Mind Training & Taking Responsibility for Tomorrow’s World

Oslo, Norway, 8 May 2014 - Today is Norwegian Liberation Day, the day 69 years ago that Norway was officially liberated from Nazi forces. Civil rule had been effectively assumed by the ‘Reich Commissariat of Norway’ acting in collaboration with a pro-German puppet government, while the Norwegian king and legitimate government continued to operate in exile from London.

As His Holiness started out for the day, Norwegian private book collector Martin Schøyen presented him examples of ancient Buddhist texts in Tibetan, including a page from the ‘Amitayus Sutra’ that he said was the oldest Tibetan text in existence. Arriving at Oslo University, Tibetans and Norwegian friends had gathered to welcome him. Once inside he had a brief meeting with a group of several Christian bishops and priests. He said:
His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking with Christian Bishops on his arrival at he Chateau Neuf Theatre in Oslo, Norway on May 8, 2014. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL He remarked that whenever he has the opportunity to meet other spiritual sisters and brothers he is happy and honoured to do so. Helga Haugland Byfuglen, Presiding Bishop of the Church of Norway, speaking for the group, thanked His Holiness for coming and told him that he was among friends. She agreed with him that it is necessary for religious people to get to know each other to be able to shape the future together. His Holiness took up the point and explained his efforts to promote secular ethics. He remarked that while ethics is the basis of all religions, it is not necessary for people to be religious to live ethical lives. Ethics bring a sense of confidence and a calm mind, which in turn fosters health and well-being.

In the Chateau Neuf theatre, before an audience of 1220, His Holiness said:

“I’m very happy to be here, with Buddhist monks and nuns representing the Pali and Sanskrit traditions and Christian brothers and sisters. Religious harmony is not just a matter of making diplomatic gestures but developing respect and mutual admiration. To think that all 7 billion human beings should become either Buddhist or Christian is unrealistic. These traditions have existed for centuries and will continue to do so in the future, so we have to live together. As I am going to teach about Buddhism today, I’d like to invite the Thai monks and nuns to chant the ‘Mangala Sutra’ in Pali and the Vietnamese monks to chant the ‘Heart Sutra’ in their language.”

In a brief introduction to the occasion, a representative of Karma Tashi Ling Buddhist Society told His Holiness that the only Buddhist temple in Scandinavia is nearing completion, inviting him to attend its inauguration next year. His Holiness replied that as he gets older invitations multiply and while he’s willing in spirit to attend he will have to see what is physically possible.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking at the Chateau Neuf Theatre in Oslo, Norway on May 8, 2014. Photo/Oliver Adam
“The West is a non-Buddhist region, while Buddhism is a largely Asian tradition,” he began. “I usually advise that it is better and safer to keep to your own tradition, not changing your faith like a change in fashion. However, if an individual really feels that a Buddhist approach is more helpful or effective for him or her, that’s up to them, but religious practice requires dedication and sincerity. Let me tell you about a Tibetan woman who came to see me in the 1960s. Her husband had died and she had two children to bring up. At that time Christian missionaries offered Tibetan refugees immense help with food and education. She told me that she had accepted such help for her children and consequently had become a Christian for this life, but would be a Buddhist in her next life - a clear sign of confusion!”

His Holiness went on to talk about an occasion in Australia when a Christian minister called Bill Crews, who provides help and support for the homeless, introduced him as a good Christian. In turn His Holiness told the gathering that he regarded Rev. Crews as a good Buddhist, noting that both try to practise love, compassion, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline.

When Buddhism was brought to Tibet in the 8th century, it was a revelation. As one great Tibetan master said:

In Tibet, the Land of Snow,
The natural colour is white,
But until the light came from India,
Tibet remained in the dark.

His Holiness said that all Tibet’s Buddhist knowledge had come from India and that the master who first established it, Shantarakshita, was not only a good monk, but also an exceptional philosopher and logician. A keen study of philosophy and logic became characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism. And it is this context that His Holiness has jokingly remarked when people build huge statues that while he appreciates them, the statues will never speak. The way to maintain the tradition is to cultivate knowledge in the mind. He explained that the word for Buddha in Tibetan indicates that he has eliminated all negative aspects and cultivated all positive qualities. Because a Buddha is able to perceive conventional and ultimate truth simultaneously, he is not subject as we are to the huge gap between appearance and reality.

