Venerable Thubten Semkye

Ven. Semkye was the Abbey's first lay resident, coming to help Venerable Chodron with the gardens and land management in the spring of 2004. She became the Abbey's third nun in 2007 and received bhikshuni ordination in Taiwan in 2010. She met Venerable Chodron at the Dharma Friendship Foundation in Seattle in 1996. She took refuge in 1999. When the land was acquired for the Abbey in 2003, Ven. Semye coordinated volunteers for the initial move-in and early remodeling. A founder of Friends of Sravasti Abbey, she accepted the position of chairperson to provide the Four Requisites for the monastic community. Realizing that was a difficult task to do from 350 miles away, she moved to the Abbey in spring of 2004. Although she didn't originally see ordination in her future, after the 2006 Chenrezig retreat when she spent half of her meditation time reflecting on death and impermanence, Ven. Semkye realized that ordaining would be the wisest, most compassionate use of her life. View pictures of her ordination. Ven. Semkye draws on her extensive experience in landscaping and horticulture to manage the Abbey's forests and gardens. She oversees "Offering Volunteer Service Weekends" during which volunteers help with construction, gardening, and forest stewardship.

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Cultivating the Four Immeasurables

Meditation on the four immeasurables

A guided meditation on the four immeasurables—love, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

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Cultivating the Four Immeasurables

Meditation on metta and safety

A guided analytical meditation on loving-kindness or metta, focusing on offering safety to friends, enemies…

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Vajrasattva New Year's Retreat 2020-21

“Bodhisattvas’ Confession of Ethical Downfalls...

Discussion of the non-virtues mentioned in the "Bodhisattvas’ Confession of Ethical Downfalls". Also the need…

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Buddhist Meditation 101

Meditation on establishing a daily practice

A guided contemplation on establishing a daily spiritual practice, the benefits and overcoming hindrances.

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Volume 2 The Foundation of Buddhist Practice

Review of Chapter 3

Reviewing Chapter 3 discussing five aggregates and virtuous mental factors with examples.

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Gomchen Lamrim

Review of cultivating insight into emptiness

Venerable Thubten Semkye reviews the first two teachings by Venerable Thubten Chodron on the wisdom…

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Venerable Chodron cutting the hair of Venerable Semkye (then Nancy).
Becoming a Monastic

Becoming a nun

There are many ways to consider one's desire to ordain. Motivation is the most important…

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An Open-Hearted Life

Strength, joy, and compassion

Getting clear about what compassion is and is not. Increasing compassion by changing our perspective…

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Gomchen Lamrim

The six far-reaching practices

Venerable Thubten Semkye teaches on the six far-reaching practices, focusing on why they are the…

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