Spiritual path is difficult to tread in the sense that it demands annihilation of the mind, which requires constant discipline, commitments, sacrifice, and so on. What kind of sacrifice? Currently, our actions, thoughts, and words are done with self-interest and self-comfort (Haume or ego). But when all our actions, thoughts, and words are performed without regard for personal interest or comfort is a sacrifice. In other words, anything done as an offering to God for the benefit of the Creation without the sense of "I, me, mine, you" is a sacrifice. Normally we forget that the practice of good actions, good conduct or good qualities is also an integral part of worship or devotion!

So sacrifice (Tiyaag) does not mean to sacrifice innocent animals etc. as an offering to God. Since it's difficult to act without regard for one's own interest or comfort, people in many religions opt to sacrifice animals etc. instead. This is not the sacrifice scriptures and Mahaatamaas (Great Souls) talk about. The noble sacrifice involves giving up one's false ego-sense or Haume, along with all its negativity such as lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, enviousness, stubborn mindedness, and so on. But our minds do not want to do that; for as the Gurbani says, our minds are asleep fascinated by Maya (illusion of the worldliness, relativist consciousness,duality etc.). Although we think our minds to be in our full control, but nothing could be farther from the truth — the majority of us have been completely defeated by our minds and we are unaware of it! The false ego-sense is very subtle and it can even creep in while doing pious things or sitting in the "Saadh-Sangat" (Holy Company).

• mnu qnu rqw rwm ipAwry ]srbsu dIjY Apnw vwry: Manu tanu rattaa raam piaare. Sarabas deejai apanaa vaare: My mind and body are imbued with love for the Lord. I sacrifice everything for Him (sggs 108).
• mnu soieAw mwieAw ibsmwid: Mann soiaa Maya bisamaad: The mind is asleep, fascinated by Maya (sggs 182).
• iqAwgnw iqAwgnu nIkw kwmu k®oDu loBu iqAwgnw: Tiaaganaa tiaagan neekaa kaam krodh lobh tiaaganaa: Noble is the renunciation of lust, anger and greed i.e. all faults of the ego (sggs 1018).
• qnu mnu Dnu ArpI sBo sgl vwrIAY ieh ijMdu: Tanu manu dhan arapee sabho sagal vaareeai ih ji(n)d: I dedicate my body, mind, wealth and all to Him. I totally sacrifice my soul to Him (sggs 47).

Spiritual life is the life of selflessness. When we surrender the ego-mind to God, then comes the power to selflessly serve others (Nishkaam Sevaa). Such spiritual lifestyle (Gurmukhtaa) comes when we are able to see our self in others and see their pain, suffering and sorrow as our own. This is why the path of spirituality is likened to walking on a "double-edged sword" or a "razor's edge". It's easy to talk about it but difficult to live. Our egoistic minds are the hurdle. It's difficult for us to come to the aid of another person unless we see some personal benefit. It's difficult for us to forgo our own convenience for a benevolent purpose. Giving selflessly is thorny. It's easier said than done. Chances are even one's own family will not approve of it. If you were to give selflessly, they would think you are gone crazy and good for nothing. This is what happened when once Baabaa Nanak's father gave him some money to buy some goods for his shop, and on his way, instead, he selflessly spent that money to feed some hungry Saadhoos. Just imagine the mood of his father when he heard that! The actions of Mahaatamaas (great soul) remind us that sacrifice alone is not enough, selfless love and compassion are also necessary.

• mwn moh myr qyr ibbrijq eyhu mwrgu KMfy Dwr: Maan moh mer ter biburajit ehu maarag kha(n)de dhaar: To forsake pride, emotional attachment, and the sense of "mine and yours" (ego-sense), is the path of the double-edged sword (sggs 534).
• "Ardous is the path, as difficult as treading the sharp edge of a razor. So say the wise" (Vedas).
  

If there is no selfless love, the attitude of sacrifice will not be automatic. With selfless love comes the true spirit of sacrifice automatically. The merit of sacrificing one's comforts and self-interest for the welfare of others has been hailed in the spiritual tradition. It's through such selfless actions one enters the realm of God (Sach Khand). Other actions done with the attitude of "mine and yours" lead only to repeated suffering. So the spiritual practice is not meant to be performed for one's own sake, it's to work to ease the suffering of others (Nishkaam Sevaa). One's mind and faith in God is strengthened in the process. A person devoid of true love and compassion for the sufferings of others cannot be a true spiritual being.

