But I'm not a Sikh...

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

I began doing Hatha Yoga and T'ai Chi Chuan only 2 1/2 years ago at

the age of 20 in hopes to combat the severe depression I once

suffered from. It was on my college campus at the University of

Redlands that I was introduced to these practices and immediately

fell in love with them both. However, yoga just seemed more for me.

My Hatha yoga instructor felt that it was very important for her

students to explore a variety of yogic styles instead of just

settling for the only style that is offered on campus. She arranged

a feild trip for us to visit a Bikram studio as well as a field trip

to the Golden Bridge where we took a Kundalini class with Gurmukh

(everyone knows who Gurmukh is). It was during the very first kryia,

doing breath of fire, that I decided I had to do Kundalini yoga for

the rest of my life.

 

After completing two more semesters of school in Redlands I packed

my bags and moved to Hollywood, only walking distance from the

Golden Bridge. My biological family is Christian, though I am not of

any religion. Back in Redlands my Hatha Instructor taught yoga as

being totally seperate from religion. So when I returned to the

Golden Bridge and began taking Kundalini with Harijiwan regularly I

never linked the practice to any religion. In fact, at that time I

had never heard of Sikhism. All that mattered to me was that my

depression was far gone, so far gone that today it's hard to believe

that I was ever depressed in this lifetime.

 

One day, last November while in a class at Golden Bridge, my

instructor Harijiwan mentioned White Tantric Yoga and the Winter

Solstice that happens in Lake Whales, FL. He said he highly

suggested that we students attend this event, that 3 days of White

Tantric Yoga is equivalent to years of Kundalini Yoga. I was sold.

However I had no money to pay for this retreat. Harijiwan worked it

out so that I could get on a work exchange. Still, I had no idea

that Kundalini in the West was linked to any religion, or that

Sikhism existed at all.

 

I got on the plane and went to Florida. Never in my life had I met

such a beautiful bunch of people. Never in my life had I been

immersed in such beautiful energy. I was flying. And I flew the

whole time I was there. I even wore a turban. I spoke with the

elders whom spoke of Yogi Bhajan, whom remembered him and his words

like it was only yesterday that he was still amongst this community,

of which he was the founder. I decided at Winter Solstice that I

would persue teaching Kundalini Yoga upon my arrival back to Los

Angeles.

 

Once back home I told my teacher Harijiwan of my plans to teach. I

wanted his approval...he told me to go for it. I began sending my

resume to yoga studios all over L.A. I began doing my research on

just what is Kundalini, I knew it had been awakened in me for sure

and I wanted to help awaken it in as many others as possible.

Finally I got hired at a local studio, teaching only once a week.

That's when it really dawned on me that much of the way I learned

Kundalini Yoga is in strong relation to Sikhism. And that I my self

am not a Sikh. The woman who owns the studio at which I teach is not

a Sikh, in fact I'm the only Kundalini instructor at this studio.

Some of the students who come to my class refuse to join in on the

mantras, are afraid to take part in any religious aspects of the

practice. They sit in silence while I chant Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo.

 

My question is does Kundalini yoga have to be taught alongside

Sikhism? How does one take the Sikhism out of Kundalini yoga? And

how come Kundalini yoga studios do not inform their students that

the practice is centered around a religion?? Are there any Kundalini

yoga studios that have nothing to do with Sikhism?

 

Since I have decided to teach Kundalini Yoga a number of events have

happened to me. I began having nightmares, I lost my apartment. My

car was then broken into..and only days ago I was in a car accident

from which authorities can't understand how I walked away alive, not

to mention without a scratch on me. This is serious energy I'm

dealing with, I know that. I have to find a way to carryout my

purpose without offending the path which has my purpose possible...I

play the mantras because they are beautiful and they work, I light a

candle before Yogi Bhajan's picture and speak to him because he

responds...But I'm not a Sikh, I don't believe in religion...and I

won't pretend.

