When it rains, it pours. And that’s the problem at Dolma Ling Nunnery’s Retreat Center called Samten Tsel.
This special center, consisting of 8 individual retreat huts, allows the nuns to develop the training of their minds in a concentrated way and in a setting free from distractions. Currently 8 Geshema nuns are on retreat at the huts.
The value of meditation is inestimable and is an important part of Tibetan Buddhist education. Meditation techniques have been preserved in ancient Buddhist texts and have proliferated and diversified through teacher-student transmission. It is an essential path toward enlightenment.
However, the retreat huts are in the path of some of the worst monsoon rains in all of India. The nuns on retreat are experiencing some problems which need to be addressed.
We need your help to:
A. Improve the drainage system around the huts
Project Cost: US $2,400
The nunnery is located in an area of the Western Himalayas that tops the rainfall charts during the monsoon. Sudden heavy rains cause water from the mountains and upper fields to flood down behind and around the retreat huts, causing dampness inside the rooms. It is therefore necessary to provide storm drains to channel the water away from the huts and to improve the drainage around the huts themselves.
B. Replace the mud floors of the huts with tiles
Project Cost: US $3,000
In addition, the traditional mud floors of the retreat houses are wet due to the extreme moisture. The nuns have asked to replace the mud floors with tiles on top of a waterproofed base in all the huts. This will ensure that the floors are dry and they will be easier to clean.
C. Treat the woodwork to waterproof and preserve it
Project cost: US $200
Some of the exposed woodwork is showing signs of wear; therefore we are preparing to treat it with anti-insect and fungal solution to protect it. This will also act as an effective waterproofing. Some wooden panels will be added to the bathroom and kitchen partitions to protect the main retreat rooms from draughts and odors.
TOTAL PROJECT COST: US $5,600
To help ensure that the retreat huts are dry you can:
- Make a gift online – see below.
- Call our office at 1-206-652-8901
- Mail a check to:
The Tibetan Nuns Project
815 Seattle Boulevard South #216
Seattle, WA 98134 USA
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