Up-rooted plants simply cannot grow. They need to be firmly rooted to meet all their alimentary and elementary needs. Human beings, it would appear, are no different. They too need to be firmly rooted. In the absence of their solid roots, they are blown about in the wind; they lose themselves and become powerless. They remain purposeless, without knowing why. Having reached the limits of their capacity, they try to do more. They wait for new seasons and get upset because of the lack of change. The fact is that they have up-rooted themselves in the search for more and more. Because of the uprooting – due to the pressures of conforming to others – they have lost their connection to the earth and each other. Ironically, they are now too afraid to approach either in case they are confronted by themselves.

No longer being able to admit that they are lost, they let themselves be tossed about aimlessly. So much so that they tacitly tell the world that they are okay with it. They are afraid to stop and gather themselves. They stop not even for a moment for fear of missing out on the next wind of opportunity. They do not stop in case all that is following 10 feet behind them catches up and topples them. They do not stop in case they are confronted with the painful truth that there is nothing to gather. Afraid, they feel if they were to stop to gather ground and root themselves, someone would trample them and they would no longer be seen. They have uprooted themselves so that they may always be seen, and so that they may feel that they are always moving. But constantly being on the move does not mean you are growing. And more importantly, being planted does not mean you are being buried.

Being planted to grow roots is necessarily required. But often there is fear of this season. They fear the dark and the intimacy with themselves; they are fearful of the vulnerability it takes to surrender to the earth which is so much bigger than us and holds so much mystery. Underneath the ground they are competing with other plants, insects and animals, all of which threaten to cause them damage in their own pursuits. However, once they are there and they grow eyes to see in the dark, they realize that the task of growth is not their own. The little critters wriggling all around them and annoying them are actually there to help them grow. They also realize that they do not actually have to do anything. The soil supports them, pushes them, feeds them, let’s them drink, makes space for them – and in that space they find their purpose.

In the garden of life, we are all plants with different attributes that speak to our purpose. Those attributes show us why we have been given that particular form and that particular space in life. Perhaps we are growing into a plant that will bear flowers with an uplifting scent, or a plant that bears fruit to fill the stomachs of those that are hungry. We could be growing into an herb designed for healing, or a tall plant for the small and the vulnerable to hide in. This process of growth and self-discovery should be a joyous one, not one filled with the unnecessary stress of trying to grow without roots or without being truly connected to anything or wanting instead to bear the fruit that someone else bears. An apple tree does not covet the fruit of the pear tree, it just grows.

When we live from our roots, we realize that we are all valuable members of this cosmic garden regardless of our size, color or shape. We are like flowers resting in the gardens surrounded by the Kingdom of God, and it is God that nurtures us, tends to us and helps us to grow into our individualities. When we fear we might get trampled on, it is God that keeps the gardens safe. It is God that makes sure our soil is filled with Love so that our roots are constantly nourished so that we are able to continually blossom. It is God that maintains our stalks, cutting away the dead leaves that may be feeding on our life. It is God that has planted us, out of Love, and into Love, so that we all play a part of bringing some joy into this world. That is the revelation of God. Knowing this, is enlightenment.

In this generation, may we find our roots and not be as plants blowing about in the wind. May we find comfort in the soil of Love and let ourselves be nurtured by what is around us, knowing that there is nothing in nature that grows on its own. May we surrender to purpose and love, and blossom into our true individual, authentic selves, regardless of what that looks like for others. May we not stunt our own growth by refusing to move with our seasons of rooting and blossoming, out of fear. May we simply grow, realizing the importance of roots.

As I talk more openly to my family and friends about my involvement with the Nirankari Mission, I am often confronted with a look of worry and concern. I see the suspicion on their faces, accompanied by the comment: is this a cult?

It seems to me that the more I try to explain, the less they understand. This is nothing unusual. History tells us that whoever tried to spread the truth, they had to face ridicule from their own family and community. We should never let this deter us from speaking of the truth.

Recently, I was watching a documentary about a well-known religious organisation. It has many followers, a large number of whom are well known celebrities. On the face of it, the organisation has a universal message – the discovery of one’s true spiritual nature, one’s relationship with the self, the meaning of mankind, the understanding of all forms, the material and spiritual universe and the Supreme Being.

However, the programme revealed some very questionable ethics, dubious tactics and an underlying culture of fear, bullying and strong arm-tactics to recruit people into their ideology. It is exactly these types of high profile religious organisations that make people suspicious and fearful.  

Since being blessed with the Gyan, I have felt a growing need to share the experience in the hope of encouraging others to seek out the truth. I am also aware that I must avoid evangelism! So, how do we distinguish ourselves from such spurious organisations? How do we spread the message of Nirankar to those who are unfamiliar with it?

As I understand it, the Nirankari Mission is not interested in converting people or recruiting large numbers of followers. Its real aim is to spread peace. The Gyan gives peace to the soul, which in turn gives peace to the mind. It is exactly this peace that we must radiate out to the world.  We must lead by example. We must pursue a life of love, compassion and humility, allowing the light within to shine for all to see.  We must let the peace, courage and wisdom that come from the Gyan experience, express itself through the actions of our daily lives. 

