Organization and History of Chojung Dorje Ling
Chojung Dorje Ling ~ Flower Dance Temple was incorporated as a religious, educational and charitable
nonprofit Buddhist faith-based church organization pursuant to the NYS Religious Corporation Law in March
2004 in St. Lawrence County NY.
Located in Pitcairn - Harrisville NY area, the Chojung Dorje Ling Board of Directors include
Venerable Ani Drubgyudma and Barbara Cooper of Harrisville NY, and Naomi Dieckmann of Fox Chapel PA.
Very Venerable Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche, H.E. Chenga Rinpoche, and Khenpo Tenzin Nyima
of Gampopa Vajrayana Buddhist Center in NJ remain our esteemed advisory inspiration, along with
colleagues who provide counsel in light of practical concerns.
Chojung Dorje Ling arose from our Western PA Sangha that was originally known as Gampopa Meditation &
Study Group - which arose from a group of five women known as the Sisters of Compassionate Wisdom that
began in 2000.
Since 2004, Chojung Dorje Ling ~ Flower Dance Temple offered ministries in New York State and
Pennsylvania under the guidance of Venerable Ani Drubgyudma.
To contact Chojung Dorje Ling - Flower Dance Temple write to:
P.O. Box 234, Harrisville, NY 13648.
Or, you can email to: cdl@chojung.org .
Please refer to www.chojung.org/Schedules.html www.chojung.org/WesternPASangha.html . 152
Chojung Dorje Ling ~ Flower Dance Temple was incorporated as a religious, educational and charitable
nonprofit Buddhist faith-based church organization pursuant to the NYS Religious Corporation Law in March
2004 in St. Lawrence County NY.
Located in Pitcairn - Harrisville NY area, the Chojung Dorje Ling Board of Directors include
Venerable Ani Drubgyudma and Barbara Cooper of Harrisville NY, and Naomi Dieckmann of Fox Chapel PA.
Very Venerable Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche, H.E. Chenga Rinpoche, and Khenpo Tenzin Nyima
of Gampopa Vajrayana Buddhist Center in NJ remain our esteemed advisory inspiration, along with
colleagues who provide counsel in light of practical concerns.
Chojung Dorje Ling arose from our Western PA Sangha that was originally known as Gampopa Meditation &
Study Group - which arose from a group of five women known as the Sisters of Compassionate Wisdom that
began in 2000.
Since 2004, Chojung Dorje Ling ~ Flower Dance Temple offered ministries in New York State and
Pennsylvania under the guidance of Venerable Ani Drubgyudma.
To contact Chojung Dorje Ling - Flower Dance Temple write to:
P.O. Box 234, Harrisville, NY 13648.
Or, you can email to: cdl@chojung.org .
Please refer to www.chojung.org/Schedules.html www.chojung.org/WesternPASangha.html . 152
Susan Hetz - Yoga Teacher & Meditation Group Facilitator
Susan Hetz has been a yoga practitioner for over twenty-five years, and is a certified Hatha Level I
teacher through the Integral Yoga Institute. Attention to detail and a focus on helping students develop
higher levels of awareness distinguish Susan's instruction.
Susan has been a Buddhist student and practitioner since 1999, when she began spiritual direction
with Venerable Ani Drubgyudma. She is one of the original members of the Gampopa Meditation &
Study Group, Chojung Dorje Ling, and the Sisters of Compassionate Wisdom.
Susan is an Oblate of the Sisters of Compassionate Wisdom, and facilitates the Western PA Sangha -
Meditation Practice Group every Sunday.
Susan runs a peer support program for a substance use disorder treatment program and has been an
activist within the local recovery community as well as participating in Leadership Butler County and
serving as a board member of a local nonprofit organization in Butler County.
Jeff Murphy - Buddhist Studies Group Facilitator & Prisoner Mentor
Jeff Murphy is a student of life with continuing studies in Buddhism and Yoga. A few life events sent him
searching for what it means to be in human form and these traditions have helped facilitate that search.
Jeff has found a great connection with these traditions and uses that to better understand and help
himself and humanity. This, with the guidance of Ani Drubgyudma, has led him to become a mentor
with The Foundation of HOPE prison mentoring program.
Jeff has also completed a 200 hour Yoga teacher training through Amazing Yoga in August 2011. He
continues to practice and study various traditions. In his free time, Jeff embraces many forms of
creativity as a means of expression and investigates how others give rise to their creativity. All of this
has been shared with his wife and son while living in western PA.
**************************************
Susan Hetz has been a yoga practitioner for over twenty-five years, and is a certified Hatha Level I
teacher through the Integral Yoga Institute. Attention to detail and a focus on helping students develop
higher levels of awareness distinguish Susan's instruction.
