By Gurnam Singh | Opinion |
Though I don’t think I was ever ‘religious’, as I have began to understand the true message and mission of Sikhi, I have also come to the realisation that in order to connect with the divine or divinity, one needs to steer clear of religion and all kinds of religious dogma and paraphernalia.
I am not condemning religion as such, for I believe many religious organisations, from all traditions, do some wonderful humanitarian work and also provide a place for community and friendship. It’s just that I don’t think one needs religion or religious buildings to remind us of our divine essence, or duties to humanity and nature.
I totally accept that religions and traditions associated with them are part of our social, historical and cultural landscape and that some of the wonders of the world and human creativity can be found at/in religious places, which I love to visit; who cannot be moved by the immense spectacle of the Vatican, Mecca, Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, Lotus Temple in New Delhi, and many other amazing structures. It’s just that I do not think that divinity is only to be found in religious places; the whole universe is the house of the divine.
I know for some this viewpoint may well be problematic, but I feel I need to be honest about my feelings. I also feel having stepped aside from religious identity politics and focussing on the essence of the universal teachings of Gurbani, I actually feel much closer to divinity, or, if you like, the transcendent soul (Paramatma) or formless entity (Akaal Parakh).
As for my outward expression of Sikhi, for me this forms an integral part of my identity and heritage, both religious and secular. But in the main, I see the turban and 5Ks as a powerful symbol of Sikh sovereignty, and reading Gurbani gives me immense pleasure and insight. I meditate regularly because it helps me to have a clear mind and to strengthen my capacity to be creative and reflective. And all this enables me to appreciate and connect with the divinity that surrounds me all the time.
Gurnam Singh is an academic activist dedicated to human rights, liberty, equality, social and environmental justice. He is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Warwick, UK. He can be contacted at Gurnam.singh.1@warwick.ac.uk
* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
RELATED STORY:
Miracles and Godmen (Asia Samachar, 31 July 2020)
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |
At long last, someone who speaks my language!
Comments are closed.