wikipedia listing for yogi bhajan

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam. Some posts ago there was concern expressed about the

wikipedia listing for our teacher. If you are still interested, you

can visit a new expanded version: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogi_Bhajan

 

If you have photos or anything else to add, then all the better!

 

Blessings abounding...

 

Guru Fatha Singh

http://www.gurufathasingh.com

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

I read the new wikipedia listing with great interest. Lots of

information in one place! I do have a few questions. What is Sikh

Yoga? I have never heard of it. I was taught that Yogi Bhajan was

declared (by his teacher) a master of " Kundalini Yoga " at the age of

16. This bio states:

 

" As a teen, Harbhajan Singh spent several years under the tutelage of

Sant Hazara Singh, a strict practitioner of Sikh Yoga. Sant Hazara

Singh declared his favored student a master at the young age of sixteen. "

 

Is Sikh Yoga and Kundalini Yoga one and the same? Or is Kundalini Yoga

an off shoot of Sikh Yoga? And if so does the KY lineage begin with

Yogi Bhajan? I feel very hazy when it comes to the history of

Kundalini Yoga.

I have heard teachers say that KY is the " mother of all yogas. " How

so? As a teacher of Kundalini Yoga, these questions do come up. I

don't feel clear at all to the lineage of these wonderful teachings.

Can someone clarify for me?

Gratefully,

Reinette

[Guest guest]

I don't know who wrote this article, but this part is very misleading. The term 'Sikh yoga' is a strange one, I don't know why they made it up. It's my impression that many Indian Sikhs might be offended by this term. Later on the article contradicts itself when it says that Sikhs consider yoga an "un-Sikh practice".-Baba

Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

[Guest guest]

Sikhi is the way of a living the life as a learner , following the rational god loving teachings of Urbane ( collected and created by Guru Nanak and his successors.).

Kundalini Yoga is a way to keep the body fit and the mind agile , increasing a persons receptivity and creativity to all maters physical and mental.

Though they are mutually exclusive i.e. one does not depend on the other. They can co-exist in one persons life with beautiful results. ( this is not to say that sikhi alone or KY alone have ugly effects! ) . The only point is let us not be confused in mingling Yoga and Sikhi .

The Granth Sahib has no mention of " Sikh yoga " any where , we get the mention of " yog " sometimes used as the metaphor of the completeness of a mind which has made it self completely conversant with the truth by practicing it through the implementation of guru's teachings ( gurus teachings like- modesty, sharing, caring, love, service, Conscious honesty etc.) .

The guru granth shaib also mentions of yoga sometimes when reprimanding the naked yogis and sidhs of India who left the material work and secluded t hemselfs , considering themselves to be spiritual.

Here is what can be called " sikh yoga " ( if we still want to force the term) : -

Guru Granth Sahib (page 477 , this page also contains more shabads on this subject)-

Aasaa:

The person who makes lords name the basis of his body which has seventy-two main nerves , and one true opening, the Brain.

He alone is a real Yogi on this earth, who asks searches for the truth while engaged in the activities of the human body. ||1||

Such a Yogi obtains the nine fabled treasures.

He lifts himself up from below (lowly moral behaviour, entrapped in the material world), to the skies of the Tenth Gate ( truthful behaviour and purity of Brain, freedom from martial quests)||1||Pause||

He makes spiritual wisdom his patched coat, and constant remembrance his needle. He twists the thread of the Word of the Shabad (continual practicing the teachings of truth).

Losing the importance of his body of five elements , making it just a deer skin mat to sit on, he walks on the Guru's Path. ||2||

He makes compassion his shovel, his body the firewood, and he kindles the fire of divine vision.

He places love within his heart, and he remains in deep remembrance forever.||3||

Oh kabeer, say, Supreme Yoga is the Name of the Lord; to whom the body and the breath of life belong.

if God grants His Grace, He bestows the insignia of Truth. ||4||7||

_____

Gaganpreet Singh| Associate Consultant | MindTree Consulting Ltd. |PO Box 686 Dubai| Mob: 00979150886 | email: gaganpreet_singh | www.mindtree.com |

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam.These are good questions you ask. Here are some answers:1) What is Sikh Yoga?The question requires a bit of context. You have to understand that the yoga tradition evolved in India thousands of years ago. From an Indian metaphysical point of view, it is considered one of the six main schools of classical teachings. As such, yoga is normally considered a Hindu phenomenon, Hinduism being the name we give to mainstream Indian religious culture.

Sikh Yoga as taught by Guru Nanak (1469-1539 CE) and brought to the West by Yogi Bhajan Ji differs from Hindu Yoga in some significant ways: a) Everyone is welcome to learn. There are no restrictions of caste, class, gender, religion or nationality. In Guru Nanak's time all the yogis were men. He revolutionized that situation and, of course, now even most Hindu teachers will accept woman students. Until recently, no one taught advanced techniques of Yoga to Westerners, who were considered caste-less and impure.

b) Sikh Yoga is dedicated to the service of humankind. To go back to Guru Nanak's time, most of the yogis then were escapists involved in self-cultivation without a thought for the world. In his recorded dialogue with them, known as " Sidh Gosht, " Guru Nanak Dev Ji told them " Without service, there is no Yoga. " c) Sikh Yoga encourages the family bond, while traditional Hindu Yoga is for celibates. Yogi Bhajan said: " God lives in a cozy home. " d) While some Hindu yogis are known to disfigure and torture their bodies, Sikh Yoga does not condone abuse of the body, rather considering the human body a temple divine. e) While Hindu Yogis have secret mantras and initiations, Sikh Yoga is taught openly. There are no secrets. f) In Sikh Yoga most mantras come from the Shabd Guru. The foremost of these is " Sat Nam. " As Yogi Ji explained, the meaning of Sat Nam is that we/you/I are/am an embodiment of God/Truth. The end object of our worship is within our minds. There is no need for rituals and pilgrimages outside. Meditation and the service of others are our essential Yoga. g) Sikh Yogis do not set themselves apart from others and consider themselves superior. As Guru Nanak said in Japji Sahib, we should consider all humanity to be our Yogic sect.2) Is Sikh Yoga and Kundalini Yoga one and the same? Or is Kundalini Yoga an offshoot of Sikh Yoga? And if so, does the Kundalini Yoga lineage begin with Yogi Bhajan?