Many of the over 1200 people attending His Holiness the Dalai Lama's teaching at the Chateau Neuf Theatre in Oslo, Norway on May 8, 2014. Photo/Duy Anh Pham
Saying that warm-heartedness opens the mind and brings inner strength, His Holiness denied the suggestion that Buddhism has no place for desire. He said this is a misunderstanding. We have a desire to lead a happy life, we have a desire to overcome suffering and achieve Buddhahood, and we have a right to work to fulfil these desires.

Turning to the text of Geshe Langri Tangpa’s ‘Eight Verses of Mind Training’, he said that seven of the verses concerned the method aspect of the path, while the last verse concerns wisdom. He then read through and paraphrased each verse in turn.

“I will regard all sentient beings as precious; I’ll show them respect. Whenever I meet them, I’ll cultivate a wish to fulfil their well-being; I’ll be prepared to serve them. We see Christian brothers and sisters doing just this, sacrificing their own comfort to serve others. When disturbing emotions like anger, hatred and jealousy threaten to arise I will stop them, for example by observing my breath. When I meet sick people who are subject to discrimination, like lepers or AIDS sufferers, I’ll extend them my help. When someone criticizes or scolds me, even though I tried to help them, I’ll give them the victory and accept the defeat. When someone I’ve helped does me harm, I won’t retaliate, but regard them as a teacher of patience. Through study and training, I’ll learn to take others’ sufferings upon myself and offer them my joy. Finally, regarding the eight worldly concerns, I will view everything like an illusion. Although things appear to have objective existence, I will see them as being like illusions.”

His Holiness attended a discussion with students in the afternoon focussed on the theme ‘Taking Responsibility for Tomorrow’s World’. The occasion opened with a startling flute recital by Tale Coleman and continued with an introduction by Oslo University Rector Ole Petter Ottersen. He remarked that for decades His Holiness has been the face of Tibet and speculated that the world would be a better place if its battles were fought through dialogue and argument as His Holiness commends.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking with students at Auditorium Oslo University in Oslo, Norway on May 8, 2014. Photo/Oliver Adam
His Holiness told his audience that he is always happy to talk to young students. While counting himself a member of the 20th century generation whose time has passed, he asserted that those who are less than 30 years old belong to the generation of the 21st century.

“It is your responsibility to work with vision, determination and wisdom to create a happier, more peaceful world. It won’t be achieved through mere prayer or wishful thinking but will require you to take action, while respecting others and their needs. We need to consider all 7 billion human beings alive today as belonging to one human family. Climate change and the global economy affect us all beyond national boundaries. We are faced with problems like the huge gap between rich and poor in many parts of the world.

“We are social animals so taking others’ well-being into account is in our long-term self-interest. Look at bees, they have no religion, no constitution, no police, yet they work together because they are social animals. I suggest the 21st century generation keep these things in mind.”

David Abram spoke eloquently about our relationship with the earth and how much we take for granted. We overlook the magical importance of gravity. We speak of living on the earth, whereas we actually live in the air and the air lives in us. His Holiness agreed suggesting that in places like India, development takes place in the countryside and villages rather than in the cities alone.

Students listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking at Auditorium Oslo University in Oslo, Norway on May 8, 2014. Photo/Oliver AdamFour students spoke articulately about their views of the future: one asked shouldn’t we recycle more, use public transport and reduce our energy consumption. Another appreciated the need to work with each other and to teach more in schools about what needs to be done for the future. Another questioned whether the problem isn’t that human beings are prone to taking short-sighted decisions. The young woman among them said her generation would be bringing children into a world in distress. She wanted young people to have a veto on policies being implemented now that will have negative consequence she and her peers will have to clear up. She said, for example, that there is no clean way of polluting, so the focus on petroleum has to change.

His Holiness concluded:

“When we face problems what’s important is to assess what we can actually achieve. I’m an old man who has faced all sorts of difficulties in his life, but I’ve never given up.

“In the past, when the need for leadership arose, physical strength was the criterion and so favoured men. Education has brought greater equality of potential. At a time when we need greater concern for the environment and sensitivity towards others’ concerns we need more women to take a lead.

“Thank you.”

Tomorrow, His Holiness will be visiting the Norwegian Parliament and the Nobel Peace Centre.

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Taking it to the streets: Urban Dharma brings Buddhist teachings to the heart of Asheville

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Asheville, North Carolina (USA) -- Take one look at the “spirituality” section of our calendar, and it’s easy to see that the Asheville area aims for wellness of mind and heart in a variety of ways — meditation, mindfulness, earth medicine, prayer, peacefulness, the metaphysical and Zen listings abound. One of those gems is Urban Dharma, where Hun Lye welcomes those seeking to practice and learn more about Buddhism. (Pictured: Hun Lye; photo by Taylor Johnson)

Lye practices the Drikung Kagyü tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, but says of his downtown-Asheville center, “When people come in and say ‘I’m looking for a Buddhist group,’ we don’t want to assume that this is where they belong; I want them to see all of the groups, what they are doing, where they are meeting — and find what works for them.”

