Feminism and Compassion

The first day of the global Peace Summit held in Vancouver was a total success. A beautiful auditorium filled with panel discussions from some of the most amazing world leaders, all discussing global Peace and compassion.

So many amazing anecdotes and snippets of subtle but grand wisdom were delivered on the stage that day. There was one shockingly brilliant thing that was said towards the end of the first session which was a panel discussion on World Peace through Personal Peace.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama closed out the morning's panel discussion with the sentiment that people often call him a feminist for the ideas he was about to discuss. A feminist.

Now I tend to hear that word in daily conversation discussing the evolution of feminism and its representation in modern times. So I was completely shocked to hear His Holiness gently refer to  some of his ideas as representing him as feminist.

The most amazing part of this delivery of ideas was literally what followed after His Holiness said the word feminist. HH started to describe this rudimentary but completely applicable timeline of the evolution of socialization of the sexes.

This timeline came to the final conclusion which was the main idea he was trying to express. This idea was that we are moving into a new century of global change and that women will have a more important role in this global change.

Seriously. I was shocked before but now I am completely stunned.

If this idea came from anyone it would be a highly noticeable and brilliant statement but the fact that it came from His Holiness weights with the effort that this idea will actually be a reality. HH states that women are more sensitive and have a greater aptitude for compassion. The global shift towards compassion will need women in order to happen.

This is a revolutionary idea for the main reason of the stripped unequal socialization of the sexes. A world full of compassion needs to have proactive people leading the roles of this change. To think that the women of world could be those leaders is a very exciting prospect.

The day was filled with thoughts and ideas that were inspiring and uplifting. This single thought from His Holiness the Dalai Lama made my heart swell with love. Compassion is a global effort and everyone can be part of the change, no matter what sex you identify with.

some photo highlights of the Vancouver Peace summit by Kris Krug

- by Danielle Sipple