Female Yogis Are Amongst Us

Have you ever dreamed of leaving the comforts of the Western teaching room to go to the East in search of a true spiritual master in their element?  Or wished you could have more one to one time instead of just listening to what seems like a dot on the stage of the auditorium?  Coming to India this time I had a dream… I wanted to find a female master of Tibetan Buddhism that I could learn from and have direct communication with.  My reasons for this were a deep desire within to get the female perspective on this Buddhist philosophy that I was growing more and more fascinated with by the day.  Having attended many teachings and read many books I was keen to have the burning question answered…as a women do we need to be approaching the teachings of Buddhism in a slightly different way?

I really didn’t know what would come of this dream so as I was running my most recent spiritual tour in Dharamasala, India to attend teachings by the Dalai Lama, I put it on the back-burner of my mind.  Then of course India being the magical land that she is, effortlessly provided me with a possible contender as I’m sitting there on my meditation retreat with my group.  Towards the end of our ten day retreat we were shown a video of a teaching given by Jetsumma Tenzin Palmo, a Buddhist nun originally from the East end of London who spent 12 years meditating in a cave.  A reincarnation of a previous Tibetan master, she found herself in the unique and at times very difficult position of not only being the only Westerner in a Tibetan monastery in India but the only woman as well.  Being treated as an outsider by the general consensus, she was excluded from necessary teachings and important Buddhist ceremonies known as ‘pujas’.  

As time past her grasp of the Tibetan language, which was necessary to learn from the sacred texts increased, but also did her impatience with the sexual discrimination that was keeping her from realising her spiritual goal – to become the first enlightened female Bodhisattva.  A Bodhisattva is a person who has vowed that upon attaining enlightenment they will keep returning life after life to work until all sentient beings are liberated from suffering or ‘samsara’.  So in other words for Jetsumma Tenzin Palmo there was much work to be done.  After finally reaching breaking point she packed her bags to leave the monastery in search of the teachings she needed. Only then did her heart guru and teacher finally take her difficulties seriously and he instructed her to go into long term retreat.  She was ready for this massive commitment that no Western woman had done, despite all the hinderances she experienced.

Over a period of 12 years she lived in a cave in total isolation high up in the mountaneous ranges of India where she faced brutal weather conditions, encounters with all sorts of wildlife and a curious nomad who hindered more than he helped.  In short what Jetsumma Tenzin Palmo achieved has resulted in her being highly revered by both Tibetans & Westerners alike.  And I’m happy to include both men and women in that.  Having discovered this wonderful woman I devoured the book written about her life ‘Cave In The Snow’ in about two days.  Then after doing a bit of investigation I was delighted to discover she would be teaching about two hours drive away from Dharamsala in a place called Bir.  I booked myself in and off I went.  What struck me the most about Jetsumma was her ability to cut to the chase in a way that incorporates the East & the West, and for once in my experiences of Buddhist teaching the masculine and the feminine.  Keen to get my questions answered I requested a private audience and was told I could book in a whole hour with her at her nunnery so without hesitation I did so the following Monday!

The nunnery she has created is yet another amazing feat.  When China invaded Tibet it unfortunately brought about the disappearance of the Tibetan female yogis called the Togdenmas, only their male counterparts the Togdens remained in India.  Whilst living in the harsh conditions of the male dominated monastery, the Togdens were the only men at that time that truly saw Jetsumma and treated her with the respect she deserved.  Living a much stricter lifestyle than the average monk, these great masters have incredible abilities and therefore much to teach.  Jetsumma has created the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery with the goal of reviving the female Togdema tradition.  She has built it down the road from where the male Togdens reside today, so they can easily teach the lucky nuns who have found themselves in this unique position.

Whilst I was there for my audience the first nuns in this decade long training had just come out of their first three year, three month, three week & three day retreat.  Their hair was beautiful and long as they don’t cut it whist on retreat but what really struck me was their presence.  Sitting waiting for Jetsumma I ended up across from them as we curiously eyed each other up, offering something fresh and new from our respective norms.  I noticed how other wordly the look was in their eyes and how they couldn’t seem or want to hold a conversation for too long as they quickly went back to clicking their malas.  These women have made a commitment to do a 12 year retreat in total and I had come across them during a small break before they go back in to do another three year, three month, three week and three day retreat in total isolation.

