KaurStyle

Phulkari ☼: Dear Kaur.

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:48:25 -0400

Phulkari Kaur, you sent chills down my spine. Much love, sister <3

Dear Kaur.

I know. I know it’s hard, trying to fight ideals of beauty and happiness, everyday of your life. I know it’s hard trying to remind yourself that fashion, relationships, and worldliness will only provide temporary happiness. I know it’s hard for you to see others “happy” while they…

"Dear Maharaaj: I’ve been feeling a little awkward lately. unfulfilled, but not greedy.. like I..."

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:02:43 -0400

“Dear Maharaaj: I’ve been feeling a little awkward lately. unfulfilled, but not greedy.. like I just want to curl up and sit in your lap, at your feet, in your Darshan. I just want to be with You, to know that You are with me, “ang sang sahaaee” like I always picture you to be. I want you to cradle me, love me, hold me… it’s You that is my support, it’s You that’s keeping me going.. love does not begin to describe my need for you….”

We Pledge Orange.

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:38:50 -0400

It is a rare and special occasion for which we ever see the entire Sikh panth up in arms and united as one. In the recent days, Balwant Singh Rajoana, our Living Shaheed, has truly made this happen. For this, Rajoana Jee, we are so thankful. We are so inspired. And, as per his selfless request, we are orange.

For those of you who are not as aware of the situation in Punjab right now, I highly encourage you to do your research, read some articles, watch some videos. Here’s some to start with:

http://thelangarhall.com/human-rights/bhai-balwant-singh-rajoana/

http://thelangarhall.com/activism/the-wonder-of-the-shaheed-shaheed-da-gazab-bhai-sahib-balwant-singh-rajoana/

http://thelangarhall.com/punjab/why-we-salute-bhai-balwant-singh-rajoana/

We are all extremely moved by Rajoana’s courage; his bravery; his desire to welcome shaheedi with open arms. These actions represent our Panth exactly in the manner that Guru Sahib had envisioned: “Jau tau prem khelan kaa chaao, sir dhar talee galee meri aao. It maarag pair dhareejai, sir deejai kaan na keejai”.

Because of this, it is my humble request that we continue to stand strong. We, as a internet-based, short-attention-span, multitasking generation have a tendency to get riled up while news is in the media and on our facebook walls and fall apart when it’s not. Let us not forget. Let us NOT move on.

Balwant Singh Rajoana’s case has potential to be everything we have been waiting for as a Sikh panth. His case will bring up hundreds and thousands of unfinished cases; missing people; unseen injustices. It is OUR job, as a united Sikh Panth, to make sure that this happens.

Do not fight for clemency for Rajoana. This is not his wish; nor is it ours. Fight for justice; fight for the right for fair trials for all captive Sikh freedom fighters; fight for the long overdue punishment of the heinous crimes, mass murders, rapes, and tortures committed against our Panth. It is time to achieve justice and we can no longer wait. The time has come; the time is now.

Stay updated: Follow @JakaraMovement and @SikhActivist closely on Twitter and keep up to date with www.TheLangarHall.com - great sources doing fantastic work keeping the Sikh panth updated throughout the entire process. Kudos to you all.

In Solidarity & Celebration of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana,
KaurStyle

can't have Kaurs Stylin' without Kaprae ;)

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:52:33 -0500

HAHA…do you get it?! Kaurs…Stylin…Kaprae….yeaaaaaaaah buddy!

Ok, maybe we’re not as funny as we think we are…but y’all better love us anyway! We want to take a minute and introduce a fabulous new endeavor called Kaprae.com - a South Asian photo fashion blog that is ALL the rage lately, as it should be! We had a chance to talk with the Kaprae Style Team & get the deetz about the site and the people working behind it…. read here & make sure to check out the site!

KaurStyle: Tell us a little about Kaprae.com? What is it? What purpose does it serve? Who is your audience?

Kaprae: Kaprae is a blog that features South Asians who sport creative looks, unique outfits, and push fashion forward trends. We noticed that fashion and beauty are often tied to light skin or fashion of certain types. We wanted to break that image by giving brown folks, or those of South Asian descent, a place to showcase their stuff. Our target audience is South Asians that are into fashion and photography.

