IMI is pleased to report that the first pre-ordination monastic training led by Sister Jotika and Ven. Thubten Saldon was successfully completed last month at Land of Medicine Buddha.After the retreat, IMI was fortunate to have the opportunity to spend time with Sister Jotika to reflect on what motivates her commitment to training new monastics and why she puts so much emphasis on community living. Sister Jotika was born in Spain in 1945 and was educated during her teenage years at a progressive convent school run by nuns. It was this experience that influenced so much of the way Sister Jotika approaches her training today with new monks and nuns. After her schooling years, Sister Jotika took novice ordination at Chithurst Monastery in England with Ajahn Sumedho in 1983, and there she began to get involved with monastic training. Later in 2004, she took full ordination with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Taiwan. Sister Jotika has lived in monasteries for the last 18 years in England, Taiwan, Burma and Spain. She is currently most affiliated with Tushita Meditation Center in Dharamsala.
