“If every 8-year-old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” Dalai Lama
Just one of the many powerful statements made by the Dalai Lama that I believe in, and it can be extended to those younger than 8 years old. I recently saw the Dalai Lama speak in San Diego. I was in tears just watching him walk onto the stage in full joy, humble smile on his face. There were over 10,000 people in the audience, and yet I felt his energy as if I were sitting with him one on one. He was speaking on the topic of non-violence. I will never forget one of the things he said, “We are all born with the same potential.”
When he said it, there was a reaction en masse. The open-hearted, connected vibration switched to a shrinking into individual cocoons of ‘stuff’ and it was palpable in the room. I felt everyone’s stories, separateness defined. “I was abused as a child.” “My mother was an alcoholic.” “I didn’t have money growing up.” “My father was emotionally unavailable.” “We moved around too much.” It was an overwhelming feeling and it was instantaneous. I knew that the Dalai Lama himself felt the suctioning into one’s own story that was happening in each audience member. He asked if he, “May clarify.” He said, (to ease the suffering thoughts of so many people that day, and to teach) “We are each born with the same potential to either construct or destruct.” Simple as that: joy or suffering, peace or battle, building or tearing down, growth or decay, light or dark. The room eased with this. Everyone understood, globally, truth. Our stories don’t have to dictate where we direct our potential, because we have choice. So what will we choose is the question? Construction? Light? Or the alternative? Our peace lies within our own hearts.
Let us meditate, and teach our children to meditate. I believe they already know how, so let’s get rid of the rules around what it needs to look like, and let them be. Let them feel into their potential; let them remember who they are and why they are here. Let us pray and receive answers for how to best guide them to this place, this practice so they can decide in a clear space how it is they will use this universal potential they are born with.
Do your children meditate? Do you wish meditation would be brought into your children’s educational environment?
It would be fantastic if they would “allow” it in schools!!! The kids are currently in yoga at a few local elementary schools in La Costa/Carlsbad absolutely LOVE it and look forward to it every week.