 Building Traditions  |
Building Traditions
Guru Roop Kaur Khalsa
Ritual and ceremony have long been at the very core of holiday celebration in our culture-a way of honoring both the underlying meaning of the holiday and our connection to family and sangat. The sharing of important events from the past year gives a family and a sangat whose members may be separated by a great distance a chance to honor and celebrate the good fortune of being brought to the path of Khalsa.
Traditions are not meant to be unchanging and rigid however. For traditions to serve their true purpose, they must often be revitalized to fit changing cultural and family realities. In bringing to life and transforming the rituals and ceremonies that make up our holidays, we can often create powerful and long lasting eventful holiday traditions. Traditions that are innovative and elevating for our communities and our children. Creating celebrations and Gurpurbh traditions can help welcome others into the family fold. If a community includes the unique traditions of all the community members, we can co-create new community traditions integrating everyone’s heartfelt touchstone with the Guru ...allowing all present to feel connected.
In the deepest sense the very act of celebrating a holiday is a ritual. The holidays are a time of reflection and thanksgiving for all that we are. During this upcoming Baisakhi season, we can make the most of it. Holiday rituals can reveal where we are in the serving and loving process and also give us an opportunity to celebrate our destiny.