Following is part 1 of 4 of an e-mail exchange between Guru Sant and Gurumeet. (www.createinnerpeace.com) Gurumeet states it is a misnomer to call Kundalini Yoga synthetic Sikhism. It is not Sikhism or any religion, Kundalini Yoga is nonsecular and welcomes people of all religions or no religion.

January 8, 2010
Dear Guru Sant Singh Ji,
Sat Nam and blessings. I appreciate also the debate in civility and respect, and I honor your choice to practice and teach that which has meaning for you, and the opportunity for this engagement and sharing of ideas.

You say
I have only received hate mail which is full of fear and anger towards anyone who would criticize Yogi Bhajan and or his Kundalini and Tantric Yoga.
I ask you, Guru Sant, if you would give consideration to the Sikh tenant of honoring the choices of others to follow the practices and teachings of their choosing, as I honor yours? I also ask if you examine the words of Dr. Trilochan Singh, do you experience any fear and anger in his words? I absolutely do not condone the responses from those who answer you with their own fear and anger. You are one hundred percent correct to say that fear and anger are masking insecurity and a lack of self confidence. I am asking you because I when I read what Dr. Trolochan Singh has written, I sense anger and fear in his words. I was wondering if you experience this at all?

You say
I could never totally accept Yogi Bhajan's form of Sikhism which, lets face it, has many elements of the occult, and idol worship.
When we gather before the Siri Guru Granth Sahib we bow only to God and Guru. Sikhism is Sikhism, it is incorruptible, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib is our only guide. Sikh practices are clearly laid out in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, and there is no form of these sacred practices that exists, which belongs to any one person, they belong to humanity. Dr. Trilochan Singh has mislabeled the nonsecular practices of Kundalini Yoga that we teach as Yogi Bhajan’s form of Sikhism. That is a misnomer.

You say
. . . how can any Sikh teach his students to meditate on his photograph as Yogi Bhajan taught with his guru yoga?
The whole point of the Tratakum Meditation is to connect with one’s one inner, divine, awareness, the Guru within. Yogi Bhajan’s photo is not worshipped. It is used in the Tratakum Meditation as an example of neutral consciousness. Whenever this meditation is taught, the emphasis is always on connecting with the Guru within. The yoga of gazing or Tratakum is a technology that focuses pranic energy through the eyes and improves the ability to concentrate. It increases the flow and pranic glow from the eyes of the practitioner.

You say
How can any Sikh allow photos of himself and statues of yogis and Hindu gods to be placed in or near a Gurdwara?
Sikhs are known throughout the world for their beautiful art in many forms, and yet, sculpture is forbidden. . .? I do not understand this taboo. Some Sikhs even forbid painting, saying art in any form is idol worship. None of this makes sense to me. The Creator of all of the creation has given human beings the blessing of creative energy and talent to create beautiful art in so many different venues. Art that is spiritually inspired is wonderful. All the beauty of creation is wonderful. Ang Sang Wahe Guru. If you can’t see God in all, you can’t see God at all. I do not see the problem. If Hindus have practices that involve devotions before beautiful sculptures of their deities, what is the problem with that? One of the reasons I was attracted to becoming Sikh is that we honor all others’ ways of worship and the Atheists right to no worship. Once Kirn Kaur told me that she asked Yogi Bhajan what the purpose of a sculpture of a holy being is, and he said the purpose is to anchor prana. It seems to me that all art anchors prana to a certain extent. What is the problem? Once Mukhia Jethadar Amrit Singh told me he had a vision of a sculpture, and asked me to imagine a life size sculpture of Guru Gobind Singh with his children surrounding him on our front lawn. He then told me that he had shared his dream with Yogi Bhajan and that he loved the idea too. As it happened, my beautiful sister in Albuquerque, Manjit Kaur, had overhead the conversation and she began to most passionately and rather vehemently object. Yogi Bhajan then told Amrit Singh to wait a while. Later I went to Manjit Kaur and asked why she objected, and she tried to explain to me her point of view, and I could see that she was fearful and angry about the idea. I still do not get the problem. Why does beautiful sculpture make Sikhs angry and fearful? We are Sikhs of the True Guru. We worship Akal Purkh, the One Pervading God. Beautiful sculpture does not threaten me. I lovingly hope Amrit Singh does not continue to wait.

See more photos and discussion on facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=108156&id=1214270541&l=5a22781e63

“Amid the legal infighting following Yogi Bhajan’s death, critics are offering another portrait of the Sikh leader.”

Hope this is self-explanatory:

Gursikh Jeevan: Dr. Kaur Singh jee
By Dr. Niranjan Singh & Bhai Kirpal Singh
In Soora, January 1991
Translated by Admin www.tapoban.org

Dr. Kaur Singh jee lived a completely Gursikh life with untouchable ethics and values. He was a lover of doing naam abhyaas, reading baaNee and listening to keertan. He at all times had a Sehaj Paath of Sree Guru Granth Saahib going and immediately after concluding one, he would commence another.

