ordination

[mettafou]

how possible is it for a white american to ordain within the kagyu lineage?

[Josef]

how possible is it for a white american to ordain within the kagyu lineage?

very possible.

[Luke]

I once read an interview which seemed to imply that there were some American Shangpa Kagyu monks and nuns in San Francisco doing retreats, but I could be mistaken...

Also, I know that there was a Drikung Kagyu nun named something like Ven. Ani Choling who used to post on E-Sangha. She would probably know about Kagyu monastic centers in the US as well.

Of course there's also KTD in New York. The website says it's a monastery, but I couldn't find out if there are actually any western monks or nuns living there.

Here's a good page about Ven. Pema Chodron's Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, Canada:
http://www.gampoabbey.org/life/monastic.htm

[mettafou]

thank you. how about outside the trungpa lineage?

[Chaz]

thank you. how about outside the trungpa lineage?

Wouldn't KTD be considered outside the Vidyadhara's lineage?

[Josef]

thank you. how about outside the trungpa lineage?

Wouldn't KTD be considered outside the Vidyadhara's lineage?

Not necessarily.
Trungpa's ordination lineage is from Zurmang Monastery.
Zurmang is a Kagyu monastery founded by a student of the fifth Karmapa.

[conebeckham]

I am certain that one can ordained in the Karma Kagyu lineage.

But this is not something to be taken lightly.

It's also true that, in Kalu Rinpoche's centers, so-called "Shangpa Kagyu" three year retreatants take vows for the duration of the retreat, --on a daily basis--but these aren't complete "monastic vows."

Taking Novice Vows is possible. This is usually the first step in ordination. There may also be options to take the full Monastic Vows. Again, these are not given lightly, and are not to be taken lightly. I know many "novices" who gave their vows back, and there are, of course, cases of those who have broken them.

My advice, FWIW, is to obtain, and take, sojong vows, and then re-take these daily for a period, even before one requests Novice vows. Find a Lama who does Nyung Nes, and discuss this with them.

[arisaema81]

I would suggest that KTD is probably the place to go. They held the first North American Monlam there this year with Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche, who is probably one of the most highly regarded masters of the modern Karma Kagyu and a main teacher to the present Karmapa.

If you cant get ordained there then they will certainly be able to help you and you can be sure that the lineage and teachers are valid.

Yep, agree with the above that it is a very serious matter and a process which will take several years in all likelihood.

All the best with the aspiration for "Going Forth"......

[Yonten Nyima]

I once read an interview which seemed to imply that there were some American Shangpa Kagyu monks and nuns in San Francisco doing retreats, but I could be mistaken...

Also, I know that there was a Drikung Kagyu nun named something like Ven. Ani Choling who used to post on E-Sangha. She would probably know about Kagyu monastic centers in the US as well.

Of course there's also KTD in New York. The website says it's a monastery, but I couldn't find out if there are actually any western monks or nuns living there.

Here's a good page about Ven. Pema Chodron's Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, Canada:
http://www.gampoabbey.org/life/monastic.htm

You are not mistaken, the place you are thinking of is Veberable Lama Lodru's retreat center in the Mendacino Co. (The KDK)
where closed retreats are offered in the Karma and Shangpa Kagyu lineages. Most of those who attend these retreats end up being Shangpa and Karma Kagyu Lamas, though still some choose the path of a monastic.