Last Paath Session

This Monday's last Paath Session was AMAZING! We were so glad to see so many people come out and join us for kirtan. This semester would not have been such a success if it weren't for all the people who have helped out and have continually given us their support. Here's a few pictures to give you all a quick recap...

We'd also like to thank those who came from York University, Wilfred Laurier, Sheridan, and Guelph-Humber

Well Well whatta ya knowww.. We have some wannabez frontin uppp on waterloo groundss n yess samrath no need to tell we know Waterlooz juss Grrrrrrrrrrrrreattt !!

Randip says: OH Mannn Harmannn !! Wud ya look at thattt ... Waterloozz juss Amazinn "Sariyaan Dha Bhulaah Hovayyyy.."


Harman says: Wait... Maybe if I stop squintin ma eyez and actin all tuff ... I can see the Heavenly Warmth of Waterloooooo !!

Everyone Enjoying the Kirtan...

... and Jaspaul apparently a bit too busy to notice the Kirtan ...
... posing for the camera ... as usual

..::Be a Leader ::..::Take the Leap of Faith::..

Yes that's right!! We will be ACTIVE in the SUMMER TERM this year
due to high demand from the SANGAT
Yes that means YOU
What can YOU bring to the SSA of Waterloo
Send us your application if YOU want to make a DIFFERENCE
Please indicate which term you would like to be considered as an Exec for
We are accepting applicants for both Spring 2006 and Fall 2006

Please Note: Even if you are a current Exec...
You MUST still fill out this application

Thank you !!

Application for SSA Executive

Name: (First, Last)
ID#: (You must be a student at the University of Waterloo)
Year: (Optional)
Program: (Optional)
Phone number: (Please include a phone number at which we can reach you to have a phone interview)

If you are a NEW Exec applicant please answer the questions below:

• Why do you WANT to be part of the Sikh Students Association of the University of Waterloo?
• What can you BRING to the association?
• What do you wish to see DONE in the association?
• Tell us something INTERESTING about yourself.
• Have you ever been involved in any activity that involved you using your LEADERSHIP SKILLS? If so, please explain. If not, that's alright, we're all learners

If you were a PREVIOUS Exec please answer the question below as well as above:

• Name atleast two events that you have organized or helped out with, in a leadership role.

Year End Dinner

... Dear Guru Ji ...

Dear Guru jee

I really can't explain
What you've done for me
You've taken all I have
And shown me what could be

You've been there through my sorrow
And tried to find a smile
You've stood there by my side
You've walked that extra mile

You've been the one to hold me
When everything seemed wrong
You've offered to be the One
I've wanted for so long

Only You know who I really am
When no one else can see
You've made me into so much more
Than I ever thought I'd be

You've been the One to be there
If ever I need a friend
You've been the one to love me
Now I'll love you til the end

I really can't explain
What you've done for me
But with every breath I thank you God
... You mean the world to me

Love,
Your Child

WesternSSA's End of Year Langar

Below is a description of Western University's
Annual End of Year Langar

@ London Gurughar

Let us all GO and SHOW our LOVE AND SUPPORT

to our POOR brothers and sisters

who UNFORTUNATELY have to study at a University such as WESTERN ...

(Note: That was a Joke... we have mad amounts of RESPECT for the Western SSA peeps

and the hard work and loads of effort they put into each event

and WELCOME us with such LOVE each time )

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!

On Sunday March 26th, 2006, The Western Sikh Students' Association will be holding its

Annual End of Year Langar at London Gurdwara.

We would like to invite all students from abroad and united University SSA's to come and join us.

The End of Year Langar will be taking place during regular Sunday Diwan and we as studetns will merely be doing the seva of preparing Langar and doing Keertan.

Due to the limited time allotted to us for Keertan, we ask that all those wanting to participate, let us know by Friday with an estimated amount of time required.

The reason for this is so that we can make accommodations to stay within scheduled times that have been provided to us by the London Sikh Society for Sunday Diwan.

