His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Her it is, at long last!!!

Last Sunday, Woodstock received a visit from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. To represent Woodstock’s cultural diversity, we all had to wear our cultural dress. This time, instead of wearing Indian dress, I went all out Canadian in my ceinture fleché and Le Château skirt.

After being frisked by four sets of security, we went in and sat in the gym.  We waited for about ½ hour, and then his holiness arrived.

His Holiness said some amazing things. He spoke of being just another person, not some mystic being capable of amazing things.

The Dalai Lama told us that on a human level, we are all fundamentally the same. Even when things happen to other people, other groups, we can still feel empathy and compassion towards them.

This empathy and compassion, this affection, is not found ion religion, but biologically. We are already equipped with everything we need to help others. Religiously, we are given more tools in order to help people, but anyone is capable of empathy and compassion, be they atheist, Buddhist, Christian or Muslim. People should not be treated based on religion, caste, or race, but on shared humanity.

He told us the secret of staying healthy. Constant fear, constant anger, it eats away at us. We need to take care of ourselves emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Getting enough sleep, staying peaceful with others and in your own mind, living in community where you are depended upon and can depend upon others. This is a healthy human state. We need to erase our jealousy, anger, and suspicion. We need to project positivity instead of constant negativity.

He told us that it is not possible to be religious in spite of corruption. How can you cheat and bully others and still call yourself a man of God? You must follow ethics first, then religious creed.

He told us that external beauty is important, but not nearly as important as inner beauty. A marriage based on the love of a person's INNER beauty is one that has promise and potential, where both parties are respected and happy. Their beauty, warm-heartedness, action and affection are their true attraction.

He told us that with a sense of compassion should be a sense of ecological compassion. We have to think not only of our present and ourselves but also of the coming generation, and what we are leaving our children. What are we going to leave them with? Hopefully not some kind of spoiled, rotten version of what we ourselves have inherited. If we think about everyone, globally, we will leave a better future for the world behind us. In Tibet, you can drink out of most rivers. Most of the world would regard this as folly, but it is safe. This planet is our ONLY home.

Peace will be attained, not through force, but by inner peace within yourself, your nation, and your community. Smarter people are generally more peaceful people; therefore everyone should have equal access to education. Education reduces the gap between appearance and reality.

Thank you to His Holiness for these words of wisdom, and for sharing our common humanity.