In lay life, Bhikkhuni Sobhana’s main occupation involved helping nonprofit groups. When Sobhana first took up meditation, she had the great good fortune to be introduced to Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, and has remained under his guidance since 1989. She also participated in the Washington (DC) Mindfulness Community, the Mintwood Zendo and the Friends Meeting of Washington. She gave up the job and condo in 1999, and spent alternating time living at Bhavana Society and hiking the Appalachian Trail. She received samaneri ordination from Bhante Henepola Gunaratana in 2003, and bhikkhuni ordination in Sri Lanka in 2006.