I remember a time when I was so proud of myself for being able to recite the Ardas in Punjabi really nicely. However now I feel like I would rather say Ardas in English since that is what I understand. The Ardas is a prayer, and true prayer comes only from the heart, not from the head. It is the common prayer of the entire Sangat present at that moment. It is a reminder of all the sacrifices that Sikhs made before us so we could stand here before our Guru. It is a reminder of the courage of those Sikhs who stood steadfast and enabled us to live this lifestyle today. If I don’t understand what is being said then it’s not much of a reminder is it?

With more people from non-Punjabi cultural backgrounds adopting the Sikh lifestyle, along with the Sikh youth growing up without understanding Punjabi, I feel that some things have to change to best serve the times. When a majority of the Sangat do not understand the meaning of the things we are doing then they become nothing more than a ritual performed by rote. The meaning, purpose and experience is what is important. I personally try not to do things without understanding the purpose of it. What is the value of being a robot, and doing things mechanically rather than consciously? When our practices as Sikhs lose their meaning then they become empty rituals.

Have you ever had that feeling where the days feel like the same thing over and over and over again in an endless boring loop? When I feel like that I long for something more meaningful and for a change in my life. So when Sikhs feel like the things they do don’t give them any value, or see the reasons for them, then it’s no wonder that people start doing something else! I mean, why go through the hassle of standing out as a Sikh without getting some value, right? The depth of the experience of living this Sikh lifestyle and the understanding of it, and the direct experience it brings are what give meaning and richness to our lives.

Have you ever heard the Ardas recited in English at your Gurdwara? How often do you hear non-Punjabi language used when Sikhi or Gurbani is explained? How often do you hear of a friend or family member saying they want to be a Gyani or Ragi when they grow up? Probably not very often. So when you mix the two cultures, Older Gyanis/Ragis with Western English speaking Sikhs, there is a gap in understanding.

Many older Sikhs go to Gurdwara partly because it is a social place to connect in this "western world", but for the younger generation there is a big gap. We can’t expect the older management of Gurdwaras to understand the needs of this new generation. Things can’t stay the same as the times and the environment evolve. At some point each community must take a leadership role in their Gurdwara to help create the change necessary to meet the needs of this new generation of Sikhs. This of course takes a much more active involvement in the Gurdwara than many are willing to give, and it requires community members to brainstorm what new things could be done at the Gurdwara to give more value and meaning to the experience.

Most Gurdwaras are not kid friendly. You often see the mothers in the back of the Gurdwara trying their best to keep their child quiet and well-behaved while the "ceremonies" are done. Or there are the Western-born Sikhs who don’t understand Punjabi and who just sit there because they are supposed to, without fully understanding or relating to what is going on.

When I was a kid we used to have a special kid Gurdwara program that was separate from the regular Gurdwara. This was great because it provided a more kid friendly environment for us, and at the same time involved the kids in all aspects of the Gurdwara.We were told stories of the Gurus, we played and listened to kirtan, we sat behind the Guru, we did Ardas, we all took hukams, served parshad…etc..etc.  There was no separation from the Guru created by adults doing everything while we just sat. We all felt excited to be a part of everything. This usually took place at the same time as the "Adult Gurdwara". We would then have a snack and move over to the "Adult Gurdwara" and be a part of that Gurdwara too. So the small "kids Gurdwara" was like a training ground to involve and teach us as kids. It helped us all to feel really connected to what happened in Gurdwara.

Another thing we do near the end of Gurdwara is the "The Children’s Program". Everyone looks forward to it. It’s where the kids lead the Sangat, rather than being led by it. All the kids get up together in front of the Sangat and sing various inspirational songs related to the Gurus (in English/Gurbani) while they coordinate their hand motions with the words. This gives them a fun part of Gurdwara and also gives them confidence as leaders and the courage needed to be in front of everyone. (It’s not easy giving a speech to a crowd!)

I sometimes get emails from new Sikhs or people who are learning about the Sikh lifestyle who visit a Gurdwara and they feel lost. Because of the cultural and language differences they find it very difficult to fit in and relate. In order to accommodate the new "Sikhers" who are not from Punjabi backgrounds and the young Sikhs who are growing up in western society we have to make adjustments.

Children get so much more meaning out of Gurdwara and being a Sikh when they get to learn and participate in Gurdwara. There are many creative ideas that individual Sangats can come up with to suit the needs of their own community (not just for kids!) Take a moment to think about this. Let’s not be limited by what "has always been done." Change is important. It’s how we grow and evolve.

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 The Gurdwara lecture is from Jan. 6th 1988, by Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogi ji. Below are a few quotes that I typed up from the talk.

Download audio file (SSS Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji – Gurdwara Lecture – 1-6-88-EXCERPT.mp3)
   

"You don’t have any enemy. Your enemy is your own mind, When your mind controls you and draws you out of you; And takes you where it wants to take you. You are absolutely going to default, not for unhappiness, but for tragedy. Mind cannot be controlled by you alone. Mind needs meditation. Mind needs positive affirmation and Gurus word is that positive affirmation…."

"If you want to see Guru Gobind Singh or don’t see Guru Gobind Singh. Some people say ‘we don’t want to see the picture of Guru Gobind Singh because some painter painted it’. Forget it, don’t go after the painting, don’t go after the picture. Dress yourself and stand before the mirror and see Guru Gobind Singh in the mirror.

