Is the recession making you sad? Then go hug a friend because your money doesn’t care and can’t make you happy, the Dalai Lama reminded us yesterday. The exiled Tibetan leader said that if nothing else, the economic crisis is doing an excellent job showing people the limit of money.

“Therefore, this crisis is good because it reminds people who only want to see money grow and grow that there are limitations. It’s unrealistic to always expect grow, grow, grow, grow,” the 74-year-old spiritual leader said at a news conference at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The head of Tibet’s exiled government, who delivered two public lectures that sold out within two hours, blamed the worldwide financial crisis on “too much greed, and lies and hypocrisy.”

The Dalai Lama’s prescription for peace of mind and happiness includes connecting with friends and family, and balancing the chase for material wealth with something more fulfilling; a healthy dose of meditation, perhaps?

Dalai Lama: Economic crisis teaches money’s limits [AP]

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