Ambrosial Nectar

WAHEGURUUUUU!

Well...lol a whole lot's happened over the last 6 months or so. We moved house for a start. Gotta say it's nice to have space to yourself; even though Ekta can cause chaos no matter what the occassion.

In december I went to the Barsi of Brahmgyani Baba Thakhur Singh Ji (DDT). From what little I know of him, he was an awesome spririt. It was a breathtaking occassion. We left from Slough Singh Sabha (my first time there) and I met some sangat from the area (which is close to where I NOW live).

There was an Amrit Sanchar that day...I'd been thinking about it for a long time, but I'd promised my Father that I wouldn't Shakk til I was 18..that was a good 4 days or so away lol.
So....I waited.

Then, with Maharaj Ji's Maha Kirpa I heard there was an Amrit Sanchar taking place at Slough Singh Sabha. I couldn't sleep properly for a week. I wanted to ask my Dad (but I knew he'd say no). But then I WAS now 18, so I had upheld my end of the bargain....

Anyways I did it. The experience was out of this world. MIND-BLOWING YAAAAR!

and I dont think i've ever tasted anything quite so spectacular before and nor will I ever again.

What made it better was that it was Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Gurgaddi. (5th Jan)

My dad gave me a bit of a hard time because I didnt consult him or anything properly (he had a hangover and stuff and I didnt have the gutts). and I dont think he'll get over the fact that I disobeyed direct orders from him for the first time....

But someone told me that we arent here for ourselves or our relatives or friends....but for Guru Ji....so 'what the heeey?'

I feel real good, but I did have an inexplicable rocky patch a few weeks ago...I couldn't get up for nitnem...but I'm out of it again and thanks to Waheguru its all good.

All I can say is that for those of you on the fence about it...take the step...dont heed others but dont feel pressured into it either...peer pressure comes from places you'd least expect Jio's

myrY min qin AMimRq mIT lgwnw ]

maerai man than a(n)mrith meet(h) lagaanaa

His Ambrosial Amrit is so sweet to my mind and body.

Punjab

WOW...August was my last post....unbelievable. Soooo busy with the comic, schoolwork, languages and stuff...time flies (guess I know what they mean when they say life is short)...Lots of things have happened since my last post. I've decided to Chakk Amrit in April, in honour of having 300 years of Guru Granth Sahib Ji among us. I'm keeping a MUCH stronger Rehit, am learning Punjabi, Mandarin and at some poitn kirtan and oh yeah, I've been to India and back!

I left Heathrow by myself to meet my grandmother (who had already left a few days before) at Amritsar Airport with my Thia and Chachi Ji. As soon as I stepped out onto the tarmac I could smell the difference in India. It was a sweet and warm smell (only way to describe it). It took me 4 hours to get through immigration and get my luggage. A young guy offered to help get it from the back and my suitcase was found within seconds....He got about a hundred rupees for his help :P

Once we meeted and greeted, we left straight for Haripur in Jallandar where my grans' younger sisters' family are from. The first thing I noticed was the fact that there were no women on the streets at this time (4am.) All the men were wrapped in thick shawls to keep them warm and peaked over the tops to see.

Just outside the airport we were stopped by policemen who quickly took 300 rupees and we were off again. I slept the bumpy ride there. At keshangarh (my pindh) we had to drive through a drained riverand Thia had to puch the car up the slope...road works in India...

Haripur had the best milk by far...musta been something in the cows because it was soooo sweet and creamy mmmm (me reminiscing). I fell in love with Bibi Massi...so warm and cuddly hehe.

After a days rest we leftearly the next day in a rental to Anandpur Sahib. This is the place of the birth of the Khalsa amongst other events such as battles and sieges. The first Gurudwara Sahib we visited was Kiratpur Sahib. WOW! We did ishnaan and did matta tekh, sitting down. WHAT a place! It seemed so pure I gotta say. The next place was Kesghar Sahib where Guru Gobind Singh initiated the first Amrit Sanchaar with the panj pyaare and Mata Sahib Kaur in 1699. The first thing you notice is the monkeys...sooo many cute lil things clingin to their mummies bellies hahaha....and then how white Anandpur Sahib is! Kesghar Sahib was so big...I felt really weirdly emotional there. A kind of vibe came over me. I just wished I could have been there 308 years ago. One thing I DID notice here though was that at the birthplace of the Khalsa, there were a LOT of cut-haired people...kinda seems like Punjab is goin backward compared to the Sikhs of the West now....

