The History
Twenty-five years ago, the Akal Takht sacrificed itself in what is now known as Operation Blue Star. Twenty-five years ago the modern purification of the Khalsa had begun. The prominent profile of BC’s Indo-Canadian gangs and ethnic difficulties now are a glaring indicator of the deeper work that lies ahead.
June of 1984. The social and political tension at its breaking point, the government of India ordered an unprecedented military attack on the holiest of Sikh shrines, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, northern India. The Amrit Sarovar (sacred waters) ran red with the blood of thousands.
Later in October of that year, Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister, was murdered by her Sikh bodyguards with the ensuing massacre of Sikhs in Delhi. The brutality of the corrupted human psyche shook the Earth to its core in 1984. Sikhs, as guardians of justice for all, were now challenged to walk their talk. It first appeared as anger, horror, shock, rage. For many that has remained. For others, it has mutated to a quiet depression and despair; many more are indifferent, some even know nothing of this massive disruption in the field of Grace.
This attack, this sacrifice in 1984, was not simply an Indian political event. This was a change of the ages and a shift in consciousness for the entire planet. Sikhs were now called to rise to their destiny and lead all people to that Grace, that Light, that Infinity, that Purity, that Truthfulness which is in our hearts.
The Akal Takht is the seat of Sikh polity. It is in the form of a building as part of the Golden Temple complex and is the embodiment of temporal authority. The Akal Takht was destroyed and rebuilt. An old way of authority was destroyed and a new one was built – by the people themselves.
Aquarian vs. Piscean Consciousness
The new consciousness, the Aquarian way, is self-authority. This is the original mandate of Sikh Dharam: a direct link between the Sikh and his or her Guru. They are, in fact, one and the same. Without self-authority, the human psyche becomes corrupt as it looks outside for information, support and guidance.
The Aquarian Age is also about We, the People – the People with self-authority. For Sikhs, group consciousness is Guru-consciousness, which forms in the presence of the sadh sangat. As the Guru states, “Kundalini surjhi satsangat parmanand guru mukh macha (SGGS p.1402).”
By sacrificing itself, the Akal Takht declared that the old authority-on-the-outside that marked the Piscean Age, was finished. Sikhs now are challenged to claim this Panth (path) as theirs personally and to own it – and not just because you grew up in a Sikh family. Many Sikhs were re-ignited to take the form again, to study their history, to stand out and declare themselves as Akal Moorat – those beyond death itself, where one’s own spirit is the reference, not other men or institutions.
And, taking the form is not enough. Each Sikh is also challenged, through their practices and attitude to become the Guru, the Grace of God.
Archetype of Warrior-Saint
Archetypes are templates of energetic structures that the soul takes on as a form of human behaviour. It will either vibrate low or vibrate high or be repressed entirely. Carl Jung described them as universal psychic forms that exist across cultures.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs, gave the form of the Khalsa, the familiar turbans, long hair, beards and kirpans. The archetype of the Khalsa is warrior-saint, the sant-sipahi. This archetype then draws the types of souls that must play out this dominant soul-energy in their destiny.
When this energy manifests high we have the Khalsa (Pure Ones), who are incorruptible because they are not ruled by the Earth. They are completely subservient to the call of their souls and their Guru, rising to their natural status as leaders and teachers bringing a revolution of consciousness, spreading the Word of the Guru.
This archetype of undefeatable majesty and courage can also manifest in the lower realms of the drug world. Lords and kings of the dark side. A parallel universe to the law-abiding culture with its own laws, culture, values, supply and demand. They are untouchable and unstoppable, aided by the communities who refuse to admit they are in crisis. Many years of legislation, task forces and millions of dollars for studies and increased police investigation have yet to deter their existence.
When the warrior-saint represses their archetype, the energy goes inward and becomes destructive and we see the development of serious health issues, addictions and family violence patterns. Then, to save face, the families and community attempt to cover up and deny the problems, further compounding the difficulties.
Usually gangs are products of socio-economic pressures. The underlying factors here, however, are uniquely not cultural nor socio-economic. They are archetypical. The fabric of our society is facing multiple breakdowns. At the root is a spiritual crisis. As a society we have lost our identity as a spirit having a human experience and instead base our security in money, possessions and status. This undercuts all values related to nurturing, empathy, compassion, and healing.
