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I was looking on the internet for a poem that could describe what my life has been like and will continue to be like without Maharaj in it. Below is a poem which I found fitting for the way I have felt, being far from Maharaj.

A Life Without You

A life without you,
What would it be like?
It would be like being in the dark
For the rest of my life.
Without you by my side
I won't be able to see
All the wonderful things
That you once showed me.
A life without you
Would be like no life at all.
It would be like I was trapped
Behind an unseen wall.
Trying to get free
Would be the hardest thing to do
Because without you by my side
I won't have anyone
To help me get through
All the hard times
That I go through.
A life without you,
What would it be like?
It would be like a nightmare
In the middle of the night.
I'd wake up crying,
Wishing you were there
To make it so
I'm not so scared.
A life without you
Would be pure hell,
But hell will not come
As long as you're still in my life,
And still by my side.
So hopefully,
I will never have to endure
A life without you.

My Own Words below:

Everything happens for a reason right?
Every single mistake I have made,
rehat I have broken, has happened for a reason.

I have lost everything,
felt my Sikhi fall through my own hands,
yet I didn't see the hands below mine waiting to catch my Sikhi.
Whilst my Sikhi fell, it shattered into tiny fragments,
so small that no mortal being could ever put back together.

How could I forget, Maharaj never left my life,
it was me who turned my back.
When He made me look below,
I saw an Invisible Being rebuilding my Sikhi.

I couldn't see the Being,
But my heart has started to beat again,
I know it's You Maharaj.

You haven't left me.
I am unable to fathom why You would stay with such an ungrateful
wretch,
yet I cannot say that I want You to leave me.

As I look down, I see the foundations of my Sikhi being rebuilt,
it's construction is taking so long,
yet I can see that the foundation of my Sikhi, is stronger then
before,
stronger than it's ever been.

I know the construction will be long, hard and gruelling,
but this journey will only make my bond with You stronger.

I understand now Maharaj,
There were cracks in that foundation,
which could be repaired before, but would still have showed.
It had to be knocked down, to be rebuilt again, stronger than it's
ever been.

So I thank You my Beloved, for everything.
I have come to understand,
that sometimes one must lose something,
in order to understand the value of it.

I have come to understand,
that the void in my life,
that I have spent eons searching for,
the love I have been craving,
The One who's embrace I have been searching for,
the love my of life, IS YOU Maharaj

Please forgive me for my many mistakes in the second poem

- copied from an e-group

AM I NORMAL?

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by Gurpreet Singh

Who wants to be normal? Was Guru Nanak Dev Ji normal when he walked 82,000 miles? Was guru Gobind Singh Ji normal when he asked for a head!? Were any of the martyrs normal, choosing death than living like slaves? No, the devotees of God are not normal they are madly and deeply in love with God while the whole world thinks they are insane ...

When Guru Nanak Maharaj appeared from the river after three days, all soaked and with messy hair, people called him many things as guru nanak dev ji himself writes: 
"Some call him a ghost; some say that he is a demon.
Some call him a mere mortal; O, poor Nanak! ||1||
Crazy Nanak has gone insane, after his Lord, the King.
I know of none other than the Lord. ||1||Pause||" SGGS 991

So on this path to being a Gurmukh, forget about what the world thinks of you, forget about being normal, forget about fiiting in with society, think only of loving God, the Wondrous Creator and go where God takes you

Everyday is new, 
every day my Master is New .. "sahib mera nit navaa"
every moment is wondrous
every second something amazing is happening in the universe

God is not just the Creator, 
God is Karta Purakh...the Creative Being...
God is still the Master Artist 
still creating , 
still being young and fresh 
brilliant and beautiful,
if being normal means being bored , 
being stuck in another rut , 
then that God is not.

Being in love with God is exciting every day, 
everday the love increases 
everyday God calls me closer, 
everyday the spiritual sun shines
brighter in my hea rt

Don't be normal 
be different 
be in love with God
by loving the Name of your Beloved
swing your arms in joy

"Nanak says: swing your arms in joy!" (SGGS 22)

smile and laugh
while singing the Name of your Beloved
You are God's and God is Yours!

God says, "If you reform yourself, you shall meet me, and meeting me, you shall be at peace.
O Fareed, if you will be mine, the whole world will be yours."||95|| SGGS (1382)

Khalsae are known to live like shooting stars- sometimes short-lived but always bright, wonderous, energetic and are an awe-inspiring spectacle for the world
Thank Waheguru you are not normal- you are MAGNIFICENT.

