World Tour for Inner Peace
Each year since 1992, with the involvement of the office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the coordination of Pneuma Institute, the Tibetan monks of Gaden Shartse Monastic University carry out what we have called The World Tour for Inner Peace.
Pneuma Institute and its worldwide members coordinate the activities of the monks in different countries in order to share their ancient wisdom with the Western world through seminars, blessings, dances, chanting and rituals.
The main goal is to promote, revive and share from their vision, the spirit of compassion, peace, inner knowledge, and universal responsibility.
It has always been our intention that the monks have the opportunity to attend ecumenical events with different religious institutions, humanist associations and philosophical or mystical schools with the aim of establishing fraternal bonds that facilitate tolerance and illustrate the interconnection of all peoples on Earth.
It is noteworthy that from the moment the Tibetan monks went out into the world, their knowledge of medicine, psychology, philosophy, art and astrology, along with some of their rituals has been adopted and disseminated through workshops and conferences that have taken place in different forums and academic institutions in Europe, United States and Latin America.
Activities of the Monks during the World Tour for Inner Peace
Tibetan Buddhism believes that the fate of mankind has a karmic cause and that it is directly related to many of the problems, difficulties and diseases of humanity. This culture considers the causes of human suffering that exist in this life, or from past lives as something that can be addressed.
The activities carried out by the monks are aimed at developing the wellbeing of the participants through the understanding of certain psychological principles and spiritual and energetic purifications. To do this, the monks carry out individual activities such as pujas or prayers, Mo or divination sessions, astrology sessions, Tibetan medicine consultations, and group activities such as initiations, conferences and courses.
They perform traditional Tibetan dances and sacred songs that seek to express moments of their inner work, as well as bringing sacred objects and crafts for sale.
Conferences
Since Tibetan Buddhism states that each law and many phenomena exist by virtue of relativity and interdependence, the topics of their lectures address several important areas related to the spiritual development of human beings. The basic themes of the Tibetan tradition constitute the introduction to their philosophy and offer simple tools to start the path to enlightenment, also called self-realization.
Some of the themes of the conferences that the monks have offered during the Tour for Inner Peace are, The Art of Happiness, The Four Noble Truths, Transforming Suffering, What is meditation? Life, Death and Bardo, and Lam Rim, the study of the progressive path towards enlightenment, also known as Buddhahood.
Courses
They have also given courses such as:
- • Introduction to Karma
- • The Six Perfections (generosity, moral ethics, patience, effort, enthusiasm, concentration and wisdom)
- • Introduction to Meditation
- • Eight verses for mental training
- • How to improve inner peace and reduce suffering
- • Teachings about death and reincarnation, The Four Noble Truths.
Pujas or Blessings
Since ancient times Tibetan monks have been holding Pujas, a type of prayer, to harmonize the energies of individuals, households and businesses.
Pujas provide success and improve the quality of life for all the members who live in the house or work in the business. These practices serve to increase faith and energy in the spiritual path.
The pujas are accompanied by offerings to the deities, to the Buddhas, to the bodhisattvas and to the protectors. In this way all obstacles are eliminated, as well as negativity and lack of harmony.
In these rituals, traditional Tibetan instruments are used, such as the dorje, the bell of damaru, a small ritual drum, cymbals and trumpets. The sound often generates an emotionally intense environment. The pujas and the rituals are equally profound and genuine and provoke an intense visual impact due to the color of the instruments and the garments used.
Some of the blessings they share are the Puja for home or office, the Puja Menla to purify objects, the Puja of the Green Tara who encourages us toward virtuous action on our path to illumination, the Incense Puja that brings in good luck, the Puja Kangso promotes protection, the Chabtrul (Vajravidharan) is a profound cleansing of the physical body, of speech and of the mind, the PujaYamantaka Chedrol cuts negative influences.
The monks also make purifications for the environment and blessings for children and adolescents.
How You Can Help
Help us to keep Tibetan Buddhism alive by participating in the World Tour for Inner Peace or by making a donation.