The power of IK!

As a student studying History and Civics in school I have often read about caste, gender, and religion-based inequality in our society. You are a Muslim; you do not belong to our religion. You are a Shudra (untouchable), you are not allowed in public places and roaming on the streets where the high noble people and Brahmans walk. You are a girl, you cannot go to the school, only boys have the privilege, you need to stay at home and help your mother with household chores. You are girl, you cannot wear a janeu (a sacred cotton thread). It is worn by all boys and upper caste people like the Kshatriya's to protect themselves. Oh, you are from a lower caste, you do not have the privilege to wear this janeu. Go away, I will not let my child play with you as you are from the group of Vaishyas.

I often wonder why is there inequality among people? Why isn’t there oneness? Why are we not IK and united?

What is IK? What is the power of IK? Why should we follow IK? Who brought in this concept of IK? What is its importance? How to feel this oneness?

On April 15, 1469, in Talvandi there was a Prakash in this world. A great soul was born. This day is celebrated as the Prakashpurab of the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus - Guru Nanak Dev ji. The messenger who had a great belief in God and oneness and preached to everyone about IK- God is one, the power of Sach (truth) and is known for fighting demons with his peace of mind and love for all. Tired of listening about the differences existing in the society, Nanak wanted to find a solution to improve the quality of peoples’ mind. So he brought in the concept of IK, a simple word which could be comprehended by people speaking varied languages. He started the Japji Sahib with the word IK and throughout the baani he has shared the jewels to becoming IK, understanding IK. My Nanak shares that there is only the one energy which is the universal God of all and has created all the things that are there in this world. Before we all were born, there was only this one energy. There was nothing else. Now as we all are born, we are also a part of this energy. We are and will always be the part of this energy.

My Nanak says that if everyone is a part of this energy and there is nothing else apart from this energy, then how is there difference and discrimination between us all. We all are the kids of the Akaal Purakh Waheguru. Why is there a difference in our caste, creed, background, economic status, religion, manners? My Nanak preached that there is no one religion or caste, we only belong to the religion and understanding of oneness. We all are a part of that oneness. 

A tree, an animal, a mirror, a man, a poor man, a rich man, a tall boy, a short girl, an intelligent girl, a dumb boy etc. are in different forms but the same IK resides in them all. We all are in different forms, through all of us light is being reflected in different ways but the same light is in all of us. 

IK Noor te sabh jag upajaya- God is a feeling. There is no difference in the light. We all are made up by that energy. There is only one power and energy. This energy has created everybody, That IK energy is in everybody, is reflecting in everybody and is also a part of one. That IK is all around us, and we are that light, we are that IK. This IK is not a man or a guru, it is an energy

For example - I tell my brother “I am better than you”. Does that make any sense - No.
I have the same light, I am part of that same light, I am that light and I am reflecting the same light and so is my brother. My brother is also reflecting the same light and he himself is the same light. The same God or IK that is sitting in me is sitting in him also. There is no difference in the energy, there is no good or bad, there is no jealousy or hatred. 

Now imagine that you are sitting on the shore of the sea or an ocean. There is water all around. Now one drop from the shore goes away with the wave and mixes with the ocean water. Now we cannot find that drop. Even though it is there in the ocean, it is made up of the ocean but we can’t find it. In the ocean there is water and in water there is ocean. Saagar meh bund, bund meh saagar kavan buj hai bidh janai - The drop is in the ocean and the ocean is in the drop. So, the whole ocean in one. Outside the drop there is water. There is water inside the drop and the the drop itself is water.
Just like I am the part of IK and the IK is a part of me. There is no difference, we are the same. 

Jo brahmande soee pinde-That energy is outside, that energy is within and that I am that energy. There is no difference in the the universe’s energy and my energy. 

To summarize my discussion, I would like to conclude that "Everything I see, everywhere I see, whether it looks different, whether it is a boy or a girl who is intelligent or not so intelligent there is only one energy, there is no difference in the energy, it is the same energy running into us, we are that energy, we are connected with that energy, and we all are one".

    The perspective of writing this as the first word in the Gurbani was to see and feel oneness in everyone and become a part of it. We can be a part of this IK and oneness by doing Simran and reading Banni and focus our thoughts to the right direction just like my Nanak’s. The nourishment of our soul and cleansing and recharging of our mind is done by reading Banni and inculcating the jewels shared in it. 

Let us all believe in the one universal energy - THE AKAAL PURAKH WAHEGURU who is the God of us all. 

You know, this IK, the divine light and energy and the universal Waheguru has many qualities like - the name of Waheguru is always the sat (truth)(saccha naam). Waheguru ji is karta purakh. This divine light is constantly working, it never gets tired because the energy always manifests in this light and Waheguru ji is always in connection with that energy. Waheguru is nirbhau, this energy is without fear. Waheguru ji is nirvair, this IK does not have hatred for anyone. It only knows the language of love. 

So let us understand in a concise manner what NANAK says about this IK

Close your eyes and imagine - 

• We are made from that energy.
• There is the same energy in each creation
• Around us there is the same one energy
• Everywhere there is this same energy
• We are made up of this energy
• We are that energy
• There is only this one energy and everything that exists is because of this energy
• We are made of that IK
• ONE is all around us
• Everything is ONE
• There is one light just different reflections
• All these reflections merge to IK

We are able to see the difference, but there is no difference.

All the wisdom that the gurus and saints have shared with us in the Guru Granth sahib was given to understand the concept of IK. The jewels that have been shared with us through the 1430 ang (pages) in the Guru Granth sahib was to make us understand IK and inculcate it in our daily lives. 

LET'S BE A PART OF THIS ONENESS