KaurStyle: What kind of clothing do you feature?

Kaprae: Currently, it is creative and appealing western wear but we’re building our portfolio of photos with fashion trends in South Asian clothing.

KaurStyle: Where did your motivation/inspiration to make this blog come from?

Kaprae: Growing up in the suburbs in the United States, we noted that a lot of young Sikhs felt they couldn’t keep their religious identity and still be fashionable at the same time. In their minds, because they hadn’t seen it being done before, the two seemed to be at odds with each other. Kaprae is place people can see that the “fashionable, hip Sikh,” or anyone who physically displays their faith while expressing their creativity is not an oxymoron.

KaurStyle: What are your goals? What would you like to come out of this platform?

Kaprae: Ultimately, we want to help people feel comfortable with their identity and image. We also seek to highlight diversity of South Asian identities, artistic fashion that illuminates unique personalities, and, as a secondary goal, encourage good photographers to seek out South Asians subject matter.

KaurStyle: How do you find the pictures/people?

Kaprae: They come from a number of different channels - our favorite is when users submit their own photos or share links to other sites online with great photos. Recently, we stumbled across A.S. Nagpal’s photography and just loved it. His portfolio is mesmerizing and showcases South Asians so beautifully.

KaurStyle: What’s your favorite photo submitted so far & why?

Kaprae:We love the photo entitled “Chic is in the details” http://kaprae.com/?p=370 In terms of the photograph, it’s a good quality photo, the composition is good: the photo is prominently showcased and there aren’t other things the picture competing for attention, it’s well lit and the subject is posing in a flattering way. In terms of the outfit, it’s unique, the accessories compliment the look, and makes use of layers and colors in a way that makes the outfit happening, but keeps it simple at the same time.

KaurStyle: What’s your favorite fashion trend?

Kaprae: Our team liked the collage, mash-up of colors, patterns and textures that were big this fall for women, along with bold, bright colors. For men, we’re drawn to the casual-formal hybrid look, where little things, like a cool scarf or nifty shoes, make all the difference. That being said, we’ve really recognized that the best photos of fashionable folks come from those who feel comfortable and confident in their look.

KaurStyle: Can our readers submit a photo? How?

Kaprae: Our blog lives off of user submissions! Please do submit your photos. Photos@kaprae.com For more info, check out: our submit photos page: http://kaprae.com/?page_id=2

KaurStyle: Anything else you’d like us to know?

Kaprae: We would love for you to checkout the site and give us some feedback! Any and all suggestions are welcome. You con contact us at info@kaprae.com. We can also be reached at thapar@kaprae.com if you think we did something wrong ;)

So there you have it, folks! Spread the word :)

xox - KaurStyle

"Just make sure that what’s around you and what’s inside you are better when you leave than when you..."

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:29:48 -0500

“Just make sure that what’s around you and what’s inside you are better when you leave than when you got here. And that’s it.”

- spk (via spcolor)

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Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:16:45 -0500

sikhi, sangat, and sustainability ... part 2 of 2

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:09:54 -0500

Note: please see previous post prior to reading this one :)

Fateh Kaurs & Singhs! I am back… but not as excited as I thought I would be. I thought that with a little more introspection, I could find an answer that would be well suited to the questions I posed last time around. However, even after days of processing thoughts and emotions.. I can’t say I’m completely sure as to how to address you all. However—your feedback has definitely got my mind searching. Your comments, e-mails, and tweets started putting things into perspective. So, here I am now - I will try my best to explain my thoughts.

Gurbani is the sustainer of Gursikhs; not Sangat. But SAADH Sangat definitely helps one sustain his/her own Sikhi.

Got it? Good…

Jaykay. So here’s how I got there:

It is true that Sikhi without Sangat would not exist. After all, if there is no Sangat, there is no Panth… there are no Sikhs. The importance of Sangat is stressed time and time again in bani. Guru Ji goes so far as to say:

jo sathigur saran sangat nehee aaeae dhhrig jeevae dhhrig jeevaas ||3||
Those who have not sought the Sanctuary of the True Guru and the Sangat, the Holy Congregation-cursed are their lives, and cursed are their hopes of life. ||3||

Wowza.

