The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight by James Redfield Page B

the great secret of Shambhala and will not be understood until Shambhala is understood.”
    “But you think,” I interjected, “that the dakini are helping me?”
    “Yes,” he said firmly. “And your friend Wil.”
    “What about Yin? How does he figure in all this?”
    “Yin met your friend Wil at this monastery. Yin has also dreamed of you, but in a different context from myself or the other
     lamas. Yin was educated in England and is very familiar with Western ways. He is to be your guide, although he is very reluctant,
     as you have no doubt seen. This is only because he does not want to let anyone down. He will be your guide and take you as
     far as he can go.”
    He paused again and looked at me expectantly.
    “And what about the Chinese government?” I asked. “What are they doing? Why are they so interested in what is happening?”
    The Lama lowered his eyes. “I do not know. They seem to sense that something is happening with Shambhala. They have always
     tried to suppress Tibetan spirituality, but now they seem to have discovered our sect. You must be very careful. They fear
     us greatly.”
    I looked away for a moment, still thinking about the Chinese.
    “Have you decided?” he asked.
    “You mean whether to go?”
    He smiled compassionately. “Yes.”
    “I don’t know. I’m not sure I have the courage to risk losing everything.”
    The Lama just kept looking at me and nodded.
    “You said some things about the challenge of my generation,” I said. “I still don’t understand this.”
    “World War II, as well as the cold war,” the Lama began, “was the previous generation’s challenge to face. The great advances
     in technology had placed massive weapons in the hands of nations. In their nationalistic fervor, the forces of totalitarianism
     were attempting to conquer the democratic countries. This threat would have prevailed had not ordinary citizens fought and
     died in defense of freedom, ensuring the success of democracy in the world.
    “But your task is different from that of your parents. The mission of your generation is different in its very nature from
     that of the World War II generation. They had to fight a particular tyranny with violence and arms. You must fight against
     the concepts of war and enemies altogether. But it takes just as much heroism. Do you understand? There was no way your parents
     could have done what they did, but they persevered. So must you. The forces of totalitarianism have not gone away; they are
     just not expressing themselves any longer through nations seeking empire. The forces of tyranny now are international and
     much more subtle, taking advantage of our dependence on technology and credit and a desire for convenience. Out of fear, they
     seek to centralize all technological growth into the hands of a few, so that their economic positions can be safeguarded and
     the future evolution of the world controlled.
    “Opposing them with force is impossible. Democracy must be guarded now with the next step in freedom’s evolution. We must
     use the power of our vision, and the expectations that flow out from us, as a constant prayer. This power is stronger than
     anyone now knows, and we must master it and begin to use it before it is too late. There are signs that something is changing
     in Shambhala. It is opening, shifting.”
    The Lama was looking at me with steely determination. “You must answer the call to Shambhala. It is the only way to honor
     what your forefathers have done before you.”
    His comment filled me with anxiety.
    “What do I do first?” I asked.
    “Complete the extensions of your energy,” the Lama replied. “This will not be easy for you because of your fear and anger.
     But if you persist, the gateway will present itself to you.”
    “The gateway?”
    “Yes. Our legends say that there are several gateways into Shambhala: one in the eastern Himalayas in India, one to the northwest
     on the border of China, and one in