Facing Tragedy
"Applied Spiritual Strength"
September 11, 2001 Lecture
Facing Tragedy “Applied Spiritual Strength”
Siri Singh Sahib (Yogi Bhajan) lecture, Sept 11 2001
You must have watched the tragedy, right? So it comes true, that it takes one thought to make an enemy and a friend. It is the thought of animosity against the openness of the United States. We do not know how many people have died, but America is under attack. This is the first time in the world civilians have been attacked (in this way). Every rule has been crossed. They have attacked our symbol of trade; they have attacked our symbol of strength. Had that plane not fallen apart, they may have attacked the White House so that there’s no might, there’s no superpower.
A handful of people when they put their life at stake can do all this. Don’t be amazed at what reaction there will be tomorrow. I personally feel that the world at large does not understand Americans, America, or her grit and her consolidated strength. When we wake up, there will be a very severe tragedy to face for the people who have done this.
It is true that we have a collective responsibility. That is why Guru Nanak gave credit to sangat (community). We are one. We will also suffer as one, and we’ll act as one. All these people who died had not even a thought. Their only crime was that they were Americans. Do you understand? It was a well-planned attack, hijacking our own civilian planes full of gasoline going a long distance and diverting them into the act of terrorism.
Now you figure it out that when I’m crying that the Age of Aquarius is coming, this is a period of insanity beforehand. Do you believe it? See what has happened, and many more things are expected. It’s a tragedy we have to face. Tomorrow when they count everything it will be a bigger tragedy than it is today.
What we can offer is our prayer -- in our silence, with our heads bowed to the Almighty seeking His protection, kindness and compassion for those left behind, seeking the healing energy for those who are injured. Let us pray from our hearts to God Almighty.
America will react. Let there be no doubt about it. But our prayer is “Let America react systematically.” It is natural that the language which terrorists understand is not the language of a civilized person. Now you understand what happened in Punjab?
Intelligence reports are very accurate. But there should be a patience, though America has been patient so far. They knew all this, but they never knew that four planes would be hijacked at the same time. Our planes, our flights. Now you understand how important security is? And they took all those flights, which had maximum gasoline, so they could do what they were out to do. Attacking the Pentagon was attacking the symbol of strength of our Army. Blowing up the World Trade Center was to just let us know that we are always open to danger.
Now it is up to us not to react but to root it out. Sometimes it is better to root out the tooth. By filling the cavity, the temporary pain will go away, but the danger shall still be there. In World War II, it was Japan who attacked Pearl Harbor. We could have pocketed it, but we didn’t.
That’s what I’m trying to tell you; it’s the faculty of every American to keep on pocketing a lot of things until it goes over the line. Then we won’t pocket it anymore. That is the way America will go. Pearl Harbor brought World War II and made us participate. Our whole lifestyle changed. We were not the same again, and we are not going to be the same again. Similarly, this attack has done it. This attack is going to change our lifestyle. America will never be the same. You will have to go at least two hours earlier to the airport. Things will look rough. But where the policy in the domestic world will be changed, and everything within the domestic policy will be searched out, similarly in the foreign world everything will be changed that way.
That is what religion is all about. Search your inside, give yourself a chance, eliminate your fantasies and your imaginations. Don’t live in a dream world. Things can happen, and that is what has happened. When the Trade Center was attacked a couple of years ago there was not much damage, but the method was not very sophisticated. So, they have been planning. Remember that the enemies do plan all the time. You have to defend a thousand times; the enemy wants one chance, which they got today.
Now, it is upon the nation to respond. If America does not respond, these kinds of things will be repeated. It’s very unfortunate for those people who have done this that our whole country is not divided at all, because everything has been glued together. America will act with one voice, with one determination, and with one strength, which is huge. This is called a “wrong calculated act.” Those who have done it have been very successful, but our spirit of America does not lie in those towers, and that side of the Pentagon. Those are symbols, which have been disturbed.
Now there is a time for reaction. That’s why the concept, which was given of saints and soldiers, comes in handy. Now do you understand? People used to say, “What do we have to be a soldier for?” We have to be a soldier for this insanity. And we have to be a saint for this kind of insanity. What Guru Gobind Singh laid down was not a joke. All he said was that there can be a possibility where you have to defend yourself in a very saintly, firm way.
We must have a planned spiritual strength. It is called “applied spiritual strength.” And now you have to give up your etc., etc., etc. activities. Time is on us, and we are walking into that time where we have to relate both to our inner and outer strength.
Learn in sympathy that life is a commanded sense of coordination, cooperation, and projection. You have to survive as an individual, and you have to survive as a collective individual. When you, within yourself, do not find the cohesiveness, exclusiveness, and strength, you can’t survive. These circumstances which are going to face us will tell us really that the world has changed. You can learn it the hard way, or you can learn it by the collective way. It is up to us whether we have peace of mind and can face the tragedy and live collectively to face the tragedy, or we will be shattered individuals. My feeling is that this is a very condemnable act. But when you leave tomorrow for your offices or for work or to sit down and talk with your colleagues, keep your spirits high and be effective.
At this time with the sorrow there is a great anger. Throughout the world there is a frustration, and this act has triggered that frustration. Sometimes, being naive, we start talking about something, which is not responsible. Please avoid such conversations and discussions. It will not benefit you; rather, it may put you into jeopardy. This whole thing has hurt every American. Whether we like it or not, there shall be a reaction. Don’t become a victim to that reaction. It has to happen. World shall act insane. There’s no sanity in what has happened. Nobody among you could believe that this would happen. Still it has happened. Do you understand what I am saying? Achinte baaj pae (The hawk suddenly attacked-Baba Farid, Siri Guru Granth Sahib). Unknowingly, people are attacked personally, collectively, and nationally for no reason. We should send the healing energy to those who are in pain. We should show our oneness of that heart. Let us fold our hands and close our eyes. Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Se So Hung Meditation. One act I want-very sincere, very devout, and solid. (Meditation, see page 4 for details).
Inhale deeply. Give this breath to those who need it. Exhale. Let us sing “God Bless America” together. We owe our thoughts to the land we live in. Many times we may have differences in our concepts, but when the time comes, we must stay together. This is not a small tragedy. A bunch of terrorists can attack a superpower in such a diverse way and plan to the extent that there is no second to it. If the state we live in, would have been attacked, it could have caused the entire world’s annihilation. Sometimes you don’t have any understanding of who you are. I feel the time has come when you trust that the insanity is around the corner, and we have to act right fearlessly, being alert. We have to face the terrorist enemy.
Please write a letter to your Senators and Congressmen. Ask them to act to root out the possibility of this cowardly act, and prove it to us as voters. The pressure from your side will make them answerable. And nobody should be a coward not to write a letter. Send a letter with your feeling. And do me a favor. Each one of you should write a letter to the President. He needs help at this time to understand the will of the people. Don’t hesitate. We have missals, and we have jethadars of the missals, so every individual has to write an individual letter, not collectively, but if somebody does need guidance people will be available for that.
Thank you. Bless you.
Excerpts from the lecture given by Siri Singh Sahib (Yogi Bhajan) on the evening of the Terrorist Attacks on the United States of America, September 11, 2001