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Guest Blog by Heidi Minx

ICT staffers provide the content for ICT’s blog, but we occasionally like to offer space to others in the movement to share views and ideas. This guest blog is by Heidi Minx, entrepreneurial punk rock chick, designer (for her own clothing line, Franky & Minx), and now founder of one-woman charity, Built on Respect. She lives in New York City and Dharamsala. Visit her websites at www.PunkRockDomestics.com and www.BuiltOnRespect.com.

Humility, amongst other thoughts…

Dharamsala, India

Humility and selling don’t always go hand in hand. I know, totally strange sentence to start a blog with, but it was what came to mind after Monday’s occurrences.

On Monday I went to the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics to teach English; homework had been a short essay on 9/11, and the problems that hate and racism cause. I’m totally fascinated with the thoughts I read in their essays.

At the end of class, Geshe Yonten gave me a DVD, asked me to watch it, and said he had some questions. On my mid-day break, I watched it, it was a movie. The best summation is by the film maker:

“Two Buddhist monks fulfill their pledge to the Dalai Lama by leading a group of 17 poor children aged 4-12 on a journey from Zanskar in remote northwest India through the Himalayas. To seek an education: On foot. On horseback. By jeep and bus — whatever it takes. These children won’t see their families again for 10-15 years. 30 years ago, when they were children, these monks walked the same path themselves. Friends close to His Holiness led them from the Tibetan plateau to monasteries in southern India. Now, it’s their turn to lead the next generation — to keep the flame of Tibetan culture alive. But it won’t be easy.”

To see the film trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdkCMqqrlww – it’s narrated by Richard Gere, the Chair of ICT’s Board of Directors.

Hence, the humility. In our first class, Geshe-la had not mentioned this project, though my first question to them was, “Tell me about yourself.”

It made me think, a lot. I talk about everything I do here, a LOT. The aim is to spread awareness, to bring faces to people on the other side of the world who are working for change: to keep culture alive, to keep art alive, to regain independence, to fight political oppression — to gain educations.

While I might be here now 6 month out of the year, I am still in a safe country. I watched the full movie, and couldn’t begin to put myself in that situation — hiking the mountain passes, responsible for 17 children’s educations, and lives.

So, as usual, I said, what CAN I do? I called Geshe-la immediately, and we met extensively yesterday.

It is odd to me. I never thought my skills, mostly communication, could be as useful as they are. I can’t build a house, I can barely build a fire, I have no idea how to climb a mountain, or grow my own food — I would be useless in a rural village. But somehow here, knowledge is a strong currency. I can share my skills with a very amazing man — one who is accomplished not only as a professor of Buddhist philosophy, but who is taking responsibility as an individual for making a positive change in the lives of so many people.

Yet again, I continue to learn. That was several months ago. Now, the film has been completed, a FaceBook fan page has been started, and I have completed Geshe-la’s website for his work.

To add the page on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Save-Zanskar/192649739740?ref=ts

To learn more: www.SaveZanskar.org If you are interested in learning more, please email minx@builtonrespect.com.  We will have a copy of the film mailed to you for free.  A small screening with friends is a great way to raise awareness!