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

This is a visual episode that is meant to be watched.

You can watch it here: https://oliviaclementine.com/tibetan-handicraft-society-master-carpet-weavers/

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Today's episode takes place at the Tibetan Handicraft Society in McCleoud Ganj, in northern India. This Handicraft Society was founded in 1963 to support Tibetan refugees, and Tibetans who have grown up in exile and Tibetan arts and culture.

Today we learn about this member run society and see some of these master weavers as they bring these traditional Tibetan carpets to form.

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:58 Tenzin Rigsang on the Handicraft Society's origin and purpose

00:04:10 On material sourcing and design

00:06:33 How the cooperative is organized and the influence of modern times on this traditional art.

00:8:35 Dawa Dolma on how long it takes to weave a carpet

00:09:27 Tsering Dolkar on her path to becoming a weaver

00:11:02 Tsetan as she completes a carpet.

Glimpses of weavers and carpet makers Yangchen Galmo, Tenzin Worser, Tsetan, Tseyang, Tala, Kelsang Tsokey and Daju.

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The Tibetan Handicraft Society

https://tibetan-handicraft-society.site123.me/

Order carpets here or contact the society for more custom commissions

https://tibetan-handicraft-society.site123.me/on

Love & Liberation website & transcripts

https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts

Maya Khosla is a biologist and writer. She has spent thousands of hours hiking, backpacking, and documenting forests, including post-fire regeneration.

Time notes:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:07 The message of fire

00:02:00 3 types of traditional fire practice in India.

00:03:22 Rebirth after fires

00:08:00 Intimacy and the effect of hand burning versus machine work on land

00:15:00 Main causes of fires in California

00:18:00 Misunderstandings on preparing one's home in a fire-prone area. Thinking like an ember

00:19:00 Keeping a house safe in a fire and Dr. Jack Cohen

00:21:00 "The Sierra, A History" poem read by Maya Khosla

00:24:00 Decaying forests and close associations

00:29:00 What you see in a newborn forest

00:30:00 Healthy mature forests

00:324:00 Symbiotic elemental collaboration

00:36:00 Wild Elders

00:39:50 Seed places

00:41:04 "The Oak" Poem read by Maya Khosla

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Maya Khosla

https://www.mayakhosla.com/

Podcast website & transcripts

https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts

Have your music played on Love & Liberation:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv8PanRA-TLoo-PVbfhpH6mlMslpuKad3PqQH8cgkMHGz1YQ/viewform

Watch our conversation and see images of Jetsunma's path here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Mu1fPYtik

Today our guest is Her Eminence Sakya Jetsunma Kunga Trinley Palter. Jetsunma is the granddaughter of His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin and the eldest daughter of the 42nd Sakya Trizin and Dagmo Kalden Dunkyi. Jetsunma is also a tulku, the reincarnation of the Nyingma practitioner and treasure revealer, Khandro Tare Lhamo.

We sit down and talk about her life thus far, being raised as a Jetsunma in the Sakya lineage, how she spends her time, and what she aspires for in the future.

Timenotes:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:39 Growing up in a dharma lineage from the 12th Century

00:03:25 Becoming a nun

00:04:09 A day in Jetsunma's life

00:06:58 Who inspires Jetsunma t

00:09:00 About her family

00:10:40 On being the reincarnation of Khandro Tare Llamo

00:12:43 Her first retreat at 14 years old

00:14:25 Being the first Jetsunma to do the Phurba Cham

00:15:50 Qualities of a meaningful life

00:17:52 Advice for taking care of one's mind

00:19:45 Jetsunma's life aspirations

00:20:20 Closing images and Tara's Song at Dawn

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Melodius offering:

Tara's Song at Dawn

by Dechen Wangmo

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Podcast website & transcripts

https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts

Submit your music to Love & Liberation:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv8PanRA-TLoo-PVbfhpH6mlMslpuKad3PqQH8cgkMHGz1YQ/viewform

Watch the interview here:

https://youtu.be/Yuwtnf8JtrA

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Today we have a brief conversation at a cafe in Kathmandu about some of the common obstacles and questions that Jetsunma's students often share with her. Jetsunma then shares clarification on meeting these challenges and curiosities.

This is part of our new weekly season schedule of publishing shorter conversations in between our more extended episodes.

Time notes:

00:01:30 How to perceive ngondro practice

00:04:20 Knowing where you are on the path and blending life with practice

00:08:00 On shamatha, vipassana and dzogchen.

00:12:45 The four noble truths as a universal method

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Jetsunma Jamyang Yeshe Palmo is a Buddhist teacher and retreat master. She spent nine years in a monastic university studying all of the major subjects of Buddhism. Following her studies she spent nine years in a closed practice retreat. She also spent two years studying psychology and Western philosophy. Jetsunma is the vajra master of the study and practice centers of Kusum Khandro Ling retreat and nunneries and teaches worldwide.

~

Podcast website & transcripts

https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts

Have your music played on Love & Liberation:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv8PanRA-TLoo-PVbfhpH6mlMslpuKad3PqQH8cgkMHGz1YQ/viewform

00:01:30 The mandala principle

00:04:32 Enlightened organizing principle of the universe

00:09:45 Mandalas for practice

00:16:12 Vajrakilaya mandala

00:19:25 Field of blessing

00:21:22 Lama Dawa and Guru Rinpoche Prophecies

00:24:18 Lama Dawa mirror divining the locations for Vajrakilaya mandalas.

