Gampo Abbey and Dharmata Foundation announce collaboration

Two prominent Buddhist organizations have joined forces to deepen opportunities for practice in Canada. Gampo Abbey and the Dharmata Foundation have announced a new collaboration centered on a hermitage project called Kadak Dzong — “Fortress of Original Purity” — initiated by Anam Thubten Rinpoche, spiritual advisor of the Dharmata Foundation.

The project is part of Rinpoche’s vision for establishing the Dudjom Lingpa lineage in Canada, with an emphasis on encouraging practitioners to engage in deep, intensive practice. In the initial phase, Kadak Dzong will offer opportunities for solitary and group retreats at Gampo Abbey, with the possibility of temporary monasticism, all under Rinpoche’s guidance.

Ani Pema Chödrön, Abbess of Gampo Abbey, and Anam Thubten Rinpoche have both offered their blessings for the collaboration. The partnership aims to honor both the Dudjom Lingpa lineage of the Dharmata Foundation and the established monastic and contemplative traditions of Gampo Abbey.

Reflecting on the significance of the site, Rinpoche said of Gampo Abbey: “Places like Gampo Abbey are sanctuaries, like spiritual fortresses for those who want to be in touch with their inner silence, in touch with their own Buddha nature.”