Guru Ram Das ASHRAM and GURDWARA

Over the past 31 years, Guru Ram Das Ashram and Gurdwara has grown to a community of more than 500 members, including approximately 90 residential members.

An ashram is a place where spiritual seekers join together to study, grow, and excel. Named in honor of the great Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das, the Millis Ashram and Gurdwara are located on an 18-acre property about thirty-five miles southwest of Boston. At the heart of our life, is the belief that spiritual practice walks hand in hand with life in a busy world.

Established in Boston in 1970 through the inspiration and guidance of Yogi Bhajan, Guru Ram Das Ashram and Gurdwara moved to Millis in 1981. The physical property is simple. There is a community building for yoga, meditation, and Sikh worship. We also have residential apartments, open fields, a Montessori school, and a community garden.

We are home to many events and activities, including:

• Daily Kundalini Yoga & Meditation classes

• Kundalini Yoga and Healing Arts workshops

• The Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Certification program

• White Tantric Meditation Courses

• The annual New England Kundalini Yoga Fall Festival

• Sunday Sikh Services- Gurdwara & Langar

• Daily Morning Sadhana-

  • 3:45 am -4:05 am: JapJi Sahib (morning prayer)

  • 4:05 am -4:45 am: Kundalini Yoga

  • 4:45 am -6:00 am: Chanting Meditation

  • Note: Saturday and Sunday Sadhana starts at 5:00 am.

Guru Ram Das GURDWARA

To receive our monthly program email:

SS Dharma Kaur Khalsa,
Guru Ram Das Ashram Secretary
Phone: (508) 376-4387
Email: dharmakaur@comcast.net

Siri Devta Kaur Khalsa,
Guru Ram Das Gudrwara Secretary
Phone: (508) 376-4747

Questions?
Call the office: (508) 376-4527 or one of our sevadars:

SS Jot Singh Khalsa,
Contact for Lungar Seva
Phone: (508) 376-8162
Email: jotkhalsa@comcast.net

S.S. Dr. Sham Rang Singh Khalsa
Guru Granthi
Phone: (508) 376-4776

S.S.Ek Ong Kar Singh Khalsa
Director of Guru Ram Das Ashram
Phone: (508) 376-4062

Langar Kitchen
Phone: (508) 376-1109

Guru Ram Das Gurdwara is a reality as a result of tremendous hard work, devotion, service and faith. The term gurdwara is both a noun and a verb; gurdwara thus describes both our service and the building it is located in.

Translated, gurdwara means "doorway to the Guru." The word "Guru" means "that which takes one from darkness (gu) to light (ru)." In Sikhism, the Guru is the Shabd Guru, which was given by Guru Nanak through Guru Gobind Singh, and embodied in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib.

We have Sikh services every Sunday morning, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. We also have gurdwara programs on the first Friday of every month. The program begins at 7:30 pm.

At the core of the gurdwara program is kirtan. Kirtan is the singing of divine devotional hymns. At the conclusion of our program we say a group of prayers and read a hukam ("order of the day") for guidance and inspiration. The hukam is a reading from our Sikh scriptures (also call the Siri Guru Granth Sahib) and is taken at random, as the directive for the day. To conclude the program we all join together for a delicious meal, called "langar." Everyone is welcome to visit the gurdwara. Join us any Sunday.
 

What is the Sikh faith?

The Sikh faith is one of the youngest of the world religions. It is five hundred years old and began with the teachings of a man named Nanak. Nanak was born in 1469 in northern India. He spread a simple message, Ek Ong Kar, the Creator and Creation are One. His words uplifted many people, and soon Nanak became Guru Nanak. All those who followed his teachings were seekers of the truth and are called Sikhs.

There are now an estimated twenty-two million Sikhs worldwide. Through words and example, Guru Nanak demonstrated to his followers how to experience God within themselves. He opposed superstition, injustice and hypocrisy, and inspired seekers by divine songs which touched the hearts of the most callous listeners. These songs were set down on paper, and formed the beginnings of the Sikhsí sacred writings, later to become the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, which Sikhs today revere as the living Guru.

Guru Nanak taught this way of life:

• Nam Japa: Get up each day before sunrise, cleanse the body, and then cleanse the mind by meditating on God's Name and reciting the Guru's hymns. Throughout the day continue to remember God's Name with each and every breath.

• Dharam di Kirat Karni: Work and earn a living by the sweat of your brow. Live a householder's way of life, and practice truthfulness in all dealings.

• Vand ke Chakna: Share the fruits of your labor with others before considering oneself. Thus live as an inspiration and as a support to the entire community.