I am still processing my being in the presence of the Dalai Lama. It was quite an event, and one that I feel so Blessed to have been able to attend. I was so glad to share the day with Barb, Barb, and Sue. Three really cool chicks who I enjoy talkng with and spending time with.
I took notes which are incomplete, but at least offer a place to start a conversation. First, my own observation. The Dalai Lama has a great sense of humor! He often laughed (including at himself) and told jokes. You could tell that he has true happiness in his heart.
The Dalai Lama began his conversation regarding the past century. He said that there were good things from the 1900s, and there were bad things. One thing that has increased is the number of killings, which of course is seen as a bad thing. He also mentioned the nuclear battle that our world is presently experiencing, though he mentioned that the good thing coming from this is that we are looking for ways to decrease nuclear armament around that world.
But the biggest change during the 20th Century has been the fear and anxiety, which is at an all time high. He says the human brain brought this on. He asks, what’s wrong? How do we fix this? He talks about fear and anger being a motivator for some, and this motivation leads to immoral behavior. For others, happiness and honesty leads to trust, and trust leads to friendship and cooperation. If being cooperative and making friends is one’s motivation, that leads to moral behavior. So we must really look at people’s motivation. If their motivation is based on fear or anger, or on inspiring fear or anger, then they are acting immorally. If their motivation is based on friendship and happiness for themselves and others, then they are acting morally.
We should avoid anything physical, mental, emotional, etc. which brings us fear, because these things are immoral.
He discussed the maximum affection most children receive at a young age. Those who have been loved and felt loved and felt deep affection from their mothers are much less likely to live in fear. Mothers should shower their kids with affection so they are happy in life. He told the story of his own childhood. Growing up as the youngest in his family, he was quite spoiled. Yound children in his country often ride on their mother’s shoulders. He told about grabbing his mother’s ears to try to get her to tuen one way and then the other. If she didn’t turn the direction he wanted to go in, he’d yank on her ears to try and get her to change her direction. He talked about feeling so loved by her, even as he pulled these pranks.
He shared a study about the connection of using the words: I, me, and mine, with a greater risk of heart attack.
The Dalai Lama said that small-minded (selfish) people see small issues as a BIG deal, while open-minded (global or with a sense of community) people see the big issues as small.
He then went on to say “warmheartedness is the key to good health.” If we have a heavy mind, we have a heavy body, and a heavy body leads to illness. He reminds us that if there is a person who irritates us, we must think of that person’s image as we think of God. Bring love to our thoughts around that person. Keep our hearts light.
The discussion turned to attachment and non-attachment. Attachment to family occurs at the biological level and is full of loving compassion and friendship. Enemy energy, while full of passion, is an attachment that is bad for you.
He discussed religions, all religions. He cautions us to be wary of the person who says their religion is the One Truth. But he says, if you think about a community, this is not true. One Truth would exclude so many others. And that would lead to exclusion of those people in a community. He said we must demonstrate religious compassion. If we have non-attachment to our religion, we are unbiased. If we develop attachment to our religion, we are biased. We act in anger from our compassion for our religion. (Remember, acting from anger is immoral.) We should develop a strong sence of self, which we need to be courageous.
He was asked his opinion on the Human rights violations in China. He said that China cannot control the mind. The people must keep Spirit in their hearts.
Someone asked about the internet and if it was a good thing. He said it is good because we can use it to investigate the truth in what we hear. He encourages people to investigate the truth!As for poltiical parties, he reminds us that the world belongs to 6 billion human beings and not governments. He then joked that, if he lived in a country with poltical parties, he would probably vote with the Green Party. 🙂
He was asked by a nine year old child if he thought the world was getting better or worse. BETTER! He says that in 1996 he asked the same question of the Queen Mum, who was 96 and had lived her life in teh 20th Century. she also said better, and she used the example of human rights and how they have evolved since the turn of the century. His own example was of equal rights, and the evolution of that idea in the past century. He commented on how in teh early 20th century, we valued people, especially women, by their looks, and now we know that internal beauty is much more important than external beauty. Other signs of an evolving Universe is how many religious leaders are now meeting and discussing intelligently their various religions and the commonalities among them. He sited the recent meeting of Pope John Paul II with other world religious leaders as an evolvement.
We must open our minds and live to live in a world of compassion.