Why Has Waheguru Blessed Us With A Son With Autism?

[singh_man]

Dear friends,

Firstly, I do feel blessed that we have been gifted with a son with autism. But it is difficult. He is a happy boy and very loving - but cannot speak, has independence issues, cognitive disabilities and social challenges.

I'll be honest - we do worry about his future and his complex care does add stress to our lives. Our lives are not following the "normal" path.. whatever "normal" is. But I stay steadfast and am a very positive person at the core. I'm starting to rediscover Sikhi and the power of Naam. It does help me stay centred and on course.

But I do question, why us? Why him? How can his soul find Waheguru? What was in his or our karma that led to this? What can Waheguru do to protect and bless him?

This not to offend anyone.. but just some questions I've always had.

Forever seeking.

 

[Harry Haller]

Hi Singhman

beautiful to read your post, very uplifting. My life also has never and does not follow the normal path, its good, it keeps things interesting.

Reading further I feel you are confusing Sikhism with Hinduism, but then, that is only my own opinion, others here may feel differently, but coming back to my own opinion, the Creator that Creates has better things to do than make young babies autistic, this punishment theory is to ensure people live lives through fear and superstition, to keep them in line, otherwise 'your babies will be born autistic', Sikhism does not subscribe to this, the answers for your sons autism lie in science and genetics, not religion or god.,

Waheguru has already protected and blessed him by giving him intelligent, tactful, enlightened parents,

good luck, you sound like a nice man,

 

[singh_man]

Thank you for your kind words Harry.

"Those who do not serve the true Guru, and do not contemplate on the Shabad (Word of God). They cannot comprehend spiritual wisdom; they are like dead bodies in the world. They go through the cycle of 8.4 million reincarnations, and they are ruined through death and rebirth" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 88).

However death is defined as the end of the time spent by a soul in one species and birth is defined as soul entering in another species. The ones, who do not meditate on God, will never be able to attain salvation and continue to live in the cycle of birth and death. "The ignorant and oblivious do not serve the true Guru, how will they find salvation? They die only to be reborn over and over again. They continue to be struck down at the door of death" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 115).

I believe the only thing I can continue doing is praying to Waheguru with Shabad, Paath, and Simran on my son's behalf and seek His blessings for all of us.

 

[Harry Haller]

"Those who do not serve the true Guru, and do not contemplate on the Shabad (Word of God). They cannot comprehend spiritual wisdom; they are like dead bodies in the world. They go through the cycle of 8.4 million reincarnations, and they are ruined through death and rebirth" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 88).

How do we serve the true Guru? in my opinion by being true to ourselves and being who we are
How do we contemplate on the shabad? by mumbling it? by reciting it? or by acting on it?
How can we stop the cycle of death and rebirth? again, in my opinion, there is no reincarnation, we are talking here about personalities, how can we find the true personality, by living and learning

 

[singh_man]

Interesting points Harry - but what do you mean by "there is no reincarnation, we are talking here about personalities, how can we find the true personality, by living and learning". What's the connection?

 

[japjisahib04]

Let us see what is context of the sabd at page 88 you listed.

ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਜਿਨੀ ਨ ਸੇਵਿਓ ਸਬਦਿ ਨ ਕੀਤੋ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਆਇਓ ਮਿਰਤਕੁ ਹੈ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ॥
ਲਖ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਫੇਰੁ ਪਇਆ ਮਰਿ ਜੰਮੈ ਹੋਇ ਖੁਆਰੁ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਸੋ ਕਰੇ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਾਏ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਸਚਿ ਰਤੇ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦ ਸਿਉ ਤਿਨ ਸਚੀ ਸਦਾ ਲਿਵ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਮੇਲੇ ਨ ਵਿਛੁੜੈ ਸਹਜਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥

When Gurbani say ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ , it implies that we read, study, understand and apply the wisdom of the Shabad Guru and apply that Gyan/Wisdom in our daily lives through conscious living so that our minds are re-structured to those of the highest level of human behaviour and Gur ki seva is Shabad vichaar" p.223. Without internalizing the divine trait, ਮਿਰਤਕੁ ਹੈ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ' - our thought process is nothing but is of animal birtee. To this animal birtee guru sahib is calling ਲਖ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਫੇਰੁ ਪਇਆ'.

