Awakening to Leadership – Are You Ready?
The past few days I have been watching old videos of SSS Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji in dialog and question and answer sessions with Sikh Youth in various places. Here is one that I really enjoyed and highly recommend that you watch or listen to! I’ve already watched it at least five times in the course of editing and reviewing the videos and it really hit home for me so wanted to share with you all.
In the video yogiji starts by talking about just "being" a Sikh verses experiencing and living as a Sikh (He related this in the terms he called "Concept" and "Conception"). He then talks about how Sikhs have been betrayed by the so called "Sikh Leadership" and how youth should not rely on them and BECOME the leaders themselves. He shares inspiring experiences from his youth before the partition of India when he was part of creating the All India Sikh Student Federation. He explains how the youth worked together and formed a powerful force with Sikhi as a base and through trust, honesty, equality. He shares the ingredients of what made this work and how youth of today can do this as well.
After watching it makes you want get all your friends together and take action. Hopefully this video will inspire some of you to do something and benefit from this. It’s easy to watch the video and say "very good video"….. So, after you watch it, think about what you can do to take it from "Concept" to "Conception"!
The video looks like it was recorded at someone’s home and is from a very informal discussion with some Sikh youth in Bromwick, UK in 1992. The full recording is almost three hours long so I narrowed it down to one part of the discussion and is about 30 minutes long.
Download: Video (213MB) / Audio (17 MB)
The above video/audio is just an excerpt from the full discussion which is about 2 hours and 40 minutes long. If you would like to hear the full discussion, you can download the audio file.
18 Responses to “Awakening to Leadership – Are You Ready?”
Do You Enjoy MrSikhNet.com?
Can you help support SikhNet so this blog and the many services of SikhNet can continue? Donations small & large are greatly appreciated. Make a Donation.
Recent Posts
- Quotes on the Power of Woman
- Share you love of Gurbani Kirtan
- Time Lapse Photography in Nature
- Sikh Superhero Agent Deep Singh
- Universal Sikhi – Across cultures, religions and continents
- Dignity of the Mother
- Prabhupati: Becoming the Master of the Divine
- Aaraadhana – Acting Divinely
- What my Amrit Veylaa Sadhana Gives Me
- Know the Lowest, Aim for the Highest
This is the first time I’ve actually heard a speech from SSS Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji and he is such an inspirational speaker.  When he talks about those few corrupt leaders who think thier true Sikhs and who try to govern everything brought me to tears because it is so true, they are pointless and it is up to the youth to be the leaders of tomorrow, not some 70 year old corrupt leaders from Punjab who betray thier own community for selfish reasons. Many adult Sikhs living in the west always talk about how the indian government betrayed Sikhs and continues to do so but they need to realize that there are so many traitors and sell outs within thier own little organizations. At the same time, many Sikhs especially in punjab just feel helpless because they live in such a corrupt society. They are well aware of the fact that the Punjab government and indian government is very corrupt. In India, corruption exists in every corner and obviously it spreads and goes into Punjab as well since it is part of India. Sikh organizations need to become one and honest with each other and maybe then there is some hope to fight the corrupt politics and government. Many Punjabi Sikh youth do not even know who SSS Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji is and I encourage the youth out there to listen to his speeches.  Thanks for posting this video up!
waheguru i was arrested for many times and the reasond are why do i help americansikhs and other sikhs come from all around in india.They would ask questions like who are these gorres and what is their mission,why am i helping them out ,i shall spy on them and tell them all their activities and bala bla bal;.. well i am still carryingon what i do even though they have black listed me in their intelligence in Amritsar… :) i am not afraid telling the truth or supporting.well as far as corruption where is it not happening after every earth quake there is big damage and disaster so after yogi ji left a lot is happening amar infinity,3ho.kartar?…..the tea,…chews and secretaries hmmmnnn i mean it’s all shame corruption is in every corner of the world and people do not even prevent bringing it into spiritual associations.well i do know what yogi ji’s lectures are and the fact i get to meet him personally many times as a Amritsari.So miss kaur helloooo here is one. a youth punjabi one ….hehehhelolDont worry ok just meditate and say waheguru to good or bad.."vekh ke andith karo ji"akaaalaa
Vjkk Vjkf
great vid…. is that Jujhar Singh in the pic of the panj pyare or do i just have funny eyes??