Just recently, I was in the position of being able to bring a close friend to the Mission. He is an avid atheist, and we have had many discussions around Nirankar. While here, he took the chance to look around and enjoy the surroundings. He particularly liked the posters and pictures on the walls that carry messages of love, peace, courage and wisdom. He acknowledged them as beautiful and of value until he reached one that mentioned God!  At this point, his face changed. Over lunch later, I asked him why. If, indeed, he agreed with the sentiments, then why would he be bothered by the word ‘God’? He was unable to answer the question. 

The truth is that he was hung up on the label – God. I explained to him that I am known by several names – Margaret, Margaret-Ann, Maggie and Em. In fact, on Sunday I was called Wendy by one of the saints who had forgotten my name! I said it was ok and that I was happy to be Wendy for the day. But I was the very same person!  It doesn’t matter what I’m called. It is the same for Nirankar (God), who has many different names. The truth remains the same, despite the label. And if you agree with, and acknowledge the sentiment of the words and actions, then why would you change your mind on seeing the word God? Does it make it less true or valid? 

The answer is the ‘ego’. For those who are yet to experience their enlightenment, it is inconceivable to contemplate that there is something bigger than themselves; that they are not in control; and that life isn’t all about them. In order to see God, we must lay down our ego. There is no other way. But this is such a foreign concept to many people. Our experiences from childhood, throughout our lives and our social upbringing encourage us to believe that we are in charge of our lives. So much so that we can make anything happen and bend everything to our will. People put themselves under immense stress and pressure to succeed, to be happy, and to achieve. As they strive to make themselves more powerful, more valid, they get further and further away from the truth. 

Everywhere we look, we are encouraged to take control and remember our strength. I recently saw a post on Facebook. A friend was asking everyone to post the statement ‘I am…’ followed by whatever adjective they felt described them. He made some suggestions – slim, healthy, wealthy and wise. He claimed the words ‘I am’ are the most powerful two words in the English language. He may well be right for there is indeed power in the words ‘I am’. But this power is not necessarily positive. If we are so wrapped up in ourselves, it makes us blind to others, and more importantly, to the truth. In reality, there is no ‘I’ only ‘us’. 

I am reminded of a man who was getting married. During the preparations for the wedding, he was told that he would be expected to kneel before the altar for prayers. He refused, saying that he kneels before no one. He never has and never will.  The minister explained that some people actually prostrate themselves before an altar in reverence to God. This was inconceivable to the man. This is equally so to many people who are yet to experience their enlightenment, particularly those who think that the most important and powerful words are – I Am. 

And yet, to bow or kneel at the feet of others (as we often do in Satsang, or when in the company of saints) is the most beautiful and humbling experience. To lay down our ego and recognise the divinity in others is such a powerful experience. When you know that you are one with God and you recognise divinity in everyone else, it is the most natural and beautiful thing to want to bow to the feet of others.  This practice is designed to get us back in touch with our humility, such that we may reduce the hold of ego over us.

As I begin to discuss my faith with friends and family, I am often told that they don’t have an issue with it if that is what I ‘need’. The implication being that I ‘need’ something – a crutch or something to hold onto in order to survive. There is an implied weakness in my ‘need’ to have faith. My reply to them is that far from it being a weakness, I see faith as a sign of strength. It is true that in order to see God, be at one with God, one has to surrender completely. Again, the word surrender can be interpreted as weakness, as giving up, giving in or submitting. But in surrendering to God, you find great strength, courage, wisdom, fortitude, love and above all else, humility. To lay down one’s ego requires great humility and courage, which can be difficult for others to understand.

I am reminded of a story from one of Plato’s dialogues called The Apology. In this dialogue, a friend of Socrates asked the Delphi Oracle if Socrates was the wisest person. The oracle said: ‘yes, he is the wisest person’. But Socrates was doubtful, maintaining that he knew nothing.  He decided to ask others and went around asking lawyers and well educated people: ‘are you wise; do you know things’? They all replied in the affirmative, saying that they were terribly wise because they knew this and they knew that.

Socrates came to the conclusion that these people were all very ignorant and very foolish. He decided that in actual fact he was the wisest person. This was because other people did not know anything. They thought they knew something; they were fooled into thinking they had knowledge. Socrates on the other hand, did not know anything. He had realised his own ignorance. He realised that knowledge and truth continually escape him and it required effort and dedication to pursue them. Socrates was wise because of his ignorance.

In realising that we do not know, we know something – the knowledge and starting point for enquiring about God knowledge. By laying down our ego, our sense of ‘I’, we can begin to explore the truth. 

As Nirankari devotees, we should feel happy to spread the message of the truth, without fear and with the confidence of a doctor who has found the cure for an illness and wants to spread the good news. There are many people who suffer from the disease – the disease that is ‘ego’. Let us try to alleviate it.

    – Maggie Fletcher

It’s been a whole year since I received the Gyan.  A lot has happened in that year, a lot of very awful terrible things and conversely some very wonderful life changing amazing things.

A year ago I was sat in this room listening to the speakers and feeling ready for the next chapter life was to bring me.  After the Building Bridges oneness gathering, I received the Gyan.  For me it was a very energy based experience, and thankfully that positive energy that has stayed with me ever since.

One of the things that the Gyan, the God knowledge, has bought me is some inner serenity and calmness that was lacking before.  It’s what I feel every human is striving for, knowingly or not.  We are living in a time of unprecedented advancement and technological development and the price paid for this is a deeper attachment to ego and materialism, and for many a step away from their spiritual selves.  The world is filled with war, violence, exploitation and abuse, but the world is also filled with love, compassion, empathy and kindness.  What we focus on will determine whether we live a life filled with love and happiness or fear and anxieties. If we choose to focus on love we are inviting more of the same into our lives, because what we put out into the world we are inviting back to us in abundance.

This is where keeping the company of saints is important.  If you regularly come to Satsang, listen to the positive messages given here, it becomes so much easier to make that way of thinking part of your everyday life.

I say easier because we all know this physical life is not easy.  I mentioned earlier that it had been a difficult year and truthfully that description doesn’t come near to how bad it was.  Throughout the events of last year, the one thing that kept me going was knowing I was one with Nirankar. I had wobbles and low points and when someone is screaming at you that they will smash your face in with a hammer and set your house on fire, all in front of your child, it would have been easy to have fallen back into old habits and let the ego take back control.  To succumb to the feelings of hopelessness and despair. But, my faith in Nirankar and my love for Mata Ji would not allow that.  No matter what ups and downs appear in life, this Satsang is the line that anchors me to Nirankar.  As long as I have saints in my life, it’s easier to pull myself along that tie and secure myself to the anchor of Nirankar.

For me the ego is one of the biggest battles to fight.  Not so much as in feeling boastful or conceited,  but more the mind trickery ego can bring.  I think of ego as any of the “I” emotions – I feel sad, I feel unworthy, I feel a failure and so on.  What last year has shown me is I am LOVE.  I am one with the biggest force of love that could exist, and once I acknowledge that I am one with Nirankar, I have to realise I am none of the negative things that my ego wants me to believe I am.  How could I be when my soul is carved from Nirankar.

What we all need to do is to calm and quiet our ego and find the inner peace with ourselves.  This will allow us to radiate peace to the world.  If we are at war with our own minds, how can we bring peace to the world?  We have to live our lives by the teachings of the Satguru so we can find and maintain that inner peace.  No one has ever found inner peace and harmony just by being told to look for it – we have to live it.  We cannot preach inner peace to people, but we can live our lives as an example and show people in a very practical way how to find inner peace and happiness. By coming to Satsang we keep our faith and our hearts topped up with love.  By practising Seva we show people how to live kindly and demonstrate love and compassion to all in humanity.  It’s great to do Seva within Satsang and I do not take away from that act of kindness one bit, but it is equally important to practice Seva out in the wider world.  This is how we spread Satguru Mata Ji’s message. 

How often do we all hear that we are one no matter what colour, creed, religion or caste we are? And isn’t that easy to do within the peaceful walls of the Satsang gathering?  But, what we also need to do is take Satguru Mata Ji’s message in our heart and change people’s lives with it.  Kindness has become something which is not normal between humans anymore.  It can be seen as suspicious or strange, especially when the recipient of the kindness is a stranger.  I remember last year when I was doing homeless outreach I was talking to a Russian man who called himself John.  He was quite bewildered by what we were doing.  He asked if I was employed by the council, I explained that we did the outreach to provide food, clothes and blankets voluntarily and he still could not understand why we would give up our time to help dirty, smelly, drunk people like them, in his words.  My reply was simple, because you are human, just like me. That’s all it ever boils down to.

So, let’s all try to bring the teachings of our beloved Satguru into our everyday life.  Let’s change the world by first changing ourselves and then radiating the love of Nirankar to all those we come into contact with.

-Lucy Hayreh

Blissful Intuition: A comparative study of Chiropractic Science and Spirituality

After having spent many years with a fellow-student in school, you may get a feeling or an experience of his well-being. Not having heard from him since graduation, he comes to mind for some unknown reasons. Not only that, a colleague that has never been in contact, all of sudden calls you. The greeting in Indian culture for such a person, absent for a long time, is, “how wonderful, you’re going to live a very long life!”. Similarly, you may get an inkling or feeling that something good or bad is going to happen in the near future, and then it actually happens. These two examples – the sudden workings – are deeply embedded within us. We call them intuition.

A real intuition can’t be wrong. It doesn’t consist of believing in dogmatic rituals, but knowing it directly within your heart, without doubting its existence. It is never interpreted blindly but is supported by logic and reasoning. Every human being possesses this capability, but it remains unknown until we see it for ourselves. Many books and courses have been prescribed to students in school, but nothing can compare to the lesson that is genuinely rooted within our own sixth sense and experience. There are three levels in the awakening of blissful intuition that tend to separate mankind.

