HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo (born October 12, 1949; born Alyce Louise Zeoli) is a
tulku A ''tulku'' (, also ''tülku'', ''trulku'') is a reincarnate custodian of a specific lineage of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism who is given empowerments and trained from a young age by students of his or her predecessor. High-profile examples ...
within the Palyul lineage of the
Nyingma Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and transl ...
tradition of
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
. She gained international attention when she, a western woman, was enthroned as a reincarnated lama. Since the mid-1980's she has served as spiritual director for Kunzang Odsal Palyul Changchub Choling, a Buddhist center in Poolesville,
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, which includes a large community of western monks and nuns. She also founded a center in
Sedona Sedona is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino and Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 10,031. It is within the Coconino National Fo ...
,
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, U.S.A., and has small communities of students in California and Australia. Ahkon Lhamo has been described by her teachers, Tibetan lamas
Penor Rinpoche Kyabjé Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (), 1932 – 27 March 2009, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and said to be an incarnation of Vimalamitra. He was widely renowned in the Tibetan Bu ...
, Gyaltrul Rinpoche, as well as others such as Jigme Phuntsok, as a dakini or female wisdom being.Zangpo, Ven. Tsering Lama Jampal. ''A Garland of Immortal Wish-fulfilling Trees: The Palyul Tradition of the Nyingmapa'', Snow Lion Publications, pg 186


Biography


Early years

Zeoli was born in
Canarsie, Brooklyn Canarsie ( ) is a mostly residential neighborhood in the southeastern portion of Brooklyn, New York City. Canarsie is bordered on the east by Fresh Creek Basin and East 108th Street; on the north by Linden Boulevard; on the west by Ralph Aven ...
on October 12, 1949, to an Austrian/Dutch Jewish mother and Italian father. She and her half-brothers and sisters were raised by her stepfather and mother, and alternately attended the Dutch Reform Church and the Catholic church.Mackenzie, pg 59 The family moved to
Hialeah, Florida Hialeah ( ; ) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. With a population of 223,109 as of the 2020 census, Hialeah is the sixth-largest city in Florida. It is the second largest city by population in the Miami metropolitan area ...
when she was 14. Her stepfather was an alcoholic and physically abusive towards the children, and Zeoli tried to run away at age 17. After high school, she married Jim Perry and gave birth to her first son, Ben. The marriage ended in divorce and she moved to a farm outside Asheville, North Carolina with Pat Mulloy. They married and she had another son, Christopher. Zeoli adopted her daughter, Atira, later in 1988. Based on a series of instructive dreams that started at age 19, Zeoli began a meditation practice, later identified as chod by
Penor Rinpoche Kyabjé Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (), 1932 – 27 March 2009, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and said to be an incarnation of Vimalamitra. He was widely renowned in the Tibetan Bu ...
, culminating in a spiritual experience at age 30. She studied with a New Age teacher named Jim Gore and led classes at the Black Mountain Light Center in North Carolina.Blythe, pg 111 In 1980, she met Michael Burroughs, a graduate student in religions at the
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
and separated from Malloy in 1981. Zeoli moved with Burroughs and her son Christopher to
Kensington, Maryland Kensington is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,213 at the 2010 United States Census. Greater Kensington encompasses the entire 20895 ZIP code, with a population of 19,054. History The area around th ...
. (Her son Ben remained with Malloy.) She married Burroughs in 1983 and changed her name to Catharine. Together they formed a non-sectarian organization ''The Center for Discovery and New Life'' beginning with former members from the Black Mountain Light Center. She gave channeled teachings, specifically a three-year cycle of teachings called the Santu SeriesSherrill, ''The Buddha From Brooklyn'', pg 54 Her group quickly expanded, with the students practicing the meditation techniques Zeoli herself practiced from her dreams, and taking vows of compassion that Zeoli composed. The group began a 24-hour prayer vigil in the basement of their Kensington home in April, 1985.Sherrill, ''The Buddha From Brooklyn'', pg 55


