Venerable Thubten Tarpa
Venerable Thubten Tarpa is an American practicing in the Tibetan tradition since 2000 when she took formal refuge. She has lived at Sravasti Abbey under the guidance of Venerable Thubten Chodron since May of 2005. She was the first person to ordain at Sravasti Abbey, taking her sramanerika and sikasamana ordinations with Venerable Chodron as her preceptor in 2006. See pictures of her ordination. Her other main teachers are H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya and H.E. Dagmo Kusho. She has had the good fortune to receive teachings from some of Venerable Chodron's teachers as well. Before moving to Sravasti Abbey, Venerable Tarpa (then Jan Howell) worked as a Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer for 30 years in colleges, hospital clinics, and private practice settings. In this career she had the opportunity to help patients and teach students and colleagues, which was very rewarding. She has B.S. degrees from Michigan State and University of Washington and an M.S. degree from the University of Oregon. She coordinates the Abbey's building projects. On December 20, 2008 Ven. Tarpa traveled to Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights California receiving bhikhshuni ordination. The temple is affiliated with Taiwan's Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order.
View Posts
Venerable Thubten Tarpa Review of precious human life
Reviewing Chapter 8, discussing 8 freedoms and 10 fortunes required for a precious human life.
View Post
Review of Chapter 2
Reviewing Chapter 2, leading a discussion on three types of phenomena and different types of…
View Post
Guided meditation on the Buddha
A guided meditation on the Buddha and answers to questions on meditation.
View Post
Meditation on trusting others
A guided analytical meditation on trust after trust was broken.
View Post
Meditation on how only spiritual practice helps at d...
A guided meditation on the last three points in the nine-point death meditation.
View Post
Structuring a meditation session
Venerable Thubten Tarpa leads the "Meditation on the Buddha," and covers from Chapter 6 "How…
View Post
Review of three possibilities
Venerable Thubten Tarpa leads a review of the section in Chapter 24 “When a Person…
View Post
Religion in the modern world
Venerable Thubten Tarpa leads an interactive review of pages 11-15 of "Approaching the Buddhist Path."
View Post
Compassionate understanding of emotions
How a compassionate understanding of how emotions play out in our minds gives us a…
View Post
The object of negation
Venerable Thubten Tarpa leads a review of the four point analysis meditation on emptiness, with…
View Post
Review of serenity
Venerable Thubten Tarpa reviews the teachings on serenity, focusing on what to take as your…
View Post
Six conditions for serenity
Venerable Thubten Tarpa leads a review of meditative stabilization, focusing on the the six conditions…
View Post