Himalayan Heart: a Life Changing Week at the Taksindu Monastery and Community Medical Clinic
Writing about the week I spent at the Taksindu Monastery participating in the annual community medical clinic is difficult because everything from the people, the place, the energy, the work, and the joy comes together to form the most beautiful and unique moment in time that is hard to describe. Out of the 21 incredible weeks I have spent traveling so far in this gap year, this one was the most transformational, memorable, and closest to my heart. During this experience I met incredible lifelong friends, acquired dozens of brothers (the monks from the monastery), worked with over 190 patients, expanded my worldview, and cemented the passion on which I will build my future. I am incredibly grateful for every part of this experience, to all the people who touched my heart, and for the unique opportunity to be a part of this mission.
The Monastery
The Taksindu Monastery (Takgon Shaddrub Tharling Monastery) is truly a place like no other. Though I only spent one week there, it immediately felt like a home and I left with a new family. Nestled in the Lower Everest Region of the Himalayas, it is surrounded by snow capped peaks and hills covered with evergreen trees. The monastery is surrounded by many buildings including classrooms, separate dormitories for the older and younger monks, a dining hall, kitchen, rooms with large prayer wheels, and a few houses. It overlooks a large expanse of valley to the east and in the mornings the sunrise paints the buildings in a golden glow. A beautiful stupa sits beside the monastery, decorated with intricate designs and colors. A stream runs past it down the hill and large prayer wheels are turned by the current – the faint chiming of the bells can be heard as they complete one rotation. The monastery itself sits atop a small flight of stairs that is lined with the shoes of everyone inside. You enter through a curtain and are met with an incredibly beautiful and colorful room. The floors are made of wood and every inch of the walls, ceiling, and beams are covered with art and tapestries. Lining the middle of the room are raised benches where the monks sit, creating a walkway through the middle of the monastery to the chairs at the front. At the end of the room by the entrance are two large gongs. The altar sits towards the front of the room along the left wall and is decorated with candles, offerings, sculptures, bronze cups, bowls and khatas (white silk scarves). The outside perimeter of the room is ringed with more wooden benches, that is where I sat to watch the prayers. At the front of the room are five raised seats. Watching the prayers in the monastery was incredibly beautiful and interesting. Everyday in the morning and evening they hold a puja, a prayer. It is only during special ceremonies that all the monks are present for the puja, on normal days it is only about 20 or less. The prayers consist of chanting in Tibetan, trumpets, gongs, and bells and last about one hour.
The Clinic
When we arrived at the monastery, the weather was less than ideal. A typhoon hitting India had sent a wave of rain and bad weather across all of Nepal that lasted days. I have never seen fog so thick – you stretch out your arm and your fingers disappear in front of your eyes. The majority of our clinic occurred sheltered from the never-ending downpour by large tents that quickly became so flooded we needed to set down planks to walk on. With frequent cups of hot tea and biscuits, rainjackets, and some handy large umbrellas we all stayed perfectly warm and relatively dry and at the end of the day the whole group would gather around the woodstove in the teahouse to dry off and warm up. Circled around that woodstove is where many of my favorite memories are held. In the evenings we’d all play cards, drink tea, and most nights would finish with hours of dancing.
For the three days of clinic I worked in the medical tent, directly assisting the two doctors and working with a broad array of patients. We treated the monks, people from surrounding villages, many of the sherpa team, and residents living in the elderly home by the monastery.
One of the patient interactions that stood out to me and touched my heart was an old man who came to the clinic. He had walked quite far to get there and his back was hunched over from carrying a large backpack. Inside the backpack, we discovered, were a dozen bunches of marigolds tied neatly together with white string which he handed to every person who helped him. As he came to the medical tent I watched him hand a beautiful bunch of flowers to my dad who had walked him there under the umbrella and then turn to me and the doctors and present us each with our own bouquet while expressing his deep gratitude. This gesture of gratitude and kindness truly touched my heart. His backpack had been stuffed with the flowers and must have weighed a ton but he made sure everyone at the clinic got some. They were so fresh they must have been picked just that morning and each bunch individually tied with string and arranged beautifully.
The Monks
My favorite part of this whole experience was the people I met. At the monastery, the monks became like my brothers and every moment I spent with them was filled with laughter, joy, and heart. I spent most of my time with the youngest monks, ages 6 through 14, but I also formed some deep connections with the 17 and 18 year olds. The initial connections were formed through temporary tattoos, something my mom brought last year that was a huge hit. On our first day at the monastery we found ourselves surrounded by a swarm of boys who recognized my mom and heard we had tattoos. We made a circle on the floor of the dormitory and one by one the boys picked out their tattoos and practiced counting to 20 in English as we applied them.
