Imbolc Hare Moon
-15 when Kate got up this morning at 7 am. -4 now, four hours later. Last winter stayed a long time, with cold and wet weather well into May. I hope this winter feels it’s already shown us what it has and will choose to make a timely exit. Still, the cold makes inside life fine and it keeps the pests away.
Imbolc New (Hare) Moon
For those of us who come down on the introverted side of the extrovert/introvert dialectic, an event like seeing the Dali Lama is a strain. When I got back this morning, it was like I had been at the MIA for a couple of tours. I was drained. Kate would remind me that I’m 67 and, yes, that’s true, but there’s an element of overstimulation, too much of a good thing. At the same time, an interesting morning and worth doing.
I have that slight tingle in my body that says, not yet fully recharged, even after a nap. That will pass. At some point I’ll be left with the image of the Dali Lama in his maroon visor, his remark about loving honey and being reincarnated as a bee, him refusing to bless the crowd, then greeting individuals with a blessing. Talking to Bill and Sister Irene. The long, long lines winding in toward the seating. The early Saturday morning drive.
At first, his blessing individuals after refusing to bless the crowd seemed contradictory, but as I’ve thought about it, maybe not. His answer to change is to point a stubby finger toward his heart, lying somewhere underneath those maroon robes. “First change yourself. Then show compassion to your family. Then your community. Then change will happen.” When he touches an individual, he expresses his personal compassion for them, his blessing. That he can do. To spread that same compassion to an abstraction, like a crowd seems inauthentic, to an individual, no.
I don’t agree with his emphasis on change your self first, nor do I agree with him on his conclusion that education is the answer to world peace. He crooked his index finger and said a tree that grows like this is difficult to change; but, he straightened it, one taught from the beginning…” This sounds right and makes sense in a facile, feel good way, but change is a social, communal affair that requires moving those in power to change their thinking.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with changing your own heart and educating the young in how to grow up compassionate. Hardly. Very, very worthwhile. But.
It will not and has not changed a regime like, for example, China’s ruling communist party. Nor would it have changed Hitler or Pol Pot or will it change the Tea Party crowd in the U.S. Congress. Changing these sorts requires organizing sufficient power to force them to change their ways. Not necessarily revolution, what I’m talking about is the essence of democratic politics, but this kind of change may require revolution.
And education without change in the structure of the economy and patterns of embedded classicism, racism and sexism will not and has not lifted groups out of poverty. Individuals, yes, from time to time, but whole communities? No.
Imbolc New (Hare) Moon
Up very early (for me) for a drive in to the Minneapolis Convention Center. Had to be there by 8 am. To get in line. For a speech that began at 10. Somebody famous, eh? You betcha. His Holiness the Dali Lama.
Frank Broderick got several tickets for his birthday and distributed them according to Frank criteria. I was in the second tier, but benefited from someone else’s not taking him up on the offer.
Two lines, each with hundreds of people in them snaked back and forth, distended caricatures of a pleasant day at your local international airport. After waiting in line for forty-five minutes to an hour, we went through the metal detectors and entered the auditorium. With no one ever checking our tickets.
This was the opening of a Norwegian slanted Noble Peace Prize forum, apparently in its 26th year. Who knew? The forum celebrates laureates and the Dali Lama, being one, was chosen for the keynote opening address.
This auditorium, A, is huge with hundreds, if not thousands of seats and the orchestra level seats were full and much of the tiered seating was full, too. This guy is charismatic, has a sort of rock star appeal.
He’s funny. At least I think so. He had several lines in his opening remarks where he laughed. But the acoustics were difficult and he speaks softly so following the thread of his talk proved beyond this hearing impaired guy.
I did get one part. He talked about his love of honey. “I might,” he said, lifting one hand and creating a small gap with thumb and index finger, “come back as a bee, I like honey so much.” He made these remarks because he apparently had a physical while here and was told as a precautionary measure to cut back on sweet things. Including honey.
He was easier to understand when he sat and took questions, fielded by Cathy Wurzer of NPR. The answer I liked best was, when asked if he would give the gathering his blessing, he hesitated. “I’m Buddhist. The blessing comes from within.”