Page 32 - Masala E-magazine Vol 9 Issue 5 April - May 2018

EVENTS

A Spiritual Awakening

Bhai Satpal Singh’s four-day workshop and conversational

sessions in Bangkok were truly an inspiring event that touched
the lives of many from the community.
B Y J A SNAM S ACHDE V

rom March 17th to 20th, the Bangkok Indian community Discover what others have to say…
had the opportunity to welcome Bhai Satpal Singh
F from the United Kingdom. Bhai Satpal Singh is a “I have never had any eureka moments, but what his talks
did do is take Sikhi out of Gurdwara and into my life. My
teacher, friend, lecturer and mentor, who is the founder of a
. This group was created with the
charity called Nanak Naam. This group was created with the perception of Sikhi seemed to be limited or within the
boundaries of specifi c codes of conduct, or dos and don’ts,
( ), which is a core
intention to spread the message of One-ness ( ), which is a core
aspect inherent in the Teachings of the Gurus contained within as dictated by a very traditional Sikh community. The fact
that he is able to tie our Guruji’s words with modern life and
Siri Guru Granth Sahib. The vision of Nanak Naam is to “inspire
people to discover and live as the highest form of themselves.” discuss it in a way that relates to my life, encourages me to
befriend the Guru.” — Age 40
Over the course of Bhai “One of the beautiful things Bhai Satpal Singh said about
Satpal Singh’s days in Sikhism is that we do not impose our ways on others
Bangkok, there were many because there are many entry points. And what works for
events held for different one may not work for others.”— Age 50
age groups. He conducted
a series of sessions in “I liked the steps he gave for us to be more focused
the form of lectures, in whatever we do. I’m defi nitely going to try
workshops, meditation mindfulforamonth.org.” — Age 40
and activities in multiple locations during which he covered a “Bhai Satpal Singh’s sessions were very inspirational as it gave
number of topics on the relevance of the Guru’s teachings in me a better understanding of Gurbani. I liked his examples,
today’s world, along with practical methods of implementation. because they were very practical and realistic.” — Age 25
Bhai Satpal Singh’s sessions gave attendees the opportunity to
gain insight into the concept of One-ness. People were given “I have attended all of Bhai Satpal Singh’s events in
the chance to ask questions and were encouraged to share Bangkok and felt that I have gained a tremendous amount
their views. in terms of learning about how practical Gursikhi really is.
There is still so much more that has to be digested, but I
His visit was extremely well-received by the Indian community feel that a lot of people have benefi tted from him being
in Bangkok. The attendees gained a great deal of understanding here.” — Age 38
and depth of the Sikh way of life. The language barrier that had
always been a constraint to understanding was fi nally lifted. All “A great insight into how to bring up our kids with Sikhi built
of Bhai Satpal Singh’s talks were conducted in English, which into them from a very young age.” — Age 32
allowed people to connect with the words of the Guru on a much “He helped me learn to unlearn and realise what I never
more meaningful level.
even thought about. I thoroughly enjoyed the meditation
session and Q&As. It was nice to meet someone who can
Bhai Satpal Singh made Gurbani relevant to everyday life and answer questions and help us understand the concept
provided a fresh perspective on how to better discover the words of oneness.” — Age 28
of the Guru. It is hoped that he returns to Bangkok for another
visit in the near future. “I had an amazing experience at the Sikh retreat; all the
sessions challenged my mind in a very different way,
To learn more about Nanak Naam, visit their Youtube whether it was the question of who am I or the question of
channel, Nanak Naam, which contains a series of videos who is God.” — Age 16
related to questions one might be asking about Sikhi in
today’s world. “Spirituality is no longer out of reach for me.” — Age 24

32 Masala Magazine
APRIL - MAY 2018