When saying Yogi Bhajan Ji taught Sikh Yoga, I am simply distinguishing his teachings from typical Hindu Yoga and the commercialized varieties in the marketplace today. These are metaphysical distinctions. By the way, I have also heard of " Christian Yoga " and " Buddhist Yoga " and " Humanist Yoga. " Perhaps we could call these " metaphysical cultures. "

When we speak of Kundalini Yoga, we are distinguishing it from Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Tantric Yoga, and so on... These are basically bodies of techniques, as opposed to metaphysical cultures. We can say then that Yogi Bhajan, the Sikh Yogi, taught the techniques of Kundalini Yoga so people might be radiant, whole, and wholly relevant embodiments of Sat Nam. 3) I have heard teachers say Kundalini Yoga is the " mother of all yogas. " How so? All real Yogas aim to raise the Kundalini, to spark the dormant genius in a person, one way or another, by faster or slower techniques. This is the mother principle, that the individual must evolve. Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan uses techniques from every type of Yoga - all the " children " - to achieve the desired effect.

I hope this answers your questions. If you are really keen on this topic, I hope to have a book out on it before long.Guru Fatha Singhhttp://www.gurufathasingh.com

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Guru Fatha Singh,

With respect, this is baffling.

Did you make up this term 'Sikh Yoga'?

It seems quite a divisive term to me. How do you think it affects

non-Sikhs who have been practicing kundalini yoga for years???

Not to mention Indian Sikhs!

And your distinction of 'we are distinguishing it from Raja Yoga,

Hatha Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Tantric Yoga, and so on...'

Doesn't kundalini yoga encompass all of these? My understanding is

that it is considered a Raj Yoga, from the Tantric tradition, and uses

the techniques of Hatha, Mantra, and Jnana(knowledge)! Then you go on

to say kundalini yoga uses techniques from all the yogas. So is it

divided or united?

And if Sikhism is about 500 years old, while Kundalini Yoga is 5,000

years old, then how does your theory hold up?

Theories and fictions are fine, just please don't hold them up as fact.

And by the way, kundalini yoga does not corner the market on service

and devotion. These are important aspects of all yogic traditions.

Humbly,

Kate Lynch

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa "

<gurufathasingh wrote:

>

> Sat Nam.

>

> These are good questions you ask. Here are some answers:

>

> 1) What is Sikh Yoga?

>

> The question requires a bit of context. You have to understand that the

> yoga tradition evolved in India thousands of years ago. From an Indian

> metaphysical point of view, it is considered one of the six main

schools of

> classical teachings. As such, yoga is normally considered a Hindu

> phenomenon, Hinduism being the name we give to mainstream Indian

religious

> culture.

>

> Sikh Yoga as taught by Guru Nanak (1469-1539 CE) and brought to the

West by

> Yogi Bhajan Ji differs from Hindu Yoga in some significant ways:

>

> a) Everyone is welcome to learn. There are no restrictions of

caste, class,

> gender, religion or nationality. In Guru Nanak's time all the yogis

were

> men. He revolutionized that situation and, of course, now even most

Hindu

> teachers will accept woman students. Until recently, no one taught

advanced

> techniques of Yoga to Westerners, who were considered caste-less and

impure.

> b) Sikh Yoga is dedicated to the service of humankind. To go back

to Guru

> Nanak's time, most of the yogis then were escapists involved in

> self-cultivation without a thought for the world. In his recorded

dialogue

> with them, known as " Sidh Gosht, " Guru Nanak Dev Ji told them " Without

> service, there is no Yoga. "

> c) Sikh Yoga encourages the family bond, while traditional Hindu

Yoga is for

> celibates. Yogi Bhajan said: " God lives in a cozy home. "

> d) While some Hindu yogis are known to disfigure and torture their

bodies,

> Sikh Yoga does not condone abuse of the body, rather considering the

human

> body a temple divine.

> e) While Hindu Yogis have secret mantras and initiations, Sikh Yoga is

> taught openly. There are no secrets.

> f) In Sikh Yoga most mantras come from the Shabd Guru. The foremost of

> these is " Sat Nam. " As Yogi Ji explained, the meaning of Sat Nam is

that

> we/you/I are/am an embodiment of God/Truth. The end object of our

worship

> is within our minds. There is no need for rituals and pilgrimages

outside.

> Meditation and the service of others are our essential Yoga.

> g) Sikh Yogis do not set themselves apart from others and consider

> themselves superior. As Guru Nanak said in Japji Sahib, we should

consider

> all humanity to be our Yogic sect.

>

> 2) Is Sikh Yoga and Kundalini Yoga one and the same? Or is

Kundalini Yoga

> an offshoot of Sikh Yoga? And if so, does the Kundalini Yoga

lineage begin

> with Yogi Bhajan?

>

> When saying Yogi Bhajan Ji taught Sikh Yoga, I am simply

distinguishing his

> teachings from typical Hindu Yoga and the commercialized varieties

in the

> marketplace today. These are metaphysical distinctions. By the

way, I have

> also heard of " Christian Yoga " and " Buddhist Yoga " and " Humanist Yoga. "

> Perhaps we could call these " metaphysical cultures. "

>

> When we speak of Kundalini Yoga, we are distinguishing it from Raja

Yoga,

> Hatha Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Tantric Yoga, and so on...

These are

> basically bodies of techniques, as opposed to metaphysical cultures.

We can

> say then that Yogi Bhajan, the Sikh Yogi, taught the techniques of

Kundalini

> Yoga so people might be radiant, whole, and wholly relevant

embodiments of

> Sat Nam.

>

> 3) I have heard teachers say Kundalini Yoga is the " mother of all

yogas. "

> How so?

>

> All real Yogas aim to raise the Kundalini, to spark the dormant

genius in a

> person, one way or another, by faster or slower techniques. This is the

> mother principle, that the individual must evolve. Kundalini Yoga

as taught

> by Yogi Bhajan uses techniques from every type of Yoga - all the

" children "

> - to achieve the desired effect.

>

> I hope this answers your questions. If you are really keen on this

topic, I

> hope to have a book out on it before long.

>

> Guru Fatha Singh

> http://www.gurufathasingh.com

>

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Guru Fatha Singh,

 

I want to thank you for the work you put in on the Wikipedia listing for Yogi

Bhajan. It is a

lot more extensive than I have been able to find elsewhere. I really like it and

now whoever is

interested will get the real story.