Buddhism


Meeting her root guru

In 1984, Zeoli's students met a Tibetan man named Kunzang,
Penor Rinpoche Kyabjé Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (), 1932 – 27 March 2009, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and said to be an incarnation of Vimalamitra. He was widely renowned in the Tibetan Bu ...
's main lay attendant, who was selling rugs to support
Namdroling Monastery The Namdroling Nyingmapa Monastery (or Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargye Ling)(བོད་ཡིག ཐེག་མཆོག་རྣམ་གྲོལ་བཤད་སྒྲུབ་དར་རྒྱས་གླིང་།) ( Wylie: ''theg ...
. The students sponsored seventy Namdroling monks. A few months later, on his first visit to the US Penor Rinpoche visited her center and stayed with the Burroughs. During that week, he interviewed Ahkon Lhamo's students, as well as Ahkon Lhamo herself, about what was being taught and what they were practicing.Sherrill, ''The Buddha From Brooklyn'', pg 57 The students asked him what their missions were to help the world. He announced that Zeoli had been teaching Mahayana Buddhism without any formal instruction and attributed it to practice accomplished in previous lifetimes.Sherrill, ''The Buddha From Brooklyn'', pg 57-8 Penor Rinpoche then gave Ahkon Lhamo's students the traditional refuge and
bodhisattva vow The Bodhisattva vow is a vow (Sanskrit: ''praṇidhāna,'' lit. aspiration or resolution) taken by some Mahāyāna Buddhists to achieve full buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings. One who has taken the vow is nominally known as a bodhi ...
s, which constitute formal entry into
Hinayana Hīnayāna (, ) is a Sanskrit term literally meaning the "small/deficient vehicle". Classical Chinese and Tibetan teachers translate it as "smaller vehicle". The term is applied collectively to the ''Śrāvakayāna'' and ''Pratyekabuddhayāna'' pa ...
and
Mahayana ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing br ...
Buddhism, respectively. Thereafter Zeoli continued the channeled teachings, but they took on a more Buddhist flavor. The center hosted Khenpo Palden Sherab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, Gyaltrul Rinpoche, and Chagdud Tulku as she and her students began traditional Buddhist preliminary practice,
ngöndro In Tibetan Buddhism, Ngöndro (, sa, pūrvaka) refers to the preliminary, preparatory or foundational practices or disciplines (Sanskrit: sādhanā) common to all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and also to Bon. They precede deity yoga. The p ...
. Beset by health problems, she made a trip in 1986 to
Ashland, Oregon Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It lies along Interstate 5 approximately 16 miles (26 km) north of the California border and near the south end of the Rogue Valley. The city's population was 21,360 at the 2020 ...
to visit Gyatrul Rinpoche, one of Penor Rinpoche's other hosts on his American tour the previous year. She formed a strong and immediate connectionSherrill, ''The Buddha From Brooklyn'', pg 107 with Gyatrul Rinpoche, the incarnation of Palyul Monastery's founder, Rigdzin Kunzang Sherab (1636-1699). Gyatrul Rinpoche echoed the sentiment that the practices and teachings that Zeoli was giving were Buddhist and due to past lifetimes of practice, and encouraged her to visit Penor Rinpoche in India to investigate the matter further.Sherrill, ''The Buddha From Brooklyn'', pg 107-8


