Compassion is vital in our day to day existence…

The human capacity to care for others isn’t something trivial or something to be taken for granted. Rather, it is something we should cherish. Compassion is a marvel of human nature, a precious inner resource, and the foundation of our well-being and the harmony of our societies. If we seek happiness for ourselves, we should practice compassion: and if we seek happiness for others, we should also practice compassion. ~~ His Holiness The Dalai Lama

When we ourselves our struggling we must remember that we are still capable of having compassion for others. It is in that compassion that we lift ourselves up and we lift up those to whom we give our compassion.

Via His Holiness The Dalai Lama on Facebook…

“There is a saying in Tibetan that “at the door of the miserable rich man sleeps the contented beggar.” The point of this saying is not that poverty is a virtue, but that happiness does not come from wealth, but from setting limits to one’s desires, and living within those limits with satisfaction.”

So true…

Via His Holiness The Dalai Lama on Facebook…

“Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness. When one desires to alleviate the suffering of others and to promote their well-being, then generosity – in action, word, and thought – is this desire put into practice. It is important to recognize the “generosity” here refers not just to giving in a material sense, but to generosity of the heart.”

We so often equate generosity with a monetary or material worth, but in truth a single smile, a good thought towards someone, a visit, time spent with a loved one who is ailing, all of these things are generosity in action.

Via His Holiness The Dalai Lama on Facebook…

It is important that when pursing our own self-interest we should be “wise selfish” and not “foolish selfish”. Being foolish selfish means pursuing our own interests in a narrow, shortsighted way. Being wise selfish means taking a broader view and recognizing that our own long-term individual interest lies in the welfare of everyone. Being wise selfish means being compassionate.

Think about that… What we do in life and how we do it, matters in over all plan of the universe.

Reflections…

As I have mentioned here previously, it’s not easy for me to stay down. I’m working hard at this time to “be in the moment and go with the flow” although going with the flow, feels quite a bit like swimming upstream… or worse, being caught up in a whirlpool.

I have plenty of time right now for inner reflection… As the universe has grounded me for a while. Given the fact that I’m stuck at home unable to drive I’m reading 3 wonderful books that I would recommend for anyone who’s looking to read good “food for thought” books:

• Untie the Strong Woman: Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Love for the Wild Soul ~~ Clarissa Pinkola Estes
• The Gift of Change: Spiritual Guidance for Living Your Best Life ~~ Marianne Williamson
• Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World ~~ His Holiness The Dalai Lama

I somehow missed reading Marianne Williamson’s The Gift of Change when it was first published a few years ago. I’ve long been a fan of Marianne’s books and lectures. Early in my years spent living in Los Angeles, I frequently went to her lectures at the Wilshire Ebell in the ’90′s. Reading it now comes to me at a profound time of change. It’s helped to re-mind me of many of the spiritual lessons I have learned over the years studying A Course In Miracles, Buddhism, Shamanism and the Goddess.

Women Who Run with the Wolves was published around the time I started to seek out spiritual knowledge, particularly focused on the Goddess and female Shamanism at the time. Clarissa Pinkola Estes long awaited new book, Untie the Strong Woman does not disappoint. I’m not far into Untie the Strong Woman yet… I will try to write more about it, as I am reading it.

Last night, I just lightly began to delve in the Dalai Lama’s new book, Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World and so far I’m loving the message.

We all need to take time in our lives to reflect on our lives and free ourselves from past ties that bind us. It’s about slowing down and listening to the messages that the universe has for us… Often seen in reflections if you slow down enough to look at them.

“Feel and express in every moment  your Divine Connection with the All, and with every person, place and thing.  Embrace every circumstance, own every  fault, share every joy, contemplate every mystery, walk in every man’s shoes,  forgive every offense (including your own), heal every heart, honor every person’s  truth, adore every person’s God, protect every person’s rights, preserve every person’s dignity, promote every person’s interests, provide every person’s needs, presume every person’s holiness, present every person’s greatest gifts, produce every person’s blessing, and pronounce every person’s future secure in the assured love of God. Be a living breathing example of the Highest Truth that resides within you.” – Conversations with God, Book 2  – Neale Donald Walsch

Via Marianne Williamson on Facebook…

‎”Your holiness reverses all the laws of the world. It is beyond every restriction of time, space, distance and limits of any kind.” — A COURSE IN MIRACLES

“You must first know yourself to be holy before you can acknowledge holiness in another.” ~~ Neale Donald Walsch: Conversations With God, Book 1

A few weeks ago I attended an event at MIT with The Dalai Lama. The NY Times has a video interview with His Holiness The Dalai Lama that is well worth watching: An Interview With the Dalai Lama.

