The Dalai Lama in NYC: Meditation God and Doing Our Best

Meditation and the importance of going to bed early were just a few of the topics the Dalai Lama addressed during his Saturday afternoon teaching in New York City.

The spiritual leader of Tibet, whom Richard Gere called "the hardest working man in the dharma business," gave a series of teachings and a public talk over the weekend at Radio City Music Hall.

I attended Saturday's afternoon session, and although I felt very much like I joined a class at the end of the semester without having done any of the reading, I enjoyed it immensely.

Even the set-up was interesting. The Dalai Lama sat on an elevated chair at the center of the Radio City stage, flanked by monks and nuns sitting on purple cushions. There were two giant screens on either side of the stage, which alternated between the Dalai Lama and his translator. The text for the Saturday teachings was "A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" by Shantideva.

Much of it was about meditation.

"The best time for meditation is early morning," His Holiness said in English. "There is no question.... The dinner should be less and, of course, go to bed a bit early, then the next morning you can get up earlier." (MORE)

Source: Beliefnet