Game of love 86- WISDOM

WISDOM FOR LIFE

1. FALL AND RISE

Today, when I slipped on the wet tile floor a boy in a wheelchair caught me before I slammed my head on the ground.  He said, “Believe it or not, that’s almost exactly how I injured my back 3 years ago.

2. A FATHER'S ADVICE

Today, my father told me, “Just go for it and give it a try!  You don’t have to be a professional to build a successful product."  Amateurs started Google and Apple.  Professionals built the Titanic

3. THE POWER OF UNIQUENESS

Today, I asked my mentor – a very successful business man in his 70’s – what his top 3 tips are for success.  He smiled and said, “Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing.

4. LOOKING BACK

Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I’m working on for my Psychology class.  When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, “Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile.

5. TRY AND YOU SHALL KNOW

I am blind by birth. When I was 8 years old, I wanted to play baseball. I asked my father- "Dad, can I play baseball?" He said "You'll never know until you try." When I was a teenager, I asked him, - "Dad Can I become a surgeon?". He replied "Son, you'll never know until you try." Today I am a Surgeon, just because I tried!

Guru Amardas Ji says, "you are the giver of virtue Vaheguroo (God), I am worthless and without virtue, please bless me."

Continued.... 

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 85- TRUE FAMILY

TRUE FAMILY

Khalsa (baptised Sikhs) are more than just warriors of Akaal Purakh (timeless one God). To each other they're family. They all have the same mother (Mata Sahib Kaur ji and father (Guru Gobind Singh Ji, They are from the same village (Anandpur Sahib) and they have all given their heads to the Guru in order for the blessing of Amrit (baptism). 

We should strive to call all baptised Gurus Sikhs, veerji (brother), bhenji (sister), mataji (mother) and pittaji (father), as it will evoke and maintain a sense of unity and family-good with the Khalsa Family. Amrit is thicker and more powerful than blood and Amrit runs through the veins of all AmritDhaaree (baptised) Sikhs, so talk to every Gurus sikh with the appropriate family title. In today's day and age we are more attached to our blood family and less in love with our true family (AmritDhaaree baptised Gurus Family), this is why we suffer. When Guru Ji said, "sukhee basai morro parivaaraa" (my family will live in peace and happiness), he was talking about none other than the khalsa (pure ones). 

Guru Ramdas ji says, "the Guru loves all of his Gursikhs equally well, like friends, children and siblings."

There was more prem (love) between Gursikhs back in the days, they accepted each other's differences. We have less kamaaee (spiritual wealth) these days, this is why we look for negatives and differences in each other. It's a hukum (command) of Guru Ji to acknowledge another Gursikh with a fateh (sikh greeting), today we also avoid the fateh. Guru Jis mukh (face) is towards the one who kills their ego, attains love and shares the loving fateh first. 

Bhagat Kabir Ji says, "I would rather be cut apart by a saw, rather than have you turn your back on me. Hug me close and listen to my prayer."

Guru Gobind Singh says, "the Khalsa is my complete image, I dwell in the khalsa, khalsa is my chief organ, I am always with the khalsa, khalsa is my best friend, my mother and father, my praise and honour, my treasure, my loving family, my mind, body, soul and breath, my life, faith and deed, my pure Guru, my intellect, knowledge and spiritual warrior, khalsa is in my every hair and khalsa is the army of God (vaheguroo)."

Guru Ji gave the Khalsa the utmost respect, let's also give it back to every khalsa (amritdhaaree Gurus sikh we see or meet).  

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 84- PARENTS

PARENTS

True story...

There was a young boy and his mother, the boy realised his mother only had one eye as he got a little older. 

He went to school, he saw all his friends mothers were pretty but he felt his mother was ugly. He told his mother to stop dropping/picking him up from school. He would not let his mother go to any of his school functions as he was growing up, he told her never to go anywhere with him, as he was ashamed of her. He would not let his mother open the door when his friends called for him. He started to miss treat and disrespect her, for he thought his mother was ugly. 

He told his mother, he was leaving home when got a little older, he never gave her the address as, he didn't want her to follow him. He got married and had children. 

Ten years later his mother turned up at his house as she was depressed and her eyes couldn't bare not seeing her only son. Someone had given her the address. Her grandson came to the door and screamed when saw the women. Her son came running to the door and never asked how she's been in ten years but started shouting at her saying, "why don't you leave me alone, you scared all my friends and now you're scaring my family." She cried and said, "iv seen you now son, I'm going."

