Game of love 💙- Without Naam Meditation 5

Without Naam Meditation 5

Guru Amardas Ji Says, "Without the Name, all are miserable. In the love of duality, they are ruined."

Guru Ji is saying here, all are miserable without the Name. Why are people miserable without the name? They look perfectly happy when we see them. Guru Sahib says in Gurbaanee, "Satgur Taakleeaa Hamaaraa Paapee Pardaa," this means, nobody can see the negative state of our mind, as the Guru has blessed us and covered it with skin. If people really knew what we were thinking, whilst being happy and jolly on the outside, many would avoid speaking to us, as most of the time we are full of negative emotions. We always seem to hide them in amongst  socialising with others.

Most people in the world feel miserable and down at times, especially when alone. We need others around us to lift our spirits. Only the Gurmukhs (ones facing Guru Ji), who Jap Naam (meditate) with every breath do not realise what the words 'miserable' and 'down' actually mean, as they very rarely experience negative emotions. They are always on a high through the natural drug of Naam. Their spirits are always raised according to Gurbaanee (Guru’s word).

Guru Arjan Dev Ji Says, "Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the whole world is just ashes."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 💛- Without Naam Meditation 4

Without Naam Meditation 4

Guru Amardaas Ji Says, "The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is abstinence, truthfulness, and self-restraint. Without the Name, no one becomes pure."

Guru Sahib is saying in this Shabad, no one will become pure without the Name of God, as Naam is the only substance which will purify this filthy mind from the suffering of many life times. This Naam can only be gifted to us by Guru Sahib Ji in the form of panj pyaare (five spiritually elevated Gursikhs), in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Only blessed ones receive it! Through receiving this Naam, they realise its great value and hold it close to their Heart. They never let go! Through Amrit Naam they become pooray (pure.)

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Says, "But without the Lord's Name, liberation is not obtained. As Gurmukh, obtain the Naam and liberate the soul."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 💚- WITHOUT NAAM MEDITATION 3

WITHOUT NAAM MEDITATION 3

Guru Amardas Ji Says, "The self-willed manmukhs are totally without virtue. Without the Name, they die in frustration."

Guru Sahib is saying in this Shabad, that virtue will only come through Athai Pehar Naam Abhiyaas (24/7meditation). If one does not meditate, one will gain no virtue and will suffer through personal want and desire. Frustration will kill them in the end, as they still remain empty of Spiritual wisdom and bliss. They will have gained no honor in the World. Their mind will not let them settle, as they have not experienced the beauty of peace, love and contentment through Naam.

Guru Angad Dev Ji Says, "Without the Naam, the mortal wanders, coming and going in reincarnation."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love ❤️- WITHOUT NAAM MEDITATION 2

WITHOUT NAAM MEDITATION 2

Guru Sahib gives us many quotes from Guru Granth Sahib Jee, on how our lives would be without the Name of God (Vaheguroo).

"Without the Name, no one is approved."

Guru Nanak Dev Jee has made it clear in the quote above, without the name of the Lord Vaheguroo, no one will be approved. No matter how hard one tries, one can try anything under the Sun, if the breath is not occupied by the name of God, one will not be approved in the court of God (dargaah). Even the Rehit (physical discipline) we keep, will not be approved if it is not accompanied by each breath of Naam. Every physical Rehit is kept to protect aatmic (spiritual) Rehit. If there is no spiritual substance in one, then the physical Rehit becomes Pakhand (hypocrisy). If the Sevaa (selfless service) we do is not accompanied by the Name of God, then the Sevaa will also not be approved by Akaal Purakh Vaheguroo. The reason for this is, when our breath is accompanied by the Mantra Vaheguroo, then everything we do is blessed by God and we are Neemaane (humble) to God's will. If our breath is not occupied by the Name, then every karam (deed) we do is done through self-ego. It is done through a mind wondering through thought and desire and not a mind full of love for Vaheguroo. Which means, love for his creation through the meditation of Naam.

We always think we are in control and doing the right thing but the ego’s subtle form is very deceiving! The mind is very clever, it controls us throughout every second of the day. We have to watch and be aware of our every breath and action. Every breath and action should be filled with Akaal Purakh Vaheguroo's forever lasting love (Naam).

Note! Sikhi new comers; keep rehit, proceed in sevaa, remain in Gursikh Sangat, plan your life towards Amrit, with your mind centred and focussed on the shabad Vaheguroo. In this way, Guru Sahib ji will bless you and all of us to reside at their lotus feet and the mind/soul will be liberated. The life's journey will become complete.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Says, "Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, ALL their actions are useless, like the magician who deceives through illuions."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 💜- WITHOUT NAAM (God's Mantra)

The next few posts will be based on Gurbaani quotes regarding, ‘how our life would be without Naam meditation.’