Transmissions

At the age of 37, Ahkon Lhamo began the sequence of Buddhist practices that most
tulkus A ''tulku'' (, also ''tülku'', ''trulku'') is a reincarnate custodian of a specific lineage of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism who is given empowerments and trained from a young age by students of his or her predecessor. High-profile examples ...
begin very young. She was given the
Nam Cho Nam, Nam, or The Nam are shortened terms for: * Vietnam, which is also spelled ''Viet Nam'' * The Vietnam War Nam, The Nam or NAM may also refer to: Arts and media * Nam, a fictional character in anime series ''Dragon Ball'' * ''NAM'' (video ...
Ngöndro In Tibetan Buddhism, Ngöndro (, sa, pūrvaka) refers to the preliminary, preparatory or foundational practices or disciplines (Sanskrit: sādhanā) common to all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and also to Bon. They precede deity yoga. The p ...
by Gyaltrul Rinpoche in 1986, accumulating prostrations alongside her students. A year later, she was given the Three Roots from
Penor Rinpoche Kyabjé Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (), 1932 – 27 March 2009, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and said to be an incarnation of Vimalamitra. He was widely renowned in the Tibetan Bu ...
at Namdroling monastery in India. She received the Rinchen Terzod from
Penor Rinpoche Kyabjé Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (), 1932 – 27 March 2009, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and said to be an incarnation of Vimalamitra. He was widely renowned in the Tibetan Bu ...
,
Nam Cho Nam, Nam, or The Nam are shortened terms for: * Vietnam, which is also spelled ''Viet Nam'' * The Vietnam War Nam, The Nam or NAM may also refer to: Arts and media * Nam, a fictional character in anime series ''Dragon Ball'' * ''NAM'' (video ...
Tsa Lung from Gyaltrul Rinpoche, Nyingthik Yabshi and Ratna Lingpa from
Yangthang Rinpoche Yangthang Rinpoche or Domang Yangthang Rinpoche (Tib. , Wyl. ''mdo mang g.yang thang rin po che'') or Kunzang Jigmed Dechen Ösal Dorje (Tibetan calendar: 16th Rabjyung, Sa abrul, 10th of 11th month-17th Rabjyung, Me sprel, 14th of 8th month) (193 ...
, Jigmed Phuntsok's Gurkukma Vajrakilaya and other terma, the Yeshe Lama from Orgyen Kusum Lingpa, and the
Nam Cho Nam, Nam, or The Nam are shortened terms for: * Vietnam, which is also spelled ''Viet Nam'' * The Vietnam War Nam, The Nam or NAM may also refer to: Arts and media * Nam, a fictional character in anime series ''Dragon Ball'' * ''NAM'' (video ...
cycle of empowerments from
Penor Rinpoche Kyabjé Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (), 1932 – 27 March 2009, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and said to be an incarnation of Vimalamitra. He was widely renowned in the Tibetan Bu ...
, which were hosted at Kunzang Palyul Choling from 1988 through 1996. She traveled to receive the
Kama ''Kama'' (Sanskrit ) means "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh literature.Monier Williamsकाम, kāmaMonier-Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, pp 271, see 3rd column Kama often connotes sensual pleasure, sexual ...
transmission at Tashi Choling in
Ashland, Oregon Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It lies along Interstate 5 approximately 16 miles (26 km) north of the California border and near the south end of the Rogue Valley. The city's population was 21,360 at the 2020 ...
, in 1988, and the
Nam Cho Nam, Nam, or The Nam are shortened terms for: * Vietnam, which is also spelled ''Viet Nam'' * The Vietnam War Nam, The Nam or NAM may also refer to: Arts and media * Nam, a fictional character in anime series ''Dragon Ball'' * ''NAM'' (video ...
a second time from Karma Kuchen in McDonough, New York, in 2018.


Buddhist temple

In 1985, her center formed a corporation and purchased an antebellum style mansion in Poolesville, Maryland where her temple was established, which
Penor Rinpoche Kyabjé Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (), 1932 – 27 March 2009, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and said to be an incarnation of Vimalamitra. He was widely renowned in the Tibetan Bu ...
named Kunzang Palyul Choling. They also purchased numerous large crystals weighing hundreds of pounds and held a three-day retreat to instate the 24-hour prayer vigil at the new location.