So, it follows that all actions and beliefs embedded within Sikhi are thereby (supposed to be) carried out, executed, and displayed through the Panth. If that is true, that means that each individual member of the Panth is to do the same; for in order for the group to accomplish, each individual must play his or her own role and pull his or her own weight. However, the problem occurs, then, when the individual does not or cannot stand to be a member of the entire group - how does one go about breaking away from the corruption while maintaining faith and loyalty to Gursikhee Jeevan, Rehat, and baani?

So the answer I found lies in a metaphor commonly found in Gurbani; that of the lotus flower (referred to in Baani as “kamal” or “koulaa”). A few friends and a few readers also brought this to my attention — the lotus is unique in many ways and is commonly used to describe this state of non-attachment. It’s a remarkable organism, really - while growing in algae filled ponds and dirty water, it remains unstained and beautifully blossoms. While living in extremely cold temperatures, it regulates and maintains its warm internal temperature. (See where I’m goin’ with this one?) Living within a community, we are bound to encounter the good and the bad; we are bound to see changes in people, in ideologies, in traditions, in thoughts… and we are bound to see some stray from the Path. But, if we are centered in our own Homes (in our own bodies, minds) and use Guru Sahib and His Bani as our inspiration, then perhaps we CAN sustain our own Sikhi.

baahar sooth sagal sio moulaa ||
Outwardly, I am on good terms with all;

alipath reho jaisae jal mehi koulaa ||1|| rehaao ||
but I remain detached, like the lotus upon the water. ||1||Pause||

mukh kee baath sagal sio karathaa ||
By word of mouth, I talk with everyone;

jeea sa(n)g prabh apunaa dhharathaa ||2||
but I keep God clasped to my heart. ||2||

Our attachment to Sangat should be just like this. As one awesome commenter (and inspirational writer, spiritofthesikh) pointed out, Sangat is not a fixed entity; it is constantly changing. While we should find love in everyone, we should remember that Waheguru is our only true Sangat; our only everlasting love. Sometimes, the Sangat we grow to love and admire and respect disappoints us, and that sends us into a downward spiral of thoughts and doubts.. but Saadh Sangat - the kind of Sangat that we really want - are those who move us closer to Guru Sahib. If your Sangat is not doing this for you, “perhaps it’s time to find a new Sangat”. And by this, I DO NOT NOT NOT NOT mean to drop everyone that you talk to who isn’t an ideal Sikh and find some “Gursikhs” to hang out with so that you become better than all others………Yeah, no. I mean, search for that Sangat inside and out, find within yourself, within Bani, within the Gurmukhs around you, that light of inspiration that drives you to be a better person- and perhaps, you too could then become a source of inspiration to others as well.

I think I’ve blabbered on for long enough :) Hope this post made sense. It is by no means a complete answer to all of my questions…but it’s a start! I welcome your discussion wholeheartedly.

Hoping to hear from you,
KaurStyle

Diwana Singh: Answering questions/ Koord and Sach

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:36:53 -0500

Diwana Singh: Answering questions/ Koord and Sach:

Cool post by our dear friend SaintSouljaa-check it ouT!

diwanasingh:

So, I didn’t know that tumblr had an inbox and that someone had asked me a question and that I had not responded to them. My apologies for being a tumblr noob. So here’s the question posed by Anonymous and my response is below it.

“Dear Mr. Saint Soulja, How about a post on relationships? How…

is Sikhi sustainable in the self? -- part 1 of 2

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:22:31 -0500

The term “sustainability” is huge these days. Normally, it’s used in the context of environments and projects being able to last beyond this generation or the next; ie) - the ability of something to support or maintain itself for the future. The concept is rather awesome; creating a sustainable society entails prevention, preparation, and security for upcoming generations and populations. While discussing sustainability and pondering on the notion, a rather novel thought came to me - and that was the sustainability of Sikhi.

