Geshe YongDong

Board Member, Bön Lama & Spiritual Director of Sherab Chamma Ling

GesheLa is the main teacher and spiritual director of our centre. GesheLa was born in Tibet, escaped to India and eventually made his way to Canada. His path from Tibet to Canada is a truly remarkable journey. You can read more about his life here.

Estefania & Minor, Yangrig Tso & Yungdrung Tenzing

Volunteers, Graphic Designers

We are a couple of passionate Bön practitioners, architects and designers from Costa Rica. We collaborate in the design of Bön documents, brochures and general graphics. Estefania also helps with Spanish translations when necessary. 

Colleen Embree Jay, Yungdrung Zangmo

Treasurer, Umdze

I feel blessed to have joined Sherab Chamma Ling in 2007 after my husband and I moved to BC from Ontario.  Mostly retired now, I had a long career in acting and then horse breeding. I still ride and pursue a love of painting.
Tashi Delek, Colleen

Norma Chambers, Namkhi Lhamo

Secretary, Personal Assistant to GesheLa

Norma was born and raised in small farming community in Saskatchewan, married  in 1974, graduated from U of S as a Registered Nurse, worked and travelled extensively. Together with her husband, Norma volunteered and worked as a nurse in Africa and Asia for many years, chose motherhood while in South Sudan, surprising everyone by bringing home a son. They continued to travel when time and money allowed,  and after a daughter joined the family, built and made their home on beautiful Vancouver Island.

 Norma  was drawn to the Tibetan Centre in Courtenay on a noon-hour walkabout, became a student of Bön and took refuge with Geshe La in 2009. She was convinced to take on the Secretary position with the Board in 2012 and has kept that position to date.  From 2017, she worked alongside GesheLa to support and assist him with his important work. 

Norma has been keeping retirement real since 2018, leaving her Public Health Coordinator position, obsessed with birds, nature and growing things, kitchen miracles, cycling, cats, hikes, book club, crafts, writing, sewing, knitting funky socks and dolls,  plinking on the ukulele and spending as much time as possible strengthening her inner child as a first time granny.  Currently in the process of building a cardboard kitchen just for fun and finding quiet time to write her mom’s memoir. 

Bernadette Wyton, Deleg Tsomo

Volunteer, Research, Writing & Publishing Assistant

Bernadette and her husband, Keith, live in Port Alberni and Bamfield. They enjoy spending time with their children, grandchildren, and family, most of whom are on or close to Vancouver Island. They love food production gardening in Port Alberni and rainforest/rhodo gardening on the ocean in Bamfield where boating and kayaking are special fun. Bernadette has a passion for Dzogchen and integrating her practice with that of her 95 year old mother who is also a student of Dzogchen.

Wendy Poole, Yangkye Pedma

Board Member, Membership Coordinator

I am honoured to be a student of GesheLa, and through him the wisdom of Bön informs and inspires my life.  In support of promoting the teachings in our local and international sanghas I offer service where I can, currently as membership coordinator of Sherab Chamma Ling.I retired as an Early Childhood Educator, and continue as a student and practitioner of Qigong. The many miracles of  the natural world nourish me as I play in my garden, walk the local trails and kayak along our many beaches.

Charity Munro, Rigzin Wangmo

Volunteer, Writer, Editor

My journey with Sherab Chamma started in 2017 and I took refuge a year and a half ago. I study spirituality and focus on losing my ego, so I should be busy for a long time! Teaching high school, I celebrate young thinkers who are leading us into a more humane and compassionate future. In my spare time, I sing in a few different bands and love how music connects people together. A love of forests and my dog, Nootka, keeps me outside. My future goals are writing my first novel and learning to paint.

Gordon Ross, Yungdrung Rigpa

Digital Media, Website, Writer

I was introduced to GesheLa and Sherab Chamma Ling in 2010 and I’ve been a devoted student ever since. I draw great sustenance from GesheLa, the Bön teachings and our growing sangha. It is an honour to serve on the board and to help out wherever my skills allow. I’m passionate and curious about life, nature, the universe, consciousness…pretty much everything. I’ve had the great fortune to travel widely on our beautiful planet in the roles of guide, teacher, writer and photographer.

As Sherab Chamma Ling continues to develop, I’m excited by all the possibilities including the planning and development of our hoped-for retreat centre right here in the Comox Valley.