The Dalai Lama and Internet Wisdom
I’ve noticed a trend recently. With quotes flying around the internet at a great pace and the obvious need to try and state the source, it seems that anything that sounds remotely wise but with an ambiguous origin automatically gets attributed to the Dalai Lama.
Granted, some do come from the Dalai Lama and some are mistranslations of something he actually said, but it seems strange that he has become the go-to-guy for anything considered remotely wise. Whilst I think that he says a lot of stuff worth listening to, he’s not the fountain of all internet wisdom.
A word to the wise - it’s perfectly ok to state “source unknown”. In fact, it would probably be good for us to do so because it reminds us of our own limited knowledge. There is still much for us to discover - not knowing everything means there is still lingering mystery for us to dive into. That simple recognition of something being unknown to us leaves us in the space of wonder, curiosity, searching… that childlike space within a large, dynamic universe.
Proverbs 10:19
A regular morning practice of alone silence has become a foundational part of my life. It provides the opportunity to strip my life away for a moment and simply be - quiet and still with the simple motivation to be in the presence of God.
The idea of silence enabling presence needs to flow into other areas of my life as well. The cultivation of silence when around others rather than the constant need to fill the space with my own words or the constant thinking about what I’m going to say lends itself to being truly present with them and and the growth of true focused/mindful listening as I put myself aside for them.
May this be something I grow in.
Benedict of Nursia
It is from this starting point, in the turning to God, that we are then able to turn to the work of His kingdom in the world. That turning to God needs to be a constant activity and the spiritual disciplines give us a framework through which to do it. The chief of these practices is prayer.
Proverbs 16:16
It would be good for those who think running a country is all about making it wealthy, to heed this.
Contemplative Wisdom
