A Message From the Dalai Lama

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, spoke about how love and altruism can help get us through the pandemic. In dire times, the Dalai Lama's life story is one that is worth repeating. The adversities include being taken away from his parents as a child and placed in an old palace, where he had to relearn nearly all of the knowledge he had garnered in his previous incarnation as the 13th Dalai Lama. Then, at age 15, being required to confront Chinese officials who were invading his country and would soon seize control over it. Later, at age 23, his holiness was forced to disguise himself and flee Tibet under the cover of night, spending the next few weeks crossing dangerous stretches of the Himalayas before arriving in India, where he has lived in exile for the past 61 years.
 

Through it all, his role as spiritual leader of the Tibetan people was to act with equanimity. That he did so -- and continues to do so -- has made him an international beacon of light and hope to millions. When asked what advice he had for people who are struggling through the pandemic, he replied: "Now this pandemic is very serious. Very sad. We're just so afraid. That's not useful. We must attack it -- specialists, scientists, doctors, I very much appreciate. If the problem can [be] overcome, then no need to worry; make effort to overcome. If no way to overcome the problem, there's no use too much worry."
 

When asked how he kept himself from worrying, his holiness responded: "Through training how to tackle destructive emotion, and how to develop positive emotion. This is very important. All destructive emotion [is] based on appearances, not reason, so we cannot meditate on anger, hatred, fear. But positive emotions such as compassion, altruism, or enthusiasm are based on reality, on reason, so we can train [them] through meditation. Ignore seeing, ignore hearing, pay more attention [to] your mind. Only the human brain has the ability to concentrate on a point and analyze."
 

The album "Inner World" was released July 6 when the Dalai Lama celebrated his 85th birthday. His first musical album is a sacred offering of mantras and teachings set to music. His holiness chants key Buddhist mantras and delivers his insights that trace much of the world's pressing concerns to the spiritual malaise characterizing life in the new century. In short, much of the world's problems owe much to its neglect of the soul: the "Inner World."
 

Toward the end of the record, his holiness says that whether believer or nonbeliever, "we are the same human beings (who want) a happy life, a peaceful life." This could be attained only by inner conversion. "We have to make every effort to promote through education about inner values," he concludes.
 

The Dalai Lama's renewed calls for "inner values" are peaceful and nonviolent exhortations that are addressed as much to modern mankind as to Communist China, which has been enslaving Tibet for nearly 70 years now.

Great Power

In order to gain some insight into the chaotic events of our world, I consulted the I Ching. The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text and divination system which counsels appropriate action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. Each moment has a pattern to it and everything that happens in that moment is interconnected. Based on the synchronicity of the universe and the laws of probability, the I Ching responds to an inquiry in the form of a hexagram. By evaluating the hexagram that describes your current pattern of relationship, you can divine the outcome and act accordingly.

When I consulted the I Ching regarding the state of our world today, I received Hexagram 34: Great Power. This hexagram symbolizes the truly great power of movement that is in accord with what is right and virtuous. It indicates that we must concern ourselves with correctness, for our character, attitude, and actions have a significant influence on others. The vital energy needed to accomplish great aims infuses the situation. Our influence at this time is significant and far-reaching. We must pay special attention to propriety and goodness, for any abuse of power can lead to downfall and chaos. We should pause before taking action and evaluate the appropriateness of our objectives. We would be wise to focus our attention on benevolent endeavors, for the power of our influence is directly proportionate to the merits of our efforts. Our success is directly proportionate to how persons we affect are benefited, or otherwise enhanced.

With such great power at our disposal, we must wait for the right time to speak or act -- when we are free of the pressures of the ego -- when we are in full possession of the inner truth of the matter. Everything we say or do proceeds from a sense of what is fair, just, and essential, and we rely on the power of good in others, trusting that their sense of truth will emerge to support what is right. We must be willing to trust that if we are sincere in trying to find the correct way, the power of good will come to our aid.

To help us find the correct way, it helps if we get to know our body better. Our body is our compass in the physical world. Both physical and emotional feelings are registered in the body. There is wholeness and grounding in this way of perceiving that is more reliable than the mind. The mind does not really produce any feelings. It chatters incessantly and shows images, but there is no true feeling in it. We feel the truth in our body. If we listen to the body's messages, it can guide us toward creating sustainable and lasting change.

When we perceive the correct way to go, we must not become obsessively lost in the forward thrust so that we lose our inner composure, for our ego waits for just such an opportunity. The ego can interject itself only if we become so absorbed in what we are doing that we lose touch with our inner being. Our true self is always objective, reticent and reserved. Awareness of this danger protects us from losing our inner balance, and from forgetting that right and justice must be accompanied by moderate thoughts and actions. Obstinately pressing for results creates more rather than less resistance. True greatness is the ability to possess power and not use it.

According to the I Ching, success is assured if we allow the clarity and strength of higher truth to guide our actions. As responsible human beings, let us affirm a world of peace, harmony and balance. Let us cultivate care for life and one another. See things as they are, in process of change, without fixation on imbalance; see the potential and call it forth.