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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
 Posted - May 22 2012 : 9:47:34 PM
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http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index...%2C0%2C1%2C0
The sisters of the Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery - aged from nine to 52 - come from across Nepal, India, Tibet and Bhutan to learn the ancient Chinese discipline of kung fu, which they believe will help them be better Buddhists. . . .
Buddhist nuns in the Himalayas have traditionally been seen as inferior to monks, with the women kept away from physically demanding exercise and relegated to menial tasks like cooking and cleaning. . . .
But the 800-year-old Drukpa - or dragon - sect is changing all that by mixing meditation with martial arts as a means of empowering its women. . . .
“Our nuns... are very new to modernisation and are timid and lack self-confidence,” the Gyalwang Drukpa wrote in a recent blog post. . . .
“I am not saying that I am a great teacher or a great leader but the path that I have decided to take in order to promote gender equality, so as to bring about the nuns’ improvement, gives me great encouragement to work harder and live longer.” . . .
Jigme Konchok Lhamo, 18, who came to the order from India, says kung fu has quickly made the nuns more assured and has begun to address the power balance between men and women in Buddhism. . . .
“In the past only men could do some of the dances. Now we have the chance to take part. Before nuns could not do anything and now we have the chance to do anything the monks can do.” . . .
The nunnery is enjoying a surge in popularity since introducing the kung fu lessons and now has some 300 nuns practising martial arts techniques. . . .
The benefits are obvious for young women who are expected to meditate in the same position for up to six hours at a time and sometimes undertake retreats during which they must remain silent for months. . . . |
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Delara
Lebanon
305 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2012 : 12:05:47 AM
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thanx for sharing Etherfish,I love these nuns .
yes martial arts gives me a sense of equality to men as well.There's nothing they can do that I can't in addition to a sense of security where i can go & do what other girls & some boys only dream of and never dare to .
that's the truth
Love
.
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Edited by - Delara on May 23 2012 12:46:23 AM |
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Kung Fu Nuns promote gender equality
