 Hope and the Five Steps  |
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s we continue to grow through the time of the Cusp, the overlap of the Piscean and Aquarian Ages, we are faced with the challenges of time and space. Often there is not enough of either one. This puts pressure on our psyche, and at those moments we have a choice about how to respond. We can choose the path of hope, or we can surrender to the insanity of the times. And while this may not be one monumental moment, we are certainly influenced daily by the continual decisions and responses we have to make about the pressure on our psyche, otherwise known as stress.
The stress of the times today continues to push the average person to the limit, and over time can create something our teacher has warned us about for a long time: cold depression. This can be a state of hopelessness and very tough to break out of without the proper tools.
As yogis we know that it is through our endurance that we maintain the discipline of our practices in order to hold our state of grace. In this way we give hope not only to our own soul, that we will reach our highest destiny, but also to those around us. As a result of the blessing of having a teacher, who has given us such a wealth of teachings and technology, we have the capacity to endure the times and to expand beyond them, as well as to carry others along with us as well.
The pillars of our lifestyle as Sikhs are Bana, Bani, Simran, Seva and Dasvandh. These pillars hold up the structure that houses a conscious being having a conscious lifetime, a structure that gives the soul hope of evolution on the physical plane, to become so radiant that it inspires others to do so.
Bana is the art of dressing for God. It magnifies our radiance, expands our aura and allows our soul to express clearly to the outside world our state of grace.
Bani is the art of chanting the Guru’s word such that the combination and permutation of sound vibrates the upper palate sending signals to the glandular system and balancing the entire eight chakras. Bani is the opportunity to chant poetry to vibrate the naad at the same frequency as it was originally chanted by enlightened beings. We can hold the same space and in so doing have hope that we can achieve the same frequency.
Simran is a state of being you come to, an experience of God's Name resonating with every breath. chanting God's name can bring you to this experience. This is the opportunity to remember our Creator at all times. It is a way to remember that all things come from God and all things go back to God. And in so doing, we remind ourselves that the hope of returning to God is only a thought away.
Seva is the art of selfless service, -- the ability to transcend the ego’s expectation of a return for services rendered. Seva is God’s hope that we may be as serviceful and giving to the planet as He is to us.
Dasvandh is the art of giving back to Infinity for that which we are given. As Infinity gives to us the hope of expansion, we too must give to Infinity. To trust that what is freely given, freely returns: that the Infinity of God always supports the hope of endless blessings.
These five pillars are the support upon which God’s hope for us exists. By consciously practicing these techniques our future is guaranteed and hope is given that we may reach our highest destiny in this lifetime.