Greeting everyone,
I would like to preface my question(s) with a little background information about me. I was raised as a protestant christian and was fairly religious as a child with a pretty personal relationship with God. Late high school/early college a combination of my strong science background and deep interest in world politics and liberal attitude turned me away from God and my christian faith. Late in college I had a spiritual awakening and started a spiritual journey that led me back to God via Judaism. After a year I then became deeply interested in Buddhism and have been a practicing Buddhist for roughly 10 years. Fast forward to now and I have continued my science training and am a medical professional and am starting a family with a baby and fiance now. While I love most of the teachings of Buddhism, the teachings of complete renunciation for the world is more of a turn off whereas pre-family it was a turn on. I have also felt a yearning to once again worship a God figure. This led me to Sikhism which I never new too much about, but I have know one Sikh in my lifetime and had vague ideas of what it was about.
In the past month I have dived really deep into Sikhism, trying to not only study the beliefs of the faith, but also the history of the Gurus, as well as the people and the struggles since the days of Guru Nanak. I really love the faith and what it teaches and the God described by Sikhism really resonates with me - mainly an indescribable God present within and without all and the interconnectedness of all living beings with God and the return to God upon "enlightenment," if you will.
Questions: A couple points that I am struggling with brings me to my questions. First off, I have been waking very early each morning to recite the mandatory prayers and meditate. While the rising in the early morning to meditate on God resonates with me, as through much of my life I have been an early riser to either meditate and/or study (various things from academics to religion) the recitation of the prayers has started to seem somewhat ritualistic and I can't help but think that either reading Guru Granth Sahib, or longer meditation would serve me better in my connection with God. Is daily recitation of the same prayers each and every day at the same time each and everyday not somewhat ritualistic? The other question I have is in regards to the 5 Ks. From reading history I understand what led to the development of the Kalsa and the 5 Ks. I see the need for it and also the fact that the keeping of a beard and wearing a Turban were for basically the higher class and this was a way of stating equal rights. However, with the changing times have some of these traditions become somewhat ritualistic, as well? I agree that hair should not be turned into something of vanity with fancy, expensive hair cuts and dyes and extravagance, but a simple buzz (like Buddhist monks) is as much of a rejection of vanity as is not touching the hair, in my opinion (and yes I have heard also the saying that it is to leave your body unchanged from how God has given it to you, but why then was it not stressed earlier in the religion?).
In no way do I intend for my questions to cause any offense to anyone reading them, I am simply very interested in getting opinions from Sikhs regarding these topics. I'm also curious as to whether there are sects of Sikhs who do not put emphasis on things like mandatory prayers and the 5Ks, similar to Judaism having reform, conservative and orthodox movements. I would be very interested to hear opinions from Sikhs regarding the issues I have brought up. And again, I apologize if I have caused any offense, I do have the utmost respect for this faith. Honestly, I wish I had been raised in the faith as I do believe the traditions are beautiful, but some of the traditions would break my family if I were to institute them into my life 100%.
Kindest regards and sincere thanks for your responses,
IronLion
I would like to preface my question(s) with a little background information about me. I was raised as a protestant christian and was fairly religious as a child with a pretty personal relationship with God. Late high school/early college a combination of my strong science background and deep interest in world politics and liberal attitude turned me away from God and my christian faith. Late in college I had a spiritual awakening and started a spiritual journey that led me back to God via Judaism. After a year I then became deeply interested in Buddhism and have been a practicing Buddhist for roughly 10 years. Fast forward to now and I have continued my science training and am a medical professional and am starting a family with a baby and fiance now. While I love most of the teachings of Buddhism, the teachings of complete renunciation for the world is more of a turn off whereas pre-family it was a turn on. I have also felt a yearning to once again worship a God figure. This led me to Sikhism which I never new too much about, but I have know one Sikh in my lifetime and had vague ideas of what it was about.
In the past month I have dived really deep into Sikhism, trying to not only study the beliefs of the faith, but also the history of the Gurus, as well as the people and the struggles since the days of Guru Nanak. I really love the faith and what it teaches and the God described by Sikhism really resonates with me - mainly an indescribable God present within and without all and the interconnectedness of all living beings with God and the return to God upon "enlightenment," if you will.
Questions: A couple points that I am struggling with brings me to my questions. First off, I have been waking very early each morning to recite the mandatory prayers and meditate. While the rising in the early morning to meditate on God resonates with me, as through much of my life I have been an early riser to either meditate and/or study (various things from academics to religion) the recitation of the prayers has started to seem somewhat ritualistic and I can't help but think that either reading Guru Granth Sahib, or longer meditation would serve me better in my connection with God. Is daily recitation of the same prayers each and every day at the same time each and everyday not somewhat ritualistic? The other question I have is in regards to the 5 Ks. From reading history I understand what led to the development of the Kalsa and the 5 Ks. I see the need for it and also the fact that the keeping of a beard and wearing a Turban were for basically the higher class and this was a way of stating equal rights. However, with the changing times have some of these traditions become somewhat ritualistic, as well? I agree that hair should not be turned into something of vanity with fancy, expensive hair cuts and dyes and extravagance, but a simple buzz (like Buddhist monks) is as much of a rejection of vanity as is not touching the hair, in my opinion (and yes I have heard also the saying that it is to leave your body unchanged from how God has given it to you, but why then was it not stressed earlier in the religion?).
In no way do I intend for my questions to cause any offense to anyone reading them, I am simply very interested in getting opinions from Sikhs regarding these topics. I'm also curious as to whether there are sects of Sikhs who do not put emphasis on things like mandatory prayers and the 5Ks, similar to Judaism having reform, conservative and orthodox movements. I would be very interested to hear opinions from Sikhs regarding the issues I have brought up. And again, I apologize if I have caused any offense, I do have the utmost respect for this faith. Honestly, I wish I had been raised in the faith as I do believe the traditions are beautiful, but some of the traditions would break my family if I were to institute them into my life 100%.
Kindest regards and sincere thanks for your responses,
IronLion
