Observations of a Wayward Sikh

Kanwaljit Singh · #1 (**permalink**) 09-Aug-2012, 09:35 AM

Today there was a candle light vigil at our Gurudwara in remembrance of the victims of Wisconsin. Here are some observations, from a person who doesn't go to Gurudwara more than once in 3 months (ever since am in Canada) and is probably looking at fault in others because he cannot face his own:

1. The program started when it was diwan time. For the first 30 mins, the hall was almost empty while the kirtan was being sung. People were outside lighting candles and talking to guests of honors (local MPs). One of the kids who came even said why are so many people here? Oh something happened at Wisconsin Gurudwara?
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/learn-punjabi/38913-observations-of-a-wayward-sikh.html

2. Even though diwan got really full in the end, the raagi keertaniya would sing a pauri and wait for sangat to sing after him. There was no response, in the end he had to sing it twice himself.

3. During ardas and while singing 'Deh Siva Bar Mohe', there were no goonj of the jaikara in hall. I see it like a sign of soyi huyi kaum. (Sleeping brotherhood).

4. While karah prashad was being given out, maryada is that everyone waits till everyone else gets prashad in sangat, then they call a jaikara and eat it. But the granthi ji was saying japo sat naam sat naam, sat naam ji, waheguru waheguru waheguru ji. When he gave a pause, he saw no one in the sangat was really repeating, so he had to go whole way.

5. One of the keertaniyas (the one with second waaja) was looking a bit lost and he had that always-angry look on his face. Sorry for judging but it didn't look like Naam Rang Chadhya (Dyed in Love of God).

6. I went outside and saw that the candles were burnt out and blown away. Something like what the memory of this day would be for non-family of victims like us. And everyone was talking outside as if ohna di jabaan wapas aa gayi hai (Blessed with voice again).

7. I had some time till my ride came. So I was reading the name of the management committee. Everyone suffered from the 3 name syndrome, first, second and last. Yes last name was not singh/kaur.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38913

8. They had written the names of ten Gurus. The print said Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Angad Dev and so on. And in pen someone had added JI (Jee) as a mark of respect. I was thinking, when you call someone your Guru, is your respect missing from it? I think yes. Because people don't realize what Guru means when they call Guru Nanak or Guru Granth Sahib their Guru.

Luckysingh · #2 (**permalink**) 09-Aug-2012, 10:26 AM

I do this myself.
Now, I seem to get distracted away from the core by the behaviour of other sangat quite easily.

Infact, somtimes I go, I enjoy the kirtan and gurbani whilst in the darbar and a soon as I am outside, I immediately feel disconnected. I end up leaving with a little guilt that I may try and ignore.

To overcome this, Now, I only go on days and at times when sangat population is low. So I avoid weekends if I can.
This way I feel more at peace and more connected without the distractions.

Sometimes I feel that it is like a ''cleansing procees''.
Meaning that it is my own issues of ignorance that I am actually battling.
Let's say that, I will look and be disgusted at someone who may start talking on his cell phone during ardaas, and it's certainly not a life or death situation. This way, I probably better myself and forget my own faults for a moment or two. This is probably the psychological ''cleansing''.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38913
In the end though, it is me that feels the guilt for getting distracted and then ''judging'' anothers actions whilst comparing to myself.