This last September I was fortunate enough (and planned well enough in advance) to be able to attend a training with His Holiness The Dalai Lama.
I had registered for this conference in April and continued to make various as sundry plans along the way until the moment that I left Navajo Dam, drove to Denver and caught the plane out of DIA. There were numerous delays due to weather and plane problems. Always when I go on a trip to see or do something wonderful for my higher self I am met with challenges so that I can learn more abut patience and steadiness while I watch my mind want to jump into disaster mode.
So, we arrived in New York LaGuardia airport 2-1/2 hours late much to the dismay of those who were waiting for me there. But, as always, “crisis” brings opportunity to remember to breathe and relax as it will turn out exactly as it should. And it did. We made the curtain for the play in time (and even had a bit of time to have a small dinner) and finally arrived at my hotel about 12:30am. Tired from a day's worth of travel, sitting, much conversing with other passengers, etc. I was ready for bed and finally hit the sack about 2am.
Six in the morning came suddenly as we were asked to queue up for entrance to the theatre at 8am. Immediately I was befriended by a couple from Boston who had recently moved from Pagosa Springs. It was a nice connect as I knew no one else at this conference. Before leaving I had told my daughter that usually when I attend a conference I know most everyone. This conference would not be the same and she sensed in me some fear at the prospect of being there in NYC on my own and alone. She gave me a sweet gift before I left: a butterfly with the wording “be with your fears, and send them love”. Once I got there, got settled and got in the doors to the theatre all my “fears” dropped away and a gentle, spacious, peace settled over me that continued for the entire conference and even now as I recollect that feeling of being there that contentedness comes back.
The stage was dressed in all things Tibetan with a huge Tibetan hanging, called a Thanka, behind his holiness that went to the floor. The Tibetans are a people of color, ritual, music, chanting, grace, and kindness. Compassion is such an integral part of their lives and actions.
The Dalai Lama came on stage at 10am did his prostrations and chanting as is the Tibetan way and then climbed up the dais he was to sit on for this training. First thing he did was pull out a visor from his bag and put it on with a laugh. A simple act from such a highly revered being brought the entire room into a peaceful, playful place. Nice. We laughed and an air of acceptance and kindness filled the room. Everyone there (standing room only) was there for the purpose of hearing this visionary impart this ancient training and no other agendas were present, that I could pick up on anyway. Being up front right at the stage did give me a unique vantage point of focusing on him, the teaching, the interpreter, and the 50 or so monks and nuns who were seated on stage to either side of the dais. The rest of the room sort of disappeared for me while the training was happening.
The name of this training that was formulated in the 14 C. is The Blade Wheel of Mind Transformation and is at the center of all of the Buddha's trainings and understandings that he was able to glean after sitting for six years under what has become known as the Bodhi Tree in India. It speaks to what are known as The Four Noble Truths which consist of awareness from the Buddha that 1) There is suffering, 2) This is why there is suffering, 3) These are the conditions of suffering, and 4) There is a way to eliminate suffering in this very life. The training consists of 116 verses which explore all the conditions of suffering, how they have come about and what is needed to dispel them. The entire training was delivered in Tibetan with a wonderful interpreter who is a high lama in his own right and was able to translate the words of the Dalai Lama verbatim. Awesome!
The Dalai Lama's voice is deeply resonant and it felt like he was chanting the entire training. When he was speaking I closed my eyes and let the sounds wash over me instilling this level of peace and contentment that I could have stayed in forever. I was totally at peace. No levels of stress or dis-ease. My mind was quiet, attentive, free.
Some thoughts that I have brought back from this training as he spoke to us in some English are these:
1) We are all capable of attaining this freedom in this life time.
2) The teachings should be respected and revered, not the teacher.
3) Find a time each day to be quiet and focus the mind on the breath to relieve stress.
4) Take whatever you are doing and be serious and sincere about it and transformation will happen. Being Tibetan is not a pre-requisite.
5) Simply being more attentive to where the mind goes when it is angry, greedy, hating, or in delusion is a start to quelling those disturbances so that action come not from those mind thoughts but rather from a place of compassion, understanding, gentleness, generousness, and love.
6) Be open to other's points of view and let them know there is value in their point of view.
I learned so much from this three-day event and hope that I'll be able to attend another one when he returns. Every time I meditate I am drawn back to those moments in the Beacon Theatre in September when fall was in the air and gentleness and love and compassion were the themes of the days there. A real blessing to be present in each of those moments.
Namasté