Hello and Happy Wednesday!
Today's quote is brought to you by Robin Williams:
You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.
There's a new interview coming Saturday so be sure to check back!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Kristine Mckee
Hello and Happy Saturday!
I wish to thank Laura Dartez/Onyx Moon for her wonderful interview. I very much enjoyed reading your answers and I thank you for sharing!
Today we have a new interview so please welcome Kristine Mckee. Kristine is Non-Denominational and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!
Here Is Kristine Mckee's Introduction:
My name is Kristine Mckee.
I have the gifts of being a psychic and a medium.
I am.
www.kmcreativedreamer.com
1) What religion do you practice?
I practice love, light and peace and the opportunity of ever changing personal growth and understanding. I believe that I am a mixture of many religions in one. But do not actively belong to a group that practices under one earthly religious status.
2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I have been involved in many religions over the years, each time searching for the answers to the questions that I had about myself and how I saw the world. Since my belief is something I have within myself there was no need of conversion since it was in me the whole time. I was raised Protestant and have not practiced that for years.
3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
I believe in awareness of ones self and ego mind sets. There are many levels of awareness. Beginning with unawareness. Where you live life completely by ego, the I wants and I needs and me,me,me. Then you become aware of aware people. In this observation you see how they are and how they act and you desire to have this self awareness within yourself. Then you start the process of awakening or awareness. In this process you reach out to learn to silence the ego mind and become more and more heart centered and focused. When you grow more you become more aware of your self and your connection to others and the universe and ultimately the source of all things in the universe, the God source.
4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I am currently learning and growing in awareness each and every day. Some days are more of a struggle because my ego allows it to be so. Other days I am able to offer help and bless others who are in the learning process of personal growth.
5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
For my belief system, there is only rebirth or heaven. ( if that is what you can call it). I refer to it as the other side. On the other side we can reside and or wait to be reborn to learn more lifes lessons. Until one day, we will all return to the God source and it will absorb our experiences from all our lives, either to feel the joy or feel the pain. Source enjoys all experiences from an unbiased level of awareness. Where it just observes without judgements.
6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Yes. All beings, whether animal, human, alien,ect. All beings are from God source. It does not judge itself as evil or good, it just is.
7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I am a psychic and medium. Every religion has isolated people like myself as being evil or demonically inspired. This belief system I have feels right. It feels accurate from what I have seen and heard and know about the universe.
8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Everyday is a holy and an excellent day to experience all that we are. I celebrate by positive affirmations and sending love energy back to the universe.
9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I have many friends from many faiths. I believe that there are many pathways to God.
10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
So long as no one was getting hurt on a physical or emotional level I would always be open to join.
11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I believe that on some level all religious rules can be restricting . To the women who wear burkas we are considered lowly, dominated women. Just as we consider women who wear burkas to be lowly, dominated women. Each group follows what their heart tells them. To me, anyone who isn’t living to their fullest joy is missing out on life experiences. I feel sorrow when I see pain in any form.
12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Women of my belief can do anything their heart allows.. so long as it is done with love and greater good of all involved. Even lifes hardest lessons as painful as they may be benefit someone at some point in time.
13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
My place of worship is within myself. Others are more than welcome to connect to my energy and join. This makes me feel great joy and a connection with the universe.
14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My belief system is a huge part of everything that I do and say and think. I believe that all people have a right to choose what is right and perfect for them. After all, all things are an experience. And negative things are done in mind set of pain and fear of their own disconnectedness to the universe. Present wrong doings are always done from a pain that exists as a result of a past action. In other words, any crimes committed are usually a direct result of ones unawareness of their connection to everyone and everything in the universe.
15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
My child has the freedom and choice to marry whomever he feels is appropriate for him. His choice however, will reflect how he sees himself and his world around him. If he chooses a negative person I would feel sorrow that he is stuck in that mindset of negativity. If he chooses a healthy positive person I would feel joy that he feels those things within himself. Ultimately these experiences are his lessons, his experiences and I can not take them personally.
16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
The only hell that exists is the one in our mind when we begin to become aware that we are unaware and we struggle with letting go of the negative mind sets and are unsuccessful. When we only see a world of people who hate and are in pain around us, people mirror who we are. If you are in complete love, love is mirrored back to you. If you are in complete turmoil, this too shall be mirrored back to you. This, is hell. The mirroring of negative emotions that we are stuck in.
17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I feel that anyone who keeps you from becoming a positive, and loving person is not good to be around until you yourself are in the place where you can help them become more positive and loving. I feel that each person is on their own path, having their own experiences. These can either be good or bad. It is not up to me to stop them from creating these experiences for themselves, but just be willing to help them reach wisdom should they ask.
18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Yes I have. All the time. But, I do not see them as evil people. I see them as unawakened people who are frightened by the truth that I have within myself. They fear in me the love and light that I represent. They do not know me, therefore they are only fighting themselves.
19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
My belief system uplifts me and helps me to be a better person in this life.
20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
My belief system gives me great peace of mind. It gives me a connection to all things in the universe.
