I Love Mantras

A central hallmark of the Sikh Gurdwara is its hospitality to all visitors. Race, gender, religion, social status georgaphical origins - none of these things matter at the Gurdwara - all are welcome.  Gurdwaras provide a place for visitors to escape the elements, pray, grab a bite to eat, and bed down for the night. Many visitors even plan their travel around Gurdwara locations.  The demographics of these visitors and the reasons they appear at the Guru’s feet vary. At my Gurdwara I’ve seen the homeless - simply needing a meal, families on the move from one home to another - needing a place to pray and rest from the road, and truckers needing a place to bed down before they head to their next stop.  If you find yourself in need of a place to stay for the night and you’ve decided to stay at a Gurdwara, seek out the Granthi or Bhai Sahab of the Gurdwara. There are several things you should discuss before you settle in for the night: Length of Stay: Many Gurdwaras have a lim...

ਆਦਿ ਪੂਰਨ ਮਧਿ ਪੂਰਨ ਅੰਤਿ ਪੂਰਨ ਪਰਮੇਸੁਰਹ ॥ Language:  Gurmukhi Source:  Siri Guru Granth Sahib (Page 705, Line 19) Communities:  Sikh, Sikh Dharma, Kundalini Yoga Author:  Guru Arjun Dev ji Transliteration: Aad Pooran Madh Pooran Ant Pooran Paramaysureh Paramaysareh, Paramaysareh Aad Pooran Madh Pooran Ant Pooran Paramaysureh Paramaysareh, Paramaysareh Paramaysareh ditaa bannaa Dukh rog kaa dayraa bannaa Anad karahi nar naaree Har har prabh kirpaa Dharee Translation: "From the beginning, He was pervading; in the middle, He is pervading; in the end, He will be pervading. He is the Transcendent Lord." More Information: Aad means "the beginning", but its definition is actually closer to "the primal", something that existed before the beginning, beyond and predating anything we consider to be in existence. Pooran means "complete" as it is - it needs nothing more to complete it. In the beginning, God was complete truth. Madh Poora...

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ke Fateh In modern times we seem to be in a rush. Sometimes so much so, that we don’t stop to think about what we’re doing, much less take a breath. It’s easier for us to do things automatically, without thinking - simply for the sake of getting them done. We hurry to complete things and pride ourselves on being the fastest - like that makes something better than its slower version. We do things by rote - it’s the way we were taught or it’s traditional. I believe all these things are true. I also believe we are just plain lazy. I see the word rahaao  when reading/reciting Shabads. During Kirtan, I see it on the display. I sometimes hear it when a Hukam is read. Sikhs aren’t the only ones who are given some kind of instruction to pause and reflect. Another thing we have in common is that once we get to that point we quickly move on. We say or read rahaao  and then utter the next word - all without taking a breath. We don’t all do it,...