Happy 91st birthweek to the Dalai Lama! I recently drew him connecting with my favourite neuroscientist, Dr Richard J Davidson in my Original ByShi Rainbow Bubbles of Collective Effervescence portrait style. I snail mail posted a print with my See ME Expo book to Richie, and he told me my art now adorns the wall of his study at his home in Wisconsin, Madison, USA, where most of his serious writing gets done! How extraordinary!
In the 1990’s the Dalai Lama met with Richie and asked him to research kindness and compassion with the same tools they were currently using to study negative emotions. Ever since, Richie has studied Tibetan monks and meditation masters through MRI’s and researched meditation and contemplative science in the lab.
Their legacy has been monumental. Richie found that you don’t need thousands of hours of meditative practice to make significant brain changes. Even 5 minutes of meditation a day, and being aware of your awareness, can significantly improve your mental health and wellbeing. He found we are ‘born to flourish’ (see the awesome new book ‘Born to Flourish’ by Richard J Davidson and Cortland Dahl, and their Substack podcast Dharma Lab).
For me personally, their research into meditation, empathy and compassion, pain and wellbeing has been lifesaving. Studying their work has helped me move from empathic distress and burnout to flourishing. It’s been amazing.
It was a joy to capture the love, depth of connection and legacy between these two exceptional human beings. Like Richie said to me, with great respect I bow my head to their presence in this world. 