[Guest guest]

One does not have to to any religion to do

any of the styles of yoga--including Kundalini. In

fact, a quick look at Sikhism reveals an order of

warriors who adopted a code to protect their values.

Sikhism and Kundalini yoga continue to evolve with the

changing times--and dare I say, change with it's

introduction to the West. All yoga is designed to

raise the Kundalini Shakti in an individual--Kundalini

Yoga speeds up the process. In doing so, you may be

subject to the cleansing process of Karma more

rapidly.

 

Perhaps this misfortunes of the recent past are

related to one of the forms of Karma--related to this

or a past life.

 

Keep your light shining, let your SoulShine

 

Donegal

 

--- firefairy323 <firefairy323 wrote:

 

> Sat Nam,

>

> I began doing Hatha Yoga and T'ai Chi Chuan only 2

> 1/2 years ago at

> the age of 20 in hopes to combat the severe

> depression I once

> suffered from. It was on my college campus at the

> University of

> Redlands that I was introduced to these practices

> and immediately

> fell in love with them both. However, yoga just

> seemed more for me.

> My Hatha yoga instructor felt that it was very

> important for her

> students to explore a variety of yogic styles

> instead of just

> settling for the only style that is offered on

> campus.

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

So you'd like to know if it is possible to teach KY without it being linked

to Sikhism? And you are concerned that it might be "part" of Sikhism and

that's difficult for you because you do not believe in religion?

 

I was taught KY completely separate from Sikhism, no turbans, no white

clothing, no "Sat Nam-ing", no music, no Gurdwara's...just the kriyas and the

consciousness of it.

 

I am not living in a remote city, but KY as a practice, is virtually

unheard of in the city where I live. There is a large Indian Sikh community

here, but they for the most part aren't involved in KY as a practice. So

Sikhism and KY are very separate here.

 

The only place where, I personally, have seen KY and Sikhism interlinked is

at 3ho events, where I encounter Western Sikh's....but even then, I have met

Western Sikhs who practice Sikhism, but not KY and vice versa. The two aren't

married, but are complimentary, as is any genuine religious/spiritual practice.

 

It's a big topic to comment on...I'll just say a few things.

 

My understanding is that KY is the most ancient form of yoga and that it has

gone underground at times and it most recently re-emerged through the 10 Sikh

Guru's and that lineage...so there is that connection. Some of the mantras we

use in KY can be found in the sacred writings of the Sikh's...and these

scriptures include writings of people of other denominations as well. The

writings are universal and for all...and Sikhism recognizes all faiths as well.

 

But as far as, "is KY a religious practice?" No...but it is an entriely

spiritual practice, if you care to make it that way. Spirituality has no

denomination. Religion, when it's done right, is an avenue to experience the

God within.

 

I know there is alot of fear around mantras and could this be praying to

"different" God or is it idol worhsipping etc etc. From my experience, there

is nothing that you can do to change people's minds, except to give them the

information necessary to understand the process of using mantra...and then to

be totally right within your self, aligned....and share your consciousness with

others, while you teach KY.

 

When people experience that, either they run for the hills or they stay.

Either way it's okay. Use your creativity, to find ways to speak about

reality/God that are omni-denominational and teach people about the nature of

reality. At the level of the heart, people will be able to understand,

regardless of their faith.

 

If you are experiencing freak outs around the religion thing, then

investigate what inside of you is afraid and release and detox whatever fear is

there, so that you can proceed from your heart, in constant communication with

your deep wisdom.

 

I believe the remedy is to become so very genuine yourself in your practice

(be that consciousness) and to allow yourself to express your consciousness in

a completley universal way so that all can hear and understand, regardless of

what "religion" they may be a follower of.

 

The energy of the heart knows no boundaries...it speaks the universal language

of all.

 

All Light,

Sat Sangeet Kaur

AB, Canada

 

 

 

 

 

Find your next car at Canada Autos

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam...wow!

