A Publication of the Sikh Dharma Office of the Secretary of Religion, February 2006
A Quote from the Siri Singh Sahib
From Your Secretary of Religion
A Siri Singh Sahib - Excerpts from 'A Man Called the Siri Singh Sahib'
The Ministry in History - SS Shanti Kaur Khalsa, Espanola, NM
A True Minister - SS Sat Nirmal Kaur Khalsa, Espanola, NM
Serving as Sikh Ministers - SS Sarb Nam Kaur Khalsa, Espanola, NM
Minister in the Spotlight: MSS Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, LA, CA
"Faith is what gives courage, what gives you intelligence,
what gives you the ability to survive."
(Gurdwara Lecture, Espanola, NM, 3/30/86, printed in Beads of Truth, No 17, Vol. II, 1986, p. 3.)
SS Dr. Sat Kaur Khalsa
As you can well imagine, it takes a tremendous amount of time, energy, and planning to produce the Minister e-newsletter quarterly. The panj that is presently behind the design and organization of the newsletter is: SS Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur, Saraswati Kaur (our editor), SS Sangeet Kaur, SS Sarb Nam Kaur and myself. We brainstorm a theme for the year and base the four newsletters around that theme. For 2006, the theme is: ‘Building Our Ministry for the Future’. This first issue focuses on the roots of our unique Ministry– an historical perspective.
When the Siri Singh Sahib first appointed me Secretary of Religion, one of my charges was to administrate the Ministry. What I found was that the Ministry was a rich body of resources that was pretty much untapped. In the early days of our Dharma, the Siri Singh Sahib would often make someone a Minister on the spot. Since most of us came from a Judeo-Christian background, our concept of a ‘Minister’ was influenced by that history. Traditionally, a Minister would serve a congregation from birth to death and the congregation would financially support the Minister. One of the first things the Siri Singh Sahib said was that he never wanted a Sikh Dharma Minister to live off the sangat. We were to serve our sangats and be leaders in our communities.
To help people understand what it meant to be a Sikh Dharma Minister, I took the Ministry through a strategic planning process. We came up with this mission statement: “To selflessly serve and uplift humanity, and to perpetuate Sikh Dharma in the spirit of Cherdi Kala.”
Initially many people were reluctant to fully embrace being Ministers, because they weren’t quite sure of their role. Little by little I have tried to help people understand that the Siri Singh Sahib saw it was our destiny to be Sikh Dharma Ministers. Each person has unique gifts that are needed to serve our sangats and communities. The Ministry is like a beautiful patchwork quilt, each person being a unique part. When these parts are sewn together by the Guru’s Word, the Ministry becomes a blanket that covers all the needs of the sangat. No single Minister has to do it all-- it is a group effort. At the same time, it is important that, if you feel lacking in knowledge about our Sikh ceremonies, care of our Gurdwaras and the Guru, Gurmukhi, Gurbani, Kirtan, peer counseling, preparation of Gurprashad or langar, interfaith work, etc., you seek assistance to expand your knowledge and enhance your ability to serve.
Our roots are deep. From these roots, our Ministry can help our sangats reach the heavens. It is my hope and prayer that you find these next four issues of the newsletter informative and uplifting. May God ever bless you and keep you in His light and love.
Humbly,
SS Dr. Sat Kaur Khalsa, Secretary of Religion
Question: Can you tell me about the history of Ardas in the Sikh community? How much of the Ardas can be personalized?
Answer: It is our delight and blessing as a sangat to stand together, hands folded and offer our group mind and soul in prayer, with Ardas. Just like everything else we do, we first experience the ecstasy with our kirtan, meditation, whatever we are engaged in. Then, we stand and offer that ecstasy in gratitude and to energetically and with spirit, stand in the present moment, strong as steel, steady as stone, soft as wax in love. Our Ardas is an elevation and a standing to our Khalsa values, and victory of the spirit. Ardas offers a deep sense of continuity of these values, of honoring the past, standing together in the present, and facing the future with confidence in and calling upon God and Guru. Just like Guru Gobind Singh offered Ardas, the sadh sangat through history has done.
