Are you trying to fix yourself?

It is obvious from all of our childhood comic book heros like Superman, Superwoman and the X-Men, that we all wish to have super powers and become perfect human beings, just like these superhuman caricatures.

However, the only reason we do not believe it is possible to become a Superman or a Superwoman is because we THINK there is something INHERENTLY WRONG with us which we spend our entire lives trying to FIX, either through worldly activities like parties, drinking, drugs, or even through spiritual activities like meditation, yoga, prayer. The side-effects may be different but the disease is the same - the disease of trying to fix ourselves constantly in order to feel 'OK' or 'normal' again.

We lead ourselves to believe that, "of course we have to fix ourselves, because nobody is perfect!" and "we all have weaknesses, emotions and habbits which we cannot overcome". Both of these are lies which we have led ourselves to believe.

The truth is very hard to accept: each of us are already perfect as we are, without needing to change a single thing about ourselves

It's one of those lovely paradoxical situations where as soon as you truly, whole heartedly accept and take on this above statement, then suddenly you will find yourself transform in an instant. The things which you thought were weaknesses or things you needed to change, automatically are transformed and no longer become limitations in your character - often they transform into your greatest strengths.

Accepting this statement TRULY does also give rise to super powers inside of you which shall help you in your path.

Stop trying to fix yourself through ANY means - only a person who is sick tries to fix themselves. A person who is healthy has no need for a fix, they already know they are healthly and need no medicine. Often the trap 'spiritual' people fall into is using meditation or yoga or prayer to fix themselves - but then they are no different to the alcoholics, junkies or socialites all who are trying to fix themselves because they think something is wrong which they must bring into balance.

Read this meditative poem:

• You are perfect as you are even with all of your biologoical needs for food and sex
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your emotional needs for having people around you, for wanting to feel loved, for feeling that your are somebody significant
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your sexual desires, anger, greed, attachment and ego, there is nothing wrong with any of these emotions
• You are perfect as you are even with all of those 'bad' habbits which you cannot seem to break
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your insecurities, fears and challenges
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your imbalances, diseases and illnesses
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your unluckiness, untidyness and ugliness
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your complaints, criticisms and blocks

Read this quote:

"Gurbani was not designed for the sick, it was designed for the Sikh"

By Guru's Grace - 05-09-2011

The meditation and quote above does not mean that a person who is sick cannot pray or gain benefit from reading the words of the Guru, it means that you can only truly understand the words of the Guru when you stop fixing yourself, and understand the who you were, who you have always been, who you are now and who you will continue to be in the future is perfect - because ultimately we are God masquerading as ourselves in the guise of a human body.

So LET IT GO! LET IT GO! LET IT GO! You're PERFECT as you are, accept yourself as being a perfect being.

Are you trying to fix yourself?

It is obvious from all of our childhood comic book heros like Superman, Superwoman and the X-Men, that we all wish to have super powers and become perfect human beings, just like these superhuman caricatures.

However, the only reason we do not believe it is possible to become a Superman or a Superwoman is because we THINK there is something INHERENTLY WRONG with us which we spend our entire lives trying to FIX, either through worldly activities like parties, drinking, drugs, or even through spiritual activities like meditation, yoga, prayer. The side-effects may be different but the disease is the same - the disease of trying to fix ourselves constantly in order to feel 'OK' or 'normal' again.

We lead ourselves to believe that, "of course we have to fix ourselves, because nobody is perfect!" and "we all have weaknesses, emotions and habbits which we cannot overcome". Both of these are lies which we have led ourselves to believe.

The truth is very hard to accept: each of us are already perfect as we are, without needing to change a single thing about ourselves

It's one of those lovely paradoxical situations where as soon as you truly, whole heartedly accept and take on this above statement, then suddenly you will find yourself transform in an instant. The things which you thought were weaknesses or things you needed to change, automatically are transformed and no longer become limitations in your character - often they transform into your greatest strengths.

Accepting this statement TRULY does also give rise to super powers inside of you which shall help you in your path.

Stop trying to fix yourself through ANY means - only a person who is sick tries to fix themselves. A person who is healthy has no need for a fix, they already know they are healthly and need no medicine. Often the trap 'spiritual' people fall into is using meditation or yoga or prayer to fix themselves - but then they are no different to the alcoholics, junkies or socialites all who are trying to fix themselves because they think something is wrong which they must bring into balance.

