danumprobus

On Monday 3 October the Danum Probus Group met at Doncaster Sports Club to listen to a presentation by Alan Clements. His subject was “A Tibetan Journey”.

Alan is now a retired businessman who has had a strong interest in Tibet for many years. A Buddhist for more than 30 years, Alan has taken instruction in meditation and dharma in both the Gelug Tibetan Buddhist and Japanese Soto Zen traditions. His first of several private meetings with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1992 was to ask the question “what is the meaning of life” and this led him to become the Chairman and later Vice President of the Tibet Society and Relief Fund of the UK.

Alan took us through the recent history of Tibet, from the takeover by China in the early 1950’s, the escape of the Dalai Lama to India in 1959 along with many other Tibetans. He noted that in terms of projects such as road and rail infrastructure the Chinese have been beneficial, but they have mistreated the Tibetans, similar to the Uigurs in China itself.

Alan also has a large garden (Cascades Gardens) open to the public from Spring to Autumn, part of which is influenced by his Buddhist faith.

This was an excellent and thought-provoking presentation from Alan Clements.