We're not trying to preach to anyone. One religion is as good (or bad) as another.
We both had visited and had been visited by 'holy men' in our bid to have We even had our house 'exorcised' of evil spirits! Then there were fortunetellers and soothsayers baying for your attention (and We tried them all but sadly had achieved nothing. We would love to hear from other couples, please do email us with your stories success or otherwise. The following are some of the practices we undertook. Please don't knock it. Cultures are as diverse as there are living beings. (er, did that make sense?) The Basics This is the basic belief of the Sikhs. We were told to repeat these lines and were given rosary beads. After a wash every morning and covering your head it took over a hour to fully cycle through the rosary five times. We were to do this for 40 days. Ik Onkar There is only one God Sat Naam Truth is his name Karta Purkh He is the creator Nir Bhau He is without fear Nir Vair He is without hate Akaal Moorat Immortal Ajooni He is beyond birth and death Saibhang He is self illuminated (the Enlightner) Gur Parsaad He is realised by the kindness of the True Guru The "Clove - Offering" method The tradition of clove-offerings started by master Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji (founder of Sikhism). This method was suggested to us by Baba Anoop Singh Bedi who hails from the fifteenth generation of Guru Nanak. Upon meeting him we were given some cloves in a small packet and a bottle of amrit (holy water). 1 - Method to be adopted by the woman. On the day the menstrual period is over, have a bath (including a head bath) early in the morning. Pray for blessings to Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and take one piece of clove (whole) without chewing with fresh cow's milk sugar to taste must be added. One should fast this day and have only one meal which should also contain a sweet dish. No salt or saltish food allowed. 2 - The second clove is to be kept safe and as and when blessed with a child, put this clove in a spoon add some water. Give this to the child and the clove to be taken by the mother with water or fresh milk. 3 - The shabad (spiritual verse) which is handed over to you may be rolled/folded up and placed in a locket near your neck. After the birth of the baby this may be placed on the neck of the child. 4 - The amrit (water) has to be taken for 40 days without any break and the clove which was put in the water bottle may be taken by the woman. 5 - When blessed with a child. One should visit the temple of Sri Chola Sahib (holy robe) within one year to seek the blessings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The Shabad Ik Onkar Sat Naam Karta Purkh Nir Bhau Nir Vair Akaal Moorat Ajooni Saibhang Gur Parsaad Jat Pahara Dheeraj Suniar Ehran Mat Ved Hathiar Bhao Khala Agan Tap Tao Bhanda Bhao Amrit Tit Dhall Ghariaya Sabad Sachi Taksal Jin Ko Nadir Karam Tin Kar Nanak Nadri Nadar Nihal |
money). |
children. |
Prayer 1 |
Blind Faith With this Baba Ji there seemed no doubting as he looked the part. This one stood out (don't they all?) as he was blind. Hopefully one day we will find out his name. He mentioned a spell or a curse put on us (*which there is). Just repeat for 40 days the following. Dukh bhanjan tera naam ji, dukh bhanjan tera naam. The destroyer of sorrow is your name, Lord; the destroyer of sorrow is your name. Aath pahar araadheeai pooran sat Gur gian. Twenty-four hours a day, dwell upon the wisdom of the perfect true Guru. Jit ghat vasai paarbarahm soee suhaavaa thaao That heart, in which the supreme Lord God abides, is the most beautiful place. Jam kankar nayrh na avee rasnaa har guhn gaao. The messenger of death does not even approach those who chant the glorious praises of the Lord with the tongue. Sayvaa surat na jaania na jaapai aaraath. I have not understood the wisdom of serving him, nor have I worshipped him in meditation. Ort teri jagjeevana mere thaakur agam agaath. You are my support, O life of the world; O my Lord and master, inaccessible and incomprehensible. Bhaai kirpal gusaaia nathay sog santaap. When the Lord of the universe became merciful, sorrow and suffering departed. Tati vaao na lagi satgur rakhai aap. The hot winds do not even touch those who are protected by the true Guru. Gur naaraain dayu gur gur sacha sirjanhaar. The Guru is the all-pervading Lord, the Guru is the merciful master; the Guru is the true creator Lord. Gur tuthai sabh kichu paaia jan nanak sad balihaar. When the Guru was totally satisfied, I obtained everything. Servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to him. *We will elaborate on this family curse one day after wringing it out of our parents |
Let there be Three His name Joginder Singh Pharla, Village Bharoli, Julandhar, Punjab, India. Another imposing Baba Ji who we had to visit a number of times. On the first visit the house was full of people with different problems and he had an audience with them listening to their ills. He said to Nikki that she will get a headache, eyes will hurt and not to take any medicine and come back next week for his verdict which takes the form of him being in a trance and a possessed voice whilst being held in place by people. (sounds corny, though scary). The things he said to people's problems are amazing. From being divorced 4 times before happiness, from blood and bone curses, from people in this room not being honest or believing. All were pointed out! Week later, he told us to pray for 40 days and take the parsad (blessed food). Nikki will get a pain in right side of stomach followed by faint spells and again not take anything for it. Instead use some incense sticks and continue with the parsad. He did point out that we will have 3 kids!!! and we have to meet him again. His prayers that Nikki had to repeat when the symptoms begin are: Ras Ras ram rasaal salaha With love and energetic affection, praise