It was on 31st December 2008 that a group of five nuns from the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery accompanied by Rev. Jetsunma, went to Drikung Kagyu Nunnery near Dehradun for a workshop on 'Nuns' Confidence'. Over 40 nuns took part in this three day long workshop.

Our Jetsunma was the chief guest. So, she set the ball rolling at the outset by giving a thought provoking talk. Rev. Jetsunma emphasised that being confident is most important to all and so to the nuns. In the past, it was only the monks who had the opportunity to pursue higher studies. Now it was not this way any more. A number of Nunneries have come into existences now, which are providing complete education. So now it is the time that nuns should study really hard, be confident and prepare themselves to be able to help others.

Then Chamkusho Namgyal Taklha gave a very good speech to encourage the nuns in their vocation. She is the head of the Samten Ling Nunnery. There was also a talk on environment conversation and health.

After lunch, it was time for the nuns presentation. The nuns formed groups and discussed what the nuns had said in the morning session. From each group one nun got up and recalled all the important points. It was like having a great knowledge and experience, which, we really enjoyed so much.

On the last day, Rev. Jetsunma and five of us visited His Holiness Sakya Trizin. He is the supreme head of Sakya tradition in Tibetan Buddhism. The next day, we visited His Eminence Khamtrul Rinpoche, Kinnaur Choegon Rinpoche, Ladakh Choegon Rinpoche besides many other Rinpoches and some Temples.

We really had a great …great time! We feel that many more such workshops should he held in the near future to provide us a chance to interact with others, to listen to their viewpoints and learn from each other experience.

By Ngawang Dolma

…After the main speeches each and every speaker's turn was decided and time allotted. On each day, three groups of nuns spoke turn by turn. There was tea break at 10 o'clock for fifteen minutes. Immediately after three nuns delivered their speeches. It was followed by lunch break, then groups were formed consisting of six nuns in each group. There was a discussion about what we had learnt from the speeches of various speakers. The nuns from Samten Ling Nunnery were asked to discuss as to what they had learnt from the talks of the speakers. All spoke on different topics such as, environment, duties of a teacher, how to help one another, on Spiti, on Tibet and about our Rev. Jetsunma etc. This process of speeches and discussion and giving reaction continued for three days. On the fourth day, our two nuns, Dolkar Palmo and me were asked to repeat our speeches. We readily did the same. Most of the nuns there were feeling scared. We admonished them telling that if they were having so much fear in their own Nunnery, what would be the fate of others who had came from outside. After this, those who are fighting shy to say even a few words, felt encouraged to speak. Thus we really had a great time during the course of the workshop.

By Dechen Chodron