21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I believe we reincarnate for the purpose of life lessons and experiences. Life lessons being karmatic and set goals to better ones awareness.
I wish to thank Laura Dartez/Onyx Moon for her wonderful interview. I very much enjoyed reading your answers and I thank you for sharing!
Today we have a new interview so please welcome Kristine Mckee. Kristine is Non-Denominational and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!
Here Is Kristine Mckee's Introduction:
My name is Kristine Mckee.
I have the gifts of being a psychic and a medium.
I am.
www.kmcreativedreamer.com
1) What religion do you practice?
I practice love, light and peace and the opportunity of ever changing personal growth and understanding. I believe that I am a mixture of many religions in one. But do not actively belong to a group that practices under one earthly religious status.
2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I have been involved in many religions over the years, each time searching for the answers to the questions that I had about myself and how I saw the world. Since my belief is something I have within myself there was no need of conversion since it was in me the whole time. I was raised Protestant and have not practiced that for years.
3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
I believe in awareness of ones self and ego mind sets. There are many levels of awareness. Beginning with unawareness. Where you live life completely by ego, the I wants and I needs and me,me,me. Then you become aware of aware people. In this observation you see how they are and how they act and you desire to have this self awareness within yourself. Then you start the process of awakening or awareness. In this process you reach out to learn to silence the ego mind and become more and more heart centered and focused. When you grow more you become more aware of your self and your connection to others and the universe and ultimately the source of all things in the universe, the God source.
4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I am currently learning and growing in awareness each and every day. Some days are more of a struggle because my ego allows it to be so. Other days I am able to offer help and bless others who are in the learning process of personal growth.
5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
For my belief system, there is only rebirth or heaven. ( if that is what you can call it). I refer to it as the other side. On the other side we can reside and or wait to be reborn to learn more lifes lessons. Until one day, we will all return to the God source and it will absorb our experiences from all our lives, either to feel the joy or feel the pain. Source enjoys all experiences from an unbiased level of awareness. Where it just observes without judgements.
6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Yes. All beings, whether animal, human, alien,ect. All beings are from God source. It does not judge itself as evil or good, it just is.
7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I am a psychic and medium. Every religion has isolated people like myself as being evil or demonically inspired. This belief system I have feels right. It feels accurate from what I have seen and heard and know about the universe.
8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Everyday is a holy and an excellent day to experience all that we are. I celebrate by positive affirmations and sending love energy back to the universe.
9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I have many friends from many faiths. I believe that there are many pathways to God.
10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
So long as no one was getting hurt on a physical or emotional level I would always be open to join.
11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I believe that on some level all religious rules can be restricting . To the women who wear burkas we are considered lowly, dominated women. Just as we consider women who wear burkas to be lowly, dominated women. Each group follows what their heart tells them. To me, anyone who isn’t living to their fullest joy is missing out on life experiences. I feel sorrow when I see pain in any form.
12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Women of my belief can do anything their heart allows.. so long as it is done with love and greater good of all involved. Even lifes hardest lessons as painful as they may be benefit someone at some point in time.
13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
My place of worship is within myself. Others are more than welcome to connect to my energy and join. This makes me feel great joy and a connection with the universe.
14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My belief system is a huge part of everything that I do and say and think. I believe that all people have a right to choose what is right and perfect for them. After all, all things are an experience. And negative things are done in mind set of pain and fear of their own disconnectedness to the universe. Present wrong doings are always done from a pain that exists as a result of a past action. In other words, any crimes committed are usually a direct result of ones unawareness of their connection to everyone and everything in the universe.
15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
My child has the freedom and choice to marry whomever he feels is appropriate for him. His choice however, will reflect how he sees himself and his world around him. If he chooses a negative person I would feel sorrow that he is stuck in that mindset of negativity. If he chooses a healthy positive person I would feel joy that he feels those things within himself. Ultimately these experiences are his lessons, his experiences and I can not take them personally.
16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
The only hell that exists is the one in our mind when we begin to become aware that we are unaware and we struggle with letting go of the negative mind sets and are unsuccessful. When we only see a world of people who hate and are in pain around us, people mirror who we are. If you are in complete love, love is mirrored back to you. If you are in complete turmoil, this too shall be mirrored back to you. This, is hell. The mirroring of negative emotions that we are stuck in.
17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I feel that anyone who keeps you from becoming a positive, and loving person is not good to be around until you yourself are in the place where you can help them become more positive and loving. I feel that each person is on their own path, having their own experiences. These can either be good or bad. It is not up to me to stop them from creating these experiences for themselves, but just be willing to help them reach wisdom should they ask.
18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Yes I have. All the time. But, I do not see them as evil people. I see them as unawakened people who are frightened by the truth that I have within myself. They fear in me the love and light that I represent. They do not know me, therefore they are only fighting themselves.
19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
My belief system uplifts me and helps me to be a better person in this life.
20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
My belief system gives me great peace of mind. It gives me a connection to all things in the universe.
21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I believe we reincarnate for the purpose of life lessons and experiences. Life lessons being karmatic and set goals to better ones awareness.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Agnes Martin Quote
Hello and Happy Wednesday!
