How do I identify my relationship with Sikhism?

[VikramSingh4er]

WaheguruJi,

So I am 28 year old man and have a turbaned father. My parents have Singh and Kaur by names but we are not strongly into Sikhism. My father has done tobacco abuse over years and my uncle (mother’s brother) died of addiction as well.

I have last name Singh, I am Roda (Mona) and never been strongly into Sikhi. I lost my faith over years living in a toxic family and I don’t know how to describe how I feel.

I don’t even know if should call myself a Sikh anymore, I don’t do prayers (I suffered from physical and sexual abuse as a kid and lost my faith). Owing to my father I developed negative image of turbaned men.

I am ashamed of myself of not living up to Sikhi, but at the same time I don’t feel it from inside. Also, me being from lower caste and poor home did not help either. I wish someone reached out to me as a kid when I was suffering abuse.

I don’t know how to define my relationship with Sikhi cause I have never been recognized as a Sikh either and always felt looked down in Gurdwaras as a person who cut his hair.
I have moved to US and I am a scientist now. I don’t identify with Khalistan movement and I am proud of Indian heritage. I am proud of Sikh history but I am also fascinated with other empires of India.

I know I might not be making sense, but I want to begin my spiritual journey and I don’t know where to begin with.

Vikram Singh

 

[swarn bains]

it is not necessary that you have to have long hair, turban go to gurdwara. Sree Guru Granth Sahib deals only with you, your mind and your guru. You have sggs as guru. All you have to do is tune your mind to SGGS teachings. in general one has to be a good person, no lie, no greed, no flae live no ego etc. this actually is the human code of conduct which were all are born with but lost it as the worldly touched the mind. To be good and true sikh one has to cleanse his or her mind. this is the process according to sggs. behumbe, love from the heart, be dedicated to guru's teaching. Learn from SGGS, that is our guru as well
the things against being divine or spiritual is doubt or duality, and slander others. rest all other good or bad omens are temporary and imaginary. do not worry about them. recite the name of God when ever time permits, help others if posssible, earn honest living. reciting Godd starts to affect the mind if one recites from the mind or whole heartedly. If you follow above command ments, you are as good a sikh as anyone. thank you

 

[Logical Sikh]

WaheguruJi,

So I am 28 year old man and have a turbaned father. My parents have Singh and Kaur by names but we are not strongly into Sikhism. My father has done tobacco abuse over years and my uncle (mother’s brother) died of addiction as well.

I have last name Singh, I am Roda (Mona) and never been strongly into Sikhi. I lost my faith over years living in a toxic family and I don’t know how to describe how I feel.

I don’t even know if should call myself a Sikh anymore, I don’t do prayers (I suffered from physical and sexual abuse as a kid and lost my faith). Owing to my father I developed negative image of turbaned men.

I am ashamed of myself of not living up to Sikhi, but at the same time I don’t feel it from inside. Also, me being from lower caste and poor home did not help either. I wish someone reached out to me as a kid when I was suffering abuse.

I don’t know how to define my relationship with Sikhi cause I have never been recognized as a Sikh either and always felt looked down in Gurdwaras as a person who cut his hair.
I have moved to US and I am a scientist now. I don’t identify with Khalistan movement and I am proud of Indian heritage. I am proud of Sikh history but I am also fascinated with other empires of India.

I know I might not be making sense, but I want to begin my spiritual journey and I don’t know where to begin with.

Vikram Singh

If you're trying to connect to sikhi, you need to connect to Sikh history and Punjabi language(gurmukhi)....

For that, you may read some books written in Punjabi

 

[gjsingh]

I think Sikhi is very amenable to the scientific worldview and is an excellent religion for a scientist. We are students, and He is the Teacher. The scientific world view asserts that certain knowledge of this cosmic play is epistemologically impossible, yet He graciously provided us the tool of rationality the use of which provides continuing gifts through that never-ending quest. To me, this is a great mystery.

ਪੰਚਾ ਕਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਏਕੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ॥ पंचा का गुरु एकु धिआनु ॥ Pancẖā kā gur ek ḏẖi▫ān. The chosen ones meditate single-mindedly on the Guru.