Throughout the clinic the monks would always hang around the tents and peak through the windows of the dental clinic, as they were very curious. During the second and third day of the clinic some of the 13-18 year old monks ended up helping out in the dental clinic, something that was so much fun to see. My friend Prasna, who is a dental hygienist, invited them to help her do the teeth cleanings by holding the suction and water tubes as she worked. The boys loved it and it was incredible to watch how excited, attentive, and engaged they were. They would form a line to be the helper and once one patient was completed it would be their turn to get on the table and have their teeth cleaned as the next boy got to be the helper. This way the boys all got their teeth cleaned as well as were able to watch the process done on their friends. In the medical tent all the monks wanted their blood pressures checked because they were curious and thought it was cool.
One of my highlights was when I got to show the little boys how to listen to their heart and lungs. They were all huddled around our tent and we had a break in the patients so I went outside with my stethoscope and asked “who wants to listen to their heartbeat?”. They were intrigued but confused, unsure of how that could be possible. They gathered around me and after a brief squabble over who got to be the first volunteer, one boy sat in the chair in front of me. I showed them the stethoscope and then placed the earpieces in the boy’s ears. I then positioned the chestpiece over his heart and watched his eyes light up as he heard his heartbeat. His face broke into a grin and all the other boys around me leaned in closer. I then positioned it over his lungs and told him to take deep breaths and exhale. When he was done I showed all the boys how to feel their pulse in their wrists while they waited for their turns. Watching their faces light up when they heard their heartbeat, seeing the genuine curiosity as I explained how the heart and lungs work, and hearing the giggles as they listened to their stomach gurgle through the stethoscope was incredible. At the end I showed them how to hear each other's hearts, placing the earpiece in one boy's ears and the chestpiece on another boy.
On our last day, my mom and I led a yoga class for all the student monks. It was the first fully sunny day since we arrived and the field where we held the clinic had finally dried out so we gathered there. Being out in the sun and surrounded by the mountains (it was the first time we got to see them without clouds) was beautifully tranquil and relaxing. The class was so much fun, everyone engaged fully while still laughing and having a good time.
Lama Tulku
Each and every one of the boys I got to know are incredible, kind, funny, unique and smart people. But there is one specific one who is very different from the rest and whose story is truly incredible. This little boy, Lama Tulku, is someone I deeply connected with and who will stay in my heart forever. Tulku is five years old and he is the reincarnation of an extremely important Lama of the monastery, Lama Geshe, who passed away in 2016. Lama Geshe was born in 1918 in Chulemu village, very close to the Taksindu Monastery, where he studied the teachings of Buddhism from a young age. Later in life he traveled to Tibet and studied at many important monasteries and was instructed by distinguished masters. Around 1959, he returned to Taksindu Monastery and continued his spiritual practice, while also opening a new school where he taught Buddhist education to young lamas and nuns. He was the principal spiritual teacher of the Taksindu community for many decades and made significant contributions to the monastery. His ashes are held in the Taksindu monastery.
Tulku is from Pangboche village. When he was three years old he began to act differently, saying he did not belong in school, that he wanted to be a monk, that he needed to be taken to the Taksindu monastery, and finally, that he was a reincarnation. At the same time, important Lamas from the monastery were receiving visions and dreams that the Lama Geshe had been reborn. He was taken to the monastery where he identified the specific house of the late Lama Geshe as well as chose Geshe’s robes out of many identical ones. He was also shown a photo of the late Lama Geshe to which he smiled and proclaimed “that’s me!”. He was then taken to Kathmandu where he was confirmed as the reincarnation by Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, an extremely important abbot and spiritual teacher. Rinpoche performed the traditional spiritual examination and affirmed that the child was indeed the reincarnation of the late Lama. He also wrote that signs indicated the child would make meaningful contributions to the promotion of Buddhist teachings and to the welfare of all beings in the future.
*Tulku is the title of an individual recognized as the reincarnation of a previous spiritual master who has consciously chosen to be reborn to continue their spiritual work. This is a significant aspect of Tibetan Buddhism, with the Dalai Lama and Karmapa lineages being the most famous examples. “Tulku” itself is a title, not a personal name. He has a birth name and a name given to him by Rinpoche and often a Tulku will receive additional names or titles later in life, depending on his training, the lineage, and the teachers guiding him. It often happens at important moments for example during higher ordination, completion of studies, or when he takes on more formal responsibilities in the monastery. This is not something rushed; it develops naturally as he grows and progresses spiritually. Until then, Tulku is the appropriate name for him and the one he calls himself.
