Reflections on our conversation

Dani Quinn

His Holiness with Mount Madonna hat

We spent the morning preparing for our interview with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Part way into our preparation we received a phone call informing us that the Dalai Lama was at a public prayer session and we could go to it if we wanted to. We quickly put our things away and rushed to the Kirti Jeypa Monastery. Once there, we learned that the prayers were for two Tibetans killed on April 22, 2011 by Chinese soldiers. The two men had been trying to protect Tibetan monks at the Kirti Monastery in Ngaba, Tibet. After the prayers, there were several speeches and then one hundred monks began a protest march to New Delhi. Afterwards, we returned to the hotel to finalize our interview questions and get ready.

A short time later, we returned to the Kirti Jeypa Monastery for our interview with the Dalai Lama. Sitting in the room waiting for His Holiness, I started to feel the excitement that I had been waiting for all of Senior year. When he walked in I wished I had volunteered for one of our first five questions. Once he was seated, Lily introduced our group and asked if he had any opening remarks. He spoke to us for a short time and then we asked the questions we had prepared.

Monks leaving on their march to Delhi

When asked a question about love and compassion being essential to the survival of humanity, the Dalai Lama spoke about the necessity of being happy and having a healthy body, family, community and mind. I found myself carried away by thoughts about this and began to cry. It touched me in a way I never expected and I was startled by my reaction.

Dani Quinn

Michaela Schuessler

The Dalai Lama is the most compassionate and genuine person I have ever met. I was blown away by how clear his thoughts were. When he laughed it lit up the room and I could not help but smile.

When asked about how we can counteract the sense of entitlement so pervasive in American culture, he responded by speaking about ambition. He said that compassionate ambition is fine but that selfish ambition is harmful. I never thought of ambition as having different aspects and his comments made me look at it in a different way.

Michaela Schuessler

Susie Bryan

Conversation with His Holiness

In his opening remarks to us the Dalai Lama spoke about how ethics are crucial to human happiness. He said that the only universally possible way to integrate ethics is through education. What struck me most was his comment that education is the reduction of the gap between appearance and reality. I thought that this was an amazing and accurate way to think about learning. The closer our perception of the world and ourselves comes to the actual truth, the greater our ability to make wise decisions and act ethically. Even with the language barrier, His Holiness was able to articulate the most truthful and accurate description of the world I have ever heard.

Susie Bryan

James Clifton

I had been waiting for the chance to interview the Dalai Lama since I saw him speak in San Jose last Fall. Two things he said really stood out for me. The first was when he said, “Even your enemy was created by God.” Though I am not religious, this comment struck me and left me with the understanding that both friend and enemy deserve respect. The second thing was the idea of unbiased compassion. This is probably the most enlightened idea and difficult concept he spoke about.

James Clifton

PK Hattis

The beauty of our interview with His Holiness was that he brought no sense of inflated self-worth or boastful attitude, but rather the complete absence of ego. The clarity and thoughtfulness of his words was impressive. We were able to connect with Dalai Lama on a level that is very rare. The feelings behind his words allowed me to follow even the deepest of topics with curiosity. At no point did I ever feel like we were being spoken down to.

PK Hattis

Lily Connor

The Dalai Lama spoke about the importance of clearing the mind of too much emotion. He said too much emotion hinders your ability to see the goodness in life and that a clear mind allows you to see a wholistic view of the world. It was important for me to hear this because I think I carry too much emotion and as a result, at times I can’t think realistically. The way he spoke was precise and I felt the presence of a calm and pure mind.

Lily Connor

Lindsey Colton

Our interview with His Holiness the Dalai Lama was incredible. He seems like one of those rare people that actually embody what they stand for. I felt moved and honored to be in his presence. When he blessed me and looked in my eyes I felt like we were the only people in the room.

Lindsey Colton

Emma Fladeboe

His Holiness made a point of saying more than once that there is too much stress, anxiety and fear in the world. He said that there is too much foolish selfishness as opposed to wise selfishness. He said that selfishness is a natural human quality, but there is a difference between selfishness for self progress and selfishness that begins to negatively effect others. The answer, he asserted, lies in a compassionate attitude. This leads to an open mind and a wider perspective.