Guru Gobind Singh will be always alive or dead, represented, not represented, graceful, not graceful, because of the act and pace and space of a Sikh. These are the Guru Gobind Singh’s own words; That my life is that of the Sikh; My prana is that of the Sikh. My Sikh is my grace. These are the words of the same Guru which you want to appear. How more explicit, open and honest a Guru can be? The problem is that we want to dress ourselves to please others. The day we dress ourself to please ourself, and the day we dress ourself to please the Guru, we made it….."

"In you is your own soul. I am not saying follow Sikh Dharma. I’m not saying follow Islam. I’m not saying follow Christianity. I say follow the whole universe, follow anything, or don’t follow anybody. But if you do not get to see your own soul within your own concept and conception, whatever you have followed or not followed, you have wasted your lifetime. There is no redemption. Guru Guides you, by the experience…."

"Sikh Dharam is a practical religion. It is not a religion to only be followed on Sunday. This religion starts at 3AM and never ends. It’s an endless religion…." 

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You can listen to a clip of it, order the CD/mp3 download at SpiritVoyage

El nuevo CD single en español se titula: LA MUJER NOBLE (Noble Woman). Esta canción es MUY poderosa para orientar a las mujeres a su poder a través de la NOBLEZA. Remezclado desde el CD: BENDICIONES DE UNA MUJER y grabado en Santiago de Chile en enero de 2010 después del Festival de Kundalini Yoga de allí.

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While she was gone I held up the "fort" at home with my 3 year old Charanjeet Kaur. It was great to have the extra time with my daughter, but I’m glad to have my wife home!

Below is a slideshow of some pictures she took during her trip. Click on a picture to see the photo description about the photo.

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By Vicki Miller:

"Everyday we make thousands of judgments about people, places, situations and events. These judgments happen so quickly and are such a part of our lives that we are not even aware that we are passing judgment. How we were raised and what we were taught play a significant role in how we judge what is happening around us. Judgment can protect us and keep us from making mistakes, but judgment can also prevent us from seeing clearly. So how do we know the difference?

 

Look to the source of the judgment. Is it coming from your intuition, telling you that something doesn’t quite feel right? This called discernment and is a valuable use of judgment. Or is it coming from your ego, telling you that you are superior to another or that you know better than they do?
 
When we judge another person’s actions or behavior we are saying that we know what is best for them, that we have the best rule book or the best solution. We expect others to see things exactly the way we do. But how can they? Were they raised under the same circumstances as we?

Dr. Loren Ekroth states: “No two people experience the same reality, so how can we know what is exactly right for another soul?” We can’t. But there is something we can do. We can strive to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes and reach across the difference of opinion to find the common ground on which we all stand. We can bring out the best in others by looking for what’s good about them – not what’s wrong.

Whatever you focus on grows and expands, so why not put your attention on the best in people? If we seek to understand, and look below the surface of the behavior, we may find that the other person is in need of kindness from us. Then we can show our true nature by extending such kindness.
 
There is a principle called the Pygmalion Effect. This principle states that if we expect the best from another and communicate such to them, they will respond by adjusting their behavior to match. Test this principle over the rest of the month. See what you can do to find and bring out the best out in others!"

From Wikipedia: "The Pygmalion effect refers to the phenomenon in which the greater the expectation placed upon people, often children or students, the better they perform. It is a form of self-fulfilling prophecy, and, in this respect, people with poor expectations internalize the negative labels people put on them, while those with positive labels succeed accordingly."

So, instead of criticizing or judging someone openly in public – (and that includes discussion forums, web, Facebook and email, of course) or even criticizing them privately, to their face – instead tell them how great and beautiful they are. And if you see a behavior that doesn’t measure up, tell them that they are greater than that and you expect high calibre from them. Let your expectations be the mark and watch them match up.

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Over 35 years ago my parents and many other westerners discovered the Sikh lifestyle and the teachings of the Gurus. Slowly over time more and more people from non-Punjabi backgrounds have found a love of the Guru and this beautiful lifestyle. I was born and raised a Sikh so have never known anything else, so, just like many of you whose families are from India, you have been raised as a Sikh and it is very normal.

Now that I am almost 35 years old, much of what I have learned on this path has become so integrated in my being that I sometimes forget about the early days. The early days when everything was so new for the many souls seeking to connect with the Guru. There was no road-map for them & everything was so new! There had never been many Sikhs of non-punjabi background, so there were great cultural/language barriers to take the teachings of Sikh Dharma and learn/practice them. It was a slow and steady evolution of learning and growing as new "seeds" germinating in the sun. I’m sure many mistakes were made, but everything was done with such innocence and love for the Guru and just became part of the evolution like a child growing up.

Looking back 35+ years and seeing where we are today I still see these seeds slowly growing and producing new seeds which are starting to grow elsewhere in the world. 

There are now small beautiful communities of Sikhs growing in various parts of the world. South America is one area that I always love to hear about. Every year a group of Sikhs travel on the Guru Ram Das Lord of Miracles Tour throughout South America to teach and inspire people. It is so inspiring seeing and hearing about these travels each year & as people from all different backgrounds get touched by the light of the Guru!

