ek penda: April 2007

too many funerals...

my generation is the generation that seems to go the cemetry every month, sometimes every week....
suddenly all these strong fathers and mothers are leaving this world... hopefully finding peace and bliss when they merge into Waheguru.
i accept death, i know it is white and light, it is not something to be afraid of.
but it is the sadness of all family members or friends that are left orphaned, that upsets me.
too many funerals...

Saranjami lagu bhavjal taran kai

Prepare yourself to swim across the fearful life's ocean

do not waste life by dabbling in colourful illusions.

(Guru Arjan Dev)

Labels: life, sikhism

mirror

most indian people don't like dogs...

which is a problem with all my sikh visitors. they don't realise my dog is the sweetest animal in the world. but yes he likes to lick your hands, it only means he likes you!!!!

during the years he becomes more and more a mirror to me:

he can not see very well lately (so do i, but i wear glasses to write and read and of course i don't have to catch a ball),

he can not hear very well (so do i, but of course i don't have to guard this house and bark when someone is at our door),

he is getting grey (so i am aka kabuttar),

he likes food (yes, so do i),

he likes to be with me all the time (and i like to be with him, but i am not waiting on the doormat, when he is out for a walk)

he is crazy about little princess (so i am of course, but nobody will doubt that)

so it is true that a dog and his "bossie" look like each other...

oh yes and i am faithful too... and sweet (if i may say so myself)... but i use the toilet instead of every tree in the park

Labels: friends

this morning

This morning on my terrasse (terass? terrass? terasse? you know... where is my dictionary). The first rose...

Everything is blooming and still it is only April. It is so unusual. April 2007 is the hottest month of April since 300 years. And not a spot of rain... so our farmers are getting worried...

And maybe everyone of us should be worried...

When we started the green party 30 years ago, we were the laughing stock of the political world. But now the world realised all those "green" subjects were really important to care for.

Even my children said last evening:

" Hey, mum, for once you were right after all!"

Guru Ji

The Guru's word has the sage's wisdom,

the Guru's word is full of learning,

for though it be the Guru's word

God Himself speaks therein.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Labels: sikhism

sweet poison

When i returned from gurdwara i almost had a sugar shock. And on my hips was at least one kilo of weight more!

Food is delicious in the gurdwara, but often it is a deadly combination of sugar and fat.

So next time i will walk to gurdwara instead of going by car, hopefully this way i stay healthty.

Labels: food

Nishan Sahib

For those who do not know what is going on on these pictures.
The Nishan Sahib (flag) is lowered, the orange cloths are removed, the pole is washed with milk and then covered again.
Then Nishan Sahib rises again in full glory.

Labels: sikhism

interreligious blossom blessing

Before going to the gurdwara for the Vaisaikhi celebration, we had to participate in a interreligious blossom blessing. It was out in the garden of the Catholic nuns in H., under the old cherry tree. There were members of catholiscism, bahai, buddhism, hinduism and sikhism. Our muslim brothers were not there this year.
We came a little late (indian time) and left a little early because we wanted to be on time in the gurdwara. But it was heart warming anyway. All these good people from different religious traditions... if only the full world was like this!

And by the way, it is warm in every way: today it is 30° C. Punjabi weather!

Labels: interfaith, sikhism

kara

Labels: sikhism

my Guru Ji, my granthi and i

On Friday (the 13th of April) i went to our gurdwara Sangat Sahib. But the sangat was out somewhere in the world... the gurdwara was empty.
Our granthi K.Singh was doing Akhand Panth. i like the sound of Gurbani even i don't understand.
So i was sitting there with all my hundreds of thoughts going through my mind. I tried to keep my eyes open and stare at the carpet one metre before me (like i learnt in zen meditation), but my eyes wanted to close. It felt like if there was light outside of me, dark on the inside except for one little lit corner.
Keval Singh was still reading the Guru Granth Sahib and usually i start to cry overwhelmed by the power of Gurbani. But not this time....
Every word said gave me a soothing feeling. My mind was still restless, it was running around to remember something. You know this feeling when you can not remember a dream and then suddenly, during the day, something triggers your mind and you are about to remember it. You know this feeling?
Well it felt like that, but my mind could not find what it was looking for. So it seemed...
Suddenly i felt complety showered with light, inside, outside, i was radiant.
What did i remember? Being a sikh? Being His child? Being part of Him?
Vaisaikhi is always a difficult day for me, because i still not give my head, i am still not in bana...
But bani swept me of this world, nothing mattered at that moment, what i felt was peace.
Peace and all this light. I was in Him.

So it was Vaisaikhi for me. It really was.