We would also like to remind everyone that WesternSSA Shirts and Rainsbhayee CD's

will be available for purchase or pick-up.

Please view the attached flyer for more details.

Yours Truly,

Your SevadaarsWesternSSA Exec

www.westernssa.com

www.westernssa.blogspot.com

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!

Paath Session Wrap Up

Paath Session Wrap Up

Wednesday, March 22nd

I was watching Lord of the Rings…”my precious”… And it got me thinking. Why aren’t there any movies depicting Sikh Warriors and Shaheeds? We have an awesome history, why not share it with the world?

There were two arguments to this question: One being that movies about Sikhi need not be made, and that there should not be actors playing the Gurus’ role. Another side was that movies should be made, and there is no problem with having actors act out the role of the Gurus.

Side One:
By making movies about Sikhi and about our history, it would only bring about more controversy within the community, just as it has brought controversy among Christians about have a person play the role of Jesus.
There would be controversy because not much of our history is written down, and there are many discrepancies within our history accounts. There are bits and pieces of information, but not much which is said to be authentic.
Also, making movies takes a lot of time and money. Therefore, there are a lack of people willing to take the initiative and there is a lack of knowledge among the general Sikh population. Firstly, a revolution of knowledge is needed before such movies can be made.
It is good to know our history; however, it is a waste of time to recreate it as it does not help us to learn about Sikhi. Instead, Gurbani should be the primary source from which we are learning. The Guru’s did not write down their own accounts, so it does not need to be depicted through movies today.
To have actors play the parts of our Gurus is wrong and disrespectful. A person should never play that part, and it would cause lots of controversy within the Sikh population. By having a person act as a Guru, it is saying that they are trying to impersonate the Guru and that they are equal to them.

Side Two:
On the other hand, it is a great idea to make these types of movies because it is a useful tool through which non-Sikhs can learn about Sikhi. It is a way that many misconceptions can be cleared, therefore, bringing about more understanding and acceptance among our communities.
It is also not wrong to have people representing the Gurus in movies, as the physical form is not who Guru Ji is, but instead it is the Bani which is the Guru. By having depicted in movies, it will not take away from who they are. If a person had an image in their mind about what Guru Ji should look like, they could see the movie and see something contradictory. However, by seeing this it brings upon the understanding that it does not matter what physical form Guru Ji has, it does not take away from their greatness and it should not make a difference to you. Ultimately it is Gurbani which is our Guru.

A lot of people I know do Paath very fast. It’s like they do Japji sahib in ten minutes when I take like 25-30 minutes. Is this right? I mean it’s like we are running through Paath. I think there’s no difference between us, and those who follow this as a ritual. What you guys think?

Doing Paath is a person thing, and it is up to a person how they choose to do so. They may have been doing it for a long time, and they may already know the meaning, therefore, are able to do it fast, but still understand, whereas others may need to go slower.
Also, even if you do not understand it fully, but still do the paath every day, it is not a ritual. If you start by not knowing, eventually, by repeating it and making an effort to understand the bani, you will. You will learn the meaning of what you are saying, and in this way it is not ritualistic.
By doing paath every day, it is also something that builds your discipline. It can help you with keeping your daily routine and this way you will not forget to do your Jap Ji sahib in the morning.
People who do Paath quickly can be for two different reasons. Some people are rushing through Paath because they may have more ‘important’ things to do’ while others may be doing it quickly because they have been doing it for a long time and are just naturally faster at reciting their Paath.
However, some members felt this may be a problem since some may say that you are not getting the real essence out of what you are reading. Reading Guru Ji’s Bani is one thing, but understanding it is another. How will one be able to understand Guru Ji’s Bani if they are treating it as a chore that they must do at a certain time in the day? However, we cannot generalize by saying all those who recite their Paath quickly are not understanding Guru Ji’s Bani because we are no one to judge and do not know what level other individuals are at. We must look within ourselves and ask ourselves personally which way is the best way we can read, understand, and apply Guru Ji’s Bani to ourselves and make ourselves better Sikhs. If one understands Bani by reading it fast, then that is what that individual should do. If one needs to take a couple of hours to really understand Bani then that is how long that individual should spend. It’s mainly individual and personal.