 

Thank you,

 

Sat Avtar Kaur

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam. One of our forum members asked me to do work on the listing. No one made up " Sikh Yoga. " Read my yesterday's post and you will get an idea of what it is and isn't. Yogiji received a lot of flack from traditional Sikhs who considered yoga to be a very un-Sikh practice indeed, but he laboured on and never gave an inch. Real, empowering yoga is the essence of the original Sikh teachings. One way Yogiji was to say that if Guru Nanak Dev Ji were not himself a master of Yoga - and there are many, many proofs that he was - he could not have taught the yogis of the Himalayas. The text of his main dialogue with them is " Sidh Gosht. " Yogiji was hardly conventional and Sikh Yoga is not a conventional concept - but it is highly authentic. Yogiji vouched for it. Gurbani and especially the writing of Bhai Gurdas confirm it. There are other proofs as well, which I'll be happy to convey if you would like.

Thanks for questioning.

[Guest guest]

Yogiji loved to quote Bhai Gurdas, whose writings are considered the key to the Shabad Guru. Bhai Gurdas Ji said " The Gurusikh Yogis are awake in the world of maya, where they practice detachment. " Bhai Gurdas also described yogic physiology and in one verse sang the praises of Rishi Patanjali, the compiler of the Yoga Sutras. This is the unknown face of Yoga in Sikh Dharma, conveyed by the essential Gurusikh Yogi, Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji.

I'm glad you've taken issue with the article. Perhaps I should push forward the publication date of my book on this subject. In the meanwhile, feel free to quiz me on the subject. I know it's inconventional and appreciate your doubts about it.

Blessings abounding...Guru Fatha Singhhttp://www.gurufathasingh.com

[Guest guest]

Sat nam Guru Fateh Singh

 

I would also like to say that you did a nice job on the Wikipedia

page. There was information that I did not know before this.

 

I have a question about this posting.

" Gurusikh Yogis " would entail Sikhs who practice yoga. Others could

also practice. " Sikh Yoga " would mean that this yoga is primarily

for Sikhs. Did YB actually use the term " Sikh Yoga " ? I can see a

relationship between Yoga and Sikhism but have never heard the term

" Sikh Yoga " .

 

Guru Bandhu

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " Guru Fatha Singh

Khalsa " <gurufathasingh wrote:

>

> Yogiji loved to quote Bhai Gurdas, whose writings are considered

the key to

> the Shabad Guru. Bhai Gurdas Ji said " The Gurusikh Yogis are awake

in the

> world of maya, where they practice detachment. " Bhai Gurdas also

described

> yogic physiology and in one verse sang the praises of Rishi

Patanjali, the

> compiler of the Yoga Sutras. This is the unknown face of Yoga in

Sikh

> Dharma, conveyed by the essential Gurusikh Yogi, Siri Singh Sahib

Bhai Sahib

> Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji.

>

> I'm glad you've taken issue with the article. Perhaps I should

push forward

> the publication date of my book on this subject. In the meanwhile,

feel

> free to quiz me on the subject. I know it's inconventional and

appreciate

> your doubts about it.

>

> Blessings abounding...

>

> Guru Fatha Singh

> http://www.gurufathasingh.com

>

[Guest guest]

Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is not "Sikh Yoga." It is a non-religious practice. As Sikhs, we often say that Sikh Dharma is not a religion, but a way of life, but we do practice certain life techniques that are not required in order to practice Kundalini Yoga. The two are compatible but not the same - Sikh and Kundalini Yoga. I understand how you might call it Sikh Yoga, Guru Fatha Singh, but it is misleading to those who practice Kundalini Yoga and practice a different "religion" than Sikh. Just as I've met Catholic nuns who practice Zen, anyone of any faith or non-faith can raise the kundalini through Kundalini Yoga or other spiritual practices.

Blessings,

GuruSangat Kaur, VA

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam, Kate -Thanks for your thoughtful comments.First of all, you have to realize there is nobody going to make you join any religion. You need not fear.I am just pointing out the metaphysical context of the yoga Yogi Bhajan taught, which happens to be Sikh and not Hindu. It is unusual in that regard and I thought worth mentioning in a description of his life's work. I thought it worth mentioning precisely because of the lack of understanding of this issue on both sides. Most longtime Kundalini Yogis and a majority of longtime traditional Sikhs are unaware of the historic bonds between them through the life and teachings of the Gursikh Yogis like Guru Nanak Dev, Baba Buddha Ji, Baba Nand Singh Ji, Sant Attar Singh Ji, and most recently, Yogi Bhajan.

It is interesting to know that students of the line of Sant Attar Singh Ji, who run a number of great schools in India just visited the community in Espanola. It was like long lost cousins coming together. The discipline and holistic outlook of Miri Piri Academy, established by Yogiji near Amritsar, and the Akal Academy are very similar.

My humble impression is that Kundalini Yoga is an encompassing term like " mathematics. " Within it are a number of subdisciplines, as in mathematics there are algebra, calculus and trigonometry. In teaching math, you could teach all the subdisciplines. Or you could teach trigonometry only, in which case it would be only fair to tell your students that it is not the whole of the discipline of mathematics.

You are right. Sikh Dharma is about 500 years old. My personal understanding is that Sikh Yoga was evolved by the inspired grace of Guru Nanak and the saints to serve the changing times.Here is Yogiji talking about Sikh Dharma and yoga back in 1976: " Sikhism is nothing but a total yoga and total yoga is nothing but to be a Sikh. You use the divine gift of life through the breath to call the Name of God, and through these praanas you can obtain the Praanpatee, which is the Infinity of you. In the longing to belong, the love of the beloved, the

praan calls forth the Praanpatee through the Naam. The finite is the longing in you and the Praanpatee

is the Infinity of you, and they though your meditation, through your Naam Japnaa, merge in the oneness of the One. That is the cycle. If you understand that, there is nothing you should misunderstand. " (quoted from: " The Secret Science of Yoga as Seen Through the Eyes of a Sikh, " Beads of Truth magazine issue 29-30, 1976.)

I hope this is of some help to you. If you have further questions or doubts, please feel free to communicate them and I will do my best to answer them.Blessings abounding...Guru Fatha Singh

http://www.gurufathasingh.com

[Guest guest]

Thank you!!!!!

Kate

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " Guru Sangat Kaur "

<artsyogi wrote:

>

> Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is not " Sikh Yoga. " It is a

non-religious practice. As Sikhs, we often say that Sikh Dharma is not

a religion, but a way of life, but we do practice certain life

techniques that are not required in order to practice Kundalini Yoga.

