Women in Sikhism Radio Show

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ptgfy 

Is Sikhi a Feminist Faith?
Who are the Sikh role models?
Is equality a reality or myth?

From the BBC Radio 4 Show Beyond Belief.

Interesting show- please do make up your own minds. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by Kaurageous.

#InspireASister...your body is sacred.

Muhammad Ali's advice to his daughters..............Inspiring

An incident transpired when Muhammad Ali’s daughters arrived at his home wearing clothes that were quite revealing.
Here is the story as told by one of his daughters:
“When we f...inally arrived, the chauffeur escorted my younger sister, Laila, and me up to my father’s suite. As usual, he was hiding behind the door waiting to scare us. We exchanged many hugs and kisses as we could possibly give in one day.
My father took a good look at us. Then he sat me down on his lap and said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to.
Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected.
Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell.
Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You've got to work hard to get to them.”
He looked at me with serious eyes. “Your body is sacred. You’re far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too.”

Courtesy: Black Dads Rock.

Kaurageous Leicester Statement on Grooming Case

**Kaurageous Leicester Update**

As many of you have heard about sexual grooming within the Leicester area we feel as with Leicester Sikhs we are unable to comment on the specifics of the case. Sadly, there has been a lot of negativity and panic spread which deeply saddens us. As a female empowerment group, our aim is to #InspireASister to engage our sisters in dialogue rather than make them afraid or feel ashamed of their identity as a woman. We, with your support are here to motivate, uplift and inspire through positive articles, educated and evidence based awareness, talks based on Sikh women and our spiritual power as women.

Furthermore, with the increasing prevalence of a 'bedroom culture' we, with your support would like to use social networking as a source of inspiration so our sisters are not infected with the evils of grooming. Please use social media in a positive way by sharing sakhia, katha links, videos, articles etc specifically about women and ways we can connect to Vaheguru.

Inspire and make your sisters feel so valued, so loved that they will not fall into the arms of evils such as grooming, bullying, sexual exploitation etc.

Whilst it is admirable our youngsters are discussing the issue of grooming we feel it is best to do rather than say. Please do support the campaign #wecare to help the recent victim of sexual grooming in Leicester, as the family feels isolated and frightened. These messages will be delivered to SAS on Friday during a talk at GTBG which is about raising awareness not through hatred, rumour, panic (or recent allegations of rape videos) but through informed awareness.

Kaurageous Leicester are not experts in this field so we urge you, in whatever way you can, to support organisations such as Sikh Awareness Society and Kaur-Nect. Use the momentum for positive awareness raising, donating dasvand or offering your specialisms and time. Kaur- Nect is currently looking for volunteers (English and Punjabi) to help with managing the phone lines. Sisters we need your help....whatever you can do no matter how minor. If you are not trained in this field, there is plenty of other Kaurageous seva available...please share your writing, media, graphic etc....talents to help #InspireASister

Furthermore, due to our lack of expertise in this field Kaurageous has contacted organisations such as NSPCC, Barnardos etc who are specialists. Accordingly, resources such as leaflets, brochures and PowerPoints for Gurdwarae and youth groups have been uploaded to

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0f359twbimhz9xb/SwFc-fDmqH

Please share these leaflets about grooming, abuse, sexual abuse, internet safety- which highlight key signs and prevention. Many of our parents are unaware of the dangers of the internet so please find in this folder a PUNJABI LEAFLET explaining e-safety.

Let's continue to be the foot soldiers of Dhan Guru Nanak and spread his teachings and light.

Please forgive all of our shortcomings and advise us on how to do and be better.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0f359twbimhz9xb/SwFc-fDmqH

#wecare

#InspireASister

 

#InspireASister Roxie Kaur Mealey

Roxie Kaur Mealey


I've always been a very spiritual person, I was raised as a Catholic and attended Catholic school until I was 16. During my teen years I began to understand that I was not a Christian as I did not believe in what I was being taught, I liked the morals that were taught through the biblical stories but I didn't believe in the rest of what I was supposed to believe in.

Through my l...ove of witchcraft in film and story from when I was a child, I came to discover Paganism. It was appealing to me because of it's connection to nature and I was partially practicing and identifying as pagan until last year when I felt I was not gaining from the religion, I was meditating but had lost direction, I didn't believe in worshipping of gods and goddesses, I didn't believe that practice of magic in rituals resulted in anything, there wasn't much about myself that I could actually relate to paganism. I was interested in other religions such as Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism and as much as I found them beautiful religions they didn't seem right for me.

I had started dating a Sikh convert, I'd never heard much of Sikhism before, all I knew was that Sikhs wore a turban, kirpan and kacheras but had no idea what the meaning of those things. I slowly started to learn bits about the basics of Sikhism through the guy I was dating and through reading up about it all because I wanted to understand this religion which he loved and was of great importance to him. I began to discover that the beliefs of Sikhism were actually akin to my own; who/what god is, reincarnation, karma, how we should live our lives... everything I was learning about Sikhism fitted me perfectly and since I started to learn, I haven't been able to stop. I started to do simran, paath and listen to kirtan, it surprised me how much it made me feel peace and happiness, and is giving me the spiritual guidance that I'd lost.

There are wonderful changes that have happened in my life already since discovering Sikhi, I have managed to quit smoking and drinking which I did excessively and not proudly, I had numerous piercings which I have removed as my self acceptance is growing.