As if that wasn’t enough excitment for a wannabe such as myself, I had the privilege of being taken on a tour of the nunnery by my friend Aileen who is the nun acting as secretary to Jetsumma who also happens to be from my homeland Ireland.  We walked into the shrine room and I was mesmerised.  Every single statue and painting was in the female form.  It was so inspirational and an absolute first for me.  In fact during my interview with Jetsumma I asked her is that the norm for nunneries to have such an open reverence towards the enlightened feminine form and her reply was “Well I haven’t seen it anywhere.”  She then went on to explain that if she wants her girls to truly believe that they can realise nirvana or enlightenment then they need to have authentic female rolemodels to follow.  The artist that created the paintings and statutes spent a long time going back into the history of Tibetan Buddhism to pull out these seemingly long forgotten figures of the feminine.

Now I don’t want to paint Jetsumma in an extreme feminist light, in fact during my time with her I found words of wisdom that sought only a balance.  Having been taught herself by men she has nothing but the deepest gratitude for all she has learnt which is demonstrated by the pictures of her male teachers all around her nunnery.  Finally finding myself in a position where I felt the answers to my questions would have equal representation from both sides, I asked Jetsumma what is the best path for a woman in a system dominated by the patriarchal where we are believed to be a lesser rebirth.  Her response was that even in a group of women some things that work for one, don’t necessarily work for another.  That there are no specific methods that suit just the feminine or the masculine and it is my job to check what works for me as an individual in everything that I am taught.

Those words brought me great peace. Yes the world needs to come more into balance and when I sit on retreat after retreat looking at the consistent female dominating percentage I know it is happening.  However every teaching has that pearl of wisdom in it and whether we are male or female, I believe it is still our choice to swallow or not.  What do you think?

Tashi delek from Dharamsala

Lisa

If you wish to go see Jetsumma Tenzin Palmo or make a donation to her incredible vision the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery please visit her website at www.tenzinpalmo.com.

www.spiritualbackpackersindia.com

Skype: Spiritualbackpackersindia

Mobile: +44 78 726 24603

Twitter: Retreatsindia 

Are we truly suffering or blindly blessed?

Are you feeling like the world is going a bit crazy these days? Have you had some recent first hand experiences of an upsetting globally renowned event?  This article will hopefully make you feel better as it gives you access to the bravery others have shown in the face of similar or indeed much worse adversity.

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Having recently sat through the London riots in the safety of my south London flat I gave thanks for the fact I was not above any commercial shops which seemed to be the main target.  As upsetting as it was I must admit it was a major reality check.  We all at times feel like we are in a bubble of safety here in the West and looking around that bubble is becoming more and more like the impermanent dream that it actually is.  Major shifts are happening as we move forward into 2012, the year predicted by the Mayan people as a powerful yet possibly terrifying time for humanity as we are forced to either take responsibility and step up or cash in our ‘karmic debt’.

So as we move forward into such uncertainty what can we do to make ourselves deal with it better?  One suggestion I would like to make is to look back and learn from our brothers and sisters who have already felt the harsh blow of fate and lived to not only tell the tale, but also have worked hard to share it in their writing.   Palden Gyatso is one such person who wrote the book ‘Fire Under The Snow’. In it he tells us how he was imprisoned for thirty-three years by Chinese forces in Tibet for the supposed ‘crime’ of wanting to be free to live his life as a Tibetan monk.  Upon his long awaited release he courageously fled across the Himalayan range to India smuggling with him the instruments of his repeated torture.  Determined to tell the world of the atrocities he experienced under the hands of the Chinese after their invasion of Tibet in 1950, Palden Gyatso was the first Tibetan to give evidence at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva on the realities of Tibetan life under Chinese rule.  The response to which by the Chinese was that his story was “untrue”.