Five years later there was a primary school function in his mothers village in which the son was invited too. He came, he saw his mums house and got greedy thinking, he could claim some of her house and land. He went in, looked around and saw no one. His neighbour came and said, "it's been 10 days since your mother passed away but here's a note she left you." He thought, great at least she won't follow me around no more. He sat down and opened the note, the note said, "dear son, I know there is a function in our village and you will come. I am seriously ill, by the time you get here, I may not be alive. I just wanted to tell you, when you were younger you had an accident and you was left with one eye, I didn't want you to be looked down on so I gave you my eye. I will always love you my son." 

The son could not believe how badly he treated such a compassionate women, he placed his head in his knees and cried in frustration and regret. 

We sometimes miss treat our parents, we can never repay them for what they have done for us, we are in debt to them. Their love is unconditional, they brought us in to this world, they nurtured us, clothed us, educated us. We should always serve our parents and always be there for them as their support. 

Bhai Gurdas Ji Says, "forgetting lacs of benefactions (of mother), the son becomes disloyal and sets him self at logger-heads with his parents. Rare is any obedient son like Saravan, who was most obedient to his blind parents."

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 83- DRUNKEN ELEPHANT

DRUNKEN ELEPHANT

A man goes to the market and sees a stall with no products on it. He asks the stall holder, "what are you selling?" The stall holder says, "I'm selling something which will change your life. They are invisible ghosts which will do all you work for you free of charge. Anything you need done, housework, cleaning, DIY, cooking, driving.. anything, this ghost will do it for you." The man was shocked and said, "wow, I have so many things which need doing at home, I could do with this ghost, how much does it cost?" "It's free" said the stall holder, "however there is a catch. Make sure you keep it busy because if it has nothing to do, it will kill you." The man was worried but was sure he could keep the ghost occupied. He took it home and set it doing different things. The ghost would do them in a flash and await the next command. 

The man carried on giving the ghost chores however the ghost was finishing them so fast the man became worried.

He turned to his wife and said, "what shall I do? Soon the ghost will be idle and kill me." His wife said, "just put this ladder against the side of the house and tell the ghost to keep climbing up and down it. Then when you need the ghost for something just call it, and when that job is done, send it up and down the ladder again." The man was relieved and was able to keep the ghost busy.

The ghost is our mind... When it is occupied or engaged in work, it doesn't head towards the panj chor and Paap (5 evils of the mind).. But when left idle it will destroy us. An idle mind is the devils workshop (behlaa mann, shehtaan da ghar). So just like this man, we must keep our mind engaged in the routine of Naam meditation, Bani (gurus word) and Seva  (selfless service up and down the ladder). Keep that going and keep yourself busy and the mind doesn't have time to concoct or build any weapons to damage you with. In this way the mind finds happiness, joy, balance, true love, peace and contentment and dwells in the fourth and highest state of Sehj (truth, tranquility and bliss). 

Guru Nanak Dev Ji says, "the intellect of the mind is like a drunken elephant." 

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 82- SELFLESS SEVA

SEVA (selfless service)

There was a sikh, voluntarily washing the dirty utensils after pangat (congregation) had eaten at Harmander Sahib (golden temple). He was doing a great job. 

Another poor sikh came towards him and tried to help, the sikh washing abruptly said, "move away, this is my Seva" (selfless service). The poor sikh meditating said "satbachan" (true say) and walked away humbly. 

Seva should kill our ego, there are ways and means of speaking to people. The sikh should have embraced him and said, "this is not my Seva it's Gurus Seva, of course, we will do it together my brother." The sikh that walked away was a more spiritual soul. 

Where there is Seva without naam, there is ego. Nothing is ours or mine, all is Gurus (gods). The story above illustrates that. Any form of Seva should make us meek and humble. If it is not, we are seriously doing something wrong. If it doesn't change our character or lower our state of mind, we need to take a step back and re think why and how we are doing the Seva. 

When Seva is assisted by a Meditating mind, this is when the Seva takes its full effect and destroys the minds negative thoughts. It humbles the mind and purifies the being through love. 

