New local book launch

By Susan Hofforth

Local author Bonnie Ryan-Fisher is being published in an anthology of women’s writings. Ryan-Fisher has been a published author since the 1980s but this is the first time her published work has been so close to her.

The anthology, Lotus Petals in the Snow: Voices of Canadian Buddhist Women, is a book about women’s voices and their journey through Buddhism. But, it’s so much more than that.

Ryan-Fisher, like many, was drawn to Buddhism for its message about life, and what to do when life gets rough. “There is suffering, and there is a way out. It’s a cycle,” she said. “This has always remained central to me and to others. It grounds you, and makes you understand that you can cope and choose for yourself how to feel about your difficulties.”

The Buddhist path speaks of three gems or jewels that support practice. They are Buddha, the teacher; Dhamma, the teachings; and Sangha, the community. Ryan-Fisher came to Buddhism after her move to Whitecourt 27 years ago, and there were few others. “When I began meditating and practicing my path, I didn’t know any other people who were doing this, or who could help me on my journey,” she said. “But, although some people search all over the world to find the gems, I stayed home and found them here.”

In the anthology, Ryan-Fisher’s essay is entitled, “Discovering the Three Jewels in Rural Alberta,” and is about her personal path towards community. In Whitecourt, she has made a community for herself out of what she was able to find in Edmonton almost 20 years ago to Whitecourt’s flourishing group of seven who meet on Friday mornings. Ryan-Fisher also teaches yin-yoga and meditation in Whitecourt.

The book launch will take place on February 6 at 1 p.m. at the Sweet Things Cafe. Come for a coffee and a chat, and hear Ryan-Fisher read from the book and talk about her inspiration. She will have some copies for sale with the proceeds going to Wellspring.

The book was edited by Tanya McGinnity and includes 31 writings by women. There is a great variety in the anthology. Some wrote essays, but some are travel pieces. One author wrote about her trip to China to see the defaced Buddhist statues there; another wrote about her camel trip across the desert. All wrote about their own experiences, their practices, and how they came to this point in their lives.

“It’s a lovely mix,” said Ryan-Fisher, “and there is something in the book that will appeal to the human being in all of us. It’s not just a book for women or a book for Buddhists. It’s a book for anyone who has had an experience that has shaken up their world and wants to have a little help understanding it.”

The book is also available on Amazon through Indigo Books and from the publisher, Sumeru Press.