Gebchak Nuns

About the nuns

Spiritual Training

Senior Gebchak nuns, 2007.

Gebchak Gonpa is unique for its intensive retreat system, which includes a three-year retreat for all nuns followed by entry into one of sixteen retreat groups where they remain in practice for the rest of their lives. This retreat system and all Gebchak meditation practices are based on sixteen Volumes composed by the first Tsang-Yang Gyamtso. These Volumes outline detailed instructions on the Six Yogas of Ratna Lingpa, with adaptations of these yogas for the female body, including eight volumes of meditations that the nuns continue to practice today in intensive group practices. These are: Hayagriva, Troma Nagmo, Tamdrin Nagpo, Tamdrin Marpo, Garuda, Varjapani, Yamantaka, and Yeshe Tsogyal. To this day the nuns continue to read and follow these texts.

For the nuns’ practice teachings including Tsa-lung and other yogas, as well as Dzogchen meditation, the senior nuns provide instruction. All the official monastic posts are filled by nuns, such as the role of Vajra Master, chant leader, disciplinarian and bursar. A committee of nuns decides regulatory matters by consensus.

The nuns rely on and request their Gebchak lamas for necessary empowerments, spiritual guidance, as well as their welfare. Gebchak Gonpa has strict rules in order to maintain their spiritual endeavors with purity and integrity. As the nuns are not permitted to leave the nunnery for extended periods of time, the nuns depend on outside support.  Wangdrak Rinpoche oversees their spiritual training and holds responsibility for their food, health care, and material well-being.

Ways to support the nuns

Prayer dedications

Sponsoring prayer dedications in your name is very meritorious. Gebchak nuns will dedicate their prayers three times a day to you – for an entire year! Details.

Food and health care fund

Contributing to the well-being of the nuns ensures the preservation and continuation of this unique female community dedicated to spiritual practice. Details.

Temple fund

With continual weathering of weak building materials and earthquake damage, the old temple was about to collapse!  The nuns devote significant time in drubchens (intensive group ritual practice) and a new temple is vital to these important gatherings that focus intensely on compassion and the accumulation of virtue. Details.