There’s Something About the Dalai Lama…
By Julie D’Costa
There’s something about the Dalai Lama that gets me thinking. There’s something about him that is different from most ordinary mortals. These days he is everywhere – in Vancouver, at a huge fundraiser for children of the world in Eastern Canada, and even on CNN being interviewed by Wolf Blitzer. He is quite the celebrity.
In fact, he is more than a celebrity. He is a compelling figure, someone many choose to listen to, someone to emulate. He is an anomaly. Until recently, figures from mystic traditions have remained hidden from the world, living in isolation and teaching only those few who have passed the test and been selected for enlightenment. What a change from the past.
It’s interesting, actually, that holy men from other ancient traditions are also coming out and opening up to the world, sharing their wisdom and understanding with anyone who will listen. This is true for the Maya and the Hopi, and for shamans from many traditions. Could it be that the world needs their teachings to prepare for the changes that are coming in 2012?
Watching the Dalai Lama on CNN was intriguing. From the look on Wolf Blitzer’s face, I think he got Wolf thinking too. Asked, “Are you disappointed about not meeting with the President?” the Dalai Lama responded, “There is no disappointment”. When asked if he was angry with the Chinese for their brutal incursions into Tibet, he replied, “There is no anger.” Not only is the Dalai Lama not resentful, he even chooses his responses to the Chinese to allow them to save face. A truly extraordinary man!
So, what is it that makes him different from the leaders of other religious traditions? Being brought up Catholic, I naturally considered the Pope. Like most religious leaders, he speaks from tradition, from mastery of the teachings of his religion, its history and rituals.
Ah, but that is not the source for the Dalai Lama. It seems to me that every word he speaks comes from a completely different kind of mastery. He has mastered himself, his emotions; in Jungian terms, his Shadow. He has grown beyond resentment, anger, fear, and disappointment and speaks from a much higher source. Some would say he has mastered his ego.
He seems to embody the virtues of love, compassion, and acceptance. He speaks from his higher self to the higher self within each of us. In terms of David Hawkins in Power Versus Force, the Dalai Lama speaks from the highest vibrations of transcendence: love, joy, and peace; what is often referred to as enlightenment. His voice is a call to each of us to live from our higher selves.
Could this be why he has admirers the world over?
