A Wisdom Archive on Sikh Philosophy

Gurgadi Diwas is observed on October 20, when on this day in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh canonised the sacred Aad Granth pothi that Sikhs worship as the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
 
He said: " As ordained by the Lord Eternal/ A new way of life is evolved./ All the Sikhs are asked/ To accept the Holy Granth as the Guru./ Guru Granth should be accepted/ As the living Guru./ Those who wish to meet God/ Will find Him in the Word."

 
(See also: Gurgadi Diwas, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Gurgadi Diwas: Spiritual Uplift With Gurbani  

The traditional festivals of the Indian diaspora all reflect the ancient concept of the Utsav Mela, which encouraged everyone to congregate, meet and mix amid festivity and pageantry. In fact, the word mela (fair) is derived from the word mil , meaning 'to meet'.
 
Baisakhi epitomises the mela notion of convergence for it brings together people of all castes and communities on the first day of Vaisakha, the beginning of the traditional Indian New Year. Basically a harvest festival, Baisakhi marks the ripening of the Rabi harvest, especially in the Punjab. It is called the Naba Barsha celebrations in Bengal, Rongali Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Pooram (Vishu) in Kerala.

 
(See also: Baisakhi, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Baisakhi: Baisakhi Is Both Sacred And Secular  

Today, as the vernal equinox bathes the universe in a golden glow and Spring dances in seen and unseen splendour, it is amply clear that once you are with God, everything's possible.
 
Today is Jamshedji Navroze , the original new year. It is celebrated by Parsees today - as it was by the people of ancient Iran - with good reason. The day marks the birth of Creation and therefore, your birth and mine too. It also celebrates Prophet Zarathushtra's profound pronouncements, the beauty and truth of which I've gleaned with my own limited vision from the scriptures.

 
(See also: Jamshedji Navroze, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Jamshedji Navroze: Nothing's Impossible When God is Present - about Jamshedji Navroze  

The Sikh religious philosophy can be divided into the following five sections: Sikhism - Primary beliefs and principles. Main articles: Sikhism primary beliefs and principles, and [[]], and [[]],

Read more here: » Sikhism: Encyclopedia II - Sikhism - Sikh religious philosophy

A Sikh known as Yogi Bhajan brought the Sikh way of life to many young people in the Western hemisphere. In addition to Indian-born Sikhs, there are now thousands of individuals of Western origin who were not born as Sikhs, but have embraced the Sikh way of life and live and teach all over the world. Currently, there are about 23 million Sikhs in the world, making it the fifth largest religion in the world. Approximately 19 million Sikhs live in India with the majority living in the state of Punjab. Large populations of Sikhs can be found in the United Kingdom, Canada, and United States. They also comprise ...

Read more here: » Sikhism: Encyclopedia II - Sikhism - Sikhs around the world

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. The word Sikh is derived from its Sanskrit root 'śiṣya' (शिष्य) which means "disciple" or "learner", or from the Pāli word 'sikkhā' (सिक्खा). In the Punjabi language the word Sikh also means humble follower. So a Sikh is a disciple of the Ten Gurus and a follower of the teachings in Sikhism's holy scriptures who they regard as a living guru, the Guru Granth Sahib. Most Sikhs are of Punjabi background and live in the state of Punjab, India, but the Sikh community stretches out to over ...

Read more here: » Sikhism: Encyclopedia II - Sikhism - Followers of Sikhism

A baptised Sikh becomes a member of the Khalsa or the "Pure Ones". When a Sikh joins the Khalsa, he/she is supposed to have devoted their life to the Guru, and is expected not to desist from sacrificing anything and everything in a struggle for a just and righteous cause. The word "Khalsa" has two literal meanings. It comes from Persian. One literal meaning is "Pure" and the other meaning is "belonging to the king". When the word "Khalsa" is used for a Sikh, it implies belonging to the King, where the King is God himself. To become a ...

Read more here: » Sikhism: Encyclopedia II - Sikhism - The Khalsa