Susan has been a Buddhist student and practitioner since 1999, when she began spiritual direction
with Venerable Ani Drubgyudma. She is one of the original members of the Gampopa Meditation &
Study Group, Chojung Dorje Ling, and the Sisters of Compassionate Wisdom.
Susan is an Oblate of the Sisters of Compassionate Wisdom, and facilitates the Western PA Sangha -
Meditation Practice Group every Sunday.
Susan runs a peer support program for a substance use disorder treatment program and has been an
activist within the local recovery community as well as participating in Leadership Butler County and
serving as a board member of a local nonprofit organization in Butler County.
Jeff Murphy - Buddhist Studies Group Facilitator & Prisoner Mentor
Jeff Murphy is a student of life with continuing studies in Buddhism and Yoga. A few life events sent him
searching for what it means to be in human form and these traditions have helped facilitate that search.
Jeff has found a great connection with these traditions and uses that to better understand and help
himself and humanity. This, with the guidance of Ani Drubgyudma, has led him to become a mentor
with The Foundation of HOPE prison mentoring program.
Jeff has also completed a 200 hour Yoga teacher training through Amazing Yoga in August 2011. He
continues to practice and study various traditions. In his free time, Jeff embraces many forms of
creativity as a means of expression and investigates how others give rise to their creativity. All of this
has been shared with his wife and son while living in western PA.
**************************************
Teacher & Facilitator Bios
(Scroll down for Bios & Organization & History)
Venerable Ani Drubgyudma is the Founder & Spiritual Director of Chojung Dorje Ling,
the abbess of Bear Paw Monastery, and the Founder and Trustee of the Sisters of
Compassionate Wisdom.
Ani Drubgyudma was born into a Catholic family in a small ocean town on the New Jersey
coast in 1948. She is the oldest of five siblings, and attended Catholic and Public schools
while growing up.
Since 1970, she has experienced a dynamic life – manifesting as a mother of four, wife,
widow, grandmother, and nun. She is the founder of four non-profit religious organizations
(1984,1989, 2003, 2004), one in Kenya East Africa where she lived and ministered from 1987 –
1991.
For over 30 years Ani has lived and/or ministered in forest mountain environments within
the USA, the Rift Valley Plateau in Kenya East Africa, and El Yunque Rain Forest in Puerto
Rico. She has had the opportunity to also reside and minister in NYC, Pittsburgh PA,
Newark NY, and San Juan Puerto Rico.
In the 70’s, following a significant spiritual awakening, Ani Drubgyudma began a modest
study of Zen and meditation, along with comprehensive study and practice of the Western
contemplative spiritualities as a Religious Studies major pursuing a ministerial profession –
a field that she worked and taught in from 1984 through 1992 as an ordained minister. The
profound writings and influence of Thomas Merton was significant during this time.
In 1992, she began an earnest study of Buddhist spirituality, philosophy, psychology, and
practice - having the opportunity to study and practice with a number of Buddhist masters
from that time forward.
As a religious and spiritual studies scholar, Ani earned a two year Master of Arts degree
from Duquesne University in Formative Spirituality and Ministry (1995), a degree that
benefits those in the religious, educational, and mental health fields – a field of research
also known as the contemplative healing sciences and practices. Subsequently, she
pursued post-graduate research in contemplative spirituality in light of eremitical monastic
traditions at a Catholic Benedictine Seminary for one year.
Ordained in 1999 at Mid-America Buddhist Association MO within the Chinese Ch’an
tradition as a Buddhist monastic, Ani later, in 2003, took ordination within the Tibetan
Buddhist Drikung Kagyu lineage of the great meditation yogi/nis of India and Tibet as a
yogini nun practitioner. In 2008, the first multi-traditional Dual-Platform Monastic Ordination
took place at Embracing Simplicity Hermitage in North Carolina, USA. Ani Drubgyudma took
bhikshuni vows at that time as Bhikshuni Konchok Drubgyudma Palmo Damchoe.
Ani ministers as a solitary Buddhist yogini nun. Her spiritual directors are H.E. Chenga
Rinpoche and Very Venerable Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche.
She has journeyed on eight sacred pilgrimages to Tibet, China, Inner Mongolia, the Middle
East, and Ireland.
Over the years the work of Angeles Arrien, Thomas Berry, Adrian van Kaam, Brian Swimme,
Ken Wilber, as well as many others, have been an inspiration to Ani's practice, work and
integration. The Bibliography on this website offers a glimpse into her integral library.
Ani’s relaxed and joyful dispositions radiate as a warm presence to those who know her.
