When he was sixteen, after years of intensive study with his Tibetan and Japanese Zen Teachers, Little Sunyatananda (Khenpo) was accepted for ordination as a Buddhist monk in the Japanese Zen tradition, and since he also excelled academically at that time, he graduated from high school, and gained admission into the Catholic seminary program, as the youngest student to enter the college program, with an intended major in theological anthropology.

In 1983, the twenty-year old professed solemn vows as a Franciscan contemplative monk, and was given the spiritual name Br. Gianmichael of the Immaculata. (N.B: As a point of clarification, during this time, he was still known in Buddhist circles as Sunyatananda, but in Catholic circles, he was called Br. Gianmichael.)

During the next eighteen years, he responded to the needs of the poor, the marginalised, and particularly those who were suffering as a result of the emerging AIDS virus. He was chosen to become the spiritual director of his contemplative community, and led the small band of monastics to develop a comprehensive program to provide care services and respite care to those suffering from the AIDS epidemic.

It was also during those years, just prior to his profession of solemn vows, in fact, that Khenpo was brutally attacked and raped by four men in South Florida, leaving him for dead, behind a convenience store. Unfortunately, the attack would leave the twenty year-old monk infected with the AIDS virus himself — a fact that did not dissuade him from actively working to help others with the disease. For him, this was simply another example of being privileged to experience suffering in a way that would give rise to greater understanding and awareness of the suffering of others, including his attackers.

His experience and training was not limited to the realm of spirituality, however, as Khenpo also received training and went on to become an award-winning licensed hairdresser, owning several salons, which helped support the on-going expenses of the growing monastic order.

He began studying online marketing, and between the years of 1983 and 2001, earned the distinction of being recognised as a pioneer in the field of internet marketing and direct sales. Again, his earnings helped the Order to expand its reach to serve more people, feeding the hungry, caring for the sick and dying, and supporting the residences of more than 54 contemplatives.

As an openly-gay man, Khenpo also immersed himself in social action on behalf of those whose rights were threatened, working with gay rights advocates and pioneering leaders, such as Cleve Jones and Harry Hay. His infection and struggle with AIDS also brought Louise L. Hay into his path, and through several years of working with her as part of her Tuesday evening Hayrides, in West Hollywood, California, he emerged stronger and more determined than ever before.

Throughout the mid-to-late 80s he went on to study with the late Dr. Kennedy Shultz, of Religious Science International, and completed his practitioner studies in Religious Science, which he used as a foundational approach to helping those challenged by life-threatening dis-ease to find opportunities for healing, transformation and peace.

By 2001, the community under the pastoral care of the young monk had grown to sixty men, and with their growth, the community also found themselves unwilling to continue to endure the prejudice, homophobia, injustices, intolerance and exclusivity within the Roman Catholic Church. Shortly after the tragic September 11th False Flag Operation and resulting attacks on the World Trade Centre, Pentagon and the flight over Shanksville, PA, the community decided to withdrawal their allegiance to the Roman Pontiff, and became an autocephalous intentional community.

During that same time, Khenpo, began working more closely with another spiritual teacher, an American-born, self-styled guru, whose work with the homeless, the poor and with those dying from AIDS was inspirational to his own desires to extend the work of the community he led. It was under the care of this particular teacher, Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati (whom Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama gave the spiritual name of Tenzin Yangchen) that he would receive the spiritual name of Gurudas, meaning “servant of the Teacher”.

Although Kheno maintains great respect for all his teachers, and honours the guru-disciple relationship deeply, he recognised that it was important for him to continue advanced training in Tibetan Dzogchen and Vajrayana practice, and so he moved away from the area. It was difficult to no longer be able to spend time at the ashram, and study with his guru on a twice-weekly basis, as he had for more than fifteen years. But it was essential, given his responsibilities to the spiritual community entrusted to his pastoral care, and his guru was no longer able to provide teachings and empowerments in that tradition.

Gurudas Suyatananda was ordained to the Eastern Catholic priesthood, and later, in 2004, consecrated into the sacred lineage of five of the disciples of Rav Yeshua (Jesus the Christ).

In 2007, his Root Guru, Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati, formally and cordially released Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda from the guru-disciple relationship, encouraging him to continue his path in the Buddhist tradition, at which point he began to study Dzogchen, Bon and Shambala.