His book is a heart breaking yet at the same time entrancing account of all he endured.  Yes it is difficult to read about the brutality that went on and is still going on in Tibet.  But the reward for facing that reality as a reader is the lesson we learn that ultimately we are blessed and can draw upon the strength of people like Palden.  We may have difficulties ten fold, but if we still have the freedom to walk outside when we choose to, drink water when we are thirsty and speak openly to the people around us then are we truly suffering or blindly blessed?  Once we can see our reality through reading testimonies such as that in ‘Fire Under The Snow’ we can begin to relax.  Once we relax we are more equipped to make better decisions.  Once we start to make better decisions we are one individual creating a better world for all.   And together we can perhaps begin to slowly rebuild the wall of good karma that seems to have been left demolished for far too long here in the spiritual poverty of the West.  As many people travel to the Dalai Lama in India from all corners of the globe on spiritual retreats they don’t realise people like Palden Gyatso are also there in Dharamsala with their door open to visitors from far and wide as they courageously continue to share their incredible story…

Om mani padme hum

Tashi delek

Lisa & Lama Buga

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Are you feeling like the world is going a bit crazy these days? Have you had some recent first hand experiences of an upsetting globally renowned event?  This article will hopefully make you feel better as it gives you access to the bravery others have shown in the face of similar or indeed much worse adversity.

Having recently sat through the London riots in the safety of my south London flat I gave thanks for the fact I was not above any commercial shops which seemed to be the main target.  As upsetting as it was I must admit it was a major reality check.  We all at times feel like we are in a bubble of safety here in the West and looking around that bubble is becoming more and more like the impermanent dream that it actually is.  Major shifts are happening as we move forward into 2012, the year predicted by the Mayan people as a powerful yet possibly terrifying time for humanity as we are forced to either take responsibility and step up or cash in our ‘karmic debt’.

So as we move forward into such uncertainty what can we do to make ourselves deal with it better?  One suggestion I would like to make is to look back and learn from our brothers and sisters who have already felt the harsh blow of fate and lived to not only tell the tale, but also have worked hard to share it in their writing.   Palden Gyatso is one such person who wrote the book ‘Fire Under The Snow’. In it he tells us how he was imprisoned for thirty-three years by Chinese forces in Tibet for the supposed ‘crime’ of wanting to be free to live his life as a Tibetan monk.  Upon his long awaited release he courageously fled across the Himalayan range to India smuggling with him the instruments of his repeated torture.  Determined to tell the world of the atrocities he experienced under the hands of the Chinese after their invasion of Tibet in 1950, Palden Gyatso was the first Tibetan to give evidence at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva on the realities of Tibetan life under Chinese rule.  The response to which by the Chinese was that his story was “untrue”.

His book is a heart breaking yet at the same time entrancing account of all he endured.  Yes it is difficult to read about the brutality that went on and is still going on in Tibet.  But the reward for facing that reality as a reader is the lesson we learn that ultimately we are blessed and can draw upon the strength of people like Palden.  We may have difficulties ten fold, but if we still have the freedom to walk outside when we choose to, drink water when we are thirsty and speak openly to the people around us then are we truly suffering or blindly blessed?  Once we can see our reality through reading testimonies such as that in ‘Fire Under The Snow’ we can begin to relax.  Once we relax we are more equipped to make better decisions.  Once we start to make better decisions we are one individual creating a better world for all.   And together we can perhaps begin to slowly rebuild the wall of good karma that seems to have been left demolished for far too long here in the spiritual poverty of the West.  As many people travel to the Dalai Lama in India from all corners of the globe on spiritual retreats they don’t realise people like Palden Gyatso are also there in Dharamsala with their door open to visitors from far and wide as they courageously continue to share their incredible story…

Om mani padme hum

Tashi delek

Lisa & Lama Buga

A magical Indian town that is dripping in Tibetan culture…

Do you feel like you could do with a bit of magic in your life right now?  Have you had enough of recent struggles and just want to escape it all to far off lands on a spiritual retreat? Well read on dear friends because I might have just the place for you…McLeod Ganj, India! 

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Tucked away in between Himalayan peaks and troughs is this bustling town with a difference.  Taking a stroll down the local bazaar you will be greeted by the maroon clad monks and nuns of the ever growing Tibetan community that is so widespread this town has become known as ‘Little Lhasa’.

Apart from being home to His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama, this special place offers a variety of different things to do to help you while away your time.  It is not unknown for a traveller to have spent a busy month in this great place and still not be quite sure what they actually did all that time.  And I have to be honest and say I am one such traveller.  Upon arrival in McLeod Ganj I found my head turning in surprise in the back of the taxi as I spotted a Tibetan monk strolling down the road with headphones on listening to his personal stereo.   And that set the scene completely.  So much that was totally new to me that I quickly started to explore and see what else I could find.