I have never been to South America but I love to read about the people there, hear stories from friends, and meet some of them when they come to Espanola. Americans can often be so blunt and callous, so it is nice when I get to meet people from different cultural backgrounds who are so sweet and kind.

When I meet and read about them it reminds me of the early days 40 years ago when my parent’s generation were just starting on this path. There is a deep innocence and longing to learn. They soak in everything and are so appreciative of this path and anything that is shared with them. Having grown up in this lifestyle it is inspiring for ME, as it is for many of you, to see people adopt the Sikh lifestyle and live it with such enthusiasm, love and dedication. It is also a reminder to me of the Gifts that I have been given and to not take them for granted.

There are many different countries in South America where pockets of Sikhs are growing, however the past few days I have been thinking about the Sikhs in Chile. When I was visiting my son in Amritsar I stayed at a friends house for a few days and got to hang out with 3 Sikhs from Chile & my USA friend. Everyone in the house was not only great people but all shared a love of Gurbani Kirtan and Music.  A bit part of there every day life was studying Gurbani Kirtan and playing music. The night I was leaving they had a "jam out session" singing shabads and various mantras from the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Then recently I got a skype message from another new young Sikh from Chile who had just created a beautiful CD called Akash. I started to realize that many of the Chilean Sikhs were very into Music. In fact pretty much all the music that I had which was of  Spanish Language background was produced by "Sikhers" from Chile.

There was "Mahaband" who were a few of the people I hung out with in Amritsar and gave me a few of their live recordings from morning Sadhana. Then there is Sat Shabad Singh who had produced two beautiful CDs already. And recently I started listening to new music by 26 year old Satya Amrit Singh.

Over the past few days I have been listening to the AKASH CD by Satya Amrit Singh and enjoying it a lot. As I listen to it thinking of these beautiful seeds growing in South America. Satya Amrit Singh was one of a group of others who took Sikh vows, which for many is like a first step to commit to living the Sikh lifestyle. For most of us we are born into the lifestyle, but for those who are new to Sikhi it is a conscious act of commitment to the Guru.

With so much hate, anger, politics, judgment and loss of Sikh values within the Sikh community I often get questions from Sikhs who just can’t believe that other people would be interested in "converting" to the Sikh religion. I suppose for some of those people living as a Sikh has become a cultural/ritualistic thing which doesn’t have much meaning. So WHY would someone else be interested in Sikhi?? Obviously they are missing the "juice" that these other "Sikhers" are experiencing.

So often Sikhs get so stuck on rules, regulations and intellectualism, and I think miss the whole spirit of being a Sikh. For me the simplicity, innocence, love and  acceptance are key things which are often lacking by many Sikhs. When we start dividing ourselves and not seeing the other person as God or a mirror of yourself (God) then we become stuck in this cycle and loose the Pyar/Love in the purest sense.

When I imagine the Gurus I invision such humility, love, acceptance, courage, non-reactiveness, joy, happiness and oneness in their meditative beings! In my every day life I try to remember the example of the Gurus and to live in their example. Seeing these beautiful souls growing in South America and other places reminds me of this "root", this beginning, this innocence. It is a reminder of that beginning of what the Gurus started hundreds of years ago. It is a reminder of how distracted we can all get, in the emotions and reactiveness of every day life. All these dramas & situations with people & situations are just maya. They are just distractions which are tests for us to remember why we are on this earth.

As you listen to the music below & looks at the pictures I hope the inspiration you get stays with you. Keep up with your spiritual practice as a Sikh and keep that door in your heart open, so that rather then judge or criticize others, you focus on yourself and become a shining light for others to grow from.

Below is a selection of some music by three South American Musicans: Satya Amrit Khalsa , Sat Shabad Singh and "Mahaband". Click on the "show playlist" in the upper left corner of the player to see the track details and jump around

Below are some pictures taken by many different people which  I downloaded from some previous SikhNet news stories as well as some friends facebook photos.

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When we face challenge and adversity in life, the natural tendency is to find safety. Yet life is a sequence of challenges, each with its own sequence of failures or successes, tragedies or triumphs. It is the challenge that makes us grow, not the result. This is an important concept to understand. Challenge comes to us in life to make us grow by producing some change in the psyche of the individual. Once the change has occurred, then the need for the challenge has passed, and the circumstances change.

 

When we fail to rise and meet the challenge, then we are admitting defeat before the engagement, and that brings unhappiness and depression. How we respond to challenge can make the difference between improving ourselves or living with our weaknesses and failures.

True defeat is the defeat of the heart. In fact, we have the expression to "take heart," since it is in the heart that the spirit of the individual resides. True victory then, is when the heart prevails and the spirit does not bend. When the heart prevails and the spirit rises, anyone can recover from any situation anytime, but it is a conscious choice to do so.

The capacity to recover from tragedy, disappointment, and loss is both a power and a gift which, when managed and controlled, can transform the pivotal events of our lives into something that is positive. If we accept that life is about growth- growth as an individual, growth as a spiritual being, and growth as the evolution toward wisdom – then the ability to transform tragedy to triumph is an essential component that drives our growth.