Read this meditative poem:

• You are perfect as you are even with all of your biologoical needs for food and sex
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your emotional needs for having people around you, for wanting to feel loved, for feeling that your are somebody significant
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your sexual desires, anger, greed, attachment and ego, there is nothing wrong with any of these emotions
• You are perfect as you are even with all of those 'bad' habbits which you cannot seem to break
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your insecurities, fears and challenges
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your imbalances, diseases and illnesses
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your unluckiness, untidyness and ugliness
• You are perfect as you are even with all of your complaints, criticisms and blocks

Read this quote:

"Gurbani was not designed for the sick, it was designed for the Sikh"

By Guru's Grace - 05-09-2011

The meditation and quote above does not mean that a person who is sick cannot pray or gain benefit from reading the words of the Guru, it means that you can only truly understand the words of the Guru when you stop fixing yourself, and understand the who you were, who you have always been, who you are now and who you will continue to be in the future is perfect - because ultimately we are God masquerading as ourselves in the guise of a human body.

So LET IT GO! LET IT GO! LET IT GO! You're PERFECT as you are, accept yourself as being a perfect being.

Work Less, Live More!

Most people opt to work 9 to 5 in a job, and maybe spend less than 5 weeks a year on holiday enjoying life with loved ones, exploring new things or working on fulfilling personal projects - WHAT A SHAME! We live in a so called 'modern society' which pretends to have all the answers but cannot even allow its own citizens to be free from a system which is akin to slavery or robotics. The truth is: slavery does not exist in the developed world, yet we still choose to be slaves and work as robots to acquire an invented idea called money. Interesting.

Why do we do this, and what excuses do we and society have?

• We need to work to pay our bills
• We need to work to put food on the table
• We need to work to pay our mortgage
• We need to work to pay for our luxuries

All of the above may be true and we may not see them as excuses because they are a question of financial survival, however ultimately they are all choices we have made and at any given point in time, we can choose to undo those choices with little severe impact in most cases:

• If you have bills to pay, you can cut your losses by reducing uncritical expenditure e.g. moving to a simpler phone package (pay as you go perhaps?), using the internet at your library, watching freeview TV or YouTube videos only etc. Point being: a lot of our expenses are comfort expenses, they are not really necessary for survival.
• For example, if you're paying a mortgage, you could sell your house to pay it off or rent it out to a set of tenants and live in cheap rented accommodation yourself, or move in with a friend or relative. Point being: stop complaining that it's not possible and start thinking outside of the box.
• The only thing necessary for survival of you and your family/children is food. Food luckily we can actually grow ourselves with little effort, in the meantime you can cut back on luxury foods, and still eat comfortably. Worst comes to worst, you can take your family to a Gurdwara everyday for sustenance. Point being: regular healthy food is easy to obtain.
• We don't need many luxuries, they just make life more comfortable, but we don't need them. Also, chances are that you're not really a big spender and you only need bouts of comfort from time to time e.g. a holiday, a spa day, a cruise etc. Also, cutting out luxuries does not mean living poor, it means living smart. For example, selling old clothes and buying new clothes, instead of just accumulating new clothes! Point being: don't live poor, live smart

The underlying rule to all of this rambling? THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY IF YOU LOOK HARD ENOUGH!

I admittedly have always spent a few hours in my job, working on my own personal projects whether it be coordinating the development of a new piece of exciting software (like Sikher), tinkering with a website, managing an event, or even writing an article such as this one. Working a few hours on my own projects, after finishing all of my work at work, always gave me some breathing space, some sanity - it was an opportunity for me to express my full set of skills and qualities, which could not really be expressed in any of my work tasks.

Also, I often finished my entire day's work in a couple of hours, partially because I would find an automated way to complete my task, especially if it was a repetitive one. My managers would often get tired of having to set me new tasks, so in the interim I would work on my own, much more fulfilling projects.

My philosophy has always been that computers are designed and specialised in doing repetitive, automated tasks, so why should I do them? My time as a human being should be spent doing what no computer can do: bringing forth new creative ideas and concepts into reality. These very powerful (and somewhat spiritual) ideas in me meant that I could never be fulfilled doing a job and also that no job could stretch me to my true potential. I therefore one day declared to myself that I would NEVER WORK IN A JOB EVER AGAIN.

It's a pretty powerful statement to make, and there's no turning back from it. I went against every advice given to me, and have never looked back since. One can survive quite easily, comfortably without needing to work as such. Perhaps bouts of doing a few businesses deals, selling products or services here and there would not go amiss, but money is not a requirement for life, richness is.

