Monday, November 28, 2011

If you could meet anyone.....

Someone asked me recently If I could meet anyone who would it be? What a vastly vague question I thought to myself. I pondered it for a moment thinking that there is no one so great that I would be excited to meet other than The Dalai Lama. I'm not sure if excited would be the word either, more like spiritually enlightened...
I decided after completing a 100 hour workshop on how to teach Yoga I would expand my mind on a few things. I had just finished reading the Gita, which was very interesting. I now wanted to learn more about The Dalai Lama and his thoughts about our world and life. I recently purchased a book called. "My Spiritual Journey" by: The Dalai Lama... After only reading the first few pages of his writings I knew this book was going to change my life. I thought I would take a few minutes to share with you a paragraph or two in hopes that it will make a difference in your day.

"We are all alike"
"No matter what part of the world we come from, fundamentally we are all the same human beings. We all seek happiness and want to avoid suffering. As human beings, we all want to be free, to have the right to decide our own destiny as individuals as well as the destiny of our people. That is human nature.
The problems that confront us today are created by man, whether they are violent conflicts, destruction of the environment, poverty, or hunger. These problems can be resolved  thanks to human efforts, by understanding that we are brothers and sisters and by developing this sense of fraternity. We must cultivate a universal responsibility toward each other and extend it to the planet that we have to share.
I feel optimistic that the ancient values that have sustained mankind are reaffirming themselves today, preparing the way for a better, happier twenty-first century.
I pray for all of us, oppressor and friend, so that together we can succeed in building a better world through mutual understanding and love, and that in doing so we may reduce the pain and suffering of all sentient beings."

The Dalai Lama December 10, 1998 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, quoted in part above.

Have a wonderful Holiday and a loving New Year
Elizabeth Cheryl