“Wars arise partly from commercial reasons, but they also arise from the ill-will, the anger, the conflict and the “us versus them” mentality. That’s what causes war. So, we cannot find the antidote when we ourselves are still in that state of mind. It’s obvious, isn’t it? If we want peace, we have to have peace within ourselves first, because our society is the reflection of the inner psyche and the minds of the beings inhabiting that society. Who is society if not us? We make our own environment, we destroy our own environment. And as long as our minds are full of the 3 poisons – the poison of ignorance, delusion, and confusion – of not seeing clearly at all; the poison of our greed, incessant longing, wanting and the “I-must-have” mentality; and the poison of ill-will, anger, conflict– then that’s what society is going to give us back. It just mirrors back the state of our own minds -the state of our own psyches.”
After posting a few videos and newspaper articles and reports relating to the current war in Ukraine, I received some emails asking why I can’t just do prayers and say encouraging words as lamas are supposed to do, instead of being so divisive.
I have in fact been doing prayers and I will continue to pray for world peace. But I also felt like doing a bit more within the limits of my capacity. I simply wanted to urge us to see things from all sides rather than from just one side. Having that bigger picture is supposedly a good thing, isn’t it?
I’ve also been asked why I am so interested in political matters, and would I rather be a politician. Obviously, if I wanted to be a politician, I would jump on a left or right-wing bandwagon and say what people want to hear. But isn’t it better to know a bit about politics and what our politicians are up to if you want to drink fresh water and breathe fresh air on this planet or not get nuked?
Some commentators say I am being anti-western. Far from it. For a big chunk of my life, I grew up admiring, loving, and even worshipping the west, and I still do admire a lot about the west. In fact, I’ve tried so hard to understand the west that I’ve sometimes been labeled a totally westernized Tibetan lama.
That said, of course, western culture is so vast and deep that I cannot claim to know even a fraction of it.
Even though I wasn’t born into a Bengali family that makes you read Charles Dickens and Jane Austen at a very young age in the hope you’ll one day win the Booker Prize and speak perfect Queen’s English, I still did my best to understand western literature by looking up almost every word in the dictionary.
And even though I wasn’t born into a Hong Kong family that makes its children take extra late hour lessons in western classical music at a very young age, I still pushed myself to listen to classical, jazz, and blues music, and even began to appreciate it.
I grew up hearing the glories of London and New York – so much so that, long before I went there, I knew the names of streets and buildings there. Later, I even made a point of visiting the house where Orson Welles lived. Still, I know all that is not nearly enough to understand the west.
And yet, I wonder how many Pennsylvanian families push their children to read the Mahabharata at a young age or how many Sydney families push their children to learn Tanpura and study the glories of Varanasi and Xi-an.
I was not alone in my efforts to study the west. Many people in my part of the world did the same or much more than I did because we looked up to the west as superior and sometimes even looked down on our own cultures as inferior.
America, for example, dwells so deeply in the hearts and minds of many Asians that they believe more in “American exceptionalism” than do many Texans – so much so that they can’t wait to be reincarnated in the Land of the Free. We all know that many Asians will do anything to get a green card and many pregnant Chinese ladies will try by all means to have their babies born in America.
I can’t help but wonder if people from London, Amsterdam, or Lisbon really understand this deep in their hearts since they come from countries that have only experienced colonizing others and never being colonized themselves. Just imagine residents of Lisbon or Amsterdam priding themselves on speaking Hindi, or Londoners considering themselves upper class for using chopsticks instead of knives and forks.
I am really puzzled that, when I simply question how much colonialism has wounded and damaged entire civilizations, I get such strong reactions both from colonizing countries and from the victims of colonialism. Does that mean that colonialism is actually still happening?
Although attitudes have shifted in recent years, the inferiority-superiority complex that is a colonial legacy is still very much alive in my part of the world. It is a safe bet that a Samsung executive in Seoul wearing a hanbok instead of a suit and tie will get severely questioned if not fired. And while a prominent Singaporean or Hong Kong Chinese may proudly flaunt being Christian, a public figure or academic in the west may well hide his Hindu or Buddhist affiliation for fear of being labeled a hippie, cultist, or worse.
