Guidelines.

[Diya_SukhDiDaat]

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

I've just got married and am stuck for information. The thing is that I'm unable to get advice from anyone else about this and so am hoping my brothers and sisters here could help me........

During what times in the day should the Sukhmani Sahib be listened too?

Does anyone know where I can get dates for Pooranmashi and other such important dates in Gur Sikhi?

All help much appreciated.

Diya.

[Guest]

source: http://www.siplweb.com/psp/asp/sikhbani.asp

The daily prayers of the Sikhs, were originally composed in Gurmukhi, (the scriptural language of Sikh Dharma), and are recited each day so that a person's earthly personality may elevate itself to defend through any negativity or misfortune. Whether or not you are a Sikh you can benefit from these beautiful prayers. Gateway to the Soul gives you the powerful effects of the Banis in English translation, to open your heart, steady your mind, and connect you with your strength, courage, and Infinite Consciousness. Listening to or reciting the Banis gives you inner balance, grace, radiance, and energy; stopping the negative cycle of the mind and reversing it's thought forms.

Although the greatest benefit of the Banis is through recitation in the original Gurmukhi, Gateway to the Soul offers them in English, with musical accompaniment so you can enjoy their subtle, joyful vibrations. The Banis are truly meant to be experienced by the heart.

Selection on Sikh Banis

Japji Sahib: To relate and connect with your soul. Recite in the early morning or when your being is endangered, when the radiance of your soul is weak, when your soul feels sad. All wisdom of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib is contained in this Bani. Related to ether element.

Shabad Hazaare: This gives the benefits of a thousand shabads to allow the soul to merge directly with God. For reconciliation and bringing separated ones home. Recite when your body feels useless. Related to ether element.

Jaap Sahib: To bring grace, self-command and to inspire your greatness. This Bani brings royalty, divinity, ecstasy, bliss, bountifulness and beauty. It will increase your vitality, courage, power, strength and self-esteem. Recite when your dignity is threatened, to overcome fear and to arouse and increase your flow of spirit. Related to air element.

Tav Prasad Swaiya and Chaopaee: To bring satisfaction in life when nothing seems to satisfy you. It brings energy, vitality and expansion. Related to air element.

Anand Sahib: To bring endless bliss and heal any deficiencies in the body. It organizes and brings happiness, harmony and peace. In this Bani, mind and body are explained in relation to cosmic divinity; it is to qualify the mind and understand one's depth. Recite this when your lower self confronts you, when you are unsuccessful and you want peace of mind. Related to fire element.

Rehiras Sahib: Recite after you've worked hard and feel tired. It adds energy to your being. It covers your business actions and living environments. It helps you when you are physically weak, weak in money, property and earthly matters; when you feel hopeless, unsuccessful or worthless. Bayntee Chaopaee is Guru Gobind Singh's personal prayer for protection and is to liberate the soul. Related to water element.

Kirtan Sohila: To remove the fear of death. Good to recite when your life feels boring, and you are uninspired. It multiplies your aura, eliminates negativity in you and around you, and protects you. Excellent before you sleep at night to bring restful sleep, prevent nightmares and create a shield of protection. This Bani protects the soul on its journey after it leaves the body at death. Related to earth element.

Sukhmani Sahib: This is a prayer in the form of a song to bring everlasting peace and comfort to the mind. Its sound is tranquilizing and removes stress. Sukhmani Sahib opens your heart to live in gratitude, steadies your spiritual discipline, and connects you with your strength, endurance, courage and Infinite consciousness to overcome every obstacle. Listening to or reciting Sukhmani Sahib once a day can change your destiny from misery to prosperity and give you inner balance, grace, radiance, energy and the power to sacrifice.

Morning Prayers

(1) Japji Sahib : This prayer was composed by Guru Nanak ji sometime between 1500-1507. It is recorded at the start of the Guru Granth Sahib. It explains how the barriers of deceit and falsehood can be broken in life and how to become one with God.

(2) Jaap Sahib: This prayer was composed by Guru Gobind Singh ji during the period 1682-1686, when he was residing at Paonta Sahib. It contains 199 stanzas about the praise and description of God.

(3) Sawaya : This is a short hymn of 10 stanzas. It is a part of Guru Gobind Singh ji's classic composition 'Akal Ustat' which means 'The praise of God'. In the last line of the 9th stanza, Guruji has declared that 'only those who love sincerely and honestly, realize God'

Evening / Dusk time Prayers

(4) Rehras Sahib : It is collection of hymns of five different Gurus. The Rehras as recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib contains hymns of only Guru Nanakji, Guru Amardas ji, Guru Ramdas ji and Guru Arjan Dev j. The compositions of Guru Gobind Singh ji were added in Rehras Sahib in the late 19th century. This was later ratified by the supreme Sikh religious body - the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC)

Night Prayers

(5) Kirtan Sohilla : It is a collection of hymns of Guru Nanakji, Guru Amardas ji and Guru Arjan Dev ji. These hymns underline the pains of parting of human beings from god and the bliss to be achieved when one unites with god again.

The Community Prayers

The Community Prayer is performed in a gurudwara or in a house where the community (sangat) gathers to recite prayers collectively.

Community Prayers are recited in the gurudwaras every morning and evening. The congregation is known as 'Sadh Sangat' i.e. 'a group of saints'. The recitations are known as 'Kirtanias'. However, the Sadh Sangat can even recite the prayers together as a group in the absence of the Kirtanias.

Morning Prayers

Asa-di-Var

It was composed by Guru Nanakji with many 'shaloks' of Guru Angad ji later inserted by Guru Arjan Dev ji . It's theme focuses on how a man can elevate himself for union with God.

Evening Prayers

Rehras Sahib, followed by Kirtan and Kirtan Sohilla which are same as for individual prayers.

Closing of Prayers

All the prayers i.e. Individual or Collective and Morning or Evening, end with the 'Anand Sahib' prayer. It consists of the first 5 stanzas and the last stanza out of a hymn total of 40 stanzas composed by Guru Amardas ji . Its theme is that God is the only giver and the rest of us are all beggars. He is full of mercy and gives to those who qualify for and honestly deserve his bounties.

The 'Anand Sahib' prayer is followed by an 'Ardaas' and a 'Waak'

Basic Requirement of a Prayer

A Sikh is required to rise in the early hours of the morning which is called as Amrit Vela i.e. 'The time of receiving Nectar from God'. Typically, this should be between 4:30 and 5:30 AM.

He must take a bath and wear clean clothes.

He should then recite the prayers with his full concentration on God.

Prabhat Pheri's

Prabhat + Pheri = Morning + Walk

These were introduced during the era of Guru Hargobind ji. It is a form of community prayer where the Sikhs in a certain area get up early in the morning and start walking from house to house singing Kirtan together. As they go to each house, the families go on joining the group. The group then continues walking and singing Kirtan till they reach a Gurudwara where the program ends in a Community Prayer.

[Guest]

Sikh Calenders.

http://www.sikhs.org/dates.htm