Kalachakra 2011 in Washington, DC

Kalachakra for World Peace

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was in Washington, DC. July 6 through 16 for the Kalachakra for World Peace. Though I am not a Buddhist, I am currently reading My Spiritual Journey and was thrilled at the opportunity to be in his presence. 

This is a promotional photo. The actual talk was given facing the Capitol!

The visit included 10 days of activities. Beautifully done, the official site of the Kalachakra for World Peace is here: Official Kalachakra 2011 Website. The activities began with a ceremony to purify the Verizon Center, an indoor session on the Dalai Lama's birthday, the public talk for world peace, and a state visit to the White House. 

Great photo of Ghandi's grandson, HH the Dalai Lama, and Martin Luther King Jr's son at the Verizon Center

Here is a link to a video taken at Verizon Center during the Dalai Lama's 76th birthday celebration with the grandson of Mahatma Ghandi and the son of Martin Luther King, Jr. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNc7FG-K_7M&feature=relmfu

My view from the base of the Capitol steps to the speaker's dais. 

Here is a video of the talk on the Capitol West Lawn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxhVvXqBiDc. Check out his answer to the young man at the end.

A soul filled with joy.

Dalai Lama's Facebook status on 18 Jul 2011:

We have different degrees of happiness and different kinds of suffering. Material objects give rise to physical happiness, while spiritual development gives rise to mental happiness. Since we experience both physical and mental happiness, we need both material and spiritual development. This is why, for our own good and that of society we need to balance material progress with inner development.

I see the Dalai Lama as a man, just a man--not an infallible deity--yet a man who is as most completely human as anyone I have ever met.