Celebrating the Dalai Lama

 

07.03.2026 The Dalai Lama’s Wisdom His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet and one of the most beloved and recognized leaders of our time, will turn 91 on Monday. His Holiness is the fourteenth person to be recognized as a Dalai Lama, believed to be a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. The self-proclaimed “simple monk” has dedicated his life to that spirit of compassion, and in turn has made a worldwide impact with his service as a statesman, spiritual teacher, and theologian. In a time when many of us are seeking clarity, resilience, and connection, the teachings of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama offer a powerful truth: world peace begins with peace in oneself. Below, you’ll find three teachings from the Dalai Lama that exemplify his enduring vision for a kinder, more loving world. May his wisdom awaken the heart of compassion in you. —Lilly Greenblatt, Digital Editor, Lion’s Roar Living the Compassionate Life The Dalai Lama explains how the Buddhist teachings of mindfulness and compassion lead inevitably to feelings of self-confidence and kindness. Kindness and a good heart form the underlying foundation for our success in this life, our progress on the spiritual path, and our fulfillment of our ultimate aspiration: the attainment of full enlightenment. Hence, compassion and a good heart are not only important at the beginning but also in the middle and at the end. Their necessity and value are not limited to any specific time, place, society or culture. Thus, we need compassion and human affection not only to survive; they are the ultimate sources of success in life. Selfish ways of thinking not only harm others, they prevent the very happiness we ourselves desire. The time has come to think more wisely, hasn’t it? This is my belief. ADVERTISEMENT Only Genuine Compassion Will Do It’s not enough to simply to believe compassion is important. We must transform our thoughts and behaviour on a daily basis to cultivate compassion.   Self-centeredness inhibits our love for others, and we are all afflicted by it to one degree or another. For true happiness to come about, we need a calm mind, and such peace of mind is brought about only by a compassionate attitude. How can we develop this attitude? Obviously, it is not enough for us simply to believe that compassion is important and to think about how nice it is! We need to make a concerted effort to develop it; we must use all the events of our daily life to transform our thoughts and behavior. Don’t Let Hatred Destroy Your Practice His Holiness the Dalai Lama takes an in-depth look at how we can work with anger and hatred in our practice.   Genuine peace of mind is rooted in affection and compassion. There is a very high level of sensitivity and feeling involved. So long as we lack inner discipline, an inner calmness of mind, then no matter what external facilities or conditions we may have, they will never give us the feeling of joy and happiness that we seek. On the other hand, if we possess this inner quality — that is, calmness of mind, a degree of stability within — then even if we lack various external facilities that are normally considered necessary for a happy and joyful life, it is still possible to live a happy and joyful life.

How to Flourish; Remembering Robert A.F. Thurman; Guided Meditation to Cultivate Resilience

 

06.23.2026 How to Flourish Renowned neuroscientists and contemplative teachers Richard J. Davidson and Cortland Dahl draw on decades of research to reveal how awareness, connection, insight, and purpose support genuine well-being, helping us thrive even amid stress and uncertainty. READ MORE Remembering Robert A.F. Thurman (1941-2026) Robert A.F. Thurman, renowned Buddhist scholar, activist, teacher, and co-founder of Tibet House US died on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Woodstock, New York. He was 84. In this profile from our archives, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong shares his story. READ MORE Guided Meditation to Cultivate Resilience with Qalvy Grainzvolt Qalvy Grainzvolt guides us through a meditation to connect with your inherent capacity for growth and resilience. WATCH NOW ADVERTISEMENT The Life-Changing Words of Mary Oliver Rick Bass looks at the late Mary Oliver’s poem “The Summer Day,” which asks, “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” READ MORE Read the Lion’s Roar Foundation 2025 “Report to Our Community” Lion’s Roar is delighted to announce that we have released our 2025 Report to Our Community. Our annual community report highlights the Lion’s Roar Foundation’s activities and accomplishments in 2025, introduces our board and staff, and gives an overview of financial results for the year. READ MORE Featured Workshop Confident Presence: A Mindful Approach Explore true confidence through Buddhist wisdom and mindfulness practice, learning to “hold your seat” through life’s inevitable ups and downs with presence and equanimity. VIEW DETAILS

