“I am a simple Buddhist monk — no more, no less,” His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

I had the honor and pleasure of seeing his holiness the 14th Dalai Lama speak at Conseco fieldhouse today. Thousands gathered in rockstar groupie fashion just to be in his presence. He was introduce by both John and Elaine Melloncamp and when he entered the room, I wept.

He sat humbly on stage and spoke with a candidness that made me feel as if he was talking only with me. He talked about the paths to inner peace and about the importance of religious harmony. He was powerful yet gentle and most of all, happy. You could feel it, see it and hear it.

I have always been interested in different religions and spent some time practicing a type of buddhist meditation called “mindfulness meditation” when I lived in Bloomington. I found it most interesting to hear him talk about the necessity for a variety of religions for the varying different mindsets that exist around the planet. But, he also made it clear that all the world’s religions share the same core values. Love, tolerance, forgiveness, self-discipline & compassion. Different paths to the same end goal. PEACE.

It was both an honor and a priveledge to be there today. It’s an experience that I will always remember.

To read more about the 14th Dalai Lama you can visit his website at http://www.dalailama.com/