Right to Freedom of Religion

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Dear Brother/Sister,

The right to freedom of religion is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution of India. Do we know who stood up to get this right secured for the people of India? Do we know we were deprived of this Fundamental Right in our very own country in the 17th Century? Yes, it was the time when Aurangzeb was forcibly converting the Hindu brothers and sisters of Hindustan to Islam. Embrace Islam or face death - that was his message. Not that one religion is better than the other but forcing one’s faith on other is absolutely wrong. And this was being done in our motherland.

Who at that time came forward to save Hindustan? Who secured the right to freedom of religion for Hindu brothers? Who stopped India from FORCIBLY being converted to an Islamic Country? Was he a Hindu? He should be… why would a person from any other faith come forward to fight with Aurangzeb, the Shehanshah of India? Would you do that? But someone dared… The Hind Ki Chaadar, the 9th Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji.

The Delhi Emperor, Aurangzeb cherished the ambition of converting India into a land of Islam. This philosophy was also pleaded by Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (1569–1624), leader of the Naqashbandi School, to counter the liberal policies of Akbar's reign. The Emperor's experiment was first carried out in Kashmir since the Kashmiri Pandits as they were always looked up by Hindus in the other parts of the country. The viceroy of Kashmir, Iftikar Khan (1671–1675) carried out the policy vigorously and set about converting non-Muslims by force.

A group of Kashmiri Pandits (Kashmiri Hindu Brahmins), approached Guru Tegh Bahadur and asked for help. They, on the advice of the Guru, told the Mughal authorities that they would willingly embrace Islam if Guru Tegh Bahadur, did the same.

Orders of the arrest of the Guru were issued by Aurangzeb, who was in present day North West Frontier Province of Pakistan subduing Pushtun rebellion. The Guru was arrested at a place called Malikhpur near Anandpur after he had himself departed from Anandpur for Delhi. His arrest was made in July 1675 and he was kept in custody for over three months. He was then cast in an iron cage and taken to Delhi in November 1675.

The Guru was put in chains and ordered to be tortured until he would accept Islam. When he could not be persuaded to abandon his faith to save himself from persecution, he was asked to perform some miracles to prove his divinity. On his refusal, Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in public at Chandni Chowk on 11 November 1675. Guru Ji is also known as "Hind Di Chadar" i.e. "the shield of India", suggesting that to save Hinduism, Guru Ji gave his life.

Isn’t this the only incident in the WORLD where the Guru of one religion gave his life to save other? But do we even remember this today? Haven’t we (Sikhs and Non-Sikhs) become ignorant? We remember Valentine’s day and celebrate Rose day each year, but what about this day which spreads such a beautiful message of brotherhood, to stand against injustice, to fight for the weak.

--
For those who make fun of Sikhs by cracking jokes, there can be no one more thankless than you. Be ready to show you face in the court of the Lord.
--


(Copied from an e-mail)

I have heard of Saas Giraas simran. What is the historical evidence or origins of this?

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Some people use "Saas Giraas simran" and "Swaas Swaas simran" interchangeably. Commonly people say "Saas Giraas", but "Saas" = breath, "Giraas" = morsel of food... i.e. to remember God with every breath and when eating. On the other "Swaas Swaas" refers to remembering God with each breath.

Sadly, many people don't know much about Swaas Swaas simran. Some people think that Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh, the founder of Akhand Kirtani Jatha, had started it. However, as one does more research, read Gurbani, read books, and actually practice Sikhi, you learn new things and develop understanding. Swaas Swaas simran is not invented by Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh. Gurbani talks about Swaas Swaas simran time and time again. There are many shabads, for example:

ਸਾਸ ਸਾਸ ਸਾਸ ਹੈ ਜੇਤੇ ਮੈ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਰੇ ॥
ਸਾਸੁ ਸਾਸੁ ਜਾਇ ਨਾਮੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਸੋ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਸਾਸੁ ਬਿਕਾਰੇ ॥੭॥
"With as many breaths as I have, I chant the Naam, under Guru's Instructions. Each and every breath which escapes me without the Naam - that breath is useless and corrupt. ||7||"
(SGGS - Ang 980)

Gurbani says "Gurmat Naam", meaning Naam in accordance to the Guru's instructions. So what is the Guru's instructions? This is discovered at the Amrit Sanchaar. However, sadly the reality today is that people take Amrit and then ask others like Sants and Holy men "How do we Japp Naam?" Why are they asking others? If someone has taken Amrit and are happy that are Japping Naam, then great, but if not, then its sad. The Guru is Great. If the Guru gives GurMantar then he also has given a method for Japping it.