The person reciting the Ardas is representing the sadh sangat. The content of the Ardas can be put into one’s own words, but within a certain structure, and needs to include and bring into the psyche certain themes which honor our great past, acknowledge the present, and moving forward with God and Guru leading us into the future.
The 4-part Structure of Ardas:
1) PRAISING THE INFINITE. The opening words of Ardas are from the Chandi Ki Vaar of Guru Gobind Singh ji and calls first upon and acknowledges the Infinite Almighty of all! Then it calls upon Siri Bhagauti, the Adi Shakti, the Primal Power as Sword! Then Guru Gobind Singh bows to the Mastery and blessing of the nine Gurus whose light he represents. This ends with Sabh Thaa-ee Ho-e Sahaa-eh. It is best to recite this invocation in Gurmukhi. The rest of the Ardas (including a translation of this segment) can be recited in the language most understood by the majority of the sangat. It is appropriate to add to this section Praise of Guru Gobind Singh and of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, to complete the invocation.
2) REMEMBERING AND HONORING OUR PAST. The next part can be put into one’s own words, and here there is flexibility. But it needs to be contained within a certain structure, and needs to include and bring into the psyche honoring of the great people and events of our great history to inspire, elevate us and re-confirm our values. You can make this as long or short as you need or are inspired to. It can be in poetic form or prose. (Is there anything quite as beautiful as Guru Kirn Kaur’s poetic Ardas in English?) This section should include: Panj Piare, 40 liberated ones, 4 saahibzadas, the great men and women throughout our history whose known and unknown prayers, sacrifices, acts of kindness, discipline, devotion and love brought the panth into the future…. The takhats and sacred places… Asking for the experience of the Hari Mandir Sahib (the Golden Temple)… glory of the panth, sustenance of the panth… May Truth prevail. These are some of the themes that fulfill our Ardas.
3) THE PRESENT MOMENT. Offering our present lives unto God and Guru in gratitude, deep humility, and for blessing. Here is the opportunity for the personalized part of the Ardas when the speaker calls forth the particular purpose of the Ardas, the particular blessing of an individual, event, undertaking, or need of the sadh sangat.
4) BLESSING ALL UNTO THE FUTURE! Then the unchangeable, expansive blessing for all, which reflects the Sikh spirit:
Nanak Naam Chardhi Kalaa Tayray Bhaanay Sarbat da Bhalaa!
Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh!
Bole So Nihal! Saaaaaat Siri Akaaal!
Siri Sardarni Dr. Bibiji Inderjit Kaur Khalsa is the Bhai Sahiba, or Chief Religious Minister of Sikh Dharma. Please feel free to submit your dharmic questions to: ministers_newsletter@yahoo.com. Mukhia Sardarni Sahiba Guru Raj Kaur Khalsa answers on behalf of Bibiji and the Office of the Bhai Sahiba.
The revised procedure for becoming a Minister has been established. The
new procedure can be reviewed here. Please
become familiar with it so that you can support the members of your sangat who
are interested in becoming a Minister.
New Sikh Dharma Event! For the past 3 years, Sikh Dharma International
has brought you the highly acclaimed Japji course. This year we are excited and
blessed to present the first Jaap Sahib course: Jaap Sahib - Song of the
Warrior Saint. This course will be offered in June in Espanola (June 11
- 14) and in October (dates TBA) in Anandpur Sahib. We will study the technology
and historical background of Jaap Sahib, as well as the concept of the spiritual
warrior, and how to engage in loving battle with the forces that challenge your
higher consciousness. Bring your students, your family, your friends - it's
going to be a fantastic course! The website will soon be up on
www.3ho.org under Events. See you there!
Would
you like to share
your thoughts with other ministers? You can answer the
reflection questions at the bottom of this newsletter and
send them to the editor at
ministers_newsletter@yahoo.com. Your answers will be posted on a new
page called Reflection Question
Responses, where your peers can read and respond to them.
adapted from "The Man Called the Siri Singh Sahib"
The following article is adapted from a longer piece written by M.S.S Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa and S.S. Gurubanda Singh Khalsa for the book, “The Man Called The Siri Singh Sahib.” It tells of the events leading up to Yogi Bhajan receiving the title of Siri Singh Sahib, and the significance of that moment in the history of our Dharma.
