Shakya Shri (1853-1919)

My great-grandfather was known as Drubwang Shakya Shri. He was an amazing yogi who started out as a cook in a monastery. He was born in a very humble nomadic family in the Kham region of Tibet, and from there he bloomed into one of the most amazing yogis of that time. My great-grandfather was brought up in a Drukpa Kargyud monastery and he did a lot of practice in that lineage and accomplished the highest realisation in Mahamudra. Later he met Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and from him he received all the Nyingma transmissions and teachings and mastered dzogpachenpo.  

He was very involved in the rimé (non-sectarian) movement of the time, and in his later years he became renowned and had students everywhere. People used to flock to see him from the Himalayan regions of Lahoul, Ladakh, Pangi, Zanskar, Bhutan and Nepal. This is how our family first developed its continuing connection to the Himalayan regions. 

Ladakh Ngawang Pema Chogyal (1876-1958)

He was one of the heart students of Shakya Shri, who travelled on foot from Ladakh to receive teachings from his master. Later in life he became an accomplished master and taught important lamas of the Drukpa Kargyud lineage. Among his students were HH the 11 th Drukchen, Thuksey Rinpoche, Apho Rinpoche, Stagna Rinpoche, Gegen Khyentse, Sengdrak Rinpoche and many more. Later in life he established many retreat centres on the border of Nepal and had many students, both monastic and lay. He collected and compiled the complete set of the Drukpa Kargyud texts. This is now used in all the Drukpa monasteries. My brother, Sey Rinpoche, is the incarnation of this Great Master.

Lama Sonam Zangpo (1888-1984)

Lama Sonam Zangpo was a direct student of Shakya Shri.

After the passing of his master in 1919, he continued to live on in Kyibuk, Tibet for another ten years teaching and guiding Shakya Shri's students. Later he went on to teach extensively in many important monasteries in Bhutan. However, similar to his Master, Shakya Shri , he was a retreat-like yogi who principally lived and taught students in jungles and forests.

Lama Sonam Zangpo looked after my father, Apho Rinpoche when he was young (10-16 years of age). This was because my own grandfather had died young. In addition to caring for my father, Lama Sonam Zangpo taught him Dzogchen and Mahamudra.

Later in his life Lama Sonam Zangpo extensively guided Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Sey Rinpoche and Jampal, in the teachings of Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa. He was the maternal grandfather of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and my family are therefore connected in a deep spiritual way.

Apho Rinpoche (1922-1974)

My beloved father was a humorous and compassionate master who touched the hearts and minds of many people in Tibet, and the Himalayan regions and early western students. To this day, all his students remember him with much appreciation. In 1959 he led our family on a most difficult journey out of Tibet.  

Apho Rinpoche was a poet, scholar, healer and great meditator. He kept alive the practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa, especially in the Himalayan regions. One of his major contributions was to establish the renowned hermitages in Ladakh and Lahoul, including Gotsang and Khespang. He also collected ancient carved wooden blocks of the songs and biographies of Milarepa, Gompopa and Rechungpa.  

His heart students were Sengdrak Rinpoche, Gegen Khyentse, Imi-la and the renowned yogis of Ladakh and Lahoul. He died when I was only 7 years old and I remember him as a loving father who, in the midst of a very busy life, made sure to spend as much quality time with us as possible.

H.E Thugsey Rinpoche (1917-1983)

H.E 's mother, Ashi Bhola, was Togden Shakya Shri's daughter,   and his father was HH the 10 th Drukchen. Our uncle Thuksey Rinpoche was integral to keeping the lamp of the Drukpa lineage burning, held the teachings and passed on the monastic vows.  

This he did with great dignity during the most critical time of Tibetan relocation. He was a great meditator, poet, chant master and scholar. I remember that he had an amazing presence and a deep voice. He often held me in his arms as a child and I was scared of his long white beard.

Sangyum Urgyen Chodon (1931-1985)

My mother, Ama-la, was born into an aristocratic family in South Tibet. From a young age she was very devoted to the dharma and refused to marry into a life of privilege. After marrying my father she went into intensive retreat and practiced diligently for the rest of her life. For me she truly integrated the depth of her practice into her daily activities without separating the two. She was the most loving and compassionate mother. If it were not for her pure vision and guidance I would not have been able to understand the real meaning of my life.

She made sure that, even in this female form, I received the best, both from our own tradition and the modern educational system in India. With her devotion and love for the lineage, and her living example of the dharma, she was my role model and my inspiration. Her compassion and love for each person who stepped into our house was overwhelming. She would not let anyone go hungry and she had a great dignity. She opened my heart and grounded me in my spiritual life. She is not only my mother, she is also my guru.

Imi Drupten (1927-present)

Imi-la has been an attendant to my father since the age of 15. Like Gegen Rinpoche, my guru, Imi-la has remained with our family during even   the most difficult times. They each served our family with genuine unwavering devotion. I always remember Gegen, Ama-la and Imi supporting each other to keep the family and the lineage intact after the early passing of my father. Imi-la is now the only one still living and pursuing his service even at an elderly age. I am always so inspired by his deep and pure love. Even though he calls himself a servant of our family he is a scholar, ritual master, astrologer and expert herbalist. He is well known for his incense making and statue filling. He is like the backbone of our family and we all love and respect him.

My brothers Sey Rinpoche, Jampal and Jigme

My brother, Sey Rinpoche, is the incarnation of Ladakh Tripon Pema Chogyal, direct student of Togden Shakya Shri. Sey Rinpoche and my younger brother Jampal were trained in our lineage since childhood under my father, uncle Thuksey Rinpoche, Meme Lama Sonam Zangpo from Bhutan and also under Gegen Khyentse Gyatso. Sey Rinpoche is now married to Norzin-la from Lahoul and has two sons and one daughter.

He takes care of the spiritual duties of our family heritage. He travels around the world and teaches the dharma and takes care of all the monks and nuns of our lineage. He is known for his phowa, or the teachings on transfer of consciousness. He has his own students in the Himalayas and other countries.

Jampal

Jigme

My brother Jampal is also said to be an incarnation of a high Drukpa lama but he chooses to live a simple life with his Ladakhi wife Phuntsok-la and their two children. He has a travel business, and is an experienced mountain climber and trekker. He is known among his clients for his compassionate and prompt help. He has a guesthouse and also works with medical care for nuns and lay people in remote areas with his dharma sister Joyce Murphy, from US, a true Bodhisattava.

My youngest brother, Jigme, is also a natural practitioner and a supportive brother. He has his own guest- house and an apple orchard. Jigme has been helping me with various activities since the passing away of my husband. He also accompanied me to the West, on my teaching tours. Good news this year is during my 2007 tour Jigme met Jasmine, a lovely dharma girl from Malaysia in Australia and soon got married at our home in Manali. This makes our yogic family an international family. I am looking forward to becoming an aunt again in April, 2008.

I have three nephews, Ngawang and Tenzin, who are teenagers, and Sonam who is only 8 years old. My two nieces are Chodon, who is fourteen, and Nilza, who is twelve and soon will have another little dakini added to our family. I also have two adopted teenage daughters, Sonam and Kezang, They are my husband's nieces. Their mother died when they were little and I now enjoy being their mother.

My most enjoyable moments are when I spend time with all these kids. I am happy to see both Kesang and Sonam grow up into confident strong girls. They have decided to have a break from their studies and work for a while. Every time I am in Delhi I try to spend time with them and guide them in their life's journey. One thing I have understood from bringing-up the girls is, as a well-wisher I can only support and do my best but ultimately each one has their own karma and no one can change that.

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