The two are compatible but not the same - Sikh and Kundalini Yoga. I

understand how you might call it Sikh Yoga, Guru Fatha Singh, but it

is misleading to those who practice Kundalini Yoga and practice a

different " religion " than Sikh. Just as I've met Catholic nuns who

practice Zen, anyone of any faith or non-faith can raise the kundalini

through Kundalini Yoga or other spiritual practices.

> Blessings,

> GuruSangat Kaur, VA

>

[Guest guest]

These are great clarifications, but surely there must be confusion for kundalini yogis who wish to know the distinction between Sikh Dharma and KY. For example, your definition of yoga as 'Sikh' is not a definition of a different type of yoga, but a different way of practicing a yoga that has been around for much longer than Guru Nanak.For someone like you who is very dedicated to the Dharma, differences in definitions of Sikhism as a path or a religion, of Sikh as a student or a religious person, etc., may stand out in bold; but for someone who looks at a Wikipedia article for a general take on Yogiji and finds that kundalini yoga is really called 'Sikh Yoga,' these differences will not stand out, and they will simply identify kundalini yoga with religion, which, it seems to me, is hardly what Yogi Bhajan wanted.As someone who has come late to kundalini yoga and Sikh Dharma, I would like to offer the point of view that 3HO needs to take the issue of

the difference between Sikhism and yoga very seriously. Many people come to KY because they have been hurt, and sometimes they have been hurt by religion. Being from the South, I can say that the main obstacle to the spread of kundalini yoga in that region is that no one can distinguish it from religion; and I'm afraid that the Wiki article does not help matters. For example, I have a friend who just lost custody of her daughter in part because her ex was able to turn a Southern court's attention to the "cult activities" she is involved in (i.e., Summer Solstice). This is the level of resistance some of us yogis face in the cultures we live in.For many more of us, we want yoga with no religion because we are sick of religion. For many of us, kundalini yoga is a way to be spiritual without being religious, and that is something very precious to many of us.Every time I hear our tantric facilitators refer to the "Siri Singh Sahib," I understand that

this is a perfectly fine and respectful way to speak of Yogiji. I am also aware that there are dozens and dozens of yogis in the tantric lines who have no idea that these titles refer to the same person. This year the facilitator at Winter Solstice asked how many people had never met Yogi Bhajan in person; and over a hundred hands went up. This surprised the facilitator; and other teachers in subsequent classes asked the question also, and were also surprised.Why is this a surprise? In the years to come, this number is going to go up and up and up. 3HO has got to realize this, and posture itself to continue to welcome non-Sikh yogis to the community because they outnumber Sikh yogis and will continue to do so. There is no more ashram-based community. We are coming to yoga through yoga centers, YMCAs and people's homes, and we know the Siri Singh Sahib as Yogi Bhajan first.Sikh Dharma is a way for kundalini yogis to adopt a value system if they need it, and

it is a spiritual path for anyone else who feels called to it. Every kundalini yogi owes a debt of gratitude to Sikhism for preserving yogic traditions and practices. And every Sikh has a duty not to proselytize. I believe part of that duty is to differentiate the Dharma from the yoga, but I am aware that many people disagree with this.The perspective I'd like to offer is that of someone who almost quit doing yoga because I felt like I had to be religious to continue with it. Many, many yogis face this question, and they need help understanding that kundalini yoga is not Sikh yoga because 'Sikh yoga' means 'Sikh -only yoga'.-Baba

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Search.

[Guest guest]

Dear Guru Sangat Kaur -

 

Sat Nam. Thanks. Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is not exclusionary by any means. It just happens to use Sikh mantras and adhere to the essential Aquarian vision of Guru Nanak Dev. That is what I mean by Sikh Yoga, distingushing it from traditional Hindu-based practises or practises with any other orientation.

 

 

Blessings abounding...

 

Guru Fatha Singh

http://www.gurufathasingh.com

[Guest guest]

Dear Baba,

Thank you so much for your eloquent clarification. I am so glad there

are other devoted kundalini yogis feeling this way and willing to

speak up about it.

Having been in the community for a dozen years, it is silly how often

I've felt actual discrimination because I refuse to put on a turban.

There are many who seem to think they are more spiritual and better

yogis because they do. Some put it on like a hat a few days a year.

That is fine, but not for me.

When Hari Bhajan Kaur, with her fiery hair loosely draped in a scarf,

was called to the stage at winter solstice again and again, given the

spotlight with her guitar and beautiful melodies, it was so refreshing

to me.

As far as the mantras being Sikh mantras, not that it matters, but

there are plenty which are not. God and me, me and God are one...

 

I have deep respect for the Sikhs I know who practice what they

preach. They inspire me, and if I ever feel the need for the

trappings of religion, it is there. I feel that kundalini yoga has

given me the incredible gift of spirituality beyond religion. In

India recently, a local man asked me if I was a buddhist. My instant

response was 'I am everything'. Without kundalini yoga in my life, I

would not be in that place. Yes, I am a seeker, but no, I do not

identify with being a Sikh.

I hope that 3HO is listening to you, Baba, and I hope that

knowledgable folks like Guru Fatha Singh can admit to being wrong

every once in a while.

 

Rise up, rise up sweet family dear! Let your voices be heard.

 

Blessings & Peace,

Kate

 

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , baba singh <baba_sf wrote:

>

> These are great clarifications, but surely there must be confusion

for kundalini yogis who wish to know the distinction between Sikh

Dharma and KY. For example, your definition of yoga as 'Sikh' is not a

definition of a different type of yoga, but a different way of

practicing a yoga that has been around for much longer than Guru Nanak.

>

> For someone like you who is very dedicated to the Dharma,

differences in definitions of Sikhism as a path or a religion, of Sikh

as a student or a religious person, etc., may stand out in bold; but

for someone who looks at a Wikipedia article for a general take on

Yogiji and finds that kundalini yoga is really called 'Sikh Yoga,'

these differences will not stand out, and they will simply identify

kundalini yoga with religion, which, it seems to me, is hardly what

Yogi Bhajan wanted.

>

> As someone who has come late to kundalini yoga and Sikh Dharma, I

would like to offer the point of view that 3HO needs to take the issue

of the difference between Sikhism and yoga very seriously. Many people

come to KY because they have been hurt, and sometimes they have been

hurt by religion. Being from the South, I can say that the main

obstacle to the spread of kundalini yoga in that region is that no one

can distinguish it from religion; and I'm afraid that the Wiki article

does not help matters.

>

> For example, I have a friend who just lost custody of her daughter

in part because her ex was able to turn a Southern court's attention

to the " cult activities " she is involved in (i.e., Summer Solstice).

