A Sikh boy marrying an English girl isn’t an unusual occurrence in today’s multicultural Britain expect that, in this case, the girl is the 30-year-old previously nightclub-going blonde daughter of a former Tory cabinet minister and the boy is a Nihang Sikh who used to practise yoga on the roof of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

What some may find slightly worrying, though, is that Alexandra Aitken, who has changed her name to Harvinder Kaur Khalsa, has felt it necessary to share her happiness with both Hello! magazine as well as the Daily Mail — presumably for a handsome consideration.

The marriage has been reported as though Alexandra could have done better. But she seems to have discovered bliss and is looking forward to bringing up her children in the foothills of the Himalayas where her romance with Inderjot is said to have blossomed.

Alexandra’s effortlessly elegant father, Jonathan Aitken, 68, who was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, was the Tory MP for Thanet, Kent, from 1974 until the May 1997 general election. He served in Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet in 1994 when he was chief secretary to the Treasury.

The five sacred Sikh symbols prescribed by Guru Gobind Singh are commonly known as Panj Kakkar or the 'Five Ks' because they start with letter K representing Kakkar in the Punjabi language. They are:

1. Keski or dastaar or turban, regarded as a symbol of saintliness. The keeping of hair in its natural state is regarded as living in harmony with the will of God, and is a symbol of the Khalsa brotherhood and the Sikh faith. You need to wear keski to cover your hair. Hair is an integral part of the human body created by God and Sikhism call for its preservation. The shaving or cutting of hair is one of the four taboos or Kurehats.

2. Kangha or the comb is necessary to keep the hair clean and tidy. A Sikh must comb his hair twice a day and tie his turban neatly. The Gurus wore turbans and commanded the Sikhs to wear turbans for the protection of the hair, and promotion of social identity and cohesion. It has thus become an essential part of the Sikh dress.

Fighting back tears, Humanitarian Aid Coordinator Asia Pacific Rishiwant Singh, said: "The faces of the villagers showed more than relief. When they saw the chopper hovering in the sky above their village, they had a very different look on their faces, almost as they have seen God in the sky to save them.

Despite losing one of our own Gurdwaras in Kuala Krai, we focused on the people in need irrespective of race and religion. Practicing the teachings of Guru Nanak we recognise the human race as one."

Many people think "simran" means chanting and repeating, but that is "jap". Simran is more of a deep inner connection to God. SatNam is known as the 'seed' mantra. Join Sadasat Simran Singh as he shares many things, and leads us through a basic breathing meditation.

"Meditation is one process through which you can resolve conflict and misfortune, rather than playing it through in real life."

So what exactly is meditation? How do you do it? Well, actually meditation is like a mental "oil filter." Just as the oil filter in a car catches the dirt as the oil is circulating, so meditation catches your mental dirt so the subconscious mind is cleaned. This is how you become clear, neutral and joyful. It is an automatic process. If you don’t take a bath you start to stink. In the same way, without meditation this is how your mind gets, as the "mental dirt" piles up in your mind and effects your actions, words and whole being.

"Prayer is when the mind is one-pointed and man talks to Infinity. Meditation is when the mind becomes totally clean and receptive, and Infinity talks to the man." 

October 29, 2014

OTTAWA, CANANDA - The World Sikh Organization of Canada has helped Master Seaman Wanda McDonald become the first Sikh woman to wear the turban while serving in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

McDonald, a Sonar operator based out of Halifax Nova Scotia, joined the RCN in 1997 and became interested in the Sikh faith three years ago. After deciding to become an initiated or amritdhari Sikh, she requested permission to wear the turban on duty.

In this video Shanti Kaur Khalsa discusses the topic on "Why One Should Even Bother living the Sikh Lifestyle?" She explains that even though it is difficult, Sikh history is full of success stories, of those sikhs who kept the lifestyle, regardless of the pressures of the times.

We received a number of questions from users on the topic of taking Amrit (Sikh "Baptism"). With this being a central part of the Sikh lifestyle it is no surprise that there are so many different kinds of questions related to this topic. In the below video Guruka Singh answers some of the below questions related to Amrit Sanchar as well as discussing commitment & discipline in relation to this subject. Everyone who has received the Guru's Amrit probably has had a different experience, different motivation and different calling that inspired them to take this step of commitment to the Guru. Many years ago I wrote about my experience & I'm sure others can tell their experiences as well which give a larger picture about the blessing of receiving the Guru's Amrit.

The Four Stages of Meditation

1. First, you must set yourself to meditate. It’s a good idea is to do some pranayama (breathing exercises such as alternate nostril breathing) and yoga exercises first to get your body stretched out, relaxed and energized so that your body doesn’t distract you during your meditation, plus, the energy that is stimulated by the yoga will help you meditate much better. All the energy in the central nervous system moves through the spinal cord, so you have to sit with a straight spine – all the vertebrae lined up without tension, but straight. Shoulders relaxed. That way you will not get sleepy, and will have a much more powerful experience. Meditation can be done with eyes closed and gazing at the third eye point (ajna) right in between the eyebrows, or with the eyes 9/10 closed but very slightly open ("sleepy eyes") gazing at the tip of the nose. The fixed gaze stimulates the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland and brings the brain into the alpha rhythm (relaxed but alert state) to allow yourself to let go and become absorbed into concentration. You can even meditate with your eyes open, staring at a single point such as a candle or a mandala. This is called yantra meditation. But we are going to discuss mantra meditation here, and that is much more easily done with eyes fully closed or 9/10 closed.

Just a few minutes can shift your mindset for the whole day

Meditation is more than just a stress buster. New research shows it can help boost creativity; another review found it could reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and it could even improve decision making, in addition to a host of other health benefits.

But how can you embark on a serene course of meditation when you can barely quiet your multitasking brain long enough to finish tasks at home or at work? Here, five tips from meditation guru Amit Sood, MD, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and author of The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living.