Cave in the Snow
by Vicki Mackenzie
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This is the incredible story of Tenzin Palmo, a remarkable woman who spent 12 years alone in a cave 13,000 feet up in the Himalayas.At the age of 20, Diane Perry, looking to fill a void in her life, entered a monastery in India--the only woman amongst hundreds of monks---and began her battle against the prejudice that had excluded women from enlightenment for thousands of years. Thirteen years later, Diane Perry a.k.a. Tenzin Palmo secluded herself in a remote cave 13,000 feet up in the show more Himalayas, where she stayed for twelve years. In her mountain retreat, she face unimaginable cold, wild animals, floods, snow and rockfalls, grew her own food and slept in a traditional wooden meditation box, three feet square. She never lay down. Tenzin emerged from the cave with a determination to build a convent in northern India to revive the Togdenma lineage, a long-forgotten female spiritual elite. She has traveled around the world to find support for her cause, meeting with spiritual leaders from the Pope to Desmond Tutu. She agreed to tell her story only to Vicky Mackenzie and a portion of the royalties from this book will help towards the completion of her convent. show lessTags
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very inspiring - tenzin palmo spent 12 years meditating in a cave in the himalayan mountains seeking enlightenmenet - she was born in england but early on buddhism resonated deeply for her so she moved to india - tenzin palmo was deeply devoted to her practice which included meditating for 15 hours a day in a small meditation box - she was far from humanity for the 12 year period, faced extreme cold and other physical hardships beyond the imagination, and yet throughout the book her joy and deep devotion always shone through -
after leaving the cave, she continued with a new mission - to advocate for the rights of women to be recognized as enlightened buddhist masters - i learned a lot from the book and am using it as the basis for a show more talk that i'm giving on finding true happiness - the author of this biography did a great job in allowing palmo's voice to come through and in educating me about buddhism in the west and the struggle of women to be recognized as enlightened masters - but i wished for a more intimate account and therefore plan to read palmo's own book soon - show less
after leaving the cave, she continued with a new mission - to advocate for the rights of women to be recognized as enlightened buddhist masters - i learned a lot from the book and am using it as the basis for a show more talk that i'm giving on finding true happiness - the author of this biography did a great job in allowing palmo's voice to come through and in educating me about buddhism in the west and the struggle of women to be recognized as enlightened masters - but i wished for a more intimate account and therefore plan to read palmo's own book soon - show less
Despite Mackenzie's unrelentingly tabloid style, the astonishing qualities of Ven. Tenzin Palmo shine through. This is the story of a modern-day Englishwoman who became ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun and spent 12 years in retreat in a cave in the Himalayas. (Yes, 12 years - that's not a typo.) Having met and spoken with this nun myself, I can say that she's every bit as remarkable as Mackenzie describes her. Ven. Tenzin Palmo in person reminds me of St. Teresa of Avila - radiantly spiritual and supremely practical at the same time!
A fascinating read - highly recommended.
A fascinating read - highly recommended.
Cave in the Snow describes one woman's quest for enlightenment in the patriarchal world of 1960s Tibetan Buddhism. Tenzin Palmo spent 12 years in retreat, living in a cave in the Himalayas. Cave in the Snow, written by Vicki Mackenzie, is a somewhat repetitive but interesting insight into what it took to be a Buddhist nun in the 20th century.
Cave in the Snow is an exceptional book that will deepen your inner knowing and enrich your life. It is a story of holistic knowlege and experiences of spirit. I was profoundly touched by the honesty and authenticity of Tenzin Palmo. Vicki Mackenzies book opens minds and nourishes souls.
Excellent excellent book for a genuine seeker. Very inspiring.
Tibet Buddhism, Tibet Buddhist nun, search for enlightenment, biography, personal exploration, self discovery, women's studies
ISKUSTVA, TIBETSKI BUDIZAM
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Author Information
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Vicki Mackenzie is a British journalist who has written for the national and international press for over forty years. Her articles have appeared in The Sunday Times, The Observer, The Telegraph, the Daily Mail, and many magazines. She has been studying and practicing Buddhism since 1976 and is the author of Cave in the Snow.
Some Editions
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Innerlijk vuur
- Original title
- Cave in the snow
- Original publication date
- 1998 (Engelse ed.) (Engelse ed.); 1999 (Nederlandse vertaling) (Nederlandse vertaling)
- People/Characters
- Tenzin Palmo
- Dedication*
- Voor mijn moeder, Rene Mackenzie (1919-1998), de eerste spirituele vrouw in mijn leven; met grote dankbaarheid voor haar onuitputtelijke liefde, wijsheid en steun
- First words*
- Ik ontmoette haar voor het eerst in Pomaia, een klein stadje hoog in de schitterende heuvels van Toscane, ongeveer een uur rijden van Pisa.
- Last words*
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)De plek doet er niet toe. Waar het dan ook moge zijn, ze heeft slechts een enkel doel voor ogen: om het pad naar volmaaktheid te volgen in het lichaam van een vrouw.
- Original language*
- Engels
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
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- ASINs
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