… maybe if you are the Dalai Lama (this is the title to one of his books, which I’ve just read). But for me, a simple pedestrian, I have yet to find a “handbook” to help create my inner peace and a happier world. I have, however, made a commitment to learn to be more compassionate (which I said in a recent blog, is the essence of love). And with compassion will come both inner peace and a happier world (I hope at least around me!). I’m not sure exactly how I (or anyone for that matter) will do this, but I am going to use these quotes from the Dalai Lama as a starting point. I hope these quotes resonate for you as well:
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
I hope that at this moment you are thinking of yourself as a human being rather than as an American, Asian, European, African, or member of any particular country. These loyalties are secondary. If you and I find common ground as human beings, we can communicate on a basic level. (This is true in our everyday life – we are all the same regardless of money, religion, color, etc.)
One of the chief reasons why lust and hatred arise is that we are overly attached to the current flow of life. We have a sense that it will last forever, and with that sort of attitude, we become fixated on superficialities – material possessions, and temporary friends and situations. … On the day of your death, nothing you have accumulated can help; we have to leave it all behind.
You want happiness and do not want suffering, and if you show other people kindness, love and respect, they will respond in kind, increasing your happiness. If you show other people anger and hatred, they will show you the same, and you will lose your own happiness.
In my own life, the most difficult periods have been the times when I have gained the most knowledge and experience. If everything is going well, you can maintain the pretense that life is a smooth ride. However, when you face really desperate situations you have to deal with realty.
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
Regardless of your beliefs, the Dalai Lama has a way of distilling our insanely complicated world down to the most simplest (and most important) of terms: compassion, peace, gentleness, happiness and love. Really hard to find fault with that!
Have a wonderful day!
theyearof50 