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Losin

Member
Hi this is my first post here on RF, because i am more reader than writer :D I practice zen-buddhism for about an year and it really changed my life. But im open minded person and as life is short i want to try everything which seems appealing to me :D I have found sikhism recently and it really gets me. The love it preaches is almost beyond compare. But i did not find any sources of practice or where should i start. Can somebody please give me atleast a brief overlook of how to begin ?

With love Losin :)
 

Treks

Well-Known Member
Dear Losin Ji
Sat Sri Akaal

As with all religions, Sikhi is more about who you are than what you practice, and being a Sikh is a process of learning and growing. The things Sikhs do outwardly should each be seen as little pieces of the entire Sikhi way of life.

A good place to start learning about what Sikhs do is to read the Sikh Rehat Maryada (code of conduct). It will give you an overview in plain English of the 'whats and hows' of Sikhi: Sikh Rehat Maryada in English | Welcome to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sri Amritsar It's a bit outdated but is still a big help to guide the Sikh community.

You can read Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji online at www.srigranth.org or better yet, if you have an Andriod phone, download the app Dhur Ki Bani, or if you have an iPhone there are apps there too. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji will start teaching you the 'why'. As you may already know it's written in poetry which can be a little bit tricky to understand at times. Translations don't help much either.

Sikhi is a simple and straightforward lifestyle; watch out for any sources who appear to make it more compilcated than it really is.

Stay in chardi kala (high spirits) :flower: !

Gurfateh
Treks
 

Losin

Member
Thank you for your suggestions... I borrowed a book from local library to understand a little a little bit more. I also downloaded the app suggested but i do not really know what to do with it. Maybe for instance in zen we sit zazen, so i was more looking for some techniques you use to acces gods love.
Sorry for my english, it is my second language :)
 

Contemplative Cat

energy formation
The way bhakti works is you just love until that's all that's left.

Your looking for something you have already found. None the less Sihkism is a powerful path.

The tarot deck has a card called "the fool" it indicates a spiritual journey, looking outward for whats inside your heart is silly, hence the name.

Perhaps you should just keep doing your thing, but while your at it look through that app. & read some sahibs.
 

Treks

Well-Known Member
Losin Ji
Sat Sri Akaal

The app contains the whole Sikh scripture which contains the Guru's message. A Sikh is a student of the Guru so a practicing Sikh actively seeks to learn what the Guru is teaching and then puts it into practice in their life. I'm sure it's much the same in other religions, you apply yourself to the religion with your whole self, instead of picking bits and pieces of it to practice.

Your question seems to be more about what sort of things Sikhs do, rather than where to start on the Sikh path. I can tell you some things we do, but piecemeal they might not be very meaningful to you.

Volunteering (seva) is a good activity to engage in. Giving your skills or your hands freely to help someone in need without any thought of any benefit, material or spiritual. It teaches humility and active invovlement in the community we live in.

Making sure you conduct yourself honestly and with fairness is another good thing to do - working hard and working honestly, and sharing.

Contemplation of the scripture is another good activity, which you can use the app for.

Naam japo (not to be confused with Naam simran) is the activity most people like to do because it's the easiest. On the surface it's meditating on a word, most commonly "Waheguru" (an adjective describing the Guru as a wonderful enlightener).

Naam simran is the practice of keeping your mind's awareness tuned to Guru/Creator at all times, as Guru Nanak Sahib Ji says, like having one hand on the kite string while you talk to your friends. Naam simran is more of an end product of the other activities. Sometimes people equate Naam japo with Naam simran but simran is a state of mind more than an activity you do for a little while and then stop doing.

Hope that helps.
 

Losin

Member
Thanks a lot. So if my understanding is clear i should sit and meditate with repeating loudly wahegaru ? :) That volunteer practice seems very nice and i think i will have no problem with that :)
 

Breathe

Hostis humani generis
Thanks a lot. So if my understanding is clear i should sit and meditate with repeating loudly wahegaru ? :) That volunteer practice seems very nice and i think i will have no problem with that :)
If loud works for you, sure, but most Sikhs (from my experience anyway) prefer a softer repetition. :)
 

chinu

chinu
I just want to tell you something about the word "Sikh"
The word "Sikh" means "Learner"
The word "Guru" means "Teacher"
And the word "Gur-Sikh" means "Disciple of Guru/Teacher"

The word "Sikh" doesn't belongs any particular sect, its just a Punjabi-Language word which can be used for any disciple.

