The Dalai Lama will be appearing at this year’s Glastonbury festival according to a statement published on his official website .
Founded in the 1970s, the Glastonbury festival has always promoted social awareness and the appearance of the Dalai Lama is certainly a massive coup for festival organizers. His Holiness is scheduled to speak on Sunday, June 28, the last day of the music festival.
The Dalai Lama is the head monk of Tibetan Buddhism and is an ambassador of Buddhism around the world. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, the Dalai Lama travels and speaks extensively, and his public appearances draw standing-room-only crowds.
The combination of drug and alcohol-fueled revelers, and clean living, holy monks may seem rather peculiar, but it’s not the first time the Dalai Lama has been linked with the festival. Previously, his Tibetan Monks performed live in the Green Fields, and held a ceremonial Sand Mandala to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Tibetan Declaration of Independence.
“His Holiness will give a talk at the Glastonbury Festival in the morning.”
Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, was born July 6, 1935, and in Tibetan custom, was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso , at age two. A tireless campaigner for worldwide peace, the Dalai Lama recently made headlines when urging people not to blindly follow religious leaders, and instead develop an investigative bend of mind.
“It is very important to develop an investigative bend of mind. Do not follow any religious leader blindly. Buddha said question and investigate a thought thoroughly, study qualifications of a guru or a leader, meet them, observe, till you develop a conviction that what the leader says can be followed. This is the Nalanda tradition and time has come that we follow it.”
Indeed, the Dalai Lama believes that many of the world’s problems lie in shortsightedness and in only looking at issues from one angle.
“Acceptance of humanity should lie in the head and the mind. The reality however is much complex. It is necessary that we look through 6 dimensions or else we may fail to see the reality.”
Whenever the Dalai Lama speaks, he invariably has strong points to make, and his 2015 Glastonbury appearance will certainly to add gravitas to the long-established event.
Festival organizers have yet to comment or confirm the Dalai Lama’s highly anticipated appearance.