One man, Yogi Bhajan, came to Los Angeles in December of 1968, unknown and alone, as God willed, and began teaching. He soon endeared himself to thousands of young people, who took up the call to live righteously, to rise before the sun and chant the holy Nam, to earn their living and share with others, and to go out and teach. The majority found that they were Sikhs.
In December 1970, after two years away from his family and friends in India, Yogi Bhajan took a group of 84 students to the holy city of Amritsar and his beloved Golden Temple, where he had cleansed and purified himself through four year of nightly washing its marble floors. He was welcomed by the Secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.), the central governing body of the Sikhs in India, who was amazed to see the students who had been guided to the house of Guru Ram Das and immediately appreciated the missionary work that was so effectively being carried out in the West by Yogiji.
In the course of meetings with other Sikh leaders, it was determined that Yogiji should be honored at the Akal Takhat for his achievements, and presented with a letter from the S.G.P.C. authorizing him to establish a Ministry for Sikh Dharma in the Western Hemisphere. It was suggested that he be given a saropa of a Siri Sahib (sword of honor) from the Akal Takhat, and that he should be called by the title of Singh Sahib. At that point, Sant Chanan Singh, President of the S.G.P.C., said: "What do you mean? This one Harbhajan Singh will create many Singh Sahibs! We are presenting him with a Siri Sahib, so let us call him Siri Singh Sahib!"
Thus, on March 3, 1971, before the Akal Takhat, the Eternal Throne established by Guru Hargobind to serve as the Chief Seat of Religious Authority for Sikhs through the world, Yogi Harbhajan Singh was presented with a sword of honor. He was charged with the responsibility to return to the West and establish the Ministry of Sikh Dharma.
A Man of Vision
As he has said many times, "I am a leader for the Sikhs, not of the Sikhs." Beyond being an effective administrator, leader and visionary, he has demonstrated that the Siri Singh Sahib must be an exceptional human being. He was the most compassionate person, giving freely of himself day and night, giving aid and comfort to the sick and troubled at times when his own strength was all but exhausted, serving even those who returned his concern with abuse, reserving the most difficult thankless jobs for himself, and then granting others all of the credit.
His actions give living proof to his words, "My birth and my life and my end are meant to serve.…" He has set the example that in Sikh Dharma, only that person shall be considered worthy of the highest seat of office who can humble himself to be the dust of all people's feet. There may never again be another man or woman to truly fill the role as he has done, but at least we shall have recorded in our history what a true Siri Singh Sahib is.1
The complete article is on pages 117 through 123 of “The Man Called The Siri Singh Sahib.”
1 Before he left his body on October 6, 2004, the Siri Singh Sahib established there was not going to be a successor “Siri Singh Sahib.”
by SS Shanti Kaur Khalsa, Espanola, NM
If you ask any knowledgeable Sikh about the concept of ministry in our religion, they will tell you that Sikhism does not have ministers and that any privileged ministerial status was prohibited by Guru Gobind Singh. And they would be right. But read on, because there is a lot more to that story.
The concept of a Sikh ministry was first started by the Third Guru, Guru Amar Das ji, in the mid-1500s. He created 22 Sikh centers all over India, corresponding to the 22 states of the Mughal Empire. These centers were called “Manjis,” because the teacher would sit on a platform or cot (a manji) and spread the Word of the Guru to all who came to listen. Guru Amas Das was a progressive and enlightened leader, and he included women missionaries at a time when women were severely oppressed in India. The Guru dispatched 146 missionaries to the Manjis, including 52 women. Bhai Gurdas Ji, one of the most inspired and enduring teachers of all time, was also included in this first group of missionaries,.
