On this page: | |
Bliss Whirl of the Sky Dancers | The Khachoe Ghakyil nuns began their 1999 North American tour in Oakland, California. While there, they did a studio recording of several of their favourite prayers and rituals. That recording is now available as The Bliss Whirl of the Sky Dancers, a compact disk with 58 minutes of sacred music by the nuns. (To learn more about the temple instruments used on this CD, please visit the ritual music page.) Ordering information follows below. We encourage you to listen to samples from the album's four tracks. (Use RealPlayer to listen to them ... if you don't have it already, click on this link to find out more about downloading this freeware program). |
1. | Tu Soel
(14:55) Excerpt 1 and excerpt 2 |
2. | Lam-Rim Dedication
(4:30) Lam-Rim excerpt |
3. | Chöd (35:48) Chöd excerpt 1, excerpt 2, excerpt 3, Chöd excerpt 4, excerpt 5, excerpt 6 ... and listen also to the kangling (thighbone trumpet) which begins this track! |
4. | Prayer to the
Compassionate Buddha (2:38) Prayer excerpt |
Praises of Tara Praises of Tara is a CD recorded by the Khachoe Ghakyil nuns at Kopan Monastery in Nepal. The piece on this recording - often performed at the nunnery on new or full moon days - is known as "The Universe Four Times to Tara the Liberator". Tara is the female Buddha who symbolizes the aspect of feminine divine energy that inspires living beings toward peace, happiness, prosperity, growth and transformation. Every Dalai Lama has cultivated the practice, and most have written numerous commentaries and liturgies focused upon Tara. Every central Asian monastery and nunnery maintains a tradition of setting aside a day or two every month in which to celebrate "Tara the Liberator" by means of music and song. (CD length: 49:26) This CD can be ordered through Snow Lion Publications. Praises to Chenrezig Praises to Chenrezig is a recording of the Nyung Ne praise to Chenrezig as recorded by the Khachoe Ghakyil nuns at Kopan Monastery in Nepal. The Nyung Ne (Tib. smyung gnas) fasting practice was founded by the Buddhist nun Bhiksuni Lakshmi in the eleventh century CE after she was healed of leprosy by a vision of Thousand-Armed Chenrezig. It is a powerful and skillful means of purification and accumulating merit, combining special vows, fasting, silence, mantra recitation and prostrations, and can be done in two days. The poetic hymn of praise to Chenrezig in this recording was written by Bhiksuni Lakshmi herself, and is recited for many hours each day during the ritual as an accompaniment to prostrations. (CD length: 42 mins) This CD can be ordered through Snow Lion Publications. How to purchase these CDs Each CD is available for purchase at a cost of $20 US/$25 Canadian wherever the nuns are performing. They may also be ordered by post from the United States. If you are interested in ordering a CD, please contact:
The cost per CD for U.S. orders is $21.75 ($20.00 plus an additional $1.75 charge for postage and handling.) Checks should be made payable to F.P.M.T. Sorry, credit cards are not accepted. Note: Canadian or overseas orders should contact the distributor at dharmastore@softhome.net. Alternatively... You can purchase these CDs through Snow Lion Publications in Ithaca, New York. |
Video of the nuns in performance |
Released in August 1999, this
new fundraising video shows the Khachoe Ghakyil nuns both in performance in North America and
at home in Nepal. The video is $29.95 plus shipping & handling, and can be purchased from Dharmastore. Please contact dharmastore@softhome.net for further details. |
Wear the tour T-shirt! |
Also available on the tour is
the tour T-shirt with the official tour logo: the dancing Offering Goddess of
Music. She dances with an conch shell, symbol of divine music, in her left hand, as
well as a wheel - symbol of the Buddhadharma - in her right. Therefore, she aptly
represents the nuns' tour, who are sharing sacred Buddhist music in a most feminine way! The shirt is quality 100% cotton made by Fruit of the Loom. There is a choice of three colours - white, red and dark blue - and it's available in sizes S, M, L and XL. Cost is $15 US/$20 Cdn (on the tour), $18 US by post. We don't currently have a photograph of the shirt itself, so please visualize above the goddess the words "Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery", and below her the words "Women's Freedom & Spiritual Liberation, USA Tour 1999". If you would like to order the T-shirt by post, please contact dharmastore@softhome.net for further details. |
Sand mandala
photographs for sale
Medicine Buddha sand mandala |
So far no one has taken any professional-quality photographs of the sand mandalas created by the nuns on this tour. However, Tony Bounsall (a photographer in British Columbia) has taken "aerial" photographs of sand mandalas created by the Ganden Jangtse Norling monks to help benefit their monastery. The mandalas in both cases look exactly the same, so readers and organizers who would like to have a photograph may be interested in obtaining one from Tony! The photographic cards show either the Medicine Buddhia mandala (pictured at left - click on the thumbnail to see a larger image), or the Chenrezig/Avalokiteshvara sand mandala. The cost per photo is Cdn$15 large (11x11") or Cdn$3.50 small (5x5"), plus postage. Bulk orders can be filled most quickly, others are subject to demand. Please contact Tony by telephone or e-mail if you are interested!
|
Incense
by the Khachoe Ghakyil nuns |
The nunnery's one "cottage industry" is a small factory where the nuns make traditional Tibetan incense; its ingredients are herbs from the mountains of the Everest area of Nepal. Available in two types: medicinal incense and Khumbu relaxation incense. The cost for one box (approximately 30 sticks) is $7 US/$10 Canadian. |
Don't have RealAudio? Go to the RealPlayer site and download RealPlayer 8 Basic for free! |
Sacred
performance | Ritual music | Sand
mandalas | The nuns of KGN | Image
gallery
CD recording | European tour itinerary
(in German) | Info for organizers | Support the nuns! | Related links
© Khachoe Ghakyil 1999-2002
Web custodian Julia Milton
Hosted by Women Active in Buddhism.