The First Intuition

Fearful intuition is often experienced as a feeling of anxiety, expressing a hunch that someone or something is dangerous and inflicting pain. Depending on the undeveloped situation, our initial intuition to make a rash decision is caused by NOT KNOWING or fear. But what do we fear?

We are afraid of snakes, ghosts and wild animals because we don’t know what their next move is. Fear can be both good and bad. Discipline teaches us to fear our parents. There is fear of getting a failing grade. In Chiropractic, when a novice, inexperienced doctor is confronted with a risky situation, there is often an experience of a calm-haunting feeling. The doctor at that point has a very important decision to make. He can remain fearful and avoid the situation or he can reconsider and figure out the solution. This is what separates those who remain fearful from those who integrate intuitively. We should always ask ourselves, “have I missed something here? How flexible am I being in my approach to the patient’s diagnosis?”. At this point we are taught in school to use algorithmic reasoning to reach our conclusion, but with experience this can be coupled with intuitive reasoning. So in this situation there is only one way to get out of the fearful situation. Take that leap of faith!

In the Nirankari Mission, it is important we take that leap of faith. Many religions speak of being God-fearing. This is the main difference between religion and spirituality. Where religions follow rites and rituals, they tend to focus more so upon what the words say, with less emphasis on putting them into action. Spirituality doesn’t require us to be God-fearing, but God-loving. Why should we be afraid of God? If Nirankar gives us love, shouldn’t we love back? When we know God, then we know not to fear God, but to have Faith. This is when we make our transition from a fearful intuition to a faithful one.

The Second Intuition

Faithful intuition is the next and second step to bliss. I would like to call it the a-ha moment. This is the moment Chiropractors figure out the first diagnosis, render our first treatment, and finally learn the ultimate lesson of why we were meant to be healthcare providers. This faith eventually builds as we see more patients; our confidence grows. However, it is important that we continue to practice faithfully so that we continue to build our intuition. In Spirituality it works the same way.

The Third Intuition (Blissful Intuition)

The moment we receive God-Knowledge (Brahm Gyan) and make that leap of faith, we must make sure to never forget God and always remember his heart-felt gratitude. The more we practice our teachings, the closer we become to realizing our true potential. This is the final and third stage called Blissful Intuition.

Once we reach a state of blissful intuition it is important that we continue to learn, as Chiropractic is a form of practice. The human mind can be distracted by ego, hatred and intolerance and we must always secure the connection with our blissful intuition.

Intuition is developed though meditation. The more you meditate the further you deviate from ego and hatred. Spiritually-advanced souls use their blissful intuition in everything they do, and thus accomplish the seemingly impossible. Many people meditate until they feel a sense of peace but unfortunately bounce back into the real world. As Chiropractors, we are taught that the body is treated through emotional, physical, and chemical distresses. Take the time to meditate before any activity so you feel peace at work. Understand the inner bless that is bestowed within you. The deepest enjoyment of work and eternal life comes at the time when your intuition has reached its maximum blissful potential. For many, this is still a mystery but by the grace of Her Holiness, we are fortunate enough to continuously deepen our enjoyment and hold on to its affects. May we continue to create positive examples for each other, obtain good habits, and eventually realize our truest potential of blissful intuition

After all the though, “how wonderful – you’re going to live a very long life”, only manifests with a leap of faith and blissful intuition.

           – Dr Sudeep Chawla Boston, US

Here in the United States, we have seen a lot of controversial issues of late. Many involve racial and gender inequalities, and the increasing gap between the wealthy and the poor. Frequent encounters between the Caucasian-dominated police officers and African-American suspects have led to a general outrage. It would appear the country has not overcome the tension that was supposedly put to rest by Martin Luther King’s efforts to end segregation.

Recent news has exposed injustice against women. They are either degraded in their work-setting or not getting equal pay as their male counterparts in the same position. What is worse is that numerous cases have been cited where women have been verbally and physically assaulted, or otherwise abused. All of this is happening within the country, while at the same time tension is rising between the U.S.A. and other countries like North Korea, Iran, and Russia.

Despite the technological and economical advancements, one may indeed wonder if this world really is a safe or fair place to live in. Women and people of certain racial backgrounds have made great strides in holding positions that were once reserved exclusively for men or Caucasians, but sadly more often than not their pay does not reflect their efforts. A general idea that seems to be discussed these days is that the middle class is disappearing because the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Should one be fearful that one may take their rights as a human being away based on their skin, language, beliefs, or cultural background? Things were supposed to be getting better for all people on this planet as time passed, yet humankind is still facing issues of discrimination, greed, and selfishness decades and centuries later.

