A testament to the enduring power of friendship and the relevance of Buddhist wisdom today, in this book, journalist Irmgard Kirchner and Buddhist nun Santacitta Bhikkhuni, two old friends, delve into the heart of Buddhism. Through intimate and insightful conversations about life and spirituality, they explore core Buddhist concepts within the context of everyday challenges, offering an accessible entry point into Buddhist philosophy for beginners and those familiar with the teachings.
'Ayya Santacitta imparts decades of accumulated spiritual wisdom to inspire and orient us to a better way of living. A real gem of a book!'
James Baraz, co-author of Awakening Joy: 10 Steps to Happiness, co-founding teacher Spirit Rock Meditation Center
'A Dharma book of great breadth and depth. Engrossing and engaging, this book is a pleasure to read!'
Rebecca Bradshaw, author of Down to Earth Dharma and Guiding Teacher Emeritus of the Insight Meditation Society
'A heartfelt dialogue where deep friendship becomes the channel for timeless Buddhist insight.'
Dame Christiana Figueres, Former Head of UN Climate Change Convention
'A delightful mixture of straightforward yet profound Buddhist teaching, woven through the inspiring journey of a pioneering Buddhist nun. ... Accessible to beginners, and rewarding for those steeped in these themes.'
Yanai Postelnik, senior Insight Meditation teacher and climate activist
Santacitta Bhikkhuni shares a tender, fearless account of her Dharma journey. With clarity and compassion, and the rare perspective of a bhikkhuni, she brings ancient wisdom into the challenges of our time. - Thanissara, Dharma teacher and author of Time to Stand Up: An Engaged Buddhist Manifesto for Our Earth
'The brilliance of this spiritual conversation provides wide-open doors for all of us to journey into and explore, for our collective awakening and greater freedom.'
Larry Yang, author of Awakening Together: The Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community
Irmgard Kirchner was born in Innsbruck in Tyrol. After studying cultural and social anthropology and psychology in Vienna, she began a lifelong career in journalism.
Santacitta Bhikkhuni was born in Austria. She studied cultural anthropology in Vienna before travelling to Thailand, where she learned to meditate. She moved to Amaravati monastery in England, where she became an anagarika and then a siladhara. In 2011, she and a fellow nun left the Ajahn Chah lineage and were ordained as bhikkhunis. They established Aloka Vihara forest monastery in California.
Irmgard Kirchner was born in 1959 in Innsbruck in Tyrol. After leaving school moved to Vienna in order to study cultural and social anthropology and psychology. She turned the skills that she had learned - research, speak to people, listen, and ask relevant questions - into a lifelong career in journalism. Following more than twenty years as editor in chief of Südwind, a magazine devoted to international politics, culture, and development, she still devotes herself to writing today, except when she is watching insects and birds in the wildlife haven that is her garden.
Santacitta Bhikkhuni, born Sylvia Helga Bayer in Austria, grew up in a hotel environment and traveled extensively with her family. After hotel management school and studies in cultural anthropology in Vienna, she worked in theatre before her travels to Thailand sparked an interest in Buddhism. Following personal losses, she visited Wat Suan Mokkh and learned to meditate. After a brief marriage and further experiences in Thailand, she moved to Amaravati monastery in England, where she became an anagarika and later a siladhara named Santacitta. Becoming increasingly aware of gender limitations in the monastery, she later traveled and explored Tibetan Buddhism. In 2011, she and a fellow nun left the Ajahn Chah lineage and were ordained as bhikkhunis. They established Aloka Vihara forest monastery in California, later founding the Aloka Earth Room, focusing on Dharma, ecology, and art.
Gwen Clayton was born in 1971 in Cambridge, England. She grew up in Canton Thurgau and Cambridge, and spent many happy childhood holidays visiting her German grandparents in the Black Forest. She read Japanese studies at the University of Oxford, then trained as a solicitor, working in commercial law firms in London, Tokyo, and Zurich. She has been active as a professional translator for the last sixteen years, specializing in law and the humanities. For further details, please see www.perfectlyphrased.com.
