Today on the show, we are joined by Simran Jeet Singh. Simran is an executive director, a senior adviser at The Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program, and an author. The influence of Simran's thought leadership on bias, empathy, wisdom, and justice can be found in a variety of institutional settings, including business, educational, and government organizations. He joined us today to talk about his bestselling book, "The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life".

Simran discusses the power of engaging with people who are different from us and the importance of embracing relationships that challenge us. Simran shares about their family history and being the first person in their family to be born into a society of diversity. They delve into the principles of Sikhism, a relatively young religion founded by Guru Nanak, which emphasizes the oneness of all creation and rejects hierarchy and supremacy. 

Simran also opens up about their personal experiences of facing discrimination and racism, particularly after 9/11, and the challenges they have encountered in maintaining their Sikh identity.

Tune in to this episode of The Growth Guide to gain insights into engaging with diversity, Sikh philosophy, the power of community, the value of prayer, and finding light in the face of darkness."

[05.17] Opening up – Starting the conversation, Simran shares how he learned the importance of opening up to people rather than shutting down. 

[12.58] Racism - Simran refreshes his memories of living with racism in Texas and how it affected them in early 2000. 

[24.20] Shared identity – Building connection by focusing on shared identity instead of individual identity.

[34.28] The value – We talk about the importance of being in relationships with people who have different backgrounds. 

[43.13] Prayers - The power of prayer is not the change that occurs in what happens, but the change that occurs within ourselves. 

[51.24] Feeling alive – It differs from person to person what makes them feel alive. We talk about how people feel alive when they think about the things they love.

[01.01.57] Purpose of life – The importance of figuring out the purpose of life.

Resources

Connect with Simran

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/simran-jeet-singh-006b7383/ 

Instagram - instagram.com/sikhprof/ 

Twitter - twitter.com/simran 

Website - simranjeetsingh.org/ 

Book by Simran

The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life 

Book by Malcolm X

The Autobiography of Malcolm X