Sat Nam. For the sake of clarity (not intending to paint with too broad of a brush), kindly allow me to connect the dots on my previous narrative based on my observations in relation to the Sikh tendency to tribalism as a person with life experience as a person of color.
Sikhs need to address the failure to practice what Sikh Dharma teaches, i.e., to live a life of inclusion, which is the message of our beloved founder, Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Tribalism* is the main social tendency for Sikhs to reckon with going forward. Tribalism is at the heart of most social conflicts and adverse social policies in today's world, including our governmental agencies like the TSA. See What's Wrong With Washington.
When more Sikhs practice Guru Nanak's core teaching, Ek Ong Kar, i.e., pluralism*, the opposite of tribalism, Sikhs will have a more positive profile and impact on the global psyche.
Because of tribalism, Sikh bana and traditions remain relatively unknown, especially in America.
Because of tribalism, many Sikhs, who preach the equality and dignity of womanhood, but keep women in subjugated and submissive rolls, appear hypocritical and thereby lack credibility, especially in the eyes of our children.
Because of tribalism, many Indian Sikhs tend to marginalize latter day immigrants to Sikh Dharma, e.g., 3HO Sikhs, as apocryphal. BTW: Newcomers to Sikh Dharma should be welcomed and included just as any other immigrant from a foreign country or culture.
Because of tribalism, many Indian Sikhs especially with little or no direct knowledge or experience, and/or based on hearsay via fellow tribal members, protest and preach against the teaching and practice of Kundalini Yoga, and speak disparagingly of the Siri Singh Sahib, aka Yogi Bhajan.
Because of tribalism, many Sikhs of the Western heritage fail to engage in meaningful dialogue with Sikhs of the Eastern heritage and vis-a-versa.
Because of tribalism, many Sikhs fail to reach out to other groups thereby perpetuating the current confusion in identity with Muslims.
Because of tribalism, and its associated behaviors, many Jews have taken territory and denigrated, even subjugated Palestinians.
Because of tribalism, and its associated behaviors, radical Muslims have killed and tortured other Muslims and other victims, and claim responsibility for 9/11.
Because of tribalism, many Shia Muslims murder Sunni Muslims, and vis-a-versa.
Because of tribalism, many Irish Protestants murdered Irish Catholics, and vis-a-versa.
Because of tribalism, which metastasized as racism*, Native Peoples of America and Africa were displaced and had their lands confiscated in the name of religion.
Because of tribalism, America has an ongoing history of racism and misogyny.
Because of tribalism, and its associated behaviors, many religious clergy and others got away with child abuse for years.
Because of tribalism, and its associated behaviors, most women are paid less than men, and many are kept from participating in the political process, acquiring education, even driving a car in many parts of the world. (Male tribe vs. Female tribe?)
Because of tribalism, many Sikh organizations fail to see its incestuous* nature, and the associated siege mentality*, which isolates and insulates organizations, especially religious institutions.
Because of tribalism, a Sikh hierarchy has developed along with all kinds of rules and edicts that have nothing to do with Guru Nanak's core teachings.
On the plus side, because of tribalism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji incarnated to deliver Guru's message of Ek Ong Kar. Watch Tribalism For Those Who Dare.
"The era of freaking out is over. Society is feeling a great impact and requires comfort
from anybody who can give it. The greatest thing on this earth is to serve the people
of God. That is the highest act a man can do for any other man, but ithas to be
positive, not that you can go help somebody and you go and drag yourself down
and get into the pit yourself. You have to be very firm, very honest, very constant,
very insistent and very persuasive. In spite of that you have to be very sweet,
very kind, very serviceful and very righteous. These things go together. You are
not on a trip to convert people. That is not your responsibility; you are not a
missionary who has to count how many Christians you convert. But you can
proudly say, “I have comforted 50 people.” Provide people comfort, go into
society, live for people. If God, out of His mercy, has pulled you out of that
insanity, then is it not fair for you to serve those who are still suffering?"