The Sikhs of the Shabd Guru are the leaders of consciousness and as such, the healing must first come from within us.
True Masculine, True Feminine
The true feminine is the Grace, the loveliness of life. The true masculine serves her and protects her Grace. This is available to all who serve the Guru.
Dark secrets and anti-social behaviour reveal the underbelly of families and communities. Young men joining the Punjabi gangs are coming from middle and upper class families that spoil them. They are known by the enforcement authorities as ‘mama’s boys’ with poor impulse control, using bravado to bolster their egos. Their gangs are not as sophisticated as the more established Asian ones, but are very violent and dangerous as their passions are played out in public venues for attention and status.
At source is a patriarchal system that prefers boys over girls, that has a double standard of expectations of boys and girls, that perpetuates the demeaning of the feminine (in men and women). Combined often with a traditional authoritarian parenting style that precludes real communication, the youth often feel alienated and misunderstood.
The false masculine is being played out in the gangs. The hunger for power, money and status to hide a deep insecurity and fear of the True Self.
This is the counter-balance to the prevalence of the false feminine in the patriarchal culture – the repression of the feminine, the violence against women. Boys are spoiled and seen as trophies in families. Girls are aborted and burned for their dowries. Mothers-in-law are bullies, widows are shunned, and elder women are depressed, girls are flirts and sell their grace to get attention and security from men.
There are also other false masculine arenas. Aggressive businessmen with no integrity. Pervading fraud in the community: taxes, immigration, and unemployment fraud. The doubtful integrity of leadership in the Gurdwaras and the mismanagement of funds. These are woven into the mainstream culture and more difficult to deal with.
Suggestions for Healing
The gangs are the end product, the focus people, of thousands of years of denial and repression of our True Nature – of all of us humans. There is no quick or simple solution. It will take effort, faith, lots of creative people and time to restore balance in our communities. By shifting the focus from the gangs (including telling boys not to join gangs!), to the communities and source of the gangs, a positive result begins right away.
Just a Few
History shows us that change comes from the few – either the dominant few or the righteous few with the courage to stand up to injustice. Indira Gandhi was a powerful political leader but had become corrupt. Sikhs, as a tiny minority, were able to disrupt this status quo. Only a few are needed, as leaders, to work on balancing themselves and their families, transform their inner demons, honour each other, stop projecting out their fear and pain, and hold the space for others to do the same.
Rise to Your Excellence
Our natural state is to be whole from the inside. Our bodies are a naturally self-sustaining and self-correcting environment. Food and water are freely provided by the Earth for all her children.
In a dysfunctional family there is violence, substance abuse, and punishment; no emotional nourishment, no safety. Great fear arises from this and we become scavengers in our own home. Power is held by one or a few members and the rest must grab and hustle for love, attention, favours, nurturing, sometimes food and drink itself.
The gangs are a parody of the dysfunctional male and his fantasies played out in public for all to see. The dysfunctional female is low key and hidden.
The beauty and Grace of a human comes naturally when they are challenged and encouraged to rise to their excellence. When the soul’s identity is the reference, not the ego, then peace reigns on this Earth and all are fed, clothed and cared for automatically. Just as in a loving family. This is the natural way. No stress, no fighting, no war.
Dharma vs. Drama
When there is darkness on the Earth, the Almighty sends a Teacher to guide the way through. Sikhs have a living Guru: Siri Guru Granth Sahib. The embodiment of God’s Grace. Because it is in the form of a ‘holy book’ it cannot be corrupted, manipulated, altered. It also means that it is less desirable! Humans love their personal Gurus – authority on the outside, hang out with a holy man and you don’t have to do the work. Sikh dharma is not a religion; it is a living reality to develop a graceful life.
All relationships take work, including the relationship with one’s Guru/Teacher. As Sikhs, we have to put in the effort to develop a personal relationship, with the Siri Guru Granth Sahib: reading, singing (kirtan), studying, incorporating into daily life.
We prefer the easy and old way for spiritual guides. We like our Sant Ji’s, holy men who claim Guru status. Included there too are psychics, fortune tellers, astrologers, charismatic leaders, gang leaders and movie stars.