Richness comes from within, when you feel completely fulfilled and at peace with yourself. Richness is beyond all wealth. Even an investment banker isn't as rich as me, I'm one of the richest human beings in the Universe because I have the freedom to live in joy, express my heart, do what I love, have all the time to do it in, have only deadlines which I create myself, and have the whole world's possibilities at my fingertips, the power to create anything or destroy anything, all with humility, gratitude and compassion.

Lakshmi - Goddess of Wealth

Let me destroy another lingering doubt in your mind, the thought you need money to create something or do something. You don't need money ladies and gentlemen, you need the unwavering commitment and desire to pursue something. You should be so convinced that you can achieve it, that everyone around you also becomes convinced, and out of those who are convinced one will become your financier. Money will come to you!

Do not think about money, think about how to add true value to people, how you can serve and give people what they are truly seeking, how you can contribute to their lives. Give without any expectations of return. This is where our trust in spiritual wisdom is tested because there are no two ways about it, we must apply the wisdom to get the result, else we fall into the traps of the survival mind, running after money again and again and again. Let Lakshmi chase you, Vishnu will be jealous and give you anything to get his wife back.

The result of all this? I hope you will start freeing up your time to help contribute to other people's lives, rather than living a selfish lifestyle where you are trapped in the mode of survival. If a lot of people begin to do this and free themselves from their self-created trappings, we then have enough people to build a new world full of joy, freedom and abundance. Right now, most people would LOVE to start an ashram or a school in India or create their own charity or business, but never have the time to do it. Imagine what people could create if they knew they did not HAVE to work, and that the idea we HAVE to work is the biggest lie any parent, teacher or government ever told us? Just imagine...Sat Naam.

Work Less, Live More!

Most people opt to work 9 to 5 in a job, and maybe spend less than 5 weeks a year on holiday enjoying life with loved ones, exploring new things or working on fulfilling personal projects - WHAT A SHAME! We live in a so called 'modern society' which pretends to have all the answers but cannot even allow its own citizens to be free from a system which is akin to slavery or robotics. The truth is: slavery does not exist in the developed world, yet we still choose to be slaves and work as robots to acquire an invented idea called money. Interesting.

Why do we do this, and what excuses do we and society have?

• We need to work to pay our bills
• We need to work to put food on the table
• We need to work to pay our mortgage
• We need to work to pay for our luxuries

All of the above may be true and we may not see them as excuses because they are a question of financial survival, however ultimately they are all choices we have made and at any given point in time, we can choose to undo those choices with little severe impact in most cases:

• If you have bills to pay, you can cut your losses by reducing uncritical expenditure e.g. moving to a simpler phone package (pay as you go perhaps?), using the internet at your library, watching freeview TV or YouTube videos only etc. Point being: a lot of our expenses are comfort expenses, they are not really necessary for survival.
• For example, if you're paying a mortgage, you could sell your house to pay it off or rent it out to a set of tenants and live in cheap rented accommodation yourself, or move in with a friend or relative. Point being: stop complaining that it's not possible and start thinking outside of the box.
• The only thing necessary for survival of you and your family/children is food. Food luckily we can actually grow ourselves with little effort, in the meantime you can cut back on luxury foods, and still eat comfortably. Worst comes to worst, you can take your family to a Gurdwara everyday for sustenance. Point being: regular healthy food is easy to obtain.
• We don't need many luxuries, they just make life more comfortable, but we don't need them. Also, chances are that you're not really a big spender and you only need bouts of comfort from time to time e.g. a holiday, a spa day, a cruise etc. Also, cutting out luxuries does not mean living poor, it means living smart. For example, selling old clothes and buying new clothes, instead of just accumulating new clothes! Point being: don't live poor, live smart

The underlying rule to all of this rambling? THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY IF YOU LOOK HARD ENOUGH!

I admittedly have always spent a few hours in my job, working on my own personal projects whether it be coordinating the development of a new piece of exciting software (like Sikher), tinkering with a website, managing an event, or even writing an article such as this one. Working a few hours on my own projects, after finishing all of my work at work, always gave me some breathing space, some sanity - it was an opportunity for me to express my full set of skills and qualities, which could not really be expressed in any of my work tasks.

Also, I often finished my entire day's work in a couple of hours, partially because I would find an automated way to complete my task, especially if it was a repetitive one. My managers would often get tired of having to set me new tasks, so in the interim I would work on my own, much more fulfilling projects.

