Sikh Dharam

‘Dharam’ comes from the Sanskrit root ‘dhr’ which means ‘to hold together’. It suggests that everything that exists flows according to an inherent order or way of being. Different facets of creation have their own properties or distinctive ways of being. For example, the dharam of water is to flow, the dharam of the sun is to shine. For the Sikh Gurus, all humans carry the virtuous properties which characterise the spiritual self (i.e. the self which is in tune with God’s presence).

We can live in disharmony or harmony with our spiritual self. This is dependent on our choices and on the way we are nurtured and conditioned through life experience. For the Sikh Gurus, human life is the golden opportunity to choose to live in harmony with the spiritual self, and so contribute to a flourishing world. Dharam is our positive response to the opportunity of life. It is to be lived with love and responsibility. To live with purpose, we must understand life’s context.

In Sikh teaching, our entire planet, as it spins in the cosmos, is pictured as a ‘dharamsal’ – a school to practice dharam. We are all spiritual travellers. Just as we arrive on this earth, we will one day depart from it. Dharam provides us with direction, with understanding, and with tools to navigate life’s journey.

Sikhs see each of the world’s faiths as a ‘dharam’ or school to cultivate virtuous living. Hence they might refer to their own faith as the Sikh Dharam.