The Eternal Quest for Knowledge

THE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE IS ETERNAL.
THE WORSHIP OF KNOWLEDGE IS INFERNAL.

~Robert Stirniman

Of Note: One day science will look different than it does today because it will be coupled with art and culture. The art and science of relationships will be a kingly pursuit with the art and science of livingness coming in a close second. Children will be taught from an early age about the universal laws of cooperation, attraction and economy which underlie all cosmic action. The spiritual values of sharing, truth, personal responsibility, unselfishness, and service to the common good will be second nature to an evolved Humanity, who will have outgrown the need to pursue science for money. Our future selves will know happiness, joy and peace through a deep knowledge of the interconnectedness of all to all. And oh, what energy that will unleash!

Today's Weather Report: Flitting around the garden today, I contemplated that the long, cold winter has been just about forgotten. How quickly we forget when we see a few green shoots emerge from the soil! Though, I have to admit, there are not many yet, just a few crocus and daffodils. The crocus come in all sizes from large to tiny and are surely welcome this time of year. The daffodils show some promise as they peek from the soil an inch or two but have a long way to go before blooming.

Watch for Change Snippet: The Dalai Lama might be playing his last hand. In early April, on the 50-year anniversary of his flight to India, His Holiness urged China to let the media freely into Tibet. If news correspondents found that Tibetans were truly happy under Chinese rule, he announced that he would abandon a 50-year pursuit for autonomy. The Chinese show no inclination to take the request seriously and will not likely lift the special permit required for foreign journalists. After all, according to the Director of the Tourist Administration in Tibet: "Tibet is harmonious and safe now" and open for business--although not to inspection by media outsiders. We can only assume that the Dalai Lama, being the wise man he is, made the strategic offer for some particular purpose, and we will have to watch the story unfold to see what that might be.

When the Dalai Lama Came to Visit

You may think I've gotten too serious in the last month and have lost my sense of humor. That couldn't be farther from the truth; actually, it's always in the background, not far away at all. Take this picture for example. Jim "dolled" it up a bit and isn't that great at spelling, but the photo showed the Dalai Lama when he came a-visiting Mossback Lake a few years back.

Susanne looked truly happy and relaxed; I looked a bit nervous, trying to hide it with a smile not reflected in my eyes. The Dalai Lama just looked serene, as usual. He dropped in on his way through to assure us that when Tibet went up in flames in or around 2008, we were to take notice. And not to worry, everything would turn out OK--even if it didn't appear so on the surface.

Over hot green tea, His Holiness kept us in stitches about other things that could happen that same year. He found wry humor in the fact that while Rome was burning, entrepreneurial man would continue creating as if nothing was going on. It surprised us that the Dalai spoke little about faith and a lot about science. Although there were several discoveries and events he foretold, I remembered two very well.

One prophecy of a scientific bent had to do with "space" travel for wealthy folk who would pony up $100,000 or more to get a thrill ride in the outer atmosphere that would be completed in half an hour. The Dalai said, shoot, he went farther than that every day in meditation, and he did it for free. Such a deal. He jokingly said maybe he should market the technique and raise money for the poor.

The other vision had to do with fishing with sound. Because I've got fishermen in my family, this one caught my attention. He said scientists would figure out a way to train fish to catch themselves by swimming into a net when they heard a particular sound at feeding time. We laughed out loud at that one as we pictured north woods fishermen having to leave the bars and really, well, fish. There'd be no more excuses for not bringing anything home or lies about how the big one got away.

Not being from the area, His Holiness didn't quite understand our mirth. So, we took him out fishing on our little lake to show him how it was done, and how few fish are caught in the usual process. You should have seen him trying to get into the shaky boat and our faces when a turbulent wind gust blew his crimson, flowing robes over his head. Our embarrassment was quelled when we discovered that he did indeed wear something underneath. Not that we could describe what the undergarment was, but thanks heavens for small favors!

We all had a good laugh over that episode while talking late into the night. He left the next morning with as little fanfare as he arrived without even as much as a good-bye. All in all, we found the exiled leader to be a regular, practical guy--not at all stuffy or formal. That was good because things have never been formal in our neck of the woods.

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Now that it's 2008, these vivid memories have come streaming back, and all the Dalai Lama's predictions have come to fruition. Tibet is burning, inside and out, the starship is in production to take rich tourists for a ride, and fish farming by sound is the next aquaculture frontier. Susanne is about to graduate from law school, Jim is writing a book and I'm just writing.

And the Dalai Lama? Wonder how he's doing during these turbulent times? As one of the most talked about men of our time, one doesn't have far to go for the answer. According to a co-traveler, Pico Iyer, the Dalai Lama is doing just fine, thank you. He might ache inside, but on the outside his message never varies. Iyer reveals in the March 31st TIME magazine:

"The Dalai Lama delivers complex, analytical talks and wrestles with doctrinal issues within a philosophy that can be just as divided as anything in Christianity or Islam, but he has decided that when he finds himself out in the wider world talking to large audiences of people with no interest in Buddhism, the most practical course is just to offer, as a doctor would, everyday principles, regardless of religion. Since material wealth cannot help us if we're heartbroken, he often says, it makes more sense to concentrate on our inner, not our outer resources."

Many ache for him from afar as this powerful drama plays out, even knowing that His Holiness has the matter under control--at least in his own mind. In that illumed place, he may know that this incendiary situation tests two basic universal principles--the freedom of speech and thought and the concept of nonviolence--and the consequences for Tibet are uncertain in this round. He may find reassuring that the test is having a different outcome in two other Himalayan states, Bhutan and Nepal.

I do recall that he told us during his unexpected visit not to worry; that everything would turn out fine, even if it looked like chaos from the outside. One thing's for sure: the Dalai Lama approaches all life with a knowing smile, a compassionate heart and a prophetic eye. He recognizes that some year humanity will awaken from its long slumber and move forward into a dramatically changed, enlightened future. But until then, I think we'll invite him back for more fishing. This time, though, we'll give him a pair of shorts; those robes just didn't work in a small boat.

Of Note: This picture was taken in 2003, the year Susanne graduated from Northland College. She would soon be on her way out to Idaho and the rest of her life. The spaceship story came from yesterday's WSJ, while the fishing by sound story broke in the Associated Press yesterday as well.

Today's Weather Report: Back to spring again today. Sunny and gorgeous, though not short-sleeved weather yet. Back and forth, forth and back. It must be spring in northern Wisconsin.

Himalayas Aflame

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that something is happening in the Himalayas? Three of it's nations are experiencing radical change and some with fiery consequences. What is apparent from these various struggles is that the call of freedom will not be suppressed--although, the jury is out as to the final outcome of each experiment in governance.One of these nations, Nepal, is the home of Mount Everest and other mighty peaks. For over 240 years, it has enshrined a monarchy, which by all accounts is now considered a failure. This will soon change. On April 10th 600 representatives to a constitutional assembly will begin the trek to a democracy controlled by a President and Prime Minister. Under the planned scheme, the King will be left out of the political loop completely.

His has been a troubled reign, to put it mildly. In 2001 the entire royal family, save one, was gunned down by an inebriated crown prince, who then turned the gun on himself. Being out of town, the current King saved his own hide, but not for long. Maoist insurgents were soon at his door and caused havoc until 2005 when the beleaguered king staged a royal coup and ousted or jailed elected officials. John Whelpton, an author on Nepal's history, said in an understated sort of way: "First of all, he grabbed power and, secondly, he didn't use it properly."

The Maoists were not impressed, either, and continued their guerrilla tactics which fomented a national uprising in April 2006. By November 2006, everyone had enough, and a UN peace accord calling for a new government was reached. The King was done. The people had spoken (WSJ, 3-22/23-08.)

Having seen how it could be, the King in nearby Bhutan insisted that his 700,000 subjects stage free and fair elections yesterday to seat a Parliament and pass a constitution. Bhutanese citizens went along with his request reluctantly. For a nation that adores its beneficent Monarch, this was a step forward into the future--one for which they had no frame of reference. Most expressed fear in losing what happiness they have always known under the King, who ruled under a Gross National Happiness Index rather than a Gross National Product indicator. How enlightened; what's more, it worked.

The visionary Bhutanese King believed his people were ready for the evolutionary move into democracy and wanted a peaceful transition, even if it meant a transient dip in the National Happiness Index. With the elections on Monday, he got his wish--although the inevitable fighting among parties had already commenced, much to the chagrin of the citizenry.

One young woman in blue jeans and sneakers was quoted as saying: "It frightens me. Democracy is just starting now. We can see the candidates fighting, and it's just the beginning." On 3-21-08, The Los Angeles Times said that the young electorate might like their fashion new and hip, but not their politics.

One wonders why China left these two monarchies alone when marching into Tibet in 1959. Could it be that Tibet just wore them out? Seems that it still is--except now, with a bad PR twist before the nation's coming out party at the Olympics in August. Tibet proves that freedom might stay hidden under a bushel basket for awhile, but coerced peace will not sustain itself--even if that is the wish of the beloved Dalai Lama.

Actually, the High Holy leader of the displaced Tibetan government is in a bit of an unexpected predicament. Youth, who had never known a free Tibet, apparently had enough and were responsible for the uprisings and demonstrations that rocked not only their country but China and India as well. The WSJ revealed: "A new generation of impatient activists is vying to seize control of the Tibetan Freedom Movement from the Dalai Lama." The beef here is the desire by His Holiness for Tibetan autonomy while the protesters want a nation free from Chinese rule. That's quite a gulf.

Characteristically, the Dalai Lama's provided a measured response to the youthful activists: "If you continue in violent uprising, I will step down." The Chinese did not wait to see if this lofty threat would have an impact and deployed mega-troops and armaments to squelch the unrest. Aides to the Dalai Lama acknowledged that "rising anti-Chinese passions are carrying many Tibetans away from positions their spiritual leaders have long advocated. Yet some of these officials see a silver lining. The protests could bring Beijing back to negotiations for Tibet's autonomy, after several rounds of talks failed" (WSJ, 3-20-08.)

With the impending Olympics, anything is possible. But the Chinese blamed His Holiness for the whole debacle; thus, rapprochement is unlikely. Having said that, just this morning, French President Sarkozy threatened to boycott the Olympic opening ceremonies and others might follow suit. Outside pressure may have an impact where the Dalai Lama apparently missed a beat. Could it be he lives in a vision of a peaceful future without taking into account the present cries of his people for freedom? Cries that will not be silenced under the proverbial bushel basket any longer?

As the dynamic stories of these three high-mountain nations unfold, we will watch and wait for we know that inevitably as day follows night, enlightenment follows crises. One thing is clear, the Himalayas are aflame. Whether the response is an eight-alarm house fire or a staid bonfire is up to its citizens.

Of Note: Marie's fiery sunsets continue to put the exclamation point on these blogs. She understood early on that the enlightenment we talk about has to do with light and fire. And no better place to find that combination than in a sunset.

Today's Weather Report: Well, this must be March because the duel between Winter and Spring is taking place with no end in sight. Today was cloudy, snowy, rainy and 38 degrees--though the winds from yesterday abated. More slushy snow is predicted in the next week.