The Bell and Dorje
Will Constable
On Thursday November 14th, we travelled to Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery, located in the lush Kangra Valley. There, we met the venerable Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo. She was one of the first Western Yoginis (spiritual practitioner) in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and has paved the way for women all around the globe. Before founding the nunnery, she spent twelve years in almost complete isolation in a tiny Himalayan mountain cave, three of which she devoted to a strict meditative retreat. After spending about an hour with her, I can confidently say she is one of the most inspiring and influential people I have ever met. There were many aspects of this meeting with her that I could write about at length, but I was most moved by her gaze. Her wise words of advice have begun to fade from my mind, but the feelings that arose from our eye contact have stayed with me. I hope to convey some of that inspiration in this piece and suggest taking a conscious breath and reading it slowly and deliberately.
Tenzin Palmo with the TSP group (Photo by Nicole Blair)
The Bell and Dorje
Tenzin Palmo has piercing blue eyes.
They saw right through me, or at least through my normal identity. Student, middle-class, white, American, and male all seemed to mean nothing to her as if they were filtered out by her pure vision. Her gaze peered through these masks as though they were never really there.
When our eyes met, I felt naked; as if she knew everything about me. Similar to the struggle of looking directly at the sun due to its intensity of energy and luminosity, I found it almost difficult to look straight into those eyes. They were glowing with profound wisdom. In both cases, it is likely one will be left in tears with prolonged contact.
However, the penetrating sharpness of her gaze was perfectly balanced with a seemingly infinite ocean of compassion just below the surface, which drew me in and held me like the soothing warmth of the sun. The sympathetic concern in her eyes radiated this warmth. This was motherly love, pure and unconditional.
With her piercing wisdom she knew me and with her loving kindness she accepted me.
Moved by her grace,
I am at peace.