(( Forgive me, in advance, for this post is likely to be extremely stream-of-consciousness inspired… so if i lose you, stop and read again! ))

So, what do I mean by ‘Sikhi’s sustainability’? Well, let me guide you through my thought process as I came upon this idea and maybe you’ll get a feel for it. Now- you all have come to know me.. I try to maintain my Sikhi as much as possible; through my actions, saroop, thoughts, etc - but there is much to be improved on. I have not always been this way, but it is the way I am now and it is the way I intend to stay. I also know that without my Sikh Sangat, I would likely not have found the strength to become who I am today. I know that they played an essential role in guiding me, sharing Guru’s Hukam with me and guiding me along this treacherous path of love.

But……what happens when that Sangat starts to be my turn-off from Sikhi? What happens when I start, because of my inclination TOWARDS Gursikhi jeevan, to go to Gurdwara - and I see fights breaking out; greed and ego towering in; and people being torn apart? What happens when I begin to see hypocrisy, jealousy, anger in those who I most respected and considered to be MY panthic leaders? What happens when I see my “brothers” dishonoring my sisters? What happens when I see my role models talk shit, or bully, or straight up ignore those who have fallen off the path instead of helping them back up?

Well, what happens is… I get pissed off. And I want to leave.

This is not an unlikely story; and it is not entirely a hypothetical one. I am sure that a lot of us know of people who have gone through this very scenario, and end up disconnecting from the “Sikh scene” as it’s called. They may cut their hair; they may stop showing up to gurdwara and Sikh events; they may start drinking and smoking…. or they just seem to fall off the face of the earth and no one knows what happened.

So, say that this is the situation I’m in, but I really do harbor this love for Sikhi & Guru Maharaaj within me. I really, truly feel that Gurbani is the love of my life and though I cannot stand the Sikh community, I do not wish to lose my Sikhi. Can I sustain my own Sikhi? Can I, without Sikh sangat, maintain Sikhi saroop, Sikh rehat, Gursikhee Jeevan?

…. I really don’t know.

But, if the answer is no, then….how do I know what is even real? Is my love for Sikhi real if I cannot LIVE a Sikh life on my own? Am I just doing it for everyone around me? Am I doing the “whole Sikh thing” because that is what is expected of me by the Sikh panth? …And what if I am, is that necessarily a bad thing?

—

Disclaimer: These thoughts and questions are real and I don’t have the answers… though I wish I did. Please, please share yours with me so that we can maybe find an inkling of inspiration. I plan to reflect on this now and turn to Gurbani for some guidance… will post a follow-up after the weekend. Stay tuned :).

Awaiting your replies,
KaurStyle

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Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:06:13 -0500

sardar or sevadaar?

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:33:00 -0500

The word ”Sardar” (ਸਰਦਾਰ) is of Indo-Aryan descent, literally meaning “holder of authority”, ie - leader; ruler; in command; a man of power.

The word “Sevadaar” (ਸੇਵਾਦਾਰ) is the opposite. With roots in Sanskrit, the word refers to one who is a servant; one who works without pay; one who puts himself at the bottom of the social ladder.

The words seem to conflict, don’t they? In fact, they’re almost antonyms…

But then there’s us, Sikhs…who are supposed to be both. #dilemma

Guru Maharaj could be quite the perplexer sometimes, ey? Directing us to be both the lowest of the low and the highest of the high. It’s no wonder that we find ourselves lost trying to balance the two.

Interestingly, every guy with a dastaar on his head is dubbed “Sardar Ji”… not much thought goes into that - it’s just the way it is. I guess it does come with the territory…after all, the dastaar our men (and some women) don is reflective of royalty, isn’t it? However, I think we need to be a little more careful just throwing that word around. “Sardar” does NOT mean turban-wearer. It does not mean kes-rakhan-valaa. It means leader… and sorry to break it to y’all, but not every long-haired, turban-wearing guy really lives up to that title.

Yet, everyone claims to be Sardar….