Emma Fladeboe

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama and Mount Madonna School students

Susie Bryan

The drive to Dharamshala was absolutely amazing. Initially we were all just hot, exhausted and eager to reach our destination. But as soon as the Himalayas came into clear view, the entire 6-hour car ride turned around. The higher we climbed on the beautiful mountain roads so reminiscent of Mount Madonna, the cooler and greener everything became. The dry, straight, trash-lined highways of the flatlands, filled with sweaty people and open crammed shops, were slowly exchanged for tall pine trees swarming with monkeys that were much different from the pests in the city. A cool clean breeze came as a constant reminder of how pure, majestic and beautiful the upcoming mountains were. Just seeing the Himalayas approach was breathtaking in itself; the power and history behind something so massive was hard for me to fathom.

Reaching Dharamshala was like stepping onto a different planet; friendly, smiling Tibetans crowded the mountain marketplaces that were filled with shawls and jewelry. Maroon robed Buddhist monks casually wandered the streets. The view made me want to squeal, as we were looking DOWN, not out into the distance, and it seemed that the entire universe was just below our feet. There was something spectacular about the place and its location, with the mountains just over us, and I was grateful to be there.

Susie Bryan

Benjamin Mangus

On Monday we had the opportunity to visit The Golden Temple in Amritsar. This site is considered to be one of the most holy places for the Sikh people. We left our hotel at 6:30 A.M. and took cabs to The Golden Temple. At the entrance we were required to take off our shoes and cover our heads. Once we did that we had to wash our hands and feet.

We entered into an expansive square marble courtyard with a big pool of water in the center of it. In the middle of the pool stood The Golden Temple. There were people bathing in the water. I later learned that the Sikh people consider the water to be holy and to have healing qualities.

We stood in line waiting to enter The Golden Temple. The people around us seemed intrigued by our presence but also very welcoming. While we waited we could hear music coming from within the temple. Upon entering the temple I saw Sikh holy men chanting prayers. People were making offerings of money and various other things. The walls and floors were engraved with designs made from precious stones. We explored the different levels of the temple. On each floor there were people making offerings and chanting prayers.

After visiting The Golden Temple we walked to Jallianwala Baghdad. This site is where non-violent Indian protesters were massacred by the British military. It was interesting to visit because of how much history was there and because of how important it is to the Indian people.

Ben Mangus

Emma Petersen

Today has been an emotional day. It was our departure day from the Sri Ram Ashram. Those kids truly touched my heart and even though we were only there for 3 days I fell in love with every single one of them. The two kids that really stood out to me was Janvi and Kiran. Janvi was 8 months old and was the youngest child there. She was found down the road in August 2010, at 3 days old. She was the calmest baby ever; she never cried, was always smiling, constantly dancing, laughing, talking and blowing kisses.

Kiran is 9 years old. She was so sweet and such a beautiful dancer. It just came so naturally for her. The last night she was teaching all of how to dance and was very confident in her dancing, especially around all of us older girls. Today when I was saying goodbye, I was crying and she came up to me, wiped my tears and said, “Don’t cry, there is no reason for tears because you will be coming back soon.”

Then she hugged me and kissed my cheek. It was so hard for me to say goodbye to her because she had touched my heart so much. I could only imagine how hard it is for them, with new people coming all the time and leaving so shortly after. They need a consistent love, and with people coming and going so much it must be hard for them.

For a 9 year old, Kiran was so aware of everything and the way that she consoled me was amazing. As we were leaving, she held my hand out the bus window and didn’t let go until we got to the gate. She will forever be in my heart and I cannot wait until I can go back and visit them all.

Emma Petersen

Lily Connor

Last night we had the long awaited and advertised birthday and goodbye celebration. Once a month, the Sri Ram Ashram has a celebration for all of the “happy birthdays” of that month. The kids prepared nine dances to perform. They had been practicing for weeks. We prepared two songs from the Ramayana, One Day by Matisyahu, and a dance.

The kids from the ashram were the most amazing dancers. Each move they made was precise, from their fingertips to their feet. I was shocked at how much talent there was in that particular group of kids. We were all a bit embarrassed to perform our dance because it was clear they were better prepared and more skilled. We learned that our skill level didn’t matter, only the amount of effort and passion that we put in. Either way, it felt good to dance for them. There was an amazing amount of spirit and love in the air. Everyone was happy with the bond we created.

After we ate dinner we listened to Bollywood music on the patio and some of the Ashram kids started a dance party. They were self assured and not at all self conscious. It took a little while for us to start dancing but when we did there was an ultimate acceptance of our presence on the dance floor and an apparent amalgamation of two different and unusual families.

