Episode Transcript
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Harkaren (00:03):
Hello everyone and
welcome to Balance Baby, the
podcast designed to help youconsistently show up as the best
version of yourself.
My name is Harkaren and I'll beyour host.
I'll be here every week sharingstories and teaching you
techniques to prioritize theonly thing we have any control
(00:25):
over in this world ourselves.
Every week, when I sit down towork on my episode, I get really
excited to share my perspectivewith you all.
The goal to help bringawareness isn't just about
sharing my experiences.
Goal to help bring awarenessisn't just about sharing my
(00:48):
experiences.
It's also about creatingunderstanding and connection
between us.
Through our conversations, Ihope to inspire you to reflect
on your own life with empathy.
This is a space where we canexplore different perspectives
and learn from each other.
I've always been a very curiousperson.
(01:08):
I get really excited to connectdots and make sense of things
in life, learning to interpretthe signs that are all around us
.
I spend so much of my timelearning from books and
documentaries and teachers thatappear along my path, whether
(01:29):
that's in the form of a personor a life experience.
I learn from psychology,spirituality and science, and I
bring those concepts togetherhere because I'm realizing that
there's a lot of overlap.
There was a quote I saw oncethat stuck with me.
(01:50):
I can't remember it exactly now, but the basis was that your
soul doesn't care about what jobyou have, how much money you
make, what your relationshipstatus is or what other societal
expectations you fulfill.
It cares about what kind ofhuman you are being.
(02:12):
It cares about the depth ofyour connections, the
authenticity of your experiencesand the growth of your
consciousness and the growth ofyour consciousness.
This resonates deeply with mebecause it reminds me to
(02:33):
prioritize what truly matters inlife Love, compassion and inner
fulfillment beyond superficialmeasures of success.
It's a guiding principle thatshapes how I navigate my journey
and the content I share withyou here on this podcast.
In Canada, april is SikhHeritage Month.
(02:54):
If you've listened to Season 1,episode 1, you know that I am a
Canadian-born Punjabi woman andI was born into a typical Sikh
family, an upbringing that manyof you might relate to.
(03:16):
This month holds specialsignificance for me because it
gives me the opportunity tohonor and celebrate the culture
and heritage that shaped myidentity and my worldview.
I consider myself to be aspiritual person, but in the
last few years I realized thatit was actually my Sikh
upbringing that initially piquedmy curiosity and led me down
(03:40):
this path.
I'm no expert in Sikhism and Ionly recently made the decision
to start relearning how to readand write in Punjabi, but I can
give you a brief history ifyou're completely unfamiliar.
Sikhism was founded in the 15thcentury by Guru Nanak Devji in
(04:02):
the Punjab region, which is nowdivided between India and
Pakistan.
Sikhism emerged during a timewhere there was a lot of social,
political and religious turmoilin India.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji's teachingsemphasize the importance of
living a life of honesty livinga life of honesty, humility and
(04:23):
service to others.
Over time, guru Nanak Dev Jiwas succeeded by nine more gurus
, each playing significant rolesin shaping Sikhism.
The Guru Granth Sab Ji is ascripture and it is considered
our final guru.
It contains the teachings ofall 10 of our previous gurus.
(04:50):
This is part of the reason I'mteaching myself how to read and
write in Punjabi.
I would like to read the guru'swords as they were intended and
interpret the messages formyself, based on my
understanding of life.
Based on my understanding oflife.
Sikhs, by nature, have a strongtradition of bravery and courage
.
They have always been thefrontline of defenders.
(05:12):
Throughout our history, sikhshave been known for their
warrior spirit and theirwillingness to stand up against
injustice.
Stand up against injustice.
Growing up my religion didn'thold much significance for me.
It was a set of rules thatpeople imposed on me.
(05:36):
It was an excuse for why Ishouldn't talk back to elders or
why I couldn't cut my hair.
It was a visit to the Gurdwaraweekly or for special occasions
such as Vaisakhi.