One would assume that because human beings have the ability to analyse critically, they are the kings of all species. Hence, they would have the least fear of losing their lives at the hands of another human being. It is interesting to see an image where the deer, elephants, and birds are roaming in beautiful valleys and plains acting naturally and causing no deliberate destruction to their environment. Compare that to a scene of a town inhabited by humans, which is full of garbage and waste scattered all over. Within that image one sees a chaotic clutter of cars, trains, domestic animals, and people. Is the latter description correlated to an aura created by a highly evolved being? One can imagine such a scenario from mediaeval times, but to fathom such a situation in the modern age is mind-boggling. Will we as human beings ever come to our senses and clean up our act? Or will we remain too focused on the daily rut and the so-called rat race, rather than the long-term goal that benefits all? Selfish motives hurt other human beings whilst at the same time degrading the natural resources this planet has to offer. Do we as human beings want to continue this behaviour, leading to our own destruction?

I have found there are many people in this world trained to think of the main aim of life as accumulating wealth or making life as comfortable as possible. Everyone realizes that they will die one day without taking any of their collected possessions with them, yet accumulating wealth and power seems to be a priority to most. It does not matter whose toes get stepped on or who gets harmed on the way to the top of “Mount Materialism”. Once the person is on the top, certain satisfaction is attained with little remorse, but then what follows that? Is that person able to package all his accolades and ship them to heaven or the afterlife? Many may not be worried about what will happen to them after death. Life was all about luxuries and feeling happy with materialistic things.

At the other extreme, there are people who eke out enough income to live in a small hut and live with the minimum means. Inspite of their limited resources, it is not uncommon for them to be seen treating others with love and respect.  They do believe in something more – a higher power, if you will. They may practice religion, and hope that God will keep a place for them in heaven after death.  Though they have some devotion to God and practice their faith, it would be difficult for them to question the rituals being exercised around them.

There are others still who, regardless of their bank balance or worldly status, realize that there is a greater purpose.  They contemplate a more powerful entity, seeing this as the cause of their very existence.  In their desire to know the creative force of the universe, they seek tirelessly. Beyond all of these dimensions of human existence, there is the realisation of the all-pervading.  Those who have known God, open the gates to a blissful life.

The question is “where do you factor within all this?”. Have you become muddled in the acquisitions or losses of life?  Are you seeking something more than you have found already? Have you figured out your real purpose?  Are you tasting the bliss that life really has to offer?

God – the creative expanse – is the ultimate truth in this universe. He has existed in the past, exists in the present, and will continue to exist into the infinite future. Everything else in this universe is created and then eventually destroyed by His command. When we focus on the beauty of this planet and its ability to sustain life, one cannot argue confidently that all of this formed randomly. There must be an omnipotent force that has created all of this. So, when we talk about the purpose of life, I believe it is connected to realizing this almighty power.

Our identity cannot be this mortal body because it does perish at some point. Therefore, we must identify with the soul which is what gives this body life. Prophets and Scriptures have taught us that the soul is a part of God. This soul can either suffer by going through repeat reincarnations or it can gain eternal salvation by merging with its true source – God. It is this bifurcated pathway that reveals the true purpose of life. Do we get mesmerized by materialism this world has to offer and lose the opportunity to help the soul merge with the Super-soul, or do we realize God and live a life of an enlightened soul that knows its source, thereby achieving permanent union with the origin?

Prophets and Saints have come to this world to guide humankind in discovering the true purpose of life. Some of their listeners were fortunate enough to recognize them and adopt their message, but a majority of people shunned these holy men and women, seeing them as crazy or in some other way to be rejected. History testifies to the fact that many of these Prophets and Sages were tortured, banished or killed.

In order for the purpose of life to be fulfilled, two things must happen initially. One must find a contemporary Master-Guide who can make God known. A Master-Guide who is enlightened can pass this knowledge to others, without discrimination. The only pre-requisite is that a person should seek to know. This thirst for knowledge is infact the second condition, which must prevail if the purpose of life to be realized

Enlightenment is seen as an end point, or culmination of the seekers struggle to know.  Yet the Master-Guide tells us that Enlightenment is just the beginning! It reveals the path, which the disciple must walk upon. The realization of God is like the re-introduction of long lost friends.  Having been reintroduced, many conversations may be enjoyed, and many depths may be explored.  A blissful life becomes possible because the devoted disciple enlarges his sense of acceptance. By associating with the vastness of God, vast qualities flow into our lives.  The realised soul comprehends the finitude of material existence yet does not shun it.  Rather, he utilizes it responsibly to fulfil the worldly duties of taking care of the body, contributing to society, and supporting his family. The disciple moulds his thinking towards a compassionate, humble, and helpful way of being.  Such a person wishes no harm for others, and steps aside from selfish acts.

No matter how grim the situation appears to be in the U.S.A. or in other parts of the world, devotees of the Sant Nirankari Mission gain inspiration to walk a spiritual path, having achieved realization of God through their Master-Guide. Such realization facilitates one’s higher nature, allowing the disciple to become a better human being. This allows for better, more inclusive decision making and choice, which ultimately benefits the planet and humankind as a whole. When the disciple becomes an example of the Master-Guide’s teachings, others are attracted to the message, even if the disciple is economical with his words. As enlightened realization flourishes within and between communities, inequality and discrimination naturally diminishes. This is how the world becomes a better place to live in, one person at a time. Is this not the purpose of life?

