Our hearts are all connected

[Heart to Heart: a conversation on Love and Hope for our precious planet]

Heart tugging, yet wondrously endearing illustrations by Patrick Mcdonnell in collaboration with his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the book titled "Heart to Heart" is born.

In this book, we are brought to navigate the modernised world with a panda who helps the reader to understand theme such as having compassion for all sentient beings with the main issue emphasized upon the urgent need for conservation of the environment.

Once compassion is developed, it naturally opens an inner door, through which we can communicate with fellow human beings, and even other sentient beings, with ease, and heart to heart – His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Compassion is the central theme throughout the book. The Dalai Lama teaches that compassion is the foundation of a happy and fulfilling life. He believes that compassion is not only necessary for our own well-being but also for the well-being of others. This resonates with the central teachings of Buddhism where the practice of compassion are meant towards all beings, including our enemies. In "Heart to Heart," the Dalai Lama shares his own experiences of cultivating compassion and offers practical advice on how to develop this important quality via visualization:-

The method is to consider all sentient beings dear as your mother.

Although this may seem incredulous to many, it is one effective baby step to cultivating compassion within our hearts. From here on, we should try to treat everyone (including animals) with love and respect such that it becomes second nature to us regardless of the circumstances.

Peace and joy become our constant companion.

Furthermore, the Dalai Lama is a strong advocate for environmental conservation, and he views this as an urgent global issue that requires immediate attention from everyone. He believes that humanity's well-being is directly linked to the health and well-being of the natural environment. In "Heart to Heart," the Dalai Lama emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with nature and reducing our impact on the environment – such as acts of deforestation.

The Dalai Lama emphasized that our relationship with the environment should not come from the desire to dominate, but rather one of mutual respect and cooperation. There is a certain interconnectedness and dependence of us upon the environment and the Dalai Lama sums it all up by advising us to take responsibilities for our actions which in turn have a direct impact to the natural world. This is akin to karma – the law of cause and effect.

Through this book, the Dalai Lama further encourages readers to adopt sustainable lifestyles and reduce their consumption of natural resources. He also advocates for the protection of endangered species and the conservation of biodiversity. According to the Dalai Lama, environmental conservation is not only a moral imperative but also a practical necessity for our survival as a species.

The pursuit of spiritual growth is another major theme in "Heart to Heart." The Dalai Lama teaches that true happiness and fulfillment come from within and should not hinge on external circumstances or factors. He welcomes readers to develop a daily practice of meditation and mindfulness which can help cultivate inner peace and wisdom. He also teaches that through spiritual practice, we can develop a deeper understanding of not only ourselves, but also of the world around us.

In all, this book serves as a wake-up call to us in this era to make us realise that our actions to the environment, particularly to Earth itself, are not always reconcilable. We have to dig deeper to understand what we, as the human species, ultimately want and know is good for us.

Riches and golds are temporary for you cant bring them with you once Death visits.

The book is available for purchase at the link below:-