24-hour Prayer vigil

The 24-hour prayer vigil is the core of her teachings and the temple's activity. Participants maintain two-hour prayer shifts and the vigil is dedicated to the end of suffering. Ahkon Lhamo initiated the 24-hour Prayer Vigil for World Peace in her Kensington, Maryland home on April 18, 1985, beginning with practices she taught, and later continuing with traditional Buddhist practices in the Nyingma tradition. The vigil relocated later that year to the newly purchased World Prayer Center (now Kunzang Palyul Choling). In addition to the ongoing prayers for peace, members and individuals not associated with KPC request prayers be dedicated to loved ones, pets, the recently deceased, or those hit by natural disasters. Occasionally Ahkon Lhamo asks that the vigil be dedicated to specific situations. For example, the members dedicated eight months of prayer for Asia Claus, a three-year-old daughter of temple members who was suffering from her second bout of cancer. The effort concluded when doctors could find no trace of the cancer, sparking a round of media attention.Hansen, Nate. "'Pilar' of life, Asia Claus recovers from cancer" ''Red Rock News'', June 2, 2006 The Maryland vigil continues unbroken to the present day.


Stupas

She had a 36' stupa built in 1988 which was consecrated by Penor Rinpoche during the Rinchen Terzod. Then eight small stupas representing the eight activities of the Buddha. encircling an 18' stupa were built in 1991 and consecrated by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso. Penor Rinpoche gave Ahkon Lhamo a relic from Tulku Migyur Dorje to be housed in the Migyur Dorje Stupa, which was built and consecrated in 1996. In 1996, in addition to the temple, prayer vigil, teachings and stupas, Ahkon Lhamo's vision for Kunzang Palyul Choling included a place for pilgrimage with a hospice, school for children, a monastery and an institute for higher education in the Buddha's teachings. The school, called Pema Choling, ran from 1992 to 1997.


Monastic community

Like her predecessor, Ahkon Lhamo took lay vows, even as she built a monastic community for those who wished to take full ordination. In September, 1988, toward the end of
Penor Rinpoche Kyabjé Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (), 1932 – 27 March 2009, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and said to be an incarnation of Vimalamitra. He was widely renowned in the Tibetan Bu ...
’s conferral of the Rinchen Terdzod, 25 of Ahkon Lhamo's students underwent the traditional ordination ceremony to become monks and nuns, creating a large monastic community. Though some have since left their ordination or died, others have joined, and by 2008 the number of KPC's ordained had grown to 40.


Buddhist recognitions

The Third Drubwang Padma Norbu ("Penor") Rinpoche, 11th Throneholder of Palyul Monastery, former Supreme Head of the
Nyingma Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and transl ...
tradition, officially recognized Ahkon Lhamo in 1987 as the tulku of Genyenma Ahkon Lhamo during her visit to his Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe,
Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
, India. Penor Rinpoche sought confirmation of his recognition from both
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Tashi Paljor, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche () (c. 1910 – 28 September 1991) was a Vajrayana master, scholar, poet, teacher, and recognized by Buddhists as one of the greatest realized masters. Head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism from 198 ...
(1910–91), and the senior Palyul tulku, the Second Dzongnang Jampal Lodro Rinpoche (d. 8/87) before announcing it."Statement by H.H. Penor Rinpoche Regarding the Recognition of Steven Seagal as a Reincarnation of the Treasure Revealer Chungdrag Dorje of Palyul Monastery

/ref> ''The Buddha From Brooklyn'' asserts that the students determine what title they will use for their own teacher and that Zeoli's ex-husband, Michael Burroughs, selected the title 'Jetsunma' for her. This is a title rarely given to even the most revered Tibetan Buddhist women teachers.