Why is a Kirpan worn from right to left? Is there any significance?

Most people are right-handed and therefore it is more convenient for them to wear their gatras from right to left, having their Kirpan on the left side of their bodies. There is no significance except that it is for the individual’s convenience. A left-handed individual will wear their gatras left to right as that is more suitable for them. Some of the members commented that they have been told some reasons however those reasons were more 'ritualistic' and they felt they were not the real reasons.

Do we have the obligation as fellow Sikhs to assist those who are straying away from Sikhi?

As Sikhs we should set a good example for those around us to follow. We must not force any individuals because without Guru Ji’s Kirpa and their own willingness to want to get close to Sikhi, they will not. “Actions speak louder than words,” said a member. We mustn’t impose our beliefs on anyone and definitely not judge anyone. By saying someone is ‘not following the right path towards Sikhi’ we are judging that individual and we, as humans, do not have that right.
As Sikhs, our only obligation is to love. Everything we do for anyone should be out of love and love should be for Guru Ji, not the individual. The only reason to love everyone is because of Waheguru residing in him or her.

What about family though? Are we obligated to assist them if they are straying away from Sikhi?

Yes, parents do everything for us, and we, as children, feel obligated to want them to go on the right path as well. However, you cannot force anyone to do anything. If one feels that a member of their family (the same may be said for close friends) is going in a direction that will be harmful to him or her, then that individual should voice it and let the person know. The decision being made after that would be the individual’s choice and one does not have to feel responsible because at least they did the best they could.

What does it mean when you bow your head to guru ji? What are you saying when you bow your head?

When one does ‘matha tekh’ and bows their head in front of Guru Ji, they have individual reasons for doing so. Some comments made by members as to why they personally ‘matha tekh’ were to give up your ego, give up your ‘sees’ (head) for your Guru Ji, out of respect, being humble, having humility, and to basically say that ‘you are my Guru, my master, my teacher’ and by bowing our heads to our Guru Ji we are expressing these feelings.

When individuals go to Guru Ji’s Darbar and bow in front of Guru Ji, each individual goes to Guru Ji with different things in mind. One may go to Guru Ji in happiness while another may go in sorrow. Bowing our head to Guru Ji does not have to mean one universal thing; it could be a personal, individual way for that individual to connect with Guru Ji. An individual who goes in happiness may bow their head in such a way to express that ‘Guru Ji, you’re my everything’, while an individual who goes in sorrow may bow to express their feelings and say ‘Guru Ji, help me’.

Day in the Life of SSA PreZ'z

Day in the Life of UW SSA PreZ'z

President BUSH is well at his work in Iraq..
our Prime Minister is fighting to make our world a better place ...
However not our presidents of SSA here at UW ...
WE have our very Jaspaul Singh and Tanveer Kaur,
eating away as people are starving ...

on the phone with their special someones ...

and "lyin 'n' chillin"

as the SSA MEMBERS are working hard on making SSA better

Here are UW SSA's Past 'n' Present Prez'z

doin what they do best ..

The Past -- Jaspaul Singh

"MMmmMm..Want it? Can't have it!! Itz ma job as the PreZ to starve u :) "

"Get your hands off my food before I do some damage hehe (sarcasm)"

"ALLLLL MIIIIIIIIIIIIINE ... BAAahhAhHAhHAhAHhAHah"

"*Gulp*Gulp* If I chug down this glass of water with my eyez closed...
Maybe no one will see me"

Jas thinking:
Maybe if I stare at someone with a mad face,
they won't take my food !!

On the phone: Hey Jas, as the President, I was hoping you could arrange another event for the people of SSA, you know, something that will help them out in learning more about Sikhi
Jas says: yeh I'm listening ... *snore snore*

Jas pondering: Man it's hard workin as PreZ ... my new moto:
*Eat...eat some more... talk on my phone... ignore others... and fall asleep*

"Hmm... I think Tanveer is the perfect person to follow in my footsteps..."



The Present: Tanveer Kaur

"MY FOOD!! ALL MINE!!"

"Maybe if I look down the camera won't catch me eating my food .. MMmMmM"

"As PreZ of the SSA I shall play with the fingernails I wish I had...
and ignore dem SSA members"

"*hehe*Oh stop.. I do care about the SSA ...
just not now because I'm talking to you"

"*Haha* Okay, I'm scared... Sunny has a knife and threatening to take my phone...
Maybe if I laugh it off and hope for the best..."

"So they took away my phone...
I'll just 'pretend' to be on it so I won't hafta listen to the SSA's opinions"

In conclusion, regardless of their laziness...
and their lack of sharing food...
We still love them and they will forever be in our hearts
and will be missed a great deal.


Note: The above was just for jokes to show our appreciation for these two very valuable role models of SSA here at UW. They’ve done a lot not only for the Kitchener/Waterloo community but many other places as well. They’ve spread much love and have shown us all what true love for Sikhi is. Without them, SSA wouldn’t exist to be what it is today. We love you guyz!!

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

“I Asked God…”

Sunday 22^nd January, 2006

From SikhiUnleashed Forum

I asked God to take away my pride,

And God said, “No.”

God said it was not for God to take away, but for me to give up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,

And God said, “No.”

God said her spirit is whole, her body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience,

And God said, “No.”

God said that patience is a by-product of tribulation. It isn’t granted, it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness,

And God said, “No.”

God said God gives blessing. Happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain,

And God said, “No.”

God said suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow,

And God said, “No.”

God said I must grow on my own. But, God will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked God to help me love others as much as God loves me, and God said, “Ah, finally you have the idea.”

Guru Hargobind Ji -- Jyoti Jot

Guru Hargobind Ji -- Jyoti Jot (Passing of Human Life)
March 19th

The Gurus had all the superpowers. They could have averted situations in any way they liked. HOWEVER, they went through all that torture to show to the world that through thick and thin, one should cheerfully submit to the Sweet Will of God.

Read about Guru Hargobind Ji from the following sites:

http://www.searchsikhism.com/nanak6.html
http://allaboutsikhs.com/gurus/guruhargobindi.htm
http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/gurus/nanak6.html

Inspirational Essay of the Week -- Conversation with Guru Ji

Please note: almost all of this is coming from my heart. Some is fictional, some is based on truth, whether of my life or on those of people I have had interactions with. I have not used many external resources, and thus, I expect many people to find many flaws in this piece of writing. Please forgive me.

I had had a relatively brutal day. It started off so badly. Slept late the previous night, and when I woke up, it was already 10:00. This was the third straight day that I had missed amritvela, and it felt like crap, especially since I hadn’t even started that long ago. My mind was in the gutter, both in feeling and in thoughts. It seemed like I couldn’t go anywhere to release myself from any of the evils. I had so much frustration and so much depression within me, partly due to worldly reasons, partly due to the fact that I didn’t feel I was fulfilling my Guru’s message. The day roamed on at snail’s pace and I couldn’t get anything accomplished.

During the mid-afternoon I gave up. I had tried to keep japping Naam as much as I could but for some reason, I wasn’t getting any piece of mind. I went home, crawled into my bed, and I slept. Upon waking, it was 10:00 at night. I felt refreshed, but only physically, not emotionally, nor spiritually. I got up, realizing how late it was, and went to do some homework. After 2 months of abandoning schoolwork, I thought this would be an opportune time to catch up a bit. Just me, myself, and my homework. Everyone else was either asleep or in their rooms.

I began to do my work. Calculus is a much easier task when no one is around to bother you. Yet despite that, I felt lonely. It was a feeling that I’ve never really felt before, but I felt utterly, hopelessly, ETERNALLY, lonely. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but the comfort of silence was comforting no more. I looked around, staring at my basement door, almost daring my sister to come up and keep me company. She would not come.