In my own experience perhaps the most pivotal episode of my life was the death of my daughter, Nav Jiwan Kaur, who died in 1981 at the age of seven and a half. As a young parent I could imagine no greater dread than the loss of a child, especially a child as bright and beautiful as she. Still that day came for us. It is not possible to describe the impact of that experience, yet in the solitary shock of that moment I saw clearly that I had two options: I could accept it as the will of God and make a quantum leap in my own consciousness, or I could fight it, resent it, and end up old, miserable, and dysfunctional.

Two things made that transition possible for me. They were the guidance of my spiritual teacher, Yogi Bhajan, and the support of the community. These helped me in every way—inspired and uplifted me, gave me comfort and hope, and gave me the opportunity to pull the best out of myself. In fact, through that whole process I found many opportunities to comfort and elevate others who also mourned her loss and were trapped in that pain. It started though, with my Teacher who would not let me get depressed, would not allow me to be defeated by tragedy. He encouraged me to chant for her soul, to help her on her path home to God, and in that way I was able to transcend my own grief, so that my life changed. So committed was I to her making the transition, and so focused was I on succeeding, that depression and defeat could not get in.

Transformative Power of Sadhana

The will to overcome adversity has to be cultivated. We all want to live happily ever after, but the reality of day-to-day life can grind us down if we allow it to. I can recount many times in my own life when I simply gave in and allowed the circumstances to defeat me. I always hated that about myself, but had a hard time overcoming it. So, I asked Yogi Bhajan for a meditation that I could do for the 40 days prior to my birthday one year, something that would help me to develop the capacity to deal with adversity more effectively.

I expected that he would give me something to do for 31 minutes a day at the most. After all, I had Akal Security to deal with and was a very busy guy. What he gave me though, was a meditation to do for three hours a day! And after 40 days he told me to never stop. He gave me other meditations, and I practiced all of them faithfully. Still, I did not yet understand that I was giving defeat the license to drive my psyche. That was the change that I needed to make.

And ultimately things did change. Several years after beginning those meditations, I began to do Sat Kriya for two and a half hours a day. Yogi Bhajan had suggested it to me many times, but I always managed to avoid it. Finally, I got the inspiration to do it, and the experience was transformational. I started with an hour a day, and each week added half an hour until I was up to two and a half hours. Interestingly, it was not painful. After a short time I just got into a groove where the energy flowed, and I kept up. I did it for about six months, doing the two and a half hours each day in one sitting. Circumstances changed, and my presence changed.

Now, I have to maintain my sadhana, my daily spiritual practice, and I try not to let a day pass in which I don’t do Sat Kriya. Yet, I am not suggesting that one needs to meditate for hours or do these long kriyas. But, since I am kind of a slow learner, it was the only thing that worked for me. Something in me opened up. The energy that I generated and exerted overcame the crush of defeat. Something changed in my psyche as well, and I chose to no longer give room to the effects of adversity.

The impact of adversity can be life altering. The death of a loved one, the loss of love such as divorce or the break-up of a relationship, lack of success or financial loss, or the impact of disaster are all too real and impact us often. And often, these things come without warning, so there is no real way to prepare for them. Yet, I have found that with a steady sadhana and consciously being aware of my tendency to give in to defeat, which I think is simply a way of viewing the circumstances of my life, I have been able to make my way through numerous disappointments and times of adversity.

Choosing Victory

And that is where the projection of the mind makes all the difference. Positive projection doesn’t necessarily mean that difficult or disappointing circumstances won’t present themselves. These things will come as part of the ongoing flow of life. There has never been a mind more positive than that of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru. The circumstances he faced were horrific, yet he had the capacity to penetrate through those circumstances by the projection of his mind. And so have we. We just have to choose to use it.

And this, I think, is the key. All of these emotions are around us and in us all the time; the capacity to be as elevated as one can be or as base as one can be is always there. It is a matter of what we give space to. If I give space to my defeat, it will settle in and become cozy. Like a deadbeat tenant, defeat won’t move out on its own, so it has to be evicted. If it is occupying the space, then there is no room for contentment. However, if I evict the defeat and let my victory prevail … well, you see where this is going.

Victory over the mind is the challenge. The flow of the mind is like that of water. It will settle in the low points first, then spread to any area where there is no levee to hold it back. And then our minds end up like New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. But if I can control the flow of my mind, I know that my ability to prevail in any situation cannot be compromised. Then, the adversity can bring personal growth and transformation and elevation to the spirit.

I am convinced that victory over the mind starts with sadhana, a strong daily devotional practice. That is where the energy to prevail is generated. I have personally found Sat Kriya to be essential for my own survival, and I recommend it for anyone. It is also important to socialize and be with people at times when you are down. I will never forget how the community gave me the strength to get through the death of Nav Jiwan Kaur, and I will be forever grateful.

The victorious warrior is one who faces every situation, every challenge, and every enemy with the mental projection and commitment of heart that he will be victorious and the enemy will be overcome; that whatever the odds or circumstances, he will rise to the occasion and do his best. Then, he leaves the results up to God.

In the military, soldiers are trained to respond to an ambush by attacking it: to return fire immediately, take cover and assess the ambush, then attack, and fight through. Life is the same way. When you are attacked by time and space, respond immediately.

