Repetition of "waheguru, waheguru..."
is not the only way to experience the Nam.
Many of us are very visual,
some of us are extremely sensitive to SOUND and shabad,
some of us are deep into the FEEL of things.

ng all the senses up
takes healing.
We have been wounded.
So presently we tend to inhabit one or two senses
much more that we inhabit ALL the senses.
Until we get the healing done, that is.

Thus different ways of practicing the Nam
may work better for you than others.

To practice remembering the Nam,
means to bring awareness of GOD's presence
into each moment.
Mantra works beautifully for this,
as does chanting GOD's praises,
and listening to and singing the Guru's hymns.
Rhythm and music are primal and deep,
and the very sound "waheguru, waheguru.."
connects us into the Universal River,
of shared meditation,
with every Sikh,
past, present and future,
who has ever repeated "waheguru, waheguru...".
This is, indeed, remembering the Nam.

Yet for people who are very focused in their sense of sight
we can awaken and look all around us,
and discover that we can imagine vividly,
that GOD is projecting each scene
of each moment
of each day
straight to each of us.

You are the main character of your life,
and you can and do impact the plot;
with every word of dialogue you speak,
with every action you take or don't take.
And if you remember that GOD is the audience,
GOD is always watching
and guiding, if asked,
this too is remembering the Nam.

And you become GOD's audience as well.

Of course, it is easy for us to get swept up
in the dramas and traumas and roles
of our own character,
yet as we learn to remember that GOD is always watching and caring,
that GOD is the screen-play Writer, Director, Producer and Projectionist,
as we start to see each moment as a direct message from the Creator,
then this too is practicing the Nam.

For people who are very deep FEELING,
practicing the Nam is aboutng our hearts,
and staying in touch
with compassion and love
within ourselves,
and those all around us,
in every situation.
The Nam is LOVE.
There is no shame in FEELING our way to GOD,
in the dark,
holding faith that GOD is guiding and protecting us.
There is no problem with simply Being in LOVE.
Some people are blessed with the capacity to be very devotional.
This too is the practice of the Nam.

To taste prasad in good food each day
and smell every fresh sweet fragrance
and know it is a personal gift from the true Beloved.
This also is remembering the Nam.

Remembering GOD pleases GOD.
It really doesn't matter HOW you remember
that GOD is alive and present in each moment.
It is the remembering that pleases GOD.

My teacher, my guide, my special friend, scripture, and Guru says:

"How are the blind to find their way by hearing?
Led by the hand they reach their destination.
How can the deaf solve riddles?
What we call night, they think of as day.
How can the mute sing songs of devotion?
When they try, the tune is lost.
How can the disabled build houses on mountains?
They cannot ascend those heights.
Our compassionate Creator,
we make our prayers to you,
says Nanak, we are liberated only by Your favor." (5th Nanak)

Kamalla Rose Kaur is USA born, of Irish descent, and embraced Sikhism in 1972, at age 18. She tried everything for over twenty years, including frantic practice of Yoga, until she learned "why Sikhs are so adament about having the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as their only Guru."

Kamalla Rose is a professional writer, theater director, workshop and seminar leader,
publicist, events planner and singer. Her column appears every Saturday and, starting with this article, every Wednesday as well.

The author welcomes comments and feedback: Love&Light