So I continued my work, put a Bhai Manpreet Singh Ji CD into the boom box (if I had my way it would be the January Raensabhayee in Smethwick, but my sister stole that CD from me), and kept working. Slowly, I felt better about myself. It being a Sunday night, I knew I was screwed for school tomorrow. I had to get some sleep; otherwise I had no hope of getting to school on time. It was now 1:00.

Without doing ardaas, without setting my alarm, without so much as a second thought, I went to sleep. This is how easy it is to abandon amritvela. I woke up at 10:00 the next morning, and cursed to myself loudly, using some of the worst English swears you could imagine. I was so incessantly mad at myself, mainly for missing amritvela, but also for being late to school yet again! I felt I was useless, hopeless, meaningless, and an utter failure. If I enjoyed doing amritvela so much, why couldn’t I get up again!?

After getting ready, I decided it was worth going to school. After a small, but lengthy breakfast, I finally got to school at 1:00, in time for the last period of the day. Last period was quite uneventful. I came home and decided that this was it. Today, I would do my homework right away, and sleep early to wake up for Amritvela.

Upon finishing my homework, I went for a walk. When I came back, I went to my room and prepared to sleep. After setting all my alarms, after doing Rehras and Sohila and after doing ardaas, I went to sleep. It was 10:00.

I awoke at 5:00, to blinding sunlight and utter darkness at the same time. It was a feeling that was unimaginable. I went to go do ishnaan but I banged into a wall. I couldn’t understand what it was, so I asked Guruji to please remove this barrier so that I could achieve amritvela. After a few more attempts, finally, I was able to break through and went to do ishnaan.

Upon returning and completing Nitnem, I sat in my bed full of an energy never before experienced. I sat at the edge of my bed, and closed my eyes. A few minutes later, I opened my eyes to a sight that was so beautiful it is indescribable.

(Authors’ Note: Indescribable because I’ve never seen Guruji!)

I sat there in utter amazement. I didn’t know what to do or what to say. Guruji knew right away what I was feeling and he asked me:
“What. You are full of wonder and full of shock. You make it seem as if this is the first time I’ve been in this room with you! Don’t you KNOW that Guruji will never leave you? Don’t you know that God is always forgiving, and so, we will also always be with you?”

I was shocked, but so disappointed in myself. So disappointed that I could ever even imagine my beautiful Gurus leaving my side.

Guruji continued. “Even when you were down, we were with you. Every day we would try to remind you that we were still with you. We tried to do it subtly, but simply, we woke you up at 10:00, we made you sleep at 1:00. Guru Nanak is always with you. His jot is always with you, and will never leave you. Every Sikh must understand that despite any bad deeds, Guru Nanak’s Court always forgives, as long as you take the initiative to seek forgiveness!”

I had never felt so happy. Here I was, in the presence of the Physical Representation of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Here he was, Dashmesh Pita, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji!

I felt this uncontrollable urge to go and hug Guruji. I went to reach him, but he seemed to move farther, despite being right where he was. He was still unattainable. I then understood that I had much to do before I could fully be right next to Guruji. He was always next to me and supporting me, but in order to be next to him, I had things to do, I had to improve as a Sikh.

“Japman, the time will come. Guru Nanak’s House is waiting for you. You must become a better Sikh. That is all that is within your power. Keep in mind everything that is a duty to a Sikh. You must help others. You must do your Paath. Most of all, you must love everyone, it doesn’t matter at ALL what you think of them. They are your equals, because they are humans.”

“But Guruji, what about those who slander God’s Name? What about those Punjabis who insist on caste-ing themselves? Those who have absolutely no love for you, but call themselves Sikh?”

“Japman, You must understand the reason those people exist. They firstly exist because they have done their time. God will reward everyone equally, and even if the worst souls have gone through Churaasi Lakh Joonaan, they will still become human. The Punishment of Time will always be rewarded in the end. These people may have also been extremely good people in their previous lives. They have earned their right to get another chance to merge with Vaheguru. You must see that in them.”

