The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. A beacon of inspiration for both Buddhists and non-Buddhists, he has persistently reached out across religious lines and to political leaders and scientists in dialogues advancing peace and understanding. For sixty years, he was the political leader of the Tibetan people, and in 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to secure a peaceful resolution to the Chinese occupation of his homeland. Dom Laurence Freeman, OSB , is spiritual head of the World Community for Christian Meditation. Thupten Jinpa Langri has been the principal English-language translator to the Dalai Lama since 1985. He has translated and edited many books by the Dalai Lama. He is currently the president and the editor-in-chief of the Institute of Tibetan Classics and currently chairs the Mind and Life Institute.