Even MORE rare, though, is that manwho can call himself a true “Sevadaar”. (Okay I know I’m referring to men a lot but really, this article applies to women too… so substitute sardar with sardar/sardarni and man with man/woman… make it easier for me!) One who is humble enough to take on the gravest insult without a bruised ego; one who is willing to DO more, speak less, give more, gain less; one who lives in humility … now that’s something.

Conversing with a dear bhai sahib recently, he said something that really stood out. ਗੁਰੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਨੇ ਸਾਨੂ ਸਰਦਾਰ ਵੀ ਬਨਾਇਆ ਤੇ ਸੇਵਾਦਾਰ ਵੀ… ਅੱਜ ਕਲ ਸਾਰੇ ਸਰਦਾਰ ਬਨਣ ਨੂ ਫਿਰ ਦੇ ਨੇ ਪਰ ਸੇਵਾਦਾਰ ਨਹੀ ਬਨ ਸਕੇ “Guru Sahib ne saanu sardaar vee banaiyaa te sevadaar vee. Ajj kal saarey sardar banan nu phirdey ne par sevadaar nahi ban sakai…” (Translation: Guru Sahib made us both Sardaar and Sevadaars…in today’s world, everyone’s trying to be a leader and gain power but no one dares to be a real sevadaar and serve…)

Perhaps, we are so used to this title of Sardar that we forget our harder-to-earn, more valuable, and more esteemed title of Sevadaar. Perhaps we need to get a little less comfortable self-asserting ourselves as leaders… how can we lead if we don’t know how to follow? Follow our Guru, that is… Perhaps, we need to get off our high horse and find our place at the service of real Sardars.

This may just be my theory, but what if a REAL Sardar is he who understands what it takes and demonstrates what it is to be a straight-up Sevadaar first. What if the two words aren’t antonyms-but rather the one leads into the other?

Food for thought!

KaurStyle

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Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:27:34 -0500

turban; a brilliant bold statement

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:40:02 -0500

If we were to sum up what the turban meant for the Sikh panth and Panjabi culture, we would probably say that it symbolizes royalty. But the turban/pagh/dastaar is a lot more than just royalty-it’s a sense of courage, a definition of bravery, a statement with conviction, a backbone to faith, a history of a legacy, a people…

Along with all of that, it has now come to make a statement in fashion. Women (outside of the Sikh faith) have been wearing turbans as a fashion statement since the times of black and white Hollywood movies. You all might have seen this trend a lot more on the surface nowadays - but why now? “From way back, turbans signified a woman who was very educated and worldly,” said Caroline Rennolds Milbank, the fashion historian. Oh Suuhhhnap. Perhaps we see it more now today because women are now being recognized on the same scale as men (not in all cases, unfortunately…but still, we gettin’ somewhere ladies).

So, if we saw some girl rockin’ a turban on the street, we’d probably just think of it as a fashion trend. We might assume that she wouldn’t know how important it is to a certain people, and how much value it may hold… BUT we might just be wrong. I personally think it takes a lot of courage to rock a turban… you need some serious confidence to rock a head piece, such as a turban, for all to see. I do believe that the women that wear them know exactly what they are trying to convey to their onlookers — they are sending positive vibes to those around them and showcasing their confidence. Taking on a turban also implies a woman’s familiarity and immersion with other cultures, showing a worldly and accepting attitude. I don’t know about y’all, but I find all of this to be very dope, as it is showing how the people of the world are being ONE.

Accepting different cultures & radiating confidence is a brilliant bold statement, so shoutout to this trend!

Checkout these familiar faces that are rockin’ the turban:

xO,
KaurStyle

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Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:47:19 -0500

being you-nique by letting go...

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:09:03 -0500

For me, being unique isn’t really about being “me” at all…in fact, it’s just the opposite…it’s about letting go of me.

I believe Guru Nanak has created a path for me (and all his students) that is totally unique. A path where I must be an activist - help the under-served, defend the oppressed…
All while being humble, compassionate, forgiving, and seeing Waheguru’s presence in everyone and everything.

The Guru’s path is truly unique, but it requires a certain discipline to stay on track. This path can be challenging at times…and just being “me” isn’t going to cut it.