The central focus for every Gursikh’s life should be Naam (Name of God). The whole of Gurbaani, (Gurus word) starts and ends with one substance and that is of Naam. Guru sahib goes on to say, the Naam should become our every breath of life (24/7). Those that don't jap (meditate) Naam, sorry to say but life will become an up hill struggle without it. To be very honest, if we have not japped Naam, we haven't seen or experienced this beautiful human life form. Naam is beyond this life! It's the most vast ras (taste) anyone can ever imagine or experience. There's no taste like it! it's pure ecstasy! Guru sahib has called it the most purest and most ecstatic ammal (drug) to have been brought to earth. Once tasted, not even rehabilitation can separate you from it. It's taste is indescribable, just as the mute struggles to describe the taste of sweet candy.

So if you want to taste this immense sweetness, you will have to go in the midst of the true saints to find it. Go to Naam, baani and kirtan programmes, sit with Gursikhs and Guru sahib will bless you with Amrit one day, where Amrit Naam will be your reward and gift.

Guru Amardas Ji Says, "Without serving the True Guru, the Naam is not obtained. The Naam is the True profit in this world."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 💛- FAILING TO WAKE UP AT AMRITVELA 🙏

FAILING TO WAKE UP AT AMRITVELA 🙏

Baba Sham Singh jee, at a very early age of 5 years, started living with a Baba Raam Singh jee. His father had died and his mother could not feed him. For this reason she came to Baba Raam Singh jee and urged him to accept Baba Sham Singh jee. Baba Sham Singh had a remarkable inclination towards doing Bhagti (meditating), at such early age. He developed so much love for sangat (congregation) that he refused to go back with his mother.

Once, when Baba Sham Singh was only 6 or 7 years old, he became a little relaxed in getting up at Amritvela (rising early) and missed Amritvela for 2 days in a row. At this, Baba Raam Singh told one of his sewadaar to take Baba Sham Singh and drop him off to his mother. When Baba Sham Singh heard this, he was horrified. He could not imagine going away from sangat and this way lose his spiritual life. He started crying! The sewadar lovingly told him to seek forgiveness from Sant jee. Baba Sham Singh prostrated before Sant jee and earnestly sought forgiveness for not getting up early in the morning. At this, Sant jee forgave him and told him that if a person loses Amritvela, then there is nothing left in that person. He said, if he (Baba Sham Singh) was not going to keep Amritvela in his sangat, he (Baba Raam Singh) too will have some burden of the sin incurred with this, since he is responsible for him. After this, Baba Sham Singh jee never lost Amritvela. He lived for 115 more years, after this incident.

Another Singh, while describing the importance of Amritvela, used to say that Siri Guru Kalgidhar jee (Guru Gobind Singh) himself takes attendance of who get up at Amritvela. If a person misses Amritvela, he marks them absent but if a person regularly misses Amritvela, Guru Sahib just strikes off his name from the list. This is a very scary thought. If Guru Sahib was to strike off our name from his list of Gursikhs he monitors, what would happen of us? We would just die in regret and repent.

Bhagat Farid Ji Says, "Fareed, if you do not awaken in the early hours before dawn, you are dead while yet alive."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 💚- BUILD A FOR EVERLASTING HOUSE!

BUILD A FOR EVERLASTING HOUSE!

An elderly Sikh carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife, enjoying his extended family. He would miss the pay-check but he needed to retire and they could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When Jasbir Singh (carpenter) finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front door key to Jasbir.  "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." 

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us! We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points, we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock, we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realised, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think of your life as the house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board or erect a wall, build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more. Each day deserves to be lived graciously, in tune with the love of Vaheguroo's name and Gurbaani (Guru’s Teachings). So we can create our true dignity in the house we reside in (our body). Let's liberate our soul from within this house, by living virtuously through selfless service and meditation on Naam (God’s name). Let's control the thieves (mind’s desires), who are plundering our Saintly home.

The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project, do it to the best of your ability. So the Guru can liberate us by merging us with Vaheguroo."

Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "Nanak builds his house upon that site, where there is no death, no birth, and no old age."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 💜- PLEASE SAVE ME!

PLEASE SAVE ME!

There was a Muslim man, who use to travel from very far on a horse, in order to listen to Guru Gobind Singh Ji do Vichaar (teachings). He used to travel on horseback and ride for hours and hours to have Darshan (vision) of Guru sahib and receive Bachan (a command).

