OMG!!! Got Tickets to see the Dalai Lama!!!!

OMG! I had written and requested tickets back last year to attend the Dali Lama's teachings -he'll be here in Long Beach Sept 25-26 - and then promptly forgot about it....time passed...nothing...more time passed...still nothing...
Then yesterday, Hank went to get the mail, and Voila! Tickets !!!!!!
I'm SOOOOOOO thrilled and excited!

For those who haven't heard me go on and on about the Dalai Lama...

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I had the privilege of meeting him in June 1988. I was then living in with my first husband and our son in Germany in the little University town of Tubingen.

The Comparative Religion faculty of the University had awarded the Dalai Lama the prestigious Dr. Leopold-Lucas-Prize, which is an annual prize which acknowledges outstanding achievements in the fields of theology, history of ideas, historiography and philosophy. In particular, it honours figures who have made considerable contributions to the furthering of relations between individuals and peoples and who have spread the idea of tolerance through their publications. (I mean who embodies that more than him?...)

Now, you have to understand that Tubingen is in Schwabia in South Western Germany, and very conservative. The Evangelical Theological Faculty being very Piatistic (very consevative and fundamental) and the Comparative Religion faculty more relaxed /liberal(in relations to the piatistic group).

So when the Comparative Religion faculty announced that they were awarding the DaLai Lama the Dr. Leopold-Lucas-Prize, well, what an uproar went up in Piatistic rank and files of the The Evangelical Theological Faculty- And I quote "How can you (imagine the fingers pointing at the "Liberals") give that prize to a Heathen (yep, they called him a Heathen!) and someone who considers himself a God (not true but there are Dalai Lama followers amongst the Tibetan who do, that being one of the traditional roles/perceptions of the Dalai Lama...).

Oh my word, the warring parties carried their battle cries to all the Local newspaper, and media...The letters to the editors were (this was before the internet and Blogs...) rampant with Slurs about the Dalai Lama with the other side countering with (something similar to this...can't remember verbatim...) "What dark ages are you living in...etc..."

The Dalai Lama graciously accepted to accept the award...and so with bated breath, the award day finally arrived and lo and behold, the Piatistic faculty members who had sworn "Hoch und Heilig - High and Holy" that they would not attend the award ceremony, in the end all their reserved seats - yep, were filled.

Through the auspices of our friend who was the head secretary of the University President, we got tickets to the Award ceremony, and for the private reception afterwards.

We watch the hall fill up with -if I remember right- about 2000 people, and the reserved faculty seats up near the stage filled up with self-righteous and indignant Evangelical Theological Faculty members. Hundreds of students who didn't get tickets were outside the hall where loud speakers had been set up. No one wanted to miss this occasion...Everyone also wanted to see what the Dalai Lama would do or say...It was the most excitement that the town had had in years!

The atmosphere inside the hall was tense and partly hostile -depending on how close you were to the hostile faculty members...

Then were speeches from various faculty members and the University President. Finally, the Dalai Lama was presented with the award. The The Evangelical Theological Faculty members refused to clapp, and refuse to stand up to honor him.

He then started his acceptance speech - which was one of the most amazing feats that I had ever witnessed. Within 10 minutes, through his presence, humility, and humor, the atmosphere in the hall changed -shifted totally!! The skeptical and hostile faculty were charmed in spite of themselves. When he finally left the stage, it was to a thunderous 10 minute (at least) longstanding ovation - everyone stood up this time - which only ended when the Dalai Lama insisted that as a simple monk, he lead a very boring life and needed to go to bed early as he had to get up very early for prayers and meditations.

I have to mention here his translator, a young german Blonde monk/lama who had been studying Tibetan Budhism. It was something to behold...normally, if your have a translator, the speaker only says 2-3 sentences, then stops to allow the translator to tranlate, then continues again for 2-3 sentences and so on... The Dalai Lama on the other hand, spoke for up to 3 minutes at a time in Tibetan, then expected the poor man to translate it all into German without fault. He even stopped him in the middle of the translation at several different points to correct him - in Tibetan - which the monk was attempting to translate into German...The monk was really straining and working hard. That was also an amazing experience!

Then on to the reception...

The Dalai Lama came in with several attending Lamas, said a few words and basically stood around... I waited a few moments debating with my self if I should disturb him or not , and by the time I talked my courage up to approach him, there was a short line of people who had decided to do the same thing. (it was a very small reception and he left after about a 1/2 hour.)

I went and stood in line, my friends behind me...finally I was standing face to face with him. He asked me where I was from (asians in Germany being a definate minority...) and what I was doing there. I stumbled my answers...
and then he asked me what he could do for me! Well, you didn't have to ask me twice, I had my prayer beads and asked him if he would bless them!

I handed them to him expecting that he would take them in his hand and bless them...But instead, he took my prayer bead and wrapped them around my hands and then wrapped his hands around mine!!!! closed his eyes and murmured something - felt like an eternity - and wished me all the best. OMD!!! (my girlfriend behind me in line asked for the same... and when we got home, she said that she was never going to wash her hands ever again!)

Standing in front of The Dalai Lama, one feels as if one is standing in front of the sun, feeling the warmth of it's radiation on one's face. His heart energy is so warm, you can literally feel it's radiation. He is the most "human" human being I have ever met in my life. There is a timelessness about him, a depth so great yet so intimate, so "human" and accessable. Hard to find words for it. I cherish that connection that was established that day.

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Last night I checked on my prayerbeads...they need to be restrung...then I'm going to have to do a bunch of Mantras - Om Mani Padme Hum, or the Tibetan version below: Om Mani Peme Hung Hri

H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama's definition

"It is very good to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast... The first, Om [...] symbolizes the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; it also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"

"The path is indicated by the next four syllables. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method: (the) altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love.[...]"

"The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom[...]"

"Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility[...]"

"Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"

-- H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, "Om Mani Padme Hum"

If you get a chance to go see the Dalai Lama, GO!
His energy is amazing, and he is not a young man anymore that he can keep up with the strenouous travel schedule that he has kept in the past. He is already traveling less and less.

Love & Blessings
Li Lan