i took amrit about 2 yrs ago, things were okay for the first few months but then after that i started relaxing my rehit without thinking of the real long term consequences of my actions..anyway there came a really dark point in my life where all of a sudden i had no rehit to relax..recently over the last few months with gurus kirpa i have at least tried to get things back on track..but because i became baemukh and turned my back on guru sahib things are very difficult and they should be difficult because thats what i deserve.

The idea was to do pesh infront of the panj pyare i was not sure when to do this but i dont know i now feel that maybe i need to tell my guru everything about my mistakes then maybe i will be rid of them from inside and can try and move forward with sikhi, otherwise even though i am trying now these past mistakes maybe are getting in the way. I dont know really i am a bit confused i would just like the opinion of others

If you gave up basic rehits abstaining from 4 bajjar Kurehits, not doing nitnem etc, then you should get pesh and get tankhah from Punj Pyare. If you were doing your normal nitnem, abstaining from kurehits and wearing your kakaars, then you could do ardaas yourself and get back on track again.

Kulbir Singh

When you say relaxing your Rehat, what exactly do you mean?

the thing is i never really prepared for amrit like i should have in keeping a strong rehit...after a few months my foundations where not that strong i had only been getting up at amritvela for a few months, then i began to struggle with it, and really after i intentionly missed it for the 1st time there really wasnt anyway back for me after that.

Relaxing my nitnem first it was out of choice because i had not kept strong nitnem rehit before taking amrit, then my job was very hectic someweeks i done 80hrs in the week, not that i am making an excuse. The consequences of my actions i have felt the last few months when trying to get back into it, but like i said i cant complain because its my own fault. Sometimes we make decisions without realising the impact it will have on us later on.

WJKK WJKF!

Firstly, may I say, you didn't take Anmrit, with Guru's blessing you received Anmrit after requesting it. Things like this don't happen without reason so that fact that you actually participated in an Anmrit Sanchar means there's some kirpa there.

Anyway, now that you are Anmritdhari it is important to keep rehat, as Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Dasveh Paatshah said, "Menu Rehat Piari, Sikh nahin piara" which means, "I value the Rehat, not the Sikh". However circumstances do arise where keeping rehat can be difficult in terms of Anmrit Vela and Nitnem, such as your 80 hour weeks. Instead of feeling guilty about it Singhs/Singhnis need to rectify it. See it as a learning experience and rather than rush back into Anmrit Vela, take slow steps back into it so as to make it easier for yourself.

If one cannot get up for Anmrit Vela due to a particular reason, then at the very least do the 5 bani Nitnem (and the 2 evening/bedtime paath) and Simran. But obviously if any of the Kurheits have been committed thats another story.

I wish to make you aware (as I don't want to be a hypocrite) that there have been times when I have not been able to fully observe rehat (in terms of Anmrit Vela), mostly down to laziness to be honest however it is my loss, not Guru Sahib's so I look at those times as learning experiences and strive to better myself and that can only be done by losing the feeling of guilt as too much guilt in my personal opinion stops people progressing - which ultimately what Sikhi is all about.

Many people have the misconception (again, in my opinion) that to take Anmrit you need to be like a Sant but in reality, it is the Anmrit that gives people the potential to be at that level. In terms of Gursikhi jeevan and Jeevan Mukht, Anmrit is only the very very first step.

Bhul Vhuk Maaf,

Das