Jaap Sahib Course

I aatended Jaap Sahib Course from August 5-9,2007 at New Mexico,Espanola.
Jaap Sahib Course was a whole new experience for me. I learnt so many things .I was like a blank person when I came to the course, but by the end of course I was like a pot full of information and confidence.

The main thing that I learnt from the course was that, you can live a very good life without having a lot of money but with enough of spirituality which comes at no cost at all but with some personal effort and dedication.
Other thing that I felt was the power of Jaap Sahib, reciting Jaap Sahib in the sangat gave some kind of confidence and power to me, and I could really feel it. I really felt close to Guru Gobind Singh ji.The other thing I came to know about Jaap Sahib was that it was one of the most musical and the most difficult bani’s of all .I really enjoyed the “Bowing Jaap Sahib” part , in which you had to bow for every reference to “Namo” and “Namastan” (which was approximately 800 times), that means that you had to bow 800 times. This was a really a test of patience for my body for first time, I changed positions at least 50 times, but from second time onwards I just changed positions few times.So,one thing that I learnt from this was that by controlling your mind you can do everything in you life. As it is said in Japji Sahib “Man Jitta Jag Jeet”.It was enduring for the body but rewarding for mind.

The other thing that I developed was my positive attitude towards Nihang Singh’s. The lectures given by Baba Nihal Singh and translated by Dr.Harjot Kaur were really a good source of information about Nihang’s and how they perceive Sikhism, because the general perception is that Nihang’s are always in a state of high .

Then we had to really endure our bodies, by doing some really difficult kriyas like Sat Kriya,Archer pose each for eleven minutes.Gurutej Singh and Guruchander Singh were trying to give us the same training they got from SSS Harbhajan Singh Yogi ji.But it was good to test how much your body can endure ,those were really the most painful classes of the whole course. But our teachers told us that they are painful but they would really make us powerful from inside as well as outside. And I now I realize that it is really true when I try to practice those Kriya’s at home ,I think what they said was really true and I now respect them for what they said at that time.
During the course there had been times of enjoyment also. The best part was the Gatka workout time. It was under the aegis of Chardi Kala Jatha.They taught about the Pantra’s ,which is the basic of Sikh martial arts, they also taught made us to do Sarvan Danda,they had planned a really good workout schedule for us. The best part was that they used to make us play some really rough games like “Lions and Tigers” and “Human Tug of War”. During the whole Gatka workout Jaap Sahib would be played in the background which always gave us some feeling as if we were being trained to serve our Guru Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

During the course I had an opportunity to know a lot about Guru Gobind Singh ji by listening to the Sakhis told by Chardi Kala Jatha,they really recited the stories in a really nice way. Their bold voice can awaken anybody in this world. Then were the stories from Shanti Ji about the role of Singhnia’s in Guru Gobind’s life, that was such a great Sakhi.We also had a chance to know all about the Jaap Sahib ,through the words of Bibi Ji .It was a really informative lecture about Jaap Sahib ,giving in depth detail about each and detail about Jaap Sahib. With these stories we had some Q&A sessions, which were really great. They really gave answers to so many questions to which I could not find answers for a long time.


During the course I had a chance to meet some really great people like Chardi Kala Jatha,Shanti Kaur Ji(“The Punch Lady”,that’s what comes in my mind when I remember her name, as related to the big punch she gave to one of the reporters in India who was trying to sneak into the train cabin in which yogi ji was sitting),Gurujot Singh,twins Hari Singh and Prabhu Singh,Lakmir chand and Siri chand,Gurmustuk Singh(Mr.Sikhnet) and many more. I felt like I have one more family in New Mexico, they were all so nice. And not to forget to mention Bibiji, she is so down to earth that I cannot explain to you, because generally people of her stature are really full of ego and would never meet anybody. But she was such a gentle lady that she would just mix with other people like just a common person. She made such a delicious Indian food for us on the last day, and she would offer anybody to come to meet her anytime they feel like.




Besides these religious affairs we came to know about the entrepreneurs like Gurutej Singh, the way he was rejected by LAPD and then he started his own security company “Akal Security” which is one of the most reputed security companies in USA as of date.


They say that when somebody comes to Espanola, he doesn’t go back. But I thought that what was so special about that would attract people to keep them back in such a non commercial place. At time of leaving Espanola I felt the same way I felt like staying back here, I don’t why?
But I was very much more confident when I left Espanola after the course, both as a Human and as a Sikh.

To look at all the pictures I took during the course, please follow the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/harjotsingh.kochar/JaapSahibCourseSikhYouthCamp