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Summary of Question: | Why Did The Males Only Gain The Power? |
Category: | Other |
Date Posted: | Monday, 12/23/2002 4:47 PM MST |
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Sumrita,
You ask a very interesting question. There were women saints, but it is true that it was not as common or pronounced and recognized. I think there were probably a few different factors involved.
1- Unfortunately, culturally women were not accepted as equal when it came to spiritual endeavors. This runs true in all religions and cultures. There have always been those few rebel women who shone above the rest...but few have been acknowledged for their greatness. In Christianity we have St. Clare from Assisi, Italy, who lived in the 1200's, and in Sikh Dharma we have MaiBhago. (I dont know how to spell her name, sorry.) And, there have been many more as well.
2- Women were programmed to get married and have the children. Especially in times of bare survival, they didn't have time to pursue spiritual things. They were too busy cooking, cleaning and child bearing and raising. There is that wonderful shabd from the Guru which basically states, "Out of women, the heros and saints are born." It goes on to talk about respecting women and acknowledging them for their greatness and contribution to humanity.
Times are changing. Women are finally being acknowledged for their contributions to all aspects of life, not just having children and supporting their husbands. Women have more freedom now to pursue spirituality and anything they destined to do. Women are now becoming ministers, athletes, politicians, doctors, business executives and soldiers. In my Sikh community here in Espanola, New Mexico, there are more women Sikh ministers than men. Women run our Gurdwara much more than the men.
Yogi Bhajan has always taught us that in our lifestyle, if you do the technology in our lifestyle (yoga, meditation, recitation of banis, sewa, chanting God's name) that you will obtain an elevated consciousness in life and after. One doesn't have to be born with a "gift" of spirituality. One may have earned from deeds of past lives the privelege of being presented with these teachings...but it is our choice if we do them or not.
My point, Sumrita is that it is your choice to make too. You can obtain a very elevated consciousness if your do the work involved. It is a lifestyle of those things I mentioned above, and it is a life style that will not tolerate consumption of meat, alcohol or drugs, cheating or lying, sex out of marriage, or anything which conflicts with a pure consciousness and compromises your True Identity. The time has come for we women to stand up and present ourselves as graceful daughters of the Guru, powerful in our own right. Now,it is your turn to choose the path you will trod. GTKK