For the start of the Western, Tibetan and Chinese New Years, the nuns and lamas of Gebchak Gonpa send a resounding Tashi Delek to you all!
The nuns planting leafy greens.
The nuns have begun their spring schedule of drubchens, beginning with a 9-day Mahakala drubchen to prepare for the ‘Losar’ Tibetan new year. A group of nuns is in their first year of a 3-year retreat at Gebchak, while many of the other nuns recently performed the annual ‘Chu-Rey’ (Drying Wet Sheets) ceremony that demonstrates their accomplishment of tummo yoga (the yoga of inner heat). The nuns are enjoying an improved diet of leafy greens grown in their own greenhouses, and a quieter atmosphere since the population of 100+ Gebchak dogs were sterilized by a group of volunteer vets last June (funded by Fondation Brigitte Bardot)!
Kaying Wangmo with Gebchak’s Tsogyal Rinpoche, Sept 2017.
Last October Kaying Wangmo, one of Gebchak’s two remaining elderly nuns, passed away at the Nunnery. She was nearly 90 years old and the circular rainbows that appeared at her death reflected her lifelong dedication to practice. There is now one remaining elderly nun at Gebchak Gonpa – Dondrub Chomtso, who first came to Gebchak in the 1930s and was among the returning generation of nuns who re-established Gebchak’s practice tradition after the Cultural Revolution. These elderly nuns are the foundation of today’s Gebchak Gonpa and they mentored the nuns who currently hold the lineage. A new wave of tiny nuns has joined Gebchak over the last few years – they are being mentored as the next generation of Gebchak’s tradition-holders.
A new generation of Gebchak nuns.
Please don’t miss these two photo albums (click below) that beautifully show these generations of Gebchak nuns, and share some of their happenings over the last year:
Photos:
Life at Gebchak Gonpa 2017
Gebchak Autumn and Winter 2017
The Yushu orphans are presently on Losar holiday from school, many staying with extended families in nomad camps for the 2 month break. In the years ahead many of our 22 children will reach year 10 of their education, and move to dormitories at higher secondary school and colleges.
The girls at a picnic last August.
We are seeking scholarships to support these children through higher education so they have the best chance at adapting well to the modernized Tibetan world. Please visit this link for how to contribute to an orphan’s scholarship. And have a look at this album of recent photos of the Yushu children:
Photos:
Yushu children 2017
Gebchak Wangdrak Rinpoche enjoyed another year of meditation retreats with his students in 2017, in both Australia and at Dongtsang Ritro Hermitage in Nangchen. Visit gebchakrigpaharsey.org to learn more.
To make a donation from anywhere in the world for the Gebchak nuns or Yushu orphans, please visit our donation page.
Thank you for your support.
On behalf of the Gebchak nuns, lamas and the Yushu orphans, sending cheers, prayers and heartfelt intentions for each of you in the year to come!
