Black magic believers

WJKK, WJKF

JasPinduh I hope I can help you with you question. Although, I don't have a direct answer to your question on how to "spot" someone who believes in black magic but I am going to try and take a different angle to your question about how to deal with it.

To me, black magic is a belief in something that is other than God. It almost sounds like a belief in the devil or something but I am not going to try to sound like I completely understand what it is. Personally, I don't understand why so many people (especially, our sikh brothers and sisters) have started to believe in it and are leaving everything our gurus taught us on the table. I don't know exactly what black magic does and how you can "save" yourself from its curse! I have seen people put green chilly (mirch) and lime (nimbu) in front of their homes, I have seen people put a bowl (matkaa) with a black face on top of their homes, I have seen my own sister in laws mother take salt and circle it around my sister in law to keep "bad spirits" away from her!

All this, I have seen in homes of Sikh families. My own family. But I being the "questioning" person that I am, have always asked and wondered why! Its not until I read in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj that I realized that all this black magic stuff is senseless and has no substance to it. Then, I began to freely express my "rejection" of these belief to my family.

When someone in my family would take about practicing any of these black magic stuff I would always ask them why? and tell them that as sikhs, we simply don't believe in this crap! They still won't listen. And I would stand my ground and not partake in any such activity but I would make it a goal to point out that what they were doing is wrong and totally against the sikh believes.

And maybe that is where you should start. You may want to first confront your father about the things he is doing. Don't be rude, but ask him politely what he is doing and why? If you find what he is doing is wrong, then talk to him about it. Tell him why you believe its wrong. But make sure you also listen to his explanation (if he provides any! I know my dad would kick my ass if I ever questioned him but maybe things are different with you!)

And reading your brother, I would say ask him about his dreams as well. If he is afraid of something then find out what it is and help him through Gurbani. Our guru's have provided us with guidance on every aspect of our lives (be it fear, love, hate, greed, whatever, the guru has guidance for you ... (more)

Sat Nam,

I used to experience the EXACT same thing your brother is going through, for years. That includes my mother, bless her, doing weird superstitious things to me. I agree with both responses above, and want to add a comment about this to the above.

I'll go in order as you've asked.

• From what I have seen in a typical Punjabi extended family, people do "black magic" because they are insecure, and often due to the tradition that exists in the pinds (villages) in India. My mother lived in Delhi for a little while and Hoshiarpur in Punjab, where her neighbors were Hindus. Women pass along these things, irregardless of religion. It makes them feel safe. And, yes, that comes from lack of trust or disinterest in their relationship with the Guru, or primal fear that makes them reach for anything. As for "does it work?", there is evil out there, and for those who truly devote themselves to it, sure, they can "conjure" up something nasty. But it works both ways. If you BELIEVE something will hurt you, and are weak, you will suffer pain from that fear. Your father doing these things is shaking your brother up because it rocks his sense of security (I am assuming he is very young). I freaked out when my mom slipped an iron pan of water under my bed. I have always believed that Guru ji and Waheguru take care of us, and that they permeate existence. The duality of it was what created the frustration.

• Your brother's grades are lowering probably due to a sense of fear and confusion combined with the hassles of living. I remember my "dark period" happened when I went to 9th grade and changed schools. I had such a primal, sheer terror about meeting people, which progressed to terrors in the dark, that I nearly failed an entire grade (in honors courses, too!). It's not because he is "haunted" or anything, but he has developed anxiety from all of the stress. That means that a neurotransmitter in his brain has become imbalanced. For that, he needs to muster up the courage to calm himself. I did the whole psychologist/psychiatrist thing, but what worked for me in the end was meditation, deep breathing and self-counseling. Talk to him about his fears, and be his best friend in this (as my dad was for me). Have him deepen his relationship with God. It's not the "magic", trust me.

Because of how ingrained this "wives tale" is in our culture, it is not going to be easy to eradicate. Honestly, it's a last resort type of thing. My mother did those things in response to my panic attacks and night terrors and illness, because it made her feel secure, like she could help me the way it has probably been done to her by her mother. I don't blame her, nor do I look down upon her. I understand ... (more)