Even our families and our friends play this role. They are familiar, the lower chakra energies entangle and the drama reigns supreme. This is the stuff of our soap operas, movies and evening news.
Self-authority means you rely on your own higher self for the Truth, for inner support. Leaning on anyone outside of yourself for emotional or spiritual guidance opens the possibility of corruption and manipulation from all sides.
Khalsa as Role Models of Consciousness
The distillation of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib into human form is the Khalsa. An incorruptible human who will sacrifice their life for the Truth. One person like this can inspire millions; many like this can change the world.
Role of the Mother, Caring for the Self
Mothering is the most important job. Let’s educate and empower the mothers to be the archetype of the Divine Mother Herself. It is she who gives each child their identity that they are a Divine Presence having a human experience. She creates the consciousness of the next generation. Through her are born givers, heroes, saints or their polarity – including gang members!
It is she who teaches the new human to have compassion towards others, by first giving it to themselves: basic self-care and self-love.
Awaken the Spirit of the True Masculine
To re-awaken the spirit of the true masculine, schools and Gurdwaras could be leaders for the community (Sikh and non-Sikh) in the development of martial arts, wrestling, gatka and other warrior-type physical trainings, as well as Kundalini Yoga – a Raj Yoga that develops the majesty of the human. These would be included in the vision of the schools to foster ‘character excellence’.
Human Expression and Communication
The arts, music, dance and drama foster expression of spirit, kindness, connection and refinement. The current trend is to cut budgets by eliminating these subjects in schools. In reality, schools and communities can offset the great stress in families and society by promoting these subjects and disciplines.
Guru Gobind Singh was equally a poet and a warrior. By invoking the Divine Shakti through his banis, he was able to conquer impossible odds on the battlefield.
Self-Authority as a Lifestyle
When kids act out, they are looking for attention and respect. The best way to deal with this is to give them responsibility, not punish them. As the educational system responds to this Aquarian Age, schools will be challenged to incorporate the principle of self-authority into the curriculum – young people can take on more roles of responsibility and co-creation of their education, the environments, curriculum, supervision and creativity!
Group Consciousness is the New Family
After childhood, we are most affected by peers – our "gang." When we gather together as conscious beings, there is a powerful energy that’s shared. For Sikhs, this is the Guru consciousness. This is the way of the Aquarian Age: gather together as a Sadh Sangat and serve each other.
New Role for Warrior-Saints
To satisfy the warrior-saint archetype it would be an interesting experiment to give the Sikhs authority to patrol the city as custodians of the city – as in the village where there is no need for a police force. This would be civilian caretaker team that would extend the positive Sikh family experience and would also organize free kitchens in the langar tradition. This could be a new model for cities that would attract not only its young warrior-saint men but also inspire others to join them.
Sacrifice
This path of service - seva - and leadership is built on the sacrifice of the great saints and martyrs. As the Akal Takht sacrificed itself, so too, are all Sikhs called to sacrifice their False Self and awaken to their True Identity: Sat Nam.
Let’s give up our comforts, our denial, our false pride, our love of glamour, wanting to fit in, fear of offending with the Truth, our sleep, the easy way, our stuff, our full fridges, our greed, our laziness, our arrogance and entitlement, our family attachments and dramas, giving away our power and responsibility.
The Teachings of the Gurus are to share with the world, not for our personal use, and staying small. We are born as humans to feel the experience of Oneness. Dharma gives us the tools: seva, simran, bani, bana. Get up in the early morning hours, the amrit vela, chant God’s Name, purify the consciousness, work righteously and then share with the world: Nam japo, Dharm di kirt karo, Vand chako.
With the light of the Infinite One within – Saibhang – we must claim our self-authority and sovereign nationhood – Sarkar-e-Khalsa – beyond national borders, cultural definitions, family ties, and petty squabbles. In this way, we can lead the awakening of consciousness by becoming living examples and teachers for all humanity.
Dharm Kaur Khalsa is a Sikh Dharma minister and Kundalini Yoga Teacher living in Vancouver, BC. She has been teaching Kundalini Yoga since 1984 and training yoga teachers since 1991. She can be contacted at [email protected]