Someone could argue that "okay, Gurbani talks about Swaas Swaas simran and Gurmat Naam, but where is the proof for "Swaas Swaas" simran technique given by some Amrit Sanchaars and not others. Is this an AKJ thing?" As mentioned before, Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh did not invent or find any new Rehit. He simply "revived" the puraatan (old) Maryada of Guru Sahib which had been forgotten by the majority of the Panth and only preserved by a small group of people.
Gurmat Naam is bestowed to the Sikh when one receives Amrit from the Panj Piyaare (5 initiated Sikhs who are the physical representation of the Guru) in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji tells us that the Gurmantar is first whispered into the ear of the seeker:

ਮਨਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸੁ ਭਇਓ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਨਾਸਿਓ ਮੰਤ੍ਰੁ ਦੀਓ ਗੁਰ ਕਾਨ ॥੧॥
"My mind was enlightened, and my doubt was dispelled, when the Guru whispered His Mantra into my ears. ||1||
(SGGS - Ang 1302)

ਮਹਾ ਮੰਤ੍ਰੁ ਗੁਰ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਬਸਿਓ ਅਚਰਜ ਨਾਮੁ ਸੁਨਿਓ ਰੀ ॥੩॥
"The Guru has implanted the Maha Mantra, the Great Mantra, within my heart, and I have heard the wondrous Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
(SGGS - Ang 384)

Naam is then instilled within the devotee through the Guru (in the form of the Panj Piyaare). Gurbani gives the hints that when a seeker receives Naam from the Guru in the form of the Panj Pyaare then the Panj Pyaare place their hands on the head of seeker and make the devotee repeat Naam:

ਮੇਰੈ ਹੀਅਰੈ ਰਤਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਬਸਿਆ ਗੁਰਿ ਹਾਥੁ ਧਰਿਓ ਮੇਰੈ ਮਾਥਾ ॥
ਜਨਮ ਜਨਮ ਕੇ ਕਿਲਬਿਖ ਦੁਖ ਉਤਰੇ ਗੁਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦੀਓ ਰਿਨੁ ਲਾਥਾ ॥੧॥
"(When) the Guru placed His hand on my forehead, the Jewel of the Lord's Name came to abide within my heart. (Whoever) the Guru has blesses with Naam, the Name of the Lord, their sins and pains of countless incarnations are cast out and the debt (of sins) is paid off. ||1||"
(SGGS - Ang 696)

ਸਮਰਥ ਗੁਰੂ ਸਿਰਿ ਹਥੁ ਧਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
ਗੁਰਿ ਕੀਨੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦੀਅਉ ਜਿਸੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਚਰੰਨ ਅਘੰਨ ਹਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
"The All-powerful Guru placed His hand upon my head. The Guru was kind, and blessed me with the Lord's Name. Gazing upon His Feet, my sins were dispelled."
(SGGS - Ang 1300)

ਮੈ ਸੁਖੀ ਹੂੰ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਗੁਰਿ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਵਸਾਇਆ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਪੁਰਖਿ ਵਿਖਾਲਿਆ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਧਰਿ ਕੈ ਹਥੁ ਜੀਉ ॥੯॥
"I have obtained the comfort of spiritual comforts. The Guru has implanted the Word of the Shabad deep within me. The True Guru has shown me my Husband Lord when He has placed His Hand upon my forehead. ||9||"

(SGGS - Ang 73)
The above Gurbani quotes are clear that the Guru "places His hand" on the head of the Sikh and awakens Naam. The reality of this is seen in the Amrit Sanchaar when the Panj Pyaare place their hand on the head of the Abhilaakhee (Amrit candidate). However, this tradition has gradually been lost by the majority, and only few groups are left that keep this alive.
Individuals can Japp Naam however they wish, just like a baby can drink its mother's milk however it wishes. The main thing is "quenching the thirst". However, at the same Guru Sahib has given a certain technique for Japping Naam which was passed down from each Guru. From Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, which was given to all Sikhs that took Amrit (whether it be Charan-Pahul or Khande-Di-Pahul). Then the Guru Khalsa was given the right in 1699 to give Amrit and Naam to Sikhs.

Bhai Chaupa Singh Ji, contemporary of 10th Guru, records the 10th Guru's instruction in his Rehat-Nama (ethical code):

ਗੁਰੂ ਕਾ ਸਿਖ ਸਾਸ ਸਾਸ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਉਚਾਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਰਹੈ ॥
"The Guru's Sikh with each and every breath ('Saas Saas') should keep uttering 'Vaheguru'."
(p. 105, Piara Singh Padam - 'Rehatnamay')

'Rehat-Nama Prem Sumarg' (p. 119, Piara Singh Padam - 'Rehatnamay') mentions the "exact" technique as Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh revived in Amrit Sanchaars which is still kept alive today in Amrit Sanchaars "organised" by Akhand Kirtani Jatha and few other groups in the Panth. The same technique is mentioned in the literature written by Baba Nand Singh Jee (Nanaksar), Baba Ishar Singh Jee (Rara Sahib Wale), Baba Attar Singh Jee (Mastuana Wale) and Bhai Raghbir Singh Bir (panthic scholar). Baba Takhur Singh (Damdami Taksaal) also practiced Swaas Swaas simran in the same method. The "Prem Sumarg" Rehat-Nama quote is evidence that Guru Gobind Singh jee gave "the" technique of Japping Naam to the Sikhs that took Amrit and he is instructing Mata Jeeto Ji to Japp Naam.

