Women in Buddhism

An Intimate View Spanning Cultures and Time

Now on UDEMY

In this course, Catherine Pawasarat Sensei explores the topic of Women in Buddhism from both a historical and a current-day perspective. She draws on her personal experience as well as scholarly research, and urges us to explore our own relationship to gender and spiritual growth.

Enroll Here Free Resources

Special Launch Offer: Beginning on International Women’s Day (March 8th, 2025) and lasting for one week, use the link above to access the course at half price.

Elevating Female Voices

Want to go deeper in your exploration of women and gender in Buddhism? Join Catherine Pawasarat Sensei on this self-study online experience.

In this course, Catherine Sensei explores what it means to be a woman in Buddhism from both a personal and a historical perspective. She traces her path from growing up a young American feminist to her multicultural experiences living in Japan and Brazil. She shares about her relationship as attendant, partner and co-founder of a retreat centre with her male teacher, Qapel Doug Duncan. She also discusses historical views regarding female tantric deities and female teachers up to the present day. Lastly, she offers an inspired view of the future, highlighting a new wave of spiritual teachers that represent more cultural and gender diversity.

This course addresses charged topics head on, such as sex, power, and gender fluidity. It asks us to consider our own perspectives and fixed views, and offers us room to explore how our perspectives may change over time.

Recorded during her 3-day weekend workshop with the Menla Institute in 2021, this inspiring series of talks and reflections is now an online course that you can work through at your own pace.

A Taste of the Course

Sensei offers a 27 minute introduction to Women in Buddhism. You can watch it on YouTube:

Or listen to it on the Dharma If You Dare podcast (below or wherever you find your podcasts):

Join the Course Online

Women in Buddhism: An Intimate View Spanning Cultures and Time

What You Will Learn:

A view of women and their role in Buddhism, throughout history
Diverse cultural perspectives on the role and leadership of women today and in the future
How to reflect on one’s own cultural conditioning with Guided Meditations
The feminine aspects of Buddhism that compliment the masculine aspects

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Free Resources

Meet the Teacher

Catherine Pawasarat Sensei

Catherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher, attendant, consort, co-teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center.

She trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan from 1998 until his passing in 2024 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts.

More About Sensei | About the Lineage

Catherine Sensei’s intuitive wisdom on how you can use your astrology chart to grow the wholesome and let go of the unwholesome is skillful, compassionate and loving. She is the real deal. She has worked and trained closely as an apprentice to Qapel Doug Duncan. As a result, she has learned to help beings to let go of what is not working and embrace more sustainable behaviours using the combination of astrology and dharma.

Karen Mcallister

The Mindful Money Coach

Dearest Cata Sensei,
THANK YOU – for holding and shining the outstanding love, care, compassion and wisdom that you do. We are so grateful to have you in our lives and for your presence in this world of ours.
Much love, gratitude and appreciation to you for the incredible woman, teacher and human being your are. Thank you for being a true light and inspiration in this world.

Ruth Levin

MFA, Small Business Owner, Movement Teacher & Performing Artist

Catherine Sensei is an excellent teacher with a gentle manner and a keen intellect and breadth of knowledge.

Dean Nicholson

Executive Director

It is simply hard to put the ineffable to words. I don’t find meditation easy, but I do find it worth it. I would not have dreamed that a 3 day online retreat could resolve complicated matters that I have wrestled with for years. Yet it did. Thank you, Sensei. Thank you each one of you at Clear Sky.

Cheryl Bate

Clinical Counsellor, Private Practise, Whistler, BC

Catherine Sensei is an inspiring model and teacher of Women in Buddhism. She deftly weaves context, questions and her own experiences with wisdom, curiosity and a stunning clarity.

Michelle Heinz

Integral Coach

Dear Catherine Sensei, we are so blessed to have you as one of the dedicated teachers at Clear Sky. I admire your continued commitment to helping us and others on the planet and I am awed by your abilities.

Dan O'Brian

Author, Japan Series