Today's quote is brought to you by Agnes Martin:
To progress in life you must give up the things you do not like. Give up doing the things that you do not like to do. You must find the things that you do like. The things that are acceptable to your mind.
There's a new interview coming Saturday so be sure to check back!
Today's quote is brought to you by Agnes Martin:
To progress in life you must give up the things you do not like. Give up doing the things that you do not like to do. You must find the things that you do like. The things that are acceptable to your mind.
There's a new interview coming Saturday so be sure to check back!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Laura Dartez/Onyx Moon
Hello and Happy Saturday!
I'm Laura Dartez aka Onyx Moon, a mother of one very wonderful 19 year old son. I've been married and divorced three times (read, "I'm a hard catch!"). I grew up in a very small town in Oklahama and now live in New Iberia, Louisiana. I am a slot floor attendant (change person) at a casino and also sell Avon. My hobbies include reading, cooking, singing Karaoke, and dancing.
1) What religion do you practice?
I practice Paganism. I consider myself a solitary eclectic kitchen witch (centered around the hearth and home). I'm very fond of the Norse deities.
2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised with an Atheist for a mother and a father that believed in the Christian God but not in organized religion. I attended the Baptist Church in my youth. I moved to Louisiana in 2000 and found a Baptist Church to be baptized in. When Huricane Katrina hit, my life was turned upside down with the influx of evacuees and a major realization that some so called "Christians" were hypocrites. That's when my best friend introduced me to Wicca. After much study, I realized that I am definitely a kitchen witch. I've always had a way of making people feel better by cooking up something.
3)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I believe in reincarnation where your time in between lives is spent in Summerland. In fact, I'm almost positive that one of my cats is a reincarnated lover or loved one from a previous life. He does things that no other cat has ever done.
4) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I think that your life can be heaven/paradise. It is what you make it. As far as a place to go after death, yes everyone goes to Summerland for contemplation of the last life and to regenerate your spirit for the next.
5) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I have an inner peace that I have never had before. I am moral but do not have to follow strict rules (Do as you will but harm none). I have never believed in Hell but I do believe in Karma where the bad that you do will come back to bite you in the rump.
6) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I celebrate every day that I'm given but I try to do special things on the Sabats. Beltane and Yule are my favorites.
7) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I have many friends with many different beliefs. I believe that everyone needs something to believe in and it's ok to be different from each other.
8) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Oh, I love Mardi Gras! All the debauchery! The last hooray before Lent in the Catholic faith. This is a special time in Louisiana with festivities everywhere. I fell in love with it the first time I ever went to one of the parades.
9) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I feel that if they are following their religious beliefs, then let them do it if it does not harm anyone. Everyone should be allowed to practice their religion without shame.
10) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
If he was happy and there was not a conflict in the marriage about who has what faith, then I would be all for it. His happiness is most important.
11) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No, I do not believe in Hell. That's a place that is made up to keep people from "sinning".
12) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
How can something that gives you peace of mind devalue someone?
13) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Definitely! How could you not have peace of mind when you are attuned to your faith?
First up I wish to thank H. Kaur for her wonderful interview. I really enjoyed reading your answers and learning more about your faith. Thank you so much for sharing with us!
Today we have a new interview so please welcome Laura Dartez/Onyx Moon. Laura is a Pagan and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!
Here Is Laura Dartez/Onyx Moon's Introduction:
I'm Laura Dartez aka Onyx Moon, a mother of one very wonderful 19 year old son. I've been married and divorced three times (read, "I'm a hard catch!"). I grew up in a very small town in Oklahama and now live in New Iberia, Louisiana. I am a slot floor attendant (change person) at a casino and also sell Avon. My hobbies include reading, cooking, singing Karaoke, and dancing.
1) What religion do you practice?
I practice Paganism. I consider myself a solitary eclectic kitchen witch (centered around the hearth and home). I'm very fond of the Norse deities.
2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised with an Atheist for a mother and a father that believed in the Christian God but not in organized religion. I attended the Baptist Church in my youth. I moved to Louisiana in 2000 and found a Baptist Church to be baptized in. When Huricane Katrina hit, my life was turned upside down with the influx of evacuees and a major realization that some so called "Christians" were hypocrites. That's when my best friend introduced me to Wicca. After much study, I realized that I am definitely a kitchen witch. I've always had a way of making people feel better by cooking up something.
3)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I believe in reincarnation where your time in between lives is spent in Summerland. In fact, I'm almost positive that one of my cats is a reincarnated lover or loved one from a previous life. He does things that no other cat has ever done.
4) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I think that your life can be heaven/paradise. It is what you make it. As far as a place to go after death, yes everyone goes to Summerland for contemplation of the last life and to regenerate your spirit for the next.
5) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I have an inner peace that I have never had before. I am moral but do not have to follow strict rules (Do as you will but harm none). I have never believed in Hell but I do believe in Karma where the bad that you do will come back to bite you in the rump.
6) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I celebrate every day that I'm given but I try to do special things on the Sabats. Beltane and Yule are my favorites.
7) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I have many friends with many different beliefs. I believe that everyone needs something to believe in and it's ok to be different from each other.
8) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Oh, I love Mardi Gras! All the debauchery! The last hooray before Lent in the Catholic faith. This is a special time in Louisiana with festivities everywhere. I fell in love with it the first time I ever went to one of the parades.
9) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I feel that if they are following their religious beliefs, then let them do it if it does not harm anyone. Everyone should be allowed to practice their religion without shame.
10) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
If he was happy and there was not a conflict in the marriage about who has what faith, then I would be all for it. His happiness is most important.
11) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No, I do not believe in Hell. That's a place that is made up to keep people from "sinning".
12) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
How can something that gives you peace of mind devalue someone?
13) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Definitely! How could you not have peace of mind when you are attuned to your faith?
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Carroll O'Connor Quote
Hello and Happy Thursday!
Today's quote is brought to you by Carroll O'Connor:
Friends are God's way of apologizing to us for our families.
There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!
Today's quote is brought to you by Carroll O'Connor:
Friends are God's way of apologizing to us for our families.
There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
April Interviews
Hello and Happy Tuesday!
Here is what ymr has in store for the April Interviews:
we'll hear from Marie Liane Rioux who is a Gnostic, Thomas who is a Mormon, Kendrick Macdowell who is an Agnostic, and On Her Own who is an Atheist.
All excellent interviews you're not going to want to miss!
Here is what ymr has in store for the April Interviews:
we'll hear from Marie Liane Rioux who is a Gnostic, Thomas who is a Mormon, Kendrick Macdowell who is an Agnostic, and On Her Own who is an Atheist.
All excellent interviews you're not going to want to miss!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
H. Kaur
Hello and Happy Saturday!
First up I wish to thank Galina Krasskova for her very interesting interview last week. I enjoyed reading her answers and learning more about her faith. Thank you so much for sharing Galina!
Today we have a new interview so please welcome H. Kaur.
H. Kaur is a Sikh and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!
Here Is H. Kaur's Introduction:
Hello all,
I am H. Kaur, a university student from the lower mainland of BC, Canada.
Thank you all, for stumbling upon this page, I hope you'll enjoy reading it. I want to let you all know that I am toddling on my path towards God and that I am by no means a perfect portrayal of a Sikh girl. I am trying, struggling, hoping and gradually evolving in this path; I therefore want to apologize for any mistakes that I might have made in showing a clear picture of the Sikh way of life. I feel that the essence of spirituality and faith cannot be put into words and there is not enough power in my words to measure or explain spiritual bliss. This questionnaire is based on my path, how I perceive Sikhism from my lens. It might not be universal, but it is my humble attempt at reflecting on my practice and expressing it for the readers of YMR. While answering these questions, I felt the blessing of clarity and knowing myself better- to me, it was a meditative exercise, to see if I can justify for myself, what I try to live by. And for that, I am ever so grateful to Debra at the YMR blog for approaching me with the following Questionnaire about the religion I practice.
http://www.guruslove.blogspot.com
“You are my Companion; You are my Best Friend. You are my Beloved; I am in love with You. You are my honor; You are my decoration. Without You, I cannot survive, even for an instant.”
- Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
1) What religion do you practice?
I practice the Sikh way of life. I don’t claim to be perfect in my practice, but I try and seek to become better every day of my life =).
The Sikh faith is a way of life, not a religion per say, because in many ways Sikhism (Sikhi) does not entail any rules and regulations, it has to do more with the willingness to learn and grow and to seek truth, rather than praying or believing in a certain specific kind of God. Sikhs believe in one God, who can be addressed by different people with different names, and who is the creator of all and is omnipresent and omnipotent. Sikhs do not believe that they are better than anyone else nor do they think that people of other faiths are lost.
2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I have always been (from as far in my childhood as I can remember) interested in theology, religion and the idea of a supreme being such as God, directing the world that He/She/It has created.
However, I haven’t been practicing any religion in particular, for most of my life. It would be okay to say that I have been raised within Sikhi. However, I have been raised in a family that practices Sikhi to a very casual moderate level. As children, my siblings and I went to a Catholic school in India from where I picked up a lot of my core values and beliefs. We grew up where most people around were practicing Hindus, we also spoke in Hindi (instead of Punjabi- the language that Sikhs usually speak) and watched TV shows based on stories of Hindu Gods and about Hindu mythology. Our granny used to tell us stories about Hindu gods and goddesses as well as about the Sikh Gurus. There wasn’t a lot of influence of Sikh lifestyle on us; I guess we thought people only practice religion when they are old, because my granny used to pray, from what I remember. It was quite the Indian culture (India is a Hindu majority nation with a lot of cultural practices based on the Hindu faith) that we were living in; in fact I believe that we were distinctly withdrawn from Sikh practices or lifestyle.
I therefore have core beliefs that are very spiritual yet not religion specific. Sikh ideology has helped me condition those beliefs and grow deeper and more integrated with my core values of humanity, equality, loving all, earning an honest living and giving back to the community, which overlap with Sikh beliefs. I therefore already, even when I didn’t know much about Sikhi, held some values and beliefs of the Sikh lifestyle. About 2 years ago I started attending the Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) and soon was initiated into the Sikh faith.