In truth we have no control over the outcome of things. We only have control over ourselves and how we respond to the circumstances we face. If I can control my fear, my self-doubt, my tendency to shy away from what I should do, then what power is there that can defeat me? I have already won. When challenges come, a superior person will respond rather than react. The greatest chance to succeed is when you act to meet the challenge.

Challenge as Blessing

As spiritual beings, we are growth-oriented, which means that the circumstances of life will change and how we respond to those circumstances will change. I don’t mean to imply that one can’t grow spiritually without disaster and tragedy, but I do believe that we cannot grow without being challenged. Challenges come in various forms, but they will always come. We will be challenged by time, by circumstances, by our own frustrations and limitations, and if we are truly blessed, by our Teacher. I am fortunate enough to have been a student of a great master, Yogi Bhajan, who out of his love for me and his deep desire for me to excel, challenged and tested me repeatedly.

I am grateful for those challenges because they have helped me to face the constantly changing and challenging circumstances of my own life. There has been no area of my life that has not pushed me one way, pulled me the other, and many, many times over caused me to stumble and fall. I think that it was at those times, when I was down, depressed, and defeated, that I grew the most. The reason, I believe, is because when the pressure of time and space is on top of us, we have to exert a force that is not only equal to that pressure but greater than it, so that we can get through and past the situation. By doing that, we change the paradigm, and the need for the test then passes. As Yogi Bhajan taught in his Five Sutras of the Aquarian Age: When the time is on you, start, and the pressure will be off.

Heroes are those who, before ever engaging an enemy or placing themselves in the face of danger, first overcome their basic human drive to protect themselves in order to fight rather than to flee. It is the first step to victory, the first step to success, and the first step to getting oneself out of trouble. Therein lay the true acts of courage; not with the deed itself but with the conscious effort to attempt the deed. It is in the attempt to master the thing that we gain control of ourselves, then our environments. The other achievements are secondary.

Positive projection is penetrating through the situation, both within and without. We project within to touch our regal nature, our courage and essence, and then we project out, through the situation, so that we maintain our perspective without losing our way. That is what positive thinking is all about. My identity is to be content. My identity is to maintain my stability and dignity no matter what the circumstances are around me. My identity is to prevail with my divinity at all times. And that, I believe, is what constitutes victory.

Gurutej Singh Khalsa is the Founder of Akal Security, Inc. His moving historical novel, Rajni, will be published in 2010. His collection of poetry, Children of the Cusp, is available through Amazon.com or through Gurutej directly. Contact Gurutej at cusp108@hotmail.com.

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What is quite wonderful is that Jagatjoti Singh Khalsa is also a sales executive with an organic food company. Photography is his avocation.

Here’s what he has to say about the project:

"One morning while meditating, I recalled a man that I had passed on a walk the day before. My being was moved in the moment of his presence as he was very beautiful… full of smiles, warmth and joyfulness. He also happened to have Down Syndrome. He was a random person I encountered on my journey that day, but I remember having wished I had said to him, "I’m down with you,’ and I started chuckling at the thought of it.

Back in 2008, the world was sliding into a global recession and all I read in the news was about how the world was going to collapse. Bad news takes it’s toll, and it soon began to affect me personally. But that morning, conscious in the moment, it occurred to me that all of the negative energy discouraging me was not likely affecting him. There were so many excellent qualities one extra chromosome promised: love, living in the moment, self-esteem, presence of mind and joyousness. In that moment, I was deeply inspired and thought,’if the whole world is going to fall apart, I will create something to reconnect the heart to the soul.’

I have been asked many times if I have a personal connection with Down Syndrome. The short answer is no. I do not have any relatives or friends with DS, nor have I been influenced by it through my life experience. My connection to these amazing human beings is the flood of love and warmth I feel when I am in their presence.

The affinity you will experience while looking at the images on my Web site is simply a response to the reflection of the subjects’ Being, and has nothing to do with my photography. I am no more responsible for these images than I am for carving Mount Rushmore because I took a great photograph of it. I say this to free you from the bonds we often have of accrediting the wrong person for greatness. I just showed up with my camera and provided a forum and context for my new friends. I hope you enjoy the journey.

The joy and spirit of the community of Down Syndrome continues to inspire me. I have often thought to myself, ‘What if I could capture that feeling and share it with everyone else — especially during this time of negative headlines, greed and unconsciousness, when everything seems to be falling apart?’

I decided it was time to be engaged in something unique, uplifting and positive. I wanted to promote something full of hope, love, and compassion. That morning, I started work on ‘I’m Down with You."

I’m Down with You is a book born from a place of deep admiration. Many people search their whole lives for peace of mind and unconditional love… pouring over self-help books, attending seminars, listening to audio tapes and praying by their bedsides for help. The simple irony is that there already exists, within the Down Syndrome community, a simpler model of emotional contentment and spiritual perfection. I’ve always felt that this extra 21st chromosome was a gift, a blessing, and not at all the problem, curse or disappointment most people misjudged it to be.

To capture the spirit of these individuals, I embarked on a photographic journey; meeting, learning from, and photographing members of the Down Syndrome community. What you will find in my book and on my Web site is not a staged shoot or a stylized grouping of subjects, but rather, a series of moments with people I met and befriended along the way.

In the Siri Guru Granth Sahib it says, ‘Even a glance from the eyes of a holy man can cure mental and physical imbalances.’

