by Kristie Knutson

I was privileged to see the Dalai Lama today when he spoke at the College of William and Mary. He delivered a message of love, compassion and understanding. He emphasized the practice of compassion and said the real test of compassion is showing a genuine sense of concern for our enemies.

“We all have by nature the sense of love … we can extend our love and compassion infinitely.”

He said “secondary levels of differences” often help create the world’s problems. “I often tell people when I give (a) talk, if I emphasize I’m Tibetan, I’m Buddhist, that attitude immediately creates barrier.”

He also spoke against relying too much on force to solve problems and said he thought the United States sometimes was overly reliant on force. “The very nature of using force or violence is unpredictable. Unexpected consequences often happen.”

“In order to face (a) new reality, (the) mind must be calm. Too much negativity, too much suspicion, too much hate, your mind already is one-sided. Your mind cannot see reality objectively.”

This was the experience of a lifetime.