8 8 8

auspicious so the Chinese say. somethings going to give - one world one dream...
I went to a party for the Dalai Lama's birthday given by a small group of Tibetans living in Eidnburgh. A motley crew turned up and sat cross legged in a colourful basement. We ate the food they cooked for us and listened to the Tibetan songs a man sang then they filled our glasses with wine and we all sang Happy birthday to the Dalai lama (he wasn't physically there). I don't know if I've ever sung happy birthday to someone who isn't there. There was a simplicity about this little event and real spirit of brotherhood. It wasn't as though I was personally invited to the party - there was a little advert in The List. The whole of Edinburgh could have turned out to eat dumplings and rice and salad and sing happy birthday. One of the people there, good at rock climbing, unfurled a free Tibet flag in full view of the world yesterday.
If the world is one world and that one world is symbolic of one body, what does it mean when we silence spirit? No doubt had Tibet oil the world police would have made a racket about its annexation. The prayers go silent,underground.
Not only was I born, apparently, the day the music died but I was also born when the Chinese annexed Tibet. Scotland seems ripe for spiritual communities; Findhorn, Camphill...and the biggest Tibetan Buddhist Temple outside of Tibet, although I'm sure India boasts them too. But I grew up seeing these prayer flags, sometimes going to Samye Ling, breathing the incense, looking at the paintings, watching the monks meditatively paint the dieities.
one world.....one dream
one world..one wake up...