Nirinjan Kaur has a sweetness in her personality that shines through when she sings. Enjoy this powerful version of her "Jai Te Gang", a mantra to break through negativity. Nirinjan explains the usage of the sword imagery, and why it is not related to violence but rather to courage. Nirinjan will again be singing at Spirit Fest 2011.
Jai Te Gang is available for purchase on Nirinjan's album Adhara!
Ramdesh Kaur, MA, is an IKYTA Certified Kundalini Yoga teacher trained by Gurmukh.
She is the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Spirit Voyage, the Editor of Spirit Voyage's blog, and writes extensively on yoga, spirituality and mantra. She hosts the show "Spirit Voyage Radio with Ramdesh" on Unity FM and leads Spirit Voyage's 40 Day Global Sadhanas.
Before working with Spirit Voyage, she was the residential Kundalini yoga teacher at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, India and has a Master's Degree from the Courtauld Institute in London. Her name "Ramdesh" means "one who sees God's Land everywhere, in all places and in all people".
Her first book "Yoga and Mantras for a Whole Heart" with Karan Khalsa is available on SpiritVoyage.com. She tours extensively with Harnam on the "Living with a Whole Heart Tour."
I confess to the cognitive dissonance Nirinjan Kaur speaks of in coming to terms with the concept of a sword with the concept of peace.
My first reaction was to think of useful bladed tools which are not primarily used as weapons, such as long knives, agricultural tools, surgical instruments, and so on – steel-bladed, multi-purpose, requiring that they be strong, solid yet just flexible enough to not crack, sharp, and so on.
Then I considered the modern Druidic practice of holding up a sword at the beginning of an eisteddford or other gathering and asking, “Death or Peace?”, to which the correct response is a vigorous shout of, “Peace!”, upon which the sword is sheathed to demonstrate that no violence of any kind is acceptable.
The concept of a sheathed sword – capable of great harm, yet choosing not to do any – is quite powerful and appealing. The fact that the sole purpose of a sword, though, is to kill and injure does sit badly with me. Clearly, this is something I need to sit with. The discomfort it raises tells me there is an important resolution waiting.
The way I think of it, is that it’s the sword that cuts through your ego and cuts through the darkness. It’s the sword which helps you to fight the vices and negativity. It’s the the sword that fights against injustice and tyranny. It’s to THAT sword which you offer “jai” to.
Yes, cutting through with strength, speed and precision… To borrow from the buddhist pantheon – Many images and bronzes depict in fearsome detail the bodhisattva Manjushri who cuts through illusions, delusions, etc. with the double-edged flaming sword of wisdom, clarity, understanding. The entire concept is founded in compassion.
In knowing that, one can then truly appreciate any mantra evoking our friend the sword.
Artist and teacher Michele Benzamin Miki is well known for teaching Iaido sword and transposing it from a history of bloodshed into a modern embrace with total harmlessness, compassion and the spirit of Manjushri’s intent.
The Kirpan too, obviously symbolic, is always sheathed except in ceremony, and embodies aspects of Sikhism including inspiration, strength and dedication to a saintly life.
Beautiful in every way! But I see the sword as an expression of Truth and
Justice as the Adi Shakti where the Khanda pierces through the Chakara
Interrupting the cycle of karma in Kaliyuga Fateh and away!
Nirinjan Kaur has a sweetness in her personality that shines through when she sings. Enjoy this powerful version of her "Jai Te Gang", a mantra to break through negativity. Nirinjan explains the usage of the sword imagery, and why it is not related to violence but rather to courage. Nirinjan will again be singing at Spirit Fest 2011.
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
I confess to the cognitive dissonance Nirinjan Kaur speaks of in coming to terms with the concept of a sword with the concept of peace.
My first reaction was to think of useful bladed tools which are not primarily used as weapons, such as long knives, agricultural tools, surgical instruments, and so on – steel-bladed, multi-purpose, requiring that they be strong, solid yet just flexible enough to not crack, sharp, and so on.
Then I considered the modern Druidic practice of holding up a sword at the beginning of an eisteddford or other gathering and asking, “Death or Peace?”, to which the correct response is a vigorous shout of, “Peace!”, upon which the sword is sheathed to demonstrate that no violence of any kind is acceptable.
The concept of a sheathed sword – capable of great harm, yet choosing not to do any – is quite powerful and appealing. The fact that the sole purpose of a sword, though, is to kill and injure does sit badly with me. Clearly, this is something I need to sit with. The discomfort it raises tells me there is an important resolution waiting.
The way I think of it, is that it’s the sword that cuts through your ego and cuts through the darkness. It’s the sword which helps you to fight the vices and negativity. It’s the the sword that fights against injustice and tyranny. It’s to THAT sword which you offer “jai” to.
Yes, cutting through with strength, speed and precision… To borrow from the buddhist pantheon – Many images and bronzes depict in fearsome detail the bodhisattva Manjushri who cuts through illusions, delusions, etc. with the double-edged flaming sword of wisdom, clarity, understanding. The entire concept is founded in compassion.
In knowing that, one can then truly appreciate any mantra evoking our friend the sword.
Artist and teacher Michele Benzamin Miki is well known for teaching Iaido sword and transposing it from a history of bloodshed into a modern embrace with total harmlessness, compassion and the spirit of Manjushri’s intent.
The Kirpan too, obviously symbolic, is always sheathed except in ceremony, and embodies aspects of Sikhism including inspiration, strength and dedication to a saintly life.
Beautiful in every way! But I see the sword as an expression of Truth and
Justice as the Adi Shakti where the Khanda pierces through the Chakara
Interrupting the cycle of karma in Kaliyuga Fateh and away!