Who are the Sikhs?

After the terrible shooting at the Sikh Gurdwara (what they call their church) in Wisconsin, I feel a need to tell my own experiences with the Sikh people.  Originally I became interested in the kundalini yoga movement started by Yogi Bhajan.  In this yoga practice they use music and chanting and I first discovered this music at a Snatam Kaur concert.  The kundalini yoga followers often become Sikhs an after a few years learning about the Sikh religion from American converts, I discovered the Indian Sikh temples here in San Diego.  I even performed with the congregation earlier this year at a 9-11 memorial concert.  The Sikh religion is the fifth most widely practiced religion on Earth with its beginnings in fifteenth century India with the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak. A fairly recent world religion with about five hundred years of history.  This religion comes out of a time of powerful struggles and subjugations of people by the predominant religious forces, the Muslims and the Hindus.  In both of these religions there was an exclusion of certain segments of society, perhaps because they were not permitted to learn to read or were not born in the proper caste to enter a temple.  The Sikh faith is a egalitarian religion that peaches the equality of all people, a rebellious thought in times of rigid caste systems in India.  The Sikh came up with there own language, Gurmukhi, and worship above all other things the words of their Gurus and the book in which these words are written, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib.  A Sikh temple is a place open to all people, with the simple request that you cover your head and remove your shoes.  The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, the most important of all Sikh temples, has four entrances in all four directions welcoming all to enter.  Sikh temples always include a kitchen because the Sikhs believe in feeding all people.  Langar is the name of this free vegetarian meal served after a worship service.  The food is acquired by donation and prepared and served by volunteers.  These concepts of service and sharing of one's bounty are core beliefs of the Sikhs.  They also believe that everyone must work for their living, contributing to society.  They beleive in compassion and respect for all people.  And most importantly they believe in the remembrance of God in all that they do.  A Sikh tries to remain consciously aware of God's prsence in every moment of their life.  A Sikh wears five items at all time, like a uniform, to remind them to remember God and be a good Sikh.  The turban and long hair hidden beneath are one of these five items reminding a Sikh each moment they are in society to treat others with compassion, to work hard and share of their bounty, and to remember God's presence in every moment of their life.  All though it is for a sad occasion, a candle vigil for the six Sikhs shot down as they prepared for their Sunday service, I look forward tonight to bowing my head to the Guru and immersing myself in the beautiful music that comprises most of the Sikh worship.  Join me at the San Diego Sikh Gurdwara tonight, Wednesday August 8 from 7:30 8:30 at 12269 Oak Knoll Road in Poway.  Wahe Guru!