"Serve all without classification or discrimination. Discrimination means you
have reservation, which comes from fear, phobia, non-Infinity." -- Siri Singh Sahib
Sat Nam. The following call for action by the Secretary General of Sikh Dharma International is precisely the reason the long awaited Sensitivity Summit motion needs to be approved by the Khalsa Council at the upcoming 2015 Khalsa Council meetings for implementation at the 2016 meetings.
"Discourse about racism is not meant to stir up feelings of guilt.
Discourse is meant to drive people to action against injustice.
Question is, are we mature enough to sit down and discuss
issues of diversity, including religion, gender and race?"
My Sikh Sense
Gurujot Kaur Khalsa
Call To Meeting
Dear Esteemed Members of the Khalsa Council,
Sat Nam and blessings to all. I am writing to encourage all Khalsa Council members to attend our upcoming Khalsa Council meetings, which will be held on September 23 - 26th in Espanola.
At our meetings, we will be addressing a number of serious matters which have arisen over the past few months. There has been an aggressive slander campaign aimed at damaging and discrediting the teachings and legacy of the Siri Singh Sahib and our organizations. This campaign, led by a former student of the Siri Singh Sahib has escalated through his social media efforts.
On July 1st, a complaint, signed by 3000 Sikhs, was presented to the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, portraying us as being disrespectful to the Guru and to Gurbani. The issues cited were "dancing and doing yoga to Gurbani". Bibiji spoke with the Jathedar, and he said he did not wish to issue a formal edict (Hukamnama) against us, but he wanted to be sure that we have proper decorum in regard to the Guru, Gurbani and Gurdwara protocol.
Additionally, on August 11th, the Hamburg Ashram received an objection letter sent by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee regarding the engraving of the Mul Mantra on the stairs leading to their Yoga Center. This engraving, while having been there for over 20 years, was suddenly objected to by the local Gurdwara in Hamburg. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee threatened to initiate legal action if the floor tiles were not removed within 7 days. News of this was posted on Facebook and was carried on multiple Indian TV stations. The ashram community quickly responded and the situation has been resolved.
These incidents are being taken seriously, and raise broader issues and concerns that effect our organizations and Sangats worldwide. Our non-profit organizations (Sikh Dharma InternationaI, Siri Singh Sahib Corporation, Sikhnet, SDEI, KRI and 3HO) have been meeting together to identify and discuss the issues, and come to a common understanding of how we can move forward collectively.
The Khalsa Council will be fully briefed about these and other issues at our upcoming meeting. As per the feedback following our last meeting, this upcoming meeting will be more interactive, with much more time for members to discuss the issues, share their perspectives, and to develop a collective strategy in dealing with them. Our next generation members will be fully involved and play a vital role in developing our decisions and actions for the future.
We encourage all of our Khalsa Council members to attend and fully participate in these important meetings, so that the Khalsa Council can truly fulfill its role as a leadership body for our Dharma.
May the blessings of God and Guru be with you always.
Blessings,
SS Gurujot Kaur Khalsa
Secretary General / CEO
Sikh Dharma International / Khalsa Council --
"If politics must truly be at the service of the human person, it follows that
it cannot be a slave to the economy and finance. Politics is instead, an
expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as
one the greatest common good: that of a community which sacrifices
particular interests in order to share, in justice and peace, its goods,
its interests, its social life. I do not underestimate the difficulty that this
involves, but I encourage you in this effort." --Pope Francis 9/24/2015
"Exclusion breeds intolerance. Intolerance breeds tribalism.
Tribalism breeds racism. Racism is contrary to Guru Nanak's message. Inclusion begets tolerance. Tolerance begets diversity. Diversity begets pluralism. Pluralism is the essence of Guru Nanak's message to humanity."
My Sikh Sense
Satpal Singh Khalsa
Punjab Perspective
Sat Nam. Firstly, in keeping with the guidelines given to our organizations and us, Siri Singh Sahib Ji asked that we not get involved with politics or any political party. However, SSS Ji did engage in Sikh religious affairs in Punjab and at times with mediating between warring factions. He was actively involved with Sikh religious organizations in the U.S. and India and many religious and some political leaders consulted with him on various matters.