The next Gurudwara Sahib was where Guru Ji's horse smashed his foot in the search for water on a small mountain. Since that day water has been coming up from that spot...still bubbling, it was amaaaasing!

The next day we were off to Amritsar. The first stop was Harmandir Sahib....awesome...ishnaan was freeeezing but I woouldnt have changed it for the world. Only thing I would say though is that it was very commercialised and so it kinda took that spiritual edge away...Whereas, Tarn Taran was what was missing. The Sarovar is huuuuuuge and the day was sooo warm by then. THere werent half as many Sangat there, which I'm ashamed to say made it a whole lot better, you could enjoy it without being pushed out of the way hehehe.

Next stop was Baba Buddha Sahib Gurudwara, which was really cool. I never really knew a lot about him until then. To commemorate his smashing of the onion (I will do a post on this soon) they hand out onions as parshaad alongside onion paratha's. Sooooo tasty but you get really bad breath from it so make sure you take a tic tac for afters :P

We went to Baba Baakalaa (cant spell it) as a last stop. It was really nice. So many people sitting doing Simran in this little room near the main hall. There was a small exibit of Sikh art where most of our history and the messages taught over time where put up. Really brought tears to my eyes. Some of the paintings were very heartwrenching. A must see!

For the next few days we went to Kishangarh to prepare the house for the Canadians to come. My favourite memory about being at home was having Paath resonate through the pindh at 3am every morning and 5pm every evening. Soooo cool.

I went to Talhan Gurudwara for an Akhand Paath. WOOOOOOW! So many Guru Granth Sahibs being read in the same place. The room had so much shant in it, it was wonderous. You felt like you were floating in that place. I had the honour of taking Guru Ji on my worthless head to their room, for the first time in my life.....I was ill that day but as soon as Guru Ji touched my head I felt Raam. No words to describe.

That day I met my Thia Ji from England, which I was looking forward to. He's the only other real Amritdhari in the family. It's good having someone to talk to about stuff and have an elder to answer my annoying questions with an open mind. He is a nihung. Coolest guy on the planet. We went to his mum's pindh and I met his family. Then we went to Kartarpur. We saw a Gurudwara Sahib where Guru Arjun Dev Ji had built a well. It was the Ardaas of a funeral at the time. Then we moved on to Gurudwara Mata Gujari; where Guru Tegh Bahadur and Mata Gujari got married. It was up al these steps but it was so serene, I loved it. We went to go get Thias pics from the developers but they took so long it got dark and we gave up and went to Haripur.

I stayed the night there and met Thia Ji in Adampur, where we set off to visit the nihungs at Harianbella. This was by far the greatest experience of my life. What seva!!!! These singhs toil in the heat looking after the many horses and other animals, looking after the Gurudwara Sahib too, and some of them are so young....I felt so bad though becaus ethey did all this but not enough people visit the gurudwara, so it's hard for them to fund food and clothing. So Thia Ji helps out by buying clothes and some food when he can. They didn't even have enough to feed the horses sholay! The horses were so cool though. I rode one for the first time (not saddle) but it was thrilling. It gave you a strong sense of power and will to be up there. You get the hang of it after no time. hmmm...

Some of the Singhs were taking things hard and were getting a little depressed. One of them had turned to drugs, a young boy. The baba ji's and thia ji did their best to persuade him to stop and explained how wrong it is as a sikh and a human being to take drugs. (Sukha I think they call it) he understood how wrong it was, he just felt like he was being neglected for doing seva of Guru Ji. He said that they do no worng but still the people of Punjab attack them and treat them badly because of the acts of a minority. It's definately unfair. And these Singhs do so much, the people of Punjab should be ashamed in my opinion.

