Druplas & Khenpos
Druplas are “practice masters” recognized for their training and ability in ritual activities. Khenpos have completed 9 years of intensive Buddhist philosophical study in a shedra. Additionally, they have passed rigorous exams and undergone a teacher training period.
Instructors
Samye Institute instructors have been designated by Phakchok Rinpoche. The individuals have varying life experiences but are all committed to the practice of the Buddhadharma and the Chokling Tersar lineage.
Blog Authors & Course Facilitators
Samye Institute has a wide range of contributing authors who regularly post articles to our study blogs.
Druplas and Khenpos
Kyabjé Khen Rinpoche Tashi Palden
Kyabjé Khenpo (Kyabjé Khen Rinpoche Tashi Palden) excelled in his monastic studies and became a Khenpo at a young age….
Tulku Migmar Tsering
Tulku Migmar Tsering is a master of the Chokling New Treasures lineage of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He…
Khenpo Gyaltsen
Khenpo Gyaltsen was born in Nepal on May 10, 1973. He is a direct descendant of the family of the…
Drupla Tenphel Gyatso
Drupla Tenphel Gyatso is one of the senior monks at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, and has undergone the traditional three-year…
Drupla Sherab Dorje
Drupla Sherab Dorje was born in Nubri (Manaslu) Nepal into a family of lamas and practitioners descended from the ancient…
Drupla Opak
Drupla Opak is one of the senior monks at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, and has undergone the traditional three-year retreat…
Drupla Sonam Tsering
Drupla Sonam Tsering is one of the senior monks at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery and has undergone the traditional three-year…
Drupla Ani Pema Khandro
Ani Pema Khandro was ordained in 1986, at the age of 25 . She has been embracing the monastic path…
Drupla Ani Dekyi Chödron
Ani Deki Chödron was ordained in 1986, at age fourteen. She has been embracing the monastic path for 37 years….
Drupla Ani Kunga Drolma
Ani Kunga was ordained in 1986, at the age of 17. She has been embracing the monastic path for 37…
Lama Sherab Phuntsok
Lama Sherab Phuntsok is one of the senior monks at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery. He is currently the resident lama at…
Drupla Kalsang
Drupla Kalsang was born in 1961 in the region of Kham in eastern Tibet. After traveling on pilgrimage Mount Kailash…
Translators
Stefan Mang
Stefan Mang, a student of Tibetan Buddhism since 2004, has been studying Buddhist philosophy and literary Tibetan since 2010 at…
Peter Woods
Peter Woods completed a degree in Philosophy at University of Virginia in 2009, and later earned a Master’s in Religion…
Lowell Cook
Lowell Cook is a lover, reader, and researcher of the entire breadth of Tibetan literature, from the ancient Dunhuang manuscripts…
Oriane Lavole
Oriane Lavole is a PhD candidate in Buddhist Studies (Religious Studies Department) at Stanford University. Her research centers on the…
Instructors
David Shlim
David R Shlim MD traveled to Nepal in 1979 to volunteer at a high-altitude rescue post near the base of…
Jangchub Yeshe
Under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Chokling Rinpoche and Phakchok Rinpoche, Jangchub Yeshe was ordained at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling…
Tsunma Jamyang Donma
Ani Tsunma Jamyang Donma has served as Spiritual Care Provider at SickKids for over 10 years, originally as a volunteer…
Jack deTar
Jack deTar trains under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Phakchok Rinpoche. He tries to serve others, hold in devotion…
Michael Friedman
Lama Michael Friedman has spent 50 years in an intensive study of philosophy in general and the nature of mind…
Hilary Herdman
Hilary Herdman, Ph.D, studied and taught at Rangjung Yeshe Institute at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery since 2000. Hilary was a…
Alan Pope
Alan Pope, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at the University of West Georgia, USA. His doctoral training in clinical existential-phenomenological psychology…
Maryanne Müller Prieto
Maryanne Müller Prieto is a long-time dharma student from Chile. She has had the privilege and blessing of being Phakchok…
Jesper Skovlund
Jesper was trained as a psychotherapist in 1990, and has since then studied emotional intelligence, communication and leadership. In 1996…
Erric Solomon
Throughout his career as a Silicon Valley technology entrepreneur, and now as an author and innovative meditation teacher, Erric has…
Arthur Versluis
Arthur Versluis, Ph.D., is a professor and Department Chair of Religious Studies in the College of Arts & Letters at…
Shu-chin (Sophie) Wu
Trained in Chinese intellectual history at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Sophie teaches Asian history and philosophy, including Buddhism, as an…
Somānanda Yogi
Somānanda Yogi has had the great fortune of studying the Buddha Dharma under very kind and knowledgeable teachers from the…
Matthew Zalichin
Matthew Zalichin began studying Buddhism as an undergraduate in 1971. His teachers include many of the past and current century’s…
Blog Authors & Course Facilitators
Alexander Yiannopoulos
Dr. Alexander Yiannopoulos (Ph.D. 2020, Emory University) has been studying and practicing Buddhadharma since 2005, when he took refuge under…
Somānanda Yogi
Somānanda Yogi has had the great fortune of studying the Buddha Dharma under very kind and knowledgeable teachers from the…
Neil Roberts
Neil Roberts is a strength and movement coach, certified mobility specialist and corporate wellness consultant based in Brooklyn, NY. He…
Andrea Sherman
Andrea Sherman, PhD, is a gerontologist, educator, trainer and End of Life Doula. She is a graduate of the New…
Diana Carey
Diana’s interest in Yoga, meditation and Ayurveda started back in the 1980’s, and she started to pursue them in 1993…
Kevin Gormley
Kevin Gormley, a life-long educator, is a former MS and HS teacher, performed health and science magic shows for school…
Tawni Tidwell
Tawni Tidwell, TMD, Ph.D. is a Tibetan medical physician (also known as “menpa” or “amchi”), who studied Tibetan medicine at…
Anasuya Weil
Prior to studying Tibetan Medicine Anasuya Weil, Menpa, M.S., L.M.T., received her M.S. in 2001 from UMass Amherst and did…
Mira Weil
Mira Weil, DTM, has been a practicing Tibetan Buddhist for over 20 years, and had the great fortune to meet her…