During the time of Guru Arjan Dev ji, the missionaries evolved into Masands. They led the Sikhs in their congregations, spread the message of the Guru, and collected the Das Vand from the sangat. Once a year, the masand would visit the Guru, bringing people from their sangat, and bringing the Das Vand collected throughout the year to the Guru’s treasury. The masands helped to spread Sikhism all over India, and served to create a cohesive network through the Sikh communities.
However, as time passed, they became neglectful of their duty to the sangat and instead worked only for their personal benefit. Some masands were no longer Sikhs, but were Udasi or Hindu. Because the title and duty of masand became an inherited position, the son took the duty of the father, whether the son was a good Sikh or not. Many masands began to abuse their people and live richly off the Guru’s donations. By the time Guru Gobind Singh stood before the sangat as the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, the masand tradition was fully corrupt and the sangats were suffering.
At the time of the Holi festival of 1698, a troupe of mimes put on a skit about the abuses of the masands. Dressed in finery, the actors portrayed the thievery of the masands, complete with pampered servants and fancy courtesans. When the Guru saw this theater, he was very upset and launched a thorough investigation of each and every masand. He determined that the system was corrupt beyond recovery. The masands were called to account, and punishment was given out according to the misdeeds of each perpetrator, ranging from a gentle verbal rebuke to death by hot oil being poured on his head.
Guru Gobind Singh issued a hukamnama to the sangat that he would never again receive Das Vand from the hands of a masand but only directly from the hands of his Sikhs. Sikhs of the Guru were to avoid masands, and pay them no respect. Guru Gobind Singh proclaimed, “No offerings coming through any masand will be accepted. If my Sikh sees a masand coming from one side and from the other a wild elephant, then my Sikh may encounter the wild elephant but never face the masand.”
Sikh Dharma has not had a formal ministry since that time. Granthis and missionaries are educated in a variety of ways, usually at one of the established Taksals (places of learning), and then take positions and posts at Gurdwaras around the world as one would apply for and accept a job. There is no central organization or system, and each Gurdwara must maintain the purity and quality of their own “employees”.
When the Siri Singh Sahib starting spreading the Guru’s Word in America, it became clear that an organized system of leadership needed to be established to serve the ashrams and Gurdwaras that were springing up everywhere. He created the “ministry” of Sikh Dharma on the concept of the Manji system. In the west, we have adopted the word “ministry” from the Christians, because it implies a life of service and devotion, but it is important to understand that we don’t share many characteristics with Christian ministers. Learning from history, we have to understand the sharp differences that define us as Sikh Ministers
· We are the servants of the Panth;
· The relationship between a Sikh and his Guru is direct, no man stands in between, least of all us;
· We do not financially benefit in anyway from Das Vand or the Guru’s Donations;
· All people are equal before God, and the title “Singh Sahib” give us no special position in God’s eyes;
· To be a minister means we are the first to step forward, the first to offer whatever is needed, the last to eat, and the last to sleep.
If we maintain our purity of spirit, then the Guru’s love will always be there to give us strength and endurance. But if we fail in our duty, remember that Guru Gobind Singh will always be there to call us to task. To carry the honor of “Singh Sahib” is a heavy responsibility, and one that should never be taken lightly.
by SS Sat Nirmal Kaur Khalsa, Espanola, NM
One evening at KWTC, sometime in the mid-80’s, we asked the Siri Singh Sahib how would we ever become ten times greater than him. He said that there is only one thing that you have to do. He asked us to tell him what that one thing was. We shouted out various responses – “perfect sadhana!”; “master the naad!”; “be at the Guru’s feet always!”, etc. With each response we gave, the Siri Singh Sahib became more impatient. We went on for a while, until it seemed that he just couldn’t take it anymore. “How could you have sat with me all these years and not know the answer?” Silence. “There is only one thing you have to do – never judge anyone.”
The response seemed so simple. There must be lots of people who never judge anyone!
(I knew that I wasn’t one of them). I started thinking of all the likely candidates – but everyone came up short. Did I really know anyone who had the innocence, open heart and complete trust in God to truly never judge anyone?
