Inspiration for my life with wisdom: ੴ An approach to the mystery of oneness

An approach to the mystery of the eternal unity of life is found in the opening verse of Gurbani in the Guru Granth Sahib (GGS). There, timeless and universal spiritual wisdom (Gurmat) is gathered that is at the heart of Sikhi. Credits: Unsplash

Contemplation and Meditation for a Life with Wisdom

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ GGS, 1, M.1

ੴ
Ek Oankar
One Infinite Creative Unfolding of Oneness

Through all living beings flows the divine light, awakening them with unconditional love to life. All that lives is connected through this eternal divine force. It unites every conceivable virtue and all seeming opposites, such as masculine and feminine. This force holds everything together and guides the workings of the cosmos according to timeless principles.

I sense the workings of the Divine. I feel a loving belonging to the wholeness of being. I trust this eternal oneness and surrender to it. I transcend human-made beliefs, dogmas, ideologies and separations. I walk this path alone and yet in community. I heal and become one again - and contribute to unity among people.

ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ
Sate Namu*
True essence

What is true lasts forever. Lies, deception, dreams and all that the senses perceive pass away.

I make myself honest and become aware of my strengths and weaknesses. I see my shortcomings as fields of learning and healing. More and more, my heart connects with the wisdom of life. I lovingly awaken it in my daily actions. And so I see through the fleeting and the perishable. I lead a spiritual life and remain truthful - even when I encounter resistance.

ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ
Karta Purakhu
Creative being

The creative and evolutionary force of the Divine creates, sustains and transforms all life. The Divine acts through creation and through nature.

I feel myself as part of an ongoing transformation. I recognize that I am a divine being full of ideas and originality. I consciously use the creativity gifted to me for the good - for myself, my fellow beings, the animal world and nature. I transform myself - and life.

ਨਿਰਭਉ
Nirbou
Without fear

Courageous are those who walk their path with humility and without fear, accepting change as a natural part of life.

I live with dignity - and at the same time recognize that within the limitations of my being lies freedom. I neither allow myself to be frightened nor frighten others. Uninfluenced by others, I walk joyfully and courageously along the virtuous path of spirituality and wisdom. I accept birth and death fearlessly as natural transformations of life.

ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ
Nirwaeru
Without enmity

Where love blossoms, enmity withers. Where unity shines, dualism dissolves.

I am in harmony with myself - and fulfilled within my own being. I do not diminish anyone in order to elevate myself. I maintain the boundaries of my being and respect those of others. I perceive the same light in all and overcome anger, hatred, arrogance, prejudice and exclusion. I contribute to peace - first within myself and then outwardly.

ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ
Akal Murate
Of timeless manifestation

The Divine is beyond time and form - and at the same time manifests in all appearances that exist.

I feel the wonder of the present moment. I align my being with the now and shape it consciously. I feel the essence and beauty of life. I recognize that I am a spiritual being - not a biological robot. I leave behind identification with my body and all that is transient. I feel the eternal within me.

ਅਜੂਨੀ
Ajuni
Beyond incarnation

Change and movement are life. Stagnation is death.

I recognize life as a cycle - and move beyond linear thinking. My physical death becomes the changing of a garment and an expansion of the horizon. One door closes, another opens. Nothing essential in me is lost. My identity and body fade. The spiritual essence of my existence, which connects us all in the heart, remains: love, light and wisdom. When I embody this triad, I leave the cycle of birth and death.

ਸੈਭੰ
Saibhang
Estranged from one’s own origin

To remain in harmony with the flow of life is a high art. The danger of becoming estranged from the origin of life is ever present.

I admit that I easily estrange myself from the eternal source of love, light, and wisdom. I wish to be connected again with my true spiritual family, the home of all enlightened souls. I overcome the hubris that makes me believe I could exist without them. I become a humble guest in the diaspora of life.

ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Gur Prasade.
Through the grace of spiritual wisdom.

Divine grace is ever present - in the scent of a flower, in a drop of rain, in the smile of a child and in the counsel of a wise person.

I am grateful, for I recognize the preciousness of life. I accept life as a place of healing and spiritual blossoming. I trust in the grace that brings me into harmony with the eternal oneness. I surrender to this grace - it carries me, especially in difficult times. Like a river, I let myself be guided by the inner voice of grace and wisdom. I heal my spiritual fracture and return to my wholeness. The drop merges with the ocean. I become one again.

* Vowels that appear at the end of a word in Gurmukhi usually carry meaning. Depending on context, they can indicate singular or plural, or masculine or feminine form. Ending vowels are only lightly pronounced. Vowels within a word, however, are usually pronounced fully.