This is the level of resistance some of us yogis face in the cultures

we live in.

>

> For many more of us, we want yoga with no religion because we are

sick of religion. For many of us, kundalini yoga is a way to be

spiritual without being religious, and that is something very precious

to many of us.

>

> Every time I hear our tantric facilitators refer to the " Siri Singh

Sahib, " I understand that this is a perfectly fine and respectful way

to speak of Yogiji. I am also aware that there are dozens and dozens

of yogis in the tantric lines who have no idea that these titles refer

to the same person. This year the facilitator at Winter Solstice asked

how many people had never met Yogi Bhajan in person; and over a

hundred hands went up. This surprised the facilitator; and other

teachers in subsequent classes asked the question also, and were also

surprised.

>

> Why is this a surprise? In the years to come, this number is going

to go up and up and up. 3HO has got to realize this, and posture

itself to continue to welcome non-Sikh yogis to the community because

they outnumber Sikh yogis and will continue to do so. There is no more

ashram-based community. We are coming to yoga through yoga centers,

YMCAs and people's homes, and we know the Siri Singh Sahib as Yogi

Bhajan first.

>

> Sikh Dharma is a way for kundalini yogis to adopt a value system if

they need it, and it is a spiritual path for anyone else who feels

called to it. Every kundalini yogi owes a debt of gratitude to Sikhism

for preserving yogic traditions and practices. And every Sikh has a

duty not to proselytize. I believe part of that duty is to

differentiate the Dharma from the yoga, but I am aware that many

people disagree with this.

>

> The perspective I'd like to offer is that of someone who almost quit

doing yoga because I felt like I had to be religious to continue with

it. Many, many yogis face this question, and they need help

understanding that kundalini yoga is not Sikh yoga because 'Sikh yoga'

means 'Sikh -only yoga'.

>

> -Baba

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam, Baba Singh,

 

Thank you for your post, so well-thought-out and well-written. What you

say goes exactly to the heart of the matter I mentioned in an earlier

post, and I gave the example of a guest trainer in my KY Teachers

Training saying that there IS no difference between KY and Sikh Dharma.

Yes, on some level, this is true, as in an ultimate sense there is no

difference among paths that lead to the same goal, if the goal is what

you reference when you answer the question. But in our progression here

on the earth plane, we are also referencing paths; we have the question

of which path is right for us and how it relates to paths that are right

for others. As students, we want to understand both differences and

similarities. As teachers, we want to be able to clearly answer the

questions that our students ask us about lineage and linkage and

relationship among yogas and religions. We need to be careful in our

choice of words, to accurately convey information and to avoid

unnecessarily using those " red flag phrases " that elicit emotional

responses in others and make it that much more difficult for them to

access the truth in what we are saying.

 

From this perspective, the use of the terms " Hindu-based yoga " and " Sikh

yoga " seem both inaccurate and counter-productive. Hatha yogis have

attempted for years to make it clear to folks that practicing yoga is

not the equivalent of embracing Hinduism. Adults in some public school

systems in this country are resisting the introduction of yoga classes

into the schools on this very basis. It can take a long time for them

to get past their emotional-commotional reaction and honestly examine

what is being offered and proposed to see that it poses no threat to

non-Hindus or to non-religious people.

 

The yogas that originated in India were practiced and taught, for the

most part, by individuals who also adhered to particular religions. You

could say that that the majority of yogis in India historically were

raised in the Hindu religion, but that is not at all the same as saying

that yoga is Hindu-based. The religious piece may have been about

devotion to God, or moral development, or putting values into practice

in the greater society, but the yoga was always about consciousness,

which does not necessarily have anything to do with religion.

 

I am grateful for the opportunity I have to practice KY and to

experience its transformative effects first-hand. And I think that if

there is no experience, no engaging of the practice internally and

personally, intellectualizing can be an escape, an excuse, and a dead

end. But I also think that having an experience doesn't give me license

to be intellectually sloppy and vague and uninformed. So yes, let's ask

our questions and hear the answers and ask for clarification and

refinement until the concepts we have in our minds about what we're

doing are as sharp and clear as our practice itself.

 

Nirvair Kaur

 

 

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , baba singh <baba_sf wrote:

 

hese are great clarifications, but surely there must be confusion for

kundalini yogis who wish to know the distinction between Sikh Dharma and

KY. For example, your definition of yoga as 'Sikh' is not a definition

of a different type of yoga, but a different way of practicing a yoga

that has been around for much longer than Guru Nanak.

 

For someone like you who is very dedicated to the Dharma, differences in

definitions of Sikhism as a path or a religion, of Sikh as a student or

a religious person, etc., may stand out in bold; but for someone who

looks at a Wikipedia article for a general take on Yogiji and finds that

kundalini yoga is really called 'Sikh Yoga,' these differences will not

stand out, and they will simply identify kundalini yoga with religion,

which, it seems to me, is hardly what Yogi Bhajan wanted.

 

As someone who has come late to kundalini yoga and Sikh Dharma, I would

like to offer the point of view that 3HO needs to take the issue of the

difference between Sikhism and yoga very seriously. Many people come to

KY because they have been hurt, and sometimes they have been hurt by

religion. Being from the South, I can say that the main obstacle to the

spread of kundalini yoga in that region is that no one can distinguish

it from religion; and I'm afraid that the Wiki article does not help

matters.

 

For example, I have a friend who just lost custody of her daughter in

part because her ex was able to turn a Southern court's attention to the

" cult activities " she is involved in (i.e., Summer Solstice). This is

the level of resistance some of us yogis face in the cultures we live

in.

 

For many more of us, we want yoga with no religion because we are sick

of religion. For many of us, kundalini yoga is a way to be spiritual

without being religious, and that is something very precious to many of

us.

 

 

Every time I hear our tantric facilitators refer to the " Siri Singh

Sahib, " I understand that this is a perfectly fine and respectful way to

speak of Yogiji. I am also aware that there are dozens and dozens of

yogis in the tantric lines who have no idea that these titles refer to

the same person. This year the facilitator at Winter Solstice asked how

many people had never met Yogi Bhajan in person; and over a hundred

hands went up. This surprised the facilitator; and other teachers in

subsequent classes asked the question also, and were also surprised.

 

Why is this a surprise? In the years to come, this number is going to go

up and up and up. 3HO has got to realize this, and posture itself to

continue to welcome non-Sikh yogis to the community because they

outnumber Sikh yogis and will continue to do so. There is no more

ashram-based community. We are coming to yoga through yoga centers,

YMCAs and people's homes, and we know the Siri Singh Sahib as Yogi

Bhajan first.