About KY and being a sikh brings back a lot of memories. I found KY

soon after leaving my home in Redlands and moving to Prescott

Arizona. There I felt I had been struck by lightening and my life

was changed for ever. My teacher spoke of Winter Solstice(1971) and

I joined him and left for Tucson Arizona to pick up a few more to

take to the Solstice.

As I walked into the Tucson Ashram, Maha Deva Ashram, I had a

complete connection with everyone at the Ashram....I took the name

Siri Chand Singh and left for the WS and would be coming back there

to live.

All in all I did not become a sikh at that time I saw the

whites, the turbin, the mantras as tools for the total KY

experience. The fact that there were part of a religion never

bothered me for I saw them as part of my spiritual practise not a

religion.

This day and age religion has been seen to do many things good

and bad in the name of God. My own background has catholic priests

and sisters as uncles and aunts...so I know their troubles and

hardships.

Years later after I had spent some time running an Ashram in

Nebraska I rejected all that was sikh thinking I had to make a break

with it all. At the time I was going through a divorce and it struck

me pretty hard...it took me about 15 years to work it out of my

system. But I continued to practice the yoga and in fact ran yearly

KY retreats.

It wasn't until YogiJi's death that I have come back to

embracing the Sikh aspect of the teachings. For Yogi Ji came to me

(in a vision) and told me I had to start teaching again, and for me

being named after Guru Nanak's son I've felt a growing connection

that I could not ignor. Since that day (when Yogi Ji came to me in a

vision) I've formed a sadhana and haven't missed a day.

The science of sound and the science of the yoga are what we do

I understand the trappings of Sikhism confuse the issue, but always

remember that you are doing a spiritual practise...see the purity

and love in those teachings.

All love in the Divine,

Siri Chand

[Guest guest]

Greetings!

 

I would like to echo Sat Sangeet Kaur. I first started doing Kundalini

Yoga with Yogi Bhajan and 3HO in 1971. I lived in various 3HO ashrams

until late 1973. I began doing a morning sadhana again about twelve

years ago. I have found it extremely beneficial. But, throughout all

the years, I never became a Sikh, nor did I feel any pressure or need

to. And, I never took a Sikh/Sanskrit name. At the time I began

practicing Kundalini Yoga I was very anti-religious, though I was also

very open to spiritual ideas and practice. One reason I had rejected

Christianity, the religion I was raised in as a child, was its

insistence that it had the only truth and that everyone who didn't

believe was going to go to hell. But, Yogi Bhajan, as did Guru Nanak,

the founder of the Sikh religion, always emphasized the equality and

legitimacy of all religions and spiritual paths. I remember how

relieved and freed I felt when I heard Yogi Bhajan say, "Your God plus

my God equals our God." The Truth does not belong to any one religion

or person, but to all. Yogi Bhajan always made it clear he was not

seeking disciples for himself or any religion, but to inspire teachers

to deliver a technology that permitted the personal experience of God.

Through Kundalini Yoga and Yogi Bhajan I learned that a relationship

with God, the "Great Computer," the Self or the great spirit or

consciousness that permeates the universe and is the center of our

being, however you want to conceive it/him/her is not about belief in a

set of dogmas, but about knowing, experiencing and growing in a

relationship with yourself and the divine. I remember Yogiji saying

that when he asked God for a mantra to give to the children of the New

Age, he was given, "God and me, me and God are One!" I am currently a

practicing Christian and elder at Christ Presbyterian Church in my home

town. I love the Sikh gurus and the Sikh religion; I have learned a

lot from them that has advanced my understanding, my practice and my

faith. But, I have never felt that I must be a Sikh to practice or

benefit from Kundalini Yoga or the teachings of Yogi Bhajan.

 

Sat Nam (Truth is His/Her Name!),

 

Steve Porter

 

 

--

A. Steven Porter

Attorney at Law

6417 Normandy Lane, Suite 200

Madison, Wisconsin 53719

(608) 298-2285

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

Yogui Bajhan created different organizations for KY

and Sikhism, so one can choose to do either or both.

Sikhsm is the religion and KY could be seen as a

technology, and you can choose to do only KY and it

will work....

