
I have heard that people who loved to eat animal products before they began their meditation they would find lot of excuses to eat animal products and they would also argue that its just a matter of choice because they were under the control of taste sense. But these same people when they begin to meditate and gradually find themselves distancing from animal products and finally become vegetarians without any effort.
Therefore, the best thing is to jump into the swimming pool in order to learn how to swim rather than thinking about the rules all the time or keep on reading multiple books.
Any mental blocks will hinder our progression in meditation but once we build the habit of meditation and selfless service then gradually our own mind becomes our servant. And will begin to find answers and the ultimate energy ( God, onel light) will guide us or provide strength towards perfection.
Hey everybody,
I am writing this since i felt that there was an issue to be addressed in here.
Its the remarks by “Follicle”. I am sympathetic to the guy because he gave 10 pages of article describing humility and spirituality but the motive of the article was not even close to humility leave alone spirituality.
This happens when there is an ” I; ME ; MYSELF ” in the learners mind.
I have a slight idea about born sikhs not accepting converted sikhs. Idea of humility is not to accept or reject somebody Whereas the point is — “Who are we to reject somebody? Its all my beloved’s creation. And i adore it. I love it and its not enough even if i am a sacrifice to it a 100000 times.”
I am sorry people that i do not like to copy paste translated stuffs otherwise i could produce at least a 1000 page article in an hour.
SEE Mr. follicle how ur words of wisdom affected my peace in a bad way. EVEN i am talking abt what i can do or not. So stupid of me.
In other words – if u have peace within urself with what u know and u want to tell it to others with words like ———- “” You people have made a joke of Spirituality… and What do you know about Spirituality … WHAT Sprituality Spirituality… its not about wearing White clothes and doing asaans and Yoga and whatever you think that makes an animal spiritual and human………””
You are spreading chaos this way sir. chaos in the minds of people by ur side and people by western side. But y ? could you even think abt wht you are doing? y not?
i know y. you looked on tv and said – these westerners know nothing – and i will write an article to give them an answer – to teach them a lesson – but WHSS THE NEED – YOU ARE GOING AGAINST UR OWN RELIGION BY SPREADING CHAOS.
Anyways, i apologize if i said anything wrong to anybody in anyways. If not spiritually peaceful then please at least follow logically peacefull ways of discussion Mr. Follicle (and his alikes). Sikh or not all men are his creation – learn to respect and love – there is already too much of hatred in this world in the name of religion.
Love to everybody
Guru Dev Kaur ji,
Your thoughts are nice, there can be different paths to Akal Purakh as long as we are focussed on Akal Purakh, we will reach him.
It is beyond my understanding how and why people use such beautiful verses to show their own greatness and superiority over other people. Why is it so hard to live in peace and harmony? Any simple discussion has to end up with a Iam great, Iam superior, I know more … so I will put you down attitude…. As Sikhs what are we really learning?
Ish,
Great thoughts. AS sikhs we should be battling with our innerself yet people have their ego which cloudes their cognitive functions and they think that the only way is their way.
But these kind of people have been in this world since the creation. Human beings are known as Social animal which can think at very high levels but those human beings fail to achieve victory over their minds function as Animals their entire life. They act and think like animals.
the question asked by Ish: As Sikhs, what are we really learning?
what anyone should be learning is that we are all human beings.
yes, in our own way, we are following a spiritual path.
but, we are not perfect. we live, we make mistakes, we stray from our paths and goals. what is important is to realise this and correct ourselves and put ourselves back on the path.
Something is being discussed off-topic, which is a very common thing here. We should try to “comment” on what is really going on with the parent topic. Can’t the things discussed here be looked in the right spirit ? I mean, I found the Hair article very interesting and also the following comments. “Follicle” has put forward the baani which is certainly not his own and is from Guru Granth Sahib. People boast around with their own little knowledge of spirituality which is what is portrayed as far as I can understand without any Chaos.
The shabad is from Kabeer Ji in raag Asaaa
har kaa bilovanaa bilovahu maerae bhaaee ||
sehaj bilovahu jaisae thath n jaaee ||1|| rehaao ||
than kar mattukee man maahi biloee ||
eis mattukee mehi sabadh sa(n)joee ||2||
Transliteration:
Churn the churn of the Lord, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Churn it steadily, so that the essence, the butter, may not be lost. ||1||Pause||
Make your body the churning jar, and use the stick of your mind to churn it.
Gather the curds of the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
It is said that one should be humble when he has the procedure and has figured out he Naam, one shouldn’
t boast around with his/her success which makes his/her efforts go in vain because (s)he tried to show-off … very submissive and intelligent !