This is why I need to let go of “me” – change my attitude, change my actions, and submit to His way.

I struggle everyday trying to be unique
It requires me to let go of my insecurities, my ego, my jealousy and all my other weaknesses.
More so, it requires me to put faith in my Guru…and trust that his way is much better than mine. I often stumble on this path, but I’m blessed with Sangat to help pick me up.

Growing up, people always encouraged me to be unique, be my own person, and not to be influenced by others. As I’ve gotten older, I realize that’s impossible. I will always be influenced…all of us will. The question is…who are you going to let influence you? I choose the Guru…and those GurSikhs around me who’ve already learned how to be unique.

With His grace, my effort, and the support of my sangat…I hope to fully realize what it means to be unique.

-Singh

matter of life and death

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:47:00 -0500

Fatehhhhh!

Sup homies. It’s been a minute.. our sincerest apologies for our long hiatus. We’re big on this whole quality over quantity thing, so we figured if there’s nothing quality we have to offer, we’d rather not put out articles or posts that would waste your time. Hopefully we have now recuperated and can continue to engage in some useful discussions with you all!

So…let’s get straight into it. Today’s topic of choice for my wandering brain is (DRUMROLL PLEASE) … hukam.

What in the lord’s name (haha see what i did there?) is hukam?

I was fortunate to attend yet another Sikh camp recently, where I was able to converse with my newfound friends about this very topic. How do we become so able to embrace Guru Sahib’s hukam, or command, and accept it for what it is? Is it even possible? How in the world am I supposed to just be OKAY with everything that happens? I mean, don’t I get a say? Don’t I have any free will?

We looked back at history for our inspiration, at how Guru Arjan Maharaaj was able to walk straight into his shaheedi with no questions asked…uttering only “Teraa Kiyaa Meethaa Laagai” (Your actions seem so sweet to me!)

Yeaaaaaaah, okay. I get a friggin paper cut and I’m crying out “Why me?!”- seriously though?

Then we looked back once again, trying so desperately to understand how GuruJi could have reached this point… this ultimate sacrifice - not just physical, but mental, spiritual, and wholesome submission. THAT is what his Shaheedi was. It wasn’t just his being seated on a hot iron plate with sand being poured over him; it wasn’t just his drowning in the river; it was the life that he led, it was the sanctity of his submission… it was his love.

There is a well known story of when Guru Ram Das Ji sent his youngest son, Arjan Mal, to conduct business far away in Lahore. Arjan Mal - soon to be donned Guru of the Sikhs - wrote letters to his father expressing his desire to see him. The letters were hidden by his brother, Prithi Chand, until Guru Ram Das finally received Letter #3. From these letters, our fourth Guru was able to see the true love that Arjan Mal held for his father…for his Guru.

These letters are summarized in Shabad Hazaray, with each verse representing one of the letters. In a discussion I had with some amazingly bright & insightful young Sikhs at camp, we saw Guru Sahib’s desperation and longing for his Guru growing with every pauree (stanza). Eloquence, poetry, love, sacrifice - all these things are embodied in Guru Sahib’s words. Take a look for yourself, you too will surely see it.

So thus we reached a conclusion-it was love. It always is, isn’t it?

Arjan Mal was able to fall so deeply in love with Guru Sahib, with Gurbani, that nothing else mattered. His life, while alive, was a sacrifice; his thoughts, words, movements, actions, being was dedicated to the path that has been laid for us. And when it came down to giving shaheedi physically, there was no question.

There was this life, this Gursikhee Jeevan, that was meant to be lived by him. And if he couldn’t live that way, then he would not live at all. It was not a question of staying true or succumbing; it was a matter of life or death.

Bhul Chukk Maaf,
KaurStyle

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Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:16:31 -0500

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Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:08:46 -0400

Mai Bhago ... badass of the week? aw yeah.

