In this episode of Peace Is Here, host Avis Kalfsbeek reflects on The Birth of the Khalsa by Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh—a groundbreaking work that reimagines Sikh identity through a feminist, peace-centered lens. Drawing from her own journey through compassionate Kundalini yoga and a growing curiosity about women’s roles in spiritual traditions, Avis explores how Singh’s writing invites us to see the divine as nurturing, liberating, and powerfully maternal.

You’ll hear a narrated reading of a portion of the book’s Introduction and a reflection on why the spiritual wisdom of the Khalsa—often told through masculine frames—may hold transformative potential for peacebuilding today. We also learn about Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh, whose poetic scholarship opens doors to a more inclusive spiritual imagination.

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The Birth of the Khalsa: A Feminist Re-Memory of Sikh Identity

The Name of My Beloved: Verses of the Sikh Gurus

Sikh Archive Podcast: The Feminine Sikh Principle with Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sikharchive/id1533329730?i=1000510464593

Youtube: Sikh Feminism, What do we know? https://youtu.be/_x3h9z4h8Ek?si=D-93gzp-gzsOkpGP

Music: Dalai Llama Rides a Bike by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez. Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Get the Books/Join the community: AvisKalfsbeek.com or https://linktr.ee/aviskalfsbeek