About Lama Lena Yeshe Kaytup - Lama Lena Teachings

About Lama Lena

Lama Lena (Yeshe Kaytup) is a teacher of Direct Mind Perception meditation (Dzogchen & Mahamudra) and a lineage holder of several Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Her informal style is precise and direct and she is revered by students around the world for her exceptional ability to share profound teachings in a clear, poetic, and humorous way.

Beginning in 1972, Lama Lena spent three years studying with Lama Thubten Yeshe at his monastery in Nepal. She then spent seven years in retreat and practice in a small cave above Tso Pema under the tutelage of her root teacher, Ven. Wangdor Rimpoche. From then on, she continued to travel extensively with him as his main translator and assistant.

At the request of H.E. Zigar Choktrul Rimpoche and Ven.Wangdor Rinpoche - as well as many Western and Tibetan dharma students - Lama Lena has been traveling, teaching, and translating from the lineages she holds.

Having studied Chinese medicine, Lama Lena also maintained a medical practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She currently splits her time between San Francisco and Tso Pema, where she teaches and provides medical assistance to the Tibetan refugee community, the local Indian villagers, and mountain tribespeople.

Lama Lena's Teachers

Lama Lena's Root Teacher

Wangdor Rimpoche

Wangdor Rinpoche Wangdor Rinpoche (1925-2019) was a Tibetan Dzogchen master and monk from the Nyingma and Kagyü schools, based in The Holy Caves of Tso Pema, India. First trained in Dzigar Monastery in Kham, he became a main student of Thuksey Rinpoche and spent over 60 years in cave retreat, under the direction of Dudjom Rinpoche and Khunu Lama (Tenzin Gyaltsen Rinpoche). Wangdor Rimpoche is a lineage successor of both Dudjom Rinpoche and Khunu Lama and was a close vajra brother of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

Repa Kunzang Dorje

Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche (1930-2010) was a major tsa-lung and tummo master from the Nyingma tradition and a senior student of Dudjom Rinpoche.
Dudjom Rinpoche requested that he lead several tsalung and tummo retreats, and to write commentaries on tummo and trulkor practices such as The Blazing Mass of Fire. These important commentaries have since been incorporated into the canon of Dudjom Tersar and Rigdzin Sogdrub lineages.

Lama Thubten Yeshe

Lama Thubten Yeshe (1935–84) was born in Tibet and educated at the great Sera Monastic University. He fled the Chinese oppression in 1959. In the late 1960s, with his chief disciple Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, he began teaching Buddhism to Westerners at Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal. In 1975 they founded the international Buddhist organization the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), which now has more than 160 centers, projects, and services worldwide.

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche (1946-2023) was one of the most internationally renowned masters of Tibetan Buddhism, working and teaching ceaselessly on almost every continent. He was the spiritual director and cofounder of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), an international network of Buddhist projects, including monasteries in six countries and meditation centers in over thirty; health and nutrition clinics, and clinics specializing in the treatment of leprosy and polio; as well as hospices, schools, publishing activities, and prison outreach projects worldwide.

Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche

Löpon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche is one of the living fathers of the indigenous Tibetan Bön tradition, from which Tibetan Buddhism derives its unique character. Born in 1926 into a family of famous artists, he entered a monastery at seven and went on to earn his Geshe degree at the renowned Bonpo monastery, Menri, established in 1405. In 1989, Yongdzin Rinpoche was the first person to give Bön teachings in the West. One of his main teachings has been Dzogchen, which he considers especially suitable for the westerners because they do not involve special cultural familiarity and they appeal directly to the mind.

Yeshé Dorje Rinpoche

Khamtrül Yeshé Dorje Rinpoche (1926-1993) was a ngakpa and Mahayoga ritual expert. He was widely known as The Dalai Lama’s "weather-maker", and was always seen with his kangling (human femur trumpet), performing rites whenever His Holiness the Dalai Lama made public appearances. Yeshé Dorje Rinpoche helped many people, especially in the USA, with the practice of Tröma Nakmo. He was of invaluable assistance to the students who followed Düd’jom gTérsar, particularly amongst the students of Lamas such as Tharchin Rinpoche, Chag’düd Tulku Rinpoche, and Gyaltrül Rinpoche.

