A Gift from the Dalai Lama
March 21, 2019
Dharamshala, India
It has been said by many spiritual authors and teachers that enlightened, highly evolved people vibrate at an elevated level, by being in the present moment and living in the “now”, thereby giving off that energy to anyone that comes into contact with them. The gift that H.H. gave to all of us visiting him this day was to give us a bit of his energy by being in close proximity to him and being acknowledged by him. We are all forever grateful for this gift!
It may come as a surprise to many people to know that Dharamshala, India is the home of the beloved His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama.
Following the Lhasa uprising and the Dalai Lama’s flight from Tibet in 1959, the government of India accepted the Tibetan refugees. India designated land for the refugees in the mountainous region of Dharamsala, India, where the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile are now based. (Source: Wikipedia)
H.H. Dalai Lama is giving his blessings to us
There are only a handful of special moments in one’s life, and for us, meeting H.H. is going to go down as one of the top experiences we’ve had so far! We woke up before sunrise on the morning of our scheduled audience and made our way to the Dalai Lama temple. There were 7 of us in the group of fantastic people – all from different parts of the world and very lovely travel companions. We arrived early to make sure all was in order and had our passports, visas and photocopies of everything properly arranged. Once we got inside the gate, we waited briefly before being escorted through the security clearance. It was a thorough check point with a complete pat down and examination of all carry-on items. All bags had to be checked in, no phones or cameras allowed, and offerings for H.H. had to be pre-approved.
Offerings for H.H.
H.H. is turning 83 years young this year, and he doesn’t travel much anymore, preferring to stay at his home to receive people who want his blessing daily. Approximately 200 people were in line with us to meet him and we were one of the last groups. Having seen the blessing line ahead of us, I was getting worried that H.H. will be very tired from receiving so many people. However, when our turn came up, I felt his energy and aura was far from weary – it was quite the opposite – he was radiating so much aliveness and awareness! It is no wonder that this incredible human being is known as one of the most compassionate people in the world. Each person who had the pleasure to meet him, received a gift of his presence – he made sure to greet each person individually, whether it was with a gesture, eye contact, a squeeze of the hand, a kind word, or simply acknowledgement. How he managed to stay present for each of the 200+ people that came to see him was the most impressive thing about him.
Natalie Glebova, "I Am Winning" - The Gift from the Dalai Lama
What an honor to meet and be around this incredible human being!
We each held his hand for a brief moment while taking a group photo and then proceeded to present him with our offerings. Some brought with them their photography, others had Buddha statues, while others had delicacies from their homelands or their artwork as gifts for H.H..
As authors, my friend Pashmina and I decided to gift our books – “I Am Winning” and “The Cappuccino Chronicles”, signed with love and respect. I was humbled to be able to present my book to H.H. and kneeling down in front of him I said, “Your Holiness, I’ve brought you a book that I’ve written that helps people to build up their confidence. I hope it finds a good home here and perhaps will find its way to the hands of those who need it in the right time”. With his gentle smile, His Holiness held my book in his hands and admired the title. Everyone loves winning, after all!
Natalie Glebova, "I Am Winning" - The Gift from the Dalai Lama
Telling H.H. about my book
When Dean’s turn came to be blessed, H.H. asked him where he’s from and after learning that Dean is from Panama, he exclaimed, “What a miracle!” A miracle indeed, and how often we forget that we are all miracles! Each one of us is born as a little wonder of the universe, and we can see that in the children around us, but as we grow up, we no longer look at each other in the same way. The feeling I had when being around H.H. was that of being next to my grandfather – full of love and wisdom. He looked at all of us as his children and grandchildren.
It has been said by many spiritual authors and teachers that enlightened, highly evolved people vibrate at an elevated level, by being in the present moment and living in the “now”, thereby giving off that energy to anyone that comes into contact with them. The gift that H.H. gave to all of us visiting him this day was to give us a bit of his energy by being in close proximity to him and being acknowledged by him. We are all forever grateful for this gift!
Natalie Glebova - The Gift from the Dalai Lama
Our wonderful group all together with H.H.
A massive thank you to my dear friend Ongzin, whom we met in Bhutan a year ago, for arranging this special audience and inviting us to come along!