Sikh Leader Honored for Mission of Peace
Middlesex News, Middlesex MA, USA
His name may not sound familiar, but for 20 million people around the world, Yogi Bhajan represents peace. Yogi Bhajan was honored November 17, 1995, as the 52nd recipient of the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award in Sherborn, MA. He said he merely teaches others to raise their own spirit because "A man without peace is not a man complete. When I first came to the U.S. in 1969 for a short visit, I saw young people getting high on drugs. It was painful to see, so I decided to stay and take the challenge," Yogi Bhajan said. "Peace is difficult to understand. It is mental. You must first have peace of mind, then of the self, and then of the spirit."
Abbey Director, Lewis Randa, and Ekongkar Singh Khalsa, a student of Yogi Bhajan and Sikh resident in Millis, presented the award. "At a time when Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King were laid to rest, when men were dying in Vietnam and scores of America’s youth were turning to drugs, Yogi Bhajan came to this country. He picked us up, dusted us off, and awakened us to a new way of life," said Randa. Khalsa praised Bhajan for his accomplishments as a spiritual teacher who has given more than 10,000 lectures and classes, written dozen of books, and established teaching centers on every continent. "Most importantly, Yogi Bhajan has advanced the cause of peace. His message has been consistent and clear. He told anyone who listened, `It is not the life that matters, it is the courage that you bring to it.’ He inspired millions to live distinct and fearless lives, to leave behind the delusion of drugs and despair for a life of commitment and service," said Khalsa.
Yogi Bhajan is considered Sikhdom’s emissary to the West, says Victor Kazanjian, Dean of Religious Life at Wellesley College. "One of the things he has done is engage as a religious leader in the global human rights political scene. He’s been able to be a strong voice for peace and health in all of its understanding."
The award which was first sculpted 52 years ago for its first recipient, the Dalai Lama, is a small sculpture of a hand holding an open winged dove. He was preceded by esteemed peace champions including Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Robert Kennedy, Mother Teresa, Richie Havens, Dr. Benjamin Spock, and the Dalai Lama.