History Of Sunray Meditation Society
And The Ywahoo Lineage

Sunray Meditation Society is an international spiritual society dedicated to planetary peace. Its purpose is to manifest the Native American ideal of Circle Mind (The thought of all beings as relatives in the field of life.), that we may create a world of harmony upon the Earth and throughout the Family of Life.
 
The Sunray teachings are a continuation of 27 generations of planetary teaching to benefit the people and the planet. They are passed through the Ywahoo Lineage of the Ani Gadoah (Wild Potato) Clan.
 
Sunray was designated a Dharma center of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, through His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and The Venerable Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche. In 1986, Sunray was recognized by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche as a Drikung Kagyu Dharma Center.
 
The Sunray practice and teachings are thus a beauteous lake receiving the streams of three ancient and intact spiritual lineages. The common thread of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism and the Tsalagi way is compassion for living beings and care to create good relationships through mindfulness. Medicine Wheel Mandala: mirrors clear mind. These traditions teach us practical methods to actualize Circle mind and Bodhisattva activity. 

Sunray Meditation Society is founded and directed by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo holder of the Ywahoo Lineage. Her training to carry the ancestral traditions began in early childhood, under the direction of her great-grandfather, grandparents and elders. As repositories of the sacred knowledge of their people, they passed to Venerable Dhyani the spiritual duty and blessing to carry the traditions on which the work and teachings of Sunray are based. The elders foresaw that Venerable Dhyani's path was to energize interdenominational dialogue towards the intra cultural understanding and world peace, and that this work would bring many people and nations to see again the clear light of right relationship.
 
The Sunray Teachings began to be offered publicly in 1967-1969, when Venerable was a guest lecturer at the request of Dr. Mona Dayton in the Early Childhood Graduate Degree Program at Southampton University in New York; in 1976 the Society became a school in New York City. Since that time many people throughout the world have been working with the Sunray Teachings and meditation practice, learning ways of life in harmony with the Earth as a living being, learning that each one of us is responsible for shaping the quality of life for the planet and the children to come, unto seven generations.
 
The activities of Sunray have been based in Vermont since 1978; in 1980 we moved to the Lodge in Huntington, Vermont, where sacred ceremonial ground, Temple and School and the base for our international activities were maintained, along with a small residential community of staff and practitioners, a meditation, retreat and study center, and a land-based center for learning and working co-creatively with the Earth and the elements. In 1985, the public lodge was closed to facilitate local regional development. 

The Sunray Peace Village was established in 1985 providing a ceremonial “Homefire” for the Green Mountain Band Ani Yun Wiwa and Sunray. The Peace Villages of the past were open to people of all traditions and cultures. We continue to honor this tradition and we also invite Teachers from other Native Nations and Religions to come and share wisdom at the Peace Village.
 
In 1983, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche recognized the birth of a reincarnated yogi in our Vermont community and acknowledged Sunray as a Dharma Center. In 1986 in accordance with divinations, His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche came to Vermont to find the reincarnation of His Eminence Changlochen Rinpoche and acknowledged Sunray as a beauteous lake receiving the streams of three ancient and intact spiritual lineages.
 
Now, in response to the request of the Elders in 1969 and as fulfillment of prophesies that the Red Man of the West and the Red Man of the East meet on Turtle Island; both the Native American and Tibetan ceremonial cycles are maintained at the Peace Village. In 2005 the ground blessing ceremony for the first Buddhist Nunnery in North America was held at the Sunray Peace Village. Together we unravel the mysteries of life energizing awaked heart and skillful action for all beings.