Anyhooo... that was about the extent of the spiritual journey in Punjab (apart from Bandhi Chorr, which was very cool) the rest was shopping for my cousins's wedding and visiting relatives.

We DID go to Harmandhir Sahib again, this time at night. Greatest sight ever, sooo chardi kalaan. All I can say is GO TO PUNJAB, do some parchaar though because those guys are losing it. They're in too much of a rush to become modern...that's another post altogether hehehe

gauVI mhlw 5 ]
gourree mehalaa 5
Gauree, Fifth Mehla:

imlu myry goibMd Apnw nwmu dyhu ]
mil maerae gobi(n)dh apanaa naam dhaehu

Meet me, O my Lord of the Universe. Please bless me with Your Name.

nwm ibnw iDRgu iDRgu Asnyhu ]1] rhwau ]
naam binaa dhhrig dhhrig asanaehu 1 rehaao
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, cursed, cursed is love and intimacy. 1Pause

nwm ibnw jo pihrY Kwie ]
naam binaa jo pehirai khaae
Without the Naam, one who dresses and eats well

ijau kUkru jUTn mih pwie ]1]
jio kookar joot(h)an mehi paae 1
is like a dog, who falls in and eats impure foods. 1

nwm ibnw jyqw ibauhwru ] ijau imrqk imiQAw sIgwru ]2]
naam binaa jaethaa biouhaar jio mirathak mithhiaa seegaar 2
Without the Naam, all occupations are useless, like decorations on a dead body. 2

nwmu ibswir kry rs Bog ]
naam bisaar karae ras bhog
One who forgets the Naam and indulges in pleasures,

suKu supnY nhI qn mih rog ]3]
sukh supanai nehee than mehi rog 3
shall find no peace, even in dreams; his body shall become diseased. 3

nwmu iqAwig kry An kwj ]
naam thiaag karae an kaaj
One who renounces the Naam and engages in other occupations,

ibnis jwie JUTy siB pwj ]4]
binas jaae jhoot(h)ae sabh paaj 4
shall see all of his false pretenses fall away. 4

nwm sMig min pRIiq n lwvY ]
naam sa(n)g man preeth n laavai
One whose mind does not embrace love for the Naam

koit krm krqo nrik jwvY ]5]
kott karam karatho narak jaavai 5
shall go to hell, even though he may perform millions of ceremonial rituals. 5

hir kw nwmu ijin min n AwrwDw ]
har kaa naam jin man n aaraadhhaa
One whose mind does not contemplate the Name of the Lord

cor kI inAweI jm puir bwDw ]6]
chor kee niaaee jam pur baadhhaa 6
is bound like a thief, in the City of Death. 6

lwK AfMbr bhuqu ibsQwrw ]
laakh adda(n)bar bahuth bisathhaaraa
Hundreds of thousands of ostentatious shows and great expanses

nwm ibnw JUTy pwswrw ]7]
naam binaa jhoot(h)ae paasaaraa 7
- without the Naam, all these displays are false. 7

hir kw nwmu soeI jnu lyie ]
har kaa naam soee jan laee
That humble being repeats the Name of the Lord,

kir ikrpw nwnk ijsu dyie ]8]10]
kar kirapaa naanak jis dhaee 810
O Nanak, whom the Lord blesses with His Mercy. 810