He adds that Asheville is “much more yoga” in many ways, while Buddhism is “a different mode of spirituality that is kind of quiet rather than ecstatic.” So he aimed to “start a place that would be a resource for anyone who is interested.”

Last month, Lye received a new title — Dorjé Lopon — which made him the first non-monastic teacher in the West to receive the honor. Born in 1970, he grew up in Penang, Malaysia; studied under Buddhist teachers of many traditions; and earned his doctorate in Buddhist Studies from the University of Virginia. He also taught Buddhist studies at both Warren Wilson College and Davidson.

Soon after being named Dorjé Lopon, he spoke with Xpress.

Mountain Xpress: When did you first conceive of the idea for Urban Dharma? And how did you choose Asheville for the location?

Hun Lye: Somewhere around 2010, conversations started among a group of people that I had known for a while, many from … Warren Wilson. Ironically, from 2003 to 2008, I was not convinced that a Buddhist center would work in Asheville. I knew there were many groups around, and I did not think we needed another [one]. It was when we began to talk more seriously that I said, “There might be a need that is not being met yet, and that need is for a clear Buddhist presence in downtown, serving as a clearly dedicated Buddhist place.” …

I joke about how you can’t really go into any retail downtown, without seeing some sort of of Buddhist “thing” in there, even if the shop has nothing to do with anything Buddhist. So there is that pervasive sense and feeling of being open and interested in Buddhism or at least [its] material culture. [But] there is not a lot of excitement in Buddhist programs. It was one of the reasons that I had to think really hard about, Is there a need here?

[But] since we’ve opened, I’ve seen that there are a good number of people from all age groups coming to our events, from the very young to the very old, and that is encouraging.

What does being appointed Dorje Lopon mean within the Drikung Kagyu tradition?
The most common use of this title is actually in a ritual context in Tibetan Buddhism. [The Dorjé Lopon] is not the person that is doing the most things during the ritual; it is another person, who is just quietly sitting there, but at the same time is the center of attention, because it is believed that this person is doing the inner work necessary to ground everything.

So when the head of the Drikung Kagyu decided to use this title and to give it to specific individuals, it was a way of acknowledging that [this other spiritual leader] can play that role. Because I’m not part of the monastic system, and more conventional titles that are necessarily monastic cannot be given, he … applied it as a daily-use title. So it’s an innovation of sorts, [and] in this case, the title signifies that the person who holds it can pass on the transmissions and the traditions of the lineage.

How do you think Urban Dharma and what you stand for compares to other Buddhist centers in the area?

We are trying to appeal to a broader context. I joke about this, but every time people say, “I’m Buddhist,” the follow-up question from others would be, “Do you meditate?” and I’m like, “You know what? The majority of Buddhists don’t meditate. American Buddhists, maybe, but there’s more than one way to be Buddhist, and Urban Dharma is trying to communicate that.

We’re trying to create a community part that’s accessible to people, so that people don’t feel like in order to be a “real Buddhist,” “I need to spend x number of hours a day meditating; I need to spend x number of months a year attending retreats; I need to go into the mountains — all of that. There is a place for that and there [are] definitely traditions like that … but again, it’s about what is needed here. And I feel that what’s needed here is a way of being Buddhist … downtown.

You don’t have to go into the mountains to be sane. The name [Urban Dharma] is communicating, I think, an attitude, a state of mind, a way of understanding that spiritual practice is not only available and possible in the mountains. It’s in the midst of all of this.

Here, we encourage young families to bring their kids, and from my experience at other places in the past, we would have people who attend the program get very annoyed and say, “I came here to get some peace of mind, and these kids!” — which is an understandable reaction if they conceive of a Buddhist center as a form of spa. And that’s a particular conception of what the Buddhist community is, and I find it troublesome. Here, we have to remind everyone that you have to mind your own mind. You can’t say, “These are distractions.” We have to integrate this.