Punjabi-language was not in existence during the time of Gautama-Buddha, or Jesus, otherwise, their disciples can also use this word for themselves.. imo.

Keep thing in mind, A true guru never tried to create any new religion or sect, Only their incompleate followers created different sects and religions after their deaths.

The way to supreme... was only one, it is one, and it will always be one..imo.
 

Treks

Well-Known Member
Thanks a lot. So if my understanding is clear i should sit and meditate with repeating loudly wahegaru ? :) That volunteer practice seems very nice and i think i will have no problem with that :)

Naam japo is a small part of Sikh practice. Not all Sikhs engage in it. Those who do might sing/chant "Waheguru" out loud, or might say it in their mind following a relaxing breathing pattern such as "Wahe" on the in-breath and "Guru" on the out-breath.

It is exactly the same as any other meditation technique that focuses on a work. The idea is to use the word (and breath) to quieten the mind and help you focus.

Without more knowledge of Sikhism, you might not now quite what you're focusing on, though.

Also to note is the extensive use of music (called kirtan) in Sikhi. The scripture is organised according to music and most of it is meant to be sung. Check out Gursikh Ji's thread for some devotional music: http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/sikhism-dir/94293-ajaapa-jaap-24-7-a.html

You can use music to lull you into the relaxed-but-focused-on-Naam state that this practice is all about. One of my favourites is this one: http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/1921037-post6.html
 

ranvirk

Member
Copy and paste from other post:
Here you go.
1. Well many scholars have made it simpler to see the step by step enshrined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. You have to remember the 3 golden principles

Naam Japna
Meditation. The Sikh tradition has been to repeat God's/Guru's name out loud, whilst focusing on the sound. Hold His image in your mind, let yourself be completely immersed in remembrance of God/Guru. All senses focused towards Him.

Vand Chhakna
Consume what you have shared. Simple enough. Share your possessions with others, knowledge, materials, food, goals, desires, spirituality, etc.

Sachi Kirat Karni
Righteous action. Is also honest action. To speak the truth and hold on to it as your only support. To know what is right and wrong in a given situation, and act upon it without losing focus.

These are the basics, and they cannot be stressed enough.

2. If you want to go further, you might also want to start noticing in yourself (in addition to practicing the above): greed (accumulation of materials and concepts), attachment (to material objects and to concepts), lust (sexual desires towards mental images, fantasizing), anger (also resentment, irritation, jealousy) and pride (your sense of self, attachment to an identity as the Doer of things). Try to watch them like how a cat watches a mouse hole.

What to cultivate? Love, compassion, kindness, generosity, servitude, surrender, clarity, honesty, decisiveness, devotion, dettachment, patience, steadiness, peace, openness, acceptance, alertness, reverence. Know what these words mean as feelings, as states in yourself first! then work to cultivate them. Accumulate only this wealth, no one take it away from you. No one can take away your compassion and acceptance!

3. Even more advanced still. Remember this is in addition to the above two steps.
Recognize that all phenomenon of life is impermanent. Whatever comes, goes, what is born, dies eventually. Know this like the back of your hand, intuitively, not as some form of knowledge. This links back to step 1 and 2. E.g. The acceptance of impermanence. Being steady when faced with death.

Recognize that only the Seer is permanent. Cultivate this understanding. As a practice, ask yourself "who is watching everything happen around me?" This is the Seer. Root yourself in the Seer. You can draw forth reserves of vital energy, patience, compassion, etc all those things we talked about cultivating, from the Seer. The Seer is the source of everything!


4. Final Step
So in addition to the above, recognize the Seer to be inseparable from the observed phenomenon. See it all as one. See yourself in your environment and see your environment reflected in you. In other words, see God and God alone. This will maximize the steps 1,2 and 3! You will be full with love, will do 24/7 Naam japna, etc.

Act in the world, with the understanding from Step 3 and 4.

You can access all steps right here and now but to have them activated in your life constantly you need to work through and solidify them, starting from step 1. For step 2, you need a solid step 1. For step 3, you need solid step 1 and 2 and so on. This is the only reason why they are in steps, otherwise they are all accessible at any time. It's all about building a solid base! and those are the steps to it.