– Dr Kanwal Chawla, DDS, FAGD – Fort Myers, Florida, USA

God does have a formless existence, but it is difficult to realize him as such. It is easy to forget that he is within us as well as being omnipresent.

Why do we get so attached to the form? If something lacks form does it make it nonexistent? Our thoughts and ideas are formless.  Emotions are formless. We don’t refute them. Our essence, spirit or soul is formless and yet, many of us believe it exists because we feel something when we are still, silent and connecting to our inner core.

Whenever we talk about the formless, our mind asks for hard evidence, wanting proof of its existence.  Evidence exists, but only when we are prepared to understand it – like gravity or sound waves are invisible, but can only be perceived with the right instruments.  Formless things cannot be seen or touched, but the effects of them can be experienced.  The same applies with the soul or spirit, and with the formless Lord.

To shift our awareness from the form to the formless, we need an awakening. This journey from initial awakening to fully fledged enlightenment is an ever-expanding journey of consciousness. Prior to awakening, we are so anchored in our skin-suit, living in the world of flesh. The physical form is so real and precious. Matter, time and space seem to be ‘the everything’. After awakening, we get a glimpse that there may be more to life than what our physical eyes can see, or our wider sense organs can capture. Only the organ of the soul, itself formless and invisible, can tune into the universal formless through which the entire cosmos has come forth.

As we reach higher consciousness, we start to connect with the almighty and know the guidance we receive here to be from a higher “more-knowing” or “all-knowing” presence. It is only a matter of time before we begin to believe more in the FORMLESS, which is eternal and enduring, than the FORM, which is fleeting and transitory.   

Along the journey to awaken to the formless, the human mind is vulnerable to the innumerable distractions of this world. It can easily wonder and become agitated. To declutter our overly active minds, we must focus single-mindedly on the energy of the omnipresent during prayer. Practice builds strength and therefore a consistent routine of praying each day is required Focused, heartfelt and purposeful prayer is the key. We must strive hard to quiet the overly active mind.

Once we have calmed and settled the mind, we can begin developing insight.  Having had a Gyan awakening, we can to initiate our connection to the formless. We must be cautious of the fact that fear weakens us and diminishes our focus. Fear is easily and unreservedly overcome with love.  In this way, a sense of openness, space, clarity, awareness, sensitivity and responsiveness begins to flow.  All these wonderful attributes, which come with our connection to the formless, move freely into our lives and then overflow into the environment around, for the benefit of all.

For a long time the practice of formless meditation may feel like a struggle but it is a constant fight to let go of complications and return to simplicity. As our practice develops, we are able to recognise and liberate ourselves from our habitual thought patterns.

Essentially, to understand the formless we must let go and empty our minds. We have to momentarily let go of all forms of attachment. Once there is realization of awareness and non-attachment, then there’s no need to be limited in form anymore, because the path of awareness is very clear – the formless becomes the driving force. Rather than looking for peace or fulfilment in things that we can conceive or imagine, peace is really to be found in no-thing, or in the formless (that without form, Nirankar).   

Formless meditation allows us to realise our natural state of being.  It facilitates us to calmly abide in the natural rhythm of the universe, in the humble knowing that in our formless essence, we are the centre of everything. We are then able to let go of all the problems dominating us.  This is because problems always come in the world of form.  However, we can soar above any suffering just as a plane flies over any turbulence in its path, if the pilot knows how to navigate a higher course. Let us engage in formless meditation, or Simran, as often as possible.  It will help us move from initial awakening to enduring enlightenment, as we master the realisation of the formless.

-Deepak Parkash, London

What is detachment?

In rising above our intelligence – i.e. our physicality, emotions, psychology and memory (physical, karmic, genetic, and hereditary) – we become detached. Conscious and in control, we become like the Buddha, present, and unaffected by the travails of life.

Such a detachment is a state of inner calmness and poise, and the ability not to let what people say or do agitate you emotionally and disturb you inwardly.

This skill – and it is a skill – helps you keep your poise in difficult situations, and enables you to avoid dwelling in the past and occupying your mind with negative thoughts.

It is a skill which can help you keep your mental and emotional poise and balance, and avoid taking things too personally.

Positive emotional detachment is not a state of indifference or passiveness, and does not mean a lack of interest or a lack of feelings; it is something else. It is an attitude of open-mindedness and of being all together practical.

You can be loving, caring, interested in people, and yet keep a certain measure of detachment. This would protect you from becoming too attached for your own good, or being emotionally drained by negative people.

People, who possess detachment, keep their poise when they run into problems. They accept the good and the bad equally, because their minds are in a state of inner balance and peace. They do not get upset if their plans do not turn out as expected. They try again, or look for a new approach.

If they succeed, they are happy, and if they do not, they either try again or forget the matter and move on to something else.