With that said, I follow the guidelines given to me by SSS Ji and I do not engage or comment on the political views of various Sikh political parties. I am not a scholar nor do I profess to be an authority of any kind on Sikh affairs or the Sikh religion. I am a humble servant of the Guru and I have a deep faith in and reverence for our Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
I am deeply pained at the current affairs of our Sikh community in Punjab and other parts of India and the world where Sikhs are facing strikes, protests, and demonstrations and the wrath of the world. I strongly condemn the sacrilegious actions against our Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. This must stop. The highest office of the Prime Minister of India along with the Home Minister of India and the Chief Minister of Punjab must act powerfully and conscientiously to curb further desecration of our Sri Guru Granth Sahib, and act to bring peace and ensure safety of all Sikhs in India.
The existing crisis is dividing the Sikh community further whereby Sikhs are being asked to take sides. Some Sikh radicals have demanded no less than a Khalistan state, and there is a grave danger of Punjab reverting back into the early '80s, which led to the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple). The current situation in Punjab evokes memories of the Anti-Sikh movement of 1984 (Operation Blue Star).
Social media is compounding the problem as Sikh youth and others are believing whatever they see without looking at the root causes being portrayed. The lack of media coverage internationally is appalling. Sikhs need to bring awareness to their communities, cities, elected representatives and major media companies like CNN.
Many intellectuals from other faiths have asked the Office of the President of India to take suitable action to stop the intolerance and polarization and spreading of further desecration of our Siri Guru Granth Sahib by whosoever is responsible. India is truly plural where many faiths and religions have existed for centuries allowing space for each other to live in harmony and peace. This is the greatest strength and stability that the Indian civilization enjoys.
The present crisis is due to many reasons. Firstly, there was pardon of the self-proclaimed Godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of Dera Sach Sauda who in 2007 dressed up like Guru Gobind Singh. He was charged with blasphemy and ex-communicated by Sri Akal Takhat Sahib. He was pardoned recently by the five Takhat Jathedars which the Sikh community did not approve. Then, that pardon was taken back by Sri Akal Takhat Sahib.
To understand why the pardon was given, one must look into the organization of Dera Sacha Sauda and their political and financial strength. Gurmeet Ram Rahim is the head of this organization with over ten million followers, of which almost seven million live in Punjab. They have a considerable financial strength that they use to push their agendas. They are a major vote bank for any politician running for office. Punjab is going in for assembly elections in 2017 and the current Akali Dal, headed by Chief Minister Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal (Deputy Chief Minister and Head of Akali Dal which governs the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, SGPC) are going to have a tough fight winning the elections. They want to use the help of Dera Sacha Sauda along with the financial power of this organization. According to insider reports, the pardon was authorized by the Chief Minister of Punjab who directed the SGPC and Sri Akal Takhat to give the pardon to Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
It is also pertinent to mention that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh enjoys close association with militant Gurjant Singh of Khalistan Liberation Force. He is believed to be inciting some of the clashes in various villages in Punjab and Haryana. The role of Pakistan and ISIS in Sikh unrest in Punjab cannot be ruled out.
The desecration of Siri Guru Granth Sahib has created major disturbance in Punjab. Many times, political parties create unrest by diverting the attention of the public from real issues facing the state. The Akali Dal, the ruling Sikh political party in Punjab, is also in control of SGPC which is a religious body of the Sikhs. The Akali Dal has been blamed by many Sikh organizations and global Sikh community for interfering in the religious affairs of the Sikhs and for creating the current situation. They have also been blamed for inciting sacrilege of Siri Guru Granth Sahib. There can me religion in politics but no politics in any religion.