Initiation (/baptism) in Sikhism is a ceremony where one makes the commitment to live the Sikh way of life, and wears 5 articles of faith (Kakkars), which all are physical reminders of their practice: staying intact in the Creators form (Kesh- uncut hair), remaining organized and clean (Kanga- a wooden comb), maintaining absolute surrender to Gods will/ having faith- making an unbreakable bond with the God and Guru (Kara- an unbreakable steel bracelet), maintaining continence and a high moral character (Kacchera- a white slightly longer cotton underwear) and courage & power to stand for the rights of the weak and the oppressed impartially (Kirpan- a small blade dagger).
3) Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox, conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Sikh, literally is the Gurmukhi (the language of the Sikh Scriptures- a kind of old Punjabi) word for ‘student’. Therefore, from that perspective, anyone who seeks to learn could be called a Sikh. However, from the religious perspective, one could be an orthodox, conservative, moderate or liberal Sikh; but we as human beings do not have the faculties to judge another persons’ Sikhi status (or for that matter: superiority based on caste, creed color, religious affiliations, gender, sexuality, or other ideas that separate us as humans), only God (creator) can decide who is better or worse.
A usual distinction that can be seen among Sikhs is based on whether or not they keep their hair and whether or not they have been initiated and whether or not one eats meat (most Sikhs are vegetarians); which, like I said before cannot be clearly established as better or worse by any of us. The tenth Sikh Guru (prophet) - Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaaj established the idea of initiation (baptism) which is a ceremony where one makes the commitment to formally live the Sikh way of life which requires disciplining ones life to specific kind of observance of the Sikh lifestyle, which was and still is purely a choice that one might make- an initiated Sikh does not necessarily live the lifestyle in a better or more effective way than an uninitiated Sikh. Initiation was presented by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, purely as a choice one could make if one wished to, it can be looked at as a leap of faith, a commitment, but not as a recommended lifestyle. Therefore, this might just be a physical distinction (because of the observance of 5 articles of faith stated earlier and daily discipline) for some people, but does not draw a line between levels or degrees of practice.
Therefore, Sikhism is all about making choices which help one walk on ones path of life. Everyone has their own path- some people would rather be baptised and committed, some people will choose to eat meat or cut their hair- hence, my point that Sikhi is not a set of rules and regulations (or religion per say) but a kind of lifestyle based on faith in one supreme creator God. The command (order/ hukam) that all Sikhs have been given is to accept the Sikh scripture- Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as ones Guru (commander/ leader/ prophet), ones ultimate source of inspiration, knowledge and guidance- that is the one thing that defines a Sikh. Most of us strive to make a personal connection- a relationship with our Guru and give the scriptures utmost respect.
4) Within your religion what degree of observance are you (ie. Orthodox, conservative, moderate, liberal)? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
N/A
5) What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
Sikhs believe that there are 8.4 million living species, and each living organism has a soul, which has the light of God within it (that is why Sikh lifestyle is so much about equality and humility). Soul is the living part; the bodies are just material elements. We therefore believe on a Karma based theory- wherein all our souls travel from one life to another completing a cycle of 8.4 million lifetimes, before being blessed with human life. Human life, by no means is superior than the life of any other living being (which is why most Sikhs are vegetarians and eat only the bye-products of plant sources, which usually fall off after a certain point of ripening- fruits and vegetables), but when ones soul is given a human life, it is blessed with a chance and the choice to do good deeds (Karma) and merge back into the One Ultimate God (which can be thought of as Light). The idea is that the tiny light of God in our souls can be made better and purer by good deeds (Karma) and has the potential to ultimately merge with the ultimate Light of God. So we all just need to love each other and do good to be free from the cycle of births and deaths – the 8.4 million lifetimes over and over again.
6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
We do not have a clear cut concept of heaven or hell. Based on ones Karma, we all have good times and bad times, all in this life. Therefore, we live our heaven or hell all right here.
7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I am a free-bird, slightly non-conformist i.e. I do not go with the flow, I live what I believe in, regardless of what others feel about me. I personally believe that we as humans are a manifestation of love; we are all born out of love and we live, seeking love, all through our lives. To me, my practice is all about love, the love for God and for other humans (the bearers of the light of god). At the same time, I have the concept of holding space if I don’t agree with what others are doing, but I can still love them – the idea of “Live and let live”. I also believe in always remaining calm and peaceful, regardless of the circumstances- looking at pain and pleasure alike (I’m an optimist). Therefore, in all these practical ways, Sikhi is the perfect fit for me. One of the greatest things that I particularly adore about the Sikh way of life is the humility aspect, wherein we respect all other beings and faith or ideologies, and we are free to (in fact advised to) read any other faiths scriptures (which as a keen theologist, from my childhood years, I really enjoy). Having faith in one God has a very grounding effect on me, it is almost as if I just love God and my soul wants to merge into him, therefore I try to maintain the specific discipline and practice of a baptised Sikh- and try to love all and see God’s light in all. I love this Love relationship with the God and the Guru; I feel that for me, there is freedom in surrender and bliss in meditating onto the feet of the Guru (The Sikh Scripture- Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji). Hence, It works very well for me to live the Sikh lifestyle.