Looking into the eyes of these extraordinary individuals is a healing experience that can cure even the most world-weary traveler. I set out to capture the essence and purity of these radiant souls by focusing on their eyes as a reminder of the perfection of God’s image – Akal Moorat.

With each page, gaze into the eyes of God and let a warm flood of grace, radiance, and love permeate your heart.

Look into their gentle, joyous eyes. The eyes of grace. The eyes of acceptance. The eyes that bring our souls to the very seed of life.

I hope that you enjoy these sacred images of true and unconditional love. If you are looking for quiet heroes who emit love each time they speak or take a simple breath, you are in for a treat. You will find the absolute kindness that exemplifies the same boundary-free map we are all taught that God offers, yet it does not require you to journey to the top of a mountain or to the heart of a temple. It only requires you to open your eyes and see what is before you.

The website for the foundation will be up later this week.

Check out some of the pictures and learn more about the project at: http://www.imdownwithyou.com

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There is a story I read once, about a monk who lived on his own on the outskirts of a village. One day, a young woman accused the monk of getting her pregnant. The other villagers believed her. After the baby was born, the illegitimate child was given to the monk to raise on his own. When the villagers presented the baby to him, and explained the woman’s accusations, the only thing the monk said was, “Is that so?”

Years later, the woman had a change of heart. She confessed to the villagers that, in fact, the monk had not gotten her pregnant at all. It was another man who had done so. She and the villagers went to the monk’s home to reclaim the child. When they apologized to him about the misunderstanding and told him that in fact he wasn’t the father, the only thing the monk said was, “Is that so?”

God. Religions. Ritual. Belief in one man’s actions. Faith in another one’s creed. What I think it boils down to is this: we have an innate desire to survive with grace and dignity in the world. Those people who have managed to do so, even in the midst of the most difficult situations, become our heroes.

I remember going to church as a young girl, St. Rose of Lima. The church was a gorgeous , cathedral-style space with echoing vaulted ceilings, and a colossal statue of Jesus that must have been 20 feet high. Of course, I was so small then. My memory might be skewing the perspective. But I remember looking at that statue every Sunday: Jesus nailed on the cross, his head bowed with a crown of thorns, and a spear-wound in his side.

On Good Fridays, the priests would verbally re-enact the crucifixion, and I would often be struck by the line, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Even at that young age, I could sense why this story had been told year after year, generation after generation, for 2 millennia. The human race wanted to remember that there was someone who could say those words in the midst of such cruelty and pain. To me the resurrection was not all that interesting. What mattered was that Jesus could recognize the arrogance and ignorance of the people crucifying him, and then turn around and say, “Forgive them – they know not what they do.” That earned him a place in history forever. That act showed his Divine consciousness more than any story of any miracle ever could.

There is something Jesus knew. Something Buddha knew. Something Guru Arjan, Guru Teg Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh knew. And we see echoes of it reflected in the heroes of our time: Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln. These people understood the cruelty, deceit and betrayal that human beings enact upon each other. And yet somehow, even in the most difficult hardships, they did not respond with hate.

As humans, we are incredibly sensitive. In that sensitivity, it hurts to feel the pain of betrayal and lies. The Golden Rule tells us to embrace that sensitivity, not deny it. And then, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Because the other person is as sensitive as you are, hurts as much as you hurt. Peace in the world begins with acting in a way that completely honors each other’s sensitivity. If we honor others as we would like to be honored ourselves, it opens up the potential for what a human can become.

These heroes to whom we look knew a powerful truth: relate to the potential of another, and don’t get lost in the shadows. As long as there is breath in the body, the human being has a chance to come out of that darkness. When these heroes faced the most inhumane challenges, they chose to relate to that possibility rather than get lost in vengeance and fear.

This is the true evidence of Divinity on the earth. This is all of “God” we need to know.

Throughout my life, I have struggled with the virtue of forgiveness. Either I have forgiven in a way that has set me up to be hurt again by the same person doing the same actions; or I have not genuinely been able to forgive at all. The pain that one experiences is real and difficult to conquer. No matter how much yoga I practice, how many meditations I do, how many hours I spend studying the teachings of the Masters, it remains a challenge.

Perhaps I have been drawn to study spirituality because the stories of these heroes fascinate me so much. I want to understand how they could do it. How they could be tortured, crucified, jailed, beat, denied and yet still not loose the capacity to love. Still not loose the strength to stand by their convictions. Still not loose the sight of the Divine in others, and in their own hearts.

But lately a passage from Guru Arjan’s writings has struck me. It’s a passage where he sees the shadow as purposeful – part of the play of creation, though perhaps beyond our ability to understand it.

“There is no limit
To what the Creator creates.

There are tens of million of people
Living in pride.

Tens of millions of people
Who are blind and ignorant.

There are tens of millions of people
Who act with cruelty and do not share with others.

Tens of millions of people
Who have no maturity, and no sensitivity.

There are tens of millions of people
Who steal and create pain in others’ lives.

Tens of millions who cause trouble and distress.

There are tens of millions
Who labor on behalf of Maya.

Tens of millions
Who wander from place to place, chasing after that Maya.

People are focused on what You,
Oh Divine One,
Have engaged them to do.