the Lord, the storehouse of nectar Man ram naam bheena lai laha My mind is drenched with the Lord's name, and so it earns this profit Khin Khin bhagat karah din raati gurmat bhagat omaha ram Each and every moment, worship him in devotion, day and night; through the Guru's teachings, sincere love and devotion well up Har har gur Govind japaia Chant the glorious praises of the Lord of the universe, har, har Man tan jeet sabad lai laha Conquering mind and body, I have earned the profit of the shabad Gurmat panch doot vas avahi man tan har omaha ram Through the Guru's teachings, the five demons are over-powered, and the mind and body are filled with a sincere yearning for the Lord Naam ratan har naam japaia The name is a jewel - chant the Lord's name Har gur gai sada lai laha Sing the glorious praises of the Lord, and forever earn this profit Din daiyal kirpa kar maadho har har naam omaha ram O Lord, merciful to the meek, be kind to me, and bless me with sincere longing for the name of the Lord, har, har Jap jagdi japoa man maha Meditate on the Lord of the world - meditate within your mind Har har jaganath jag laha The Lord of the universe, har, har, is the only real profit in this world Dhan dhan vadai thakur parabh mere jap nanak bhagat omaha ram Blessed, blessed, is my great Lord and master God; O Nanak, meditate on Him, worship him with sincere love and devotion So ok this didn't work either. Nikki never had the dizzy spells. Anyways we continued on with the ritual he told us. My mum was given a piece of cloth and some petals and after the 40 days to put them in a bag and throw them in a river. This was to apparently get rid of the evil spirit in our house. We weren't to look back at the pollution we spilled on the water he said. Fine. |
Prayer 5 A relative this time, said if we say these lines then things will happen. By the way, we were told to keep it to ourselves and not tell anybody. Sure we can keep a secret! Didn't expect sudden miracles either. Maru Mahala Panjvan Dakhna Ja tu mare val hai ta kia muhshanda When you are on my side, Lord, what do I need to worry about Tud sub kesh menu sompia ja tera banda You entrusted everything to me, when I became your slave Lakhmi tot na aavi khie kharch rahanda My wealth is inexhaustible, no matter how much I spend and consume Lakh chaurasih medni sub sev karanda The 8.4 million species of beings all work to serve me Eh veri mitar sub keetehan na mangah manda All these enemies have become my friends, and no one wishes me ill Lakha koi na pushi ja har bakhshanda No one calls me to account, since God is my forgiver Anand bheah sukh paeah mel gur gobinda I have become blissful, and I have found peace, meeting with the Guru, the lord of the universe Sabe kaj swarieah ja tud bhavanda All my affairs have been resolved, since you are pleased with me Sahid Baba Tega Singh Ji |
Getting to be a habit this Our parents forever trying to help us came back from India with yet another recital for us to perform. Fresh from motherland this, so we gave it a go. Very time consuming as the rosary beads went up to 108! And again 40 days. Why 40 and why us we just don't know. Ja ke basi khan sultan Ja ke basi hai sagal jahan Ja ka kiya sabu kuch hoi Tis tey bahri nahi koi Kahu benti apney satigur pahi Kaj tumarey dei niwahi rahau Sab tey uch ja ka darbar Sagal bhagat ja ka namu adhru Sarab viapati pooram dhavi Ja ki saba gati gati baui Jis simrat dukh dera dahey Jis simrat jamu kishu na kahey Jis simrat hot soobey harey Jis simrat dubat paahan tare Sant sabha kau sadha jai karu Hari-hari namu jan pran adhru Kahu Nanak meri suni ardas Sant parsad mobeu nam niwasi Om Durga durgati nashini jai jai Kali kal sanharni jai jai Uma rma brahmani jai jai Radha Rukmani Sita jai jai Durga durgati nashini jai jai Kali kal sanharni jai jai Uma rma brahmani jai jai Radha Rukmani Sita jai jai We thought this worked as it coincided with the appearance of our surrogate to be. Turned out to be the devil's work and our cursed existence remains. What next? Are we doomed, to be melted down or sent to the spice mines of Kessel? The 'Force' is not with us it seems. |
Going Boom! Right, this one was an astrologer and not someone dressed in bed sheets, sorry, in white garb. For the cynics out there, he demanded no fees. Just what we can afford as it was to go to the poor back in India. (1 billion of them then!) When mentioned Bobby is a veggie to please God he didn't agree. Eat what you like. Sounds good to me but we are desperate so Bobby will adhere to this punishment. Nikki is a veggie 3 times a week as one of the above Holy man said to do when we mentioned we already can not eat much as it is with a wheat-free diet. That was kind of him. Anyway where was I? No where. So this astrologer had his pen and calculator out and his book of the stars etc. we gave him our birth dates and times and he scribbled away. Immediately he noticed Bobby's chart was heavy one sided. This 'block' had to be remedied. Nikki's chart was ok. Except for a period of stress to which an eye had to be kept on her health. We were asked to do the following. Get a small piece of used black cloth. Put some Kali Mah (black dahl seeds) and salt and soil and a used nail in to the bundle and tie them together. Cover Bobby's head then encircle this bundle seven times above Bobby's head. Then throw the lot into a river and don't look back. (hope the Department of Environment is not reading this!) Then chant the following line however many times you wish. Om Boom Boodhay Namah Bobby was asked to wear a green emerald ring on the small finger (£200 cost) Also, to donate food to the poor in India equal to half of body weight. To help cleanse the house, once a week a Chinese ritual of lemon grass oil in a bowl of hot water was to be sprinkled everywhere in the house on all 4 walls. Give or take 6 months, the 'happy period' for us God willing, will take place from November 2003 - April 2005 |