None of the Bhagats boasted around with their Spirituality, they are honored in the Court of Lord. I don’t see any Chaos, it is so clear. Only they are in Chaos with their doubts for things like Hair! If everything in the world already carried proper and obvious explanations then there was no need for the Ten Lights of Akaal Purakh land on the Earth, everyone must have been intelligent and Bramhgyaani; and spread the Word of Lord… we read it everytime, every other time…
pavan guroo paanee pithaa maathaa dhharath mehath ||
dhivas raath dhue dhaaee dhaaeiaa khaelai sagal jagath ||
cha(n)giaaeeaa buriaaeeaa vaachai dhharam hadhoor ||
karamee aapo aapanee kae naerrai kae dhoor ||
jinee naam dhhiaaeiaa geae masakath ghaal ||
naanak thae mukh oujalae kaethee shhuttee naal ||1||
The whole world is in duality, if there is light at one end then there is darkness at the other. We are constantly tested and True Words of Guru ji are our only way to get rid of this duality, as simple as it gets. If dosen’t understand then the state might be a bit lower… no one to blame. We can’t say a that baby of 10 months to be animalistic if the child dosen’t speak the language of the adults so fluently. We shouldn’t forget that internet provides a great deal of knowledge, but this was not there 1000 + years back. Sikhnet provides us with a basic knowledge that we have forgotten because of your busy schedules and other things, they are doing a pretty good job.
In the end Guru Dev Kaur has learnt that there are many ways that lead to Akal Purakh that is highlited by Preet Bhain ji. And if one follows a way of Sikhish (according to the present situation) then follow it without the doubts in the minds. As simple as it gets without any Chaos ;) Bryan Veer has figured it out !
Guru Fateh !
From “Human Hair” by Chanda Singh
The specific physiological function of the hair is to ingest and assimilate solar radiations.
The practice of shaving, lavish use of soap, heavy clothing, use of hair fixers and hair dyes and indoor life, seriously hamper the assimilation of solar energy.
We were born into this world beautiful, loving and hairy. I don´t mind anyone doing what they want with their hair – grow it long or shave it all off, wear a turban, wear your hair wild and free so everyone can see your crowning glory! Everything is ok spiritually. Myself I know I would never wear a turban, except for in meditation. I love the wind in my hair too much.
What´s really important on the other hand is only using organic hair care products, earth does not need more damaging. We should respect mother earth and our own bodies.
Hi! I agree with every single world that endorses longhair on human beings. I’m sure that we’ve got to endure it for life! Men started to cut off the hair when ancient slaveness were changed to modern enterprises. The western man alienation took place when the hypocrisy between boss&employees  substituted its ancient system(whose hair used to be sheared, like romans did to arrested ones, etc). Longhair, of course, be in man or woman, is a real sign of freedom, balance and self-esteem. The Bible told this, Nazirites knew that quite well, Sikhs are conscious and aware about this truth, better than no one else! When someone, be a boss or anyone else, tells a man to cut the hair off, I’m sure the reason may be:  he/she is envy or upset because he/she doesn’t have freedom – the employer/boss/work partner, uses not to accept others vanity as well as their self-esteem. Modern Times, EUA 1936, from Chaplin, really fits like a glove when it shows aligned workers without self-command and alienated. It has been nowadays even more frequent on western man’s culture, than the simple fact of vanity or a matter of youth look. Instead, it’s something inherited by an ancient standard, whose statute is still to subject somebody to a disguised slaveness. ♣
I grew up having my hair cut, but when I stop doing it, in 2006, I experienced a healthier and stronger way of living: it’s something we cannot describe, but feeling. I figured out how MISTAKEN I was while allowing someone to cut my hair. Now, I’m 39 years old and have my hair over my shouders. I am thankful for two single things: Internet and Sikhism – so, one could not be simply listened in my life without the other: I discover this magnificent and great religion in Internet only. My hair is over my shoulders and I feel better and stronger as never. Now I see why the Danites, Samson, Samuel [in the Old Testament] and Sikhs, uses their hair long: It’s for our joy and spirituality, and we’ve got to think better about this, so the text above is really true and can inspires anyone’s “empty” mind. Let’s listen clearly for what may leave us a better human being. Certainly longhair is part of this gift given by God. It is for a freen mankind, not for slaves.
Manufacturing dawdles behind other sectors for the simple reason that our manufacturing is so booming, and proceeds to realize productivity advances ahead of other industries like services. From 1970-1995, the US doubled output of manufactures, yet work in manufacturing waned precipitously.