Perhaps the greatest example of this preoccupation centers around the controversial figure of Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji. In ten years, he gave hundreds of thousands of belief-ridden refugees of other religions and purposeless philosophies an opportunity to practice the basic lifestyle of a Gursikh. He challenged the youth of America to earn by the sweat of their brow instead of relying on the welfare state. He taught them to replace cynicism and defeatist chatter by chanting Sat Nam.
He showed them how to create communities where people live for each other instead of at each other. He taught people the significance of keeping their hair and wrapping their heads with the crown-like turban, thus giving them back their lion-like dignity.
He challenged them to rise before the Sun rises, in order to chant God’s Name. He gave to women the vision of Aadee Shaktee, and a revalued appreciation of modesty and grace. He taught people to repair their bodies through physical exercise and discipline, into a state of health and strength. He gave them names to remind them of a destiny that was theirs
Read: "Sikh Identity"
Categories: Our Stories
Tags: The Man Called the Siri Singh Sahib
Early in his teaching career, the Siri Singh Sahib began to instruct his students in the roles of husband and wife in marriage. From those early talks came some new and startling concepts for his male students: that a man’s potency is not judged by his ability to seduce, but by his ability to commit; that a woman is eight times stronger than a man, but that she depends upon a man for his steadiness; that sex, to be successful, does not begin in bed, but that it is the culmination of the interplay of polarities in the full spectrum of married life.
Read: "The Ten-Year Men’s Course "
Categories: Men's Teachings, Our Stories
Tags: The Man Called the Siri Singh Sahib
Thanks and gratitude
For your sacrifice
Your support
Your love
My heart breaks in even
Trying to contain
An atom
Of a love
And a vision so
Expansive and vast
Beyond these senses.
Victory and
Thanks
For a rebirth
Through Guru’s Grace
Long live this messenger of hope.
May all hearts cry out in Joy.
Read: "Messenger of Hope"
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The Siri Singh Sahib has a vision and is living that vision. His entire life to the very essence of his being is a sacrifice. To me, he has been all things: my teacher, father, brother, friend, soul. He has always given me what I needed, not what I wanted. For this I am thankful.
I call on God the Creator of the universe and I thank him each day for bringing me to this Dharma, this boat that is carrying me across the difficult world ocean. I thank Him for the builder and captain He put in charge of this boat, who has built this boat with his own fiber, his own sweat, and who untiringly, with strength, humility, sacrifice, service, compassion and the wisdom of the Infinite sails us all across the world ocean.
Read: "The Siri Singh Sahib in My Life"
Categories: Our Stories
There are no words that can begin to describe my gratitude, respect, and love for Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji, who through his divine guidance and love for God and Guru, has brought me to the feet of our beloved Guru. By God’s Grace, it is my deepest prayer that in recognition of the Siri Singh Sahib’s consciousness, devotion and boundless spirit as a teacher, father and man, my life will be proof of the indescribable gratitude to him for the bliss and love of Wahe Guru.
Oh, Guru Ram Das may the golden roof of your house always be above his head, may the sacred ad strong walls of marble ever contain him in the ecstasy of the Nam, and may the pure tank of nectar ever bathe him in its sweetness.
Read: "In Gratitude"
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The Siri Singh Sahib has, through his teachings, affected every aspect of my life. I have had very little personal contact with him, and yet, since first meeting him, I have totally changed my lifestyle.
My first contact with the Siri Singh Sahib made me realize that being comfortable with society’s values and roles was not enough. The values themselves needed questioning, and deep in my heart I knew I had found a man who knew the answers. I never questioned him or his Truths, for he spoke with a profundity that reached beyond my intellectualisms and touched my soul where the Truth knows no doubts.
Read: "Dissolver of Darkness"
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I’ve been in his presence now for eight years, and have long since given up trying to understand him or stereotype him by saying, the Siri Singh Sahib is this or that. As for roles he’s played for me – the list seems endless – everything from father, to mother, to Granthee, to drill sergeant, to buddy, to parole officer, and on and on – whatever role he deemed was necessary in the time and space to trick or kick my negative ego out, to turn me from the depths of depression and self-destruction, to the heights and beauty of the soul. And always his strong spirit was vibrating: keep up, keep trying, keep working, you’re going to make it, just keep up. And keep up you must, because if you don’t, I’ll give you such a swift kick in the pants, that it would have been far less painful for you to have kept up.
Read: "Keep Up!"
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Before experiencing the greatness of the Siri Singh Sahib and the evolution of consciousness he catalyzed on this continent and the world, I was lost. I didn’t know what I was, thought I was doing fine and was headed rapidly for oblivion. My first happy, so-high, groovy, far-out, Solstice was actually a most powerful channel for my growth. So many new ideas shocked me – the power of White Tantric, the values about marriage and family, the great respect shown towards the Siri Singh Sahib.
Read: "You Know He Prays for You"
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Just before the music was to begin again, the Siri Singh Sahib had an opportunity to speak. It was really incredible. The essence of what he said was basically the same as what the other teachers had said, and he didn’t deliver it in a much more powerful voice or anything. Yet, within a couple of minutes, all of those hundreds of thousands of people were standing on their feet, waving their arms and making “peace signs”, swaying back and forth chanting, “Peace, love, peace, love,” along with the Siri Singh Sahib. Where there had been almost no reaction to the other eight or nine people, the Siri Singh Sahib suddenly had the crowd totally involved.
Read: "The Atlanta Pop Festival"
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When I first saw your eyes beam, I thought you must have the secret
So, I stayed to watch your magic.
You tell me there’s no trick to it.
You’ve shown me the strings and your mirrors.
I hope you don’t mind,
I’m still trying to peek up your sleeve.
Read: "Magic Show"
Categories: Our Stories
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They told me about a man they called “Yogiji” who had reminded them of these values and had taught them how to live them as adults. I had assumed that this man was dead, because they spoke of him with such respect, I didn’t think they meant a living person.
However, I was soon to learn that “yogiji” was not only not dead, but more than just alive. And he gave that “more than aliveness”, that self-respect, and self-worth back to all of us. I moved into the ashram on September 25, 1972, and that was the most blessed day of my life.
Read: "More than Just Alive"
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