8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
For Sikhs, every day is a holy day- Sikhs who are initiated (/baptised) read the scriptures every-day and have a rigorous discipline in their daily practice. However, certain days from the Sikh History are celebrated more than others- Vaisakhi (Khalsa Day- the day when the initiation tradition started.), Gurupurabs (birthdays of the Gurus/ prophets) and other such days from Sikh History. Special celebrations are done by meditating, singing prayers and scriptural excerpts together as a congragation in the Gurdwara, followed by selflessly serving meals or doing charity work together as a community.
9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Of course, what is the big deal, aren’t we all the same people, with the same dreams, aspirations and interests? In fact I have more non-Sikh friends than Sikh friends =). My bestie is a devout Muslim and her devotion and practice has inspired me so much to realize my love for God and the Guru. Some of my other friends are Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Agnostics and Atheist. I often have some of my Christian friends come over at my place for bible readings and hang out (cause I love them! =P ).
10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Well, I’ve done that. I celebrate Christmas in the same fashion and tradition (except I’m a vegetarian- no egg nog for me =P ) that I did as a child, in my Catholic school. However, some Sikhs may not be too happy with that, mostly because it is about personal preferences, some people have such a deep love and regard for the Guru that they just value each day of life as a chance to work their way towards God and perhaps aren’t so social to go and celebrate, but stay focused and meditative at all times. Such great individuals would also usually not go out of their way to celebrate the Sikh festivities any more than other days- they’re usually all about meditating on the Guru Granth Sahib Ji (The Sikh Scripture and living Guru).
11) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes. Women can hold any clergy positions; there are some Gurdwaras where, on the discretion of the managements, women might not be offered such positions, but that usually is a cultural/traditional thing for that particular institution. It is a religious command (from the Gurus) to give women all the rights that men have and to be impartial and equal towards all, in every circumstance. I love the equality aspect of Sikh lifestyle. In fact, this was one of the features that helped me take my initial leap of faith. (I am a feminist!)
12) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No, it does not.
13) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I make my decisions based on how I feel about a particular situation. I think my beliefs do influence my decisions, but the Sikh lifestyle is usually very liberal, especially if you look at everyone as a light of God- and keep their needs and wants higher than your own. Everyone has their own path; from my lens, I don’t think that I am in a position to decide or judge other peoples’ situations. I do have my opinions on these subjects though, all of which are based on “Love all, for they have the light of God in them”, “live and let live” aspects of Sikhi.
14) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I’ll be supportive of it, as long as my child really loves this person, and is serious about the relationship, I don’t see anything wrong with it.
15) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No.
16) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
N/A
17) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No, not that I can remember. I’ve had people stare at my Kirpan or ask me questions about it or about my head gear, but that’s usually either friendly or often out of curiosity. I’ve had some people think that I’m a Muslim though, which is okay =)
18) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No.
19) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes, when I read the scriptures and prayers- I feel that all my problems have faded away in the background and I suddenly have the strength to accept them and deal with them. Meditation has its own blissful feeling. I also think that practicing Sikhism has made me a whole lot calmer and peaceful person, perhaps even more humane and loving. =)
First up I wish to thank Galina Krasskova for her very interesting interview last week. I enjoyed reading her answers and learning more about her faith. Thank you so much for sharing Galina!
Today we have a new interview so please welcome H. Kaur.
H. Kaur is a Sikh and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!
Here Is H. Kaur's Introduction:
Hello all,
I am H. Kaur, a university student from the lower mainland of BC, Canada.
Thank you all, for stumbling upon this page, I hope you'll enjoy reading it. I want to let you all know that I am toddling on my path towards God and that I am by no means a perfect portrayal of a Sikh girl. I am trying, struggling, hoping and gradually evolving in this path; I therefore want to apologize for any mistakes that I might have made in showing a clear picture of the Sikh way of life. I feel that the essence of spirituality and faith cannot be put into words and there is not enough power in my words to measure or explain spiritual bliss. This questionnaire is based on my path, how I perceive Sikhism from my lens. It might not be universal, but it is my humble attempt at reflecting on my practice and expressing it for the readers of YMR. While answering these questions, I felt the blessing of clarity and knowing myself better- to me, it was a meditative exercise, to see if I can justify for myself, what I try to live by. And for that, I am ever so grateful to Debra at the YMR blog for approaching me with the following Questionnaire about the religion I practice.
http://www.guruslove.blogspot.com
“You are my Companion; You are my Best Friend. You are my Beloved; I am in love with You. You are my honor; You are my decoration. Without You, I cannot survive, even for an instant.”
- Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
1) What religion do you practice?
I practice the Sikh way of life. I don’t claim to be perfect in my practice, but I try and seek to become better every day of my life =).