Even now, looking at the comments on my Facebook page, you’d be surprised how many of those upset with my remarks and calling me anti-western are Asians who grew up just like me admiring the west and seeing everything about the west as supreme.
Some commentators rightly say I have no knowledge of political science. In fact, my only political science education has been in the WhatsApp, WeChat, and YouTube Universities, along with reading occasional articles in magazines and newspapers.
But one thing I have done along the way, at least, is to stop reading, watching, or listening to just one angle of a story. Isn’t being open-minded and receptive to all perspectives a core liberal-democratic value?
If I read or suggest that others read and listen to non-mainstream media, whether from China, Russia, or elsewhere, how can a culture that promotes and prides itself on free speech and open-mindedness categorize that suggestion as anti-democratic or pro-communist?
So, I am baffled why people, who eagerly condemn and criticize others in the name of free speech and critical thinking, get so edgy and defensive when I simply raise the kinds of questions I have.
I don’t understand why merely questioning some of the west’s actions and history immediately categorizes one as a Putin-lover, communist, or anti-western. If we immediately label or ostracize anyone who does not endorse our view, what then is the difference between us and them? And if we live in fear of backlash or being outcast for having forbidden views, what really makes us freer than them?
Some argue that in Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow, I can’t even say what I am saying here and that a beneficiary of liberal democracy like me should appreciate and not ungratefully trash the very society that gives me this right. But if our own society makes a mistake, are we supposed to accept that mum’s the word? And what is the point of praising how much freedom of speech and thought we have if we close our own ears, dictate our will to others, and even kill them in the name of freedom and democracy? Isn’t that hypocritical?
I am brainwashed to expect much better from a liberal society than what we get right now. Why downgrade ourselves and set our benchmark so low that we have to compare and prove ourselves better than these autocracies?
Yes, I have questioned what the real fundamental difference is between what we treasure and call free press and what we label and look down on as propaganda from elsewhere. If I ask, aren’t they both propaganda, with our free society version just far more sophisticated and better at brainwashing, does asking that question make me a traitor to the free world?
Why does merely questioning whether the Russia-Ukraine war may not only be between Russia and Ukraine but may also involve the U.S. and NATO somehow categorize one as not caring about all those dying in Ukraine? Is it sacrilegious to ask whether this war may actually be a perfect showcase to market weaponry the way a Paris or Milan fashion show exhibits Gucci shoes or Prada blouses? Are such questions taboo in a free society?
Is it really unfair to think that if George Bush and Tony Blair had spent even one hour in prison for killing so many people under the false pretext that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, then the likes of Putin would think twice before acting as he is now? But since that never happened and since European and American warmongers still roam freely, is it unreasonable to think that future Putins may feel they have clearance to do the same?
Similarly, may we speculate that, if the United States took full responsibility for its own overthrow of democratic governments and support of dictatorships in Chile, Guatemala, Brazil, Iran, and elsewhere, it might have more ground to question autocracy than it does today?
For that matter, is it acceptable to question the west’s claims that it opposes autocracy at all, and ask whether its real aim is simply not to lose its present hegemony? After all, time and again in the history of U.S. interventions abroad, we’ve seen freedom and democracy sacrificed to economic interests.
If India, for instance, were to emerge as a strong global economic power threatening U.S. economic control, might the U.S. not find every way to demonize India, perhaps seeing a “like-minded”, democratic challenge as an even greater threat than China? (Rest assured such a challenge won’t happen any time soon since India has injected itself with a western-style democracy that keeps the country at a snail’s pace).
As citizens of the world who don’t want to be killed or nuked just because a country loses its hegemony, aren’t we obliged at least to ask such questions? Surely, that’s even more so when the current hegemonic power has such a dubious record: After all, the last I recall, there is the one country that has actually nuked another country.
Oh, of course, Japan at that time was evil, and it’s the west’s god-given duty to trash all evil. But I for one can’t buy the view that one side is utterly evil while the other is the paragon of virtue. And if there really were such a thing as evil, then – based on the actual actions of nations – it would take a lot to convince me that the west is not evil.