An utmost concern of Ani is the active participation in, facilitation and endorsement of, a
wise, compassionate and peaceful conscious evolution of individuals, societies, and nature
– locally and globally - as an active participant within the ministries of Chojung Dorje Ling,
Bear Paw Monastery, and the Sisters of Compassionate Wisdom.
Ani's new book Wake-Up in the Forest will be available in 2012.
Ani Drubguidma is a Buddhist and Trans-faith Spiritual Director, and member of Spiritual
Directors International.
Venerable Ani Drubgyudma may be contacted at anidrubgyudma@chojung.org
Flower Dance Blogging
My Initiation and Practice of the Vajrayana
(Scroll down for Bios & Organization & History)
Venerable Ani Drubgyudma is the Founder & Spiritual Director of Chojung Dorje Ling,
the abbess of Bear Paw Monastery, and the Founder and Trustee of the Sisters of
Compassionate Wisdom.
Ani Drubgyudma was born into a Catholic family in a small ocean town on the New Jersey
coast in 1948. She is the oldest of five siblings, and attended Catholic and Public schools
while growing up.
Since 1970, she has experienced a dynamic life – manifesting as a mother of four, wife,
widow, grandmother, and nun. She is the founder of four non-profit religious organizations
(1984,1989, 2003, 2004), one in Kenya East Africa where she lived and ministered from 1987 –
1991.
For over 30 years Ani has lived and/or ministered in forest mountain environments within
the USA, the Rift Valley Plateau in Kenya East Africa, and El Yunque Rain Forest in Puerto
Rico. She has had the opportunity to also reside and minister in NYC, Pittsburgh PA,
Newark NY, and San Juan Puerto Rico.
In the 70’s, following a significant spiritual awakening, Ani Drubgyudma began a modest
study of Zen and meditation, along with comprehensive study and practice of the Western
contemplative spiritualities as a Religious Studies major pursuing a ministerial profession –
a field that she worked and taught in from 1984 through 1992 as an ordained minister. The
profound writings and influence of Thomas Merton was significant during this time.
In 1992, she began an earnest study of Buddhist spirituality, philosophy, psychology, and
practice - having the opportunity to study and practice with a number of Buddhist masters
from that time forward.
As a religious and spiritual studies scholar, Ani earned a two year Master of Arts degree
from Duquesne University in Formative Spirituality and Ministry (1995), a degree that
benefits those in the religious, educational, and mental health fields – a field of research
also known as the contemplative healing sciences and practices. Subsequently, she
pursued post-graduate research in contemplative spirituality in light of eremitical monastic
traditions at a Catholic Benedictine Seminary for one year.
Ordained in 1999 at Mid-America Buddhist Association MO within the Chinese Ch’an
tradition as a Buddhist monastic, Ani later, in 2003, took ordination within the Tibetan
Buddhist Drikung Kagyu lineage of the great meditation yogi/nis of India and Tibet as a
yogini nun practitioner. In 2008, the first multi-traditional Dual-Platform Monastic Ordination
took place at Embracing Simplicity Hermitage in North Carolina, USA. Ani Drubgyudma took
bhikshuni vows at that time as Bhikshuni Konchok Drubgyudma Palmo Damchoe.
Ani ministers as a solitary Buddhist yogini nun. Her spiritual directors are H.E. Chenga
Rinpoche and Very Venerable Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche.
She has journeyed on eight sacred pilgrimages to Tibet, China, Inner Mongolia, the Middle
East, and Ireland.
Over the years the work of Angeles Arrien, Thomas Berry, Adrian van Kaam, Brian Swimme,
Ken Wilber, as well as many others, have been an inspiration to Ani's practice, work and
integration. The Bibliography on this website offers a glimpse into her integral library.
Ani’s relaxed and joyful dispositions radiate as a warm presence to those who know her.
An utmost concern of Ani is the active participation in, facilitation and endorsement of, a
wise, compassionate and peaceful conscious evolution of individuals, societies, and nature
– locally and globally - as an active participant within the ministries of Chojung Dorje Ling,
Bear Paw Monastery, and the Sisters of Compassionate Wisdom.
Ani's new book Wake-Up in the Forest will be available in 2012.
Ani Drubguidma is a Buddhist and Trans-faith Spiritual Director, and member of Spiritual
Directors International.
Venerable Ani Drubgyudma may be contacted at anidrubgyudma@chojung.org
Flower Dance Blogging
My Initiation and Practice of the Vajrayana
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Flower Dance Temple
***For the sake of clarification: Venerable Ani Drubgyudma is also known as Venerable
Kong Fu Xian Ci
Kong Fu Xian Ci