Just work at it, slow and steady wins the race, meaning it requires patience, persistence and steadiness of the mind.
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Naam Japna
Meditation. The Sikh tradition has been to repeat God's/Guru's name out loud, whilst focusing on the sound. Hold His image in your mind, let yourself be completely immersed in remembrance of God/Guru. All senses focused towards Him.
Is that not idolatry? (Underline mine)
 

Treks

Well-Known Member
Sat Sri Akaal

Many, many references to the Formless (Nirankar) are made in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

As Sikhi is panentheistic it recognises that the creation is not outside of the Creator - therefore the Creative Force is permeating all of creation (it's "form") and is present throughout and beyond ("formless").

This is described poetically by Guru Nanak Sahib Ji when describing the Sikh's version of Aarti within the bedtime bani Kirtan Sohila, on Ang 13 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji:

ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
रागु धनासरी महला १ ॥
Rāg ḏẖanāsrī mėhlā 1.
Raag Dhanaasree, First Mehl:

ਗਗਨ ਮੈ ਥਾਲੁ ਰਵਿ ਚੰਦੁ ਦੀਪਕ ਬਨੇ ਤਾਰਿਕਾ ਮੰਡਲ ਜਨਕ ਮੋਤੀ ॥
गगन मै थालु रवि चंदु दीपक बने तारिका मंडल जनक मोती ॥
Gagan mai thāl rav cẖanḏ ḏīpak bane ṯārikā mandal janak moṯī.
Upon that cosmic plate of the sky, the sun and the moon are the lamps. The stars and their orbs are the studded pearls.

ਧੂਪੁ ਮਲਆਨਲੋ ਪਵਣੁ ਚਵਰੋ ਕਰੇ ਸਗਲ ਬਨਰਾਇ ਫੂਲੰਤ ਜੋਤੀ ॥੧॥
धूपु मलआनलो पवणु चवरो करे सगल बनराइ फूलंत जोती ॥१॥
Ḏẖūp mal▫ānlo pavaṇ cẖavro kare sagal banrā▫e fūlanṯ joṯī. ||1||
The fragrance of sandalwood in the air is the temple incense, and the wind is the fan. All the plants of the world are the altar flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord. ||1||

ਕੈਸੀ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥
कैसी आरती होइ ॥
Kaisī ārṯī ho▫e.
What a beautiful Aartee, lamp-lit worship service this is!

ਭਵ ਖੰਡਨਾ ਤੇਰੀ ਆਰਤੀ ॥
भव खंडना तेरी आरती ॥
Bẖav kẖandnā ṯerī ārṯī.
O Destroyer of Fear, this is Your Ceremony of Light.

ਅਨਹਤਾ ਸਬਦ ਵਾਜੰਤ ਭੇਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
अनहता सबद वाजंत भेरी ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Anhaṯā sabaḏ vājanṯ bẖerī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad is the vibration of the temple drums. ||1||Pause||

ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਨੈਨ ਨਨ ਨੈਨ ਹਹਿ ਤੋਹਿ ਕਉ ਸਹਸ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਨਨਾ ਏਕ ਤਹੀ ॥
सहस तव नैन नन नैन हहि तोहि कउ सहस मूरति नना एक तोही ॥
Sahas ṯav nain nan nain hėh ṯohi ka▫o sahas mūraṯ nanā ek ṯohī.
You have thousands of eyes, and yet You have no eyes. You have thousands of forms, and yet You do not have even one.


ਸਹਸ ਪਦ ਬਿਮਲ ਨਨ ਏਕ ਪਦ ਗੰਧ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਗੰਧ ਇਵ ਚਲਤ ਮੋਹੀ ॥੨॥
सहस पद बिमल नन एक पद गंध बिनु सहस तव गंध इव चलत मोही ॥२॥
Sahas paḏ bimal nan ek paḏ ganḏẖ bin sahas ṯav ganḏẖ iv cẖalaṯ mohī. ||2||
You have thousands of Lotus Feet, and yet You do not have even one foot. You have no nose, but you have thousands of noses. This Play of Yours entrances me. ||2||


ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥
सभ महि जोति जोति है सोइ ॥
Sabẖ mėh joṯ joṯ hai so▫e.
Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light.


