Lama Surya Das has added an item to his blog in which he quotes recent remarks made by the Dalai Lama at the University of Buffalo.

“The Dalai Lama himself cautioned us lovers of peace and tolerance last week about what he aptly termed ‘misplaced forbearance,’ citing as an example complacent acceptance and tolerance of things which are in fact intolerable and genuinely need to be challenged and changed. Gandhi’s passive resistance threw off British colonial rule in India. Muhammed Ali’s principled stand as a conscientious objector against the Vietnam War draft cost him his heavyweight title but helped highlight the issues of the time and coalesce public opinion and end that war.

“Personally, I am feeling a certain urgency lately in wishing for some good news for a change. How not to become overwhelmed, viewing all the bad news nightly and learning through many different channels of all the major problems we face today? I see the virtue and efficacy of truth-telling, spiritual activism and sacred warriorship as a form of transforming oneself while transforming the world, working on both outer and inner levels towards positive growth and authentic freedom. We must take our place as responsible stewards of this world and guardians for the future…”

Do you feel the same urgency? Many spiritual people are working so hard on their own development–which can include (or be sidetracked by) an illness, parenthood, caretaking, recovery, fitness, developing career, and more–that social action isn’t scheduled.

How do you plan to connect your spiritual work with political action in the coming months and years, if that is a current aim of yours?