This week I was so privileged to see the Dalai Lama and hear him speak not once but twice in one day. He was truly inspiring and his message of compassion and humanity is delivered in a humble, down to earth, and honest way that resonates with everyone he meets. The positive effect of his presence is undeniable.
December 9, 2009
November 30, 2009
I’m going to see the Dalai Lama
This time next week I’ll be in Hobart to see the Dalai Lama. Very excited about this.
The Dalai Lama's monks performing in Australia
Why Hobart? Four years ago I went on an exchange program through the University of Tasmania to Sarnath in India to study at the Tibetan Institute of Higher Studies. The program was set up at the DLs request to facilitate cultural exchange between Tibetan and Western students. This was an amazing experience and something I will never forget. The kindness and beauty of the Tibetans that I met was just inspiring.
To coincide with the DLs visit to Australia there’s going to be an event to celebrate ten years of the program, which I’ll be attending. No idea what this will be like but I’ll be catching up with friends from my time in India and also attending the DLs public talk.
The DL is 74 now and the pace that he sets is amazing but he can’t keep travelling indefinitely. The opportunity to be around him is something not to be missed if you get the chance.
June 21, 2009
A cautionary tale
Well I’ve just finished a book that I’ve been wanting to read for a long time, The serpent rising: a journey of spiritual seduction by Mary Garden. The book was originally published as a work of fiction under a pen name in 1988. However, in 2003 a revised autobiographical version with an updated epilogue was released.
Mary’s story is quite extreme, and her naivety is shocking, but the power of the transcendent experience is laid bare in her very candid account of seven years in India, under the thrall of various gurus and godmen. (more…)