The connection between the Tibetans and the American Indians is apparently more far-reaching than most Americans could ever have imagined. The encounter of Dhyani Ywahoo and Chetsang Rinpoche, for instance, was preceded in 1979 by the visit of the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of six million Tibetans, who met with elders of the Hopi tribe and then with elders of the Iroquois Confederacy. These meetings were historic not just for their cultural import, but also because, according to those who were involved, they were the culmination of ancient prophecies. . . .
[Journalist Marcia] Keegan also notes some striking correspondences between the two cultures. Geographically, Hopi country is located directly opposite Tibet. In Hopi language, the word nyima means “moon”; in Tibetan, the same word means “sun.” Conversely, the word dawa means “moon” in Tibetan, “sun” in Hopi. For both peoples, the purpose of their religion is to help maintain the natural harmony of the universe by living in balance with it.
