Grew up in an area where I looked different and the acceptance of looking different and understanding being a ‘Sikh’. Judged Initially growing up questioned there must be more to life than you just go to school, get a job, get married, have kids and die. There has to be something more. Having naturally an inquisitive mind, I turned away from religion because God just seemed a ‘man in the sky’ that’s too much of a simple answer, a cliché. I remember distinctly at around the age of 14, I rejected the image that had been painted to me of Babaji in the sky who could do everything. I then became very influenced by atheist literature, agnostic literature and rationalist philosophy and I continued that till I was 17/18 and studied philosophy at university. Grew up in a practicing Sikh household. No answers to his inquisitive questions, so looked to internet searches/books. Books critiquing socialist views of religion. No basic understanding of Sikhi/if I don’t believe in the Christian view so why Sikh. At university, the curiosity came back that this cannot be it and although I didn’t believe in God [at the time] I still had the hunger to find out more and this led me to the Buddhist society – influencing me to read about Buddhism and New Age Philosophy. This taught me a lot about acceptance, and I then started meditating daily and went on retreats and found quite an accepting community which I didn’t have/feel/belong to before in the Sikh community or gurdwara. Meditation classes at university, read The Power of Now. At around 20, I decided to pursue Sikhi once again and started reading about the history which I found fascinating. And then started to read about the lives of the Guru, absorbing as much information as possible while still feeling a disconnect? I discovered NN and thought this makes a lot of sense, it is similar to other spirituality guidance but is more practical and started doing Naam and Naam Simran. This is what I was looking for. This is the experience that I always wanted. Incidentally, the first week I moved back from York to London was when the JJS course started and felt the need to go. It is the highlight of my week every week and even though it takes an hour there and an hour back it is worth it. The experience of the Sangat has been amazing. Discussions that were frank and open and taboo topics which never happened. Felt in an environment where you could learn from others and, ‘sangat’. I now wake up in the mornings and take 5 mins for myself to do the Jaap mantra and will listen to a Baat in the gym and it has become part of my every day life and I don’t want it to stop. Forgoing that feeling is worse than never having experienced it in the first place. I’ve started reading more Baat and want to learn the Punjabi language so I can read the scriptures in the original language – very practical. Abstract spirituality is great for conversations but if there isn’t any practical benefits then it feels pointless. The ability to rise above thoughts is important and leads to spiritual bliss. It has revolutionised the way I think about Sikhi. I had the idea that God was judging my every move, what I did, what I ate – it had changed that. He had a conversation with his cousin about Baat who thought it was the equivalent of praying, but it is not praying to something external for him Baat is a form of meditation. It is something he does for himself. It has allowed him to connect. Feels NN will be revolutionary for Sikhi and will change many lives for the good. The relationship between yourself and the divine is of non-difference. Divine is within you and around. Changed every aspect of Sikhi. Belief of seeing the Gurus incl Guru Granth Sahib as the Guru of the world – sharing the message of Gurbani to be worldly. Taking the stilled spiritual essence and providing an opportunity to share with the world and tell you who you are as a person which shouldn’t be under lock and key which feels like we have failed the Guru.