The Bhutanese Leading the way.
His Majesty The King granted Royal Kashos (Royal Edicts) to eight new spiritual projects at Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), bringing the total number of approved sacred sites to 22.
The Kashos were granted at a ceremony held at Semtokha Dzong, Bhutan’s oldest dzong and a historic seat of Buddhist learning. The projects include: Dewachen Spiritual Centre, Druk Yoga and Mindfulness Centre, Jampal Gyepai Dangden, Kathok Zhithro Kilkhor, Menjong (Healing Garden) with Medicinal Buddha, Peling Dzogchen Lingka, Tendrel Nyensel Healing Centre, and the Varahi Mandala.
These projects include a 200-foot stupa, a three-dimensional mandala of the bardo experience, a sacred campus inspired by Amitabha’s Pure Land, healing gardens, retreat spaces, and centres for mindfulness and contemplative leadership. Drawing from multiple Buddhist lineages, they form the sacred foundation of GMC as a Buddhist city.
A notable milestone is the Varahi Mandala, led by Khandro Dorji Phagmo, marking the first female spiritual leader to be formally part of GMC’s spiritual foundations.
His Majesty declared GMC a Buddhist city with the intention of making it a home for every major Buddhist tradition. These projects reflect that commitment and contribute to a broader vision where monasteries, institutions, and research centres coexist with sectors such as green energy, health and wellness, agritech, and financial services.
