His Holiness the 14th Dalia Lama Historic Visit to Iowa May 18th 2010

In a historic first time visit to Iowa, His Holiness The Dalai Lama will visit the University of Northern Iowa on May 18, 2010. Two programs will be featured:

Panel Discussion

A Conversation with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet: Educating for a Non-violent World
Tuesday, May 18; 9:30-11 a.m., McLeod Center
Tickets: $15 ; UNI students free

Violence in our schools, communities, workplace and our world affects everyone. Join His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet and distinguished panelists as they discuss ways in which we, as individuals and as a society, can address issues of violence, promote civility and enhance understanding through education.

Keynote Address: The Power of Education

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
Tuesday, May 18; 2-3:30 p.m., McLeod Center
Tickets: $50, $25, $15; UNI students free

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet will give the keynote address for the 2009 Joy Cole Corning Distinguished Leadership Lecture Series. His speech, “The Power of Education,” will focus on the importance of education in an increasingly global society, the role of education in developing socially responsible citizens, and the impact an individual can have on the world.

http://www.uni.edu/dalailama/

Tickets went on Sale at 8:30 a.m. CST:

http://www.uni.edu/dalailama/tickets

Losing My Religion for Equality, by Jimmy Carter

Illustration: Dyson

Women and girls have been discriminated against for too long in a twisted interpretation of the word of God.

I HAVE been a practising Christian all my life and a deacon and Bible teacher for many years. My faith is a source of strength and comfort to me, as religious beliefs are to hundreds of millions of people around the world. So my decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult. It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the convention’s leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be “subservient” to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.

This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women’s equal rights across the world for centuries.

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The Way to Happiness…

Live simply, expect little, give much. Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine. Forget self, think of others. Do as you would be done by. Try this for a week and you will be surprised.”

~ Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)
The Power of Positive Thinking – US pastor, Marble Collegiate Church, NYC, author, The Power of Positive Thinking ‘52

“Its Better to Be For Something than against Something” HH the 14th Dalai Lama

Tom Robbins author of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and many other books,  said that there are really only two mantras on the planet: Yum + Yuck!  The Indian Saint Ammachi has also stated that there are really only two emotions on the planet: Love and Fear. I find that I am in either Unconditional Love or I am in judgement.  I prefer to to stay in unconditional love.  It fosters hope, peace, equanimity and non-judgment.  In an era when we see some much contrast, polarization and intolerance wouldn’t it be better for all of us to be for something rather than against? You can be against war, but wouldn’t it be more practical to be for Peace.  Mother Theresa would never attend an anti-war rally, but she would attend peace rallies. Being for something is like putting your canoe in the river and flowing towards that which it naturally seeks as opposed to swimming upstream…its exhausting.  If we would look for commonality between everyone we meet, we will always find it. If we are looking for difference we will always find that too.  In fostering a preference of commonality and respect we can more quickly get to win-win. Everyone on the planet has a different moral, ethical, spiritual compass. We can co-exist if we are for something rather than against.