Written by Hari Nam Singh.
Happy Independence Day
Dear Blessed Family and Friends,
Much has been written about the events that led the 13 colonies, the “United Colonies,” to pursue economic, political, social, and religious separation from their “owners” – Great Britain. The colonists’ disenchantment led to the creation of a document of separation, the “Declaration of Independence,” that was officially adopted by the 2nd Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia on July 4th 1776.
Great Britain didn’t recognize the legitimacy of the Declaration and continued to fight the colonists in the Revolutionary War until their defeat on September 3rd, 1783. The nascent country was officially and finally an independent country, the “United States of America.”
And so, every 4th of July since, “We the People” of the United States of America celebrate “Independence Day” with reverence, gratitude, and humility.
Oh, and much fireworks!
And what would Independence Day be without patriotic songs and a speech?
We encourage you to listen to each selection. You may just find something that touches you in each one!
The United States National Anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner” has had many beautiful renditions over the years. Here are two that you may not be familiar with.
This is a beautiful version by Helmut Lotti. Includes lyrics and documentary re-creations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50WDY0AtuXs
For a modern rock and roll version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” you may find this version by Madison Rising inspiring. Includes nicely produced patriotic visuals:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv_uVlx--8c
And if you are a United States Marine, you will love Madison Rising’s “Marine Hymn Song.” Includes modern Marine footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fv8Bnpbiko
“America The Beautiful” by Alan Jackson and aired on PBS. This gentle rendition includes lyrics and a live concert montage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxq_5cFEb0Y
“God Bless the U.S.A.” by Lee Greenwood and The United States Air Force Band. Beautifully sung with a wonderfully edited montage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrMftm6Km3g
President Ronald Reagan’s inspiring speech “A Warrior’s Pledge.” Includes a patriotic montage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke4gRMowvQg
Enjoy the video, music, and the speech.
Red, White, and Blue Blessings and Hugs,
Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Hari Nam Singh
July 3, 2023
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© 2023 Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Hari Nam Singh, All Rights Reserved
Written by Hari Nam Singh.
Sangeet's 84th Birthday Message Video
Dearest Blessed Friends & Family!
Wow what an amazing age we live in. We’ve seen and are seeing so many changes. I’ve celebrated quite a few myself. On June 9th, 2023 I completed 84 annual journeys around our blessed Sun.
A number of you joined me online at my 84th birthday class that morning. Some of you could not be there and asked if we could offer a recording.
Well, here it is – “Sangeet’s 84th Birthday Message Video” for all of you to enjoy!
Hari Nam edited it to make it shorter and together we added some memorabilia like the opening photo of Dad, Mom, Susie, and myself on a beach in Avalon, New Jersey in 1941.
We also added a few more personal photos of me as a youngster and also some photos from Womanheart® Retreats where some of you can see yourselves in attendance. The video is even a bit of a hoot in some places!
And of course, we included historic photos of events I mentioned and even included some fun facts like “Did you know nylon stockings were invented in the year I was born – 1939? And that was the year Batman was first introduced?”
But most importantly, as I said in the video, this celebration wasn’t done for me. It was done for all of you who I love and who I am honored to know, to serve as teacher and counselor and to celebrate as my family.
June 9, 2023 may have been my special day but this celebration belongs to all of us. THIS IS OUR CELEBRATION!
Hugs and Blessings,
Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Hari Nam Singh
June 28, 2023
Bonus Information And History About Things Mentioned In The Video
If you are like us, and love to know the background and history of things, then you'll love to learn more about some of the events and things that Sangeet mentioned in her video. Enjoy exploring!
Judy Garland
Photos of Judy Garland's life can be found in a wonderfully compiled 40-slide show. Note that she was born “Frances Ethel Gumm” and in the early photos the captions say “Frances.”
Good Housekeeping Magazine
The Wright Brothers
The Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company website has many interesting facts and photos.
Wright-Brothers.org
And if you want details about the 1903 Wright Flyer that flew at Kitty Hawk, take a look here.
The National Air And Space Museum
And here you can find a very interesting annotated photo studying the moment of the first flight in detail.
SmithsonianMag.com
Moon Walk
The photo of Buzz Aldrin on the Lunar surface was made by Neil Armstrong on July 20, 1969. Additional background and a historic two-minute restored video clip of Apollo 11 is well worth watching.
NASA.gov
Nylon Stockings
The first nylon stockings went on sale on October 24, 1939 and were made by DuPont.
Uhhh, we had No Idea how “important” nylon stockings were, and now we do, and so can you!
YouTube.com
RareHistoricalPhotos.com
Viennemilano.com
MuseumHosiery.com
SmithsonianMag.com
Time.com
Royal Typewriters
Yes, folks really type about typewriters, their history, collecting, and repairing them. Who knew?
OzTypewriter.blogspot.com
MachinesOfLovingGrace.com
ClassicTypewriter.com
TypewriterDatabase.com
Margaret “Unsinkable Molly” Brown
The more we read about Ms. Brown, the more fascinating she became. Wikipedia is a good starting point.
