Dalai Lama Visit

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Several people have asked me about the Dalai Lama experience, so here's my report:

It started with a string of Tibetan entertainers: dancers, drummers, guitarists, singers. Our view was perfect, so the visual of the gorgeous traditional dress and these equally gorgeous people (complete with tiny little dancers in their magnificently colored clothes) was wonderful, but we heard very little because of the typical behaviour of the crowd. Seems their very important conversations were a priority so there was a constant dull roar permeated from behind by a fellow who apparently believed it was his duty to give everyone within earshot a running commentary on every subject known to humankind. Good thing I'd meditated ahead of time, filling myself with the compassionate wisdom of His Holiness, or I would have turned around and smacked the dope.

Then we had the pleasure of listening to political campaign speeches by the mayor of Minneapolis (a very cool lady), Sen. Paul Wellstone (gives great passionate speeches, but amusingly enough kept glancing over at the Dalai Lama, speaking directly to him, and referring to him as His Holiness, instead of Your Holiness), and the mayor of St Paul (who wants Wellstone's seat).

So finally the star attraction arrives.......he's much shorter than I envisioned, and stooped over (vegetarian ...:) just kidding, Joe , sorta). sorry.....um.....he doesnt really look his age otherwise(66) , in fact my daughter commented on how young his HANDS looked (weird kid), but I reckon he probably hasnt done too much manual labor with those hands, but what do I know.....

[I must preface this with the fact that my partner had gone to a small gathering with him that same morning, mostly attended by Tibetan people,and the whole thing was dissappointingly conducted in Tibetan, with an interpreter].

The room becqme silent after he sat down, he cleared his throat several times, quietly looking around the auditorium, adjusted his mike (yes, Diane, he used a stage mike, thank goddess), and then began speaking in Tibetan!! The effect was entirely anti-climactic, and the tension increased in the room.....Course some people were very into whatever the hell he was saying, because Mpls has the second largest Tibetan immigrant community in the country!

Just as the disappointment had reached a peak, he starts talking English! I think he did it on purpose....a prankster....he likes a joke after all.....and it worked real good! So then he apologized for his 'broken english' , which sounded perfectly fine to us, especially when compared to Tibetan!

He did have this amazing interpreter with him there though; they were like so psychically connected it was unreal. He helped him with some words he couldnt remember, sometimes finished sentences for him when asked for help; he read him questions from the audience; you had to be there to grasp this . It was cool. (or well rehearsed? :))

Oh yeah, about his message......COMPASSION....that's about it right there........covers pretty much everything! It was so amusing to me, every question had basically the same answer, and started to sound almost like stupid questions, cuz his basic message is so simple. All it is , is compassion. Compassion fixes everything. Period. And I do believe he's right.

His emphasis was on how living a compassionate life makes US happy, and we are here to be happy, to live a happy life. How when we forgive those who have wronged us, we do it for OURSELVES, not for the 'wrong-doer'. How when we give to the poor, we do it cuz it makes US feel good, and by george it helps others at the same time. How we can teach our children, or anyone around us, how to be compassionate, by simply living it. How there will be no healing of the earth or the human species until we learn this very basic concept. How we must always feel our true emotions deeply and honestly, and then find the compassion always available to us from our spiritual center, so we can move on and live a life filled with happiness. He's very very big on A HAPPY LIFE! Says it real cute too....a happy life......wonderful....

That's basically it......the energy afterwords was glorious....everyone was smiling or teary.....he turned around as he was leaving the stage and took pictures of the audience.....nice touch......

So blessings, compassion, and happiness to you all!

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Answers

Thanks Earthmamma. I wish I'd been there. In the booklet, "The Voice of the Silence" (allegedly a tibetan scripture) it is said that compassion isn't part of the law. It IS the law. Makes sense to me.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001

Don't know if this is genuine or not, but I liked it anyway - received multiple copies as a pseudo chain letter a few months back! Maybe appropriate here.

>Instructions for Life in the new millennium from the Dalai Lama: >1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. >2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson. >3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, respect for others and responsibility for all your actions. >4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. >5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. >6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship. >7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct >8. Spend some time alone every day. >9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values. >10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. >11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time. >12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life. >13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past. >14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality. >15. Be gentle with the earth. >16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before. >17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other. >18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it. >19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001


Thanks for sharing your thoughts.I think he must be a pretty fine person,because,you see him laughing alot.Not just smiling,but really laughing. That impresses me the most,believe it or not.

And thanks,David ,for those pearls. Not much to argue against,there,for sure.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001


Earthmama, I have a question. Somebody at work said that seats to hear the Dalai Lama were sold for $100. (one hundred dollars) each. Is that true? Sandy

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001

There were some VIP seats in the very front for $100, yes. Most of them were in the $40 range, I believe. I bought them a long time ago, don't remember exactly.

Not that it would matter much to me personally, but FYI most of the proceeds of the Mpls visit are going to build a Tibetan cultural center for the 1,000 plus Tibetan refugees in the Twin Cities.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001



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