The Sikh faith is a way of life, not a religion per say, because in many ways Sikhism (Sikhi) does not entail any rules and regulations, it has to do more with the willingness to learn and grow and to seek truth, rather than praying or believing in a certain specific kind of God. Sikhs believe in one God, who can be addressed by different people with different names, and who is the creator of all and is omnipresent and omnipotent. Sikhs do not believe that they are better than anyone else nor do they think that people of other faiths are lost.
2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I have always been (from as far in my childhood as I can remember) interested in theology, religion and the idea of a supreme being such as God, directing the world that He/She/It has created.
However, I haven’t been practicing any religion in particular, for most of my life. It would be okay to say that I have been raised within Sikhi. However, I have been raised in a family that practices Sikhi to a very casual moderate level. As children, my siblings and I went to a Catholic school in India from where I picked up a lot of my core values and beliefs. We grew up where most people around were practicing Hindus, we also spoke in Hindi (instead of Punjabi- the language that Sikhs usually speak) and watched TV shows based on stories of Hindu Gods and about Hindu mythology. Our granny used to tell us stories about Hindu gods and goddesses as well as about the Sikh Gurus. There wasn’t a lot of influence of Sikh lifestyle on us; I guess we thought people only practice religion when they are old, because my granny used to pray, from what I remember. It was quite the Indian culture (India is a Hindu majority nation with a lot of cultural practices based on the Hindu faith) that we were living in; in fact I believe that we were distinctly withdrawn from Sikh practices or lifestyle.
I therefore have core beliefs that are very spiritual yet not religion specific. Sikh ideology has helped me condition those beliefs and grow deeper and more integrated with my core values of humanity, equality, loving all, earning an honest living and giving back to the community, which overlap with Sikh beliefs. I therefore already, even when I didn’t know much about Sikhi, held some values and beliefs of the Sikh lifestyle. About 2 years ago I started attending the Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) and soon was initiated into the Sikh faith.
Initiation (/baptism) in Sikhism is a ceremony where one makes the commitment to live the Sikh way of life, and wears 5 articles of faith (Kakkars), which all are physical reminders of their practice: staying intact in the Creators form (Kesh- uncut hair), remaining organized and clean (Kanga- a wooden comb), maintaining absolute surrender to Gods will/ having faith- making an unbreakable bond with the God and Guru (Kara- an unbreakable steel bracelet), maintaining continence and a high moral character (Kacchera- a white slightly longer cotton underwear) and courage & power to stand for the rights of the weak and the oppressed impartially (Kirpan- a small blade dagger).
3) Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox, conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Sikh, literally is the Gurmukhi (the language of the Sikh Scriptures- a kind of old Punjabi) word for ‘student’. Therefore, from that perspective, anyone who seeks to learn could be called a Sikh. However, from the religious perspective, one could be an orthodox, conservative, moderate or liberal Sikh; but we as human beings do not have the faculties to judge another persons’ Sikhi status (or for that matter: superiority based on caste, creed color, religious affiliations, gender, sexuality, or other ideas that separate us as humans), only God (creator) can decide who is better or worse.
A usual distinction that can be seen among Sikhs is based on whether or not they keep their hair and whether or not they have been initiated and whether or not one eats meat (most Sikhs are vegetarians); which, like I said before cannot be clearly established as better or worse by any of us. The tenth Sikh Guru (prophet) - Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaaj established the idea of initiation (baptism) which is a ceremony where one makes the commitment to formally live the Sikh way of life which requires disciplining ones life to specific kind of observance of the Sikh lifestyle, which was and still is purely a choice that one might make- an initiated Sikh does not necessarily live the lifestyle in a better or more effective way than an uninitiated Sikh. Initiation was presented by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, purely as a choice one could make if one wished to, it can be looked at as a leap of faith, a commitment, but not as a recommended lifestyle. Therefore, this might just be a physical distinction (because of the observance of 5 articles of faith stated earlier and daily discipline) for some people, but does not draw a line between levels or degrees of practice.
Therefore, Sikhism is all about making choices which help one walk on ones path of life. Everyone has their own path- some people would rather be baptised and committed, some people will choose to eat meat or cut their hair- hence, my point that Sikhi is not a set of rules and regulations (or religion per say) but a kind of lifestyle based on faith in one supreme creator God. The command (order/ hukam) that all Sikhs have been given is to accept the Sikh scripture- Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as ones Guru (commander/ leader/ prophet), ones ultimate source of inspiration, knowledge and guidance- that is the one thing that defines a Sikh. Most of us strive to make a personal connection- a relationship with our Guru and give the scriptures utmost respect.
4) Within your religion what degree of observance are you (ie. Orthodox, conservative, moderate, liberal)? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
N/A
5) What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
Sikhs believe that there are 8.4 million living species, and each living organism has a soul, which has the light of God within it (that is why Sikh lifestyle is so much about equality and humility). Soul is the living part; the bodies are just material elements. We therefore believe on a Karma based theory- wherein all our souls travel from one life to another completing a cycle of 8.4 million lifetimes, before being blessed with human life. Human life, by no means is superior than the life of any other living being (which is why most Sikhs are vegetarians and eat only the bye-products of plant sources, which usually fall off after a certain point of ripening- fruits and vegetables), but when ones soul is given a human life, it is blessed with a chance and the choice to do good deeds (Karma) and merge back into the One Ultimate God (which can be thought of as Light). The idea is that the tiny light of God in our souls can be made better and purer by good deeds (Karma) and has the potential to ultimately merge with the ultimate Light of God. So we all just need to love each other and do good to be free from the cycle of births and deaths – the 8.4 million lifetimes over and over again.