I went to after school Punjabiclasses and Punjabi summer camps
to learn about the origins andhistory of Sikhism, but it still
didn't spark any lastinginterest.
(05:57):
My parents did the best theycould to keep the culture and
religion prominent in the livesof myself and my siblings, but
despite their best efforts,religion felt more like an
obligation than a source forconnection or inspiration.
The problem is most of ourunderstanding of religion came
(06:21):
from someone else'sinterpretation.
This could be true for you,regardless of which religion you
practice.
If you're Muslim and youhaven't read the Quran, you rely
on others to explain itsteachings.
If you're Christian and youhaven't read the Bible, then
(06:42):
you're also relying on others'interpretation to help you
understand.
A bulk of the work involvesunlearning a lot of what we were
taught.
Think about that telephone gamewe used to play as kids.
Someone starts with a messageon one end and whispers it in
(07:03):
the ear of the person besidethem.
This continues until it reachesthe last person.
Then we would all laugh at howmisconstrued the message got.
Now think about how this mightaffect our understanding of
religion.
When we rely solely on others'interpretations, we risk the
(07:27):
distortion or misrepresentationof religious teachings.
Everyone's opinions are biased,based on their own experiences
and what they have seen unfoldin their own lives.
I didn't understand how I couldbe a good Sikh if I chose to
drink alcohol or smoke cannabis.
(07:49):
I didn't understand how I couldbe a good Sikh if I didn't pray
to God regularly or decided tocut my hair.
But that's because I was beingtaught the religion by people
who had their own agenda, anagenda based in fear and control
.
As with any religion or beliefsystem, cultural influences can
(08:16):
sometimes overshadow the coreteachings.
There is no part of Sikhismthat is about control.
Those are ideas forced upon usby the culture.
Sikhi is about oneness andempowering others.
Sikhi encourages individuals tocultivate a sense of inner
(08:37):
peace and connection with thedivine through meditation,
selfless service and living inalignment with ethical
principles.
It does not matter what youlook like on the outside.
What matters is yourwillingness to learn about your
(08:57):
true self, the oneness of allthat is, in fact, sikh is
derived from the Sanskrit wordshishya, which means student.
So, essentially, being a Sikhmeans you are making a lifelong
commitment to learning, growthand spiritual development.
(09:18):
Any religious symbols youdecide to wear, such as a kara
or a kirpan, are not mandatoryand are only meant to serve as a
reminder of your commitment toSikhi.
Through the process ofunlearning, I've come to
appreciate the essence ofSikhism in a way I never did
(09:41):
before.
I discovered that most of myspiritual beliefs were actually
rooted in my Sikh upbringing.
Instead of religion beingsomething I practiced from time
to time, spirituality became away of living.
Fundamentally, I believe weshould all strive to be good
(10:03):
people, kind, respectful andloving.
Every religion essentially saysthe same thing Be a good person
and do good things.
This realization has beenextremely liberating for me.
It stripped down the barriersand division that separates us
(10:24):
based on religious labels, andhighlighted the universal values
that unite us as human beings.
Regardless of our religiousaffiliations or cultural
backgrounds, we can all aspireto embody kindness, compassion
and integrity in our lives, andintegrity in our lives.
(10:52):
Sikhism, like many otherreligions, emphasizes the
interconnectedness of all beingsand the importance of treating
others with respect and dignity.
This universal message of loveand acceptance transcends
religious boundaries and createsunderstanding in our diverse
and multicultural world.
At its core, sikhism teaches theimportance of living an honest
(11:16):
life and being of service toothers.
The concept of seva, orselfless service, lies at the
heart of Sikh philosophy,encouraging individuals to
extend a helping hand to thosein need and contribute
positively to the world aroundthem.
(11:36):
This resonates deeply with me,as I truly believe my purpose in
life is to help others.
Purpose in life is to helpothers.
I have spent most of my lifeeither volunteering or working
in careers where I can be ofdirect service to others.
Even the intent behind thispodcast is to excitedly share
(11:59):
what I've learned through trialand error and life lessons.