Our Team

All of Lama Lena’s operations are carried out by a loving team of volunteers from around the world!

Nyondo Nadi

Khandro & Tech

Nyondo Nadi has been a student of Venerable Wangdor Rimpoche for over 30 years and has been ropa to Lama Lena for over 35. She spent 10 years residing in Tso Pema, working with both Indians and Tibetans and advocating spay/neuter programs for the local street dogs. She is khandro and tech support for Lama Lena. You might recognize her as the friendly off-screen voice that reads all your incoming questions during Lama Lena's livestreams!

Jan O

Retreat Coordinator

Jan has been Lama Lena’s attendant since 2009 when she met Lama Lena and Wangdor Rimpoche during his last tour. She felt an immediate connection with both and knew that Lama lena was her teacher. She became an integral member of the team, doing everything from scheduling teachings to driving around the country. Jan has been asked to share her knowledge, wisdom and experience by teachers Lama Lena, Cherokee Grandmother Redleaf, and Losang Samten. She leads weekly practice groups open to everyone!

Lama Tasha Star

Online Editor & Moderator

Lama Tasha (Karma Jigmé) has been a student of Lama Lena's for nearly 10 years and was authorized to teach in 2020. She came to Dzogchen after a winding journey through Zen, Gelug Madhyamika, and Dream Yoga. She began building Lama Lena's website in 2017 and continues to maintain her online spaces (website, forum, newsletter, and socials) and coordinates volunteers and transcription efforts. She's also an award-winning recording artist and co-host of The Mind Bod Adventure Pod.

Lama Tashi

Meditation Support

Lama Tashi (Sharon Tashi) is leading meditations with Lama Lena’s sangha and was authorized by her to teach in 2010. The late Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche, with a universal approach to Dharma, is her root teacher and Lama Lena is a heart teacher who delights and terrifies. Eh Ma Ho. How wonderous! Lama Tashi leads ‘Little Sangha’ in beautiful British Columbia, Canada and Sh.e facilitates courses and retreats that bridge secular meditation and ages old wisdom teachings.

Lopön Dorit Goldman

Löpon (Vajrayana Support)

Dorit was nominated as Lopön (Tantric master) by her Dzogchen root and heart teacher, Lama Lena. She has been a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism for almost 20 years. She graduated from a 6-year program equivalent to Geshe degree, completed 9 years of Tantric College studies and across 11 years, accumulated three years and three months in solitary retreat. She has been fortunate to study under the guidance of her lamas in the Gelug, Nyigma and Drikung Kagyu traditions. She received refuge, bodhisattva, and tantric vows from HH the Dalai Lama, and numerous teachings and empowerments from her heart teachers HE Garchen Rinpoche, Drubpon Rinchen Rinpoche and others. She has been authorized to teach and serves as Lama Lena's Hebrew translator. She is an authorized Psychotherapist (MA) practicing Buddhist psychology, married to her best friend, and is a mother and grandmother.

Onalayah

Sponsorship Program

Onalayah (Yeshe Kadak) manages the sponsorship program. She is a heart sister of Venerable Lama Lena and her formal studies span 4 decades. She is a co-creative herbalist and an initiate in both the Nagual and Seneca Wolf Clan traditions. In Buddha Dharma, her root lineage is Bön; her master H.E. Yongdzin Löpon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche. She practices in the Rimé tradition and has received teachings and wongs from many venerable teachers. Onalayah thrives in India. As a wandering yogini, she occasionally returns to North America where she was born.

Lilith Yeshe Palmo

Student-Led Practices

Lilith Yeshe Palmo is a seeker of mind, artist, yogini, resting advocate and Zapchen enthusiast. She is a student of Lama Lena's and hosts the student practice groups for Inner Body Rushen and shiné. She also helps with Livestreams as a chat moderator.

Tom Light

Silent Trekcho Host

Although Tom's first dharma home was with Chogyam Trungpa's Vajradhatu sangha, he's enjoyed a connection with Lama Wangdor and Lama Lena for many years. He's tried to be a diligent student of the dharma and - perhaps because he's able to sit quietly for a minute or two - Lama Lena has invited him to host the Silent Trekcho practice group! Tom is delighted to do so. This opportunity perfectly suits his teaching style because it's....well....silent. Check the calendar for current sessions. Bring your mind if you can find it, if not, come anyway.

Pepijn Hinten

Netherlands Coordinator

Pepijn Hinten (Jigme Ozer) is a rimé practitioner, with Nyingma inclinations. He started his extraordinary ngöndro under the guidance of Wangdor Rinpoche and Lama Lena Rinpoche in 2012 in Tso Pema, India. He has been hosting Lama Lena in the Netherlands since 2016.

Our Translators

If you're a translator and would like to participate, please contact Martin (below), our Languages Coordinator.

Martin Fernandez Cufre

Language Coordinator & Spanish Translator

Martin is Lama Lena's official language coordinator. He gives simultaneous, live Spanish translations of her teachings and manages the Spanish-language Youtube & Facebook. He was introduced to Dzogchen by his root teacher Chögyal Namkhai Norbu who also authorized him to teach Yantra Yoga. He is a graduate of psychology & a professional translator. His teachers include Keith Dowman, Mooji, Tsoknyi Rinpoche and others. He is trained in the arts and in Western esoteric traditions like the Golden Dawn, Dragon Rouge, Servants of the Light. He is an avid traveller and recently became a father!

Jenya Antonova

Russian

Jenya Antonova is a rimé practitioner. She started on the Dharma path as as student of Khachab Rinpoche in 2005, and has been organizing his teachings in San Francisco in the Bay Area since 2003. Jenya is a Russian translator, newsletter writer, and a helper to Lama Lena. Jenya loves drawing, watercolor painting, and making chocolate.

Rodrigo Pacheco El Hage

Spanish

Rodrigo is a spanish translator for Lama Lena's sangha. He studies Tibetan Buddhism in a Rimé way, primarily with Lama Lena but other favorite teachers are Garchen Rimpoche and his Lamas Elias Capriles and John Myrdin Reynolds. Rodrigo also studies Traditional Tibetan Medicine at Dr. Nida Chenatsang's institute and is currently working on a degree in Western philosophy.

LELA MOSEMGHVDLISHVIL

Georgian (ქართული)

One night, instead of a psychedelic rave, Lela wandered into a Nyingma Center in Amsterdam and chanted Guru Rinpoche’s mantra, asking for a teacher. Auspicious events unfolded and Lela soon came into contact with Tibetan Buddhism. She took refuge with Lama Lena in 2020 and has followed her ever since. Jan Owen is her root teacher. Lela thinks there is no other sangha in the world as fun and loving as Lama Lena’s mandala, where her devotion and playfulness bloom. Recently, she started translating Georgian for the sangha. In her day-to-day life, Lela teaches part-time at the University of Amsterdam and experiments with introducing contemplation and dancing into academia. She wishes to see her students happy and less stressed. Lela is also involved in the psychedelic practitioner education program, facilitates mushroom ceremonies, and serves Kambo medicine.

Sonia Gomes

Portuguese

Sonia discovered mediation practice in Sri Lanka in 2007 and in 2010 she began studying Tibetan Buddhism. She is a student of Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche, Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche and Jisu Sunim (Korean Zen) and has received teachings from great masters of all the traditions and schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Her teachers include Semo Saraswati Rinpoche, Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche, HH Sakya Trinzin, Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, Wangdor Rinpoche, Ringu Tulku, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Garchen Rinpoche and Dr Nida Chenagtsang. She is also an Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and instructor. She loves to travel and works with an NGO for gender equity and human rights.