What do you think a conversation between one of the most influential pop stars in the world and one of its wisest spiritual leaders would sound like?
There’s no need to guess any longer, Facebook Live having broadcasted a 20-minute discussion between pop superstar Lady Gaga and The Dalai Lama himself, during which they focused on mental health issues among a variety of other important topics.
At the start of their meeting, Gaga tells His Holiness that the questions she is about to ask him were asked by a number of people on social media in order to hear his thoughts.
“How do you help young people address issues of poor self-esteem, managing eating disorders, addiction, self-harm and suicide,” Gaga starts with a question that will cut to the core for many.
While His Holiness acknowledges that everyone’s situation is different, in terms of their mental health he said the key is to show compassion and kindness in tackling the issue. “Your mental attitude is sound with self-confidence and foresightedness,” he says. He also believes it is up to the younger generation to create a healthier world to live in and a way for future generations to find their inner peace. “Future depends on our younger generations… Past, nobody can change. Future, yet to come. So there is possibility to change,” the Dalai Lama says.
He explains that once we start to show compassion to others, we can start to feel better about ourselves. “You also get the feeling, ‘oh, I am something useful to others.’” He continues, “That brings more self-confidence and a meaningful life.”
Gaga for her part takes it all in with the reverence the Dalai Lama commands whenever he speaks but also with understanding. “So what you’re saying is, caring for others and having compassion, it gives you a sense of purpose, so it helps you to feel less alone and alienated so you know we all belong together,” she responds.
All of this occurred in just the first six-and-a-half minutes of the conversation alone. I won’t ruin the rest for you, just watch the video below if you need a whole lot of inspiration for your day. This kind of dialogue is so vitally important in a world where the discussion surrounding mental health issues is becoming increasingly more acceptable
Image: Billboard