My heart is very sad. I cannot accept this.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20090322072906130C215845
Outrage has greeted the government's ban on a visit to South Africa by the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, who was due to take part in a 2010 World Cup-organised peace conference in Johannesburg on Friday.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who is in California, told the Sunday Tribune he was upset at the refusal of a visa to the Dalai Lama and had written to President Kgalema Motlanthe asking him for an explanation.
"If His Holiness's visa is refused, then I won't take part in the coming 2010 World Cup-related peace conference. I will condemn government's behaviour as disgraceful, in line with our country's abysmal record at the United Nations Security Council, a total betrayal of our struggle history," he said.
"We are shamelessly succumbing to Chinese pressure; I feel deeply distressed and ashamed," he said.
The Dalai Lama had been invited by his three fellow South African Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, former presidents Nelson Mandela and FW De Klerk, and Tutu.
Dave Steward, spokesman for the F W De Klerk Foundation, said, "There is no reason why the Dalai Lama, who is recognised as a champion of peace, and as a Nobel Laureate, should be denied entry into South Africa.
"South Africa should not allow any country to dictate who it should and should not allow to visit."
The Dalai Lama, who is honorary co-chairman of the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre, was denied travel documents on March 4 and asked to postpone the trip amid opposition from the Chinese government.
Over the past two years, South Africa has been China's key trade partner in Africa, accounting for 20.8 percent of China's trade with Africa, while Chinese foreign direct investment in South Africa was about $6 billion (R60bn), and South Africa's foreign direct investment in China came to $2bn (R20bn).
Dai Bing, ministerial counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Pretoria, confirmed that his government had appealed to the South African government not to allow the Dalai Lama into the country, warning that if it did so, this would harm bilateral relations.
Dai said this was a particularly inopportune time for the Dalai Lama to visit the country as it was the 60th anniversary of what Tibetans regard as China's military invasion of Tibet, but which the Chinese government describes as its liberation of Tibetans from feudal serfdom.
It was also the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama's flight from Tibet into exile in India and the first anniversary of the serious political unrest in Tibet last March.
The South African Friends of Tibet said yesterday that the barring of the Dalai Lama from the peace conference made a mockery of the intentions of this conference, and it appealled to the conference organisers, the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee, to postpone the proceedings until the Dalai Lama had been issued travel documents to South Africa.
The lobby group expressed dismay at the withholding of travel documents to the Dalai Lama, as South Africa bowed to pressure from one of the world's most oppressive nations, claiming that S F Moloi, the South African high commissioner in New Delhi, had effectively banned the Dalai Lama by not processing his travel documents,and requesting him to postpone the trip.
Ronnie Mamoepa, the foreign affairs spokesman, denied the government was blocking the invite to the Dalai Lama, insisting that, "no invitation had been extended to the Dalai Lama".
When it was put to him that the Tibetan office in Pretoria had applied for a visa for the Dalai Lama on March 4, Mamoepa said; "Visas are issued by Home Affairs and not us…"
Asked if South Africa had withheld an invitation to the Dalai Lama under pressure from China, Mamoepa said, "This place is called the Republic of South Africa and not China and thus makes its own sovereign, independent decisions based on what it deems to be in the best interests of the country."
The Dalai Lama was invited to speak at the conference, whose line-up includes the Nobel Peace Prize committee from Norway and Charlize Theron and Morgan Freeman, who plays Mandela in a movie about the Rugby World Cup in 1995.
However, in a letter sent last week to the three South African Nobel Laureates, the Dalai Lama apologised for not being able to attend, saying he had been asked to postpone the trip.
The Dalai Lama has visited South Africa twice before. In 1999 he took part in the World Parliament of Religions and met then President Thabo Mbeki.
However, a row broke out after Mbeki agreed to see the Dalai Lama again separately. The Chinese government protested and Mbeki cancelled the meeting.
In 2004 the Dalai Lama again visited South Africa as a guest of the African Cultural Heritage Trust.
