Friday, August 10, 2012
Sat Nam.
We invite you to
light a candle and send your prayers from your home, with your family, and with
your community for those who lost their lives in the Oak Creek Sikh Temple
shooting with these two sacred chants from the Sikh tradition (please click here for the free downloads of
these chants). In the past few
days since the shooting at the Oak Creek Gurdwara (temple) there has been a
great outpouring of prayers, and compassion from the American public for the
Sikh Community in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and across the United States. As we understand the details of what
occurred we see the pure ignorance that caused such an act, we see the anger,
and we see the terror. We see the
large gap of understanding and connection in our society, that such an event
could occur in our country to such a peaceful community as the Sikhs in a place
of worship. As the Muslim mosque was burnt down just the next day in Joplin
Missouri our hearts wept once again.
However this
blog is to call upon the light, the love, and the strength of human
spirit. So how do we move
forward? In the Sikh prayer that
we recite every morning there is a beautiful line that comes to mind now. "May we remember those who saw the
faults of others yet overlooked them." And so as our eyes turn beyond the faults to find the
connection, to find the way to move on, let us together find the light.
We see the
incredible heroism, in knowing how the President of the Gurdwara in Oak Creek,
Satwant Singh Kaleka, faced the shooter with a butter knife and from what reports
tell us was able to hinder his rampage for a time. We see the absolute shining spirit of humanity come through
Lt. Brian Murphy as he encouraged his fellow officers to go inside the Gurdwara
and help the people inside before tending to his wounds. We feel the love and beauty of the
Sikhs of the Oak Creek Gurdwara who offered Langar (a sacred meal) to the
police officers just hours after the shooting; always serving, always caring,
true Sikhs to the core. We see the
mass media coverage of Sikhs so that the world can better understand who we are
as a community and we are grateful for it. We feel the outpouring of sympathy from people of all walks
of life. We see the turning of the
tide, as people in this country are truly supporting the Sikh American
community in the wake of this tragedy.
So let us pray
together. People of all walks of
life, I invite you. Let us pray
for all of those who died on August 5th in the Oak Creek Gurdwara. Let us pray for their families. Let us pray for the sanctity of the
Gurdwara in Oak Creek, and for the sanctity and protection of all places of
worship of all faiths. Let us pray
for the Mosque in Joplin Missouri, may it be rebuilt as a place for this
peaceful community to thrive. Let
us pray for the strength of our commitment to reach out to each other in our
diverse communities to find understanding and connection. Let us pray for the soul of the shooter
Wade Page that the pain that was in his heart and is in the hearts of others in
this country and in this world may be healed, healed, healed. And let us know deeply within that that
the light of our prayers, our candles, and our courage, most certainly is
overcoming this tragedy with the victory of the human spirit. I invite you to light a candle and send
your prayers from your home, with your family, and with your community with
these two sacred chants from the Sikh tradition. You can chant along or remain in silence. In the spirit of truly connecting in
your prayer, we ask that you cover your head as you recite these sacred words,
as is the Sikh way.
The first chant
is "Guru Ram Das Rakho Saranaa-ee." Guru Ram Das is
the fourth Guru of the Sikhs. His
life, his energy, his gift to us is the capacity to reach out to the homeless,
to the hopeless, and offer healing, tangible, real healing.
Guru Ram Das Raakho Saranaa-ee. Guru Ram Das, protect me and surround me with
your sanctuary.
Surround us with your light, Guru Ram Das. Protect us with your love, Guru Ram Das. Give us your sweet peace, Guru Ram Das. I give my life to you, Guru Ram Das.
The second is
the Mantra "Akaal". This
is the Mantra that Sikhs chant when someone dies. It means "undying" and it identifies the true
nature of the soul which never dies. In the strength of your prayer, and the Grace of God and Guru, this
chant has the capacity to free the soul from this earth plain so that it can
merge with the Divine Deathless energy of God, or Akaal Purkh.
(Please click here for a link to the free downloads of these chants.)
If you are
inspired to donate funds to the families who lost a loved one, we got this
information from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A memorial fund has been established to help the victims of the
deadly attack at the Oak Creek Sikh temple on Sunday. Donations can be mailed to Victims Memorial Fund, Sikh Temple of
Wisconsin, 7512 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek, WI 53154.
Two separate websites: wearesikhs.com, and indiegogo.com/milwaukee-sikh also have been created to raise
money to help the families.
To learn more about Sikhs you can visit these two web addresses
for two good summary articles. I invite you to send these links out to your friends so that people can
understand who Sikhs are.