It was created to help activatea sense of joy and fulfillment
within others so that each ofyou can show up as your most
authentic selves, helping youaccomplish your personal goals
and dreams with more ease,because it's coming from a place
(12:22):
of alignment.
It's coming from a place ofalignment Alignment with source
energy, the divine, the universe.
No-transcript.
There are so many lostindividuals moving through life
confused, no sense of purpose,no sense of belonging.
(12:46):
The meaning behind balance, baby, is that you don't need to
strive to fit into a box thatsociety has created for you.
In fact, you should strive tonot fit in any boxes.
Be a balanced individual.
Just because you're kind andbelieve in karma doesn't mean
(13:09):
you have to lack boundaries andnever express your anger.
Just because you value hardwork and ambition doesn't mean
you have to sacrifice yourmental health or neglect your
relationships.
Just because you're spiritualdoesn't mean you can't
participate in the culture andtraditions of religion.
(13:32):
Embracing balance meanshonoring all aspects of yourself
the light and the shadow, thesoftness and the strength, the
action and the stillness.
When you learn how to findharmony and balance within
yourself, you begin navigatinglife more authentically, you
(13:57):
release the burdens andexpectations of others and you
begin seeing your uniqueness asa gift.
And on that note, I'd like toshare a story with you about
embracing your uniqueness.
So I am the third of fourchildren.
I have an older brother, anolder sister and a younger
(14:20):
brother.
All of my siblings have namesthat start with the letter D.
Growing up, everyone would makefun of me for being the odd one
out.
I was the only one with a namestarting with H.
Obviously, this isn't a bigdeal, but hearing this
constantly as a young kid didmake me feel left out.
(14:43):
It made me wonder why I had tobe different and if my parents
had done it intentionally.
As I grew up, I becameinterested in the meaning behind
my name behind my name.
(15:06):
Harkaren can be broken down intotwo parts Har and Karen.
Har is frequently used to referto divine or god.
Karan is the western spellingof the Punjabi name Kiran.
The name Kiran means ray oflight and is often associated
with positivity.
When combined, the nameHarkaren can be understood to
mean divine ray of light, onewho works in harmony with the
(15:30):
divine or one who is dedicatedto the service of the divine.
It reflects a commitment toliving a life guided by
spiritual values and principles,striving for unity with the
divine and serving others withlove and compassion.
And if you know me at all, youknow this is completely my vibe.
(15:55):
Something that once made mefeel isolated and unwanted is
now the same thing that bringsme so much pride and joy.
My name itself is a constantreminder of my life's purpose.
Thank you so much for tuning into my second episode of season
(16:22):
two.
Embracing our uniqueness andauthenticity is not always easy,
especially when faced withconflicting expectations from
those around us.
By honoring our individualityand staying true to ourselves,
we pave the way for growth andself-acceptance.
(16:43):
My name, which was once a painpoint in my life, is now front
and center and gives me so muchpride.
My religion, which I oncerejected, has now become a
source of strength, guiding medeeper in my spiritual journey,
allowing me to adapt myunderstanding based on our
(17:06):
modern world.
I hope this episode hasencouraged you to live boldly as
your authentic self, releasepast resentments and look at
your life history with a freshperspective.
Just as I've found empowermentand growth through embracing my
uniqueness and reclaiming myheritage, may you too find
(17:30):
strength and inspiration in yourown journey.
Embrace your name, youridentity and your beliefs with
pride and confidence, knowingthat they are all integral parts
of who you are.
If you're finding value in thispodcast, don't forget to hit
the subscribe button and shareit with your friends and family,
(17:53):
and if you're loving whatyou're hearing, please consider
leaving a five-star review.
Your feedback helps othersdiscover the podcast and join
our community of growth andempowerment.
I'll be back next wednesday forepisode three.
Together, here, we're creatinga community of beautiful souls,
(18:15):
ready to uplift each other,ready to experience all the joy
that this life has to offer us.
And don't forget life is allabout balance, baby.