Bhai Sahib Dayal Singh was 15 years old when he came to Sikh Dharma. He became a Minister and Bhai Sahib all before the age of 20. I was one of the lucky ones – one of the few who knew him personally. We lived at Adi Shakti Ashram, among the sangat and students there. He taught classes in Gurmukhi, Sikh History and protocol for taking care of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. He also cooked with us, cleaned the kitchen, taught Kundalini Yoga classes and played with us.
When I first moved into the ashram, I started looking around. I wandered into the Gurudwara and there he was. I was about to leave when he said “No, no come in.” I wasn’t wearing a turban yet. I don’t think I even had my name yet. Bhai Sahib proceeded to show me how to do Sukhasan and explained the Guru to me.
Bhai Sahib’s spirit is so strong, it lives in every fiber of the Dharma. He was a big part of our foundation. When I first learned Gurmukhi, he told me to learn the Aarti. It was his favorite shabd, so I learned it. It was really hard, with so many words stuck together, and I kept the transliteration behind it, and he would take it and make me do it just from the Gurmukhi. I’ve been playing the Aarti just about every Saturday for 25 years, and every time I start playing it, Bhai Sahib pops into my head.
Bhai Sahib Dayal Singh was a true student of the Siri Singh Sahib and a true son of Guru Ram Das. He always told us that the Siri Guru Granth Sahib was for everyone. Any questions we asked about Gurmukhi, Gurbani, history or protocol, his answer was always easy to understand. He explained everything in the simplest way. He was so excited about everything. It occurred to me on several occasions; ‘He really thinks this stuff is fun. Just pure fun.’ It was highly contagious. Just being around him, taking class or not. He instilled in us a feeling of joy and confidence. He used to tell me “You know we are so lucky, we are just plain lucky ,” I think he liked that word, “We are just so lucky to have a Guru to relate to. Any time we have a question or a problem, we have our Guru.”
Bhai Sahib was a stickler for details, however. Pronunciation had to be correct, and so did everything else we did. He corrected our mistakes and made sure that we practiced over and over again until we got it right. His love for Sikh Dharma and the Siri Guru Granth Sahib was so pure, so real, that we just wanted to be more like him.
He was a true minister – serving and teaching everyone, always. He was a real human, down to earth without any airs. He was a young man. Sometimes he made mistakes, sometimes he acted silly. He never hid himself from us. A true brother, our Bhai Sahib.
He made us feel secure. How did he do that? He opened our hearts and showed us the way to relate to the Siri Guru Granth Sahib as our true Guru. It all seemed to flow from him so effortlessly. He truly never judged anyone.
As ministers, we have a responsibility to serve. Those of us who knew Bhai
Sahib Dayal Singh personally have a responsibility to carry on what he started –
serving all without judgment. Obey, serve, love, excel.
by SS Sarb Nam Kaur Khalsa, Espanola, NM
“The fundamental start of a Sikh is you shall serve God and Guru. That takes character, commitment, grace, and kindness.”—Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji
The Setting: Early 1970’s in America
It was a time of great change. Revolutionary thoughts and actions surrounding the Vietnamese conflict, civil rights, and Women’s Liberation claimed the front pages of newpapers across America. Student revolts and bank bombings by youthful agitators made the news on a daily basis. Young people in cities, universities, and rural towns across America made their voices heard. Meanwhile, a spiritual revolution brewed in Kundalini Yoga ashrams and at Solstice celebrations led by a humble yogi from India.
“A man of God and God are One.”—Siri Guru Granth Sahib
If you weren’t part of the solution, you were part of the problem, as change fomented in the heart of American culture. This revolution provided the backdrop for the Siblings of Destiny to answer their call as ministers of the Aquarian Age. The youthful Kundalini Yoga students who were drawn to the 3HO and Sikh Dharma lifestyle taught by Yogi Bhajan, found themselves taking vows as Sikh ministers en masse at Summer Solstice Sadhana in June 1972. Others, hand-picked by the newly appointed Siri Singh Sahib to serve as Mukhia Singh Sahibs and Mukhia Sardarni Sahibas, led the burgeoning Sikh Dharma movement in the West.