 

I live in a Catholic country (perhaps more than 80% of

the population here is Catolic) where there is a lot

of concern about the connection in between Yoga and

Religion. When people ask me what is Kundalini Yoga, I

tell them that it is a Technology to elevate the level

of conciousness of an individual by working the body,

the mind and the spirit.

 

The spirit...? They say....

Yes, because Yoga, with the exercises, meditations and

by resonating with the basic vibrations of the

universe (mantras), cleans the communication channels

to the soul.

 

Catholics do believe in the soul and KY only provides

one technique (not a religion) to clean the

communication channels between your mind and your

soul.

 

People are sometimes afraid of things they don't

understand, but even if people don't understand, there

is a reality (truth) and the Universe keeps going. KY

gives you tools and tells you how to use them. That is

it...

 

KY is a technology because there is reasonable

explanation for almost everything. Kriyas, mudras,

mantras, bandhas, etc... Sometimes science doesn't

understand, but with time there will be more an more

explanations. For NOW you can rely in How and What You

feel with KY!.

 

Blessings,

Haripal (Paraguay)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sat nam!

 

Thank you everyone who responded to this question. Your answers are so pure

and sincere.

 

To be or not to be WHAT is the question at hand. In the Piscean age we

found our identity in group identification. I am a --- whatever. I am

a ---- gave us a sense of meaning and security.

 

The problem, of course, is that if we look for validation and worth in an

identity that is a group category we run into several problems. One is that

we may not go deeper into finding our true identity where we eventually

experience our oneness with the Divine.

 

Another problem is that we want others to have the same belief system, i.e.

identity so that we feel validated and secure. This is one of the causes of

war -- whether it be religion or political ideology.

 

In the Aquarian Age we find our idenity in the purity of our soul. The

technology of the sound current helps us achieve this experience. (Which is

NOT a belief system and is independent of any form called religion.)

 

I have always viewed the technology offered by the Sikh Gurus as a spiritual

technology. I am grateful that these men came forward and said -- "If you

want to experience love and peace, this works."

 

So we might as another question instead of am I or am I not a Sikh or a

Christian or Moslem. How about

Am I me?

Am I one with the One?

Do I live in the light of my soul?

 

If these questions resonate, then we are motivated to practice technologies

that help us achieve this state of consciousness. Yogi Bhajan taught us

this technology because it works.

 

Classifications simply aren't relevant in the bliss of oneness with the

Divine.

 

Sat nam,

 

Gururattana

[Guest guest]

Keep in mind also that Yogi Bhajan was not interested in making anyone

religious.

 

 

 

He used Sikhism as a technology just as he used Kundalini Yoga as a

technology.

 

 

 

Reading the Sikh prayers is a way to cleanse, reading from the scriptures,

it is like chanting a mantra. You don’t have to be a Sikh to do that!

 

 

 

I remember when I started wearing the turban in 2000 I had a big fear of

wearing it at work and in Christian churches. I went to a Presbyterian

church and asked the minister if I could come to her service with my turban

on. She and I talked for 40 minutes and then she said: “I don’t know how the

congregation will respond, just come with your turban and I’ll invite you to

talk for 3 minutes to everyone about your choice… just come from your

heart!”

 

 

 

About ½ before the service I realized that all the thoughts I had in my mind

about what I was going to say were thoughts… I was not coming from my heart.

And I realized what I was going to say. I remembered how as a child I was in

awe of Jesus. I was raised catholic. I was in awe in a different way from

most people I knew. I felt that if he was able to heal, everyone should, if

he was able to be kind and compassionate, everyone could… and therefore I

could as well. I always like wearing my hair long and not shaving my beard.

That was innate in me but I also felt a kinship to Jesus doing that. It made

it easier to remind myself my commitment to live my life inspired by him.