Saints does this sound familiar?

We usually hear that these attributes come from the advent of Gyan, and they do. One of the many gifts that Gyan gives us is the initiative of being emotionally detached, but forever positive, never negative.

Sometimes, in our day to day lives, we do come across challenging situations, which agitate and upset us. However, this gift of being emotionally detached allows us to look beyond these petty problems.

We are blessed to have this Gyan which not only gives us this one gift, but many more. In the face of challenging situations may I also be detached and positive, and without upsetting anyone, look beyond the situation.

May I not only achieve, but forever live this life of detached balance.

                                                                                                              – Simran Nahar

The dictionary explanation for the word compassion is sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. However, I believe that compassion has a very broad remit in terms of meaning, expression and experience. Let me elaborate.

In my days in the army, when a service man requested leave for unexpected circumstances – i.e. an accident or death of a family member -, the officers in charge, who, in normal situations declined leave, would readily agree to such requests on compassionate grounds. Compassionate grounds, therefore, meant allowing the individual to leave with no questions asked.

But how do we relate to compassion in our day to day life? The most important thing, first of all, is to relate to the person across from us, irrespective of his place of origin and his mode of life.  For that to happen, however, the following things are important:

1. The ability to put our personal experiences and opinions aside, and try to relate to the other person facing us (sometimes, to use our experience to help us stand in the other’s shoes).
2. Not to attempt to judge the person and find reasons to fault him or her.
3. Lending a listening ear and not putting yourself out to give an opinion, unless specifically asked for one.

Simply said, with these 3 factors intact, we can naturally arrive at a compassionate stance. You find that any problem can either be solved or softened in impact when the suffering person is approached in a calm and responsive manner. This needs a compassionate heart.

I remember a time when Baba Hardev Singh ji spoke to me with a heart filled with compassion.  He said, even if saints doze off in the Sangat, they still get the benefits of being there. In challenging this viewpoint, you can indeed question as to how a person, asleep in the Sangat, can actually gain anything. Baba ji expresses it compassionately as, a saint who sleeps in the Sangat clearly needs a break from his or her stressful life.  If nothing else, the Sangat offers that saint rest and comfort. I wonder how I would judge someone who fell asleep next to me in the Sangat. Would I deal with him compassionately or rebuke him?

In short, with the ever-evolving world of technology, achieving any task is getting faster and faster with innovative gadgets. But with all this growth, individual evolution is important too, and must not be neglected. While computers can solve problems at lightning speed, we should be both quick and at the same time patient in helping others with their needs. Our compassion for each other will move us to action.  When combined with tolerance and kind patience, no problem is too great. 

Our daily self-analysis must see if our compassion is becoming stronger or actually suffering from compassion fatigue. Ironically, we rarely tire from ridiculing, criticising and judging others. Why is it that we tire of being compassionate?  One cure for this issue is to consider how we would feel if people tired in their care and compassion for us.

Compassion is a deeply human response.  In practicing it, not only do our communication skills improve, but so do our relational responsiveness and friendships.  What is more, by exercising compassion we are guaranteed an upwards trajectory of personal growth.  This certainly keeps us on the right track as a human being.

When we are compassionate, every decision we make comes from the heart, not our mind.  It is important that the heart supersedes the mind, where the response needed is one of love and care, rather than opinions and advice.  As compassion develops within, even the words we speak as guidance are imbued with love and kindness.

– Jaidev A Nanwani, Singapore

I would like to share some thoughts about spreading humanness.  As human beings, we all have a responsibility to work towards unity in diversity, removing hatred and breaking down barriers in the world.

I have been greatly blessed to have been in the presence of Her Holiness Satguru Mata Sudiksha ji, who is actually spreading the message of humanness around the world. My experience of Gyan – God Knowledge – is entirely because of her grace. Indeed, it is to Satguru that we must turn not only for guidance on how to live after the Gyan, but also for inspiration to share the message of Gyan with others.

When I received the Gyan, there were many emotions, the greatest of which was a feeling of being forgiven. Until that moment, I had no idea as to how much I yearned to be forgiven, and how much it would change my life. To be forgiven allows us to forgive others. Alone, on our own, we are not able to change the world. Of course, we first have to start with ourselves, but it is Satguru who shows us how to make that change, which in turn makes a difference in the world. If we are to succeed in establishing unity, succeed in removing hatred and intolerance, succeed in sharing love and compassion, and succeed in embracing diversity of all colours and creeds, then we must begin with sharing the message of the Gyan. For all of this begins with God realization.

To be blessed with God knowledge is to be blessed with a new life – a life full of peace, love, humility, tolerance and understanding. We must be mindful, however, not to keep Satguru’s blessings for ourselves. We must share these blessings with others. Even love is not love until you give it away. To remove hatred and separation, the message of the Gyan must be shared with others so that they too can enjoy the blessings and share them with others in turn.