A medley of different pursuits are on offer from yoga to learning how to cook Tibetan momo’s, from teaching English to refugees to learning how to work with healing crystals.  Should you fancy it you can go down to the local Library of Tibetan Works and attend Buddhist philosophy classes pretty much every day.  One of the most fascinating aspects for me around the Tibetan culture is fact that the government have a ‘state oracle’ whom they consult when making decisions.  How great would it be if all governments did that? And that particular lama also resides down near the library if you are feeling brave!

I came here specifically to visit the Dalai Lama in India which was an incredible heart warming experience.  As a result I was keen to learn ways that I could somehow bring the magic of this place back to my friends and families back home I did a course in Tibetan massage.  This is a wonderful technique that was developed by the nomads of the Tibetan plains.  It has the physical aspect of helping the body unwind and regenerate, yet also focuses on the energy body including chakra alignment and clearing.  Learning something like that from someone who had it passed to them from one Tibetan nomadic generation to the next was a real privilege and true to form of this enriching town.

However if all you want to do while you are here is kick back and have a decent cup of chai McLeod Ganj has numerous coffee shops and restaurants scattered about the place.  One of my favourites has to be Shangri-La Restaurant.  This unique spot is run by Tibetan lamas from Gyumed Monastery and regardless of whether you are travelling alone or with a friend you are guaranteed to make friends.  But I must be honest and say most of McLeod Ganj is like that as looking back I can see the best souvenir I left with was friendships that continue to cross language barriers, oceans and time.

Fancy some of that for yourself? Check out our next spiritual tour in India.

Tashi delek

Lisa & Lama Buga

A magical Indian town that is dripping in Tibetan culture…

Do you feel like you could do with a bit of magic in your life right now?  Have you had enough of recent struggles and just want to escape it all to far off lands on a spiritual retreat? Well read on dear friends because I might have just the place for you…McLeod Ganj, India! 

Tucked away in between Himalayan peaks and troughs is this bustling town with a difference.  Taking a stroll down the local bazaar you will be greeted by the maroon clad monks and nuns of the ever growing Tibetan community that is so widespread this town has become known as ‘Little Lhasa’.

Apart from being home to His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama, this special place offers a variety of different things to do to help you while away your time.  It is not unknown for a traveller to have spent a busy month in this great place and still not be quite sure what they actually did all that time.  And I have to be honest and say I am one such traveller.  Upon arrival in McLeod Ganj I found my head turning in surprise in the back of the taxi as I spotted a Tibetan monk strolling down the road with headphones on listening to his personal stereo.   And that set the scene completely.  So much that was totally new to me that I quickly started to explore and see what else I could find.

A medley of different pursuits are on offer from yoga to learning how to cook Tibetan momo’s, from teaching English to refugees to learning how to work with healing crystals.  Should you fancy it you can go down to the local Library of Tibetan Works and attend Buddhist philosophy classes pretty much every day.  One of the most fascinating aspects for me around the Tibetan culture is fact that the government have a ‘state oracle’ whom they consult when making decisions.  How great would it be if all governments did that? And that particular lama also resides down near the library if you are feeling brave!

I came here specifically to visit the Dalai Lama in India which was an incredible heart warming experience.  As a result I was keen to learn ways that I could somehow bring the magic of this place back to my friends and families back home I did a course in Tibetan massage.  This is a wonderful technique that was developed by the nomads of the Tibetan plains.  It has the physical aspect of helping the body unwind and regenerate, yet also focuses on the energy body including chakra alignment and clearing.  Learning something like that from someone who had it passed to them from one Tibetan nomadic generation to the next was a real privilege and true to form of this enriching town.

However if all you want to do while you are here is kick back and have a decent cup of chai McLeod Ganj has numerous coffee shops and restaurants scattered about the place.  One of my favourites has to be Shangri-La Restaurant.  This unique spot is run by Tibetan lamas from Gyumed Monastery and regardless of whether you are travelling alone or with a friend you are guaranteed to make friends.  But I must be honest and say most of McLeod Ganj is like that as looking back I can see the best souvenir I left with was friendships that continue to cross language barriers, oceans and time.

Fancy some of that for yourself? Check out our next spiritual tour in India.

Tashi delek

Lisa & Lama Buga

What's it like to attend teaching by the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India?