As gurbani says, ''ਮਤੁ ਜਾਣਹੁ ਜਗੁ ਜੀਵਦਾ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਮੁਇਆਸੁ॥ don't think by taking biological birth we are alive, we are dead, we are still animal wrapped in human skin, 'ਪਸੂ ਮਾਣਸ ਚੰਮਿ ਪਲੇਟੇ ਅੰਦਰਹੁ ਕਾਲਿਆ॥. Our real birth is, ' ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਜਨਮੇ ਗਵਨੁ ਮਿਟਾਇਆ॥ by emulating the divine trait and wearing robe of divine wisdom, we end our rebirth.

best regrds

 

[Harry Haller]

Interesting points Harry - but what do you mean by "there is no reincarnation, we are talking here about personalities, how can we find the true personality, by living and learning". What's the connection?

When death comes to me, I expect to be dead, not nestling in the arms of beardy, not at the right hand of some turbaned figure, but dead. Sikhism, as far as I am concerned, is not a reward based religion, it is a way of life, there are no carrots, there are no whips, we have the chance while we are alive to find heaven, or sachkhand, or whatever it is you might call it, it is here on this earth and achievable in our lifetime,

the true personality is our god given one, the one that counsels us from within, the one that warns us, most of us have to go through many personalities to find the true one, we have to unlearn all the rubbish that we have grown up with, like going to the Gurudwara is actually not some social even where we all compare who has the biggest Mercedes, or demand lavish langar, being in consonance is being in a state of heightened perception, of being able to look at people and grasp exactly what they are about, what is the agenda, because everyone has an agenda, when you no longer have any agenda other than trying to do the best for the people around you, I think you have found the true personality.

I am not quite sure where spiritualism comes into it.......

 

[singh_man]

Hey Harry - how do you know you have found the "true one" personality or God? Is this not spiritualism also?

 

[notanotherloginplease]

Harry Ji..

Isn't this another term for Service/Sewa: "trying to do the best for the people around you".

is that it? do sewa/help people/be there best buddies = God found?
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Sikhism, as far as I am concerned, is not a reward based religion, it is a way of life, there are no carrots, there are no whips, we have the chance while we are alive to find heaven, or sachkhand, or whatever it is you might call it, it is here on this earth and achievable in our lifetime.


Again confused with this comment.
1. Reward based religion- "Gurparsad" - Doesnt this mean reward. I thought everything happens in a Sikh's life is a reward for him. 1st reward is this human life, 2nd is perfect Master, list is long.
Bhana- when we give ourself(slef=haume/ego) to our Guru, and find bliss in whatever he does,everything becomes a reward for us. And then guru will bestow his grace upon us which will make us eligible to meet God(Shabad). i just quoted few lines below in bold/blue which will testify reward theory.


ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ਘਰੁ ੧ ਅਸਟਪਦੀਆ


ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥


ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਜਿਨਹਿ ਉਪਾਇਆ ਭਾਈ ਕਰਣ ਕਾਰਣ ਸਮਰਥੁ ॥


ਜੀਉ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਸਾਜਿਆ ਭਾਈ ਦੇ ਕਰਿ ਅਪਣੀ ਵਥੁ ॥


ਕਿਨਿ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਿਉ ਦੇਖੀਐ ਭਾਈ ਕਰਤਾ ਏਕੁ ਅਕਥੁ ॥


ਗੁਰੁ ਗੋਵਿੰਦੁ ਸਲਾਹੀਐ ਭਾਈ ਜਿਸ ਤੇ ਜਾਪੈ ਤਥੁ ॥੧॥


ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਜਪੀਐ ਹਰਿ ਭਗਵੰਤਾ ॥


ਨਾਮ ਦਾਨੁ ਦੇਇ ਜਨ ਅਪਨੇ ਦੂਖ ਦਰਦ ਕਾ ਹੰਤਾ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥


ਜਾ ਕੈ ਘਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੈ ਭਾਈ ਨਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਭਰੇ ਭੰਡਾਰ ॥


ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਭਾਈ ਊਚਾ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰ ॥


ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲਦਾ ਭਾਈ ਨਿਤ ਨਿਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਸਾਰ ॥


ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਭੇਟੀਐ ਭਾਈ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਿਲਾਵਣਹਾਰ ॥੨॥


ਸਚੇ ਚਰਣ ਸਰੇਵੀਅਹਿ ਭਾਈ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਭਉ ਹੋਵੈ ਨਾਸੁ ॥


ਮਿਲਿ ਸੰਤ ਸਭਾ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਂਜੀਐ ਭਾਈ ਹਰਿ ਕੈ ਨਾਮਿ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥


ਮਿਟੈ ਅੰਧੇਰਾ ਅਗਿਆਨਤਾ ਭਾਈ ਕਮਲ ਹੋਵੈ ਪਰਗਾਸੁ ॥


ਗੁਰ ਬਚਨੀ ਸੁਖੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਭਾਈ ਸਭਿ ਫਲ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪਾਸਿ ॥੩॥

2. Way of life: is that it. so SGGS is just a book of principles/disciplines which just teaches us how to live. I thought its more about how to die.

 

[notanotherloginplease]

Singh_man ji, Dont worry about your Son. the one who has given him birth will also take care of him, he will give you strength.

Guru Arjan dev is an ideal example for us. he could have bring apoclypse if wanted when hot sand was poured over his body, but he chose to live in God's "Bhana". That was just to set an example for us. Every Guru did same. Have faith, we cant decide whats best for us. He knows better.

 

[Harry Haller]

Hey Harry - how do you know you have found the "true one" personality or God? Is this not spiritualism also?

I can only speak for myself, your contentment levels go up. not happiness, or desires being met, or goals being achieved, just contentment, peace.

I struggle, I am not a perfect man by any sense, nor do I have any answers, but what I do know is that the continuing invasion of our beautiful religion by Vedic and Abrahamic influences is turning our great religion, that laughed at rituals, mumbling, bathing, into a pseudo Christian/Hindu religion where we 'please' god and make 'him' happy and trust in 'him'

Allow me to share something with you, god has no interest in me, he does not love me, he is not looking down wagging his finger and smiling, because god does not exist. Akal Purakh on the other hand, the creative force, the truth, the energy that we should all find consonance with, gave me a brain, I thank Akal Purakh for that, Akal Purakh need do nothing else for me other than give me grace.

 

[Harry Haller]

Sikhism, as far as I am concerned, is not a reward based religion, it is a way of life, there are no carrots, there are no whips, we have the chance while we are alive to find heaven, or sachkhand, or whatever it is you might call it, it is here on this earth and achievable in our lifetime.


Again confused with this comment.
1. Reward based religion- "Gurparsad" - Doesnt this mean reward. I thought everything happens in a Sikh's life is a reward for him. 1st reward is this human life, 2nd is perfect Master, list is long.
Bhana- when we give ourself(slef=haume/ego) to our Guru, and find bliss in whatever he does,everything becomes a reward for us. And then guru will bestow his grace upon us which will make us eligible to meet God(Shabad). i just quoted few lines below in bold/blue which will testify reward theory.

I am sorry I have confused you
I am not sure why you think Gurparsad means reward, I always thought it meant by Gods Grace.
I do not seek any reward for being a Sikh, being a Sikh is reward enough, and no I am not going to comment on a few lines you have plucked out of the SGGS, without any meaningful description or understanding from yourself, it is waste of time, and in my view an insult to the SGGS.

 

[Harry Haller]

Singh_man ji, Dont worry about your Son. the one who has given him birth will also take care of him, he will give you strength.

oh no we are back to that one again, I though the one that gave him birth was his mother....., ok, great lets all do nothing and mumble stuff and have a few rituals, a few akhand paths maybe, invite everyone and then beardy will take care of everything!

Guru Arjan dev is an ideal example for us. he could have bring apoclypse if wanted when hot sand was poured over his body, but he chose to live in God's "Bhana". That was just to set an example for us. Every Guru did same. Have faith, we cant decide whats best for us. He knows better.

