Much of the information we have about Ayu Khandro comes from the oral commentary that she gave in person to Chogyal Namkhai Norbu in Dzongsa in 1951.

Ayu Khandro met, and was taught by, many great masters of her day: Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo,[3] Jamgon Kongtrul the First, Chokgyur Lingpa,[4] Nyala Pema Dündul, Adzom Drukpa,[5] Togden Rangrig and the ninth Tai Situpa, Pema Nyingche Wangpo.

[6] She grew up as the youngest in a family of three sons and four daughters; living a traditional Khampa lifestyle where the women looked after the animals and the men were traders.

"[7] Togden Rangrig had a small community of meditators in the caves of a nearby mountain to where Ayu Khandro lived.

[2] At the age of 13, Ayu Khandro received her first initiation, the Longsal Dorje Nyingpo (The Vajra Essence of the Clear Expanse).

When Ayu Khandro was 14, she travelled with Togden Rangrig and Dronkyi to see these three teachers consecrate Dzong Tsho (Fortress Lake).

[2] On the return journey, we have the first mention of her meeting the 9th Tai Situpa, Pema Nyingche Wangpo from whom she received instruction on the meditation yidam White Tara.

Back at Drag ka Yang Dzong, she dedicated her time to the Ngondro of the Longchen Nyingtig lineage under the guidance of Kunzang Longyang.

Although he was in retreat due, he gave Ayu Khandro teachings on his White Tara terma,[b] called the Pema Nyingtig (Heart Essence of the Lotus) for over a month and the spiritual name Tsewang Paldron (Glorious Life Empowerment).

[2] In the summer of 1857, against her own and her aunt Dronkyi's wishes, Ayu Khandro was married to Apho Wangdo of the wealthy Gara Tsong family.

With no improvement or response to any treatment and near death, Togden Rangrig and Dronkyi were called and they stated that Ayu Khandro's marriage was blocking her strong orientation and propensity to meditation practice causing her to become ill. Apho Wangdo agreed to alter their relationship to one of vajra brother and sister and thus Ayu Khandro slowly recovered.

[2] Ayu Khandro then returned to the caves of Drag ka Yang Dzong, where she spent a year recovering, assisted by a nun in the community.

and at Ayu Khandro was present for this, and she recalled: " As we were making the funeral pyre and preparing the body to be burned everyone heard a loud noise like a thunderclap.

The close time of death of Togden Rangrig and Dronkyi could indicate that they were a spiritual couple,[l] practicing the highest levels of buddhist meditation known as karmamudra.

Before Togden Rangrig had died he instructed Ayu Khandro to visit Nyala Pema Dundel, a terton and accomplished teacher of Dzogchen.

Ayu Khandro now travelled with some of Adzom Drukpa's students to 2 famous and important Nyingma Monasteries, Dzogchen and Sechen.

An accomplished Chodpa, Lhawang Gonpa, instructed her on tummo[n] (inner heat practice) and chulen (extracting the essence); this allowed her to live comfortably through the intense cold at Dzogchen.

It was here that she met an important female figure in her life, Pema Yangkyi, with whom she travelled, practiced and established a deep friendship with for many years.

After a month, a monk called Sonam Wangpo visited and told Khyentse of their presence and he decided to secretly teach them.

Another important teaching that she received here was the Yangti Nagpo, also known as the dark retreat, a practice Ayu Khandro dedicated many years to later in her life.

Teachings received from Nyala Pema Dundel Longsal Dorje Nyingpo, Yangti Nagpo, Kha Khyab Rangdrol Aged 31 Ayu Khandro and Pema Yangkyi arrived at her old home, Drag ka Yang Dzong, where the caves of her old mentor Togden Rangrig and her aunt Dronkyi were.

Teachings received from Togden Semnyi Dorje Dzinpa Rangdrol Chod of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje Ayu Khandro, Pema Yangkyi, Kunzang Longyang and Togden Semnyi stayed in this area of Zayu and Tsari for a year and 3 months meditating in important pilgrimage places.

At the funeral which Ayu Khandro, Pema Yangkyi and Togden Semnyi performed there were many auspicious signs of accomplishment and a rainbow.

Lhodrak[t] is the heartland of the famous Kagyu patriarch Marpa Lotsawa and where the esteemed Tibetan yogi Milarepa performed his spiritual hardships before initiation.

Ayu Khandro's close friend Pema Yangkyi went to Rona where she met a yogi called Gargyi Wanchug (also known as Trulzi Garwang Rinpoche).

On meeting Gargyi stated: " Three months ago I was practicing in Ralung,[14] the original seat of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage, and I had a vision of Dorje Yudronma.

Here they practiced White Tara (especially associated with long life) and the Pema Nyintik (Heart essence of the lotus) of her teacher Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.

Moving south west of Kathmandu they arrived at Yanglesho in Parphing, for the important pilgrimage cave of Padmasambhava and his Nepalese consort Shakyadevi.

A few miles south of Parphing they travelled to one of the most famous tantric Hindu shrines, the temples of the goddess Kali, Dakshinkali.

[citation needed] Moving west out of the Kathmandu valley they passed through Purang, heading for Dolpo and arrived at a previous practice cave of Togden Trulzhi, Kyung Lung.