03: Aruna Dhammadhira

Welcome to the third episode of my podcast, "from the Under Ground,” a podcast seeking to elevate marginalized voices on Davidson Campus and beyond. A friend of Ivan Mayerhofer’s, the Buddhist Chaplain at Davidson College, Aruna Dhammadhira (she/her) came to Davidson all the way from Colorado Springs to speak at the “Women in Buddhism Event.” I feel extremely honored to have her on my podcast, as we talk about her life as a post-monastic Buddhist (after being in the monastery for over 10 years as a Bhikkuni in the Thai Forest Tradition in lineage of Ajahn Chah), the formation of identity, being marginalized, and finally the role of women in a system of patriarchy within the world of Buddhism. A very big thank you to Aruna for being vulnerable and trusting me with her story. In addition, please take time to check out Aruna’s non-profit organization, “Web of Connection,” that connects mind, body, and soul with the planet around us. If you know someone or you would like to be featured on the podcast, please contact me at [email protected] for more information. To check out more of my own activism work, please visit my online portfolio: alicegarner.com