ਤਿਸ ਦੈ ਚਾਨਣਿ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
तिस दै चानणि सभ महि चानणु होइ ॥
Ŧis ḏai cẖānaṇ sabẖ mėh cẖānaṇ ho▫e.
By this Illumination, that Light is radiant within all.

ਗੁਰ ਸਾਖੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
गुर साखी जोति परगटु होइ ॥
Gur sākẖī joṯ pargat ho▫e.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Light shines forth.

ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥੩॥
जो तिसु भावै सु आरती होइ ॥३॥
Jo ṯis bẖāvai so ārṯī ho▫e. ||3||
That which is pleasing to Him is the lamp-lit worship service. ||3||

ਹਰਿ ਚਰਣ ਕਵਲ ਮਕਰੰਦ ਲੋਭਿਤ ਮਨੋ ਅਨਦਿਨ ਮੋਹਿ ਆਹੀ ਪਿਆਸਾ ॥
हरि चरण कवल मकरंद लोभित मनो अनदिनो मोहि आही पिआसा ॥
Har cẖaraṇ kaval makranḏ lobẖiṯ mano anḏino mohi āhī pi▫āsā.
My mind is enticed by the honey-sweet Lotus Feet of the Lord. Day and night, I thirst for them.

ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਜਲੁ ਦੇਹਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਰਿੰਗ ਕਉ ਹੋਇ ਜਾ ਤੇ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਇ ਵਾਸਾ ॥੪॥੩॥
क्रिपा जलु देहि नानक सारिंग कउ होइ जा ते तेरै नाइ वासा ॥४॥३॥
Kirpā jal ḏėh Nānak sāring ka▫o ho▫e jā ṯe ṯerai nā▫e vāsā. ||4||3||
Bestow the Water of Your Mercy upon Nanak, the thirsty song-bird, so that he may come to dwell in Your Name. ||4||3||​
Link to page: Sri Granth: Sri Guru Granth Sahib

I look forward to hearing ranvirk ji's understanding of the sentence you highlighted, Aupmanyav ji.

Guru fateh.
 
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Jaskaran Singh

Divosūnupriyaḥ
Sat Sri Akaal

Many, many references to the Formless (Nirankar) are made in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

As Sikhi is panentheistic it recognises that the creation is not outside of the Creator - therefore the Creative Force is permeating all of creation (it's "form") and is present throughout and beyond ("formless").

This is described poetically by Guru Nanak Sahib Ji when describing the Sikh's version of Aarti within the bedtime bani Kirtan Sohila, on Ang 13 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji:

ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
रागु धनासरी महला १ ॥
Rāg ḏẖanāsrī mėhlā 1.
Raag Dhanaasree, First Mehl:

ਗਗਨ ਮੈ ਥਾਲੁ ਰਵਿ ਚੰਦੁ ਦੀਪਕ ਬਨੇ ਤਾਰਿਕਾ ਮੰਡਲ ਜਨਕ ਮੋਤੀ ॥
गगन मै थालु रवि चंदु दीपक बने तारिका मंडल जनक मोती ॥
Gagan mai thāl rav cẖanḏ ḏīpak bane ṯārikā mandal janak moṯī.
Upon that cosmic plate of the sky, the sun and the moon are the lamps. The stars and their orbs are the studded pearls.

ਧੂਪੁ ਮਲਆਨਲੋ ਪਵਣੁ ਚਵਰੋ ਕਰੇ ਸਗਲ ਬਨਰਾਇ ਫੂਲੰਤ ਜੋਤੀ ॥੧॥
धूपु मलआनलो पवणु चवरो करे सगल बनराइ फूलंत जोती ॥१॥
Ḏẖūp mal▫ānlo pavaṇ cẖavro kare sagal banrā▫e fūlanṯ joṯī. ||1||
The fragrance of sandalwood in the air is the temple incense, and the wind is the fan. All the plants of the world are the altar flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord. ||1||

ਕੈਸੀ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥
कैसी आरती होइ ॥
Kaisī ārṯī ho▫e.
What a beautiful Aartee, lamp-lit worship service this is!

ਭਵ ਖੰਡਨਾ ਤੇਰੀ ਆਰਤੀ ॥
भव खंडना तेरी आरती ॥
Bẖav kẖandnā ṯerī ārṯī.
O Destroyer of Fear, this is Your Ceremony of Light.

