The Final Day Wednesday the 9th

We gathered on the bridge for a message to Denmark! And my last day of early morning meditation with the monks,,..


It is almost over, the Parliament, but not the interfaith, spiritual awakenment path that we all are on.

My day started with chanting of the Tibetan, as they finish another map of the human brain, a Mandela which will be swept up soon an given to the river that flows in the ocean and throughout the world for peace, enlightenment of all beings and justice.

I am waiting for Chief Oren Lyons of the Onondaga Nation near Syracuse. I have met him, but I am sure he will not remember. At the Interreligious Council we worked with his Clan Mothers and others. He has been a star of the Parliament whenever he can attend.

The security is higher this morning with HH Dali Lama in town and coming for our closing Plenary at 2:30pm this afternoon.

Deep sound of the throat, rumble through your body
A strange sound that seems to clear the head and mind
Rivers keep flowing
The sun is out
Where is the path, my path
Right here, in this moment, be quiet and listen, deeply…

It is always hard to see the Parliament end. The closing celebration was wonderful. In particular the presence of the HH Dali Lama was a gift He not only talked but remained with us for over an hour as we marched out of the assembly and on to a bridge or a picture of the Parliament. He again, as I remember he did in Cape Town challenged all of us. He reminded us that where there is conflict teams of interfaith people need to go to help with ending the conflict and serving to bring peace.

A cute aside, when he was given the branch of the tree by the aboriginal elder he was also given a sacred animal skin. He placed it on the chair next to him and kept looking at it. He turned to Joy and Elder and said "what is it? It is moving" Everyone has a good laugh as she placed it on his knee and he moved his hands over the skin. Later when small children came on the stage as a part of the closing, again we saw a side of his very human and humble man. Oh, that other world leaders could let go of their ego's so easily.

I am not ready to fully reflect or debrief yet, too much happens in six days at the Parliament to do that. I will be boring you with asides for years, at least until 2014 when we come to the next one. I will come in a wheel chair if I have too! But just a few words…the people you meet and see, just sitting watching is a great sport at the Parliament, the colors, the hats, even more crazy than mine, just the way spiritually conscious people walk and greet one another is a gift.

The workshops, over 650 of them were excellent. Of course choosing the one you want to attend is always fun, I did not go to half and change here as I did in Cape Town and Barcelona . In fact this is where I was touched and have many things to work through in terms of my own spiritual journey and path. I hope I can share some o the questions with you and a conversation will begin. The one statement that has set my head turning is this, that Our practice has gotten ahead of our theologizing (very Xian word) about interfaith spirituality.