One major solution is to free the office of the Sri Akal Takhat Sahib from SGPC and any (current or future) ruling party in Punjab. Siri Singh Sahib Ji-Yogi Bhajan was a major advocate of this and said that our Jathedar of Akal Takhat should be like the Pope, under nobody’s authority. Some Sikh organizations have supported this move, but most have not as they do not see the bigger picture.
A committee of Sikh scholars of the highest caliber and integrity must be formed to give guidance on the tenants of Sikh religion as regards to hierarchy and who is the supreme authority. Is the Jathedar of Akal Takhat, the Punj Piaras, the Head Granthi, and the collective five Jathedars of the five Takhat Sahibs or SGPC? Sikhs must first agree and accept the decision of this committee which must have at least five members or more and must be independent and neutral of any organization or individual.
It may be noted that all public offices in Punjab, are democratically contested and elected by the people of Punjab. The SGPC elections, the Punjab assembly elections and other public offices are all held in strict democratic way. It is the Sikhs and people of Punjab that elect the SGPC members, the Chief Minister and other ministers and all other public offices.
It is also important to note that in the last assembly elections in Punjab in 2012, it was for the first time since 1966 that any political party has retained power for two consecutive terms- the Akal Party. Chief Minister Badal made history by winning two consecutive terms. The Sikhs need to take cognizance of who they want to elect as their leaders in 2017 and in the next SGPC elections.
The situation in Punjab is changing rapidly on a daily basis and new issues and demands are coming in from all over the world. Unfortunately, Sikhs are vastly divided in their views. They have called for the Sarbat Khalsa meeting on November 10th, 2015 at Manji Sahib (Golden Temple) which the Punjab government and SGPC will try to diffuse. This was a hasty decision, as more groundwork was needed before calling this meet. The global Sikh community and organizations must have been consulted and an agenda encompassing the major voice of the Sikh Panth should have been taken.
How can the “Sarbat Khalsa”, the entire Sikh community of 30 million Sikhs, meet in one place on one day and agree on all the issues unanimously. Sikhs have not been able to agree on even one Gurdwara committee and hence we see so many Gurdwaras in one city. Many Gurdwaras in the Western World have opposing and divergent views on how Sikhs should live and pray.
There is no need for us Sikhs to get emotional and there is a good possibility that the ruling governments in India and Punjab may take advantage of this weakness and attack Sikhs and further create more problems in the Sikh community. Sikhs may attack other Sikhs in these meetings and we may lose our respect, honor and admiration in the community. On October 30, 2015, the Sikh Parcharaks (Eminent Sikh Ragis and Scholars) are being asked to march to the home of the Chief Minister of Punjab to protest against the Jathedars and the sacrilege of Siri Guru Granth Sahib and also to bring to justice the cops that fired on the two Sikhs who were killed in the peaceful protest. If this protest turns violent, we will lose more Sikh brothers and the situation will further worsen.
Chief Minister Badal is under pressure to bring the cops who fired on innocent Sikhs and killed two of our Sikh brothers. He changed the Police Chief in Punjab but that again presents a catch 22 for Badal. If he brings the cops to justice and puts them behind bars, the outgoing Police Chief has threatened mutiny in the Punjab Police. Police Chief claims that he had authority from the Chief Minister to fire on the protesting crowds.
The SGPC is on a firing mode with firing Punj Pyares, kirtan jathas and anyone that opposes their moves. In a secret meeting of the SGPC President and Chief Minister Badal; the resignation of SGPC President was sought by Badal. The SGPC President refused to resign and technically he cannot be fired by Badal as he enjoys the protection of the courts in India. Last year, the high court issued orders for SGPC President to continue in his post pending the outcome of the case against him challenging his presidency and election of SGPC members.
Until that case comes to hearing, which could be several years, no one can dismiss the SGPC President. Similarly the Jathedars have refused to resign threatening Badal with exposure of his links to the R.SS (a Hindu organization) and the drug mafia. Just yesterday, the SGPC President met privately with the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib and convinced him to resign. Most likely, the three Jathedars of the three Takhats in Punjab will resign soon. If they don’t, the SGPC will fire them. The other two Takhats (Sri Hazur Sahib and Sri Patna Sahib) are not in the jurisdiction of SGPC and are independent.