But in this culture when let your hair uncut as a man, you look like a

hippie or like a rebel. When I met the Sikhs I learned of a group of people

who believed that not shaving and not cutting one’s hair is a spiritual

commitment. So I wanted to join the Sikhs in part because I did not have to

look like a rebel or a hippie! But more than that, it brought me back to my

commitment to live a life inspired by Jesus. It may not be very logical… but

it was at a feeling level, at a spontaneous level. So I saw no conflict

between being a Christian and being a Sikh.

 

 

 

I was applauded after saying these things and at the end some people came to

me and said they were starting to feel attracted by Buddhism and felt at

odds with Christianity and here I was marrying the two in my life. That felt

healing to them. Others who were shocked by my wearing the turban in “their”

church, said: “what a nice young man!” after my words.

 

 

 

I also met a catholic priest who ended up seeing I was a true seeker and did

not mind my wearing the turban at his church, but he saw a conflict between

the straight path to resurrection and the spiral path through death and

rebirth offered by eastern religions and in particular Sikhism.

 

 

 

Somehow I never saw this as a conflict. To me there is no real death. The

death of the physical body is but one transition among many. The soul lives

on. It’s a straight path to the point of enlightenment and beyond… and where

does resurrection fit in all this? I don’t pretend to understand all this.

But I have read stories of Indian masters able to come in and out of body in

order to move from one place to another 1000s of miles away. It seems to me

that resurrection is close to this: the ability to move from this incarnate

world into the spirit world and back with the same body. Purists might say

it is not quite the same… But it is close enough in my mind to believe that

each of these beliefs are part of a whole way in which the world works so

why spend time arguing that one is the true way? Who cares when what we have

to live right her and now is to learn about loving our self and our

neighbors?

 

 

 

So if you do that with a religion that supports that or by communing with

nature as an atheist or agnostic, or whether you use several of these

technologies to create a whole path for yourself, what matters is that you

remain true to yourself. So now I am not wearing the turban. I am

discovering another aspect of myself: I am more than a Sikh, more than a

Christian, I am infinite and there’s something about me that is unique that

only me can bring to the world.

 

 

 

In short all I am saying is: “Be yourself!” That’s a whole path in and of

itself!

 

 

 

Blessings,

 

Awtar S.

 

Rochester, NY

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam!

 

Don't believe me.

Find out for yourself.

Belief doesn't even compute

when stacked against experience.

 

When we can begin to distinguish between belief and experience we have begun

our journey from illusion to reality.

 

Yes, not all beliefs are illusions. Some are confirmations of reality. But

only through experience will we be able to tell the difference.

 

There is more going on within ourselves and in the universe than any of us

can ever imagine or experience. Our spiritual journey is about gradually

cultivating an expanded awareness so we can tune into our soul and universal

reality.

 

We can start by slowing down and shifting into neutral so we can look at

life through a clear lense and listen without monopolizing the thought waves

with our chatter.

 

The REALITY channel is available to everyone at all times. Free of charge.

Check it out. Some find it more interesting, beneficial and enlightening

than their own stories.

 

Life is prescious. Experiencing every moment of life as it is, instead of

how we wish it were or think it should be, is a sacred gift that only we can

give ourselves.

 

Sat Nam,

 

Gururattana

[Guest guest]

Hi

 

You refer to the Mantra Yoga aspect of Kundalini Yoga as being a

problem for those not interested in religion. While it appears that

the mantra yoga in KY is Sikh, in actual fact Mantra Yoga is ancient

and springs from well beyond any known religion. Mantra is

fundamental to our being. We could not exist without sound, as

everything is energy (sound). Mantra yoga is incorporated into

various religions, in different languages. One can find references

to Mantra Yoga in other great religions of the world e.g. "In the

beginning was the word..." of the Christian bible. Another mantra,

formed in the Latin language "Omnia vincit amo" (love conquers all)

is a powerful mantra. No matter of what religion, it still means

the same thing and has a certain effect upon the person saying it,

as does the 'Gayatri' formed in Sanskrit.

