By Matthew Chew
Communist China invaded Tibet in 1950 leaving a peaceful, Buddhist based society under the control of a ruthless regime.
The Tibetans launched an uprising in 1959 to rid their country of the invaders. It was crushed by the occupying giant.
Many Tibetans fled into exile including government and spiritual leaders.
One of those leaders was Lama Chodak Gyatso Nubpa, or Lama Gyatso. Born in 1951, he was forced to flee his home in the 1960’s. Still a youth, but well trained in peaceful resolution, his training and focus led him to believe that feelings of hatred and anger could be neutralized and that compassion could replace them.
People of the Tibetan culture have been faced with difficulties for centuries, yet have sought solutions through peace and non-violence.
Lama Gyatso is a spiritual leader who, while working with Tibetan government in exile, also works to preserve the Tibetan culture.
He came to the United States in 1991 still searching for answers to the serious problems facing humanity, wanting to turn it in a new direction and filling the vacuum with peace that people would like to experience, but can’t seem to find.
Jamie Price is an attorney who, too, has also been investigating and searching for peaceful means of resolution.
Along with Lama Gyatso and several other colleagues, they began formulating a program known as Tools for Peace, and in 2001 they formalized a curriculum.
Originally seeking to reach out to professionals, the program soon evolved to working with kids.
Price, who is now the vice president, on the Board of Directors and chief editor of curriculum, said they have worked with over 10,000 youth. They have had programs in high schools in Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena and L.A. County as well as programs at the Pacific Asia museum in Pasadena, the San Diego Museum of Art and the UCLA Hammer museum.
Between Aug. 6 and Aug. 12, Tools for Peace will be holding a camp in the Tehachapi Mountains at the old YMCA camp off Water Canyon Rd., on property they purchased.
This will be their inaugural camp and is open to youths ages 14 to 16.
Price said, “The main core goal is to give teens practical tools they can use every day to address the challenges they face. We want them to leave with confidence in themselves and an ability to navigate their lives in a positive, productive way, especially when things are difficult.”
Creative activities will include making personal mandalas, as well as a sand mandala, drawing, painting, music and cooking.
The outdoor activities will include hiking and soccer, while alternative activities such as meditation, yoga and mindful walking will also be offered.
Evening activities include movies and campfires and karaoke.
They will also learn about compassion in action and community and environmental projects.
The staff includes Tibetan lamas and visiting Tibetan monks as well as professional musicians and engineers, artists and trained youth facilitators.
Campers from all over southern California will be attending including youth from Santa Barbara, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank and Los Angeles. Youth 14-16 years old from Tehachapi are encouraged to sign-up.
