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Based on my participation at seminars and retreats of Sogyal Rinpoché, visits at gatherings of H.H. the Dalai Lama, and my studies with tibetan wisdom books, I feel a deep connection with the Tibetan people.
from a mail to my friends from March 12th 2008
Yesterday when I came out of the store from shopping, I dropped per accident into a tibet manifestation. I know, there are no such accidents. In fact I had to do many other things, but then something inside myself decided to walk with the manifestants. You could call me a fellorunner. The stream of Tibetans und their friends and sympathizers led to the Chinese embassy in Zurich. I stood in the middle of many people with Tibetan national flags, pictures of murdered monks and pamphlets of protest. They chanted, speeches were held, and paroles were chanted. Long live the Dalai Lama. China out of Tibet. Stop the killing. I didn't chant, I can't do that. The situation of the suppressed, the injustice, the acts of violence of the suppressors were described and condemned. The Chinese were "sentenced". The governments, the UNO and the IOC were called to finally do something, to honor their promises. A minute of silence was hold for the victims.
It was very moving. I could literally feel the desparation, anger and dolour. Many people, also non Tibetans, were crying. I had constantly to fight against my tears.
Megaphones, paroles. The loudspeakers were screaming. The temper was going up. All of a sudden, even before you would be aware, some Tibetans lost their containment. They ran over the fence. The situation seemed to degenerate into a riot. Stones flew through the air and hit the embassy of the Chinese. People run away. Spectators on the roofs of surrounding buildings took refuge in their appartments. People screemed. Several times we could hear dull bangs. Thick white walls of mist spread out. The police hat launched some tear gas granades (lovingly called irritant gas). Eyes full of fear remembered hunted animals. The folks, kids, mothers, old people, run away. Some tried to bring the furious to terms. I saw a woman beating around her, completly frantic by pain. A Tibetan guy could only with big effort get a grip on her and calm her down.
After a couple of minutes, the gas was gone - but not the fury - und the people kept them selves together again. Reluctantly they returned behind the fences. Outwardly the situation calmed down. With shaking and by tears choked voices they began again to chant songs, I couldn't understand. Yelled stop the murder in Tibet....
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Then a politician assured the Tibetans, the Swiss people are standing by them. That they are understood and that eveybody feels with them. They should remain peacful and nonviolent. This chance should not be lost. Now something has to happen. Then the end of the demo was announced. Go home now peacfully. The demo was not finished. The crowd dispersed. Left over were some journalists who had some questions, some politicians who had some answers and some policeman who had still some shots.
Some thoughts crossed my mind. I missed, a final ending in this demo. I observed, that many people were concentrated on negativity and victim-conscoiousness, on that what you havent got. It's comprehensible, it's "normal". With anger, desparation and feelings of powerlessness, sadness and maybe hate, they left the demo.
How should one go home peacfully? How should one deal with these negative thoughts and feelings?
And do they help to make anybody’s siutation better?
These thoughts in my mind lead finally bring this action "visionary artists for tibet" into existence.
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