Wikipedia.org
IBM Selectric Typewriter
Ever had the pleasure (!) of typing on a Selectric? These web pages will bring back fond memories (and some history).
Archive.org
IBM.com
YouTube.com
PC Magazine
The Early T.V.
The screens were small but they took up a lot of space in a living room! My, how times have changed. So, what did the early prototype televisions look like? And what did they look like in the 1940s and 1950s? Sangeet's parents purchased their first television in 1952 to watch the U.S. Presidential race that Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower won in a landslide over Adlai Stevenson.
RCA-NBC presents the first television program on July 7, 1936:
YouTube.com
The history of the BBC:
BBC.com
There is a great television museum near Columbus, Ohio with examples from the earliest prototype years:
EarlyTelevision.org
Sangeet and Hari Nam hope you enjoyed this little bit of Sangeet's (and maybe your) past!
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© 2023 Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Hari Nam Singh, All Rights Reserved
Written by Hari Nam Singh.
June 9th - Join Sangeet On Zoom For Her 84th Birthday!
Date & Time: Friday June 9th, 2023 10 a.m. -10:45 a.m. MST (Click for Current Arizona Time)
Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83592364878?pwd=WTJtbzVCeXA4T2hMWC9MOHB0bVU1UT09
If it doesn’t work for some reason, then:
1. Go to Zoom.us
2. Click on “Join” near the top of the page
3. Enter Meeting ID: 823 6768 4424
4. Enter Passcode: 341389
Helpful tip #1: You can test your Zoom connection at Zoom's Test Site Here: Click For Zoom's Test Page
Helpful Tip #2: If you want to Phone into Sangeet's Zoom Talk instead of using video, see the instructions at the the bottom of this article.
And in a few moments Zoom should be running and you'll be connected to Sangeet's 84th Birthday Talk!
So come join Sangeet on Zoom for an inspirational talk of life over 84 years.
I know she would love to see all of you!
Hugs and Blessings,
--Hari Nam Singh
P.S. This is a free event and no registration is required. However, Zoom by video or phone is required.
ZOOM BY PHONE: To call into Sangeet's talk (instead of video), just dial one of the Zoom phone numbers below then enter the Meeting ID and Passcode. Note, there may be a charge for the phone call, the phone numbers are not toll-free.
Meeting ID: 823 6768 4424
Passcode: 341389
Dial by your location:
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
• +1 669 444 9171 US
• +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
• +1 646 931 3860 US
• +1 689 278 1000 US
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 305 224 1968 US
• +1 309 205 3325 US
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
• +1 360 209 5623 US
• +1 386 347 5053 US
• +1 507 473 4847 US
• +1 564 217 2000 US
© 2023 Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Hari Nam Singh, All Rights Reserved
Written by Hari Nam Singh.
Joyous New Year For All!
Sat Nam Everyone,
What a sight across the Great Northern Arizona Desert in November!
While many folks across the country drove to Albuquerque New Mexico for their huge Hot Air Balloon Festival in October, we took a different route to enjoy the balloons this fall. Instead of the madness of the enormous-sized crowds the Albuquerque festival draws, we’ll let you in on a little secret.
In early November each year there is a smaller community oriented and family friendly Hot Air Balloon Regatta near the Arizona/Utah border, Glen Canyon Dam, and Lake Powell in the small town of Page, Arizona (pop. 7,500).
What a wondrous sight! It is really breathtaking watching the balloons at dawn dipping into desert canyons, floating up over wide spaces, then skimming along just feet above the ground.
There is a tradition among festivals for everyone to gather with the balloons on one of the evenings and watch the balloon pilots “light up” their balloons. This is called “The Glow.” The gondolas stay on the ground, as the pilots fire up the powerful “burners” that keep the balloons inflated and lit up like super-sized Christmas lights!
This festival does things the “friendly small town” way and has the balloons lined up on a wide street in downtown Page. Then at about 6:30 p.m. when the street is filled with local families and visitors walking among the balloons, the “light show” begins.
First one balloon glows, then one over there glows, then one down the street, another up the street, and soon the street is “aglow” with balloons!
As enchanting as the glowing balloons are, we were also drawn to people watching, or rather, “family watching.” So many families with kids in tow walking among the balloons and asking the pilots and crew endless questions.
After an hour, the last glow ended and the balloons were quickly deflated and packed up for the next morning’s sunrise mass ascent.
Now, lest you think that all we did was enjoy the balloons, we did do a beautiful 11 minute meditation called “Wahe Guru Kriya Meditation” nearby at Glen Canyon Recreation Area. The area is mostly sandstone that has been carved by water over millennia into smooth shapes.
Arizona, like most of the Southwest has been in a severe drought for quite some time. Arizona’s drought started around 1994 according to records kept at the Arizona State Climate Office.
At one point in the video during the meditation, the camera pans left towards the river wall and you can see the “bathtub rings” left behind as Lake Powell’s water level has dropped approximately 160 feet and is now at only 25% capacity.