This is an e-mail I got recently, which I thought I'd post on here- read ALL of it dudes!Waheguru ji ka Khalsa! Waheguru ji ki Fateh!The notion of simran is really important, especially in Guru Arjan dev ji’s Bani. Simran often gets translated as remembrance, which is a very shallow, flat-land way to translate simran. The Sri Singh Sahibs talked about simran in a very specific way. Simran is not dyan; it is not meditation; it is not jap; it is not repeating it is not ardaas; it is not a prayer. Simran is a state of conscious that comes out of doing these kinds of practices. Simran is a way for the inner being of the spirit and the outer being of the temporary personality and body and mind to communicate with each other, intermingle with each other, mutually relate to each other, so that the personality in destiny, which is from the soul, and the personality of time and space, become one thing. For most of us, our souls took a form for a purpose, and we have tremendous pain and duality in our lives, because what the soul took the body to do, and the mind to do, and incarnated to do, conflicts with what we believe we should do, what we are taught we should do, what the mind thinks, or what the body desires.This conflict between the soul’s purpose and the personality of time and space creates tremendous pain, creates depression, it leads drug abuse, leads to alcoholism, leads to fantasy, leads to getting lost in romantic love. So that disconnect between the soul and the temporary personality is really the main problem that we are trying to work out as human beings, and which is why we need a guru, and why we need a teacher, because we need the power of a teacher, so that this duality can be resolved. Simran is a very elevated, high state of consciousness, where through the practice of dyan, through the practice of jap, through the practice of ardaas, through the practice of kirtan, we actually come into a reality where the destiny of the soul is being expressed, because the mind is constantly being directed to the inner being, instead of into the Maya around it.So the mind has the power to move energy. If the mind moves energy on its own behalf, we call that the Manmukh. Gurbani talks about how the Manmukh dies, and how the Manmukh suffers. When the mind is trained through the Guru’s word, to direct itself to understanding the instruction of the inner being, then the energy is moved in a way so that the soul can deliver and realize the purpose that it came to earth for. This capacity of the mind to inner beam and intermingle with the beam of light of the soul, and how that manifests the reality of the soul in time and space, in a way that is harmonious, that is what simran is. So Guru Arjan is saying in this first line, through this experience, and it is repeated simar simar simar, it is a continual state–When we are continually in that place of the mind in-beaming to the light and beam of the soul, and the intermingling of that, and the projection of that, then that is when peace comes to us.Within every breath we are in this state of remembering. What does it mean to remember God? Well it doesn’t mean to remember some being out there in the universe that is disconnected from us. To remember with every breath the Divine is to remember presence of the Divine inside of ourselves. That is the only thing we have the capacity to remember because it is the only thing we really can experience. Guru Nanaak talks about the Divine in Japji: That the Divine in all its Creativity is beyond the reach of our senses and beyond our mind. But the Divine Life that lives inside of us that we can really know and feel complete with. So it is through this consciousness and condition of simran that peace comes to us. Peace comes to us, and with every breath, we are constantly remembering that Divine essence that lives inside of us. And he says that this experience of the inner being that we can touch, in the human body, in this world, and in the world beyond, is our true companion. Because that will never leave us. The body will drop away. The mind will drop away. But if we have tasted the inner being, that is the death-less-ness that goes on inside of us. That is what goes on from lifetime to lifetime.That energy is a tremendous help and protection for us. When we come from our mind, we make mistakes when we allow the inner being to guide us. It guides us very clearly through life. Guru Arjan brings it back to Guru, to the Shabad and he says, gur kaa bachan basai jeea naalae. He is saying that the song of the Guru is living with the inner being. And that this is the key because the mind on its own cannot get there. It is only through this song that the Guru sings, that the mind can be trained to exist with the Jio with the soul with the inner being. And so he is saying that it is this key, of the song of the Guru, that allows this to happen. And he talks about the quality of this song. Once through the song, the mind is directed to dwell with the inner being, there is no material condition that can destroy that experience for us. So it can’t be drowned in water, it can’t be burned in fire, nobody can steal that from us. This is really important when we look at the history of the Sikhs and the tortures that the Sikhs had to go through. Once there was simran, there was the genuine experience of manifesting that destiny.The tortures of water and the tortures of fire, because of the Guru’s song, bachan: there was no way for those tortures to break that experience. Yes, the body could be broken. Yes, there could be pain. But nothing could interfere with that state of simran once it is established. And that is what Guru Arjan is talking about here. Nothing can take that away from a person. This experience is wealth for those who have no wealth. It is a cane to help someone who is blind to walk. For a totally helpless baby it is the mother’s milk that completely feeds it. So, we are poor, and we are blind, and we are helpless children. But through the Guru’s song that awakens the experience of simran, the consciousness of simran, that then becomes the song and the simran becomes the wealth that helps us, the cane that helps us, and the mother’s milk that feeds us.He says that in this ocean here is the boat, I have found Har, I have found the Divine Essence that dwells inside of everything. And, Nanaak, it is through the kindness and the graciousness of the Guru that I have found this boat of the Divine Essence that can carry me across life.DnwsrI mhlw 5 Gru 8 dupdy dhanaasaree mehalaa 5 ghar 8 dhupadhae Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehla, Eighth House, Du-Paday Ang 679 <> siqgur pRswid ] ik oa(n)kaar sathigur prasaadh One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:ismrau ismir ismir suK pwvau swis swis smwly ] simaro simar simar sukh paavo saas saas samaalae Remembering, remembering, remembering Him in meditation, I find peace; with each and every breath, I dwell upon Him.ieh loik prloik sMig shweI jq kq moih rKvwly ]1] eih lok paralok sa(n)g sehaaee jath kath mohi rakhavaalae 1 In this world, and in the world beyond, He is with me, as my help and support; wherever I go, He protects me. 1gur kw bcnu bsY jIA nwly ] gur kaa bachan basai jeea naalae The Guru’s Word abides with my soul.jil nhI fUbY qskru nhI lyvY Bwih n swkY jwly ]1] rhwau ] jal nehee ddoobai thasakar nehee laevai bhaahi n saakai jaalae 1 rehaao It does not sink in water; thieves cannot steal it, and fire cannot burn it. 1Pause inrDn kau Dnu AMDuly kau itk mwq dUDu jYsy bwly ] niradhhan ko dhhan a(n)dhhulae ko ttik maath dhoodhh jaisae baalae It is like wealth to the poor, a cane for the blind, and mother’s milk for the infant. swgr mih boihQu pwieE hir nwnk krI ik®pw ikrpwly ]2]1]32] saagar mehi bohithh paaeiou har naanak karee kirapaa kirapaalae 2132In the ocean of the world, I have found the boat of the Lord; the Merciful Lord has bestowed His Mercy upon Nanak. 2132Waheguru ji ka Khalsa! Waheguru ji ki Fateh!