My philosophy has always been that computers are designed and specialised in doing repetitive, automated tasks, so why should I do them? My time as a human being should be spent doing what no computer can do: bringing forth new creative ideas and concepts into reality. These very powerful (and somewhat spiritual) ideas in me meant that I could never be fulfilled doing a job and also that no job could stretch me to my true potential. I therefore one day declared to myself that I would NEVER WORK IN A JOB EVER AGAIN.

It's a pretty powerful statement to make, and there's no turning back from it. I went against every advice given to me, and have never looked back since. One can survive quite easily, comfortably without needing to work as such. Perhaps bouts of doing a few businesses deals, selling products or services here and there would not go amiss, but money is not a requirement for life, richness is.

Richness comes from within, when you feel completely fulfilled and at peace with yourself. Richness is beyond all wealth. Even an investment banker isn't as rich as me, I'm one of the richest human beings in the Universe because I have the freedom to live in joy, express my heart, do what I love, have all the time to do it in, have only deadlines which I create myself, and have the whole world's possibilities at my fingertips, the power to create anything or destroy anything, all with humility, gratitude and compassion.

Lakshmi - Goddess of Wealth

Let me destroy another lingering doubt in your mind, the thought you need money to create something or do something. You don't need money ladies and gentlemen, you need the unwavering commitment and desire to pursue something. You should be so convinced that you can achieve it, that everyone around you also becomes convinced, and out of those who are convinced one will become your financier. Money will come to you!

Do not think about money, think about how to add true value to people, how you can serve and give people what they are truly seeking, how you can contribute to their lives. Give without any expectations of return. This is where our trust in spiritual wisdom is tested because there are no two ways about it, we must apply the wisdom to get the result, else we fall into the traps of the survival mind, running after money again and again and again. Let Lakshmi chase you, Vishnu will be jealous and give you anything to get his wife back.

The result of all this? I hope you will start freeing up your time to help contribute to other people's lives, rather than living a selfish lifestyle where you are trapped in the mode of survival. If a lot of people begin to do this and free themselves from their self-created trappings, we then have enough people to build a new world full of joy, freedom and abundance. Right now, most people would LOVE to start an ashram or a school in India or create their own charity or business, but never have the time to do it. Imagine what people could create if they knew they did not HAVE to work, and that the idea we HAVE to work is the biggest lie any parent, teacher or government ever told us? Just imagine...Sat Naam.

Scepticism and Infinity of the Human Being

Anything that promotes the infinity of human being shall always be naturally returned with a degree of scepticism, not only because human being has a tendency to be negative due to the negative mind being imbalanced, but also that human beings are a slave to their mind and ego to which the concept of infinity is a threat.

Therefore, it is not the soul of a person which has a problem which an expansion of consciousness, it is the mind which wants to remain the master. People are being played by the game of their mind and yet remain oblivious to this process. The process is a paradox. It is a paradox because in order to become free from the game of the mind, human beings must expand their consciousness, however, human beings are unaware they have to expand their consciousness because they remain blinded by the ego and the limited mind. Therefore, it is only through an experience or insight of the soul, which sometimes shines through, that this separation of mind, ego and soul becomes clearer and human being sets off on the path to realise their true unlimited selves within themselves. This is why human beings require a technology or tool to find the areas in which the ego and mind are playing a game, to become aware of their processes and in that awareness, become their master and not their slave.

However, even becoming unlimited is only part of the process. If a person has the power to do anything in the universe, it will bring a lot of satisfaction, but it shall not fulfil the person. Even if a human being learns to serve people, it shall bring happiness, but not fulfilment. Fulfilment is being fully-filled with love. This can only happen through a relationship. A worldly relationship may feel very fulfilling, but it is limited by time and space. Time because everyone must one day die and space because unless the person who you fall in love with is present, the separation causes pain. Worldly relationships are where a lot of technologies of finding infinity end, but it is where Sikh Dharma begins. Sikh Dharma allows the human being to fall in love with the Universal Consciousness which is beyond time and space, beyond birth and death. It is through this union with Universal Consciousness, God, Krishna, Vaheguru, Ram, Allah, whatever your terminology, that total fulfilment is possible. It is a love which never dies and is completely unconditional.

