Buddha and business: Nun leaves life in abbey to pursue retail career

To see Jade Meunier in her graduation gown, diploma in hand, you might never guess she was once a Buddhist nun.

The 30-year-oldspeaks with a quiet poise, each word carefully thought out as she mills about with her fellow grads at the Nova Scotia Community College'sKingstec campus.

She and 400 other students crossed the stage inKentvilleFriday morning. But before that, the business and administration graduate lived in Gampo Abbey monastery,where she shaved her head anddonnedthe robes of a nun.

GampoAbbeyis a Buddhist monastery founded in 1983 near the northern tip of Cape Breton in Pleasant Bay. It follows theShambhalaschool of Buddhism, which ispracticed across Nova Scotia.

Guided by an intuitive feeling

Meunier, who's originally from Quebec,held several administrative positions at the abbeyand also cooked for her fellow devoteesduring her time there from 2011-2015. About 60 people live at the monastery, which offers regular tours to the public.

Now that she has her diploma, Meunier hopes to open a general store somewhere in rural Nova Scotia.

The high-pressure world of being a small business owner may seem to run counter to the simple, non-materialistic life of a monk or nun.

"It wasn't very logical to be honest," Meunieracknowledges.

"I think I tend to live my life more intuitively for better or for worse. I just had a strong gut feeling."

5 hours of daily meditation

Meunier says living a monastic life wasn't easy, with long periods of silence, hard workand five hours of daily meditation.

"It was a pretty demanding schedule. We had to be very physically, emotionally and psychologically stable," she said.

Meunier, who currently works in a general store in Inverness, believes her Buddhist teachings will be a valuable guide toher future as a business woman.

"If we take the time to appreciate and be grateful for what we have, then we can imbue this materialism with a greater preciousness to conserve society instead of harming it."

Meunierstill practices Buddhism and meditates for about a half hour every morning.