Genyenma Ahkon Lhamo

The first Genyenma Ahkon Lhamo, a meditator recognized as a wisdom dakini was one of the main disciples of
Namchö Mingyur Dorje Namchö Mingyur Dorje (, 1645–1667) was a Tibetan tertön or "treasure revealer" in Tibetan Buddhism. His extraordinary "pure vision" revelations, which mostly occurred around the age of 16, are known as the Namchö ( "Sky Dharma" terma ...
(1645–67) and sister of Rigdzin Kunzang Sherab, Migyur Dorje's Dharma heir and the First Throneholder of Palyul Monastery (founded 1665). She was credited as being instrumental to the founding of Palyul (now one of the Nyingma's six main or "mother" monasteries) and for leaving a relic that is important to Palyul. During the cremation of her body, her kapala (top half of the skull) is said to have flown three kilometers and come to rest at the foot of the teaching throne of her brother. Found to be miraculously embossed with the sacred syllable AH, the kapala became an important relic housed at Palyul monastery in Tibet. Penor Rinpoche gave the relic to Ahkon Lhamo in 1988. He recounted that as a young tulku in Tibet (he was recognized and brought to Palyul Monastery in 1936, at the age of four), inspired by seeing the skull relic, he made prayers to find Ahkon Lhamo's incarnation. Though most of the kapala relic was pulverized into dust during the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goa ...
, one Tibetan man managed to save a silver dollar-size piece on which the syllable "AH" appears. Penor Rinpoche acquired it from him on a return trip to Tibet in 1987. He had it preserved in a crystal lotus bowl and presented it to Ahkon Lhamo just prior to the occasion of her enthronement ceremony at Kunzang Palyul Choling (KPC) in 1988. The relic remains at KPC and is displayed on auspicious days.


Mandarava emanation

In 1994, Terton Orgyen Kusum Lingpa indicated in a long life prayer he composed that Ahkon Lhamo was an emanation of Lhacham Mandarava, the Indian princess of Zahor and one of the consorts of
Padmasambhava Padmasambhava ("Born from a Lotus"), also known as Guru Rinpoche (Precious Guru) and the Lotus from Oḍḍiyāna, was a tantric Buddhist Vajra master from India who may have taught Vajrayana in Tibet (circa 8th – 9th centuries)... According ...
, a tantric master who helped establish the Buddha's teaching in Tibet. In 1996, she traveled to India and visited many of the places where Mandarava was known to have practiced. Inspired by these events, several of Ahkon Lhamo's students sought out and found a copy of Mandarava's middle-length spiritual biography, revealed as a terma in the 17th century by Samten Lingpa, at the U.S. Library of Congress. They then sponsored an English translation of the text, published as ''The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava'' in 1998.


Expansion


Arizona, Australia, and Mongolia

In the late 90's Ahkon Lhamo moved to Arizona with a number of students to start a second center, where she resided for the next decade. There she built a 36' Amitabha stupa in a Peace Park, which is now a local attraction for Sedona, Arizona. In 1999, Kunzang Palyul Choling (KPC) began a second 24-hour prayer vigil which continued until August 31, 2008. During this period Ahkon Lhamo hosted various teachers and taught the Chime Sogtik teachings on long life. Students from across Australia hosted Palyul teachers and regularly visited her US centers. Growing out of a personal friendship with then Mongolian Ambassador Choinkhor and his wife, Ahkon Lhamo asked her students in 2004 to create the Mongolian Buddhism Revival Project (MBRP) to help with
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
's post-Communist revival of its Buddhist culture, especially the Nyingma lineage. Permanent staff was sent to Mongolia's capital,
Ulaanbaatar Ulaanbaatar (; mn, Улаанбаатар, , "Red Hero"), previously anglicized as Ulan Bator, is the capital and most populous city of Mongolia. It is the coldest capital city in the world, on average. The municipality is located in north ce ...
, in early 2005.  


