News for Sept 9, 2006 .... Karen Barker
I had the blessing to be in the presence of his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama over the weekend in Vancouver. My daughter also accompanied me. As a 12 year old, she loved the opportunity to be in his energy, as I did.
With a joy filled open heart, I sat in my seat awaiting the arrival of his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama onto the Orpheum stage. High in the rafters I knew I would see the whites of his eyes and gentle smile on his face. As he appeared from the wings, tears welled up inside of me to be embraced by such a magnificent feeling of love and peace. I joined my hands together in reverence allowing the tears of joy and remembrance to fall.
In his way, he was reminding me of my potential, all of who I am and have forgotten over time. His beauty in his simplicity and humor calmed my heart and filled me with a quiet sense of purpose. I felt like I had been re-united with an old friend, laughing along with him.
He talked of how motherhood needs to be rated as the most valuable occupation. The seeds of love and compassion for all of humanity are watered here. He spoke of his mother and that if she chose not to breastfeed him or nurture him he probably would have turned out to be quite a different man. Many women need to hear this. Everyone I have shared this, with tears formed in their eyes. He used a few simple analogies. The hands are meant to hold and hug, not for making fists. They are meant to be open and hold your fellow human in compassion and love.
Practicing compassion benefits you. He shared how he was in a car being driven around on his lunch break and he waved at some people as he went by. They stood stunned with mouths hanging open. Giggling, he said that waving made him feel good practicing compassion but not good for the others. They were in shock. Funnily enough, I happened to be passing by on that same street corner walking home with my daughter, on the lunch break. Three women stood with mouths open saying to each other, “the Dalai Lama just drove by and waved at us.” He referred to that event in the afternoon talk on “Cultivating Happiness.” He also was there to share his thoughts on mental health as well. He gave the example how someone can be self centered, causing frustration, and anxiety resulting in depression and mental illness. This makes the mind, as he gestured with his hand, imbalanced. We need to practice compassion. Have a “calm mind”, gesturing with a flat solid hand. Be kind to others and come out of ourselves. This will help.
Many years ago teaching theatre I challenged, light heartedly, my students to walk down the street and make eye contact greeting all whom they met. This is practicing compassion. Many of us have closed ourselves off in our hearts and watered the seeds of fear therefore the simple act of connecting in this way can be difficult, as the Dalai Lama shared.
In its beauty and simplicity, honor your role as a mother for you plant those seeds of love for our future as a global humanity. Secondly, open your heart and hands to hold and greet with love, the passersby in your life.
Karen Barker