Guru Amardas Ji Says, "centre your awareness on Seva and focus your consciousness on the true word (vaheguroo). Subduing your ego, you will find a lasting piece and your emotional attachment to maya (worldly pleasures) will be dispelled."

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 81- ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

I dreamed that I went to sachkhand (gate of truth) and Vaheguroo (god)
was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with workers.

Vaheguroo stopped in front of the first section and said, 

"This is the Receiving Section. 
Here, all petitions to Vaheguroo in prayer are received."

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many 
Workers sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. 

Vaheguroo then said to me, 
"This is the Packaging and Delivery Section.
Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them.
"I noticed again how busy it was there. 
There were many workers working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth. 

Finally at the furthest end of the long corridor, we stopped at the door of a very small station.

To my great surprise, only one worker was seated there, doing nothing. 
"This is the Acknowledgment Section, Vaheguroo quietly admitted to me. 
He seemed embarrassed. "How is it that there is no work going on here?" I asked. 

"So sad," Vaheguroo sighed.

"After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments". 

"How does one acknowledge God's blessings?" I asked. 

"Simple," vaheguroo answered. Just say, "Thank you, Vaheguroo."

"What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% people of the world.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day."

It is our selfish nature to ask for what we want, yet not thank the giver once received. The beauty is, Vaheguroo will still not stop giving. He just asks for us to remember him, because he loves us. 

Guru ArjunDev Ji says, "Vaheguroo is the great giver. There is no limit to his giving. His countless warehouses are filled and are overflowing. Oh foolish mind, why have you forgotten him and not thanked him."

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 80- WASTED

WASTED

There was once a women, sat on the edge of a river bank. She sat there for many hours picking up stones from the shore and throwing them in to the river. A young boy approached her saying, "iv been watching you for many hours now and you are lovingly, in the same motion throwing stones in to the river. What's going on, why are you doing that?" The women replied, "I am only 25 years old but yet, I have wasted many years without remembering Vaheguroo (God). Every stone I throw, represents each breath of naam (vaheguroo) I have wasted throughout my life."

Guru Amardas Ji says, "with each and every breath, he constantly remembers Vaheguroo in meditation; not a single breath passes in vain." 

This is our state today, we spend most our life practicing rehit (physical discipline) without naam yet forget that Guru Jis command is, not to even waste a breath of naam meditation. Has Sikhi become a ritualistic practice? The answer is, physical and spiritual discipline go hand in hand. 

Guru Ramdas Ji says, "Each and every breath that escapes me without Vaheguroo meditation, that breath is useless and corrupt." We ignore this command as Sikhs. 

Are we really the spiritual Sikhs that Guru Ji created. We will only gain Khalsa Raj (rule of the pure), when as a Panth (families path) we understand the above message. Every Khalsa has to purify their mind. In this way the world will effortlessly recognise Guru Jis Khalsa (pure Sikhs). The defect is in us, not the teachings. They will and always be pure. 

In Amrit Kirtan Guru Ji Says, "when my Khalsa remains pure, I will give them my all. When they stray from the teachings, I will not be there for them."

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 79- HAIR (kesh)

HAIR (kesh)

True story!! 

There was a family of 4, mother, father, son and daughter. The father passed away due to natural causes. 

A few months later the mother said, "our house doesn't seem like a Sikh household no more". The son asked "why?" "Your dad use to have a turban and thus we were recognised as the house of Sikhs."

The mother made a request to her son saying, "it's 300 year birth of the Khalsa (pure), can I go and be blessed with Amrit and wear a turban, so at least our house will be recognised as a sikh household." The son accepted. She asked, "would you keep your hair too as, our hair gains and contains spiritual energy and I will do an ardaas (prayer before Guru)," he accepted. 

As he grew his hair his friends started mocking him saying, "shall we buy you a razor". Eventually he got very upset and went to the barbers. As he walked in, he lost all sight in his eyes, he went back out and his sight returned. He did this 3 times and on all 3 occassions, the same occurred. 

He realised that, his mother had done ardaas in front of Guru ji and it had been accepted, this was the reason in him loosing sight. He walked away and went on to be blessed with Amrit (sikh baptism) later. 

Moral; If a sikh loves his hair so much, how much must our Guru love kesh (hair). The ardaas is very powerful, once surrendered In front of Guru ji through faith and belief, the prayer will never be failed by Guru ji. This is a prayer between 2 spirits and the binding glue is love. 

