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Summary of Question:	Reading From Sggs I Get Distracted
Category:	Sikh Practices
Date Posted:	Monday, 9/09/2002 11:47 AM MDT

waheguru !

what i want to know is..will guru ji call you to become his sikh..even though u broke it ones..and if so..then how you will come to know..and i have one more question..by guru's kirpa i read SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB..but while i m reading and trying to understand it.my mind wonders too much..how should i stop that..i feel that while i m reading it..i m insulting guru granth sahib ji..and guru ji don't wnat me to read it..plzz i wants to walk on sikhi and i want know if i can..be able to..i asked you guyz one question earlier..but didn't get the answer of it..what i wanted to know is .. i m starting to do paat not at amrivela..but i m try to do paat..and to read SRI GURU GRANTH AND TO UNDERSTAND WAHEGURU .. but when my heart wants to do seva of waheguru in gurughar like doing chorsahib..i feel good..but my mind think that i m doing showoff just to show people taht i m a good girl walkin on the path of guru ji..and i hate this thought..i dunno what to do .. this thing makes me soo scared when i feel taht i m doing just show off..and from heart and soul i don't feel taht..cuz when i m in gurughar or when i m listening to shabads..i cry feeling pain of not knowing waheguru..and being a wrong person..i dunno what to do ..plz plzz help mee.. as i m the only one from my family who is trying to walk on path of guru ji

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REPLY
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Dear One, Sat Siri Akaal,
In addition to the reply I posted earlier today about chanting the Naam, understand that in any spiritual practice, the mind will resist. Whether you are reciting paath, reading from Siri Guru, chanting the Naam, the mind will wander and try to distract you. This is typical for ANY such practice, whether or not you are Sikh. Do not stop reading from SGGS for this reason. Rather, recognize momentarily that you have wandered and go back to reading. Concentrate on the sound current of the bani. Don't spend mental energy TRYING to understand each and every word. Much of Gurbani is in arcane languages and dialects of 300 years or more ago. And it is mystical, so that will add to the difficulty! It won't be readily understandable, but let it speak to your heart subconciously. Just keep reading.

Chant the naam and keep reading and let Guru relieve you of your profound insecurities. Sikhs walk in courage and grace, so stop living in your fears. Just STOP, and don't engage your mind in such thoughts. Observe Sikhi as best you can and let Guru lead you as He sees fit. For every step you take towards God & Guru, Guru takes 1000 steps to you. NO ONE needs to know if you do paath or read or chant, unless you are asking them to practice with you. (This is a good idea anyway, for it is also in the sadh sangat, the holy congregation, that Guru is known. So if you have friends or family who you would like to have practice with you, then ask them. Take turns reading gurbani or chant together. Do it not to show off but to improve your spiritual practice. And the group energy from this practice will support you and improve your focus.)
Guru ang sang,
-DKK