In Dharamsala, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recently met with a group of young leaders from the Dalai Lama Fellows program, sharing his wisdom on compassionate leadership and the importance of human values. This leadership program, reported by the official website of the Dalai Lama, aims to blend contemplative practices with social change initiatives.
During the meeting, initiated by the University of Colorado’s Chancellor, Philipa P Distefano, discussions focused on integrating compassion into leadership. Distefano recalled past engagements with His Holiness, including a 2016 visit and a virtual conversation in 2021. His Holiness expressed his joy in guiding future leaders from various universities, emphasizing the need for compassionate leadership in today’s world.
Sona Dimidjian, the moderator, sought advice from His Holiness on behalf of young individuals facing a world filled with competition, conflict, and personal despair. She highlighted the global impact of the Dalai Lama Fellows, who aim to enact His Holiness‘s teachings through their work.
His Holiness stressed the universal experience of receiving affection from our mothers as a foundational aspect of compassion. He urged the need to maintain this natural warmth and kindness throughout life, suggesting that a warm-hearted approach towards others is crucial for peace of mind and attracting friendships.
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Dalai Lama Fellows posed questions on promoting human values, inspiring service, managing anger with compassion, and resisting injustice while maintaining a compassionate stance towards all, including oppressors. His Holiness‘s response highlighted the commonality among humans, urging a focus on our shared humanity over differences to mitigate conflicts.
His advice to remember the basic affection received from our mothers and to see each other as brothers and sisters, regardless of differences, resonated deeply with the fellows. He emphasized the oneness of humanity and the importance of social connections in fostering a more peaceful and united world.
Vijay Khatri, closing the session, reflected on the transformative nature of the week with His Holiness, thanking him for the profound lessons on compassion and warm-heartedness. His Holiness reiterated the importance of viewing each other as fellow human beings to prevent conflict, urging regular reminders of our shared human condition.
The group left with renewed inspiration to integrate compassion into their leadership practices, looking forward to further interactions with His Holiness.
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