 

Sikh Dharma is a way for kundalini yogis to adopt a value system if they

need it, and it is a spiritual path for anyone else who feels called to

it. Every kundalini yogi owes a debt of gratitude to Sikhism for

preserving yogic traditions and practices. And every Sikh has a duty not

to proselytize. I believe part of that duty is to differentiate the

Dharma from the yoga, but I am aware that many people disagree with

this.

 

The perspective I'd like to offer is that of someone who almost quit

doing yoga because I felt like I had to be religious to continue with

it. Many, many yogis face this question, and they need help

understanding that kundalini yoga is not Sikh yoga because 'Sikh yoga'

means 'Sikh -only yoga'.

 

Baba

[Guest guest]

Nobody calls 'Hatha Yoga' Hindu Yoga.

Blessings Abounding,

Kate

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa "

<gurufathasingh wrote:

>

> Sat Nam, Kate -

>

> Thanks for your thoughtful comments.

>

> First of all, you have to realize there is nobody going to make you

join any

> religion. You need not fear.

>

> I am just pointing out the metaphysical context of the yoga Yogi Bhajan

> taught, which happens to be Sikh and not Hindu. It is unusual in that

> regard and I thought worth mentioning in a description of his life's

work.

> I thought it worth mentioning precisely because of the lack of

understanding

> of this issue on both sides. Most longtime Kundalini Yogis and a

majority

> of longtime traditional Sikhs are unaware of the historic bonds

between them

> through the life and teachings of the Gursikh Yogis like Guru Nanak Dev,

> Baba Buddha Ji, Baba Nand Singh Ji, Sant Attar Singh Ji, and most

recently,

> Yogi Bhajan.

>

> It is interesting to know that students of the line of Sant Attar

Singh Ji,

> who run a number of great schools in India just visited the community in

> Espanola. It was like long lost cousins coming together. The

discipline

> and holistic outlook of Miri Piri Academy, established by Yogiji near

> Amritsar, and the Akal Academy are very similar.

>

> My humble impression is that Kundalini Yoga is an encompassing term like

> " mathematics. " Within it are a number of subdisciplines, as in

mathematics

> there are algebra, calculus and trigonometry. In teaching math, you

could

> teach all the subdisciplines. Or you could teach trigonometry only, in

> which case it would be only fair to tell your students that it is

not the

> whole of the discipline of mathematics.

>

> You are right. Sikh Dharma is about 500 years old. My personal

> understanding is that Sikh Yoga was evolved by the inspired grace of

Guru

> Nanak and the saints to serve the changing times.

>

> Here is Yogiji talking about Sikh Dharma and yoga back in 1976:

" Sikhism is

> nothing but a total yoga and total yoga is nothing but to be a Sikh.

You

> use the divine gift of life through the breath to call the Name of

God, and

> through these praanas you can obtain the Praanpatee, which is the

Infinity

> of you. In the longing to belong, the love of the beloved, the

praan calls

> forth the Praanpatee through the Naam. The finite is the longing in

you and

> the Praanpatee is the Infinity of you, and they though your meditation,

> through your Naam Japnaa, merge in the oneness of the One. That is the

> cycle. If you understand that, there is nothing you should

misunderstand. "

> (quoted from: " The Secret Science of Yoga as Seen Through the Eyes of a

> Sikh, " Beads of Truth magazine issue 29-30, 1976.)

>

> I hope this is of some help to you. If you have further questions or

> doubts, please feel free to communicate them and I will do my best

to answer

> them.

>

> Blessings abounding...

>

> Guru Fatha Singh

> http://www.gurufathasingh.com

>

[Guest guest]

After reading the Wikipedia listing sections on "Sikh Yoga" I agree with Baba Singh & Gurusangat Kaur that this term is very misleading, and possibly inaccurate. I don't recall ever hearing this exact term used by the SSS/Yogi Bhajan. Does the term "Sikh Yoga" appear in any of his lectures, and if so, where? It seems that what Guru Fatha Singh is saying is that the yoga taught by Yogi Bhajan (which he always referred to as Kundalini Yoga - the Yoga of Awareness) draws on or is informed by the Sikh teachings, in that it uses some mantras that are in the Sikh scriptures and were uttered by the Sikh gurus. Also, many of the lifestyle practices that were taught as part of KY were also those of Sikh teachings, such as rising before the sun, taking a cold shower and meditating on the Nam; not cutting one's hair; practicing vegetarianism; etc. Through these practices many of us naturally became Sikhs back in the early days of 3HO because we realized that we were already living the Sikh lifestyle through the yoga practices we were being taught by him. In the section Migration to North America, the article states: "Late in 1968, bearded and turbaned Yogi Bhajan went to visit a friend in Los Angeles, but ended up staying to share the teachings of Sikh Yoga with the already longhaired members of the hippie counterculture of California and New Mexico." I think it would be more accurate to say "share the teachings of Kundalini Yoga" because that is what he called it at that time. Hardly anyone was even aware of Sikhism at the beginning of 3HO. You could also mention that some of his teachings incorporated some of the practices of Sikh Dharma. But using the coined term "Sikh Yoga" I believe is not helpful, and is in fact misleading, to most readers.Sat Nam,Sahib-Amar KaurThese are great clarifications, but surely there must be confusion for kundalini yogis who wish to know the distinction between Sikh Dharma and KY. For example, your definition of yoga as 'Sikh' is not a definition of a different type of yoga, but a different way of practicing a yoga that has been around for much longer than Guru Nanak.For someone like you who is very dedicated to the Dharma, differences in definitions of Sikhism as a path or a religion, of Sikh as a student or a religious person, etc., may stand out in bold; but for someone who looks at a Wikipedia article for a general take on Yogiji and finds that kundalini yoga is really called 'Sikh Yoga,' these differences will not stand out, and they will simply identify kundalini yoga with religion, which, it seems to me, is hardly what Yogi Bhajan wanted.As someone who has come late to kundalini yoga and Sikh Dharma, I would like to offer the point of view that 3HO needs to take the issue of the difference between Sikhism and yoga very seriously. Many people come to KY because they have been hurt, and sometimes they have been hurt by religion. Being from the South, I can say that the main obstacle to the spread of kundalini yoga in that region is that no one can distinguish it from religion; and I'm afraid that the Wiki article does not help matters. For example, I have a friend who just lost custody of her daughter in part because her ex was able to turn a Southern court's attention to the "cult activities" she is involved in (i.e., Summer Solstice). This is the level of resistance some of us yogis face in the cultures we live in.For many more of us, we want yoga with no religion because we are sick of religion. For many of us, kundalini yoga is a way to be spiritual without being religious, and that is something very precious to many of us.Every time I hear our tantric facilitators refer to the "Siri Singh Sahib," I understand that this is a perfectly fine and respectful way to speak of Yogiji. I am also aware that there are dozens and dozens of yogis in the tantric lines who have no idea that these titles refer to the same person. This year the facilitator at Winter Solstice asked how many people had never met Yogi Bhajan in person; and over a hundred hands went up. This surprised the facilitator; and other teachers in subsequent classes asked the question also, and were also surprised.Why is this a surprise? In the years to come, this number is going to go up and up and up. 3HO has got to realize this, and posture itself to continue to welcome non-Sikh yogis to the community because they outnumber Sikh yogis and will continue to do so. There is no more ashram-based community. We are coming to yoga through yoga centers, YMCAs and people's homes, and we know the Siri Singh Sahib as Yogi Bhajan first.Sikh Dharma is a way for kundalini yogis to adopt a value system if they need it, and it is a spiritual path for anyone else who feels called to it. Every kundalini yogi owes a debt of gratitude to Sikhism for preserving yogic traditions and practices. And every Sikh has a duty not to proselytize. I believe part of that duty is to differentiate the Dharma from the yoga, but I am aware that many people disagree with this.The perspective I'd like to offer is that of someone who almost quit doing yoga because I felt like I had to be religious to continue with it. Many, many yogis face this question, and they need help understanding that kundalini yoga is not Sikh yoga because 'Sikh yoga' means 'Sikh -only yoga'.-BabaDear Guru Sangat Kaur -Sat Nam. Thanks. Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is notexclusionary by any means. It just happens to use Sikh mantras and adhereto the essential Aquarian vision of Guru Nanak Dev. That is what I mean bySikh Yoga, distingushing it from traditional Hindu-based practises orpractises with any other orientation.Blessings abounding...Guru Fatha Singh