* This article was originally published on page 13 of Tribune on March 22, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
I thought one could start feeling good about being South African... now this
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Fear as teacher
A Walking the Labyrinth post
FEAR
1. My greatest fear is…
2. How fear effects my life
3. The worst thing that could happen if my fear is realised
4. What my fear teaches me1. my greatest fear is... I see death as the ultimate loss
2. this effects my life by creating instinctual survival reactions and denial
3. the worst thing that can happen is ... I will fall into the unknown. I guess ongoing denial the worst - but as death is inevitable, eventually it must be confronted. Though I guess people sometimes use drugs and all sorts to avoid being aware... Thing is - I want to be conscious. My fear is all about not being conscious
4. my fear teaches me that I want to exist. I do not trust letting go of 'I'.
I am aware that the process of enlightenment requires this very letting go. This teaches me how profound the path is which this fear has opened up to me.
Therefore I realise how important it is to engage with this. I know that regardless of any intellectual or spiritual 'goals - this life as I know it will end. I realise this deeper awareness is helpful in that it leads me to take a more meaningful journey.
I cling to the known and fear the unknown. I look to the known for comfort. Assaji (True Eloquence) once gave me a thought to contemplate; the sun rises each day - not because I will it to - but because it is the nature of night to be followed by day. When I go to sleep at night, I do not fear, 'will day come tomorrow?'
This process also helps me work with other fears I have.
The fear of death probably became conscious when my father died when I was 7 years old. I found the religion of my environment expected me to have faith - but gave me no knowledge. There was a time I feared falling asleep at night because it reminded me of death. Slowly I grew accustomed to this fear and sleep came easily. The issue had simply become dormant. I was in denial to some extent, even while hurtling towards the inevitable.
My daughter, Gra-anna's death was part of an awareness process for me. I definitely experienced a sense of continuity of her being. This gave me some insight, although not at an intellectual level.
I practice this letting go process all the time as life presents opportunities and know it's crucial to have this practice. I am learning through the experiences life presents is that it's 'okay to let go'.
My instinct is to automatically grasp and try and catch myself if I sense I am falling. My spiritual awareness knows that it's okay to fall. My intellectual self brings useful aids like Assaji's tale of the sun rising every morning and working with the daily lessons Guru Life brings. Practice makes me clearer and stronger. This is my path, growing my awareness as much as I can. It's a process on the path to enlightenment.
I’m sure I've left things out! I'll expand later if more thoughts come to me
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Through His Eyes
I saw a stranger
sitting in the back of a van
beside another labourer
I gazed
through his eyes
into his timelessness
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Sky Burial
(poem for Tibet)
A land in the sky was plundered
and a simple monk
torn from it’s soil
A handful of seeds
was dispersed all over earth
The teacher we could not reach
stands among us now
He says no one can liberate us
from a prison of our own making
Only we can free ourselves
Bones, cartilage and flesh
are vultures food
But the jewel
hidden in the heart
no one can destroy
Om Mani Padme Hum
Monday, February 2, 2009
Friend, stop a moment
Poem for Burma
Come, friend, sit beside me
on the river bank
Hear the ripples break the stillness
See the leaf bob on the waters
Now lightning strikes the water
A body floats by
And the earth
On which we sit turns scarlet
A child whose face
Is blank with despair
Sits amongst silent corpses
Looking at the murderer
Who does not see, nor hear nor feel
Oh, may we be his eyes,
his ears and his heart!
Hush, hear the goddess
who reigns this land
Whose precious feet walk
alongside those of Ghandi,
His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
Mandela and other noble warriors
Hush, hear her heart
beat the anguish
of mothers who have seen
their children raped and desecrated
Hush, hear her whisper
to her Buddha children“and yet... and yet
DO NO HARM”
See her face imprinted
on the hearts of saffron robed soldiers
Oh, what have we done!
http://burmanewsnetwork.blogspot.com
© Anna Varney-Wong
Monday, January 12, 2009
Do you believe there is value in suffering?
Suffering implies there is pain. How can there be any value in this? The only good that can arise from suffering is if we look deeply to the root of our suffering and learn from this. Then suffering becomes a significant teacher.
It does seem that sooner or later all beings experience suffering, in small and larger ways and eventually we all die which can be seen as the ultimate suffering if we are not prepared.
We do much to try and eliminate suffering but so often our attempts to avoid suffering simply bring about different suffering. It seems the major pursuit of human beings is happiness.