Don't be lazy

It's been a full month since my last post....I finally got a job, also the comic, my reading for history coursework, my personal statement, my cousins' wedding and my lil sister have taken up all my time...

I haven't done simran properly in a while I'm so tired - I know it's no excuse, but I feel that I can't pray for the sake of praying..just because I have to. When I pray my whole heart has to be in it. I have to concentrate, clear my mind - otherwise why pray? I know in my heart it wont help me to pray like that so I won't. Bu at the same time I dont feel so at peace without the power of Naam. A friend said that we should focus on our own jeevans which I agree on...I always think 'man you got no clue' when people just refuse to understand the power of Naam Simran. So...tomorrow morning I'm going to puch myself to do my nitnem and so simran too. This Hukamnama really seemed to hit me today...

August 17, 2007, Friday 04:45 AM. IST]

SHALOK, FIFTH MEHL:

That body, which does not meditate in remembrance on the Lord's Name in the Saadh Sangat, shall be reduced to dust. Cursed and insipid is that body, O Nanak, which does not know the One who created it. 1 FIFTH MEHL: Let His Lotus Feet abide within your heart, and with your tongue, chant the Name of the Lord of the World. O Nanak, meditate in remembrance on God, and nurture this body of yours. 2 PAUREE:

Forever

All I can say is wow...we've been getting some real weird weather lately. Hot, cold, warm, wet, dry , you name it....Kalyug I feel is coming to it's height, who knows though. Waheguru works in mysterious ways. Sometimes I feel he gives us a sign to let us know that He's still about, and always will be. I took this pic in the middle of a thunder storm. It was quite scary and then out of nowhere this beautiful rainbow appeared as if telling me to...*cliche*...always look at the bright side...hehe

hY BI hosI jwie n jwsI rcnw ijin rcweI ]hai bhee hosee jaae n jaasee rachanaa jin rachaaee

He is, and shall always be. He shall not depart, even when this Universe which He has created departs.

