Remembering a Man Called the Siri Singh Sahib

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Please Join In: World-Wide Meditationon Sunday, Aug. 26th. 2 1/2 hours chanting of Long Ek Ong Kaars. Startingwith 11 minutes of Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru at 4 am MST.And get ready for a great webcastclass with Dr. Gurucharan Singh Khalsa and Snatam Kaur Khalsa on Fridayevening, August 24th 7-9 pm MST. " Community to Cosmos: The Secretof the Blue Pearl. " For more information, visit http://www.kriteachings.org/.Remembering a Man Called the SiriSingh SahibSunday, August 26th, marks the 78thbirthday anniversary of the late Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib HarbhajanSingh Khalsa Yogiji, also known as Yogi Bhajan. Yogi Bhajan passed awayon October 6, 2004, leaving a tremendous legacy behind. Born HarbhajanSingh Puri in 1929, in the part of India that is now Punjab district inPakistan, Yogi Bhajan's life spanned a time of tremendous change in India,and in the world. He came of age during the Partitionof India and Pakistan in 1948 and settled with his family in Delhi. Inthe late 1960's, when the counter-culture movement was at its height inthe West, he left his homeland to share the practices of Kundalini yogaand the teachings of Sikh Dharma with those, especially young people, searchingfor a meaningful and spiritual life. He was a man of firsts. He was the firstmaster of Kundalini Yoga to take those practices, considered sacred andnot to be shared science, out of India and teach it on every continentin the globe, freely sharing it and creating more than 10,000 certifiedteachers, at last count.He was the first global Sikh minister- who took the words and teachings of the Sikh Gurus and shared them withpeople from all nationalities, all languages and backgrounds. Today, thereare Chinese Sikhs, Russian Sikhs, Chilean Sikhs, Mexican Sikhs, AmericanSikhs, Canadian Sikhs, European Sikhs, South African Sikhs and others asa direct result of his mission. It was also under his effort that SikhDharma was officially acknowledged as a sovereign religion within the UnitedStates in 1971. Yogi Bhajan was a man of good will.He engaged in inter-faith dialogue withsuch notable spiritual leaders as Pope John Paul II and His Holiness theDali Lama and was very active in the Southern California interfaith councilsand initiatives. He inspired the creation of socially conscious businessesto help the newly formed Western Sikh community create an economic basefor themselves and their families and give back to the larger community.Some of these businesses include thehighly successful organic herbal tea company Yogi Tea, and Peace Cerealswhich gives 10% of their profits to fund grassroots peace organizations,and the major security contracting firm of Akal Security.He was a friend and mentor to publicand spiritual leaders everywhere. His contribution to humanity was so impactfulthat after his death, a bipartisan Joint Resolution of the United StatesCongress was passed in honor of his life. The Resolution read, in part, " Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring).That the Congress recognizes that theteachings of Yogi Bhajan about Sikhism and yoga, and the businesses formedunder his inspiration, improved the personal, political, spiritual, andprofessional relations between citizens of the United States and the citizensof India; (and) recognizes the legendary compassion, wisdom, kindness,and courage of Yogi Bhajan, and his wealth of accomplishments on behalfof the Sikh community. " (H. Con. Res. 34. Agreed to April 6, 2005.)Today, the teachings Yogi Bhajan shared on Kundalini Yoga and Sikh Dharmacontinue to touch people all around the world. In honor of Yogi Bhajan'sbirth anniversary, the Hacienda de Guru Ram Das Ashram in Espanola, NewMexico will be honoring his life with a special party and gallery exhibitof artwork created by Yogi Bhajan himself or inspired by his life.The event will take place on the eveningof August 25th. Over 700 people from New Mexico and around the countryare expected to attend. Local communities around the world who have benefitedfrom his teachings will gather to celebrate the day as well. In addition,Sikh Dharma International has recently released a commemorative volumeof Yogi Bhajan's poetry and artwork.The volume is titled The Game of Love.For the first time in print, the many teaching poems (composed in English)and inspirational illustrations that Yogi Bhajan created for his studentshave been compiled into a single volume. This body of work gives a uniqueinsight into the mind and spirit of 20th century spiritual leader and originalthinker. Below is one of the poems from The Game of Love. - By Ek Ong Kaar Kaur KhalsaGuru’s MenSun rays beaming and burstingWith continuous warmth and light,Glowing and growing in every cornerof the world,Bringing human meditative sight.In normal ecstasy and in ego's pain,Human joy and peace is slain.We all have to work To know the fact,From the moving spermatozoa To the grave worm’s act.Our children are tomorrow.Our children are today.Without Guru's words The mind can betrayThe purity and the beauty.If it does not know the Truth, The radiant self can fall off a cliff.Shining sun kissing the ocean,Saying goodbye, Going to the other side. Beautiful moon with sparkling clouds,Calm, serene night and the hiss of thetide.Rich man's mansion, poor man's dwelling,Calm, deep sounds and night dogs yelling,Do not awake the dozy human creep,Despite all the knowledge, he wantsto sleep.He wants to eat junk, he wants to looklike a punk. He dreams for the impossible 'til hislife is sunk.He makes excuses not to be with thesangat.He has a list of reasons not to eatin the pangat.He has a big philosophy why not to wearbanaa.He will tell a great episode not tobelieve in bhaana.Leaving all those, There are many caring and loving, Like the bright sun,With vigor and honesty, They are Guru's men.May I bow and praise their strength.They are the shining sun rays’ length.So long as the earth lives and revolves,They are the ones who shall answer thecall.So long as the sun will rise and godown, They shall be the heroes of the Guru'scrown.The Yogi sits in peaceAnd prays in love,In ecstasy, in joy,Like a peaceful white dove.