“Broadly speaking, although there are some differences, I think Buddhist philosophy and Quantum Mechanics can shake hands on their view of the world. We can see in these great examples the fruits of human thinking. Regardless of the admiration we feel for these great thinkers, we should not lose sight of the fact that they were human beings just as we are.”
For a long time, science and spirituality were considered to be opposing views, creating this polarization of both subjects. You were either a “Man of God” or a “Man of Science,” with no middle ground. However, we’re now observing a merging of both science and spirituality through quantum physics and the study of consciousness, shattering old thought patterns and putting an end to the previous “tug of war” between the two subjects.
Quantum physics is verifying what Buddhists and other spiritual practitioners have been saying for years, helping people to accept their inherent spiritual nature all around the world. We are fundamentally connected to everything around us, and science is finally proving that. Nevertheless, there’s still a lingering dualistic air surrounding science and spirituality: You have religious people denying scientific facts and scientists identifying themselves as self-proclaimed Atheists. However, we’re simultaneously seeing a merging of the two, and it’s truly beautiful.
Many prominent religious figures and scientists have recognized the interconnectedness between spirituality and the scientific community, including the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama has spoken out on numerous occasions about the similarities between quantum physics and spirituality. In fact, he even attended a conference on quantum physics and delivered a speech on the subject.
The Dalai Lama Attends Conference on Quantum Physics and Madhyamaka Philosophical View
In November 2015, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, attended a two-day conference on quantum physics and Madhyamaka philosophy in New Delhi. Madhyamaka translates to “one who holds to the middle” or “the middle way” and belongs to the Mahayana school of thought in Buddhism, which was developed by the Indian Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna during the second century.
The conference explored a variety of topics relating to human consciousness, science, and Buddhism and included a panel of experts, physicists, and monastic scholars. The Dalai Lama was one of the speakers, and according to him, reconciling science and religious philosophies may be essential to the future of our species.
“I hope conferences like this can address two purposes: extending our knowledge and improving our view of reality so we can better tackle our disturbing emotions,” the Dalai Lama said. “Early in my lifetime, science was employed to further material and economic development. Later in the 20th century, scientists began to see that peace of mind is important for physical health and well-being… As a result of combining warm-heartedness with intelligence, I hope we’ll be better equipped to contribute to humanity’s well-being.”
The Dalai Lama also explained how he first came into studying quantum physics:
When I was about 19 or 20 I developed a curiosity about science that had begun with an interest in mechanical things and how they worked. In China in 1954/5 I met Mao Zedong several times. Once he commended me for having a scientific mind, adding that religion was poison, perhaps presuming that this would appeal so someone who was ‘scientific minded’. After coming to India as a refugee I had many opportunities to meet people from many different walks of life, scientists among them. 30 years ago I began a series of dialogues focusing on cosmology, neurobiology, physics, including Quantum Physics, and psychology. These discussions have been largely of mutual benefit. Scientists have learned more about the mind and emotions, while we have gained a subtler explanation of matter.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this quote is the fact that the Dalai Lama interpreted Zedong’s harsh words against religion as being somewhat appealing to someone with a “scientific mind.” This speaks to the belief system of science and religion being polar opposites. If you were a scientist, it was almost a social norm to make fun of religion, and vice versa, and that still remains true today.
He continues:
About 15-20 years ago at some meeting, the Indian physicist Raja Ramanna told me that he had been reading Nagarjuna and that he’d been amazed to find that much of what he had to say corresponded to what he understood of quantum physics. A year ago at Presidency College in Kolkata the Vice-Chancellor Prof S Bhattacharya mentioned that according to quantum physics nothing exists objectively, which again struck me as corresponding to Chittamatrin and Madhyamaka views, particularly Nagarjuna’s contention that things only exist by way of designation.
The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet is always garnering a lot of attention, and for good reason. Most recently, he told the world that simply praying is not the answer for the incident that occurred in Paris, as well as other similiar atrocities that seem to happen all over the globe. He stated that humans have created this problem, and now we are asking God to solve it, which makes no sense. If we created this mess, we should be the ones to solve it, not God. His comments went viral, resonating with many people around the world who realize that action on a mass scale is required at this time to change the direction in which our planet seems to be headed.