IT HAS BEGUN

Pre-lim work on the Sikh comic has finished! I have just started getting it all down on the panels :)

If anyone would like to help in anyway it would be appreciated (even storylines- though I have a good idea of story.)

The comic is basically to educate or youth ad non-sikhs about the history of our religion and therefore as a result teach people about some of our Guru Ji's teachings.

Can't wait to show you - only my scanner doesnt work here so I will put a pic up when I get home,

ciao

Holding A Peice Of Time

Well it's a been a while since my last post. I have been very busy. Yeah busy. How often is it that way for you? It's amazing how we seem to have soooo much time for the things that don't really matter, but the important things just go out the window. We can sit behind a desk for up to 9 hours a day, gossip for more, watch tele for even longer; yet have no time for our creater Waheguru (God), our families, real friends and what not. At first I thought...There's just not enough time in the day. Then I thought, of course there's enough time (whoever thought of that one?) The problem is we don't know how to properly use the time we have here. Nitnem, bani, simran (as much as you don't wanna believe it ((you know who you are)) all help you so much, you have no idea!

suix mn imqR ipAwirAw imlu vylw hY eyh ]sun man mithr piaariaa mil vaelaa hai eaeh

Listen, O my mind, my friend, my darling: now is the time to meet the Lord.

Recently I've been trying to use my time constructively. It's not that I'm just negative but I find that unless you watch something like news, documentaries or the occassional film, it's just not worth wasting your time watching TV. And it's not as if we watch real, genuinely good people. It's people that are quite horrendous and shameless, sex, drugs, alcohol and more. Do we really need to watch this? So I've been studying more (finally get economics) and I just started preliminary work on my Sikh Based Comic Book (unnamed) which will, Waheguru willing, be out soon :) I am learning Chinese, Punjabi and trying to leanr Hindi written. I'm trying to keep a strict rehit too. Staying away for as long as possible from things like msn and sikhsangat (as much as I love it) I just find I waste precious time doing well...nothing.

Here's a 'letter from God' which sent shivers down my spine when I read it and I was close to tears.

LETTER FROM GOD

As you got up this morning, I watched you, and hoped you would talk to me, even if it was just a few words, asking my opinion or thanking me for something good that happened in your life yesterday. But I noticed you were too busy, trying to find the right outfit to wear.When you ran around the house getting ready, I knew there would be a few minutes for you to stop and say hello, but you were to busy. At one point you had to wait fifteen minutes with nothing to do except sit in a chair. Then I saw you spring to your feet. I thought you wanted to talk to me but you ran to the phone and called a friend to get the latest gossip instead. I watched patiently all day long. With all our activities I guess you were too busy to say anything to me.I noticed that before lunch you looked around, maybe you felt embarrassed to talk to me,that is why you didn't bow your head. You glanced three or four tables over and yo u noticed some of your friends talking to me briefly before they ate, but you didn't.That's okay. There is still more time left, and I hope that you will talk to me yet.You went home and it seems as if you had lots of things to do. After a few of them were done, you turned on the TV. I don't know if you like TV or not, just about anything goes there and you spend a lot of time each day in front of it not thinking about anything, just enjoying the show. I waited patiently again as you watched the TV and ate your meal, but again you didn't talk to me.Bedtime I guess you felt too tired. After you said goodnight to your family you plopped into bed and fell asleep in no time. That's okay because you may not realize that I am always there for you.. I've got patience, more than you will ever know. I even want to teach you how to be patient with others as well.I love you so much that I wait everyday for a nod, prayer or thought, or a thankful part of your heart. It is hard to have a one-sided conversation. Well, you are getting up once again. Once again I will wait, with nothing but love for you. Hoping that today you will give me some time.

Have a nice day!

Your friend,

GOD

What can I say? Whoever wrote this is amazing. Thank you for opening more eyes :)