Meditation

WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru.....................

I really like this picture of a 'Sikh Elder' sitting in deep meditative thought. I think the pillar has been superimposed over the original picture of the gentleman sitting in a carpeted room.

The one absolute command in all of the 1436 pages of the Sikh Holy Scripture the 'Sri Guru Granth Sahib' is 'Naam Japo'. Which means repeatedly chant the name of god (WaheGuru - O' Great Guru).

I went to GuruDwara (Sikh place of worship) on last night (Sunday) and yes I prioritised it over the football world cup final (which Italy won in a penalty shootout, incidently).

About 25 to 30 people were there in the main Diwaan hall (prayer hall). We all meditated along to chants of 'WaheGuru' accompanied by beautiful vocals and music being played by Raagis (devotional musicians). My experience of it was so uplifting that the hour and a half I was there seemed literally like a few minutes. My mind was so intune to the sound current that I only opened my eyes near the end when the beat slowed down to the finish. This has got to be one of my most beautiful expeirences I have ever had! I can't explain the joy and upliftment that I experienced. The inability to explain my joy has reminded me of a saying from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib:

"Kaho Kabir gungay gur kahiya
puchey thao kiya kahiye?"

In the above 2 lines Bhagat* Kabir Ji (15th Century) is asking:

"After tasting a sweet, how can a dumb person (one who cannot speak) explain his/her indulgence of deavouring it?

Similary I am unable to explain the intense ectasy and yet sublime peace that I experienced at the Gurudwara meditaion. Eventhough I am able to write and speak about it I know that I can never do justice to my experience.

I will try and get one of the programmes recorded and put a link to from this blog. So watch this space!

*Bhagat - A holy person who has devoted their life to God. Equivalent word in Christianity is Saint. The word Bhagat is derived from the Sanskrit word Bhakti meaning Love & Devotion.