Article from Sikh Dharma International
From the time of the first Sikh Master, Guru Nanak Ji, wearing
a turban was part of the unique spiritual path that would become Sikh Dharma.
Guru Nanak Ji, himself, wore a turban and asked his students (followers) to do so as well.
For
thousands of years, in many different spiritual traditions, the turban served a
unique and universal purpose. It assisted a person to experience, integrate and
maintain their highest consciousness throughout the day.
How does the turban work? The
top of the head, the place where babies have their "soft spot," is
called the Tenth Gate (Dasam Duar). In yogic terms, it is also known as the Crown Chakra. Thousands of years ago, yogis and spiritual seekers discovered that
the hair on the top of the head protects the tenth gate from sun and exposure.
In addition, the hair acts as antennae, channeling the energy and life-force of
the sun into the body and brain.
To amplify the effect,
spiritual seekers would coil or knot their hair at the tenth gate - also called
the solar center of the head. In men, the solar center is on top of the head at
the front (anterior fontanel). Women have two solar centers: one is at the
center of the crown chakra, the other is on top of the head towards the back
(posterior fontanel). For men and women, coiling or knotting the hair at the
solar centers focuses the energy and helps retain a spiritual vibration
throughout the day.
This hair knot (known as the joora) is traditionally called the
"rishi" knot. In ancient times, a rishi was someone
who had the capacity to control the flow of energy and prana in the body. A
"maharishi" was someone who could regulate the flow of energy in the
body, meditatively and at will. The rishi knot assists in the channeling of
energy in meditation (Naam Simran). If one cuts off the hair, there can be no
rishi knot. By giving us the rishi knot and the turban, the Sikh Masters shared
a very ancient technology for how an ordinary person can develop the capacity
of a rishi.
The next step after tying a
rishi knot is to put on a turban. The turban covers the coiled, uncut hair. The
pressure of the multiple wraps keeps the 26 bones of the head in place and
activates pressure points on the forehead that keep a person calm and relaxed.
Turbans cover the temples, which is said to help protect a person from the
mental or psychic negativity of other people. The pressure of the turban also
changes the pattern of blood flow to the brain. When you tie up your hair and
wrap the turban around it, all the parts of your skull are pulled together and
supported. You feel clarity and readiness for the day and for what may come to
you from the Unknown.
The Divine Energy that governs
the Universe and guides our own life is mostly unknown to us. Living with an
awareness of that Divine Energy within oneself and the entire creation allows
us to live our highest potential. Wearing the turban helps us experience that
Divine Energy and to remember there is something greater than what we know. It
is a spiritual practice where we take the highest, most visible part of
ourselves and show that it belongs to the Creator. Wearing the turban also
helps cultivate a sense of surrender to the Divine.
The turban is the Guru's gift
to us. It is how we crown ourselves as people of Universal Consciousness who
sit on the throne of commitment to our own higher Self. For men and women
alike, this projective identity conveys royalty, grace, and uniqueness. It is a
signal to others that we live in the image of Infinity and are dedicated to
serving all. The turban represents complete commitment.
If you are finding some silver strands in your hair, be aware that the silver or white color increases the vitamins and energy flow to compensate for aging. For better brain health as you age, try to keep your hair as natural and healthy as you can.
Yogi Bhajan from USA, an established authority on meditation and yoga taught that in order to sustain oneself in the face of all environmental pressure, you need very strong nerves. If your nervous system holds steady you won’t fall apart. All your behavior: your patience, projection, constant going and working, depends on your nerves. What builds and maintains your nerves? The electrical charge of the body nourishes your nervous system which is controlled by the brain, but it is your hair that gives you that electrical energy. In Yogi Bhajan’s words, “your hair is not there by mistake. It has a definite purpose, which saints will discover and other men will laugh at.”
The
molecular structure of your hair contains three things:
Your
genetic material, your minerals and it is actually the only part of you that
contains an imprint of your life journey, your psychological destination. Indian doctors can read your life from your
hair as you can read the history of a tree from its rings when cut. Just as the rings of the tree give a glimpse
into the history of the tree. In India, ayurvedic doctors use a special system of stretching the wet
hairs which they take from your comb,
From this system they can write down your whole history and give you the
most accurate diagnosis. Today in the west, the science of hair analysis is
used to diagnose the state of a person’s nutritional health.
Try An Experiment
Whatever hair you have now, try an experiment, and see if you can tie it up on the top of your head, coiling it if it has any length. Then cover and secure it tightly with a cotton handkerchief or a silk scarf and see if you can slightly pull up the scalp holding the 26 bones of the skull gently in place. This will give you extra energy for athletic competition, yoga and meditationYogi Bhajan felt this was an important component in his invincibility on the football field as a youth. If you do not contain the movement of your cranial bones, and their adjustment shifts suddenly, you can become more emotional and conflicted
For further detailed explainaition on how energy works in human body with help of hairs, please follow link:
Improve-your-vitality-and-meditation-with-long-hair!
Improve-your-vitality-and-meditation-with-long-hair!
For more information on how to tie a turban visit