One time, as Sangat (congregation) were giving their offerings to Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji went to this Muslim man and said, 'You have given the most valuable offering.' The Muslim man was a little surprised and confused, because he had not given any offering. He said 'Maharaj Ji, I haven't given any offerings.'

Guru sahib said, 'Do you remember? You was riding on horseback to get here and you were asked where you were going. You replied and also encouraged other Sangat to come to the divaan too.

'Guru sahib said, 'That is the most valuable bheta (offering). You also sat and listened to the teachings without letting your mind waver. When you bring other Sangat with you to get lahaa (earn profit) and listen to Gurbani (Gurus teachings), with your focus on Naam, (name of God)  It is the greatest Seva (service). More valuable than money, food, ramalay etc.'

Let us try to encourage those around us to go to the Gurudwara and attend Naam, Baani and Kirtan programmes so their jeevans (lives) are blessed and Maybe Guru Sahib Ji will bless us in the same way they did the Muslim man. There is no greater blessing than doing so. In the same way, there is no greater paap (sin) than breaking someone from the Gurdwara (Guru's House). This can be done by finding ways to literally stop someone or upsetting/hurting someone, whilst they're actually present at the Gurdwara!!

Guru Ramdas Ji Says, "If only someone would come, and lead me to meet my Darling Beloved; I would sell myself to them."

Pure Humility and Love from our fourth Master!! 🙏 This is the kind of love we need to merge with Vaheguroo!!

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 💙- MEDITATION AND SCIENCE!

MEDITATION & SCIENCE!

The beauty is, Guru Sahib Ji revealed the below 550 years ago but we won't listen to Guru Ji. For some reason, it makes more sense when it comes from others!

It turns out meditating is good for more than just quiet time: It can actually help us fight the cripplingly high stress levels we experience during our busy lives, in the office or elsewhere.

November 7, 2014: Scientists from Harvard University and the University of Sienna, recently found that meditation is so powerful it can change the physiology of a person's brain, resulting in positive changes like a decrease in anxiety and depression.

The science: Scientists put 24 participants with no history of meditation through an eight-week course on best practices for, "mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR)," fancy science talk for meditation. The course consisted of 2.5 hour sessions each week, where participants learned "body scanning, sitting meditation, walking meditation and mindful stretching movements." The scientists also requested each participant perform at least 45 minutes of meditation each day. MRI's were performed before and after the meditation boot camp and each participant answered a series of psychological evaluations to determine their stress and anxiety levels, before and after the MBSR course as well.

The team compared these results to a control group, who went through no meditation training at all during the eight weeks.

The comparison demonstrated "an increase of cortical thickness in the right insular lobe and somatosensory cortex" of the meditation group. In layman's terms, meditation made parts of the brain corresponding to emotion and perception thicker. This ultimately resulted in "a significant after-training reduction of several psychological indices related to worry, state anxiety, depression and alexithymia."

So ultimately, meditation made people more emotionally attuned and less depressed — a pretty good argument to spend time solemnly reflecting each day.

The takeaway: We live in a society where depression, anxiety, and stress are increasingly part of our lives. Stress levels among Americans have risen by up to 30%, and it's not much better in Europe or Asia, where anxiety and depression is growing at alarming rates. Instead of solving the root causes of these problems, Westerners are resorting to antidepressants at a higher rate than ever before. One in 10 are now taking a prescription antidepressant.

Meditation, while not a panacea, can help us deal with such a society by decreasing our stress levels and increasing our abilities to emotionally relate to ourselves and others. And with further research, it could provide an alternative to being constantly doped to the gills in order to be happy (or just less sad).

Guru Ji gave us the answer to the above many years ago. If we want to live a depressed/stressed free life, we have to take to the True Guru. There's no other cure. 🙏

Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "The True Guru has inspired me to hear the Treasure of meditation on Gods Naam (name); all my mental & physical illnesses have been dispelled."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 💛- DOES GOD EXIST?

DOES GOD EXIST?

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.

As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.

They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realise that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God existed, would there be so many sick people?
Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment but didn't respond, because he didn't want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed, very messy, ungroomed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again. He said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here and I am a barber, I just worked on you!"

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist, because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

"Ah, but barbers DO exist!" answered
the barber." What happens is, people do not come to me."

"Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God too, DOES exist! What happens is, PEOPLE DON'T GO TO HIM AND DO NOT LOOK FOR HIM OR LOVE & REMEMBER HIM...
That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

We spend most our life accumulating wealth and forgetting to love God through the remembrance of Naam meditation, yet we always want God to be there in the time of need!

God is power, force, energy, love, spirit, mind, body, nature, sound, air, fire, water and earth. Tell us where Vaheguroo (God) doesn't exist!

Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "Forgetting God, you suffer awful pain beyond measure. You are consumed by the Great Enticer, Maya (materialism/delusion)."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love 💚- ONE DAY I DECIDED TO QUIT!

ONE DAY I DECIDED TO QUIT!

My relationship, my spirituality… I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with Vaheguroo (God)

...

“Vaheguroo” I asked, “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?” His answer surprised me… “Look around,” He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

“Yes,” I replied. “When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant, green covered the floor yet nothing came from the bamboo seed but I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year, the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful and again, nothing came from the bamboo seed but I did not quit on the bamboo, he said,

“In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit,” he said.

“Then in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant…But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge they could not handle.”

He asked me, “Did you know my child that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don’t compare yourself to others,” he said.

”The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come,” Vaheguroo said to me. “You will rise high.”

“How high should I rise?” I asked.

“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.

“As high as it can?” I questioned.

”Yes,” he said, “Give Me glory by rising as high as you can," said Vaheguroo!

Don't Ever Give Up! Guru Sahib ji will always look after you. We think he's not there but he's always watching us grow. We grow according to our past karma, some grow faster than others. We are his loving children. Don't compare yourself to others, we are on our journey and they are on theirs. We all have a personal relationship with Guru Ji. Make it a strong one by following his teachings. 

Guru Arjun Dev Ji Says, "At the very last moment, God becomes the mortal's Help and Support; here and hereafter, Vaheguroo is my Savior."

Vaheguroo!

Game of love ❤️- TRULY FORGIVING

TRULY FORGIVING

One day, a Gursikh brother gave a singhni an empty sack and a basket of potatoes.

"Think of all the people who have done or said something against you in the recent past, especially those you cannot forgive. For each of them, inscribe the name on a potato and put it in the sack."

The singhni came up with quite a few names and soon her sack was heavy with potatoes.

"Carry the sack with you wherever you go for a week," said the Gursikh. "We'll talk after that."

At first, the singhni thought nothing of it. Carrying the sack was not particularly difficult but after a while, it became more of a burden. It sometimes got in the way and it seemed to require more effort to carry as time went on, even though its weight remained the same.

After a few days, the sack began to smell. The carved potatoes gave off a ripe odour.

Not only were they increasingly inconvenient to carry around, they were also becoming rather unpleasant.

Finally, the week was over.

The Gursikh questioned the Singhni, "Any thoughts about all this?"

"Yes," the Singhni replied. "When we are unable to forgive others, we carry negative feelings with us everywhere, much like these potatoes. That negativity becomes a burden to us and after a while, it festers."

"Yes, that is exactly what happens when one holds a grudge. So, how can we lighten the load?"

"We must strive to forgive. Forgiving someone is the equivalent of removing the corresponding potato from the sack."

"How many of your transgressors are you able to forgive?"

"I've thought about it quite a bit ji," the Singhni said. "It required much effort, but I have decided to forgive all of them."

"Very well, we can remove all the potatoes. Were there any more people who transgressed against you this last week?"

The Singhni thought for a while and admitted there were. Then she felt panic, when she realised her empty sack was about to get filled up again.

"Veer ji (brother)," she asked, "if we continue like this, wouldn't there always be potatoes in the sack week after week?"

"Yes, as long as people speak or act against you in some way, you will always have potatoes."

"But Veer ji, we can never control what others do." So what good is divine wisdom (bibek budh) in this case?"

"We're not at the realm of Divine wisdom (Gyaan) yet.

"Everything we have talked about so far is the conventional approach to forgiveness. It is the same thing that many philosophies and most religions preach. We must constantly strive to forgive for it is an important virtue. This is not the divine wisdom Sikhi teaches us because there is no striving in Sikhi."

"Then what is divine wisdom (bibek budh/Gyaan) in Sikhi, Veer ji?"

"You can figure it out. If the potatoes are negative feelings, then what is the sack?"

"The sack is... that which allows me to hold on to the negativity. It is something within us that makes us dwell on feeling offended.... Ah, it is my inflated sense of self-importance (ego/mind)."

"And what will happen if you let go of it?"

"Then... the things that people do or say against me no longer seem like such a major issue."

"In that case, you won't have any names to inscribe on potatoes. That means no more weight to carry around, and no more bad smells. The Gyaan/bibek budh of forgiveness is the conscious decision to not just remove some potatoes... but to relinquish the entire sack."

The sack, which is the polluted egotistical mind, will only be purified through 24/7 meditation on Gods name.

This is the Sikh's purpose in life.. Relinquish the sack/mind to conquer the universe.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Says, "He forgives those with whom He is pleased; they silence their egotism and pride through Gods name"

Vaheguroo!