Thursday, September 16, 2010

When do you become a sikh?

The last few days, I was thinking about when you become a sikh... And when I wrote the last words of my latest post "I may not be a sikh yet, but I am certainly a sikher... " it became so clear to me, I have not got a clue. I am not often finding myself so totally clueless as I am when it comes to sikhi, and I find it very refreshing. It is hard, don't get me wrong, but it is also very interesting, everything is new! I learn things every day, about myself and about sikhi.

MrSikhNet has been very busy the last few days and has been posting so much that I haven't been able to keep up and read it all, but I read a post called Look in the mirror where he wrote about a lot of different things but what really spoke to me were the lines
"The experience of being a Sikh is very personal and between a Sikh and his Guru. Where is the compassion, love and support that we should be giving to others? When we say we give our head to the Guru, that really means we give our ego and personality."

Gurumustuk also tells the importance of looking inside and getting to know your soul, to meditate. This is not one of my problems when it comes to sikhi, this is to me all there is. But I find myself saddened by the fact that I feel so lost when it comes to protocol. I try to read about how to go forward, I do some things that I belive is sikh and (this is so big for me) I belive and feel this is my path. But when have I crossed the line to being a sikh, when do you become a sikh?

Do you have to wear all 5 K's? Or are you a sikh when you feel the love and eternal divinity during meditation? When you visit a gurdwara regularly?

Ok, so sikh might just be a label but still... Will I ever be able to answer a question of what I belive with "I am a sikh"? Or will I always be on the outskirts of faith until I am it all? Can you be sikh in your mind and not wear a turban for instance?

So looking forward to reading your comments if you have any on this post!

Love and Bliss,

6 comments:

  1. Good questions. :) And I guess there are no exact answers. There's a great video on youtube about that:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44qibYc3_00

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  2. Also there's this other great sikhnet video on youtube where Guruka Singh talks about being a sikh and that just wearing a turban doesn't make you one. :)

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  3. Thank you Saranpreet! I have seen this video before but I really needed to see it again... I realize now that I were seeking answers where there are none. My ego wanted someone to tell me that "It's OK be as you are, you can be a sikh anyway, if your heart is in it." But it is not so easy, it is all about sacrifices... And I haven't walked the whole path yet. :-)

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  4. Wow... I can't think what to say.... but Har Anand, you are a wonderful person and a good heart with purity of intention is all that matters, and you have that in you!
    Because Guru ji and His path is Universal, I feel that if you are serene, and know the difference between the right and the wrong, you are a Sikh, and almost everyone falls in this category... but just being Spiritually aware is a great thing in itself....

    and if you think you are a Sikh, you are a Sikh, because it really only is between you and your Guru, no one else can judge/ comment on the relationship you have with the Guru!
    If your heart cherishes the Gurus presence and is aware of the Guru, then that's all there is, no protocol, no rules make a difference, they might make your love stronger, but you might even be good without them, with a stony strong will....
    I really don't know what else to say, but You really are amazing!
    Love & Bliss!

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  5. well this is indeed an eye opening post for all..

    in my opinion, there are two things which are very important to look for when we claim ourself as *Guru Ke Khalse* (Khalsa's of the Guru)

    1) Bani
    2) Bana

    Bani is *prayers*. It is important for us to chant the prayer and be under the shrine of guruji as he is the one who leads our life.

    Bana on the other hand is more into physical appearance or if saying it in real Sikhi *taking Amrit and wearing the 5'K*.

    Now most people say.. its okay if we don't take Amrit! The thought and prayers we do everyday is enough to show our love towards guruji because HE understands.. well lets make a simple example here...

    Bani is like your passport..Yes that's the first thing we need if we want to go oversea BUT Bana (Amrit) is the Visa. SO what is the point having only bani or only bana.. we must have both to reach our destination right.. well cant think of much..

    But one thing... do everything 1step at a time =) then we will learn and appreciate things..

    I am sorry if i said anything wrong.. well that is just my point of view.. everyone has different ways on how they look at things and i respect that.

    Take care..
    Love

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  6. Thank you Hapiness! You are such a sweet soul, your comments always make me smile. :-)

    And thank you Pearljeet, very nice way to explain this. I think I understand, I have a long journey ahead. But as you say, one step at the time.

    Tack care, both of you!

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