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Summary of Question:	Yoga?????....Not Mentioned As Being Part Of A Sikh Life In The Guru Granth Sahib
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Friday, 2/21/2003 12:18 AM MST

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Pyare Khalsa Ji,

"The Name of the Lord is the enjoyment and Yoga of His servants." - Guru Arjan
"Without the Lord's Name, who has ever found salvation? " - Bhagat Kabeer Ji
"What good is Yoga or indulgence in pleasures?" - Bhagat Kabeer Ji
"All Yoga is in the Name of the Lord" - Bhagat Kabeer Ji
"What is the good of practicing Yoga" - Bhagat Jaidev Ji
"Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga." - Guru Nanak
"Know that Yoga and sacrificial feasts are fruitless" - Guru Tegh Bahadur
"Cannot satisfy themselves by practicing restraint through Hatha Yoga." - Guru Nanak
"This is the Yoga of the Gurmukh: Through the Shabad, he understands his own soul, and he enshrines within his heart the One Lord. " - Guru Nanak
"One who dies in the Shabad and conquers his mind is the true hermit; he understands the Way of Yoga. " - Guru Nanak
"Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, you shall find Yoga." - Guru Amardass
"The Way of Yoga is to remain absorbed in Truth." - Guru Nanak
"O Nanak, without the Name, Yoga is never attained" - Guru Nanak
"Listen, you hermits and Yogis. Without the Name, there is no Yoga." - Guru Nanak
"He tasted the tasteless stone of Yoga." - Bhai Satta & Balavanda
"He (God) is not won over by intuitive wisdom, meditation or Yoga." - Guru Nanak
"The Shabad is Yoga" - Guru Nanak

Kundalini Yoga or other various forms of physical Yoga are mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib as not being essential to a sikhs life... in other words you can be sikh without practising so called "Kundalini Yoga" so why does Yogi Bhajan lay such a stress on this issue?...WHY ISNT THIS STRESS LAID ON NAAM SIMRAN...If "Kundalini Yoga" is so important why didn't the Gurus include descriptions of the various "saadhanas" in the Guru Granth Sahib..and wy has no other Sikh leader and none of the Sikh Guru's held the title of "MAHAN TANTRIC MASTER" Didn't Guru Ji liberate us from these "saadhanas, tantras and mantras" by giving us the Gur Mantar, the true elixir, the Amrit of the SHABAD, WAHEGURU!The SHABAD is the true Yoga i think if i'm wrong could you correct me.

<<<<< REPLY >>>>>

Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji ki Fateh!

With all respect, beloved Khalsa Ji, I have grown weary of answering this question over and over again. But I will give it one more time, and then let it rest.

Guru Ji's point is very clear. Practicing yoga exercies will not give you the life of Jivan Mukta. He has warned us over and over not to become attached to any practice - visiting holy places, fasting, keeping silence, yoga, etc. This is because attachment to any practice confines the infinite consciousness. Note that Guru Ji does NOT say "do not do these things." His point is that yoga is, in fact, a state of consciousness - a state of union - and that that state cannot be maintained by attachment to any practice other than Naam.

Now Naam doesn't mean reciting "Wahe Guru!" over and over. Naam is also a state of consciousness. It is the Simran of remembrance and awareness of God in everything at every moment. It is a constant awareness of the sacredness of everything - each action, each word, each being, each tree and blade of grass. It is a state of wonderfullness and gratitude, filled with love and happiness.

For many people, attaining this state of consciousness is hard. Have you seen how many questions there are here on this forum that ask, "How can I concentrate?" or "I get distracted, how can I stay focused on the Bani?" or, "I do my Nit Nem but it feels like rote. It feels that I must do it, not that I love doing it." Have you read those questions?

As we learn dhyan, through our one-pointedness Guru's Shabd drawns us in, like a magnet pulling us deeper and deeper in to the ecstacy of the sound current until we are fully in dharana - completely absorbed into the naad. Yoga, pranayam, meditation are all fine tools to relax the body and mind, to bring control to the thoughts, so that one can become open to the wonder of the Guru's bani. They may not be for everyone, but for many, they are the very thing that quiets the mind to the point of being open to the Shabd Guru so that that sound current can penetrate and transform the consciousness.

So let us not be prejudiced against anyone or anything. Let us not be rigid in our thinking, but let us be open to what is right and divine. We will not live in the unity that is Khalsa if we criticise each other and fight amongst ourselves. Let us be loving to all who have awakened to the wonder of Naam and live fearless and fulfilled in our Guru's love and light.

We have no time left to be petty with each other. Now is the time to rise together as one.

However Guru Ji sees fit to bring his Sikhs to his bosom, so be it!
Let us not criticise another's path, but embrace each other at the destination.

All love in Divine, .....G