I'm still very new to Sikhism and there is so much I need and want to learn, and I am still yet to even make my first visit to a Gurdwara, but I feel blessed to have found the Sikh path I'm now on =]See More— with Roxie Kaur Mealey.   Courtesy of Roxie Kaur Mealey and Knowledge for SIkhs (facebook) http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=200156510128398&set=a.174112269399489.56251.100004021514536&type=1&theater

#InspireASister AMAZING TRUE LIFE STORY as narrated by NKJ

The Power of Naam Simran

Inspiring True Story of a Singhni as narrated by Nirvair Khalsa Jatha

December 2012

There’s a sister that lives in Birmingham, I won’t tell you her name as she wants to keep it gupt (she is still alive but doesn’t people constantly calling her). However, I will tell her story as it might adjoin someone to Sikhi. Shaheed Singhs and Singhnia are always with us- don’t ever forget that. This sister went to college and got her GCSE results back, she did really well. To celebrate, the sister and her friends went to Pizza Hut and the cinema to watch a movie. It was then past midnight (12.30am). As it was so late they were scared to go back home, their parents would shout at them- 4/5 girls out alone! They were afraid that they were going to be shouted at by their parents and through fear the sister switched her phone off. The sister said to her friends it’s really late so I’ll go home my way to get home quickly and you go your way. The sister decided to take a short cut through the park- her friends said, no you cannot go alone through a park at 12.30am, anything could happen. However, she refused and proceeded to walk through the park alone.

She walked into the park and there was an African-Caribbean man in the park and when she saw him, she got scared. All she saw was his face. Her mother always told that if you come across a difficult time make sure you do Mool Mantar Abiyhaas (reflection, remembrance & recitation) or Jap Vaheguru Simran. The sister felt she wasn’t too religious but knew she had to do Mool Mantar or Simran just like her mum had told her; whenever you have something difficult or painful in life always Jap Vaheguru- always. So the sister starting Japping as she was about to start walking through the park to reach her house. Once she started walking, the man came towards her and then went back, he came towards her again and went back, and this walking to and fro occurred a total of 5 times. The fifth time, he ran away and she didn’t see him again. Even though he ran away, the sister was still terrified. When she subsequently reached her house, through sheer fear of the man she locked the door. She was also afraid of her parents shouting at her alongside her anxiety and fear of the man. In such deep apprehension and worry, sitting on the sofa she fell asleep.

Next morning when she woke up, she saw the same man on the news (she saw his face the night before), he had been arrested. That same man had taken the honour of a white female. She was so shocked and hurt to learn that a few moments prior to the rape of this innocent white female she was the target! At that exact moment she phoned Crime stoppers who proceeded to ask her how she knew the man (is he a friend or relative?) to which she responded no this is a personal question. She visited the man in prison and sat with in front of him, viewing him through a glass pane. The man could not speak a word of English so had a translator. She had and asked one simple question, you came towards me five times, what stopped you? He responded by saying;

When I came the first time I couldn’t see anything. I was looking at you but it was all a blur. So I went back to clear my eyesight.

The second time I came towards you, you were saying words in your mouth which I didn’t understand. She responded by saying I wasn’t saying anything to anyone, I was just doing my prayers (as per my mum’s instructions).

He went onto say, when I came the second time; the wind was so strong I had to go back.

The third time I came, there were 5 people around you. (This was narrated by the sister herself). He confirmed again, there were 5 people with you, surrounding you. The puzzled sister asked if he was on drugs. She informed him that she was on her own after leaving her friends. She quizzed him on drug taking again and his vision but he was adamant there were 5 people and he was not on drugs; he was scared so stepped away.

The fourth time (remember he has no idea what a Sikh/Singh is or looks like) he described the 5 people. They were wearing long blue robes and big blue cloths on their heads. When I saw that I got scared and ran back.

The fifth time I came towards you, they drew their swords (Kirpans) from the sheaths. They shouted at me in my own language! They said- “leave my sister alone!” When I heard that I ran back and never came back.

The sister thought to herself who could these five be? She went home and narrated the story to her mother and subsequently to a Mahapursh (wise Gursikh). The Mahapursh turned around and said these aren’t ordinary men; these are Shaheed Singhs (martyred Singhs) who are the guardians of our sisters and protectors of the panth! Vaheguru.

The sister’s life has been turned around by this event; you can still meet her today. Her life has changed so much that she wakes up at 12.30am for Ishnaan (bathe) then at 2-4am sits crossed legged and does Simran Abiyhaas. From 4am onwards from Darbar Sahib (on PTC Channel- live Kirtan from Darbar Sahib is streamed) she listens to full Asa Di Vaar Kirtan. She is currently working as a dentist. She is an educated female. Previously, her mother used to complain saying she never recites God’s name but the mother now calls Nirvair Khalsa Jatha to say Beloved sons, now my daughter doesn’t stop reciting Vaheguru’s name. This is the shakti (power) of Shaheed Singhs…these Singhs are still our protectors and guardians! We all go to sleep at night (there are a few amazing Gursikhs who Jap all night), before we sleep let us remember our Shaheed Singhs and Singhnia.

If we remember our Shaheed Singhs- they will remember us!

"Parnaam Shaheedan Nu Jina Neh Jindri Dharam Lai Vaaree"

"I salute those great martyrs who sacrificed their lives for their faith."

#InspireASister via LeicesterSikhs

http://youtu.be/V1y-9q7T4Ag Kaur Power

English Books

Via BasicsofSikhi a great link to a vast array of English books...read, research and reflect on your jeevan:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/id7crkcslzi3e0p/PBVhXDvFv0/Sikh-Books-English