Regarding the Panj Piaras, they have been reinstated, but there chain of commands has changed. Previously they reported to the Head Granthi of Sri Darbar Sahib. With their reinstatement, they are now to report to the Chairman of the Dharm Parchar Committee of SGPC, which means that SGPC can transfer them anytime to any Gurdwara where they still will be supervising the Amrit Ceremony. So this is a catch 22 for them and the SGPC.
It is interesting to note that the Punj Piaras are asking the SGPC to fire the Jathedars or ask for their resignation. Being appointed by the SGPC, the Punj Piaras are not willing to accept the SGPC’s decision of their transfer to other cities; yet they want the same SGPC to fire the Jathedars who may or may not accept the decision of the SGPC-just like the Punj Piaras. This is the irony of Sikh politics.
Many Sikhs are demanding the abolishment of the office of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib. What happens to the institution of Miri-Piri that Guru Hargobind Sahib gave the Sikhs? The Akal Takhat was established by the sixth Guru himself and now Sikhs are demanding its abolishment. Over centuries, Sikhs have given their lives protecting the institution of Sri Akal Takhat which until now was considered to be the highest supreme authority of the Sikhs.
The solution is not to eliminate the Sri Akal Takhat Sahib but to strengthen it and free it from the political and religious leaders and make it independent. The entire global Sikh community was saddened at the attack on Sri Akal Takhat Sahib in 1984, joined together and rebuilt the sacred historic Sri Akal Takhat Sahib with much fervor and enthusiasm. Sikhs need to more deeply introspective than to just follow the herd blindly.
Sikhs are now demanding the resignations of all the five Jathedars, the Chief Minister of Punjab, the President and certain members of SGPC and of several heads of Sikh organizations. By changing guard at all of these offices, do the Sikhs think that there will be no more problems in the Sikh community and all will be well and fine? Can Sikhs even agree upon who the new leaders will be in these offices? Which Sikh body, institution or Sikh individual will decide who the new Jathedar or SGPC Chief should be? We Sikhs need to ponder on these issues more intuitively and not make any hurried decision.
The American, Canadian, Australian and U.K. Gurdwaras are passing resolutions without knowing the consequences. They can’t even agree with each other in the same city and yet they seem to agree upon these global declarations jeopardizing the fate of Sikhs in India. One can agree on the Sikh psyche and the sentiments that have been hurt in the recent turn of events, nevertheless, Sikhs must not rush into decisions without discussing them with the Sikh sangat worldwide, and engaging Sikh intellectuals and scholars.
The situation in Punjab is tenuous. Communal hatred may turn into extreme violence jeopardizing the security and safety of Sikhs in India. It is painfully harrowing for me to watch the current situation in Punjab and I pray to the Almighty that good sense may prevail on the Sikh leaders in Punjab to bring peace and harmony to the Sikh community. As other communities in India and worldwide who enjoy basic human rights and privileges, Sikhs are entitled to these civil liberties and people in power must ensure that Sikhs are not targeted in such violence. The present unrest in Punjab is eerily familiar to the pre-1984 attack on Sri Darbar Sahib and the subsequent violence on Sikhs in India after the death of then Prime Minister Gandhi. (See My Recollection of the Attack on the Golden Temple.)
With prayers and blessings for the chardi kalaa of Sikhs all over the world.
Why Are Airports Still So Clueless About Respecting Sikhs?
Sat Nam. My question is, Why Are Sikhs So CluelessAbout Respecting AirportsAnd The TSA officers here and everywhere. (See Siege Mentality.)
100 year old Marathon runner becomes world famous. Billboards all over UK describe him as "Our Hero".
Sikhs take up swords to protect other houses of worship during riots. No one wants to mess with armed Sikhs standing in front of a church. Newspapers and TV call them "Our Sikhs" as heroes.
