Lotus Feet

hello. i have been practising sikhism for coming up to a year now and in all my 39 years of life i have simply never found anything quite as beautiful. it has filled me with wonder and i am finding myself wanting to embrace it more and more each day that passes. coming from a different viewpoint in life however, i am still filled with questions that are overflowing and was hoping if i may ask them here without prejudice or cause to offence.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/36410-lotus-feet.html

so may i be so bold as to ask a question now, on my opening post?

i have read many places that guru nanak travelled to mecca and was admonished by a high ranking muslim for pointing his feet to the kaaba. supposedly guru nanak retorted by asking him if he could move his feet and point them to a place where god does not reside, thus the moral of the story being, 'god is everywhere'.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36410

with regards to this, why must one not point their feet at the Guru Granth Sahib when in a gurdwara?

thank you in advance

 
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aakhanjor ji,

I believe Guru Nanak Ji did that because he found some who were too hung up on where God literally is. They needed to be taught to look elsewhere than literally in front of them to find, follow, worship God. Another way. Sometimes it is necessary to JOLT others out of ways that are unfruitful to get them to look inwards, to get them to question why they are doing what they do.

However, pointing one's feet at something is considered disrespectful in Eastern Culture. So when people visit the Gurdwara, Mecca etc. it should not be practiced. This is with the assumption that the worshipers know that their faith stems from their own heart and is anchored by what they worship (ie. its not the physical Guru Granth Sahib Ji that we bow before, as much as what is writ, the Truth of it that resonates with our hearts)
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36410

Thats my take on it anyhow. Hope its somewhat useful.

This is correct.
and Not pointing ones feet towards the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in a Gurdwara is DIFFERENT from the Method of Guru nanak Ji to drive home the point that God is Everywhere and NOT CONFINED to certain location ( as Bhagat Kabir Ji also asks..IF God is in the WEST-Mecca..then WHO is taking care of the EAST -Hardwaar ?? Who indeed ??? This is what Guru nanak Ji was trying to put across !!
WE also dont "point our feet" or even sit facing Backwards...In Class...in a Court room in front of a Judge...etc etc... is that also 'contradictory" ?? No its just a sign of 'respect"...when the JUDGE is NOT in the court room..we can turn our Backs/point our feet or whatever...as the "object" or Subject of our Reverence/respect is no longer there..BUT this is NOT the case with the BELIEF in relation to MECCA that GOD is Permanently RESIDENT/CONFINED there..This was the Beleif that Guru nanak Ji wanted expanded to include that GOD is everywhere.

aakhanjorji

My view is that the Sri Guru Granth sahibji is not god, or the creator, or the universal eternal infinite one. It is the living embodiment of the 10 Gurus, the guide to finding union.

As such we respect it, but we do not worship it, any more than we worship the trees and sky.

Ah yes, Guru Nanak opened their eyes to the fact that is also found in their own books:
Quran, Surat Qaf

On a related aspect there is the following that some do (I admit I did it at times through my ignorance too for sometime),

Sat Sri Akal.

NOT Pointing Feet at something, or pointing AT your feet in order to insult someone, is a custom that I've read about a thousand times in relation to a thousand different cultures; so I assume it's one of those things that goes back to when we were all "One People, One Tribe".
Thus, while we should never seek to show anyone or anything disrespect by doing this, I think Guru Nanak Ji would want someone to point out that we should not take these Dogmas too seriously - as the real message of Sikhism and your sister-faith, Sufism, is T-O-L-E-R-A-N-C-E!!!
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36410
Dogmaticism Destroys, and Fanaticism Famishes!
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36410
Peace, Love - and don't point your feet at anything!

I step backwards after matha tek for about 4 or 5 steps. It's just something I like to do.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36410
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36410

But I don't touch the ground at the door, or the steps to darbar sahib, or at the door to darbar sahib... I don't feel the need to do this, but more people do this at my Gurdwara than those who step backwards after matha tek.

To each their own I guess, sometimes.

Ishna ji I don't think it generally matters much. Some habits are picked how others and your parents used to do things.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=36410

There may be a possible reason for touching the ground at the door. Normally when you go to someone's house, you will knock on the door or ring a bell, etc. This is done to announce you are at their door. There is no such option at an open door. In Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar there is a raised sill at most doors. So people touch those. In western Gurdwaras such is usually not the case hence the ground at the door. So this is simply to announce yourself entering Guruji's presence or let us call it their home.That is how I would understand it.

Sat Sri Akal.