Lake Powell was created by building the Glen Canyon Dam across the Colorado River and was completed in 1963. Since it’s inception there have been strong arguments both against and for constructing the dam. Many of those same arguments have had a resurgence in recent years.
As the meditation part of the video concludes it changes from showing Sangeet meditating to closeups of the sandstone just a few feet away. Much of the area is made up of this sandstone and whether you are up close or far away you can always find beautiful patterns and colors.
If you would like to learn more about Arizona’s drought and the consequences of a drying Lake Powell, then this AZCentral (The Arizona Republic) article is detailed, lengthy, and informative (may be pay walled):
Lake Powell Shrinks -New Questions Surface
This shorter article by Discover Magazine is also worth reading:
Drought At Lake Powell Reveals Preserved World That Was Once Lost
We hope that you will make this beautiful and simple meditation part of your regular “Spiritual Wellness Routine.”
And for those moments when you may feel a little “down” watch this video to uplift your spirit.
You can be assured that next year we’ll be returning to the Page Hot Air Balloon Regatta!
Love and Blessings,
Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Hari Nam Singh
December 28, 2022
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© 2022 Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Hari Nam Singh, All Rights Reserved
Written by Hari Nam Singh.
Sat Nam Everyone!
Welcome to the Video of Sangeet’s Full Moon Meditation she led on Tuesday night November 8th 2022.
The meditation features the “Mul (root) Mantra” (sometimes spelled “Mool Mantra”), one of Sangeet’s most favorite!
Perhaps you are asking yourself: When is the Full Moon meditation most effective?
According to old yoga lore, the effects of the Full Moon begin 3-5 days before fullness and last 3-5 days after fullness. So a Full Moon meditation is most effective anytime 5 days before and after the actual Full Moon.
But remember, this is a meditation and meditations (with rare exceptions) can be done anytime. In fact, the best time to do a meditation is “today.” Perhaps even “now.” So, don’t fret over when to do a Full Moon meditation, just sit down and enjoy doing it! No worries...
This meditation itself is a universal awakening to the over-riding power of the Sound Current of the Divine Heavens throughout all consciousness.
Over and over ring the opening words “Ek Ong Kaar” – Creator and Creation are One! (God and we are One!)
This affirms The Eternal Divine Life of every Soul.
On this video we do the meditation for 31 minutes. But you can actually do the meditation for any length of time – it is all precious.
What does this mantra tell us? Our Soul was placed in body to live and learn and always learn to be as God is. Even beyond life. It is a statement of Eternal Life.
All of our living experiences continue to feed back to and inform Creator God.
Chanting the Mul Mantra allows the cycle of your karma to be “erased in a manner of speaking,” karma having been created by things left incomplete in past lifetimes and each day we move onward. Not just actions incomplete, but thoughts, wishes, promises, commitments, even sentences and phrases themselves. So the timeless Master Yogi-Teacher described karma to us.
This Mul Mantra is forever effective. Your chanting voice joins with countless millions in the Universal Destiny-sphere who continually vibrate these words as sacred.
The Mul Mantra has quite a few words. If you are not familiar with them, chant along with Sangeet the best you can, as the meditation will still work!
Here is the mantra:
The “Mul Mantra”
Ek Ong Kaar
Sat Nam
Karta Purkh
Nirbhao
Nirvair
Akal Murat
Adjoonee
Saibhang
Guru Prasaad
Jap!
Aad Sach
Jugaad Sach
Haibhee Sach
Nanak Hosee Bhee Sach
Translation
Creator and Creation are one. I am one with Creator and with all creation.
This Great Truth is my identity, confirmed as I vibrate God’s Name.
God is the Doer. I am the Doer. God works through me and through all Creation.
God is fearless. I am fearless.
God has no anger or revenge. I have no anger or revenge.
God is undying and beyond form, so am I in my Infinite Essence.
God is unborn, beyond birth and death. So am I in my Infinite Essence.
God is self illumined. I am self illumined. Within me I have the power of all light.
This is known by the grace of the True Guru, God.
Meditate and reflect on this!
This was true in the Beginning
This is true throughout the ages
This is true here and now
Says Nanak, these truths shall forever and always be true.
Here's How To Do The Meditation:
Asana (Posture)
Sit on the floor in Easy Pose (legs crossed) or sit in a chair with feet flat on the floor. Remember to keep your spine straight during the meditation.
Drishti and Pranayam (Eyes and Breath)
Eyes are closed and looking out the “Third Eye point” as you can. The breath is relaxed and will adjust itself as you chant.
Mudra (Hand and Arm Position)
Hands can be either: crossed on the chest at the heart center, left hand under right, or in Prayer Pose at the chest.
We know you will fall in love with this meditation as we have. Enjoy this meditation for the rest of your life.
As a side note, Sangeet wrote a wonderful article (April 24, 2020) on her love of the Mul Mantra – click here for the article.
Bless you in all ways, always,
Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Hari Nam Singh
November 10, 2022
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© 2022 Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Hari Nam Singh, All Rights Reserved