Most if not all of the homeless in the UK are feed by the Sikhs. Everyday. Everywhere. What kind of impact do you think that has.
Sikh is made a Lord in the UK.
So, what are the Sikhs known for. Service. And what are the Sikhs doing in the UK? Service. Visible service.
In the U.S. the Sikh organizations are calling for end to discrimination based on what they are saying. No service evidenced. Not to other persecuted peoples. Where's the service? The Sikhs in the US are basically portrayed as victims.
In LA there are 2 food trucks with Sikh ID on them feeding hundreds daily. It's on the news. But not very apparent Sikhs are behind it. And there are some White Sikhs teaching yoga. That's nice. It's business. And the yoga business is advancing. But Sikhs have a very, very small part of that.
There may be food being served by Sikhs in the U.S. somewhere, but not hearing about it. It's not on the news like the UK. The Sikhs are not portrayed as heroes here, Just victims, if indeed anything is said except about being terrorists.
I have had ZERO problem with TSA at airports. I have had to remove my turban once in all these years, but it was done with sincere apologies. Most of the time they shyly ask about agent or self pat downs. I am super cooperative. Joke with them. Say, no you do it this time. They say, gee I wish all all your guys were friendlier and more cooperative. If we were friendly and much more cooperative. And NOT VICTIMS it would work so much better. We have a Sikh who was the first turbaned TSA officer. He talks about being friendlier and more cooperative. He knows what it's like from the other side. Service. Service. Service means to a young, impressionable TSA officer (TSO). It's the best job most of them have had. They are proud of being an officer like that. Give them something. Serve them. Help them. When I had to remove turban that one time, I said oh OK. Will this be done in time for flight? Oh yes. And Please, I will need a mirror to re-ty. It's not easy to do. Being super friendly the whole time. They insisted we should go to a private room for my sake. And one scrambled to get the mirror. And then they all stood around watching, fascinated by the process of a re-ty. Holding the mirror for me.
I was hustled out to make the flight. One office tagging along asking questions of my faith in the most friendly way. And then thanking me for being so nice. And adding I wish more of you guys were this friendly and tell others we are not bad guys, just doing our job. And if the Sikhs could be friendlier we would all have a better time of it.
So if the Sikhs were super cooperative, they would become known as someone the TSA officers could rely on. And be welcomed. And maybe become small heroes. Oh it's a Sikh. They are so nice. The service and being nice is what will turnaround the bad vibes.
If one was a famous movie star and stopped in Mexico. OK, but I will need a dressing room and mirror. I am used to that as a movie star. Did you see the movie I was in with Denzel Washington? Oh would you like to see a photo of the movie I was in with Bill Murray. Oh I have a photo here of the Gap ads I was in. No really. I am actually a famous actor. OK, lets do this. Have you ever seen a Sikh before? Ha, you get to see how much hair I have. Do you know Sikhs are the only people that have long hair. Yes! Oh did you know George Harrison in a song said if you have long hair you are either a Sikh or a freak. The only way to have long hair is to put on a turban, you know. Only way to really get away with having long hair. It's so nice never cutting hair or beard. Do you know when you have your total beard, you cannot feel it any longer. Or did you know there are women who love the feeling of a full soft beard. or did you know that men with all their hair are the best lovers. Etc, Etc. Banter that goes on and on, but is basically telling them all about who a Sikh is. Take advantage of the opportunities to talk it up. A removal of the turban is a total opportunity. Be so friendly and talkative that they basically want to move you on quickly. But they learned something.
I am the only Sikh in the Pacific Northwest to be in Rotary. I am very well known. And wonder why more Sikhs are not in Rotary. It's a great service organization. And has the same basic tenants as Sikhs. And the slogan is Service Above Self. Same as Sikhs. Yogi Bhajan was a lifetime Rotarian. For good reason. Look it up. Investigate it. If more Sikhs were in Rotary, out there doing for others and feeding as many people as possible, how much would people know and feel about Sikhs. What if Sikhs were the ones to feed the homeless as in the UK?