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:03:45 -0400

Mai Bhago ... badass of the week? aw yeah.

perfection at it's finest

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:32:00 -0400

As you guys may have seen (you better have!!)..our last “Let GO” post said, “Today, I will let go of trying to be PERFECT - because perfectionists are not rewarded, but those who get things done are”. This post reflects more on the idea that action is better than waiting; we don’t need to wait for the world to set the stage for the “perfect time” or until we’re “perfectly ready”… take action and something will come of it.

Today, I want to talk about a different kind of perfection… that is, the only real perfection that there is: Waheguru. Throughout Bani, we see Akaal Purakh described as the Ultimate Truth; the epitome of Perfection.

man kio bairaag karehigaa sathigur maeraa pooraa ||
O my mind, why are you so sad? My True Guru is Perfect.

And as Sikhs, our job is to embody that Akaal Purakh; to take steps towards humility, love, compassion, empathy, righteousness, discipline…perfection.

Yet, as humans… we cannot be perfect.

So then arises the question: What IS perfection? Is it attainable? How can we attain it?

—> Let’s take it back to Gurbani for a second. Bhagat Kabeer Ji writes:

Kabeer, let yourself be a pebble on the path; abandon your egotistical pride. Such a humble slave shall meet the Lord God. ||146|| Kabeer, what good would it be, to be a pebble? It would only hurt the traveller on the path. Your slave, O Lord, is like the dust of the earth. ||147|| Kabeer, what then, if one could become dust? It is blown up by the wind, and sticks to the body. The humble servant of the Lord should be like water, which cleans everything. ||148|| Kabeer, what then, if one could become water? It becomes cold, then hot. The humble servant of the Lord should be just like the Lord. ||149||

Ahhhh, so awesome.

So, here’s my take on this (please share yours or correct me if I’m wrong!!):
Kabeer Ji is beautifully illustrating this very quest for perfection… with each line he takes a step further from HUMAN and a step closer to DIVINE. And in the end, he says, a true jann (Servant) is he who embodies his Master…

…

Now I, by nature, am one of those people who is never fully content with myself. I always feel like there’s something I can be doing better; something on which I can improve; something that I’m not the BEST at… But I have met others who, by nature, are the opposite. They find contentment in themselves and find no desire to change.

There’s nothing wrong with either thought process. Everyone is different and everyone perceives the world in a different way. But what I want to talk about today is this search for perfection - my search for perfection..

The way I try to take steps towards self-betterment is kind of simple - though it doesn’t always work as well as I’d want it to. In my meetings greetings and encounters with people, I always tell myself to try to find their “gunn” (virtue) and embody that in myself. Granted, it’s REALLY hard sometimes to focus only on people’s virtues…especiallyyyy if their virtues are kind of, um, overshadowed by their not-so-virtuous qualities.

But, that’s the beauty of the challenge, isn’t it?

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Sahib tells us:

gunava(n)thee gun veethharai aougunava(n)thee jhoor ||
The virtuous wife exudes virtue; the unvirtuous suffer in misery.

jae lorrehi var kaamanee neh mileeai pir koor ||
If you long for your Husband Lord, O soul-bride, you must know that He is not met by falsehood.

naa baerree naa thuleharraa naa paaeeai pir dhoor ||1||
No boat or raft can take you to Him. Your Husband Lord is far away. ||1||

maerae t(h)aakur poorai thakhath addol ||
My Lord and Master is Perfect; His Throne is Eternal and Immovable.

guramukh pooraa jae karae paaeeai saach athol ||1|| rehaao ||
One who attains perfection as Gurmukh, obtains the Immeasurable True Lord. ||1||Pause||

We can’t escape the bad of the world, and we are instructed to live as active members of society…but we must remember our ultimate journey is only that towards GuruSahib. So, why not harness our world to help us get there? Why not use those around us - our sangat, distant and close - Sikh and non-Sikh - good and bad - to help us become better people and Gursikhs - by emulating virtues and ignoring faults?

Maybe we will never attain perfection in this life. But, maybe…just maybe, it is pure LOVE that ascertains perfection? Maybe, it is the very quest FOR perfection that makes us perfect in our Guru’s eyes….?

And that perfect is all I could ever wish to be.

KaurStyle