You have much to learn, Master Kevin...

Second day with the Dalai Lama and pleased to inform that I have been feeling a bit more 'zen' today. Not much, but a little.

Getting into the venue was easier today. When we got there the DL had already started, apparently he likes to start earlier than the time advertised...great! (Zen, Kevin, remember, chant, chant, chant, ommmmmmmmm.)

Insightful nugget: He encouraged us to look at the causes of the unhappiness (suffering) in our lives and to work at eliminating them. The important bit being that you need to trace back your 'unhappinesses' all the way to when they first arose, the very first trace of them, and start eliminating them that way. Sound advice I thought. No good dwelling on the unhappy stuff for too long; much wiser to acquaint yourself with the causes and take it from there.

Today I realised this about DL: he is charming and funny and insightful and accessible when speaking in English. As soon as he starts teaching in Tibetan (which is most of the time), he turns into a professor type person and the whole thing becomes rather impenetrable for the lay person not immersed in Buddhist study. Oh, and also - dare I say it - rather dull! And his German translator could put a truckload of insomniacs to sleep! I try and stay with the English translation via headphone as much as I can.

Halfway through this morning I had a realisation. And I am happy to say it was an insight of such magnitude that I simply must share it with all of you: I realised that, when speaking in Tibetan, the DL sounds remarkably like Yoda from Star Wars...try and listen to him teach after you've realised that! I am convinced George Lucas must have used him as inspiration.

The other thing he does is lightly sway from side to side constantly. It is as if he has tuned into the frequency of compassion and balance and is gently flowing in it like a flag in a breeze. It's lovely to watch. And when he smiles, and when he chuckles to himself, it is as if the world is suddenly a much better place for that brief moment. Despite some of the challenges of these days with him, I feel so deeply grateful to have been in the presence of the Dalai Lama's smile. It will stay with me forever.

I am going to write more when I get back from dinner.