 

The basic mantra used in Kundalini Yoga (Sat Nam - true name) as all

other KY mantra, is based on the ancient science of sound. This

science uses combinations of sounds, pronounced in a certain way to:

 

1 Clear blockages in the outer personality (transform and purify)

so that we are more able to tune into and use the higher energies in

our lives.

 

2 Stimulate and awaken the higher self.

 

Both effects together strengthen the whole being, inner and outer,

creating conscious wholeness and awareness. The sounds are

scientifically constructed to help raise our consciousness.

 

So, Mantra yoga is sound as a creative tool, not secular religion,

and transcends our habitual patterns of perception, giving

benificent grace to all who recite, regardless of religious belief.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam!

 

 

Sat Nam,

 

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE. FINALLY YOU ARE A CREATURE WITH 4 MECHENICAL

DRIVES ( HANDS & LEGS )PLUS 1-2 KG WEIGHT ABOVE YOUR SHOULDERS.NOW THINK OVER IT

AGAIN.

GOD BLESS

SUNEET

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autos. Looking for a sweet ride? Get pricing, reviews, & more on new and

used cars.

 

 

[Guest guest]

But you are a Sikh!

 

Sat Nam and welcome to the list, Firefairy Kaur,

I hope you're still out there taking in all these responses.

Here's mine.

The Adi Mantra, "Ong Namo, Guru Dev Namo", I bow to the Universal

Creative Energy as it manifests WITHIN me, I bow to the transparent

Spirit that brings me from Darkness to Light" more than implies a

willingness to surrender to a Transcendent element OUTSIDE of us that

is embodied by the the tradition of the Ten Gurus, Jesus, Buddha,

Krishna, and so forth through all the lineages of Saints, Yogis and

Sages throughout the ages. The idea of this is to be at a receptive

peace in all areas of our life so that we can open our self to a

process that resonates in our whole psyche, and not just one small

corner of our heart where we have perfect discipline, poise and look

good in mirror.

That said, in the scriptures (SGGS) Guru Nanak said "All the 84

pilgrimage places are within the body". That's pretty special. He IS

the father of Sikh Dharma so you can see that there is something

pretty Yogic and connected about the foundation of this "religion".

 

Somewhere else (I forget which page) in the scriptures was written

"When the Guru is pleased, the mind is comforted by the mind itself".

This is something to think about. The Guru is a force or presence

OUTSIDE of us. Guru and God are pretty much the same, although it is

through reading the words of the Guru that ones mind can come to that

place of peace and stillness and oneness with God.

When we chant the Adi mantra it is a bit of a wake up call, and a

confrontation. We invoke our inner beauty and natural gifts by getting

rid of that which doesn't flow or resonate well with our Soul. It's a

process of purification and the very first exercise in the set. If

someone is afraid to Tune In, then they shouldn't practice Kundalini.

Actually, they shouldn't practice any yoga as they may very well have

a very rude awakening as their imbalances push their way into their

consciousness, and they start crying about kundalini. You can't hold

yourself responsible for them. In such cases your presence will have

to speak so loud that they can't hear what you're saying. What they

will get from you will have to come through the depth of your practice.

The body is a temple and a tool for knowing our depth. This

requires a certain kind of respect.

I once asked Asha Ma, an Indian Kundalini master what would happen if

someone with "moral weakness" would then begin a yoga practice. Her

response through her interpreter, and husband, was that the "kundalini

would just keeping slapping him around until he figured it out". I

liked that answer.

 

So back to your apprehension. I understand it well. Those who are

using the "GOD" word most frequently seem to have their head

completely up their ass, and this makes it real difficult for the rest

of us who actually still have some awe for this powerful principle

(Generating, Organizing, Destroying.....G.O.D.) to use the word. There

is a lot of religiophobia in our country and those of us who want to

take that on, have to do it from authenticity and completely without

pretension. Maybe one day a true reverance will return in the

mainstream for what GOD, the word, truly means, and one could by

merely uttering this word, bring people to their knees. In some

circles this reverence has never left. I can listen to recordings of

Martin Luther King and I am assured of this.