Classical Buddhist teachings

From 1996–2001, Ahkon Lhamo hosted the Migyur Dorje Institute of Higher Buddhist Studies (MDI). Under this program, taught by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, students received complete commentary teachings on classic Buddhist texts by
Shantideva Shantideva (Sanskrit: Śāntideva; ; ; mn, Шантидэва гэгээн; vi, Tịch Thiên) was an 8th-century CE Indian philosopher, Buddhist monk, poet, and scholar at the mahavihara of Nalanda. He was an adherent of the Mādhyamaka phil ...
,
Chandrakirti Chandrakirti (; ; , meaning "glory of the moon" in Sanskrit) or "Chandra" was a Buddhist scholar of the madhyamaka school and a noted commentator on the works of Nagarjuna () and those of his main disciple, Aryadeva. He wrote two influential w ...
, Asanga, Ngari Panchen, and Mipham Rinpoche. This curriculum was supplemented by annual 30-day retreats teaching the traditional Nyingmapa sequence of the inner tantra: Ngondro,
Tsa Lung Tsalung (Skt: '' nadi-vayu''; Tib. ''rtsa rlung''; where "rtsa" denotes an energetic channel) are special yogic exercises. The exercises are used in the Bon tradition and the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Trul khor employs the ''tsa lung ...
, Trekchod, and Togyal. With
Penor Rinpoche Kyabjé Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche (), 1932 – 27 March 2009, was the 11th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and said to be an incarnation of Vimalamitra. He was widely renowned in the Tibetan Bu ...
’s development of a similar program at the Palyul Retreat Center in McDonough, NY, the MDI program has been discontinued.


Music

Ahkon Lhamo had already begun composing music in the 1990's with her CD "Invocation," a prayer to Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Buddhism in Tibet. In Sedona, she experimented and combined mantra, Tibetan instruments, and popular musical styles on her albums "Revolution of Compassion," "Delog," and "Trilogy" as a form of passive outreach. She sang with Tex Gabriel, former bass guitarist for John Lennon, on her album "Ellinwood Ranch Blues." 


Animal rescue

When hurricane Katrina stranded thousands of animals in New Orleans in 2005, she adopted a large number of dogs herself and founded Tara's Babies, an animal rescue organization. The target group was dogs on death row, so Tara's Babies continued to rescue dogs from shelters, specializing in fearful and other dogs other shelters rejected. Not long after, she founded the Garuda Aviary, which rescues abused and neglected parrots and educates the public about exotic birds.


Present day


Maryland renovations

Ahkon Lhamo returned to attend to the aging temple in Maryland. The structure was decades old, and by 2013 it needed repairs and renovations to be in compliance with Montgomery County's Building Use and Occupancy Code. The shrine room, separate from the main building, remained open and housed all teachings and activities, and the prayer vigil. The organization raised $1 million for the building of the new temple as of February 18, 2019. The Maryland vigil continues unbroken to the present day. She continues to build new supports for practice. In 2020, she built a lotus pond surrounding a replica of the Statue of Liberty, and most recently, consulted with artisans in Nepal to create an outdoor 13' Guru Rinpoche (Nangsi Zilnon) statue and throne, saying, "Guru Rinpoche is the appearance in the world of every conceivable virtue, without any exception." The statue was consecrated in June 2022.


Charitable works

With the pandemic, to address rising food insecurity, Ahkon Lhamo's efforts turned to the practical production of food for local charities: she began a flock of 90 chickens and donated eggs, and with a six-month start-up grant from Montgomery County, started a 2,400 square foot demonstration and production food garden. The garden continues through the Maxine and James Cable Memorial Food Garden Initiative and has produced hundreds of pounds of fresh vegetables a year, which are delivered to local area food banks and shelters. Additionally, the garden has donated starter plants to other local area shelters and churches to start their own gardens, and hosted gardening education work days so people can learn to grow their own food.


Publications and podcasts

* Jetsunma Ahkön Norbu Lhamo. ''Buddhism for Beginners podcast'', Ahkön Norbu Lhamo. * Jetsunma Ahkön Norbu Lhamo. ''The Practice of Generosity'', publisher unknown, Ahkön Norbu Lhamo, 1991. * Jetsunma Ahkön Norbu Lhamo. ''Stabilizing the Mind: A meditational technique to develop spaciousness in the mind''. Palyul Press, 2005, * Jetsunma Ahkön Norbu Lhamo. ''Vow of Love: Living an extraordinary life of compassion'', Kunzang Odsal Palyul Changchub Choling, 2017. * Jetsunma Ahkön Norbu Lhamo. ''Boundless Treasury of Blessings: A Collection of Prayers, Teachings and Poems''. Kunzang Odsal Palyul Changchub Choling, 2018.


