His Holiness the Dalai Lama: “Celebrate Happy New Year in a very peaceful, gentle way. And then, like that, not only the new year but trough all the year”.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s New Year Greeting for 2021 from his residence in Dharamsala, HP, India on January 1, 2021.

I would like to express my greetings for the new year. I think I may be take this opportunity to wish Tibetan inside Tibet a Happy New Year. So I want to express happy new year. I believe that no matter what the physical conditions are, but mentally you should feeel happy to receive greetings from the Dalai Lama.

However the important thing is to think to check if over the past year you have used your time properly. That means check weather you have helped others, served others, and have at least not harmed them. That’s how to lead a meaningful life. If you only think selfishly and exploit other people, the you will have not spent your life properly.

If you want to lead that kind of life, the new year is a good time to begin. You should think: “the past is past. From to day, in this new year, I may be physically the same, I may have the same name, but I will live my life in a more compassionate way, in a more meaningful way. So this is wat I want to express as my New Year greetings to you.

In the meantime, because it’s New Year you may hold a party and have a drink and for a short while you may feel happy. But if you drink too much and you start to fight so then the Happy New year will be spoiled.

So it will be better to celebrate Happy New Year in a very peaceful, gentle way. And then, like that, not only the new year but trough all the year.

https://www.dalailama.com/videos/2021-new-year-greeting