Intertwined with the Paris attacks are the realities of war, and there is a great piece written on the Dalai Lama’s website regarding the mass brainwashing of human beings. This is something we touch upon regularly on our website, especially when it comes to incidents of terrorism and war, along with the creation of these groups who are carrying out these attacks all over the world. He writes:
Of course, war and the large military establishments are the greatest sources of violence in the world. Whether their purpose is defensive or offensive, these vast powerful organizations exist solely to kill human beings. We should think carefully about the reality of war. Most of us have been conditioned to regard military combat as exciting and glamorous – an opportunity for men to prove their competence and courage. Since armies are legal, we feel that war is acceptable; in general, nobody feels that war is criminal or that accepting it is criminal attitude. In fact, we have been brainwashed. War is neither glamorous nor attractive. It is monstrous. Its very nature is one of tragedy and suffering. (source)
This (above) statement really hits home. If you think about it, these vast and powerful organizations, and the military in general, “exist solely to kill human beings.” As the Dalai Lama touches upon, we are conditioned and made to believe that military service is something to be proud of. Sure, these men and women may be entering into the service in order to serve their country, with a tremendous amount of bravery and good hearted intentions going into that decision, but what they do not know is that this global war on terrorism is a complete fabrication. The enemy they are made to believe they’re defending their country from is actually a product of their own country. As Dr. Michel Chossudovsky , University of Ottawa’s Emeritus Professor of Economics, tells us, the global war on terrorism is completely fake and based on fake premises. Soldiers have been brainwashed into thinking that they are going after an enemy and defending their own country when that same enemy is fully supported and financed by the Western military alliance. As the Dalai Lama argues, this is exactly why “we feel that war is acceptable,” because we are made to believe it’s a necessary course of action.
He then goes on to state that:
Modern warfare waged primarily with different forms of fire, but we are so conditioned to see it as thrilling that we talk about this or that marvelous weapon as a remarkable piece of technology without remembering that, if it is actually used, it will burn living people. War also strongly resembles a fire in the way it spreads. If one area gets weak, the commanding officer sends in reinforcements. This is throwing live people onto a fire. But because we have been brainwashed to think this way, we do not consider the suffering of individual soldiers. No soldiers want to be wounded or die. None of his loved ones wants any harm to come to him. If one soldier is killed, or maimed for life, at least another five or ten people – his relatives and friends – suffer as well. We should all be horrified by the extent of this tragedy, but we are too confused. (source)
The extent of this brainwashing is quite massive, and if we are going to stop the murder of other human beings and war in general, it is that ‘brainwashed’ soldier that needs to wake up. It is a human being pulling the trigger, it is a human being giving the orders to do os, and it is a human being thinking that they are doing something good. We are the reason war exists in the first place; we created it, we participate in it, and we prolong it. Just imagine what would happen if every human being on the planet refused to participate in war? This is why we say change needs to come from within, and as more soldiers wake up to what’s really happening here, more of them will simply refuse to go to war.
“No matter how malevolent or evil are the many murderous dictators who can currently oppress their nations and cause international problems, it is obvious that they cannot harm others or destroy countless human lives if they don’t have a military organisation accepted and condoned by society.” (source)
Some of these soldiers that are used by their corporate/big bank puppetmasters are starting to wake up and speak out. Linked below is an article that provides two excellent examples, with some shocking information that many people are still waking up to (graphic footage warning).
The Dalai Lama then goes on to speak about how expensive war is. This is something many people think about – the fact that the money pumped into the military and the Department of Defense in the United States (including the black budget)could completely alleviate poverty and hunger on our planet. That being said, money is made out of thin air, typed up on a computer screen and printed at will by the controlling elite.
We are talking about, as ex Canadian Defense Minister Paul Hellyer points out, “trillions, and I mean thousands of billions of dollars” that “have been spent on projects which both Congress and the Commander in Chief know nothing about.” Welcome to what president Eisenhower called the military industrial complex where, as he warned us, the rise for misplaced power exists and will persist. What would he say about what’s happened today?
The point is, if we are going to use money as a tool, why not take that many and allocate it to provide food, shelter and clothing for everybody on the planet? The defense expenditures of a couple of countries alone could do this no problem.