It's clear in the Hukums of the Sikh Gurus what needs to be done. And what the solution is. It was confirmed by the teachings of the Siri Singh Sahib. it's all about service. It's all about feeding people; physically, mentally and spiritually. --
"Discourse about racism is not meant to stir up feelings of guilt.
Discourse is meant to drive people to action against injustice.
Question is, are we mature enough to sit down and discuss
issues of diversity, including religion, gender and race?"
My Sikh Sense
Hari Singh BIrd Khalsa
Re Why Are Airports Still So Clueless About Respecting Sikhs?
Sat Nam. This subject is currently receiving a lot of attention via a Sikh blog, e.g., Ravitej Singh Ji's comments above, but so far the blog participants are missing a major point.
So, for the sake of clarity (and not intending to paint with too broad a brush), allow me to connect the dots on my previous allusions in the aforementioned blog based on my observations in relation to the Sikh tendency to tribalism as a person with some experience as a person of color.
"We are not Indians. We are not Americans. We are not Germans and
we are not French. We follow a spiritual bond, and spirit is not divided
by the boundaries of political arenas. The projectivity of the magnetic
field of the soul is always at the same frequency wherever it exists.
It is called the lifeline." -- Siri Singh Sahib aka Yogi Bhajan
Please read on.
Guru rakha.
Hari Singh Bird, U.S.A. --
Organizations can become tribal and incestuous, i.e., when the 'gene pool'
of members is of one race the organization is at risk of becoming perverted in its
policies and procedures. The obvious remedy is to add outsiders to the member mix.
"Looking at the one and only Black Family native to SDI/3HO/KRI
after 50 years from my perspective as a person of color I have to
ask, why are there so few Black Families? How many White Families
vs. Black Families are there after 50 years? Oh sure, there are a few
African-Americans, but they are disproportionately represented.
Think about the optics from the perspective of most people of color.
Do people of color see this disparity as a positive or as a negative?
And how many Black Kundalini Yoga teachers-trainers are there?
Isn't it time for there to be some serious mixed-race adult dialogue?
Detractors: Kindly answer questions before vilifying the messenger.
The key indicator that organizations have come of age is when steps
are taken to permit open dialogue on the issue with people of color.
BTW: When asked if one Black Family after 50 years is an issue
of concern, some Sikh Dharma ministers agreed. But when asked
why the issue is never discussed, they were unable to answer.
Discourse is not meant to stir up feelings of guilt. Discourse is
meant to drive people to action against injustice. Question is
are we mature enough to sit down and discuss issues
of tribalism, including race, religion, and gender?"
"The human mind was created to make choices, e.g., to discriminate between
up and down, in and out, black and white, etc. We must remain aware of our
tendency to use our discretionary abilities in order to marginalize and repress
people with whom we differ. Sikhs need to constantly see to it that we advocate
for pluralism and against tribalism in the interest of truth, justice and fairness."
"Racism gets its start with tribalism. The antidote to tribalism is the sensitivity
summit in which people of color and other marginalized groups are heard."
"People who are pretending to be asleep will resist being awakened
because they have something to lose by ending the charade."
"Discourse is not meant to stir up feelings of guilt. Discourse is
meant to drive people to action against injustice. Question is
are we mature enough to sit down and discuss issues
of tribalism, including race, religion, and gender?"
"3HO/Sikh Dharma needs to reach out to people of color,
not expect people of color to find 3HO/Sikh Dharma."
After 50 years, where are the African-American women?
*"In 2013, the population of African Americans, including those of more than one race,
was estimated at 45 million, making up 15.2% of the total U.S. population." Source.
NOTE: U.S. organizations should reflect about 15 African Americans out of every 100.
My Sikh Sense
Hari Singh BIrd Khalsa
To whom it may concern.