False ego (Haume) is death. It's of the nature of limitedness and self-centeredness. Thus, naturally anything done in ego ought to be limited, selfish or self-centered. Our giving is generally limited to "Langar" or Gurdwaaraa buildings funds. Even for that we usually have a long list of things we want from God, and we like that list to be read aloud by a Bhaa-ee (priest) during Aradaas (prayer)! As if God is limited and unable to hear or know what's cooking inside our deluded minds! If donation is made for a buildings fund, we want to make sure our name is published, announced, engraved in the building stone, and that we are made a permanent member of the board (although the Gurbani reminds us that there is nothing permanent in this world)!

In addition to giving for "Langar" or Gurdwaaraa buildings funds, sacrifice also include renouncing and abandoning the ego (Haume), bad qualities (negativity, Bikaars etc.), company of wicked people, worldly attachments or bondage, evil passions (lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, enviousness, stubborn mindedness and numerous variations of all these such as slandering, selfishness, animosity, hatred etc.), love of Maya, ignorance, desires (of this world and the next), restlessness, selfishness, sense-slaver, too much of sleep and food and talk, falsehood, evil habits, intellectualizations of the mind, desiring other's women, conflicts, cleverness and trickery, etc. But the ego-mind does not like to sacrifice these and other negative habits or tendencies!

• haumY iqAwgI Anhid rwqw: Houmai tiaagee anehadh raathaa: Renouncing egotism, he is imbued with the unstruck sound current (sggs 1040).

• sgl iqAwgY dust kw sMgu: Sagal tiaagai dusat kaa sa(n)g: He forsakes the company of all wicked people (sgg 274).

• mwnuK kI qU pRIiq iqAwgu: Manukh kee too preet tiaag: Renounce your love of attachment to people (sggs 283)

• Aws Ainq iqAwghu qrMg: Aas anit tiaagahu tara(n)g: Abandon the waves of fleeting desire (sggs 295).

• khu kbIr cMcl miq iqAwgI: Kahu Kabeer cha(n)chal mati tiaagee: Says Kabeer, I have renounced my restless intellect (sggs 327).

• pRQmy iqAwgI haumY pRIiq]duqIAw iqAwgI logw rIiq: Prathame tiaagee houmai preet. Duteeaa tiaagee logaa reet: First, I renounced my egotistical love of myself. Second, I renounced the ways of the world (sggs 370).

• gurmuiK rwg suAwd An iqAwgy: Gurmukh raag suaad an tiaage: By becoming a Gurmukh, renounce other songs and tastes (sggs 415).

• nId BUK sB prhir iqAwgI suMny suMin smwvY: Need bhookh sabh parahar tiaagee sunne sunn samaavai: I have totally renounced sleep and hunger, and through deep meditation, I am absorbed into the Absolute Lord (sggs 442).

• prhir loBu inMdw kUVu iqAwghu scu gur bcnI Plu pwhI jIau: Parahar lobh ni(n)daa koorr tiaagahu sach gur bachanee fal paahee jeeou: Let greed and slander be far away from you, and renounce falsehood; through the Gur-Shabad, you will obtain the true fruit (sggs 598).

• ipRA rMig rwqI shj mwqI mhw durmiq iqAwgnI: Pria ra(n)g raatee sahaj maatee mahaa duramat tiaaganee: I am imbued with the Love of my Beloved, and I am naturally intoxicated with it; I have forsaken my awful evil-mindedness (sggs 544).

• Awsw mnsw sgl iqAwgY jg qy rhY inrwsw: Aasaa manasaa sagal tiaagai jag te rahai niraasaa: Who renounces all hopes and desires and remains desireless in the world (sggs 633).

• iqAwgMq kpt rUp mwieAw nwnk Awnµd rUp swD sMgmh: Tiaaga(n)t kapat roop Maya Nanak aana(n)d roop saadhh sa(n)gamah: Renounce the deceptive illusion of Maya, and joins the blissful form of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy (sggs 707).

• iqAwgyN mn kI mqVI ivswryN dUjw Bwau jIau: Tiaagae(n) mann kee matarree visaare(n) doojaa bhaaou jeeou: Abandon the intellectual pursuits of the mind, and forget the love of duality (sggs 763).

• gurmiq hir rsu pweIAY hoir iqAwghu inhPl kwmw: Guramat har ras paaeeai hor tiaagahu nihafal kaamaa: Throuh Gurmat (Divine knowledge of the Gurbani), obtain the sublime, subtle essence of the Lord; renounce other fruitless actions (sggs 799).

• Coif isAwnp cwqurI durmiq buiD iqAwgo rwm: Shodd siaanap chaaturee duramat budh tiaago raam: Renounce cleverness and trickery (of the mind), and forsake your evil-minded intellect (sggs 848).

• mukiq bpuVI BI igAwnI iqAwgy: Mukati bapurree bhee giaanee tiaagae: The spiritually wise forsake even liberation (sggs 1078).