So it's not "Religion", but it's some of it's adherents that are the

problem.

God, save me from your followers.

 

Hey, check out this panel discussion I recorded last summer on

"Christianity and Yoga".

http://church-mouse.com/Panel-Discussion-on-Christianity-and-Yoga.mp3

 

Also, please check out http://www.info-sikh.com/PageRuss.html samples

below

"Bertrand Russell was a great philosopher and free thinker and is said

to have given Christianity (same applies to Islam and Judaism) a body

blow and exposed its absurdities; but even this great man got stuck

when it came to Sikhism! In fact he gave up and said "that if some

lucky men survive the onslaught of the third world war of atomic and

hydrogen bombs, then the Sikh religion will be the only means of

guiding them.†Russell was asked that he was talking about the third

world war, but isn't this religion capable of guiding mankind before

the third world war? In reply, Russell said, "Yes, it has this

capability, but the Sikhs have not brought out in the broad daylight,

the splendid doctrines of this religion which has come into existence

for the benefit of the entire mankind. This is their greatest sin and

the Sikhs cannot be freed of it." What Bertrand was most impressed

with was that Sikhism does not have a doctrine of evangelism that it

does not go out to try to subvert and convert. In some ways he thought

that Sikhs should go out and propagate their great faith."

 

"Even the Atheist Society when examining and discarding the world

faiths found it could not debunk the Sikh faith. In an e-mail it wrote

“We are in the process of making a website which will hopefully help

to destroy the religious doctrines which divide humanity. We were

doing excellent with knocking out Christianity, Judaism, Islam,

Hinduism, Baha'i, even Buddhism but we have gotten very stuck with

Sikhism. This religion is "a big pain in the ass" (please pardon the

language) We have only found one site which tries (very poorly) to

argue that even this religion is not needed, but the argument is

irrational and very unscientific unlike the very rational arguments

you use. We tried to look at their holy text (Adi Granth) but did not

find the usual absurdities we found in the other religious books. In

fact it’s refreshingly inspiring and very good!? Maybe you can have

some better luck. "

 

Sat Nam,

Dharam Singh

Millis, MA

 

firefairy323 wrote:

 

>Sat Nam,

>

>I began doing Hatha Yoga and T'ai Chi Chuan only 2 1/2 years ago at

>the age of 20 in hopes to combat the severe depression I once

>suffered from. It was on my college campus at the University of

>Redlands that I was introduced to these practices and immediately

>fell in love with them both. However, yoga just seemed more for me.

>My Hatha yoga instructor felt that it was very important for her

>students to explore a variety of yogic styles instead of just

>settling for the only style that is offered on campus. She arranged

>a feild trip for us to visit a Bikram studio as well as a field trip

>to the Golden Bridge where we took a Kundalini class with Gurmukh

>(everyone knows who Gurmukh is). It was during the very first kryia,

>doing breath of fire, that I decided I had to do Kundalini yoga for

>the rest of my life.

>

>After completing two more semesters of school in Redlands I packed

>my bags and moved to Hollywood, only walking distance from the

>Golden Bridge. My biological family is Christian, though I am not of

>any religion. Back in Redlands my Hatha Instructor taught yoga as

>being totally seperate from religion. So when I returned to the

>Golden Bridge and began taking Kundalini with Harijiwan regularly I

>never linked the practice to any religion. In fact, at that time I

>had never heard of Sikhism. All that mattered to me was that my

>depression was far gone, so far gone that today it's hard to believe

>that I was ever depressed in this lifetime.

>

>One day, last November while in a class at Golden Bridge, my

>instructor Harijiwan mentioned White Tantric Yoga and the Winter

>Solstice that happens in Lake Whales, FL. He said he highly

>suggested that we students attend this event, that 3 days of White

>Tantric Yoga is equivalent to years of Kundalini Yoga. I was sold.

>However I had no money to pay for this retreat. Harijiwan worked it

>out so that I could get on a work exchange. Still, I had no idea

>that Kundalini in the West was linked to any religion, or that

>Sikhism existed at all.