When I look at the causes of suffering, I see there is no simplistic answer - like 'oh, it's my karma (speaking of which I received a beautiful response to a question about karma from True Eloquence)
So much of our suffering seems to arise from our response to situations and if we learn to see things differently, the suffering falls away.
Some of our suffering is a result of how we've lived out our lives and although we may not be able to change the outcomes, we can learn from our history and avoid similar situations in the future.
There is also physical suffering, such as great pain in the body, say from genetically inherited illness, when we may need to learn how to live with suffering as a companion and acceptance seems to be a crucial attitude.
Sometimes there's the suffering which comes from natural disasters - our homes may be swept away, we may lose loved ones or be injured. Suffering then reveals to us the temporary nature of life. An awareness which can grow from this is to live fully and make the most of precious short time we have to learn.
Suffering so often can be the result of attachment and it is only in the letting go that relief can be found. Such as when something we love breaks or when a beloved dies.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
I never thought deeply about the why's of suffering until I encountered Buddhism. Here is a link re Buddhism on suffering (there are many links - I selected this one randomly).
"Whatever joy there is in this world
All comes from desiring others to be happy,
And whatever suffering there is in this world,
All comes from desiring myself to be happy.
Shantideva
Bodhicitta is a precious path where we change our focus from our suffering to the suffering of others as so beautifully described here ( http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/compassion.html ) in this prayer by Shantideva
"May I become food and drink in the aeons of famine for those poverty-stricken suffers.
May I be a doctor, medicine and nurse for all sick beings in the world until everyone is cured.
May I become never-ending wish-fulfilling treasures materialising in front of each of them
as all the enjoyments they need.
May I be a guide for those who do not have a guide, a leader for those who journey, a boat
for those who want to cross over, and all sorts of ships, bridges, beautiful parks for those
who desire them, and light for those who need light.
And may I become beds for those who need a rest, and a servant to all who need servants.
May I also become the basic conditions for all sentient beings, such as earth or even the sky,
which is indestructible.
May I always be the living conditions for all sentient beings until all sentient beings are
enlightened."
Shantideva
May all beings practice loving kindness
my gaia
Saturday, January 10, 2009
What has given you the most strength?
What has given me the most strength?
The challenges and teachings of Guru Life!
A scene pops into my mind...
When my daughter, Gra-anna passed on, I went to London, where she'd lived. It was the heart of Winter (I come from a country of sunshine). There were only a couple of hours of light each day - and even then there was seldom sun. One of those days I stood outside. In this gloom of cold and semi light (who dares breathe deep when the veil is terribly thin?), I saw a tree standing, silent and bare, so in keeping with the day - but - it was covered with white flowers! A silent, proud bearer of flowers in this zone of darkness, cold and concrete felt like such a contradiction, it was almost impossible to comprehend. I thought, 'omigod, just look at this! How does anything flower in such conditions?'
The gods and deity's must watch us sometimes and be so moved - maybe that's when it rains....
gaia
Friday, January 2, 2009
Wishing you a joyful and blessed 2009
Hello friends and family
2008 was a year of great personal change for me
It was a year I left Canada,
my home for my whole life until now
to come marry my beloved, Anna
and make South Africa my new home
A year when this love made possible by the internet age
came to fruition and manifested into physical reality
A year of sadness and joy
The sadness of parting with my family and friends
and the joy of beginning my new life with Anna
and her family and friends
If life has taught me anything
it is that it is so fleeting and so precious
Those whom we know
we mustn't take for granted
for we may not see them again
for a long, long time
Although it's difficult to live each moment as if it were our last
we can aspire to be more present with those we are with
for all of life is just a temporary journey
a dream, an illusion
and one day, each of us will reach our final breath
knowing this is the true and ultimate nature for each and everyone of us
always, always be kind to others
When we do reach our final exhalation
we want to be completely relaxed, in a state of total confidence
of what this life was, what it meant
We want to have made certain
that the life we've lived
has all been worth it
that we've not squandered it in self-indulgence
that we've said "I love you" to all the ones we care about
we've done as much in life as is possible
sought out as much awareness as possible
for both ourselves and others
To all my friends and family
on both sides of the ocean
those who I speak too often and those I don't
and to all my friends to be in the new year
those whom I've yet to meet
but which my karma will bring my way
Many Blessings for a continual raining down of awareness
as you unfold your path
May you continue to treat all obstacles and challenges
as your greatest teacher
May you learn the wisdom to welcome all enemies
as friends in disguise
May great teachers come your way
in the form of people, events, obstacles and challenges
who will help you to recognize your own mind
May the truth of these words
reach into your heart and touch a chord
that will resonate with you
May you discover yourself in the silence that pervades your whole life
and may you find the jewel of who you really are
transcending both perceiver and perceived
words and thoughts
May you recognize presence
as your true abode
Anna’s words
Dear loved one’s
Time has come again to wish you all a joyous and blessed new year!
