Friday, November 26, 1999
This is from someone who recently returned from India. Her group met with the Dalai Lama for several days. The meetings focused on dialoguing what they believed were the 5 most important questions to be considered moving into the new millennium.
The group were asked to come up with 5 questions before meeting with the Dalai Lama. They were asked:
- How do we address the widening gap between rich &
poor?
- How do we protect the earth?
- How do we educate our children?
- How do we help Tibet & other oppressed
countries/peoples?
- How do we bring spirituality - deep caring for each other - through all disciplines?
The Dalai Lama said all the questions fall under the last one.
If we have true compassion, our children will be educated, we will care for the earth, & for those who "have not".
He asked the group: Do you think loving on the planet is increasing or staying the same? His own response was, "My experience leads me to believe that love IS increasing."
He shared a practice with the group that will increase loving & compassion in the world, & asked everyone attending to go home & share it with as many people as possible.
The Practice:
- Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day
remembering we all want the same thing (to be happy & loved) & we are all
connected.
- Spend 5 minutes cherishing yourself & others. Let go of
judgments. Breathe in cherishing yourself, & breathe out cherishing others. If
the faces of people you are having difficulty with appear, cherish them as
well.
- During the day extend that attitude to everyone you
meet-we are all the same, & I cherish myself & you [do it with the grocery
store clerk, the client, your family, coworkers, etc].
- Stay in the practice, no matter what happens.