Vjkk Vjkf
Gurdev, yes that is Jujhar singh and others as the Panj Piaray during the Sikh Student Camp 2007. It’s just an image to show “youth, leadership, and Khalsa” and not really about anyone personally.
The panj pyare are like the five fingers on your hand. When they are apart they are weak, but when they come together they make a fist…..they have strength and power.
My brothers and sisters…. lets bring back the power of the panj. I don’t mean like it is these days where all we use them for is a march down the high street! Come together as five and make an impact on your community!
Dhan dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj!
This is such an amazing post and video. I have to step up, you’re absolutely right Gurumustuk Singh and Sri Singh Sahib.I’ll do my best this year.. It’s time for the youth to lead and listen..
SINGH JI "PANJ" THIS ISÂ FOR YOU ……….those fives which were made by TENTH Master in their heart,the GOD’S GLOW AND HIDDEN POWERS ARE FILLED UP AND THE DEPTH OF THEM WE NEED WISDOM FROM THE GURU TO MEASURE.THEY WERE GIVEN HIGHER LEVEL BY THE GURU Maharaj,our small buddhi can’t measure the power of those which were made by the GURU."MANN TUN JOT SAROOP HAIN APNA MOOL PACHAAN" "MANN HAR JI TERE NAAL HAI GUR SHABDI RANG MAAN" JUST LIKE THESE TUKS.They were in atmak jeevan in place of sarerak level.They weren’t only told or taught how to fight but how to take AATMAK NECTAR.WE ARE EARTHLY BEINGS can’t measure the higher level sould with only one fist.Please do not measure them with one fist but do swim in the ocean which has no end and keep the fist aside.
My brother Hardeep Singh, forgive me, I was unclear in my original post….. allow me clarify what i was thinking, because i totally agree with everything that you have mentioned.
When i was referring to power and strength, I meant in terms of a person’s physicality as well as their psyche…..the sant – sipahi.
Bhul chuk maaf
Yeah i get your point bhaji you are right we need to be united together so no one can break us,but the truth is that we are always breaking each other and comprimising is fara far away ….But lets all pray for it,,and we do always everyday’s prayer honour unto all….Akaaalaa And please i didn’t meant to say you wrong and you mustn’t be sorry for anything…h
gurumustuk singh ji, thanks for this lovely post. There are many things to hear in it. One thing strikes me is his injunction, instruction and plea to be real with each other and be real in our embodiment of the experience of our consciousness through the use of naam. Structures are just that. They are an imprint of a concept. To rely on that as the touchstone to test our self will always give a false result. The touchstone is in our depth of experience– where we must be straight and transparent with our self. the result is a capacity to act with compassion and commitment and to forgive our self and others when we are wrong. This last thing is very difficult. Mostly we form cliques and bolster our emotional position. I think we must calibrate our consciousness too our soul through all the tests that relationships- personal and public- bring to us. If we weigh our self and find our weight to be zero, we have started– that is the humility of Nanak. If we have gained ego-weight through our scars and betrayals, then bless your self and forgive all with the miracle of Guru Ram Das ji, then we can progress. And if from zero we can listen to our heart and act whole-heartedly, then we can build, serve and and excel in the spirit of Guru Gobind Singh ji and are completed. There are many great things happening from the seeds laid by Siri Singh Sahib. To understand them and to grow them into the bloom of spiritual maturity and graceful prosperity we must be still and real. It will be apparent what to do. Each of us has a concept to receive and conceive. Build that film festival, grow a new business and contribute, heal and reach out as a professional or a gurumukh, and surprise everyone by proving that in a world that is complex and full of both corruption and purity you can conceive your own uniqueness and give birth to courage, excellence and openness that inspires others to uplift themselves and surprise you. As a little secret I can tell you is that many very old folks, like myself, harbor a young heart that is thrilled to see the independent efforts and success of each and every youth.The elders who have trod this path from the beginning with much sacrifice and work are still contributing. I suggest you never believe rumors and instead create your own reputation by actions.Keep Up!!!Sat namGurucharan Singh KhalsaDirector of Training KRI
Gurcharan Singh Ji wrote a really nice response. I’ve been thinking a lot about structures and patterns lately and how I may be unconsciously repeating certain patterns. I have pretty good habits in general, but if I could see myself from a different perspective I might see a bunch of set-in patterns and quirks that I have. I really appreciate the statement about being straight and transparent with ourselves. I can attest to the fact that it will take you to an experience of truth and a real faith and understanding.