“On the other hand, you must also see that they exist to oppose the Lions of Sikhi! They exist, because for how many years, Sikhs have proven that outer influences and outer attackers have proven no difficult task to vanquish. Sikhs were, and always will be the greatest of Warriors! But now the time has come where our inner strength is being challenged. Those who label themselves, as Jatt, Khatri and so on, they are becoming the only real enemy for Sikhi. They are the ones who must be vanquished, not physically, but emotionally and spiritually. Sikhs have proven themselves against outer forces, now the attack comes from within.”

I sat there amazed at the answer. “I understand Guruji. I have another question, however. How come your Khalsa that you created with so much love has become a split of so many different Jathas and Deras? What went wrong!!”

Guruji replied: “Wrong? Who said anything went wrong? Is God’s Hukam ever wrong? Does Hukam not exceed Life and Death, but also Action and Inaction, Dark and Light, Right and Wrong? Listen to me. The reason that humans cannot be with God right from the start is because humans are not perfect. Humans are bound to make mistakes. Everyone understands this. From 1699 onwards, we were so very strong. But then something happened. Something went missing. One element of our fierce power and our incredible power went missing. So what happened then? God would never let his Sikhs parish unless every Sikh had fulfilled his or her duty and merged with Guruji. Vaheguru introduced another aspect of Sikhi. Another Jatha, to keep the circle that is Sikhi’s eternal power complete. Such is HIS Hukam! That when Sikhi, due to corruption, or due to whatever reason, when Sikhi loses one aspect of its incredible JOSH, God replaces it! Jatha’s are not bad things Japman, remember this. The more we fight amongst each other, the more we lose the love that we are supposed to have for each other. And remember. Love is the hardest thing to replenish. Should the element of LOVE be lost among our Sikhs, THEN we will see some serious consequences. Never stop loving!”

By now, I was near tears. The words that I was hearing were so beautiful, so simple, and so IMPORTANT!

“Guruji, I have just one final question”

“Hanji. Ask away!”

“What can I do to fulfill the tasks? What is the first step I should take to become the best Sikh I can be?”

“Take Amrit. The longer you wait, the more regret you will feel. Do it.”

And then came the tears. As I cried for the next while, I realized that slowly, Guruji’s apparition was leaving.

“Wait! Wait Guruji! When can I see you again?” I asked frantically.

“Never and Forever. Always, but Rarely. I am always here. Once you finally realize that I’m always here, then you’ll always see me. I will always do darshan of my Sikhs. I’m always here for them!”

Sorry for the length. Once I started, I couldn’t stop

Japman Singh

Paath Session Wrap up

Wednesday, March 15th

THE SSA QUESTION BOX

Question #1

If you love someone from your heart, without thinking about his/her physical condition, and you aren’t married to that person is it Kaam or Prem?

Love is all about GIVING and SHARING and RECEIVING unconditionally. A Sikh should love everybody and not hate anyone as Sikhi promotes love. It is ABSOLUTELY fine to love another person. There is a difference between love and lust. There was a general consensus that one can have feelings for another before marriage and it does not have to lead to lust. However, it was also agreed that an individual will be aware when certain attractions towards another leads to kaam(lust) and in other cases moh(attachment) as well. Obviously there are many things that can attract one to a person. One of them, undeniably, being the physical looks, along with their personality and values. However, there is a thin line between that attraction and having lustful thoughts for a person, which you would notice if it occurs. The point is that you must be aware of your thoughts and where they are leading. A Sikh should learn to control the 5 vices of which two are moh(attachment) and kaam(lust).
Everything is temporary and fake and and being attached to something fake and temporary is a waste of time. We are all here in this world as "temporary guests" and what we do in this life will be reflected in the next life. Bani tells us to fill our jeevan with love for others and most importantly love for our Guru.

Question #2

In today’s society when we go to the Gurudwara, we see women and men sitting separately, could it be all right to get rid of that and have men and women sit together?

The members agreed that the sangat sitting separately (men on one side, women on the other side) is more of a cultural thing. Members felt this was not a form of inequality and more of a comfort level. One would feel more comfortable sitting in sangat without any distractions so they may concentrate on Guru Ji's Bani.

