The Need for Unstructured Reflection
Jap and Reflection
As we move through life, we are often caught up in its fast-paced nature, often leaving little room for genuine introspection and self-discovery. The effort we put into building relationships with loved ones, doing well at work or in school oftentimes takes most of our energy and focus, leaving very little to no time to build dialogue with our inner being and world. This leads to an imbalance that we then try to change through force. The communication between our mind and soul becomes hostile and quarrelsome, leaving us more stressed. And this pushes us further away from engaging in unstructured reflection with ourselves.
When you sit down with your closest friends, you don’t have an agenda, nor do you take notes on what was said or should be said. It’s naturally a free-flowing conversation that’s unstructured and naturally inspires reflections, even if it’s reflecting on which current shows are worth watching. This natural flow of conversation and reflection happens easily and freely because you have a strong relationship with your best friends. This same concept applies to our inner being. The conversation between the mind and soul. Unstructured reflection creates opportunities for personal growth, spiritual development, and a deeper connection with ourselves, leading us to personal freedom.
As a Sikh, reflecting on oneself is the foundation of being a student of life. It is so vital that Satguru Nanak Ji blessed humanity with “Jap.” We add “ji” and “Sahib” out of respect and love. Jap ji Sahib is referred to in Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) as “Jap.” The concept of ‘Jap’ is unique in how Satguru Nanak Ji expresses it. The context of ‘Jap’ is of contemplation, not reciting. Satguru Nanak Ji offers humanity a unique lens on how to think, listen, reflect, communicate, and learn. Jap ji Sahib tunes our mindset to be seekers of life. It tunes us to be free thinkers. It chisels and prepares us to reflect. We are being tuned to become students of life. A Sikh is taught to be a seeker, not a follower. SatguruNanak Ji spoke about freeing our mindset and encouraged contemplation and communicating with ourselves by creating personal space. This is necessary to build the bridge to unstructured reflection.
To open the doors of unstructured reflection, the first chapter of SGGS is prescribed in the mood of Siri Raag. Siri Raag has a contemplative, thought-provoking nature. It creates an atmosphere where the listener is made aware of the truth of the message, and this newfound experience/knowledge gives strength to face the future with humility and focus. The mood of Siri Raag is one to open the eyes of the mind to reality and communicate the truth and reality in a digestible manner leaving the listener focused and encouraged to implement change. Often it is when we have unstructured reflection time that we can address the challenge of freeing our mindset.
For example, you are working from home and video conferencing into work meetings. As you do some work on your computer while the meeting is going on, you forget to make sure your mic is on mute, and you end up making some embarrassing sounds that your entire team hears. You quickly realize your mistake, apologize, and mute yourself. Within yourself, Siri Raag’s dialogue would not judge you or make you feel bad. It would acknowledge the mistake with grace and keep your conscious of it going forward. Within you, your mind and soul decide that you will always double-check your mic button to make sure it's on mute going forward. This emotional process symbolizes Siri Raag.
Satguru Nanak Ji shares that the key to freeing the mind is to start that journey of Jap ji Sahib. Jap ji is the foundation to allow us to become free in our thoughts and being. It guides us on how to be, how to listen, how to learn, how to contemplate, how to apply, and how to become. Reciting Jap ji from the lens of knowing that Guru is tuning your mindset on how to contemplate can be an impactful process. Trying a course on Japji Sahib may be impactful, or reading about Japji Sahib may open up contemplation. Secondly, listening to shabads sung in Siri Raag may help evoke an internal unstructured reflection with your mind and soul. The stronger and deeper your relationship will become with yourself, the more you embrace true freedom.
About the Author:
Preetinder Singh has been practicing Sikh music for nineteen 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. He works with clients as an Emotional coach using what he has learned in the study of psychology and Sikh Music. Check out his work, and follow him on Soundcloud.