Dalai Lama has always been an inspiration to me. The essence of his teaching is to promote human values – self-discipline, forgiveness, empathy, happiness, peace and love.

Peaceful and disarming, Dalai Lama described himself as a “simple Buddhist monk.” And it is in that simplicity that his lessons emerge. Let’s discover together how his teachings and thoughts will change your life.

1) Love is the absence of judgment

Judgement serves no purpose in our lives. It blocks us from truth, from love, and keeps you stuck in the illusion of separation. Love is our true essence. Love has no limitations, we are all beads strung together on the same thread of love. In the absence of judgment, love is what remains.

2) My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

Being kind and compassionate is at the core of all spiritual teachings and path. It’s something that everyone can cultivate by choice. Instead of spending your time criticizing others, work on being positive and compassionate.

Kindness gives a sense of well-being and connectedness that improves our own mental health. According to a research, whenever you are kind, your body rewards you with feel-good hormones and helps you stay healthy.

3) Positive and negative actions are determined by one’s own motivation. If the motivation is good, all actions become positive; if the motivation is wrong, all actions become negative.

Any action, whether the result is positive or negative, largely depends on motivation. If the motivation is sincere then the action can be positive, but if our motivation is not pure, even religion becomes smeared.

In this statement by Dalai Lama, motivation refers to a thought and thought determines your intention. So, keep your thoughts pure, always!

4) Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck

When things don’t go the way we planned or as we want them to, we tend to look within ourselves. We think about what we could have done differently – it helps us to realign our focus, learn from our past mistakes and without setbacks or a bumpy ride, you would never be able to appreciate the smooth ride.

When you overcome the fear for failure, you are prepared to face any challenges that come your way, and nothing is too difficult to handle. Remember, something better is in store for you!

5) We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves

Most of us live in this illusion that happiness and peace is derived from our external world, but the truth is if you are not at peace within, the outside world won’t make any difference to your state of mind.

To be at peace, you have to shift from the future to the here and now. Live in the present as that is all you have. Spend time to reflect and chase away the negative thoughts.

6) Sleep is the best meditation

Sleep is the time when we get in touch with our subconscious mind through our dreams. We travel to a completely different world and return back refreshed. All living beings indulge in sleeping and it is one of the most crucial activities for the well-being of our mind, body and soul.

Sleep deprivation is a huge culprit in negative moods, including anxiety and depression. Never compromise on your sleep!

7) The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred

It is easy to fall prey to negative emotions – anger, hatred, fear, jealousy etc. Anger is a corrosive emotion that harms your mental and physical health. It damages the nervous, cardiovascular and gut system.

Anger, if fed, can also lead to depression. In order to be free from anger and hatred, one requires a strong sense of self-determination, compassion and patience. Make a conscious choice to deal with the emotion and things that make you angry and focus on finding a solution – that would be a heroic accomplishment!

8) Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace

Thomas Gray said, “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.”

Many of us only use the first half of the sentence, “Ignorance is Bliss” to avoid getting into situations of complex nature.

Sometimes we ignore because it’s our own fault, out of fear, and fear remains the greatest enemy of peace. Ignorance is the root cause of our piled up frustration which can show up disastrously on some occasion. To evolve and be at peace, one has to rise above the dirt (or adversity) and blossom (evolve) like a lotus.

9) It is very rare or almost impossible that an event can be negative from all points of view

Don’t lose hope if an event or situation is negative or unpleasant, look at the bright side of a situation and embrace what life throws at you. With this attitude, life doesn’t feel like a burden but an ever-learning adventure.

10) True spirituality is a mental attitude you can practice at any time

Spirituality is building a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves. It is about embracing the interconnectedness of all things, and to awaken to the true nature of self. You can have a spiritual experience while listening to music, walking in the woods, watching the rising sun or whatever nourishes your soul. This keeps your mind, body and spirit healthy!

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