Lightbringers Abraham Lincoln & Dalai Lama

For this month we are looking at historic and present day people who brought or bring hope and light to the world. This is the time of year when we bring in the light to our homes our families and our hearts. Tonight we are talking about Abraham Lincoln & the 14th Dalai Lama. Two great men who have influenced all of our lives.

They are Lightbringers. 

Abraham Lincoln

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.-

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, who led the nation through the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. His life and career are marked by key events from his birth in a log cabin to his assassination in 1865

Abolishing slavery was important for Abraham Lincoln for moral, political, military, and long-term economic reasons. He fundamentally believed slavery was a "monstrous injustice" that undermined America's founding principles of liberty and equality. 

Lincoln's personal wish was that "all men every where could be free". He believed it was an offense against God to "wring their bread from the sweat of other men's faces".
He felt that the existence of slavery made the U.S. appear hypocritical to the world, compromising the nation's example as a free institution.

Lincoln emphasized that all people had a natural right to enjoy the fruits of their own labor, a right denied by slavery. 
‘As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to extent of the difference, is no democracy. 8/1/1858
The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States, except as a punishment for a crime after a person's conviction, forever banning forced labor and giving Congress power to enforce it. It officially ended chattel slavery for millions of enslaved people, fundamentally altering American society after the Civil War. 

It made slavery and forced labor illegal across the entire country.
It kept the exception for prison labor, allowing convicts to be compelled to work.
It included a section giving Congress the authority to pass laws to enforce the ban, paving the way for civil rights legislation.
It was the first of the three Reconstruction Amendments (along with the 14th and 15th) that aimed to redefine American society after the Civil War. 
The 13th Amendment said "No more slavery, period," except for work done by convicted criminals, and told Congress to make sure no one made it a rule again. 
Timeline 
February 12, 1809: Abraham Lincoln is born in Kentucky.
1816-1830: His family moves to Indiana, where his mother dies and his father remarries, and later to Illinois.
1832: Lincoln serves as a volunteer in the Black Hawk War.
1834-1837: He is elected to the Illinois House of Representatives and receives his law license, establishing a practice.
November 4, 1842: Lincoln marries Mary Todd.
August 3, 1846: He is elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
May 22, 1849: Lincoln is granted a patent for a device to lift boats over shoals. 
October 16, 1854: Lincoln speaks against the expansion of slavery in response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
June 16, 1858: He delivers his "House Divided" speech while accepting the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat.
August 21–October 15, 1858: Lincoln participates in debates with Stephen A. Douglas, which increase his national recognition.
February 27, 1860: Lincoln delivers his Cooper Union Address in New York City.
May 18, 1860: Abraham Lincoln is nominated as the Republican presidential candidate.
November 6, 1860: Lincoln is elected President of the United States

December 20, 1860: South Carolina and other states secede from the Union.
March 4, 1861: Lincoln is inaugurated and appeals for the preservation of the Union.
April 12, 1861: Confederate troops attack Fort Sumter, starting the Civil War.
February 20, 1862: Lincoln's son Willie dies.
September 22, 1862: Following the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issues the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.
January 1, 1863: The Emancipation Proclamation takes effect, declaring slaves in Confederate territory free.
July 1–3, 1863: The Battle of Gettysburg results in a Union victory.
November 19, 1863: Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address.
November 8, 1864: Lincoln is reelected president.
January 31, 1865: The Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery, passes the House.
March 4, 1865: Lincoln delivers his Second Inaugural Address.
April 9, 1865: Confederate General Lee surrenders, effectively ending the Civil War. 

April 14, 1865: While at Ford's Theatre, President Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth.
April 15, 1865: Lincoln dies from his injuries.



Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama, historically held the dual role of spiritual and political leader of Tibet. The position evolved from being solely a spiritual lineage into a powerful temporal authority that unified the Tibetan state for centuries. 
As a spiritual leader the role of Dalai Lama is as monk of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Each Dalai Lama is believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be the reincarnation of Avolokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, who chooses to be continually reborn to help humanity achieve enlightenment and end suffering. 
Avalokiteshvara is the revered Bodhisattva of Great Compassion in Mahayana Buddhism. This enlightened being has taken a vow to postpone their own final nirvana until they have helped all sentient beings on Earth achieve liberation from suffering. 