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam! So what happens when a member of the community writes in Wikipedia and it turns out that there are many conflicting views about what he/she has written. Do we petition that person to change their article or do we write the opposing view within the article? This concept of writing your own view on history is very interesting, but very confusing when you realize that what is stated is not correct!Thank you for listening,Siri Chand Singhof Ashton MDIn the Name of the Cosmos which prevails through everyBody and the Holy Nam which holds the world.

[Guest guest]

Dear Kate:

 

I too feel like I am everything.

Do you feel more attracted to mystics of any path than to a specific

religious path?

 

Now it is possible also to be a mystic and adhere to one path just for

the ease of deepening one's connection to God with the mystics one

already has an affinity with.

 

There is a psychological model of spiritual development that goes this

way:

1) Spiritual confusion

2) adherence to one religion and faithfulness in the one path

3) agnostic or atheist stage, but with connection to nature

4) mystic stage.

 

I find this model of spiritual development quite accurate although I

would add a stage between 3) and 4)where Sikhism fits (Sikhism can be

practiced very religiously with a single minded focus and that could

be stage 2). But the essence of Sikhism is that it is open to all

faiths, it comes from the poetry from saints of different spiritual

paths... its temple has 4 doors open to people from any denomination

and anyone is welcome to enter and pray to their own God... Sikhism

acknowledges that there is one God, one consciousness and that

whatever God you pray to, it has to be the same one. I think Sikhism

in its essence is a path toward mysticism, a very practical one, a

very beautiful one, a path that helps people go beyond the mind, open

the heart and the higher centers.

 

I wore the turban for 6 years. It was a way for me to acknowledge

outwardly my spirituality so people who felt drawn to it could ask me

questions. Wearing the turban was a celebration, a coming out party. I

went to Christian churches with it.I taught yoga. I lived with it. I

became accustomed to wearing it even through 9/11. It did not require

courage. I just knew that God was with me, because I only wore the

turban after I was sure that was in line with my path. But then I was

called to drop the turban, to drop the safety net so to speak (which

it does not need to be for anyone else, but it was for me). Now that I

had come out spiritually, I also had to be myself, to not represent a

specific path. And who I am is a spiritual teacher. I am to support

anyone on their path, not on mine. If it means to support an atheist,

that's what I do. If it means to support a Muslim, that's what do. As

long as the focus is on deepening true values and connections: for

instance, the understanding, the heart, the intuitive, or the

universal connections.

 

Blessings on your path,

Awtar Singh

Rochester, NY

[Guest guest]

I agree Nirvair Kaur that Hatha yoga is not a Hindu yoga or that

Kundalini yoga is not a Sikh yoga. Those are poor descriptors and are

meant to convey quite a different message/meaning from the one that is

being argued about.

 

Please note that I am not talking here on behalf of Wikipeda or Guru

Fateh Singh Khalsa or anyone but me. All the mistakes and

misconceptions are all mine!

 

In India, and the East in general, religions don't serve the same

purpose as in the West. In the East, one does not make the distinction

between " my life " and " my religion " like we do here. The religious and

the secular are not separated like we have done here. The religion is

a way of being, of way through rituals and chants and eating and

celebrating. Here religion has become split from our daily activities

and has become very mental, very rule oriented for the most part. " If

you don't believe this way you cannot be saved " sort of an approach

(although there are also religious approaches that are less dogmatic,

or more philosophical, or even mystical.)

 

We have more of a split here where the religious happens at certain

times and the secular at other times. In the East everything is

religious and there is very little that is secular clearly separated

from the religious. So the religious is more of an environment that

embraces the whole culture. Sikhs can go to a Hindu temple and Hindus

may go to a Sikh temple much more freely than Jews might go to a

Church or Christians to a Synagogue, let alone Christians to a Church

from another Christian denomination or Jews to a Synagogue that does

not have the same level of conservatism than the one they have embraced!

 

So Hatha yoga came from the Hindu environment. There are other yoga

practices in other religious environments in India. That does not mean

that Hatha yoga is a religious path, it can be practiced by anyone

from any religious or non religious path in the entire world as long

as it is respected. When Christians started to call " Christian yoga "

their own version of Hatha yoga, it is some Hindus that took offense

(and perhaps some Hatha yoga practitioners as well), as I recall, no

one from other Indian religious environments.