High up in Northern India is a bustling town McLeod Ganj, which is home to the world’s most famous refugee, his Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama.  Since the Cultural Revolution in Tibet in the 80’s thousands of Tibetans have put their lives in danger and courageously walked across the Himalayas to reach this now sacred place.  So strong is the Tibetan culture in this town that it has fondly become known as ‘Little Lhasa’.  As China continues to morph the Tibetan landscape and strip it bare of its diverse and rich way of life, tourists are now flocking to McLeod Ganj for an authentic experience of Tibetan Buddhism and all it entails.  

 A myriad of different spiritual pursuits are on offer which at times can seem a bit overwhelming but the number one thing that is guaranteed to draw global crowds in their thousands is the public teachings by the Dalai Lama.  The immense faith is so high in this great spiritual leader that it knows no borders or language barriers.  For example at the teachings you will find people listening to their personal radios to hear the translations of the teachings into their own global language.  But one of the most striking things has to be the sight of people from all walks of life going into deep states of meditation simply by being in the heartfelt presence of this wonderful man who refers to himself as ‘a simple monk’.   

On the mere sight of him people are reduced to tears as he blows hearts wide open.  I had no idea this was a common thing until I experienced it first hand myself.  Initially I was pleasantly surprised to discover he would be walking right by me to leave the teaching, however as he passed I was even more surprised to find myself quickly reduced to my knees with tears streaming down my face.  My mind clambered to make sense of such a profound and unexpected experience.  Out of the blue came the words “I have made it back home” and I am not even Tibetan…well in this lifetime anyway!  And from that this idea of ‘Spiritual Backpackers India’ was born where we run group tours to afford people the opportunity to experience the wisdom and beauty of his teachings first hand, and learn meditation from the monks and nuns of the Dalai Lama’s lineage.  We feel if ever there was a time for the wonder of this man’s love and the power of meditation to be more accessible to the world it has to be now! Is this what your heart has been crying out for?  Are you ready to join us for the next teachings in October?

If so visit our website

http://www.spiritualbackpackersindia.com/Home.html

Tashi delek

Lisa & Lama Buga

 

What's it like to attend teaching by the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India?

High up in Northern India is a bustling town McLeod Ganj, which is home to the world’s most famous refugee, his Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama.  Since the Cultural Revolution in Tibet in the 80’s thousands of Tibetans have put their lives in danger and courageously walked across the Himalayas to reach this now sacred place.  So strong is the Tibetan culture in this town that it has fondly become known as ‘Little Lhasa’.  As China continues to morph the Tibetan landscape and strip it bare of its diverse and rich way of life, tourists are now flocking to McLeod Ganj for an authentic experience of Tibetan Buddhism and all it entails.  

 A myriad of different spiritual pursuits are on offer which at times can seem a bit overwhelming but the number one thing that is guaranteed to draw global crowds in their thousands is the public teachings by the Dalai Lama.  The immense faith is so high in this great spiritual leader that it knows no borders or language barriers.  For example at the teachings you will find people listening to their personal radios to hear the translations of the teachings into their own global language.  But one of the most striking things has to be the sight of people from all walks of life going into deep states of meditation simply by being in the heartfelt presence of this wonderful man who refers to himself as ‘a simple monk’.   

On the mere sight of him people are reduced to tears as he blows hearts wide open.  I had no idea this was a common thing until I experienced it first hand myself.  Initially I was pleasantly surprised to discover he would be walking right by me to leave the teaching, however as he passed I was even more surprised to find myself quickly reduced to my knees with tears streaming down my face.  My mind clambered to make sense of such a profound and unexpected experience.  Out of the blue came the words “I have made it back home” and I am not even Tibetan…well in this lifetime anyway!  And from that this idea of ‘Spiritual Backpackers India’ was born where we run group tours to afford people the opportunity to experience the wisdom and beauty of his teachings first hand, and learn meditation from the monks and nuns of the Dalai Lama’s lineage.  We feel if ever there was a time for the wonder of this man’s love and the power of meditation to be more accessible to the world it has to be now! Is this what your heart has been crying out for?  Are you ready to join us for the next teachings in October?

If so visit our website

http://www.spiritualbackpackersindia.com/Home.html

Tashi delek

Lisa & Lama Buga