Dr. Sahib was born on January 1st, 1900 and left this world on November 11th, 1990.

At the age of 23, Dr. Sahib became a medical officer in Patiala State. From his very first salary he began to take out his dasvandh and he continued this practice till the end of his life. Once, when the Maharaja of Patiala seized Dr. Kaur Singh jee's assets, he could not give his dasvandh for two years but once his financial situation improved, he gave the full account of the missed two years to the Guru. He would also continuously make anonymous donations to various Gursikh causes along with his regular routine of naam, baaNee and keertan

Everyday, Dr. Kaur Singh would rise between 1 and 2AM and then wash his hair with cold water and would never let any day pass without this. Even if he had a fever of 102-103 degrees, he did not skip this rehit. Until 8AM, he would remain immersed in naam and BaaNee. After having his breakfast, he would go to the upper level of his home and read GurbaaNee pothees and sing BaaNee. He used to consider idle talk with family and friends as a waste of time. Dr. Sahib had a very large family with eight sons, three daughters and many grand daughters and grand sons, but he remained free of worldly attachment.

Dr. Kaur Singh had a very deep and unbreakable love with Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh jee. Bhai Sahib too had limitless love for him and when the two would meet, Bhai Sahib would take him into an embrace and it would seem as if they were friends from even previous lives who had been finally re-united. This love between the two lasted their entire lives. Up to Dr. Sahib's final days, if someone even mentioned Bhai Sahib's name, his every hair would stand on end and his happiness and excitement would know no bounds.

Dr. Kaur Singh received amrit in an amrit sinchaar organized by the NirbaaN Keertanee Jatha and he became so attached to naam and baaNee that he would attend any smaagam within 50 miles of his home. At RaN Sabaaees, he would sit the entire night in complete awareness and would not move even a little.

When Dr. Sahib was young, he was very stubborn and of a hot temper. He would even try to take a stick to his commanding officers. Even the biggest and most influential members of his family would fear him. But after becoming attached to naam and baaNee, he became so soft-hearted and calm that even if he had spoken bitterly to someone 20 years earlier, he would go to beg for forgiveness and would always say, "I am very much in error…."

Dr. Sahib had received the priceless gift of BaaNee in his youth from Gurmukh Pyaaray Sant Attar Singh jee. When he was younger, Dr. Sahib attended a divaan in which Sant jee was doing keertan. The thought came to his mind that it would be nice if he could speak in person to this great Gursikh, but then he thought, with such a huge sangat present, this would not be possible. Then, while doing keertan, a type of miracle occurred. Sant jee was doing keertan and then stopped and while gesturing towards Dr. Sahib asked, "Do you read BaaNee?" Dr. Sahib thought that the motion could not have been towards him since Sant jee did not know him at all. Sant jee, seeing Dr. Sahib's silence, then said "Man with the red turban! Do you read baaNee??"

Seeing the direct reference to himself, Dr. Sahib stood up and replied, "Mahaaraj, I cannot memorise baaNee." Sant jee replied, "Do Sukhmani Sahib paaths, you will memorise a lot of baaNee." Then what? A downpour of blessings followed. He memorised so much baaNee along with his nitnem, including Sukhmani Sahib, both Barahmahas, Baavan Akhree, Akaal Ustat and many others as well.

For every Smaagam, Dr. Sahib would make donations for the langar. Over the years, he gave hundreds of thousands of rupees this way. But he did not let anyone know about how much he gave. If someone in the family asked him this question, he would avoid the question or scold them for asking. These donations were above and beyond his regular dasvandh. He forever remained humble and hidden.
Once, Dr. Sahib sold off some property he had bought near Bathinda for about 1.5 Lakhs. He then said to his close friend Bhai Kirpal Singh, "I'm going to take this money with me after I die." Bhai Kripal Singh replied that this even a small needle could not come with us after death, how would he take such a large sum of money?
A few days later, Dr. Sahib gave a large donation to the langar of the Central Smaagam and then said "I'll take this money with me like this." And he vowed to give the rest of the money for the Guru's work as well.

Dr Sahib was a very deep scholar of baaNee and would always encourage Singhs to do clear and correct paath. Once, Bhai Jeevan Singh jee was doing keertan and afterwards, Dr. Sahib approached him and said "at some places you read baaNee incorrectly." Bhai Jeevan Singh then replied in humility, "Dr. Sahib, when I read baaNee incorrectly, please slap me." Dr. Sahib at that moment grabbed Bhai Sahib's feet and asked for forgiveness.

At first, Dr. Sahib used to say, "When I pass on, call as many Singhs as possible and have a keertan." But a short while before his passing, he began to say "It's alright. It's of no consequence if someone comes or not." It was as if he had received some kind of knowledge. As it happened, when Dr. Sahib passed on, and the bhog was to happen, there were smaagams at many places and very few Singhs could attend. Even Bhai Kirpal Singh whom he considered his own nephew could not attend due to certain complications at home.

So, this beloved of the Guru left for Gurpuree, reading baaNee, meditating on naam, listening to raN sabaaees in one sitting. He was 91 years old.