Discography

* * * *


See also

* Ngagmo *
Vajrayogini Vajrayoginī ( sa, italic=yes, Vajrayoginī वज्रयोगिनी; , Dorjé Neljorma; mn, Огторгуйд Одогч, Нархажид, ) is a Tantric Buddhist female Buddha and a . The ''Vajrayogini'' cult dates back to the tenth ...
*
Yidam ''Yidam'' is a type of deity associated with tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism said to be manifestations of Buddhahood or enlightened mind. During personal meditation (''sādhana'') practice, the yogi identifies their own form, attributes and mi ...


Footnotes


References

* Brace, Eric. "Limelight," Washington Post, Feb 23, 1992 * Blythe, Will. "Bad Karma," ''Mirabella Magazine'', 1998. * Cohen, Andrew. "What's the Relationship Between Emptiness and Beautiful Nails?", ''What is Enlightenment Magazine'', Fall/Winter 1990 * Iyer, Pico. "The Price of Faith," ''Tricycle: The Buddhist Review'', Summer 2000. * MacKenzie, Vicki. ''Reborn in the West''. Da Capo Press, 1996, * Oldenburg, Dan. "The Unexpected Incarnation," The Washington Post, Sep 26, 1988 * Sherrill, Martha. ''The Buddha from Brooklyn'', Random House 2000, * Sherrill, Martha. "The Buddha from Poolesville," Washington Post, Apr 16, 2000 * Sherrill, Martha. "Tough Town, Sad Times. So Why Are These People Smiling?" The Washington Post, May 17, 1995 * Sherrill, Martha. "Where the Lamas Let Their Hair Down Peace, Love & Squirting Cameras At a Joyful Buddhist Barbecue," Washington Post, Jun 5, 1995 * Sherrill, Martha. "Women of the Year," Ms Magazine, January/February 1989 Vol. XVII Nos. 7 & 8. * Zhu, Christine. "Buddhist temple in Poolesville unveils new statue," Bethesda Magazine, June 15, 2022.


Further reading

* Coleman, James William. ''The New Buddhism: The Western Transformation of an Ancient Tradition'', Oxford University Press, 2002. * Jetsunma Ahkön Norbu Lhamo. ''The Practice of Generosity'', publisher unknown, Ahkön Norbu Lhamo, 1991. * Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. ''Stabilizing the Mind''. Palyul Press, 2005, * Khandro, Sangye. ''The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava: The Indian Consort of Padmasambhava'', Wisdom Publications, 1998. ; * Morreale, Don. ''The Complete Guide to Buddhist America'', Shambhala, 1998. * Miller, Timothy. ''America's Alternative Religions'', State University of New York Press, 1995. * Paine, Jeffrey. ''Re-Enchantment: Tibetan Buddhism Comes To The West'', publisher unknown, 2004. * Prebish, Charles S. and Kenneth Kenichi Tanaka. ''The Faces of Buddhism in America'', University of California Press, 1998. * Zangpo, Ven. Tsering Lama Jamapal, translated by Sangye Khandro. ''A Garden of Immortal Wish-Fulfilling Trees: the Palyul Tradition of Nyingmapa'', Snow Lion Publications, 1988. * ''The Truth: About the Five Primary Religions and the Seven Rules of Any Good Religion''.
The Oracle Institute The Oracle Institute is a 501(c)(3) educational charity founded in 2004 by Laura M. George and located in Independence, Virginia. Oracle operates a multi-faith spirituality school, an award-winning publishing house, the Peace Pentagon HUB and con ...
, 2005. * ''Encyclopedia of Women And Religion in North America''. Edited by Rosemary Skinner Keller, Rosemary Radford Ruether, and Marie Cantlon, Indiana University Press, 2006. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lhamo, Jetsunma Ahkon 1949 births Living people 20th-century lamas 21st-century lamas American lamas American people of Austrian-Jewish descent American people of Dutch-Jewish descent American people of Italian descent Nyingma lamas Nyingma tulkus People from Canarsie, Brooklyn Vajrayana and women