As a Sikh mom, Mom Kaur has always yearned for a space where she can openly share her thoughts and ideas of how to raise children, instilling Gursikh values while living in the United States. Through this column she wants to give all Sikh mothers a voice and a place where they can all talk freely, and share ideas and learn from each other, and learn the true spirit of a Sikh mother.
As I start the engine and slowly start pulling out of the garage I hear my son’s voice, “Ek Onkar, Satnaam, Karta purakh, Nirbhau, Nirvair, Akal murat, Ajuni, Saibhang, Gur Prasad…” Our morning routine has begun on our commute to school, and I know in my heart that the future of Sikhi is safe. It’s alive, it’s in my children’s voices, it’s in their long uncut kesh…they have fallen in love with their Guru, and to me that is my life’s work set in motion.
As mothers, we are our children’s first teacher in life. In the midst of being created, this soul within us can hear our voice and our heartbeat before they are born. That’s very powerful. We can communicate with our child before they are born; the mother’s voice becomes such a source of comfort for the child. Gurbani can be heard before birth; that is the power Guru ji has given us as mothers. A lot has been entrusted to us, but, for Sikh mothers, there is a special duty to pass on this love and to foster a relationship with the Guru.
Guru ji has given us all the tools we need to be good mothers; in our rich Sikh history the strength and resilience of our brave Kaurs has always shined as a beacon to our future generations of Kaurs. I hope all of us as Gursikhs can be inspired by the legacy our Gurus have left for us to share with our children…
The Inspiration for the Series
We are the custodians of our faith. The future of Sikhi is in our hands…it’s very important for us to instill a love for the Guru in our children from the very beginning. Who we are, the values we represent should be clearly defined to our children. I wish to bring up children who feel compassion, and empathy, who are fearless, and yet kind; Nirbhau, Nirvair, – just these two words alone are basic principles our children can live by in their daily life. Don’t fear anything or anyone, and don’t make any enemies, don’t hate anyone, be kind to all.
As a Sikh mom, I have always yearned for a space where I can openly share my thoughts and ideas of how to raise our children, instilling Gursikh values whilst living in the United States. Going to Gurudwara once a week and trying to talk to a fellow Sikh mom in the midst of trying to grow spiritually, and watching your kids at the same time makes it impossible for Sikh mothers to have any open dialogue! There is a huge responsibility on us as parents to help these precious seeds of the Khalsa flourish, and we all need each other to do this. That’s the power of sangat. The Sikh moms at gurudwara have been my inspiration, young and old.Through this column I want to give all Sikh mothers a voice and a place where we can all talk freely, and share ideas and learn from each other, and learn the true spirit of a Sikh mother.
What Compels Me to Write
As a Sikh mom I know what it means to stand out of the crowd, when people spend a little longer reading your name on a form, or glance at your child a little longer as he is the only child in the class wearing a turban. I know how you have to be so strong for your son/daughter as they are different, and you have to be confident to give that support to your child. I felt the need to write, so that other moms like me who know that feeling and experience it everyday can share my experiences with me. When I hear them, I feel as if I’m holding up a mirror and seeing myself in those same situations… we all need to lean on each other and learn from each other’s experiences so all Sikh moms feel like one unit, working towards the same goal, preserving the Guru’s Khalsa, and bringing up confident, successful Gursikh children in the United States.
My Hopes
I hope this series can bring all Sikh mothers together. I get immense joy and pride in my heart when I see another mom making the same sacrifices and decisions I have made to instill a love for the Guru and Sikh values in our children, they have made the Guru’s teachings their way of life and are leading by example, in the same way I am trying to, so I hope this series brings us all together to share and inspire each other to become better Gursikhs, for our children, and for the future of our Khalsa. I too would love to learn from other Gursikh moms, their routines and how they have brought Sikhi to their children’s lives. I hope I can somehow honor my Grandmother’s memory and honor my two moms by writing their experiences and what they have all taught me in their own individual ways about being a Sikh mother and the sacrifices they made for me, to be the person I am…I think there is a lot we can learn from their generation.
I hope other moms will feel connected with fellow Sikh mothers, so that we can all feel we have each other to lean on, we’re not alone…as they always say there is power in the pack, collectively we can all make a difference in each others lives. That’s the power of sangat. Our common experiences bind us all together as one force, we are devoted to our Guru, who has entrusted to us a duty, a responsibility to pass on love for the Guru to our children, as they are the future of Sikhism. If these seeds are nourished wisely, our children will grow up with a true love for who they are and the beautiful religion they represent.