 

06.26.2026 The Art of Moving Mindfully After a very long and rainy spring, it now feels like summer has planted it’s roots firmly on the east coast. As the season changes, I’m spending more time outside – in the garden, on evening walks, and long days of climbing with friends. My body feels ready to move after the stagnancy of winter. If we’re lucky, our bodies can move as the seasons do, ramping up in the summer months.  When we talk about meditation and mindfulness, the conversation can often focus on sitting and finding “stillness.” But we don’t need to be still to be mindful — we can bring the practice of awareness into our movement, too. By doing so, our bodies become the ultimate tool to bring us into the present moment. Our thoughts are always with us as we move through our daily lives, as Cyndi Lee explains in “How to Practice Embodied Mindfulness.” She writes: “Mind and body aren’t really separate. Whether you are talking, writing, planning, or worrying, you are still in your body. And when you are biking, sleeping, or walking the dog, your thoughts still come and go.” When we recognize the power of bringing mindfulness to all of our activities, we’re met with a great opportunity to tap into endless moments of practice. In sports and athletics, mindfulness can also have a huge impact on our performance and attitude. In my conversation with rock climber Francis Sanzaro, we discussed the way that climbing brings us into a deep awareness that can continue far beyond our experiences on the rock wall. “Climbing is really the art of listening,” Sanzaro told me. As a climber myself, I know this to be true. I’ve learned to listen to my mind, body, and the environment around me for a successful climb. The three pieces below each examine our relationship with movement. I hope they bring an element of mindfulness to however you choose to move this weekend. —Martine Panzica, Digital Assistant Editor, Lion’s Roar The Power of Awareness: An Interview with Rock Climber Francis Sanzaro Martine Panzica talks to author and rock climber Francis Sanzaro about his book The Zen of Climbing and the power of mindfulness in sport and our lives as a whole. I started climbing seriously when I was 13 and discovered Buddhism about two years later. The two of them have been in my life in a serious way for about 30 years now, but I didn’t always see the connections between them. It took a long time. In climbing, I paid attention to my body and to what I was doing when I’m up there — awareness is really crucial. My earliest and most important takeaway from Buddhism was the best thing you can do is study your mind — to really just put the lens back on yourself and figure out what’s going on. What are your desires doing to you, for better or worse? What are the cycles of unhappiness that you’re having? That was my earliest takeaway and I just kind of took it and ran. ADVERTISEMENT A Mindful Movement Practice for Embodied Awareness You don’t just practice mindfulness with your mind. You practice it with your body too. Yoga teacher and Buddhist Cyndi Lee teaches us how.   Traditional seated mindfulness meditation instructions are to notice when the mind has strayed and return it to the breath. In mindful movement, each time you notice you’ve been engrossed in thought, you can return your attention to the feeling of your feet on the floor, the sweat on your skin, the sound of your breath, or the muscular effort required for a longer yoga hold — any sensation that is alive for you right then. Clearing the mind via the vibrancy of the body’s sensations, and moving with a quality of presence instead of watching the clock, or your walking app, give you a sense of integration and embodiment. It’s a great way to get through the day, almost as if you were on retreat. Running into Joy Sometimes sitting with her sadness becomes too difficult. But Vanessa Zuisei Goddard has learned she can run with it—and through it.   Long before I’d learned of endorphins or opiate receptors, years before I’d heard of “the zone,” I sensed that one way to counter my sadness was to run with and through it. Over time I came to see there’s two main kinds of pain: pain we must understand and pain we can only bear. So when sitting with my feelings became too difficult, running with them helped me to feel without fixing, to let what was there be there without judgment or suppression. To this day, running continues to be a very simple and reliable source of joy for me. Joy at being able to inhabit and use this body. Joy at the wonder of breath and movement and the mystery that is this life.