Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) presents a new live course titled "Discovery" where teens will get the opportunity to directly interact with the instructor and have their queries answered.

Classes take place bi-weekly on Sunday's at 10:00 am PDT from 31 May until 9 August 2020 (12 weeks). This live class is only for teens.

We apologize if your time zone does not allow for you to attend the class live, unfortunately the course will not be recorded or shared to ensure the privacy and comfort of the teens.

Any recordings that may be generated automatically by the platform will be deleted immediately. We also ask that participants not record the webinar for the privacy and safety of participants.

This is a recurring webinar. Once you register for the course, you will receive a weekly reminder.

If you are looking to further delve into these topics, we recommend the following.

To read:
How to Develop a Sikh Response by Harinder Singh (https://www.sikhri.org/how_to_develop_a_sikh_response)

To watch:
Who is a Sikh?

What is the Goal of a Sikh?

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For many Sikh teenagers, Sikhi is something that is engaged with on Sundays at Gurduara and in Khalsa school, relegated to a specific space and time. But as teenagers go through becoming teenagers, through a time of deep identity formation, slow and careful questions about who they are and what they believe, and increased engagement with personal journeys and with the world around them, Sikhi becomes an important tool in navigating these new challenges and questions. Being able to apply years of Khalsa school learnings to tangible issues―personal, social, and political―and ask questions in a safe and nonjudgmental space is important.

This discussion-based course will focus on exploring major issues: identity, relationships, sexuality, mental health, etc., through a Sikhi framework rooted in Sikh history, Gurbani, and lifestyle. Students will be able to explore their questions, formulate Sikhi-informed opinions and stances on these issues, and engage in dialogue with their Sikh peers.

Sikh teens aged 14-19 are encouraged to register should they seek the opportunity to grow and explore with other Sikh teenagers from around the world through active engagement with Gurbani and Sikh history and nonjudgmental discussion in a supportive environment. There will be ample room for engagement, and discussion is encouraged in this live-session course. The course will not be recorded or shared to ensure the privacy and comfort of the students.

Session Breakdown:

Lesson 1: Identity: Society vs Self (31 May)
Objective: Explore individuals' self-perceptions and outside perceptions of the individual; explore issues of race, bias, and identity.

Lesson 2: Women: From Amritsar to Washington (14 June)
Objective: Understand Disparities between precept and practice and draw parallels between the treatment of women in the US and India
 
Lesson 3: Love: Experience the Divine (28 June)
Objective: Explore the meaning of Love in the context of cultivating a personal relationship with IkOankar-1Force, and to think more about our personal Sikhi journeys.

Lesson 4: Mental Health (12 July)
Objective: Understand the growing mental health epidemic  

Lesson 5: Relationships: Explore the Beliefs (26 July)
Objective: Explore Sikh perspective on relationships, including a case study on non-traditional relationships  

Lesson 6: Gender: Confront the Sexuality (9 August)
Objective: Explore questions of purity and impurity / sexuality in the context of Gurbani and culture