This year is over before it began and also is packed with awesome journeys!
My love for Gien and our marriage – is so precious and fills me with endless gratitude. The reasons our happiness? I wonder if I can find the words for this... or put it in a nut shell.
Genuine love
Acceptance
We have never had a fight – and don’t expect to
Have no feelings of harboured animosity, or power struggles
Discuss feelings and issues openly
Give and take constructive criticism
Have no hidden agendas
Genuinely seek happiness for each other,
Every time I look at my beloved I see the universe in his myriad faces,
My lover, partner, teacher, student, friend, child, parent... It’s all here
I could go on but I think this gives a good sense of how fortunate we are!
I have felt happy and inspired watching Gien pursue his dreams in terms of building a music career. His energy and passion are endless. I have also so appreciated Gien’s loving, supportive role in Neville’s life. Our family feels whole and happy. Oh I must mention Giens amazing cooking too! Every meal is delumptious!
Neville is growing and doing well at school as always. Now on the foothills of his teens, presents us with a whole new hiphop Nev gangstah and all the challenges this brings! This is his last year at primary school and we’re considering the National School of the Arts for high school.
This year I became a Tibetan Buddhist, which was mostly about confirming the direction I was already taking spiritually.
I am happy to have been invited by 2 precious friends, Metta and Roland (Tiger’s Eye), to be an administrator on two special networks: Candle for Burma and The united Buddhist Networks. I have also volunteered to work on (Johannesburg) Lam Rim’s website and look forward to this in the new year. I have basic skills needed and learn on the job!
I set up a site for my teacher and mentor Bill Ainslie this year. More info needs to be added – but its up and running now http://www.billainslie.co.za
I also started an information gathering forum for this purpose: http://bill-ainslie.ning.com
Recently I started an interactive group on Gaia, Walking the Labyrinth; daily practice and new resolutions which is growing fast and feels like a good experience. It has been rated ‘most active group’ in Gaia almost since it started and is a fun self help/growth journey
So as you can see internet activities are keeping me busy! I am hoping I’m going to find more ways of also generating income in 2009 – otherwise life is full and very happy.
We are hoping to visit Giens family next year (another reason for generating income!). We’d also love to go to India for teachings and dream about Tibet too. I’d also love to visit Ian, Awen, Kate and the Branwen in Wales, before my grandson grows up!
That’s the news - I think – probably left out a ton of important things!
May this coming year see peace and loving kindness among all beings
Much love to you and yours
1/1/09
We chanted new year in with a couple of dear friends with the Om mantra - very precious!
original Gaia blog
Friday, December 26, 2008
New years gift Invitation
Invitation to join Group:
Daily practice and new resolutions
Click here:
http://pods.gaia.com/self_acceptance
You're invited to join my new group “Daily practice and new resolutions”.
(: This group feels like a good space and a number of friends have already joined and are enthusiastically participating :)
introduction:
Am I happy and self accepting?
If I had one last last month on earth
what are the things I would want to do?
Can I start now?
If this were the last moment in my life
- what would my regrets be?
Can I prevent these?
What inspires me?
What am I good at
and do I give this place in my life?
Am I happy with what I do with my time?
What are my activities,
minute by minute through the day?
What are my thoughts,
minute by minute
and how do they play themselves out in my life?
Share practices, routines
and perhaps do a spring clean
(of your life)
in this non judgmental, caring place
Here you can confirm your commitments
and also share when you tumble from them!
Share resolutions,
whether they be new years resolutions,
renewed resolutions
or simply new ones.
Support, be supported and inspire!
Invite your friends to this group - it may be just the gift they need!
http://pods.gaia.com/self_acceptance
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