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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Can Buddhist training de-stress teachers?

Home Healing & Spirituality

BOULDER, CO (USA) -- What Angie Mays remembers most about last Thursday’s lunch was not so much how it tasted, but how it sounded.

She and her fellow students in her “Mindful Teacher” class at Naropa University were honing their sensory awareness skills by having a “mindful” lunch together. They ate in silence, carefully chewing and chewing and chewing each bite, noticing the subtle flavors and textures of their foods.

But what struck Mays was the sound. Without the distracting noise of conversation around her, she heard the chewing going on all around her in a way she’d never noticed before.

“I also found I couldn’t really look at anybody, because to look was to want to engage in conversation,” said Mays, an instructional coach and new teacher mentor for Weld County RE-8 school district.

Stressed teachers in need of contemplative practices

Mays acknowledges she’s got a long way to go to become really skilled in this whole mindfulness business. Other than practicing a little yoga, she’s a newbie.

But she’s certain it’s worth doing, and worth sharing with her colleagues in Fort Lupton. That’s why she’s enrolled in a two-year Contemplative Education program at Naropa.

“In my experiences in working with teachers the last few years, I’ve seen a lot of burnout, pressure, stress. There’s something missing,” she said. “This program feels to me like it’s not just the latest fad, but something that can reach people.”

Few groups are more in need of stress relief than the nation’s teachers. Studies consistently show teaching to be one of the most stressful occupations, and the resulting physical and emotional ailments can be debilitating and costly.

Programs such as Naropa’s Master of Arts in Contemplative Education and the Cultivating Awareness and Resilience or CARE program at the Garrison Institute in Garrison, N.Y., aim to arm teachers with the Buddhist-inspired practices of mindfulness and body awareness as a means to counteract the stress of today’s classroom.
$3.5 million federal study underway of stress relief in classrooms

They’ve reached only a minuscule fraction of America’s classroom teachers. There have been about a hundred graduates of the Naropa program over the past decade, and fewer than 500 have taken CARE training.

But practitioners believe they eventually will be able to provide empirical data on the success of such practices in keeping teachers healthy. Once they can show school administrators how the training can boost the bottom line, they expect more educators will get serious about getting mindful.

“This is a really new area,” said Tish Jennings, senior director of the Initiative on Contemplation and Education at the Garrison Institute. Jennings was in Denver this spring to share with others involved in contemplative studies some ways to gather evidence about the impact of their work and advance the knowledge base of the field.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Education awarded a $3.5 million grant to fund a four-year randomized controlled trial of the CARE for Teachers program in New York City schools. It will assess not only CARE’s impact on teachers but also on classroom climate and student outcomes.

“I was a teacher for 22 years,” said Jennings. “I found myself dealing with some strong emotions in the classroom. It can be an emotionally demanding profession.”

Jennings also supervised student teachers, and it was through those experiences that she began to see how emotional reactivity not only creates stress, but can impair a teacher’s ability to be effective.

“As teachers get stressed, children get stressed,” she said.

When office workers get stressed, they usually have the option of stepping away for a few minutes, having a cup of coffee, speaking to another adult to help them calm down. But in a classroom, teachers must not only figure out what to do when they’re upset, they must do it in a way that manages the situation and doesn’t derail learning.

“And they’re doing it in front of a lot of children who may be highly critical of them, or not even paying any attention to them,” she said. “It can be incredibly challenging.”
Mindfulness helps teachers regulate emotions

Mindfulness practices can help teachers better regulate their emotions. It helps them to step back, calm themselves, and respond to situations intentionally, not flying off the handle.

“It seems like a paradox, but when we psychologically slow down, we can get a lot more done,” Jennings said. “When teachers experience that effectiveness and calming, it’s positive reinforcement for them to continue. It’s very subtle, but it’s really foundational.”

Richard Brown is the founder of the Contemplative Education program at Naropa, and is a co-developer of the CARE program.

“It came to be because of my own experiences in the 1980s teaching most third and fourth grades in a Buddhist-inspired K-12 school in Boulder,” Brown said. “I realized that a lot of insights from Buddhism could be translated to non-sectarian teacher education programs.”

Students in the two-year Contemplative Education program at Naropa do most of their coursework online, taking classes in such subjects as contemplative teaching, compassionate teaching, transforming instruction and curriculum.

But they also spend three and a half weeks together during each summer to form a contemplative learning community. They take classes in mindfulness, embodied wisdom and creating community. Much of that time is spent learning about self-care and body awareness, Brown said.

Teachers learning to take care of themselves first

“Teachers need to take care of themselves first,” he said. “It’s like the notion of putting the air mask on yourself in the airplane before you help your child put theirs on. When teachers develop that kind of emotional maturity, then they can create an atmosphere in the classroom that allows them to better serve the needs of their students.”

Step one of mindfulness in the classroom is being aware of what’s going on in their own bodies, he said.

“Teachers are constantly in their heads, but their bodies are giving them stress signals,” he said. “Maybe it’s a tightness in the stomach or throat. But they just soldier through rather than noticing that their body is tense, paying attention, and beginning to relax and let go.”

It also means really listening, hearing the sound of a child’s voice rather than just the words the child may be saying.

“When a child says ‘I’m upset,’ a mindful teacher will allow himself a second to hear that,” Brown said. “But if you immediately come up with a solution, the child may not feel heard. And feeling heard is as important as any answer.

“So we spend a lot of time training teachers to listen to the children before they speak. Take a moment to feel it. So if a child says ‘I’m upset,’ if we actually register genuine concern, then that child will trust us more than if we just say ‘Oh, what’s that all about?’”
Understanding the value of just sitting still

Brown instructs teachers in just sitting still, in noticing how they are breathing, in grounding themselves.

“When you are being still, you start to notice the kind of thoughts and feelings you have,” he said. “Things come up. You start to get familiar with how your mind works and how your emotional responses work.”

This week, he had students engage in some mindful reading – reading a descriptive passage very slowly, examining each word and noticing how different words created different emotional reactions in them.

“Before, I could have given you a synopsis of the passage, but when I read it mindfully, it was like savoring each word,” said Teresa Sedano, a Sacramento teacher who works with sign language interpreters. “It was like seeing a newsreel in my mind. And when we got to the word ‘pain,’ it took me to my own pain from an injury.”

Brown nodded his agreement. “When you make that personal connection, you remember it better, and you have a more meaningful experience of learning.”

Michele Blumberg, who is co-teaching the Mindful Teacher class with Brown, does some simple yoga-style bodywork with the students, helping them to relax and to become more aware of their bodies.

After class, Mays expressed her approval of what she’s learning, and how she will use it.

“You know, it’s not just teachers’ belief in their students that will cause them to succeed or get in their way,” she said. “It’s teachers’ belief in themselves that also matters.”

Source: http://www.ednewscolorado.org/2012/07/02/39676-can-buddhist-training-de-stress-teachers

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