The Summer of Ministers
“It was near the end of Summer Solstice in June 1972, and almost all of us attending were called to take Sikh minister vows,” said SS Sarb Jit Kaur. “The Siri Singh Sahib asked the Regional Directors to nominate students to become Sikh ministers. We figured that this was all part of the destiny, although we really had no idea what it meant to be a Sikh minister at that time.”
SS Sarb Jit Kaur and her husband were serving as yoga teachers and ashram directors in Oklahoma City. Like many new initiates into the ministry, they returned to their ashrams and yoga centers as full-fledged Sikh ministers. “We didn’t really have a Gurdwara or a Siri Guru Granth Sahib in the early days,” she noted. “We took hukams from the Peace Lagoon. It was a long time before I actually took a class in Dharmic or ministerial protocol. We did have a Sikh Dharma manual to help us set up our Gurdwaras.”
One of the early inspirations for the newly-dubbed ministers, Bhai Sahib Dyal Singh brought clarity and balance to the practice of teaching Sikh Dharma. Though only 17 years old when the Siri Singh Sahib made him the Bhai Sahib, he shared his love for the Guru with all. Some of the early ministers, in their zeal, however, may have taken the Sikh practices a bit too seriously. SS Sarb Jit Kaur remembers being harshly chastised by a minister for “reading too slowly” during an Akhand Path, as she had been instructed to do when the Akhand Path was ahead by several hundred pages. That experience taught her an important lesson. “I always treat people with compassion and try to teach without judging, because I know how it felt to be judged,” she said.
Forming the Ministry
The formation of Sikh Dharma’s ministry (or the Sikh Dharma Brotherhood, as it was called in those early years) patterned itself on other religious organizations. “The Siri Singh Sahib wanted to ensure that Sikh Dharma would be treated like any other religion, both legally and administratively,” said MSS Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa. “But he also made sure that we knew that the ministry was to be an ‘inverted pyramid,’ with the Siri Singh Sahib’s support at the very base, and the Mukhia Singh Sahibs and Mukhia Sardarni Sahibas on the next level of the pyramid, all serving the Dharma from the bottom-up.” The Siri Singh also made it clear that no minister was to live off the sangat as is the practice in other religions. Service marked the traits of a minister then and now.
The Office of the Secretariat handled the administration of the ministry until the mid-1970’s. The Siri Singh Sahib requested that the Office of the Chancellor take over the duties of maintaining the database of ministers and handling the annual renewal of ministers as well as legal issues.
According to SS Ek Ong Kar Kaur, who has served in the Chancellor’s Office since the early days, it was a big job to keep track of the ministers and to maintain contact and communications. “The legal structure, including the annual issuing of Minister I.D. cards with photos, was all designed by the Siri Singh Sahib to protect the legacy of Sikh Dharma,” she said. “I have loved serving the ministers. We are like beads on an etheric rosary…connected through prayer and service.”
What’s in a Name?
“A tree needs roots to keep going. The relationship [with the soul and Guru] builds roots so deep that in calamity they can still find water to survive.” –Siri Singh Sahib Ji
The roster of the early ministers is an odd mix of East and West. “Singh Sahib Fred Singh” and “Sardarni Sahiba Joan Kaur” took the bold commitment from hippie to humble servant of the Guru in the blink of a third eye. We may never know all the individual stories of this Dharmic evolution. All we know for certain is that the roots of the Sikh Ministry have spread across the planet as a strength and a support for the legacy given by the Gurus and the Siri Singh Sahib for generations to come. Wahe Guru!
MSS Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, LA, CA
SERVING AS A MINISTER
In most religions, the Minister, Priest or Rabbi conducts a weekly, or daily prayer service, officiates at weddings and funerals and baptisms, and is the person to whom members of the congregation trust for guidance, comfort and inspiration. When the Siri Singh Sahib established the Sikh Dharma Ministry, in 19?? he knew that we would be called upon to fulfill all those needs and more as we enter into the Aquarian Age.