Nanak,
The Creator fashions the creation
And knows the purpose for what has been created.”

Guru Arjan
Sukhmani – Ashtapadi 10, Stanza 2

It makes it easier to forgive when you don’t take the offense personally. Guru Arjan sees the dark side of the human condition. But he doesn’t attach a sense of blame or shame to it. The shadow is part of the creative play, and the darkness has a purpose – from the perspective of Infinity.

Someone asked me recently what forgiveness means, especially in the context of Sikh Dharma where, honestly, “sin” doesn’t really exist. Forgiveness is “for giving.” It is the ability to give to someone. To give them another opportunity. To give them the benefit of the doubt. To give them a chance to prove their own humanity – not to you, but to themselves.

Forgiveness is “for giving” yourself the space to not hold onto grudges forever. To give yourself a choice to let go of the anger, to heal the pain, to not have to relive the memories of betrayal again and again, day after day.

Forgiving is “for giving” the Creator Its due. To know that this shadow-experience was brought into my life by the same Force that brings everything into my life. By the same Force that brought me life to begin with. And sometimes, I am the shadow for another. This is part of how we grow, learn and evolve. And when I can trust that, I have the consciousness “for giving” all of us a chance.

It is a test of life – the shadow and the pain. But in those tests we have the chance to experience our highest potential if we keep our hearts open, keep the possibility of love flowing, and forgive ourselves and the Universe that this is how the human life operates, after all.

With Divine Light and Divine Love.

Yours humbly,

Ek Ong Kaar Kaur

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As the date of my departure for home came closer, I became very wary about the flight cancellations due to weather and about missing my international flight home. The unknown sometimes causes me a lot of worry. I actually ended up canceling my original flight from Amritsar to Delhi and then I booked a new flight a day earlier, I also bought a backup train ticket online for the following morning in case my newly booked flight was canceled. (The Cleartrip.com website makes travel booking so much easier in India. I wish they had this type of service long ago for India travel!)

During the week I was in Amritsar there was constant fog and cold weather that just didn’t want to go away. The weather made everything seem very gloomy and dark to me. During all this bad weather and my own worrying I just hoped and prayed that all would go smoothly for my travels home. It’s one thing getting delayed on a domestic flight, but international travel to the USA is so long that missing a flight or having that travel extended is not very fun. It’s so tiring traveling on these long flights with little sleep and then dealing with a week or so of jet-lag when you get home.

But after all this worrying, the day of my departure finally dawned and it seemed as though God had opened the door for our travel home. After a full week of gloomy weather there was no fog at all. The sun shined showing his bright face! This was so beautiful! It immediately lifted my spirits, as I knew that the chances of my flight to Delhi getting canceled were low, and that I would be able to make the first step of my trip home.

We got a good night sleep, did some more shopping at the nearby GK1 market and Janpat road in Delhi, and then I packed up my things to  get ready for my 3am flight home. I had a good dinner and was about to take a nap when an alert popped up on my phone. (I had a data plan on my phone so was able to stay connected in India the whole time.)  The alert said my Lufthansa flight was DELAYED and would depart about 1.5 hours late.  This put a damper on my evening because I had  less than a three hour layover in Germany before my connecting flight to Los Angeles. If the flight was delayed then I might miss my connection and be stuck in Germany for God knows how long and then miss my other flights after that. Uh oh.

At this point I tried to relax my worrying mind and focus it on prayer and on letting the Guru take care of things for me. I started chanting some bani to myself over and over, letting go of the worry, and just visualizing smooth travel home. Now that the flight was delayed I had a bit more time for a nap. I set my alarm clock and dozed off a bit. I couldn’t sleep much because I kept getting back into my worry mode – wondering if my flight status would change and if I would go earlier. In America sometimes flights are delayed but then they change back. I finally gave up on sleeping and tried to do something else to pass some time. The dogs in the house kept barking every time I made any sound and they were waking up my host, so I figured I should head to the airport even though the flight was still a long time off.

I called a taxi stand and a Sikh driver promptly showed up and took me off to the New Delhi International airport. I made my way to the Lufthansa check-in counters and then waited for what seemed like ages to check-in. It felt as if everything was moving in slow motion and just taking forever. At this point I wasn’t worried because I still had about four hours till my delayed flight was supposed to depart.

After many hours of sitting around in the airport passing time, the announcement finally came for us to board the airplane. I stood in line for what seemed like a really long time as it seemed to take forever for people to get on the plane. Again I hoped there would not be fog or any other delays. I found my seat on the plane and settled in hoping we would leave soon. Everything seemed to be going really sloooooooow, like sap dripping down a tree.

We didn’t end up taking off till after 5am which only gave me about 45 minutes to make my connecting flight. I was tired after being up for almost 24 hours and my journey home had not really even started. I just kept telling myself to relax and let go and let the Guru handle it. I kept chanting mantra in my mind praying to Guru Ram Das and Guru Amardas ji for smooth travel. I was really trying my best to let go and let the Guru arrange things for me.

After about a ten hour flight, we descended into Germany and I asked someone what the local time was. We didn’t make up any time during the flight, so by the time we landed I had about 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of my connecting flight to Los Angeles. I thought to myself, it’s VERY likely I won’t get to my connecting flight in time. I kept praying, trying to stay relaxed and surrendering to the fact that the Guru would arrange all my affairs.