My time getting to know Tulku was incredibly special to me. Getting to know him was truly one of the highlights of my time at the monastery, he has such a fascinating presence and energy. He is wise, grounded, and soulful but still has the joy, energy, and lightheartedness of any little boy. Tulku is incredibly bright. At 5 years old he speaks 5 languages (Nepali, Tibetan, Sherpa, Hindi, and English), studies with the rest of the boys who are all older than him and have had prior years in school, takes additional special classes with the highest teachers and Lamas of the monastery, and is overall very quick and attentive.
During my time at the monastery, I believe I became like an older sister to Tulku. Whenever he would see me he would run up to hold my hand and often would lead me away somewhere, running and jumping as quickly as he could while dragging me along behind. He invited me for lunch with him, introduced me to the other boys, always sat beside me, and loved to ride around on my shoulders and show me his karate when we would play with all the little monks.
During my last two days at the monastery I received blessings from Tulku during the puja. This was an incredibly special moment and a great honor to get blessed by him. Earlier that day I had made a small painting for him and I was up at the monastery with my friends looking for him. They told us to go to the prayer and that he would come to see us. When he entered the monastery, about half way through the prayer, he was escorted to his special chair at the front and as he walked past me he caught my eye and smiled. His chair is embroidered with dragons and when he sat in it he was wrapped in a long golden robe. After my blessing I handed him the painting and his face lit up in a grin. He bowed his head to be, blessed me again, and examined the painting carefully for the entire rest of the prayer. I had never seen someone so focused on a singular object. From where I sat across the room I watched him turning the paper over and over, holding it up to the light, tracing the lines with his finger, and holding the picture close to his chest. Every few minutes he would look up, meet my eyes, and smile brightly. The next night, our last night at the monastery, I returned to watch the prayer with my parents. This time we knew he would be there and when he blessed us he draped the traditional white khata scarf around our necks. When he had placed the khata over my head and I made to rise he still had the khata held between his palms. He gently pulled my head back down to his level and looked deep in my eyes and smiled. That moment is one I will cherish forever and one that I felt deep in my soul. I am so grateful and honored to not only have met him but to have formed such a special bond with him.
Since Leaving
Ever since I left the monastery it hasn’t left my heart. Recently I got to facetime with the younger monks and seeing their faces again filled me with so much joy. They packed in around the camera shouting “hi Sienna!!!” and took turns talking to me. They wanted to hear all about Thailand and when I showed them pictures of the elephants I am working with they all showed me how they can make elephant trunks with their arms. I frequently message with many of the older monks who have phones and they have kept me updated on everything happening at the monastery. They all call me sister and always tell me they hope I am doing well.
Being away from the monastery has shown me truly how much my short time there impacted me. I think about it often and I find myself missing every little thing about it. Having tea with people is something I especially miss. In Nepal, I found that nearly everywhere I went I was offered tea – from the moment I arrived at my hotel in Kathmandu, to the classes I taught in Pokhara, and with everyone I met at the monastery and the teahouse. Drinking tea together was a way to connect and slow down, for people to show you love and to welcome you. At the monastery, the moments I shared with people over tea are where some of the deepest connections were formed. During the clinic the Sherpa team would often come around with a big kettle and mugs and everyone around would pause and drink together, the patients as well, and in those short moments everyone was connected. The tea is called “milk tea” or Chiya and it is made from black tea, milk, sugar, water, and a blend of spices like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. At the monastery, surrounded by the Sherpa community, we also drank Su Chiya – Sherpa salt tea. This tea is a high-calorie drink made from strong black tea, yak or cow’s butter, salt, and added milk or spices like cardamom. This tea is important for keeping warm and providing high amounts of calories and fats in the high Himalayas.
The Friends
I left Nepal with some of the most treasured friends I’ve ever met and people who feel like extended family.
Simran, Prasna, and Yangchen are the kindest and most welcoming people I have ever met. I met them during the clinic as they were part of the dental team – Simran is a dentist and Prasna and Yanchen are dental hygienists. They immediately reached out to me when I arrived and quickly got to know me, invited me to observe the dental clinic, and soon we all became quite close. Every night we’d play card games with the rest of the group and dance together during our hours-long dance parties in the tea house. Back in Kathmandu, my last night in Nepal, we all went out for dinner together. We got Korean food and spent hours just talking and laughing.The connection we have has stayed incredibly strong since leaving Nepal and am so grateful I get to keep in touch with them and talk to them everyday. Their joy, kindness, support, laughter, and welcoming made an incredible impact on my time in Nepal and it is something I will never forget.