Question #3

Why is it that girls are not as involved in Sikhi as guys? We are seeing an increasing number of males becoming passionate about their faiths, what is turning girls away?

Media has a huge impact on today's Sikh girls. The media portrays a certain image of how a 'typical woman' should look (i.e. no facial/body hair, attractive/"sexy", and submissive). Most women are given into society's definition of how a women should look and act which pushes most women away from taking initial steps into Sikhi. A 'typical woman' as shown by the media is one that is a "toy for males", intellectually subordinate, and inferior to men. However, in Sikhi, both a Sikh woman and a Sikh male are capable of achieving the same level of spirituality. No one is perfect, we are all trying to better ourselves and get more onto the Sikhi path regardless whether one is male or female.
Popularity is another issue that girls these days face. However, it is not only an issue that girls face, boys face this same issue as well. As we all know and have been through, "fitting in" in highschool is one of the most important things in the minds of todays youth. Sikhi is seen as a set of "don't do this and that" and it is overlooked that Sikhi is more of a way of life, and a way to empower yourself.
Family is another major impact on a girl's decision to further her Sikhi. Most parents will advise against a girl getting to religious because they feel no one will 'want to marry her' etc. Sangat is another factor that influences one's participation in Sikhi. The people one 'hangs around' with have a huge impact on their outlook in Sikhi. For example, most guys have their own "gang" where they share mostly the same views and ideas whereas girls do not have that same advantage. Majority of girls do not share the same views in their circle of friends and tend to judge more. Girls feel they need to impress those around them in order to 'fit in'.

Question 4

I just wanted to know the views of Sangat in what they think makes a Sikh? What makes a Sikh girl call herself a Kaur and what makes a Sikh boy call himself of a Singh?

The prime aim for an individual is to become one with God. Basically, a Sikh is someone who is on the path to towards the Guru regardless of whether they are Singh or a Kaur. The importance of Amrit was also discussed. Taking amrit is not the final step in a Sikh's life, however it is one of the initial steps one takes during their path in Sikhi. Every individual goes at his/her own pace and no one is to say whether that person's level of spirituality is higher or lower than it should be. No individuals have the right to call someone else a "non-sikh".

Waterloo SSA Thanks You for a Night to Remember

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

The Sixth Bi-Annual Waterloo Youth Kirtan Darbar was a huge success. Thanks to all those who helped out and supported us through their sangat and seva.

On behalf of the Sikh Students Association of the University of Waterloo and the Kitchener Gurudwara Sahib, we would like to thank everyone who came out and showed us their unconditional love and support. At one point, the Diwan Hall was absolutely packed, as sangat from Kitchener/Waterloo, surrounding Universities, and a bus filled with Guru Pyaarai from Dixie Gurudwara joined together to sing the praises of the one true lord.

We would particularly like to thank our fellow Sikh Students Associations from Carleton, Queens, Western, Laurier, UTM, UTSC, Ottawa, Ryerson, Guelph, Guelph-Humber, Sheridan, McMaster, and York as well as sangat from the GTA, Hamilton, Ottawa, London, and Kitchener/Waterloo area. Also we would like to thank COSS for their continued seva. For future events please visit www.sikhstudents.ca.

We thank everyone for participating in Kirtan seva. The recordings, and pictures are posted up on the Sangat organized website www.ontariosikhyouth.ca. Also, for the first time, a few videos have also been posted on the site so we can all experience the same sense of bliss we all felt that night.

We have received many emails and phone calls expressing gratitude for having an event in which all the youth can get together and strengthen their unity and grow as one Panth.

A few comments put out by the sangat:

“Waheguru, Tusi bahut changa kum karde ah.” [with tears in her eyes]

“You guys should do these Kirtan Darbars EVERYDAY”

Overall, it was a great night, and we hope to achieve the same level of support for future events.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

UWSSA Sevadars (Execs)
uwssa@yahoo.com