6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
We do not have a clear cut concept of heaven or hell. Based on ones Karma, we all have good times and bad times, all in this life. Therefore, we live our heaven or hell all right here.
7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I am a free-bird, slightly non-conformist i.e. I do not go with the flow, I live what I believe in, regardless of what others feel about me. I personally believe that we as humans are a manifestation of love; we are all born out of love and we live, seeking love, all through our lives. To me, my practice is all about love, the love for God and for other humans (the bearers of the light of god). At the same time, I have the concept of holding space if I don’t agree with what others are doing, but I can still love them – the idea of “Live and let live”. I also believe in always remaining calm and peaceful, regardless of the circumstances- looking at pain and pleasure alike (I’m an optimist). Therefore, in all these practical ways, Sikhi is the perfect fit for me. One of the greatest things that I particularly adore about the Sikh way of life is the humility aspect, wherein we respect all other beings and faith or ideologies, and we are free to (in fact advised to) read any other faiths scriptures (which as a keen theologist, from my childhood years, I really enjoy). Having faith in one God has a very grounding effect on me, it is almost as if I just love God and my soul wants to merge into him, therefore I try to maintain the specific discipline and practice of a baptised Sikh- and try to love all and see God’s light in all. I love this Love relationship with the God and the Guru; I feel that for me, there is freedom in surrender and bliss in meditating onto the feet of the Guru (The Sikh Scripture- Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji). Hence, It works very well for me to live the Sikh lifestyle.
8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
For Sikhs, every day is a holy day- Sikhs who are initiated (/baptised) read the scriptures every-day and have a rigorous discipline in their daily practice. However, certain days from the Sikh History are celebrated more than others- Vaisakhi (Khalsa Day- the day when the initiation tradition started.), Gurupurabs (birthdays of the Gurus/ prophets) and other such days from Sikh History. Special celebrations are done by meditating, singing prayers and scriptural excerpts together as a congragation in the Gurdwara, followed by selflessly serving meals or doing charity work together as a community.
9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Of course, what is the big deal, aren’t we all the same people, with the same dreams, aspirations and interests? In fact I have more non-Sikh friends than Sikh friends =). My bestie is a devout Muslim and her devotion and practice has inspired me so much to realize my love for God and the Guru. Some of my other friends are Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Agnostics and Atheist. I often have some of my Christian friends come over at my place for bible readings and hang out (cause I love them! =P ).
10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Well, I’ve done that. I celebrate Christmas in the same fashion and tradition (except I’m a vegetarian- no egg nog for me =P ) that I did as a child, in my Catholic school. However, some Sikhs may not be too happy with that, mostly because it is about personal preferences, some people have such a deep love and regard for the Guru that they just value each day of life as a chance to work their way towards God and perhaps aren’t so social to go and celebrate, but stay focused and meditative at all times. Such great individuals would also usually not go out of their way to celebrate the Sikh festivities any more than other days- they’re usually all about meditating on the Guru Granth Sahib Ji (The Sikh Scripture and living Guru).
11) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes. Women can hold any clergy positions; there are some Gurdwaras where, on the discretion of the managements, women might not be offered such positions, but that usually is a cultural/traditional thing for that particular institution. It is a religious command (from the Gurus) to give women all the rights that men have and to be impartial and equal towards all, in every circumstance. I love the equality aspect of Sikh lifestyle. In fact, this was one of the features that helped me take my initial leap of faith. (I am a feminist!)
12) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No, it does not.
13) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I make my decisions based on how I feel about a particular situation. I think my beliefs do influence my decisions, but the Sikh lifestyle is usually very liberal, especially if you look at everyone as a light of God- and keep their needs and wants higher than your own. Everyone has their own path; from my lens, I don’t think that I am in a position to decide or judge other peoples’ situations. I do have my opinions on these subjects though, all of which are based on “Love all, for they have the light of God in them”, “live and let live” aspects of Sikhi.
14) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I’ll be supportive of it, as long as my child really loves this person, and is serious about the relationship, I don’t see anything wrong with it.
15) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No.
16) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
N/A
17) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No, not that I can remember. I’ve had people stare at my Kirpan or ask me questions about it or about my head gear, but that’s usually either friendly or often out of curiosity. I’ve had some people think that I’m a Muslim though, which is okay =)
18) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No.
19) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes, when I read the scriptures and prayers- I feel that all my problems have faded away in the background and I suddenly have the strength to accept them and deal with them. Meditation has its own blissful feeling. I also think that practicing Sikhism has made me a whole lot calmer and peaceful person, perhaps even more humane and loving. =)
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