After Reading the Dalai Lama

I've learned how to live life~

I can't put it off any longer. My brain is full to the brim and I'm afraid I'll forget something so I'm going to do it now.
Sorry if this is jumbled, but I think it's so amazing that I have to share it with you all now!



The Dalai Lama is a genius. And I'd never realized, nor ever dreamed, that my basic ideals of spirituality would so perfectly match his own.
His book "How to View Yourself as you Really Are" is amazing. My good friend Kurt was over one time and we were discussing philosophy and human nature. He told me how his friend Mike had stolen the book to read it (how ironic, stealing a book that teaches kindness lol). About three weeks later Kurt saw Mike and he was a completely changed person. Mike used to do pills and meth, he stole and lied. Basically he was a wreck and most would've deemed him a blemish on the face of society. When Kurt saw him, after he read the book, he was off the drugs and one of the nicest guys he'd ever met. He was so open and willing to help.
When Kurt was describing the book to me, all he had to say was the title and I was in. I mean, that's the key to overcoming this disease, isn't it? We hate who we are so we want to change it. But I believe that who we percieve ourselves as being is completely off base. I say I'm fat, stupid, and talentless. The rest of the world says I'm average sized, I'm quite intelligent, and that I've got loads of natural skill with my writing. Now who's wrong? Everyone else who has a completely unbiased opinion, or me? So, if we start off by saying who we are is who they see us as (completely unbiased) then well, we don't have much room to hate ourselves, therefore there is nothing to change... therefore the ED? It's useless and pointless.
So I determined to buy the book. About a month later we all (my "Family" and I) went to Books a million. I wanted to get the book but it was fifteen dollars and we are poor. Of course spoiled princess (lazy a*s) Sarah got about 30 dollars worth of pointless books; but that's another story that's not even worth mentioning in light of all of this. I went home and yes, I downloaded the audio book.
About 3 weeks later (time is a blur when you're depresses, fyi) I started listening to it at the VA while I was waiting for my mom to get out of her therapy session. I've got to tell you, I'm not even through the first part and I'm already changed. He says that the first step to seeing ourselves as we really are is learning compassion and kindness. Not just compassion and kindness to those we love or like- but to everyone and everything. And that, really, those two things alone are all we need for world peace to be possible.



With the advent of all this technology, man is no longer an island, countries are not only communicating through trade and war... we are one world now. And we must quit thinking of ourselves on such a small level. We are not a state, a country, a region... but one cohesive world. Therefore, we must not look to what will help ourselves, but what will help everyone as a whole. We cannot keep making sure we are living the high life while others die of want, because that gets us nowhere... and hurts us as we learn greed early on. If we make compassion and kindness our number one priority, war would be no more. We would see our differences and accept them. You are you and I am I, but we are both human beings. Regardless of religion, we have faith. Regardless of skin colour, we both bleed. etc etc. And if we are all the same, what right do we have to hate?



And it's not only nations that we must keep this practice, but life forms. If you are a believer in reincarnation (as I am), you believe that your soul has been present on this earth in millions, nay, billions of forms. And it is not stretching your belief to say that your mother, your father, your best friend, has been here the same amount of times. So then, is it not plausible that your worst enemy, the president of your country, even the tree outside, may have been a family member in a past life? And if that be the case (as I firmly believe it is), we should respect all life. We should not hate someone (or something) or wish harm (or cause it) to someone; we should respect them. Even if we don't agree with them, or even if they have caused harm to us... love them for being human, but pity them for their lack of understanding.

You and I, our main goal is to be happy, right? And so it is with the most minute of insect. Say, a grasshopper. The grasshopper will avoid anything that might threaten its live... and so do we. We only want to live and be happy. And if we recognize that everyone (and thing) upon this planet shares that same intrinsic goal, why would we want to hinder that?

If we all stopped to realize these things and act upon the most basic of emotions (compassion and kindness) regardless of our differences, the world would be much better- and peaceful.

And we should not look at things from a self-absorbed point of view. We say "I" and "me" far too much. It has actually been proven that people who use those words most of the time instead of "we" or "us" live far more stressful and short lifespans! If we have a problem and think of it as "I have such and such problem.", it may seem like a mountain, we are overcome with anxiety, worry, and fear, that the obstacle can not be overcome. Then we are consumed with feelings of worthlessness. However, if we were to think of it as "We have such and such problem.", it is reduced to only a hill. Over which we both may climb and look back upon and say "WE did it."

And I found that that helped me. If I think "I have to get better. I am afraid of recovery. Can I do it?" most of the time, the answer is "no". However, if I think "We have to get better. We are afraid of recovery. Can we do it?" the answer is yes. Why? Because we are practicing kindness and compassion, we want the other to get well and so the odds of success are greater! Even if, say I don't think I can and I don't really care. Your care and your encouragement would get me through. And if you didn't think you could and you didn't really care? I'd make sure that my encouragement would get you through. And though it'd seemed like a mountain and we knew we couldn't cross it, we'd see each other on the other side and realize we did it.



And guys, when I think about all of this I realize how small I am. How petty my worries are. I feel almost self-absorbed. Who am I to want to kill myself because I don't measure how I want? Who am I to waste my power on the standards of a ridiculous society that is destroying itself? I could be out helping people, spreading the kindness.... changing people (which could lead to changing the world)... but instead I want to starve myself to fit a pair of f*****g pants? It's ridiculous and I know I have to stop.

I've always believed I was meant to lead a revolution. At first I thought it was musical. Then I thought it was literary. Now I know what it is... happiness. I'm going to do it. And I am going to love myself for it.

And that's what I've learned from the Dalai Lama thus far. :3



I learned some stuff from Erich von Däniken (author of Chariot of the Gods), but it's on a COMPLETELY different note and I didn't want to tarnish the good feelings of his holiness XD

Oh and if you were curious... my whole philosophy of life is this:
The whole point to life is just to be happy. Find what makes you happy and do it! So long as you don't hurt others. And make sure to help people as much as you can, and if you can't just don't hurt them.

And that's basically what the Dalai Lama says! He said "My religion is simple. My religion is kindness." and there it is. The big secret to life: Kindness

And, for a mood lightener~

Author's Note

Please, spread the word! Request this or whatever you do. I don't want it for popularity, I just want more people to learn about this! If I could, I'd tell all the news stations in the world to feature these ideas... but I'm not that powerful :/

Reviews

[Fabian G. Franklin]

" Even if, say I don't think I can and I don't really care. Your care and your encouragement would get me through. And if you didn't think you could and you didn't really care? I'd make sure that my encouragement would get you through. And though it'd seemed like a mountain and we knew we couldn't cross it, we'd see each other on the other side and realize we did it." Great stuff.

[G. Marie"floating on an..]

this is a very insightful read. and it has been what I have been blogging about at times " A Little KINDNESS GOES A LONG WAY AND YOU NEVER KNOW IT JUST MIGHT CHANGE SOMEONES LIFE. AND AFTER ALL LOVE FEELS A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN HATE FOR THE SOUL" you can quote me on this one or just spread the word like you have here. many people NEED to hear this!!!!

[emmaMackin]

Compassion. "When Things Fall Apart" and "Start Where You Are" by Pema Chodren.
Just this past month I have discovered the Importance of Being Happy, the mood of the planet is dark and anytime a Light Hearted person can be available, in any situation, it radiates like this piece you wrote above. Like falling in love, the Middle Way and Mindfulness, Buddhism swept me up, but it is like a marriage, much work to be done, constant attention must be paid, and much courage and perseverance is required. Well done, I feel the fire within you!