Urban Dharma’s motto is “Changing Minds, Transforming Cities,” and in one of your talks, you mentioned that practices such as prayer, meditation or special diets don’t cause transformation. How does transformation play into Urban Dharma’s mission and what place should practices such as prayer or meditation have in people’s lives?
[Those] are devices and methods that help us to change our minds. The real work and the real measure of how well we are doing as Buddhists should not be measured by how many hours in a day I’m spending on a cushion being quiet, but rather how much has the mind/heart changed? Is it still very quickly falling into habits of misery? Or is it becoming easier to notice when you are going down that particular circuit, and when you notice, to break it and move in the other direction?

When minds start to change, then we can begin to think about transforming our families and our communities. Any real change will have to come from changing the mind first. Otherwise, other activities become another way for us to act out our insanity. Even a meditation program can become a way to act out the insanity.

What does your new title and position mean to you and for Urban Dharma?

The recognition of a title is just the beginning of the hard work — if you do it right. I am taking very seriously the head of the lineage giving me this title, but at the same time, I am trying my best not to take myself seriously!

What does it mean for Urban Dharma? I hope, now that this is my main focus, it would say to someone who is interested that I’m not just doing this on my own, but that I am connected to a lineage and that the lineage has very publicly acknowledged that I can transmit and teach this lineage. What I say either makes sense or not. If it makes sense and helps you see and understand [Buddhist teachings] better, then come. It doesn’t matter what title I have. I happen to by playing the role of the leader in this community, but the sooner I make myself obsolete, then the sooner we have reached our goal.

Urban Dharma is located at 29 Page Ave. in Asheville. All programs and events are offered on a donation basis. The nonprofit is also supported by 100 percent of the profits from sister company Tibetan Spirit, an online Tibetan Buddhist store. 225-6422, www.urbandharmanc.com.

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Maria Shriver Taking Buddhist Class, Learning To Deal With Her Demons

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Los Angeles, CA (USA) -- Maria Shriver is taking a spiritual path of enlightenment to deal with her painful past, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively. The 57-year-old journalist and former First Lady of California recently attended the class “Feeding Your Demons” based on Tibetan practices, a source reveals to Radar.

The Emmy-winning niece of President John F. Kennedy – America’s first Catholic commander in chief – sat front row center for the intense five-hour course and was one of 100 students attending. Esteemed author and international teacher Lama Tsultrim Allione was the instructor for it at InsightLA in Santa Monica on April 10.

“Maria may have stood out in the capacity crowd, but she was definitely serious about the lesson,” a source at the event told Radar. “She took her shoes off like the rest of the students and settled in.

“The seminar was about how to get rid of bad emotions, phobias, or painful pasts. A really awkward moment occurred when the teacher was discussing a student whose husband divorced her and left her for another women who then became suicidal. While the teacher was NOT referring to Maria, some stared at her – it was very uncomfortable.”

Maria, who wore a summer dress and a shawl, which she put on her head at times, listened intently with the other students. The 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. course, with a two-and-half hour lunch break, is part of a four-level-training program.

Classes at InsightLA have sliding scale fees. The minimum is $20 but they ask those who can afford it to pay more with core members shelling out anywhere from $500 to $1000. Maria sat in a reserved front row seat, which is where the high donors usually sit.

During the break, Maria chatted with students and impressed everyone with her interest in going deeper with the spiritual teachings, says the source.

“Maria came into the class chatting intently on a cell phone and looking fatigued and very stressed out – she was far from being at peace,” adds the source. “But by the time the break came she was like a new person. Maria fit right in – by the end of the day she was smiling and telling other student how much she got out of the class.”

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Taking a Zen Approach to Caregiving

Home Healing & Spirituality

New York, USA -- You try to help your elderly father. Irritated and defensive, he snaps at you instead of going along with your suggestion. And you think “this is so unfair” and feel a rising tide of anger.

How to handle situations like this, which arise often and create so much angst for caregivers?

Jennifer Block finds the answer in what she calls “contemplative caregiving” — the application of Buddhist principles to caregiving and the subject of a year-long course that starts at the San Francisco Zen Center in a few weeks.

This approach aims to cultivate compassion, both for older people and the people they depend on, said Ms. Block, 49, a Buddhist chaplain and the course’s lead instructor. She’s also the former director of education at the Zen Hospice project in San Francisco and founder of the Beyond Measure School for Contemplative Care, which is helping develop a new, Zen-inspired senior living community in the area.

I caught up with Ms. Block recently, and what follows is an edited transcript of our conversation.

Q. Let’s start with your experience. Have you been a caregiver?
A. My experience in caregiving is as a professional providing spiritual care to individuals and families when they are facing and coping with aging and sickness and loss and dying, particularly in hospital and hospice settings.