“We should feel fed up with the violence and killing going on around us. If a human being is killed by an animal, it’s sad, but if a human being is killed by another human being it’s unthinkable. We have to make a special effort to think of each other as fellow human beings, as our brothers and sisters.” – Dalai Lama (source)
Thank you Dalai Lama for having the courage to share such an important message with the world.
Shambhala is round but depicted as an eight-petalled lotus blossom, which is a symbol of the heart Chakra (represented in the picture above).
Many ancient texts refer to ‘magical’ and ‘mythical’ lands, which is fascinating, particularly when you consider how much of the writings in ancient Buddhism, Vedic philosophy, or other Eastern traditions is being confirmed by modern day science. Quantum physics in particular has gained a lot of momentum recently. One great example is the conundrum of consciousness, which is directly correlated with quantum physics and goes hand in hand with other realms of existence. Perhaps this is why some of Nikola Tesla’s ideas were influenced by ancient Eastern philosophy. Not many people know this, but most of our pioneering scientists were also mystics, including Issac Newton, who studied alchemy, among other subjects.
“Broadly speaking, although there are some differences, I think Buddhist philosophy and Quantum Mechanics can shake hands on their view of the world. We can see in these great examples the fruits of human thinking. Regardless of the admiration we feel for these great thinkers, we should not lose sight of the fact that they were human beings just as we are.”
This is precisely why we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss other possible knowledge that remains hidden within ancient texts, especially when evidence is increasingly proving the strength of the connection between ancient wisdom and modern day knowledge.
We are surprisingly and inexplicably selective about which parts of ancient writings we hold to be true, and which we dismiss as fantasy. We might take, for example, a description of ancient Greek society written by a philosopher living at the time, such as Plato or Socrates, at face value, yet when confronted with the same philosopher’s description of an advanced ancient civilization, find some excuse to ignore it. We can take Plato’s description of things that are believable to the mind and accept them as fact, but as soon as we are confronted with something outside our known experience, our minds shut down, even in the face of mounting evidence lending credibility to many of these ‘mythical’ stories.
Several ancient texts from various traditions mention beings from ‘another world’ that exist within our own. One such world, referenced in Tibetan Buddhist and Hindu traditions, is Shambhala, which is a hidden kingdom within our own planet, a place which we do not understand and is difficult to find.
It’s a “Spiritual” Place
According to the Dalai Lama at a speech he gave in 1985 during the Kalachakra Initiations:
Although those with special affiliation may actually be able to go there through their karmic connection, nevertheless it is not a physical place that we can actually find. We can only say that it is a pure land, a pure land in the human realm. And unless one has the merit and the actual karmic association, one cannot actually arrive there. (sources)
This closely resembles descriptions of the spiritual principles that once guided Atlantis given by Plato and other scholars. According to Manly P. Hall, author, historian, and 33rd degree mason:
Before Atlantis sank, its spiritually illuminated Initiates, who realized that their land was doomed because it had departed from the Path of Light, withdrew from the ill fated continent. Carrying with them the sacred and secret doctrine, these Atlanteans established themselves in Egypt, where they became its first divine rulers. Nearly all the great cosmologic myths forming the foundation of the various sacred books of the world are based upon the Atlantean Mystery Rituals. (source)
Sambhala, however, although no erudite Orientalist has yet succeeded in locating it geographically, is an actual land or district, the seat of the greatest brotherhood of spiritual adepts and their chiefs on earth today. From Sambhala at certain times in the history of the world, or more accurately of our own fifth root-race, come forth the messengers or envoys for spiritual and intellectual work among men.
Edwin Bernbaum, Ph.D., a lecturer, author, mountaineer, and scholar of comparative religion and mythology, writes that Shambhala is round but depicted as an eight-petalled lotus blossom, which is a symbol of the heart Chakra (left). He also makes it clear in his book, The Way To Shambhala, that the way is not clear. Shambhala is a physical place existing within the human realm, but it’s also a spiritual, even supernatural place, which many also believe exists within another dimension.
Michael Wood, a BBC journalist, based on his research describes it as a lost kingdom buried somewhere in the Himalayas, and writes about how the name Shambhala first appears in a text known as the Kalachakra tantra – or Wheel of Time teaching. This Kalachakra doctrine belongs to the highest level of Buddhist Mahayana teaching.
