To our surprise, we were also invited to the pre-conference meeting, in which the Dalai Lama and the contributing speakers, all emminent scientists, could meet each other in private. To close the meeting, we were asked to sing a mantra. We chose the Tara mantra [Om Tare Tuttare], as we'd heard that His Holiness had asked for it to be chanted some months back, to aid his healing. [He'd been taken to hospital in India earlier in the year].

'His Holiness' doesn't roll easily off my tongue, but if ever a man deserved such a title, I feel it belongs to the Dalai Lama. He appeared to be in such bliss, so finely tuned to the present. Laughing, smiling, greeting everyone, and simultaneously, very, very intelligent, with the power of a warrior.

He listened to us, mostly with closed eyes, and when we finished singing, a deep silence filled the room. Eventually, he smiled, saying, ''..Beautiful, beautiful..!'' and we namasted each other.

The following morning we met again at his public address. He greeted us with a hand shake and the words, ''....Om tare mantra, Om tare mantra..!'' We made a gift to him of our CD's, hoping he has a CD player somewhere!

The concert itself, which took place the same evening, was one of the most beautiful we've played in our 12 years on the road. There was such love in the hall. 1,200 people sang their hearts out with us, and we bathed together, in the delicious, precious silence that followed the mantras.

Thank you, all of you who came, and especially Dieter and the Culturelife people, who organised this great event. You gave us a day we'll never forget.