Bare feet replace deadly heels, shaved hair replaces long hair, and an orange tunic replaces a designer dress. The change may seem extreme but if you look at the life of Lama Aryan Drolma it's just natural. 

The spiritual seed was planted in Aria's life from the time she was a little girl living in South India. One day, her father mentioned that he would follow the spiritual path to become a sadhu and that would be the last conversation they would have as he continued on his path. 

However, Aria's path would lead her to win a beauty pageant in Mumbai, which would be the turning point for the offers in the world of modeling to continue to rain down on her. 

Deciding to pursue this opportunity, young Aria made her way through the world to the grand catwalks of New York where she would work for the impressive designers of Chanel, Diane Von Fürstenberg and Armani to name a few.

The glamorous world of fashion was like a dream come true for Aria, although it wasn’t all smooth sailing, as at the time fashion wasn’t as “inclusive” and body-diverse as it is now. No, not at all. Models were in a constant state of anxiety as they had to compare their small sizes to that of the gorgeous, tall new girl. There was no way to fail, which made everyone in the industry doubt themselves a lot. 

This superficiality awakened in Aria the longing that she had forgotten many years ago: the desire to resume a spiritual life that would be able to distance her from the superficiality of life. 

This is how she entered a Dharma practice center and that led her to enter a monastery where she would spend a 3 and a half year retreat to become a Buddhist nun. 

The reactions of those close to her were not long in coming, and her friends of the time even intervened at an event in which they tried to convince Aria to give up the path of enlightenment. But in Aria's heart the flame of determination and spiritual clarity had been lit, so she did not let anyone divert her from her goal. 

To carry out a high level of Buddhist practice, it is necessary to begin a routine at 4 am and continue with teachings, rituals and meditations throughout the day until nightfall. It is not a place you can leave unless you want to interrupt your studies and it is a place where peace and unity are felt moment by moment. 

One of the most important lessons for Aria, who adopted the surname Dralma (which means liberation) after finishing her studies, is that human beings are always longing for happiness, which does not lead them to commit actions to achieve it that make them miserable. For her too, our minds are jumping like flying monkeys from one thought to another between the past and the future, which keeps us from enjoying the present.

Quieting the mind with compassion and showing love towards herself and others has become one of her life philosophies, which she tries to spread wherever she goes, and on this occasion Saint Michael will have the honor of counting her among his teachers. 

Aria's story shows us that it is never too late to find your life purpose and that it doesn't matter if we are now doing something different from what we want, everything is part of the path and the circle of Samsara that with a little will and confidence will end up closing its 360 degrees. 

Thanks to the Hotel Apapacho for providing its beautiful facilities.