Gurbani tells us to do Swaas Swaas simran and then the Guru-Roop Panj Pyaare give you Naam and the Jugtee (method). Naam and Jugtee can only be given by the Guru to his Sikh. No Sikh has the right or authority to give Gurmat Naam to a Sikh. Gurbani is clear; time and time again Gurbani says that Guru gives Naam, Guru awakens Naam, Guru gives Amrit etc.

Naam in the form of Gur-Mantar is given in all Amrit Sanchaars. However, the ways of giving Naam and instilling Naam differ. In Amrit Sanchaars where they give the method of Swaas Swaas simran and also get the Abhilaakhee to japp Naam with each breath through the Panj Pyaare's blessings, the seeker takes a short-cut to the stage of Swaas Swaas simran. For those who are not as fortunate to have the Panj Pyaare blessing one with the gift of japping Naam with each breath should do Ardaas at the Feet of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. There are many examples of rare beloved Gursikhs who have not taken Amrit from an Amrit Sanchaar that didn't give Naam Jugtee (the method of Japping Naam), however through constant Ardaas with heart and soul, the True Guru has been graceful and blessed them with Swaas Swaas simran.


Source: sikhism101

52 commands of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji

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WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

1) Earn by honest means.

2) Give one tenth of your salary.

3) Memorize Gurbani.

4) Wake up at Amrit Vela (before dawn).

5) Serve a Sikh Servant with devotion.

6) Learn the meanings of Gurbani from Sikh Scholars.

7) Follow the discipline of the 5 K's strictly.

8) Practice Shabad Gurbani in life.

9) Concentrate on the True Guru (God).

10) Accept the Guru Granth Sahib as Guru.

11) At the beginning of a task, do ardaas.

12) At birth, death, or marriage ceremonies, do Japji Sahib, make Karaah Parshaad, do five stanzas of anand sahib, do ardaas, and then distribute Karaah Parshaad to the Panj Pyare, the Granthi, and then to the sangat.

13) Until Karaah Parshaad is completely distributed, the Sangat should remain sitting and unmoving.

14) Do not start married life without Anand Karaj (Sikh ceremony of marriage).

15) Recognize all other women other than your wife as mothers and sisters. Do not engage in sinful behaviour with them.

16) Do not silence your wife.

17) Abandon the worldly, false tobacco-poison.

18) Keep the company of Sikhs who follow the Rehat and meditate on the Name (of God).

19) Don't be lazy in life.

20) Listen and perform kirtan and Gurbani discourses daily.

21) Do not engage in slander, gossip or spite anyone.

22) Do not take pride in wealth, youth and caste.

23) Keep the religious discipline high and pure.

24) Do not refrain from doing Righteous deeds.

25) Recognize God as the giver of intellect and strength.

26) Do not believe a person who breaks promises.

27) Rule Independently. In the affairs of government, do not give people of other religions authority/power.

28) Study politics.

29) Treat the opponent with respect.

30) Practice the knowledge of weaponry and horse riding.

31) - Study the books and knowledge of other faiths. But keep trust in Gurbani and Akal Purukh.

32) Follow the teachings of the Guru.

33) After Rehras Paatth, do Ardaas standing up.

34) Recite Kirtan Sohila before going to sleep.

35) Wear a turban at all times.

36) Do not call a Singh by half of their name (nickname).

37) Do not partake of alcoholic drinks.

38) Do not give a daughter's hand to a clean shaven. Give her hand in a house where God's Sikhi exists, where the household is not in debt, is of a good nature, is disciplined and knowledgeable.

39) Do all work in accordance with Gurbani.

40) Do not ruin someone's work by gossip.

41) Do not utter bitter statements.

42) Make pilgrimages to Gurudwaras only.

43) Fulfill all promises that are made.

44) Do as much sewa as you can for foreigners, the needy and the troubled.

45) Recognize the property of a daughter as poison – Do not take a daughters wealth.

46) Do not become an outward show-off Sikh.

47) Live as a Keshadhari Sikh.

48) Do not engage in theft, gangs, fraud, and falsity

49) Believe and trust in Gursikhs

50) Do not give false testimony.

51) Do not cheat.

52) Distribute Langar and Karaah Parshaad with equality.

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH