Tulku Sangak Rinpoche is the world lineage holder of the Namchak lineage and the Spiritual Director of Namchak Retreat Ranch and Ewam International Centers worldwide.

Born in 1952 in Chamdo in the Kham region of Tibet, Rinpoche was recognized in early childhood by the great Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö [1893-1959] and the former Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche as the reincarnation of the Gochen Tulku.

Rinpoche’s parents hoped he was the reincarnation of another master instead—the great tertön Tsasum Lingpa, founder of our Namchak lineage. In the past, Tsasum Lingpa was repeatedly reborn in their family, which had been responsible for the local Namchak Ritrö monastery and Tsasum Lingpa’s hermitage.

Imagine their chagrin when, as soon as he was old enough to speak a bit, he insisted he was actually a reincarnation of another lama—the Gochen Tulku! As such, he was head of the Gochen monasteries of the Namchak lineage. Soon after, he was formally recognized and confirmed as the 6th incarnation of the Gochen Tulku. Tsasum Lingpa first predicted and named the site for the first Gochen Monastery, which the first Gochen Tulku, Gyalwa Gyatso, built.

Around the age of three, when Rinpoche was with his family and a large group of others harvesting hay in the fields, he was left sitting on a boulder at the foot of a cliff. There, he imparted the wondrous sign of his realization by leaving his footprint in a rock, as though in soft clay. To this day, it is still visible.

During the Cultural Revolution after 1969, he received essential teachings, including Dzogchen (the Great Perfection), from Tulku Chemchok Rinpoche and practiced them deeply. Later, due to the kindness of HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, he spent 14 years studying and practicing under him outside of Tibet. At that time, His Holiness empowered him to take charge and uphold the Namchak lineage by starting the Namchak retreat center in Nepal. He published the Treasure teachings of the Namchak lineage, beginning soon after HH Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche’s parinirvana.

Tulku Sangak Rinpoche, an outstanding meditation master and scholar, is a primary lineage holder of the Namchak lineage and holds other widely practiced lineages of Tibet. Rinpoche is also an expert stupa builder. He has established the Turquoise Leaf Nunnery, a Nepalese convent where more than 50 nuns live and practice.

When he was about seven, he first heard of the land of America. He thought of nothing else for a week and knew he would ultimately move here. He had specific visions of places here in the U.S.

As an adult, on one of his early trips to America, he asked Lama Tsomo to drive him around so that he could look for a place to create a center. Rinpoche recognized from his childhood visions the land on which the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas now sits. That is where he created his first U.S. center.

After living in Montana for many years, he and his family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he has established a retreat and practice center, Pema Khandro Ling.

After establishing the first Ewam in the U.S., the center’s Dharma activity prospered worldwide, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bhutan, India, and other places. In the U.S., Rinpoche later bestowed the Lama title on Sangak Tsomo, and she was given the responsibility to begin the work on building the retreat center and the translations of the Namchak lineage texts, to which he expressed his approval and support for Lama Tsomo’s endeavors.

Lama Tsomo is an American lama, author, and co-founder of the Namchak Foundation and Namchak Retreat Ranch.

Born Linda Pritzker, Lama Tsomo followed a path of spiritual inquiry and study that ultimately led to her ordination as one of the few American lamas in Tibetan Buddhism.

Under the tutelage of Tulku Sangak Rinpoche, international holder of the Namchak lineage, Lama Tsomo has done extensive spiritual retreats in the U.S. and abroad, and is fluent in Tibetan. Today, she is dedicated to sharing the teachings of the Namchak lineage with Western students, bringing greater happiness and meaning to life through meditation practice, community, and retreat. She is especially passionate about reaching young people and supporting those working for positive social change. Her teaching has inspired American and international students, who appreciate her informal and often humorous style.

Lama Tsomo holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Jungian studies. She is the author of Why Is the Dalai Lama Always Smiling?,  an introduction and guide to Tibetan Buddhist Practice, and winner of a 2016 Independent Publisher award. In addition, she’s authored the Ancient Wisdom For Our Times series, an exploration of Tibetan Buddhism meditation that includes: Why Bother? An Introduction; Wisdom & Compassion (Starting with Yourself); and book three of the series, Deepening Wisdom, Deepening Connection. This wise and accessible series based on the Vajrayana path gifts readers tangible ways to cultivate joy, compassion, focus, and fulfillment in everyday life. Along with the Namchak Community, she created Taking a Breath: A Meditation and Reflection Journal, a hands-on guide for developing and improving meditation practice.

Lama Tsomo teaches a variety of events and retreats, such as The Four Immeasurables and Waking Up in Community. Passionate about making Tibetan Buddhist teachings and practices accessible for Westerners, she is known for her stories, humor, and real-life applications of meditation practice.