Sat Nam. I have known Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Satpal Singh Khalsa Ji since 1978. He was born and raised in India; speaks Punjabi and English. He acted as a senior 'aide de camp' to Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogi Ji. He arranged and accompanied Siri Singh Sahib Ji on his travels to and from India, and elsewhere for twenty-six years. Singh Sahib Ji is a KRI certified Kundalini Yoga teacher and a minister of Sikh Dharma. He has maintained a presence at major religious gatherings and conferences of World spiritual leaders, before and after Siri Singh Sahib Ji's passing in 2004. Satpal Singh Ji knows well the Punjabi and Western cultures and has financially supported many Sikh Dharma missionary programs for over 38 years.
"The
use of music for spiritual attainment and healing of the soul, which
was prevalent in ancient times, is not found to the same extent today.
Music has been made a pastime, the means of forgetting
God instead of realizing God." -- Hazrat
Inayat Khan
My Sikh Sense
Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa
Universal Sikh Dharma – Across cultures, religions and continents.
Sat Nam. The universal message of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib has spread through the hearts of people all over the world from all religions and cultures. This article shares a little bit of my story in this tale of inspiration, the challenges, and also tells my experience of how the Guru continues to inspire seekers in places you might not know through many different avenues.
Most Sikhs come from families born in India. However, during the past 40+ years, many small “sprouts” have grown in various parts of the world, from other cultures and backgrounds. Like ripples in the water they are spreading further and further out. With Guru’s blessings, and the lifetime seva of Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji, countless people have been exposed to the teachings of Guru Nanak.
"What is higher consciousness and what is lower consciousness?
Anything, which relates to self at the cost of others is lower
consciousness. Anything where self is sacrificed for the cost
of others
is higher consciousness." -- Siri Singh Sahib
My Sikh Sense
Harmeet Singh
We are not the victims of mistaken identity,
we are doing what our identity is supposed to do.
They say the average American does not know the difference between a Sikh and Muslim. They tell me the average American associates a turban and a beard with ISIS, Taliban, or Bin Laden. That’s okay because the average Sikh does not have fear in their vocabulary.
We are not the victims of mistaken identity, we are in fact doing exactly what our identity was supposed to do. It was supposed to absorb hate and ignorance so others would not have to.
See, you mistake us for something we are not however you do not know exactly who we are. Our heritage teaches us tolerance, to love the enemy and to protect even those we do not agree with. These seemingly progressive values, of equality, freedom of religion, justice for all that you thought were American are actually something Sikhs have been living, and dying for centuries over.
Our history is full of examples how Sikhs protected others before themselves, put humanity first and their own life last. We are taught from a very young age that our identity comes with responsibility, it will come with its own set of challenges, and we are in fact ready for anything and more your hate can dish out.
We have learned through our forefathers that hate does not last, and love, and truth eventually overcome. You may feel big by attacking us, but with each blow you only strengthen our resolve. You have bullied our children in schools, attacked our places of worship all in your skewed misinformed and small view of the world.
Yes we look different but we are not foreign to this type of treatment. Everywhere a Sikh goes they know they stand out, they know their identity comes before all else that is presented about them, and even in the face of extreme intolerance they are willing to not reciprocate the hate but shower love instead.
You think if you intimidate us we will go running ‘back to our country’ as you heckle commonly, however we will not go back but only dig our heals stronger to prove that not only are we not afraid but we have the resolve to overcome your anger. Our religion provides us the guidance that there is no other, there is no difference, there is no better, there is only divine light which shines in all.
A Sikhs strength lies in their identity, it goes hand in hand with their existence. You might use images of the media to shape your world view through the bias lens, but we use spiritual power to shape our resolve. A Sikh will stay steadfast in a storm because we know the real battle does not rage externally rather internally is where the conquest really counts.
My hope is of a better America, where tolerance is not just a word that is thrown around, but actually practiced by every individual. Where diversity is not seen as a weakness but our core strength and what makes this nation great. Till then you will never see us hiding, the 'Average Sikh' will be out there with our turbans and beards easy to spot and ready for any challenge that may be presented. -- Source.