ਅਨਹਤਾ ਸਬਦ ਵਾਜੰਤ ਭੇਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
अनहता सबद वाजंत भेरी ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Anhaṯā sabaḏ vājanṯ bẖerī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad is the vibration of the temple drums. ||1||Pause||

ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਨੈਨ ਨਨ ਨੈਨ ਹਹਿ ਤੋਹਿ ਕਉ ਸਹਸ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਨਨਾ ਏਕ ਤਹੀ ॥
सहस तव नैन नन नैन हहि तोहि कउ सहस मूरति नना एक तोही ॥
Sahas ṯav nain nan nain hėh ṯohi ka▫o sahas mūraṯ nanā ek ṯohī.
You have thousands of eyes, and yet You have no eyes. You have thousands of forms, and yet You do not have even one.


ਸਹਸ ਪਦ ਬਿਮਲ ਨਨ ਏਕ ਪਦ ਗੰਧ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਗੰਧ ਇਵ ਚਲਤ ਮੋਹੀ ॥੨॥
सहस पद बिमल नन एक पद गंध बिनु सहस तव गंध इव चलत मोही ॥२॥
Sahas paḏ bimal nan ek paḏ ganḏẖ bin sahas ṯav ganḏẖ iv cẖalaṯ mohī. ||2||
You have thousands of Lotus Feet, and yet You do not have even one foot. You have no nose, but you have thousands of noses. This Play of Yours entrances me. ||2||


ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥
सभ महि जोति जोति है सोइ ॥
Sabẖ mėh joṯ joṯ hai so▫e.
Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light.


ਤਿਸ ਦੈ ਚਾਨਣਿ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
तिस दै चानणि सभ महि चानणु होइ ॥
Ŧis ḏai cẖānaṇ sabẖ mėh cẖānaṇ ho▫e.
By this Illumination, that Light is radiant within all.

ਗੁਰ ਸਾਖੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
गुर साखी जोति परगटु होइ ॥
Gur sākẖī joṯ pargat ho▫e.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Light shines forth.

ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥੩॥
जो तिसु भावै सु आरती होइ ॥३॥
Jo ṯis bẖāvai so ārṯī ho▫e. ||3||
That which is pleasing to Him is the lamp-lit worship service. ||3||

ਹਰਿ ਚਰਣ ਕਵਲ ਮਕਰੰਦ ਲੋਭਿਤ ਮਨੋ ਅਨਦਿਨ ਮੋਹਿ ਆਹੀ ਪਿਆਸਾ ॥
हरि चरण कवल मकरंद लोभित मनो अनदिनो मोहि आही पिआसा ॥
Har cẖaraṇ kaval makranḏ lobẖiṯ mano anḏino mohi āhī pi▫āsā.
My mind is enticed by the honey-sweet Lotus Feet of the Lord. Day and night, I thirst for them.

ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਜਲੁ ਦੇਹਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਰਿੰਗ ਕਉ ਹੋਇ ਜਾ ਤੇ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਇ ਵਾਸਾ ॥੪॥੩॥
क्रिपा जलु देहि नानक सारिंग कउ होइ जा ते तेरै नाइ वासा ॥४॥३॥
Kirpā jal ḏėh Nānak sāring ka▫o ho▫e jā ṯe ṯerai nā▫e vāsā. ||4||3||
Bestow the Water of Your Mercy upon Nanak, the thirsty song-bird, so that he may come to dwell in Your Name. ||4||3||​
Link to page: Sri Granth: Sri Guru Granth Sahib

I look forward to hearing ranvirk ji's understanding of the sentence you highlighted, Aupmanyav ji.

Guru fateh.
praNAm Treks,
This is off topic, but wow, it seems I used to mess up my recitation (when I was still a Sikh). I used to say ehO chalt mOhI (not iv chalt mOhI), har charaN kamal (not har charaN kaval), and terai nAm vAsA (not terai nAi vAsA). I guess my little nitnem gUTkA must have modernized the punjAbI in some places, lol...:p
 
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Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Escapes me, flounders me, why a Hindu is not a Sikh and why a Sikh is not Hindu? Politics, I suppose. Now, which is a Hindu who will not agree to the above?
 

Treks

Well-Known Member
It's not politics, they are separate and distinct belief systems. That's one of the reasons why we have a Hindu DIR and a Sikh DIR. :facepalm:
 
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