Gampo Abbey is a Western Buddhist monastery in the Shambhala tradition in Nova Scotia, Canada. Founded by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1983, it is a lineage institution of Shambhala and a corporate division of the Vajradhatu Buddhist Church of Canada.
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Two free daily tours available at 1.30 and 2.30 pm. Tours are approximately 1.5 hours each, but it depends how many questions your group asks. Donations are encouraged at the end. Anyone is also welcome to walk the garden at any time, but note that monks must be in silence until around 12.30 noon, so do not expect them to be up for a conversation.
Our guide was a temporary resident monk (on a 9 month monk trial). She was surprisingly very down to earth and was eager to share her passion with us and answer all questions, no matter how personal.
The tour started slow, with information on the monstery founders and religion history, but our guide was very enthrusiastic. The tour picked up and became more hands on once we were shown the clock (a wooden gong) which we were allowed to try. After that we saw the library (where there are a bunch of sacred books wrapped up on the top shelf) and the prayer room (where we got to sit on the monk cushions and take turns banging the gong). Our group asked lots of questions and we found out all about the monk schedule, duties and future plans.
I am not a relgious person at all, but I found it interesting to hear about others beliefs and how much they dedicate their lives to it. I'd recommend it to anyone who is curious, but would not recommend it...
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My Gampo Abbey visit was in a response to a tip from my Health insurance advisor on the Big Island of Hawaii. Her family took annual retreats there. Since I was in the area I took the extra mile to visit and was delighted with such a serene property. The short hike to the Stupa of Enlightenment was a learning experience for me and I left it determined to better myself by studying the Fourty Nine Slogans. The only person I met there was Ron just ending a three year tour there as manager. He had spent a year there as a practicing monk. Such a wonderful conversation with him. He had visited Ram Dass on the Island of Maui in part to thank him for writing BE HERE NOW which I had read in 1976. The whole experience left me with very...
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Every road trip has a stop that shifts something inside you, Gampo Abbey was mine.
There are no guided tours, no loud fanfare, just a peaceful welcome to walk the grounds and be present. Just up the road, the stupa of enlightenment rises, with benches tucked around the space, inviting you to sit and let stillness do its work.
This is not a tourist attraction, it’s a soul attraction. You come curious, and you leave lighter. Highly recommend for anyone needing a pause, a reflection, or a quiet conversation with themselves.
Liberate yourself by examining and analyzing. Don’t wallow in self-pity. Don’t be jealous. Don’t be frivolous. Don’t expect applause.
—...
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