He set up levels, or tiers of ministerial responsibility. Not a hierarchy, on the contrary, he told us to visualize an inverted pyramid. On the very bottom, the lowest position, supporting the entire structure was the Siri Singh Sahib, and he did. He carried us all. And he still does! His example, his teachings, his subtle body continue to permeate Sikh Dharma. He created the ministerial titles of Mukhia Singh Sahib and Mukhia Sardarni Sahiba to carry the next level of responsibility. Above them are the Singh Sahibs and Sardarni Sahibas whose responsibility is to serve the Sadh Sangat directly. He used to say that the top level, the most important people in this pyramid are the ones who have no titles, and those who may not even be Sikhs. He taught us that we are here to serve all of humanity.
Recently one of the students taking the Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Course here in Los Angeles at Yoga West asked me if I would consider being the minister at her wedding. She wanted a spiritual ceremony, not a religious one. She said she and her fiancé didn’t follow any particular religion.
I remembered the Siri Singh Sahib’s quotable quote, “Dutiful is beautiful,” and how he spoke of the meaning of Guru Nanak’s name, “No say no.” Accessible, available, and ready to answer the call, the Siri Singh Sahib served whenever, wherever he was asked, up until it was physically impossible.
Actually I welcomed the opportunity to share the wisdom of Guru Ram Das’ wedding vows with non-Sikhs. I took the translation of the Lavan from Peace Lagoon and edited it for the occasion. Rather than ask if anyone “objected” to the marriage, I asked if the congregation agreed to the marriage!
I explained how important the support of family and friends is to the couple. Considering that the bride had two sets of parents attending (both parents had remarried), I had all four of them come up along with the groom’s original set and stand with the couple for the opening prayer, which I made generic.
Currently working on my new book, MARRIAGE: THE HIGHEST YOGA, I had some wonderful Yogi Bhajan quotes at hand to share. I divided the ceremony into four segments, based on the four rounds of the Lavan: Past, Present, Future, and Infinity. I elaborated on each section, challenging the couple to agree to each pledge. Dropping the past; committing to a daily spiritual practice; realizing that whatever they say or do affects the future, and throughout, knowing that the ultimate goal of marriage – and life, is to merge with the Infinite.
Although it all went well, and I was thanked profusely, I have to say, it’s much easier, and feels more complete, to conduct a Sikh wedding. There is nothing to compare with being in a Gurdwara, kirtan playing, with the Guru presiding. However, I felt honored that I was asked, and know that because I didn’t say “no,” most of the guests, who probably never met a Sikh before, have now heard the Guru’s teachings about the sanctity of marriage --- an understanding that is surely needed in today’s world of casual relationships, multiple marriages and divorces. How blessed we are as Ministers to share this wisdom.
Basically, ministering is serving. When Bhai Kanaiyah brought water to the wounded enemy soldiers on the battlefield, he was ministering unto them. He saw the God in all, as the Siri Singh Sahib did. This is not always easy for most of us, especially when the behavior or words of another person are unkind, rude, or obnoxious.
That’s why I have always loved the story of King Janaka who, upon visiting his barnyard, decided to take a vacation from his duties as King. Having the yogic power to transform himself into another life form, he mischievously became a pig, curly tail and all. He really enjoyed rolling around in the moist cool mud, got very well acquainted with a lovely lady pig. Sure enough, they had piglets, and he was having a great time playing with his pig family.
After about a month of this, his vizier came and implored him to return to his proper place as Ruler of the kingdom. Janaka just said, “Oink.” Finally in desperation, the court surgeon was summoned, and with an apology and a swift stroke of his knife, he slit open the pig body, and out jumped King Janaka, laughing at their dismay. I’ve always tried to remember the moral of the story: inside everyone, no matter what appears on the surface, there dwells a regal, divine being, and that is whom we serve, as Ministers of Sikh Dharma.
Sat Nam
1. How can the Ministry better serve the needs of our Sangats in the future?
2. What suggestions do you have strengthen our Ministry now?
Would you like to share your thoughts with other ministers? You can answer the reflection questions above and send them to the editor at ministers_newsletter@yahoo.com. Your answers will be posted on a new page called Reflection Question Responses, where your peers can read and respond to them.