SAN JOSE – Locals of different religious backgrounds gathered to meditate with three Tibetan monks visiting Costa Rica in preparation for the arrival of the Dalai Lama, who begins a visit here on Sunday.
“I usually meditate with a spiritual group from India, but I came here to learn a bit about Tibetan spiritualism,” said Ana Luisa Gonzalez, one of the participants.
The monks meditate with locals each morning in a room at the Children’s Museum, which has opened a display of photographs of Tibet and Tibetan Buhddist artifacts ahead of the Dalai Lama’s visit.
After the hour-long meditation session one of the monks, Thubten Wangchen, spoke with participants about Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.
Wangchen invited the Costa Ricans to repent their negative acts, cherish the good ones and “live with dedication, compassion and knowledge.”
The Dalai Lama, 69, will stay in Costa Rica until Tuesday, when he travels to El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.
The Tibetan religious leader, who won the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize, is scheduled to give a public presentation with Costa Rican former president Oscar Arias, the 1987 Nobel peace recipient.
He is also to speak at the University of Costa Rica and to meet with Catholic church bishops.
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 amid a failed uprising against Chinese rule. In recent years has been trying to engage Beijing in negotiations over a potential return.
