Sukhmani Sahib - Walk Slowly, Bow Often
In the quiet of the morning, a hummingbird visits my window, seeking nectar from the flowers outside. It flits rapidly, here and there, its wings a blur of motion, until it finally hovers, almost still, over a single blossom.
This weekend in my weekly meditation, I described how Guru Arjan's concept of Ek Kinka has been transformational for me. Guru Arjan speaks of Ek Kinka—a single, small granule, a droplet from the vast ocean, a twig from the tree of seekers, a single grain of sand from life’s endless shore, or a note lifted from the grand symphony of existence. It reminded me of both Mary Oliver's poem (When I am among the trees) Bhagat Kabir's shabad (Har Ka Bilovana) where he talks about how Brahma and his sons missed out on focusing on the small details and instead got lost in the vastness.
What about the ocean's depths, where fish swim in schools, unseen? What about the countless leaves of the tree, each a green flag waving in the wind? What of the beach that stretches out like a promise, endless and inviting, where life unfolds in grains too numerous to count? And what about the songs—all the songs we might have sung, each a melody waiting to be born? These questions reflect a common human fear—the fear of missing out, the quiet ache known as *birha*—the separation that lingers within us, reminding us of the vastness from which we have come. This separation, this feeling that we are somehow missing the bigger picture, is a thread we pull but cannot follow to its end.
Yet, the poem suggests that it is precisely this separation that renews us. It is this distance that sharpens our sight, allowing us to see more clearly. *Separation is the Amrit*—the nectar that sweetens our understanding and clears our vision. This concept is further illustrated by an ancient bard's wisdom, which tells us that darkness is another kind of light. Each granule of darkness is like a photon, invisible to the eye but still carrying light within it.
As the hummingbird remains still over the flower, drawing in the nectar, this moment becomes a microcosm of all the world’s sweetness. It is a reminder that in such small, simple moments, all the wisdom we need is contained. No other scriptures are necessary; this moment of connection, of understanding, is enough for emancipation. We are left to reflect on the significance of smallness and separation in our lives. The vastness of existence lies in appreciating the tiny, seemingly insignificant moments that make up our everyday experience. Just as the hummingbird finds sustenance in a single flower, we too can find profound meaning in the smallest details of our lives, realizing that they are not separate from the whole but an essential part of it.
When I am among the trees
by Mary Oliver
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
ਦੁਤੁਕੇ
dhutuke
Dho-Thukay
à©´ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ikOankaar satigur prasaadh ||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਆਸਾ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਉ ਕੇ ਚਉਪਦੇ ਇਕਤੁਕੇ ॥
aasaa sree kabeer jeeau ke chaupadhe ikatuke ||
Aasaa Of Kabeer Jee, Chau-Padhay, Ek-Thukay:
ਸਨਕ ਸਨੰਦ ਅੰਤੁ ਨਹੀ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
sanak sana(n)dh a(n)t nahee paiaa ||
Sanak and Sanand, the sons of Brahma, could not find the Lord's limits.
ਬੇਦ ਪੜੇ ਪੜਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੇ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
bedh paRe paR brahame janam gavaiaa ||1||
Brahma wasted his life away, continually reading the Vedas. ||1||
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਨਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ à¨ਾਈ ॥
har kaa bilovanaa bilovahu mere bhaiee ||
Churn the churn of the Lord, O my Siblings of Destiny.
ਸਹਜਿ ਬਿਲੋਵਹੁ ਜੈਸੇ ਤਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
sahaj bilovahu jaise tat na jaiee ||1|| rahaau ||
Churn it steadily, so that the essence, the butter, may not be lost. ||1||Pause||
ਤਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਮਟੁਕੀ ਮਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਬਿਲੋਈ ॥
tan kar maTukee man maeh biloiee ||
Make your body the churning jar, and use the stick of your mind to churn it.
ਇਸੁ ਮਟੁਕੀ ਮਹਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੰਜੋਈ ॥੨॥
eis maTukee meh sabadh sa(n)joiee ||2||
Gather the curds of the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਨਾ ਮਨ ਕਾ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥
har kaa bilovanaa man kaa beechaaraa ||
The churning of the Lord is to reflect upon Him within your mind.
ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਧਾਰਾ ॥à©©॥
gur prasaadh paavai a(n)mirat dhaaraa ||3||
By Guru's Grace, the Ambrosial Nectar flows into us. ||3||
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ਜੇ ਮਂੀਰਾ ॥
kahu kabeer nadhar kare je ma(n)eeraa ||
Says Kabeer, if the Lord, our King casts His Glance of Grace,
ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਲਗਿ ਉਤਰੇ ਤੀਰਾ ॥੪॥੧॥੧੦॥
raam naam lag utare teeraa ||4||1||10||
one is carried across to the other side, holding fast to the Lord's Name. ||4||
Singing oneness!