We need to realise who we really are and not who we want to be. The ones we want to be will never support us, but our Guru will be our support through thick and thin. 

Faith is support, Guru is love, Vaheguroo is power. 

Guru Ramdas ji says, "Oh Nanak, I have no support, the True Guru has saved me."

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 78- BHAI TARU SINGH

BHAI TARU SINGH

A Muslim man came to Bhai Taru Singh and said, his daughter has been kidnapped by the commander of village Patti. Bhai Taru Singh promised him, the Singhs would bring her back. 

Bhai Taru Singh spent a lot of time meditating and practicing the teachings of Guru Ji. He was a man of his word. He fulfilled his word given to Raheem Bakhsh (Muslim man) and returned his daughter. The commander was killed in the raid. 

On hearing this Zakhrya khan (commander of village pahoola) was distraught and sent his soldiers to arrest Bhai Sahib ji. Zakhrya asked Bhai Sahib Ji to accept Islam, he would be freed and given all the riches he could imagine. Bhai Taru Singh declined. Zakhrya asked his men to cut Bhai sahibs hair, when trying, the scissors broke but Bhai sahibs hair would not be cut. Eventually Zakhraya asked a cobbler to remove the scalp from his head. 

Bhai sahib promised Zakhrya he would die from his slippers. Zakhrya got a very bad headache later and stopped passing urine. No physician could cure him, eventually it was Bhai sahibs slipper that cured him. The urine would only pass when hit on the head by his slippers. 22 days later Zakhrya passed away and Bhai Taru Singh breathed his last. 

Bhai sahib meditated through the torture for 22 days, with his mind balanced and at peace within. 

This is the respect Bhai sahib had for his hair (symbol of Guru Ji). Today we don't take 2 minutes to remove our hair. We pay barbers to cut our hair and watch them step all over it. Bhai Taru Singh preserved our faith and honour by giving his life, today we've sold it at the barbers shop. 

Vaheguroo! 

Bhai Sahib Ji showed above, Sikhs are compassionate, righteous, faithful, loving, tolerant, honourable, live by their word and most of all love and meditate on Vaheguroo's name. 

Rehitnama Bhai Desa Singh. 

The hair, moustache and beard are created within Gods order. How can those who violate their natural form by cutting their hair ever be accepted by Vaheguroo. 

Game of love 77- AMRIT

AMRIT (baptism) 

Before the birth of Dr. Surinder Singh; Subedar Harbachan Singh and Mata Tej Kaur had given birth to ten children but all ten died very young. Dr. Sahib’s mother was a very Gurmukh (blessed) soul and despite all her children dying, she remained firm in her Sikh faith. If she ever felt sadness, she would go before Sree Guru Granth Sahib in total humility and express her deepest feelings and then after would accept Guru Sahib’s hukam (command) and be satisfied. Sometimes though, she would ask her husband how long this difficult time would last, why all her children would die. Gurmukh Piaaray (Gurus beloved) Bhai Harbachan Singh would say that the children born in their home were bhagats (saints) from their last lives. They would take birth only to receive amrit and then when they were blessed by Guru Sahib, they would leave for SachKhand (highest state of spiritual truth). For this reason, he said, they should not feel sad. 

We have to accept the blessed nectar of Guru Jis Amrit, to be liberated. Without it, we will suffer in reincarnation. 

Amrit Kirtan states, "the 1st discipline of a sikh is to accept the Gurus Amrit." 

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 76- CHARACTER

CHARACTER

There was an elderly sikh man at the train station waiting to catch his train. The man fell in to deep meditation whilst waiting for his train. The train had just arrived and the queue was very long. Most people boarded the train but nobody could get past the singh, as he was engrossed in the ras (taste) of naam meditation. 

A police officer had seen the line was not going any further and the singh was holding it up. He went to the singh and told him to move on. The singh did not hear his request. The police officer then slapped him across the face, which threw the singh out completely from his state. The sikh humbly apologised and boarded the train. This was witnessed by a Hindu person. 

The next day the same Hindu person was going for a walk and all of a sudden heard some screaming. He turned around and saw 9 men chasing one women. He then saw the same old singh run past him with a latthee (stick). The Hindu man followed the singh and witnessed him beating the 9 gunday (bad people) with his latthee). They were all left on the floor asking for forgiveness from the old singh. 

