Wisdom From The Dalai Lama

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso

Last night (4/25/2012) on Piers Morgan Tonight, Piers interviewed the Dalai Lama. Just because I’m pagan doesn’t mean I can’t learn from and appreciate teachings and wisdom from those of other faiths. And everyone can learn much from the Dalai Lama. It was an excellent and fascinating interview, perhaps the best interview of the Dalai Lama I’ve ever seen.

His honesty is so refreshing in this time of “spin” and out right lies from political leaders, celebrities, and yes even from the spiritual community itself. His optimism is inspiring and by itself can give one hope for a better world. What struck me the most was that he isn’t so optimistic as to be delusional about what can be attainable. He’s much more of a realist than I had ever thought someone in his position could be. And that impressed the heck out of me!

At the end of the show, Piers tells his viewers that here in America we spend $11 billion on the self help and self improvement industry. We spend so much time looking outside ourselves to find happiness, that we forget to look within our own selves, in our actions and our practices. But the Dalai Lama has a cheaper way of finding happiness.

Here are the Dalai Lama’s words of wisdom in his 7 Point Guide to Self Fulfillment: 

1. The practice of love can be expressed in one sentence: ‘Do not harm others’.
2. The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred.
3. The point of our existence as human beings is that we live purposeful, meaning lives.
4. If we want spiritual development, than the practice of patience is essential.
5. We have the ability and the responsibility to choose whether our actions follow a virtuous path or not.
6. With inner strength or mental stability we can endure all kinds of adversity
7. Love, compassion and concern for others are real sources of happiness.

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Finding Happiness From Within

Applying The Guide To Life
1. With in Pagan Metaphysics one of the biggest phrases constantly repeated is “Do harm to no one”, which is a modern translation of a line from the Wiccan Rede.

2. It’s easy for an individual to condemn,  judge and hate others. It takes courage to look within and be honest with the self. To admit one’s failings in an effort to change for the better and find tolerance and contentment from within. You can only Change Yourself. But That Will Change How Others Respond To You.

3. Living life in the pursuit of greed and materialistic things is not meaningful. Through living your passion you can create meaningful and purposeful acts in your life Most Americans simply want security for their family, a warm and safe home, food on their table, and the ability to enjoy life with each other in happiness. That could be going to dinner once a week, vacations to the beach or the occasional adventure to see the world beyond our borders and culture. That’s not to say that having great financial security is a bad thing, but what one does with that fortune to provide meaningful change, compassion and help to those less fortunate. 

4. Patience is a virtue. It allows one to be content with the path before them. It can provide time to allow the Divine to work through you in the right place and with the right energy. Instead of spinning your wheels and fighting against the tide to force something to happen before it’s ready. It can control you anger and frustration at every turn. From sitting in a traffic jam to interacting with those you love at home or those you must deal with at work. (I see an article about patience in the near future).

5. Pagan Metaphysics stresses free will and choice through out one’s life. The choices you make today will create the consequences of your future, and impact the path of others you share it with. If you consider your choices from a Divine Consciousness perspective then you can make virtuous choices that benefit all and progress your path toward spiritual enlightenment as well as physical fulfillment. This can be achieved through Meditation, Energy and Action.

When we work to balance our spiritual essence with our physical existence we face events that cross our path with a greater understanding of why things happen and what they are teaching us. We gain the ability to enjoy the little things and appreciate the small blessings that cross our path. If we constantly wait around for the big things to be thankful for, we miss out on so many wonderful little things that can build confidence and strength within. Then when adversity does strike, you have the inner strength and mental clarity to improvise solutions, adapt to changes and overcome its challenges. Through our work on optimism and healing we gain the strength to overcome life’s hurdles.

6. The Law of Accountability is one of the most important concepts on the path of Pagan Metaphysics. What you put out, you receive in return; good, bad or indifferent. Call it the 3 fold law, the law of return, what ye sow so shall ye reap, or whatever label or phrase fits on your path and one should see the incentives for holding compassion and love for others. When you share your energy to comfort others in distress, you are touching their lives with love. Even if that person isn’t the source of return, you will receive comfort and love when you need it. But walking the path of selfishness and self serving actions for the sheer desire of attaining recognition, or to receive accolades or reward negates those experiences of selfless love and compassion.

7. Life is a balance of choices, emotions and actions. The path we walk is not a tight rope of good or bad, right or wrong or a slippery slope of spiritual and selfishness. We are human and we have human emotions that react with anger to injustices, become frustrated with challenges and feel sorrow in times of struggle and failure. Allowing those emotions to exist and to acknowledge their presence isn’t a bad thing. But how you choose to react to the situations that have created them is the key to finding happiness.

We can overcome many things in our lives through compassion, love, tolerance, patience and inner strength when we take time to align our physical being with our spiritual consciousness. Walking our path from the perspective of the Divine within allows us to practice that spiritual wisdom through our thoughts, practices, actions and reactions in every moment of our day. When we can do this, we find true happiness and contentment not only from within, but through our outward expressions as well.

© 2012 Springwolf, D.D., Ph.D. Springwolf Reflections / Spring’s Haven, LLC. All Rights Reserved.