Tales With My Lama: Lost in Space & Family Values
Pastor David has been a student of His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche for over 15 years and within the ‘Tales With My Lama’ series of articles, he explores his spiritual relationship with Rinpoche, sharing anecdotes, stories, observations and little Dharma nuggets. It is all told to inspire others for their own spiritual relationship with their teachers.
Lost in Space & Family Values
While I assisted Tsem Rinpoche as an attendant many years ago, one of the things I used to do was to watch TV with Rinpoche. Well, we weren’t watching the usual trashy reality TV programmes that we have these days.
At that time, Rinpoche had ordered a number of TV shows online, mostly from the 60s and 70s and they arrived in the mail. Some were familiar childhood favourites like Bionic Woman and Wonder Woman, but I had never heard of some of the others before as they probably never made it to our Malaysian shores. These included the likes of Laverne & Shirley and Lost in Space.
They all seemed rather interesting but Lost in Space was certainly one of the more memorable ones. I didn’t really like it initially because I thought that a sci-fi themed show in black and white wasn’t going to work well. I was underwhelmed but I watched it anyway as Rinpoche loved it. After the initial 15 minutes, I could see why Rinpoche loved this show.
Lost in Space is basically a TV show in the 60s about a space-age family marooned on a distant planet. It didn’t seem like it was going to be interesting but I was wrong. As I watched the first episode, I was hooked by its wholesome characters and simple plot lines. Rinpoche’s favourite was the quirky and cumbersome Robby the robot and everybody’s favourite, the wily and witty Dr Zachary Smith. The show was incredibly addictive and rather funny. We had a lot of fun watching it.
At that time, Rinpoche explained that TV shows from that era were wholesome and often featured the perfect suburban family. There was no vulgarity, nudity or sex, and people were always courteous with each other. It was the norm to portray a wholesome family with polite kids alongside their doting and loving parents. Everyone was courteous and this extended even to villains and aliens. It seems that watching such programmes shaped Rinpoche’s notion of an ideal family situation and it gave him a comparison of how things could have been.
For those unfamiliar with his background, Rinpoche experienced systematic abuse while he was growing up in New Jersey from his foster mother who suffered from schizophrenia. Life at home was a flurry of constant beatings, psychological abuse and a punishing amount of housework. Inevitably, this left an emotional scar that would probably never heal. Due to the kindness of his teachers and his own determination to practise the Dharma, Rinpoche was able to deal with the abuse and turn it around.
That is why Rinpoche often advises his students and friends to mend rifts and get closer with their wives, husbands, children and loved ones. This is consistent with the theme of Rinpoche’s teachings, which is for practitioners to practise the Dharma at home and during the many hours we are off the meditation cushion and away from our shrines. Just like his love for Lost in Space and other TV shows from the 60s and 70s, family values are very important to Rinpoche as he didn’t have it easy growing up. That is why he advocates families everywhere to appreciate one another and not let petty differences get in the way of love.
For more interesting information:
- Tales with My Lama: The Famous Pick Game
- Tales with My Lama: Bigfoot Dreams
- Tales with My Lama: What does Rinpoche like about Liz Taylor?
- Tales with My Lama: Daily Practice
- Tales With My Lama : Laugh Away Your Ego
- Tales With My Lama: Why Rinpoche Has To Suffer
- Tales With My Lama : Larger than Life
- Tales with my Lama – Manjushri
- Tales With My Lama : Audience With Tsem Rinpoche
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I was attracted by the poster of Laverne & Shirley and Lost in Space, its like telling a joyful story on the space. Usually when we talk about people who can be on space are astronauts, their spacesuit are white, not much color in the dark. The title of this TV shows is “lost in space” but they definitely look happy with having big smiles and colorful spacesuit. It makes me want to explore the adventures they have in the dark space.
I love TV shows from older days too. That era were wholesome and simple, the dialogues are meaningful.
Parents are the greatest support for children. It is important to show love and care for each childhood. Rinpoche knows and he encouraged the KFR community members bring their family to live here as well, it is one of the loving thing I experience while working at here, Children, old folks, parents come along together. Its warmth, like the poster showed in Laverne & Shirley and Lost in Space.
Rinpoche’s love of the ’60s TV shows like “Lost in Space” which featured wholesome families, loving parents and polite respectful children ,is amazing, especially when we have learnt that he had a painful childhood of abuse from a schizophrenic mother. This shows us how kind and unselfish Rinpoche was.He was always teaching us the importance of applying Dharma at home and away from the meditation cushion. He would kindly teach and advise his students to mend ties and heal rifts with their families and loved ones. Above all, he taught us to remember the kindness of our parents and to repay their kindness to us.
Watching TV shows that show family values and by practicing Dharma had made out the lost of growing in a happy family. Rinpoche explained that TV shows from that era were wholesome and often featured the perfect suburban family. There was no vulgarity, nudity or sex, and people were always courteous with each other. It was the norm to portray a wholesome family with polite kids alongside their doting and loving parents. Rinpoche experienced systematic abuse while he was growing up in New Jersey from his foster mother who suffered from schizophrenia. Life at home was a flurry of constant beatings, psychological abuse and a punishing amount of housework. Inevitably, this left an emotional scar that would probably never heal. Due to the kindness of his teachers and his own determination to practise the Dharma, Rinpoche was able to deal with the abuse and turn it around. “Lost in Space” must be a meaningful show to Rinpoche. Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David for the nice sharing. ???
Family is very important part of our everyday life. It helps us in improving our personality. It also helps us in shaping our life. It teaches us the value of love, affection, care and truthfulness . It’s the family bond that keeps the family members together in difficult time, supports each other and celebrates life together. They are there for one another when things are tough. It has ups and downs, struggles and challenges.
What Rinpoche experienced while he was growing up in New Jersey was some sort of lack of ‘real’ family and that’s the reason Rinpoche stretches the importance of family value. Watching TV shows that show family values and by practicing Dharma had made out the lost of growing in a happy family. The support, love and affection we get from our family is the best thing and we could ask for more.
Thank you Pastor David for this wonderful sharing.