Another incredible friend I met during the clinic is someone who just happened to be in the right place at the right time and ended up joining the clinic to help out! When we arrived at the teahouse our first night in Taksindu there was only one other person there. This person was Jarrod, a 22 year old from Australia who was doing the three passes trek. That night he got to talking with us around the fire and we explained about the medical clinic. Because of the bad weather it would have been hard for him to continue on the trek straight away and everyone liked him so much we asked him if he wanted to stay and join the clinic. This ended up being the best thing we could have done as Jarrod added so much to the clinic and to our group. He was always ready to jump in and help with anything and his job during the clinic was primarily to take patients between the tents under the umbrella. However, he shined brightest when he was entertaining the little monks. I remember on the second day of the clinic I looked outside my tent to see a train of little boys following him like ducklings as they marched around copying him doing various movements. They ran around like airplanes, hopped along through the grass, jumped like frogs over puddles, and best of all, boogied in a dance line to Stayin’ Alive. Their laughter rang through the fog and rain and everyone stopped to watch. Him and my dad were the power team of entertainment for the monks while they waited their turn to see us in the medical tent. Through the gap in the curtains I could see my dad balancing things on his head, dancing, and doing comedic bits while Jarrod juggled. Back at the teahouse Jarrod was the soul of the group, bringing laughter and so much energy to our card games and dance parties. Since leaving we have kept in touch with video vlogs of our various adventures and I have been beyond impressed and proud to witness his journey doing the epic Three Passes Trek where he summited peaks and passes, crossed glaciers, climbed to Everest Base Camp, and hiked incredibly difficult and long trails completely solo with no guide or porter. He is a friend I have learned so much from about joy, determination, compassion, and positivity and I feel confident he will be a friend for life.
The Sherpa team were truly the heart and soul of the clinic and it would have been impossible without them. They facilitated and organized the clinic, managed the patients, made everything run smoothly and being around them was always such a joy. Each and every one of them was full of so much kindness, support, hard work, and love. I am so grateful we not only got to work with them but got to know everyone on a personal level. Because of the small numbers at the clinic this year our group was incredibly close knit and we were able to spend quality time with everyone individually and get to know and appreciate them and the work they do to make the clinic possible.
Our entire group at the clinic, though small, was connected through joy, games, and dancing. From the first night we arrived at the clinic we struck up a tradition of playing the card game Mafia. Each night we would spend hours playing the game, coming up with new stories, characters, and twists. Though we played many other incredibly fun card games every night, Mafia was what always brought us back and glued us together.
The dance parties began on the second night when we realized it was Halloween and Jarrod and I decided we had to listen to (and dance to) Thriller. From there the topic of my love for salsa and how much I went salsa dancing in Peru evolved into me teaching the whole team the basics! The night of hours of dancing quickly evolved. We danced to Nepali songs, both traditional and pop, classic boogie, hip hop, The biggest dance party night was the final night of the clinic. Our goal for that night is that at some point we would get everyone dancing – the entire sherpa team, the cooks, the owners of the teahouse and their friends. This proved to be a bit of a challenging feat as while some of them loved watching us dance from the sidelines, they themselves were adamant that it was not for them. A group of the sherpas, the cooks, and the people from the teahouse sat in the kitchen playing cards and for the first few hours they insisted that they wouldn’t dance. Sometimes a few of them would get up, about to come into the dining room to dance with us, but change their minds at the last minute or the “just one more turn” in the card game would devolve into a few more rounds. But after a few hours and with some classic Nepali songs that everyone seemed to know, it worked. Everyone was up and dancing, singing, and laughing together. With a smile and a wave over we even got the older women from the teahouse to join us. It lasted only a short time with everyone up but for those few songs not a single person sat in a chair or played cards in another room – it was a room full of joy, energy, and laughter. The room got so hot from all the dancing everyone was in tee shirts, the fire had to be put out, and windows and doors were opened to let in the cold Himalayan air.
I will never forget this place – the impact it has made on my life is immeasurable. This will not be my last time at this monastery or with these people, this was the beginning of a deep connection and one that I will continue to return and dedicate my time to.
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