Game of love- AMRITVELA 1/3

AMRIT VELA Part 1/3 (ambrosial hours)

The rainbird chirps in the ambrosial hours of the morning, before the dawn; its prayers are heard in the Court of Vaheguroo (God). Guru Amardas Ji. 

Amritvelaa (ambrosial hours), for a Gursikh is a very special time; this is the time a Gursikh should sit in single minded concentration in remembrance of the Shabad (word) Vaheguroo. Guru Jee says in the Pangtee above, when we sit in Amritvelaa and praise the Lord Vaheguroo, our prayers are heard in the court of the Lord.

Why is this such a special time?

This is the time most Gursikhs, all over the world, rise in the early hours of the morning, before dawn and praise the Lord. Some praise the Lord in Sangat (congregation) and some by themselves. Praising Vaheguroo in Sangat is a lot more powerful and a lot easier to concentrate on his name. Unfortunately, for some people it is very difficult to get Sangat at this time. If we do not get Sangat at this time, it is not a problem; meditating by ourselves will make our minds a lot stronger also, as long as we are focussed fully on the Shabad. Amritvelaa is most likely the only time we will be blessed with spiritual experiences, as life becomes very busy in a Gristhee Jeevan (householders life).

This specific time is called Amritvelaa,  because this is the time we drink Amrit Naam (ambrosial nectar of the name). This Naam travels up through our body and through our Chakras, until it reaches our dasam duar (tenth gate). The word 'Vela' means 'time.' Once we start to wake up for Amritvelaa, it is very important to keep on waking up daily (Samaal). It has to be done everyday, as a form of Spiritual and Physical discipline. This is the most peaceful time of the day, because everybody else is sleeping. The only beings that are awake at this time are those who are thirsting to meet God; just like the Rainbird.

Vaheguroo!

Game of love- WISDOM FOR LIFE 3

WISDOM FOR LIFE 3

11. INNOCENCE 

Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling. I chuckled and asked, “Why?” She replied, “So you can help me save the planet.”  I chuckled again and asked, “And why do you want to save the planet?” “Because that’s where I keep all my stuff,” she said.

12. JOY

Today, when I witnessed a 27-year-old breast cancer patient laughing hysterically at her 2-year-old daughter’s antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it again.

13. KINDNESS

Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me.  He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, “I hope you feel better soon.”

14. SHARING

Today, I was traveling in Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe.  He said he hadn’t eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating. The first thing the man said was, “We can share it.”

Guru Ramdas Ji says, "Those without virtue are stained by the filth of their own ego."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love- WISDOM FOR LIFE 2

WISDOM FOR LIFE 2

6. GOODNESS & GRATITUDE

Today, after a 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug.  When I tensed up, she realised I didn’t recognize her.  She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said, “On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center.”

7. LOVE CONQUERS PAIN

Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying.  And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face.

8. A DOOR CLOSES TO OPEN ANOTHER

Today at 7AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3PM I got laid off. On my drive home, I got a flat tyre. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.

9. LOOKING BACK

Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother’s hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words, before she died. She simply said, “I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often.”

10. AFFECTION

Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed.  About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy.

Guru ArjunDev Ji says, "I am without virtue, please bless me with virtue so I may do good in this world through meditating on your name Vaheguroo (God)."
Vaheguroo!

Game of love- WISDOM FOR LIFE

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- 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 Guru's Sikhs: veerji (brother), bhenji (sister), mataji (mother) and pittaji (father), as it evokes and maintains a sense of unity and family within the Khalsa Family. Amrit is thicker and more powerful than blood and Amrit runs through the veins of all AmritDhaaree (baptised) Sikhs. So it's important to talk to every Guru's 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 Guru's 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, as 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 avoid the fateh. Guru Ji's mukh (face), always faces the one who kills their ego, attains love and shares the loving fateh first. 

Bhagat Kabir Ji says, "I would rather be cut in half 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 his Khalsa the utmost respect. let's also give it back to every Khalsa (Amritdhaaree Gurus's sikh we see or meet). 

Vaheguroo!

Game of love- 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 and he thought 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 he got a little older. He never gave her the address, as he didn't want her to follow him. He then 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, 
"I've  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, 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 ten days since your mother passed away but here's a note she has left you." He thought great, at least she won't follow me around anymore. 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 were 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 occasionally miss treat our parents. We can never repay them for what they have done for us. We are totally 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- DRUNKEN ELEPHANT

DRUNKEN ELEPHANT

A man went to the market and he 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, who 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 that 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, Gurbani (reading Guru's words) 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- SEVA (selfless service)

SEVA (selfless service)

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

Another poor Sikh man came towards him and tried to help. The Sikh man washing, abruptly said, "Move away, this is my Seva" (selfless service). The poor sikh man, whilst humbly meditating said "Satbachan" (true say) and walked away meekly. 

Seva should kill our ego. There are ways and means of speaking to people. The Sikh man should have embraced him and said, "This is not my Seva it's Guru's Seva, of course, we will do it together my brother." The Sikh man, who walked away, was a more spiritual soul. 

Where there is Seva without Naam, there is ego. Nothing is ours or mine, all is Guru's (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 mind's 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 400- 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 399- 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, "I've 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 meditating on Naam yet forget that Guru Ji's 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's 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 (family's path) we understand the above message. Every Khalsa has to purify their mind. In this way the world will effortlessly recognise Guru Ji's Khalsa (pure Sikhs). The defect is in us, not the teachings. They are and will 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 398- 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 anymore." The son asked, "Why?" 
"Your dad used 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 the 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, "Will 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 three times and on all three occasions, 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 losing 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!