Finally, the last thing that I would like to mention is that if
you have a Gurdwara in your area, and you haven't been there yet, I highly
encourage a visit. There is
usually a service every Sunday morning starting at around 10 am. Generally the
main worship hall will have beautiful live music being played. The entire focus
of the service is to pray and connect with the Guru, whose energy is embodied
in a collection of writings from the Sikh Gurus and masters of other faiths
called the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. These sacred scriptures will be in the main hall with beautiful fabrics
adorning it. Offerings are made to
support the workings of the Gurdwara including the meals. There is always an
amazing cup of chai and the most delicious Punjabi cuisine you can imagine
waiting for you in the kitchen during or after the service. The sound of children, laughter, and
life will most likely surround you as you eat. If you do plan to go, bring a
head cover and plan to sit on the ground for the service and the meal... truly
an authentic and beautiful experience. Then again, I am biased... I am hopelessly in love with this way of
life.
Thank you.
God Bless You,
In the Light of the Holy Naam, Waheguru.
Snatam Kaur
Comments:
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I sob as I join your prayer.
One of the most beautiful people I have ever met is Sikh. She was my first massage therapist, a tender, gentle woman. Her husband, also Sikh, as a yogic guru. Once, they invited me to come to a gathering-not in a temple, as there was no Sikh temple in San Antonio at the time-but in someone's home. We sat in a large semi-circle facing the guru. He taught, saying something like "our practice will see us through the hard times ahead." We chanted. I, of course, did not know the chants, but I knew the message. It was as familiar to my soul as ether. We sat on the floor for dinner. A young man who had recently converted to the Sikh religion, expressed his pain that his family, especially his father, could not accept his new understanding.
The vibrational frequency of that gathering was HIGH and grounded and pure. It was an honor to be present.
Why didn't I return? I wasn't ready. Though I knew I wanted what I found there, in the people, in the chanting, in the teaching-I simply had more hurting to do.
Many times, as recently as a few days before this tragedy, I have and continue to seriously consider covering my own head, changing my name, and wearing only white-practicing being the Light after the Sikh fashion. And so, it is only a matter of timing that I, myself, was not sitting in that Wisconsin temple.
Your writing is that of the christed one; your call for "healing, healing, healing" my own.
As a community, as culture, as a nation, we must press on to the Higher Call. Beyond perceived boundaries, beyond judgments, beyond and in the name of who we call our god: nirmame, jesu, christ, buddha, allah, god, savior, teacher, jehovah, shekinah, krishnah, kali, yahweh, elohim, adonai and on and on.
We must recognize the Light and become who we are.
One of the most beautiful people I have ever met is Sikh. She was my first massage therapist, a tender, gentle woman. Her husband, also Sikh, as a yogic guru. Once, they invited me to come to a gathering-not in a temple, as there was no Sikh temple in San Antonio at the time-but in someone's home. We sat in a large semi-circle facing the guru. He taught, saying something like "our practice will see us through the hard times ahead." We chanted. I, of course, did not know the chants, but I knew the message. It was as familiar to my soul as ether. We sat on the floor for dinner. A young man who had recently converted to the Sikh religion, expressed his pain that his family, especially his father, could not accept his new understanding.
The vibrational frequency of that gathering was HIGH and grounded and pure. It was an honor to be present.
Why didn't I return? I wasn't ready. Though I knew I wanted what I found there, in the people, in the chanting, in the teaching-I simply had more hurting to do.
Many times, as recently as a few days before this tragedy, I have and continue to seriously consider covering my own head, changing my name, and wearing only white-practicing being the Light after the Sikh fashion. And so, it is only a matter of timing that I, myself, was not sitting in that Wisconsin temple.
Your writing is that of the christed one; your call for "healing, healing, healing" my own.
As a community, as culture, as a nation, we must press on to the Higher Call. Beyond perceived boundaries, beyond judgments, beyond and in the name of who we call our god: nirmame, jesu, christ, buddha, allah, god, savior, teacher, jehovah, shekinah, krishnah, kali, yahweh, elohim, adonai and on and on.
We must recognize the Light and become who we are.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been looking for a way to connect with this beautiful community. All who are truly committed to the American way of life stand with you as brothers and sisters. Much metta, Sandy Norton
Snatam,
I am praying every day. I am with you in this. My heart mourns and aches as well. We are all deeply effected by this. I have chills at the chants and advice you have posted, as just days ago, I too posted a blog extending my condolences and asking everyone to pray and listen to your very chant you posted here "Guru Ram Das"
You're so awesome. I love you, I love all. God bless you, and bless the families of all, whom we have all lost of loved ones. When they lost, we all lost. We are all family, at least I want to believe that. Thank you Snatam. I do see the Guru in you, and feel the presense of the One.
Sat Nam
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I am praying every day. I am with you in this. My heart mourns and aches as well. We are all deeply effected by this. I have chills at the chants and advice you have posted, as just days ago, I too posted a blog extending my condolences and asking everyone to pray and listen to your very chant you posted here "Guru Ram Das"
You're so awesome. I love you, I love all. God bless you, and bless the families of all, whom we have all lost of loved ones. When they lost, we all lost. We are all family, at least I want to believe that. Thank you Snatam. I do see the Guru in you, and feel the presense of the One.
Sat Nam
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