The old singh took the top layer of his dastaar (turban) off and covered the girl. The Hindu man then approached the singh and said, "you got slapped by one police officer yesterday and apologised as though you was scared." The singh replied, "Sikhs are never scared, we have already died and given our head to our Guru. I was wrong in that situation, I was holding up a queue, as I fell deep in to meditation. It was my fault."

The Hindu person touched the singhs feet and embraced him with a hug and said, "if you are like this, what must your Guru be like." The Hindu person adopted the path of sikhi after witnessing this humble, compassionate and righteous act. 

All power comes through faith and meditation! 

Guru Arjun Dev Ji says, "he alone is called a warrior, who is attached to Vaheguroo's love in this age. Through the perfect true Guru, he conquers his own soul and then everything comes under his control."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 75- LIFE

LIFE

Bhagat Kabir Ji once went to a village, he met a young friend there. Bhagat ji said with love, "naam japla" (meditate on Vaheguroo's name). The young boy said, "I'm only young, these are my days to enjoy myself. 

Bhagat ji came back to the village 25 years later, saw the same boy and said, "naam japla". Now the man said, "my kids are young, I want to see them grow old and support them, I'm too busy in life."

Bhagat ji comes back to the village many years later, sees the same man and says "Hun ta naam japla" (come on, mediate now). The man says, "what is the point now, I can't see from my eyes, I'm deaf at the ears, my body is shaking. I can't physically do it."

Bhagat Ji comes back to the village 2 years later and sees a bull In the village. He approaches the bull and says, "Hun Japla" (what about meditating now). The bull lowers his head and a tear drops from his eyes. The bull was the same man reincarnated. 

We spend all our lives making excuses, running away from faith and spirituality (our only true support in life). We will never know when we breathe our last. 

Sikhi is ecstasy, love and bliss. Please don't waste any more years of your life. 

Guru Ji wants young energetic Sikhs, who are focussed and have immense energy to spread the treasure of Guru Jis wisdom. 

Become that sikh! 

Bhagat Kabir ji says in the same shabad, "when the summons come from vaheguroo (god), the mortal departs leaving behind his wealth and mansions."

Vaheguroo! 

Game of love 74- SUTHRA SHAH 5

SUTHRA SHAH 5

Suthra Shah was singing Guru Jis hyms one day, walking towards Gurdwara Sahib Ji (Gurus House) to meet Guru Ji. The Sikhs were sick of Suthra, always getting them in to trouble and exposing their hypocrisies. They all got together and made a plan, "when Suthra comes to meet Guru Ji, we'll ask him for darshnee bhetaa, which he will not have, as he is very poor." This was their way of getting him back. Darshnee bheta is a gift of money or something special one brings with them to meet the ocean of spiritual wisdom (Guru ji). 

They asked Suthra, he started crying and said in a sad voice, "I was left on a hay stack and Guru ji took me in, I am nothing without Guru Ji, Guru Ji is my all. They apologised and said, "sorry you can't go in". Suthra begged them with his head on their feet, they wouldn't let him in. 

Suthra walked away and came back an hour later with a full sack of something on his head. "What is this?" asked the sikhs. "This is sugar for Guru Jis Langar" (a place for all to eat as equals when coming together in the Gurdwara). They had no choice and let him in. 

Suthra put the sack down in front of Guru Ji and started doing parkarma (circling) and matha tek (prostrating) around it. 

The Sikhs said angrily, "there he goes again being stupid, he should be prostrating to you Guru ji but he's prostrating to a sack of sugar. Tell him Guru ji." "What are you doing Suthra?" asked Guru Ji. "Guru Ji, this sack has blessed me with your divine vision (Darshan), that's why I'm prostrating to it. And I confess I lied also, I can not afford sugar so I filled the sack with sand to get through your Sikhs. Please forgive me Guru ji." Guru Ji grabbed Suthra with love and took him to their chest and said, "all my Sikhs should have the love and thirst for their Guru as Suthra does." 

Suthra was very dear to Guru Ji. Guru ji loved him like a spoilt innocent child. 

Children are innocent, we have to purify our mind through meditation and become an innocent child (eeyaanaa) of Guru ji. 

Bhagat Naamdev Ji says, "he is in love with vaheguroo, like the young child loves his mother."

Vaheguroo!