It’s the Dalai Lama’s 83rd birthday.
I was busying myself in daydream work, also known as scrolling through instagram when I saw the Shambala Publications post. It included an image of him and this quote:
Irrespective of different philosophies, the most important thing is to have a tamed and disciplined mind and a warm heart.
And I’m reminded how poignantly his words reflect the way in which I experience his image. When I see his face I relax into a soft smile and my mind is momentarily tempered. I feel my heart stir. I’d call it a warming.
I’m also considering how much we need his image and his presence in our current times. I currently live in a country that champions busyness and deadlines as a way of living. I live in a country that puts profits before people. And I live in a country that is out of balance mentally, physically and spiritually. (Gosh, this paragraph is making me anxious even as I write it.)
In honor of him, I’ll pull back.
Today, I will commit to living his words of advice. I will commit to taking my emotional temperature before I speak or act. I will commit to cultivating a spacious mind, meaning that I will go sit as quietly as I can for a few minutes. And I will commit to warming the heart__I will be as open and tender as I can be with both myself and others.
Also, as I’m sending this post out over the internet waves, where it may reach some of you who aren’t interested in Tibetan Buddhism or The Dalai Lama. So I think it’s good to note here that he’s never been one to tell people they need to commit to Buddhism. He’s just into kindness and cultivating compassion. And, kindness and compassion can be found across a wide-span of religious disciplines and spiritual practices.
If the image of him doesn’t affect you in the same way it does me, I still hope this post may inspire you to go find an image of a person who does make you feel reverential.
Maybe it’s your mom, or Jesus, or your dog. It could be your daughter, or The Seven Sisters, or Parvati. Or Paul Newman.
Paul Newman also makes me feel spacious and kind:)
And now I send one warm and spacious smile of gratitude towards Your Holiness. Happy Birthday!
Also, if you want to watch a video of child who illustrates the tamed mind and warm heart, watch this little girl tell her divorced parents they should be friends :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BrSCiFo5Wc
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love ya, Catherine the Great! Helpful post.
Catherine. This is so delicate and strong. I can feel your compassion and poignancy regarding our countries state of affairs. “I live in a country that puts profits before people”. Yes we need his face and his softness and his message. And we need you to lay it out for us to reflect so we may shift one lil’ bit. A collection of bits will get us there. Thank you. You are a benefit to others. Happy Birthday Bro, you make me smiley and warm too.