Ayya Soma

Ayyā Somā is an Italian Buddhist nun and co-abbot of Empty Cloud Monastery in New Jersey, USA. She was first introduced to Buddhist monastic life at Santacittārāma Monastery in Italy, in the tradition of Ajahn Chah. She began living as a renunciant in 2016, received monastic ordination in 2018, and full bhikkhunī ordination in 2020. She is the co-founder of Buddhist Insights, a non-profit organization connecting people with Buddhist monastics. Through her work, she has learned from and been inspired by teachers across a wide range of Buddhist traditions.