During Simran, thoughts will pop up, and you just need to let them go. If your mind wanders, don't be hard on yourself. Just ignore it and go back to Simran. If you're finding it hard to focus because you're saying Simran in your mind, try saying it out loud so you can hear it better. Don't think that you're bad if your mind wanders. Gently bring it back and keep going. 

We do various kinds of Karam (actions) as we go through our life. The only thing beyond Karam (action) is Naam Japna. All other actions create Karam, the only action that does not create Karam and wipes away all other Karam is Naam Japna (Chanting Vaheguru's Name). So, Naam Japna is the solution to sin. We start to wipe out our sins by doing Naam Japna.

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Sikhi is about losing the ego. We are all suffering from the disease of Haumai (ego) even though we may look perfectly healthy. So, we need the doctor, i.e the Guru to cure this disease. Taking Amrit means surrendering to the Guru's guidance instead of following our own desires, which is a crucial step in overcoming our ego and merging back with Vaheguru.

Reading Gurbani and connecting to Vaheguru can keep us in high spirits. As we say in the Ardaas, ‘Nanak Naam Chardikala’, through the Name of God, we experience Chardikala (rising spirits). Try doing one Japji Sahib Paatth before you start your day and see how the power of Naam increases your productivity and takes away the emotions that bring you down!

A Sikh should not hate anybody. So, we have no Vairee (enemy). But there are people who hate Sikhs, especially those who oppress people, since Sikhs have always stood up against oppression and tyranny. We only hate Paap (sin). If somebody hates us, it doesn’t bother us. When they start to do actions that are detrimental to other people, then that person is a Dushat (tyrant) and we have to stop them. If we can stop that person by using a non-violent method, then that is great. If we can’t then we can use some form of action to stop them. Once that person stops doing such actions then they are no longer someone that we have to worry about. It is only when they do such actions, then we need to engage with them to stop them. Once they stop doing their actions to harm others, a Sikh must forgive them and their past actions. Otherwise, we do not have any enemies. 

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Learning Punjabi is not difficult. There is nothing in this world that is impossible if you truly want to do it. Those things don’t get done which you don’t want to do. If you really want to experience the sweetness and the bliss of Gurbani then you should learn Punjabi. There are words in Gurbani (Guru's teachings) that do not have comparative words in English. Comparatively, if there are 200 words in English then there are 1200 words in Punjabi. It is such a rich language. The issue is that we always think that what others have is better even though we may have the best ourselves. To be able to listen to deep Katha (discourse) and read old Steek (commentary) and gain a better understanding of what is being said in Gurbani, one must learn Punjabi.

Memorise this Gurbani Pangti and recite it loud when such thoughts occur:

ਨਿਮਖ ਕਾਮ ਸੁਆਦ ਕਾਰਣਿ ਕੋਟਿ ਦਿਨਸ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ॥

For a moment of sexual pleasure, you shall suffer in pain for millions of days.

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ਘਰੀ ਮੁਹਤ ਰੰਗ ਮਾਣਹਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਪਛੁਤਾਵਹਿ ॥੧॥

For an instant, you may savour pleasure, but afterwards, you shall regret it, again and again. ||1||

Looking different helps us to stay different because if we look like everybody else, we might start doing what everybody else is doing. Through our appearance, Guru Sahib reminds us that we're different, we've chosen a different path: a spiritual life. So let’s have the courage to stand out. It also encourages us not to do bad things with a turban on, as we are representing our Guru.