I am inspired by the stories I have heard of the early days in the 60’s when the Mission was new to the UK. There were just a handful of saints, which have grown today to several thousand devotees around the country. How did this happen? It happened because of their faith in the Gyan and the Satguru, who reveals God to all. They established their faith through the pillars of Satsang, Simran and Sewa. Having adopted these teachings into their lives, they then invited others to share the Gyan with others, through the grace of the Satguru.

They invited people to the Satsang, invited them to receive the Gyan, and shared the bliss they themselves had found. Their hard work and devotion to Nirankar has left us a legacy that we must perpetuate for other generations to experience and share. The work of the Mission is about the welfare of the world, not just us as individuals. It is the most human thing in the world to want to share this bliss with others.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to be involved with people who have only recently received the Gyan, opening up their homes, and inviting others to attend gatherings. I also give them the opportunity to know God. We have been blessed with the company of people from many different faiths and backgrounds – Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and Pagan. These are people who have attended services and read Scriptures for many years. They say they have truly met God for the first time. This was only possible after having receiving the Gyan, which seemed to have transformed their lives.

The greatest blessing is to bring someone to God. Such a person, in turn, goes out into the world to spread love, peace and forgiveness. This is how we change the world, with loving action. It is not done with protests, not with anger, not with separation or judgement of others, but with sharing the love we have received through God knowledge.

Baba ji likened us to a bird with two wings – one wing represents the Gyan and God knowledge, and the other, action, which is the spreading of the knowledge. And when we use both wings, we fly like an eagle. The message is that we must not only live the teachings of Gyan, but also take action to spread the message to others.

It is my humble prayer that the Gyan reaches around the world.  I also pray that we are all blessed vessels of Nirankar, in a position to make a small contribution towards sharing the message of the Gyan, with the grace of the Satguru. This is the starting point, and what humanness is all about.

-Maggie Fletcher

“Peace, that’s all that anyone wants”, a friend said to me after I told him I had decided to wind down the business that I had run for nearly 8 years. Having spent many years craving and searching for peace, I honestly thought that time out from a busy working life would be the answer. That was not so; it did not bring the peace that I craved.

Ironically, the word peace is banded around frequently.  When the children were small, we would get them into bed and have a little bit of peace and quiet. However, in that instance, the peace in question was not true peace, but just quiet time for the re-charging of batteries. When the children wake up, not only does the sense of peace fade, but it is also forgotten.

Some people believe that going on retreat – staying at a remote monastery or going on a pilgrimage – can bring a certain peace into their lives. No doubt time spent away from daily life can bring huge benefits, but when the person returns home, does that remain? If the peace that is found in that environment is dependent on a certain level of quiet or solitude, or due to the absence of interruptions caused by digital devices, then the peace in question may be lost almost immediately, particularly if you get caught in the rush hour after a long return journey home.

Human beings crave peace. They always desire for Peace of Mind. This may be sought by ensuring we have our smartphones with us wherever we go, just in case we break down in the car, or our family needs us in an emergency, or that we are in danger. However, this may give rise to unnecessary anxiety, expecting the unexpected. What kind of peace is that?

Advertisers bombard us with information about how we might achieve happiness, health and inner peace. Finding the right toothpaste that ensures our teeth are the whitest they have ever been, or releasing precious equity from our houses may indeed bring momentary peace, but what happens when we have toothache, or run into financial trouble? Does it matter how white our teeth are? All we can think about is what painful treatment we may need to stop the toothache. The equity also may bring peace and joy by releasing money, but after the wonderful lifetime trip or the purchase of a new settee, the supposed peace may ebb, when the interest fees begin to bite.

Peace is shattered is a common phrase, often used to mean that peace is disturbed. But is it true peace that can be shattered so easily?

Perhaps the word peace should not be used so glibly. It is something that once discovered, should be treasured.  The human psyche focuses on creating peace – fragile peace – that depends on external factors. These factors – money, wealth, health, land, and relationships – cannot maintain any lasting peace, for they are all transitory.

The wonderful Nirankari Mission and the Neti-Neti meditation have revealed to me that the only lasting peace that can be sought is through love of Nirankar, the Formless.  Nirankar loves us so much that there is nothing we can do or say that will ever interrupt the flow of that love. This does not mean that we are free to cause pain or injustice; we must be accountable for these actions in the due process. However, the lasting peace that we feel knowing the love of Nirankar, is eternal. Far from living with guilt that has built up from past mistakes, weaknesses, thoughtless acts, we can talk to Nirankar and ask for forgiveness. Through the practice of Simran, we get to know and feel the peace of forgiveness and the all-embracing unconditional love of Nirankar.

When we realise that the Formless is the constant in our lives, we experience the inner peace that we have so desperately craved from the outside.  This is a peace that remains when we are in pain, when we are sad, when the world is in chaos, when we are tired, and when we are frustrated or disappointed. All of these emotions are transitory because the world is transitory. However, when everything we know disappears, the love and peace of the Formless is still there. It is always there with us. We do not need anything else to create or hold on to it. Nirankar is the peace.                               

– Helen Richards, Lichfield, UK