ਜੇ ਕੋ ਕਹੈ ਕਰੈ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ जे को कहै करै वीचारु ॥ Je ko kahai karai vīcẖār. No matter how much anyone tries to explain and describe them,

ਕਰਤੇ ਕੈ ਕਰਣੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਸੁਮਾਰੁ ॥ करते कै करणै नाही सुमारु ॥ Karṯe kai karṇai nāhī sumār. the actions of the Creator cannot be counted.

ਧੌਲੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਦਇਆ ਕਾ ਪੂਤੁ ॥ धौलु धरमु दइआ का पूतु ॥ Ḏẖoul ḏẖaram ḏa▫i▫ā kā pūṯ. The mythical bull is Dharma, the son of compassion;

ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਥਾਪਿ ਰਖਿਆ ਜਿਨਿ ਸੂਤਿ ॥ संतोखु थापि रखिआ जिनि सूति ॥ Sanṯokẖ thāp rakẖi▫ā jin sūṯ. this is what patiently holds the earth in its place.

ਜੇ ਕੋ ਬੁਝੈ ਹੋਵੈ ਸਚਿਆਰੁ ॥ जे को बुझै होवै सचिआरु ॥ Je ko bujẖai hovai sacẖiār. One who understands this becomes truthful.

ਧਵਲੈ ਉਪਰਿ ਕੇਤਾ ਭਾਰੁ ॥ धवलै उपरि केता भारु ॥ Ḏẖavlai upar keṯā bẖār. What a great load there is on the bull!

ਧਰਤੀ ਹੋਰੁ ਪਰੈ ਹੋਰੁ ਹੋਰੁ ॥ धरती होरु परै होरु होरु ॥ Ḏẖarṯī hor parai hor hor. So many worlds beyond this world-so very many!

ਤਿਸ ਤੇ ਭਾਰੁ ਤਲੈ ਕਵਣੁ ਜੋਰੁ ॥ तिस ते भारु तलै कवणु जोरु ॥ Ŧis ṯe bẖār ṯalai kavaṇ jor. What power holds them, and supports their weight?

ਜੀਅ ਜਾਤਿ ਰੰਗਾ ਕੇ ਨਾਵ ॥ जीअ जाति रंगा के नाव ॥ Jī▫a jāṯ rangā ke nāv. The names and the colors of the assorted species of beings

ਸਭਨਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਵੁੜੀ ਕਲਾਮ ॥ सभना लिखिआ वुड़ी कलाम ॥ Sabẖnā likẖi▫ā vuṛī kalām. were all inscribed by the Ever-flowing Pen of God.

ਏਹੁ ਲੇਖਾ ਲਿਖਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੋਇ ॥ एहु लेखा लिखि जाणै कोइ ॥ Ėhu lekẖā likẖ jāṇai ko▫e. Who knows how to write this account?

ਲੇਖਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਕੇਤਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ लेखा लिखिआ केता होइ ॥ Lekẖā likẖi▫ā keṯā ho▫e. Just imagine what a huge scroll it would take!

ਕੇਤਾ ਤਾਣੁ ਸੁਆਲਿਹੁ ਰੂਪੁ ॥ केता ताणु सुआलिहु रूपु ॥ Keṯā ṯāṇ su▫ālihu rūp. What power! What fascinating beauty!

ਕੇਤੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੌਣੁ ਕੂਤੁ ॥ केती दाति जाणै कौणु कूतु ॥ Keṯī ḏāṯ jāṇai kouṇ kūṯ. And what gifts! Who can know their extent?

ਕੀਤਾ ਪਸਾਉ ਏਕੋ ਕਵਾਉ ॥ कीता पसाउ एको कवाउ ॥ Kīṯā pasā▫o eko kavā▫o. You created the vast expanse of the Universe with One Word!

Seen in a certain way, the purported Grand Unified Theory that the physicists have been searching for is none other than Waheguru. No wonder they haven't been able to define it!

 

[HarKirtanSunai]

Maybe in the beginning just enjoy youtube kirtan/shabad for fun. Don't even think about religion, just listen to maybe Bhai Harjinder Singh shabad for enjoyment and sing along. Good luck in your journey!