I am not generally one that loves to dance and sing but I was appreciative of the kids confidence. It inspired me to take advantage of the opportunity to assimilate and celebrate the festivities. The kids at the ashram taught me, through dancing and singing, the importance of having a balance between humility and self-assurance.

Lily Connor

Susie Bryan

Exploring the Gujar village was a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Just as the heat began to fade, we loaded ourselves into a bus and drove ten minutes down the road, where we turned onto a dirt path leading to the Gujar village. The people there had migrated to the foothills of the Himalayas during the Mughal Empire to escape forced conversion to Islam, and their lifestyle has largely stayed intact.

They earn their income from selling buffalo milk. It is the most expensive milk in the area because their buffalo graze on untouched land. Besides the men riding their bikes to the main road to exchange their milk, they have virtually no contact with the outside world. Seeing the way they live was amazing; their houses are constructed of dead wood frames and wheat packed with clay. The roofs let out the smoke without leaking when it rains. The triangular and circular windows painted with faded colors were beautiful. They made their own rope to construct beds that looked more comfortable than hammocks and used coal irons for their clothes.

The dry forest landscape they call home was much more barren than I had expected. The heat left the area normally occupied by the Ganges River dry and dusty, with random patches of green trees and shrubs. Yet somehow, the Gujar people manage to live a more efficient and environmentally friendly lifestyle than most of the world. They use only dead wood to fuel their fires, live in clay huts which stay warm in winter and cold in summer, barely use the solar lights they have, are highly conservative with water, use as much from their livestock as they can, and generally work with the land rather than against it. Exploring their village was both eye opening and humbling. I feel grateful to have been given the opportunity to experience something so pure and simple that contrasts so greatly with the kind of life I’m familiar with.

Susie Bryan

James Clifton

We are halfway through our trip and I can still remember every second of each day. Our day in Old Delhi is just as fresh as our experience at Hari ki Pari last night. In Hari ki Pari a ceremony occurs called Aarti in which people give offerings to the river Ganga. Seeing Aarti yesterday was amazing. It seemed more like an annual event and I find the fact that it occurs nightly unbelievable.

We got to stand on a bridge overlooking a portion of the Ganga. Below us, 10,000 people stood in prayer. The dedication and intensity that I saw on their faces is my new definition of faith.

The fact that everyone comes together each night and makes offerings and prayers to the holy river says so much about the people. Aarti at Hari ki Pari was unlike anything I have ever experienced, seen, or felt elsewhere. I am still in awe and look forward to what the rest of the trip has to offer.

James Clifton

Emma Fladeboe

The word that comes to mind when I think of our interaction with the 12th graders today at the Sri Ram Vidya Mandir School is hospitality. I find it overwhelming that kids that make up a school, an education system, a culture so very different from our own, can show such hospitable welcome.

We separated into small groups, consisting of two Mount Madonna students and four Vidya Mandir students, in order to talk about our lives and our intentions for the future. Although most of the kids did not have a strong command of the English language, we had someone in each group from the Ashram to translate. It became a very rewarding conversation as we sat together and later walked around the school. As we toured, the students in each class we visited would greet us with eager waves and grins, especially the younger children.

I was particularly struck by one 12th grade girl I met, Khiran. You could tell she had so much she wanted to say but was nervous. Every time she decided to contribute she would put forth such an effort to say it in English before resorting to Hindi translation. I felt very respected and also wished that I had even the slightest knowledge of the Hindi language in order to facilitate our communication. She even volunteered to share what she heard from me when we spoke as an entire group.

I commend her for this seemingly small act of courage, as I would probably not have done the same if in her position.

As I meet these children I wish there was something more I can share with them. Not to impose on them our Western ways, or give them a glimpse of a society they do not live in, but something that will make them honor and remember the experiences they had with us, as I will the one with Khiran.

Can we only find these kinds of small moments of wonder by traveling half way across the world? Or do we simply overlook the potentials for them in everyday life?

Emma Fladeboe

Michaela Schuessler

When we arrived at Sri Ram Ashram I was super excited. I had heard so much about the school and now I was finally going to see it for myself. Walking out of the bus, I felt joy rush over me. When I saw the babies they took my breath away.

They were so adorable and happy.

Everyone welcomed us with open arms and was excited to see us. What surprised me the most was that the kids were willing to tell us about themselves and allow us to be part of their lives. I immediately felt like a part of the Sri Ram Ashram family.

Michaela Schuessler