Spreading the Love for the Dalai Lama's Birthday

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
— Dalai Lama

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

— Dalai Lama

Se'Lah at Necessary Room shared a wonderful idea last Friday. To celebrate the Dalai Lama's 75th Birthday on July 6th, she's inviting people to join her in doing a random act of kindness on that day. There are over 30 people signed up already! Want to join in?

I'm loving this idea, and I'm glad to see it's catching on via the blog community. I think a random act of kindness could be as small (and inexpensive) as offering someone a sincere compliment, or tucking a fun card or a small gift into an envelope and sending it to a friend who could use a pick-me-up this week.

Of course it also seems appropriate to direct a random act of kindness to one of the many organizations working to improve the situation in His Holiness's beloved home country of Tibet.
Here are some ways to do so:
• Purchase some prayer flags or another item from the Tibetan Nun's Project shop, and surprise a friend with a little gift. A win-win!
• Help Heifer International work with 8,900 families to improve nutrition and community development in Nepal.
• Help rebuild Yushu, destroyed in April's devastating earthquake.
• Sponsor a yak!
• Dontate to Free Tibet
• Sponsor a Tibetan Nun living in exile in India...

Over the past two decades, a steady stream of nuns has arrived in Dharamsala in the Himalayan region of North India seeking refuge. These women wish only to live, study, practice, and teach in accordance with their spiritual beliefs. Ranging in age from early teens to mid-80s, they come from all parts of Tibet and from many different backgrounds. Upon arrival in India, many have suffered severely from their long, arduous, and often dangerous escapes. Some have been tortured and imprisoned by Chinese authorities in Tibet. In most cases the nuns arrive without money or possessions to a community already struggling to support itself...



Many years ago I sponsored one of these nuns through this Tibetan Nuns Project. Sponsors are encouraged to exchange photos and correspondence with their nuns, which I did, and it was such a thrill to open the mailbox and find an envelope from India. Wouldn't it be fun to do that again and post the letters and photos here on Secret Notebooks • Wild Pages?

The cost of a year's sponsorship is currently $360 — a little steep for one person. But I've been mulling over an idea — I wonder if a collective sponsorship of a nun, via this blog, would be an achievable goal? If you're interested, shoot me an email (or leave a comment here) and if there is enough enthusiasm, I'll figure out the logistics of making this happen (probably involving a Paypal donation button on the sidebar and perhaps a donation tracker via donationtracker.com.)

However you choose to celebrate the Dalai Lama's birthday, remember,

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

— Dalai Lama