I headed down road for a walk with Luna my huskie. My mind jumped ahead to the turn we would take towards the river. I imagined walking along the river all the time hurrying without paying attention to my surroundings. I rushed through my imagined walk, planning how many minutes it might take, thinking about all the things waiting for me to do upon my return. Luna jerked the leash pulling back to the present as she lurched forward to sniff something alongside the side walk.
I realized that my hurry to get to my walk over with and back to work actually defeated one of the very important aspects of the walk, enjoyment. Sure I would get some exercise but the opportunity for relaxation and pure pleasure of my outing had eluded me completely.
I thought how like this meditating or reading Gurbani can be at times. When I sit down to read Sidharan paath, fondly referred to by many sehaj paath, for its comforting ease, my mind jumps ahead thinking of my task. Counting the minutes, the words, the pages as they turn, contemplating all the many things that I set aside to read waiting to be done, I get the mental exercise of reading, but all the sehaj is lost from the paath.
A beloved sakhi (cherished friend) has been reminding a group of us reading together by turns, to read with love. Some of us refer to ourselves as premee paathees, lovers of paath, yet it can be so difficult to just sit and be in the moment, immersed in the Shabad, the hymns of Gurbani our Guru's word. What my sakhi is saying means much more than simple instruction to love Gurbani. It is a reminder to love the moment. Relax, enjoy, forget the cares of past and worries of the future, take pleasure in tasting each word as it is formed by the tongue. Be immersed in a moment which will never come again, fully aware and completely alive in the present, engaged in preet, the love of now.
I reached the river. An imperceptible breeze ruffled the surface of the water. It looked as though the current flowed backwards. Luna lapped the water pulling me along the bank and through the brush. I spied a river otter diving up stream. Clusters of ripe wild grapes hanging from vines wound high in tree branches, beckoned. Gathering the deep purple, perfectly ripe, treasures of nature and tasting of their sweetness, reminded me yet again, of Gurbani.
"Houmai vich sabh parr thhakae dhoojai bhaae khuaar ||
Reading in egotism, all have grown weary; through the love of duality, they are ruined. SGGS||650
The White House hosted a commemorative event celebrating the 540th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak on Sunday November 15, 2009. UNITED SIKHS and SCORE (Sikh Council On Religion and Education) collaborated with The Office of Public Engagement to organize the occasion which featured a religious music performance by ragis from the Golden Temple Harmandir Sahib and members of Sikh Dharma International. Representatives of The Sikh Coalition, Sikh Cultural Socity NY and The Sikh Youth of America also attended. Speakers addressed the subject of Sikh civil rights and bias incidents urging Sikh Americans to be "pro-active in advocating for their rights and press the government to address issues of employment discrimination, bullying in schools against Sikh children, hate and bias crimes, and religious and racial profiling at airports and borders." Sikh leaders promised to continue efforts to enable Sikhs to pubicly practice religious mandates of wearing turban and kirpan freely in United States, while expressing gratitude to the White house for recognition of the importance of Guru Nanak's 540th gurpurab.
The 1999 pooranmashi festival celebrating Guru Nanak's 530th gurpurab in Nankana Sahib Pakistan took place following a military coup. The Military presence that year ensured a successful and peaceful event for the return of Sikhs to the Pakistani part of Punjab in more than 50 years.
In 2009 Pakistan experienced a great deal of political unrest resulting in battles between the Taliban and Pakistan government, and thousands of internally displaced persons (IDP). Hundreds of IDPs were provided relief aid by United Sikhs.
The unstable in Pakistan did not deter Sikh pilgrims from wanting to visit Nankana for the 2009 November 540th pooran mashi festivities. Sikhs entering Pakistan from India by railway faced a touch and go situation. Trains were delayed but Sikhs persevered and eventually permission was given October 31 2009 for trains to transport nearly 2000 Sikhs over the India Pakistan border where Sikhs were greeted at the Wagah Railway Station by the Pakistan Gurdwara Parbhandik Committee and Pakistani paramilitary soldiers. The celebrations for Guru Nanak's gurpurab or birthday celebrations were scheduled to begin November 7th.
For many Sikhs a visit to the home town of Guru Nanak and Sikhism's ancestral homeland in the Pakistani half of Punjab for the annual pooranmashi celebration is a once in a lifetime opportunity. A ten day stay includes touring Pakistan to visit historical sites, shrines, and gurdwaras important to Sikhism. The visit culminates with Nagar Kirtan festivities in Nankana Sahib celebrating Guru Nanak's Birthday. Festivities usually take place over a three day period beginning with kirtan and ending with a procession through the town of Nankana.