>

>I got on the plane and went to Florida. Never in my life had I met

>such a beautiful bunch of people. Never in my life had I been

>immersed in such beautiful energy. I was flying. And I flew the

>whole time I was there. I even wore a turban. I spoke with the

>elders whom spoke of Yogi Bhajan, whom remembered him and his words

>like it was only yesterday that he was still amongst this community,

>of which he was the founder. I decided at Winter Solstice that I

>would persue teaching Kundalini Yoga upon my arrival back to Los

>Angeles.

>

>Once back home I told my teacher Harijiwan of my plans to teach. I

>wanted his approval...he told me to go for it. I began sending my

>resume to yoga studios all over L.A. I began doing my research on

>just what is Kundalini, I knew it had been awakened in me for sure

>and I wanted to help awaken it in as many others as possible.

>Finally I got hired at a local studio, teaching only once a week.

>That's when it really dawned on me that much of the way I learned

>Kundalini Yoga is in strong relation to Sikhism. And that I my self

>am not a Sikh. The woman who owns the studio at which I teach is not

>a Sikh, in fact I'm the only Kundalini instructor at this studio.

>Some of the students who come to my class refuse to join in on the

>mantras, are afraid to take part in any religious aspects of the

>practice. They sit in silence while I chant Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo.

>

>My question is does Kundalini yoga have to be taught alongside

>Sikhism? How does one take the Sikhism out of Kundalini yoga? And

>how come Kundalini yoga studios do not inform their students that

>the practice is centered around a religion?? Are there any Kundalini

>yoga studios that have nothing to do with Sikhism?

>

>Since I have decided to teach Kundalini Yoga a number of events have

>happened to me. I began having nightmares, I lost my apartment. My

>car was then broken into..and only days ago I was in a car accident

>from which authorities can't understand how I walked away alive, not

>to mention without a scratch on me. This is serious energy I'm

>dealing with, I know that. I have to find a way to carryout my

>purpose without offending the path which has my purpose possible...I

>play the mantras because they are beautiful and they work, I light a

>candle before Yogi Bhajan's picture and speak to him because he

>responds...But I'm not a Sikh, I don't believe in religion...and I

>won't pretend.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Guru Rattana,

I enjoed read all e-mail I got from you when you answer people;s questions.

I will have questions oneday . I fell like imposing on you because I went to

Gurmukh to be Certify instead of come to you.I 'm thinking all these

questions must come from her students that in her net- work.

But Ialso know I'm wrong about that . Anyway please tell Gordon to get back

to me , Iwant to be your wholesale customer.

SaT Nam

Benja

 

>"Guru Rattana" <gururattan

>Kundaliniyoga

><Kundaliniyoga>

>Re: Kundalini Yoga But I'm not a Sikh...

>Sat, 18 Feb 2006 12:57:40 -0800

>

>Sat Nam!

>

>Don't believe me.

>Find out for yourself.

>Belief doesn't even compute

> when stacked against experience.

>

>When we can begin to distinguish between belief and experience we have

>begun

>our journey from illusion to reality.

>

>Yes, not all beliefs are illusions. Some are confirmations of reality.

>But

>only through experience will we be able to tell the difference.

>

>There is more going on within ourselves and in the universe than any of us

>can ever imagine or experience. Our spiritual journey is about gradually

>cultivating an expanded awareness so we can tune into our soul and

>universal

>reality.

>

>We can start by slowing down and shifting into neutral so we can look at

>life through a clear lense and listen without monopolizing the thought

>waves

>with our chatter.

>

>The REALITY channel is available to everyone at all times. Free of charge.

>Check it out. Some find it more interesting, beneficial and enlightening

>than their own stories.

>

>Life is prescious. Experiencing every moment of life as it is, instead of

>how we wish it were or think it should be, is a sacred gift that only we

>can

>give ourselves.

>

>Sat Nam,

>

>Gururattana

>

>

>

>

>

 

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