And then, oh boy! Instead of the plane pulling up to a gate, it parked out near the runway with a stairway drawn up to the plane door! This really seemed to be a test of my faith. Luckily people get off a plane faster then getting on, so this process didn’t take too long as we all milled out onto the tarmac and headed off the plane as fast as we could. I jumped on the bus before it filled up and left me waiting. I was still chanting mantra in my mind over and over again, praying for smooth travel.

I thought it would be a miracle at this point if I was actually able to make my connecting flight with so little time left. I didn’t know how I would make it, but I just let go of my worry with the thought that God rotates the earth and He can take care of my little travel plans. In my mind I was still chanting: "Ardaas Bhaeee, Amar Daas Guru, Amar Daas Guru, Ardaas Bhayee, Ramdas Guru, Ramdas Guru, Ramdas Guru, Sachee Sahee."

The bus drove off towards the airport terminal and from outside I looked for my gate number trying to see if my gate was nearby. There it was! But we didn’t stop! The bus kept on driving past it and then went on into a totally different terminal! It seemed as though each step was testing me more and more. Eventually we stopped at the other terminal and I rushed out as fast as I could, running along with my bag rolling behind me, looking as I ran for a Lufthansa person to let them know "I’m coming! Hold the plane!" My intuition was saying, "Don’t stop! Just get to the gate."

I kept moving, looking for a way back to the other terminal, then I realized that I would have to take a train to get there! Nooo!! I made my way up to the train and stood there waiting hoping it would come soon, and that the place where I was standing is where the train would actually show up. On my way to India I saw the trains which only had two compartments and didn’t hold many people, and I was thinking of that. The train came after a few minutes. It was right in front of me. I jumped on. Whew!

We slowly made our way to the "A" terminal and when the doors opened I rushed out, making my way as best I could, downstairs to the terminal. Then I saw that yet another block had been put in my way thwarting my efforts to make it to my gate. Even though we had already gone through security, we had to go through security yet again! So there I was, standing in line, having to take out my laptop and waiting to go through the security checkpoint process all over again!

Puleeeeeese! No more delays! I have a flight to catch!

Then I saw something that seemed like a miracle to me. I looked past the security check area and saw my gate RIGHT THERE in front of me! Not only that, but to my utter surprise and relief, my plane had NOT left yet In fact they were JUST starting to board the airplane and most everyone was standing in a crowd waiting to go in. I couldn’t believe it!  I got through security and relaxed, sat down waiting to board the plane, still praying and thanking God for taking care of this for me.

The rest of the trip went more smoothly than I have ever experienced on an international flight.

I landed in Los Angeles and made my way quickly towards immigration knowing that I had plenty of time to catch my next flight to Albuquerque (two and a half hours!) I kept chanting and praying to myself that I would just breeze through immigration and customs. Most of the time I get hassled by someone, and with the recent increased security, and my turban, I was sure I would get singled out as an "unusual looking person of interest." I kept chanting to Guru Ram Das and Guru Amardas to let me pass through smoothly. The immigration person looked at me and asked me a few questions, my passport was scanned and off I went! My luggage came quickly on the conveyor belt and I headed to customs hoping once again that they wouldn’t stop me. So many times they have pulled me aside and opened up all my bags. The customs guy just took my form and said "Welcome to the United States" and off I went! 

As you might have guessed by now, I made my next flight without a problem. It left right on time, I arrived in Albuquerque early, got a taxi to pick up my car and drove the hour and a half to my home in Espanola.  Everything went really smoothly in spite of how tired I was. 

I arrived home exhausted from over 40 hours of travel and trying to remember to trust in God and Guru to arrange my affairs.

I realized that way too often I spend my energy worrying about things over which I have no control, rather then just relaxing and letting my Guru arrange everything for me. My journey home was a clear lesson tor me to relax, stop worrying, focus on prayer and let the Guru guide and arrange everything for me.

Here are some older videos related to this topic that have been very helpful to me.  The next time you are worrying or feeling stressed about something, I hope you stop, remember these words to live by, and then relax and consciously allow God and Guru to arrange your affairs. Wahe Guru!

Download Video – Download Audio 

"Patience pays. Wait. Let the hand of God work for you. One who has created you let Him create all the environments, circumstances, and facilities & faculties.

Tu kaahay dolay praaniaa tudh rakhaygaa sirjanhaar | jin paidayas tu kiyaa soee kardaa saar

Oh individual, why you are in a very doubtful state? One who has made you will take care of you. One who has created this universe, all the planets, planetary faculties and facilities on Earth, He is the One who has created you. Wait, have patience, lean on him, and all best things will come to you.

Dwell in God. Dwell in God. Dwell in God. Befriend your soul. Dwell in God and befriend your soul. Dwell in God and befriend your soul. All the faculties and facilities of the Creation, which are in your best interest, shall be at your feet. You need million things; million things will reach you, if you are stable, established, firm, patient. Remember, Creator watches over you and Creation is ready to serve you, if you just…be you.

So please take away the ghost of your life and stop chasing around. Consolidate. Concentrate. Be you. And may all the peace & peaceful environments, prosperity approach you forever. Sat Nam"

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