Avalokiteshvara 

Embodiment of Compassion: Avalokiteshvara personifies the boundless and selfless compassion (mahākarunā) of all Buddhas. The name translates from Sanskrit to "the lord who looks down with compassion".
Connection to the Dalai Lama: In Tibetan Buddhism (where he is known as Chenrezig), the Dalai Lama is believed to be an earthly incarnation (tulku) of Avalokiteshvara, a belief that underscores the Dalai Lama's role as a compassionate leader.
Many Forms and Names: To better help diverse beings, Avalokiteshvara appears in a vast number of manifestations across different cultures.
Guanyin (Kuan Yin) in China, where the figure is commonly depicted as female.
Kannon in Japan.
Lokeshvara in Cambodia and Thailand.
Iconography: Avalokiteshvara is often depicted with multiple heads and a thousand arms, each with an eye on the palm. This artistic representation symbolizes the Bodhisattva's ability to see and reach out to help countless beings in need.
Mantra: The powerful mantra associated with Avalokiteshvara is "Om Mani Padme Hum," which is widely recited in Tibetan and other Mahayana traditions to invoke his assistance and cultivate compassion. 

The 5th Dalai Lama, 17 century was the first to consolidate effective temporal and spiritual power over all of Tibet, establishing the Petal Palace as a the seat of government in Llasa. This form of government. where the Dalai Lama or regent was the head of state, continued until mid 20th century.
The 14th Dalai lama, Tenzin Gyatso has has a profound impact on the historical role. 
Tenzin had to flee to India during a Chinese uprising in 1959. He established the Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetan Government in Exile in Dharamsala. From exile, he became a globally recognized figure, advocating for non violent resistance. human rights and the preservation of Tibetan culture. 
the 14 Dalai Lama in 1989  was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for his consistent advocacy of peaceful solutions based on tolerance and mutual respect. 

The reasons for this Award - 

Commitment to Nonviolence is the primary reason was  the Dalai Lama’s consistent advocacy of peaceful solutions, even in the face of extreme aggression and human rights violations by the Chinese government in Tibet.
Dalai Lamas Middle Way Approach which proposed genuine autonomy for Tibet within China, allowing the preservation of its culture and religion through dialogue and mutual respect rather than seeking independence through violence.
The sommitti for the Nobel Peace prize emphasized that his Buddhist peace philosphy was based on a ‘reverence for all living things and the idea of universal responsibility that embraces both man and nature.”
The Dalai lama was the first Nobel Laureate to be recognized for his concern for global environmental problems, a central part of his five point peace plane to turn Tibet into a demilitarized, ecological stable buffer zone. 

The award had significant international implications. 

The prize brought global attention to the plight of the Tibetan people and the ongoing Chinese occupation and human rights abuses, particularly following the martial law in Lhasa and the Tiananman Square crackdown in Beijing earlier that year.
The award was widely viewed as a symbolic condemnation of China’s oppressive tactics. In contrast, the Chinese government denounced the decision as interference in its internal affairs.
It served as a powerful validation of the Dalai Lama’s unwavering commitment to non violent resistance, a message that inspired democratic movements worldwide. 
The 14th Dalai Lama initiated democratic reforms for the Tibetan community in exile. In 2011, he formally devolved his political authority to a democratically elected leader, ending the 368- year tradition of Dalai Lamas serving as both the spiritual and temporal head of Tibet. He now serves solely as the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and a global moral authority. 

Link for Dalai Lama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech - 
https://www.dalailama.com/messages/acceptance-speeches/nobel-peace-prize/nobel-peace-prize

These two great men are Light Bringers, they bring light into our world and are such great examples for us to think about and learn from. Can you think of anyone you have heard of or know that bring light into your world? What can you do to to bring light into your life?

Have a beautiful week! Stay warm & safe! Keep your heart open and aligned with the energy of LOVE!
​Auriel Grace