America’s Next Top Buddhist Model
Dear students and friends,
Below is a very interesting short video of a young lady, Naima, who had her life improved after embracing and practicing Buddhism. I am so happy to share about a young person who finds spirituality early on in life to be able to deal with so much of life’s issues that come our way. It’s nice to see a young person who understands fame and materialism is not the key to happiness. Naima is an inspiration as she can think deeper beyond her career and herself. I am not highlighting the fact she is a model or her career, but the fact this young person can think deeper by adopting dharma which will create less difficulties for herself and those around her. I rejoice in that.
Naima Mora is an American fashion model and the winner of Cycle 4 of America’s Next Top Model. From hundreds of thousands of applicants, Naima came out as the winner of the modeling competition series… and from the fame that came with that, she has been featured in various magazines including CoverGirl, ELLE Magazine, Fuego Magazine, Us Weekly Magazine, Radar, In Touch, Star and Teen People.
She is a model with a busy schedule, and yet she shows so much devotion to her practice. She also shared that it was through Buddhism, that she found confidence and peace within herself. She is a good role model to share with others. I offer my prayers for her.
Please watch and learn from her.
Tsem Rinpoche
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/naima-mora-buddhist-in-america.mp4
On one of her magazine covers…
With supermodel Tyra Banks, the host of America’s Next Top Model.
One of her fashion photo shoots.
A promotional photo shoot for her book, Model Behaviour.
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Thank you Rinpoche for sharing with us this video. This is very nice to know how religion can help us to be grounded and live our lives the right way. I am glad to know Naima has a religion that helps her not be so self-indulged.
Having a belief or faith is not superstitious. Religion teaches us how to live our lives with morality. It teaches us what is right and what is wrong. It also teaches us how to deal with people and the problems we encounter with a positive attitude.
For Naima, being so young and being in the fashion industry can be quite dangerous. The fashion industry is extremely samsaric, it is full of jealousy and greed. The temptation to do unpleasant things to satisfy one’s ambition is very strong. Fortunately, Naima was exposed to Buddhist teaching since young, so she has a very good and strong foundation of how to lead a healthy and virtuous life.
Rejoiced for this famous model Naima Mora whom found Buddism more meaningful in life.She so famous with her schedule yet she got time in her spiritual path. Such an inspiring model to encourage and motivates her friends too.She is adopting Buddhism as the first step towards seeking inspiration, to in some transcend some very difficult circumstances and to change the world.She found confidence and courage through Buddism practice.That’s wonderful of her.Wish her all the best.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this inspiring post.
Naima’s got all the ingredients to success from her Buddhist practice.
Being a model is no easy feat. I’m sure Naima had to handle tough working conditions, deal with jealousy and difficult people.
More than just a pretty face, Naima is a great example of how one can and should adopt Buddhist practice into their lives regardless their choice of career if we want to be successful, be able to face life’s challenges or building self-confidence. This is because when we integrate dharma into our lives, we learn to see what’s important in life which is not parties, fame and wealth. We also learn how to develop good qualities which in turn help us like ourselves better.
We also learn to deal with difficult people around us.
Dharma is a teaching of how we should live our lives, overcome the obstacles we face along our life journey, making the right decision so we do not regret when we are old. Naima is in a industry where it is full of temptation, negative influence. But due to her belief and her Dharma education since young, she is able to maintain a very positive way of living. When our children is equipped with the right attitude and knowledge, we will not have to worry where they go, because they will be fine.
This is such a refreshing article. We can be spiritually inclined no matter who we are! Just need to dig in a little and look at our real selves. Teachers like Rinpoche are carrying on their great legacy by education us. We are forever indebted to you Rinpoche. All our lives we are pushed to excel in academics and do well for ourselves. But at the end of that road something is not quite right! I wish there were more people like Rinpoche who are advocates of spiritual education. And Kechara by Rinpoche is one of the methods to achieve spiritual education which so many of us lack. Spirituality is essential because it changes people’s destiny.
I really was touched by this video. Naima Mora shows inner beauty, inner strength, and wisdom. She is extremely committed and showed her effort to win America’s Next Top Model. We all went through those hard times and we have to always keep pushing through it. The action counts. Just the thought doesn’t count fully. You have to show you really want it and actually put your time into doing it. Naima Mora is the perfect example for everyone out there. Doesn’t matter man or woman, girl or boy. Thank you Rinpoche for this post. This really inspired me into doing what I love.
Dear Rinpoche,
Naima Mora is indeed a good inspiration for young people. She gained good realisations and insights from her family, growing up, and her career.
Seems to be growing up in a family that embraces Dharma does well for her.
I am glad I am also introduced into Buddhism at a young age and able to meet Rinpoche. I also rejoice that more and more families are bringing their children into Kechara. They are so fortunate to be able to learn and serve the Dharma and the community so young.
Thank you.
She is definitely an inspiration for all young girls who dream for stardom. She is young yet she thinks deep and speak so eloquently full with wisdom. What she has gone thru in life has been her precious lessons that pull her through, with the help of her faith in Buddhism, she found the purpose in life. Naima is a gem in the model industry, she carries her model duty well professionally and on the other hand, she is a very devoted Buddhist who does her practice diligently. Not easy for a young girl however she made it.