It is my view that Guru Arjan Devji was a physically normal man who had found the way. I do not think he was capable of "apoclypse", but what he was capable of was showing us that a physically normal man could stand tall in the face of tyranny. I guess your one of those people that fawn over Guru Nanak ji's handprint in the stone.......

Personally I think of our Gurus as the ultimate in humankind, not magicians.

 

[ravneet_sb]

SAT SRI AKAAL,

HARRY VIRJEE

Nothing in "NATURE"
is
absolute "POSITIVE"
and
absolute "NEGATIVE"

Each of us have both

One must be "SELF" aware

of

"Negative" of "SELF"

Enlarge "POSITIVE" and "Negative" is too less to "THINK"

Very Few are Lucky if one pays to "DOCTOR"

will not have disease

One will be labelled with disease or prescription (antibiotics or nutritional)

There was no "disease" and no "doctors" also

except

"SIMRAN" and "SEVA" for natural beings


Each human is born to "SERVE" in certain way


All of us are in the service of "SELF"

or

"BROADER SELF"


Waheguru Ji Ki Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

 

[Commander Tako]

from Socrates to Benjamin Franklin to Chip Morningstar "You can't tell anyone anything" You can only help one live vicariously through yourself.

So I won't even try to tell you yous answer. Just this, "Why did the Great Guru waste the precious gift of life on your Autistic son?"

 

[Sikhilove1]

Wh

Dear friends,

Firstly, I do feel blessed that we have been gifted with a son with autism. But it is difficult. He is a happy boy and very loving - but cannot speak, has independence issues, cognitive disabilities and social challenges.

View attachment 19486


I'll be honest - we do worry about his future and his complex care does add stress to our lives. Our lives are not following the "normal" path.. whatever "normal" is. But I stay steadfast and am a very positive person at the core. I'm starting to rediscover Sikhi and the power of Naam. It does help me stay centred and on course.

But I do question, why us? Why him? How can his soul find Waheguru? What was in his or our karma that led to this? What can Waheguru do to protect and bless him?

This not to offend anyone.. but just some questions I've always had.

Forever seeking.

Why dont you teach and guide him. Get him therapy and yoga helps too.

Just be a good parent. Kids have other mental illnesses like the 5 vices these days...much worse than a child with a good heart.

 

[WorldReligions]

Dear friends,

Firstly, I do feel blessed that we have been gifted with a son with autism. But it is difficult. He is a happy boy and very loving - but cannot speak, has independence issues, cognitive disabilities and social challenges.

View attachment 19486


I'll be honest - we do worry about his future and his complex care does add stress to our lives. Our lives are not following the "normal" path.. whatever "normal" is. But I stay steadfast and am a very positive person at the core. I'm starting to rediscover Sikhi and the power of Naam. It does help me stay centred and on course.

But I do question, why us? Why him? How can his soul find Waheguru? What was in his or our karma that led to this? What can Waheguru do to protect and bless him?

This not to offend anyone.. but just some questions I've always had.

Forever seeking.

Have you ever read The Reason I Jump? It might help.

 

[singh_man]

Thank you for sharing @WorldReligions. I was not aware of this film.

 

[WorldReligions]

Thank you for sharing @WorldReligions. I was not aware of this film.

You’re welcome. The Things I’ll Never Say is also a good resource. It is not about autism but it is about a girl with rett syndrome who is non-verbal (Rett Syndrome is an often terminal disease that causes rapid regression, catatonic-like state, seizures, severe muscle weakness and constant hand clasping. Some also have autism-like symptoms).
Inshaallah and whatever Sikhs say. Wonderous Waheguru?

 

[WorldReligions]

So I won't even try to tell you yous answer. Just this, "Why did the Great Guru waste the precious gift of life on your Autistic son?"

It is not a waste of life. Forgive me if I come across as harsh, but those who say that are ungrateful. Writing this for a man who needs guidance, not shame is not helpful.

I have multiple disabilities including autism and I am definitely not a waste of life. May God have mercy on you because you are going to need it.