Last week, I drove down to Massachusetts so that I could attend the inaugural event at MIT’s Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values.

My interest in attending the event was two fold:

• First –  To hear the Dalai Lama speak because I feel he is one of the great spiritual leaders of our times.
• Second – Because I feel strongly about the objective and mission of the Center, which is to “inspire a new generation of 21st century leaders with compassionate responsibility for the global and long-term social, economic, and environmental impacts of their decisions.”

The Center’s inaugural event at MIT was quite different from the large event at Gillette Stadium on Saturday that drew a diverse crowd of nearly 16,000.  

Peppering his talk on promoting ethics and compassion, with his wonderful sense of humor, my first impression of His Holiness, was that he possesses a quality of pure happiness and joy, that I would liken to the happiness that is reflected in a small child. When we are young we are far more open and joyful than we are as adults, because we are not burdened and encumbered with the problems that age and responsibility set upon us.

The Dalai Lama said that he thought the world is experiencing “some disturbances due to global economy,” and though the economy is “human created” it is beyond “human control.” There is he said, “too much greed” in the world and the environmental and ecology problems that we are faced with today, are “intertwined with the economy.” Add to that mix, the fact that “millions of people” are  genuinely “fed up” about violence.

He said that “education can increase our knowledge,” but he also believes that compassion and affection matter too and we must learn to be “compassionate without attachment.” The “objective is unbiased acceptance” as all humans “deserve love, compassion.”

“The infinite unbiased seed comes from compassion — the seed of the potential to increase that comes from compassion.”

A point he pressed upon was that it is not enough to have compassion for your loved ones and friends, what is important is to foster compassion for all, including those who you do not agree with. A prime example of this is the fact that the Dalai Lama has said he “loves” George W. Bush as a person. Some conservative journalists and bloggers have hit upon this and used that to press the point that Bush is a good person.

However, the Dalai Lama has made it clear that he does not agree with Bush’s policies, saying “I have reservations” about them. I know some of my liberal friends and readers might find the Dalai Lama’s affection for Bush hard to swallow, however, the Dalai Lama personifies compassion and acceptance and “loves” everyone. That is his nature, that is the crux of the Buddhist principle, that we can all practice tolerance, compassion and acceptance and in that the world would be a better place. 

In stressing the need for a more diverse secular approach to ethics, the Dalai Lama said that ethics are in “all religions” and in “no religions.” Family values do not comes from religious ideas, but by “nature.” To make his point he asked a Catholic monk in the audience whether secularism meant “rejection of religion.” The monk replied that “it depends on your experience of secularism.”

Laughing the Dalai Lama responded “Very wise answer,” and added, “We need to promote secular ethics through education.” He also stressed that he respects all religions and does not believe Buddhism is best for everyone. “Non believers are really wonderful,” he said, “Secular respects all religions and non believers.”

Imagining a more compassionate world in which science plays a role, the Dalai Lama mused that MIT scientists might someday “invent an injection of compassion” and shops might sell compassion. “I would want that,” he said.

“One good thing of human nature is the mind can change,” he said. “We must find ways to promote ethics and values in a secular way.”

“Religious persons, must be honest. Politicians, must be honest. Scientists, must be honest. Honesty is a rare quality. Religion is compassion. Equality of leadership comes from compassion.”

The Dalai Lama finished his talk at MIT by taking some questions from MIT students. One student asked if he felt there is a comparison of the Native American situation to that of the Tibetans. He responded with a great lesson is understanding past, present and future:

“The past is past. Buddhists – much suffering. No use to keep grieving. Past is past. Future is important. Future depends on present. Present is the seed of our future.”

Another student asked about how someone could apply ethics to working in the weapons industry. The Dalai Lama said he hoped for global demilitarization in this century and went on to say that he wished that scientists could invent a “bullet with consciousness that would not hit innocent people, but decision makers. That kind of bullet needs to be developed.” He wiggled his hand in the air like a traveling bullet and said “Wonderful.”

We may never come to see the day in our lifetime that compassion will come from an injection or bullets will avoid striking the innocent and aim instead for the decision makers, but we can all participate in striving for a more just and compassionate world where our leaders will make decisions based on honesty, understanding and true compassion.

“Ultimately,” the Dalai Lama said, “all trouble is created by humans.” The message that the Dalai Lama stressed throughout his talk at MIT is that through education coupled with science and ethical leadership, we can change that.

[*AP Photo/Steven Senne]

[Originally published at The Democratic Daily.]