You may question why even people who have had Covid before, or who are vaccinated, are still getting Covid these days? The answer is simple: a highly infectious variant of Covid- the most contagious of all so far- has emerged as the dominant strain these days, more so on the East Coast than on the West Coast. Also, vaccinations’ protection against infection significantly decreases over one year (though protection against severe disease or death last longer)
Why do we have this new strain? - This virus continuously mutates, and as it mutates it becomes more difficult for the body’s immune system to recognize it, so the virus can become more elusive and contagious) …
Community Articles
By Ravitej Khalsa
Pickleball comes to Espanola and it in the Sikh Community gym. Following the example of Chavez Center in Santa Fe, the little gym has added Pickleball Court lines to the Basketball Court to allow both sports to use the Gym.
Shown are the first to play Pickleball on the new court on a Saturday Morning. The Gym will continue to be used for Basketball for the Sikh Community and for kids sports training lead by Ronnie Lopez.
Recently, a question arose about the correct mantra to recite while carrying the Siri Guru Granth Sahib during Sukhasan at the end of our Gurdwara ceremonies. For many years, the Espanola Gurdwara mostly chanted "Kal Akal Siri Akal Maha Akal Akal Moorat Waheguru". However, this mantra does not exist in any manuals or anywhere online. Alternatively, the mantra "Kal Akal Siri Kal Maha Akal Akal Moorat (Waheguru)" is listed in the KRI Teacher Training manual and was recorded by Guru Shabad Singh at the Siri Singh Sahib's request. Additionally, Los Angeles Gurdwara kirtanis only play "Kal A
Please understand one thing, forgiveness is as much a benefit for the forgiver as it is for the forgiven. Yes, I know the value for others, but what it does for the forgiver is beyond the beyond. It’s God’s gift, that’s why it’s beyond any limit and recognized in God’s world as Godliness. Please, let me explain.
I confess, these title words are not mine. They come from a song a long time ago in my past. Only, patience isn’t the original word. I’ve chosen to replace the original word ‘love’ with ‘patience’. Naturally, both work, but patience is now our focus, so l changed the word.
If you run out of patience, patience is lost, destroyed. There is no second place trophy. If a person loses patience at 99%, all 100% of patience is gone. The game is up. Sure, patience can be recaptured, we fail many times on our way to success, but at this point it’s gone.
Tolerance is the capacity to have a relationship with someone, or something which you oppose, and do it without anger, fear, vengeance or guilt. In fact without any insecurity whatsoever. Now, I didn’t say accept. Acceptance is not a part of tolerance. Acceptance is agreement. Tolerance, by its nature, cannot include acceptance. Otherwise, there would be no need or tolerance. Respect for the way another thinks is the replacement for acceptance. Respect allows for tolerance without acceptance.
Gurdwara is a place to just praise Guru ji. Sure, ask for your needs, it’s very worthwhile, nevertheless in praising Guru ji, Gurdwara is the place and way to garner His grace. Doing what He likes does wonders for the soul. Praising Him in His house with His sangat is what He likes best. God is love, so praising love of God and Guru is of the highest value. This is our Sikh Dharma standard.
We in this dharma have the greatest blessing, but forget it all the time. Everyone wants hope in life. It’s the sexiest thing on the planet. We who practice Sikh Dharma don’t just want hope, we live in it. Our hope, our dream, are our standard has come true. We are our hope, but do we remember it, revere it, enjoy it?
Living our hope means living our way out of the hustle and bustle of this world. We do this through compassion, exemplified by patience, tolerance and forgiveness. That doesn’t mean that we are not prepared for everything, we are, but these virtues define us, they remain our standard.
How can He, God, do such good things as well as evil acts? Well, as all holy books tell us, as our history verifies, and as our experiences attests to, everything, and I mean everything, is under Gods command, God’s will. So, how can He be both good and evil?
This question has been the essence of a doubtful student’s journey since time began. How can God create a Holocaust, make a Charles Manson, and still be a loving God? It’s hard to get. Please let me explain.