Dalai Lama Archives

What does peace mean to you? by Jeanette

19 December 2017

On the 16th December, 1989- His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel peace prize. It was a momentous occasion and one which brought hope to so many people including the Tibetan community in exile. It’s been 28 years since His Holiness stood up on the podium in Stockholm to receive this award and to express his hopes to the world for a better future. Let’s take this opportunity to remind ourselves of the message that not just he, but also many of the great leaders of the world wished to convey to us all in these times of turmoil and uncertainty.

30 August 2016

Omalaya Travel is happy to offer its customized Kalachakra tours to India to the devotees wishing to attend the precious Kalachakra 2017 Empowerment teaching. Omalaya-designed spiritual journeys are rooted in individual’s quest for self discovery and we incorporate the same outlook in designing the Kalachakra 2017 tour package. Omalaya Travel operated a successful Kalachakra tour to Ladakh in 2014. Omalaya-led devotees can receive Kalachakra initiation, teaching & empowerment under the expert guidance of tour’s spiritual guides like Geshe Tsering with Dr Chok and Geshe Lobsang with Tulku Phuljung. The Kalachakra initiation, given by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, is incredibly powerful. If you are ready, not only to receive the initiation, but also to bring the practice into your daily life, the initiation will certainly change your practice. But how can you tell if you are ready? How do you know if now is the right time to receive the initiation? For most, the question can be answered by determining how prepared we are. Certainly the first step is to learn some basic information about the Kalachakra teachings and history as well as its connection to world peace. Another indication is to assess your current daily practice – including the prostrations that you do, the number of Vajrasattva mantras, as well as the way you interact with others and respond to your surroundings. After this, there are three other steps or areas to focus on in order to develop our readiness for Kalachakra. As you progress in your practice along the Buddhist path, you may make the decision to “take refuge,” which is simply a decision to look toward the Buddha, his teachings, and the spiritual community for guidance on moving through life in a positive direction. By taking refuge you commit to several things: looking at yourself and your life honestly, assessing your reoccurring problems in order to learn and grow from them, and working to gain qualities that will help you to be of benefit to all sentient beings. From this foundation you learn to see the law of cause and effect on your life. You work to understand that your negative thinking and behaviors lead to suffering and problems, and that your positive thinking and behaviors lead you to happiness. You learn to use the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha to move toward happiness and away from suffering. One of the best indication of your preparedness for the […]

23 March 2016

Would you like to spend one day in the Dalai Lama’s shoes? His Holiness is often travelling in India and across the world. His daily habits change when he moves from one place to another, according to his schedule and obligations. However, when he is at home, in Dharamsala, he is faithful to a particular routine. How does a typical day look like in the Dalai Lama’s life? Let’s see! Morning softness : listening to yourself and the world Despite his busy schedule the Dalai Lama is an early riser and tries to go to sleep before 8pm. Today, at nine o’clock, it’s been already five hours that you are awake. Wake up at 3am and after taking a shower spend the first four hours of your day praying and meditating on the roots of compassion, on what kind of positive thing you could bring to the world, to others. Do not forget to meditate on your condition as a human being condition: mentally prepare your death. You can then take a little morning walk. If it rains, be prepared: use a treadmill. For breakfast served at 5.30am you can drink some tea, eat hot porridge, tsampa (roasted barley powder) and bread with preserves. Concerned by the difference between information and wisdom, His Holiness tries to connect daily life facts and ancient wisdom in order to have a better comprehension of this world’s mysteries. In the same way, as a disciple and student of Life, during the breakfast listen to the BBC World News in English. Food for the mind : Meditation, Readings and Sweet Tooth After breakfast, from 6 to 9am, go further in your inner-exploration: continue your meditation and prayers. From nine o’clock, the great internal journey takes another shape. Take time to study Buddhists texts and various commentaries written by various Buddhist masters. Enthralled by your readings, you did not notice that it is already 11.30am : time for lunch! Whereas the Dalai Lama is not necessarily vegetarian when he is away from home, he is certainly vegetarian in Dharamsala. Taking it into account, you will have to refrain yourself from going to the butcher or the fishmonger today. A small piece of advice : try to taste the Thali. This Indo-Nepali specialty is a real delight. An afternoon in good company : Sharing and Transmission From 12am to 3.30pm, let’s go to the office to […]