Inspiring to hear that her Buddhist practice is the core and anchor that pulled her out of her ‘darkest hour’ after winning the competition. And, how it helped gave her ‘confidence’ and balance to win, and think of her family instead of just herself. _/|\_
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this inspiring post. Imprint is important because when the condition is right the seed will open this is a good example as for Naima when she is young her parent has teach her how to chant the mantra even back then she probably do not understand why need to do the chanting but the seed already planted in her . Buddha teaching is very important for everyone of us especially for the young generation if this youngster has the teaching then will help them to overcome a lot if their problem and eventually they will be able to benefits others .
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing Naima story. Naima was so blessed to meet the Dharma in her very young age and grown up like a normal and reach her succeeded in her life in such a young age although she was brought up in a place which is full of valence. Kids grown up in such an environment usually they easily got into drugs and gangsters. Naima instead worked her way up and became a super model in her very young age. All these because of her faith in Buddhism.
Many people destroyed themselves when they gotten the fame and money partying, drinking, taking drugs etc. Naima was degenerated when she was a super model. She was the darkest time of her life. I am so glad that she realized something and found herself back. She struggled and finally she gotten self out from there because of her faith in Buddhism.
Not only her success in her career but also being in that type of life she remain pure and clean. I think that’s the greatest example that she can give to others. How Buddhist that she worked hard and remain as who she is to inspired others. There’s always one thing that giving us the endless strength to fight for victory in our lives is when we think of fighting it for others.
Thank you for sharing this article.
Rinpoche has said many times, the best gift parents can give to their children is Dharma and Buddhism practice, and this is a living proof to Naima Mora. She herself said it a few times during the interview that Buddhism practice has given her the courage to win the competition, and after all the fame and parties, etc. it is the Buddhism practice that pull her out from her “darkness”. It shows how important that we parents must practice and practice well. She must have done something good in her previous life that in this life she is born in a family who practice Buddhism well.
Thank you again Rinpoche for teaching the Dharma, because with the teachings, we and our next generation can “escape” from the suffering and find true happiness.
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing with us this powerful video with us…
Naima’s talk is truly from her heart, she sharing with us the clear and easy understanding how Buddhism will help us in our life hence for our future lifes time.
Her speech really make sense and inspire us, we are very fortunate to meet Buddhist Center hence lead by our dearest Guru Tsem Rinpoche to help us to be a better person not only in this life time but future life time also.
May Rinpoche long life and continue turn the wheel of Dharma with folded hands…
It is meritorious to grow up in a family who do spiritual practices and in the case of Naima, she has the karma to take rebirth in a family who practice Buddhism. It shows that when one is born within a spiritual family and brought up in a spiritual environment, the chances of one practicing spirituality are higher than others who did not. But kudos to Naima who really listened to, learned and practiced the dharma. For there were many others who were in similar situations like here who chose to go the opposite end.
I think people who has deep true compassion who has a vision to help
for the needy and helpless our human communities, by the Buddhism definition of “KARMA” SO AS TO SAY. God help and gave courage to achieve for the success. Many times, with the great success, Illusions also works hand in hand. Many peoples forget the core objective of the success, and gos other way round. Quite often I saw them feel like they are invincible.
Naima’s story is uniquely challenging & powerfully inspiring. Despite of her huge success in such a young age she is able to see how her success would not actually bring her the true happiness but “quickly spiral into the darkest low in her life instead “. This is because of her exposure to dharma at very young age by her parents & her diligent chanting & faith in her practices that has help her to develop her inner strength & wisdom to have such insight into her life & career. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post & reminding me about the caused of our true Happiness, Dharma.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing about this powerful person. Ms. Mora shows that inner strength and wisdom can make a difference to others. It is amazing to see such honesty from someone so young and she is so direct when it comes to talking about herself. Amazing!
Naima Mora is an inspiration to others who look up to her line of work and to her fellows colleagues in the fashion industry. Life is far from perfect. Everyone suffers in one way or the other, whether they realize it or not.
In her video, she told the story of spiraling into the darkest low in her life after winning the America’s Next Top Model. Most will think that winning such a prestigious competition is a ticket to all that is good and a happy life but she very quickly realize that it is not true. Her Buddhist background offers her a way to overcome her issues and to face life’s challenges.
Bottom line is Buddhism is the solution for her and can be for everyone.
Thank you Rinpoche for the powerful post. Naima Mora shows that wisdom, inner strength and commitment to make a difference to others are not virtues that comes with age but dedication and effort. It is amazing to watch someone so young speak honestly and directly about the dark side of life as well as hope.
Practice of Dharma can create great success as proven by Naima. I learn that what we do, which directly influences what we can achieve all stems from who we are, i.e. the attitudes and virtues we embrace. From this top model’s example, we can see that the Dharma is one of the most effective tool and path to develop the “right” attitude and inner state for for success.
I am sure many youths can relate to Naima Mora. She will certainly inspire more young individuals to consider and “dabble” with Buddhism as a way to face life’s challenges.