Personal Empowerment Through Raag Majh
We have been given the teachings and blessings through the Guru Granth Sahib to be empowered, but we must tune our inner self to connect the dots. How did Bhai Kanihya see the humanity within the enemies on the battlefield and offer them water? He was empowered to look beyond hate and division even on the battlefield - this required a ‘tuned’ mindset. A mindset that the Sikh Gurus developed for the Sikhs. We have all the components to be like Bhai Kanihya. However, a key element for the connection of our mind, body, and soul is communication. For this reason, the Sikh Gurus blessed humanity with ‘Raag.’
Raag is the amalgamation of our emotions being composed into a certain mood and being expressed through sound. For example, Raag Majh is the mood of longing and separation balanced with remembering good times and yearning to meet again. Raag is like a chocolate cake. When you bite into it, you know you are eating a chocolate cake. But if you want to bake your own, it only becomes a cake when you know how to combine the right ingredients, in the right quantity, following the right method. If anything is changed or altered, it can change the final product. In the same way are Raags. The mood of Majh is created by certain emotions, combined in the right quantity, following the right method. This is the essence of composing yourself through Raag.
When we build communication with our mind and soul, it leads to knowing what we are feeling. When we know what we are feeling, we better know how to express ourselves and what to communicate. For example, if I know I am feeling a specific mood, such as Majh, a raag (mood) of longing and reminiscing good times, I will express within this raag to feel heard.
A step further, If I know I am in the mood of Majh, as a Sikh, I turn to my Satguru for guidance. When my Satguru was in Raag Majh, he expressed himself through Kirtan (shabad). So, if I put myself in Guru’s ‘Mat’ and express myself through shabad and sangeet, I ‘become’ Kirtan. This is the same concept for doing Naam Simran.
Try these simple meditations:
Find a moment when you felt Raag Majh. The mood of missing someone or something. An accumulation of emotions of longing, sadness, happiness, remembering the good times, etc.
Hear the thoughts your mind and soul have over this moment
Listen and sing along to this Naam Simran done in Raag Majh.
Journal how you feel before and after.
This will allow you to be ‘heard’ by ‘you.’ Offering a listening ear and comfort to ourselves is often missing in our very busy lives! This exercise can help you reconnect with your mind and soul and facilitate communication through listening and singing. (“Gaaviya” and “Sunniya”)
About the Author:
Preetinder Singh has been practicing Sikh music for seventeen years. He started his journey at Guru Angad Institute of Sikh Studies. He later went under the apprenticeship of Prof. Surinder Singh to further his knowledge of Sikh music and its link to mental health. Currently, he teaches students across America. Check out his work, and follow him on Soundcloud.