Elizabeth McDougal: The Gebchak Yoginis, Part One

Today's episode is part one of three parts that will be shared over the coming weeks. 

Time notes:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:51 Elizabeth’s early years at Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s retreat place, and about the Togdens and Togdenmas

00:07:14 What led Elizabeth to Gebchak gonpa.

00:09:00 The initial meeting between Wandrak Rinpoche and the Gebchak yoginis

00:15:00 How Elizabeth spent her time at Gebchak gonpa

00:18:40 Nangchen as a fertile ground for yogis

00:23:00 Gebchak founder Tsang-Yang Gyamtso & the Rime period

00:29:37 The way of the yogin scholar

00:37:00 The first Tsokyni Rinpoche's, vision 

00:44:00 Karma mudra and the early years at Gebchak with yogins and yoginis

00:55:00 Origin and preservation of practice texts at Gebchak

00:56:00 The yogini Sherab Zangmo

00:59:00 Rebuilding Gebchak

01:05:00 The Royal Family

01:08:00 Gebchak practice path

01:15:00 16 retreat divisions and yidam accomplishment

01:28:00 Typical day during drubchen periods

01:34:00 Typical day outside drubchen

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About Elizabeth:

Elizabeth McDougal, known also as Tenzin Chozom, grew up in Western Canada and then trained as a Buddhist nun in India and on the Tibetan Plateau for seventeen years. Towards the end of her time as a nun – she studied a Masters of Indian philosophy at Banaras Hindu University and then a PhD (2021) at the University of Sydney.

Her research focuses on the modernisation of Tibetan Buddhist practice lineages and on pedagogy as a crucial bridge in translating pre-modern wisdom traditions to the modern world.

Elizabeth currently lives in Australia with her human and animal family where she lectures at Nan Tien Institute in applied Buddhist studies. She continues to serve as a Tibetan-to-English translator for Gebchak Wangdrak Rinpoche and other practice lineage lamas. 

Elizabeth published a book in 2024 called "The Words and World of Gebchak Nunnery: Tantric Meditation in Context."

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Podcast website & transcripts

https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts