Julia talks with the Lamen, Acharya Mitchell Levy, about the Kalapa Council, loyalty, the next generation of practitioners, the Ripa lineage, and his relationship with Chogyam Trungpa, and Sakyong Mipham.
Comments
Just listening to the interview with Mitchell Levy – interesting- agree with the idea of loyalty to family that is a given isn’t it? But obviously nurturing can take several forms. Realise that one of my most interesting relationships was with my philosophy lecturer at college who was mad and also challenging at times to the point of distraction. So the questions about loyalty and nuturance are very deep…………also loyalty to a country….. in the UK I am probably loyal to a liberal tradition evinced by Blake, and the like. Independence of thought characterises the British character, I think – for example Karl Marx was allowed into the UK when he was expelled from Europe. So a Kingdom has to allow all kinds of people with all political and social views to exist within it – even those who disagree with its validity as an institution. Perhaps one of the greatest leaders in the UK was Clement Atlee who brought in a universal health care system in 1948 and the 1944 Education Act but I dont think he was an ardent royalist but he did bring a lot of good to British society. I really think there needs to be more discussion on how the individual sangha member is going to have an input in the governance of this coming Shambhala society…….aka what I have said about the UK…………it would be useful if we could have more input on the evolution of shambhala politics and the rights of the individual within that society vis a vis the monarch. I wonder if you can interview Ken Green again about politics or others who may have some more views on what Trungpa said about politics. I am really trying to understand how Trungpa envisioned a good government to operate without becoming elitist and exceedingly deferential.
Best
Rita Ashworth
Stockport UK