He writes that in Shambhala, the people live in peace and harmony, and are faithful to the principles of Buddhist. In this land, war, grief and sorrow were completely unknown. According to Michael, one commentator on the Kalachakra tantra puts it like this:
The land of Shambhala lies in a valley. It is only approachable through a ring of snow peaks like the petals of a lotus … At the centre is a nine-storey crystal mountain which stands over a sacred lake, and a palace adorned with lapis, coral, gems and pearls. Shambala is a kingdom where humanity’s wisdom is spared from the destructions and corruptions of time and history, ready to save the world in its hour of need.
The prophecy of Shambala states that each of its 32 kings will rule for 100 years. As their reigns pass, conditions in the outside world will deteriorate. Men will become obsessed with war and pursue power for its own sake and materialism will triumph over all spiritual life. Eventually an evil tyrant will emerge to oppress the earth in a despotic reign of terror. But just when the world seems on the brink of total downfall and destruction, the mists will lift to reveal the icy mountains of Shambala. Then the 32nd king of Shambala, Rudra Cakrin, will lead a mighty army against the tyrant and his supporters and in a last great battle, they will be destroyed and peace restored. (source)(source)
How To Correct Your Vision According to Tibetan Monks
Another way to naturally correct your vision is by using the Tibetan eye chart. The philosophy behind Tibetan medicine is that all beings are connected to their surrounding environment. It is believed that ailments are caused by a combination of diet and physical health, personal relationships, and climate. The Tibetan eye chart was created by Tibetan Lama monks to strengthen the optic nerves and muscles to correct vision.
How To Use The Tibetan Eye Chart
Hang the chart on a wall or place it in front of you with the centre of the chart aligned with your nose. Then, touch the centre spot of the image with your nose.
Without moving your head, allow your eyes to follow along the outer edges of each arm of the figure, including the dots, in a clockwise motion.
Once finished, blink and relax your eyes.
Repeat the exercise counterclockwise.
Blink and relax eyes.
Repeat as many times as desired.
Once finished, completely relax the body and slow the breath. To aid in relaxing your eyes, engage in palming. Keep palms cupped around your eyes for at least 30 seconds (the longer, the better).
Recommended to practice for a few minutes every morning and night.
Matthieu Ricard, a 69-year-old Tibetan Buddhist monk, has been called the “world’s happiest man.”
That’s because he participated in part of a 12-year brain study on meditation and compassion led by University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard Davidson. And Davidson found his brain waves and activity to be off the happiness charts.
In 2008, Davidson had a group of expert meditators (including Ricard) and a group of controls (people who were not experienced in meditation) meditate on compassion, he reported in Scientific American.
Then he had them listen to the sounds of several stressed-out voices. Davidson found that two brain areas known to be involved in empathy showed more activity for the meditators than for the non-meditators, suggesting that people like Ricard have an enhanced ability to respond to the feelings of others and empathize without feeling overwhelmed.
He also noted that when he exposed Ricard to an outside stimulus meant to startle him — like an alarm going off unexpectedly or a stranger accosting you in the street — while he was meditating, he was far less put-off by the stimulus compared with someone who was not meditating.
We spoke with Ricard at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last Thursday. He says feeling happy comes down to being altruistic and benevolent. He also believes the mind can be trained to be happy through meditation.
And as for dealing with stress? Ricard says the key is let things go.
Most things you think are problems aren’t actually problems
“Our citizens should know the urgent facts…but they don’t because our media serves imperial, not popular interests. They lie, deceive, connive and suppress what everyone needs to know, substituting managed news misinformation and rubbish for hard truths…”—Oliver Stone
Edwin Bernbaum, Ph.D., a lecturer, author, mountaineer, and scholar of comparative religion and mythology, writes that Shambhala is round but depicted as an eight-petalled lotus blossom, which is a symbol of the heart Chakra (left). He also makes it clear in his book, The Way To Shambhala, that the way is not clear. Shambhala is a physical place existing within the human realm, but it’s also a spiritual, even supernatural place, which many also believe exists within another dimension.
Tales from the Conspiratum 