Emma Slade was once a high-rolling banker, working in London, New York and Hong Kong and chartering accounts worth millions of pounds.
But despite a flying career and decent salary, a life-changing event led her down a completely different path – one she says has improved her days for the better.
During a business trip to Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta, she was robbed at gunpoint inside her hotel room.
The Cambridge graduate was told to crouch on the floor while a gun was aimed at her head and the suspect raided through her luggage. It was hours later that armed police stormed in, finally rescuing her.
Describing it as ‘one of the most terrifying moments’ of her life, it proved to be a catalyst unlike any other, prompting her to travel to Bhutan become ordained as a Buddhist nun.
The mother-of-one, who has since relocated with her family to her home town of Whitstable, spoke with Metro about what made her turn towards Buddhism and what she has learnt.
Opening up about the ‘one lesson we could all learn to apply more in our own lives,’ Emma said: ‘There is a great deal we can learn from Bhutan, much of which is reflected in their vision of Gross National Happiness.
‘One of the key things is how the Bhutanese care for their minds through the way they live their daily lives.
‘While this may not be explicitly listed as part of Gross National Happiness, on an individual level, it plays a huge role in the rhythm of life.
‘They take time to pray, go on pilgrimages, and generally approach life in a more mindful and deliberate way.
‘Of course, like everyone else, they face the usual stresses of life, but their mental approach to these challenges is something the West could benefit from.
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‘They have a deep understanding of impermanence, and this gives them a greater ability to let things go rather than dwell on them.
‘I think this contributes enormously to maintaining a more content and wise state of mind, and it is a lesson we could all learn to apply more in our own lives.’
It took Emma years to learn from the Bhutanese. Before becoming a nun, her life as a senior financial analyst was ‘fast-paced and intellectually challenging’.
In her 20s, she was mostly based in Hong Kong, right in the midst of the booming ‘Asian tiger economies’ in the 1990s.
Her days were spent analysing screens filled with numbers and investment data, and understanding the forces that drive global markets.
But the attack in Jakarta made her realise she could die ‘without making a real difference’ or ‘connecting with others in a meaningful way’.
Emma recalled the harrowing events of that night. ‘I remember opening my hotel door in response to a simple knock, only to find myself face-to-face with a man pointing a gun directly at me.
‘The fear was overwhelming, but in that moment, as I crouched on the floor with the gun aimed at my head, I felt something even deeper than fear – a profound sorrow.
‘In particular, I felt like I had never loved anyone. That realisation pierced through the fear and stayed with me long after the event itself. It planted a seed in my heart, a seed that eventually grew into a commitment to serve others as best I could.’
Becoming a nun was also not without its challenges. Emma had to take a vow of celibacy and commit to a life of discipline and simplicity.
For her, it is a ‘pure and deeply meaningful’ way to live, but it also means not having a partner by her side to share in the ups and downs of life.
She said that absence of someone in her corner has been difficult at times, especially because there are ‘so few people who understand’ what it is like to bridge the worlds of East and West as she does.
Emma, who is also known as Lopen Pema Deki, founded a charity, Opening Your Heart to Bhutan, which received royal backing from the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2017 during their visit to Bhutan.
She also documented her path to Buddhism in her book ‘Set Free: A Life-Changing Journey From Banking to Buddhism in Bhutan’.
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