The Pioneer of Emotional Intelligence and the Dalai Lama

 

In the mid 2000s I attended a life changing 3 day course. I was just getting into practicing yoga more regularly and learning about mindfulness. So it felt like an extra bonus when my then employer allowed me to enroll in a course on Emotional Intelligence. It came highly recommended from a few other colleagues so I jumped at the chance. I was fascinated to learn much of the science behind the ways our brains, glands, genetics, and hormones all interact to influence our behavior. We learned all about emotional hijacking, fight or flight, and techniques to control our emotions. I put this knowledge to good use immediately and still reference much of it to this day.

I also learned during the course that Daniel Goleman is the pioneer of this field. I didn't know at that time he had something in common with some of the other yoga teachers that I was learning about: they had all traveled to India and met a great Indian Saint - Neem Karoli Baba. I was pleasantly surprised years later when I made the connection. It turns out emotional intelligence and yoga have much in common.

Knowing this I was all the more inclined to read A Force For Good - The Dalai Lama's Vision for Our World written by Daniel Goleman. It is his way of sharing the Dalai Lama's message that we all have a responsibility to take action for the good of everyone on the planet. The book is filled with inspiring stories of the Dalai Lama traveling the world, meeting with individuals and groups who are making positive changes despite a steady stream of negativity from most news outlets. One striking example is highlighted in the book - two men from Northern Ireland (one Protestant and one Catholic) give speeches to groups on the power of forgiveness. The two men had reconciled with each other after a tragic encounter. One had shot the other with a rubber bullet in a conflict and blinded him permanently.

There is a campaign to go with the book that echoes the Dalai Lama's message: "Everyone can find a context where they can make a difference. The human community is nothing but individuals combined." If you are looking for inspiration to continue to take positive action then this is the book for you.

I highly recommend watching the 5 minute campaign film to go along with the book below. Have you read the book ? Let me know what you thought about it in the comments below.

Learn More:

http://www.randomhousebooks.com/books/246980/

http://www.joinaforce4good.org/join

http://www.danielgoleman.info/