His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama wearing a traditional hand loomed “gamcha” from Bangladesh. Photo Courtesy: Office of HHDL
Wasfia relocated to Dharamsala, Himalayas, the exiled capital of the Tibetan people in her early twenties, where, she was blessed to meet and develop a friendship with HH the 14th Dalai Lama (HHDL) - Tenzin Gyatso - whose compassion and guidance changed the entire course of her life.
Simultaneously, she was given the refuge name Karma Ösel Lhamo by HH the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa (HHK) - Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the head of the 900 years old Karma Kagyu lineage. The Kagyu school dates back through an unbroken teacher-student lineage to the Mahasiddha Tilopa, who originated from the then Chativaho and present-day Chittagong, Wasfia's childhood hometown.
Wasfia has been blessed to learn meditation, receive initiations and practice under the guidance of HHDL, HHK, Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche and Kyabje Mingyur Rinpoche, for two decades.
Wasfia is a meditation leader & facilitator of Tergar, a secular meditation community established by Mingyur Rinpoche, and is a certified Vinyasa Yoga instructor (Yoga Alliance affiliate.) Meditation & tantric courses curated by her personally are taught at High Karma. From the age of 19, she is a practitioner of Satyagraha (non-violent resistance movement) and her campaigns and protests are driven by this belief. She has always been an advocate of animal rights and maintains an Ayurvedic vegan diet.
Members of Bangladeshi Sangha meet Tibetan Sangha for the first time at Bodhgaya, where Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment. This convergence was initiated and entirely sponsored by Wasfia, and supported by the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa (pictured receiving the White Tara thangka on the right) where the Mahayana schools of Tibet and Theravada schools of Bangladesh united for the first time in modern history. Photo Courtesy: Kagyu Monlam/Office of HH Karmapa, January 2017.
Presenting on the “status of women” at the annual conference organized by Sakyadhita (daughters of the Buddha), Thailand 2009. Also pictured Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, amongst others. Photo Courtesy: Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women
With Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche
