Women,Wisdom & Spirit is a powerful assemblage of compelling, committed Tibetan Buddhist nuns and laywomen who courageously follow their own spiritual path in spite of historical, political and cultural obstacles. The film highlights the wisdom, devotion and strength of women both past and present, East and West, who practice a tradition that has been shrouded in mystery and mysticism for most of Western history.

This hour-long documentary, shot on location in India and North America, features rare interviews with today’s most important leaders in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Respondents include: His Holiness, the Dalai Lama; the Venerable Khandro Rinpoche; and, Sakya Jetsun Chimey Luding, whose personal story of heroism and courage as a dharma teacher and mother of five is an inspiring example of juggling a full spiritual practice with the demands of family life.

From Alexandra David-Neel’s intrepid journey as the first western woman explorer to reach Tibet and help preserve the sacred texts, to contemporary Tibetan nuns and laywomen forced to escape their beloved country, these individuals have redefined their traditional roles and dedicated their lives to cultivating the nobility of the human soul. Prominent Tibetan and Western practitioners describe how the Dharma’s emphasis on compassion provides a positive counterpoint to today’s rampant materialism and cultural confusion in troubled times.

Throughout the film spiritual leaders and practitioners explore what it takes to pursue a spiritual path and how an ancient culture and spiritual tradition can be redefined in the face of 21st century challenges. They include Ani Tenzin Palmo, the British-born Tibetan nun who undertook a twelve-year retreat high in a Himalayan cave and the late Ani Pachen whose whispered prayers helped her withstand years of imprisonment and torture by the Communist Chinese. Distinguished Buddhist scholars Dr. Elizabeth Napper, Anne Klein, and Judith Simmer-Brown discuss the powerful transformative tradition of the female Dakini figure in Tibetan Buddhism and its continuing influence on women of all ages and traditions.

Part of a unique film trilogy known as WOMEN OF TIBET produced by Frame of Mind Films, “Women,Wisdom & Spirit” is an inspired hour-long journey into the spiritual power of compassion. The storytellers provide a universal link to an ancient philosophy that continues to have a profound impact on today’s world.