May 13
Tuesday
Bhikshuni Pema Chödrön appointed Abbess of Gampo Abbey
An excerpt from the Gampo Abbey May 2025 Newsletter.
Our first Abbot, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (1933-2023), served at the request of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche for many years until his passing in 2023, and Ani Pema has been our Principal Teacher for all those years.
Today, we are very pleased to share some exceptionally good news. Bhiksunni Pema Chödrön has agreed to be the Abbess of Gampo Abbey. She has a vision for moving forward, keeping the monastic tradition alive in the Western world, and we are very pleased.
After serving the community for over forty years as Principal Teacher, Ani Pema will become our Abbess. Following our first Abbot, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, who died in 2023, Ani Pema says she is very excited to take this new role.
Watch the video to see her comments on the appointment.
To honour her appointment, we have initiated a fund to support the future operations of Gampo Abbey and fulfill her vision going forward called Honouring Abbess Pema Chödrön.
If you would like to link your karmic path and show your support for our new Abbess, you can do that below.
Entries filed under Community Articles
Ordinary Bravery – HIGHLIGHT
Shastri Column: This new article is part of a series of articles by Shastris – senior Shambhala teachers – on themes that Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche has been emphasizing in his teachings since he ended his year-long retreat almost a year ago in March, 2011. This article ... continuePosted February 6, 2012 by
The Medicine Bow on Horseback, part 2 – HIGHLIGHT
[caption id=”attachment_28937″ align=”alignleft” width=”300″ >Click here to read part 1. The constant stiff wind during the day and hours of chores at our campsite allowed little time for conversation. Every morning after wake up began with a check on the horses, a campfire and breakfast for us ... continuePosted February 3, 2012 by
The Medicine Bow on Horseback – HIGHLIGHT
[caption id=”attachment_28897″ align=”alignright” width=”215″ It was around the year 1980 when the Sakyong (who was then 18 and had the title of “Sawang”), John Cunningham and I got the idea to do something really western: we would ride horses through mountain wilderness. Both John and I ... continuePosted February 1, 2012 by
A Mahamudra Weekend of Joy – HIGHLIGHT
Recently, in Santa Rosa, California, a group of practitioners gathered to go deeper into the profound teachings and practice of mahamudra. This article by Peter Dobbin of the San Francisco Shambhala Center sheds a little light for us on what that experience was like. #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 ... continuePosted January 25, 2012 by
Enlightened Households: What it Could Look Like – HIGHLIGHT
Article and photos by Michael Levy When two senior teachers, Steve Vosper and Kimiko Miyakawa, joined Shastri Samten Kobelt in Boulder for a hands-on workshop about Enlightened Households, a buzz began in the community. I didn’t really have the time, but the magnetism of this group and ... continuePosted January 22, 2012 by
Serenity Lane: Welcome to New Brunswick – HIGHLIGHT
We’ve all heard about the Shambhala centers in Nova Scotia. But who ever heard of New Brunswick? On an epic bicycle adventure last summer, Shambhala Times Editor Sarah Lipton discovered the gem that is the New Brunswick sangha. Teaming up with Shambhala Times volunteer editor and ... continuePosted January 21, 2012 by Sarah
Song for Shambhala Level Three
The weekend of January 13 to 15 was the occasion of a delightful Shambhala Training Level Three in Fredericton. The twelve participants were taught and inspired by Director Craig Schneider and Assistant Director David Seabrook – in his first Level as an AD – while ... continuePosted January 17, 2012 by frances_giberson
A Conversation on Aging – HIGHLIGHT
This is the second is a series of articles on Aging in Shambhala. Read the first article if you missed it: Aging in Englightened Society. — A Statement on Aging was adopted by the Shambhala Congress held in November 2009. That document (click here to read it) was ... continuePosted January 15, 2012 by
At “Home” in Salt Lake City – HIGHLIGHT
by Vickie Kennedy Overfelt and Jeff Fink Antelope Island boasts 28,000 acres of sage and rock rising some 4,200 feet from the brackish waters of the Great Salt Lake, the last vestige of an antediluvian ocean thought once to cover the Great Basin of Utah, Nevada, southern ... continuePosted January 6, 2012 by
Children’s Day Celebrations Across Europe – HIGHLIGHT
By Liesbeth Scholten and Harald Ronge At this special time of year – the return of sun at the winter solstice – Children’s Day is an opportunity for us to celebrate the light of our society’s future, our children. In Europe, several local communities celebrated Children’s Day ... continuePosted December 31, 2011 by
Entering the Desung Path – HIGHLIGHT
by Susan Wright This past November, the Shambhala Center of Los Angeles hosted a weekend program with 30 participants from the US and Pacific West Coast, who had gathered for an Entering the Desung Path weekend. As an integral part of this blossoming society of ... continuePosted December 29, 2011 by
Celebrating Children’s Day! – HIGHLIGHT
Children’s Day celebrations resounded throughout the mandala in the last week. Photos from celebrations at Karme Choling and the Halifax Shambhala Center can be viewed below. Over the years, the Shambhala community has adopted a tradition of celebrating the changes of season. These special days of celebration ... continuePosted December 26, 2011 by
Surfing the Tides of Meditation in Austin – HIGHLIGHT
by Ian Powell Sunday sitting practice at the Austin Shambhala Meditation Center (ASMC) comes together regularly based on the generosity and inspiration of individuals committed to developing bravery and gentleness through mindfulness-awareness meditation. On the path of meditation practice, one develops positive qualities by fully inhabiting one’s ... continuePosted December 23, 2011 by
Manhattan Heartbreak – HIGHLIGHT
On November 25th, heartbreak struck our sangha with the tragic death of Michal Lura Friedman due to complications from a C-section after she gave birth to two beautiful, healthy twin babies. For those of you who never met her, Michal was a beautiful, talented woman who ... continuePosted December 22, 2011 by
One Aspiration of 100,000 – HIGHLIGHT
Inspired to share his best intentions and radiate them to the world, David Nichtern recently submitted an aspiration on 100,000 Aspirations. This is a project of Karme Choling, a retreat center in Northern Vermont offering contemplative practices and disciplines to promote peace, wisdom and compassion in ... continuePosted December 18, 2011 by
RSS feed for the Community Articles category
View all posts from authors in Community Articles: jillian_johnson