 

In the same way, and as you point out, Kundalini yoga is not a

religious path, furthermore it did not originate with the Sikh

environment as it is a much much older path than the Sikh path. But it

has been adopted and preserved and honored by some if not all the Sikh

gurus. In that sense, it has been colored by and given fragrance by

the Sikh environment.

 

So the terms Hindu yoga or Sikh yoga is a shortcut for all this. It

may not be the best descriptors but it is one very quick way to

describe this whole meaning I have attempted to convey here --

hopefully without offending Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and/or Jews. If

anyone can find more appropriate and all inclusive descriptors... I

would very much like to hear them!

 

Blessings,

Awtar Singh

Rochester, NY

[Guest guest]

....my name is Sat GANESHA Singh Khalsa...last I checked GANESHA was a Hindu

diety...yet

has been gaining popularity with other " religions and non-religious "

persons...and the last I

checked with myself I was still a Khalsa Minister...turban wearing, practicing

kundalini yoga

and teacher kundalini yoga...I am comfortable with the " overlape " so to speak.

 

....that being said I agree that some people are uncomfortable/believe untrue

with the term

" Sikh Yoga " yet in the cultural and historic context of Yoga and Sikh's and

Hindu's in India

and the consequences of Yoga being shared with the entire world, what Guru Fetah

Singh

brings to light is important to know and understand.

 

So the question for me is how to communicate this concept so people

listen...and, yes the

term " Sikh Yoga " may be the best to use right now.

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam All

 

Like Kate and others, I find the term " Sikh Yoga " misleading, and quite probably

a turn off

to many non-Sikh practitioners and potential students. We need to be aware not

only of

what such a term means to us, but also how others would understand it. Whilst

the

historical background in this regard is very interesting, to use this label is

limiting; just as

it is to call yoga a Hindu practise, which it is not necessarily. I personally

consider all

yoga's beyond a specific religion, but often `coloured' or `flavoured' by the

religion of

those teaching or practising it, in the same way that our beliefs and lifestyle

(be they of a

specific religion or not) flavour all of our communications and teachings –

maybe I am

wrong on this, but shouldn't this be the likely direction we are developing in

with the Age

of Aquarius?

 

I would also like to know where/if Yogi Bhajan referred to this as Sikh yoga, I

have never

heard this before, and if he didn't, why would we make up or adopt such a term,

especially

as it potentially excludes those of us that do not consider ourselves Sikh or

wish to adopt

a religion.

 

Often I explain the Sikh- kundalini yoga relationship to new students as

Kundalini Yoga

not being a Sikh practice per se, but that Yogi Bhajan, the Master Teacher was a

Sikh, and

as such used Sikh mantras as these were the ones he knew (experienced) worked,

other

aspects of the 3ho lifestyle are also not exclusive to Sikhism - such as Rishi

knots. Maybe

this could be a useful approach when putting information in places such as

Wikipedia,

which will potentially be read by a very broad audience????

 

I do have one other question however, Guru Fateh Singh, you mentioned that one

of the

aspects of Sikh yoga as you named it was the free sharing of the teachings; I

have always

read and believe was taught on teacher training that Yogi Bhajan actually broke

tradition in

teaching this form of yoga openly - under the threat that he would die before

his next

birthday if he did so (according to the teachings as he learnt them)? How does

this fit

together???

 

Many Blessings,

 

Brie/ Har Simrat

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " healthyhappyyoga " <healthyhappyyoga

wrote:

>

> Nobody calls 'Hatha Yoga' Hindu Yoga.

> Blessings Abounding,

> Kate

>

> Kundalini-Yoga , " Guru Fatha Singh Khalsa "

> <gurufathasingh@> wrote:

> >

> > Sat Nam, Kate -

> >

> > Thanks for your thoughtful comments.

> >

> > First of all, you have to realize there is nobody going to make you

> join any

> > religion. You need not fear.

> >

> > I am just pointing out the metaphysical context of the yoga Yogi Bhajan

> > taught, which happens to be Sikh and not Hindu. It is unusual in that

> > regard and I thought worth mentioning in a description of his life's

> work.

> > I thought it worth mentioning precisely because of the lack of

> understanding

> > of this issue on both sides. Most longtime Kundalini Yogis and a

> majority

> > of longtime traditional Sikhs are unaware of the historic bonds

> between them

> > through the life and teachings of the Gursikh Yogis like Guru Nanak Dev,

> > Baba Buddha Ji, Baba Nand Singh Ji, Sant Attar Singh Ji, and most

> recently,

> > Yogi Bhajan.

> >

> > It is interesting to know that students of the line of Sant Attar

> Singh Ji,

> > who run a number of great schools in India just visited the community in

> > Espanola. It was like long lost cousins coming together. The

> discipline

> > and holistic outlook of Miri Piri Academy, established by Yogiji near

> > Amritsar, and the Akal Academy are very similar.

> >

> > My humble impression is that Kundalini Yoga is an encompassing term like

> > " mathematics. " Within it are a number of subdisciplines, as in

> mathematics

> > there are algebra, calculus and trigonometry. In teaching math, you

> could

> > teach all the subdisciplines. Or you could teach trigonometry only, in

> > which case it would be only fair to tell your students that it is

> not the

> > whole of the discipline of mathematics.

> >

> > You are right. Sikh Dharma is about 500 years old. My personal

> > understanding is that Sikh Yoga was evolved by the inspired grace of

> Guru

> > Nanak and the saints to serve the changing times.

> >

> > Here is Yogiji talking about Sikh Dharma and yoga back in 1976:

> " Sikhism is

> > nothing but a total yoga and total yoga is nothing but to be a Sikh.

> You

> > use the divine gift of life through the breath to call the Name of

> God, and

> > through these praanas you can obtain the Praanpatee, which is the

> Infinity

> > of you. In the longing to belong, the love of the beloved, the

> praan calls

> > forth the Praanpatee through the Naam. The finite is the longing in

> you and

> > the Praanpatee is the Infinity of you, and they though your meditation,

> > through your Naam Japnaa, merge in the oneness of the One. That is the

> > cycle. If you understand that, there is nothing you should

> misunderstand. "

> > (quoted from: " The Secret Science of Yoga as Seen Through the Eyes of a

> > Sikh, " Beads of Truth magazine issue 29-30, 1976.)

> >

> > I hope this is of some help to you. If you have further questions or

> > doubts, please feel free to communicate them and I will do my best

> to answer

> > them.

> >

> > Blessings abounding...

> >

> > Guru Fatha Singh

> > http://www.gurufathasingh.com

> >

>