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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Review: Transforming adversity
A review of recent talks on the taking and giving meditation and transforming adversity into…
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Practicing with a year of illness
Venerable Thubten Semkye shares on how embracing a physical ailment challenged her concepts of the…
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Practicar durante un año de enfermedad
Venerable Thubten Semkye comparte cómo aceptar una dolencia física fue un desafío a sus conceptos…
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The noble eightfold path
How the noble eightfold path is organized under the three higher trainings; practices related to…
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Review: Advantages of bodhicitta
Reviewing the advantages of bodhicitta and the two methods for developing bodhicitta.
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Review: Our precious human life
Beginning review section of the preliminary four preliminary practices. Explores the first preliminary practice, the…
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Good practices: Ancient and emerging
How monastic communities are incorporating green practices into their daily living.
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Anger and other disturbing attitudes
A look at the definition and characteristics of afflictions such as anger, pride, and jealousy,…
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