• srb doK prMiqAwgI srb Drm idRVMqxÚ: Sarab dokh para(n)tiaagee sarab dharam drirra(n)tana: Abandon all your evil habits, and implant all Dharmic faith within (sggs 1361).

• jo dIsY so ivxsxw mn kI miq iqAwgu: Jo deesai so vinasanaa man kee mati tiaag: Whatever is seen, will pass away. Abandon the intellectualizations of your mind (sggs 50).

• pr iqRA iqAwgu krI bRhmcwrI: Par tria tiaag karee brahamachaaree: Renouncing other men's women, he practices celibacy (sggs 164).

• mnu Arpau Dnu rwKau AwgY mn kI miq moih sgl iqAwgI: Manu arapo dhann raakhou aagai mann kee mati mohi sagal tiaagee: I surrender my mind to Him; I place my wealth before Him. I totally renounce my selfish ways (sggs 204).

• ausqiq inMdw doaU iqAwgY KojY pdu inrbwnw: Usatat nindaa do-oo tiaagai khojai padu nirabaanaa: Renounce both praise and blame (duality); seek instead the state of Nirvaana (sggs 218).

• prpMc ibAwiD iqAwgY kvry: Parapa(n)ch biaadh tiaagai kavare: Abandon the bitter worldly conflicts (sggs 225).

• cMcl miq iqAwgY pMc sMGwrY: Cha(n)chal mati tiaagai pa(n)ch sa(n)ghaarai: One who restrains his fickle mind subdues the five passions i.e. all evil inclinations (sggs 22).

Thus, Tiyaag does not mean to renounce family or world and then go dwell in the forest or mountain-tops. It's to live the spiritual principles (Gurmukh Lifestyle), not just in talk but in action (Karnee). One automatically drives joy (Anand) and contentment (Santokh) from acts performed with the spirit of sacrifice. His life benefits others. As indicated in the Gurbani, such selfless (Gurmukh) beings are very "rare" in this world. The life of such selfless beings is in itself a form of Satsang others can emulate. They are one with God. They act with their mind completely surrendered to God. Needless to say it requires immense inner strength.

• ismrhu rwm nwmu Aiq inrmlu Avr iqAwghu haumY kaurw: Simarahu raam naam ati niramal avar tiaagahu houmai kouraa: Remember in meditation the Lord's Name, the most pure and sublime; renounce your bitter egotism (sggs 415).
• nwm audku pIvq jn nwnk iqAwgy siB Anurwgw: Naam oudak peevat jan Nanak tiaage sabh anuraagaa: Drinking in the water of the Naam, servant Nanak has renounced all other loves (sggs 682).
• eyko sbdu vIcwrIAY Avr iqAwgY Aws: Eko sabad veechaareeai avar tiaagai aas: Contemplate the One Shabad, and abandon other hopes (sggs 18).
• suix suix bUJY mwnY nwau ] qw kY sd bilhwrY jwau: Sun sun boojhai maanai naaou. Taa kai sad balihaarai jaaou: I am forever a sacrifice to the one who listens and hears, who understands and believes in the Name (sggs152).
• pRQmy CofI prweI inMdw ]auqir geI sB mn kI icMdw ]loBu mohu sBu kIno dUir ]prm bYsno pRB pyiK hjUir ]1]AYso iqAwgI ivrlw koie ]hir hir nwmu jpY jnu soie ]1] rhwau ]AhMbuiD kw CoifAw sMgu ]kwm k®oD kw auqirAw rMgu ]nwm iDAwey hir hir hry ]swD jnw kY sMig insqry ]2]bYrI mIq hoey sMmwn ]srb mih pUrn Bgvwn ]pRB kI AwigAw mwin suKu pwieAw ]guir pUrY hir nwmu idRVwieAw ]3]kir ikrpw ijsu rwKY Awip ]soeI Bgqu jpY nwm jwp ]min pRgwsu gur qy miq leI ]khu nwnk qw kI pUrI peI ]4]27]40]: Prathame shoddee paraaee ni(n)daa....: First, I gave up slandering others. All the anxiety of my mind was dispelled. Greed and attachment were totally banished. I see God ever-present, close at hand; I have become a great devotee. ||1|| Such a renunciate is very rare. Such a humble servant chants God's Name. ||1||Pause|| I have forsaken my egotistical intellect. The love of lust and anger has vanished. I meditate on God's Name. In the Company of the Holy, I am emancipated. ||2|| Enemy and friend are all the same to me. The Perfect Lord s permeating all. Accepting the Will of God, I have found peace. The Perfect Guru has implanted the Divine Name within me. ||3|| That person, whom the Lord, in His Mercy, saves, that devotee chants and meditates on the Name. That person, whose mind is illumined, and who obtains understanding through the Guru - says Nanak, he is totally fulfilled. ||4||27||40|| (sggs 1147).

— T. Singh