How do I get my sister interested in Sikhi?

[Guest NeedSomeAdvice]

WGJKK WGJKF!

Dear Sangat Ji, I am a Punjabi guy who needs advice on getting his sister more interested in Sikhi. Our family lives in the west, and our upbringing was not very religious at all, apart from going to Gurdwara once a week. I am 20 years old and started to explore Sikhi on my own, to find out more about my past, and I fell in love with it. I am not the most practicing Sikh, but am trying to make myself better. I have started doing more sewa and am currently in the process of learning Japji Sahib. So I am making some progress.

The thing is, I want my sister to experience the same joy that I found in Sikhi, but I am having difficulty getting her to open up to it. You see, she is 17, and when I was 17, I was a lot like her. I was not religious at all and didn't want to have anything to do with it. My sister has even told me that she doesn't want to marry a religious guy, and I thought that was disappointing. But the thing is, as I matured, I grew out of that way of thinking and realized Sikhi for the beautiful path it is. So I harbor the hope that my sister will go down a similar route as me and one day accept Sikhi into her life.

But I would really like to just speed up the process, since I know there is a lot in the religion she could connect to. She has told me in the past that she likes being in the Gurdwara and listening to the kirtans, it is very peaceful to her. She does go to Gurdwara with me, so that is a positive. It's not like she's a bad girl, don't get me wrong. She has good friends, does well in school, no drugs or alcohol or partying or anything like that. I just need to find a way to make her connect. I feel like going to the Gurdwara and listenting to kirtan by itself won't do much, since even though we both find it peaceful, neither of us can fully understand it. I have thought about getting her to try Japji Sahib with me, but am not sure how she would react. I would also like to maybe introduce her to some knowledgable GurSikhs, but again, don't know if she would go through with it.

Any thoughts on how to bring a non-religious Punjabi girl back to Sikhi? It is just the two of us, we love each other a lot, and I want for her what the Guru has given to me

[Guest kaur]

I can guarantee this will work. Don't 'force' anything, but tell her the story of the chote sahibzade, with full pyaar and emotian and that will influence her, a story on shaheeds sacrificing themselves for the love of Guru jee always works.

also, encourage her to do what she likes, for example, if she like kirtan, ask her to play it to you, you sing along, get her to sing along , listen to it more and tell her inspriing stories. Such as, hemkunt sahibs miracles and make her believe the stories, they are history not myths and tell her how different we are to hindus/muslims etc and that sikhi isnt our religion, it is our JAAN.

About marriage, thats her own opinion but try and tell her how beautifuul the singhs look, and that monas just look wimpy compared to them lol.

[HSD2]

Set the example and if she wants to she wont need to be lectured, she'll do it herself.

[panthicunity]

play gurmat sangeet in raag ...... especially asa di vaar in the mornings ..

music is what did me in .... I used to be a hardcore athiest

[Jonny101]

. I used to be a hardcore athiest

That explains alot about you. For sure mr johal must have had a similar past ; )

[Guest Guest]

Oh thank you!

For sure I do not want to "force" anything on my sis, I want nothing more than for her to be happy, it is just that in today's day and when there are so many problems in society, I think Sikhi would be an added bonus to anyone's life. Just the other day, I saw a Muslim girl in a hijab sharing a cigarette and making out with a guy behind our Uni, and I thought to myself, her family probably thinks she's perfect and will stay out of trouble because they make her wear the hijab (I doubt she wears it out of free will if she acts like that), and I realized that forcing someone to behave a certain way in your presence isn't going to do any good since that person can and will do whatever when you are not around.

So I don't want to make my sis have to put on this facade in front of me just for my pleasure, I would rather instill a love of Sikhi in her heart so that no matter where she is in life, she can turn to Sikhi for guidance on right and wrong. It is less important to me that she pray or meditate or this or that (although I am sure if everything else happens, she will eventually do that as well), I would rather have her accept the morality put forth by Sikhi and do her best to follow it.

So yes, very good suggestions so far, and I understand I need to set the example. If anyone has any further advice, I would love to hear it!

[DSGj]

That explains alot about you. For sure mr johal must have had a similar past ; )

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL...too funny!

Also, "NeedSomeAdvice"/"Guest" Jee..... best thing is to be a living example yourself. You can only tell her so much. You have to make the leap of faith and become such an example, that you know Guru Gobind SIngh Jee would be proud.

The rest is not in your hands. I have seen anti-Sikh/atheists living within Gursikh households. You cannot control someone else's destiny. They will do what they're going to do. You do what you want to do.

This Shabad is by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Raag Gauree on Pannaa 156

Gauree Chaytee, First Mehla:

Who is our mother, and who is our father? Where did we come from?

We are formed from the fire of the womb within, and the bubble of water of the sperm. For what purpose are we created? ||1||

O my Master, who can know Your Glorious Virtues?

My own demerits cannot be counted. ||1||Pause||

I took the form of so many plants and trees, and so many animals.

Many times I entered the families of snakes and flying birds. ||2||

I broke into the shops of the city and well-guarded palaces; stealing from them, I snuck home again.

I looked in front of me, and I looked behind me, but where could I hide from You? ||3||

I saw the banks of sacred rivers, the nine continents, the shops and bazaars of the cities.

Taking the scale, the merchant begins to weigh his actions within his own heart. ||4||

As the seas and the oceans are overflowing with water, so vast are my own sins.

Please, shower me with Your Mercy, and take pity upon me. I am a sinking stone - please carry me across! ||5||

My soul is burning like fire, and the knife is cutting deep.

Prays Nanak, recognizing the Lord's Command, I am at peace, day and night. ||6||5||17||

This Shabad is by Bhagat Kabeer Ji in Raag Aasaa on Pannaa 481

Aasaa:

Why bother to read the Simritees to a dog?