My personal belief is that if conscience is pure and longs for the Guru, the Guru would show the path.
Yogiji had a longing to spread the Guru’s message and he successfully did the same in western hemisphere shows that Guru is Ang-Sang with those who are willing to walk on the path of Guru.
By quoting western hemisphere, I actually mean is that when people fails to inspire the natives(sharing the same community/culture), Guruji blessed him with all the strength, knowledge and wisdom to spread the Guru’s word to our brothers in the west.
My sincere feeling that the khalsa in west would become a creative and inspiring force for the khalsa in the east and both would spread the message of Guru.
After listening to the experiences of yogiji, one gets to learn to many aspects to khalsa way of life. His clear understanding of the Order-of-khalsa makes me realize the meaning of Sabad "Khalsa Akalpurakh ki Fauj".
All those who listen to this audio are requested to share the same with others so that all the false propaganda of the past gets exposed and people know the truth.
This video is very inspirational! The really like the lesson from the story of "non-insulting", meditative civil disobedience event (they chant Sat-Nam Waheguru while sitting in a meeting) knowing the elders cannot live without them.Secondly, the following the order of the Sangat (no alternatives). Yogoji, admits that he enjoyed some good times in his younger days and was an instrumental member of a very awake and organized Sikh Youth Organization. It would be awesome if we could provide a similar set-up for the upcoming generation and be the leader ourselves.
SSS Yogoji lectures are Great!. I always learn lot from him. Thank you Sikhnet for sharing wonderful treasure. Keep up the great! seva.
SatShriAkal Gurmustuk Singh Ji,
I am always obliged to you after listening to SSS Yogiji’s lectures. Because of your great work in posting them over here, I am able to listen them and everyday keep waiting for the new ones :)
Thanks so much.
In this audio, I couldn’t figure out clearly the name of the tape and the Bani that Yogiji was talking about when he mentioned "recite this bani at night and you will be strengthened. Put this tape on at night for some meek people and they will be strengthened by morning".
Kindly let me know which Bani is YogiJi talking of. Is it Jap Sahib. And is there some special way in which he mentioned to recite the Bani to feel its strength.
Also from where can we buy this recording. If we want to buy many of the other recording of YogiJi which are still not posted on Sikhnet, from where can we buy.
"Pardon for anything i said wrong"
thanks and warm regards
Preet
I LIKE IT
wah he guru je ka khalsa wah he guru je ke fateh
i think in India you not free to express your views. even about your own religion.and now a days thinking why our young genertion going away from sikhism. according to me we don’t have perfect liteture. and w are also not dedicated to do so. SGPC is useless body. they have lot of money. but they are using for their own perpose.
you can’t convince any one to be sikh just to visit him/her.you have to convince the people through their heart. and in punjab we don’t have such kind of pathi singh at villages level. even now a days most of the kids don’t the names of our 10 Gurus. even they have their last name Singh. they don’t know the meaning of Singh.thoses kids are not faulty. we are at fault side. we never tought them by heart. we never relised them , what we are. to whom be belong all.
I am sorry if i said some thing wrong to any one.
thanks.
SSA
Amandeep Singh
waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh.