Cave in the Snow

Tenzin Palmo's Quest for Enlightenment

By: Vicki Mackenzie

Narrated by: Georgina Sutton, Vicki Mackenzie, Tenzin Palmo

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Includes a bonus track of Tenzin Palmo introducing a retreat.

This is the story of Tenzin Palmo, the daughter of a fishmonger from London's East End who became a Tibetan nun. After meditating for 12 years in a cave 13,000 feet up in the Himalayas, she became a world-renowned spiritual leader and champion of the right of women to achieve spiritual enlightenment.

Diane Perry grew up in London's East End. At the age of 18, however, she read a book on Buddhism and realised that this might fill a long-sensed void in her life.

In 1963, at the age of 20, she went to India, where she eventually entered a monastery. Being the only woman amongst hundreds of monks, she began her battle against the prejudice that has excluded women from enlightenment for thousands of years.

In 1976, she secluded herself in a remote cave 13,000 feet up in the Himalayas, where she stayed for 12 years between the ages of 33 and 45. In this mountain hideaway she faced 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.

In 1988, she 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. Despite her international teaching schedule, Tenzin Palmo maintains a deep commitment to her nunnery, Dongyu Gatsal Ling, in Himachal Pradesh.

©1999 Bloomsbury Plc (P)2015 Ukemi Productions Ltd

Critic reviews

" Cave in the Snow is full of extraordinary insights. It is a desert island book - one we can't very well live without." ( Tricycle Magazine)

Outstanding and magical

loved the insights into mystical Tibetan buddhism, the honesty, the courage of this amazing woman and blown away by the immensity of her dedication and tenacity. a true inspiration and beautifully written.

Spiritually enlightening book, a great biography of a great woman.

She is truly inspiring and motivating, she has done something many people cannot dare to achieve.

Listened to this in Nepal and Bhutan...

Was excellent and probably one of fastest books I have listened to. Couldn't wait to hear what else was happening.

Beyond belief inspiring

As a small Buddhist meditator for 20 years, I was flattened with inspiration by the book on the life of Tenzin Palmo, who spent 12 years in a cave meditating. It is a lovely, clear, fascinating book. It should be interesting for even non-Buddhists, just to see what is possible.

The best book in the last 10 years

So inspiring, absolute treasure. Very well written, fantastic lecture. You can listen it hundred times and will always find jewels 👏❤️👏

Life Changing

This book has truly made me change the way I see and live my life. I was only somewhat familiar with Buddhism before this book, but I have learned so much and plan to continue studying.

The author vs. the sage

There were some real gems in terms of meditation and the nature of mind in chapter 14.
In terms of getting valuable information about meditation, this is a good book because Tenzin Palmo spent a great deal of time in retreat.
There were interesting signs of her spiritual capacity that were present as a child and the story is a good reference for people interested in pursuing a spiritual path.
It was interesting to know how someone eats and survives on retreat in an isolated cave.
It was interesting to know how someone plans/organizes a Buddhist nunnery. Tenzin Palmo was innovative and hearing about how she approached the Dalai Lama and other lineage masters with her innovations was surprising.
The sexism of the system and the lamas willingness to admit it and change was interesting.
Tenzin Palmo was very brave and opened the door/preserved the possibility for women to be Buddhist in some sense.

I wish some of the really good stuff had come sooner in the book.

I felt like the book presented things in such a way that there have been no spiritual women or enlightened women until Tenzin Palmo.
I felt like a lot of examples of women, like Krisha Gotami, Boudica, the priestesses of Isis, or the tantric cultures or goddess religions the world over in prehistory, that show strong development/leadership by women in the area of spirituality were ignored.
The book seems to accept its true that no women have been enlightened and then Tenzin Palmo tries to do it.
The book is very sympathetic towards women and gives good account of women's experiences in spirituality in terms of Buddhist nuns and what they tend to encounter, but at the same time, I felt like it gave women precious little credit and delivered a very pathetic story of women through history which I don't feel is accurate. Maybe a more tragic Riane Eisler approach would have been a better flavor for me.

The narration was really nice. The voice and tone and aliveness were all very good.

This book would be good for someone who is contemplating going on a long retreat in isolation or someone interested in the experience of women on the Buddhist spiritual path is like.

Insight at any moment

I loved it learned a lot ans found peace within her story and her lessons

A Remarkable Endeavour

Who would give up so much to persue her / his dream? Well if you in fact do, than you are truly a successful person. There is no need for massive bank balances to measure success, just the courage and freedom to become yourself. For serious readers, as the story gets deeper and depressing.......It is filled with questions and perhaps many answers on the nature of the mind and it's oneness. Tenzin Palmo's every word is nothing but wisdom.

Best Dharma explanations in chapter 14

Not only is this a wonderfully told story it is also an easy to understand explanation of key Dharma principles explained in a way that is relatable. Recommend for anyone interested in Buddhism