I and Thou. The classic book,  I and Thou, by Martin Buber and published in 1923, set the standard of the day for many in relationships and communication (including with God). In this book, I and Thou, is an insightful answer into the deep questions of the time. It is, and shall remain a classic. In fact, I reread this book every decade or so to remind myself of Mr. Buber’s great insight.

I’m a Sikh, so I have a slightly different take on I and Thou - not the book, but the reality. Please allow me to explain.

I’ll tell you an open secret which very few believe is true. God is your creation. However you really perceive God is how you experience Him.

Here’s another secret: Unta Beant, beyond the beyond, the end is endless. When the student’s experience of God is a reflection of God’s will, Unta Beant is understood and passage into the Garden of Happiness awaits.

In Sikhism, this is called Guru’s Gate. The experience of this understanding is reserved for Gurumukhs, the anointed ones as the bible refers to them, and it’s where the Gurumukhs gather. Only those beings who are the true beloved of God are given the key. In other words, how much ‘you’ is in your perception of God, juxtaposed against how much your perception matches God’s will, and how sincerely you are in living His will, determines how much your consciousness matches up with God enough to allows Him to bestow entrance into His Gate.

At some point in a good student’s life, God takes mercy and grants the student entry into His garden. When this happens, “Thou” provides the key into this sacred gate. The “I” perspective then allows the student to accept, expect, and experience the “I” as also “Thou,” God Himself. This experience is beyond saints, beyond yogis, beyond religion, beyond Infinity. The Guru refers to this experience as “Unta Beant,” beyond the beyond. It’s the experience of Totality, it’s the ALL, the pure Love of God.

Don’t get me wrong. The “I” is still necessary and continues to exists. But so long as the “I” is balanced by an understanding of the compassion of God, ALL else is his gift.

Here’s another secret, God is the greatest giver of ALL time, hands down! He dots the I (the physical student). The I becomes filled with God’s gift of security, protection, understanding, relaxation, and love. How can you not love someone who does so much for you? Yet many still deny Him, His garden, and His reality. But that’s what keeps the world moving.

The “I” becomes a tool of God’s will. In Sikhism, that’s displayed though serving the Guru’s teachings with devotion. It’s a marvelous way into the Garden of Happiness. Sure, there are many other ways, nevertheless in Sikhism one more thing is added to the above list - forgiveness. The Garden is filled with students of forgiveness. Forgiving everyone for everything provides an understanding and experience of why forgiveness is mandatory for entrance into Guru’s Gate. Forgiveness teaches us compassion, and compassion is God’s pure love in worldly action. When the “I” becomes truly compassionate, and that’s God’s call, and God’s will prevails through I, the I and Thou become “merged into Thou, the One.

Now for the last secret. When a student merge with God,  and the “I” becomes “Thou," he become the Creator, the Generator. and Destroyer of it ALL When you want what God wants out of you, there’s no difference in both. God trusts you so much that he gives you the keys to the castle, the heavens, the Gate in the case of a Sikh. God’s love is bestowed through His shower of pure love. He sees you as a leader, leader in living and teaching the truth, His truth.

In Perfect Harmony,

Your Partner and Friend in this Fantastic Journey,

Hari Jiwan