On a Healing Journey with Ani Choying Drolma
In person, Ani Choying Drolma’s “heavenly voice” penetrates into our heart and soul, taking us on a transformative journey of healing.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★★
As part of the 2024 Tibetan Culture and Art Festival, Ani Choying Drolma’s “heavenly voices” mesmerises the audience in Taiwan. Image courtesy of Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — I never go to a show or concert without a ticket in hand — but tonight was an exception.
As part of the 2024 Tibetan Culture and Art Festival hosted by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, Ani Choying Drolma had been invited to perform. I first heard her sing on YouTube nearly 15 years ago and never imagined I would one day have the chance to hear her perform live.
For those unfamiliar with her, Ani Choying Drolma is a Buddhist nun from Nepal who is celebrated for her soulful singing of traditional Tibetan chants. Born in 1971, she joined the Nagi Gompa Nunnery at a young age, where she learned the music that she’s now famous for under the guidance of her guru, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche.
While queuing outside the theatre, braving the bite of winter, a lady generously offered her extra tickets to a few of us waiting in line. Though my seat was farther back than I’m used to, I felt fortunate to still have a clear view — but ultimately, though, this experience was all about the sound.
“Her voice is powerful, resilient, and unyielding like iron, yet imbued with deep compassion and warmth.”
As soon as the stage is lit, Drolma — donned in her Buddhist robes — is seated at the centre, surrounded by a band of musicians playing traditional flute, guitar, Nepali sarangi, and percussion.
The concert opens with the resonant strike of a Tibetan singing bowl, its crystal-clear vibration seemingly cleansing the auditorium — or perhaps dispelling the burdens brought in by the audience. The sound of the flute then takes flight, carrying us to distant mountains and offering a bird’s-eye view of their serene expanse. The guitar’s notes follow, pure like flowing water and gentle like the touch of balm on tender skin. Finally, the sarangi joins in, weaving a soundscape that sets the stage for the centerpiece: Ani Choying Drolma’s “heavenly” voice.
She begins with the “Seven Line Prayer to Padmasambhava.” Her voice is powerful, resilient, and unyielding like iron, yet imbued with deep compassion and warmth. From the very first notes, I understand why I felt compelled to be here this evening.
Within moments of her singing, an ocean of emotions I’ve carried for months, especially in the past few weeks, begins to resurface. Tears fall freely, unstoppable, as the weight I’ve been bearing finally finds its way to the light at the end of the tunnel, breaking free.
When the chanting concludes, the auditorium sinks into a profound silence, as if the sacredness of the moment renders the applause inappropriate. Following this deeply moving prayer, Drolma performs “Sacred Tree,” and to my surprise, the song is sung in Mandarin. The lyrics revolve around the sacred tree, conveying the following message:
The Ashoka flower blooms, she says,
Perhaps you don’t need to be so strong,
Just self-respect is enough.The Bodhi leaves turn green, she says,
Perhaps you don’t need to be so great,
Just kindness is enough.The sal fruits ripen, she says,
Perhaps you don’t need to be so vast,
Just keeping faith is enough.The seven-leafed tree grows tall, she says,
Perhaps you don’t need to aim so far,
Just harmony is enough.(translated from Chinese to English by this writer)
The reassurance that we don’t have to be strong, powerful, or even courageous is a comforting relief for those of us who, including myself, chase qualities that the world deems important, while overlooking the value of more intangible qualities such as kindness, compassion, kindness, or simply being true to ourselves.
This is followed by “Name Ratna,” a popular mantra invoking Avalokiteshvara, the embodiment of compassion, guiding us toward a life of abundance and fulfillment. Next comes “Teyetha,” in which Drolma recites the mantra for Bhaisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha. It’s believed that chanting this mantra can aid in healing. Interestingly, the musical accompaniment gradually transitions into a hip-hop-like beat, as if ushering the sacred mantra into the rhythm of this material world.
According to Drolma, the “songs” she sings are not the typical songs but meditation techniques unique to Himalayan Buddhism, designed to unite the mind through the sound of mantras and spiritual songs. “They help purify negative energy and recharge us with positive energy,” she explains, “Melody has a naturally soothing effect on the disturbed mind, and it’s a universal language understood by all.”
The melodies she performs were composed by great masters of the past during their meditative experiences. While Drolma presents these pieces differently, with the addition of musical instruments, she emphasises that “the purpose — and the purity — of the pieces remain unchanged.”
In addition to mantras, Drolma also sings spiritual songs. For example, in “Mountain Echo,” her powerful voice transports us to the top of the Himalayas. The music mimics nature’s sounds — flute notes evoking an eagle’s cry, drums resembling thunder, and the weight of the mountains. In this piece, Drolma recites a combination of mantras, as if carrying the weight of universal longing and prayer for all humankind.
I’m particularly moved by the drama and tension, and the use of ornamentation gives it the quality of a modern symphony. Unlike the more lyrical tone of the earlier pieces, “Mountain Echo” uses a repeated rhythm that evokes the suffering of humanity and our longing to break free from samsara — like a butterfly struggling to escape its cocoon. I can't help but wonder how many karmic cycles I've gone through to arrive at this moment, here and now.
All these varied sounds unfold against a backdrop image of a monk kneeling atop a hill, eyes closed in prayer. It’s as if this young boy in worship represents our inner true self, and everything else happening — including the music we’re hearing — is, as Buddhist teachings suggest, illusory.
The first session of the performance ends with "Om Mani Padme Hum," a six-syllable Sanskrit mantra associated with Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. This mantra is ubiquitous in Tibetan Buddhism, recited by both laymen and monastics alike.
Ani Choying Drolma is accompanied by four musicians. Image from internet.
The second part of the performance is led by U-Theatre, a Taiwanese troupe known for blending drumming and theatrical artistry. They present “Vajra Voice,” where I’m particularly struck by the use of the wooden fish — a percussion instrument traditionally used by monks in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition — as the rhythmic anchor for the other drum beats.
Next is the “Black Hat Vajrakilya Dance,” a traditional Tibetan ritual performed during Vajrayana Buddhist ceremonies. This dance symbolises the destruction of obstacles and the transformation of negative energies into wisdom. The dancers’ swirling movements surprisingly evoke the image of whirling dervishes in Sufism.
The performance concludes with two collaborative pieces featuring Ani Choying Drolma and U-Theatre. While I find the theatrical elements by U-Theatre somewhat redundant alongside Drolma’s vocal, the scenography of “New Ogmin” catches me off guard.
In this final piece, a video projection on loop depicts monks chanting, reading portable scriptures, and turning prayer wheels. Behind this semi-transparent screen, worshippers — with their prayer wheels in hand — slowly cross the stage. Some of them, like pilgrims, perform full-body prostrations, resembling fleeting moments of life. Together, they evoke the everyday routines of those who quietly yearn for peace and solace amid life’s challenges.
Thanks to Ani Choying Drolma, I’ve been able to release emotions that had been trapped inside me for months. I’m deeply grateful for the solace I’ve found tonight and for how her soothing voice has guided me on a transformative journey of healing — a journey I’ve long been waiting for.
Bliss is now.
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Ani Choying Drolma graced the stage at Echoes of Harmony: Tibetan Chants and Drums of Zen, part of the annual Tibetan Culture and Art Festival, held at the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Centre in Taipei on November 26-27, 2024.