water and sanitation were disconnected. Remembering the trials of Milarepa, Yeshe Losal carried on with his practice. Moreover, beavers built a nest beneath his retreat house while raccoons and skunks fighting over territory left stinking reminders of their presence. After five years of retreat and enduring many hardships he emerged and was recognised as a lama. It has been said that his body was almost skeletal, but his mind crystal clear. Akong Rinpoche requested that Lama Yeshe move to Purelands, a purpose-built retreat centre at Samye Ling, and in time he became the retreat master in 1988. At Akong Rinpoche's request, in 1995 Lama Yeshe was confirmed as abbot of Samye Ling by the Tai Situpa. Holy Isle In 1990 Kay Morris came to Samye Ling with a strange request. She was the owner of Holy Isle a small island near the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde. She wished to sell the Island and had had a vision of Mary, the mother of Jesus who asked her to approach the Buddhists at Samye Ling. Lama Yeshe visited the island in December and felt an immediate affinity for the rugged landscape, reminiscent of his homeland. Looking out over the lights of Lamlash bay, he was reminded of a vision he had while practising dream yoga on retreat. He had experienced flying over a beautiful island surrounded by lights. In April 1992 the Holy Isle was bought by the Rokpa Trust. Since then Lama Yeshe has been instrumental in establishing the Centre for World Peace and Health, an environmentally designed residential venue for courses, conferences and retreats on Holy Island, and a monastery on the southern end of the Island for nuns on three year retreats. The island is a sanctuary for wild life, and Lama Yeshe is active in promoting the case for Lamlash Bay to be no take zone, a wildlife reserve for marine life, perhaps an echo of his own life-changing fishing trip. References External links Biography at Kagyu.org Biography on the Kagyu Samye Ling website Biography on the Kagyu Samye Dzong London website ROKPA web site. Holy Island Project 1943 births 20th-century Buddhists 21st-century Buddhists Lamas from Tibet Living people Karma Kagyu lamas Karma Kagyu tulkus Rinpoches Tibetan Buddhists from Tibet People from Dumfries and Galloway 20th-century lamas British people of Tibetan descent Tibetan people