Planting peace

This month Bloomington is celebrating peace Tibetan style, straight down to the roots. \nIn honor of the Dalai Lama’s upcoming visit, October is “Be Peaceful Bloomington” month, Mayor Mark Kruzan said at an afternoon press conference Monday at City Hall.\nKruzan described the Dalai Lama as “a global icon of peace,” and emphasized his desire to celebrate peace to enhance Bloomington residents’ quality of life. \nAs part of the peace initiative, the announcement featured musical performances and an art gallery, which will be displayed at City Hall for the rest of the month alongside a “peace tree.”\nBloomington residents are encouraged to write down their “peaceful wishes” and tie them to the peace tree. At the end of this month, the tree will be planted on city property.\nThe exercise is similar to the Tibetan custom of prayer wheels, called Chokhor in Tibet. According to the China Tibet Information Center’s Web site, Buddhist worshipers place long strips of paper with mantras written on them inside slotted lanterns and hold or hang them in the wind. Worshipers turn the wheels, which are cylindrical, while saying the mantra. When the paper flies away in the wind, it spreads blessings to all beings and invokes good karma in the next life, according to the site. \n“We are writing on recycled paper, so when the paper falls to the ground it will just become part of the earth again,” Kruzan said, echoing the belief of balance and karma.\nDuring the Dalai Lama’s visit later this month, he will give a series of seminars at the IU Auditorium, said Sudha Koneru, executive board member and treasurer for the Tibetan Cultural Center. The seminars are titled the “Path to Enlightenment,” and will be held Oct. 24 through Oct. 26. \nOn Oct. 27, the Dalai Lama will give a public talk titled “Compassion: The Source of Peace.” More than 10,000 visitors from across the country are expected to flock to Bloomington to attend the events, both Koneru and Kruzan said. \nThroughout the month, 15 framed photographs and 20 colorful scrolls depicting life in Tibet will be displayed in City Hall as part of the “Experience Peace” exhibit, said Lisa Morrison, director of media and public relations for the Tibetan Cultural Center. \nThe vibrant images provided a cultural backdrop to Kruzan and the Tibetan Cultural Center announcement yesterday, accompanied by three Mongolian students singing and playing traditional instruments. \nBloomington local Janiece Jaffe, a Buddhist, also performed, singing along with the low, haunting melody she created by playing a crystal bowl. \n“Crystal bowls are new age, but to me they surpass all religion,” Jaffe said “It’s a sacred sound.”\nJaffe is not officially involved with the Tibetan Cultural Center, but said she regularly attends events there. If she were to place a wish on the peace tree, she said, it would be “for Bloomington to be a model for how to live in diversity and peace.”\nKruzan said the Dalai Lama visits Bloomington because of the Tibetan Cultural Center and because of his older brother, who lives in the city. However, Kruzan said the Dalai Lama is also drawn to the “strength of character and vibrancy” of Bloomington. \n“(Bloomington) is a microcosm of the world,” Kruzan said. “It is a small community with a global feel.” \nThe Dalai Lama – won the Nobel Peace Prize and will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor in the nation, shortly before his arrival in Bloomington – is “not just a religious figure,” but has a message that can appeal to all, said Arjia Rinpoche, director of the Tibetan Cultural Center. \nThe last time the Dalai Lama visited Bloomington in 1999, the IU Auditorium was completely sold out, Koneru said, adding that he expects even more people to attend this year.