00:27:16 Elements as vehicles for blessings

00:31:00 Subtle and physical aspects of elements

00:35:00 Disrupting and repairing subtle realms of existence

00:46:00 Building and empowering the Vajrakilaya mandalas

00:51:00 Working up to practicing Vajrakilaya

00:56:00 Qualities of the phurba

00:57:28 When to begin wrathful practices

01:04:00 Not making plans

01:06:00 The story of Guru Rinpoche and Vajrakilaya in Yanglesho

01:08:00 On Yeshe Tsogyal using Vajrakilaya practice

~

Khandro Kunzang:

https://www.phurbathinleyling.org/khandro-kunzang/

Have your music played on Love & Liberation:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv8PanRA-TLoo-PVbfhpH6mlMslpuKad3PqQH8cgkMHGz1YQ/viewform

Previous episodes with Khandro Kunzang:

Cultivating Siddhis, Tukdam, Lineage Protection & Consortship

https://oliviaclementine.com/khandro-kunzang-cultivating-siddhis-tukdam-lineage-protection-consortship/

Lineage of Oral Instruction, Real Teachers & Himalayan Yogas of Tsa lung and Tummo

https://oliviaclementine.com/khandro-kunzang-the-oral-instruction-lineage-ngagpas-himalayan-yogas-of-tsa-lung-and-tummo/

Elemental Spirits, Vajra Armor & Dharma Marriage

https://oliviaclementine.com/khandro-kunzang-elemental-spirits-vajra-armor-dharma-marriage/

Podcast website & transcripts

https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts

Watch the tour here:

https://youtu.be/YX8jJ5-sOzQ

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Today we meet at the Tibetan Medical & Astro Institute Museum and receive a brief tour from Dr. Kalsang Youdon and Kelsang Chodon.

Time notes:

00:00:46 Tibetan medicines and instruments

00:06:17 Tibetan medicine paintings

00:09:16 History of the re-established Men-Tsee-Khang Institute

00:11:23 Astrology: Indigenous Tibetan, elemental, and Kala Chakra astrology.

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Men-Tsee-Khang Institute

https://mentseekhang.org/

Podcast website & transcripts

https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts

Enjoy these conversations?

Please leave a review here. Scroll down to Review & Ratings. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-liberation/id1393858607

Watch on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsSDGe4xRfA

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Today we meet at the headquarters of Men-Tsee-Khang in Dharamshala, India with Dr. Tsering Norbu, who has worked here for over 30 years and is the director of both the Culture and Materia Medica departments.

00:01:00 Dr. Tsering's medicine heritage and path

00:01:49 Born into a lineage of Sowa Ripga doctors, how it has changed.

00:05:00 About Men-Tsee-Khang Institute Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute

00:07:50 Bringing together tradition and science

00:10:30 Changing landscapes affecting medicinal plants

00:11:00 Medicinal plant cultivation methods and challenges.

00:20:00 Making precious pills

00:22:00 Life-span and storage of medicine.

00:24:00 4 Medical Tantras (Gyushi) and medicinal species variation.

00:27:00 Farmers resistance to growing medicinal varieties

00:29:00 Medical research field trips in Sikkim, Ladakh, Arunachel Pradesh and other areas.

00:32:00 How imbalances have changed over the decades and what is most needed for modern times.

00:34:00 Painting plant thangkas and their purpose

00:40:00 Closing thoughts about the future

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Men-Tsee-Khang Tibetan Medical & Astro Institute https://mentseekhang.org/

Podcast

https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts

Enjoy these conversations? Please leave a review here. Scroll down to Review & Ratings. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-liberation/id1393858607

Jetsunma Jamyang Yeshe Palmo is a Buddhist teacher and retreat master. She spent nine years in a monastic university studying all of the major subjects of Buddhism. Following her studies she spent nine years in a closed practice retreat. She also spent two years studying psychology and Western philosophy at Harvard University. Jetsunma is the vajra master of the study and practice centers of Kusum Khandro Ling retreat and nunneries and teaches in the US, Japan, Nepal, Hong Kong, and India.

Some of what Jetsunma shares includes:

00:03:00 The hinayana, four truths and exhausting negative emotions.

00:9:00 Bodhisattva yana, two truths, four immeasurables and six perfections

00:12:00 Tantrayana path, generation practice and embracing existence as pure.

00:14:00 Completion stage and using the body for realization.

00:18:00 Great completion uncontrived stage

00:19:00 Ngondro

00:21:00 Essentials for realization

00:24:00 Two text recommended

00:25:00 Quality over quantity

00:28:00 Retreat advice

00:31:00 Benefits to solitary and collective practice

00:32:00 Non-exclusive Buddhism, the universal perspective

~

Podcast

https://oliviaclementine.com/podcasts

Enjoy these conversations?

Please leave a review here. Scroll down to Review & Ratings. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-liberation/id1393858607

This is a re-release of a conversation with Tenzin Norbu in his home studio in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Today's conversation is solely available in a video format.

Here is the link to watch today's episode:

https://youtu.be/bBkNuHZSN38

Tenzin Norbu was born in Dolpo, Nepal, into a family of thangka painters from a lineage that dates back atleast 400 years. His work has appeared in museums and private collections around the world, as well as, several international publications, including Caravans of the Himalaya, National Geographic, and the feature film Himalaya. He is also the illustrator for children's books, including Himalaya, and Clear Sky, Red Earth.