Property:Introbuddhism
From Tsadra Foundation Advanced Contemplative Scholarships
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I first began studying Buddhism at Naropa University but left university when I found a Palyul Nyingma center in Boulder, Colorado. I received the Ngondro lung which inspired me to apply for workstudy at the Palyul Retreat Center in New York. I spent one month working for the lineage before retreat began. I began receiving instructions, empowerments and vows from the Palyul throneholder HH Karma Kuchen Rinpoche and Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso. My ngondro teachings were from Tulku Ajam and also Khenpo Tenzin Norgay. After that retreat I entered retreat for 11 months, during which I completed the 500,000 and 1.2 Vajra Guru mantras. I did work study again the following year for another month, which included helping finish the Mingyur Dorje stupa under Tulku Sangngag's direction. I then received Tsalung empowerments, and instructions from Tulku Dawa Rinpoche. Two years later I did Thogal I at Palyul Summer Retreat, and this year I am doing Thogal II. +
Study of Buddha-dharma in 1985 at Karme Choling in Barnet, VT during a week-long Vajrayana retreat associated with Johnson State College in Johnson , VT. This required a basic study of Mahayana practice as an introduction to Shamatha/Vipassana meditation. I continued this practice for some years and later studied Vajrayana Practices with Prof. Reginald Ray for 3 semesters at the University of Colorado, Boulder. In 1995, I entered the Contemplative Psychotherapy program at Naropa Institute, Boulder CO. In 1996 received teachings from Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, and soon after from Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche (1996). In 1997 attended a 100-day closed "Maitri Retreat" within the context of the Contemplative Psychology Program Naropa Inst. During the next several years, I received empowerments in: Yeshe Tsogyal, Trekcho, and in the practice of Gesar from Namkha Drimed Rinpoche. Commitments in these practices were fulfilled. Soon after, I received refuge from Lama Tharchin Rinpoche. +
I began to study Buddhism in 1983 as a resident of Karmê Chöling, a practice centre in Vermont. The practice and study curriculum was excellent, under the auspices of Vidyadhara Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. I followed the pre-seminary courses, which prepared students for a 3-month, 3-yana Vajradhatu seminary. +
1975 - H.H. Kalu Rinpoche. I received Refuge and Boddhisattva Vows
I didn't get serious about the Buddha Dharma until 20 years later when I had the great good fortune to meet Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche and then subsequently my primary root lama, Venerable Sogan Rinpoche +
Previous to actually meeting a teacher I studied and read Buddhist writers for several years. I first studied with a teacher at KKC in Burnaby, BC with Lama Tsenjur. Soon after that I met Kalu Rinpoche in Hawaii who I quickly and strongly developed a རྩ་བའི་བླ་མ connection with. +
I came to Buddhism in 1992 and started to study while I was living in Samye Ling. During this time I attended teachings from HH the Dalai Lama and Tai Situpa Rinpoche. The head monk Tsering Tashi also gave some guidance on the Tibetan alphabet. I also had musical lessons regularly and so can play the Radong, Drums, Kangling and learned to circular breathe. The Sadhanas were taught by Ani Lhamo who is Lama Yeshe Rinpoche's attendant. +
In 1999 with Venerable Tenga Rinpoche at Benchen Monastery. +
I attended the Antioch (now Carlton) Buddhist studies program in Bodh Gaya in 2011, after being exposed to it in my university classes. It was there that I met Kyabje Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and my practice began in earnest. +
In 1997 with Lama Denys and Karma Ling Institute (France) +
I began studying Buddhism at the age of 15, in 2013, with Lama Karma Tartchin, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche's disciple. +
I started studying Buddhadharma in the Spring 2011 with Mingyur Rinpoche. I was able to join the last retreat he conducted in Hong Kong before leaving for his wondering retreat. In the same year, I have also met my other Teachers: June 2011 and November 2011 Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche (retreats at Gomde UK and Nepal) and in November 2011 I met Tsoknyi Rinpoche at Tergar Osel Ling.
In the same year I started practicing the Joy of Living Programme with Tergar and Tara Triple Excellence with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche's Sangha. This has helped me to establish a regular daily practice right from the beginning. +
I began studying and practicing Buddhism in September of 2019 under the guidance of Lama Yeshe Palmo, a graduate of several three-year retreats of Kagyu (now Palpung) Thubten Choling monastery in Wappingers Falls, NY. +
I began studying and practicing Buddhism at the age of 17 or 18 in Diamond Way centers in Poland, where the main lamas are the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Thaye Dorje, and Lama Ole Nydahl. +
I began studying Buddhism with Lama Kathy Wesley on May 28, 2020. She is a graduate of the first Three Year Retreat at Karme Ling under Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche.
I have practiced in the Karma Kagyu Lineage of Vajrayana Buddhism since 2020. Lama Kathy and I first met when I was a chaplain intern at OSU Wexner Medical Center in the summer of 2015. I also met a senior meditation instructor from the Columbus KTC at that time. She was a chaplain resident. She taught me Tonglen for patients. I returned to complete a chaplain residency from 2017-2018. Another long-time lay member of our lineage was in my class and the senior meditation instructor continued to work with our team as a contract chaplain. I learned a lot from them. When I was in my professional role as a chaplain responding to a gunshot wound patient’s family, I prayed to Tara. I found my faith and trust flourishing in Buddhism. Around that time, Lama Kathy generously offered her time to teach me about the Dharma through phone calls and her online class for The Great Path of Awakening. It was the middle of the pandemic. When I requested Refuge, Lama Kathy helped me connect with Lama Jinpa who lives closer to me and was willing to provide the Refuge ceremony for me in his home shrine room. Since then, it has been an aspiration of mine to complete Three Year Retreat. And that motivation has been changing and becoming sweeter, more vast and focused on benefitting all beings. +
I started my study of Mahayana Buddhism in 2014, participating in an informal group called "Grupo de Estudos Budistas Bodhisattva" with an instructor from Lama Padma Samten's sangha in Brazil. The study group focused on the Four Noble Truths, Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, Mind Training, Four Immeasurable Qualities, and Six Paramitas. In 2019, I started studying Buddhism more committedly with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and his senior students through Siddhartha's Intent, and one year later, through Ngondro Gar. +
2012 in the Madison Wisconsin Shambhala city center. In 2016 I went to Karme Choling, A retreat center started by Chogyam Trungpa, to become the property manager. Living and working in that enviornment for 6 years was a wonderful opportunity to do many group month long and week long retreats. I was fortunate to be able to do 8 one month long solitary retreats while I was there. +
I first began cultivating an interest in the Dharma when I was about 19 years old, after meeting Khentrul Lodro Thaye Rinpoche at a small gathering in Louisiana around 2007. I took Refuge and lay vows in 2014 from my teacher Lama Losang and have studied under him since. +
I began to study Buddhism in 2018, when I was traveling in Nepal and attended the Kopan November class. +
I began studying Buddhism in 2013 during a study abroad semester at Rangjung Yeshe Institute. This counted toward my undergraduate degree in Philosophy and International Studies at Boston College. When I returned in the Spring of 2014, I began studying Buddhist philosophy and ethics at Boston College with John Makransky. Upon graduation in 2015, I left the U.S. and traveled through some of South Asia participating in Buddhist courses and retreats in various traditions. I quickly landed back at Rangjung Yeshe Institute and within the mandala of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and have been studying under his guidance as both a student and practitioner ever since. My studies and practice have been mostly in Nepal however I have spent extended periods at affiliated retreat centers in Europe and the Americas. +
In 2007 I started studying with Sogyal Rinpoche and soon followed the Rigpa study& practice programme.
Before that I had come across the mind&life dialogues and read many books by the Dalai Lama etc. +