Together with being unlimited in being and fulfilled with unconditional love, the spiritual aspirant is ready to share and serve all people seeking the same spiritual path. In spiritual terminology these two concepts are known as Shakti and Bhakti. Shakti is power and Bhakti is devotion. Through a balance of Shakti and Bhakti, it is possible to become powerful yet graceful, and grounded yet intuitive. These are the two wings of a spiritual aspirant. An imbalance between these two forces, causes a person to walk towards their fate instead of their destiny. The fate is a series of causes and effects which lead a person into a reality that is not their destiny. The destiny of all human beings is to find the stillness and oneness within themselves.

In practical terms, you can develop Shakti through Kundalini Yoga, Kriya Yoga or other forms of spiritual unfolding and personal development which expands your being and your projection. However, Bhakti is developed through service of others (Seva or Karma Yoga), singing God's praises (Simran or Bhakti Yoga) and reading scriptures which make the head bow to the heart (Bani or Naad Yoga). Whatever spiritual path you take, you should make sure it is a tried and tested path to reach your inner infinity. If people in the past have followed such a path and found their Divine Indweller, then you can be sure it shall work for you, so long as you follow the tenants of that path with complete sincerity and submission. Therefore, it is important to chose a path and stick to it irrespective of your own judgements, scepticism and feelings. For nothing is as it seems, and strange are the ways of the masters and teachers.

Scepticism and Infinity of the Human Being

Anything that promotes the infinity of human being shall always be naturally returned with a degree of scepticism, not only because human being has a tendency to be negative due to the negative mind being imbalanced, but also that human beings are a slave to their mind and ego to which the concept of infinity is a threat.

Therefore, it is not the soul of a person which has a problem which an expansion of consciousness, it is the mind which wants to remain the master. People are being played by the game of their mind and yet remain oblivious to this process. The process is a paradox. It is a paradox because in order to become free from the game of the mind, human beings must expand their consciousness, however, human beings are unaware they have to expand their consciousness because they remain blinded by the ego and the limited mind. Therefore, it is only through an experience or insight of the soul, which sometimes shines through, that this separation of mind, ego and soul becomes clearer and human being sets off on the path to realise their true unlimited selves within themselves. This is why human beings require a technology or tool to find the areas in which the ego and mind are playing a game, to become aware of their processes and in that awareness, become their master and not their slave.

However, even becoming unlimited is only part of the process. If a person has the power to do anything in the universe, it will bring a lot of satisfaction, but it shall not fulfil the person. Even if a human being learns to serve people, it shall bring happiness, but not fulfilment. Fulfilment is being fully-filled with love. This can only happen through a relationship. A worldly relationship may feel very fulfilling, but it is limited by time and space. Time because everyone must one day die and space because unless the person who you fall in love with is present, the separation causes pain. Worldly relationships are where a lot of technologies of finding infinity end, but it is where Sikh Dharma begins. Sikh Dharma allows the human being to fall in love with the Universal Consciousness which is beyond time and space, beyond birth and death. It is through this union with Universal Consciousness, God, Krishna, Vaheguru, Ram, Allah, whatever your terminology, that total fulfilment is possible. It is a love which never dies and is completely unconditional.

Together with being unlimited in being and fulfilled with unconditional love, the spiritual aspirant is ready to share and serve all people seeking the same spiritual path. In spiritual terminology these two concepts are known as Shakti and Bhakti. Shakti is power and Bhakti is devotion. Through a balance of Shakti and Bhakti, it is possible to become powerful yet graceful, and grounded yet intuitive. These are the two wings of a spiritual aspirant. An imbalance between these two forces, causes a person to walk towards their fate instead of their destiny. The fate is a series of causes and effects which lead a person into a reality that is not their destiny. The destiny of all human beings is to find the stillness and oneness within themselves.

In practical terms, you can develop Shakti through Kundalini Yoga, Kriya Yoga or other forms of spiritual unfolding and personal development which expands your being and your projection. However, Bhakti is developed through service of others (Seva or Karma Yoga), singing God's praises (Simran or Bhakti Yoga) and reading scriptures which make the head bow to the heart (Bani or Naad Yoga). Whatever spiritual path you take, you should make sure it is a tried and tested path to reach your inner infinity. If people in the past have followed such a path and found their Divine Indweller, then you can be sure it shall work for you, so long as you follow the tenants of that path with complete sincerity and submission. Therefore, it is important to chose a path and stick to it irrespective of your own judgements, scepticism and feelings. For nothing is as it seems, and strange are the ways of the masters and teachers.