Why bother to sing the Lord's Praises to the faithless cynic? ||1||

Remain absorbed in the Lord's Name, Raam, Raam, Raam.

Do not bother to speak of it to the faithless cynic, even by mistake. ||1||Pause||

Why offer camphor to a crow?

Why give the snake milk to drink? ||2||

Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, discriminating understanding is attained.

That iron which touches the Philosopher's Stone becomes gold. ||3||

The dog, the faithless cynic, does everything as the Lord causes him to do.

He does the deeds pre-ordained from the very beginning. ||4||

If you take Ambrosial Nectar and irrigate the neem tree with it,

still, says Kabeer, its natural qualities are not changed. ||5||7||20||

This Shabad is by Bhagat Naam Dev Ji in Raag Aasaa on Pannaa 485

Aasaa:

The snake sheds its skin, but does not lose its venom.

The heron appears to be meditating, but it is concentrating on the water. ||1||

Why do you practice meditation and chanting,

when your mind is not pure? ||1||Pause||

That man who feeds like a lion,

is called the god of thieves. ||2||

Naam Dayv's Lord and Master has settled my inner conflicts.

Drink in the sublime elixir of the Lord, O deceitful one. ||3||4||

This Shabad is by Bhagat Ravi Daas Ji in Raag Gujri on Pannaa 525

Goojaree, Paday Of Ravi Daas Jee, Third House:

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

The calf has contaminated the milk in the teats.

The bumble bee has contaminated the flower, and the fish the water. ||1||

O mother, where shall I find any offering for the Lord's worship?

I cannot find any other flowers worthy of the incomparable Lord. ||1||Pause||

The snakes encircle the sandalwood trees.

Poison and nectar dwell there together. ||2||

Even with incense, lamps, offerings of food and fragrant flowers,

how are Your slaves to worship You? ||3||

I dedicate and offer my body and mind to You.

By Guru's Grace, I attain the immaculate Lord. ||4||

I cannot worship You, nor offer You flowers.

Says Ravi Daas, what shall my condition be hereafter? ||5||1||

This Shabad is by Guru Amar Daas Ji in Raag Vadhans on Pannaa 588

Third Mehla:

Wearing ceremonial robes, the fire is not quenched, and the mind is filled with anxiety.

Destroying the snake's hole, the snake is not killed; it is just like doing deeds without a Guru.

Serving the Giver, the True Guru, the Shabad comes to abide in the mind.

The mind and body are cooled and soothed; peace ensues, and the fire of desire is quenched.

The supreme comforts and lasting peace are obtained, when one eradicates ego from within.

He alone becomes a detached Gurmukh, who lovingly focuses his consciousness on the True Lord.

Anxiety does not affect him at all; he is satisfied and satiated with the Name of the Lord.

O Nanak, without the Naam, no one is saved; they are utterly ruined by egotism. ||2||

This Shabad is by Guru Raam Daas Ji in Raag Gauree on Pannaa 171

Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehla:

Within this body-fortress is the Lord, the Sovereign Lord King, but the stubborn ones do not find the taste.

When the Lord, Merciful to the meek, showed His Mercy, I found and tasted it, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||

Lovingly focused upon the Guru, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise has become sweet to me. ||1||Pause||

The

Lord, the Supreme Lord God, is Inaccessible and Unfathomable. Those who

are committed to the True Guru, the Divine Intermediary, meet the Lord.

Those whose hearts are pleased with the Guru's Teachings - the Lord's Presence is revealed to them. ||2||

The hearts of the self-willed manmukhs are hard and cruel; their inner beings are dark.

Even if the poisonous snake is fed large amounts of milk, it will still yield only poison. ||3||

O Lord God, please unite me with the Holy Guru, so that I might joyfully grind and eat the Shabad.

Servant Nanak is the slave of the Guru; in the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, the bitter becomes sweet. ||4||9||23||61||

[gurdeepsinghjohal]

That explains alot about you. For sure mr johal must have had a similar past ; )

No my dear Mr. Johal was taught Gurmukhi(academically it was never my subject) in childhood so he can do paath.

Mr. Johal by the grace of the God when started doing paath, he(god) helped him to learn Gurbani vyakaran.

I do paath and just believe in him. See if it covers you book reader.

ਕਬੀਰ ਸਾਚਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਕਿਆ ਕਰੈ ਜਉ ਸਿਖਾ ਮਹਿ ਚੂਕ ॥

Kabeer Saachaa Sathigur Kiaa Karai Jo Sikhaa Mehi Chook ||

Kabeer, what can the True Guru do, when His Sikhs are at fault?

ਅੰਧੇ ਏਕ ਨ ਲਾਗਈ ਜਿਉ ਬਾਂਸੁ ਬਜਾਈਐ ਫੂਕ ॥੧੫੮॥

Andhhae Eaek N Laagee Jio Baans Bajaaeeai Fook ||158||

The blind do not take in any of His Teachings; it is as useless as blowing into bamboo. ||158||

[Jonny101]

No my dear Mr. Johal was taught Gurmukhi(academically it was never my subject) in childhood so he can do paath.

Mr. Johal by the grace of the God when started doing paath, he(god) helped him to learn Gurbani vyakaran.

You believe in Grace of God? I'm surprised you don't consider that to be metaphorical as well

[gurdeepsinghjohal]

You believe in Grace of God? I'm surprised you don't consider that to be metaphorical as well

LOL I can differentiate between metaphor and reality.

You should come into term that everything bad happens to us is because of our Karmas(deeds) not toona.

You understand Gurbani better then me I quoted shabad from gurbani.

You should understand gurbani then you should say "Sat Sat kar jano"(Jony101 ji its your quote)