07 January 2016

Omalaya Travel is happy to offer its customized Kalachakra tours to India to the devotees wishing to attend the precious Kalachakra 2017 Empowerment teaching. Omalaya-designed spiritual journeys are rooted in individual’s quest for self discovery and we incorporate the same outlook in designing the Kalachakra 2017 tour package. Omalaya Travel operated a successful Kalachakra tour to Ladakh in 2014. Omalaya-led devotees can receive Kalachakra initiation, teaching & empowerment under the expert guidance of tour’s spiritual guides like Geshe Tsering with Dr Chok and Geshe Lobsang with Tulku Phuljung. His Holiness the Dalai Lama would preside the Kalachakra 2017 initiation to be held in Bodh Gaya, India from 3rd to 14th January 2017. This will be the 34th such initiation given by the Dalai Lama and the fifth time in Bodh Gaya. He has previously given Kalachakra initiations in Bodh Gaya in 1974, 1985, 2003 and 2012. What is Kalachakra? Kalachakra is a concept that is strongly associated with the Vajrayana sect of Buddhism. The term is derived from two words Kāla which means time and Chakra which means wheel. According to this concept, the events of the universe occur in a cyclical pattern. According to this religion, time is perceived as a symbol of change. For instance, a year is a measurement of change involved in the Earth revolving around the Sun. These changes are cyclical in nature although they might not replicate in the exact same manner each time. What is Kalachakra initiation? Kalachakra initiation is a process that empowers Buddhist pupils to practice the Kalachakra Laghutantra (also known as Kalachakra Tantra) in order to attain Buddhahood. The Kalachakra Laghutantra is a treatise that contains Buddhist philosophies, commentaries and meditation practices. The empowerment ritual is performed over a period of three days after the completion of the preliminary preparatory steps. During these three days of the actual empowerment, the disciples take part in various Buddhist rituals in order to obtain Kalachakra empowerment. The experience is divine and unforgettable even for a casual observer and is one that would stay in our memories even long after its end. Omalaya brings you a unique opportunity to witness the 34th Kalachakra initiation. For more information, please click here. You can also watch the video below to know more about Kalachakra 2017.

06 January 2016

Omalaya Travel is happy to offer its customized Kalachakra tours to India to the devotees wishing to attend the precious Kalachakra 2017 Empowerment teaching. Omalaya-designed spiritual journeys are rooted in individual’s quest for self discovery and we incorporate the same outlook in designing the Kalachakra 2017 tour package. Omalaya Travel operated a successful Kalachakra tour to Ladakh in 2014. Omalaya-led devotees can receive Kalachakra initiation, teaching & empowerment under the expert guidance of tour’s spiritual guides like Geshe Tsering with Dr Chok and Geshe Lobsang with Tulku Phuljung. 34th Kalachakra is confirmed and is set to take place at Bodh Gaya from 3rd to 14th january 2017. This will be the 34th Kalachakra initiation and the fifth one to take place in Bodh Gaya, India, the mecca of Buddhist where Lord Buddha attained unsurpassed enlightenment under the sacred bodhi tree. This good news makes up for the cancellation of the Kalachakra scheduled for 2016. The previous Kalachakra initiation was held in July 2014 at Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir state of India that saw more than 300,000 devotees throng in from all over the world. Kalachakra 2017 will be the next major teaching/initiation by H.H the XIV Dalai Lama after successfully bestowing the Jangchup Lamrim – 18 treatises of the stages of the Path to Englightenment that took place at Bylakuppe, Tibetan Settlement in Karnataka from Dec 20 to Jan 1 2016. Omalaya travel is delighted to offer its customized service to the devotees wishing to attend the Kalachakra initiation 2017. Our goal is to design the tour in a way that optimizes your spiritual journey and blessing. Click here to view the Omalaya Travel blueprint for the Kalachakra 2017. You may also read our article on 10 Tips for pilgrims to Bodh gaya here.

09 December 2015

Where will the Kalachakra 2017 takes place? The 34th Kalachakra 2017 initiation will be held in Bodh Gaya, the holy Indian town where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. This is the fifth Kalachakra initiation to be held in Bodh Gaya. His Holiness the Dalai Lama would preside over the proceedings. The dates will be from 3rd to 14th January 2017 Thousands of devotees from all around the world are expected to congregate at this town during those 12 days. Nearly 300,000 visitors attend the previous Kalachakra initiation held in Ladakh in 2014. The experience would most certainly be overwhelming for a first-timer, especially for an outsider who is unfamiliar with the hustle and bustle of India. Here are a list of things to know to get yourself well-equipped to attend the ceremony: How do I get a visa? In its efforts to boost tourism, the Government of India introduced the e-tourist visa scheme for foreign nationals who visit the country for a short duration. Interested individuals can apply for a visa online and have to carry a printout of the e-Tourist visa at the time of travel. For detailed information about Indian e-Tourist visa, please click here. Do I have to register for Kalachakra 2017? Yes. Pilgrims are required to register for Kalachakra 2017. Foreign nationals, Tibetans and Indians are required to submit photocopies of their passports or identity cards to obtain a pass for the Kalachakra teaching. Interested individuals are requested to visit the official Kalachakra page when it come online regularly for more information about the procedure. You may also register through your travel agent or Dharma center. Do I have to pay for registration for Kalachakra 2017? There is no registration fee for Kalachakra teaching and the teachings are open to everyone. How is the weather like? The weather in January in Bodh Gaya is pleasant with average temperatures ranging from 18 – 22 degree Celsius. The nights might get a bit cold with temperatures dipping below 10 degrees once in a while. The monsoon season lasts from June to September and one doesn’t have to worry about rains during January. In fact, January is one of the best month to visit Bodh Gaya. What are my stay options? Thanks to the regular influx of tourists from all corners of the world every year, Bodh Gaya has very good accommodation facilities. Ranging from two star to five star, a variety of hotels that suit the budgets and requirements […]