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Summary of Question:	Small Kirpan,Hats,Hair,.....
Category:	Hair
Date Posted:	Sunday, 5/19/2002 10:00 AM MDT

Hi, I have searched and have not seemed to find the answers to my questions....

** Sat Siri Akal, ji. I will do my best to answer your questions. I've written my comments below each one.**

1)I wear a small Kirpan around my neck, as my parents always instructed me to, however i have reached a point in my life where i want to know the reason, i want to knnow the importance of weraing it around my neck, and if it is the same as wearing a big Kirpan, i am really confused cos ppl ask me - "what does that around ur neck mean?" and i want/need to know what it symbolises and means

***Kirpan has a lot of significance. On the one hand, it signifies the duty of a Khalsa to be willing to stand up as a protector whenever the need arises. As you grow older, you will begin to see how people will manipulate, intimidate and be generally not good to each other in the name of getting something out of them. A Khalsa stands up to this tyranny of ego and protects the rights of others to live as God made them to live.

On a spiritual level, the kirpan signifies the Sword of Truth. The Sword of Truth is very powerful-because when you live in truth, neither death nor deception have any power over you. You see life very clearly. So-Truth cuts the bonds of Maya. But living by the Sword of Truth has a price-which is that you begin to see yourself very clearly, as well. You begin to see how the five poisons of lust, pride, greed, attachment and anger affect you. And so-you have to fight against those poisons, as well. As a warrior of Truth, you stand up to the ego of others, and you fight the enemies within yourself both. This is the meaning of the kirpan.

Wearing a symbolic kirpan around your neck is one way to carry the kirpan. Wearing an actual kirpan is another way. In this day and age, people will sometime avoid wearing the "real" kirpan for a symbolic one around their neck because it causes less of a reaction from society.***

2) I wanted to know - is it okay to wear a hat ? i read somewhere that u die 7 times if u do ? What is wrong with it if u are a Sikh that cuts his/her hair, but still has faith in the religion, i am asking this one for my freind who sometimes wears a hat beacsue he for some reason feels the necessaity to cover his hair??? why is this so?? he doesnt wear a turban so why is it wrong?

***Let's not get into questions of right and wrong. It isn't about right and wrong. It's about identity. On the most basic level, a Sikh means a seeker of truth. Many people are seekers of truth-no matter how they wear their hair or what they do. The question is-are you a Sikh of the Guru? In another words, have you decided that the Siri Guru Granth Sahib is the guide that will lead you to spiritual truth? If so, then you must identify yourself as His Sikh because He has a job for His Sikhs to do. Sikhs have a role to serve the entire humanity, to help heal and elevate the entire humanity. How can someone come to you for protection and help if you look like everyone else? Part of the uniform is uncut hair and a turban. Does it make you stand out? Yes. Does it make you different? Yes. Why-to make you feel uncomfortable? No. Because He wants other people to be able to come to you for help. Because you are a warrior-saint and you have a job to do, and the job requires a uniform that identitfies you.

You can walk away from that identity and just be a simple seeker of truth. But you're cheating yourself out of a profound and amazing life if you take the easy way. That's maybe why it's said you die if you wear a hat. You die to your true identity, you adopt a false identity and then life becomes much more shallow and painful to live.***

3) why do we have to cover our hair all the time?? everywhere we go - i am really clued up about this - i really need an answer pls (i heard its out of respect ... but how ? i dont understand)

*** A Turban is part of the uniform. Every Sikh-man or woman-has the right and duty to wear a turban. But other than that-let me share my own experience. I wan't born a Sikh. I became a Sikh. The day I put on a turban, I noticed something very real-which was that my mind got clearer as soon as I put it on. It was amazing and very noticable. Every morning, I experience the same thing. When I put on the turban, my mind becomes clearer. I tell me friends that I wear a turban to, "Keep my head together," because-honestly-that is what it gave me. It's something that helps me keep my head together.***

4) I keep all the hair on my body, and if I keep my hair on my head long and a jurra on the top, it will act like an anteena to conduct energy....so why cant i cut the hair on the rest of my body??

***Study ecology-ecological systems. One thing ecology has helped us understand is that everything in nature works together in an intricate, delicate, amazing dance. Really look into this science, and then-at some point-understand that you are a delicate, intricate, amazing ecological system within yourself. Every singly hair on your body plays a part in keeping the system balanced, healthy, vibrant, optimal, alive and fruitful. It isn't that you "can't" cut your hair. It's that when you cut your hair, in small ways that are not noticable right away, you imbalance the ecology of your own body. Now-humans have no problems devestating the ecology around them-but look at the consequences. So-really-it's about your relationship with yourself. If you love, honor, and respect your own ecology-you will stay healthier, happier and brighter. If you harm your ecology in the name of fitting in-understand that the society you want to fit in with is neurotic, insecure, easily prey to addictions, and imbalanced. Do what you want to do-but understand where your actions may lead you.***


5) Also, if the females solar centre is toward the back of the head - should the jurra be there? could someone tell me where the female solar centre is, and tell me more about its importance and relevance? is it right at the back like above the neck??? I need to know

***When you meditate, you will begin to know where your solar center is because in deep states of meditation, the solar center will become tingly or hot. FOr me, I've found it towards the back of the top of the head. Where your skull rounds out at the top of the head and begins to take a downward motion-a few fingers in front of that-that's roughly where you can find the female solar scenter. Yes-it's best to wrap your hair around that spot. What is its importance and revelance? Remember that humans evolved in a physical environement and our brain has a very important relationship with light. The bone of the forehead is porous- it absorbs sunlight more than other bones in the body. All I can tell you for certain is that, as you begin to meditate, these centers open up. I can go into more esoteric discussion about sunlight's effect on the mind and consciousness, but maybe for now-this is enough?***

6) i read that the Kara, is round because it symbolises eternity... (i dont get this, could someone clarify, cos the person who worte this just stopped it there), does it matter if the Kara is made out of iron or steel? what is the difference?

***Eternity has no beginning and no end. Circles have always been sybols of God or Eternity for this reason. A circle is complete within itself, continuous, with no breaks anywhere. As for whether or not a Kara should be made of iron or steel-I think steel is preferable, but I'm not aware of any rules governing it one way or the other. Steel is an amalgm. In the same way, a Sikh merges with God, amalgamtes himself or herself with the divine-and, in that amalgamation, becomes amazingly, incredibly strong. This is the symbolism of steel***

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I would really appreciate decent answers to these, please do not reply to this if the replies will be something that has been repeatedly said beofre in discussions, cos the reason why i ask is cos i couldnt find these answers

***I hope these answers have been helpful. Please let us know if you have any further questions.***


Thanking u for ur time and partience

a wonderer


Sincerely,

GPK