Q. What kinds of challenges have you witnessed?
A. People are for the most part unprepared for caregiving. They’re either untrained or unable to trust their own instincts. They lack confidence as well as knowledge. By confidence, I mean understanding and accepting that we don’t know all the answers – what to do, how to fix things.

This past weekend, I was on the phone with a woman who’d brought her mom to live near her in assisted living. The mom had been to the hospital the day before. My conversation with the daughter was about helping her see the truth that her mother needed more care and that was going to change the daughter’s responsibilities and her life. And also, her mother was frail, elderly, and coming nearer to death.

Q. That’s hard, isn’t it?
A. Yes, because we live in a death-denying society. Also, we live in a fast-paced, demanding world that says don’t sit still — do something. But people receiving care often need most of all for us to spend time with them. When we do that, their mortality and our grief and our helplessness becomes closer to us and more apparent.

Q. How can contemplative caregiving help?
A. We teach people to cultivate a relationship with aging, sickness and dying. To turn toward it rather than turning away, and to pay close attention. Most people don’t want to do this.

A person needs training to face what is difficult in oneself and in others. There are spiritual muscles we need to develop, just like we develop physical muscles in a gym. Also, the mind needs to be trained to be responsive instead of reactive.

Q.What does that mean?
A. Here’s an example. Let’s say you’re trying to help your mother, and she says something off-putting to you like “you’ve always been terrible at keeping house. It’s no wonder you lost my pajamas.”

The first thing is to notice your experience. To become aware of that feeling, almost like being slapped emotionally. To notice your chest tightening.

Then I tell people to take a deep breath. And say something to themselves like “soften” to address that tightness. That’s how you can stay facing something uncomfortable rather than turning away.

If I were in this position, I might say something to myself like “hello unhappiness” or “hello suffering” or “hello aging” to tether myself.

The second step would be curiosity about that experience. Like, wow, where do I feel that anger that rose up in me, or that fear? Oh, it’s in my chest. I’m going to feel that, stay with it, investigate it.

Q. Why is that important?
A. Because as we investigate something we come to understand it. And, paradoxically, when we pay attention to pain it changes. It softens. It moves. It lessens. It deepens. And we get to know it and learn not to be afraid of it or change it or fix it but just come alongside of it.

Over hours, days, months, years, the mind and heart come to know pain. And the response to pain is compassion — the wish for the alleviation of pain.

Let’s go back to what mother said about your housekeeping and the pajamas. Maybe you leave the room for five minutes so you can pay attention to your reaction and remember your training. Then, you can go back in and have a response rather than a reaction. Maybe something like “Mom, I think you’re right. I may not be the world’s best housekeeper. I’m sorry I lost your pajamas. It seems like you’re having a pretty strong response to that, and I’d like to know why it matters so much to you. What’s happening with you today?”

Q.Are other skills important?
A. Another skill is to become aware of how much we receive as well as give in caregiving. Caregiving can be really gratifying. It’s an expression of our values and identity: the way we want the world to be. So, I try to teach people how this role benefits them. Such as learning what it’s like to be old. Or having a close, intimate relationship with an older parent for the first time in decades. It isn’t necessarily pleasant or easy. But the alternative is missing someone’s final chapter, and that can be a real loss.

Q.What will you do in your course?
A.We’ll teach the principles of contemplative care and discuss them. We’ll have homework, such as ‘Bring me three examples of someone you were caring for who was caring toward you in return.’ That’s one way of practicing attention. And people will train in meditation.

We’ll also explore our own relationship to aging, sickness, dying and loss. We’ll tell our stories: this is the situation I was in, this is where I felt myself shut down, this was the edge of my comfort or knowledge. And we’ll teach principles from Buddhism. Equanimity. Compassion. Deep inner connectedness.

Q.What can people do on their own?
A. Mindfulness training is offered in almost every city. That’s one of the core components of this approach.

I think every caregiver needs to have their own caregiver — a therapist or a colleague or a friend, someone who is there for them and with whom they can unburden themselves. I think of caregiving as drawing water from a well. We need to make sure that we have whatever nurtures us, whatever supplies that well. And often, that’s connecting with others.

Q.Are other groups doing this kind of work?
A. In New York City, the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care educates the public and professionals about contemplative care. And in New Mexico, the Upaya Zen Center does similar work, much of it centered around death and dying.

People who want to read about this might want to look at a new book of essays, “The Arts of Contemplative Care: Pioneering Voices in Buddhist Chaplaincy and Pastoral Work” (Wisdom Publications, 2012).

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