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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 37
Awakening through Practice
By Lama Gelongma Zangmo
Lama Zangmo, originally from
Denmark, began her Buddhist
journey in 1977 when she
arrived at Kagyu Samye Ling and
took refuge with H.H. the 16th
Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje.
She was resident at Samye Ling
from then on, and was inspired
to enter a four-year closed
retreat in 1984, during which
she was ordained as a Buddhist
nun. Over the years, Lama
Zangmo dedicated an impressive Zhi Yi of Eastern Horizon interviewed Rinpoche and his books left a deep
eleven and a half years to Lama Zangmo on 1 December 2024, impression on me.
retreat practice, deepening her where she shared about
understanding and experience of I decided to visit Samye Ling to
the Dharma. Zhi Yi: What inspired you to go to learn more about meditation,
Kagyu Samye Ling in 1977? as there were few other options
available at the time. By then,
Later, Choje Akong Tulku Zangmo: In the 1970s, there Trungpa Rinpoche had moved to
Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe Losal were very few Buddhist centres in the United States in 1970, but it
Rinpoche entrusted her with the Europe, and Kagyu Samye Ling was was simply a desire to deepen my
task of running Kagyu Samye the only Tibetan Buddhist centre understanding of meditation that
Dzong London, which officially at the time. I had learned a little led me to Samye Ling.
opened in 1998. That same year, about meditation here and there,
Lama Zangmo travelled with a but later I came across Chögyam How has your perspective on
group of nuns, led by Lama Yeshe Trungpa Rinpoche’s book ‘Cutting retreat practice evolved since
Losal Rinpoche, to India where Through Spiritual Materialism’. I your first retreat in 1984?
she received full ordination as remember walking into a bookshop
a Gelongma (Bhikkhuni) at a and noticing a stack of copies I deeply value the retreat
historic ceremony in Bodhgaya. on the shelf. I picked one up and experience; the eleven and a half
years I spent in retreat were truly
In recognition of her selfless flipped through it, and the content time well spent. During my first
immediately resonated with me. His
qualities and unwavering
language was clear and fresh, unlike long retreat, we spent 5-6 months
commitment, Lama Zangmo was most translations of Buddhist texts in complete silence. Initially, it was
honoured in June 2001 with the at the time, which often used archaic challenging because I wasn’t able
title of Lama by Choje Akong terms that were hard to follow. to let go of the past or manage my
Tulku Rinpoche, becoming the Many Buddhist concepts didn’t thoughts effectively. In my second
first person in the UK to receive yet have equivalents in English, retreat, Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche
this distinction. which made earlier texts even more served as the retreat master.
challenging to understand. Trungpa The retreat was structured in a
