The Dalai Lama and the Great “Mimimi” 

Some time ago, the Dalai Lama held an audience in the Centennial Hall in Frankfurt, and I was allowed to attend. I was very much inspired by his presence. I’m a firm fan of thinking outside the box, which meant that, when he suggested moving the NATO headquarters to Moscow, he already had me mesmerized.

The best part, however, was the question and answer session. “Can you pray for the people of the world?” the first participant said. His question was loaded with hidden implications.

The lama’s answer surprised me very much and, at the same time, completely confirmed my positive impression. He paused for a moment. “Yes, I can pray,” he replied, “but that’s no use, and has never been of any use.” The audience was stunned. The lama then went on to tell a story. Some time ago, the economy in a certain region had begun to blossom after his visit. Years later, he returned, and the governor of the region thanked him for all he had done with his prayers. At that moment, the Dalai Lama began to laugh like a child. “The governor and his people did everything,” he said. “I just made them believe they could do it.”

Then came my personal aha moment. A woman came to the microphone, her face marked by grief, and immediately began to bemoan her sorrows. She had three divorces behind her, two failed self-employment ventures, and a variety of ailments, including a recurring rash below the right knee. She complained and complained. The Dalai Lama let her words flow for a while, then took a deep breath and responded. “Mimimimi, next,” he said, without turning his head. It was by far the best thing I’ve heard in years. His Holiness apparently had no desire to listen to the whining and lamenting of a person in one of the richest countries in the world. With cruel wars in so many regions, people starving, and a dirty sea filled with plastic rubbish, had this woman—who’d only been granted a few seconds with one of the wisest men in the world—really talked about her rash?

I have zero understanding of why people behave like this, and I stood up, loudly applauding his response. But I was pretty much alone: most of the room felt sorry for her. “While you complain, others are saving the world,” I thought. At the same time, my heart told me she probably couldn’t do anything about her limited view of the world. In her reality, she had simply spoken of what was weighing her down.

In nature, everything is in harmony. Animals don’t need qi gong or sound therapy to restore their balance. They simply throw themselves into the mix, communicating with all other organisms, and following nature’s great plan. Imagine if they complained. Imagine if they went to the doctor for stress and exhaustion. The hare in the meadow does not perform the Five Tibetans before he sets off running; he simply has no time. The bird doesn’t sit on the branch and say, “I don’t want to fly. I don’t feel like it today.” If you find yourself repeatedly relying on external stimuli, you’ve probably stopped listening to your inner self. Gratitude and humility could be your route to greater happiness and success.

On that note, there’s a good practice I can highly recommend. In the following section, I’ve written down a few of the things for which I am grateful, and on the right-hand side, I’d ask you to note down everything for which you are grateful. Whenever I’m not feeling good, I read my gratitude list. By the time I reach the tenth word, I usually find tears of gratitude rolling down my face.

If you’re having trouble thinking of things, here are a few pointers to get you thinking:

•Friends

•Seeing

•Hearing

•Tasting

•Smelling

•Dancing

•Teeth

•Flowers

•Toothbrushes, etc.